Environmental geologic maps of the Texas lignite belt were prepared in response to renewed production of lignite in Texas and enactment of Federal and State laws governing coal and lignite surface mining.

The Mineral Resources of Texas map is designed to illustrate the historical and current (as of 1976) distribution of industrial mineral occurrences and production sites in Texas.

Texas is endowed with an enormous variety of natural land resources that vary from the humid forest lands of East Texas to the vast desert lands of Trans-Pecos, from the swamps and marshes of the Texas Coastal Zone to the arid plains of the Panhandle, and from the rich farmland of Central Texas t

The State of Texas has about 367 miles of open Gulf shoreline, most of it typified by rather broad, sandy beaches and a comparatively mild climate that permits almost year-round use of this recreational resource. All but about 87 miles of the Gulf beach is accessible to the general public.

The area described in this report comprises 712 square miles centered on the City of Austin. The area extends north almost to Round Rock, south to the vicinity of Buda, east to just beyond Manor, and west to about 5 miles west of Oak Hill.