The ammonia, nitric acid and sulphuric acid concentration plants of messrs. African explosives amp; industries, limited, at modderfontein, transvaal

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, this is a somewhat unusual paper to read before an Institute of Electrical Engineers, but it was felt, in view of the forthcoming visit of the Institute to the Dynamite Factory, that that visit would be made more interesting if some brief outline were given of the processes to be seen. For those who think-that nothing but electrical matters should be read or discussed at a meeting of this kind, I will ask you to look on this plant as a consuming device, and, in support of that, I would say that the consumption of energy will be over 10 million units during the first year, and the load factor about 85 per cent. The plant is of very considerable importance to this country, in that the institution of it has reduced the importation of certain raw materials and substituted locally produced material for those imports. For instance, coke now takes the place of nitrate of soda; in addition, the plant provides employment for something like 71 whites and 61 natives on the operating staff alone, quite independently of those who are engaged on the services, and it also forms a basis for expansion, inasmuch as the plants can be utilised to provide nitrogenous fertilisers and make use of carbon dioxide, which is one of the by-products.