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By E. V. Potter, H. C. Lukens

In general, during all electrowinning processes, large volumes of gas are liberated at the cathodes of the electrolytic cells. Most of this gas escapes from the electrolyte, but much of it may be absorbed or entrapped in the metal being plated. In many cases, this is not objectionable, but since it is liberated when the metal is heated, it is a potential source of trouble where the metal has to be heated or melted. Since this gas is principally hydrogen, in escaping from a melt it may cause minor explosions and scattering of the molten metal, while in other cases it has been reported to make the metal rise in the molds when cast. Therefore such metals would be more generally useful if all or most of the gas were removed before they were used. In an earlier investigation1 the gas content of electrolytic manganese was determined and methods found for removing most of it without detrimentally affecting the properties of the metal. In this paper results of a similar investigation on electrolytic chromium are presented. Apparatus The apparatus used in these investigations is essentially the same as that used in the manganese work1 and is shown in Fig I. It consists of sample chamber A, vacuum or pressure gauge B, volume gauge C, vacuum pump D, hydrogen container E, auxiliary gas chamber F, and furnace G. The pressure in the system is measured by the mercury manometer B. Changes in gas volume are measured by volume gauge C which is essentially another mercury manometer in which the volume of the mercury column is large and can be varied by raising or lowering the well H. In this apparatus the tube had a volume of 100 cc for a 60 cm length. Larger changes in gas volume can be accommodated by auxiliary containers attached to the system at F. The sample is heated by furnace G, the temperature of which is regulated within 5°C by an automatic controller. The only change in the apparatus was the sample container which was made smaller because of the chromium metal's containing more gas than the manganese metal and a smaller sample was used. Method The measurements were made as follows: The complete system when cold was evacuated and refilled with H2 until all the air was removed. It was then refilled with H2 to the desired pressure, as indicated on manometer B. The temperature was then raised to the desired value and as gas was either liberated from or absorbed by the sample, the height of well H was changed to alter the volume of the system so as to keep the pressure constant. In determining rates of liberation of gas, volume readings were taken at convenient tirne intervals depending on the rapidity with which the gas was liberated. In determining total volumes, the specimen was held at constant temperature and pressure until

Jan 1, 1949

By E. Martinez

Samples of chrysocolla, a hydrated copper silicate, from several sources were submitted to differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Pure samples of chrysocolla are difficult to obtain, but comparison of the thermograms revealed that certain reactions occurred in all the samples and it is believed that these are due to chrysocolla. Endothermic reactions occurred at 50' to 175°C, 350° to 650°C, and 980° to 1100°C each of which caused a weight loss. The first was due to loss of absorbed water, the second to a dehydroxyla-tion, and the last to conversion of cupric oxide to cuprous oxide. In addition, two exotherms were detected at 685° to 695°C and 935° to 950°C. Infrared spectra of heated samples indicated the exotherms were due to changes in the Si-O bonds leading to the formation of cristobalite. The results suggest that thermoanalysis may be a more sensitive and reliable method for detection and identification of chrysocolla than X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, or optical techniques. The recovery of copper from oxide ores has been the subject of much research in recent years. One of the principal oxide copper minerals is chrysocolla, a hydrated copper silicate. The information available indicates that it has widely varying properties depending on the origin of the sample. Chrysocolla usually is found associated with cuprite, malachite, azurite, and native copper. Most of these other minerals are recoverable by present day flotation practice, but chrysocolla is lost in the tailings.1,2 Reagent combinations that are successful in laboratory chrysocolla flotation with ore from one source have been found to be ineffective with another. 3 The copper segregation process offers an altemative to beneficiation of oxide copper ores.4'5 The process is of particular interest in processing ores that cannot be treated by conventional hydrometal-lurgical methods because of high acid consumption.6 Fuller understanding of the properties of chryso- colla may prove of value in the search for improvements in both the flotation and segregation processes. Chrysocolla samples from Arizona, Nevada, Chile, Australia, and South Africa were studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, a sample from Miami, Ariz., was submitted to X-ray diffraction, infrared spectrophotometry, and surface area determination. EQUlPMENT Differential thermal analysis (DTA) detects, amplifies, and records exothermic-endothermic reactions occurring in a sample as its temperature is raised at a constant rate, usually 10°C per minute. A unit made by the Robert L. Stone Co. was used in this study. The tests can be run if desired with a gas streaming through the sample. A thermobalance records weight losses or gains in a sample as its temperature is raised at a uniform rate. The gravimetric analyses (TGA) were run on a Chevenard thermobalance converted electronically for graphic recording. A heating rate of 5°C per minute up to 1100°C was used in these tests. A Perkin Elmer Infrared Spectrophotometer, Model 221, was used with sodium chloride optics obtaining IR spectra in the 2 to 15 region. A pressed pellet technique with potassium bromide was used in preparing the samples. DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLES Chrysocolla is found in the oxidation zones of copper deposits commonly associated with malachite, azurite, and limonite. It is described as varying in composition and in color from bluish green to brown or black. Inclusions of other minerals are usual so chemical analysis of chrysocolla samples may be suspect. However, it is considered by many to be a solid solution of CuO, SiO2 and H2O with a general formula of CuO.SiO2.2H2O or 2CuO.2SiO2. 3H20. Chukhrov7 has described a sample from the Urals as CU3,5(OH)2 (A1Si3) O10.nH2O and stated that chrysocolla is a montmorillonite-type mineral. On the basis of X-ray analyses, DTA, and infrared spectra of chrysocolla from the Inspiration Mine, Ariz., Sun8 concluded that there was no substantial evidence to classify it as a montmorillonite mineral. Chrysocolla samples from many sources throughout the world were used in this investigation. The following is a brief description of each:

Jan 1, 1963

By John F. Elliott, John R. Rawling

The rate of reduction of silica to silicon by carbon at 1550° to 1700°C in iron blast-furnace type slag-metal systems has been investigated. In the tower portion of the temperature range oxygen transport in the metal boundary layer at the slag-tal interface is probably rate limiting. A second step, which apparently involves a chemical process in the slag at the slag-metal interface, appears to be rate limiting when the oxygen-transport limitation is avoided. Above 1650°C rate control of the reduction by carbon probably is mixed between the two steps. INVESTIGATIONS1.2 into the equilibrium distribution of silicon between graphite-saturated slags and metals typical of iron blast-furnace practice show that, under the experimental conditions specified, the reduction of silica to silicon is relatively slow compared with the rates of other slag-metal reactions under similar conditions. For this reason, the reduction of silica in blast-furnace slag-metal systems was considered to be an interesting subject for further study. Investigations of the kinetics of the reaction3-5 suggest that several possible steps may be rate controlling, and that the rate-controlling step depends not only on the physical state of the systems but also on the configuration of the apparatus. The main objects of the investigation reported here were to sug- gest plausible reaction paths for the reduction of silica under the experimental conditions chosen and to determine the step or steps which control the rate of reduction of silica. EXPERIMENTAL Two types of experiments involving the reduction of silica from the slag were carried out. In the first, the only reducing agent present was carbon (graphite), for which the over-all reaction is (SiO2) +2C(gr) —Si + 2Co(g) [l] The second type was a graphite-saturated ferro-silicon-iron concentration cell. In it silica in the slag could be reduced either by carbon according to Eq. [I], or by a reaction of electrochemical nature in which silicon was oxidized at the ferrosilicon-slag interface and silica was reduced at the slag-iron interface without the formation of CO. The two types of experiment are described below. Reduction of Silica with Carbon as the Only Available Reducing Agent. The reduction of silica was accomplished by allowing a liquid lime-alumina-silica slag and graphite-saturated iron to react in an induction-heated graphite crucible. The crucible was 2.25 in. diameter and 5 in. deep; it was fitted with a graphite stirrer which penetrated through the slag and into the metal, Fig. 1. The slag and metal charges weighed 350 g each. Pure carbon monoxide at a pressure of 1 atm was maintained above the melt by passing the purified gas through the crucible at a rate of 0.5 liter per min. The gas did not stir either the slag or metal. Temperature measurements were made by sighting an optical pyrometer down the hollow stirrer rod into a 1/4-in. hole drilled in the stirrer blade. The crucible temperature was maintained within *15"C of the required value by manual control of the power supply to the

Jan 1, 1965

By Alfred Weiss

The Daniel C. Jackling Award, established in 1953, is presented for significant contributions to technical programs in mining, geology, and geophysics. This year's recipient, Alfred Weiss, was cited "For his pioneering achievements in applying systems analysis, operations research, and computer methods in exploration, mining, and environmental control; and in disseminating the new technology to the worldwide mining community; and for his lecture, “New Concepts and Tools in Decision-Making.”

Jan 1, 1979

By M. A. Goudie

The deposits occur in a large salt basin of Middle Devonian age. The potash, the final deposit in the salt basin, results from several interrupted cycles of evaporation and dessication. The deposits are extensive, and, at first glance, relatively undisturbed. With more and more wells being drilled, it has now become evident that salt solution has played a large part in changing the original deposits, resulting in some cases in partial to complete removal of the potash and the underlying halite. The most dominant factor in the removal of salt by solution appears to have been tectonic movement and consequent faulting, probably of relatively minor dimensions but of major importance. Evidence which indicates the tilting of the evaporite basin to the north and northwest is shown by the changing pattern of the basin during succeeding eras of potash deposition. The potash minerals of most importance economically are sylvite and carnallite. Reserve calculations indicate that 6.4 billion tons of recoverable high grade potash in K2O equivalent exist in the basin. The Devonian salt basin, which contains the Saskatchewan potash deposits, extends from just east of the foothills in Alberta, north as far as the Peace River area, across Saskatchewan and into Manitoba as far east as Range 10 west of the First Meridian and south into Montana and North Dakota (Fig. 1). The basin is closed everywhere except to the northwest. The known potash deposits are confined almost entirely to the Province of Saskatchewan, with the exception of a small area in western Manitoba bordering the Saskatchewan boundary. The following discussion will concern only the Saskatchewan part of the basin. The evaporite series in the basin is defined as the Prairie Evaporite Formation of the Elk Point Group, of Middle Devonian age. Recent work done by potassium-argon dating methods has indicated an Upper Middle Devonian (Givetian) age of from 285 to 347 million years for the potash. The Elk Point Group consists in ascending order of the Ashern, Winnipegosis, and Prairie Evaporite Formations. The Ashern formation, with an average thickness of 30 ft, sometimes called the Third Red Bed, consists of dolomitic shales and shaly dolomites. The Winnipegosis, is a reef-type dolomite, usually with good porosity, and in many cases oil-staining, although to date no production has been obtained. The thickness varies from 50 to 250 ft. The Prairie Evaporite formation, varying from 0 to 600 ft in thickness, consists of halite with interbedded anhydrite and shale, with considerable amounts of potassium salts in the upper part of the formation. The potassium salts are chiefly chlorides, although very minor occurrences of sulfates have been re- ported. The anhydrite beds do not appear to be continuous, although generally one or two bands of anhydrite underlie the lowest potash zone and are used as marker horizons. The shale occurs as seams interbedded with the salts, as large irregular inclusions in the salts and as very fine particles in intimate mixture with the salts. The Prairie Evaporite Formation is overlain by the Second Red Bed member, the Dawson Bay Formation and the First Red Bed Member of the Manitoba Group, listed in ascending order. The Red Beds are shales which vary in color from red to green, maroon, grey, grey-black, and reddish purples. They serve as marker horizons for coring the potash. The Second Red Bed averages 14 ft in thickness, the First Red Bed 35 ft. The Dawson Bay Formation, which everywhere overlies the First Red Bed and the Prairie Evaporite Formation in the area under discussion, is a reef type of carbonate, in some places limestone, in others limestone and dolomite, with vugular to pinpoint porosity averaging 130 ft in thickness. In some parts of the area, it has a salt section near the top of the formation, usually with interbedded shales and limestones. In other parts of the area, it is waterbearing and the salt is absent. Detailed mapping has indicated that the areas in which the Dawson Bay is water-bearing are areas which have been disturbed by faulting. Where the Dawson Bay is salt-bearing, the porosity has been plugged by salt. The total thickness of the salt varies from between 600 to 700 ft in the center of the basin to zero at the northern edge of the basin (Fig. 2).* The salt-free area in the center of the Province is believed to have resulted from removal of salt by solution. Evidence from several wells suggests that salt removal has been a continuing process from the time of deposition to the present day. One well drilled between the Quill Lakes for potash information encountered

Jan 1, 1961

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N M Requests for publications should be addressed to the Librarian of the University Papers of the Geological Series of the University are bound in volumes: Vol 1, vol 2, pt 1, and vol 2, pt. 2, and vol. 3 are out of print, but separates of the following papers may be had at a uniform cost of 25 cents each. Vol. 1? No. 1, Geology of the environs of Albuquerque (1898); 2, Occurrence of copper and lead in the San Andreas and Caballo Mountains (1898), 3, Geological reconnaissance in western Socorro and Valencia counties (1898); Geology of the San Pedro and Albuquerque districts (1898). , Vol 2: No. 1, Geology of the Albuquerque Sheet (1900); 2, Miscellaneous economic papers by Herrick (1900); 3, Geological reconnaissance in western Socorro and Valencia counties (1900); 4, Geology of the White Sands of New Mexico (1900); 5, Identifi¬cation of an Ohio coal measure's horizon in New Mexico (1900); 6, Cyanide process in New Mexico (1900). Vol. 3. No 3, The oil situation in New Mexico (1920), 4, Geology of Sandia Mountains (1922); 5, Oil and gas m New Mexico in 1923.

Jan 1, 1933

By Joseph A. Holmes

(Pittsburg Meeting, March, 1910.) AT the Mining Experiment Station of the U. S. Geological Survey, in Pittsburg, an investigation of the process of combustion is being carried on in a specially-designed furnace having an unusually long combustion-chamber. This work is conducted by a committee consisting of H. Kreisinger, mechanical engineer; Dr. J. C. W. Frazer, chemist; and Dr. J. K. Clement, physicist. The problem, essentially one of physical chemistry, is extremely interesting to all who are concerned in the burning of coal or the construction of furnaces. The main object of these experiments is to ascertain the relation between the amount of the volatile combustible driven from the coal and the combustion-spaces necessary to burn it completely. Our best steam-coals vary from 15 to 45 per cent. of fixed combustible. The greater part of the latter is burned on the grate; but the volatile combustible leaves the freshly-charged coal and must be burned in the combustion-space. If this space is not large enough, the volatile combustible will leave the furnace only partly burned, and the result will be a considerable heat-loss and a smoky stack. Strictly speaking, the factor which determines the completeness of combustion of the volatile matter, after it has been mixed with a certain amount of air, is the length of time the mixture is allowed to remain in the combustion-space; but this length of time depends on the extent of the space itself. Let us suppose, for instance, that, when a given coal is burned at a certain standard rate, the volume of the volatile combustible driven off per second is 10 cu. ft. Adding, say, 10 cu. ft. of air, the volume of the resulting burning mixture is increased to 20 cu. ft. If the combustion-space is 20 cu. ft., the burning mixture will stay in it,

May 1, 1910

By Rees D. Rawlings, C. W. A. Newey

The aging characteristics of an Fe-11 at. pct Mo alloy have been studied by means of light metallography together with density, Young&apos;s modulus, and hardness measurements. The results were consistent with the precipitation of a single intermetallic compound during aging; overaging was slow relative to that in other iron-based binary alloys. The solution treatment temperature had a small effect on the rate of hardening whereas deformation prior to aging had a marked effect on both the rate of hardening and the peak hardness. The density data indicate that the compound precipitated is Fe3MO2 and not the Laves phase Fe2Mo. Analysis of the modulus and density results gave values for the time exponent for precipitate growth of approximately 1.0 and 1.5 for the alloy aged with and without prior deformation, respectively. DETAILED studies of precipitation hardening in bcc matrices have been confined largely to the effects of carbides and nitrides. In view of this and the growing technological interest in intermetallic compound strengthening, e.g., in maraging steels, a study of precipitation in iron-based alloys with a low interstitial content has been undertaken. This paper is concerned with the aging behavior of an Fe-11 at. pct Mo alloy; the mechanical behavior of the alloy will be reported later. The early work of sykes on Fe-Mo alloys showed that precipitation of the intermetallic compound was accompanied by an increase in hardness and a decrease in volume of the material. More recent surveys of the strengthening associated with precipitation have been made3-5 and, in particular, Elsen and wassermann4 showed that deformation prior to aging increased the rate of hardening. These latter workers also followed the precipitation process by means of dilatometry, electrical resistivity, and lattice parameter measurements. Their results confirmed that there is a decrease in volume on aging. Except for the work of Hornbogen on an Fe-20 at. pct Mo alloy, neither clustering nor the precipitation of a nonequilibrium phase has been observed in Fe-Mo alloys. Studies of alloys of lower molybdenum content475 indicate that the equilibrium intermetallic compound is precipitated during aging. However, there is some doubt concerning the nature of the equilibrium precipitate phase. According to the phase diagram constructed by Hansen,8 the phase should be precipitated. This phase has a rhombohedra1 crystal structure which is characterized by the formula Fe706,&apos; although the composition of the molybdenum-rich boundary corresponds approximately to Fe3Mo2. The version of the diagram proposed by Sinha, Buckley, and Hume-Rother indicates that the A phase, a Laves phase Fe2Mo, should be precipitated. Their observation of a Laves phase supports the earlier findings of Bechtoldt and Vacher,13 although, in a recent study of the system by means of diffusion couples, Rawlings and Newey did not detect the phase. The work presented here describes the effect of solution-treatment temperature, aging temperature, and prior deformation on the aging characteristics of the alloy as revealed by light metallography together with hardness, density, and Young&apos;s modulus measurements. In addition the density data are used in an attempt to determine the compound precipitated during aging. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A 29-kg ingot of the alloy was cast at R.A.R.D.E., Fort Halstead, from deoxidized, Japanese electrolytic iron and sintered molybdenum. The ingot was homogenized for 6 hr at 1473°K and then worked, with intermediate anneals, into 6- and 16-mm-diam rods and 6-mm plate. Chemical analysis of the alloy gave, wt pct: Mo, 17.5 (11 at. pct); C, 0.003; Si, 0.002; S, 0.005; P, <0.002; and02, 0.0098. Solution treatments were carried out under a dynamic argon atmosphere in a vertical, "crusilite" element, furnace which had a facility for rapid quenching into iced water. Except for the study of the effect of solution treatment temperature, all specimens were solution-treated at 1573" * 2°K for 1 hr. Salt baths were used for the aging treatments. Specimens for hardness, density, and Young&apos;s modulus measurements were produced, after heat treatment, from the stock rod or bar using a precision silicon carbide slitting wheel. As described later, the quenching treatment produced local plastic strain in the stock material; consequently, care was taken to ensure that the specimens were not prepared from these regions. Those specimens used in the studies of the effects of prior deformation on the aging behavior were strained in compression in a Denison universal testing machine. Specimens for light metallographic observations were mechanically polished on successively finer grades of diamond paste down to and then etched in either alcoholic ferric chloride or in a 2 pct nital solution. Vickers diamond pyramid hardness data were obtained using a 30-kg load. At least five impressions were averaged for each determination. Density measurements were made using a displacement technique in which each specimen was weighed in air and in dibromoethane at 296°K. The specimens were cylindrical and weighed 3 to 4 g; all weighings were made on a balance reading to 1 x 10"5 g. For each specimen the mean value of five weighings was used to calculate the density. The density of the dibromoethane was determined using the displacement procedure and a standard nickel specimen. The error in an absolute density value was estimated to be HI.01 pct. To obtain the density as a function of aging time a single specimen was used and the density meas-

Jan 1, 1969

By E. D. Cockrell, E. P. Hayes

The figures herein presented show that during the year 1938 drilling in the Texas Gulf Coast continued at a slightly lower rate than during 1937. In 1938 there were 21 new oil fields added to the Texas Gulf Coast; also numerous extensions and new sands in old fields. This report for 1938 cannot be compared with the report for 1937 in Volume 127 of the Transactions, because the area covered by this report is less than that covered last year. The cross-hatched area on Fig. 1 shows the limits of this report. Of the new fields, Cordele, in Jackson County, Eureka Heights and Fairbanks, in Harris County, Francitas, in Jackson County, LaRosa, in Refugio County, and League City, in Galveston County, have the greatest promise of prolific production. The 1938 production for the Gulf Coast area was 92,530,467 bbl. as compared to 94,019,355 bbl. for the same area in 1937. This shows a decrease of 1,488,888 bbl. during 1938, regardless of the increase due to the 21 new oil fields. This decrease was caused mainly by the Saturday and Sunday shutdowns (68 days during 1938) and by cut in allowables. The 68 shut-down days amount to approximately 18.6 per cent of the 365 days possible for production. The decrease in the 1938 production amounted to approximately 1.58 per cent. Therefore there was actually a potential increase in the year&apos;s production. During the past year, 1637 wells were completed as oil wells, 68 as gas wells and approximately 461 dry holes, as compared to 1672 oil wells, 83 gas wells and 448 dry holes in 1937 on the Texas Gulf Coast. Total wells drilled were 2166 in 1938 and 2203 in 1937. Condensate. sands in old fields and new fields are continuing to increase in importance from the standpoint of retrograde condensation and pressure maintenance. The following fields had major extensions during the year 1938 from the standpoint of increased areas of old sands and new deeper sands:

Jan 1, 1939

By E. D. Cockrell, E. P. Hayes

The figures herein presented show that during the year 1938 drilling in the Texas Gulf Coast continued at a slightly lower rate than during 1937. In 1938 there were 21 new oil fields added to the Texas Gulf Coast; also numerous extensions and new sands in old fields. This report for 1938 cannot be compared with the report for 1937 in Volume 127 of the Transactions, because the area covered by this report is less than that covered last year. The cross-hatched area on Fig. 1 shows the limits of this report. Of the new fields, Cordele, in Jackson County, Eureka Heights and Fairbanks, in Harris County, Francitas, in Jackson County, LaRosa, in Refugio County, and League City, in Galveston County, have the greatest promise of prolific production. The 1938 production for the Gulf Coast area was 92,530,467 bbl. as compared to 94,019,355 bbl. for the same area in 1937. This shows a decrease of 1,488,888 bbl. during 1938, regardless of the increase due to the 21 new oil fields. This decrease was caused mainly by the Saturday and Sunday shutdowns (68 days during 1938) and by cut in allowables. The 68 shut-down days amount to approximately 18.6 per cent of the 365 days possible for production. The decrease in the 1938 production amounted to approximately 1.58 per cent. Therefore there was actually a potential increase in the year&apos;s production. During the past year, 1637 wells were completed as oil wells, 68 as gas wells and approximately 461 dry holes, as compared to 1672 oil wells, 83 gas wells and 448 dry holes in 1937 on the Texas Gulf Coast. Total wells drilled were 2166 in 1938 and 2203 in 1937. Condensate. sands in old fields and new fields are continuing to increase in importance from the standpoint of retrograde condensation and pressure maintenance. The following fields had major extensions during the year 1938 from the standpoint of increased areas of old sands and new deeper sands:

Jan 1, 1939

By W. C. Maurer

A study of bit-tooth penetration, or crater forniation. under simulated borehole condirions has been made. Pressure conditions existing when drilling with air, water and mud have been sirnulated for depths of 0 to 20.000 ft. These crater tests showed that a threshold bit-tooth force must he exceeded before a crater is .formed. This thresh old force increased with both tooth dullness and diflerenrial pressure between the borehole and formalion fluids. At low differential pressures, the craters formed in a brittle manner and the cuttings were easily removed. At high differenlial pressures, the cunings were firmly held in the craters and the craters were formed by a pseudoplas-tic mechanism. With constant farce of 6,500 16 applied to the bit reeth, an increase in differential pressure (sitnulated mud drilling) from 0 to 5,000 psi reduced the crater volumes by 90 per cent. A comparable increase in hydrostatic fluid pressure (simulated water drilling) produced only a 50 per cent decrease in volutne while changes in overburden pressure (simulated air drilling) had no detectable effect on crater volume. Crater tests in unconsolidated sand subjected to differential pressure showed that high friction was present in the sand at high pressures. Similar friction belween the cuttings in craters produces the transition from brittle to pseudo plastic craters. INTRODUCTION The number of wells drilled below 15,000 ft increased from 5 in 1950 to 308 in 1964. Associated with these deep wells are low drilling rates and high costs. High bottom-hole pressures produce low drilling rates by increasing rock strength and by creating bottom-hole cleaning problems. This paper describes an experimental investigation of crater formation under bottom-hole conditions simulating air, water and mud drilling. Although numerous investigators have studied bit-tooth penetration (cratering) at atmospheric pressure conditions, only limited work has been done on cratering in rocks subjected to pressures existing in oil wells. Payne and Chippendale2 have studied cratering in rocks subjected to hydrostatic pressure using spherical penetrators. Garner et aLJ conducted crater tests in dry limestone by varying overburden pressure and borehole fluid pressure independently and using atmospheric formation-fluid pressure Gnirk and Cheathem4,5 have studied crater formation in several dry rocks subjected to equal overburden and borehole pressure and atmospheric formotion pressure. Podio and Gray studied the effect of pore fluid viscosity on crater formation using atmospheric borehole and formation-fluid pressurc and varying overburden pressure. Although these studies have provided useful information on crater formation under pressure, they were limited in that the three bottom-hole pressures could not be varied independently and, therefore, that many drilling conditions could not be simulated. The prersure chamber used in this study allowed visual observation of the cratering mechanism and independent control of the borehole, formation and confining pressures. By using different fluids in the chamber, pressure conditions existing in air, water and mud drilling to depths of 20,000 ft were simulated. The mechanisms involved in cratering at these different pressure conditions were studied for teeth of varying dullness and at different loadins rates. High-speed movies (8,000 frames/sec) and closed-circuit television were used to visually study the crater mechanism under pressure. EXPERIMENTAT PROCEDURE PRESSURE CHAMBER The Pressure chamber in Fig. I was used to simulate bottom-hole pressure conditions. This chamber has been pressure-tested to 22,500 psi and is normally operated at pressures up to 15,000 psi. The chamber contains four lucite windows&apos; used for illuminating and observing the crater mechanism under pressurc. A closed-circuit television and a Fastax camera (8,000 frames/sec) have been used in these studies. Cylindrical rock specimens (8-in. diameter X 6-in. long) were subjected to three independently controlled pressures simulating overburden, borehole fluid and formation-fluid pressures. Overburden pressure, which corresponds to the stress induced by the overlying earth mass, was applied by exerting fluid pressure against a rubber sleeve surrounding the rock. Borehole pressure, which is the pressure exerted by the column of mud in the wellbore, was simulated by applying pressure to the fluid overlying the rock in the chamber. Formation pressure was simulated by applying pressure to the water saturating the rock. The borehole and formation pressures were equal except when mud was used in the chamber, in which case the differential pressure between these fluids acted across the mud filter cake.

Jan 1, 1966

By Robert C. Beckstorm

Russia produced over one-half of the world&apos;s petroleum in 1901. It dropped to a low figure in 1920 during the reorganization of the new government. Since then it has had a remarkable growth under the constant demands from the Central Bureau at Moscow. The five-year plan called for the development of all industries, many of which had permitted their equipment to gat out of repair or become obsolete, so that when the magic wand of authority demanded that they double, triple or quadruple their former production they looked to the oil industry for aid. This plan made necessary the building of new factories, dams and power stations; the developing of mines and agriculture, and in many places the building of cities and railroads. Exports were the solution and petroleum was the logical one to carry the load of development of the more backward industries. It had a ready market and fields located advantageously for transportation, which was cheap, and there was sufficient oil to meet the market demands at that time, as domestic consumption was not great. The building program demanded new and modern machinery and technical aid from abroad. FIG . 1.-PETROLEUM Money was necessary and petroleum was the impor- 1925-1931. PRODUTION IN RUSSIA tant product of exchange. This accounts for the rapid development of the old fields, the search for new ones and the building of refineries and transportation facilities. Fig. 1 shows the advance in production since 1925. There has been a. steady increase since 1920, and with the improved drilling equipment and improved methods it will increase as long as the now proved fields continue to produce new wells. The fields of Baku and Grozny have yielded 95 per cent of this production. The Cara Chukur field, which is being developed at the present time, is an extension of the Surakany at Baku and may be considered a part of the old field. New fields are being

Jan 1, 1932

By Nicholas J. Grant, Laszlo J. Bonis

Two dilute nickel alloys in each of the systems Ni-Al, Ni-Ti, Ni-Cr, and Ni-Si u:ere internally oxidized at 700° to 900°C for time periods up to 100hr to establish the oxide particle size, depth of oxide penetration, and the change in oxide particle size with depth. Fine (-270) mesh alloy powders were then intevruzlly oxidized, hydrogen sintered, compacted, and extrmded, yielding bar stock for tensile tests at room temperature and creep-mpture tests at 815° to 1093°C. Recrystallization studies were made up to 1400OC. ReCENT studies have clearly indicated that oxide dispersion strengthened alloys exhibit outstanding elevated temperature properties, espe- cially in long-time tests. Certain structural parameters must be observed to achieve optimum properties, namely, micron or submicron interpar-ticle spacing, submicron oxide particle size, and a high level of stored energy.&apos;-5 A number of processes have been utilized to obtain the desired structures, but certain of them appear to offer greater promise. Thus far the most promising method is the internal oxidation of dilute alloys consisting of a relatively noble solvent metal and a readily oxidizable solute element.3&apos;6)7 Several important principles governing internal oxidation have been established in earlier studies;&apos; however, these principles are as yet not adequate to permit alloy development studies. Much of the earlier work was performed on relatively coarse wires or in idealized systems. As a result, there are still a number of unanswered questions which require considerable additional work: a) How does oxide particle size change with depth of penetration of the oxide? How does this vary with the specific type of solute element? b) What is the effect of solute content on the average oxide particle size?

Jan 1, 1962

Jan. 7, 1952, AIME, Boston Section, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Campus Room, Graduate House, Cambridge, Mass. Jan. 8, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, 6 pm, supper, Tosca&apos;s; 8 pm, meeting, Socony-Vacuum Training Center, 63 Park Row, New York. Jan. 9, AIME, Chicago Section, Chicago Bar Assn., 29 S. La Salle St., Chicago. Jan. 13-15, Institute of Scrap Iron & Steel, Waldorf-Astoria, New York. Jan. 14-1.6, AIME, Minnesota Section, Hotel Duluth, Minn. Jan. 14-18, SAE, annual meeting, Hotel Book-Cadillac, Detroit. Jan. 1.6-18, Society of Plastic Engineers, Inc., annual national technical conference, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. Jan. 17, AIME, New York Section, Mining Club, 33 Broadway, New York. Jan. 1.7, AIME, Utah Section, Newhouse Hotel, Salt Lake City.

Jan 1, 1952

By E. T. Turkdogan, L. S. Darken

Calcium ferrite melts were equilibrated with sulfur and oxygen-bearing gases at temperatures within the range 1290°C to 1620°C. The results show that at oxygen partial pressures below 10-4 atm the sulfide-reaction occurs and at higher oxygen pressures the sulfur dissolves in the melt principally as sulfate ion. It is also observed that when the product increases, sulfate ions are converted to pyrosulfate ions and the results permit the evaluation of the pyrosulfate/sulfate ratio. It is shown that the ratio y CaSO,/rCaO increases with decreasing concentration of calcium oxide in calcium ferrite, silicate and aluminate melts. Indications are that oxy-acids, e.g. silica, alumina and ferric oxide, increase yCaS0,. A few experiments were carried out within the sul-tide range and the results are in accord with those obtained by other investigators on aluminate and silicate melts. BECAUSE of the industrial importance and theoretical interest, many investigators have studied the reactions between molten oxides, silicates or alumi-nates, and gases containing oxygen and sulfur. The early work reviewed by Schenckl and studies made by Bardenheuer and Geller2 indicates that solution of gaseous sulfur in an oxide melt resulted in the replacement of the oxide ions by the sulfide ions. Measurements made by Grant and Chipman3 on the equilibrium partition of sulfur between molten iron and complex silicate melts also demonstrated that, for a given temperature and silicate composition, the distribution of sulfur between slag and metal increased with decreasing oxygen content of the metal. Fincham and Richardson4 studied the effects of temperature and partial pressures of sulfur and oxygen on the solubility of sulfur in simple silicate and alumino-silicate melts. They observed that at oxygen partial pressures below about 10-5 atm sulfur in the gas dissolved in the melt as sulfide ions, replacing an equal number of oxide ions of the melt. At oxygen partial pressures higher than 10-3 atm, sulfur entered the melt as sulfate ions. Similar studies were made by St. Pierre and Chipman5 using calcium ferrite and calcium silico-ferrite melts. The experimental data presented in this paper were obtained in this Laboratory about 10 years ago; this is the first formal presentation although a preliminary report was given previously.6 In each of these experiments, a pure synthetic CaO-Fe2O3 melt in a platinum crucible was equilibrated with a gas mixture (SO2-O2, SO,-air, SO2-CO, or SO2-CO2-CO) at a temperature ranging from 1296°to 1620°C. The experimental technique was essentially the same as that reported by Darken and Gurry,7 the main difference being that the atmosphere in the reaction chamber contained sulfur dioxide together with oxygen, or carbon dioxide-carbon monoxide

Jan 1, 1962

INTRODUCTION Trade financing is a particularly important component of short-term financing for a minerals company since errors, extra costs, or payment delays/defaults can easily wipe out the profit margin on a particular shipment or can cause problems when arranging purchases of e.g. reagents. It is required to make any minerals operation function and does not have to be cross-border to require proper management. Sources of working capital are as follows: 1. Extended credit terms from suppliers 2. Inventory loans from banks, finance companies 3. Accounts receivable financing or factoring 4. Credit lines or overdraft facilities from banks. TRADE CREDITS These are provided under the familiar terms "net 10 days" or payment due by the "10th day of the following month." Thirty days for payment is usual but longer periods can be negotiated with regular suppliers. Shipment may be made on open account with specified periods for settlement. In the mining industry, a custom smelter gains trade credit by paying for concentrates three months after the month of shipment. INVENTORY LOANS Various forms of inventory finance are provided via "floor-plan" or warehouse financing. A set percentage, usually 60%-80%, of a good-quality, readily saleable inventory item (e.g. bullion, concentrates, ingots) will be provided by a bank or finance company which will usually have security over these products and has a right to inspect the goods from time to time. Legal security will he achieved by warehouse receipts, floating liens, chattel mortgages, trust receipts, or through collateral management service companies. The latter certify control over stock or distribution outlets and often carry insurance against fraud. Costs range around 1.5% - 2.0% p.a. or more plus some fees to cover out-of-pockets or other costs. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES Accounts receivable financing is based on the company&apos;s generation of satisfactory receivables which are continuously assigned to a bank or finance company ("factoring"). Because of the risks in being able to collect receivables, such as payments to a smelter for its blister copper shipments to a refinery, this form of financing costs as much as 3% - 5% of the debt amount purchased plus an additional charge for processing paperwork. Receivables can be purchased with or without recourse and on a notification or non-notification basis to the client&apos;s customer to, respectively, pay the invoice directly to the bank or not. LETTERS OF CREDIT Letters of Credit ("L/C&apos;s") are a common feature of international trade finance whereby a bank, at the request of the buyer, issues a written undertaking to an exporter to pay a specified sum of money within a set time on presentation of previously specified documents. This undertaking means that the exporter is no longer relying on the credit standing and integrity of the foreign importer. A dispute about shipment does not otherwise affect the obligation to pay upon presentation of a "clean" set of documents. These documents include the hill of lading and other documentation, often on standard "form" bases. There are a number of conventions and techniques in L/C&apos;s such as irrevocable/revocable L/C&apos;s, time L/C&apos;s, confirmation/advising L/C&apos;s and transferable L/C&apos;s. These are tools to adjust for the varying risks that the importer will not pay. Other routes where one is comfortable with an importer include documentary sight hills (D/P hill), documentary term bills (D/A bill), and, of course, open account.

Jan 1, 1985

By Mary Barrett, Walter Rose

INTRODUCTION The conventional way to program reservoir problems* for solution on the electric analyzer1 is one which concentrates the block units towards the inner radius of the prototype system being represented by the analog model. This is achieved by the device of considering block units of equal value radial resistance, leading to the consequences: (1) the ratio of the external to the internal radius of each block unit is a constant (i.e. r1/ri-l = constant a); (2) the external radius of the nth block unit is equal to the innermost radius of the system times the constant a raised to the nth power: (3) the capacitance of the block units increase by a factor of a2 going out radially from the innermost to the outermost boundaries of the system; (4) given n block units in the radial direction, the capacitance ratio of the outermost to the innermost block unit is a (2n-2); and (5) the vertical resistance of the block units decrease by a factor of a going out radially from the innermost to the outermost boundaries of the system, such that the ratio of the maximum to minimum vertical resistance is also given by the factor a(2n-2) PRESENT PROGRAMMING METHOD While this conventional way of programming problems is quite adequate for routine uses of the electric analyzer, it leads to difficulties in those cases where the inner radius of the prototype system (e.g., the well-bore) is small compared to the external radius (e.g.. the external reservoir boundary). To handle such a case by the conventional method would require either that a large value be selected for the constant a or that a large number n, of radial block units be chosen. In consequence, the capacitance and vertical resistance ratios become impossibly large, as will be evident from the relations given above. In any event, the size of the smallest and largest capacitors will always be limited by the size of commercially available components, and the analyzer itself will determine how many mesh points are available for radial block units. For example, it can be shown that if the maximum capacitance ratio which can be electrically handled is a factor of l04, the maximum external radius of the system which can be considered (assuming an internal wellbore radius of 0.25 ft is: It is thus seen that in direct consequence of having the inner wellbore radius small compared to the external radius, models extending beyond 30 to 40 ft are not possible when the capacitance ratio is limited to l04. (NB. A value of 10-9 farads can perhaps be taken as the minimum electrical capacitance possible if corrections for the capacitance of the lead wires are to be avoided. Values greater than 10-5 farads would require the use of unstable and inaccurate electrolytic capacitors). On the other hand, models extending out to 500 to 5,000 ft may be desired in single-well problems, and hence the need for a revised method of problem programming. * REVISED PROGRAMMING METHOD The revised method of programming is one which attempts to retain the desirable features of the conventional method (viz. concentration of block units towards the inner boundary, simplicity in computation, etc.) without having as a consequence that impossible capacitance and vertical resistance ratios will be required. Other advantages will also be achieved by the revised

Jan 1, 1957

By R. H. Atkinson

With the object of improving the melting, casting, and working of palladium and 95.5 pct Pd-4.5 pct Ru, the effects of different melting atmospheres (reducing, oxidizing, and neutral), crucible linings, and annealing atmospheres have been studied. Some interesting observations are included about the solubility and diffusion of gases in palladium. THE object of the present work was to ascertain the effect of oxidizing, inert, and reducing ambient atmospheres on the melting and casting of palladium and a Pd-Ru alloy commonly used for jewelry. The need for such a study was indicated during World War I1 when jewelers experienced difficulty in their attempts to make small castings of the torch-melted Pd-Ru alloy by the lost-wax process. When the metal was melted under oxidizing conditions similar to those used for platinum, the castings were gassy; on the other hand, if the melting atmosphere was reducing, the castings were hot-torn and brittle. General Experimental Procedure Pure palladium sponge (99.9 pct Pd) and pure ruthenium powder (99.8 pct Ru) were used for making small ingots (50 g) of palladium and 95.5 pct Pd-4.5 pct Ru by induction melting. The coil, 3 in. high by 2 in. ID with 16 turns, was energized by a 20 kva Ajax high frequency converter. The melting crucibles, so-called sand crucibles, which were made of a highly refractory fireclay, were lined with different materials, including proprietary magnesia, alundum, zircon, and zirconia

Jan 1, 1957

The suggestions of the members of the Institute are very much desired by-the Committee on Nominations prior to deciding upon its nominations to fill the places of those officers who retire early in 1917. The Committee must make its final report to the Board of Directors early ill October. The members are, therefore, -asked to send in promptly their suggestions for Directors as well as for Vice-Presidents and President. The Committee hopes to hear from a large number of the members. The officers to be elected at the annual meeting in February, 1917, are: One officer, known as Director and president. Two officers, known as Director and Vice-President. Five officers, known as Director. The attention of members is called to Articles V and VII of the Constitution, and to By-Law XIII, which reads as follows: "The geographical districts to be considered by the Committee on Nominations shall be as follows, until otherwise ordered by the Board. District No. 1. New England, New York, and New Jersey, excepting New York

Jan 9, 1916

By E. H. Crabtree

Research on the iron ranges begins to bear fruit in big plant construction -Big coppers raise capacity, build at new Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, properties - Hydrometallurgy comes to fore with new uranium ore treatment and the Chemico process for nonferrous metals -

Jan 2, 1953