World Mineral Production - NERC Open Research Archive - Natural ...

PREFACE
This volume is the fourth in the series World Mineral Production,
published by the British Geological Survey. The series that
preceded it, World Mineral Statistics and Statistical Summary of
the Minerals Industry, recorded data from 1913.
This publication is compiled from a more comprehensive
database, maintained by the British Geological Survey, that can
provide special reports tailored to users’ needs. Examples of
regional reports, such as European Mineral Statistics, African
Mineral Production and China and South East Asia Production,
are available for free download on the mineralsUK website
(www.mineralsUK.com). Commodity reports, including
production, exports and imports, can also be prepared to order.
The database holds trade statistics for 32 European countries and
other major trading countries.
In this volume, for the fist time, we have included reviews on
selected minerals and metals. These provide information on uses,
prices, recent production trends and industry events in 2007.
China continues to dominate news in the minerals sector as its
output and consumption of mineral commodities increases. In
terms of mine production in 2006, China was the largest producer
of almost half of the commodities covered in this book. It became
the top producer of refined copper for the first time, almost
doubling output in five years. Chinese production of iron ore
increased by 250 per cent over five years and comprised a third
of world production in 2006, while coal production reached 38
per cent of global production.
The British Geological Survey aims to provide a reliable,
comprehensive and continuous set of data covering most of the
minerals that enter international trade. In each successive volume
account is taken of revisions and information received after the
publication of the previous issue, thus data for every year are as
up-to-date as is practicable. The objective remains to present the
latest complete production information obtained from official
bodies in individual countries, although other sources are also
used to ensure completeness and accuracy. The cooperation
afforded to the British Geological Survey by numerous national
and international organisations is gratefully acknowledged.
I would welcome any criticisms and suggestions that might help
us to meet your changing needs, particularly with respect to the
coverage of statistics and the format in which they are made
available.
John N Ludden
Executive Director
British Geological Survey
Keyworth
Nottingham
February 2008
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