Bisbee daily review., 1917-12-02
LESS Than ONE-TENTi PER CENT COPPER ORES
MADE TO YIELD PROFIT Under MARVE[OUSLY
INGENIOUS METHODS OF TREATMENT APPLIED HERE

Ileach-liquor from the ore-heap has been
subjected to the same action in the
process of teaching through the pyrite
ore. The liquor from one filter vat
passes through only one precipitation
vat, and the overflow thence goes to
a cascade of precipitation launders be-
low. The mine-waters going to the
second filter vat overflow to another
precipitation vat, and the outgoing IL
quor unites with the leach-liquor from
the ore-heap, and thence goes through
two more precipitation watts placed in
series. the final overflow being then
delivered to the head OF the systeR
of precipitation launders.
Better precipitation is obtained in
the watts than the launders, and this
fact will lead to some important mod
fifications of the system when carried
into effect on a larger scale after the
Sacramento Hill mine begins to de-
liver a heavy tonnage of ore to the
backyard. Is is found that single
vat of the size now used will extract
on an average 400 of the total copper
content from the solution when flow
ing at the rate of 100 gallons per min
ute and carrying 10 pounds of copper
per 1000 gallons, The iron in the
large round watts consists of cumbrous
scrap from the mine and smelter, such
as old cars, pumps, compressor parts,
WORKOUT sonverter-shells, old flues and
the like. The solution is conducted
through a down-take to the bottom
of the vat, and flows upward through
the false bottom and the scrap-iron.
The cement-copper is washed down
through the false bottom with failing
water from the precipitation plant and
is discharged into launders underneath
that carry it to settling-tanks below.
The tailing-water, as will be more full
ly explained later, is pumped to the
ore-heap above, and the main through
which these spent liquors is pumped
is so placed that branch pipes may be
utilized for drawing off what water
is required for washing the cement
copper from either the precipitating
watts or the launders.
The precipitation launders, consist
ing of eight pairs, are set parallel to
the line of upper round watts The laun-.
ders in each pair are on the same level
and cascade into the next pair below.
Except when cleaning up, the stream
of solution is divided between the two
launders in each pair. The process OF
cleaning up is continuous. so that one
launder in the system is always cut
out. and during this process its neigh
Dor carries the full stream. The laun-
ders are each $50 feet long and 4 by
feet in cross-section, divided into four
compartments. There is a narrow
downtake at the head of each compart-
ment to deliver the solution at the
bottom. Smaller sizes of scrap-iron
are used in the launders, resting on
false bottom made of Stats 4 inches
wide and set 2 inches apart This
false bottom gives inches clearance
to admit of thoroughly hosing out the
cement-copper. The copper is dis
charged into launders underneath that
take il to the settling tanks and ponds
The tailing-water used in the cleanup
is taken from 2-in. bronze pipes con-
nected TO the large main leading from
the pumps to the backyard. All the
launders are built of Pin. Oregon pine
and the bents and bracing that sup
port them are of the same material
Considering the weight carried the con-
struction seems light, by Gin. posts
being used in the bents and 2 by Ain
material for bracing. The leakage is
small, but some solution unavoida bly,
escapes and this is preservative against
decay. although the cellulose suffers
chemical changes that leave the wood
soft, and with greatly lessened trans
verse strength. No trouble. however.
has been experienced by collapse and
the structure has stood with very lit
Tie repair and no renewals for three
years. This is interesting, because in
addition to the dead load there are
vibrations from moderately heavy traf-
fic in running trucks loaded with iron
for filling the launders. A tramway
is provided between each pair of laun-
ders; IT is so arranged that the truck
can be run off at any level from a
platform-car operated by cables on an
inclined track extending from the
scrap-pile at the railroad siding below
to the upper round watts, following the
grade of the system OF precipitation
lauaders.
On the ground underneath the preci-
p,tation plant bitches serve to drain
escaping solutions to launders that lead
to lead-lined Buffalo centrifugal pump
with IA 2-in. discharge, which returns
the leak-water TO the precipitating sys-
tenn. The cement-copper is delivered
by launders placed at right angles to
the precipitation Iaunders. into Sc
ries of five circular redwood settling
tanks. discharging one into another.
the inflowing stream being delivered
at the center. and the outflow over
the periphery falling into surrounding
circular launders. The settling is fair
ly complete and the thickened product
is flushed from the. round tanks into
large square shallow drying-vats where
1t evaporates in the Arizonan sun. The
dried cement has lustrous red color,
and assays SOC metal The overflow
from the tanks is further settled by
circulating through a series of three
ponds, the collected sludge assaying
from 100, copper in the first pond to
81 or less in the last. All this ce-
ment copper is shipped to the smelter
at Douglas. The clarified liquor from
the final settling-pond h called tail
ing-water." II contains an insignifi-
cant amount of copper, which, howev-