U.S. Metals & Minerals Industry Eyes $18.6 Billion in Planned Projects for 2011

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Industrial Info is currently tracking 906 active Metals & Minerals projects totaling $85 billion in the U.S. These include projects that are in the planning, engineering and under-construction stages. Of this total, 85 projects are under construction, representing slightly more than $14 billion in project spending.

Click on the image at right to view a chart showing the breakdown of active Metals & Minerals projects by PEC Activity.

As can be seen from the chart, about 72% of the projects are in the planning stages. This includes $41 billion in the early planning stages and $20.5 billion in the advanced planning stages.

Metals & Minerals companies are developing 370 projects totaling $18.6 billion that are scheduled to begin construction in 2011. Projects are predominately steel mill projects, cement plant shutdowns and coal-mining projects. Project spending in the steel and coal industries is expected to increase in 2011, as capacity utilization improves.

Iron ore start-up company Magnetation Incorporated (Nashwauk, Minnesota) is planning to construct a $70 million commercial scale iron ore beneficiation plant in Taconite, Minnesota. The company's proprietary technology aims to take advantage of the substantial iron ore tailings left behind from decades of mining activities in Minnesota's iron range. The company is currently operating a pilot plant in the area. If all goes according to plan, construction on the commercial-scale plant could begin in summer 2011. The company is hoping to capitalize on increased domestic and international demand for beneficiated iron, which is used to make steel.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.