US3332627A - Grouping and concentrating process and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

C. B. HINTON Jul 25, 1967 GROUPING AND CONCENTRATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1964 m W u m HESTER B. HINTON 5mm ATTORNEY July 25, 1967 c. B. HINTON 3,332,627

GROUPING AND CONCENTRATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CHESTER B. HINTON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,332,627 GROUPING AND CGNCENTRATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Chester B. Hinton, 214 11th Ave., Sweet Home, Greg. 97386 Filed Sept. 21, 1964. Ser. No. 397,808 4S Claims. (Cl. 241-44) This invention relates to a grouping and concentrating process and apparatus for recovering metals from ore.

It has been found, and evidenced by the use of the present method and apparatus, that many valuable metals have been by-passed in placer or hard rock mining operations. Since the discovery that gold lies free in placer deposits very little has been changed in the method of separating the precious metals from the sands and gravels. Assays, the analysis of mineral content of samples, are made in practically the same way as they were one hundred years ago. The spectrograph has been added but its analysis is useless on some sample deposits since valuable metals, due to their particular makeup, have an attraction to oxides and sulfides or other less precious metals, and therefore accumulate a coating which, down through ages of time, has become thick and hard, hiding the valuable metals. Carried in ancient rivers, these metals have been subjected to the effects of all the elements of time and weather. Eruptions, earthquakes and erosion have changed the course of these rivers, leaving deposits to bake and dry, freeze, oxidize, etc. It is small wonder that miners overlook from 40% to 60% of the values in ancient channel deposits. They were unable to recognize them. To mine them, even if they were recognized, was impossible because of lack of water necessary for mining and milling processes.

Tailings, the waste products of old mines, retain more value than that which has been taken out when first placer mined. Gold alone is only 30% to 40% recovered. Various metals or minerals such as platinum, palladium, manganese, tantalum and others, are discarded because of the lack of processes and apparatus to recover them. Another factor which has reduced the efiicient recovery of metal from ore is the lack of facility at the sight of ore deposit for separating valuable ore from waste mining stock.

It is accordingly a primary objective of the present invention to provide a milling process and apparatus which are more efiicient than processes and apparatuses heretofore employed for recovering ore, thus separating metals that have heretofore been by-passed in mining operations.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a process and apparatus serving the following purposes:

(1) To lower the cost in milling metals by utilizing a novel process and novel machine in specific steps of the milling process;

(2) To retrieve the major percentage of the value of metal or mineral deposit;

(3) To make practical and profitable the milling of small, low grade deposits;

(4) To mill ore by a dry process where water is lack- (5) To reduce the ability of impurities to lower the value of metals being sent for assay or refining;

(6) To increase the marketability of metals by superconcentration of metal groups; and

(7) To use to advantage the crystal susceptibility to vibration of impurities in reclaiming valuable metals.

Another object is to provide a milling apparatus of the type described which has means for initially separating metals in nugget form in order that the value of nuggets in the ore may be preserved.

- Another object is to provide a milling apparatus of the type described employing a field unit and a mill unit,-

which may be operated at different sites, the field unit being easily transportable to the location of the ore deposit.

Another object comprises novel apparatus for the removal of oxides or sulfides from the valuable metal, comprising cracking the coatings of the metal ore by heating and sudden cooling and also by a subsequent step of subjecting the metal ore to vibrations of selected frequency to break coatings from the ore.

Still another object is to provide vibrating means which assists in removing coatings from metals and which employs in association therewith a circulating fluid system for separating out the heavy metal from lighter impurities or metals.

Yet another object is to provide a novel conveyor construction employing variable frequency and variable intensity magnet means for effecting novel separation of metals and impurities, and furthermore to provide a series of such magnetic conveyors adapted for selective setting of frequency and intensity wherein metals are separated and classified as they move thereover.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claims considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURES 1A, 1B and 1C are side elevational views illustrating diagrammatically and in continuation apparatus forming a part of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic, side elevational view similar to FIGURE 1A but showing a modification of a portion of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1A and showing details of a nugget selector;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of electrical and mechanical operating means for the nugget selector;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view of valve structure contained in the nugget selector operating means shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, longitudinal, sectional view of a conveyor of the present invention and showing a wiring diagram of magnetic means associated with said conveyor;

FIGURE 7 is a foreshortened, longitudinal, sectional view of an agitating table forming a part of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1A, this view being enlarged as compared with FIGURE 1A;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, plan view taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 10 is a foreshortened, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9, this view being somewhat enlarged;

FIGURE 11 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 9, this view also being somewhat enlarged;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on the line 1313 of FIGURE 1B.

Reference is first made to FIGURES 1A and 3-8 which show a first form of field unit for the invention. In this regard and as will be more apparent hereinafter the apparatus of the present invention may be operated in two parts, one part comprising a field unit which may be located at the mining site and a mill unit which may be located at a point away from the field unit. The entire 3 apparatus may be set up at the mining site however where warranted.

The portion of the apparatus referred to as the field unit comprises a bin into which ore from the mine is deposited. The ore in bin 20 has gravity feed onto a belt conveyor 22 having an upper flight 22a and a lower flight 22b. In connection with this conveyor is a nugget selector designated generally by the numeral 24 and having a pair of bins 26, FIGURE 3, disposed on opposite sides of the upper and lower flights 22a and 2212, respectively, of the conveyor 22. As seen in FIGURE 3, the nugget bins 26 extend from a point above the upper flight 22a to a lower merging connection for discharge into a chute 28 arranged to deposit nuggets in a suitable receptacle 30.

The 'inner walls of bins 26 above the lower flight 22b of the conveyor are angled inwardly and have inner openings 32 into which the upper flight 22a of the conveyor projects. Also projecting into the openings 32 and adapted for supporting the upper flight 22a is a laterally curved, resilient roller 34 supported on a curved shaft 36 in turn supported on end brackets 38. Associated with the belt is a nugget kicker arm 40 which carries a head 42 comprising a vertical plate the bottom of which is in engagement with the top surface of flight 22a of the belt conveyor. The head 42 is made to follow the contour of the belt conveyor by means of a transverse, downwardly curved track member serving as a guideway for a roller 46 attached to the top end of head 42. Thus, upon lateral movement of the head 42 it follows closely the contour of the belt conveyor.

Arm 40 comprises a piston rod of a fluid operated cylinder 50 pivotally connected to one of the bins by suitable pivot structure 52. The cylinder 50 is a double acting cylinder of well known construction having conduits 54 and 56 leading into opposite ends thereof.

The cylinder 50 is associated with means which causes it to automatically sweep off large chunks of metal in nugget form from the conveyor belt. In this regard and with particular reference to FIGURES 4 and 5, a detector mechanism 60 is secured such that a detecting portion 6th: thereof is disposed beneath the upper flight 22a on the forward or leading side of the bin 26. This detector is also shown in FIGURE 1A and comprises a specially designed metal detector. The said detector is electrically powered by a pair of input lines 62 and 64 and is in a series circuit with a timed operation relay 66 and a pair of normally open switches 68 and 70 disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor 22 and engageable by the head 42. Switches 68 and 70 are spring urged to open position, and as best apparent in FIGURE 4, one of said springs is engageable at each limit position of the arm 40. The circuitry between the detector 60, the relay 66 and the switches 68 and 70 comprises a wire 72 connected between the detector and one side of the relay, a wire 74 connected between the other side of the relay and one contact of both switches 68 and 70, and a wire 76 connected between the arms of said switches and the detector.

The detector 60 is of a construction and circuitry such that it will close the circuit to the relay 66 when a nugget of large size passes thereover on the conveyor belt 22. It is apparent that the circuit through the relay can not be closed unless the arm 40 is at one of its end limit positions since one of the switches 6-8 and 70 must be closed before the relay can be energized. Thus, energization of the relay is accomplished only when said arm is at one of said limit positions, and the par-ts cannot be initiated in a nugget removing function as long as they are then in the process of removing a nugget.

Relay 66 when energized closes a switch 80 in a circuit to a solenoid operated valve 82 having a valve body 83, FIGURE 5, provided with a pair of internal fluid passageways 84. Leading into the valve body 83 are an inlet conduit 86 from a source of fluid pressure supply and the conduits 54 and 56 from the opposite ends of the fluid operated cylinder 50. The valve body 84 also has an exhaust conduit 88, and is rotatable between a pair of positions one of which establishes communication between the inlet conduit 86 and the conduit 56, as shown in FIGURE 5, the other of which establishes communication between said inlet conduit 86 and the conduit 54. When one of the cylinder conduits 54 or 56 is in communication with the inlet conduit 86, the other of said cylinder conduits is in communication with the exhaust conduit $6.

Solenoid valve 82 operates solely to control the off and on flow of fluid in the inlet conduit 86. Valve body 83 has an integral arm 90 pivotally connected to a slide member 92 having a pair of projections 94 in the path of travel of head 42 of the kicker arm 40. More particularly, projections 94 are disposed one on each side of said head wherein upon operation of the arm 40 in one direction, for example to the right in FIGURE 4, it will engage the one projection 94 and move the slide 92 to the right to rotate the valve body 83. Upon movement of the slide 92 in the opposite direction the head 42 engages the other projection and rotates the valve body 83- in the opposite direction. The parts are arranged such that the kicker arm 40 changes the position of the valve body 83 each time it moves laterally across the conveyor belt in the one direction or the other, and the relay 66 is held closed by its timing mechanism for a time suflicient to cause full travel of the arm 40 in one direction. As the arm completes its travel in one direction and its movement is stopped by the opening of relay 66, the valve body will have been rotated to a position to cause re verse movement of the piston in cylinder upon the next energization of relay 66. Thus, the kicker arm moves in one direction completely across the belt and then in its next cycle moves completely across the belt in the opposite direction.

In the operation of the apparatus wherein ore is being conveyed along the conveyor 22, it will be assumed that a nugget moves into a plane over the detector and that the nugget is of a size suflicient to energize said detector. Such operates to close the circuit in the detector and in turn close the circuit to relay 66, it being apparent that since the switches 68 and control the closing circuit to the detector 60, the latter cannot be energized unless the kicker arm 40' is at one of its extreme switch closing positions. Thus, the detector cannot be actuated in an intermediate point oftravel of the kicker arm 40 and once the kicker arm has commenced its travel another cycle cannot be commenced.

The relay closes the switch which in turn closes the circuit to the solenoid valve 82 to open the inlet conduit 86 to fluid pressure. Since the slide 92 will have been moved to one of its limit positions by the kicker arm 40, valve body 83 will direct fluid to one end of the fluid operated cylinder and thus cause movement of the kicker arm 40.

It is to be noted that the kicker arm 40 is located forwardly on the conveyor relative to the detector 60. This arrangement is preselected such that the nugget to be ejected will have moved into the path of the kicker head 42 by belt movement when the said head sweeps across the belt.

The detector '60 is arranged such that it will be actuated only by the presence of nuggets of a predetermined size. The purpose of such detector is to remove those nuggets which in view of their size have independent value. Upon sweeping the nugget from the belt 22 there will of course be other ore material swept therewith, but the nuggets are readily picked from the said material.

The conveyor 22 deposits the ore, minus the nuggets which have been picked oif by the nugget selector, in a crusher 180, FIGURE 1A, which serves to reduce the ore to a rough workable size. The crusher is of conventional construction and preferably comprises a jaw crusher. As an example of ore size, the jaw crusher may reduce the ore to approximately three quarters inch.

Crusher 100 deposits the crushed material onto a conveyor 102 which in turn deposits said material onto an elevating conveyor 104. The latter conveyor carries the ore to a hammer mill 106 also of conventional construction and having a screened outlet opening 108. One wall of the hammer mill is broken away in FIGURE 1A for clarification. The screen size in outlet opening 108 may vary, but in general is intended to permit exit of ore material which is considerably smaller than the ore material discharged from crusher 100. As an example a 40-mesh screen may be used in the outlet opening 108. It is to be understood, however, that finer or coarser screens may be used.

Outlet opening 108 from the hammer mill 106 deposits the ore onto a belt conveyor 112 operating over suitable end rollers. The belt 112 is constructed of non-magnetic material such as synthetic type plastics, and is associated at its end opposite from the hammer mill 106 with a mag netic head 115 providing a pulsating magnetic field established by the following construction and illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 6. Magnetic head 115 has an armature 114 with a field winding 116, represented diagrammatically, connected at its opposite ends to a pair of commutator rings 118 and 120 mounted freely on the shaft 122 of armature 114. Engageable 'with the commutator rings 118 and 120 are brushes 124 and 126, respectively, in circuit with an alternating current power source 128. Included in said circuit is control means 130 of conventional construction adapted to vary the frequency and intensity of the magnetic field, said control means having separate control knobs thereon for selectively setting a desired frequency and intensity of the magnetic field 116.

Associated with the magnetic end of the conveyor 112 is a peaked bafile 136 having a forward angled surface 138 and a rearward angled surface 140. The peak of the baflle 136 is located rearwardly of the front edge of the belt 112 and more particularly is located such that nonmagnetic particles fall by gravity onto the bafile surface 138 and the magnetic particles are attracted to the field at least to a point where they have passed the peak of the baffle whie still in engagement with the belt. For the purpose of illustration the non-magnetic particles are light colored and are designated by the reference numeral 142 and the magnetic particles are dark colored and are designated by the reference numeral 144. r

In the operation of the conveyor 112 with the magnet in operation, the magnetic particles are held against the belt of the conveyor by the attraction of the magnet and are carried around the end of the conveyor along the lower fiight to a point rearwardly of the peak of the bafiie 136. The non-magnetic particles drop immediately onto the angled surface 138. The pulsating magnetic field operates to agitate the particles by the rapid releasing and retrieving of the magnetic particles. Such releasing and retrieving of the magnetic particles keeps the entire ore layer agitated so that substantially all the non-magnetic particles will be separated from each other and from the magnetic particles and will freely drop off by gravity.

The magnetic separation just described com rises a first step in the present process and apparatus for effecting paftial separation of magnetic particles from non-magnetic particles. The magnetic particles deposited on the rear inclined surface 140 are collected in a receptacle 146, FIG- URE 1A. While an alternating power source is mentioned for energizing the magnetic head, any interrupted direct current power source may be used.

While the particles deposited on the surface 138 are referred to as non-magnetic particles they of course may have some magnetic qualities, and it is the selected frequency and intensity at which the magnet is set which which will establish the type of ore deposited on the two surfaces 138 and 140. In a process wherein gold is included in the ore, it is clear that this non-magnetic metal will be deposited onto the surface 138.

With reference now to FIGURES 1A, 7 and 8 the forward surface 138 of the baffie 136 deposits its material onto an agitating table 148. This table is supported on legs each comprising a pair of leg portions 150a and 15%. Leg portions 158a are slotted at 152 and leg portions 1501) carry clamp screws 154 engageable in the slots and arranged to be tightened to secure the leg portions together in adjusted height. That is, the leg portions 150a and 15% may be adjusted such that the surface of the table may be disposed in a horizontal plane or inclined if desired.

The surface of the table 148 is designated by the numeral 156, FIGURE 7, and comprises a suitable material which while being capable of supporting ore thereon at the same time permits air to be forced therethrough from its under surface. Such table surface may comprise a corduroy cloth or a fine mesh screen. Secured transversely on the surface member 156 are lugs or rifiles 158 of limited height. These lugs are rigid in construction and are secured to the surface members 156 so as to be maintained in a vertical position.

Disposed below the table 148 is a blower 160 having a top, transversely disposed, circular housing 162 integrally supported on the blower by upright wall portions 164. Housing 16?. has an inlet opening 166 in communication with the outlet 168 of the blower.

Rotatably confined in the housing 162 is an air distributing sleeve 171) having one or more transversely elongated outlet slots 172 therein, three of such slots being shown for purposes of illustration and being evenly spaced in the sleeve.

Air distributing sleeve has an end wall 174, FIG- URE 8, to which is integrated a stub shaft 176 projecting through the housing 162. Shaft 176 carries a pulley 178 eng-ageable by a drive belt 180 from a pulley 182 on the shaft of the blower 160. Thus the air distributing sleeve 170 rotates with the blower.

An upper portion of housing 162 is cut away at 184 to expose a portion of the air distributing sleeve 170, and secured to the housing at the cut away portion 184 are a plurality of upwardly directed, forwardly inclined ducts 186 each defined by a rear wall 188 and a front wall 190 having an upper, forwardly angled portion 1992 providing a widened discharge area 194 at the upper end of the ducts 186. The upper end of each angled wall portion 192 terminates at one of the lugs 158 whereby it is apparent that there is an air duct for each lug, the said air ducts opening behind its respective lug and spanning the distance to a rearwardly disposed lug.

In the operation of the blower 160 wherein it and the air distributing sleeve 170 are rotating, the slots 172 sweep past the bottom open ends of ducts 186, the sleeve 170 being rotated clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 7. When a slot 172 sweeps past an air duct 186, a surge of air is forced through the surface member 156 of the table to lift some of the particles of ore over the lugs 158. Since there is a repeated and progressive movement of slots 172 past the .air ducts 186, and since the latter are forwardly inclined the ore in general will be worked forwardly on the table. The lighter articles will be lifted upwardly over the lugs 158 and finally will be discharged off the end of the table.

The extremely light ore which may be in the form of dust particles is blown upwardly off the table, and a hood 196 is mounted over the table to catch this material. This hood incorporates a suction fan 198 to assist in removing the dust particles. The heaviest particles in the ore on the table settle behind the lugs 158 and are readily collected by sweeping them off laterally. Since the particles on the surface member 156 are constantly worked or agitated all the fine or lighter particles are advanced forwardly on the table or carried upwardly into the hood 196. Therefore,

the heaw particles behind the lugs 158 will be substantially free of the lightweight material. The material dis charged from the end of table 148 is mostly Waste. The material discharged into bin 146, the fines collected in the hood 1%, and the material that stays on the table behind the lugs will be transported to and treated at the main mill unit to be described.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modified form of magnetic separation means and agitating table and is intended for use Where Water is available in the field, it being noted that the magnetic separation means and agitating table of FIGURE 1A are operative Without Water.

In the FIGURE 2 construction, a hammer mill 106 as in FIGURE 1A deposits the crushed ore onto a table 282 having a surface of imperforate construction and supported by end leg members 206. The rear legs 2% have adjustment means 208 for varying the slope of the table. A water supply pipe 210 has an outlet 212 at the rear of the table for furnishing a stream of Water along the table, and ore discharged from the hammer mill 106 onto the table turface is converted to a slurry. The table has a plurality of transverse l-ugs 214 which will catch some of the heavier particles in this initial movement of the ore.

Disposed adjacent the forward end of the table 264 is a rearwardly and upwardly inclined conveyor 216 having lugs 218 thereon. This is an endless conveyor operating over suitable end rollers in the direction of the arrows and its lowermost end is located closely adjacent the surface of the table. Such lower end of the conveyor has a magnetic head 115 of identical structure to that illustrated in FIG- URE 6. That is, there is provided a pulsating magnetic field, and means as in FIGURE 6 are also provided for adjusting the frequency and intensity thereof. Since the lower end of the conveyor 216 is disposed closely adjacent the table surface 204 the magnetic head 115 picks up magnetic material contained in the slurry. Such magnetic material will be carried up over the front of the conveyor by the attraction of the magnetic head, and once it reaches the upper flight of the conveyor lugs 218 carry such material the rest of the way to the upper end of the conveyor. The pulsating action of the magnet agitates the slurry in order that the magnet can efficiently pick out the magnetic material.

Thus, the magnetic material only is carried on conveyor 216 and this material is carried up over the upper end of the conveyor 216 and deposited in a bin 220 adjacent such upper conveyor end. The bin 220 has side portions 222 which straddle the table 204 and which deposit the magnetic ore in a receptacle 224. To insure complete removal of the material from the conveyor 216 a brush 226 is mounted on the bin 220 and engages the under surface of said conveyor for sweeping the material therefrom.

Thus, magnetic ore particles are initially removed from the ore by a pulsating magnetic head 115 similar to the process illustrated in FIGURE 1A with the expection that in FIGURE 2 the magnetic particles are picked from a slurrv.

The slurry from the table 202 flows onto an agitating table 228 illustrated in FIGURES 2, 9, l and 11. This table comprises a top plate 234 made up of a plurality of plate sections 234a and having a front leg structure 236 provided with height adjustment means 238 to vary the inclination of the table. As apparent in FIGURE 2, the entire assembly of slurry table 282 and agitating table 228 may be mounted on skids 240 for easy transportation.

Secured to the underside of plates 234a are vibrating units 242 supported on deending bracket arms 24. Vibrating units 242 comprise magnetic vibrating means, employing an electro-magnet 248 secured to the undersurface of the plates 234a and a metallic core 250 supported in a housing 252 secured to the brackets 244. Core 250 is spaced from the electro-magnet 248, and the latter is in an alternating type circuit 254 which may include transformer means 256 if desired. Upon the intermittent operation of the electro-magnet 248 as a result of the alternating current from which it is fed it will cause the plates 234a to vibrate. The ore will thus flow down the inclined table 228. Control means 257, FIGURE 11, may be utilized to vary the frequency and amplitude of the magnets and preferably each vibrator is controlled separately so that its frequency and amplitude may be made different than that of the other magnets. Such arrangement is useful in separating or classifying various ores on the table as will be seen.

In a preferred arrangement, a portion of table 228 at the receiving end thereof has a plurality of transverse lugs or rifiles 246 secured to the bottom plates 234a in vertical disposition and spaced from each other longituclinally of the table. Lugs 246 serve to catch the heavier particles in the slurry, and similar to the material which is caught behind the lugs 158 on table 148' it is removed and further processed in a manner to be described. The remaining portion of the table comprises a substantially conventional amalgamation table wherein its surface is mercury coated to attract gold in the slurry, the table differing from conventional tables, however, in having the vibrating units attached thereto. As stated hereinbefore, the vibrating units are independently controlled, and thus the most efficient adjustments of the units, as to frequency and intensity in the areas of the lugs 246 or amal gamation section, may be made.

Referring to FIGURE 10 the amalgamation portion of the table 228 has transverse slots 258 under which are mounted channel members 26% forming traps or pockets for catching mercury that may have shaken loose from the table surface. The channel members are suitably secured to the under surface of the plates 234a as by screws, and the plates 234a are secured together by cross bars 264 which receive screws 266. By means of such structure the plates are detachable from each other for replacement if necessary.

The structure thus far described, including the nugget selector 24, the crushers and 106, and one or the other of the dry or wet separating means 112, 148 or 216, 228, respectively, may comprise a field unit which is set up at the site of ore deposit or thereabouts. The mechanism to be described hereinafter comprises mill means to further process the material collected from behind the lugs 158 of table 148, the bin 146, and hood 196 in the dry field unit, or the lugs 246 on table 228 and receptacle 224 of the wet field unit. Such mill means may be set up as a mechanical continuation of the field unit described hereinbefore or if desired it may be located apart therefrom, such as in a centrally located area to serve several of the field units.

The ore material from the tables 148 or 228 is then placed in an oven 278. FIGURE 18, comprising a casing 272 in which is included heater means 274 and a conveyor 276 in the form of an auger. This conveyor is enclosed in a tubular housing 278 whereby upon rotation of the auger ore material is moved through the oven. Housing 278 has an inlet chute 280 and an outlet spout 282, and auger 276 is rotated by a chain drive 284.

T he ore collected on tables 148 and 228 comprises principally non-magnetic material or magnetic materials which are encased in oxides or sulfides, and the principal purpose of the mill unit is to remove the encasing structure in order to recover valuable metals therein.

Oven 27%) is heated to selected temperatures, depending upon the type of ore being treated, but in any case it is desirable that the ore be heated to the extent that upon being deposited in a cold liquid bath the encasing material, due to the sudden contraction thereof, cracks and separates either fully or partly from the inner core of metal. The heat also stabilizes magnetic fields and crystal structures of the ore particles. The outlet spout 282 of the oven leads to a receptacle 288 containing a liquid which is cooled. For the purpose of maintaining the liquid in receptacle 288 in cooled condition, suitable inlet means 298 and overflow means 292 are associated therewith to provide circulation. The liquid in the receptacle may include tap water which may or may not have to be cooled.

Receptacle 288 has a V-shaped bottom wall 294, and leading out of said container adjacent a forward inclined portion of the bottom wall is a conveyor 296 operating in the direction of the arrows and having lugs 298 thereon adapted to sweep the ore up said inclined wall and up a baflle member 300 leading upwardly from the said inclined wall. Conveyor 296 has a chain drive mechanism 302.

Conveyor 296 picks up the ore material which has settled to the bottom of receptacle 288 and deposits it into a high frequency vibrating apparatus 308 shown somewhat diagrammatically in FIGURE 13. Such apparatus comprises an outer tank 310 and an inner tank 312, the latter tank being smaller in dimension than the outer tank 310 to provide a space 314 therebetween. The bottom walls of the tanks are sloped in one direction and are also spaced from each other. The upper end of the inner tank is open but the outer tank has a top wall 315 to form in general a closed tank structure. The baffie 300 is arranged to deposit the ore material from bath 288 into the inner tank 312. V

Mounted on one or more of the side walls of the outer tank 310 are vibrating units 316, also shown in FIGURE 13. The vibrating units are of a construction substantially identical to the vibrating units 242 on the agitating table 228, employing an electro-rnagnet 318, a metal core 320, and a casing 322. The electro-magnet 318 is secured integrally to a flexible plate 324 secured to the outer tank 310, the latter having openings 326 which are covered and sealed by the plates 324. Housings 322 have bracket arms 328 secured to the walls of the outer tank 318 by mounting screws 330 which also secure the plates 324 in place.

The two tanks 318 and 312 contain a liquid, such as water, and the two tanks are independent one from the other. Control means 334 are in the circuit of the electro-magnet 318 to vary the frequency and intensity of the vibrations. As stated hereinbefore the electro-rnagnet and the control means therefor are similar in structure to the vibrators 242 but importantly are of a construction to produce vibrations of extremely high frequency and intensity and more particularly vibrations of such frequency and intensity as to be capable of cracking or shattering any coating of oxides and sulfides which may remain on the ore particles. That is, while the roasting and sudden cooling accomplished just prior to the vibrating step will crack some of the ore coatings it is possible that all of the such coatings will not be removed, and the purpose of the apparatus 308 is to remove them. As stated, metals are stripped of their encasements by the high frequency of vibration, the control means 334 being provided to achieve selected conditions of frequency and intensity of vibration according to the material being acted upon. Such conditions are determined empirically and vary according to the material being processed. The vibratory forces are transmitted through the liquid in the space 314 between the two tanks 310 and 312, through the inner tank walls and into the liquid in said inner tank, such vibratory forces being developed on the flexible plates 324 by the vibrating units 316.

The vibrating principle utilized is efficient for the intended purpose since it sets crystalline structures in motion, and upon reaching a saturation point such structures shatter. Since different materials included in the same particle have different crystalline structures, they will shake loose from each other to provide the desired separation.

Forming a part of the vibrating apparatus 308 is a circulating and separating system comprising a pump 340 having a pair of outlet conduits 342 and 344. The outlet conduits 342 and 344 both lead into the inner tank 312, the conduit 342 projecting into the said tank at the upper end thereof and adjacent one side and the outlet conduit it 344 projecting into said tank at the bottom thereof and laterally opposite the conduit 342. Incorporated in the conduits 342 and 344 are control valves 346 and 348, respectively, adapted to control the pressured fiow of liquid in the conduits. In view of the selected positioning of the outlets of conduits 342 and 344, the liquid interiorly of the inner tank 312 is circulated wherein lighter ore particles or material such as the broken particles of oxides and sulfides remain in motion while the heavier particles, such as metal particles will, due to their weight, settle downwardly to the lower portion of the tank. The force of the circulation is controlled by selective and individual settings of the valves 346 and 348.

Leading upwardly and forwardly from the lowermost point of the inner tank 312 is an auger conveyor 338. This conveyor picks up the heavier particles that have settled to the bottom of the tank.

Leading from the upper end of tank 312 is a drain pipe 350. The drain pipe 350 is shown in FIGURE 1B as leading upwardly, but in the installation of the apparatus such pipe will lead downwardly and be a gravity drain off of liquid in the tank 312.

Drain pipe 350 leads to one or more settling tanks 352 connected in series, and an overflow pipe 354 from the last tank in the series leads into the pump 340. Thus, a continuous circulation of liquid is provided in the inner tank 312 and through the settling tanks 352, with the lighter material, which is maintained in suspended relation by the forces of circulation in tank 312 and carried away through drain pipe 350, settling out in the tanks 352.

The material which settles out in the tanks 352 may or may not be further processed, depending upon the value thereof as determined by assays or other tests. Leading upwardly from the tank 310 is a vent 356 for carrying away gases which may accumulate in the said tanks. Vent 356 may lead to a refiner to recover any valuable gasses which may accumulate in the tank 312.

Referring now to FIGURE 1C auger 338 deposits the heavier particles which it has picked up into a dryer 360 which has substantially an identical construction to oven 276. The operation thereof is also identical with the exception that the dryer 360 is intended only to dry the particles moving therethrough and therefore is maintained at a cooler temperature such as for example, a temperature of 180 F.

The dried material is deposited on a conveyor 362 having lugs 364 which carry the material upwardly and deposit it on a first of a series of magnetic separators designated herein by the numeral 368 of a construction identical to that of conveyor 112 shown in FIGURES IA and 6 and wherein the discharge end of the conveyor includes a magnetic pick-up head 115 energized by an alternating or interrupted type current and also having controls as illustrated by the numeral in FIGURE 6 to control the frequency and intensity of pulsations of the magnet. Similar to the operation of the conveyor 112 heretofore described, the pulsating action of the magnet will rapidly release and retrieve the metal in the magnetic field to agitate the material and efficiently separate the magnetic particles from the non-magnetic particles. Associated with each of the conveyors 368, 370, and 372 are peaked baffles 374, 376 and 378, respectively, operating like the battle 136 in FIGURE 6 where-by to catch magnetic material on a rearwardly directed angled surface leading to a receptacle 380. The particles not collected by the first conveyor are deposited on the next conveyor. The frequency and intensity of the pulsations of the heads 115 are selectively varied in the various magnetic heads of conveyors 368, 370, and 372 to achieve a desired result, preferably first attracting and separating ore particles of maximum magnetic quality, and then attracting and separating ore particles of progressively less magnetic quality in the following conveyors. For example, the frequency and intensity of the 1 l magnet associated with conveyor 368 may be of decreased intensity whereby to pull out metals possessing high qualities of magnetic attraction, and the next conveyor 370 is of greater intensity to pick oif material possessing qualities of less magnetic attraction and so on progressively along the conveyors. There may be any number of such magnetic separators as necessary to separate the ore into various types or classes of metals.

By means of the system of separators just described, metals are separated and classified and collected in individual receptacles. By the empirical settings of frequency and intensity of the magnets, metals are sep arated and classified quite accurately.

Where gold is present in the ore, such non-magnetic metal will continue unafliected over the conveyors and be discharged by gravity oil? the last said conveyor. Such ore is directed, by b aille 378, onto a final vibrating amalgamation table 382. This table is supported on suitable legs 384 some of which have adjustment means 386 whereby the table may be tilted longitudinally. Amalgamation table 382 is of substantially identical construction with table 228 as described in connection with FIG- URE 2, employing magnetic vibrators 388 similar to vibrators 242 secured to the undersurface thereof to agitate the material on the table.

In accordance with the present invention and in the mining of gold for example it will be found that an efiicient recovery of such metal is accomplished together with other metals. First, nuggets will-be ejected by the mechanism 24, then there will be a recovery in an initial separation at least of some metallic substances in the ore by the magnetic head 115 of conveyor 112 and an initial separation of gold will also be obtained on the agitating table 148 or 228.

Then as the process proceeds wherein the collected material from the agitating table is cooked and quickly cooled, more valuable metals are bared from their coatings and a final separation of such metals and their coatings is accomplished by the high frequency vibration in apparatus 308. T hereupon, the conveyors at the end or" the apparatus separate the metals into groups and amalgamation table 382 separates gold from the tailings. The present invention thus comprises an improved and more efiicient manner of grouping and concentrating ore and particularly ore of the type which includes gold.

It is conceivable in some instances that ore from the mines will be in such form as to be brought directly to the conveyor 112 without being subjected to the nugget selector 24 or crushers, or directly to the oven 270'. Further yet, the ore may be brought directly to the vibrating apparatus 308, and of course it is to be understood that in the case of some ores, treatment of the ore by any one of the units of the apparatus or a combination of said units may suffice. For example, the ore collected in receptacle 146 from conveyor 112 may be in a form not requiring further treatment, at least by the present apparatus, and only the ore collected on the table 148 and/ or ore collected by hood 1% further processed by the other units.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various other changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without: departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising a conveyor, nugget selecting means associated with said conveyor arranged to select nuggets and allow the remainder of ore on said conveyor to pass by, crusher means at the receiving end of said conveyor for receiving and crushing the ore, an endless conveyor arranged to receive crushed ore from said crusher means, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said conveyor for agitating the ore on the conveyor and for separating magnetic particles of ore, and an electric circuit for said magnet means.

2. The apparatus of claim ll including an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table having collecting means for collecting heavier particles of the ore.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table having collecting means for collecting heavier particles of the ore, an oven arranged to receive ore collected by said magnet means and said agitating table for cooking the same, and a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles.

l. The apparatus of claim 1 including an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table having collecting means for collecting heavier particles of the ore, an oven arranged to receive ore collected by said magnet means and said agitating table for cooking the same, a cooking bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, and vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles.

S. The apparatus of claim 1 including an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table having collecting means for collecting heavier particles of the ore, an oven arranged to receive ore collected by said magnet means and said agitating table for cooking the same, a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles, at least one conveyor arranged to receive particles, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor for agitating the ore on the said conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, and an electric circuit for said magnet means.

6. The apparatus of claim ll including an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table having collecting means for collecting heavier particles of the ore, an oven arranged to receive ore collected by said magnet means and said agitating table for cooking the same, a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles, at least one conveyor arranged to receive particles, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor for agitating the ore on the said conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, an electric circuit for said magnet means, and a vibrating amalgamation table arranged to receive ore from said last mentioned conveyor which has not been separated by the magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor.

7. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising an endless conveyor arranged to receive ore particles, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said conveyor for agitating the ore on the conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, an electric circuit for said magnet means, an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table collecting heavier particles of the ore, an oven arranged to receive ore collected by said '13 magnet means and said agitating table. for cooking the same, and a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles.

8. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising an oven arranged to receive and cook ore particles, and a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles.

9. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising an oven arranged to receive and cook ore particles, a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, and vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles.

10. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising an oven arranged to receive and cook ore particles, a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles, at least one conveyor arranged to receive particles, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor for agitating the ore on the said conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, and an electric circuit for said magnet means.

11. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a tank having side walls and a bottom wall, said tank being adapted to hold liquid and adapted to receive ore particles, at least one of the side walls of the tank having a flexible portion, a vibrating unit on said flexible wall portion, said vibrating unit producing vibratory forces of suflicient frequency and intensity through the liquid to break portions of said ore particles, at least one conveyor arranged to receive particles from said tank, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor for agitating the ore on the said conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, and an electric circuit for said magnet means.

12. A grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore comprising a first conveyor, nugget selecting means associated with said conveyor arranged to select nuggets and allow the remainder of ore on said conveyor to pass by, crusher means at the receiving end of said conveyor for receiving and crushing the ore, an endless conveyor arranged to receive crushed ore from said crusher means, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said conveyor for agitating the ore on the conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, an electric circuit for said magnet means, an agitating table arranged to receive the ore from said endless conveyor which has not been separated by said magnet means, said agitating table collecting heavier particles of the ore, an 'oven arranged to receive ore collected by said magnet means and said agitating table for cooking the same, a cooling bath arranged to receive cooked ore from said oven for cracking coatings on ore particles, vibrating means arranged to receive ore particles from said bath, said vibrating means being of a frequency and intensity to further crack and separate coatings from said ore particles, a dryer arranged to receive particles from said vibrating means for drying said particles, at least one conveyor arranged to receive particles from said dryer, pulsating electric magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor for agitating the ore on the said conveyor and for separating magnetic particles from other particles of ore, an electric circuit for said magnet means, and a vibrating amalgamation table arranged to receive ore from said last mentioned conveyor which has not been separated by the magnet means associated with said last mentioned conveyor.

13. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a conveyor for transporting ore which includes particles in nugget form, an electrical detector associated with said conveyor arranged to detect the nuggets, an electric circuit for said detector, nugget removal means arranged for travel across said conveyor, and drive means for driving said nugget removal means, said drive means being controlled in its operation by said detector whereby to drive said nugget removal means across the conveyor upon actuation thereof by said detector.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 including a bin arranged to receive the nuggets from said nugget removal means.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said nugget removal means comprises an arm directed transversely across the belt, and a vertical head on said arm the bottom edge of which is arranged for sweeping engagement with the top surface of said conveyor.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said nugget removal means comprises an arm directed transversely across the belt, a vertical head on said arm the bottom edge of which is arranged for sweeping engagement with the top surface of said conveyor, said drive means being arranged to drive said arm across said conveyor and back, and control means for said drive means arranged to reverse the movement of said arm after each travel across or back on said conveyor.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said nugget removal means comprises an arm directed transversely across the belt, a vertical head on said arm the bottom edge of which is arranged for sweeping engagement with the top surface of said conveyor, said drive means being arranged to drive said arm across said conveyor and back, control means for said drive means arranged to reverse the movement of said arm after each travel across or back on said conveyor, said control means including a timed operation relay operative to actuate said drive means for movement of said head only across or back on said conveyor.

18. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a vibrating electric magnet arranged to agitate ore moving relative to said magnet and arranged to separate magnetic particles from other particles in the ore, and an electric circuit for said magnet.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 including a conveyor in combination with said magnet whereby said conveyor is arranged to move the ore relative to the magnet.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 including an endless conveyor operating over end rollers and having an upper flight and a lower flight, one end of said conveyor being arranged to receive ore and the opposite end operating over said magnet, whereby magnetic particles are carried over the end of said conveyor and along said lower flight to a point of non-influence of said magnet and release, and means for catching said magnetic particles as they separate from said conveyor.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 including control means in said circuit arranged to vary the frequency and intensity of vibration of said magnets.

22. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, at least two endless conveyors operating over end rollers and having upper flight'and lower flights, one of said conveyors being arranged to receive ore particles and arranged in partial overlapping association with the other conveyor, one of the ends of said conveyors operating over vibrating electric magnets, electric circuit means for said magnets, whereby some magnetic particles are carried over the end of a first of said conveyors and along said lower flight thereof to a point of non-influence of said magnet and release and other magnetic particles are carried over the end of said first conveyor and deposited on a second of said conveyors for similar collection.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 including control means in said circuit for each of said magnets to control indepedently the frequency and intensity of vibration of said magnets.

24. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a table surface for receiving ore, solution inlet means at one end of said table for washing said ore along the table surface, an endless conveyor operating over end rollers and having lugs thereon, one end of said conveyor being disposed adjacent said table surface, pulsating electric magnet means in the said one end of the conveyor for agitating the ore on the table surface adjacent the said one end of the conveyor and for pulling magnetic ore particles onto said conveyor for conveying engagement by said lugs, and an electric circuit for said magnet means.

25. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus, an agitating table comprising a top surface of a structure capable of holding ore particles but being air perforate, a plurality of transversely directed, longitudinally spaced lugs secured to said top surface in upright relation, blower means disposed under said table surface, individual ducts leading from said blower to the spaces between said lugs, and distributing means in said blower for progressively and repeatedly admitting the forced air to said ducts in a forward direction of the table whereby to advance lighter ore particles forwardly on the table with the heavier particles lodging behind the lugs.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said distributing means comprises a rotatable bushing communicating with said blower and having an outlet aperture, said ducts being mounted on said blower housing in adjacent position and having an open lower end arranged for registry with said aperture as said bushing rotates.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 including a hood over said agitating table, and suction means in said hood for collecting lighter ore particles from said table.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 including support means for said table, and means on said support means for inclining the table at selected angles.

29. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a vibrating table having an intake end and a discharge end and comprising a top'plate, a plurality of electrical vibrating units suspended from said plate in longitudinally spaced relation, an electric circuit for said vibrating units, support means for said table for supporting it in a position such that its top plate is in an inclined plane, and control means in said circuit for each of said vibrating units to selectively vary the frequency and intensity of each vibrating unit.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 including transversely directed lugs on the intake end of said table and amalgamation means adjacent the discharge end.

31. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, a tank having side walls and a bottom wall, said tank being adapted to hold liquid and adapted to receive ore particles, at least one of the side walls of the tank having a flexible portion, and a vibrating unit on said flexible wall portion, said vibrating unit producing vibratory forces of suflicient frequency and intensity through the liquid to break portions of said ore particles.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein at least two of said walls have said flexible portions and said vibrating units.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein at least two of said walls have said flexible portions and said vibrating units, said vibrating units comprising electro-magnets secured to said flexible portions and a metallic core secured in a stationary position to walls of the tank, and a pulsating electric circuit for said electro-magnets to produce the vibratory function of the latter.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein at least two of said walls have said flexible portions and said vibrating units, said vibrating units comprising electro-magnets secured to said flexible portions and a metallic core secured in a stationary position to walls of the tank, a pulsating electric circuit for said electro-magnets to produce the vibratory function of the latter, and control means for said electro-magnets in said circuit to control 15 the frequency and intensity of vibration of said electromagnets.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 including forced circulation means in said tank to maintain said liquid and lighter ore particles in motion whereby said lighter ore particles do not settle to the bottom of the tank.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 including conduit means having one end leading into one side of the tank-at the upper end thereof and its other end leading into an opposite side of the tank at the lower end thereof,'and a pump in said conduit means for forcing liquid through the ends of the latter to provide a circulation of liquid in the tank.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 including conduit means having one end leading into one side of the tank at the upper end thereof and its other end leading into an opposite side of the tank at the lower end thereof, a pump in said conduit means for forcing liquid through the ends of the latter to provide a circulation of liquid in the tank, and overflow conduit means leading from said tank to said pump.

38. The apparatus of claim 31 including conduit means having one end leading into one side of the tank at the upper end thereof and its other end leading into an opposite side of the tank at the lower end thereof, a pump in said'conduit means for forcing liquid through the ends of the latter to provide a circulation of liquid in the tank, overflow conduit means leading from said tank to said pump, and settling tanks in said overflow conduit means.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 including conveyor means leading outwardly from the tank adjacent the bottom of the latter.

40. In a grouping and concentrating apparatus for ore, an inner tank having side walls and a bottom wall, said tank being adapted to hold liquid and adapted to receive ore particles, an outer tank having side walls and a bottom wall, said outer tank being disposed around said inner tank and being of a size to provide a space between said tanks for receiving a liquid,at least one of the side walls of said outer tank having a flexible portion, and a vibrating unit on said flexible wall portion, said vibrating unit producing vibratory forces of suflicient frequency and intensity through the liquid between the walls of the tanks and in the inner tank to break portions of said ore particles.

41. A process of grouping and concentrating ore comprising the steps of picking nuggets from said ore, reducing the ore minus the nuggets to a fractional size, subjecting said reduced ore to pulsating magnetic forces to agitate the ore and to pick out certain magnetic particles, and subjecting the ore minus the particles magnetically removed to an agitating function to settle out heavier ore particles.

42. A process of grouping and concentrating ore comprising the steps of subjecting ore particles to pulsating forces to agitate the ore particles and topick out certain magnetic forces to agitate the ore particles and to pick out certain particles, and subjecting the ore particles minus the particles magnetically removed to an agitating function to settle out heavier ore particles.

43. The process of claim 4-2 including the steps of heating the ore particles collected by said magnetic forces and then subjecting said heated ore particles to a cooling bath to crack and break up portions of said particles.

44. The process of claim 42 including the steps of heating the ore particles collected'by said magnetic forces, then subjecting said heated ore particles to a cooling bath to crack and break up portions of said particles, and then subjecting the cooled particles to vibratory forces of sufficient frequency and intensity to further break up said particles.

45. The process of claim 42 including the steps of heating the ore particles collected by said magnetic forces, then subjecting said heated ore particles to a cooling bath to crack and break up portions of said particles, subjecting 17 the cooled particles to vibratory forces of sufiicient frequency and intensity to further break up said particles, and then subjecting the ore particles to a pulsating magnetic force to separate magnetic particles from the remaining portion of the ore.

46. The process of claim 42 including the steps of heating the ore particles collected by said magnetic forces, then subjecting said heated ore particles to a cooling bath to crack and break up portions of said particles, subjecting the cooled particles to vibratory forces of sufficient frequency and intensity to further break up said particles, and then subjecting the ore particles to a plurality of successive pulsating magnetic forces of increased intensity to collect ore particles of similar magnetic quality together.

47. The process of claim 42 including the steps of heating the ore particles collected by said magnetic forces, then subjecting said heated ore particles to a cooling bath to crack and break up portions of said particles, subjecting the cooled particles to vibratory forces of sufficient frequency and intensity to further break up said particles, then subjecting the ore particles to a plurality of successive pulsating magnetic forces in increased intensity to 18 collect ore particles of similar magnetic quality together, and thereafter subjecting the ore particles not collected by said pulsating magnetic forces to a vibrating amalgamation surface.

48. A process of treating ore comprising subjecting the ore particles to a rapid temperature differential to crack and break up portions of said particles and then subjecting the particles to vibratory forces of suflicient frequency and intensity to further break up said particles.

49. A process of treating ore comprising subjecting the ore to vibratory forces of sufiicient frequency and intensity to break up at least a portion of said particles, and then subjecting the ore particles to a pulsating magnetic force to separate magnetic particles from the remaining portion of the ore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,207,447 9/1965 Whitham 24124 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

G. A. DOST, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A GROUPING AND CONCENTRATING APPARATUS FOR ORE COMPRISING A CONVEYOR, NUGGET SELECTING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONVEYOR ARRANGED TO SELECT NUGGETS AND ALLOW THE REMAINDER OF ORE ON SAID CONVEYOR TO PASS BY, CRUSHER MEANS AT THE RECEIVING END OF SAID CONVEYOR FOR RECEIVING AND CRUSHING THE ORE, AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR ARRANGED TO RECEIVE CRUSHED ORE FROM SAID CRUSHER MEANS, PULSATING ELECTRIC MAGNET MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONVEYOR FOR AGITATING THE ORE ON THE CONVEYOR AND FOR SEPARATING MAGNETIC PARTICLES OF ORE, AND AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT FOR SAID MAGNET MEANS.

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