New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-25
REDUCTION OF GOLD AND sIL.
VER ORE.

Early last Spring we called the attention ol
the public to several processes for obtaining the
precious metals from the ores then in use or un-
dergoing experiment. Among those attracting
the most attention was DR.. Ayus process Tor
treating the gold and silyer-bearing ores with
heat and solutions of alkalies and salts. AT that
time this process only exhibited small speci-
mems reduced in the laboratory, but such very
considerable results were thus obtained that II
was believed that if worked practically great
profits would accrue to miners even where ores
where not Of the richest kind, and where now
worked to advantage by the old process
great savings would be made by the new
The discovery, however met the usual doubts
and fears attaching TO novelty, and, in fact,
there had been so many failures for Ike
purposes brought forward, that unbclicyers
were encountered everywhere. IL was as
serted that however beautiful the process
might be in theory, and in the laboratory. yet it
was not certain that ores could bc thus
practically treated in the mass. In order
TO silence forever such doubts, and to test
the utility of the invention upon a working
scale, under The eve Of practical miners, the
Company, erected in this city furnaces iortreat-
ing ores on a large scale, and at great cost im-
ported gold bearing quartz ores, from Nova
Scotia by the cargo, and are now re-
ducing them with the most favorable results.
Meanwhile, the value of this method becoming
apparent, three different parties claimed pnor-
ly of invention of the same process, at the
pa.ent.Ofcc, and contested the novelty of the
invention Of the patentee. Upon these clnims
evidence was taken, and after full investigation
the validity Of Dr.. Ayers patents fully cstab-
lishcd by the decision of the Commissioners at
Washington. The furnaces are simple in
construction, aud the chemicals 0re uni
yersally distributed, 30 that there is no place
where mines are worked that The furnaces and
material cannot be economically obtained and
constructed. thus saving great cost Of trans
poria,ion of heavy mills aud machinery to the
mines. Heretofore miners have supplied them
selves with machinery at very great cost
of construction and transportation, from which,
Us a rule the most moderate returns have not
been realized by its owners.
! By the new chemical process the disintegra.
/ tion Of the rock Is 20 complete that any ordinary
/ ron or burr-mill can reduce ore thus treated to
the finest powder with much less power than is
required 10 run stamps, and the royal metals,
being freed from all impurities, are amalgamated
| by the sinples, and least expensive machinery.
/ Another peculiarly Of this process IT, that by
separating the gold from the base metals il is
left free to bc taken up by the mercury. IL, too,
is claimed that the quicksilver used in the pro.
cesses for collecting the fine grains OF
precious metals ia not wasted. so that a saving
is thus effected. So thorough have been the
practical tests made that it is believed not
only will the individual interests Of mine
owners be greatly advanced, but the public
will be benefited by the augmented yield
Of gold and silver tLat must follow the intro
duction Of this process practically at the mines.
Furnaces have been erected by the Company
in New-York, and have been shown to q large
number Of practical miners and scientific gentle.
men, with great satisfaction to them in the
result obtained, aud the furnaces are now work
ing aud open to the inspection Of all interested
\ in the development Of orr mineral wealth.
-
Congress will not omit to notice that The