Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores of Precious Metals with Chemical Agents.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th July, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores of Precious Metals
with Chemical Agents.
I, RICHARD BROWN, of Saxonhurst, Woolston, near Southampton, Hants,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is
to say:
My said invention relates to processes for extracting precious metals from their
ores by means of such agents as chlorine, bromine iodine, cyanogen, or any suitable
compound of any one or more of them.
In carrying out the invention the ores to be treated having been roasted if
necessary and brought to a finely ground state are put along with water into a
closed vessel of the improved construction hereinafter described, and are first, by
preference subjected to the action of a vacuum obtained by pumps or otherwise and
are then acted upon by the chemical agent in a gaseous or liquid or dissolved state,
the vacuum when used insuring the more rapid complete and effective penetration
of the agent into the substance of the ore. The improved apparatus may however
be used without vacuum.
The apparatus which I employ is constructed in an improved manner, and so as
whilst capable of dealing with a large quantity of ore at one operation, to be able
to withstand the external atmospheric pressure when a vacuum is produced inside
of it. I construct the vessel preferably of steel although any other suitable metal
or material may be used, and I make it with a shell of a horizontal cylindrical
form with the end portions a little tapered or barrelled and with the ends convex.
The vessel is made to rotate slowly about its horizontal longitudinal axis, having
journals fixed to its ends and carried in suitable bearings. Internally the shell of
the vessel is protected from the action of the chemical agent by a lining of lead
which may be attached to the shell by a suitable cement. And in order to support
the lead lining against any tendency to collapse a number of lead-covered steel or
iron rings are fixed within or instead of separate rings one or more lead-covered
helical coils of steel or iron may be used. Or lead-covered screws may be used to
fix the lead lining. The shell and lining may be plain or corrugated. To give
access to the interior of the vessel a manhole is formed at the middle of its length,
this manhole being encircled by a steel or iron ring to which a cover plate is
secured by screw bolts. In the cover plate there is fixed a stopcock or valve to
which a pipe can be coupled for connecting the interior of the vessel with the
exhausting apparatus; and the same stopcock or valve may be used or a separate
one may be fixed to the cover plate for admitting the chemical agent. When
charging the vessel with ore or when emptying it, the cover plate itself is
removed.
Dated this Twelfth day of October 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores of Precious Metals
with Chemical Agents.
I, RICHARD BROWN, of Saxonhurst, Woolston, near Southampton, Hants,
Merchant, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to processes for extracting precious metals from their
ores by means of such agents as chlorine, bromine, iodine, cyanogen, or any suitable
compound of any one or more of them.
In carrying out the invention the ores to be treated having been roasted, if
necessary, and brought to a finely ground state, are put along with water, or
preferably after water, into a closed vessel of the improved construction hereinafter
described and are first by preference subjected to the action of a vacuum obtained
by pumps or otherwise, and are then acted upon by the chemical agent in a gaseous
or liquid or dissolved state, the vacuum, when used, insuring the more rapid,
complete, and effective penetration of the agent into the substance of the ore.
improved apparatus may however be used without vacuum. When a vacuum is
used a charge of ore and water should not completely fill the vessel, it may occupy
three fourths or less of the interior.
The
The apparatus which I employ is shown upou an accompanying sheet of
explanatory drawings, Figure, 1, being a longitudinal vertical section, whilst
Figure, 2, is a transverse-sectional view of a detail.
This apparatus is constructed in an improved manner, and so as, whilst capable
of dealing with a large quantity of ore at one operation, to be able to withstand
the external atmospheric pressure when a vacuum is produced inside of it, as well
as to support the weight of the ore and water put into it. I construct the vessel, A,
preferably of steel, although any other suitable metal or material may be used, and
I make it with a shell, B, of a horizontal cylindrical or approximately cylindrical
form, with the end portions a little tapered or barrelled, and with the ends, C,
convex. Riveted or otherwise fixed to the ends, C, there are outer disks, D, E, of
cast iron or cast steel, and made with journals, F, G, by means of which journals
the vessel is supported in bearings in cast iron standards, H, J. The outer end
disks, D, E, are made each with five or other suitable number of projecting arms
or lugs of which one, K, of each disk is seen in Figure, 1; and tie rods, L, secured
by screw nuts connect the lugs (K) of the two disks. These end disks and tie rods
strengthen the vessel; and additional strength is given thereto by rings, M, of
T-iron encircling the body of the vessel, the tie rods, L, passing outside of these
rings. Oue, F, of the journals is made long enough to have fixed on it outside of
the bearing a spurwheel, N, with which there gears a pinion, N 1, on a shaft, N 2,
having on it fast and loose pulleys, N 3, for a driving belt.
Internally, the shell of the vessel is protected from the action of the chemical
agent by a lining of lead, indicated in the drawings by a thick black line, and
which may be attached to the inside surface of the shell by a suitable cement, or by
means of zinc. And in order to support the lead lining against any tendency to
collapse a number of lead-covered steel or iron rings may be fixed within; or
instead of separate rings, one or more lead-covered helical coils, P, as shown, of
steel or iron may be used, such rings or coils being attached to the lead lining at
numerous points by autogenic soldering or "burning." Or lead covered screws or
rivets may be used for fixing the lead lining to the shell. The shell and lining may
be plain or corrugated.
To give access to the interior of the vessel a manhole, Q, is formed at the middle
of its length, this manhole being encircled by a steel or iron ring, Q1, to which a

page_text: cover plate, R, is secured by screw bolts, R1, jointed to the ring, Q1, and
engaging in notches in the cover plate, R. In the cover plate, R, there is fixed a
stopcock or valve, S, to which a pipe can be coupled for connecting the interior of
the vessel with the exhausting apparatus; and the same stopcock or valve, S, may
be used, or a separate one may be fixed to the cover plate for admitting the
chemical agent. When charging the vessel with water and ore or when emptying
it the cover plate, R, itself is removed. When the vessel is being emptied it is
placed as shown in Figure, 1, with the manhole, Q, at the bottom; and the parts
of the coils, P, or of the rings if used which are then at the bottom are arched as
shown in Figure, 2, to allow liquid to drain towards the manhole, Q. When
helical coils, P, are used they will, with the rotation of the vessel, have some
stirring or opening action on the ore which action will promote the penetration of
the chemical agent.
In using the apparatus the rate of rotation, and the duration of an operation, will
vary with the kind and condition of the ores, and with the chemical agent or agents
employed. When chlorine is the agent the duration of an operation may with
some ores be about two hours, but more or less time may be taken according to the
results obtained. When an operation has continued for what is considered a
sufficient time to dissolve all or most of the precious metal in the ore, the vessel is
emptied and the contents filtered and well washed, after which the solution
obtained is treated in any suitable known way for the precipitation or recovery of
the precious metal.
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 :-
:-
The improved construction of apparatus for treating ores of precious metals with
chemical agents substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Fourth day of July 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.