How big is the building stone industry?

CONSTRUCTION MINERALS The term ‘construction minerals' is used to describe all minerals used by the construction industry, for example in road making, in concrete, in house construction and as railway ballast. The largest component of construction minerals and the most voluminous materials extracted from the UK landmass are ‘aggregates' - a term used to describe granular or particulate material which is suitable for use, on its own or with a binder such as cement, lime or bitumen (in construction). Aggregates are used in concrete, mortar, roadstone or asphalt (drainage courses), or for constructional fill or railway ballast. The two principal types of natural aggregate are crushed rock (limestone, igneous rock and sandstone) and sand and gravel. In addition to land-won sand and gravel, significant quantities are produced by marine dredging. Other minerals used in the construction industry are clay, chalk and limestone for cement making, brick clay, gypsum, slate and building stone.

UK production of construction minerals in 2006 in million tonnes (Mt)

1. •Aggregates 231.7 Mt
   

2. •Cement raw materials (clay, limestone & chalk) 14.4 Mt
   

3. •Clay and shale, and fireclay 8.0 Mt
   

4. •Gypsum, natural 1.7 Mt
   

5. •Slate 0.9 Mt
   

6. •Building (dimension) stone  0.8 Mt
   

7. 
   

So stone for building repairs and new construction comprises less than 0.007% of quarrying activity in the UK.

Source: British Geological Survey: Minerals UK

Office of National Statistics: Mineral extraction in Great Britain. Downloadable spreadsheets. Building stones are found on sheets -

3 Sandstone

4 Igneous rock

5 Limestone

5A Dolomite

12 Other minerals, which includes all slate, sandstone and limestone used for roofing and cladding in a ‘slate’ format.  The slate data are unreliable for a variety of reasons.