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The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology [April 
The final treatment adopted is very clearly described: “ The sand was 
loaded from the beach into small side-tipping narrow-gauge trucks ; fed by 
bucket elevator, &c. . . . and stored for smelting in the blast furnace ” 
(see pp. 2087-88). The roasting-furnace consisted of a revolving grate, 
whose speed determined the output and temperature, on which raw eggettes 
and a little coke-breeze were charged and partly burnt or “ carbonized ” 
by the blast from a Roots blower. Its success depended on the temperature 
being kept down to a red heat, otherwise fusion took place and large lumps 
formed, and the resulting eggettes were hard and slightly porous. The 
blast furnace, 45 ft. high and 9 ft. diameter at the bosh, was blown by 
a 24 in. Connersville blower, driven by a 70h.p. vertical engine. Thu hot- 
blast stove was 40 ft. long, 10 ft. wide and 14 ft. high, with twenty-four 
10 in. U pipes. 
Slag-forming material was used, in the shape of a local volcanic siliceous 
rock containing 53 per cent. Si0 2 , 20 per cent. A1 2 0 3 , 8 per cent. CaO, 
6*6 per cent, alkalies, and 8 per cent. Fe 2 0 3 . The final burden or charge 
arrived at was 1,000lb. coke (Westport), 1,8001b. eggettes, 4481b. limestone, 
and 2701b. silica rock. The accretion of titanium in the hearth was soon 
apparent, and in the best run of eleven days the tapping of slag and iron 
together from a hole at the same level as the slag-notch was resorted to on 
the eighth day. White iron was obtained on the sixth, seventh, and eighth 
days, but after the high tap-hole was cut the iron turned grey and good 
iron resulted. On the ninth day the supply of eggettes failed, and raw 
beach sand was used in place of the prepared material. No difference in 
the working of the furnace was noted, and those in charge anticipated no 
difficulty in running right along with the raw sand. Further efforts along 
these lines are to be made, and preparations are under way for a more 
extended run. Some tests of the pig are appended, which would show that 
the iron was tough and strong, if only the author had been able to give 
the important figure of the length between bearing-points of the bars tested. 
However, with a touching faith in the practical man, Mr. Aubel assures 
us that the “ men who represented the New Zealand Railways Department 
and who tested these bars were unanimous " in their praise. 
' Note. —-This paper is written in a less scientific manner than that of 
Mr. Heskett published in this issue, but the mechanical details are more 
fully described, and it is therefore a welcome addition to our knowledge of 
these experiments. It is unfortunate that the attempts were made along 
such unpromising (to speak politely) lines as the ferro-coke and sodium- 
silicate briquette processes, but the sintering or carbonizing of the ore would 
probably lead to commercial results if the accretion of titanium could be 
prevented. The charging of raw beach sand into the blast furnace is surely 
only possible with very small outputs and large coke burden, and does not 
promise any commercial success. It is satisfactory to note that Mr. Heskett 
ignores this portion of the experiments, and his counsel for future experi¬ 
ment is saner than Mr. Aubel’s. The accretion of titanium was referred to 
in the discussion in Chicago by Mr. F. E. Bachman, who claimed that it 
can be prevented by the use of oxidizing materials — say, iron oxide in the 
form of fine ore or scale—fed into the tuyeres during casting or immediately 
after. The calcium sulphide is liquidized and the titanium carbide oxidized 
with evolution of heat. The experience' of Mr. Bachman at Port Henry 
gives weight to any advice he proffers. S. H. J. 
By Authority : Marcus F. Marks, Government Printer, Wellington. 
[ 1 , 800 / 2 / 20—2282 
