or Improvements relating to the Separation or Extraction of Copper, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, and othér Metals from Ores Compounds Containing the same, and to the Recovery of Chlorine Used in the Treatment of such Ores or Compounds.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
or
Improvements relating to the Separation or Extraction of Copper,
Zinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, and othér Metals from Ores
Compounds Containing the same, and to the Recovery of
Chlorine Used in the Treatment of such Ores or Compounds.
We, HENRY RYAN LEWIS, of 7 Drapers' Gardens, in the City of London,
Mining Engineer and Metallurgist, and CHARLES GELSTHARP, of 211 Jubilee
Terrace, Clayton, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist and
Metallurgist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to ores or compounds containing copper, zinc, tin, lead,
silver, gold or other metals, and is designed to provide for the separation or
extraction of the metals from such ores or compounds by treatment with
chlorine or compounds thereof, and for the recovery of the chlorine used in such
treatment.
In carrying our said invention into practice, the ores or compounds containing
the metals are crushed or reduced to powder, and are, if necessary, roasted or
calcined. When the ores are roasted or calcined, the roasted or calcined ores,
either before they are taken out of the furnace (as described in the Specification
of former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 5th April 1892, No. 6567) or
after they are taken out of the furnace, are, according to one process, mixed with
a quantity of solid or liquid chloride of iron, hydrochloric acid or other chloride.
When we use chloride of iron, or other solid chloride, we add a quantity of water
to the mixture in suitable vats or tanks, and we pass chlorine, obtained in a
later stage of the process or in any other convenient manner, and either before or
after the chlorine has passed through bleaching-powder chambers, into or up
through the mixture of ore or compound and chloride of iron, whilst the said
mixture is kept hot by means of hot air or steam. The chlorine after passing
through the mixture, if not previously passed through bleaching-powder chambers,
is then passed through bleaching-powder chambers, or liquified or used to produce
chlorates. The mixture is then leached with water, or water and hydrochloric acid
or other chloride and finally washed with water until free from copper, zinc and tin.
The residue, if it contains lead, silver or gold, is smelted or treated by any other
well-known process to obtain the metals therefrom.
The clear solution obtained by leaching the mixture, we pass through or mix
with a further quantity of ore, and, if necessary, again pass chlorine into or up
through this mixture whilst it is kept hot. We then leach or wash the said
mixture with water or with water and hydrochloric acid or other chloride, and
finally wash clean with water.
The clear solution thus obtained we run into covered vessels made of suitable
materials, and having one or more compartments. In each compartment we place
one or more anodes and one or more cathodes, both connected with a dynamo-
electric machine or other source of electricity. We then pass a current of
electricity through the solution, which causes the metal to be deposited on the
cathodes and the chlorine to be liberated at the anodes.
Either the whole or part of the chlorine thus liberated is passed through a
further quantity of the mixture of ore or compound and hydrochloric acid or
chloride of iron or other chloride as above mentioned, and then passed into

page_text: bleaching-powder chambers, or it may liquified, or used as required; or we pass
the chlorine direct into the bleaching-powder chambers and then through the
mixture; or we pass the chlorine, either before or after it has passed through the
mixture or chambers, through the chloride of iron or other chloride and then
proceed by intimately mixing the ore or compound and the mixture of chloride of
iron and chlorine, and heating the mixture thus obtained to the proper temperature,
then leaching the ores or compounds with water or water and hydrochloric acid,
and finally washing with water.
The clear liquid thus obtained, when necessary we mix with or pass through a
further quantity of ore as above mentioned, and the clear liquid then obtained we
electrolize in covered vessels, as above mentioned, so as to deposit the metals
on the cathodes and liberate the chlorine at the anodes.
Or we treat the ores or compounds containing the metals, either with or without
roasting or calcination, with hydrochloric acid, by intimately mixing the ores or
compounds and bydrochloric acid in a suitable vessel and heating the mixture by
means of hot air or stearn, or causing hot hydrochloric acid to pass through the
finely divided ere or compound, either with or without passing chlorine through the
mixture, and then leaching or washing the ore with water until it is free from
copper, zinc or tin.
The clear solution thus obtained we then pass through a further quantity
of ore
or compound, either before or after the same has been roasted or
calcined, and the clear solution thus obtained we run off and electrolize as above
mentioned.
When treating refractory ores, tailings, slimes or compounds containing gold, we
roast the ores or compounds when necessary, with or without the previous addition
of a chloride. We then mix the ores or compounds with water and hydrochloric
acid or other chloride, and pass chlorine into or up through the mixture and leach
with water or water and acid. The solution thus obtained may be passed through
a second lot of ore or compound and chlorine again passed into or up through the
mixture; and the mixture is again leached or washed with water or water and acid
until the residue is free from gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, etc.
The clear solution thus obtained we treat with metallic copper or zinc to
precipitate the gold or silver. The solution is then decanted or filtered off, and
when necessary we add a small quantity of oxide of copper, or oxide of zinc to
precipitate all the iron from the solution. The solution is then decanted or filtered
off and electrolized, causing the copper, zine, lead or tin to be deposited on the
cathode while chlorine is liberated at the anode; this chlorine may be used for
treating further quantities of ores or compounds as above mentioned.
We can, if desired, proceed by passing chlorine into or up through the ore or
compound without previously mixing the same with chloride of iron, hydrochloric
acid or other chloride.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for carrying on our process, comprises
dissolving, settling and depositing vats or tanks, means for circulating the liquor in
the dissolving tanks, and pipes for conducting chlorine and steam or hot air into
this tank and for conducting the liquor from one tank into another as required.
The dissolving tank, is, in some instances, connected with a vat or tank containing
damp ore to absorb any excess of chlorine gas. The depositing tanks are provided
with cathodes and anodes of suitable material connected with a dynamo-electric
machine or other convenient source of electricity. They are also provided with
pipes or passages for conducting away the chlorine liberated.
Dated the 14th day of September 1805
i
D. YOUNG & Co..
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements relating to the Separation or Extraction of Copper,
or
Zinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, and other Metals from Ores
Compounds Containing the same, and to the Recovery of
Chlorine Used in the Treatment of such Ores or Compounds.
We, HENRY RYAN LEWIS, of 7 Drapers' Gardens, in the City of London,
Mining Engineer and Metallurgist, and CHARLES GELSTHARP, of 211 Jubilee
Terrace, Clayton, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist and
Metallurgist, 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:-
Our invention relates to ores or compounds containing copper, zinc, tin, lead,
silver, gold or other metals, and is designed to provide for the separation or
extraction of the metals by the treatment of the said ores or compounds with
chlorine or compounds thereof in the manner hereinafter described, and also to
provide for the recovery of the chlorine used in such treatment.
Our said invention comprises a process in which the ores or compounds are
mixed with a suitable chloride, such, tor example, as chloride of iron or hydro-
chloric acid, and the mixture is then treated while hot with chlorine and afterwards
leached and washed, the residue, if it contains lead, silver, or gold, being then
smelted or otherwise treated to obtain the metals therefrom, and the clear solution
being used, if desired, in the treatment of further quantities of ore.
Our said invention also comprises the electrolysis of the solution of metallic
chlorides obtained in such treatment, for the purpose of separating the metals
therefrom and recovering the chlorine.
And our said invention further comprises other improvements hereinafter
described.
In carrying our said invention into practice, the ores or compounds containing
the metals are crushed or reduced to powder, and are, if necessary, roasted or
calcined. The crushed or pulverized ores or compounds are, according to one
process, mixed with a quantity of solid or liquid chloride of iron (either ferrous or
ferric chloride), hydrochloric acid or other suitable chloride. When the ores are
roasted or calcined, the roasted or calcined ores are mixed with the chloride either
before they are taken out of the furnace (as described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 5th April 1892, No. 6567) or after
they are taken out of the furnace.
When we use chloride of iron, or other solid chloride, we add a quantity of
water to the mixture in suitable vats or tanks, and we pass chl rine (obtained in a
later stage of the process, or in any other convenient manner, and either before or
after the chlorine has passed through bleaching-powder chambers) into or up
through the mixture of ore or compound and chloride of iron or the like, whilst
the said mixture is kept hot by means of hot air or steam. The chlorine, after
passing through the mixture, if not previously passed through bleaching-powder
chambers, is then passed through bleaching-powder chambers, or liquified or used
to produce chlorates. The mixture is then leached with water, or with water and
hydrochloric acid or other chloride, and finally washed with water until free from
gold, silver, copper, zine or tin. If the residue contains lead, silver or gold, it is
made into briquettes and smelted or treated by any well-known process to obtain
the metals therefrom.
The clear solution obtained by leaching the mixture as above described, we pass
through or mix with a further quantity of ore, and, if necessary, again pass
chlorine into or up through this mixture whilst it is kept hot. We then leach or

page_text: wash the said mixture with water or with water and hydrochloric acid or other
chloride, and finally wash clean with water.
The clear solution thus obtained we run into covered vessels made of suitable
materials, and having one or more compartments. In each compartment we place
one or more anodes and one or more cathodes, both connected with a dynamo-
electric machine or other source of electricity. We then pass a
electricity through the solution, which causes the metal to he deposited on the
cathodes and the chlorine to be liberated at the anodes.
current of
Either the whole or part of the chlorine thus liberated is passed through a
further quantity of the mixture of ore or compound and hydrochloric acid or
chloride of iron or other chloride as above described, and then passed into
bleaching-powder chambers, or it may be liquified, or used as required; or we pass
the recovered chlorine directly into bleaching-powder chambers and then through
the mixture; or we utilize the chlorine for the treatment of ores or compounds
by passing the chlorine into or up through the said ores or compounds without
previously mixing the same with chloride of iron, hydrochloric acid or other
chloride.
According to another modification of our precess, we pass the chlorine, either
before or after it has passed through the mixture or chambers, through the
chloride of iron or other chloride in solution and then proceed by intimately
mixing the ore or compound and the mixture of chloride of iron and chlorine, and
heating the mixture thus obtained to the proper temperature, then leaching the
ores or compounds with water or with water and hydrochloric acid, and finally
washing with water.
The clear liquid thus obtained, when necessary, we mix with or pass through a
further quantity of ore as above described, and the clear liquid then obtained we
electrolize in covered vessels, as above described, so as to deposit the metals on the
cathodes and liberate the chlorine at the anodes.
Or we treat the ores or compounds containing the metals, either with or without
roasting or calcination, with hydrochloric acid, by intimately mixing the ores or
compounds and hydrochloric acid in a suitable vessel, and heating the mixture by
means of hot air or steam, or by causing hot hydrochloric acid to pass through the
finely divided ore or compound, and then passing chlorine through the mixture,
and leaching or washing the ore with water until it is free from gold, silver, copper,
zinc or tin.
The clear solution thus obtained we theu pass through a further quantity of
ore or compound, either before or after the same has been roasted or calcined,
and the clear solution thus obtained we run off and electrolize as above described.
For the treatment of some classes of ores or compounds, we have found it
advantageous to mix therewith both hydrochloric acid and chloride of iron or other
suitable chloride and to then pass chlorine into or through the mixture while hot,
as above described.
When treating refractory ores, tailings, slimes or compounds containing gold, we
roast the ores or compounds when necessary, with or without the previous addition
of a chloride. We then mix the ores or compounds with water and hydrochloric
acid or other chloride, and pass chlorine into or up through the mixture and leach
with water or with water and acid. The solution thus obtained may be passed
through a second lot of ure or compound and chlorine again passed into or up
through the mixture, the said mixture being again leached or washed with water,
or with water and acid until the residue is free from gold, silver, copper, zinc,
lead etc.
If the residue should contain any gold, silver or lead it is treated as
herein before described to obtain the metals therefrom.
The clear solution obtained as above described we treat with metallic copper or
zinc to precipitate the gold or silver. The solution is then decanted or filtered off,
and when necessary we add to the solution a small quantity of oxide or carbonate.
ol copper, or oxide or carbonate of zinc to precipitate and separate all the irou
therefrom; or we pass the solution, for this purpose, through ores containing oxide

page_text: or carbonate of copper or zine; or we precipitate the iron in this manner before
precipitating the gold or silver. The solution is then decanted or filtered off and
electrolized, causing the copper or zinc to be deposited on the cathode while
chlorine is liberated at the anode; this chlorine may be used for treating further
quantities of ores or compounds as above described.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for carrying on our process is illustrated.
in the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan of the said apparatus partly in horizontal section, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in vertical section on the line e, r, Figure 1.
A is a leaching vat or tank provided with a removable lid or cover A' whereby
it may be closed gas-tight when required. This tank is fitted with a porous or
perforated false-bottom A² for supporting the ores to be treated. B is a settling
vat or tank connected with the space below the said false-bottom A2, by means of
a pipe a controlled by a suitable cock or valve. This tank B is intended for
receiving the clear solution from the tank A, which is arranged at such a level
relatively to the tank B that the liquor will flow from the one to the other by
gravity. C is a precipitating vat or tank, which is arranged above the tank A,
and to which the tank B is connected by means of a pipe b, c, an injector d
connected with a steam-pipe e being provided for raising the liquor from the tank B
to the tank C through the said pipes b, c. D is another vat or tank arranged at
such a level relatively to the tank C that, when the two tanks are put into
communication through a pipe 1, the liquor will flow from the tank C into the
tank D. At a lower level than the tank D is arranged the depositing vat or
tank E, and the tank D is provided with a pipe g whereby it may be put into
communication with the said tank E. The tank E is provided with a cover E¹
supporting the electrodes h, j, and capable of being raised and lowered by means
of a rope or chain k provided with a counterweight kl. An electric current is
supplied to the electrodes h,j from a dynamo-electric machine F or other suitable
electric generator. The chlorine or other gas liberated in the vat E is conducted
through a pipe into the space beneath the false-bottom A in the vat or tank A ;
the pipe is also in communication with the steain-pipe e so as to permit the
admixture of steam with the chlorine supplied to the ore in the tank A. An
injector m, in communication with the steam-pipe e, is arranged in a pipe n passing
from the under to the upper side of the false-bottom A² for the purpose of
circulating the liquor in the tank A. G is a vat or tank containing damp ore to
absorb any excess of chlorine from the tank E, which may not be absorbed by
the ore or compound in the tank A, the chlorine passing into the tank G by means
of a pipe p, and, when necessary, the liquor from the tank A is caused to circulate
through the ore in the tank G before passing into the tank B. H is a washing
tank communicating with the depositing vat E by means of a pipe y
With the apparatus above described, the process is carried on as follows:-
The ore or compound is placed in the vat A on the false-bottom A2 and mixed
with chloride of iron, hydrochloric acid or other chloride, and chlorine gas is
conveyed from the depositing vat E through the pipe into the space beneath the'
false-bottom A2 and made to pass up through the mixture of ore and chloride in
the vat A, until the metals are converted into chlorides and the iron (if chloride
of iron is used) into oxide. The liquor is then run from the bottom of the vat A
(and, when necessary, caused to circulate through the ore in the vat G) through
the pipe a into the vat B, and oxide of copper or zinc is added thereto to precipitate
any traces of iron it may contain; it is then allowed to settle and the clear liquor
is pumped up into the tanks C, D, where the gold and silver are precipitated by
the addition of metallic copper or zinc. When all the gold and silver is
precipitated, the clear solution is run into the depositing vat E, where the copper
or zinc is deposited on the cathodes in the metallic state, and the chlorine liberated
at the anodes, by passing an electric current through the solution. The chlorine
is conveyed back, in the gaseous state, to the dissolving vat A to treat a further
quantity of ore and chloride of iron, the excess of chlorine being either conveyed

page_text: into the vat G containing damp ore and absorbed, or being conveyed into
bleaching-powder chambers for the production of bleaching-powder.
If the liquor in the vat D contains a greater proportion of zinc than copper,
the copper is deposited first by means of metallic zinc, and the liquor then
concentrated by evaporation to the proper strength, and the zinc is deposited in
the vat E by means of an electric current, and the chlorine liberated and used as
above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
-:
First. The treatment of metallic ores or compounds with chloride of iron or
other chloride and with chlorine so as to convert the metals, such as copper, zinc,
tin, lead, antimony, silver or gold, into their chlorides, soluble in water, or in water
and acid or a suitable chloride, and the chloride of iron (when such is used) into
oxide of iron, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The improved process of separating or extracting metals from ores or
compounds, in which process the said ores or compounds are mixed with chloride
of iron or other suitable chloride and are then treated while hot with chlorine, and
leached to extract the soluble chlorides therefrom, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Third. The treatment of ores or compounds with hydrochloric acid and chloride
of iron or other chloride and chlorine, substantially as herein before described.
Fourth. The improved method of lixiviating or wasaing the ores or compounds
and circulating the solutions through the same so as to separate the metallic
chlorides from the oxide of iron or quartz, or other insoluble substances contained
in the ores or compounds, substantially as herein before described.
Fifth. The modification of our improved process wherein we pass the chlorine
through the chloride of iron or other chloride and mix the ores or compounds
with the mixture of chloride and chlorine and then heat the mixture thus obtained
and leach and wash the same, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Sixth. The improved process of separating or extracting metals from ores or
compounds, consisting in treating the said ores or confounds with chloride of iron
or other suitable chloride and with chlorine, and then obtaining the metals from
the resulting solutions of metallic chlorides by precipitation or electrolysis or both
(with or without the recovery of the chlorine liberated by the electrolysis), all
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Seventh. The recovery of the chlorine liberated by the electrolysis in the above
described process, either in the form of bleaching-powder, bleaching-liquor or as
chlorate of soda or of potash, as herein before described.
Eighth. The utilization of the chlorine liberated as herein before described, by
passing it into or through the mixture of ores or compounds and chloride of iron
or other chloride in the manner set forth, for the purpose specified.
Dated this 15th day of June 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.