NAICS 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

The Sector as a Whole

The Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector comprises establishments that extract naturally occurring mineral solids, such as coal and ores; liquid minerals, such as crude petroleum; and gases, such as natural gas. The term "mining" is used in the broad sense to include quarrying, well operations, beneficiating (e.g., crushing, screening, washing, and flotation), and other preparation customarily performed at the mine site, or as a part of mining activity.

The Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector distinguishes two basic activities: mine operation and mining support activities. Mine operation includes establishments operating mines, quarries, or oil and gas wells on their own account or for others on a contract or fee basis. Mining support activities include establishments that perform exploration (except geophysical surveying and mapping) on a contract or fee basis and/or other mining services on a contract or fee basis (except mine site preparation, construction, and transportation activities).Establishments in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector are grouped and classified according to the natural resource mined or to be mined. Industries include establishments that develop and/or operate the mine site, extract the natural resources, beneficiate (i.e., prepare) the mineral mined, or provide mining support activities. Beneficiation is the process whereby the extracted material is reduced to particles that can be separated into mineral and waste, the former suitable for further processing or direct use. The operations that take place in beneficiation are primarily mechanical, such as grinding, washing, magnetic separation, and centrifugal separation. In contrast, manufacturing operations primarily use chemical and electrochemical processes, such as electrolysis and distillation. However, some treatments, such as heat treatments, take place in both the beneficiation and the manufacturing (i.e., smelting/refining) stages. The range of preparation activities varies by mineral and the purity of any given ore deposit. While some minerals, such as petroleum and natural gas, require little or no preparation, others are washed and screened, while yet others, such as gold and silver, can be transformed into bullion before leaving the mine site.

Mining, beneficiating, and manufacturing activities often occur in a single location. Separate receipts will be collected for these activities whenever possible. When receipts cannot be broken out between mining and manufacturing, establishments that mine or quarry nonmetallic minerals, and then beneficiate the nonmetallic minerals into more finished manufactured products are classified based on the primary activity of the establishment. A mine that manufactures a small amount of finished products will be classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction. An establishment that mines whose primary output is a more finished manufactured product will be classified in Sector 31-33, Manufacturing.

• Includes extraction of mineral solids, liquid minerals, and gases from natural sources.
• Covers both mine operation and mining support activities, including exploration and beneficiation.
• Establishments are classified based on the primary natural resource mined or processed.
• Beneficiation involves mechanical processes to prepare minerals for further use or sale.
• Contracts may cover on-site extraction, exploration services, and technical mining support.
• Businesses may operate mines, quarries, oil and gas wells, or provide contract-based mining services.

• Operating coal, metal ore, and nonmetallic mineral mines and quarries.
• Extracting crude petroleum and natural gas from wells.
• Performing mineral beneficiation such as crushing, screening, and washing.
• Conducting contract-based mineral exploration (excluding geophysical surveying).
• Providing mining support services including drilling, blasting, and site preparation.
• Managing well operations and maintenance activities.
• Reclaiming and restoring mined land in compliance with environmental regulations.
• Supplying technical expertise and equipment for mining projects under government contracts.

• Mining companies operating coal, metal, and nonmetal mineral mines.
• Oil and gas extraction firms with upstream exploration and production capabilities.
• Contract mining service providers offering extraction and support activities.
• Geological and mineral exploration consultants contracted for resource assessment.
• Beneficiation and mineral processing establishments located at or near mine sites.
• Environmental and land reclamation service providers specializing in mining sites.