December 6 is National Miners Day, a day designated by Congress to honor the contributions and sacrifices of the miners who have helped make America strong.

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration will honor this day with a Thank You to all SME members working in the mining industry, as we take a moment to remember those who have given so much to this important community.

Today, more than 325,000 miners work in nearly 13,000 mines across the nation to extract minerals from the Earth that play critical roles in the quality of American lives.

In Pennsylvania, there were a total of 10,218 employed in mining across the state in 2018--

-- Anthracite Coal-- 739 total-- 47 underground, 390 surface, 302 coal refuse

-- Bituminous Coal-- 4,401 total-- 3,735 underground, 615 surface, 51 coal refuse

-- Industrial Minerals-- 5,078

Everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for its production; from basic living to national defense, communications and transportation, energy and electronics, recreation and agriculture, to the clothes we wear and the cars we drive.

According to the Minerals Education Coalition, the average American will need 3.19 million pounds of minerals, metals, and fuels in their lifetime.

“The men and women who work in mining and minerals industries provide the resources that drive economies and raise the standard of living for people worldwide. They often work in challenging environments so that our lives may be more comfortable,” said SME Executive Director David L. Kanagy. “Please take a moment to reflect upon and honor the extraordinary accomplishments of our nation’s miners – past, present and future.”

SME has three chapters or sections in Pennsylvania-- the Penn-Anthracite Section, Pittsburgh Section and the Penn State University Student Chapter.

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[Posted: November 20, 2019]

11/25/2019