212290 - Other Metal Ore Mining
If you’re exploring opportunities or seeking to understand industries within the mining sector, NAICS code 212290 is an essential classification to know. Also known as Other Metal Ore Mining, this code covers a wide range of metal ores beyond the commonly known iron, copper, and gold. This blog post dives deep into what NAICS 212290 entails, its associated industries, business activities, and crucial details for government contracting and business classification.
What is NAICS Code 212290 - Other Metal Ore Mining?
NAICS 212290 encompasses establishments primarily engaged in the mining and/or beneficiating of metal ores except for iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and uranium-radium-vanadium ores. Meaning, this code covers the extraction and initial processing of various other metal ores like nickel, tin, titanium, and many more that don’t fit elsewhere.
Key Highlights:
- Focuses on mining and beneficiation (processing) of diverse metal ores.
- Excludes some primary metals like iron and copper ores.
- Covers rare and strategic metals crucial for various industries.
Sector Overview
Sector: Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
NAICS 212290 falls under this broad sector that covers activities such as mining raw materials and extracting valuable minerals from the earth. The sector plays a crucial role in supplying raw materials for manufacturing, construction, technology, and energy industries.
Typical Business Activities Include:
- Mining ores such as nickel, tin, titanium
- Beneficiating or concentrating metal ores
- Developing mining sites for own account
- Leaching and processing ores of specialty metals
NAICS Code 212290 Size Standards
To qualify under the Small Business Administration (SBA) standards for NAICS 212290, businesses typically must have 1,250 employees or fewer. This size standard helps define eligibility for small business certifications and government contracting.
Examples of Businesses Operating Under NAICS 212290
- Nickel ore mining companies
- Tin ore extraction and beneficiation firms
- Titanium ore miners and processors
- Specialty metal extraction businesses focusing on metals like cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, or rare earth elements
Detailed NAICS Code 212290 Activities and Services
| Activity or Service Description | Included Under NAICS 212290? |
|---|---|
| Antimony concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Antimony ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Bastnaesite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Bauxite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Beryl mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Beryllium concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Beryllium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Carnotite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Cerium concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Cerium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Chromite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Chromium concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Chromium ore mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Cinnabar mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Cobalt concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Cobalt ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Columbite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Columbium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Ferberite ores and concentrates mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Ferroalloy ores (e.g., chromium, columbium, molybdenum, tungsten) mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Hafnium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Huebnerite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Ilmenite ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Iridium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Leaching of uranium, radium, or vanadium ores | Yes |
| Manganese concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Manganese ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Manganiferous ores (not valued for iron content) mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Manganite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Mercury (quicksilver) mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Mercury ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Microlite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Molybdenite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Molybdenum ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Molybdite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Monazite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Osmium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Palladium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Pitchblende mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Platinum mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Psilomelane mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Pyrolusite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Quicksilver ores and metal mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Radium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Rare earth metal concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Rare earth metal ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Rhodium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Rhodochrosite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Roscoelite (vanadium hydromica) mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Ruthenium ore mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Rutile mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Scheelite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Tantalite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Tantalum ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Thallium mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Thorite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Thorium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Tin metal concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Tin metal ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Titaniferous-magnetite ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Titanium concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Titanium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Tungsten concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Tungsten ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Tyuyamunite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Uraninite (pitchblende) mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Uranium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Uranium-radium-vanadium ore mine site development for own account | Yes |
| Uranium-radium-vanadium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Vanadium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Wolframite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Wulfenite mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
| Zirconium concentrates beneficiating | Yes |
| Zirconium ores mining and/or beneficiating | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What type of ores are included under NAICS 212290?
This code includes metal ores like nickel, tin, titanium, bauxite, cobalt, manganese, tungsten, rare earth metals, and many other specialty ores except iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and uranium-radium-vanadium.
2. What does beneficiation mean in this context?
Beneficiation refers to the processing or concentrating of ores to improve the metal content and prepare it for further refining.
3. What is the employee size standard for NAICS 212290?
The small business size standard is 1,250 employees. Companies with employees below this threshold may qualify as small businesses for SBA programs.
4. Which sector does this NAICS code belong to?
It is part of the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector.
5. Can businesses mining uranium ores fall under this code?
Only mining and beneficiation activities for uranium-radium-vanadium ores that are not classified under the primary uranium subsector are included here.
Conclusion
NAICS code 212290 - Other Metal Ore Mining is a critical classification for businesses involved in the extraction and processing of specialty and less common metal ores. Understanding this code is vital for compliance, industry research, and maximizing government contracting or procurement opportunities. Whether you’re mining nickel, tin, or other specialty metals, knowing your NAICS code helps you position your business strategically within the mining sector.
Keywords: NAICS 212290, Other Metal Ore Mining, metal ore mining, nickel ore mining, tin ore mining, titanium ore mining, mining beneficiation, mining sector, rare earth metals mining, SBA size standards 212290, mining NAICS codes.
