Se suele dividir la industria extractiva en tres subsectores: minerales metálicos (hierro, cobre, cinc, etc.), minerales de construcción (piedra natural, arena, piedra caliza, tiza, etc.) y minerales industriales (talco, feldespato, sal, potasa, azufre, etc.).
The extractive industry is often divided into three subsectors: metallic minerals (iron, copper, zinc, etc.), construction materials (natural stone, sand, limestone, chalk, etc.) and industrial minerals (talc, feldspar, salt, potash, sulphur, etc.).