Which industry most contributed to the settlement of the Appalachian Plateau Region?

Mining is the right answer.

Explanation:

The Appalachian Plateau is located in the Appalachian Mountains'  northwestern part that stretches from New York to Alabama. The rock layers of the plateau are rich in minerals. The settled people extract coal ( anthracite and bituminous) by drift mining. Some other valuable minerals include limestone, iron ore, natural gas and petroleum etc. However, the coalfields of the Appalachian plateau are the largest in the country.

answer; quantitative versus qualitative research;