Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
6pt-sika
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9609
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:15 pm
Location: Virginia

Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by 6pt-sika »

I just recieved an email from a friend telling me that the last major smelter in the US will be closing it's doors this coming December . The smelter is in Herculaneum Missouri and owned by the "Doe Run Company" .

The email also said this is the last smelter/refinery in the US that could produce lead bullion from raw lead ore . Hence it will effect ammunition production of any type in the USA as long as one is using lead core bullets etc .

The email said NEW EPA regs were the reason for the closing !
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
FatJackDurham
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1067
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Morrisville,vt

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by FatJackDurham »

Shoot. There goes the price of lead.....

Better start tearing apart older batteries....
User avatar
Canuck Bob
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1830
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:57 am
Location: Calgary, Canada

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Canuck Bob »

The old battery idea might work but I've heard some horror stories of the alloys as dangerous. Anyone know anything about this?
User avatar
TedH
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8301
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:19 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by TedH »

DO NOT melt lead from inside old batteries! Very dangerous vapors can result, can even be fatal.


http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... &sk=t&sd=a
NRA Life Member
User avatar
6pt-sika
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9609
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:15 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by 6pt-sika »

Since making the original post a Lawyer/Shooter friend came in the shop . He told me all major US ammo manufacturers have been using out of country vendors for their lead needs . Well he said the majority of the lead they use comes from outside the country .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Hagler
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:52 am
Location: Leverland, U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Hagler »

...please, see:

"Another reason for ammo shortages"


http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 4&p=637401

Shawn
"That's right, Billy, I'm good with it. I hit what I shoot at, and I'm fast!"-Lucas McCain, c1882.
ImageImage
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Another item that will come up from south of the border. :x
User avatar
El Chivo
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3652
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:12 pm
Location: Red River Gorge Area

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by El Chivo »

the ammo from Brazil or Italy has not been expensive.
"I'll tell you what living is. You get up when you feel like it. You fry yourself some eggs. You see what kind of a day it is."
User avatar
Hobie
Moderator
Posts: 13902
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:54 pm
Location: Staunton, VA, USA
Contact:

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Hobie »

If you search the forum you'll see this was addressed and that Sierra has made a statement and that all will be well. Yes, EPA started this, back during the Bush administration. Lead prices will likely rise and it will run on down the chain to shooters.
Sincerely,

Hobie

"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
msmith1228
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:49 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by msmith1228 »

That place was an environmental disaster and needed to go.
Mack
User avatar
Malamute
Member Emeritus
Posts: 3781
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:56 am
Location: Rocky Mts

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Malamute »

I've seen similar comments to Macks from people that lived and worked in the area.

Again guys, dont jump the gun, this place had very little to do with ammo manufacturing. Read the Sierra announcment in the linked thread. The world market metals prices have more bearing on ammo prices than this place has or will.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-

Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
User avatar
6pt-sika
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9609
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:15 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by 6pt-sika »

msmith1228 wrote:That place was an environmental disaster and needed to go.
Mack

Kinda like Detroit :lol:
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Mescalero
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6180
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:21 pm

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Mescalero »

Not sure I should admit to this.
But I have smuggled a lot of stuff across that border.
Not the stuff you conjer up in your minds.
The trick is to use burros and horses.
Do not worry about lead, Mexico will make it; it WILL be smuggled.
piller
Posting leader...
Posts: 15275
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:49 pm
Location: South of Dallas

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by piller »

I don't know anything about the Herculaneum Smelter, and it could be that it is an environmental disaster. Maybe, maybe not. I just know that the EPA has a lot of power and there is very little that can be done about them. I do find it hard to believe that the Herculaneum smelter would provide enough lead for the U.S.'s needs. Lead is in most solder, light bulbs, used for anchors in concrete, in bullets, and a whole bunch of uses that I can't even think of right now. That is a lot of lead use in a country the size of ours, and one smelter would have to be a giant in order to keep up with that kind of demand.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
User avatar
Old Ironsights
Posting leader...
Posts: 15084
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:27 am
Location: Waiting for the Collapse
Contact:

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Old Ironsights »

TedH wrote:DO NOT melt lead from inside old batteries! Very dangerous vapors can result, can even be fatal.
Quite true.

OTOH, Anything "unsafe"/"unhealthy" can usually be done in a (mostly) Safe manner with proper preparation/planning.

Besides, if I'm hard up enough to try to salvage Lead from Batteries, it's probably because I need the lead for Return Fire anyway...
C2N14... because life is not energetic enough.
מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976
Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
FatJackDurham
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1067
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Morrisville,vt

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by FatJackDurham »

Really? I thought it was common to salvage battery lead, provided you clean it and melt it outside first before making ingots.....

Must have been some other idioten.....
User avatar
Tycer
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 7718
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:17 am
Location: Asheville, NC

Re: Herculaneum Smelter Closing

Post by Tycer »

FatJackDurham wrote:Really? I thought it was common to salvage battery lead, provided you clean it and melt it outside first before making ingots.....

Must have been some other idioten.....
It's the dross. One drop of water and a little whiff :evil:
Kind regards,
Tycer
----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.saf.org - https://peakprosperity.com/ - http://www.guntalk.com
Post Reply