Compiled by the Minerals Education Coalition (MEC), the 2024 Mineral Baby details the estimated amount of minerals, metals and fuels that an American born this year will use in their lifetime.
Compared to last year, increases were observed in key resources such as cement and clays used in construction, phosphate rock used primarily as an essential ingredient in fertiliser, and silver, which, among many applications, is a conductor that makes solar energy possible. Overall, the total amount of resources that every American born in 2024 will need in their lifetime is 3.06 million pounds, clearly demonstrating how important mining and minerals are to our daily lives.
"Oftentimes, we take for granted all of the heavy lifting that goes into ensuring a supply of the mined materials needed to sustain the life of every individual," said David L. Kanagy, SME Executive Director and CEO. "We encourage educators and the general public to utilize and share these eye-opening metrics, which give us all a better understanding of how modern life works."
Governments worldwide continue to rely on the extraction and processing of natural resources to ensure a high standard of living for their citizens. In the United States, there is an ongoing bipartisan push to develop a strategy around the mining and processing of the critical minerals needed to diversify the energy economy and decrease reliance on foreign imports. This comes during a time when SMEs are calling for the establishment of a National Materials and Minerals Council to facilitate these efforts.
According to the 2024 U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, "Minerals remained fundamental to the U.S. economy, contributing to the real gross domestic product at several levels, including mining, processing, and manufacturing finished products." Per their data, in 2023, the estimated total value of nonfuel mineral production in the United States was $105 billion, an increase of 4% from the revised total of $101 billion in 2022.
For decades, the amount of minerals, metals and fuels that an American born in the current year will need in their lifetime has been presented in an iconic educational infographic known as the "Mineral Baby." Mineral Baby infographics are created using statistics from the National Mining Association and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in combination with life expectancy data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control. These statistics represent an entire year and thus utilize figures from the previous year.
For more information, visit mineralseducationcoalition.org/stats.
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) brings together the mining and mineral industry's brightest and most dedicated professionals. Over 13,000 global members advance their careers with world-class technical resources, educational programs, networking opportunities, and professional development tools from SME. Our members are focused on sharing best practices for safety, environmental stewardship and moving mining forward.
The Minerals Education Coalition (MEC) is the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Foundation's designated program to develop and deliver accurate and timely K-12 education materials and activities and conduct public awareness outreach about mining and minerals.
