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2-14 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I production of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, taconite, uranium, and molybdenum. In addition to metallic minerals extraction, large quantities of nonmetallics such as fluorspar, feldspar, phosphate, lime, mica, bentonite, and construction aggregate are mined in the basin. Energy fuels presently constitute the largest and most valuable share of all nonrenewable resources produced in the basin. The 10 basin States cOllectively have more than 450 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves, or about 55 percent of the Nation's total. The national importance of the reserves is evidenced by recent dramatic increases in coal and lignite production. In the seven years from 1965 to 1971, coal production as a percentage of the national tonnage grew only slightly from 3 to 4 percent. For the period 1971 to 1973, however, the basin contribution to total national production increased from 4 percent to almost 8 percent. Except for Nebraska and the Minnesota portion of the basin, all basin States contain substantial coal reserves that are expected to be of increasing national importance in the future. The Missouri Basin is also an important source of crude petroleum, natural gas, and uranium. Although total petroleum output had declined from 1971 levels, production in 1973 still accounted for' 6.5 to 7 percent of the u.s. total. While the future outlook for crude oil, oil shale, natural gas, and uranium production is uncertain, new exploration and recovery efforts are taking place. Manufacturing activities in the Missouri Basin are varied, but to a large degree reflect the economic predominance of agriculture. Food processing and production of agricultural machinery contribute sUbstantially to manufacturing earnings and employment. Industrial composition projections indicate, however, that a decline in the relative economic importance of these types of activities is likely to occur. Other important types of manufacturing include