An Improved Process for the Extraction of Metals from Oxides and Sulphides..
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26:h Feb., 1895-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Extraction of Metals from Oxides
and Sulphides..
I, CLAUDE THEODORE JAMES VAUTIN, of 42 Old Broad Street, in the City
of London, Metallurgist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved process for the extraction of certain metals
which are of value in their pure state from their oxides and sulphides, and consists
in utilizing in the manner as hereinafter more fully described, the great affinity of
aluminium when in a metallic condition for oxygen or sulphur, thereby reducing
other metals as hereinafter mentioned to a metallic condition free from carbon, and
at the same time the heat developed by the combination of the aluminium and the
oxygen or sulphur is so great as greatly to aid the said reduction and to produce
the resulting reduced metal in most cases in a compact fused state.
As the application of aluminium for this purpose in a metallic condition can be
of commercial utility only where the metal to be reduced is rare and of commercial
value when absolutely pure and free from carbon, I specify the oxides and sulphides
of the following bases as those which may be treated with advantage by my
improved process, viz. those of chromium, molybdenum, manganese, iron, zinc,
uranium, tungsten, titanium, nickel, cobalt, and glucium.
The salt to be reduced is mixed with fincly divided aluminiun, and if an oxide
is the salt to be reduced, lime with or without a fluoride such as fluorspar may
be in some cases mixed with the charge for the purpose of forming a fluid slag
with the resulting Al₂O,. If a sulphide is used then no flux is necessary for the
resulting aluminium sulphide is fluid at the temperature of the operation. The
charge is heated preferably in a magnesia lined crucible or vessel.
This process is greatly superior in the purity of the metallic product as
compared with any process in which carbon is used as the reducing agent or
admixed with the salt.
D
ديد
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FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Extraction of Metals from Oxides
and Sulphides.
1, CLAUDE THEODORE JAMES VAUTIN, of 42 Old Broad Street, in the City
of London, Metallurgist do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved process for the extraction of certain metals,

page_text: which are of value in their pure state, from their oxides or sulphides; and consists
in utilizing, in the manner as hereinafter more fully described, the great affinity
of aluminium, when in a finely divided and metallic condition, for oxygen or
sulphur, thereby reducing other metals, as hereinafter mentioned, to a metallic
condition free from carbon and aluminium, and at the same time utilizing the heat
developed by the combination of the aluminium and the oxygen or sulphur, which
is so intense, as greatly to aid the reduction of refractory metals, and to produce
the resulting reduced metal in most cases in a compact fuzed state.
be
As the application of aluminium for this purpose, in a metallic condition, can
be of commercial utility only, where the metal or base, to be reduced, is rare or
refractory, and of commercial value, when pure and free from carbon and aluminium,
I specify the oxides or sulphides of the following bases, as those which may
treated with advantage by my improved process; riz.,-those of chromium, iron,
tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, uranium, vanadium and glucium.
The reduction is effected in a vessel, lined with fire clay, magnesia &c. ;-and
the salt to be reduced is mixed before fuzing with metallic aluminium, most finely
divided, such as in the form of powder &c., and this admixture of the aluminium
in a finely powdered condition with the salt to be reduced, is most essential for the
production of the reduced metal in a pure state without alloy with the aluminium.
Where an oxide is the salt to be reduced, the slag which consists of the fuzed
oxide of aluminium, may be rendered more easily fuzible by the addition of
fluxes, such as fluor spar or cryolite; or chloride of potassium or sodium may be
added.
If a sulphide is used, no flux may be necessary for the resulting aluminium
sulphide is fluid at the temperature of the operation.
In the same manner, the above reduction may be applied to sulphates of the
before mentioned bases or even to alums, as in the case of oxides, but in such case
a suitably increased quantity of aluminium would have to be used to produce the
necessary reactions.
In practice, it is preferable, at first, in order to be sure of obtaining the reduced
base free from aluminium to use the oxide or sulphide in excess.
On the other hand, even if there is an excess of aluminium, it is possible that
the base required will be reduced free from aluminium, by reason of a portion of
the aluminium being burnt or volatilized, and thus not entering into effective
reaction.
c 11
The temperature of reaction during the formation of Al,O, is so great, that the
formation of the metals, such as chromium, in a pure condition, is greatly
facilitated.
It will be found that metals such as above recited, will be obtained in a pure
fuzed condition, and without carbon, as soon as the temperature is reached at
which the aluminium combines with the oxygen, or sulphur; such a metal as
chromium, which is of great use in the iron and steel industries, not having been
hitherto known in a pure fuzed condition, without carbon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The production of chromium, iron, tungsten, titanium molybdenum, nickel,
cobalt uranium, vanadium, and glucium by treating at a high temperature their
oxygen or sulphur compounds with metall'e aluminium, in a finely divided or
powdered state, substantially as described.

page_text: 2nd. In a process for the reduction of metals herein specified, from their oxides
or sulphides, the employment of metallic aluminium in a finely divided or powdered
state as a reducing agent, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of February 1895.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.