Cockle Creek Smelter

Cockle Creek Smelter was a zinc and lead smelter located at the northern end of Lake Macquarie near Boolaroo New South Wales. The smelter was built in by Sulphide Corporation (Ashcroft Process) Limited 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, and the company renamed Sulphide Corporation Limited. 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.

Cockle Creek Smelter was a zinc and lead smelter located at the northern end of Lake Macquarie near Boolaroo New South Wales. The smelter was built in by Sulphide Corporation (Ashcroft Process) Limited 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, and the company renamed Sulphide Corporation Limited. 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.