Potash As A Byproduct From The Blast Furnace

CHARLES CATLETT, Staunton, Va. (communication to the Secretary*). -I hesitate to discuss in general terms a paper such as Mr. Wysor's, which bears evidence of so much careful and detailed investigation, yet it is the broad possibilities which his paper presents that are really attractive and his cautious conservatism may make us unappreciative of these possibilities. Mr. Wysor calls attention to the fact that the iron-ore mixture which he uses, carrying 0.28 per cent. of potash, is probably above the average. No doubt this is true, but on the other hand it may be very much less than the mixture at some blast furnaces or very much less than would be the case with special mixtures bearing the question of potash in mind. Unfortunately, iron ores are not ordinarily examined for potash, and with the ordinary analyst there is opportunity for very considerable error in the determination. The 10th Census gives 270 complete analyses of iron ore, on the accuracy of which we may rely. Of these, there are 21, or 8 per cent., that carry more potash than Mr. Wysor's mixture; 14 of these carry approximately twice as much, or more; eight carry approximately three times as much, or more; three carry approximately five times as much; one carries over seven times as much. It may be worth while to take some of the ores that are known to be high in potash and consider the possibilities in the light of Mr. Wysor's investigations.