Hal Quinn: A positive global outlook for 2013 minerals mining

Earlier this week, NMA held a press briefing at which I presented the global outlook for mining.  Due to improvements in key sectors of the U.S. economy and the global demand for mined products, particularly in developing economies, we are confident that 2013 will be a good year for the mining sector.

Projected increases in domestic new-home construction and automobile sales are buoying demand for copper, palladium, molybdenum and other metals that are vital to these sectors. U.S. copper production, alone, is expected to be up by more than 10 percent in 2013, according to the Mineral Commodity Summaries by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Additionally, the worldwide demand for iron ore, gold and silver is looking strong.

Moving beyond just the economic bright spots, we continue to see improvements in U.S. mine safety and health. In fact, we finished 2012 with the second safest year on record, moving closer to our goal of eliminating fatalities and reducing our injury rate by 50 percent in five years. We believe NMA’s CORESafety® safety and health management system gives our operations and the people who work there the tools they need to reach that goal.

However, public policy challenges continue to limit the potential of U.S. mining to provide reliable materials vital to our economy and way of life. Inefficient and unpredictable permitting processes thwart investments that provide high-paying jobs and added value throughout our economy. If the United States wants to compete with the world’s fastest growing economies and remain in the forefront of technological innovations, we must address these critical shortcomings.

To view video of the briefing, click here.