Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-01-08

acid in the United States are ample
to produce more than double the
present annual output Few of the
lead, zinc, or copper smelling COM
panies using sulphide ores have sui
phuric acid plants in connection with
their smelters. The fumes discharg-
ed into the atmosphere by these
smelters are sufficient to produce
many thousands of tons of sulphuric
acid daily. Under normal conditions
the limited market for the acid and
the long haul necessary to Itch the
market have made it commercially
impracticable to convert the umes
into sulphuric acid. 1t is entirely
feasible to erect sulphuric acio
plants in connection with the cop
per, zinc, and lead smelters using
sulphide ores. The concentrates E
the orei may be roasted in furnace
Independent of the smelling plants or
the fumes may be delivered direct
to the acid chambers
The erection of acid plants of suf-
ficeitn capacity to convert the smelt-
er gases would involve an outlay CT
at least several million dollars I'm
der normal conditions it would lake
four months to complete the plants.
In the present situation. at least six
months would be required. The Bu-
reau of Soils estimates that sulphuric
acid could be made by some of the
western smelling plants at approxi-
mately one-half the normal cost of
producing the acid in the East where
pyrites is used The saving in cost
OF manufacture in the West, however,
would be partly Offset by the long
haul necessary to bring the acid to
the eastern market.
In view of the difficulties in the
way of the production and utilization
OF sulphuric acid for fertilizer pur-
poses, the Bureau of Soils has en-
deavored to develop a commercial
method, involving the use of the cleo
trio furnace, for manufacturing phos-
phoric acid, which can be used as a
substitute. Through this method
double super-phosphoric acid, or the
still more concentrated form of am
monium phosphate, could be secured.
But the use of the electric furnace
for the purpose is commercially feas-
ible only where phosphate rock, coal,
and cheap water power are readily
available. The department is inves-
tigating this matter to ascertain
whether there are localities where
these conditions exist and where.
therefore, double super-phosphate
may be made.
The Nitrogen Situation.
The nitrogen situation is If less
pressing concern. Cottonseed meal
forms the bulk of the heterogeneous
Substances entering into commercial
fertilizers The amount available for
fertilizer use is dependent upon the
annual production of cotton and the
demand for the neal for feeding
stuffs. The supply of dried blood
and tankage, also sources of nitro
genous material, is dependent upon
the number of animals slaughtered
Only a few large packing concerns
conserve these products, which are
now used to a considerable extent as
cattle feed as well as for fertilizer
purposes. Investigations of the Blu.
| reau of Soils have shown that there
| IS a large amount of waste from the
fisheries and fish canneries, especial
| ly on the Pacific Coast and in Alas
ka. This material could and should
be made into fish scras, which would
have a value of about $1,200,000 for
fertilizer purposes.
| Owing to the demand for nitric
acid for munition purposes the price
on nitrate of soda advanced approx
imately $1.10 per hundred pounds
during the year prior to November,
| 1915. Only very small percentage
of the nitrates imported from the
Chilean beds goes into fertilizers, be
ing mainly incorporated in special
brands for greenhouse and trucking
purposes. This item alone. therefore,
will not cause much embarrassment
to American farmers.
One of the most important sources
of nitrogen for commercial fertilizers
purposes is ammonium sulphate This
is produced as a by-product in the
destructive distillation of coal for
the preparation of coke. The nitro
| gen contained in the coal is evolved
as ammonia and is caught and neu-