A NEW COPPER PROCESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 185, 6 August 1900, Page 2

A NEW COPPER PROCESS.

PUKE METALLIC COPPER IN AN

HOUR.

(Prom Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, June 29

Few mining men can. boast a wider circle of friends or a more cosmopolitan experience that Mr Jack Wauchbpe. For fifteen years past "Jack'! has been on the track-of an easy, cheap and efficient method of extracting copper,' and after many disappointments he seems at last to have evolved a process that will revolutionise copper production. What is the value of a direct process applicable to all classes of copper ore save heavy sulphide, which will give an extraction so complete that the nitric test on the slimes gives no trace and has for its result pure metallic copper at a cost of less than 6s per ton? These results are claimed for Mr Wauchope's process, and the claim ia the result, not of laboratory experiments but of trials on a commercial scale extending over many months. The process is simplicity itself. The ore is crushed to "ten mesh" size and leached in the ordinary fashion, the solution used varying in strength and in composition according to the nature of the ore. The resultant liquid is then run off and the copper precipitated' either by Bcrap iron or electric current* The solution can be used over and over again—seven or eight times at anyrate—the loss in bulk at each operation being about ten pere cent. The chemicals used are extremely cheap, and the solution as.

ordinarily used can be drunk with impunity. The <.. .process is claimed to be ■ hjfltially good for sulphite ores.' Providing the sulphide element does not exceed five per cent, ores can be treated direct, the results being quite as good as in the case of less troublesome ores. But for heavy sulphides roasting has to be resorted to. Boasting- sulphide ores and leaching the pulp in cold water for the copper contents is of course an old method. The copper recovered by precipitation rarely, however, exceeds 80 per cent of pure metal. By using Wauchope's specially constructed furnace and then leaching the pulp with his solvent the precipitate is absolutely pure metallic copper. The furnace used by Mr Wauchope in the treatment of sulphides consists of a series of air-tight muffles. All volatile products evolved from the metal are held .imprisoned, until the sulphur elements have been chemically changed to a condition in which they will not burn when oxygen is admitted and united with them. The sulphur elements are changed from their hard crystallised sulphide form to a soft flacculent condition. By excluding the air until this conversion takes place, or the chemical combination is released only a very low temperature is required, viz., from 300 to 600 degrees of heat. This, of course, means a low cost for roasting, which under Mr Wauchope's system does not exceed 2s a ton. The sulphides are oxidised to sulphates in which condition they are soluble in water and easily leached out, and by using Mr Wauchope's solvent a precipitate of absolutely pure copper is secured; This precipitate In New York commands two cents, a pound more than bar copper. Mr Wauchope has four separate formulas and can leach the copper contents out of raw ores containing iron manganese with the exception of heavy sulphides in under three hours. He' has ■a small plant working now with a capacity of 25 tons per day. In this the precipitating medium is a weak electric current, the cathodes and anodes being copper and iron. The advantages claimed for the new process are high extraction, high percentage of copper precipitates, i.e., pure metallic, high price per ton of product simplicity and economy of plant, a complete, plant equal to treating 50 tons per day costing only aTjout £2500. Mr Wauchope's process has been investigated by a syndicate possessed of extensive copper properties in Namaqualand, and their satisfaction with it is best Evidenced by the fact that they are contemplating putting up a plant equal to treating 500 tons a day. SHAREMARKET. THE SHAREMARKET. . AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. TO-DAY'S QUOTATIONS. BUSINESS DONEJTallsman Consolidated .....10/ N.K. Crown :.12/ nnd 12/2 Koiuatft Reefs • V STANDARD STOCKS— Buyers. Sellers. .N.Z. Insurance — •• C 3/0 South British Insurance .... — .. t»/0 Stnudard Insurance 16/3 .. — N.Z. nnd River Plate (new).. 10/6 .. — N.Z. and River Plate (old) .. -- .. 10/0 Auckland Gas (old) 202/6 .. - Thames Gna ...' — •• 35/0 Glsborne Gas 38/0 .. - Northern Steamship;(cont.) .. — ..7/0 Devonport Steam Ferry 35/6 .. 37/0 Hlkurangt Coal 8/0.... 8/6 Tauplrl Coal 19/0 ..20/0 Sharland and Co. .......... 14/0 ..15/0 Northern Boot ......; 0/0 .: 10/0 L.OB. Timber 27/0 ... — MINING STOCKS-"" " Kuranul Caledonian 0/7 .. 0/11 Mahara Royal 0/3 .. — May Queen 1/3 .. 1/6 Mtiy Queen Extended 0/4 .. 0/0 Nexv Whau 0/1 .. 0/2 i Walotahl ..;. 26/0 ..30/0 Victoria.....; 0/1 ..0/2 Chelmsford 1/0 .. 1/2 Crown 11/0 ..12/9 Komata Reefs 1/10 .. 2/1 Talisman Consol. 9/9 ...10/6 Tatrua Broken Hills ........ 2/0 .. 2/6 Wnlhl 200/0 .. — Union Wathl ■~„'. - ..30/0 Wnlhl Extended ..j 0/8 ..0/10 Wa'tekaurl 53/6 ..56/0 Woodstock — .. 6/0 Bunker's HUI 0/6} .. 1/0 Foi r-in-JHand -- .. 3/3 Huurakl Freehold 0/3 .. -• Haurakl No. 2 0/0 .. -• Barrier Reefs ... 6/3 .. 7/3