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By John T. Galey

A combination of two factors in addition to the current Federal drilling and price regulations reduced by 120 from I942 the number of new wells completed in southwestern Pennsylvania during the year. No new prospective area was found comparable to the Armbrust gas pool, Westmoreland Co., which accounted for a seventh of the last year's drilling, and it is considered doubtful whether, even if such a field had been discovered, the drilling contractors, who have been seriously affected by the manpower shortage, could have drilled many more wells than they did during the year. New wells totaling 445 were completed for a combined footage of over 1,250,000 Dry holes numbered 131 and had a footage of nearly 400,000. Old wells drilled deeper total 55, of which 17 were found nonproductive. Shallow Development Oil Oil completions yielded an initial of only slightly over one hundred barrels from 21 wells for about the same per well average as that of a year ago. However, 65 bbl. of this total came from two wells in two new strikes. The footage drilled of nearly 33,000 gives an average of nearly I00 ft. less per well than a year ago. Two old wells drilled deeper had a combined initial of only 4 bbl. The largest oil well of the year, 40 bbl., was found in the Speechley (U. Dev.) sand at a depth of 3492 ft. in German township, Fayette County. The location is several miles east of the nearest oil production hut as the area that could be occupied by a pool is fairly well delimited by drilling, the extent of this production would not appear to be large. The other notable oil production was found in the Dunkard (Penna.) sand, Cumberland township, Greene County, at a depth of 1065 ft. Here the first well had an initial of g bbl. and the second 25 bbl. However, a third proved dry, and as this area is also delimited by drilling, the pool doubtless will be of small area. Gas Gas completions yielded an initial of slightly over one hundred million cubic feet per day and new wells, totaling 303, account for all but four million of this volume. Old wells drilled deeper, numbering 35, found gas. The per well average in new drilling of approximately 320 M cu. ft. is nearly 165 M cu. ft. less than a year ago and the total footage is slightly over 830,000, which is about a quarter of a million feet less than in 1942. Average rock pressure of new completions is approximately 365 lb. per sq. in. The entire volume of new production is from the Upper Devonian or higher stratigraphic horizons. In Allegheny County, the grestest activity was in Forward and Plum townships. Wells there account for more than one half the completions. One large well was drilled in Forward township and an open flow of 3.623 million cubic feet was found in an old Gantz (U. Dev.) sand area. The top of the sand was encountered

Jan 1, 1944

By John T. Galey

A combination of two factors in addition to the current Federal drilling and price regulations reduced by 120 from I942 the number of new wells completed in southwestern Pennsylvania during the year. No new prospective area was found comparable to the Armbrust gas pool, Westmoreland Co., which accounted for a seventh of the last year's drilling, and it is considered doubtful whether, even if such a field had been discovered, the drilling contractors, who have been seriously affected by the manpower shortage, could have drilled many more wells than they did during the year. New wells totaling 445 were completed for a combined footage of over 1,250,000 Dry holes numbered 131 and had a footage of nearly 400,000. Old wells drilled deeper total 55, of which 17 were found nonproductive. Shallow Development Oil Oil completions yielded an initial of only slightly over one hundred barrels from 21 wells for about the same per well average as that of a year ago. However, 65 bbl. of this total came from two wells in two new strikes. The footage drilled of nearly 33,000 gives an average of nearly I00 ft. less per well than a year ago. Two old wells drilled deeper had a combined initial of only 4 bbl. The largest oil well of the year, 40 bbl., was found in the Speechley (U. Dev.) sand at a depth of 3492 ft. in German township, Fayette County. The location is several miles east of the nearest oil production hut as the area that could be occupied by a pool is fairly well delimited by drilling, the extent of this production would not appear to be large. The other notable oil production was found in the Dunkard (Penna.) sand, Cumberland township, Greene County, at a depth of 1065 ft. Here the first well had an initial of g bbl. and the second 25 bbl. However, a third proved dry, and as this area is also delimited by drilling, the pool doubtless will be of small area. Gas Gas completions yielded an initial of slightly over one hundred million cubic feet per day and new wells, totaling 303, account for all but four million of this volume. Old wells drilled deeper, numbering 35, found gas. The per well average in new drilling of approximately 320 M cu. ft. is nearly 165 M cu. ft. less than a year ago and the total footage is slightly over 830,000, which is about a quarter of a million feet less than in 1942. Average rock pressure of new completions is approximately 365 lb. per sq. in. The entire volume of new production is from the Upper Devonian or higher stratigraphic horizons. In Allegheny County, the grestest activity was in Forward and Plum townships. Wells there account for more than one half the completions. One large well was drilled in Forward township and an open flow of 3.623 million cubic feet was found in an old Gantz (U. Dev.) sand area. The top of the sand was encountered

Jan 1, 1944

By N. O. Johnson

THE Hog Mountain mine is a pyritic-gold property in the north central part of Tallapoosa County, Alabama, at an elevation of 800 ft. in the southern Appalachian region. It is 13 miles by a good secondary road from Alexander City, a station on the Central of Georgia Railroad. Since its discovery in 1839, the mine has been worked intermittently. The records of past operations are few and are scattered over a long period of time; however, available information indicates a production of approximately 12,000 oz. of gold prior to the present company's activities, which started in 1933. Additional 7844 oz. has been produced under the direction of the present management. The ore from stopes has averaged 0.200 oz. gold per ton; the ore from development, 0.136 oz. gold per ton. Silver, copper, iron and sulphur are also present but to date are of minor importance. The grade of ore in comparatively narrow veins makes necessary extreme vigilance in the methods of mining. Geology Wall Rock.-Hog Mountain consists of a quartz-diorite intrusion approximately 5000 ft. long by 1200 ft. wide. Its resistance to weathering, as compared to the surrounding schists, has led to the formation of a conspicuous ridge rising 400 ft. above the adjacent country. All the mining operations are confined within the limits of this quartz-diorite formation. . Except where there is excessive shearing, either parallel or at flat angles to the quartz veins, all the walls of the stopes within the limits of the veins are strong enough to make timbering unnecessary. Where shearing exists, there may be a sloughing off of the walls, especially in the process of drawing the ore. When this occurs, stulls are placed in the stope, either while the stope is advancing, or while ore is being drawn from a completed stope. In general, very little timber is required. Veins.-The quartz veins have been deposited along fracture planes in the quartz diorite. There are 20 principal veins, all of which are roughly parallel and strike at right angles to the long axis of the formation.

Jan 1, 1937

By James A. Burns

The challenge to designers of bulk materials handling systems is to apply the existing technology in areas where it has not been used and to foster better, cheaper and safer job performance. The Dashaveyor Co., a subsidiary of The Bendix Corp., built and tested a pilot system at Copper Range's White Pine mine. Based upon this success, a prototype system development was begun in 1967 to test the concepts in a full-scale, realistic environment.

Jan 11, 1973

By Joseph P. Kittredge

At the time this matter first came up in 1912, the National Malleable and Steel Castings Co. had seven basic-bottom open-hearth furnaces in its plant at Sharon, Fa., using fuel oil, then costing about 2½¢ per gallon. The fuel was satisfactory but its cost fluctuated widely, therefore the use of pulverized coal, which had been successful in the cement industry and in some metallurgical furnaces, was suggested. After a thorough investigation, and an actual trial on one of the open-hearth furnaces, to be certain that the siliceous ash in the coal would not seriously affect the basic slags, the management of this company approved its adoption and a complete installation was started. The conclusion had been reached that the success of the operation depended on pulverizing the coal to greater fineness than had thus far been accomplished, and all equipment was chosen with this in mind. A coal drier was deemed essential, and one of ample capacity and efficiency was selected, which has done all that was expected of it, working without failure and with very small maintenance cost, and is still in operation. Pulverizers The company demanded a pulverization of at least 90 per cent through a 240-mesh screen, with consistent results, and a machine was chosen that was grinding other materials than coal to the fineness desired. The control of fineness was obtained through a vacuum separator, and was governed by the size of the separator and the number and construction of the valves necessary to expand and direct the air current. These valves can be set to obtain any degree of fineness desired, and the result is consistent. Two machines were installed, each capable of producing 2½ tons per hour, 95 per cent through 240 mesh. These machines have done everything expected of them, have run continuously, and are still in operation. An examination of some of our pulverized coal by elutriation and microscopic measurement disclosed that a 1-lb. lump of bituminous coal,

Jan 1, 1940

By W. H. Howard

As the result of a series of analyses and volume determinations of gases discharged from the converters at the Garfield Smelting Co.'s. smelter at Garfield, Utah, it was found that a considerable amount of lead fume was escaping from the stacks of the converter plant, and `that if this lead could be recovered at a reasonable expense an attempt should be made to collect it. Two methods suggested themselves: (1) filtration through bags; (2) electrical precipitation of the condensed fume by a Cottrell plant. Filtration through Bags Tests were made in filtering converter gases through the ordinary woolen bags of lead-smelter bag houses to determine how long such material could withstand the corrosive action of the gases. While blowing on white metal only, the fabric was usually destroyed in 10 to 14 hr. In tests conducted in filtering gases when blowing on matte or slagging stage exclusively and when relatively considerable lead was being volatilized, bags in one instance lasted 60.5 hr. It therefore was evident that the Garfield converter gases did not contain in themselves sufficient neutralizing elements for the purpose of direct bag filtration, even during the slagging stage. Such results were more or less anticipated, but it was thus proved that under all conditions of blowing Garfield mattes a very considerable amount of neutralizing agent, zinc oxide or lime, or both combined, as in the Sprague process, would be required to render bag filtration possible. Again, owing to the constantly changing quantities of SO3 from a given battery of converters, depending on the number blowing at a given time and on the stages of the blow, it would be practically impossible to feed automatically the required amount of neutralizer. In order to safeguard the bags sufficient neutralizer would have to be continuously added to meet the maximum SO3 output, thus. wasting neutralizers and giving an undesirably diluted final product. Such a condition is entirely different

Jan 8, 1914

By Joseph P. Kittredge

At the time this matter first came up in 1912, the National Malleable and Steel Castings Co. had seven basic-bottom open-hearth furnaces in its plant at Sharon, Fa., using fuel oil, then costing about 2½¢ per gallon. The fuel was satisfactory but its cost fluctuated widely, therefore the use of pulverized coal, which had been successful in the cement industry and in some metallurgical furnaces, was suggested. After a thorough investigation, and an actual trial on one of the open-hearth furnaces, to be certain that the siliceous ash in the coal would not seriously affect the basic slags, the management of this company approved its adoption and a complete installation was started. The conclusion had been reached that the success of the operation depended on pulverizing the coal to greater fineness than had thus far been accomplished, and all equipment was chosen with this in mind. A coal drier was deemed essential, and one of ample capacity and efficiency was selected, which has done all that was expected of it, working without failure and with very small maintenance cost, and is still in operation. Pulverizers The company demanded a pulverization of at least 90 per cent through a 240-mesh screen, with consistent results, and a machine was chosen that was grinding other materials than coal to the fineness desired. The control of fineness was obtained through a vacuum separator, and was governed by the size of the separator and the number and construction of the valves necessary to expand and direct the air current. These valves can be set to obtain any degree of fineness desired, and the result is consistent. Two machines were installed, each capable of producing 2½ tons per hour, 95 per cent through 240 mesh. These machines have done everything expected of them, have run continuously, and are still in operation. An examination of some of our pulverized coal by elutriation and microscopic measurement disclosed that a 1-lb. lump of bituminous coal,

Jan 1, 1940

By Herman Garlichs

THE development of the extensive Southeast Missouri deposits greatly preceded that of the Iowa and Wisconsin deposits. It began about 1720 at Mine La Motte and other localities, and has continued uninterruptedly to the present time. It is estimated that this district produced about 184,000 tons of lead in the year 1916, having a value of approximately, $25,000,000. This is a new high record. The Southwest Missouri orebodies were hardly known before 1845 and were not extensively developed until 1870: Lead production in South-west Missouri for 1916 was 38,788 tons. Oklahoma produced 14,399 ,tons and Kansas 2,345 tons, making a total for Southwest Missouri, and the adjoining districts in Oklahoma and Kansas, of 55,532 tons of lead. The first metallurgists in Missouri were the Indian and the hunter. The early settler learned to procure his bullets either by melting ore in his camp fire or by throwing pieces of galena on an old stump and depending on the usual roasting and reaction method to obtain the metal. A little more refined method was to arrange two flat stones in the form of a V. Wood and galena were placed in the furnace and ignited. As heat developed, some of the metal was extracted and molded into bullets. The next step in utilizing the lead ores was the log hearth. All lead in Missouri was smelted in this crude affair before 1820. It was built on sloping ground, and consisted of a hearth of stone, surrounded on the front and two sides by a stone wall. The wall was 7 ft. high in front. The top and rear end were left open and in front an arch or opening was made, forming the eye of the furnace. In front of this a pit was dug in the ground, to receive the molten metal. Large logs were rolled in at the back and made to rest upon ledges formed inside, to raise them from the hearth and to give a draft. These logs filled the entire width of the furnace. Small split logs were then set up around the two sides and the front, and the ore was piled on until the furnace was full. Finally, the mass was covered with logs and fuel until the ore was completely surrounded. A gentle heat was started, which was raised very gradually. After 12 hr. the heat was increased and continued for 12 hr. more, 24 hr. being required, for each smelting. The furnace treated about 5,000 lb. per 24 hr. and the ore yielded about 50 per cent. of its metallic lead. A considerable quantity of the ore was not desulphurized, and fell between

Jan 7, 1917

By Cornelius Kelley

I HAVE been asked to pay a tribute to the mining industry. It is appropriate to this occasion that a word upon this subject should be spoken to this assemblage; but to pay a tribute to the mining indus-try, one that would be worthy of its traditions and its accomplishment and that would outline what it has meant to the economic and social development of this nation, would carry me far beyond what must be the brief confines of this address. I wonder how many there are who have ever paused to reflect how different might have been the current history of the world had it not been that for nearly eighty years a never-interrupted stream of wealth has flowed from the storehouse of treasure in the mines of the West into the commercial and economic life not only of this nation but of the world. Truly it was a historic day that Marshall discovered in the runway at Sutter's mill the glistening particles that proved to be gold. That event was one of the most momentous events in its consequences that ever happened in the history of mankind. Without its occurrence this nation undoubtedly would have grown; it would have reached a position; of economic and social soundness; but certainly it could not have achieved the splendid and immediate results that have become our proudest heritage and established our unrivaled posi-tion in the industrial world. As the primal cause that led to one of the great migratory movements of man it stands alone, unequaled, without any precedent in the annals of history, comparable in its effect on the imagination, on the movement, and on the devlop-ment of a people. Nearly three-quarters of a century had passed since the banners of the Revolution had been furled and a new nation had come into existence. Beyond the boun-daries of the original colonies, and through the passes of the Alleghanies, hardy frontiersmen had cut their way, and the process of establishing what have become -great states in the Valley of the Mississippi was under way. An empire of virgin land beckoned to the home-seekers of the world; but scarcely had its occupation been begun when, true to the instinctive urge that meant the ultimate destiny of the nation, there began the movement to carry the Stars and Stripes westward to the Pacific. Within the boundaries of what was then Mexico, Americans fought and died in the Alamo, and the banner of the Texan had been raised in eager ex-pectancy that its Lone Star might be added to the grow-ing constellation on the American banner.

Jan 5, 1928

By Charles S. Barrett, Robert F. Mehl

The system cadmium-mercury has attracted much attention, chiefly because of its importance in the study of electrochemical standard cells. The constitutional diagram, as it is accepted today, is essentially that developed by Bijl l (Fig. 1), though there has been a great amount of work done on the system by other workers.2 A year ago the senior author published a paper on the crystal structure of the system, in which were described determinations of crystal structure

Jan 1, 1930

By Colin Fink

TANTALUM and columbium occur together in tantalite and columbite ores, which may be considered as ferrotantalate (FeTa206), with part of the iron and tantalum replaced by manganese and columbium respectively, the general formula, therefore, becoming (Fe, Mn)O.(Ta, Cb)205. The ratio of tantalum to columbium is not fixed; the amount of tantalum may vary from one-third to three times that of columbium. Minerals having a high content of tantalum are called tantalite, while those possessing larger amounts of columbium are classified as columbite ores. These minerals are found in pegmatites and often occur in veins associated with cassiterite and wolframite, and may contain small amounts of tin, tungsten, titanium and silica.1

Jan 1, 1931

By John B. Hastings

Chief among the varied problems facing the mine-manager is that of vein-structure and origin, which is highly important as a guide to successful discovery and development. If metalliferous deposits can be traced to the intrusion of waters along definite lines, then is there something tangible for him to study. But when he is told by a geologist that metalliferous deposits are due to some other cause, like magmatic differentiation, while not perhaps discouraged, he is impressed with a vague sense of new worlds to be conquered. In 1897, while manager of the War Eagle mine at Rossland, B. C., where, previously, the ore-bodies had not been supposed to occur as veins, I suggested to visiting members of the Canadian Geological Survey that, perhaps, the structure of the pyrrhotite-bodies of that mine, which had been proved to occur along well-defined fractures, might throw some light on the similar deposits of Sudbury, then held to be basic aggregations from the original magma. Later investigation has at least provoked discussion of this last deduction, questioning its correctness and suggesting that, perhaps, the deposits are actual veins. The following extract from a paper by J. E. Spurr' is quoted, because it sets forth Mr. Spurr's theory of the quartz-occurrences of the Silver Peak mines, which will be discussed in this article. It also graphically describes the attendant geological features. "The Drinkwater group of mines, which is the most important part of the Blair gold properties, and which has produced practically all of the million dollars' worth of ore, as above stated, may be taken as typical of the gold-veins which, though widespread and numerons, show a wonderful similarity of character. On the surface two adjacent veins outcrop, the Crowning Glory and the

Jan 1, 1906

By Arthur Redfield

IN ESTIMATING the unmined petroleum reserves of Central America, it is not feasible to employ the methods that have been worked out in the oil fields of the United States. No producing wells have been brought in and no drilling sections have been made public. It is accordingly necessary to fall back on a crude "barrels per square mile" estimate. The method chosen is a comparison of the structure of the foreign field of unknown reserves with that of some supposedly analogous North American field of which the reserves have been estimated. This method makes no pretense at scientific accuracy; bit furnishes a working basis for an estimate. The areal geology of Central America is illustrated in the map prepared by Sapper and more recently in the geologic map of North America accompanying U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper No. 71, "Index to the stratigraphy of North America." Disregarding for the present the Arrow Quaternary coastal plains and alluvial deposits of the river valleys, three chief zones may be distinguished. These are: A zone of late eruptive and effusive rocks; a zone of highly folded pre-Cambrian(?) or early Paleozoic crystalline schists and slates, considerably intruded by pre-Tertiary plutonic rocks; and a zone of more or less folded sediments, chiefly of Cretaceous or Tertiary age. The zone of late eruptive and effusive rocks of Central America begins in southeastern Chiapas, Mexico,. and extends, with increasing breadth, across southern Guatemala, across practically the whole of El Salvador, and across southern Honduras to the valley of Rio Goascorán, where the igneous zone attains a width of about 100 mi. (160 km:) East of the Goascorán Valley late eruptives and effusives play a subordinate part, being confined largely to the Departments of Valle and Choluteca. Dikes and sills of igneous rocks intrude the sedimentary formations of central and northern Honduras.

Jan 7, 1922

By Milton H. Ward

INTRODUCTION Historically, planning a mine involved the economic decision of whether to mine by open-pit methods or underground methods. The method selected was influenced by a number of factors, including size, tenor, and location of the deposit. If the project could not be justified by either underground or open-pit practices, it remained in fallow until economic conditions changed or technology advanced. Technology has advanced and the mining industry now has another option, that of in situ leaching. This method is on the threshold of becoming a commonly used alternative for production in many types of metal and mineral deposits. It will be utilized as the primary method for developing an ore body or as an adjunct to open-pit or underground operations. The following considers application of the technique to a deposit that had been partially exploited by open-pit methods. HISTORY The Big Mike Copper Mine is located approximately 30 miles south of Winnemucca, in Pershing County, Nevada. Interest in the property dates from the turn of the century, but little exploration was undertaken until the mid '60s. In 1967 Cerro Corporation acquired the property and initiated a major drilling effort. Ranchers Exploration obtained the property after this exploration program in late 1969 and confirmation drilling was undertaken. The deposit was delineated and it was determined that reserves amounted to about 100,000 tons of 10.0% massive copper sulfide ore and 700,000 tons of 2 .O% mixed oxide-sulfide ore. The ore body was a lenticular deposit, dipping at 50°. The massive sulfide mineralization was chalcocite and

Jan 1, 1974

By Walter C. Labys

INTRODUCTION Interest in multicommodity stabilization schemes has increased recently for several reasons, a most important one being the experienced wide swings in primary commodity prices. These prices rose sharply between mid - 1972 and end - 1974 giving commodity exporting countries an opportunity to gain sizeable increases in export earnings. But since then, prices have tumbled and these countries are searching for a means to stabilize if not to increase their earnings. While this problem is particularly serious for developing countries, the developed countries are concerned about the impending upward price swing, which would increase inflation before recovery from the world recession is assured. As a direct consequence of the emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly devoted to commodity problems in April of 1974, interest has been renewed in the Keynesian (4) plan for an international multicommodity buffer stock program. In particular, UNCTAD (8) is designing an integrated commodity scheme to be discussed within that body. In terms of approaches that have appeared in designing such a program, none exist which relate to the interpretation of the independence and interdependence of prices of the commodities of interest. Typical criteria for selecting commodities for the scheme have included their importance in world trade, their particular origin from developing countries, and their feasibility for storage. But the financial management of a multicommodity buffer stock requires a consideration of commodity prices, yields, and risks as does as any portfolio of assets. The approach which we take in this study is that of application

Jan 1, 1977

By M. F. Fogler

An attempt to duplicate Rawdon and Mutchler's experiments showing a reversal of hardness with continued rolling gave negative results, indicating that the phenomenon is not general but depends, probably, on local conditions of rolling. IN A recent paper, Rawdon and Mutchler1 gave some exceptionally interesting results on the Brinell and scratch hardness of severely cold-worked metals. In their work, they found that, on continued cold rolling, the metal hardened up to a particular point and then reversed and became softer; this was true for both Brinell and scratch hardness values. The generally reported behavior2 of metals, with respect to Brinell tests on cold-worked material, is that the metals harden up to a certain point and then, on further cold rolling, no change in Brinell hardness occurs. Jeffries and Archer3 state that there is little difference between the scratch hardness of annealed and cold-worked metals; the work of Faust and Tammann4 also indicated no difference between-the hardness of annealed and cold-worked copper. Rawdon and Mutchler found, when they plotted the reduction ratio (initial thickness divided by thickness after rolling) against the hardness value for the cold-rolled material, that the hardness number increased up to a reduction ratio of about 3 and then decreased and became even smaller than that for the annealed metal. This behavior was reported for both scratch and Brinell hardness; Figs. 1 and 2 show their results for Brinell hardness on the metals for which they published data. This is an exceptionally interesting phenomenon, if it occurs under all conditions of rolling, and would have an important bearing on the practice of cold

Jan 1, 1925

W. M. PEIRCE, Chairman J. L. CHRISTIE, Past-chairman E. H. DIX, JR., Vice-chairman ALBERT J. PHILLIPS, Vice-chairman E. M. WISE, Secretary International Nickel Co., Bayonne, N. J. W. M. CORSE, Treasurer Executive Committee W. H. BASSETT, JR. R. H. LEACH' D. K. CRAMPTONR. F. MEHL J. A. GANN W. E. REMMERS G. O. HIERS H. J. ROAST JEROME STRAUSS Finance Committee J. L. CHRISTIE, Chairman W. M. CORSE C. H. MATHEWSON T. S. FULLER H. S. RAWDON

Jan 1, 1934

By David R. Mitchell

The mineral pyrite (or marcasite) occurs in coal beds as balls, lenses, veinlets and bands. Several million tons are wasted annually on the refuse dumps from coal mining and coal-preparation activities. Sporadic attempts have been made in the United States to recover this pyrite for manufacture of sulphuric acid but only a few plants have succeeded in recovering it on a commercial scale. Several chemical companies in the East became concerned about supplies of pyrite early in 1943, but by late summer of that year the situation had eased. If for no other reason than national security and self-sufficiency during wartime, methods of recovering pyrite from coal-mine refuse should be worked out and made available to coal-mine operators who are potential producers of pyrite. Eastern sulphuric-acid plants are particularly likely to have their sources of raw material blocked by war conditions, so that special studies to determine where supplies of pyrite can be obtained for these plants from inland sources are desirable. Davis's1 summarization of conditions during World War I gives the following facts: During those years, the shortage of pyrite became acute. Shipments of hand-picked pyrite were made from a number of coal mines in Illinois, Indiana, western Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. A mechanical concentrating plant for sepa- rating pyrite from picking-table refuse was built at Danville, Ill., and operated for several years, and a small pyrite-concen-trating plant treating washery refuse near Gillespie, Ill., operated for several months in 1918. The Consolidation Coal Co. of Fairmont, W. Va., constructed and operated a sulphuric-acid plant using pyrite recovered from coal-mine refuse. The U. S. Bureau of Mines during 1917-1919 made a comprehensive survey of pyrite-production possibilities from coal mines and estimated that there was a potential yearly production of 435.000 tons from Ohio and Pennsylvania and 928,000 tons from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana mines. This estimate included only mines that could produce one per cent or more of their coal production as pyrite containing a minimum of 40 per cent sulphur. PyRite Production According to the Minerals Yearbook,2 approximately 660,000 long tons of pyrite was produced in the United States in 1941, with an average sulphur content of 42 per cent. The average value f.o.b. mines was $3.09 per long ton. Spanish pyrite, 48 per cent sulphur minimum, was quoted at 12 cents a unit c.i.f. U. S. ports, equal to $5.76 a ton for shipments of minimum sulphur content. Most of the pyrite produced in the United States is obtained as a by-product in the dressing of copper and zinc ores. Metal mines in the East making pyrite concentrate for the market or use in company-operated sulphuric-acid plants

Jan 1, 1944

By David R. Mitchell

The mineral pyrite (or marcasite) occurs in coal beds as balls, lenses, veinlets and bands. Several million tons are wasted annually on the refuse dumps from coal mining and coal-preparation activities. Sporadic attempts have been made in the United States to recover this pyrite for manufacture of sulphuric acid but only a few plants have succeeded in recovering it on a commercial scale. Several chemical companies in the East became concerned about supplies of pyrite early in 1943, but by late summer of that year the situation had eased. If for no other reason than national security and self-sufficiency during wartime, methods of recovering pyrite from coal-mine refuse should be worked out and made available to coal-mine operators who are potential producers of pyrite. Eastern sulphuric-acid plants are particularly likely to have their sources of raw material blocked by war conditions, so that special studies to determine where supplies of pyrite can be obtained for these plants from inland sources are desirable. Davis's1 summarization of conditions during World War I gives the following facts: During those years, the shortage of pyrite became acute. Shipments of hand-picked pyrite were made from a number of coal mines in Illinois, Indiana, western Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. A mechanical concentrating plant for sepa- rating pyrite from picking-table refuse was built at Danville, Ill., and operated for several years, and a small pyrite-concen-trating plant treating washery refuse near Gillespie, Ill., operated for several months in 1918. The Consolidation Coal Co. of Fairmont, W. Va., constructed and operated a sulphuric-acid plant using pyrite recovered from coal-mine refuse. The U. S. Bureau of Mines during 1917-1919 made a comprehensive survey of pyrite-production possibilities from coal mines and estimated that there was a potential yearly production of 435.000 tons from Ohio and Pennsylvania and 928,000 tons from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana mines. This estimate included only mines that could produce one per cent or more of their coal production as pyrite containing a minimum of 40 per cent sulphur. PyRite Production According to the Minerals Yearbook,2 approximately 660,000 long tons of pyrite was produced in the United States in 1941, with an average sulphur content of 42 per cent. The average value f.o.b. mines was $3.09 per long ton. Spanish pyrite, 48 per cent sulphur minimum, was quoted at 12 cents a unit c.i.f. U. S. ports, equal to $5.76 a ton for shipments of minimum sulphur content. Most of the pyrite produced in the United States is obtained as a by-product in the dressing of copper and zinc ores. Metal mines in the East making pyrite concentrate for the market or use in company-operated sulphuric-acid plants

Jan 1, 1944

By C. W. Reith

The development of production in West Texas during the year 1933 was largely confined to the expansion of proven areas, especially Ward County, Iatan and North Winkler. Wildcat activity was at a comparatively low ebb and resulted only in discoveries of probable minor importance in Ector County. The interest shown in deep wildcatting to test beds of pre-Permian age was a new development, which should soon throw light on the possibilities of deeper production from the present producing fields. The important pre-Permian tests of the year were: 1. Stanolind Oil and Gas Co., Todd No. 1, a unitized test, in north central Crockett County on a probable continuation of the Big Lake trend. The well encountered several showings of oil and penetrated an Ordovician section very similar to the productive zones at Big Lake, but was abandoned when sulfur water was encountered at 8041 feet. 2. Gulf Production Co., McElroy No. 103, in the McElroy Field, Upton County. The well was drilling at 8553 ft. at the close of the year in beds of probable pre-Permian age. The test is an important one because it should prove or disprove deep production in the Church-Fields-McElroy pools and also throw geologic light on the deep possibilities of other fields in the western part of the Permian Basin. 3. Humble Oil and Refining Co., White and Baker No. 1, in Pecos County, about 11 miles west of the Yates field. The well is on a nonproductive Permian high and should indicate the deep possibilities of the Yates field. At the end of the year, drilling had progressed to 7200 ft., where beds of pre-Permian age are believed to have been penetrated. The major fields in West Texas, in which present-day proration had its inception, were produced under increased restrictions. A date of importance in the proration history of the area was $ept. 8, 1933, when the Railroad Commission issued an order placing all producing wells under proration. The severe reductions in total outlet made during 1933 were well compensated for by a more than threefold increase in the price of crude oil. Acid treatment was one of the general engineering developments of interest. The work had not progressed sufficie~ltly at the close of 1933

Jan 1, 1934