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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 eighth among the 50 States in total
nonfuel mineral production value' in 1996, according to the
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This is a decline from
seventh place in 1995. The estimated value for 1996 was
more than $1.5 billion; though slightly up from 1995, the
value was virtually unchanged. This followed a more than
12% increase in 1995 from 1994 (based on final 1995
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 six times
the quantity of material as that of 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 mineral
commodities that commonly have a significant effect on
Florida's overall nonfuel mineral production value are
crushed stone and portland cement. In 1996, most of the
State's nonfuel mineral commodities increased in value.
Their combined total increased slightly more than equaled
an 8.4% decrease in phosphate rock value. Only phosphate
rock decreased in value. Compared with 1995, increases
in zircon concentrate, crushed stone, and construction sand
and gravel values accounted for 81% of nonfuel mineral
commodity value gains for 1996. Other values that
increased in 1996 were those for portland cement, fuller's
earth clays, titanium concentrates (both ilmenite and rutile),
masonry cement, magnesium compounds, industrial sand
and gravel, peat, staurolite, and kaolin clays. This
followed a strong year in 1995 for the Florida mining
industry when, similarly, nearly all mineral commodities
increased in value. Phosphate rock then lead the way with
a 17.5% increase over the 1994 value. Moderate increases
occurred in construction sand and gravel, titanium
concentrates, crushed stone, portland cement, and
magnesium compounds in 1995.
Overall in 1996, Florida's mining industry maintained its
rebound in nonfuel mineral production value which had
begun in 1994. Since reaching the State's second alltime
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 phosphate rock, crushed stone, and
portland and masonry cements were principally responsible
for the year's turnaround in mineral value.


Florida, almost exclusively an industrial-mineral-
producing State, remained first in the quantity of peat
produced, second in fuller's earth and magnesium
compounds, third in crushed stone, and seventh in portland
cement (all 1996 rankings are based on USGS-estimated
data). The State climbed from third to first in the
production of masonry cement, and Florida was the only
State to produce zircon concentrates, staurolite, and
ilmenite and rutile concentrates (titanium ores).
Additionally, Florida mining pits produced significant
quantities of construction sand and gravel.
The following narrative information was provided by the
Florida Geological Survey2 (FGS). The Florida Legislature
passed a statute in 1996 that enabled the FGS to compile
and hold (protect) proprietary data pertaining to Florida's
mineral operations. This will allow the FGS to more fully
participate with the USGS in its mineral industry
information program.
The phosphate industry was dominated by IMC-Agrico
Co. having mines and processing plants located in Hardee,
Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk Counties. Other
companies engaged in phosphate mining in the State in
1996 included: Cargill Fertilizer, Inc. operations in Hardee
and Polk Counties; C.F. Mining Corp., Hardee County;
NU-Gulf, Inc., Manatee County; and PCS Phosphate Co.,
Hamilton County. PCS Phosphate's Hamilton County
operation was formerly the White Springs operation of
Occidental Chemical Agricultural Products Inc.
The Florida Limerock and Aggregates Institute (FLAI)
represents a number of limestone operators in Florida. The
Institute is an autonomous division of the Florida Concrete
Products Association, with which it merged several years
ago. The primary focus of the FLAI is to pursue
promotional, technical, and regulatory matters of concern
to the aggregates industry. The Florida aggregates industry
is working closely with the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) to address technical issues,
especially the quality of source materials and the end uses
of those materials. The two organizations are working
together to improve the effectiveness of the quality
assurance program used to control aggregate quality in the
State. Of late, one of their primary concerns has been the
use of recycled asphalt pavement as an aggregate
component of hot-asphalt mix. FDOT focused on
improving the performance of asphalt pavements.
A second important issue for the limestone industry


FLORIDA 1996









product passing through multiple terminals, may serve to
introduce more degradation of the physical characteristics
of the aggregate product.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Inc. planned to mine
heavy minerals along the eastern edge of the Okefenokee
Swamp. But the mining will occur over the border in
Georgia and therefore, theoretically at least, should not
directly affect Florida.
There were 10 peat mines in Florida. One of those,
Stover Peat Co. near Tampa, was idle. The company
currently has no plans to resume mining.



1The terms 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 1996 USGS mineral production data published in this chapter are
estimates as of February 1997. For some commodities, e.g.,
construction sand and gravel, crushed stone, and portland cement,
estimates are updated periodically. To obtain the most current
information, please contact the appropriate USGS mineral commodity
specialist. Call MINES FaxBackat(703) 648-4999 from a fax machine
with a touch-tone handset and request Document # 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.
This telephone listing may also be retrieved over the Internet at:
http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/contacts/comdir.html
2Steven Spencer, Coastal/Economic Geologist, authored the text
submitted by the Florida Geological Survey.


FLORIDA 1996








TABLE 1
NONFUEL RAW MINERAL PRODUCTION IN FLORIDA 1/ 2/

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars unless otherwise specified)

1994 1995 1996 p/
Mineral Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Cement:
Masonry 400 34,600 383 35,200 418 38,300
Portland 3,370 228,000 3,170 233,000 3,210 236,000
Clays 3/ 430 55,000 421 54,300 433 55,900
Gemstones NA W NA W NA 1
Peat 206 3,230 294 4/ 5,390 4/ 288 4/ 6,200 4,
Sand and gravel:
Construction 16,600 60,700 19,300 69,300 20,500 76,700
Industrial 540 6,120 547 6,340 535 6,590
Stone (crushed) 66,300 5/ 343,000 68,000 350,000 70,000 368,000
Combined value of clays (common), magnesium
compounds, phosphate rock, rare-earth metal
concentrates (1994), staurolite, titanium
concentrates (ilmenite and rutile), zircon
concentrates, and values indicated by symbol W XX 669,000 XX 783,000 XX 749,000
Total XX 1,400,000 XX 1,540,000 XX 1,540,000
p/ Preliminary. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; value included with "Combined value" data. XX Not applicable.
1/ Production as measured by mine shipments, sales, or marketable production (including consumption by producers).
2/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3/ Excludes certain clays; kind and value included with "Combined value" data.
4/ Data series changed to production beginning in 1995, prior years shipment data may not be comparable.
5/ Excludes certain stones; kind and value included with "Combined value" data.


TABLE 2
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE 1/ SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS
IN 1995, BY USE 2/

Quantity
(thousand Value Unit
Use metric tons) (thousands) value
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch):
Riprap andjetty stone 96 $591 $6.16
Filter stone 11 120 10.90
Coarse aggregate, graded:
Concrete aggregate, coarse 7,740 58,000 7.49
Bituminous aggregate, coarse 2,480 13,300 5.36
Bituminous surface-treatment aggregate W W 10.50
Railroad ballast W W 4.18
Other graded coarse aggregate 793 4,830 6.09
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch):
Stone sand, concrete 1,980 10,500 5.30
Stone sand, bituminous mix or seal W W 4.73
Screening, undesignated 2,770 13,100 4.73
Other fine aggregates 1,120 6,190 5.53
Coarse and fine aggregates:
Graded road base or subbase 12,900 40,700 3.16
Unpaved road surfacing 243 1,190 4.90
Crusher run or fill or waste 5,670 15,100 2.66
Other coarse and fine aggregates W W 3.09
Other construction materials 3/ 1,950 8,700 4.46
Agricultural:
Agricultural limestone 406 3,200 7.88
Poultry grit and mineral food 199 2,190 11.00
Other agricultural uses 194 1,030 5.31
Chemical and metallurgical:
Cement manufacture (4/) (4/) 1.40
Chemical stone 15 209 13.90
Glass manufacture 118 1,560 13.20
Special: Asphalt fillers or extenders 246 2,040 8.29
Other specified uses not listed (4/) (4/) 7.80
See footnotes at end of table.








TABLE 2--Continued
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE 1/ SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS
IN 1995, BY USE 2/


Quantity
(thousand
metric tons)


Value
(thousands)


Unspecified: 5/
Actual 21,800 138,000 6.33
Estimated 5,610 26,500 4.72
Total 68,000 350,000 5.14
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Other construction materials."
1/ Includes calcareous marl, dolomite, granite, limestone, limestone-dolomite, and shell.
2/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3/ Includes drain fields.
4/ Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total."
5/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.


TABLE 3
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED, BY KIND 1


Kind
Limestone 2/
Dolomite
Shell
Calcareous marl


Number Quantity
of (thousand Value
quarries metric tons) (thousands)
80 r/ 64,000 r/ $329,000 r,
4 r/ 1,160 W
6 1160 4530
1 r/ (3/) W


Number Quantity


Unit
value
$5.14
W
3.92
W


qu


of
carries
74
4
5
2


Granite -- -- -- -- 3
Total XX 66,300 r/ 343,000 5.18 r/ XX
r/ Revised. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total." XX Not
1/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2/ Includes "Limestone-dolomite," reported with no distinction between the two.
3/ Excludes calcareous marl quantity from State total to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.


(thousand Value
metric tons) (thousands)
64,700 $333,000
1,120 7,010
1,090 4,100
W W
W W
68,000 350,000
applicable.


Unit
value
$5.15
6.28
3.78
4.53
5.26
5.14








TABLE 4
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE 1/ SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS IN 1995, BY USE AND DISTRICT 2/

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars)

District 1 District 3 District 4
Use Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Construction aggregates:
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch) 3/ -- 70 525 37 186
Coarse aggregate, graded 4/ -- 7,040 56,700 4,120 20,200
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch) 5/ -- 4,060 21,400 2,960 13,900
Coarse and fine aggregate 6/ 68 474 9,450 32,000 9,590 25,400
Other construction materials 7/ (8/) (8/) (8/) (8/)
Agricultural 9/ (8/) (8/) (8/) (8/)
Chemical and metallurgical 10/ -- (8/) (8/)
Special 11/ -- 246 2,040
Other miscellaneous uses 12/ -- (8/) (8/)
Unspecified: 13/
Actual 833 3,230 2,990 16,500 18,000 118,000
Estimated 1,100 5,310 1,970 9,550 2,540 11,600
Total 2,200 10,700 28,600 150,000 37,200 189,000
1/ Production reported in District 2 was included with "District 3" to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
2/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3/ Includes filter stone and riprap and jetty stone.
4/ Includes concrete aggregate (coarse), bituminous aggregate (coarse), bituminous surface-treatment aggregate, railroad ballast,
and other graded coarse aggregate.
5/ Includes stone sand (concrete), stone sand (bituminous mix or seal), screening undesignatedd), and other fine aggregate.
6/ Includes graded road base or subbase, unpaved road surfacing, crusher run (select material or fill), and other coarse and fine
aggregates.
7/ Includes drain fields.
8/ Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total."
9/ Includes agricultural limestone, poultry grit and mineral food, and other agricultural uses.
10/ Includes cement manufacture, chemical stone for alkali works, and glass manufacture.
11/ Includes asphalt fillers or extenders.
12/ Includes other specified uses not listed.
13/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.




TABLE 5
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1995,
BY MAJOR USE CATEGORY 1/

Quantity
(thousand Value Value
Use metric tons) (thousands) per ton
Concrete aggregate (including concrete sand) 6,110 $24,900 $4.08
Plaster and gunite sands 359 1,460 4.05
Concrete products (blocks, bricks, pipe, decorative, etc.) 479 2,240 4.68
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and road base materials 2/ 3,120 6,500 2.08
Other 3/ 788 3,830 4.86
Unspecified: 4/
Actual 3,320 13,500 4.06
Estimated 5,170 16,900 3.26
Total or average 19,300 69,300 3.58
1/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2/ Includes fill, road and other stabilization (cement and lime).
3/ Includes filtration.
4/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.








TABLE 6
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1995,
BY USE AND DISTRICT 1/

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars)

District 1 District 2
Use Quantity Value Quantity Value
Concrete aggregate and concrete products 2/ W W W W
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and road base materials 3/ W W W W
Other miscellaneous uses 4/ 1,540 3,910 4,790 20,600
Unspecified: 5/
Actual 229 2,110 1,120 4,770
Estimated 2,060 7,070 2,110 6,710
Total 3,820 13,100 8,020 32,100
District 3 District 4
Quantity Value Quantity Value
Concrete aggregate and concrete products 2/ 1,350 5,710
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and road base materials 3/ 1,610 3,760 867 1,520
Other miscellaneous uses 4/ 696 3,390
Unspecified: 5/
Actual 1,690 6,140 283 480
Estimated 889 2,700 119 408
Total 6,240 21,700 1,270 2,410
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Other miscellaneous uses."
1/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2/ Includes plaster and gunite sands.
3/ Includes fill, road and other stabilization (cement and lime).
4/ Includes filtration.
5/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.