The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-03
SAVING sULPHURETs.
Modification of the Old Process of
Treating Gold Ores.

The methods employed for saving
sulphurets in gold mills has undergone
but little change for many years until
quite recently, which is the more re-
markable since a, number of persons
have been almost exclusively engaged
in trying to perfect mechanical contri-
vances to accomplish the profitable saw
ing of them.
Mr.. /. 3. Rogers, mining engineer,
says in the Mining and Metallurgical
Journal, that the treatment Of sulphur
cts after concentration has been modi-
fed in some localities by the introduce
ton and substitution of the cyanide
process for the chlOrination method of
roasting and precipitation, also in using
mechanically stirred furnaces instead
of the usual reverberatory hearth
worked by hand; but, generally speak
ing, the old methods have not been ma
terially changed.
1t must be confessed that the invent
ors or adapters of cOncentrators have
shown but little originality for the
work accomplished by them seems to
have consisted almost wholly in copy
ing each other as nearly as possible, re-
sulting in the introduction of q number
OF machines, all very similar in a gem
eral way, but differing somewhat in the
details of construction.
These machines are known to the
public as the F'rue, Woodbury., Johns
ton, Hendy, Union, Ellis and Springer
Commentators, and a few others of the
same class, consisting of a slowly
moving endless rubber or canvas belt,
having a side or end shake.
These cOncentrators turn out a pro-
duct very imperfectly separated from
the sands or silica of the quartz crush
ed in the battery, and require close and
intelligent attention while in operation
in order to avoid serious losses of val
liable SulphuretS, and especially of the
fine shines. which usually carry the
most valuable metals, sometimes float
gold, not caught in the mortar or by
the copper tables outside of the same.
What this loss amounts to would as
toniSh mine-OWners, could they be
truthfully informed. but in most in
stances the actual losses occasioned by
poor concentration and poorer manage
ment is enough to more than pay the
cost of mining and milling.
Belt concentrators, similar to the kind
mentioned, were first used and dis
carded in Germany and Austria many
years ago, long before their introduce
ton to this country. The original Frue
machine was a close copy of the Ger
man contrivance. and, since it's intro
duction to the United States, all i'm
provements in the construction of them
has had to do with changes in the ma
terial and structure of the endless belt,
and the mechanical contrivances used
for regulating the speed and shaking
motion, the general operation of the
machines and the results obtained, has
made little or no advance, nor are they
ever likely TO, as they only mark one
over the old style sluice |
rifle and blanket.
In Europe. where the close and eco
nomical concentration of low grade ga
lena. copper and other ores has been /
reduced to almost an exact science, |
of the belt type find no |
place.
Hartz and Clausthal jigs, hydraulic |
sizers, Rittengen percussion, and the |
various types of slime tables and bud