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By Robert Lepsoe

IT is generally realized that in cyaniding the precipitation efficiency of zinc dust is due to the fine division or extended surface of its metallic particles; but frequently it is thought that the presence of other, metals, say 2-3 per cent. lead, is advantageous,. causing more complete precipitation. The results of testing about fifty brands of commercial zinc .dust have led to the conclusion that there is a distinct relation of precipitation efficiency to fineness and that the effect generally can be estimated by examining the size of metallic particles. The presence of lead was not found to be of any importance. SPECIFICATIONS Generally the term "97 percent. to pass a 350-mesh screen, 95-97 per cent. uncombined metallic zinc" is used by the leading European exporters. Among the many methods of determination of metallic zinc, I have found the iodine test (iodine in potassium iodide) very satisfactory and rapid. It has been controlled by the other methods, samples of the same product having been sent to three different analysts: Iodine method 98. 11 per cent. metallic zinc, Volumetric method 97.63 per cent. metallic zinc, Ledoux Co., New York Bichromate method 98.16 per cent. metallic zinc, Watson Gray, Liverpool, England Bichromate method 98.20 per cent. metallic zinc, Norway Inst. of Tech., Trondhjem

Jan 2, 1925

By A. F. Taggart

OLIVER C. RALSTON, Salt Lake City, Utah (communication to, the Secretary*).-This paper has appealed to me as being one of the most lucid, well-connected and complete papers on this subject which has been published. To be sure, the concepts called upon in an explanation of the flotation process by these authors are mostly old ones which have been more or less discussed in previous literature, but they have nevertheless been assembled in a most constructive and suggestive manner. We find a new contribution to flotation theory in the effect of fine particles increasing the viscosity of the interfacial film between a liquid and a gas. This phenomenon has been variously hinted at but never definitely stated in accepted scientific terms. The discussion of "contact angles". is very clear and will doubtless be welcomed by those who have not had the opportunity to investigate the literature on this subject, but it is unfortunate that the "hysteresis of the contact angle," observed by Sulman and reported some years ago, is not mentioned or explained. A few other points need discussion in order to call attention to the fact that, while this paper is the best discussion of the subject which has yet appeared, all of the truth has not yet been told.

Jan 12, 1916

By F. G. McCutcheon

UNTIL about 1930, the universal practice of horizontal-retort zinc smelters in the United States, as far as the writers are aware, was to operate the retort furnaces on a 24-hr cycle; that is, the retorts were charged in the early morning of one day, and in the early morning of the following day the residues were cleaned out, the retorts recharged, and a new cycle started. During the business depression of the early thirties, zinc production fell off to the extent that zinc smelters had idle retort capacity. Rather than continue to run some of the retort furnaces on a 24-hr cycle and shut down the remainder, a few companies decided to try out a longer cycle. Although the output of zinc per retort per day is lower, the longer cycle permits a larger charge per retort and improved zinc recovery. Advantages of the longer cycle were soon evident, and the practice spread rapidly. Various lengths of cycle were used, typical examples being 28-hr, 32-hr, 36-hr, and 48-hr. The 48-hr cycle fits in best with the standard routine of smelter practice that was built up on the basis of the 24-hr cycle; that is, the retort furnace "maneuver" always comes at the same time of day, and can be performed in the cool hours of the early morning. Under some conditions, particularly in some of the older plants, where the retorts are smaller than in newer plants, a 48-hr cycle is longer than necessary, and some intermediate length of cycle may theoretically be most economical. Use of an intermediate cycle, however, means that the maneuver comes at different times on consecutive days, and that sometimes it comes during the hottest part of the day. The work on the retort furnaces is extremely hot and arduous at best, and it is much worse, of course, if it is done during the heat of a summer day. When labor was plentiful and tractable, many plants were able to operate on cycles of intermediate length, but the workmen did not like the working hours. Under present labor conditions, it is hardly practicable to operate with a cycle of intermediate length, so the choice has narrowed down to the alternatives of 24-hr or 48-hr cycles. In any discussion of economics, too comprehensive generalization is not warranted, because local conditions affecting economics vary greatly. The best economic practice at one plant at any given time may be uneconomical at another plant, or even at the same plant at another time. To determine the length of cycle that is the better practice at a given plant at a given time requires a weighing of the advantages and disadvantages of each cycle, taking into consideration all the local conditions. Some of the factors that must be considered in making the comparison are discussed briefly in the following paragraphs.

Jan 1, 1947

By Charles S. Larkey

Numerous papers have been published on the use of graphic methods for determining the best curve for estimating the production decline of oil wells but, as far as the writer has been able to ascertain, nothing has been published showing how curves may be worked out mathematically that will conform most closely to the production data under consideration in any given instance; hence the writer has endeavored to show just how such application can be made. Among the valuation engineers, two types of curves are in current use for the representation of the decline in production of oil wells. One may be represented by the equation, y = krx; this is sometimes known as a percentage curve, for the production for any period is multiplied by a constant rate or percentage to obtain the production for the succeeding period. It appears as a straight line on semilogarithmic cross-section paper. The other curve may be represented by the equation, y = kxn, and is shown as a straight line on logarithmic cross-section paper. In each equation, y represents the number of barrels produced in a given period of time, and x the successive periods of time. The other letters are constants to be determined for each well, or group of wells considered in arriving at the most probable curve to represent the rate of production for a given property. From this the underground reserves may be estimated by extrapolation, or by extending the curve beyond the last known period of production to show the most probable production values for the future. Application to the Burbank Pool Fig. 1 relates to a property in the Burbank Pool, Osage County, Okla. The production is shown as an average per well per month, is plotted to the vertical scale of barrels on the left-hand margin and to the horizontal scale of months at the bottom of the chart. In column y, the number of barrels is listed beginning with May, 1922, as the first month on which to base a decline curve. The type of curve used is of the form, y = krx, or, expressed in logarithms, log y = log k + x log r, in which log k and log r are constants to be determined so that the curve will most closely approximate the production data given.

Jan 1, 1925

Jan 1, 1918

By F. C. Blake

The apparatus which I shall describe in this paper has been in ase for some time at the laboratory of the Pennsylvania Lead Company's works, and has been found to give good results, and to be simple and convenient. Steam Bath.—This steam bath is shown by Figs. 1, 2,3 and 4. It is made of sheet copper, about one-twelfth of an inch thick, the joints being brazed, and is used for heating the bottles in which the silver samples are dissolved,-previous to the fineness determina-

Jan 1, 1882

In a letter to Prof. L. P. Breckenridge, chairman, urging the continua-tion of the Fuel Conservation Committee of the Engineering Council, Edwin Ludlow calls attention to the millions of tons of culm in the an-thracite region that can be utilized in properly equipped plants and the electricity generated transmitted to. New York, Philadelphia, and other nearby cities. He says: "Experiments have shown the economic value of No. 4 Buckwheat, which passes through a 1/16-in. mesh and over a 1/32-in. mesh. Culm passing through a 1/32-in- mesh is pulverized until it passes through a 300 mesh and is then burned under boilers. Two plants of this kind are now in successful operation in the anthracite region. Another rather interesting experiment was using 30 per cent. of this pulverized coal with 70 per cent. of oil in the generation of steam in the place of pure oil. This utilization of the fine anthracite, which has always been a waste product and thrown away, is not only fuel conservation in its truest sense but in the case of a bituminous strike, when no strike is contemplated in the anthracite field, will furnish fuel to manufacturing plants that otherwise would be obliged to shut down."

Jan 12, 1919

By Oliver B. Hopkins

Peru produced approximately 15,838,610 bbl. of oil during 1938, which was 1,618,406 bbl. below its production during 1937. As in recent years, the entire output of the country came from the La Brea-Parinas, Lobitos-Restin, and Zorritos fields, which are all situated along the northwestern coast. Outside of the proven areas, the drilling of test wells was continued by the Peruvian Government on the reserved zone near Zorritos. Six wells have been completed or are drilling. Of these one is a gas well at 2619 ft. and one is dry at 1415 ft. It is reported that three standard and two rotary rigs are being used. In southern Peru, in the Pirin region north of Lake Titicaca, the Government made a geological study of the National Reserve. In eastern Peru, the Cia. Petrolera El Ganso Azul continued its activities in the montana region, where its first well was reported to have had a show of oil at 1000 feet. There was also renewal of leasing activity in eastern Peru, where approximately 380,000 acres of new leases were filed on near Contamana. La Brea-Parinas Estate.—Production of crude oil on this property of International Petroleum Co. Ltd. amounted to 13,137,988 bbl. which was

Jan 1, 1939

By Oliver B. Hopkins

Peru produced approximately 15,838,610 bbl. of oil during 1938, which was 1,618,406 bbl. below its production during 1937. As in recent years, the entire output of the country came from the La Brea-Parinas, Lobitos-Restin, and Zorritos fields, which are all situated along the northwestern coast. Outside of the proven areas, the drilling of test wells was continued by the Peruvian Government on the reserved zone near Zorritos. Six wells have been completed or are drilling. Of these one is a gas well at 2619 ft. and one is dry at 1415 ft. It is reported that three standard and two rotary rigs are being used. In southern Peru, in the Pirin region north of Lake Titicaca, the Government made a geological study of the National Reserve. In eastern Peru, the Cia. Petrolera El Ganso Azul continued its activities in the montana region, where its first well was reported to have had a show of oil at 1000 feet. There was also renewal of leasing activity in eastern Peru, where approximately 380,000 acres of new leases were filed on near Contamana. La Brea-Parinas Estate.—Production of crude oil on this property of International Petroleum Co. Ltd. amounted to 13,137,988 bbl. which was

Jan 1, 1939

By C. A. Wert

THE solid solubility of cementite in a-iron has been investigated a number of times and there is now general agreement on the solubility of about 0.018 wt pct at the eutectoid temperature, 720°C. With decreasing temperature, the solubility falls off so rapidly and to such a low value that no data obtained by standard metallurgical methods are available below 500°C. Using a new technique, however, Dijkstral has obtained apparently accurate solubilities down to 400°C; which data agree well with previously measured solubilities in the 600" to 700°C temperature range.' The present paper has in part the purpose of extending his work to still lower temperatures. Earlier work of Low and Gensamer3 on iron has established that the presence of a relatively small amount of carbon can play a tremendous role in affecting the mechanical properties. In particular they found that the yield point remained high as they reduced the amount of carbon in the iron; the yield point dropped only after the carbon content had fallen to something less than 0.003 wt pct, the point where their carbon analysis failed. It seemed desirable to the present author to see if some means could not be found to extend this part of their work. This investigation has then the additional purpose to determine the range of carbon concentration in which the major change occurs. Solubility The method used in the present work to measure small percentages of carbon in a-iron utilizes internal friction. Since this method may not be fa-miliar to the reader, the following explanation will be given (a part of this procedure is from unpublished results of Dijkstra): It is known that the internal friction associated with the diffusion of

Jan 1, 1951

By J. A. Jaekel, W. C. Aitkenhead

Uranium deposits in the Spokane Indian Reservation, as well as those around Mt. Spokane, are essentially low grade, much of the ore containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8. The Mining Experiment Station of the Division of Industrial Research, State College of Washington, has been engaged in intensive research on the amenability of these low grade ores to froth flotation. The results: successful flotation of autinite, chief mineral constituent. At the outset of this work the goal was a concentrate of 1 pct U3O8 with a 90 pct recovery from ores containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8. Most of the work has been done on argillite ore from the Midnight mine on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The goal has not been attained using this ore, but samples of the granite ore from Mt. Spokane yielded successful results. For example, a concentrate containing 11.2 pcl U3O8 was produced from a Mt. Spokane high grade ore containing 1.27 pct U3O8 with a recovery of 97.8 pct. Another Mt. Spokane ore yielded a concentrate of 5.0 pct U3O8 from an ore containing 0.13 pct U3O8. with a recovery of 85 pct. This same ore gave a recovery of 93.5 pct when the grade of concentrate was reduced to 2.0 pct. It has been concluded that a successful method for floating autunite has been developed and that the mediocre results from the Midnight argillite ore are probably caused by the presence of some other uranium mineral or minerals less amenable to these reagents. The experimenters tested a third type of Washington ore, found on the Northwest Uranium Mines Inc. property on the Spokane Indian Reservation. This is a conglomerate of pebbles and small boulders of partially decomposed granite and is shot through with autunite. Its characteristics lie between those of the Midnight ore and the granite ore from the Spokane district. It responds better than the ore from Midnight but not as well as that from Mt. Spokane. As the fatty acids are the only type of collectors showing promise, investigation has been concerned with these acids and the optimum conditions for their use. The first method for treating the argillite ore from the Spokane Indian Reservation made use of Cyanamid's R-708 as a collector, a tall oil product described as a substitute for oleic acid. Although the investigators proved that R-708 is a collector for autunite when mixtures of autunite and silica sand are used, results on the ore were mediocre. Tests of other fatty acids revealed that the solid fatty acids of the saturated series are collectors for autunite and that their collecting power increases with the length of the carbon chain. The even carbon members of the whole series were tested from the 10 carbon acid (capric) to the 22 carbon acid (be-henic). The least expensive collector, stearic acid (18 carbon), proved to be a good one, so this was used in most of the tests. In first attempts with stearic acid, the collector was dissolved in various hydrocarbons and the solutions were added to the flotation cell. Cyclohexane, gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, and other solvents were tried. Small amounts of high grade concentrates could be brought up, but recoveries were low. Finally emulsions of stearic acid were tried. It was discovered that stearic acid alone has little collecting power except when conditioning is carried out at high temperature. When hydrocarbon solvents were also present, it proved to be an excellent collector. An example of one emulsion that proved satisfactory for some ores is given as follows: 1 part stearic acid by weight, 1 part sodium oleate by weight, 1.2 parts kerosene by weight, 100 parts water. In some successful tests part of the stearic acid was replaced by oleic acid. The emulsions were made by agitating the stearic acid and sodium oleate together with hot water, then adding the kerosene and agitating while cooling. In the five tests reported in Table 1, 650 g of ore were ground with 650 cc water in a laboratory rod mill. The pulp was filtered to eliminate excess water and the ground ore transferred to a stainless steel beaker for conditioning at high pulp density. In most of the tests sodium hydroxide was added to the conditioner during agitation, then the collector emulsion, and finally the sodium silicate. The amount of alkali was adjusted to give a pH of 8.5 to 9.0 in the flotation cell. After conditioning the pulp was transferred to a laboratory flotation cell and the test completed in a normal manner. It is interesting to note that a deposit of high grade concentrate forms on the conditioning agitator and in the conditioning vessel, and at times on the agitator of the flotation cell itself. A few grams of concentrate running as high as 4 pct U3O8 were recovered from the conditioner when Midnight ore containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8 was treated. In the examples given in Table I this conditioner concentrate is calculated as part of the total concentrate. The authors have not yet fully explored the possi-

Jan 1, 1960

By E. J. Quinn, M. F. Fogler

In a recent paper, Rawdon and Mutchlerl gave some exceptionally interesting results on the Brinell and scratch hardness of severely cold-worked metals. In their work, they found that, on continued cold rolling, the metal hardened up to a particular point and then reversed and became softer; this was true for both Brinell and scratch hardness values. The generally reported behavior2 of metals, with respect to Brinell tests on cold-worked material, is that the metals harden up to a certain point and then, on further cold rolling, no change in Brinell hardness occurs. Jeffries and Archer3 state that there is little difference between the scratch hardness of annealed and cold-worked metals; the work of Faust and Tammann4 also indicated no difference between the hardness of annealed and cold-worked copper. Rawdon and Mutchler found, when they plotted the reduction ratio (initial thickness divided by thickness after rolling) against the hardness value for the cold-rolled material, that the hardness number increased up to a reduction ratio of about 3 and then decreased and became even smaller than that for the annealed metal. This behavior was reported for both scratch and Brinell hardness; Figs. 1 and 2 show their results for Brinell hardness on the metals for which they published data. This is an exceptionally interesting phenomenon, if it occurs under all conditions of rolling, and would have an important bearing on the practice of cold

Jan 1, 1925

Jan 1, 1916

By R. A. Vandermeer

It is usually assumed that the rate-determining step in the migration of a grain boundary involves the thermally activated transfer of single atoms across the interface. Chemical reaction rate theory then gives a migration rate which is proportional to the driving force when this is small compared to kT.1 In their recrystallization studies on aluminum, Gordon and vandermeer2 obtained data which was capable of providing the first experimental test of this proportionality. They correlated stored energy (driving force) release measurements determined calorimetrically with fraction recrystal-lized kinetic (growth rate) data acquired metallo-graphically at a temperature where a significant amount of recovery takes place concurrently with recrystallization. Within experimental error, the results of Gordon and Vandermeer confirmed experimentally, at least over a limited range, the linear dependence of boundary migration (growth) rate on driving force in accordance with theory. In obtaining these results, however, an incorrect, implicit assumption was made in relating the average instantaneous growth rate of the recrystallized grains to the measured fraction recrystallized kinetic data. The purpose of this present note is to point out and correct this assumption. An alternate approach, whereby a more proper average growth rate can be calculated from the recrystallization kinetic data, is presented. The earlier data, reevaluated in terms of this new approach, show the same general trend as before so that the original conclusion of Gordon and vandermeer2 is still valid. As was shown in a detailed study3 of the geometrical features of recrystallization in aluminum, the colonies of recrystallized grains can be regarded as uniform cylinders embedded in a three-dimensional matrix, the number of such colonies being constant. Thus during the early stages of recrystallization the volume fraction recrystallized, Xv, can be written as Xv=ynvlr2 [l] where y is a shape factor and i and r are defined as the average length and radius of a recrystallized colony and are spatial averages over the specimen. -nv, is the number of such colonies in a unit of volume. The erroneous assumption made in the earlier paper2 was that r in Eq. [I] could be replaced by

Jan 1, 1965

By C. M. Myrick

(Cleveland Meeting, October, 1912) THE following notes are submitted in the belief that they may interest some of the many owners of small water-power plants, so generally used in mining-work throughout the West. A small and somewhat primitive quartz-mill was taken over by a leasing company, and a 10-stamp battery was installed. Originally, power had been furnished by a Pelton wheel ; but, since the supply of water depended on the rate at which snow was melting on the mountains, a steam-plant had been added to help out during cold spells. This auxiliary plant was antiquated and expensive to operate, and, soon after starting up the remodeled mill, it broke down completely; so that it became necessary to get all the power possible out of the Pelton wheel,. with its ever-varying water-supply. The pipe-line, about a quarter of a mile long, was made up. of assorted sizes, from 7 to 11 in. in diameter; and, since it was buried deep under snow, there were no data from which to calculate the theoretical size of the nozzle. The stream being at this time at a low stage, it was important to make the most efficient use of the available water. This was done by using a nozzle large enough to pass the whole supply-taking care, however, to limit the size so as not to lower the water-level in the tank at the head of the pipe-line. As the weather became warmer, the nozzles were gradually enlarged to meet the increasing volume of water; but a point was finally reached where further enlargement only gave decreased power. Evidently the loss from friction had more than balanced the gain from the increased flow through the pipe. However, the area of nozzle that developed the, maximum power from the pipe-line had been found. This was used; and the surplus water was allowed to run to waste at the head of the line.

Oct 1, 1912

Jan 1, 1916

By Clarence M. Haight

The general practice in drill sharpening shops, of which descriptions have been written, is about as follows: The bit is heated to 1600" to 1900°F. Then when forged to the proper shape and size in the sharpening machine, the steel is allowed to cool; it is then passed to a hardening furnace where only the end is heated to about 1450" F., and then quenched in cold water, brine, or in brine with oil on top.

Jan 1, 1922

By Percival Roberts

It may seem necessary to offer an apology for presenting for consideration a process which is conspicuous by its absence in the literature of the Institute, and which may be thought by some to belong to the past in metallurgy, and to have been already superseded. But the large capital invested in puddling calls for a careful consideration of the question whether the time has certainly arrived when the puddling furnace must be replaced by the converter and open-hearth furnace. May there not still be a place for puddled iron alongside of molten iron and steel, and is not the improvement of the puddling process itself worthy the attention of engineers equally with the Bessemer and open-hearth processes? The changes involved in the conversion of pig iron into wrought iron are well understood and need only be briefly alluded to. The patent of Henry Cort bears the date of 1784. Since that time * the improvements in the process have mainly consisted in the replacement of sand by iron bottoms by Samuel Baldwyn Rogers in 1818, and the still more recent substitution of iron oxide for the refractory materials used for the rides and bridge of the hearth, which distinguishes the wet or boiling process from the dry or pnddling process. Chemically, the process consists in the removal of the metalloids from the pig iron, a result effected mainly by the iron oxide. Silicon is first oxidized, then the phosphorus, and finally the carbon. The silicic and phosphoric acids produced pass into the cinder and the carbonic oxide burns as it escapes from the bath of metal. It is interesting in this connection to note the effect of temperature on the removal of the phosphorus from the iron. As is well known, no phosphorus is eliminated under the oxidizing influences prevailing in the Bessemer converter, while from 70 to 80 per cent. is removed in puddling. But we find, if in working cold short irons

Jan 1, 1880

Jan 1, 1903

By Max Boehmer

The first and most lasting impression made upon the mind of him who examines a mine or a mining district consists in the observation that in each and every case there is an intimate association of the ores with the eruptive rocks in the dietrict. The mines in the Mississippi valley seem to be the only excep-

Jan 1, 1904