Sector 21: Mining

	Questions about this sector			List of all forms in this sector
	General Q's and A's

This section of the Help Site provides information about census coverage and reporting for establishments in the Mining Sector. It includes answers to frequently asked questions about this Sector and its census forms.

ESTABLISHMENTS COVERED

This sector includes establishments that extract naturally occurring minerals, liquid minerals and gases from the earth. Mining establishments may operate mines on their own account and for others on a contract basis, and may provide support services to mine operators. NAICS classifies establishments in the Mining Sector establishments using numbers that start with 21. NAICS provides separate sub-classifications for oil and gas extraction establishments, mining and quarrying establishments, mining support establishments.

The economic census covers all mining establishments that operated during all or part of calendar year 2002. Examples establishments covered in this sector include:

• Oil and gas extraction establishments, that develop or operate oil and gas field properties, including exploration, drilling, equipping,, and other activities needed to prepare crude petroleum for shipment from the producing property.
  
  
• Mining and quarrying establishments, that develop, operate or beneficiate metal, nonmetal and mineral mines or quarries. These include establishments that mine coal and metal ores, quarry stones or rocks, mine clay or phosphate, and dredge sand and gravel.
  
  
• Mining support establishments, that primarily provide support services to well or mine operators on a fee or contract basis. Examples of support services include exploration, prospecting, well drilling, and site preparation and cleanup.

CENSUS MAIL PACKAGE

All mining establishments that had paid employees will receive a census mail package with several types of materials. The materials are similar in content byt customized to make reporting easier for different groups of mining establishments. In addition, establishments that receive a census form will also receive an Information Sheet.

Information Sheets provide general information about the census and instructions for reporting selected items on the census form.

Census Forms describe each data item for census accommodation and food services establishments, and provide instructions and formats for reporting each item. Mining forms are numbered MI-21xxx. Forms are tailored to industry groups and four separate forms are available for use by different kinds of mining establishments.