By creating high-paying jobs and providing essential raw materials for every sector of our economy, mining helps to drive economic growth.
The U.S. mining industry provides nearly 1 million jobs. Jobs in metal mining in the US are among the highest-paying in the private sector, with an average annual salary of $96,000. The outlook for those entering the workforce today is excellent, as it is estimated that every job in metal mining creates 2.8 additional jobs in other parts of the economy, and every job in non-metal mining creates 2.5 additional jobs.
With more than 370,000 Americans currently employed directly in mining and more than 590,000 indirectly, the industry employs hundreds of thousands of people with diverse backgrounds and interests. In addition, technological advances and best practices have helped to make mining operations consistently safer for workers.
In addition to the jobs, the economy is also stimulated by the raw materials provided by US mines. In 2020, US mines produced $82.3 billion worth of minerals. These domestic raw materials – along with recycled ones – were used to process $710 billion worth of mineral materials such as aluminum, copper, and steel. Industries including technology, manufacturing, construction, and automotive transform these minerals into the infrastructure and products we use every day, and they have added more than $3.0 trillion to the U.S. economy, accounting for more than 14 percent of GDP.
Supporting thousands of jobs and providing essential raw materials, mineral and metal mining is critical to our economy.