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By Henry P. Ehrlinger

The Alta and St. Louis mines of the Alta Mines, Inc., produce a somewhat oxidized ore with a talc gangue that presents quite a problem in milling. For several years the mill recoveries were relatively low and there seemed to be no cure for this condition even with increasing the various collecting agents and frothers to two or three times of what they should be. The usual alibi of "oxidized ore" was given as the reason for these results and the matter stood there for some time until these investigations were started. Flowsheet As a brief outline of the flowsheet the ore is crushed to minus I in. in a Telsmith jaw crusher and then fed to a 64½ Marcy grate mill. The resulting product from the grate mill is passed over a trommel where the coarse particles (plus 7 mesh) are returned to the grinding circuit through the classifier. The under 7-mesh pulp is passed over two Denver mineral jigs where a high grade concentrate is produced, thence over two Wilfley tables where a table concentrate is produced and about 80 pct of the oxide lead recovered. The tailings from these tables are pumped back to the classifier and after classification the 30 pct pulp density product, which overflows the lip, is passed into a series of 10 Denver economy flotation cells where a lead-copper concentrate is produced. Three products are made and shipped to the smelter termed jig, table and float concentrates. Results with various Reagents In March of this year work was started on the metallurgical problems of the mill and, as is shown in Table I, the results obtained were not too efficient. Tests were run with various reagent combinations that were recommended for ores of this nature but there was no appreciable effect on the recoveries. The grades of the flotation concentrates were reduced by the insoluble picked up and retained by these more powerful collectors and frothers. Results with "Metso" In past work on ores of this type the use of "Metso" had improved gold and lead recoveries, but no effect on the silver and copper recoveries had been noted. To

Jan 1, 1949

Discussion of the paper of H. H. STOEK, presented at the St. Louis meeting, October, 1917, and printed in Bulletin 129, September, 1917, pp. 1385 to 1419. J. B. WARRINER, Lansford, Pa. (written discussion*).-The figures on costs given at the end of this paper. are of particular interest and it is unfortunate that they necessarily cover such limited periods, as figures giving the costs over a period of at least a year would be of much greater value; for instance, it seems hardly probable that the performances credited to the various shovels for the months for which the costs are given would represent the average of the performances of these machines over a longer period. It would seem to me that the maximum of 4000 cu. yd. (3058 cu. m.) per clay given for the 225 B shovel is much greater than could be maintained for an entire year's operation. On the other hand, the 1500-yd. figure for the 150 B shovel would seem a low average for this type of shovel. In connection with the drag-line excavators, it will be interesting to know that the Lehigh Coal, and Navigation Co. is about to install one of these machines on a clay stripping at their Nesquehoning colliery to excavate an average depth of. overburden of 65 ft. (19 m.), which, due to local conditions, will require that part of the excavated material be handled a second time and a lesser quantity a third time. The results of this operation will undoubtedly be watched with great interest.

Jan 1, 1918

By Paul J. Sirkegian

The problem of properly controlling the movements of underground trains in the Emma Nevada and Morris Brooks workings of the Consolidated Coppermines Corporation of Kimberly, Nev., became more complex as the rate of production increased. Ore from these mines, which are connected through a 7000-ft. single-track haulageway (Fig. I), is hoisted through the Emma Nevada shalt. All production to date has been from one level. Because of heavy ground, even on the main haulage horizon, experience has shown that it is necessary to have a minimum cross section in the drifts, thus making it impractical to have a double track system. In 1937, production was 3000 tons per day; in 1938 it was increased to 6000 tons per day and in 1940 to 9000 tons per day. Each increase necessitated a revision in the method of controlling the underground traffic. In 1937 the tramming signal system consisted of a few signal lights in the main haulage drift. These lights were two 100-watt bulbs in a metal box that had one green and one red lens on each side. The box was mounted on the underside of a drift cap timber and could be seen For a considerable distance. The lights were so arranged that all boxes showed either red or green at the same time and all were controlled by a magnetic contactor at the entrance to each lateral drift. When the lights showed green, the main haulage was clear of traffic and a train could enter it. As the motor entered the main haulage drift, the motorman pulled the cord of the magnetic contactor switch, thus changing all the main haulage lights to red, which indicated that no other train could use the main haulage until the first train had turned into a lateral drift. When a train left the main line, its motorman pulled the cord connected with the magnetic contactors, causing the haulage lights to show green again. This arrangement permitted only one train at a time to use the main haulage and thus limited the number of train trips per shift, but it was satisfactory when the ore handled was only 3000 tons per day. Second SystEM Installed With a gradual increase in production it became necessary to place a train dispatcher in charge of all trains. He controlled their movements orally, giving his orders direct or by mine phone, instructing them where to load, when to leave for the station and when to return. His objective was to group several trains traveling in the same direction. Because of the human element involved, some mistakes were made. The danger of a serious collision was always possible. There was a 90° turn and curve in the underground haulageway, therefore travel in this section was always dangerous if mistakes were made in directing traffic. To protect the train crew, particularly the rear switchman who rode the last car or caboose, a two-way push button and flash-signal system was installed on the

Jan 1, 1946

By Michael K. O’Leary, William D. Coplin

Risks from political instability and government policies restricting equity ownership, local operations and transfers of payments affect the profitability of foreign mining ventures. More than seat-of-the-pants judgments and old-boy networks are required to anticipate these risks and to take actions appropriate to offsetting them. A system for making political forecasts, called the Prince System, and a series of charts relaying risks to a production of key minerals has been developed.

Jan 1, 1985

By Tracy L. Atherton

THE mapping of slant-hole oil fields is complicated by the fact that relationships between wells are subject to variations in three dimensions and are not readily adaptable to representation on a plane surface. Formalized perspectives usually expand into an undecipherable maze of lines and peg models with the necessary supporting dividers serve only to awe the beholder with their perplexity. The usual compromise arrived at is a plotting of the projection of the courses of all of the wells in the field onto a horizontal plane (Fig. I). These complicated plots, when used in conjunction with the individual vertical projections of the wells, heretofore have been the most practical foundation for the study of general field problems. This method has many shortcomings, however, which are not found in the recently developed straight-hole equivalent projection method. The new method supplies a series of maps similar to the type now in common use in straight-hole fields. It is remarkably simple to use and supplies a ready check on clearances between wells. Perhaps the method can best be understood if the steps that led to its development are described. Common practice of oil-well surveyors is to supply the owner with a tabling of the survey and a plan view plotted against the true meridian. If a vertical projection is plotted, it is usually plotted separately and shows vertical depths against the projection of the stations along a section line joining the top and bottom of the hole on the plan view. A more practical method would be to plot the section line of the plan parallel to the abscissa of the vertical projection (Fig. 2). If this is done, any line parallel to the "base line" will pass through the points on each projection that represent a single point in the hole. Another very useful graph, which the well surveyor could provide, would be plotting of vertical depths against measured depths. Fig. 3 illustrates the next step facilitated by this form of plotting. The lines designated "well A" represent the proposed course of a hole to be drilled. Superimposed on the drawing, in its proper relative position, is the plan view and a portion of the vertical projection of a present producer, "well B." From an inspection of the plan view we arrive at the correct conclusion that the only indicated possibility of collision is at the point of crossing of the wells on the plan view. Referring to the vertical projection, note that the vertical depths of stations on B, in the vicinity of the crossing, are plotted on the same plane of projection as A. The clearance is the indicated distance between the two vertical sections measured along the parallel to the "base line," which passes through the point of intersection of the plan view. Repeat this process for the other wells crossing the proposed course of A on the plan view and you have a preliminary check of clearance for the proposed course. A similar comparison of crossings on the vertical projections of all

Jan 1, 1941

By Graham John Mitchell

In May, 1919, a crosscut on the 1400-ft. level of the Briggs mine, a Calumet, & Arizona property at Bisbee, Ariz., penetrated a deposit of pyrite and chaleopyrite that had replaced quartzite and limestone and was cut, especially in the quartzite, by numerous fractures. As the drift advanced through these fractured portions, they were found to be free from copper-sulfate minerals although '(sooty" chalcocite was present in the fractures and also as coatings and replacements of pyritc. Howcver, sulfate soon made its appearance in certain fractures, filled them, and began to form stalactites. Several centers of incipient growth were noted for subsequent study, observations in the drift at frequent intervals during the past 17 months affording the opportunity of determining the rate of formation of the stalactites. The one to attain the greatest growth during the period of observation measured 27 in. long and averaged 1 in. in diameter. A close study showed it to be composed of small interlocked crystals of chalcanthite radiating from a small central tube-like opening. The trielinic form of the crystals was evident with prism and pinacoid faces recognixable. Assuming that the supply of copper-sulfate solution was constant (luring the 17 months—-and such an assumption is supported by the fact that the number of drops of excess solution falling, per minute, from the tip of the stalactite at the times of observation checked closely—thc stalactite, it has been estimated, grew at the rate of 1.58+ in. per month. DISCUSSION James I?. Kemp," New Yolk City.—J. S. Curtiss, in the monogr:tpll on Eureka, Ncv., say:: that a stalactite formed in limestonc grew 5/8 in. in three weeks and continued to grow as long as it had a drop of water or solution at the lower end. Another grew at the rate of 3/8 in. in the same time. In the case cited by Mr. Mitchell, the growth was about 136 in. in three weeks. A year ago we had an instance of the formation of cubes of galena on a railroad spike. A mine in northeastern Oklahoma had been idle about two years but on account of pumping of neighboring properties, the circulation of water was active throughout the drift. A cube of galena,

Jan 1, 1922

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 C. V. Milikan

Allocation of allowed production in a prorated field by the use of bottom-hole pressures is a method which is sound in theory. Thus far it has had limited application because the experience in correlating bottom-hole pressures with the depletion of wells or fields is not sufficient to interpret all the pressure changes. With additional data and more general knowledge of bottom-hole pressures their use in proration will probably become common. Bottom-hole pressure is the pressure at or near the bottom of a well. It is usually determined at the face of the producing horizon. Bottom-hole pressure measured while the well is producing, may be called the bottom-hole producing pressure or bottom-hole flowing pressure. If the well has been shut in or shut down long enough for the pressure in the producing horizon within the drainage area of the well to equalize, it may be called the reservoir pressure. The allowable production from a prorated field may be allocated to the individual wells or leases by three methods: 1. Bottom-hole producing or flowing pressures. (a) The potential capacity of a well to produce. (b) A uniform differential pressure while producing at the allowed rate. 2. Reservoir pressures. 3. A combination of bottom-hole producing pressures and reservoir pressures. In most prorated fields the allowed production is allocated to the individual wells or leases in proportion to their individual potentials. This method is based on the theory that there is a direct relationship between the permeability and the porosity of the reservoir. More directly stated it means that there is a direct relationship between the amount of oil in the reservoir and the rate at which it will move through the reservoir. While in general this relationship is true, it may vary considerably in different wells. Furthermore, in many wells the capacity of the reservoir to deliver oil to the well is greater than the capacity of the flow string to deliver oil to the surface. It is especially true where the potential is determined by flowing through tubing or by pumping.

Jan 1, 1933

By John Henry Harden

With imperfect instruments it is impossible to make accurate surveys; the results are inaccurate maps, with their attendant consequences. The design of the writer is to describe an improved form of tripod head, and certain defects in an English transit and a miners' dial, with the method taken to remedy the defects of the transit. When the present transit superseded the surveyor's compass, there was one special objection brought against it, and with some show of reason ; namely, that the tripod of the compass with its ball and socket motion, allowed a quicker levelling-up (and, consequently, more work) than mas possible with the transit. To this objection it was replied, that the ball and socket would not allow the instrument to be levelled with the same degree of precision that could be attained with the levelling screws, and that if time was sacrificed greater accuracy was attained. Nevertheless, it is a wellknown fact that in this country, and especially in England, the compass or miners' dial holds its ground solely from its rapid adjustment. Ever since the introduction of the transit, efforts have been made to give to this instrument the same facility of levelling possessed by the compass or dial, and the same means have been tried, i. e., a ball and socket motion, since a modification of this in some form was the only method that would answer. The upper part of a transit is, however, much heavier than the corresponding parts of a compass, and, therefore, requires more binding power, which cannot be obtained with an ordinary ball and socket joint. It has been a study with instrument-makers to combine the facility of these two tripods —the quickness of the ball and socket with the steadiness and accuracy of the screws; but in all attempts in this direction the ball and socket of the compass has been literally followed, the entire stability of the instrument depending upon the friction of the ball in its socket. There is great need for a tripod that can be more easily manipulated than the present form, for it rarely happens that an engineer has a level surface on which to set his instrument, and very often

Jan 1, 1879

By Nichols J. Grant, Bill C. Geissen

In low temperature phase diagrams, liquidus curves below about 1500°C are relatively easily established, e.g., by thermal analysis or separation of coexisting solid and liquid phases, followed by chemical analysis. Experimental difficulties increase considerably at higher temperatures and in systems involving more reactive metals. Although there are now thermocouples available for use from 1600" to 2400°c, as summarized by Caldwell,' the need for frequent calibration, aging, and contamination problems, and unavailability of suitable protection tubes has sharply limited their use at higher temperatures. Many of the high melt- ing metals are found to react with refractory oxides. TO avoid such problems, a frequently used procedure is the diffusion and saturation method, as described by Spedding et a1.' for the system La-C. This technique involves the annealing of one metal or a suitable alloy in a crucible of the other element at a temperature above the melting point, followed by chemical analysis of the center of the melt, after equilibrium is established. Further, if an alloy system is to be investigated employing the electron microbeam probe, and calibration charts have been established, it may be possible to measure the alloy concentration at the center of a cored as-cast structure, and to conclude from this points on the liquidus curve in a manner similar to the one to be described. It is known that in phases with a broad homogeneity range the rapidly cooled, cored, as-cast structure of an alloy presents concentrations having different lattice constants; this spread of lattice constant values contributes to the broadened lines of a powder pattern for the as-cast condition. The region of the crystal which is first to solidify will then correspond to the edge of the lines if the change of the lattice parameters with concentration is monotonous. In the course of the determination of the Ta-Tr phase diagram,3 it became evident that such behavior made it possible to construct the

Jan 1, 1963

By Howard Lee

I. GEOLOGY AND ORE OCCURRENCE IN central Colorado is a great belt of intrusive porphyry nearly 100 miles long (160 km.), extending from the Clear Creek district on the north to Aspen on the south, which includes many of the well known mining camps of the State. Near the southern end of this belt, at Leadville, the occurrence of these intrusives is most marked, resulting in intensive mineralization and the formation of a great variety of large orebodies. During the past 40 years, Leadville has been a steady producer of gold, silver, lead, zinc, manganese, iron, and bismuth, in the forms of sulfid, carbonate and oxide ores. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss pyrite alone, which, under present economic conditions, is valuable chiefly for its sulphur contents. The ore-bearing formation of the Leadville district consists of two beds of limestone separated by a layer of quartzite. The upper limestone is carbonaceous, and is known locally as the blue limestone. It varies in thickness from 50 to 300 ft. (15 to 91 m.). The lower limestone is Silurian, known locally as white limestone, and is about the same thickness as the upper bed. Underneath the Silurian limestone is a layer of Cambrian quartzite front 100 to 250 ft. (30 to 76 in.) thick resting on Archean granite, which forms the limit of ore deposition. As a rule, there is a sheet of white porphyry above the upper, or blue limestone; a sheet of gray porphyry is associated with the blue limestone, either in or below it, but the porphyries are not so regular as the quartzites and limestones and are not always found in their expected positions. Throughout the district there is an elaborate system of faults and intrusive porphyry dikes, which have all important bearing on ore deposits. The writer has seen two or three orebodies which were not closely associated with either a fault or a porphyry dike, but if the minor fractures and water courses are considered as part of the fault system it is safe to say that all orebodies are directly traceable to one or both of these causes.

Jan 8, 1918

By B. D. Lichter

The lattice parameters of zirconium and zirconium-oxygen solid solutions (hcp) were determined from measurements of back-reflection X-ray photograms obtained at 29°C using a symmetrical focussing camera. The following linear equations between parameters (c,a) in angstrom units (10-8 cm) and atom ratio (m) of oxygen to zirconium were obtained: c = 5.14764 + 0.2077m a =3.23168 + 0.1099m. The linear equations given are valid over the range 0 to 5 at. Pct 0. The accuracy of individual parameter measurements approaches the limiting accuracy determined by the spectral broadening of the incident characteristic radiation, and exceeds the accuracy of previously reported values. THE present work was undertaken in order to determine the lattice parameters of zirconium-oxygen solid solutions with an accuracy that allows quantitative determination of oxygen in zirconium. The results indicate that this is possible if very careful measurements are made, since the parameter change is only a few hundredths of a percent per at. pct 0.1, 2 In the present investigation the desired accuracy was achieved with large-grained samples using a back-reflection focussing camera and maintaining good temperature control during exposure. In addition a digital computer was used for calculation of the parameters by means of an analytical extrapolation.37 Suitable diffraction photograms were obtained from large-grained samples by using a modification of the technique described by Graf and Monteil.5 This consists of simultaneous rotation and oscillation of the specimen about two mutually perpendicular axes during exposure. Whereas, normally the upper limit of grain size is about 50 µ for useable diffraction photograms, this technique allows extending the upper limit of grain-size to exposure of a single crystal. EXPERIMENTAL Preparation of Alloys for X-ray Diffraction—Zir-conium, designated as hafnium-free, Westinghouse "Grade 1," was swaged from l/2-in.-diam crystal bar to 3/8-in.-diam rods. Substantially all of the hydrogen was removed from the zirconium by annealing at 1200°C in a high dynamic vacuum. The rods were then swaged to 0.2 in. diam without intermediate annealing, and 2 in. lengths were cut for alloying with oxygen. Samples for chemical analysis were taken from portions of the rods between each 2 in. length. Chemical analysis of the dehydroge-nated zirconium is given in Table I. Commercial tank oxygen (99.5 pct 0) was condensed in a liquid nitrogen-cooled trap, and part of the condensate was slowly reevaporated into 5-liter storage flasks. Nitrogen remained as a reactive impurity, and the calculated maximum increase in nitrogen content after a 5 at. pct 0 addition to zirconium was 50 ppm by weight. However, chemical analyses of several of the prepared alloys indicated that the maximum increase in nitrogen content was 10 ppm. The storage flasks, a Sieverts-type gas burette and manometer, and associated traps, pumps, and pressure gauges were connected through a glass high-vacuum manifold to comprise the gas addition system. A fused silica tube, connected to the mani-

Jan 1, 1961

By D. E. Wolfson, D. A. Reynolds, F. W. Smith

IN 1948 the U. S. Bureau of Mines began a three- phase program to evaluate the extent and quality of U. S. coking coal: 1) a factual appraisal of known recoverable reserves in beds of mineable thickness, 2) a study of preparation characteristics, and 3) a study of carbonization properties. A previous paper presented the methods used in assessing reserves.' Although this investigation is only partly completed, data on coking properties of the Pittsburgh district coals are now available. The results are presented in this article. When coals are selected for manufacture of metallurgical coke more factors must be considered than for any other major use, as no basic industry requires coal of such high quality and uniformity. This is particularly true in the Pittsburgh district, where blast furnace practice is based on use of cokes from high quality coals. Although it is true that inferior coals are carbonized in other industrial areas, both here and abroad, the Pittsburgh coals are the best economically obtainable in the required tonnages, even though they are not the most desirable for metallurgical use.

Jan 3, 1957

By J. E. Norton

PRODUCTION statistics show that during the period of emergence from the depres¬sion the coal industry was becoming increasingly cognizant of the economic and competitive necessity for mechanizing. About 1935 many of its leaders were becoming aware also of the alarming scarcity of men properly trained to cope with the new problems of mechanization. In order to get a factual statement of this problem, a special AIME Coal Division Committee + was requested to survey the condition. Its investigation disclosed that graduates of mining schools going into coal mining numbered 16 in 1939 and 15 in 1938. With this as a background, Pittsburgh Coal Co. foresaw that a comprehensive program was necessary if it was to enlist the services of trained technical men, who were an indispensable part of a mechaniza¬tion program. The purpose of this paper is to review the program set up, to comment on the successes and failures and to outline the future course of action. SUMMER WORK An inescapable conclusion from the mechanization statistics was that the opportunities in coal mining were good. Not only was there a void in technical skill to fill from past years, but the ac¬celerating rate of mechanization indicated an increasing demand for technically trained men for the future. The remedy lay primarily in presenting facts con¬cerning the coal industry to the under¬graduate engineers before they made their professional occupational choice. Based on this idea, one of the key points in the program - was summer vacation work for the undergraduate, which, through the inducement of summer earnings, brought men into the mines to take a look at the prospects. This was more successful than statistics indicate because the war badly scrambled the orderly working of the program, but it could not obscure the value of a summer work program. A decided advantage was that it gave the company a preview of the graduate. An observation on this part of the program is that it is extremely hard to gauge lower classmen, and we found it wise to give them the benefit of the doubt, as the last two years in college bring about surprisingly rapid develop¬ment in some men. We could readily single out the men at the opposite ends of the scale of competence. COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM Having adopted summer work as a

Jan 1, 1946

By Torgrim Eftestoel, Leif Olsen, Ove Sandberg

IN the vertical contact Soederberg electrode for aluminum furnaces more or less serious cracks are sometimes formed in the electrode, with harmful effect on furnace operation. The problem of crack formation has been studied on a laboratory scale to obtain a better understanding of this phenomenon. The primary cause of crack formation is the shrinkage of the electrode carbon, which is opposed by the normal thermal expansion of the steel contact studs. The forces thus set up are active in the temperature interval from which the electrode obtains a rigid structure (450" to 500°C) to furnace operational temperature (950°C). A visualization of our reasoning is given in Fig. 1, which shows the different behavior of mild steel and electrode carbon during baking. Research work performed to determine relationships between crack formation and shrinkage will be described. A brief description of the method developed for measurement of shrinkage will be given, as well as a critical analysis of this method. Also, raw material quality and paste composition variables will be related to shrinkage phenomena. Laboratory Test of Crack. Formation To test the tendency toward crack formations of Soederberg electrodes from different pastes, experiments were performed to simulate conditions of actual commercial electrodes, and are described as follows. A cylindrical test electrode is prepared by tamping the electrode paste to be examined in a sheet iron casing, 350 mm diam by 700 mm height. The casing is perforated, with the holes (2 mm diam) 50 mm apart, to facilitate the escape of volatile matter during baking. A cylindrical steel stud of actual service size, 100 mm diam, is welded eccentrically to the bottom steel plate, and protrudes up through the paste. During baking, a crack may thus occur in the weaker part of the test electrode. The electrode is baked by lowering the assembly slowly into an electric furnace, the temperature of which is kept constant at 900°C. After baking of the electrode, the sheet iron casing is removed and the electrode inspected for cracks. The pictures in Fig. 2 are of three different pastes baked according to the present method. Electrode 1 has a large crack; electrode 2, a somewhat smaller one; and electrode 3, only a minor crack. As will be seen from the simplified sieve analysis diagram of Fig. 2, the compositions of the pastes in question are very different. This subject will be discussed later in greater detail. Crack Formation and Shrinkage Relationships It is well known that shrinkage occurs in coke in the higher temperature ranges of coal

Jan 1, 1958

By J. C. Bayles

It is seldom the privilege of one who contributes to the Transactions of a technical society, to describe a new industry in which, by processes employed for the first time, are attained results of conspicuous value. There are but few such patches of virgin soil worth the tilling, within the area circumscribed by the industries which have experienced a regular and uniform development. New and startling methods in production are often announced as about to be introduced; but, as a rule, they take their place among the " large desires with most uncertain issues," or give new significance to the historic words of an eminent statesman concerning " the bright beginnings and the bitter end of a halcyon and vociferous proceeding." In this paper I shall have the pleasure of briefly describing a new industry which has been established without announcement or proclamation — the manufacture of serviceable pressure pipes of great strength, from strips of steel or iron wound spirally, heated only along the overlapping edges, welded by hammering and finished into tubes of uniform diameter, and of such length as mag be found convenient in handling and transportation. As such tubes are now manufactured on a considerable scale, in a range of sizes which will soon include everything between 4 inches and 30 inches, and as much larger as may be needed, both process and product are likely to be of interest to engineers in all departments of professional work. The raw material of the industry is the ordinary sheet-iron or steel of commerce, of such lengths and widths as it is convenient to roll. The range of the ganges of the metal which can be employed has riot yet been determined. The lightest metal thus far successfully made into pipe is No. 29 iron, and the heaviest a steel gauging somewhere between 12 and 14. Heavier machines are now building which will bend steel .165 of an inch in thickness, or No. 8 of' the Birmingham gauge. Probably No. 20 or No. 22 will be the lightest used in making commercial pipes; hut the experiment with No. 29 was interesting as showing the readiness with which the flame can be controlled. To get a welding heat with such thin

Jan 1, 1888

By C. M. Schwartz, A. P. Young

ZIRCONIUM is noticeably embrittled at room temperature by hydride precipitate not only in notch-impact tests but also in tensile-impact tests.' The embrittlement in slow-strain tensile samples is much less severe. To understand better the relationship of the hydride precipitate to the strain-rate effect in tensile samples, the surfaces of chemically polished zirconium tensile samples strained at a slow rate (0.03 in. per min head speed) and at an impact rate (18.1 fps hammer speed) were examined in the light and electron microscopes. Vacuum-degassed samples and hydrogenated samples (100 ppm hydrogen) were examined. The hydrogenated samples were slow cooled from 800°C. The most apparent difference between slow-strain and impact tensile samples was the preponderance of twinning over slip in impact samples as opposed to relatively little twinning in slow-strain samples. The twin bands in hydrogenated samples often terminated on hydride needles as seen in Fig. 1. Almost opposite the twin terminus is a fine crack and a nearly round fissure. Holes near the areas where single lens-shaped twins or opposing pairs terminate on hydride particles also could be seen In the light micrbscope. Quite frequently, microcracks associated with a partial row of hydride particles were visible, as in Fig. 2, indicating that the crack was parallel to a row of hydride particles. Some samples were chemically polished after straining to remove metal with a minimum of disturbance of internal voids. Fig. 3 shows a crack in the interior of a hydrogenated impact sample. Holes along grain boundaries were seen after impact in both degassed and hydrogenated samples. Very few microcracks were seen in degassed samples after impact or slow strain, or in hydrogenated samples after slow strain.

Jan 1, 1959

By S. T. Sorrell

To obtain a negative determination for prime farmlands in its approved lignite surface mine permit application, Phillips Coal Co. conducted a soils mapping effort and a historic land use survey. In addressing the justification for topsoil substitute materials, the company relied on results of a geochemical evaluation to demonstrate improved drainage, trafficability, and fertility. It also relied on results of field test plots. Post-mining land use was determined through the use of overlay maps considering existing land use, vegetation, and historic prime farmland. The reclamation plan incorporated these elements plus indicator species, existing vegetation, and wildlife needs.

Jan 1, 1985

By Hermann Schmalzried, Carl Wagner

UPON heating a metal oxide or sulfide in H2, first only oxygen or sulfur is removed from the surface. Thus the metal/nonmetal ratio in the oxide or sulfide increases and the thermodynamic activity of the metal increases accordingly. For the formation of metallic nuclei, a certain super saturation is necessary, i.e., the activity of the metal must become greater than unity. Once nuclei of the metal have been formed, the supersaturation is supposed to decrease. Even under steady-state conditions of a reduction process, however, the activity of the metal inside an oxide or sulfide phase must be greater than unity in order to have a driving force for the individual steps of the reduction process. As an example, consider the reduction of Ag2S with a high mobility of cations and electrons. As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the reduction process involves the following steps:' 1) sulfur removal along the entire Ag2S surface in form of H2S, 2) migration of Ag' ions and electrons from the Ag2S surface to nuclei of metallic silver, 3) transfer of Ag+ ions and electrons from the Ag2S phase to the metal. For a finite rate of step 3, the activity of silver in Ag2S next to the Ag2S-Ag interface must be greater than unity. Moreover, for a finite rate of step 2, the activity of silver at the gas-Ag2S interface must be still somewhat greater. Theoretical considerations lead to the tentative conclusion that at least under steady-state conditions the supersaturation will be rather low.' To test this conclusion, the average activity aAg of silver in a Ag2S tablet about 2 mm thick with a diameter of 5 mm was followed as a function of time by measuring the electromotive force E of the cell Pt I Ag | Agl I Ag2S I Pt where AgI is used as a solid electrolyte in which only Ag+ ions are mobile. The activity aAg is calculated as aAg=exp(-EF/RT) Since the diffusion coefficient for transport of silver in Ag2S is very high (- 3 . l0-2 sq cm per sec),3 the average activity aAg is representative for both the bulk and the surface of the Ag2S tablet. Experiments were conducted at about 400°C. The cell was surrounded by an aluminum block in order to secure a uniform temperature and to eliminate thermoelectric effects. With the help of a potentiometer, first a potential of 0.16 v was applied to the above cell in argon in order to obtain a well defined initial state with a Ag/S ratio close to 2.000.~ Then the cell was disconnected from the potentiometer and a gentle stream of H2 was passed along the Ag2S surface. In view of the removal of sulfur in form of H2S, the electromotive force E decreased within 20 to 30 min to zero corresponding to a Ag/S ratio of 2.003 and became negative, indicating a value of aAg> 1. A representative plot electromotive force E vs time is shown in Fig. 2. The minimum of the electromotive force characteristic of the onset of

Jan 1, 1963

By S. Suphi Yavasca, A. M. Gaudin

THIS paper is intended as a contribution to our knowledge of the mechanism of comminution and of the work of crushing. In a previous paper' it was shown that with quartz comminution proceeds as follows I. The size distribution of broken fragments made by a single fracture is such that the new surface on each grade is the same. 2. Multiple fracturing results in a size distribution such that in the fine sizes the surface per grade is the same in every grade; in coarse sizes the surface per grade decreases gradually with increasing size. In that paper it was mentioned that determinations on minerals other than quartz were in course of completion in order to establish the generality of these observations. In this paper, condensed data2 are presented for galena, pyrite and glass. Galena and pyrite are crystalline material and glass is noncrystalline. Galena has excellent cubic cleavage. Pyrite, although cubical, does not have marked cleavage. Quartz, on which the original determinations were made, does not cleave and although crystalline (hexagonal) breaks conchoidally. Glass breaks much like quartz. It is apparent, therefore, that the minerals selected represent some range in character of the solid without covering all possible types. GLASS Fifteen glass marbles were crushed individually in the pendulum crusher described in the preceding paper,1 then subjected to careful screening for 30 min. Six sized fractions were selected and cleaned in a hot 0.12 N solution of hydrochloric acid, washed with distilled water and dried on a hot plate. This was followed by an examination with a binocular microscope, to remove foreign matters not eliminated in cleaning as well as to eliminate "compacts" of fine particles. These compacts are groups of fine iragments that seem to be mechanically stuck together as a result of localized compacting during the comminution operation. The presence and the abundance of these compacts may be related to the amount and direction of the forces applied in different crushing devices. Since, properly, such compacts should be entirely eliminated in the sizing analyses, it is necessary to remove them to the last before making surface determinations on sized fractions. For example, with a - 28 + 35-mesh glass the surface areas of two samples, one cleaned with acid and under the binocular, the other only washed, were 102 and 172 sq. cm. per gram, respectively. Examination of the samples under an Ultropak microscope showed that washing alone failed to remove the compacts and also that it fails to remove certain fine dusts attached to the particles. Cleaning with acid loosens the fine dusts and

Jan 1, 1945