1976 Daily operations at foundry. An unidentified female technician at Atlas Foundry & Machine Co., 3012 Wilkeson St., conducts quality control tests using a Tinius Olsen machine in the company's tech center. The Tinius Olsen machine would be measuring the foundry products' strength and performance. Atlas Foundry has been a presence in Tacoma since 1899 when it began manufacturing iron castings for the local logging industry. It then branched out to steel castings and further steel production. The foundry's name was changed in 2002 to Atlas Castings & Technology. Photograph ordered by Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (www.atlascastings.com)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1970-1980; Steel industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Product inspections--Tacoma--1970-1980; Testing--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1978. ASARCO plant. Exterior view in early 1978 of the American Smelting & Refining Company (ASARCO) with focus on large diameter fiberglas reinforced pipe manufactured by Chemical Pipe & Tank (owned by Barthel Co.) and the Barthel Co. and installed by the National Blower & Sheet Metal Co., fabricators of structural steel and miscellaneous iron. The lines may have been 33 inches on the smaller line and six feet diameter on the larger one. Photograph ordered by National Blower & Sheet Metal Co. (Additional information provided by a reader)

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); National Blower & Sheet Metal Co. (Tacoma); Chemical Pipe & Tank Co. (Tacoma); Barthel Chemical Construction Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1978. Elevated view of the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) in early 1978. Photograph ordered by the National Blower & Sheet Metal Co. of Tacoma who had probably built and installed the pipes shown above. They were involved in industrial air pollution control, dust collecting and ventilating systems, metal fabrications for industrial requirements as well as building sheet metal work and electric and heli-arc welding.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); National Blower & Sheet Metal Co. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Gate hoist. The above gate hoist was built for use on the Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, by Star Iron & Steel Co. of Tacoma. Hoist is shown on September 16, 1971, prior to shipment. Star Iron & Steel had contracts of about $14 million for 1971. The firm would be sold late in September to Breeze Corporations, Inc. of New Jersey. Star Iron & Steel would be a wholly owned subsidiary of Breeze and continue to operate under present management. Photograph ordered by Star Iron & Steel. (TNT 9-22-71, D-14 - article on sale to Breeze)

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Steel industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Hoisting machinery;

American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), Tacoma. Worker directing activity of a large crane constructed over railroad tracks at the edge of Commencement Bay. Ships were loaded and unloaded at this point. The mechanical crane could carry 5 tons of ore on each dip into the hold. For J. Gius, reporter.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), Tacoma. Arrival of a European ship delivering ore from Russian mines to the smelter. Close-up view of ship with workers and rigging at smelter dock. To the left can be seen the outline of the giant mechanical crane used to unload the ships. At this time, Russian lacked the technology and infrastructure to process the ore themselves. In 1934, Russia produced 15.6% of the world's gold. Russian production was second only to Africa.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

In January of 1935, 9,600 tons of gold bearing ore were removed from the holds of the Soviet freighter "Brandon" by huge iron buckets at the ASARCO refinery in Ruston. In 1935, The Soviet Union did not have a large enough smelter of its own to process the tons of ore being extracted from its mines. The "Brandon" had come from Leningrad. The American Smelting & Refining Company expected to receive 100,000 tons of gold rich ore from The Soviet Union in 1935. Mr. S. Raiz, a representative of the Soviets, was sent to Tacoma to keep a close eye on the process - and the gold. Photograph ordered by the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) (TNT 1-15-35, p. 1-article; TNT 1-23-35, p. 1-article) TPL-807

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), Tacoma. Worker, with foot in trough, working under steel beams at glowing industrial oven. For J. Gius, reporter.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

Star Iron & Steel White truck at their foundry at 435 E 11th St, Tacoma

Industries; Star Iron & Steel; Trucks; Tideflats;

Star Iron &Steel machinery on track at their foundry at 435 E 11th St, Tacoma

Industries; Star Iron & Steel; Machinery; Tideflats;