THE LA MONTE PROCESS.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1648, 4 January 1886, Page 2

THE LA MONTE PROCESS.

Two paivels from Waifekann Imve v »>ii ivc«*ntly treat.«*rl l»y t lt*- New seti!and Smelting Company at thtir

works. The Thames Advertiser thai (Ipr.-i ibos the prows* " The ore in* tended f«r treatment is in the first case pulverisfd in the stone crnsher to about th<* size of large p bbles. It is tlien carefully sorted and sampled, and assays are made for the purpose oi ascertaining its yalne (for purchase from the producers), and analysed in ordi-r to di-cid^ upon the nature and quantity and fluxes required. These consist chit fly of ironstone and lime, the latter being obtained either from the bed discovered near Tararo cemetery, or l»y the nse of ordinary seashells. The fire being lighted, the ore nnd fluxes are introduced into the furnace in the required proportions through feed doors at the level of the nnprr floor of the building. The powerful blast from the rotary blower is admitted to the furnace by tnyers, or openings in the water jackets. As the ores are smelted, the metals which they contain fall into the lead bath in the l>ase of the fnmace, forming an alloy with the molten lead with which the rc<-epta'>le is charged. The bullion gradually overflows into the sqaare •♦'ell situated outside the furnace, whence it is hulled out and run into moulds, forming ingots of about 801bs weight. Tlies 1 are removed to the refinery, where the bullion is operated from the lend, and finally purified in readiness for the market. The slag formed by the refuse runs continually from the ends of the fu; twee, which are tapped alternately by the workmen, the red hot liquid poshes down an iron gutter, where it is caught in large vessels, and conveyed on trollies to the rear of the smelting shed.