Great Lakes Limestone Trade Down in 2025
Limestone shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 26.6 million tons in 2025, a decrease of 5.9 percent compared to the previous year. 2025’s loadings were below the trade’s 5-year average by 6.7 percent.
Shipments from U.S. quarries decreased 5 percent from 2024 to 21.7 million tons. Loadings from U.S. quarries were also 5 percent below their 5-year average.
2025 shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 4.9 million tons, a 9.7 percent decrease compared to 2024 and 13.9 percent below the 5-year average.
GREAT LAKES LIMESTONE TRADE: DECEMBER 2020-2025 AND LONG-TERM AVERAGE
(NET TONS)
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Average | |
U.S. Ports | 847,215 | 1,323,849 | 1,079,583 | 1,646,093 | 874,939 | 1,112,510 | 1,154,336 |
Canadian Ports | 276,112 | 205,840 | 163,913 | 331,833 | 257,370 | 232,451 | 247,014 |
Total | 1,123,327 | 1,529,689 | 1,243,496 | 1,977,926 | 1,132,309 | 1,344,961 | 1,401,349 |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2020-2025 AND LONG-TERM AVERAGE
(NET TONS)
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023* | 2024 | 2025 | Average | |
U.S. Ports | 21,089,508 | 23,492,512 | 23,041,015 | 23,635,342 | 22,824,261 | 21,683,733 | 22,816,528 |
Canadian Ports | 5,510,556 | 6,024,618 | 5,752,246 | 5,755,414 | 5,429,080 | 4,903,496 | 5,694,383 |
Total | 26,600,064 | 29,517,130 | 28,793,261 | 29,390,756 | 28,253,341 | 26,587,229 | 28,510,910 |
*Revised 7/11/24
U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI. Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Port Colborne (from August 2017 on), and Smelter Bay (all Ontario).