SAND AND GRAVEL (CONSTRUCTION)1/

             (Data in million metric tons, unless noted)2/

Domestic Production and Use:  Construction sand and gravel valued at $3.8 billion was
produced by 4,250 companies from 6,000 operations in 50 States.  Leading States, in
order of volume, were California, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Washington, Arizona,
Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Indiana, which together accounted for about 52%
of the total output.  It is estimated that, of the 879 million metric tons of
construction sand and gravel produced in 1995, about 35% were unspecified uses.  Of
the remaining total, about 42% was used as concrete aggregates; 24% for road base and
coverings and road stabilization; 14% as asphaltic concrete aggregates and other
bituminous mixtures; 13% as construction fill; 2% for concrete products such as
blocks, bricks, pipes, etc.; 1% for plaster and gunite sands; and the remainder for
snow and ice control, railroad ballast, roofing granules, filtration, and other
miscellaneous uses.

The estimated output of construction sand and gravel in the 48 conterminous States
shipped for consumption in the first 9 months of 1995 was about 644 million tons,
which represents a decrease of 1.9% compared with the same period of 1994. 
Additional production information by quarters for each State, geographic region, and
the United States is published in the Quarterly Mineral Industry Survey for Crushed
Stone and Sand and Gravel.

Salient Statistics--United States:   1991     1992     1993     1994     1995e/
Production                         e/ 708      834   e/ 869      891      879
Imports for consumption                 1        1        1        1        2
Exports                                 1        1        1        1        1
Consumption, apparent                 708      834      869      891      878
Price, average value, dollars                                         
 per ton                             3.96     4.01     4.06     4.20     4.29
Stocks, yearend                        NA       NA       NA       NA       NA
Employment, quarry and mille/      41,430   41,600   42,000   42,500   42,500
Net import reliance3/ as a percent                                                    
 of apparent consumption               --       --      --        --       --

Recycling:  Asphalt road surfaces and cement concrete surfaces and structures were
recycled on a limited, but increasing, basis.

Import Sources (1991-94):  Construction sand and gravel:  Canada, 65%; Bahamas, 16%;
Antigua and Barbuda, 5%; and other, 14%.

Tariff: Item             Number     Most favored nation (MFN)   Non-MFN4/
                                             12/31/95           12/31/95
Sand, construction    2505.90.0000             Free               Free.
Gravel, construction  2517.10.0000             Free            30% ad val.

Depletion Allowance:  (Domestic and Foreign) Common varieties, 5%.

Government Stockpile:  None.

Prepared by Wallace P. Bolen, (703) 648-7727.

                    SAND AND GRAVEL (CONSTRUCTION)

Events, Trends, and Issues:  Construction sand and gravel output decreased 1.4% in
1995.  It is estimated that 1996 domestic production and U.S. apparent consumption
will be about 890 million tons each, a 1.3% increase.

The construction sand and gravel industry continued to be concerned with safety and
health regulations and environmental restrictions.  Shortages in urban and
industrialized areas were expected to continue to increase due to local zoning
regulations and land development.  This is expected to continue to cause a movement
of sand and gravel operations away from highly populated centers.

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:
              
                      Mine production   Reserves and reserve base5/ 
                        1994   1995e/ 
United States            891    879     The reserves and reserve base
Other countries           NA     NA     are controlled largely by land
 World total              NA     NA     use and/or environmental constraints.
                                        Local shortages of sand or gravel are
                                        common.

World Resources:  Sand and gravel resources of the world are large.  However, due to
their geographic distribution, environmental restrictions, and quality requirements
for some uses, their extraction is sometimes uneconomic.  The most important
commercial sources of sand and gravel have been river flood plain, river channel, and
glacial deposits.  Marine deposits are being used presently in the United States,
mostly for beach erosion control, but as a source of construction aggregates in other
countries.

Substitutes:  Crushed stone remains the predominant alternative for construction
aggregate use.

e/Estimated.  NA Not available.
1/See also Sand and Gravel (Industrial).
2/See Appendix A for conversion to short tons.
3/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock
changes.
4/See Appendix B.
5/See Appendix C for definitions.

                              Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996