Page 543

  543The Mineral Industry of 
Virginia 
By Leonard J. Prosser~ 
 The value of Virginia's nonfuel mineral production was $264.9 million in
1978 and $309.8 million in 1979. During these years, Virginia's major nonfuel
commodities were, in terms of value, cement, kyanite, lime, sand and gravel,
stone, and zinc. Other commodities that contributed to the State's mineral
economy included aplite, clay, gypsum, lead, and talc. Also, the State's
first vermiculite mine began production in 1979. 
 Trends and Developments.—In the 1970's, stone production accounted
for approximately 50% of Virginia's total nonfuel mineral production value.
Stone output peaked in 1978 at 50.5 million short tons 
and again in 1979 at 51.1 million short tons. As these record production
levels were reached, the State's nonfuel mineral production value surpassed
the $300 million mark for the first time. 
 Virginia became the third State in the Nation to produce crude vermiculite
when Virginia Vermiculite, Ltd., began operations in 1979. The open pit operation
is located about 20 miles east of Charlottesville in Louisa County. Previously,
Montana and South Carolina accounted for all domestic vermiculite production.
The material, after extraction, is exfoliated and used mostly by the construction
industry. 
Table 1.—.Nonfuel mineral production in Virginia' 
1977 
1978 
1979 
Mineral 
Quantity 
Value (thousands) 
Quantity 
Value (thousands) 
Quantity 
Value 
(thou 
sands) 
Clays         thousand short tons_ 
Gemstones                      
Lead (recoverable content of ores, etc.) 
 metric tons_ —Lime thousand short tons —Sand and gravel2
do_
— — —Stone:  Crushed do_ 
 Dimension —— do_.~ 
Zinc (recoverable content of ores, etc.) metric tons — Combined
value
of aplite, cement, gypsum, kyanite, sand and gravel (industrial), silver
(1977), talc (soapstone), and vermiculite(1979)                  
Total                      
890 
NA 
1,999 
846 
10,447 
41,707 
10 
12,040 
XX 
$1,294 
12 
1,352 
28,767 
24,605 
109,737 
1,864 
9,131 
39,104 
1,043 
NA 
1,803 
832 
11,430 
50,442 
10 
10,974 
XX 
$3,266 
15 
1,339 
30,578 
29,070 
141,601 
1,943 
7,500 
49,585 
1,059 
NA 
1,596 
872 
11,803 
51,080 
9 
11,406 
XX 
$3,512 
15 
1,852 
34,935 
32,268 
165,223 
2,042 
9,380 
60,538 
XX 
215,866 
XX 
264,897 
XX 
309,765 
NA Not available. XX Not applicable. 
' Production as measured by mine shipments, sales, or marketable production
(including consumption by producers). 2Excludes industrial sand; value included
in "Combined value" figure.