Nonfuel Mineral Production In The United States

This table presents detailed data on the production quantities and values of nonfuel mineral commodities in the United States over the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. It includes a wide range of metals and industrial minerals, providing insights into the volume of minerals extracted or processed and their corresponding economic value. This information is crucial for understanding the mineral industry's contribution to the U.S. economy, guiding policy decisions, investment strategies, and industrial planning. The data reflect trends in supply and demand, resource availability, and market dynamics, which are essential for sectors reliant on these raw materials, such as manufacturing, construction, and technology.

Analyzing the data reveals several notable trends between 2019 and 2021. The overall value of nonfuel mineral production increased significantly, with the grand total rising from $83.4 billion in 2019 to $94.8 billion in 2021, marking a 15.2% increase from 2020 to 2021. Among metals, copper production saw a slight rebound in 2021 to 1,230 thousand metric tons after a dip in 2020, with its value surging by over 54% to $11.7 billion. Iron ore production also recovered strongly in 2021, increasing by nearly 25% in quantity and almost doubling in value to $6.7 billion. Rare earth elements showed a consistent upward trend, with production rising from 28,000 to 42,700 metric tons over the period. In industrial minerals, diatomite production grew substantially by 21.5% in quantity and 52.5% in value in 2021, while construction sand and gravel production increased modestly to 943 million metric tons, contributing nearly $9.8 billion in value. Conversely, some commodities like vanadium experienced a dramatic decline, with production dropping by over 96% from 2019 to 2020 and ceasing in 2021. These shifts highlight the dynamic nature of mineral production influenced by market conditions, technological changes, and resource availability.

TABLE 1
NONFUEL MINERAL PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES1, 2, 3

(Thousand metric tons, gross weight, and thousand dollars unless otherwise specified)
														Notes		Percent change for 2017 myb1
		2019				2020				2021					Percent	2018-19		2019-20
Commodity		Quantity		Value		Quantity		Value		Quantity		Value		Delta	of Total	Quantity	Value	Quantity	Value
Metals:
Beryllium⁴	metric tons	160		W		165		W		175		W				3.125		6.06060606060606
Cadmium, primary	do.	131		W		211		W		241		W				61.0687022900763		14.218009478673
Cobalte, 5	do.	500		W		600		W		650		W				20		8.33333333333333
Copper⁶		1260		7750000		1200		7600000		1230		11700000				-4.40397324659418	-1.95883380991718	2.57006041426446	54.6229067633309
Gold⁶	kilograms	201000		9010000		193000		11000000		187000		10900000				-3.92316919600416	22.1258573761826	-2.91410009998602	-1.41528307907731
Iron ore⁷		46900		4370000		38100		3480000		47500		6730000				-18.7627942681679	-20.4722192617449	24.6108617476442	93.562450841705
Lead⁶	metric tons	266000		587000		297000		598000		286000		713000				11.639097518589	1.96215211425317	-3.78778199912585	19.1921414954663
Molybdenum mineral concentrates⁸	do.	43600		1160000		51100		1020000		41100		1450000				17.208843178218	-12.1403545197374	-19.4122025266869	43.2063537075766
Nickel⁹	do.	13500		W		16700		W		18400		W				23.8921001926782		9.77987797583444
Palladium⁶	kilograms	14300		711000		14600		1030000		13700		1070000				1.61977239405153	45.1104784060538	-5.70250772930264	3.4424783906353
Platinum⁶	do.	4150		116000		4200		120000		4020		141000				1.23885722213872	3.45570754072635	-4.42541042112776	18.0461930418076
Rare earthse, 10	metric tons	28000	11	W		39000	11	W		42700	11	W				39.2964357142857		9.44542679048141
Rheniume, 12	kilograms	8360		NA		8830		NA		9290		NA				5.72112507480551		5.15113777878411
Silver⁶	do.	981000		502000		1080000	r	712000	r	1020000		830000				9.7422436070604	41.7644450672341	-4.94335288024544	16.5372937134168
Thorium¹³	metric tons	1700	e	NA		960	e	NA		W		W				-43.5294117647059
Titanium mineral concentrates,	do.	100000	14	W		100000	14	W		200000	14	W		Rounded to one significant digits		-14.3476287141009		100
ilmenite
Vanadium	do.	460		6700		16.8		139		--		--				-96.3478260869565	-97.9256827339203
Zinc⁶	do.	731000		2000000		701000		1710000		688000		2210000				-4.07547345260414	-14.3862743429477	-1.8644596948711	29.1862697452125
Zirconium mineral concentrates	do.	100000	15	W		<100,000	16	W		<100,000	16	W		Rounded to one significant digits		-55.2927985173418		12.3125811024479
Combined values of magnesium metal, tellurium (2021),		XX		643000		XX		802000		XX		1090000					24.6978067115707		36.5506167686865
titanium mineral concentrates (rutile), and values
indicated by symbol W
Total		XX		26900000		XX		28100000	r	XX		36800000			31.2365597291274		4.53198802085868		31.2365597291274
Industrial minerals, excluding fuels:17
Barite		414		45700	e	(18)		W		(18)		W				-104.347826086957		0
Cement:7
Masonry		2300		345000	e	2400		364000	e	2400		373000	e			4.13043478260871	5.48972525273617	0.0417536534446761	2.44284630356613
Portland		85300		10400000	e	86900		10800000	e	88600		11100000	e			1.95719730284374	3.76121130292217	1.95413139492087	3.14155590668277
Clay:
Ball clay		1060		60100		1090	r	63700	r	1200		69200				2.46109752298667	6.05010185998531	10.2323733534945	8.70245670329277
Bentonite		4520		443000		4250	r	413000	r	4590		457000				-5.97147449075374	-6.87607600391135	8.0294427413993	10.6851620604352
Common clay and shale		13300	r	238000	r	13000	r	220000	r	12800		213000				-2.71721457289167	-7.54527766105955	-1.44366894961113	-3.22203132046065
Fire clay		602.848		8490		634.94473614		7710	r	675.38		8150				5.32418389710176	-9.19982794786585	6.36831232050474	5.76524366067712
Fuller's earth, montmorillonite		1990		174000	r	1980		176000	r	2130		187000				-0.403230283833467	0.921700006032999	7.53276106978509	6.29015798853438
Kaolin		5060		820000		4570		733000		4300		661000				-9.60455572500406	-10.5296358815596	-5.81885160111455	-9.87010940107547
Diatomite		768000		259000		822000		268000		998000		409000				7.00955993030981	3.41045296704399	21.4973257549696	52.5264986061211
Feldspar⁷		452	e, 11	48400	e	440	r, 11	45700	r	381	11	39100		Rounded to two significant digits		-2.65486725663717	-5.52856286310914	-13.4090909090909	-14.4595452257457
Garnet, industrial7, 19	metric tons	104000		22200		101000		21700		81700		17100				-3.19277686615919	-2.4123012944117	-19.0555404132891	-21.2071870129282
Gemstones, naturale, 7		NA		9220		NA		9820		NA		9480					6.43771177996137		-3.45781939865901
Gypsum, crude⁷		21700		186000		21500	r	184000	r	21300		240000				-0.715175564065884	-1.29244437767918	-1.18970164513431	30.6959376460741
Helium, Grade-A	million cubic meters	86.2		652000		81.46		617000		75.88		574000				-5.49883990719256	-5.48790627692223	-6.84998772403635	-6.84989264609537
Kyanite²⁰	metric tons	91300		33000	e	67100		25000	e	105000		41600	e			-26.4484179156806	-24.2424242424242	56.5333968897098	66.452
Lime²¹		16900		2250000	r	15800		2150000		16800		2320000				-6.38713111360814	-4.538317670692	6.41859877440141	8.11470689746598
Mica, crude	metric tons	40100		4720		34600		4150		40600		4080				-13.7114070527208	-11.9583573417996	17.3410404624277	-1.75776547074404
Peat	do.	420000	r	10800	r	386000	r	10100	r	386000		14900				-8.25993363700154	-6.53558571032955	0.101377016196991	46.8641975308642
Perlite, crude	do.	397000		25500		493000		30100		496000		31700				23.9293905725702	18.4128854841878	0.687350880777293	5.06583172981221
Phosphate rock, marketable⁷		23300		1580000		23500		1780000		21600		1800000				1.10896196002579	12.8244116507162	-8.17922883985887	0.637653676553418
Potash¹¹		1400		390000		1400		420000		1300		550000		Rounded to two significant digits		1.76991150442478	7.60635084994392	-6.59420289855073	29.3433679955283
Pumice and pumicite	metric tons	565000		15900		578000		17900		504000		23400				2.32988067543543	12.402662647576	-12.8368788195735	30.6162355438851
Salt		44900		2650000		39600		2480000		39800		2500000				-11.6340772780986	-6.55164897163666	0.360810435747982	0.76610183992778
Sand and gravel:
Construction		930000	r	8950000	r	925000	r	9210000	r	943000		9760000				-0.526458412532504	2.99116270276494	2.02130979893118	5.93798050254508
Industrial		108000		4990000		75800	r	2240000	r	74600		3170000				-29.9962141148878	-55.2377345976841	-1.58945813327706	41.6724935702747
Silica stone, special, crudee	metric tons	318		76		318		76		320		76				0	0	0.628930817610063	0
Silica, tripoli²²	do.	86100		12400		86900		12100		72000		12300				0.936153408364993	-2.46106673121924	-17.1731700861881	1.75380542686963
Soda ash⁷		11700		1800000		9990		1410000		11300		1500000				-14.7737457423651	-21.7481002161466	12.6009134238948	6.7400495582155
Stone:
Crushed		1470000	r	18200000	r	1460000	r	18600000	r	1510000		19800000				-0.68202779187676	2.35574354152794	3.32885979809485	6.55612672115815
Dimension		2510	r	415000		2120	r	415000	r	2320		442000				-15.4807991114347	0.0616678877605192	9.64674349458516	6.3562991696132
Talc, crude⁷	metric tons	578000		23000		491000		21500		577000		26100				-14.9483456229256	-6.59507868880966	17.3789666747413	21.4801023970212
Vermiculite, concentrates		100	e, 23	W		100	23	W		100	23	W		Rounded to nearest 100,000		-16.943220338983		-8.46368116563103
Zeolites⁷	metric tons	87800		W		86700		W		87000		W				-1.23596017588226		0.344863381045202
Combined values of andalusite, bauxite, boron		XX		1520000		XX		1490000	r	XX		1590000					-1.77200539638018		6.43312612376183
minerals, bromine, clay (attapulgite), iodine
(crude), iron oxide pigments (crude),
lithium carbonate, magnesite, magnesium
compounds, pyrophyllite (crude),
staurolite, wollastonite, and values indicated
by symbol W
Total		XX		56500000	r	XX		54200000	r	XX		58000000			6.91851124645404		-4.11558219607212		6.91851124645404
Grand total		XX		83400000	r	XX		82300000	r	XX		94800000		13754043.4966403	15.2161959133323		-1.33038118577098		15.2161959133323

^eEstimated. ^rRevised. do. Ditto. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; value included with "Combined values." XX Not applicable. -- Zero.

¹Includes data from the mineral commodity chapters published in the U.S. Geological Survey 2021 Minerals Yearbook as they were completed and released through January 2025.

²Production as measured by mine output, mine shipments, sales, or marketable production (including consumption by producers). Mine output measured as sold or used by producers is primarily shown in the tables, because values can be assigned. Where sold or used data are not available, actual mine output is used as the production measurement and value is estimated average price of the mineral commodity for that year.

³Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits unless otherwise specified; may not add to totals shown.

⁴Beryllium content of mine shipments of beryllium-containing ores. Calculated based on 4% metal content. Data are rounded to the nearest 5 metric tons.

⁵Cobalt content of concentrates.

⁶Recoverable content of ores and concentrates. The values assigned to the quantities, however, are based on the average selling price of refined metal, not the value of the mined material.

⁷Production, mine output. For cement, data are plant production.

⁸Recoverable content of molybdenum mineral concentrates. Value is based on the metal oxide content.

⁹Contained metal in nickel sulfide mineral concentrates.

¹⁰Rare-earth-oxide (REO) basis. Includes only the rare earths derived from bastnaesite.

¹¹Data are rounded to no more than two significant digits.

¹²Rhenium content. Estimated mine production of rhenium is calculated by the U.S. Geological Survey based on the production of molybdenum concentrates. Secondary rhenium production not included.

¹³Thorium ores and concentrates, including monazite, estimated based on exports, gross weight. See Minerals Yearbook Thorium chapter.

¹⁴Titanium mineral concentrates data rounded to no more than one significant digit to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

¹⁵Zirconium mineral concentrates data reported to the nearest 100,000 tons.

¹⁶Zirconium mineral concentrates data are less than 100,000 t to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

¹⁷Sold or used, unless otherwise specified.

¹⁸Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

¹⁹Crude garnet production. Refer to the Minerals Yearbook garnet chapter for refined garnet production.

²⁰Production based on publicly available data; refer to the Minerals Yearbook kyanite chapter.

²¹Includes Puerto Rico.

²²Includes amorphous silica.

²³Data rounded to no more than one significant digit.