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By Joseph E. Pogue

The writer visited the Muzo emerald mines in July, 1915, and spent six days in their study. This paper embodies the results of his observations, plus information personally communicated by Robert Scheibe, Professor of Geology in the Mining Academy of Berlin, who at the time of the visit was completing a detailed field investigation of nearly a year's duration of the emerald deposits of Colombia. An elaborate account of this valuable work may be expected at a future date from the pen of Professor Scheibe.

Jan 1, 1917

By Raymond D. Sloan

Development and exploration in Oklahoma showed a definite increase in 1941 over 1940 in production, wildcat activity and total well completions. Geological and geophysical work continued and possibly increased slightly in amount. Oklahoma retained third place in the ranking of oil-producing states of the nation, topped only by Texas and California, and followed by Illinois in fourth position. Production averaged 416,800 bbl. daily, a 1.7 per cent increase, as compared with 409,900 bbl. daily for the year 1940. Maintenance of the state's relatively stable producing rate resulted from the discovery of numerous small pools, the recombing of old areas, the establishment of new producing horizons, and the drilling of an increased number of marginal wells. The market for the Mid-Continent crude was strengthened materially to meet the increased demand. Coincident with a deeline in production in Illinois, shipment of Oklahoma-Kansas crude to the eastern points averaged 453,000 bbl. per day, an increase of 49.4 per cent as compared with 1940. The movement south amounted to an average of 42,000 bbl. per day, a loss of 41.7 per cent. Secondary-recovery programs in Oklahoma were given more consideration, operators realizing that in the future many pools would necessarily have to resort to this type of operation. Five permits for water-flooding were issued by the Corporation Commission during the year. These projects were in Rogers, Wagoner and Nowata Counties, in the shallow northeastern area, which has relatively extensive development of this type in the Bartles-ville sand at from 600 to 1000 ft. in depth. Gas repressuring of an individual lease in the 35-year old Glenn pool, Creek County, proved relatively successful, and after a year's operation was extended to cover a much larger area, with several operators participating. More of this type of work is expected in the future; however, it was given an initial setback when the legislative proposal authorizing secondary recovery in the Wilcox zone of Oklahoma's largest pool, the Oklahoma City pool, was pigeonholed by the committee. A continuation of the low discovery rates within the state would possibly lead to a revival of interest in the project. Many pools formerly classified as prorated areas were removed from this classification and transferred into the group of settled production. At the close of the year the issuance of the Federal Conservation Order M-68 and the interrelated Preference Rating Order P-98 caused a sharp decline in drilling operations, which is expected to continue until such operations are stabilized at a lower rate. The ultimate effect of these two orders on discoveries, production and reserves is a matter of speculation and conjecture. During the year, 2110 new wells were drilled, an increase of approximately 18 per cent as compared with the previous year. Of the total, 1235 were oil wells with a combined initial potential of 342,754 bbl. daily, 178 were gas wells with a total

Jan 1, 1942

By F. Forward, H. Veltman, A. Vizsolyi

Activities of oxides in the ternary FeO-MnO-SiO system are calculated from data on the binaries, using the Gibbs -Schuhmann method. These activity data are used, together with thermodynamic relations, to calculate the contents of oxygen, silicon, and manganese in liquid iron, and the composition of the corresponding oxide phases in equilibrium with it. Excellent agreement was found between calculated and experimental metal compositions, indicating that thermodynamic methods, such as those presented, can supply useful data on slag-metal equilibria, and are therefore capable of wider application. When molten steel containing oxygen is treated with a deoxidizer, the product of the reaction is composed of the oxides of the deoxidizing elements together with more or less iron oxide. This assemblage of oxides is presumably very close to equilibrium with the melt since it is formed directly from elements dissolved in it. Therefore, it is likely that metal analyses corresponding to a given oxide phase composition are calculable with considerable precision where sufficient information is available on activities in both phases. The present study was made to test this hypothesis in the case of deoxidation by silicon and manganese. Here experimental data on the relationship among oxygen, silicon, and manganese in the metal phase are available, as are activity data for the MnO-SiO2, FeO-SiO2, and FeO-MnO binary systems. A further objective was to demonstrate in a specific example how gaps in the data may be filled by judicious interpolation, and how the Gibbs-Schuhmann method is applied to obtain activities in ternary systems. The rigorous derivation of the latter, requiring considerable facility in handling partial differential equations, tends to mask the real simplicity of the method, and repel the very engineers and experimenters who would benefit the most from its use. I) GENERAL PROCEDURE Deoxidation of steel with silicon and manganese results in the formation of two phases, metal and oxide. The number of components is four—Fe, Mn, Si, and 0. The phase rule then gives the number of degrees of freedom: If temperature and pressure are fixed, 2 deg of freedom remain. Consequently, it suffices to fix the concentration of two of the components of the system for all the concentrations to be determined and, at least in principle, calculable. The practical problem is then to discover a straightforward method of calculation with a minimum of trial and error solutions. The type of reactions to be dealt with are like the following: Si (in steel) + 2 O(in steel) = SiO2(in oxide phase) The standard free energy of this reaction is readily obtained from the literature, so that the equilibrium constant can be calculated by the expression: Since the metallurgist is concerned with percentages rather than activities, a real solution requires information that will permit activities to be converted to concentrations. This information is fairly adequate for the elements dissolved in molten steel, but is not available for the FeO-MnO-SiO2 oxide system. Therefore, the first step in this study was to find the relation between activity and concentration for the three oxides making up the system. The next step was the calculation of slag and metal compositions that are in equilibrium with one another. As shown by the phase rule, it is sufficient to assume the values of two composition variables in order to calculate the rest. But which two are picked makes a vast difference in how difficult the calculation turns out to be, so that it is necessary to make preliminary trial of several routes to find the easiest one. A convenient method is to begin with the slag, and to pick FeO concentration and that of one of the other oxides. Starting with the relation between oxygen dissolved in the liquid steel and FeO in the slag permits a good first estimate to be made of the oxygen content of the steel in equilibrium with FeO, because the iron content being fairly close to 100 pct, Fe has an activity close to unity. Using this first estimate of oxygen activity, approximate values of the manganese and silicon contents of the melt are readily calculated from the appropriate equilibrium constants. A minor correction for the depar-

Jan 1, 1963

By G. F. Loughlin, C. H. Behre

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLASSIFICATION WHAT is the use of a classification of mineral deposits? From the days of Agricola, the founder of the science of ore deposits, successive authors on the subject have attempted classifications, none of which have attained unanimous indorsement of miners, engineers, or geologists. The miner and engineer naturally have little regard for a classification that does not help them to find ore. Mining geologists may share this feeling, and deplore the overemphasis that may be placed on classification by their academic brothers. Apparent effects of such overemphasis may be reflected by students or new graduates who have grown to think that each deposit must fit perfectly into some pigeonhole of the more or less arbitrary scheme that has been drilled into them. Diversity in mineral deposits as in other natural phenomena, however, is too great to be fully expressed in the usual tabular classification, and experience is essential for the appreciation of the value or usefulness of a classification. The succession of classifications has closely followed the growth of the science of mineral deposits and reflects that growth, as well perhaps as the limited or comprehensive viewpoint of each proponent. The earliest classifications were based on metal content, and were superseded by those based mainly on form of deposit. Source of materials also became a basis, and was followed by physical and chemical conditions and processes. In spite of this development it is interesting to note that in many of the latest reports on mining regions the authors adopt special classifications suited for their particular districts. Some of these, like the earliest classifications, are based primarily on metal content, and others are most conveniently based on form, and it may be convenient to modify these by reference to source of material or temperature of deposition. Some, including the writers, after noting these different usages, have refused to worry much over classification as an ultimate objective, but,

Jan 1, 1933

By O. H. Eschholz

THE electrostatic process of fume precipitation is an excellent example of the successful application of scientific knowledge to an industrial operation. Originally proposed for the precipitation of sulphuric acid mists, it has been extended until at present there is practically no fume carrying gas to which the method cannot be applied. Among the more common applications are: the recovery of non-ferrous smelter flue-dust, iron blast-furnace dust, cement dust, and potash fume. It should be borne in mind that the process is restricted to the precipitation of suspended particles, either liquid or solid, and does not separate gaseous constituents. However, -by proper temperature control, mixtures of vapors having different temperatures of condensation to either solids or liquids may he selectively precipitated. The process consists essentially of subjecting suspended particles, including those too minute to be effectively acted upon by centrifugal or gravitational forces, to such an electrical force that they are driven from the gas stream, acting as a conveyer, and deposited upon a suitable receiving surface. This directional impulse is obtained front the interaction of charged particles and an electrostatic field of definite intensity gradient existing between two dissimilar electrodes, known as discharge and receiving electrodes. In principle, the equipment is equally simple. As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, it consists of: (1) A source of high-potential direct current, requiring: (a.) Source of alternating-current energy. (b) Means of transforming from tow voltage to high voltage. (c) Means of converting alternating to direct current. (2) Precipitation chamber having: (a) Transmission tubes for fume-laden gases. (b) Suitably designed and disposed electrodes. (c) Means for affecting removal of deposited solids.

Jan 8, 1918

By Frederick C. Hull, Robert F. Mehl, Robert A. Colton

IT is known that pearlite forms from austenite by a process of nucleation and growth, and that the rate of formation of pearlite may be described by a rate of nucleation and a rate of growth 12 The manner in which these two quantities operate to produce the observed isothermal reaction curve has been analyzed in a paper published in 1939 3 Two types of process were described (I) that in which nucleation occurs at the grain boundaries of the parent phase, with the nodules growing toward the centers of the grains, initially as hemispheres and then after impingement as roughly radial-columnar structures, and (2) that in which nucleation occurs generally, with the nodules growing to full spheres until impingement with other growing nodules restricts growth Both cases are met in the formation of pearlite from austenite (Fig 1),2,3 the former, occurring near the knee of the S-curve has been named "grain-boundary transformation," and the latter, occurring at temperatures near AeI, has been named "group-nodule transformation " In developing our knowledge of the factors that determine the rate of formation of pearlite from austenite, it is important''' to obtain data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite Such data, when obtained near the knee of the S-curve, will furnish information of use in understanding the actors that affect hardenability, when obtained at higher temperatures, such data will be useful in understanding the behavior of steels that during heat-treatment react to pearlite 2 It is the purpose of this paper to present data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite in dependence upon composition, grain size, temperature,, and the degree of homogeneity of the parent austenite The studies are restricted chiefly to plain carbon commercial steels PREVIOUS DATA ON RAID OF NUCLEATION AND RATE OF GROWTH Data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite have been published by Scheil and Lange-Weise,5 by Mirkin and Blanter,6,7 by Mehl,1 and by Dorn, De Garmo and Flanigan22 It is difficult to interpret the data, for in most cases too little information is given on austenitizing temperatures and times, the state of homogeneity of the austenite (presence or absence of carbide, etc ), austenite grain size, and mode of formation of pearlite at the temperatures given

Jan 1, 1942

By Charles H. Fulton

There are comparatively few accurate data on the melting-or the freezing-point temperature of metallurgical slags, or on related physical phenomena, such as fluidity near the melting-point, specific heat, latent heat, etc. With the exception of the work of H. 0. Hofman,' and some older work by R. Akerman, P. Gredt, and H. M. Howe, no information is available that is of direct interest to the metallurgist. Hofman's valuable work is the only one that refers to slags produced in the metallurgy of copper and lead. The classic work of J. H. L. Vogt,2 who views slags from the standpoint of physical mixtures (solutions in which the entities are minerals), has opened up a new field in the study of slags, and has placed the investigation of such properties as melting-temperatures, etc., on a rational basis. The recent work of A. L. Day, E. T. Allen, and W. I?. White, of the Carnegie Institution, at Washington, and of European investigators3 on certain systems of silicate minerals confirms the value of the investigation of silicate series from this standpoint, and it is my aim to apply this method to metallurgical slags, in order to gain exact data of value in metallurgy. The work recorded in the present paper is the result of an investigation of reverberatory-furnace slags made for a Western smelting company to determine exactly the influence of change in composition, within comparatively narrow limits, on the melting-point. For a general discussion concerning the mineralogical character of slags and the principles on which this investigation is based, reference should be made to other work: for the subject is too large to be stated in this paper, except very briefly in the following outline:

Jan 1, 1913

By H. E. McKinstry

Movement on a fracture of irregular shape can cause local widening of the fissure and thereby offer freer channelways for circulation of ore-depositing solutions. This influence: coupled with large areas of wall rock available for reacting with ore solutions in brecciated and shattered ground can account for locally active deposition of metals and the resulting ore shoots. Such irregularities in the fracture system may be caused by local variations in the strength of rocks and by pre-existing lines of weakness, especially if these stand at favorable angles to certain components of the fracturing stress. Therefore correct interpretation of the mechanics of fracturing should permit deductions as to structurally favorable places on unexplored portions of the vein system. Introduction It has long been recognized that movement on a curved or irregular fault surface is capable of separating the walls in certain portions of the fault, but until very recent years the importance of this mechanism as a factor in localizing ore shoots has escaped proper recognition. A short time ago W. H. Newhouse' presented a careful analytical study of displacements and their corresponding open spaces. For reasons that will be discussed later, it frequently happens that portions of the vein which are favorably oriented are not merely wider but also richer than the average. In many cases the widening with its accompanying richness coincides with very minor changes in the dip or strike of the vein, irregularities that commonly escape notice unless the vein is mapped in detail and a careful geometrical analysis made. While the relationship between the width of the vein and the changes in dip or strike has been recognized as a matter of observation, the irregularities have been accepted as more or less the result of accident. There has been very little effort except in isolated cases to find out the causes of these changes in dip or strike. Yet it is clear that if the causes can be recognized and expressed in terms of geologic structure the geologist will know where to look for repetitions of these favorable conditions either on extensions of the same vein or on adjoining veins. Any lack of understanding of the causes is due to the limitations of our ability to interpret our observations and not to the sheer capriciousness of

Jan 1, 1941

By Y. H. Liu, G. W. Powell

Thin foils made from the gold-rich region of- short (0.15 mm)Au-Ag diffusion couples annealed at 880°C for 1 hr were examined in ax electron microscope and the structures were compared with that of pure gold subjected to identical heat treatments. The couples underwent Plastic deformation (bending) during the diffusional anneal. The foils prepared from the diffusion zone have a higher dislocation density and incidence of subboundaries than pure gold. The plastic bending of the couple can be interpreted in terms of the climb of edge dislocations, which are pavallel to the bend axis, along the direction of diffusion. THE interaction of lattice defects during interdiffu-sion between two metals has been considered by several investigators. In particular, da Silva and Mehl,1 Barnes,' and Bardeen and Herring3 have proposed models based on interactions between point and line defects to account for the Kirkendall effect (marker movement). Each of these models is based on dislocation climb, which can either add or remove lattice planes, induced by an under- or supersaturation of vacancies. A theoretical treatment of the nucleation and growth of voids by the condensation of vacancies has been presented by Seitz.4 Stresses can arise in a binary diffusion couple as a result of the vacancy flux and the gradient in the lattice parameter. rinkmman' has investigated the effects of diffusion-induced stresses on void formation; the results of his analysis suggest that voids can form and grow under the influence of these stresses in the absence of an excess vacancy concentration. The relationships between vacancy supersaturation and diffusion-induced stresses and void formation have been elucidated also by Balluffi and seigle6 who concluded that the stress generated by a vacancy supersaturation aids the growth of voids. Experimental evidence which indirectly shows that stresses are produced by chemical diffusion has been obtained by several researchers.2,7-9 This evidence consists in part of the observation by light microscopy of the formation of subgrains, a process characteristic of the high-temperature deformation of some metals during creep.'0 More striking, however, is the plastic bending of short (0.2 mm) Cu-Ni couples observed by Barnes2 and of boron-doped silicon crystals reported by Queisser.9 Diffusion-induced dislocations in iron and silicon have been investigated by Ainslie et a1.11and Schwutte and Queisser,12 respectively, the former using transmission electron microscopy and the latter an X-ray transmission technique. Matthews and Crawford13 observed the formation of boundaries by the climb of interfacial misfit dislocations in thin, vapor-deposited Au-Pd couples diffused in situ in an electron microscope. In order to obtain additional information on the phenomena associated with defect interaction and diffusion-induced stresses in binary couples, an electron transmission study of foils prepared from the diffusion zone of short Au-Ag couples was undertaken. The initial objective was to investigate the processes occurring at various points of the diffusion zone. Subsequent research demonstrated that foils could be prepared only from the gold-rich region of the diffusion zone using the technique described herein. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Preparation and Annealing of the Diffusion Couples. The couples were made from annealed, high-purity (99.999 pct). polycrvstalline gold and silver sheets (0.075 mm thick). Shall (0.075 by 5 by 17 mm) elec-tropolished coupons of gold and silver were pressure-bonded by heating the two metals in a graphite device to 770°C and holding at this temperature for approximately 30 min. The quality of the bond was ascertained by metallographic examination at 150 times. Each couple subsequently was annealed at 880°C for 1hr; under these conditions, the extreme portions of the

Jan 1, 1968

Philip Argall, Denver Col. (communication to the Secretary): Dr. Raymond claims (Trans., xxiii., 560)) that my statement (p. 557) regarding the crystallization of iron "is beyond question incorrect." He says: "It is not even settled that vibration will crystallize iron under any conditions." While admitting that authorities differ on the possibility of cold crystallization of iron, I believe it is a settled and undisputed fact that vibration in the presence of heat will crystallize iron. Bloxam and Huntington say :* " Vibration assists 'in converting fibrous metal (iron) back into a crystalline state when heated, a lower temperature sufficing than in the absence of vibration." Mr. A. F. Hill, summing up a very exhaustive review upon the crystallization of iron and steel, pronounces against crystallization, but only at temperatures below 900' F. Mr. Howe, discussing ,the breakage of a 20-foot porter-bar with a crystalline fracture, suggests that it was attributable to heat, jointly with the jar. We see, then, that vibration of heated iron bars will induce crystallization and consequent change of structure. Referring to my statement, I wish to point out, that I was discussing the vibration of stamps arid should have said, "vibration under all such conditions," etc. That is, vibration attended with sharp blows, such as a stamp-stem is subjected to, will crystallize iron; yet I believe that intense vibration under any condition will

Jan 1, 1895

By R. N. Upadhyay, M. Maleki, I. Fatt

Conventional laboratory core analysis tests on samples of two limestone reservoir rocks indicate that about 20 per cent of PV is in dead-end pores. These tests (electric logging formation factor, mercury injection capillary pressure and miscible displacement) were carried out on 1/4-in. diameter test plugs. Test results show a clear dilference between these samples and sandstone or homogeneous limestone reservoir rock. Although the amount of dead-end pore space can be only roughly estimated, the presence of such pore space seems clearly indicated. Pressure transient studies also show presence of deadend PV. Although they do not give quantitative results, pressure transient data yield a reasonable estimate of the size of the neck connecting dead-end pores to the main flow channels. INTRODUCTION Equations conventionally used to describe reservoir flow behavior contain the implicit assumption that all connected pore spaces contributed to both porosity and permeability. Several authors3-7 have pointed out the changes in pressure transient behavior and in electric log interpretation that may result if this assumption is incorrect and, instead, dead-end or cul-de-sac pores are present. There is a need for laboratory tests that can detect presence of dead-end pores in core samples. With such information on hand the petroleum engineer can make more rational use of the mathematical tools now available for analysis of reservoir flow behavior. This paper describes laboratory studies designed to detect and, if possible, give a quantitative measure of dead-end PV in laboratory-size core plugs. Three reservoir rocks were used, two of which were limestones suspected of having deadend pore spaces and a well-known sandstone, used as a comparison standard, in which there is believed to be little or no dead-end pore space. All the studies were designed to measure the natural dead-end PV; i.e., the pore space which is dead-ended because of rock structure. During multiphase flow in a rock without dead-end pores, some parts of one of the phases can become surrounded by the other, thereby giving (for certain flow behavior) an effective dead-end pV8,9. Such behavior will not be described here.

Jan 1, 1967

By R. Schuhmann Jr., P. J. Ensio

As a first step in a study of the physical chemistry of copper-smelting slags, experimental measurements were made of the oxygen pressure of simple iron-silicate slags in equilibrium with solid iron. The experiments consisted in bubbling CO2-CO mixtures through the slags in iron crucibles and in finding the equilibrium ratios of CO2 to CO. From the data, activities and partial molal heats of solution FeO and SiO2 in the slags were calculated. THE ternary system FeO-Fe,O,-SiO, is the simplest system which can represent adequately the important chemical properties of the slags formed in matte smelting and converting. Accordingly, the experimental study of slags in this system was started as the first step in a general research program on the thermodynamics of copper smelting. A recent paper by one of the authors' outlines this general research program and shows in some detail how information on thermodynamic properties of iron-silicate slags, especially information on oxygen activities, is essential to a full understanding of the chemistry of copper smelting. The FeO-Fe,O,-SiO, system also is the basis of slags produced in other processes, such as acid steelmak-ing processes, and is important in relation to the behavior of silicious refractories. In addition, data on the physicochemical properties of iron-silicate slags should contribute to a general understanding of the nature of slags, since at present such data for all kinds of slags are relatively meager. The principal quantitative information already available on iron-silicate slags consists in Bowen and Schairer's constitution diagram for slags in equilibrium with metallic iron,' Darken and Gurry's complete and precise thermodynamic study of the Fe-0 system,",' and Darken's study of the phase equilibria in the Fe-Si-o system. From the results of this previous work, it was clear that a complete thermodynamic study of ternary iron-silicate melts was a major undertaking which would have to be broken down into parts, including the working out of the ternary equilibrium diagram as well as extensive activity measurements on slags. The experimental measurement of oxygen activity, using CO-CO, and other gas mixtures as yardsticks of oxygen activity, was the basis of Darken and Gurry's study of the Fe-0 system. From the experimental measurements of oxygen activities over a large range of temperatures and compositions, they were able to calculate the activities of other species such as Fe, FeO, Fe,O,, etc., and also the other important thermodynamic properties in the Fe-0 system. At the start of the present investigation, it appeared that the same approach would be fruitful for the study of iron-silicate melts. Also, the experimental measurement of oxygen activities seemed particularly attractive because oxygen activity itself is a quantitative measure of oxidizing or reducing power, which is an important variable in copper-smelting slags. The slag compositions in equilibrium with yFe appeared most suitable for the first investigation of this kind, for the following reasons: 1—Good constitution data2 were available. 2—An iron crucible could be used, thus affording a simple solution to the refractory problem without introducing contarnination. 3—With Fe activity fixed, at unity with respect to a standard state of solid Fe, measurements of 0 activity could be followed by simple calculations of activities of FeO and other Fe-0 complexes and of SiO,. 4—This starting point afforded several possibilities for cross-checking with previous work,

Jan 1, 1952

By M. J. Mullikin, J. B. Conway

Several different equation forms were studied to determine the extent to which each particular equation type yielded an accurate representation of a given set of first-stage creep data. Specially developed least-squares computer programs were employed to obtain unique solutions for the creep-equation constants. In studies of creep data for lead at 14.5"C, nickel at 70OCC, and arc-cast tungsten at 2400°C consistently good representations were afforded by a third-degvee polynomial in t113. Other effective correlations were obtained with the Andrade, Cottrell-Aytekin, and de Lacombe equations along with a third-degree polynomial in t112. A newly proposed creep equation involving a hyperbolic-sine term in t1'3 was also found to yield very satisfactory results. This appears to be the first use of such a functional relationship in the analysis of transient creep behavior. In general, the deformation behavior of a material subjected to a tensile load is described in a strain-time plot. Experiments have shown that, following the instantaneous elongation which results on loading, the instantaneous slope (i.e., creep rate) of the strain-time curve decreases gradually with time and approaches what appears to be a constant value. Equations, therefore, which are proposed to provide an analytical representation of such first-stage or transient creep behavior must be consistent with these observations. In other words, at time zero, these equations must yield a finite deformation value corresponding to the elongation on loading. Furthermore, the first derivative of these equations must exhibit a fairly high although finite value at time zero, and then values which decrease with time. It is also preferable, in general, that the derivative eventually assume a constant value at high time values. Although many studies of first-stage creep behavior have been made and numerous equation forms have been proposed for expressing this type of deformation behavior, it is still not possible to state with any assurance which functional relationship will be adequate for a given set of measurements. Parabolic relationships have been employed most extensively although logarithmic expressions have been shown to be applicable in some instances. Combined forms1 have been studied in considerable detail and have on occasion been found to be very effective. One such expression is that of iXndradea and involves a modified parabolic expression: where 1 is the instantaneous length, lo is the length immediately following load application, t is the time, and p and k are constants. Another combined form has been proposed by weaver3 as follows: where E is the instantaneous strain, is is the linear creep rate, t is the time, and a and b are constants.

Jan 1, 1967

By William H. Grady

FactoRs entering into the market value of coal are its grade, and the cost of labor, material, and capital. Reduction in these costs cannot be expected in the future, and it therefore follows that greater economy in their use must be accomplished if it is desired to hold the present markets; more tons of product per unit must be obtained in a given time from both men and material, and means devised for increasing the percentage of lump and domestic sizes. This paper is presented for the purpose of inviting discussion and stimulating thought in regard to the influence of methods of procedure and plans of mining, upon the quality of coal, the economical use of labor, material, and capital, and the cost of production. Even the better methods of the present day leave much to be desired, and a review of the reasons and necessities for their use may be of value in pointing the way to more economical mining. The writer does not attempt to discuss untried methods of mining, but rather to state clearly and concisely a summary of the results obtained under the several methods of procedure that have been adopted. In some instances a high degree of concentration has been effected, and comparisons of the results obtained with the results of lesser degrees of concentration form an interesting study. It is believed that much may be accomplished in improving the quality, and in the more economical use of labor, material, and capital, by concentration, and it is to concentration in particular that your study is invited. The writer, who has occasion to visit many mines, most of which are under different management, has been inclined to the opinion that improvement has been retarded in many ways and that mining has not as yet been entirely freed from the early-day practices which were forced upon it. Practices resulting in lack of concentration, to which reference will be made, are: The absence of robbing, necessitating the frequent interposition of barrier pillars; lack of system and of proper supervision, resulting in losses of life and coal. These practices could not well be

Jan 1, 1915

By G. J. Heuer, J. N. Dew, G. C. Clark

The effect on well behavior of partial permeability barriers, changes in producing rates and well spacings have been calculated through use of a radial, unsteady-state, two-phase-flow mathematical model. This model allows for variations in permeabilities and porosities with distance from the wellbore. The numerical methods necessary to solve the problem require use of a highspeed digital computer, in this case an IBM 704. In each instance, pressure and saturation gradients, gas-oil ratios and recoveries around a well producing by solution-gas drive have been calculated as a function of time and distance from the wellbore. Comparisons are made to show the effect of changes in producing rate and of varying permeability near the wellbore and out in the formation on the production and pressure history of the well. The effect of different well spacings on producing rate and ultimate recovery is considered. Although the mathematical description of the reservoir is simplified in comparison to an actual reservoir, the results do give some insight into the difficult problem of spacing and proration in a heterogeneous solution-gas-drive reservoir. Results show that for the cases considered spacing has little effect on ultimate recovery and that permeability barriers removed from the well decrease producing rate for a period of time but have only a small effect on ultimate production. INTRODUCTION The effect of spacing and producing rate on the production characteristics and ultimate recovery of a well producing by the solution-gas-drive mechanism have been topics of interest to the oil industry for many years and the subject of many hearings before state regulatory bodies. The problem is very complicated because of the difficulty of simulating in the laboratory a reservoir producing by the solution-gas-drive mechanism under anything like normal field conditions. This paper gives the initial results of a study aimed at determining the effect of these factors on production from reservoirs simulated by a mathematical model. Two-phase, unsteady-state equations are used to calculate pressures, saturations, and rates of oil and gas flow as a function of time and distance from the wellbore. The model is radial, and reservoir properties may be varied with distance from the wellbore. A decrease in permeability at a given distance results in a low-permeability ring concentric with the wellbore through which all the fluids from more distant portions of the reservoir must flow. The current mathematical model allows for variation of permeability, porosity and saturations as a function of distance from the well. Any desired drainage radius for the well may be selected. Drainage radii of 745 and 1,053 ft, which correspond to 40- and 80-acre spacing, were chosen for the calculations which follow. A large amount of the input data has been held constant. No investigation was made into the effect of changes in fluid properties and relative permeability characteristics on oil and gas production behavior. Fluid properties and relative permeabilities are essentially those of the White Mesa portion of the Greater Aneth area in southeastern Utah. A recently concluded hearing before the Utah Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to determine spacing for the field aroused interest in the possible effect of permeability constrictions located some distance from the well on production and recovery. This interest stimulated the present study. In this paper, no attempt has been made to simulate any field production characteristics exactly. Only the solution-gas-drive mechanism has been investigated, and production by liquid expansion has not been considered. This investigation is exploratory in nature but does give some insight into the problems of spacing and proration in a solution-gas-drive field having permeability variations. THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL The mathematical model is similar to that proposed by West, Garvin and Sheldon.' Approximately the same techniques have been used in arriving at a solution. The equations are nonlinear, partial differential equations which have been known for some time. The particular equations used for this study neglect the effects of capillary pressure and gravitational forces. The advent of modern digital computing equipment has made their solution practical. Basically, the method solves for pressure, saturations, and oil and gas flow rates as a function of distance and time. In our model, distance to the

By W. F. Mullen, C. W. Stickler

WITH few exceptions, unit operations in the Pennsylvania slate industry in 1950 did not differ appreciably from production methods described by Behrel and Bowles2-4 several decades ago. Many traditionally picturesque but relatively inefficient hand operations continued to contribute to high operating costs in an industry in which the margin of profit, for various reasons, was admittedly low. As part of a general program in which the Pennsylvania State College has been assisting the slate industry to solve some of its problems, time and method studies were used in an effort to determine the bottlenecks of production flow. The results are as applicable to other stone industries as they are to slate. A study of the basic elements in the production of roofing slate, structural slate, and slate blackboards among selected slate producers revealed comparatively few refinements. Any marked difference in operating method was characterized largely by the available equipment, a noticeable difference in the working properties of the rock quarried by a particular company, and by either the habit thinking or ingenuity of the individual operators. With the hope that significant economies in manufacture might result, all the unit operations were broken down into elements for study and analysis. The greater part of the study encompassed those operations from the quarry rim to the finished product; however, to obtain a reasonable synthesis of time allotments per operation, several analyses of quarrying from the finish of the wire saw cut are included for reference. The complete study of quarrying made by Bowles several years ago resulted in the introduction of the wire saw into the operation; there appears to be a need for as fundamental a change in the processing of finished slate as the wire saw was in the quarrying process. Fig. 1 illustrates the flowsheet of quarried rock from the parent bed to the quarry rim with the basic elements which contribute to the difficulty of removing slate from the ground. In Pennsylvania roofing slate is produced by one of three procedures, many operations of which are quite similar. In the traditional or classical method the quarried rock is reduced by sculping and auxiliary manual treatment to workable size and then is split and dressed (trimmed to size) in the conventional shanty. Archaic as this method might appear, there are several elements that result in substantial savings over more mechanized operations. In a modified version of this method, the block is reduced by sawing and gouging preparatory to splitting and dressing in indoor stations. This method is particularly adaptable to rock which fractures unevenly by conventional sculping methods. In the third and more modern method, reduced block received from the block maker is diamond-sawed to length and finished on a production line. Fig. 2 illustrates the flow pattern in each case. In the modified and more modern plans, dressing is done on mechanically-operated trimming machines, which appreciably reduce the fatigue factor of the operator. However, it should be noted that it is advantageous for the operator to be able to control the speed of the knife to prevent breakage of certain classes of stock. In the classical plan the splitter and dresser normally act as blockmakers also and carry their eighter slabs (equivalent in thickness to eight shingles) into the shanties themselves, all of which adds to fatigue and reduced efficiency. The extremely low investment and operating expense of the classical method has undoubtedly been of paramount importance in its continuation. Production of Mill Stock The production of mill stock is accomplished by less picturesque methods than enter into the production of roofing slate but it is, in the main, relatively more efficient because of the increased use of machinery for handling and for finishing. Mill stock can be classified into two categories as far as difference in production method is concerned: structural slate and blackboards. The significant difference in operation is caused largely by the nature of the rock used for each product with the best and easiest cleaved rock being reserved for blackboards to permit the splitting of large slabs to as little as 1/2 in. in thickness. Structural stock, on the other hand, is split into panels no thinner than 11/2 in. and

Jan 1, 1952

By H. I. Aaronson, H. A. Domian

The self-diffusivity of Ag10 has been measured as a function of temperature and composition in AgMg. a CsCl-type intermetallic compound with a substitutional defect structure on both sides of the stoichiometric (50 at. pct Mg) composition. These measurements show that In D increases linearly, and both In Do and Q decrease linearly with deviation from stoichiometry. The slopes of these lines are significantly steeper in magnesium-rich alloys. Equations for the variation of Q with composition have been derived by application of the theory of random walk processes on the assumption that diffusion in compounds of this type takes place by the six-jump cycle mechanism of Huntington, Elcock, and McCombie. The favorable agreement obtained with experiment furnishes fresh support for the correctness of this assumption. A principal result of this treatment is that. although the concentration of vacancies is considerably higher in the silver sublattice than in the magnesium sublattice, the acfivation energies for movement of the magnesium sublattice vacancies are so much lower that these vacancies are responsible for effectively all diffusion of silver in this compound. A tendency for vacancies of both types to be kinetically bound to wrong atoms is also noted. THIS study was undertaken to examine the influence of substitutional defects upon self-diffusion in an intermetallic compound, AgMg, with a CsCl-type crystal structure. The CsCl structure is exception- ally simple. At the equiatomic or stoichiometric composition in a binary alloy, it consists of two interpenetrating simple cubic sublattices, each of which is exclusively populated by the atoms of one species. When atomic size and other factors are favorable, deviations from stoichiometry can be entirely accommodated by the substitution of atoms of the species present in excess of 50 at. pct on the sublattice of the other species on a one-for-one basis. Under this condition, the only vacancies present are those formed by thermal activation. The excess atoms thus incorporated into the sublattice of the minority species may be considered as substitutional defects in this sublattice. Several X-ray studies have shown that the defect structure of AgMg is entirely of the substitutional type on both sides of the stoichiometric composition.1"3 The thermodynamic investigation of Kachi indicates that, aside from a low level of thermal disorder and these constitutional defects, order is maintained to the solidus temperature. This compound is therefore a particularly useful vehicle for a study of the influence of substitutional defects upon diffusion kinetics. Other advantages of AgMg for this purpose include: the broad composition region, as much as approximately 10 at. pct on either side of the stoichiometric (50 at. pct Mg), in which the compound is stable; the comparatively low temperature range of the solidus (820°C and below),5 making diffusion anneals near this range experimentally convenient; the reasonably good machinability of the compound, permitting utilization of the standard sectioning method of radiotracer analysis; and the availability of a good tracer, A for one of the constituent species. While this investigation was in progress, Hagel and westbrooks reported data on the self-diffusion

Jan 1, 1964

By C. W. Gennet

Announcement was made in the spring of 1926 that the Boston & Maine R. R. Co. had contracted with the well-known German steelmakers, Messrs. Fried Krupp, for the manufacture of 15,000 tons of basic open-hearth steel rails at the Rheinhausen Works, for delivery to Boston, Mass. The manufacture of rails in the United States has for many years been almost a national pride, and as this feeling is chiefly the result of a long-time liberal and consistent patronage of American rails by American railroads, it is not strange that this somewhat unusual announcement should arouse more than ordinary interest. Since the end of the World War, the importation of foreign rail has been fairly large, principally because the newly created economic conditions have rendered some American competition more difficult, but the tonnage imported, for the most part, has been made up of small orders for miscellaneous use; and the contract referred to constitutes the largest single importation of foreign rail in over ten years. In 1915, the Algoma Steel Co. of Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, supplied the Illinois Central R. R. with 30,000 tons of rails,' and various other American roads with smaller amounts. In 1902, 1903 and 1904, large tonnages of rail from abroad were purchased, the Louisville & Nashville R. R. alone obtaining 30,000 tons from German mills. It is the object of this paper to present, in what is believed to be a new and concise form, figures showing the production and consumption of rails in the United States, and to record some of the testing and inspection results of the recent Krupp rails; also, to direct attention to two quite unique departures from American practice that were regular features of the Krupp process and which are worthy, it is thought, of careful study. Production and Consumption of Rails in the United States Table 1 shows the tonnage of rail produced in the United States and the amount imported, exported, and consumed by years since 1849. That, evidently, was the first year of record, for the statistics of the American Iron and Steel Institute and its predecessor, the American Iron and

By P. L. Russell

The use of nuclear explosives for excavation has been demonstrated to be feasible and practical. Application of nuclear explosives for overburden removal from large ore deposits appears to offer economic advantages over present methods, but under the present pricing schedule, high-yield devices must be used to obtain an economic advantage. The use of nuclear explosives presents problems not inherent in the use of conventional explosives, and thus they can be used only in areas where large explosions and associated phenomena can be tolerated. Stripping of coal with nuclear explosives does not appear practical at this time, but stripping overburden from copper or iron ore deposits may be a potential use. Even here, however, the use of nuclear explosives would require isolation, favorable topography, favorable ground-water conditions, and a low population density. If these basic requirements can be met, the use of nuclear explosives for overburden removal would offer both economic and time advantages. The possibility of using nuclear explosives for peaceful purposes was a subject for speculation as early as 1945. The PLOWSHARE Program was formally established by the AEC in June 1957 for the purpose of developing and demonstrating peaceful applications for nuclear explosives. The technical direction of the program is the responsibility of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, Calif. Mining and excavation were two fields that received early consideration as areas in which nuclear explosives might be used. Knowledge gained from underground weapons testing increased this possibility, and the development of the thermonuclear device which has a small fission-to-fission ratio, reduced the hazard of radiation, and spurred interest. Nuclear explosives appear to have the greatest potential in the following mining operations: 1.— Surface Mining a) Stripping of waste for open-pit excavation b) Breaking of ore in open-pit mining c) Quarrying d) Blasting for production of aggregate, riprap, etc. 2. — Underground Mining a) Block caving application b) Crushing of ore for in-situ leaching, etc. c) Preparation of underground waste disposal areas Of the potential applications, excavation is perhaps the most obvious and the best understood, and probably the most practical for use in the near future. Large quantities of rock and earth can be moved by proper emplacement of nuclear explosives, but economic and practical relationship must be determined between the known capabilities of nuclear explosives and the required excavating to remove overburden. REMOVING OVERBURDEN IN OPEN-PIT MINING Removing the overburden is one of the largest jobs in open-pit mining. In 1960 open-pit mines produced approximately 130 million tons of coal, 108 million tons of copper ore, and 135 million tons of iron ore. To obtain this much production, an estimated 3-billion tons of overburden were removed from the coal, 216 million tons from the copper ore, and 135 million tons from the iron ore. These figures do not include the initial stripping required before ore production. For example, the ASARCO Mission mine started stripping operations in August 1959 and by mid-November 1961 had removed 46.3 million tons of material including 1.2 million tons of ore.* Initial excavation of this type offers the most favorable conditions for utilizing the earth-moving ability of nuclear explosives. EXPLOSIVE CASTING FOR REMOVING OVERBURDEN The use of explosives to remove overburden is not a new idea. Conventional explosives have been used for this purpose for many years with varying degrees of success. Several small coal strip operators have used this idea to increase production. At these mines about one-third or more of the overburden is thrown by explosives across the pit and onto spoil piles. The additional costs of drilling more blast holes and more explosives are more than compensated for by a reduction in the time required to uncover the coal, and by an increase in coal production.

Jan 1, 1964

By James G. Crawford

Correlation Of water with its reservoir zone or formation has been one of the applications of oil-field water analysis of greatest direct value to the petroleum engineer. The water in each producing zone tends to have diagnostic characteristics by which it can be distinguished from every other water above or below that zone in that immediate vicinity. Representative analyses of oil-field waters from producing oil and gas fields in the Rocky Mountain region are included, and the diagnostic characteristics are discussed briefly. It is concluded that the generally dilute nature of Rocky Mountain oilfield waters is a result of dilution by meteoric waters, and that there is no relationship between presence or absence of commercial oil and the character of water in a structure. Introduction The study of waters associated With oil and gas began more than 50 years ago and has been well recognized by operators, engineers, and geologists for about 30 years. It appears unnecessary at this time to recite the history of oil-field water analysis; suffice to say that it has proved its worth many times to the production engineer suddenly confronted with water problems in producing oil and gas wells. Chemists and geologists have studied the possible origin of these waters and as Yet the subject is unsolved in many important phases. There are both local and regional problems connected with the explanation of concentrations and character- istics peculiar to each field, each subsurface zone and each province. Criteria useful in postulating the Occurrence of oil Or gas in One province completely fail when applied to another, and data carefully prepared and analyzed from one field may be actually misleading when applied to another. Correlation of water with its reservoir zone or formation has been one of the applications of oil-field water analysis of greatest direct value to the engineer. The concentrations and characteristics of the waters are essential to the engineers and geologists making interpretations of electric logs in this region. The behavior of water under conditions of reservoir temperature and pressure is dependent to a great degree upon its concentration and characteristics, and thus important to the reservoir engineer. With the advent of secondary recovery methods in the Rocky Mountain region the characteristics and treatment of water will become increasingly important. Premises upon which Correlation Is Based A brief review of the geochemical history of oil-field waters will suffice to present the premises upon which correlations of the waters are based. Sedimentary rocks which are now stratified were first sediments in seas, lakes and streams. These sediments were filled interstitially with connate water. With burial the sediments were compressed arid consolidated, integrated and indurated into bed rock and much of the connate water was dispelled. Following the formation of bed rock the strata were sub-

Jan 1, 1949