STONE (DIMENSION)1/

             (Data in thousand metric tons, unless noted)

Domestic Production and Use:  Dimension stone totaling 1.32 million tons (1.46 short
tons) valued at $220 million was produced by 172 companies at 257 quarries in 36
States.  Dimension stone was used in rough blocks in building, 17%; ashlar, 16%;
rough blocks for monuments, 11%; dressed monumental, 10%; and other, 46%.  Leading
producing States were Indiana, Georgia, and Vermont, which together accounted for 39%
of the output.  Of the total, 42% was granite; 31%, limestone; 14%, sandstone; 3%,
slate; 3%, marble; and 7%, other.

Salient Statistics--United States:2/    1991      1992      1993      1994      1995e/
Production: Tonnage                    1,160     1,140     1,280     1,190     1,320
            Value, million dollars       211       198       226       218       220
Imports for consumption, value, 
 million dollars                         475       404       398       440       470
Exports, value, million dollars           65        55        53        53        51
Consumption, apparent, value, 
 million dollars                         621       547       571       605       741
Price                                        Variable, depending on type of product
Stocks, yearend                           NA        NA        NA        NA        NA
Employment, quarry and mill3/          3,000     3,000     3,000     3,000     3,000
Net import reliance4/ as a percent of 
 apparent consumption (based on value)    66        64        60        64        57
Granite only: 
 Production                              573       594       624       499       554
 Imports for consumption                 553       466       494        NA        NA
 Exports (rough and finished)            121       119       143       170        NA
 Consumption, apparent                 1,000       941       975        NA        NA
 Price                                       Variable, depending on type of product
 Stocks, yearend                          NA        NA        NA        NA        NA
 Employment, quarry and mill3/         1,500     1,500     1,500     1,500     1,500
 Net import reliance4/ as a percent 
  of apparent consumption (based 
  on tonnage)                             43        37        36        NA        NA

Recycling:  Small amounts of dimension stone are recycled principally by restorers of
old stone work.

Import Sources (1991-94) (based on value):  Dimension stone:  Italy, 45%; Spain, 11%;
India, 9%; Canada, 6%; and other, 29%.  Granite only:  Italy, 46%; Canada, 15%;
India, 14%; Brazil, 10%; Spain, 6%; and other, 9%.

Tariff:  Dimension stone tariffs ranged from free to 7.5% ad valorem for most favored
nations in 1995 according to type, size, value, and degree of preparation.  


Prepared by Dimension Stone Specialist, (703) 648-7710.

                           STONE (DIMENSION)

Depletion Allowance:  14% (Domestic and Foreign);  5% if used for rubble and other
nonbuilding purposes.

Government Stockpile:  None.

Events, Trends, and Issues:  Dimension stone imports increased 7% to a value of $470
million in 1995.  Value of imports exceeded that of production for the 12th
successive year.  

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:
                         Mine production               Reserves and reserve base5/
                          1994    1995e/
United States            1,190    1,320                Adequate except for certain
Other countries             NA       NA                special types and local
 World total                NA       NA                shortages.

World Resources:  Dimension stone resources of the world are sufficient.  Resources
can be limited on a local level or occasionally on a regional level by the lack of a
particular kind of stone that is suitable for dimension purposes.

Substitutes:  Substitutes for dimension stone include concrete, steel, aluminum,
resin agglomerated stone, and plastics.

e/Estimated.  NA Not available.
1/See also Stone (Crushed).
2/Includes Puerto Rico.
3/Excluding office staff.
4/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock
changes.  Changes in stocks were assumed to be zero in the net import reliance and
apparent consumption calculations because data on stocks were not available.
5/See Appendix C for definitions.

Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996