Salient Lime Statistics

This table presents comprehensive statistics on lime production, consumption, and trade in the United States, highlighting key metrics such as the number of operating plants, quantities of quicklime and hydrated lime produced and sold, as well as import and export volumes. Lime is a critical industrial mineral used extensively in steel manufacturing, environmental applications, construction, and chemical processes. Tracking these data points provides valuable insights into the health and trends of the lime industry, which in turn reflect broader economic activities and infrastructure development.

Analysis of the data reveals a slight decline in the number of lime plants in the U.S., decreasing from 86 in 2019 to 82 in 2023. Total quicklime production fluctuated over the five-year period, peaking at 14,100 thousand metric tons in 2022 before dropping to 13,400 thousand metric tons in 2023. Hydrated lime production showed a gradual decrease, falling from 2,700 thousand metric tons in 2019 to 2,470 thousand metric tons in 2023. Despite these production shifts, the total value of lime sold or used increased significantly, rising from $2.25 billion in 2019 to $3.07 billion in 2023, driven by a notable increase in average value per metric ton from $133.2 to $191.3. Imports and exports remained relatively stable, with exports rebounding to 344 thousand metric tons in 2023 after a dip in 2020, while imports hovered around 340 thousand metric tons. Apparent consumption mirrored production trends, peaking at 17,000 thousand metric tons in 2022 before declining to 16,000 thousand metric tons in 2023. Globally, lime production remained steady at approximately 424 million metric tons in 2023, underscoring the U.S. industry's role within the broader international market.