IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEPARATION OF METALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann, of Swansea, in.
the County of Glamorgan, Manager of Silver Works, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEPARATION OF METALS."
Sealed the 21st June 1870, and dated the 29th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernhardt Gustav
Herrmann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
⚫ his Petition, on the 29th December 1869.
I, BERNHARDT GUSTAV HERRMANN, of Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan, Manager of Silver Works, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEPARATION OF METALS,"
to be as follows:—
In certain processes for the extraction of gold the auriferous regulus
has been melted in or has been run into a furnace, and either metallic
copper has been added or metallic copper has been produced when an
auriferous copper regulus has been under treatment by partial oxidation
and reduction of the regulus in order that the gold or a portion of
the same which was contained in the regulus should become alloyed
with the copper and be thus separated; but it has been found that

page_text: such and similar processes have been exceedingly costly, or altogether
impracticable, in that the gold could not be entirely separated by one
such operation from the regulus, and that owing to the absorbent
power of the bottom of the furnace the amount of auriferous alloy
absorbed was too considerable to constitute an economical method
of extraction.
Now this Invention relates more particularly to the separation of
gold from ores, compounds, or products when such ores, compounds, or
products have been converted into what is known as a regulus, and
more particularly a regulus of copper, or into a fusible compound con-
taining sulphur, a metal such, for example, as copper or iron and gold,
but it is also applicable to other regulus, and it consists in causing
molten auriferous regulus to run or to be conveyed into a vessel which
I call a separator, and into which vessel or separator I run or convey
simultaneously with, or before, or subsequent to the introduction of the
meted regulus a molten metal capable of forming an alloy with the
gold and thus causing it to be separated from the regulus; thus, for
example, if the regulus be a copper regulus then I prefer to employ
copper, and I cause the fluid metal and regulus to be well agitated
either by means of an agitator or by the immersion therein of a piece of
fresh wood, or by blowing through the mixture either atmospheric air
or other gas, steam, or mixtures of the same, such being by preference
of an elevated temperature. After agitation and the subsidence of the
molten metal the auriferous alloy is to be tapped or run out of or
removed from the separator, and should the regulus still contain gold
a fresh portion of molten metal is to be run or conveyed into the
separator and the deaurification be repeated. The alloy thus resulting
from the repeated treatment with molten metal is to be tapped or
run off from the separator, and should the regulus still contain gold
the deaurification may be again repeated.
The auriferous alloy thus obtained, if deemed sufficiently rich in gold,
may be subjected to any of the well-known processes for effecting the
separation of the gold; but should the alloys resulting from the
treatment of poor auriferous regulus be considered not sufficiently
rich in gold they may be remelted and be employed as substitutes for
the metal or metals before referred to.
The vessel which I prefer to employ for effecting the separation of the
gold from the regulus, and which I call a separator, is so constructed

page_text: as that the metal or alloy, or the regulus after treatment, may be tapped
or run off from the apparatus, and also that it shall admit of arrangements
being made for the admission or injection of air, gases, or steam, or
mixtures of the same, such being by preference employed at an elevated
temperature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BERNHARDT
GUSTAV HERRMANN, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Manager
of Silver Works, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann,
Her special license that I, the said Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEPARATION OF METALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bernhardt Gustav
Herrmann, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:

page_text: In certain processes for the extraction of gold the auriferous regulus
has been melted in a furnace, and either metallic copper has been added
or metallic copper has been produced when an auriferous copper regulus
has been under treatment by partial oxidation and reduction of the
regulus in order that the gold or a portion of the same which was
contained in the regulus should become alloyed with the copper and
be thus separated; but it has been found that such and similar processes
have been exceedingly costly or altogether impracticable in that the
gold could not be entirely separated by one such operation from the
regulus, and that owing to the absorbent power of the bottom of the
furnace the amount of auriferous alloy absorbed was. too considerable to
constitute an economical method of extraction.
Now this Invention relates more particularly to the separation of
gold from ores, compounds, or products, when such ores, compounds,
or products have been converted into what is known as a regulus, and
more particularly a regulus of copper, or into a fusible compound con-
taining sulphur, a metal such, for example, as copper or iron and gold,
but it is also applicable to other regulus, and it consists in causing
molten auriferous regulus to run or to be conveyed into a vessel, which I
call a separator, and into which vessel or separator I run or convey
simultaneously with, or before, or subsequent to the introduction of the
melted regulus a molten metal capable of forming an alloy with the
gold and thus causing it to be separated from the regulus; thus, for
example, if the regulus be a copper regulus, then I prefer to employ
copper, and I cause the fluid metal and regulus to be well agitated either
by means of an agitator or by the immersion therein of a piece of fresh
wood, or by blowing through the mixture either atmospheric air or
other gas, steam, or mixtures of the same, such being by preference
at an elevated temperature. After agitation and subsidence the
auriferous alloy is to be tapped or run out of or removed from the
separator, and should the residual regulus still contain gold a fresh
portion of molten metal may be run or conveyed into the separator, and
the deaurification process be repeated.
The regulus after treatment may be tapped off or otherwise removed
from the separator. The auriferous alloy thus obtained, if deemed
sufficiently rich in gold, may be subjected to any of the well-known
processes for effecting the separation of the gold; but should the alloys
resulting from the treatment of poor auriferous. regulus be considered

page_text: not sufficiently rich in gold they may be remelted and be employed as
substitutes for the metal or metals above referred to.
The vessel or apparatus which I prefer to employ for effecting the
separation of the gold from the regulus in the manner herein-before
described, and which apparatus or vessel I have called a separator,
may be constructed of metal lined with fire-clay, or of fire-brick, or of
fire-clay, and when the vessel is constructed of fire-clay such vessel
before use is by preference previously burnt, as is well understood, or
the separator may be otherwise constructed, and is so arranged as that
the metal or alloy and the regulus after treatment may be tapped or run
off from the apparatus, and also that it shall admit of arrangements
being made for the insertion of wood and for the admission or injection
into the interior of the separator of air, gases, or steam either alone or
in conjunction with the wood, such air or steam being by preference
employed at an elevated temperature. The separator may also be so
arranged as that heat may be applied thereto if desired.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the employment of a separate vessel or separator in which the separation
of gold from auriferous regulus is effected in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bernhardt Gustav Herrmann, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
BERNHARDT GUSTAV HERRMANN. (L.S.)