METALS AND THEIR ORES. 55 



The cost of plant for the above, including a 32-horse-power engine, 4 furnaces, 21 

 tanks, and 2 pairs of rolls and buildings, has been, at Phenixville, $12,000. 



To compare the above with shipping ore from Strafford to Boston. Let us suppose 

 hauling and handling to station, ^2 ; freight on railroad, $4.40:=$6.40 per ton (the 

 smelter's ton is 2,352 pounds). The wet assay of the ore is 8 3-10 per cent, copper, 

 from which he deducts, according to custom, i 3-10 cents, leaving 7 per cent, to be 

 paid for at the present rates of $3.75 per unit. 



10 gross or smelters' tons (23.520 pounds) of 7 per cent, ore at 

 the above price will bring ....... 



Deduct for freight at $6.40 per ton, 



The above amount of ore equals ii| net tons of ore at 8 3-10 per cent., in treating 

 which in the moist way the loss will not be over 5-10 per cent., leaving 7 8-10 per cent, 

 of copper to be accounted for, or 1,833 pounds. This, as cement copper, will sell for 

 21 cents when ore brings $3.75 per unit, equal to $384.93. But the treatment of the 

 ore, as we have seen above, costs $6 the ton=:$7o.5o, to which, for packages and 

 freight to Boston, we may add $7=:$77.5o. 



Deducting this from $384.93, we have for net return from the 



ore treated by the Hunt & Douglass process. 

 For the ore shipped as above, 



To this we must add the consideration that the selection of ores of 8 3-10 per cent, 

 for shipment involves a considerable loss, and that with rocks on the spot it would be 

 advantageous to treat ores of much lower grade got with less labor in dressing. De- 

 ducting from the estimate above the cost of iron, which varies with the richness of the 

 ore, we have for 12 tons $52.50rr$4.38 the ton. 



Suppose, then, we treat 20 tons of 5^ per cent, ore, to yield i 



ton (2,000 pounds) of copper, we have ($4.38 X 20) . . $87.60 



Two thirds ton scrap-iron, at i-i cents a pound 20.00 



$107.60 



Thus the cost of producing i ton of copper from these low grade ores is only $107.60, 

 while such ore would perhaps hardly pay the cost of shipping. 



I have stated the principal points of interest to you, but have not referred to the use 

 of tin plate scrap, which in most localities can be got for little or nothing, and thus 

 save the cost of the scrap-iron, and materially reduce the cost of making copper. Our 

 works here are not yet in full operation, but will be in the course of ten days. I shall 



* I am told that the railways count but 2,000 pounds to the ton, so that the ten gross tons of ore would pay- 

 freight as iiYa tons, making freight ^75.20, or $11.20 more than above, which sum must be deducted from ^198.20 

 and added to $109, making the daily balance in favor of the Hunt & Douglass process |Si2o. 



