Publications

The Center conducts analyses of and develops information on minerals-related issues, including minerals conservation, sustainability, availability, materials flow, and the economic health of the U.S. minerals industry.

Key Publications

Historical and Time Series Data

Graph from Zeolites 2016 chapter showing increasing production trend with fluctuations since 1975

A compilation of data on mineral production, imports, exports, stocks, reported and apparent consumption publications.

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Periodic Publications

sphalerite, cubes of pyrite, and covellite

A subset of our monthly, quarterly, and annual publications

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Special Publications

Fact Sheets - Short introductions to mineral commodities, materials flow, and supply chain topics

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Filter Total Items: 583

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December 19, 2017

Vanadium

Vanadium is used primarily in the production of steel alloys; as a catalyst for the chemical industry; in the making of ceramics, glasses, and pigments; and in vanadium redox-flow batteries (VRBs) for large-scale storage of electricity. World vanadium resources in 2012 were estimated to be 63 million metric tons, which include about 14 million metric tons of reserves. The majority of the vanadium

Authors

Karen D. Kelley, Clint Scott, Désirée E. Polyak, Bryn E. Kimball

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply

SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Rare-earth elements

The rare-earth elements (REEs) are 15 elements that range in atomic number from 57 (lanthanum) to 71 (lutetium); they are commonly referred to as the “lanthanides.” Yttrium (atomic number 39) is also commonly regarded as an REE because it shares chemical and physical similarities and has affinities with the lanthanides. Although REEs are not rare in terms of average crustal abundance, the concentr

Authors

Bradley S. Van Gosen, Philip L. Verplanck, Robert R. Seal, Keith R. Long, Joseph Gambogi

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Manganese

Manganese is an essential element for modern industrial societies. Its principal use is in steelmaking, where it serves as a purifying agent in iron-ore refining and as an alloy that converts iron into steel. Although the amount of manganese consumed to make a ton of steel is small, ranging from 6 to 9 kilograms, it is an irreplaceable component in the production of this fundamental material. The

Authors

William F. Cannon, Bryn E. Kimball, Lisa A. Corathers

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Gallium

Gallium is a soft, silvery metallic element with an atomic number of 31 and the chemical symbol Ga. Gallium is used in a wide variety of products that have microelectronic components containing either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN). GaAs is able to change electricity directly into laser light and is used in the manufacture of optoelectronic devices (laser diodes, light-emitting d

Authors

Nora K. Foley, Brian W. Jaskula, Bryn E. Kimball, Ruth F. Schulte

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Titanium

Titanium is a mineral commodity that is essential to the smooth functioning of modern industrial economies. Most of the titanium produced is refined into titanium dioxide, which has a high refractive index and is thus able to impart a durable white color to paint, paper, plastic, rubber, and wallboard. Because of their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance, titanium metal and tita

Authors

Laurel G. Woodruff, George M. Bedinger, Nadine M. Piatak

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Beryllium

Beryllium is a mineral commodity that is used in a variety of industries to make products that are essential for the smooth functioning of a modern society. Two minerals, bertrandite (which is supplied domestically) and beryl (which is currently supplied solely by imports), are necessary to ensure a stable supply of high-purity beryllium metal, alloys, and metal-matrix composites and beryllium oxi

Authors

Nora K. Foley, Brian W. Jaskula, Nadine M. Piatak, Ruth F. Schulte

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

December 19, 2017

Graphite

Graphite is a form of pure carbon that normally occurs as black crystal flakes and masses. It has important properties, such as chemical inertness, thermal stability, high electrical conductivity, and lubricity (slipperiness) that make it suitable for many industrial applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, and steelmaking. For some of these uses, no suitable substitutes are av

Authors

Gilpin R. Robinson, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Donald W. Olson

Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

September 21, 2017

Assessment of critical minerals: Updated application of an early-warning screening methodology

Increasing reliance on non-renewable mineral resources reinforces the need for identifying potential supply constraints before they occur. The US National Science and Technology Council recently released a report that outlines a methodology for screening potentially critical minerals based on three indicators: supply risk (R), production growth (G), and market dynamics (M). This early-warning scre

Authors

Erin A. McCullough, Nedal Nassar

Mineral Resources Program, National Minerals Information Center

August 22, 2017

Use of raw materials in the United States from 1900 through 2014

The economic growth of an industrialized nation such as the United States requires raw materials for construction (buildings, bridges, highways, and so forth), defense, and processing and manufacture of goods and services. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the types and quantities of raw materials used have increased and changed significantly. This fact sheet quantifies the amounts of raw m

Authors

Grecia R. Matos

National Minerals Information Center

August 22, 2017

Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Latin America and Canada

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Yearbook discusses the performance of the worldwide minerals and materials industries and provides background information to assist in interpreting that performance. Content of the individual Minerals Yearbook volumes follows:Volume I, Metals and Minerals, contains chapters about virtually all metallic and industrial mineral commodities important to the U

Authors

Mineral Resources Program, National Minerals Information Center

August 22, 2017

Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and central Eurasia

Authors

U.S. Geological Survey

Mineral Resources Program, National Minerals Information Center