The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-07-23

this is removed, and the valve opened
The operation of the process is as
follows:
The ore is crushed, using as little
water as possible-about one of ore to
one of water, (which we call 100 per cent
water) is suitable for our ore, and which
makes thick batter. This runs, and
is scraped by chain conveyor along a
trough, and is emptied into one of the
agitator vats. 1t is kept in slow mo-
tion to prevent settling, by an ordinary
agitator shaft and four arms Suspend
ed from above, but not piercing the
tank from below until the agitator is
filed to a mark previously established
as giving the proper amount for a
charge. Then the flowing pulp is turn
ed into another agitator. When pre-
cipitating vat is ready, it is charged by
opening 4 in. valve, allowing the agi-
tator charge before mentioned) to flow
through trough to the precipitating
vat 1t is filled in few minutes, and
the chemicals are put in. For our ore
they consist of 2ls to 3lbs of X Cy and
lbs of salt per ton. The charge is
pit in this vat in motion about 20
revolutions per minute) for III y hours.
A charge is counted as 81 tons, making
the capacity of one vat as tons per "a
hours. The electric current is turned
~, b,, &, cu;toh nocoac Iovu,, tho n u;to
tor shaft of the vat to the annode plate
and through the liquid for few inches
to the quicksilver beneath, decompos-
ing the solution of cyanide and precip-
itating the gold and silver onto the
quicksilver, where it is Immediately
amalgamated. At the end of 111s hours
in gate valve in the side of the vat
"a few. inches above the bottom-is
opened, and the pulp, (then tailings)
flows out. No extra water is used to
wash out the remainder, but the dis
charge valve is closed, and the vat is
ready for new charge. This is repeat
ed with all the other watts. The plant
requires . men per shift. This includes
the engineer, but not the battery and
Huntington mill men.
We have found it best to clean up
twice per month-to prevent the mer-
curry becoming too rich-which seems
to make higher tailings. In cleaning
up two extra men are needed. After a
charge is discharged, clear water is
turned into the precipitating vat, the
valve kept open, and the residue washed
out-excepting few buckets of sand
which will hang. Then the agitator
shaft is stopped by running the belt
upon loose pulley, the iron valve be-
low the bottom opened, men get into
the vat with brooms and sweep the |
sand and water, quicksilver and thin |
amalgam to the discharge hole. 1t runs
down an inclined trough into the clean
up pan. Usually around the outer
part of fhe pan bottom, a kettle full
OR so Of fairly hard amalgam is found
similar to that which is scraped from
parts of an amalgamating pan. From
the cleanup pan the amalgam and
quick is drawn off and strained through
conical duck sacks as at any pan mill
It is retorted and melted as usual, fur
nishing bullion about $50 fine in gold
and silver.
From the preceding it will be seen
that the process is Key solvent pro-
cess, but the method of collecting the
gold and silver is by electrical precip-
itation.
1t should be mentioned that part of
the delay in installing the new process
was due to the struggle to fit it to as
much as possible of the old mill ma
and also that this has result
sd somewhat to the disadvan tage of
the Pelatan-C -Clerici process.
would call particular attention to
The following which seems essential.
If the pulp is not kept thick enough
and fine enough, a layer of sand forms
IN the surface of the quicksilver, which
seems to prevent the deposition of the
gold and silver. The pulp should be
,ery thick like batter, about l to l of
ore and water. This can be best Sc
,ured by Huntington mill. We find
hat a #. Huntington mill will crush
lbout 30 tons of our ore daily through
| 30 mesh screen to n consistency of .
pulp of 100 of ore to So of water. A I
stamp battery, speed 95, 30 mesh, has
lifficulty in discharging such thick
pulp. We find the limit to be about
90 of ore to 120 of water. Usually ,
'ulp from battery is 100 of ore to 275 {
n more, of water). With our double {
discharge mortars and "a mesh screen, I
lnr stamns hava had nrdinarilu n nan