IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND OTHER MATTERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND
OTHER MATTERS."-A communication from abroad by Henri François
Toussaint, Chemist, and Louis Napoleon Langlois, Civil Engineer, both
of Paris.
Sealed the 7th October 1859, and dated the 16th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th April 1859.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPERATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES
AND OTHER MATTERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus for the seperation of ores of gold, silver,
and other minerals. This seperation is performed in three different ways by
chloruration, the application of a column of water, and by amalgamation.
The first apparatus for effecting the chloruration is represented at Fig. 1.
This apparatus permits of creating a vacuum before the introduction of the
reducing agent, which then traverses the ore without resistance, and com-
pletely saturates it. The metallic chlorides are, after the operation, treated in

page_text: the ordinary way. I have represented at Fig. 1 of the Sheet of Drawings a
complete apparatus for the treatment of ores of precious metals by means of
chlorine. a, wood receptacle, lined with lead to contain the ores; b, cover
of the receptacle, on which it is firmly bolted; c, masonry, supporting the
receptacle a; d, funnel cock, of lead, placed on the cover b, which serves for
the introduction of the ore into the receptacle a; e, vacuum guage; f, ordinary
guage; g, cock for the escape of the steam introduced in the receptacle; h,
india-rubber packing, placed between the top of the receptacle and the cover,
to render the closing hermetical; i, cock for the introduction of steam and
chlorine into the receptacle a; j, small leaden tubes, placed on the sides of the
receptacle a; they are in communication with the receptacle containing the
chlorine and with the receptacle a; they are covered with sheets of lead, which
are indented or grooved to prevent the ores stopping up the holes which are
pierced in them; h, cock for the exit of the liquids contained in the recep-
tacle a. A filter is placed at the mouth of the receptacle so as to stop the fall
of the ores; 1, closed vessel, furnished with a man-hole and serving to recieve
the liquids charged with metals; m, rotary pump for producing the vacuum
and pumping out the water remaining in the receptacle a; when a vacuum is
effected the treatment of the ores in this improved apparatus is as follows:-
The ores are introduced into the receptacle a, while at the same time a
vacuum is effected by the pump; the action of the pump is stopped and the
chlorine introduced by means of a cock i, until a complete chloruration of
the ores is effected. The cock k is then opened, and the metallic chlorines
obtained descend into the closed vessel 1, and are then treated in the ordi-
nary way.
The second apparatus, serving specially for the treatment of auriferous or
argentiferous sands, is represented in Figs. 3 & 4 of the Sheet of Drawings
annexed. Fig. 2 represents the apparatus mounted, so as to allow the matters
when washed to pass out vertically. Fig. 3 shows a modification of the
same apparatus, allowing of the escape of the subdivided matters in a
horizontal direction. a, tube of any substance and of suitable dimensions,
held in a vertical position by means of supports; b, funnel placed at the upper
part of tube a, for the introduction of the water, which is supplied by means
of a force pump; c, receptacle placed on the reservoir b, containing the
matters to be seperated, which is tilted at a certain moment, and empties
the matters contained therein into the upper part of a column of water which
fills the tube a; d, tube placed at the lower part of tube a, of one-tenth of
its size, and connected to it by means of a conical piece; e, cock placed at the
upper part of tube d, for the purpose of obtaining a free space for the water

page_text: & matters in tube a, which are thereby precipitated into the tube d at a
certain speed; f, receptacle placed at the lower part of tube d, for recieving
the subdivided matters, which is so arranged that by a rocking movement it
may be disengaged from the tube d, and thus permit of the subdivided
matters being withdrawn. When the subdivided matters are in too great
quantity the receptacle is arranged as indicated at Fig. 3. The cock e is
placed at the lower part of tube d, and the second horizontal tube g, of the
same diameter, is adapted to the tube d to facilitate the operation; the
receptacle f is placed on a carriage, which permits of its being easily removed,
so as to recommence the operation with another receptacle of the same form.
This apparatus acts in the following manner:-The cock e is opened, and at
the same time the receptacle c is tilted, which causes the bodies under treat-
ment to traverse the column of water in the large tube a, and thus to class
themselves in the small tube d, according to their density. When the small
tube d is full, which is ascertained by means of an upper opening h, the
receptacle is opened after having closed the cock e; the heaviest matters are
then removed, which are found at the bottom of the tube; for example (gold,
if auriferous sand has been treated); the cock e is then partially opened, and
a slight pressure exerted on the lightest matters remaining in the tube, which
descend in their turn and are raised as before described by means of the
rotating movement of the receptacle f. The following operation is exactly
the same as in the modification of the apparatus represented at Fig. 3. When
the ore adheres too much together it is precipitated with extreme slowness,
and only a certain number of operations can be performed daily; to effect the
precipitation of the matters, the receptacle in Figs. 5 & 6 is mounted on
slides i, so that it can be raised from tube a; when the receptacle is removed
a framework is introduced into the same tube, termed an accelerator,
Fig. 7, and which is filled with moss, sponge, horsehair, oakum, or other
similar matter. This framework in passing into the tube filters the water,.
and precipitates to the bottom all the particles which it carries before it.
This framework is also furnished with cords or chains for raising it. The
advantage of this apparatus consists in preventing the loss of any of the
matters which are contained therein when auriferous matters are passed into
the tube having heavy matters in combination. They may be amalgamated
by means of the following apparatus represented at Fig. 4 of the annexed
Drawing, & which permits of the amalgamation being operated continuously.
a, receptacle of iron placed in a furnace, the upper edges of which are
rounded and form an inclined plane all round; b, iron cock for the exit of
the amalgamated metal; c, iron tube of smaller dimensions; it contains a

page_text: .screw. which is actuated from the outside and placed in the receptacle a; the
.operation is effected in this apparatus in a continuous manner, as follows:-
The vat is about two-thirds filled with mercury & with water, which con-
denses the mercury & creates a tendency to vaporization; the auriferous
matters are then placed in the tube c, the movement of the screw of which
forces the matters to descend into the heated mercury and to give up the gold
. contained therein. These matters being generally lighter than the mercury
rise to the surface, and being continually pressed by fresh matters supplied by
the screw, they pass through the water and slide on to the inclined plane of the
When the mercury is sufficiently charged with gold it is emptied by
means of the cock b, and the vat a is again supplied by introducing the same
quantity that has been withdrawn. These improved apparatus may be applied
to goldsmiths' jewellers' dust, or others treating gold, silver, or other precious
metals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my 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 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND OTHER
MATTERS," (a communication from Henri François Toussaint, Chemist, and
Louis Napoleon Langlois, Civil Engineer, both of Paris, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands

page_text: 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 I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to apparatus for the separation of ores of gold, silver,
and other minerals. This separation is performed in three different ways by
chloruration, the application of a column of water, and by amalgamation.
The first apparatus for effecting the chloruration permits of creating a
vacuum before the introduction of the reducing agent, which then permeates
the ore without resistance, and completely saturates it. The metallic chlorides
are after the operation treated in the ordinary way. I have represented at Fig. 1
of the Sheet of Drawings a complete apparatus for the treatment of ores of
precious metals by means of chlorine. a, wood receptacle lined with lead to
contain the ores; b, cover of the receptacle on which it is firmly bolted;
c, masonry supporting the receptacle a; d, funnel cock of lead placed on the
cover b, which serves for the introduction of the ore into the receptacle a;
e, vacuum guage; f, ordinary guage; g, cock for the escape of the steam
introduced in the receptacle; h, india-rubber packing placed between the top
of the recipient and the cover to render the closure hermetic; i, tube fur-
nished with a cock for the introduction of steam and chlorine to the recep-
tacle a; j, small leaden tubes placed on the sides of the receptacle; they are
in communication with the receptacle containing the chlorine and with the
receptacle a; they are covered with sheets of lead which are grooved to prevent
the ores stopping up the holes which are pierced in them; k, cock for the
exit of the liquids contained in the receptacle a; a filter is placed at the mouth
of the receptacle so as to stop the fall of the ores; 1, closed vessel furnished
with a man-hole, and serving to recieve the liquids charged with metals; m,
suction pump for producing the vacuum and pumping out the water remaining
in the receptacle a when the vacuum is effected.
The treatment of the ores in this improved apparatus is as follows:-The
ores are introduced into the receptacle a, while at the same time a vacuum
is effected by the pump. The action of the pump is then stopped, and the
chlorine introduced by means of a cock i, until a complete chloruration

page_text: of the ores is effected, the cock k is then opened, and the metallic chlorides
obtained descend into the closed vessel l, and are then treated in the ordi-
nary way.
The second apparatus, serving especially for the treatment of auriferous or
argentiferous sand, is represented in Figs. 2 & 3 of the Sheet of Drawings
annexed. Fig. 2 represents the apparatus mounted so as to allow the matters
to pass out vertically when sorted; Fig. 3 shows a modification of the same
apparatus, allowing the escape of the subdivided matters in a horizontal
direction. a, vertical tube of any substance, but by preference of sheet iron
and of suitable dimensions held in a vertical position by means of supports;
b, funnel placed at the upper part of tube a for the introduction of the
water which is supplied by means of a force pump; c, receptacle placed in the
reservoir b, containing the matters' to be separated, which is tilted at a certain
moment, and empties the matters contained therein into the upper part of
the column of water which fills the tube a; d, tube placed at the lower part
of tube a, of one-tenth of its size, and counected to it by means of a
conical piece; e, cock placed at the upper part of the tube d for the purpose
of obtaining a free space for the water and matters in tube a, which are preci-
pitated from it into tube d at a certain rate of speed; f, receptacle placed
at the lower part of tube d for recieving the subdivided matters, which is
so arranged that by a rocking movement it may be disengaged from tube d,
and thus permit of the subdivided matters being withdrawn.
When the subdivided matters are in great quantities, the receptacle is
arranged as indicated at Fig. 3, the cock e is placed at the lower part of
tube d, and a second horizontal tube g of the same diameter is adapted to
the tube d, to facilitate the operation; the receptacle f is placed on a carriage
which permits of its being easily removed so as to recommence the operation
with another receptacle of the same form. This apparatus acts in the following
manner: The cock e is opened, and at the same time the receptacle c is
tilted, which causes the matters under treatment to traverse the column of
water in the large tube a, and so to class themselves in small tube d according
to their density; when the small tube d is full, which is ascertained by means
of an opening h, the receptacle f is opened after closing the cock e, the heaviest
matters are then removed which are found at the bottom of the tube (for
example, gold, if auriferous sand has been treated), the cock e is then partially
opened, and then a slight pressure exerted on the lighter matters remaining
in the tube, which descend in their turn and are raised as before described by
means of the rocking movement of the receptacle f.

page_text: The following operation is exactly the same as in the modification of the
apparatus represented at Fig. 3. When the ore adheres too much together it
precipitates with extreme slowness, and only a certain number of operations
can be performed daily.
To effect the precipitation of the matters, the receptacle c (see Figs. 5
and 6) is mounted on slides i, so that it can be raised from tube a. When
removed a framework j is introduced into the tube, termed an accelerator,
Fig. 7, which is filled with moss or sponge, horsehair, oakum, or other simular
matter. This framework j in passing into the tube filters the water, and pre-
cipitates to the bottom all the particles which it carries before it. This frame-
work is also furnished with cords or chains for raising it. The advantage of
this apparatus consists in preventing the loss of any of the matters which are
contained therein.
When auriferous matters are passed into the tube having still some heavy
matters in combination, they may be amalgamated by means of the following
apparatus represented at Fig. 4 of the annexed Drawing, which permits of
the amalgamation being operated continuously. a, receptacle of iron placed
on a furnace, the upper edges of which are round and form an inclined edge
all round; b, iron cock, for the exit of the amalgamated metal; c, iron tube
of small dimensions; it contains a screw which is actuated from above, and
placed in the receptacle a. The operation is effected in this apparatus in a
continuous manner as follows:-The vat is two-thirds filled with mercury
and with water, which condenses the mercury and creates a tendency to vapo-
rization, the auriferous matters are then placed in the tube c, the movement
of the screw forces the matters to descend into the heated mercury, and to
give up the gold contained therein to the mercury.
These matters being generally lighter than the mercury, rise to the surface,
and being continually pressed by fresh matters supplied by the screw, they pass
through the water and slide on to the inclined edge of the vat a. When the
mercury is sufficiently charged with gold, it is emptied by means of the cock b,
and the vat a is again supplied by introducing the same quantity that has been
withdrawn. The density of the water in the tube can be augmented by saline
solutions, which will not act on the minerals to be treated in order to produce
a quicker separation and sorting of these metals.
These improved apparatus may be applied to goldsmiths' or jewellers' dust
or to the refuse or dust of others working in gold, silver, or other precious
metals.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing

page_text: the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
First, treating the ores of precious metals by means of the chlorurating
apparatus and a vacuum, as described with reference to Fig. 1.
Secondly, washing of all minerals reduced to dust, or goldsmiths' dust or
waste, and causing it to gravitate through a column of water so as to separate
and class themselves by the action of gravitation & their density.
Thirdly, the apparatus and the accessories herein-before described in the
course of washing, namely, the tube represented at Fig. 2, the accelerator at
Fig. 7, and the means of augmenting the density of the water in order to
obtain a quicker separation and sorting.
Fourthly, the treatment of the ores of precious minerals by means of the
screw apparatus represented at Fig. 4, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred & fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)