Stephen Eddy, and particularly his son James Ray, were keen on improving the
efficiency of lead smelting. Between them they extended the flues at
Grassington a number of times and added condensers. The latter mill was
similar to the mill which was built to replace the one at Pontesford.
They were also conscious that blending certain ores (e.g. those from a
fluorspar gangue with others from a barytes gangue and with other
impurities) made them easier to smelt and increased the yield. That may be
why Eddy was thinking about North Welsh ores.
The term 'arsenic' appears to have been linked with the 'fume' produced by
lead smelters - even in areas like the Yorkshire Dales, where it could only
be present in minute amounts if at all. Presumably it was an
acknowledgement of the poisonous nature of the fume and may even reflect the
similarity of long flues for arsenic labyrinths.
Mike Gill
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