496 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
The Board granted 67 uranium mining leases for a rental of 50 cents an acre
yearly. Leases were awarded in Madison, Jefferson, Carbon, Carter, Daniels,
and Valley Counties. 
 
 Zinc.—The 89-percent decline in zinc production was largely due to
the shutdown in January of the Anaconda smelter, the major source of zinc
production in 1966. Byproduct production was further curtailed by the copper
strike in July after which no production was obtained throughout the State.
Zinc production from the Badger State mine was terminated in January after
all existing undercut cave blocks were mined. 
 The refurbished electrolytic zinc plant at Anaconda continued to process
concentrates shipped from Pine Point, near Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories,
Canada, until the advent of the strike. Shipments were made under a 3-year
export license granted by the Canadian Govermnent. 
 The Taylor-Knapp Co. was the largest lead-zinc producer in Granite County,
producing 731 tons of zinc, 100 tons of lead, and 95,048 ounces of silver
from the Taylor-Knapp Unit area. 
 
NONMETALS 
 
 Barite.—No barite has been produced 
in Montana since the closure in November 
1966 of the Baroid Division, National Lead 
Co., grinding plant at Greenough, Missoula 
County. 
 
 Cemcnt.—The quantity and value of cement shipments declined 6 and
4 percent, respectively, from 1966 totals. Output was by Kaiser Cement &
Gypsum Corp. at Montana City, Jefferson County, and by Ideal Cement Co. at
Trident, Gallatin County. Destinations within the State accounted for 45
percent of the cement sold. Shipments also were made to Washington (31 percent),
Idaho (9 percent), North Dakota (9 percent), Wyoming (6 percent), Oregon,
and Utah (combined less than 1 percent). 
 Limestone, shale, and silica raw materials for making cement were quarried
near the plants. Iron ore used at the Ideal Cement Co. operation came from
Radersburg, and iron-bearing slag used by Kaiser Cement & Gypsum Corp.
was from East Helena. Gypsum used at both operations was mined at a Fergus
County deposit near Lewistown. 
 Of the total portland cement shipped, 65 percent was transported by rail
and 
35 percent by truck. The ratio of bulk to paper bag shipments was about 8:1.
About 59 percent of the portland cement produced was distributed to firms
manufacturing commercial concrete products, such as ready-mixed concrete
companies (43 percent), concrete product manufacturers (8 percent), and building
material dealers (8 percent). The other 41 percent was sold to highway (3
percent) and other contractors (29 percent), miscellaneous customers (9 percent),
and to Federal, State, and local government agencies (less than 1 percent).

 To eliminate price cutting and movement by unauthorized or illegal carriers,
the rate schedule for transporting cement was adjusted to assure consistent
transporting rates for cement in the State. 
 
 Clays.—Miscellaneous clay and shale sold or used by producers declined
14 percent, but bentonitic clay output was more than double the 1966 figure.
Miscellaneous clay and shale for making heavy clay products (mainly building
brick and draintile) was dug by Lewistown Brick & Tile Co. near Lewistown,
Fergus County, and by Lovell Clay Products Co., near Billings, Yellowstone
County. 
 Shale for expanding into lightweight aggregate came from operations of Treasurelite
Division of Treasure State Industrial Products, Inc., near Great Falls, Cascade
County, and from the Lockwood Flats pit of Concrete Products Co. (formerly
Montana Liteweight Aggregate Co.), near Billings, Yellowstone County. The
Montana City pit (Jefferson County) of Kaiser Cement & Gypsum Corp. and
the Trident quarry (Gallatin County) of Ideal Cement Co. were sources of
clay and shale used in manufacturing cement. 
 A small amount of fire clay was dug at the Placer fire clay mine near Anaconda,
Deer Lodge County. 
 Bentonite production, highest in the State's history, was largely by two
firms, although several companies were actively seeking outlets for the material.
National Lead Co. mined bentonite near Colony, Carter County, for use as
oilwell-drilling mud. Hallett Minerals Co. mined bentonite near Vananda,
Rosebud County, and shipped the material to Duluth, Minn., for processing
into a product suitable for use