New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-14
smelling Copper Ores by Electricity.

Having published several communications on
this subject inqurng the nature oil me process snu
aso descriptive particulars from our respected CORES
pOudent Mr. John Mitchell OF Napers patent We no"
give the general particulars of the French invention
mentioned by j. II D." OF Cornhill-ihsi oil NJ Nj De-
chaud and Galtier dc Clsubry. These gentlemen have
long been engaged the eject OF weak electrical cur
rents on copper ores and the following an account
OF the esuli at which they had arrived before taxing
their patent The process consists OF two operations
viz roasting the and the PRECIPITATION OF the cop
per The roasting setected In areyer0eratory furnace
either by The conversion of the suphuret INTO suphse
by the action OF the In the transformation OF the
oxide of copper into suphse by cslcning II with sui
phate of iron ~ duh red heat Ia current OF hrthe
iron being left ia a state OF peroxide. Washing, then,
the phste of cOpper-so that the most i'm
pure minerals will sfOrd copper equally pure win tue
esbonAtes oxides In the precipitation by gslysnism
batteries would bo far too costly and they have obtain
ed the results without the OF exterior batteries
The principle is follows III two solutions are placed
one the other. of sulphste OF copper very
dense and the other sulphste OF iron less dense snd
In the fret Is placed plate OF metal and IN Ine second
fragment OF c6strOn and then unite these TWO metals
BY conductor the PRECIPITATION Of copper commences
a, once snd Is completed IN long short period &c
cordng 10 the temperature the concentration OF Inc H.
quds, and the extent Of metallic sUrfscesthe state OF
the copper becomes greatly changed the liquor be-
comes weaker To obyAte this they take sdvAn Of
the following phenome0s After some minutes scron.
there exsts four strata in tie LIQUIDS At the bottom
dense solution OF sulphste of copper then less dense
solution of the salt; next sulphste az iron and
on the surfsee less dense solution Of the same IT,
therefore we arrange II the level of each of these n
Guilds suitable spertuTes for the addition or removal of
the LIQUID they be kept at uniform OF deaf
ty thus the copper 10 always pure and In the
physical condition.
For convenience the liquids arranged In yer.
tcs instead OF horizontal layers they now to be
separated by diaphragm very permesole 10 electricity
b1t not 10 hquids-pssteboard answers perfectly well
for this and ssts for months The sppsrssnss then ar
rsnsed as follows ches, of wood lined with lead OF
soue suitable msstc, contains the solution oil snPhS'e
Of iron into this chest number OF cases are puneeo
made OF frame having is ends and bottoms formed
Of iron plates coated lead the sides being OF paste
board The strong solution OF sulphste OF copper en-
srs through pipe the bottom, and escapes IN It's
weak through opening az the top 10 each case
sp!Aced sheet Of loaded iron snd between each are
plates Of osstiron; separate rods connect each plate
with the common conductor, which is supported over
ioe apparatus and the copper Is precpitSted on oOth
sces Of the sheets OF metal the pasieboard pfeueniuS
NE immediate contact OF the two liquids the suphse
o. iron thus hoa,s above the suPhse Of copper and me
sPpsr.ius iuhs all that is required AT temperature
u o. Fah 10 % feet Of surface Will receive oi4i grs
81 copper Ia "a hours perfectly pure and Immediately
sSf hsmmerns or passing through the rolling mill
in msnoiacture Of copper presents no difficulties, re-
qeres no refining and gives scoriA The patentees
eohnder that nnetsliurgcal result 80 per cent OF
me copper Is obtained Ia sheets 25 per In rsg-
menu which require fusion and 25 per cent OF pow.
oe, requiring subsequent refining. The application Of
ssnism 10 smelling appears to be reduced to the sim
49, urn and elecuoypes on the largest scale DO
''~Sso London Mining journal.