IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NICKEL AND COBALT
Year: 1885

page_text: We HENRY WIGGIN M.P. and HENRY ARTHUR WIGGIN and ALFRED SMEATON
JOHNSTONE and WALTER WILLIAM WIGGIN all of George Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick Manufacturers and Co-partners do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
NICKEL AND COBALT" to be as follows:-
"
In the ordinary method of manufacturing nickel and cobalt the copper which is
contained more or less in ores from which nickel aud cobalt are ordinarily extracted
is removed by a process both costly and tedious.
In separating copper from nickel and cobalt according to our invention we obtain
the metals in solution preferably as chlorides sulphates or nitrates by well known
methods and we subject the solution to the action of an electric current either from
a voltaic battery or from a dynamo electric machine. We employ a cathode
preferably of copper or brass and an anode either of compressed carbon such as is.
used in constructing Bunsen's and other batteries or an anode of the kind herein-
after described. The copper is reduced by the electric current and is deposited on
the cathode while the chlorine or acids which were combined with the copper are
liberated at the carbon anode. When solutions of chlorides are operated upon the
chlorine is evolved in a gaseous state and may be collected and applied to any
purpose to which it is applicable By the treatment described the copper is
completely removed from the solution and the solution of nickel and cobalt may be
treated in the ordinary way for the separation of these metals.
Instead of using an anode of carbon an anode of impure nickel or cobalt or of an
impure alloy of these metals may be employed In this case as the copper is
deposited at the cathode nickel or nickel and cobalt are dissolved at the anode and
the solution while being deprived of copper is being more highly charged with
nickel or cobalt or with nickel and cobalt. In this way concentrated solutions of
nickel and cobalt very favourable for further treatment are obtained at the same.
time that copper is removed from the solution and the manufacture of pure nickel
and cobalt or their oxides is much simplified.
Although we prefer to operate on solutions of chlorides sulphates or nitrates of
copper nickel and cobalt yet we do not limit ourselves thereto as the process
described may be conducted with other soluble salts of copper nickel and cobalt.
Instead of using an anode of crude nickel or cobalt or a crude alloy of these
metals an anode consisting of 'impure oxide of one or both these metals or other
compounds of nickel or cobalt or nickel and cobalt natural or artificial may be
employed with like result.
Dated this twenty-seventh day of March 1885
:

page_text: We HENRY WIGGIN M.P. and HENRY ARTHUR WIGGIN and ALFRED SMEATON
JOHNSTONE and WALTER WILLIAM WIGGIN all of George Street Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick Manufacturers and Co-partners, do hereby declare the
nature of our Invention for "
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NICKEL
AND COBALT" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
In the ordinary method of manufacturing nickel and cobalt the copper which is
contained more or less in ores from which nickel and cobalt are ordinarily extracted
is removed by a process both costly and tedious.
In separating copper from nickel and cobalt according to our invention we obtain
the metals in solution preferably as chlorides, sulphates or nitrates by well known
methods and we subject the solution to the action of an electric current either
from a voltaic battery or from a dynamo electric machine. We employ a cathode
preferably of copper or brass and an anode either of compressed carbon, such as is
used in constructing Bunsen's and other batteries, or an anode of the kind herein-
after described. The copper is reduced by the electric current and is deposited on
the cathode while the chlorine or acids which were combined with the copper
are liberated at the carbon anode. When solutions of chlorides are operated upon,
the chlorine is evolved in a gaseous state and may be collected and applied to any
purpose to which it is applicable. By the treatment described the copper is
completely removed from the solution and the solution of nickel and cobalt may be
treated in the ordinary way for the separation of these metals.
Instead of using an anode of carbon, an anode of impure nickel or cobalt or an
impure alloy of these metals may be employed. In this case as the copper is
deposited at the cathode, nickel or nickel and cobalt are dissolved at the anode and
the solution while being deprived of copper is being more highly charged with
nickel or cobalt or with nickel and cobalt. In this way concentrated solutions of
nickel and cobalt very favourable for further treatment are obtained at the same
time that copper is removed from the solution and the manufacture of pure nickel
and cobalt or their oxides is much simplified.
Although we prefer to operate on solutions of chlorides, sulphates or nitrates of
copper, nickel and cobalt yet we do not limit ourselves thereto as the process
described may be conducted with other soluble salts of copper, nickel and cobalt.
Instead of using an anode of crude nickel or cobalt or a crude alloy of these
metals, an anode consisting of impure oxide of one or both these metals or other
compounds of nickel or cobalt, or nickel and cobalt, natural or artificial, may be
employed with like result.
In practice we have found it convenient to arrange the solution to be operated
upon in a series of vats so connected that the solution slowly passes through the
whole series. A series of twenty four vats arranged in two rows side by side is a
convenient arrangement. These vats may be made of wood the parts being
strongly bound together and have a length of about five feet and a depth and
breadth of from two to three feet. We do not however limit ourselves to any
particular proportions.

page_text: Each of these vats is provided with a series of anodes and cathodes exposing as
large a surface as is practicable. These anodes and cathodes are properly connected
with the conductors of the electric current employed as is well understood. As the
stream of the solution passes from vat to vat it is deprived in each of a portion of
copper and by the time it reaches the last vat of the series, the whole of the copper
has been removed from it and deposited on the metallic cathodes.
We prefer to operate upon a solution of the chlorides of the metals the solution
being slightly acid from excess of hydrochloric acid.
The electric current we prefer to employ is that of a dynamo electric machine
such as is commonly employed for electro plating and the electro deposition of
various metals but we do not limit ourselves to the employment of electricity from
any particular source as the electric current obtained from a voltaic battery or
other source of electricity may be employed.
When anodes of carbon are employed the chlorine evolved may be collected by a
hood or an inverted funnel like vessel fixed on the carbon anodes the said hood or
inverted vessel dipping a short depth into the solution. The chlorine is thus
collected similarly to the way in which gases are collected in a pneumatic trough
and is conducted away by pipes and applied to any use to which it is applicable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim as our invention of "Improvements in the manufacture of nickel and cobalt"
First. The precipitation of copper by means of electricity from solutions of
nickel cobalt and copper.
Secondly. The use of carbon anodes for the precipitation of copper by means of
electricity from mixed solutions of nickel, cobalt and copper.
Thirdly. The use of anodes of crude nickel or crude nickel and cobalt, or of
nickel alloys, or of nickel and cobalt alloys, or of oxide of nickel or oxides of nickel
and cobalt in the precipitation of copper by means of electricity from mixed
solutions of nickel, cobalt and copper.
Fourthly. The collecting and utilization of the chlorine evolved when anodes
of carbon are employed in precipitating copper by means of electricity from mixed
solutions of nickel, cobalt and copper.
"Dated this ninth day of December 1885