Limestone is Missouri's most abundant commercial
mineral. It was created 320-500 million years ago by the deposition
of calcium and magnesium on ocean floors. Almost all limestone formations
in the state contain fossils of animals that lived in the ocean,
providing evidence of the interesting land-sea changes which thispart
of the country has undergone in the geologic past.
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The Missouri Limestone
Producers Association (MLPA) was organized in 1944 to promote
and protect the interest of crushed stone operators located
or doing business in the state.
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Limestone's unique physical and chemical properties
allow it to have many uses. Hundreds of beautiful, historic structures
in Missouri were built with it, including Daniel Boone's home, the
Old St. Louis Cathedral near the Arch, and even the State Capitol
Building! Today, it has extensive use as one of the raw materials
in Portland Cement. Specialty uses include the manufacturing of
pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, paint, paper, caulking and glass. Common
antacids are virtually 100% finely-ground limestone. Farmers use
limestone to neutralize acidity in their soils. Counties use crushed
limestone to provide an all-weather driving surface on unpaved roads.
However, it is most commonly used as construction aggregate.
CONSTRUCTION USES
 Everytime
you see a work crew on a residential, commercial or public project,
it's virtually guaranteed that aggregates are being put to use.
In Missouri, aggregates are most often found in the form of crushed
limestone. The following facts about limestone aggregates point
out the importance of this resource and why it is beneficial to
have a quarry nearby.
- Construction of a typical home requires 300 to
400 tons of aggregate.
- Up to 80% of the concrete in roads and other structures
is comprised of crushed stone; up to 95% of asphalt roads and
parking lots is crushed stone. One mile of a two-lane concrete
highway requires 7,200 tons of aggregate; one mile of a two-lane
asphalt highway requires 10,300 tons of aggregate.
- About one-half of all crushed stone production
is used for publicly-funded projects, such as highways, bridges,
water/sewer systems, public buildings, airports, etc.
- Most aggregates are used within 40 miles of where
they are extracted and are typically hauled by dump truck. After
a truck loaded with aggregate travels about 20 miles, freight
charges usually begin to exceed the cost of the materials it carries.
- Limestone is mined in 92 of Missouri's 114 counties,
and the industry employs more than 2,500 people with a combined
payroll of more than $70 million.
- More than 75 million tons of crushed limestone
products are produced in Missouri each year -- roughly 10 tons
for each resident.
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Missouri Limestone Producers Association
P.O. Box 1725
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-635-0208
Fax: 573-634-8006
Steve Rudloff
Executive Manager
steve@molimestone.com
Who
We Are
Information about
MLPA, our structure and our purpose.
Educational
Resources
A great resource for teachers! Plus, learn more about an upcoming
Teacher's Workshop.
Find
a Limestone Producer Near You
Need stone for your next project? Find a local producer for your
job.
The
Basics of Blasting Vibrations & Noise
Information about how blasting is used for construction and mining.
One
of Nature's Gifts to Agriculture
Aglime is one of the most cost effective products a farmer can apply
to fields.
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