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): February 10, 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)






Item 5.     Other Events.


      On February 10, 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 February 10, 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: February 12, 1999

                                                              Dennis G. Newkirk
                                                                  (281) 423-3332



                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



                     NL INDUSTRIES, INC. INCREASES DIVIDEND



HOUSTON,  TEXAS -- February 10, 1999 -- NL Industries,  Inc. (NYSE:NL) announced
that its Board of Directors  has approved an increase in the  Company's  regular
quarterly  dividend from three cents to three and a half cents per share and has
declared a regular  quarterly  dividend on its common  stock,  payable March 31,
1999 to shareholders of record March 17, 1999.

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


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