IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF GOLD AND SILVER, AND OTHER METALS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Goulding, of No. 14, Bonner Road,
Victoria Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF GOLD AND SILVER, AND OTHER
METALS."
Sealed the 15th December 1857, and dated the 16th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Goulding at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th June 1857.
I, RICHARD GOULDING, of No. 14, Bonner Road, Victoria Park, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF GOLD AND SILVER, AND OTHER METALS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to effect amalgamation of the metallic
particles that may be contained in any auriferous or argentiferous ores by
chemical combination with quicksilver, the ores being previously reduced to
powder, and minutely comminuted by the mechanical action of stamps and mills
of the ordinary kind. The pulverized'ore is placed in cylinders or barrels in
which the chemical combination is induced by the action of paddles revolving
on a shaft on the principle of an ordinary screw propeller, such as is at present
employed for propelling vessels through water. The motion may either be
continuous or intermittent, and be imparted at various parts of the operation.

page_text: The amalgamation, thus promoted by the circular and alternate circular
motion above stated, is favorable to the deposition of the heavy particles of
metal in the state of amalgam. The aforesaid cylinder or barrels are con-
structed so as to permit the amalgam, that is, the combined metals, to subside
through the quicksilver, which is in the bottom of said cylinder, into a
drawer placed under the same, and suitably connected thereto. The cylinder
is fitted with cocks for the supply of water thereto, and for the intro-
duction and evacuation of any of the contents thereof. I propose to apply
heat to the quicksilver to stiniulate the chemical action thereof, and to
use said heat upon the reverberatory principle either by enclosing the
cylinder in an outer case or jacket, or by covering only the lower part con-
taining the quicksilver, the interval between being filled with heated air,
water, or steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Goulding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
GOULDING, of No. 14, Bonner Road, Victoria Park, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Goulding, Her special license that I, the said Richard
Goulding, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Goulding, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF GOLD AND SILVER, AND OTHER METALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Goulding, 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 Seal Patent Office.

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Goulding, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say) :-
The object of my said Invention is to effect amalgamation of the metallic
particles that may be contained in any auriferous or argentiferous ores or
matrices by chemical combination with quicksilver, the ores or matrices
being previously reduced to powder, and minutely comminuted by the
mechanical action of stamps and mills of the ordinary kind; or in the case of
alluvial or diluvial deposits, the stones contained therein may be extracted by
means of the ordinary perforated cones or sieves so as to reduce the ore in
these deposits to a suitable granulated condition. The pulverized rock or ore
is passed into and through cylinders or barrels in which the chemical combi-
nation is induced by the action of screw paddles or blades, revolving on a
shaft on the principle of. an ordinary screw propeller, and combining: the
spiriform shape and action, so as to form a spiral screw delivery from end to
end. The motion may either be continuous or intermittent, and be imparted
by manual, or animal, or steam power; and the agitation, thus promoted by
the circular and alternate circular motion above stated, is favorable to the depo-
sition of the heavy particles of metal in the state of amalgam. The aforesaid
cylinder is constructed so as to permit the amalgam (that is, the combined
metals) to subside through the quicksilver, which is in the bottom of said
cylinder, into the groove or recess placed under the same and suitably con-
nected thereto. The cylinder is fitted with pipes and cocks for the supply of
the ore and water thereto, and for the introduction and evacuation of any of
the contents thereof, the pipe or pipes being constructed so as to introduce
the ore, &c., under the level of the quicksilver in the bottom. I propose to
apply heat to the quicksilver to stimulate the chemical action thereof, and
to use said heat upon the reverberatory principle either by, enclosing
the before-mentioned cylinder in an outer case or jacket, or by covering
only the lower part containing the quicksilver, the interval between being
filled with heated water, air, or steam.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now pro-
ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
respectively, as follows:-
:

page_text: The Drawing, Sheet 1, Figure 1, exhibits a side elevation of an amalga-
mating machine, constructed according to my said Invention, and adapted for
extracting gold, silver, and other metals. Figure 2 is a horizontal section
through the line A, B, at Figure 1.
At Sheet 2, Figure 3, is a longitudinal and vertical section through the
line C, D, at Figure 4; this last-mentioned Figure is an end elevation of the
driving end of the machine. Figure 5 is an end elevation of the feeding end
of the machine. Figure 6 exhibits a view of the inside of the machine, as it
would appear if the end were removed showing the position of the incline G.
Figure 7 is a transverse and vertical section through the line E, F, at Figure 3.
Figure 8 is: a detached view of the disc P..
The body of the said machine may be made of a cylindrical or other con-
venient shape, and the material be of wood, iron, glass, pottery ware, or other
suitable material. The machine is placed in a horizontal position, at a short
distance from the ground, and has an inverted cone-shaped groove or recess A
fixed thereto, said recess extending along the entire length of the body B of the
machine. C is a shaft, passing through glands or stuffing boxes a, a, at each
Around this said shaft
end of the body of the machine, and revolving therein.
are affixed a series of propeller blades or paddles, forming in combination the
helical-shaped screw delivery arrangement E; G is an inclined platform;
and H, a cock communicating therewith; I is a vessel containing quicksilver.
The upper part of this vessel is connected by a flange to the under side of the
cone-shaped groove A. This groove opens up into the bottom of the body B
of the machine, and allows free communication between the body B and the
vessel I. To prevent the possibility of the quicksilver passing off with the
tailings, I propose that there should be a little space between the end of the in-
cline G and the end of the machine, that in the event of any quicksilver passing
up the said incline, it may fall by its gravity into the groove A below. K is a
feed pipe, the lower end of which is connected to the upper part of the vessel I,
and to the upper, part of the feed pipe K a hopper L is attached, into which
the ore to be operated upon is placed; M is a spindle, the lower end whereof
works in a suitable bearing in the vessel I, and the upper end of said spindle
is suitably supported within the body B of the machine, and has a mitre
wheel N fixed thereon, gearing into another mitre wheel O fixed on the main
driving shaft; P is a disc or perforated piece of metal, or any other suitable
material, fixed upon the spindle M and revolving therewith, or there may be
several of such said discs; R is a cock for drawing off the contents of the

page_text: vessel I; S is a lever or winch handle for imparting motion to the main
driving shaft of the machine and parts in connection therewith. An important
feature in this Invention consists in arranging the helical blades E upon the
shaft C, in the manner exhibited. at Figure 3 of Sheet 2, where it will be
seen that each blade or pair of blades is or are so placed with respect to each
other or each one as to produce (when thus combined together and looking
endwise thereof) two perfect helices or a double thread of blades made up or
composed of several distinct and separate parts or blades, instead of one con-
tinuous piece of material as the thread of a screw. I do not, however, intend
to limit or confine myself to the use of the above mentioned separate helical
blades, as they may be used with advantage in combination with a continuous
helical blade similar to the thread of an ordinary screw; and when this is the.
case, I arrange the blades E in the spaces of the said continuous helix or
thread, and thus I form a species of triple-threaded screw. The mode of
operating with the above. machine for the purpose of extracting gold and
silver and other metals from their orcs or matrices, according to my said
vessel I; S is a lever or winch handle for imparting motion to the main
driving shaft of the machine and parts in connection therewith. An important
feature in this Invention consists in arranging the helical blades E upon the
shaft C, in the manner exhibited at Figure 3 of Sheet 2, where it will be
seen that each blade or pair of blades is or are so placed with respect to each
other or each one as to produce (when thus combined together and looking
endwise thereof) two perfect helices or a double thread of blades made up or
composed of several distinct and separate parts or blades, instead of one con-
tinuous piece of material as the thread of a screw. I do not, however, intend
to limit or confine myself to the use of the above mentioned separate helical
blades, as they may be used with advantage in combination with a continuous
helical blade similar to the thread of an ordinary screw; and when this is the.
case, I arrange the blades E in the spaces of the said continuous helix or
thread, and thus I form a species of triple-threaded screw. The mode of
operating with the above. machine for the purpose of extracting gold and
silver and other metals from their orcs or matrices, according to my said
improvements, is as follows:-
MODE OF OPERATING.
Quicksilver is poured into the machine so as to fill the chamber or vessel I,
and also the longitudinal cone-shaped groove or recess A in the bottom of the
machine, and the machinery set in motion; the incline G, extending for about
one-third of the entire length of the body of the machine, serves to displace
the quicksilver for this distance in the vessel A, the intention of this incline'
being to prevent the quicksilver escaping with the tailings by the cock H.
The pulverized rock or other prepared ore is fed into the hopper L at the
top of the feed pipe K in such proportions as may be deemed requisite. This
may be effected either by hand or by any suitable self-acting mechanism. A
stream of water is introduced with the ore in the said hopper, and passes
therewith through the feed pipe into the centre of the mass of quicksilver in
the chamber or vessel I, where it is triturated by the rotating disc P through
the perforations, in which (after having deposited in the quicksilver therein a
certain portion of its metallic contents) it ascends into the body of the machine,
where it is subjected to further agitation by the action of the screw blades
therein, which have the effect of beating or forcing the suspended metallic
particles into the horizontal column of quicksilver in the groove A, which
deprives the prepared ore of its remaining metallic particles, and the refuse
matter or waste and water are screwed or forced out of the quicksilver and
along the inclined platform G, and discharged from the body of the machine

page_text: by the cock H, which is kept open during the operation. The feed pipe
should be of such height, that, when filled with pulverized ore and water, the
pressure of this hydrostatic column shall overcome the resistance offered by the
quicksilver in and above the vessel I. Or, instead of the above-mentioned
bydrostatic principle, an ordinary force pump may be employed, said pump
exerting sufficient pressure to force the ore and water into the centre of the
vertical column of quicksilver in the vessel I. The amalgam, resulting from
the chemical combination produced by the mechanical means above described,
is drawn off along with the quicksilver at the end of the operation through
the cock R. in the bottom of the chamber or vessel I. The gold or silver (as
may be) contained in the amalgam is then obtained by volatilizing the quick
silver in an ordinary retort. I would here observe, that, in the event of
the ores being of a very refractory nature, or presenting any unusual practical
difficulties, and in order to render mines (which are at present considered as
being valueless) sources of legitimate enterprise and profit, a modification of
the above described process, involving the application of heat, would in some
cases be found advantageous; although I do not here intend or even recom-
mend for ordinary use an operation requiring the nicest skill in its applica-
tion to so volatile a fluid as quicksilver. But, as the object of my said
Invention is to supply the want of a perfect process for the extraction of the
precious metals in every conceivable case, and to obviate the difficulties which
have hitherto attended such operation according to the various methods now in
use, I propose therefore, in cases where it is required to stimulate the action
of the quicksilver, to employ heat upon the reverberatorý principle, which may
be effected by enclosing the machine, or only that portion thereof which
contains the quicksilver, in an outer case or jacket, and filling the surrounding
internal space with either heated water, heated air, or steam. The screw
delivery process, formed by the combination of the segmental screw blades or
paddles E, may have either continuous or intermittent, circular or alternate
circular motion imparted thereto by any suitable prime mover; and supposing
the diameter of the helix E to be eighteen or twenty inches, I have found
about eighteen or twenty revolutions or vibrations thereof per minute answer
well in practice, the principal object being to produce chemical combination
or amalgamation, without at the same time breaking up the quicksilver, or
oxidizing it by too much mechanical agitation.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "Improvements in the Extraction of Gold and Silver and other
Metals," together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I hereby declare

page_text: my Invention to consist in and I claim the extraction of gold, and silver, and
other metals from their ores and matrices by the use of apparatus of the con:
struction above described, set forth, and represented by the illustrative
diagrams hereunto annexed; and especially I claim the mode set forth of
operating upon the prepared ore by the hydrostatic column K, or by a pump
for forcing said ore into and amongst the quicksilver in the vessels I and A,
in combination with the separate segmental blades and continuous blades or
screw for bringing the ore, which is in the body of the machine, into contact
with the quicksilver in the vessel I and the groove or recess A, thereby
extracting and precipitating the metallic particles contained in the ore.
I also claim the inclined planc G for preventing the quicksilver in the groove
or recess A passing off with the tailings, as above stated.
And, lastly, I claim the peculiar method of applying heat to the quicksilver
upon the reverberatory principle, herein described, by surrounding the recess A
or the cylinder B with a jacket into which heated air, water, or steam is
admitted.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Goulding, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
RICHARD GOULDING. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross..