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): October 21, 2003


                               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)



   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

          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)







Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

         c) Exhibits

         Item No.        Exhibit Index
         --------        ---------------------------------------
         99.1            Press Release dated October 21, 2003 issued by NL
                         Industries, Inc.


Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

         The registrant  hereby furnishes the information set forth in the press
release  issued on  October  21,  2003,  a copy of which is  attached  hereto as
Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

         The  information,  including the exhibit,  the registrant  furnishes in
this report is not deemed  "filed" for purposes of section 18 of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities  of
that  section.  Registration  statements  or  other  documents  filed  with  the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  shall not incorporate  this  information by
reference, except as otherwise expressly stated in such filing.










                                    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)



                                            By:      /s/ Robert D. Graham
                                                     -----------------------
                                                     Robert D. Graham
                                                     Vice President,
                                                     General Counsel & Secretary

Date:  October 21, 2003