Minerals Yearbook, 1990: Mining and Quarrying Trends in the Metals and Industrial Minerals Industries

摘要

Total processed nonfuel mineral materials produced in the United States during 1990 were valued at approximately $310 billion, essentially unchanged from that of 1989. However, metals from U.S. ores rose 3% over those of 1989 to $12.5 billion, and industrial minerals rose 5% over those of 1989 to $20.9 billion. Recycled scrap, largely steel and aluminum, rose a tremendous 50% over that of 1989 to $15 billion. Experts speculate that over the next few years the international mining industry will be dominated by three issues: increasingly widespread environmental concerns; a change in the balance of activity between precious-metals and base-metals operations; and the impact of newly generated base metal demand from Eastern Europe.