Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1884-04-30

of completing the chlorination of the
silver, in case it is not all finished in
the furnaces. After about six hours
rest, it is drawn into iron cars and
dumped on the cooling floor. 1t is
spread out and cooled by air and water.
1t is now moist again and simply pre-.
pared for the extraction of the silver.
The metals which existed formerly in
the ore in the shape of sulpharets are
changed into chlorides, and of course
the ore is in such a state of disintegra-
tion that water will percolate through
it easily. In fact,iit is prepared for
teaching, the final purpose of all these
manipulations.
The chloridized moist pulp is now
hauled by means of cars to, and
dumped into the teaching watts. Their
capacity is about ten tons each.
Water is introduced from the bottom.
1t rises to the surface, is diluted with
more water on top and then allowed to
drain out from the bottom of the
tanks. As fast as the water passes out
| of the watts, near their bottoms, new
quantities are directed onto the surface
of the ore until clean water issues from
the bottom of the tanks. The purpose
Of this teaching with water is to get
rid of ak the base metal, chlordes and
soluble sulphates, which, if not leached
out prior to introduction of the hypo-
sulphite solution, would contaminate
the latter and soon spoil it, and
| besides, and chiefly, would contami-
nate the silver sulphides later 40 be
obtained. This water containing the
base metal chlorides contains also
traces of silver and some copper.
Both are obtained together in solid
shape by precipitating this aqueous
solution like the silver solution with
sulphide of calcium and sulphuric
acid. After the copper and silver sui
phides have settled the clear water
containing zinc salt and glauber salt is
run to waste. The pulp in the leach
ing watts is now free of the base metal
chlorides. Then teaching with hypo-
sulphite solution begins. Said solution
contains fromsone to two per cent of
hyposulphitc of soda and some lypo-
sulphite of lime. 1t is rpp into the top
of the pulp, dissolving the silver and
carrying it in solution to where it is
directed. The argcntiferous solution
is run into 3,000.g gallon tanks (precipi
tating tanks).E There are two sets of
these precip;,ating tanks The first
series of five such tanks receives the
argentiferous liquor direct from the
teaching watts. To each thankful of
| liquor obtained, a certain quantity of
Stacked lime is added, enough Of it to
precipitatc any lead which may have
been dissolved s.ong with the silver.
The lead is precipitated as II hydrate
of oxide of lead and the lime itself is
thrown down as gypsum. Both settle
very rapidly, forming a white mass
containing over fifty per cent of lead
and forming a first class lead ore.
The silver is kept in solution, lime
having none or only slight effect on
the silver still in solution. The argen-
tiferous solution, row practically free
of lead, is run into the second series of
3,eG0. gallon precipitating tanks, where
the silver is precipitated by adding a
sufficient amount of sulphate of cal
cium to just precipitate the silver
contained in the solution. A vigorous
stirring of the contents OF the tank
follows for, say, ten minutes after
which it is allowed to settle. 1t settles
rapidly, and after n short time it is
clear and ready ror use. At is run off
| into collection tank, whence it is
pumped up into two storage tanks,
where it is kept prior to its running
on the ore in the teaching watts. The
liquor or solution is now ready to com
mence a new course of its usefulness.
In each case where Il precipitation
takes place, be it hydrate of oxide OF
lead, sulphide of silver or splphide of
copper, vigorous stirring is necessary,
after which, settling of the precipitate
promptly takes place. The sulphide
OF copper, with some silver, is dried,
sacked and awaits shipment to a
market, the lead precipitate will be
run into lead bars, while the sulphide
of silver is from time to time dried,
roasted, mclted and rum into silver
bars.
There is one Blake erasher, four
Stetefeldt shelf dry kilns for drying
ore, and one for drying salt; tkey all
AZ f.. 1,