Improvements in the Method of Precipitating Gold or Silver in the Process of its Extraction.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Precipitating Gold or Silver in the
Process of its Extraction.
I, JOSHUA BUCHANAN, Junior, late Assistant to the Professor of Chemistry in the
University of Glasgow, and now Chemist to the Pollock Patents Gold Extracting.
Company Limited, and residing at 63 West Cumberland Street, Glasgow aforesaid, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to cheapen, expedite, and render more effectual and
convenient the process of precipitating gold and silver from the solutions in which'
they are dissolved in the process of extracting the same by chlorine, bromine, or iodine
under pressure or otherwise.
This I do by allowing the liquors obtained in the aforementioned process or
processes to percolate through iron or steel borings or iron in the shape or form either
at the ordinary temperature or at an elevated temperature. By this means the gold
and silver dissolved in solutions are completely deposited on the iron and may after-
wards be removed from the same by riddling and washing or otherwise or the iron
may be agitated during the percolation of the liquors so that the gold and silver are*
detached from the iron so soon as precipitated and carried along in suspension in the
waste liquors flowing from the iron from which it can be removed by an ordinary
filter, a vacuum filter, a filter press, a set of settling tanks, or otherwise.
In place of iron I may use copper, brass, zinc, or any other metal or alloy capable of.
precipitating gold and silver during the percolation of solutions containing the same
dissolved by chlorine, bromine, or iodine.
Furthermore, I may use a combination of all or any of the aforementioned metals
together with charcoal prepared by riddling or otherwise for precipitating the gold and
silver as hereinbefore described. One combination, which I find advantageous when
the liquor contains copper as well as gold and silver, is to use first copper, then iron,
or iron and charcoal. With this combination the bulk of the silver and gold are
deposited on the copper and the copper which was in solution and likewise that which
goes into solution in the process of precipitating the gold and silver are deposited on
the iron together with any small residuum of gold and silver which may not be
deposited on the copper.
Dated this 13th day of February 1890.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. .
Improvements in the Method of Precipitating Gold or Silver, in the
Process of its Extraction.
I, JOSHUA BUCHANAN, Junior, late Assistant to the Professor of Chemistry in the
University of Glasgow, and now Chemist to the Pollock Patents Gold Extracting
Company Limited, and residing at 63 West Cumberland Street, Glasgow aforesaid, 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 to cheapen, expedite, and render more effectual and
convenient the process of precipitating gold and silver from the solutions in which they
are dissolved in the process of extracting the same by chlorine, bromine, or iodine
under pressure or otherwise.

page_text: This I do by allowing the liquors obtained in the aforementioned process
or processes to percolate through iron or steel borings, or iron in any shape
or form either at the ordinary temperature or at an elevated temperature.
By this means the gold and silver dissolved in solution are completely
deposited on the iron, and may afterwards be removed from the same
by riddling and washing or otherwise, or the iron may be agitated during the
percolation of the liquors so that the gold and silver are detached from the iron so soon
as precipitated, and carried along in suspension.in the waste liquors flowing from the
iron, from which it can be removed by an ordinary filter, a vacuum filter, a filter
press, a set of settling tanks, or otherwise.
In place of iron I may use copper, brass, zinc, or any other metal or alloy capable
of precipitating gold and silver during the percolation of solutions containing the same,
dissolved by chlorine, bromine, or iodine.
Furthermore, I may use a combination of all or any of the aforementioned metals
together with charcoal prepared by riddling or otherwise for precipitating the gold
and silver as herein before described. One combination which I find advantageous
when the liquor contains copper as well as gold and silver, is to use first copper, then
iron, or iron and charcoal. With this combination the bulk of the silver and gold
are deposited on the copper, and the copper which was in solution and likewise that
which goes into solution in the process of precipitating the gold and silver are
deposited on the iron together with any small residuum of gold and silver which
may not be deposited on the copper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through iron
borings or metallic iron in any shape or form.
2. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through metallic
copper, brass or zinc.
3. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through a com-
bination of any of the metals or alloys named.
4. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through a mixture
of charcoal and all or any of the above-named metals or alloys.
5. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through any or
all of the above-named metals, alloys, or mixtures, kept at an elevated temperature by
means of steam, a steam jacket, or otherwise.
6. The precipitation of gold from liquors in which it is held in solution by chlorine,
bromine, or iodine, by allowing or causing these liquors to percolate through all or
any of the metals, alloys or mixtures named, such metals, alloys, or mixtures being
agitated in a vessel such as a revolving barrel during the percolation of the liquors.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.