Lime.—The volume of lime producedby The Great Western Sugar Co. for
use inTHE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF NEBRASKA 
511 
 
county with 377 wells, Red Willow had 350, Cheyenne 261, and Banner 255.

 The State conducted seven oil and gas lease sales on State land; acreage
leased totaled 13,499 acres which brought bonuses of $21,215. Highest bid,
$5.50 per acre, was~ offered at a sale held in January; lowest bid was 50
cents per acre offered at sales held in June and October. The average price
paid for the seven sales was $1.57 per acre. 
 In August prices on most Nthraska crude oils were increased 5 cents per
barrel, bringing the posted price for DenverJulesburg Basin crude to $2.98
per barrel for 40° to 44.9° API gravity oil. 
 
NONMETALS 
 
 Cement.—Activity in the cement industry declined; shipments of cement
were 18 percent below those of 1966. Ash Grove Lime & Portland Cement
Co. and Ideal Cement Co. Division, Ideal Basic Industries, Inc., produced
portland and masonry cements in Cass and Nuckolls Counties, respectively.
The downward trend in shipments reflected a shutdown for renovation by Ideal
' Cement Co. The average price per barrel of portland and masonry cements
remained approximately the same. 
 
 Clay.—Production of clay by Ash Grove Lime & Portland Cement Co.,
Endicott Clay Products Co., Omaha Brick Works, Western Brick and Supply Co.,
and Yankee Hill Brick Manufacturing Co. totaled 126,000 tons—an 18-percent
decrease from 1966 figures. 
refining beet sugar decreased 23 percent. The decrease was the result of
a smaller tonnage of beets processed at the company's Bayard, Gering, Mitchell,
and Scottsbluff plants. 
 
 Pcrlite.—Zonolite Division, W. R. Grace & Co., processed crude
perlite from out-of-State sources for use as lightweight aggregate in concrete
and plaster. 
 
 Pumice.—The tonnage of pumicite ore treated by LaRue-Axtell Pumice
Co. from its LeMaster mine in Lincoln County increased 16 percent. 
 
 Sand and Gravel.—Sand and gravel production decreased 13 percent in
quantity and 23 percent in total value. Output was reported in all but 15
counties from 243 commercial operations and 81 Government crew and contractor
operations. The overall average unit value for sand and gravel was $0.93
per ton in 1967. 
 
 Stone.—Dimension and crushed limestone, produced in 15 of the State's
93 counties, decreased 4 percent in quantity and 5 percent in value. The
average unit value of the stone was $1.54 per ton, a 2percent decrease from
$1.57 per ton in 1966. The three leading limestone-producing counties, in
descending order, were Cass, Washington, and Sarpy. 
 Sargent Calcium Co. completed construction of its new manufacturing plant
in Weeping Water. The plant will produce calcium carbonate and dicalcium
phosphate for the livestock-feeding industry. Mining of high-quality limestone
from the Plattsmouth Ledge was by the room and pillar method.