California Mining Journal (PH 16-14)(April 1943) (36 pages)

ErcutT California Mining Journal, April, 1943 Metallurgical Advances . . Aid to State’s Base Metals Industry ALIFORNIA’S metallie production of the base-metals, other than lead, has been entirely absent since the closure of the copper smelter of the Penn Mine in 1919. Prior to that date, California had in operation various copper smelters at other localities. Lead and antimony smelters at one time existed and there have been several attempts made to maintain a production of zinc oxide by “burning” zinkiferous sulphide ores and by calcining zinc carbonate and silicate ores. Lead smelting at Selby has been carried on for many years and is now in progress. A small antimony smelting operation, based on import ores, is present near Los Angeles. An acid-making plant in operation near San Francisco derives its sulphur from low-grade cupriferous pyrite shipped from a point near Redding and from which sulphuric acid is made. A small zine burning kiln is intermittently operated at Richmond, Cal. Otherwise, there are no facilities available for the reduction of the base-metal ores or concentrates of lead, zinc, copper and antimony within the state. This lack of reduction facilities for the base-metals has led this bureau into a cursory examination thereof, as it is positive that the difficulties of maintaining a profitable mining operation in the face of high freight and recovery charges at remote smelting and refining centers are such that inception of our base-metal mining is seriously hampered. In studying these various reduction processes, in conjunction with the known difticulties experienced in the past operations of our «smelters, it appears definite that many of the improvements made elsewhere can be now instituted in California, and through them our ore deposits, heretofore considered unprofitable, may well become operable at this time. At present and in view of the requirements of a full participation by California in the way effort, it is logical that the deposits which in the past supplied the ores of the base metals be again investigated as well as facilities for local reduction and refining. Such a move will incite prospecting and development in known mineralized areas, cause the reopening of old producers, and serve those mines having ore reserves of known tonnage and value. The science of metallurgy has progressed considerably since California’s activity in that respect ceased some 23 years ago. Methods of recovering zinc values from our massive copper, zinc, iron sulphide ores of the foothills Copper Belt and the Shasta Region are now available, wherein the zinc may be recovered as a salable by-product of copper smelting. From our desert ore zinc may be recovered in the form of zine oxide by a high temperature fuming process. In the past this zinc has actually been a costly impurity which by careful plant operations was forced into the slag and later discarded; now, even this discarded slag is forced to give up its zinc content. The oxidized lead and zine ores of our desert areas have long been known to be refrectory in so far as gravity concentration carried out pyrometallurgically and later The Base Metal Situation The accompanying article, a resume of Bulletin 15 of the State Bureau of War Minerals Production, written by Quenton L. Brewer, acting chief of the bureau, is extremely pertinent at this time. With the urge on to use Western base minerals in the conduct of the war and to look forward to their continued use after the war, Eastern corporations who have had a monopoly on our metal industries in the past, are constantly putting out propaganda against any such expansion of Western Mining. They are not only using the propaganda method overtime but also have corralled the War Production Board which has the power to stop any further mineral expansion by refusing priorities. Right now the “It-Can’t-Be-Done” boys are out in full force to stop all possible development of Western base metals; Bulletin 15 is therefore very timely. We also have had much opposition to our base metal development right in our own state. Our State Division of Mines has done nothing along the line of that attempted by the War Mineral Bureau, but has constantly fought the bureau in its efforts to exploit our base minerals. If California is to attain its possibilities to any degree whatsoever, such a condition must be corrected. Bulletin 15 in full can be obtained by writing the Bureau, State Bldg. No. 1, Sacramento, Cal. separation of the lead and zinc values can similarly be accomplished, thereby providing a high-grade product salable to the existing lead blast furnaces and a high-grade zine oxide concentrate suitable for direct solution in the electrolytic zine refineries, Smelter Nuisances Abated The nuisances of smelter fume, gas, and smoke, which in the past caused the cessation of smelteries in the state, have now been completely abated through the cleansing of smelter discharges by means of various inventions of an electrical, mechanical or chemical nature. The heretofore objectionable fume and dust can be totally removed, fused into a solid mass and re-introduced into the furnaces. The acid gases, which are noxious to animal and vegetable life, can be removed chemically and will emerge as a salable by-product, either liquid sulphur dioxide or sulphuric acid. California’s lack of large quantities of coal of metallurgical grade needed as fuel in many processes can in part be replaced by electrical energy, although it is true that California has coal deposits in Monterey, Amador, Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties that have never been properly explored. In Finland, an isolated copper mine has successfully operated without carbonaceous fuels, utilizing electrical heat. Other smelting as lead, zinc, and antimony requires carbon as a chemical necessity in their reduction and hence there exists in these instances the need for a chemical minimum of carbon. In general it may be said that the advances in metallurgy in the past 25 years are not generally known to those of our citizens owning or operating our base-metal deposits and it is considered pertinent at this time tod bring to their attention a brief summary of those processes which may now provide the means of obtaining that increment of additional income which will provide the profit incentive essential to theiractive production. Separatory and Concentration Processes Various sulphide minerals may be selectively concentrated by flotation, a process exceedingly economical and efficient when ores are amenable. In the case of coarse grained ores the float and sink method has been found successful and research is now under way to. treat finer divided ore particles. The small construction and installation costs of this method coupled with the NEW YORK 65! FIFTH AVE. — QUICKSILVER PLANTS FURNACES RETORTS ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT FLASKS WRITE PRODUCE Con = STRATEGIC METALS BULLETINS aE th NATIONAL DEFENSE A et . il Tie erie oars : pot I, SELF DEFENSE PACIFIC FOUNDRY OMPANY tn: SAN FRANCISCO 3106 NINETEENTH ST. SINGLE“D"RETORT LOS ANGELES (400 SOUTH ALAMEDA ST.

ErcutT California Mining Journal, April, 1943 Metallurgical Advances . . Aid to State’s Base Metals Industry ALIFORNIA’S metallie production of the base-metals, other than lead, has been entirely absent since the closure of the copper smelter of the Penn Mine in 1919. Prior to that date, California had in operation various copper smelters at other localities. Lead and antimony smelters at one time existed and there have been several attempts made to maintain a production of zinc oxide by “burning” zinkiferous sulphide ores and by calcining zinc carbonate and silicate ores. Lead smelting at Selby has been carried on for many years and is now in progress. A small antimony smelting operation, based on import ores, is present near Los Angeles. An acid-making plant in operation near San Francisco derives its sulphur from low-grade cupriferous pyrite shipped from a point near Redding and from which sulphuric acid is made. A small zine burning kiln is intermittently operated at Richmond, Cal. Otherwise, there are no facilities available for the reduction of the base-metal ores or concentrates of lead, zinc, copper and antimony within the state. This lack of reduction facilities for the base-metals has led this bureau into a cursory examination thereof, as it is positive that the difficulties of maintaining a profitable mining operation in the face of high freight and recovery charges at remote smelting and refining centers are such that inception of our base-metal mining is seriously hampered. In studying these various reduction processes, in conjunction with the known difticulties experienced in the past operations of our «smelters, it appears definite that many of the improvements made elsewhere can be now instituted in California, and through them our ore deposits, heretofore considered unprofitable, may well become operable at this time. At present and in view of the requirements of a full participation by California in the way effort, it is logical that the deposits which in the past supplied the ores of the base metals be again investigated as well as facilities for local reduction and refining. Such a move will incite prospecting and development in known mineralized areas, cause the reopening of old producers, and serve those mines having ore reserves of known tonnage and value. The science of metallurgy has progressed considerably since California’s activity in that respect ceased some 23 years ago. Methods of recovering zinc values from our massive copper, zinc, iron sulphide ores of the foothills Copper Belt and the Shasta Region are now available, wherein the zinc may be recovered as a salable by-product of copper smelting. From our desert ore zinc may be recovered in the form of zine oxide by a high temperature fuming process. In the past this zinc has actually been a costly impurity which by careful plant operations was forced into the slag and later discarded; now, even this discarded slag is forced to give up its zinc content. The oxidized lead and zine ores of our desert areas have long been known to be refrectory in so far as gravity concentration carried out pyrometallurgically and later The Base Metal Situation The accompanying article, a resume of Bulletin 15 of the State Bureau of War Minerals Production, written by Quenton L. Brewer, acting chief of the bureau, is extremely pertinent at this time. With the urge on to use Western base minerals in the conduct of the war and to look forward to their continued use after the war, Eastern corporations who have had a monopoly on our metal industries in the past, are constantly putting out propaganda against any such expansion of Western Mining. They are not only using the propaganda method overtime but also have corralled the War Production Board which has the power to

stop any further mineral expansion by refusing priorities. Right now the “It-Can’t-Be-Done” boys are out in full force to stop all possible development of Western base metals; Bulletin 15 is therefore very timely. We also have had much opposition to our base metal development right in our own state. Our State Division of Mines has done nothing along the line of that attempted by the War Mineral Bureau, but has constantly fought the bureau in its efforts to exploit our base minerals. If California is to attain its possibilities to any degree whatsoever, such a condition must be corrected. Bulletin 15 in full can be obtained by writing the Bureau, State Bldg. No. 1, Sacramento, Cal. separation of the lead and zinc values can similarly be accomplished, thereby providing a high-grade product salable to the existing lead blast furnaces and a high-grade zine oxide concentrate suitable for direct solution in the electrolytic zine refineries, Smelter Nuisances Abated The nuisances of smelter fume, gas, and smoke, which in the past caused the cessation of smelteries in the state, have now been completely abated through the cleansing of smelter discharges by means of various inventions of an electrical, mechanical or chemical nature. The heretofore objectionable fume and dust can be totally removed, fused into a solid mass and re-introduced into the furnaces. The acid gases, which are noxious to animal and vegetable life, can be removed chemically and will emerge as a salable by-product, either liquid sulphur dioxide or sulphuric acid. California’s lack of large quantities of coal of metallurgical grade needed as fuel in many processes can in part be replaced by electrical energy, although it is true that California has coal deposits in Monterey, Amador, Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties that have never been properly explored. In Finland, an isolated copper mine has successfully operated without carbonaceous fuels, utilizing electrical heat. Other smelting as lead, zinc, and antimony requires carbon as a chemical necessity in their reduction and hence there exists in these instances the need for a chemical minimum of carbon. In general it may be said that the advances in metallurgy in the past 25 years are not generally known to those of our citizens owning or operating our base-metal deposits and it is considered pertinent at this time tod bring to their attention a brief summary of those processes which may now provide the means of obtaining that increment of additional income which will provide the profit incentive essential to theiractive production. Separatory and Concentration Processes Various sulphide minerals may be selectively concentrated by flotation, a process exceedingly economical and efficient when ores are amenable. In the case of coarse grained ores the float and sink method has been found successful and research is now under way to. treat finer divided ore particles. The small construction and installation costs of this method coupled with the NEW YORK 65! FIFTH AVE. — QUICKSILVER PLANTS FURNACES RETORTS ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT FLASKS WRITE PRODUCE Con = STRATEGIC METALS BULLETINS aE th NATIONAL DEFENSE A et . il Tie erie oars : pot I, SELF DEFENSE PACIFIC FOUNDRY OMPANY tn: SAN FRANCISCO 3106 NINETEENTH ST. SINGLE“D"RETORT LOS ANGELES (400 SOUTH ALAMEDA ST.