[94 VISIT TO CAPE COPPER COMPANY'S WORKS, BRITON FERRY.

1863. SALTER, J. W.-" On the Upper Old Red Sandstone and UpperDevonian Rocks." Quart. :tourn. Geoi. Soc., vol. xix.

1865. WINWOOD, Rev. H. H.-" Exploration of the Hoyle's Mouth Cave.near Tenby." Geol. Mag., p. 471.

1874. BOYD-DAWKINS, W.-eave-Huntmg.1877. LAWS, EDWARD.-" On a Kitchen-Midden found in a cave near

Tenby." Journ. Anthrop. Inst,1878. "Report of a Committee .•. examining Two Caves," etc. Rep. Brit.

Assoc.1882. JONES, E. L.-" On the Exploration of Two Caves in the Neighbour­

hood of Tenby." Quart, Journ. Geol. Sic, vol. xxxviii,1884 (circa). ROBERTS, THOMA'.-" A Sketch of the Geology of Tenby,"

in Mason's Guid» to Ttnby.1888. LAWS, EDWARD.-" History of Little England beyond Wales." (The

Hoyle, Longbury and Black Rock Caves).1892. PRESTWICH, Sir J.-" On the Raised Beaches and Head or

Rubble Drift," etc., Quart..'lourn Geo/, Soc., vol. xlviii.1905 et uq. "Summary of Progress of the Geological Survey," etc. Mem.

Geol. Survey, IS. each. The Summaries for 1904-5-6-7 deal withthe re-survey of South Pembrokeshire.

1905. VAUGHAN, Dr. A.-" On the Palseontological Sequence in the BristolArea." Quart. Jcurn. Geol. Soc, vol. lxi,

1908. LEACH, ARTHUR L.-Article ,. Geology" in Guide to Tenby.1909, CHA;>IDLER, R. H.-" On some Unrecorded Erratic Boulders n

S. Pembrokeshire." Leol. Mag. Dec. V., vol. vi., p. 220.

VISIT TO CAPE COPPER COMPANY'S WORKS,BRITON FERRY.

FRIDAY, APRIL 16TH, 1909.

Director .. J. M. V. MONEy-KENT, A.M.I.C.E.,

M.I.MECH.E., M.LE.E.

Excursion Secretary: A. C. YOUNG.

(Report by PROF. H. BAUERMAN, A.M.LC E., F.G.S.)

ON the return journey from Tenby a section of the party,numbering 10 in aJl, alighted at Neath, where they were met byMr. Money-Kent, and proceeded by special train to the CapeCopper Company's Smelting Works at Briton Ferry. On arrivalat the Company's private station the party was met byMr. Simmonds, the General Manager, and other members of thestaff, and proceeded under their guidance to an inspection of theworks. The material smelted is largely derived from the Com­pany's own mines in Namaqualand, and Tilt Cove, Newfound­land, the former arriving partly as rich ore, mixed purpleand yeJlow sulphides of copper, and partly concentrated to a50 per cent. copper regulus from the poorer ores, which aresmelted at Nababeep in Narnaqualand. The Tilt Cove ore isessentiaJly iron pyrites, containing a small proportion of copper

VISIT TO CAPE COPPER COMPANY'S WORKS, BRITON FERRY. 195

and a minute quantity of gold, the principal constituent,sulphur, being utilised in the production of sulphuric acid. Thesmelting process differs from the classic Swansea method in the caseof the rich ores, which, after calcination and ore fusion, producewhite metal (CU2 S.), and the subsequent reduction and refiningis effected in one operation by the so-called" direct process,"which eliminates the old "roaster process" and the formation ofblister copper. For this purpose a proportion of the white metalis very carefully calcined to eliminate the sulphur as completelyas possible, producing oxide of copper, which when melteddown with copper sulphide gives metallic copper, which is refinedand toughened by poling in the same furnace at one operation,avoiding the formation of the large amount of cupriferousrefinery slag produced under ordinary circumstances. The TiltCove ore when burnt for sulphuric acid making is reduced in blastfurnaces with metal slags and some raw ore, to a regulus, which istreated apart by the selecting process, where by partial reduction aportion of the reduced copper is obtained in the form of "bot­toms," which concentrate gold and other foreign metals. Thesebottoms of impure copper are granulated, and subjected to thecontinuous action of steam, air, and sulphuric acid, which graduallyconverts the metal into sulphate of copper (CUS04 + SHaO) (bluevitriol) without loss of acid, leaving gold and other foreign mattersas an insoluble mud, which is dried and sold to precious metalsmelters. The blue vitriol crystals, when subjected to a secondcrystallisation, are sold as such, there being a large demand for thissalt as an insecticide for vines and other agricultural uses. Notablefeatures in the works were the large calciners, from 80 to IS0 feetlong, both of the rotatory cylindrical, and automatic drag rake forms,which have entirely superseded the old Welsh reverberatorycalciners, and also the extensive coal and ore handling plant forcarrying coal to the fire boxes of the different furnaces and ore tothe melting furnaces and calciners, designed by Mr. Money-Kent,and still partly under construction. At the conclusion of theinspection the party were entertained at luncheon, when thethanks of the Association were given to the Directors of theCape Copper Company, and to Mr. Money-Kent and Mr.Simmonds for their kindness and care in explaining the differentpoints of interest in the works, and the special train returned toNeath in time to catch the day express from Ireland viaFishguard, the party arriving at Paddington at 10 p.m,