UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION



                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549



                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT



                Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934



                         Date of Report: August 5, 2004




                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)



    Delaware                           1-640               13-5267260
(State or other                     (Commission          (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                     File Number)       Identification No.)



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



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








Item 9:  Regulation FD Disclosure
Item 12: Results of Operations and Financial Condition

     Pursuant to Items 9 and 12 of this current  report,  the registrant  hereby
furnishes the  information  set forth in the press  release  issued on August 5,
2004, 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 hereunto duly authorized.

                                     NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                        (Registrant)




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




Date:  August 5, 2004







                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit No.                       Description
-----------    --------------------------------------------------

99.1           Press release dated August 5, 2004 issued by NL Industries, Inc.