IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND FROM. METALLURGICAL COMPOUNDS OR PRODUCTS CONTAINING THE SAME " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Astley Paston Price of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE EXTRACTION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND FROM.
METALLURGICAL COMPOUNDS OR PRODUCTS CONTAINING THE SAME
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Astley Paston Price at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1883.
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE of N° 47 Lincolns Inn Field in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS FROM
THEIR ORES AND FROM METALLURGICAL COMPOUNDS OR PRODUCTS CONTAINING
THE SAME."
This Invention relates to the extraction and separation of precious metals
such as gold and silver from ores and from metallurgical compounds or products
and consists, firstly in the treatment of ores such for example as auriferous.
or argentiferous copper ores and. Secondly in the treatment of metallurgical
compounds or products such as auriferous or argentiferous mattes, or regulus which
may contain either copper and Gold or copper and silver or copper silver and Gold
so as to obtain the precious metals therefrom.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention the ores are reduced to a state of
division and are subjected to calcination and then to a heating and calcining process.
with salt or with other chlorides and the resulting product is then submitted to the
action of water or of a solution of Hydrochloric Acid or to the action of a solution
of salt and the solution thus obtained is separated from the insoluble residue and is
treated in the following manner.
To the solution by preference at an elevated temperature Copper in a fine
state of division or as precipitated Copper is to be added or the copper may be
precipitated from the solution, and the solution together with the copper is then to
be well agitated in order that any of the precious materials in solution may be
precipitated therefrom After such precipitation the precipitated metals together
with any excess of precipitated Copper are separated either by decantation or by

page_text: filtration and the Silver or Silver and Gold may be obtained therefrom by any well
known means or method. Or instead of employing copper either in a fine state of
division or as precipitated Copper either added to the solution or produced therein,
I employ either sulphuretted hydrogen or a sulphide which is soluble in water such
for example as sulphide of sodium or I employ a metallic sulphide which is insoluble
in water such for example as sulphide of copper and I add either sulphuretted
Hydrogen or the before mentioned soluble sulphide or an insoluble sulphide to the
solution by preference at an elevated temperature so as to cause the separation of
the Gold and the Silver.
This admixture after incorporation and agitation is allowed to settle and the
precipitated metallic compounds are separated therefrom either by decantation or
by filtration.
The precipitated sulphides or other compounds of Silver and Gold thus resulting
may then be treated by any well known means or method and the precious metals
separated and obtained therefrom.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention the metallurgical compounds or
products before referred to such as auriferous and argentiferous mattes or regulus
which may contain either copper and Gold or copper and silver or copper silver and
Gold are reduced to a state of division and are submitted to a process of calcination
and the resulting calcined product is then submitted to the action of an acid or
acids such for example as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid or nitric acid to the
action of hydrochloric and nitric acids. The solution. thus obtained is separated
from the insoluble residue and is treated in the following manner.
To the diluted solution by preference at an elevated temperature, Copper in a
fine state of division or as precipitated copper is to be added, or the copper may be
precipitated from the solution and the solution together with the copper is then to
be well agitated in order that any of the precious metals in solution may be
precipitated therefrom After such precipitation the precipitated metals together
with any excess of precipitated copper are separated either by decantation or by
filtration and the Silver or Silver and Gold may be obtained therefrom by any well
known means or method, Or instead of employing Copper, either in a fine state of
division as a precipitated Copper either added to the solution or produced therein.
I employ either sulphuretted hydrogen or a sulphide which is soluble in water such
for example as sulphide of sodium or I employ a metallic sulphide which is
insoluble in water such for example as sulphide of copper and I add by preference
at an elevated temperature the before mentioned sulphuretted hydrogen or a
soluble sulphide or an insoluble sulphide as before mentioned to the solution by
preference at an elevated temperature so as to cause the separation of the Gold and
and the silver
This admixture after incorporation and agitation is allowed to settle and the-
precipitated metallic compounds are separated therefrom either by decantation or
by filtration
The precipitated sulphides or other compounds of silver and Gold thus resulting
may then be treated by any well known means or method and the precious metals
separated and obtained therefrom or the calcined products before mentioned may
again be treated and calcined with salt or with other chlorides and the product
resulting may then be treated in a manner similar to that herein before described
for the treatment of the calcined product
The solutions containing Copper from which the Gold or the Gold and Silver
bave been separated may be treated by any well known means or method in order
that the Copper contained therein may be separated and obtained therefrom.

page_text: "5
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Astley Paston Price in the Patent Office on the 18th April 1884.
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS FROM
THEIR ORES AND FROM METALLURGICAL COMPOUNDS CONTAINING THE SAME."
This Invention relates to the extraction and separation of precious metals
such as gold and silver from ores and from metallurgical compounds or products
and consists firstly in the treatment of Ores such for example as auriferous or
argentiferous copper ores or pyrites and secondly in the treatment of metallurgical
compounds or products such as auriferous or argentiferous mattes or regulos which
may contain either Copper and gold or copper and silver or copper gold and silver
so as to obtain the precious metals therefrom.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention the ores are reduced to a state of
division and are subjected to calcination and then to a heating and calcining process
with salt or with other Chlorides and the resulting product is then submitted to the
action either of water but by preference to the action of a solution of Hydrochloric
acid or to the action of a solution of salt (or other Chloride) and the solution thus
obtained is separated from the insoluble residue and is treated in the following
manner.
To the solution which if necessary has been either partially or entirely neutralized
and either at the ordinary or at an elevated temperature copper in a fine state of
division or as precipitated copper is to be added or the copper may be precipitated
from the solution and the solution together with the copper is then to be well
agitated in order that any of the precious metals contained in solution may be
precipitated therefrom-After such precipitation the precipitated metals together
with any excess of precipitated copper are separated either by decantation or by
filtration and the gold or the silver or the gold and silver may be obtained
therefrom by any well known means or method. Or instead of employing copper
either in a fine state of division copper as precipitated copper may be employed
either added to the solution or produced therein-I employ either sulphuretted
Hydrogen or a sulphide which is soluble in water such for example as sulphide of
sodium or I employ a metallic sulphide which is insoluble in water such for example
as sulphide of copper-To the solution which if necessary is to be partially or'
entirely neutralized and either at the ordinary or at an elevated temperature.
I add either sulphuretted Hydrogen or the before mentioned or other soluble
sulphide or an insoluble sulphide such as sulphide of copper to the solution either
at the ordinary or at an elevated temperature and I submit the same to agitation
so as to cause the separation of the gold and the silver.
This admixture after incorporation and agitation is allowed to settle and the
precipitated metallic compounds are separated therefrom either by decantation or
by filtration.
The precipitated sulphides or other compounds of gold or of silver or of gold
and silver thus resulting may then be treated by any well known means or method
and the precious metals separated and obtained therefrom.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention the metallurgical compounds or
products before referred to such as auriferous and argentiferous mattes or regulus
which may contain either copper and gold or copper and silver or copper gold and
silver are reduced to a state of division and are submitted to a process of
calcination and the resulting calcined product is then submitted to the action of an
acid or acids such for example as Hydrochloric acid or sulphuric Acid or Nitric.
Acid to the action of Hydrochloric and Nitric Acids. The solution thus obtained
is separated from the insoluble residue and is treated in the following manner.
To the diluted solution and if necessary may be either partially or completely
neutralized and at the ordinary temperature or at an elevated temperature Copper
in a fine state of division or as precipitated copper is to be added or the copper

page_text: may be precipitated from the solution and the solution together with the copper is
then to be well agitated in order that any of the precious metals in solution may
be precipitated therefrom After such precipitation the precipitated metals
together with any excess of precipitated copper are separated either by decantation
or by filtration and the gold or the silver or the gold and the silver may be obtained
therefrom by any well known means or method.
Or instead of employing copper either in a fine state of division or as
precipitated copper either added to the solution or produced therein I employ
either sulphuretted Hydrogen or a sulphide which is soluble in water such for
example as sulphide of sodium or I employ a metallic sulphide which is insoluble
in water such for example as sulphide of copper and I add during agitation either
the before mentioned sulphuretted Hydrogen or a soluble sulphide or an insoluble
sulphide as before mentioned to the solution either at the ordinary or at an
elevated temperature so as to cause the separation of the Gold or the silver or the
gold and the silver.
The solution after admixture and after incorporation and agitation as before
mentioned is allowed to settle and the precipitated metallic compounds are
separated therefrom either by decantation or by filtration.
The precipitated sulphides or other compounds of gold or silver or of gold and
silver thus resulting may then be treated by any well known means or method
and the precious metals separated and obtained therefrom.
In order to obtain any of the precious metals which may be contained in the
undissolved portion of the calcined product the residue may be converted into
Regulus and be treated as before mentioned or may be otherwise extracted.
The solutions containing copper from which the gold or the silver or the gold
and the silver have been separated may be treated by any well known means or
method in order that the copper contained therein may be separated and obtained
therefrom.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I wish it to be understood that I do not claim any process or any of the
processes such as are herein before described for the purpose of rendering soluble
and in obtaining in solution the precious metals mentioned and I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is.
First. Effecting the precipitation and separation of the precious metals videlicet of
gold or of silver or of gold and silver from solutions resulting from the treatment
substantially as herein before described of ores or of metallurgical products such as
or similar to those hereinbefore mentioned by the employment of copper in a fine
state of division and brought into contact with the solution and maintained in
contact there with by means of agitation or otherwise.
Second. Effecting the precipitation and separation of the precious metals videlicet of
gold or of silver or of gold and silver from solutions resulting from the treatment
resulting substantially as herein before described of ores or of metallurgical
products such as or similar to those herein before mentioned by the employment of
either sulphuretted hydrogen or of sulphides either soluble or insoluble such as
herein before mentioned the same being maintained in contact therewith by means
of agitation or otherwise.
In witness whereof I the said Astley Paston Price have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE
(L.S.)