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Specialty Items

By National Minerals Information Center

In addition to core minerals information periodicals published on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, the Center also conducts analyses of and develops information on minerals-related issues, including minerals conservation, sustainability, materials flow, availability, and the economic health of the U.S. minerals industry.

Featured Articles

Historical and Time Series Data

Data Series 140 - Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States - A compilation of data on mineral production, imports, exports, stocks, reported and apparent consumption, and unit value (the value in dollars of a metric ton of apparent consumption) for approximately 90 mineral commodities from as far back as 1900.

Data Series 896 - Historical Global Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities - A compilation of global mineral production data for selected mineral and material commodities from as far back as 1990.

Historical Events in Minerals and Materials - A compilation of sigificant events affecting mineral commodities from 1900 to 2000, as reported in the year 2000 edition of the Minerals Yearbook Volume I.

Metal Prices in the United States through 2010

Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5188

Materials Flow, Recycling, Supply Chain, and Sustainability Publications

Fact sheets, open-file reports, and scientific investigation reports - describe the flow of materials from source to ultimate disposition to help better understand the economy, manage the use of natural resources, and protect the environment.

Recycling - statistical periodicals and special studies

Periodic Publications

Mineral Commodity Summaries (Annual)

Published on an annual basis, this report is the earliest Government publication to furnish estimates covering nonfuel mineral industry data. Data sheets contain information on the domestic industry structure, Government programs, tariffs, and 5-year salient statistics for over 90 individual minerals and materials.

Minerals Yearbook (Annual)

The Minerals Yearbook is an annual publication that reviews the mineral and material industries of the United States and foreign countries. The Yearbook contains statistical data on materials and minerals and includes information on economic and technical trends and development. The Minerals Yearbook includes chapters on approximately 90 mineral commodities and over 175 countries. 

  • Volume I - Metals and Minerals
    • This volume, covering metals and minerals, contains chapters on approximately 90 commodities. In addition, this volume has chapters on mining and quarrying trends and on statistical surveying methods used by Minerals Information, plus a statistical summary.
  • Volume II - Area Reports: Domestic
    • This volume reviews the U.S. mineral industry by State and Island possessions. It presents salient statistics on production, consumption, and other pertinent data for each State and is prepared in cooperation with State Geological Surveys or related agencies.
  • Volume III - Area Reports: International
    • This volume of the Minerals Yearbook provides an annual review of mineral production and trade and of mineral-related government and industry developments in more than 175 foreign countries. Each report includes sections on government policies and programs, environmental issues, trade and production data, industry structure and ownership, commodity sector developments, infrastructure, and a summary outlook.

Mineral Industry Surveys (Monthly/Quarterly/Annual)

Mineral Industry Surveys (MIS) are periodic on-line statistical and economic publications designed to provide timely statistical data on production, distribution, stocks, and consumption of significant mineral commodities. These publications are issued monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Metal Industry Indicators (Monthly)

The Metal Industry Indicators (MII) is a monthly on-line newsletter that analyzes and forecasts the economic health of five metal industries: primary metals, steel, copper, primary and secondary aluminum, and aluminum mill products. The MII presents composite leading and coincident indexes of a set of indicators that historically have proven to lead or coincide with the major business cycle changes in these industries. The indexes were developed in cooperation with the Center for International Business Cycle Research at Columbia University. Each month, these indexes are analyzed along with any economy-wide occurrences that would affect the metals industries.

Nonmetallic Mineral Products Industry Indexes (Monthly)

The USGS has prepared leading and coincident indexes for the Nonmetallic Mineral Products Industry (NAICS 327).  These indexes are similar to the ones in Metal Industry Indicators. Historical data for these indexes are available back to 1948.

Special Publications

  • Mineral Commodity Profiles - Detailed information on mineral commodity industries, including sources, production technologies, and end uses.
  • AntimonyOpen-File Report2003-19
  • AsbestosCircular1255-KK
  • CadmiumOpen-File Report2002-238
  • CesiumOpen-File Report2004-1432
  • GermaniumOpen File Report2004-1218
  • GoldOpen-File Report2002-303
  • IndiumOpen-File Report2004-1300
  • Iron and SteelOpen-File Report2005-1254
  • NitrogenOpen-File Report2004-1290
  • RubidiumOpen-File Report2003-45
  • SeleniumOpen-File Report2003-18
  • SilverOpen File Report2004-1251

Maps