NAICS 212114

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal statistical standard for grouping business establishments to compile, analyze, and publish data on the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with partners in Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the SIC in 1997 and is updated every five years; the current vintage is 2022. ¹
NAICS 212114 (Surface Coal Mining) sits in industry group 2121 (Coal Mining). Official materials describe coal mining as including surface mining methods (e.g., strip and auger), development of mine sites, and coal preparation such as cleaning, washing, screening, and sizing—activities applicable to surface operations captured by 212114. These definitions guide how federal economic surveys and censuses tabulate statistics for this national industry. ²

See also on G2X:

• NAICS 212115
• NAICS 213113

What this NAICS covers

• Surface extraction of coal deposits using methods recognized within the Coal Mining industry group. ²
• Strip mining of coal, including related overburden removal and site development. ²
• Auger mining of coal as a surface technique within the coal mining industry. ²
• Recovery from culm banks and other surface sources associated with coal extraction. ²
• Developing coal surface mine sites prior to production (e.g., grading, access, drainage). ²
• On-site coal preparation activities such as cleaning, washing, screening, and sizing. ²
• Operating coal surface mines on own account or for others on a contract or fee basis within the mining subsector. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	212115	Underground Coal Mining
NAICS	213113	Support Activities for Coal Mining
PSC	S212	Housekeeping—Solid Fuel Handling

Frequently asked questions

• What activities are included under NAICS 212114?

  • Coal surface extraction, development of surface mine sites, and on-site coal preparation (cleaning, washing, screening, sizing) fall within the Coal Mining industry group that encompasses 212114. These activities are part of the official scope of coal mining industries. ²

• How does NAICS 2022 distinguish coal mining methods?

  • NAICS 2022 separates coal mining into 212114 (Surface Coal Mining) and 212115 (Underground Coal Mining), reflecting method-based classification at the national industry level. The Census LEHD code list shows both codes and titles. ³

• Are support services like exploration or drilling included in 212114?

  • No. Support services for coal mining (including exploration) are classified under 213113 Support Activities for Coal Mining, not in 212114. ²

• Does 212114 include coal beneficiation?

  • Yes. Coal preparation activities—cleaning, washing, screening, and sizing—are part of coal mining industries and apply to surface operations covered by 212114. ²

• Where can official statistics by NAICS 212114 be found?

  • Industry statistics are released through the Economic Census and related programs; sector- and industry-level tables are available on the Economic Census by Industry page, with data published on the 2022 NAICS basis. ⁴

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 212114 overview
• Census — The Census Bureau’s implementation of 2022 NAICS. ⁵
• Census — Economic Census by Industry (access tables for Sector 21 and 212114). ⁴
• Census — NAICS Industry Reference files (2022 NAICS descriptions). ⁶
• Census LEHD — NAICS 2022 code labels (shows 212114 Surface Coal Mining and 212115). ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Search — 212114 Surface Coal Mining. https://www.census.gov/naics/?year=2022&input=212114&details=212114
3. U.S. Census Bureau (LEHD), Selected Codebook Value Labels — NAICS 2022 codes list. https://lehd.ces.census.gov/data/lehd-snapshot-doc/latest/appendices/value_labels.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census by Industry. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/tables/industry.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau, The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
6. U.S. Census Bureau, Industry Reference Files — 2022 NAICS Descriptions. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/technical-documentation/reference/naics-descriptions.html