Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-06-03
CYANEDENG.
The Treatment Of Copper Bearing Gold
Ores By Solution.
Mining and Scientific Press.

Mining and Scientific Press.
The treatment Of gold-bearing
ores, in which no elements are
distinctly recognized as detri-
mental to the cyanide treatment
Of ores, has made great advance
ment since it was first introduced
about fifteen years ago. Know
ledge has been gained by a broad
and constantly increasing exper-
ience, and also to a great extent
through the careful and eXhaus-
tive research and experimental
ton Of specialists in this depart
ment of metallurgy. Ores con-
tanning copper in any other form
than the unaltered fresh sulphide
(chalcopyrite) have, however.
been recognized as offering many
drawbacks to the successful ap-
plication Of the cyanide process
in extracting the gold values con-
tanned in such ores. For years
it has been known that ammonia,
when associated with cyanide of
potassium solutions, had a desir-
able effect in the treatment of
gold ores containing copper. AS
early as 1884 j. w. Simpson filed
application for patent to treat
gold-bearing ores by the combi-
nation of potassium cyanide, am
monia and salt. The language
Of his patent application is in
part as follows:
To carry my invention into eff
feet, | first grind or crush the
ore containing the metal to be
extracted to a powder of more or
less fineness. This powder is
then treated with certain salts in
solution adapted to combine chem
ically with the metals in said ore
and form Herewith a soluble salt.
After thorough agitation to mix
the solution with the ore, the
mixture is allowed to stand until
the solid matter is settled and the
solution has become clear. then
suspend a piece or plate Of zinc
therein, which causes the metal
dissolved in the salt solution to
be precipitated thereon, from
which it can be removed by scrap
ing or dissolving the zinc in sui
phuric or hydro-chloric acid. The
= precipitated metal may then be
melted into a button.
The salt solution [ use for dis
solving the metal from the ore is
composed Of one pound of cyanide
} Of potassium, one ounce carbonate
of ammonia, one-half ounce chic
ride of sodium, and sixteen quarts
of water, or other quantities ir
about the same proportions.
This solution is practically
S adapted for ores containing gold,
= silver and copper in the form OF
sulphurets.
For an ore containing golC
Y and copper only I use cyanide OF
e potassium and carbonate of am
monia about in the proportion,
named.
For ores rich in silver I en-
ploy proportionately larger
e quantity of chloride of sodium.
q am aware that cyanide oil
. potassium, when used in connec
ton with an electric current, ha:
e been used for dissOlving metal
n and also that zinc has been EN-
ployed as a precipitant, and tn,
-, use of those I do not wish to bt
understood as claiming broadly
g Il am also aware that carb0naJ,
J.. of ammonia has been employed
for dissolving such metals as ar,
soluble in q solution thereof, anC
the use Of this [ do not claim; bu'
o what I do claim new is:
1t The process of separating gOlC
It and silver from their ores, which
. consists in subjecting the ore t.
- the action of a solution of cyanid,
. Of potassium and carbonate O
r. ammonia, and subsequently pre-
e cipitating the dissolved metal
e substantially as set forth. "
I There are other processes al