From the siphon taps of the blast furnaces the work-lead is transferred to a cast-iron kettle of 33 tons’ capacity. Here the copper dross is removed, the metal is mixed by introducing steam for 10 minutes, sampled, and the lead is cast into bars through siphons. It contains about 2 per cent. antimony, 200 oz. silver and 8 oz. gold. This product is refined at Omaha.
The blast-furnace gases pass through a flue 1200 ft. long, and enter the bag-house, in which they are filtered through 4000 cotton bags 30 ft. long and 18 in. in diameter. These bags are shaken every 6 hours. The material which falls to the floor is burnt where it lies, sintered and returned to the blast furnaces.
In the engine house there are four Connersville blowers, two of which are No. 8 and two of No. 7 size. Each blast furnace requires 45,000 cu. ft. of air a minute.
The works give employment to 450 men, whose wages (for 10-to 12-hour shifts) are $2 to $3.
LEAD SMELTING IN SPAIN
By Hjalmar Eriksson
(November 14, 1903)
A few notes, gathered during a couple of years while I was employed at one of the large lead works in the southeastern part of Spain, are of interest, not as showing good work, but for comparing the results obtained in modern practice with those obtained by what is probably the most primitive kind of smelting to be found today. The plant about to be described may serve as a general type for that country. As far as I know, the exceptions are a large plant at Mazarron, fully up to date and equipped with the most modern improvements in every line; a smaller plant at Almeria, also in good shape, and the reverberatory smelting of the carbonates at Linares. It should be kept in mind, however, that the conditions are peculiar, iron and machinery being very expensive and manual labor very cheap.
