AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPERATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES, ESPECIALLY REFRACTORY GOLD ORES, MUNDIC AND SULPHUROUS ORES
Year: 1885

page_text: Sulphurous Ores.
I ANNIE ELIZA SCOTT, Gentlewoman of Lauriston House, Trebovir Road South
Kensington in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPERATING METALS
FROM THEIR ORES, ESPECIALLY REFRACTORY GOLD ORES, MUNDIC AND SULPHUROUS
ORES, to be as follows:-
This invention is an improvement upon my invention for which I obtained
letters Patent dated February 20th 1883 No 944, and has for its object the
seperation of Metals especially the Noble Metals from their Ores by the Electrolysis
of Sea Water Chloride of Sodium Chloride of lime or any soluble Chloride, and I
propose to carry out my process in the following manner, The Ore without roasting
is to be finely powdered and intimately mixed with Chloride of lime, and allowed to
remain until it has changed color or become delequescent, it is then to be put
into a porous vessel, which porous vessel is fixed in an Iron, Galvanized Iron, or
Zinc tank, of any shape or size desireable but preferably round, This Iron or Zinc
receptacle must be kept bright inside and forms an electrode. If either a
galvanized Iron or Zinc tank be used, it must be well amalgamated inside, Round
this tank are fixed wires at certain distances terminating in Carbon plates or poles
placed in the porous vessel with the Ore, already treated with Chloride of lime as
above described, both vessels are now to be filled with sea water or Chloride of
Sodium solution, when the Electrolysis already commenced naturally between the
Chloride of lime and the Ore will be continued by the action of the Tank and
Carbon plates upon the solution, and the soluble salts of Gold will pass through
the porous vessel and the Gold be precipitated by the Iron or amalgamated Zinc
of which the tank is made, when other metals which would be detrimental to Gold
are present, and would be precipetated by Zinc, an Iron tank must be used and free
mercury placed at the bottom of the tank.
The Ore contained in the porous vessel must be occasionally stirred and for this.
purpose a stirrer made of Zinc or galvanized Iron well amalgamated is to be used
which will attract any loose particles of metallic Gold, and after each stirring the
amalgam is to be tubbed off and fresh mercury used, the stirrer is composed of half

page_text: hoops and works on a screw and has a small cell at bottom containing mercury.
When the process is completed the liquid is to be drawn off through a tap or plug
placed within a few inches of the bottom, and tested for metals, these metals can
be precipitated in the usual way or the solution can be evaporated and the soluble
salts dissolved out leaving the insoluble oxides, which can be reduced by the usual
methods, If Silicious Ores have been treated and a small quantity of dilute Sulphuric
Acid be added to the liquid drawn off from the tank a light flocculent substance
falls which is an artificial asbestos and can be used for many purposes. After this
liquid has been drawn from the tank as above described, water is to be poured
upon the Ore in the porous vessel, and well stirred, and allowed to settle, The
waste Ore is then cast away and the process recommenced. The deposited metals
can be taken from the tank at certain intervals. After treating the Ore as above
described with Chloride of lime the process can be completed as described in my
Patent dated February 20th 1883 No 944.

page_text: their Ores, Especially Refractory Gold Öres, Mundic, and
Sulphurous Ores.
2.2.6.1.
I ANNIE ELIZA SCOTT of Lauriston House, Trebovir Road, South Kensington, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND
"
APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES, ESPECIALLY REFRACTORY
GOLD ORES, MUNDIC, AND SULPHUROUS ORES," and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention is an improvement on one for which I obtained Letters Patent
dated 20th February 1883 N° 944, and has for object the separation of metals
from their ores by means of the electrolysis of Sea-water Chloride of Sodium,
Chloride of Lime, or any soluble Chloride, and I propose to carry out my process
in the following manner :-
The unroasted gold or other ore ore is to be finely powdered and intimately
mixed with Chloride of Lime, and allowed to remain until it has changed colour or
become deliquescent, it is then put into the porous vessel b which is placed in the
iron, galvanized iron, or zinc tank a of any shape or size but preferably round.
This tank forms an electrode and must be kept bright inside, and when galvanized
iron, or zinc is used well amalgamated.
Round the tank are fixed wires at certain distances (c) terminating in carbon
plates or poles & placed in the porous vessel b withe the ore already treated with
chloride of lime as above described. Both are now filled with sea water or a
solution of chloride of sodium, or other soluble chloride, when the electrolysis
already naturally commenced between the chloride of lime and the ore will be
continued by the action of the tank and carbon plates, and the soluble salts of
gold or other metals contained in the ore will pass through the porous vessel and
the gold be precipitated by the iron or amalgamated zinc of which the tank
is made.
-
When other metals such as lead copper nikel which would be detrimental to
gold and which would be precipitated by zinc, are present an iron tank must be
used and a little free mercury placed at the bottom.
The ore contained in the porous vessel must be occasionally stirred, and for this
purpose a stirrer made of zinc or galvanized iron, well amalgamated to attract any
loose particles of gold is to be used.
The stirrer may be of any form (preferably that known as the "Dover Egg
Beater" in which two circular metal bands revolve in opposite directions,) with a
small cup or cell containing mercury at the bottom.
After each stirring the amalgam is to be rubbed off and fresh mercury used.
When the process is completed the liquid is to be drawn off through a tap or
plug e placed within a few inches of the bottom of the tank and tested for any
metals contained in the ore that have been disolved out during the process. These

page_text: metal can then be precipitated in the usual way or the solution can be evaporated,
and the soluble salts disolved out, leaving the insoluble oxides which can be
reduced in the usual manner.
If silicious ores have been treated, and a small quantity of sulphuric acid be
added to the liquid drawn off from the tank a light flocculent substance falls which
is an artificial asbestos, and can be used for many purposes.
After the liquid has been drawn off as described water is to be poured upon the
ore in the porous vessel and well stirred, and allowed to settle, when the waste ore
is thrown away and the process recommenced. Other metals can be precipitated
in the usual manner.
The deposited metals can be taken from the tank at certain intervals. After
treating the ore as above described with chloride of lime the process can be com-
pleted as described in my former Patent dated 20 February 1883 N° 944 by the
addition of a soluble chloride, by electrolysis and then by filtration and precipi-
tation by suitable re-agents or by evaporation and reduction to a regulus by a
suitable flux..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The process of separating metals from their ores especially refractory gold
ores, mundic and sulphurous ores by mixing the powdered ore with chloride of
lime and leaving it until it becomes deliqueisent, and then
2nd By the electrolysis of sea water or the soluble chlorides in connection with
the powdered ore, effected by electrodes, immersed in the liquid and externally
connected, as hereinbefore described.
D..1
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