Page 465

  465The Mineral Industry of 
Rhode Island 
This chapter has been prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding between
the 
Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Rhode Island Department
of 
Natural Resources, for collecting information on all nonfuel minerals. 
By Doss H. White, Jr.' 
The value of nonfuel mineral production in Rhode Island in 1978 and 1979
added $7.5 million and $7.9 million, respectively, to the economy of the
State. In terms of value, over 90% of the State's mineral production was
sand and gravel, which was used pri. manly by the construction industry.
Trends and Developments.—Except for some construction materials,
the
nonfuel mineral requirements of Rhode Island's industry were imported. This
included all metals and most chemical and industrial materials. Of approximately
300,000 industrial workers in the State, only 300.400 were directly engaged
in mineral extraction. However, approximately 11,000 were employed in the
mineral-dependent construc 
tion industry, and 25,000 were employed in processes or manufacturing that
involved stone, clay, glass, primary metals, and fabricated metal products.
An additional 32,000 workers were associated with industries that relied
upon mineral-derived materials. 
From 1970 through 1979, value of the State's mineral production increased
more than 40%. Gains were recorded for all years except 1971-1972 and 1977.
The decrease in value of mineral production in 1971 and 1972 reflected reductions
in the mineral industries of five other New England States, which were caused
by recessionary pressures on the region's economy. The slight drop in value
in 1977 was due to a decrease in sand and gravel sales in Kent County. 
Table 1.—Value of nonfuel mineral production in Rhode Island, by
county1
(Thousands) 
County 
1977 
1978 
Minef: rxh~ced~in 1978 
Kent                          
Newport                        
Providence                      
Washington                     
Undistributed2                   
Total3                       
$1,576 
W 
W 
1,804 
2,919 
$1,761 
W 
W 
2,666 
3,065 
Sand andgravel. 
Stone, sand and gravel. 
Sandandgravel,stone. 
Sand and gravel. 
6,299 
7,493 
W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included in "Undistributed."
' Bristol County is not shown because no nonfuel mineral production was reported.
2lncludes gem stones and values indicated by symbol W. 
3Data may not add to totals shown because of independent rounding.