An Improved Process and Means used therein for the Disintegration of Agglomerated Minerals.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Means used therein for the Disintegration
of Agglomerated Minerals.
I, WILLIAM STRONACH LOCKHART, of 5 Haddo Villas, Blackheath, in the
County of Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to an improved process, and means used therein for the
disintegration of agglomerated or other non-homogeneous minerals and is designed,
by the employment of a liquid under pressure, to disintegrate and render easily
friable agglomerated minerals or clays by the liquid being forced by pressure
between the various particles of the mineral to be dealt with, so that they become
loosened, and the mass can be disintegrated without breaking or damaging the
denser particles themselves, as in the case of gem-stones when agglomerated with
other minerals. At the same time the liquid employed may be of such a kind
as to re-act chemically or otherwise upon all or certain parts of the composite
mineral or agglomerated mass such as water, hot or cold mercury, liquid chemical
solutions, oil, turpentine etc.
The pressure employed may range from 10 lbs. up to 2,000 lbs. per square inch,
or more if necessary, according to the character of the material to be treated.
In the case of a mineral partly composed of metalliferous ore and of stone; or of
an agglomerated material, composed of hardened clay, and dense minerals, mechani-
cally combined or interlocked therewith, it is found that the application of water
alone under sufficient pressure, such as from 500 to 1,000 lbs. per square inch, will
suffice after a short time to so affect the material that it may be easily disintegrated
by shock, or slight pressure and after such liquid pressure the material so softened
may be pulverized by a jet of liquid or by crushing in soft rolls, by agitation, or
beating or other disintegration, whilst it is being subjected to liquid pressure or
afterwards.
The disintegration of this process may also be aided by freezing the material, after
it has been saturated under pressure by a liquid capable of freezing at a low ordinary
temperature, in which case a bursting force is developed throughout the material.
Slimes and deposits of any nature containing fine minerals, such as gold, whether
in a wet or dried state, may thus be treated with advantage by this process, and for
example where gold is present mercury may be used as the liquid under pressure,
so that it will be forced to percolate throughout the mass, and be brought into
intimate contact with the fine gold, or liquid with other chemical properties may be
employed, according to the material to be treated and the nature of the operation
to be effected and agitation or mixing may be resorted to if desirable while the
pressure is being applied.
The process may also be applied to dissolve minerals or metals out of cavities
in rocks or other gangue as for instance gold from the cavities of quartz or to
separate gems from the material with which they may be agglomerated.
The material may be treated by this process conveniently in a vessel or chamber,
capable of withstanding internally the desired liquid pressure, and to it, the liquid
pressure may be applied, by a direct head of liquid, force pumps, with or
without an accumulator or a pressure with sudden and extreme power of penetration,
may be brought to bear by the use of such a device as a differential accumulator.
The vessel or chamber in which the pressure is to be applied may be stationary
or revolving, and may be provided with double valves and doors for feeding in
and withdrawing the material with agitators, beaters, or rolls, for the ultimate

page_text: disintegration of the contents, and with creepers, conveyors and the like, to render the
process more or less continuous.
The above process may also be similarly employed for mining or quarrying
purposes, by the liquid pressure being brought to bear upon the material in situ
over a larger or smaller area instead of in an enclosed vessel.
Dated this 5th day of September 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Process and Means used therein for the Disintegration
of Agglomerated Minerals.
I, WILLIAM STRONACH LOCKHART of 5 Haddo Villas, Blackheath, in the
County of Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved process, and means used therein, for the
disintegration of agglomerated or non-homogeneous minerals, and is designed, by
the employment of a liquid, under pressure, to disintegrate and render easily
friable, agglomerated and intermingled minerals or clays, by a liquid being forced
by pressure between the various particles of the mineral to be dealt with, so that
they become loosened; and the mass can be finally disintegrated by liquid jet,
agitation, beating, rolling, or squeezing without breaking or damaging the denser
particles themselves, as would be undesirable for instance in the case of gem-stoues,
when agglomerated with other minerals. At the same time the liquid employed
may be hot or cold water, oil, turpentine, or of such a kind, as to re-act chemi-
cally or by amalgamation upon all or certain parts of the composite mineral or
agglomerated mass, such as, mercury or solutions of hydrochloric, sulphuric or
other acids and chemicals.
The pressure employed may range from 10 lbs. up to 2,000 lbs. per square
inch, or more, if necessary, according to the character of the material to be
treated.
In the case of a mineral partly composed of metalliferous ore, and of stone, or
of an agglomerated material, composed of hardened clay, and dense minerals,
mechanically combined or interlocked therewith, it is found that the application of
water alone under sufficient pressure, such as from 500 to 1000 lbs. per square inch
will suffice, after a short time, say 10 to 20 minutes, to so affect the material that
it may be easily disintegrated by shock, or moderate pressure; and after such
liquid pressure the material so softened may be pulverized by a jet of liquid, or by
crushing in soft rolls by agitation, squeezing, beating, or other methods of
disintegration, whilst it is being subjected to said liquid pressure or afterwards.
The disintegration of this process may also be aided by freezing the material
after it has been saturated under pressure by a liquid, capable of freezing at a low
ordinary temperature, such as water, in which case a bursting force is developed
throughout the material.
Deposits of any nature containing fine minerals, such as gold, whether in a wet
or dried state, may be treated with advantage by this process; and, for example,
where gold is present, mercury may be used as the liquid under pressure, so that it
will be forced to percolate throughout the mass, and be brought into intimate
contact with the fine gold. Or liquid, with other chemical properties, may be
employed, according to the material to be treated, and the nature of the operation
to be effected, and agitation or mixing may be resorted to, if desirable, while the
pressure is being applied.

page_text: The process may also be applied to dissolve minerals or metals out of cavities
in rocks, or other gangue; as for instance gold from the cavities of quartz, or to
separate gems from the material with which they may be agglomerated.
The material may be treated by this process conveniently in any vessel or
chamber, capable of withstanding internally the desired liquid pressure, and to it
the liquid pressure may be applied by a direct head of liquid, any known force
pumps, with or without an accumulator; or a pressure, with sudden and extreme.
power of penetration, may be brought to bear, by the use of such a device as a
differential accumulator.
The vessel or chamber in which the pressure is to be applied may be stationary
or revolving, and may be provided with known double valves and doors for feeding
in and withdrawing the material; with agitators, beaters or rolls for the ultimate
disintegration of the contents; and with creepers, conveyors, and the like, to render
the process more or less continuous.
The above process may also be similarly employed for mining or quarrying
purposes, by the liquid pressure being brought to bear upon the material "in situ,"
over a larger or smaller area instead of in an enclosed vessel.
As an example of a simple apparatus for carrying my process into effect, I
append herewith a sheet of drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a general elevation of a vessel with removable cover, shown in section.
for disintegration of agglomerated minerals.
Figure 2 is a general end elevation of apparatus, carrying out the same process.
of disintegration of agglomerated minerals "in situ."
In Figure 1, A is a hollow vessel mounted on trunnions B, and inclined to receive
a charge of agglomerated minerals from an ordinary tipping truck C; D is a cover
shown in section, held in balance by the counter poised lever E, and this cover is
securely attached to the top of the vessel A,-when charged with mineral,—by a
screwed clamp nut F or other convenient form of hydraulic joint.
Liquid is admitted by the pipe G from a storage tank H, until the vessel A. and
connections are filled with the said liquid, the pipe K serving as an exit pipe for
the displaced air. The stop valve L is then closed, and hydraulic pressure to the
required amount is applied to the contents of the vessel A by a suitable hydraulic
pump M, from an accumulator, or other source of static liquid pressure.
After the said liquid pressure has been maintained, sufficiently long, the cover D.
is removed, and the contents of the vessel A are ejected into the shoot N, in a.
softened and disintegrated condition for further treatment.
In Figure 2, a chamber or bore hole P has been pierced into the body of the
agglomerated mineral itself "in situ," the chamber is closed by a suitable cover Q.
and filled with liquid by the hopper R.
The stop valve S is then closed, and hydraulic pressure is produced by a hydraulic
pump T, or from any other source of static liquid pressure.
After sufficient time has elapsed for the liquid pressure, to take effect, the
apparatus may be removed, and the agglomerated mineral, for some distance round
the chamber or bore hole P, will be found softened and disintegrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A process for the disintegration of agglomerated and intermingled minerals,
consisting of a treatment of them "in situ," and in any convenient closed chamber,.
by statical liquid pressure, substantially as herein set forth.
2nd. In a process for the disintegration of agglomerated and intermingled
minerals, applying statical liquid pressure thereto, and subsequent or simultaneous
breaking up by liquid jet, agitation, beating, rolling or squeezing substantially as
herein set forth.
3rd. In a process for the disintegration of agglomerated and intermingled
minerals, applying statical liquid pressure thereto, freezing and thawing said

page_text: mineral, after being saturated by liquid, and finally breaking up by liquid jet,
agitation, beating, rolling, or squeezing, substantially as herein set forth.
4th. In a process for the disintegration of agglomerated and intermingled
minerals, applying thereto the statical pressure of a liquid, capable of amalgamating
and chemically reacting with part of mineral, such as mercury or solutions of acids, 5
substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 5th day of June 1894.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.