The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-07-22

eously both refining processes at
the same time under average condi-
tions that as nearly as possible suit
both operations"
In the first furnace the tempera-
ture is brought only to height of
900 to 1000 degrees, about the
amount of heat represented by a
red hot poker. The oxygen thrown
off from the ore is used in the form
of gas to aid in the heating process.
This part of the operation consumes
about 16 hours and requires about
$50 pounds of coal per ton of iron.
'fThe metafzed ore, as removed
from the furnaces" Mr.. Davis ex-
planned, sis Lack or gray, and is
very porus. The particles can be
broken apart with the fingers. In
this condition the material has little
value, and to overcome this diff
Guilty, the ore is pressed into brio
uets. The briquets are four inches
in diameter and four inches long.
They weigh about five pounds and
have density three times that of
water.
eve hope to melt down briquets
in much the same type reverbatory
furnaces as is used for copper ore.
About per cent carbon is left in
the metalized ore. This carbon
combines with the iron as it melts
and thus lowers it's melting tempera-
ture, so that it is quite fluid with
the furnaces at a temperature of
1900 degrees centigrade.
at is interesting to speculate on
the relative merits of producing
crude iron at Hibbing, for instance,
and at Pittsburgh in the light of
TINS new consumption of about 76O
pounds per ton of the crude iron.
The freight to Hibbing on this coal
per ton of iron, will be about $1.14
on the ore 20 cents; and on the
limestone used, 80 cents, giving &
total assembly cost at Hibbing Of
1924. To this must be added the
freight to Pittsburgh on the crud,
iron. This makes the total freigh
charge for making the iron at Hib
Ling and delivering it to Pittsburgh
of 1924 per ton.
"For standard blast furnace prac
tice at Pittsburgh the total assem-
bly, charge of raw materials is $6.75
however, if the new process is sue
cessful at Hibbing it can be uset
at Pittsburgh so a new set of as
sembly figures may be made a
Pittsburgh contemplating the use O.
the new process there. The freigh
on the 760 pounds of coal to Pitts
burgh would be about 10 cents; OF
limestone, 80 cents; and on the or,
$500. This gives a total assembl,
charge of $3.50. This shows Hib
bing has slight advantage ovel
Pittsburgh on the new process il
operation at both localities.
at is economically impossible
however, to make iron or steel il
large quantities in Minnesota by USE
of the blast furnace process. II
can be seen from the study of trans.
rCrtation charges that Pittsburgh
can sell iron from Minnesota ores
at least 81 ton cheaper than Min.
nesota can sell it. This is because
Pittsburgh has large quantities OF
good cooking coal within SO miles
and is situated near the center of
iron and steel consumption.
If Dakota coal is to be used, it
will have to be in the form of lig-
mite char, product similar to coke.
Ignite contains in it's natural state,
about 30 per cent water, and is too
bulky to transport in that form.
Byproducts should make it profit
able to char the Ignite, but expert
nents made thus far have not
proved very successful because of
the distance from the market. I'm
favorable freight costs also have
| initiated against the use of Ignite,
which Mr.. Davis says ought to be
delivered at the furnaces at SO or
81 ton, but with two of the rail
Rad systems which pass through
the Ignite territory also being large
owners of iron ore properties, he
believes they will find it to their in
terest to provide the Ignite char
at an economical figure. If they
don't, he believes, the ore can be
reduced with soft coal which has
about one-third more heat units
per ton than Ignite.
The work on the University sta
ton is doing on the new furnace
is classed as research. The station
also does another class of service
work. 1t has the finest ore testing
laboratory in the world, Mr.. Davis
says, which the state maintains at
cost of about $685. a year. To
it Minnesota mine operators may
send supplies for testing without
cost, Supplies range in size from
a few pounds to carload shipments.
The railroads serving the mines
transport the ore for experimental
purposes without charge. In al
single year nearly 1000 tons of ore
was thus shipped to the station for
what is known as 'tbeneficiation
treatment" Some of this is avail
able for use, perhaps, by a washingI
process; other ore by crushing, orI
by some other treatment. By this
beneficiation treatment many mil
lions of tons of ore that at one
time was considered unusable have
been turned into metal.