U.S. mines produced approximately $90.4 billion in mineral commodities in 2021, which is a $9.7 billion increase over the 2020 revised total of $80.7 billion, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
This information comes from the 27th annual Mineral Commodity Summaries report from the USGS National Minerals Information Center, which was published on January 31. The report is a comprehensive source of 2021 mineral data for the world and covers more than 90 nonfuel mineral commodities monitored by the USGS.
“Decision-makers and leaders in both the private and public sectors rely on the crucial, unbiased statistics and data provided in the Mineral Commodity Summaries to make business decisions and determine national policy,” USGS National Minerals Information Center Director Steven M. Fortier said.
Increases in consumption of nonfuel mineral commodities were attributed to the restarting of markets in 2021 following closures due to the global COVID-19 pandemic in the prior year.
The $90.4 billion worth of nonfuel mineral commodities produced by U.S. mines in 2021 included other industrial minerals and natural aggregates, as well as ferrous and nonferrous metals. The estimated value of U.S. production of all industrial minerals in 2021 was $56.6 billion, which is 63% of the total value of U.S. mine production value. Crushed stone was the leading nonfuel mineral commodity domestically produced in 2021, accounting for 21% of the total value of U.S. mine production.
U.S. metal mine production in 2021 was estimated to be valued at $33.8 billion or 23% higher than that in 2020. The principal contributors to the total value of metal mine production in 2021 were copper (35%), gold (31%), iron ore (13%) and zinc (7%).
There were 14 mineral commodities produced in the U.S. valued at more than $1 billion each. These commodities were, in order of value, crushed stone, copper, cement, gold, construction sand and gravel, iron ore, salt, lime, industrial sand and gravel, zinc, soda ash, phosphate rock, palladium and molybdenum.
In 2021, the top 10 producing states were, in descending order of rank, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, California, Minnesota, Alaska, Utah, Florida, Missouri and Michigan.
