Improvements in Separating Metallic from Rocky Constituents of Ores and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1900
Improvements in Separating Metallic from Rocky Constituents of
Ores and Apparatus therefor.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD ELMORE, of Pontefract Road, Hunslet, Leeds, in the County
of York, Electrometallurgist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
My invention relates to means of separating the metallic from the rocky con-
stituents of ores, which I effect by bringing a mixture of the pulverised ore with
water into contact with more or less thick oil, which entraps the metallic con-
stituents and allows the rocky constituents to pass away with the water; I then
separate the metallic particles from the oil which can be used for repeated
operations.
Various forms of apparatus may be employed for operating as above described.
One form which I find effective is of the following description. The mixture of
pulverised ore and water and also the oil flow into one end of a drum which
slowly revolves on a horizontal axis. At each end of the drum there is a circular
opening, and within the drum annular helical ribs extend from end to end; the
spaces between these ribs are divided into cells by a number of equidistant
blades.
These blades are not radial, but are inclined in such a manner that, as the
drum revolves, each blade after passing the lowest part of its course, becomes
horizontal and then slopes downwards so that the liquid carried up by it flows
quietly into the next cell in order.
The ore and water and the oil, which are thus mingled, without being broken
up so as to form a uniform mixture, are carried from the end of the drum where
they entered to the opposite end whence they overflow into a vessel in which the
water and rocky constituents mostly subside, while the oil with the metallic
constituents floats above.
The lowest layer is drawn away as tailings which may be again treated with
oil, and the upper layer is led into a centrifugal drum containing a little water.
As the drum rapidly revolves, the metallic particles are caused by centrifugal
force to pass from the oil to the water which forms a layer next the circumference
of the drum which is closed, while the oil, being lighter, flows over an inwardly
projecting lip into the casing of the drum whence it is removed to be used over
again. When the layer of particles and water in the centrifugal drum attains a
certain thickness, the drum is stopped, the layer is removed and the drum receives
a fresh charge of water and is again worked.
The oil may be pumped up to an elevated cistern to supply the drum first
described, but, in order to clear the oil from air bubbles, I prefer to draw the oil
up to the cistern by creating a partial vacuum in the cistern.
Dated this 18th day of October 1898
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant

page_text: Improvements in Separating Metallic from Rocky Constituents of
Ores and Apparatus therefor.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD ELMORE, of Pontefract Road, Hunslet, Leeds, in the County
of York, Electrometallurgist, 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:_
"!
My invention relates to means of separating the metallic from the rock con-
stituents of ores, which I effect by mixing the pulverised ore with water in
quantity amounting to several times the weight of the ore, bringing the mixture
into contact with thick oil, such as the thick tarry residue of mineral oil after
some of the volatile constituents have been distilled off. This oil entraps the
metallic constituents of the ore and allows the rocky constituents to pass away
with the water; I then separate the metallic particles from the oil which can be
used for repeated operations.
Various form of apparatus may be employed for operating as above described.
One form which I find effective is shewn in vertical section in the accompanying
diagram.
The mixture of pulverised ore and water supplied by pipe a and also the oil
supplied by pipe 6 flow into one end of a drum c which slowly revolves on a
horizontal axis. At each end of the drum there is a circular opening and within
the drum annular helical ribs d extend from end to end; the spaces between
these ribs being divided into cells by a number of equidistant blades.
The ore and water and the oil, which are thus mingled without being broken up
so as to form a uniform mixture, are carried from the end of the drum where they
entered to the opposite end whence they are discharged into a vessel e in which
the water and rocky constituents mostly subside, while the oil with the metallic
constituents floats above.
The lowest layer is drawn away as tailings which may be again treated with
oil by leading them by a pipe f to a second drum g where they are again mixed
with oil supplied by a pipe 4, the mixture being discharged into a second
subsidence vessel k. This may be again repeated until little or none of the
metallic constituents remain in the tailings.
The upper layer from the subsidence vessels is led by pipes into a centrifugal
drum m containing a little water. As the drum rapidly revolves, the metallic
particles are caused by centrifugal force to pass from the oil to the water which
forms a layer next the circumference of the drum, the side of which is closed,
while the oil, being lighter, flows over an inwardly projecting lip n into the
casing of the drum whence it is removed by a pine g to be used over again.
When the layer of particles and water in the centrifugal drum attains a certain
thickness, the drum is stopped, the layer is removed and the drum receives a
fresh charge of water and is again worked. The oil may be pumped up to an
elevated cistern to supply the drums c and g, but, in order to clear the oil from
air bubbles, I prefer to draw the oil up to the cistern by creating a partial
vacuum in the cistern.
+
Instead of employing centrifugal force to separate the oil from the metallic
matters mixed with it, the mixture may be thinned by heating it or mingling
it with solvents of the oil such as benzoline, and left for subsidence or subjected
to filter pressing, so that the greatest portion of the oil can be recovered for
subsequent use.
"

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Process for separating the metallic from the rocky constituents of ore by
mixing the pulverised ore first with water in considerable quantity, then adding
to the mixture an oil of the kind described, which adheres to the metallic con-
stituents but not to the wet rocky constituents, allowing the water carrying the
rocky material to subside while the oil carrying metallic constituents floats above,
and separating the oil from these constituents, substantially as described.
2. For separating metallic from rocky constituents of ore, apparatus comprising
a revolving helically-ribbed drum, a subsidence vessel and a centrifugal drum,
arranged and operating substantially as described.
1-11
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.