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By C. D. Tedmon, D. P. Ferriss

THE yield stress, o of low-carbon steel has been shown to vary with the average grain diameter, d, according to the relation1-3 where o is taken to be the lower yield-point stress Of is the friction stress on an unlocked dislocation, and ky is a constant. The interpretation2,4 of ky in terms of dislocation theory relates this constant to the stress to unlock a source across a grain boundary. cottrel14 predicted that ky would increase with decreasing temperature. This was observed to be the case by Adams and coworkers5 in their investigation of niobium (columbium). However, petch6 and Backofen: both working with low-carbon steel, found ky insensitive to temperature. In his work with high-purity niobium, Johnson' found ky equal to zero. Evansg showed that k, was essentially zero for niobium containing nitrogen in an appreciable concentration range. The present experiments were designed to check this apparent anomaly in the value of ky in another Group V metal. Yield points were determined as a function of grain size at several temperatures for tantalum and a tantalum-tungsten alloy. The material used was double are-melted tantalum and a double are-melted alloy of 90 pct Ta and 10 pct tungsten (by weight), both obtained as unannealed, swaged rod. The impurity content of the materials is given in Table I. The tantalum was annealed at 1325"C. in a vacuum resistance furnace using a tantalum boat. The alloy was similarly annealed at 1660°C. Annealing times varied from 15 min to 2 hr, depending on the desired grain size. Nominal pressure in the furnace was 3 X 10~4 mm of Kg. Metallographic examination showed that the annealing treatment produced grain sizes ranging frorn 0.021 to 0.200 mm in the tantalum, and 0.060 to 0.160 mm in the alloy. Tensile bars were made by centerless grinding the annealed specimen;, and then electropolishing to remove all grinding marks. The specimens were than pulled :it 2 1/2 pct per rnin in an Instron testing machine. The tantalum specimens were tested at 77", 195", and 300°K. The alloy was tested at 300°K only. All specimens exhibited a yield-point phenomenon at all temperatures. Typical load-elongation curves at the three test temperatures are shown in Fig. 1. The lower yield stress is plotted as a function of (grain size) in Figs. 2 and 3 for tantalum and the 90 pct Ta-10 pct W alloy, respectfully. The position and slope of the curves was determined by least-

Jan 1, 1962

By J. Marshall Rounsevell

It is probably not too far from the truth to say that the sulfur content of the steel bath at the first turndown of the basic oxygen furnace is influenced by every factor which varies in the operation of a BOF shop. However, the determination from normal shop operating data of the effect of a given factor on turndown sulfur content requires a means for collecting a large quantity of such data and a significant variation of the factor in question in that data. In this paper, operating data from 4000 heats collected on the computer at Inland's No. 4 BOF Shop is utilized to analyze the effect of four operating parameters -- hot metal sulfur content, hot metal manganese content, percent burnt dolomitic lime (dolomite) in the flux charge, and the presence or absence of transfer ladle slag skimming -- on first turndown sulfur content.

Jan 1, 1972

By PAUL AUDIBERT

THE downward trend of metal prices seems to act something like a reagent that precipitates selfishness in most business men's hearts; in the same way the upward trend precipitates altruism. Operators do not say: "I continue working my mine without curtailment because I can afford the present prices while my neighbor cannot and thus will give me way." They say: "I continue working my mine because 1 consider it a service for consumers. They will get better prices on a free market. Any curtail¬ment would be an attempt to raise prices artificially, that is to say, bad economics." Copper producers have learned how fallacious is such an opinion. It perhaps was not fallacious in olden times when all mines were worked on a small scale even if operating on a big deposit. At that time the supply and demand law played fair. When prices were too low and profits were vanishing for many mines, they would. shut at once, then little by little the metal scarcity would induce prices to climb up again; finally these prices would reach the point when it became profitable to again work the closed mines. Re-opening and shutting down mines was then a normal custom. Workers and operators weakly deplored this unstability, but there was nothing effective they could, do about it.

Jan 1, 1931

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

By W. T. Nightingale

The three gas-producing "pools" discussed in this paper are in Sweet-water County, southwest Wyoming, and Moffat, County, northwest Colorado. Hiawatha, North Baxter Basin and South Baxter Basin gas fields became economically important in 1929 when a 330-mile gas line connected them with Salt Lake City, Ogden and towns en route. This development immediately focussed attention on the gas-producing fields and the efforts of the producing company to develop them in an orderly, economical manner. Several outstanding interests were acquired and working agreements made with others. Thus the interference of natural drainage areas was avoided, the pernicious practice of drilling direct

Jan 1, 1930

By Carl E. Swartz

Although a number of articles appeared during the war advocating the use of cadmium in lead-tin solders, very little information of value can be found in the literature regarding the properties of solders containing cadmium. In most of the published articles the cadmium seems to have been considered merely as a partial substitute for tin in a tin-lead alloy rather than as an essential constituent of a ternary alloy. The primary object of the substitution of cadmium for tin was to lessen the amount of tin required, at a time when the latter was scarce and high-priced, and thus to produce a cheaper solder. While this object was accomplished, the new properties resulting from a change from a binary lead-tin alloy to a ternary lead-tin-cadmium alloy were not given proper consideration in many cases. For the past few years, the American Smelting & Refining Co. has been marketing a very considerable amount of cadmium in the form of lead-tin-cadmium alloys for use as solders for certain special purposes, and the successful use of these solders suggested that if more extensive knowledge were available concerning the properties of lead-tin-cadmium alloys of various compositions their field of usefulness might be materially extended. The investigation described in the present paper was undertaken to obtain this information and, by means of tests under conditions approaching those of practical use, to determine the suitability of cadmium solders for various purposes. Characteristics and Requirements of Solders in General General Physical Properties.—When cast into bars, solder should present a smooth and bright appearance free from oxide inclusions and bubbles. Ductility should be as great as possible without sacrificing tensile strength, and vice versa. Hardness and specific gravity are not of any great importance. Melting Characteristics.—The melting or solidification range is important. This statement applies both to the extent of the range and to the actual temperature at which complete solidification occurs. A rather narrow solidification range is desirable in soft solders in order that solidification may take place quickly. The solder should have high fluidity at temperatures only slightly above its melting range. For a

By D. G. Westlake

Polycrystalline tensile specimens of various Zr-0-H alloys have been tested at 298°, 178°, and 77°K. Solute oxygen and hydride precipitates in quenched alloys made individual contributions to the yield strength at 0.2 pct strain which combined to produce a resultant strength increment, a,., Ductility changes which were ohserved can he interpreted in terms of the various oxygen and hydrogen concentrations, testing tem -peratures, and dispositions of the hydride. ADDITIONS of oxygen in solid solution were known to increase the yield and tensile strengths of polycrystalline zirconium as early as 1951.' More recently, the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) for prism slip in zirconium single crystals was also shown to be affected by the solute oxygen impurity.' This latter work also demonstrated that large increments of strength could be contributed by the finely dispersed zirconium hydride precipitates that are present in quenched Zr-H alloys.3 It was concluded that the combined strengthening due to alloying could be expressed by where to is the increase in the CRSS due to solute oxygen alone and TH is the increase due to finely dispersed hydride precipitates. Eq. [I] is analogous to one used to express the combined strengthening effects of work hardening and neutron radiation damage.4 Eq. [1] was verified only indirectly and for only small amounts of the impurities—up to 0.14 at. pct 0 and 0.63 at. pct H. The present investigation was undertaken to obtain a more direct verification of the validity of the form of Eq. [1] for this system and also to determine the combined effects of oxygen and finely dispersed hydride precipitates on the tensile strength and ductility of polycrystalline zirconium. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Tensile specimens were machined from the same rolled billet of Kroll zirconium used in the earlier study.' These measured 38 by 4.7 by 0.5 mm and had 10-mm gage lengths which were 2.8 by 0.5 mm. Each specimen was ß-annealed in vacuo at 1173°K for 15.5 hr and a-annealed at 1073°K for 4 hr to D. G. WESTLAKE, Member AIME, is Associate Metal l ur-gist, Metallurgy Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, III. Manuscript submitted July 17, 1964. IMD______________ give an equiaxed structure with grain diameters averaging 0.06 mm. Oxygen was added by allowing the metal to react with a known quantity of oxygen during the 0 anneal and known quantities of hydrogen were added during the a anneal. Each alloy was encapsulated in Pyrex under vacuum, annealed at 873°K for 4 hr, quenched into ice water, and polished by immersion in a solution of 46.75 vol pct H2O, 46.75 vol pct concentrated HNO3, and 6.5 vol pct HF (49 pct) at 298°K. Special heat treatments given to a few specimens are described in the results below. Tensile tests were done on an Instron machine and were begun within 20 min after the quench, except where specified otherwise. Tests at 298°K were in air, at 178°K in acetone, and at 77°K in liquid nitrogen. All tests were at a strain rate of 8x sec-1. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Yield Stress at 298°K. The compositions of alloys and the corresponding yield stresses (0.2 pct strain) are given in Table I. A plot of the yield stresses of the oxygen alloys, A, B, C, and D, indicates that varies linearly with CO1/2, where Co is the oxygen concentration, Fig. 1. This is in accord with Fleischer's6 theory for solution strengthening if the oxygen atoms do not cluster, or the cluster size remains constant with increasing oxygen concentration. In Fig. 1, it appears that if one could prepare some oxygen-free zirconium its yield stress would be very low. Therefore, we shall assume that for the oxygen alloys is equivalent to O0, the strength increment contributed by the presence of oxygen. The relationship between0.2and Co is expressed by 0.2 = 31.3 CO1/2, when the yield stress is in kg per sq mm and the concentration is in at. pct. Each of the hydrogen alloys, Al, A2, A3, and A4, contained 0.081 at. pct 0 as an impurity. In Fig. 1, it appears that this small amount of oxygen makes a significant contribution to the strength which cannot be ignored when we evaluate the contribution of the finely dispersed hydride. Let us assume the validity of the following equation: a0.2 = (a2o+a2R)1/2 [2] which is analogous to Eq. [I] for single crystals, and calculate values of UH for the hydrogen alloys by using the experimental values of 0.2 and o (0.081 at. pct) = 8.9 kg per sq mm. For 0.36 at. pct H, oH = 6.47; for 0.72 at. pct H, OH = 11.30; for 2.16 at. pct H, OH = 19.4; and for 3.60 at. pct H,

Jan 1, 1965

By W. M. Johns

The word "Flatland" should read "Flathead" in the title of the paper by Willis M. Johns on page 184 of the June 1962 issue. The correct title is "Belt Series in Lincoln and Southwest Flathead Counties, Montana." In the same paper, reference 12 on page 191, the publication is Bulletin 12, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, rather than Bulletin 17.

Jan 1, 1962

By E. Wainer, K. D. Burnham

A wet beneficiation technique for producing wollas-tonite from its ore in high yield and purity has been evaluated in a pilot plant operation at the rate of 75 tons per month. Finely crushed, unsized wollastonite ore mixed with water is passed through a high in tensity oscillating wet magnetic separator of unique design and in a single pass over 90% of the wolla-stonite exhibiting a crystal purity of 99.8% is obtained irrespective of size of feed fraction. Thereafter, the material is processed by closed cycle standard wet milling and classification techniques to yield a 1µ size product, though any mesh size up to and including 50 mesh may be obtained, if desired. Costs appear to be significantly lower than those available from dry processed techniques. Wollas tonite made by this unusual wet process appears to have potential utility in the following fields: ceramics, paints, plastics, paper, organic finishes, reinforcement of portland cement items, controlled porosity refractory ceramic foams, cinder and concrete block paint, and the like. The 1µ and certain chemically processed varieties of wollastonite may have unusual utility in the paper industry both as a filler and as a coating material and in the organic finish industry. Extensive deposits of wollastonite ore equivalent to an average tenor of 50% to 60% of this latter mineral in easily separable form exists in and around Essex County in northern New York State in reserves of the order of several tens of millions of tons. While important portions of these deposits are susceptible to open pit mining techniques, one operation near Wills-boro, N.Y., involves tunnel mining and dry milling and beneficiation techniques. This mill and tunnel mine is presently being operated by The Cabot Corp. and a variety of particle sizes are now sold into markets in the ceramic, paint, plastic finish, floor tile and in similar fields in substantial tonnages on a repetitive basis. Serious investigation and study over the past several years has indicated that, outside of the obvious economies of open pit techniques for mining purposes, wet beneficiation and milling procedures applied to the ore not only represent a potential for greater economies in the production of a superfine finished product but yields products of improved properties exhibiting increased market potential which may not be available from the dry ground product. The Lewis and Deerhead deposits, controlled by the Adirondack Development Corp., appear to be identical to the Wilisboro deposit. Utilizing ore taken from the Lewis and Deerhead deposits, a pilot plant process for the wet beneficiation, milling and classifying of wollastonite ore has been operated for several months. After scalping a marketable garnet product from a minus 16 mesh dry crushed feed on a high intensity roll magnet the balance of the material is then roll crushed in a closed cycle until it will pass a 50 mesh screen. The product constitutes the feed of the wet magnetic separator. The heart of the new beneficiation process is a cyclically operated wet magnetic separator which exhibits the unique feature that unsized feed is easily handled. Product yields of higher purity are equal to that obtained with dry magnetic separations which use closely sized dry ore and multiple passes, but only produce wollastonite of about 98% mineral purity as determined by sink float techniques. It was anticipated that the wet processing through the grinding, milling and classification stage would yield a low cost 1µ ground product which should make available greatly increased applications for the mineral beyond those presently enjoyed. The improved purity was also expected to provide coarser sizes which might be utilized as a raw material for chemical modification which again would expand the uses of wollastonite. The evidence thus far collected appears to indicate that this premise may be expected to be fulfilled. There are on the surface of wollastonite particle sites at which cheinical reactions may occur1. It is believed that wet ground material provides a better base which will allow wollastonite a deeper entree into the field of chemical raw materials. Wet ground at 20µ and finer permits with certainty a number of chemical reactions, some of which are mentioned later in this article. While well crystallized wollastonite makes up the majority of the ore, the balance consists mainly of very weakly magnetic diopside of the hedenbergite-

Jan 1, 1965

By Clemens Jones

The peculiar property of the lode-stone has been known for many centuries. It was very early observed that, by contact with it, iron is magnetized; and it is needless to dwell here upon the history allied to this discovery, now constituting the wonderful science of magnetism. Deposits of magnetic ore are distributed all over the world. The ore is sometimes very rich and comparatively free from gangue, sometimes sparsely disseminated in the native rock. These bodies of lean ore often cover large areas. Modern ingenuity has utilized the principle of the magrtet, originally derived from the ore itself, and really belonging to the time of Plato and Theophrastus, to separate the magnetic ore-particles from the rock which has previously been crushed. This process recovers the ore in the state of a concentrate very rich in iron and, in some cases, desirable for Bessemer purposes. The magnetic separator is no longer a novelty. It was only at the last meeting of the Institute in New York, that Messrs. Birkinbine and Edison (Trans., xvii., 728) and Mr. Robert Cook (Ib., 599) described some of' the principal designs of apparatus in use. E. S. Dana classifies the natural magnetic minerals in the following order: magnetite, pyrrhotite, franklinite, almandite and minerals " containing considerable FeO." Of these, ferroso-ferric oxide, or magnetite, is the type. The proportionate amount of ferrous oxide essential to magnetize the compound, is not established. Ferrous oxide appears to be the only magnetic oxide of iron. Tissandier (Compt. Rend., lxxiv., 531) produced ferrous oxide in the anhydrous state, by the action of carbon dioxide on pure iron at a red heat, according to the equation : Fe + CO2 = FeO + CO. This is black, crystalline and magnetic. Heated to redness in the air, it is converted into Fe3O4. Sidot (Compt. Rend., lxvii., 175) has also produced an oxide exhibiting magnetic polarity, by heating ferric oxide to a temperature

Jan 1, 1891

By L. M. Barker, E. G. Lewis

THE literature of milling is replete with papers devoted to the subject of ball milling, all of which no doubt have contributed in one way or another to progress in that art. In this paper reference will be made to only a few of the many authors, but the value of the contributions of all who have written on that subject is hereby acknowledged. With a few exceptions the efforts of most students of the subject have been devoted to laboratory investigations of principles. Davis1 was one of the first to report on plant-scale investigations and to present to mill men certain criteria for the guidance of ball-milling practices. His conclusions with respect to the significance of sizing analyses of classifier sands in their relation to the factors of mill speed and ball sizing are particularly referred to. Those conclusions were: I. If the balls are large or the speed of the mill is high, crowding will appear at the finer sizes in the classifier sands. 2. If the balls are small or the speed is low, crowding will appear at the coarser sizes in the classifier sands. 3. The indications are that best efficiency is obtained when the screen analysis of the sands show a minimum crowding at any size. The last conclusion was qualified by the statement that it had not been proved conclusively. It is surprising, however, that the literature of later years reveals little evidence that millmen have made any serious attempt to apply those criteria. This may, perhaps, be explained by the fact that the average plant-scale ball-milling problem presents so many variables that an investigation of any one of them encounters the problem of control of the others-a problem that often is unsurmountable in a small plant. In a large plant, in which there is a duplication of grinding units in parallel operation, opportunity may be afforded for determining the value of such criteria. Nevertheless, a study of published data from grinding circuits of both large and small plants suggests that either Davis' criteria have been tried and found inapplicable or have never been given consideration. For the purpose of testing Davis' conclusions and with improvement of ball-milling efficiency as the final objective, a test program was initiated in the concentrator of the New Cornelia branch of the Phelps Dodge Corporation early in 1938. The practices of that plant have already been described .2 The fine-grinding units are arranged so that any one of eight units may be operated as a test unite and its results compared with those of the remaining units. All units receive similar feed from a common storage bin, in which the product of the fine-crushing plant is bedded by traveling tripper. The ball mills are all similar in size and operated at the same speeds, and are individually metered. The feeder conveyors of each unit are equipped with Merrick weightometers. The test program as initially outlined proposed investigation of the following:

Jan 1, 1941

By Hans Lundberg, Theodor Zuschlag

Based upon an instrumental improvement, a new development has taken place in the art of electrical prospecting, and some remarkable results have already been obtained with regard to potential exploration. In order to visualize the importance of this development, it is deemed advisable to review briefly the fundamental facts about potential surveys. Potential exploration may be carried out qualitatively or quantitatively. Qualitative investigations are made by determining and plotting on a map points of equal potential, whereby any anomalies are revealed, without, however, much clue to their magnitude. Quantitative investigations determine the variations of potential or potential drop, and thus show not only the location of the anomalies, but also their magnitude. Figs. 1 to 6 illustrate the influence of simple types of ground inhomo-geneities, assuming one effective exciter potential only. Such a condition can be closely realized by connecting an electric current source to two electrodes, one of which is located at a great distance. Assuming uniform ground resistivity, the resultant potential distribution mar be represented by concentric spheres. Any change from the normal condition causes a characteristic distortion of the spheres, which becomes different for different types of resistivity variation. The series of Figs. la to 6a illustrates schematically results of qualitative investigations and series lb to 6b results of quantitative investigations. Figs. 1 and 2 picture the well-known case of local resistivity variations normally encountered in ore prospecting. Figs. 3 and 4 show the reactions caused by more or less vertical resistivity contacts and Figs. 5 and 6 refer to the problem of ground-water and bedrock investigations where the resistivity contact is horizontal or nearly SO. It is evident from Figs. 5a and 6a that qualitative measurements do not permit an identification of such general geological features as widespread horizontal strata, because the resultant contraction or expansion of the equipotential circles at the surface cannot be recognized without quantitative determinations. On the other hand, qualitative measurements are well suited for the exploration of local or lateral resistivity

Jan 1, 1932

By C. E. Meissner

The need for a practical method of deciding upon new alloy steel analyses to widen its markets was the problem facing the Chrome Steel Works at the beginning of 1927. In addition to determining the physical properties of the alloys under consideration, it was necessary to test their value in service. Small melts of steel in a crucible, from which test specimens could be made, were insufficient to determine more than physical properties, therefore actual castings and ingots had to be made before the products could be placed in service. Furthermore, to save further experimental work, it was desirable that these heats should be made on a "pilot" basis; that is, actually duplicating regular open-hearth furnace practice. Therefore a one-ton (2000-lb.) acid open-hearth furnace was built. Furnace Design There are no special features in the design of this furnace. Standard acid open-hearth practice is followed, with the reproportioning of the dimensions necessitated by its small size; notably, a considerably increased length in proportion to width in order to get proper flame propagation. After the first heat was made it was found that the check-ers were insufficient. The checker chambers were increased in size and the checker openings were made much smaller. The furnace was started late in March, 1927, and made 65 heats. Experimental work was then stopped unti1, the data accumulated could be worked up and summarized. The run was resumed in November and the furnace is still operating, having made at this writing 60 additional heats. For the last series of runs, there was some rebuilding of both the furnace itself and the checkers. Slag pockets were added. Fig. 1 shows details of construction; Fig. 2, the general appearance. All designing was done by the operating and engineering staff. Construction materials were those available around the plant. The reversing valve is a standard butterfly type taken from an old furnace. The slag pockets and checkers are cleaned by digging down to arched openings which have been bricked up.

By Tracy L. Atherton

The mapping of slant-hole oil fields is complicated by the fact that relationships between wells are subject to variations in three dimensions and are not readily adaptable to representation on a plane surface. Formalized perspectives usually expand into an undecipherable maze of lines and peg models with the necessary supporting dividers serve only to awe the beholder with their perplexity. The usual compromise arrived at is a plotting of the projection of the courses of all of the wells in the field onto a horizontal plane (Fig. I). These complicated plots, when used in conjunction with the individual vertical projections of the wells, heretofore have been the most practical foundation for the study of general field problems. This method has many shortcomings, however, which arc not found in the recently developed straight-hole equivalent projec-tion method. The new method supplies a series of maps similar to the type now in common use in straight-hole fields. It is remarkably simple to use and supplies a ready check on clearances between wells. Perhaps the method can best be understood if the steps that led to its development are described. Common practice of oil-well surveyors is to supply the owner with a tabling of the survey and a plan view plotted against the true meridian. If a vertical projection is plotted, it is usually plotted separately and shows vertical depths against the projection of the stations along a section line joining the top and bottom of the hole on the plan view. A more practical method would be to plot the section line of the plan parallel to the abscissa of the vertical projection (Fig. 2). If this is done, any line parallel to the "base line1' will pass through the points on each projection that represent a single point in the hole. Another very useful graph, which the well surveyor could provide, would be plotting of vertical depths against measured depths. Fig. 3 illustrates the next step facilitated by this form of plotting. The lines designated "well A" represent the proposed course of a hole to be drilled. Superimposed on the drawing, in its proper relative position, is the plan view and a portion of the vertical projection of a present producer, well B." From an inspection of the plan view we arrive at the correct conclusion that the only indicated possibility of collision is at the point of crossing of the wells on the plan view. Referring to the vertical projection, note that the vertical depths of stations on B, in the vicinity of the crossing, are plotted on the same plane of projection as A. The clearance is the indicated distance between the two vertical sections measured along the parallel to the "base line," which passes through the point of intersection of the plan view. Repeat this process for the other wells crossing the proposed course of A on the plan view and you have a preliminary check of clearance for the proposed course. A similar comparison of crossings on the vertical projections of all >

Jan 1, 1941

By Tracy L. Atherton

The mapping of slant-hole oil fields is complicated by the fact that relationships between wells are subject to variations in three dimensions and are not readily adaptable to representation on a plane surface. Formalized perspectives usually expand into an undecipherable maze of lines and peg models with the necessary supporting dividers serve only to awe the beholder with their perplexity. The usual compromise arrived at is a plotting of the projection of the courses of all of the wells in the field onto a horizontal plane (Fig. I). These complicated plots, when used in conjunction with the individual vertical projections of the wells, heretofore have been the most practical foundation for the study of general field problems. This method has many shortcomings, however, which arc not found in the recently developed straight-hole equivalent projec-tion method. The new method supplies a series of maps similar to the type now in common use in straight-hole fields. It is remarkably simple to use and supplies a ready check on clearances between wells. Perhaps the method can best be understood if the steps that led to its development are described. Common practice of oil-well surveyors is to supply the owner with a tabling of the survey and a plan view plotted against the true meridian. If a vertical projection is plotted, it is usually plotted separately and shows vertical depths against the projection of the stations along a section line joining the top and bottom of the hole on the plan view. A more practical method would be to plot the section line of the plan parallel to the abscissa of the vertical projection (Fig. 2). If this is done, any line parallel to the "base line1' will pass through the points on each projection that represent a single point in the hole. Another very useful graph, which the well surveyor could provide, would be plotting of vertical depths against measured depths. Fig. 3 illustrates the next step facilitated by this form of plotting. The lines designated "well A" represent the proposed course of a hole to be drilled. Superimposed on the drawing, in its proper relative position, is the plan view and a portion of the vertical projection of a present producer, well B." From an inspection of the plan view we arrive at the correct conclusion that the only indicated possibility of collision is at the point of crossing of the wells on the plan view. Referring to the vertical projection, note that the vertical depths of stations on B, in the vicinity of the crossing, are plotted on the same plane of projection as A. The clearance is the indicated distance between the two vertical sections measured along the parallel to the "base line," which passes through the point of intersection of the plan view. Repeat this process for the other wells crossing the proposed course of A on the plan view and you have a preliminary check of clearance for the proposed course. A similar comparison of crossings on the vertical projections of all >

Jan 1, 1941

By D. H. Baldwin, R. E. Reed-Hill

WITH the polarized-light microscope, the basal-plane trace may be located on hcp crystal surfaces to an accuracy of approximately 1 deg. This determination can also be made on very small crystalline areas, approaching a micron in width. Measured basal-plane trace distributions on selected specimen surfaces can yield1,2 valuable texture information. However, the polarized-light microscope is probably best suited to orienting

Jan 1, 1965

By Hamilton Wingate

In view of the fact that the fineness of the resultant bullion varies with the particular treatment to which the zinc-precipitate is subjected, and since there are considerable losses attributed to both methods, the following notes on the results obtained at the Waitekauri Extended mine, Maratoto, N. Z., may be of interest. The ordinary method of roasting the vacuum-dried precipitate was adopted instead of the treatment with sulphuric acid, the necessary facilities for the latter method not being available. Moreover, provided the ordinary method is carried out with the necessary care, it is questionable if it is not the most satisfactory where large quantities of precipitate have to be handled, and where (as is generally the case in this district) a considerable amount of silver is present. All the precipitate was first washed through a 40-mesh sieve. If it was necessary to recover the bullion at once from the accumulated short zinc, it was oxidized and melted separately; but, as a general rule, being heavily charged with bullion, it was placed on the bottom of the trays at, the top end of the extractor-boxes, where it acted as an excellent precipitant, the bullion being recovered at the next clean-up. After drying on a filter with the aid of a vacuum-pump, the precipitate was weighed and removed to the oxidizing furnace, which is similar to that generally in use in New Zealand, consisting essentially of an ordinary square tray of cast-iron, with 6-in. sides, built over a brick furnace. Wood is used as fuel. The tray is hooded over with sheet-iron, fitted with a sliding-door, and the fumes pass through a flue at the top into a dust-chamber, then into the open air. Oxidation of the Precipitate.—The oxidation was conducted first at a low temperature, which was gradually raised, until

Jan 1, 1903

By L. P. Davidson

THE new electrolytic zinc plant of the American Zinc Company of Illinois commenced operation in April 1941. The simple flowsheet using the standard current density and the economic reasons that dictated it are given herewith. The Evans-Wallower Zinc Co. built an electrolytic zinc plant at Monsanto, Ill., in 1929 and operated it for about two years. The plant stood idle from 1932 and was purchased by the American Zinc Co. in 1940. Because of the condition of the equipment, excepting the motor generator set, a complete rebuilding was necessary. The Fairmont City plant of the American Zinc Co. could treat the leach residues, the purification cake and the skimmings from the melting furnace in its various plants. This possibility permitted a simple flowsheet with good economic results. The flowsheet is shown in Fig. I. The calcined concentrates are leached in mechanically agitated tanks with spent electrolyte and such ferric iron solution as necessary. When the acid has been neutralized and the iron coagulated, the fluid is discharged to settling tanks. The underflow from these thickeners is filtered on a Moore filter; the filter cake leaves the plant for retreatment and the filtrate joins the thickener overflow. Zinc dust is added to this solution until the copper and cadmium are precipitated. The pulp is filtered through Shriver presses, which deliver the purified solution to storage tanks, and the copper-cadmium-zinc cake is shipped for retreatment and recovery of these three metals. The purified solution is electrolyzed; the regenerated acid is returned for use in the leaching plant and the cathode zinc, after stripping, goes to the melting furnace, from which it is cast in slabs. The skimmings from the melting furnace are shipped to the Fairmont City plant for reduction to metal in the retort furnaces. The choice of this simple flowsheet was made possible only because of the facilities of the Fairmont City plant. The long leaching period, with high acid content and high temperature which characterize the high-density process, gives a higher zinc extraction but also dissolves more impurities, which must be removed. The same is true to a lesser degree of the multi-step leaching of the western low-density plants. By the sacrifice of some initial extraction, solutions can be obtained that are relatively easy to purify and give good ampere efficiency. This loss in initial extraction is made up in the retreatment of the residues in the Waelz plant. The impurities that accompany the zinc thus extracted are inconsequential when the Waelz product is treated in a distillation plant. It was recognized that this flowsheet would require a somewhat greater amount of sulphuric acid-either as acid or as sulphate sulphur in the calcine-because of poorer washing. The sulphuric acid plant at Fairmont City could deliver 60° Bé. acid to compensate for the sulphate loss and the cost would be less than the cost of more intensive washing.

Jan 1, 1942

By B. F. Bush

THE coal-fields of Missouri, situated hi the northern and western portion of the State, are distributed, in whole or in part, over 57 counties, embracing an area estimated by Mr. Broad-head to be practically 23,000 sq. miles, including small detached beds and outliers in St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties in the eastern part of the State. This area includes about 8,000 sq. miles of Upper or Barren Measures, 2,000 sq. miles of exposed Middle, and 12,420 sq. miles of exposed Lower Measures. In a general way, the Missouri coal-field is bounded on the east by an imaginary line entering the northern part of the State just east of the 92c1 Meridian and passing across the State in a southwesterly direction to a point on the Kansas-Missouri line a little below the southern boundary of Barton county. An important part of the field overlaps this line and extends down the northern side of the Missouri river, under¬lying the greater part of Randolph, Howard, Boone and Audrain counties. In all, 34 counties produced coal during the year 1903. Fig. 1 shows the position of the coal-fields in Missouri. GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. The Coal Measure formations, all of the Carboniferous age, rest unconformably upon the rocks of the sub-Carboniferous or Mississippian series, and, in some cases, upon the rocks of the Devonian and Silurian ages. From their outcrop on the eastern and southeastern borders of the field, the Measures dip west to northwest at the rate of 10 ft. per mile, reaching a maximum thickness estimated by

Jan 1, 1905

By J. H. Polhems, R. B. Brackin, D. B. Grove

THE heavy media separation process plays an outstanding role in the concentration of 4000 tons of zinc ore per day at the Mascot mill of the American Zinc Co. of Tennessee. Of the total tonnage, 72 pct is treated in the heavy media separation plant to reject 56 pct of the ore as a coarse tailing, which has a ready market. Concentrates from this separation are beneficiated further by jigging and flotation. Approximately 25 pct of the total zinc concentrate production is made in the jig mill. Jig tailings are ground and pumped to the flotation circuit where the balance of the production is made. Fig. 1 shows a generalized flowsheet of the mill. The Mascot ore is a lead-free, honey-colored sphalerite in dolomitic limestone, with lesser amounts of chert and some pyrite. A mineralogical analysis is given in Table I. After 10 years of successful operation with galena medium and treatment of nearly 10,000,000 tons of ore, a decision to convert to ferrosilicon was made early in 1948 because of the increasing price of galena and consequent high operating costs. The conversion was made on Nov. 6, 1948, and the results obtained since that time have shown remarkable improvement over those made with galena. The Table I. Mineralogical Analysis of Mill Feed, Pct Calcium carbonate 49.5 Magnesium carbonate 35.2 Iron oxide and aluminum oxide 1.5 Zinc sulphide 4.5 Insoluble 9.3 100.0 Table II. Comparative Data, Galena and Ferrosilicon Ferro- Diner-Gelenaa siliconb ence Operating costs per ton milled, ct. 21.21 9.12 12.09 Medium consumption per ton milled, lb 0.80c 0.15 0.65 Reagent consumption per ton milled, lb 0.45 0.02 0.43 Tailing assay, pct Zn 0.310 0.297 0.013 Concentrate. oct Zn 12.08 10.33 1.75 Heavy medla ieparatlon recovery. pct 89.38 90.22 0.84 Mill feed rate, tons per hr 153 166 13 Heavy mesa separation feed rate. tons per hr 100 10 0 Tons milled per heavy media separation man shift 350 620 270 Mill feed to coarse tailings, pct 51.0 56.7 5.7 Lost mill time, pct 5.6 5.0 0.6 Power consumption, kw-hr per ton 2.06 1.92 0.14 a 1947. " First 6 months of 1950. c Net consumption after deducting credit for reclaimed waste galena. Consumption of new galena was 1.320 lb per ton milled. For entire life of galena operation, a credit of 40 pct of the value of the new galena added was realized from the sale of waste galena. comparisons given in this report cover the first 6 months of 1950 as representing the ferrosilicon operation, and the year 1947 as representing the galena operation. This was the last full year in which galena was used exclusively and is representative of the best work done during the 10 years of operation with this medium. After only 2 years' operating experience, with ferrosilicon and treatment of 1,807,585 tons many advantages have been revealed and are summarized in Table 11. Development Prior to the introduction of the heavy media process, all the mill feed was crushed through 5/8 in. and treated by jigging. A finished tailing assaying 0.66 pct Zn was made on rougher bull jigs, and cleaner jig tailings were ground for treatment by flotation. The first test work on the sink-and-float method of mineral beneficiation was carried out at Mascot in 1935, using a 3-ft cone and galena medium for batch tests. The following year a 6-ft cone was installed for pilot-plant work. This unit became a part of the mill circuit on March 1, 1936, and handled a gradually increasing tonnage in the next 2 years as the process developed to the point where it could treat all the + 3/8-in. material in the mill feed. Coarse jigging was then discontinued on March 1, 1939, and all coarse tailings have been made by the heavy media separation plant since that time. Feed Preparation: The original feed preparation plant consisted of a drag washer followed by two 4x10-ft Allis-Chalmers washing screens. A surge bin and two additional 5x12-ft AC washing screens were added in 1943. Use of primary and secondary washing screens was found essential to provide the cleanest possible feed for the cone and thereby avoid excessive contamination of the galena medium. Improved washing was obtained by replacing the drag washer with a 7x20-ft Allis-Chalmers scrubber, shown in Fig. 2, which has been in service since May 1944. Throughout the life of the galena operation, delivery of extremely muddy ore to the mill overloaded the medium cleaning system, and it frequently was necessary to cut off the feed and clean the medium for several hours until its normal viscosity had been re-established. The cleaning circuit

Jan 1, 1952