Pumice: Overview
From building blocks to garden pots and denim
What this tab covers What the commodity is used for, why, in what volumes and with what alternatives, and its chain from mine or field to end user. Also the latest price moves, top recent news, three things to know, and buttons into each tab.Key uses
| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight building blocks and prefabricated lightweight concrete | n/a | n/a basis | Pumice is volcanic glass full of gas bubbles, so it is light, insulating and strong enough for blocks and wall panels. Its cementitious properties, light weight and strength suit European-style stone and concrete construction (USGS). USGS MCS 2026, Pumice and Pumicite | Expanded shale and clay Autoclaved aerated concrete Crushed aggregates (heavier) |
| Concrete admixtures and natural pozzolan for blended cement | n/a | n/a basis | Fine pumicite reacts with lime released by cement to form extra binder, improving durability and cutting clinker use. This is the oldest concrete technology, used by the Romans, and is regaining interest to lower cement CO2. USGS MCS 2026 | Fly ash Ground granulated blast-furnace slag Calcined clay Silica fume |
| Abrasives (cleaners, polishes, personal care, denim stone washing) | n/a | n/a basis | Pumice is a mild, uniform abrasive. Lumps are tumbled with jeans to give a stone-washed finish, and powder goes into hand cleaners, polishes and toothpaste. USGS MCS 2026 | Enzyme washing (denim) Diatomite, feldspar and silica abrasives |
| Horticulture (soil conditioner and growing media) | n/a | n/a basis | Pumice adds aeration and drainage to potting mixes and green roofs without breaking down, and is light to handle. USGS MCS 2026 | Perlite Vermiculite Expanded clay (USGS lists vermiculite and expanded clay as substitutes) |
| Absorbents, filtration and road use | n/a | n/a basis | Porous pumice absorbs liquids, serves as a filter medium and gives skid resistance on icy roads. USGS MCS 2026 | Diatomite (USGS) Clay absorbents Sand |
From mine to user
- 1. Volcanic deposits Pumice forms when gas-rich lava froths and cools quickly. Large deposits occur on all continents; US resources exceed 25 Mt identified and may total over 1 billion t (USGS).
- 2. Open-pit mining All known US pumice mining in 2025 was open pit, generally in remote areas; 10 operations in five states (USGS).
- 3. Crushing, screening and drying Rock is crushed, sized and sometimes dried; reject fines can cause local dust (USGS).
- 4. Transport Low value per tonne means freight sets how far pumice can travel (USGS). Greece shipped about 80% of US imports in 2025, to east and Gulf coast markets.
- 5. Manufacture Block plants, cement makers, abrasive and horticulture blenders, and denim laundries.
Price movement snapshot 2026-10-25
No public daily or monthly benchmark price for this commodity in the datasets used.
Three things to know
- Turkey produced about 9.7 million t of pumice in 2025, nearly half of world output.
- Greece supplied 80% of US pumice imports, mainly to the east and Gulf coasts.
- US pumice sold for about $44 per tonne in 2025, so freight largely sets where it can compete.
Top recent news snapshot 2026-10-25, last 30 days
- It was twice the size of Manhattan and incredibly floated a colossal 3,000km across the ocean, transporting millions of animals on the wayBBC Wildlife Magazine · 2026-10-08
- Two Researchers Left A Few Gophers On Mount St. Helens' Ash For A Single Day In 1983. Six Years Later, 40,000 Plants Were Growing ThereFutura, le média qui explore le monde · 2026-10-08