<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BETTER MINERAL AND AGGREGATES COMPANY AS CONTAINED IN THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <NAME> BETTER MINERALS & AGGREGATES CO <CIK> 0001108673 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 JAN-01-1998 JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1999 <CASH> 0 2,222 13,573 <SECURITIES> 0 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 0 30,346 43,552 <ALLOWANCES> 0 (1,060) (1,278) <INVENTORY> 0 15,844 23,058 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 0 56,443 91,405 <PP&E> 0 235,075 482,117 <DEPRECIATION> 0 (37,198) (59,248) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 0 274,678 551,603 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 0 36,935 45,690 <BONDS> 0 131,918 285,466 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 <COMMON> 0 0 0 <OTHER-SE> 0 23,396 64,335 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 0 274,678 551,603 <SALES> 128,512 142,294 209,075 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 128,512 142,294 209,075 <CGS> 88,097 98,478 140,244 <TOTAL-COSTS> 120,328 149,523 190,568 <OTHER-EXPENSES> (1,742) (1,881) (2,171) <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,513 10,269 19,590 <INCOME-PRETAX> (1,961) (16,871) 1,032 <INCOME-TAX> (2,239) (2,204) (2,714) <INCOME-CONTINUING> 278 (14,667) 3,746 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 (2,102) (2,747) <CHANGES> 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 278 (16,769) 999 <EPS-BASIC> 0 0 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 0 0