The estimated value of US production of all industrial minerals in 2021 was $56.6 billion, which is 63% of the total value of US mine production value. Crushed stone was the leading nonfuel mineral commodity domestically produced in 2021, accounting for 21% of the total value of US mine output.
Metal mine production was valued at $33.8 billion, or 23% higher than 2020. The main contributors to the figure were copper (35%), gold (31%), iron ore (13%), and zinc (7%).
The USGS said 14 mineral commodities produced nationally valued at more than $1 billion each, including crushed stone, copper, cement, gold and construction sand and gravel, rounding out the top five.
In a news release, the USGS’ National Minerals Information Center director Steven Fortier said the economic spin-off from these minerals, such as steel, aerospace and electronics, created an estimated $3.32 trillion in value-added products in 2021, an 8% increase from 2020.
The top producing states were Arizona, Nevada, Texas, California, and Minnesota in descending order of rank.
USGS expects to publish the final updated critical minerals list by the end of February, following the close of a 60-day public comment period on January 10.
