Kentucky Minerals Industry

Minerals Industry Report for Kentucky View/Print/Download the complete report in PDF format In 2007, Kentucky’s nonfuel raw mineral production was valued at $786 million, based upon annual U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data. This was a 3.4% decrease from the State’s total nonfuel mineral production value of $814 million in 2006, and followed a $32 million, or 4.1%, increase in the State’s value from 2005 to 2006. Kentucky was 27th (26th in 2006) in rank among the 50 States in total nonfuel mineral production value, accounting for more than 1% of the U.S. total. Yet, per capita, the State ranked 20th in the Nation in its minerals industry’s value of nonfuel mineral production; with a population of nearly 4.25 million, the value of production was about $185 per capita.  Crushed stone continued to be Kentucky’s leading nonfuel mineral commodity in 2007 and accounted for 54% of the State’s nonfuel raw mineral production value. Lime was second, followed by cement (portland and masonry) and construction sand and gravel. These four mineral commodities accounted for about 99% of the State’s total nonfuel mineral production value. In 2007, Kentucky’s decrease in total nonfuel mineral production value was the result of decreases in the majority of the State’s mineral commodities, the largest decrease being that of crushed stone, down by $16 million, followed (descending order of change) by lime (withheld—company proprietary data), construction sand and gravel, down by about $6 million, and ball clay (also withheld) (table 1). The only mineral commodity to increase in value was cement (portland and masonry combined); with a small increase in production the value of cement rose by more than $4 million.  In 2007, Kentucky continued to rank 3d in the quantities of lime produced, 4th in the production of ball clay, and the State produced signifi cant quantities of crushed stone (12th in rank), portland cement, and common clays (descending order of value). Additionally, primary aluminum and raw steel were produced from materials obtained from other domestic and foreign sources. Kentucky remained the Nation’s leading producer of primary aluminum.