Sand, Gravel, Clay and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying in the US

This is the replacement to IBISWorld's May 2006 edition of Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying in the US report.

This report from IBISWorld provides a detailed analysis of the Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying industry in the US, including key growth trends, the competitive environment and the key issues facing the industry.

Industry Definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the mining and quarrying of construction and industrial sand and gravel, the mining and quarrying of clays, ceramic and refractory minerals, and/or the beneficiation by washing, screening, and otherwise preparing the mined sand, gravel and clays. The principal activity of this industry is the production of sand and gravel for use as aggregates in the construction of buildings and infrastructure (e.g. highways) and a significant share of industry revenue (annually around 25 to 30 per cent) is generated from the mining or quarrying of clays, ceramic and refractory minerals for downstream manufacturing applications. This industry comprises four main segments: NAICS 212321 Construction Sand and Gravel Mining which involves the operation, dredging and preparation of commercial grade sand and gravel. NAICS 212322 Industrial Sand Mining which involves the operation, dredging and preparation of industrial grade sand, often known as “silica”, “silica sand” or quartz sand” which is used glassmaking, foundry, abrasive, and many other industrial applications. NAICS 212324 Kaolin and Ball Clay Mining which involves mining and beneficiation of kaolin or ball clay (e.g., china clay, paper clay, and slip clay) mainly used in the production of paper and refractories (kaolin), and sanitary ware and ceramic tiles (ball clays). NAICS 212325 Clay and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining which involves the mining and beneficiation of clays (except kaolin or ball clays), ceramic and refractory materials such as common clay and shale for production of bricks, lightweight aggregate and cement clinker, fire clay for refractories, fuller's earth for absorbents, and bentonite for absorbents, drilling mud, foundry bonding agents and iron ore pelletizing.

The Key Statistics chapter provides the key indicators for the industry for at least the last three years. The statistics included are industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages.

The Market Characteristics chapter covers the following: Market Size, Linkages, Demand Determinants, Domestic and International Markets, Basis of Competition and Life Cycle. The Market Size section gives the size of the domestic market as well as the size of the export market. The Linkages section lists the industry's major supplier and major customer industries. The Demand Determinants section lists the key factors which are likely to cause demand to rise or fall. The Domestic and International Markets section defines the market for the products and services of the industry. This section provides the size of the domestic market and the proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. The Basis of Competition section outlines the key types of competition between firms within the industry as well as highlighting competition from substitute products in alternative industries. The Life Cycle section provides an analysis of which stage of development the industry is at.

The Segmentation chapter covers the following: Products and Service Segmentation, Major Market Segments, Industry Concentration and Geographic Spread. The Products and Service Segmentation section details the key products and/or services provided by this industry, highlighting the most important where possible to demonstrate which have a more significant influence over industry results as a whole. The Major Market Segments section details the key client industries and/or groups as well as giving an indication as to which of these are the most important to the industry. The Industry Concentration section provides an indicator of how much industry revenue is accounted for by the top four players. The Geographic Spread section provides a guide to the regional share of industry revenue/gross product.

The Industry Conditions chapter covers the following: Barriers to Entry, Taxation, Industry Assistance, Regulation and Deregulation, Cost Structure, Capital and Labor Intensity, Technology and Systems, Industry Volatility and Globalization. The Barriers to Entry section outlines factors that can prevent a new company from entering this industry and also gives an indication of the extent to which this occurs. The Taxation section details all kinds of taxation that are specific or are particularly important to this industry, including taxation concessions. The Industry Assistance section refers to any government and/or other measures designed to improve the performance of this industry. The Regulation and Deregulation section details any applicable regulation and/or deregulation to this industry. The Cost Structure section details the average costs for a company operating in this industry as a percentage of total revenue. The Capital and Labor Intensity section provides a guide to the amount of capital used in production/providing a service compared to the amount of labor in the total mix of inputs. The Technology and Systems section acknowledges the latest technology and/or systems available to this industry within the country. Technology refers to machinery and equipment and systems refers to methods of production that enable better and more efficient production. The Industry Volatility section refers to the year on year fluctuations which occur in industry output. The Globalization section gives an indication of the extent to which the industry is global based on factors such as the level of foreign ownership, the proportion of demand accounted for by foreign operators and the volume of production conducted in other countries.

The Performance chapter provides an analysis of both the industry's Current Performance and Historical Performance. The Current Performance section provides the key analysis for the industry over the past five years with key performance indicators discussed. The Historical Performance section details previously important events in the development of the industry.

The Key Competitors chapter lists the major players in the industry as well as an analysis of each major player's activities in the industry. Market share information is included where possible.

The Key Factors chapter covers the industry's Key Sensitivities and Key Success Factors. The Key Sensitivities section outlines the key factors that are outside the control of an operator in the industry, but are likely to have significant impact on a business. The Key Success Factors section details the factors within the control of an industry operator and which should be followed in order to be successful in the industry. Often this will include behavior that will help to minimize the effects of the Key Sensitivities.

The Outlook chapter is a key analysis section of the report and outlines expectations for the key industry indicators over the next five year period, including forecasts.