Production prediction: 2 billion tons

Here is some additional information on aggregates production from the third-quarter report just released by USGS. The estimated production-for-consumption of aggregates in the third quarter of 2008 decreased in all of the geographic divisions compared with that sold or used in the third quarter of 2007. The largest decreases in percentages were recorded in the South Atlantic (27 percent) and the Mountain (21 percent) divisions. Production-for-consumption of aggregates decreased in 39 of the 48 States that were estimated. The five leading States, in descending order of production-for-consumption, were Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio. Their combined total production-for-consumption was 191 Mt and represented 28 percent of the U.S. total.

By my estimation, 2008 production of crushed stone is on pace to finish the year at at just over the 1 billion ton-per-year mark. Construction sand and gravel should finish the year at about the 900 million ton-per-year mark. If so, it would mean total construction aggregates in 2008 would be approximately 2-billion tons per year, a level so low it has not been seen since the 1992-1994 time frame. Your comment?