Every time 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, government 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.
Millions of tons of crushed limestone products are produced in Missouri each year -- roughly 10 tons for each resident.
For more information go to http://dnr.mo.gov/geology/geosrv/imac/limestone.htm