The Industries
of the Future Mining R&D Partnership is dedicated to the development
and use of advanced mining production and environmental technologies
to help reduce costs, increase quality, improve safety, reduce waste
generation, increase energy efficiency, and produce mining byproducts
that can be used for value-added manufacturing that are cost-competitive
with conventional materials. An additional goal is to demonstrate electricity
generation and enhanced sink technologies that will enable near net zero
emissions of greenhouse gases associated with energy generation using
coal.
The National Mining Industries
of the Future Program vision and roadmap
outlines R&D priorities for industry that will help meet these
overall goals. The Nevada Industries of the Future Program will deliver
the expertise and R&D knowledge of the national Industries of
the Future Program to the Nevada mining industry.
Mining in Nevada
The State of Nevada is an important producer of gold and industrial
minerals. Mining is a very energy intensive industry and it is important
to understand the energy requirements of this industry and to develop
energy savings and renewable energy options for this industry. The
Nevada State Program will provide a focus for these activities for
industry groups and individual companies. This collaboration will help
make the program self sufficient in the long term. A number of chemical
and manufacturing facilities support these mining activities. The Nevada
State Program of the IOF will be expanded beyond mining to the chemical,
metal casting and agricultural industries.
The Nevada mineral industry led the nation in 2000
in the production of gold, silver, and barite as it has for several years.
Nevada also
produced a wide variety of other mineral and energy commodities
such as aggregates, clays, copper, diatomite, dolomite, geothermal energy,
gypsum, lapidary and gem stones, lime and limestone, lithium compounds,
magnesium compounds, oil, perlite, salt, silica, and specialty
aggregates
and clays. The total value of Nevada’s mineral production
in 2000 was about $2.7 billion (not including oil and geothermal
energy).
The production of precious metals accounted for about $2.5 billion.
Nevada’s gold production was 8,585,000 troy ounces in 2000,
the third year in a row above the 8 million ounce mark. This is higher
than the 8,261,000 ounces produced in 1999, but short of 1998's record
level of 8,865,000 ounces. Nevada is the third largest producer of
gold in the world, behind only South Africa and Australia. Underground
operations contributed about 20% of the gold production in 2000. Silver
production climbed to 23,205,000 troy ounces, up from 1999's level
of 19,470,000 ounces. The year 2000 was the sixth year out of the past
seven that Nevada’s silver production has exceeded 20 million
ounces. Nevada’s nickname of the "Silver State" is
still appropriate. Copper production was about 11.7 million pounds,
down from the 61.8 million pounds produced in 1999. Gypsum production
was about 2.1 million tons, down from the 2.6 million tons produced
in 1999.
According to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation,
the Nevada mining industry employed approximately 11,050 employees
for the last quarter of 1999 and the first three quarters of 2000,
the latest year long period for which employment figures are available.
The average pay for mineral industry employees was $57,906 for this
time period, the highest average of any employment sector in the state.
In addition, it is estimated that there are over 36,000 jobs in the
state relating to providing goods and services needed by the mining
industry. Mining employment has dropped for the third year in a row
due primarily to continued low commodity prices and a slowdown in the
development of new precious metals mines.
Minerals besides gold and silver are also important
to Nevada’s
economy. Copper and industrial minerals such as barite, diatomite,
dolomite, gypsum, limestone, lithium compounds, magnesite, perlite,
salt, and specialty clays are produced in the state. Sand, gravel,
and crushed stone are critical to the building requirements of the
state’s infrastructure.
To emphasize the importance of mining to the economy of Nevada note
the following rankings of Nevada Mineral Commodity production, many
of these commodities are of strategic importance to the USA:
University
of Nevada