The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-31
IT AMUSED PROF. SMITH
He Takes Hand in the Smoke
Discussion.
A BIG MARKET FOR ACID
He Produces Facts and Figures Relative
to the Production and Cost of Sui
phuric Acid-Makes an Open
Offer to Mr.. Collins.

| - SdStS lndt HOM
1t will be of interest, especially as the
1 question of smoke consumers is now SO
prominently before the Butte public:
| Editor Anaconda Standard:
Since my first introduction to Butte
atmosphere, | have been much inter-
ested in the subject of that smoke nui-
! sance, and have read with particular
| care your articles on the subject under
date of Jan. &c and %. ] was very much
! surprised and highly amused then,
when ! read the statement made in
| your issue Of Jan. 2s by J. r. Collins
| concerning the Kidding of the city OF
the sulphur portion of the smoke.
| do not know for what reason he adj
| Nances such arguments regarding the
disposal of the finished products of the
oxidation of the sulphur, but to one
/ who has made a study of applied and
economic chemistry, 1t is highly anus
ing to think that any engineer would
advance the argument that there would
De no market for the acid made in such
quantities as would follow the chang
ing OF all the sulphur dioxide In the
smoke TO this product.
L am unable to say whether these
companies do not care to invest the
necessary funds to establish the works
needed TO make the acid or whether
they feel like n well-knoWn fertil-
izer manufacturer OF Buffalo, n V.
VINO, when shown that by paying 81 800
a year to chemist. he could save $1U.-
600 each year from his bi-products that
were allowed to so to waste, replied:
\ guess | am making enough as it is"
But II may be of interest to the public
10 nave the matter presented correctly
from the scientific standpoint.
Here are few figures on the sui
phuric industry in the United States:
N IN no
pyrites, valued at $3S0.299 and 500
long tons of sulphur. valued at $50. 800
were mined in this country. In addi-
tlon to this, about 1875. 900 tons of pyri-
ties, valued at about 1915 900. and is
3Is tons OF birthstone, valued at So os5,-
40, We're imported. The pyrites came
from canada and from as far away as
spain, whiie the sulphur mostly came
from Sicily
Assuming the ore mined as ynrites
To De at least 60 per cent pyrites. Fe
So. We. find at the lowest figure the
equivalent of 152,170.S tons of pure pv-
rites, which is the equivalent of 81. 1853
TONS OF pure sulphur All of this en-
tered INTO the manufacture of sui
phuric acid and produced 303. 779 short
tons OF 60 degrees baume acid, practi-
caiiy one-half of which was made from
imported pyrites or birthstone.
vi the l4' 00S tons of sulphur used in
'he ,nlted states we may say practi-
caly an was imported, and allowing %
per cent to enter into the manufacture
OF gun powder and rubber. and in
Dieaching by the dioxide. we find. from
the remaining 1926 tons we obtained
4iz694 tons of 6G degree acid.
rms total of 716,473 tons of acid is a
very low estimate. since in 1894 10 900
tons We're produced, and we may be
sure the industry gained more than
o'4.a tons in the three years
This vast quantity is also increased
ny 'hat made directly from certain
copper pyrites ores in Arizona. which
are worked for copper and gold bnt
also FURNISH much revenue in the form
OF sulphuric acid made from the fumes
instead of going To waste and Ia noison
the animal and vegetable world. Like
wise from zinc suphide at La Sale
H.. and some from pyritic gold ores
in Colorado
All this acid finds use In the manifold
chemical manufacturing industries in
TINS country, the more important of
which are. in making fertilizer from
rock phosphate. in publication of pc /
lfoieum TO make kerosene etc i'm /
oieaching works using chloride of lime,
In paper works, in the immense field of f
chlorination of gold ores in the manu-
faclure of copper sulphate blue vitriol /
ana iron sulphate, copperas and in hum /
dreds of smaller industries.
Most or this acid is made i'm Eastern |
cites, although now manufacturers of /
fertilizers from rock phosDhate-apatile /
especially in Tennessee. Alabama and |
flerlda nave established works 10 |
make the acid right at the phosphate |
mines choosing to haul the pyrite and |
birthstone rather than the heavier |
acid.
Last year the prices for 66 degree |
acid ranged from IS cents to 81 per loo |
pounds, I. o. b.. New York. 10 81. 80 later.
when birthstone rose. Although quoted |
so the writer was offered this acid i'm
June, in carlod lots for so cents. when I
the establishment Of n \
chlorination works.
When one considers the freight rate
TO be added to the cost of the acid laid
down at the most of the cIorination
works. which are in the far West. he
finds that he must add al least 81 Al
tquoted To the writer in 1897 for each
hundred pounds, making at the lowest
figure S2.0o per 100 pounds or S4010 Der
ton. The Western Chemical company
OF Denver asked Sl.50 I, o. b. Denver at
the same time, while the Anaconda
company report their acid used i'm the
refinery as costing them
s.. 10 laid down in Anaconda
III. then, acid can he made in New
York from imported goods and sold
for 90 cents per hundred. and Montana
NoihihAieS pay S-.SU ON account
OF freight IT would seem that there Is
a mission for the Butte smelter own
ers TO provide. from their sulphur
which is not only free. but a detriment
and hindranee To the development Of
Butte, AZ il is disposed Of at present
a much cheaper sulphuric acid for the
working Of our lowgrade gold ores in
this Western country while the
2.f5O coo sent ont OF the United states
annually FOR this raw material would
remain at home IN our own circulation.
In The face of these facts and figures
it appears that the excuse offered hy
Alr. Collins that there would be no mar
ket for the amount OF acid which could
be made from the sulphur Of Butt, ore
is rather weak one.
| viii venture that I can not onlv re-
move all Of this acid from Butte -
that the removal costs Mr. Collins
nothing for freight. but will also pay
him p cents per 100 pounds for 10 d.
gree acid and make money AT that