West Orange Laboratory

In 1887, Edison built an industrial research laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, that remained unsurpassed until the twentieth century. For four years it was the primary research facility for the Edison lighting companies, and Edison spent most of his time on that work. In 1888 and 1889, he concentrated for several months on a new version of the phonograph that recorded on wax cylinders.Edison worked with William Dickson from 1888 till 1893 on a motion picture camera. Although Edison had always had experimental assistants, this was the clearest instance of a co invention for which Edison received sole credit.In 1887 Edison also returned to experiments on the electromagnetic separation and concentration of low grade iron and gold ores, work he had begun in 1879. During the 1890s he built a full scale plant in northern New Jersey to process iron ore. This venture was Edisons most notable commercial failure.