Silver, &c., in gold bullion.—The base metals are generally determined by cupelling .5 gram of the alloy with 5 grams of lead. The loss in cupellation having been allowed for by any of the usual methods (see p. 104) the gold and silver contents are given. By deducting the gold the proportion of silver is obtained. The silver is generally determined by difference in this way. If it is desired to dissolve out the copper, silver, &c., and to determine them in the wet way, the gold must first be alloyed with a sufficiency of some other metal to render it amenable to the attack by acid. Cadmium is the metal generally recommended, and the alloy is made by melting together a weighed portion of the gold with five or six times its weight of cadmium in a Berlin crucible and under a thin layer of potassium cyanide.

Lead with gold or silver.—Large quantities of lead carrying gold and silver are sold to refiners in bars weighing about 100 lbs. each. The assay of these alloys presents no special difficulties, but the sampling of them is a question which may be profitably discussed.[32]

A molten metal may be conceived to have all the physical states observed in ordinary liquids, although these cannot be actually seen owing to its opaqueness. There is no doubt that pure lead at a temperature only a little above its melting-point can contain a large proportion of gold in such a manner that it may in a figurative way be spoken of as a clear solution. Any small portion withdrawn from the molten metal would afford a perfect sample. The same would be true of any pure alloy of lead and silver in which the silver does not exceed the proportion of 2-1/2 per cent.[33] On the other hand, if the molten metal contains much more than .5 per cent. of zinc, more than .1 per cent. of copper, or a larger quantity of silver, it may be likened to a turbid liquor. The resemblance holds good so far that if the molten lead be further heated, whereby its solvent power on the added metal is increased, the turbidity will disappear, or at least be considerably diminished. A portion taken at random from such a molten metal may, or may not, give a good sample. The suspended insoluble matter will tend to concentrate itself in the upper or lower parts of the liquid according to whether it is heavier or lighter than it; and this separation may occur with extreme slowness or with fair rapidity. However, it is generally agreed that in the case of such alloys as occur in practice, samples taken in this way are quite satisfactory and are the best obtainable. The precautions insisted on are that the lead shall be made as hot as practicable; that it shall be stirred up at the time of taking the sample; and that the portion withdrawn shall be taken out with a ladle at least as hot as the molten metal. The further precaution that if any dross be on the surface of the metal it shall be skimmed off and separately sampled and assayed is almost too obvious to require mention. An alternative and, perhaps, better way of taking the sample is to withdraw portions at equal intervals from the stream of metal whilst the pot is being emptied; equal weights taken from these portions and mixed (by melting or in some other way) give a fair sample of the whole. In addition, separate assays of each portion will show to what extent the metal lacks uniformity in composition For example, samples taken at the beginning, middle, and end of a run gave the following results in ozs. of silver per ton: 475, 472, 466, showing an average result of 471 ozs. Fifteen fractions taken at regular intervals during the same pouring ranged from 475 ozs. to 464 ozs.: the average result was 469.8 ozs. The same lead cast into bars and sampled by sawing gave an average of 470 ozs.[34] In another case[35] samples drawn at the beginning, middle, and end of a run gave 1345 ozs., 1335 ozs. and 1331 ozs. The mean result in such cases is always a reasonably safe one, but evidently where the metal varies a good deal it is safer to take more than three dips.

Imagine such lead run into moulds and allowed to become solid as bars; the difference between bar and bar would not be greater than that between corresponding dip samples. But in each bar the distribution of the silver and gold is very seriously affected during solidification. Chips taken from the same bar of auriferous lead may show in one place 23 ozs. of gold to the ton, in another 39 ozs.; similarly with silver they may vary as much as from 900 ozs. to 1500 ozs. to the ton.

This rearrangement of the constituents of a bar takes place whilst the lead is partly solid, partly liquid. The most useful conception of such half-solidified metal is that of a felted spongy mass of skeleton crystals of comparatively pure lead saturated with a still fluid enriched alloy. If the solidification of an ingot of impure tin be watched it will be evident that the frosted appearance of the surface is due to the withdrawal of the fluid portion from a mat of crystals of purer tin which have been for some time solid and a contraction of the mass. The shrinking of the last part to become solid is further shown by the collapse of the surface of the ingot where weakest; that is, a furrow is formed on the flat surface. In other cases of fused metal there is expansion instead of contraction in this final stage of the solidification, and the enriched alloy then causes the upper face of the ingot to bulge outwards. There are other causes effecting the redistribution of the metals through the ingot. There can be no general rule of wide application showing which part of a bar is richest and which poorest in the precious metals. This will depend on the quantities of gold or silver, on the quantities and kinds of other metals present and on the manner of casting. The student is advised to consult Mr. Claudet's paper which has been already referred to.

The best method of sampling such bars is to melt them all down and to take a dip sample of the molten metal in one or other of the methods already described. According to Mr. Claudet this should be done in all cases where the gold exceeds one or two ounces or where the silver exceeds 200 ozs. to the ton. If during the melting down some dross has formed this must be skimmed off, weighed and separately sampled and assayed. The clean lead also must be weighed, sampled and assayed. The mean result must be calculated. Thus 14 tons 5 cwts. of clean lead assaying 32 ozs. to the ton will contain 456 ozs. of silver; 15 cwt. dross assaying 20 ozs. to the ton will contain 15 ozs. of silver. The 15 tons of lead and dross will contain 471 ozs. of silver or 31.4 ozs. per ton.

Of the methods of sampling which avoid melting the bars, that known as sawing is the only one which is thoroughly satisfactory. In it the bars are brought to a circular saw having fine teeth and are sawn across either completely or halfway through; in this way a quantity of lead sawdust is obtained (say 1 lb. or so from a bar) which represents exactly the average of the bar along the particular cross section taken and approximately that of the whole bar. A bar of lead, which by dip assay gave 334 ozs. to the ton, gave on three transverse sections 333 ozs., 335 ozs. and 331 ozs. The variation may be greater than this, but with a large number of bars, where each bar is cut across in as far as possible a different place, these variations tend to neutralise each other and a good sample is obtained. Two or three cwt. of sawdust may be obtained in this way; this is thoroughly mixed and reduced by quartering in the usual way or by a mechanical sampler. A sample of 2 or 3 lbs. is sent to the assayer. This being contaminated with the oil used in lubricating the saw is freed from it by washing with carbon bisulphide, ether or benzene and dried. Then, after mixing, 100 to 200 grams of it are carefully weighed and placed in a hot crucible, the heat of which should be sufficient to melt all the lead. The molten lead should not be overheated and should show no loss due to the melting. The removal of the oil may have decreased the weight by perhaps one half per cent. If the lead gives dross on heating it may be melted under 10 or 20 grams of potassium cyanide, which prevents the formation of dross. Samples are sometimes taken with a drill, gouge or chisel, though no method of this kind is quite satisfactory. One plan adopted is to use a punch which, when driven into the bar, gives a core or rod of metal about half as long as the bar is thick and about one-eighth of an inch across. With five bars side by side it is customary to drive in the punch at one end on the first bar, and at the opposite end on the last one, and on the others in intermediate positions in such a manner that all the holes will be along a diagonal of the rectangle enclosing the bars. The bars are then turned over and similar portions punched out through the bottoms of the bars and along the other diagonal. Or one set of five may be sampled along the top and the next set along the bottom of the bars.

Silver and gold present in bars of copper are subject to the same irregularity of distribution as in lead. The sampling of such bars is guided by the same principles.[36]

CYANIDES.

The cyanides ought perhaps to be considered along with chlorides, bromides and iodides in Chapter XV. But they are treated here because they owe their importance to their use in the extraction of gold and because their determination has become a part of the ordinary work of an assayer of gold ores.

Formerly, the cyanide most easily obtained in commerce was potassium cyanide; and it was generally sold in cakes which might contain as little as 40 per cent. or as much as 95 per cent. of the pure salt. It became customary to express the quality of a sample of commercial cyanide by saying it contained so much per cent. of potassium cyanide. The commercial product now made by improved methods of manufacture is actually sodium cyanide, but is called "potassium cyanide" (probably with the words "double salt" on the label); it contains cyanide equivalent to something over 100 per cent. of potassium cyanide in addition to a large proportion of sodium carbonate and other impurities. What is wanted in most cases is merely a soluble cyanide, and it is a matter of indifference whether the base be sodium or potassium. But since 49 parts of sodium cyanide (NaCN = 49) are equivalent to 65 parts of potassium cyanide (KCN = 65) it is evident that a pure sample of sodium cyanide would contain cyanide equivalent to little less than 133 per cent. of potassium cyanide. Therefore a sample of cyanide reported on in this way may be rich in cyanide, and yet have much impurity.

The commonest impurity in commercial cyanide is carbonate of sodium or potassium. This may be tested for by dissolving, say, 2 grams in a little water and adding barium chloride. There may be formed a white precipitate of barium carbonate, which if filtered off, washed and treated with acid, will dissolve with effervescence. Cyanate may be tested for in the solution from which the barium carbonate has been filtered by adding a little soda and boiling; if cyanates are present they decompose, giving off ammonia (which may be tested for in the steam) and yielding a further precipitate of barium carbonate.[37] If the soda alone gave a further precipitate of barium carbonate, this may, perhaps, be due to the presence of bicarbonates. Alkaline sulphides may be present in small quantity in commercial cyanide. Their presence is shown at once when the sample is being tested for its strength in cyanide, inasmuch as the first few drops of silver nitrate solution produce at once a darkening of the liquor. A special test for sulphide may be made by adding a drop or two of solution of acetate of lead to four or five c.c. of soda solution and adding this to a clear solution of the suspected cyanide. This will cause a black precipitate or colour, if any sulphide is present.

The cyanides of the heavier metals combine with the alkaline cyanides to form double cyanides. Some of these, ferrocyanide and ferricyanide of potassium for example, have such characteristic properties that the fact that they are cyanides may be overlooked. Others, such as potassium zinc cyanide (K{2}ZnCy{4}), have much less distinctiveness: they behave more or less as a mixture of two cyanides and are, moreover, so easily decomposed that it may be doubted if they can exist in dilute alkaline solutions. In reporting the cyanide strength of a cyanide liquor as equivalent to so much per cent. of potassium cyanide, there is a question as to whether the cyanide present in the form of any of these double cyanides should be taken into account. It must be remembered that the object of the assay is not to learn how much of the cyanide exists in the solution as actual potassium cyanide; reporting the strength in terms of this salt is a mere matter of convenience; what is really desired is to know how much of the cyanide present in the liquor is "free" or "available" for the purposes of dissolving gold. Every one is agreed as to the exclusion of such cyanides as the following: potassium ferrocyanide (K{4}FeCy{6}), potassium ferricyanide (K{3}FeCy{6}), potassium silver cyanide (KAgCy{2}), and potassium aurocyanide (KAuCy{2}); and the double cyanides with copper or nickel. But with cyanide liquors containing zinc the position is less satisfactory. One method of assay gives a lower proportion of cyanide when this metal is present; and the loss of available cyanide thus reported depends, though in a fitful and uncertain way, upon the quantity of zinc present. The other method of assay reports as full a strength in cyanide as if no zinc were present. Unfortunately, using both methods and accepting the difference in the results as a measure of the quantity of zinc present, or at any rate of the zinc present as cyanide, is not satisfactory. It appears best to use the method which ignores the zinc; and to determine the amount of zinc by a special assay of the liquor for this metal.

The cyanide present as hydrogen cyanide or prussic acid (HCy) is practically useless as a gold solvent. Hence any report on the strength of a cyanide liquor which assigned to this the same value as its equivalent of alkaline cyanide would be misleading. On the other hand, it is "available cyanide" inasmuch as a proper addition of sodium hydrate[38] would restore its value. The question of the presence or absence of free prussic acid is involved in the larger one as to whether the cyanide solution has the right degree of alkalinity. The assay for "cyanide" should include the hydrogen cyanide with the rest.

A rough test of the power of a cyanide liquor for dissolving gold may be made by floating a gold leaf on its surface and noting the time required for its solution. This test might, perhaps, be improved by taking, say, 20 c.c. of the liquor and adding three or four gold leaves so that the gold shall always be in considerable excess. The liquor should not be diluted as this will affect the result. It should be allowed to stand for a definite time, say at least two or three hours, or better, that corresponding to the time the liquor is left in contact with the ore in actual practice. The liquor should then be filtered off and, with the washings, be evaporated in a lead dish as in the assay of cyanide liquors for gold (p. 141). The gold obtained on cupelling, less any gold and silver originally present in the liquor, would be the measure of the gold dissolving power.

THE ASSAY FOR CYANIDE BY TITRATION WITH SILVER NITRATE.

The determination of the quantity of a cyanide is made by finding how much silver nitrate is required to convert the whole of the cyanide into potassium silver cyanide[39] or one of the allied compounds. It will be seen from the equation that 170 parts by weight of silver nitrate are required for 130 parts by weight of potassium cyanide. As already explained it is customary to report the cyanide-strength in terms of potassium cyanide, even when only the sodium salt is present. One gram of potassium cyanide will require 1.3076 gram of silver nitrate. The standard solution of silver nitrate is made by dissolving 13.076 grams of silver nitrate in distilled water and diluting to 1 litre; 100 c.c. of such a solution are equivalent to 1 gram of potassium cyanide.[40]

The titration is performed in the usual way, running the standard solution of silver nitrate into a solution containing a known weight or volume of the material containing the cyanide. The finishing point is determined in one of two ways, both of which are largely used. In the first place, as long as there remains any free cyanide in the solution the silver nitrate will combine with it forming the double cyanide and yielding a clear solution; but as soon as all the free cyanide is used up the silver nitrate will react with the double cyanide[41] forming silver cyanide, which separates as a white precipitate and renders the solution turbid. But, in the second place, if potassium iodide is present in the solution the excess of silver nitrate will react with it,[42] rather than with the double cyanide; and silver iodide will separate as a yellowish turbidity which is easily recognised.

In working with pure solutions, the two finishing points give the same results; and this is true even when there is much difference in the degree of dilution. The finishing point with the iodide, however, has an advantage in precision. Moreover, it is but little affected by variations in alkalinity, which render the other finishing point quite useless. The great difference between the two is shown when zinc is present in the solution. In this case, when working without the iodide, the first appearance of a turbidity is less distinct; the turbidity increases on standing and as a finishing point is unsatisfactory. It can be determined with precision only by very systematic working and after some experience. The turbidity is due to the separation of an insoluble zinc compound. A most important point (to which reference has already been made) is that less silver nitrate is required to give this turbidity and, consequently, a lower strength in cyanide is reported. On the other hand, as much silver nitrate is required to give the yellow turbidity due to silver iodide as would be required if no zinc were present.

Unfortunately the difference in the two titrations does not depend merely on the quantity of zinc present; as it is also influenced by the extent of dilution, the degree of alkalinity of the solution, and the quantity of cyanide present. In an experiment with .055 gram of zinc sulphate and .1 gram of potassium cyanide the difference in the two finishing points was only .1 c.c.; whereas with .4 gram of potassium cyanide, the other conditions being the same, the difference was 1.5 c.c. of standard silver nitrate. On the assumption that all the zinc was present as potassium zinc cyanide (K{2}ZnCy{4}) the difference should have been 5 c.c. in each case. Again, repeating the experiment with .4 gram of potassium cyanide, but with .11 gram of crystallised zinc sulphate, the difference was 6.5 c.c.: that is, merely doubling the quantity of zinc increased the difference by more than four times. Hence it would appear better to use the method with the iodide and make a separate assay for the zinc. But since the student may be called on to use the other method, he is advised to practice it also.

The assay without iodide.—The standard solution of silver nitrate is placed in a small burette divided into tenths of a c.c. Ten c.c. of the cyanide solution to be assayed is transferred to a small flask and diluted with water to about 70 c.c. The silver solution is then run in from the burette (with constant shaking of the flask), a little at a time but somewhat rapidly, until a permanent turbidity appears. Since 1 c.c. of the silver nitrate solution corresponds to .01 gram of potassium cyanide, it also corresponds to .1 per cent. of this salt counted on the 10 c.c. of cyanide solution taken. The titration should be performed in a fairly good uniform light. The learner should practice on a fairly pure solution of potassium cyanide at first, and this may conveniently have a strength of about 1 per cent. For practice with solutions containing zinc make a solution containing 1.1 gram of crystallised zinc sulphate in 100 c.c. and slowly add measured quantities of from 1 to 5 c.c. of this to the 10 c.c. of cyanide liquor before diluting for the titration.

If a cyanide solution blackens on the addition of the silver nitrate it contains sulphide. In this case, shake up a considerable bulk of the liquor with a few grams of lead carbonate, allow to settle and make the assay on 10 c.c. of the clear liquor.

If the cyanide liquor be suspected to contain free prussic acid, take 10 c.c. for the assay as usual; but, before titrating, add .1 or .2 gram of sodium carbonate. On no condition must caustic soda or ammonia be added. The difference between the results, with and without the addition of carbonate of soda, is supposed to measure the quantity of free prussic acid. If this has to be reported it is best done as "prussic acid equivalent to ... per cent. of potassium cyanide." Suppose, for example, the difference in the two titrations equals 1 c.c. of standard silver nitrate; the prussic acid found would be equivalent to .1 per cent. of potassium cyanide.

The assay with iodide.—The standard solution of silver nitrate is placed in a burette divided into tenths of a c.c. Take 10 c.c. of the cyanide liquor, which should previously have been treated with white lead for the removal of sulphides if these happened to be present. Transfer to a small flask, add 3 or 4 drops of a solution of potassium iodide and 2 or 3 c.c. of a solution of sodium hydrate; dilute to 60 or 70 c.c. with water. If much zinc is present the soda may be increased to 20 or 30 c.c. with advantage. The standard solution should be run in somewhat rapidly, but a little at a time, so that the precipitate at first formed shall be small and have only a momentary existence. The titration is continued until there is a permanent yellowish turbidity. The most satisfactory and exact finish is got by ignoring any faint suspicion of a turbidity and accepting the unmistakable turbidity which the next drop of silver nitrate is sure to produce. This finishing point gives results which are exactly proportional to the quantity of cyanide present; and it can be recognised with more than ordinary precision even in solutions which are not otherwise perfectly clear.

Each c.c. of the standard silver nitrate solution corresponds to .01 gram of potassium cyanide; and if 10 c.c. of the liquor are taken for assay this corresponds to .1 per cent. or 2 lbs. to the short ton or 2.24 lbs. to the long ton. As already explained the result should be reported as "cyanide equivalent to so much per cent. of potassium cyanide."

The following experimental results were obtained with a solution of potassium cyanide made up to contain about 1.2 per cent. of the salt.

Effect of varying cyanide.—The bulk before titration was in each case 60 c.c.; 2 c.c. of soda and 3 drops of potassium iodide were used in each case.

Cyanide added 40 c.c. 30 c.c. 20 c.c. 10 c.c. 5 c.c. 1 c.c. Silver required 47.0 c.c. 35.25 c.c. 23.5 c.c. 11.7 c.c. 5.8 c.c. 1.15 c.c.

Accepting the result for 40 c.c. as correct, the others are in very satisfactory agreement.

Effect of varying dilution.—The conditions were those of the 40 c.c. experiment in the last series; but varying amounts of water were used in diluting.

Water added none 100 c.c. 200 c.c. 400 c.c. Silver required 47.0 c.c. 47.0 c.c. 47.0 c.c. 47.05 c.c.

Very considerable dilution therefore has no effect.

Effect of varying soda.—The conditions were those of the 40 c.c. experiment in the first series, except that varying amounts of soda solution were used.

Soda added none 10 c.c. 30 c.c. Silver required 46.95 c.c. 47.0 c.c. 47.0 c.c.

This alkali therefore has no prejudicial effect.

Effect of ammonia.—Soda causes turbidity in some cyanide liquors; with these it should be replaced by 2 or 3 c.c. of dilute ammonia with a gram or so of ammonium chloride. The following experiments with dilute ammonia show that larger quantities of this reagent must be avoided.

Ammonia added none 10 c.c. 30 c.c. 60 c.c. Silver required 46.95 c.c. 47.15 c.c. 47.7 c.c. 49.5 c.c.

Effect of sodium bicarbonate.—In this experiment 1 gram of bicarbonate of soda was used instead of the soda or ammonia of the other experiments. The silver nitrate required was only 46.45 c.c. instead of the 47.0 c.c. which is the normal result. This is probably due to the liberation of prussic acid and shows the importance of having the solution alkaline.

Effect of zinc.—In each experiment 40 c.c. of the cyanide solution and .5 gram of zinc sulphate crystals were used and the bulk was made up to 100 c.c. before titrating.

Soda added 1 c.c. 5 c.c. 10 c.c. 25 c.c. Silver required 47.1 c.c. 47.0 c.c. 46.9 c.c. 46.9 c.c.

The work was easier with the more alkaline solutions. The titration in the presence of zinc is comparatively easy, but, in learning it, it is well to have a burette with cyanide so that if a titration be overdone it can be brought back by the addition of 1 or 2 c.c. more cyanide and the finish repeated; a quarter of an hour's work in this way will ensure confidence in the method.

Effect of other substances.—It was found that an alkaline cyanate, sulphocyanate, ferrocyanide, nitrite, borate, silicate or carbonate has no effect. The ferricyanide had a small influence and, as might be expected, hyposulphite is fatal to the assay. The addition of salts of lead and cadmium was without effect. On the other hand, nickel produces its full effect; and the quantity of nickel added can be calculated with accuracy from the extent of its interference with the titration.

Assay of commercial cyanide of potassium.—Break off 20 or 30 grams of the cyanide in clean fresh pieces, weigh accurately to the nearest centigram. Dissolve in water containing a little sodium hydroxide; transfer to a 2-litre flask: dilute to 2 litres; add a few grams of white lead; shake up and allow to settle. Run 50 c.c. of the clear liquor from a burette into an 8 oz. flask; add 2 or 3 c.c. of soda solution and 3 drops of potassium iodide. Titrate with the standard solution of silver nitrate. The percentage may be calculated by multiplying the number of c.c. used by 40 (50 c.c. is one fortieth of the 2 litres) and dividing by the weight of commercial cyanide originally taken.

Alkalinity of commercial potassium cyanide and of cyanide solutions.—Hydrocyanic acid like carbonic acid has no action on methyl-orange;[43] hence the alkaline cyanides may be titrated with "normal acid" as easily as the carbonates or hydrates. 100 c.c. of normal acid will neutralise 6.5 grams of pure potassium cyanide.[44] A solution of commercial cyanide prepared as for the assay last described, but best without the addition of white lead, may be used for the test. Take 50 c.c. of it; tint faintly yellow with methyl-orange and titrate with normal acid till the liquor acquires a permanent reddish tint. In the case of the purer samples of cyanide the quantity of acid used will correspond exactly with that required to neutralise the actual quantity of cyanide present as determined by the assay with nitrate of silver. The less pure samples will show an excess of alkalinity because of the presence of sodium carbonate or of potassium carbonate.

In comparing the alkalinity and cyanide strength of a solution the simplest plan is to take 65 c.c. of the solution and titrate with normal acid; for in this case each c.c. of normal acid corresponds to .1 per cent. of potassium cyanide. In systematic assays of this kind, the alkalinity would no doubt be generally in excess of that required by the cyanide present: there would be no inconvenience in recording such excess in terms of potassium cyanide.

Determination of the acidity of an ore.—Most ores have the power of destroying more or less of the alkalinity of a cyanide solution and in a proportionate degree of damaging its efficiency. An assay is needed to determine how much lime or soda must be added for each ton of ore in order to counteract this. Whether this acidity should be reported in terms of the lime or of the soda required to neutralise it will depend on which of these reagents is to be used in the actual practice. Again, if the ore is washed with water before treating with cyanide on the large scale, then the assay should be made of the acidity of the ore after a similar washing.

The standard solutions of acid and alkali used for this determination may be one-fifth normal. 200 c.c. of the normal solution should be diluted to 1 litre in each case, 1 c.c. of the resulting solutions would be equivalent to 8 milligrams of soda (NaHO) or 5.6 milligrams of lime, CaO. It must be remembered this refers to the pure bases in each case. Suppose it is desired to report as so many lbs. of lime to the short ton (2000 lbs.) of ore. Since 1 c.c. of the standard solution is equivalent to 5.6 milligrams of lime, if we take 2000 times this weight of ore (i.e. 11,200 milligrams or 11.2 grams) for the assay, each c.c. of standard solution will be equivalent to 1 lb. of lime to the short ton.[45]

Total acidity.—Weigh out 11.2 grams of the ore, place them in a four-inch evaporating dish and measure on to it from a burette 10 or 20 c.c. of the standard solution of soda. Stir the soda solution into the ore and allow to stand for 15 or 20 minutes with occasional stirring. Stir up with 30 or 40 c.c. of water, float a piece of litmus paper on the liquid and titrate with the standard solution of acid. If the ore is strictly neutral the quantity of "acid" required to redden the litmus will be the same as the quantity of "soda" originally used. If the ore is acid, less acid will be used. For example, if 10 c.c. of soda were used and only 7 c.c. of acid were required, the ore will have done the work of the remaining 3 c.c. of acid. And the ton of ore will require 3 lbs. of lime to neutralise its acidity.

Acidity after washing.—Take 11.2 grams of the ore; wash thoroughly with water and immediately treat the residue, without drying, exactly as just described.

Examination of cyanide solutions for metals, &c.—Take a measured quantity of the solution, say 20 c.c.[46] and evaporate in a small dish with, say, half a c.c. of strong sulphuric acid. Evaporate at first, on a water-bath in a well ventilated place, but finish off with a naked Bunsen flame, using a high temperature at the end in order to completely decompose the more refractory double cyanides. Allow to cool; moisten with strong hydrochloric acid; warm with a little water and test for the metals in the solution by the ordinary methods. Since the quantities of the metals likely to be present may be given in milligrams the work must be carefully performed. It may be worth while to determine the proportions of lime and magnesia as well as those of the metals proper.

Or the 20 c.c. of cyanide liquor may be evaporated with 5 c.c. of strong nitric acid to dryness and gently ignited and the residue taken up with 2 or 3 c.c. of strong hydrochloric acid.

Copper, iron, and zinc can be rapidly determined in such a solution, as follows. Dilute with water to 10 or 15 c.c., add an excess of ammonia, and filter. The precipitate will contain the iron as ferric hydrate; dissolve it in a little hot dilute sulphuric acid: reduce with sulphuretted hydrogen; boil off the excess of gas, cool and titrate with standard potassium permanganate (p. 236). Determine the copper in the filtrate colorimetrically (p. 203); but avoid further dilution. Then add dilute hydrochloric acid, so as to have an excess of 4 or 5 c.c. after neutralising the ammonia; add some clean strips of lead foil, and boil until the solution has for some time become colourless. Titrate with standard potassium ferrocyanide (p. 263) without further dilution, and bearing in mind that at most only one or two c.c. will be required.

Examination of an ore for "cyanicides."—Place 100 grams of the ore with 200 c.c. of a cyanide solution of known strength (say .1 or .2 per cent.) in a bottle and agitate for a definite time, such as one or two days. Filter off some of the liquor and assay for cyanide, using say 20 c.c. Calculate how much cyanide has been destroyed in the operation. Evaporate 20 c.c. with sulphuric or nitric acid and examine for metal. Test another portion for sulphides, &c.

The student who has mastered the methods of assaying can greatly improve himself by working out such problems as the above.

PLATINUM.

Platinum occurs in nature in alluvial deposits associated with gold and some rare metals, generally in fine metallic grains, and, occasionally, in nuggets. It is a grey metal with a high specific gravity, 21.5 when pure and about 18.0 in native specimens. It is fusible only at the highest temperature, and is not acted on by acids.

It is dissolved by warm aqua regia, forming a solution of "platinic chloride," H_{2}PtCl_{6}. This substance on evaporation remains as a brownish red deliquescent mass; on drying at 300 C. it is converted into platinous chloride, PtCl_{2}, and becomes insoluble, and at a higher temperature it is converted into platinum. All platinum compounds yield the metal in this way. Platinic chloride combines with other chlorides to form double salts, of which the ammonic and potassic platino-chlorides are the most important.

Platinum alone is not soluble in nitric acid; but when alloyed with other metals which dissolve in this acid it too is dissolved; so that in gold parting, for example, if platinum was present, some, or perhaps the whole of it would go into solution with the silver. Such alloys, however, when treated with hot sulphuric acid leave the platinum in the residue with the gold.

Platinum is detected when in the metallic state by its physical characters and insolubility in acids. In alloys it may be found by dissolving them in nitric acid or in aqua regia, evaporating with hydrochloric acid, and treating the filtrate with ammonic chloride and alcohol. A heavy yellow precipitate marks its presence.

The assay of bullion, or of an alloy containing platinum, may be made as follows: Take 0.2 gram of the alloy and an equal weight of fine silver, cupel with sheet lead, and weigh. The loss in weight, after deducting that of the silver added, gives the weight of the base metals, copper, lead, &c. Flatten the button and part by boiling with strong sulphuric acid for several minutes. When cold, wash, anneal, and weigh. The weight is that of the platinum and gold. The silver may be got by difference. Re-cupel the metal thus got with 12 or 15 times its weight of silver, flatten and part the gold with nitric acid in the usual way (see under Gold), and the platinum will dissolve. The gold may contain an alloy of osmium and iridium; if so, it should be weighed and treated with aqua regia. The osmiridium will remain as an insoluble residue, which can be separated and weighed. Its weight deducted from that previously ascertained will give the weight of the gold.

When the platinum only is required, the alloy must be dissolved by prolonged treatment with aqua regia, the solution evaporated to dryness, and the residue extracted with water. The solution thus obtained is treated with ammonic chloride in large excess and with some alcohol. A sparingly soluble[47] yellow ammonic platinum chloride is thrown down, mixed, perhaps, with the corresponding salts of other metals of the platinum group. Gold will be in solution. The solution is allowed to stand for some time, and then the precipitate is filtered off, washed with alcohol, dried, and transferred (wrapped in the filter paper) to a weighed crucible. It is ignited, gently at first, as there is danger of volatilising some of the platinum chloride, and afterwards intensely. With large quantities of platinum the ignition should be performed in an atmosphere of hydrogen. Cool and weigh as metallic platinum.

IRIDIUM

Occurs in nature alloyed with osmium as osmiridium or iridosmine, which is "rather abundant in the auriferous beach sands of Northern California" (Dana). It occurs in bright metallic scales, which do not alloy with lead, and are insoluble in aqua regia. Iridium also occurs in most platinum ores, and forms as much as two per cent. of some commercial platinum. In chemical properties it resembles platinum, but the ammonic irido-chloride has a dark red colour, and on ignition leaves metallic iridium, which does not dissolve in aqua regia diluted with four or five times its volume of water and heated to a temperature of 40 or 50 C.

The other metals of the platinum group are Palladium, Rhodium, Osmium, and Ruthenium. They differ from gold, platinum, and iridium by the insolubility of their sulphides in a solution of sodium sulphide. Palladium is distinguished by the insolubility of its iodide; and Osmium by the volatility of its oxide on boiling with nitric acid.

MERCURY.

Mercury occurs native and, occasionally, alloyed with gold or silver in natural amalgams; but its chief ore is the sulphide, cinnabar. It is comparatively rare, being mined for only in a few districts. It is chiefly used in the extraction of gold and silver from their ores (amalgamation); for silvering mirrors, &c.

Mercury forms two series of salts, mercurous and mercuric, but for the purposes of the assayer the most important property is the ease with which it can be reduced to the metallic state from either of these. Mercury itself is soluble in nitric acid, forming, when the acid is hot and strong, mercuric nitrate. Cinnabar is soluble only in aqua regia. Mercurous salts are generally insoluble, and may be converted into mercuric salts by prolonged boiling with oxidising agents (nitric acid or aqua regia). The salts of mercury are volatile, and, if heated with a reducing agent or some body capable of fixing the acid, metallic mercury is given off, which may be condensed and collected.

Mercury is separated from its solutions by zinc or copper, or it may be thrown down by stannous chloride, which, when in excess, gives a grey powder of metallic mercury, or, if dilute, a white crystalline precipitate of mercurous chloride. Nitric acid solutions of mercury yield the metal on electrolysis; and, if the pole on which the metal comes down be made of gold or copper, or is coated with these, the separated mercury will adhere thereto. It may then be washed and weighed.

The best tests for mercury next to obtaining globules of the metal are: (1) a black precipitate with sulphuretted hydrogen from acid solutions, which is insoluble in nitric acid; and (2) a white precipitate with stannous chloride.

DRY METHOD.



Weigh up 5 grams, if the ore is rich, or 10 grams, if a poorer mineral. Take a piece of combustion tube from 18 inches to 2 feet long, closed at one end, and place in it some powdered magnesite, so as to fill it to a depth of 2 or 3 inches, and on that a layer of an equal quantity of powdered lime (not slaked). Mix the weighed sample of ore in a mortar with 10 grams of finely powdered lime and transfer to the tube; rinse out the mortar with a little more lime, and add the rinsings. Cover with a layer of six or seven inches more lime and a loosely fitting plug of asbestos. Draw out the tube before the blowpipe to the shape shown in fig. 47, avoiding the formation of a ridge or hollow at the bend which might collect the mercury. Tap gently, holding the tube nearly horizontal, so as to allow sufficient space above the mixture for the passage of the gases and vapours which are formed. Place the tube in a "tube furnace," and, when in position, place a small beaker of water so that it shall just close the opening of the tube. The point of the tube should not more than touch the surface of the water. Bring the tube gradually to a red heat, commencing by heating the lime just behind the asbestos plug, and travelling slowly backwards. When the portion of the tube containing the ore has been heated to redness for some time the heat is carried back to the end of the tube. The magnesite readily gives up carbonic acid, which fills the tube and sweeps the mercury vapour before it. Some of the mercury will have dropped into the beaker, and some will remain as drops adhering to the upper part of the neck. Whilst the tube is still hot cut off the neck of the tube just in front of the asbestos plug (a drop of water from the wash bottle will do this), and wash the mercury from the neck into the beaker. The mercury easily collects into a globule, which must be transferred, after decanting off the bulk of the water, to a weighed Berlin crucible. The water is removed from the crucible, first by the help of filter paper, and then by exposing in a desiccator over sulphuric acid, where it should be left until its weight remains constant. It should not be warmed.

Example:—5 grams of an ore treated in this way gave 4.265 grams of mercury, equivalent to 85.3 per cent. Pure cinnabar contains 86.2 per cent.

WET METHODS.

Solution.—Since solutions of chloride of mercury cannot be boiled without risk of loss,[48] nitric acid solutions should be used wherever possible. No mercury-containing minerals are insoluble in acids; but cinnabar requires aqua regia for solution. In dissolving this mineral nitric acid should be used, with just as much hydrochloric acid as will suffice to take it up.

To separate the mercury, pass sulphuretted hydrogen in considerable excess through the somewhat dilute solution. The precipitate should be black, although it comes down at first very light coloured. It is filtered, washed, and transferred back to the beaker, and then digested with warm ammonic sulphide. The residue, filtered, washed, and boiled with dilute nitric acid, will, in the absence of much lead, be pure mercuric sulphide. If much lead is present, a portion may be precipitated as sulphate, but can be removed by washing with ammonic acetate. To get the mercury into solution, cover with nitric acid and a few drops of hydrochloric, and warm till solution is effected. Dilute with water to 50 or 100 c.c.

GRAVIMETRIC DETERMINATION.

This may be made by electrolysis. The same apparatus as is used for the electrolytic copper assay may be employed, but instead of a cylinder of platinum one cut out of sheet copper should be taken, or the platinum one may be coated with an evenly deposited layer of copper. Fix the spiral and weighed copper cylinder in position, couple up the battery, and when this has been done put the nitric acid solution of the mercury in its place.[49] The student had better refer to the description of the Electrolytic Copper Assay.

The mercury comes down readily, and the precipitation is complete in a few hours: it is better to leave it overnight to make sure of complete reduction. Disconnect the apparatus, and wash the cylinder, first with cold water, then with alcohol. Dry by placing in the water oven for two or three minutes. Cool and weigh: the increase in weight gives the amount of metallic mercury.

It must be remembered that copper will precipitate mercury without the aid of the battery; but in this case copper will go into solution with a consequent loss in the weight of the cylinder: this must be avoided by connecting the battery before immersing the electrodes in the assay solution. The electrolysed solution should be treated with an excess of ammonia, when a blue coloration will indicate copper, in which case the electrolysis is unsatisfactory. With a little care this need not happen. Gold cylinders may preferably be used instead of copper; but on platinum the deposit of mercury is grey and non-adherent, so that it cannot be washed and weighed.

VOLUMETRIC METHODS.

Several methods have been devised: for the details of these the student is referred to Sutton's "Handbook of Volumetric Analysis."

QUESTIONS.

1. The specific gravity of mercury is 13.596. What volume would 8 grams occupy?

2. If 3.169 grams of cinnabar gave 2.718 grams of mercury, what would be the percentage of the metal in the ore?

3. Pour solution of mercuric chloride on mercury and explain what happens.

4. On dissolving 0.3 gram of mercury in hot nitric acid, and passing sulphuretted hydrogen in excess through the diluted solution, what weight of precipitate will be got?

FOOTNOTES:

[9] Lead may be granulated by heating it to a little above the melting point, pouring it into a closed wooden box, and rapidly agitating it as it solidifies.

[10] A rod of iron placed in the crucible with the assays will decompose any regulus that may be formed.

[11] With buttons poor in silver the lowering of the temperature at this stage is not a matter of importance.

[12] 100 grams of the lead, or of its oxide, will contain from 1.5 to 2.5 milligrams.

[13] Still the precautions of having cupels well made from bone ash in fine powder, and of working the cupellation at as low a temperature as possible are very proper ones, provided they are not carried to an absurd excess.

[14] Be careful to remove the crucible before taking the bottle out of the basin of water; if this is not done the chloride may be washed out of it.

[15] 1 c.c. of this dilute acid will precipitate 8 or 9 milligrams of silver.

[16] Chlorides interfere not merely by removing silver as insoluble silver chloride, but also by making it difficult to get a good finishing point, owing to the silver chloride removing the colour from the reddened solution.

[17] These results were obtained when using ammonium sulphocyanate, and cannot be explained by the presence of such impurities as chlorides, &c.

[18] Multiply the standard by 1000, and dilute 100 c.c. of the standard solution to the resulting number of c.c. Thus, with a solution of a standard .495, dilute 100 c.c. to 495 c.c., using, of course, distilled water.

[19] HNa_{2}AsO_{4} + 3AgNO_{3} = Ag_{3}AsO_{4} + HNO_{3} + 2NaNO_{3}.

[20] SiO{2} + Na{2}CO{3} = CO{2} + Na{2}SiO{3} SiO{2} + 2NaHCO{3} = 2CO{2} + Na{2}SiO{3} + H{2}O.

[21] PbO + SiO{2} = PbSiO{3}

[22] Here and elsewhere in this article when a flux is spoken of as soda the bicarbonate is meant.

[23] See the description of the process commencing on p. 98 and the explanatory remarks on p. 110.

[24] Percy, Metallurgy of Silver and Gold, p. 258.

[25] "Limits of Accuracy attained in Gold-bullion Assay," Trans. Chem. Soc., 1893.

[26] "Assaying and Hall-marking at the Chester Assay Office." W.F. Lowe. Journ. Soc. Chem. Industry, Sept. 1889.

[27] Fine or pure gold is 24 carat. Nine carat gold therefore contains 9 parts of gold in 24 of the alloy; eighteen carat gold contains 18 parts of gold in 24; and so on.

[28] The mouth of the flask must not have a rim around it.

[29] See "Assaying and Hall-marking at the Chester Assay Office," by W.F. Lowe. Journ. Soc. Chem. Industry, Sept. 1889.

[30] Percy, Metallurgy of Silver and Gold, p. 263.

[31] See also "The Assaying of Gold Bullion," by C. Whitehead and T. Ulke. Eng. and Mining Journal, New York, Feb. 12, 1898.

[32] Consult Percy's Metallurgy of Silver and Gold, p. 172; A.C. Claudet, Trans. Inst. Mining and Metallurgy, vol. vi. p. 29; G.M. Roberts Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers, Buffalo Meeting, 1898; J. and H.S. Pattinson, Journ. Soc. Chem. Industry, vol. xi. p. 321.

[33] Heycock and Neville, Journ. Chem. Soc., 1892, p. 907.

[34] G.M. Roberts.

[35] A.C. Claudet.

[36] "The Sampling of Argentiferous and Auriferous Copper," by A.R. Ledoux. Journ. Canadian Mining Institute, 1899.

[37] NaCNO + BaCl{2} + NaHO + H{2}O = NH{3} + BaCO{3} + 2 NaCl.

[38] HCy + NaHO = NaCy + H_{2}O.

[39] 2KCN + AgNO_{3} = KAg(CN)_{2} + KNO_{3}.

[40] If it be desired to make a solution so that 100 c.c. shall be equivalent to 1 gram of sodium cyanide, then 18.085 grams of silver nitrate should be taken for each litre.

[41] AgNO_{3} + KAgCy_{2} = 2 AgCy + KNO_{3}.

[42] AgNO{3} + KI = AgI + KNO{3}.

[43] See pp. 322, 323, and 324 for a description of the methods for measuring the quantity of acid or alkali.

[44] KCN + HCl = KCl + HCN

[45] Taking 16.0 grams of ore, each c.c. = 1 lb. of soda to the short ton. The corresponding figures for the long ton are 12.544 grams for lime and 17.92 grams for soda.

[46] In which case each .01 gram of metal found equals 1 lb to the short ton of solution.

[47] 100 c.c. of water dissolves 0.66 gram of the salt; it is almost insoluble in alcohol or in solutions of ammonic chloride.

[48] According to Personne mercuric chloride is not volatilised from boiling solutions when alkaline chlorides are present.

[49] The solution should contain about 0.25 gram of mercury, and a large excess of nitric acid must be avoided.



CHAPTER X.

COPPER—LEAD—THALLIUM—BISMUTH—ANTIMONY.

COPPER.

Copper occurs native in large quantities, especially in the Lake Superior district; in this state it is generally pure. More frequently it is found in combination. The ores of copper may be classed as oxides and sulphides. The most abundant oxidised ores are the carbonates, malachite and chessylite; the silicates, as also the red and black oxides, occur less abundantly. All these yield their copper in solution on boiling with hydrochloric acid.

The sulphides are more abundant. Copper pyrites (or yellow ore), erubescite (or purple ore), and chalcocite (or grey ore) are the most important. Iron pyrites generally carries copper and is frequently associated with the above-mentioned minerals. These are all attacked by nitric acid. They nearly all contain a small quantity of organic matter, and frequently considerable quantities of lead, zinc, silver, gold, arsenic, bismuth, &c.

The copper ores are often concentrated on the mine before being sent into the market, either by smelting, when the product is a regulus or matte, or by a wet method of extraction, yielding cement copper or precipitate. A regulus is a sulphide of copper and iron, carrying from 30 to 40 per cent. of copper. A precipitate, which is generally in the form of powder, consists mainly of metallic copper. Either regulus or precipitate may be readily dissolved in nitric acid.

Copper forms two classes of salts, cuprous and cupric. The former are pale coloured and of little importance to the assayer. They are easily and completely converted into cupric by oxidising agents. Cupric compounds are generally green or blue, and are soluble in ammonia, forming deep blue solutions.

DRY ASSAY.

That, for copper, next after those for gold and silver, holds a more important position than any other dry assay. The sale of copper ores has been regulated almost solely in the past by assays made on the Cornish method. It is not pretended that this method gives the actual content of copper, but it gives the purchaser an idea of the quantity and quality of the metal that can be got by smelting. The process is itself one of smelting on a small scale. As might be expected, however, the assay produce and the smelting produce are not the same, there being a smaller loss of copper in the smelting. The method has worked very well, but when applied to the purchase of low class ores (from which the whole of the copper is extracted by wet methods) it is unsatisfactory. The following table, which embodies the results of several years' experience with copper assays, shows the loss of copper on ores of varying produce. The figures in the fourth column show how rapidly the proportion of copper lost increases as the percentage of copper in the ore falls below 30 per cent. For material with more than 30 per cent. the proportion lost is in inverse proportion to the copper present.

LOSS OF COPPER.

-+ + -+ Copper present. Dry Assay. Margin. Loss on 100 Parts of Copper. -+ + -+ Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 100 98 2.0 2.0 95 92-1/2 2.5 2.6 90 87-3/8 2.6 2.9 85 82-3/8 2.6 3.0 80 77-3/8 2.6 3.2 75 72-3/8 2.6 3.5 70 67-1/2 2.5 3.6 65 62-1/2 2.5 3.8 60 57-5/8 2.4 4.0 55 52-3/4 2.3 4.2 50 47-3/4 2.2 4.4 45 43 2.0 4.5 40 38-1/8 1.8 4.6 35 33-1/4 1.7 4.8 30 28-1/2 1.50 5.0 25 23-1/2 1.50 6.0 20 18-1/2 1.56 7.8 18 16-1/2 1.53 8.5 16 14-1/2 1.48 9.3 14 12-5/8 1.40 10.0 12 10-5/8 1.37 11.4 10 8-3/4 1.28 12.8 8 6-7/8 1.14 14.3 6 5 1.05 17.5 5 4 1.00 20.0 4 3 1.00 25.0 3.75 2-3/4 0.97 26.0 3.50 2-9/16 0.94 27.0 3.25 2-5/16 0.91 28.0 3.00 2-1/8 0.87 29.0 2.75 1-15/16 0.82 30.0 2.50 1-3/4 0.77 31.0 2.25 1-1/2 0.72 32.0 2.00 1-5/16 0.66 33.0 -+ + -+

The wet assay being known, the dry assay can be calculated with the help of the above table by deducting the amount in the column headed "margin" opposite the corresponding percentage. For example, if the wet assay gives a produce of 17.12 per cent., there should be deducted 1.5; the dry assay would then be 15.62, or, since the fractions are always expressed in eighths, 15-5/8. With impure ores, containing from 25 to 50 per cent. of copper, the differences may be perhaps 1/4 greater.

Wet methods are gradually replacing the dry assay, and it is probable that in the future they will supersede it; for stock-taking, and the various determinations required in smelting works and on mines, they are generally adopted, because they give the actual copper contents, and since it is obvious that a knowledge of this is more valuable to the miner and smelter. Moreover, the working of the dry method has been monopolised by a small ring of assayers, with the double result of exciting outside jealousy and, worse still, of retarding the development and improvement of the process.

The principal stages of the dry assay are: (1) the concentration of the copper in a regulus; (2) the separation of the sulphur by calcining; (3) the reduction of the copper by fusion; and (4) the refining of the metal obtained.

The whole of these operations are not necessary with all copper material. Ores are worked through all the stages; with mattes, the preliminary fusion for regulus is omitted; precipitates are simply fused for coarse copper, and refined; and blister or bar coppers are refined, or, if very pure, subjected merely to washing.

The quantity of ore generally taken is 400 grains, and is known as "a full trial"; but for rich material, containing more than 50 per cent. of copper, "a half trial," or 200 grains, is used.

Fusion for Regulus.—The ore (either with or without a previous imperfect roasting to get rid of any excess of sulphur) is mixed with borax, glass, lime, and fluor spar; and, in some cases, with nitre, or iron pyrites, according to the quality of the ore. The mixture is placed in a large Cornish crucible, and heated as uniformly as possible in the wind furnace, gradually raising the temperature so as to melt down the charge in from 15 to 20 minutes. The crucible is removed and its contents poured into an iron mould. When the slag is solid, it is taken up with tweezers and quenched in water. The regulus is easily detached from the slag. It should be convex above and easily broken, have a reddish brown colour, and contain from 40 to 60 per cent. of copper. A regulus with more than this is "too fine," and with less "too coarse." A regulus which is too fine is round, compact, hard, and of a dark bluish grey on the freshly broken surface. A coarse regulus is flat and coarse grained, and more nearly resembles sulphide of iron in fracture and colour.

If an assay yields a regulus "too coarse," a fresh determination is made with more nitre added, or the roasting is carried further. With low class ores a somewhat coarse regulus is an advantage. If, on the other hand, the regulus is too fine, less nitre or less roasting is the remedy. With grey copper ores and the oxidised ores, iron pyrites is added.

Calcining the Regulus.—It is powdered in an iron mortar and transferred to a small Cornish crucible, or (if the roasting is to be done in the muffle) to a roasting dish or scorifier. The calcining is carried out at a dull red heat, which is gradually increased. The charge requires constant stirring at first to prevent clotting, but towards the end it becomes sandy and requires less attention. If the temperature during calcination has been too low sulphates are formed, which are again reduced to sulphides in the subsequent fusion. To prevent this the roasted regulus is recalcined at a higher temperature, after being rubbed up with a little anthracite. The roasted substance must not smell of burning sulphur when hot. It is practically a mixture of the oxides of copper and iron.

Fusion for Coarse Copper.—The calcined regulus is mixed with a flux consisting of borax and carbonate of soda, with more or less tartar according to its weight. Some "assayers" use both tartar and nitre, the former of course being in excess. The charge is returned to the crucible in which it was calcined, and is melted down at a high temperature, and, as soon as tranquil, poured. When solid it is quenched and the button of metal separated.

The slag is black and glassy. The small quantity of copper which it retains is recovered by a subsequent "cleaning," together with the slags from the next operation.

The button of "coarse copper" obtained must be free from a coating of regulus. It will vary somewhat in appearance according to the nature and quantity of the impurities.

Refining the Coarse Copper.—The same crucible is put back in the furnace, deep down and under the crevice between the two bricks. When it has attained the temperature of the furnace the coarse copper is dropped into it and the furnace closed. The copper will melt almost at once with a dull surface, which after a time clears, showing an "eye." Some refining flux is then shot in from the scoop (fig. 48), and, when the assay is again fluid, it is poured. When cold the button of metal is separated.



The button of "fine" copper is flat or pitted on its upper surface, and is coated with a thin orange film; it must have the appearance of good copper. If it is covered with a red or purple film, it is overdone or "burnt." If, on the other hand, it has a rough, dull appearance, it is not sufficiently refined. Assays that have been "burnt" are rejected. Those not sufficiently fine are treated as "coarse copper," and again put through the refining operation.

Cleaning the Slags.—These are roughly powdered and re-fused with tartar, etc., as in the fusion for coarse copper. The button of metal got is separated (if big enough refined) and weighed.

The details of the process are slightly varied by different assayers: the following will be good practice for the student.

Determination of Copper in Copper Pyrites.—Powder, dry, and weigh up 20 grams of the ore. Mix with 20 grams each of powdered lime and fluor, 15 grams each of powdered glass and borax, and 5 or 10 grams of nitre. Transfer to a large Cornish crucible and fuse under a loose cover at a high temperature for from 15 to 20 minutes. When fluid and tranquil pour into a mould. When the slag has solidified, but whilst still hot, quench by dipping two or three times in cold water. Avoid leaving it in the water so long that it does not dry after removal. When cold separate the button, or perhaps buttons, of regulus by crumbling the slag between the fingers. See that the slag is free from regulus. It should be light coloured when cold and very fluid when hot. Reject the slag.

Powder the regulus in a mortar and transfer to a small crucible. Calcine, with occasional stirring, until no odour of sulphurous oxide can be detected. Shake back into the mortar, rub up with about 1 gram of powdered anthracite, and re-calcine for 10 minutes longer.

Mix the calcined regulus with 10 grams of tartar, 20 grams of soda, and 3 grams of borax; and replace in the crucible used for calcining. Fuse at a bright red heat for 10 or 15 minutes. Pour, when tranquil.

As soon as solid, quench in water, separate the button of copper, and save the slag.

To refine the copper a very hot fire is wanted, and the fuel should not be too low down in the furnace. Place the crucible well down in the fire and in the middle of the furnace. The same crucible is used, or, if a new one is taken, it must be glazed with a little borax. When the crucible is at a good red heat, above the fusing point of copper, drop the button of copper into it, and close the furnace. Watch through the crevice, and, as soon as the button has melted and appears clear showing an eye, shoot in 10 grams of refining flux, close the furnace, and, in a few minutes, pour; then separate the button of copper. Add the slag to that from the coarse copper fusion, and powder. Mix with 5 grams of tartar, 0.5 gram of powdered charcoal, and 2 grams of soda. Fuse in the same crucible, and, when tranquil, pour; quench, and pick out the prills of metal.

If the copper thus got from the slags is coarse looking and large in amount, it must be refined; but, if small in quantity, it may be taken as four-fifths copper. The combined results multiplied by five give the percentage of copper.

The refining flux is made by mixing 3 parts (by measure) of powdered nitre, 2-12 of tartar, and 1 of salt. Put in a large crucible, and stir with a red-hot iron until action has ceased. This operation should be carried out in a well-ventilated spot.

For pure ores in which the copper is present, either as metal or oxide, and free from sulphur, arsenic, &c., the concentration of the copper in a regulus may be omitted, and the metal obtained in a pure state by a single fusion.[50] It is necessary to get a fluid neutral slag with the addition of as small an amount of flux as possible. The fusion should be made at a high temperature, so as not to occupy more than from 20 to 25 minutes. Thirty grams of ore is taken for a charge, mixed with 20 grams of cream of tartar, and 10 grams each of dried borax and soda. If the gangue of the ore is basic, carrying much oxide of iron or lime, silica is added, in quantity not exceeding 10 grams. If, on the other hand, the gangue is mainly quartz, oxide of iron up to 7 grams must be added.

Example.—Twenty grams of copper pyrites, known to contain 27.6 per cent. of copper, gave by the method first described 5.22 grams of copper, equalling 26-1/8 per cent. Another sample of 20 grams of the same ore, calcined, fused with 40 grams of nitre, and washed to ensure the removal of arsenic and sulphur, and treated according to the second method, gave a button weighing 5.27 grams, equalling 26-3/8 per cent. The ore contained a considerable quantity of lead. Lead renders the assay more difficult, since after calcination it remains as lead sulphate, and in the fusion for coarse copper reappears as a regulus on the button.

The Estimation of Moisture.—The Cornish dry assayer very seldom makes a moisture determination. He dries the samples by placing the papers containing them on the iron plate of the furnace.

It is well known that by buying the copper contents of pyrites by Cornish assay, burning off the sulphur, and converting the copper into precipitate, a large excess is obtained.

NOTES ON THE VALUATION OF COPPER ORES.

Closely bound up with the practice of dry copper assaying is that of valuing a parcel of copper ore. The methods by which the valuation is made have been described by Mr. Westmoreland,[51] and are briefly as follows:—The produce of the parcel is settled by two assayers, one acting for the buyer, the other for the seller; with the help, in case of non-agreement, of a third, or referee, whose decision is final. The dry assayers who do this are in most cases helped, and sometimes, perhaps, controlled, by wet assays made for one or both of the parties in the transaction.

In the case of "ticketing," the parcels are purchased by the smelters by tender, and the value of any particular parcel is calculated from the average price paid, as follows:—The "standard," or absolute value of each ton of fine copper in the ore, is the price the smelters have paid for it, plus the returning charges or cost of smelting the quantity of ore in which it is contained. The value of any particular parcel of ore is that of the quantity of fine copper it contains, calculated on this standard, minus the returning charges. The ton consists of 21 cwts., and it is assumed that the "settled" produce is the actual yield of the ore.

If at a ticketing in Cornwall 985 tons of ore containing 63.3 tons of fine copper (by dry assay) brought 2591 12s., the standard would be 83 15s. This is calculated as follows:—The returning charge is fixed at 55s. per ton of ore. This on 985 tons will amount to 2708 15s. Add this to the actual price paid, and there is got 5300 as the value of the fine copper present. The weight of copper in these 985 tons being 63.3 tons, the standard is 5300/63.3, or 83 15s. (nearly).

The value of a parcel of 150 tons of a 6 per cent. ore on the same standard would be arrived at as follows:—The 150 tons at 6 per cent. would contain 9 tons (1506/100) of fine copper. This, at 83 15s. per ton, would give 753 15s. From this must be deducted the returning charges on 150 tons of ore at 55s. per ton, or 412 10s. This leaves 341 5s. as the value of the parcel.

At Swansea the returning charge is less than in Cornwall, and varies with the quality of the ore. This appears equitable, since in smelting there are some costs which are dependent simply on the number of tons treated, and others which increase with the richness. The returning charge then is made up of two parts, one fixed at so much (12s. 2d.) per ton of ore treated, and the other so much (3s. 9d.) per unit of metal in the ore. In this way the returning charge on a ton of ore of 8-3/4 produce would be (12s. 2d.)+(8-3/4(3s. 9d.)), or 2 5s.

If, for example, Chili bars, containing 96 per cent. of copper, bring 50 per ton, the standard is 71 9s. 4d. It is got at in this way. The returning charge on a 96 per cent. ore is (12s. 2d.)+(96(3s. 9d.)), or 18 12s. 2d. This added to 50 gives 68 12s. 2d., and this multiplied by 100 and divided by 96 (100 tons of the bars will contain 96 tons of fine copper) will give 71 9s. 4d.

The price of 100 tons of pyrites, containing 2-1/4 per cent. of copper by dry assay, would be got on this standard as follows:—The parcel of ore would contain 2-1/4 tons of copper. This multiplied by the standard gives 160 16s. 0d. From this must be deducted the returning charge, which for 1 ton of ore of this produce would be (12s. 2d.) + (2-1/4(3s. 9d.)) or 1 0s. 7d., and on the 100 tons is 102 18s. 4d. This would leave 57 17s. 10d. as the price of the parcel, or 11s. 7d. per ton. This would be on the standard returning charge of 45s. (for 8-3/4 per cent. ore); if a smaller returning charge was agreed on, say 38s., the difference in this case, 7s., would be added to the price per ton.

WET METHODS.

The solubility of the ores of copper in acid has already been described, but certain furnace products, such as slags, are best opened up by fusion with fusion mixture and a little nitre.

The method of dissolving varies with the nature of the ore. With 5 grams of pyrites, a single evaporation with 20 c.c. of nitric acid will give a residue completely soluble in 30 c.c. of hydrochloric acid. If the ore carries oxide of iron or similar bodies, these are first dissolved up by boiling with 20 c.c. of hydrochloric acid, and the residue attacked by an addition of 5 c.c. of nitric. When silicates decomposable by acid are present, the solution is evaporated to dryness to render the silica insoluble; the residue extracted with 30 c.c. of hydrochloric acid, and diluted with water to 150 c.c. It is advisable to have the copper in solution as chloride. To separate the copper, heat the solution nearly to boiling (best in a pint flask), and pass a rapid current of sulphuretted hydrogen for four or five minutes until the precipitate settles readily and the liquid smells of the gas. When iron is present it will be reduced to the ferrous state before the copper sulphide begins to separate. The copper appears as a brown coloration or black precipitate according to the quantity present. Filter through a coarse filter, wash with hot water containing sulphuretted hydrogen, if necessary. Wash the precipitate back into the flask, boil with 10 c.c. of nitric acid, add soda till alkaline, and pass sulphuretted hydrogen again. Warm and filter, wash and redissolve in nitric acid, neutralise with ammonia, add ammonic carbonate, boil and filter. The copper freed from impurities will be in the solution. Acidulate and reprecipitate with sulphuretted hydrogen. When the nature of the impurities will allow it, this process may be shortened to first filtering off the gangue, then precipitating with sulphuretted hydrogen and washing the precipitate on the filter first with water and then with ammonium sulphide.

Having separated the copper as sulphide, its weight is determined as follows. Dry and transfer to a weighed porcelain crucible, mix with a little pure sulphur, and ignite at a red heat for 5 or 10 minutes in a current of hydrogen. Allow to cool while the hydrogen is still passing. Weigh. The subsulphide of copper thus obtained contains 79.85 per cent. of copper; it is a greyish-black crystalline mass, which loses no weight on ignition if air is excluded.

Copper may be separated from its solutions by means of sodium hyposulphite. The solution is freed from hydrochloric and nitric acids by evaporation with sulphuric acid; diluted to about a quarter of a litre; heated nearly to boiling; and treated with a hot solution of sodium hyposulphite (added a little at a time) until the precipitate settles and leaves the solution free from colour. The solution contains suspended sulphur. The precipitate is easily washed, and under the proper conditions the separation is complete, but the separation with sulphuretted hydrogen is more satisfactory, since the conditions as to acidity, &c., need not be so exact.

Zinc or iron is sometimes used for separating copper from its solutions, but they are not to be recommended.

ELECTROLYTIC ASSAY.

The separation of copper by means of a current of electricity is largely made use of, and forms the basis of the most satisfactory method for the determination of this metal. If the wire closing an electric circuit be broken, and the two ends immersed in a beaker of acidulated water or solution of any salt, the electricity will pass through the liquid, bringing about some remarkable changes. Hydrogen and the metals will be liberated around that part of the wire connected with the zinc end of the battery, and oxygen, chlorine, and the acid radicals will be set free around the other. Different metals are deposited in this way with varying degrees of ease, and whether or not any particular metal will be deposited depends—(1) on the conditions of the solution as regards acid and other substances present, and (2) on the intensity of the current of electricity used. For analytical purposes the metal should be deposited not only free from the other metals present, but also as a firm coherent film, which may afterwards be manipulated without fear of loss. This is, in the case of copper and many other metals, effected by a simple control of the conditions. It is necessary that the electrodes, or wires which bring the electricity into the solution, should be made of a material to which the deposited metal will adhere, and which will not be attacked by substances originally present or set free in the solution. They are generally made of platinum. There are various arrangements of apparatus used for this purpose, but the following plan and method of working is simple and effective, and has been in daily use with very satisfactory results for the last five or six years.

The battery used is made up of two Daniell cells, coupled up for intensity as shown in fig. 49—that is, with the copper of one connected with the zinc of the other. For eight or ten assays daily the quart size should be used, but for four or five two pint cells will be sufficient.



The outer pot of each cell is made of sheet copper, and must be clean and free from solder on the inside. It is provided near the top with a perforated copper shelf in the shape of a ring, into which the inner or porous cell loosely fits. It is charged with a saturated solution of copper sulphate, and crystals of this salt must be added, and always kept in excess. When the battery is at work copper is being deposited on the inner surface of this pot.

The inner or porous pot contains the zinc rod, and is charged with a dilute acid, made by diluting one volume of sulphuric acid up to ten with water. The object of the porous pot is to prevent the mixing of the acid and copper sulphate solutions, without interrupting the flow of electricity. The copper sulphate solution will last for months, but the acid must be emptied out and recharged daily.

The zinc rods must be well amalgamated by rubbing with mercury under dilute acid until they show a uniformly bright surface. They should not produce a brisk effervescence when placed in the acid in the porous pot before coupling up.

The battery when working is apt to become dirty from the "creeping" of the copper and zinc sulphate solution. It must be kept away from the working bench, and is best kept in a box on the floor.



The connection of the battery with, and the fixing of, the electrodes may be made by any suitable arrangement, but the following is a very convenient plan. The wire from the zinc is connected by means of a binding screw with a piece of stout copper wire, which, at a distance sufficiently great to allow of easy coupling with the battery, is led along the back of a piece of hard wood. This is fixed horizontally about one foot above the working bench. The general arrangement is shown in fig. 50, in which, however, for the sake of economy of space, the battery is placed on the working bench instead of on the floor. The piece of wood is one inch square and three or four feet long. It is perforated from front to back at distances of six inches by a number of small holes, in which are inserted screws like that shown in fig. 51. These are known as "terminals," and may be obtained of any electrician. The head of each screw is soldered to the wire mentioned above as running along the back and as being connected with the zinc end of the battery. These terminals serve to fix the electrodes on which the copper is to be deposited. The wire from the copper end of the battery is similarly connected by a connecting screw (fig. 52) with another wire (H in fig. 53), which runs along the top of the rod and has soldered to it, at distances of six inches, cylindrical spirals of copper wire. These should project from the rod at points about half-way between the terminals already described. They may be made by wrapping copper wire around a black-lead pencil for a length of about three inches.



The rod is perforated from top to bottom with a series of small holes, one in advance of each terminal but as near it as possible. Into these short pieces of glass tube are inserted to ensure insulation. These receive the other electrodes, which are connected with the wire leading to the copper end of the battery, through the spirals, with the help of a binding screw. The figure will make this clear. (Fig. 53.)



The electrodes consist of a platinum spiral and cylinder. The spiral should have the shape shown in A, fig. 54. When in work it is passed through one of the holes fitted with glass tubes and connected with the copper end of the battery. The thickness of the wire of which it is made is unimportant, provided it is stout enough to keep its form and does not easily bend. The spiral will weigh about 8 grams. The cylinder (C, fig. 54) will weigh about 12 grams. It should have the shape shown in the figure. In working it is clamped to one of the terminals, and on it the copper is deposited. A cylinder will serve for the deposition of from 1 to 1.5 gram of copper. It is made by rivetting a square piece of foil on to a stiff piece of wire, and then bending into shape over a glass tube or piece of rounded wood. Each cylinder carries a distinctive number, and is marked by impressing Roman numerals on the foil with the blade of a knife. The weight of each is carefully taken and recorded. They lose slightly in weight when in use, but the loss is uniform, and averages half a milligram per month when in daily use. The cylinders are cleaned from deposited copper by dissolving off with nitric acid and washing with water; and from grease by igniting.

The beakers, to contain the solution of copper to be electrolysed, are ordinary tall beakers of about 200 c.c. capacity, and are marked off at 100 c.c. and 150 c.c. They are supported on movable stands, consisting of wooden blocks about six inches high and three inches across. The bar of wood which carries the connecting wires and electrodes is permanently fixed over the working bench, at such a height that, with the beakers resting on these blocks, the electrodes shall be in position for working.

To fix the electrodes to the rod, remove the stand and beaker and pass the long limb of the spiral up through one of the glass tubes. Connect it with the free end of the copper spiral by means of a connecting screw (fig. 52), and then draw out and bend the copper spiral so that the platinum one may hang freely. Screw the wire of the cylinder to the terminal, and, if necessary, bend it so that the cylinder itself may be brought to encircle the rod of the spiral in the manner shown in fig. 53.

The general method of working is as follows:—The quantity of ore to be taken for an assay varies with the richness of the ore, as is shown in the following table:—

Percentage of Copper Quantity of Ore in the Ore. to be taken.

1 to 5 5 grams 5 to 10 3 " 10 to 30 2 " 30 to 50 1.5 " 50 to 100 1 "

The weighed quantity of ore is dissolved by evaporating with nitric acid and taking up with hydrochloric, as already described. Any coloured residue which may be left is generally organic matter: it is filtered off, calcined, and any copper it contains is estimated colorimetrically. Nearly always, however, the residue is white and sandy. The copper is separated from the solution as sulphide by means of a rapid current of sulphuretted hydrogen. The liquid is decanted off through a filter, the precipitate washed once with hot water and then rinsed back into the flask (the filter paper being opened out) with a jet of water from a wash bottle. Fifteen c.c. of nitric acid are added to the contents of the flask, which are then briskly boiled until the bulk is reduced to less than 10 c.c. The boiling down is carried out in a cupboard free from cold draughts, so as to prevent the condensation of acid and steam in the neck of the flask. Twenty c.c. of water are next added, and the solution is warmed, and filtered into one of the beakers for electrolysis. The filtrate and washings are diluted with water to the 100 c.c. mark, and the solution is then ready for the battery. It must not contain more than 10 per cent. by volume of nitric acid.

The number and weight of the platinum cylinder having been recorded, both electrodes are fixed in position and the wooden block removed from under them. The beaker containing the copper solution is then brought up into its place with one hand, and the block replaced with the other so as to support it. All the assays having been got into position, the connecting wires are joined to the battery. If everything is right bubbles of oxygen at once stream off from the spiral, and the cylinder becomes tarnished by a deposit of copper. If the oxygen comes off but no copper is deposited, it is because the assay solution contains too much nitric acid. If no action whatever takes place, it is because the current is not passing. In this case examine the connections to see that they are clean and secure, and the connecting wires to see that they are not touching each other.

The action is allowed to go on for sixteen or seventeen hours, so that it is best to let the current act overnight. In the morning the solutions will appear colourless, and a slow stream of oxygen will still be coming off from the spiral.

A wash-bottle with cold distilled water and two beakers, one with distilled water and the other with alcohol, are got ready. The block is then removed, the spiral loosened and lowered with the beaker. The cylinder is next detached and washed with a stream of water from the wash-bottle, the washings being added to the original solution. The current from the battery is not stopped until all the cylinders are washed. After being dipped in the beaker of water and once or twice in that with the alcohol, it is dried in the water-oven for about three minutes, and then weighed. The increase in weight is due to deposited copper. This should be salmon-red in colour, satin-like or crystalline in appearance, and in an even coherent deposit, not removed by rubbing. It is permanent in air when dry, but sulphuretted hydrogen quickly tarnishes it, producing coloured films. With ores containing even very small proportions of bismuth, the deposited copper has a dark grey colour, and when much of this metal is present the copper is coated with a grey shaggy deposit.

It still remains to determine any copper left undeposited in the solution. This does not generally exceed four or five milligrams, and is estimated colorimetrically. Thirty c.c. of dilute ammonia (one of strong ammonia mixed with one of water) are added to the electrolysed solution, which is then diluted up to the 150 c.c. mark with water. It is mixed, using the spiral as stirrer, and, after standing a few minutes to allow the precipitate to settle, 100 c.c. of it are filtered off through a dry filter for the colorimetric determination. Since only two-thirds of the solution are taken for this, the quantity of copper found must be increased by one-half to get the quantity actually present.



The colorimetric determination may be made in the manner described under that head, but where a number of assays are being carried out it is more convenient to have a series of standard phials containing known amounts of copper in ammoniacal solution. By comparing the measured volume of the assay solution with these, the amount of copper present is determined at a glance. These standard bottles, however, can only be economically used where a large number of assays are being made daily.

A convenient plan is to get a quantity of white glass four-ounce phials, like that in fig. 55, and to label them so that they shall contain 100 c.c. when filled up to the bottom of the labels. The labels should be rendered permanent by coating with wax, and be marked with numbers indicating the milligrams of copper present. The bottles are stopped with new clean corks, and contain, in addition to the specified quantity of copper, 6 c.c. of nitric acid and 10 c.c. of strong ammonia, with sufficient water to make up the bulk to 100 c.c. The copper is best added by running in the requisite amount of a standard solution of copper, each c.c. of which contains 0.001 gram of the metal.

The standard bottles should be refilled once every three or four months, since their colorimetric value becomes slowly less on keeping. The following determinations of a set which had been in use for three months will illustrate this. The figures indicate milligrams of copper in 100 c.c.: the first row gives the nominal and the second row the actual colorimetric value of the standards. The difference between the two shows the deterioration.

1 2 3 4 6 8 10 12 14 1 2 3 3.7 5.5 7.5 9 11 13

The amount of copper in the assay is got by increasing that found colorimetrically by one-half and adding to that found on the platinum cylinder. The percentage is calculated in the usual way. The following examples will illustrate this, as well as the method of recording the work in the laboratory book:—

——————————————————————- Cylinder I. + Cu 9.5410 Cylinder I. 9.5170 ——— 0.0240 By colour 100 c.c. = 0.0015} 0.0007} 0.0022 ——— ——— 0.0022 0.0262 IX. Sample. Took 5 grams. Copper = 0.52% ——————————————————————- Cylinder VI. + Cu 10.5705 Cylinder VI. 10.0437 ———- 0.5268 By colour, 100 c.c. = 0.0070} 0.0035} 0.0105 ——— ——— 0.0105 0.5373 Matte, No. 1070. Took 1.5 gram. Copper = 35.82% ——————————————————————- Cylinder XIII. + Cu 12.0352 Cylinder XIII. 11.0405 ———- 0.9947 By colour 100 c.c. = 0.0005} 0.0002} 0.0007 ——— ——— 0.0007 0.9954 X. Sample, Cake copper. Took 1.0053 gram. Copper = 99.00% ——————————————————————-

In the electrolytic assay of metals, alloys, precipitates, and other bodies rich in copper, the preliminary separation of the copper by sulphuretted hydrogen is unnecessary. It is sufficient to dissolve the weighed sample in 10 c.c. of nitric acid, boil off nitrous fumes, dilute to 100 c.c. with water, and then electrolyse.

General Considerations.—In the preliminary work with the copper sulphide there is a small loss owing to its imperfect removal in washing the filter paper, and another small loss in dissolving in nitric acid owing to the retention of particles in the fused globules of sulphur. To determine its amount the filter-papers and sulphur were collected from forty assays, and the copper in them determined. The average amount of copper in each assay was 0.175 gram; that left on the filter paper was 0.00067 gram; and that retained by the sulphur 0.00003 gram; thus showing an average loss from both sources of 0.00070 gram. The determinations from another lot of forty-two similar assays gave on an average

Copper left on filter paper 0.00070 gram Copper retained by sulphur. 0.00004 "

The loss from these sources is trifling, and need only be considered when great accuracy is required.

The deposition of the copper under the conditions given is satisfactory, but, as already stated, if the solution contain more than 10 per cent. of nitric acid it is not thrown down at all; or if a stronger current is used, say that from three Bunsen cells, it will be precipitated in an arborescent brittle form, ill adapted for weighing. It may be noted here that increasing the size of the cells does not necessarily increase the intensity of the current.

In two determinations on pure electrotype copper the following results were obtained:—

Copper Taken. Copper Found. 0.8988 gram 0.8985 gram 0.8305 " 0.8303 "

The presence of salts of ammonia, &c., somewhat retards the deposition, but has no other ill effect.

The organic matter generally present in copper ores interferes more especially in the colorimetric determination of the residual copper. It can be detected on dissolving the ore as a light black residue insoluble in nitric acid. It is filtered off at once, or, if only present in small amount, it is carried on in the ordinary process of the assay and separated in the last filtration before electrolysis.

The following experiments were made to test the effect of the presence of salts of foreign metals in the solution during the precipitation of copper by electrolysis:—

- Copper Taken. Other Metal Added. Copper Found. - 0.1000 gram 0.1000 gram of silver 0.1800 0.1050 " 0.1000 " " 0.2000 0.1030 " 0.1000 " mercury 0.2010 0.1037 " 0.1000 " " 0.2015 0.1020 " 0.1000 " lead 0.1020 0.1030 " 0.1000 " " 0.1028 0.1010 " 0.1000 " arsenic 0.1010 0.1007 " 0.1000 " " 0.1022 0.1030 " 0.1000 " antimony 0.1050 0.1034 " 0.1000 " " 0.1057 0.0990 " 0.1200 " tin 0.0990 0.1014 " 0.1000 " " 0.1015 0.1000 " 0.1000 " bismuth 0.1662 0.1040 " 0.1000 " cadmium 0.1052 0.1009 " 0.1300 " zinc 0.1017 0.1014 " 0.1000 " nickel 0.1007 0.1079 " 0.1200 " iron 0.1089 0.1054 " 0.1000 " chromium (Cr{2}O{3}) 0.1035 0.1034 " 0.1000 " " (K{2}CrO{4}) 0.1010 0.1075 " 0.1000 " aluminium 0.1078 0.1010 " 0.1000 " manganese 0.0980 -

It will be seen from these that mercury, silver, and bismuth are the only metals which are precipitable[52] along with the copper under the conditions of the assay. Mercury, which if present would interfere, is separated because of the insolubility of its sulphide in nitric acid.

Bismuth is precipitated only after the main portion of the copper is thrown down. It renders the copper obviously unsuitable for weighing. It darkens, or forms a greyish coating on, the copper; and this darkening is a delicate test for bismuth. In assaying ores containing about three and a half per cent. of copper, and known to contain bismuth in quantities scarcely detectable in ordinary analysis, the metal deposited was distinctly greyish in colour, and would not be mistaken for pure copper. Ten grams of this impure copper were collected and analysed, with the following results:—

Copper 99.46 per cent. Bismuth 00.30 " Iron 00.14 " Arsenic 00.10 " ——— 100.00

The quantity of copper got in each assay was 0.175 gram, and consequently the bismuth averaged 0.00053 gram.

To separate the bismuth in such a case the deposit is dissolved off by warming it in the original solution. The bismuth is precipitated by the addition of ammonic carbonate, and the solution, after filtering and acidifying with nitric acid, is re-electrolysed.

Determination of Copper in Commercial Copper.—Take from 1 to 1.5 gram, weigh carefully, and transfer to a beaker; add 20 c.c. of water and 10 c.c. of nitric acid; cover with a clock glass, and allow to dissolve with moderate action; boil off nitrous fumes, dilute to 100 c.c., and electrolyse. The cylinder must be carefully weighed, and the electrolysis allowed to proceed for 24 hours. The weight found will be that of the copper and silver. The silver in it must be determined[53] and deducted.

Determination of Copper in Brass, German Silver, or Bronze.—Treat in the same manner as commercial copper. If nickel is present, the few milligrams of copper remaining in the electrolysed solution should be separated with sulphuretted hydrogen, the precipitated sulphide dissolved in nitric acid, and determined colorimetrically.

VOLUMETRIC PROCESSES.

There are two of these in use, one based on the decolorising effect of potassic cyanide upon an ammoniacal copper solution, and the other upon the measurement of the quantity of iodine liberated from potassic iodide by the copper salt. The cyanide process is the more generally used, and when carefully worked, "on certain understood and orthodox conditions," yields good results; but probably there is no method of assaying where a slight deviation from these conditions so surely leads to error. An operator has no difficulty in getting concordant results with duplicate assays; yet different assayers, working, without bias, on the same material, get results uniformly higher or lower; a difference evidently due to variations in the mode of working. Where a large number of results are wanted quickly it is a very convenient method. The iodide process is very satisfactory when worked under the proper conditions.

CYANIDE METHOD.

The process is based upon the facts—(1) that when ammonia is added in excess to a solution containing cupric salts, ammoniacal copper compounds are formed which give to the solution a deep blue colour; and (2) that when potassic cyanide is added in sufficient quantity to such a solution the colour is removed, double cyanides of copper and potassium or ammonium being formed.[54] In the explanation generally given the formation of cuprous cyanide is supposed[55]; but in practice it is found that one part of copper requires rather more than four parts of cyanide, which agrees with the former, rather than the latter, explanation.