Improvements in and relating to the Recovery of Gold and other Precious Metals.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug. 1897
Improvements in and relating to the Recovery of Gold and other
Precious Metals.
I, THOMAS GILBERT BOWICK of 7 Great Winchester Street, London, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "Improvements in and relating
to the recovery of gold' and other precious metals" 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 the recovery of gold and other precious metals from
their ores or other compounds and is more particularly adapted to what is known
as the "dry process."
64
According to my invention I arrange for the crushed ore, pulp, slime, sand or
compound containing the gold or precious metals, (hereinafter referred to as the
compound") to pass or flow over and around the exterior surface of one or more
revolving cylinders, endless bands, plates or tables, such surfaces being preferably
made. of copper covered with mercury or an amalgamating compound capable
of retaining the particles of gold or metal to be recovered. In this way I to a con-
siderable extent avoid unnecessary friction between the compound and the surface
on which the gold is to be deposited, and bring the "compound" into intimate
contact therewith. These plates may be made removable so as to permit the gold
or other precious metal to be recovered by being treated by any usual methods..
In carrying out my invention in its application to revolving cylinders or endless
bands, I may arrange for two or more cylinders or endless bands
of a suitable diameter and length to revolve parallel to each other but at
different levels and for the compound to be fed on to the upper circumference of
the top cylinder or endless band. From here it is automatically carried down
and around the exterior surface of this cylinder or endless band by the revolution
of the same until it falls on to the upper surface of the second cylinder or endless
band. I may also provide one or more scrapers to remove the amalgam (or
troughs of mercury around or below the cylinders or endless bands for the purpose
of renewing the coating, when desired, by means of a roller or pad revolving
between the surfaces of the plates and the mercury.
Between the cylinders for endless bands may provide a shoot, brake or dis-
tributor which breaks the fall of the compound and assists in its even distribution.
I may alternatively cause the cylinder to deliver on to the endless bands or the
inclined tables or vice versa, or I may intercalate between consecutive pairs a
shoot, brake or distributor. Instead of revolving cylinders or endless bands,
inclined tables may in this case be used.
The exterior surface of the cylinder,, endless band or inclined table may be
plain, corrugated or fitted with slats or otherwise shaped.
In this way the compound is spread in a thin film over a very large surface.
Electricity may be applied to the cylinders, endless bands or revolving plates.

page_text: with the object of assisting amalgamation. Mercury vapour may be used and the
compound run over the cylinders, revolving plates or endless bands.
Upon the accompanying sheet of drawings, illustrating an application of my
invention as above described,-
Figure 1 represents an end elevation of an arrangement of two cylinders or
drums;
Figure 2 being a front view of the same;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of two endless bands or belts;
Figure 4 represents a modification of the above, suitable revolving radial or
fan-shaped plates being arranged to receive the compound in lieu of the plates or
slats on the drums or cylinders;
Figure 5 shews an arrangement of two inclined rotary tables; the compound
being fed on to the upper table is carried around and delivered down on to a second
or lower table.
In operation the cylinders or other revolving surfaces A A¹ having been set
in motion, the compound is delivered from a hopper B in a thin stream on to the
exterior surface of the upper cylinder A. The revolution of this cylinder carries
forward the compound until it falls on to the shoot C down on to the lower
.cylinder A which in the same way again carries forward the compound until it
is deposited in to or on to a convenient receptacle or on the ground. In order to
ensure the compound being evenly delivered from the shoot C on to the cylinder A',
I may arrange to give a vibratory motion to the shoot C by any convenient means.
I may also provide one or more adjustable brushes or scrapers E El capable of
being brought into contact with the surface of the cylinders for the purpose of
.cleaning (and) coating the copper plates F F¹. These brushes or scrapers may
also have a vibratory motion imparted to them by any suitable mechanical devices.
The compound in the hopper B before being fed on to the revolving surfaces
may be treated in the following manner. A suitable "blower" is arranged to
deliver mercury vapour into the compound' in the hopper and in this state the
compound is fed on to the exterior of the first of the revolving surfaces.
ог
The plates F F may be made plain, but I prefer to give them a slightly cor-
rugated or channelled form and an electric current may be applied thereto for
assisting or facilitating amalgamation. The electrical connections Hand H
are so made that the current will flow through these plates F F¹ and through any
of the mercury which may be remaining thereon. In this case, care will, of
course, be taken to suitably insulate from the cpylinder the copper or other plates
used as the exterior revolving surfaces so as to avoid loss of current.
In order to facilitate the renewal of the amalgam on the plates FF when
desired, I may arrange one or more troughs of mercury G G¹ around or below the
cylinders or endless bands the mercury being fed to portions of the surface of the
plates by means of a roller or pad revolving in contact with the two surfaces,
in which case the scrapers E E' above referred to, may be secured to one side of
the troughs and be provided with adjustment screws or equivalent devices. These
scrapers, however, may be fixed in any other convenient position.
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:
"
I. In the recovery of gold or other precious metals from their ores or compounds,
feeding the
compound" on to the exterior surface of one or more revolving
cylinders, radial or fan-shaped plates, endless bands or inclined tables with or
without an electrical current, substantially as described.
2. In the recovery of gold or other precious metals from their ores or compounds,
in combination with evolving cylinders or thefir hereindescribed equivalents
around the exterior or upper surface of which the "compound" is travelling,
the use of a vibratory shoot, distributor or the like for the purpose of conveying
the compound from one exterior surface of a revolving cylinder radial or fan-

page_text: shaped plate, endless band or inclined table to that of another, substantially as
aud for the purposes described.
3. In the recovery of gold or other precious metals from their ores or compounds,
the use of a revolving cylinder or cylinders or any of the hereindescribed equiva-
lents for the same, in combination with a shoot or distributor, and with another
revolving cylinder radial or fan-shaped plate, or an endless band or inclined table,.
substantially as specified.
Dated this 30th day of June 1897.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.