The Thames Pyrites Reduction Works.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 187, 10 June 1873, Page 7

The Thames Pyrites Reduction Works.

Tho importance of the works undertaken by the Pyrites Reduction Company, under the management of Mr Masters, deserves (says the Tlmmes Advertise.)-) more than a passing notice, not only on account of the expensive character of the works themselves, but the importance which must attach to any method adopted for extracting the gold from our quartz, a large percentage of which is known to be lost. The erection of these works has already been commenced, and they will no doubt be carried to a successful issue. The principal feature of the process is die large reverberating furnace, which will be 56 feet long and 14 feet wide, and divided into five compartments, each 10.feet long. At the extremo end of the furnace are two condensers, to condense the fumes. The first treatment of the tailings before they are sent to the furnace will be a concentration, by which the stuif will be reduced to one-tenth of its bulk, only the heavier portions and the pyrites being retained, and the rest of the worthless debris drawn off from it. The treatment which the calcined stuff has to undergo after passing through the furnace is simple enough. After the stuff is thoroughly calcined, it is drawn off through a shoot fixed in the end of the furnace, and then subjected first to the dry grinding process, and next to the wet amalgamating process. From an examination of the plans and an explanation of the process, we find that very little manual labour will be required. The greater portion of the apparatus will be self-feeding. The chimney-stack will be 75 feet high, and will be so constructed as to consume not only the smoke, bi\t the sulphurets and other vapours discharged from the furnace. The manager informs us that he 'can guarantee to extract 90 per cent, of the gold contained in any tailings submitted to this process. We wish the company every success in their undertaking; and when the works are sufficiently advanced, we shall take an opportunity to notice them more particularly and describe the nature of the functions which each separate portion of the machinery has to perform.