their Ores and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1887
[Communicated from abroad by EWALD FISCHER and MAX WILLIAM WEBER, both of
80, Linden Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany.]
their Ores and Apparatus therefor.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 a method of completely separating and extracting the
precious metals from their ores by the aid of the electric current.
The apparatus which we employ to attain this object, are shown in the accom-
panying drawings; fig. 1 is a top view, and fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section of
the same.
The ores are first ground as finely as possible in the usual manner, then they are
placed in a Vat A and mixed with from 6 to 8 times their volume of water. In the
Vat A is a vertical shaft a bearing on its upper end a pulley which is put in rotation
by any suitable motor.
To the shaft a is secured a cross b having from 6 to 8 arms, each of which is
provided with a plate or shovel.
The bottom of the Vat has a concave form, in the centre of the bottom is an iron
cock of suitable size. By the revolution of the plates the water and the ore are
continually maintained in a uniform mixture, so that the ore is brought throughout
into continual contact with the plates. The Concave bottom of the Vat is covered
with mercury and the interior wall of the Vat is partially lined with an amalgamated
metal, such as copper plates which extend downwards and dip into the mercury. The
shovels are also made of copper plates or of any other suitable amalgamated metal.
These are electrically connected with the positive electrode and the inside of the Vat
is electrically connected with the negative electrode so that the mercury is also
negatively excited.

page_text: As
When the continuous current acts on the apparatus, the ores begin to he decomposed.
But this decomposition can only take place when the ores are capable of reaction.
this is not the case with most ores it is necessary to add a subsiance, which can enter
into a reciprocal action with the metal contained in the ores. In most cases common
salt will be sufficient, either alone or together with permanganate of potass. When
the ore contains calcareous spar or other carbonic earth, we add to common salt a
small quantity of acid, such as hydrochloric acid for instance. Instead of the common
salt any other suitable chloric or bromic preparation having similar action may also be
used.
By this process the metallic combination which is insoluble in water is oxydized on
the cathode in such a way, that it becomes capable of reacting. The oxidation is
effected by the decomposition of the water into oxygen on the positive pole and into
hydrogen on the negative pole. The hydrogen escapes while the oxygen forms with
the metallic combination a higher degree of oxydation. The metallic oxide thus
produced now enters into a reciprocal action with the chloride and forms a suitable
metallic chloride (Au Cl or Ag Cl).
By the electrolytic action this metallic chloride is decomposed in such a way, that
the pure metal is separated on the negative pole or the cathode, while on the positive
pole the corresponding acid or the halogen is set free and can always act anew on
the ore.
The reaction and the reduction take place the quicker, the stronger the electric
current is.
In consequence of the continual contact of the ore with the mercury all the reduced
metal will be taken up by the latter.
The process lasts from 2 to 24 hours. The exact moment, when it is completed, is
detected by the formation of oxyhydrogen gas, only hydrogen or oxygen and carbonic
acid having escaped before. When all the reduced metal has been taken up by the
mercury, the cock c is opened and the whole mass discharged into an apparatus B.
This apparatus consists of a square flat, iron trough in which revolve in the direction
indicated by the arrows six rollers which are positively excited. The speed of the
revolution of the several rollers decreases from the entrance to the issue.
These rollers are constructed as shewn to an enlarged scale in plan and cross
section at a respectively at Figs. 3 and 4 they consist of a wooden cylinder having
longitudinal grooves y, and fixed on a metal shaft h. On each end of the cylinder is
fixed a ring of copper and to these are fixed the ends of a number of carbon or
metal bars lying upon the surface of the cylinder between the grooves g, and which
serve as the anodes the shaft A being carried in insulated bearings as indicated; the
mercury in the trough is connected electrically with the negative electrode as in the
vat A. This apparatus has for its object to condense in the mercury bath, all the fine
amalgam particles which are formed in the vat A and are still mixed with water, while
the tailings completely free from metal are drawn off from the apparatus. To the last
roller india-rubber plates are fixed extending downward to the bottom of the trough
and carrying the sand to the ontlet orifice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. The improved method of extracting gold, and other precious metals from their
ores herein-above described wherein :-
Firstly, the ores ground as finely as possible and mixed with from 6 to 8 times their
volume of water with or without an addition of common salt or of another chloric or
bromic preparation or of common salt and permanganate of potass or of common salt
and acid are placed in a vat, the interior of which is lined with an amalgamated metal
which is electrically connected to a negative electrode and the bottom of which is
covered with a layer of mercury which is electrically connected with the amalgamated
metal the said vat containing a stirring apparatus the shovels of which consist also of
an amalgamated metal which is electrically connected with the positive electrode so
that by the motion of the stirring apparatus the ores and water are continuously

page_text: maintained in a uniform mixture and the pure metal is separated on the cathode while
on the anode the corresponding acid or the halogen is set free, and
Secondly, when all the reduced metal has been taken up by the mercury, the whole
mass is discharged into an iron trough which is provided with a series of horizontal
rollers rotating at different speeds, these rollers carrying carbon or metal bars which
represent the anodes, while the mercury and the iron trough represent the cathode, so
that the fine amalgam particles produced in the Vat and still mixed with sand are
condensed in the mercury, while the tailings which are free from metal, are drawn off,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The herein described construction of apparatus for extracting precious metals
from their ores consisting of a Vat A having a lining of amalgated plates of copper or
other suitable metal to be connected with the negative electrode of an electrical
generator and having a stirring apparatus a, b, to be connected with the positive
electrode of the electrical generator and having a cock c, for discharging its contents,
such Vat operating in combination with an iron trough or vessel B containing
revolving wood rollers having copper coils and carbon or metal rods at their ends,
such rollers being electrically connected with the positive electrode of an electrical
generator while the trough is connected to the negative electrode.
Duted the 50:1 J...
T
1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant..