THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1867.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 259, 10 September 1867, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1867.

At no former period has chemical science rendered more valuable aid to practical industry than within the last few years. The most ponderous pre - cesses of metallurgy and mechanics, and the most delicate operations of skilled labor, have arrived at their present stage of perfection by means of the researches of scientific men. The discovery of new agents has wonderfully simplified andeconqmised manufacturing industry ; and although the grand results achieved are frequently the fruits of many previous failures, every asserted discovery, however incomplete} should receive the test of application. The treatment of ores and substances containing the precious metals has naturally been a favorite subject with chemists, and multitudinous processes of varying character have been proposed, many of which have proved effectual, but not of practical value— they have served to illustrate a theory but uqt an economic fact; and some have fulfilled every condition of utility.

Of the Litter class, probably none has been prgsente,d under mpre favorable prognosticatipns, or with greater evidence of practical value, than th,p admixture of .sodium with mercury so as to increase the affinity of the latter metal with gojd. Hitherto, quicksilver has been employed as the only agent by which particles of gold tpo fine for recovery by the ordinary process of j gravitation ;n water can be saved. . The 1 gold, as we are all aware, amalgamates with th.c quicksilver-, and is again liberated by the eyappratipn of the mercury,. But it has been ascertained that the prpperties of mercury as an amalgamating agent are liable to deterioration frpm a variety pf caiises — the pxidatieu pf the mercury itself, or the presence of other chetn jcal elements in I the ore treated. In cpnsequence pf this attenuatipn pf the po^yers of the merpury, much of the gpld escapes, and is lost ; it haviug been calculated that as much as 30 per cent, of the precipus atpms, on the average, are allowed to run pff with the waste pre or sand. Chemists have set themselves tp wprk to disepver an antidote fpr this " sick-eniug"—r-as it js technically termed — pf the mercury, and the result is that it has been demonstrated beyond doubt, that the admixture of sodium in certain quantities has the effect of increasing the amalgamating properties of the mercury, and.pf retaining them in full fojx-e tjirpughpu-fc the process. It is impossible to pver-estimate the value of this discovery, and although at present much experiment is necessary tp establish the exact method pf treatiug the vaiMPUs. aurifereus substances with the new agent,* it has been shpwn that it is capable pf effecting an enormous saving pf the precious* metal. Mpsfc pf our readers will be familiarised with the general features pf the discovery, and we cannpt ourselves pretend to any pther knowledge than that which is supplied tp us by the vatipus published reports pn the subject.' In our issue of the 6th July, we republished frpm the " Journal' of the Society of Arts" a very interesting and complete account of th e properties pf the sodium-amalgam j and the various prpcesses under which it had been proved to be effective. We intend to reproduce this article iv pur Saturday's issue, in order that .our mining readers may become possessed of the best'infiu'ination on the subject. The circumstance that a quantity of the amalgam has been imported by one of our local tradesmen makes it all the more desirable that we should endeavor to afford all the informatipn in pur power. The sodium-amalgam imported by Mr Williams is that prepared by Professor Crookes, F.R.S., of -London} to whom the discovery of the practical application of sodium to the extraction of gold is attributed. The amalgam is prepared of three different kinds — A B and C — the last of which are to prevent the flouring or powdering of mercury when the gold is intermixed with sulphurates. The first (A) is most powerful in increasing the affiuity between mercury and gold, and in bringing back sickened or floured mercury into a fluid state. The patentee, in his directions, states that the proper quantities of the several amalgams can only be fixed by experiment ; but he gives the following general directions :• — I therefore recommend that at the com. mencement one part of amalgam B or amalgam C being dissolved into thirty parts of the mercury which is to be used iv the goldamalgamating vessels, or triturating or grinding machine's, and the effect which it produces on the mercury noted from time to . time during the operation. If the mercury retains its brightness and activity to the end of the operation it is a sign that either sufficient or too much has been added, and a second experiment' should be tried with a diminished quantity of the amalgam. But if the mercury be "floured," or "sick," or if any be lost, more amalgam may be added until the best proportion is arrived at. Amalgam B will generally be found to be effective, but if the ore contains an excess of any mineral which has a deleterious action on the mercury, more especially if this mineral contains bismuth, it will be advantageous to employ amalgam C instead of amalgam B. When the best proportion of amalgam B or of amalgam C is found out, I advise the occa. sional introduction of some quantities of amalgam A into the mercury already containing amalgam B or amalgam C to 1000 parts of mercury. This, quantity of amalgam A can be added every three, six, twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four hour, according to circumstances ; but one charge of amalgam B or amalgam C will usually be sufficient for the mercury for several days of a week. In some circumstances it may be found advisable to add amalgam B or amalgam C every day or two, but a little experience and comparison with the results obtained in previous trials will soon show how these agents are best utilised. With i*egard to applying the amalgam tq the surface of copper-plates, he says : — By employing amalgam Am coarse powder, . and sprinkling it over the .petted, metallic

surface which it is wished to amalgamate, and then nibbing it over with a little clean mercury, a firmly ■ adherent and brilliant coating of mercury will be given to the metal. Not only can copper be amalgamated in this manner, but the game result is pro; duced on galvanised irpn, (iron coated with a thin layer of zinc), or tin plate (iron coated with a thin layer of tin), lead, and less perr fecfcly on iron ami steel. In all cases -it iq advisable to preserve the effective surface and the amalgamating energy of the mercury on the metal by ail qccasional sprinkling of powdered amalgam A, applied from time tp time as required. We have not space to devote to a lengthened revieiy of the experiments, but we have said sufficient to show tU& general character qf the discovery, and the principles of iisiug the new agent, and now that the material is within tjhe reach of the miners, we hope to be able 1 soon to chronicle successful experiments, in this district. We • may mention as an instance in prqqf of the value of the sodium r amalgam that at. the present time gold is being profitably extrapted from the Fingal quartz-reef, in Tasmania, which could not otherwise be saved at all. The stone from that reef does not show any gold to the eye, but by means of the sodium amalgam it is made to pay. We may conclude by stating that any person desirous of doing so can peruse the various reports on the sodium process by calling at the office of this paper.