SMELTING IRONSAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 55, 4 July 1887, Page 5

SMELTING IRONSAND.

Success at Taranakl Works

[BY TKLKGRAriI.— PRESS ASSOCIATION ]

New Plymouth, Sunday. A MOST successful smelting of ironsand took place at 2 p.m. to-day, when the metal flowed splendidly, about three tons of pig being obtained from the tapping. The works are under Mr Hipkins's management. He is an old ironmaster from England. His process is very simple, and the minimum of labour is entailed. The furnaco is fcho ordinary blast furnace, and is charged by mixing tho ironsand with clay and limestone, etc., without, being mado into bricks as in tjio old process. This saves a great amount of labour and expense, rendering the smelting ft commercial success. The furnaco will produce botweon GO and 70 tons per week of ordinary pig iron, which will realise in tho market £4 per ton, representing weekly earnings of about £240. The present cost of fuel and labour at the furnaco is £150, so that a largo margin is left for incidental expenses and profit. Charcoal iron can be produced at a cost of £1 per ton extra for fuel, and. will command in the market about £3 per ton more than the ordinary pig iron. The association conducting the trial smelting will form a company as soon as possible, when great advantages will be offered in order to induce the formation of a strong company. The aseociation have the right to purchase the furnace and lease of the ironsand beach, etc., for £10,000, and the furnace alone cost £16,000, and is now in first-class order. The furnace is thirty feet high and seven feet in diameter. The trial will continue several days longer, and possibly be extended two or three weeks. The metal will be run off every eight hours. Crowds of people were at tho works all day, eager to learn the news ot the success of the trial. Great satisfaction prevails at the result.