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By Arvid Anderson

THE weathering of copper-bearing ores with the formation of a water-soluble salt and the recovery of the metal by leaching and evaporation or precipitation, are processes long known, which have at various times been utilized with more or less commercial success. It is commonly assumed that the technical principles involved are quite simple and their application to a particular case easy. If these assumptions were true, we should anticipate a long list of uniformly successful leaching operations, which is not the case, and one would be justified only in calling attention to either unique or peculiar features of any particular enterprise; whereas, in studying the problems of the recovery of copper from the old workings of the Ohio Copper Co. in the light of available descriptions of other leaching projects, we have not found the assistance hoped for to guide us to the best realization of our own opportunities. It appears desirable, therefore, to call attention to these guiding principles, together with a description of the facts of accomplishment. Justification lies in the fact that the leaching and precipitation of copper at the Ohio Copper Co. mine in Bingham Canyon, Utah, is successful. This success is measured by an average monthly production of 600,000 lb. of copper at an average operating cost, to date, of 3.85 cents per pound at the company's workings, or 6.32 cents per pound after paying shipping and smelter charges on the finished copper. A total of 17,076,099 lb. of copper had been shipped to the smelter from the beginning of operations, August, 1922, to April 1, 1925. Probably these results can be bettered with further study and realization of the factors involved and the devising of methods of meeting them. It is now an assured fact that the enterprise will have a relatively long and continuously profitable life and that its reserves will not, nor cannot, be suddenly and permanently depleted.

Jan 9, 1925

By J. Güntner

Most copper/cobalt ores from the Central African Copperbelt contain sulphidic compounds, which are not extractable in direct leaching. Roasting provides the possibility to transfer the valuable components into leachable compounds. In an operation window defined by temperature and off-gas composition it is possible to selectively oxidize iron sulphides to haematite and copper/cobalt sulphides to sulphates. Selective sulphating of the valuable minerals is an important condition for the subsequent leaching stage. The dissolved copper and cobalt are recovered by solvent extraction and electrowinning. This technology has been part of an established process for many decades. The concentrates from recent projects on the Copperbelt have lower sulphur contents, and frequently higher copper contents, than those from older projects. The paper shows the consequences of this trend for plant operation and explains useful counter actions by means of case studies. Autothermal combustion is ensured even at very low sulphur contents. Off-gas treatment has so far been based on SO2 removal through sulphuric acid production. The generated acid is used to make up acid losses in the hydrometallurgical plant section. This well-proven process combination is still the preferred route if the feed sulphur content is high enough; however, some cases may require different off-gas cleaning concepts without compromising on clean air quality. Roasting in a fluid-bed furnace remains the core of the technology. Fluid-bed roasters are easy to operate and provide an excellent control of the calcine quality. Different feeding and heat-recovery systems are used to provide a tailor-made solution for each project. Outotec built it first sulphatizing roaster in Zambia about 30 years ago. At that time, the roasting of metal sulphides was already one of the main technologies in the company. Outotec has developed roasting solutions for copper, gold, zinc, lead, molybdenum, and pyrite ores. The continuously expanded and upgraded research facilities provide an excellent basis for developing sustainable, energy-efficient, and economic solutions for copper and cobalt production in Africa.

Jan 1, 2012

By A. E. Bellis

THE CHAIRMAN (ALBERT SAUVEUR, Cambridge, Mass.).-Any information likely to throw light on the constitution and proper treatment of high-speed steel in order to obtain maximum results, should surely he welcomed. All users of high-speed steel, I believe, will agree with the authors that, in order to obtain satisfactory results, it is not sufficient to heat all brands of high-speed steel to one and the same temperature; apparently very slight differences of chemical composition seem to call for marked differences in temperature. I think that all of us agree that a properly treated piece of high-speed steel should have a fine austenitic or polyhedral structure and that an appreciable quantity of free carbide may be present in the case of very high tungsten steels. What we seem to lack is a satisfactory method, quick and reliable, of ascertaining when the proper structure has been obtained. I think Mr. Bellis' paper is a step in the right direction. To the untrained eye, however, it is not an easy matter to select from some of his photomicrographs the one representing the best structure; for instance, in the case of steel A, we wonder why temperatures of 2,250 and 2,300 do not yield the same results, seeing that both structures are apparently alike, and the same might apply to some of the other samples. I have no doubt, however, that the experienced observer is capable of detecting structural differences that are not made plain here and by which he is able to select the proper quenching temperature. COLIN G. FINK, East Orange, N. J.-On page 68 the authors say that the use of a barium chloride bath to eliminate this difficulty has the disadvantage that the surface of the tool becomes decarbonized." I would like to ask whether they actually found that the surface was decarbonized, or whether they base this conclusion on softening alone? A. E. BELLIS, Springfield, Mass.-No, we have never demonstrated that it was a decarbonization, it is just the softening of the steel. The addition of ferrocyanide to the ferrochloride bath has been suggested. I think that is not altogether satisfactory, because the ferrocyanide bath changes composition very rapidly at these high temperatures, and it would be just a question of luck whether or not it had too much or too little ferrocyanide in the bath giving equilibrium with the carbon content.

Jan 4, 1917

History of Production, of Salt Creek Oil Field, Wyoming Discussion of the paper of EDWARD L. ESTASROOK and CLARENCE M. RADER, presented at the Casper Meeting of the Petroleum Division and issued, as Paper No. 1503-G, with MINING AND METALLURGY, September, 1925. C. E. REISTLE, Laramie, Wyo.-The application of water analysis to petroleum engineering problems is successful in many cases, particularly if the water in the sands is of uniform chemical constituency and if each sand water varies definitely from the others in its chemical properties. At Salt Creek, the sand waters are not of uniform chemical character, and the waters in the various sands do not differ greatly; so a water from one sand might easily be classified as a water from some other sand. The water from the Shannon sand contains sulfates; this alone makes it possible to differentiate between the Shannon and the First and Second Wall Creek and Lakota sands. However, it is not so easy to differentiate between water of the First and Second Wall Creek sands. As a rule, the Second Wall Creek sand contains a higher concentration of mineral matter, but in Table 19, sample 2; of the First Wall Creek sand and sample 7 of the Second Wall Creek sand have approximately the same amount of total solids. As a rule, the chlorides are higher in the Second sand waters than in the First sand; but, the chlorides in sample 6 of the Second sand show practically the same amount as sample 3 of the First sand. The use of reaction properties does not. solve this trouble, as they generalize the conditions even more. For instance, the reaction properties of sample 3 of the First sand are almost identical with the reaction properties of sample 6, of the Second sand. The authors suggest that the chemical characteristics of the water in a sand are not uniform because of the concentration of the water by underground evaporation. In that case should not the ratio of the various chemical constituents remain the same? Gas does remove some mineral matter, as evidenced by deposits in the gas lines and packing in the absorbers of the natural gasoline plants, but why does the gas act selectively, removing one salt and not all of the salts in the ratio that they occur?

Jan 12, 1925

By Robert Pike

THE first authentic description of an iron bath for the deposition of iron is probably that of Bottger in 1846, who used a bath containing ferrous sulfate and ammonium chloride. In 1861, Kramer deposited iron from ferrous chloride solution. Electrolytic iron was produced in 1.869 by Bietz, who used it for making some magnetic tests. In the same year, Klein is said to have worked out his process. Jacobi1 in 1869 described the results obtained in electroplating with iron on copper for making dies and plates for bank notes, by Klein's process. A letter from Klein to Jacobi describes the bath more fully. It consisted of FeSO4 + (NH4)2S04. Lenz2 described ?some properties of electrolytically precipitated iron. He used Klein's bath, FeSO4 + MgSO4 + MgCO3, to neutralize and obtained fine-grained and hard iron. His conclusions were as follows: 1. Electrolytic iron and copper contain gases, notably hydrogen. 2. The volume of gas absorbed by iron varies within wide limits, but it is easy for iron to take up very considerable quantities of gas. 3. The absorption of gas is principally in the first formed layers of iron. 4. When iron is heated, gas begins to come off below 100°, principally hydrogen. 5. Heated to redness, reduced iron oxidizes in water, in part at least at the expense of the oxygen of the water, decomposing it and setting free hydrogen, which is partly or wholly absorbed. Siemens,3 in 1889, was the first to propose a general process embodying a step for leaching a sulfide mineral with ferric chloride or sulfate and a step for regenerating the leach and depositing iron on a cathode in a diaphragm cell. So far as is known, Siemens did not carry out his patent

Jan 1, 1930

By E. Hornbogen

Discontinuous precipitation in a iron can occur by at least two different mechanisms. These mechanisms are compared, using observations made on an Fe-22 at. pct Zn alloy and an Fe-19.5 at. pct Mo alloy. In the Fe-Zn alloy, precipitation began on grain boundaries. These boundaries moved into the supersaturated solid solution, providing nucleation sites and an easy path for diffusion. The precipitated phase pew as lamellae, perpendicular to the PRECIPITATION reactions are called discontinuous if the nucleation of particles does not occur on individual sites in the supersaturated matrix.' In discontinuous precipitation, nucleation and growth occur on a reaction front that moves into the supersaturated solution and leaves a two-phase aggregate behind. The term cellular precipitation2 has also been used, but the term autocatalytic precipi- moving reaction front. The orientation of the depleted iron differed from that of the supersaturated iron. In the Fe-Mo alloy the growing precipitate particles apparently created dislocations in the growth front which served as nucleation sites. The precipitate grew on (110) planes of the iron, and growth occurred through volume diffision. The depleted iron retained the orientation of the supersaturated solid solution. tation seems to describe the nature of such reactions best. The basic effect of such a precipitation mechanism in a solid is that it is able to move or create sites that can catalyze nucleation. Such sites can be grain boundaries and dislocations. A mechanism of autocatalytic precipitation must, therefore, include some rational process by which a grain boundary may move into the supersaturated matrix or by which dislocations may be generated in front of the reaction. Discontinuous precipitation is always in competition with individual nucleation and growth of par-

Jan 1, 1963

By Dr. -Ing. Rainer Alles

Introduction Belt conveyors usually run in a straight line. The correct alignment is a major criterion for reliable functioning and optimum running properties. Any misalignment of the conveyor, especially mistracking of the belt, can have many negative effects. As a consequence of this, damage can occur on the belt and conveyor, some material can he thrown off at the edges and serious running problems can arise. In the worst case the belt can come off its supporting structure so that operations are brought to a halt. The absolutely straight alignment of a belt conveyor is actually impossible so that on closer observation every belt conveyor contains more or less sharp curves. Whereas on non-movable conveyors the deviations from the straight can he kept within the range of practical measuring accuracy by careful installation, movable conveyors in surface mining or belt systems in difficult terrain often contain curves that are easy to see with the naked eye. Below ground, too, alignment cannot always achieved to a desirable extent or is changed by geological faults over the years. Despite these unwanted curves, most belt conveyors perform their function reliably. In view of the belt tension, the belt tends to take the easiest path. This in general is the shortest distance between the pulleys on which the belt is tensioned and bent. This means for example that for a curve radius of 10,000 m over a flight of 100 m the greatest deviation from the ideal line is as much as 12 cm. And a figure of this magnitude cannot normally he accepted. In such cases, use is made of guide devices to properly train the belt if it doesn't center itself anyway. If it's possible to control the belt position over such unwanted curves. it can also he expected that the belt tends to follow the desired curved path within certain limits. I'd now like to cite a few examples to illustrate the ways and means of guiding a belt conveyor in curves. Cost-effectiveness The advantages of belt conveyors, in particular for longer conveying distances and mass flows have been known and undisputed for some time. However, there are often obstacles standing in the way of the concept of straight routing. If a belt conveyor is to bypass elevations or existing buildings or to follow the seam of underground deposits or a predetermined path, then substantially tighter radii and longer curves are desirable or necessary.

Jan 1, 1993

By F. M. Waring

produced when zinc is substituted for a certain amount of tin are decidedly unsatisfactory. The substitution of aluminum for tin is entirely impractical, and such castings are worthless. This does not, however, exhaust all the possibilities of substituting other metals for tin in the copper-tin-lead alloys, but it is my opinion that the substitution of any other metals, in those alloys, can be made only by sacrificing the quality of the alloy. The possibility of substituting alloys of an entirely different type presents an attractive field for research. The copper-tin-lead alloy has attained its position as the most desirable bronze bearing alloy, but this does not mean that some other alloy may not be found which may give equally good or better results. In the search for such a substitute alloy it should be borne in mind that a bearing metal should possess the following properties: (1) It should be sufficiently rigid to support the load or resist the impact, but yet not so brittle that it will easily crack. (2) It should have as great a yielding or plastic nature as is consistent with its ability to support the load or resist the impact without deformation of the bearing as a whole. (3) The ideal structure combines a hard matrix to support the load and a softer metal or alloy contained within such matrix, to permit the bearing surface to adjust itself to irregularities of service. (4) It should be easy to handle in the foundry and machine shop. (5) It should be capable of being remelted without deterioration. (6) For use in babbitt-lined bearings, it should be capable of being tinned, so that the babbitt can be applied thereto. (7) It should have good heat conductivity in order to dissipate the heat generated by friction. Pennsylvania Railroad Anti-friction and Bell Metals F. M. Waring," Altoona, Pa.—Thc necessity for conserving tin has recently been very forcibly brought to the attention of all consumers, and efforts are now being made to reduce the tin content in certain alloys or to substitute other alloys not containing tin. The approximate composition of the non-ferrous alloys in general use on the Pennsylvania Railroad are given in the accompanying table. Phosphor bronze is used principally for rod bushings, main-rod brasses, and crosshead shoes. Ex. B bronze is used to a small extent for backs of car and coach bearings, but the majority of these are now made of the car-journal bronze, which contains, on the average, about 5 per cent. tin.

Jan 1, 1919

By W. L. Phillips

Stress-strain data are reported for sodium chloride, lithium fluoride, and magnesium oxide tested in compression at diffevent strain rates in the telrlperature range from 70° to 873°K. Quantitative equations are given for the stvain-rate dependence of the critical resolved shear stress and the initial rate of work havdening. The properties so determined are compared with results previously reported for metals. ALTHOUGH the effects of strain rate and temperature on the stress-strain characteristics of metals have been extensively investigated1,2 these effects have not been studied in detail in ionic crystals. In the only previous investigations on the effect of strain rate on the deformation of ionic crystals. Gilman and gohnston3 and Hulse and pask4 have shown that the yield stress of lithium fluoride and magnesium oxide at room temperature is proportional to the ninth or tenth root of the strain rate. CRYSTAL PREPARATION Lithium fluoride, sodium chloride. and magnesium oxide single crystals were purchased from the Har-shaw Chemical Co. The compression fixture and sample preparation have been described in detail previously.5 The detectable impurities in MgO were eight parts in 105 of Fe and six parts in 105 of Si; in LiF, six parts in 105 of Mg; and in NaC1, two parts in 105 of Fe and four parts in 10&apos; of Mg. The cleaved samples measured - 0.1 in. by 0.1 in. by 0.3 in. Prior to testing all samples were annealed at -0.8 of their melting point and cooled to room tempera- ture at 50 C per hr.&apos; Samples were strained at rates (<) of 0.1, 0.01, 0.002, and 0.0002 in. per in. per min. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Fig. 1 is a plot of the critical resolved shear stress a,. (extrapolation of slope of easy glide region to zero strain) of sodium chloride, lithium fluoride, and magnesium oxide tested at different strain rates as a function of temperature. In all crystals at all strain rates a, decreases with increasing temperature according to an equation of the type397 where uo is a stress constant, K is a constant, and T is the absolute temperature. The points in Fig. 1 are the average of six tests. It is evident that there is a break in the log 0,- temperature plots at a characteristic temperature T,. The constant K of Eq. [I] is dependent on strain rate, Fig. 2. The relationship

Jan 1, 1962

SULPHUR is a very well known mineral and apparently is produced in many places. It is engendered from an unctuous earthy and powerfully hot substance so that it is considered among experienced workers to bear a resemblance to the element of fire. This is called by these same men the masculine seed and the prime agent of Nature in the composition of metals. Because of its great dryness and heat it has, as experience shows, affinity with fire, which is easily introduced in it when brought near. And once introduced the fire is quenched only with difficulty before its unctuousness is wholly consumed. Although it shows itself to us of such a hot and dry nature, we must not think that sulphur is a substance so pure that it can stand by itself or that in order to attain its form it has no need of its portion and part of moisture like every other mixture. This is shown to us by its easy fusion, in which it resembles the metals. This thing is found in many places and in many varieties of color; some are white, others yellow and orange, and some others between gray and black. They also say that some red is found. It does not occur in that arrangement of veins like other minerals, but most liberal Nature makes whole mountains of it as is seen in the Aeolian islands, [26] near Sicily, in Etna or Moncibello which is the island of Sicily, at Pozzuoli, in the territory of Rome, in the Sienese domain at San Filippo, and in many other similar places. It is a substance that has a very strong odor and is most unpleasant to smell. It is very fixed in its substance so that it is never corrupted by time, by boiling, or by the moisture of water. For although it may stand in water a long time it never becomes soft nor does it ever decrease or increase in weight. It is brittle and easily crushed very fine. It is said that a trace of garlic rubbed on the mortar helps anyone who wishes to reduce it to impalpability. Its ores have a form more like earth than like stone although they some¬times have the color of a certain soft rock. The places where it is found are easily recognized by the great odor that they give out and by the very hot baths that often spring forth near it. What I have already told you about quicksilver that is contrary to the

Jan 1, 1942

By Shadia J. Ikhmayies

"Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a very interesting material that has many applications. Thin films of p-type CdTe can be used as the absorber layer in the heterojunction CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells in which n-type cadmium sulfide (CdS) works as the window layer. A review of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra ofp-type CdTe thin films prepared by different techniques was performed. The presence of defects and impurities such as oxygen and chlorine influence the PL spectrum. Copper and other dopants change the PL spectra and enhance the defects band. Chemical-heat treatment especially with CdCh is known to improve the quality of CdTe thin films because it decreases the Cd vacancies and quenches deep traps, so it enhances the PL signal. A discussion of chemical-heat treatment especially with CdCh, the effect of the ambient atmosphere, and that of the measuring temperature is performed.IntroductionCadmium telluride (CdTe) is a II-VI compound semiconductor that has a cubic zincblende (sphalerite) structure with a lattice constant of 0 A4~11]. Other than all of II -VI semiconductors, CdTe can be made both n- and p-type. But due to self compensation it is not easy to get p-type CdTe films [2]. Polycrystalline CdTe thin films are interesting because they have a lot of applications. Most of the problems associated with the use of these films are attributed to inhomogeneity, self-compensation, and the difficulty of forming a stable and lowresistivity ohmic contact [3]. CdTe technology has been established for a large number of applications, including solar cells, optical and nuclear detectors, and thermal- and radiationimaging devices [3]. At present, the highest demonstrated conversion efficiency for a CdTe based heterojunction (ID), with CdS as a window layer, is 16.5% [4, 5]. CdTe thin films can be prepared by different experimental techniques, such as thermal evaporation [l], electrochemical deposition (ED) [3], close-spaced sublimation (CSS) [3, 4, 6], physical vapor deposition (PVD) [3], chemical molecular beam deposition (CMBD) [7], and close space vapor transport (CSVT) [8].The objective of this paper is to make a review of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra ofp-type CdTe thin films prepared by different techniques and discuss the factors that influence the PL spectra. The composition of the film is very interesting in determining its PL spectrum. Different kinds of defects, impurities and dopants have their finger prints in the PL spectrum. Deposition techniques and deposition parameters such as the deposition temperature and ambient atmosphere also have their influence. Heat and chemical treatments which are known to improve crystallization and reduce the defects change the PL spectrum."

Jan 1, 2013

By R. C. Emmett

Gravity sedimentation is one of the most widely used unit operations in mineral processing and hydrometallurgy. Properly selected and operated sedimentation equipment can provide probably the most economical means of concentrating solids or clarifying solutions. Because of the variety of different approaches possible, including the use of modern flocculants, it is easy to overlook the optimum approach in selecting equipment. The different types of sedimentation systems that can be used in the minerals field and the sizing methods that are currently employed will be discussed here. Sedimentation applications usually fall into two areas, clarification or thickening. While the two operations are basically similar, the difference in emphasis (a well-clarified overflow as opposed to a highly concentrated underflow) results in significant differences in testing, equipment design, and operation. Clarifiers may be merely simple settling vessels with no special features, other than ample volume to provide the detention time needed for suspended solids to settle out of the feed slurry. Or, they can be designed to employ elaborate solids-contact techniques utilizing coagulants or flocculants to achieve more rapid clarification through the growth of particle agglomerates. Thickeners also are available in a wide variety of designs, with the main differences concentrated in the design of the raking mechanism. Thickeners operating in series (continuous countercurrent decantation or CCD) are used to recover valuable solution or purify the insoluble solids. Tray thickeners are used for recovering fine particulate solids such as alumina seed, but in other applications have been supplanted largely by unit thickeners or inclined plate units. Thickeners and clarifiers sometimes are used for storage of either solids or overflow liquor, or employed as precipitating reactors, such as in desilication applications. The use of flocculants and coagulants is much more common in modern processing plants, primarily due to the reduction in capital costs rendered possible through the use of these reagents. The terms flocculant and coagulant are often used interchangeably; generally, it is understood that flocculants refer to organic, high molecular weight synthetic or natural polymers which are useful in flocculating most suspended solids, but generally are ineffective on colloidal suspensions. Coagulants refer to chemicals such as those commonly used in water treatment, alum, ferric salts, lime, etc., which are usually far more effective on colloidal solids but cannot achieve the degree of agglomeration that is possible with the polymers. In some cases, both coagulants and flocculants are used in order to achieve optimum results.

Jan 1, 1986

By H. N. Eavenson

The eleven mines of the United States Coal and Coke Co. in the Pocahontas coal field are situated in McDowell County, W. Va., which is a mountainous region. The valleys rarely exceed 200 ft. (60 m.) in width, the hillsides slope from 25°to 33°, and the tops, from 600 to 900 ft. above the valleys, carry practically no level land. At least 80 per cent. of the area is covered with timber. All the workings are drift mines; and while the average grades of the seams worked are ample for drainage, local dips and swamps necessitate the use of a large number of local pumps or of numerous drainage ditches to keep the mines free from water during heavy rains. The water handled in any mine is not great, compared with the coal output, and usually causes little trouble except during extremely wet periods. In new workings, the water encountered, except in rare cases, is trifling; it is only after rib drawing has started and the surface has been broken that water troubles begin. The strata overlying the coal are sandstone, shales, and slates; as the soil is thin and sandy, it does not tend to puddle and stop the cracks, which remain open for a long time. As mining progresses and the robbed area increases, the broken area becomes larger, increasing the openings into the mined territory. The cover over the robbed portions of the mines varies from 30 to 750 ft. (9 to 228 m.). When the ground is saturated, considerable water finds its way into the mines the day after a heavy rainfall and for three or four days it tends to fill the low places, wash the tracks, etc. and unless from three to four times as many pumps are installed as are normally needed, considerable output is lost. In most cases the water will flow from the mines, and the obvious solution is to provide drainage ditches of ample size to carry the maximum flow expected, so that the inflow will have no opportunity to flood the working places. Laying out the drainage headings on the proper average grades was an easy matter but where blasting was necessary to provide uniform grades, as was frequently the case, it was important that the maximum flow to be expected and the size of ditches to be provided should be known so that only rock work necessary to provide proper drainage

Jan 1, 1922

By Tukkimies M

During the late-1980s crawler-mounted crusher units established their position in the aggregates industry. Between 1986 and 1994 about 700 units were delivered to customers all over the world for surface operations, mainly in Scandinavia and central Europe. The crawler-mounted units are popular among smaller crushing operators because they are versatile and easy to move between sites. In large quarries the greatest benefit is obtained by combining a primary crawler-mounted crusher unit with mobile belt conveyors which eliminates the need for costly haulage by dump truck. Savings of up to 40 per cent in production costs prior to secondary crushing have been achieved. Today the environmental aspect in quarrying is assuming ever greater importance. Besides being costly the dump trucks are also the major source of dust and exhaust fumes within a quarry. A complete face crushing system consisting of a crawler-mounted crusher unit and mobile belt conveyors can be electrically driven and can be equipped with dust encapsulation and dust collectors. A mobile crushing unit is not a new idea. From the mid-1950s onwards the mobile and self-propelled units have been built equipped with crawlers, tyres or walking mechanisms, with weights usually of 500-1000 t. Due to their massive size these unit are not mobile in the same way as the today&apos;s mobile units. It is not feasible to move them more than a few times a year unlike today&apos;s fully mobile units which are often relocated once an hour. This means that the massive units can not continuously follow the production face and their loading always requires a certain amount of haulage. Today the mining industry is facing new challenges. With low mineral prices and high labour costs, increasing productivity is essential for survival. New standards are also being set for the labour safety and the environment. Large research programs have been launched to meet these challenges. However, technology which can partly solve these problems already exist and is only waiting to be introduced into underground applications as well - the mobile crushing unit followed by belt conveying. As in surface operations the elimination of truck haulage also brings considerable savings in operating costs in underground mines and reduces the amount of dust and exhaust gases generated. An additional benefit especially in underground applications is improved safety. In an underground mine most accidents are caused by moving vehicles.

Jan 1, 1995

By R. P. McLaughlin

In most branches of the mining industry it is a well-recognized fact that care must be taken to protect the mineral deposit from undue physical injury. It is comparatively easy to grasp this idea when the mineral is a solid and the lives of workmen depend directly upon the care with which it is removed from its natural position, but when the product is a liquid drawn up from pools several thousand feet beneath the surface of the ground through openings only a few inches in diameter, it requires some imagination to picture underground conditions and the changes which must often occur. The development of the petroleum deposits of California has been attended by numerous accidents, the results of which are readily noticed at the top of the wells and in the profit and loss accounts of the operators. Determination of the cause of these accidents has been the subject of considerable study, which naturally has fallen upon men familiar with technical methods. The greatest damage to the oil deposits of California has resulted from water finding its way into the oil-bearing sands, and it is the purpose of this paper to set forth briefly this phase of the oil industry. Much of the material here presented has previously appeared in publications issued by the California State Mining Bureau, which, under the direction of State Mineralogist Fletcher McN. Hamilton, has investigated the subject and taken steps toward improvement of conditions. The writer, having been in charge of this branch of the Bureau work, has gained considerable knowledge of existing conditions. Generally speaking, the oil-bearing formations of California are soft, unconsolidated sand beds, separated by clay strata, which are also soft. Some of the sand beds carry water instead of oil. All of the beds are more or less separated, probably being of lenticular shape. Very few of the beds in the oil fields lie flat or undisturbed over any great area. Folding and tilting are common, and faulting also occurs in some of the fields. The accumulation of oil is not confined to any single structural feature, such as the anticline, but occurs in many other structural features. Water-bearing strata occur in practically every oil field in the State. Complete data are not at hand for a comparison of the damage

Jan 1, 1916

By M. H. Richman, L. M. Markowitz

MUCH of the available information on which the heat treatments of a particular steel are based is found in the isothermal-transformation diagram. Such is the case despite the fact that the usual thermal treatments involve continuous transformations, i.e., transformations which occur on cooling, rather than isothermal transformations. This rather unusual practice is continued because of the abundance of published isothermal-transformation diagrams1, 2 which are relatively easy to determine experimentally as compared to continuous-transformation diagrams.3, 4 However, this can easily lead to the production of improper micro-structures and may not allow full advantage to be taken of the inherent hardenability of a steel. A mathematical method of estimating the continuous-transformation diagram from the available isothermal data was developed by Grange and Kiefer;5 but, due to the mathematical approximations required in the calculations, the computation of continuous-transformation diagrams has been limited to individual cases and no large-scale compilation of these diagrams is available. With the present availability of high-speed digital computers, the problem of time-consuming approximations may be minimized and continuous-transformation diagrams may be constructed with the insertion of isothermal data into a basic program. It is the purpose of this report to announce the availability of such a program and compare the computed and experimental continuous-transformation diagrams for two different steels. Let us first review the method of Grange and Kiefer5 and then compare the results of the machine calculations with the experimentally determined diagrams. In order to apply this method, one requires the isothermal-transformation diagram and a set of curves representing cooling at constant rates. A section of an isothermal-transformation diagram is shown in Fig. 1 together with a cooling curve of M0F per sec. The cooling curve is constructed to start from the A1 (eutectoid) temperature if the transformation product is the eutectoid microconstituent (i.e., pearlite or bainite), from the A3 temperature if the product is primary ferrite, or from the 4, if it is proeutec-toid cementite. The cooling curve in Fig. 1 intersects the curve representing the start of isothermal transformation at a point A&apos; corresponding to a temperature TX and a time fX. An arbitrary lower temperature To (on the

Jan 1, 1968

THE. extraordinary volume of work done in this period, and the multiplicity of subject matter, make a year-by-year historical account undesirable, if the account is not to be an assembly of unrelated fragments. We shall, instead, undertake to narrate the development in this period of each of the branches of the subject separately, hoping that their interrelations will be self-evident. There is a certain arbitrariness in the selection of subject matter in the following sections. The development of important engineering alloys-for example, high-speed steel-is disregarded, for it is the primary purpose of this account to relate the advances in ideas, the growth of the science of metals; other historical accounts relate these parallel advances. Nor are advances in techniques stressed, though occasionally the most important are noted; nor is the progress described in allied fields such as welding, cutting, etc.; for though these developments have very frequently made possible the advances herein related, they are far too numerous to recount in anything short of a ponderous volume. There is a more serious arbitrariness, however; it is not an easy matter to draw the boundaries of physical metallurgy, and some contiguous subjects have been omitted that perhaps should have been included, such as, for example, corrosion, gases in metals, the magnetic behavior of metals and alloys, and certain other fields in the physics of metals. REACTIONS IN ALLOYS--DIFFUSION Many of the reactions occurring in alloys proceed by the operation of the process of diffusion in the solid state: the annealing of mixed powders to form alloys, the homogenization of castings or forgings, the freezing of alloys, the treatment of clad metals, the loss

Jan 1, 1948

Risk Management has been applied relatively slowly in the mining industry. Except for the risk concept application in financial considerations, the application of Risk Management in safety management has been far from satisfactory. When applied it was treated in a global occupational safety and health sense. Regardless of how much the mining industry has progressed over the years it is still, in many respects, `state-of-the-art&apos; business. The safety aspects of mining are well known and yet little understood by the public. Regardless of what has been achieved so far and how much effort has been put into it, mining is regarded as an unsafe and somehow rude business. Safety records of the mining industry vary from State-to-State. Latest mining related disasters in PNG and Queensland and some other fatal accidents support this public perception. They purport a need for change in managing safety in the mining industry. The latest mining fatalities have raised the issue: What must be done to improve safety standards? Duty of care, risk management and system engineering concepts can provide some answers. Risk Management principles which have been advocated for some time provide many answers and explanations and can make safety management more constructive and workable. What has been missing so far is that this concept has neither been applied nor has been modified for its practical application and purpose on a larger scale. A risk management approach to the management of safety and health in the mining industry is addressed, herein. This approach does not attempt to provide the solution. It does, however, provide a basic understanding of what Risk and Risk Management are all about. Rational management of risk is addressed in the life cycle and system contexts. A system of continuous improvement is applied. There is always a chain of events, outcome, exposure, consequence(s), and consequence(s) value(s). It means that development of an event takes place in time and space. Dynamic circumstances have been created in or within the system. It is a decision-making process designed to provide a methodology which is directed not toward a mathematical model but toward easy use and application in dynamic working environment, by decision-makers who can be anybody from either a risk taker or a risk creator. The emphasis is placed not only on arriving at the best practical, possible and fair decision but also on structured and systematic acquisition of knowledge about the system, its hazards and associated risks, hence increasing the decision maker&apos;s ability to manage the decision-making process related to the management of risk.

Jan 1, 1995

Book Review MAN-TO-MAN: THE STORY OF INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY. By John Leitch, Phila¬delphia, Pa. The B. C. Forbes Publishing Co., New York, 1919, 2.19 pp., 7 1/2 X 5 in. $2.00. "Man to Man" is a short, well-written, well-printed, easy to read and very interesting hook. It is an account of a method introduced into more than twenty industrial plants to give the workers a share in managing their own troubles. It is not a panacea for labor troubles and strikes, but neither have existed where the new method has been tried. The scheme is, in a word, to organize the working force like the government, having a cabinet composed of the executives, a senate composed of foremen, and a house composed of men elected by fellow workers from all departments. This governing machinery takes up all complaints of workers, investigates, reports, and settles. The increased profits due to economy and increased production from this cooperation are divided 50-50 between the company and the men. Experience has shown that, since inattention, tardiness, irregularity, and inefficiency tend to reduce their profits, all men very quickly, after once convinced of the sincerity of the management in their scheme of cooperation, eliminate them because it is for their personal profit. Astonishing results have been attained, including higher wages, greater output, lower unit costs, great reduction in labor turnover, elimination of waste, an increased loyalty and a waiting list of employees even in periods of labor shortage. Profit sharing as such and stock ownership as a benefit to industrial relations are discussed briefly and illuminatingly, although they are not believed by the author to he the best way to bring about the human relation between those who work,for and those who work with money. The author is not against unions but does not believe the union is the best medium for improving industrial relationship. The look is nowhere dogmatic but is always forceful and convincing and, being well written, is very entertaining. It is doubtful if "Industrial Democracy" is the right expression for the solution of the problem but certainly anything that will place on the shoulders of labor some of the responsibility of industry and will increase production is tine much-to-be-desired desideratum. It is a. contribution to the solution of our biggest problem and should be read by everyone who employs men and who has been worried by the labor turnover. P. E. B.

Jan 7, 1919

By P. C. Schutte, A. J. Kielblock

INTRODUCTION Certain activities, such as emergency work and rescue operations, often have to be undertaken in environments where heat loads often exceed limits prescribed for routine work. This is particularly relevant to the South African mining industry where heat stress-induced fatalities are not uncommon during rescue operations. In this regard an excessively hot environment is defined as one where either the dry-bulb temperature exceeds 37,0°C or the wet-bulb temperature exceeds 32,5"C, and it is therefore not surprising that heat stroke mortality escalates rapidly when these limits are exceeded. A review of both local and international standards indicated that the available information on safe exposure times under abnormal heat stress conditions is very limited. Where available, such standards are aimed at the general population, including both sexes, irrespective of age and also the least heat tolerant worker, and not at a medically-screened, all-male population free of grossly heat intolerant individuals, as is the case in the South African mining industry. It is suggested that available norms and limits are too conservative for local application and, therefore, unrealistic. In view of the definite need to protect workers when exposed to abnormally high environmental temperatures, the present study was undertaken to establish a scientifically derived data base. applicable to local conditions, to determine safe exposure times: Any exposure limit, especially in an emergency situation, should be easy to administer, valid and reliable. These aspects, there- fore, form an integral part of this paper. FORMULATION OF HEAT STRESS LIMITS The formulation of heat stress limits was based on the criterion that a heat exposed individual should experience a negligible risk of developing dangerously elevated body temperatures. In order to provide a database for risk assessment, certain physiological responses of heat tolerant men were determined at various combinations of thermal conditions and work rate in a climatic chamber. These physiological responses were analysed statistically in order to predict safe survival and tolerance times as a function of thermal conditions and work rate. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN A total of 202 randomly selected, medically fit mine workers volunteered for the study on the basis of informed consent. These men were considered to be inherently heat tolerant in as far as they had successfully completed a heat tolerance test (Anon., 1991) or the standard climatic room acclimatisation procedure used on many South African gold mines (Anon., 1989). The subjects were allocated randomly to 14 experimental groups and each group was exposed in a climatic room to one of

Jan 1, 1997