21223/Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
17K
employees, 2023
17K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 61 US Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining business locations employed 16,844 people and paid $1.6 billion in annual payroll, $96,952 per employee on average. Employment was up 4.3% from 2022. Arizona had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
61
+3.4% vs 2022
Employees
16,844
+4.3% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$1.6B
+6.2% vs 2022
Average pay
$96,952
+1.8% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | 6 | 1,971* | $89,171 |
| Payson, AZ | 3 | 1,761 | $91,989 |
| Silver City, NM | 3 | 1,039* | $89,043 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 6 | 710 | $94,279 |
Business size
US Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 13 | 21.7% |
| 5 to 9 | Not published | - |
| 10 to 19 | 4 | 6.7% |
| 20 to 49 | 8 | 13.3% |
| 50 to 99 | 6 | 10.0% |
| 100 to 249 | 12 | 20.0% |
| 250 to 499 | 7 | 11.7% |
| 500 to 999 | 5 | 8.3% |
| 1,000 or more | 5 | 8.3% |
Related industries
Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining and the 1 industry directly below it
Part of Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 21Mining (except Oil and Gas) 212Metal Ore Mining 2122
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 212230 | Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining | 16,844 | $96,952 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining in the US?
16,844 people worked at 61 US Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining business locations in 2023, up 4.3% from 2022. That is 0.01% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining?
$96,952 a year per employee in 2023, from $1.6 billion in annual payroll (up 1.8% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining jobs?
Arizona had the most, with 10,090 employees in 2023, followed by Utah (1,739) and New Mexico (1,042).
Which metro areas have the most Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining jobs?
Tucson, AZ (1,971), Payson, AZ (1,761), Silver City, NM (1,039) had the most Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining employees in 2023.
Are most Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining businesses small?
28.3% of the 60 Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 10 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.