COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio’s mineral industries produced more than $2.6 billion for the state’s economy in 2006, according to a report issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Geological Survey. The number represents a slight (.1 percent) decrease from 2005.

The division released the 2006 Report on Ohio Mineral Industries: An Annual Summary of the State’s Economic Geology in time for the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association’s annual meeting in Columbus, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, November 8-9. Association members produce most of the state’s geologic commodities, excluding coal, oil and gas.

The industries listed in the report directly employed more than 11,000 people during 2006 in the production of coal, oil and gas, salt, sand and gravel, limestone and dolomite, clay and shale, and sandstone and conglomerate.

Five eastern Ohio counties (Belmont, Monroe, Stark, Tuscarawas and Mahoning ) were the report’s big producers - each accounting for more than $100 million in geologic resources. These businesses significantly contribute to each county’s annual economic output. Value-added products from these businesses include electric power generated by Ohio coal, refined petroleum, cement, building brick and stone, ceramics, lime, Portland-cement concrete, and asphalt. Local industries that use and distribute these commodities such as the transportation, equipment manufacturing, construction, glass, and steel production also benefit.

The 2006 report and its updated digital map, both available for free, provide a method for quickly researching coal and industrial mineral activities in Ohio, as well as basic information about individual mines or groups of mines. Mining information available from the interactive map includes permit numbers, geologic commodities produced, and tonnage produced or sold during the calendar year.

The map is an important part of the ODNR Division of Geological Survey’s integrated geographic information system (GIS), which includes maps and datasets that describe and locate areas of geologic interest to Ohioans, such as oil and natural-gas wells, earthquake epicenters, abandoned underground mines and karst areas.

The electronic version of the 2006 Report on Ohio Mineral Industries: An Annual Summary of the State’s Economic Geology and its interactive map are available through the Interactive Maps page of the ODNR Division of Geological Survey’s Web site. Individual mine information is available by clicking on the Identify tool and then on a mine. The report will also be available on a limited number of CDs ($10 plus sales tax and $2.50 in shipping) and can be pre-ordered from the ODNR Geologic Records Center by calling 614-265-6576 or emailing geo.survey@dnr.state.oh.us.

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For Further Information Contact:
Mark Wolfe, ODNR Division of Geological Survey
(740) 548-7348 ext. 26
-or-
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860