Mines.fyi

What it does

Mines.fyi is an interactive map and searchable database of over 91,000 US mines. It aggregates public data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), displaying mine locations, operator information, production history, and employee counts. Users can filter results by state, commodity type, mine type (surface, underground, facility), and operational status (active, intermittent, abandoned, temporarily idled, or non-producing). The database updates weekly.

Who it is for

The tool serves researchers, journalists, investors, and policy analysts who need to understand the US mining landscape. Environmental organizations, mineral commodity traders, and consulting firms studying regional economic activity could find it useful. Anyone researching specific operators or tracking mine employment and production trends would benefit from the centralized, filterable view.

Pricing

The site does not show prices. Access appears to be free.

How it stands out

Mines.fyi takes raw MSHA open-source data and transforms it into a browsable, filterable interface. Instead of downloading spreadsheets or navigating government databases, users get a map-based visualization with operator breakdowns and status filtering. The weekly updates mean the data stays relatively current. Most similar tools require users to query government databases directly or purchase expensive industry reports. This approach democratizes access to mine data that is technically public but difficult to navigate at scale.

What a founder should check

Incumbent competition: Verify whether industry databases like SNL Metals & Mining, RCP, or specialized mining intelligence platforms already offer similar filtering and visualization. Check whether government-run MSHA tools themselves have improved their user interface, reducing the value of this alternative.

Switching costs and moat: Assess how sticky the user base is. If users can easily replicate the filtering with direct MSHA downloads or build their own tools with the same public data, retention will be weak. Test whether the weekly update cadence and map interface create enough ongoing value to justify recurring use, or if this is a one-time reference tool.

Monetization and sustainability: The free model raises questions about long-term viability. Explore whether a freemium tier (advanced filtering, API access, alerts) could work. Consider whether data enrichment—adding third-party safety records, financial data, or litigation history—could justify a paid enterprise tier and justify the operational costs of maintaining weekly updates.