CASTLEGAR NEWS REVIEW, March 24, 1985 Electrolytic Cells in the Lead Refinery, 90 VEARS ? IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY VESTERDAY.... : We started producing refined metals at Trail in1894. During 1984, Cominco passed two important milestones. We’ve produced over 10 million tons of lead and 10 million tons of zinc since 1894. We are now working on our next milestones. Cellroom at the new Zinc Electrolytic and Melting Plant, Trail, B.C. SEA OF CELLS . . . Refining by electrolysis. This process was the world's first 83 years ago at Trail and it's still basically the same os it was then, MAKING CRYSTALS . . . Pulling a crystal of gollium arsenide at the Electronic Materials Division at Trail. The crystal will be rounded, sliced into other than for solution and handling improvemen- ts. waters, and each polished to a mirror finish Wafers must meet exacting electronic specifications CASTLEGAR NEWS REVIEW, March 24, 1985 Cominco reports good production Cominco's operations at Trail had a good year of production in 1984, although prices for metals continued at the low levels of recent years. The major event was the shutdown in April of the last of the old zine electrolytic tank rooms, ending a system of recovering zinc which had been pioneered in 1916. After April 100 per cent of cathode zinc was produced in the new, highly-automated! cell rooms featuring the skinning of zinc deposits by machine rather than stripping by hand. The improved productivity and excellent working conditions are the best in the world in the zine industry. A small amount of special products are still cast into ingots in the melting section of the old plant, but nearly all zine production is cast in the melting section of the new plant, which is also a major improvement over old facilities. Further improvements were made in the pressure leaching of some of the zinc concentrate, which separates a zine solution from the sulphur content without generating sulphur dioxide gas. This improved performance also contributed to an all-time record in zine output. A newly-commissioned tail gas retreatment section resulted in a further reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Lead production was at a good level during 1984, with operating crews responding well to achieving the FIRST IN WORLD . . . The “pressure cooker” which separates zinc from sulphur without causing * HOT JOB . . . Charging slag to a Lead Smelter fuming furnace. Cominco, and area people hope that a federal grant will enable the construction of best from the aging plant. The lead smelter increasingly became a focal point in the news with the application by Cominco early in 1984 for a federal grant under the IRDP program to assist with the construction of a new smelter using “state-of-the-art” technology. The application points out that the capital investment could not be made without this help. No decision has been made on this to date. In addition to generating construction jobs, a modern “flash smelter” would improve environmental! control and working conditions, conserve energy — and with its low operating cost, assure the continuation of the lead * Trail. business in Silver production, at close to a ton per day, was also high in 1984. In March of last year, the production of gallium arsenide wafers was expanded by more than 50 per cent at the Electronic Materials Division's plant in Trail. First production was achieved in 1981, with expansion in 1963 and again last year. The wafers, which are precise, mirror-like disks measuring three inches in diameter, are sold to producers of microchips particularly for use in the manufacture of high performance electronic devices. Construction in 1984 was at a further reduced rate compared with the two previous years as work concentrated on projects which had already been in sulphur dioxide fumes. This Zinc Pressure Leaching Plant, now three years old, is a world’: 4 @ new Lead Smelter. This slag fuming will be ob. solete. ZINC PLANT... Air view of the new zinc electrolytic and melting plant — six acres under one root, and the finest of these plants in the industry = = Me