Colorado Paper - The Cyanide-Process in the United States

WHEN, in April, 1892, the writer began experimenting with the cyanide-process, it had already proved a success in the treatment of tailings, but had not become an important factor as a primary method of ore-treatment. The Livingston, Colorado, mill was running a few small agitators; the Mercur mill, in Utah, was said to be a success, but was " closed down to increase capacity; " and Mr. A. B. Paul, in Shasta county, California, was running ore'through a stamp-mill into leachingvats, using a weak cyanide solution in the battery. Mills had been, or were being, erected in Arizona; on the Comstock lode; and in South Dakota. Some of these never started, and several were shut down or remodelled for other processes. Altogether, the outlook was anything but favorable. Many of these mills were planned to make use of agits tion, and a cyanide solution containing at least 1 per cent. of potassium cyanide was employed. Since then the improvement of the process, both chemically and mechanically, has placed it among the recognized successful methods of oretreatment. Within the past year I have visited a large number of cyanide-mills, and have collected considerable data, of which I publish enough herewith to give an idea of the development of the process and of the methods followed in the principal mills. I would say, however, that nearly all of these plants are experimenting, most of them employing experienced chemists,