Shane Lasley reports on the industry reaction to the recent U.S.G.S. report on 2016 mining activities. Alaska mines produced roughly US$3.09 billion worth of minerals, excluding petroleum and coal, marking the 7th year straight that output from Alaska mines have topped US$3 billion. Gold and zinc account for roughly 80% of Alaska mineral production value in 2016. Silver and lead account for most of the balance, while aggregates and other construction materials contribute roughly 1% of Alaska mine production value. With steady output, Alaska holds as the nation 7th largest mineral producing state, behind Nevada, Arizona, Texas, California, Minnesota and Florida. Nevada, the top mining state in the nation, produced US$7.65 million worth of non-fuel minerals in 2016. This output was dominated by gold and copper. The steady value of non-fuel minerals produced in Alaska is a reflection of the U.S as whole.
The overall value of 2016 non-metal mine production is estimated at US$74.6 billion, a slight increase from the US$73.4 billion produced here in 2015. This raw production combined with roughly $600 million worth of domestically recycled minerals accounts for a significant percentage of the U.S. economy when you consider the products made from the materials. Industries, such as steel, aerospace and electronics, processed non-fuel mineral materials and created an estimated $2.8 trillion in value-added products in 2016, which contributed 15% to the total U.S. gross domestic product. The number of minerals that the U.S. is 100% import-reliant has increased from 11 in 1984 to 20 in 2016. The country also depends on foreign sources for more than half its supply of another 30 minerals. According to USGS, China is a major source of roughly half of the 50 minerals for which the U.S. is at least 50% import reliant. Critical and strategic minerals are rare-earth elements, manganese and niobium, and important technology minerals such as graphite and and yttrium. Read on.
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