MINING

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(10 - 14)

Employment change from last quarter	- 3.6
Employment change from year ago	- 8.2
Wage change from year ago	- 0.8

QUARTERLY

The Mining industry reported a severe decline this quarter losing 491 employees dropping by 3.6%. Losses in Oil & Gas Extraction (13) led sector declines dropping by 650 employees. Decreased drilling activity accounted for a portion of the decline but the larger share of losses were the result of corporate office closures and subsequent layoffs. Coal Mining (12) lost 65 employees. Half of the decline resulted from the completion of a mining service project, and the remainder was due to temporary closures following a mine fire and corporate closings. Employment in Metal Mining (10) fell by 67 due to layoffs at a mine that is expected to close in the future. Despite the sizable losses one sector, Mining & Quarry Nonmetal (14), gained employment rising by 291. The largest growing subsector of Mining & Quarry Nonmetal was Sand & Gravel up 192 employees. Sand & Gravel covers the operation of sand and gravel pits and the preparation of sand and gravel for construction purposes. Dimension Stone added 38 employees and Crushed & Broken Stone added 46. As with all components of this sector the strong home market and increased demand for home construction materials influenced expansions.

ANNUAL

Employment in the Mining industry dropped 8.2% losing 1160. Large declines this quarter affected the large drop of employment in Oil & Gas (13), which decreased by 1156 annually. Cessation of a number of drilling projects over the course of the year, but particularly strong during first and second quarter of this year generated a loss of 685 in Oil & Gas Field Services. Corporate cutbacks contributed to the loss of 470 in oil and gas field property operations. Metal Mining (10) fell by 204 employees. Yearlong cutbacks in corporate offices concerned with gold and silver ore mining, and cutbacks at two large mines caused the loss of employment. Coal Mining (12) employment fell by 31 over the year. The closing of a large corporate office accounted for most of the loss. Mining & Quarry Nonmetal (14) was the only sector to register annual growth adding 230 employees. Expansions of staff at existing sand and gravel pits, the opening of two new pits and the acquisition of about 60 employees through a reporting change in January added 183 to Sand & Gravel. Crushed & Broken Stone rose by 69. Increases were the result of January SIC changes and a new mine.

Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Second Quarter 1999