Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining Gold from Sea-water."
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28 h May, 1891
Complete Specification Left: 28th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 28th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining Gold from Sea-water."
I, HENRY CLAY BULL, of No. 36, Amyand Park Road, Twickenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
It is generally agreed, by anthorities upon the subject, that sea water contains
gold, in suspension, and which is supposed to be in the form of iodide of gold, and
the object of my present invention is to recover this gold.
In carrying my invention into effect, I employ a plate or plates of iron or other
suitable material to form an anode and a plate or plates of copper or other suitable
material, such as plates of amalgamated metal, for instance, zinc, to form a cathode,
and in some cases I arrange a quantity of mercury in connection with the cathode,
these plates forming, in conjunction with the sea-water, an electric battery.
In order, however, to increase the activity of this electric battery, I place the
same in series with electricity derived from some other source,. that is to say, eitlier
from a battery or a dynamo.
The action of the electric current will deposit upon the copper cathode or, in the
mercury the gold which is contained in the sea water and is supposed to be in
combination with iodine.
Various forms of apparatus may be employed for carrying out my process, for
example, I may employ a long narrow float from which the anode and cathode are
suspended.
In order to render the process as active as possible and to bring a large volume
of sea-water into contact with the metal plates, I sometimes tow such an apparatus,
as that above described, from a steam or sailing vessel upon which the auxiliary
electric current is produced.
Or, the plates may be hung from a beam similar to a trawl beam, and drawn
through the sea in a somewhat similar manner to that adopted when trawling
for fish.
When the cathodes have become sufficiently charged with gold they must be
removed and the gold recovered in any suitable and known manner.
Or, in lieu of the arrangement herein before described the plates may be placed
one above the other a short distance apart.
In lieu of moving the plates through the water, advantage may be taken of tiḍal
currents by mooring or suspending the apparatus in a tideway so that the moving
water may act upon the stationary plates.
Although the forms of apparatus herein before described represent examples, of
methods in which the invention may be carried into effect, when I employ mercury
in connection with the cathode, I prefer the following arrangement of parts which
in order that it may be clearly understood, 1 will now proceed to describe in
connection with the 'accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 represents a transverse section of the apparatus supported by a pier
projecting into the sea.
Figure 2 is a top.or plan view thereof, and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section thereof.
a represents the framework of the pier to which is fixed a tube or flue b of wood
or other suitable non-conducting material.

page_text: Along the side walls of the tube or flue b. I arrange a number of vertical slabs c
of carbon, iron, or other suitable material spaced at such a distance apart as to
constitute separate anodes, and I electrically connect the whole of these anodes c
with an electric cable (not shown) passing along the tube.b.
d represents a slab or strip of iron or other suitable material extending the
entire length of the tube at the bottom thereof, which slab or strip constitutes a
cathode and this cathode is electrically connected with a suitable conductor.
The cathode d is provided with a number of cups or rings d¹ formed of insulating
material such as gutta-percha for holding a small quantity of mercury d+ which
rests upon the cathode d and which cups are furnished with open topped
covers d²..
The sea water flows through the tube or flue b and the electric fluid which is
split up by the arrangement of the anodes c into a number of separate currents
passes constantly from the anodes a through the sea water to the cathode d.
The electric energy at the entrance end of the tube is absorbed in the first
instance in raising the potential of the sea water contained in the tube or flue b
after which in the further passage of the water through the tube the current
separates the gold and carries it to the mercury d+ contained in the cups d'.
This being the action of the electric fluid it is necessary, and this forms an
important feature of the present invention, to form the tube or flue of considerable
length or of such length as will admit of the peculiar action lastly herein before
described, that is to say, the tube b must be of sufficient length to ensure by such
action the deposit of the whole, or nearly so, of the gold contained in the sea
water passing into the tube or flue and before it passes away at the exit. end
thereof.
An important feature of this invention is the separation and insulation by means
of the tube or flue of the sea water in a long chamber so that it may be
separately acted upon by an electric current in order to raise the water by the
absorption of the current to the proper potential for depositing gold as hereinbefore
described.
At that end of the tube or flue at which the sea water enters I arrange a
conduit (not shown) for a continuous flow of cyanide of sodium or potassium or
bydrochloric acid or oxalic acid or other acid, which will decompose iodide of gold
held in suspension in sea water, which, mixing with the sea water during its passage
through the tube or flue b, decomposes the iodide of gold and facilitates the
deposition thereof.
It will be understood that in lieu of the mercury contained in the cups
amalgamated plates may be employed with similar if not equally good results.
When substituting amalgamated metal, for instance zinc, plates for the iron
strip or plate and cups of mercury, as lastly described, I may arrange alternately
and longitudinally within the same tube a number of such amalgamated plates and
plates of iron, the sea water passing from end to end of the tube or flue through
the spaces between the several plates.
The above mentioned tubes or flues are placed in a tide way or attached to a
vessel in rear of the paddle wheels or towed through the sea water in such manner
that the water will enter at one end, will flow through the tube or flue and escape
at the opposite end, and the said tube or flue should be made of such a length that
practically the whole of the gold will be extracted from the sea water during its
passage through the same.
The gold which has been deposited on the amalgamated plates or in the mercury
may be recovered in any suitable and known manner.
Dated this 28th day of May 1894.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Obtaining Gold from Sea-water.
.:!.
I, HENRY CLAY BULL, formerly of No. 36, Amyand Park Road, Twickenham,
but at present residing at No. 57, Chancery Lane, both in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, 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 :-
It is generally agreed by authorities upon the subject, that sea-water contains, in
solution or suspension, gold which is supposed to be in the form of iodide of gold, and
the object of my present invention is to recover this gold.
In carrying my invention into effect, I employ a plate or plates of iron or other
suitable material to form an anode, and a plate or plates of copper or other suitable
material, such as, plates of amalgamated metal, for instance, copper, to form a
cathode, and, in some cases, I arrange a quantity of mercury in connection with
the cathode, these plates forming, in conjunction with the sea-water, an electric
battery.
In order, however, to increase the activity of this electric, battery, I place the
same in series with electricity derived from some other source, that is to say, either
from a battery or a dynamo, the plates forming the anodes being coupled with the
positive pole of the battery or dynamo whilst the cathode is coupled with the
negative pole thereof.
The action of the electric current will deposit upon the cathode, or, in the mercury,
the gold which is contained in the sea-water and is supposed to be in combination
with iodine.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by a reference to the drawings accom-
panying my Provisional Specification, fully. to describe the same.
Figure 1. represents a transverse section of an apparatus constructed according to
the present invention and supported by a pier projecting into the sea.
Figure 2. is a top or plan view thereof, and,
Figure 3. is a longitudinal section thereof.
a. represents the framework of the pier which is assumed to be located in a
tideway, and to which is fixed a tube or flue b. of wood or other suitable non-
conducting material. Along the inner faces of the side walls of the tube or flue b.
I arrange a number of vertical slabs c. of iron or other suitable material spaced
at such a distance apart as to constitute separate anodes, and I electrically
connect the whole of these anodes c. with an electric cable (not shown) passing
along the tube b.
d. represents a slab or strip of iron, amalgamated copper or other suitable
material extending the entire length of the tube b. at the bottom thereof, which
slab or strip constitutes a cathode, and this cathode is electrically connected with
a suitable conductor.
The cathode d. is provided with a number of cups or rings formed of
insulating material such as gutta-percha for holding a small quantity of
mercury d which rests upon the cathode d. and which cups are furnished with
open topped covers d².
The sea-water flows through the tube or flue b. and the electric fluid which is
split up by the arrangement of the anodes c. into a number of separate currents
passes constantly from the anodes c., through the sea-water to the cathode d.

page_text: The electric energy at the entrance end of the tube is absorbed in the first
instance in raising the potential of the sea-water contained in the tube or flue b.,
after which in the further passage of the water through the tube b. the current
separates the gold which becomes deposited in the mercury d* contained in the
cups d', or, on to the plates constituting the cathode.
This being the action of the electric fluid it is necessary, and this forms an
important feature of the present invention, to form the tube or flue b. of
considerable length, or of such length as will admit of the peculiar action lastly
hereinbefore described, that is to say, the tube b. must be of sufficient length to
ensure by such action the deposit of the whole, or nearly so, of the gold contained
in the sea-water passing into the tube or flue b. and before it passes away at the
exit end thereof.
An important feature of this invention is the separation and insulation by means
of the tube or flue b. of the sea-water in a long chamber, so that it may be separately
acted upon by an electric current in order that the electric potential of the water may
be raised by the absorption of the current to the proper point for the deposition of
gold, as herinbefore described.
At that end of the tube or flue b. at which the sea-water enters, I, in some cases,
arrange a conduit (not shown) for a continuous flow of cyanide of sodium or
potassium or hydro-chloric acid or oxalic acid or other acid which will decompose
the salt of gold held in solution or suspension in sea-water, which mixing with the
sea-water during its passage through the tube or flue b. decomposes the salt of gold
and facilitates the deposition thereof.
It will be understood that in lieu of the mercury contained in the cups d'
amalgamated plates may be employed with similar if not equally good results.
When substituting amalgamated metal, for instance copper plates, for the iron
strip or plate d. and cups of mercury, as lastly described, I may arrange
alternately and longitudinally within the same tube a number of such amalgamated
plates and plates of iron, the sea-water passing from end to end of the tube or flue
through the spaces between the several plates.
The above mentioned tubes or flues b. may be placed in a tideway and supported
by a pier a. or the like as hereinbefore described, or, they may be attached to a
vessel at the rear of the paddle wheels, or, they may be suspended from a float or
otherwise suspended and towed through the sea-water in such manner that the water
will enter at one end, will flow through the tube or flue b. and escape at the opposite
end, or, the tube or flue may be fixed in position and the sea-water pumped or
forced therethrough, and the said tube or flue should be made of such a length that
practically the whole of the gold will be extracted from the sea-water during its
passage through the same.
In experiments, I have found that, in an ordinary tide-way where the maximum
flow of water is about four miles an hour and the electric current employed is
equal to about 10 ampères per square foot of anode, a tube or flue about 12 feet
long and with 16 of a square foot sectional area with the anodes and cathode at
about one and a half inches apart, answers well the purpose of this invention.
The gold which has been deposited on the amalgamated plates or in the mercury
may be recovered in any suitable and known manner.
When recovering gold by the means herein before described, quantities of certain
other metals, including silver and copper, will be deposited with the gold, and
these metals may be separated and recovered by any known means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A process of obtaining gold from sea-water consisting in passing the water
through an insulated channel and in its passage submitting it to a current of
electricity. passing therethrough from an anode to a cathode, substantially as

page_text: 2. A process of obtaining gold from sea-water consisting in passing the water
through an insulated channel of suitable length and in its passage submitting it to
a current of electricity the length of the channel being such that during the
passage of the water the electric potential thereof will be raised by the absorption
of the electrical current to the proper point for depositing approximately the
whole of the gold contained therein, substantially as herein described.
3. A process for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting in passing the water
through an insulated channel and in its passage combining therewith cyanide of
sodium or potassium or oxalic acid or other acid which will decompose the salt of
gold held in solution or suspension in sea-water and submitting the water to a
current of electricity, substantially as herein described.
4. An apparatus for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting of a tube or
conduit of wood or other suitable non-conducting material adapted to be placed in
a tideway or moved through the water provided with an anode or a number of
anodes and a cathode suitably arranged within the tube and means connected with
the anode and cathode for passing through the water a current of electricity,
substantially as herein shown and described.
5. An apparatus for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting of a tube or
conduit of wood or other suitable non-conducting material, adapted to be placed
in a tideway or moved through the water, provided with an anode and a cathode
suitably arranged within the tube, a cup or cups of mercury in connection with the
cathode and means connected with the anode and cathode for passing through the
water a current of electricity, substantially as herein shown and described.
6. An apparatus for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting of a tube or
conduit of wood or other suitable non-conducting material, adapted to be placed
in a tideway or moved through the water, and provided with means for passing a
current of electricity through the water in its passage through the tube and with
a device for charging the water entering the tube with material adapted to
decompose the salt of gold held in solution or suspension, substantially as herein
shown and described.
7. An apparatus for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting of a tube or.
conduit of wood or other suitable non-conducting material, adapted to be placed
in a tideway or moved through the water and provided with means for suspending
it in the desired position and means for passing a current of electricity through
the water in its passage through the tube, substantially as herein shown and
described.
8. An apparatus for obtaining gold from sea-water consisting of a tube or
conduit of wood or other suitable non-conducting material, adapted to be placed in
a tideway or moved through the water, and provided with means for passing
through the water a current of electricity, the length of the tube being such that
during the passage of the water the electric potential thereof will be raised by the
absorption of the electrical current to the proper point for depositing approxi-
mately the whole of the gold contained therein, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 28th day of March 1895
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.