SMELTING ORES BY ELECTRICITV 



Germany and the United States probably one ton of slack, 

 costing not less than $2.50, is necessary. 



According to Harbord, cast iron produced in the blast- 

 furnace v^aries in price from $10 to $12 per ton. With coke 

 at $7 per ton, and electrical energy at $10 per H.P. year, 

 the cost of production of pig iron per ton, by the electrical 

 furnace, is about $10.71. 



The following items of interest may be found in the 

 Canadian Commissioner's report : 



1. Steel, equal iu all respects to the best Sheffield 

 crucible steel, can be produced, either in the Kjellin, 

 Herout or Keller process, at a cost considerably less than 

 the cost of producing a high-class crucible steely 



2. At present structural steel, to compete with Si- 

 emens or Bessemer steel, cannot be economically produced 

 in the electric furnace, and such furnaces can be used com- 

 mercially for the production of only very high-class steel 

 for special purposes, 



3. The reactions in the electric furnaces as regards the 

 reduction and combination of iron with silicas, sulphur, 

 phosphorus and manganese, are similar to those taking 

 place in the blast furnace. By altering the burden and 

 regulating the temperature, by varying the electric current, 

 any grade of iron, grey or white, can be obtained, and the 

 change from one grade to another is effected more rapidly 

 than in the blast-furnace. 



4. Grey pig iron, suitable in all respects for acid steel 

 manufacture, either by Bessemer or Siemen's processes, 

 can be produced in the electric furnace. 



5. Grey pig, suitable for foundry purposes, can be pro- 

 duced. 



6. Pig iron can be produced on a commercial scale at a 

 price to compete with the blast-furnace only when electric 

 energy is very cheap and fuel very dear. On the basis of 

 electric energy at $10 per K.H.P. year, and coke at $7 per 

 ton, the cost of production is approximately the same as 

 the cost of producing pig iron iu a modern blast-furnace. 



