Iron Ore Trade Up, Limestone Down in June
Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in June, an increase of 47.8 percent from 2022. Shipments were 12.7 percent above the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 19.9 million tons, 44 percent below the previous year’s total of 13.8 million tons. Iron shipments are above their 5-year average by 7.9 percent for the first half of the year.
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.1 million tons in June, a decrease of 17.6 percent from a year ago. This June’s loadings were also below the month’s 5-year average by 17.4 percent. Loadings out of U.S. quarries totaled 2.5 million tons, a decrease of 15.2 percent compared to last year. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 610,702 tons, a decrease of 26.4 percent. Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at nearly 8.1 million tons, a decrease of 16.9 percent compared to 2022. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries decreased by 15.8 percent from a year ago. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 1.6 million tons, a decrease of 21.2 percent.

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