Publications

U.S. production of construction aggregates in 2011 was 2.17 billion short tons, valued at $17.2 billion, free on board (f.o.b.) at plant. Construction aggregates production decreased by 37 percent, and the associated value decreased by 25 percent, compared with the record highs reported in 2006. In 2011, construction aggregates production increased for the first time since 2006, owing to a very sl

No abstract available.

Zirconium is the 20th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. It occurs in a variety of rock types and geologic environments but most often in igneous rocks in the form of zircon (ZrSiO4). Zircon is recovered as a coproduct of the mining and processing of heavy mineral sands for the titanium minerals ilmenite and rutile. The sands are formed by the weathering and erosion of rock containing zir

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the earth’s crust and can be found in nearly all rocks and sediments. It is a lithophile element with a strong affinity for oxygen and is not found as a pure metal in nature. Titanium was first isolated as a pure metal in 1910, but it was not until 1948 that metal was produced commercially using the Kroll process (named after its developer, William Kr

In 2012, U.S. apparent consumption of strontium (contained in celestite and manufactured strontium compounds) decreased to 16.7 kt (18,400 st) from 17.3 kt (19,100 st) in 2011. Gross weight of imports was 34.3 kt (37,800 st), 86 percent of which originated in Mexico.

Global mine production of rare earths was estimated to have declined slightly in 2012 relative to 2011 (Fig. 1). Production in China was estimated to have decreased to 95 from 105 kt (104,700 from 115,700 st) in 2011, while new mine production in the United States and Australia increased.

Production of pumice in the United States during 2012 was estimated to be 515 kt (568,000 st), a 5-percent increase compared to 2011. The unit value of pumice varied widely by end use in 2012. Pumice used as an abrasive was priced at $10.30/t ($9.34/st), while specialty-grade pumice, used in cosmetics, filtration or precision grinding, could be priced as high as $400/t ($360/st) on a spot basis. E

In 2012, world potash production, consumption and sales decreased from 2011. High inventories of potash, primarily in China and India, forced major producers to reduce output in 2012. U.S. production was estimated to have decreased to 900 kt (990,000 st) potassium oxide (K2O) in 2012 from 1 Mt (1.1 million st) K2O in 2011. World production was estimated to have decreased to 34 Mt (37 million st) K

Domestic production and prices of crude processed perlite in the United States were estimated to have increased in 2012 compared with 2011. Perlite trade, both imports and exports, slowed in 2012 compared with 2011. With imports of perlite down by about 13 percent and domestic production up slightly, the balance resulted in a consumption decrease of about 20 kt (22,000 st). The estimated amount of

In 2012, domestic production of peat, excluding Alaska, was estimated to be 560 kt (617,000 st), compared with 568 kt (626,000 st) in 2011. In 2012, imports decreased to 940 kt (1 million st) compared with 982 kt (1.1 million st) in 2011, and exports were estimated to have increased to 75 kt (82,600 st) in 2012. U.S. apparent consumption for 2012 was estimated to have remained the same as that of

Ammonia was produced by 13 companies at 25 plants in 16 states during 2012. Sixty-one percent of total U.S. ammonia production capacity was centered in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas because of those states’ large reserves of natural gas, the dominant domestic feedstock.

In 2012, estimated world lithium consumption was about 28 kt (31,000 st) of lithium contained in minerals and compounds, an 8 percent increase from that of 2011. Estimated U.S. consumption was about 2 kt (2,200 st) of contained lithium, the same as that of 2011. The United States was thought to rank fourth in consumption of lithium and remained the leading importer of lithium carbonate and the lea