Improvements in Separating Liquids from Fine Slimes of Gold Bearing and other Ores, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
Improvements in Separating Liquids from Fine Slimes of Gold
Bearing and other Ores, and Apparatus therefor.
I, CLEMENT HARRY PEAD, of Boksburg, near Johannesburg, South African
Republic, 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:-
-
My invention relates to a method of separating liquids from the fine "
slimes"
of gold bearing or other ores and to apparatus for that purpose, as I shall describe
referring to the acompanying drawings.
Fig. I is a sectional elevation of apparatus according to my invention.
a plan. Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale through the distributor.
Fig. 4 is a plan shewing the distributor.
Fig. 2
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation shewing an alternative arrangement of distributor.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the modified distributor.
Fig. 7 is a section through it and
Fig. 8 is a plan, both on an enlarged scale.
A is a tank fitted with a hood B forming a gutter O. In the centre of the hood
is an opening having round it a seating C carrying a filter D which is fixed by
means of a clamp E. Through the seating C pass small distribution pipes f
connected to a main distributor F, which is connected to the discharge pipe R
of the slimes pump P.
The small distribution pipes f are slightly inclined from the main pipe F up
towards the filter so that the currents from them impinge against the filter thus
Scouring it and preventing clogging.
The same result may be attained by the central distributor G Fig. 5, provided
with a dished baffle plate G¹. H are tubular plugs or cores of which there may
be two or more each having a flange H' and shackle H2 and closed at the bottom
by a dished end H³ carrying a bolt H. These plugs H are fixed by bolts K to
seatings J provided on the hood B. In the bottom of the tank and directly under
each seating J is a discharge opening into which the end of H can easily pass.
The opening is closed by a manhole cover L fixed by the bolt H*.
The plugs or cores H when down, act as ties to resist internal pressure.
"
In order to discharge the residues in a dry" state, the bolts H and K are
unscrewed, the doors L are opened, and the plugs or cores H are withdrawn by
means of overhead tackle.
P is the slimes pump which may be a centrifugal pump, or several such pumps
in series, or any other suitable pump.
R is the discharge pipe; S the suction pipe from the treatment tank and T a
bye-pass from the discharge to the treatment tank, to be opened should the pump
stop.
The apparatus described presents several advantages.
First, instead of allowing the slimes to settle from the water they are immedi-
ately pumped together with the water into the filter tank. When it is full the.

page_text: water is forced through the filter screen D (which prevents escape of the slime) to
the gutter O from which it passes by a pipe V. Thus the water is rapidly separated
from the slimes. The slimes still containing sufficient water, can be pumped or
run back by a pipe M into the treatment tanks where they may be treated as
usual. This process may be repeated as often as required.
In separating the slimes from the last wash in the filter tank a double or
even larger quantity of slimes from a second charge may be forced by the pump
- into the filter tank so that the slimes contained therein have the moisture in them
reduced to a minimum, till they are considered to be in a fit condition called
"dry" to be discharged.
"
As the operation of the apparatus is almost automatic there is a great saving
of time and the filter can be easily renewed at moderate cost.
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. Subjecting the mixture of slimes and water in a closed vessel to pressure by
pumping, so that the water is separated from the slimes and forced through a
filter fixed in the top of the vessel, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for separating water from slimes arranged and operating sub-
stantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of May 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.