Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4.1 million net tons in July, an increase of 6 percent over June, and 11.9 percent better than a year ago. Loadings were also more than 8 percent ahead of the month’s five-year average.

Shipments from U.S. ports rose 12.3 percent to 3,347,818 tons. Canadian quarries’ total of 735,935 tons represented an increase of roughly three boatloads.

 Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 14 million tons, an increase of 14 percent compared to a year ago, and a slight increase compared to the 5-year average for the January-July timeframe.