AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING and OBTAINING GOLD, SILVER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of “AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING and OBTAINING GOLD,
SILVER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES."-A communication from
abroad by Solomon William Kirk, of Philadelphia, Chemist, and
William Robert Griffith, of Now York, Gentleman, all of the United
States of North America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1873.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING
AND OBTAINING: GOLD, SILVER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES," a communi
cation, to be as follows:-

page_text: .
obtaining gold or silver from the pyrites of iron or copper, and also from
what are technically called "mill ores " in the mining districts.
To accomplish theso objects the ores are roasted in suitable ovens and
then pulverized by stampers or other well known means for such
purposes. When thus prepared the pulverized oro is then mixed with
mercury to form a compound mass. It is then placed in a digester and
hermetically scaled up. Tho air is then by means of any suitable
apparatus exhausted from the interior of the digester to obtain an air
vacuum therein. Heat is now applied to the external sides of tho
digester to vaporize the mercury as well as tho sulphur, and any other
volatilizable matter contained in the mass. When the mercury and
sulphur are thus vaporized and confined in the digester in vacuo a portion
of the vaporized mercury unites with tho vaporized sulphur and forms
artificial cinnabar, while another portion will form an amalgam with the
gold or silver thus set free from the sulphur. When the amalgam hias
thus been effected in the digester the cock in a pipo connecting it with
a condenser is opened and an increased degree of heat is applied to the
outside of the digester. By this means the amalgam is reduced and tho
metal left behind in the digester, while the vaporized mercury and
sulphur and other impurities are carried over into the condenser, which
being kept at a low temperature readily and rapidly condenses them into
their separate clementary properties, thus saving the mercury to be used
again and the sulphur for any commercial purposes desired.
0
It will be obvious from the foregoing description of the process that
the Invention consists in the process of amalgamating and reducing
sulphuretted orcs containing gold or silver or other metals in vacuo, and
also in the method or process of reclaiming and condensing the vaporized
mercury and sulphur in vacuo in their separate elementary parts again,
and that the apparatus used is immaterial so long as they have capacity
and strength enough to answer the purposes required and adaptation to
the uses described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build-
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send grceting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Haseltine, Her special licence that I,
the said George Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Haseltine, my executors, administrators,
and 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 Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING AND
OBTAINING GOLD, SILVER, AND OTHER METALS FROM THEIR ORES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Solomon William Kirk, of Philadelphia,
Chemist, and William Robert Griffith, of New York, Gentleman, all of
the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 George Haseltine, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
:-
This Invention relates to a method or process of separating and
5 obtaining gold or silver from the pyrites of iron or copper, and also from
what are technically called "mill ores" in gold and silver mining
districts

page_text: the digester in vacuo a 1
To accomplish these objects the ores are roasted in any suitable ovens
and then pulverized by stampers or other well known means for such
purposes. When thus prepared the pulverized oro is mixed with
mercury to form a compound mass. It is then placed in a digester and
hermetically scaled. The atmospheric air is then by means of any
suitable exhausting apparatus abstracted from the interior of the digester
to obtain an air vacuum thercin. Heat is now applied to the outside of
the digester to vaporize the mercury and sulphur as well as any other
volatilizable matter contained in the mass. When the mercury and
sulphur aro thus vaporized and confined in
portion of the vaporized mercury unites with the vaporized sulphur
and forms artificial cinnabar, while another portion will form an amalgam
with the gold or silver thus set free from the sulphur. When the amalgam
has thus been effected in the digester the cock in a pipe connecting it
with a condenser is opened and an increased degree of heat is applied to 1
the outside of the digester. By these means the amalgam is reduced
and the metal left behind in the digester, while the vaporized mercury
and sulphur and other impurities are carried over into the condenser,
which being kept at a low temperature readily and rapidly condenses
them into their separate clementary properties, thus saving the mercury 2
to be used again and the sulphur for any useful purposes desired.
It will be obvious from the foregoing description of the process that
the Invention consists in the process of amalgamating and reducing
sulphuretted orcs containing gold or silver or other metals in vacuo, and
also in the method or process of reclaiming and condensing the vaporized 2
mercury and sulphur in vacuo into their separate elementary parts again,
and that the apparatus used is immaterial so long as the same has
capacity and strength enough for the purposes required and is capable of
adaptation to the uses described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to g
me by my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. The process hercin-beforo described for separating the precious
metals from their matrix by subjecting the mixed pulverized orc and
mercury to heat in vacuo, substantially as ent forth

page_text: .
roasted and pulverized mixed with a sufficient quantity of mercury to
heat in vacuo, and retaining and condensing the vapor given off, as and
for the purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four..
Witness,
James EdwaRDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)