TABLE 2 
 
FLORIDA: CONSTRUCTION SAND AND GRAVEL SOLD OR USED IN 1992, 
BY MAJOR USE CATEGORY 
Use 
Concrete aggregates (including concrete sand) 
Plaster and gunite sands 
 
Concrete products (blocks, brick, pipe, decorative, etc.) 
 
Asphaltic concrete aggregates and other bituminous 
Road base and coverings 
Fill 
Other miscellaneous usesi Unspecified:2 
Actual Estimated 
 
Total 
Total4 
 
Quantity (thousand short tons) 
Value 
 
(thousands) 
Value 
 
per ton 
7,454 
$25,455 
$3.41 
294 
1,096 
3.73 
809 
2,722 
3.36 
380 
1,755 
4.62 
611 
1,902 
3.11 
5,578 
8,467 
1.52 
489 
1,405 
2.87 
2,721 
10,296 
3.78 
4,931 
13,043 
2.65 
' 23,266 
66,141 
2.84 
21,107 
66,141 
3.13 
ikclodes filtration. 
2lncludes production reported without a breakdown by end use and estimates
for nonrespondents. ' Data do not add to total shown became of independent
rounding. 
4One metric ton is equal to 1,000 kilograms or 2,204.62 pounds. To conved
shod tons into metric tons, muhiply shod tons by 0.907185. 
' Total quantity and total value in thousand metric tons and thousand dollars.

144  FLORIDA—1992 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
County and by Mid-Florida Mining Co. from pits in Marion County. The top
three end uses, which accounted for more than 66 % of the tonnage mined,
were (1) pet waste absorbents, (2) pesticide carriers and related products,
and (3) oil and grease adsorbents. 
 Kaolin was recovered during industrial sand dredging by the Feldspar Corp.
at an operation in Putnam County. Major sales were to the electric porcelain,
sanitaryware, and china manufacturing industries. These three accounted for
more than 51 % of the kaolin recovered. 
 
 Magnesia.—Seawater was the raw material for magnesia extraction
at
a facility at Port St. Joe, on the northern Gulf of Mexico. The plant, southeast
of Panama City, was operated by Premier Refractories & Chemical Corp.
and produced caustic calcined magnesia, magnesium hydroxide slurry, and a
deadburned magnesia. 
 
 Peat.—The State advanced to first place among the 20 peat-producing
States. Production and value were 21 1 ,000 metric tons valued at $3.2 
million. Ten firms harvested peat from bogs in Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake,
Putnam, and Sumter Counties. Lake, Highland, and Sumter Counties accounted
for 88 % of the production. Both reedsedge and humus peat were harvested
and sold for horticultural uses. 
 
 Phosphate Rock.—The State continued as the leading domestic phosphate
producer and accounted for about 30 % of the world's total. Phosphate rock
sales accounted for more than 50 % of the State's total mineral value. Production
in 1992, as determined by the Florida Phosphate Institute, totaled 36.2 million
metric tons (39.9 million short tons), the same as in 1991. In 1992, nine
companies operated phosphate rock mines in central and northern Florida.

 The phosphate market was flat due primarily to a twofold problem with foreign
demand, the breakup of the U.S.S.R. and resulting economic difficulties,
and the cutting of fertilizer subsidies by the Indian Government. A wet summer
in the United States also added to the fertilizer demand problem. 
 Sand and GraveL—Sales of construction and industrial sand and
gravel
totaled $71 million, an increase over the $57 million reported in 1991. Output,
21.5 million metric tons (23.7 million short tons), increased 6.4 million
metric tons (7.1 million short tons) over the 15. 1 million metric tons (16.6
million short tons) mined in 1991. Value of construction and industrial sand
and gravel sales ranked fourth among the mineral commodities produced in
Florida and accounted for about 5 % of the 1992 value. 
 
 Construction.—The production of construction sand and gravel is
surveyed
by the U.S. Bureau of Mines for even numbered years only; data for oddnumbered
years are based on annual company estimates. This chapter contains actual
data for 1990 and 1992 and estimated data for 1991. 
 The State ranked 14th in tonnage and 18th in value among the 49 States with
a construction sand and gravel industry. Florida's construction sand and
gravel industry produced 21. 1 million metric tons (23.3 million short tons)
valued at $66. 1 million. This was a significant