Improvements in the Process of Smelting Copper or Copper Ores, and in Furnaces or Apparatus applicable therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Smelting Copper or Copper Ores,
and in Furnaces or Apparatus applicable therefor.
I, JOHN HARTLEY BIBBY, of Ravenshead Copper Works, St. Helens, in the
County of Lancaster, Copper Smelter, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The smelting of copper has hitherto presented rather a complex process, owing to
the number of separate operations or independent processes it had to undergo before
the impurities or materials with which the metal is associated, e.g. sulphur, iron,
earthy matters, arsenic etc., are expelled and metallic copper is obtained.
The smelting process has hitherto generally involved three or more separate
operations before the arsenic, sulphur and iron are eliminated and metallic copper of
the required purity is obtained, thus resulting in expenditure of considerable time
and money.
It is the object of the present invention to simplify the present operations and to
reduce the time and expense occupied over the existing processes, by connecting
the several furnaces together in such a manner that the metal after having been
treated in one furnace may pass on to the next and so on, thus combining these
several separate processes into a continuous operation in the manner substantially
as hereinafter described.
My invention, as experimentally worked out by myself, may be described as
follows:-
The charge is introduced through a hopper or by other means into the cupola in
which the melting is effected, the primary object being the separation of earthy
matters in the form of slag and the concentration of the copper in a matte.
The cupola is of any suitable construction, the foundations of the blast chamber
being preferably however of brick with an angular band of iron round the outside,
the said band being preferably made in halves and bolted together by flanges on the
outside. After the charge has become liquid and has entered into ebullition, the
metal and slag are allowed to run into an adjacent furnace or crucible where they
collect and remain therein in a state of ebullition or fluidity. The matte or regulus
sinks to the bottom of the crucible, whilst the slag or scoria floats upon it and is
skimmed off or is discharged through a spout or by other means into a truck or box
placed underneath. The matte is allowed to accumulate in the crucible or furnace
before it is subjected to further treatment, the slag alone being raked off before a
fresh charge is introduced into the cupola. The coarse metal thus produced contains
about 30 to 50 parts of copper in the 100.
The tap hole in the furnace or crucible is now opened, and the regulus or matte is
allowed to run out of the said furnace or crucible through a gutter or trough into a
second furnace of similar size to the first where the metal is submitted to a blast of
air under high pressure. The furnace does not differ materially from that already
described, except that the metal being already in a fluid state, a second cupola is
not required. The charge being kept in a violent state of ebullition for a consider-
able time, it divides as before into a regulus or matte and a slag which remains
above it. The slag is then run off. This second step of the operation occupies
about 6 hours, or if blown direct into blister
copper will occupy
To further purify the copper, it may be run, if desired, from the second furnace into
a third furnace through a trough or gutter where it undergoes a treatment similar
to that above described, the duration of the process depending of course upon the
purity of the metal under treatment, and whether it is required to obtain blistered
copper or refined copper. If the latter. the slag is run off in the way already
about 18.

page_text: described and the refined copper is laded into moulds where it solidifies and is known
as refined copper, containing, say, about 99-5 per cent. of metal.
Where low per cent. ore is to be treated, it is sometimes advisable to put it through
a separate cupola first, before subjecting it to the process herein described.
I have herein described the apparatus which I have adopted for carrying out my
experimental ideas, but it is obvious that once given the general idea, other forms
of furnace can be designed for the purpose.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
capense occupicu ove CHIC CAISMng procesSCS,
by connecting the several furnaces together in such a manner that the metal, after 2
having been treated in one furnace, may pass on in a molten state to the next and
so on, thus combining these several separate processes into one continuous operation
in the manner substantially as hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawings;
Figure 1 is an elevation of a plant now at work near Liverpool;
Figure 2 a plan of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 a plan of a slightly different arrangement of the furnaces.
In these:
A, is a cupola furnace of any description; B, a well or settling furnace, the inside
being of a sufficient depth to allow a complete separation of the metal and slag. lc 3
is attached immediately to the cupola furnace by a neck. The size of furnace
depends on the smelting capacity of the cupola and the nature and percentage of
ores used. In practice, it is found that a well of about 70 cubic feet capacity is
most suitable.
C is an oxidising furnace connected to furnace B by gutter b. It is a similar 3
furnace (or of a little larger capacity) to B, excepting it has suitable port holes
(marked a on plan) built into its sides for introducing a blast of air which is described
hereafter. With regard to the furnaces above mentioned it is found beneficial to
have a small grate attached so as to increase the heat when necessary.
D is an ordinary reverberatory roasting furnace connected with furnace C by 40
gutter c.
All these furnaces are connected together and placed at such different levels as to
allow the molten metal by its own gravity to run from one to another.
The mode of working may be described as follows:-
The charge is loaded into the cupola A in which the melting is effected, from 4
which it runs into furnace B, where the metal and slag separate. The matte or
regulus sinks to the bottom of the furnace whilst the slag floats upon it and runs off
through a spout (placed near the top of the furnace) into bogies placed underneath
and wheeled off to the slag bank; the matte is allowed to accumulate in the furnace
until it is full. The percentage of copper here produced depends entirely on the 50
mixture used, but for various reasons a mixture giving 40% to 50% of copper
preferable. From furnace B it is run in a molten state into furnace C (the oxidizer)
where it is subjected to a blast of air (hot or cold) under high pressure through
pipes inserted into the port holes, (taking care that the end of the pipes are well
is

page_text: dipped into the metal) which causes great ebullition, driving off the sulphur and
converting the iron into slag, which is then skimmed off and the metal which will
average about 70 to 80% is run off in a molten state into furnace D and roasted
into blister or set copper.
Where fuel is scarce and expensive, and copper plentiful and therefore a loss
of 2% or 3% not a serious item, a further oxidizer similar to furnace C may be
used and the charge subjected to the same treatment and blast as in furnace C
instead of ordinary roasting as described in furnace D.
The respective number of each class of furnace required depends upon the character
and produce of ores, regulus and slags to be smelted, but it is found in practice that
a plant consisting of one A, one B, two C and four D is very suitable, as per the
accompanying plan views.
I have herein described the apparatus which has been adopted for carrying out
my ideas and which has worked satisfactorily.
It will be noted that in the plan, the flues F F are shown pointing in the various
positions. Their direction is really immaterial and is dictated by the position of
the neighbouring chimney shafts.
It will be noticed too, that each furnace in succession is lower than the one from
which it receives its charge; this is a necessity of the process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process of copper smelting, which consists in melting the ores and fluxes in
one furnace, allowing them to settle in another furnace, running off the slag there-
from, exposing the regulus to blasts of air preferably in another furnace till it has
become from 70 to 80 per cent. copper, and then finishing to blister copper in an
ordinary reverberatory or other finishing furnace-whereby the reheatings hitherto
found necessary are avoided, and the process is made continuous and is considerably
shortened.
2. In a copper smelting plant, the combination of a furnace B in which the fluid
cupriferous material is allowed to settle after having been melted, and from which
the slag is run off, with two blowing furnaces C connected to furnace B by means of
gutters (whereby the two latter furnaces can be used alternately) and roasting or
reverberatory furnaces D, preferably two of these, connected to each furnace Č by
means of gutters, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.