Abstract

US produces 78 major minerals and is ranked among the top five countries in the global production of aluminum (11%), coal (20%), copper (8%), gold (12%), iron ore (5%), and sliver (7%). The mining industry also produces significant aggregates for construction and manufacturing industries. These resources form the foundation of the US economy. From the National Mining Association (NMA), the direct value of the 2008 US minerals was $102.4B and major industries that use processed minerals added more than $2.3T to the US economy (16% of US GDP). The National Research Council (NRC) has concluded that one of the primary advantages the US has over its global competitors is its domestic mineral resource base. Majority of minerals and aggregates are extracted using the surface mining technology with heavy mining machinery. These large machines have introduced significant challenges into the mine operating environments. Higher capital investments, fuel and electricity costs, tougher operating environments and high production demands have created acute problems that must be addressed to meet these challenges via advanced research initiatives.