684 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
for firebrick and block and in Cumberland County for white cement. 
 
 Gem Stones.—Mineral specimens were collected chiefly by hobbyists
and amateur lapidarists at scattered locations throughout the State. 
 
 Gypsum.—A gypsum-calcining plant was operated at Philadelphia using
both domestic and imported crude gypsum. 
 
 Iodine.—One company in Lebanon County and one company in Washington
County consumed crude iodine in the production of both inorganic and organic
compounds. 
 
 Iron-Oxide Pigments.—Crude iron-oxide pigments were mined in the form
of sulfur mud in Cambria County and extracted in the form of red iron -oxide
during the processing of bauxite to alumina in Allegheny County. Finished
iron-oxide pigments were produced and shipped from two plants in Northampton
County and one plant in Carbon County. Finished pigments included natural
and - manufactured black, brown, red, and yellow pigments, and mixtures of
natural and manufactured red iron oxides. 
 
 Lime.—Production of lime (quicklime and hydrated lime) increased 8
percent in tonnage and value from that of 1966. Of the total production,
85 percent was quicklime and 15 percent hydrated lime. The average price
per ton of quicklime increased from $13.86 to $14 while that of hydrated
lime decreased from $16.92 to $16.44 per ton. The chemical and other industrial
markets consumed 78 percent of the total lime production with the remaining
22 percent being distributed among refractory, agricultural, and construction
markets. Sixteen plants were operated in 14 counties with Centre County ranking
first in production with three large plants producing quicklime and hydrated
lime accounting for 45 percent of the total lime tonnage and 39 percent of
the total value. Of the 16 plants, three plants sold only quicklime, three
plants sold only hydrated lime, one plant used quicklime, and nine plants
sold and used quicklime and hydrated lime. Regenerated quicklime was consumed
at a pulp and paper plant in Blair County. Of the total lime sold, 60 percent
was consumed in Pennsylvania, 6 
percent in New York, 7 percent in Ohio, and 5 percent in New Jersey. The
remainder was shipped to 16 other States, or exported. 
 
 Mica.—Crude scrap mica was produced at a mine In York County. The
processed mica was used in paint, roofing, rubber (mold lubricant), insulation
(electric), welding rods, and textile coating. After the company changed
hands on July 1, 1967, production stopped because the new owners, Micalith
Mining Co., Inc., were installing new equipment. 
 
Perlite (Expanded).—Crude perlite from out-of-State sources was expanded
at one plant each in Allegheny, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, and York Counties.
The Panacalite Perlite Co., previously operating in Allegheny County discontinued
business as of December 30, 1966. Lehigh County continued to lead the State
in expanded perlite production, which was used chiefly for building plaster
with substantial amounts for loose fill insulation, concrete aggregate, soil
conditioning, fines, cryogenic applications, and other uses. 
 
 Pyrites.—Pyrite concentrate was recovered by flotation in the milling
process for magnetite iron ore in Berks and Lebanon Counties. The concentrate
was then shipped to Sparrows Point, Md., for further processing. 
 
 Sand and ' Gravel.—Production of commercial sand and gravel decreased
slightly in tonnage from that of 1966, but the value was virtually the same.
Of the total commercial sand and gravel output, 50 percent was sand for construction
(building, paving, fill, and other uses), 42 percent was gravel for construction
(building, paving, railroad ballast, fill, and other uses), and 7 percent
was unground sand for industrial uses (glass, molding, grinding and polishing,
blast, fire or furnace, engine, and other uses). A small amount of ground
sand was used for abrasives, chemicals, filler, glass, pottery, porcelain,
tile, foundry, and other uses. 
 Bucks County was again the leading producing county, followed by Erie, Armstrong,
Wyoming, and Westmoreland Counties. Production was reported in 42 counties
by 115 operations, of which almost 56 percent produced less than 100,000
tons each for 14 percent of the total tonnage; 21 percent of the operations
produced be-