WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Mining Association (NMA) today released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and jobs plan.
“As Congress begins to address the President’s plan, any infrastructure push aimed at bringing stability and growth to our economy and strengthening our supply chains would be well served to ensure those efforts are supplied with American-mined materials,” said Rich Nolan, NMA president and CEO. “From highways to bridges, water systems to broadband, electricity grids and charging networks – America’s infrastructure projects begin with mining. Despite being home to some of the world’s richest mineral reserves and abundant supplies of steelmaking metallurgical coal, we continue to source the raw materials required for America’s infrastructure and manufacturing from other countries. If policymakers want to create high-paying jobs and support economic security while reshoring the nation’s industrial base, made-in-America infrastructure should begin with American mining.”
Mining and the economy
Number of direct mining jobs: 464,000
Number of indirect jobs generated by mining: 801,000
Average annual salary for a U.S. miner: $81,000
Import dependence: Despite being home to more than $6.2 trillion in mineral reserves, the U.S. currently is 100 percent reliant on imports for 17 key mineral commodities and more than 50 percent import reliant for another 29.
# # #