Non-Metal Mining & Quarrying NAICS 2123

Jan 27, 2026 - 2026 Outlook for Aggregates

• Infrastructure spending and a robust pipeline of nonresidential megaprojects, including data centers, LNG facilities, and new manufacturing plants, position aggregates producers for solid demand in 2026, Pit & Quarry reports. Aggregate producers enter 2026 with momentum: In December, the US Geological Survey reported aggregate production increased 5% in Q3, reversing six consecutive quarters of aggregate volume declines in the US. December’s interest rate cut and the possibility of another cut could help revive the sluggish residential sector, adding further volume opportunities. For quarry operators, 2026 will also be shaped by major equipment and technology rollouts. Advancements in automation, sensors, and connectivity are expected to accelerate modernization across pits and processing plants, influencing capital‑spending decisions and competitive dynamics. Overall, the new year signals continued demand stability, rising technological sophistication, and expanding market visibility for producers willing to invest and adapt, according to P&Q.
• Year-to-date mining industry fatalities numbered 29 in November 2025, one more than the total from 2024, Pit & Quarry reports citing the latest data from the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA). In mid-October a miner died at a lime facility in an accident the agency classified as a slip or fall of a person. Later in the month, another miner died at a crushed stone operation in Florida that MSHA characterized as a powered haulage accident. Another miner died in a powered haulage accident in November at an underground coal mine in West Virginia due to inundation. Of the 29 fatal mine accidents so far in 2025, nearly half (13) were due to powered haulage. MSHA attributed four fatal accidents this year to machinery. The all-time-low mark for mining fatalities in a single year is 25, the total in 2016.

• Shipments of limestone across the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in August, a 3% drop compared to a year earlier, Pit & Quarry reports. August’s decline follows a decrease of less than 1% in July, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA). According to LCA, August’s cargos were below the month’s five-year average by 6.7%. Loadings from US quarries totaled 2.95 million tons, up 1.8% compared to a year ago. Year over year, the Great Lakes limestone trade is down 4% to 16.3 million tons compared to the first eight months of 2024. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries totaled 13.4 million tons, a decrease of 2.1%. Analysts point to a combination of factors for the recent decline in shipments, including fluctuating construction demand, weather-related shipment delays earlier in the season, and vessel scheduling adjustments, according to World Ports Org.
• Producer prices for non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying firms rose 5.8% in September compared to a year ago, after rising 5.5% in the previous September-versus-September annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Industry producer prices reached another record high in September, extending their nearly four-year climb. Industry payrolls also are at all-time highs: Employment by non-metal mining and quarrying firms grew 2.2% year over year in August, while average industry wages rose 5.1% over the same period to a new high of $30.07 per hour, BLS data show.