USRE3008E - Izers - Google Patents

Description

gnites tittes'igateut @ffirr.

JOHN GOMMINQS, OE CHARLESTON, SOUTH'OAROLIN'A.

Letters Patent No. 74,799, dated February 25, 1868 reissue N0. 3,0Q8, dated June 30, 18.68.

IMPROVEDiMODE OF TREATING MINERAL PHZOSPHATES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FERTIL- dttt 51:1 am; marsh in in th s: itsttm gtjttmt imlr lllkiltifig gm Mitt sit,

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONGERNz' p i ,Be it known that I, JOHN COMMINS, of Charleston, in the district of Charleston, arid State of South Caroline, have invented new and useful Improvements in Treating Phosphatic Minerals or Earths and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the same. 7 H 2 This invention or discovery relates to an improved mode of treating natural phosphates or phosphatio minerals and earths, for the purpose of rendering them soluble to serveas fertilizers.

Natural phosphates are not soluble in'wat'er, when applied to the soil, and therefore do not act as manures for nourishi g plants. V V

' Various attempts have been made to utilize phosphatic n'iinerelsand earths, bythe use of acids and other chemical applications, but, for practical purposes, no method of treatment has hitherto proved successful.

' Sonic simple and cheap process is desired, whereby the farmer or planter can avail himself of the valuable mineral deposits of phosphates which'are found in various parts of the country, and by rendering them soluble in water, can employ this important element of growth in plants for restoring and improving their exhausted lands, especially in .the southern States. v i I I My improved mode o'f treatment is extremely simple and cheap, and I have found by experience that it is efl'ectual in converting the insoluble natural phosphates into asoluble mineral that may be most advantage ously employed in mixing with other manures, for increasing the fertility of the soil. The phosphatic minerals or earths containing insoluble phosphorus in chemical combination, are placed in a furnace or kiln, and heated to a red heat, or the mass may be intermixed with charcoal, stone-coal, or wood,

in a heap, likea p'it for burning charcoal or roasting'ores; and when themass of mineral has been thoroughly heated up to a red or white heat, it is saturated with asolution of common salt, which may be done by plunging it into a vessel or tank containing saltwater, or pouring the water upon the mass until it is thoroughly saturated. This treatment converts the natural phosphates from an insoluble into a soluble stat e in water, whereby they maybe usefully applied to a soil as afertilizer.v p i Having thus described my invention, avhatI claim as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is- Uniting, \vhilo hot, phosphatic minerals orearths, with'a solution of common salt, (chloride of'sodium,) and t 'n art or whole, as and for the purpose herein described. I 7 P JOHN COMMINS.

Witnesses:

E. H. YATES, J. E. BunKE.