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HOW ORE IS TRANSPORTED TO THE FACTORY

The factory is situated at the foot of the mountain and the stone is conveyed thereto in 30cwt tramway trucks, which running on the self-acting principle, up and down the face of the mountain, the incline is, we believe, the steepest in the colony, being one in one and a quarter.

The loaded truck coming down pulls up the empty truck. These trucks open from the bottom and deposit their loads at discretion, either in large heaps for export for England, or in the kilns for manufacture on the ground.

PROCESSING THE ORE

If for the latter the stone is first calcimined, then conveyed in trucks to a rock breaker, where it is pulverized, from here it is conveyed by an ingenious contrivance into a roller mill where it is crushed to a consistency like powder.

It is then allowed to 'slake' like lime, and afterwards the alum is extracted by boiling water, - a process, of course, we could not expect Mr. Abbott to explain to us, since it cost the Company some thousands of pounds to secure, and the secret of which is zealously guarded.

Judging large lead-lined vats, boilers, endless lines of leaden pipes etc., there are to be seen in the factory, one would imagine that the necessary machinery for the manufacture of this commodity into marketable conditions, must have cost many thousands of pounds.

STOCKPILES

In one section of the factory are to be seen some magnificent blocks of Crystallised Alum, which would turn the scale at 600 lb., and which for purity and quality could not be excelled in the world, whilst in another portion of the building was a large stack of meal alum, ready for market.

COULD SUPPLY THE WORLD

The works here, we are informed, are capable of turning out 25 tons of alum per week, which exceeds the present colonial demand. We might mention here that some 2 years ago, the energetic manager visited Europe, in the interests of the Company, and as a result of his trip works have been established on the Manchester Canal (England) for the treatment of the raw material, which have just been completed. This factory is capable of turning out 200 tons of alum per month, and the Company expects that in applying a cheaper and superior article to that at present on the European market, to ultimately supply nearly the whole world with Bullahdelah alum, and we might state that Mr. Abbott is at present advocating the establishment of works for the treatment of stone in America, so as to secure the extensive market on that continent.

A COMMENT

We might be pardoned for mentioning in passing, a little incident that shows the wonderful fascination that Australia has for anyone who has resided for a short while in our salubrious clime. Mr. Abbott was offered and pressed to take the management of the Company's works in England, but as he had not seen the sun in London at the time of his visit, for three weeks, owing to the fog, he emphatically refused the offer, and consented to return to the management of the Bullahdelah Mine. He was never happy until he was on his return journey to the glorious clime of Sydney New South Wales.

THE COMPANY

The Alum Company is purely a local one, nearly the whole of the shareholders residing in Sydney, and they have already expended about £40,000 in connection with their venture, £20,000 of this amount having been spent in Bullahdelah.

The Company is bright and sanguine of a bright and prosperous future, and they contemplate in the immediate future of (installing a tramway) system at the Bullahdelah mine to the Myall River, which affords excellent water communications with one of the finest harbours in the colony, viz., Port Stephens.

We sincerely hope that this enterprising company will be amply rewarded in years to come for their pluck in developing the alum industry in Australia, and if their efforts to extend their business in the Old World is crowned with success, Bullahdelah, a hamlet of limited dimensions, must surely expand into a healthy, thriving and prosperous town, and it is not too much to predict that within 10 years instead of there being a population of some 800 souls, there will be many thousands, and that our prediction may come true is our sincerest wish.

THE FACTORY'S DESIGN

We were nearly forgetting to mention that the factory at Bullahdelah has been erected, the workings laid out, and the necessary machinery put into place under the supervision of the Manager, Mr. H. D. Abbott.

The design is ingenious. Everything is constructed on the labour-saving principle. Two men and a boy could work the whole factory. The admirable provision made for future extensive operations, reflects the highest credit on his skill and integrity as engineer.

THE ONLY OTHER ALUM MINE NEAR ROME, ITALY

In conclusion we might mention that the only other Alum Mine in the world is situated at Talfa, near Rome.

It was in ancient times a matter of dispute between the Pope and the Italian subjects. His Holiness laid claim to whole concern, and worked it for generations.

It is at present in the hands of a French company, which has works near Paris and in Rome. It is in a flourishing condition. From this company a good deal of alum is imported into the colony, but we trust that the present government will see its way clear to make imported alum a dutiable article, and thus encourage the more extensive manufacture of the article at Bullahdelah.

Source: The Dungog Chronicle, 16 August 1892

WRONG STATEMENT REGARDING ALUM

Mr. E. W. Heighway, Manager of the Bullahdelah Alum Company, informs us that in our recent report concerning the alunite mine, we were wrong in stating that it had ever been treated in Germany.

The alunite always went to Runcorn, England, where the company had its own plant for treating it.

For a short period it was treated in Bullahdelah, but the venture did not prove successful.