{"id":11031,"date":"2018-11-13T13:01:06","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T13:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/?p=11031"},"modified":"2026-02-02T21:54:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T21:54:58","slug":"mining-and-processing-the-worlds-most-mined-minerals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/mining-and-processing-the-worlds-most-mined-minerals\/","title":{"rendered":"Mining and Processing the World\u2019s Most-mined Minerals"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/miningminerals.jpg\" style=\"float: right;border: 0;margin: 10px\" alt=\"Mining and Processing the World&rsquo;s Most-mined Minerals\" title=\"Mining and Processing the World&rsquo;s Most-mined Minerals\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\" class=\"alignright\" \/>The most recent edition of World Mineral Production, published by the British Geological Survey (BGS), reports&nbsp;that as of 2016, the five most-mined minerals in the world are coal, iron, bauxite, phosphorous rock, and gypsum. Here are some highlights from the report, as published on <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2DTgU0z\" target=\"_blank\">Mining Technology<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Coal ranked as the most-mined mineral in the world, yet worldwide coal production fell to 7.4 billion tons in 2016 from 8.2 billion in 2012.&nbsp;While coal production has increased in Australia and Russia in the last five years, both South Africa and the U.S. have seen sharp declines in production of anthracite and bituminous coal.<\/li>\n<li>Global iron ore production has increased from 2.9 billion tons in 2012 to 3.3 billion tons in 2016, peaking at 3.38 billion in 2014. Crude iron production, however, has consistently declined from 1.24 billion tons in 2013 to 1.23 billion tons in 2016, peaking, like iron ore, in 2014 at 1.26 billion tons.<\/li>\n<li>Production of bauxite, a key component in the production of aluminum, has fluctuated over the last five years, peaking in 2013 at 299 million tons. The world&rsquo;s five largest producers &ndash; India, Guinea, Brazil, China and Australia, who between them produced 246.1 million tons in 2016 &ndash; have all seen increases in bauxite production since 2012.<\/li>\n<li>276 million tons of phosphate rock was mined in 2016. China was by far the largest producer of phosphates, contributing 144 million tons, over half of the world&rsquo;s production, in 2016.<\/li>\n<li>267.1 million tons of gypsum were mined in 2016, a steady increase from 258.1 million tons in 2012. China is the world&rsquo;s largest producer, accounting for 130 million tons in 2016.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more information about mining and processing these minerals, visit the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2NZBKQq\" target=\"_blank\">Cement, Coal &amp; Minerals online learning center<\/a>. The <span>&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2Oxt5UR\" target=\"_blank\">Coal Analysis Production Information<\/a> page offers resources on the coal blending process and the equipment available to accurately sort, separate, and blend different quality coals to meet specifications. <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2QsO5tf\" target=\"_blank\">Elemental coal analyzers <\/a>are used for coal composition analysis to help proactively address process variations and ensure more consistent coal blends and improved fuel quality.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2O3kcmC\" target=\"_blank\">Mine Exploration Information<\/a> page discusses how tools such as <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2NkkKPB\" target=\"_blank\">handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers<\/a> can be used not only for mining and exploration applications but also for accurate chemical analysis of the mineral to determine the presence and concentration of penalty elements. Bauxite, for example, is the primary source of aluminum, but also contains various mixtures of silica, iron oxide, titania, aluminosilicate, and other impurities in minor or trace amounts.&nbsp;Determining the amount of those impurities is critical for either ore grading or understanding their influence on the processing and production of the primary metal of interest. Take a look at this&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2ODFars\" target=\"_blank\">bauxite application note<\/a>&nbsp;to learn more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2LV8vwl\">elemental analysis<\/a> is an excellent choice to analyze the composition of iron ore used in the production of steel. Almost all iron ore is used in steelmaking, and there are more than 3,500 different grades of steel with many different physical, chemical, and environmental properties. <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2Njjv3d\" target=\"_blank\">handheld XRF analyzers<\/a>&nbsp;offer reliable elemental analysis for accurate metal and alloy grade ID.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The most recent edition of World Mineral Production, published by the British Geological Survey (BGS), reports&nbsp;that as of 2016, the five most-mined minerals in the world are coal, iron, bauxite, phosphorous rock, and gypsum. Here are some highlights from the report, as published on Mining Technology: Coal ranked as the most-mined mineral in the world,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":11103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[225],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-11031","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[1288],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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Some have been around for quite awhile, but are still as relevant as ever. If you missed any of the latest articles, just click\u00a0here\u00a0to see the most recently published articles. You can even filter by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/general-industry-mining\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Top 10, words, isolated on a dark blue background. Alphabet on stone blocks.Rating. Rating concept. 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According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), about 85% of potash is used in fertilizers, underscoring its critical role in global farming systems.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Data Management\/Lab Automation&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Data Management\/Lab Automation","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/data-management-lab-automation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"potash evaporation ponds at mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1624,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/a-halloween-treat-free-periodic-table\/","url_meta":{"origin":11031,"position":2},"title":"A Halloween Treat &#8211; Free Periodic Table","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"October 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No tricks here. Download this handy periodic table and X-ray energy reference guide to help in analyzing your mining samples. \u00a0It's our treat. Then visit our Mining and Minerals, Cement Production, and Coal Power pages for more goodies. 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The chemical characteristics of coal directly influence power plant efficiency, emissions performance, maintenance requirements, and overall operating costs. As utilities continue to focus on fuel optimization and regulatory compliance, understanding coal chemistry has become essential for suppliers\u00a0seeking\u00a0to deliver value\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Coal&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Coal","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/coal\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stone coal lump in scientist hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13488,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/the-role-of-edxrf-spectrometers-in-the-extraction-of-copper-from-ore\/","url_meta":{"origin":11031,"position":4},"title":"The Role of EDXRF Spectrometers in the Extraction of Copper from Ore","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"November 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Copper extraction is a complex process requiring precise control to ensure high purity. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometers play a vital role by providing fast, non-destructive elemental analysis of ores, concentrates, and intermediate products. This enables mining operations to optimize extraction efficiency, maintain quality assurance, and meet stringent industry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a rock showing signs of copper and gold.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13977,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/what-is-in-situ-geochemical-analysis-and-why-it-is-critical-for-modern-field-operations\/","url_meta":{"origin":11031,"position":5},"title":"What Is In Situ Geochemical Analysis \u2014 And Why It Is Critical for Modern Field Operations","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis has become a cornerstone of modern mineral exploration, mining, and environmental fieldwork. As project timelines tighten and operational costs increase, organizations can no longer afford delays caused by traditional laboratory testing workflows. 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