Minerals Separation v. Hyde
Encyclopedia
Minerals Separation v. Hyde, , is a United States Supreme Court
case.
obtained U.S. Patent No. 835,120, issued on November 6, 1906, to Henry Livingston Sulman, Hugh Fitzalis Kirkpatrick-Picard and John Ballot. As stated in the specification of the patent, the claimed discovery related "to improvements in the process for the concentration of ores, the object being to separate metalliferous matter from gangue
by means of oils, fatty acids, or other substances which have a preferential affinity for such metalliferous matter over gangue."
Prior to the discovery, it was well known that oil and oily substances had a selective affinity or attraction for, and would unite mechanically with, the minute particles of metal and metallic compounds found in crushed or powdered ores, but would not so unite with the quartz, or rocky nonmetallic material, called "gangue". It was also well known that this selective property of oils and oily substances was increased when applied tos ome ores by the addition of a small amount of acid to the ore and water used in process of concentration.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
case.
Background
Minerals Separation, LimitedMinerals Separation, Limited
Minerals Separation Ltd, was a small London-based company involved in developing a technique of ore extraction. Between 1910 and 1912, Minerals Separation Limited obtained a license to use a process of ore dressing known as De Bavay's Sulphide Process....
obtained U.S. Patent No. 835,120, issued on November 6, 1906, to Henry Livingston Sulman, Hugh Fitzalis Kirkpatrick-Picard and John Ballot. As stated in the specification of the patent, the claimed discovery related "to improvements in the process for the concentration of ores, the object being to separate metalliferous matter from gangue
Gangue
In mining, gangue is the commercially worthless material that surrounds, or is closely mixed with, a wanted mineral in an ore deposit. The separation of mineral from gangue is known as mineral processing, mineral dressing or ore dressing and it is a necessary and often significant aspect of mining...
by means of oils, fatty acids, or other substances which have a preferential affinity for such metalliferous matter over gangue."
Prior to the discovery, it was well known that oil and oily substances had a selective affinity or attraction for, and would unite mechanically with, the minute particles of metal and metallic compounds found in crushed or powdered ores, but would not so unite with the quartz, or rocky nonmetallic material, called "gangue". It was also well known that this selective property of oils and oily substances was increased when applied tos ome ores by the addition of a small amount of acid to the ore and water used in process of concentration.