NAICS 212290

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the governmentwide standard for classifying business establishments so federal statistical agencies can collect, analyze, and publish data on the U.S. economy. It was developed under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and adopted in 1997, jointly with Canada and Mexico, to maximize comparability. ¹

NAICS “Other Metal Ore Mining” is organized at the 5-digit industry level as 21229. Under the current 2022 vintage, U.S. 6-digit industries within this category are 212291 (Uranium‑Radium‑Vanadium Ore Mining) and 212299 (All Other Metal Ore Mining). Census programs are transitioning publications to the 2022 structure on a published timeline. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 212290 overview
• G2X — NAICS 212291
• G2X — NAICS 212299

What this NAICS covers

• Developing mine sites and mining metal ores not classified as iron, gold, silver, copper, nickel, lead, or zinc. ³
• Beneficiating mined ores at or associated with the mine (e.g., crushing, grinding, washing, drying, concentrating, calcining, leaching). ³
• Mining and/or beneficiating uranium, radium, and vanadium ores (212291). ³
• Mining and/or beneficiating antimony and molybdenum ores. ³
• Mining and/or beneficiating tungsten and tantalum/columbite‑tantalite (niobium) ores. ³
• Mining and/or beneficiating ilmenite (titanium) and rare‑earth metal ores. ³
• Contract or fee‑basis mine operations classified to the metal ore being mined within 2122. ³

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	212291	Uranium‑Radium‑Vanadium Ore Mining. 3
NAICS	212299	All Other Metal Ore Mining (e.g., antimony, rare earths, tungsten). 3
NAICS	213114	Support Activities for Metal Mining (exploration, drilling, other services on a fee or contract basis). 4
PSC	9610	Ores (product code for ore commodities in procurement). 8

Scope notes and exclusions

• Excludes iron and manganiferous ores valued for iron content (212210). ³
• Excludes ores valued chiefly for gold or silver (21222). ³
• Excludes ores valued chiefly for copper, nickel, lead, or zinc (21223). ³
• Uranium enrichment is not mining; it is classified in 325188. ³
• Smelting/refining of metals is manufacturing (e.g., 331411, 331419), not mining. ⁵

Beneficiation activities recognized in NAICS

NAICS treats “beneficiating” as part of mining when done at the mine site or as part of mining activity. Recognized operations include particle size reduction, washing, magnetic/centrifugal separation, concentrating, calcining, and leaching; in contrast, chemical/electrochemical manufacturing (e.g., primary smelting/refining) is outside mining. ⁵

Frequently asked questions

• How is “Other Metal Ore Mining” organized in NAICS 2022?
  It is the 5‑digit industry 21229 with two U.S. 6‑digit components: 212291 (uranium‑radium‑vanadium) and 212299 (all other metal ores). Agencies are publishing data using the 2022 structure per Census’s transition schedule. See also on G2X: NAICS 212290 overview. ²

• What kinds of ores fall under this category?
  Illustrative examples include antimony, columbite/niobium, ilmenite (titanium), molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, rare‑earth metals, and uranium‑radium‑vanadium. Classification is based on the ore’s principal metal value, not the extraction method. ³

• Are smelting and refining part of NAICS mining?
  No. Mining includes extraction and beneficiation at or tied to the mine site. Primary smelting/refining and other chemical/electrometallurgical processes are in Manufacturing (e.g., 331411, 331419), not Mining. ⁵

• Does a U.S. industry code 212290 exist in NAICS 2022?
  No. “Other Metal Ore Mining” appears at 21229 with U.S. industries 212291 and 212299. Not specified by official sources ³. See also on G2X: NAICS 212290 overview.

• Where can official 2022 data for this industry be found?
  The 2022 Economic Census Sector 21 tables disseminate statistics using the 2022 NAICS basis, including mining industries. Additional series across Census programs are aligning outputs to the 2022 structure as implementation proceeds. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 212290
• U.S. Census Bureau — Sector 21: definitions for 21229, 212291, 212299. ³
• Census — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and guidance). ²
• Census — NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (guidance). ⁷
• Census — 2022 Economic Census, Sector 21 data tables. ⁶

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. The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022 Definition: 21229 Other Metal Ore Mining. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=21229&year=2022&details=Yes
4. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022 Definition: 213114 Support Activities for Metal Mining. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=213114&year=2022&details=Yes
5. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022 Sector 21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction: Sector overview and boundaries. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=21&year=2022&details=Yes
6. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022 Economic Census – Sector 21 tables. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-21.html
7. U.S. Census Bureau. Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
8. U.S. General Services Administration. Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual