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  571The Mineral Industry of 
Wisconsin 
This chapter has been prepared by the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of
the Interior, and the Geological and Natural History Survey of Wisconsin,
under a Memorandum of Understanding for collecting information on all nonfuel
minerals in the State. 
By James J. Hi1P and Thomas J. Evans2 
 The value of nonfuel mineral production in Wisconsin was $159.2 million
in 1978 and $179.7 million in 1979. The increase in value primarily reflects
inflationary pressures that have caused the unit values of most mineral commodities
to escalate along with other products in the State's economy. 
 Nonmetallic minerals, especially sand and gravel and crushed stone used
for construction, continued to dominate the mineral scene in quantity and
value. 
 In the 1978-79 biennium, iron ore was the leading metallic mineral commodity
produced in Wisconsin. Witl~ the closing of Eagle-Picher Industries' zinc
mine in October 1979, iron ore became the sole metallic mineral produced
in the State. 
 Although three massive sulfide deposits have been discovered in the State
since 1968, only one is currently being evaluated for production purposes.
Table 1.—.Nonfuel mineral production in Wisconsin' 
1977 
1978 
1979 
Value 
Value 
Value 
Mineral 
Quantity 
(thousands) 
Quantity 
(thousands) 
Quantity 
(thou 
sands) 
Gemstones                      
NA 
$1 
Iron ore (usable) 
 thousand long tons, gross weight_ - 
Lime thousand short tons.. —Peat do~_Sandandgravel do~Stone: 
668 
378 
14 
29,025 
W 
13,521 
196 
50,210 
650 
430 
12 
30,474 
 W 
$17,301 
 201 
53,012 
736 
429 
11 
32,046 
 W 
$19,060 
 720 
58,576 
 Crushed do~~ Dimension do~ 
Combined value of abrasive stone, cement, clays, lead, zinc, and values indicated
by symboiW                      
 Total                       
22,241 
73 
XX 
42,097 
4,821 
39,282 
24,385 
64 
XX 
46,990 
4,562 
37,162 
23,924 
54 
. 
XX 
52,804 
4,204 
44,318 
XX 
150,128 
XX 
159,228 
XX 
179,682 
 NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data;
value included in "Combined value" figure. XX Not applicable. 
 ' Production as measured by mine shipments, sales, or marketable production
(including consumption by producers).