Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Process for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining substrates rich in gold,
characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
a)- incorporating to a metallic surface (B1) of a
gold particle retaining means a silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A), which is firmly adhered (fixed) to
said metallic surface (B1) and an overlaying mercury
film (Hg) that is adhered, by molecular attraction,
to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A);
b)- submitting the gold particles containing in the
substrate to a physical contact with said overlaying
mercury film (Hg) in order to amalgamate at least
part of the mercury film (Hg) in a gold amalgam layer
which is adhered to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam
layer (A):
c)- interrupting the contact of said gold particle
retaining means with the substrate rich in gold;
d)- submitting the gold amalgam layer to a physical
action sufficient to liberate it from the attraction
exerted by the fixed silver-mercury amalgam layer (A)
in order to separate the amalgamated gold/mercury
particles of said gold amalgam layer from the
retaining means:
e)- applying another mercury film (Hg) over the fixed
silver-mercury amalgam layer (A); and
f)- repeating steps "a" to "e" until a desired
recovering degree of gold particles from the
substrate is achieved.
2. Process for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining residual substrates also
containing free mercury, characterized in that it
comprises the steps of:
a)- incorporating to a metallic surface (B1) of a
gold particle retaining means a silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A) which is firmly adhered (fixed) to
said metallic surface (B1) and an overlaying mercury
film (Hg) that is adhered, by molecular attraction,
to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A);
b)- submitting the gold particles and the free
mercury contained in the mining residual substrates
to a physical contact with said overlaying mercury
film (Hg), in order to amalgamate at least part of
the overlaying mercury film (Hg) in a gold amalgam
layer and to adhere, by molecular attraction, to the
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), the gold
amalgam layer and the free mercury contained in the
mining residual substrate;
c)- interrupting the contact of said gold particle
retaining means with the mining residual substrate;
d)- submitting the gold amalgam and the adhered free
mercury layers to a physical action sufficient to
liberate them from the attraction exerted by the
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), in order to
separate said gold amalgam and said adhered free
mercury layers from the fixed silver/mercury amalgam
layer (A) of the gold retaining means;
e)- applying and retaining , by molecular attraction,
another mercury film (Hg) over the fixed
silver/mercury amalgam layer (A); and
f)- repeating steps "a" to "e" for successive charges
of residual substrates.
3. Process, according to either claims 1 or 2,
characterized in that the incorporation of said
silver/mercury amalgam layer (A) and of said
overlaying mercury film to the metallic surface (B1)
of the gold particle retaining means includes the
followiing steps:
i)- electrodepositing over said metallic surface (B1)
a silver layer (P) and, over the latter, a mercury
layer in order to form a silver/mercury amalgam layer
(A);
ii)- incorporating, by pouring or spraying, an
overlaying mercury film over said silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A).
4. Process according to claim 3, characterized in
that the silver layer (P) is electrodeposited over a
copper layer or copper plate (C).
5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in
that said gold particle retaining means includes a
structural body (B) supporting said copper layer or
plate.
6. Process, according to claim 5, characterized in
that said structural body (B) is a low carbon steel
plate, over which the copper layer or plate (C) is
attached.
7. Process, according to either claims 1 or 2,
characterized in that the gold amalgam layer and the
adhered free mercury amalgam layer are mechanically
removable from the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer
(A) of said gold particle retaining means.
8. Process, according to claim 7, characterized in
that the removing of the gold amalgam layer and of
the adhered free mercury layer is obtained by
scrapping the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A).
9. Device for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining substrates rich in gold, with
or without free mercury residues, characterized in
that it comprises a gold particle retaining means,
presenting at least a metallic surface portion
carrying and incorporating, by electrodeposition, a
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), over which is
adhered, by molecular attraction, an overlaying film
of mercury (Hg), which is selectively detachable from
said fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A) by a
physical action, said overlaying film of mercury (Hg)
being disposed in a way to contact with the gold
particles and free mercury which are present in ore
substrates.
10. Device, according to claim 9, characterized in
that said metallic surface portion includes a silver
layer (P) that carries and retains the silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A).
11. Device, according to claim 10, characterized in
that said silver layer (P) is obtained by
electrodeposition over a copper layer or plate (C).
12. Device, according to claim 11. characterized in
that the copper layer or plate (C) is affixed to a
structural body (B).
13. Device, according to claim 12. characterized in
that said structural body (B) is a steel plate.