US1657622A - A common-law - Google Patents

Description

Jan; 31, T928. D. c. HARE METHOD OF TREATING ORES Filed May 26. 19 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. C. HARE METHOD OF TREATING ORES .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1924 54 1 0014 boz LEW/0M6 14 0/22 (/3, Z wm 4M @1100: [WWW Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

1 UNITED STATES 1,657,622 PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD G. HARE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG-NOH, TO INTERNATIONAL REDUCTION COMPANY, 01 DENVER, GOLOBADO, A OOMMON LAW TRUST.

7 METHOD OF TREATING cans.

Application filed May 26,

This invention relates to improvements in methods of treating ores.

One of the primary objects of the invention'has been to devise an improved, simple, economic and effective method for the separation and recovery of desired elements,

from their ore bearing gangue or veinstone,

insolulfle to a soluble state,i11 which latter state they are then separated from the waste rocl-z by suitable steps hereinafter appearing.

The foregoing and other objects and advantag; s, however, will it is believed he so clearly apparent, as incidental to the follow ing disclosure, that it would serve no useful 'aurpose to more fully enlarge upon the same initially, but as the method itself may perhaps be better understood after a disclosure of suitable apparatus or a practical system for carrying forward the steps thereof, it will doubtless be preferable to first describe such means.

It may be said at the outset, however, that although i have illustrated varying modified arrangements, relatively to the roasting furnace unit or assembly, for uses under varying conditions, still the essential steps of the iii-ethod remain in all instances practically the same.

ll itli these prefacing remarks, therefore, reference will now be immediately had to the accon'ipanying drawings, illustrating certain practical embodiments of such a system apparatus, in which drawings l iguri-i 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through one form of roasting furnace unit and a plurality of associated tanks, receptacles or containers, couplediu there with and with each other,in series, under suctional force or vacuum head control; and Figures 2, 3 and d are fragmentary views, of the furnace end of the system, analogous to Figure l, but respectively illustrating slightly varying modified forms of the fun nace unit or assembly.

Referring first to Figure 1, the numeral. 5 designates a hopper, or a chute leading from an ore bin, which discharges into the upper 19%. Serial No. 715,871.

end of a continuously fed or charged furnace, it being observed that the lower wall of the element 5 closes the upper end of the furnace, and its discharge end may project well within the top of the furnace, to provide a substantial space (i above the body of finely divided ore in the furnace, although this latter feature may not be so essential to this type of furnace as it would be to the types of Figures 2 and 3, wherein an eduction conduit leads directly from said upper space.

The upper and lower wall portions of the furnace neednot be porous, but its intermediate portion or section 7 is formed of freely porous indurated substance, in such a manner preferably as to provide for in nuinerable minute tortuous air inlets therethrough, to permit of the free filtering of air from the exterior to the interior of the furnace. 'lhis could be accomplished by molding the intermediate section of a concrete or ceu'ientitious n'iinture, with salt adany suitable fluid, such as steam or a desired gas, into association withthe charge at the lower end of the furnace, when it is expedicut or desirable to do so, and 12 indicates a steam injecting pipe at the top of the furnace for dusting purposes, all of these pipes being under valved control as shown.

The lower open end of the furnace is controlled by any automatically functioning continuously discharging means, simply illustrated conventionally by a rotary disk closure 13 which has a conically formed top face. and its bottom face being provided with an annular rack associated with a mechani cally operated pawl 1 L, intermittently actuated to impart a step-bystep rotation to the bottom closure 13, as will be obvious.

in this type of furnace, as will be understood, combustion is started by delivering an initial charge of burning coals on top of a and free burningi Thereafter, the plug'is removed from the discharge opening of the hopper, and a continuous supplypffresh ore is delivered at the upper endof the furnaceas the mass is continuously discharged at the.lowerendthereof, COIlll-llll-llIlgfiDl'HbllStlOll being promoted by the *sulphurons 1 contents 'of the'ancommgore and the arr drawn lnto theifurnace throughits. intermediate porous Wall .section .7 the: latter owing .to a uniform suctlonal force being established throughout the'rroasting body. of the ore by virtue'ofan eduction.. co1 1duit, now to bev referred to, which leads or conveysolfall arising vapors, products and igasesof combustion into association. with: liquid; containing."separation tanks, preferably having battle elements therein,.,as. Willlat-er. more fully appear.

This-eduction conduit pipe embodies freely porous arm oriv section 15 pro ected downwardly wlthln the. furnace, belng closed i at its bottonnand. an. exteriorly. extending 'non-porousparm:or-section 16, open at its outer end, adaptedtobe projected Within. oneofa series of closed tanks orirecep taclest Thesaid porous. armmloginay be. formed in themanner as. suggested. with. reference to- .theporoiis section .7 of the furnace Theaforesaid receptaclesflndicated.at 17 18-E19-26, may eachbe provided with a coveredlhand hole opening. 21 at-their tops.

being also provideduwithoutlets illustrated as drawvsofi' cocks .22 at-their bottoms, While valve controlled; air. inlets. 23- i are provided on alhbut thehlastrtank,20,.or even on the lastttank if desired, and the employmentof these air inlet: pipes 23, or their equivalent,

often .proveto be material. factors, in the air regulation ;control, as. will later appear.

Theopenouterendof the arm 16-, ofthe eductionconduit, is projected to a positionslightly, above. the bottom'of the. tank-.17,

While. opensended pipes -24= and 25 provide communication: between. the upper interior andrthe lower interior of the immediately recedinmandsucceedin tanks res .ectivel 1 ED. b 7 c i of the series, Withthe exception that an analogous open-ended p pe 263 only provides communlcatlon .betweennthe upper interiorsof the slastrtwotanks of the series, indicated at 1920 the last tank 20 simply being. a

trap er. rip,-r-receptacle, Whereas the other receptacles function as. separation, absorption, condensing or precipitationtanks.

. The .lastrtankQO. ofztheseries, although it Will.:be-.understood that any suitablenumber of'tanks 171'8 '1 9.=may be employed, is in communicationatits upper interior with a vacuum head establishingsource, or suctional pressure. force, conveniently illustrated by the pipe section 27, which may be controlled by a damper 28, coupledwith a rotary suction device 29.

Each of the pipes 16 -2 l-25, at their outlet ends, is preferably provided with a lower freely perforated fixed balllc disk ill), or equivalent foraminate element, and with an upper fiotative battle disk 81, the latter beingshown as imperforate excepting for a central aperture for slidingly encompassing: its. complementary pipe support.

The functioning of these bafiie disks, and of the various piping described, will later more fullyappear, itbeing understood that the tanks 1718--19 are maintained partially filled-With Water, or. other suitable treating liquid, as indicated at 32--33-3l, while the liquid indicated at 35, in the lasttank 20, is merely the resultof any moisture trapped against passage through the suction device 529.

Inthe slightly modifiedarrangements of Figures 2, v3 and l, the same elements which are identical with those of Figure l are indicated-by the same reference numerals and require no additional description, the principles involved in all of the arrangements beingsubstantially the same, although a few minor alterations occur in the actual furnace structures and ;their direct equipment.

Forinstancc, the only differences between Figures 1 and :8 are that in Figure Zlthe furnace wall 36-is notshown as being freely porousand the porous-arm 15 of the ed uctio'n conduit is omitted,-the exteriorly located eduction .pipe arm 16 being in direct conimnnication with the space 6 above the charge of ore in'the furnace. In this arrangement Ll1:lS drawn in through the bottom opening of the furnace, but other air admission means could. lie-provided, and in fact the furnace Wall. could be made freely porous as in Figure '1,

Tn .Figure 2 provision is made for extornally applied lieat,.so that the furnace Wall 37 is encompassed by an outer subslimtially spaced Wall 38, forming the combustion space-on chamber-39, with the upper portion of the outer Wall lead i-ngto a stack and with itsloiverieird provided with air inlet openings 40,Wl1l0l1 may hare control means not. 1

shown, and. the burner openings 4-1, with Which-there are associateo any suitable type of fuel. injector burners.- illustratcd conventionally as oil burners 4-2. In this View a chute43 is shown leading into the top of the furnace, insubstitution-for a hopper end proper, and likeinFigure 3 the inner end of the eductionpipe: 16 directly comuiunicatesswith the space 6: above the charge of ore in the furnace.

Allof the furnaces of Figures 1 to I) are of the continuous feed type, but at Figure 4 the modification embodies an individually charged.furnace, supplying a. suitable supporting grate for the charge.

Qil

)- controlled as at 48.

As in Figures 2 and 3, the inner end of the eduction pipe 16 directly communicates with a. space above the charge of ore in the furnaee, which space in this instance is designated by the numeral 429, and the inside face of the top wall of the furnace may supply a further series of violet ray lamps 50, in addition to those indicated at 8 as being disposed around the roasting zone, or in substitution thereof.

The discharge ends of the pipes 10 and 11 for introducing suitable fluids, such as steam or gas when desired, into association with the base of the charge of ore, may enter through one or more 01? the inlets a7, and

a steam injector pipe 52, equivalent to the pipe 12 ot the other figures, may terminate in a freely perforated ring member 51, di posed within the space 4-9, providing downwardly disposed jet orifices for equalizing the distribution or moisture above the charge.

In operation, with all of the foregoing arrangements, during the initial stage of the recess the desired metals elements compounds thereor, or metallilierous matter generally, undergo the preliminary step of being converted from an insoluble to a soluble state, in the presence of suitable reagents, during the actual roasting operation, as distinguished from being prepared by roasting for subsequent treatment to cause their conversion into a soluble state. These soluble substances are either in the nature of sulphates or chloridesor both, dependent upon the reagents used, and also are either volatil ixable or not dependent upon the actual charactin' thereof and the degree of heat applied in the roasting. Furthermore, by my preferred method, a pressure force is maintained through the aforesaid cduction conduit tor conveying oil, by way of the arm 16, and delivering into asociation with suit able rceiving liquid, instance in the tanks 17-l9, the gases and other volatile products ar sing troin the roasting charge of ore, and this is preferably accomplished by establishing vacuum heads, as it were, above said receiving liquid, by any suitable means, such as the suctional elements 24: to 29 inclusive.

It follows that the volatilized metallic values which go over, in this distilling step, from the furnace through the pipe 16 into the tank 17, become finally separated from their as contained for entrained or entraining permanent gases, the

latter being washed out by the liquid contents 32-33-3 l and discharging through the suction device 29, and itbeing particularly emphasized that the said vaporized. metallic values are thus recovered or retained. in the tanks, owing to their being retarded and absorbed by said liquid, acting as a solvent, or as condensates or precipitates therein, in the form of metals or salts of metal. Condensing and precipitation may be aided in some instances by introducing a cooling medium, such as a' into the tanks by way of the inlets or valved pipe attachments 23; but these valveu inlets 23 serve for an even more important function, in that they may he en'iployed to adjust to a nicety the suctional force or vacuum-like heads over the liquid in the tanks, by the slight admission tom the shutting oil? of air therefrom, thereby more efl'ectively regulating the actual pull ol. the suction through the cnarge.

Separation augmented by the lower i oraniinate fixed battles 3O splitting up the vapors and gases, while the upper imperi'orate flotative ballles 31 divert and retard the flow of the bubbles formed, and thus provide for more effective absorption, con (l611Stll1lO 1,'()1 precipitation of the desired metallic values, as will be apparent, the lines of discharging flow being through the respective pipes 1624.2", for discharging beneath the lower battles 30, thence upwardly around and through said :loraminate lower bullies, and thence up *ardly and alon the underneath faces of the upper nnperrorate battles 31, escaping peripherally thercaround to the spaces thereabove, although some may also escape through the central aperture of each :flotative balllc.

As a matter oi actual practice, oft course, the roasted residue discharged irom the turnace may be, and as a matter of fact would be, put through any suitable leaching procfor the recovery ol its sulphates well as those chlorides which have not been volatilized. Even in those instances, however, where a larger proportionate recovery is to be obtained by leaching, as may be the case in the treatment of some ores, the auxiliary recovery attained by my method of additionally collecting all vaporized. metallic values, which ordinarily would otherwise be lost, becomes a very material factor in point o'l. saving, and hence the commercial success of the process.

The liquid in the tanks 17--ltl-19 may initially be water, an appropriate acid, a saline solution, or other suitable liquid, but during the process becomes, owing to the vaporized chlorides deposited therein, a solution o'l. chlorides in water, acid or other suitable liquid, from which separation may be directly efllected, or the solution from these tanks maybe deposited inassoeiation withlthe roaste'ddischarge from the furnace,

whereupon total recovery of the desired values .m'ay. be accomplished. by lea ching "in oneroperatiorrvor:series ofzoperations;

Regardless of any leaching operations,

however-pit will be obvious tliatth'e recovery of allivolatilized"metalliferous matter is of the" 'utmost importance, from the highly 'suctional force upon the charge being roasted also have much to do with the suc cess' ofith'e process, owing to the factthat a thoroughly'eifective and even roast must be obtained withian equalized distribution of air 'relatively to or between the particles of "crushed ore, asdistinguished from separated airch'annels being formed therethrough and as also distinguished from the air beingde- -livered over uponand, therefore, not being uniformly"distributed throughout the charge, whether or'not the air delivered over upon the charge, as in the prior art, be compressed air' or-"hea ted atmospheric air. theevolution and progress of gasesthrough the'clrarge-occurs in evenly balanced-or intimately distributed contact with the particles-thereof; resulting from the air being introduced into the actualbody of the roast i andbeing. uniformly drawn therethrough 35,, bythe action of said suctional force.

chlorine;isgeneratedin excess of the other gases which is sometimes desirable.

By" this treatment both sulphates and chlorides are formed some of which are soluble in water while others are only soluble ina saturated solution ofa suitable salt.

For instance lead sulphate is insoluble in any single acid and silver chloride is insol uble in acid whereas both are soluble in a saturated solution of commonsalt.

Nearly all chlorides are volatile in an atmosphere of chlorine gas or hydrochloric 55' acid gas; but since both sulphates and chlorides are ordinarily formed by the foregoing treatment it is necessary to leach the roasted residue to recover the sulphates therefrom aswell as any remaining chlorides; the volatilized chlorides having been conveyediofi'through the eduction conduit, before described,byvirtue of'the suctional force maintained therethrough.

If'a straight gold ore is to be treated, -however,rchlorine is wantedalmost exclu- In my case,

sively;' but, assulphur is nearly always present, the conditions for the evolution of chlorine should be created by the addition of some reagenttha-t forms a third product capable of reacting with the chlorine. Carbon isa suitable agent for thisaction, carbon tetrachloride being formed, and this action is more favorable than any such action that in its absence, would otherwise produce sulphur chlorides. In this case it would be expected to almost entirely if not wholly volatilize the gold contents, and accordingly a dry charge would preferably be used in any of the furnaces shown.

lVhere, however, a complex ore is being treated, such as one carrying gold, silver, lead and copper or zinc, it would depend on which of the values predominated, whether or:nota greateror lesserdegree of volatilization was desired, and also the form under which any or all of the values were wanted. Under such conditions, a fairly high temperature would be maintained. and, if steam is not too plentiful, some of the more volatile chlorides would be vaporized and conducted oif but most of the chlorides would remain in the charge together with the sulphates of the base metals formed, having been converted in the roasting operationitself, however, from their insoluble to a soluble state.

Furthermore, it is believed to be apparent that, in all cases, the action, results and savings attained are superiorly eli'ected where a suctional force is established through the charge, as contemplated by my method, owing amongst other obvious reasons to the reduced pressure in the furnace; and accordinglyI claim this feature of converting the metalliferous values, of the roasting mass, from an insoluble to a soluble state, during the actual roasting step, by the employment ofsuitable reagents and the introduction of air directly into the body of and its uniform distribution throughout said roasting mass, by the application of a suctional force upon the roasting charge, and particularly so where such suctional force is established through the liquid of a liquid containing tank, especially with said suctional force being under regulable air admission and shutting oil control at the liquid containing tank zone, for the separation of the metallic values from the volatilized matter drawn 01f from said charge.

As before suggested, the generation of the treating gases within the charge may be effected by the introduction of salt or calcium chloride, but it is to be understood that there maybe added any suitable catalytic agents, such as manganese dioxide, vanadic acid, or cerium nitrate, and it is also to be understood thatthe treating gases, such as chlorine, or an additional supplythereof, if desired, may be introduced into association with the charge from an external source, such as by means of one of the pipe lines 10, or 1l,the other pipe line being utilized for the supply ing of steam as desired. Where the lamps before referred to are employed, the chlorine will be highly activated by the ultra-violet rays emanating therefrom.

The catalytic agents either help the action of these treating gases or break them up with the formation of chlorides and sulphates of the metals, and if thetemperature is high enough,with the charge comparatively dry, then the chlorides are more volatile and such as become vaporized Will be conveyed oif by Way of the eduction conduit, as before men tioned, While the discharged roasted residue is subsequently treated by leaching to recover any remaining chlorides and the sulphates contained in association With the discharged material.

Some metals are volatilizable in a stream of hydrochloric acid gas, and for this reason a certain degree oflatitude must be exercised in the use of an appropriate mixture that will properly yield the desired treating gases,

. Without the generation of other gases of such volume as to interfere With the desired acaction. Analogously, other gases may be dependent, u on Whether the major portion of the metal iferous values are to be volatilized and conveyedofl, or are simply to be converted into soluble chlorides and sulphates, during the roasting step, to be recovered by leaching, with only a minor portion of the chlorides becoming actually vaporized and conveyed oif, dependent upon the heat applied and other conditions.

Having thus fully disclosed my improved method, and a practical systematic con1bination of means for carrying forward the steps thereof, it will nevertheless be understood that I do not necessarily confine myself to all of the details exactly as disclosed, excepting as they may come Within the terms or tenor of the claims, or equivalent steps, or as fairly interpretedin the lightof the specification if necessary.

What I do claim, as new and patentable,

1. A methodoftreating finely divided ores which embodies thesteps of roasting theore in the presence of appropriate reagentmatter While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, and conveying oft all volatilized matter, for treatment to recover the desired values time of, by a suctionaleduction force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast as to cause the treating gases andsaid air to be uniformly drawn in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, for more effectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting step.

2. A method of treating finely divided ores Which embodies the steps of roasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagent matter While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, conveying off all volatilized matter, for treatment to recover the desired values. thereof, by a suctional eduction force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast as to cause the treating gases and said air to be uniformly drawn in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, for more efliectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting step, and leaching out the remaining desired values from the residue roasted ore.

3. A method of treating finely divided ores Which embodies the steps of roasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagent matter While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, and conveying off all volatilized matter to and through an appropriately closed treating bath, for recovering the desired values of said volatilized matter, by a suctional eduction force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast, through the medium of said bath, as to cause the treating gases and said air to be uniformly drawn in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, for more elfectively eonverting metalliferous matter thereof to a solublestate during said roasting step.

4. A method of treating finely divided ores which embodies the steps of roasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagent matter While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, conveying all volatilized matter to and through an appropriately closed treating bath, for recovering the desired] values of said volatilized matter, by a suctional educ tion force that is so impressed upon said roast, through the medium of said bath, as to cause the treating gases and said air to be uniformly drawn. in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, for more effectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting step, and appropriately treating the residue ore from the 1 60 l therefrom.

65 over a;,.substantial area rat a. lower leaf/ 622 ,substantiaharea iat a lowerposition" thereof, .oonveying all .volatilized matter to and gthroughfian appropriately closed treating bath,,,for recoveringithe desired values of 36 J said ivolatilized. matter, by .a suctional educi tion forcethat is so evenlyiimpressed upon said roast, through the medium ofsaid hath, iasto causethe treating gases .andlsaid air to \be unitonmly drawn in a permeatingdis- ,tributed manner: through the actual interior gbody. of the roast, for more effectively conyerting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble ,lstate .during ;said roasting step, i, and lleachingi'out the remaining desired -va-lues 1,15 gfromi the resi due, roasted ore, the said treating bathwith its contents-being employed in said leaching, step.

-;6. Amethod .ot treating finely divided ores =Whichembo1dies thesteps of] roasting the ore a in the presence -o'l.:appropriatemeagent mat fi ter avhile supplying Fairto the: interion body of the roast, convey-ingizall volatilizedmatter to and through anappropriately closed liquid treating bathby a suctional eductionitorce established through said 1 roast, maintaining vacuumrlike head under suotional rtorce overjsaid. bath ,liquid for Withdrawing through said bath liquid! the formed per-inanent lgases,. as relieved of the desired-values LBOretained insaid bath, and forwestablishing the, aforesaid eduction force through said 1 roast, and regulating the 'suctional force of (said vacuum-likehead by airelativeslight admission of air to andthe shutting off of airtherefrom.

' ,7. Asmethod of treating ,tinely divided ,ores which embodies the steps of, roasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagent matter .ivhile supplying.- air to, the i, roast over 140 q {a substantial area iatfla loiver position 2 thereof, conveying all volatilized matter toqiand ;.through., an appropriately. closed: liquid treatjingbathbysa suctional eductionforcetllatiis 7 lso QVQIIlYQlJIHJIGSSGCl upon said roast; as ,to

46 nause the treating gases-andsaid air. to be. uni- ;iiormlydraivn in a permeating -distributed ;.manner through the actual interior; bodyof (the roast, for more =efiectively converting ;-me,ta1liferous 1natter thereot to a soluble E 50 state duringsaid; roastingsstep,maintaining a vvacuum-likehead under suctional force overvpsaid bath liquid for withdrawing through said liquid the formed permanent ,gases, aslrelieved ofthe desired values-re n5 .tained in saidbath, aud tor, maintaining the vaforesaid eduction 1 force! through said roast, .jand regulating the suctional force of said vacuum-like head; by a relative slight; admission of air to and the shutting; off not air 8. A method of treating gfinely. divided =ores which ,embodies :the steps of roasting v,the ore in the ;presence of appropriate ireiagentmatter While supplyinguainto, the-roast iposition i thereof, i conveying: all vol-utilized matter to and. through an appropriately, closed liquid treating bathby a vsuctional eduction force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast .iasto cause the. treating gases and said, air to be uniformly drawn i-n-a permeating distributed manner throughthe actual interior body ottheroast tor more efl'ectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting-step, maintaining avacuumslike head under suctional force oveizsaidrbath liquid for withdrawing i through said 1 liquid the formed permanent gases, asirelieved of. the desired values retained in said batlnand fonmaintaining the aforesaid eduction ,force, through. said-roast, regulating the suctional force. of said .vac- .uum-like head by ag-relative slightadmission of fllfllZOtfiDCl the shutting (iii ,ofair therefrom, and appropriately treating the resin-dueore from the roast fonrecoveringthe remaining desired values therein.

9. A method of treating ,finely divided orcs which embodiesthesteps of roasting the i ore in the presence of appropriate il'C- iagent matter while supplying iair tov the .roastover a substantiaharea at a lowenpositionthereof, conveying. :allx volat'ilized: 111t1tter to and throughtin appropriately closed liquid: treating bath day :a :suctional eduction force that is so evenly impresseduponsaid roast, as a to cause; the treating-gases:and said air tOrrbG uniformly drawn ina= permeating distributed ima-nner I through the actual interioribody jof the. roast, ;for: more efiectivcly converting metalliferous matter thereoztito a a Soluble state ,duringisaid roasting step, maintaining:iaavacuunlrlike head under suctional iitorce over; said-bathiliquid for withdrawing therethrough :the formed permanent gases,

as relieved of the desiredivalucs;retained in said batlnsand :for maintaining the afore- .=sai d.eductionzforce through said roast, regulating the ,-.suctional force i of said xvacuumlike head by arrelative slight admission of air. toand the shutting otfof .air therefrom, and leaching out the remaining desired values from: the residuezroasted; ore, the said treating bath :with its contents being r employed, in; said leaching step.

10.,A method ofitreating finely divided sores which embodies the steps of roasting :the oreimthepresencemt appropriate reagents includingichlorine gas, while the said chlorine gas is being activatedby ultra-.vi0 ilet'ray elnanatiions and avhile-supplying air to the interior of the roast, and conveyingall volatilized mattertoqand through an appropriately closed treating bath, forrecovering the desiredvalues; ofsaid volatil-ized matter,

day a suctional eduction force established through said .bath andithrough said roast by Way; .ofw said: bath.

.11. ,;A iinethod .of treating finely divided ores iwhich embodies l thewsteps oi iroasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagents including chlorine gas, While the said chlorine gas is being activated by ultra-violet ray emanations and While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, and conveying all volatilized matter to and through an appropriately closed treating bath, for recovering the desired values of said volatilized matter, by a suctional eduction force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast, through the medium of said bath as to cause the treating gases and said air to be uniformly drawn in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, fhr

more effectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting step.

12. A method of treating finely divided ores which embodies the steps of roasting the ore in the presence of appropriate reagents including chlorine gas, While the said chlorine gas is being activated by ultra-violet ray emanations and While supplying air to the roast over a substantial area at a lower position thereof, conveying all volatilized matter to and through an appropriately closed liquid treating bath by a suetional force that is so evenly impressed upon said roast as to cause the treating gases and said air to be unitto 'mly drawn in a permeating distributed manner through the actual interior body of the roast, for more effectively converting metalliferous matter thereof to a soluble state during said roasting step, maintaining a vacuum-like head under suctional iforce over said bath liquid for Withdrawing through said liquid the formed permanent gases, as relieved of the desired values retained in said bath, and for maintaining the aforesaid eduction force through said roast, and regulating the suctional force of said vacuum-like head by a relative slight admission of air to and the shutting off of air therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

DONALD C. HARE.

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