Improvements in the Treatment of Ores. and Recovery of the 'Metals contained therein, and Appliances therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification, Left, 5th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1,892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Ores. and Recovery of the 'Metals
contained therein, and Appliances therefor.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE, FULLER, of 52, Queen Victoria Street in the City of
London Metallurgical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
-
My invention relates to certain improvements in the treatment of ores, and the
recovery of metals contained therein, especially applicable to the valuable or
precious metals of commerce, and in appliances or apparatus for that purpose.
Said improvements may be described under two headings, viz.: First. The
treatment of what are known, as free milling, or non-refractory ores, and.. in
appliances therefor.
"
Second. The treatment of refractory and pyritous ores.
In carrying my invention into effect, in both cases of application I first make a
complete analysis of the ore to be treated, and having thus ascertained the nature
and proportions of the existing metals required to be extracted, I arrange the
manner of treatment accordingly.
The
In dealing with free milling, and non-refractory. ores, I first pulverize, or crush
to a pre-determined degree of fineness (depending upon, the, nature of the ore), and
then, it necessary, pass. the material over a, vanner or .concentrator, in connection
with, or in close proximity to an amalgamating device, .consisting of a case or
trough, constructed, partly of non-conducting or insulating material, and partly of
conducting material in such a manner, that a current of electricity,passed therein,
may not be short-circuited through the material of the case or trough, but be caused
to traverse the contents thereof. A. lid or cover is provided with a series of
amalgamated, plates, of metal, and the material to be treated is caused to pass
through said, case, or trough in contact with a suitable, quantity of mercury.
plates aforesaid, facilitate the complete admixture, for the purpose of,amalgamation,
and a current of electricity. is caused to traverse. the mass to still further increase
the action of amalgamation, by promoting molecular, disturbance or chemical action,
and by preventing the sickening of the mercury I may.use, helical traversers, which
being caused to revolve keep the. mass of material in motion and discharge it from
the case or trough when the amalgamating process is complete. But in most cases
I utilise the action of, gravity for this purpose. I may treat the crushed ore directly
by this method of amalgamation, and, by chlorination which, is effected by passing
chlorine gas, through the material or by treating it with. hydrochloric acid, forming
chlorides of the contained, metals, or may treat the, slimes or concentrates thereof
after concentration, as described.
In treating refractory or pyritous ores, I employ a boiler or, boilers and a series
of furnaces with communicating flues, so that the heat from one furnace or flue may
be communicated to the others, in the series if desired. The object of the boiler
and boilers and furnaces is the production of hot air, steam, sulphurous, sulphuric
and nitric acids, nitric. peroxide hydrochloric, acid, and chlorine. I also provide
a furnace or furnaces communicating either directly or indirectly with, each other,
and with the first series, herein before described. These, furnaces may or may not
be lined with firebrick, fireclay, or a material or, substance capable of withstanding
acids and heat, and may be mounted so as to be revolved. by means of any suitable
motor and gearing if necessary, or each or any may be rendered stationary, internal
ledges or mixers being fitted thereto for the purpose of distributing and mixing, the
material under treatment, suitable dampers or diverting shutters, flues, heat.
chambers and like devices are furnished to enable the heat, or the material used,
to be passed to each, or any of the furnaces separately, or in any desired sequence

page_text: so that any furnace or furnaces or sets thereof, may be rendered operative, or
stopped at will.
In treating said refractory ores, I first break them, and pass them into a pyrites
burner, or burners, so that they may be roasted, allowing the fumes thereof to pass
into a condenser afterwards crushing the roasted ore, and concentrating it when
advisable, then placing it in the second series of furnaces, finally chlorinating by
injecting chlorine gas, or hydrochloric acid, or amalgamating it. Or as an alternative
method, I crush the raw ore, and concentrate it if necessary, and pass the slimes
through an amalgamator as herein before described. I then pass it into the second
series of furnaces, to be subjected to a roasting process, the medium being hot air,
or other agent for the transmission of heat, the sulphurous, and other fumes being
allowed to pass into the condenser, to be subsequently recovered, and the roasted
ore chlorinated, or I may utilise the aforesaid funies in the furnaces, by mixing
them with steam, air, water and nitric acid, or nitric peroxide vapour.
In cases
where the sulphurous, and other fumes have been allowed to pass away, or when said
fumes are not sufficient in quantity for utilization as aforesaid, or when the ore has
been subjected to a roasting process in a pyrites burner, or burners, and not directly
chlorinated, or amalgamated I produce sulphurous acid, either by heating sulphur.
or an ore containing sulphur, or I produce sulphuric acid by heating a sulphate or
persulphate preferably of iron, and pass one of them into the furnace, or furnaces,
with water, steam, and air, either heated or not, and with nitric acid or nitric
peroxide, vapour if required, and I am thus enabled to convert some metals into
soluble sulphates. After this treatment has been carried on for a sufficiently
extended period of time, inject water raised to a suitable degree of beat, into the
furnace or furnaces, wash the ore, afterwards running off the solution, and
precipitating the metals contained therein by electricity, chemical re-agents or
other suitable means. At this period of my method of treatment, if I find that
any metal or metals contained, and required to be recovered are capable of forming
soluble nitrates, I inay pass the vapour of nitric acid into the furnaces aforesaid,
and afterwards inject water as before mentioned then wash the ore, draw off the
solution and precipitate the metallic nitrates. Or I may mix a nitrate, preferably
alkaline with the ore in the furnace or furnaces, and pass therein sulphurous or
sulphuric acid fumes, and steam water and air, and in some cases nitric acid or
nitrous peroxide fumes. I then, at the proper time, inject water, wash and
precipitate by electricity, or otherwise as before mentioned. If the metals sought
to be recovered, are capable of forming soluble chlorides, I either chlorinate the
material by heating perchloride of iron, and passing the fumes thereof into the
furnace or furnaces aforesaid, or any other method of chlorination suitable to
the appliances used, or I may pass nitric and hydrochloric acid vapour into the
furnace or furnaces in sufficient volumes to effect the desired object. Or in other
cases, I may mix a chloride or a perchloride and a nitrate, preferably alkaline in
suitable quantities, with the ore, passing sulphurous or sulphuric acid fumes, with
steam, water air and if required nitric acid, or nitric peroxide vapour, injecting
water, washing, drawing off the solution and precipitating as hereinbefore described
by electricity or otherwise.
In the process of amalgamation or precipitation, the employment of a current of
electricity, forms an essential feature of my said invention, and I do not confine
myself to any particular form or type of vessel.or apparatus, provided that the
parts thereof are suitably insulated, so that said electric current passes directly
through the material under treatment, and said apparatus may be modified to act
by rotary movement, either between two flat surfaces, or convex and concave
surfaces opposed, the current passing through the material there between.
The arrangement of the furnaces, flues, boiler or boilers and accessories may be
modified to suit various cases of application.
F. G. FULLER,
52, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Ores and Recovery of the Metals
contained therein, and Appliances therefor.
FREDERICK GEORGE FULLER of 52 Queen Victoria Street in the City and
County of London, Metallurgical Chemist, 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 certain improvements in the treatment of ores, and the
recovery of metals contained therein, and is especially applicable to the valuable or
precious metals of commerce, and in appliances and apparatus for that purpose.
Said improvements may be described under two headings, viz. :-
First, the treatment of what are known as free milling or non-refractory ores,
and in appliances therefor.
Second, the treatment of refractory and pyritous ores, and in appliances
therefor. In carrying my invention into effect in both cases of application, I first
make a complete analysis of the ore to be treated, and having thus ascertained the
nature and proportions of the existing metals required to be extracted, I arrange
the manner of treatment accordingly.
ט
In dealing with free milling, and sometimes with refractory ores, I first pulverize
or crush to a predetermined degree of fineness (depending upon the nature of the
ore) and then, if necessary, pass the material over a vanner, or concentrator, in
connection with, or in close proximity to, an amalgamating or depositing device
shewn by the front elevation Figure 1, Sheet 1 and end elevation by Figure 2 upon
the same sheet of the drawings hereto appended. A case or trough is constructed
with ends t and t¹ of a material that readily conducts electricity, and at the same
time presents the minimum degree of deterioration by the resultant electro-chemical
action. The sides and are made of insulating material, the bottom u being
similarly constructed. In this manner a current of electricity passing between t
and t' is not short circuited by the parts of the case or trough, but is caused to
traverse the contents thereof. A lid or cover is provided with a series of amalga-
mated plates p of metal, or otherwise as required, and the material to be treated is
caused to pass through said case or trough in contact with a sufficient quantity of
mercury, or suitable chemical re-agents, together or separately as may be necessary.
The disposition of the plates p facilitate the complete amalgamation or deposition
as aforesaid, and a current of electricity is caused to pass between t and t¹ by the
terminals ww¹ connected to any source of electrical energy and traverse the mass
to promote the action of deposition or amalgamation by exciting molecular
disturbance, or chemical action, and by preventing the sickening of the mercury.
I may use helical traversers, which, being caused to revolve, keep the mass of
material in motion, and when necessary discharge it from the case or trough when
the process is complete. I do not confine myself to the exact conformation or
detailed construction as herein described but may modify these and add accessories
when needed without departing from the essential features of this part of my inven-
tion, which consists in the passing of a current of electricity through slime or other
material to be.treated; in the presence of mercury or chemical re-agents, or both,
the construction in all cases being such that short circuiting cannot occur.
pipe a may serve as an inlet and a corresponding pipe y as an outlet, so that the
action of gravity may be utilised to cause the circulation of the material under
treatment. I may treat the crushed ore directly by this method of amalgamation
or deposition, or may treat the slimes or concentrates thereof after concentration as
described. Or I may mix the raw or concentrated ore or tailings in a suitable
vessel with a chloride, preferably of one of the alkalis, and nitric acid, or nitric
acid vapour, and water, or with a chloride, preferably of one of the alkalis together
or separately in suitable proportions and sulphuric acid or a bi or persulphate
A

page_text: .
preferably also of one of the alkalis, adding in each case water and heating or not
as required, thus dissolving out the metals to be extracted. The solutions are
drawn off, and precipitation is effected by means of chemical re-agents, electricity,
or other suitable methods.
In treating refractory or pyritous ores, I employ preferably the apparatus shewn
by the plan view Figure 3 Sheet 2, and the sectional elevation Figure 4 on the
same sheet, both figures being lettered to indicate corresponding parts by the same
letter in each view, and neither of said views being drawn to scale, for the purpose
of rendering the manner of operation more clearly. A hot air generator or
generators B. Bare connected by means of suitable flues C to a series of furnaces A
which may be made to revolve as shewn by the drawings, or may be stationary if
required, and communicating flues and valves or dampers Y are provided so that
the heat from one furnace may be transmitted to any other or others in the series
if desired. A steam boiler or boilers I is provided for the purpose of producing
motive power by actuating an engine M, and also supplying steam to the furnaces A,
and to other parts of the apparatus through the pipe or pipes K, suitable valves & being
interposed to regulate and control the direction of the current of steam. A cold air
blower or the like appliance D is provided by which cold air may be transmitted to the
furnaces A through the pipe N. controlled by the valves a. Condensers P P1 of
suitable area are in connection through suitable valves with the steam K, cold H
and hot air C pipes respectively. Pyrites burners O or equivalent apparatus may
be connected to the cold air pipe H and also a nitric acid, nitric peroxide furnace E,
and a hydrochloric acid and chlorine furnace F is similarly connected. Referring
more especially to Figure 4, Sheet 2, there are two manholes f and f' oppositely
placed on each furnace A, the upper ones so arranged as to be under a hopper O,
and the lower placed so that a telescopic or other moveable branch of a pipe S,
may be coupled thereto, and be removed when the trucks upon the central
tramway N are required to be used. The pipe S is led to precipitating tanks R R'.
The shaft or uptake Q, serves as an exit for the heated air when it has traversed
all the furnaces. A required to be in operation, and also is in communication with
the condensers P P Each furnace A may be rotated by a worm c and worm
wheel d or any other suitable device, or may be stationary if desirable. The object
of the combination forming the apparatus above described, is the production of hot
air, cold air, steam, sulphurous, sulphuric and nitric acids, nitrie peroxide, hydro-
chloric acid and chlorine, and regulating the admission of each or any of those at
any period of the process to which the material under treatment is subjected in the
furnaces A. Said furnaces A may be lined internally with fire-clay, fire-brick, or
any material or substance capable of withstanding the action of acids and heat, and
the outer shell, may be made of any suitable material, and internal ledges or mixers
may be affixed for the purpose of distributing and mixing the material. In treating
said refractory ores, I first either crush and concentrate them, when advisable, and
put them into the furnaces A, treating them with nitric acid, nitric acid fumes, or
hydrochloric acid, or hydrochloric acid fumes, or with these acids or their fumes
in combination, and subsequently form soluble sulphates, nitrates, or chlorides as
hereinafter described, or I break the ores and pass them into an ordinary pyrites
burner or ore roaster G of any suitable type commonly known to metallurgists,
allowing the fumes. thereof to pass into a condenser, afterwards crushing the roasted
ore and concentrating it when advisable, then placing it in the furnaces A, finally
amalgamating it, or producing soluble sulphates, nitrates or chlorides, or I may
crush the raw ore, and concentrate it if necessary, and pass the slimes through the
amalgamator herein before described, or a similar apparatus of another type, and
then pass it into the furnaces A to be subjected to a roasting process, the medium
being hot air, or any other agent for the transmission of heat, the sulphurous and
other fumes either being allowed to pass into the condenser to be subsequently
recovered, and the roasted ore chlorinated, or otherwise, or I may utilise the
aforesaid fumes in the furnaces A, by mixing them with steam, air, water, and
nitric acid, and nitric peroxide vapour. In cases where the sulphurous and other

page_text: fumes have been allowed to pass away, or when said fumes are not sufficient in
quantity, or when the ore has been subjected to a roasting process in a pyrites
burner or burners, and not directly chlorinated, or amalgamated, I produce
sulphurous acid, either by heating sulphur, or any ore containing sulphur, or I
may produce sulphuric acid by heating a sulphate or persulphate preferably of
iron, and pass one of them into one or any of the furnaces A with water, steam
and air, either heated or not, and with nitric acid or nitric peroxide vapour if
required, and I am thus enabled to convert some metals into soluble sulphates.
After this treatment has been carried on for a sufficiently extended period of time,
I inject water raised to a suitable degree of heat, into the furnace or furnaces A
with the ore, afterwards running off the solution, and precipitating the metals
contained therein, in the tanks R R', by electricity, chemical re-agents, or other
suitable means.
Should there be any metal or metals contained, and required to
be recovered, or capable of forming soluble nitrates I may pass nitric acid or the
vapour of nitric acid into the furnaces aforesaid, and afterwards inject water as
before described, then wash the ore, draw. off the solution, and precipitate the
metallic nitrates. Or I may mix a nitrate preferably alkaline, with the ore in the
furnace or furnaces, A, and pass therein, sulphuric acid, or sulphurous, or sulphuric
acid fumes, and steam, water and air, and in some cases nitric acid, or nitrous
peroxide fumes and I then at the proper time inject water, wash, and precipitate by
electricity or other means as hereinbefore mentioned.
If the metals sought to be recovered are capable of forming soluble chlorides,
I either chlorinate the material by heating a chloride of iron, and passing
the fumes thereof into the furnace or furnaces A, or any other method
of chlorination suitable to the apparatus used, or I may use nitric and hydro-
chloric acids, or nitric and hydrochloric acid vapour into the furnace or
furnaces A in sufficient quantities to effect the desired object. Or, in other
cases, I may mix a chloride or a perchloride, preferably alkaline, and a nitrate,
preferably alkaline, in suitable quantities with the ore, passing sulphuric acid
or sulphurous or sulphuric acid fumes with steam, water, air, and if required,
nitric acid, or nitric peroxide vapour, injecting water, washing, drawing off the
solution, and precipitating by electricity or otherwise as hereinbefore described.
In the processes of amalgamation or precipitation, the employment of a current
of electricity forms an essential feature of my said invention, and I do not confine
myself to any particular form or type of vessel or apparatus, provided that the
parts thereof are properly insulated, so that the action of said electric current
may be confined to the mass of material under treatment. The arrangement of
the furnaces, flues, boilers and accessories may also be modified to suit various
cases of application in which the actual requirements may differ, without departing
from my said invention.
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 ;-
First. In the treatment of ores, and recovery of the metals contained therein
the method of construction and use of revolving of fixed furnaces, in combina-
tion with steam boilers, hot air generators, condensers, reservoirs for containing
chemical substances of liquids and for producing and holding gases, supply pipes
and valves therefor, and the employment of a current of electricity for amalgama-
tion, deposition or precipitation, substantially as herein described with reference to
the drawings.
Second. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of the metals contained
therein, the method of, and means for the direct utilization of the sulphur con-
tained in the ores under treatment or of sulphuric acid fumes by heating sulphates
preferably of iron, substantially as herein described.
Third. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals contained therein,

page_text: the use of nitric acid, and nitric peroxide fumes, and a nitrate preferably. alkaline,
substantially as herein described.
Fourth. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals, contained therein
the use of hydrochloric acid, or the fumes thereof, or a chloride, perchloride, or
bichloride, preferably of the alkalis, or alkaline earths, with either or both the
processes referred to in the second and third claims hereof, substantially as herein
described.
Fifth. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals contained therein,
the method of production and use of chloride and hydrochloric acid from a chloride
of iron substantially as herein described.
Sixth. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals contained therein,
the method of, and means for directly using gaseous nitric acid and hydrochloric
acids, either together or separately as a solvent for metals substantially as herein
described.
Seventh. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals contained therein,
the method of, and means for roasting and oxidising substantially as herein
.described.
Eighth. In the treatment of ores, and the recovery of metals contained therein,
the construction and use of the amalgamator herein described and shewn by
Sheet 1 of the appended drawings.
Ninth. In an amalgamator, as referred to in the preceding claim the method of,
and means for causing a current of electricity to pass through a liquid or semi-
liquid mass, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 21st day of June 1893.