IMPROVE- MENTS IN EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF METALS FROM THEIR ORES, OR FROM PRODUCES CONTAINING METALS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John King, of Bishopsgate Avenue,
in the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF METALS FROM THEIR ORES, OR FROM
PRODUCES CONTAINING METALS."
Sealed the 18th April 1875, and dated the 15th October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John King at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th October 1874.
- I, FREDERICK JOHN KING, of Bishopsgate Avenue, in the City of
London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF METALS PROM
THEIR ORES OR FROM PRODUCTS CONTAINING METALS," to be as follows:―
This Invention relates to improvements in the treatment of ores and
of mineral products, and consists in effecting the separation of certain
metals contained therein by the employment of either water or of a
saline solution, such for example as a solution of common salt into and
through which the products of combustion derived from a furnace oven
or other source, either alone or in conjunction with air are injected or
caused to pass.

page_text: The metals or the compounds of the same, which have been dissolved
by such process may be separated from solutions by any of the well
known methods.
This Invention is more particularly applicable to the treatment of
such ores and of products derived therefrom, which contain a small
per-centage of metallic products, which it is desired to separate and
utilize, and which cannot be economically separated by other means,
such for instance as the copper contained in poor carbonate of copper
mixed with gangue, or for effecting the extraction of copper and
silver contained in either iron or in copper pyrites, or in products
obtained therefrom.
In carrying out my Invention I place the ores or the products before
referred to in a vessel composed of wood or other material which is not
effected by the solution, and into such vessel I place either water or a
saline solution, such for example as a solution of salt, in which the
metals or the compounds of the same are soluble, after the ores or the
products derived therefrom have been subjected to the process herein
described. Into this vessel, which may be constructed with or without
a perforated false bottom, I place the ores or the products derived there-
from to be operated upon. In the lower part of such vessel I cause to
pass either alone or in conjunction with air by a pipe or other suitable
arrangement the gaseous products derived from the fuel, such for
instance as coke in a closed furnace, the combustion being maintained
by the injection of air under pressure by means of any convenient air
compressor; or by means of a steam blast or other injector. The air
being decomposed or partly so in its passage through the fuel when
undergoing combustion, together with the gaseous products of:
bustion derived therefrom, pass in a highly heated state through the
liquid or saline solution, in which the ores or mineral products derived
therefrom are immersed.
:
The metals or compounds of the same, the solution of which has been
effected by such before-mentioned process or processes herein-before
mentioned, may be separated by any of the well known methods.
If it be desired to hasten the process of solution I mix common salt
or other chlorides with the fuel employed in the furnace or oven, as such
addition I find accelerates the solution of the metals and compounds of
the same present in the ores or products.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick John King in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
JOHN KING, of Bishopsgate Avenue, in the City of London, Merchant,
send greeting.
-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
88th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick John King, Her special license
that I, the said Frederick John King, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick John King, my executors,
administrators, or 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: Ohannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
•MENTS IN EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF METALS FROM THEIR ORKS, OR FROM
PRODUCTS CONTAINING METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Frederick John King, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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-within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick John King, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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.:-
2.
This Invention relates to improvements in the treatment of ores and
of mineral products, and consists in effecting the separation of certain
metals contained therein by the employment of either water or of a
saline solution, such for example as a solution of common salt into and
through which the products derived from the combustion of fuel- in
conjunction with sulphur or with ores containing sulphur in & furnace,

page_text: oven, or other source, either alone or in conjunction with air, are injected
or caused to pass.
The metals or the compounds of the same, which have been dissolved
by such process may be separated from solutions by any of the well-
known methods.
t
This Invention is more particularly applicable to the treatment of
such ores, and of products derived therefrom, which contain a small
per-centage of metallic products, which it is desired to separate and
utilize, and which cannot be economically separated by other means;
such for instance as the copper contained in poor carbonate of copper 1
ore mixed with gangue, or for effecting the extraction of copper and
silver originally contained in either iron or in copper pyrites, or in
products obtained by calcination therefrom.
In carrying out my Invention I place the ores or the products obtained
or resulting as before referred to in a vessel or vessels composed of wood
or other material, which is not affected by the solutions herein referred
to, and in such vessel or vessels I place either water or a saline solution;
such for example as a solution of common salt, in which the metals or
the compounds of the same are soluble, either before or after the ores or
the products derived therefrom have been subjected to the process herein
described. Into this vessel or vessels, which may be constructed with
or without a perforated false bottom, I place the ores or the products
derived therefrom to be operated upon together with water or the before-
mentioned saline solutions. In the lower part of such vessel or vessels I
cause to pass either alone or in conjunction with air by a pipe or other
suitable arrangement the gaseous products derived from the fuel, such
for instance as coke in a closed furnace, the combustion being maintained
by the injection of air under pressure by means of any convenient air
compressor, or by means of a steam blast or other injector.
Instead of employing carbonaceous fuel alone I prefer to employ a
mixture of carbonaceous fuel with sulphur, or with ores containing
sulphur, which may be burnt, oxidized, or calcined either in a closed
furnace by the injection of air or by the employment of a steam jet or
other exhauster, or in any other furnace or calciner, from which the
mixed gaseous products may be collected and employed for the purposes
and in the manner herein referred to.

page_text: The gaseous products resulting from such combustion, oxidation, or
calcination may be collected, and either passed into or through or
brought in contact with the water or saline solutions in which the ores
or products derived therefrom are placed, or which having been
previously impregnated and acidified with the gaseous products obtained
as before-mentioned are brought in contact with the ores or the products
derived therefrom so as to effect the solution of those metallic compounds
which are soluble therein.
"
The metals or compounds of the same, the solution of which has been
effected by such before-mentioned process or processes herein-before
mentioned, may be separated by any of the well-known methods of
precipitation, or otherwise.
If it be desired to hasten the process of solution I mix common salt
or other chlorides with the fuel employed in the furnace or oven, as
such addition I find accelerates the solution of the metals and
compounds of the same present in the ores or products derived there.
from.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, effecting the
separation of metals from their ores, or from products containing metals,
by submitting the same to the action of an aqueous or saline solution
of the soluble gaseous products derived from the combustion of fuel,
together with sulphur, or of ores containing sulphur, either with or
without the addition of common salt.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John King, have to
this my Specification set my hand-and- seal, this Fifteenth day