As Nevada’s economy continues to recover, the mining industry is playing a crucial role. The 12,000 individuals directly employed by mining operations throughout the state depend on the industry for their livelihood – but they aren’t the only ones. Thousands of businesses throughout Nevada, from Las Vegas to Reno and all the towns in between, depend on the support of the mining industry.
In fact, every direct mining job in a Nevada mining operation creates four additional jobs for Nevadans in the supply chain. An additional 50,000 people work in support of the mining industry at engineering agencies, laboratories, suppliers , legal and accounting firms and more. Though these people may never set foot on actual mine site, their work is fundamentally linked to the success of the Nevada mining industry.
Kahl Office Furniture in Reno, for example, maintains that the mining industry has been a vital component of its recent success.
“Working with mining has been a big plus for us,” explained owner Dan Kahl. “So many of the corporate offices of mining companies and the construction, consultant and engineering businesses that support the mining industry are based in Reno. We’ve done a tremendous amount of business the past few years handling these offices’ furniture needs. I’d say about 25 percent of our corporate business has come from mining, which is huge.”
In total, approximately 2,400 Nevada companies conduct business with mine operators in the state, demonstrating mining’s large impact on the state’s economy. As Don Hadden of Coach America in Elko explained, the support of mining has allowed his business to thrive in recent years.
“Coach America has 40 locations nationally, and the Elko office is one of the strongest because of mining,” said Hadden. “I would say 95 percent of our business comes from the mining industry. In 2011, we were able to hire 100 employees because of our office’s strong numbers.”
The examples of Kahl Office Furniture and Coach America are testaments to the positive affect the mining industry has and will continue to have on Nevada businesses as it experiences continued growth.
