The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-09

dous Importance and conclusvey settles
the much-mocted question as to the envi-
ronment of gold. viz. as To whether all
gold is free from chemical union. This test
is said TO have been a perfect demonstra-
ton Of the free gold theory. and eliminates
all further need of heat or chemicals In
the extraction OF gold. 1t was freely as
serted by mining men present, this morn
ing. that the Hicks process will have start
ling results in the worlds mining affairs
and will supplant all other forms or gold
extraction the world over.
The demonstration which has aroused so
much enthusiasm from all VINO witnessed
II was made with one thousand pounds Of
gold ore from the Dahlonega, Georgia
mines. II was ground fine, down 10 100
mesh, condition which. under the old pro-
cess, would have left the tailings far richer
than the amalgam. BY far the larger pro-
portion of the gold would have fioated of
with the water. and in most processes
would have been wholly lost. Of the 1000
pounds, 80 pounds were powdered ore as
saying 81. 900 TO the ton and $50 pounds as
saying so TO the ton. This was watered TO
the consistency Of slime, it's technical name,
and poured into the rotary cast-iron cylin-
der 20 inches in diameter and 10 feet in
length. and copper-ined. This cylinder con-
tains smaller one, rotating on cogs with
in, by gravitation, and copper covered.
There were about coo pounds of quick sill
yer, in which this smaller cylinder turned,
constantly stirring the mass and causing
contact OF the quicksilver and the gold in
the slime as fast as admitted. The cylin-
ders were rotated by steam power, and IL
Is estimat ted that the gold in the ore ira
Versed twenty-siX miles OF quicksilver sur
face instead of the twelve TO twenty feet of
the ordinary plate of stamp mills and 9TH
er reducerS. Steam suction carried OF the
nOnamalgamable solution TO a Whitley table.
a Well-knOwn mining machine where the
concentrates. sulphurets iron pyrites, silica.
some quicksilver and other elements were
separated, and all saved-the tailingS flow
ing off to trough If gold were in chem
iCal union. this trough would receive a
valuable portion of the precious metal in
the flour state, because in such union il
could not have yielded to its affinity for
the quicksilver and ii would become
4ioat' gold This fact has made IL unprOfit-
able 10 work refractory or lOw-grade ores.
But the assay of the tailings from this
demonstration shows so small a trace of
and the mining experts here are, conse-
quently, in a state of excitement. They are
much more interested in the assay of the
tailings than in the values held in the ANAL
gam. Ii is not the value of from the
Dahlonega mines they are interested in,
but how much was left in the tailings from
a process invented on the theory that all
gold is free gold and is separable without
heat or chemicals by cheap unchemical
process and this. they say, was done by
the Hicks machine, which is itself, not
costly. They freely predicted a revolution
In mining methods the world over
The Hicks process is owned by a COM
pany of capitalists living in Fort Wayne.
Toledo and Columbus, o.. Chicago and in
California. 1t is capitalized at 50. $1,000,
and stock is now quoted at 90. Many Fort
Wayne people have options at 20. John III.
Bass has a one-sixth interest. and the Bass
foundry VIII manufacture the extractor. 1t
is already protected by patents in the
United States. Canada, Mexico, Australia