Utah Mining 2022 – Metals, Industrial Minerals, Uranium, Coal, and Unconventional Fuels
by Andrew Rupke, Stephanie E. Mills, Michael D. Vanden Berg, and Taylor Boden

Media Inquiry:
Hollie Brown, PIO, Utah Geological Survey, (801) 243-9466holliebrown@utah.gov

PRESS RELEASE: Utah Geological Survey Releases 2022 Mining Report

Salt Lake City (Sept 7, 2023) – Mining plays a significant role in Utah’s economy, according to the 2022 Utah Mining report released by the Utah Geological Survey. In 2022, Utah’s total extractive resource value totaled approximately $10.4 billion, with mining, including metals, industrial minerals, and coal contributing $4.7 billion.

Graph showing annual value of Utah energy and mineral production from 1960-2022.

Annual value of Utah energy and mineral production, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars, 1960–2022. Source: Utah Geological Survey; U.S. Geological Survey; Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining; U.S. Energy Information Administration; Utah Tax Commission.

In 2022, six minerals listed on the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals were produced in Utah (beryllium, lithium, magnesium metal, platinum, palladium, and tellurium). Utah remains the only state to produce magnesium metal and beryllium concentrate. Lithium has been produced in Utah since 2020 as a by-product of magnesium extraction at Great Salt Lake, making Utah one of only two lithium-producing states. 

Additional highlights:

  • The U.S. Geological Survey ranked Utah as 8th nationally for producing nonfuel minerals, which includes metals and industrial minerals. Utah has been in the top 10 for the last decade.
  • Utah is the only state to produce magnesium metal, beryllium concentrate, potassium sulfate, and uintaite.
  • Contributions by the Utah mining industry to the state tax base during 2021/2022 were significant. The metal, industrial mineral (non-metal), sand and gravel, and coal mining industries paid over $79 million in property taxes in 2021 (up 13% from 2020).
  • Approximately 1.4% of Utah’s gross domestic product came from the mining industry in 2022, or 2.1% including oil and gas. Mining employment in Utah was up about 4% from 2021 to 2022 and had a wage increase of about 6%.
  • In the 2022 Fraser Institute annual survey of mining companies, Utah was ranked as the 17th most favorable state/nation out of 62 international jurisdictions for overall mining investment attractiveness.

The complete report is available at https://ugspub.nr.utah.gov/publications/circular/c-136.pdf.