198 Macfarlane on the Extraction of Cobalt Oxide 



centrated than before. Carbonate of oxide of cobalt falls as a 

 peach-blossom colored precipitate. This is washed by subsidence 

 and decantation, collected on a linen filter, dried and ignited in 

 close vessels. The result is pure cobalt oxide, such as is used 

 for imparting a blue colour to porcelain and stone-ware. Its price 

 in the English market, about a year ago, was thirteen shillings 

 sterling the pound, and probably its present value may with safety 

 be assumed to be eleven shillings sterling. 



The cost of the process above described, depends of course,, 

 much on the locality where it is carried into operation. But even 

 supposing this to be some distance from the mine, I believe the 

 manufacture would be found to be remunerative. The cost of both 

 mining and manufacturing might be estimated as follows : — 



Excavation, per ton $3 .00 



Roasting " 0.25 



Freight to factory, say 2.50 



Stamping 0.50 



Calcining 6.00 



Lixiviatiou, precipitation, &c 1.25 



Freight to market, agency, &c 0.50 



$14.00 

 From one ton of ore there might be produced, making some 

 allowance for occasional failures, at least eight pounds of cobalt 

 oxide, worth eleven shillings sterling the pound, equal to £4 8 

 Or $21.12. I think therefore that the treatment of the 

 Brockville pyrites for cobalt might reasonably be expected to 

 yield a profit of, say $7 per ton. Of course, many disadvantages 

 and failures are apt to attend the commencement of any new 

 manufacture, but in the above estimate I have made some allow- 

 ance for such. 



In this calculation, I have reckoned nothing for the sulphur 

 which the pyrites contains. Were the manufacture of sulphuric 

 acid combined with that of the cobalt oxide, there is no doubt 

 but that a very remunerative business might be established. 

 Canada is certainly not a manufacturing country. It is therefore 

 improbable that much sulphuric acid would be used here for 

 manufacturing soda, or in bleaching or dyeing. But Canada 

 contains inexhaustible sources of rock oil or petroleum. Ow- 

 ing to the ofi"ensive odour of this substance in its crude state, it 

 is diflScult to prooure freight for it to Great Britain. This neces- 



