Nonmetallic Mineral Mining & Quarrying Industry Profile

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 2023 are lime (430 million metric tons), phosphate rock (220 million), and salt (270 million), according to the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 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 7% 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 8% of domestic production.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products for the industry in the US include crushed and broken limestone ...