Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-08-18
AMONG THE MINERS
Devoted to the Large and Small News Of the Timing
Il Camps Of Fergus County. - - - - .

II all that Mr.. Ralph Baggaley
claims for the Pittsmont smelter at
Butte proves true, then the smelters
In Montana, erected at q cost Of $751;
100000 to $2O,000,0OO, may as we'll go
out Of business and start in with the
new system which, Mr.. Baggaley says,
means an additional saving of 80 per
cent or more in mineral values. This
statement was brought out in the hear.
Ing OF one of the ranchers' damage
suits against the Butte smelters. which,
mas been going on for several months
Def0re master in chancery, and in
which Mr.. Baggaley, manager of the
Pittsburg & Montana company, gave
lot OF testimony to prove that ore
can be smelted without concentration,
through his process now in operation
at the Pittsmont smelter. Operations
at the Pittsmont smelter have al
ways been carried on with the utmost
secrecy and that fact has created con.
siderable curiosity among mining men
In the district. When the smelter
made trial run Is months ago it was
the general impression that the pro-
cess was failure, but in Mr.. Bag
galey's testimony it is shown that this
impression was the very one he wish
ed to give because of the fact that
persons in the employ of other copper
producers were there to witness the
test. He purposely allowed the fur
mace to cool and the molten bath to
chill by turning more water through
the water pocket. Now every part Of
his process has been patented and he
fears publicity no longer. The Gar
retsOn process was at first intended
for use in the Pittsmont, but after
trial it proved failure and the pro-
cess now in use is Mr.. Baggaleys
own improved system. At the prelim-
mary test there were ten tons of cop
per turned out. With the exception
of larger converters and an electric
crane, no changes have been made in
the smelter since the test was made.
BY the old method, it is admitted by
smelter men, the mineral loss is SIS
per cent and never less than 80 1.3
per cent. 1--WE buy ores and do not
deduct more than 10 per cent, because
we know that we can save the metal
to much higher percentage" said
Mr.. Baggaley. "In the old method
there is considerable loss in minerals
In the Stag. It runs from 4 ITO to Az
and Az per cent. That means a loss
of $40 on Butte ores. Our loss is less
than 1900. We sustained a loss as
high as that in one instance only"
How low a grade of ore can be worked
at a profit by his process has not yet
been demonstrated, but Mr.. Baggaley
claims that he can treat 2 per cent
ore profit. How much lower he
cannot determine until the plant has
been running six months or a year.
The only difference between the old
method and his own lies in the fact
that the other companies pay from So
to $13 a ton for coke and use 20 per
cent fuel, while he uses only per
cent coke and treats the ore with the
natural fuel it contains. BY conserv-
alive operations, the Pittsburg CON-
pany expects to bring all costs of min
ing and production within two dollars
a ton of ore. It claims to be able To
put the crude ore in at one side of
the smelter and bring it out copper
ready for shipment, at the other side
In two hours. The ore mined for the
test averaged SIG ton; that taken
out during the last two months $3.50,
and that from the Slopes since June