The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-10-13
THE HAMILTON PROCESS.

DR.. Raymond's paper, the Eng7s.
ee':Hg and Mlmng /ow,zdl, gives dis
cription and qualified Endorsement to
new arrangement for roasting ofes.
called the HaQilton process. The
ore, crushed fine encugh to pass thro'
an SO or 100 mesh screen, is roasted
IN a revolving furnace. The sulphur,
arsenic, ETC., in refractory ores, are
eliminated b. the use of gas especial.
ly prepared by the inventor: The
roasted ore is conveyed to the top of
chamber, where the precious metals
are extracted. "The process is based
upon the fact" says the formal, "that
molten lead will, at comparatively
low temperature, from alloys with gold
and silver, and the means by which
MIR, Hamilton proposes to utilize this
property are ingenious, well designed
and constructed In the upper part
OF the chamber is a cast iron pot, hold:
ing the lead, in the center of which is
an ore hopper, provided with feed
screw. It projects into vertical cast
IRON pipe, attached to the bottom of
the pipe, leaving an annular space for
the flow of lead into the pipe. In
flowing into the pipe the lead creates
q suction, which carries the ore with
1t, and. dropping down the stand-pipc,
the lead Is said to mingle intimately
with the ore, extracting the free gold
and silver from it, The bottom Of
the standpipe, which is 90 feet high;
is placed above the bottom of a second
pot filled with lead, a cone-shaped
casting being placed below its orifce
to act as distributor. The lead and
ore descend in this pot, but, in order
to complete the extraction and pre-
vent the adhesion of particles Of the
alloy to the ore; there is a series of al
ternating riiled plates attached to tie
central stand-pipe and to the inner
surface Of the pot. The top Of the
latter Is nearly covered with lid, SO
designed that the ore is diverted to-
ward the circumference, whence it
drops into receiver below and is con-
veyed automatically to the dump. The
lead of the lower pot is taken by
chain and bucket elevator to the top
of the chamber, and the buckets are
emptied into the upper lead pot by an
automatic tripping device, SO that the
same quantity Of lead is kept in con
stant circulation until rich enough f1E
cupelling This elevator is inclJ5cd
in al alr-tight casing, which is sur
rounded by a brick-lined wrought iron
fue, the aim being to prevent the for
nation Of any litharge by oxydatlon.
All the various parts Of the plant for
extracting the precious metals are heat
ed by special fireplace, and provision
is made by means Of valves to direct
the current of hot gases of combustion
to various portions of it.
About fifteen years ago similar
process was set up in Nevada district,
Gilpln county, and an attempt made
to treat the sulphuret ores of that sec
ton by it. 1t failed, however, be-
cause in running the ore through the
/ lead the silicatc Of lead was formed,
thereby causing great loss. 1t IS pos
sible that Mr.. Hamilton has arranged
his invention in manner to prevent
this wastage of the lead. A very large
number of processes have been tried
here in Colorado: but not one of them
is in operation to-day. Some of these
while operated in New York, prior to
their location here, appeared to work
satisfactorily, but ultimately all shared
the same fate. Still the inventors Of
to day have the defects and failures Of
their predecessors in the same line as
valuable guides, and while they may
not reach perfection, each succeeding
trial brings them one step nearer the
end in view. Inventors are neCes-
sity OF our condition. Though hun
dred fail, the next, profting by all
that has gone before, may strike the
very element needed to complete the
solution. The man who brings to US
a method of treatment which is at once
very cheap, rapid and thorough, that
will take hold of the lower grades Of
ore and wiring profits out of them, will