NAICS 2123—Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

Where 2123 sits

1. 21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
2. 212 Mining (except Oil and Gas)
3. 2123 Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

Contains 3 narrower codes

• 21231 Stone Mining and Quarrying
• 21232 Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying
• 21239 Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

Description

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in developing mine sites, or in mining or quarrying nonmetallic minerals (except fuels). Also included are certain well and brine operations, and preparation plants primarily engaged in beneficiating (e.g., crushing, grinding, washing, and concentrating) nonmetallic minerals.

Beneficiation is the process whereby the extracted material is reduced to particles which can be separated into mineral and waste, the former suitable for further processing or direct use. The operations that take place in beneficiation are primarily mechanical, such as grinding, washing, magnetic separation, and centrifugal separation. In contrast, manufacturing operations primarily use chemical and electrochemical processes, such as electrolysis and distillation. However, some treatments, such as heat treatments, take place in both the beneficiation and the manufacturing (i.e., smelting/refining) stages. The range of preparation activities varies by mineral and the purity of any given ore deposit. While some minerals, such as petroleum and natural gas, require little or no preparation, others are washed and screened, while yet others, such as gold and silver, can be transformed into bullion before leaving the mine site.

2123 in other systems