822 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
refractory stone (bakery oven-hearth stones). Production of these two miscellaneous
stone varieties was confined to one county and one independent city. A limited
quantity of dimension stone was produced from the other two miscellaneous
varieties— amphibolite and schist in two counties. Slate for roofing,
structural and sanitary use, flagging, wall facing, and flooring tile was
produced in one county. Diabase, a basaltic rock, was produced as dimension
stone in one county; output and value were substantially lower in 1967. A
limited output of dimension sandstone was produced in two counties; output
and value increased in 1967. 
 Commercial stone production including marine shell was reported from 55
counties and 1 independent city. The principal stone producing counties,
in terms of output, were Botetourt (crushed limestone), Loudoun (crushed
diabase), Augusta (crushed limestone and sandstone), Frederick (crushed limestone),
and Tazewell (crushed limestone). In terms of product value, the most important
counties were Botetourt, Loudoun, Buckingham (dimension and crushed slate),
Giles (crushed limestone, largely for lime making), and Frederick. Twenty-eight
percent of the total stone output was contributed by five counties, and five
counties accounted for alhnost 29 percent of the output value. 
 In 1967, commercial production of limestone was reported from 23 counties,
granite from 19, basalt and diabase from 7, sandstone (including quartzite
and quartz) from 12, slate from 1, calcareous marl from 2, miscellaneous
stone from 3, and marble from 1. Oystershell was produced in 1 independent
city and 1 county. The number of counties listed in the two preceding sentences
exceeds the number of counties in which all types of commercial stone was
produced because of duplication of counties when considering each variety
produced. Twelve counties (11 in 1966) produced more than 1 million tons
of stone and there were 21 counties with output valued in excess of $1 million
each (23 in 1966). Crushed stone was produced in all but one of the producing
counties, and in one independent city; dimension stone was produced in six
counties. Government-and-contractor stone was produced in seven counties
and accounted for less than 1 percent of the total stone output and value.

 As a result of the National Safety Competition, Certificates of Achievement
in Safety were awarded to a number of companies whose quarry groups operated
during 1967 without a lost-time work injury. Among companies receiving awards
were Augusta Stone Corp. (Staunton limestone quarry); Burkevilie Stone Corporation
(Burkeville granite quarry); Charlottesville Stone Corp. (Charlottesville
basalt quarry); Chemstone Corp., subsidiary of Minerals & Chemicals Philipp
Corp., (Strasburg limestone quarry); Fairfax Quarries, Inc. (Fairfax diabase
quarry); Lehigh Portland Cement Co. (Fordwick limestone quarry); Southern
Materials Co., Inc. (Chester granite quarry); Interstate Stone Corp. (Verona
limestone quarry); and Vulcan Materials Co., Mideast Division (Manassas diabase
quarry, Royal Stone granite quarry, and South Boston granite quarry). 
 
 Sulfur.—Hydrogen sulfide was recovered from fuel gas and converted
to sulfur by the American Oil Co. at its Yorktown refinery. Shipments increased
substantially; the greater-than-proportional increase in total value of shipments
was due to a~ higher average unit value in 1967. 
 
METALS 
 
 Ferroalloys.—E. J. Lavino & Co., Division of International Minerals
& Chemicals Corp., suspended production for an indefinite period at their
ferroalloys plant in Lynchburg during August 1967 but maintained sales from
stockpile. The plant utilized fluxstone and coke from Virginia in the blast-furnace
reduction of imported manganese ore to produce ferromanganese for use by
the steel industry. 
 
 Iron Ore (Pigment Material) .—Natural iron-oxide pigments were produced
by one firm at Hiwassee, Pulaski County, from local deposits of earthy forms
of hydrous and anhydrous iron oxides—ocher, sienna, and umber. More
than a hundred different colors are produced at the Hiwassee plant by combination
of raw, burnt, and blended ochers, siennas, and umbers. Manufactured iron
oxides, for use in pigment manufacture and in magnetic tape manufacture,
were produced at the company's Pulaski facilities. Natural iron-oxide pigments
were also produced from out-of-State hematite by a firm at Henry, Henry County.
The finished iron-oxide pigments are used