THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF ILLINOIS 287 
 
The Anlin Company of Illinois recovered sulfur by the Amine-Gas-Purification
and Modified-Clause processes at its Hartford plant in Madison County. The
Pure Oil Co., a Division of Union Oil Co. of California, recovered sulfur
by the ModifiedClaus process at its Lemont plant in Will County. 
 
 Tripoli (Amorphous Silica).—Crude material was recovered from underground
mines in Alexander County by Illinois Minerals Co. near Elco and Tamms Industries
Co. near Tamms. The production of crude material increased nearly 13 percent
in quantity and over 10 percent in value. Output of prepared material increased
2 percent in quantity and 20 per. cent in value. Prepared material was used
for abrasives, filler, and other purposes. 
 
 Vermiculite.—Crude vermiculite mined outside the State was processed
at plants operated by three companies in Cook, DeKaib, and Macoupin Counties.
The output of exfoliated vermiculite, used for insulation, concrete and plaster
aggregate, masonry fill, and agricultural purposes, declined about 14 percent
in quantity and 15 percent in value. 
 
METALS 
 
 Lead and Zinc.—While production of recoverable lead metal increased
4 percent, that of zinc metal increased 34 percent. The substantial gain
in zinc production 
chiefly resulted from the increase in fluorspar production and the first
full year of operation for the Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., Rehm-Bauer
mine. The total value of lead produced declined 3 percent, while the value
of zinc increased 28 percent. Average weighted yearly prices of lead and
zinc were 14.00 cents per pound for lead and 13.84 cents per pound for zinc.
The 1966 averages were 15.12 cents per pound for lead and 14.50 cents per
pound for zinc. The principal producer in northern Illinois was Eagle-Picher
Industries, Inc., and those in southern Illinois, were Aluminum Company of
America, Minerva Oil Co., and Ozark-Mahoning Co. Southern Illinois producers
recovered lead and zinc as byproducts from their fluorspar operations. 
 
 Pig Iron and Stcel.—About 6.2 million tons of pig iron, valued at
$348.6 million, was shipped from Illinois blast furnaces or was consumed
by the producing companies. This quantity represented a decrease of nearly
5 percent from 1966 production. Pig iron was produced at blast furnaces in
Granite City and South Chicago. The dismantling of the three blast furnaces
of Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. was completed. 
 About 4.0 million short tons of domestic iron and manganiferous ores (excluding
agglomerates), 2.2 million short tons of sinter, and 2.8 million tons of
pellets were consumed in Illinois blast furnaces; pellet consumption increased
by one-sixth. 
 
Table 12—Mine production of lead and zinc 
 
 
 
 
 
Lead 
 
Zinc 
 
 
Year 
Mines 
pro- 
ducing 
Crude 
-~ 
ore sold or treated 
 
(recoverable metal) 
— 
(recove 
 
— Short 
tons 
rable 
metal) 
Value (thousands) 
Total 
value 
(thou- 
sands) 
 
 
Fluorspar- 
lead- 
zinc 
Lead 
ard/or 
zinc 
- 
 
 
Total 
Short Value tons (thou- 
sands) 
 
 
 
 
1963     
1964     
13 
14 
400,283 
359,247 
350,647 
177,894 
750930 
537,141 
 2,901 $627 2,180 571 
20,337 
13,800 
 
$4,678 
3,754 
$5,304 
4,325 
1965_~ 
1966     
8 
8 
495,686 
520,891 
185,444 
128,088 
681,130 
648,979 
 3,005 938 2,285 691 
18,314 
15,192 
 
5,348 
4,406 
6,285 
5,096 
1967     
7 
508,835 
195,712 
704,547 
 2,384 668 
20,416 
 
5,652 
6,320 
 
 The iron and steel industry consumed over 2.3 million short tons of limestone
and dolomite-—about 59 percent in blast furnaces, 21 percent in agglomerating
plants, and 20 percent in steel furnaces. Nearly 4.3 million short tons of
coke was consumed by blast furnaces. Illinois agglomerating 
 
plants consumed 2.8 million short tons of iron ore. Over 27 percent of the
iron ore consumed by agglomerating plants and 81 percent of the 515,000 tons
of ore consumed in steel furnaces was of foreign origin. Data for nonintegrated
steel plants are not included.