252 
GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 
field smelter, which was put in operation in 1906. The smelter is 
not visible from the train, but the high stack rises from behind the 
sharp point of rocks on the right as the train makes the curve into 
Garfield. As few travelers are familiar with the smelting of ores, 
a brief description of the work carried on in the Garfield smelter, as 
well as in those seen at other places along the railroad, is given by 
C. N. Gerry in the footnote.*° 
% A smelter is an establishment 
where ores are reduced to the metallic 
ti y 
ng a furnace. is statement is 
simple, wit the actual working out of 
e process is often lengthy and com- 
plex. There are many tila cr smelt- 
ers—iron, zinc, copper, and lead smelt- 
ers. in the East and principally fopae 
and lead smelters in the West. Som 
plants are equipped for smelting es 
lead and copper and for producing at 
the same time gold and silver and per- 
haps the rarer metals in the base bul- 
d 
produces blister copper (crude pig cop- 
blisters that 
pe 
ust from the 
furnaces is also saved, and from it are 
obtained gold, silver, a 
r to separate one kind of ore from 
patbiege: 
In she early days some of the mines 
were equipped with small furnaces, 
but as these were generally crude the 
losses in slag and fumes were great. 
Mine smelters have been generally 
crushed and 
abandoned, and now it is mor 
nomical and convenient to ship ree 
ore to a centrally located custom plant, 
y ith fro 
whe it is smelted wi ores 
other mines or even other districts. 
hen received 
earefully mixed, and a 
e is taken that will repre- 
ntire lot. This sample is 
i : 
panies called “ moochers 
says of the owner and of the sical 
do not agree closely an umpir 
sayer is called upon to analyze a Sore 
western sulphide ores frequently 
tain much zinc, which is objectionable 
in lead smelting and is ordinarily pe- 
nalized by the smelters when above & 
certain percentage. If the ore con- 
tains much snipbar. as it commonly 
oes, it receives a preliminary treat- 
ment in roasters, Some of these roast- 
