‘WANT OF NOVELTY’ AND PATENT LITIGATION: THE CASE OF THE CYANIDE PROCESS OF GOLD EXTRACTION, 1892–1902

Abstract

In the years between 1887 and 1910, two major processes for the extraction of precious and base metals from their ores, the cyanide and the flotation processes, were developed. While these were very important advances in the technology affecting the mining industry (and are still as important now as they were when first used) they were both subjected to fierce litigation in the Courts. This is the story of the cyanide process.