Posted: April 14, 2025 | Last updated: July 11, 2025 Explore the rich history, evolving techniques, and future innovations of gem and general mining in this all-in-one guide.

It is estimated that the mining industry in the U.S. is worth an estimated $83.2 billion in 2020, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Interior.

Just the mineral wealth of the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter could be equivalent to about $100 billion for every person on Earth, according to "Mining the Sky: Untold Riches ...