Extracting Gold from its Ores.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., .1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Extracting Gold from its Ores.
FREDERICK WILLIAM DURHAM Glemham Lodge New Barnet Hertfordshire
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the extraction of gold from its ores which I
accomplish as follows-
The ore (when refractory after roasting) is fed into a closed vessel containing
fluid metal preferably molten lead or mercury, in the case of lead the ore must be
heated to about the temperature of molten lead, a suitable arrangement is provided
for delivering the ore on to the surface of the fluid metal in a sprayed form.
Inside the vessel is a suitable gear for conveying the ore along the surface of the
extracting fluid metal so arranged that a thin film of ore is carried from one end
of the vessel to the other which in its course is kept in a constant state of agitation
so securing contact of every particle of the ore with the surface of the extracting
metal. In order to keep the surface of the extracting fluid metal bright and free
from oxide I keep the vessel filled with a reducing gas which gas is superheated.
Dated this 4th day of August 1892.
FREDK. W. DURHAM,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Extracting Gold from its Ores.
FREDERICK WILLIAM DURHAM Glemham Lodge Station Road New Barnet
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 :-
My invention has for its object the extraction of gold from its ores which I
accomplish as follows:-
The ore if refractory after roasting is fed into a closed vessel containing fluid
metal preferably molten lead or mercury, in the case of lead the ore must be heated
(or run direct from the roaster before cooling) to about the temperature of molten
lead. A suitable arrangement is provided for delivering the ore on to the surface
of the fluid metal in a sprayed form. Inside the vessel is a suitable gear for
conveying the ore along the surface of the extracting fluid metal so arranged that
a thin film of ore is carried from one end of the vessel to the other which in its
course is kept in a constant state of agitation so securing contact of every particle
of the ore with the surface of the extracting metal.
In order to keep the surface of the extracting fluid metal bright and free from
oxide 1 keep the vessel filled with a reducing gas which gas is superheated.
In order that my invention may be better understood I refer to the accompanying
drawing and description of one form of my apparatus but I may use many
modifications without departing from what I claim as new or I inay use a furnace
or gas producer for making carbon monoxide gas part of which gas I may use for
heating the lead and part for preventing formation of oxide on the extracting metal
or I may use the heat of the fire in the gas producer for keeping the lead melted.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation shewing the extracting vessel in section
A being an ordinary gas producer B. the gas supply pipe to the vessel C. D is
part of the vessel containing the fluid extracting metal and E. is the conveyor or
agitator for conveying the ore from the delivery end where it is supplied from
hopper F by means of a rotary slide or any suitable means for regulating the
...

page_text: delivery of the ore and at the same time keeping a head of ore in the hopper F so
as to prevent the escape of gas from the vessel C. The agitator is kept in constant
motion to & fro by means of the horizontal rotary shaft; having cranks as shewn
in drawing they (the cranks) causing the agitator to travel along the surface of
the fluid metal towards the delivery end of the vessel C. The cranks then while
completing their revolution lift the agitator off the surface of the fluid metal and
return the agitator to its starting point when the motion is repeated. These cranks
are driven by gearing, chains or other suitable means from outside the vessel C.
I also provide a vertical rotary shaft as shewn in drawing and this shaft has a
crank pin fixed on its lower end which engages in the agitator frame and this shaft
is geared by any suitable means to the horizontal rotary shafts its object being to
give a cross motion to the agitator or conveyor so as to secure the agitator travelling
in a zigzag or irregular path thus ensuring that all the particles of ore get turned
over and over on the surface of the fluid metal during their progress from the feed
end or hopper F to the delivery end and out of the vessel C. by means of the
tube G. This tube is also kept gas tight by means of being kept partly filled
with tailings after having passed over the surface of the fluid metal, the quantity
of such tailings retained in the tube G. being regulated by means of the door and
balance weight at the bottom of the tube. I may construct the agitator of a series
of blades or spikes, or rollers in any way found most suitable for the conveying
along and agitation of the ore in contact with the fluid metal.
Fig. 2 is a plan view and the letters correspond for both views.
What I claim is
What I claim is
1. In connection with apparatus for extracting gold from ores the passing of a
film of ore mechanically over the surface of molten lead for extracting the gold.
2. The general mechanical arrangement for bringing all particles of ore in
contact with the surface of the molten lead.
3. In apparatus for extracting gold from ore the use of reducing gas for the
purpose of keeping the surface of the reducing metal free from oxide.
Dated this 4th day of May 1893.
FREDERICK WILLIAM DURHAM.