Improvement in the Reduction of Metallic Sands and Pulverized Ores.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1895
0211
A
1000
1000
Date of Application, 27th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1209 Accepted. 19th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Reduction of Metallic Sands and
Pulverized Ores.
I, ARCHIBALD ANDERSON DICKSON, of the Bank of Commerce Building, in
the City of Toronto, County of York and Province of Ontario, in the Dominion
of Canada, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the treatment of sands (found in large natural deposits,)
containing iron, copper, gold, silver and other metals,-whereby the same may be
readily and economically reduced, or smelted. The improvement is also applicable
to equal advantage for use with pulverized, granulated or finely divided ores.
In carrying out my process, I use peat as a combustible binding material for the
sand, or granulated ore, as this material is known to possess many advantages over
other materials such as charcoal, coke, limestone, cinders, &c., heretofore employed
in conjunction with comminuted ores for smelting purposes.
I will here describe my invention in such detail that those skilled in the art may
put the same into practice.
It must be borne in mind that the maximum amount of volatile and combustible
matter must be retained in the peat; that its fibre must be broken as little as
possible in order that it shall form an efficient binding medium; and that it shall
have the highest possible density and specific gravity consonant with smallness of
bulk and proper dryness, to fit it for use in reducing or smelting metallic sands and
pulverized ores. I propose to combine peat possessing all these necessary qualities,
with the metal-bearing materials, in the form of evenly pressed blocks possessing
great density and hardness, capable of sustaining their integral form under the
fiercest heat, and remaining incandescent and practically intact until the constituent
metals have become melted and properly fused.
I prefer that the peat shall be first naturally dried to about the degree of
humidity in the atmosphere, and then crushed between rolls, or like devices, which
will reduce it to the required fineness without destroying the fibre, or liberating
the constituent gases.
In this condition I mix the peat with the metallic sand, or pulverized ore, as the
case may be, in such proportions as may be deemed desirable, and stir them
together in a suitable mixer, being careful to see that the materials are thoroughly
and evenly incorporated. (1 have found good results from a mixture of peat and
ore, in equal proportions by weight, but this may be varied according to different
conditions.) I prefer that the peat and ore shall be cold at this and every stage,
and to compress the combined materials into blocks without the application of any
artificial heat whatever.
The preferred pressing apparatus is that used by me for forming blocks of peat
fuel, as I have found such an arrangement highly suitable for the purpose of my
present invention. This pressing apparatus consists of forming tubes, or cylinders
(of the diameter to be given to the blocks) open at both ends, with plungers
operating therein to pack and compress the mixed materials by successive strokes
(one stroke for each block formed,) as it is fed into the inlet ends of the forming tubes.
Each of the forming tubes will be furnished with a closely-fitting resistance
block, which will prevent the first charge of loose peat and ore from immediately
discharging at the outlet end, and afford a base upon which the first block can be
formed. When the plunger has retired, a fresh charge of combined material will
be ready at the inlet end of the forming tube, to be forced in at the return stroke,

page_text: and to form the second block upon the base offered by the first block, the internal
resistance block first mentioned having been forced forward. Each successive
charge of material forms a block of itself, in contact with but separate from the
preceding block, and when a sufficient number have been formed, the first
resistance block will be automatically ejected from the forming tube, and the
operation proceeds, forming one block upon the other, so long as the feed of
material continues, the blocks being successively ejected from the tubes, as will be
readily understood.
Proper means being, of course, provided for the egress of the air from the
material and from the tubes, the effect of the above operation is to firmly con-
solidate the fibrous, carbonaceous and gaseous matters of the peat, and the fine
particles of sand, or ore, incorporated therewith, into hard compact blocks,―of
somewhat the appearance of coal,-and the intense friction to which they are
subjected while passing through the forming tubes, results,--by the fracture or
compression of the minute cells contained in the fibres at the surfaces of the
blocks, in the liberation of just sufficient of the indigenous tarry matter of the
peat to impart a glaze or coating to the blocks of an atmospheric and water
resisting material.
It will be seen that the peut fibres in the body of the blocks are left intact and
unbroken and there being no artificial heat applied, there is no danger to be feared
from the formation of gases during the pressing operation. All volatile matters
are retained in the peat, and the blocks of peat and ore, manufactured by my
process, are very dense and compact.
Although these blocks may be of uneven length (which is not undesirable)
according to differences of density in individual lots of peat, or inaccuracies in
the feeding, the full stroke of the plunger is given to each charge, and the yielding
resistance being always the same, a uniform pressure is given to all of the blocks,
and their consistency and density will invariably be the same throughout, thereby
ensuring an even, and steady combustion in the reducing furnace, and giving a
certainty that the metal will melt and fuse, or form into globules before the fuel
elements have become exhausted, or the block breaks down.
From this point there need be no change from the well known procedure in
recovering iron, or other metals.
Dated this 15th day of June 1895.
ARCHIBALD A. DICKSON.
Wheatley & Mackenzie,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.
Improvement in the Reduction of Metallic Sands and
Pulverized Ores.
I, ARCHIBALD ANDERSON DICKSON, of the Bank of Commerce Building, in
the City of Toronto, County of York, and Province of Ontario, in the Dominion
of Canada, Manufacturer, 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 the treatment of sands (found in large natural deposits,)
containing iron, copper, gold, silver and other metals,-whereby the same may be
readily and economically reduced or smelted. The improvement is also applicable
to equal advantage for use with pulverized, granulated or finely divided ores.
In carrying out my process, I use peat as a combustible binding material for the
sand, or granulated ore, as this material is known to possess many advantages over
other materials such as wood-charcoal, coke, limestone, cinders &c., heretofore

page_text: The
employed in conjunction with comminuted ores, for smelting purposes.
essential principles of my invention are equally applicable in the use of natural
(prepared) peat, or peat prepared and reduced to a charred condition at a certain
stage, as will be pointed out.
I will now describe my invention in such detail that those skilled in the art may
put the same into practice. The first part relates to the use of peat in an
uncharred state. It must here be borne in mind that the maximum amount of
volatile and combustible matter must be retained in the peat; that its fibre must be
broken as little as possible in order that it shall form an efficient binding medium,
and that it shall have the highest possible density and specific gravity consonant
with smallness of bulk and proper dryness, to fit it for use in reducing or smelting
metallic sands and pulverized ores. propose to combine peat possessing all these
necessary qualities, with the metal bearing materials in the form of evenly pressed
blocks possessing great density and hardness, capable of sustaining their integral
form under the fiercest heat, and remaining incandescent and practically intact
until the constituent metals have become melted and properly fused.
It is essential that the peat shall be first dried to about the degree of humidity
in the atmosphere, and then preferably crushed between rolls, or like devices,
which will reduce it to the required fineness without destroying the fibre, or
iberating the constituent gases. In this condition I mix the peat with the
metallic sand, or pulverized ore as the case may be, in such proportions as may be
deemed desirable, and stir them together in a suitable mixer, being careful to see
that the materials are thoroughly and evenly incorporated. (I have found good
results from a mixture of peat and ore in equal proportions by weight, but this
may be varied according to different conditions.
It is essential that the peat and ore shall be cold at this stage and that the
compression of the combined materials into blocks shall be without the application
of any artificial heat whatever. The preferred pressing apparatus is that used by
me for forming blocks of peat fuel, as I have found such an arrangement highly
suitable for the purpose of my present invention. This pressing apparatus cousists
of vertically arranged forming tubes or cylinders (of the diameter to be given to
the blocks) open at both ends, with plungers operating therein to pack and
compress the mixed materials by successive strokes, one stroke for each block
formed, as it is fed into the inlet ends of the forming tubes.
Each of the forming tubes will be furnished with a closely-fitting resistance
block, which will prevent the first charge of loose peat and ore from immediately
discharging by its natural gravity at the outlet end, and afford a base upon which
the first block can be formed.
When the plunger has retired a fresh evenly disposed charge of material will be
ready at the inlet end of the forming tube, to be forced in at the return stroke, and
to form the second block upon the base offered by the first block, the internal
resistance block first mentioned having been forced forward. Each successive
charge of material forms a block of itself, in contact with but separate from the
preceding block, and when a sufficient number have been formed the first resistance
block will be automatically ejected from the forming tube, and the operation
proceeds forming one block upon the other so long as the feed of material continues,
the blocks being successively ejected from the tubes as will be readily understood.
Proper means being, of course, provided for the egress of the air from the material
and from the tubes; the effect of the above operation is to firmly consolidate the
fibrous, carbonaceous and gaseous matters of the peat, and the fine particles of
sand, or ore, incorporated therewith, into hard compact blocks,-of somewhat the
appearance of coal,-and the friction to which they are subjected while passing
through the forming tubes, results, by the fracture or compression of the minute
cells contained in the fibres at the surface of the blocks, in the liberation of just
sufficient of the indigenous tarry matter of the peat to impart a glaze or
coating to the blocks of an atmospheric and water resisting material. It will
be seen that the peat fibres in the body of the blocks are left intact and

page_text: unbroken, and there being no artificial heat applied, there is no danger to be
feared from the formation of gases during the pressing operation. All volatile
matters are retained in the peat, and the blocks of peat and ore manufactured
by my process, are very dense and compact.
Although these blocks may be of uneven length (which is not undesirable)
according to differences of density in individual lots of peat. The feeding
being by gravity, and the material being evenly disposed at the mouth of the
tube, and the full stroke of the plunger being given to each charge, and the yielding
resistance being always the same, a uniform pressure is given to all of the blocks
and their consistency and density will invariably be the same throughout thereby
ensuring an even and steady combustion in the reducing furnace, and giving a
certainty that the metal will melt and fuse, or form into globules before the fuel
elements have become exhausted or the block breaks down.
The second part of my invention contemplates the formation of blocks of
combined peat charcoal and metallic sand, or pulverized ore, as it is well known
that peat charcoal is especially valuable in smelting operations notably in the
manufacture of.charcoal iron. Here my process is identical with that first above
described in using natural peat, up to the point, where the blocks of combined peat
and sand or ore are completely formed. At this stage they are subjected to a
charring or carbonizing process in an oven, retort, or pit as may be found most
desirable in the way known to charcoal burners and metallurgists. The result
is the production of a hard dense and non-friable block of combined peat charcoal
and metal-bearing material, which may be stored or transported to any distance
without danger of disintegration or deterioration in any way.
I need not enter into further detail as from this point, either in connection with
the "natural" or "charred" blocks of peat and sand or ore, there is no necessity
to change or depart from the well known procedure in recovering metals after my
blocks are fed into the reducing furnace.
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 herein-described method or process of reducing metallic sands, or
pulverized ores in connection and combination with peat as a combustible and
binding material, which consists essentially in the following successive operations,
viz: first; drying the peat to approximately the atmospheric degree; second,
finely dividing same; third, incorporating it with the metallic sand or pulverized
ore; fourth, subjecting evenly disposed charges of the combined materials to
vertical pressure against a yielding resistance in a forming tube in such manner
that evenly dense blocks are formed irrespective of the density of the individual
charges, and fifth, subjecting such blocks to the action of fire in a reducing furnace
to recover the metals therein contained all substantially in the manner described
herein as relating to the first part of my invention.
2. The herein described method or process of reducing metallic sands or pulverized
ores, in connection with peat charcoal as a combustible and binding material, which
consists in first combining dry, cold and finely divided natural peat with the
metal-bearing materials; then compressing such combined materials in such
manner that separate blocks thereof are formed of even density throughout,
then charring or carbonizing such blocks sufficiently to reduce the natural peat
to the condition of peat charcoal without disintegrating the blocks; and finally
subjecting such blocks to the action of fire in a reducing furnace to recover the
metals, all substantially in the manuer set forth for the second part of my
invention.
Dated this 27th day of April 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.