650 



GEOLOGY AND MIN1]s:G INDUSTRY OF LEADYILLE. 



Wlieu coke is .scarce the above fuel is used, but when coke is plcutilul the fuel 

 prefened is 35 pounds of a mixture of 60 per cent, coke aud 40 per ceut. charcoal. 

 The proportions are as follows: 



Flux to ore "^•'i 



Fuel to ore ''•JJ 



Fuel to cliarge 1 ' i 



This would form a very iair smelting charge; but, if we recoustiuct an aveiage 



charge from the cousumptiou of ore, tiux, and fuel, given for this smelter in Table IV, 



we find the followiug result: 



Ch.irge (ore and flux), 1S7.5 pounds. Smelting cbarge (ore, flux, and fuel), 255.5 pounds. 



Tue discussion of this average charge leads to the followiug results : 



Proportion of lliix to ore - -^^ 



Proportion of fuel to ore 45^ 



Proportion of fuel to charge 36J 



After inspecting these figures no one will be surprised to hear that the supeiin- 

 tendent of this smelter complains bitterlj- of his furnace. The furuaces are undoubt- 

 edly very clumsy, but they are constructed on the same plan as all the other furuaces 

 in the camp, and the fault lies chiefly in the fact that less hematite aud dolomite is 

 used at this smelter than at any other, that tne slags are less fluid than any others 

 in the camp, aud that the enormous percentage of fuel exhausts itself uselessly on 

 refractory charges. The number of smeltiug charges run through each furnace in 

 twenty-four hours is equal to 300. 



Smeltek U. 



Sme'tiii{i vhari/ri made in August, IbSM. 



No. 1. 



Charge (ore aud flux), 710 pounds. Smelting charge (ore. flux, aud fuel), 850 pouuds 

 No. 2. 



Ore, 510 poui.ds. 



Flux. 190 pouuds. 



Ore-bed 100 Dolomite 



Low-grade ore 100 ' Old slags 



Various rich ores . . 300 

 Lead scraps 10 



Cbaigi'. 700 iHiuuds. Suielliuc: 



Fufl. 140 pouuds. 



Charcoal. 

 Coke 



