AN IMPROVED METHOD AND FURNACE FOR OBTAINING CRUDE OR COARSE COPPER DIRECTLY FROM COPPER ORES AND MATTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN IMPROVED
METHOD AND FURNACE FOR OBTAINING CRUDE OR COARSE COPPER DIRECTLY FROM
COPPER ORES AND MATTS a communication to me from abroad by Jules Garnier
of 11 Boulevart Magenta Paris, France, Civil Engineer to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method and furnace for obtaining crude
or coarse copper directly from copper ores and matts.
The Invention consists first in the particular construction of furnace employed,
and secondly in the mode of conducting the operation therein.
The furnace differs from an ordinary cupola furnace inasmuch as its hearth or
crucible is lined either with inert substances, that is to say which are as little liable
to be acted on by the silicious as by the basic matters contained in the ore, or with
ordinary highly refractory silicious substances the lining in the latter case being
made so thin that currents of air or water circulating exteriorly would cool it
sufficiently to solidify the fused matters, which are in contact with the silicious
lining, so as to protect instead of destroying the lining by forming a protective and
isolating layer upon the sides of the furnace.
The following inert substances may be employed to form the furnace lining
(1) oxide of chromium mixed with varying proportions of other bases such as lime,
magnesia, oxide of iron & and agglomerated with a small proportion of clay or
mineral oil or tar. By oxide of chromium is meant the natural oxides, whose
compositions are extremely variable. Some varieties of these natural oxides may
be employed direct while others need either to have additions or on the other hand
the abstraction by washing, fusion or otherwise of a prejudicial excess of gangue.
But what I claim to use and designate by the general name of oxide of chromium
is the metal in its natural state, not yet well defined of sesquioxide or of chromic
acid, or a similar artificial combination of chromium, to form the base of the lining
for the lower part or crucible of the furnace (2) the natural sulphates of lime,
silicate of zinc, the natural titanium combinations having a base of oxide, bauxite,
phosphates of lime and other matters capable of fulfilling the above conditions when
employed as a furnace lining.

page_text: The materials above specified, after agglomeration with clay, lime, tar, retort
carbon & are either made into bricks or applied in the plastic condition. The
upper part of the furnace where the corrosive action of the matters in fusion is not
felt, is lined in the ordinary manner.
The blast is introduced by means of tuyeres placed at a suitable height around
the walls of the furnace.
The tapping hole for the crude copperlis atsthe bottom of the furnace and the
slag is run off through a hole above the tuyeres, all as usual,
I have in the accompanying drawings represented an example of the improved
furnace for treating copper ores or matts.
The furnace is of truncated conical form its smaller end forming the bottom or
crucible of the furnace, and it is mounted upon hollow trunnions so as to allow in
the event of its being rendered unserviceable from, any cause, of its reversal for the.
purpose of discharging its contents onto the ground or into a ladle. The blast
introduced through the hollow trunnions a b circulates in the space c comprised
between the outer and inner metal casings d-d', surrounding the lower part of the
furnace. The blast thereby becomes lieated and at same time cools the walls which
are therefore worn out less quickly, this being indispensable when the furnace
is lined with silica bricks and in this case water may be substituted for air for
protecting certain portions of the lining.
ee are holes in the outer casing opposite the tuyeres f to enable the latter to be
cleaned stopped or unstopped as required. g is the hole for running off the slag
and the tapping hole for the crude copper. The lower part k of the furnace is
lined with oxide of chromium or other material above specified while the upper
part is lined with! the ordinary refractory material, the two linings being separated
by a course of refractory clay m. The operation is conducted in the following.
manner. At starting the furnace is charged in the ordinary manner of such
furnaces with copper ore or matt or a mixture of, the two. The matts gradually
fill the crucible and the elag runs off, and when the bath of matt reaches the level
of the tuyeres, the slag hole g for running off the slag, is closed without stopping
the blast. The level of the matt continues to rise, and the blast blown through
burns out the sulphur, iron and other bodies' more oxidisable than the copper,
which being no longer retained in the matt by a sufficient proportion of sulphur,
is gradually precipitated to the bottom of the furnace carrying with it only a very
small proportion of iron and other impurities.
The sulphurous acid is carried off by the blast, and the oxide of iron combines
with the earthy matters in the charge which are so calculated as to contain the
necessary quantity of silica. As fast as a certain proportion of the matt is thus
refined the fusion of the charge supplies a fresh quantity of sulphide of copper
which feeds the bath of matt and becomes refined in its turn!
When it is found by the difficulty with which the blast penetrates the bath as
shown by its' increased pressure, that the charge is too large for it to traverse, the
slag is run off, more or less mixed with matt, which is allowed to separate by
liquation in the ingot mould. The crude copper is also run off from time to
time. It is important to observe that this process enables the consumption of
coke to be reduced, as the combustion of the sulphur, iron and other impurities
in the copper disengages considerable beat which is utilised for the most part in
the furnace.

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"COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN! IMPROVED
METHOD AND FURNACE FOR OBTAINING CRUDE OR 'COARSE COPPER DIRECTLY FROM
COPPER ORES AND MATTS," (a communication to me from abroad by Jules Garnier,
of Paris, France,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, 'to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
7
0
This Invention relates to an improved method for obtaining crude or coarse
copper directly from copper ores and matts, by their continuous passage through
a, furnace of special construction.
..**)
The Invention consists first in the particular construction of furnace employed
and secondly in the mode of conducting the operation therein. i 18
The furnace differs from an ordinary cupola furnace inasmuch as its, hearth or
crucible is lined either with inert substances, that is to say, which are as little liable
to be acted on by the silicious as by the basic matters contained in the ore, or with
ordinary highly refractory silicious substances, the lining in the latter case being
made so thin that currents of air or water circulating exteriorly would cool it
sufficiently to solidify the portions of the fused mass, which are in immediate
contact with the silicious lining, so that it will protect instead of destroying the
lining by forming a protective and isolating layer upon the sides of the furnace.
The following inert substances may be employed to form the furnace lining..
(1.) Oxide of chromium mixed with varying proportions of other bases, such
as lime, magnesia, oxide of iron &c: and agglomerated with a small proportion of
clay or mineral oil or tar. By oxide of chromium is meant the natural oxides,
whose compositions are extremely variable. Some varieties of these natural oxides
may be employed direct while others need either to have additions or, on the other
hand the abstraction, by washing, fusion or otherwise of a prejudicial. excess of
gangue. But what I claim to use and designate by the general name of oxide
of chromium is the metal in its natural state, not yet well defined of sesqui-
oxide; or chromic acid; or a similar artificial combination of chromium, to form
the base of the lining for the lower part or crucible of the furnace.
L
(2.) The natural sulphates of lime, silicate, of zinc, the natural titanium combina-.
tions having a base of oxide, bauxite, phosphates of lime and other matters capable
of fulfilling the above conditions when employed as a furnace lining.
The materials above specified after agglomeration with clay, lime, tar, retort,
carbon &c are either made into bricks or applied in the plastic condition.
The upper part of the furnace where the corrosive action of the matters in fusion
is not felt, is lined in the ordinary manner.
The blast is introduced by means of tuyeres placed at a suitable height around
the walls of the furnace.
The tapping hole for the crude copper is at the bottom of the furnace and the
slag is run off through a hole above the tuyeres, all as usual.
I have in the accompanying drawings represented an example of the improved
furnace for treating copper ores or matts."
d.

page_text: The furnace is of truncated conical form its smaller end forming the bottom
or crucible of the furnace, and it is mounted upon hollow trunnions so as to allow
in the event of its being rendered unserviceable from any cause, of its reversal for
the purpose of discharging its contents on to the ground or into a ladle. The blast
introduced through the hollow trunnions ab circulates in the space c comprised
between the outer and inner metal casings d d', surrounding the lower part of the
furnace.
The blast thereby becomes heated and at same time cools the walls which are
therefore worn out less quickly, this being indispensable when the furnace is lined
with silica bricks and in this case water may be substituted for air for protecting
certain portions of the lining. e e are holes in the outer casing opposite the
tuyeres to enable the latter to be cleaned stopped or unstopped as required.
g is the hole for running off the slag and h the tapping hole for the crude copper.
The lower part k of the furnace is lined with oxide of chromium or other material
above specified while the upper part is lined with the ordinary refractory material,
the two linings being separated by a course of refractory clay m..
The operation is conducted in the following manner:-At starting the furnace is
charged in the ordinary manner of such furnaces with copper ore or matt or a
mixture of the two. The matts gradually fill the crucible and the slag runs off,
and when the bath of matt reaches the level of the tuyeres, the slag hole g is closed
without stopping the blast. The level of the matt continues to rise, and the blast
blown through burns out the sulphur, iron and other bodies more oxidisable than
the copper, which being no longer retained in the matt by a sufficient proportion
of sulphur, is gradually precipitated to the bottom of the furnace carrying with
it only a very small proportion of iron and other impurities.
The sulphurous acid is carried off by the blast, and the oxide of iron combines
with the earthy matters in the charge which are so calculated as to contain the
necessary quantity of silica. As fast as a certain proportion of the matt is thus
refined the fusion of the charge supplies a fresh quantity of sulphide of copper
which feeds the bath of 'matt and becomes refined in its turn.
When it is found by the difficulty with which the blast penetrates the bath as
shown by its increased pressure, that the charge is too large for it to traverse, the
slag is run off, more or less mixed with matt, which is allowed to separate by
liquation in the ingot mould. The crude copper is also run off from time to time.
It is important to observe that this process enables the consumption of coke to be
reduced, as the combustion of the sulphur, iron and other impurities in the copper
disengages considerable heat which is utilised for the most part in the furnace.
A low pressure blast may be blown by means of a fan or other blowing engine
above the level of the slag in the ordinary way during which operation the high
pressure blast will be shut off from the lower level and the lower tuyeres will be
closed by valves or dampers protected by fireclay. By this means when the
crucible contains the desired quantity of matt (which is known by its reaching
the level of the slag bole g) the slags are run off, the blast at the upper level is
shut off and that at the lower level opened, and the refining is effected and
it is after one or several of these successive operations that the coarse copper is
run off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The herein described blast furnace for the treatment of copper ores or matts,
made of the form shown, and in which the lining of the furnace crucible is com-
posed either of inert substances as specified or of silicious matters, the lining being
in the latter case kept constantly cooled by currents of air or water circulating
externally substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 2nd The metallurgical treatment of copper ores or matts either separately or
together whereby crude or coarse copper is produced by a single fusion in a furnace
of the kind herein shown substantially as specified.
Dated this oth
AT 11004