NAICS 212321

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the framework federal statistical agencies use to classify business establishments so they can collect, analyze, and publish data about the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget in collaboration with the U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee, Statistics Canada, and Mexico’s INEGI, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 to enable cross-country comparability. ¹

Under the 2022 NAICS vintage, NAICS 212321 — Construction Sand and Gravel Mining — covers establishments that operate commercial-grade sand and gravel pits, dredge for construction sand and gravel, and wash, screen, or otherwise prepare these materials. Federal agencies use this code to classify industry activity for statistics and to align size standards and market research. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 212321 overview
• G2X — NAICS 212322 Industrial Sand Mining
• G2X — PSC 5610 Mineral Construction Materials, Bulk

What this NAICS covers

• Operating commercial-grade construction sand and gravel pits. ²
• Dredging operations that extract construction sand and gravel. ²
• On-site washing, screening, and basic preparation of construction sand and gravel. ²
• Beneficiation limited to mechanical preparation (e.g., sizing) at or near the pit. ²
• Sales of construction-grade sand and gravel from company-operated pits. ²
• Preparing and stockpiling construction aggregates for delivery to construction markets. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	212322	Industrial Sand Mining; distinct from construction-grade materials referenced from NAICS 212321. 2
NAICS	327320	Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing; plants may mine or purchase sand/gravel; operating pits are classified in NAICS 212321. 5
NAICS	213115	Support Activities for Nonmetallic Minerals (except Fuels); fee-based exploration and other support to sand and gravel operations. 6
PSC	5610	Mineral Construction Materials, Bulk; includes sand and gravel procured as bulk construction materials. 4

Small business size standard

SBA’s small business size standard for NAICS 212321 is 500 employees (employee-based standard effective March 17, 2023). ³

Boundary and cross-references

• Industrial-grade sand belongs in NAICS 212322; construction-grade sand and gravel are classified in NAICS 212321. ²
• Manufacturing ready-mix concrete is NAICS 327320; operating sand or gravel pits is NAICS 212321. ⁵
• Fee- or contract-based exploration and other support services for nonmetallic minerals are NAICS 213115, not NAICS 212321. ⁶

Frequently asked questions

• What activities fall under NAICS 212321? Establishments that operate construction sand and gravel pits, dredge for construction-grade sand and gravel, and wash, screen, or otherwise prepare these materials are included. Activities are limited to basic preparation/beneficiation typical at the mine site. ²

• How is NAICS 212321 different from NAICS 212322? The distinction is material grade: construction-grade sand and gravel are classified in NAICS 212321, while industrial sand (e.g., silica for glass/foundry) is in NAICS 212322. Cross-references on the Census NAICS pages clarify the separation. ²

• Does dredging for construction sand and gravel use NAICS 212321? Yes. Dredging for commercial-grade construction sand and gravel is explicitly listed within the scope of NAICS 212321, alongside pit operations and basic preparation like washing and screening. ²

• What is the SBA small business size standard for NAICS 212321? The size standard is 500 employees, as shown in SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards effective March 17, 2023. ³

• Which PSC code often aligns with purchases of sand and gravel related to NAICS 212321? For supply buys, PSC 5610 “Mineral Construction Materials, Bulk” includes sand and gravel among covered items. This PSC is applicable when the government procures bulk construction aggregates. ⁴

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 212321 overview
• Census NAICS (Sector 21) — definition for Construction Sand and Gravel Mining (2022). ²
• SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective Mar. 17, 2023). ³
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual (Apr. 2025). ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 NAICS Manual: introductory description and NAICS history. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 21 page with 2022 definitions, including 212321 and cross-references. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect21.html
3. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023). https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards
4. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, Apr. 2025 (PSC 5610 includes sand and gravel). https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf
5. U.S. Census Bureau — Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing (327320) description and cross-references. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
6. U.S. Census Bureau — Support Activities for Mining (213115) description and cross-references. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect21.html