Volume 34 (1877) (434 pages)

An Illustrated Journal of Mining, Popular Science and General News. BY DEWEY & CO., Patent Solicitors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1877. VOLUME 2XAIV. IWumber 1. (Copyrighted. ) Mechanical Ore Concentration and Sep* aration—No 16. {Written for the Passs by Francis M. F. Cazix, M.E., Santa Fe, Mexico. ] Regulation of the Plunger. As all sizes do not require the same amount of upward vertical stream or lift, and as by experience it has been ascertained that different sizes do require a different speed in the repetition of these lifts, I will give the rule for regulating lift of plunger and their number per minute, being the number of revolutions of the driving pulley. This rule is: the coarser the size the higher the lift; the finer the size the quicker the motion should be. One millimeter size works well with 120 strokes per minute. The limit for the lift is recognized by observing the ovarflow from one sieve to the other. This overflow should allow the particles of ore or rock to pags freely over the partitions without sticking to their top edge. The machinery of the automatic continuous one-plunger jig is so arranged as to allow a change of lift from oneeighth of an inch to two inches and a half lift, and the safest as well as easiest way to determine on the proper lift with this easy regulation is to teat it. An easy, rants flow, without jumping and splashing of the surface of the water, 18 a strong indication of an appropriate lift, The limits within which the machine permits variation have been determined by theory as well as practice, but the balance practice would do. Nevertheless, it may be interesting to the practical man also to ascertain how theory and practice have to combine in order to réach the result of success. I therefore indulge here in a specimen of theory. Table Showing the speed of vertical stream of water required in order to keep in suspension therein round particles of galena, iron pyrites and quartz of different diameter: #. ___ DIAmerer tN MILLIMETERS, MINERAL,. 5; 201 8] 6) 47 37 27 iT dt a? . SPEED IN METERS PER SECOND. Galena,. 7.5 ) 1,31 . 1.17 . 1.02 . 0.83 . 0,72 . 0.59 . 0.41 . 0.29 Tron Pyrites . 50 . 1.05 . 0.92 . 0.79 } 0.65 . 0.56 . 0.46 . 0.32 . 0,25 Quartz.. 2.6 . 0.63 . 0.56 . 0.49 . 0.40 . 0.35 . 0.24 . 0,20 . 0.14 A round particle of galena, two millimeters or one-twelfth inch in diameter, will be kept in suspension in a vertical apyerd water stream, have a speed of 590 millimeters per second or 35, millimeters per minute. Supposing lunger and sieve to be of equal size, and 120 ull strokes or 240 half strokes per minute, each half stroke should theoretically measure 1474 millimeters, or nearly sixinches. Now, practice proves that with 120 full strokes a minute, two millimeters galena will not only be suspended but be raised by a lift of five-eighths of an inch or 15 millimeters. The material resting on the sieves and intercepting the water, therefore acts so as to accelerate the stream produced by the plunger to twenty times its original speed, allowing only one volume of water to be present when 19 volumes of material are raised. But practice agai proved that five times the hight of lift is the proper amount of material on the sieves; it shows that only one-quarter part of the volume of water is active in the vertical stream at the time within the material and the other three-quarters either approaching from below, or flowing over with the horizontal stream. Once these figures established, the consequences for other sizes and materials can be drawn from the above table. Thus it takes half the ppped to keep quartz suspended, or the Same speed will carry it double the distance; or it takes four to five times the size of quartz for one of galena to remain together on the sieves and not to separate. This peculiar motion has produced such close and excellent work ag is produced by no other motiqg, either eccentric or elastic, For the good reasons stated before I abstain to enter on a further detail concerning the special construction of the one-plunger jig, but let a correspondent of the New York dining Journal, & mining ‘engineer from Freiberg, Saxony, deliver an opinion upon it (Vol. XVI, No. 24): ‘All those who have had the opportunity to observe the working of mineral-dressing arrangements will, like me, appreciate the importance of the fact that the one-plunger. jig, as it is, accommodates itself to all the emergencies and necessities occurring, not only by a variation in the quality of ore and percentage of valuable material, but also to the use of one and the same apparatus for treating different sizes. Moreover, the practical engineer will appreciate that all the motions in the machinery of the one-plunger jig are correct, and do not involve those small but frequently recurring irregularities, resulting in friction and wear, as in all jigs in which plungers are fastened in their center to an oscillating crank or an eccentric. There is no apparent reason why the velocity or number of lifts with such a regular and unimpeded motion should not be increased, there being no other limits to this than the consisKEMP'S IMPROVED tency of the material out of which the parts are constructed.” In working this or any other jig certain points are to be observed in order to procure satisfaetory results. 1 will mention them here. The stroke (by screw passing lengthways through the revolving crank and wrist) and the entire number of revolutions being properly regulated, work may begin. It is here to be stated that the crank, p, should describe the upper part (two-thirds approximately) of its revolution when the oscillating crank, /, with the rod, J, are raised, because thereby the stroke of plunger presses the water up through the sieve in (one-third) revolution and allows The Bed on the Jig-Sieves. When the work of the jigging machine is begun the material on the sieve is mixed, as well as the ore in general. Thus light parts as wellas heavy parts are lying immediately on the hottom of the sieve, and will lie directly on the bottom as logg as there is not a sufficient amount of heavy material to cover the entire bottom of the sieve, the light parts continuing to drop after the heavy parts have reached the bottom. No useful effect can be attained unless there is on each sieve sufficient heavy substance to cover the entire sieve bottom. This at once proves the necessity of a bed of heavy material on each sieve of such size as will force it to remain there. The bed can be provided by covering the sieve bottom with a layer of gun-shot of a size a little larger than the meshes of the wire-cloth (sieve) and, indeed, a bed of gun-shot is recommendable on account of causing less wear and tear of sieves, than the immediate contact of mineral with less even surface than shot. With such a bed the jig will act. properly right from the start of its motion. In case no shot bed is provided the jig can only be made to work properly by letting the heavy parts accumulate so as to cover the entire bottom of the sieve. Buiiion Suipments.—Since our last issue shipments from the prominent mines have been been as follows: Modoc, December 26th, $5,500; total to date, $88,090; Calaveras, 26th, $1,700; Leopard, 28th, $5,200; Tybo Con., 25th, $10,245.65; total to date, $47,671.75; Ophir, 28th, 3 bars—value, $11,643.30; Manhattan, 26th, 12 bars—value, $12,404.40; California, 28th, 38 BOILER CLEANER. bars—value $160,113.73; total to date, $605,469.10; Con. Virginia, 28th, 25 bars—value, $92,187.30; since dividend, $190,740.68; Northern Belle, 26th, $10,805.56: California, 30th, $93, 617.79—-to date, $699,086.89; Con. Virginia, 30th, $25,209.47—since dividend, $215,950.15; Chollar, 29th, $6,474.33, 30th, $8,012.06; Manhattan, 30th, $14,800; Northern Belle, 28th, $11,597.22—total to date, $109,628.58; K. K. Con., 30th, $4,000, total for December account, $55,000; Manhattan, January 2d, $13,400; Modoc, Dee. 30th, $12,320; Con. Virginia, Jan. 2d, $42,055.33—since dividend, $258,005.48; California, Jan. 2d, $98,546.74 total to date, $797,633.63; Tybo Con., Dee. 28th, $1],351.75—to date, $59,023.50; Modoc, Jan. Ist, 232 bars, value, $6,000—total for December, $18,320; Northern Belle, Dec. 31st, $14,567.27; Chollar, Jan. 2d, 6 bars, $15,496.18; Justice, Dec. 16th, $89,617; 25th, $66,052, Jan. 2d, $54,295—to date, $209,964. A pispatcr from Salt Lake claims the mineral exports from Utah Territory in 1876 to be a little over $6,000,000. Mr. Valentine’s estimate places the product at $5,207,919. Tue Coso Mining News says: The town of Cerro Gordo has lost its former prosperity. The streets seem almost deserted, and many business houses are closed. Kemp’s Boiler Cleaner. From no cause arises more serious danger, annoyance or damage to steam boilers than from the accumulations of mud, even from the purest waters, necessitating a frequent cleaning; and from the formation of scale upon tubes, flues or bolts, leading to a burning and destruetion of the iron; and when this extreme is not reached, leading to the consumption of largely increased quantities of fuel without corresponding benefits. The invention illustrated herewith has, after three years’ test, demonstrated the feasibility of obviating all the annoyance, risk and expense arising from the deposit of mud, scale and sediment, even from the most turbid waters, or those most strongly impregnated, either with lime, magnesia, gypsum, or the many other mineral substances so often met with by those who use steam. The automatic boiler cleaner gnd mud extractor acts upon the well known principle that all sediments in water arise first to the surface as a scum, when separated from a condition of solubility by the process of boiling. The experiment of drawing off this scum by a surface cock answered the purpose but martial for the reason that the scum was constantly forming, while the surface cock could not constantly be kept in operation. The boiler cleaner, on the contrary, is always at work, and the blowing-off process need be repeated only so often as experience shows an undue collectiou of sediment in the reservoir, A, which is situated on the arch wall, or other convenient point above the shell of the. boiler. From the reservoir, pipes D, B, passing through the shell of the boiler, are arranged; D being a straight pipe, terminating several inches below the water line, while the pipe B connects with a vertical pipe, to the ends of which are attached peculiarly shaped mouths, C, C, placed in such osition as at all times to be partially submerged. When the water is heated, a current is at once established through the mouths, C, C, pipe B, and reseryoir A, returning to the boiler through the pipe D, assisting the action of heat!in agitating the water in the boiler and creating a current, which still further prevents the impurities from precipitating. The scum upon the surface is drawn into the mouths, C, and passes through the pipes, but reaching the reservoir the current expands and is partially broken, and the sediment and impurities at once deposit and may be drawn off at pleasure by the pipe Z. The removal of the sediment leaves the water free from that which would form scale, and, in case of old or very dirty boilers, it is found that when new deposits cease the water soon finds its way under existing deposits, and old scale drops freely to the bottom, leaving the iron perfectly uncoated, The invention has been thoroughly tested, and is fully warranted to do its work efficiently, and in no case have those who haye used them withheld a certificate of their value to all who use steam. Indeed, so thoroughly have they commended themselves that unauthorized persons are found in many localities representing themselves as the inyentors, or agents for the inventor. Our readers should beware of purchasing from any person not having due authorization from James F. Hotchkiss, Bay City, Michigan, sole owner of the patents, and from whom any further particulars may be obtained. THERE was only one cloudy day last month, and for the first time within the memory of the oldest inhabitant it wasa December without even a sprinkle of rain. The comparative temperature was fifty-three degrees, two degrees lower than in the corresponding months of the two previous years. Tue San Francisco mint coined over $10,000,000 more in 1876 than in 1875, The total outturn since the mint commenced operations in 1854 is $452, 306,600. Tur flow of water at the bottom of the C. & C. shaft is very strong, averaging about 45 miner's inches measurement.

An Illustrated Journal of Mining, Popular Science and General News. BY DEWEY & CO., Patent Solicitors, SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1877. VOLUME 2XAIV. IWumber 1. (Copyrighted. ) Mechanical Ore Concentration and Sep* aration—No 16. {Written for the Passs by Francis M. F. Cazix, M.E., Santa Fe, Mexico. ] Regulation of the Plunger. As all sizes do not require the same amount of upward vertical stream or lift, and as by experience it has been ascertained that different sizes do require a different speed in the repetition of these lifts, I will give the rule for regulating lift of plunger and their number per minute, being the number of revolutions of the driving pulley. This rule is: the coarser the size the higher the lift; the finer the size the quicker the motion should be. One millimeter size works well with 120 strokes per minute. The limit for the lift is recognized by observing the ovarflow from one sieve to the other. This overflow should allow the particles of ore or rock to pags freely over the partitions without sticking to their top edge. The machinery of the automatic continuous one-plunger jig is so arranged as to allow a change of lift from oneeighth of an inch to two inches and a half lift, and the safest as well as easiest way to determine on the proper lift with this easy regulation is to teat it. An easy, rants flow, without jumping and splashing of the surface of the water, 18 a strong indication of an appropriate lift, The limits within which the machine permits variation have been determined by theory as well as practice, but the balance practice would do. Nevertheless, it may be interesting to the practical man also to ascertain how theory and practice have to combine in order to réach the result of success. I therefore indulge here in a specimen of theory. Table Showing the speed of vertical stream of water required in order to keep in suspension therein round particles of galena, iron pyrites and quartz of different diameter: #. ___ DIAmerer tN MILLIMETERS, MINERAL,. 5; 201 8] 6) 47 37 27 iT dt a? . SPEED IN METERS PER SECOND. Galena,.. 7.5 ) 1,31 . 1.17 . 1.02 . 0.83 . 0,72 . 0.59 . 0.41 . 0.29 Tron Pyrites . 50 . 1.05 . 0.92 . 0.79 } 0.65 . 0.56 . 0.46 . 0.32 . 0,25 Quartz... 2.6 . 0.63 . 0.56 . 0.49 . 0.40 . 0.35 . 0.24 . 0,20 . 0.14 A round particle of galena, two millimeters or one-twelfth inch in diameter, will be kept in suspension in a vertical apyerd water stream, have a speed of 590 millimeters per second or 35, millimeters per minute. Supposing lunger and sieve to be of equal size, and 120 ull strokes or 240 half strokes per minute, each half stroke should theoretically measure 1474 millimeters, or nearly sixinches. Now, practice proves that with 120 full strokes a minute, two millimeters galena will not only be suspended but be raised by a lift of five-eighths of an inch or 15 millimeters. The material resting on the sieves and intercepting the water, therefore acts so as to accelerate the stream produced by the plunger to twenty times its original speed, allowing only one volume of water to be present when 19 volumes of material are raised. But practice agai proved that five times the hight of lift is the proper amount of material on the sieves; it shows that only one-quarter part of the volume of water is active in the vertical stream at the time within the material and the other three-quarters either approaching from below, or flowing over with the horizontal stream. Once these figures established, the consequences for other sizes and materials can be drawn from the above table. Thus it takes half the ppped to keep quartz suspended, or the Same speed will carry it double the distance; or it takes four to five times the size of quartz for one of galena to remain together on the sieves and not to separate. This peculiar motion has produced such close and excellent work ag is produced by no other motiqg, either eccentric or elastic, For the good reasons stated before I abstain to enter on a further detail concerning the special construction of the one-plunger jig, but let a correspondent of the New York dining Journal, & mining ‘engineer from Freiberg, Saxony, deliver an opinion upon it (Vol. XVI, No. 24): ‘All those who have had the opportunity to observe the working of mineral-dressing arrangements will, like me, appreciate the importance of the fact that the one-plunger. jig, as it is, accommodates itself to all the emergencies and necessities occurring, not only by a variation in the quality of ore and percentage of valuable material, but also to the use of one and the same apparatus for treating different sizes. Moreover, the practical engineer will appreciate that all the motions in the machinery of the one-plunger jig are correct, and do not involve those small but frequently recurring irregularities, resulting in friction and wear, as in all jigs in which plungers are fastened in their center to an oscillating crank or an eccentric. There is no apparent reason why the velocity or number of lifts with such a regular and unimpeded motion should not be increased, there being no other limits to this than the consisKEMP'S IMPROVED tency of the material out of which the parts are constructed.” In working this or any other jig certain points are to be observed in order to procure satisfaetory results. 1 will mention them here. The stroke (by screw passing lengthways through the revolving crank and wrist) and the entire number of revolutions being properly regulated, work may begin. It is here to be stated that the crank, p, should describe the upper part (two-thirds approximately) of its revolution when the oscillating crank, /, with the rod, J, are raised, because thereby the stroke of plunger presses the water up through the sieve in (one-third) revolution and allows The Bed on the Jig-Sieves. When the work of the jigging machine is begun the material on the sieve is mixed, as well as the ore in general. Thus light parts as wellas heavy parts are lying immediately on the hottom of the sieve, and will lie directly on the bottom as logg as there is not a sufficient

amount of heavy material to cover the entire bottom of the sieve, the light parts continuing to drop after the heavy parts have reached the bottom. No useful effect can be attained unless there is on each sieve sufficient heavy substance to cover the entire sieve bottom. This at once proves the necessity of a bed of heavy material on each sieve of such size as will force it to remain there. The bed can be provided by covering the sieve bottom with a layer of gun-shot of a size a little larger than the meshes of the wire-cloth (sieve) and, indeed, a bed of gun-shot is recommendable on account of causing less wear and tear of sieves, than the immediate contact of mineral with less even surface than shot. With such a bed the jig will act. properly right from the start of its motion. In case no shot bed is provided the jig can only be made to work properly by letting the heavy parts accumulate so as to cover the entire bottom of the sieve. Buiiion Suipments.—Since our last issue shipments from the prominent mines have been been as follows: Modoc, December 26th, $5,500; total to date, $88,090; Calaveras, 26th, $1,700; Leopard, 28th, $5,200; Tybo Con., 25th, $10,245.65; total to date, $47,671.75; Ophir, 28th, 3 bars—value, $11,643.30; Manhattan, 26th, 12 bars—value, $12,404.40; California, 28th, 38 BOILER CLEANER. bars—value $160,113.73; total to date, $605,469.10; Con. Virginia, 28th, 25 bars—value, $92,187.30; since dividend, $190,740.68; Northern Belle, 26th, $10,805.56: California, 30th, $93, 617.79—-to date, $699,086.89; Con. Virginia, 30th, $25,209.47—since dividend, $215,950.15; Chollar, 29th, $6,474.33, 30th, $8,012.06; Manhattan, 30th, $14,800; Northern Belle, 28th, $11,597.22—total to date, $109,628.58; K. K. Con., 30th, $4,000, total for December account, $55,000; Manhattan, January 2d, $13,400; Modoc, Dee. 30th, $12,320; Con. Virginia, Jan. 2d, $42,055.33—since dividend, $258,005.48; California, Jan. 2d, $98,546.74 total to date, $797,633.63; Tybo Con., Dee. 28th, $1],351.75—to date, $59,023.50; Modoc, Jan. Ist, 232 bars, value, $6,000—total for December, $18,320; Northern Belle, Dec. 31st, $14,567.27; Chollar, Jan. 2d, 6 bars, $15,496.18; Justice, Dec. 16th, $89,617; 25th, $66,052, Jan. 2d, $54,295—to date, $209,964. A pispatcr from Salt Lake claims the mineral exports from Utah Territory in 1876 to be a little over $6,000,000. Mr. Valentine’s estimate places the product at $5,207,919. Tue Coso Mining News says: The town of Cerro Gordo has lost its former prosperity. The streets seem almost deserted, and many business houses are closed. Kemp’s Boiler Cleaner. From no cause arises more serious danger, annoyance or damage to steam boilers than from the accumulations of mud, even from the purest waters, necessitating a frequent cleaning; and from the formation of scale upon tubes, flues or bolts, leading to a burning and destruetion of the iron; and when this extreme is not reached, leading to the consumption of largely increased quantities of fuel without corresponding benefits. The invention illustrated herewith has, after three years’ test, demonstrated the feasibility of obviating all the annoyance, risk and expense arising from the deposit of mud, scale and sediment, even from the most turbid waters, or those most strongly impregnated, either with lime, magnesia, gypsum, or the many other mineral substances so often met with by those who use steam. The automatic boiler cleaner gnd mud extractor acts upon the well known principle that all sediments in water arise first to the surface as a scum, when separated from a condition of solubility by the process of boiling. The experiment of drawing off this scum by a surface cock answered the purpose but martial for the reason that the scum was constantly forming, while the surface cock could not constantly be kept in operation. The boiler cleaner, on the contrary, is always at work, and the blowing-off process need be repeated only so often as experience shows an undue collectiou of sediment in the reservoir, A, which is situated on the arch wall, or other convenient point above the shell of the. boiler. From the reservoir, pipes D, B, passing through the shell of the boiler, are arranged; D being a straight pipe, terminating several inches below the water line, while the pipe B connects with a vertical pipe, to the ends of which are attached peculiarly shaped mouths, C, C, placed in such osition as at all times to be partially submerged. When the water is heated, a current is at once established through the mouths, C, C, pipe B, and reseryoir A, returning to the boiler through the pipe D, assisting the action of heat!in agitating the water in the boiler and creating a current, which still further prevents the impurities from precipitating. The scum upon the surface is drawn into the mouths, C, and passes through the pipes, but reaching the reservoir the current expands and is partially broken, and the sediment and impurities at once deposit and may be drawn off at pleasure by the pipe Z. The removal of the sediment leaves the water free from that which would form scale, and, in case of old or very dirty boilers, it is found that when new deposits cease the water soon finds its way under existing deposits, and old scale drops freely to the bottom, leaving the iron perfectly uncoated, The invention has been thoroughly tested, and is fully warranted to do its work efficiently, and in no case have those who haye used them withheld a certificate of their value to all who use steam. Indeed, so thoroughly have they commended themselves that unauthorized persons are found in many localities representing themselves as the inyentors, or agents for the inventor. Our readers should beware of purchasing from any person not having due authorization from James F. Hotchkiss, Bay City, Michigan, sole owner of the patents, and from whom any further particulars may be obtained. THERE was only one cloudy day last month, and for the first time within the memory of the oldest inhabitant it wasa December without even a sprinkle of rain. The comparative temperature was fifty-three degrees, two degrees lower than in the corresponding months of the two previous years. Tue San Francisco mint coined over $10,000,000 more in 1876 than in 1875, The total outturn since the mint commenced operations in 1854 is $452, 306,600. Tur flow of water at the bottom of the C. & C. shaft is very strong, averaging about 45 miner's inches measurement.