Cockle Creek Smelter

rdf:langString Cockle Creek Smelter

rdf:langString Cockle Creek Smelter was a zinc and lead smelter located at the northern end of Lake Macquarie near Boolaroo in Newcastle, New South Wales. The smelter was built in by the Sulphide Corporation in 1896 and the first attempts to refine zinc using the Ashcroft Process began in 1897 but that process was abandoned shortly after due to technical difficulties. The plant was subsequently adapted to smelt Lead using blast furnace technology. The smelter produced large quantities of Zinc, Lead and sulphuric acid during its life. The Cockle Creek Smelter was one of the Hunter regions first major industrial site and its operation contributed to the economic growth of New South Wales and Australia. Other materials were produced at the smelter to fill the need as required such as Cement, Superphosphate and compounds for explosive manufacture for the war effort in World War I and World War II. A rail connection was made from the plant to the Newcastle line on 16 July 1896. The smelter closed in September 2003, since it had become uneconomic. It is now hoped COSTCO & IKEA will open Bulk Retail Sales Warehouses on the site.(http://www.lakesmail.com.au/story/6350365/state-snaps-up-pasminco-site/)