Fine particle precious metal and liquid mercury recovery system and method using multi-layer filter with under-air flow

• US 20080087580A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ronald K. Coen
• Original Assignee: Ronald K. Coen
• Inventors: Coen, Ronald K.
• Application Number:
  US11/581,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20080087580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/312
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4663 Multi-layer screening surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2230/01 Wet separation
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 4/08 while the mixtures are supported by sieves, screens, or like mechanical elements
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 11/00 Obtaining noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 43/00 Obtaining mercury

Abstract

A multi-layer filter of cotton, plastic mesh and burlap with top and bottom metal mesh is sandwiched between two sections of wooden frame and mounted on a wind chamber. An even non-deflected steady stream of air under the filter produces an electro dynamic charge in the filter to attract fine particles of gold, silver, platinum, or mercury to the filter from a steady stream of earth material, containing fine particles, flowing over the downwardly angled filter.

Claims

1. A multi-layer filter precipitate system for separating fine particles of precious metals from earth material, the system comprising:

a multi-layer filter comprising;

a bottom grid of metal screen mesh on the bottom to act as a separator;

a layer of protective burlap fabric on top of the mesh screen;

a polymer non-conductive permeable screen mesh on top of the layer of burlap with a vertically configured plastic mesh to assist in causing a dynamic charge to attract fine particles of precious metals;

a layer of fine mesh cotton fabric on top of the plastic polymer mesh to act as a holder while the top grid helps trap the gold and prevent it from rolling down with the earth material; and

a top grid of metal screen mesh on the top of the cotton fabric;

a two-piece filter frame comprising a bottom rigid frame structure below the multi-layer filter and a top rigid frame structure above the multi-layer filter, the bottom and top rigid frame structures secured together to sandwich the multi-layer filter therebetween, the two-piece filter frame formed of rigid electrically insulating material;

a wind chamber positioned below the multi-layer filter and filter frame, the wind chamber comprising a means to receive a non-deflected steady stream of air into the wind chamber and a means to distribute the steady flow of air under and up through the entire surface of the multi-layer filter over the entire surface of the multi-layer filter to create an electro-dynamic field in the multi-layer filter; and

a means for distributing a quantity of earth material evenly across the top of the multi-layer filter at a constant flow rate, the means for distributing positioned above the multi-layer filter at a top of the multi-layer filter with the multi-layered filter angled downwardly so that the earth material flows downwardly over the multi-layer filter, the earth material containing a dispersion of fine particles of at least one precious metal, so that when the earth material pours over the top of the multi-layer filter, the electro-dynamic field of the multi-layer filter attracting fine particles of the at least one precious metal to the multi-layer filter, the fine particles of at least one precious metal having an extra negative electron attracting them to the electro-dynamic field of the multi-layer filter while the remainder of the earth material flows past the multi-layer filter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the wind chamber comprises solid wind chamber walls aligned with the filter frame and removably attached to the bottom of the filter frame, a solid wind chamber bottom attached to the bottom of the wind chamber walls, the means for receiving a non-deflected stead air stream comprising at least one blower opening in the wind chamber bottom having a means to attach a hose from a non-deflected steady air stream fan or blower to admit a non-deflected steady stream of air from the blower, and the means to distribute the steady flow of air under and up through the entire surface of the multi-layer filter over the entire surface of the multi-layer filter comprises a baffle positioned on legs above the blower opening and below the multi-layer filter.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a dynamic filter dust shield removably attachable to the top of the filter frame spaced apart from the multi-layer filter to increase the electro-dynamic charge and the amount of recovery of fine particles of the at least one precious metal and to limit the amount of dust rising from the flow of earth material over the multi-layer filter.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for distributing the quantity of earth material evenly across the top of the multi-layer filter comprises a hopper equal in width to the multi-layer filter, the hopper positioned above the multi-layer filter, the hopper comprising a walled container with closed sides, an open top to receive the earth material, and a bottom having a dispersing opening across the width of the hopper adjacent to one end of the hopper positioned above a top of the multi-layer filter with the bottom of the hopper angled downwardly toward the dispersing opening, a controlled weighing gate across the width of the hopper over the dispersing opening, and a control for opening the controlled gate an adjustable amount to disperse a desired constant flow rate of a stream of the earth material distributed evenly across the width of the top of the angled multi-layer filter so the earth material flows evenly down the entire surface of the multi-layer filter.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a series of support legs for supporting the multi-layer filter, filter frame, and wind chamber and for supporting the hopper, the series of support legs attached to both the wind chamber and the hopper.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom rigid frame structure comprises a rigid rectangular frame with an interior bottom frame opening, the outer edges of the rigid rectangular frame aligned with the outer edges of the multi-layer filter;

and the top rigid frame structure comprises two rigid spaced parallel sides spanning a central opening and a series of spaced filter rods interconnecting the two rigid spaced parallel sides, the outer edges of the two rigid spaced parallel sides aligned with the outer edges of two sides of the multi-layer filter, the two rigid spaced sides extending upwardly from the multi-layer filter to act as a guide-way for the earth material flowing over the multi-layer filter, and the filter rods contacting the top grid of metal screen.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter frame is fabricated of wood.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the layer of cotton is fabricated of 100% cotton.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom and top grids are fabricated of ¼

inch metal screen mesh.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom and top grids are fabricated of ⅛

inch metal screen mesh.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metal mesh screen over the top opening of the hopper to screen the earth material to prevent large objects from entering the hopper.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the multi-layer filter attracts at least one of the following fine particles of the list of fine particles including fine particles of gold, silver, platinum, and liquid mercury.

13. A multi-layer filter method for separating fine particles of precious metals from earth material, the method comprising:

distributing a quantity of earth material evenly across the top of the multi-layer filter system, having a non-deflected air underflow means, at a constant flow rate by a means for distributing air flow positioned below the multi-layer filter and a means for evenly distributing the earth material above the multi-layer filter at a top of the multi-layer filter with the multi-layered filter angled downwardly so that the earth material flows downwardly over the multi-layer filter, the earth material containing a dispersion of fine particles of at least one precious metal, so that when the earth material pours over the top of the multi-layer filter, the fine particles of the at least one precious metal are attracted to the multi-layer filter, the fine particles of at least one precious metal having an extra negative electron attracting them to the electro-dynamic field of the multi-layer filter while the remainder of the earth material flows past the multi-layer filter;

the multi-layer filter system comprising;

a multi-layer filter comprising;

a bottom grid of metal screen mesh on the bottom to act as a separator;

a layer of burlap on top of the mesh screen;

a plastic polymer mesh on top of the burlap with a vertically configured plastic mesh to assist in causing a dynamic charge to attract fine particles of precious metals;

a layer of fine mesh cotton fabric on top of the plastic polymer mesh to act as a holder while the top grid helps trap the gold and prevent it from rolling down with the earth material;

a top grid of metal screen mesh on the top of the cotton fabric;

a two-piece filter frame comprising a bottom rigid frame structure below the multi-layer filter and a top rigid frame structure above the multi-layer filter, the bottom and top rigid frame structures secured together to sandwich the multi-layer filter therebetween, the two-piece filter frame formed of rigid electrically insulating material;

a wind chamber positioned below the multi-layer filter and filter frame, the wind chamber comprising a means to receive a non-deflected steady stream of air into the wind chamber and a means to distribute the steady flow of air under and up through the entire surface of the multi-layer filter over the entire surface of the multi-layer filter to create an electro-dynamic field in the multi-layer filter.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising installing a dynamic filter dust shield removably attachable to the top of the filter frame spaced apart from the multi-layer filter to increase the electro-dynamic charge and the amount of recovery of fine particles of the at least one precious metal and to limit the amount of dust rising from the flow of earth material over the multi-layer filter.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of distributing the quantity of earth material evenly across the top of the multi-layer filter comprises filling a hopper with earth material, the hopper equal in width to the multi-layer filter, the hopper positioned above the multi-layer filter, the hopper comprising a walled container with closed sides, an open top to receive the earth material, and a bottom having a dispersing opening across the width of the hopper adjacent to one end of the hopper positioned above a top of the multi-layer filter with the bottom of the hopper angled downwardly toward the dispersing opening, a controlled weighing gate across the width of the hopper over the dispersing opening, and further comprises operating a control for opening the controlled gate an adjustable amount to disperse a desired constant flow rate of a stream of the earth material distributed evenly across the width of the top of the angled multi-layer filter so the earth material flows evenly down the entire surface of the multi-layer filter.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising attaching a metal mesh screen over the top opening of the hopper to screen the earth material to prevent large objects from entering the hopper.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising using the multi-layer filter to attract at least one of the following fine particles of the list of fine particles including fine particles of gold, silver, platinum, and liquid mercury.