A N T I M O N Y : ITS HISTORY, CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY ...
A N T I M O N Y : ITS HISTORY, CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY ...
A N T I M O N Y : ITS HISTORY, CHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY ...
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86 THE METALLURGY OF ANTIMONY.<br />
The historical development of the many processes based upon the<br />
volatilisation method that have been brought forward, is shown by<br />
the following list and descriptions :—<br />
1844. Bobierre, Ruolz, Rousseau.<br />
1858. M. de Francesclii.<br />
1862. Glass.<br />
1876. Herrenschmidt, Borthwick.<br />
1880 (?). Oehme.<br />
1881. Herrenschmidt.<br />
1883. Hering.<br />
1883. Helmhacker.<br />
1888. Chatillon.<br />
1889. Woolford.<br />
1902. Plews.<br />
1903. Herrensclimidt.<br />
1906. Rasse-Courbet.<br />
1907. Miniere e Fonderie d'antimonio Societa Anonima, Italy.<br />
1907. Chatillon.<br />
1908. Herrensclimidt.<br />
These will be taken up in their proper order.<br />
Bobierre, Ruolz, and Rousseau were the first persons to put forward<br />
the idea of producing antimony trioxide by the. volatilisation method, in<br />
1844. For a brief description of their process, see under Chapter VI.<br />
M. de Franceschi followed in 1858 by using air only, and admitting<br />
it in limited quantities.<br />
In 1862 Glass proposed to draw air through a bath of melted sulphide<br />
in order to obtain the volatile oxide and produce an impure<br />
regulus.<br />
The next important step was taken by M. Herrenschmidt and<br />
Borthwick, who in 1876, in Australia, patented the process shown in<br />
fig. 23, especially applied to ores containing gold. This process consisted<br />
of a rotating roasting furnace, having the section of an elongated<br />
horizontal truncated cone, with a ventilator and a chamber for<br />
the deposit of the volatile oxide formed.<br />
In 1880 (?) Oehme described the following process for producing<br />
very pure antimony oxide :—<br />
In twenty-four hours 600 kilos, of ore can be treated. The charge<br />
must remain about twenty-four hours in the retort or muffle. The<br />
working of this process is not so easy as it appears, as some dexterity<br />
is required in admitting the proper quantity of air and water.<br />
The formation of more hydrogen sulphide than sulphurous acid<br />
indicates a deficiency of water added; if the air is in excess, the<br />
tetroxide is formed instead of the volatile trioxide. A dark-red heat<br />
is best for obtaining a satisfactory result. The residue of a well-