Chris Mullen

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since Feb 11, 2018
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Recent posts by Chris Mullen

This pile has been in the weather for 100 years.  Has weeds and trees growing in it.  I'm sure it has plenty of  organic matter in it.

Sure would like someone to take it.

Chris
6 years ago
I'm in southeast PA, close to Reading.  There may be users or researchers interested, but I don't know them.  I'm going to try a couple of local nurseries.  Other than that I'm at a loss.

My ideal solution would be a buyer that brings a container, I load it and they haul it away.

I did put a couple of buckets in my garden.  It's winter but the soil looks great

The history of charcoal in this area is that it was widely used for fuel in iron furnaces and forges.  Most of them closed by 1850.  The furnace I'm dealing with was successful and continued operation at a higher pace into the 1890's

Most of the furnaces used water power to drive air pumps.  They were usually built into a hill.  Charcoal used in a furnace had to be high grade and only larger chunks were used, or the furnace would not achieve proper heat (2500 degrees).   Charcoal was generally stored in a barn.  Usually built into a hill.  Charcoal was loaded into the upper door and pulled from the bottom (downhill) door.  That process would break up some of the charcoal.  Pieces smaller than an inch and dust were discarded.

In the pile I'm dealing with, nothing larger than 1/4 inch remains.  I imagine that freeze/thaw reduced the one inch pieces.  There has been some intrusion of the local soil (very fine sand).  Other than that it remains where it was placed over 100 years ago.

Chris  
6 years ago
When dumped it was considered "high grade" charcoal.  A handful, while wet, seems very pure.  There has been some wash into the pile of our local sand, fine and red, but otherwise it looks and feels like charcoal I just made.

I estimate that there is a market.  The pile is between a one and two hundred yards.  It's in the way of a restoration/preservation project.

My reading says that it will take centuries to degrade.  Charcoal deposits thousands of years old have been uncovered.
6 years ago
I have a 100 years old pile of charcoal.  This was left from a charcoal iron furnace.  Dust and small chunks were not used.  They were discarded.  I have the discard pile (over 100 years of operation)

My question - is there a use for this charcoal?
6 years ago