Mining Facts 2021 The National Mining Association
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The National Mining Association 2021 Mining Facts
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the perils of relying on global supply chains for Americans’ essential needs. Maximizing our use of the resources we have in abundance here at home, and determining how to better support access to those resources, will be key to our long-term economic recovery. With so many American families and industries struggling to get back on their feet, affordable, reliable energy has never been more important. By delivering the raw materials required for nearly every industry and consumer product, feeding our manufacturing, technology, transportation, medical, defense and energy supply chains — mining provides the resources for a better future.
America’s Every American
Mining at a uses an average of
Glance
40,000
464,000
Number of direct mining
industry jobs.
808,000
Number of indirect jobs
generated by the mining
industry.
pounds
$81,000+ $101B of newly mined
Average annual salary for a Annual U.S. revenues
miner, well above the U.S.
average wage of $59,000.*
generated through mining.
materials every year,
including two tons
*Employment numbers based on MSHA Q4 2020 preliminary employment data, applied to IMPLAN
2018 data economic multipliers. of coal.370,000
Direct minerals mining jobs
Resources
94,000 for Our
Direct coal mining jobs
597,000
Economy
Indirect minerals mining jobs
Mining provides essential materials and
211,000 power for nearly every industry and
Indirect coal mining jobs consumer product, and supplies low-cost,
$18,000,000,000 reliable fuel for homes and businesses
Total federal, state and local taxes across the country.
attributable to mining jobs
The mining industry is supported by hundreds of thousands
of hardworking Americans. They are deeply proud of the
contributions they make to our country each day, fueling America
*Employment numbers based on MSHA Q4 2020 preliminary
and supplying the materials that make our high quality of life
employment data, applied to IMPLAN 2018 data economic multipliers. possible and America a global leader in innovation.Resources for
113%
Percent increase in the number of minerals for which the U.S.
is entirely import dependent since 1995.
Supply Chain
Security
Metals and minerals are the building blocks
of our energy, manufacturing, technology,
defense and medical supply chains.
$4B
Value of minerals the U.S. imports from foreign countries, Our reliance on foreign countries and
despite being home to reserves estimated at $6.2 trillion. geopolitical rivals for minerals we could be
sourcing here at home exposes our economy
and way of life to unacceptable risks.
66% 40% Despite being home to one of the world’s
Percentage of mineral Percentage of minerals leading minerals reserves, cumbersome
commodities listed as essential identified as critical to permitting processes contribute to the U.S.
for U.S. economic and national U.S. and national security remaining import-dependent for many
key minerals. But the COVID-19 pandemic has
security that China is the top for which the U.S. is 100
amplified American awareness of the dangers
producer or top supplier of. percent import reliant. of a heavily import-dependent supply chain.coal, copper, gold, iron ore,
molybdenum, zinc, uranium,
lead, rare earths, platinum-
group metals, salt, gypsum,
silver, nickel, phosphate, boron,
limestone, kyanite, beryllium,
What
cobalt, bentonite, bromine,
cement, common clays,
resources diatomite, feldspar, gemstones,
play a key
greensand marl, helium,
magnesium metal, palladium,
role in peat, potash, sand and gravel,
soda ash, stone, tripoli,
your state? wollastonite, zirconium1,000% 23
Projected increase in demand Number of carbon capture,
for minerals needed for future use and storage facilities
energy technologies, according under construction or
to the Center for Strategic and operating around the world.
International Studies.
4.7 tons 10%
Amount of copper needed for Amount of global silver
a single wind turbine. demand utilized in the
production of solar panels.
Resources 66 35%
for a Better Number of minerals used CO2 emissions reductions
Future
in the average computer. achieved through high
efficiency, low emissions
coal plants.
Technologies made possible through and
employed by mining stimulate innovation,
providing the necessary resources for a
1/5th of a gram
Amount of gold in the average computer, used in many
better life and a better future. electronics due to its high corrosion resistance.Alabama
Coal, cement,
Alaska
Coal, zinc,
Arizona
Coal, copper,
Arkansas
Coal, bromine,
California
Sand and Major mined products Montana
Coal,
Nebraska
Cement, sand
Nevada
Gold, copper,
New Hampshire
Sand and
New Jersey
Stone, sand
from your state
stone, lime, gold, lead, molybdenum, stone, cement, gravel, cement, palladium, and gravel, silver, lime, gravel, stone, and gravel,
sand and silver, sand sand and gypsum, sand boron, stone, molybdenum, stone, lime diatomite, sand gemstones greensand
gravel, kyanite, and gravel gravel, cement, and gravel, gold copper, and gravel, marl, peat
common clays stone, silver lime platinum, stone, gypsum
WA gemstones
Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio
MT ND ME
Coal, Stone, sand Stone, sand Phosphate Clays, stone, Coal, copper, Salt, stone, Stone, Coal, sand and Coal, stone,
molybdenum, and gravel, and gravel, rock, stone, cement, OR potash, sand sand and phosphate gravel, stone, salt, sand and
sand and common clays, magnesium, cement, sand sand and MN and gravel, gravel, cement, rock, sand and lime, common gravel, lime,
VT
gravel, cement, gemstones gemstones and gravel, gravel, barite, ID NH cement, salt wollastonite, gravel, feldspar clays cement
gold, stone zirconium gemstones SD WI zinc
NY MA
WY MI CT RI
Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina
IA PA
Stone, sand Phosphate Coal, sand and Coal, stone, Stone, cement, NV NE NJ Coal, stone, Coal, cement, Coal, stone, Sand and Cement, stone,
and gravel, rock, sand and gravel, stone, cement, lime, gypsum, sand OH cement, sand stone, lime, cement, lime, gravel, stone, sand and
UT IL MD DE
gemstones gravel, silver, cement, tripoli sand and and gravel, IN and gravel, sand and sand and gemstones gravel, gold
CA
lead, stone gravel lime CO WV helium, gypsum gravel, gravel
common clays
KS
MO VA
KY
Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland NC South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont
Coal, helium, Coal, stone, Coal, salt, sand Sand and Coal, cement, AZ OK TN Gold, cement, Coal, stone, Coal, stone, Coal, Stone,
cement, salt, lime, cement, and gravel, gravel, cement, stone, sand NM sand and zinc, cement, gypsum, sand molybdenum, sand and
AR SC
stone, sand sand and stone, lime stone and gravel gravel, stone, sand and and gravel, copper, gravel, talc,
and gravel, gravel, lime gravel, clays cement, salt, magnesium gemstones
gypsum common clays MS AL GA lime metal, potash,
salt, beryllium
TX
LA
Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Stone, sand Iron ore, cobalt, Iron ore, sand Coal, sand and Coal, cement, AK Coal, stone, Sand and Coal, stone, Sand and Coal, soda
and gravel, cement, nickel and gravel, gravel, stone, stone, lead, cement, sand gravel, cement, lime, gravel, stone, ash, bentonite
lime, common concentrates, stone, lime clays (fuller’s lime, sand and FL and gravel, stone, gold, sand and lime clays, helium,
clays stone, sand earth, ball, gravel lime, kyanite cement, zinc, gravel uranium, sand
and gravel, salt bentonite) diatomite and gravel,
cement
HI19% 20%
Portion of U.S. electricity Portion of electricity
that comes from coal. generated from nuclear
energy powered by uranium.
Resources
29
Number of minerals it takes
87%
Portion of U.S. fossil energy
That Power
Our Lives
to deliver electricity to our reserves (coal, natural gas
homes and businesses. and oil) that comes from coal Electricity should be accessible and
on a BTU basis.
affordable to all.
Resource diversification New technologies, such as
$93B 23%
— powered by a mix of advanced coal-fired power
domestic coal, natural generation and carbon
gas, nuclear power, oil capture and storage, will
and renewable sources — give Americans energy
ensures that U.S. households choices that are aligned
Amount Americans save in Portion of total world coal and businesses can minimize with environmental and
electricity costs annually reserves held by the U.S.— market disruptions and climate objectives without
through a diverse power grid the most of any country. reduce reliance on foreign having to sacrifice reliability
anchored by coal. energy sources. or affordability.70% 43%
Portion of the world’s steel that Portion of U.S. copper
requires coal for its production. demand that goes to the
construction industry.
Resources 6 billion 439 lbs
for America’s Tons of steel used in the U.S.
National Highway System.
Amount of copper used in the
average American home.
Infrastructure
America’s miners play an indispensable role
in powering and building our nation. 57,000 tons
Steel contained in the Empire State Building, which also
From foundations to roofs, airports and other structures
includes 730 tons of aluminum and stainless steel.
power plants to wind are supported by steel —
farms, roads and bridges a material dependent on
to communications grids mining. Even structures using
65%
and data storage centers concrete employ steel for
— America’s infrastructure reinforcement. And copper’s
projects begin with mining. flexibility, conformity, thermal
and electric conductivity, and
Roads, railways, appliances, resistance to corrosion make Portion of global zinc consumption used to coat steel, making it
buildings, stadiums, bridges, it an ideal industrial metal. highly resistant to corrosion.Caring for Caring for the
Our People Environment
Ensuring the safety and health Natural resources are at the
54% $100B
of our colleagues is a core value Portion by which
heart of mining—environmental Amount coal
of the mining industry. injuries in U.S.
mines have
stewardship is imperative. plant owners
have invested
been reduced in advanced
Today’s mining projects begin with extensive
The goal? Zero fatalities and injuries. over the last emissions control
15 years. environmental and engineering studies, technologies over
To achieve our shared goal, we go beyond
public involvement in major decision-making, the last 20 years.
what is required by regulations.
and compliance with scores of state and federal
50% laws and regulations governing every facet of
To accelerate the pace of mine safety Portion by which
improvement, the U.S. mining industry has fatalities in U.S.
the environment, from wildlife habitat protection 3 million
to complying with strict water quality standards. Acres of mined
taken voluntary steps to implement best mines have
been reduced They end with land reclamation that transforms land that have
practices that encourage a culture of safety. been restored
over the last sites for recreation, wildlife enhancement and
15 years. by U.S. mining
other local community needs. companies.
By identifying and eliminating potential hazards
and deploying state-of-the-art technology,
Building on the extraordinary environmental
the National Mining Association, its members $10B+
progress made in recent decades, the industry
and respected industry safety and health Amount the
is committed to advancing technologies
professionals have developed CORESafety®, U.S. mining
that make the use of our resources cleaner industry has
an award-winning safety framework that is
and more efficient. Today’s technologies are paid to reclaim
bringing more miners home safely after every mines that were
making combustion of coal more efficient, with
shift, giving mining a lower nonfatal injury and abandoned
reduced emissions. And ongoing advancements
illness record than manufacturing, construction prior to laws
in high efficiency, low emission (HELE) coal requiring
or private industry.
technologies and carbon capture and storage reclamation.
(CCS) hold promise for the future.Speaking of Mining: Demonstrated reserves: Deposits that
are potentially minable on an economic
basis with existing technology.
Fly ash: Particles of ash entrained in
gases resulting from the combustion
of fuel. At coal-fired power plants, fly
Key Industry Terms Dragline: A large excavation machine
used in the surface mining process to
ash is captured by special equipment,
usually either electrostatic precipitators
or baghouses. Fly ash and other forms
remove overburden (see “overburden”). The of coal ash are useful by-products —
dragline has a large bucket suspended from about 25 million tons are used each
the end of a huge boom (275 feet long or year in major concrete projects, such
larger) that is capable of scooping up vast as highway construction.
Alloy: A substance with metallic qualities Bullion: Mixture of gold and silver in cast amounts of overburden as it is dragged
that is composed of two or more chemical bars. Also called dore. across the excavation area. The dragline, Fossil fuel: Fuel such as coal, crude oil or
elements, of which at least one is an which can “walk” on huge pontoon-like natural gas, formed from the fossil remains
elemental metal. Captive mine: A mine whose resource is “feet,” is one of the largest land-based of organic material.
used largely or totally by its owners or a machines in the world.
Anthracite: See “ranks of coal.” subsidiary operation. Gasification: Any of various processes by
Drift mine: A mine entered directly through which coal is turned into low, medium or
Auger mining: Form of underground Clean coal technologies: A number a horizontal opening drilled into the side of high-Btu gas.
mining that uses an auger (rotary drill) of innovative technologies designed a hill or mountain. This mining method is
to penetrate, break and transport drilled to reduce emissions and use coal in a used in hilly or mountainous areas. General Mining Law: The primary statute
material onto a waiting conveyor belt. more efficient manner. These include that governs the right to mine locatable
Usually employed to recover remaining processes applied before, during and Electrostatic precipitator: An electrical minerals on unappropriated public domain
material in deep overburden areas that after combustion, and involve those which device used in removing particles (see lands. Though enacted in 1872, it has been
cannot be reached economically by change coal into a gas or liquid. “fly ash”) from combustion gases prior to amended many times.
further contour or area mining. release from a power plant’s stack.
Coal seam: A bed or stratum of coal. Hardrock minerals: Locatable minerals
Base metals: Any of the non-precious Usually applies to a large deposit. Excavator: A large number of power- that are neither leasable minerals (coal,
metals. Copper, lead and zinc are usually operated digging and loading machines, oil, phosphate, etc.) nor saleable mineral
considered the primary base metals, but Coke: A hard, dry carbon substance used increasingly in open-pit mining materials (sand and gravel, etc.). Hardrock
tin, aluminum and magnesium are also produced by heating coal to a very high and quarrying. minerals include copper, lead, zinc,
among those important to modern society. temperature in the absence of air. Coke is magnesium, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver,
used in the manufacture of iron and steel. Face: The surface where mining work bentonite, barite, feldspar, fluorspar and
Bioleaching: Addition of naturally is occurring. uranium.
occurring bacteria to extract or remove Concentrate: The result of separating ore
a soluble substance from ore. or metal from its containing rock or earth. Flotation: Separating ore from waste Highwall: Unexcavated face of exposed
materials by floating away the materials overburden and coal in a surface mine
Bituminous coal: See “ranks of coal.” Continuous miner/mining: A mining of lower specific gravity, while the heavier or in a face or bank on the uphill side of
machine and technique that removes materials sink. a contour mine excavation.
Bond: A prerequisite for obtaining a coal from the face and loads it onto cars
mining permit, companies must post a or conveyors without the use of cutting Fluidized-bed combustion: Process to In situ gasification: The gasification
reclamation bond to ensure sufficient machines, drills or explosives and without remove sulfur from coal combustion and of underground coal deposits through
funds to restore a site in the event a interrupting the loading process. Can limit the formation of nitrogen oxides (see partial combustion.
company fails to complete the reclamation be highly automated and operated by “clean coal technologies”). The process
plan approved in the permit. remote control. involves suspending crushed coal and Leaching: The action of percolating
limestone in the bottom of a boiler by an liquid in order to remove the soluble
Btu: British thermal unit. This is a Conventional mining: A deep mining upward stream of hot air. While the coal parts. For example, cyanide leaching of
measure of the energy required to raise method that includes inserting explosives is burned in this liquid-like mixture, sulfur gold is a process where a weak cyanide
the temperature of one pound of water in a seam, blasting the seam and from combustion gases combines with solution is percolated through low-grade
one degree Fahrenheit. On average, coal removing the material onto a conveyor or the limestone to form a solid compound ore heaped on an impermeable liner.
contains about 20 million Btu per ton. shuttle car. Accounts for about 9 percent recovered with the ash. Gold is then extracted from the liquid in a
of total underground coal production. closed-loop system.Lignite: See “ranks of coal.” General Mining Law of 1872, as amended. Placer deposit: An alluvial marine or Slope mine: A mine with an opening that
There are four types of mining claims: glacial deposit resulting from the crumbling slopes upward or downward to the seam. It
Liquefaction: The process of converting lode, placer, millsites and tunnel sites. Only and erosion of solid rocks, and often must also have adjoining vertical shafts for
coal into a synthetic liquid fuel, similar in tunnel sites may not be patented under containing valuable minerals. air ventilation and emergency use.
nature to crude oil and/or refined products, current law.
such as gasoline. Portal: Entrance to a mine. Smelter: A furnace in which raw
Mountaintop mining: A method of materials are melted, and metals are
Locatable minerals: Those minerals — surface mining practiced in the Appalachian Preparation plant: A facility, usually separated from impurities.
primarily metallic — that can be claimed coal fields of the eastern United States. located on a mine site, which crushes,
and mined on public lands under the Mountaintop mining allows the mine sizes and washes material prior Stope: An excavation from which ore has
General Mining Law of 1872; these do not operator to completely remove layers to shipment. been removed in a series of steps.
include coal, oil, phosphate sodium, sulfur, of dirt and rock covering a coal seam,
or sand and gravel. making the entire deposit economical for Ranks of coal: The classification of coal Strategic minerals: Those minerals
extraction. Valley fill — the depositing of by degree of hardness, moisture and heat considered essential for a country’s
Longwall miner/mining: A deep mining rock and dirt from the surface mine into content. The major ranks, from lowest to economic and defense needs, such as
machine and technique that uses a steel adjacent valleys — is a practice that is not highest quality, are lignite, subbituminous, metals for defense weapons, satellite
plow or rotating drum, which is pulled unique to the mining industry; hundreds of bituminous and anthracite. communications, automobile parts and
mechanically back-and-forth across a long valley fills were constructed throughout the medical instruments.
face of coal to loosen it and collect the country during the building of the Interstate Reclamation: The restoration of land and
product on a conveyor for removal from Highway System. environmental values to a mining site after Subbituminous coal: See “ranks of coal.”
the mine. mining occurs.
Non-metallic minerals: Minerals Surface mine: A mine in which the
Metallic minerals: Minerals with a high (carbon, diamond, coals, bitumen, asphalt, Recoverable reserves: Portion of coal lies near the surface and can be
specific gravity and metallic luster, such as boron, sulfur, rock salt, etc.) that lack the reserves that can be economically and extracted by removing the covering layer
titanium, rutile, tungsten, uranium, tin, lead properties of the metallic minerals. physically mined using current techniques of overburden.
and iron. In general, metallic minerals are after allowing for normal mining losses.
good conductors of heat Non-renewable resources: Resources Tailings: The waste material left over after
and electricity. that are not replaced or regenerated Reserves: Known identified resources hardrock mining and milling processes
naturally within a reasonable period of time, from which a usable commodity can be have been completed.
Metallurgical coal: Various grades of coal such as fossil fuels or minerals. technologically, economically and legally
suitable for carbonization to make coke for extracted using current mining techniques. Tipple: A surface processing structure for
steel manufacturing. Open pit: A mine or excavation open cleaning and sizing coal and automatically
to the surface. Refers primarily to mines of Rock dusting: The process of coating loading it onto rail cars or trucks for
Minerals: Scientific: naturally formed metal ores; distinguished from coal surface tunnels in deep mines with powdered movement to market.
inorganic solids (elements or chemical mines. limestone to dilute potentially unhealthy
compounds) with a limited range in or dangerous concentrations of dust and Underground mine: Also known as
chemical composition and with orderly Ore: Rock that contains important minimize fire hazards. a deep mine. Usually located several
internal atomic arrangements that minerals, including metals. hundred feet below the earth’s surface,
determine crystalline structure and Roof bolting: A method of supporting the materials are removed mechanically and
physical properties. Legal: organic or Outcrop: Coal that appears at or near ceilings of underground mines by inserting transferred by shuttle car or conveyor to
inorganic substances occurring naturally, the surface. long steel bolts into holes bored into the the surface.
with characteristics and economic strata forming the roof.
uses that bring them within the purview Overburden: Layers of earth and rock Unit train: A long train of between 60 and
of mineral laws; substances that may covering a coal seam or mineral deposit. Scrubber: Any of several forms of 150 or more hopper cars, carrying only coal
be obtained under the applicable laws chemical/physical devices that remove between a single mine and destination. A
from public lands by purchase, lease Patent: A government deed; a document sulfur compounds formed during coal typical unit train can carry at least 10,000
or claim. that conveys legal title to public lands to the combustion. Technically known as flue gas tons of coal in a single shipment.
patentee. desulfurization systems, they combine the
Mining claim: That portion of the public sulfur in gaseous emissions with another
mineral lands that a person may claim for chemical medium to form an inert sludge.
mining purposes in accordance with theThe National Mining Association (NMA) is U.S. mining's advocate in Washington, D.C. and beyond. NMA is the only national trade organization that represents the interests of mining before Congress, the administration, federal agencies, the judiciary and the media — providing a clear voice for U.S. mining. NMA’s mission is to build support for public policies that will help America fully and responsibly utilize its coal and mineral resources. NMA has a membership of more than 250 corporations and organizations involved in various aspects of mining. NMA provides a forum for these diverse industry segments to be informed, heard and represented. 101 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 500E Washington, D.C. 20001 nma.org
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