An Improved Method of and Means for the Automatic Concentration, Separation, and Amalgamation of Crushed Ores or Mineral Slimes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for the Automatic Concentration,
Separation, and Amalgamation of Crushed Ores or Mineral Slimes.
I, GEORGE FISCHER, of 103, Fairfax Road, Harringay, London, N., Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the concentration or separation of crushed minerals
or slimes and to the amalgamation of the same where capable of such treatment,
and consists of an improved method and simple and efficient apparatus for auto-
matically effecting a succession of separations in such slimes or crushed ores in
which there may be a variety of minerals of different specific gravity, thus pro-
ducing a concentrate of the heavy minerals or precious metals, and tailings con-
taining only worthless or light ingredients, whilst at the same time the operation
of concentration and separation greatly aids the effective amalgamation of such
metals as are capable of such treatment for collection.
The concentrate containing the precious metals not absorbed by amalgamation,
or of mineral not capable of being treated by amalgamation, may be treated for
extraction of the metal or mineral in any known convenient manner.
To carry my invention into effect, the pulp from the stamps or other crushing
or mixing device or slime containing heavy minerals to be concentrated or separated
is conveyed to a suitable tank adapted as in a flushing tank or in other convenient
manner to fill only after it has been discharged and to discharge promptly when
full into an adjoining vessel at a lower level so that there is a period of rest for
settling between successive deliveries from tank to vessel and from vessel to vessel
as hereinafter described.
The first vessel receiving the contents of the tank is provided with two or more
syphon discharge pipes whose inner legs are of different length, and whose outer
iegs reaching below the bottom of the supply vessel discharge the contents of the
first vessel so soon as it has been filled above the bend of the syphons into two or
more other vessels at lower level.
In this way the discharge through the various syphons of different length of
inner legs, makes a selection from the contents of any vessel, that syphon or syphons
with the longer inner leg or legs discharging into a further selected vessel the
lower portion of the pulp or slime with the heaviest mineral particles therein
and the syphon or syphons with the shorter inner leg or legs delivers to another
selected vessel only the upper part of the pulp or slime containing only the lighter
mineral particles, such as gangue sand etc.
This successive selection or separation is continued by a similar system of short
and long legged syphons from the vessel receiving the lower portion of the pulp
or slime from the first vessel, and a similar separation and thus concentration of
the pulp or slime may be continued through any desired series of vessels by the
said automatic syphon system until a desired concentration has been secured.
My series of vessels as above described may be used as amalgamating pans,
and act very efficiently as such, since the delivered stream from the syphon dis-

page_text: charging the most concentrated pulp or slime, is repeatedly directed with its full
tore of discharge in the sucressive series of vessels upon the mercury bath ensuring
excellent agitation and the contact of the lightest float gold therewith and the tail-
ings are immediately removed from the surface of the mercury bath by the suction
pipes of the syphons to the next vessel in the series. This produces a better
amalgamating effect than in the ordinary ripples or amalgamating pans where
pyrites and other heavy materials are always in contact with the surface of the
mercury.
Dated this 24th day of June 1898.
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method of and Means for the Automatic Concentration,
Separation, and Amalgamation of Crushed Ores or Mineral Slimes.
I, GEORGE FISCHER, of 103, Fairfax Road, Harringay, London, N., Engineer,
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 the concentration of crushed minerals or slimes
and to the amalgamation of the same where capable of such treatment,
and consists of an improved method and simple and efficient apparatus for auto-
matically effecting a succession of separations in such slimes or crushed ores in
which there may be a variety of minerals of different specific gravity thus pro-
ducing a concentrate of the heavy minerals or precious metals, and tailings con-
taining only worthless or light ingredients, whilst at the same time the operation
of concentration and separation greatly aids the effective amalgamation of such
metals as are capable of such treatment for collection. The concentrate contain-
ing the precious metals not absorbed by amalgamation, or of mineral not capable
of being treated by amalgamation, may be treated for extraction of the metal or
mineral in any known convenient manner.
To carry my invention into effect, the pulp from the stamps or other crushing
or mixing device or slime containing heavy minerals to be concentrated or separated
is conveyed to a suitable tank adapted as in a flushing tank or in other convenient
manner to fill only after it has been discharged and to discharge promptly when
full into an adjoining vessel at a lower level so that there is a period of rest for
setting between successive deliveries from tank to vessel and from vessel to vessel
as hereinafter described.
The first vessel receiving the contents of the tank is provided with two or more
syphon discharge pipes whose inner legs are of different lengths and whose outer
gs reaching below the bottom of the supply vessel discharge the contents of the
first vessel so soon as it has been filled above the bend of the syphons into two or
more other vessels at lower level.
In this way the discharge through the various syphons of different length of
Inner legs, makes a selection from the contents of any vessel that syphon or syphons
with the longer inner leg or legs discharging into a further selected vessel the
lower portion of the pulp or slime with the heaviest mineral particles therein
and the syphon or syphons with the shorter inner leg or legs delivers to another
selected vissel only the upper part of the pulp or slime containing only the lighter
mineral particles, such as gangue sand etc.
This successive selection or separation is continued by a similar system of short

page_text: and long legged syphons from the vessel receiving the lower portion of the pulp
or slime from the first vessel, and a similar separation and thus concentration of
the pulp or slime may be continued through any desired series of vessels by the
sad automatic syphon system until a desired concentration has been secured.
My series of vessels as above described may be used as amalgamating pans,
and act very efficiently as such, since the delivered stream from the syphon dis-
charging the most concentrated pulp or slime, is repeatedly directed with its full
force of discharge in the successive series of vessels upon the mercury bath ensuring
excellent agitation and the contact of the lightest float gold therewith and the tail-
ings are rapidly removed from the surface of the mercury bath by the suction
pipes of the syphons to the next vessel in the series. This produces
a better
amalgamating effect than in the ordinary ripples or amalgamating pans where
pyrites and other heavy materials are always in contact with the surface of the
mercury.
For purposes of illustration I will now refer to the annexed drawings in
which ;-
Figure 1, is a sectional elevation showing an apparatus for carrying out the
principle of my invention.
Fig. 2, diagramatic plan view of a series of apparati.
Referring to Figure 1, a, is what I term a flushing tank which is filled from the
source, and is provided with a convenient form of flushing arrangement so that it
will empty or discharge when filled to the required height.
The crushed ores, minerals, tailings, or slimes which I hereinafter designate
the mixture or liquid, will pass through the outlet b, into the vessel or tank c.
This vessel or tank c, is provided with two syphons and the syphon d, having
a shorter limb than e, in the tank or vessel c, and is filled at the required intervals
from the flushing tank or cistern a. It will be seen that when the syphons come
into action, the syphon e, having the longer limb will withdraw the matter of
heavier specific gravity which has settled towards the bottom of the tank or vessel c.
and the syphon d, will withdraw the matter of lighter specific gravity, the amount
to which the syphons depend into the tank or vessel c, being arranged as found
necessary.
The output from these syphons is conveyed to tanks having syphons arranged
so as to again withdraw the matter of heavier specific gravity, and that of lighter
specific gravity, and so on, according to the number of tanks required to obtain
what may be called the required concentration of the mixture under treatment.
The inlet through which the mixture enters the tank c, as shewn in Figure 1,
may be arranged as will be readily seen so as to give a required swirling or agitat-
ing motion.
Although for purposes of illustration I have shewn two syphons in the tank c, it
will be readily understood that I may increase this number if desired without
departing from the principle of my invention. The dimensions of the flushing
tank a, may be so arranged, if desired, as to supply the required number of tanks c,
simultaneously in order to fill them to the required height for syphonic action to
take place.
In Figure 2, the matter of the heavier specific gravity is delivered into suitable
receptacles from the outlets e and the mixture minus those matters so far as
separated is delivered from the outlets into suitable receptacles. It will be
understood that the statement as to the matter of heaviest specific gravity tending
to settle towards the bottom outlet of the tank or vessel c, is a relative one, inas-
much as this applies to the settling action which takes place in the various tanks
or vessels, as according to the number of settling actions which take place, the more
complete will be the removal of the matter of the heaviest specific gravity from the
mixture under treatment, as the matter of heavier specific gravity which might
be carried over by the action of the syphon e aforesaid, will again tend to settle
in the tank or vessel to which it is conveyed. In order to make this more clear
it may be stated for purposes of illustration that in the event of there being, say,

page_text: two or three ores or minerals of different specific gravity, the arrangement of the
apparatus would be such as to separate as far as possible from each other these
two or three ores or minerals, this being effected by the settling action described.
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—
1. The new or improved method for the concentration or separation of crushed
ores, minerals, tailings, or slimes as described herein and for the purpose set forth.
2. The new or improved method and apparatus for the concentration or separa-
tion of crushed ores, minerals, tailings or slimes in combination, as described and
illustrated herein and for the purpose set forth.
3. In apparatus for the concentration or separation of crushed ores, minerals,
tailings, or slimes; a settling tank, syphons having varying lengths of limbs in
communication with said tank for the purpose of withdrawing the contents at
various heights, the lowest level containing the matter of the heaviest specific
gravity, and the higher level that of the lighter; a flushing cistern adapted to
supply the mixture of crushed ores, minerals, tailings, or slimes to said settling
tank at pre-arranged intervals; an inlet through which the mixture enters the
tank with a swirling or agitating motion substantially as described and illustrated
herein and for the purpose set forth.
4. In the new or improved method and apparatus for the concentration or separa-
tion of crushed ores, minerals tailings, or slimes in combination; a series of vessels
or tanks of the class herein described supplied from a flushing cistern for the
purpose of performing the required number of concentrations or separations depen-
dent upon the quality of the mixture under treatment.
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1000