Pennsuco Wetlands Restoration Progressing
January 1, 2005Economic Impact
October 18, 2017How is Limestone, Making Our Modern Lives Possible?
Concrete, steel, and wood, are the essential building materials in modern society. We use them to build our homes, schools, hospitals, highways and roads, airports, shopping malls – virtually all the infrastructure we use and rely on each day. Concrete is made by mixing only four ingredients: sand, water, cement, and aggregate. Limestone is the most commonly used aggregate for the production of concrete.
Aggregate is made from high quality, natural deposits of limestone such as those present in the Lake Belt area of western Miami-Dade County. Limestone is a huge source of economic revenue and jobs for Florida, which ranks second in the United States for the production of limestone and fourth in consumption.
Some of the benefits of the high-quality limestone found in the Lake Belt include:
- Affordability –Limestone quarrying is the most efficient and inexpensive method for obtaining aggregate, which directly impacts Florida’s construction industry, allowing the state to have the lowest construction costs in America.
- Availability –Limestone is found in abundance in the Lake Belt, which alone annually produces 60 million tons of aggregate, nearly 50% of the entire production of aggregate in Florida.
- Tractability –Limestone comes in various grades, which makes it an ideal substance for a myriad of applications such as base course, fillers, landscape, agriculture, and various commercial/industrial uses.
- Lightweight –Limestone is lighter than both granite and gravel, other commonly utilized aggregate materials.
- Natural Filter – The natural permeability of limestone helps to manage and filter stormwater runoff and control pollutants.