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Mining in theUnited States has been active since the beginning of colonial times, but became a major industry in the 19th century with a number of new mineral discoveries causing a series of mining rushes. In 2015, the value of coal, metals, and industrial minerals mined in the United States was US$109.6 billion. 158,000 workers were directly employed by themining industry.[1]
The mining industry has a number of impacts on communities, individuals and the environment. Mine safety incidents have been important parts of Americanoccupational safety and health history. Mining has anumber of environmental impacts. In the United States, issues likemountaintop removal, andacid mine drainage have widespread impacts on all parts of the environment. As of January 2020, the EPA lists 142 mines in theSuperfund program.[2]
In 2019, the country was the 4th world producer ofgold;[3] 5th largest world producer ofcopper;[4] 5th worldwide producer ofplatinum;[5] 10th worldwide producer ofsilver;[6] 2nd largest world producer ofrhenium;[7] 2nd largest world producer ofsulfur;[8] 3rd largest world producer ofphosphate;[9] 3rd largest world producer ofmolybdenum;[10] 4th largest world producer oflead;[11] 4th largest world producer ofzinc;[12] 5th worldwide producer ofvanadium;[13] 9th largest world producer ofiron ore;[14] 9th largest world producer ofpotash;[15] 12th largest world producer ofcobalt;[16] 13th largest world producer oftitanium;[17] world's largest producer ofgypsum;[18] 2nd largest world producer ofkyanite;[19] 2nd largest world producer oflimestone;[20] in addition to being the 2nd largest world producer ofsalt.[21] It was the world's 10th largest producer ofuranium in 2018.[22]
The extraction of minerals from the Earth dates back to the AncientEgyptians' mining of copper in 3000 BCE.[23] Mining for ancient civilizations was often extremely dangerous involving the use of stone tools or hands for excavation.[23] By the Middle Ages, stone tools were replaced by explosives, black powder, to break-up larger rock formations.[23]Colonists in the United States found iron ore at the Jamestown settlement which resulted in a mining operation beginning in 1620; however, the operation was cut short due to the presence ofNative Americans at the site.[24] Despite several small mining endeavors beginning in the 17th and 18th centuries, mining did not gain major traction in the United States until the 19th century.[23] In terms of technology, explosives such as black powder were phased out as dynamite increased in popularity as a new mining method in the 19th century.[23] TheCalifornia Gold Rush began in 1848 after the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848. By the year 1849, over 80,000 people had relocated to California in search of gold.[25] Eventually, the Gold Rush peaked in 1852 and concluded by the early 1900s.[25]
See also:
Top Commodities mined in the US, 2019
| Rank | Commodity | Value, US$ billion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coal | 25.1 |
| 2 | Crushed rock | 18.7 |
| 3 | Cement | 12.5 |
| 4 | Gold | 9.0 |
| 5 | Construction sand and gravel | 9.0 |
| 6 | Copper | 7.9 |
| 7 | Industrial sand and gravel | 5.7 |
| 8 | Iron ore | 5.4 |
| Source: US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodities Summaries, 2020.[26] | ||
From 1880 to 1910, mine accidents claimed thousands of fatalities, with more than 3,000 in 1907 alone.[27] Where annual mining deaths had numbered more than 1,000 a year during the early part of the 20th century, they decreased to an average of about 500 during the late 1950s, and to 93 during the 1990s.[28] In addition to deaths, many thousands more are injured (an average of 21,351 injuries per year between 1991 and 1999), but overall there has been a downward trend of deaths and injuries.
TheMonongah Mining Disaster was the worst mining accident of American history; 362 workers were killed in an underground explosion on December 6, 1907, inMonongah,West Virginia. TheU.S. Bureau of Mines was created in 1910 to investigate accidents, advise industry, conduct production and safety research, and teach courses in accident prevention, first aid, and mine rescue. TheFederal Coal Mine Health and Safety Acts of 1969 and 1977 set further safety standards for the industry.
In 1959, theKnox Mine Disaster occurred inPort Griffith, Pennsylvania. The swellingSusquehanna river collapsed into a mine under it and resulted in 12 deaths. InPlymouth, Pennsylvania, theAvondale Mine Disaster resulted in the deaths of 108 miners and two rescue workers after a fire in the only shaft eliminated the oxygen in the mine. Federal laws for mining safety ensued this disaster. Pennsylvania suffered another disaster in 2002 atQuecreek, 9 miners were trapped underground and subsequently rescued after 78 hours. During 2006, 72 miners lost their lives at work, 47 by coal mining. The majority of these fatalities occurred inKentucky andWest Virginia, including theSago Mine Disaster.[29][30] On April 5, 2010, in theUpper Big Branch Mine disaster an underground explosion caused the deaths of 29 miners.
Mining has environmental impacts at many stages in the process and production of mining. In the United States, many different regions in the United States have environmental challenges caused by either historical or current mining.
There are tens of thousands of abandoned mines in the United States. Many abandoned mines pose environmental challenges, such asacid mine drainage. In Colorado alone, there are 18,382 abandoned mines.[34] The United States has had many different environmental disasters caused by these mines, such as the2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill. ManySuperfund sites are mines. As of January 2020[update]. the EPA lists 142 mines in the Superfund program[2]
Fresh water is used in the mining process for the extraction of minerals likecoal and the processing of ore.[35] After the water has cycled through the mining process, it is discharged as effluent. The effluent or drainage is acidic due to the presence ofsulfuric acid. Acid-rich water drainage can lead to environmental implications including contaminated drinking water and disruption ofaquatic environments near the mining site.[36] In addition to the detrimental effects caused by mining drainage, the mining process is responsible for depleting groundwater supplies. TheSanta Cruz River basin is being dried to support a copper mine in Arizona.[37]
44% of mining facilities in the United States are located in forests. Large-scale mining in areas ofLatin America, like Brazil, release pollutants detrimental to neighboringrainforests.[38] Copper mining efforts in the Carajas Mineral Province in Brazil result in 6,100 km of deforestation every year.[38] Mining also results in a loss ofbiodiversity. Deforestation as well as the release of toxic chemicals to both the air and water can affect neighboring plant and animal life.[39] 40% of all global mines are located in areas of increased biodiversity that have experienced decline in species population due to surrounding industry.[40] Chemicals used in the mining process also result insoil erosion that strips the land of essential nutrients affecting surrounding plant and animal life.[40]
Mines are often controversial in their local areas, with local residents split by those in favor particularly due to the economic impact of new jobs and those concerned by the environmental impact and occupational hazards. In the case of the proposedCrandon mine, theU.S. Supreme Court found that tribes have the right to regulate water and air, which destroyed the economic feasibility of the project.[41]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Geological Survey. This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Department of Labor.
