SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 10-K/A
                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1

    ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
               ACT OF 1934 - For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

         Commission file number 1-640

                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

           New Jersey                                          13-5267260
(State or other jurisdiction of                              (IRS Employer
 incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1700, Dallas, Texas                    75240-2697
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:          (972) 233-1700

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                                    Name of each exchange on
     Title of each class                               which registered

         Common stock                               New York Stock Exchange
       ($.125 par value)                            Pacific Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                                      None.

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes X  No
                     ---   ---

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation  S-K is not contained  herein,  and will not be contained,  to the
best of Registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive proxy or information  statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K.

Indicate  by check mark  whether  the  Registrant  is an  accelerated  filer (as
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act).  Yes X  No
                                                           ---   ---

The  aggregate  market  value of the 7.2 million  shares of voting stock held by
nonaffiliates of NL Industries,  Inc. as of June 30, 2003 (the last business day
of the Registrant's most recently-completed  second fiscal quarter) approximated
$122.5 million.

As of February 27, 2004, 48,262,284 shares of the Registrant's common stock were
outstanding.

                       Documents incorporated by reference

The  information  required by Part III is  incorporated  by  reference  from the
Registrant's definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Commission pursuant
to  Regulation  14A not later  than 120 days  after the end of the  fiscal  year
covered by this report.



The  undersigned   Registrant  hereby  amends  the  following  items,  financial
statements, exhibits or other portions of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year  ended  December  31,  2003 as set forth  below  and in the pages  attached
hereto:

Item 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.

Item No.                                    Exhibit Index

  31.1     Certification

  31.2     Certification

  99.1     Annual Report of the NL Industries,  Inc. Retirement Savings Plan on
           Form 11-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.




                                  SIGNATURE


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



                                                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                                       (Registrant)



Dated:  June 29, 2004                  By:      /s/Gregory M. Swalwell
                                                ---------------------------
                                                Gregory M. Swalwell
                                                Vice President, Finance and
                                                Chief Financial Officer





                                                                   EXHIBIT 31.2


                                 CERTIFICATION




I, Gregory M.  Swalwell the Vice  President  and Chief  Financial  Officer of NL
Industries, Inc., certify that:

1)   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K/A  (Amendment  No. 1) of NL
     Industries, Inc.; and
2)   Based on my  knowledge,  this  annual  report  does not  contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to
     make the statements  made, in light of the  circumstances  under which such
     statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this annual report.


Date: June 29, 2004

/s/ Gregory M. Swalwell
- ------------------------------
Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 11-K

     Annual Report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
             of 1934 - for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003


                          Commission file number 1-640

    A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan if different from
                        that of the issuer named below:

                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                             RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

     B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the
                   address of its principal executive office:

                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                          5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1700
                                Dallas, TX 75240



                                    SIGNATURE




     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Administrator has duly caused this Annual Report to be signed by the undersigned
thereunto duly authorized.


                                                NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                                RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                                            By: NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                                PENSION AND EMPLOYEE
                                                BENEFITS COMMITTEE,
                                                Administrator of
                                                NL Industries, Inc.
                                                Retirement Savings Plan

                                            By: /s/ Gregory M. Swalwell
                                                -----------------------------

                                                Gregory M. Swalwell,
                                                Chairman, Pension and
                                                Employee Benefits Committee

June 29, 2004






                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                             RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE
          WITH REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

                                December 31, 2003







                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

             Index of Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedule



                                                                        Page

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm                  2

Financial Statements

   Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits -
    December 31, 2002 and 2003                                           3

   Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits -
    Year ended December 31, 2003                                         4

   Notes to Financial Statements                                         5

Supplemental Schedule

   Statements H, line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
    December 31, 2003                                                    10

Exhibit A

   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm









             REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



To the Management Development and Compensation Committee of NL Industries, Inc.:

     In our opinion,  the  accompanying  statements of net assets  available for
benefits  and the  related  statement  of changes in net  assets  available  for
benefits present fairly, in all material respects,  the net assets available for
benefits of NL Industries, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan (the "Plan") at December
31, 2002 and 2003, and the changes in net assets  available for benefits for the
year ended December 31, 2003 in conformity with accounting  principles generally
accepted in the United States of America.  These  financial  statements  are the
responsibility  of the Plan's  management.  Our  responsibility is to express an
opinion on these  financial  statements  based on our audits.  We conducted  our
audits of these  statements in accordance  with  standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a
test basis,  evidence  supporting  the amounts and  disclosures in the financial
statements,  assessing the accounting  principles used and significant estimates
made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

     Our  audits  were  conducted  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the
basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental Schedule of Assets
(Held at End of Year) is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is
not a  required  part of the basic  financial  statements  but is  supplementary
information  required by the  Department  of Labor's Rules and  Regulations  for
Reporting and Disclosure  under the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of
1974. This supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan's management.
The supplemental  schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied
in the audits of the basic financial  statements and, in our opinion,  is fairly
stated in all material  respects in relation to the basic  financial  statements
taken as a whole.



                                                  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Dallas, Texas
June 24, 2004







                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                 STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

                           December 31, 2002 and 2003




                                                   2002                2003

 Assets:
                                                             
   Investments at fair value                   $21,199,959         $24,065,119
   Employer contributions receivable               643,247             638,032
   Cash                                             18,077                 656
   Loans to participants                            69,612              78,308
                                               -----------         -----------

     Net assets available for benefits         $21,930,895         $24,782,115
                                               ===========         ===========




See accompanying notes to financial statements.





                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

            STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

                          Year ended December 31, 2003





 Additions:
                                                                                                 
   Net appreciation in the fair value of investments                                                $ 2,863,660
   Investment income:
     Dividend income                                                                                    151,236
     Interest income                                                                                    486,974
                                                                                                    -----------

       Total investment income                                                                        3,501,870
                                                                                                    -----------

   Contributions:
     Participants                                                                                       649,129
     Employer                                                                                           597,019
                                                                                                    -----------

       Total contributions                                                                            1,243,148
                                                                                                    -----------

         Total additions                                                                              4,745,018

 Deductions - benefits to participants                                                                1,893,798
                                                                                                    -----------

 Net increase in net assets available for benefits                                                    2,851,220

 Net assets available for benefits:
   Beginning of year                                                                                 21,930,895
                                                                                                    -----------

   End of year                                                                                      $24,782,115
                                                                                                    ===========

See accompanying notes to financial statements.


                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


Note 1 - Description of Plan and summary of significant accounting policies:

     General.  The financial  statements of the NL Industries,  Inc.  Retirement
Savings Plan (the  "Plan")  have been  prepared in  accordance  with  accounting
principles  generally  accepted in the United  States of America  ("GAAP").  The
following   description   of  the  Plan  provides   only  general   information.
Participants should refer to the Plan agreement for a more complete  description
of the Plan's provisions.

     The Plan is a defined  contribution plan which covers eligible salaried and
hourly U.S.  employees of NL  Industries,  Inc.  and certain  U.S.  subsidiaries
(collectively,  the  "Employer").  Employees are eligible to  participate in the
Plan as of the first entry date, as defined,  concurrent  with or next following
the completion of six months of eligible  service and attaining 20 years of age.
The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA").

     At December 31, 2003, the Employer  conducts its titanium  dioxide pigments
operations  through its approximately  51%-owned  subsidiary,  Kronos Worldwide,
Inc. (NYSE: KRO),  formerly known as Kronos,  Inc.  ("Kronos").  At December 31,
2003, Valhi, Inc. and a wholly-owned  subsidiary of Valhi held approximately 84%
of NL's outstanding  common stock, and Contran  Corporation and its subsidiaries
held  approximately  90% of Valhi's  outstanding  common stock.  At December 31,
2003,  Valhi and a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Valhi  also held an  additional
approximate  42% of  Kronos'  outstanding  common  stock.  Substantially  all of
Contran's outstanding voting stock is held by trusts established for the benefit
of certain children and grandchildren of Harold C. Simmons, of which Mr. Simmons
is sole trustee,  or is held by Mr. Simmons or persons or other entities related
to Mr. Simmons. Mr. Simmons, the Chairman of the Board of Valhi, Contran and the
Company, may be deemed to control each of such companies.

     Contributions.  The majority of the Employer's U.S.  employees are eligible
to voluntarily  participate  in the Plan after six months of employment.  Active
participants may make "basic  contributions" (as defined by the Plan) of between
0% and 8% of their eligible  compensation.  Basic contributions may consist of a
combination of pre-tax and after-tax earnings.  Generally, pre-tax contributions
are excluded  from the  employee's  taxable  income until they are  distributed.
Eligible  employees that have elected to make the maximum basic  contribution of
8% may also make supplemental  pre-tax or after-tax  contributions of between 1%
and up to 92% of their eligible  compensation.  Pursuant to the Internal Revenue
Code (the  "Code"),  pre-tax  contributions  are  limited to $12,000 in 2003 and
total   participant   contributions   (pre-tax  and   after-tax)   and  employer
contributions are limited to $40,000 in 2003.  Eligible employees age 50, by the
end of the Plan year, or over may make an  additional  $2,000  pre-tax  catch-up
contribution.

     Highly  compensated  participants  may be  required to adjust the amount of
their contributions in order to permit the Plan to satisfy certain
nondiscrimination requirements of the Code.

     Participants  may direct the investment of their balances in various funds.
Participants  may reallocate  investments  among the available  funds on a daily
basis. Regarding investments in the NL common stock, only one transfer per month
may affect a participant's  account. No investment  allocations,  only sales are
allowed in the Kronos,  Valhi and Halliburton Company common stock. Prior to the
investment in one of the available funds,  contributions may be held as cash and
temporarily invested in securities with maturities of less than one year, issued
or guaranteed by the U.S.  government or any agency or instrumentality  thereof,
or deposited in a bank savings account.

     Employer   contributions  include  (i)  a  match  equal  to  a  portion  of
participants'  contributions,  (ii) an annual  contribution  of 4% of employees'
eligible earnings and (iii) with respect to certain participants, a contribution
related  to NL's  decision  to freeze  its  defined  benefit  plan in 1996.  The
Company's level of matching  contributions  is determined  annually and is based
upon the attainment of certain  operating  income target levels  approved by the
Management  Development and Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors of
NL (the "MD&C Committee"). The Company match applies only to participants' basic
contributions.  The level of match  approved by the MD&C  Committee for 2003 was
50%.  Employees  who are eligible to  participate  in the Plan receive an annual
contribution to their investment accounts of 4% of their eligible  compensation,
subject  to  Internal   Revenue   Service   ("IRS")   limitations   on  eligible
compensation,  which  for 2003 was  $200,000.  The  Company  makes  this  annual
contribution  for each  eligible  employee  regardless  of whether the  employee
elects to otherwise participate in the Plan.

     Vesting and benefits.  The vesting schedule for participants allows for 20%
vesting of employer  contributions  following two years of service,  50% vesting
following three years of service,  75% vesting  following four years of service,
and 100% vesting  following five years of service.  A participant with less than
two  years  of  service  is  0%  vested  in  employer  contributions.   Employer
contributions are fully vested upon death, retirement or disability, as provided
in the Plan.

     Distributions  to participants  may occur upon termination or during active
service under prescribed circumstances.  Only lump sum distributions are allowed
under the Plan.

     Benefits are recorded when paid.

     Investments.  Investments  are recorded at fair value based upon the quoted
market price reported on the last trading day of the period for those securities
listed on a national  securities  exchange.  Listed securities for which no sale
was reported on that date are valued at the mean  between the last  reported bid
and ask prices. Short-term investments are stated at fair value.

     Purchases and sales of  investments  are  reflected on a trade-date  basis.
Gains or  losses on sales of  securities  are based on  average  cost.  The Plan
presents in the  statements of changes in net assets  available for benefits the
net  appreciation  (depreciation)  in the fair  value of its  investments  which
consists of realized gains or losses and unrealized appreciation  (depreciation)
on investments.

     Contributions.  Contributions  from eligible  employees are recorded in the
period the employer makes payroll  deductions from Plan  participants.  Employer
contributions,  if any,  are accrued by the end of each year and are received in
the subsequent year.

     Investment income. Income (loss) from investments is recorded on an accrual
basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date.

     Participants'  accounts.  Participants may direct the Plan administrator to
invest, in 1% increments,  their account balance in  publicly-traded  registered
investment companies or pooled funds administered by Merrill Lynch Trust Company
("Merrill  Lynch")  or  NL's  common  stock.  The  Plan's  assets  are  invested
principally in investment funds managed by (i) Merrill Lynch, (ii) Massachusetts
Financial  Services,  (iii)  Oppenheimer  Funds  Distributor,  Inc., (iv) Harris
Associates  Securities L.P., (v) Calvert Asset Management Company and (vi) State
Street Research Funds. At December 31,  2003, 56% of the Plan's investments were
managed by Merrill  Lynch.  The Plan's  assets also include  investments  in the
common stock of Kronos, Valhi and Halliburton Company. See Note 2.

     In addition  to the  investment  funds  described  above,  a "Loan Fund" is
maintained  to account for loans to  participants,  as  permitted by the Plan. A
participant is able to borrow from his/her fund account an amount ranging from a
minimum  of $1,000  up to a maximum  that is  generally  equal to the  lesser of
$50,000 or 50% of his/her vested account balance.  A loan is  collateralized  by
the  balance  in  the   participant's   account  and  bears  interest  at  rates
commensurate  with local prevailing rates. For outstanding loans at December 31,
2003 the rates  ranged from 5.00% to 10.50%.  Principal  and interest are repaid
ratably over a two- to five-year period through semimonthly payroll deductions.

     Each  participant's  account  is  credited  with  the  eligible  employee's
contribution and an allocation of the Employer's contribution and Plan earnings.
Allocations are based on participant earnings,  matching or account balances, as
defined in the Plan.

     Forfeitures.   Forfeitures  of  employer   contributions  may  occur  if  a
participant  terminates  employment  prior to the full  vesting  period  or if a
participant or beneficiary, to whom a distribution is payable, cannot be located
within five years of the date on which such distribution became payable. Amounts
forfeited are used in the following  order in accordance  with Plan  provisions:
(i) to restore the  accounts  of  reemployed  participants,  (ii) to restore the
accounts of participants or beneficiaries  who apply for forfeited  benefits and
(iii) to reduce  employer  contributions.  Forfeitures  were $6,564 in 2003. The
balance in the  forfeiture  account was $10,128 at December 31,  2003.  In 2003,
$44,013 of the forfeiture account was used to reduce employer contributions.

     Plan termination.  The Employer has the right under the Plan to discontinue
its  contributions  at any time and to terminate the Plan in compliance with the
provisions of ERISA.  In the event the Plan is  terminated,  the accounts of all
participants will become fully vested.

     Management estimates. The preparation of financial statements in accordance
with GAAP requires  management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amounts of assets, liabilities,  and changes therein, and disclosure of
contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results may, in some instances, differ
from previously estimated amounts.

     Risks and  uncertainties.  The Plan provides for various investment options
in a variety of stocks,  bonds, fixed income securities,  mutual funds and other
investment securities.  Investment securities are exposed to various risks, such
as interest rate,  market and credit risks.  Due to the level of risk associated
with certain  investment  securities,  it is at least  reasonably  possible that
changes in the values of investment  securities  will occur in the near term and
that such changes could materially affect participants' account balances and the
amounts reported in the Plan's statement of net assets available for benefits.

     Expenses of  administering  the Plan.  The Plan  provides that the Employer
will generally reimburse the Plan for administrative  expenses paid by the Plan.
The Employer paid all of the Plan's 2003 administrative expenses.

     Tax status. The Plan has been notified by the IRS, by letter dated December
12, 2002, that it is a qualified plan under Section 401(a) and Section 401(k) of
the Code, and is therefore  exempt from federal income taxes under provisions of
Section 501(a) of the Code.

     The Plan has been amended since it was notified of its exempt status by the
IRS.  Management  believes  the Plan  currently  is  designed  and  operates  in
accordance with the applicable  requirements  of the Code and therefore  remains
exempt from federal income taxes under provisions of Section 501(a) of the Code.

Note 2 - Related-party transactions:

     Certain Plan  investments  are shares of mutual funds or common  collective
trusts managed by Merrill  Lynch.  Merrill Lynch serves as trustee for the Plan.
Therefore, transactions involving these investments qualify as party-in-interest
transactions.

     Three of the  available  fund  options  invest in the  common  stock of NL,
Kronos and Valhi.  The activity in these  securities for the year ended December
31, 2003 was as follows:


                                                 Sales and
                                               distributions,           Other            Realized
                                 Purchases        at cost            distributions         gain          Fair value
                                 ---------    ---------------        -------------      ---------        ----------

                                                                                           
NL common stock                   $ 40,737       $ 129,338             $ (195,776)       $ 41,540         $ 487,468
Kronos common stock                      -               -                195,776               -           454,747
Valhi common stock                   1,104             468                 11,945           1,459            67,951
Tremont Corporation
   common stock                          -               -                (11,945)              -                 -


     In February 2003, Valhi completed a series of merger transactions  pursuant
to  which,  among  other  things,  Tremont  Corporation  became  a  wholly-owned
subsidiary of Valhi. Under these merger transactions, Valhi issued 3.4 shares of
its common stock (plus cash in lieu of  fractional  shares) in exchange for each
share of Tremont common stock held in the Plan's investments.  The Plan received
approximately  4,600 shares of Valhi common stock in the merger transaction with
an aggregate value of $11,945 as of the merger date.

     In December 2003, NL completed the  distribution of 48.8% of Kronos' common
stock  in the  form of a  pro-rata  dividend.  Pursuant  to  this  distribution,
stockholders  of NL  received  one  share of Kronos  common  stock for every two
shares of NL held.  The Plan  received  20,484  shares of Kronos common stock in
this  distribution  with  an  aggregate  value  of  $195,776  as of the  date of
distribution.

     Dividend  income  received from related parties for the year ended December
31, 2003 consisted of $35,836 from NL and $1,104 from Valhi.

Note 3 - Investments:

     The Plan's  investments  are stated at fair  value  based on quoted  market
prices and net appreciation for the year is reflected in the Plan's statement of
changes in net assets available for benefits.  The net appreciation  consists of
realized  gains and losses  and  unrealized  appreciation  and  depreciation  on
investments. The following presents investments that represent 5% or more of the
Plan's net assets.

                                                                    December 31,
                                                               ---------------------
                                                               2002             2003
                                                               ----             ----
                                                                      
Merrill Lynch Retirement Preservation Trust                $10,872,331      $10,391,091
Massachusetts Financial Services Value Fund                  4,202,587        5,292,095
Merrill Lynch Equity Index Trust                             1,913,433        2,411,220
Oakmark International Fund                                   1,266,657        1,695,135
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund                        1,042,941        1,537,518


     During 2003, the Plan's net  appreciation  in the fair value of investments
(including  gains and losses on  investments  bought  and sold,  as well as held
during the year) was as follows:



                                                                  
Mutual funds                                                         $1,977,470
Common stocks                                                           317,223
Common collective trusts                                                568,967
                                                                     ----------

                                                                     $2,863,660
                                                                     ==========





                   NL INDUSTRIES, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

         SCHEDULE H, line 4i - SCHEDULE OF ASSETS (HELD AT END OF YEAR)

                                December 31, 2003

                     Employer Identification No. 13-5267260

                                  Plan No. 003

                                                                                                  Fair value


                                                                                                 
*  Merrill Lynch Retirement Preservation Trust                                                      $10,391,091
   MFS Value Fund - Class A shares                                                                    5,292,095
*  Merrill Lynch Equity Index Trust                                                                   2,411,220
   Oakmark International Fund - Class II shares                                                       1,695,135
   Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund                                                              1,537,518
*  Merrill Lynch U.S. Government Mortgage Fund - Class A shares                                         685,889
   Calvert Income Fund                                                                                  346,127
   State Street Aurora Fund                                                                             282,217
   MFS Mid-cap Growth Fund                                                                               87,326
   Oakmark Select Fund - Class II shares                                                                 87,108
   MFS New Discovery Fund - Class A shares                                                               72,800
*  NL Industries, Inc. common stock                                                                     487,468
*  Kronos Worldwide, Inc. common stock                                                                  454,747
   Halliburton Company common stock                                                                     166,427
*  Valhi, Inc. common stock                                                                              67,951
*  Loans to participants (with interest rates from 5.0% - 10.50%), maturing through 2008                 78,308
*  Cash, Merrill Lynch Trust Company, FSB                                                                   656
                                                                                                    -----------

                                                                                                    $24,144,083
                                                                                                    ===========


______________
*  Investment in a "Party-in-interest" entity, as defined by ERISA.



                                                                       EXHIBIT A


            CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the:

(i)  Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (No.  33-29287) and related  Prospectus
     with  respect  to the  1989  Long  Term  Performance  Incentive  Plan of NL
     Industries, Inc.; and

(ii) Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (No.  33-25913) and related  Prospectus
     with respect to the NL Industries, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan; and

(iii)Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (No.  333-65817) and related Prospectus
     with respect to the NL Industries, Inc. 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan; and

(iv) Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (No.  33-48145) and related  Prospectus
     with respect to the NL Industries,  Inc. 1992 Non-Employee  Directors Stock
     Option Plan


of our report  dated June 24, 2004  relating  to the  financial  statements  and
supplemental schedule of the NL Industries,  Inc. Retirement Savings Plan, which
appears in this Form 11-K.







                                                    PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP





Dallas, Texas
June 29, 2004

                                                                  EXHIBIT 31.1

                                 CERTIFICATION




I, Harold C. Simmons the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of NL
Industries, Inc., certify that:

1)   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K/A  (Amendment  No. 1) of NL
     Industries, Inc.; and
2)   Based on my  knowledge,  this  annual  report  does not  contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to
     make the statements  made, in light of the  circumstances  under which such
     statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this annual report.


Date: June 29, 2004

/s/ Harold C. Simmons
- -----------------------------
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer