MODERN PROCESSES OF GOLD EXTRACTION

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 98, 18 April 1885, Page 7

MODERN PROCESSES OF GOLD EXTRACTION

A paper was read before the Balloon Society recently by Dr Rowland Atcherley, describing two new inventions, which promise largely to reduce the loss from gold unextracted from theinineial^ manipulated, which is estimated to amount to no less than twelvo millions sterling annually . Dr Atch<rley intro-,' duced, first, an improved mercury amalgamating machine of his own, by ! which he largely increases the yield of gold, saving almost all the " float" cr u flower" gold, hitherto lost under the best processes. A still more important ; process was next treated of, the invention of Mr Henry B. Cassel, of Now York. By a very ingenious application of ekctricity with quicklime and common salt,' the most rebellious 1 of auriferous ores are 'compelled to ■ yield up their whole charge of precious metal, the rate of production, as proved by exhaustive tests iuaide in London during the past few weeks by Mr Casselj being about one ton of ore per hour for one small dynamo machine. The certified cost amounts to but a few shillings per ton, while the value of the gold gained averages 95 per cent, of all thafc the ore contains. ,A strong syndicate containing the heads of some if the greatest firms in Scotland has already purchased the patent rights of AJr Oassell and in a brief period it is proposed to set up a limited company with a very large capital to c-*rry out .the process on the largest scale. The' paper was followed by a discussion. There was *a general I consensus of opinion that both inventions were of the. highest value,' <_apd<a-[resolu-tion was^ unanimously passed, declaring 1 them worthy support. » ;^