US Geological Survey reports 2020 mine production in the US Midas expects to obtain federal approval for its Stibnite gold project next year. Credit: Midas Gold. Mines in the United States produced about US$82.3 billion in minerals in 2020, according to figures from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mineral Commodity Summaries report. The figure was about US$1.5 billion lower than 2019’s US$83.7 billion. The report – now in its 26th year – covers about 90 nonfuel minerals monitored by USGS and includes industrial minerals and natural aggregates as well as ferrous and nonferrous metals. Breaking the number down into its parts, US$27.7 billion of the US$82.3 billion was generated from metal production, with the principal contributing metals: gold (38%); copper (27%); iron ore (15%); and zinc (6%). The US$27.7 billion figure was 3% higher year-on-year. The USGS also noted that in this category, higher prices for metals like gold, which hit US$2,060 per troy ounce in August, “contributed to the increased value of metal production.”