The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-06-04
smELTING
We shouId Have One and W here We
Shouid Have It

developed anu arc COlS -anlly DtlnB
developed in the several mining camps
In Wyoming. There has been much
speculation as to the best place to put
it. Some say, and they are principally
the owners OF mines, that 1t should be
at the spot where the mineral is excav-
ated. The view OF course is entitled to
attention. There are others again, and
amongst them are the business men Of
Cheyenne, who say, that IL it Is erected
at Cheyenne, 1t is central to the mining
camps OF the north, south and west,
used; the carbonates and selicates OF
our camp, will assist to hux the sui
phurates Of another; IS it is we'll
known that a judicious admixture Of
ores will ave to the proprietors of the
furnace the special purchase of auxes.
The location will be a most impor-
tant matter and Of course will receive a
careful consideration before it is fully
determined upon.
The item Of fuel also is very impor-
tant. The kind Of furnace, the process
and a hundred other things will have
to be considered before the matter Is
irrevocably fixed.
Every kind of ore to be treated suc-
cessfully must have applied to it the
kind Of furnace which past experience
has demonstrated to be the proper one.
Many failures have been caused in
Colorado by want of proper forethought
and care In the adaptation of furnace
to the ores.
The larger portion of the ores of
copper subordinate to Cheyenne are the
~carbonates, oxides and s~ilicates, which
require but little luxing and are con-
sidered a very easy ore to reduce, the
only addition required will be a little
lime, if any. There is enough iron in
connection with the silicates to answer
every purpose.
The small quantity of sulphurets,
such as copper glance found in connec-
lion with the ~carbonates and ~silicates
are not of sufficient Importance to
make the reduction refractory. In fact
it will assist the combustion of the
Others in a cupola copper smelling
furnace, which is the nearest akin to a
blacksmiths forge on a large scale that
any n can imagine. For many
months my almost constant study has
been to mature for the reduction Of
these ores-a proper, cheap, practica,
and economical process.
A principal factor in my trip east last
summer was to investigate this subject,
After viewing and examining many
processes infinitely and in detail, with
a metallurgical experience of many
years to assist me, and finding many
really Of no earthly use for the purposes
intended, through lauded to the skies
in the different newspapers of the coun.
try.
After careful study of many different
furnaces, / have arrived at the conclu.
sion, that the best furnace and the ont
more highly Endorsed by the smelters Of
the United States, Is what is known NJ
the Pacific coast copper smelling
%furnance of California. 1t has been
practically demonstrated a perfect sue,
cess for these ores alone. If heavy sui
phuretted ores like copper pyrites, they
first require casting in heaps to first ex-
tract the sulphur before submitting to
the cupola furnace or a cheap furnace
of the reverberatory kind can be used,
which accomplishes the desulphurisa-
ton Of the ores, though at a little
higher cost than the heap roasting.
Professor Hill uses the heap process,
though not so much as when he first
commenced on a small scale many
years ago ut Blackhawk.
Fifty at least of the copper smelters
are now in use on the Pacific coast.
The Copper Queen mining company
at Bisbee, Arizona, have one 80 ton
which they have worked constantly
eYer since the Goth Of August, 1880, and
another of the same capacity on the
same works, put in the goth of August,
1881, and has been constantly in work
without an hours intermission ever
since.
The average bullion product of those
two smelters has been 80 ions per day
each of ore exclusive of iux, and the
average bullion product Of the two has
been %, 900 to $1,000 pounds per day.
Their record in the aggregate for 1881
shows n product Of nearly 5000, 00C
pounds of bullion. The Stag shows a
loss of only about one tenth Of n per
cent Of the assay value.
They send to England for their coke,
though charcoal can be used.
l could name many others, the
records of which I have, If space would
permit.
The price of these smelters for 10
tons complete, with engines, rock
breaker, blower water jacket and every
thing necessary to work the ore, no
brick work necessary, is SO, $50; 90 tons
complete, S4,750; 30 IONS complete,
80, $50; freight from San Francisco to
Chey enne not over $500.
A good plant Of works with a good
margin to buy ores and build houses to
cover it a be put up for 80, COO; 49,
900 would be ample.
Cost Of converting 20 per cent sui
phuret copper ores at Cheyenne to 80
per cent regulus: Ten tons roasting in
heaps at 81 per ton, 1000; 1000 pounds