Improvements in the Production and Separation of Sulphide of Nickel from Ores of Nickel and Copper.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production and Separation of Sulphide of
Nickel from Ores of Nickel and Copper.
A communication by CHARLES C. BARTLETT, of New Brighton, in the County of
Richmond and State of New York, United States of America, Metallurgist.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 relates to the separation of the nickel, primarily in the form of
sulphides of nickel, from the copper contained in the nickeliferous copper ores
found in certain localities, as for example either as oxides, sulphides or carbonates
of nickel and copper, or in the products of the various initial operations of copper
smelting, such as copper mattes, speiss "crude metal," so-called, and other similar
products, by means of the use of certain chemical reagents; which reagents combine,
when smelted with the copper contained in the ore, matte or "crude metal," which-
ever may be treated, to produce a very liquid matte, which is of less specific gravity
than the nickel in the mass, and which, when tapped from the furnace into any
convenient form of receptacle, will rise to the top, and form a layer, above the
nickel, which may be readily separated by mechanical means, upon cooling.
This operation may take place in either a shaft or a reverberatory furnace, as
may be found most convenient and economical.
Now, my correspondent has discovered that when ores, mattes or "crude metal,"
such as are above described, are mixed with ordinary nitre cake, as produced from the
manufacture of sulphuric acid, or with the salt cake of commerce, preferably contain-
ing an excess of free sulphuric acid, or with nitrates or carbonates or alkaline bases,
or a mixture of any two or more of the same, so as to form a flux, and are smelted
as above set forth, a very fluid matte of very light specific gravity will be produced,
which matte will contain practically all of the copper contained in the ore or mattes,
while the nickel will remain primarily in the form of sulphides, in a mass by itself,
and, being of greater specific gravity than the rest of the mass, will, when the
smelted mass is tapped from the furnace, settle to the bottom of any vessel in which
the mass is collected. The portion which settles to the bottom of the mass will be
found to consist ordinarily of sulphide of nickel, but in certain cases may be
combined with small amounts of certain other salts of nickel, such as sulphate of
nickel, while the copper, iron and other metals originally existing in the nickel, in
the ores, mattes or "crude metal," will be converted into sulphides of these
particular metals, and rise to the top of the mass, by reason of their lesser specific
gravity. The former are technically known as "bottoms" and the latter as
66 tops."
Any one or more of these reagents may be added to the copper ore, matte or
"crude metal," in the proportion, preferably, of one part of reagent to two parts of
copper ore, matte or "crude metal' to be treated, thoroughly mixed therewith
and brought to the fusion point in the furnace, and then tapped out and allowed to
cool. When cool, the mass is broken up and the layers are separated by hand, and
the nickel mattes, which will be found upon the bottom, subjected to further treat-
ment, if desired. Or the separation may be effected while the mass is still liquid,
by allowing it to settle, after tapping from the furnace, and then syphoning or
pouring off the upper layer or top in any
convenient manner, as the "bottoms
solidify much more rapidly than the “tops.”
66
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page_text: with one
The treatment may be repeated from time to time, as may be necessary,
or more of the above named reagents, until all or practically all of the copper has
been separated from the nickel, at which time the copper slag or "top" may be
treated for metallic copper by any desired method.
In each case, the "bottoms," rich in sulphide of nickel resultant from the first
treatment with the flux, are subjected to a further smelting in the same way, and
as a result of each settling and separation, the impurities will be gradually eliminated
from the "bottoms," until, finally, a "bottom is produced which consists practi-
cally of commercially pure sulphide of nickel. This may be sold as such, or may
be converted into metallic nickel or into nickel oxide, in any convenient manner.
In practice, the amount of chemical reagents added will vary from time to time,
in accordance with the nature and condition of the ore, matte or "crude metal" to
be treated; but in practice it is generally found that from thirty to fifty per cent.
of the above described reagents may be mixed with the ores or other nickeliferous
substances charged into the furnace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The bereinbefore described method of producing and separating sulphide of
nickel, consisting in smelting the ores, mattes or other bodies containing nickel,
with a flux composed of nitre cake, salt cake, nitrates or carbonates of alkaline
bases, or a mixture of two or more of the same, substantially as described, whereby
sulphide of nickel is formed, which is of greater specific gravity than the remainder
of the mass, and settles to the bottom of the same, while the copper, iron and salts
of other metals rise to the top and may be separated in any convenient manner.
2. The herein before described method of producing sulphide of nickel, consisting in
smelting the ores, mattes or other substances containing nickel, with a flux composed
of nitre cake, salt cake, nitrates or carbonates of alkaline bases or a mixture of two
or more of the same, substantially as described, in separating out the sulphide of
nckel resultant from the operation, from the smelted mass, and in resmelting the
"bottoms," rich in sulphide of nickel, with the same or substantially the same flux,
and separating the resultant sulphide of nickel from the sulphides of the other
metals present, and in repeating the operation until a commercially pure residue of
sulphide of nickel is obtained.
3. The hereinbefore described method of producing and separating sulphide of
nickel, consisting in smelting the ores, mattes or other substances containing nickel,
with a flux composed of nitre cake, salt cake, nitrates or carbonates of alkaline
bases or a mixture of two or more of the same, substantially as described, in separa-
ting out the bottoms, rich in sulphide of nickel resultant from the separation, by
specific gravity, and in subjecting the separated
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bottoms to repeated smelting
with the same or substantially the same flux, and subsequent separation by specific
gravity, until a commercially pure residue of sulphide of nickel is produced.
Dated this 19th day of September 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.