COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s geology is rich with source materials used in numerous industries and in making a variety of everyday products. A robust history of industrial minerals extraction has driven the state’s economy since before statehood in 1803. Today, Ohio continues to be a leading producer nationally of several commodities, including limestone, dolomite, sandstone, and conglomerate; sand and gravel; clay and shale; and salt.
A newly released report from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) shows the state’s mineral resources produced nearly $1.5 billion worth of geologic commodities in 2021. The total value of all nonfuel industrial minerals exceeded $1 billion for an eighth straight year.
The 2021 Report on Ohio Mineral Industries: An Annual Summary of the State’s Economic Geology, compiled by the ODNR Division of Geological Survey, provides information regarding the production, value, and employment totals of Ohio’s various mineral industries. Some highlights include:
- Mineral industries produced resources worth approximately $126 per Ohioan.
- Production of limestone and dolomite increased by 3.3 percent.
- Production decreased for coal, clay and shale, peat, salt, sand and gravel, and sandstone and conglomerate.
- The value of oil and natural gas produced in Ohio nearly doubled from 2020.
- Sale values increased for clay, limestone and dolomite, salt, sand and gravel, sandstone and conglomerate, and shale.
“As the U.S. economy began to rebound in 2021 from measures to respond to the coronavirus, Ohio’s minerals industry was there to support it,” said D. Mark Jones, Division Chief and State Geologist. “As always, the state’s geologic resources are an important engine of economic strength.”
A dedicated group of inspectors, geologists, and support staff helps ODNR regulate the responsible extraction of Ohio’s natural resources, including oil and natural gas, limestone, sand and gravel, coal, salt, and more. Part of ODNR’s regulatory responsibility is to catalog annually Ohio’s extractive activities.
Published yearly, the Report on Ohio Mineral Industries offers basic information about individual mines and groups of mines, detailed geologic information about coal and industrial minerals, and a list of important references. The report is a useful tool for researching mineral extraction activities throughout the state.
