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Lead/zinc mining ceased in the early 1980's when the EPA shut down the lead/zinc smelters in this country. At the time, Eagle-Picher was the big mining company in the midcentral US, Bunker Hill operated multiple mines in the northwest. There were other smaller players that shipped to custom mills/smelters. The most commonly used rail car for the transport of ores was the GS drop bottom gondola. It was durable, available and reasonably cheap and the unload facility need be nothing more than a low trestle over a receiving bin. Cheap but functional. <br /> <br />If the smelters had been allowed to upgrade and were still operating today, it is possible that the 26' ore cars from the iron industry may have found their way into the lead/zinc industry as well. The cars would have been purchased used to keep costs down, but who knows? <br /> <br />Tom
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