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THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF FLORIDA

This chapter has been prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Bureau of Mines, U.S.
Department of the Interior, and the Florida Department of Mines and Mineral Resources for collecting information on
all nonfuel minerals.


Florida ranked ninth among the 50 States in total
nonfuel mineral production value2 in 1995, according to the
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This is a decline from
eighth place in 1994. The estimated value for 1995 was
$1.4 billion, an increase of about 1% from that of 1994.
This followed a 4.5% increase in 1994 from that of 1993
(based on final 1994 data). The State accounted for about
4% of the U.S. total nonfuel mineral production value.
Florida continued to be the Nation's leading phosphate
rock-mining State in 1995, producing more than four times
the quantity as the next-highest State. Phosphate rock is
only produced in four States. The phosphate rock industry
usually has the most impact on the State's raw nonfuel
mineral economy. Other minerals that commonly have a
significant effect on the State's overall nonfuel mineral
production value are crushed stone, construction sand and
gravel, and portland cement. In 1995, the increase in the
State's mineral production value mainly resulted from a
substantial increase in the value of phosphate rock. This
increase was mitigated by decreases in portland cement,
zircon concentrates, and titanium concentrates. The overall
increase extended the rebound in Florida's mineral
production value begun in 1994. Since reaching the State's
second all-time high of $1.61 billion in 1989, the State's


mineral value had been on a downward trend. This
culminated in the 9% drop to $1.31 billion from 1992 to
1993; declining phosphate rock value was the principal
contributor. Most other mineral commodities in 1993
increased. In 1994, the increased values of crushed stone,
phosphate rock, and portland and masonry cements were
principally responsible for the turnaround in mineral value.
Compared with 1994, the values of fuller's earth clays,
staurolite, and peat increased in 1995. In addition to the
more significant decreases mentioned above, other mineral
commodoties had small to only slight decreases in 1995.
These were: crushed stone, construction sand and gravel,
masonry cement, magnesium compounds, industrial sand
and gravel, and common and kaolin clays.
Florida, almost exclusively an industrial-mineral-
producing State, remained first in phosphate rock and first
of two States with ilmenite (a titanium ore) production,
fourth in crushed stone, and seventh in portland cement.
(All rankings are based on 1995 USGS-estimated data).
Additionally, Florida was the only State to produce zircon
concentrates, staurolite, and rutile concentrates (a titanium
ore). While climbing from second to first in the production
of masonry cement, the State dropped from first to second
in peat production; second to third in magnesium


TABLE 1
NONFUEL RAW MINERAL PRODUCTION IN FLORIDA1 2


1993 1994 1995p
Mineral Value Value Q y Value
(thousands) Quantty (thousands) (thousands)
Cement:
Masonry metric tons 351,000 $27,300 400,000 $34,600 393,000 $34,000
Portland do. 4,190,000 211,000 3,370,000 228,000 2,970,000 200,000
Clays3 thousand metric tons 407 52,700 430 55,000 363 55,100
Peat metric tons 219,000 3,780 206,000 3,230 W W
Sand and gravel:
Construction thousand metric tons e22,800 e73,100 16,600 60,700 15,800 59,300
Industrial metric tons 504,000 5,910 540,000 6,120 591,000 6,050
Stone (crushed) thousand metric tons 64,900 313,000 467,000 343,000 66,500 343,000
Combined value of clays (common),
gemstones, magnesium compounds,
phosphate rock, rare-earth metal concentrates
(1993-94), staurolite, stone [crushed dolomite
and limestone (1993)], titanium concentrates
(ilmenite and rutile), zircon concentrates, and
value indicated by symbol W XX 624,000 XX 639,000 XX 689,000
Total XX 1,310,000 XX 1,370,000 XX 1,390,000
eEstimated. PPreliminary. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; value included with "Combine value" data. XX Not applicable.
1Production as measured by mine shipments, sales, or marketable production (including consumption by producers).
2Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3Excludes certain clays; kind and value included with "Combined value" data.
4Excludes certain stones; kind and value included with "Combined value" data.









compounds; and third to fourth in fuller's earth. Although
not placing among the top 10 producing States, Florida
mines produced significant quantities of construction and
industrial sand and gravel.
The remainder of this narrative was derived from
information provided by the Florida Geological Survey. In
1995 Florida State Legislature, passed a new law entitled
the "Life-of-the-Mine Permit." This bill, which designates
the Florida Bureau of Mine Reclamation (BOMR) as the
regulatory authority, was intended to ease the overall
permitting process for operators producing fuller's earth
and heavy minerals. The new law allows the operator to
combine several different permits and plans into one
environmental permit. Included in the Life-of-the-Mine
Permit are dredge and fill permits, the mine's reclamation
plan, and management and storage of surface water
permits. BOMR was made responsible for initiating and
coordinating a concurrent review of two portions of the
Life-of-the-Mine Permit: the industrial waste water and the
national pollution discharge elimination system permits.
Previously, these permits were handled by various
agencies, including the former Florida Department of
Environmental Regulation, the Florida Department of
Natural Resources, and the State's Water Management
District Offices. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will
continue processing Federal dredge and fill permits.
Rising phosphate rock production led to increased
employment and profitability for companies. Although
most of the phosphate rock produced during the year was
sold domestically, exports of phosphate fertilizers
continued to play an important role in the industry's
vitality. The largest consuming nations of Florida
phosphate were China, India, and the countries of eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union. The companies that
were engaged in phosphate mining in the State in 1995
included: Cargill Fertilizer Inc., CF Industries Inc., IMC-
Agrico Co., Mobil Mining and Minerals Co., and White
Springs Agricultural Chemicals, Inc. (formerly Occidental
Chemical Corp.). Of these, IMC-Agrico brought the Clear
Springs Mine back on line in 1994. CF Industries opened
its South Pasture Mine during the 4th quarter. Mobil
Mining recently sold its South Fort Meade Mine to Cargill
Fertilizer.
The new voice of the Florida aggregate industry is the


Florida Limerock and Aggregate Institute (FLAI). The
institute is an autonomous division of the Florida Concrete
Products Association, with which it recently merged. The
primary focus of the FLAI is the pursuit of promotional,
technical, and regulatory matters of concern to the
aggregate industry. The Florida aggregate industry is
working closely with the Florida Department of
Transportation to improve the effectiveness of the quality
assurance program used to control aggregate quality. In
other activities within the Florida aggregate industry,
Martin Marietta Aggregates purchased the Florida
production and redistribution terminal operations formerly
owned by Dravo Basic Materials Co.
RGC (USA) Mineral Sands, Inc., ceased extraction of
monazite from the heavy mineral sands concentrate at its
Clay County facility. However, heavy mineral mining
continued from dredging operations on leased lands in Clay
and Putnam Counties, while extraction ofilmenite, rutile,
and zircon concentrate was done in Clay County. E. I. du
Pont de Nemours & Co. Inc. continued mining the entire
Trail Ridge area in Clay and Baker Counties, especially for
rutile and ilmenite. These titanium-bearing heavy minerals
are a primary ingredient in the manufacture of titanium
dioxide pigments.
Although production of specialty grades of clay were
increasing, the overall clay business continued to decline
during 1995. The majority of this decline was in the
absorbent products market sector and appeared to be a
result of environmental pressures being placed on
petroleum cleanup operations regarding the disposal of
contaminated clay.


'An additional contact is Steven Spencer, coastal/economic geologist, same
address and fax number as Dr Schmidt, telephone (904)488-9380, internet
spencer s@dep state fl us
2The terminologies nonfuell mineral production" and related "values" encompass
variations in meaning, depending on the minerals or mineral products Production
may be measured by mine shipments, mineral commodity sales, or marketable
production (including consumption by producers) as is applicable to the individual
mineral commodity
All 1995 USGS mineral production data published in this chapter are estimated as
of Dec 1995 Estimates for some commodities, eg construction sand and gravel,
crushed stone, and portland cement, are periodically updated To obtain the most
recent information please contact the appropriate USGS mineral commodity specialist
Call MINES FaxBack at (703) 648-4999 from your fax machine and request
Document No 1000 for a telephone listing of all mineral commodity specialists or call
USGS information at (703) 648-4000 for the specialist's name and number










TABLE 2
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE1 SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS IN 1994, BY USE2


Quantity Value Unit
Use (thousand
metric tons) (thousands) value
metric tons)
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch):
Riprap and jetty stone 50 $296 $5.92
Filter stone 220 1,610 7.30
Other coarse aggregate W W 16.50
Coarse aggregate, graded:
Concrete aggregate, coarse 12,300 85,100 6.92
Bituminous aggregate, coarse 4,410 26,800 6.09
Bituminous surface-treatment aggregate 760 4,220 5.56
Railroad ballast 137 226 1.65
Other graded coarse aggregate W W 5.63
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch):
Stone sand, concrete 3,930 24,200 6.15
Stone sand, bituminous mix or seal 1,990 10,700 5.40
Screening, undesignated 3,770 20,900 5.55
Other fine aggregates W W 4.65
Coarse and fine aggregates:
Graded road base or subbase 15,800 61,000 3.85
Unpaved road surfacing 355 1,470 4.15
Crusher run or fill or waste 3,490 8,420 2.41
Other coarse and fine aggregates 2,640 12,900 4.88
Other construction materials 1,340 7,280 5.42
Agricultural:
Agricultural limestone 563 6,330 11.20
Other agricultural uses3 392 2,220 5.67
Special:
Asphalt fillers or extenders 86 648 7.53
Other fillers or extenders 1 4 4.00
Other specified uses not listed 1,920 2,890 1.51
Unspecified:5
Actual 8,160 39,500 4.84
Estimated 4,600 26,700 5.80
Total 67,000 343,000 5.13
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Other construction materials."
1Includes calcareous marl, dolomite, limestone, limestone-dolomite, and shell.
2Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3Includes poultry grit and mineral food.
4Includes cement manufacture.
5Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.

TABLE 3
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED, BY KIND'

1993 1994
Kind Number Quantity Value Unit Number Quantity Value Unit
of (thousand of (thousand
quarries metric tons) (thousands) value quarries metric tons) (thousands) value
quarries metric tons) quarries metric tons)


Limestone2 85 62,500 3$301,000 3$4.81 8
Shell 8 1,130 4,240 3.76
Dolomite 3 W 5,020 W
Calcareous marl 1 W '3,190 W
Total XX 64,900 313,000 4.83 X
'Revised. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total." XX Not applicable.
1Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
Includes "Limestone-dolomite," reported with no distinction between the two.
3Excludes limestone-dolomite value from State total to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.


2
6
3
1
Ic


64,200
1,160
W
W
67,000


$330,000
4,530
W
W
343,000


$5.14
3.92
5.84
5.09
5.13










TABLE 4
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS IN 1994, BY USE AND DISTRICT'

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars)

District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4
Use
Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Construction aggregates:
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch)2 (3) (3) 17 76 (3) (3)
Coarse aggregate, graded4 (3) (3) (3) (3) 6,810 50,900 10,600 63,000
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch (3) (3) (3) (3) 3,520 19,400 6,770 39,200
Coarse and fine aggregate6 (3) (3) (3) (3) 3,860 12,900 11,700 47,400
Other construction materials (3) (3)
Agricultural7 (3) (3) (3) (3) 781 7,500
Chemical and metallurgical W W
Special -- -W W
Other miscellaneous uses 2,000 3,540
Unspecified:10
Actual 513 1,440 830 5,230 85 694 6,740 32,200
Estimated 658 4,030 1,520 11,400 620 3,150 1,810 8,130
Total 2,420 11,600 8,920 42,300 17,700 98,100 37,900 191,000
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Other miscellaneous uses."
1Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2Includes filter stone, riprap and jetty stone, and other coarse aggregate.
3Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total."
4Includes concrete aggregate (coarse), bituminous aggregate (coarse), bituminous surface-treatment aggregate, railroad ballast, and other graded coarse aggregate.
5Includes stone sand (concrete), stone sand (bituminous mix or seal), screening undesignatedd), and other fine aggregate.
6Includes graded road base or subbase, unpaved road surfacing, crusher run (select material or fill), and other coarse and fine aggregates.
7Includes agricultural limestone, poultry grit and mineral food, and other agricultural uses.
8Includes cement manufacture.
"Includes other specified uses not listed.
10Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.



TABLE 5
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1994, BY MAJOR USE CATEGORY'

Quantity Value Value
Use (thousand
Usetrc tons) (thousands) per ton
metric tons)
Concrete aggregate (including concrete sand) 6,790 $28,800 $4.25
Plaster and gunite sands 367 1,380 3.75
Concrete products (blocks, bricks, pipe, decorative, etc.) 515 2,320 4.50
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and other bituminous mixtures 547 3,560 6.50
Road base and coverings' 546 1,550 2.85
Fill 2,470 4,200 1.70
Other3 948 4,870 5.14
Unspecified:4
Actual 883 3,170 3.59
Estimated 3,560 10,800 3.04
Total or average 16,600 60,700 3.65
'Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2Includes road and other stabilization (lime).
3Includes filtration.
4Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.










TABLE 6
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1994, BY USE AND DISTRICT'

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars)

District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4
Use
Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Concrete aggregate and concrete products2 1,250 5,660 4,950 20,900 1,480 6,000
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and road
base materials' 505 2,850 498 1,240 1,530 3,080 1,030 2,140
Other miscellaneous uses4 16 42 148 994 664 3,300 121 531
Unspecified:5
Actual 54 476 385 1,700 249 671 195 323
Estimated 1,130 3,630 1,450 4,190 848 2,620 136 400
Total 2,950 12,700 7,430 29,000 4,770 15,700 1,480 3,390
1Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
Includes plaster and gunite sands.
3Includes fill and road and other stabilization (lime).
4Includes filtration.
5Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.