Mr. J. Napier on Copper Smelting. 263 



mined and maintained Swansea as a proper locality for copper 

 smelting ; besides, tlie quality of the coal found in the Swansea 

 district is of the best for smelting purposes. 



Smelting of copper ores commenced in Swansea upwards of 

 120 years ago, and has since steadily increased. About 30 years 

 ago there were 8 smelting-works in and around Swansea ; now 

 there are 15, and 1 in course of erection, having in all about 

 500 furnaces in operation. There is also a copper smelting- 

 work in Lancashire near Liverpool, and one in Anglesea. 



The coals used for smelting copper are what are termed strong 

 and free burning coal ; they give a very great heat and consider- 

 able flame. Those of South Wales are of superior quality for 

 the purposes of smelting, and the quantity is almost inexhaustible. 

 Upon this subject, Mr. Josiah Richardson, in a paper I'ead to the 

 Society of Civil Engineers, has the following remarks : — " When 

 the coal-field of South Wales should be brought into full work, 

 the duration of the supply was beyond calculation. The area of 

 this coal-field alone he estimated, from actual survey, to be 1055 

 square miles, embracing all qualities, from extremely bituminous 

 coal to pure anthracite. The various veins and their several 

 thickness were fully described, with examples of their quality, 

 and analysis of them chemically, with their practical evaporating 

 powers — showing that there existed 64 seams or veins of coal, 

 having an aggregate thickness of 190 feet. These veins were 

 described to be so situated as to be easily worked by adits or 

 levels, and by pits of slight depth ; and thus the cost at the 

 mouth of the levels vaiied from 2*. 2cl. to 3s. Qd. per ton — giving 

 a mean about 25. \Qd. per ton. The actual annual consumption 

 was shown to be — 



Tons. 

 In the iron-works of South Wales . . 1,500,000 



The copper-works 300,000 



The tin-plate and other works .... 200,000 

 In agricultural and domestic uses . . 1,000,000 

 Exports 1,500,000 



Total 4,500,000." 



The quality of the coal for smelting purposes varies consider- 

 ably. Anthracite coal has not yet been made available for smelt- 

 ing by rcverberatory furnaces ; and many qualities of that termed 

 free burning or bituminous coal cannot be used alone, being 

 what is termed too weak, while others are considered too strong ; 

 and under these two classes or designations, all the coals used 

 in the smelting works arc ranged. Tlie two (jualitics of coal, 

 Htrong and weak, differ considerably in price, and are often the 

 produce of one pit, the smelting master being in many instances 



