Materials Flow
Materials extracted from the Earth are necessary to produce our most fundamental needs — food, clothing, and shelter. Materials are needed to maintain and improve our standard of living. Understanding the whole system of materials flow, from source to ultimate disposition, can help us better manage the use of natural resources and protect the environment.
Featured
- Critical Minerals Review 2022
- Mineral Commodity Review 2022
- Critical Minerals Review 2021
- Methodology and Technical Input for the 2021 Review and Revision of the U.S. Critical Minerals List
-
China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and artisanal cobalt mining from 2000 through 2020
-
Embedded critical material flow: The case of niobium, the United States, and China
-
Materials flow in the United States—A global context, 1900–2020
General
- 20th Century U.S. Mineral Prices Decline in Constant Dollars
Open-File Report 00-389 - A Note on Scrap in the 1992 U.S. Input-Output Tables
Open-File Report 00-313 - Assessment of Critical Minerals: Updated Application of an Early-warning Screening Methodology
Mineral Economics, October 2017, Volume 30 - Byproduct Metals and Rare-Earth Elements Used in the Production of Light-Emitting Diodes—Overview of Principal Sources of Supply and Material Requirements for Selected Markets
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5215 - Byproduct mineral commodities used for the production of photovoltaic cells
Circular 1365 - Comparison of U.S. Net Import Reliance for Nonfuel Mineral Commodities--A 60-year Retrospective (1954-1984-2014)
Fact Sheet 2015-3082 - Compilation of Geospatial Data for the Mineral Industries and Related Infrastructure of Latin America and the Caribbean
Open-File Report 2017-1079 - Consumption of Materials in the United States, 1900-1995
- Critical Mineral Resources of the United States--Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply
Professional Paper 1802 - Drivers of U.S. Mineral Demand
Open-File Report 2006-1025 - The Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak and the Mineral Sectors of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
Fact Sheet 2015–3033 - Economic Drivers of Mineral Supply
Open-File Report 02-335 - Effects of Regulation and Technology on End Uses of Nonfuel Mineral Commodities in the United States
Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5194 - Estimates of Electricity Requirements for the Recovery of Mineral Commodities, with Examples Applied to Sub-Saharan Africa
Open-File Report 2011–1253 - Estimates of Immediate Effects on World Markets of a Hypothetical Disruption to Russia’s Supply of Six Mineral Commodities
Open-File Report 2017-1023 - Evaluating the Mineral Commodity Supply Risk of the U.S. Manufacturing Sector - Risk tool identified 23 mineral commodities whose supply poses the greatest risk, including those used in consumer electronics, renewable energy, aerospace, and defense applications.
- Flow Studies for Recycling Metal Commodities in the United States
Circular 1196 (Supersedes Open-File Report 2005-1051) - Global Flows of Metals and Minerals
Open-File Report 2008–1355 - Global Stocks of Selected Mineral-based Commodities
Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5152 - Global Trends in Mineral Commodity Supplies: Implications for U.S. Economic and National Security Interests
Reprint from Journal of Explosives Engineering - Coastal Deposits of Heavy mineral Sands; Global Significance and U.S. Resources
Mining Engineering, v. 68, no. 10, p. 36-43 - International Mineral Exploration Activities From 1995 Through 2004
Data Series 139 - International Mineral Exploration Activities From 1995 Through 2009
- "Materials", a report by the U.S. Interagency Working Group on Industrial Ecology, Material and Energy Flows.
- Materials and Energy Flows in the Earth Science Century
Circular 1194 - Materials in the Economy -- Material Flows, Scarcity, and the Environment
Circular 1221 - Materials Flow and Sustainability (PDF)
Fact Sheet 068-98 - Metal Prices in the United States through 2010
Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5188 - Metal Stocks in Use in the United States
Fact Sheet 2005-3090 - Mines and Mineral Processing Facilities in the Vicinity of the March 11, 2011, Earthquake in Northern Honshu, Japan
Open-File Report 2011–1069 - Mining Review--Annual Review 2017
Mining Engineering, v.70, no.5, May, p.51-60 - Mining Review--Annual Review 2018
Mining Engineering, v.71, no.5, May, p.51-60 - Minor Metals and Renewable Energy - Diversifying America’s Energy Sources
Fact Sheet 2017-3061 - Natural Hazards and Mineral Commodity Supply: Quantifying Risk of Earthquake Disruption to South American Copper Supply
Resources Policy, Volume 63, October 2019 - North American Net Import Reliance of Mineral Materials in 2014 for Advanced Technologies
Mining Engineering, 2018, Vol. 70, No. 7, pp. 107-112. - Obsolete Computers, 'Gold Mine,' or High-Tech Trash? Resource Recovery from Recycling
Fact Sheet 060-01 - Policy -- A Factor Shaping Minerals Supply and Demand
Open-File Report 02-418 - Raw materials and technology fuel U.S. economic growth
- Recent Trends in Cuba's Mining and Petroleum Industries
Fact Sheet 2015–3032 - Recent Trends in the Nonfuel Minerals Industry of Iran
Circular 1421 - Recycled Cell Phones—A Treasure Trove of Valuable Metals
Fact Sheet 2006-3097 - Resource Nationalism in Indonesia—Effects of the 2014 Mineral Export Ban
Fact Sheet 2016-3072 - Review of selected global mineral industries in 2011 and an outlook to 2017
Open-File Report 2013-1091 - Sociocultural and Institutional Drivers and Constraints to Mineral Supply
Open-File Report 02-333 - Technological Advancement -- A Factor in Increasing Resource Use
Open-File Report 01-197 - Total Materials Consumption: An Estimation Methodology and Example Using Lead – A Materials Flow Analysis
Circular 1183 - Use of Raw Materials in the United States from 1900 through 2014
Fact Sheet 2017-3062 - Wind Energy in the United States and Materials Required for the Land-based Wind Turbine Industry from 2010 through 2030
Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5036
Commodities
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V | W | Y | Z
Aggregates
- Aggregates from Natural and Recycled Sources
Economic Assessments for Construction Applications -- A Materials Flow Study
Circular 1176 - Recycled Aggregates -- Profitable Resource Conservation
Fact Sheet 181-99 - Sociocultural Dimensions of Supply and Demand for Natural Aggregate - Examples from the Mid-Atlantic Region, United States
Open-File Report 02-350
Aluminum
- Aluminum Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-W (Supersedes Open-File Report 2005-1051) - Aluminum Stocks in Use in Automobiles in the United States
Fact Sheet 2005-3145 - The Global Flow of Aluminum 2006 to 2025
OECD Materials Case Study 2
Antimony
- Antimony Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-Q (Supersedes Open-File Report 2005-1079)
Arsenic
- Arsenic and Old Waste
Interagency Working Group of the President's Council of Environmental Quality - Byproduct Metals and Rare-Earth Elements Used in the Production of Light-Emitting Diodes—Overview of Principal Sources of Supply and Material Requirements for Selected Markets
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5215 - The Materials Flow of Arsenic in the United States
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9382
Barite
- Barite - A Case Study of Import Reliance on an Essential Material for Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Drilling
Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5230
Beryllium
- Beryllium Recycling in the United States in 2000
Open-File Report 03-282 - Beryllium—A Critical Mineral Commodity—Resources, Production, and Supply Chain
Fact Sheet 2016-3081
Cadmium
- Cadmium (Materials Flow)
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9380 - Cadmium Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-O - Flow of Cadmium from Rechargeable Batteries in the United States, 1996-2007
Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5198 - Material Use in the United States—Selected Case Studies for Cadmium, Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel in Rechargeable Batteries
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5141
Cement
- Crushed Cement Concrete Substitution for Construction Aggregates -- A Materials Flow Analysis
Circular 1177
Chromium
- Chromium Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-C - Chromium Life Cycle Study
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9411
Cobalt
- Cobalt Mineral Exploration and Supply From 1995 Through 2013
Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5084 - Cobalt Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-M - The Materials Flow of Cobalt in the United States
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9350 - Material Use in the United States—Selected Case Studies for Cadmium, Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel in Rechargeable Batteries
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5141
Columbium (Niobium)
-
Columbium (Niobium) Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-I
Copper
- Copper Recycling in the United States in 2004
Circular 1196-X - Estimated Water Requirements for the Conventional Flotation of Copper Ores
Open-File Report 2012–1089 - Flows of Selected Materials Associated with World Copper Smelting
Open-File Report 2004-1395 - Physical Aspects of Waste Storage from a Hypothetical Open Pit Porphyry Copper Operation
Open-File Report 03-143 - United States Copper Metal and Scrap Use and Trade Patterns, 1995-2014
Open-File Report 2016-5075
Gallium
- Byproduct Metals and Rare-Earth Elements Used in the Production of Light-Emitting Diodes—Overview of Principal Sources of Supply and Material Requirements for Selected Markets
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5215
Gemstones
Germanium
- Germanium Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-V (Supersedes Open-File Report 2005-1274)
Gold
- Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Gold Supply Chain
Fact Sheet 2015-3075 - Estimated Water Requirements for Gold Heap-leach Operations
Open-File Report 2012-1085 - Events Affecting Gold Exploration in Venezuela Since 1999
Open-File Report 2014–1068 - Gold Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-A
Graphite
- Natural Graphite Demand and Supply - Implications for Electric Vehicle Battery Requirements
Book chapter, in Geoscience for the Public Good and Global Development: Toward a Sustainable Future, Geological Society of America Volume 520
Gypsum
- Industrial minerals and sustainability: By-products from SO2 mitigation as substitutes for mined mineral commodities
Book chapter, in Geoscience for the Public Good and Global Development: Toward a Sustainable Future, Geological Society of America Volume 520
Indium
- Byproduct Metals and Rare-Earth Elements Used in the Production of Light-Emitting Diodes—Overview of Principal Sources of Supply and Material Requirements for Selected Markets
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5215 - Materials Flow of Indium in the United States in 2008 and 2009
Circular 1377
Iron and Steel
- Iron and Steel Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-G - Steel Stocks in Use in Automobiles in the United States
Fact Sheet 2005-3144
Lead
- Apparent Consumption vs. Total Consumption—A Lead-Acid Battery Case Study
Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5155 - Comparison of the U.S. Lead Recycling Industry in 1998 and 2011
Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5086 - Lead Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-F - Lead Scrap Use and Trade Patterns in the United States,1995–2012
Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5114 - Stocks and Flows of Lead-Based Wheel Weights in the United States
Open-File Report 2006-1111
Lithium
- Lithium use in batteries
Circular 1371 - Material Use in the United States—Selected Case Studies for Cadmium, Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel in Rechargeable Batteries
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5141
Magnesium
- Magnesium Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-E
Manganese
- Manganese Materials Flow Patterns
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9399 - Manganese Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-H
Mercury
- Changing Patterns in the Use, Recycling, and Material Substitution of Mercury in the United States
Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5137 - Materials Flow of Mercury in the Economies of the United States and the World
Circular 1197 - Materials Flow of Mercury in the United States
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9412 - Mercury Flow Through the Mercury-Containing Lamp Sector of the Economy of the United States
Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5264 - Mercury Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-U (Supersedes Open-File Report 2005-1236)
Molybdenum
- Molybdenum Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-L
Nickel
- Material Use in the United States—Selected Case Studies for Cadmium, Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel in Rechargeable Batteries
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5141 - Nickel Recycling in the United States in 2004
Circular 1196–Z
Palladium
- Global Exploration and Production Capacity for Platinum-Group Metals from 1995 Through 2015
Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5164 - Platinum Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-B - Platinum-Group Metals--World Supply and Demand
Open-File Report 2004-1224 - Recent Strikes in South Africa's Platinum-Group Metals Mines&emdash;Effects Upon World PGM Supplies
Open-File Report 2012–1273
Rare Earths
- Byproduct Metals and Rare-Earth Elements Used in the Production of Light-Emitting Diodes—Overview of Principal Sources of Supply and Material Requirements for Selected Markets
Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5215 - Coastal Deposits of Heavy mineral Sands; Global Significance and U.S. Resources
Mining Engineering, v. 68, no. 10, p. 36-43 - Potential for recovery of cerium contained in automotive catalytic converters
Open-File Report 2013-1037 - Preliminary Estimates of the Quantities of Rare-Earth Elements Contained in Selected Products and in Imports of Semimanufactured Products to the United States, 2010
Open–File Report 2013–1072 - Rare Earth Elements—End Use and Recyclability
Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5094
Salt
- The Material Flow of Salt
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9343
Selenium
- Selenium Recycling in the United States in 2004
Circular 1196-T
Silica
- Frac Sand in the United States--A Geological and Industry Overview
Open-File Report 2015–1107
Silver
- The Lifecycle of Silver in the United States in 2009
Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5178 - Silver Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-N
Sulfur
- Industrial minerals and sustainability: By-products from SO2 mitigation as substitutes for mined mineral commodities
Book chapter, in Geoscience for the Public Good and Global Development: Toward a Sustainable Future, Geological Society of America Volume 520 - Materials Flow of Sulfur
Open-File Report 02-298
Tantalum
- An Exploration in Mineral Supply Chain Mapping Using Tantalum as an Example
Open-File Report 2013–1239 - Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo--Global Tantalum Processing Plants, a Critical Part of the Tantalum Supply Chain
Fact Sheet 2014-3122 - Shift in Global Tantalum Mine Production, 2000 to 2014
Fact Sheet 2015-3079 - Tantalum Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-J
Tin
- Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Tin Processing Plants, a Critical Part of the Tin Supply Chain
Fact Sheet 2015-3022 - Tin Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular 1196-K
Titanium
- Coastal Deposits of Heavy mineral Sands; Global Significance and U.S. Resources
Mining Engineering, v. 68, no. 10, p. 36-43 - Titanium Recycling in the United States in 2004
Circular 1196-Y
Tungsten
- Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Global Tungsten Processing Plants, a Critical Part of the Tungsten Supply Chain
Fact Sheet 2014-3069 - International Strategic Mineral Issues Summary Report - Tungsten
Circular 930-O - Materials Flow of Tungsten in the United States
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9388 - Tungsten Recycling in the United States in 2000
Circular 1196-R
Vanadium
- The Materials Flow of Vanadium in the United States
U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9409 - Vanadium recycling in the United States in 2004
Circular 1196-S
Zinc
- Historical Zinc Smelting in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., with Estimates of Atmospheric Zinc Emissions and Other Materials
Open-File Report 2010-1131 - The Materials Flow of Zinc in the United States 1850-1990
U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 72-92 - Zinc Recycling in the United States in 1998
Circular -1196-D