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The Industrial Board of the Department of Commerce has been formed under the chairmanship of George N. Peek, formerly vice-chairman of the War Industries Board. This Board is to put into practical effect a program for the readjustment of prices for basic materials in such a fashion as to create a firm foundation on which the consumer can base his future purchases, and the producer can form necessary estimates. It has the assistance of the Council of National Defense. One of the first steps off the Board was to call into conference the leaders of industry. At these conferences the general conditions of the country are carefully considered and an effort made to determine and understand the principles that should be applied to permit the successful solution of the problem. It will be the endeavor of the Board to act promptly by consulting and interchanging views with these representatives of industry in the fullest and freest manner possible with a view to aiding and assisting industry in general to resume activities to the fullest practicable extent.

Jan 4, 1919

THE International First-Aid and Mine-Rescue con-test, under the auspices of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, was held at Butte, Mont., on Aug. 20, 21 and 22. As usual, the first-aid elimination contests were held the first day, the finals the second, and the mine-rescue contest the third. While the number of teams entered was not as great as at some previous contests held nearer the coal-mining districts of the East, the atten-dance was much larger than usual, due to the great interest in first aid, rescue work, and accident preven-tion that has been created by the effective support and constructive policy of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. toward them. The winner of the first-aid contest was the Great Falls Zinc Mill team of the Anaconda company, of which Fred Erickson is captain. Second place went to the Baton Rouge team of the Standard Oil Co. of Louisi-ana, and third to the Great Falls Furnace Refinery team of the Anaconda company.

Jan 9, 1928

By G. K. Dumbauld, B. E. Morgan

A satisfactory well-cementing composition must retain its fluidity long enough to be pumped into Place; then it must develop within a reasonable length of time sufficient strength and impermeability to anchor the casing in position and to form an effective seal between the casing and the formations. These properties may be evaluated by pumpability, strength (compressive or tensile), and permeability tests. Laboratory test procedures for the determination of pumpability time and strength development have been outlined previously and are readily available,1 but a satisfactory and convenient laboratory procedure for the measurement of the permeability of set cement has not been developed heretofore. some permeability data have been obtained previously by passing air through dried cement specimens.2 such a procedure is unsatisfactory because the drying of set cement alters it physical and chemical properties and subjects it to conditions dissimilar to well conditions. A more realistic method would be one wherein the cement remains water-saturated durin

Jan 1, 1952

By Roshan B. Bhappu

This is the Centennial year of AIME and many of us reading this issue of ' will be getting ready to attend the Centennial Celebration in New York from February 26 through March 4. The officers of the Division sincerely hope that a large number of our members will attend the fine technical sessions and social functions arranged for this really big meeting. The year 1971 will be a crucial one for MBD. This SME Division is a working group organized "to furnish a medium of cooperation among those interested in the basic unit processes and unit operations of minerals beneficiation; and to promote the advancement of this branch of mineral technology through meetings for professional intercourse, and to stimulate the preparation, reading discussion and circulation of papers connected therewith." No one can deny the worthiness of these objectives or minimize the efforts that Division officers and members have made to attain them. Much has been done over the past several years to achieve a smooth-running and effective MBD organization. However, there is still room for improvement and much more needs to be done in order to provide the best possible services for the membership and the profession.

Jan 1, 1971

By Gilbert H. Cady

Those coal mining and preparation engineers and operators who read this article will probably be most concerned with those parts which deal with the applied aspects of coal petrology in the fields of mining and technology. Actually the two categories overlap to such a degree that they are essentially one. The article appears to suggest that there are two points of veiw in the field of applied coal petrology. From one viewpoint the interest is in the attributes of the various macerals (Fig. 4)-vitrinite, exinite, and inertinite-in terms of utilization (when the coal is burned, coked, gasified, hydrogenated, etc.). From the other point of view, assuming that the macerals do possess individuality in behavior, interest attaches to the possibility that coal of a particular type (maceral composition) can be prepared by discriminating methods of preparation and blending. Most of the 29 items listed for mining and technology can be assigned to one or the other of these two categories.

Jan 5, 1958

The primary purpose of the Institute is to advance the technologic and engineer-. in- arts embraced by it through inter¬change of knowledge. This can best be clone by the presentation and discussion of technical papers by its members. Short " practical papers are especially welcome. An author should always satisfy himself that his material is of a quality that Will be a credit to him and to the Institute. The preparation of a good paper fre¬quently leads to a reorientation of the author's thoughts, and publication con¬tributes much to the professional standing of the author. Members are urged to submit papers presenting the results of their work. Attention to the following sugges¬tions will greatly further the prompt and efficient handling of manuscripts. 1. SUBJECTS: The subject must be within the field of the Institute.

Jan 1, 1943

As already announced, the Arizona Meeting of the Institute is to be held from the 18th to the "25th of September. There will be a special train from New York City to Arizona and return, to take members and guests of the Institute to the meeting., The Committee in charge consists of Walter Douglas, Chairman, Cleveland E. Dodge, John C. Greenway, Arthur S. Dwight and Julius Kruttschnitt, Jr., and while the plans of this Committee are not complete, it may he announced that 'the train will be run with the requisite number of Pullman, dining and baggage cars to accommodate those who desire to go, which will accompany the party during the entire week of the Arizona Meeting as per the following program, including, of course, the visit to the Grand Canyon. It is especially desirable that the Committee should know, at as early a date as possible, the number of those who desire to make the trip; and those who desire special accommodations such as drawing rooms, state rooms, etc., are especially requested to communicate as soon as possible with the Secretary of the Institute, stating the number in their party.

Jan 6, 1916

ARSENIC and orpiment are two mineral substances of a similar kind, and they are by nature pure, without admixture of other species. In regard to their apparent qualities we shall say that their composition is scorched, well-purified earth; and because of a certain subtlety and easy digestion they penetrate very easily into fused metals, indeed they act in such a way that they corrupt and convert almost into another nature any metal with which they find themselves. Orpiment and arsenic act in almost the same way as do tin and mercury. With these the fraudulent alchemists blanch copper, brass, and even lead to the whiteness of silver. According to the physicians they are in fourth part hot and dry. They are also corrosive because of certain powers; indeed, they are a most powerful poison to the life of all things. Arsenic is found in white and citrine colors. Orpiment seems to be a separate thing, although both are formed in the same ore and both are in lamellae or scales. These lamellae or folds are thinner than paper, in fact

Jan 1, 1942

By G. C. Stone

AS the term "hardness" is used with many different meanings, it should be understood that it here means resistance to deformation by compression. It was determined by measuring the pressure, in pounds per square inch, necessary to reduce by 20 per cent., the length of cylinders 1 in. (25 mm.) in diameter by 2.6 in. (66 mm.) long. The tests were made at Columbia University on an Olsen 400,000-lb. machine, the load being applied at a constant rate of speed 0.0319 in. per min. The results were obtained by Messrs. Rigg and Williams, and some of them were given in a paper read at the Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the American Society for Testing Materials, in June, 1913. The remainder of the results were obtained in subsequent experiments by the same authors. In all cases, the results given are the averages of three or more closely concordant tests. All of the spelters tested were of standard commercial grades and all were of compositions making them good deliveries. The accompanying table gives the results arranged in the order of increasing hardness:

Jan 1, 1919

That the chemical industries are alive to the situation that they now occupy in the sum of affairs is evident in the preparations being made by many firms for the Second National Exposition of Chemical Industries To be-held at the Grand Central Palace, New York City, during the week of September 25-30, 191 The list of exhibitors indicates that the Exposition is already twice the size of its successful predecessor. The American Chemical Society will hold its annual meeting during the whole week, the American Electrochemical Society has arranged to - hold its meetings on September 28, 29 and 30, and the Technical Association of the American Pulp and Paper Industry is also planning to meet during the week. The Bureau of Commercial Economics at Washington is again co- operating with the Exposition by arranging an elaborate program of motion pictures covering subjects dealing with the industries depending on chemistry. Many of these films will have their first showing at the Exposition. They will take the visitor through industrial plants, shops, manufactories, mines, etc., where visitors are never admitted; they will show operations that in ordinary light would never be seen; they will demonstrate more than any other kind of motion picture the great strides and improvement in the art of photography.

Jan 8, 1916

Development of Technical Education for the Petroleum, Industry. By H C GEORGE (Min & Met, June, 260 2000 words) With a growth of 718 per cent in the petroleum industry from 1901 to 1931, there was a corresponding increase in the demand for technically trained men in the industry This was first met by increasing numbers of college graduates from the old established courses m chemistry, geology and engineering However, there began to be felt a need for scientists and engineers specially trained for the petroleum industry In 1912 the University of Pittsburgh established the first department in any university in the world that offered major work in petroleum engineering and petroleum geology In Europe, the first major work in petroleum engineering was offered in England in 1913 at the University of Birmingham The University of California and Stanford University offered major work in petroleum engineering in 1915 Since that time at least 10 other American universities and colleges have offered major work and at least 12 others are now offering some courses dealing with petroleum, and the petroleum industry.

Jan 1, 1935

By John V. Beall

What progress has been made in rapid excavation of tunnels and shafts? Where do we go from here? To get some answers to these questions was the reason that 500 tunnel men-contractors, geologists, professors, lawyers, mining engineers--came to the University of Minnesota May 15-17. The attendance of 500 astonished conference organizer Professor D. H. Yardley, who had anticipated half that number. They came from Japan, South Africa, Austria, Sweden, and Australia to name a few, and an officer of the Corps of Engineers thought all his people should have been there. The Civil and Mining Engineering Departments of the University combined for the program, which was staged by M. K. Cragun for the General Extension Division. The Saga of the Oso Tunnel The present state of the art of rapid excavation is "good." There is little controversy about where we go from here and what's more, this reporter finds that the technical know-how to automate excavation in any kind of ground is extant, even if it will take some years to achieve this state. In a nut- shell though, the present status can be seen in its various ramifications in the saga of the Oso Tunnel, as told by V. L. "Vic" Stevens of Boyles Brothers Drilling Co. :

Jan 7, 1968

By J. D. Mooney

(San Francisco sleeting, September, 1915) THE accompanying chart has been drawn for the convenience of engineers as a means of quickly determining the correct number of plies of conveyor belts operating under specific conditions. The calculations are based on the average safe strength (factor of safety, 15) of the various standard rubber conveyor belts. The, calculations assume maximum loading conditions; that is, the belt is considered as carrying the greatest load that it will handle without spillage at ordinary belt speeds. This not only produces the most economical operating conditions, but also the maximum tension in the belt. The chart is a graphical representation of the formula: p = kgW (L + 1OH) Where, p = the correct number of plies k = a constant, depending on the type of drive g = the weight in pounds per cubic foot of material handled W = the width of the belt in inches L = the length of the belt in feet (approximately twice the center distance). H = the difference in elevation between the head and tail pulleys, in feet. For a simple drive, with a bare pulley, k = 1/250,000 For a simple drive, with a rubber-lagged pulley, k = 1/300,000 For a tandem dive, with bare pulleys, k= 1/375,000 For a tandem drive, with rubber-lagged pulleys, k = 1/455,000 The chart is drawn for a simple drive, with a bare pulley (k =1/250,000;

Jan 9, 1915

By H. Foster Bain

In the preparation of this series of books it was considered particularly appropriate to include this work. Gunther was one of the younger men who was associated with Colonel Mudd in the finding and development of ore deposits. Supported by Mudd, Gunther undertook a systematic survey of the sources of copper of ancient Europe. This survey resulted in the rediscovery of the deposits now worked by the Cyprus Mines Corporation for which Gunther was, until shortly before his death, the resident manager. In finding and developing these mines, Gunther applied the methods and data embodied in this book and proved their usefulness. It is believed that other young engineers may profit similarly. In presenting a new edition, the form and substance of this work have been preserved and no changes have been made in any direct statement of the original author. Individual illustrations, paragraphs and mine descriptions appearing in the first edition have been omitted in order to permit introduction of new material. The latter has been chosen so as to present a somewhat more balanced picture of the mining industry as it now exists. The new material relates largely to the so-called porphyry coppers, to mines in Canada, Rhodesia, Alaska, and a number in the United States that have become important since the book was first written. The new material was prepared by Mr. Russell C. Fleming, using the best that had been published and items of which he had personal knowledge or had obtained by correspondence with men familiar with the deposit described. Whenever possible the description used has been submitted to the original author for correction. In a number of instances

Jan 1, 1932

By J. J. Bodmer

In 1855, Franz Uchatius patented, in England, his process of manufacturing cast steel. The first experiments, on a practical scale, were made at the Ebbw Vale Iron Works, Monmouthshire. The charge consisted of a mixture of cast iron with about 20 per cent. of a pure iron ore, and with or without other ingredients. In order to obtain the cast iron in a subdivided condition, Uchatius granulated molten pig-metal by running it into water, which during the operation was kept well agitated, and found that "the finer the iron is granulated, the softer will be the resulting steel." The writer is not aware that granulated iron has been used practically, otherwise than in the above-named process; and until 1866 no other process of subdividing iron than by granulation was known. In April, 1866, an English patent was obtained by the writer for subdividing blast-furnace and other slags and metals in a molten condition, by passing the same through one or more pairs of rolls. In reference to iron the idea was, in following up the direction pointed out by the Uchatius process, to obtain better results in the puddling process by means of a thorough amalgamation (not simply a mixture) of the iron with the oxides and other ingredients in the charge itself. Experiments were made. A quantity of iron direct from the blastfurnace was subdivided (or laminated) by passing it through a pair of plain rolls. The rolls were hollow, and water was made to pass through them to keep them sufficiently cool. Without giving differential speed to the rolls, sheets were obtained about one-sixteenth inches thick, and from about one hundred square inches surface, downwards. With differential speed, the iron falls from the rolls in

Oil-well driller with extensive experience in this line of work. Location, Bolivia, South America. Salary depends on experience. R.-789. Mining Engineer, with geological knowledge, who can locate suitable spots for drilling oil wells. Location, Bolivia, South America. Salary depends on man. R-788. Construction Engineer, mechanical or civil engineer with experience in installing oil plants for foreign field. Must be able to install entire equipment including tanks, piping, buildings, etc. Salary depends on experience. R-782. Geologist, competent petrographer for micropetrographic work and training of two assistant students under the direction of the Director of a Geological Institute. Engagement is for six months with option on the part of the Director for an equal period: Location, Mexico. Salary, 450 pesos Mexican gold ($225 per month). R-765. Operating Mechanical Electrical Engineer, with extensive experience in charge of the maintenance, repair, and betterment of all mechanical and electrical equipment on mining operations. Desirable that the man have had this experience in connection with phosphate mining. Applicant must be competent to direct shop repairs on motors and generators, including rewinding, the building and maintenance of transmission lines, etc. Must also have ample machine-shop experience to enable him to direct repairs of light locomotives, steam shovels, brown hoists, caterpillar tractors, and auto trucks. Duties will include the betterment and maintenance of phosphate-rock washers and rotary-work dryers. The applicant must also be competent to conduct efficiency tests on all such equipment and be enabled to interpret data collected. Splendid opportunity for the right type of man. Climate and living conditions excellent. The company will furnish house rent free, including light .and water. Location, Florida. Salary depends on experience. R-854.

Jan 7, 1919

By C. M. Myrick

The following notes are submitted in the belief that they may interest some of the many owners of mall water-power plants, so generally used in mining-work throughout the West. A small and somewhat primitive quartz-mill was taken over by a leasing company, and a 10-stamp battery was installed. Originally, power had been furnished by a Pelton wheel; but, since the supply of water depended on the rate at which snow was melting 011 the mountains, a steam-plant had been added to help out during cold spells. This auxiliary plant was antiquated and expensive to operate, and, soon after starting up the remodeled mill, it broke down completely; so that it became neceseary to get all the power possible out of the Pelton wheel, with its ever-varying water-supply. The pipe-line, about a quarter of a mile long, was made up of assorted sizes, from 7 to 11 in. in, diameter; and, since it was buried deep under snow, there were no data from which to calculate the theoretical size of the nozzle. The stream being at this time at a low stage, it was important to make the most efficient use of the available water. This was done by using a nozzle large enough to pass the whole supply—taking care, however, to limit the size so as not to lower the water-level in the tank at the head of the pipe-line. As the weather became warmer, the nozzles were gradually enlarged to meet the increasing volume of water; but a point was finally reached where further enlargement only gave decreased power. Evidently the loss from friction had more than balanced the gain from the increased flow through the pipe. However, the area of nozzle that developed the maximum power from the pipe-line had been found. This was used; and the surplus water was allowed to run to waste at the head of the line.

Jan 1, 1913

THIS issue is about Chuquicamata and the new sulphide plant. Chuquicamata is moving into a new cycle of productivity; she has begun to give up the sulphide copper which lies deep-seated beneath the oxide ore zones in large but yet unknown quantity. After forty years of production, Chuqui may be likened to a strapping youngster, with adolescence and maturity still ahead. Mining operations are being projected-not for decades -but for generations. Although there are still many years of open-pit mining ahead, planning of future underground mining has been started. The bottom of the orebody is still unknown, but enough work has been done to show that Chuqui is one of the largest known copper orebodies in the world. Until recently, only the oxide ores have been mined and these have been treated at the rate of 50,000 to 60,000 tons per day by leaching. Construction of the sulphide plant was timed to coincide with reduction in production of oxide ores. The new sulphide concentrator and smelter, designed in keeping with the magnitude of the orebody, will be brought on the production line at the rate of 30,000 tons per day. The capacity of the plant now planned can be expanded to treat 60,000 tons of sulphide ore. Little wonder that Chuqui is a name legendary in the remotest mining circles. But to those who have known her more intimately, and there is hardly a mining camp without a Chuqui graduate, she means much more. She is an orebody that has made engineers. Reposing at 10,000 ft on the western flank of the Andes in the arid northern reaches of Chile, water is scarce, common fuels absent, and volcanoes and earthquakes add drama and hazard. It is these natural difficulties which have created the fascination and challenge which have caused many engineers to devote their lives to unlocking this treasure house of nature.

Jan 1, 1952

By John S. Rinehart, Norman Ahlquist

The model which Birkimer has developed to explain the increase in fracture strength of brittle, rock-like materials with increasing rate of loading may have some applicability. It should be noted that since his analysis presupposes elastic behavior he could equally well express his result as an increase of stress to fracture with increasing strain rate, a fact which is well known. Certainly his experimental results do not contradict his strain rate to the one third power law. On the other hand, we do feel that the data are insufficient and inadequate to establish the relation- ship definitely. 'In metals, the whole fracture picture is greatly complicated by concomitant plastic flow and, in rocks, by the presence of macroscopic flaws and inhomogeneties. Both lead to uncertainties as to the state of stress during the fracture process. He quotes in support of his theory Rinehartfs results on rock in which the latter found that under impulsive loading by explosives, rocks appear to be many times stronger than under static loading. We suspect that the observed increase has little specific relevance to the theory which Birkimer puts forward. Rinehart's measurements were made by spalling rocks using a sawtooth shaped stress wave of known intensity and duration. The rise time of such a pulse is essentially zero, certainly less than 0.1 microseconds, so that it is not possible to apply Birkimerfs theory quantitatively. We favor attributing the increase in fracture strength to two factors. First, the action takes place very quickly in an exceedingly thin region so that statistically the probability is small of encountering one or more of the large flaws that contribute so significantly to the reduction of strength of most rocks under tension. It is also conceivable that the compressive wave that has just passed by the region of fracture has strengthened the rock by collapsing some of the larger flaws. Second, the state of stress obtaining at the time of fracture is not all that existing when the

Jan 1, 1971

By John Griffen

OF the western European countries, only England has made any extensive use of equipment developed initially by the coal preparation industry of the United States. About 20 years ago, the Chance sand flotation process for cleaning coal was introduced in England, and it has had a fairly wide adoption, particularly in the South Wales coal fields. In recent years, particularly since 1946, a considerable number of Denver flotation cells have been installed throughout the English coal fields for the cleaning of slurry. Until the advent of the Denver cells, the flotation of coal slurries in Western Europe had been done largely with the Mineral Separations cell or its modifications. Kleinbentik of Dutch State Mines had developed a cylindrical cell used in Holland and occasionally in Belgium and France. In England, the establishment of the National Coal Board to control the planning and operation of all coal production has retarded somewhat modernization of properties. A considerable period of study was required before definite long-range plans could be formulated. It was soon recognized that stopgap measures were needed in many cases to bridge the period until final plans could be developed and consummated. One of the stopgap problems in coal preparation was providing plants of small and medium capacity that could be used for a few years at one site and yet could be moved economically to another site so as to reduce depreciation charges per year and per ton. Such plants are being installed but the most satisfactory answer probably has not yet been found. One such installation uses a Norton Baum jig to wash 6 in. to 0. The equipment is in a steel structure rather than in a reinforced concrete frame with brick curtain walls, which is the normal structure for permanent plants. Since England has between 700 and 800 preparation plants for an output of 200 million tons per year, one of the long-range objectives is a consolidation of mine output which will require fewer coal

Jan 1, 1952