IMPROVE MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES CONTAINING METALS, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Laing, of Ince, near Wigan, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist. for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES CONTAINING METALS, AND IN
OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
Sealed the 22nd August 1861. and dated the 28th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Laing at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
February 1861.
I, ROBERT LAING, of Ince, near Wigan. in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturing Chemist. do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES CONTAINING METALS, AND
IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM," to be as follows:
My Invention relates to certain methods or processes for obtaining copper
and other metallic products from the waste ores containing copper and other
metals after they have been used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, and
consists, firstly, of placing the waste ore coming from the burners or kilns in
any convenient vessel, and applying steam for a given period. so as to affect
the entire mass of waste ore. When this object is attained, I cover the ore
with water, applying steam, and digesting at the boiling point for a few hours,
until the desired result is obtained. The time required in each stage of the
Price Sd.]

page_text: process will be regulated according to the quantity operated upon at one time.
This process may be repeated until all the copper and other valiable- metals
are extracted. By this method I obtain the desired result, the solution of the
metals, chiefly copper; the separation of the metals can be afterwards effected
by any of the well-known methods.
Secondly, I obtain the same results by the following process, but it may
not be in such a perfect and complete solution of the metals as described
above. place the waste ore in any convenient vessel, and cover the mass
with water, and raise the temperature to the boiling point, either by the
application of fire to such vessel, or steam from a steam boiler, digesting until
the desired results are gained. This process may also be repeated till all
the results are obtained.
My Invention consists further in the following method of extracting copper
and other metals, or the products of the same from the aforesaid waste ores.
I place the ore upon a water-tight foundation, and provide tanks or receivers
for any liquid flowing from the same. I place the ores about ten feet deep,
and upon the surface of this heap I place pipes or tubes of lead or earthen-
ware, or of any other convenient material about ten inches in diameter, these
pipes or tubes to be placed about six feet apart over the entire surface of the
ore, and be perforated at the bottom. The aforesaid pipes or tubes may then
be covered by a further quantity of waste ore. I then apply the waste gases
coming from the manufacture of sulphuric acid or of sulphurous acid which may
be going to waste through the said pipes or inbes with a large volume of steam
admitted at various points along the pipes or tubes, admitting also atmospheric
air as much as possible, whereby the various gases are oxidised and con-
densed while passing through the pipes or tubes which are connected with a
chimney or stack having a strong draught. I then apply showers of water
from time to time upon the mass of waste ores. which in course of time pro-
duces the perfect solution of the metals contained in them. In this process I
apply the waste ores either before or after the extraction of the copper, as
formerly described, according to the products required. producing sulphate of
iron, or sulphate of iron with sulphate of copper, and other metallic products,
the copper in the latter case being afterwards extracted by any of the well-
known methods.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Laing in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
LAING, of Ince. near Wigan, in the County of Lancaster. Manufacturing
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Laing. Her special licence that I. the said Robert Laing,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Laing, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES CONTAINING METALS, AND IN
OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert Laing, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1. the said Robert Laing, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
My improvements consist in the economical use and application of the gases
which now go to waste in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. and this for the
purpose of rendering soluble the copper and other metals contained in the
waste, ores after they have been burned and the sulphur extracted in the
manufacture of sulphuric acid, and further in washing out the soluble parts of
the metals, and consists, firstly, in placing the ore coming from the burners or
kilns in any convenient vessel, and applying steam for a given period, so as to
affect the entire mass of ore. When this is accomplished, I cover the ore with
water, applying steam, and digesting at the boiling point for two or more

page_text: hours. The time required in each stage of the process will be regulated
according to the quantity operated upon at one time. I find two hours a
suitable time for five tons of ore. This process may be repeated until the
copper and other metals are abstracted. The separation of the metals in the
solution can be afterwards effected in the usual manner.
Secondly, obtain the same results by the following process, which, however,
may not be found so effective:-I place the ore in any convenient vessel,
covering the mass with water, and I raise the temperature to the boiling point
by the application of a fire to such vessel, digested for a few hours. This
process also may be repeated till the results are obtained.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the following method of extracting copper
and other metals, or the products of the same from the aforesaid waste ores;--
I place the ore upon a water-tight foundation, and provide tanks or receivers
for any liquid flowing from the same. I place the ores about ten feet deep.
and upon the surface of this heap 1 place pipes or tubes of lead or earthen-
ware, or of any other convenient material about ten inches in diameter; these
pipes or tubes may be about six feet apart over the entire surface of the ore,
and be perforated at the under part to allow the liquid to flow from them.
The pipes or tubes may be covered to the extent of two or three feet by a
further quantity of ore. I then apply the aforesaid waste gases through these
pipes or tubes with a large volume of steam admitted at various points along
the pipes or tubes, admitting also atmospheric air as much as possible, whereby
the various gases are oxidised and condensed while passing through the pipes
or tubes.
The pipes and tubes are connected with a chimney having a strong
draught. During the process 1 apply showers of water from time to time to
the mass of ore, whereby the solution of the metals is promoted, and their
separation facilitated. In this process I use the burned ore either before or
after the previously described process of washing.
Although I have in the above described a mode by which the aforesaid
waste gases may be applied, I do not confine myself to any particular form or
shape of apparatus, as they may also be applied in towers or other close vessels,
or in any convenient manner.
I have in the foregoing described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the means which I consider best adapted for carrying out the
same, but I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to all or
any of the precise means herein set forth, as these may be altered or varied
according to the circumstances or position of the place where the operations
are carried on; but I claim as my Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, the use and application of gases usually

page_text: going to waste in the manufacture of sulphuric acid for the purpose of
extracting copper and other metals from the burned ores commonly called
pyrites, after such ores have been used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Laing, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Robert Laing, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent.
Manchester.
ROB. LAING. (L.S.)