Mining, Minerals, Metals: Introduction
Segments
Highwall Mining
In highwall mining, the coal seam is penetrated by a continuous miner propelled by a hydraulic machine.
Surface Mining
Companies in this segment remove soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit through shafts or tunnels.
Underground Mining
The segment includes companies that dig tunnels or shafts into the earth in order to reach buried ore deposits, such as coal and other hard rocks.
The Mining, Minerals, Metals industry is Highly Concentrated. The production in this industry is dominated by a small amount of large firms that are able to shape the industry’s direction and price levels.
Primary Demand Drivers
- Coal: Generators of electricity
- Metal ore: Industrial production
- Nonmetallic mineral: Construction spending and agricultural spending on fertilizers
Profitability Drivers
- Efficient operations since most products are commodities sold based on price
- Volume of operations
- Strategic acquisitions at bargain prices
From the Blog 
Argentina’s lithium mining industry is rapidly expanding, signaling a robust growth phase. Projections indicate that by 2030, Argentina could outpace or at least compete head-to-head with its neighboring counterpart, Chile, to become the foremost lithium producer in the Latin American region.
Sources
- Hoovers (Date Accessed: 6/1/2017)