recorded income from operations of $35.9 million in 2013 as compared to $32.6 million in the prior year. Income from operations in  the Refractories segment included an insurance settlement gain of $2.5 million.  In 2012, the Specialty Minerals segment recorded income from operations of $87.7 million as compared with $76.6 million in the  prior year. The Refractories segment recorded income from operations of $32.6 million in 2012 as compared with $33.2 million in the  previous year.  The Company recorded non-operating deductions of $3.2 million in 2013 as compared with $3.0 million in the previous year. The Company recorded non-operating deductions of $3.0 million in 2012 as compared with $2.6 million in the previous year. Included in non-operating deductions in 2011 were foreign currency losses of $1.4 million recognized upon the sale of a 50% interest  in and  deconsolidation of the Company’s joint venture in Korea.  The Company recorded provision for taxes on income of $34.5 million in 2013 as compared with $31.9 million in the previous  year. The effective tax rate for 2013 was 27.9% as compared with 28.9% in the prior year. The decrease in the tax rate in the current  year primarily relates to the settlement of an IRS audit for tax years 2007 and 2008 and the impact of closing those years, the impact  of the reversal of prior year charges resulting from the late extension of expiring corporate income tax provisions by the American  Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and additional foreign tax credits generated and utilized.  The Company recorded provision for taxes on income of $31.9 million in 2012 as compared to $28.7 million in the previous year. The effective tax rate for 2012 was 28.9% as compared with 28.3% in the previous year. The increase in the tax rate primarily relates  to a prior year favorable United States tax court case settlement and the resulting expiration of the statute of limitations of the tax  years related to the tax court case.  The factors having the most significant impact on our effective tax rates in recent periods are the rate differential related to foreign  earnings indefinitely invested, percentage depletion, and  the reversal of tax reserves as a result of a tax court case settlement.  Percentage depletion allowances (tax deductions for depletion that may exceed our tax basis in our mineral reserves) are available  to us under the income tax laws of the United States for operations conducted in the United States. The tax benefits from percentage  depletion were $4.5 million in 2013, $4.1 million in 2012, and $4.0 million in 2011. We operate in various countries around the world that have tax laws, tax incentives and tax rates that are significantly different than  those of the United States. Many of these differences combine to move our overall effective tax rate higher or lower than the United  States statutory rate depending on the mix of income relative to income earned in the United States. The effects of foreign earnings  and the related foreign rate differentials resulted in a decrease of income tax expense of $4.4 million, $4.6 million and $1.1 million in  2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The increase of income tax benefits in 2013 as compared with 2012 results from the change in the  mix of earnings in the foreign jurisdictions in 2013, statutory rate changes and a change in the amount of local income and tax  adjustments. The increase of income tax benefits in 2012 as compared with 2011 results from the change in the mix of earnings in the  foreign jurisdictions in 2012, statutory rate changes and a change in the amount of local income and tax adjustments. The Company recognized income from continuing operations of $89.2 million in 2013 as compared to $78.7 million in 2012. In  2011, the company recorded income from operations of $72.7 million.  Loss from Discontinued Operations  (Dollars in millions)  2013  Growth  2012  Growth  2011  Loss from discontinued operations ..................... $  (5.8) 132% $  (2.5)  0 % $ (2.5)  * Percentage not meaningful  26  Income from Continuing Operations  (Dollars in millions)  2013  Growth  2012  Growth  2011  Income from continuing operations .................... $  89.2  13% $  78.7  8 % $ 72.7  Provision for Taxes on Income  (Dollars in millions)  2013  Growth  2012  Growth  2011  Provision for taxes on income..................... $  34.5  8 % $  31.9  11% $ 28.7  Non-Operating Income Deductions  (Dollars in millions)  2013  Growth  2012  Growth  2011  Non-operating deductions, net .................... $  (3.2)   5% $  (3.0)  15%  $ (2.6) 