Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
Shipments of portland cement increased by 7.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, and annual consumption increased by 3.1 percent in 2011, compared with consumption in 2010, according to USGS’s monthly survey. Total cement shipments for 2011 were approximately 72.2 million mt, up 3.0 percent compared to year-end 2010. Cement imports for 2011 totaled 6.54 million mt, down about 3.0 percent from those through 2010.
The estimated annual output of aggregates produced for consumption in 2011 was 1.93 billion metric tons, a slight decrease compared with that of 2010. The estimated annual output of crushed stone produced for consumption in 2011 was 1.14 billion metric tons, also a slight decrease compared with that of 2010. The estimated annual output of construction sand and gravel produced for consumption in 2011 was 795 million metric tons, the same as that of 2010.
The estimated total annual production-for-consumption of aggregates in 2011 increased, compared with that of 2010, in 22 of the 50 states that were estimated. The five leading states, in descending order of total annual output for 2011, were Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Ohio. Their combined total annual output was 571 million metric tons, a 4.0 percent increase compared with that of 2010.
An estimated 477 million metric tons of total aggregates was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2011, an increase of 2.4 percent compared with that of the same period of 2010. The estimated production-for-consumption of aggregates in the fourth quarter of 2011 increased in seven of the geographic divisions compared with that sold or used in the fourth quarter of 2010. Production-for-consumption of aggregates increased in 25 of the 48 states that were estimated.
For the fourth quarter of 2011, an estimated 281 million metric ton of crushed stone was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States, a slight increase compared with that of the same period of 2010. The estimated production-for-consumption of crushed stone in the fourth quarter of 2011 increased in six of the nine geographic divisions compared with that sold or used in the fourth quarter of 2010. Production-for-consumption of crushed stone increased in 25 of the 46 states that were estimated. The five leading states, in descending order of production-for-consumption, were Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio and Illinois. Their combined total production-for-consumption was 96.1 million metric tons and represented 34 percent of the U.S. total.
The estimated U.S. output of construction sand and gravel produced and shipped for consumption in the fourth quarter of 2011 was 197 million metric tons, an increase of 3.7 percent compared with that of the same period of 2010. The estimated production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel in the fourth quarter of 2011 increased from fourth-quarter 2010 levels in six of the nine geographic divisions. Production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel increased in 21 of the 47 states that were estimated. The five leading states, in descending order of production-for-consumption, were California, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. Their combined total production-for-consumption was 65.4 million metric tons and represented 33 percent of the U.S. total.