IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALLIC ORES TO OBTAIN COPPER
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Reid, of Sidmouth Street, Regent Square,
Mineralogist, and Charles O'Neil, of Golden Square, both in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALLIC
ORES TO OBTAIN COPPER."
Sealed the 5th May 1857, and dated the 14th November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Reid and
Charles O'Neil at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 14th November 1856.
We, ARCHIBALD REID, of Sidmouth Street, Regent Square, Mineralogist,
and CHARLES O'NEIL, of Golden Square, both in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING METALLIC ORES TO OBTAIN COPPER," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates especially to means by which copper may be
economically obtained from the poorer kinds of ores containing that metal,
such, for instance, as contain only from 1 to 3 per cent. of metal; but the im-
provements are also applicable to the treatment of the richest ores.
The method we adopt is to reduce the ores into a fine powder, by preferenco
such that it will pass through a fine sieve, the meshes of which are regulated
according to the hardness of the ore, and in the process of reduction to mix
with it crude kelp (or the component parts thereof when in combination). The
combination obtained is then slightly damped, and subjected for several hours

page_text: to a dull red heat in a reverberatory furnace, with air admitted thereto in such
manner as to assist oxidation. The sulphuric and other acids generated in the
furnace form a compound sulphate of copper. The matters obtained are then,
whilst hot from the furnace, placed in a vessel of boiling water, in which the
boiling is continued till the whole of the metallic salts are dissolved. Before
cooling, the solution is drawn off into a tank or reservoir containing scrap or
other iron, which decomposes the solution, aud metallic copper is precipitated,
to be removed in any suitable manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by tho said Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil in the Great Seal Patent
Office on tho 14th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARCHIBALD
REID, of Sidmouth Street, Regent Squaro, Mineralogist, and CHARLES O'NEIL,
of Golden Square, both in tho County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil, Her special licence that we, the said
Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to timo 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 Irelaud, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALLIC ORES TO
OBTAIN COPPER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, tho said Archi-
bald Reid and Charles O'Neil, our exccutors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention relates especially to means by which copper can be
economically obtained from the poorer kinds of ores containing that metal,
such, for instance, as contain only from 1 to 3 per cent. of metal; but the im-
provements are also applicable to the treatment of richer ores.
But that the nature of our said improvements may be more fully under-
stood, we will proceed to describe the means pursued by us."
We first reduce the ore to a moderately fine powder, by preference such that
it will pass through a fine sieve, the meshes of which are regulated according
to the hardness of the ore. This reduction of the ore we effect by any ordinary
crushing or grinding apparatus, and while the ore is in the process of reduction
we mix (by throwing in with it) crude kelp (or the component parts thereof
when in combination), the quantity of which is regulated according to the
per-centage of sulphur in the ore, but, generally speaking, ten pounds to every
hundred pounds of ore is found sufficient, which quantity, however, may be
varied. If, however, the ore be reduced to powder by the ordinary stamps
through which it is passed by aid of a current of water, the ore so pulverized
may be collected in heaps and allowed to become nearly dry, when powdered
kelp (or the constituent parts thereof in combination) will be mixed with it,
and the mixture treated as in the next operation; the combination of ore
and kelp (or its constituents) obtained is then slightly damped by sprinkling it
over with water, keeping it continually turned over till the water has touched
every part and the heap of ore is damped throughout. This part of the
operation should be done carefully, as too much water in the ore would cause
it to agglutinate in the furnace, and prevent its complete oxidation in the next
process. In case the ore from the stamps (as above mentioned), when mixed
with its proper proportion of kelp (or the constituent parts thereof in com-
bination), is found to be too wet, it may be spread out and turned over until
the excess of moisture present has evaporated before it is exposed to the action
of fire in the furnace; we then place the mixture of ore and kelp (or the con-
stituent parts thereof in combination) in a reverberatory furnace, which we
construct in such manner that the admitted air may play on the surface of the
above mixture. This admixture, which is made level on the bed of the furnace
by means of rakes or rables introduced into the working or side holes thereof.
The beat of the furnace is now slightly raised, the ore becoming oxidised as
the heat increases. During this part of the operation the surface of the ore
and kelp (or the constituent parts thereof in combination) exposed to the
action of the heat and air, should be continually renewed by means of the

page_text: rakes or rables. When, by examination, the ore and matters are found to be
free from moisture, we raise the heat to.a dull red for three hours or more,
until it is found by experiment that no more sulphurous acid fumes are dis-
engaged, when this part of the operation will be completed. The sulphuric
and other acids generated in the furnace form a: compound sulphate of copper.
The calcined mixture of ore and kelp (or the constituent parts thereof in com-
bination) is placed whilst red hot into vessels containing boiling water, in
which the boiling is continued until all the metallic salts are dissolved. The
solution so obtained is allowed to settle, and the clear supernatant fluid drawn
off whilst hot, and run into tanks or reservoirs. containing scrap or other iron;
which decomposes the solution, and metallic copper is precipitated; the pre-
cipitate is to be removed in any suitable manner, and melted and refined in
the usual way.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine our-
selves to the particular details referred to; but what we claim is, the employ-
ment of kelp (or the constituent parts thereof in combination) in obtaining
copper from ores containing that metal.
In witness whereof, we, the said Archibald Reid and Charles O'Neil,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
ARCHIBALD REID. (..
CHARLES O'NEIL.
(L.B.)
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES, Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane, London.