Papers - Smelting - Reverberatory Smelting Practice - History of Reverberatory Smelting in Montana, 1879-1933

This paper is a review of Montana reverberatory smelting practice covering a period of approximately fifty years, during which time the small furnaces that had been in use elsewhere for a century or more, without much change in size or method of operation, were revolutionized and were developed into the huge, continuously operating furnaces of today. A study of Montana practice is particularly instructive, since reverberatory furnace smelting for the production of copper matte received more attention there than in other smelting centers and many of the improvements that finally resulted in establishing the preeminence of this type of furnace over the blast furnace originated in Butte and Anaconda. The material in this paper was gathered from original sources, wherever possible, and all of the illustrations were made from original drawings, some of which have been simplified and worked over so as to be better adapted for reproduction. The aim has been to trace the modifications in design and operation which took place during the period in question—the reasons for the changes and the results achieved through them. For developments during the first twenty years, the technical literature of the period was freely drawn upon, but I am particularly indebted to W. M. Kelly, general foreman at the Anaconda Works, whose recollections and personal experience extend back to the early days. I wish to acknowledge the use made of publications of E. P. Mathewson, William Wraith and L. V. Bender, as well as information obtained here and there from friends and associates. The resume of Great Falls practice was compiled from correspondence, notes and drawings found in the files of the old Boston & Montana Co. and the tabulations showing the performance of furnaces at Butte and Anaconda are adapted from plant records and correspondence in the files of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. The paper deals with some interesting comparisons that were made between furnaces operated under various conditions in connection with the Carson Case, and results obtained when using natural gas as fuel. This part of the paper may be considered original to the extent that these results have not previously been published.