Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse

particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled
concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined materials in the world.
Aggregates are a component of composite materials such as concrete and asphalt concrete; the
aggregate serves as reinforcement to add strength to the overall composite material. Due to the
relatively high hydraulic conductivity value as compared to most soils, aggregates are widely
used in drainage applications such as foundation and French drains, septic drain fields, retaining
wall drains, and road side edge drains. Aggregates are also used as base material under
foundations, roads, and railroads. In other words, aggregates are used as a stable foundation or
road/rail base with predictable, uniform properties (e.g. to help prevent differential settling under
the road or building), or as a low-cost extender that binds with more expensive cement or asphalt
to form concrete.
Preferred bitumenous aggregate sizes for road construction are given in EN 13043 as d/D (where
the range shows the smallest and largest square mesh grating that the particles can pass). The
same classification sizing is used for larger armour stone sizes in EN 13383, EN 12620 for
concrete aggregate, EN 13242 for base layers of road construction and EN 13450 for railway
ballast.
The American Society for Testing and Materials publishes an exhaustive listing of specifications
for various construction aggregate products, which, by their individual design, are suitable for
specific construction purposes. These products include specific types of coarse and fine
aggregate designed for such uses as additives to asphalt and concrete mixes, as well as other
construction uses. State transportation departments further refine aggregate material
specifications in order to tailor aggregate use to the needs and available supply in their particular
locations.
Sources for these basic materials can be grouped into three main areas: Mining of mineral
aggregate deposits, including sand, gravel, and stone; use of waste slag from the manufacture of
iron and steel; and recycling of concrete, which is itself chiefly manufactured from mineral
aggregates. In addition, there are some (minor) materials that are used as specialty lightweight
aggregates: clay, pumice, perlite, and vermiculite.

Modern production[edit]
The advent of modern blasting methods enabled the development of quarries, which are now
used throughout the world, wherever competent bedrock deposits of aggregate quality exist. In
many places, goodlimestone, granite, marble or other quality stone bedrock deposits do not exist.
In these areas, natural sand and gravel are mined for use as aggregate. Where neither stone, nor
sand and gravel, are available, construction demand is usually satisfied by shipping in aggregate
by rail, barge or truck. Additionally, demand for aggregates can be partially satisfied through the
use of slag and recycled concrete. However, the available tonnages and lesser quality of these
materials prevent them from being a viable replacement for mined aggregates on a large scale.

Over 1 million tons annually are mined from this quarry near San Francisco.[1]

Large stone quarry and sand and gravel operations exist near virtually all population centers.
These are capital-intensive operations, utilizing large earth-moving equipment, belt conveyors,
and machines specifically designed for crushing and separating various sizes of aggregate, to
create distinct product stockpiles.
According to the USGS, 2006 U.S. crushed stone production was 1.72 billion tonnes valued at
$13.8 billion (compared to 1.69 billion tonnes valued at $12.1 billion in 2005), of which limestone
was 1,080 million tonnes valued at $8.19 billion from 1,896 quarries, granite was 268 million
tonnes valued at $2.59 billion from 378 quarries, traprock was 148 million tonnes valued at $1.04
billion from 355 quarries, and the balance other kinds of stone from 729 quarries. Limestone and
granite are also produced in large amounts as dimension stone. The great majority of the crushed
stone moved by heavy truck from the quarry/plant to the first point of sale or use. According to
the USGS, 2006 U.S. sand and gravel production was 1.32 billion tonnes valued at $8.54 billion
(compared to 1.27 billion tonnes valued at $7.46 billion in 2005), of which 264 million tonnes
valued at $1.92 billion was used as concrete aggregates. The great majority of this was again
moved by truck, instead of by electric train.
Currently, total U.S. aggregate demand by final market sector was 30%35% for non-residential
building (offices, hotels, stores, manufacturing plants, government and institutional buildings, and
others), 25% for highways, and 25% for housing. [2]

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