THE REDUCTION OF CHLORIDE ORES

1880 Science  
For the benefit of those not familiar with the processes of reducing gold and silvcr ores, a brief cxplanation of what is meant by " free milling," an expression so often used by mining mcn, may not be out of place. In separating, by amalgamation, the precious metals from gangue or waste rock with which they are almost always associated, it is necessary to the success of the process to present the particles of gold or silver contained in the orc to ttic mercury with wvhich they are to be
more » ... , in such form that the latter can scizc upon thein readily. If these metals always occurred in nature in their pure metallic state, this would be a very easy matter. In free millitg gold orcs it is frequently only necessary to place ttic (luicksilver beneath tile stamps of the l)batterv in wlhicil the ore is cruslied, and u,pon ali inclined copper plate over which the pulp is carried by wvater after it leaves the battery. The stamps, by reducing the rock to fine particles, release the minute scales and crystals of gold, which are readily taken up by the (quicksilver, whlile tile rock, for Nvilicil the mercury lias no afflnity, is carried away as " tailings." liut silver rarely occurs in a native or pure metallic state. It is ulsually miixed withl clorine, lead, iron, sulphur, manganese, copper, antimloinyilndl otlier base metals, and is found in tile forin of cilloride of silver, argentiferous galena,
doi:10.1126/science.os-1.11.119 pmid:17844128 fatcat:h5vnesf4onhrdkmsrqf5f3f33i