IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN RESIDUES RESULTING FROM THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mason, of Eynsham Hall, near Witney, in the
County of Oxford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF CERTAIN RESIDUES RESULTING FROM THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC
ACID."
Sealed the 9th November 1877, and dated the 23rd August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mason at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1877.
JAMES MASON, of Eynsham Hall, near Witney, in the County of Oxford.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN RESIDUES RESULTING FROM THE
PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID."
This Invention relates to the treatment and use of certain metallic residues which
result when iron pyrites containing copper are submitted to a burning or calcining
process in and for the production of sulphuric acid, such residues resulting either
from the before-mentioned treatment of the crude or natural pyrites, or from pyrites
containing copper which has previously been submitted to the process described in
the Provisional Specification of my Invention, lodged in the Great Seal Patent
Office the 4th day of August 1877, No. 2984, in order that a certain proportion of
the copper originally contained therein may be extracted, and this Invention consists
in firstly subjecting the burnt ore in its residual condition without having been
previously subjected to pulverization or to disintegration to the action of a solvent
of the soluble salts of copper contained therein, such, for example, as water, or of
water acidulated either with hydrochloric or with sulphuric acid, and after having
effected the extraction of such compounds of copper which by burning have been
converted into a soluble form, submitting the residues thus treated either alone or
in conjunction with salt to a process of calcination, by preference at a low tempera-
ture, in order that the residual compounds of copper which by burning have not
been rendered soluble in the solvents before mentioned, may in part or entirely be
rendered soluble therein. The ore after calcination and the extraction by the

page_text: before-mentioned solvents of any copper compounds which may have been rendered
soluble, is then to be submitted to calcination, in order that the whole, or practically
the whole, of the residual sulphur which may be contained in the residue
inay be expelled, and the residue in its undivided condition be rendered directly
available for the production of iron or steel either in the blast or in any other
furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Mason in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
February 1878.
JAMES MASON, of Eynsham Hall, near Witney, in the County of Oxford.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN RESIDUES RESULTING FROM THE
PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID."
This Invention relates to the treatment and use of certain metallic residues which
result when iron pyrites containing copper are submitted to a burning or calcining
process in and for the production of sulphuric acid, such residues resulting either
from the before-mentioned treatment of the crude or natural pyrites, or from pyrites
containing copper which have previously been submitted to the process described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me the Fourth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, No. 2984, in order that a certain
proportion of the copper originally contained therein may be extracted, and this
Invention consists in, firstly, subjecting the burnt ore, such as before mentioned,. in
its residual condition, without having been previously subjected to pulverization or
to disintegration to the action of a solvent of the soluble salts of copper contained
therein, such, for example, as water, or of water acidulated either with hydrochloric
or with sulphuric acid, and after having effected the extraction of the compounds of
copper which, by burning, have been converted into a soluble form, submitting the
residues thus treated either alone or in conjunction with salt to a process of
calcination by preference at a low temperature, in order that the residual compounds
of copper which by burning have not been rendered soluble in the solvents before
mentioned, may in part or entirely be rendered soluble therein. The ore after
calcination and the extraction by the before-mentioned solvents of any copper com-
pounds which may have been rendered soluble is then to be submitted to calcination,
in order that the whole, or practically the whole, of the residual sulphur which may
be contained in the residue may be expelled, and the residue in its undivided con-
dition be rendered directly available for the production of iron or steel, either in the
blast or in any other furnace.
I may mention that in practice the residues I prefer operating upon are those
which result from the burning of pyrites containing on an average from about one
half to about two per cent. of copper, as I have found that such residues when
treated by the before-mentioned processes give good results; but residues containing
other proportions of copper may be employed.
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 treatment of the residues or residual products

page_text: resulting from the burning of the iron pyrites containing copper, herein referred to,
so as to render them suitable for the production of iron and steel by firstly sub-
mitting such residues without previous disintegration to the action of either water
or of water acidulated with either sulphuric or with hydrochloric acid, in order to
effect the separation of any salts or compounds of copper which may be soluble
therein, and then submitting such residues to a calcining process, either alone or in
conjunction with salt, by preference at a low temperature, in order that a further
proportion of the compounds of copper may be rendered soluble, and after such
compounds have been separated by any of the solvents before mentioned, sub-
nitting the residue thus treated to a further heating or calcining process, in order
that the sulphur contained therein may be entirely or practically entirely
expelled.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mason, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES MASON. (L.S.)