Sept. 19, 2023 – U.S. mine and plant production data for 16 selected mineral commodities are provided on a monthly (or quarterly) basis by the U.S. Geological Survey to the Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System (FRS), for use in preparing its index of industrial production and the related capacity indexes and capacity utilization rates. These measures cover manufacturing, mining and electric and gas utilities, and they are among the key economic indicators monitored by the FRS for guidance in determining national monetary policy.
The combined production of construction-related materials (cement, construction sand and gravel, crushed stone and gypsum) in the second quarter of 2023 increased by 43% compared with that in the first quarter of 2023 following the typical seasonal trend. but production in the first six months of 2023 was slightly lower than that in the first six months of 2022. Production of construction sand and gravel, crushed stone and cement in the second quarter of 2023 were 54%, 38%, and 34% higher, respectively, than that in the first quarter of 2023.
Gypsum production was slightly higher in the second quarter of 2023 compared with that in the first quarter of 2023. Phosphate rock production was an estimated 11% higher in the second quarter of 2023 than that in the first quarter of 2023 and was slightly higher in the first six months of 2023 compared with that in the first six months of 2022. Soda ash production was 10% higher in the second quarter of 2023 compared with that in the first quarter of 2023 but was slightly lower in the first six months of 2023 compared with the same time period in 2022.