IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF TREATING SCORIA OR SLAG OF COPPER ORES, IRON PYRITES, . OR SCORIA FROM OTHER ORES CONTAINING IRON, AND OF REDUCING TITANIC IRON ORE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTRACTING THE IRON THEREFROM."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas, of Battersea, in the County of Surrey,
Ironfounder, and Alexander Prince, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing
Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OF TREATING SCORIA OR SLAG OF COPPER ORES, IRON PYRITES,
. OR SCORIA FROM OTHER ORES CONTAINING IRON, AND OF REDUCING TITANIC
IRON ORE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTRACTING THE IRON THEREFROM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas and
Alexander Prince at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 17th May. 1866.
We, JOHN THOMAS, of Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Ironfounder,
and ALEXANDER PRINCE, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF TREATING SCORIA OR SLAG OF COPPER ORES,
IRON PYRITES, OR SCORIA FROM OTHER ORES CONTAINING IRON, AND OF REDUCING
TITANIC IRON ORE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTRACTING THE IRON. THEREFROM," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in treating the scoria or
slag of copper ores, iron pyrites, or scoria from any other.ores which contain

page_text: iron, and also of reducing titanic iron ore in order to obtain or extract the
iron therefrom.
With regard to the treatment of scoria or slag the process is as follows:-
The slag is first to be broken into small pieces, either by a stone-crushing
machine, or by preference, by heating the slags to a red heat in ovens,
kilns, or clamps in order to calcine them, and then throwing them into cold
water, which operation will not only drive off a great portion of the sulphur
but cause the slag to open in fractures or cracks, thus rendering it very easy
to break up the slag, after which it is to be mixed with about one-fifth of
its weight of clay or alumina. The best method of mixing the clay is to
make it into a wash or puddle with water in order that the sand or silicious
compounds may be separated from the clay; the wash is then to be poured
on the broken scoria and well mixed therewith, and when the mass is drained
of the superfluous or superabundant wash it is ready for the operation of
smelting. The smelting may be performed in an ordinary furnace used for
smelting iron, but the slag hole must be made very large so as to blow a
clear blast through the same, which will cause the elimination of the sulphur
or arsenic that may descend, with the materials through the furnace. .The
usual fluxes may be employed, but care should be taken to select those con-
taining the least silica. Should the iron when smelted contain too much
silica the quantity of clay should be increased by placing it with the charges
as the fluxes are charged. The copper slags or scoria of ores containing.iron
may be termed silicates of iron, and are composed of the following ingre-
dients compounded in variable proportions, viz., sulphur, arsenic, silica, a
small quantity of copper or other metals which have been extracted from the
ores, much earthy matter, and iron.
The chemical action of the process is as follows:-The process of calcining
eliminates some of the sulphur and arsenic, the immersion in cold water of
the scoria in a red-hot state drives off some more, the breaking up of the
scoria enables a further quantity to be driven off by the blast and heat of the
furnace and to escape by the chimney, and a further quantity will be
eliminated through the slag hole by a continuous blast through the same,
leaving the iron nearly free from sulphur and arsenic. The silica will be
taken up by the clay, forming a silicate of alumina, and the more free the
clay is from sulphur and silica the better it is for the purpose. The small
portions of copper or other metals will be volatilized by the high heat, leaving
but a very small portion in the iron, not sufficient to deteriorate its quality.
The earthy matters contained in the scoria will combine with the flux; which
may consist of limestone or lime, and should be as free from silica, as possible.

page_text: The quantity of the limestone, lime, or clay must be determined by their
quality, and that of the slags or scoria to be reduced, and if a proper
proportion be used pig iron of excellent quality will be the result. If at any
time it should be desirable to mix iron ores with the scoria to be smelted those
of an argillaceous nature should be preferred.
The process above described is also applicable for reducing iron from
titanic iron ore in stones or rock. The great difficulty hitherto experienced
in smelting these ores has been caused by their containing a great quantity of
titanic acid; this is to be removed by the process of calcining and throwing
the ores while red hot into cold water, whereby they become broken, and the
acid escapes with the heat, and is dissolved in the water; afterwards the ores
may be smelted at once in the ordinary manner, but it is preferable to mix
the clay with them first, or to put it into the furnace with the flux, care being
taken to use clay as free as possible from sulphur, for titanic iron in the'
operation of smelting and after it is in a molten state has a great affinity for
sulphur, and hence the necessity of guarding against an ingredient which
would militate against a good result. If proper care is exercised in the process
the result will be a perfectly free running iron of a high per-centage and of
excellent quality.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
THOMAS, of Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Ironfounder, and ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince, Her special licence
that we, the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Thomas
and Alexander Prince, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
any

page_text: use, exercise, and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF TREATING SCORIA OR SLAG OF COPPER ORES, IRON PYRITES,
OR SCORIA FROM OTHER ORES CONTAINING IRON, AND OF REDUCING TITANNIC ORE
FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTRACTING, THE IRON THEREFROM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince,;
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and,
by the following statement:-
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in treating the scoria or
slag of copper ores, iron pyrites, or scoria from any other ores which contain
iron, and also of reducing titannic iron ore in order to obtain or extract the
iron therefrom.
With regard to the treatment of scoria or slag the process is as follows:-
The slag is first to be broken into small pieces, either by hand labour or by a
stoue-crushing machine, or by preference by heating the slags to a red heat
in ovens, or kilns, or clamps in order to calcine them, and then throwing them
into water, which operation will not only drive off a great portion of the
sulphur, but cause the slag to open in fractures or cracks, thus rendering it
very easy to break up the slag, after which it is to be mixed with about one-.
fifth of its weight of clay or alumina. The best method of mixing the clay is
to make it into a wash or puddle with water, in order that the sand or silicious
compounds may be separated from the clay. The wash is then to be poured
on the broken scoria and well mixed therewith, and when the mass is drained
of the superfluous or superabundant water it is ready for the operation of
smelting. The smelting may be performed in an ordinary furnace used for
smelting iron, but the slag hole may be made larger than usual, so as to blow
a clear blast through the same, which will cause the elimination of the sulphur,
or arsenic that may descend with the materials through the furnace. The
usual fluxes may be employed with the clay, but care should be taken to
select those containing the least silica. Should the iron when smelted contain
too much silica the quantity of clay should be increased by mixing it with the

page_text: charges as the fluxes are charged. The copper or other slags. or scoria of
ores containing iron may be termed silicates of iron, and are composed of the
following ingredients; compounded in variable proportions, viz., sulphur,
phosphorus, arsenic, silica, a small quantity of copper or other metals which
have been extracted from the ores, much earthy matter, and iron. M
The chemical action of the process is as follows:-The process of calcining
eliminates some of the sulphur and arsenic, the immersion in water of the
scoria in a red-hot state drives off some more, the breaking up of the scoria
enables a further quantity to be driven off by the blast and heat of the
furnace, and. to escape, by the chimney, and a further quantity will be
eliminated through the slag hole by a continuous blast through the same,
leaving the iron nearly free from sulphur, phosphorus,, and . arsenic.. The
silica will be taken up by the clay, forming a silicate of alumina, and the
more free the clay is from sulphur and silica the better, it is for the purpose.
The small portions of copper or other metals will be volatilized by the high
heat, leaving but a very small portion in the iron, not sufficient to deteriorate
its quality. The earthy matters contained in the scoria will combine with the
flux, which may consist of limestone or lime, and should be as free from
silica as possible. The quantity of the limstone, lime, or clay must be deter-
mined by their quality and that of the slags or scoria to be reduced, and if
a proper proportion be used pig iron of excellent quality will be the result.
If at any time it should be desirable to mix iron ores with the scoria to be
smelted those of an argillaceous nature should be preferred.
The process above described is also applicable for reducing iron from titannic
iron ore in stones or rock. The great difficulty hitherto experienced in smelting
titannic ores has been caused by their containing so great a quantity of titannic
acid; this is to be removed by the process of calcining and throwing the ores
while red hot into water, whereby they become broken, and the acid escapes
with the heat and is dissolved in the water. Afterwards the ores may-be
smelted at once in the ordinary manner, but it is preferable to mix the clay
with them first, but clay may be put into the furnace with the flux, care being
taken to use clay as free as possible from sulphur, because titannic iron in
the operation of smelting and after it is in a molten state, has a great affinity
for sulphur, and hence the necessity of guarding against an ingredient which
would militate against a good result. If proper care is exercised in the process
the result will be a perfectly free running iron of a high per-centage and of
excellent quality. The whole charge when tapped out would be fit for puddling
into malleable or wrought iron.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be carried into effect, we would remark that we
'do not limit ourselves to any special proportions of the various ingredients
herein named, as of course the quantities will be variable according to the
qualities.
We claim, firstly, treating the scoria or slag of copper ores, iron pyrite,
or scoria from any other metals which contain iron by breaking the same into
small pieces either by hand labour or machinery, or by heating the same to a
red heat and throwing it while red hot into water; by mixing with the scoria
or slag so broken the clay or clay wash; and by smelting the same with or
without the addition of the ordinary fluxes or with an admixture of iron ores;
whereby the chemical action described will.take place, and the result will be the
production of iron fit for puddling into malleable or wrought iron; substantially
as specified herein.
And, secondly, the reduction of titannic iron ore by calcining the same and
throwing it while red hot into water, whereby the ore becomes broken and
the titannic acid is eliminated; by smelting the product either alone or by
preference with the admixture of clay or clay wash as first described in reference
to scoria; and with the ordinary fluxes, in order to extract iron therefrom,
substantially as herein specified, and the result will be pig or cast iron of a
high quality fit for making wrought or malleable iron, and eminently adapted
for manufacturing into steel.
"In witness whereof, we, the said John Thomas and Alexander Prince,
I have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
JOHN THOMAS. (L.s.)
ALEX. PRINCE. (L.S.)