Abstract: A circumferential sealing assembly for use with a generally cylindrical, rotatable liquid metal reaction vessel and a hood which is provided to collect hot gases from the reaction vessel. The sealing assembly comprises a cable and a cable housing. The cable housing is connected to and extends along a circumferential edge or area of the hood. The cable itself extends along, at least partly outside, the cable housing. With one embodiment, the cable is in a tight pressure fit with the reaction vessel. With another embodiment, a sheath encloses an under portion of the cable and the cable pulls the sheath into a tight pressure fit with the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A converter for refining liquid metals having a cylindrical horizontally disposed vessel (1) with a first opening (6) for charging and pouring and a second opening (13) circumferentially and longitudinally displaced from the first opening for exhaust gases to escape, is disclosed. The circumferential displacement is sufficient to prevent liquid metal from pouring from the second opening (13) when the vessel is rotated from a first position for charging materials into the vessel (1) through the first opening (6) to a second position for pouring the contents of the vessel (1) from opening (6). Cool air is provided to a region between the vessel (1) and a jacket (15) surrounding the vessel (1). A hood (14) collects the exhaust gases from the second opening (13) in any position to which the vessel (1) is rotated when it is used. End and circumferential seals structures are provided where hood (14) longitudinally and circumferentially contacts jacket (15).

Abstract: A converter for refining liquid metals having a cylindrical horizontally disposed vessel (1) with a first opening (6) for charging and pouring and a second opening (13) circumferentially and longitudinally displaced from the first opening for exhaust gases to escape, is disclosed. The circumferential displacement is sufficient to prevent liquid metal from pouring from the second opening (13) when the vessel is rotated from a first position for charging materials into the vessel (1) through the first opening (6) to a second position for pouring the contents of the vessel (1) from opening (6). Cool air is provided to a region between the vessel (1) and a jacket (15) surrounding the vessel (1). A hood (14) collects the exhaust gases from the second opening (13) in any position to which the vessel (1) is rotated when it is used. End and circumferential seals structures are provided where hood (14) longitudinally and circumferentially contacts jacket (15).

Abstract: An electrode seal for an electric furnace having an electrode moveable through an opening in the furnace roof. The seal comprises a ring partially overlying the opening and having a plurality of radially slidable refractory bricks adapted to engage and seal with the electrode. Contraction means are provided for periodically moving the bricks radially inwardly of the opening to contact the electrode. The bricks are free to move radially outwardly of the opening under force of engagement with the electrode during periods when the contraction means is inoperative.

Abstract: A tuyere sealing means and silencer having a bell-shaped nozzle. A plurality of cutouts are included in the nozzle and receive radially movable ramp-type valve elements which are adapted to engage with a seal with the plurality of a punch rod. The valve elements are moved radially outwardly of the nozzle against the force of spring means when the punch rod is inserted through the tuyere sealing means.

Abstract: The improvement in the method of recovering copper from low grade ore containing oxidized copper ore which comprises establishing a dump of such ore in fragmented form, substantially completely wetting the ore in the dump with strong aqueous sulfuric acid containing at least about 100 g/l H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, allowing the acid wetted ore to age for a period of at least about three days, thereafter washing the aged ore with dilute aqueous sulfuric acid containing about 5 to 40 g/l H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, collecting such washings, and recovering copper therefrom.

Abstract: This invention relates to the process of flotation concentration of a sulfide mineral in which an aqueous pulp of an ore containing such mineral is subjected to a flotation operation to produce a final high-grade flotation concentrate of such mineral, the improvement comprising carrying out said flotation with a polyglycerol present in the aqueous pulp in an amount sufficient to increase recovery of such mineral in the final concentrate over that obtainable without the presence of said polyglycerol.

Abstract: Copper is recovered from ores containing sulfidic copper minerals by forming the ore into a dump leach heap, and substantially saturating (i.e. thoroughly wetting) the ore in the heap with an aqueous strong acid solution containing 100 to 400 g/l H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and 5 to 50 g/l ferric ion. The ore thus saturated is cured in contact with the strong acid solution for a curing period of at least 2 days, and generally from 5 days to 6 months or even longer, depending on the character of the ore and its permeability by the acid solution. The ore in the heap may be run of mine size, or may be coarsely crushed, again depending on permeability to the strong acid solution. After the curing period, the ore in the heap is washed by percolating through it a weak acid solution containing up to 50 g/l H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and 5 to 50 g/l ferric ion. The wash solutions are collected and treated for copper recovery. Washing is continued until the copper content of the heap has been largely extracted.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the recovery of metal values from copper refinery anode slimes composed largely of copper, selenium, insolubles, and precious metals, including silver, comprising leaching the slimes with a solution containing from 20 to 200 g/l H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and from 2 to 25 g/l hexavalent chromium at a temperature not exceeding about 80.degree. C., whereby copper dissolution is maximized and selenium and silver dissolution are minimized, separating the leach solution from the undissolved slimes residue, precipitating selenium from the separated leach solution by treatment with metallic copper, and electrowinning copper from the resulting purified solution.

Abstract: A process for the leaching and recovery of copper values from copper-containing material which comprises vat leaching a sulfidic copper-containing material with an aqueous acidic ferric sulfate leach solution initially containing at least 10 gpl ferric ion to form a copper pregnant leach solution containing substantially less than 10 gpl ferric ion and a corresponding increase in ferrous ion concentration, extracting said leach solution with an extractant selective to copper and non-selective to iron to strip the copper values from said leach solution, adjusting the acid content of the stripped leach solution to between about 10 to 20 gpl to form an acidic leach solution, passing said acidic stripped leach solution through at least one mineral dump containing oxidized copper for a time sufficient to cause reoxidation of ferrous ion to restore the concentration of ferric ion to at least about 10 gpl, adding sufficient sulfuric acid to the dump off-solution to cause said solution to have an acid concentration o

Abstract: The improvement in the process of concentrating a sulfide mineral by froth flotation from an aqueous pulp of an ore containing such mineral, comprising using as at least part of the aqueous phase of the pulp sewage treatment plant water effluent conditioned prior to use with at least about 3 parts per million of a polyglycerol.

Abstract: Copper is recovered from an aqueous pulp of an ore containing both sulfide minerals and oxidized minerals by continuously monitoring the EMF of the pulp and adding a water-soluble sulfide to the pulp in an amount from 0.05 to 7 pounds of contained sulfur per ton of ore whenever and for so long as the pump EMF is above about -30 millivolts with reference to a standard silver-silver chloride electrode, and discontinuing such addition whenever such EMF in less than about -30 millivolts. Thereafter the pulp is subjected to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a collector for copper sulfide minerals to produce a concentrate containing most of the sulfide minerals and a substantial part of the oxidized minerals of the ore.