NAICS 331410 Quarterly Industry Report
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 331410Sector: 33Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This industry profile for Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (NAICS 331410) draws on data from the U.S. Census Bureau[6], Bureau of Labor Statistics[10], and SBA size standards database[7]. Published by Fair Market Value and updated quarterly, it provides valuation professionals, mining and metals analysts, and nonferrous sector investors with current market data. All quantitative claims are sourced to publicly verifiable databases.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the nonferrous metal (except aluminum) smelting and refining industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (NAICS 331410) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in smelting ores into nonferrous metals and the primary refining of nonferrous metals by electrolytic or other processes per the U.S. Census Bureau[5]. Activities include copper smelting and electrolytic refining, zinc smelting and distillation, lead smelting and refining, precious metals recovery from concentrates, nickel refining, and tin smelting operations.
Nonferrous smelting and refining converts mined concentrates into refined metals that feed downstream fabrication industries producing wire, tubing, castings, and alloy products. Copper smelting and refining represents the largest segment, with Freeport-McMoRan operating domestic smelting and refining capacity alongside international producers. Zinc smelting processes concentrates from domestic and imported ores through roasting and electrolytic processes. Precious metals refining recovers gold, silver, and platinum group metals from mining concentrates and recycled electronic scrap. Per Census Bureau[6] data, roughly 128 establishments employ over 7,300 workers with annual payroll exceeding $559 million. London Metal Exchange pricing for copper, zinc, and lead directly affects smelter revenues and profitability, with treatment and refining charges negotiated between miners and smelters establishing processing margins.
Per the SBA Table of Size Standards[7], the size standard is 1,000 employees. The EPA[8] regulates sulfur dioxide emissions, heavy metal air pollutants, and hazardous waste from smelting operations under Clean Air Act and RCRA standards. OSHA[9] enforces exposure limits for lead, cadmium, arsenic, and other toxic metals in smelting and refining workplaces.
What's Included in This Industry
- Copper smelting from concentrates
- Electrolytic copper refining
- Zinc smelting and electrolytic processing
- Lead smelting and refining operations
- Precious metals recovery from concentrates
- Nickel refining and processing
- Tin smelting operations
- Anode and cathode production
- Slag processing and metal recovery
- Byproduct sulfuric acid production
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331 |
| Industry Group | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 3314 |
| NAICS Industry | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining | 33141 |
| National Industry | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining | 331410 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 331420 | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying | Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying converts refined copper cathode from smelters into wire rod, tubing, sheet, and alloy products for electrical, plumbing, and industrial fabrication markets |
| 331491 | Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding | Nonferrous Metal Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding processes refined zinc, lead, nickel, and other nonferrous metals into fabricated mill products for batteries, coatings, and specialty industrial applications |
| 331492 | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) | Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal recovers metals from scrap alongside primary smelting from ore, with secondary processors handling recycled copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals feedstock |
| 331313 | Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production | Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production operates primary metals smelting with similar capital intensity, energy requirements, and environmental compliance obligations as nonferrous copper, zinc, and lead smelting operations |
| 212230 | Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining | Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining extracts ore concentrates that smelters process into refined metals, with mining company concentrate shipments providing primary feedstock for domestic smelting and refining facilities |
| 212220 | Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining | Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining produces precious metal concentrates and dore bars that smelters and refiners process into refined bullion, with refining operations recovering gold, silver, and platinum group metals from mining output |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 16.3% | 15 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 12.0% | 11 |
| 3 | California | 9.8% | 9 |
| 4 | Illinois | 8.7% | 8 |
| 5 | Utah | 8.7% | 8 |
| 6 | Ohio | 6.5% | 6 |
| 7 | Florida | 6.5% | 6 |
| 8 | Texas | 5.4% | 5 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 4.3% | 4 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 4.3% | 4 |
% Of Establishments
0%
16%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
16
Total SBA Loans
$6.4M
Total Loan Volume
$400K
Average Loan Size
5 yrs
Average Loan Term
8.50%
Average Interest Rate
72
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: Per the SBA Table of Size Standards[7], Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (NAICS 331410) has a size standard of 1,000 employees for federal small business contracting purposes. SBA lending programs[11] support qualifying nonferrous smelting operations including pollution control equipment, process modernization, and capacity improvement investments. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[12] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[13] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savings Bank of Walpole | 16 | $6.4M | $400K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for copper smelting?
NAICS 331410 covers nonferrous metal smelting and refining including copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, and nickel processing from ore concentrates per the U.S. Census Bureau[5].
What is the SBA size standard?
Per the SBA size standard[7], the threshold is 1,000 employees for federal small business contracting eligibility and SBA lending products for nonferrous metal smelting and refining operations.
How many nonferrous smelters operate in the U.S.?
Per Census Bureau[6] data, roughly 128 establishments employ over 7,300 workers with annual payroll exceeding $559 million across copper, zinc, lead, precious metals, and other nonferrous smelting and refining operations.
Who are the major copper smelters?
Freeport-McMoRan operates domestic copper smelting and refining capacity alongside international producers per Census Bureau[6] establishment data, with copper representing the largest metal category processed in this classification.
How does metal pricing affect smelters?
London Metal Exchange pricing for copper, zinc, and lead directly determines smelter revenue per Bureau of Labor Statistics[10] industry analysis, with treatment and refining charges negotiated with miners establishing processing margins.
What environmental regulations apply?
The EPA[8] regulates sulfur dioxide emissions from smelting, heavy metal air pollutant standards, hazardous waste management under RCRA, and Superfund liability at current and former smelting sites with historical contamination.
What byproducts do smelters produce?
Copper smelters produce sulfuric acid as a byproduct from sulfur dioxide recovery, while precious metals, selenium, and tellurium are recovered from anode slimes during electrolytic copper refining per Census Bureau[6] product classification.
What safety standards apply?
OSHA[9] enforces permissible exposure limits for lead, cadmium, arsenic, and other toxic metals in smelting environments, along with standards for high-temperature furnace operations and molten metal handling procedures.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]Census Bureau data.census.gov
- [7]SBA Table of Size Standards sba.gov
- [8]EPA epa.gov
- [9]OSHA osha.gov
- [10]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [11]SBA lending programs sba.gov
- [12]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [13]504 loans sba.gov
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