PERLITE

            (Data in thousand metric tons, unless noted)

Domestic Production and Use:  The estimated value (f.o.b. mine) of processed perlite
produced in 1995 was $21.1 million.  Crude ore production came from eight mines
operated by six companies in four Western States.  New Mexico continued to be the
major producing State.  Processed ore was expanded at 64 plants in 32 States.  The
principal end uses were building construction products, 71%; filter aid, 11%;
horticultural aggregate, 9%; fillers, 7%; and other, 2%.

Salient Statistics--United States:    1991     1992     1993     1994     1995e/
Production1/                           514      541      569      644      719
Imports for consumptione/               54       65       70       70       85
Exportse/                               29       29       26       30       25
Consumption, apparent                  540      577      613      684      779
Price, average value, dollars per
 ton, f.o.b. mine                    29.33    30.32    30.63    30.03    29.40
Stocks, producer, yearend               NA       NA       NA       NA       NA
Employment, mine and mill              120      115      115      125      125
Net import reliance2/ as a percent of
 apparent consumption                    5        6        7        6        8

Recycling:  Not available.

Import Sources (1991-94):  Greece, 100%.

Tariff: Item              Number       Most favored nation (MFN)          Non-MFN3/
                                                12/31/95                 12/31/95
Mineral substances, 
 not specifically 
 provided for          2530.10.0000               Free                     Free.

Depletion Allowance:  10% (Domestic), 10% (Foreign).

Government Stockpile:  None.

Prepared by Wallace P. Bolen, (703) 648-7727.

                                PERLITE

Events, Trends, and Issues:  Processed ore production and apparent consumption
increased for the fourth straight year.  Increased sales of domestic perlite coupled
with booming imports helped make 1995 a remarkable year for the perlite industry. 
Most of the increased sales went to the construction materials markets, particularly
for formed products.

Imports of perlite from Greece increased to 85,000 tons in 1995.  It is estimated
that in 1996, domestic production of processed perlite will total 740,000 tons and
apparent consumption, 800,000 tons.

Perlite mining had the normal problems of disposal of overburden and the conditions
of the abandoned pit sites, but overall, the mining of perlite disturbed a relatively
small surface area.  Mining generally occurred in remote areas, and environmental
problems were not severe.

Domestic perlite continued to encounter transportation cost disadvantages in some
areas of the Eastern United States compared with Greek imports.  However, Western
U.S. perlite exports to Canada partially offset imports into the Eastern United
States.  Foreign interests were actively investigating the possibility of exporting
their perlite into the United States.

New uses of perlite were being researched, which may increase domestic consumption.

World Processed Perlite Production, Crude Ore Reserves, and Reserve Base:

                            Production         Reserves4/   Reserve base4/
                          1994     1995e/
United States              644      719          50,000          200,000
Greece                     200      230          50,000          300,000
Japan                      200      200            (5/)             (5/)
Turkey                     250      260            (5/)             (5/)
Other countries            286      291         600,000        1,500,000
 World total             1,580    1,700         700,000        2,000,000

World Resources:  Too little information is available in perlite-producing countries
to estimate resources with any reliability.

Substitutes:  Alternate materials can be substituted for all uses of perlite, if
necessary.  Long-established competitive commodities include diatomite, expanded clay
and shale, pumice, slag, and vermiculite.

e/Estimated.  NA Not available.
1/Processed perlite sold and used by producers.
2/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock
changes; changes in stocks not available and assumed to be zero for apparent
consumption and net import reliance calculations.
3/See Appendix B.
4/See Appendix C for definitions.
5/Included with "Other countries."

                              Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996