When it comes to determining which industries are the best-connected and wield the most political power in Nevada, the mining industry ranks near the top.

Mining companies and industry representatives gave roughly $266,000 to state legislators throughout the 2016 election cycle, with donations largely coming from three sources — Barrick Gold ($111,000), Newmont Mining ($91,100) and the Nevada Mining Association ($50,500).

Barrick operates two gold mines in rural Nevada and employs more than 3,000 workers. Newmont’s Nevada operations include 11 surface mines, eight underground mines and 13 processing facilities.  According to the Nevada Mining Association, the industry employed roughly 11,300 workers in 2014, and paid slightly more than $245 million in taxes.

Several progressive groups have criticized the industry for paying low effective tax rates and raking in millions in profits.

Donations flowed largely to Democrats, who received more than $160,000 from the industry, while Republican legislators received $105,750.

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford was the top recipient of mining industry campaign donations, receiving $20,000, with Democratic Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams ($18,500) and Republican Sen. Pete Goicoechea ($17,000) close behind. Bustamante Adams led the Assembly Democratic caucus during the 2016 election cycle, and Goicoechea represents a largely rural district that includes several mining sites.

Mining industry donations outweighed contributions from pharmaceutical companies ($127,900) and marijuana businesses ($75,000), but other traditional power players such as unions ($1.69 million) and the health care industry ($916,000) made up larger slices of the campaign finance pie.

Below, we’ve totaled the major donations made to members of the Legislature by individuals, trade groups and businesses in the medical industry. As always, we’ve triple checked our numbers and math, but if anything seems off feel free to contact us at [email protected] or [email protected].

TOP FIVE MINING RECIPIENTS

• $20,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
• $18,500 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $17,000 to Senator Pete Goicoechea (R)
• $16,500 to Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson (R)
• $15,625 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)

Barrick Gold: $111,000

• $10,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
• $10,000 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $5,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
• $5,000 to Assemblyman John Hambrick (R)
• $5,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
• $5,000 to Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D)
• $5,000 to Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson (R)
• $5,000 to Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson (R)
• $5,000 to Senator Tick Segerblom (D)
• $3,000 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)
• $3,000 to Senator Pete Goicoechea (R)
• $2,000 to Senator David Parks (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)
• $2,000 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)
• $2,000 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Heidi Swank (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman James Ohrenschall (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Keith Pickard (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Richard McArthur (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Robin Titus (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)

Newmont Mining: $91,100

• $7,500 to Senator Pete Goicoechea (R)
• $5,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
• $5,000 to Senator Ben Kieckhefer (R)
• $4,500 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $4,500 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
• $4,500 to Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson (R)
• $2,600 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)
• $2,500 to Senator David Parks (D)
• $2,500 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
• $2,500 to Assemblyman John Hambrick (R)
• $2,500 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
• $2,500 to Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D)
• $2,500 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)
• $2,000 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)
• $2,000 to Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R)
• $2,00 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Chris Edwards (R)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Edgar Flores (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Heidi Swank (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman James Ohrenschall (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R)
• $1,500 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury (R)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
• $500 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (R)
• $500 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
• $500 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)

Nevada Mining Association: $50,500

• $3,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
• $3,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
• $2,500 to Senator Pete Goicoechea (R)
• $2,000 to Senator David Parks (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)
• $2,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D)
• $2,000 to Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
• $2,000 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)
• $2,000 to Senator Yvanna Cancela (D)
• $1,500 to Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Edgar Flores (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $1,000 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman John Hambrick (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury (R)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
• $1,000 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D)
• $750 to Assemblyman Chris Edwards (R)
• $750 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (R)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Lisa Krasner (R)
• $500 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
• $500 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
• $500 to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson (D)

Albemarle Corporation, which mines lithium in Nevada: $9,000

• $2,500 to Senator Yvanna Cancela (D)
• $2,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
• $1,500 to Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R)
• $1,500 to Senator Pete Goicoechea (R)

Coeur Mining: $7,500

• $2,500 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
• $2,500 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $2,500 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)

Kinross Gold U.S.A Inc: $2,800

• $800 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)
• $500 to Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
• $500 to Assemblyman John Hambrick (R)
• $500 to Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson (R)
• $500 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)

Pershing Gold Corporation: $2,500

• $2,500 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)

Western Lithium Corporation: $2,000

• $1,000 to Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R)
• $1,000 to Senator Pat Spearman (D)

Elko Mining Group: $100

• $100 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)

Photo courtesy Uncle Kick-Kick (Patrick Huber) via Flickr