Historical Zinc Smelting in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., with Estimates of Atmospheric Zinc Emissions and Other Materials Open-File Report 2010–1131 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey On the cover: Top left: Photograph of smithsonite (USGS, 2009). Top center: Photograph of mixed franklinite, willemite, and zincite (USGS, 2009). Top right: Photograph of sphalerite (USGS, 2009). Bottom left: Photograph of an 1868 advertisement for zinc oxide [Library of Congress, 2009 (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ cgi-bin/query/r?pp/PPALL:@field(DOCID+@lit(2006679062)]. Bottom center: Photograph of molten zinc being poured into molds at the Donora Zinc Works, circa 1920 (Courtesy of Scott Beveridge and the Donora Historical Society, 2009). Bottom right: Photograph of the Palmerton Zinc Smelter, circa 1965 (Courtesy of Arthur W. Larvey, Consulting Chemical Engineer, 2009). Historical Zinc Smelting in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., with Estimates of Atmospheric Zinc Emissions and Other Materials By Donald I. Bleiwas and Carl DiFrancesco Open-File Report 2010–1131 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Bleiwas, D.I., DiFrancesco, C., 2010, Historical zinc smelting in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., with estimates of atmospheric zinc emissions and other materials: U.S. Geological Survey Open- File Report 2010–1131, 189 p. iii Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................1 Study Area and Smelter Site Locations .....................................................................................................2 Synopsis of Historical Zinc Smelting in the Study Area ..........................................................................2 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................7 Summary of Atmospheric Fugitive and Stack Emission Estimates .......................................................9 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................19 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................19 Feedstock ............................................................................................................................................21 Primary Zinc Feedstock .....................................................................................................................21 Zinc Carbonate Ore Mineral ....................................................................................................21 Smithsonite ........................................................................................................................21 Zinc Oxide Ore Minerals ...........................................................................................................21 Franklinite ...........................................................................................................................21 Zincite .................................................................................................................................21 Appendix 1. Types of Smelter Feedstock and Applied Technologies ..................................................21 Zinc Silicate Ore Minerals .................................................................................................................22 Hemimorphite .............................................................................................................................22 Willemite......................................................................................................................................22 Zinc Sulfide Ore Mineral ....................................................................................................................22 Sphalerite ....................................................................................................................................22 Secondary Zinc Feedstock .......................................................................................................22 Zinc Dross and Skimmings ..............................................................................................22 Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Dust ....................................................................................23 Other Dusts ........................................................................................................................24 References Cited.................................................................................................................................24 Zinc Smelting-Process Descriptions ...............................................................................................25 Zinc Metal Production ..............................................................................................................25 Roasting ..............................................................................................................................25 Sintering .............................................................................................................................25 Retorting .............................................................................................................................26 Horizontal Retorts .............................................................................................................26 Vertical Externally-Heated Retorts ................................................................................30 Electrothermic Vertical Retorts ......................................................................................30 Zinc Oxide Production .............................................................................................30 American or Direct Process ..................................................................................31 French or Indirect Process ....................................................................................32 References Cited.................................................................................................................................32 Atmospheric Emission Controls .......................................................................................................33 Baghouses ..................................................................................................................................33 Cyclonic Dust Collectors ..........................................................................................................33 Electrostatic Precipitators .......................................................................................................33 iv Flues and Settling Chambers ...................................................................................................34 Scrubbers ....................................................................................................................................34 Stacks ..........................................................................................................................................34 References Cited.................................................................................................................................35 Appendix 2. Profile Reports of Zinc Smelters .........................................................................................36 Bergen Point Zinc Works, Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey ............................................36 Passaic Zinc Works, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey .................................................41 Newark Zinc Works, Essex County, New Jersey .........................................................................49 Bamford Spelter Plant, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania ...........................................................56 South Bethlehem Zinc Smelter, Northampton County, Pennsylvania .......................................59 Keystone Zinc Works, Birmingham, Huntington County, Pennsylvania ...................................70 Donora Zinc Works, United States Steel Corporation, Washington County, Pennsylvania ...74 Florence Zinc Works, Northampton County,