Treatment of material with hydrogen chloride

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating base metal and silver from precious metal components in a mineral concentrate containing the same which comprises: (a) a tubular member made of heat resistant material and forming a reaction zone, (b) a tubular assembly including at least one tube having an end opening into said reaction zone and means for passing hydrogen and chlorine through said assembly to said end to form a hydrogen-chlorine flame at said end extending into said reaction zone, (c) a supply of mineral concentrate in particulate form and means communicating with said supply and including a venturi intermediate the ends of said tube for inducting said concentrate in particulate form into said tube and for feeding the thus inducted concentrate through said tube to the end thereof and then into said flame, (d) heat insulation means for maintaining said reaction zone at a temperature between 900° C. and 2500° C., (e) means for removing the resulting reaction mixture from said reaction zone, and (f) means including a high turbulence zone for scrubbing the thus removed reaction mixture by contact with a high velocity concurrent aqueous scrubbing solution.