Report: Crushed stone production at 14-year high

Crushed stone production was up 3 percent last year over 2020. Photo: P&Q Staff

Aggregate production continued on an upward path in 2021, with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reporting that both crushed stone and sand and gravel production were up over 2020.

U.S. crushed stone production increased 3 percent last year to 1.5 billion tons, while sand and gravel production was up 6 percent to 1 billion tons.

Crushed stone production was at its highest level in 14 years in 2021, with production last surpassing the 1.5 billion-ton mark in 2007. Similarly, sand and gravel production was at levels last year that had not been achieved since 2008.

Crushed stone breakdown

According to USGS, the 1.5 billion tons of crushed stone produced last year is valued at more than $19 billion. Roughly 1,400 companies operating 3,400 quarries and 180 sales and distribution yards contributed to the 2021 production total.

The top five crushed stone-producing states in 2021 were Texas, Missouri, Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, California and Tennessee ranked sixth through 10th, respectively, according to USGS. The top 10 states accounted for 54 percent of the nation’s crushed stone output.

The majority (70 percent) of crushed stone produced in 2021 was limestone and dolomite. Granite (15 percent), traprock (6 percent) and miscellaneous stone (5 percent) represented sizable chunks of the remainder.

Sand and gravel breakdown

Additionally, USGS says the 1 billion tons of sand and gravel produced in 2021 is valued at $9.9 billion. More than 3,800 companies contributed to the nation’s sand and gravel output, operating 6,800 pits and 340 sales and distribution yards.

The top five sand and gravel-producing states last year were California, Texas, Arizona, Minnesota and Utah. Michigan, Washington, Ohio, Colorado and New York ranked sixth through 10th, according to USGS. The top 10 states accounted for 53 percent of the nation’s sand and gravel output.

Nearly half (46 percent) of construction sand and gravel was used as portland cement concrete aggregates, USGS adds. Twenty-one percent was used for road base and coverings for road stabilization, with 13 percent for construction fill. Twelve percent of sand and gravel was used for asphaltic concrete aggregate for other bituminous mixtures.

About USGS’s numbers

USGS gathered it information about 2021 crushed stone, sand and gravel production through quarterly producer surveys.