2022 NAICS national industry in sector 21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
212210 Iron Ore Mining
NAICS 212210 is the US industry code for iron ore mining. It covers establishments primarily engaged in (1) developing mine sites, mining, and/or beneficiating (i.e., preparing) iron ores and manganiferous ores valued chiefly for their iron content and/or (2) producing sinter iron ore (except iron ore produced in iron and steel mills) and other iron ore agglomerates.
- Code
- 212210 (2022 NAICS)
- Title
- Iron Ore Mining
- Part of
- Metal Ore Mining
- SBA small business limit
- Up to 1,400 employees
- Closest UK SIC
- 07100 (details)
Changes coming. The NAICS 2027 revision applies to data from 1 January 2027, and SBA proposed new size standards on 20 August 2026. The values on this page are the ones in force today; we update this page when the official files change.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) developing mine sites, mining, and/or beneficiating (i.e., preparing) iron ores and manganiferous ores valued chiefly for their iron content and/or (2) producing sinter iron ore (except iron ore produced in iron and steel mills) and other iron ore agglomerates.
When to use a different code
Census classifies these close-sounding activities somewhere else. Businesses mainly engaged in:
- Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing pig iron ore are classified in Industry 331110, Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing.
Activities listed under 212210
The Census index assigns these 15 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.
- Agglomerates, iron ore, beneficiating
- Briquets, iron, mining and/or beneficiating
- Brown ore mining and/or beneficiating
- Hematite mining and/or beneficiating
- Iron ore (e.g., hematite, magnetite, siderite, taconite) mining and/or beneficiating
- Iron ore agglomerates mining and/or beneficiating
- Iron ore beneficiating plants (e.g., agglomeration, sintering)
- Iron ore mine site development for own account
- Iron ore, blocked, mining and/or beneficiating
- Limonite mining and/or beneficiating
- Manganiferous ores valued for iron content, mining and/or beneficiating
- Siderite mining and/or beneficiating
- Sintered iron ore produced at the mine
- Taconite concentrates or agglomerates beneficiating
- Taconite ores mining and/or beneficiating
SBA size standard for 212210
To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 212210, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed 1,400 employees. Check your business.
Source: SBA table of size standards, effective March 17, 2023.
Closest UK SIC 2007 codes
There is no official one-to-one link between NAICS and UK SIC. These codes share the same international class (ISIC Rev. 4: 0710), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.
Built from Census concordances 2022→2017 NAICS and 2017 NAICS→ISIC Rev. 4.
Similar codes to compare
Data last changed November 14, 2026. How this page is built.