Niagara Falls, NY: 1908 Electro Metallurgical (Electromet)

General: (Satellite, according to the aerial photo below, this entire industrial area used to be part of Electro Metallurgical)

Uranium contaminated building: (Satellite)

Todd Branch posted two images with the comment: "Electro Metallurgical (Electromet) Division of Union Carbide at Niagara Falls NY. Steel alloy manufacturer facility now long gone. Believe a sister facility still exists on the Kanawha River in WV."

Steve Tompkins: Also one in Marietta, Ohio. I started to work there in 1973. Was bought out by Elkem Metals (Norwegian) around 1981. Sold again to Eramet around 1999. Also had its own coal fired power plant. Power plant is long gone but the ferro alloys business is still running. It was a diverse operation which included special metals. Electrolytic chromium, electrolytic manganese and Vanadium. When I started there were 9 operating furnaces in operation as well as an oxygen refining system. Spent 44 years there until retirement in 2017. Lots of good people.

Bob Featherstone: The WV plant is currently operated as a joint venture with Globe and Dow Corning called Ferroglobe.

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The Electro Metallurgical Company was founded in 1908 in Niagara Falls, New York. The company manufactured tungsten, titanium, calcium carbide, acetylene, and ferro-metal alloys. Electro Metallurgical also contributed to the metallurgical research that was involved in the production of carbon electrodes. In 1922, Electro Metallurgical was acquired by Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation. The company processed uranium from 1943 to 1949. Eventually, Electro Metallurgical operated under Union Carbide’s Electromet Division. The Electromet Division ceased processing at the Niagara Falls plant in 1992. Praxair currently operates the plant. [belluckfox]

"Before the 1970s, asbestos-laden products were used in the repair and maintenance of the machines at Electro Metallurgical." [belluckfox] Because the company is owned by Union Carbide, it converted uranium tatrafluoride into uranium metal during some of the years between 1942-49. [fluoridealert] Now some former employees of the company have health issues caused by exposure to asbestos and/or radiation

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