Mohave County miner., 1893-01-21
Picks Out the Cold and S,jver.

on the cyanide procses Of extracting gold
and silver from the ores. Much of the
literature has been of such a highly
scientific nature ss 10 oe unint.lliglbl. 10
the average PRACTICAL miner and general
reader. A. the subject is al interesting
one, from both n scientific aud economic.
uoInt oi view, brief description ol the
practiasl workings oi the process will be
ot interest To practical miners, especially
ihus- having ore To which Ih. proc.ss IT.
xi.pri
Srpp~d vi all its I~chuicalny It is
SIMPLY pr"cess 0l Irscliing.
The soInIion Used ss'' Ims 10 have the
exact chemical cUnst,Iusncy VI searching
uut snh taking np gold smd silver from
lh-r ,r-- ui eIIher r0ck ~ has. ,n.,.,,
NIthout d-cJrupJsiug or altering the ap
I,rITsnce Ui the ore. in all pr.vluu,
treatment OF o'es by chemical process il
has '~en me' ess .ry, Ur at least, the pro
e. - detonpus-d and DESTROYED the
ba-es vi the ore in which the preciou.
metals were contained. IL this respect
the cyanide process is somewhat ~
IN rkabl- and decidedly economical. A
line Illustration vi the process Is Al ex
prfIn ntsl contrivance nov IL operation
on the concentrate: from the Golden
Uh-st mill The contriyanre consists
slmply OF = number Of b ureis set up 10
jT-l the stme way as the old fashioned
.sh barrel u.ed Tor IN ,kng I've. In these
barrels sr. pat The ore, which in lhi.
rAs. is pyrires Of iron. con :entrated from
the qnIdz IN tn mill. o. top OF these
rOnc.ntr .,.s ~ the barrels is poured a
u pr cent. solution vi cysnhie OF pot
AssIum, which Ir.rcolAt.s through The
matter ani ~ 'llosed to run If through
he top At the hoviom.
fhe -oin'ion ia harmless looking. h.v.
Ins the apIraranr- Uf Elightly t rtnd Wa.
I..r, .rd the peculiar feature il, tha
rlttI-r The urr nor the soluii,n under.
so-- any rhange of appearance IN the
rroc-~~ As thu solution drains away
it,m he h,ri~,s j. passes Ghrough a .eF.
I-- ot .m III rSmk4 cont aiming shAvings Vi
zine, Which pfecipirA's ih'. gold IN sus-
IH.n~tou ~ il,o solution After cpnsid-
-rar,r Quantity Vi Ilte solution hAs pas ri
rn",n.h The sInc.rharsed vatr, the zInc
r.r-, ONES Inadsd Sitn gold, Shich Is taken
on' and a ire-h supply II zinc put in Ls
place. and after suffi lent rolutIun has
passed through the ore TO have searched
our and Z ,TrIrd "f all The soli contained
in the bss.' metals, a i'esh supply Is put
IN The barrels.
THE feature VI The process that recon-
in-udS il is It's cheapness AID simplicity,
a. The -O!uliYn loser bnt lii :l- VI It's e.
--ntIal element, and can be used all III
i. ii iie number ui times. The theory If
the chrmirsl action Vi the solution upUn
ih- metals l. soinew hat difficult 10 com
pI-h-ud, bat the u liking of the elements
rnn0 .,inei therein IA the highest at ain
iD1pt Il stirnIiiic kill IN the extraction
Il suld from iO.k or other metsls. The
result ~a- attained 10y determining The
IN, wen tine different metals and their
- y,.nts
Il a la n hs
c--- con.isls Ia pU,i'i,e AID Negative
prVperiIe- Of III. C>aml'!e Oi Potassium,
which Is compo-. d Of fWn nrgaIiV.s-
'iI,Usen aud caThUD--a hIch ioIms
"y.nCgen, and acting as An element,
dnIres with Dot ssssium, positive elc.
menf. CyanUgtm Cannot exist perma-
n-Ttly oy ItrelI. aud requires pot tsriuin
ur -O.He highly pOsitive element 10 mold
u. Potassium, being "a very po.iiINe and
penetrating substance, seeks out the
must neg gaii,e Deiais. The cyanoeen at
lacks and dssoives the gold, but the
potassium dct- a. the searching agent.
The mort pecuii ~ and essential feature
vi toe vruress ~ the Iact that the solvent
h.. preferences ior gold and other met
ais n.x, ~ their scale. 20 that If only the
gold u( The ore il wanted the strength
OF the -oIutiom must he kept weakened for
that metal, aud it other metals are need
ell, the strength Of the solution is in-
creased. The solution undergoes no par
tcular change by being used, its strength
being reducrd only TO the extent OF y
slight x,dlz .lion Of the potassium.
THE ore thus treated in the instance
mentioned ia mostly a snlphide Of ron.