Another Gold-Saving Process.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5146, 15 July 1885, Page 3

Another Gold-Saving Process.

A farther impetus to the excitement which has prevailed in this district lately with regard to gold-Baying processes is likely to be given by the arrival here of Mr Henry Tapp, of London, who is the representative of the Gold Amalgamator Syndicate. Although entirely different from the LaMonte process, it has the same object in view, viz., the economic treatment of refractory ores, and at the same time preventing loss of mercury, which in the past has been a source of enormous loss in this district. Arrangements are being made to apply the process at once at the Prince Imperial battery, and we have no doubt that should the proposed experiments prove successful, the process will be adopted by other batteries. The process, as far as we have been able to gather, is remarkably simple, and the opinions of the London Press have been unanimous as to its value. Referring to the process, the Glasgow News says:—

" One of the latest developments of electricity is an invention which bids fair to revolutionize the great industry of goldmining. The ordinary process for separating the particles of gold from the foreign substances in connection with which the precious metal is found, is to pass the crushed ore, by means of a slow stream of water, over successive beds of quicksilver. The quicksilver absorbs all the gold which comes into contact with it, but, unfortunately, the surface of the quicksilver is constautly liable to be covered by a film, caused by the presence of copper and iron pyrites and various other substances. The effect on the quicksilver is technically termed 'sickening,' and destroys, for a time, its efficacy for absorbing gold. Owing to this a very large number of gold mines are unworkable at a profit. Mr Barker, a miniDg engineer, has discovered that an electric current passed through the quicksilver drives off instantaneously this film, and effectually contracts the 'sickening,' keeping the surface constantly bright and healthy. By this method, which was exhibited on a full-sized working model last week, before a number of scientific I gentlemen, as well as several prominent representatives of the gold-mining industry, the ore is washed over a series of I quicksilver beds, bridged over at a small I distance by copper plates or rods. The water forms the adjoining link the negative pole of the battery is connected with the quicksilver, while the positive pole is introduced into the water. By this means a constant current^ of electricity is kept" up. The foreign matters tending to ' sicken' the surface of the quicksilver are immediately repelled and washed away by the water, and the surface of the quicksilver bath kept in the best condition for absorbing the particles of golel. This result was shown also by a most interesting series of independent experiments, when mercury,which had been thoroughly •sickened' by being beaten up with oil until it was in small globules, was put under the influence of the electric current, and almost instantaneously expelled the oil, and resumed its normal condition. Tet another important influence is claimed for ..the electric force. By its action gold and silver are driven to the negative pole (which is the mercury itself) while the substances as sulphurets are decomposed, liberate the gold, and go to the positive pole, attracted by the copper. The best proof of the efficiency of the new process is to be found in the result of some assays made by Mr Fred. Ciaudet, of the Assay Offices and Laboratory, by which it appears that by the new process sand of the most obstinate character from certain Indian Mines has yielded quite an unprecedented return," J