According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s recently released report, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2010, the value of U.S. mineral production significantly declined in 2009.



RESTON, VA – According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s recently released report, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2010, the value of U.S. mineral production significantly declined in 2009.

The value of raw, nonfuel minerals mined in the United States was $57.1 billion in 2009, a decline of 20 percent over the past year. The value of materials domestically processed and refined from these raw minerals was $454 billion in 2009, a 25 percent decline from 2008.

Also over the past year, U.S. dependence on foreign sources for minerals has increased, continuing a trend that has been evident for more than 30 years. The United States relied on foreign sources to supply more than 50 percent of domestic consumption of 38 mineral commodities in 2009 and was 100 percent reliant on imports for 19 of those mineral commodities.

A decline in the U.S. housing market during 2009 caused reductions in the production and consumption of construction materials. Declines in automobile and durable-goods manufacturing resulted in reduced production and consumption of metals including copper, iron, steel, lead and platinum-group metals.

The USGS report addresses events, trends and issues in the domestic and international mineral industries and includes statistics on about 90 mineral commodities. It is available at http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/.