The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-26

tacles for the concentrates and the laun-
ders TO carry off the tailings, the ac-
cOmpanylng illustration shows all that
thera is TO the process. a process that
mas little in common with the ordinary
methods of separating the gangue from
the metallic particles by water concen-
tration, other than the use of water In
working out his process Mr.. Macquisten
based his experiments on the fact that
the metallic and sub-metallic character
istics of the various metals in sulphide
ores, aided by their glossy and generally
greasy surfaces, were imperVious 10 wa
ter, while the gangue-quartz, spar or
what not-was generally absorbent. He
discovered also that the sustaining pow
er Of and tension of the surface of Wa
ter was sufficient to carry quite a load
Of any substance that the water would
not absorb. With good understanding
of these matters he went to work with
a purpose OF devising a plan TO collect
the values in sulphide ores by a method
that would be at once simple and in
expensive 10 operate. The result is the
perfection of the direct concentrating
process" shown in the illustration
Picture of the Concentrator.
A glance at the illustration wiz show
a number Of iron tubes arranged in a
frame. one horizontal row below the
other. The inner surface OF these tubes
which, for ordinary purposes. are con-
structed four feet long and eight inches
in diameter, carry a continuous spiral
rib, plainly seen in the picture. Above
the ends showing the rotating mechan
ism are fixed the feed hoppers and water
taps, from which the cylinders are fed
with the required quantity of crushed ore
and water to perform the function OF
washing out the metal from the gangue.
At the foot of the tube or cylinder box
device is attached This has head and
tail gates that can be raised or lowered
SO to hold the water at a certain
level in the cylinder, preferably about
M distance from
tom. At the lower or discharge end OF
the cylinder IS a trap in the bottom
through which the tailings are allowed
10 pass, as they fall back from the side
of the tube shortly after they leave the
surface OF the water in their climb to-
ward the top. This climbing and falling
process is constantly going on from one
end of the tube TO the other and the
metallic particles are constantly being eX-
posed and caught by the surface or the
water, on which they float off over the
head and tail gates Of the, gauge boN.
while the thoroughly soaked gangoe
pierces the water and rolls back TO the
bottom. where at the end OF the TUBE,
il is discharged into the talllngs laun-
ders or in a launder that carries IT baek
and starts il through the corresponding
tube below for another washing; TINS
is in cases where a clean saving is not
accomplished in the first tube.
Demonstration on Copper Ore.
one tube was on chalcopyrite ore, crushed
To sixty mesh from the Glasgow < West
ern cOmpanys Adelaide mine. The con-
centrates covered the water like scum
of gold leaf and when collected they re.
sembled for all the world a mixture or
gold paint such as Is used for deco
ratiVe purposes. Not particle OF gangue
could be seen in the concentrates with
q strong magnifying glass, while not
particle of ore could be seen in the tall
ings Ii was a wonderful exhibition Elk
hibits of ores from all over the world.
with their concentrates and taiings. are
TO be seen at Mr.. Macquisten's labora-
tory and they are worth looking at.
one of these four-foot tubes will handle
four tons of crushed ore IN tWenty-Iour
hours and the section or mil SHOWN N
the picture even though the ore had 70
mass through three tubes to get the best
results, would handle sixteen tons. IL
would occupy a floor space or ABOUT SIX
feet and could be built up or down 10
anv height or depth desired in actual
practice Mr.. Macquisten states that a
mill built to use this process VIII not re
quire more than one-fourth the ground
space necessary for the usual process con-
centrating mills and that. because OF its
simplicity and compactness, less than one
fourth the number of men required 10
handle the ordinary mill need be employed
10 handle this. II requires corresponds
ingIv small amount of power to operate
il and, as there is practically nothing
about il to wear out the cost of mainte-
nance is next to nothing.
Testing Works TO Be Built.
In actual practice at the Golconda
mines a closer saving of values is being
maintained than could possibly be hoped
for by the usual wet processes. and the
inventor is ready to guarantee better re-
suits in ores sulphide in character than
can be secured by any of the old wet con-
centrating methods. In the near future
the American Direct Concentrating com
psuv. which owns the rights 10 this pro
cess i'm this country Will build a regula-
ton testing works in this city.
''When that is done" said Mr. Macquls-
ten ''ores will be taken for testing in
small and large lots just as they are
in other testing works. After the flrst
trial. in which il will be determined
whether the ore is susceptible to treat
ment by the process the producer VIII
be invited to send in a quantity. On
nortion Of this. we shall make run;
then the owner will be invited to take
charge of the mill and make run on
his own account If the results obtained
bv him correspond to the results secured
bv us. he will necessarily have to be con
vinced that the process will do the work
and that he ca I make it 90 II. Then ne
can equip his property without running
anv risk Of failure. That, we believe. VIII
he sure way of gaining prestige III
the embarrassing world