Page 329

  329The Mineral Industry of 
Nebraska 
This chapter has been prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding between
the 
Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Conservation and
Survey 
Division of the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Geological Survey, for collecting
information on all nonfuel minerals. 
By Robert H. Arndt1 and Raymond R. Burchett2 
The value of nonfuel minerals produced in Nebraska rose in the 1978-79 biennium
to a new record of about $99 million in 1979, supported by increased unit
prices and total values of most mineral commodities, but only partially supported
by increased output of minerals. Total value of nonfuels increased 83% in
the 5-year period, 1975-79. Output of sand and gravel in the biennium was
actually lower than output in 1977, the year of highest production during
1975-79. Clays behaved similarly. Outputs of stone and cement were higher
in 1979 than in 1975, although the general rise of stone output to the 1979
level was interrupted by a slight reversal in 1976. Production of lime 
decreased in 1975-79, but because output of lime was relatively small and
average unit prices fluctuated irregularly from year to year, the value of
lime had little influence on the trend in mineral value. About 1,600 workers
were employed in mining nonfuel minerals in 1978, a decrease from 1,800 employed
in 1977. 
Legislation and Government Programs.—No attention was given to
nonfuel
mineral industries by the Nebraska Legislature during 1978 and 1979. The
future status of these industries continued to be addressed through the program
of the Nebraska Geological Survey. Geologic mapping in southeastern Nebraska
was directed 
Table l.—Nonfuel mineral production in Nebraska1 
1917 
1978 
1979 
Mineral 
Quantity 
Value (thousands) 
Quantity 
Value (thousands) 
Quantity 
Value 
(thou 
sands) 
Clays thousand short tons_ Gemstones                     
161 NA 
$368 
 11 
146 NA 
$418 
 W 
156 NA 
$454 
w 
Sand and gravel — thousand short tons — 
Stone(crushed) do..__ 
216,848 
 4,128 
230,566 
12,974 
16,720 
4,201 
31,910 
14,758 
16,197 
4,995 
33,001 
19,362 
Combined value of cement, lime, sand and 
gravel (industrial, 1977), and values mdicatedbysymbolW               
 Total                      
XX 
34,174 
XX 
36,287 
XX 
46,364 
XX 
78,093 
XX 
83,373 
XX 
99,181 
 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). 
 2Excludes industrial sand; value included in "Combined value"
figure.