IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING ZINC FROM CERTAIN ORES OR MINERALS, AND IN RECOVERING OTHER SUBSTANCES-FOUND THEREWITH
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Spence, of Newton Heath, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEPARATING ZINC FROM CERTAIN ORES OR MINERALS, AND IN RECOVERING
OTHER SUBSTANCES-FOUND THEREWITH."
Sealed the 1st October 1867, and dated the 3rd April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
April 1867.
I, PETER SPENCE, of Newton Heath, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING ZINC FROM CERTAIN ORES OR MINERALS, AND IN
RECOVERING OTHER SUBSTANCES FOUND THERE WITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to those ores or minerals which contain blende or
sulphide of zinc in combination with galena or sulphide of lead, as, for instance,
the mineral known in Anglesea as bluestone; and my said Invention consists
in first extracting the lead from the ore and then manufacturing the metallic
zine by the usual process. In order to effect this I treat the mass in a finely
divided state with hydrochloric acid, by which means the sulphide of lead
becomes dissolved, leaving the blende to be calcined in the ordinary manner.
By this calcination the sulphur becomes vaporized, and this vapour I conduct
to the chamber usually employed in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. Such
ores or minerals as above mentioned also frequently contain a certain amount
of silver, gold, and copper, and which are left after the zinc is extracted, and

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
SPENCE, of Newton Heath, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Peter Spence, Her special licence that I, the said Peter
Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Peter Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time 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 Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING ZINC FROM CERTAIN ORES OR MINERALS, AND IN
RECOVERING OTHER SUBSTANCES POUND THEREWITH," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said Peter Spence, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Spence, 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 Invention relates to those ores or minerals which contain blende or
sulphide of zinc in combination with galena or sulphide of lead, as, for instance,
the mineral known in Anglesea as bluestone, the object being to render the
said ores or minerals more suitable for smelting as zinc ores are usually
smelted. As they are found the lead cannot practically be separated by
mechanical means, and it renders the ore of less value for the extraction of

page_text: zine owing to its liability to slag in the retorts, I therefore first extract the
lead by solution, and then manufacture the zinc in the usual manner.
In carrying out my Invention I reduce the ore or mineral to a fine state of
division by grinding or other known process, and I find it desirable so to
reduce it that the particles will pass through a sieve of sixty holes lineal, or
three thousand six hundred holes to the square inch. I now prepare bydro-
chloric acid free from sulphuric acid, and of the strength of 42 Twaddle, or
specific gravity 1.21, and thus considerably stronger than bydrochloric or
muriatic acid of commerce; I then stir this in the cold state with the
powdered ore, using it in proportion to the lead or sulphide of lead. If the
lead in the ore amounts to ten per cent. I then use acid equal to one-fourth
the weight of the ore, or more or less, accordingly as the lead is in greater or
smaller proportion. Having thus stirred the powdered ore and acid into a
paste I allow it to stand for some time, say one week, and then stir it well in
successively added quantities of boiling water until all the chloride of lead
which has been formed is dissolved; this chloride rapidly crystallizes out of
the solution, which may then be heated and used in the place of fresh boiling
water. The ore is now ready to be calcined in the usual manner adopted for
blende or sulpbide of zine, and as the sulphur becomes liberated it may be
collected for the manufacture of sulphuric acid by any known means. Chloride
of lead, which is a result by the above described process, can be used either for
the production of lead or for the manufacture of oxychloride of lead, as is well
known. Such ores or minerals as above mentioned also frequently contain a
certain amount of silver, gold, and copper, which are left after the zinc is
extracted, and these substances may be recovered by usual means.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
the production of zinc from ores or minerals such as above mentioned by
separating lead therefrom by treatment with bydrochloric acid, and tho
recovery of lead by such process.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Spence, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand sight hundred and civty caron
PETER SPENCE. (L.S.)