The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1903-12-02
EXPERT DISCUSSION
CYANIDE PROCESS.

most interesting OF all OF thOst
known to metallurgical science
For many years prior to its practical
application in the treatment of ores
II was known that dilute solutions o
cyanide OF potassium would dissolve
minute PARTICLES Of gold. Patent,
were taken out for IA process to treat
ores by this method, and since the
first patents were taken out there has
been "a score or more of patents issued
In the various countries of the world
for notifications of the original pro-
"ess. No other process has stimu.
ated the inventive faculties of those
engaged In Its practice to such an
extent. fhe devices for the chemical
manipulation and mechanical hand.
ling Of the pulp are numerous, and
many of these processes are successful !
on certain classes of ore, while others
are equally 80 on other ores.
The one element which has pre-
sented the greatest difficulty, aside
from certain base minerals contained
In ores which render them difficult of
treatment by the cyanide method, IL
the satisfactory working and mechan-
ical handling of shines. These are
treated at the various works In u va.
riety Of ways. In one locality slim.
ing the ore is avoided IN far M pos
sible. In another no objection IL
found In shines. At, one mill the
shines are separated from the sands
and each class IL treated separately;
the former by percolation, the latter
by the numerous schemes devised by
the ingenious operators. At another
mill shines aud sands are treated to.
Rether and the operators report no
difficulty. The fact that
It IL ~, proves that the ores Of va
rious mining districts differ In u
degree, but that this physical
difference is not always perceptible
to the eye. .....
The principal difficulty In treating
shines and sands together Is reported
to be due To the fact that an even
of the two classes of
material Is difficult to obtain. A
slight interference In the flow of pulp
into the tanks: anv temporary stop.
page In the supply from the mill, re-
suits In the formation Of u thin
floor" Of more or loss imperv,ous
shines on the bed OF sand beneath.
A series Of such interfcrences usually
results In producing several thin
sheets In succession, intercnlated
with the sands, rendering percolatjon
slow IL not impossible. To overcome
this difficulty various kinds of dis.
tributors have been devised and are
In successful operation. Where the
sands and shines are separated before
treatment. the sands rarely offer any
difficulty In the passage Of solutions,
but the shines problem IL an ever
present one, and numerous aud in
Henions ARE the devices improvised
and applied In attempts tn success.
fully meet the troublesome problem
Decantation Of solutions has been
successfully practiced on tale ores
where the shines were Of inflnitesimal
iiueness. BY successfully is meant
commercial success. though the tail
ings may still contain forty or fifty
per cent of the original values. !
Where decantation Is practiced the
solution is clarified by the addition
of lime To the charge. As u matter
pf course this leaves u thick sludge
In the bottom, which contains gold
solution. The only way In
which an additional portion Of these
,nlues cun he economically sayed is