NAICS 213113

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to support collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic statistics. Developed under the U.S. Office of Management and Budget with partners in Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and is revised every five years; the current vintage is 2022. ¹

NAICS 213113 — Support Activities for Coal Mining — covers establishments primarily engaged, on a fee or contract basis, in services required for coal mining. Coal exploration is included and encompasses prospecting methods such as taking core samples and making geological observations at prospective sites. Geophysical surveying and mapping for coal falls under NAICS 541360, and operating coal mines on a contract basis is classified in NAICS Industry Group 2121 (Coal Mining). ²

What this NAICS covers

• Fee- or contract-based support services required for coal mining operations. ²
• Coal exploration services at prospective sites. ²
• Core sampling for coal deposits performed under contract. ²
• Geological observations and prospecting for coal on a fee basis. ²
• Exploratory core drilling for coal prospects (except geophysical surveying and mapping). ²
• Support tasks often performed in-house by mine operators but delivered here by third parties under contract. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	212111	Bituminous Coal and Lignite Surface Mining
NAICS	212112	Bituminous Coal Underground Mining
NAICS	212113	Anthracite Mining
NAICS	213114	Support Activities for Metal Mining

Key exclusions

• Geophysical surveying and mapping for coal are classified in NAICS 541360. ²
• Operating coal mines or quarries on a contract or fee basis is classified in NAICS Industry Group 2121; assignment depends on the type of coal mined (e.g., 212111, 212112, 212113). ²

Where it appears in official data

The 2022 Economic Census publishes statistics for Sector 21 (Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction), which includes NAICS 213113. Data products (e.g., Geographic Area Statistics) are released on a 2022 NAICS basis and can be filtered to industry detail on data.census.gov. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What activities qualify under NAICS 213113?
  Establishments provide support services needed for coal mining on a contract or fee basis, including coal exploration using prospecting methods such as core sampling and geological observations at prospective sites. This does not include geophysical surveying or operating a coal mine. ²

• Are geophysical surveys for coal covered here?
  No. Geophysical surveying and mapping services related to coal are classified in NAICS 541360. NAICS 213113 covers exploration activities like prospecting, core sampling, and geological observations excluding geophysical surveying and mapping. ²

• How does NAICS 213113 differ from Coal Mining (2121)?
  NAICS 213113 captures contracted support services and exploration for coal. NAICS Industry Group 2121 includes establishments that operate coal mines and perform mine site development and coal preparation, classified by coal type (e.g., 212111, 212112, 212113). ²

• What is the current NAICS vintage used in federal economic programs?
  NAICS is updated every five years (1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2022). Federal statistical programs use the 2022 NAICS for current releases; NAICS was originally adopted by OMB in 1997. ¹

• Where can official statistics for NAICS 213113 be found?
  Sector 21 data from the 2022 Economic Census provide statistics compiled on the 2022 NAICS basis, with tables accessible via the Sector 21 page and data.census.gov filters for industry detail. ³

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 213113: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/213113
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS industry detail for Support Activities for Coal Mining (definition and cross-references). ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS Sector 21: Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (data tables). ³
• U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and documentation). ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — About Industry (NAICS background; OMB role; revision years including 2022): https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/about/industry.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 21 (includes the definition and cross-references for NAICS 213113 Support Activities for Coal Mining): https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect21.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS Sector 21: Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (Economic Census data products): https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-21.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (overview and impacts): https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html