FORM 8-A

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                         AMCOL INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


               Delaware                                  36-0724340
(State of Incorporation or Organization)    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


One North Arlington, 1500 West Shure Drive, Suite 500
                  Arlington Heights, Illinois                        60004-7803
         (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


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


    Title of each class                        Name of each exchange on which
    to be so registered                        each class is to be registered

    Common Stock, $.01 par value               New York Stock Exchange


If this form relates to the  registration  of a class of securities  pursuant to
Section  12(b)  of  the  Exchange  Act  and is  effective  pursuant  to  General
Instruction A.(c), check the following box. [X]

If this form relates to the  registration  of a class of securities  pursuant to
Section  12(g)  of  the  Exchange  Act  and is  effective  pursuant  to  General
Instruction A.(d), check the following box. [ ]

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

                                      None
                                (Title of Class)

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 1.   DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

     The capital stock of AMCOL International  Corporation (the "Company") to be
registered on the New York Stock Exchange,  Inc. is the Company's  Common Stock,
par value  $.01 per share (the  "Common  Stock").  Holders  of Common  Stock are
entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by  stockholders of
the Company.  The Company's  Restated  Certificate of Incorporation  divides the
Board of  Directors  into  three  classes,  each  having a term of three  years.
Directors  may be removed only for cause and only upon the  affirmative  vote of
the holders of at least two thirds of the voting  power of the then  outstanding
shares. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors.
The holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive  dividends  when,  as and if
declared by the Board of Directors out of legally  available funds. In the event
of liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of Common
Stock are  entitled  to share  ratably in all  assets  remaining  available  for
distribution  to them after payment of liabilities  and after provision has been
made for each class of stock, if any,  having  preference over the Common Stock.
Holders of shares of Common Stock,  as such,  have no conversion,  preemptive or
other subscription rights, and there are no redemption  provisions applicable to
the Common  Stock.  In addition,  there is no  liability to further  calls or to
assessments by the Company.

     The  Companys  Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  provides that the
following transactions must be approved by the holders of at least two-thirds of
the issued and  outstanding  securities  of the Company  entitled to vote in any
election of directors: (i) any merger or consolidation with another entity, (ii)
any sale,  lease,  exchange,  mortgage,  pledge or other disposition of all or a
substantial  portion of the assets of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries to
another  person or entity or (iii) any  issuance or  transfer  of a  substantial
amount of Company securities in exchange for the securities or assets of another
person or  entity.  The  foregoing  provisions  do not  apply,  however,  to any
transaction  that is approved by  resolution  of the Board of  Directors  of the
Company,  provided  that a majority  of the  members  of the Board of  Directors
voting  for the  approval  of such  transaction  were  members  of the  Board of
Directors prior to the time any such other person or entity involved in any such
transaction  possessed in excess of 10% of the voting rights entitled to vote in
any election of  directors of the Company.  For purposes of items (ii) and (iii)
above, the term  "substantial"  means assets or securities,  as the case may be,
having a then fair market value, in the aggregate, of more than $5,000,000.

ITEM 2.  EXHIBITS.

     All exhibits  required by  Instruction II to Item 2 will be supplied to the
New York Stock Exchange.



                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the  requirements  of Section 12 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                   AMCOL INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
                                             (Registrant)



                                   /s/ Paul G. Shelton
                                   Paul G. Shelton
                                   Senior Vice President and
                                   Chief Financial Officer

Date: August 26, 1998