Sources: U.S. Geological Survey; CP staff
The principal federal agency tracking sand & gravel, crushed stone and portland cement shipments reports double-digit gains for each material during the first quarter of 2016 as measured against prior year figures. The U.S. Geological Survey confirms these year-over-year 2016 Q1 trends: sand & gravel, 173 million metric tons (mt), +10 percent; crushed stone, 270 million mt, +21 percent; and, portland cement, +14 percent.
U.S. Geological Survey figures reflect production-for-consumption estimates of construction aggregates (sand & gravel + crushed stone) across nine geographic divisions and a majority of states. On that metric, 2016 Q1 sand & gravel figures increased in seven divisions over 2015 Q1, with New England and Middle Atlantic showing the largest percentage increases. Leading states in descending order for 2016 Q1 production-for-consumption were Texas, California, Washington, Arizona and Colorado. Estimated 2016 Q1 crushed stone production-for-consumption increased in all nine geographic divisions, New England and South Atlantic showing the largest percentage increases. Leading states in descending order of stone output were Texas, Florida, Missouri, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
In its 2016 Q1 Mineral Industry Surveys series, USGS also provides estimated aggregates shipment totals for 2015: sand & gravel, 937 million mt, up 4 percent over 2014; and, crushed stone, 1.33 billion mt, up 7 percent over 2014.