coppermining

13 photos tagged coppermining, from 2 members of Flickr Commons.

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11
1906
1939

 

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A train bringing copper ore out of the mine, Ducktown, Tenn. Fumes from smelting copper for sulfuric acid have destroyed all vegetation and eroded the land (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

  • Red Necks know stuff said:
    This is the caption that Marion Post Walcott included with her photo from 1939 but the actual damage to the vegetation occurred in the late 1800's. The smelting technology of that time did not allow the sulfur dioxide generated by the heating of the ore to be captured. By 1909 the mining companies developed new practices which let them recover the sulfur dioxide and use it in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.
  • gkiltz said:
    What does it look like TODAY? Nature is nothing if not resilient!
  • club photo vendin 62880 said:
    Sallaumines 03
    Photo de Sallaumines

Copper mining section between Ducktown and Copperhill], Tennessee. Fumes from smelting copper for sulfuric acid have destroyed all vegetation and eroded the land (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

  • ADrawingADay said:
    How awful.
  • judyinktown said:
    Is there a picture of Ducktown today? The last time we rode through that area it seemed that most of that land had been reclaimed, and looked nothing like this picture.
  • Red Necks know stuff said:
    This is the caption that Marion Post Walcott included with her photo from 1939 but the actual damage to the vegetation occurred in the late 1800's. The smelting technology of that time did not allow the sulfur dioxide generated by the heating of the ore to be captured. By 1909 the mining companies developed new practices which let them recover the sulfur dioxide and use it in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. Reclamation in the Basin began in the 1930's with varying degrees of success initially. By the 1970's new techniques were developed and today most of the Basin has been revegetated.
  • Pat Henson said:
    Not really. The Basin remained denuded until the acid plant and mining operation went out of business in the late '80's. I grew up there, and it looked just like this till I was out of college in the '80's.
  • David Voorhies said:
    I rode thru there yesterday, 10/13/2013. The Copper Basin is now very green, and the forest is coming back. It's going to take generations for the trees to mature, however. Just don't drink the water.

Copper mining and sulfuric acid plant, Copperhill], Tenn. (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

  • 1 older comment, and then…
  • dennise.denava said:
    hi good day!! can i ask something what are the factors and manufacturing of materials of sulfuric acid ? thanks
  • Arden said:
    denise.denava: You may want to use the Library of Congress's online reference service "Ask a Librarian" for the anwer to your question. For more information see: www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-scitech.html
  • 3dsman said:
    Looks like something straight out of a Tim Burton movie set....
  • Life...through Leesha's lens. said:
    My grandfather worked here as a steel rigger most of his adult life, raising his kids and taking care of his family. From the 1920's into the late 50's. Long before Copperhill was a tourist destination for rafting, the copper mines were the main source of revenue for the community. Thank you so much for posting this picture. I've added it, with photo credits attached, to my genealogy page.
  • Ryan (LOC P&P) said:
    Thank you, Life...through Leesha's lens for sharing your story. The photographer, Marion Post Wolcott, also took some black and white photos of this location at the same time, like this one: www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa2000032603/PP/