The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-02-06
LIE MINING OF ARSENIC.
Care Must BE Observed. but the work
NmmaLlnrnl IrAlLhA.

Considered Healthy.
Many points OF interest are brought out |
iu a description Ia q technical journal OF the l
way in which arsenic Is obtained from one
Of the most famous mines in England, the
Devon Great Cousuls The mine was orig
iually worked for copper alone, and would
have been abandoned but for the discovery
that the waste thrown out rs worthless
when the copper was sought proved rich in
arsenic Although copper is still raised, it
is in small quantities and the mine has
been resolved into an arsenic works. The
arsenic pyrites consist Of 25 to 80 per cent
Of iron, 1913 to II per cent Of arsenic and
the rest of earthly matter.
After being crushed, this Is sorted by girls
| from 10 to 1G years of age. 1t is then washed
/ and "iigged, or sifted, and passed on to the
| first calciner where it is burned with low
| class ocal and produces arsenic scott
| that is, arsenic so mixed with smoke SCOT
| from the coal as TO be n gray color. The ar
| senic and SCOT, deposited in combination in
/ the chimney, or condenser, are scraped ont
| and taken TO the second calciner for purifi-
cation. These calciners consist of revolving
iron drums, through which a fire Of anthra-
cite coal l. carried on rotating iron furnaces
kept redhot. As the arsenic SCOT is subject
ed to the influence Of this heat the arsenic
is sublimed and condensed.
This operation has to be carefully
! watched, and if the workmen burn the ar
/ senc badly they have to pay for it. Three
/ men in four weeks will make 100 tons of ar
seuic The chimney in which the arsenicis
condensed is a mile long. 1t is carried on
an incline up n hill, with iron doors in the
I side. AS the hot blast passes upward 1t de-
posits a crust Of arsenic crystals on the
brckwork all around to depth of from
two to three inches, and minute dust of
crystals falls to the floor The smoke has
then to pass into an upright chimney l25
feet high, but just before doing so it has to
traverse a shower of water, which catches
what remains of the arsenic, nothing but
sulphurous acid being allowed to escape.
The arsenic il liable to produce sores if
permitted to lodge in wrinkles and folds of
the flesh or about the mouth and nostrils.
AS a rule, however, this only happens when
I there is carelessness as TO personal cleanli-
ness, and the arsenic workers simply have
~ wash themselves thoroughly every day
on returning from work.
Otherwise the work is considered healthy
1t prevents all eczema, and the fumes Of
sulphuric acid, as well as the arsencal dust,
are fatal to germs of the disease. Most
workmen remain Mt the works for num-
Der of years without suffering, but occa
sionally the symptoms of arsenical poison
ing-loss of appetite, nausea, frontal head
ache and anHmia - declare themselves
When this takes place, the work has to be
given up entirely.
The greatest danger to which the work
men are exposed is met when it is necessary
for any purpose to enter the upright shaft
The effect on the eyes is most painful, and
n further curious evidence of the virulence
of the pervading atmosphere becomes man
ifest. The men wear linen garments lined
with flannel, and the sulphuric acid fumes
completely destroy the linen in a few mo-
ments, leaving the flannel intact, so that
the men go into the shaft in linen and come
out clad in wool Fortunately it is seldom
necessary to enter the shaft or great loss of
sight would ensue.