INDUSTRIAL SAND AND GRAVEL

Domestic production of industrial sand and gravel in 2007 was about 35 Mt (38.6 million st), a 10-percent increase from 2006. U.S. apparent consumption was 31.7 Mt (35 million st) and imports were about 511 kt (563,300 st) in 2007. This was a 10-percent increase and 40-percent decrease, respectively, compared with 2006.

Imports of silica are generally of two types, smallquantity shipments of very-high-purity silica or a few large shipments of lower grade silica that were shipped only under special circumstances (such as very low freight rates).

The United States was the world's leading producer and consumer of industrial sand and gravel, based on estimated world production …