IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS FOR UTILISING THE PRODUCTS OBTAINED DURING THE EXTRACTING OF SILVER, LEAD, COPPER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James William Doble, of Tavistock, in the
County of Devon, Mining Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS FOR UTILISING THE PRODUCTS OBTAINED DURING THE
EXTRACTING OF SILVER, LEAD, COPPER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR
ORES."
Scaled the 20th June 1871, and dated the 24th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James William Doble
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th April 1871.
I, JAMES WILLIAM DOBLE, of Tavistock, in the County of Devon,
Mining Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR UTILISING THE PRODUCTS OBTAINED DURING
THE EXTRACTING OF SILVER, LEAD, COPPER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES,"
to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is the utilization of bye products formed
by the calcination of metallic ores with sodic chloride.

page_text: In carrying out my Invention I cause the silver ore to be pulverised
very fine, which by the aid of a stream of water is passed through
very fine grates. From the gratings I convey the ore into tanks about
18 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 20 inches deep. Several of these tanks
are placed side by side, so that when one is filled, the ore is conveyed
into an empty one. I regulate the water so as to cause the separation
of the ores according to their density. I classify the ores so deposited
into three portions. The first portion I take from the head of tank
for the length of six inches, and which I find contains the largest
amount of ore. The second portion I take from the next two feet in
length of the tank. The third portion about two feet more; this last
portion, if found rich enough to pay for the extraction of the silver, I
also treat; if not sufficiently rich to pay for extraction when taken
from the tanks, I concentrato it by means of "Collom's Patent Orc
Dresser," which is especially adapted for the purpose. The remaining
portion of the orc contained in the tanks I now place in heaps according
to the amount of ore contained in each portion, and work over the same
by the apparatus above named until sufficiently rich to pay for extraction of
the metal. After the ores are classified. The quantity of salt to be mixed
After
with each portion I regulate according to the richness of the ore.
the calcination of the ores I treat them by the usual amalgamation process.
After the extraction of the silver the refuse I wash out of the revolving
barrels into large tanks. I then convey the same to chambers made
air-tight contiguous to these chambers I eréct a kiln for calcining
calcic carbonate. The gas which is evolved, and known as carbonic
anhydride, I convey by means of a flue into the chambers containing
the refuse from the amalgamation. I then treat this refuse with the
evolved carbonic anhydride, which combines with the sodic salts con-
tained in the refuse, forms sodic carbonate. After these compounds
have been confined within the chambers for 24 hours, I then convey the
carbonised stuff to a raised floor, around which are small canals; the
heaps of stuff I then lixivate with water, which conveys the sodic
carbonate in solution by means of these canals to evaporating tanks.
After evaporation the sodic carbonate will be found in large quantities.
I then also filter the water from the revolving barrels and convey the
same to evaporating tanks. I add hydric sulphate to the solution,
which contains a large per-centage of sodic salts, and I produce crystal-
lized sodic sulphate. The calcic oxide formed in the calcination of the
calcic carbonate I place in heaps, and throw water over the same.
The

page_text: calcic hydrate formed I cause to be sifted fine and conveyed to chambers
connected by flues with the furnaces used for the calcination of the ores.
The calcic hydrate I place on a floor about two inches in thickness.
The chlorine gas, which is evolved during the calcination of the ore,
(and which would otherwise escape through the chimney), I utilise, and
convey by the means of the flues above named into the lime chambers,
and combining it with the calcic salt, I thereby form the compound
known as calcic choro hypochlorite, or as commonly known as bleaching
powder.
When silver and lead are found in combination (as galena) I pulverise
the orc and also chloridise the same, as in the process for silver ores I
calcinc with a sufficient quantity of sodic chloride, as will completely
chloridise the both metals. After calcination I convey to tanks large
enough to contain two or three tons of the calcined ores, I pass a
stream of boiling water through the ore until the chloride of lead is
dissolved out, place a filter in the bottom of the tanks, and the water
containing the plumbic chloride in solution, I then convey through tubes
to evaporating tanks and concentrate the liquid. After allowing it
to cool to about 50° centrigrade I cause a strong solution of sodic
carbonate (the mode of preparation I have already described) to pass
into the liquid containing the plumbic chloride, when I cause a further
cooling of the same to take place when plumbic carbonate (or white lead)
will be precipitated, and sodic chloride will be held in solution within
the liquid, which after being filtered from the lead 1 cause to be evapo-
rated and again utilised in the calcination of the ores. The silver to be
treated by the amalgamation process.
When silver is in combination with arsenic and copper I calcine the
ore to volatilise the arsenic. I then recalcine the ore with a small
per-centage of sodic chloride. I remove it from the calcining furnaces
and place it in tanks sufficiently large to hold two or three tons of
the partially chloridised ore. I then place by the side of these tanks a
suitable apparatus or retort containing calcic chloro hypochlorite (the
preparation as already described). I then add hydric sulphate to the
calcic salt in sufficient quantities to evolve the chlorine gas held in
combination with the lime. I convey the evolved gas by means of a
tube to perfectly air-tight tanks containing the ore which has been
previously damped and allowed to remain 14 hours. I then pass a
stream of boiling water through the ore, filter the liquid, and pass it

page_text: into evaporating tanks to concentrate the liquid holding the cupric
salts in solution. I then convey into the concentrated liquor a strong
solution of sodic carbonate, thereby precipitating cupric carbonate, which
can be easily smelted into metallic copper. I can by passing a con-
centrated solution of sodic sulphate obtained from the liquor after 5
the ores have undergone amalgamation form cupric sulphate or blue
vitriol.
When silver is found in cambination with sulphur, I first calcine to
evolve the sulphur, which I utilize in the making of hydric sulphate,
and for which purpose I introduce a new material for the formation of 1
the acid chambers, being a mineral known by the name of granitello,
being a very insoluble selicate, and on which no liquid or gaseous acid
can cause the least effect, by which I can crcct acid chambers at a much
less cost than with either lead or glass.
The treatment of orcs containing silver and antimony in combination, 1
or silver and zinc, will be analagous to the treatment of the other
ores.
Having thus described my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein stated, as they may obviously be modified without
departing from the principle of the said Invention, but what I claim
and desire to secure is, the utilisation of the bye products which can be
obtained in large quantities in the extraction of the metals from their
And also the introduction of a new material for the formation of
acid chambers for the preparation of hydric sulphate at a less cost than
the material now used in the erection of the same.
ores.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James William Doble in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES 30
WILLIAM DOBLE, of Tavistock, in the County of Devon, Mining Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in' the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James William Doble, Her special licence
that I, the said James William Doble, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James William Doble, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, cxcrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS FOR UTILIZING THE PRODUCTS OBTAINED DURING THE EXTRACTING
OF SILVER, LEAD, COPPER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James William Doble, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James William Doble, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The object of my Invention is the utilization of bye products formed
by the calcination of metallic ores with sodic chloride.
In carrying out my Invention I cause the ore to be pulverized very
fine, which by the aid of a stream of water is passed through very fine
grates. From the gratings I convey the ore into tanks about 18 fect
long, 2 feet wide, and 20 inches deep, several of these tanks are placed
side by side so that when one is filled the ore is conveyed into an empty
one. I regulate the water so as to cause the separation of the orcs
according to their density. I classify the ores so deposited into three
portions. The first portion I take from the head of tank for the length
of 18 inches, and which I find contains the largest amount of orc.
remaining portion if not sufficiently rich to pay for extraction when
taken from the tanks I concentrate it by means of a very large round
buddle, the floor of which is laid at a very small incline which is
especially adapted for the purpose. The remaining portion of the ore
The

page_text: .
contained in the tanks I now place in heaps according to the amount
of orc contained in each portion and work over the same by the
apparatus above-named until sufficiently rich to pay for extraction of
the metal. After the ores are classified I proceed to calcine the same
with sodic chloride. The quantity of salt to be mixed with cach
portion after concentration is about 20%. After the calcination of the
orcs I treat them by an amalgamation process. After the extraction of
the silver the refuse I wash out of the revolving barrels into long tanks.
I then convey the remaining portion of tank to chambers made air-tight,
contiguous to these chambers I crect a kiln for calcining calcic
carbonate. The gas which is evolved and known as carbonic anhydride
I convey by means of a flue into the chambers containing the refuse
from the amalgamation, I then treat this refuse with the evolved
carbonic anhydride which combines with the sodic salts contained in the
refuse forms sodic carbonate. After these compounds have been con-
fined within the chamber for 24 hours I then convey the carbonized
stuff to a raised floor around which are small canals, the heaps of stuff
I then lixiviate with water which conveys the sodic carbonate in
solution by means of these canals to evaporating tanks. After evapo-
ration the sodic carbonate will be found in large quantities, I then also
filter the water from the revolving barrels and convey the same to eva-
porating tanks. After the sodic salts are extracted I work the refuse in
the buddle before described. The calcic oxide formed in the calcination
of the calcic carbonate I place in heaps and throw water over the same.
The calcic hydrate formed I cause to be sifted fine and conveyed to
chambers connected by flues with the furnaces used for the calcination
of the ores. The calcic hydrate I place on a floor about two inches in
thickness. The chlorine gas which is cvolved during the calcination of
the ore (and which would otherwise escape through the chimney), I
utilize and convey by the means of the flues above-named into the lime
chambers and combining it with the calcic salt I thereby form the
compound known as calcic choro hypochlorite, or as commonly known as
bleaching powder.

page_text: stream of boiling water through the ore until all the chloride of lead is
dissolved out, place a filter in the bottom of the tanks, and the water
containing the plumbic chloride in solution. I then convey through
tubes to evaporating tanks, and concentrate the liquid. After allowing
it to cool to about 50° centigrade I cause a strong solution of sodic
carbonate (the mode of preparation I have already described), to pass
into the liquid containing the plumbic chloride, when I cause a further
cooling of the same to take place, when plumbic carbonate or white lead
will be precipitated, and sodic chloride will be held in solution within
the liquid, which after being filtered from the lead I cause- to be
evaporated and again utilized in the calcination of the ores. The silver
to be treated by the amalgamation process.
When silver is in combination with arsenic and copper I calcine the
orc to volatilize the arsenic. I then recalcine the ore with a small per-
centage of sodic chloride. I remove it from the calcining furnaces, and
place it in tanks sufficiently large to hold two or three tons of the
partially chloridized ore. I then place by the side of these tanks a
suitable apparatus or retort calcining calcic choro hypochlorite (the
preparation as already described). I then add hydric sulphate to the
calcic salt in sufficient quantities to evolve the chlorine gas held in
combination with the lime. I convey the evolved gas by means of a
tube to perfectly air-tight tanks containing the ore which has been
previously damped and allowed to remain 14 hours.
I then pass a
stream of boiling water through the ore, filter the liquid, and pass it
into precipitating tanks, and the copper thrown down in the metallic
state by metallic iron, as commonly done.
When silver is found in combination with sulphur I first calcine to
evolve the sulphur, which I utilize in the making of hydric sulphate,
and for which purpose I introduce a new material for the formation of
the acid chambers, being a mineral known by the name of granitello,
being a very insoluble silicate, and on which no liquid or gaseous acid
can cause the least effect, by which I can erect acid chambers at a
much less cost than with either lead or glass.
The treatment of ores containing silver and antimony in combination,
or silver and zinc, will be analogous to the treatment of the other ores.
Having thus described my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein stated, as they may obviously be modified without

page_text: departing from the principle of the said Invention; but what I claim
and desire to secure is, the utilization of the bye products which can
be obtained in large quantities in the extraction of the metals from
their ores; and also the introduction of a new material for the formation
of acid chambers for the preparation of hydric sulphate at a less cost
than the material now used in the erection of the same.
In witness whereof I, the said James William Doble, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
onc.
Witness,
HENRY FORD,
Higham Hill,
Walthamstow,
Essex.
October 21st, 1871.
J. W. DOBLE. (L.S.)