Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
Using 2009 statistics, USGS has produced its yearly Top 100 list of sand and gravel producers in the nation. Unlike the top crushed stone rankings released earlier this year with no change in the top 13 companies from the previous year, the sand and gravel list has a new number one: Atlanta-based Oldcastle Materials, which moved ahead of Houston’s Cemex. At the number three spot, Birmingham, Ala.-based Vulcan Materials Co. switched places from the previous year with Lehigh Hanson, Inc., Irving, Texas.
Rounding out the top five is Bismark, N.D.-based MDU Resources Group, which swapped previous year slots with number six producer Holcim Group/Aggregate, Rockville, Md. While many of the names in the top 15 positions stayed the same, their ranking within that grouping changed, with only one company retaining its spot from the year before.
Rock Products published an enhancement of the list in its July issue, which included contact information for each major producer. USGS obtains its data from production and sales reports provided by the sand and gravel operations. When an operation does not report any data to the USGS, their total production is estimated by using employment data provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). For a complete listing of the top sand and gravel producers, visit the Rock Products website.