IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOLD AND SILVER ORES, AND IN UTILIZING THE PRODUCTS RESULTING THEREPROM
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Anthony Leonard Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th June 1868.
Fleury
I, ANTHONY LEONARD HENRY, of Boston, Massachussetts, United
States of America, but now of 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING
GOLD AND SILVER ORES, AND IN UTILIZING THE PRODUCTS RESULTING THEREPROM,"
to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in mixing powdered gold or
silver ore with a proportionate quantity of fluoride of calcium, natural,
or such as is artificially prepared, or of any other fluorine salt or acid,
and exposing this mixture to the combined action of steam and carbonic
acid. A decomposition of the mineral results, and a milky solution is
obtained from which the mechanically suspended gold is abstracted by
passing the liquid through a bath of mercury, or other suitable
menstruum. The refuse, the mineral solution, I use as a cementing
liquid or base for paint in the way and for the purposes hereafter more
fully described.

page_text: It is now a well-known fact that unless, the whole of the silicious
gold ore is brought to very fine division, and perfectly amalgamated,
and in some instances even the chemical combination of the ore itself
broken up, a considerable per-centage of the precious metal is lost.
By my process I am not only enabled to extract all the gold from
the quartz, but I obtain a refuse material which can be used with great
advantage in the arts and become a commercial article. As gold is
liable to exist as a silicate of the oxide of gold (or chemically combined)
with silicium, the use of fluorine in my process increases the yield of
gold from such ores as do contain the precious metal in such chemical
combination. I mix the pulverized gold or silver ore with from 5 to 25
per cent. (according to the more or less silicious nature of the ore) of
fluorspar, cryolite, or refuse from the working of the cryolite or any
other suitable fluorine salt or acid, and when thoroughly mixed together
I place the mixture in a strong boiler which should have a stirrer
placed inside in such manner as to permit the agitation of the mass
in order to prevent the material from adhering to the bottom. I then
add to the mixture about 1 gallon of water for every pound of the said
mixture; the said boiler is so arranged that a pressure of about 60
pounds can be kept up for about two or three hours, the escape being
so regulated that the vapour can be condensed in a cistern of water.
To facilitate this action the boiler itself may be set over a fire or kept
heated by a steam jacket. When the boiler is closed and the valve
fixed as above stated I introduce into and among the agitated mixture
steam and carbonic acid until the whole is dissolved into an opalescent
milky liquid. The carbonic acid can be produced by any of the known
processes, and either injected alone by its own pressure or by a Giffard's
injector introduced with the steam. The quantity of carbonic acid
should be about one quarter of the quantity of steam injected. After
the solution is complete the steam and carbonic acid are shut off
and the whole is allowed to cool down to about 200° Fahrenheit. I
then pass the liquid through a properly constructed amalgamating bath
where every particle of suspended metal is absorbed by the mercury,
and the gold is taken up and can be obtained in the usual way.
Mercury in vapour form might be introduced into the boiling liquid
or the gold and silver otherwise collected; the gold being extracted
the liquid is ready, either to be sold as a new article of commerce, or
used in the arts, as follows:-

page_text: First. When mixed with lime, oxides of iron, zinc or lead, it gives an
excellent fire and waterproof paint for houses, bridges, railroad depots,
warehouses, and ships.
Second. It prevents the rot of wood and is therefore adapted for
the impregnation of railroad sleepers and timber for various purposes.
Third. It arrests the decomposition of the exterior of old buildings
and can be used for their preservation.
Fourth. It makes with sand and clay an excellent cement for making
roofs and other water fire, and weather proof materials.
Fifth. Combined with paper pulp, sawdust, or other similar materials,
it can be pressed into moulds and serve in the manufacture of many
useful articles.
Sixth. Mixed with sand and clay, lime, soapstone, cinder from iron,
copper or other furnaces, a variety of useful and ornamental objects
can be made, as also used as a lining for wooden, iron, and other vessels
used in the arts and manufacturers.
Seventh. When mixed with white quartz sand and slightly com-
pressed white flint marble for statuary or other ornamental purposes
can be made.