1. C, 6955 Octoser 1937 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES BUREAU OF MINES Joun W. Finch, Director INFORMATION CIRCULAR SMELTING ORES IN THE ELECTRIC FURNACE BY R. S. DEAN AND M, W. VON BeRNEWITZ AFTER THIS REPORT HAS SERVED YOUR PURPOSE AND IF YOU HAVE NO FURTHER NEED FOR IT, PLEASE RETURN IT TO THE BUREAU OF MINES, USING THE OFFICIAL MAILING LABEL ON THE INSIDE OF THE BACK COVER,T.C. 6955 October 1937 INFORMATION CIRCULAR DEPARTMENT OF TH8 INTERIOR ~ BUREAU OF MINES SUBLTING ORES IN THE ELECTRIC FuRNACEL/ By Re S- Dean2/ and M. We von Bernewitz3/ The possibility of cheap electric power for a number of mining areas in this country has suggested to many the idea of electric smelting of nonferrous ores in small units at or near the minos. The electric smelting of nonferrous ores was tested fairly thoroughly 20 years ago by United States Bureau of Mines and by others, and the fact that it did not achieve continuing workable success in any instance is sufficient proof that it vivered no advantages at that time. Lyon and Keeney 3a/ thoroughly investigeted the problems, covering the possibilities with iron ores, copper ores, lead ores, zinc ores, com plox sulphide ores, gold and silvor ores, rare~metal concentrates, the making of ferraalloys, the construction of furnaces, the cost of power, and conditions under which the electric furnace might be used. They: decided that, excepting iron ores, aluminum, and ferroalloys, electric smelting was in the experimental stage. It is the purpose of the present paper to survey the technical and economic chaiges that have taken place and to determine whether electric smelting of nonferrous ores offers any more promise today than 20 years ago. The following factors need to be considered especially: 1. Relative cost of heat from electric power and heat from coke. 2. Ratio of value of recovered metals, especially of gold,to smelting conte 3+ Improvement in milling practices, especially differential flota~ tion, and its bearing on use of electric furnaces. * 4, Advances in technology that make electric heating more attractive. I] The Bure~m of Minos will welcome roprinting of thie paper, provided the following footnote acknowledgment is used: "Reprinted from U. Se Bureau of Mines Information Ci: ar 6955." 2/ Chief enzizcer, Metallurgical Division, U. S. Bureau of Mines. 3/ Assistant mining and metallurgical engineer, Metallurgical Division, U. S. Bureau of Minos. Ba/ Lyon, Dorsey A., and Keeney, Robert M., Possible Applications of the Electric Furnace to Western Motalluray; Trans. Am. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 24, 1914, pp. 119-147, discussion pp. 17-166. 58221.0. 6955 While most of the current interest in electric smelting relates to pyritic gold ores, actually more, data are available on other ores, notably zine and copper. Accordingly, we shell consider the status of electric smelting of several types of ores individually, based on the factors enunerated. ZINC ORES In 1916, Lyon, Keeney, and Cullen4/ reviewed the status of electric furnace zinc metallurgy in the following terms: In the metallurgy of nonferrous metals, the electric furnace has had a greater application for the treatment of zinc ores than in the metallurgy of any of the other nonferrous metals except aluminum. “** the process has not been applied to any great extent Decause of the difficulty of condensing the zine vapor produced in smelting in the electric furnace. The cause of this difficulty has not yet been definitely determined. With few exceptions the work has not deen done on a very large scale, and so it may be said that the electric smelting of zinc ores is still in the ex- perimental stage. ‘The foregoing note on smelting zinc ores is followed by a description of the electric-furnace process in Sweden. Hoasted zinc-lead-silvar slime was being smelted, but many difficultios presentod themselves, although it was expected that they would be ovarcome. Current cost $10 per kilonatt~ year, or O.1l cent per kilowatt-hour. In 1923 the Bureau of Mines again interested itself in electrothermic zine smelting. O'warrats report'/ contains 11 pages of references on the electro- thermic metallurgy of zinc. Electrothermic or thermoolectric smelting may be defined as the reduction of an ore by means of an clectric current. It may be said that more than two-thirds of the zinc motal produced in the world is derived fron the retorting or distilling of roasted concentrates; the rest results from the electrolytic or wet treatment of ores. For re~ torting, the heat, which is applied outside, is derived from natural gasy producer gas, waste heat, conl, or othor combustibles. Retorting is not smelting} it is not simple, and losses are rathor high. Neither is the smelting of zine ores simple; in fact, in gencral it is impracticable. W iyon, Dorsey A., Koenoy, Rovert il., and Cullen, Joseph F., The Blectric Furnace in Metallurgical Work: Bull. 77, U. S. Bureen of Minos, 1916, 216 pp. (out of print.) 5/ OlWarra, B. M., The Blectrothermic Metallurey of Zinc: Bull. 208, Bureau of Mines, 1923, 106 pp. 5822 2TeC. 6955 ‘The first electric furnace for the reduction of zine ores Was de~ vised in 1885. Little was done then until 1900, through to 1915; but the production of zinc as metal was difficult, most of it being condensed as blue powder. Later, the electrolytic treatment of ores more or leas directed attention away from electric smelting. Because of the imper~ fections in retorting and in electrolytic processes, the United States Bureau of Mines and the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy undertook an investigation into the electrothermic metallurey of zinc. The follow ing types of electric furnaces ere found to have been tried by other workers and are described and illustrated in O'Zarra's report: Direct~ resistence, indirect~resistance, radiating-arc, and buried~arc as con tinuous and intermittent types or as clagging and drydistillation types. The greatest obstacle encountered in all the attempts to smelt zinc ores electrically, and one that has causcd the failure of many otherwise promising attempts, has been the difficulty of condensing the zinc vapor obtained from the snelting furnace to liquid zinc. In the earlier work the major part of the zinc vas invariably obtained as blue powder, which clogged the condensers and had to be remelted to obtain a marketable product. Complex as is this problem, many comploxities ariso in smelting ores. Zine is oxidized by the carbon dioxide formed; the zinc vapor is diluted by carbon monoxide and is sulphidized by sulphur and sulphur dioxide; also, fine dust is likely to be carried into the condenser by the rush of evolved gases. O'Harra says this regarding the possibilities of electric zinc smelting: Phe electric smelting of zinc ores for the production of epelter can nor be termed metallurgically fonsible. The ques+ tion of cost then becomes of.paramount importance. Up to the present tine, the plants in Norway and Swoden are the only ones that have been able to achieve success. Little data on their costs are availeble, but the plants have been able com tinuously to maintain and expand their operations during nore than-15 years. They are favored by having very cheap poner available, and it is probable that their process would not be practicable in this country [the United States]. Judging from publighed reports, their netallurgical results are not as gona as have been obtainod in much of the work in this country. The lergest single item of cost in the electrothernic process is electric power. An electric emclter must bo near cheap power. & conserva~ tivo ostinate of tho requironents of a properly constructed, continuously operating furnace of 5 to 10 tons daily capacity would soem to be 3,000 to 3,500 kwe-hr. per ton of zinc motal produced, emolting a cola charge, or 2,500 to 3,000 kr.-hr. with a prohoated charge. This concumption should 5822 =3)—).C. 6955 de.lowered by larger and standard operations. Somewhat more power than that stated may be requirod by lomerate ores. In the Western States, alhour continuous pewer can be obtained at rates of Olt to 0.7 cont per Kilowatt-hour, and off-peak power as low as 0425 cent. It is metallurgically possible to recover at least 90 to 95 nercent of the zinc from an ore in an electric furnace in regular operation. Also, most of the proposed electrothormic processes recover lead, copper, and the precious metals as bullion and matte or as a vroduct in desirable shape for blast-furnace treatment. Low-grade and complex ores offer no difficulty in the electric furnace, and the prasence of impurities is not detrimental. The cost of an electrothermic sinc plant will be lecs than that of either e retort or an elactrelytic plant if power is purchased. The pro~ cess has the additional advantage that units of 10 tons are practicable. O'farra concludes as follows: Each of the three processes ~ retort, electrolytic, and electrothermic ~ has its particular field and there are un- doubtedly places in this country where the electrothermic process could be profitably applied. In the 13 years that have elapsed, however, it has been impossible to find any casos, either here or abroad, in which electrothermic zinc omelt~ ing has been profitable, in spite of some rather oxtonsive trials, es pecially that at Trollhattan, Sveden. The attempts to smelt sipe ores in the eloctric furnace in Svedon have been described by Landis®/. Gustav deLaval began to experiment in the field of electric zinc smelting in 1893, and by 1898 he had developed a practical but intermittent furnace at Trollhattan, Sweden. By 1902 he could smelt roasted sphalerite, using coke as a reducing agent and limo as a flux, and he applied for the first of a long sericn of patents. In 1903 a company was orgenised, and large plants were built at Trollhattan, Sweden, and at Sarpsborg, Norway. The former was much the larger, employ ing 22 furnaces, each of 500 horsspower, during the World Wer. ‘he carly furnaces vero single-phase, with bottom contact and one movable top elec~ trode. The nowor furnaces, which had greater hearth ares, wore vrovided with two top electrodes and no bottom connection. One of these tas merely suspended in the furnace and lowered es consumed. Zinc was recovered partly as liquid metel and partly as powder. As developed t? 1925, the Trollhattan process was one of all-electrothermics involving the use of four different tyes of electric furnace on zine and a fifth for lead re~ fining, if lead was vrescnt. Q@ Landis, W. S., The Trollhattan Blectrothernic Zine Process: Tech Pub. 710, am. Inst. Min. and Met. Eng., 1936, 2 po. 5822 -4160. 6955 A few details of the process follow, as given by Landis: The sulphide ores were roasted in a multihearth furnace and mixed to make the charge as nearly s2lf-fluxing as vossible. ‘The smelting operation was carried out in a closed, arc-resis~ tance type of electric furnace. The roaction was essentially one of reduction and volatilization, the gangue of tho ore being fluxed to produce a fusible slag. The furnaces wore charged fron overhead bine, the charge consisting of a pre~ mixod roasted orc, flux, and coke breoze; and if copper was present in tho ore, enough sulphur was left in the charge to producs a.lowmgrade matte. This smelting furnace handled all off-grade slags and mattes, together with any residue of: gine dust not liquefied in rotary furnace and the various residues from tho refining furnaces. The furnace onorated in the smelting zone at a tempera~ ture above 1,400° C. (2,523° F.), and lead and zinc wore volatilized and left the furnace in vapor form mixed with carbon monoxide. This gas stroam passed to vator-cooled condensers, where the metals dropped out in the form of a powder end mechanical scrow conveyors were provided for continuously discharging the powder through a suitable sen: The carbon monoxide passed out through a water seal and ‘burned at the exit stack. Tho character of this flame was an important guide to the furnace operator. Tho slag and matte together ware tapped from the fur nace into slag pots, whery tho matte sottled to the botton and was separated by tho older system of "muscular metalluray." Gold and silver vresent in tho ores appeared largely in the matte, although somo silver was volatilizod and recaptured at a later stage in the process. The zinc-Lead powder removed from tho condonsors vas collected in motal containers, which wore carried to bins placed above the rotary furnaces. In these 2lectrically heated furnaces the povder was given a rolling and tunbling at a temperature well above the melting point of zinc (759° Fs). A large part of the ponder was rolled into liquid, thich ras tapped from the rotary furnaces at intervals. The unliquo~ fied powder was mechanically discharged through the axis of the furnace and, after conling, was carried beck to the ore~ smelting furnace; hence the nane "return ponder." Eventually, the lead-zine alloy was liquated and yielded refined zine slabs and load pigs, also an iron-silver-copper cake that was sold. 5822 oooT.C. 6955 The power consumption, calculated back to the original zinc ore fron Burma, wes 660 ke.-hr. per ton. The total consumption per metric ton of 57 percent materiel on the three furnaces was 3,335 kw.-hr., or, per ton of wine recovered, 6,540 kv.-hr. Landis makes this statement: In spite of years of work recorded in volumes of litera~ ture, and an expenditure of large sums of money, there is not a single electrothermic zine smelter operating anywhere in the world. In this industry the electric furnace plays only a secondary part today. The Trollhattan outerprise ras at a standstill in 1936. The only electric zinc furnaces operating in tho United Stetes are those at Joserhtowa, Zeavar County, along the Ohio River, Pennsylvania. They make sinc oxide and are operated by the St. Joseph Lead Co., which treats 57 percent zine concentrates from its Edwards mine, St. Lavrence Go-,%Y. In the plant ara two Herreshoff 12-hearth roastors, three Dwight Lloyd sinterars, Cottrell procipitators, sulphuric-acid equipment using vanadium pentoxide as catelyst, and proheators, eight Gaskill vetented electrothermic furnaces arranged to meke baghouse zinc oxide, which is ad~ vertised as lead-free. The company's annual report for 1933 said: "The electric furnaces have proved their eminent euitability for tho production of lead-free zinc oxide." Porer is supplied by the Duguosne Light Co. plant near Pittsburgh at 66,000 volts. Six 1,500 kw.-amp. transforners reduce this to 2,300 volts, and each furnace is served by thres 2,300/320/160-volt, 1,800-ampere, singlo~phaso transformers. The process is described by George F. Weaton in volume 121, Metallurgy of Lead and Zinc, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, 1936. The plant ras designed to troat 120 tons of concentrates daily. Tae furnaces havo a boro of 57 inches and are 37 feet ovarall in height. Tho sinter cake, assaying almost 60 percont zinc, is broken to h~ inch size and smaller, and with enke of similar size is heated to 750° c. dy natural gas and fed to each furnace, wich contains 25 tons nr more. Electiical contact with the charge is made by means of three vairs of carbon electrodes; the chargs itself constitutes a resistor 57 inches in diemetor end 24 feet long. Betroon tho rotating discharge table end top oloctrodes tho tomporeture is aporoximately 1,200° C. Abmt 18 hours is required for the passage of the charge through a furn each nf which consumes 29,000 kw.e-hr. daily. The voltage averages 265. co, The final product varies according to custonors! wishos, but a typical example is 99.4 percont zinc oxide, 0.01 to 0.05 porcent lvad oxids, 0.002 percent cach of cadmiun oxide nnd ferric oxido, and 0.06 percent sulphur as the trioxide. 5822 ~6-T.C. 6955 As is seen by the foregoing description, these electric furnaces are not actually smelting the zine concentrates; bat use is made of electric heat to volatilize the zinc which is condensed as oxide. The coke serves a double function - to provide the resictance vath for the electric current and the carbon for reduction of the zinc. The refractories used in tho eloctrothormic furnaces are described by Winfield B. MacBride in the Bulletin of tho american Curamic Socicty for December, 1935. It wes found that electrical features of the furance intro~ duced more than tho usual limitations in refractories. The furnase wall is composed of circular sections of refractories supzorted on steel skow-rings, which aro electrically insulated from tho furnaca colums. The principal slagging elements that affuctad tho refractories wire iron oxides and iron- zine silicates of a fusing tomperturc of 1,120° C. The major refractory problems porti:in to the silica and iron solution attack at high temperature, oxpansion, porosity, gradual disintegration due to zine penotretion, and erst, Zract dimensions of shapes is of importance, also. Experimentation finally evolved » mix °f loy-alumina grog (minus 10- mesh, with control of tho emourt of mimis 100-moch), a ball clay, and 9 to 10 porcent water. Tho shanes rre fired to 1,430° C. Tho texture is uniform, the refractory hac a metallic ring vhon struck, and the porosity averages 15 percont. Low norosity is “n important fexture in any refractory for this type of furnace. The possidilities of motallic-2ine production by reduction with solid fuel and electric hoat vould soom to have boon fnirly voll oxhaustod. The economic possibility of tho natural-gas reduction orocoss developad in the Motallurgicel Division of the Burem of Mines ronzins to be determined, hovovor. Briefly, this procors, which was first tricd in 1930, is as follons J/ Maier, of tho Bur2su of Minos, hed discussed tho uso -f mothano for reducing gine oxide and prodicted oquilibria at various tomperatures for the more importent reactions. Doorner oxtonded the study. Tho gas uscd containad 86.35 porcont CHy, 7435 porcont Cag, 3-87 porcont CzHy, and smallor amounts of the highor honclogs. fhe reducing power by renctitns analageus to the reactinn Zn0 + Ciy-pZn(gas) +CO + 2H is pro~ pirtinnal to the carvon enntent, thich in this caso is avout 20 pefeant, higher than that of methane; als, about half of the reducing power of the higher members was directly utilized. Tho experimental rotort nead not be described. It was charged with sintered concentrates assaying 69 to 70 poreant zinc, celcinos with 68 per- cent zinc, and zinc dross. All gavo satisfactory results. The condensation of the zine presented difficulties not oncountered in curront retort practice, and a greater condensing surface was nooded bocause of tho lower enncontra- tion of zinc vapor. Ropt. of Investi- De Reduction of Zing ores by Wepural Ge Y dogenars Hoods lledugts pce Zing Ores bya oTay oe 5622 “Tt.I.C. 6955 A recovery of 35 vercent is feasible, most of the zine being recovered as a metal, and 5 cubic feet of gas will produce about 1 pound of netal. The technical possibility of the process has beon demonstrated in the labora~ tory but its economics must be proved on a working scale. Conclusions Regarding Zinc Ores To review the status of 2loctrie zinc smelting in rogard to the four factors onunerated: 1, Because some solid or gaseous reducing fuel is necessary, and that for heat need not be expensive coke, oloctric heat must be cheap indeed tn compete with combustion. 2. No type of olectrothcrmic smelting of zinc londs itself readily to precious-nstal recovery, although naturel~gas reduction would soem to ve advantageous. 3. Milling improvements make it gonorelly unnecoscary to consider complex ores, es at Trollhattan 4, The only advance in technolegy that vould cvam to affect the situa tion is the proposed natural-gas redudtion process. COPPER ORES of copper ores, Lyon end Keeney8/ said, The electric smelting of copper ores is nothing more than the substitution of electric heat for the heat derived fran the combustion of cerbon, Irastmch as the carbon which is used either in the roverberatory furnace or in the blast furnace plays no important part in the reactirns that texe place in these furnaces, thors is no rors, metallurgically, why clectric hoat may not de substituted for the hent derived fram the combustion of carbon. In fact, in some cases tho, reactions would take place to better advantage in tho noutral atmosphere of tho alectric furnace than in the roducing ar partly reducing atmos~ phore of the combustion furnace. Therefore, the precticability of using tho electric furnace for the snelting of cnpper nres would largoly depend on the rolative cost °f enke and clectric powers Lyon, Dorsey A., and Keeney, Robert M., The Snolting of Oovpor Ores in the Electric Furnace: Bull. 81, Burau of Minos, 1915, 60 pp. (Out of print.) 5822 -8-Te. 6955 As the use of the electric furnace is not advocated as a competitor of the combustion furnace, tut ar a substitute for it, in those localities where it ic not advisable, because of the high cost of fuel, to use the combustion furnace, but as a sub- stitute for the combustion furnacs where conditions are such as to warrant its use, especially in the treatment of copper-bearing ores. In this connection it in to be remembered that the develop- ment in the eloctric furnace in the iron industry for the reduction of iron fra its ores was due to necessity. As a matter of fact, the field for tho clectric furnace in the reduction of iron ores is Limited, Perhaps tho same is true as regards the possible application of the electric furnace to the treatmont of copper ores; but, judging from the comparative costs, it would seom that the possibilities ef tho electric furnacs for the treatment of copper ores are grcat-r thon thes for the trvatment of iron eres, Decause th3re is net eo gront a differance botrean the enst of coke and of. electric power in coppor-mining districts as there is in iron-smelting conters. Also, the erst of electric power is constantly becoming less, through imorovemants in gas engines and steam turbines, so that in districts where water power is not plentiful but cheap Zuele unsuited to coke-mslting are available it may be found nore advantageous to us electric heat than the hent derived from tho combustion of coke. The roport just cited presents, first, a critical discussion of the possibility of smelting copper ores in the electric furnnce; second, tho results of the experimental werk of other investigators on the electric smelting of copper; third, the results of oxperimsnts by the authors on the alectric smelting of native coprer concentrates and sulphide copper ores; and fourth, a conparison of the electric furnaco with the blast furnace and revorboratory furnace for enpper smelting. In general, thore are three classed of ores that have to be considered in copper enolting - native copper; the oxides, silicates, and carbonates; and the sulphides. Tho third-nanod pres ants additional complications. A number of runs wero nade vith an electric furnace smelting a fine Michigan native copper concentrate, and it was concluded that such material eould be smelted to produce a ged. grade of black copper without excessive loss of coper in the slag or otherwise. To attain the greatest economy in such rork, an electric furnace must be operated continuously. The emaller the scalo of operation and the more frequent the interruptions, the greater will be tho metal losses. A furnace proposed for reducing native copper concentrate mould have a smelting chamber lined with refractory brick, three carbon electrodes suspended ver~ tically through the roof, and a charging stack lined with firebrick over 5822 -9-Tic. 6955 tho crucible. In 24 hours 750-kw. furnnce of this type saould snelt 23 tons of such concentrates assaying 25 to WO poreont copper. Lyon and Keeney then discuss the smelting of sulphide oppor ores in tho ordinary blast furnacy and the pnesibility of substituting the electric furnace. hoy toll of the reduction af enppor oros in Chile and in Europe nore than 30 and 20 yoars ago. Then follow the oxporinonts of the Bureau of Mines in 1915, whose objectives were: 1, To determine if there were any conditions under which electric snelting without air would be anything but a simple melting operation. 2. To note the percentege of concentretion and the sulphur removal. 3+ To stuay the possibility of condensation of the elemental sulphur as such. 4, fo get general figures on power consumption with varying charges. 5. To determine loss2s of gold, silver, and coppor. 6. To study ths use of a low-grade copper matte as 2 collecting agent for gold and silver. The furnace used by Lyon end Keeney was il inches squere and 15 inches deco, lined with firsbrick and with a carbon bottom. Tho crucible, which had a taphole, was supported on an arch of firobrick. A 2-inch graphite electrode was lowered into the ton of the eruciblo and one of like arsa protruded from the bottom. The top vas roofed and opt closed to prevent escape of sulphur and admission of air. Low-grade sulphide copper ere high in sulvhur, a gold- and silver-bear- ing siliceous ora, and som> roasted ore were amelted. Twonty runs vere made, and the average recovery of fivo of thom was 95 vercent cf the copper, 90 porcent of ths gold, and 75 percont of the silver. Tho metals were collected in a matte and tho slegs containod little motel. About half of tho gold lost vas lost mechanically, and a large part of the silver loss vas mechanical and by volatilization, Electrode and power consumption were high, but in a furnace of proper design and qporatinn these mould be much lover. Gosts aro discussod ~ those of the olectric furnace with those af the blast furnace. Lyon and Keeney covered much the samo ground in thoir paper, The Snolting of Copper Ores in the Blectric Furnace, which is ta be found in Transactions 47 of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, 1914. A fair anount nf discussion followed the paper. 5822 -10-Pigure 1.- Diagrammatic sketch of Westly electric smelting furnace in operation.eC. 6955 Experionce in Norway According to Witherell and Skougor9/, large-scale experiments or cam paigns in Norway showed that electric smelting is practicable where the necessary power is available at low cost. The choice of smelting by electricity or by regular furnaces is a choice of lower power cost as against high fuel cost. The metallurgical adventages include sulphur conservation, reduced metal loss, and smallor flux requirements then for reverberatory furnaces. The electric furnace is suitable for ores low in sulphur. At Sulitjolma, Norway, the following quantities of copper met:rial were electrically smolted in the-Westly furnace designed by Jens Westly, notallurgical engineer for tho Sulitjelma Coppor Cow 1917 ~ 2,139 tons of raw concentrates end 2,747 tons of roasted con- centrates; 1918 ~ 1,817 tons of raw concentrates and 3,187 tons of roasted concentrates; 1919 - 216 tons of raw concentrates and 546 tons of roasted concontrates. War conditions in Europe ended regular operation, including the construction of a 3,000-kv. furnace to smelt 100 tons per day and satisfactory trial runs on zinc ore. The Westly furnace (Fig. 1) consisted of a nontilting boiler ~ iron sholl lined with standard rofractories and with an open arched roof with regular electrode openings. The electrodes mere lowered vertically through the top. There were throe to cix of thom in lino, deponding on furnaco capacity. Their tips dippod into tho slag layer but wore kept well above tho matte layer. This arrangement takes advantage of the fact that all mineral substances that are clectric insulators when cold become high- resistence conductors whon above rod heat. There was no arc action in normal running. Eloctrodo consumption was 4 kilograms por metric ton of material smelted. The Westly furnace used 3-phase, 50-cyclo, alternating current at 112 to 230 volts. The several sizes wero of 200 to 900 kn. capacity, and the power consuned in the large furnace yas less than 700 kw.-hr. per metric ton of ore smelted. No other fuol was used. Ore fron the Sulitjolma mine consisted of coppor vyrite, iron uyrite, and pyrrhotite. This was vartly concentrated, giving a product carrying 6 porcent copper, 28 to 30 percent sulphur, and 28 percent silica. Part of . ‘the concentrate was roasted and mixed with the raw portion before it was charged into tho furnace. The matte assayed 30 to 40 percent copper and the slag 0.3 to 0.4 percent. QJ Witherell, C..S-, and Skougor, H. E., The Westly Electric Furnaco for Copper Smelting; Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 113, March 4, 1922, pp. 356- 36L. 5822 “heTete 6955 Current Practice in Finland The most recent plant to smelt copper ores electrically is that at Imatra, Finland, and we are indebted to Eoro Makinen, general manager of Outokumpu 0. Y., for tho following information based on questions asked him through George Orr, United States Consul at Helsinki (Helsingfors). Tho company officials aro satisfied with the furnace and will show it to anyone intorested. The slectric furnace is of the resistence typ2, the slag overlying the matte being the resistance. It is cylindrical, measuring 10 meters (33 feet) in diamcter and 4 meters (13 feet) in height. Tho dottom and walls are magnosite brick, and tho arched roof is "chanotte." The sido, on which are four holes for tapping matto, is jackoted with water-cooled copper castings. Othorvise the furnace shell is stoel. The thro» oloctrodes aro of the con- tinuous Soderberg type, each 1,400 millimeters (56 inchos) in diameter. The sloctric curront is J-phaso 50-cycle, with 90-110 volts votwoen the olectrodes, and the power lond 7,000 kw. Tho W-porcent coppor ore from the mine is dressed by flotation. Con~ contrates assay 22 to 24 percont coppor and heve a fincnoss of 80 percont through 200-meeh, Tho daily output is 150 motric tons dry weight, and the concentrates are drivd to 4 to 5 parcont moisture in a rotary rav materials for such electric smelting is as follows: Ig] yon, Dorsey A., and Koonoy, Robert M., Bloctric Furnaces for Making Iron and Steel: Bull. 67, Bureau of Mines, 1914, 142 pp. (Out of print.) 13/ Hndgo, Bdwin T., Availablo Raw Materials for a Pacific Coast Iron Industry: Corps of Engineers, United States army, Portland, Ore., Wvols., 1935, 900 pp., and mapse 5622 ~ 16+1.0. 6955 Estimated cost of raw materials for electric-furnace iron Per ton of iron = $7.47 . 2.60 2 125 +20 206 1.66 tons of 60-percent iron ore at $4.50 per ton «. 800 pounds of 8l-percent carbon coke at $6.50 per ton « 1,000 pounds of $é-percont limestone at $2.50 per ton « Dolomite or magnesite Chromite . Manganese T1.67 A report by Miller #4/ followed that by Hodge. His introduction states that it became apparent that the cost of producing pig iron in the Portland- Bonneville area would be much higher than the cost of tho compotitive blest- furnace iron at Ironton, near Provo, Utah; and that the feasibility of an olectric-snolting ontorprica could be detomminod only after detailed and careful study had boen made of all items of cost. In selecting a furnace thore are only a fev types to choose from, and only two of the many that havo beon tested have survived and boen devoloped into industrial furnacce ~ the Swedish "Elektronetalls", or shaft type, and the Norwegian "Spigervors", or pit type. The first of these has been operated since 1911, nad the othor since 1925; at present the shaft furnace is boing used in three plants and the pit furnace in two plants. ‘The Swedish furnace has beon dov2loped tn use charenal exclusively, although it has been adapted to uso 65 percent charcnal and 35 percent coke. The Nor~ wogian furnace wns doveloped for eke only, but it can be adapted to uso charcoal only. Miller concludes that under the conditions cxisting in the Portland area, the Spigervork fumace is most suitable. Section 7 of voluno 2, 93 vagos, in Miller's report, covers the electric snelting of iron oro es tried and as it is being done throughout the world. The Dominion of Canada made electric iron in 1906 and demons~ trated that, metallurgically, a sustained operation could be carried on. But the furnace was converted to produce ferromalloys. During 1907-14, furnace runs wore made in Shasta County, Calif., but they wore attondod with difficulties, technical end econmical. In 1925 an unsuccessful attompt was made to rosuno smelting. iW] Miller, Raymond M., Tho Foasibility of Establishing am Iron and Steel Industry in the Lower Columbia River Area Using Electric Pig Iron Furnaces: Corps. of Engineers, United States Army, Portland, Ore., 2 vola., 1936, 511 pp. and maps. 5822 -17-1.0. 6955 Iron-Ore Smelting in Norray Norway has extensive deposits of iron ore containing 30 to 36 percent iron, as well as large devocits of nyrite which, after tho sulphur has been removed, will yield 60 percent iron. Norway not only hes an adequate lime- stone reserve and ample wator pover, but is vell-supplied with raw matorials for meking iron and gteol. Cnercoal blast-furnaces wore used for many years to reduce the iron ore, but since 1310 the metallurgists have persevered with the electric furnace, according to Geristianaeelal After many trials with a 5,000-kv.-a, furnace in 1525 and one of 9,000 kv-a in 1927, Norway now produces electric pig iron at throe plages ~ Christiania Spigerverk, 12,000 to 13,000 tons a year; Bromanger, 18,000 to 20,000 tons a year; and Hoyanger, 4,000 tons as a byproduct. The iron made in Norway is a quality pig and the brand "Norvay Iron" is as good as over it vas during its 200 years of use at home and abroad. In the @lectric reduction of iron ores the nature of the reducing agent is of the greatest importance, Christiansen cays. With charcoal the process runs smoothly, even in closed furnaces. Coke pres-nts difficulties. The Blectronetal furnace is a charenal type that can stand some addition of coke at the expense of increasing its consumotion of power and electrodes and with additional repair costs. The waste gas ic utilized outside. The furnace ic expensive to buy end maintain and enn mrko only iron of low silienn content, genorally below 1 percent Si. ‘The Tinfos furnace uses coke only es the reducing agent. It makes gray iron of high Si content. The byproduct gas has not been used co far. The Spigerwerk furnace also burns coke and coke dust. Utilization of the gas is practically complete. A high content of fine material in the charge does not interfere with regular rorking of the furnace, The furnace makes irons of different quality, fron pure white iron of lov Si content to iron with 4 percent or more of Si. The furnace is simle, low in first cost and repairs, consumes 2,300 to 3,000 ky.-hr. ner ton of iron, and is the only olectric pig-iron fumace that by using cheap reducing agents (no charcoal), utili: tho gas and permits the making of iron of any de- sired quality. Another advantage is that furnace units can be made larger than for othor types. Manganese The Greone Electric Furnace Co., Seattle, Wash., through Albort 3. Groene, has shown us a cory of a ropert made to tho War Department on tho roduction ef manganase silicate ore fram tho Olympic Mountains. The purpose of these tests was to make forromanganese from an ore that averaged 33 per- cent Mn, 86 poreent Fe, and 24 percent Si. It was concludod that a Taf Christianson, Hormen, tho Production of Iron in Norway: Motale and ‘Alloys, vole 7, Soptombor 1936, Dp. 225-228. e227 -18-TeC. 6255, low-silicon ferromanganese could de made. mong the furnaces tested was one 36-inch Greene with two vertical electrodes and one 36-inch Greene with two horizontal electrodes; the others mere shop.made. The feature of interest to readers of this information circular is that then finely ground manganese ore, coal, and lime are subjected to a relatively high tempera- ture, globules of metallic ferremanganesc aro formed. Tho charge is then cooled, ground, and tho metal separated by gravity concontration. The fine ferromangrnese. can be usad as such or ba remolted. This is tormod "high temperature, nonfusion reduction" in distinction to "low-tempereture fusion roduction", which consists in melting the alloy into a bath. Consumption of fusl, flux, and power are approximately as follows por ton of ferromanganese in large-scale opsration: Coal, 1 ton; limestone, 1-1/2 to 2 tons; energy, 2,000-kv.-hr. (reasonably hoped for); electrodes, minor. A basic (magnosite) hearth lining would be necessary for this process. The nonfusion reduchion process may possibly be adapted to the treat~ ment of chromite. Chromite At Obange Loko, near the Canadian northern lino in Ontario, the Chromiun Mining & Snolting Corporation hes chromite averaging 17 percent chromic oxide and is concentrating it te over 40 percent. Tho eoncantrate is railed to Sault Ste. Maric, where the company has throe electric furnaces making ferrochromium and other products. One furnace (recently dismantled, ‘but to be rebuilt) made ferrochromium-silicon, and a second makes low-carbon ferrochromium from the product of that furnace. The furnace making this ferrochromium differs from the others, in that the smelting is done’in an enclosed crucible rather than out in the open. It is of 7-ton capagi' is operates at 110 volts, aad has an approximate rating of 1,200 kv-a.=2 With regard to chromite, Robert M. Koeney covered at longth the electric smelting of chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium ores in ‘Trans- actions 24 of the American Electrochemical Socioty, 1914. Those ores sro not smelted at the mines, but after concontratinn there, the enriched pro- guet is sent to electric furnaces in the Bast and converted into ferro~ alloys. The temperatures required are so high thet reduction in the blast furnace is not possible, nor in a reverberatory or crucible. 16/ Mineral Trade Notes, Chromite: Bureau of Mines, Feb. 20 and Sept. 19, 1936, pp. 7 and 3, March 20, 1937, pe be 5622 ~19~Ley 6955 Tin ‘The following item on the electric reduction of tin is from The Metal Industry (London) for January 15, 1937: 5822 An interesting example of the use of the electric furnace in the smelting of tin concentrates is the process used at Anaeccy, the smelter of La Société d'Electro-Chimie st a'!Electro~ Netallurgic et des Acieries Electrique d'Ugine. The concentrates, vhich are generally of Bolivian origin, ere mixed with calculated quantities of coks, limo, and other fluxes, and agglomerated by sintering with a binder under a pressure of 400 kg/mm. The agglomerate is introduced into an vlectric furnaco with a single electrode and conducting hearth. A slag of monosilicete degree is aimed at in the calculation of ‘the furnace chargs, and this will be fairly high in iron and tin since, owing to the effective nature of the second or slaz-cleaning operation, it is not found necessary to attempt to produce a cleaner slag at ths first smalting. In thc first operation dust losses ar? small, the Lodge-Cottrell plant secur ing 98 percent recovery. The molten preducts collect on ths hearth and are taped at intervals into ingot moulds, where soparetinn inte tro layors occurs, The uover Inyer is n erke of slog which is sent forward to the second omelting chergo; the lover laysr consists of sub— stantially pure tin, which is suitable to be sent at ence to the Lignating and refining operrtions. The slag is crushed, mixed with ferrosilicon, limo, end cnke, and treated in a, furnace exactly similar to that used for the proceding o9uration. The object of this secnnd snelting is the production of a sasquisilicate slag substantinlly free from tin. Tho products of tho fusion are crllected by tapping inte carbon— Lined moulds, and in this cnso ssparate inte threo layors. At tho top is a enke of substantially tin-froe slag, next the forro— silicon, waich is nov enriched in iron, and finally, at tho bottom, molten tin suitable for liquating end refining. Tho tye sup-rior layers are removed as.scon ns they hove solidificd, and the nolton metal ladled array into moulds. Tho daily output of 7 tons is stated to be approximately eguivalont to tho capacity of a reverberatery furnace with 200 square foet of hearth area. The chicf ndvanteges clained for this nothna of smolting are low dust losses, ‘capacity of reaching smelting tenporature casily, wd long life of refractories. The operations of liguation and refining bring the iron con- tent down to a final figure of from 0.02 to 0,04 percent.1.0. 6955 STATEMENTS OF ELECTRIC-FURNAGE iiANUFACTURERS Although we Imow the names and more or less about the manipulation of electric furnaces so widely used in melting ferro-alloys, gray iron, steel, gold, silver, and nonferrous metals and alloys, we know of only one electric furnace that is advertised us being suitable for smelting at’ small mines ~ the Wile furnace, Wile Furnace According to Blectric Snelters, Inc., Central City, Colo. There have been over 93 succossful installations of the Wile clectric furnace to date. These installations have covered the treatmont of a great variety of ores, concontrates, and metals. In addition to these installations, laboratory tests on thousands of ores have onabled a vast amount of accurate data to be compilad about tho anelting of almost evory type of known ore combination. Accurat2 estimates of costs af operation may be given if a complete analysis of the material to be trented is furnishod, togothor vith costs of power, if aveilable, and vith all informetinn covering any potential fluxes, such as iron, or mangangse ore, or lime steno. The Wilo olectric furnece is adapted to, and in many instances has boon used successfully for, the smelting of gold and silver ores, concentrates, cyanide precipitates, tin concentrates, soft-metal drosses, lead end lead-silver ores, battery plates, copper scale, copper ores, manganese copper, and for the recovery of metallic values remaining in slags produced in ordinary fuel-fired furnaces, nickel and cobalt ores, sponges and scrap, iron ores, manganese ores, and for the manufacture of farro-alloys. ‘The firm's folder states that the Wile furnace has many advantages, chief of which is control of the ‘temperature. The furnace opsrates on the principle of heat generated through the resistance furnished to the path of the olectric current in a molton-slag conductor. The electrodes are vertical and dip into tho slag in the crucible from above and below it. Above the crucible is the charging throat. The largest size of furnace yot developed has a daily capacity of 150 tons of ora. As to cost of operation, there aro broad limits, naturaliy. In gonoral, a furnaco of modium capacity would consuno 250 kw.-hr. por ton of chargo, which means, at 1 cont por Kilowatt-hour, $2.50 per ton. As to recoveries, it is said: Where the ore or concentrate aust be roasted bofore smelting, tho olectrically smelted product is a metal bullion carrying the values. Somo matte is also formed, but this is 5622 -21-TC. 6955 returned to the roaster to be reronsted, while the bullion is sent toa refinery. Costs of refining are small, at the most, and when chargad back to each ton of ore, are trifling. Refineries make no daductions from the vrices of the metals, maxing only nominal charges for the refining. In practice the slag is melted fivst, and a deep bath is formed. the charge is fed on top of the slag, and the reduced metal or matte sinks to the Dotto of tho crucibl> cad is tapood as dusired. The slag is drawn off continuously. No air le introduced into the furnace and any dust created is collected by tho colder charg) within tho furnace. .No baghouse is nosdod. It is roported that the slag suldom has to be ro-treated, The authors wrote Bloctric Smslters, Inc., for furthor information, and R. S. Wile, president, answsred our questions to this effect: Tho firm had just recvived on inquiry as te wheth r it vould pay to smelt locally conesntrate from a mill that vrduced 3 tons of concentrate per day. The roply stated thet beeauso of its situation, and other factors, a satisfactory return was to be expected from emalting at the uino. Wile states that ho hes spunt ever 30 yoars in developing smalting in the olvctrie iumnace, and as far as h2 is awero nobody olso hes attempted to devaloo a, furnacy to snslt anything but stecl, brass, ond alloys. The largest furnace that Electric Snelters has built is smelting 100 tons of iron ore in Norway (per day, presumably). This was erected in 1916 but is not mentioned in Miller's report of 1236, cited later. The smallest furnace has a capecity of 750 pounds in 24 hours and is employed for re~ ducing precipitates. All of the Wile furnacés are of the continuous type, oxcspt those built in 1916 for the Rothert Process Steel Co. in Seattle for reducing titaniforous iron ores to refined steel in one operation. (te learn on authority that this plant hes b2un idlo since 1926.) Tharo isno objection to batch emzlting or shutting dow tho electric fumaco for periods, oxeopting the loss in hoat units rooulting froa such practice. In snelting copper ores, black copper or matte cen be produced, depend ing upon the roast or condition of the copper in the charge. In smelting copper~bearing gold and silver concentrates with a heavy pyritic bass, both vullion or matte are mad2, If there is a deficiency of coppor as a collector, aither lead in some form or copper cen be added, but pyrite has been used, leaving some sulphur in tho roasted product. In tho latter case, this must ve converted and in the presence of coppor. In enolting lead ores, unloss there is enough lead bullion it is more economical to send it to an existing load~softening vlant, which will do the work more satisfactorily than could a small auxiliary installation. The Wilo furnace is unable to smelt zinc ares. Zinc~boaring concentrates cnn be smelted after the sulyhur has beon roasted off. 5822 25* he. 6855 Concentrates are net briquetted before smelting, and they may bo charged as lump, sinter, or after being roasted. The action in the furnace is quiet and there is no great lnss of dust. An expansion chamber is pro- vided with the furnace for catching dust and to prevent an explosion. Upon learning that Wile furnaces had been installed in Colorado, Cali~ fornia, and North Carolina, the suthors wrote to the persons whose names haa beon given us, dut the only reply recvived eam2 fran F. W. Royer, en~ gineor for tho Kelly Gold and Silver Mines, Red Mountain, Colif. He stated that the furnnee was rated at 1,000 prunds daily capacity and wes being used experimentally. Tho inventor claimed that it would smolt 1 ton of ore, consume 200 to 400 kw.-hr. and produce a temperature of 3,500°. Power is available at Red Mountain at 0.5 cent por kilowntt-hour, and the electric furnace will bo givon a fair triel; also, if it is successful, somo operating details will be availabl at a later date. Three olectronotallurgists of tho United States Bureeu cf Kines saw this furnace at Hed Mountain st the timo the haat was turned on for the first timo, Tho purpose of this furnace is to smolt cnpper-silicate ore with silver ore. The furnace consists of a chamber or hoarth 24 inches wide and 27 inches high surrounded by 9 inches of rommed magnesite. At the dotten center is a 3-inch grsphite olectrode, and at tro tp sides are 1-1/2-inch electrodes. Thors is a motel taphole near the bottan and a slag taphole tro-thirds th? distence fren the bottom. The principle of operation is to keep ths hopper above tho furnace end the furnace chamber full at all tines, tapving slag and metal intermittently. The furnace power was three 5-kw. transformers, which would appear to be incaprble of supplying onough energy to reduce the charge. It was reported that a Wile furnace is used in Dolore, Ontario, for melting alloys, but none is used for smelting ore at this place. According te Wile, a 15-ten furnace was installed end has been operated since Soptombor 1934 at tho Russell Gulch Mining Co. proporty, Central City, Colo. Wile owns a quarter interest in tho equivmont. Although it was reported by others to be idle during December 1936, it has smelted concentrates containing about 40 percent iron, 50 percent sulphur, some insoluble natter, a little copper, and 1-1/2 ouncos oach of gold and silver. Some results but no details of manipulation of this furnace were givon in an article by Dale F. Underrood, now suparintondont for the United Gold Mines, Sunshine (via Boulder), Colo., in "The Mining Mountaineer, Mountain States Mineral Ago", Denver, for March 1936, and vhat follows has been abstracted therefrom: No matter where the mine is situated, the cost of handling a pyrite concentrate in this manner [shipping to smelter] is expensive and burdensone and, more frequently than not, un~ profitable. 5822 = 234I.C. 6955 The mine omer then asks hinsolf the quostion "Way cannot I do as doos the custom sm2lter? Saelt my own concentrates", and he begins to look around for a furnncs which will do this very thing. Underwood thon discusses furnaces generally, including the economics, and says: The oloctric smslting furnace is limited to the slag resistance tyoe, on account of the intense heat gonorated by the arc tye, which is used for steol mnnufacture. With the slag-resistance type, the opsrator enjoys a quict heat, mith no blast, the slag paing in amolten condition sben2ath the ore chargo; and the asconding heat, instead of being dissipated through 2 roof, is absorbed in the desconding ore charge, with the bulk of the heat supplied to the furnaco utilized in the reduction of the ore. The charge condensos any of the values, which may be volatilized, theroby clininating oxpensive outside devices for catching those values. Often, tho slag may be se constituted on account of tho wide toaperature possibilities, that a strong refining action may bo had as the fine particles of metal filter through the docp slag rosistance on their way to the botton to be tapped when formed in sufficient anount. The following figures compare tho returne and costs of 24 tons of concentrates sont to a custom snulter end 24 tons snolted locally in the Wile furnace. The concentrates essayod 2.07 ounces of gold, 2.30 ounces of silvor, and 1.85 p.resnt coppor. Comparison of _roturns from custom snd sloctric snoltor Quston plant Electric furnace Total value of concentrates eeeseeeeeeeeeee $1,831 $1,832 Charges: Haulage to rail .. aeeer 26 - Treatmont and froight .. aus = Roasting eveeereeeree _— - 32 Power at 1.4 conts per kilowatt-hour and 9-1/2 pounds of olectrodes at y-1/2 conts par pound 5 90 UnbOr soseseoseessres - 2B Interest and anortizetinn - 10 Total charges, including losses ... dat Ee) Charges to gross valus, Dorcent ... 26 12 Total payment by custom Dlant -esseesesee 1,624 - Total recovery frém electric furnace « - 1,782 5822 - abeTec. 6955 Underwood states that roasting is necessary for local smelting, the power charge hes been reduced, and electric power is delivered regardless of weather and traffic conditions. We have been informed that Blectric Snelters, Inc., sas trying to get permission to raise money to erect a 150-ton plant just outside Denver and proposed to do custom smelting. As such operations hava not been carried on there for years, the possibilities for electric smelting in this center would appear to be rather problematical. Other Furnaces The Bureau of Minos asksd the heads of voll-known makers of >lectric furnaces that aro used oxtensivaly in molting metals and alloys what they know of the electric snclting of ores, and their replies contained the following information: 1. There is nothing theoretically impossible about smelting any of the metallic ores, though exseriments °n lead and zine ores so far have failed; at least, not one olectric furnace ic at vork on a plant scale. Our firm built « 300-kw. electric furnace for coppor ore at a small mine in a difficult region in tho West, but it wes abandoned although a considerable quantity of markétablo coppar was produced. This exporicnce was rather favorablo and showed that oxygen-free copper is possible from the olectric furnaca. Tho firm doos not kmow of any smelting of copper, gold, silver, load, or zinc ores in electric furnaces at the present time. They would refer you to the papers of F. A. J. Fitzgerald, P. T. Snyder (in 1911), and others (before and lator) in the Transections of the Electrochemical Society. These writers describe furnaces that at the time were giving apparent satisfaction but which later wore discarded. 3. As fer as this firm knows, there is no reason why a workable electric smelting furnaée in small sizes cannot bo made. Howevor, so far we have not found a case where its use mld be within the range of practical economics. There is need for the dissemination of fundanental information on smelting vrocesses among the many smell organizations that are intorestod in the problom. Thore is a lack of understanding of the difference between the reduction of an ore and the melting of a metal, this being the cause of much stumbling along the metallurgical path that untrained men seek to follow. Also, there appears to be a fixed belief by many men that clectric current does some~ thing in its passage through a matzrial besides produce heat, and the anount of money that is being spent here and there by laymen because of that idea is surprising. It may be tru, but if so it is beyond our know- ledge of molecular and atomic physics. 5822 = a=4. Our attitude with regard to the use of electric. furnaées for smelt ores is that each case usually involves special study and consideration and that, generally speaking, there is no standard furnace available for such work. The proper furnace and its design would have to be determined by a study of the ores to be treated, local conditions, economics, and other factors. We have not had any exverience in amelting ores, our equipment having been practicaliy limited to melting metals and alloys. We have experimental facilities and possibly could try smlting cres, but each would require individual study. 5+ This firm of wide electric and manufacturing facilities does not build electric furnaces Zor snvlting ores, but it does make accessories for furnaces. It has no information on the electric reduction of ores. 6. We frequently receive inquivies from individuals who are interested in smelting or melting operations end who feel that if a furnace is electric it is something to conjure with. As a rule, these inquiries are not on a sound basis and tho efficacy of shaft-type furnaces may be questioned. Zlectric smelting furnaces for ores have not been popular in the United States, and oven in Europe thore aro few that give good practi— cal results. We have had some experience with a shaft-type furnace, but it did not give satisfaction and vas replaced ty a stendard, open-top, three- phase, aro-resistance furnace for the reduction of ferrosilicon. Many difficulties aro encountered in a ehaft-typo reduction unit and the most important item is tho enst of encrey. J. With choap olectric powsr the furnace to be described might be used on ores, tut a well-known firm rith an interest in it questions that it has advantage evar the standard types in smelting. On December 22, 1931, United States Patent 1,837,696 was issued to Sydney T. Wiles (not Wile) for the electrothcrmic reduction of iron ores. On October 6, 1936, this was reissued as Reissue 20,128 to Wiles (deceased) and assigned to the Buffalo Electric Furnace Corporation. Drawings show cross-section and other views of a revolving electric furnace. Thy cylindrical shell is lined with firebrick, outside ef which is magnesite or other refractory. On both sides of the sholl is a hopzer, inte which is charged 40-nesh or finer iron ore, charcoal, and limestone. Ths hopper feeds a screv-conveyor, which works within a short mstal tude and forces the charge to the interior of the furnace through hellew electrodes. Surrounding each electrode at ite point of oxit from tho furnace is a cooling device, which is also used to remove waste and possibly explosive gases frm the furnace, a fan being part of the equipment. In operation, the furnace is brought to the required temperature and the pondered charge fed into th furnace, which is rotated. When enough material has been fed, and all is molton, the tap-holes are opened and the metal and slag run out. 5822 ~~1.0. 6955 CONCLUSIONS AND HSCOiMENDATIONS Consideration of the fnregning discussions lead to the following con- clusions regarding the electric smelting of ores and concentrates: 1. Before a decision is made to ase electric-furnaces for reduction, it would be advisable to ascertain conditions at the nearest suitable custom mills and smelters. The suthors resrint the table of custom plants (brought to date) fram a previous Bureau publication, and have compiled a list of smelters from a reliable source. 2. As more or less continuous (day and night) operation of any smelter is necessary for smooth and economical results, the mine omner: should be certain that he has a large tonnage of ore develoved before he attempts to install snelting equipment. We recently learned of such an installation ~ @ blast furnace hoated vith oil, which did not mor! 3. The smelting of an ore differs considerably from the melting of a metel. he latter needs mainly heat whereas the former requires heat and fluxes. In reducing a copver ore, the intermediate product is matte, hich is then blown to Dlister metal and this finelly has to be refined olec~ trolytically; in reducing ‘a 1sed ‘ore, the intermedinte product is lead bullion which hes to Ve ‘cupellcd; tho treatment of sine ore is difficult and involved; concentYates are mre or less troublesome. 4, Although the authors ‘have ‘tried to obtain infortation on the current smelting of ores in electric ‘furnaces, apart fron what has been and is being done in Norway, Sueden, ‘And Finland, ve have been unable to procure any definite information regarding operation or results. In those countries fuel is scarce but eleétéic vorer is chear ACKIOMEDG IETS This brief and mote or less necative revort has entailed more investiga- tion than would be suspected, and for assistance tho Burosu of Mines ac~ knowledges the following: Samel arnold, 34, for American Bridge Co., Pittsburgh, Pa; J. D. Brosnan, for Westinghouse Electric & Manufactur ing (o., East Pittsburgh, Pa.; G. H. Clamer, for Ajax Electric Furnace Corpora- tion, Philadelphia, Pas; C. L. Colburn, mining engineer, Denver, Golo. Albert B. Greone, for Greane Blectric Furnace Cr., Seattle, Wash.; A. Be Kingel, for Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, New York City; W. B. Moore, for Pittsburgh Lectromelt Furnace Cerporatinn, Pittsburgh, Fas; Albort E. Rhoads, for Detroit Bloctric Furnace Co., Detroit, Mich.; Frank W. Royer, mining enginoor, Red Mountain, Oslif.; N. R. Stansel, for General Electric Cn., Schenectady, N. Y.; R. S. Wilo, for Electric Snelters, Ince, Gontral City, Coln.; and S, B. Tright, for Deloro Snolting & Refining Co. Deloro, Ont., Canada; als”, to C. W. Hendorson, supervising enginoor, Field Offices, Minoral Production and Economics Division, Buretu of Minos} J. S. McGrath, chief economist, Foreign Minorels Division, Buroau of Mines; C. W. Davis, assistant to the chief cngineer, Metallurgical Division, Buronu of Mines; and J. Koster, supsrvising ongincer, olectrometallurgical section, Metallurgical Division, Bureau of Minos. 5622, + a7-