Gold-Savins Appliances.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5142, 10 July 1885, Page 3

Gold-Savins Appliances.

HITMTHCftTON AND KoCHs PATENT Amalgamator. -

This amalgamator has recently attracted a good deal of attention, particularly in tbe Sandhurst district, where, it is said, the new process at a competitive trial gave an increase of 20 per cent, more gold than the usual appliances. The patentees are Mr A. K. Huntingfcon, professor of metallurgy in King's College, London, and Mr J. E. O. Kooh, who has recently arrived in this colony from England, with the object of disseminating information respecting the contriVance. The following description has keen supplied by the latter gentleman : — The Htmtington and Koch amalgamator consists of a cast-iron vessel or pan, which has an outlet at the bottom for runniDg off the amalgam or emptying the amalgamating metal from the pan ; also several outlets at the top, through which the tailings are discharged. Passing down the centre of the pan is a vertical pipe, into which the ore or tailings are fed through the fixed hopper. They are then discharged, or sucked, into the amalgamating metal from the pipe by means of the tubular arms or nozzle, made of a tapering ovate form, with an elongated slit on the hinder side relatively to tbe direction of rotation. These arms create a vacuum in passing through the amalgamating metal. A stationary pipe or sleeve prevents the contact of the revolving pipe and the amalgamating metal. Attached to the sleeve are vertical and horizontal screens, to prevent the rotation of the amalgamating metal, and to ensure the mingling of ore or tailings with same. In operating with the apparatus, the ore or tailings, after being crushed in a battery or other suitable appliances, are delivered continuously into the hopper ; then they descend the revolving pipe, and are ejected from the slits of the arms, so that they are mingled with and raised through the amalgamating metal. The worked material, being discharged through the outlets, revolves thence to a pan containing rakes revolving at a slow speed 5 from this they are discharged to the tailing heaps. Either mercury, when ore is crushed wet, or molten lead, with dry pyrites can be used asp the amalgamating metal in this apparatus. On upwards of 100 tons of ore put through, in competition with ordinary appliances at Sandhusrt, tbe results were, according to the nature of the ores, from 1133 to 18*2 per cent, more gold than from batteries with tables, ripples, blankets, etc. All the workings were publicly conducted, and the machine has been unanimously pronounced to be the best amalgamator ever seen in the colonies, and the only amalgamator capable of treating tailings efficiently and economically. The cost of working does not exceed that of present appliances, and with a plant specially erected for its use the cost will be materially lessened. The machine can be connected with batteries, doing away with all tables, ripples, blankets, etc. With ores containing pyrites, a very large percentage of gold therein is saved. In late working, the pyrites in tailings showed there was not sufficient gold left to pay for treatment.