Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-01-20
REBELLIOU, ORES.
'rs. M,ndeleff Reduction Process
Described.

The introduction Of new methods
Sor reducing rebellious ores is an
important one for this coast. That
sulphides, oxides and carbonate cop
per ores exist in vast quantities and
of high grade in the States and Ter
ritories close at hand to San Fran
cisco none can dispute, and that a
development Of the same will rapidly
follow the successful introduction oi
cheap reduction process mast be adj
mitted; all of which will have ten
dency to benefit and enrich US.
THE PROCESS
Is simple, very effective, and WAS
easily understood by those who had
the curiosity and interest enough t.
witness the working tests, made with
out any secrecy or seal Of privacy,
during the past three months. The
apparatus consists of: First--A dry
ing floor, to free the ore of any
moisture contained in the same,
usually from five to ten per cent.
Seeond--A close iron barrel retort,
eight feet long and sixteen inches in
diameter, set ut an angle of about
thirty degrees, in brick furnace.
Into this rethrt i,470 pounds of ore,
broken to tie size Of an egg, is intro
duced. The retort is then submitted
to red heat of not more than 800
degrees, until the'last trace of mois-
ture is driven off, as indicated by u
small test tube conveniently situated.
This fact being established, common
gas, such as is used for city purposes,
is introduced, the same being first
passed through q decomposer or
super-hea,er filed with coke, to ex-
act the carbon from the same. The
gas thus introduced into the retort is
changed from a common hydrogen
gas to light carbureted, or marsh
gas, and
THIS Is THE ELEMENT
Upon which the whole process
hinges, and it is an element long
known as powerful reducing agent
by chemists, but until Mindeleff's
discovery and application on large
scale, has not been used except in a
small way for laboratory purposes.
This gas, when introduced into the
retort, exhibits its presence and
power reductively by emitting
through the vein-tube bright and
highly-colored fiame-green, blue,
pink, or other color, as the nature of
the rebellious quality of the ore and
its parts may determine. This fame
continues to flow, and exhibits its
peculiar and distinctive color until
the reduction is complete, which is
readily discovered by the flame
changing into and burning bright
yellow, like unto the common gas |;
this takes place in from twenty to
thirty minutes.
THE REToRT
Is then opened at its lower end, and
the mass of ore, now in the shape of II
metallic copper sponge, is discharged
into an iron car, ready for ANY future
manipulation that may be decided
upon to place 1t in pigs or copper
cement. With low-grade ores the
nnal manipulation woul he leach
ing, precipitation and smciting; high-
grade ores, concentration and smeit-
ing; with copper, carrying gold and
silver, and precipitation OF copper,
then smeIting.
A COMPANY
10 work ores by this process has oeen
organized in San Francisco. and
they propose to illustrate the princi-
pie on large scale as soon as their
plant Is erected. Ii will be COM
menced at once, and it is expected t,
nave the same in working order oy
the LIST OF March, sufficient ore of
from IA to 30 per cent having been
secured to run the furnace a year.
Ahis furnace a success, and several
other large ones will he erected in
Nevada and Utah.
The stones, with their Significance
corresponding with each month
ARE sald to be as follows
January-Garnet constancy and
fidelity.
Feeruary-Amethyst: sincerity.