-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LT/V4zrmiIVUwSABITr0iUQOVABSEkzd2uJfuG9quubtN+rU7OLMpRAXtLr50Ep7
 7E14HRj/Az0J6pnkuP3zHQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000072162-99-000001.txt : 19990105
<SEC-HEADER>0000072162-99-000001.hdr.sgml : 19990105
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000072162-99-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	19990104
ITEM INFORMATION:		
ITEM INFORMATION:		
FILED AS OF DATE:		19990104

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NL INDUSTRIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000072162
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS [2810]
		IRS NUMBER:				135267260
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00640
		FILM NUMBER:		99500180

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO GREENSPOINT PLZ
		STREET 2:		16825 NORTHCHASE DR STE 1200
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77060-2544
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2814233300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO GREENSPOINT PLAZA
		STREET 2:		16825 NORTHCHASE DR., SUITE 1200
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77060-2544

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NATIONAL LEAD CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19710520
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<DESCRIPTION>01/04/99  8K FOR NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
<TEXT>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                     ---------------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT



                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 4, 1999


                       NL INDUSTRIES, INC.                       
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



New Jersey                   1-640                    13-5267260
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other       (Commission File No.)     (Employer ID No.)
jurisdiction of
incorporation)



16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 1200, Houston, Texas             77060
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (281) 423-3300


                          Not Applicable                         
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




<PAGE>


Item 5.     Other Events.


      On January 4,  1999,  the  Registrant  issued the press  release  attached
hereto  as  Exhibit  99.1  and  incorporated  herein  in its  entirety  by  this
reference.




Item 7.     Financial   Statements,   Pro  Forma  Financial   Information  and
            Exhibits.


      (c)   Exhibits

            (i)   Exhibit 99.1.     Press Release dated January 4, 1999.



                        *      *      *      *      *




                                    SIGNATURE



      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                          NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                          (Registrant)


                                          ____________________________
                                          /s/ David B. Garten
                                          David B. Garten
                                          Vice President, Secretary &
                                          General Counsel


Dated: January 4, 1999

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT TO NL INDUSTRIES, INC.  8K  01/04/99
<TEXT>





                                                               SUSAN E. ALDERTON
                                                                    212/421-7202

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



FOR RELEASE ON JANUARY 4, 1999



         NL Industries, ICI and Du Pont End TiO2 Acquisition Agreement

     HOUSTON,  TEXAS  --  January  4,  1999  -- NL  Industries,  Inc.  (NYSE:NL)
announced  today that the previously  announced  agreements  among NL,  Imperial
Chemical  Industries  plc and E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company,  under which NL
would have  acquired the North  American TiO2  operations  of ICI's  subsidiary,
Tioxide Group Limited, and a UK-based TiO2 plant, have been terminated.  NL said
that the transactions  had been  conditioned upon regulatory  clearances and the
completion  of the purchase of Tioxide's  non-North  American  operations  by Du
Pont,  among other things.  NL stated that the  termination  followed the United
States Federal Trade  Commission's  failure to clear the  transactions  on terms
agreeable to all of the parties.

     Mr. J. Landis  Martin,  President and Chief  Executive  Officer of NL said:
"Naturally,  we are  disappointed  at not being able to move  forward  with this
acquisition of additional TiO2 capacity. However, we have a strong balance sheet
and  we  remain  committed  to  the  industry.   We  will  continue  to  explore
opportunities  for  acquisitions  or  other  business  combinations  in the TiO2
business and in the chemicals industry generally."

     NL Industries,  Inc. is a major international  producer of titanium dioxide
pigments.

     The statements in this release  relating to matters that are not historical
facts are  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks and  uncertainties,
including,  but not limited to, future global economic and political conditions,
global TiO2 production  capacity and the amount and timing of capacity  changes,
competitive  products and prices, and other risks and uncertainties  detailed in
the Company's  Securities and Exchange Commission filings.  Actual results could
differ materially from those forecasted or expected.



</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
