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Did You Know...
- Mining has touched less than one-quarter of 1% of all the land in the United States.
Only 3 million acres of public land - about the size of a Nevada county - have gone
into private ownership from mining. In comparison, 94 million acres have been
granted to railroads and 288 million acres were applied to agricultural homesteads.
- About 8% of total U.S. electricity consumption "energizes" the Internet, an amount
equal to about 70 million tons of coal per year. The electric energy generated by one
pound of coal is required to send two (2) megabytes of information through the
Internet. To buy a book through Amazon.com requires the energy generated by about
a half-pound of coal.
- Every American consumes 48,000 pounds - 24 tons - of minerals per year through
various direct and indirect products and services. In a lifetime, every American will
directly or indirectly benefit from 3.5 million pounds - 1,750 tons - of minerals,
metals and fuels.
- While coal use for domestic electricity has more than tripled over the past 30 years,
government statistics show sulfur dioxide emissions has decreased more than 32
percent below 1970 levels.
- Working in the mining industry is safer than working in your local grocery store, in
the health care industry, or in most other major U.S. industries. Mining has a lower
rate of injuries and illnesses per 100 employees (4.7) than manufacturing (9.0 %);
construction (8.3 %); food stores (8.0 %); agricultural products (7.6 %); health
services (7.4 %); transportation/public utilities (6.9%); hotels (6.9 %); and
wholesale/retail trade (5.9 %). The source of this data is "Workplace Injuries and
Illnesses in 2000," on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, www.bls.gov.
- More than 320,000 people work directly in mining throughout the United States.
- Americans annually consume 2.5 million tubes - 25 tons - of toothpaste comprised of
calcium carbonate, zeolites, trona, clays, silica and fluorite.
- Annually, we purchase 36 million light bulbs, each comprised of tungsten, trona,
silica sand, copper and aluminum.
- It takes a mine to build a home. The foundation, exterior walls, insulation, roof,
fireplace, piping electrical wiring, plumbing systems, gutters, paint, door knobs,
locks, hinges and appliances all come from mined minerals. Copper use in new U.S.
family homes rose by more than 60% over the past decade due to new technology.
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