SUMMARY 



The mineral production of Northwest Florida recently has increased sub- 

 stantially during the past few years because of the oil fields near Jay. Oil 

 and gas produce much greater revenue in the region than all other minerals 

 combined, and they now account for about one-third of the value of all mineral 

 production in the State. Hopes were high in the mid-1970' s that offshore oil 

 and gas would be found in the Destin Dome southwest of Panama City, but no 

 significant amount was discovered. Nearshore, there is expectation of a gas 

 find in East Bay, but exploration may not begin for years. 



Nonfuel mineral production is low. Sand and gravel are most valuable, 

 and Escambia County has the largest production. Ilmenite and rutile are pro- 

 duced from coastal sands west of Panama City, and magnesia is extracted from 

 sea water at Port St. Joe. 



OCS oil and gas exploration off the Gulf coast of Florida is nearly at a 

 standstill, but further explorations are expected. If significant offshore 

 production takes place, the onshore requirements for facilities such as refin- 

 eries, processing plants and fabrication yards may be extensive. It is impor- 

 tant for State and local governments that may be affected to anticipate and 

 plan for such developments. 



DATA GAPS 



Northwest Florida is not a major mineral producer. Nonfuel minerals are 

 usually produced by only one firm in a county. Nondisclosure rules cause dif- 

 ficulties in obtaining production statistics for several counties and several 

 minerals. 



Information on employment is provided in broad categories by the Bureau 

 of Census. Employment in mineral industries in Northwest Florida is grouped 

 in ranges of 0-19 to 20-99 employees and such data are of little use when 

 evaluating the economic significance of the mineral industry. The infromation 

 required above cannot be obtained from the Bureau of Census because of nondis- 

 closure rules. If such information is needed, it will have to be obtained in 

 a way that alleviates disclosure problems, if possible. 



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