Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1912-06-01
SULPHUR, PYRITE, AND SUI
PHURIC ACID.

The production OF sulphur and pyr1te
in the United States in 1911 scored a
marked increase over that for the year
previous, according to w. {. Phalen,
of the United States Geological Sur
vey, in an advance chapter on sui
phur, pyrite and sulphuric acid from
the volume Mineral Resources of the
Unieted States" for 1911. The re
port also includes statement CON
corning the sulphuric acid industry,
two and one-half million tons of acid.
In 1911 sulphur was produced in
Louisiana, Utah, and Wyoming. The
principal producer was Louisiana, but
in both Utah and Wyoming the out
put in 1911 was greater than during
the preceding year. The production
OF sulphur in the United States in
1911 amounted to 265, 664 long tons.
valued at $4,7S7 ,049, substantial in
crease both in quantity and value,
compared with 1910 1t is estimated
that the production for 1911 is very
close to the present rate of consump-
ton in this country. Ten years ago
the United States imported practic-
ally all of the sulphur used as such
in her industries, but in 1911 the inn
portation was only 2o,l44 long tons.
In the same year 28.l03 long tons
was exported The excess of i'm
ports over exports amounted to only
LOAF long tons in quantity and to 81,
4l6 in value There can be but one
Interpretation of these figures
namely. that United States is pro
viding ample sulphur for her domes
tic needs AS matter of fact, in a
recent article on the sulphur indus
try in southern Louisiana it was stat
ed that the output of the mines locat
ed there is limited only by the market
demand.
The production of pyrite in the
United States in 1911 amounted to
100000 long tons, valued at $l,l62.
pol, an increase of $500 long tons in
quantity and $lS4.2S3 in value com
pared with 1910 These figures are the
maximum ever recorded by the Geo
logical Survey for the pyrite indus
try. Though owgrade sulphide ores
of copper containing considerable
quantities of pyrite and pyrrhotite and
zinc sulphide concentrates have been
used in recent years in the manufac
ture of sulphuric acid. the output OF
pyrite has shown a great increase
during the last five years, which has
been time OF rapid development OF
the by-product sulphuric acid in
dustry.
The output of sulphuric acid in 1911
amounted to 2.68S.456 tons of 50 de
gree Baume acid. Compared with the
figures OF the censuses for 1890 and
1904. this shows increase of great
magnitude A comparative diminu
milton in the value OF the acid in 1911
is worthy of note and is OF great i'm
portance. because OF the extensive use |
of sulphuric acid in the manufacture
of other products.
The gases and waste products issu-
ing from the flues of smelters, roast
ers. blast furnaces. etc and SO forth,
are made up chiefly of dust. the OK
ides OF sulphur. carbon dioxide and
nitrogen The oxides of sulphur. on
account of Their deleterious action on
vegetation, have caused almost end
less litigation in some parts of the
country where they were formerly
allowed to pour forth into the atmos-
phere. Various methods have been
adopted to overcome the evil effect
OF sulphur dioxide but they have met
with only partial success. In view of
this fact processes have been devised
whereby these waste sulphur gases
may be converted into sulphuric acid
or into sulphur. Sulphur gases are
converted into sulphuric acid at
Ducktown. Tenn. and process of
separating sulphur from such gases
has recently been tried experimentally
at Campo Seco, Cal.
The report on sulphur. pyrite and
sulphuric acid may be obtained free
from the Director OF the United
States Geological Survey. Washing
ton, d. c.