Building the Infrastructure of the World
Georgia Mineral Industry
Georgia’s mines produce more than 20 different minerals, each with thousands of uses.
From the stone quarries of North Georgia, through Middle Georgia’s kaolin belt, and into the fuller’s earth deposits in the southern part of the state, GMA members’ output can be found in nearly every sector of the market.
Georgia’s minerals and their uses include:
Beyond the Mine: Beneficiation
Once a mineral has been extracted from the Earth, the next step is a process known as beneficiation. Nearly every mineral product in Georgia has to be refined, separated, or otherwise processed before it can become a valuable product for market. Beneficiation varies depending on the mineral in question, but some of the processes include:
- Separating metallic elements from their ores
- Washing and sieving sand to ensure clean, consistent grains
- Crushing and sorting gravel
- Removing impurities from kaolin
Georgia companies provide beneficiation for minerals produced both here and in other states. Once the minerals have been converted to useful form, they move on to the manufacturers, builders, and other concerns that use the materials in their products, projects, and processes.
Other Georgia Mineral Facts
- No fossil fuels are mined in Georgia. Georgia’s mineral industry only produces industrial minerals that are used in the manufacture of millions of products and other industrial processes.
- Very little subsurface mining takes place in Georgia. The vast majority of the state’s mine workers do their job in the open air.
- Mining, beneficiation, and other mineral production processes take place in 133 of Georgia’s 159 counties.
- Each year, minerals extracted from Georgia mines are valued at more than $2 billion.
What’s Your Mineral IQ? Brochure
The Georgia Mining Association’s What’s Your Mineral IQ? brochure is an informative downloadable resource that helps students, educators, and other members of the public understand the nature and impact of Georgia’s mining industry. The brochure can be downloaded and distributed in schools, libraries, museums, or at mining sites to employees or mine/plant tour groups.