El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-29

America leads the world in
production. Last year, for the first
time, the United States exported more
sulphur than it imported. The trade
balance in favor Of this country
amounted to a value of $92. $40. but
its greater Importance was that it
placed the United States in the lead
among the sulphur producing cOun-
tries of the world Instead of de-
pending upon Sicily and other foreign
countries for the supply of sulphur
needed in the great industries of this
nation, the country is not only able
to provide for its own needs, but soon
will be able to materially add to the
sulphur supply OF the world.
Louisiana Il Great Producer.
The great bulk of American sulphur
Is now being produced from the mines
J in Louisiana, where II is secured by
process, the results of which are as
marvellous as a fairy tale. This process
was discovered by Herman Frasch, the
president Of the company operating the
mine. Mr.. Frasch has recently been
presented with the Perkin medal by
the Associated Chemical and Electro
chemical societies of America for the
distinguished service he has rendered
to the world by this discovery.
The great mine is located near the
town Of Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish.
The sulphur deposit was discovered
nearly half a century ago while Dor
ings were being made for oil. AS 1t
was GOV cred with QuickSandS the sui
phur was not available for use until
the Frasch process made the mining
Of it possible. This process consists Of
melting the sulphur by the introduce
ton Of heat Wells are sunk through
the quicksands. and superheated water
introduced. The sulphur is melted
and pumped out in liquid form and
run out into great bins about $50 by
$50 feet in size These bins are first
Il Fr- n ri IN fal s~#n
ground at the four corners and con-
Meeting them with p1anl1s. The melt
ed sulphur is run out into the center
Of the bin and allowed to cool in lay
ers about an inch thick. a separate
bin is kept for each well in order that
an accurate daily record may be kept
Of the output
Is Nearly 100 Percent Pure.
The liquid sulphur. as it flows into
the bins like a golden stream, is so
pure that the company in charge of
1t is able to guarantee a sulphur con-
tent Of 80 II percent, while the ave-
rage purity is considerably above that
figure. For this reason the American
sulphur is now recognized as the high
est grade ever produced in the world.
For the shipment Of this sulphur spur
of track is run along one side of a
sulphur bin The boards from this
side are removed and the sulphur brok-
en- by blasts so that 1t can be loaded
on to the cars standing upon the track.
IN the past two years, frequently ave-
ragged a thousand tons a day for 80
consecutive days.
The most elaborate and intricate ma
chinery is required for this high grade
mining efficiency. To superheat the
water used for melting the sulphur re-
quires the operation of $50 boilers rang
ing from $50 to 500 horse power. These
boilers are arranged in eight batteries
containing from Is to 20 boilers each.
Each battery is capable Of operating
a well and usually two are placed IN
group so that one foreman can Ope-
rate both Three men. TWO firemen and
a water tender, are required upon each
shift to care for each battery.
Uses 700 barrels OF OIL Daily.
The consumption of fuel oil in this
great sulphur mining plants amounts
to zoo barrels q day for each battery.
When all are operating to their full
capacity the oil consumption amounts
TO more than million barrels annu-
ally. The water consumption amounts
to 100000 gallons daily. The problem
Of heating this enormous quantity of
water to a ufficsently high tempera-
ture was one Of the greatest difficult
ties encountered in the development OF
the FraSch process and one that re-
quired the greatest ingenuity to sur
mount It is now arranged. the pipes
and superheaterS are placed in the rear
of each battery The superheaters are
cylindrical receptacles about four feet
in diameter and 16 high, containing a
series Of shallow trays over which the
water pOurs. It is thus brought into
direct contact with the live steam from
the great boilers. The total boiler ca
pacity is more than $4,000 horse power.
To supply the enormous quantity OF
water required for operating the min
ing plant pumping station has been
erected on the Houston river about
six miles away. This station contains
a centrifugal pump having a capacity
of 100000 gallons a day. This wa
ter is carried to the mine by a private
canal. To provide against a possible
breakdown in the pumping station, as
well as to supplement its output, an
enormous reservoir covering $50 acres |
has been built.
other Producing States.
While the bulk of American sulphur /
is produced in Louisiana, it is also be-
ing mined in Wyoming and Nevada and !
IN small quantities in both Utah and I
Idaho The equipment of a large sui !
phur mining plant in Texas is now well |
under way. It is located at Bryan
Heights, near the mouth Of the Brazos |
river. Seven wells already have been
sunk This plant is to be operated by |
Louisiana.
The Wyoming Mines
me chleI sulphur mines of Wyoming |
are located at ThermopoIfs. The meth |
Cd Of work there differs materially
from that employed in Louisiana The |
mining is carried on in open pit quar- (
ries IN which promising places are /
located. Small drill holes are put in /
to prove the ground after which the
surface rock is removed and the sui /
phur ore removed by blasting The
rock is broken into convenient size
for handling and then carefully sorted /
by hand. The ore is hauled by wa /
gon to the sme1ter half a mile away. 4
Here it is placed in bins from which /
It is discharged into small steel cars 1
holding about two tons each These /
cars have perforated sides and are /
run, three at q time, into a large CYL /
indrical retort The door is closed !
and steam is admitted at a pressure !
Of SO pounds for two hours. The sui
phur, melted by the steam flows to |
the bottom Of the retort from where
1t is allowed to run out into bins and |
cool The process is inefficient because !
fully a third of the sulphur is lost /
With the refuse
1t was rumOred several years ago
that an agreement had been made by
the American sulphur operators to con-
tine their interests to this hemisphere
ana leave the European market to the
olcllian or italian sulphur trade. This
VIII not be true in the future how
aver, for the sulphur operators from J
louisiana have already acquired stor- :
ige facilities at Hamburg, and are ne
Souattns with the authorities of Rot I
for a % year lease of land hav-
ng access to a harbOr, upon which /
-leV will q I