THE PERTH AMBOY PLANT OF THE AMERICAN SMELTING AND REFINING COMPANY[55]
By O. Pufahl
(January 27, 1906)
These works were erected in 1895 by the Guggenheim Smelting Company. They are situated on Raritan Bay, opposite the southern point of Staten Island, in a position offering excellent facilities for transportation by land and by water. The materials worked up are base lead bullion and crude copper, containing silver and gold, chiefly drawn from the company’s smelteries in the United States and Mexico. Silver ore is received from South America. The ores and base metals from Mexico and South America are brought to Perth Amboy by the company’s steamships (American Smelters Steamship Company).
Ore Smelting.—The silver ore from South America (containing antimony and much silver, together with galena, iron and copper pyrites) is crushed by rolls and is roasted down from 26 per cent. to 3 per cent. S in 11 reverberatory furnaces, 70 ft. long and 15 ft. wide (inside dimensions). It is then mixed with rich galena from Idaho, pyrites cinder, litharge, copper skimmings, and residues from the desilverizing process, together with limestone, and is smelted for work-lead and lead-copper matte in three water-jacketed furnaces, using 12 per cent. coke, figured on the ore in the charge. Of these furnaces one has 12 tuyeres; it measures 42 × 96 in. in cross-section at the tuyeres, and 6 ft. 3 in. by 8 ft. at the charging level. The hight of charge is 16 ft. The other two furnaces have 16 tuyeres each, their cross-section at the tuyeres being 44 in. by 128 in., at the charging level 6 ft. 6 in. by 12 ft., and hight of charge 16 ft. The furnaces are operated at a blast pressure of 35 oz. per square inch. The temperature of the gases at the throat is 140 deg. F. (60 deg. C.) measured with a Columbia recording thermometer, which works very well. These furnaces reduce, respectively, 100 to 120 and 130 to 140 tons of charge per 24 hours; they are also used for concentrating roasted matte.
Copper Refining.—The crude copper is melted in two furnaces of 125 tons aggregate daily capacity, and is molded into anodes by Walker casting machines. Twenty-six anodes are lifted out of the cooling vessel at a time, and are taken to the electrolytic plant.
The electrolytic plant comprises two systems, each of 408 vats. The current is furnished by two dynamos, each giving 4700 amperes at 105 volts. The cathodes remain in the bath for 14 days. The weight of the residual anodes is 15 per cent.
The anode mud is swilled down into reservoirs in the cellar as at Chrome (De Lamar Copper Refining Company), is cleaned, dried and refined in a similar manner.
For melting the cathodes there are two reverberatory furnaces of capacity for 75 tons per 24 hours. The wire-bars and ingots are cast with a Walker machine. About 3200 tons of refined copper are produced per month.
Copper Sulphate Manufacture.—The lyes withdrawn from the electrolytic process are worked up into copper sulphate, shot copper being added. This latter is prepared in a reverberatory furnace from matte obtained as a by-product in working up the lead. About 200 tons of copper sulphate are thus produced per month; the process used is the same as at the Oker works. Lower Harz, Germany. The crystals are rinsed, dried and packed in strong wooden barrels.
Lead Refining.—The working up of the Mexican raw lead is carried out under the supervision of the customs officers. The lead, which is imported duty free, must be exported again. From each bar a sample is cut from above and below by means of a punch entering half way into the bar. For refining the lead there are four reverberatory furnaces of 60 tons capacity, with hearths 17 ft. 9 in. by 12 ft. 6 in., a mean depth of 14 in., and a grate area of 2 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft.; in addition to these there is a furnace of 80 tons capacity with a hearth 19 ft. 7½ in. by 9 ft. 6 in., a mean depth of 18 in., and grate area of 3 ft. by 6 ft.