IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF COPPER PROM ITS ORES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp, of Jarrow-
on-Tyne, in the County of Durham, for the Invention of " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF COPPER PROM ITS ORES."
Sealed the 18th February 1870, and dated the 23rd August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Gibb and
Charles. Gelstharp at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,.
with their Petition, on the 23rd August 1869.
We, THOMAS GIBB and CHARLES GELSTHARP, of Jarrow-on-Tyne, in
the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF COPPER FROM ITS ORES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the extraction of copper from ores or com-
pounds in which it may be contained after the same have been calcined
with chloride of sodium or other chloride. After calcination with
chlorides the ore usually contains besides copper in such combination as
to be soluble in water a further quantity of copper, which has hitherto
been usually extracted by means of hydrochloric acid or of an acid
solution obtained in condensing by the agency of water the gases from
the furnaces in which the ore is calcined. When such last-mentioned

page_text: solution is used certain metals generally present in the copper, such as
arsenic and bismuth, are precipitated with it in the further treatment of
the solutions obtained from the calcined ore by means of the solution.
In order to use this solution in lixiviating the calcined ore without con-
tamination of the copper contained, we precipitate such metals before
using the acid solution by means of iron, copper, or other precipitant
capable of precipitating the same from an acid solution. It is preferred
to use iron or copper in powder, the former in the state, known as
spongy iron," being used as a precipitant for copper, and the latter
may be copper precipitated by "spongy iron" or other means.
The solutions of copper obtained in lixiviating ores after calcination
with a chloride are usually digested on iron in order to precipitate the
copper they contain. The solutions so remaining after precipitation of
the copper, and known as "iron liquors," are employed under the present
Invention without an acid, or slightly acidulated in the lixiviation of
calcined ore, instead of hydrochloric acid or the acid solution above
mentioned for the removal of copper insoluble in water. It is preferred
to use these solutions as hot as possible, or to charge the calcined ore in
a heated state into them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 22nd February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
GIBB and CHARLES GELSTHARP, of Jarrow-on-Tyne, in the County of
Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp, Her
special licence that we, the said Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should

page_text: and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF COPPER
FROM ITS ORES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp, 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 Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp,
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, that is to say:-
Our said Invention relates to the extraction of copper from its ores,
and is also applicable to the treatment of compounds in which copper
may be combined after the same have been calcined with chloride of
sodium or other chloride. After calcination with chlorides the ore
usually contains besides copper in such combination as to be soluble. in
water a further quantity of copper, which has hitherto been usually
extracted by means of hydrochloric acid or of an acid solution obtained
in condensing by the agency of water the gases from the furnaces in
which the ore is calcined. When such last-mentioned solution is used
certain metals generally present in it, such as, for instance, arsenic and
bismuth, are precipitated with the copper in the further treatment of the
solutions obtained from the calcined ore by means of the solution in
question. In order to use this solution in lixiviating the calcined ore
without contamination of the copper contained therein, we precipitate
such metals before using the acid solution by means of iron, copper, or
other precipitant capable of precipitating the same from an acid solution.
We prefer to use iron or copper in powder, the former in the state
known as " spongy iron," being used as a precipitant for copper, and
the copper employed may be copper precipitated by "spongy iron
other means.
"
or
The solutions of copper obtained in lixiviating ores after calcination
with a chloride are usually digested on iron in order to precipitate
the copper they contain. The solutions so remaining after precipitation

page_text: of the copper, and which are known as "iron liquors," are employed by
us in accordance with our present Invention without an acid, or only
in a slightly acidulated state, in the lixiviation of calcined ore instead of
hydrochloric acid or the acid solution above mentioned for the removal
of copper insoluble in water.
In carrying out our said Invention we prefer to use the solutions as
hot as possible, or to charge the calcined ore in a heated state into them..
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would observe
in conclusion that what we consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as constituting the Invention secured to us by the said herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent are, the processes and methods
for the purification of acid solutions before using them in extracting
copper and the use of iron liquors in extracting copper, as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Gibb and Charles Gelstharp,
have hereunto set our hands, and seals, this Nineteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
THOMAS GIBB.
(L.S.)
CHARLES GELSTIARP. (L.S.)