U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
News Release
January 22, 2007 Lucy McCartan 703-648-6905 lmccarta@xxxxxxxx
Value of Nation’s Mineral Production
Increased in 2006
Editors: "Mineral Commodity
Summaries 2007" is available on the USGS Web at: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/.
Hardcopy will be available in February.
The value of U.S. non-fuel mine
production rose to $64.4 billion in 2006, an 18 percent increase from $54.6_billion
in 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced. Strong demand
from China and other countries continued to drive up prices for metals
and some industrial minerals, and led to increased U.S. and foreign production
of some mineral commodities, according to the annual USGS report, “Mineral
Commodity Summaries 2007.”
The rapid growth of the Chinese
and Indian economies has driven the demand for metals and minerals and
resulted in high prices for many mineral commodities. The USGS is the sole
federal government provider of scientific information and objective assessments
on mineral resources, production, consumption, and environmental effects.
The agency evaluates these materials because they are used to make a variety
of manufactured products contributing to our nation’s economy and national
security.
The estimated value of domestically
processed non-fuel mineral materials totaled $542 billion in 2006. This
is an increase of about 10 percent from $493 billion in 2005. Mine production
of copper, gold, construction sand and gravel, lime, salt, and zinc increased,
according to the report. The value of iron ore and crushed stone production
increased, although the amount mined decreased. The value of cement, pig
iron, and steel production also increased. Slowing demand for mineral commodities
in the second half of 2006 led to declining prices at year end.
The report provides detailed information
about events, trends, and issues in the domestic and international mineral
industries during 2006. It summarizes mineral industry trends for individual
mineral commodities and provides an outlook for domestic mineral industries
in 2007. Separate chapters for about 90 mineral commodities include production,
trade, and resources statistics.
The USGS collects, analyzes, and
disseminates current data on mineral commodity industries in the United
States and about 180 other countries.
"Mineral Commodity Summaries
2007" is available on the USGS Web site at http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/.
Hardcopy will be available in February from the Government Printing Office,
Superintendent of Documents. Call 202-512-1800 (866-512-1800) or visit
http://bookstore.gpo.gov/index.html
for ordering information.
USGS provides science for a changing
world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.
Subscribe to USGS News Releases via our electronic
mailing list or RSS
feed.
**** www.usgs.gov ****Diane Noserale
Media Relations, Eastern Region
U.S. Geological Survey
150 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
phone: 703-648-4333
fax: 703-648-4588
