AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE AMALGAMATION OF FREE GOLD to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ROWLAND JOHN ATCHERLEY, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Berlin, Fellow of the
Chemical Societies of London and Berlin, Metallurgical Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
THE AMALGAMATION OF FREE GOLD to be as follows:-
"
The invention consists in an apparatus by means of which the free gold to be
saved from gold bearing slimes or pulp is caused to pass through a continuous fine
shower of mercury, and is thus brought into such intimato contact therewith, that
it is thoroughly amalgamated, and thus no escape of float and flour gold can take
place.
The apparatus consists of a vat or trough with a suitable bottom perforated with
a large number of fine holes. This trough is placed level above and along the
flumes or launders conveying the crushed gold bearing slimes or pulp, and should
be of the same width as the launders themselves. A reservoir for the reception of
mercury is placed at a convenient distance at the lower end of the launder in the
ordinary manner. This receptacle is connected with the trough above by means
of an elevator, or pump or other suitable elevating apparatus, worked either by
hand or in any other suitable manner, for the purpose of raising mercury from the
receptacle and carrying it to the perforated trough, into which it is thrown. The
mercury runs through the perforations in the trough in the form of a fine shower
into the running slimes below, and is thus brought into most intimate contact with
the free gold, with which it amalgamates and then flows back again into the
receptacle, to be re-elevated into the trough, the action thus being a continuous
one.
For the purpose of preventing any slimes being carried up by the elevating
apparatus I prefer to place another suitable vessel in close proximity to the
mercury receptacle, from the bottom of which latter, by means of a syphon or
other suitable means, the mercury overflows into the vessel, and it is from this
vessel that the mercury is preferably elevated to the trough above.

page_text: "
I, ROWLAND JOHN ATCHERLEY, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Berlin, Fellow of the
Chemical Societies of London and Berlin, Metallurgical Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE
AMALGAMATION OF FREE GOLD and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The invention consists in an apparatus by means of which the free gold to be
saved from gold bearing slimes or pulp is caused to pass through a continuous fine
shower of mercury, and is thus brought into such intimate contact therewith, that
it is thoroughly amalgamated, and consequently no escape of float and flour gold
can take place.
The slimes or pulp may be taken from any source to be treated as herein
described, the drawing for convenience of description showing a stamp mill from
which the gold bearing pulp issues, and also a convenient form of apparatus for
treating such pulp.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of
my improved apparatus, and Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same on the
line X, X, Fig. 1.
A, represents a portion of a stamp mill for reducing the gold bearing material to
a slime or pulp, which passes by opening B into the sluice box or launder C. Over
this sluice box or launder is mounted a vessel or trough (or a series of them) D, the
bottom of which is perforated with a number of fine holes E, from which mercury
issues in the form of a continuous fine shower E¹, and passes through the running
slimes or pulp bolow. The openings in the bottom of the trough D are preferably
arranged in transverse rows, the passage of mercury to each of which can be
regulated by means of the valves F, or one or more rows may be entirely cut out
of action if desired, as will be readily understood by referring to the drawing.
The bottom of the sluice box or launder C is preferably formed with ridges or
corrugations G, so that the mercury after passing through the gold bearing slimes
or pulp, and amalgamating with the gold contained therein, will collect in the
grooves of the ridges or corrugations, and form into streams, which run down the
sluice box or launder until they arrive at and enter the well or reservoir H, in
which the mercury collects. The slimes or pulp then continue their flow along the
sluice box or launder, and are dealt with in any known manner.
The mercury which collects in reservoir H is caused to pass to an elevator K,
and for the purpose of preventing any of the slimes or pulp passing with it into the
elevator, and also so as to maintain a constant level of mercury in the reservoir H,
the mercury is preferably conveyed from the latter by an inverted syphon L leading
to the bottom of the elevator K (or by any suitable means) as shown in Figure 3.
The elevator for raising the mercury is made in the form of an archimedian screw
working in a suitable casing, and is driven by suitable gearing.
The mercury is conveyed by the screw to the top of the elevator, where it is
discharged through a spout or shoot Q, Figure 2, and is again delivered into the
vessel or trough (or troughs) D, through the perforated bottom of which it again
passes on to the slimes or pulp in the sluice box or launder below, the flow of
mercury being regulated by suitable valves or cocks.
For the purpose of arresting the particles of solid or semi-solid amalgam which
are brought up by the elevator, a strainer or basket R of iron wire gauze or other

page_text: suitable material is suspended on the end of the spout or shoot Q. This strainer is
from time to time removed and emptied and replaced by a fresh one.
By my improved apparatus the mercury is automatically and continuously
brought into most intimate contact with the particles of gold contained in the
pulp or slimes and amalgamates therewith.
The edges of the bottom of the vessel or trough D are preferably slightly inclined
downwards so as to direct the mercury towards the perforations E, over which a
uniform depth will be maintained, and the amount of mercury required to carry on
the operation will be reduced to a minimum.
Instead of syphoning the mercury directly from the bottom of the reservoir H to
the lower end of the elevator K, it may be first caused to pass from the reservoir to
another receptacle, from which it may be delivered in any suitable manner to the
bottom end of the elevator.
It will be understood that the whole of the parts of the apparatus with which
the mercury and gold are brought in contact, must be made of such metal or
material as will not be affected thereby. As much of the mercury as is taken
away in the amalgam must always be replaced by fresh mercury.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The process of effecting the amalgamation of gold in gold bearing slimes or
pulp by continuously causing mercury to pass in the form of a shower through the
perforated bottom of a trough (or a series of troughs) arranged above & sluice box
or launder along which the slimes or pulp are caused to travel, the mercury falling
upon and passing through such slimes or pulp and being collected in a well or
reservoir, from which it is again raised into the trough or troughs by means of a
screw elevator, all substantially as described.
2. In the apparatus described for the amalgamation of gold, the use of a screw
elevator for raising the mercury, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In the apparatus described for the amalgamation of gold, forming the bottom
of the sluice box or launder conveying the gold bearing pulp or slimes together
with the mercury with longitudinal corrugations or grooves, as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In the apparatus described for the amalgamation of gold, the use of the
strainer R, as and for the purpose specified.
5. The apparatus for the amalgamation of gold consisting of one or more
vessels D placed above the sluice box or launder C, the reservoir H for collecting
mercury from the launder C, and the screw elevator K for raising the mercury to
the vessels or troughs D, all operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this thirteenth day of December 1884.