Oct 03, 2018· Oct 03, 2018· In March 2018 there were a little more than 328,000 people employed in support activities for mining, up from 278,000 in March 2017, and down from a high of about 458,000 in December 2014. Employees in private mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries earned, on average, $103,000 in 2016 and $102,000 in 2017.