Mining and Quarrying Trends in the Metals and Industrial 
Minerals Industries 
By Thomas W Martin, Daniel L Edelstein, and Garrett H Hyde 
 
 
 
MINING AND QUARRYING TRENDS1. 
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* This chapter includes tables from 1984 that were not available in time
for publication of the 1984 Minerals Yearbook, but does not include corresponding
tables for 1985. The value of raw nonfuel minerals produced in the United
States during 1985 was estimated at $23.2 billion, an increase of $0.07 billion
over the value for 1984. This is the third consecutive year that the value
has increased, and except for a decrease in 1982, the value for each year
has increased since 1971, or 13 out of 14' years. However, while the value
of industrial minerals production continued to grow, reflecting the growth
of the domestic economy, the value of metal mine production decreased in
1985 by 6%. This drop was more than offset by a 3% increase in the value
of industrial miiierals production because the value of industrial minerals
produced was more than three times larger than the value of metals. The decrease
makes 1985 the third year in the pastS years in which a drop in the value
of metal mining production occurred in the United States where production
continued to lag behind growing world production. Domestic production of
such major commodities as aluminum, copper, iron ore, phosphate rock, and
zinc continued to decline owing to a number of international and domestic
factors. Gold continued to be the most active commodity in the domestic metal
mining industry. Despite lower prices, gold output increased to 2.5 million
troy ounces, a 19% increase over that of 1984. The estimated annual production
capacity of new gold mines beginning produc 
tion exceeded 1 million ounces. 
 Overproduction by nations that rely on export of mineral commodities to
support their economies and ' service their international debt; the strong
' value of the dollar relative to that of othe* currencies, which favors
imported products; relatively high domestic labor costs compared with those
of developing nations; and the use of indt~trial minerals, such as carbon
fibers, glass fibers, and plastics in products historically constructed from
metals have all contributed to create chronically depressed world metal prices
and markets in which the U.S. producer finds it increasingly difficult to
compete. As'a result, the US. mining industry continueS to operate in a transitinnal
state with many companies forced to retrench by closing or selling properties
and assets, reducing employment, and renegotiating labor contracts. The,
mines that continue to operate have developed improved mining methods and
operating techniques, and many have embarked on modernization programs in
order to survive. Virtually' every mining operation in. the United States
today has undergone substantial change over the past 5 years, and the mining
industry is working harder and more effectively as indicated by the continuing
gain in productivity. This demand for cost and productivity improvement is,
in turn, fueling the development of new technology. The result has been numerous
small improvements as well as some potentially major new developments. 
Legislation and Government Pro-