Freight of Non-Metallic Minerals

Freight of non-metallic minerals tends to display volatile behavior regarding the tonnage of minerals transported. Sulfur, gypsum, sand, gravel and crushed stone are the primary non-metallic minerals transported via freight. Of all the non-metallic minerals transported, sulfur has historically accounted for more than one-third of the freight. In the past two decades, the amount of sulfur transported has declined substantially, contributing to a decline in non-metallic freight overall. This has been driven partly by a lower supply of sulfur from processing plants during the same period. In contrast, the amount of sand, gravel and crushed stone transported during the past two decades has increased substantially, decelerating the incline driven by the transportation of sulfur.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic led to a 6.0% decline in the freight of non-metallic minerals in 2020, in part because of the effects of shutdowns and limitations on downstream sectors amid the strong lockdown mandates imposed in the year, which did, in turn, lower economic activity in the year from transpiring more thoroughly. The 2020 decline in activity largely mirrored another significant decline in 2009 largely because of the international financial crisis that also transpired in the year. The freight of non-metallic minerals returned to slight growth in 2021, driven by the vital reopening of the economy, which in turn grew demand for freight carriers to carry more of these goods in the period to assist in supplanting downstream industries needing these such materials. In 2022, freight of non-metallic minerals rose 0.8%, aided by continued demand among more reopened industries operating at a higher rate to sustain increased demand levels. The initiative, known as the Critical Minerals Strategy, launched in late 2022, included potash as a list of essential minerals covered under this program, which also helped grow production rates. In turn, freight carriers of non-metallic minerals endured a 5.1% expansion in 2023 with a lot more downstream industries scaling up their activities in the year. In 2024 these rates expanded in line with a need for these materials to account for buildings relying on diversifying materials to become sustainable. In 2024, the transportation of non-metallic materials increased, coinciding with the growing need for sustainable construction materials as buildings became more reliant on diverse materials for sustainability. However, in 2025, these freight movements are expected to drop by 2.0%. This drop is primarily driven by countries like Saudi Arabia ramping up their sulfur production, heightening competition and challenges for local domestic producers. Concurrently, construction developers will face rising cost pressures, prompting them to streamline operations and opt for fewer excess materials. This shift in strategy will favor cost-effective and optimized materials for volume, thereby suppressing the need in the market for non-metallic materials.