THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF FLORIDA 229 
 
mine closures and cutbacks at others, also contributed to this drop in employment.

 Maule Industries, a Miami crushed limestone producer, announced plans to
construct a 2 million barrel per year cement plant in the Miami area. 
 Mobil Oil Corp. drilled a test well in the Gulf of Mexico about 6 miles
off Gasparilla Island, Charlotte County; the well was a dry hole, and was
terminated at 12,931 feet. Mobil also drilled two other wells in the Gulf,
one about 8 miles south of Cedar Key and the other 15 miles southwest of
Yankeetown; the Yankeetown well, a dry hole, was abandoned after reaching
a depth of 4,735 feet. 
 
 Legislation and Government Programs. 
—The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved nearly $32 million
for planning and construction of Florida wa 
ter projects;. of this total, $11.4 million was approved for the Cross-Florida
Barge Canal, the completion date of which was extended to 1974. A bill was
signed admitting Florida into the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Authority.

 On the State level, bills relating to strip mining in Sarasota County and
to subsurface rights in the State became law. Other acts by the Florida Legislature
created the Tallahassee-Wakulla Port Authority and the Lee-Charlotte Port
Authority. The Manatee County Planning Commission adopted a mining ordinance
raising land reclamation bonds from $300 to $750 per acre. 
 The Division of Geology, Florida Board of Conservation, continued studies
of mineral resources throughout the State; results of water resource studies
were published during the year. 
 
REVIEW BY MINERAL COMMODITIES 
NONMETALS 
 
 Nonmetals accounted for 94 percent of the State's total mineral production
value, compared with 95 percent in 1966. The principal nonmetals produced,
listed in order of value, were phosphate rock, stone, cement, clays, and
sand and gravel. 
 
 Cement.—The quantity of portland cement shipped increased 5 percent
with a 6 percent increase in value while masonry cement shipments increased
2 percent in quantity and 1 percent in value. General Portland Cement Co.
operated plants near Tampa and Miami, and Lehigh Portland Cement Co. operated
a plant near Miami. 
 Types I and II (general-use and moderate - heat), Type III (high - early
strength), and white cements were produced. Most of the shipments were made
within the State, but shipments were also made to Georgia, Tennessee, North
Carolina, Alabama, and other States. Masonry cement shipments were mainly
made within the State, with small amounts also shipped to Georgia and South
Carolina. Cement shipments, chiefly in bulk form, were made by truck (74
percent) and by rail (26 percent). Principal consumers were ready-mixed concrete
companies, concrete products manufacturers, and building materials dealers.

 Raw materials used in the manufacture 
of cement were mined principally within the State, and included limestone,,
clay, and sand. 
 Ten rotary kilns were operated at the three plants which had a total capacity
of about 12 million barrels per year. All used the wet process. A total of
about :215 million kilowatt-hours of electrical energy was consumed in the
manufacture of cement, 90 percent purchased and the remainder home generated.

 
 Clays.—Total clay output decreased 0.8 percent in tonnage, but value
increased 2 percent. Increases in value were noted for all clays, but miscellaneous
clay was the only clay showing increased output. 
 Florida, for the 10th consecutive year, continued to lead the Nation in
fuller's earth production. Fuller's earth output decreased 3 percent in tonnage,
but the value increased 1 percent. Three producers were active in Gadsden
County and one producer in Marion County~ The material was used for insecticides
(39 percent), absorbents (35 percent) drilling mud (14 percent), mineral
oils (7 percent), and paper soil, and vegetable uses (3 percent); about 2
percent was exported. 
 A highlight of the year was the merger of Minerals & Chemicals Philipp
Corp. into Engelhard Industries Inc.; the new company will be known as Engeihard