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By G. L. Oldright, Virgil Miller

It is well known, in metallurgical circles, though less recognized in the technical press, that there have been remarkable increases in the capacity of the blast furnace in the last five .years. In places this capacity has been almost doubled. This paper will brief the experimental work carried on during more than five years with the direct assistance of the technical staffs of three lead smelters treating three distinctive types of feed. The first is the custom smelter of the International Smelting and Refining Co. at Tooele, Utah1, with a multiplicity of ores; the second, the Kellogg, Idaho, smelter of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mining and Concentrating CO.2, treating an exceedingly rich lead charge, such as is now being made more and more as the practice of concentration is improved; and the third, the smelter at Trail, B. C., owned by the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited3, which treats highly zinciferous charges and later recovers zinc from the slag. In comparing operations at these three smelters it must be clearly recognized that the objectives in smelting differ through differences in economics. Many operations are not, then, strictly comparable. There have also been decided improvements in operation since all of the smelters were examined, though this was but a relatively short time ago. The general factors that govern speed in smelting and the loss of metals in the smelters examined will be stressed. (For details of operation the reader is referred to the original papers.) This paper will then be an examination of the fundamentals of operating units in a search for improvements, and not a description of three great lead smelters. Capacity of Blast Furnace Assuming a well prepared and self-fluxing charge to start with, enough coke must be added: (1) to melt the charge, particularly the slag-forming

Jan 1, 1937

By Bradley Stoughton

My attention was called by Prof. Henry M. Howe to the article by N. M. Wittorff, entitled Preliminary Investigation of Primary Crystallization and Subsequent Physico-Chemical Permutations in Iron-Carbon Alloys Containing More Than 4 Per Cent. of Carbon. I thereupon wrote to Mr. Wittorff and received a copy of the paper in the Russian language, with permission from him to publish a translated abstract in our Transactions, the original having appeared in the .Journal of the Russian Chemical Society, vol. xliii. (1911), in which it occupies some 78 pages, with 10 illustrations and 47 micrographs. The novelty of the data presented, and especially the scientific importance of Mr. Wittorff's deductions, as well as their value in helping to clarify our meager understanding of that useful but puzzling commodity, cast-iron, seemed to more than justify a publication of the essential facts in concise form in the English language, which has not been done previously so far as I know, although a very brief abstract has been published in German, and a somewhat more extended one in French.' When the work of translation was begun, I did not know that it bore in part upon the investigations of Ruff, which Howe is reviewing at some length at this meeting. This coincidence renders the following condensed translation of Wittorff's work, which I have prepared with the aid of Sidney Marcus as interpreter, the more appropriate here. The result of Wittorff's study is greatly to extend our knowledge of the hyper-eutectic alloys of iron and carbon, and to add several significant lines at the right-hand side of the diagram originally drawn by Bakhuis-Roozeboom, and developed by Roberts-Austen, Benedicks, Carpenter and Keeling, Upton, Goerens, and others. Some of the original lines of the dia-

Jan 1, 1913

By John F. Knudsen

Following the flowsheet from the primary crushing plant of Ray mines division through the final products sample mill, there are eight exhaust systems ranging in size from 12,000 to 30,000 cfm. Where possible, hood face velocities are kept around 500 ft per min, permitting branch velocities of 2500 ft per min. Tight-fitting enclosures are provided over all ore drops, crushing operations, and vibrating screens. All enclosures are exhausted either primarily or secondarily, except those around conveyor head-pulleys where the ejector effect of the falling ore creates sufficient indraft to abate dust dissemination. IN 1947 an Industrial Hygiene Department was organized to represent and assist the four western mining divisions in industrial hygiene problems. Department headquarters are located at the Utah Copper Division, Magna Plant, Magna, Utah, with a branch office at the Chino Mines Division, Hurley, N. M. The headquarters staff includes a director, a department secretary, an industrial hygienist, a supervising ventilation engineer, and two ventilation designers. To be in closer association with work at the Southwest properties, a field engineer at the branch office conducts field studies which include ventilation problems at the New Mexico and Arizona properties;i.e., the Chino and Ray mines divisions. Functions of the department are to discover and evaluate existing hazards and to develop protective measures, either by personal protective devices or by proper ventilation, depending on the nature of the contaminant. Other than dust counting, all air samples collected at the four properties are processed at the home office. If through plant surveys or by suggestion of management some type of ventilation or air conditioning is required, the problem is usually handled by the ventilation section of the headquarters department, where general arrangement or line drawings are prepared, showing hoods, ducting, and equipment. Some hood and special parts detailing is done at headquarters; otherwise, required detailing is done by the respective plant engineering departments. Prior to the design of industrial ventilation, either new projects or the revamping of old ones, a thorough survey is made of existing conditions. In so far as possible weighted average exposures are determined and adequate ventilation provided on the basis of maximum allowable concentrations of the contaminant in question, as well as medical case histories, if these are available.

Jan 1, 1954

By R. Silent, N. A. Rousselot

The first producing wells completed in the Kettleman Hills arca were noteworthy for their high gas-oil ratios. As a result they became the object of criticism, and controversies arose based on their alleged lack of gas conservation. Ultimately protracted hearings ensued in the District Court of the area, and diverse rulings and subsequent modifications have been handed down affecting the permissible gas-oil ratios. When the Kettleman North Dome Association was formed in April, 1931, and the control of the major portion of the North Dome area vested therein, it was decided to produce only those wells which had a relatively low gas-oil ratio. Among the wells having the highest gas-oil ratio were the Milham Elliott No. 1 (the discovery well) and the Continental Elliott 12-8. drilled as an offset to it. Under the numbering system adopted by the Kettleman North Dome Association, these wells are now known as 88-2P and 1-12P, respectively. Milham Elliott No. 1 was originally drilled to 7236 ft., then redrilled to 7108 ft. The upper portion of the Temblor Horizon produces with a very large gas-oil ratio; production which actually consists of light crude oil with an accompanying large.volume of gas. Little was known as to the location of the Temblor formation at that time but it is now generally accepted that its top was encountered at 6180 ft., giving 928 ft. of penetration. Initial production was estimated at 4000 bbl. of oil and 80 to 90 million cubic feet of gas per day, giving a gas-oil ratio in excess of 20,000 cu. ft. of gas per bbl. of oil. This ultimately increased to a ratio of about 48,000 at the time the well was killed when it was producing about 1100 bbl. of oil and 52 million cubic feet of gas, with a flow pressure of 1200 pounds. The Continental Elliott 12-8 was drilled to a depth of 6876 ft. with the top of the Temblor at 6100, giving a penetration of 776 ft. The estimated initial production of this well was 7000 bbl. of oil and 130

Jan 1, 1933

By Marie L. V. Gayler

WITHOUT diffusion taking place in liquid metals and alloys, no castings could be made; it is therefore the most important factor affecting the structure of metals. Diffusion involves the interchange of atoms, a process which takes place during the life history of an ingot. In the liquid, atoms are in a state of high thermal agitation, but this thermal vibration is reduced in amplitude with falling temperature. When solidification sets in, the atoms arrange themselves on an ordered space lattice and the changes in structure which take place in the solid are due to the interchange of atoms on this space lattice. The rate of atomic interchange-e.g., of diffusion-is most rapid at temperatures close to the melting point and decelerates as the temperature is lowered. At room temperature, the rate of diffusion is practically negligible in most alloys, and any change in structure can only be brought about by using methods which will accelerate the rate of diffusion. The rate of diffusion depends on three factors (I) temperature; (2) concentration gradient and (3) activation energy. The growth of grains and particles in the solid alloy also depend on these factors and are therefore intimately associated with diffusion. The rate of homogenization in a cast alloy depends on several factors, such as: (I) rate of solidification, which involves grain and particle size which, in their turn, depend on diffusion: (2) the nature of the constituents; (3) the temperature interval between the melting point of the metal or alloy and the temperature at which it is being heat-treated. It is well known that coarse, cast structures are extremely difficult-if possible to homogenize, and the finer the grain size and particle size, the more readily solid solution will take place. The rate of diffusion depends, also, largely on the nature of the constituents; for instance, copper and magnesium form solid solutions with aluminum quite readily but nickel and iron do not; neither do certain intermetallic compounds, such as alpha and beta FeSi. Furthermore, the actual formation of intermetallic compounds may be a very slow process, particularly when they are formed in the solid state as equilibrium products. For example, ßFeSi is formed in the solid as the result of the reaction aFeSi + Al?ß FeSi. The particles of aFeSi become sur¬rounded with a reaction ring of ßßFeSi. This layer is formed as the result of diffusion of atoms taking place between the aluminum matrix and aFeSi. As the amount of ßFeSi surrounding the core of aFeSi increases the concentration gradient becomes low and so the rate of diffusion of atoms also decreases until it practically ceases. This occurs after a comparatively thin layer of ßFeSi has been formed. It follows that when intermetallic compounds of this type are formed in the solid, as the result of diffusion, it is generally impossible ever to attain equilibrium, since the forma-

Jan 1, 1944

By William Buell

As used in connection with open-hearth or other high-temperature operations, "insulation" refers to a multitude of substances, natural or manufactured, that have the one principal property of preventing the flow of heat by conduction to a greater degree than refractories can prevent it, the principal properties of the latter being resistance to tem-perature and/or chemical action. The term "control" as commonly applied to the mechanization of management functions is inappropriate without qualification, for without some degree of control of every operation we could produce no steel worthy of the name. Although grouped together in this paper, insulation and control in open-hearth furnaces have little, if any, interrelationship, therefore the paper is made up of two distinct parts.

Jan 1, 1935

By H. l. Burghoff, J. S. Porter

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the effect of cold-working and annealing treatments upon the occurrence of preferred orientation in annealed brass wire. The subject has received less consideration than has the same phenomenon in annealed brass sheet or strip, and perhaps very properly so in view of the obvious and undesired results obtained in the forming or drawing of strip having preferred orientation, which results are in contrast with the lack of any spectacular visual evidence in wire. The factors of cold-working and annealing that control preferredness in strip are naturally expected to function similarly in wire. Indeed, one might expect the condition to be commoner in annealed wire, because the severity of the cold-working between anneals in commercial Practice is usually much greater for wire than for strip. For example, a wire that is to be finished in the annealed condition on a diameter of 0.040 in. is commonly subjected to a final reduction of 90 per cent between the last two anneals, the large reduction being accomplished in the successive drafts of a multiple-die machine. Wire for rivets, for instance, on 0.125-in. diameter, although given a slight reduction of about Io per cent after the final anneal, may have been given a prior reduction of 75 to 80 per cent. Barrettl states the fiber axis of annealed 70-30 brass wire to be [111], with some indication of [IOO] as a secondary fiber axis. Croft and Sachs2 have reported briefly on some differences in brass wire with random and with preferred orientations. They showed statistical plots of the twin-band angles with respect to the wire axis or direction of drawing as observed on an axial plane. They also pointed out that the resistance of the wire to corrosion-cracking when externally stressed and exposed to a mercurous nitrate solution decreased as the degree of the preferred orientation increased. Material and PRocedure All the wire for the investigation was processed from one portion as cut for extrusion from a cast billet of the following analysis: 70.13 per cent copper; 0.01 lead; 0.01 iron; 0.02, nickel; 29.83 zinc (by difference). The billet section, 8 in, in diameter, was extruded hot to 3/4-in. diameter, after which it was processed by alternate cold-drawing and annealing treatments as indicated in Fig. I. The earliest anneals in process were at about 1100°F. and the next to the last reductions by drawing were 58 per cent. The diameter of the finally annealed wire was 0.132 in. Semifinal anneals were at 800°F., 950°F. and 1100°F. and reductions of 47.5, 74, 83.5 and 89.5 per cent were employed in drawing to 0.132 in. The final anneals were at 87s°F., 1050°F. and 1250°F. and were

Jan 1, 1944

By H. l. Burghoff, J. S. Porter

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the effect of cold-working and annealing treatments upon the occurrence of preferred orientation in annealed brass wire. The subject has received less consideration than has the same phenomenon in annealed brass sheet or strip, and perhaps very properly so in view of the obvious and undesired results obtained in the forming or drawing of strip having preferred orientation, which results are in contrast with the lack of any spectacular visual evidence in wire. The factors of cold-working and annealing that control preferredness in strip are naturally expected to function similarly in wire. Indeed, one might expect the condition to be commoner in annealed wire, because the severity of the cold-working between anneals in commercial Practice is usually much greater for wire than for strip. For example, a wire that is to be finished in the annealed condition on a diameter of 0.040 in. is commonly subjected to a final reduction of 90 per cent between the last two anneals, the large reduction being accomplished in the successive drafts of a multiple-die machine. Wire for rivets, for instance, on 0.125-in. diameter, although given a slight reduction of about Io per cent after the final anneal, may have been given a prior reduction of 75 to 80 per cent. Barrettl states the fiber axis of annealed 70-30 brass wire to be [111], with some indication of [IOO] as a secondary fiber axis. Croft and Sachs2 have reported briefly on some differences in brass wire with random and with preferred orientations. They showed statistical plots of the twin-band angles with respect to the wire axis or direction of drawing as observed on an axial plane. They also pointed out that the resistance of the wire to corrosion-cracking when externally stressed and exposed to a mercurous nitrate solution decreased as the degree of the preferred orientation increased. Material and PRocedure All the wire for the investigation was processed from one portion as cut for extrusion from a cast billet of the following analysis: 70.13 per cent copper; 0.01 lead; 0.01 iron; 0.02, nickel; 29.83 zinc (by difference). The billet section, 8 in, in diameter, was extruded hot to 3/4-in. diameter, after which it was processed by alternate cold-drawing and annealing treatments as indicated in Fig. I. The earliest anneals in process were at about 1100°F. and the next to the last reductions by drawing were 58 per cent. The diameter of the finally annealed wire was 0.132 in. Semifinal anneals were at 800°F., 950°F. and 1100°F. and reductions of 47.5, 74, 83.5 and 89.5 per cent were employed in drawing to 0.132 in. The final anneals were at 87s°F., 1050°F. and 1250°F. and were

Jan 1, 1944

By F. B. Plummer

THE practice of introducing acid into oil wells to increase production of oil and gas has been in use since 1894, when it was first used in the Pennsylvania. oil fields30.? It is only since 1928 that it has been used to any extent in the Mid-Continent18. The process has proved successful in increasing production, at least temporarily, in depleted oil fields where the producing formation is highly calcareous and where water drive is not too pronounced. In the Zwolle field in Louisiana, where the producing horizon is a chalk, increases of 100 per cent have been recorded25. In north-central Texas, where the oil is produced from the Marble Falls limestone, equally pronounced increases have resulted3. The production also in some fields yielding oil from quartz sand cemented with calcite has been benefited. The evidence of actual increase in total recovery of oil, however, has been questioned by some engineers18. It has been pointed out that the results of the treatment of a well in a new district, where the process has never been tried out, can never be predicted with certainty, since other factors besides percentage of calcareous content: of the oil sand play a large part in determining the success of the method. Numerous articles have been published on acid treatment and on the effects of acid on limestone1-35, yet very little has been written con-cerning experimental work on the actual effect, of acid on capillary pores and larger oil-coated voids of oil sands. This is due partly to difficulties in duplicating field conditions in a laboratory and partly to the fact that the process has been carried out largely by contracting companies that have been unwilling to publish details of their results for fear of loss of business to competitors. The authors, using equipment developed to measure the radial permeability of oil-sand cores29, have developed a method of investigating the results of acid treatment which has enabled

Jan 1, 1935

By Lyman H. Hart

Some of the significant facts that will affect the supply and demand for metals during the next few decades are given in this presentation. This is important because the only hope for intelligent guidance of the national destiny depends upon presenting a consistent and accurate picture of basic problems. The metals problems now fomenting are only slightly less important than those precipitating the energy crisis. Admittedly, it is difficult to generate serious thinking on this subject when the world is enjoying easy access to all metals at modest prices. This is possible because of the current world capacity to over-produce, and United States credit standing, at least up to now, has permitted buying freely on world markets. Although both these vital conditions are subject to change, there is little doubt that if the U.S. financial house is kept in order, we can muddle along for a while on a generally expanding, metal-based economy. But should our credit standing be permitted to collapse, or should there be a tightening of world supplies of metals, the nation would immediately find itself in trouble. Unfortunately, clear signals indicate that both of these conditions are threatening. The metal age started many centuries ago, and with the exception of the noble metals, barely a dent was made in world reserves until the present century. Then, as a result of the pioneering ideas of D. C. Jackling and Paul Gemmel, and the willingness of the McNeals, Penroses and Guggenheims to back ideas with money, a virtual explosion of metal production was propagated throughout the world. It is important to examine the causes of this expansion to determine whether it is a trend that may be sustained or whether it is anomalous and therefore attributable to circumstances not likely to be repeated or continued. This period of plenty is a once only phenomenon. Vast metal resources have been sitting around here for eons, while the world was unaware of or unconcerned with their existence. But when population began to grow exponentially, and ways were discovered to use metals to develop machines to do the work of men and animals, the exploitation of raw materials increased at a staggering rate. And now the realization is dawning that minerals are a wasting asset and are beginning to present supply problems that should begin to be of concern. Two main factors have caused this condition; One is the population growth, and the other is the expanding demand for irreplaceable raw materials as nations become more developed. A group of systems analysts, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a book Limits of Growth, has warned that at present rates of population growth and resource consumption together with environmental constraints, a point will be reached within 100 years when the world population will become totally incapable of supporting itself. The authors conclude that this end result could be avoided if a planned equilibrium could be established at a lower rate of population growth and resource consumption. Fortunately, there is evidence that the population problem is moderating. The growth rate in the U.S. has decreased from 2.3% per year in 1900 to 1.1% in 1970. But, even at the lower rate, population will double in 70 years. The world rate is greater, and if it continues, world population will rise from 3.5 billion to nearly 10 billion in 50 years. All of these projections are questionable because the dangers of growing population are now being recognized. A marked decrease in growth rate has been noted in the more developed countries-in fact, it was zero in the U.S. in 1972. The other factor affecting consumption of raw materials is the increase in per capita use of most items as individuals become more affluent. Many economists believe that developing countries such as China and India represent a vast future potential market; but there are others, with whom the author agrees, who believe over-population tends to stagnate development. Nevertheless, it is a fact that vigorously developing societies increase consumption at a rate far above their population growth rate.

Jan 1, 1974

By J. Orkiszewski

A method i.s presented which can accurately predict, with a precision of about 10 percent, two-phase pressure drops in flowing and gas-lift production wells over a wide range of well conditions. The method is an extension of the work done by Grifith and Wallis and was found to be superior to five other published methods. The precision of the method was verified when its predicted values were compared against 148 measured pressure drops. The unique features of this method over most others are that liquid holdup is derived from observed physical phenomena, the pressure gradient is related to the geometrical distribution of the liquid and gas phase (flow regimes), and the method provides a good analogy of what happens inside the pipe. It takes less than a second to obtain a prediction on the IBM 7044 computer. INTRODUCTION The problem of accurately predicting pressure drops in flowing or gas-lift wells has given rise to many specialized solutions for limited conditions, but not to any generally accepted one for broad conditions. The reason for these many solutions is that the two-phase flow is complex and difficult to analyze even for the limited conditions studied. Under some conditions, the gas moves at a much higher velocity than the liquid. As a result, the down-hole flowing density of the gas-liquid mixture is greater than the corresponding density, corrected for down-hole temperature and pressure, that would be calculated from the produced gas-liquid ratio. Also, the liquid's velocity along the pipe wall can vary appreciably over a short distance and result in a variable friction loss. Under other conditions, the liquid is almost completely entrained in the gas and has very little effect on the wall friction loss. The difference in velocity and the geometry of the two phases strongly influence pressure drop. These factors provide the basis for categorizing two-phase flow. The generally accepted categories (flow regimes) of two-phase flow are bubble, slug, (slug-annular) transition and annular-mist They are ideally depicted in Fig. 1 and briefly described as follows. RUBBLE FLOW (FIG. 1A) The pipe is almost completely filled with the liquid and the free-gas phase is small. The gas is present as small bubbles, randomly distributed, whose diameters also vary randomly. The bubbles move at different velocities depending upon their respective diameters. The liquid moves up the pipe at a fairly uniform velocity and, except for its density, the gas phase has little effect on the pressure gradient. SLUG FLOW (FIG. 1R) In this regime, the gas phase is more pronounced. Although the liquid phase is still continuous, the gas bubbler coalesce and form stable bubbles of approximately the rame size and shape which are nearly the diameter of the pipe. They are separated by slugs of liquid. The bubble velocity is greater than that of the liquid and can be predicted in relation to the velocity of the liquid slug." There is a film of liquid around the gas bubble. The liquid velocity is not constant—whereas the liquid slug always moves upward (in the direction of bulk flow); the liquid in the film may move upward but possibly at a lower velocity, or it may move downward. These varying liquid velocities will result not only in varying wall friction losses, but also in a "liquid holdup" which will influence flowing density. At higher flow velocities, liquid can even be entrained in the gas bubbles. Both the gas and liquid phases have significant effects on the pressure gradient. TRANSITION FLOW (FIG. 1C) The change from a continuous liquid phase to a continuous gas phase occurs in this region. The liquid slug between the bubbles virtually disappears, and a significant amount of liquid becomes entrained in the gas phase. Although the effects of the liquid are significant, the gas phase is more predominant.

By J. Nutting, D. H. Kirkwood

The oxidation of lead sulfide in air between 200° and 350°C has been investigated by electron diffraction from thick sulfide films and from galena surfnces. It has been demonstrated that sulfate is the stable reaction product up to 570°C. Sulfate is HAGIHARA has investigated' single crystals of galena roasted in air by the reflection electron-diffraction technique, which owing to the very limited penetration of the beam into the crystal gives information of the nature of the surface only. He has shown that up to 280°C the first oxidation product is lead sulfate, followed by lead mono-oxysulfate (PbO . PbS04). At longer times and higher temperatures more complex patterns appeared which could not be analyzed. All of these patterns were of streaks or spots arising from crystals oriented on the galena surface, and it is probable that these crystals are lead compounds whose structures have not been determined, such as the other oxysulfates (2Pb0 • PbS04 and 4Pb0 . PbS04) or a number of oxides. Certain lead sulfide films, formed chemically, give ring patterns in transmission electron diffraction2 because they are polycrystalline, and should also give ring patterns of the products after oxidation. It was thought that a diffraction study would reveal the sequence of phases produced in the reactions at different temperatures, since X-ray powder patterns are available for many lead compounds. PREPARATION OF FILMS The films were prepared by passing H2S over a saturated solution of lead nitrate in water. Once a silvery film had formed on the solution surface, no further thickening was apparent. The films were transferred by a gauze to a bath of distilled water for washing and pieces of film were caught on small discs on which they were dried. The discs were formed initially on galena up to temperatures of 300°C, followed by oxide and oxysulfates in turn at longer times. The appearance of- these phases is believed to result from an inadequate rate of supply of sulfur to the top surface 01. the crystal. standard Siemens mounts, made of platinum alloy, and had seven 20-p apertures drilled through them. The parts of the film which had dried onto the disc surface were light blue in color, which is the interference color of a film about 600A in thickness. A strong pattern of lead sulfide was obtained in transmission electron diffraction through the apertures but slight broadening indicated a crystallite size of around 200A. Tilting a sulfide film in the beam produced arcing of the rings, increasing the intensities of the (Ill), (3111, and (222) rings and reducing (200) and (220). This arises from preferred orientation in the film, a [loo] direction of the crystallites being normal to the plane of the film. These specimens were oxidized in an oven maintained at the required temperature. The reported times include that taken to heat the film to the reaction temperature. STABLE PHASES FORMED IN OXIDATION The conditions in which various oxidation products of lead sulfide are stable have been considered by the authors in a previous paper.3 It was shown that in a normal atmosphere, taken as containing lo-' atm of SOs, lead sulfate would be stable up lo about 570°C. This was confirmed by oxidizing thin films of sulfide for several days, and the analysis of the transmission-diffraction pattern is given in Table 1. The fit with the patt$rn from X-rays is good, except for the missing 3.62A ring. Some disagreement in intensities of reflections given by X-rays and electrons is to be expected. Up to 570°C a spotty pattern of sulfate was still obtained, indicating grain growth, but above this temperature the film disintegrated. Probably this is associated with the decomposition to PbO . PbS04. It needs to be emphasized that the atmosphere

Jan 1, 1965

By R. N. Woody, S. J. Work

Crushing development at Duval Corp.'s Sierrita concentrator in Sahuarita, Ariz., has been a continuing effort since plant startup in January 1970. The original crushing system was designed to produce 65 000 t/d (72,000 stpd) of ore. However, in the summer of 1970 the Sierrita plant was averaging only 43 000 t/d (47,000 stpd) due to coarser than expected secondary crushing plant feed, lower than design crusher operating availability, and inability to achieve design tertiary crusher power draught at an acceptable hydraulic support pressure.

Jan 4, 1979

E. A. HOLBROOK,*Urbana, Ill.-To those who have followed the development of powdered coal two questions often occur. First, as to the moisture in the coal. In Illinois we recognize that the bituminous coals contain about 12 to 15 per cent. of what we call "contained moisture," that is, the moisture is present in the coal although this may appear absolutely dry and dusty. In addition, the surface moisture may be present in any amount. I would like to ask what is the relative effect of these two forms of moisture upon the work of pulverizing. Does Mr. Collins refer to the contained moisture or to the surface moisture in estimating the degree to which the coal must be dried? H. R. COLLINS.-In the lignite coals, of which this country possesses a great deal and is beginning to develop them to considerable extent, the "contained" or "combined" moisture does not .trouble us; we have no difficulty in reducing lignites to a high degree of fineness. But when dealing with bituminous, sub-bituminous, or semi-bituminous, we, prefer to reduce the combined moisture as well as the hydroscopic moisture as far as possible. We have recently put into operation, at a plant, furnaces and boilers consuming the lignite from northern New Mexico, which contains between 4 and 5 per cent. moisture as we pulverize and burn it. The evaporating efficiencies under the boilers have been so remarkable that we wish to check the results half a dozen times before quoting them. We have also just started two boilers at the Garfield smelter, and have obtained the same high efficiencies.

Jan 11, 1918

By M. R. Geer, H. F. Yancey

THE performance of coal-washing equipment, that is, the effectiveness with which coal and impurity are separated, is a subject of undisputed interest to all concerned with the preparation of coal. Through the years much has been written in both American and European literature on the performance of coal-washing equipment and its interpretation, but until recently no effort has been made to consolidate this wealth of information into a single, comprehensive treatment of the subject. A splendid effort in this direction was made at the First International Conference on Coal Preparation held in Paris in June 1950 in which representatives from virtually every coal-producing country participated. Although the scope of the conference covered the entire field of coal preparation, many of the sixty-odd papers and a great deal of the discussion dealt with the subject of evaluating washery performance. Prominence was given this subject by the Centre d'Etudes et Re-cherches, des Charbonnages de France, which sponsored the conference. This research organization, generally referred to as Cerchar, was formed in 1948 following the nationalization of the French coal industry. Since that date it has conducted an intensive study of coal preparation. Perhaps because of a fresh viewpoint, Cerchar realized immediately that complete information on the performance of French washeries and a thorough understanding of the mechanism of gravity separation were the fundamental prerequisites in a program to improve preparation practice. For this reason Cerchar concentrated on obtaining performance data and on a comprehensive study of methods of evaluating such information. Some idea of the magnitude of this work will be appreciated from the fact that 175 performance tests were made in 44 plants. The work performed by Cerchar emphasized a condition that is recognized by many of those concerned with coal preparation, namely that the lack of uniformity in presenting data on washery performance, the diversity of methods used in evaluating such information, and the frequent confusion of the terms related to performance have been prime factors militating against the progress from art to science. Thus, Cerchar feels that standardization of the methods employed for evaluating washery performance, not only in France but in the entire world, is essential to progress, and the prime objective of the Paris conference was to seek international standardization of the evaluation methods advocated by Cerchar. At the conclusion of the conference the question of standardization was referred to the International Standards Organization. A careful study of the dozen papers on the subject of evaluating washery performance presented at the conference reveals that none of the methods is new; most of them date back over a decade. Nevertheless, the intensive scrutiny of these methods brought about by the conference unquestionably has resulted in a valuable exchange of ideas and a clarification of thought that could scarcely be achieved in any other way. The object of the present report is to make available to the American coal industry the ideas developed at the conference which seem most important from an American viewpoint and to provide a critical analysis of some of the evaluation methods advocated by Cerchar. The various methods of evaluating washery performance are illustrated partly with data that have been published in American literature, and some new data have been obtained as the result of experimental work undertaken since the conference to provide information on certain controversial points. An English translation of the proceedings of the conference, including the discussion as well as the papers, will be available,' and previous to the conference Coal Age2 published a very brief description of some of the principal evaluation methods used by Cerchar. Americans will appreciate as well as do the French the desirability of standardizing both the termi-

Jan 1, 1952

By H. C. Howarth

This paper gives observations on ground movement and subsidence resulting from pillar drawing in the Lick Run section of Montour No. 10 mine of the Pittsburgh Coal Co. adjacent to solid coal owned by the U. S. Bureau of Mines at its Experimental mine in Snowden Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The investigation was planned by George S. Rice, chief mining engineer of the Bureau, who arranged the necessary cooperation with Dr. L. E. Young, vice president of the Pittsburgh Coal Co. Engineers of that company placed permanent monuments on the surface to establish the boundaries of the coal owned by the Bureau and to furnish fixed points to which all levels were referred. Engineers of the Experimental mine staff then covered the ground under observation with a checkerwork of monuments made of oak pegs set into the ground at 50-ft. intervals in two directions at right angles to each other. The level of these pegs was determined first from Dec. 16 to 30, 1929; again from May 25 to June 5, 1930, and finally from July 7 to 15, 1931. Observations were then discontinued because work had been stopped temporarily in this part on Montour 10 mine. General Conditions Fig. 1 is a plan of the part of the area under observation with which this paper deals. The mine is developed on a room and pillar system known locally as half advancing and half retreating. As Nos. 35 and 36 butt entries were advanced, rooms were driven from No. 36 and drawing of the room pillars followed their completion. When the entries reached the boundary, rooms were started from No. 35 butt beginning at that point, and all remaining pillars were drawn as rapidly as possible. The rib lines of Jan. 9 and June 13, 1930, were surveyed a week to 10 days after the first and second sets of levels were run, and there was some advance in that period. The rib line of July 15, 1931, agrees in time

Jan 1, 1934

By F. P. Dewey

Recent discussions have furnished to the members of the Institute much information concerning aluminum and its applications. The present paper will be devoted almost entirely to the description of a process by which the metal is produced in the form of alloys. The characters which especially distinguish the Heroult process consist in electrolyzing a mass of molten alumina (Al2O3), and at the same time alloying the separated aluminum with a heavy metal, the heat necessary for the fusion of both the alumina and the alloying metal being supplied by the direct passage through the molten Al2 0, of an electric current of high amperage and low voltage. The process has been in active operation at Neuhausen in Switzerland for about two years. It is also in active operation at Froges in southern France. Both these locations were selected for this purpose on account of the presence of large and desirable water-powers. The apparatus consists of a carbon containing-vessel, which may be a single crucible for small operations, or may be built up of slabs or blocks of carbon for large and industrial operations. When built up of slabs or blocks, the whole is surrounded by an iron casing. In the earlier crucibles this iron casing was cast around the carbon, in order to secure close electrical contact. This, however, has been found unnecessary; and in the later crucibles the casings consist of plates bolted together, while pulverized carbon is packed between the carbon blocks and the iron. Electric conductors are united direct to this iron casing, and the current passes from this through the carbon lining to the interior of the crucible. By this

Jan 1, 1890

By W. C. Meyer, R. R. Klimpel

A physical model of flotation, derived from viewing froth as a kinetic species since it constitutes the carrier of ore particles, not only agrees with and is simulated by engineering mathematical models, but is statistically verified by actual laboratory flotation data. The model couples the mechanical removal of froth using paddles with the more rapid interactions taking place in the bath. It clearly shows that the kinetics of mass removal is dictated by flotation cell dimensions, paddle speed, and, more importantly, froth characteristics. Some conclusions and model predictions are presented.

Jan 1, 1984

By K. A. Pauly

Compressed air has been and is still very extensively used in connection with mining-operations, but its application in the past has been almost entirely confined to supplying power to underground machinery. Its introduction was due to the difficulty of taking care of the steam which is exhausted underground, rather than to any advantage in efficiency to be gained by its use. The ease with which electric power may be carried to the remotest parts of the mine and the high efficiency of the electric motor have long been appreciated by mine-operators, and electric power is now extensively used underground in the more recent developments, while many of the compressed-air engines in the older workings are being rapidly replaced by electric motors. Recently, however, it has been suggested to use compressed air for driving the large shaft-hoists, the air for the engines being supplied by electrically-driven compressors, and an installation of this character is being erected at Butte, Mont. It is the object of this paper to compare the compressed-air system of hoisting with the various electrical systems, from the stand-points of first-cost and cost of operation. However, before entering into a discussion of the various systems, it will be well to consider briefly the conditions affecting the choice of a system of hoisting in which electricity is the ultimate source of power. The power required by a mine-hoist is extremely intermittent and fluctuates between very wide limits, the all-day average consumption of power not exceeding from 5 to 15 per cent. of the maximum demand during hoisting. The cost of supplying power for such a fluctuating load is necessarily higher than that for supplying an equal amount of

Jan 1, 1912

By Frank S. Gardner, Morris Cohen, Dara P. Anita

There is a conspicuous lack of information in the literature on the precise role played by residual quantities of austenite in heat-treated steels. While retained austenite may be expected to have significant effects on such important properties as the impact resistance of tools and carburized parts and the dimensional stability of dies and gauges, attempts to study these problems systematically have suffered from the absence of a reliable technique for ascertaining absolute amounts of austenite. With such a technique, not only could the relation between residual austenite and service behavior be investigated, but the chemical and heat-treatment factors that control the quantity of the austenite could also be established. Thus, the retained austenite content could then be regulated in accordance with the results desired. The presence of retained austenite may be inferred by observing the changes in properties (hardness, specific volume, electrical resistance, etc.) due to its decomposition on subatmospheric cooling1 or on tempering,2 but these indirect measurements are not readily translated into percentages of austenite. Quantitative determinations have been achieved in special cases by means of dilatometric3 and magnetic4,5 measurements; but the former procedure requires that observations be conducted during the hardening and involves difficult calibrations that limit its applicability, while the magnetic procedure is very sensitive to extraneous influences and depends upon assumptions that can only be considered as approximate in an absolute sense. Furthermore, both the dilatometric and magnetic effects are volume properties, and cannot be conveniently utilized to explore variations in retained austenite from point to point in a suecimen. Some microstructures lend themselves to accurate evaluation of retained austenite contents by metallo-graphic methods,3 but such instances are not too common, and at best, the procedure is tedious. The characteristic X-ray diffraction lines of austenite permit positive identification of its presence; and in the present paper the intensities of these lines, or the corresponding densities* on photographic film, are employed to measure the amount of the retained austenite. In order to cancel the effect of uncontrollable variations in the X - ray exposure and film - development conditions, a standard reference line is Superimposed on each film by maintaining a foil of aluminum in the path of the incident X-ray beam during the entire exposure. With different samples of steel and the same foil, the ratio of the density of some one austenite line to the density of

Jan 1, 1943