THE MANUFACTUEE OF NITRATES FROM THE ATMOS- 

 PHERE/ 



By Ernest Kilburn Scott, 

 A. M. Inst. C. E., M. I. E. E. 



[With 8 plates.] 



Considering that it is only about 10 years ago that the manufac- 

 ture of nitrogenous products by electric power was proved to be 

 commercially possible, the progress has been remarkable. Indeed, 

 this metallurgical development of electric power promises to be even 

 more important than electric traction. 



The two main sources of fixed nitrogen are sulphate of ammonia 

 from gas works, etc., and sodium nitrate from the country of Chile. 

 Table I gives the sulphate of ammonia produced in this country in 

 the years 1906, 1909, and 1910. It will be noticed that the principal 

 increases between 1906 and 1910 are, from coke ovens, 115 per cent, 

 and from producer-gas plants, 50 per cent; the total increase being 

 at the rate of about 26 per cent. 



Table I.— Sulphate of ammonia. 



The regular exportation of nitrate of soda from Chile began in 

 1830, and, as will be seen from Table II, it has increased at an ex- 

 tremely rapid rate and is now about two and a half million tons per 

 annum. 



Table II. — Exports of sodium nitrate from Chile. 



1 Reprinted by permission from Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, London, vol. 60. 

 No. .3104, May 17, 1912. 



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