The lectures on “Modern Copper Smelting” embodied in this volume were
delivered at the University of Birmingham to the Senior Students in the
School of Metallurgy and to others interested in the subject.
They are based largely upon the results of a study of the practice as
conducted at a number of the best organised smelters and refineries
in the United States of America, at which the author has had the
opportunity of spending some considerable time, and it has been felt
that there exists a scope, particularly on this side of the Atlantic,
for a compact volume dealing broadly with the principles underlying
Modern Copper Smelting, illustrated with such examples of working
practice from personal observation. The subject-matter of the Lectures
has been extended by the addition of an Introduction on the History,
Uses, and General Metallurgy of Copper as applied to Modern Practice.
The Copper Industry is already fortunate in the literature at its
disposal. It possesses standard works of reference through the
publication of Dr. Peters’ classical volumes on the _Principles of
Copper Smelting_, and more recently (during the preparation of the
present work) of the volume on the _Practice of Copper Smelting_—works
which have done much to raise copper smelting to a science. The
industry is being rendered invaluable service by the Technical
Societies and Technical Press, whose publications furnish an admirable
record of the constant advance in the theory and practice of the art.
Use has been made of these sources of information in the present work,
and lists of such references are appended to each of the Lectures.
Grateful acknowledgment is made to several authors and editors who have
given permission for the reproduction of illustrations or for the
inclusion of references:—Dr. Peters, Professor Gowland, Mr. Hughes, the
Editors of the _Engineering and Mining Journal_, _Mineral Industry_,
_Mines and Minerals_, and others. The Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy, Messrs. Chambers Bros., The Traylor Engineering Co., and
the Power and Mining Machinery Co. have very kindly provided blocks for
several of the illustrations; the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. furnished
a set of photographs, whilst Figs. 8, 37, and 76 have been reproduced
by permission of the American Institution of Mining Engineers.
To the Superintendents and Staffs of the several smelters where
opportunities were so freely given for studying modern practice, and
particularly to Mr. E. P. Mathewson at Anaconda, Montana, to Mr. J.
Parke Channing at the Tennessee Copper Company’s Smelter, and to Mr. W.
H. Freeland at Ducktown, Tennessee, the author desires to express his
appreciation for much valued information and many other kind services.
The frequent references made in this book to the organisation and the
methods employed at these works is not only a tribute to the useful
information freely imparted, but is also due to the fact that such
features are so thoroughly representative of the most advanced practice
in copper smelting upon a large scale and of the direction in which all
modern work is undoubtedly tending.
The author further thanks Professor Turner of Birmingham University for
his interest in this volume, Mr. Frank Levy for reading the proofs, and
the publishers, Messrs. Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd., for the care taken
in the preparation and production of the work.
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM,
_May_, 1912.