PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. 357 



was a kind of soap, but tlie source of the carbon and hydrogen present 

 was very obscure, although it is probable that a certain amount of 

 hydrocarbon oil may have found its way into the electrolyte. 



Before the analysis was done the substance was washed with water, 

 then dilute sulphuric acid (one part acid to eight parts water), again 

 washed with water, and finally three times with ether and dried. 



Unfortunately for science, in a smelting works not much time can 

 be found for chemical research work ; it is usually enough if the diffi- 

 culties which occm* are successfully overcome. 



Nichd. — This metal is often present in copper ores to a small 

 extent, but its elimination by the ordinary smelting process is never 

 complete. The electrolytic refining of copper containing it, however, 

 gets over the difficulty. The presence of nickel to a small extent does 

 no harm to commercial copper ; if present in larger quantities, it makes 

 the copper less malleable. The elimination of nickel takes place from 

 the first smelting operation, then through the treatment of the regulus 

 and refining operations. From the results of experiments on various 

 processes, with a view to the elimination of this metal out of a rich 

 regulus or " regule " containing 78 per cent, to 80 per cent, copper on 

 to the blister copper stage, the ordinary Welsh roasting process gives 

 the lowest result ; next to that comes the direct refining process of 

 Messrs. NichoUs & James ; then the process worked out by Mr. Rogers, 

 A.R.C.Sc, F.I.C., and myself, which gives a better elimination of this 

 element than either of the other two. This process has been patented 

 in my name, and in the treatment of regule consists in crushing the 

 regule down to from fin. to |in., wetting it thoroughly with water, and 

 charging it into an iron converter-pot, on the perforated bottom of 

 which a small fire is burning ; then forcing air through the charge until the 

 whole mass becomes red hot, due to the burning of the sulphur. The 

 product is then tipped, broken up, and sent to the refining furnaces direct. 



Taking the ordinary Welsh roasting process as one, the elimination 

 of nickel by these three processes is as follows : — Welsh process, 1 ; 

 Nicholls & James', 1-5 ; McMurtry's, 1-87. 



In the electrolytic refining; of copper containing nickel one sees the 

 statement that this metal dissolves and goes into the electrolyte. This is 

 undoubtedly true in most cases ; but I have known it largely to go into 

 the slime, and in such a form that it could not be readily got out again. 



The following is an analysis of a product which came down with 

 the slime in refining, and consisted of bright yellow scales or very thin 

 plates, which could be comparatively easily separated from the heavier 

 parts of the mud containing the gold and silver : — 



Copper 27'75 



Kickel lS-00 



Arsenic 1 1 "51 



Antimony 9 -9.5 



Lead 7-92 



Iron 3-37 



Zinc 4-14 



Silver 1-69 



84-33 



