NAICS 423520

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection, analysis, and publication of U.S. economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and has been revised periodically through 2022 to reflect industry changes. ¹

NAICS 423520 covers establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of coal and coke, metal ores (including concentrates), and crude nonmetallic minerals. It falls under Subsector 423 (Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods) within Sector 42 and is used across official statistical programs, including the Economic Census and wholesale trade surveys, to tabulate activity in the metal and mineral wholesale market. ²

What this NAICS covers

• Merchant wholesale distribution of coal and coke on own account. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of precious metal and other metal ores, including concentrates. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of crude nonmetallic minerals (except construction sand, gravel, and stone). ²
• Warehousing, breaking bulk, and other services incidental to wholesale trade performed by coal, mineral, and ore wholesalers. ³
• Sales primarily to business and institutional customers (e.g., manufacturers, utilities, government), characteristic of wholesale trade. ³
• Domestic and import/export wholesale activity may occur; scope by trade direction is not specified by official sources. ²
• Excludes petroleum and petroleum products wholesaling, which are classified elsewhere. ²

Key cross-references and exclusions

• Construction sand, gravel, and stone merchant wholesalers are classified in NAICS 423320, not in NAICS 423520. ²
• Precious metals wholesaling (except precious metal ores) is classified in NAICS 423940. ²
• Crude petroleum wholesaling from bulk stations/terminals is classified in NAICS 424710; crude petroleum wholesaling excluding bulk stations/terminals is NAICS 424720. ²

SBA small business size standard (contracting context)

The SBA small business size standard for NAICS 423520 is 200 employees (Sector 42 — Wholesale Trade). For supply acquisitions, nonmanufacturer rule provisions may also apply as outlined in 13 CFR 121.406. ⁴

Federal data availability for this code

• The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) publishes estimates for merchant wholesalers at the 2–4 digit NAICS levels, including the 4235 industry group; national detail for the 6-digit level is not provided by AWTS. ⁵
• The 2022 Economic Census provides detailed industry statistics for Sector 42, which includes NAICS 423520. ⁶
• Census programs transitioned to the 2022 NAICS vintage beginning in 2024 per the implementation timeline. ⁷

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 423520?

  • Establishments in NAICS 423520 primarily wholesale coal and coke, metal ores (including concentrates), and crude nonmetallic minerals. Wholesale services may include storage and breaking bulk incidental to sales. ²

• What are key exclusions from NAICS 423520?

  • Construction sand, gravel, and stone are classified in NAICS 423320. Precious metals (except ores) are in NAICS 423940. Crude petroleum wholesaling is in NAICS 424710 or NAICS 424720. ²

• What is the SBA small business size standard for NAICS 423520?

  • SBA’s table lists 200 employees as the size standard for NAICS 423520 within Sector 42. This threshold determines small business eligibility for federal contracting programs under this code. ⁴

• Does the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey provide 6-digit data for NAICS 423520?

  • AWTS publishes at the 2–4 digit levels; detailed 6-digit data like NAICS 423520 are not provided in AWTS releases. Detailed 6-digit industry statistics are available via the Economic Census. ⁵

• Did the 2022 NAICS revision change the definition of NAICS 423520?

  • The 2022 NAICS introduced updates across sectors; code-specific change details for NAICS 423520 are not specified by official sources. ⁷

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 423520 overview
• Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022 guidance) — https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/guidance/understanding-naics.html
• Census: 2022 Economic Census — Sector 42 (Wholesale Trade) data tables — https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-42.html
• Census: Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) program page — https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/awts.html
• SBA: Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023) — https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20March%2017%2C%202023%20%282%29.pdf

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — About Industry: NAICS origin and updates through 2022. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/about/industry.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS: 423520 Coal and Other Mineral and Ore Merchant Wholesalers (definition and cross-references). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=423520&year=2022&details=423520
3. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census Wholesale FAQs: characteristics of wholesale trade. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/about/faq/faq-wholesale.html
4. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023). https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20March%2017%2C%202023%20%282%29.pdf
5. U.S. Census Bureau — Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) program page. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/awts.html
6. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS Sector 42 (Wholesale Trade) data tables. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-42.html
7. U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS and timeline. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html