Compliance Assistance

About this sector

Metal Mining

The metal mining sector includes facilities engaged primarily in exploring for metallic minerals, developing mines, and ore mining. The Department of Commerce formerly classified this industry under the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification code 10; the sector is now classified under the 1997 North American Industry Classification System as 2122.

Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying Sector

The nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying sector includes mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals, except fuels; and establishments engaged primarily in mining or quarrying, developing mines, or exploring for non-fuel, nonmetallic minerals. The Department of Commerce formerly classified this industry under the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification code 14; the sector is now classified under the 1997 North American Industry Classification System as 2123.

Once a mineral has been mined, an ore concentrate or final product is produced. If ore is placed into facilities which further process ore concentrates into final mineral products (such as iron ore being turned into steel), these facilities are referred to as mineral processing facilities. For more information about compliance assistance to the mineral processing sector please access Mineral Processing Wastes.

Stone, Clay, Glass and Concrete Sector

The stone, clay, glass, and concrete products sector generates a broad array of products, primarily through physical modification of mined materials and includes establishments engaged in the manufacturing of flat glass and other glass products, cement, structural clay products, pottery, concrete and gypsum products, cut stone, abrasive and asbestos products, and other products. The Department of Commerce formerly classified this industry under the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification code 32; the sector is now classified under the 1997 North American Industry Classification System as 327.

Additional Compliance Assistance information is provided based by statute (e.g. Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act) or through compliance incentives and auditing. Note that multiple statutes may apply to your entity. Information on EPA's compliance monitoring program also is organized by statutory programs. All regulated entities may be subject to EPA's statutory and civil enforcement program.

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Tools and information on how to comply

The following list of resources focuses on federal regulations and is not exhaustive. Additional resources may be available from other parts of EPA or from other federal, state or local agencies.

Profile of the Metal Mining Industry

Profile of the Non-fuel and Non-Metal Mining Industry

Profile of the Stone, Clay, Glass and Concrete Industry

The Profiles above, also called "Sector Notebooks," are plain language booklets that describe environmental problems associated with major U.S. industries. Information includes, but is not limited to, regulatory requirements, pollution prevention techniques, pollutant release data, and innovative programs.

National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse links to public and private compliance assistance materials. Users may post documents and interact with assistance providers, both within and outside of EPA. The Clearinghouse allows users to search for relevant material on new and existing regulations, pollution prevention opportunities, and voluntary programs that were created by other parts of EPA, other federal agencies, tribes, states and local agencies, industry and other organizations.

The Mining and Mineral Processing Compliance Assistance Resources (PDF) (19 pp, 697.2K, About PDF) document contains a list of web resources in three categories:

1. Key EPA regulations that may affect the mining and processing industries
2. A list of EPA and non-EPA compliance assistance resources
3. Other relevant federal, tribal and state agency homepages

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