743 
PERLITE 
 
 
PRICES 
 
 The average price of processed perlite 
sold to expanders increased slightly from 
$33.53 per ton to $34.67 per ton, but the 
average price of processed perlite med by 
producers in their own plants declined from 
$33.21 per ton to $32.48 per ton in 1985. The 
average value of all processed perlite sold and used was $33.85 per ton,
a slight increase over that of 1984. The value of expanded perlite sold and
used averaged $177 per ton compared with $169 per ton (revised) in 1984.

 
FOREIGN TRADE 
 
 The United States imported approximately 52,000 tons of processed perlite
from Greece, compared with 46,000 tons (revised) 
in 1984. Exports of processed perlite were estimated to be 20,000 tons to
Canada, the same as those of 1984. 
 
WORLD REVIEW 
 
 Estimated world production of perlite to- United States, accounted for 76%
of the taled nearly 1.8 million tons in 1985, a world total. 
slight decrease from that of 1984. Three ___________ 
countries, Greece, the U.S.S.R., and the ' Industry economist, Division of
Industrial Minerals. 
 
 
 
Table 4.—Perlite: World production, by country1 
(Thousand short tons) 
 
Country2 
 1981 1982 1983 l98i~ 1985e 
Australia3 2 1 2 e2 2 
Czechoslovakia 47 50 49 e49 ~ 
Greece 145 167 167 196 195 
Hungary3 105 99 103 113 112 
Italy 94 88 83 r88 88 
Japane 83 83 83 83 83 
Mexico3 63 36 46 35 33 
NewZealand3. 1 2 1 (4) 
Philippines 8 4 2 17 3 
Turkey 50 134 32 67 66 
U.S.S.R.5 r660 r660 r660 r660 660 
United States (processed ore sold and used by producers) 591 506 474 498
~507 
 Total r1849 rl,830 1,702 1,808 1,798 
 
 eEstimated ~Preliminary. TRevised. 
 
 1Unless otherwise specified, figures represent processed ore output. Table
includes data available through June 3, 1986. 
 21n addition to the countries listed, Algeria, Bulgaria, China, Iceland,
Mozambique, the Republic of South Africa, and Yugoslavia are believed to
have produced perlite but output data are not reported and available information
is inadequate for formulation of reliable estimates of output levels. 
 ' Crude ore. 
 4Revised to zero. 
 5Reported figure.