New-York tribune., 1896-12-26
4 NEW SYSTEM or TREATING GUILD Ohh'

AITERNATELY ROASTING AND "QrEN'HiNE'
THE QUARTZ TO SOFTEN 1T.
There are two general methods of separating gold
from the rock with which it is associated III
,e,n In both the ore Is crushed to certain de-
gree Of fnenes, greater or less. according 10 CIT
cunstarces The stuff Is then washed Win water
oyer laver OF mercury. with which 'he eo'u
amalgamates or else (perhaps after preliminary
roasting) mixed with chemical solution which
dissolyes the precious metal. Subsequently the goii
f. recovered from the analgam or the solution py
further treatment In tho system In w..ch quick
silver is employed there Is always certain loss oil
The preciol:- metal. Inasmuch as the rock Is eN-
c,edingy hard. usually quart. 1t l. subJec'd u
heavy hammerng in the fna! stage OF pulVerza-
ion. and I'm consequence some OF the par'cies VI
gold are fattened into tiny plates or saucers and
float away with the wash water. Then TOO inc
mechanical separation is not quite perfect ana
little OF the gold still remains imbedded III the
minute bits OF rock which go off as refuse. or
"tanings" As It is usI ally a rather high-grade
ore which is handled in this way. the loss is apt
to be disregarded But there has been great
tendency toward more economical methods OF late
years and some or the chemlcal processes % noW ~
vogue we'll adapted 10 the treatment boln OF
'tailings" and low grade ores. . d,
and Australia. to still another plan FOR insurlng
originally existing In the The main idea in
volved. that Of breaking mp IN" liaftH 10y IIlei
the details OF the process are new ana IL Is claned
for IN. sO-c1lled "Ore-atOHic' system that II Is
more successful than any previous attempt III the
same direction.
I'm the preliminary crushing the rock t. brought
down only TO small humps Of convenient size. and
not to actual powder. The material * th"n m
closed in a chamber from which the outside air IL
carefully excluded. and III" chamber Is placed IN
"A furnace in which. beside the fuel. there are
pieces of red-hot iron \ Jet of steam is thrown
upOn botl the Tor cokeb and iron. ana the re-
suit Is the development OF water gas and hydrogen.
These gases have access 10 the chamber ana pre-
vent the oxidizafOn Of the metal Indeed. II there
bc any oxide in the II Is 'reduccd' by the
hydrogen ANY sulphur which may hr present l.
also eliminate passing of in the form Of SUI
phurctt,. hydrogen After the ore has remained
H. the heated chamber for a time who's" lenStn
is suddenly 'quenched' by the injection OF cold
water Inasmuch the fragments TO which inns
first chill breaks up the quartz are not as small
~ could be desired the water s drained or and
the series OF operations Is repeated several times.
FINALLY I'M. contents of the chamber are dumped
into "A tank. When the ore Il cool enough TO be
taken between the fingers. II crumbes into powder
easily No heavy stamps required 10 pulycrizc
the substance IL l. alleged that there Is alb
solutely no loss in the form OF float gold and
mo- oxidation and therefore that all OF the
precious metal originally In the or" may be- re-
covered.
I'm some experiments recently made with the
ore-aiomlc system In London. samples of Cripple
Creek and West Australian ores were treated. An
English weekly publication. Invention" dec lares
Thai disinterrstcd experts were present ana as
sisted in IN. tests IL adds: In every respect the
demonstrated the correctness OF the principle in
volyed" II is announced that the West Australian
U ;old District Corporation has bought the right
TO use the ore-atcmic system.