The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-06-24
TREATING GOLD ORE.
Alternately Roasting and "Quenching" the
Quartz TO soften 1t.

Quartz TO soften 1t.
There are two general methods Of
separating gold from the rock with
which it is associated in vein. In
both the ore is crushed to a certain
degree of fineness, greater or less
according to circumstances. The
stuff is then washed with water over
a layer of mercury, with which the
gold amalgamates, or else (perhaps
after preliminary roasting) mixed
with chemical solution which dis
solves the precious metal. Subse-
quently the gold is recovered from
the amalgam or the solution by fur
ther treatment. In the system in
which quicksilver is employed there
is always a certain loss of the pre-
cious metal. Inasmuch as the rock
is exceedingly hard, usually quartz,
it is subjected TO heavy hammering
in the final stage of pulverization,
and in consequence some Of the
particles of gold are fiattened into
tiny plates or saucers and float away
with the wash water. Then, too,
the mechanical separation is not
quite perfect, and a little of the gold
still remains imbedded in the mi
mute bits of rock which go off as ref
use, or "tailings." AS it is usually
a rather high grade ore which is
handled in this way, the loss is apt
to be disregarded. But there has
been a great tendency toward more
economical methods of late years,
and some of the chemical processes
now in vogue are well adapted to
the treatment both of "tailings"
and low grade ores.
Attention has recently been di-
rected in England and Australia to
still another plan for insuring the re-
covery of very large percentage of
the gold originally existing in the
ore. The main idea involved, that Of
breaking up the quartz by alternate
ly heating and cooling it, is old, but
some of the details of the process
are new, and it is claimed for the so
called "oreatomic' system that it
is more successful than any previous
attempt in the same direction.
In the preliminary crushing the
rock is brought down only to small
Jumps of convenient size, and not to
actual powder The material is then
inclosed in chamber from which
the outside air is carefully excluded,
and the chamber is placed in fur
mace, in which, besides the fuel, there
are pieces Of redhot iron. A jet of
steam is thrown upon both the coal
(or coke) and iron, and the result
is the development of water gas and
hydrogen. These gases have access
to the chamber and prevent the oxi-
dization of the metal. Indeed if
there be any oxide in the ore it is
reduced by the hydrogen. Any
sulphur which may be present is
also eliminated, passing off in
the form of sulphureted hydrogen
After the ore has remained in the
heated chamber for a time, whose
length varies according to the COM
position of the rock, it is suddenly
"quenched" by the injection of cold
water Inasmuch as the fragments
into which this first chill breaks up
the quartz are not as small as could
be desired, the water is drained off
and the series of operations is re-
peated several times. Finally the
contents of the chamber are dumped
into tank. When the ore is cool
enough to be taken between the fin
gers, it crumbles into powder easily.
No heavy stamps are required to
pulverize the substance now. 1t is
alleged that there is absolutely no
loss in the form of float gold and
no oxidization, and therefore that
all of the precious metal originally
in the ore may be recovered. |
York Tribune.
The Kaleidoscope.