New or improved Process for Extracting Precious Metals from their ures.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1900- Accepted, 2nd June, 1900
Date of Application, 2nd June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1900- Accepted, 2nd June, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or improved Process for Extracting Precious Metals from their
ures.
We, THE GOLDEN LINK CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINES, LIMITED, of 20, and 21,
Lawrence Lane, in the City of London, and HENRY JOSHUA PHILLIPS, Fellow of
the Institute of Chemistry, etc., etc., of 122, and 123, Palace Chambers, West-
minster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object new or improved process for extracting
precious metals from their ores as follows:-
The ore containing the precious metals to be extracted is first reduced to
an impalpable powder or finely comminuted condition by any well-known or
suitable means and is then subjected to the action of di-chloride of sulphur,
chloride of sulphur, or mono-ehioride of sulphur (all of which will hereinafter
be referred to as chloride of surpiar") while heated (under heat and pressure)
in a closed vessel whereby the precious metals are converted into chlorides
which are then dissolved out in any suitable vessel by any suitable solvent and
subsequently separated into metallic form by any known or suitable process.
According to this invention the precious metals are extracted from their ores
as follows:-
The ore in the finely divided condition as aforesaid is placed in a closed cham-
ber or vessel of suitable size provided with arms or stirrers adapted to stir up the
contents of said vessel (or said vessel may be arranged to revolve or otherwise
arranged to dispense with any such internal stirrers) and adapted to be heated
in any suitable way for instance said vessel may be provided with a jacket sur-
rounding or partly surrounding same through which super-heated steam can
be passed or adapted to contain oil which can either be heated in a separate
vessel and circulated through said jacket or, said oil or other material contained
in said jacket may be heated by a furnace or direct heat applied to the exterior
of said vessel; which heated vessel is or may be provided with a valve or valves,
pressure gauge, thermometer, or pyrometer; or any of them.
The chloride of sulphur (S,Cl) employed according to this invention before
being mixed with the ore is first converted into fumes or vapors (hereinafter
referred to as vapor") which may be effected either in the vessel containing
the ore or in a separate vessel and such vapor is brought into contact with the
ore at such a temperature both of the vapor and ore in said vessel that said
chloride of sulphur vapor is dissociated and the chlorine combined with the
precious metal or precious metals-whatever the state or condition in which
same exist in the ore--thus forming chlorides (which latter can be subse-
quently treated as hereinafter described or in any other suitable manner) and
in order to effect this the temperature of the body of ore contained in said heated
vessel must be raised to and maintained at such a point or points that the
aforesaid chlorides of the precious metals may be formed; or if desired the
chloride of sulphur may be mixed direct with the ore as aforesaid in a vessel

page_text: and then the temperature of same raised to such a point that chlorides will
thereby be formed.
According to this invention the amount of choride of sulphur which is em-
ployed is proportioned according to the percentage of precious metal or precious
metals or chlorine-absorbing-substances in conjunction therewith to be acted
upon by the chlorine, which percentage can be ascertained by assay or analysis
sufficiently accurately for the purpose; and furthermore the temperature to
which the ore and chloride of sulphur are raised may be varied according to
the state of combination or otherwise of the precious metals in the ore.
Now according to this invention it has been discovered that chloride of sul-
phur when converted into fumes or vapor and applied to ore containing the
precious metals (in a finely divided condition) will at certain temperature
attack first of all the precious metals for instance in an ore containing gold
and carbonate of lime, etc., the sulphur chloride fumes or vapors will first of
all only attack the gold and this discovery enables the amount of chloride of
sulphur to be employed to be exactly ascertained and used proportionately or
according to the precious metals known to be present in the ore.
Having thus ascertained the amount of chloride of sulphur required for ex-
tracting the precious metal or metals from any given body of ore the chloride
of sulphur may be introduced-into the aforesaid closed vessel containing such
ore in the form of fumes or vapor according to this invention by placing the
chloride of sulphur in a separate vessel and therein subjecting it to heat and
thence the vapor is forced into the vessel containing the ore or if desired said
amount of chloride of sulphur may be mixed with the ore or placed direct in
the vessel containing said ore and the vessel then closed and the temperature
raised in the aforesaid manner and for the aforesaid purposes whereby the
precious metals are attacked by the chloride of sulphur and chlorides of the
precious metal or precious metals present are thus formed.
Having thus formed these chlorides-it is possible by raising the temperature.
still further to drive off the chlorine thus leaving the precious metal or precious
metals in a metallic state mixed with the ore and same can then be extracted
by any known means such as concentrating, amalgamating, or cyaniding process.
By the use herein of the term "precious metal" or precious metals" it is
meant and intended to thereby refer to and include such material or substances
as tellurium, selenium, or allied elements.
For instance in treating complex telluride gold-bearing ore the amount
of S,Cl, employed is proportioned not only to the gold and applied as aforesaid
but also an additional proportion of S,Cl, is employed (also as a vapour) accord-
ing to the amount of tellurium or allied elements present in the ore, whereby
the tellurium can be extracted as well as the gold and separated therefrom.
Any other suitable volatile chlorides may if desired be employed in place
of S,Cl, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Precious metal or precious metals can by this process be extracted from
refractory or rebellious ores-or combined gold can thus be extracted-without
the necessity of first roasting said ores.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
outhampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Process for Extracting Precious Metals from their
Ores.
We, THE GOLDEN LINK CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINES, LIMITED, of 20, and 21,
Lawrence Lane, in the City of London, and HENRY JOSHUA PHILLIPS, Fellow of
the Institute of Chemistry, etc., etc., of 122, and 123, Palace Chambers, West-
minster, 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:—
This invention has for its object new or improved process for extracting
precious metals from their ores as follows:-
-
The ore containing the precious metals to be extracted is (without roasting)
first reduced to an impalpable. powder or finely comminuted condition by any
well-known or suitable means and is then subjected to the action of the vapor
of di-chloride of sulphur S,01, (proportioned as hereinafter described) under
heat and pressure in a closed vessel whereby the precious metals are converted
into chlorides and can then be separated into metallic form or recovered by any
known or suitable process.
The present process is as follows:-
The ore in a finely divided condition as aforesaid is placed in a closed cham-
ber or vessel of suitable size provided with arms or stirrers adapted to stir up
the contents of said vessel (or said vessel may be arranged to revolve or other-
wise arranged to dispense with any such internal stirrers) and adapted to be
heated in any suitable way for instance said vessel may be provided with. a
jacket surrounding or partly surrounding same through which super-heated
steam can be passed or said jacket may be adapted to contain oil which can
either be heated in a separate vessel and circulated through said jacket or said
oil or other material contained in said jacket may be heated by a furnace or
direct heat may be applied to the exterior of said vessel; which heated vessel
is or may be provided with a valve or valves, pressure gauge, thermometer, or
pyrometer.
"
The di-chloride of sulphur (S,C) in the proportion employed according to
this invention before being mixed with the ore is first converted into fumes or
vapors (hereinafter referred to as vapor") which may be effected either in the
vessel containing the ore or in a separate vessel and such vapor is brought into
contact with the ore at such a temperature both of the vapor and ore in said
vessel that said chloride of sulphur vapor is dissociated and the chlorine will
thereupon combine with the precious metal or precious metals-whatever the
state or condition in which same exist in the ore thus forming chlorides (which
latter can be subsequently treated as hereinafter described--or in any other
suitable manner) and in order to thus form chlorides of the precious metals the
temperature of said body of ore contained in said heated vessel must be raised -
to or maintained at such a point or points that the aforesaid vapors may be dis-
sociated and the aforesaid chlorides of the precious metals thereby formed. If
desired however the di-chloride of sulphur (proportioned as hereinafter defined)
without being vaporised as aforesaid may be mixed direct with the aforesaid
ore in a vessel and then the temperature of same raised to such a point that
chlorides will thereby be formed.

page_text: According to this invention the amount of di-chloride of sulphur which is
employed is proportioned according to the percentage of precious metal or pre-
cious metals and the substances combined therewith which will absorb chlorine
under these, conditions (which percentage can be ascertained by assay or analysis
sufficiently accurately for the purpose) the amount of di-chloride of sulphur
thus employed being suncient to produce at least the known equivalent com-
bining proportions of chlorine and the precious metals to be recovered; and
furthermore the temperature to which the ore and di-chloride of sulphur are
raised may be varied according to the state of combination or otherwise of the
precious metals in the ore.
L
Now according to this invention it has been discovered that di-chloride of
sulphur when thus proportioned and converted into fumes or vapor and applied
to ore containing the precious metals (in a finely divided condition) will at
certain temperature attack first of all the precious metals; for instance in an
ore containing gold and carbonate of lime, etc., the sulphur chloride fumes or
vapors will first of all only attack the gold and this discovery enables the
amount of di-chloride of sulphur to be employed to be exactly ascertained and
used proportionately or according to the precious metal or metals known to be
present in the ore.
The temperature employed may be about 210° Centigrade for ordinary
auriferous telluride ores but any other suitable temperature may be employed
according to the varying nature of the ores or as desired.
Having thus ascertained the amount of di-chloride of sulphur required for
extracting the precious metal or metals from any given body of ore the di-
chloride of sulphur may be introduced-into the atoresaid closed vessel con-
taining such orc-in the form of fumes or vapor according to this invention
by placing the chloride of sulphur in a separate vessel and therein subjecting
it to heat and thence the vapor is forced into the vessel containing the ore; or
if desired said amount of di-chloride of sulphur may be mixed with the ore or
placed direct in the vessel containing said ore and the vessel then closed and
the temperature raised in the aforesaid manner and for the aforesaid purposes
whereby the precious metals are attacked by the di-chloride of sulphur, and
chlorides of the precious metal or precious metals present are thus formed.
By the use herein of the term precious metal or precious metals" it is
meant and intended to thereby refer to and include such material or substances
as tellurium, selenium, or allied elements.
*
For instance in treating complex telluride gold-bearing ore the amount
of SC employed is proportioned not only to the gold and applied as aforesaid
but also an additional proportion of S,C, is employed according to the amount
of tellurium present in the ore and which it is desired to recover, whereby
the tellurium can be extracted as well as the gold and separated therefrom.
Precious metal or precious metals can by this process be extracted from re-
fractory or rebellious ores-or combined gold can thus be extracted-without
the necessity of first roasting said ores.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The process of extracting precious metals from their ores, which consists
in pulverising said ores and subjecting the same in a closed vessel under heat
and consequential pressure to the action of vaporised di-chloride of sulphur in
the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein before described.
2. The herein described process for extracting precious metals from their
ores which consist in pulverising said ores, subjecting the same in a closed vessel
under heat and consequential pressure to the action of di-chloride of sulphur,
raising the temperature of the mixed ore and di-chloride of sulphur until the

page_text: latter is dissociated and chlorides of the precious metals thereby formed and
recovering the precious metal or precious metals from said chlorides in any
well-known manner substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Datad this 2nd der of A 1000
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
.
Agents for the Applicants..