COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 2023 report has found that the state’s mineral resources “produced $1.7 billion worth of geologic commodities” last year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The 2023 Report on Ohio Mineral Industries comes via the ODNR’s Division of Geological Survey.

“Published annually, the Report on Ohio Mineral Industries offers basic information about individual mines and groups of mines, detailed geologic information about coal and industrial minerals, a map of permitted active industrial mineral and coal operations, and a list of important references,” the release reads. “The report is a useful tool for researching mineral extraction activities throughout the state.”

The release notes that this is the tenth year in a row in which non-fuel minerals have been valued at more than $1 billion.

The report found that, in 2023, Ohio produced 113,157,179 tons of coal and industrial minerals. It found that the coal was valued at more than $126 million, oil and gas at more than $5.9 billion and nonfuel industrial minerals at more than $1.6 billion.

It states that, when fuel and nonfuel minerals are combined, they had a value of more than $7.6 billion.

The report found that sales of salt decreased in 2023 but that production increased. It noted that warmer winters have resulted in cities not needing to purchase as much salt for the roads.

The report notes that the commodity of limestone and dolomite increased 1.4%, sand and gravel decreased 6.1%, salt increased 8.5% and coal decreased 22.6%.

Due to a decreasing demand and the competition of natural gas, the report states "several coal operations ceased or curtailed production" last year.

“In an increasingly technological world, industrial minerals are as important as ever,” said D. Mark Jones, division chief and state geologist, in the release. “In 2023, Ohio’s minerals industry continued to contribute significantly to the state's economy.”