Anaconda Smelter Stack

The overall height of the stack is {{nowrap|{{convert|585|ft|1+1/2|in|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 585 feet)}},{{efn-ua | ≈ means "usually rounded to". Dimensions not so marked are not usually mentioned or rounded.}} including a brick chimney {{nowrap|{{convert|555|ft|1+1/2|in|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 555 feet)}} tall and the downhill side of a concrete foundation {{nowrap|{{convert|30|ft|m}}}} high. This was the height when new in 1918, but loss of the terra cotta that covered the top course of bricks since then reduced its height one or more inches. The lowest {{nowrap|{{convert|68|ft|m|1}}}} of the brick chimney is an octagon, the vertices of which point to the cardinal and intercardinal directions, north, northeast, east, etc., while its sides face the secondary-intercardinal directions, north-northeast, east-northeast, etc. Two large vertical openings are in the octagonal portion, each {{nowrap|{{convert|12.5|x|60|ft|m}}}}, on its east-southeast and south-southwest sides.[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87000607 National Register of Historic Places – Anaconda Copper Mining Company Smoke Stack]. Three good photos. When operational, the main flue carried hot exhaust gases to these openings and then into the stack from the smelter which was on the north side of the hill upon which the stack rests.[https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/ USGS topoView], → Get Maps → Search by location → Anaconda Montana → Anaconda, MT 1961. The base of the octagon was {{nowrap|{{convert|86|ft|7/8|in|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 86 feet)}} side to side across its bottom before the loss of its terra cotta covering. But the inner surface of the octagon is circular with an inside diameter of {{nowrap|{{convert|76|ft|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 75 feet)}} across its bottom. The wall thickness of the octagon at its bottom ranges from {{nowrap|{{convert|64|in|m|2}} (≈ 6 feet)}} at the center of a side to {{nowrap|{{convert|102|in|m|2}}}} at each vertex. The rest of the chimney is a slightly tapering cylinder with a top inside diameter of {{nowrap|{{convert|60|ft|2|in|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 60 feet)}} and a wall thickness of {{nowrap|{{convert|22+1/4|in|m|2}}}} {{nowrap|(≈ 2 feet)}} just below a slightly flared top. Its cylindrical portion plus the top {{nowrap|{{convert|5|ft|m}}}} of the octagon are encircled by many large steel rods (called bands) for reinforcement. It has had 20 lightning rods around its rim since it was built (which are not included in its height). The stack contains 2,464,652 locally manufactured perforated tile bricks, each averaging 2.7 times larger by volume than the size of a normal brick.{{cite web | url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMKMB2_Anaconda_Co_Stack_Anaconda_MT | title=Anaconda Co Stack - Anaconda, MT |website=Waymarking}} Blue box contains the words of a plaque entitled "Washoe Stack Facts" at the state park detailing its construction.{{efn-ua

|Two newspaper sources give different numbers of bricks, 2,464,672 and 2,446,392,{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Carrie |date=September 2, 2011 |title=A smokestack tops the monument |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-smokestack-tops-the-monument/2011/08/30/gIQA6TSZxJ_story.html |department=Letters to the editor |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 21, 2017}} This letter used the monument's unofficial 1999 height measured from a different "architectural zero height point" than its official 2015 height referred to in this Wikipedia article. both of which are probably corruptions of the 2,464,652 number on a plaque in the state park.}}

Most are radial bricks that are curved to match a sector of a cylindrical wall. The brick chimney weighs {{nowrap|{{convert|23810|ST|t}}}}.{{cite journal |last=Gibson |first=Richard |date=August 28, 2017 |title=Mining City History: Washoe stack still the world's tallest free-standing masonry structure |url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/mining-city-history-washoe-stack-still-the-world-s-tallest/article_c4e21382-828a-5a89-9270-45f6289d45eb.html |newspaper=Montana Standard |access-date=October 27, 2017}}{{efn-ua |The engineering source mixes dimensions, weight for some material and volume for others, so only approximate weights for the brick chimney and concrete foundation can be calculated from it.}}

The lowest part of the stack is a concrete foundation or footing that is built on sloped ground with a grade of {{nowrap|21% (12°)}} because it is just below the top of a hill. It is {{nowrap|{{convert|30|ft|m|2}}}} high above ground at its downhill side and {{nowrap|{{convert|10|ft|m|2}}}} high above ground at its uphill side. It is a hollow octagon, {{nowrap|{{convert|89|ft|m|1}}}} side to side on top and {{nowrap|{{convert|99|ft|6|in|m|1}}}} side to side across its bottom, {{nowrap|{{convert|33|ft|m|1}}}} high on its downhill side and {{nowrap|{{convert|21|ft|m|1}}}} high on its uphill side, a third of the foundation being below ground. The stepped bottom of the foundation fits the stepped rock formation upon which it rests. The floor of the stack is generally conical leading {{nowrap|{{convert|17|ft|m}}}} down below the brick chimney to a {{nowrap|{{convert|5|x|33|ft|m|adj=on}}}} rectangular grate, then into a {{nowrap|{{convert|5|ft|m|adj=on}}}} square horizontal duct that exits the stack at the center of the downhill side of the foundation on its south-southeast side. This allowed any valuable metal dust particles left in the flue gases that precipitated down to that conical floor to be collected by a car on a track within the duct and sent back to the smelter for more processing.

After the concrete foundation was completed in May 1918, construction of the stack began on {{nowrap|May 23, 1918}} and was completed on {{nowrap|November 30, 1918}}. It was placed into operation on {{nowrap|May 5, 1919}}. It was built by the Alphons Custodis Chimney Construction Company of New York (now Hamon Custodis) under the direction of W. C. Capron, mechanical superintendent of the Washoe Smelting Company.{{cite book|title=Kidder-Parker Architects' and Builders' Handbook|edition=18th|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=1931|page=1714}} Much of the ore the smelter processed after 1955 came from the Berkeley Pit just north of Butte, Montana. At the time it was built, the stack was the tallest masonry, brickwork structure and chimney of any kind in the world and it remains the world's tallest surviving masonry structure.{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=John |date=June 19, 2013 |title=The Washington Monument is tall, but is it the tallest? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-washington-monument-is-tall-but-is-it-the-tallest/2013/06/19/93665ae6-d8ee-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html |department=Local |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 26, 2016}} Taller masonry chimneys have existed but have since been demolished. Taller chimneys that still exist are made of reinforced concrete. See List of tallest chimneys.

The Washington Monument would fit inside the stack's brick portion except for their lowest {{nowrap|{{convert|100|ft|m|0}}}} where an overlap of as much as {{nowrap|{{convert|1|ft|m|1|spell=in}}}} at each corner of the monument would occur.{{efn-ua |Although the Washington Monument's side to side width is only {{nowrap|{{convert|55|ft|1+1/2|in|m|2}}}}, its diagonal width is {{radic|2}} greater at {{nowrap|{{convert|78|ft|m|2}}}}.}} The stack's brick portion is about {{nowrap|{{convert|6|in|cm|0}}}} taller than the monument's 2015 height.{{efn-ua |The Washington Monument's height is {{nowrap|{{convert|554|ft|7+11/32|in|m|3}}}} as measured by the National Geodetic Survey in 2013–14 and reported in 2015 using laser measurements from its peak to nearby ground benchmarks.National Geodetic Survey, [http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/NOAA_TR_NOS_NGS_51_2015_02_16.pdf "2013–2014 Survey of the Washington Monument"] Its height above ground was reduced in 1975 when a ramp replaced two steps at its base. See Note B in its article.}}

The masonry portion of the stack is about {{nowrap|{{convert|15|in|cm|0}}}} taller than the above ground portion of the monument's masonry, which disregards the monument's aluminum apex.

The stack was designed to discharge exhaust gases from the various roasting and smelting furnaces at the smelter. The smelter had a large network of exhaust flues from the furnaces that all fed a main flue, which carried them a half-mile south up the hill to the stack. The flue system and stack combined to provide a natural draft capable of carrying {{convert|3-4|Mft3|m3}} per minute of exhaust gases.{{cite book|title=The Anaconda Reduction Works |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DyU4AQAAIAAJ&pg=PT54 |page=43 |edition=July 1920 |publisher=Anaconda Copper Mining Company |year=1920}}

The Washoe Smelter was demolished after its closure in 1981. The stack alone, however, remains standing because the citizens of Anaconda organized to "Save the Stack." It is commonly referred to as "The Stack" or "The Big Stack"{{efn-ua |The first stack built by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in Great Falls, Montana, 10 years earlier and {{convert|506|ft|m}} tall, was also referred to as "The Big Stack" (demolished in 1982).}} and is a well-known landmark in western Montana. In 1986 it was designated the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park.{{cite web | url=http://mtplacenames.org/ | title=Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman | publisher=Montana Historical Society Press}} The park has two parts: the Washoe Smelter Stack Viewing Center[http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMMN6Y_Washoe_Smelter_Stack_Viewing_Site_Monuments_Anaconda_MT Washoe Smelter Stack Viewing Site Monuments] constructed in 2000 just east of the town of Anaconda and the smoke stack about {{convert|1.2|mi|km}} southeast of the viewing area. Although the site of the smelter underwent some environmental cleanup, the general public is not allowed access to the stack itself because the soil around it is still hazardous due to contamination by the toxic metalloid arsenic as well as copper, cadmium, lead and zinc.[https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0800403 Superfund Site: Anaconda Co. Smelter, Anaconda, MT] Terra cotta covered the entire surface of the chimney just as it covered its top; by the time of its closure, the bottom 60% had eroded, including the brick octagon, exposing its bricks and reinforcing rods. The terra cotta is now darker than the exposed bricks.

{{multiple image

|align=center

||image_style=border:none

|image1=AnacondaStainedGlass.jpg

|width1=100

|caption1=Stack pictured in a stained glass window

|image2=Anaconda Smelter Smoke Stack top.jpg

|width2=150

|caption2=Top of stack

|alt2=Open end of tube

|image3=Anaconda Smelter Stack 1920.png

|width3=175

|caption3=Stack in 1920
(southeast side)

|alt3=Column projecting above buildings

|image4=Anaconda Stack.jpg

|width4=158

|caption4=Stack in 2007
(northwest side)

|alt4=Small column at left side of hills

}}

• Flue gas stack

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{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://stateparks.mt.gov/anaconda-smoke-stack/ Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park] Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
• [http://mtstandard.com/smelter-history-in-brief/article_7d34800c-c917-11df-bf49-001cc4c03286.html Smelter history in brief]
• [http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/stack Anaconda Smelter Stack] Atlas Obscura
• [https://montanahistoriclandscape.com/tag/anaconda-smelter/ Revisiting Montana's Historic Landscape]
• [https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0800403 Superfund Site: Anaconda Co. Selter, Anaconda, MT]

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{{succession box

| title=World's tallest chimney
{{convert|178.3|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| before=Ruston Smelter Stack

| after=Lead Smelter Chimney of American Smelting and Refining Co, Selby, California, USA

| years=1919–1937}}

{{s-end}}

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{{Protected areas of Montana}}

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Category:Chimneys in the United States

Category:Industrial buildings completed in 1919

Category:Towers completed in 1919

Category:Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Montana

Category:Protected areas established in 1986

Category:State parks of Montana

Category:Protected areas of Deer Lodge County, Montana

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Deer Lodge County, Montana

Category:1918 establishments in Montana

Smelter Stack