UK workforce jobs: mining and quarrying
UK workforce jobs: mining and quarrying stood at 54 thousands in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Jobs by industry and sector table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q2 1978 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Jobs by industry and sector table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce jobs by industry | |||||||||||
| B Mining and quarrying | 54 | 55 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 57 | 54 | 52 | 54 | 51 | |
| T Activities of households as employers | 59 | 61 | 46 | 59 | 56 | 61 | 47 | 38 | 64 | 70 |
Understanding UK workforce jobs: mining and quarrying
Extraction of solid minerals, oil exploration, natural gas production, and quarrying operations across the United Kingdom define the scope of this industrial series. The compilation measures workforce participation in heavy extractive industries, separating subsurface and surface mining from subsequent manufacturing or utility supply. Both employee positions and specialised contracting roles are included.
Evaluating this metric requires understanding its strong sensitivity to global commodity price cycles and capital investment decisions by multinational energy firms. Consecutive quarterly figures often show sharp revisions as remote site survey returns are processed. Analysts should avoid comparing mining headcounts directly with manufacturing totals, as extractive output depends heavily on geological depletion rates rather than standard factory productivity.
Frequently asked questions
- Are oil rig workers included?
- Offshore extraction personnel operating within territorial waters are counted in this category.
- Where is stone crushing processed?
- Quarrying operations producing aggregates are captured here rather than in construction.
- Does this series measure metal refining?
- Smelting and metal processing belong to manufacturing industries, not extraction.