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WALTER RENTON INGALLS
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NIW YOfcC AMD LOMDOK The Engineering and Mining Journal
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li,^uK>-i*-^ -V /«,*- • - i ?•. J.".' .: * ' •-;i'!..iif'i United Zinc 257 a o o |ii.-.l(iltY OK Illl-: ZINC INDUSTUV. CO '.' .•" !MOf iliiin "Iiu- li.ilf its iarn^cr ma.xiiiium. Tiio lowest point was .u 'I•••; II 1- :'.). will 11 spL'ltur was qiiotud al niuc mark.- {^M'J) at Brcslau. l-l li! l.--;ii.> I'l .Sil>iiii zinc industry 'jL-{;an to develoji on a soiifldcr basis. a Ill- piifi- fnr the ni'-i.il remained low duriug the nc.Ki Jd years, but sales 6-1 I'liiH' Dion- rcgiilai .mti gradually the demand began ajjain to eicced tho Mil niKin, in con-'-iiicnce of whirh prices ruled higli from 1810 to 1843, ;ir-.!'!.;; frpm If. tn .'li marks ($rf0((j'$130). The pol'iucil disturliances of 3 i.-|S 1;-:.V> (Inn pave Ihc industry a setback, which lasli-d until 1852, pricc4 -Min.in;,' from 11 lo i:r.")0 marks (?5-i(a $G7-r)il), but rrom tliat time until 3 I •<"•-. III. re "lis ft (;U-i ' Th»«* data roocr'-nln; th* lluctuttloai Orarllnrbaft Cf'TK rnn Glrtcbf-i Erbm. en Jn Ih" priCT or 8llr»liin ilnc ar» Ukeo from iitiMi I)*nkachrirt tur Fpt«r dn ranfila • pamphUi piihlixbrd bf the Bfrr»»rk« JXhrlcra nctteb'-Qn <>r WllhrlmlBeitnkbattc. United Zinc 258 14 ntODfCTlO.S" .UVD PEOrtRTIta OF ZI.VC. Jones) to collect thc fume, and the regular manufacture of ziro oiiJe waa begun. In 1851 Samuel WethcrLU, one of the officers of the .N'ew Jersey Zinc Co., invented the proci-Fs, since known as the Wctherill process, by which the eitraneously heated ni'jffle was done away with. Tb-.' ore mjte > The Snt tine worki ID th< WMI trr uid to have bom boat ID ibe -:>(<•'. lo Wlicnosln. bj Gnrgi, an old Sllnlao smelter: bis uodertaklnt wan iioniir. »vifal. United Zinc 259 a o u CO M'.^i-'iRY OF run zi.vc IKDUSTRY. S3 li, \Ii;.^ouii -line M It nut made until lbC7, when small works were erected I'-:.•::!. in Wasliiiii.'tnii (.'ounty. The Carondelet uorks were built in -li: Thcsi ttoilv.. were supplied with calamine mined in Southeastern ;is--.iri. Tiie minis of the Joplin district became productive in 1873, ll ... ii"s being Bliii)|iid first to thc Illinois Zinc Co. al Peru, 111. A little ii.T -il..!' wnrks wi'r.: built at Weir and Pittsburg, Kan., Robert Lanyon, lm li'n! b(H>ii engag- d jireviously irt zinc smelting at Lasall", being one of II [iiiiiict.-re in Kaii.sa.s. s Ti'. 7.1'ic industry iu the United States has been characterized by rapid •,'.1 li|iiii«>nl ill rcS|H'.;t lo production. Tlie technical and economical derel- l.iii:.'.it iios li(«n HICW on the other hand, and up to a few years ago the o lilil- '.y|)c of distillaiion furnace was in use as at the time of the inception o '. U.. industry in I his country. The Wetherill process for thc manufacture f 7,1 ,-1.- nxidc ilirectl} from ores is the most important contribution that haa i.i-n made by American engineers to the metallurgy of zinc. Apart from n.u Mic iiioKt distinctive feature in .American practice has been the SUCCCSB- w iil .'iiplication of n^.-chiinical roasting fumaces to tho desulphurization of li-iiil'v About If^'j'.i Uie discovery of natural gaa at lola, Kan., and the •valI m of -'.lac si.ii'llcrics at that point began a change in the American inc industry, whidi has become a radical one. In New Jersey also the ui;c< <:fii( di-velopin< nt of the Wctherill process for the magnetic separation w f fiinklmitn and willemitc has been of great importance. CQ CO M M O United Zinc 260 ?; IL I PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. The largest zinc-producing countries arc Germany, Belgium and the United States, which in IS'-iO ranked in importance in the ord -r named, each producing upward of 100,000 metric tons of spelter. In Germany and the United States there are in each cose two quite distinct zinc-producing districts; in Germany, thc eastern, or Upper Silesia, and thc western, or Rhcinland and Westphalia; in the United States, the eastern and southem, or New Jersey and Virginia, and the western, or Kansas and Minouri, in chiding the works of Illinois and Indiana, which derive their ore-* from the same source. Considered by districts, the rank in 1900, with the jiroduction of each, was as follows: 1, Belgium, 119,317 metric tons; 2, Kansas and ^ Missouri, 104,303 ;' 3, Upper Silesia, 102,093; 4, Hheinland and WTestphalia. 53.000; and 5, Nt;w Jersey and Virginia, 7,491. Considered more broadly, thc production of L'^pper Silesia ought to be increased by the output of Poland, since thc works of that Kingdom reduce ores mined from the same dt'posita which lie at the boundary between Russia and Gennany ;ind extend into each of those empires. Consequently the quantity of Silcsian spelter produced is really but little inferior to tho output of the works of Belgium. Looking at the productioa of zinc ore the largest producer is Germany, which is followed in the order named by the United States, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Algeria, Greece, New South Wales, Autlria, Great Britain, Belgium, Tunis, Turkey and Canada. These countri's, together with the neutral territory of Morosnet, supply the entire consump' ion of zinc iu the world. Their ores may he divided into two classes: (I) High grade, as.iaying over 40% Zn before roasting or calcination ; and (2) low grade, as saying less than 40% Zn. .\11 the ore of Poland (Russia) and U| ' Including a comparatlTcl; imall quaotltr Th' ontpat of tbe Joplln dlrtrlct ilooe li of spelter produced from ore oilaeil io WIs- itill aomewhat leaa than that ot Cppvr coaslD, Colorado. Arkansas and Teonetsee. RllMla. United Zinc 261 Q O O CO v ^Ill-nil,my) ii'iiil llic remainder of the countries naiiicd is mostly higli . nr lailii r it i- li-essed so as to be high grade, ranging from 40% to .(1. ilioii,:;li Ui'Ti is very little of it which is higher than 50% Zn out- ;' t!u' United Slau-,. These figures refer to the raw ores before calcina- I-t .-• tiicy hi- calajiiiiii--^, or before roa-ting if they be blendes. With respect E-" - • iiaracti r of tin- nre, thc larger part of the production of Upper Silesia •1^. Italy. Greece :-5pain-and-France is calamine; the larger part of that 3 ' :ii!'u, ilrciit IJriUin, Rheinland, Westphalia, Sweden and the United 3 I.' i»*• • is blciulc; liia' of Poland is entirely calamine; of Canada, blende; the entire piiljuit of New South Wales is mixed blende and galena he Brdl-cn liil' mines. St.itistics of thc production of zinc and zinc •• riven ID I'lianmr IV. o r or F.ntoi'E.v? Zi.vc SMELTEPS.—Following is n list of all the zinc .-s of I'Airopc «lio have operated during the last five years, together CC '...' locaiion of Ilieir works: Q ta CO Bmell«rs ea cu iTnuilor Rohlenwcri(<(pe9«n;cha(t « ^.=-r.j<-l,L>hutlO w r-'jri.dielio PnlockiHclie 3erg- u- Hutton Verwaltung— CQ ^ V.-.. irallunjf ilerHiij.'o von Loebbeckeschen Zinkhutten i r-':i' n.'ihmiKcIie ZinkliuCtea a.Bergbau GeMllschaft.- DELOIUU. (^lnlpan7. Valentin-Oocq. CO 'K' . United Zinc 262 18 PRODUCTION .\ND PBOPEETIES OP ZIUC. FEAircS. J^(^^ Company. Location of Worki. llSoci^t^ Anon, de la Vieille Montaipe Vi?ie* (Aveyron). 2!Compagnie Royale Ajtturienoe des Mines .^uby (Nord). 3 Usint) k Zinc de St. .\mand iSt.Amand lez Eaux I.'lord). 4i3oci£td des Mines de MalSdano jNoyelles-Godault. t. M. Dubouchet 'St. Jean de Loene (Coi* d'Or). OEIlitANT—UPPER SILESIA. rl Company. Name and Location of W..rki. 1 Graf Hugo Henckelvon Donnersmarck (Ilugohutte) Antonienhutte. 2 iLiebehoffnangshntte) .Vntonienhntte. 3 Graf Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck (Lazyhutte) Radzionkau. (Guidottohiitte) Chropaczow. ^ Herzog von Ujest (Holienlohehntte) HohenloheUtJtt«. n & (Fanny Frajishdtte) Bogutscbiili. 6 (CarlahutCe) Ruda. 7 (Theresiahdtte) Miehalkowitz Q. 8 Gr^fln SchalTgotech (Godullafaiitte^ Moreenroth. 9 ('W'ilhelminehutte) Schoppiniiz. 10Bergwerkggesell . G. v. Gie»che's Erben (Bernhardihdtte) Rosdzin. 11 (Noriiiahutte) Normahutte. 12 (Paulshutte) Klein DombrowVa. 130 - S. Eisenbahn-Bedarfg. .Vkt. Gesell- (Beuthenerhdtte) Friedensha' te. 14 (Florahutte) Bpbrek. ^m 15 (Roeamundehutte) Morgenroih. 16 (Kunigundehdtte) Zawixizie. 17 H. Both (Clarahutte) Schwanwald. 18 *• « • • « • (Franzhutte) Bykowine. 19 i* 20 Schles. Akt. Geseh. f. Bergbau u Zink"- utt«nbetrieb (Silesiahutta II) Lipiae. 21 Sohles. Akt. Gesell. t. Bergbau M Zinkhuttenbetrieb (Sileslahutta 111) Lipine. 22 Schles. Akt. Gespll. f. Bergbau u. Zinkhuttenbetrieb (Thurzohutte) Barenhof-Byk-iwine. 23 Konigl. PretJss. Bergflscus (Friedrichihdtte) Friedrlch.KKutte. (n addition to the abore amelterles. the .Schl««lscbe Akt. Qeaellacbart haa a r ,a*tlnf and •alpburlc acid plant iRIIeala IV) and a aulpburoua acid plant Olleala V) at LlpUie. beeldcs a abeet xinc rolling oillI at [be same place: alao rolllsr mllla at Jcllltze, near .Vlalapane, at Oblau. and at Plela. near ItDdzlnltx. Tbe Duke of Ojeat ba.s a Inrgt rolllof mill ac Uobenlobebatte. Tbe Berxwerksgeaellacbatt U. TOO Gleacbe-a Erbrn bas blende roasting and acid worka In connection with th« Ilrrnhardlhatte aod also a tei-irate plant known aa tbe ReckebQile. There are acid worka at the Laiyblltte and GuldotmhUtte. and a tine white factor; at AntonlenhUtte. United Zinc 263 C. C tl t-i n :l<.i;.i^lft Anmi. do la V'ieille Montacne. t < Klii'Miiacb-NnsRauiH' lion Akt. Gesellsch-ift. .,1,. (- ..^u t S l'"-r({bau, Blei. u. ZinkhiUtenbetrieb iti Aii.'.e»<»ii. I. j itolberg u. in Westphalen. Jl M.-i fcit-.i-h-AVpislfaliwlicn Bergwerksverein. \ki. r.cBcU r. Zink Industrie vormals \V. Grillo. \U!ionKescllRchn(t ilorzolius, i3 Til.- SIM If W Anonjuie .-f la VIellle Uootagne haa alao a blende tousling plant, c aulphnrlc rlil .. irV.n and a aheet il'ir rolling mill at Oberhaasen, Weacphalla. u X a ta 1 K'niRlicho Uutlfl 'Muldnerhdtte) cs a. ta GREAT BRITAtK m OoDipiiny, <•-3 iV-unr.er, Mond 4 Oo.a.. Wiunington. l-l rntral Metal and Smelting Co., Ltd.. Glasgow. g I'iilwjn A Oo , Swansea (Llansamlet). 6-> Kngli-th Crown Sp-lter Co Swansea (Port Tennant). Williams. Foate. A Oo fttucoe Grenfell 4 Sons , CO fl.Si in-joa Vale Snelter Co.-s.--" Swansea (LUnaamlet). 7|yI'.liera SjKslter Co ^ Swansea (Llansamlet). E filViTian & Sons Morriston. Swansea. »,.! 1 ha LysftgUt, Lul Netham, naar Bristol. lojl'ynpvor t^iielter a Make aleci-oljUe cine. h ReooTtr line from galTanlzen' waate, ate ITALY. Company. Txjcation of 'n'orka. •'-'xsietil di Monte|H>ai. Montepont, Sardinia. United Zinc 264 pnoDCCTio.y .VNO PHOPEHTIICS OF ZI.NC. .VETHEBLA.NDS. Lo< aiioD of ^'•'(irkg. Budel. Mae^ 1-3 g > CO 03 K n Q 5 «: 1-3 M 1-3 -J c: o o United Zinc 265 u. CJ C C 7'Cli->rf'kee-I,nDjiiD l-l 8i " . •• 9\ '• ••l\ •• •3 •• a iiCi..-ki^nU. V. B i5iO"lli'i.ivillM Zino C-i. 'CEilKarZioi; Co S I7| ISlEi.ipire Zinc Co I9l •• " " fe BiCii-anl 8nii?lting C.I O !1 >-i .'JlIlhnoiB Zinc Co X iJllliii^'aliH ZiiicCu Q .'-(jljuiyon Rnwt.'Sjicltor Co. la ir.ll.i.(iyon, 8. H., A iJro .IllLjinjon Zinc Co La Harpe, Ran. OS Sill .-iloiirettc Marion, Ind. a, 31 .^'•^f.tl^ie n-n A Mei eier Zinc Co. Lasalle, 111 3: .M.rlland ;-!..]elting Co Bruce, Kan CQ 3;t .Mineral Point Zinr Co Mineral Point, -Wis, 3i .Nicholson, Cteo. E Nevada, Mo.i Vi Tola, Kan.i. 3( Pi ime Wtyttem Spelter Co lola, Kan-r. •-3 37 n.ih Hill Jtfinlog ivnd Smelting Co. Rich Hill, Mo, 3}. Utile*! Zinc and dhemlcaKJo lola, Kan A 31' fJiitcdStat^s Zim- Co Pueblo, CoIoJc Kl Viilc-JiSiHilter Co Upland. Ind./. 41 Wenona Zinc Co V^enona, III... tn c (die (IWlv b Work* at CnirDndelet, a dlitriet uf St. Umii. e Worki at Waokcgsn. now known a» Nf.rth Chla^ii. d Bltuiolnoiu coal btvned In g»f producen. c Worka at Oaa CJtr po«t-offlce. near It.la. /Thnevriirki werr bujlt origioaHybr tha IndUnols Zlac Oil. In l^M: were datrored by Ure aiHl rDljulli In lno*. ; Woiki owned bjr the Cherakee-l.anron Spelter Co.. lut le«««»l to and operate-1 b/ lUt Ch'«k<.« Smeitlng ra. k Worka bolUln ISOl bjr the Bl«ndaM Acid Co.. which consolidated In b3 I'O-J irlUi the Sciutbwcatrm Cberalcal Co., of AtgenUne, Kan,, under tbe tiile of United Zinc and Cbi 17 Ical On. ( rurchmtnl or the Prime Western Spelter O). In ISM. j Mle and parUaltr dlitmautled. k Worki:neoorvea(oonftructiun (igOZ). 2 Pcsides the above list there have been work..:, now dii»mantled, at Clinlon, Tenn. (Edi-a, Jliiier .t Ilcald Zinc Co.) ; Philadelphia. Tenn. (Delaware Mirlal llefii-ing Co.); Fricdensvilk-, Penn. (Frit.'densville Zinc Co.); Bergen Pt'int, N, J. (Berg.-n Point Zinc Co.); St. Louis, Mo. (Missouri Zinc Co.); and at Sfliidoval, 111. (Swansea Vale Zinc Co.). Various of the works United Zinc 266 22 PnODOCTION AND PB0PEBTIE8 OP ZIKC. mentioned in the above list have become idle since it was compiled, besides those which are so indicated. The New Jersey Zinc Co. was a consolidation (in 1896) of the Lehigh Zinc and Iron Co., Passaic Zinc Co. and New Jersey Zinc and Iron Co.; it controls thc Empire Zinc Co. of Joplin, Mo., and North Chicago, 111., and the Mineral Point Zinc Co. of Mineral Point, Wis. The Cherokee-Liinyon Spelter Co. was a consoUdation (in 1896) of the Cherokee Smeltin,-,' and defining Co. of Cherokee, Kan., Robert Lanyon & Co., Pittsburg, Kan., and Nevada, Mo., Pittsburg & St. Louis Zinc Co., Pittsburg, Kan., Scainmon Zinc Co., Scammoh, Kan. (works now dismantled), and Cherokee Zinc Co., Pittsburg, Kan., and Weir City, Kan. The company also leased the works of thc Girard Zinc Co. and Kansas Zinc Mining and Smelting Co., at Oirard, Kan., which were subsequently returned to the owners and sold by them to the Girard Smelting Co.; the works of the Rich Hill >[ining and Smelting Co., at Rich Hill, Mo., were alao leaaed. The Lanyon Zinc Co. waa a consolidation (in 1899) of the Robert Lanyon Sons Spelter Co. (works at lola and La Harpe, Kan.) and W. & J. Lanyon (works at lola and Pitta- burg, Kan.). The Prime Westem Spelter Co. was taken over in 1002 by thc New Jersey Zinc Co., and the plants of A. B. Cockerill and G. E. Nichol son were purchased by it. OBE SUPPLT.—The zinc smelters of Europe, draw their supply of ore from the various countries on (he Continent, which have been mentioned above, and to a comparatively small extent from the United States, Canada d and New South Wales.^ In Upper Silesia and Westphalia the zinc smelt- era obtain a comparatively small quantity of zinc oxide, which ia recovered 08 a by-product in smelting zinkilcroua iron ores. Tbe highest grade of ore which reaches the zinc smelters of Europe is the blende concentrate from Missouri and Kansas and the willemite from New Jersey, which have been shipped to them during the last three or four years^ The smelters of the United States use only domestic ores, the supply, of which ia abundunt. SYSTEMS OP ZINC SMELTING.—There are only two systems of zinc smelt ing now in use, namely, the Belgian and the Silesian, which arc both based on the same general principles, but differ in the types of retorts employed, the fumaces designed to receive them, the grade and character of tho ore that can be treated, and the manner of manipulation. The primary differ ence between the two processes is the use of comparatively small cylindrical retorts arranged in several tiers, each with a slight inclination, in the Bel- ' A cooalderable qnantltT ot the ore Swanaea. Wales, aod Elleamere T .rt. Eng iblpped from New South Wale* daring the land, br the Fr7 proceu. which «a« aban laat two or three rears waa reduced at doned aa unprodtable In 1901. United Zinc 267 CX O |••:t>l:^T ECO.\0.\lIC CDNUITIONS. 2:5 ill iirtvcss; i-ind cdiv.ii^nitively large inuni'-'-shapc retort.-; (commonly callcl t - uilii-) set ill ODO lii-r in the Silcsian process. A combination of the twt> -oco- -i'.«, kniiwn :i.= tbe Silcsian-Belgian, or Rhenish, is usctl in some places. u'cfl, iu RheinlanJ and Wcstplialia, and to some cvti-nt in Belgium and jctt-liiTp." '["he Uel-riiin process as used in Wales is somcliincs called thc •flsb-Helgiaii, altliongh it presents few or no distinctive diflerenccs. Then- :i ere 'itlit-r iiielboiLs f >rniL'rly in use, the most important among them being lie 1-Jigiish, in whicli thc zinc was reduced in pots and distilled downward 'iroui.'h a piiic in tiu- bottom, and the Carinthian, in which a scries of short t3 '-•rtii ll pipes formed the retorts, but both these were abandoned long ago.' Til'! Silcsian pro -nd Plone) but waF eventually modified into what has been herein desig- CQ latcl o« the UheniRh type; similar fumaces are used at Viviez, France, but rith gnj firing, while at Valentin-Cocq and Flone direct firing is still idhcred to. During thc last few years there has been a marked tendency I •n the part of lhe Belgian jnneltcrs toward a form of Siemens fumace, < vliich in sonic of its features approximates to the Rhenish type. Tl'c pradI'V! in Ih': mctaUurgr of zinc has undergone many changea dur- 'Dg the KK) years that the industry haa been in existence, but thc changes CO ' In eotanlttng the oM hand booka tome erer aaw oot In operatioa. According to -onfoilor. wUl be found ^B to tha elaattSea- Doctor Percy tb«r. were cooaldtred tar* I loa ..£ 'iBe-t-neltlng pr.->ceiae*. Tba rtd eves la ISBO. 4tle>(iia proceja, which If BOW evcrrwhtte. 'Aa ezecptloa to this statement li to be Ed Uiandoaed. waa modlflfd br the Intndoettoa fooad, perbapa. In the case of the Hogo- O •t ce.tala fmiin^ of Ihe nelglaa proceaa hatce. at wUeh atnce ISST all of th* old M tnd Iba eoabloatloa la referred to aa the foraace* bar* bm replaced bj Slemena O S«lgi*.a-SI!eatan b; anaie of the Mder regeneratlT* fDmaccs with arreral rows of rritr'a (rid* Kerl. Grnndriaa der MeUIl- email mnffle*. made br h^draulle preaaare. ^Btl«.k^.nde). Tula !• the proceaa now At thia worka a large proportion (up tu ?oaiir...nlT enploTed In I pper Bllesla. which 70%) ot roasted blende la uaed In Ibe I atngntta ff.oply aa the Sllealao. On tha charge. Tbe opinion la expresaed bj som* of other haAd waa wrtteia call tba Sllealaa the Sllealan metallnrglau that. In rlew •n^ti'caUott of Ihe Del> an proren. naed la IRMnlanJ, BelgUn-Bne-'an. of tbe dlmlalahlBg snpplr of calamior tad the Incrcaaing proportlna of blende that •Aithi^igh tha Bngllmi fumaci la geoer- moat be distilled, the Rhenlah trpe ot fur *f'r -Iwertted la iDeUi:arglcal ttxt-booka nac** will ereotnallr replac* tb* Blledaa In U-ert arti MM raaar Iltlug meUllortUta who that ProTlnec. •-.'All •#.,. United Zinc 268 54 FRODUCTIOK ANO FB0FEBTIE8 OF ZUfO. have been generally the result of gradual development and never by th^ introduction of a radical innovation.' So gradual has been the evolution i that many metbods and types of fumaces have remained quite unchanged] through long periods of years. Thus, both in Belgium and Kansas there' are furnaces in use at the present time which in design date back 30 years, j For the successful distillation of zinc ore wc appear to be limited to com paratively small retorts; all attempts to effect the distillation in hlasl fur naces or otherwise on a large scale, save for the proiduction of zinc oxide>) have been failures. The chief changes and improvements which have oeeorred in the metal lurgy of zinc during thc last 40 years have been tbe fdlowing: 1. Replacement of calamine by blende as thc moat important ore of zinc.j ,. 2. Successful introduction of raechanicaUj-raked foniaces for blende^ roasting, this being especially a feature of the improved American practice.,' 3. Utilization of the sulphurous gas evolved in blende roasting for the; manufacture of sulphuric acid, which is done to a large extent in Qennanj' and Belgium, to a lees extent in the United States and France, and recently ^ has been undertaken in Great Britain.^ 4. Introduction of gas firing, -with or without heat recuperation, espe-; dally in connection with the distillation fumaces, leading to economy of. fuel and better extraction of zinc and permitting the construction of larger • fumaces.* 6. Manufacture of improved retorts by means of hydraulic pressure, leading to an increased extraction of zinc and ability to smelt more corro-, give mixtures of ore. 6. Improvement in the sanitary condition of the furnacemen by proper control of the fumes, etc., originating from the funiaces; this is :i matter • which has received a good deal of attention in Belgium, Germany and Great' Britain, and little or none in the United States. 7. Introduction of labor-saving devices for the handling of material. 8. Utih'zation of natural gas as fuel in the United States. The most important recent development inthe metallurgy of zinc has taken place in America, and has been not the result of technical study and experi- j ence, but the taking advantage of the natural-gas resources of Kansas. ' The Importance of blende ts a aource ot gtao worka and In Rbenlsh Trassla and sulphuric add la likely to Increase. Wettpballa foreacet with 240 Inrge retons | •Tbe teodencr toward rerj large tnr- are now the standard size. Rlmllarlr, la Btcea bas manifested Itself most atrongljr Tpper Sllesit tbe new BembardlbOtte baa In tbe Cnlted States, where certain smelters bern provided with Siemens furnaces com bare built them with as man; as l.OOS re prising 60 large mnflles, tbe larcrsl furnaces torts. At Angleur, Delgtom, there are prerlouslr In use In that (U3'.xict harlna ma/>- United Zinc 269 ?-4-4^tjfe'j^ta^gjljB5ggii;,l„jiii — ]'ni-3K.\'T ECONOMIC CONDITION'S. 25 a-vpi, tliis l.iis leil tf> such a large reduction in the cost of smelting that Unil eti Stales hsis l.t>cn placed in tlie position where it can frequently urt 7.i nc at a profit. Natural gas is also used as fuel at several smelteries Indiniifl. but these arc comparatively small works which are le«s advan- •ousl'.- situated as to ore supply. The utilization of natural gas in Kan- and in Indiana has not led to any radical change in fumace type and ration from those fi"-'d with artificial gas elsewhere in the United States, it if; more economical inasmuch as the labor in handling coal to the gas ducprs and rindcr a vay from them is saved, and up to the present time cost of the natural jjas has been comparatively insignificant. IEUJIUM.—The Bclfjian zinc industry is centered in tlie vicinity of Li^ge, i^e tiic method of sinelting which bears that name originatetL In this tricl the advantages of excellent coal, superior fire clay and cheap, well- inctl labor arc combined. The coal is mined near at hand and the clay ; lo le transjKirtod only a short distance. Formerly these works obtained ir enlirc supjily of ore from domestic mines, of which the most important • re situated al and near the (Jerman frontier, but for a good many years -ir nitput has been insignificant and most of the Belgian spelter is now eltcfl from foreign ores, which are imported chiefly from Italy, Spain, edcn, Algeria, Tunis ond Greece, being brought by sea to Antwerp, lenci? they arc shij>p< d by rail or canal to the works. Thc ocean freights • low, and the cost of carriage from AntwerJ) to Liege, 5 fr. per.,2yB04-6 . is moderaln. Tlic largest? producer in Belgium, the Society ASSEymo la Tieille Montagne, obtains a large part of its ore from its own mines, lich ic operates in many different countries. The blende imported into Igiuin is to a considi rable extent calcined before shipment from the mines. le Snciilfi Anonynic ile la Vieille Montagne has, however, at Baden-Wezel roasting plant capable of dcsnlpkorizing 75,000 metric tons of blende per •aura, lo which in 1899 a sulphnric acid plant was added. Some of tha licr Hcigian smclleis also recover sulphnric acid; but th.nt operation in onccl ion wilh the masting is commonly conducted in separate works and ". ore is generally delivered to the smelteries in desulphurized condition. The Belgian zinc-fliiiclting industry which was based originally upon thc istcnce of lhe domestic supply of easily smeltablc ore now rests chiefly •on the great knowledge of thc art aeeumuhitcd from an experience of ariy a century, the possession of a large number of thoroughly trained 'irkmcn who have he< n brought up in the business and the abundant supply ^ cxo-llent coal which exists in the Kingdom. The location of the most iporlant one smelteries of Belgium is sho-wn by the accompanying map. Coal Resources of Delffium.—The best-developed portions of the Franco- frbi' yt'-ia^ -j' • r United Zinc 270 r 26 FBOOL-CTION AKD FBOPEBTtEB OF ZIKC. Belgian coal-field occur within thc limits of Belgium, the westerljj extension into France being entirely covered by a great thickness of oewer| strata. Commencing at the eastern side, the first basin is that of laige,] which extends Trom thc Prussian frontier near Verviers in a southweaterlyj direction for about 45 miles, the greatest breadth being about nine miles,] near Liege. Thc principal working jwiints nre concentrated on thc western j edge. The number of seams is S.*). Thc uppennost series of 31 affords fat* coals, suitable for coking; the middle scries of 21 seams yields semi-dry orj flaming coals; while tbe lowest series of 31 seams consists of lean, or semiJ anthracite coal. The uppennost series of seams, which are the most rained, is found only ii FIO. 1.—MAF or PORTIONS OP BELOIITM, FBA.VCE, HOLLAND AKD I{iit:Nisii PRUSSIA. Scale: 1 in.•> 40 miles. a small area near the center of the basin at Ougree, near Li^ge. The se vary from 6 in. to 5-5 ft. in thickness, the overage being barely 3 ft. same order of succession is observed in all the coal districts along this Thc strata have a comparatively small sloj>e on the northem outcrop, are sharply contorted, faulted, or broken on the south side of the basil Tlic next basin, that of the Sambre, extends for about 30 miles from Namo to Charlcroi, thc greatest exposed breadth being about 9-5 miles. At MOE ccau, near Charlcroi, there arc 73 seams. Thc most important develupme^ of the coal measures in Belgium is in the basin of Mons, which extends frot^ Mons to Tliulin, a di.=tancc of about 14 miles, with a breadth of about seva United Zinc 271 •-.I'- PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 27 I erly > i United Zinc 272 28 FBOODCTtOK AKO PBOFEBms OF ZIKC. foUows: 1896,9-9C fr.; 1897,10-66; 1898, 11-Tl; 1899,13-75; 1900,1819.! At the end of 1900 contracts for a part of the requirements of the company were renewed at 22 fr. per metric ton. Not merely has the price of coal risen, but also its quality has deteriorated, necessitating a larger consump tion to do the same work. Thc increase in the cost of coal in 1900 aa com pared with 1899 was equivalent to 18-27 fr. per share of the capital stock of| ih- the Soditi Anonyme dc la Vieille Montagne, which was not offset by tb«i increased value of the zinc produced, the average realized per metric ton of cmde spelter in 1900 having been only 503-2 fr. against 616-6 in 1899. Cott of Fire Clay.—The fire clay required for the manniactnre of torts, condensers and other refractory material ia obtained chiefly fron^ Andennes. In 1893 it cost 12@13 fr. ($2-40@$2*60)*per 1,000 kg. deliv- ered at or near Liige, I Cott of Labor.—The average wages for labor at the Belgian zinc smelt•• eries are about 3-5 fr. ($0-70) per day, the maximum, paid to foremen, etc., being 6 fr. ($1-20) per day. The rate of wages has increased greatly dur-^ ing the development of the zinc industry in Belgium. In 1887 the averag at Angleur was 3-15 fr. ($0-63); in 1837 is was only 1-35 fr. ($0-27). i Statittiix of ihe Belgian Zinc Industry.—In 1895 there were 10 zinti smelters in Belgium, having 330 fumaces in operation and 58 idle, with an average of 25,609 retorts in operation. These works had 81 steaiq engines, an aggregate of 2,442 li. p., and employed 4,470 men, who received ^^^ an average daily wage of 3-51 fr. There were smelted 12,842 metric tons ot Belgian ore and 214,947 tons of imported ore, requiring 504,357 tons of coal and producing 96,944 tons of spelter, worth 350-86 fr. per ton. Of th« spelter product, 34,081 tons were rolled into sheet at an expense of 13,61 ( tons of coal and the labor of 477 men, who received an average wage of 3-71 fr. per day. Thc average value of the sheet zinc produced was 394-41 fr. pe^ ton. The number of zinc works in operation in Belgium in 1897 was nine there being only one inactive plant. The active works had 359 fumace with a total of 27,327 retorts. The inactive plant had 68 fumaces. Th< total number of men employed was 4,820, who received an average dailj wage of 3-49 fr. . The consumption of coal was 547,666 tons. Of Belgioi ore 14,636 tons were smelted; of foreign ore 250,016 tons. The production of spelter was 103.885 tons, valued at 427-41 fr. per ton.^ In 1898 tha quontity of ore smelted in Belgium was 291,977 tons, of which 13,295 was! from domestic sources and the remainder was Imported. I- > British Foreign Ofllce, Report No. 484. production ot spelter In 1897 waa IIS.OOT^ Miscellaneous Series. NoTember. 1808. Ac metric tons, and In 1805 It was lO'.eM] cording to the BelglsD offlclal statistics the tonn. United Zinc 273 »"& -.•• s^.-p--' PBESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 29 'ICharacler of Ore S-mcUcd.—The diverse sources of the ore smelted at 19. works is shown by the statistics for 1898, in which year 59,118 tona .any •KO.;bbUined from Sardinia; 48,101 from France; 34,973 from Sweden; i.-oal 1075 from Algeria; and 17,552 from Germany. Besides the domestic pro- irap- ifep^'fadditional supplies of ore were obtained from Greece, Australia, i;om- ialian' mainland, England, Tunis, Turkey, Austria and the United ikof iS^Aiuilyses of ores received by Belgian smelters from various sources y the i^8985"wluch illustrate the nature of their ore supplies, are given in the '•n.of — table: i9.".; i>f tc- ^^^^r^^^AI.-ySES OP ORES BODGBT BY BELGIAN SMELTERS IN USa* frbm Source. H 2n X Pb Mn XS XCaO %M«0 X Cd X Ag xao, deliv- ^^^ Pflffivn 3600 tr. 31-00 4000 8 00 12-00 32-00 200 0-80 U. 1001 >-oo Ham^QKlPf^^'£----.t t JS-t -' 54-00 soo amcll- uwOT^pr"T' ' '' 50-30 7-70 2-80 0-16 0-43 0-oao 15-60 ftarlnrt'^r 1 t FriiDoe 5100 806-20 II, etc., BI|j^SS7^'. 12-00 700 ISO 0-80 OIS 0 ois 3-00 ly.dur- WfgVpmMcSr^tf^ ' 11 .'»-6laoAo 10-33 8-61 3-30 2-85 3'7i wS^^^nS^ r »• 48-50 • 00 ii'-so J , IMfei^i^tf'T^rf' •• 5OO0 1200 400 ISOO 200 >-14 COOl 3-50 wcrsge w 'ii"*'ffri "Ti^-L 61-84 11-44 1-74 2-6S 0-6S roo 1-00 l(twl JIJHII'I^ 1 ^~ 58-80 0-3S 2-83 0-83 1-20 15-48 yaSWtfTjt'^ n^ •* 60-40 13-40 1-75 f 0-72 0-40 1-60 iSpiBBfia^g!/' Svrden 37-00 800 10-00 23-00 1-60 tr. J-007 10-00 10 :"ldnc UUMdniM^m^ t|* Spaia 4100 J-73 3-88 6-90 33-87 l^lidB9Akx/*f'•;. ~ 40-00 2-O0 7-00 500 3-00 )-0l5 1)006 0-10 ItV^^ith ;>-:K i!j>"'l^>l>^"r '!"'.~'^';-''.'' so FRODUCTTIOK AKO FBOFEBTIEB OF ZIXC. The assays of numerous Sardinian calaminca received by Belgian smellers j sf in 1898 will be found in Chapter X. M. Firket has computed that the] entire quantity of ore reduced in Belgium in 1898 averaged about 45-48% j Zn and 4-35% Pb, which figures it should be remembered refer to calcined j calamine and roasted blende and not to raw ores. FsAKCE.—This Republic is a large producer of zinc ore and of spelter, i tf - >. The industry is rather scattered, however, instead of being concentrated at] a few points, and the French une ore is largely exported to other coontries] for reduction, chiefly to Belgium, while the French smelten derive their sup-j I ply chiefly from Greece, Sardinia and Spain. The mott important zincl smelteries in France are those at Auby (2Tord) belong^ to the Compagniel Royale Asturienne des Mines, and at Viviez, in Aveyron, belonging to thei Sociit^ Anonyme de la Vieille Montagne Tbe latter (wmpany has also aj ft rolling mill at Panchot in Aveyron. There is a smeltery belonging lo the Soci^ti de Mines dc Malfidano, at Noyellfes-Godault, where some of the ore| from the Sardinian mines of that company is reduced. A zinc smeltery wa also established at St Amand, Nord, in 1896. The conditions goveming the zinc-smelting industry in the north oi France are quite similar to those in Belgium, the Belgian coal fields extend-^ Ik ing through that portion of France. As in Belgium tbe coal is only semi- fat and direct firing is still generally maintained. At the works of the Sod6t6 Anonyme de la Vieille Montagne in Aveyron, in the south of Franc however, a coal containing 38% of volatile matter is available and gas firing is employed with considerable economy as compared with direct firing. Ir France as in Belgium the value of coal has risen greatly during the last five years, the average cost of the consumption at the French works of the Sodet^ Anonyme de la Vieille Montagne having been as follows: 1896, 9-62 f r. peij metric ton; 1897, 9-99 fr.; 1898, lC-14 fr.; 1899, 10-94 fr.; 1900, 11-63 fr . GEKMAKT.—The zinc smdters of Germany fall into two distinct division* namely, the westem, or Bheoish, and tbe eastem, or Silesien. Outside o% ic these there is only one small works at Freiberg, in Saxony, the productioi of which is insignificanL Rhenish Prussia.—The eight zinc smelteries of Rhenish Prussia ar^ divided into two groups, three in the Rhine Prorince, near the Belgiai frontier on the west side of the Rhine, and five in Westphalia, east of the Rhine. The former group comprises the works at Eschweiler and StoH berg, near Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle); the latter includes the work.s at Berge-Borbeck near Essen, Dortmund. Letroathe, Hamborn, and atj Bergisch-Gladboch near Cologne. Practically the same conditions exist] in both sections of the Rhenish ili.i^friff. United Zinc 275 s^ . BHp -''-"' fl '^*'.'C."'- STATE HBlSBKiti^^l^''' 9HiKjSHHHK-iroL''.^. - ""•••- :::iETY. « 2SBwffii^^^'.^ v ••i SmcraJK^^tStxy- ' PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 31 11 smcliers Resources of Rhenish Prussia and Westphalia.—The coal fields of 1 that thc Prussia and Westphalia, situated on the extension of the Franco- it 45-48% are the two small basins of the Inde and Worm, eaft of I) calitinetl Vnear Stolberg and Eschweiler, and the great Westphalian basin east e, in the valley of the Ruhr. The last, which is one of the most itf spiJter. ; in Europe, extends for about 30 miles east and west from Essen (ilratrd at Sihd.-. Its breadth is unknown; the beds are exposed for about 15 r couittrirs ^fee widest part, but the actual boundaries to the north and north- - their sup- hidden by Cretaceous rocks. The greatest depth from the surface irtant zinc ittom of the basin is probably about 5,000 ft. It is dirided length- tJompignic '•TOisverse axes of elevation into four principal basins, besides sev- •Mag to the ones. The total thickness of measures so far as proved is from has also a LSJOOO ft, with about 130 seams of coal, altogether about 300 ft. i;ciig to the lese are dirided into three series by two bands of barren measures. ' of the ore CSS of the individual coal seams varies from 8 in. to 7 ft. Sev- iielfery was considered' to be workable, having a combined thickness of 205 ii'are unworicable;: i»ntaining 42 ft of eolsL The proportion of '9. north of hool to the whole-thickness of strata is as 1 :33. The order of • ids extend- .M;regartts qoalitj is^jdmilar to that observed in Belgium, the most ined caii ,Widj^)k£bf,coals beinf a^ the top of the series, and the I (ialjr (iemi- ! ''^ •eaxigl:;i(;|hoL>)tt6nilt;2..!I7>ere u an abundant supply of orlci^ of-the K j peration, is now gener- !i of Friance, <.-' j •fli idgiu^ring *- ' Pmsaia and Wotphalia. • firing^'In ;*,! T7j-,.7.3-^-7»q*.-:^^s:rff,tH'^**' <»* about 1() mark.i (S2-38) the. |aif five ' ] t^-.to^^W|8Sffii^ "'• ^.' iziii^k^^^i--,-f-^-..-ii United Zinc 276 32 PRODUCTION AND PHOPEBTIES OP ZDfC. ties are also derived from the Harz, and Friedrichssegen and eUewhcre in] Nassau. The Grillo works at Hambom have been lately recelring a consid erable quantity of New Jersey willemitc, which is used for making a high- grade spelter. Thc Societe Anonyme de In Vieille Montagne operates on a large scale the mines at Bensbcrg, near Cologne, on thc east side of the' Rhine, producing blende which is roasted at" Oberhausen, where sulphuric acid is manufactured from the roast gasos, thc desulphurized ore being smelted subsequently at Berge-Borbeck, near Essen. Recently thc produc tive capacity of the Bcnsberg mines has been largely increased, a new dress ing works having been erected there in 1898. Silesia.—The Silesian zinc district lies entirely within what was once Poland, but is now partitioned among Russia, Austria and Germany, the diriding line betwe -!• in V \ quality, but also by low cost of carriage of the ore to it, which is of more Kiid- Jmi)ortance in this district than elsewhere on account of the low grade of ligh- the "ore..: The best coal in 1393 cost about eight marks ($1-92) per im a 1,000 kg. at the smelteries, from which figure the price ranged downward • the :'waiKJnt.2@4 marks-for the inferior grades which are used to a large ex- 'I uric ;^V. Since 1898 the Silesian coal has appreciated a good deal in value, but .cing la 80' great a proportion as has been experienced in Belgium. Accord- •duc- g^totlie statistics of the Oberschlesischcn Berg- und Hiittenmannischen Ircss- iranis .the average value per 1,000 kg. of the entire production of coal in pisr Silesia at the mines has been as follows: once f?*'*-"'?;-•I> y, the Marks. Harks Year Marks Year Maib tirma- •^> center li 8-S88 1880 4-600 1884 5-228 1828 5-585 ,'-'. 1-S50 isei 5-415 1885 5-187 1889 8-008 Ober- '. :S-650 1882 5-437 isse 5-216 1900 7-138 1883 5-371 5-318 1901 1 Aus- 1887 'lie 23 i;r thc SgoTM repreaent the average of all kinds of coal produced—Le., . itstria ' *^^«a^uned as indicating the value o( the run of the mine. The ^jgMltew1w,'cM^y;^ wn^ sizw -'and slack for heating-£h«ix. ist ini- Kt^iwUijvufn^-oJ^^^eT^^azes of coal in 1891 "waa ai i'i>rm a Ba^7-KqSiljV<^nfe-nni size), 5@5-6'iuik«; ^ inilcs \dck is vt^ilf^^J^^a(eiyali^^lEmvAoTj material costs consid- ;' for a pwik.ffiin'in^yiiicp Rienish' Prussia or Belgium; how- ^^^ f')!^ pw ton of ore smelted. The best fire clay ia It'thORC il^f. .aracter TOiBriesen; m Koravik (Austria), and costs 30 marks ($7-20) lines in 3iit^l?'v^* !!>•)•}' other Moravian clay is obtained for 22 marks iJ^'J^^din^ry Silesian clay is worth 15 marks ($3-60). The ^s from t^Si^Mn about tbe same as in the west of Germany, the best class iiik and RJ^^F*^^ ($0-72@$0-96) per day, but a larger proportion of ;i, Pnis- \^V4» M«d, women who are paid only [email protected] marks ($0-22@ izis lhe '^f^'**'"' ^>oi»g employed for much of the common work, such aa <)rcadth. ^^^9re and sorting old refractory material The employment of '5 to 60 ^ S"^ amelting houses has been recently discontinued, however, in le meas- " irgest plants of the Province, namely those of the Duke of Ujest r population of Upper Silesia is mostly (90%) PolisL j.io the "pply of the Silesian smelters is obtained chiefly from the local smelters msists of both calamine and blende. The PoUah works use i-Tj good |,2,'»hich is very low in grade. In Upper Silesia the proportion Sf-*-'--' li United Zinc 278 34 PnODCCTlON AND pnOPtRTItS 'JF ZINC. i)C lilc-n'l'.- to calamine is steadily in'Tcasing. 'I'bo Silcsian smelters ai-- al.-o roci-ivin<; considi-'rable quantitips of blonde i roasted) from Swcti.'i iind I Styria (Auiitria). The ^^ilesian ori-s generally .:ontain lead, and thc - 'titer ilerivod from ihom contains so much of tliat impurity that it ha-; to bo .i i-ulijectc-il to a refining process. Numerous analyses of the ores sun:' t?>l in Up[)er :>iilesi;i will be found in Cl'.aptcr X. lIuK.iT BiiiT.iiN.—Tim chief ceiili.r of the T5riii.«h smelting indu.ttr.- is at' Sw.insca, in Wales, where an abumlant supply of extremely high-grai'-.' coal is .nrailable and a considerable quantity of ore is obtainable from nn ics in Wales, which are dc.^cribod in C'lia['tcr X. T]ic- • William TUackmoro. prWate comrotinlcstton. .^ugu.:t 12. 1809; I am also !i Jrbted tvj Mr. Rlackmore for the dstt ss lo ihe cost of >-«al and wages ot lahor In 'Vslea. United Zinc 279 •MSi •A rr.ESENT ECON.JMIC CONDITIONS. 35 il coniioctlon vith which the tendency has been lately to abandon the mora t— (ntiiplicatcd fonns of brick-filled rcL-enerative chambers in favor of simpler ': ;-.it-rccuperati\o flues, thu- coiiinKni i-ln-ckcr-work type of regenerator ln.-- ':)miiigtoo rapidly cli'keti by the ••••L-aiiing -/.inc fuiiie>.' According to U. 'V.-WCarpcnier, the Pritish Alkali Inspector, in liis report for 1SU6, "tht- .-Uiglish zinc works are substituting for the Belgian furnace, in the case of y :•' i: • crUdti oris, a fnmace heated by producer gas with two or three tiers of 1 :. c :'. 1 -iniiflles. Arrangmcnta have also bt-en made in many English zinc works to rn:" ri r'-'i/in-iaoTe the fumes of zinc oxide escaping from thc condensers, this being a-:: >f v^"^ •<".f.ae chiefly to improve the health ot the workmen." Certain English zinc a It.';; Vj-jj. '3^>rfci have bi-giiu the manufacture of sulphuric acid from the waste fumes Ok -.i'^i ''11 Iheblcnde-rriasting furaacea. o 7 it-.:.- t%}^l GBBXCB:—Tl\e Kingdom of Grci-cc used to furnish an imporiant supply 7:i!;- • 1 '!?.-?;"f zino ore,to European smelters, it being derived entirely from thc mines 1 I'iU- ir- \-^^:'if Lildrinm, but the output from tliat source has lately diminished matcri- o -.1- r^'i ••*''y'.^JNoh(f of the ore is smelted in Greece, but most of thc calamine is -•v-lciiietl and le.c blondo is roasted bL-tore exportation. M. Ed. Furbs* states (-1 '. ;,-i!. O'.at ibc cost -if mining zinc ore at Tmurium is 4-70^ 7-20 fr. per metric ton. oi - *---. iceot&itigtb 'vhother the exploitatim is carried on open cast or -ondcrground CL, W -yd •(.id ^ dcpjh, labor amounting to 2-50(35 fr. and powder and supplies to CQ ?'^i 7|h»eo-t of proilnctitjn of sorted orb varies of course according to the •}• ;i t liM',. [;;i":-i-!i 1-3 .'i---l<. :=-. %».'wiii-;o?t: -i^ -:,-;' iivHor^. •i^r^y- ^i • •••'.•: •-.-• EH ••.ll. i-r • .'-I' '... j y ft FVaaes 7tanca F^mooa - ?'^^V-^'^- CO .A I For mlnlof....'..V.... S-81 13-40 3S-80 t-1 Cll I'l.r r.'VJTi-.v^i-.;, rofsortlBC...... ;., 1-33 2-00 400 ;: t-'irsl. .{Toial...... ;; .'.'.-J-; 10-24 15-40 30-80 <&iy -!..-;-- - -I,-;-- Ui u 1-4 ^11' .'-..in - laiho'llrpt case 1-33 tons of ore must be mined and sorted to get one .!:--iriL-i. o '^li.'rf,»ainer«'I;.in the second, two tons; and in the third, four tons. •i'.ir- = ni -Tlw cwt of cr.Icination is 3-80 fr. per ton of product. Aasmming that one ln r v'-iit li>B (A rai^ minnral will yield 0-75 ton of calcined, whence one ton cakined -•r I'' Ibe ?: ^-iiig, **?-«? ^."^ "y» "'^ *<'^1 °^^ of delivery of one metric ton of calcined "•!*%«•*«:' "^- C Bobert^AtHtfO. hi the • Traltf det Ottn Ulneraos. II. SSS. to "HWieataJic^s of tht BrltJsh teeUoa it •iVa',,<. "These ftguret rtfer to the pctetatagen "t .ggkflSi? Eipoti tioo. of "mineral" In tbe emdt ore. ' • J^ •.•J-- p ||:|t '-;kfc--^;. United Zinc 280 36 rilODUCTION ANU PIlOPItttTIES OF ZINC. calamine from Laurium ex ship at .-Vntwerp, varying according to the par centape of mineral in thc crude ore r.iised from the mines, is as follows: ;- Ihr . r«! Franca J-rtncn FrmDM '^m or Mining and .ortiog 13-40 4(1 96 II Calcxmliini 380 3-so 3-80 • 1 Tin 700 n Tran-piirtati.Ki to port 7-in Storafce and luailiDg 4-33 4-:i3 4-33 v- •jeneral txpcn-e 1-50 1-50 1 50 Tran>porution to Antwerp IS UO 18-00 is-oc Total 48-13 5.1-13 75-69 iSgjWi TO-' iil ITALT.—The zinc ore produced on thc Italian mainland is entirely ex- i" \^gjja . BJ- porieil, largely to Swansea, Wales., and to Belgium. Until recently thc im lyjIQ - J^ portant production of Sardinia has also been entirely exported, going ch cDy . «^B j to Belgium, France and Wales, but within a year or two the Societa di Mon- teponi hns established a smelting department in connection with its dther S).- works at Montcponi and is reducing therein a small portion of its own out put of ore. Thc fuel employed is lignite. .1* •^^ • T: >•< NrTjiERLANDS.—Com])aratively recently a somewhat important :'inc- E.- :a smeking industry has been established in the Netherlands, where then are lm I three works, of which one has been in steady operaUon for several years. The --tftfl • cb- Netherlands produce no zinc ore and thc supply of the Dutch smeltt rs is • li-- obtained from foreign countries, being imported through Rotterdam and -'^31 tr Antwerp. The smelteries are situated in that jfortion of Holland which is 'Nbw f :"3 in close proximity to Liege, Belgium, and the conditions of smeltinjj are t-- a quilL' similar to those existing in lhe LiJgc district. :v RUSSIA.—Thc production of zinc in Russia is confined to the Kingdem of o Pol.ind, where the industry has existed since 181C. It is at present in a o fair stale of development, the annual production of spelter amounting to r- about G.OOO metric tons. There arc two works, one at Bendzin, belonnng to r-1 F n ^it.: the Sosnowice Co., and thc other .it Dombrowa, belonging to the D. rwiz- Hi SzL'Wcow-Pomeranofl Co. There are al.":o two rolling mills in the Iving- •—1 do'n, one at Sosnowioe end the other at Slawko-v, besides a factory f.ir thc £> manufacture of zinc o-xide. Thc ore is mined in the neighborhood -'f tbe town of Olkusz and is transported by carts or by the Ivangrod-Dombrowa Ila-llway to the Bendzin and Doii'browa works. Thc Polish zinc ore is identical in character with what was mined in Upper Silesia in thc early cr days of thc zinc industry there; .it present ouly calamine is treated. The furnaces employed ar.l thc method of (^melting are the same as in Upper Silesia. Coal is oblained from the Dombrowa basin, a continuation of thc a Upptr Silcsian coal measures. o a B4*~ "M United Zinc 281 c CJ l-K-LiJENT K(.-ON0i[lC i ONUITIOS '^ " Hi'AJN.—The lara.> output of zinc ore in Spain i.s chieily exported, by far ;. thti inisf part goinR t'- France and Belgium. The calamine is generally ^' Crtlaut d before shipment. .\ comparatively small quantity of the Spanish •/i ^rn^s .-nieltfid by the Compajnie Royale .\sturicnne des Mines at its works h I .;;' it, A.^-.at.i, iii'Asturi.is. at wliiuh the Belgian method of smolting i.-: employed. ! • % -^nffc isa^^rglling mil! conncetcd with those works, in which a part of their 'S ii?^^'' '^ .^'ii'^E^'^ into sheet zinc. I) S: j^^'f totpJ.-;.produ"ii(in of zinc ore in Spain in 1809 amounted lo 119,770 M ?jc (oni^.of which the province of Murcia fumished 5G,-1!)9 tons, San- '.3 '^'43,$25 ton."!, Cordoba 6,795 tons, Granada, Almcria and Guipuzcoa !^ vJ ot.^000 tons and Tcnicl 1,520 tiius. The exportation of blende in IU i^ liifci&ilcd to 63,438 tons, of which unward of 50,000 tons were o pa.cii(?^b Belgium, 6,631 tons going to France and small quantities to lw id 'and Greet. Britain. The exportation of calamine amounted to 3 iTion^'o-f which upward of 15,000 Ions went to France and Belgium ;i3 ^3*^>:uAll;'^antiti.^s of a few hundred Ions to Great Britain and Holland. xKsr;^;riTicipal. Spani.-^h ports for the shipment of zinc ore are Cartagena, 'itenilp^g^ville, Almcria and Malaga. -.4 "^|i fT^^TAlBS.—The zinc-smelting industry of the United States is a, ^.'-t'.riEea. by great variations in practice depending upon the local condi- i3 jtj ^^i&flifferent districts. Fortunately all thc zinc ore producing dis- 0-! -'-'- 'r*^(^'United States occur in close proximity to furl, which favors >-.,S&.^etalluTci(^l industrv, but the character of thc fuel as well as jp4'-,£iaKr'of the ore varies widelv. The ceological conditions under '*J~i-s5@Kmc:ore of the United States is found are described in Chapter o: •'ViiM'^yM reference should be made. I a Ci-i'-'*gv ^'"''''—'^^ ^^^ mined in Now Jersey and Pennsylvania is I If. •|'"^^i^»K^orks situated at Jersey City and Newark, N. J., and at South ; ll. jjvj.••*-^'i^gi^aad Palmerton (near Hazard), Penn., all of which arc con- E-< , •^^3'.'r ?Mnc:New Jersey Zinc Co. Their production of sj^elter is of much rir-. ' rf* ^'«^-°<'* than their production of zinc oxide. The New Jersey zinc iO gaC|-v . '*JP*l • tl,. M cS '^*5t ^' ""'^ "^^ adapted to the production of ."spoiler, because of its t- 1,1.> . r.«-/«««^gr'*c g of franklinite. A mechanical separation of tho willemite O Z J Vll to w.is not effected in an entirely successful manner until the * t'i'^-^irioji '. in t.tbe Wctherill magnetic machines (vide Chapter XI). By uU o»in'?chines a clean willemitc product is now obtained, which is Thf ijfjg-- . -yrd^ °^ ^°^ reduction to spelte.', furnishing a mctilof exceptional liii-r -SSIK -*??J^:^^* *^^S not Uien the policy of llie New Jersey Zinc Co. to make tbe uction of spciter, il being preferred eridently to make only X^^'ll '^luanlity. which can be sold at a premium, and export .- 7-'4'<¥-.it..r United Zinc 282 .V--:;^.- -*'•"; 'j ^••»-5=e- rl? • • sg 3S I-UODLCnON AND I'ROPEKTTES OF ZINC. till; reiiaindcr of its willemiti; to Europ.-an smelters. The diH.^renco.^ tifccn the market prices of thc two kinds of spelter is variable, but in gen^ it is in the ncigliborhood of '^c. per lb. In August, 1898, wlien pr Western spelter was obtaiaable in Nc-.v York at 4-5c. per lb., thc '^ew Jen liigli-gradc spelter was fctcliing 6-75c. Iligh-grado spelter is al.- i produf by the Bertha Zinc and Mineral Co. at Pulaski, Va. Both at Palmerton, Penn., which is thc location of the chief w irks of j New Jersey Zinc Co., and at Pulaski, Va., the conditions are favorable ct-'oaomical zinc .«melting. At thc former anthracite coal is obtaii cheaply from the near-by mine?. The Bertha Zinc and Mineral Co. uses^ lienting its furDac(.>s run of mine coal from the Pocahontas Flat 'I'op rc wliich is 75 miks from Pula^rki. This coal assa^-s 74-277& ft'cd carB lS-79% volatile matter, and 6-94% ash. Reduction coal is obt lined Altoona, 10 miles from Puhski, where tliere are seams of grca' thic having a minimum of 20 ft. and.a maximum at one point of IP ft coal, which is anthracite in cliaractcr, has the composition: G" 72% j carbon, 10-52% volatile matter, 143% sulphur, and 25-33% ush." is obtainable chcnply at all the works in New Jersey, Pennsjlvania' Virginia. Refractory material is obtained from Woodbridge, N. J., ^ -Cheltenham, St Louis, Ma Western Districts.—The most important producers of spelter inj United States are sitnattid in the West, at various points where the gei conditions arc somewhat similar. There are numerous smelteries at burg, Kan., and vicinity, which enjoy cheap coal and proximity to the supply, but arc antiquated in deaign and uneconomical in opera: ion.* is a group of newer works at lola and Cherryvalo. Kan, which are a less favorably situated as to ore and coal, but enjoy what is at ]) resent 1-1 A-* 2 tically free fuel (natural gas) together with an important savii g in lal In the ricinity of St Loui.", namely at Carondelet, Mo., and Col IIL, are two smelters which have cheap coal (though of inferi-ir qualit| comparatively low freight on ore (taking into consideration the cost of « ting the spelter to market), cheap fire clay and good metallurgical praeta The three groups above mentioned derive their ore supply ritirely thc Joplin district, with the exception of a little which is ol tained {A Arkansas and Colorado. The quantity of ore derived from ''olorado; lately been increasing considerably, and this source of supply pi-omises to become an important foctor in the domestic zinc industry. ' The smeltert- st Ptttsbnrg. Ksiu w»r« ' Largely because ot the 'en rolna unable to withstsnd the eompetltloa ot tht material—fnel and Its ash—which haa I natnrai-gas amelteia and their worka at* handled. Tbe abllItT to r-instnct now Mle (I^oi). fnraaret bas also led to er 4iomlf«. mm United Zinc 283 I.'* f.: C) PUESEN-r ECl>NOiUC C0.N-L>M1U.\'S. 30 t3 : i ?«:i:^iyl.(.bout 100 miles .-outl.wcst of Chicago are thc two large works '.iro'-^siaiiu r^aeiillc, III., wliic-h though remote from the Joplin district have IJ ,i^c.',i^^ railway rates '^roin there ami the additional advantage of a small lO 1-1 clicaper ore fron-. Wismnsin and Juwa-. Because of their more i-t PvJ'^i metallurgical practice, including the recovery of sulphuric acid, ^'sfitn'ideitaking thc nianuf^icture of she. t zinc and acid phosphate of .3: fi.'" ~ :«aeJi of which industrii^s thev reab'ze large profits, they are able le with the Ic'a .-mcltcrs, notwithstanding the advantage of the ill- fud. The works of the Empire Zinc Co. at North Chicago, •.«l50. near the Wisconsin mines., Thc Mineral Point Zinc Co. M oijie ore from Col'^rado and New Mexico to its works dt Mineral •^'^"8^-. where it makes zinc white and rerontly has made an installation eulphuric acid by thc catalytic proce.>s.' O Marion, Ind., there aro tliree small \n-.rks which have higher freights tf-jfiji Jopiin ore tl'an any of the other works, said rates being not offset O .._^faij' er.frdghts on spelter to Pittsburg. Penn., which is the most im- ^'^*2oi^siiniing disirict in the United Slates, wherefore those smelters ^*;^l;.«^JwidvButage; they burn natural ga.^ but the supply ia diminishing [>nd,is; no longer to be had at little or no cost, but now involves an a: ^jit perhaps 4(il5c. per 1,000 cu. ft., which Is equivalent to flrst- 'ji-of>niine coai, sut:h as Pennsylvania bituminous, at $0-80@$l per m .' Resides.the Joplin ore the Indiana smelters obtain small supplies j-cfjasiiiand Tennessee, the freight r.ites from thc mines in the lottcr ;i{r the s.'imc as from Joplin, Mo. M ^^^pment of Kansas-Missouri Zinc-Smcllitig Practice.—Until ihii»j.^eara ago the smelters of Kani^as and Western Missouri s -\^'i^fAXD&- methods that were adopted when the ^inc-smelting S ^ •-i'ia'iflr^^iStablished there during tho decade 1870-1880. A de- ^^^^fetSeiromditions, -written by F. L Clorc in The Mineral Rcsovrcts s ^\HV^iate» for 1882 is so accurate an account of the conditions at tM^wprks-at Pittsburg, Kan., and vieinitv in 1900 that it ts here 'M U M ... '^ifn^«s are built with the ash-pits above the ground, with a slop'ng >? ".r^<*' (jinder leading up to the furnaco floor. The buildings arc as ''^^ tliAn sheds, and are huddli-ni together with little regard to ''^^. "Ration. The first cost of tiie buildings is inconsiderable f'jP^g'^process the cheapness of the fuel renders economy in this 'n.aidoii^rtant ind the cheapness of living makes labor obtainable iw-aa an>-wbere in the countrv. The works are usuallv own<>d J?«^,do the work of salaried emplovees, and coninder as profit ^% -5' 'tr* •••-••- •.* United Zinc 284 40 PBOPL'CTION ANU PROncnTIl-^ OF ZINC. what would be only tlic interest oa their money and their wages ai ! I' oilier necupation. Th.; furnaces roughly con.-iructed of inferior Di;t will not long sustain the heat required to cxhuvist the zinc from the lii and it is tht? accc-pfcd 'ipinion that there is no (.-conomy in "butcherirg"! furnace for the .-?aki! of a small additional percentage of metal; it is- ferred to increast; tin: [iroduction of tho furnaee and to D^-duce thc -lOS latior and fuel by increasing the (.-.barge of (.re—in otiier wonl.s to but thc ore and save the furnace. At the same timt.- ihc personal supcrvi-jifj the proprietors and their intimate knowledge of the business makes [.i results that could not be expected by a company operating on a larger scS Since Mr, Clorc w-rote aa above there have been of course some iinpt ments in thc older Kr.nsas and .Missouri work.'s and during the dccatl-j 1^ 1000 most of them passed out of the hands of individual propriet'-rs: those of joint stock rompaoies, but nevertheless the smelting pract cos tinucd to he very bockward in many respects. Recently, however, a rad change has taken place in zinc smelting in Kansas and because of t'le; dcrful natural resources that have been taken advantage of spelter is produced there under very different conditions than what formerly^ vailed. Rise of tke Natural Gas Smelteries of Kansas.—Pittsburg, KaiL,' its development to the productive coal measures over which it is and being only 26 miles from Joplin, with e.\cellent railway conneetio became naturally an advantageous place for smelting the ore mined i- [ near Joplin. About 1895 tho natural-gas .'tipply in thc vicinity of^ which by railway is approximately 100 miles from Joplin. began tc be i for zinc smelting and since thon numerous works have been urecteil at^.j point. The experience has demonstrated that zinc ore can be smel'ed m cheaply at lola, untier thc conditions which exist there, than at Pittsl Kan., and gradually thc coal smelteries have been closed, though tliis r^ did not take place in a marked degree until 1900. In 1899 the conditio the ore and spelter market were such that even the lola smelters wereS profitable. With IfOO the unfavorable conditions wore ameliorateti, bu" increasing competition of thc lola smelteries, of which the largest; fg^•; prcriously been consolidated in .'strong hands, prevented the price of ore fi falling to the former level and few of the coal smelters of Kansas and S souri were able to meet the new scale of prices, especially under the fur disadvantage of thc increased price for coal which prevailed during IS and one by one their works were closed. Thus thc metallurgical indi] lost one of its most picturesque features, inasmuch as the irregular of buildings, with their high-peaked roofs nnd quaint gables, and chii m.^m^ f^^ sSi jHSs lg»>5* ^-^3BJyg/S!g;;jB a ^^^^ ^^^ WBgaLfiftitw United Zinc 285 r&m \l^$ ik? >-^;y- a •^^ MM.- ^:i-.--^g?uJi. Fia. 4.—ZINC SittJ/rtuv AT CUKHOKKI-. KAN, I .-'-.;< !\n., owi-J t h built, r-:.X m ^^ ^rctii-nfi. It 'ifn icd i>.t .iii'l y o' I"i>»- •f .-.^-i^ >l-- t.) V . lu'ii-tl •it^l: ^- •-./•d ht that 15.- -•--.-: ^>'^ elt;'l niiifo ir-^:. PilUburg, •^f:? ihifr result aditions of s were uii- •ed.l.ut lie- ari;v'-:t hn''' of .vo troiii IS iij-d Mis- thn fuTihor ^ irin- I'.'OC- •al industry UUT group* :i^; FiQ 5—Zisr S.MKi-TKHY .^T XKV.VDA, MO. id i^himney work. th. „-^.n. furnac.. are ro.i. ™cte.l on top o. tl. .U-uHattnu lun-aeea. •lift-- F-V?^ seifc-c'-L'T United Zinc 286 ' If. !t->: K5vS-..J,--i: O PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 41 to ilaiiics that made a far-sccn landmark on the prairie at night, will t^ |»"nc a thing of the past With idleness a zinc smeltery rapidly goes ,jid probably tbe Pittsburg works will never be started again for n lljfismodic campaigns. In the ordinary course of events the natural .jii5^«^S*'a and elsewhere -will be exhausted some day and even before it is .wnstimcd it will begin to assume an expense increasing gradually up l^intwhcre it ^-ill be more costly than coal; upon the arrival of that % '^tsbnrg may become a smelting contor once more, but it will be, no Tfh-inew fumaces and new appliances. tsouTiies of the United States.^—Each of the zinc-smelting districts M pi^d States fs situated in close proximity to a coal field or a natural- o Tntttthe exception of the New Jersey works, to which the coal has to o l^otn the anthracite mines of eastern Pennsylvania, and the works b-l !^|ucago. 111., and Mineral Point, Wis., which have to obtain their m ;iil,«Ml ft(jm the northem field-of Illinois. Tho works at South K'tnl^P^iin., and Palmerton, Penn., are situated in close proximity i^wij^^ite', coal field of Pennsylvania. Thc Virginia smelters are (^continuation of the great Eastem bituminous coal field which iflffi-J'ennaylvaiua and Weat Virginia to Alabama. The smelters " Pern, IIL, src in the northem Illinois .coal field, while those •! w DLV and St. Louis, Mo., draw their supply from the southern ^ ifittsburg, Kan., is located on the southern extension of the >€(>aVfield. ite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania occur in three districts^ V-I "iciuylkill, Lehigh and Wyoming. The area of the first is 138 %\ of.the second 33 square miles and of the third 196 square fKrelS workable seams, haring a total thickness of 107 ft of bueaa of the measures in which the seams are intcrstratificd CO fi^.ana Peru in the northern Illinois coal field there are three fit; coal, one being from 4-5 to 5 ft in thickncat. another from - O 6 ft, and a third 4 ft The coal from the uppermost M t- *>w ..^5^ -^T and frec-buming. Thc middle seam yields a poorer coal. O ^If^^^f^^ftis ia most highly bituminous, cakes in burning, is high in [throws off a heavy soot In the Belleville district in southem ^'V;Sffl?ic? the CoUinsrille snd St Louis smelters obtain their coal, a ir^^^Wf ft in thickness is principally worked. The Illinois coals ^Jj^ in moisture and often are very high in sulphur and asL ^onlr to the ft*} reaoareca of thoae parts of tbe Halted SUtes la whleb slae ores arc smelted. ]ihr United Zinc 287 42 FBODUCTIOS A>fO PRUPEBTIES OF ZIKO. When bumed in ordinary fumaces they produce great voltunes of smoke, llie coal of northem Illinois is bumed successfully in gas' docers. 7f| Pittsburg, Ean., and thc adjacent towns of Weir, Scanunon and tenac, ovcrUe thc thickest and test scam of coal in KsnBas. This is as the Cherokee scam. It extends from the Indian Territory, ente Kansas near Chctopa, and runs' across the southeast part of Labette Cotdit the west and northwest parts of Cherokee and the soatheaat part of OjHi| ford, thence entering Missouri. The seam averages 40 in. in thicknes8.^T I*-!). id worked at Scammon, Weir, Cherokee, Fleming, Frpgatenac, Fittsh^ Arcadia and Minden. The Kansas coal is high in adk and moisture *a throws off great volumes of black sinoke in burning. It is high in pyf^ wherefore the ash clinkers badly, often fonning a liquid slag vhich dri through the grste bars. Because of thc high sulphur contoit iron bars are rapidly corroded unless water-cooled. This coal has not given'$| ceseful results in gas firing; at least not in thc early attempts in amelting at Pittsburg, Kan., and Rich Hill, Mo., where, however, the''^ satisfactory results may have been due largely to the imperfection of system (?mploycd. Thc anthracite coal of eastern Pennsylvania is in calorific power one the highest grades of coal that is known, having a heating value of 14,60lj 14,800 B.T.U. per lb. of combustibla Thc bituminous coal of nortlij and southern Illinois and Kansas is very Inferior as compared with bituminous coal of western Pennsylvania, Wales and Belgium, hav heating value of only 13,500 lo 14,800 B.T.U. per lb. of combustible; being generally rather high in ash and moisture, its relative practical va is only about 66% of that of the semi-bituminous coal of Pennsylvj which is taken as thc standard in the United States. In reckoning | advantages of different smelting districts it I:) highly important to b«tjf mind the relative eflScicncy of the coal available, since a good deal work can be done -with some kinds than -itith others. The zinc smelters of northem Illinois employ gas firing and cid quently run of mine coal, which the modem practice in gos firing has pr to be preferable to the us6 of slack and inferior grades of coal. The of run of mine coal at I..asallc and Peru in 1899 was $l(5)$l-50 por 2,f lb. The Matthipssen & Hegclcr Zinc Co. mines its own coal. The smt.'li of southern Illinois and Kanp.as as a general thing use slack coal, which 1899 cost $0-35(3$0-C0 delivered at (heir works. Tn 1900 there was a rise in the value of coal, especially in Kansas, where the same class wh had preriously been available at about $0-50 per 2,000 lb. delivered ooS United Zinc 288 PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS 43 ^whtraeted for under $0-75. Run of mine coal which in 1399 was "T^^^l-lO per ton at Pittsburg, Kan., in 1900 rose to $l-50@$l-75. a'on kinds of southem Jllinois cool at the end of 1900 commanded >20 for run of mine delivered at East St. Louis. las Supply.—The competition of the natural-gas smelters of lola lie, Kan., has now rendered rinc smelting with coal-fired fur- and Missouri largely a thing of the past. The natural gas 3g circumstances is almost a costless fuel, the smelters being only 1 of putting down the weUs and piping the gos to their fumaces, ^.maintenance being very small so long as the gas pressure con- Some of the smelters, however, have made large outlays lor I lands and consequently are burdened -with interest charges and ich are of course properly debited to the cost of the gas, but so j^the smcitcr who has been in possession of a 10-acre lot with a tgaa well has been about as well off as one who haa acquired 10,000 indi inasmuch as welU which produce gas draw directly from tha 1 reservoirs withont respect to land divisional lines. As the pin a single well diminishes, however, the advantage of haring a [from which to draw by means of other wells becomes apparent, ^the more prudent smelters have acquired extensive gas rights. iiij. -with which such investments should be written off for re» Jtfp of the profits of the smelting is necessarily an extremely un dent The experience in Pennsylvania and Indiana has demcm- ^;utural gas becomes more and more costly as the supply is therefore prudence would indicate that the resources of Kansaa ffied economically. ' il-gas field at lola, Kan., is comparatiTely small in area. Its V>ea6t and west line has been demonstrated by the drill to be f jniles, its breadth being about three miles. ' The gas rock which Kof 800 to 1,000 ft below the surface ia a sandstone of mcdinm- ae stratum having an average thickness of 20 to 25 ft Accord- In; Orton, State Geologist of Ohio, who studied the geological ^^e lola gas field in 1898, its gas-bearing formation is of the , as distinguished from the shale-gas type. The characteristics j-oir type are: (1) Large flows of gas from single wells, volumes tens of millions of cubic feet per day being known; (2) ap« {ttbe same pressure in the wells tapping the rock, irrespective of I differing volumes; (3) accompaniment of the gas by petroleum l^assodated water, usually salt water. The gas of these poroni ** !c(nne8 to a sudden end, says Professor Orton, oil oomes in >•!• • Ji-' .?*w*^'-.-^JJL' .-.'i—ij. ct. • United Zinc 289 -Vflt^.^-'v- '"^-^ 44 fUODUCTION AND PUOPEBTIES OF ZIKC. and fills the pipes or salt water shuts off the gas "like a light blown ov a gust of wind." Only by constant core and attention in remciving tli Bubstancvs from thc pipes can thc life of tbe well be maintained, especiallj its later stages. At thc time when Professor Orton made his examination upward of tj dozen wells had been drilled in thc field, their production ranging frq 2,000,000 to more tlian 10,000,000 cu. ft per 24 hours. There were a dozen of thc number producing about 7,0C0,000 cu. ft per 24 hours ajiioj The rock pressure of the field was 325 lb., with an outside range of 5 Ib.'l n single well. A little oil had been found, mainly on the westem bouiidaj of thc field and at a lower depth than the gas. Salt -water occurred IteTd both gas and oil, but up to that time had not proved aggressive; the he to which it rose had not been determined, but was less than several hund feet.' So long as the pressure of a natural-gas supply is adequate to cause deliver}- of the requisite volume of gas, the only expense for the latterS the rental of thc land, and the first cost of putting down the wells and pipi thc gas to the point of consumption. As the pressure diminishes, howev^ it becomes necessary lo put down more wells in order to obtain the • volume of gas at thc reduced pressure; more and longer pipe lines must^ . laid; and eventually the wells must be pumped. Under those conditions gas begins to assume a positive cost, which increases gradually as the supt , falls off until thc point is reached whore it becomes more expensive than i after which it can be considered only as a luxury or as an industrial fuel purposes in which the cost Is a minor consideration. Thia stage in history of natural gas has already boon reached in westem Pennsylvania i Indiana. At Pittsburgh. Penn., the cheapest gas fumished in large quantit M^yy}yy for metallurgical purposes in the autumn of 1899 commanded 8c. per 1,0 cu. ft, at which price il was more expensive than gas made artificially fro thc local conl. With modern gas producers and run ot mine coal costr s .$0-80(0 .$0-85 per 2.000 lb., which was the average cost of coal at Pitt-burg * at that timo gas could be made artificially for 2-5c. per 1,000 cu. ft. of coiM bustiblc, and reckoning 2 cu. ft of combustible in that form as being equalj calorific power to 1 cu. ft of natural gas' thc latter would have had to my obtainable at 5c per 1,000 eu. ft. to be at a parity in so far as actual co is concerned. A coal i-ost cf $1 per ton would raise the cost of the combu M-y bie in producer jms to 2-8c. per 1,000 cu. ft., equivalent to natural giis i.-^-iV'-. • yy-i-.^-i'^jj.'-i ' Ileports trr ronQlctlng aa to bnw the at Irast there appears to have been 3 serlon lola gas siipplj Is holding out under the diminution tn preasure. hnrj drain upon It. esperlallr during the ' This Is tbe ratio adopted bj eiri.Tleace IsKl three j-rars: In som? parts of tbe Srld giis producer engineers st Plttsliuru. .iji ^.y:!^is-^^: >•' United Zinc 290 o o to r-4 I M O e CQ •-3 «*; i to E-1 O United Zinc 291 *«xv:'- ^L-Aj^l * VK3 '}^y' V. 1'KK..>*I:NT i;t.-t>N-0Mic CONDITIONS. 45 •-'tic. ftij!^ iiri)tluc«-rs of natural gas in Pennsylvania and West Virginia >x-y tJii^Uic actual cost of the gas to them at poinis near the wells is now . •" •l«;i^.^.^pf-r 1,000 cu. ft. Tt has that cost because of the expense of their ; , '-u -i lej^jjcs, the cost of drilling the wells, the cost of piping thc gas to points .,_• ittr-r-jaoiiiption, the cost of pumping and the cost of maintaining the supply a ,,' Vy, '.tt_(j»s of new- wells and additional pipe lines as it becomes exhausted by "ioiu The drain on those fields is so great that the expense for 0 is a large and constantly increasing charge. The experience in gas field has been similar, ond thc zinc smelters who located ,il^92 have been for several years short of gos, to the great impedi- yr .operations. The gas which they now obtain is said to cost :. pe:^ 1,000 eu. ft. Both at Ida, Kan., and in the Indiana ft.o original pressure nas greatly inferior lo that which was regis- wDstijm Pennsylvania nnd West Virginia. In Indiana the original .'^•h-l re^was 325 lb., or abo.it tho same as at Tola, Kan. In 1896, after 'draiQ from the field, the rock pressure was 220 lb.; in 1897 it was •;. \T5Je average diminution in pressure in Indiana in recent years -.0 llj., per annum. The wells in Indiana cease to be serriceable at th^Jola field natural gas has been found in Kansas at numerous ^^n^^ a southerly direction from Tola; Independence and Cherry- r^tb^fetrar.e southern extensions at the present time. There are S'^rii^^.w, in openition at Cherryvale and at Neodcsha. The loca- ^V^.l^Lo.uB gas fields is shown by the map on page 184. r-f^'"li|iV'.« ^'"c Ore Stil cited in the United Static.—Thc smelters of i.-.'^y-<^9'^.-^™^^^''^"°''''- "^'^ °^3' *-''<^ -willemitc produced in New i:tiii>f?.9t Virginia use ouly the calamine mined in that-State, together -I'ttlat>Uaincd from TenncsKcc. The Indiana smelters obtain their f ore-from Wisconsin, Tennesstje, and from the Joplin district; they ' =5 J^ .y^Dde. Th.e l.irfe smelters of northem Illinois derive the most ^'"'^Yj^Pply from tho iloplin district, but get a considerable quantity 'lecgn^n.and a .•jtaall quantity from Iowa; they use chiefly blende. 'f; ^•j'' ^c St. Loui.- district are also dependent chiefly upon the "-^^^'^• .The Kansas .smelters obtain hy far the more part of their /!?/'^^?^-^c Joplin district, using both blende and calamine, but 'v'*^..^.-^^.'¥'? getting some ore from Colorado, which ab.hough of in- :!'.'*JlN^;\ _^n'ted2,-nc292 ''^'S'- Si-..^-C>- r-^i A6 rBODCCTiox Axo pBOPtantB or axe. :^:- blende, dressed to a standard of 60% Zn and containing as a general less tban 2% Fe and 1% Pb. It is tbe biggest grade of zinc sulphidejj produced anywhere in the -world and because of its exoelleiu^ con natorally a high price. Cost of Refractory Material.—The smelters of Kansas, the St. Louis trict and northern Illinois all use fire clay dug at Cheltenham, a divisio St Louis, for the manufacture of their retorts, no other material hai been found so well adapted for that purpose. This clay costs $l@(i lo.b. cars at the pits.. Tbe freight rate from St Lonis, Moi, to Pittskifi Kan., is $2 per ton, making the cost deUvered at wozka at the latter pf |3@$3-50 per ton. This is for raw unmilled clay. Chunotte,.or ceme it is commonly called in Missouri and K'f^—f, costs $4@94*60 per ton d^ ered at the smelteries in Kansaa. The Elansas smelters and most of in Illinois employ St Louis fire brick, of which tbe ordinary kind costs'^ per M. at St Louis; a medium grade is obtainable at $16 per M., whileli highest grade commands $25 per M. The freight rate on fire brick fromj Louis, Mo., to Pittsburg, Kan., is $2 per ton—^Le., $6-50 per M. Fire hx blocks and the special shapes required for relining fumaces cost $9@$101 ton at St Louis, the freight rate to Pittsburg, Kan., being also $2 per The smelters of New Jersey and Pennsylvania use clay from Chelte Ho., and from Woodbridge, N. J. Wages of Labor.—^At Pittsburg, Kan., the general rate of wages for < mon Labor is $1*25 per 10 hours. Cokemen get $1-50 and brickmssons Thc wages of smiths and mechanics are about as in other parts of^l United" States. Carpenters receive less, generally $l-50@$2. On the tillation fumaces the brigadiers are paid $4'50@$4-70 per double shiftj 24 hours; "long shifts" $3-60@$3-80 per double ahift; "short shif' $l-30@l-40 per single shift At lola, Kan., common labor is paid the same as at Pittsburg, nan $1-25 per 10 hours. For work on the distillation fumaces, briga6 or firemen receive $2-50@$2-75; chargers, $2-30; metal drawers, $2-; helpers $l-40@$l-00, these rates being pei- shift of 12 hours in each except in those where the daily work is finished in a shorter time. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana the furnacemen receive than in the West In Indiana chargers are paid $l-90@$2-00 per shift 'i^ 12 hours; 'Hong shifts" get $1-75; "short• shifts" $l-25@$l-35; metat drawers $1-50; ash.wh(?elers and general loborers $1-25. '-^'3 Centralization of the American Consumption of Spelter.—Although the,.i, rinc-producing industry-of thc United States has so far escaped the tend-'., ency toward consolidation of interests to the same degree which hiis been • M\ ''•M- i ! United Zinc 293 PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 47 Jiii many other branches of .-American industry, both the productive ad the consumptive demand for spelter have been centralized in a aer. Upward of 50% of thc consumption of spelter in the ates is for the purpose of galvanizing iron, which business Is now ^the bands of tbe constituent companies of the United States Steel lm:*; The manufacture of sheet zinc is In the hands of four 1^ The manufacture of brass in Connecticut which is the prin- jwf.of that industry, is controlled by one company. The con- gjwf;'[spelter for use in the desilverization of lead is also chiefly ^fi 'of one corporation.* It is safe to aay, therefore, that 75 or ^; demand for American spelter now comes from seven corpora- ;.;|:be other hand thc production of spelter has also been cen- ictically the whole of the active smelting capacity being now l^^g seven strong concems. What will be the effect np I^C'tatca Bttd CorportUoo roa Zlae C«.; tbt^ will b« ta gptratlcM la ifi-et Its eoattltneat com- 1003. Bdgar Zlae Co. and tb. •Tbt Ualtad Btatea ZLae CtL, whldt ta '.Co, whleh tofctbtr pro- aiUlated with tbt Americaa bocitlnc and D.tnea of tptlttr ptr ansom. Ktflalog Co., haa pUased to bafld a tfae ^itllla havt btea bnUt In tmelter? .at Patblov Colo., tftirlag IMS. iti^ .Jcrr:7 Zlse Co. and t«s- United Zinc 294