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TABLE 8 | ||||||||
EXPLORATION ACTIVITY IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2012, BY METHOD, COMMODITY, AND STATE1 | ||||||||
(Meters) | ||||||||
Rotary and | Percussion | |||||||
Churn and | reverse | drilling, other | ||||||
diamond | circulation | drilling, and | ||||||
Commodity or State | drilling | drilling | trenching | Grand total | ||||
Commodity: | ||||||||
Copper2 | 56,300 | W | -- | 56,300 | ||||
Gold | 418,000 | 994,000 | W | 1,410,000 | ||||
Lead | 49,300 | 6,220 | -- | 55,500 | ||||
Silver | 64,800 | -- | -- | 64,800 | ||||
Zinc | 1,280 | -- | W | 1,280 | ||||
Other3 | 186,000 | 80,900 | 28,400 | 295,000 | ||||
Total | 775,000 | 1,080,000 | 28,400 | 1,880,000 | ||||
Percentage of grand total- | 41 | 57 | 2 | 100 | ||||
State: | ||||||||
Alaska | 7,290 | 378,000 | W | 385,000 | ||||
Missouri | 11,500 | 6,220 | -- | 17,700 | ||||
Montana | 160,000 | -- | -- | 160,000 | ||||
Nevada | 355,000 | 655,000 | W | 1,010,000 | ||||
Washington | 50,900 | -- | -- | 50,900 | ||||
Undistributed4 | 190,000 | 41,200 | 28,400 | 260,000 | ||||
Total | 775,000 | 1,080,000 | 28,400 | 1,880,000 | ||||
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with -Other- or -Undistributed.-- -- Zero. | ||||||||
1Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. | ||||||||
2Includes copper-molybdenum. | ||||||||
3Includes diatomite, magnesium compounds, nickel, platinum and palladium, vermiculite, and commodities indicated by- | ||||||||
symbol W. | ||||||||
4Includes Arizona, California, Idaho, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and States | ||||||||
indicated by symbol W. |
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Mineral commodity prices