MINING

---

(10 - 14)

Employment change from last quarter	- 3.1
Employment change from year ago	- 2.8
Wage change from year ago	+ 2.6

QUARTERLY

The Mining industry declined over the quarter losing 435 employees dropping by 3.1%. Every sector participated in the decline. Oil & Gas Extraction (13) suffered the largest loss down 205 employees. Corporate office layoffs and project completions caused most of the loss in this sector. In addition, one large employer dropped by 33 employees due to seasonal practices occurring in non-oil and gas related activity reported in its account. Employment in Metal Mining (10) fell by 101. The completion of drilling projects which peaked last quarter in Metal Mining Services, layoffs due to a corporate closure in Ferroalloy Ores and small cutbacks by a number of firms in Gold & Silver Ore caused the decline. Mining & Quarry Nonmetal (14) dropped by 93 employees. Losses were seasonal as demand for crushed and broken stone and sand and gravel for use in construction slowed due to weather. Coal Mining (12) lost 37 employees. Corporate layoffs accounted for the loss but were offset by the addition of 25 to Coal Mining Services due to an expanded project on the west slope.

ANNUAL

Employment in the Mining industry fell 2.8% over a year ago, dropping by 398. Oil & Gas Extraction (13), the largest sector contains more than half of the industry’s employment but suffered almost 90% of the annual loss. Employment dropped by 391. Low oil prices affected this sector causing drilling cutbacks and corporate downsizing. Metal Mining (10) lost 150 employees. The brunt of the loss occurred in Gold & Silver Ores down 81. Corporate office cutbacks have been responsible for the decreases in this sector. A corporate closure in Ferroalloy Ores and drilling activity stagnation accounts for the remainder of the losses within Metal Mining. Coal Mining (12) while dropping only 9 employees had sizable changes. Bituminous Coal & Lignite Mining dropped 62 due to corporate office cutbacks, however, Coal Mining Services rose by 52 due to two projects. Mining & Quarry Nonmetal (14) generated the only annual sector increase adding 145. Escalated demand for construction cement has impacted Sand & Gravel production pushing employment up by 118 employees and causing the large sector gain.

Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Fourth Quarter 1998