Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-25
EXPLAINS POTTER
Fl0TAT|ON PROCESS
Australian Method OF Treating Refrac-
tory Ores Containing Zinc BY
Means of This Method.

An interesting account OF the Potter
process OF treating refractory ores mas
been written by Gen. Frank Hall IN
the Denver Post. The process he says
has been Of great service to the Brok-
en- Hin mine in Australia, where
great body of refractory ore started
experiments that have advanced rapid
ly. In part Gen. Hall says:
John Il. Mason. just from Australia.
where he made careful study OF an
the improved processes Introduced
states 10 she writer that he has seen
what Is known as the Improved Pot
Ter F1otation process" in operation. TINS
Is the greatest discovery for treating
complex and low grade products that
has been evolved in that country. IL
was discov by g. v Potter OF Mel
bourne and is now In very general use
in that country. II consists OF trea,,
ing ores. tailings, residues, etc, crushed
10 "A f,ne condition. with heated solu-
tions containing from one To two per
cent of free sulphuric acid, In SUIT
able vessel, so that "A continuous hota-
tion OF the sulphides ~ produced, anu
simultaneously "a continuous settlne oi
the gangue This operation u conduct
cd In a vessel In the form of spli@-
hasten" the ore and solution being
: continuously fed in at the TOP. iiio
settIed sangue with u little solution IL
discharged through suitaple orhiCe
at the pointed bottom, WINE wv
f,oated sulphides are carried py ~
overfiow TO settling watts. inc Hulpnlu,
concentrates and the gangue are drained
OF the adherlng solution ana oed' WIN
according to their nature. -
The method Is this: While the notd
tion Of the sulphides can be plouucs"
nv the action OF various gases the
tive gas is chiefly carbon dloNiue Nv
rived from the carbonates alreauy Ss
tanned In the ore or intenuohas 49,,
thereto The ore or tailings to De uea
"a sre crushed to 40 mesh ana niNeu
MIN from 1 10 & per cent OF oil sions
,,J,h 10 per cent Of water Wn.o.
tcciiitstes the mixture. The acldula,eu
so;,,t,on OF the required strength IL CIR
cnlated continuously through the
arator and the stump vat nelhs 1880 1880
10 near boiling point ~ steam ''''
cd into the compartment
FED CONTINUOUSLY
The prepared ore lie fed continuously
into a sepa rating compartment ana
comes In contact with the ascending
stream OF hot acid solution. The sep
q ration by Notation of the sulphides
from the ganEue IL instantaneous anu
the former rise In a coherent scum 10
the surface OF the liquid and float over |
into commitments prepared for them, |
where. owing 10 the cooling OF the solu-
ton and the disengagement OF the gas
eous bubbles. the sulphides sink 10 |
the bottom and are removed through |
valves TO the draining floors or inclined
belt conveyors. t
This process Is applicable TO large
variety of sulphide ores, but Is espe-
rially adapted to the treatment of Slice
pus ore and concentration products car
wing suIphides OF copper, lead and zinc,
n IL capnble OF performing cleaner
and higher recoveries on
great variety OF ores where. by the use
~ ordinary gravity concentration large
slime losses would occur, especially with
nneiy ptiiverized ore. A particularly /
aiuable feature OF the process Is that
4 Is possible to separate splphides from
, eang,Ie OF high specific gravity Inc
of acid Is comparatively
ow. varying with the nature OF the
mineral constituents NJ the ore. There
no necessity for preliminary classi-
1cation. This process has been In sue
.essful operation in Broken Hin, Aus
ralla for several years, and has mace
AVAILABLE for treatment about 4,Ooo0oe
ons OF tailings which until its advent
.rre practically vslueless The per-
.entaee OF recovery OF the sulphides OF
an grades, 10 the finest shines, Is very
1iph |