Metals from Ferriferous Ores Containing same.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1887.
Metals from Ferriferous Ores Containing same.
We, MARMADUKE CONSTABLE of Balmain near Sydney in the Colony of New
South Wales Gentleman (inventor) and JOHN RAYDEN BINGLE of Sydney aforesaid,
Gentleman, (assignee), do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has been devised for the purpose of treating ferriferous ores
containing gold silver and other metals for the purpose of liberating the iron contained
therein so that the gold silver or other metals may be extracted from the residue by
any well known processes.
Our improved process for the extraction of gold silver and other metals from
ferriferous ores containing same consists mainly in converting the iron in such ores
into a salt of iron by treating the ores (finely divided) with acid dilute or in vapour
and hastening the operation by the addition of metallic iron zinc or other like metal ;
and it further consists in the special manner in which an almost uninterrupted cycle
of operations is produced and the same material used continuously as hereinafter
particularly set forth.
in
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we will now describe the way
which we prefer to carry it into practical effect. Some ores such as arsenical or sulphur
ores we find it necessary to roast. We grind the ore, preferably in the presence of water
and when it is in a mud like state we introduce an acid (preferably sulphuric acid) in
sufficient quantity to convert the iron in the ore and the metallic iron, which we after-
wards add, into a salt of iron. This acid we may add as a liquid in the open or as a vapor
in a closed chamber. We boil this mixture & find that no practical effect or reaction
takes place with most classes of ore until we add a metal say metallic iron or zinc for
cheapness and this wo do by dropping shavings, turnings or scrap iron in sufficient
quantity to be utilized or converted by the acid in the charge into a salt, into the
mixture. A re-action now taking place the iron in the ore is reduced to the form of a
salt (say if sulphuric acid has been used the iron becomes sulphate of iron) which we
wash out. The residue if gold or silver be sought may then be treated in any well

page_text: known manner for the recovery of the precious metals or if other metals are sougb
they will be found dissolved by the reaction and may be recovered.
The sulphate of iron which we wash out after the reaction hereinbefore described
we put into a furnace to drive off. the sulphuric acid and we use this acid in vapor to
cause the reaction in a second charge of the ground ferriferous ore and are thus
enabled to continue the operation in a cycle and to utilize the same acid over and over
again while the residues after the furnacing we find are valuable oxides.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed what we claim is :-
First. Our improved process for the extraction of gold silver and other metals from
ferriferous ores containing same consisting in converting the iron in such ores into a
salt of iron by treating the ores with acid with or without the addition of metallic iron
or zinc substantially as herein described and explained.
Second. Driving off from the salt of iron produced in the process first herein
claimed the acid in the form of vapor and using such vapor for converting the iron in
a second charge of ore into a salt substantially as herein described and explained.
Witness,
FRED WALSH.
MARMADUKE CONSTABLE.
J. RAYDEN BINGLE.