Treatment of Finely Divided Substances, such as Crushed Ores, Slime, Tailings, and the like, for the Separation and Recovery of Metals and Metallic Compounds therefrom, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Treatment of Finely Divided Substances, such as Crushed Ores,
Slime, Tailings, and the like, for the Separation and Recovery
of Metals and Metallic Compounds therefrom, and Apparatus
therefor.
We, GEORGE ROBSON, of Llanfachreth, Dolgelly, North Wales, Mining
Engineer, and SAMUEL CROWDER, of 63 New Broad Street, London, E.C.,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object to separate and recover in an economical manner,
finely divided metal or metallic compounds such as sulphides, or both, present in
finely divided substances such as crushed ores, slimes, and the refuse matter such as
the tailings, float matter, and the like, carried away by the water used in the washing
and dressing of metalliferous ores and earths, as in crushing machines, buddles,
jigging machines, vanuing machines and the like.
For this purpose the finely divided substances containing finely divided metal or
metallic compounds such as sulphides, or both, (hereinafter referred to as metallic
matter), are brought into contact with a liquid consisting of a mixture of a liquid
hydrocarbon such as turpentine, petroleum, paraffin or the like, and a fatty oil such
as colza oil, which mixture is of less specific gravity than water, and is capable of
taking up the said finely divided metallic matter and thus separating it from the
substances with which it was previously mixed.
In
In carrying out this invention the finely divided substances may be brought into
contact with the mixture of oils in various ways. Thus, the said substances,
preferably in a moist state, may be mixed or agitated with the mixture of oils in
a suitable vessel in such a manner that the metallic matter present in the resulting
mud or mass will be brought into intimate contact with the oils so as to be taken
up thereby and be then carried to the surface of the mass whence it can be run off,
with a portion of the mixture of oils, into a settling vessel wherein the metallic
matter is allowed to subside and from which the oils are drawn off for re-use.
an arrangement of apparatus suitable for this purpose, the vessel is provided with
a false bottom consisting preferably of finely perforated or reticulated sheet
material held between two stronger and coarsely perforated plates, the space
between this false bottom and the true bottom of the vessel forming a delivery
chamber that is placed in communication with a pump for supplying the oil or
mixture of oils thereto. The vessel is provided with a rotary shaft carrying arms
or stirrers and extending through the bottom of the vessel. This shaft is carried
by a step bearing and is driven through suitable gearing such as bevel toothed
gearing. The upper end of the vessel is provided with a cover that is adapted to
be readily opened and closed. The vessel is provided with trunnions mounted in
fixed bearings so that it can be partly rotated, when necessary, to discharge its
contents.
In connection with the mixing vessel a settler may be provided having divisions
and baffles, its inlet being connected with the top of the vessel and its outlet with
the suction of the pump, the arrangement being such that oil or mixture of oil can be
caused to flow continuously through the finely divided substances in the vessel and then
be delivered, with metallic matter taken up thereby, into the settler, wherein such
matter is allowed to subside, and the oil or oils is or are drawn off by the pump for

page_text: re-use. The vessel is or may be provided with cocks or valves for drawing off the
oil or oils therefrom before discharging its remaining contents, and for admitting
water when necessary.
Dated this 8th day of January 1894.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Treatment of Finely Divided Substances, such as Crushed Ores,
Slime, Tailings, and the like, for the Separation and Recovery
of Metals and Metallic Compounds therefrom, and Apparatus
therefor.
We, GEORGE ROBSON, of Llanfachreth, Dolgelly, North Wales, Mining
Engineer, and SAMUEL CROWDER, of 63 New Broad Street, London, E.C.,
Gentleman, 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 has for object to separate and recover in an economical manner,
finely divided metal or metallic compounds such as sulphides and oxides, or both,
present in finely divided substances such as crushed ores, slimes, and the refuse
matter such as the tailings, float matter, and the like, carried away by the water
used in the washing and dressing of metalliferous ores and earths, as in crushing
machines, buddles, jigging machines, vanning machines and the like.
For this purpose the finely divided substances containing finely divided metal or
metallic compounds such as referred to, or both, (hereinafter referred to as metallic
matter) are brought into intimate contact with a liquid consisting of a mixture of a
liquid hydrocarbon such as turpentine, petroleum, paraffin or the like and a fatty
oil, such as colza oil, which mixture is of less specific gravity than water, and is
capable of taking up the said finely divided metallic matter and thus separating it
from the substances with which it was previously mixed.
The proportion of fatty oil in the mixture may vary for example from about ten
to twenty-five per cent. of the hydrocarbon, according to the nature of the material
to be treated. Thus for example, when treating quartz containing gold and iron
oxide, for the recovery of the gold, a smaller quantity say ten per cent. of fatty oil,
should be used, than when iron oxide is absent, in order that the iron oxide
may not be removed with the gold. We prefer to use as a liquid hydrocarbon,
mineral oil such as petroleum or paraffin on account of its cheapness. The
fatty oil appears to play the principal part in the actual separation of the metallic
matter, the liquid hydrocarbon acting the part of a diluent enabling the mixture
to exert a selective action over the metallic matter present in the substances
treated.
In carrying out the invention the finely divided substances may be brought into
contact with the mixture of oils in various ways. Thus, the said substances, in a
moist state, that is to say, containing from 25 to 35% of water, may advantageously
be mixed or agitated with the mixture of oils in a suitable vessel in such a manner
that the metallic matter present in the resulting mud or mass will be brought into
intimate contact with the oils so as to be taken up thereby and be then carried to
the surface of the mass whence it can be run off, with a portion of the mixture of
oils, into a suitable settling vessel or separating device wherein the metallic matter
is allowed to subside or is separated and from which the mixture of oils is drawn off
for re-use.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a half sectional plan, showing an arrange-
ment of apparatus suitable for thus carrying out the invention.
Fig. 3 is a detail view.
This apparatus comprises a vessel 1 provided with a false bottom consisting
preferably of finely perforated or reticulated sheet material 2 such as gauze, held
between two stronger and coarsely perforated metal plates 3, the space between
this false bottom and the true bottom 1* of the vessel, forming a delivery chamber 4
that is placed by a pipe 5 in communication with a pump 6, for supplying the mixture
of oils thereto. 5 is an exit pipe for running off the mixture of oils, laden with
metallic matter, into a separating device. 5b is a pipe that is normally closed, for
draining off the mixture of oils remaining in the vessel at the termination of the
treatment of a charge of material.
Within the vessel are arranged two series of vertical stirring rods 77" arranged
to revolve in concentric circles and carried by horizontal arms 88ª extending
respectively from hubs 9, 9" fixed to or formed in one with two rotary shafts 10, 10*
extending through the bottom of the vessel. The shaft 10 passes through a stuffing
box 11 and is carried by a step bearing 12 formed by the central portion of a curved
bracket 12 that is shown separately in Fig. 3 and the ends of which are secured to
the bottom of the vessel.
The hub 9 of this shaft may advantageously be provided with a centrally
arranged tubular extension 13 through which the shaft 10 extends, and which is
closed at the top by a cover 13" formed with an annular bearing 13 of V-shape in
cross section and adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped annular ridge on the
underside of the upper hub 9* so as to prevent escape of material at this point. The
rotary shaft 10 extends through the shaft 10 and is carried by a second step
bearing 12 formed and arranged similarly to 12.
in
To the shafts 10 and 10" are respectively fixed two bevel wheels 14, 14" that are
gear with
a bevel wheel 15 that is common to them and which is fixed upon a
driving shaft 16 provided with a driving wheel 17. 18 is a bevel wheel in gear
with 14 and fixed upon a shaft 19 having a crank 20 which serves to operate,
through a connecting rod 21, the pump 6, which may be of any suitable kind, such
as a single or double acting plunger pump. The bearings 22 of the two shafts 16
and 19 are carried by a plate 23 which is suspended from the bottom of the
vessel 1 by bolts 24 and is slotted at 23* to accommodate the bevel wheels 15 and 18.
To enable the bottom 1 to be readily removed for gaining access to the chamber 4,
the said bottom may conveniently be secured in place by nuts 24" on the bolts 24,
and the stuffing box 11 be unprovided with the usual flange at its outer end, so
that upon loosening the said nuts, and the nuts upon the gland studs 11*, the bottom
can be lowered to an extent limited by the stuffing box gland 11". The vessel is
provided with trunnions 25 mounted in bearings 26 fixed upon two beams 27, so
that it can be partly rotated, when necessary, to discharge its contents, at which
time the driving belt is removed from the driving pulley 17. 28, 28ª are two brackets
fixed to the vessel and adapted to bear against the upper and lower sides respectively
of one of the beams 27 to which they are fixed by bolts to hold the vessel steady
when the stirring mechanism is in operation.
The exit pipe 5ª is arranged to deliver the mixture of oils escaping from the top
of the vessel into a separator having its outlet in connection with the suction of the
pump 6, the arrangement being such that the mixture of oils can be caused to flow
continuously through the finely divided and agitated substances in the vessel 1 and
then be delivered with metallic matter taken up thereby, into the separator wherein
such matter is separated from the mixture of oils which is drawn off by the pump
for re-use.
The separating device may conveniently consist of a settler of ordinary construction
and consisting of a vessel provided with divisions or baffles so as to form a zig-zag
course for the mixture of oils and in which the metallic matter is allowed to separate
from the mixture of oils by gravity.

page_text: We are aware that it has heretofore been proposed to recover finely divided
comminuted metal held in suspension in water by the use of soap or saponaceous
compound formed by a partial or imperfect blending of an alkali or an alkaline
salt with a fat or an oil; and also to separate metal or metallic mineral from
earthy non-metallic matter (rocky gangue) by first mixing the metal or mineral and
non-metallic matter in a pulverulent condition with a fat or oil including petroleum
or a constituent thereof and tallow, cotton seed oil, or other fat or oil, and after-
wards separating the non-metallic matter from the metal or mineral by the action
of an acid or soluble neutral or acid salt operating in the presence of water, but such
modes of treatment are entirely different from that herein described as constituting
the present invention and are in no way claimed by us.
In such earlier processes as well as others in which it has been proposed to use
oil, or a mixture of oils, it has always, so far as we are aware, been proposed to
also use a comparatively large quantity of water in effecting the separation of the
metallic matter, whereas according to this invention we effect the separation of
the metallic matter by the mixture of oils alone, using such mixture to wash out the
metallic matter and avoiding as far as possible, the presence of water in excess of
the quantity herein before mentioned, as we find an excess of water prevents the
successful carrying out of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. The herein described treatment of finely divided substances of the kind herein
referred to for the separation and recovery of metals and metallic compounds there-
from, which consists in bringing the said substances, whilst in a moist state as set
forth, into intimate contact with a liquid consisting of a mixture of liquid hydro-
carbon such as turpentine, petroleum, paraffin or the like, and a fatty oil, such as
colza oil, drawing off the mixture of oils with metallic matter taken up thereby
from the treated substances, and separating the metallic matter therefrom as set
forth.
2. In the treatment of finely divided metalliferous substance for the separation
therefrom of metals and metallic compounds as referred to in the preceding
claim, causing the mixture of turpentine, petroleum paraffin or the like and
fatty oil, to flow in a continuous stream through the finely divided substance
whilst the same is being stirred or agitated, the mixture of oils with metallic
matter being led through a separating device in which the metallic matter
is separated and from which the mixture of oils is withdrawn for re-use, as set
forth.
3. For carrying out the treatment referred to in the preceding claims, apparatus
comprising a pivoted vessel with inlet and outlet pipes, delivery chamber, and
stirring device, constructed arranged and operating substantially as described
and shown.
Dated this 8th day of October 1894.