Improvements in Treating Ores to obtain Precious Metals, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treating Ores to obtain Precious Metals, and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, THOMAS YOUNG, of 27 St. Vincent Place, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve and especially to expedite the
operations employed for obtaining precious metals from ores, and whilst my improved
apparatus has been designed for use in what are known as chlorination processes, it
may also be used in any processes in which there is treatment with chemicals and
liquids together with filtering operations.
In carrying out my invention in chlorination processes I combine my apparatus with
an ordinary filter tank into which the ores after treatment with chlorine, and the
solution formed thereby are emptied from a chlorinating vessel. The solution passes
through a filter bed into a space beneath a false bottom at the lower part of the tank ;
and this lower space is put by means of a pipe in communication with an air-tight
vessel made by preference of iron or steel protected internally by rubber. The
air-tight vessel is fitted with an inlet pipe and stop-cock for steam, an outlet valve for
air and a pipe dipping down to or communicating with the lower part of the vessel,
When a charge
and leading to a position where it can be connected to a filter press.
of material is about to be dealt with a vacuum is formed in the airtight vessel by
blowing in steam and allowing it to condense; protosulphate of iron having been first
put into the vessel either in solution or in crystals to be dissolved by the steam blown
A stopcock on the pipe communicating with the filter tank is then opened and
the chlorinated solution is rapidly drawn through the filter bed and into the airtight
vessel, in which the precious metal is precipitated by the action of the protosulphate of
As soon as the reaction is considered to be complete steam is again admitted to
the upper part of the airtight vessel and forces the liquid with its suspended precipitate
through the communicating pipe to the filter press, in which apparatus the precipitate
is rapidly separated from the solution.
in.
iron.
1
Dermban 18000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treating Ores to obtain Precious Metals, and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, THOMAS YOUNG, of 27 St. Vincent Place, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve and especially to expedite the
operations employed for obtaining precious metals from ores, and whilst my improved
apparatus has been designed for use in what are known as chlorination processes, it
may also be used in any process in which there is treatment with chemicals and liquids
together with filtering operations.
In carrying out my invention in chlorination processes, I combine my apparatus
with an ordinary filter tank into which the ores, after treatment with chlorine, and the
solution formed thereby are emptied from a chlorinating vessel. In the filter tank
referred to the solution passes through a filter bed into a space beneath a false bottom

page_text: at the lower part of the tank; and this lower space is put by means of a pipe in
communication with an airtight vessel made by preference of iron or steel protected
internally by rubber. A vessel of the kind I prefer to use and constructed and
furnished according to my invention is shown in vertical section on an accompanying
sheet of explanatory drawings.
The vessel consists of a cylindrical part, A, to which are bolted by flanges a curved
top, B, and a curved bottom, C. To the top there is fixed a piece, D, formed with
flanges for three pipe connections; and to the bottom there is fixed a piece, E, formed
for one pipe connection. The interior of the vessel and its various parts, A, B, C, D, E,
are lined with rubber which is cured in situ and is applied to each piece separately and
made to completely cover the joint flanges as indicated by the thick line in the
drawing so that the metal may be protected from corrosive action of the chemicals.
To one, F, of the pipe flanges of the upper piece, D, there is to be attached a steam
supply pipe with a stopcock (not shown). To the top of the piece, D, there is
attached a pipe, G, made of vulcanite, or of metal coated with rubber, and which dips
down to the bottom of the vessel, the upper end of this pipe, G, having connected to
it a pipe, H, leading to a filter press (not shown). The top piece, D, has also attached
to it a pipe, J, through which any solution or chemical liquid or water may be
introduced. Near the bottom of the vessel but above the bottom of the dipping pipe, G,
there is a perforated diaphragm, K, made of vulcanite or other not easily corroded
material..
When a charge of material is about to be dealt with a vacuum is formed in the
airtight vessel by blowing in steam and allowing it to condense, the air being allowed
to escape through the pipe, H, or J; and protosulphate of iron having been first put
into the vessel either in solution, or in crystals to be dissolved by the steam blown in.
When a solution of the protosulphate of iron is used it may be introduced through the
pipe, J; and when it is used in crystals it may be introduced through a manhole, L,
and it will rest upon the perforated vulcanite diaphragm, K.
A vacuum having been formed in the airtight vessel a stopcock or valve on the
pipe, J, communicating with the filter tank, is opened, and the chlorinated solution is
rapidly drawn through the filter bed of the tank, and into the vessel in which the
precious metal is precipitated by the action of the protosulphate of iron. As soon as
the reaction is considered to be sufficiently advanced, steam is again admitted to the
upper part of the airtight vessel and forces the liquid with its suspended precipitate
through the pipes, G, and H, to the filter press, in which apparatus the precipitate is
rapidly separated from the solution. The reintroduction of the steam may generally
be commenced very soon after a charge of chlorinated solution has been drawn into
the airtight vessel; and the injection of steam may be continued a short time after
most of the liquid has left the vessel, the steam so injected dissolving protosulphate of
iron and ensuring the complete washing from the vessel of any traces of solution still
containing precious metal.
A pipe, M, is connected to the bottom of the vessel for draining off any liquid
remaining in it.
In the drawing this pipe, M, and the pipes, H, and J, all of which
are by preference made of vulcanised rubber or other suitable flexible material, are
shown as provided with valves or closing devices, N, P, Q, of an improved construction
for which I have applied for separate Letters Patent No. 13127 of 1890; any suitable
known kind of valve or stopcock may, however, be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
The improved process of treating ores to obtain precious metals, wherein after
chlorination or other treatment whereby the precious metal is got into solution, the
ore with such solution is subjected to filtration in a tank from which the solution is by
atmospheric pressure transferred to an airtight vessel in which vessel a vacuum has
heen formed, in which vessel the solution lias added to it a precipitant or other
chemical, and from which vessel the resulting liquid with its suspended precipitate is

page_text: transferred by steam pressure to a filter press, the apparatus employed being
constructed arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Thirteenth day of September 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.