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By G. L. Corrigan, J. R. Coleman

Four factors that largely determine the end product obtained when cement and water are mixed are the chemical compo ition of the cement, the fineness to which the cement is ground, the amount of mixing water used, and the procedure used in mixing the slurry. In order to study the effect of two of these factors, the other two, the chemical composition and method of mixing, are kept constant, leaving as variables fineness and water-cement ratio. Through years of experimentation and usage it has been well established that the reduction of cement clinker to a very fine state by grinding improves its cementing value, principally because the reaction between cement and water takes place only at the surface of the cement particle, further action being hindered by the accumulation of reaction products that tend to coat the unreacted material. Therefore, the more finely ground a cement, and the greater the surface exposed in proportion to its mass, the more rapid is the hydration rate. Similarly, the greater the surface exposed, the greater the proportion of the cement that reacts, and the lower the amount of residue that is unreacted and so remains inert and unable to make any contribution to cementing properties.1 Although it is more expensive to manufacture a finely ground cement than a coarser cement, the advantages of fine grinding of construction cements were so marked that the fineness of cement has increased considerably in past years. When the manufacture of special oil-well cements was begun, it was necessary to consider properties of cement that previously were considered of minor importance, foremost of these being pumpability. Since, with the water-cement ratio constant, a finely ground cement will produce a neat slurry of higher consistency and shorter time of pumpability than will a coarser cement, there is a tendency to grind oil-well cements to a lower degree of fineness. Therefore, in order to produce oil-well cements that will make a slurry having a long time of pumpability, cements are manufactured that because of their coarseness generally are poorer cementing materials than some of the more finely ground construction cements. On the other hand, often it is necessary to pump oil-well cements for long periods of time to place them properly behind a string of casing in a deep well, and since high strength is not of foremost importance for such cement, there is room for considerable controversy concerning the proper fineness range.

Jan 1, 1941

Despite the uncertain political situation in Katanga, copper and cobalt mining and metallurgical operations of Union Miniere du Haut-Katanga were normal at the time of this writing. In fact operations continued normal after Congo independence on June 30, 1960, with copper and zinc production for that year being slightly higher than in 1959. United Nations military operations from September to December 1961 resulted in death, shutdowns and damage to company persons and installations. Nevertheless, results for that year were only slightly off normal production. Moise Tshombe delared Katanga a separate state after Congo independence. Although there has been tribal unrest, the new State has enjoyed relative calm and normal industry by comparison with other parts of the Congo as a result of the firm hand of Moise Tshombe's government and the continued presence of Belgian officials and technicians.

Jan 12, 1962

By A. Bar-Or, G. Hirsch, P. Wynblatt

The rates of nucleation and growth at various temperatures in U-0.45, 1.1, and 1.35 at. pet Cr alloys were determined, providing a qliantitative proo-f that the transformation under study is controlled by nucleation and diffusional growth. The linear relationship, log NV US 1/T2, suggests that the nucleation of the alloys is probably controlled by the classical law of nuclei formation. The established linear relationship, log G us 1/T, in the three alloys suggests that growth in each alloy is controlled by bidimensional nuclei formation. It was established that both the rate of growth and the rale of nucleation are retarded by chromium. Using classical formulae, sApN and sApG (the ß/a apparent interphase energies) were calculated from the nucleation and growth results, respectively. It was found that their values are of the same order of magnitude. However, why sApN is unaffected by the addition of chromium, while sApG increases with it, needs further clarification. In the last few years, an appreciable amount of research has been conducted into the mechanism of the ß —a transformation in uranium and uranium alloys. Recently, Burke1 reviewed the published work concerned with this transformation. He concluded that in dilute uranium alloys it is firmly established that, at high temperatures in the a range, ß decomposes by a diffusional process. However, he based his conclusion either on experiments dealing with the over-all transformation,2 or on qualitative results.3 It was felt that a better insight into the mechanism of transformation could be gained from the quantitative measurements of growth and nucleation rates, which we aimed to carry out in the present work. In a previous work,4 we have shown that a rim of a grains is formed during isothermal transformation at the high a range. The thickening of this rim with time was used for measuring the rate of growth in U-0.45 at. pet Cr.5 This method was also used in the present work for two more alloys. For meas- uring the rate of nucleation, a method of quenching and macroetching was developed to allow differentiation between a grains formed during isothermal transformation at the upper a range and those formed after quenching, Fig. 1. EXPERIMENTAL WORK AND RESULTS The Rate of Nucleation. The measurement of the rate of nucleation was effected by counting the num-

Jan 1, 1965

By V. D. Perry

Mineralized breccia pipes, because of their widespread occurrence and close structural relations to some of the world's great ore bodies, are objects of unusual interest for mining engineers and geologists. The literature contains many references to them, but it is questionable whether their genetic significance and economic importance have been sufficiently emphasized. The purpose here is to stress these features, relating them to the field facts, for the particular benefit of younger generations of geologists who, confronted with and sometimes confused by the growing flood of geochemical, geophysical, and other specialized research approaches, may be reassured that mappable field relations remain a foremost guide to a better understanding of ore deposits. A mineralized breccia pipe is a pre-mineral, breccia structure which has controlled the circulation and deposition of subsequently introduced mineralization. It is composed of relatively rotated angular or rounded rock fragments, set in a mineralized matrix. A pipe in plan outline may be circular, oval or approach polygonal form, with a steep to vertical axis proportionately much greater than its horizontal dimensions. The pipe is a steeply plunging, chimneylike mass of brecciated rock cemented with later minerals. Rock breaks in a variety of ways and complete fragmentation often occurs without rotation of individual pieces. A finely broken rock mass may fit into a tight jig-saw pattern, each fragment having mutually concordant boundaries with its neighbors. The result is a stockwork of innumerable reticulating cracks that, once cemented by mineralization, forms a complicated intersecting network of individually insignificant but collectively important seams and veinlets. Stockwork fracturing among its many forms takes the shape of domes of subsidence, fracture pipes, and related peripheral zones around and over breccia columns, or a combination of any of these structures. The significance of the mineralized breccia pipe is that it represents the extreme or climactic expression of a structural type which has a variety of mutations including subsidence domes, fracture pipes, and other stockwork zones all with related ancestry and similar to dissimilar characteristics. These allied and associated structures hold an answer to the fundamental question of the origin of many important ore deposits. CANANEA-TYPE LOCALITY FOR BRECCIA PIPES The Cananea district is characterized by an unusual development of mineralized breccia pipes. It is an important copper producer located in Sonora, Mexico, a short distance southwest of Bisbee, Arizona, and at the southerly limit of the great porphyry copper belt of the southwestern U.S. Cananea's rocks consist of Paleozoic quartzite and limestone capped unconformably by a thick series of volcanics including andesitic flows, tuffs, and agglomerates. These rocks have been intruded by a deep-seated granite with related basic and acid differentiates including dikes and plugs of quartz mon-zonite porphyry. Mineralization coincides with a northwesterly trending belt of these intrusives which break upward into and through the sedimentary-volcanic rock sequence. The district has weakly defined tectonic alignments in a northwesterly direction with subordinate intersecting fracture elements, but lacks important faulting or fissuring to provide throughgoing avenues for the upward circulation of mineralizing fluids. Thus, as will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs, the alternate way in which late magmatic and hydro-thermal derivatives of the parent magma reached the near-surface zone was by excavating their own breccia pipe channelways. There are numerous stages of breccia pipe development, related both in time and space to magmatic activity. A compilation of similarities and differences in various pipes suggests that proximity or remoteness of a demonstrable or inferred magmatic source provides an orderly genetic basis for describing the following representative types. Cananea Duluth Type: There are no intrusive rocks within or close to the Cananea Duluth pipe; therefore, the existence of any deep-seated magma that may have been related to its formation must be inferred. The structure is an oval-shaped ring 1200 x 300 ft in plan dimensions, cutting steeply across low angle, bedded tuffs, and other volcanics; it has been developed by drill holes to a depth of 2000 ft below the surface. The ore follows the periphery of the pipe and is composed of intensely brecciated rock which is cemented by minor galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, quartz, carbonates, and adularia. There is a definite vertical zoning of sulfides with less galena, continuing sphalerite, and increasing chalcopyrite at deeper levels. Within the interior of the ore ring, the brecciation becomes progressively weaker and coarser, the whole indicating relatively gentle slumping with broken, thin tuff beds pre-

Jan 1, 1961

By Howard Martens, Pol Duwez

IN two papers published in 1949, alloys of chromium with the refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and columbium were investigated in view of their possible use as high temperature resisting materials. For the Cr-Ta system, a partial phase diagram was presented and the only intermediate phase was identified at Ta2Cr3. A phase of the same composition was also observed in the Cb-Cr system. The X-ray diffraction data presented in these papers, however, were insufficient for crystal structure determination. It is shown in the present study that the only intermediate phase in both the Ta-Cr and the Cb-Cr systems corresponds to the ideal stoichiometric ratio TaCr2, or CbCr2. Both structures are cubic, MgCu, type. At high temperature, however, TaCr2 has a hexagonal MgZn, type structure, which can be retained at room temperature by fast cooling. The alloys were prepared by melting in a helium arc furnace on a water-cooled plate. The design of the furnace was essentially the same as that described in ref. 3. Some alloys were also obtained by sintering compacts made of the mixed powders pressed at 80,000 psi. The sintering was carried on for 4 hr at 1375°C. The tantalum and columbium powders were supplied by Fansteel Metallurgical Corp., North Chicago, 111. The tantalum powder was the reagent grade, with a particle size smaller than 400 mesh and a total impurity content less than 0.1 pct. The columbium powder was smaller than 325 mesh and contained approximately 0.1 pct C and traces of Fe, Ti, and Zr. The electrolytic chromium powder from Charles Hardy, Inc., New York, was smaller than 300 mesh and contained about 0.1 pct Na, 0.05 pct Ca, and traces of Cu, Al, Mg, Si, and Co. Powder diffraction patterns were obtained with a 14.32 cm camera, using copper Ka radiation filtered through nickel foil. The powder pattern of the TaCr2 alloy obtained by sintering at 1375'C was different from that obtained on the same alloy rapidly cooled from the melt. Contrary to this result, the powder pattern of CbCr2 was the same, whether the alloy was made by sintering at 1375°C or by melting, and was similar to that of the TaCr, sintered. It was also found that the structure of the TaCr2 specimen obtained by melting was retained after heating for 4 hr at 1590°C, but transformed into the structure found in the sintered specimen after heating for 4 hr at 1375°C. Hence, the structural change of TaCr2, appears to be a reversible polymorphic transformation. CbCr2 and ToCr2 Structure, Low Temperature Form By using large scale Hull-Davey charts, the powder pattern of CbCr, and of the low temperature form of TaCr2 were readily interpreted on the basis of a face-centered cubic lattice with a parameter of approximately 6.95 kX. The indices of the reflections together with the values of sin' 0 are given in Tables I and 11. From this list of observed reflections, it appears that the (200), (600), (024), (046), and (028) reflections are missing. The lack of (h00) reflections for h 4n indicates a four-fold screw axis. The missing (Okl) spectra for k + 1 An indicate the existence of a diamond glide d. The combination of these symmetry elements can be found in the O— Fd3m space group, which is therefore the most probable one. After having determined the approximate density of TaCr, by the immersion method, the number of molecules per unit cell was calculated and found to be nearly eight. This information, added to the fact that the most probable space group is O leads to the consideration of a structure of the MgCu2 type, in which the atoms have the following positions: 8 magnesium in a and 16 copper in d. On the basis of this structure, intensities were computed by means of the usual formula: 1 cos'20 I a sin2 cos where F is the structure factor; 8, the Bragg angle: and p, the multiplicity factor. As shown in Tables I

Jan 1, 1953

By Brooks J. Klimley, Daniel M. Higgins, Grover R. Castle

Measuring The Economic Viability Of Resource Projects (A Western Surface Coal Project) The bankers approach to the analysis of a new "green fields" mining project is similar but different from the approach that the pining company might take. The purpose of this paper shall be to discuss the techniques that are used by mining companies and bankers as they try to measure the economic viability of mining projects. The analysis of these new projects (by both the mining companies and the banker) is based on a projected revenue stream and not on historical earnings or past perfomance because these projects are start up situations with no history to look to. The starting point in the analysis of these projections is the choice of the assumptions to be used in preparing these projections. After the assumptions have been determined and the projections are prepared then the projections are submitted to various tests in order to determine whether the project measures up to previously agreed upon minimum standards. In order to illustrate the analytical procedures used in evaluating a mineral project the writer has constructed a hypothetical case involving the development of a western surface coal mine (Property). The basic data in connection with this hypothetical new project is described in the next section of this paper. After the Description of the Project is a section which shows the type of analysis that a mining company might prepare in order to approach a bank for a loan and the final section illustrates the type of analysis that a bank might prepare in evaluating this loan request. Description Of The Project or Basic Data In Connection With Undeveloped Western Surface Coal Property An independent mining/geological Consultant's report has been completed on the Property which confirms that the Property contains 175 million tons of economically recoverable coal subdivided into the following reserve categories in accordance with U.S. Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey definitions: Measured or Proven 90,000,000 Indicated or Probable 50,000,000 Inferred or Possible 35,000,000 The owners of the reserves have chosen to drill up those reserves that are nearest to the subcrop and have not spent as much time on those portions of the Property which are on the fringes of the deposit where the overburden is thicker because the stripping ratio and hence the operating costs and capital requirements are higher down dip. The proven reserves are based on an average thickness of 80 feet, of which a mining recovery of 90% is projected. The overburden thickness varies from 0' to 280' with an average thickness of 127'. The overburden consists mainly of scoria, sandstone, gravel, shale and silty clay. 134 holes were cored (and analysis done on five foot increments) in the measured reserve on the following spacing: 100 foot centers to define the burn line; 1,320 foot centers to define the early mining areas; 2,640 foot centers to identify the later mining areas.

Jan 1, 1985

By C. H. Mathewson

Discussion of the paper of C. H. MATHEWSON and ARTHUR PHILLIPS, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1916, and printed in Bulletin No. 109, January, 1916, pp. 1 to 50. ZAY JEFFRIES, Cleveland, Ohio (communication to the Secretary*).¬The authors are to be congratulated for this interesting and valuable contribution. The paper as a whole shows very careful experimentation coupled with rare judgment in drawing conclusions. I have been working along similar lines for the last two years with other metals and alloys. In a short conversation with Dr. Mathewson about July 1, 1915, he mentioned the fact that different degrees of cold work greatly affect the temperature of recrystallization on annealing, Later I determined the recrystallization temperatures of iron, mild steel, and copper, with different degrees of cold work and found that the greater the degree of cold work, the lower the temperature of recrystallization on annealing. In the course of these experiments, I conceived practically the same ideas regarding the reasons for recrystallization as those advanced in the article under discussion. After a metal has been reduced by cold work to about one-fourth of its original area, the differences in orientation of different parts of a given grain can be seen plainly at a magnification of about 1,000 diameters. It is interesting to note that in Fig. A, Plate I, the lines of deformation are not parallel. For example,. in the large grain at the lower left corner of the micrograph, if the lines of deformation about 3g in. from the left edge are continued in a straight line, this line will intersect a straight line drawn as a continuation of the lines of deformation on the extreme right of the grain, at an angle of about 20°. Similarly, if the lines of deformation at the extremities of the large grain in the right central portion of the micrograph are extended, the lines intersect at an angle of about 35°. The individual lines of deformation are not straight. In some of these the parts of the broken lines intersect at angles as great as 15°.

Jan 5, 1916

By W. C. Hagel, J. H. Westbrook

THERE has been a recent revival of interest in the intermetallic compound AgMg as an experimental material for study of the physical and chemical properties of simple ordered structures. Studies of mechanical behaviors,1-4 diffusion,5,6 and thermo-dynamic properties7'8 have been reported. In several of these studies, heat treatments have been carried out in argon-filled silica capsules at temperatures as high as 750°C with no apparent adverse effects. The present authors were, therefore, startled to discover in the course of some yet unpublished work, that gross melting of near-stoichio-metric AgMg compositions occurred in such samples more than 100 deg below their melting point of about 800°C. This note is to report a brief series of experiments carried out to establish the reason for this behavior. Gross errors in sample composition and failure of furnace temperature controls were quickly eliminated as causes of melting. The first tangible lead came from chemical analysis of an AgMg sample which had melted during treatment at 750°C. A silicon content of 3.3 wt pct was found. Since satisfactory analyses had been obtained on the original as-cast ingot, contamination by diffusion and/or reaction with the fused silica capsule seemed a distinct possibility. A perplexing fact, however, was the apparently capricious incidence of the effect. Not only was it previously unknown, even in the experience of the present authors; but, in the early part of the present study, melting sometimes occurred and sometimes not with specimens treated under constant conditions. Indeed, one sample successfully survived a 750°C heat treatment and yet melted completely during the course of a subsequent anneal in an identical capsule at a lower temperature. To obtain evidence that silicon contamination could lower the melting point to the extent observed, the following experiment was performed. A series of ternary alloys was made up with a stoichiometric AgMg base and containing 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 1, 2, and 4 wt pct Si. Melting was done in MgO crucibles under a cover of argon gas. After holding 10 to 20 min in the temperature range 850° to 900°C, the alloys were allowed to solidify in the crucible and the temperature during cooling automatically recorded with a Pt/Pt-10 Rh thermocouple. Results from the cooling curves are shown in Fig. 1. Checks within 2 to 5C° were obtained upon repeated melting, cooling, and freezing. The whole series of cooling curves as well as metallographic examination of the melted alloys established that the AgMg rich portion of the AgMg-Si quasibinary is an eutectic-type system. The melting point of AgMg is lowered from approximately 820°C in the pure stoichiometric binary9 to about 710°C in the saturated intermetallic phase. Since second phase was observed in all samples on cooling to room temperature, the solid solubility of AgMg for silicon evidently falls rapidly with decreasing temperature as indicated schematically by the dashed solvus in Fig. 1. It is thus established that a silicon content

Jan 1, 1963

By F. C. Blickensderfer

THE CHAIRMAN (B. B. GOTTSBERGER, Miami, Ariz.).-On your trip today through the Inspiration and Miami mills you have seen in actual operation the machines which represent the changes adopted in grinding methods in the Miami district from the beginning of operations in March, 1911. In one section of the Miami plant are three Chilean mills not yet discarded, representing the first machines adopted. In another section, pebble grinding is still in operation, while in the balance of the plant, pebbles have been replaced with iron balls. In all cases these machines are handling a feed which is the product of roll, grinding down to about ¼ in. in, size. The latest step in grinding in the district, You saw at the Inspiration plant, where in Marcy mills a filed, the larger pieces of which remain on a 2-in. opening, is being reduced in one operation to a product of which only about 3 per. cent. remains on the 48-mesh screen. A detailed comparison of the methods used at the two plants would be very instructive but our own work at Miami has not yet reached a point where such a comparison is possible, the reason being that our final product is not yet fine enough. By means of larger Hardinge mills operating in closed circuit with Dorr classifiers soon to, be installed in one section of the plant, we hope to obtain, under properly balanced operating conditions the same end result as at Inspiration. It, might interest you, however, to know some of the results we have obtained here by the substitution of balls for pebbles. With pebble grinding, using three 8-ft. by 22-in. mills, followed by one 8-ft. by 66-in. mill for regrinding the coarse product of the primary mills, we handled 636 tons per 24 hr. in one section of the plant. Substituting balls for pebbles in the first operation and using two mills in place of three we obtained a tonnage of .714 tons to the section. With the use of balls both in the primary mills and in the regrinding mills, the tonnage for one section was raised to 822 tons per day. Coincident with this increase in tonnage, we also obtained a greater efficiency. The use of pebbles in all mills showed 21.5 per cent. plus 48-mesh material in the final tailing, which figure was reduced to 13.9 per cent. for balls followed by pebbles, and to 4.6 per cent. with the use of balls both in the primary and regrinding mills.

Jan 12, 1916

By Colin Baker, G. C. Smith

Investigation of the initiation and propagation of ductile failure in OFHC copper was undertaken to determine the role of nonmetallic inclusions. The effect of inclusion initiated voids on the formation of the internal cavity and the final shear separation was studied by metallographic eranzination of strained test pieces. A strain anneal technique was used to enlarge the voids under uniaxial stress conditions to elinzinate triaxial stress effects. Measurements of void size us stress and strain were made to show the point at which void im'tiation begins and becomes an important factor in the deformation process. The work of separation of copper-cuprous oxide was determined to attempt to correlate the breakdown of the matrix inclusion interface with void initiation and propagation. The zloid shape and position relative to the tensile axis suggested an interface breakdown mechanisnz of initiation. Evidence is presented that shows a basic similarity between the central cavity propagation and the 45-deg shear portions of the failure. DUCTILE fracture has been studied by a number of workers1-lo and attention drawn to the importance of hard second phase particles in the initiation of the failure. Holes formed at the matrix-particle interface can elongate by plastic deformation and then subsequently expand sideways to link up and produce a major crack. This is usually observed first in the center of the macroscopically necked region of a test-piece where the hydrostatic stresses are at a maximum. As the crack spreads sideways towards the free surface of the specimen, well defined shear zones develop from the crack tip and the final separation is along a direction at approximately 45 deg to the stress axis. This shear failure may also be associated with voids formed adjacent to second phase particles. In this way a cup and cone type fracture is produced. The stage at which separation takes place between particles and the surrounding matrix has not been clearly identified. In addition, although researchers have dealt with anisotropy of tensile behavior" as a result of material fabrication variables, not much is known about the microstructural features of aniso-tropic behavior. In the present work evidence on these points is presented in relation to the behavior of copper containing second phase particles of cuprous oxide. I. MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES EMPLOYED The material used was +-in. diam or 2-in. sq cold-drawn OFHC copper bar which contained 0.6 pct by volume of cuprous oxide inclusions. These ranged in COLIN BAKER, Junior Member AIME, formerly at -mnF of Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, is presently Research Scientist Reynolds Metals Co., Richrnand, Va. G. C. SMITH, Member AIME, is Senior Lecturer, Department of Metallurgy, University of Cambridge. Manuscript submitted June 20, 1967. IMD size from approximately 1 to 6 p in length and 1 to 4 p in width. The shape was generally slightly ovoid. Tensile tests were made on specimens having a gage length of 2.5 cm and diameter of 0.643 cm. Metallographic examination was carried out by sectioning deformed and fractured specimens; in addition fracture surfaces were examined optically and with a scanning electron microscope. Some measurements of the work of separation between copper and cuprous oxide were made, using a sessile drop technique which was a modification of that used by Kingery and umenick." The best metallographic results were obtained by using a vibratory polisher, which minimized smearing of the surface. 11. RESULTS A) Initial Experiments. Specimens from the +-in. diam rod were annealed for 2 hr at 650°C in uacuo, at which temperature complete recrystallization occurred without any change in the form of the inclusion. They were then fractured at temperatures from -190" to 600°C. Cup and cone fractures were obtained at all temperatures from -196" to 400°C. With increase in temperature there was, however, a continuous increase in the extent of the central transverse area and a corresponding decrease in the shear portion of the fracture. Above 400°C, the fractures became intergranular. Sections of specimens tested below 400°C revealed extensive small voids which were always associated with inclusions. However, the voids only reached dimensions greater than the inclusion size in the region of the macroscopic neck, where they were many times longer. Lateral expansion was found only near the fracture surface of the test pieces. As observed by Puttick, the voids were either (a) triangular holes initiated in the direction of the tensile axis and elon-

Jan 1, 1969

By J. M. Vonfeld, V. D. Hanson, W. K. Heinlein

TWO overfeed drum-type separators using a suspension of magnetite in water as the separating medium have been installed in the Champion No. 1 preparation plant of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., Division of the Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company. A simplified flow diagram of the Champion No. 1 coarse coal circuit is shown in Fig. 1. A railroad car rotary dump, capable of handling 20 cars per hr, discharges the coal into a hopper. Coal is fed from the hopper of the rotary dump to a 60-in. belt conveyor by two reciprocating pan-type feeders. The belt conveyor feeds the run of mine coal onto the main raw coal screen. The first deck is fitted with 3 in. round hole perforated plate which removes the 3x0-in. coal. The second deck of the screen is equipped with 6-in. lip screens which separate the remaining coal into +6 in. and 6x3 in. The +6 in. coal is transferred to a shaking picking table and then discharged onto the loading boom. The 6x3-in. coal is fed to the No. 2 dense medium vessel for cleaning. The clean coal from this unit flows to a vibrating screen where the medium is removed and the coal sized into 6x4 in. and 4x3 in. The 6x4-in. coal is transferred to the loading booms and the 4x3-in. is conveyed to the clean coal classifying screens to remove degradation. The 3x0-in. raw coal is blended in a system composed of three storage bins having a total capacity of 400 tons. From these bins the coal is fed onto a 48-in. flight conveyor by three reciprocating feeders. This flight conveyor delivers the coal to the Rheo plant. The 3x0-in. coal is then cleaned in two 48-in. Rheolaveur launders each equipped with two Rheo boxes. The first set of boxes removes a primary refuse and the second set produces a middling product which is recirculated in the launders. The cleaned coal and water overflows from the primary launders to two sizing and dewatering shaker screens where the water and - 3/8-in. coal are removed for further cleaning in the Rheo fine coal plant. The 3x3/8-in. clean coal is combined with the 4x3-in. coal from the No. 2 vessel, sized into 4x2 in., 2x1 1/4 in., and 11/4x3/8 in., then sent to the loading booms. The 3x0-in. refuse from the primary launders is normally fed to the No. 1 dense medium circuit, but any portion or all of this material can, as an alternate, be processed in the Rheo rewash launder. The primary refuse when fed to the dense medium circuit is screened into 3/8x0 which is cleaned in the fine coal plant and 3x3/8 for cleaning in the No. 1 vessel. The clean coal from this vessel is passed over a vibrating drainage and rinse screen, then sluiced to the rewash sizing shaker where it is dewatered and sized for loading. The installation of a pilot plant separating vessel using a suspension of magnetite in water was pro-

Jan 1, 1952

By Fred Bond

THERE is acute need for a method that will measure the size distribution of finely di-vided materials, particularly when the par-ticle sizes are smaller than the openings of the finest screen cloth regularly available for testing. Several methods and types of apparatus are in common use, but none are entirely satisfactory for all purposes. The commonest methods are microscopic grain counts, elutriation by liquids or air, and sedimentation. Valuable results have been secured by air elutriating devices, typified by the Haultain Infra-Sizer and the Pearson Air Analyzer. These are especially useful in obtaining sized fractions that can be examined and analyzed separately. They are particularly advantageous because the sizes of the sam-ples produced are adequate for a consider-able amount of subsequent manipulation and testing. The sedimentation methods, such as the Wagner and Klein turbidimeters, and the sedimentation balance, do not deliver sized fractions, but they do provide a means for reasonably rapid comparative determina-tions of fineness and surface area, which are important in many industries. The sedimentation balance consists essen-tially of a balance pan suspended in a liquid that contains falling particles. These are weighed as they settle onto the pan, and the time rate of settling is determined. The size distribution is computed from the set-tling rate. The balance appears to be in-herently more accurate than any of the other methods, and it has served a useful purpose in the study of numerous problems, but there have been limitations which have re-stricted its scope of application. Because of the essential simplicity of the method, it was felt that intensive investiga-tion might lead to modifications that would make it a valuable tool for the operators in industries that require precise information regarding the results secured from grinding equipment. A large number of size-distribu-tion determinations below 200 mesh were required in connection with a particular research problem in fine grinding. The sedimentation balance was used, in this investigation, and a technique was gradually developed that ultimately gave good results. A serious difficulty appeared, early in the work. It was discovered that less material always settled on the sedimentation pan and more on the bottom of the containing jar than could he accounted for by calculation, and also that the material that settled to the bottom of the jar outside the edges of the pan was considerably finer than that on the pan. This segregation was so great that the dis-tribution obtained for the finer sizes was obviously very much in error; material ground to about the degree of comminution of cement might have only 60 per cent of the calculated weight actually settling on the pan, and the error increased with the fine-

Jan 1, 1939

By H. W. Graham

AS these annual occasions in honor of Henry Marion Howe continue through the years, there is progressively less likelihood that the lecturer will have had personal knowledge of Dr. Howe. The present speaker is one of those who unfortunately had no opportunity to come under the inspiring presence of this great metallurgist. A review of Howe's work shows it to cover a comprehensive range of interests and to evidence an impressive richness of detail. Not only was Howe at home in the laboratory, but he was familiar with the processes of iron and steel making and had a real understanding of them writings include much that is descriptive of processes with a wealth of material that is becoming of increasing historical value. He recorded his studies of the theoretical aspects of processes and published at least two process classifications, one in 1890 that was lengthy and somewhat theoretical, and a second in 1906 that was more of a practical listing. Wide as Howe's field of interest was, it is significant of the circumstances of his time that he gave little consideration to raw materials or to their effect on iron and steel making processes. In 1933, Waterhouse, Howe lecturer for that year, presented a descriptive summary of the major steelmaking processes, and in 1946 Joseph discussed the blast furnace process. Otherwise Howe lectures have not dealt with processes as major subjects. In today's lecture, with no effort to describe the mechanical arrangements of iron and steel making facilities, it is proposed to examine the essential technological elements of the processes, to explore the inter-relation of these elements, and particularly to seek recognition and understanding of those factors which determine why certain processes are or are not used. The discussion of this lecture will deal with the major well-known large tonnage processes, with only such attention to processes of minor tonnage and special character as may be warranted for explanation by contrast. Subject to the errors of generalization and the short- comings of condensation involved in presentation limited to a single hour, it is proposed to examine broadly but intensively those operations which convert raw materials into steel. It is an innovation for a Howe lecturer to discuss the raw materials of the iron and steel industry, but the changing circumstances of passing years intensify the influence of raw materials on processes and require the metallurgist to be alert for the process adjustments that may become advisable or mandatory. For a half century the metallurgical processing of iron and steel has followed a surprisingly straight path, but this does not necessarily mean that there are no curves in the road ahead. Ages ago primitive man came to know iron in its metallic form, not only by the

Jan 1, 1947

By A. J. Sinclair

Sampling methods for feasibility studies are dependent on geological characteristics of the deposit being evaluated. A preliminary geostatistical study is required, taking into account autocorrelation aspects of variables under study in order that sample plan design can be optimized to produce grade and tonnage estimates within stipulated error limits. In general, regular sample distribution is to be aimed for, and regular sample lengths (from drill core or cuttings, for example) are preferred in order to facilitate statistical analysis. Sample plans are modified and improved (either technically or economically), as a sampling program proceeds and additional information is obtained. Bulk samples for metallurgical testing can be evaluated in terms of the variance shown by all such samples in a deposit and the internal variability of grade. Attention to these sources of variability will ensure proper evaluation of pilot test results from bulk samples. In addition, a general mineralogical study of a deposit is an important, often ignored, requirement in a more general but semi-quantitative evaluation of the representativeness of a bulk sample; and, moreover, provides information useful in optimizing plant design.

Jan 1, 1978

By J. E. Miller, W. E. DeVaney, L. Stroud

During a recent phase study of a natural gas, two stable equilibrium liquid phases were observed at temperatures below —200°F and pressures above 200 psi. This paper reviews the published literature on the occurrence of multiple equilibrium liquid phases and presents analytical data for the vapor and two equilibrium liquid phases of the liquefied natural gas at five experimental conditions. In addition, data for 30 conditions of two-phase equilibria are included. INTRODUCTION The low-temperature phase behavior of gases, most of which contained helium, has been investigated in the laboratories of the Helium Activity for many years. Since 1952, experimental studies of these systems have been continuous as part of the research program at Amarillo, Tex. Because of their value to private industries interested in participating in the Helium Conservation Program, several "Open File" reports containing phase equilibria data for heliurn-bearing natural gases have already been released by the Helium Activity. A paper containing information on the general phase behavior, operating criteria and extensive vapor-liquid data for two helium-containing systems was recently published.2 Additional publications presenting experimental data on the phase relationships of various gas systems are now in process and will be available in the near future. PREVIOUS EXPERIMENTAL WORK Although the formation of multiple liquids has been reported for various systems, to our knowledge this paper is the only substantiated evidence of a vapor-liquid-liquid equilibria in a naturally occurring gas. In 1940, Vink, Ames, and others13 reported the presence of two liquid phases in a hydrocarbon system consisting of mixtures of crude oils, solvents and natural gas. Eilerts and co-workers; published data on the recombined fluids from a gas-condensate well. This condensed gas, containing approximately 76 per cent methane and 24 per cent ethane-plus, exhibited two distinct liquid phases. Weinaug and Bradley 14 observed "unusual" phase behavior in a reservoir mixture. These workers postulated that the anomalous phase behavior was due to the "imminent formation of a second liquid phase". Botkin, Reamer, Sage and Lacey 1 studied two California crude oils that exhibited multiple phases. Kohn and Kuratal0 recently reported two equilibrium liquid phases in the methane-hydrogen sulfide system. Roof and Crawfordl1 and Eakin, et a16 also have reported experiments with binary systems that formed two stable equilibrium liquid phases. APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE A U. S. Bureau of Mines Phase Equilibrium Apparatus was used in conducting this study. The apparatus and procedures employed in its operation have been previously described3 and will not be repeated in detail ill this report. Briefly, the apparatus consists of a windowed cell which can be maintained within ±0.5°F for temperatures between room temperature arid -320°F. Pressure within the cell can be maintained within 0.1 per cent of gauge reading up to 800 psig. Equilibrium vapor and liquid samples are obtained in special containers4 for analysis by a mass spectrometer. Although the accuracy of the analyzer is about ±0.1 mol per cent, the reproducibility of the phase-equilibrium apparatus is considered relatively poor. Values reported from methane and nitrogen are considered accurate to ±l.0 and ±0.6 mol per cent. Data for ethane-plus in the vapor are accurate within 0.2 mol per cent; liquid-phase data for this aggregate compolnent are accurate within 1.5 mol per cent. For helium in the vapor phase, the analytical data are accurate within 0.2 mol per cent; liquid-phase analyses for this component were obtained by the charcoal adsorption method described by Frost8 and are accurate within 0.006 mol per cent. All of these references to the accuracy of reported values are conservative estimates based upon a statistical treatment of reproducibility data obtained with the apparatus.

By William Newton Best

Oil burners, oil furnaces, and methods of installation, have been the subject of many articles, but information concerning oil-burning systems, based upon scientific principles, is still in great demand, especially in the manufacturing districts of our country. Fuel oil, as it is termed (this being the residuum from oil refineries), has for many years been of great service to our manufacturers, and has justified its popularity not only by producing a superior manufactured product, but by turning out approximately 50 per cent. more product than can be made with coa1 fuel under like conditions. To install a system requiring only an oil-storage tank, a small pump, and an oil-supply main with numerous laterals leading to the various burners, furnaces, boilers, etc., is a comparatively simple matter; and, because fuel oil is very volatile, it is not necessary to heat it, even during the winter months in a very cold climate. Furthermore, only a small amount of power is required to atomize fuel oil, this often being done by a positive pressure blower, or by a mechanical burner. An analysis of fuel oil, together with that of various other liquid fuels, is given in Table I.

Jan 1, 1915

By John Chipman, Minu N. Dastur

This paper presents equilibrium data on the reaction of water vapor with vanadium dissolved in liquid iron at 1600°C. The thermo-dynamic behavior of vanadium and oxygen when present together in the melt is discussed. A deoxidation diagram is presented which shows the concentrations and activities of vanadium and oxygen in equilibrium with V209 or FeV2O4. STUDIES of the chemical behavior of oxygen dissolved in pure liquid iron1-3 have served to determine with a fair degree of accuracy the thermody-namic properties of this binary solution. The practical problems of steelmaking, however, involve not the simple binary but ternary and more complex solutions. Only a beginning has been made toward understanding the behavior of such systems. The silicon-manganese-oxygen relationship was studied long ago by Korber and Oelsen4 and more recently by Hilty and Crafts." The carbon-oxygen reaction was investigated by Vacher and Hamilton6 and by Marshall and Chipman.7 A number of deoxidizing reactions have been studied empirica1lys'10 with the object of determining the appropriate "deoxidation constants." The work of Chen and Chipman" afforded a clear-cut view of the effect of the alloy element, chromium, on the thermodynamic activity of oxygen in liquid ternary solutions. These investigators determined the oxygen content of experimental melts which had been brought into equilibrium with a controlled atmosphere of hydrogen and water vapor and were able to show that the presence of chromium decreases the activity coefficient of oxygen. They determined also the conditions under which the two deoxidation products, Cr2O3 and FeCr2O4, were formed and showed that the activity of residual oxygen is considerably less than its percentage. It was the object of this investigation to apply a similar method to the study of molten alloys of iron, vanadium, and oxygen. Vanadium was once considered a moderately potent deoxidizer, but this is now known to be erroneous, in the light of its behavior in steelmaking practice. Its reaction with oxygen retains a certain amount of practical interest in that a high percentage of one element places a limit on the amount of the other that can be retained. As a deoxidizer it will be shown that vanadium lies between chromium and silicon. Experimental Method The apparatus was that used by the authors3 in their study of the equilibrium in the reaction: H2(g) +O = H2O(g);K,= [1] PII., ao Crucibles of Norton alundum or of pure alumina were used. The latter were made in this laboratory and were of high strength and low porosity. Under conditions of use they imparted no significant amount of aluminum (less than 0.01 pct) to the bath. Temperature measurements were made with the optical equipment and calibration chart of Dastur and Gokcen.= The charge was made up of calculated amounts of ferrovanadium (20 pct V) and clean electrolytic iron totaling approximately 70 g. The first few heats were made in alumina crucibles with an insufficient amount of vanadium so that no oxide of vanadium would be precipitated under the particular gas composition. All the heats were made at 1600 °C under a high preheat and with four parts of argon to one part of hydrogen in the gas mixture to prevent thermal diffusion. The rate of gas flow was maintained constant at 250 to 300 ml per min of hydrogen. The time for each heat was three quarters of an hour after the melt had melted and attained the required temperature (1600°C). The water-vapor content of the entrant gas mixture was gradually raised in succeeding heats, keeping the vanadium content of the melt constant. This was controlled by manipulation of saturator temperature. A point was reached when for a given H2O:H2 ratio some of the dissolved vanadium was oxidized and appeared as a thin, bright oxide film on top of the melt. By raising the temperature of the melt it was possible to dissolve the oxide film which reappeared as soon as it was cooled down to 1600°C. The temperature readings taken on the oxide film were consistently higher by 80" to 85 °C as observed by the optical pyrometer. The heat was allowed to come to equilibrium under a partial covering of this oxide film. At the end of the run the power and preheater were shut off and the crucible containing the melt was lowered down into the cooler region in the furnace. This method of quenching proved quite

Jan 1, 1952

By Mark J. Klein, A. H. Clauer

The Snoek peak induced by solute nitrogen in chromium was studied. A rapid quenching rate is required to maintain nitvogen in solution in sufficient concentrations to be detectable by internal-friction techniques. An expression for the tertninal solubility, c, of nitrogen in weight pevcent is log,,c = -4130/T + 1.05. The diffusion of nitrogen in zhromium determined by internal friction is SNOEK&apos;S theory1 of the stress-induced ordering of interstitial solute elements in the bcc lattice has been used to deduce information on the behavior of interstitials in a number of bcc metals. Under the proper conditions, internal-friction studies of "Snoek peaks" permit a determination of diffu-sivities, solubilities, and precipitation kinetics of interstitial elements. Internal-friction studies of this type have been reviewed by Nowick,&apos; Wert,= Powers and Doyle,4 and others. The behavior of interstitial atoms in Group V-A metals and iron has been rather extensively studied in this way, and results are reasonably self-consistent. However, the study of interstitial elements using internal friction in the Group VI-A metals—tungsten, molybdenum, and chromium—is much less clear. Thus far, internal-friction studies have revealed a peak in tungsten tentatively attributed to carbon5 and a peak in chromium associated with nitrogen. In chromium, Bungardt and Preisendanz6 observed a peak at 180°C for a frequency of -1 cps which they associated with nitrogen. More recently, de Morton7 determined the diffusivity of nitrogen in chromium from studies of a nitrogen peak at 160°c for a frequency of -1 cps and from elastic aftereffect measurements. The objective of this investigation was to study the nitrogen peak in greater detail, to obtain information on the behavior of nitrogen in chromium. This information is of interest because nitrogen is known to have an embrittling effect on chromium. However, efforts to deduce the role played by nitrogen in influencing the mechanical behavior of chromium are handicapped by lack of information on its behavior and distribution in chromium. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES The chromium wires used in these studies were drawn from arc-melted iodide-chromium stock that had been extruded, swaged, and centerless-ground to 0.25 in.-diameter rods. Internal-friction measurements were made in an evacuated torsional pendulum similar to the one described by Kê,8 utilizing wires 0.048 to 0.030 in. in diameter. A series of analyses of the fabricated wires showed that the major impurities were approximately 100 ppm Fe and a combined interstitial content of 50 to 100 ppm C, O, N, and H. A typical interstitial analysis of the wires after processing is 15 ppm C, 2 ppm H, 50 ppm O, and < 5 ppm N. Interstitial concentrations were determined by vacuum-fusion, combustion-conductimetric, and micro-Kjeldahl analyses. In general, vacuum-fusion analysis yielded a lower nitrogen concentration than did micro-Kjeldahl analysis. For consistency, the nitrogen concentrations reported in this investigation were determined by the former method. Heat treatments were carried out by encapsulating the specimens in quartz tubes containing argon. The fabricated wires were annealed at 1150°C for 1 hr to produce uniform recrystallized grain size of about 0.015 mm. Nitrogen and carbon were added to the fabricated wires by encapsulating them in a quartz tube containing ammonia or methane, and annealing them at 1150°C for 48 hr. In some instances, carbon was also introduced by coating the wires with carbon black prior to annealing.

Jan 1, 1965

By John Brown

As a part of a symposium on the relations of structure to ore deposi-tion, in February 1938, the writer presented some tentative opinions derived from his experience with a number of important lead-zinc replace-ment deposits. These ideas were set forth, as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further inquiry, in a mimeographed leaflet that read as follows: Intimate acquaintance with a number of lead and zinc deposits in metamorphosed limestones seems to indicate the existence of certain common features from which can be established some general principles governing the localization of ore in this type of formation. It is suspected that these principles can be applied, with modifica-tions, to mineralization in unmetamorphosed limestone. In metamorphosed forma-tions, some observed rules are as follows: 1. Bands or masses of pure limestone are very resistant to replacement by ore solutions, and are likely either to contain no ore or to resist replacement until near the end of mineralization. The reason for this apparently is physical, not chemical, since microscopic data indicate that when ore is deposited by far the greater part of it substitutes for carbonate. The chief factor is believed to be a lack of porosity in massive limestone that has undergone flowage and recrystallization. 2. Masses of intensely siliceous or silicated rock are likewise unfavorable ore receptacles. This seems to be accounted for by two factors: (a) chemical unsuit-ability or resistance to replacement, and (b) physical resistance to small-scale brecci-ation, which might facilitate the opening of effective channelways for solutions. Some low-grade ore may occur, however, and also sporadic fracture fillings. 3. The optimum condition for ore reception appears to be found in bands or areas containing carbonate and silicates (or quartz) intimately mingled in something like equal proportions. In this situation movement is likely to result in mixed flowage and fracture, producing a fine-textured porosity that admits solutions freely and provides access to an abundance of replaceable carbonate. Cleavage cracks in some minerals such as diopside are believed to facilitate the penetration of solutions. 4. Certain minerals or assemblages are regarded as favorable impurities in a lime-stone and others as unfavorable. Original quartz, and subsequently developed diopside, and perhaps garnet, are typical favorable pre-ore gangue; in general rather equidimensional, brittle minerals. Tremolite, biotite, and probably wollastonite, are typical unfavorable pre-ore gangue; in general highly elongated and somewhat flexible minerals likely to develop under strong shearing stresses. 5. Tentative opinion is that the ratio of lime and magnesia in a limestone-is of little or no importance.

Jan 1, 1940

By Klaus Schonert

The elements of a mill matrix and the classifier matrix de- scribing the grinding process depend on operating conditions, especially on the feed rate. Relationships between the matrix elements and the feed rate have a great influence on the stability of a closed circuit and its optimum point. These problems have been studied by means of computer simulation and different kinds of classifier characteristics have been considered. A circuit with a cross stream classifier has only a limited range where stable operation condition can be attained. Beyond the stable limit, the recirculation ratio increases rapidly and there is no correlation between feed rate of the circuit and feed rate of the mill. In comparison, a spiral stream classifier gives a wide range of stable operation. The recirculation ratio can be greater than in the case of the cross stream classifier if the feed rate is small. The results of the simulation provide a better understanding of the real behavior of closed circuit grinding.

Jan 1, 1969