USGS: Aggregate production dipped slightly in 2023

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 production figures for crushed stone, sand and gravel, noting that total aggregate production across last year totaled 2.47 billion metric tons.

The 2.47 billion is a slight decrease from 2022, when USGS estimates 2.5 billion metric tons of aggregates were produced.

In the fourth quarter, USGS says aggregate production totaled 601 million metric tons nationwide. That mark is a slight increase over the fourth-quarter total of 2022.

Fourth-quarter aggregate production was up in five of USGS’s nine geographic divisions. Aggregate production was up in the West North Central (up 10.3 percent), the Mountain (8.6 percent), the East South Central (up 7.9 percent), the Pacific (up 3.3 percent) and the South Atlantic (up 3.1 percent). Fourth-quarter aggregate production was down in the Middle Atlantic (down 13.1 percent), the West South Central (down 1.9 percent), New England (down 1 percent) and the East North Central (down 0.8 percent).

The top-five aggregate-producing states in the fourth quarter were Texas, California, Ohio, Florida and Michigan. Their combined total production in the quarter was 179 million metric tons – or 30 percent of the nation’s total.

The top-five aggregate-producing states for the year were Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and Missouri. Their combined annual production was 733 million metric tons.

Crushed stone

Crushed stone production got a boost in the fourth quarter nationwide. Photo: Diatrezor/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

USGS’s estimated annual output of crushed stone last year was 1.54 billion metric tons, a slight decrease from 2022 (1.55 billion). Crushed stone production was actually up slightly in the fourth quarter, the agency says, to 377 million metric tons.

In the fourth quarter, crushed stone production increased in six of USGS’s nine geographic divisions, including the West North Central (up 8.9 percent), the East South Central (up 8.4 percent), the Pacific (up 5.8 percent), New England (up 4.7 percent), the South Atlantic (up 4.2 percent) and the Mountain (up 0.5 percent). Fourth-quarter crushed stone production was down in the Middle Atlantic (down 13.1 percent), the East North Central (down 2.2 percent) and the West South Central (down 0.5 percent).

Sand and gravel

Sand and gravel production increased nationwide in the fourth quarter. Photo: P&Q Staff

Sand and gravel production was down 3 percent across all of last year to 922 million metric tons. It was, however, up in the fourth quarter, with total production during that three-month period totaling an estimated 224 million metric tons.

In the fourth quarter, sand and gravel production increased in five of USGS’s nine geographic divisions. Production was up in the West North Central (up 12.5 percent), the Mountain (up 11.5 percent), the East South Central (up 5.6 percent), the East North Central (up 2.8 percent) and the Pacific (up 1.9 percent). Fourth-quarter sand and gravel production was down in the Middle Atlantic (down 13.2 percent), New England (down 9.7 percent), the West South Central (down 4.9 percent) and the South Atlantic (down 2.7 percent).

Portland cement

Shipments of portland and blended cement were down slightly in 2023, according to USGS. Shipments were flat in the fourth quarter.

Additional info

USGS determines all of these production figures based on information it obtains from surveys of aggregate and cement producers.

Related: Third-quarter 2023 aggregate production totals