Improvements in the; Smelting and Refining of Gold, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Lead, and Tin Ores, and in Furnaces therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 10th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Mar.. 1887.
Improvements in the; Smelting and Refining of Gold, Silver, Copper,
Zinc, Lead, and Tin Ores, and in Furnaces therefor.
I, JAMES Moss BENNETT of Ruchill in the County of Lanark, Metallurgist, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the smelting and refining of gold, silver, copper, zine, lead
and tin ores and it consists in carrying on these operations successively and continu-
ously in a compound blast and open hearth furnace, that is to say, the smelting is
effected in a cupola furnace at or around the bottom of which one or more open
hearths or refining furnaces is or are arranged into which the molten mass from the.
cupola or blast furnace is run.
The upper end of the blast furnace is closed by a double bell and the material to be
smelted and refined is along with the flux and the fuel, which is unprepared, charged
into the furnace by lowering the bell in the ordinary manner. The upper portion of
the furnace, which is preparatory and constitutes a gas producer, has introduced into
it a pressure blast of hot air which is caused to pass downwards through the charge
for the purpose of distilling the fuel and preparing the stock the gases arising from
the distillation being carried down with the solid fuel to the zone of fusion where
they are met or acted upon by other pressure blasts and consumed. The blasts are
introduced into the furnace through tuyeres arranged in series of any desired number
one above another throughout the height of the furnace and each of which has
a controlling or stop valve and the products of the combustion at the zone of fusion
pass or are led off at the lower part of the furnace the blast being downwards
throughout. In conjunction with the descending pressure air blasts superheated
steam is introduced into the furnace at various points, in its height, for the purpose of
more thoroughly preparing the ores.
After the smelted or molten moss is run from the cupola or blast furnace into the
open hearth refining furnaces at its base it is further treated with a highly heated air
blast and superheated steam introduced together or separately and made to pass
through into or over the molten mass.

page_text: The products of combustion from the smelting furnace also pass through the refining
furnaces to the outlet flues to which is adapted any well known arrangement for
trapping and collecting the volatile products or vapours arising from the process.
By means of the improvements hereinbefore described smelting and refining of
the metals and ores mentioned and which, by the systems heretofore practised, extend
over a series of operations and require costly plant are both accomplished under one
operation, in less time and at a much less cost.
Instead of using unprepared fuel as herein before mentioned coke or charcoal may
be employed.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Glasgow, Agents.
Zinc, Lead, and Tin Ores, and in Furnaces therefor.
I, JAMES MOSS BENNETT of Ruchill in the County of Lanark, Metallurgist, 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:
This invention relates to the smelting and refining of gold, silver, copper, zinc,
lead and tin ores and it consists in carrying on these operations successively and
continuously in a compound blast and open hearth furnace that is to say, the smelting
is effected in a cupola furnace at or around the bottom of which one or more open
hearths or refining furnaces is or are arranged and into which the molten mass from
the cupola may be either run direct or ladled from a receiver situated to one side and
at or near the bottom of the cupola.
On the accompanying drawings figure 1 illustrates in vertical section a furnace
constructed in accordance with my Invention Figure 2, being in part an elevation and
in part a vertical section at right angles to figure 1 whilst figures 3 and 4 are
horizontal sections respectively on the lines a b, and c d figures 1 and 2.
A, is the cupola or blast furnace the upper end of which is closed by a double
hell or hopper arrangement B, B₁ the material to be smelted and refined along with
the flux and the fuel, which latter is unprepared, being charged into the furnace by
lowering the bell B' in the usual way. The upper portion of the furnace A, which is
preparatory and constitutes a gas producer has introduced into it through tuyeres at
the parts marked e, a blast or blasts of hot air which blast or blasts is or are under
pressure and are caused to pass downwards through the charge for the purpose of

page_text: distilling the fuel and preparing the stock, the gases arising from the distillation being
carried down with the solid fuel to the zone of fusion where they are met or acted
upon by other pressure blasts introduced through the tuyeres and consumed. The
tuyeres e and are arranged in series of any desired numbers one tuyere above
another throughout or nearly throughout the height of the furnace and each of them
has a controlling or stop valve. In conjunction with the descending air pressure
blasts superheated steam is introduced through the inyeres ef or through separate
tuyeres at various points in the height of the furnace for the purpose of more
thoroughly preparing the ores.
From the bottom of the cupola or blast furnace the smelted or molten mass runs
through the channel or opening g, into the receiver C, which is provided with a
slag hole, for drawing off impurities and a tap hole or spout, through which the
molten mass is run out and ladled into the open hearth refining furnaces D. The
products of combustion from the blast furnace A, pass through the openings or
archways E into the refining furnaces D, and thence through the flues F to a chimney
or to stoves for heating the air blast dampers being arranged in the said flues to
regulate the current accordingly as one or other or both of the furnaces D, may be in
operation. In the furnaces D, the smelted or molten mass is treated with a highly
heated air blast and with superheated steam introduced through tuyeres j, and made
to pass over into or through the mass. The air and steam blasts may be introduced
together or separately and one or other of them may be cut off as occasion may
require.
In refining gold and silver which are not readily oxidisable the "matte" from the
cupola A, is treated in the chamber or receiver C, with an oxidising blast to free the
easily oxidisable metals such as lead and zinc and after such treatment the "matte"
is removed into the furnaces D, which for this purpose would be constituted as bone
ash refining furnaces.
When working with copper the mass is also treated with an oxidising blast in the
chamber C, to free it from the easily oxidisable metals and the mass after removal to
the furnace D, is treated by "poling" or other approved method in order to bring the
copper to nature."
When treating lead and zinc both of which metals are volatile at great heat and
easily oxidised the metallic portions are collected in the chamber and are tapped off
at i, into moulds or otherwise but as some of the metal is carried over in a metallic
state mechanically By the force of the blast from the tuyeres f into the furnace D, and
as it is desirable to save this portion in an oxidised or partially oxidised condition an
auxiliary blast of air is introduced through the tuyeres for this purpose, the oxidised
or partially oxidised metal after issuing from the flue F being collected as hereinafter
mentioned.
In treating tin that portion of the metal which is not easily oxidisable is collected in
the chamber (, as metallic tin and is tapped off at into ingot moulds, the portion
which is not thus recoverable and remains in an impure condition in the chamber C,
being afterwards run off through the spout, into ladles and transferred to the
furnace D and there submitted to an oxidising or reducing flame for the further or
final recovery of the metal. Any portion which after such treatment passes off from
the furnace D), in a finely divided or sublimed condition being collected as hereinafter
mentioned.
To the flues F of the refining furnaces D), there is adapted any of the well known
arrangements and approved means for trapping and collecting the volatile products
arising from the processes and passing off through the flues.
By means of the improvements hereinbefore described smelting and refining of the
metals and ores mentioned and which by systems hitherto practised extend over a
series of operations and require costly plant are both accomplished under one
operation successively and continuously in less time and at much less cost.
Instead of using unprepared fuel in the smelting furnace as before mentioned coke,
charcoal, or liquid fuel may be employed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In smelting and refining gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and tin ores the process
of treatment-modified to suit cach particular metal-substantially as herein before
described.
2. For smelting and refining gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and tin ores a compound
blast and open hearth furnace constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. In smelting and refining gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and tin ores the use of
jets or blasts of superheated steam introduced into the furnace either alone or in
conjunction with air substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.