Metal Ore Mining Industry Profile

The US metal ore mining industry includes about 200 companies with combined annual revenue of over $28 billion. Major companies include Cliffs Natural Resources, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX), Newmont Mining, Southern Copper, and The Doe Run Company. Metal ore mining is highly concentrated: the largest 10 gold companies account for 95 percent of revenue.

China dominates the global metal ore mining industry. The world's most highly mined metals are iron ore, bauxite, aluminum, chromium, copper, manganese, zinc, and silicon. Major companies outside the US include Rio Tinto (dually headquartered in Australia and the UK); BHP Billiton (also dually headquartered in Australia and the UK); Vale (Brazil); Xstrata (Switzerland); Anglo American (UK); and Aluminum Corporation of China (China).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by industrial demand and economic growth, both domestic and foreign. Individual company profitability depends on volume and operating efficiency. Large companies can afford to discover and develop new deposits and increase reserves. Small companies typically own just one mine, limit exploration to that one property, and operate it as efficiently as possible. Metal ore mining is capital-intensive: annual revenue per employee is about $600,000.

Imports account for about 10 percent of the US metal ore market and exports for about 15 percent of US production. Imports come mainly from Canada and Australia. Exports go primarily to Canada, China, Japan, Korea, and Belgium.

The industry includes companies that mine and process gold, silver, ...