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This table presents detailed data on the quantities and values of pumice imported into the United States, categorized by whether the pumice is crude or unmanufactured versus wholly or partly manufactured, and further broken down by country or locality of origin. This information is crucial for understanding the supply dynamics of pumice, a volcanic rock widely used in construction, abrasives, horticulture, and industrial applications. Tracking these imports helps assess the U.S. market’s dependence on foreign sources, informs trade policy decisions, and supports industries that rely on pumice as a raw material or component in manufacturing processes.
Analysis of the data reveals a significant increase in total pumice imports from 2023 to 2024. Crude or unmanufactured pumice imports surged from 53,100 metric tons valued at $2.88 million to 144,000 metric tons valued at $5.61 million, more than doubling in quantity and nearly doubling in value. Greece remains the dominant supplier of crude pumice, with imports rising sharply from 40,200 metric tons to 105,000 metric tons. Iceland and Norway also contributed notable quantities in 2024, with Iceland increasing from 9,030 to 17,800 metric tons and Norway entering the data with 16,500 metric tons. Manufactured pumice imports also saw a substantial rise, from 1,660 metric tons valued at $1.24 million to 5,450 metric tons valued at $1.76 million. China stands out as the leading source of manufactured pumice, with imports jumping from 138 to 3,690 metric tons and value increasing from $429,000 to $797,000. Mexico also showed growth in both crude and manufactured pumice imports. These trends indicate expanding industrial demand and a diversification of supply sources for pumice in the U.S. market.
| TABLE 2 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF PUMICE, | |||||||||||||
| BY CLASS AND COUNTRY OR LOCALITY1 | |||||||||||||
| Crude or | Wholly or partly | ||||||||||||
| unmanufactured | manufactured | ||||||||||||
| Country | Quantity | Value | Quantity | Value | |||||||||
| or locality | (metric tons) | (thousands) | (metric tons) | (thousands) | |||||||||
| 2023: | |||||||||||||
| Austria | -- | -- | 2 | 13 | |||||||||
| China | 32 | 27 | 138 | 429 | |||||||||
| Germany | 79 | 40 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Greece | 40200 | 1590 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Iceland | 9030 | 731 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Japan | 42 | 30 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Mexico | 67 | 90 | 1500 | 524 | |||||||||
| Poland | 3700 | 370 | 1 | 28 | |||||||||
| Spain | -- | -- | 9 | 167 | |||||||||
| Vietnam | -- | -- | 13 | 41 | |||||||||
| Other | 4 | 3 | 2 | 33 | |||||||||
| Total | 53100 | 2880 | 1660 | 1240 | |||||||||
| 2024: | |||||||||||||
| Austria | -- | -- | 3 | 13 | |||||||||
| China | 24 | 21 | 3690 | 797 | |||||||||
| Germany | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25 | |||||||||
| Greece | 105000 | 2900 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Iceland | 17800 | 1470 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Japan | 869 | 349 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Mexico | 171 | 86 | 1730 | 686 | |||||||||
| Norway | 16500 | 326 | -- | -- | |||||||||
| Poland | 4500 | 450 | 2 | 53 | |||||||||
| Spain | -- | -- | 7 | 129 | |||||||||
| Vietnam | -- | -- | 8 | 35 | |||||||||
| Other | 1 | 6 | 4 | 18 | |||||||||
| Total | 144000 | 5610 | 5450 | 1760 | |||||||||
-- Zero.
1Table includes data available through March 27, 2025. Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Pumice and Pumicite statistics | Mineral commodity prices