El Paso Reduction Mill
at Florence 1898

GOLD MILLING IN COLORADO.

No. III.
By JOHN ROGER, Denver.

CHLORINATION GOLD MILL OF THE EL PASO REDUCTION COMPANY, FLORENCE, COLORADO.

THIS is a regular barrel chlorination mill using the "Davis" charcoal recovery system, and was built for the treatment of ores from the Cripple Creek mining district. Being of larger capacity than those already described, it was deemed advisable to construct separate buildings for the various departments, thereby securing an abundance of light and a greater accessibility throughout. The buildings are constructed on the same level, the ores being delivered on an elevated track at the south end of the mill. (See our two-page plate, and also page 236.)

The fuel used is residuum from the distillation of petroleum burned as a liquid, the fireboxes being specially constructed for its use. The residuum is delivered at the works in tank cars from the oil refinery which is about a mile distant, and is pumped into an oil storage tank 10 ft. in diameter by 30 ft. long, set on the hill above the works. This tank sits high enough to give a free gravity flow to all parts of the works where fuel is used.

The storage tank is fitted with a small coil, through which the exhaust steam from the pumps is passed for the purpose of keeping the residuum sufficiently hot and fluid to flow freely. At the normal temperature it is quite thick, and to obtain the necessary fluidity, a steam pipe is carried in close contact with the residuum pipes, both being wrapped in the same covering. This system is followed wherever fuel is used in the works. In the main engine-room there is a 16-in. by 42-in. high-pressure Corliss engine running at 75 revolutions per minute driving to the main countershaft, from which all the crushing machinery is driven. There is also an 8,5-in. by 10-in. high-speed engine, and a 12-kilowatt 110-volt generator for electric lighting, and a 6 in. by 0 in. by 6 in. air compressor for pumping acids.

The crushing mill shown (Fig.12 and Fig.13) adjoins the engine-room on the west, with a passage-way of 26 ft. between the two buildings. This building is 100 ft. wide by 80 ft. long, with a clear head room of 29 ft. to the underside of the roof trusses. The ore is delivered to the sampling machinery from an elevated track 12 ft. above the mill floor, the front of the building having a platform 14 ft. wide, 3 ft. 3 in. above the track, extending the full length. The mouths of the rock breakers are set 6 ft. below the level of this platform, and have chutes leading to them with grizzlies in the bottom of each, by means of which the ore can be discharged directly from the cars to the crusher without wheeling. The platforms are provided for the reception of ore which cannot be taken directly to the mill.

The crushing machinery in the sampling department comprises two complete and independent sets. The set at the east end of the mill has one 9-in. by 15-in. Blake breaker, and one set of 16-in. by 36-in. rolls working together. The breaker is fed by hand with ore delivered from the cars as above described. All the fine material which passes the grizzly, together with the product from the crusher, is elevated and fed to the 36-in. rolls, the rolled material dropping to the floor in a heap where it is sampled by hand ; one-tenth being taken as a sample, the balance being shovelled into the boot of the elevator which delivers into the sampled-ore bin shown on the drawing. After a lot has been run through, the sample is coned and cut down to the desired size. The sampled ore from the elevated bins is loaded into cars and trammed to the bedding floor in the adjoining building.

No. 2 sampling plant is the same as No. 1, except that the breaker is of the "Dodge" pattern, size 11 in. by 15 in., speed 225 revolutions per minute. It was deemed advisable to install a "Dodge" breaker to take the extremely hard dry ore, while the ''Blake" type of machine was considered better suited for ores containing a large percentage of moisture. To follow the ore in its course through the mill, the bedding floor will next be described. This occupies about half the floor space in the building adjoining the crushing mill to the west, and is shown in Fig. 10 and Fig.11 of our two-page plate. This building, which also contains the roasting furnaces, is 95 ft. by 100 ft. by 21 ft. clear height.

The south side, or that next the elevated tracks, is set apart for the bedding of ores, the ore being trammed to it by the elevated tracks shown, which are 12 ft. above the floor level. The bedding floor is divided into two portions of about equal area, arranged so that a bed can be made up on the one, while the ore on the other is being run through the mill. The purpose of bedding the ore is to obtain a considerable quantity of material of as nearly a uniform value and character as possible. The ore, as it comes from the sampling mill, is uniformly spread over the entire area of the bed until a depth of 6 ft. has been accumulated. By this means about 600 tons of storage is provided on each bed, or about 1200 tons altogether. The ore is handled back to the dryers and fine crushing plant in the crushing-room by means of a conveyor belt 12 in. wide made with pure rubber flanges on each edge, travelling at 100 ft. per minute. The ore is delivered on to this belt by means of two bucket elevators, one for each bed, to which it is wheeled and shovelled. The 12-in. conveyor extends through to the No. 2 dryer where a dividing mechanism is provided, by means of which all the ore can be fed to No. 2 dryer ; or all or any part of it may be passed to the No. 1 dryer at the will of the operator, a short belt conveyor 8 in. wide being placed to carry from the end of the 12-in. belt to the No. 1 dryer.

The barrel or chlorinating floor (Fig.11) under the hopper floor is furnished with eight chlorination barrels of a capacity of 5 tons each, mounted similarly to those described in connection with the Delano Mining and Milling Company's mill, and geared to revolve 5 revolutions per minute, being driven from a shaft running the full length of the building. The driving is done by means of flat-face paper friction gears keyed to the shaft, so arranged that any barrel can be instantly stopped at the will of the operator. The barrels are 5 ft. in diameter, 8 ft. long inside, lined with 18-lb. and 24-lb lead, and fitted with filters as already described. Under the barrels are eight solution tanks arranged on one floor. They are rectangular in form, 6 ft. deep, lined with 6 lb. sheet lead, and have a combined capacity of about 100,000 gallons. These tanks are closely floored over, and made as nearly tight as possible, to prevent the escape of gas. Under the barrel floor two ducts are formed connected to the solution tanks and to two large exhaust fans set on this floor. These fans remove the chlorine gas as it is given off by the solution, and deliver it by means of pipes, high above the buildings. Owing to the corrosive nature of the gas all these ducts and pipes are made of wood, and the fans are lead-lined inside. Under the solution tanks are two lead-lined launders 3 ft. by 3 ft. by 64 ft. long, closely covered on top and fitted inside with lead-pipe heating coils suspended 1,5 in. from the bottom, by means of which the solution is heated to about 120 deg. Fahr. Immediately under the launders are five sand filter tanks 7 ft. by 10 ft. by 3 ft. deep, lined with 6-lb. lead. These tanks have a filter in the bottom formed of screened sand, through which the solutions are allowed to percolate and become thoroughly clarified before passing through the charcoal filters.

On the ground floor of the building are the charcoal filters (Fig. 10), 20 in number, set in two rows of 10 each, the first row being set half the height of the filter above the second row. These filters are sheet-steel vessels 40 in. in diameter by 5 ft. deep, lined with 6-lb. lead, and are all fitted with 2-in. lead hose connections. The vessels are filled with charcoal, ground to pass a four-mesh screen, and having all the fine dust screened out of it, the surface being covered with a perforated sheet of lead for distributing the solution evenly over the mass. Over these filters is a small hand-power travelling crane for moving, and an 18-in. gauge track on the floor level with a low truck is provided for transporting them to the burning-room. The ground floor of the building is of Portland cement, with the drainage from all directions towards a 6-ft. by 3-ft. cement-lined sink in the centre of the building. This sink is also filled with charcoal, so that should there be any leakage of solution from the tanks or pipes, it can be washed into the sink where the gold contents will be recovered on the charcoal.

The operation of the precipitating department is as follows :

The machinery in this building is operated by a 14-in. by 13-in. centre-crank automatic engine, located at the south-east corner of the building, and driving directly on to the line shaft in the barrel-room. In the same room a 10-in. by 6-in. by 10-in. duplex steam pump is placed, which furnishes water under 50 lb. pressure for leaching. This pump is connected up directly to the water-supply system throughout the works, and can be used, in case of of need, as a fire pump. Part of the lower floor of the chlorination building is used for the storage of chloride of lime, this being raised to the barrel-room as required by means of an elevator. The sulphuric acid is stored in an open tank 20 ft. in diameter by 4 ft. deep, lead-lined, located on the opposite side of the supply track from the burning room. In connection with this tank a pressure tank 3 ft. in diameter, 7 ft. long, is set in an underground chamber, and connected to it by a 1,25 in. pipe. The pressure tank is filled by gravity from the storage tank, and the acid raised by compressed air to a small storage tank set on the barrel-floor, from which it is drawn off as required.

Adjoining the chlorination building on the east is the charcoal-burning room (Fig. 9), a brick building 40 ft. by 43 ft., one storey high, divided into three apartments, two being used for burning the charcoal, and the third as a melting room, where the gold is run into bars. Each burning room is fitted up with a bench of burning pans set in a brick setting, fired from below with residuum, the burners being controlled from the central space shown between the two burning rooms. The flame does not come directly in contact with the iron pans, but plays on a firebrick arch of checker work, which serves to protect them from intense local heat. There are eight pans in each bench, each 3 ft. 6 in. wide, 5 ft. long by 7 in. deep, made of 0,875 in. cast iron, set 3 ft. 6 in. above the floor line. The filters containing the charcoal are brought into the burning room on a low truck, and are lifted by a travelling crane high enough to empty the charcoal directly into the pans. Heat is applied gently from below, allowing the charcoal to burn off at as low a temperature as possible. The burning must be done at a low temperature, and in a still atmosphere, otherwise the mechanical loss of gold is heavy, After the charcoal has been consumed, the dust containing the gold is swept up and taken to the melting room, where the gold is run into bars.

In addition to the buildings described, the plant comprises the usual blacksmith and carpenter shops, which are independent buildings. The offices are located about 100 yards east of the mill, and are contained in a brick building 50 ft. by 50 ft., divided into general office, 33 ft. by 24 ft. ; private office, 14 ft. by 15 ft. ; assay office, 24 ft. by 24 ft. ; and laboratory, 24 ft. by 24 ft. There is also a fireproof vault and a fully furnished bathroom in this building. The offices as  arranged are found to be very comfortable and convenient. In operation the works are found to have a maximum capacity of about 125 tons per day, and easily average 3000 tons per month. The working force in the mill for night and day running is about 45 men.

No salaries, interest on investment, general expenses, or depreciation are included in above cost.

The ores from the Cripple Creek mining district vary widely in character, as will be noted by the analysis given. The surface ores, as a rule, are quite thoroughly oxidised, but at depth sulphides are encountered, the values occurring as telluride. All of these, however, are very well adapted to treatment by chlorination, the varying constituents effecting the manipulation much more than they do the metallurgical results. The following are partial analyses of these ores :

In connection with the above plants the following details may be of interest. The form of crushing roll used in all three mills is shown in longitudinal and vertical section on page 4 ante. The machine is constructed with a self-contained frame, the pillow-blocks carrying the lower roll being cast into each side-piece. The roll shafts are of wrought, iron, and run on babbitt-lined bearings. The principal feature of the machine is in placing the rolls one above the other as shown, the top roll being mounted in a sliding cast-iron yoke or crosshead, which is free to slide between vertical machined guides cast into the main frame. The direction of strain between the rolls due to the weight of the top roll and connections, being at an angle of 45 deg. to the direction in which the. top roll is free to rise, gives a very effective pressure at the point of contact for crushing. The top roll being securely guided, retaining the shafts parallel to each other, helps to prevent unequal wear of the crushing surfaces. The weight of the top roll is supplemented where necessary, by spring pressure, the springs being placed on each side of the yoke- piece with tension-rods run through the base of the machine. The crushing shells are made of high-carbon forged steel machined all over, and fitted to the cast-iron centres with taper, and are secured to place by through bolts. The ore is fed to the machine directly over the lower roll, the bottom of the hopper being made removable for cleaning out.

The Pearce roasting furnace, as installed in the El Paso Reduction Company's works, is shown in vertical and horizontal section on page 236. As will be observed, this furnace is circular in form, 40ft. outside diameter, the width of the roasting hearth being 8 ft. The driving mechanism is placed in the centre of the furnace, and consists of a main central driving gear operated by means of bevel gears and a shaft running through under the hearth to the outside of the furnace. This shaft is driven by 45 deg. gears. The main driving gear in the centre chamber is fitted with cast-iron brackets carrying 6-in. wrought-iron pipe arms forming a central revolving spider or wheel. This is supported on a circular track formed of 60-lb. rail. The central spider is carried on eight 12-in. cast-steel wheels, which run on a circular track, and is maintained central with the furnace by means of four 12-in. rollers running in contact with the inside of the main driving gear. The rabbles, or stirring arms, which turn the ore on the hearth, are made of 6-in. extra strong wrought-iron pipe, projecting over the hearth through the circular slot in the inside wall. These arms have rabble blades bolted to them, the blades on one arm being made to follow opposite the spaces between the blades on the arm in advance of it. The furnace is fitted with two or four arms, as the nature of the work may require. The arms make a complete revolution in about 85 seconds, and are kept cool by means of water circulating in the pipes, the water connection being clearly shown on the plans.

By examining the drawings it will be seen that to maintain a continuous open slot for the passage of the arms, the inside support for the brick arch over the hearth must be carried from above. This is done by means of eight 15-in. steel I-beams resting on the fixed central column at one end, and bearing plates on the outside wall of the furnace at the other, the skew-back being carried on cast-iron Z-shape segments, forming a complete circle hung by stirrups to the 8-in. I-beams, supported by the 15-in. radial beams above referred to. The circular slot is closed to prevent the influx of cold air, by means of No. 16 sheet-iron shields, held in place by weighted levers. The furnace is fired from three points in the circle. The fireboxes (built directly over the hearth), are 6 ft. wide, 8 ft. long by 2 ft. 3 in. high, with openings 10 in. square at one side, through which the oil is injected. The opposite side of the firebox is fitted with a loose target of firebrick against which the oil spray breaks. The oil is sprayed into the firebox by steam which is supplied to the burner at about 90 lb. pressure.

Since the above article was written, it has been thought advisable at the El Paso Reduction Company's Mill, Florence, to discontinue the use of the automatic cooling and conveying mechanism between the roasting furnaces and the chlorination building, due to the difficulty found in keeping the pipes and connections to the cooling device open.