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By A. M. Gaudin

IT is only in recent years that substantial progress has been made in developing a physico-chemical picture of the solid state. The molecular concept, so useful in dealing with gases, was naturally carried over to the field of crystalline solids; it has resulted in the firm implanting of erroneous concepts that only now are being eradicated successfully. Two simply written and effective books on the subject are Crystal Chemistry by Stillwell1 and An Introduction to Crystal Chemistry by Evans.' A more complete treatment of the subject is available in a book by Wells.' The monograph by Hückel4 also touches on a subject most easily perceived by reference to the brief introduction by Bragg,5 that master of the field. These texts make it clear that while some solids are built of molecules, many are built of ions, others of atoms connected in the form of giant molecules, and still others of cations and electrons. The various lattices in which these entities are systematically arranged, the joint use of several of these entities, and the transitional character of some of the bonds make for the great variety of crystalline solids. The purpose of this paper is to point out a most important corollary of present views on the structure of solids. In this connection the classification of solids in Table I is helpful. Atomic crystals are those formed by the noble gases, e.g., helium and argon. They are soft, sublime at very low temperature, of very low specific gravities, and not encountered in ores. Molecular crystals are uncommon among inorganic materials, common among organic materials. Typical examples from both inorganic and organic fields are sulphur, iodine, naphthalene, benzene, and carbon tetrachloride. These crystals are soft and have low specific gravities; where the molecules are small, the sublimation temperature is low. Filament and sheet crystals are rare. They are typified by elemental selenium and elemental arsenic, respectively. Graphite and molybdenite come near being sheet crystals. These crystals are soft in some directions, tough in others, sublime at various temperatures. Diamantine crystals, typified by diamond, are very few in number, stable at high temperatures, and extremely hard. Ionic crystals are common. Most salts, acids, and alkalies belong in the two classes of ionic crystals; examples are rock salt, fluorite, calcite, and angle-site. The salts, acids, and alkalies that do not belong in these classes are more properly regarded as transitional between ionic crystals, framework crystals, and diamantine crystals, e.g., ice and quartz. Fiber crystals are relatively uncommon mineral-ogically speaking, but common in the fields of living processes. Examples are asbestos, silk, cellulose, and wool. Many fiber crystals are so little known even now that their crystallinity may be doubted. Layer crystals, among the more interesting and useful of solids, include a wide variety of substances

Jan 1, 1956

By M. H. Richman, E. S. Meieran

An analytical method is presented which enables the electron diffraction patterns from a twinned region to be indexed. The method has only been applied to (112) twins in bcc lattices, but can easily be adapted to other types of twinned lattices. Calculations of all twin spots, including those superimposed on matrix spots, is made possible by this method. SINCE the advent of transmission electron microscopy, the analysis of selected-area electron diffraction patterns has become very important in the interpretation of electron micrographs. Frequently, as in the case of some martensites, twinned areas are observed and give rise to complex diffraction patterns, which so far can be analyzed only for the simplest orientations of the thin foil specimen with respect to the electron beam. In order to simplify the analysis of twin patterns of more complex orientations, an analytical method was devised which is capable of predicting the positions of all reflections from both matrix and twin regions for all possible foil orientations. Although the method has only been applied to the case of bcc metals twinned about a (112) plane, it is equally applicable to other Bravais lattices. This method has been successfully applied to selected-area electron diffraction patterns of Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-C martensites and drawn tungsten wire. PROCEDURE Imagine the reciprocal lattice corresponding to a bcc material, with each point hkl representing the crystallographic plane (hkl). Since the extinction conditions require that for this lattice, only reflections where h + k + 1 = even integer are allowed, the three dimensional reciprocal lattice is actually fcc. Since in real space twinned regions and matrix regions are mirrored across a (112) plane, the twinned reciprocal lattice is derived from the matrix reciprocal lattice by a rotation of 180 deg about a (112) direction. While it is possible to calculate how a point hkl will shift under a twinning transformation to a new point htktlt using only the reciprocal lattice based on the orthonormal vectors [100], [010], and [001], the calculations are greatly simplified if a new orthonormal coordinate system containing the twin axis is introduced. The twinning operation then becomes a simple rotation of 180 deg about a principal coordinate axis (in this case the twinning axis), and a retransformation back to the original reciprocal space will give the position htktIt of the twinned reflection.

Jan 1, 1963

By Leon McCulloch

WIIen clean iron and metallic zinc dust, protected from the air, arc heated below the melting point of zinc, the iron takes on a coating that has excellent protective value. This coating is a brittle alloy of zinc and iron, and the process is called sherardizing. Although the zinc particlcs are covered with oxide and cannot touch the iron, an extremcly small amount of the zinc vaporizes and the vapor, reaching the iron, alloys with it. Other zinc then vaporizes to replace that which has been removed from the atmosphere. This process continues indefinitely at a decreasing rate, for the coating already formed permits zinc to diffuse through it to combine with the iron beneath. In this way, the coating grows outward from the surface of the iron, as the bark grows from a tree. The method of growth was clcarly seen while sherardizing small cubes of cast iron, at about 450" C., in a srnall glass-stoppcrcd bottle enclosed in a rotating drum. The dust contained about 3 per cent. iron, which prevented caking, and coatings % in. thick were grown in a few hours. After a heavy layer had been formed, the cubes mere again treated for a shorter time. The layer last formed was seen to lie next to the iron, instead of at the outer surface, showing that the growth was from the surface of the iron outward. The coatings split at the edges and corners, leaving the iron exposed there. Flakes of graphite from the iron were lifted upward and embedded in the coatings. The composition of sherardized coatings varies from the outer surface inward, as would be expected from the mode of growth. That is, the iron content increases slowly at first, then more rapidly as the iron is approached. At the surface the least amount of iron possible is 6 per cent., as the experiments described below have shown. A study was made of the effect of iron in zinc dust on the proccss and on the resulting coatings. Glass bulbs, holding the small pieces to be sherardized, together with enough zinc dust to make them two-thirds full, were heated in a small, rotating electrically heated and controlled furnacc. The bulbs had 6-in. (15 cm.) necks, of 96-in. (9.Fj mm.) tubing, plugged

Jan 1, 1923

By Ligon Johnson

ONLY the acute phase of the smelter fume problem is new. The problem itself is older than the Christian era. While both lead and copper were mined and crudely smelted ; on: 3,000 years ago, it was not until the Roman occupation of the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles, which occurred but shortly before the beginning of the Christian era, that there was any evidence of smelting operations on a scale sufficiently large to permit a fume problem. Around Huelva, Spain, are found more than 30 million tons of slag from lead smelting conducted there by the Romans. Pliny tells us that more than 20,000 slaves were employed in the Iberian mines. Extensive mining and smelting by the Romans in England and Wales were coincident with the Iberian proceedings. These metallurgical operations were upon a sufficiently large scale to produce marked results both upon the surrounding country and the smelter workers, but, as they were those of a conqueror upon conquered soil, conducted by slaves, imperial Rome failed to recognize that such a thing as a smoke problem did or could arise, and whatever fume question there may have been at that .time remained a question only to those who had no chance to answer any phase of it. The smelting operations of the Romans extended over about 400 years, and little is "recorded of lead and copper smelting from that time until the 16th century. From the revival beginning at this period up to the present century, the growth of smelting has been comparatively gradual. In Great Britain, smelting was conducted almost wholly in localities where metallurgical operations were of paramount importance, and the communities that grew up in smelter localities were due to and dependent upon the mines and smelters. This fact had much to do with the comparative freedom of British smelting from burdensome fume litigation and legislation. To a lesser degree these conditions applied to the German operations which, when coupled with the further fact that most of the early German operations were to a greater or less degree fiscal workings of Prussia, Saxony and Brunswick-Hanover; accounts for

Jan 5, 1917

By John Lamont, Walter Crafts

The principle formulated by Grossmannl for calculating hardenability of steel by multiplying the ideal diameter of "pure" iron-carbon alloys by factors for grain size and alloying elements has been confirmed on many steels and has proved useful in designing substitute alloy steels. Grossmann found that the typical behavior of the multiplying factors was to increase directly in proportion to the amount of the alloy present in a steel. However, the multiplying factor for the effect of silicon on hardenability was found by Grossmann to increase to a lesser degree as the amount of silicon was increased. In view of the increasing use of silicon in heat-treating steels, the effect of silicon on hardenability is becoming more important. Calculation of the hardenability of high-silicon steels made at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc., indicated that the multiplying factor for silicon increased directly in proportion to the amount of silicon present. A more extended study of high-silicon steels covering fairly wide ranges of grain size, carbon, manganese, and aluminum has confirmed that up to 2 per cent silicon the multiplying factor is directly proportional to the silicon content. Manganese and aluminum factors have also been! determined. The results of the study offer strong confirmation of the general validity of Grossmann's multiplying principle. Testing Procedure Steels on which the study of the effect of silicon on hardenability was based were made in high-frequency induction furnaces using Armco iron and standard alloying materials. The ingots were forged to bars, and sections were normalized prior to machining Jominy hardenability test specimens. The Jominy test was carried out under standard conditions.2 The depth of hardness penetration for determination of ideal diameter at "half hardness" was taken at the hardness level indicated in Fig. 29 in Grossmann's paper by the solid line for 50 per cent martensite in plain carbon steel. The depth of penetration of hardness on the Jominy specimen was converted to ideal diameter by the relation given in Fig. 28 of Grossmann's paper. Chemical analysis was determined on a sample taken adjacent to the Jominy specimen. Aluminum was determined as "acid-soluble aluminum" rather than as total aluminum, as it is probably more representative of the aluminum that is effective as an alloying agent. In addition to the elements nominally present in the steels, analyses were made for residual phosphorus, sulphur, nickel, copper, molybdenum and chromium on one heat of those made with the same materials during the same period. Actual grain size was determined by microscopic examination of small samples quenched in water after receiving the same thermal cycle as the Jominy hardenability specimens. Chemical analyses, heat-treatment, grain size, and hardenability are shown in Table I representing three ranges of composition.

Jan 1, 1943

• One effect of the British devaluation of the Pound Sterling, with its resultant lowering of the pay limit, was the addition of considerable tonnages of previously marginal ore in gold mining. Crown Mines, Ltd., reported that 1,245,000 tons of such ore had been added to available reserves. But for devaluation, a steady decline in ore reserves had been a feature of operations during the previous ten years, and would have continued. •Loree Colliery of the Hudson Coal Co. is using a Humphrey spiral cleaning plant to meet requirements of the state in the matter of stream pollution. However, the process is producing a salable product. •Noranda is considering plans for constructing a commercial sized unit designed to produce elemental sulphuric acid and sintered iron oxide from pyrite. Test plant results have indicated the No. 5 ore zone can be treated by the new process economically. •A magnetic fluid clutch, and magnetic amplifiers for motor and generator control, have been developed under Navy contract by Vickers' Electric Division, in St. Louis, Mo. This constitutes the first commercial production of the clutch recently developed by the Bureau of Standards. •Fuel experts estimate coal production will run up to 500 million tons this year based on the expectation that business conditions will continue to be good. They also expect that in the future the use of coal will increase by 50 pct over today's level. These expectations are based on the fact that it provides the bulk of the heat, light, and power for making steel, for manufacturing, and for generating electricity as well as the development of the coal burning gas turbine and processes for making gas, gasoline, and oil from coal. •Entombed miners may benefit from a two-way communication system which utilizes the earth's strata as a network for electric signals. The use of FM radio waves makes this possible. The invention includes a portable transmitter-receiver unit kept near the face, and a more powerful portable equipment of the same sort above ground. In use, two probes on wires from the apparatus are driven into the earth. • The Union of South Africa has launched a uranium production project which government leaders think will help the West maintain world atomic supremacy. Experiments under way in the pilot plants are expected to lead to the establishment of a chain of processing factories along the Witwatersrand in which uranium will be reclaimed from gold tailing. •Recent developments in mechanized mining at the Bureau of Mines oil-shale mine near Rifle, Colo., have lowered mining costs to 29 cents per ton of shale. The cost of producing crude shale oil from 30-gal-per-ton-shale, using the new mining and processing techniques, would be about $1.50 per barrel. This is 500 lower than any previously stated price. • COMINCO is planning to open the old Bluebell lead-zinc mine near Nelson, B. C., on a 500-ton-per-day basis. The old workings will be pumped and a 970-ft incline sunk. A mill will be constructed at the property.

Jan 7, 1950

By Henry S. Munroe

THE plan of organizing a summer class of students of the School of Mines, for the practical study of mining and miner's work, received at the outset the following cordial indorsement : I have thought over the plan proposed by you of taking the students to the mines during the summer, and of having them actually take part, under the direction of skilled workmen, in all the various kinds of mining work; and of using them as a carps of engineers to make Inside and outside surveys, particularly with a view to the detailed study of the geology of the mine. I have no hesitation in saying, that if the students have been previously instructed in the theoretical part of their studies, by lectures and practice during the winter, the plan would be an admirable one. Of course experience will suggest modifications of detail. From the work you have done at our mines this spring, I feel sure that you would be perfectly competent to carry out your plan, and I shall gladly aid you in any way I can. "Yours, sincerely, T. B. Coxe." The plan of the proposed summer school thus indorsed by Mr. Coxe was adopted by the trustees of Columbia College, and an appropriation of one thousand dollars, or so much thereof as might be necessary, was voted for the experiment. A volunteer class of thirteen students was formed, and the first summer school was held at Drifton, in July and August of that. year (1877). The following extract, from an editorial notice in the Engineering and Mining Journal, of August 11, 1877, will give an idea of the 'organization of the school and the work required of the students. "The students, on reporting to Professor Munroe, were divided into squads of two or three men each, and on Monday, July 2d, were assigned to the Care of skilled miners, selected for the purpose by the mine boss, for instruction in gangway work. Half of the students worked in the morning and the other half in the afternoon, one squad at a time with each miner. The times of going and coming to and from work were so arranged that each student spent four to four and a half hours in the mine each day. While in the mine they assisted the miner to load his car, thereby learning readily to distinguish 'slate ' and

Jan 1, 1881

By C. E. Stafford

and tougher, and will carry double the tonnage of any of Dr. Dud ley's soft mils. C. E. Stafford, Steelton, Pa.: I must confess my high ap preciation of Dr. Dadlq's conscientious and painstaking work, and of his scientific methds in obtaining the data; but with his method of handling these results and with his conclusions drawn therefrom 1 canuot agree. The reasons for this difference of opinion I will endeavor to explain. It is apparent on inspecting his Plates 6 and 7 that the majority of the slower-wearing rails are from the north track, and generally have a longer time of service, a greater average tonnage per rail, and a smaller avernge tonnage per year per rail than the faster wearing, the majority of which are from the south track, and gener ally have a shorter time of service, a smaller average tonnage per rail, and a greater average tonnage per year per rail. Have these facts any significance Have these different of conditions to which they are subjected any baring on the relative wearing capacity of these rails I venture to say they have. I think, after a study of Table I (page 676), (an arrangement of linee 17 and 18 of Plate a), in connection with Plates 6 and 7, we will find that the slower wear of the 32 best rails is only partly due to qualities inherent in the rails themselves, but is principally due to external conditions favorable to slower wear. In regard to the north and south track, we know that over the rsoiith track come the loaded cam from the West, and that over the north track these cars return, most of them, empty. It is evident that this means for the north track a less average tonirage per rail per year; or, in other words, a lower wheel tonnage. When the load per wheel is less, the resistance and consequently the wear must, necessarily, be less, other things being equal. Time of service, alee, has an important bearing on the question in hand. It has been only within the last five or six years, as Dr. Dudley has pointed out, that the roadbed of the Pennsylvania Rail road has reached its present admirable condition. Before this time the njadbrd was more elastic, more yielding (and probably not uni tbrmly so) than at present. These circumstalices might cause a sofier rail to be more durable than a harder one, owing to the fact that it ulonId yield rnore or less to the bending force of the passing load and would thus get a bearing on each cross-tie. The harder rail, on the other hatid, being stiffer and more. unyielding, would not

Jan 1, 1881

By P. H. Cardwell

The effect of various plastics upon the permeability of a sand and the mechanism of their ensuring permeability within the consolidated sand body is discussed. Data are presented on various properties of the plastic materials used in sand consolidation and the effect of temperature and usable temperature ranges are considered. The recovery of petroleum from uncon-solidated sands presents serious production problems, owing to sloughing of the formation. The solution of some of these problems usually has been by mechanical methods.' The ideal way of controlling the sloughing tendencies of these un consolidated formations, however, is to prevent the movement of the individual sand grains by the use of a bonding medium. A step in the desired direction was taken by Irons and Stcesser2 when they taught the use of liquid plastics to produce a consolidating deposit that prevents sloughing. More recently, Wrightsman and Buckley3 proposed a modification of this process. In this use of the liquid plastic, the sand grains become coated and the ensuing hardening of the plastic by polymerization or condensation cements together the sand Particles. Liquid plastics that have been suggested for this Purpose are of the following types: phenolformaldehyde, alkyd resins, vinyl type resins, polystyrene and the acrylic esters. When the flow of fluids through a sand must not be materially reduced, it is essential only to cement together the sand grains with liquid plastic and leave a portion of the interstitial space for fluid flow. TO be assured of obtaining fluid flow through the sand interstices after injection of plastic, it has been necessary in the past to remove the excess plastic from the interstices between the particles before it sets. Wrightsman and Buckley suggest two methods for the removal of the excess plastic from the interstices of the sand: (I) to flush the excess plastic back into the formation, away from the well bore, by use of oil or water; (2) to produce the well before the plastic has set, thereby moving the excess plastic into the well bore. Under certain well conditions it is very difficult to remove the excess plastic from all parts of the formation by either of these methods and leave the formation consolidated with no sections completely sealed. The method* described herein of retaining permeability within a sand body is to use a liquid plastic that upon setting ensures permeability within the consolidated sand body. This cements the sand grains but obviates the need for removing plastic from the interstices of the sand. One of the ways of accomplishing this is to use a liquid plastic that occupies a considerably greater volume than the solidified resin it yields on further polymerization or condensation in situ. In order to be satisfactory, the volume of the plastic while liquid should be at least one and one half times the volume of the solid formed. Preferably,

Jan 1, 1947

By Orville R. Lyons

THE continuous vacuum filter, whether it be a vertical or horizontal disk, inside or outside drum, when properly applied is a very effective device for dewatering fine solids. Because of the number of variables that affect its performance, however, it is not possible to obtain consistently maximum moisture reduction in an operating plant. This paper presents a method for determining the average cake moisture and the variations in cake moisture to be anticipated when dewatering fine solids by continuous vacuum filters under normal operating conditions. Previous investigators1,2 have found that certain factors influence filter performance, drum or disk diameter, speed of rotation, percentage of immersion, and the percentage of solids in the feed influence capacity. Blinding of the filter cloth reduces effective vacuum, produces a wetter cake, and may decrease capacity. Reduced vacuum or improper adjustment between vacuum and blowing portions of the cycle will produce a wetter cake and also may decrease capacity. Widely fluctuating feed tonnages will adversely affect cake moisture and capacity. Flocculation, when properly applied, increases capacity and reduces cake moisture. Without flocculation, the slimes are the first particles sucked to the filter medium, which becomes partially blinded in consequence. With flocculation, the flocs act as coarse particles and the filter medium is not blinded. Overflocculated pulps, although filtering well, may yield wet cakes. Average Particle Size and Cake Moisture A method for predetermining the surface moisture content of coal filter cakes was published in 1949; but this method could not be applied to coals deficient in —200 mesh material or to fine mineral concentrates. Test data obtained for geared-weight types of vibrating screens4 and for centrifuges5 used to de-water coal provided definite correlations between the average particle size of a dewatered cake and the surface moisture content of the cake. It was thought that this same method of correlation should be applicable to filters, whether dewatering fine coal or fine mineral concentrates. To develop a correlation or correlations between average size of cake and cake moisture, the author collected data for filtration operations from as many sources as possible. In a considerable number of instances the information was provided by plant preparation engineers,"-" a few of the tests were on a laboratory scale: and the remainder of the data was obtained from published articles.10-17 Table I contains size-consist and miscellaneous data for coal filter cakes, and Table II contains the same data for mineral concentrate filter cakes. Fig. 1 shows the relationships existing between the average particle size of the cake and cake moisture (surface moisture for coal and total moisture for minerals) when dewatering fine solids by a variety of makes and types of filters. Average particle size is calculated by averaging the linear openings of the various pairs of screens used in the screening test, weighted in accordance with the percentages of material in the various fractions.

Jan 1, 1952

By H. G. Warren, E. W. Hough

Correlation of interfacial tension of the methane-n-pentane and methane-n-decane systems was made by Hough and Stegemeier by the use of the Weinaug and Katz equation. The methane-n-heptane and ethylene-n-heptane systems were investigated by the authors. Additional systems taken from the literature were the me thane-propane system by Weinaug. and Katz, the methane-n-butane system by Pennington and Hough, and the n- butane -carbon dioxide system by Brauer and Hough. These systems were analyzed by the Weinaug-Katz equation and the Sugden equation on the IBM 1620 11 computer using a regression analysis program. Parachor and exponent values for each component and system were determined. The experimental work was close to the critical point of the light component in the n-butane-carbon dioxide and ethylene-n-heptane systems, between the critical points of the light and heavy components in the methane-n-pentane, methane-n-heptane and methane-n-decane systems, and close to the critical point of the heavy component in the methane-pmpane and methane-n-butane systems. An empirical formula was developed to find a value of the constant B in the Sugden equation for binary hydrocarbon systems from the parachor values of the two components. Interfacial tension for binary hydrocarbon systems was found to be a direct function of liquid-vapor phase density difference in the same manner as a single-component system. DISCUSSION Interfacial tension may be defined as the measure of the specific free surface energy between two phases having different compositions.1 The interfacial tension (IFT) for a binary system may be predicted for any temperature and pressure if the

Jan 1, 1967

By Carl F. Floe, Michael B. Bever

TRE solubility of hydrogen in molten copper-tin alloys is of both practical and theoretical interest. From a practical standpoint, data on the equilibrium solubility as a function of temperature, pressure and alloy composition are valuable for a better understanding of porosity problems in bronze castings. From the theoretical point of view the determination of the hydrogen-copper-tin equilibrium is of interest since it extends the laws governing the solution of gases in metals. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the solubility of hydrogen in representative compositions of the copper-tin system at temperatures ranging from above the liquidus to 1300°C. and at pressures from less than 50 mm. of mercury to about atmospheric. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK The solubility of hydrogen in copper was determined by Sieverts and Krumbhaarl in 1910 and by Roentgen and Moeller2 in 1934. Their values are in fair agreement. In 1926 Iwasé3 reported results that were very much higher. The published data on the solubility of hydrogen in tin do not agree. Smithells4 states that no reliable data are available. According to Sieverts and Krumbhaar,5 hydrogen is insoluble in tin. Bircumshaw,6 on the other hand, found a definite solubility at 800°C. The latter's experimental procedure did not provide for stirring of the metal and in his opinion he failed to reach equilibrium. Iwasé3 again reported large solubility values. For copper alloys, Sieverts and Krumbhaar6 distinguished between alloying elements that do not markedly affect the solubility of hydrogen, elements that increase the solubility, and elements that reduce it. They named gold, tin, and aluminum as examples of this last group and reported hydrogen solubility data at 1225°C. for the copper-rich side of these alloy systems at atmospheric pressure. Without giving experimental results, they stated that the amount of hydrogen dissolved by liquid copper alloys is proportional to the square root of the pressure as in pure metals. These authors suggested that in a limited way the effect of an alloying element on the solubility of a gas is related to the constitution diagram for the alloy system. Sieverts7 also called attention to the fact that the curve of hydrogen solubility versus composition of copper-tin alloys shows a sharp change of direction at the composition of Cu3Sn and suggested that this compound persists at least to some extent in the molten state. Iwas3é reported large hydrogen solubility values for several compositions of copper- tin alloys, which appear to be in error.

Jan 1, 1944

By J. W. Stewart

The aim of this paper is to point out the various ways in which design is taught in standard four-year mining engineering curricula in American colleges and universities; to discuss the reasons apparently justifying the great diversity of procedure that exists along this line; and to indicate possible solutions to the difficulties now attending the teaching of design. A study was made of typical four-year mining engineering curricula in 15 colleges and universities of the United States (Table I). Great diversity in content of the various design courses, if taught as described, became apparent immediately. It appeared that it might be both interesting and instructive if the cause for this colorful variety could be found. Was the cause local mining conditions, departmental individuality, or actual necessity? Study of the school catalogues revealed that the various design courses could be classified into two fairly distinct types; namely, (I) those dealing with mine equipment or structures, and (2) those dealing with underground layout of mine workings. It seemed reasonable to label the first type of course "mining design" and the second type "mine design." Some such distinction must have been in the minds of mining educators, for we find both names (i.e., mine design and mining design) used to designate the design courses included in the various mining curricula Unhappily, the name and the apparent content of such courses do not, in all instances, conform to the classification made here, although in most instances such conformation does obtain (Table I). It is possible that in the exceptional case the method of teaching a design course, and consequently the content of it, may have been changed at some time without change in the name of the course. Apparently only 3 of the 15 schools made an effort to cover both types of design in their curricula (Table I). Two other schools did not list or describe any course of study that could with certainty be taken as a design course. Of the remaining 10 schools, 9 gave a mining-design type of course and one gave a strictly mine-design type. Obviously, the preponderance of design courses afforded are of the mining-design type. Why? To answer this question, it is necessary to make a study of the prerequisites for the two types of design courses taught. In all schools the design courses were taught in the senior year; in eight, design was taught throughout both semesters; in two, it was taught during the first semester only; and in three it was taught during the second semester only. Consequently, excepting the last three cases noted, it is obvious that all prerequisites for a design course should be completed by the end of the junior year PREREQUISITES What are the probable prerequisites for the different kinds of design courses as they appear to be taught? Let us take first the case of the mine-design type of course, having to do with layout of underground workings. Here it would seem that logical

Jan 1, 1943

By Frank Foote, Eric R. Jette

In a recent article,1 the authors reported the results of an X-ray investigation on the range of solid solutions that occurs in the iron-oxygen system in the vicinity of the compound FeO, which frequently is called "wüstite." The object of that investigation was primarily to study the unusual type of solid solution phenomena involved in this range. Briefly summarized the results were: 1. The NaCl type of lattice found by earlier workers was confirmed. 2. The lattice dimensions decrease rapidly with decrease in iron content. 3. No alloy that was a homogeneous single phase was ever found at compositions beyond 76.80 per cent Fe, while the theoretical iron content of FeO is 77.73 per cent Fe. 4. Measurements of the densities and lattice constants led to the conclusion that the form of substitution was complex, an FeO group being replaced by oxygen. Such a substitution, of course, is equivalent to removing an iron atom (or ion). The ideal unit cell of FeO can be considered as containing four groups of FeO and, thus, when this type of substitution takes place, there remain in the unit cell three FeO groups and an oxygen, or a total of seven atoms with a gross formula of Fe3O4 instead of the original Fe4O4. 5. This was the only interpretation that would fit the experimental results and at the same time be consistent with (a) the previously determined fact that the FeO lattice is ionic (i, e., consists of Fe++ and O? ions) and (b) the chemical fact that as the oxygen content of the substance increases, ferrous iron becomes oxidized to ferric iron. The experimental results of this investigation are included in Fig. 1. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the limits of this homogeneity range by means of the X-ray structure analysis. This method has been applied frequently to the study of solid solutions by Westgren and his coworkers as well as by other investigators. The principle is simple: if the change in lattice constant with composition is

Jan 1, 1933

By John T. Galey

An intensified search for gas, because of the shortage in the area, led to the completion of 482 wells in southwestern Pennsylvania during 1944. This number was 27 more than the number in 1943, but 118 of the wells were nonproductive. Shallow Development Oil The initial production of the 25 producers completed was slightly less than was obtained from four wells above last yearJs total. The largest well, 20 bbl., was found in the Big Injun (Miss.) sand in Morris township, Washington County, at a depth of 2085 ft. It is currently producing about 3 bbl. per day. Outside the main producing area, a well drilled in Nicholson township, Fayette County, obtained 15 bbl. per day from 1864 to 1866 ft. in the Gantz (U. Dev.) sand. The Federal subsidy of 75¢ per barrel, effective , 1, 1944, which increased to $3.40 the current pipe-line price in this area, seems to have been insufficient stimulus to materially increase drilling for oil, although more repressuring operations are contemplated. Gas The volume of initial open flow of gas developed is off slightly over 10 million cu. ft. from 36 more wells than were completed a year ago, and the average rock pressure of this new gas is more than 100 lb. less than that obtained a year ago. Apparently the best find of this year was reported in Patton township, Allegheny County, where an initial volume of over 4 million cu. ft, was encountered in the Speechley (U. Dev.) sand at a depth of from 3293 to 3303 ft. The rock pressure there, 1190 lb. per sq. in., is nearly virgin. However, this area is fairly well delimited by dry holes and docs not seem nearly so promising from the standpoint of reserves as the Armbrust area, which was discovered several Years ago. In the patton township locality another fair well with 1303 M cu. ft. open flow and 400 lb. Per 59. in. rock pressure completed in the Hundred-Foot (U. Dev.) sand at a a depth of 2125 feet. Armstrong County, as usual, leads in number of producing wells completed with lowest percentage of failures but ranks only fou th in volume of production developed. Only two wells here had more than one million cubic feet capacity, but the rock pessure was under 200 Ib. Per sq. inch. In Fayette County, where the largest portion of new gas was found, activity appears to be shifting eastward. In Luzerne township, four producers having a total combined initial open flow in excess of 10 million cu, ft, were found in the Big Injun (Miss.) sand. The best well was found also in the same area in the Speechley sand (U. Dev.) at a depth of 3460 ft. This was a 2500-M CU. ft. well in Georges township. Several wells of more than a million cubic feet capacity were found in Jackson, Washington, Wayne and Whitley townships, Greene County. None of these, however, was in a new pool.

Jan 1, 1945

By R. Scot Clark

The reactively sputtered silicon dioxide capacitor -was developed for use in the monolithic integrated circuit, thereby requiring the capacitor to be fabricated on an oxidized silicon slice. The silicon dioxide film is formed by reactively sputtering silicon in a 50 pct Ar-50 pct 0, atmosphere and the physical properties are indistinguishable from silica. A practical upper limit of capacitance per unit area of 0.25 pf per sq mil is reached with the capacitors fabricated from the Si0, film. Methods shown to enhance this value are double stacking the thin-film capacitors and addition of aluminum to the silicon cathode during sputtering to form an aluminosilicate dielectric. A major contribution to the field of diffused integrated circuits would be the addition of auxiliary passive devices for replacement of diffused passive devices which are currently being fabricated for many integrated circuits. This accomplishment would increase the flexibility of the diffusion process in order to concentrate more on transistor parameters rather than on fabricating diffused resistors and capacitors. To pursue this technique, a thin-film SiOz capacitor was developed which has _ proven applicable to many integrated circuits. Although the SiOl capacitor has an application, the major deterrent from extending the integrated circuit into many useful areas such as low-frequency linear application is the low dielectric constant of SiO, and the low usable capacitance in an integrated circuit. This paper will cover the sputtering techniques used for forming the SiO, film, the physical and electrical properties of sputtered SiO,, and yield information concerning the application of these capacitors to integrated circuits. REACTIVE SPUTTERING Reactive sputtering is simply the sputtering of a metal or semiconductor in glow discharge in the presence of a reactive gas. The material to be sputtered is seen in Fig. 1 as the cathode of the system and is bombarded with positively charged ions of the ambient gas. In this investigation, the ambient gas is composed of 50 pct Ar and 50 pct O2 at a pressure of approximately 2.5 X l0-' Torr. The ions are accelerated toward the cathode in the cathode dark space by the electric field and upon striking the cathode effect a momentum energy transfer to the surface atoms. The transferred energy is sufficient to dislodge a surface atom or atoms and these particles diffuse through the glow discharge to the collector or anode. Several mechanisms of oxidation in the reaction chamber can be considered during reactive sputtering. 1) The surface of the cathode is oxidized and the oxide is subsequently sputtered. 2) Oxidation and sputtering occur simultaneously. 3) Sputtering of the cathode material is followed

Jan 1, 1965

By V. A. Zanadvoroff

The mine and concentrator of the Howe Sound Co., Chelan Division, are at Holden, in a remote section of the Cascade Mountains of northwestern Washington. Holden is at an elevation of 3200 ft., in the narrow valley of Railroad Creek. This creek drains into Lake Chelan, at a point some 40 miles up the lake from the town of Chelan. The concentrator treats 2000 to 2500 tons of low-grade copper-gold-zinc ore per day. Concentration is achieved by the differential flotation process, with recovery of 94 per cent copper and 82 per cent gold in the copper concentrate, followed by the recovery of 65 to 70 per cent zinc in the zinc flotation circuit. The final flotation tailing is deslimed, and coarse . sands, representing 60 to 70 percent of the total, are cyanided. The tonnage of tailing material amounts to 1900 to 2370 tons per day. General Considerations The property is within the Chelan National Forest. Railroad Creek is a fishing stream, being stocked regularly with trout from State hatcheries. Consequently, in planning a milling operation, the Howe Sound Co. was obliged to avoid any pollution of the stream by tailing material, and also destruction of valuable stands of timber. Moreover, the selected tailing- disposal sites should not mar the natural beauty of the valley. In addition to these requirements, the problem of tailing disposal at Holden was complicated by topography and climatic conditions. The valley is long and narrow, averaging 1200 to 1500 ft. in width. Its walls are flaring at a steep angle. There are no extensive flat areas suitable for deposition of tailing. All valleys tributary to Railroad Creek, also the well-marked paths of snowslides, must be avoided. Finally, the direction of prevailing winds and possible dust hazard arising therefrom dictated the necessity of selecting the tailing-disposal sites downstream from the mill building and two campsites. Heavy snowfall during the winter months of November to March, inclusive, impedes building of the retaining dike, making it necessary to prepare the needed storage space during the summer months. It is inadvisable, also, to do any dike building during the freezing weather, because the dike becomes unstable with the spring thaws, producing inevitable "sloughing" of the built-up borders. Tailing-disposal Sues The existing tailing-disposal areas are near the south wall of the valley. They were developed, and put to use in the following sequence: No. I. Area.—Covers approximately 10 acres. Built up to the height of 60 ft. and abandoned. Total length of dike border is 1900 feet.

Jan 1, 1947

By William B. Stephenson

The paper describes efficient and effective methods of automatically controlling sand pump installations. Particular reference is made to liquid-level controls actuating variable speed pump-driving units. Included is a discussion of various combinations of equipment, with schematic drawings. HERETOFORE many sand pump installations in the mining and metallurgical field involved guesswork as to the size of the pump and then simply direct-connecting it to a constant speed motor which was often large enough to do twice the work required. Considerable thought was given to mill location in an effort to avoid as much pumping as possible. Hillside design of mills with gravity flow of tailing was much to be desired. Power costs were low, construction was relatively cheap, and labor in many places meant nothing in comparison to the values derived from the ores being treated. Today most of these conditions are reversed. Ores are becoming more complex with lower values per ton of ore treated. Power is more expensive, construction is higher, and labor definitely takes a very important place in the profit and loss statement. Each piece of equipment incorporated in the design of a new mill is selected to provide highest efficiency based on careful metallurgical analysis of the ore to be treated both in good and poor markets. Each is designed with its flexibility in mind and with provision for adjustments in its performance to meet actual conditions in the operation of the mill. Sand pumps have taken an important position in mill design. Operators the world over are relying more and more on the performance of a sand pump in the efficient operating of their plant. Many ordinary jobs are being done today with pumps driven through adjustable pitch diameter V belt drives in order that changes in pump speed can be made easily to meet actual operating conditions. Operating costs have long since proved the folly of operating a pump at too high a speed for the volume and head to be overcome. Metallurgical results have shown the benefits derived from a smooth flow as contrasted with a surging flow from an uncontrolled pump. Construction costs have risen to such an extent that surge bins and other means formerly employed must be omitted from today's flowsheet. Several installations of considerable size and involving the use of automatic pump speed control have proved the adaptability of such controls since they were placed in service in recent years. In the following presentation each system discussed and illustrated schematically has been installed in one or more instances and has proved itself reliable and definitely economical from the standpoint of capital investment, operation and maintenance. Variable Volume-Head Speed Control: Probably the most popular, effective and efficient automatic control setup for sand pumping installations is the one shown schematically in fig. 1. Commonly used

Jan 1, 1951

By Samuel E. Doak

The utilization of rotary kilns, of the well-known cement type, for the preparation of iron ores for the blast furnace, has become of considerable economic importance within the past 10 years in certain localities, notably those where the native ores are lean. Such kilns may be used simply for the agglomeration of ores too fine to be charged into the blast furnace (i.e., ores whose, loss in the dust catchers is excessive, and whose fineness is detrimental to the working of the furnace), or for the desulphurization of lump and fine ores the sulphur content of which does not exceed 6 or 7 per cent. The desulphurizing action can be combined with that of agglomeration provided the kiln is sufficiently large. Other processes have been developed for the same purpose, but while I am not able to draw a comparison between them by reason of lack of sufficient data, it is safe to say that the kiln, if properly dimensioned for the character of ore to be treated, will compare favorably in its results, both as to economy and quality of product, with any other process. It is not, however, as well adapted for the treatment of flue dust as is a sintering operation, on account of the large percentage of fine coke contained therein. Any combustible entering the kiln at its feed end renders the process very much more expensive and unsatisfactory on account of the difficulty of controlling the temperature, also because of the rapidity with which long "rings" form, due to the increased heat at the cooler end of the kiln. The greatest value of the kiln at present is in the treatment of pyrites cinder; that is, the residue from pyrites ore after the extraction of the greater part of the sulphur. This cinder, while high in iron content, has too much sulphur remaining in it to be allowed to form a large part of the blast-furnace burden, without further treatment. It will range in metallic iron from 42 per cent., representing a very low-grade cinder from a domestic pyrites, to 64 per cent. of the residue from the best Spanish ore, and the corresponding silica content will vary from the maximum of about 25 per cent. to 11/2 per cent. The residual sulphur depends largely on the type of burner used in the original desulphurization. In general, the leanest original ores retain the greatest amounts of sulphur. In modern practice the percentage of sulphur in the cinder is rarely as great as six, and seldom lower than one and one-half. Average analyses for iron, silica, and sulphur of the cinders that have come under my personal observation are as follows:

Jan 1, 1916

By Edwin M. Chance

During the last decade many conditions have been encountered that have materially increased the cost of the production of coal. As in most cases it has not been practicable to increase the selling price of such coal sufficiently to insure the necessary margin of profit, the mine management has been forced to avail itself of what might be termed unusual means that costs might be held at as low a figure as possible. The so-called efficiency engineer has been called upon, costly power plants have been built and machinery has been installed to replace manual labor wherever possible. Another aid used recently to secure economies through the more intelligent production of coal, is the chemist. As the coal industry, barring the production of byproduct coke, does not at once give evidence of its need of the services of the chemist, the writer will endeavor to point out a few of the services that this branch of the staff has been able to render. The preparation of coal in the past has been carried on entirely upon an empirical basis, that is, the criterion adopted has been an ocular inspection. Unfortunately, the appearance of a coal and especially of an anthracite, has but little relation to its fuel value, and as long as coal is purchased for the heat that can be obtained from it by its combustion, the quantity of such heat that is purchased must be one of the principal desiderata in selecting or preparing a coal. Were coals purchased for use as bric-a-brac or for exhibition in museums it might be both wise and just to purchase them upon their appearance. After 4 or 5 years of investigation the fact has been established that coals of very inferior appearance, and I now have special reference to anthracite, might and often did possess heating and burning properties superior to those possessed by bright coals which in the past had commanded considerable and uniform premiums in the market. This being the case the question arose as to whether the trade could be convinced of this fact. While at first some difficulty was experienced in establishing the quality of such dull coals, still it was found that the real obstacle to the sale of these materials in the past had been the fact that the coal producers' own sales departments felt convinced of the inferiority of this type of fuel and when complaints were registered they were given ready credence. Upon convincing the sales department of the quality of this type of fuel, but

Jan 1, 1917