The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-07-07

principles OF chemistry ana pnySic
with modern engineering. 1t ha,
been known for many years that
solution of zinc sulphate could b
electrolyzed with deposition of Yin
at the cathode and formation of sui
phuric acid at the anode. but it is
far cry from making few gramme
of electrolytic zinc in the laboratory
without regard to cost by skilled
chemists and producing regularly
millions of pounds Of metal under
commercial conditions, implying low
cost and the use Of relatively unskill-
ed workmen. This was the task oil
the research department, aided, as
the work progresses and assumes
larger proportions. by the operating
star.
The electrolytic zinc process was
developed in order to permit of min
ing certain complex ores that occur
in considerable quantity in Butte.
These ores contain zinc, lead copper,
silver and gold. The metals are so
distributed. however that a treat
ment method which ignored any of
them could not be profitable. The
lead smelter could not treat them ad-
vantageously owing to the fact that
the zinc not only was not recovered
but was a serious detriment. The
copper smelter made no recovery of
either zinc or lead; and the copper
silver and gold were in themselves
not of sufficient value to pay the ex-
penses of mining and smelling. Sell
ective concentration gave Indifferent
results, because the minerals con-
tanned in the ores were not separable
by mechanical means. 1t was evident
therefore that an entirely new mode
of attack would have to be devised if
they wre to be made useful.
The Wise Beginning.
In work of this kind it is always
wise to build on the experience of
the past insofar as this is possible.
A thorough search of patent and
technical literature was therefore
made before any laboratory work was
started. This search revealed many
proposals and tentative processes. /
Some of these could be eliminated as
unpracticable or unsuited to local
but some of them seemed
worthy of laboratory investigation. /
Such Investigations were made on
three processes before definitely de- |
Gliding on the electrolysis of zinc sui |
phate solutions. All of this prelimin
airy work took the time of probably a |
dozen men two or three months.
I'VE were now ready for the next |
step which consisted of operating the |
process in the laboratory on a small /
scale under conditions as nearly as
possible identical with those that
ater would be encountered on a large |
scale In this work the cells were
operated day and night and the solu-
ions were used over and over again
exactly as would have to be done in
he large plant The same acid
strength and methods of publication
we're used and the effect of various
Impurities on the electrolysis were
carefully noted. Exact measurements
With calibrated instruments, were
made of the amount of current need
ID to deposit a pound of zinc of the
casting temperatures that gave the
,est results and in short all the data
hat could possibly be obtained from
small scale operation were secured.
1T is important to note that this
work was done with the process OPP
rating in a continuous manner and
IS nearly as possible duplicating the
arge scale conditions. You often
lear it said that such and such
rocess worked alright in the labora-
DRY but failed on the large scale
This is due generally to laboratory
work. that has been planned and exc
uted improperly. The tendency of
inventors, and in fact most people, is
o allow the wish to be the father of
he thought and to do their labOra-
ory work under conditions that could
ot possibly be met in practice, salv
ng their consciences meantime with
he utterly false notion that on the
lrge scale they can accomplish what
hey could not do in the laboratory.
his is like the prospector who in
ariably expects to have his vein
,iden and grow richer with depth,
-hereas oftentimes a little unbiased
ELECTION would convince him that
he reverse was much more likely to
e true. Our western mining districts
re strewn with monuments to mans
to self-deception.
Pilot Plant Next. r
Having operated our toy plant for I
eevral months without serious diff c
ulties. that is, difficulties that could 7
OF be overcome, because difficulties c
ontinually kept cropping out we I
'ere ready for the next step. This was q
o construct and operate a small J.
liant containing single units of ma a
hines. as nearly as possible of stan J
ard size. The experimental or pilot c
liant had a capacity of 10 tons of {
inc per day. It contained a full siz- 7
d roasting furnace teaching. settling a
nd fltering equipment of standard s
esign modified to meet the peculiar
opdifiore of zinc laachfnp flllI sized .