For Additional Information:
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Karen Batra (202) 463-2651

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2000

MINEXPO INTERNATIONAL 2000® BREAKS SALES RECORDS! LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL MINEXPO EVER UNITES WORLDWIDE MINING INDUSTRY

Washington, D.C. -- MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2000, the mining industry's preeminent and most comprehensive trade show in the world, came to a close last week boasting the largest attendance figures in the show's history.

Sponsored by the National Mining Association, MINExpo 2000 hosted over 36,500 registrants and 1,292 exhibitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 9-12, 2000. The show featured enormous exhibit areas filled with 588,000 net square feet of the most modern and up-to-date mining equipment, machinery, products, technologies, and services for the coal, metal and industrial minerals mining and processing industries.

By comparison, the previous MINExpo held in 1996 hosted 34,888 registrants, 1,123 exhibitors and featured 531,000 net square feet of exhibits.

"We are truly proud of our modern global mining community and grateful for the opportunities that MINExpo has afforded us to exchange ideas and share experiences with our industry peers around the world," said NMA President & Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Lawson. "MINExpo 2000 focused on the global technologies and innovations that will reinforce mining's role as a key player in our world's future and we are particularly proud of this year's record-setting registration figures and exhibit space sales making this the biggest and most important MINExpo ever."

MINExpo 2004 will take place in Las Vegas September 27-30, 2004.

The U.S. mining industry produces coal, metals, building materials, and many other essential minerals that define the daily lives of 267 million Americans. The industry generates nearly $525 billion in total economic benefit each year and helps to sustain nearly 5 million U.S. jobs.