Nonmetallic Mineral Mining & Quarrying
Description
Companies in this industry develop mine sites, mine and quarry nonmetallic minerals and provide related support services, and separate minerals from waste. Major nonmetallic mining companies include Martin Marietta and Vulcan Materials (both based in the US), along with DeBeers (South Africa) and HeidelbergCement and K+S (both based in Germany).
The world's most mined nonmetallic minerals in 2024 are lime (420 million metric tons), phosphate rock (240 million metric tons), and salt (280 million metric tons), according to the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The US nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying industry includes about 5,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with annual revenue of about $30 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by construction spending and spending on fertilizers. Large companies have some economies of scale in purchasing and administrative systems, and have the production volume to supply large construction projects, such as new highways. Small companies typically own just one mine and compete in a local market based on superior customer service. The US industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 55% of industry revenue.
Imports of nonmetallic minerals account for more than 5% of the US market. Major sources of imports include Canada, Mexico, China, Peru, and Morocco. US exports, mainly to Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany, represent about 10% of domestic production.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products for the industry in the US include crushed and broken limestone (about 30% of industry revenue), construction sand and gravel (about 20%), and crushed and broken granite (about 10%). Other products include phosphate rock, kaolin, and ball clay. Phosphates and potassium salts are used to make fertilizers. Crushed stone, sand, and gravel are also referred to as aggregates.
Most quarries are open-pit mines where the surface is blasted to reach stone mineral and stone deposits. Benches are cut in to the walls to enable access to deeper deposits. The rock is blasted from the mine face, loaded into trucks, and carried to the primary crusher, which breaks it into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces are carried to the surface by conveyor and sorted by size. The aggregate is then transported to customers, usually by truck. Some mines further process onsite, whereas smaller mines may ship the aggregate to third-party processing facilities. Processing includes further crushing, sorting, washing, and leaching.
Transportation costs can exceed the price of products, so aggregates typically supply local markets. While aggregates have traditionally been transported by truck, some companies also use railroad cars, and to a lesser extent, barges. Publicly funded projects, such as road, airport, and municipal building construction, contribute to the growth of aggregates sales, according to Hyde Research. Fluctuations in energy costs can also influence aggregate prices significantly.
Mines and quarries can be quite large, but their use depends on local demand. Each year hundreds of mines are idled, closed, or abandoned and hundreds more opened or reactivated. The changing locations of construction and highway projects drive these decisions. Environmental regulations require companies to return abandoned quarries back to their original look and use.
The world's most mined nonmetallic minerals in 2024 are lime (420 million metric tons), phosphate rock (240 million metric tons), and salt (280 million metric tons), according to the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The US nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying industry includes about 5,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with annual revenue of about $30 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by construction spending and spending on fertilizers. Large companies have some economies of scale in purchasing and administrative systems, and have the production volume to supply large construction projects, such as new highways. Small companies typically own just one mine and compete in a local market based on superior customer service. The US industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 55% of industry revenue.
Imports of nonmetallic minerals account for more than 5% of the US market. Major sources of imports include Canada, Mexico, China, Peru, and Morocco. US exports, mainly to Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany, represent about 10% of domestic production.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products for the industry in the US include crushed and broken limestone (about 30% of industry revenue), construction sand and gravel (about 20%), and crushed and broken granite (about 10%). Other products include phosphate rock, kaolin, and ball clay. Phosphates and potassium salts are used to make fertilizers. Crushed stone, sand, and gravel are also referred to as aggregates.
Most quarries are open-pit mines where the surface is blasted to reach stone mineral and stone deposits. Benches are cut in to the walls to enable access to deeper deposits. The rock is blasted from the mine face, loaded into trucks, and carried to the primary crusher, which breaks it into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces are carried to the surface by conveyor and sorted by size. The aggregate is then transported to customers, usually by truck. Some mines further process onsite, whereas smaller mines may ship the aggregate to third-party processing facilities. Processing includes further crushing, sorting, washing, and leaching.
Transportation costs can exceed the price of products, so aggregates typically supply local markets. While aggregates have traditionally been transported by truck, some companies also use railroad cars, and to a lesser extent, barges. Publicly funded projects, such as road, airport, and municipal building construction, contribute to the growth of aggregates sales, according to Hyde Research. Fluctuations in energy costs can also influence aggregate prices significantly.
Mines and quarries can be quite large, but their use depends on local demand. Each year hundreds of mines are idled, closed, or abandoned and hundreds more opened or reactivated. The changing locations of construction and highway projects drive these decisions. Environmental regulations require companies to return abandoned quarries back to their original look and use.
Table of Contents
- Industry Overview
- Quarterly Industry Update
- Business Challenges
- Business Trends
- Industry Opportunities
- Call Preparation Questions
- Financial Information
- Industry Forecast
- Web Links and Acronyms
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