Blue Bird owes debt to Bagdad

I read with great interest the letter “Arizona birthplace of SX-EW process” in your Jan. 17-23 issue. The letter is only partially correct.

Solvent extraction-electrowinning was pioneered in Arizona. Ranchers Exploration & Development’s Blue Bird mine used information from the Bagdad pilot plant to design its plant. However, it did not follow the design of the Bagdad pilot plant’s mechanical configuration. The Blue Bird plant was not efficient in minimizing solvent losses or producing high-quality cathode. The manager, Ken Power, and I were friends, and he gave me several tours of the plant.

Robert Bogart

Mayer, Ariz.