You asked how many tons of minerals are mined in Connecticut each year and from which towns. You are particularly interested in the amount of sand, gravel and flat rocks.

According to the most recent U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) data available, Connecticut produced about 18,417,000 metric tons of raw minerals in 2004, compared to 18,602,000 metric tons in 2003, and 18,395,000 metric tons in 2002. However, these are approximate numbers that do not include certain minerals for which information was withheld to protect company proprietary data.

Crushed stone and construction sand and gravel are the state's leading mineral commodities by value, accounting for nearly all of the state's mineral production. According to the USGS, Connecticut's raw mineral production was valued at $ 131 million in 2004, a 1. 5% decrease from 2003. The USGS attributes this decrease to a $ 6 million drop in the value of crushed stone, partly offset by a more than $ 4 million increase in the value of construction sand and gravel.

Crushed stone quarried in Connecticut is used for riprap and jetty stone, as fine and coarse aggregate, and other uses. Sand and gravel are used in concrete aggregate (including concrete sand), concrete products (blocks, bricks, pipe and decorative uses), road construction, fill, and in snow and ice control.

We were unable to pinpoint the towns from which the minerals were extracted, but provide the number of crushed stone quarries and sand and gravel pits by county. We also are attaching a USGS map showing the major mineral producing areas of the state. We were unable to learn about “flat rock” but believe this may refer to “dimension stone,” which is rock quarried to obtain blocks or slabs of particular sizes and shapes, used for building, ornamentation, or in stone walls. According to the USGS, information about the amount of dimension stone produced in Connecticut has been withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary information.

The four tables below describe the amounts and types of crushed stone, sand, and gravel extracted in Connecticut, statewide and by county.

Table I lists the amount of various minerals extracted in the state between 2002 and 2004 (in thousand metric tons).

Source: USGS

Table II indicates the number of quarries producing different types of crushed stone between 2002 and 2004 (in thousand metric tons).

Source: USGS

Table III shows the amount of sand and gravel excavated and the number of sand and gravel pits, by county, in 2004.

Source: USGS

Table IV shows the number of crushed stone quarries and amount of crushed stone extracted, by county, in 2004.

Source: USGS

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