Treatment of Antimonial and Arsenical Ores, Materials, or Furnace Products Containing Gold, Silver, or Platinum.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
The Treatment of Antimonial and Arsenical Ores, Materials, or
Furnace Products Containing Gold, Silver, or Platinum.
I, WILLIAM BLACKMORE of 35 Sterndale Road Millhouses Sheffield Yorkshire
Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
(1.) The fusion of the ore with an alkali or alkaline compound, and sulphur or
material containing sulphur, to produce sulphides of antimony and arsenic, and also
sulphide of the alkali, in the fused mass.
(2.) The treatment of such a fused mass with water thereby obtaining the
antimony and arsenic in solution, and the precious metals in the insoluble residue.
(3.) The precipitation of the antimony and arsenic from the solution by the
addition of acid or by other means.
Dated this 8th day of January 1896
WILLIAM BLACKMORE.
The Treatment of Antimonial and Arsenical Ores, Materials, or
Furnace Products Containing Gold, Silver, or Platinum.
I WILLIAM BLACKMORE of No. 1 Mirador Crescent Swansea late of
35 Sterndale Road Millhouses Sheffield Analytical Chemist and Smelter 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:-
(1.) The fusion of the ore or material with an alkali or alkaline compound and
sulphur or material containing sulphur with the production of sulphides of antimony
and arsenic and also sulphide of the alkali. This fusion may be made in any
ordinary reverberatory furnace.
(2.) The treatment of such a fused mass with water thereby obtaining the
antimony and arsenic in solution, the precious metals being left in the residues.
This solution may be effected in leaden or wooden tanks and hot or cold water
may be used.
(3.) The precipitation of the antimony and arsenic from the solution by the
addition of acids or by other means.
(4.) The residues containing the gold silver or platinum are to be smelted by
ordinary processes.
The various stages in the treatment are here described in detail.
(1.) The fusion is made in a reverberatory furnace at a dull red heat. The
charge consists of,-

page_text: During fusion constant stirring is necessary and the charge is to be drawn
when the whole is in a pasty condition. The alkali used is generally carbonate
of soda.
(2.) The subsequent treatment for leaching out the sulphide of antimony or
arsenic is effected in a leaden wooden or lead-lined tank. Water is put into the
tank and the fused mass is to be added. Steam is passed into the water to raise it
to boiling and this is continued for about one hour. Two hundred pounds of the
fused mass would require one hundred gallons of water or thereabouts. The
residue is allowed to settle and the liquor poured or syphoned off. This residue
contains the precious metals, and it is collected and smelted by ordinary smelting
processes.
(3.) The liquor contains the antimony or arsenic. It is collected into a wooden
or lead-lined tank, and hydrochloric acid or other acid added in sufficient quantity
to throw down the sulphide of antimony or arsenic. This quantity is to be
ascertained by a trial with a small measured portion of the liquor. The precipitate
is separated from the liquor by means of a filter-press or other means, and the
residues smelted in the ordinary manner for antimony or arsenic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.-
1. The use of sulphur and an alkali or alkaline compound in order to produce
when fused with the antimonial or arsenical material, sulphides of the antimony or
arsenic in situ with sulphide of the alkali.
2. The production by the above means of sulphides of antimony and arsenic
which on leaching with water are dissolved in the alkaline sulphide--the precious
metals remaining in the residues.
Dated this 5th day of October 1896.
WILLIAM BLACKMORE.