The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-05-11

only possible check upon the

The ore in the bins is to be
charged with the proper per
cent of coke and fluxes into the
blast furnaces. There are six ore
bins, four pyrite bins and two
limestone bins on the charging
floor, and the charge is taken
from each by simply pulling a
lever.
Now on the proportioning of
the different parts of the charge
the whole work of the furnace
depends, and the superintend-
ent and his assayer must make
analyses constantly to be sure
the proportions are right. Hav-
ing found out just what in the
ore and fluxes the superintend-
ent fixes the weight Of each that
is to 60 into the charge. 10
weigh the parts Of the charge
there are ingenious scales with
several beams on which weights
can belocked.
The various parts of the charge
of ore and fluxes having been
weighed the great hood above
the furnace will be lifted andthe
charge dumped into the top of
the furnace. It will then slowly
sink growing hotter and hotter
until it reaches the white heat
at the tuyers, where the air en-
ters, where it will be fused.
What is metal-copper, a part
Of the iron and the gold and
silver-will be carried to the
bottom below the worthless Stag
and each 'ttapped" off from
holes below and above. The
tmatte" as the metal, with
some sulpher, is called, goes to
moulds for further treatment,
while the hot Stag runs into a
sluice with a stream of water.
The water breaks it up and also
carries it away to the dump.
The matte might be shipped
at this point, but it has been
found better to smelt it over to
make a matte richer in copper
and with less sulphur. This
saves a little freight and little
in the cost of refining. Gold
and silver are not extracted from
the matte here as it pays better
to ship it to a special plant.
This is a brief description of
the process of matte smelling
which was brought to the high
est perfection here in the hills
by the work of DR.. Carpenter,
In a newspaper article one can
not 60 into details, but it is
enough to say that nowhere but
in the hills has the same care
and attention to reducing costs
and losses been paid. Losses
that are taken as a matter Of
course in other places would
mean ruin here.
An improvement over the
former methods will be the use
of Colorado pyrite in the place
of that mined near Deadwood.
This pyrite is necessary to fur
nish iron for combining with the
silica (quartz) Of the 7blue"ore
and sulphur to make the matte.
Deadwood pyrite is barren but
this Colorado pyrite contains
both gold and silver and most
Important Of all a little copper.
Copper is necessary in solelting
Ito collect the gold and silver
from the other. ores. Formerly
copper had to be brought in
1 from Montana to make up the
charge but it is thought this
!. will no longer be necessary.
Limestone, the third constit-
uent necessary, can be brought
in alittle more cheaply over the
. new railroad than formerly.
It is q dolomite, magnesium
limestone found near Scott's
dam, just above the city.
So there are advantages at
!; presentin smelling over former
|. days, and since these small mat
! ters count very much in the
J, matter of cost they are import
ant and may mean the differ
ence between success and fail
ure.
J It may be of interest to South.
: ern Hills mining men to know
} that some concentrates from
} this section will be smelted