Colorado Minerals Industry

Minerals Industry Report for Colorado View/Print/Download the complete report in PDF format In 2007, Colorado’s nonfuel raw mineral production was valued at $2.04 billion, based upon annual U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data. This was a 21.4% increase from the State’s total nonfuel mineral production value of 2006, following a 4% decrease from 2005 to 2006. Colorado rose in rank to 11th from 13th among the 50 States in nonfuel mineral production value, while accounting for about 2.9% of the U.S. total.  The State’s first- and second-leading nonfuel mineral commodities in 2007 were, by value, molybdenum and construction sand and gravel, followed by cement (portland and masonry), gold, and crushed stone. These five commodities accounted for more than 98% of Colorado’s total nonfuel raw mineral production value. The largest increases in value took place in molybdenum, construction sand and gravel, gold, and portland cement. With an 8% increase in molybdenum production in 2007, the mineral commodity’s value rose by more than $300 million, and in spite of a small decrease in construction sand and gravel production, its value rose by 11.5%, up by $38 million. Relatively small decreases took place in the production of gold and portland cement, but the values of each were up by more than $10 million. Smaller yet significant increases also took place in the values of industrial sand and gravel (substantial increase in unit value), Grade–A helium, and dimension stone (table 1). The largest decrease in a nonfuel mineral commodity value was in the production value of crushed stone, down by $9.5 million.  About 67% of Colorado’s nonfuel mineral production value in 2007 resulted from the production of metals—molybdenum concentrates, gold, and silver—in descending order of value; this established a high of recent years following a 62% share in 2006, 65% in 2005, 52% in 2004, 30% in 2003, and 23% in 2002. Although gold, in particular, also has shared in the increased percentage of metals value, the largest share of the increases from 2003–07 (as compared with recent years past) mainly resulted from the significantly higher increases in the average annual prices of molybdenum.  In 2007, Colorado continued to be 4th in the quantity of gold produced among 10 producing States and rose to 1st from 2d in the production of molybdenum, to 6th from 7th in construction sand and gravel, and to 11th from 12th in gemstone production (gemstones based upon value). The State continued to produce significant quantities (in descending order of value) of portland cement, crushed stone, and crude gypsum.