Segment Results
Heavy Materials: Cement, Concrete and Aggregates
Revenue in the Heavy Materials sector, which includes Cement, Concrete and Aggregates and Joint Venture and intersegment Cement revenue, was $282.6 million, a 22% increase from the second quarter of fiscal 2019. Heavy Materials operating earnings improved 20% to $73.8 million primarily because of increased sales volume and net sales prices.
Cement revenue for the quarter, including Joint Venture and intersegment revenue, was up 18% to $227.0 million, reflecting improved sales volume and net sales prices. Cement sales volume for the quarter was a record 1.8 million tons, up 14% versus the prior year. The average net sales price for the quarter improved 2% to $109.35 per ton.
Operating earnings from Cement were a record $66.5 million, 16% above the same quarter a year ago. The earnings improvement was primarily due to higher sales volume and net sales prices.
Concrete and Aggregates revenue for the second quarter was $55.6 million, an increase of 42%. Second quarter operating earnings were $7.3 million, a 77% increase, reflecting record Concrete sales volume, improved Concrete sales prices and the financial results of a recently acquired small concrete and aggregates business.
Light Materials: Gypsum Wallboard and Paperboard
Revenue in the Light Materials sector, which includes Gypsum Wallboard and Paperboard, declined slightly from the prior year, as improved sales volume was offset by lower pricing. Gypsum Wallboard sales volume was 681 million square feet (MMSF), up approximately 8%, while the average Gypsum Wallboard net sales price declined 10% to $148.16 per MSF.
Paperboard sales volume for the quarter also increased, up 9% to a record 86,000 tons. The average Paperboard net sales price was $475.98 per ton, down 6% from the prior year, consistent with the pricing provisions in our long-term sales agreements.
Operating earnings were $48.6 million in the sector, a decline of 11%, reflecting improved Wallboard and Paperboard sales volume offset by lower net sales prices. Operating costs during the quarter declined primarily due to lower recycled fiber costs.
Oil and Gas Proppants
Revenue in the Oil and Gas Proppants segment was down 41% to $14.0 million. This decline resulted from a 34% decrease in average Frac Sand sales prices and an 11% decline in Frac Sand sales volume. The second quarter operating loss of $5.5 million included $3.8 million of depreciation, depletion and amortization.
Planned Separation of Heavy Materials and Light Materials Businesses
As previously announced on May 30, 2019, the Company plans to separate its Heavy Materials and Light Materials businesses into two independent, publicly traded corporations by means of atax-freespin-off to Eagle shareholders. We continue to anticipate that the separation will be completed in the first half of calendar 2020. The Company also previously announced it is actively pursuing alternatives for its Oil and Gas Proppants business.
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