Minerals are basic to our way of living. Essentially everything we use in modern society is a product of the mining, agriculture, or oil and gas industries. Mining is the process of extracting raw materials from the Earth’s In fact, mining contributes much in the way of raw material to the other two industries. Mining is important to the United States, which is both a major producer and a major consumer of mineral commodities. As a major producer in the world markets of metals and other mined products, the United States is a prime developer of mining technology, and American experts work in mining operations throughout the world. No country.