Lakes Limestone Trade Down 22 Percent in October
CLEVELAND – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 2.9 million tons in October, a decrease of 10 percent compared to September, and 21.8 percent below the level of a year ago. The October stone float was also 20 percent off the month’s 5-year average. Shipments from U.S. ports fell 22 percent in October. Loadings at Canadian quarries slipped by 24 percent.
Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 23.5 million tons, an increase of 36,000 tons compared to a year ago, but a decrease of 1,258,000 tons, or 6 percent, compared to the 5-year average for the January-October timeframe.