The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-07-06
WASHING IRON ORE
Plant Installed at colerain Being Success
fully Operated.

The iron ores OF the western extern
sion OF the Mesaha range are heavily
intsrmixed with sand and this is
particularly true Of the bodies being
mined at Colerain and Boyey by the
United States Steel corporation To
bring the ores TO a merchantable point
a washing plant mas been Installed aud
Is being operated with encouraging re.
suits The experiments with the small.
Ter washing machines az the Holman,
followed by the trials made with the
temporary plant but recently finished
and tor the first time operated three
weeks ago at Colerain have brought
complete assurance that the ores OF
this section of the range will be handl
ed economically and will when washed
be an excellent product Without the
slightest exaggeraton il may bee said
that the process at the present time
leaves the orc In condition FOR tur-
mace use almost impossible Of improve
meni Absolutely free from fine parti
cles il is 81 coarse grained structure.
hard and of marked uniformity in
size Of PARTICLES Such Improvements
az appear to be possible are in the al
rectiun Of reducing the PERCENTAGE If
ore in the tailings which ia the begin
ming % Che present exporim als ran on
an average D ahont twenty rsr cent 81
minimizing the quantity 81 water re-
.qm9d per ton % stock 10 deyising
means Ser getting TIL et ore. which
may D may rot he encountered. 4e
I hniteit ont nf the steel ears where il
paess very soidly into the washing
hin 81 maintaining ~ various heme,
ot of water spraying, the most com
plate suspension q the fine nlv part,.
cies during the washing aud Of perfect
ing The general mechanical features a.
the entire plant Ii may develop that
the mixing IF Immense quantities OF
ore, 2 600, 600 tons annually. for ex.
ample viii require some other mean.
ot handling side the simple flushing
! with water. L Is apparent that au en-,
/, ormous quantity Of water will be ne
cesafv, and on large scale il may b,
found advantageous to use somewhat
, different methods than are suitable II
4 fhe experimental stage. A. an II
Z lusration Of what the plant will do
il the result on one cat Of ore may b,
4 oited the fact being remembered tina
ths'dgures are rs no means au ayerag,
record being better probably than tn,
I majority already obtained but not s
: good ~ VIII BE- possible with the re
manent plants Is d erected The stoci
i from the mine ian 10 per cent in iron
) 00i per cent IN phosphorous and $50
per cent ia silicon The washed pro
duct showed 81 PER cent iron 0O5 pe
i cent phosphorus ana sven per con
silica What this means scarcely need
r TO 81 commented upon 4 Besseme
/ ore of splendid physical structure
! washed AZ low cost and with sourc
= Of supply that has not yet begun to b
4 measured up seems certainly to iustif
!, the Investment of -. 900 600 alread
i put into this district by the Steel cor
J Doration All of the ore Is not Bos
: semer of course but on the other hau'
all Of II does not require washing tn
+ present temporary plant has but hal
: the capacity intended Ia the permanen
= design. where the coarse screen int
which the stock is first washed iron
! tho receiving bin viii discharge int
log washers % both sides instead a
just on one side. as az present
j The capacity Of the plant A. il !
running u ahead Of the rating and on
Z run of forty tons, approximately wa
made m 23 minutes Mtsiba ore