14 



ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 



J H. RAE. 

 Improvement in Voltaic Amalgamators for Gold and Silver 



No. 123,932. Ptlenled feD. 20. 1872. 



3^A 



section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same in the plane y y. Fig. 3. Fig. 5 

 is a detached section of the washer in a larger scale than the first two figures. 

 Fig. 6 is a plan or top view of the same. 

 Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. 



This invention consists in the arrangement of a voltaic pile in the interior of 



3 sh«.s--sh«t 1. ^^ amalgamating-cylinder in 

 such a manner that, when 

 said cylinder is charged with 

 the pulverized ore, Cjuicksil- 

 ver, and proper chemicals, 

 and then revolved, the gal- 

 vanic current excited in the 

 pile materially promotes the 

 amalgamating process. Also, 

 in the arrangement of a rod 

 extending centrally through 

 the amalgamating - cylinder, 

 and forming the support of 

 the voltaic pile, the copper 

 elements of which connect 

 with one head, and the zinc 

 elements of which connect 

 with the opposite head of 

 said cylinder, in such a man- 

 ner that the elements are 

 securely retained and not lia- 

 ble to get out of position by 

 the revolution of the cylin- 

 der ; and at the same time 

 the voltaic pile offers the 

 least possible obstruction to 

 the revolving motion of the cylinder. Further, in the arrangement of one or more 

 voltaic cylinders in a receiving-tank which connects with an agitating-tub in such a 

 manner that the pulp discharged from said voltaic cylinder or cylinders can be washed, 

 and the floating particles of quicksilver contained therein can be saved. Also, in 

 combining the voltaic cylinders, the receiving-tank, and the agitating-tub with one or 

 more washers, composed of conical copper-lined vessels, each of which contains a hol- 

 low inverted truncated cone suspended from a water-supply pipe, and provided with a 

 large number of small holes in the bottom and lower part of its outer shell, in such 

 a manner that, by the up current of the jets of water discharging from said holes, the 

 particles of mercury still mixed with the tailings received in the washer are recovered, 

 while the tailings flow off through a copper-lined gutter, the copper lining of which 

 retains the last traces of mercury which may be still mixed with the tailings. 





