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By Arthur Fleischer

The Kalunite process+ for the production of metal-grade alumina from alumina-con-taining ores is applicable, considered from a general point of view, to any aluminous raw material that can be converted to potassium alum or equivalent normal alum. This result of modern technology has been the subject of a continuous study and development since 1929, on a laboratory and test-plant scale, with initial emphasis on the utilization of alunite as the raw material. The research and developmental program was carried out by the Kalunite Company and its successor, Kalunite, Inc., an affiliate of the Olin Corporation of East Alton, Illinois. The process is now approaching the time for a major test in its history with the completion of construction of a plant having a capacity of IOO tons of alumina per day in Salt Lake City for the conversion of Marysvale, Utah, alunite ores to alumina and potassium sulphate. The Salt Lake Alumina Plant is a Defense Plant Corporation project. Production of Aluminum: The known existence of alunite deposits, especially in the Marysvale district, furnished the motive for the original inquiry into the utilization of this raw material for aluminum production. The deposits in this region were actively explored during World War I and utilized for the production of potassium sulphate, an essential fertilizer, of which a shortage of monumental proportions then existed. Up to the twentieth century—for alunite is a mineral with an ancient history—it was used in Europe and in China as a source of potassium alum. It never had been used successfully in this country as a source of oxide for reduction to metal. Although the known reserves of this ore, which undoubtedly will be greatly expanded with a commercial outlet for this ore, are recognized to be sufficient for only a part of the present-day needs of aluminum, it has a definite place in the aluminum industry. Academically it points the way for future raw materials. The aluminum industry has undergone a remarkable growth in the past few years as a result of defense and war requirements. Its expansion in many ways has been beyond belief and prediction, both in volume and location. This wartime status of the industry has accelerated the consumption of bauxite to such an extent that a re-evaluation of the raw material reserves for the future peacetime industry and for eventual wartime reserves is seemingly of concern. The generally accepted picture of bauxite ore reserves in the United States, especially in raw material suitable for treatment by the Bayer process, focuses attention on other possible sources of raw material of metal-grade oxide. The perspective for the development of a suitable process may have changed in the interim since the original work by Kalunite, but the ultimate goal is the same.

Jan 1, 1944

By Nelson Severinghaus

FOLLOWING the end of hostilities of World War II, a resurgence of industrial and home building has given impetus to the use of many products of the stone industry. Shortage and high prices of some building materials such as lumber have aided wider acceptance of materials such as concrete products which have been relatively plentiful and which have not risen so rapidly in price. Ingredients for many of these substituting materials come from the stone industries, often from by-products of stone operations. Most of the tonnage of the stone industry in the State of Georgia comes from granite and marble. There are extensive dimension stone operations in granite in the Elberton and in the Lithonia areas. Building and monumental marble from the Tate area has been used throughout the country. Cutting operations in both types of stone have their by-products in faulty blocks and in spalls. In the State there are three large crushed-stone plants utilizing granite, one near Camak, one near Lithonia and one at Stockbridge. All have had excess fines or screenings in the past but this excess is largely disappearing with development of new uses. At times this "waste" has amounted to as much as 20 pct of the stone quarried. Handling of this large tonnage from point of screening out to storage piles presented a costly problem and large areas were taken up by the piles. Crushed stone is generally sold with a relatively narrow margin of price over cost, so any elimination of disposal cost or increase of income by marketing of by-products is highly desirable. BY-PRODUCTS OF GRANITE DIMENSION STONE It sometimes becomes difficult to differentiate between main product and by-product. In the cutting of granite dimension stone in the Lithonia district of Georgia, a considerable quantity of remnants of uneven shape and size is produced. The larger of these pieces have long found use as building rubble, particularly for retaining walls and building foundations (Fig I). They are broken down to one man size by plug drilling and wedging and by hammer. In recent times, demand for this former by-product has grown so that quarries have been opened for the production of rubble as a main product. Local masons have attained skill in using these irregular shapes to form economical and attractive walls. Areas such as Elberton, Georgia, which do not have a large building market nearby, tend to accumulate piles of large pieces of reject stone. When a road job or other local construction offers a quantity market for crushed stone, a portable crusher works this material down to crushed aggregate. Spalls and finer chips from granite stone-cutting operations have generally found their way into crushers and thence to the many uses for crushed aggregate. One company near Lithonia started marketing the smaller by-product crushed sizes for chicken grit about ten years ago. This use has grown to nation-wide distribution and the tonnage is now so great that they have opened a large quarry with

Jan 1, 1947

Edward K. Landis, Philadelphia, Pa.: In studying Mr. Thackray's paper it seemed that a critical comparison of the results from different methods therein reported would he of interest. For this purpose Table I. was constructed by grouping all determinations made by the same method, and the probable errors were calculated. In this table all chemists titrating with permanganate (A1, E, F, G and 0 of Mr. Thackray's paper) are classed under "Emmerton;" those titrating with nitric acid (C, J, S and Y) under " Handy; " those re Probable error of result: a, ±0.0008996; b, ±0.000694; c, ±0.00107; d, ±0.00115; e, ±0.000674; f, ±0.000473; g, ±0.003675; h, ±20.0007959; i,0.000.5098; k, ±0.0008303. Probable error of single determination: a, ±0.001989; b, ±0.001547; c, ±0.00214; d, ±0.0023;e, ±0.00116;f, ±0.000818;g, ±0.0019;h, ±0.00224; i, 40.00143; k, ±0.00234. The formula for calculating the probable error is 0.6745, where N (N— 1)' S is the sum of the squares of the differences from the mean and N is the number of determinations.

Jan 1, 1897

By Ferid Kromer

This paper is the first in a series which will describe geology, mining methods, and production costs of some, of Turkey's more important minerals. In this paper the economically significant minerals-chromite, meerschaum, and magnesite-of the Tagtepe district are described. The cost data presented are believed by the author to be the first made public on Turkish chromite mining.

Jan 1, 1950

By E. Marburg

Most ingots complete solidification vertically rather than transversely. This conclusion is based on complete solidification patterns of big-end-up and big-end-down ingots developed from dumped and split ingots. New mechanisms for segregation in ingots are proposed. Internal soundness in ingots is found to depend upon adequate width of vertical core. A LTHOUGH it has long been recognized that the A internal soundness of ingots is principally been recognizedthatthedependent on the process of solidification, knowledge of this process is still only fragmentary. The mechanisms causing the several types of segregation in ingots, which mechanisms are necessarily related to the solidification process, are not well understood. In absence of a better conception of the solidification process, it seems hardly surprising that mold design varies widely. Guiding principles for mold design are needed. At stake in the improvement of ingot quality are not only improved properties of steel but also appreciably higher yields of sound steel, which would considerably decrease manufacturing costs. In the present study, following a general description of the several types of segregation in ingots, Fig. 1, complete solidification patterns of a big-endup and a big-end-down ingot, including the zones of accelerated solidification, have been reconstructed. In both ingots, a core of vertical solidification extends from the base cone to the hot-top junction. Based on the finding that ingots complete solidification vertically rather than transversely, as has been previously assumed, new mechanisms for segregation in ingots are proposed. Internal soundness in ingots is found to depend upon the width of the vertical core, which in turn depends principally upon the width to height (w/h) ratio of the ingot. Solidification patterns of ingots are of three general types: 1—those in which vertical solidification does not reach the top, 2—those in which vertical solidification just reaches the top of the ingot, and 3—those in which vertical solidification reaches the top some time before transverse solidification would reach the middle of the ingot, so that a vertical core of definite width at the top of the ingot is developed. Axial defects vary characteristically with the solidification pattern. Examples of ingots of each type are presented. Dumped ingot data reported by Nelson' have been used in developing families of curves of transverse and vertical solidification, and in deriving the effect of the w/h ratio upon the solidification pattern. Photographs of many ingots split at Homestead and at Duquesne Works, United States Steel CO., as well as those published by the British Iron and Steel Institute,' have been studied and analyzed. In the interest of brevity, only typical ingots of each type or classification from the above sources have been reproduced. Segregation in Ingots Segregation in ingots falls into three principal classifications: 1—lamellar segregation, as revealed in sulphur prints (Figs. 2 and 3); 2—zone segregation, or broad variations in composition; and 3— interdendritic, or microsegregation. The last class, of minor importance, is not considered here. When liquid metal cools, according to the theory of differential or selective solidification,2 metal of relatively high purity selectively solidifies first. Liquid segregates (principally carbon, phosphorus,

Jan 1, 1954

By Arthur B. Cummins

Mineral fillers are employed in United States industries to the extent of more than seven million tons annually, valued in excess of a hundred million dollars. This substantial usage involves a wide variety of mineral materials. To this may be added products manufactured from minerals, such as carbon black, portland cement, lime or chemically precipitated calcium carbonates, which would add substantially to the total. The purposes for which fillers are used differ considerably. Minerals used as fillers are mostly silicates, silicas, and carbonates as referred to hereinafter. The term "mineral filler" has various meanings in mineral technology and in the arts. Fillers are comparatively inert and their action is mainly physical. Materials that are employed primarily for chemical reactivity, or for pigment or abrasive functions ordinarily would not be considered to be fillers when used for these purposes. Nearly all filler usages are based on advantages which are gained by desired modification of composition properties or by improvements in processing. A simple definition for a filler is an inert material that is included in a composition for some useful purpose. This definition may be amplified or made more specific for each of the filler usages, the major ones of which are: paints, paper, plastics, rubber, bituminous compositions, pesticides and fertilizers. There are in addition a whole host of minor usages. Powdered minerals when employed as components in paints, varnishes and lacquers are considered as extender pigments or low refractive index pigments. In paper, the term loading material as well as filler is used; in pesticides, the terms diluents and carriers connote different functions. For bituminous compositions, rubber and plastics, the usage of the simple word "filler" is more usual, but the designation loading material is sometimes used. Minerals Used as Fillers Most of the industrial minerals, and many rock powders are employed to some extent for different filler uses. These usages vary from year to year depending on availabilities, costs, technologic trends and advancements. For the major applications, however, and for the more particular requirements at any given period, there are general trends which favor a more or less restricted group of filler products for each of the major consumer fields. This selection of materials is determined by the characteristics of the individual filler products, their effectiveness in fulfilling the primary function or functions for which they may be employed, and the cost after incorporation in the finished product. The mineral-bearing materials of major importance as fillers are: limestones, clays of several types, talc, pyrophyllite, mica, barite, diatomite, crystalline silicas, asbestos, slate and other rock dusts. Others of secondary importance include: gypsum, vermiculite, phosphate rock, perlite, and pulverized wastes, such as slag and fly ash. A considerable number of other minerals are used to lesser extent. Among these minor mineral materials are: feldspar, pumicite, wollastonite,18 tripoli, nepheline syenite,6 coal, altered volcanic rock and others.2 Indeed, most mineral materials, when reduced to fine particle size may have some potential usage as fillers, depending on their properties, availability and price. On the other hand, the more exacting filler requirements

Jan 1, 1960

By L. O. Storey

The McDermitt mine was found as a separate mercury ore-bearing occurrence approximately 305 m (1000 ft) northeasterly and in a different geologic setting from the old Cordero mine, which had been the district's major producer. The following briefly describes the discovery of the new deposit and the Placer Amex lnc. involvement. The Cordero mining property was under lease by Sierra Mineral Management from the owner Fred H. Lenway in February 1971, when the property was brought to the attention of Placer Amex Inc. (known at that time as American Exploration and Mining Co.) by Richard F. Hewlett of Sierra Mineral Management. The property was first examined by Amex geologists in the spring of 1971, who reported favorably on the project. During that year, Sierra Minerals Management had retained Dr. Larry Walters as a consultant. He proceeded to drill test mercury soils anomalies which he had found northeast of the old Cordero mine in an area overlain by recent alluvium and gravel. An area known as the D area was subsequently blocked out and ascribed a tonnage of about 18 1 kt (200,000 st) which occurs in the vicinity of the eastern edge of the currently defined McDermitt ore body. This mineralization was found in flat lying mercury-bearing lakebeds, unlike the steep structurally controlled ore which was mined in the old Cordero mine. It became apparent to Placer Amex that since the chances of much more extensive ore were good in such a geologic environment, additional exploration was warranted. A joint venture was formed in October 1972 by American Exploration and Mining Co. and Sierra Mineral Management to further explore the Cordero property. The project exploration was fully funded and managed by Amex. Sampling began by Placer Amex in the D area where an open trench had exposed the lakebed ore. Visible cinnabar could not account for the high-grade mercury assays taken from the trench, and an unknown mercury mineral was suspected. Subsequent work established the presence of a chlorine-bearing mercury sulfide which may have enriched the lakebeds as a secondary supergene mineral. Early identification of the mercury-bearing mineral corderoite (Hg3Cl2S,) aided in the geologic concepts for the ore occurrence and was helpful in exploring for the expansion of the D area. Corderoite was found occurring with cinnabar in the lakebeds, and in places it is a major contributor. Specimens of the unique ore were given to Dr. Eugene E. Foord and Dr. Pieter Berendsen at Stanford University, who subsequently identified the chemical and crystallographic makeup of the new mineral and described it for the first time as a naturally occurring substance. Metallurgical work on mercury recovery from the newly described mineral was carried out by the Placer Development Ltd. laboratories in Vancouver, and an acceptable recovery system was worked out together with a planned mill design. Step out drilling from the D area by Placer Amex Inc. encountered extensive flat lying lakebed ore. The McDermitt ore body, as subsequently defined by drilling, was found to contain 2.7 Mt (3 million st) of open pittable ore, containing approximately 5 kg/t (10 lb per st) Hg. The ore body gently dips to the north and is found lying mainly in claybeds just above an opalite breccia blanket which overlies the earlier volcanics. Some ore is also found in the opalite breccia. The mine and mill were constructed under an operating joint venture with Placer Amex Inc. and Sterling Mineral Ventures, and production began in June 1975 at the rate of 20,000 flasks per year. The mine is currently in progress.

Jan 1, 1985

By G. B. Walker, S. J. Swainson, S. A. Falconer

DURING the past few years much interest and attention has been focused on a relatively new method of ore concentration, which utilizes the principles of sink and float and employs as the heavy medium a suspension in water of a finely ground solid, such as galena or ferrosilicon. Although a relatively recent development, much progress has already been made in applying heavy-media separation processes to a considerable number of ores. Eight plants in this country and abroad -are now treating approximately 10 million tons of ore annually by heavy-media separation (sink-float) processes, including lead-zinc, lead, iron, garnet, tin and tungsten. At the annual meeting of the A.I.M.E. in 1941, three interesting papers (unpublished) dealing with heavy-media separation (sink-float) processes of ore concentration as practiced in four commercial units in the United States were presented by Victor Rakowsky, Grover Holt, Elmer Isern and Robert Ammon. These papers gave an excellent exposition of the principles of sink and float, as well as the operating practice in two iron-ore-beneficiation plants, the Harrison and the Merritt, of Butler Brothers, in Minnesota; the Central mill of the Eagle Picher Mining and Smelting Co.; and the Mascot mill, of the American Zinc, Lead and Smelting Co. Augmented by pictorial descriptions and a working model demonstrating the processes, these papers evoked a great deal of interest and discussion. In fact, in reporting the high lights of the meeting in the April 1941 issue Of MINING AND METALLURGY, Professor Taggart made the statement that "preconcentration by heavy suspension was Miss A.I.M.E. 1941 so far as milling is concerned." Although to date the greatest application of heavy-media separation from the tonnage point of view has been for the treatment of lead, zinc and iron ores, these processes have a much wider field of usefulness. In this regard, it is to be noted that recently new heavy-media separation plants for treating cassiterite ore and garnet ore have been placed in successful operation. Moreover, numerous other types of ores have been found to respond well to these processes when tested on a semi-commercial scale, and it is expected that in the near future a considerable number of new plants will be erected. In view of the fact that heavy-media separation processes offer such attractive possibilities, particularly now, when the mining industry is being called on for an even larger production than ever before has been attempted, despite shortages of labor and supplies, it was felt that a description of some of the successful separations that have been worked out during the past year in the Ore Dressing Laboratory of the American Cyanamid Co. on a variety of ores of strategic importance would be of interest. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to present the essential data relating to investigations of heavy-

Jan 1, 1943

By W. W. Mein

IN March 1949 the Calaveras Cement Co. was sued by five landowners whose properties are located in the vicinity of the plant. These landowners—all of them cattle ranchers—sued for dust damages of $120,338 and for an injunction preventing the company from casting dust upon their properties in injurious quantities. The issue was split, the jury deciding the amount of damages and the court handling the injunction features. The action came to trial before a jury in April of that year and resulted in damages being awarded in the amount of $7,508. A month later the court issued its injunction requiring recovery of stack dust to an 87 pct minimum. The Calaveras plant, shown in Fig. 1, is located three miles from San Andreas in the heart of the Mother Lode country, about 45 miles east of Stockton, Calif. Since it is in a small town, the company's responsibilities to its employees and to the community are different from those of plants located in large centers of population. Construction of the plant was begun in 1925, and production was started the following year. Standard gray Portland cement as well as several specialty cements are produced. Production facilities have been continually enlarged so that the present capacity is more than double what it was 25 years, ago. The most important item in the company's expansion program was the purchase in 1945 of an 11 ft 3 in. x 360 ft Allis-Chalmers kiln which had been declared surplus by the Defense Plant Corp. The company is now able to produce about 2,500,000 bbl of cement a year, and employment at the plant is approximately 300. The production of cement has always involved a dust problem, solution of which has been attempted in a number of different ways. By far the most efficient method of catching dust discharge is electric precipitation. Soon after the company went into production in the 1920's, the landowners near the plant began complaining about dust discharge. The company settled the matter by paying them a total of $27,000 for dust damages incurred during the period from 1929 to 1938. In the latter year the two-unit Cot-trell Electric Precipitator shown in Fig. 2 was installed and collected over 85 pct of the dust resulting from operation of the two 11 ft 3 in. x 10 ft x 240 in. kilns. From 1938 until 1946 the landowners registered no objection and were apparently satisfied with that dust recovery. In 1946, however, the substantially higher production resulting from operation of the new kiln immediately overtaxed the facilities of the existing two-unit precipitator. In a short time claims for dust damages were again received from the landowners. The company informed them that because of postwar shortages it would take several years to install a new precipitator. The company stated that it intended to purchase an additional precipitator and offered in the meanwhile to pay the landowners a fair amount to cover their damages. This offer was rejected and the landowners filed suit in the Superior Court of Calaveras County asking for total damages of $120,-338 and for the injunction outlined above. Case for the Ranchers The attorneys for the plaintiffs produced three different types of witnesses: first, the landowners themselves and members of their families; second, other cattle raisers who were sympathetic to the plaintiffs; and third, several types of technical experts: veterinarians, soil chemists, and an aerial photographer. The testimony of these witnesses was designed to establish that the flue dust from the plant had not only damaged the land and the forage, but had also caused fluorine poisoning to their animals. By a combination of these causes, the plaintiffs attempted to prove substantial loss of profits.

Jan 1, 1952

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By John Chipman, Raymond L. Orr

Recently reported high -temperatlnre thermal data have been incorporated in a reuieu' of the therinody-r~ar,zic propesties of iron. The recent data permit mot corlsisterlt and reliuble choices to be made for many of the pvoperties, resnlling in bettev eslablished tabrtlations of the thermodynamic functions. Values of Cp, h°t- - H°298. s°t - S2sa, and (G°T -H298/T are tabulated for -the solid and liquid phases of iron in both stable and melastable regions. Consistency of the tabulations has been maintained to the precision necessr~vg to yield the Gibbs energy change belween the bcc (a, 8) and fcc (y) phases of iron at temperatures pertinenl to alloy studies. THE importance of the metal iron has stimulated many investigations of its thermodynamic properties at elevated temperatures. Reviews and summaries of the data have appeared from time to time. Among these the 1951 paper of Darken and smith' deserves highest recognition for the quality of its criticism and for the precision and thermodynamic consistency of its tabulations. These and the more recent table of Kaufman, Clougherty, and weiss2 reproduce the Gibbs energy of the (a, 6)--Y transformation with sufficient sensitivity for alloy studies. Other recent compilations of equal validity3-' make no attempt to do this. Since this Gibbs energy change is not greater than 22 cal per g-atom over the temperature range 1100° to 1800°K, it is obviously desirable to tabulate values of (G°t - H298)/T to four places of decimals even though the absolute accuracy would not warrant such precision. The necessity for reconsideration of the problem is emphasized by the recent publication of several important researches on the enthalpy and heat capacity of iron. The older work is well-covered in the reviews cited and will be mentioned here only when actually employed in the tabulations. GAMMA IRON Transition temperatures are taken from the selec -tions of Elliott and Gleiser,5 based on the work of Boulanger7 and earlier workers. For the a-y (A3) transition at 1184°K we retain the value 215 cal per g-atom adopted by Darken and smith.' It has received confirmation in the recent work of Dench and Kubaschewski,' and of Braun8 using adiabatic calori-metry, and of Wallace, Sidles, and Danielson10 using a pulse heating technique. The enthalpy data of Olette and ferrier" and of Anderson and Hultgren12 at higher and lower temperatures may be extended to 1184°K to give the following values which are adjusted to the required value of ? 1184 Ha,1184 Ha 298 = 8030 cal per g-atom [11 hr,1184-ha298 = 8245 cal per g-atom [2]

Jan 1, 1968

By Thomas C. Wilder

The concentration and activity of oxygen in liquid copper has been measured by the reversible galvanic cell: at 1100°and 1200°C for the concentration range of oxygen of 3 to 5600 ppm Measurements for approximately thirly alloys at each temperature indicate that the activity of oxygen roughly follows Henry's law, the activity coefficients of oxygen being 0.12 and 0.205 at 1100° and 1200°C, respectively. These results compare javorably with the results of seven other electrochemical and gaseous equilibrium studies on this system, the free energy of the solution reaction 1/2 O2 = O (7 at. pct in Cu, liq) being -18.10 * 0.30 kcal per gfw at 1200°C. Estimates of the standard molar free energy of formation of CupO(S) are also made. Praclicul consideration of this cell as an oxygen sensor for liquid metals is discussed briefly. SOLID mixed-oxide electrolytes which have a defect structure in the anion sublattice have recently become a very popular means by which the chemical potential of oxygen is measured at high temperatures. Since the pioneering work of Kiukkola and Wagner1 such electrolytes have been used in numerous cell studies for determining the thermodynamic properties of metallic oxides and oxy compounds, the partial pressure of oxygen in vacuum systems and other atmospheres, and the properties of oxygen dissolved in metals and alloys. The use of a solid electrolyte in a cell for a fast reliable method of oxygen determination in liquid metals would be a very important tool to the process metallurgist. In copper, for example, the oxygen content of the molten metal in the cathode furnace is a prime factor in determining the "set" or solidification profile of cast wire bars. In this investigation the activity of oxygen in liquid copper was measured by an electrochemical cell employing the electrolyte ZrO2 + 7 1/2 wt pct CaO. The cell used at 1100° and 1200°C was

Jan 1, 1967

By J. M. Karpinski

The need for standard test methods in the minerals beneficiation industry is growing with the increasing complexity of our processes and the more stringent requirements imposed on the quality and uniformity of our products. Although solutions of our problems have never been easy, they will become increasingly difficult to achieve unless we can develop a reliable and reproducible set of test methods. Historically speaking, our need was greatest for methods of chemical analysis. As these methods developed, they improved our ability to determine the grade of ore and measure the effect of our beneficiation attempts. The entire concept of grade and recovery is only as old as chemical analysis. Then came physical measurements. Each new concept in minerals beneficiation was related to certain properties and required corresponding test methods: specific density for jigging, magnetic susceptibility for magnetic separation, and tumbler strength for pellets. And associated with each process was the need for size determination. Size measurement is probably the first physical test ever conceived, and yet we are still improving on it. Dry sieving was quite acceptable for direct-shipping ores, but we had to go to wet sieving to control pelletizing and flotation. Subsieve analyzers have extended our routine measurements to the subsieve sizes, hut not below a few microns. As we all know, the solution of slimes- beneficiation and pollution-abatement problems is hampered by the lack of reliable and reproducible test methods in the fine-particle size range.

Jan 1, 1971

By David Sinclair, Philip B. Bucky

THE dimensions and shapes of mine structures may at present be determined by (1) field experience, (2) structural calculations, and (3) barodynamic tests.§ None of these, however, provide information as to the stresses, their direction and distribution in a mine structure. For the design of pillars, the placing of openings relative to working places such as gangways, haulage levels, etc., this information is desirable. Photoelastic methods provide this and, while relatively new, their application in all engineering fields is assuming increasing importance. This paper, therefore, will present the method with a few applications to mining, and with sufficient reference for further study by the reader. PART I THE PHOTOELASTIC METHOD The photoelastic method of stress measurement determines the stress distribution in a two-dimensional model by optical means. It makes use of the fact that when a piece of isotropic transparent material, such as glass, celluloid, or Bakelite, is stressed and viewed in polarized** light a picture is seen which indicates by its color bands of light, or fringes, the magnitude of the stresses, their direction and their distribution. GENERAL EXPLANATION The stress at any point 0 in a structure (Fig. 1), may be resolved into two components, P and Q, each a pure tension or compression, at right angles to each other, called principal stresses.1 To fully identify the stress, the values of P and Q and their directions or angle [0] must be known.

Jan 1, 1940

By J. D. Mooney

(San Francisco sleeting, September, 1915) THE accompanying chart has been drawn for the convenience of engineers as a means of quickly determining the correct number of plies of conveyor belts operating under specific conditions. The calculations are based on the average safe strength (factor of safety, 15) of the various standard rubber conveyor belts. The, calculations assume maximum loading conditions; that is, the belt is considered as carrying the greatest load that it will handle without spillage at ordinary belt speeds. This not only produces the most economical operating conditions, but also the maximum tension in the belt. The chart is a graphical representation of the formula: p = kgW (L + 1OH) Where, p = the correct number of plies k = a constant, depending on the type of drive g = the weight in pounds per cubic foot of material handled W = the width of the belt in inches L = the length of the belt in feet (approximately twice the center distance). H = the difference in elevation between the head and tail pulleys, in feet. For a simple drive, with a bare pulley, k = 1/250,000 For a simple drive, with a rubber-lagged pulley, k = 1/300,000 For a tandem dive, with bare pulleys, k= 1/375,000 For a tandem drive, with rubber-lagged pulleys, k = 1/455,000 The chart is drawn for a simple drive, with a bare pulley (k =1/250,000;

Jan 9, 1915

The fate of generations yet unborn lies in man's hands. Shall it be prosperity, a high standard of living, and the development of spiritual values; or ruin, misery, and a reversion to jungle law? World affairs move in high gear, at high tension, in many directions. Each nation fears the other fellow- races, crosses the white line on curves, skids, takes its half in the center; and the devil take the hindmost. For one, the United States is on the horns of dilemma; it must insure a flow of raw materials of industry and world-wide markets in order that the American people may maintain high standards of living, but the commitments of the United States cannot be fulfilled without trimming present standards of comfort and convenience back to the level of perhaps a quarter of a century ago. A way must be found to retreat without anarchy at home as well as abroad. Everything is relative and all things change, and change is the essence of civilization. It is now clear that man has not kept pace with changes of all kinds, some of them overnight, during the past 50 years. Conventionality has led to stagnation; man now seeks learning of all kinds at an accelerated pace, but men should not be educated beyond their native intelligence for they must be able to apply their education. There must be a resolute action now on 10 great challenges in regard to conservation of human and ma-

Jan 1, 1950

By G. Barbery

Since the original paper, two methods have been introduced to compute the parameters of the three parameter size distribution equation: [ ] Both of them are based on graphical means, which are time-consuming and of little statistical significance. A program has been developed, using the Gauss-Newton method to compute by nonlinear regression analysis the parameters of the equation. Although the method is quite general in curve-fitting applications, it does not appear to be used in the field of size analysis, and a brief description is given. As applied here, the Gauss-Newton method involves the minimization of the least squares: [ ] where n is the number of sieves used. The second member of Eq. 2 can be approximated by a multiple Taylor's series expansion of first order about a starting value [ ] The minimization of Q (r,s,Xo) means: [ ] Putting Eq. 3 into Eq. 2 and differentiating, we obtain a system of equations which can be represented in matrix symbolism (box) The system can be solved for: [ ] and the operations repeated with new values: [ ] The starting values for r and s are taken as 1, for Xo, a value higher than the maximum sieve opening value. Applied to the data given by Herbst 5,6 for batch grinding of 7 X 9 mesh dolomite, the parameters given in Table 1 were obtained. The discussion of the significance of the residual sum of squares is a difficult subject in multiple nonlinear

Jan 1, 1972

By M. H. De Hora

(Butte Meeting, August, 1913.) IN giving my opinion of the importance of Colombia as a field for investment for those interested in mining for the precious metals, I must begin by quoting Sir Clement Markham, who, in one of his presidential addresses to the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain, called the attention of its members to the fact that " although Colombia is the least known and least developed of the South American republics, it is far and away the richest mineral country of then all." This to American investors is extremely interesting, as the country is the most accessible of all the South American republics from the United States. Almost all of the gold shipped by the Spaniards from Madre de Dios, now Colon, came from Colombia, and statistics from the Mint at Medellin, the capital of the Department of Antioquia, go to show that the total production of the precious metals of Colombia, dating from the Spanish conquest in 'the fifteenth century to the present time, aggregates the enormous total of $700,000,000. Of this amount, nearly 70 per cent. represents gold obtained from the placers of the Republic, more than one-half of which came from the Department of Antioquia, the balance being divided between the placers of the Choco and the rest of the Republic. The remaining 30 per cent. of the $700,000,000 represents the silver and gold obtained from the quartz mines, the silver greatly predominating.

Jan 7, 1913

By Charles Macdonald

Wrought-iron eye-bars for bridges and roofs, designed upon what is known as the pin connection system, have been successfully manufactured in this country for some years. The most approved methods employed have been the hydraulic upsetting process, and by die-forging under a hammer. In upset eyes the fibre of the iron is necessarily much distorted ; and in bars of considerable size, this disturbance seriously impairs the strength of the connection. Mr. Collingwood, in discussing my paper on "Proportions of the Heads of Eye-bars," read before the American Society of Civil Engineers, Jan. 21st, 1874, submitted sketches of certain bars intended for the anchorage of the East River bridge, which had been exposed to the action of sulphuric acid a sufficient length of time to thoroughly cleanse the surfaces, and expose the condition of the fibre. These sketches are here reproduced for the purpose of illustrating the effect of this method of manufacture. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be observed that the fibres at A, and E, have been folded back upon: themselves and otherwise twisted and disturbed, in a manner not calculated to inspire confidence in the integrity of the connection. To compensate for this defect, a large excess of metal is thrown into the eye; but a method of manufacture which involves such a necessity, even although it be the one giving the best results thus far, all things being considered, is far from being perfect.

Jan 1, 1879