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TAMAR HEMATITE IRON
WORKS.
SUCCESSFUL SMEILTING
WITH AN
EXPERIMENTAL FURNACE.
. (From. our Special Reporter.)
On Saturday last I paid a visit to the
Tamar Hematite Iron Company's works,
and have to report the satisfactory results
of tho first experiment. The works of
this company are situatte at the head, of
Middle Arm, whilst the deposit of iron
ore is about a mile and a half away, in.the
bush. On arrival at the works. I was
met by the manager, Mr A. H. Swifte,
who kindly took the trouble of showing
me .the.whole of the works. The first
portion visited was the small
EXPERIMENTAL FURNACE.
This has been erected close to the large
furnace and was built for the purpose of
having a trial of the ore, and for ascer-
taining, the quantities to be used in
charging the main, furnace. The small
furnace has been charged several times,
and on Saturday; last with the most
satisfactory results. A quantity of pig
iron was made, one piece weighing, about
½cwt., the slag ran well, separating. from
the iron which ran freely. On Monday
the blacksmith (P. Massey, the same man
who made the trowel and hammer at, the
T.C.I. Company's works which were pre-
sented to the Governor), put a small piece
of the pig iron into the forge and worked it
up to a spear. He pronounced it excellent
material to. work, standing the filing well,
and polishing more like steel than iron.
In this little furnace been
using some sandstone which he obtained
alongside the works almost at the water's
edge, and which he states stood the fire
better than the best English firebricks.
THE MACHINERY ROOM.
The boiler used is what is termed a flue
boiler, equal to 25-horse-power,and is well
and securely set in stone and brick work,
and covered over with bricks, the chimney
being 45ff. high. The engine is from
the establishment of John Moore and Co.,
Manchester, and is a horizontal engine of
20-horse-power, which can bo well worked
with a pressure of 45 lbs. of steam. The
flywheel is 14ft. in diameter, and the
driving pulley 6ft. ; the engine having a
3ft. stroke. There are two vertical blast
cylinders driven from the driving pulley
with intermediate gearing. The cylinders
are double acting, the internal diameter
being 2ft. 6in., .with 3 ft. stroke ; these
cylinders are very strong, set on blocks of
freestone weighing six tons, the bolts
being 12ft. long, and going right through
the stone. Those cylinders are connected,
with an air receiver, which is fitted with
a safety valve for regulating the pressure
a pressure gauge being fitted up at the
side. The boiler, engine, and machinery
are all under one roof, and were working
very smoothly, reflecting credit on
the fitter, Mr Jackson, of Archibald
and Jackson, engineers, of Laun-
ceston, the whole of the works having
been performed under tho the immediate
superintendence of Mr Swifte. Close to
the boiler is a fine fresh water pit, sunk
20ft deep, with a bore hole 52ft deep.
The engineer has been at work several
days, with a view of testing the efficiency
of the water supply. Alongside of the
boiler, and entirely independent of the
large engine, is a small self-acting don-
key pump, which throws the water either
into the boiler or into the exhaust pit.
THE FURNACE.
This is constructed similarly to the
Swedish charcoal furnaces, the lower part
being of fine, sandstone, quarried on the
spot. If has four 9in linings, two of the
best English fire bricks and two of com-
mon bricks. It is about 20ft square at the
base, and 40ft high. The hearthstone is
a, solid block of sandstone, weighing 14
tons. The upper portion of the furnace
is round, and consists of four courses of
brickwork, two of English firebricks, and
two of common bricks, with a space of 3in
between, the whole being securely bound
with, eighteen iron bands, 3½in by 5/8in.
At the bottom of the furnace are two
flues, one on each side, which conduct
heat under the hearth-stone of the fur-
nace, and passing up through tho legs and
body of the same, help lo keep every
thing warm, and serve to dispel the
vapors that arise inside. This is a very
material point in the construction of the
furnace, as it is necessary that the hearth
should be kept warm during the running,
and that object is better attained by the
use of these flues. The main blast pipe
connected with the air receiver is twelve
inches in diametor, and from this there
are three branch pipes which are con-
veyed to the three tuyere holes in the
furnace, one on each sjde and one at the
back. These branch pipes are fitted with
about two feet of leather piping at the
end for convenience of taking out and
putting in the pipes when wanted, and
they are also fitted with valves for regu-
lating the power of the blast. Af; the
top of the furnace, on.the charging plat-
form, there are two charging doors about
2ft 6in square, these are made of iron
and fitted with chains and pullies for
lifting up, the object. of the doors being
to allow the material to be more equally
distributed.
THE TRAMWAY, MINE, &C.
The man tramway is about 1¾ miles in
length, 3 ft. gauge, and runs right into the
mine; it is very well censtructed and
ballasted, no engineering difficulties having
had to bo encountered . There are two
branch tramways, one leading to the briok
kiln and the other to tho wharf. Along
the main tramway aro the cbarcoal pits,
arid there is an immense quantity of wood
. ready cut and stacked. The tramway runs
right into the charging house, which at
present is filled with charcoal, there is
also a large stack of charcoal at the side;
From the charging house a fine tramway
has been constructed right up to the
ohnrging floor of the furnace, and although
this portion, of the tramway was made at
considerable expense and trouble, it will,
from tho time smelting operations are
commenced, be a source of great conveni-
ence and monetary saving to the company.
It is well made and fitted with a hand
rail on each side. A travelling platform has
been constructed which will be flush with;
the floor of the charging house platform,
and on this half a dozen barrows, loaded
ready for. the furnace, will be placed, and
one man will be able to push it up to the
other end, thus saving tlie cost and labor
of hoisting all the material up from the
ground. The mine is opened up, and the
ore in large quantities lies ready for being
conveyed to the furnace, and from the
appearauce of the ground, the ore crop-
ping out all over it, the company havo a.
very fine prospect before them. From
what I saw on their works, and from in-
formation received, I do not think there
is any doubt but that the smelting will'
be a grand success. I heartily wish it
may be so, and congratulate the company
on the success. whieh. has up to the present
time attended their efforts.
THE TASMANIAN CHARCOAL IRON COMPANY
The work at this company's claim
pending the arrival of their manager with
machinery and skilled laborers from:
England, is confined, to wood cutting and
brick making- The tramway and other
works are all in good order, and ready for
immediate use.
.ABnivATi of the English Mail.^
The K.M.S.S. poytoh, which left Point ac- .
Gatlo on. the 2lst November with theEnjr
liah 'nciils to; 30th October, arrived 'off
Glohe)^ at ' lialt-'pnst ? :jl o'clock on Thursday '...-.
morD'ing.; ?? She. will ?'? reacli -Hobson's B;;;.- - :
ear\yto:aay, 'and wo\inay: expect ;tlie-- .
'iDerwonf to doliver'tho niaila hero 'on Siin3.-.'y
morning.
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