AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING METALS FROM THEIR ORES AND CONCENTRATING HEAVY MATERIALS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowland Jordan of Gracechurch Street in the
City of London Engineer and John Needham Longden of Charters Towers,
Queensland, but now residing in Salisbury Street in the County of
Middlesex, Mining Engineer for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING METALS FROM THEIR ORES
AND CONCENTRATING HEAVY MATERIALS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rowland_Jordan
and John Needham Longden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 5th November 1883.
THOMAS ROWLAND JORDAN of Gracechurch Street in the City of London,
Engineer and JOHN NEEDHAM LONGDEN of Charters Towers, Queensland but now
residing in Salisbury Street in the County of Middlesex Mining Engineer, "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING METALS FROM
THEIR ORES AND CONCENTRATING HEAVY MATERIALS,"
This invention relates to a novel method or process of treating ores containing
silver and gold to extract or separate the precious metals which process also
comprises the concentration of the residue of such ores and other heavy materials.
The said method or process consists in a series of consecutive operations carried
into effect by a peculiar combination of machinery or apparatus as hereinafter
described. Our invention is characterized by the treatment of the ores in a dry
state that is to say by using air instead of water as the medium for conveying or
transferring the pulverized ore through the said apparatus. The said invention is
not restricted or limited to the use of any special features of construction of such
machinery or apparatus otherwise than in respect of the capability of each machine
or apparatus, or each part thereof, to perform its specific function or functions in
the said process or series of operations, as herein specified. But for the purpose of
performing these operations consecutively as and for the purpose herein specified
the novel combination of such machines or apparatus in the order specified forms a
subordinate part of our said invention

page_text: For breaking the ore we use a stone breaker of the usual or any suitable
construction. This machine delivers its produce into a pulverizer capable of
reducing the broken ore to an extremely fine or small condition. As an example of
the class or type of machine or apparatus requisite for this purpose, we here specify
that commonly known as the "Jordan Patent pulverizer." From this machine &
the pulverized material containing the gold or silver is delivered by an air current
into a receiving chamber. In this chamber it may be separated by the air-
current into different degrees of fineness, specific gravity, and value and if necessary
is concentrated therein, each grade being then passed by screw conveyors or other
suitable means to an amalgamator. We may use any number, form, or kind of 1
amalgamators but by preference we employ such as are described in the
specification of the said Thomas Rowland Jordan filed with his petition for Lettors
Patent on the same date as that of our present application.
"
After passing through the amalgamators the residues or tailings are subjected to
a further process of separation by a current or blast of air which conveys the 1
tailings through a concentrating chamber over which they are distributed by the
air-current the particles of different density or specific gravity falling into the
various divisions of the said concentrator and the waste being blown away to any
required distance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Rowland Jordan and John Needham Longden in the
Patent Office on the 5th May 1884.,
THOMAS ROWLAND JORDAN, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, and JOHN NEEDHAM LONGDEN, of Charters Towers, Queenslan·1, but now
residing in Salisbury Street, in the County of Middlesex, Mining Engineer "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING METALS FROM
THEIR ORES AND CONCENTRATING HEAVY MATERIALS
"
Our invention relates to a novel method or process of treating ores containing
silver and gold to extract or separate the precious metals, which process also
comprises the concentration of the residue of such ores and other heavy materials.
The said method or process consists in a series of consecutive operations carried
into effect by a peculiar combination of machinery or apparatus as hereinafter
described. Our invention is designed to effect the treatment of the ores in a dry
state, that is to say, by using air instead of water as the medium for automatically
conveying or transferring the pulverized ore through the said apparatus. The
said invention is not restricted or limited to the use of any special features of
construction of such machinery or apparatus otherwise than in respect of the
capability of each machine or apparatus, or each part thereof, to perform its
specific function or functions in the said process or series of operations as herein
specified. But for the purpose of performing these operations consecutively as,
and for the purpose, herein specified the novel combination of such machines or
apparatus in the order specified forms a subordinate part of our said invention.
The accompanying drawing shews, in plan, the arrangement of the combined
machines used in carrying out our improved method or process.
For breaking the ore we use a stone-breaker A of the usual or any suitable
construction. This machine delivers its produce down a chute a into a pulverizer B
capable of reducing the broken oro to an extremely fine or small condition, which
pulverizer is arranged at a lower level than the stone-breaker A. As an example
of the class or type of machine or apparatus requisite for this purpose, we here
specify that commonly known as the "Jordan Patent pulverizer." From this
machine the pulverized material containing the gold or silver is delivered by an
air-current (produced by a blower or other suitable means) through a pipe or
pipes b into a receiving or concentrating chamber C. In this chamber it may be
separated by the air-current into different degrees of fineness, specific gravity, and
value, the particles of the said material falling into the different compartments of
the said chamber according to their specific gravity. Each grade is then passed by
a sciew-conveyer D or other suitable means to a chute c down which it passes to
an amalgamator E, F or G arranged at a lower level than the chamber C; in this
amalgamator it is passed through a body of mercury. We may use any number,
form or kind of amalgamators, but by preference we employ such as are described
in the specification of Letters Patent granted to the said Thomas Rowland Jordan
and bearing date the 5th day of November A.D. 1883, N° 5235. In the arrange-
ment shewn we employ the three machines therein described, which machines are
marked E, F and G in the drawing.
By the above described combination of machinery or apparatus we provide for
reducing and amalgamating the ores by an automatic and continuous process
without the use of an elevator or similar contrivance for raising the material from
one machine to another.
After passing through the amalgamators, the residues or tailings are subjected
to a further process of separation by a current or blast of air over the surface of

page_text: the mercury, which blast conveys the tailings through a concentrating chamber in
which they are distributed by the air-current, the particles of different density or
specific gravity falling into the various divisions of the said concentrator, and the
For this purpose we
waste material being blown away to any required distance.
prefer to employ apparatus similar to that described in the said specification of
Thomas Rowland Jordan.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim.
First An automatic and continuous process for the extraction of gold and
silver from their ores, by reduction and amalgamation with mercury without the
use of water, substantially as described.
Second The continuous method or process of extracting or separating metals
from their ores, consisting in the series of operations herein specified carried into
effect in, and by the aid of, the machinery or apparatus above set forth and shewn
in the accompanying drawing, arranged and operating in such a manner as to
effect the reduction of the ores in a dry state.
Third-In the said continuous process, the application and utilization of an air-
blast for conveying the material through the crushing and amalgamating apparatus,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Rowland Jordan, for myself and on
behalf of the said John Needham Longden, have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Fifth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty four.
MATTY
TARDAN
THOMAS ROWLAND JORDAN M