US46620A - Improved process for desulphurizing and disintegrating ores - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES JAMES C. AYER, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED PROCESS FOR DESULPHURIZING AND D|SlNTEGRATl N G ORES, dc.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,620, dated March 7, 1865; antedated annary 24, 1865.

To all whom it may concern Beit' known that L'JAMES C. Area, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex-and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and Improved Processfor Deshlphurizihg, Oxidizing, and Disintegrating Metalliferous Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof in such detail tiferous; and the object of my invention is the speedy and efl'ec'tual hdesu'lphnrating, oxidat: irig, and disintegrati-ngof the rock or ore by a process which, while it' is speedy and efi'ectual,

shall at the sametime be cheap and simple.

A description of my processfas applied'to the ores of precious metals will be a sufficient indication of its application to other ores.

I take masses of quartz-rock which contain precious metal in'the condition such masses come from the mine and place them in a furnace, where they aresubjected to a high degree of -heat, but less than sufficient, to smelt the ore. W hen so heated the rock is subjected to a saline solution, or a solution of common salt. This may be done by appliances so arranged as to cause the rock or ore to be submerged in a bath of such solution, or the solution may be applied in the form of a stream or jets upon the ore while still in the furnace, or ,t.o masses of the ore after being takenfrom the furnace, butwhile in a highlylieated state. This treatment disintegrates the ore and more or less'oxidizes the .bas er metals in.it. The ore is then reheated,during which act .the heat so operates upon the ore thus impregnated with the saline solution as to rapidly efi'eet its further oxidation, and disintegration, and desulphurization. The mass of rock or ore thus a second time heated, it not found to be sufficiently reduced to a state in which it may be readily ground or pulverized and completely oxidized,is again subjected toa bath of the saline solution as before, and again heated- This operation may be repeated or continued a greater or less number of times, according as the refractory qualities of the ore render it necessary for the. attainment .of a complete state ofoxidation and disintegration.

In case the rock is of a. friable nature, the bath may be applied in theform of astream or jets upon the heated ore while in the furnace. If, however, the oreis-of a refractory nature, thebathshould be applied by the submersion of the-ore.

The aforego'ing treatment of the rock or ore completely efi'ects its disintegration, oxidizes the baser metals contained therein, expels the sulphur, arsenic, and other foreign matter, and so reduces the orethat it can be readily ground or pulverized, and leaves the precious metal in it free for amalgamation.

, 'What I claim as my invention or discovery, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The application of treating rock or ores while in the heated state with a saline solution, substantially as described, for the purpose of partial disintegration, desulphnriza. tion, and oxidation of the same.

2. The application of retreating ores which have been heated, substantially as above described, and the same repeated for the cou plete disintegration, desul phurization, and oxi dation of the same.

JAMES C. AYER. Witnesses A. H. TAYLOR, BENJ. WALKER.