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By James R. Finlay

SOMETIMES the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers appears to be a strictly technical society, and if so my paper should deal with the technical operations of finding and producing gold. But I have not been engaged in practical gold mining since 1910. What I have been doing mainly for the last 25 years is to try to figure out what the income of a mine-gold, or any other-would be worth to an investor. So I have been in contact with gold mining, in one way or another, for some 42 years. I say that with a purpose. In that time the industry has been through one of its cycles. The value of gold mines is very dif¬ferent at different points in one of these cycles. For this reason the cycle of gold mining is a highly practical study. The cycle of gold is a more or less rhythmical change in its value or purchasing power measured in the grand average of other commodities, which is the same thing as its price. Taking the price of gold in 1897 as a stand¬ard, a dollar at that time declined to 55c. in 1913, to 26.8c. in 1920, and since then it has risen to 47.4c. in 1930 and to about 64c. in 1932. It is worth about 21/ times as much now as it was in 1920, but less than two¬thirds as much as in 1897. When this change is applied to the value of a gold mine still greater differences are evident. The cost of producing gold is of course measured in labor and other commodities, and as that cost goes down the margin of profit measured in the gold itself increases. Thus a mine which might make only 10 per cent profit in 1920 on its gross output may easily make 25 per cent now. The stockholder gets 2 ½ times more gold that is worth 2 1/2 times as much in purchasing power, therefore the real value of his holding has risen by the one factor multiplied by the other, giving him 61/4 times as much goods or services as he had in 1920.

Jan 1, 1933

[Aalde, Kaare, ('40) New Mexico School of Mines, Socorro, N. M. Abadesco, Enrique A., ('39) Univ. of the Philippines, Manila, P. I. Abdul-Ahad, A., ('39) Montana School of Mines, Residence Hall, Butte, Mont. Abreu, Ovidio M., ('38) Univ. of Nevada, Reno, Nev. Acker, Voscoe, . ('39) Agricultural & Mech. College of Texas, College Station, Tex. Acosta S., Gonzalo, ('40) Univ. of Texas, Univ. Sta., Box 1785, Austin, Tex. Adams, Albert, ('38) New Mexico School of Mines, Socorro, N. M. Adams, Charles W.,' ('39) Michigan College of Min. & Tech., Houghton, Mich. Adams, Hugh T., Jr., ('39) Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla. Adams, Jack L., ('39) Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman Okla.]

Jan 1, 1940

By O. D. Sherby, J. E. Dorn

SEVERAL years ago Zener and Hollomon1 suggested that the flow stress of metals might be related to the temperature and strain rate in accord with the functional equation: s=s(eeh/rt) [1] at the same state. The Zener-Hollomon relation also contains the significant tacit implication that the energy for activation, AH, is substantially independent of the state of the material. The utility of this method for correlating creep data with tensile data was illustrated in a preliminary reportL on the effect of alloying additions on the secondary creep rates of binary a solid solutions in aluminum as shown for Al-Mg alloys in Fig. 1. Not only do the secondary creep and ultimate tensile properties for each alloy correlate well on this plot but in addition the activation energy, AH = 17,900 R cal per mol. is identical for the various compositions. Similar types of curves correlating the secondary creep rates at 422°K (300°F) with ultimate tensile data were also obtained for a series of dilute a solid solutions of copper, germanium, zinc, and silver in aluminum. In all cases the activation energy for creep, AH, was found to be equal to about 17,900 R cal per mol independent of the type of alloying element or its concentration. The coincidence of the activation energies for these alloys is probably due to the fact that the activation energies for creep are rather insensitive to small composition changes. Alloying additions, as shown in Fig. 1, however, increased the stress necessary to obtain equivalent values of ee?H/RT. Thus the stress level in curves of the type represented by Fig. 1 gives the relative creep strengths of the various alloys. Inasmuch as these correlations between creep and tensile data were obtained for creep tests at 422°K, it appeared advisable to ascertain the range of secondary creep rates and temperatures over which correlations between creep and tensile data could be made on the basis of the Zener-Hollomon relationship. If, for example, the activation energy changes with different ranges of creep temperatures, the utility of the proposed analysis would be severely weakened. But if AH is constant not only for all dilute alloys, but also over wide ranges of temperature and secondary creep rates, confidence will be developed not only in the broad utility of the Zener- Table I. Chemical Analysis':' and Grain Size of Alloys Mean Grain Residual Impurities. Wt Pct Diam- Alloying Atomic-eter, Element Pct Si Fe Cu Mg Mn mm Aluminum 99.987 0.003 0.003 0.006 0.001 0.25 Magnesium 1.617 0.003 0.004 0.006 0.26 Copper 0.101 0.003 0.003 0.0006 0.001 0.29 Zinc 1.616 0.003 0.005 0.007 0.001 '0.26 * The authors express their appreciation to the Aluminum Company of America for the preparation and chemical analyses of these alloys. Hollomon relationship, but also in its theoretical justification. The following investigation was instituted in order to ascertain the range of validity of the Zener-Hollomon relationship when it is applied to creep and tension data. Materials, Equipment, Technique In view of rather extensive correlatable data now available on the plastic properties of a series of binary a solid solutions of magnesium, copper, germanium, zinc, and silver in aluminum, these alloys were again selected for the present investigation. Previous reports have already covered the tensile properties of these alloys at subatmospheric temperatures," and at elevated temperature," as well as their fatigue properties at atmospheric temperatures, nd their creep properties at 422°K.' Resistivity measurementsa as well as precision lattice constant determinations? evealed that these alloys are a solid solutions. After homogenization. 0.100 in. thick sheets were rolled to 0.070 in. in thickness and recrystallized to about the same grain size. Since the details of these treatments were reported previously," they will not be repeated here. In order to appropriately reduce the scope of creep tests in this investigation only the typical alloys shown in Table I were investigated. All creep specimens were machined such that their tensile axes were in the rolling direction of the 0.070 in. sheet stock. The gage section was 2 in. long and 0.500 in. wide with a reduced section of 3.50 in. Creep strains were measured by means of rack and pinion type extensometers with a sensitivity of 0.005 in. per division. Readings were estimated to 1/10 of

Jan 1, 1953

By AIME AIME

T HE 121st meeting of the Institute held in New York City, February 16 to 19, 1920, was a great success despite vicissitudes of weather of unusual severity. On account of tremendous snowstorms, only two members of the Canadian contingent arrived, and several of our members from the west arrived thirty hours late. Two weeks prior to the meeting, the heaviest snowstorm in 34 years wrecked the surface transportation in New York; and it was only by special dispensation that arrangements were effected, with the New York Street Cleaning Department to clear away 39th street in front of this building so that vehicles could reach the curb. The total registration of members and guests was 1138.

Jan 1, 1920

By L. W. McKeehan

THE occurrence of twins in large ferrite crystals, made by a new process, was reported in a recent note. This paper describes a typical case of such twinning and suggests, on the basis of the observed facts, why smooth slip-planes are rarely observed in this metal. METHOD OF PREPARATION The material In which the crystals here dealt with were grown was made from 1/8 -in. Armco iron welding rod containing C, 0.04; S, 0.037; P, 0.003; Si, 0.008, and Mn, 0.02 per cent. This rod was cold drawn into wire about 1 mm. dia. A piece of this wire was supported vertically and was locally heated in hydrogen at atmospheric pressure to about 1400° C. by an alternating current (60 cycles per sec.) of about 35 amp., passed through it between a pair of travelling contacts about 8 cm. apart. The rate of travel for the case in hand was 12 cm. per hr. After some 30 cm. of the length of the wire had been heated and cooled in this manner the whole wire was immersed for a few seconds in dilute nitric acid, not restrained by alcohol. Etching was continued until, as nearly as could be judged by eye, the original smooth cylindrical surface of the wire was no longer capable of specular reflection.

Jan 1, 1927

By Burt C. Mariacher

To note that environmental considerations had a major im¬pact on the minerals processing industry in 1971 would be something less than a profound observation. The degree of its importance was demonstrated by MBD when it established the Environmental Committee as a new unit committee within the Division to achieve greater participation in exchange of information relating to the technologies and problems involved. It is appropriate and necessary to devote special attention to this timely aspect of minerals processing, as its influence penetrates the research, engineering and operations of almost all unit technologies that comprise minerals processing. The pollution abatement aspect of this industry has been such a dominant factor in recent years there is reason to wonder whether progress in unrelated technologies has been curtailed. Perhaps so, to some degree, but unit committee reviews presented in this article suggest rather that it would appear to have served as a catalyst for accelerated progress in development of new methods and improvement in more conventional ones. Present concepts regarding primary metal or mineral recovery and by-product potential may change considerably as a result of improved technology in waste product treatment.

Jan 2, 1972

By Walter R. Crane

PAGE I. Apparatus and Methods.......... 406 1. The Magnetic Circuit...........406 2. Apparatus Employed in the Traction-Method...... 406 a. The Coils............409 b. The Pole-Pieces..........409 3. Methods of Testing Fields Produced by Different Pole.Pices.. ..409 c. Testing with a Search.Coil........410 d. Testing with Iron-Filings and Glass Tube.. .. .410 4. General Forma of Pole-Pieces.........411 e. Flat Poles............411 f. Conical Poles........... 411 g. Spherical Poles...........411 h. Chisel-Edged (Chamfered) Poles.......412 II. Magnetic Fields...........412 5. Methods of Testinq for Magnetic Permeability...... 421 i. The Rod-Method..........423 j. Method Employed in These Experiments......424 k. Difference in the Results of the Two Methods..... 425 l. The Traction-Method.........427 m. Effect of Loosening the Charge.......430 n Corrections...........432 6. Theory.............433 o. Effect of Varying Weight on Tractive Force..... 434 p. Effect of Varying Pole-Distance.......436 q. Effect of Varying Magnetization.......436 T. Effect of Varying Size.. .......437 a. Summary,........... 441 III. The Relative Magnetic Permeability of Various Minerals,. 443 The form and strength of magnetic fields have attracted much attention. especially in connection with the designing of dynamo-electric machinery—an art which has been revolution-

Jan 1, 1902

By S. Frederick Ravitz

IN most applied sciences there are two distinct methods of carrying out research and development work. One of these, the theoretical, attempts to solve problems that may arise and to predict facts of practical importance by the application of the various laws of science, the other, the experimental method, attempts to each the 'same goal by obtaining data and trying out various processes in the laboratory. Since individuals frequently find themselves better adapted for one or the other type of procedure, it is natural that -two groups should 'arise, both working toward the sane objective but with somewhat different points of view, although many in each group are thoroughly competent in both fields. Metallurgy, in particular, offers an excellent opportunity for a comparison of the two methods.

Jan 1, 1935

Trans No. Place Date Vol. 1. Wilkes-Barre, Pa' May, '71 1 2. Bethlehem, Pa Aug., '71 1 3. Troy, N. Y Nov., '71.. 1 4. Philadelphia, Pa Feb., '72.. 1 5. New York, N. Y.' May, '72.. 1 8. Pittsburgh, Pa Oct., '72.. 1 7. Boston, Maas Feb., '73.. 1 8. Philadelphia, Pa." May, '73.. 2 9. Easton, Pa Oct., '73.. 2 10. New York, N. Y Feb.. '74.. 2 11. St. Louis, Mo.* May, '74.. 3 12. Hazleton, Pa Oct., '74.. 3 13. New Haven, Conn Feb., '75.. 3 14. Dover, N. J. ? May, '75.. 4 15. Cleveland, 0 Oct., '75.. 4 16. Washington, D. C Feb., '76.. 4 17. Philadelphia, Pa.} June, '76.. 5 18. Philadelphia, Pa Oct., '76.. 5 19. New York, N. Y Feb., '77.. 5 20. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. ? May, '77.. 8 21. Amenia, N. Y Oct., '77, . 6 22. Philadelphia, Pa Feb., '78:. 6 23. Chattanooga, Tenn.*...May, '78'.. 7 24. Lake George, N. Y Oct., '78.. 7 25. Baltimore, Md.* Feb., '79.. 7 26. Pittsburgh, Pa Mayo '79.. 8 27. Montreal, Canada Sept., '79., 8 28, New York, N. Y.? Feb., 'SO.. 8 29. Lake Superior, Mich. ..Aug., '80.. 9 30. Philadelphia, Pa.' Feb., '81.. 9 31. Staunton, Va May, '81..10 32. Harrisburg, Pa Oct., '81..10 33. Washington, D. C.? ....Feb., '82..10 34. Denver, Colo Aug., '82..11

Jan 1, 1928

By Haydn H. Murray, Sam H. Patterson

The term "clay" is somewhat ambiguous un¬less specifically defined, because it is used in three ways: (1) as a diverse group of fine-¬grained minerals, (2) as a rock term, and (3) as a particle-size term. Actually, most persons using the term "clay" realize that it has several meanings, and in most instances they define it. As a rock term, clay is difficult to define be¬cause of the wide variety of materials that com¬pose it; therefore, the definition must be gen¬eral. Clay is a natural earthy, fine-grained ma¬terial composed largely of a group of crystalline minerals known as the clay minerals. These minerals are hydrous silicates composed mainly of silica, alumina, and water. Several of these minerals also contain appreciable quantities of iron, alkalies, and alkaline earths. Many defini¬tions state that a clay is plastic when wet. Most clay materials do have this property, but some clays are not plastic; for example, halloysite and flint clay. As a particle-size term, clay is used for the category that includes the smallest particles. The maximum-size particles in the clay-size grade are defined differently on various grade scales, Soil investigators and mineralogists gen¬erally use 2 micrometers as the maximum size, whereas the widely used scale by Wentworth (1922) defines clay as material finer than ap¬proximately 4 micrometers. Some authorities find it convenient to use the term "clay" for any fine-grained, natural, earthy, argillaceous material (Grim, 1968). When used this way, the term includes clay, shale, or ar¬gillite, and some argillaceous soils. Even though no standard definition of the term clay is accepted by geologists, agronomists, engineers, and others, the term is generally un¬derstood by those who use it. Clay is an abun¬dant natural raw material, and it has an amaz¬ing variety of uses and properties which will be discussed in this chapter. Clays rank among the leading industrial min¬erals in both tonnages produced and total value. Their importance is indicated in Table 1, which lists the 1970, 1971, and 1972 production and values according to the U.S. Bureau of Mines (Ampian, 1972). Adequate reliable statistical data on which to summarize world production of clay are un¬available; this paragraph outlines the world re¬quirements for clay only in a very general way. According to one estimate, the world bentonite production in 1972 was 3.5 million tons (Anon., 1973a), but in the authors' opinion it was prob¬ably at least 5 million tons. The total fuller's earth produced was at least 1.5 million tons and may have been as much as 2 million tons. The total world kaolin production in 1972 was more than 10 million tons. Approximately 7 million tons of this total was produced in only two regions-the Georgia-South Carolina kaolin belt in the United States and the Cornwall re¬gion, United Kingdom. The world's 1972 out¬put of ball clay, which is also produced pri¬marily in the United States and the United Kingdom, was approximately 1.5 million tons or perhaps a little more. The total world fire clay production in 1972 was probably about one and one-half to two times and the miscellaneous clay production three times the United States production. As industrial minerals, clays are a complex group that consists of several mineral commodi¬ties, each having somewhat different mineral¬ogy, geologic occurrence, technology, and uses. In this chapter these commodities are organized

Jan 1, 1975

By Alfred E. Hunt

By the death of Joseph Dame Weeks, past-President of this Institute, which occurred December 26, 1896, the world has lost an earnest and unwearied philanthropist; the Christian church, a zealous, active and consistent representative; the United States and the State of Penusylvania, a patriotic, pub-

Jan 1, 1898

By M. W. BERNEWITZ

DURING my recent extended visit to Australia and New Zealand, these notes on oil and gas prospecting in that part of the world were compiled from recent reports-press and government, from conversation with one of the financial leaders in the search for oil, and from personal observation of operations of the principal importers, blenders, and distributors of oil products; also from the astonishing testimony given by them to the Petrol Commission. Australia and New Zealand have practically no petroleum production beyond a few thousand gallons a year from wells in the latter Dominion. Everything is imported, Table 1. showing the quantities for 1929-30 in Australia and for 1930 in New Zealand,

Jan 1, 1934

Ferrous and Nonferrous Physical Metallurgy Established as a Division April 26, 1918 T A Read, Chairman O T Marzke, Past Chairman J H Jackson, Senior Vice-Chairman David Swan, Vice-Chairman D C Johnston, Secretary-Treasurer AIME, 29 West 39th Street New York 18, New York

Jan 1, 1960

By F. C. Greene

The oil and gas industry in Missouri in 1934 continued along the same lines that have marked the previous years. One new gas pool has been opened, others have been extended and in one oil pool a 25-bbl. well was completed. Missouri has no laws or regulations relating to drilling or the filing of well logs and the Geological Survey depends on its own scouting activities to obtain information. The data herein have been taken largely from a paper by the author recently published in the 58th Biennial Report of the State Geologist of Missouri. That report is available on application to H. A. Buehler, State Geologist, Rolla, Missouri, accompanied by ten cents in stamps, the amount of the postage. The preliminary figures, subject to revision, indicate that before the end of December, 1932, there were 2495 completions, of which 320 were oil wells, 1139 were gas wells and 1036 were dry. Over half of the oil wells were drilled in the Richards-Stotesbury area of Vernon County and were pumped for only a short period of time. During the period 1933-34 there were 201 completions, of which 10 were oil wells with an initial daily capacity of 100 bbl., 90 were gas wells, with an open flow of 26,578,256 cu. ft., and 101 were dry. The most active areas in drilling for gas in 1934 were the Marota area, sec. 17, T.49N., R.32W., Jackson County, the Grandview area in T.47N., R.33W., Jackson County, and the Plattsburg area in Clinton County. The Knoche oil pool in sec. 16, T.46N., R.33W., Cass County, was the scene of the only important oil development. In the Marota pool nine wells were completed to the Squirrel sand, with a combined open flow of about 5,000,000 cu. ft. The pool is on a small symmetrical dome with a closure of at least 30 ft. The average depth of the wells is 450 ft. The Squirrel sand (Upper Cherokee, Pennsylvanian) had a thickness of 94 ft. in a near-by dry hole, but only the upper 30 or 40 ft. is drilled in the producing wells. The largest well

Jan 1, 1935

By Alfred W. Gauger, George A. Burrell

The senior author of this paper, while in Colorado on other official business, made a trip to the Cripple Creek gold-mining district to get more data than are at present available regarding the composition of the gas that issues from the rock into the mines of the district. This was done at the suggestion of George S. Rice, Chief Mining Engineer of the Bureau of Mines. There are -many questions of interest and importance in connection with the ventilation of the mines in the Cripple Creek district, such as the menace to life and mining of a suffocating gas entering the mines from the rock, the danger due to powder smoke (from blasting operations), and danger of continued inhalation of rock dust by the miners. This report confines itself to the first problem, the gas from the rock, and principally to one phase of this question, the composition of the gas and its effects on men and lights. A more thorough study of this and other ventilation problems is planned. That the rock gas is a real menace is shown by the fact that miners (variously estimated from 25 to 50 by different persons interviewed) have been killed by it in the 25 years that mining has been vigorously carried on at Cripple Creek. Many men have had narrow escapes from death, some of them having been incapacitated for days. In addition, much loss of time results because at certain periods of the year or on certain days it is impossible to enter some workings. At a few mines, fans force air into the workings, thus supplementing the natural ventilation and much improving conditions, but the improvement is not entirely adequate at all times. Origin of the Gas Lindgren and Ransome1 think that the gas found in the rocks of the Cripple Creek mining district represents the last exhalations of the ex-

Jan 1, 1917

INSTITUTE OF METALS DIVISION Ferrous and Nonferrous Physical Metallurgy (By-laws in Transactions, Vol 156, 1944) Established as a Division April 26, 1918 Walter A Dean, Chairman R. M. Brick, Past-Chairman Morris Cohen, Senior Vice-Chairman J H Scaff, Vice-Chairman Ernest Kirkendall, Secretary-Treasurer

Jan 1, 1952

By C. E. Lesher

Two processes for agglomerating fine sized ores with low temperature coke are described. One process (Orcarb) agglomerates ores with limited amounts of carbon; the other (ore-carbon pellets) pelletizes fine sized ores, using low temperature cokes as the binder. Data are presented on the products obtained when taconite, magnetite, and hematite concentrates and several titanium oxide ores were used. REDUCTION of finely divided oxide ores has long been a major metallurgical problem. Various methods of agglomerating, notably briquetting, sintering, nodulizing, and pelletizing, have been developed and are in industrial use. Carbon is the usual reducing agent for oxide ores and attempts have been made to agglomerate fine ores with coking coal in order to get the metallurgical advantages of intimate contact and increased particle sizes suitable for subsequent smelting or reduction.1-3 For the past three years, research has been in progress on two processes for combining fine sized ores with reactive carbon in the form of low temperature coke. By one process, designated Orcarb, the ore is coated with coke carbon in amounts limited to that required for reduction and the result is an appreciable but limited increase in product particle size over that of the original ore. The second process, called ore-carbon pellets, produces pellets of fine ore bound by low temperature coke. The first objective was to develop a process for combining an oxide ore with only enough carbon for its reduction, the amount being that derived from the simple reduction equations. The carbon (that amount theoretically required for the reduction of the oxides in an agglomerate with ore), calculated to CO, ranges from 10 pct for zinc calcines or phosphate ores to 21 pct for rutile and 26 pct for silica. The carbon required for reducing iron oxides falls between the extremes—10 and 26 pct. When the carbon in the agglomerate is low temperature coke, reduction by hydrogen may be expected to take place, thus modifying the calculated carbon require- ment. On the other hand, in practice, an excess of reducing agent over that required in theory is normally used. Screen sizes of three iron ores on which the greater part of the experimental work was performed are given in Table I. Most of the testing was done with Freeport (Renton Mine) coal, but Pittsburgh and Elkhorn bed coals were also used. The first objective was to agglomerate the ore with sufficient low temperature coke to provide carbon for reduction, i.e., in the range from 10 to 25 pct. This was accomplished by preheating the ore, mixing with pulverized coking coal, and completing the coal carbonization in a plain steel rotating retort. The pilot retort, as it is now constituted, is shown by diagram in Fig. 1 and photograph, Fig. 2. Ore is fed into the upper kiln by a screw; it is heated to 900" to 1100°F by direct flame and it is then discharged into an insulating hopper from which it goes

Jan 1, 1956

CONTENTS PAGE BAIN, EDGAR C.-The Nature of Martensite. Discussed by Ancel St. John, Henry S. Rawdon, Jerome Alexander, Howard Scott 1 FEILD, ALEXANDER L.-Effect of Zirconium on Hot-rolling Properties of High-sulfur Steels and the Occurrence of Zirconium Sulfide. Discussed by Beram D. Saklatwalla, Bradley. Stoughton, Andrew M'Cance, George F. Comstock, Alexander L. Feild 12 SAUVEUR, ALBERT and KRIVOBOK, V. N.-Use of Sodium Picrate in Revealing Dendritic Segregation in Iron Alloys. Discussed by George F. Comstock, John H. Hall 17 KINNEY, C. L., JR.-Economic Significance of Metalloids in Basic Pig Iron in Basil Open-hearth Practice. Discussed by V. J. Pazzetti, George B. Waterhouse, C. L. Kinney, Jr 19 NEAD, J. H.-Absorption of Sulfur from Producer Gas in Open-hearth Furnaces.. Discussed by George B. Waterhouse, C. L. Kinney, Jr 26 PRIESTLY, WILLIAM J.-Effect on Steel of Variations in Rate of Cooling in Ingot Molds. Discussed by Emil Gathmann, Paul E. McKinney, George A. Dornin. 27 MONYPENNY, JOHN H. G.-Stainless Steel, with Particular Reference to the Milder Varieties (Stainless Iron). Discussed by P. A. E.-Armstrong, Beram D. Saklatwalla 33 ROYSTER, P. H., and JOSEPH, T. L.-Effect of Coke Combustibility on Stock Descent in Blast Furnaces. Discussed by Ralph H. Sweetser,. Richard Franchot, Sidney Cornell, T. L. Joseph 41 DAVIS, F. W., and BOLE, G. A.-Observations on Requirements of Refractories for Open Hearth. Discussed by C. L. Kinney, Jr., L. F. Reinartz, P. E. McKinney 46

Jan 5, 1924

Recognizing the fact that the problems of the committee named by the Board to prepare the "official ticket" for officers and Directors of the Institute are various and difficult; and desiring to assist this committee by setting forth some of the principles that should guide the committee and some of the qualifications that should be required of candidates, the following instructions are formulated and the Secretary is directed to publish them in MINING AND METALLURGY concurrently with the publication of the names of each newly appointed Nominating Committee and to send a copy to each member of the Committee

Jan 1, 1943

By C. E. Lesher

Two processes for agglomerating fine sized ores with low temperature coke are described. One process (Orcarb) agglomerates ores with limited amounts of carbon; the other (ore-carbon pellets) pelletizes fine sized ores, using low temperature cokes as the binder. Data are presented on the products obtained when taconite, magnetite, and hematite concentrates and several titanium oxide ores were used. REDUCTION of finely divided oxide ores has long been a major metallurgical problem. Various methods of agglomerating, notably briquetting, sintering, nodulizing, and pelletizing, have been developed and are in industrial use. Carbon is the usual reducing agent for oxide ores and attempts have been made to agglomerate fine ores with coking coal in order to get the metallurgical advantages of intimate contact and increased particle sizes suitable for subsequent smelting or reduction.1-3 For the past three years, research has been in progress on two processes for combining fine sized ores with reactive carbon in the form of low temperature coke. By one process, designated Orcarb, the ore is coated with coke carbon in amounts limited to that required for reduction and the result is an appreciable but limited increase in product particle size over that of the original ore. The second process, called ore-carbon pellets, produces pellets of fine ore bound by low temperature coke. The first objective was to develop a process for combining an oxide ore with only enough carbon for its reduction, the amount being that derived from the simple reduction equations. The carbon (that amount theoretically required for the reduction of the oxides in an agglomerate with ore), calculated to CO, ranges from 10 pct for zinc calcines Or phosphate Ores to 21 pct for rutile and 26 pct for silica. The carbon required for reducing iron oxides falls between the extremes—10 and 26 pet' When the carbon in the agglomerate is low temperature coke, reduction by hydrogen may be expected to take place, thus modifying the calculated carbon require- ment. On the other hand, in practice, an excess of reducing agent over that required in theory is normally used. Screen sizes of three iron ores on which the greater part of the experimental work was performed are given in Table I. Most of the testing was done with Freeport (Renton Mine) coal, but Pittsburgh and Elkhorn bed coals were also used. The first objective was to agglomerate the ore with sufficient low temperature coke to provide carbon for reduction, i.e., in the range from 10 to 25 pct. This was accomplished by preheating the ore, mixing with pulverized coking coal, and completing the coal carbonization in a plain steel rotating retort. The pilot retort, as it is now constituted, is shown by diagram in Fig. 1 and photograph, Fig. 2. Ore is fed into the upper kiln by a screw; it is heated to 900° to 1100°F by direct flame and it is then discharged into an insulating hopper from which it goes

Jan 1, 1956