Lakes Limestone Trade Rises in May

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.745 million tons in May, an increase of 3.9 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association reports. May’s loadings also bettered the month’s five-year average by the same percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.155 million tons, an increase of 7.9 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 590,000 tons, a decrease of 13.5 percent.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 5.2 million tons, a decrease of 1.5 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 4.47 million tons, an increase of 3.1 percent.  Shipments from Ontario quarries total 767,000 tons, a decrease of 21.7 percent.