IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES AND OTHER MATTERS CONTAIN- ING METALS, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM;
Year: 1849

page_text: YOUNG, of Manchester, Manufacturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of
August, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Young, my exors; adiñors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said James
Young, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Young, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES AND OTHER MATTERS CONTAIN-
ING METALS, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said James Young, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto bad,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Young, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by this present Specification or instrument in writing, that
is to say:
My said Invention consists,-
Firstly, of certain methods or processes for obtaining tin and other products
from the ores of that metal.
One of these processes consists of heating tin ore (usually called black tin)
with sulphuret of sodium or sulphuret of potassium, and afterwards separating
the sulphur from the compound so as to obtain stannate of soda or stannate
of potash in manner herein-after described. The sulphurets of sodium and
potassium are not, I believe, generally known as articles of commerce, and
therefore I will describe the manner in which they may be made. To make
sulphuret of sodium I take about twenty-two parts by weight of dry sulphate
of soda and seven parts by weight of small coal, mix them together, and heat
the mixture to redness in a reverberatory furnace. The material is to be
stirred from time to time during the heating, which is to be continued until
the fused mass ceases to emit any inflammable gases. The residuum remain-
ing in the furnace is then to be taken out, and when cooled is to be washed
in water so as to dissolve out of it the sulphuret of sodium. The solution
may be filtered and evaporated to dryness, or nearly so, and the product thus
obtained will be sulphuret of sodium. Sulphuret of potassium may be made
in precisely the same manner, substituting about twenty-seven parts by weight
of sulphate of potash for the sulphate of soda. In order to obtain stannate of
soda from tin ore by my said process, I mix about twenty parts by weight of
the ore (containing from eighty to ninety per cent. of peroxide of tin) with
about twelve parts by weight of dry sulphuret of sodium, or, if moist, a pro-
portionably larger quantity; and to obtain a stannate of potash, I mix about
the same quantity of ore with about seventeen parts by weight of dry sulphuret
of potassium, or, if moist, a proportionably larger quantity. These materials
should be well-mixed-together, and, if dry_sulphuret has been used, I add
about six parts of water to the mixture. The materials are then to be dried
in any convenient manner, after which they are to be heated to a red heat in
a reverberatory furnace, and kept at that temperature until the whole or
nearly the whole of the peroxide of tin has been converted into a compound
soluble in water. Two hours will generally be sufficient to produce this effect,
and, if desired, the progress of the operation may be ascertained by from time
to time withdrawing a small portion of the materials from the furnace, and

page_text: washing it in water, so as to see how much of it will dissolve, and how much
of the ore remains unchanged. The appearance of the unchanged ore (if any)
remaining in the material when thus washed will be sufficiently apparent.
When the ore has been sufficiently acted upon, the remaining mass of mate-
rial is to be removed from the furnace, and when sufficiently cool is to be
washed in hot water to separate the soluble product from any insoluble
matters with which it is mixed. The solution of this soluble product is to be
purified from any insoluble matters or impurities by allowing them to subside,
and then drawing off the clear solution, or by filtering the solution through
any convenient filter. In order to procure the stannate of soda or stannate of
potash from the clear solution thus obtained, it is necessary that the sulphur
contained in the solution should be separated from the other materials con-
tained in it, and replaced by an equivalent of oxygen; and any chemical agent
may be employed which will effect this purpose without combining with the
stannate of soda or potash, or either of its elements. I prefer to use for this
purpose some one of the metallic oxides, such as the bydrated oxide of man-
ganese, the hydrated oxide of iron, or oxide of copper, and to boil the clear
solution obtained, as before mentioned, with the oxide, until the whole of the
sulphur contained in it has been separated. The oxide I prefer for this pur-
pose is the hydrated oxide of manganese which has been precipitated or sepa-
rated from a combination with an acid, such as oxide of manganese separated
from the muriate of manganese by lime, and which I believe to be the cheapest
material available for this purpose. I use such a quantity of this hydrated
oxide of manganese as will be equivalent to eleven parts by weight of the dry
oxide to the quantity of soluble material produced from twenty parts by weight.
of tin ore, as before mentioned. The quantity of hydrated oxide of iron, or of
oxide of copper, if used, should be equivalent to the before-mentioned quan-
tity of oxide of manganese. The solution before mentioned is to be heated
with the metallic oxide, the whole being continually stirred until all the sulphur
is separated from it; and in order to ascertain when the process is complete, I
test a portion of the solution from time to time by a salt of lead or any ordi-
nary test for sulphur, and I continue the process, and, if necessary, add moro
of the metallic oxide, until the solution ceases to shew, when tested, any trace
of sulphur remaining in it. The solution thus separated from sulphur will
contain stannate of soda or potash, as the case may be, with a portion of free
alkali; and the solution may be separated from the insoluble matters mixed
with it by means of a filter, or by allowing the insoluble matters to subside,
and then drawing off the clear solution. The clear solution obtained in this

page_text: way may, if required, be epavorated in any convenient manner so as to obtain
the stannate of soda or potash in a dry-or cystallized.state.
Another of my said processes consists of a mode of producing stannate of
soda or stannate of potash, by subjecting a mixture of tin ore with one of the
alkaline earths herein-after mentioned to a high degree of heat in a reverbe-
ratory furnace, and after removing the alkaline earth from the product thus
obtained, combining the remaining peroxide of tin or stannic acid with soda
or potash in manner herein-after described. The alkaline earths I use in per-
forming this process are lime, barytes, and strontian. In performing this
process with lime I take four parts by weight of quicklime, which I slack
and reduce to a pulp with water, and then I mix it intimately with six parts
by weight of tin or black tin of the description already mentioned; and
reduced to powder. I then dry this mixture, after which I heat it to a full
red heat in a reverberatory furnace until all or nearly all the peroxide of tin
contained in the ore is capable of being dissolved in muriatic acid. I have
found that heating the mixture in this manner for about four hours has pro-
duced the desired result. The mixture, after being removed from the furnace
and allowed to cool, is to be mixed with such a quantity of muriatic acid as
will be equivalent to fifteen parts by weight of muriatic acid of the specific
gravity of 1-175 mixed with an equal quantity, of water. The mixture being
well stirred up in this dilute acid, the lime which it contains will combine
with the muriatic acid and form a muriate of lime soluble in water, which is
to be separated from the undissolved residue of the mixture, consisting of
peroxide of tin mixed with some other matters. This separation may be
effected by filtration, or by allowing the undissolved matters to subside, and
then drawing off the watery solution; after which the undissolved matters
must be washed with water until the whole of the muriate of lime has been
removed. If barytes be used in lieu of lime in performing this process, the
quantity of it (if anhydrous) must be about two-and-three-quarter times the
weight of the lime; and if hydrated, greater in proportion; and if strontian
be employed, the quantity of it must be (chemically) equivalent to the quan-
tities-of-lime-and-barytes-already mentioned. It is to be observed that the
muriatic acid directed to be employed in performing this process is used for
the purpose of removing the alkaline earth. from the peroxide of tin; and
although the quantity of acid must be sufficient for that purpose; yet care
should be taken not to use any excess, because it would in that case combine
with and dissolve some of the peroxide of tin. To make stannate of soda,
the peroxide of tin obtained by the process just described is to be boiled in ten

page_text: parts by weight of caustic soda liquor containing twenty-two per cent. of the
caustic alkali; and if stannate of potash is intended to be made, the peroxide
is to be boiled in ten parts by weight of caustic potash liquor containing about
thirty-two per cent. of that caustic alkali. The boiling is in either case to be con-
tinued until the alkali has taken up all or nearly all the peroxide or stannic acid
capable of entering into the combination, the quantity of which will depend
upon the perfection of the process to which the ore has been subjected. A
soluble stannate of soda or potash (as the case may be) with an excess of
alkali will be formed in this manner, which is then to be diluted with water,
and separated from the insoluble matters by filtration or any other convenient
means; and the solution may be evaporated to dryness or not, as may be
required.
Another of my said processes consists of a mode of producing stannate of
soda or staunate of potash, by boiling in a solution of sulphate of soda, or in
a solution of sulphate of potash, in the manner herein-after described, the
product obtained by subjecting a mixture of tin ore and barytes to a high
degree of heat in a reverberatory furnace in manner herein-before described.
When intend to make stannate of soda by this process, I dissolve about
eleven parts of dry sulphate of soda in a convenient quantity of water, and I
add to it (for. the purpose of facilitating the operation) about three parts by
weight of caustic soda liquor (containing twenty-two per cent. of the caustic
soda); to this solution I add the product obtained from heating six parts of
tin ore with eleven parts of barytes in a reverberatory furnace, as already
mentioned, the product being first reduced to a state of powder. The solution
containing this powder is now to be boiled in an iron or other convenient vessel
for about four hours, or until all or nearly all the peroxide of tin or stannic acid
capable of entering into combination with the alkaline base of the sulphate of
soda has been separated from the barytes. When this boiling has been com-
pleted a stannate of soda, with an excess of caustic soda, will remain dissolved
in the liquor, and the sulphate of barytes (insoluble or nearly so) formed
during the process will fall down to the bottom of the vessel. The solution
of stannate of soda is then to be separated from the insoluble matters with
which it is mixed, in like manner as herein-before mentioned, and crystallized
or evaporated to dryness or not, as may be required. When I intend to
make stannate of potash in this way, I substitute such a quantity of sulphate
of potash, and (for the purpose of facilitating the operation) also such a quan-
tity of caustic potash liquor as will be (chemically) equivalent to the quantities
of sulphate of soda and caustic soda liquor herein-before directed to be used,
the process being in all other respects the same as herein-before described.

page_text: Another of my said processes consists of a mode of producing stannate of
lime, stannate of barytes, and stannate of strontian, in manner herein-after
described. For this purpose I make stannate of soda or potash either according
to either of the preceding parts of my Invention, or in any other manner
which I may find to be most convenient and economical, or I procure either of
those articles ready made, generally, however, preferring to use stannate of
soda, as being more economical than stannate of potash. When I intend to
produce stannate of lime, I make a solution of stannate of soda in any con-
venient quantity of water, to which I add lime in the proportion of thirty-eight
parts by weight of quicklime to one hundred and forty-three parts by weight
of the dry stannate of soda contained in the solution. I first slack the lime
then mix it with the
with water and form it into a pulpy consistence, and
before-mentioned solution of stannate of soda. The mixture is then to be
boiled in any convenient iron vessel until the whole of the stannate of soda has
been decomposed, and the stannic acid or peroxide of tin combined with the
lime, which will usually be effected in about an hour. The stannate of lime
thus formed is precipitated to the bottom of the vessel, and caustic soda
remains in solution, which may be used in again forming stannate of soda from
tin ore, or for any other purpose to which it may be applicable. To ascertain
whether the whole of the stannate of soda has been decomposed, I take from
time to time a small portion of the liquid out of the vessel in which it is
boiling, filter it, and then add a few drops of clear limewater to it. If the
limewater produces any cloudy appearance in the portion of the solution so
tested, I continue the boiling, and, if necessary, (which I believe will seldom
happen,) I add more lime to the boiling mixture until a portion of it, when
tested, fails to shew any cloudiness. The stannate of lime thus formed may
be separated from the solution of soda by filtration, or allowing it to subside
and then washing it with water so as to remove all the caustic soda, after
which it may, if desired, be obtained in a state of powder by drying it in any
convenient manner. If the stannate of lime be made from a stannate of
potash, in the manner just described, the quantity of stannate of potash used
must-be-(chemically) equivalent to the quantity or proportion of stannate of
soda above mentioned. The process just described may also be performed
with a carbonate of lime instead of quick lime, as above described, the quantity
of carbonate of lime used being chemically equivalent to the quantity of quick-
lime above mentioned; and the carbonate of lime should be reduced to a state
of powder. The soda resulting from this process when carbonate of lime is
used is not a caustic soda, but a carbonate of soda, and the process is, on the
whole, less advantageously performed with carbonate of lime than with quick-

page_text: lime. When I intend to produce stannate of barytes or strontian, I use such
of those materials as I intend to combine with the stannic acid in lieu of the
lime above meutioned. The quantity of barytes or strontian used must be
chemically equivalent to the quantity or proportion of quick lime above men-
tioned, and the material must be in a state of powder or solution, and the
process will in either case be the same in all other respects as above described.
From a stannate of lime, barytes, or strontian made in the manner I have
described, a peroxide of tin or stannic acid may be obtained in a state of
great purity. This I effect by adding to either of the stannates I have just
mentioned such a quantity of muriatic acid as will combine with the whole of
the lime, barytes, or strontian contained in the stannate, and form a neutral
muriate of the alkaline earth with which it so combines.
For this purpose
the stannate of the earth to be decomposed should be mixed with a con-
venient quantity of water, to which must then be added the requisite quantity
of muriatic acid. About ten parts by weight of real stannate of lime will
be decomposed by about ten parts by weight of muriatic acid of the specific
gravity of 1-175, and the same quantity of muriatic acid will decompose a
quantity of stannate of barytes or of stannate of strontian chemically equivalent
to the quantity or proportion of stannate of lime just mentioned. After the
muriatic acid has been added to the water, the stannate should be well stirred
until the whole of the alkaline earth has combined with the acid (which will
be effected in about half an hour), after which the undissolved peroxide of tin
must be separated from the solution of the muriate of lime, barytes, or strontia
(as the case may be), by filtration, or by allowing the oxide to subside, after
which the peroxide 'must be purified by washing it in water. This peroxide
may be smelted in the manner usually adopted for smelting tin ore, and in
this way metallic tin of great purity may be obtained.
I have, in describing the above processes, mentioned tin ore, which contains
from eighty to ninety per cent. of peroxide of tin; but if the richness of the
ore used in performing any of the processes should happen to be different from
that which I have mentioned, the quantity of ore used must be regulated
accordingly.
The processes which I have described for producing stannate of soda and
stannate of potash will produce those materials mixed with some free alkali
or an excess of alkali; and I have not shewn any mode of separating those
materials from the free alkali, because, for the purposes to which they are
generally applied, they can be more beneficially used when mixed with such
a portion of free alkali.
Secondly, my said Invention consists of an improved process or improved
processes for obtaining lead from ores or slags, and a combination of lead and

page_text: antimony from slags containing those metals. The ore consisting of native
carbonate of lead, sometimes called white-lead- ore, is generally found mixed
with a quantity of silica, which has a tendency to flux with the oxide of lead
when heated in the furnace, and be converted into glass. In order to free the
lead from the action of the silica when heated, I add to the ore (coarsely
powdered) thirty parts by weight of peroxide of iron to every twenty parts by
weight of silica contained in the ore, taking care rather to have a small excess
of the peroxide of iron than a deficiency of it. To this mixture I add a suffi-
cient quantity of slack or small coal to reduce the ore, and smelt or heat it in
the ordinary manner in a furnace such as used for smelting lead ore. The
oxide of iron combines with the silica contained in the ore so as to free the
lead from the action of the silica, and the effect of the process is to reduce the
lead contained in the ore to a metallic state.
Another object of my said improved process or processes is to obtain lead
from galena or common lead ore, in a manner similar to that just described;
but the proportions of the materials used are different. For this purpose I
mix twelve parts by weight of the galena (coarsely powdered) with about four
parts by weight of peroxide of iron, and two parts by weight of slack or small
coal, and smelt or heat the mixture in a common lead smelting furnace in the
ordinary manner. In this process a portion of the iron unites with the sulphur
contained in the ore, and forms sulphuret of iron, and another portion acts
upon the silica contained in the ore in the manner already described; and in
this manner a larger quantity of lead is obtained from the ore than by
operating upon it by the ordinary process.
I also use my said improved process or processes for smelting or obtaining
lead from the slags (called lead slags) which are produced in the ordinary
method of smelting galena in a reverberatory furnace. Those slags are com-
monly reduced in a blast furnace (called a slag hearth) by means of coke or
cinders; but in treating the slags in this way, a considerable part of the 'lead
is dissipated in a state of vapour by the high temperature of the furnace, and
another portion of the lead combines with the silica contained in-the-slag and
becomes vitrified. In-performing-my-process-with_this_slag,_L_first_reduce
that material to a coarse powder, and then mix it with the peroxide of iron
and slack or small coal, as herein-before described, the peroxide bearing the
same proportion to the silica contained in the slag as herein-before mentioned.
The heat necessary for reducing the oxide of lead contained in the slag mixed
in the way I have just mentioned being very much less than that used in such
blast furnaces as aforesaid, I smelt the mixture in an ordinary smelting or
reverberatory furnace, in like manner as usually pursued for the purpose of
reducing galena. The moderate heat employed in performing this process will

page_text: dissipate but a small portion of the lead; and the iron acting upon the silica in
the manner already mentioned, the greater portion of the lead contained in the
slag may by this process be extracted from it.
It is hardly necessary to
mention that the lead contained in a furnace after the material in which it was
contained has been reduced, as herein described, may be obtained or run out
of the furnace in the ordinary manner.
The process which I have described may also be employed for obtaining a
compound of lead and antimony from slags containing these metals, the
peroxide of iron used in smelting the slags being always in the proportion
herein-before described to the quantity of silica contained in such slags.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I claim as of my
said Invention,
Firstly, the mode of producing a stannate of soda by beating a mixture of
tin ore and sulphuret of sodium and a stannate of potash, by heating a mixture..
of tin ore and sulphuret of potassium, and by afterwards separating the sulphur
from these mixtures respectively and replacing it by an equivalent of oxygen
by means of a metallic oxide, in manner hercin-before described.
Secondly, the mode of subjecting a mixture of tin ore and an alkaline earth
to a high degree of heat, and, after removing the alkaline earth, combining the
remaining peroxide of tin or stannic acid with soda to produce stannate of soda,
or with potash to produce stannate of potash, in manner herein-before described.
Thirdly, the mode of boiling the product which has been obtained by
subjecting a mixture of tin ore and barytes to a high degree of heat, in manner
aforesaid, in a solution of sulphate of soda to produce stannate of soda, and in
a solution of sulphate of potash to produce stannate of potash, in manner
herein-before described.
Fourthly, the mode or modes of producing, in manner herein-before
described, from the stannate of soda or the stannate of potash, the stannates of
lime, barytes, and strontian respectively, whether they are respectively intended
to be used for the purpose of making pure tin or peroxide of tin, or for any
other purpose to which the said stannates of lime, barytes, and strontian
respectively may be applied.
Fifthly, the mode of producing lead from native carbonate of lead ore by
smelting that ore with oxide of iron and small coals, in manner herein-before
described.
Sixthly, the mode of producing lead from galena or common lead ore, by
smelting that ore with oxide of iron and small coals, in manner herein-before
described.

page_text: Seventhly, the mode of producing lead from lead slags by smelting such
slags with oxide of iron and small coals, in manner herein-before described;
and,
Eighthly, the mode of producing a compound of lead and antimony from
slags containing those metals, by smelting such slags with oxide of iron and
small coals, in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Young, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty.