US Silica selects Kase and Company Inc.'s ezHedge to Hedge Natural Gas

CHEYENNE, Wyoming, December 21, 2005- U. S. Silica Company (www.u-s-silica.com), the leading producer of high quality silica sand, kaolin clay and related industrial minerals announced today that it has chosen Kase and Company, Inc.'s (www.kaseco.com) ezHedge program for consumers for hedging natural gas and heating oil.

Kase ezHedge is a computer based model that provides consumers of natural gas and heating oil with a simplified yet systematic method of assessing the forward market for these fuels by comparing them to a distribution of historical prices over an optimal observation period. The method provides a statistically sound volume and dollar-cost averaging approach to hedging natural gas and heating oil price risk by generating buy signals for layering in fixed-price hedges when forward prices fall into lower priced historical zones. Lower priced zones result in more frequent hedging and vice versa.

"The Kase ezHedge program was chosen because it offers a rapid, straightforward and simple method of purchasing energy, based on a sophisticated Kase Company analysis of rapidly changing energy markets. Additionally, a Kase supplied, weekly in-depth report provides the U.S. Silica energy buyer with a very detailed market trading pattern analysis for the buyer's review when more detail is desired. Kase provides a quick, specific, affordable information package that can take advantage of very rapid market changes, and that is critical in today's tough energy market" said Jim Slough, Senior Purchasing Manager for U.S. Silica.

U.S. Silica Company represents more than a century of mining and processing experience in industrial minerals, becoming the established standard of excellence in the production and marketing of silica. Kase and Company, Inc., established in 1992, is the world's leading boutique for energy trading and hedging consultancy.