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THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF FLORIDA



This chapter has been prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Florida
Geological Survey for collecting information on all nonfuel minerals.


Florida ranked sixth among the 50 States in total nonfuel
mineral production value' in 1997, according to the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS). The State was fourth in 1996. The
estimated value for 1997 was more than $1.7 billion, a 1%
decrease from that of 1996. This followed a 14% increase from
1995 to 1996 (based on final 1996 data). The State accounted for
almost 4.5% of the U.S. total nonfuel mineral production value.
Florida continued to be the Nation's leading phosphate rock-
mining State in 1997, producing more than five times the quantity
of material as that of the next-highest State. Phosphate rock is
only produced in four States. In terms of value, phosphate rock,
crushed stone, and portland cement continued to be the most
important minerals produced in Florida. In 1997, significant
increases in the values of portland cement, construction sand and
gravel, and phosphate rock moderated but did not overcome
decreases in fuller's earth and crushed stone (see table 1),
resulting in the State's small drop in nonfuel mineral value from
that of 1996. In 1996, most of the State's nonfuel mineral
commodities increased in value, led by phosphate rock, which
increased nearly 18% (more than $100 million), compared with
that of 1995. The other leading nonfuel mineral commodities in
1996, in descending order of net increase, were crushed stone,
zircon concentrates, portland cement, ilmenite, fuller's earth, and
rutile. Only construction sand and gravel showed a small
decrease.
Based on USGS estimates of quantities produced in the 50
States during 1997, Florida remained the only State to produce
zircon concentrates, rutile, and staurolite; first in peat and
masonry cement, first of 2 ilmenite-producing States (as well as
the major U.S. producer), and seventh in portland cement. The
State rose to second from third in fuller's earth, to third from
fourth in magnesium compounds, and dropped from third to
fourth in crushed stone. Additionally, Florida produced
significant quantities of construction sand and gravel.
The following narrative information was provided by the

1The terms nonfuell mineralproduction" andrelated "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 1997 USGS mineral production data published in this chapter are estimates as
of January 1998. For some commodities (for example, 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 FaxBack at (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 forthe 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/. All Mineral Industry Surveys-mineral commodity, State, and
country-also may be retrieved by way of MINES FaxBack or over the Internet at
http: //minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/.


Florida Geological Survey2 (FGS). Common clay is extracted in
small quantities from many localities in Florida. Kaolin is mined
in Putnam County at the Feldspar Corp. Mine. Fuller's earth, in
the form of attapulgite (palygorskite), is extracted in the Gadsden
County area of northwest Florida and montmorillonite-type
fuller's earth in north-central Florida in Marion County. The
attapulgite-type fuller's earth is most often recognized as Florida's
primary clay commodity. During the past year the Engelhard
Corp. purchased the Floridin Co. and is operating the Quincy
Mine, which was formerly operated by Floridin.
Heavy minerals produced in Florida are used in the
manufacture of titanium dioxide pigments. RGC (USA) Mineral
Sands, Inc. (RGC), and E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Inc., are
the only heavy mineral producers in the State. This past year,
RGC received an Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) for a
satellite mine. RGC will conduct operations without the use of a
suction dredge and a floating wet-mill concentrator, and instead
will use traditional earth-moving equipment. The sand will be
concentrated at a land-based concentrator at the mine site.
Florida's phosphate operations supply approximately 25% of the
world's and 75% of the Nation's phosphate needs. Phosphate
rock is the State's largest industrial mineral commodity in terms
of quantity mined and value. Companies presently mining in
Florida include IMC-Agrico Co., Cargill Fertilizer, Inc., CF
Industries, Inc., Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (PSC), and Agrifos
L.L.C. Neither Farmland Industries, Inc. nor Nu-Gulf Industries
were actively mined in 1997; however, Farmland is just about to
enter into the permitting phase for a new mine. IMC-Agrico also
is working on permits for two new mines, permits must be
obtained before any mining is allowed.
Limestone, the primary source of stone, is mined in many
localities in the State. During the past year, Florida Rock
Industries, Inc. (FRI) acquired permission to mine at the Florida
Aggregates Inter-Group Mine in St. Lucie County. FRI is now in
the process of getting the proper permits. Construction has begun
on FRI's new cement mill in western Alachua County. It is
anticipated that the mill will be brought on-line in 18 months.
Florida Limerock and Aggregates Institute (FLAI), which acts
as the voice of the Florida aggregate industry, continues to work
closely with the Florida Department of Transportation as they
implement both "Superpave," a new asphalt mix design concept,
and Quality Control 2000, a quality control/quality assurance
program to improve the quality of construction for the State and
federal highway system. Many of the aggregate producers are
members of the FLAI.
The Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Bureau
of Mine Regulation (BOMR) administers the State's reclamation

2Steven Spencer, Coastal Economic Geologist, authored the text submitted by the
Florida Geological Survey.


FLORIDA-1997








rules. The rules, which are spelled out in the Florida
Administrative Code, give the BOMR authority to regulate
individual operators in their reclamation efforts. There is no
statewide mining law covering all commodities.
The BOMR transferred the ERP and reclamation programs for
mines within the Southwest district to the DEP Southwest District


Office. These programs cover clay, limestone, peat, sand and
gravel, and shell and dolomite operations. The only mines in the
district that are still under the jurisdiction of BOMR are those
mines where operators have other mines in other DEP districts or,
where their mines cross into neighboring districts.


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

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars unless otherwise specified)


1995 1996 1997 p/
Mineral Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Cement:
Masonry 383 35,200 422 35,200 e/ 431 36,600 e/
Portland 3,170 233,000 3,450 245,000 e/ 3,510 255,000 e/
Clays:
Fuller's earth 388 50,800 377 58,900 430 41,900
Kaolin 33 3,510 35 3,760 35 3,770
Gemstones NA W NA 1 NA 1
Peat 294 5,390 298 5,550 244 4,690
Sand and gravel:
Construction 19,300 69,300 18,500 68,800 19,300 73,500
Industrial 547 6,340 515 6,340 515 6,330
Stone, crushed 68,000 350,000 73,600 3/ 394,000 3/ 70,200 3/ 380,000 3/
Combined value of clays (common), magnesium
compounds, phosphate rock, staurolite, stone [crushed
marl (1996-97)], titanium concentrates, zirconium
concentrates, and value indicated by symbol W XX 783,000 XX 947,000 XX 943,000
Total XX 1,540,000 XX 1,760,000 XX 1,740,000
e/ Estimated. 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 stones; kind and value included with "Combined value" data.


TABLE 2
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED, BY KIND 1/


1995 1996
Number Quantity Number Quantity
of (thousand Value Unit of (thousand Value Unit
Kind quarries metric tons) (thousands) value quarries metric tons) (thousands) value
Limestone 75 r/ 64,200 r/ $329,000 r/ $5.12 r/ 76 2/ 71,000 2/ $379,000 2/ $5.34 2/
Limestone-dolomite 2 W W 7.06
Dolomite 4 1,120 7,010 6.28 4 W W 6.55
Shell 5 1,090 4,100 3.78 4 W W 4.46
Calcareous marl 2 W W 4.53 (3/) (3/) (3/) (3/)
Total XX 68,000 350,000 5.14 XX 73,600 394,000 5.35
r/ Revised. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total." XX Not applicable.
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 from State total to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.


FLORIDA-1997








TABLE 3
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS
IN 1996, BY USE 1/ 2/


Quantity
(thousand Value Unit
Use metric tons) (thousands) value
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch):
Riprap and jetty stone 274 $1,620 $5.89
Filter stone 361 1,900 5.26
Coarse aggregate, graded:
Concrete aggregate, coarse 12,400 86,800 7.02
Bituminous aggregate, coarse 5,580 36,500 6.54
Bituminous surface-treatment aggregate 309 2,650 8.59
Other graded coarse aggregate 3/ 994 6,530 6.57
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch):
Stone sand, concrete 6,080 42,900 7.04
Stone sand, bituminous mix or seal 3,120 19,300 6.18
Screening, undesignated 2,600 9,630 3.70
Other fine aggregates 1,330 7,480 5.64
Coarse and fine aggregates:
Graded road base or subbase 17,100 67,500 3.94
Unpaved road surfacing 420 1,860 4.43
Crusher run or fill or waste 4,300 15,700 3.67
Other coarse and fine aggregates 2,040 6,080 2.98
Other construction materials 4/ 284 1,320 4.64
Agricultural limestone 5/ 816 4,600 5.63
Chemical and metallurgical, cement manufacture 3,220 9,160 2.84
Special:
Other fillers or extenders W W 5.51
Other specified uses not listed W W 9.06
Unspecified: 6/
Actual 8,050 48,100 5.98
Estimated 4,360 24,000 5.51
Total 73,600 394,000 5.35
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total."
1/ Includes dolomite, limestone, limestone-dolomite, and shell; excludes calcareous marl from State
to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
2/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
3/ Includes railroad ballast.
4/ Includes pipe bedding.
5/ Includes poultry grit and mineral food and other agricultural uses.
6/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.


FLORIDA-1997








TABLE 4
FLORIDA: CRUSHED STONE SOLD OR USED BY PRODUCERS IN 1996,
BY USE AND DISTRICT 1/ 2/ 3/

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars)


District 3 District 4
Use Quantity Value Quantity Value
Construction aggregates:
Coarse aggregate (+1 1/2 inch) 4/ 99 727 536 2,790
Coarse aggregate, graded 5/ 5,570 40,400 13,700 92,100
Fine aggregate (-3/8 inch) 6/ 3,930 19,400 9,200 59,800
Coarse and fine aggregate 7/ 10,700 36,100 13,200 55,000
Other construction materials 8/ 75 738 209 579
Agricultural 9/ 816 4,600
Chemical and metallurgical 10/ W W W W
Special 11/ W W
Other miscellaneous uses 12/ W W -
Unspecified: 13/
Actual W W W W
Estimated 2,260 12,900 2,090 11,200
Total 31,800 159,000 41,800 235,000
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Total."
1/ Excludes calcareous marl from State total to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
2/ Production reported in District 1 and District 2 was included with "District 3" to avoid disclosing
company proprietary data.
3/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
4/ Includes filter stone and riprap and jetty stone.
5/ Includes concrete aggregate (coarse), bituminous aggregate (coarse), bituminous surface-treatment
aggregate, railroad ballast, and other graded coarse aggregate.
6/ Includes stone sand (concrete), stone sand (bituminous mix or seal), screening i I, I. I. Ii' ... I1..1 hi
aggregate.
7/ Includes graded road base or subbase, unpaved road surfacing, crusher run (select material or fill), and other
coarse and fine aggregates.
8/ Includes pipe bedding.
9/ Includes agricultural limestone, poultry grit and mineral food, and other agricultural uses.
10/ Includes cement manufacture.
11 Includes other 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 1996,
BY MAJOR USE CATEGORY 1/


Quantity
(thousand Value Value
Use metric tons) (thousands) per ton
Concrete aggregate (including concrete sand) 7,410 $30,900 $4.17
Plaster and gunite sands 694 2,480 3.57
Concrete products (blocks, bricks, pipe, decorative, etc.) 529 2,630 4.97
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and other bituminous mixtures 405 1,400 3.46
Road base and coverings 2/ 793 4,740 5.97
Fill 1,930 3,390 1.76
Other miscellaneous uses 3/ 520 2,160 4.15
Unspecified: 4/
Actual 2,150 9,260 4.30
Estimated 4,050 11,800 2.91
Total or average 18,500 68,800 3.72
1/ Data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2/ Includes fill and road and other stabilization (cement and lime).
3/ Includes filtration.
4/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.


FLORIDA-1997








TABLE 6
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1996,
BY USE AND DISTRICT 1/

(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 products 2/ 952 3,340 W W W W 254 560
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and road base materials 3/ 871 1,360 W W W W 373 551
Other miscellaneous uses 4/ 4 8 7,220 32,400 2,600 9,570
Unspecified: 5/
Actual 246 2,290 -- 1,910 6,970
Estimated 807 2,400 1,520 4,620 1,020 3,300 711 1,460
Total 2,880 9,400 8,740 37,000 5,520 19,800 1,340 2,570
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 and road and other stabilization (cement and lime).
4/ Includes filtration.
5/ Includes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates for nonrespondents.


FLORIDA-1997