Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-04-04

10 regarded as fluxing and l am fully
persuaded that such process may be
perfected in such degree as to make it,
in all its applications, more saving and
economical for silver than is any of the
wet processes now in use.
The conditions necessary for the prac-
teal working Of such process appear
to be:
/. An ore mixture which can be
melted;
2. The presence of sufficient guam
tity of matte forming metals to
separate from the Stag;
3. The presence ofan excess of sulphur;
SO that free sulphur may be lib
Grated by the heat in furnace. to
combine with any metal reduced
from the oxides in the charge or
previously existing in the metallic
state.
1t is of this last and most important
condition, the neglect of which may
cause loss or failure, that believe that
ment. The Welsh smelters, it is true,
attend TO this matter in their furnace
mixtures, but nowhere have / found, in
my limited reading, any explanation, or
even any suggestion that there might be
a reason for the practice.
Ifthere be no free sulphur. then any
reduced metal must remain in the
metallic state, and so be nearly as soluble
in the Stag as in the matte. The less
the quantity of metal so reduced the
finer will be its state of division and the
greater the proportionate loss. Gold
and silver will be the first free metals
and the last.
The necessity for the sulphur. where
enough reduced metal cannot be formed
TO make, as in the lead process, its own
collection, is then apparent. How are
we to secure it?
In order to certainly secure this excess Of
sulphur, a portion Of the charge must con-
tain raw pyrttes, the 5ismphtde Of iron.
From which the heat of fusion will lib
crate just one half it's sulphur.
AS the very first business of the
roasting process is to drive of or burn
up this super abundant sulphur, it is
obvious that charge should never con-
sist entirely of roasted ore. From this
fact. deem the name "raw smelling
most appropriate for the process here
suggested, which is substantially nm
iron matte process.
Let it be distinctly understood that
the sulphdes which may remain 10 par.
TALLY roasted ore are stable and will no,
yield any sulphur to metallic silver oil
lead, that the decomposition of the sui.
phuric acid of sulphates cannot be de-
pended upon to furnish sulphur for thi,
purpose, that the presence or production
of reduced metal will be fatal to SUGGEST
and that metallic oxides, as of iron
which pass into combination with tn,
Stag do not appropriate sulphur; ther
the use of the raw ore Will be apparent
The first metals reduced, or those whicl
may be already in the metallic state
gold, silver. copper and lead, will Ger
tainly be the ones to appropriate tn
sulphur liberated from pyrites used a
suggested and, since sulphdes are free
ly soluble in sulphides, those valuabl
metals may thus be concentrated an,
saved and the loss from metallic atom
ization may be prevented.
The formation of iron saws" woul
also be prevented and the use of the ex
ternal forehearth might be dispense
with.
In making this presentati on of pract
cal principles, limits of space forbid an
more extensive details of theory.
have necessarily, written in somewh a
desultory manner, for l am not attempt
ing to present an elaborated process. bu
only to offer such ideas and suggestion
as have occurred to me as most pert
nent and useful giving especial prom
inence to such as have been expert
mentally proven.
To Mr.. Bartlett, in the article befor
referred to, undoubtedly belongs TIA
nohoT OF Hrsb giving 10 tDe puoilc q
idea of what will. in the near future. b
known as the Great Iron Silver Process
This honor l had hoped for until nov
but credit to whom it is due. Let IN
still hope that / may at least contribut
my mite toward the development {
practical working.
ITO ba continued