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By Granville S. Borden

THE program for income tax legislation presented here proposes some diminution in the current tax burden on mineral producers but it will, if enacted, eventually increase the potential and current Government revenue from the mineral industry.

Jan 6, 1951

By A. L. Field

Previous Publications THE first report on the slag viscosity work of the Bureau of Mines was made by one of the authors 1 in 1916. It was concerned chiefly with, the method of measurement. A paper 2 on this phase of the work was presented to the Institute in February, 1917, and a similar paper 3 was communicated to the Faraday Society. Purpose and Scope of the Slag Viscosity Tables Following the development of a suitable method, the next step in the investigation was the measurement of slag viscosity over a wide range of temperature and composition, and the arrangement of this experimental data in the form of tables for the use of the blast-furnace operator. It is believed that this information, if used intelligently, should help the operator to reduce losses in production caused by off-grade pig iron, to improve fuel economy, to promote operating efficiency, and to extend present-day practice to meet the increasing need of smelting lean and complex ores. In the experimental part of the work it was early observed that the temperature-viscosity relations of a slag were determined, for practical purposes, by the relative proportions of the three major constituents, lime (CaO), alumina (Al203), and silica (Si02), provided the percentage

Jan 12, 1917

By Eugene J. Schreiber, F. Newton Parks

Booz-Allen & Hamilton management consultants has recently completed a comprehensive study of Brazil's minerals and metals sectors for 40 leading international and Brazilian companies. The 220-page study describes the activities and Investments under way in 25 key commodities and assesses the current state of Brazil's economy, the impact on domestic minerals and metals industries, and government minerals policies.

Jan 12, 1977

By W. Spencer Hutchinson

IT is the purpose of this paper to describe a method used to determine the corundum contents of samples of hard crystalline gneiss containing both corundum and red garnet. A chemical analysis of the rock for alumina would not fix the amount of corundum because at least three other constituent minerals of the rock, mica, feldspar, and garnet, contain alumina combined with silica. Following are the principal minerals found in the samples, together with their specific gravity and hardness as given by Dana:

Jan 6, 1913

By S. C. Sun

Most previous work on sedimentation of coal 1 and mineral 2-3 suspensions has been conducted in graduated 1-liter glass cylinders of 6-cm diam. With this type of large container it is often difficult to see through the suspension and tedious to perform a large number of tests. Furthermore, the heavy glass walls and the graduation lines of glass cylinders cause internal and stray reflections, respectively. To obviate these difficulties, an Atlab Emulsion Viewer from Arthur H. Thomas Co. was adopted as an alternative apparatus. Equipment: The viewer," shown in Fig. 1, consists of: 1) a stainless steel frame rack holding 21 flat-bottom Nessler tubes or an ungraduated replica 1.64 cm ID and 1.80 cm OD, 2) a movable masked 150-w lumaline lamp behind the tubes, and 3) a scaled glass panel with 100 vertical divisions in front of the tubes. The tubes are snugly held by springs in slots formed by spacer bars, which also serve as shields to eliminate stray light. The lumaline lamp is mounted behind a slit in a movable housing so that it can be positioned behind the suspension to be examined. The lowest or 100-divi-sion line on the front glass plate is leveled with the upper side of the bottom of all tubes. The scaled portion of each tube, roughly 19 cm high and 40 ml in volume, is used to study coal and mineral suspensions. Procedure: The following procedure was used in many tests. A 1.6-gm sample of dry coal was mixed with 16 ml of distilled water in an ordinary test tube and allowed to stand for three days, with occasional shaking to insure thorough wetting of all particles. The slurry was transferred to a Nessler tube and diluted to 32 ml. The pH regulator and flocculating reagent were added, and the slurry was diluted to reach the uppermost or zero-division line. The tube was immediately stoppered and inverted downward and up again ten times during a period of 35 to 40 sec. The lumaline lamp was turned on during the inversion period. After inversion the tube was quickly returned to the viewer rack. The time elapsed for each 10-division drop of the demarcation line between solid and liquid was recorded by stopwatch until the 80-division line was reached in the zone of compression. Additional readings were taken at 15, 30, and 60 min after settling began. The clarity of the supernatent liquid was observed also. As the settling rate became considerably slower at the 75-division line, it was convenient at this time to start the next test in a separate Nessler tube. This was continued until the suspensions in any number of the 21 tubes were tested. An attempt was made to correlate the experimental results between the Nessler tube and a 1-liter glass cylinder. Table I shows that coal particles settle much faster in the cylinder than in the tube, which has a large wall effect.' The correction factor for the tube impedance is 1.662 2 0.145 at the 40-division line in the hindered settling zone, and 1.614 & 0.139 at the 75-division line in the compression zone. This rough correlation was established by dividing the pulp height of each container into 100 divisions and comparing the settling rates of the two containers at the same divisions. Tests were also performed to determine the accuracy of the viewer. The results, not presented, showed that error was within 10 pct.

Jan 1, 1960

In accordance with the usual custom, manuscripts to be presented at the next meeting of the Institute must be in the hands of the, Secretary before July 1, 1917. Manuscripts to be properly distributed in advance of the meeting must be in the hands of the Secretary before June 1, 1917. At the last meeting of the Institute 45 papers were presented, and 42 of them were actively discussed. This experience makes us believe that advance distribution is the best possible means of getting a good discussion of papers and of securing for them the interest of the members of the profession. It will be impossible, however, to give the papers proper distribution if they bare not received before June 1, 1917.

Jan 4, 1917

By H. M. Howe

It is a grave objection to the present system (or rather lack of system) of mineralogical nomenclature that, in the very great majority of cases, the name of a mineral gives no hint of its chemical composition, one might almost say no suggestion, however faint, of anything connected with it or characteristic of it, chemical, physical, historical, geographical, geological, or lithological. In becoming acquainted with a mineral, in addition to learning its composition and important characteristics, one must also learn a name wholly unconnected with any of them. It has occurred to me that a system might be devised in which the name of each mineral should express at least an approximation to its ultimate composition. It is far easier to learn the names of most minerals than their compositions. Most of us are familiar with the names and appearance of many minerals, especially among the silicates, of whose compositions we have but a rough notion. It would be the aim of such a system to enable us, in making the one slight effort of learning the name of a mineral, by that same effort and involuntarily to learn its composition, which now requires an additional and a much greater effort. I have worked out a system designed to meet this requirement, and its description occupies the remainder of this article. Doubtless there are many devices on which could be based other systems fulfilling the requirement above set forth better than that about to be described does, and at the same time furnishing names

Jan 1, 1884

By Robert R. Britton

A study conducted at The Ohio State University sought to deter- mine whether explosives break rock primarily employing shock energy or energy stored as borehole gas pressure. The amount of broken material, calculated borehole pressure, and measured stress waves are compared as decoupling ratios (borehole diameter/explosive charge diameter) increased from 1 to 3 and all other variables remained constant. Breakage and calculated borehole pressure displayed a decrease as the decoupling ratio increased while the shock energy remained constant. The strong implication is that borehole gas pressure is the primarary force in breaking rock with explosives.

Jan 1, 1984

By F. L. Grammer

THE analyses given in Table I. were made several years ado at my request at a plant using Lake ores. The, are of two furnaces, one making basic, the other Bessemer pig-they gave 6 casts each in 24 hr., also two flushes of cinder between each cast. They- are offered simply for the sake of reference as, so far as I know, it is unusual to find so frequent fall analyses made and none are on record. The variations iii manganese-content in the first and second flushes on the basic furnace are interesting, if no more than a freak-the first flash being invariably higher in manganese. The iron-content of the two slugs from an. average of 12 flushes shows: Basic. Bessemer. Per Cent. Per Cent. Total iron 2.55 1.70 Combined iron 0.72 0.52 Free iron 2.13 7.15

Jan 3, 1913

By Archer Wheeler

Introduction. THERE are two general methods in use for the production of metallic copper from matte which are worthy of consideration : (1) the Welsh blister process, and (2) the converter process.1 As practically all of the copper produced to-day is made in converters, we will give a brief outline of that process before proceeding with the special subject of this paper. Matte may be roughly defined as a mixture of the sulphides of copper, iron, nickel, silver, etc. In the converter process this is blown up to metallic copper in a modified type of Bessemer converter. The conversion of matte consists mainly in, (1) the removal of sulphur in the form of SO2, and (2) the slagging of the iron. With this brief statement we come to the two subdivisions of the process of converting mattes: Converting with acid linings. Converting with basic linings.

Jan 12, 1913

By H. M. Chance

Within the last 10 years the subject of mine taxation in its relation to coal-mining interests has come to have growing importance, not only to those engaged in the mining of coal, but also to the owners of land underlain by coal.

Jan 1, 1915

By Alden Emery

SHEET-ASPHALT paving mixtures are composed of three constituents: sand, mineral filler and asphalt. An average composition of such a mixture is sand 75 per cent, filler 15 per cent, and asphalt 10 per cent, figured on a weight basis. The structural strength of the mixture at normal or high temperatures depends mainly on the mineral aggregate (sand and filler), which consti-tutes the entire framework. The filler is the finely divided mineral matter largely passing a 200-mesh sieve, added to carry the sand grading down into infinitely fine particles and so reduce voidage and increase density. The asphalt imparts cohesiveness and tensile strength, gives a certain degree of plasticity, and waterproofs the mixture.

Jan 1, 1933

By Richmond Bennett

Airborne geochemistry became a reality with the advent of a high-sensitivity air¬borne gamma ray spectrometer with large volume NAI(Tl) crystal detectors. The high-sensitivity spectrometer measures small variations in the concentration of potassium (as Ks°), thorium (as Tl308) and uranium (as Bi.214) along the flight lines in the area surveyed. Hydrothermal dispersion patterns are indicated by anomalous measured values of the concentrations of potassium, thorium, uranium, or their ratios. In two recent Australian survey areas, copper mineralization was located along favorable structures within hydrothermal dispersion patterns delineated by airborne geochemical surveys. In metamorphic terrane where there had been po¬tassium metasomatism, the hydrothermal dispersion patterns were indicated by high potassium/uranium ratios (K40/Bi). In a sedimentary environment that had been intruded by a stock, the path of hydrothermal fluids was indicated by uranium (Bi214), thorium (TV'), and uranium/ thorium (Bi214/Tl208) ratios.

Jan 1, 1972

By S. R. Smith, W. M. Voorhis, J. D. Young

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has conducted investigations to identify the major causes of coal pile inventory adjustments. This paper describes past and current attempts to improve inventory survey accuracy and reduce costly inventory adjustments. The unique interaction between accountants and engineers is also reviewed. Data and results of a recent field test wing downward-looking radar developed by Ohio State University are presented. These show great promise in determining coal pile depth and density, thus improving inventory accuracy. This electromagnetic remote sensing technique, if successful, would provide an optimum technical and economic method of surveying all 12 TVA stockpiles without costly borehole drilling or disrupting stockout and reclaim activity. The effect of changing coal quality to meet environmental standards has made accurate coal pile density measurement more important than ever in reducing the costs of electric power generation from coal.

Jan 1, 1984

Jan 1, 1932

By Swapan Bhattacharya

United States federal and state regulatory authorities require underground mine operators to adopt adequate measures to minimize material damage to the surface caused by mine subsidence. This paper presents an approach to define and determine the extent of material damage due to subsidence from underground coal mining. The basic steps involved in the development of adequate criteria have been enumerated together with the approaches and methodologies used.

Jan 1, 1984

By Robert W. Hunt

There are certain physical characteristics of steel resulting from its treatment while being formed into useful products which have been, and are, well known to its manipulators ; but under the stress of business competition and other controlling influences, all knowledge is not always given either full sway, or even full acknowledgment. Such has been the case in the making of steel rails. It is universally acknowledged that steel rails of heavy sections, made during the last tell years, have not given as good service as the rails of lighter sections produced before that time. While certain fundamental principles of steel-making have been acknowledged, their application to the steel-rail manufacture has been, if not actually denied, completely ignored.

Jan 1, 1902

By James W. Lower

IN developing the orebody on lower levels of the Star mine at Burke, Idaho, Hecla Mining Co. is faced with a serious problem in driving raises. Levels are at 200-ft intervals. As a raise is being driven between levels, at points about 70 and 130 ft from the sill, heavy pressure arches develop and the raise becomes extremely hazardous. Eventually, following a blast, caving occurs, making it impossible to recover the raise. In February 1957 it was decided to attempt sinking a small winze on the vein from the 5500 to the 5700 level. This shaft (winze-raise No. 2) was to be used as a raise prior to stoping. It was assumed, and correctly, that the heavy ground pressure could be controlled by timbering close to the bottom after each advance.

Jan 7, 1958

By N. E. Bonn

IT is well known that most of the materials entering into the manufacture of thermocouples are subject to variations in their thermoelectric characteristics, the chief causes of which are: differences in chemical composition; the previous .history, which includes mechanical working, ageing, oxidation, and contamination; and mode of use, such as depth of immersion, etc. In the case of a very extensively use thermoelement, the iron-constantan couple, neither iron nor constantan are absolutely uniform, and a number of checks are made during the process of manufacture. As both are subject to diversion from a standard value, neither, can be used for checking the other. It is, therefore, necessary to find a third metal against, which iron and constantan maybe checked. It was to find such a metal; that the present investigation was undertaken. To be a reliable, checking standard, the metal must possess a fairly high melting point? it must be obtainable in sufficient purity, and it must be uniform and constant with respect to its thermoelectric qualities. The choice is, as a result, limited to a few metals, such as copper, gold, and silver. Copper has the advantage of low cost, which makes it possible to use each wire only once and thus avoid any variations due to continued use, although previous investigators have found1 that continued use does not affect the calibration of a copper-constantan thermocouple. Copper also has the advantage of a large thermal electromotive force against constantan and would be desirable as a checking standard if it could be shown that it possessed the proper thermoelectric characteristics. The investigation, accordingly, resolved itself into three phases: the uniformity of commercial electrolytic copper, the effect of aging and method of annealing, and the calibration of the copper-constantan thermocouple.

Jan 9, 1919

J. S. UNGER,*Pittsburgh, Pit., (written discussion?).-From the subject of the paper it is natural to expect that the data presented must be results secured from an open-hearth furnace working under normal conditions, but such is not the case, as the conclusions are based on the results of laboratory tests, which do not approach service conditions. The early basic hearths were made of burnt lime, then followed burnt dolomite, bricks made of calcined dolomite and a 'binder, usually tar, and finally magnesite bricks covered with a layer of sintered magnesite. When this material became scarce, special dolomitic refractories were used. In the summary, it is claimed that magnesite low in lime, or of greatest purity, ranks first in the resistance to slaking and to corrosive slags. It is well known that neither pure lime nor magnesia has much value as a refractory. By the addition f fluxes, such as silica and iron oxide, lime is rendered inert to slaking in the same way as are the special dolomitic refractories. An example on a large scale is the ordinary basic open-hearth cinder, produced every clay, which does not slake. Pure magnesia, regardless of the lime content, is not any better fitted for a refractory than pure lime. The pure natural varieties, such as Grecian or Washington magnesites, must be burnt with sufficient silica and oxide of iron to produce a satisfactory material. Grain magnesite, either artificial or natural, is, not used in burning in a hearth in the state in which it is received. To make a satisfactory hearth, it must be made more impure by adding about 20 per cent. of basic open-hearth cinder, otherwise it will-not remain in place.

Jan 5, 1919