Improved Electrolytic Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Metals from their Ores and Solutions.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
Improved Electrolytic Process and Apparatus for the Separation of
Metals from their Ores and Solutions.
We, EMANUEL MOTZ, of Brewer Mine, South Carolina, Miner, and HENRY
FROST WELCH, of Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States of America.
Merchant, 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 relates to an improved Electrolytic Process and Apparatus for
the separation of Metals from their ores and solutions.
Heretofore, in the construction and operation of electrolytic apparatus for
recovering precious metals from their ores, much difficulty and loss have been
occasioned on account of serious inadequacy of the mechanical construction
employed and the consequent inefficiency of the chemical agencies as used with
such apparatus. Among the defects which have been hitherto encountered, mav
be mentioned the liability of scouring action upon the cathode, with the result
that portions of the metallic deposit thereon have been removed and carried off
with the electrolyte and tailings as they leave the apparatus. Much difficulty.
has also arisen on account of inadequate, incomplete and imperfect decom-
position of the chemical electrolyte and the consequent ineffectual actions and
reactions of the chemicals upon the electrodes of the apparatus and the material
being treated for the recovery of valuable constituents. On account of the imper-
fect construction of prior apparatus, strong chemical solutions have been resorted
to, but even with such large and expensive use of chemicals, the results hercto-
fore accomplished have been unsatisfactory on account of the incomplete separa-
tion and recovery of the precious metal contained in the ore being treated.
One object of my invention is to construct an electrolytic apparatus in such
manner as to insure the perfect and complete actions and reactions of the
chemical electrolyte upon and with the electrodes of the apparatus and the
metal under treatment.
A further object is to so construct an electrolytic apparatus that the chemical
actions and reactions shall be such that the chemical employed shall be decom-
posed and its active element be set free at the most advantageous part of the
apparatus to effect the separation and deposit of the precious metal and after-
wards be reunited with its base to form the original chemical, which will be
again disseminated for the purpose stated and subsequently reunited with the
base, and so on throughout the operation of the apparatus.
A further object is to so construct the apparatus as to
overcome the
disastrous effects of scouring of the cathode by the electrolyte and pulp.
A further object is to produce an electrolytic apparatus which shall be
economical in operation and maintenance and cheap to construct.
A further object is to so construct the apparatus that an adequate agitation
of the electrolyte etc. will be insured by gravity and without the use of an
ndependent agitator.

page_text: A further object is to so construct the apparatus that its operation in the
separation and recovery of metal shall be simultaneous and continuous.
A further object is to construct the apparatus in such manner as to render
the stopping of its operation for cleaning purposes unnecessary.
A further object is to produce an electrolytic apparatus for the separation
and recovery of metals, which shall be simple in construction; which can be
operated by persons having no technical knowledge of electrolysis; which shall
be safe from unwarranted interference; which shall operate mechanically,
chemically and electrically in the continuous and simultaneous separation and
deposition of metals, and which shall be effectual, in all respects, in the per-
formance of its functions.
With these objects in view the invention consists in the method of treating
ore for the separation and recovery of metals, consisting in reducing or crushing
the ore, then passing it with an electrolyte between anodes and cathodes included
in circuit with an electric generator and simultaneously agitating the electrolyte,
ore and metal by gravity.
My invention further consists in the method of treating ore for the separation
and recovery of metal, consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, mixing the
reduced or crushed ore with an electrolyte, and passing said electrolyte and ore
between curved and inclined anodes and cathodes included in circuit with an
electric generator.
My invention further consists in the method of treating ore for the separation
and recovery of metal, consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, mixing the
reduced or crushed ore with an electrolyte, passing said electrolyte and ore
through an undulatory channel having opposite walls composed of an anode and
a cathode respectively, and passing an electric current through said anode and
cathode and from one to the other.
My invention further consists in the method of treating ore for the separation
and recovery of metal consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, mixing it
with an electrolyte, passing the ore and electrolyte through channels having
contracted outlet ends and having opposing walls composed of anodes and
cathodes, and passing an electric current through said anodes and cathodes and
from one to the other.
My invention further consists in an electrolyte apparatus consisting of a frame
and an undulatory channel having opposing walls composed of anodes and
cathodes respectively.
My invention further consists in an electrolytic apparatus consisting of a
frame and a series of undulatory communicating passages or channels, each
having a contracted outlet and each having opposing walls composed of an
anode and a cathode respectively.
My invention further consists in certain other novel features of construction
and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed
out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating
my improved apparatus. Figure 2 is a transverse section, and Figure 3 is a
longitudinal section.
A represents a frame or sluice composed of any desired number of removable
sections connected together by means of battons a and each section is of such
size as can be readily and conveniently handled by one man. The bottom of the
frame or sluice is preferably composed of wooden slats dove-tailed together.
The abutting ends of the sides of each section of the frame or sluice are made
with vertical grooves which align to form sockets a¹ which communicate with a
transverse channel or groove 6 in the bottom of the sluice. In these sockets and
grooves, asphalts or other packing material will be poured, whereby to make a
tight joint between the sections.
The upper face of the bottom of the frame or sluice is made undulatory or
corrugated. and this may be readily accomplished by means of wooden blocks 3

page_text: having their upper faces curved or convex.
On the curved face of each block 3,
an amalgamated copper plate is disposed, each copper plate being convex in
conformity with the face of the block and constituting a negative electrode or a
cathode of the apparatus. Thus it will be seen that a series of the curved
cathodes will for a corrugated or undulatory bottom to the frame or sluice.
The adjacent ends of the respective cathode plates do not abut, but are separated
slightly to form transverse grooves 5 in which mercury is placed whereby to
form proper electrical connection between said cathode plates and also to con-
stitute packing between them.
The space between the end cathode plates of abutting sections of the apparatus,
are made to form mercury wells in which excess of mercury in the apparatus
may collect without electrically connecting the plates of one set with those of
another.
A strip 6 is disposed alongside the inner face of each side 7 of the frame or
sluice and each strip 6 is made at its upper edge with a series of convex
shoulders 8 located above the curved blocks 3 and the cathodes thereon. Each
curved shoulder 8 is diagonal or inclined in general direction so as to be
eccentric with the curve of the block 3 beneath it. The positive electrodes or
the anodes 9 (preferably of lead) are placed on the curved shoulders or supports 8
of the respective strips 6 so as to be disposed over and eccentric to the cathode
plates in the bottom of the frame or sluice. From this construction, it will be
seen that the anode and cathode plates constitute a corrugated or undulatory
passage or channel composed of a series of communicating passages or channels,
each being contracted in size at its outlet end. The frame or sluice will be
disposed in an inclined position so that when the electrolyte and ore are inserted,
they will flow by gravity through the passage or channel and, on account of
the undulatory character of said passage, the electrolyte and ore or pulp will be
effectually agitated by gravity without the aid of auxiliary agitating means,
and without the scouring effect heretofore encountered, upon the cathode plate.
By contracting the outlets of the respective communicating passages, the fore
of the flow from one passage to the next will be increased and the agitation of
the electrolyte and pulp will be proportionately augmented.
As the pulp passes from one passage to another, the electrolyte with which it
is mixed will back up into the spaces 10 between the respective anode plates and
serve as seals to prevent the escape of the active element or gas set free during
the operation of the apparatus.
The sides 7 of the frame or sluice are provided in their inner faces (at their
upper edges), with recesses 11, in which tenons 12 at the upper ends of series of
blocks 13, enter and in which said blocks are supported. The blocks 13 are of
proper length to extend to or nearly to the more elevated ends of the respective
lead anode plates. A conductor 14 is secured to each anode and block, extended
upwardly alongside the block and has its free end disposed in a recess 15 made
in the upper edge of said block. A longitudinally disposed pipe. rod or other
suitable conductor 17 is disposed in the recesses 15 of the respective blocks of
each section of the sluice or apparatus, so as to make electrical contact with the
conductors 14. The pipes or conductors 17 are held in position at one end of the
respective sections of the sluice, by means of a fixed cross bar 18 secured at its
respective ends to sides 7 of the sluice. At the other end of each section of the
sliuce, a transverse bar 19 is removably disposed, being held at one end by a
Ostaple 20 or other suitable device and provided at its other end with an arm 21
adapted to be attached to the side of the sluice by means of a pin 22 or other
suitable fastening device. The pipe or conductor 17 is made with a notch or
recess 23 through which the transverse bar 19 passes so that, when said trans-
verse bar is locked as above explained, the parts of the apparatus cannot be
handled or removed by unauthorized persons. A spring arm 24 is secured to
each section of the sluice, against which the respective transverse bars 19 make
electrical contact and said spring arms are electrically connected wịth a common

page_text: conductor 25, the latter being connected with the positive terminal of an electric
generator.
Transverse bars 26 are disposed in recesses in the abutting ends of two blocks 3
of each series and are electrically connected, by means of a common conductor 27
with the negative terminal of the electric generator. Thus it will be seen that
the anodes and cathodes are arranged in parallel between the line conductors
and through the electrolyte and pulp passing between them.
In operating the apparatus to carry my improved process into effect, the ore
containing the metal will first be reduced by crushing or otherwise, into finely
divided particles and then mixed with a solvent in solution and fed in the upper
end of the sluice (the electrical circuit having been closed) and allowed to pass
by gravity through the undulatory channel therein.
In the passage of the pulp through the apparatus larger particles of gold wil!
be caught mechanically by the copper cathode plates and be promptly amalgam-
ated thereon. Other particles of gold will be thrown down upon the cathode
plates by electrical action, but the infinitesimal particles will, in effect, be held
in suspension by the solution and rise to the top of the latter. The effect of
the electric current upon the electrolyte (for example cyanide of potassium)
will be to decompose it, setting free hydrocyanic acid and oxygen at the anod.
and the base (potassium hydrate), at the cathode. When the nascent gases rise
toward the anodes they will attack that substance with which they have the
greatest affinity. They will therefore combine with the infinitesimal particles
of gold near the under faces of the anode plates and form cyanide of gold which
has a greater affinity for the negative than for the positive electrode and hence
will be immediately precipitated upon the cathode plates. Upon reaching the
cathode plate, and meeting the potassium hydrate previously formed as above
explained, the cyanide of gold will be decomposed the hydrocyanic acid re-
uniting with the potassium hydrate to form cyanide of potassium and the
metallic gold becoming amalgamated upon the cathode. The same cycle of
reaction will be repeated throughout the operation of the apparatus and result
in not only separating but in collecting all the gold contained in the ore being
treated.
After the pulp leaves the apparatus, the cyanide solution will be separate I
from the exhausted ore in any suitable manner and used over again in the
apparatus in the manner above explained.
By the construction and arrangement of the apparatus, the electrodes can be
readily removed for removing the metallic deposits on the cathode plates without
stopping the operations of the entire apparatus.
Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my
invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope and
hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1st. The process of treating ore for the separation and recovery of metal,
consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, then passing it with an electrolyte,
between anodes and cathodes included in circuit with an electric generator and
simultaneously agitating the electrolyte, ore and metal by gravity, substantially
as set forth.
2nd. The process of treating ore for the separation and recovery of metal
consisting in reducing or crushing the ore than mixing it with an electrolyte,
then passing the pulp thus made through an undulatory passage having its
opposing walls composed respectively of anodes and cathodes, substantially as set
forth.
3rd. The process of treating ore for the separation and recovery of metal
consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, mixing it with an electrolyte, then
4

page_text: passing the pulp thus made through a series of undulatory communicating
passages having opposing walls composed respectively of anodes and cathodes,
substantially as set forth.
4th. The process of treating ore for the separation and recovery of metal,
consisting in reducing or crushing the ore, mixing the reduced or crushed ore
with an electrolyte and passing said electrolyte and ore between curved and
inclined anodes and cathodes included in circuit with an electric generator,
substantially as set forth.
5th. The process of separating and recovering metal, consisting in passing
an electrolyte containing the metal through an undulatory passage having
opposing walls composed of anodes and cathodes.
6th. An electrolytic apparatus consisting of a frame and an undulatory channel
having opposing walls composed of anodes and cathodes respectively.
7th. An electrolytic apparatus consisting of a frame and a series of undulatory
communicating passages or channels, each having a contracted outlet and each
having opposing walls composed of an anode and a cathode respectively, substan-
tially as set forth.
8th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame and an
undulatory cathode in the bottom of said frame, of an undulatory anode disposed
above said cathode whereby to form an undulatory passage between them, sub-
stantially as set forth.
9th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame and a series
of convex cathode plates in the bottom thereof, of a corresponding number of
convex anode plates disposed over said cathode plates whereby to form undulatory
communicating passages, substantially as set forth.
10th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame and a series
of convex cathode plates in the bottom thereof, of inclined convex anode plates
disposed above the cathode plates so as to form a series of communicating
undulatory passages having contracted outlet ends, substantially as set forth.
11th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice
and convex blocks disposed in the bottom of said frame or sluice, of a series of
convex cathode plates disposed on said blocks, strips disposed within said frame
or sluice and having curved upper edges and convex anode plates supported on
said curved upper edges and conforming thereto and means for including
said anode and cathode plates in circuit with
electric generator,
substantially as set forth.
an
12th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice, of
a series of cathode plates disposed in the bottom of the frame or sluice, a series
of anode plates disposed over the cathode plates, a block disposed over each
anode plate and secured thereto, a conductor supported on said blocks, electrical
connections between said conductor and the anode plates, means for electrically
connecting the cathode plates in series and a conductor connected with one of
said cathode plates, substantially as set forth.
13th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice,
and a series of convex blocks located therein, of a series of convex cathode plates
located on said blocks and spaced apart, mercury connectors between the adjacent
edges of said plates, a bar electrically connected with one of said mercury con-
nectors, a conductor attached to said bar, anode plates disposed over the cathode
plates and means for including the anode plates in an electric circuit, substan-
tially as set forth.
14th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice,
of a series of convex cathode plates located in the bottom of said frame or
sluice, a series of convex anode plates disposed above said cathode plates, blocks
secured to the anode plates and supported in the frame or sluice, each block
having a recess in its upper edge, a series of conductors connected with said anode
plates and terminating in said recesses in the block, a conducting rod disposed
in said recesses on the first-mentioned conductors and having a notch therein,

page_text: a cross bar passing through said notch, a conductor with which said cross bar
is electrically connected, locking devices for securing the cross bar to the frame
or sluice, and a conductor connected with the cathode plates, substantially as
set forth.
15th. In an electrolytic apparatus, a frame or sluice composed of a series of
sections, the abutting ends of the sides and bottoms of the sections having
grooves, packing material in said grooves, and a series of anode plates in each
section, substantially as set forth.
16th. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice, of
several sets of anode plates and several sets of cathode plates in said frame or
sluice, means for including each set of anode and cathode plates in an electric
circuit and mercury wells between the respective sets of cathode plates and out
of electrical connection therewith, substantially as set forth.
D
han 1907
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants,
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.C. London.