818 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
ceramic products decreased slightly. Two mines and three processing plants
were operated by one company in the adjacent counties of Buckingham and Prince
Edward ' Counties. The company also operated a grinding and bagging plant
in the latter county. Only a small part of the beneflciated kyanite (A12SiO5)
is used in the raw state; the bulk of production is calcined to mullite,
one of the most important refractory materials used in the ceramic industry.
Virginia is North America's leading producer of kyanite. Quartz sand recovered
during kyanite ore beneflciation was marketed by a subsidiary organization
for industrial and construction applications. 
 
 Lime.—While output and value of lime decline slightly for the second
consecutive year, 1967 was only 2 percent lower in both production and value
than the record year of 1965. Compared with 1966, the output values were
smaller for all uses of lime; the decreases were 17 percent for building
lime, 6 percent for agricultural lime, and 1 percent for chemical and other
industrial lime. All but 4 percent of lime sold or used, including both quicklime
and hydrated lime, was consumed in chemical, metallurgical or other industrial
use. Ten 
companies in six counties and one independent city reported primary lime
production. 
 Giles, Sijiyth, and Shenandoah Counties, in order of output, were the chief
producing areas and accounted for 86 percent of the State's 1967 lime output.

 Processing equipment used in lime making included pot, shaft, and rotary
kilns and batch and continuous hydrators. Raw materials included high-calcium
limestone (predominately), dolomitic limestone, and oystershell. Fuels used
included bituminous coal, coke, and natural gas. 
 Virtually the entire output was highcalcium lime of which 92 percent was
used or marketed as quicklime and the remainder as the hydrated product.
Uses for lime included the manufacture of alkalies, calcium carbide, and
paper; flux in steelmaking and electrometallurgical operations; sewage and
trade-wastes treatment; purification and treatment of water; agricultural
purposes, leather tanning; construction; and miscellaneous applications.
Of the State's output, 38 percent was sold or used within Virginia and the
remainder was shipped principally to Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland,
North and South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West
Virginia. 
 
Table 7—Lime sold or used by producers, by uses 
(Thousand short tons and thousand dollars) 
Year 
Agricu 
Short tons 
itural Value 
Bui 
 
 
Short tons 
lding 
 
 
Value 
Chemical and other industrial 
 
 
Short Value tons 
Short tons 
Total' 
 
 
Value 
1963               
1964              
W 
W 
W 
W 
W 
W 
W W 
 603 $7,583 742 9,251 
639 
780 
$8,058 
9,781 
1965              
W 
W 
W 
W 
 809 10,080 
847 
10,584 
1966              
26 
343 
10 
142 
 805 10,001 
840 
10,486 
1967              
28 
324 
8 
118 
 793 9,903 
829 
10,345 
W Withheld to avoid discloEing individual company confidential data; included
with "Total." I Data may not add to totals shown because of rounding. 
 
 Mica.—No production of crude mica was reported. Domestic and foreign
mica were processed for use in paint, plastics, rubber, wallpaper, and other
products by Asheville Mica Co. and Mica Co. of Canada (N.Y.), Inc., both
in Newport News. 
 
 Nitrogen Compounds.—Allied Chemical Corp., Nitrogen Division, Hopewell,
produced nitrogen compounds such as am- 
monia, urea, and ammonium sulfate for use chiefly as fertilizer or fertilizer
ingredients. 
 
 Perlite.—Virginia Perlite Corp., Hopewell, processed perlite from
Western United States and imported vermiculite, chiefly for use as a lightweight
concrete aggregate and building plaster. The company terminated the Hopewell
processing operation late in 1967.