Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-03-19
AMALeAmATIoN.
0uccess Of AImnrin b. Paups Dry
AmalgumntinS Process.

AMALGAMATIoE.
success OF AImnrin b. Paups DR.
Amalgumntins Process.
Almarin B. Paul, Of San Francisco,
who Is thoroughly identified with the
mining interests of this coast, ha:
brought his amalgamating process into
a satisfactory state Of perfection. This
success has been achieved at the ex'
pense of several years time and an
OUTLAY Of thousands of dollars, butthC
result bids fair to abundantly reward
the patient inventor. The process Is
electro-chemical, and brushes, pulver,
lies and amalgamates the ore In q dry
state. The ~puIverlzlng of the ore to
the fineness of flour is performed In an
iron. self-feeding, self.discharGing, pull
yerizing barrel, by the power of attri.
ton. This barrel is an invention Of
Mr.. Paul's. The amalgamation Is ac-
complished in barrels, and the fine
mercury and amalgam being precipi-
tated by electricity.
THE PROCESS DETAILED.
Detailing the process, the ore is first
dried. heated, then crushed coarse by
stamps. The crushed ore Is then con-
veyed to an iron pulverizing, prepar-
Ing and self-discharging barrel, where
it Is pulverized to q given fineness and
prepared for amalgamation, under
heat. By heat, friction and chemicals,
It Is put in what l term an inflnitesl-
NAL, electrical, live and pure condi-
ton. Thus there Is q combustion OF
all gases destruction Of rebellious
films, and expulsion Of atmospheric
dampness, instead Of which is created
the greatest activity, attraction and
cohesion between the precious metals
only, and the mercury.
The orc thus prepared being 10 fine
and light, and the metal to be opera
ted upon intinitesimal, the question
now comes how to produce eifcctual
contact for amalgamation. 10 meet
this point the ore Is conveyed In its
dry, heated, prepared and electrical
condition, to an iron, wood or earthen
cylinder, to which is added from ~ to
25 per cent. in weight ofmercury. The
condition of the ore raises the temper
AZURE Of the mercury, lessons its den-
sity, increases its volume, and the re-
suit Is the ore and mercury play to-
gether like water, and create the most
thorough and complete intermingling.
So perfect is the blending. that on eX-
animation with the naked eye hardly
a particle OF mercury is disclosed, not
wlthstanding the percentage Of ore Is
so large. The mercury, IN this finely
divided state, having been In continu-
Gus motion, rolling over and over ON
the surface, and through the entire
mass during the time given for ANAL
gamation, It Is reasonable to suppose
has effectually done its work, and that
the precious metals, no matter how
fine, cannot escape q contact III this
searching. "4#
THE HARMONY CREATED BETwEEN PRE-
CIoUs METALS AND MERCURY.
Is finely illustrated by the fact that the
baser metals are placed in antagonism,
and consequently leave the mercury
free from the touling or sickening
properties Of the ore, no matter what
it contains. 1t will be observed, too,
that every infinitesimal particle has
had its weight increased by contact
with mercury, besides being placed in
q state to receive, more actively, the
precipitating element.
The operation, it will be admitted,
Is so far perfectly done, and the next
question Ia, the ~separation of this mir
gled mass. 10 accomplish this, the
ore from the amalgamating barrel is
discharged into a large wooden settler
OF especial construction, and where
water for the first time is introduced.
The greater portion of mercury, carry
ing the precious metals, is soon pre-
cipitated and collected for drawing OIL
into a receiver. The lighter portions
of mercury aud metal In due time are
drawn Off into an electric settler,
where they are precipitated by cleo
tricity upon the principle Of electro
plating. excepting there Is no adher-
ence of metal or mercury, both OF
which arc drawn of together. The
residue Is then allowed to flow of rs
wastage, or if desired, for concentra-
ton Of base metals. 4 1,000.pound
charge Is worked every hour, and yet
every ], 0OO-pound charge has over four
hours Of varied treatment, 1t will be
observed that though considerable
mercury is used, it does not Involve
having so large an amount on hand as
at first thought would seem, In conse-
quence of Its being in continuous use.
DESCRIPTION OF TnE MILL.
Mr.. Paul has designed a mill adapted
to the process, in which all the ore
from ~selE-feeders of batteries move
automatically. Under these circum-
stances q battery will crush US much
dry rs wet ore, and the cost is less
than pan working. As Mr.. Paul has
erected numerous mills-among Others
the first built in the State Of Nevada
for working silver ores-and as he was
the first to bring out the present "pan
process" for working silver, it is fair
to presume that he knows whereof he
He claims that the new sys-
tenn discounts pans, will cause ore to
yield a larger percentage at less cost,
and that the mills car be built for at
least one-third less than the present
price. Indeed. he not only claims
these merits, but has demonstrated the
truth Of the same to several mining
companies. When it Is remembered
that California loses about $40, 600. 900
per year In flour gold, the Importance