766 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
Counties. More than 87 percent of the output was used in the manufacture
of building brick. Fire clay also was used in making stoneware, art pottery,
firebrick and block, mortar, vitrified sewer pipe, and fertilizer products.

 Fuller's earth production was reported from two operations in Fayette and
Trinity Counties. Principal uses were as an absorbent and as a soil conditioner.

 Kaolin, mined from open pits southeast of Kosse in Limestone County by one
producer, was used in processing fertilizer, rubber, and cement. 
 Miscellaneous clay, which accounted for 80 percent of total 1967 clay output,
was produced in 38 counties. Chief production was from Bexar, Eastland, Galveston,
and Harris Counties. Almost 28 percent of the miscellaneous clay was used
to make building brick, and slightly more than 35 percent was expanded for
use as lightweight aggregate. Miscellaneous clay also was used in making
art pottery, floor and wall tile, vitrified sewer pipe, other heavy clay
products, and portland and masonry cement. 
 Following a change in ownership, the Leesburg Brick Co. in Pittsburg (Camp
County) was renamed Saville-Baker Brick Co. The plant was remodeled and plans
were made to produce a new line of sand-molded brick. A new plant, Teague
Pottery, Inc., opened *in Teague (Freestone County) for making dinnerware,
ovenware, and floral and garden pottery. 
 
 Gem Stones.—Gem stones and mineral specimens produced in Texas during
the year included agate, calcite, fluorite, jasper, fossiliferous limestone,
opal, petrified wood, and topaz. 
 
 Graphite.—Southwestern Graphite Co., subsidiary of Joseph Dixon Crucible
Co., produced crystalline-flake graphite from an open-pit mine in western
Burnet County. The graphite was processed at the company mill adjacent to
the mine. Output was down slightly from that of 1966. The graphite was used
for lubricants, refractories, pencils, crayons, and other products. 
 
 Gypsuni.—Crude gypsum was mined from open pits operated by seven companies
in Fisher, Gillespie, Hardeman, Hudspeth, and Nolan Countries. The output
was 9 percent greater than in 1966, 
but 28 percent lower than the record high production of 1959. 
 More than 73 percent of the crude gypsum was cal'cined for use in products
such as plaster, plasterboard, tile, and building blocks. Most of the uncalcined
gypsum was used as a retarder in portland cement. 
 Crude gypsum, mined outside of Texas, was calcined at a plant in Irving
(Dallas County) and at a plant in Galena Park (Harris County) for use in
manufacturing gypsum wallboard. 
 A. P. Green Refractories Co., a producer of Texas fire clay and manufacturer
of refractories, merged with United States Gypsum Co.; A. P. Green will operate
as a subsidiary of the United States Gypsum Co. 
 Attention centered on West Texas gypsum deposits during the year when Elcor
Chemical Corp. of Midland, Tex., announced plans for construction of a facility
in Culberson County to extract sulfur from gypsum. The gypsum, mined by open-pit
methods, will be treated by a "unique process." 
 
Table 21.—Crude gypsum mined 
(Thousand short tons and thousand dollars) 
 
Year 
Quantity 
Value 
1963                    
1964                    
1965                  
1966                    
1967                    
1,099 
1,131 
1,045 
899 
984 
$3,999 
4,049 
3,794 
3,258 
3,419 
 Lime.—Lime production was reported from 15 plants in Brazoria, Calhoun,
Comal, Harris, Hill, Jasper, Johnson, Nueces, Travis, and Williamson Counties.
Output exceeded the record high of the previous year by 6 percent. The amount
of lime sold for construction was up 16 percent, and lime sold or used for
chemical and other industrial purposes increased 4 percent. An increased
tonnage of lime was sold for refractory use in 1967, but a drop was noted
in the amount used for treating soils. 
 Most of the construction lime was used as a soil stabilization agent for
roads, foundation sites, parking lots, and similar applications. Rapid growth
of the soil stabilization market was demonstrated by the 19-percent increase
in tonnage of lime sold for this purpose during the year.