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By J. J. Rutledge

On Sept. 4, 1914, Mine No. 1 of the Union Coal Co., Adamson, Oklahoma, suddenly caved, entombing thirteen miners whose bodies were never recovered. The seam of coal mined, the Lower Hartshorne, averaged 5 ft. in thickness and dipped at an angle varying from 22" to 30n. The strata overlying the coal seam were sandstones and shales. The mine was worked by the pillar-and-room method, the rooms being driven directly up the dip of the seam. All coal was blasted off the solid. Rooms were turned on short centers and room pillars were thin and irregular, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the form; showing the mine workings. Some cracks had been observed on the surface, it is said, at least a month before the squeeze occurred, but the collapse of the mine workings came very suddenly. As is usual when squeezes occur on such steep dips and the pillars fail, the crush progressed rapidly down the dip until it reached solid coal; there was a line of break, or draw, over in the solid coal. Several well-defined cracks appeared on the surface, after the mine had squeezed, but there was no appreciable subsidence of the surface, the weight seemed to be thrown entirely to the dip. About one year after the squeeze, and after the workings of the adjoining mine, NO. 4, had been retimbered and made safe, the writer inspected the tenth north (right) entry, or lift, off of No. 4 slope, which was below and fairly near the lowest caved portion of mine No. 1. The roof shale was composed of thin layers, which had been bent in somewhat the same manner as the leaves of a book having flexible covers are bent when the book is folded or rolled up in the hands. Though the mine workings are immediately beneath the streets and buildings of the mining town of Adamson, business was not disturbed by the squeeze, so far as any subsidence of the surface was concerned. No surface monuments were available and no elevations were taken, but the mine workings had been accurately surveyed and traversed, and the streets of the town overlying the mine workings had been carefully platted on the mine map, so that it was possible to locate accurately the cracks on the surface.

Jan 1, 1923

By L. N. Brown

The use of sheet and strip metal has increascd rapidly during the last few years and manufacturers have been called upon for an ever-increasing tonnage, better drawing quality, and better surface. The automobile industry is probably the most insistent in striving for a better product and a desire to reduce costs. Confronted by these demands, the mills have directed their efforts toward the delivery of material. Their personnel has been occupied largely with the problems incident to production, as any increase forced the use of new sources of raw material with their problems. These problems, combined with those met in the daily routine, have demanded immediate attention, with the result that the standardizing of heat treatments, quality, or temper, etc., have been neglected. Considerable work in standardizing has been done by many companies, but no acceptable method has been developed. The following method, therefore, is given with the hope that some method that can be accepted by the manufacturers and users may be developed. The problem of selecting a material with such properties that the losses in processing are a minimum is interesting and difficult. A description of the properties required is likewise difficult, largely because of loose terms. Another handicap is the number of methods of testing which have not been standardized and concerning which little information is available. In the selection of drawing or forming stock, it is advisable to eliminate as many variables as possible; consequently the method of testing the material is of the utmost importance. The method should be rapid and comparatively easy of application, as it is more important that a large percentage of the stock be tested with reasonable accuracy than that

Jan 1, 1923

By B. M. Harra, O&apos

Zinc smelting is frequently termed a backward art. The term is hardly true, for great progress has been made in recent years in the design and in the thermal efficiency of the retort furnace, in the quality of retorts, in the recovery of zinc, and in the ability to treat more impure and complex ores. The fact remains, however, that the peculiar physical and chemical properties of zinc have delayed such immense advances-large smelting units, high recovery, low-unit costs, and ability to treat low-grade ores-as have been made in the metallurgy of lead and copper. In current retort-smelting practice, the ores, if carbonates, are calcined to remove carbon dioxide; or, if sulphides, are roasted to remove sulphur. The sulphur must be eliminated as completely as possible, usually to less than 1 per cent. This means that the roast must be continued for a long time at a high temperature, with resulting high cost and small capacity per furnace. The roasted ore is mixed with about 50 per cent of its weight of reducer, which may be fine coke, anthracite, or nonbituminous coal. This mixture is charged into horizontal fire-clay retorts. The retorts used in this country are about 8 inches in internal diameter by 4 feet in length and hold 50 or 60 pounds of ore. The diameter of the retort is limited by the time required for the heat to penetrate to the center of the charge; the length by the strength of the retort, which at the high temperature employed can not support the weight of the charge if the span is more than about 50 inches. The retorts are heated externally by coal, natural gas, or producer gas to a temperature of 1,200° C. or more. The zinc oxide is reduced to zinc, which is volatile at this temperature, and passes into a conical fire-clay condenser attached to one end of the retort, where it condenses to liquid zinc and is removed. Twenty-four hours are required for distillation, and because of the low heat conductivity of the retort walls and of the ore charge itself, the heat efficiency even of the most modern regenerative furnaces is only about 12 per cent. The retorts have a short life, 30 to 60 days, at the high temperature required; zinc

Jan 1, 1923

Executive A R LEDOUX, Chairman ARTHUR S DWIGHT CHARLES F RAND E P MATHEWSON J V W REYNDERS Membership E DEGOLYER, Chairman W Y WESTERVELT, Vice-chairman WILLIAM H BASSETT H G MOULTON C MINOT WELD Finance WALTER H ALDRIDGE, Chairman GEORGE D BARRON GALEN H CLEVENGER Library GEORGE C STONE,' Chairman JOHN H JANEWAY ALEXANDER C HUMPHREYS, ROBERT LINTON FREDERICK F SHARPLESS

Jan 1, 1923

By Ned H. Snyder

In recent years the Government and other large consumers of coal have appreciated more and more the desirability of definitely determining by chemical analysis and test the character and quality of the coal they purchase. Higher prices for coal point forcibly to the need of giving more study to engine room and boiler room efficiencies and economies; this implies an intimate knowledge of the character and quality of the fuel used. Analyses and tests of delivered coal furnish data whereby power plant results can be comprehensively studied and a continuous check maintained on the coal and on the conditions of plant operation. Under authority of acts of Congress making appropriations for technologic investigation of fuels and the analyzing and testing of fuels belonging to or for the use of the United States Government, a laboratory is maintained at the Pittsburgh station of the Bureau of Mines, where samples representing deliveries of coal purchased for Government use are analyzed and tested.

Jan 1, 1923

By T. E. Swigart, C. E. Beecher

The Federal Government, as the largest lessor of oil and gas lands in the United States, is vitally interested in the conservation of those resources. This manual has been prepared at the direction of the Secretary of the Interior to call the attention of lessees of public oil and gas lands to the most common oil and gas field wastes and the best methods of preventing them; to outline the policies of the Interior Department on field operations; and to give information as to how the "Operating Regulations" of the department will be interpreted by the Bureau of Mines. The oil industry has progressed steadily. Present operating methods are much more efficient-and less wasteful-than those of a few years ago; moreover, the art of producing oil and gas is continually advancing. Public interest requires that improved methods, which will result in obtaining the greatest possible amounts of oil and gas from the natural deposits, shall be developed and used. Part I of this manual points out types of oil and gas wastes and suggests, in detail or by reference, the most practical and effective methods in current practice for stopping these wastes. Throughout Part I the department's operating policy is given, with interpretations of the "Operating Regulations" for enforcing every practical measure of conservation. Part II comprises the revised "Operating Regula-tions" which supersede all previous regulations and will govern future operations on public lands; it will be found in the pocket in the back cover of this bulletin.

Jan 1, 1923

By E. H. Burroughs

This bulletin is the fifth in the series of petroleum bibliographies publis:\:l.ed by the Bure.au of Mines, Bulletins 149, 165, 180, and 189 being compilations for the years 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918, respectively. In this bulletin the same general plan has been followed in arranging the references, but a few changes and additions have been made in the classification.

Jan 1, 1923

By J. P. BONARDI, C. W. Davis, R. B. Moore, J. W. MARDEN, S. C. Lind, J. E. Conley

The rare metals are becoming increasingly important to our industries. Rare-metal alloys have properties which indicate that we are only on the threshold of the possibilities of their utilization, not only in making nonferrous alloys, but also as special steels. Not only are their uses broadening rapidly, but the metals are affecting our industries in other ways. The oxides and some salts are used as pigments; others have medicinal value. The pure metals are made into filaments for incandescent lamps, and targets for X-ray tubes. By their efficient use in alloys, the weight of automobiles is reduced, • and the wear and tear on tires and roads is thus minimized; in machine shops they help to give greater efficiency to tools and reduce production costs. Their development has marked a milestone in the progress of civilization. There has been considerable uncertainty regarding analytical methods for the rare metals. A great deal has been published, but the weak and the strong points of the various methods have not been investigated as carefully as is needed. The Bureau of Mines at its Rare Metals station in Colorado necessarily had to do a great deal of analytical work in connection with the metals covered by this bulletin, which aims to give the results of the experience so acquired. No claim for much originality is made, although some published methods given have been modified, and some new ones have been developed by members of the staff. The principal methods available were studied critically, and it is to be hoped that the work will assist those interested in analytical work in connection with the metals named.

Jan 1, 1923

By B. M. O'Harra

Zinc smelting is frequently termed a ba.ckward art. The term is hardly true, for great progress has been made in recent years in the design and in the thermal efficiency of the retort furnace, in the quality of retorts, in the recovery of zinc, and in the ability to treat more impure and complex ores. The fact remains, however, that the peculiar physical and chemical properties of zinc have delayed such immense advances-large smelting units, high recovery, lowunit costs, and ability to treat low-grade ores-as have been made in the metallurgy of lead and copper. In current retort-smelting practice, the ores, if carbonates, are calcined to remove carbon dioxide; or, if sulphides, are roasted to remove sulphur. The sulphur must be eliminated as completely as possible, usually to less than 1 per cent. This means that the roast must be continued for a long time at a high temperature, with resulting high cost and small capacity per furnace. The roasted ore is mixed with about 50 per cent of its weight of reducer, which may be fine coke, anthracite, or nonbituminous coal. This mixture is charged into horizontal fire-clay retorts. The retorts used in this country are about 8 inches in internal diameter by 4 feet in length and hold 50 or 60 pou~ds of ore. The diameter of the retort is limited by the tirrie required for the heat to penetrate to the center of the charge; the length by the strength of the retort, which at the high temperature employed can not support the weight of the charge if the span is more than about 50 inches. The retorts are heated externally by coal, natural gas, qr ·producer gas to a temperature of 1,200° C. or more. The zinc oxide is reduced to zinc, which is volatile at this temperature, and passes into a conical fire-clay condenser. attached to one end of the retort, where it conde_nses to liquid zinc and is removed. Twenty-four hours are required for distillation, and because of the low heat conductivity of the retort walls 11.nd of the ore charge itself, the heat efficiency even of the most modern regenerative furnacei;; is only about 12 per cent. The retorts have a short life, 30 to 6Q days, at the high temperature required-; zinc losses are heavy, usually 10 per cent or more; and the proportion of impurities in the retort charge must be carefully controlled to prevent the rapid corrosion of retorts. For these reasons, much work has been done in an e:ff ort to, find cheaper and more efficient methods o.f recovering zinc from its ores. Various methods have been proposed for smelting in the blast furnace. Some of these contemplated the production of zinc vapor and its condensation to liquid; others attempted to produce liquid zinc directly by smelting under pressure. It is now realized that fundamental difficulties render these proposals impracticable. The electric furnace for smelting offers obvious advantages in the way of the efficient utilization of energy, large units, easy attainment of high temperatures, and the possibility of treating complex ores. E. H. and A. H. Cowles first suggested a design for an electric furnace for the reduction of zinc ores and patented their process in 1885. Their attention was soon directed to other uses for their furnace and nothing further of importance was done in the electric smelting of zinc until about 1900. Several investigators then started work upon various processes and had more or less success. The chief difficulty they encountered was the impossibility of obtaining more, than a small amount of the zinc as liquid metal because most of the zinc vapor condensed as blue powder. Interest in the electrothermic metallurgy of zinc increased, many patents on processes and furnace design were taken out, and the literature on the subject grew, until in 1914 and 1915 the problem seemed to be approaching solution. About this time the hydrometallurgy of zinc, the development of which had been lagging somewhat behind that of the electrothermic metallurgy, sprang into the limelight and a commercial process was soon perfected. This rapid development, perhaps aided by the war premium on the high-grade spelter produced by electrolytic deposition, distracted attention from electric smelting to some extent, though progress continued. With the perfection and standardization of the electrolytic process has come a better realization of its limitations, especially the necessity for large-scale operation ·and the difficulty of obtaining high extraction. Because of these limitations the electrothermic metallurgy of zinc still has a field of its own and in fac-t promises to become a strong competitor of both hydrometallurgy and retort smelting except under conditions highly favorable to the latter methods. Because of the imperfections of the retort and electrolytic processes and the promise that the electric furnace offers in overcoming these imperfections, the. United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, has undertaken a study of the electrothermic metallurgy of zinc.

Jan 1, 1923

By William W. Adams

Reports for the calendar year 1923 that have been transmitted to the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior by mine officials of the various coal-producing States show that accidents in and around the coal mines resulted in the death of 2,452 men. The output of coal during the year, as reported to the United States Geo- logical Survey, was 641,476,000 tons; hence the fatality rate per million tons was 3.82 as compared with 4.15 for 1922, a decline of about 8 per cent. The average rate for the decade ending with 1922 was 4.11. This reduction of 8 per cent in the fatal-accident rate per million tons is equivalent to the saving of 210 lives--that is, had the fatality rate of 1922 continued through 1923 the number of lives lost would have been 210 more than they actually were. Not only was there a net reduction in the fatality rate from all causes combined, but each of the main causes of coal-mine fatalities also showed a decline. Falls of roof and coal, which generally account for nearly half of all deaths in coal mines, were responsible for 1,158 fatalities in 1923, which represents a rate of 1.81 per million tons as compared with 1.90 in 1922. (See Table 2.) Haulage accidents underground usually cause about 17 per cent of all fatalities, and the reports for 1923 show that 413 deaths were due to this cause, indi- cating a rate of 0.64 per million tons, as against 0.71 for the previous year. Gas and dust explosions killed 372 men, the fatality rate being 0.58; the rate for 1922 was 0.65. Seventy-five deaths were due to electricity, for which class of accidents the fatality rate per million tons was 0.12 as compared with 0.16 the year before. Powder and other explosives caused 114 deaths, representing a rate of 0.18 as compared with 0.19 for 1922. Of the 2,452 fatal accidents during the year, 2,249 occurred under- ground, 46 in shafts, and 157 on the surface. At bituminous coal mines the number of deaths was 1,943, of which 1,816 were under- ground, 31 in shafts, and 96 on the surface. At the anthracite mines

Jan 1, 1923

By E. D. Gordner

Irrespira ble gutses issuing from the rock fofflb tions ere tJ source of expense ond danger in some metGLl mines. There is a great Variation in the compos i-· tion of such gdses and, os shown 'by recent sampling by the Bureau of ines, the gas rr;;,.y consi$t mostly ct carbon dioxide, (Rocle Strata Gtsses in the Mines of the East Tintic Mining District, by G. E. McElroy, Bu.retau of Mines Serial 2Z75) or f methone (Metruine in Ccalifornia C.old Mines, by B. 0. Picl-Q:lrd i:lnd !.. D. ("iordner, Bure, cf Mines Serial 2303), or nitrogen, sin the present instonce. A nl.liilber of unventilated rt:t.ises in some of the mine of l:l Neva&. district conuin «i'ccumulCltions of l;i hih-nitrogen gas the1t will not supi:ort life or combus­tion. The rdises ore in different geologiecil formations and in widely sep1:1rated. loecslities in the mining district. One ot" two ri::lises in the sme fc.rtr.ation may be full of the gos cand einother nec-r'by be t'ree ot· it. Lives have been lost t:lnd a number of men heave been overcome on enteing unvetilated rtsises in which their­respircable tss hcsd c1ccuni..1.l1::1ted between sldfts. Gener1:1lly, however, the gas see:ns to noozett from the .t'onrbtio:1 ond to ecc1: .. ,i.-1,;.1:.1te so slowly tMt its presence is not suspected t the tfr.1e, bu.t discovered. ed:'t&.c' the raise is t)band.oned. OcCE.isionelly 1 t issues from a ne•.,ly cut cre·tice or fissure under considerca ble pressure and in lar!?e enough '3.'16ntities to overcome or drive 011t men working in unventilated places.

Dec 1, 1922

By Oliver Bowles

"General.The term mica is probably derived from the Latin ""micare"", meaning to shine or glitter, for the brilliant reflection from mica flakes in rocks has directed more than ordinary attention to this group of minerals. Mica includes a group of several minerals all characterized by a perfect basal cleavage, by virtue of which they may be split into exceedingly thin plates. The minerals are of very common occurrence in all countries, constituting about 4 per cent of the igneous rocks of the world The term ""isinglass"" is sometimes applied to glazing mica, but this is incorrect, for true isinglass is a soluble combustible material made from the air bladders of certain fish. As a constituent of granites and schists, mica is present as flakes too small for commercial use. Mica occurs also as small scales in many sandstones. When granites decompose, the quartz and the white mica are the most resistant to weathering, and so remain when the other constituents have been decomposed and carried away. A secondary white mica known as sericite is formed by the metamorphosis of clay-bearing rocks, and thus, in extremely fine-grained form it constitutes an important constituent of slates and related rocks. Some schists contain a high percentage of mica, but the presence of large amounts of quartz and other minerals has up to the present time rendered them useless as commercial sources of mica for grinding. It is possible, however, that certain mica or seri-cite schists which are composed almost wholly of mica with very little quartz may be utilized for ground mica if found in large enough entity. Considerable micais sometimes found mixed with the residual kaolin that results from decomposition of pegmatites, and in one locality at least it has been recovered as a by-product in a clay purification plant."

May 1, 1922

By G. J. Perrott, H. W. Clark

During the course of the cooperative smoke abatement investigation carried on by the Bureau of Mines , the city of Salt Lake and the University of Utah during 1919-1920 , a study was made as to the suitability of Utah coals for by-product coking with particular reference to low temperature coking . was done because it was realized that a smokeless fuel for domestic consumers was the best remedy for this class of smoke producer . A report of the technical side of the work was included in the final report of the cooperative investiga- Since this report was written (June 1 , 1920) further work has been done by other investigators .

Apr 1, 1922

By M. W. Von Bernewitz, W. J. Sharwood

So far as is known , there is no complete bibliography on sampling, therefore , this one should be of value . In it are nearly eleven hundred references , some dating back 30 years , on sampling at mines , mills , smelters , power plants , pumping stations and refineries . For convenience , there are included a few references to methods for sampling such materials as leather belting in mills , salt impregnated soils , and mine waters . All the important technical journals , - including some in foreign countries- and engineering society publications , also mining and metallurgical text - books , have been studied for anything concerning sampling , and while it is not claimed that every important reference has been listed , the bibliography is fairly complete . The arrangement is alphabetical by authors ' names , and the references are numbered serially in the crder that they appear in the bibliography . Anonyous references are listed under the name of the journal in which they appear , and are numbered like the references bearing an author's name . Patents are grouped in their numerical order , without index nu.bers . Under the heading , " U.S. Bureau of Mines Publications " , are listed all publications of the bureau that deal with sampling . While the serial number is omitted , these same references , of course , have serial numbers where they appear in the list arranged alphabetically by authors .

Mar 1, 1922

By Herbert R. Hanley

THE One Hundred and Twenty-sixth meeting-of the Institute, held in San Francisco, Sept. 25 to 29, 1922, was a success in every way. Character-istically, San Francisco presented climate suited, to the occasion, while the Committees on Arrangements left nothing undone that would contribute to the interest and entertainment of the members and their wives. There was a registration of over 230, and all sections, save three, were represented. In the technical meetings, under the leadership of Albert Burch in the mining session and C. W. Merrill in the milling session, the greatest interest was manifested in ore-hunting geology and modern ore-dressing methods. The general geologic phase developed numerous discussions and had for its aim the study and correlation of known data and the application-of these to the finding of commercial orebodies. The geologic features of the Comstock and their significance to the development of the present orebodies were discussed. This brought out matters of much technical interest as well as those of romantic nature in the history of the early life of that camp. The profitable application of modern milling methods to ores, non-commercial a short time ago, was discussed with much interest. The recent work on the Comstock ores occupied a conspicuous part in these discussions. Basic principles delineated by mathematical study of mechanical devices for the milling of ore came in for a prominent part in the program as well as the physical-chemical side of the processes devised for the winning of precious metals as a profit.

Jan 11, 1922

By J. A. Singmaster

A REPORT that it did not pay to use present-day galvanized iron on account of the short life of the material, accompanied by proofs of the state-ment in the form of a tabulated history of the first costs of various kinds of building materials and their main-tenance expense, started an investigation of modern galvanized products. At the very outset it was apparent that our experience with galvanized products was by no means unique. Correspondence with the State Agricultural Depart-ments, the Agricultural Experiment Stations, the County Agents and State Granges all over the United States brought a mass of complaint on this same score. Visits to large buyers of galvanized sheet and wire revealed the same condition coupled with an ever-increasing use of substitutes for galvanized iron. We believe, therefore, that the title of this article is fully warranted by the experience of the consuming public. A study of the proceedings of the various societies having to do with the testing and use of sheet iron and steel products revealed a tremendous amount of work on the life of the base metal itself. Great stress was laid on differences in life of various types of iron and steel, the difference amounting at best to months rather than years. Very little recent attention has been paid to a study of the life of the zinc coating and the causes of its present-day lack of durability. There have been some real exposure studies published, how-ever, which show that the weight of the zinc coating determines the protection afforded by the galvanizing, which is of far greater influence on the life than the base-metal composition. An interesting paper was published by the Phillipine Journal of Science in 1916, entitled: "Galvanized Roofing in the Phillipines," a contribution from the Bureau of Science of the Phillipine Island Government. The author, Mr. Arguelles, found on 18 old galvanized sheets, after from 30 to 35 years' exposure, from 2.3 to 4.1 oz. of zinc per sq. ft. of sheet and sums up the study by saying: Of the various factors influencing the durability of galvanized iron which have been studied with a view towards accounting for the difference in behavior of old and modern sheet, it appears evident that the greater weight of zinc per unit of area on the former accounts for the greater durability.

Jan 10, 1922

By Albert Ledoux

SEVERAL years ago my firm was representing the Mt. Lyell Co. of Australia, which was shipping its blister copper to a refining works in the United States. After the contract had been running for many months, the superintendent of these works discovered that if water was poured upon the surface of the bars much of it would disappear into the interior through blow holes. -Some experiments made by him showed that this could be a considerable amount, so that copper which had been rained on before it was weighed, although the surface appeared dry, nevertheless would contain water. It had frequently occurred in our experience-as samp-lers that the drillings from a lot taken by boring would come out quite wet, and in some cases, indeed, water would drip into the sample pan placed below the bars, due to the fact that the drill had penetrated a cavity or cavities containing water, which presumably got into the cavities at the time the copper was water-cooled after casting, there being, perhaps, no outlet to the surface. So far as I know, until this discovery at the refining works, no. one had thought that rain could penetrate into the interior of blister copper; at least in any quantity sufficient to be considered.

Jan 10, 1922

By John Suman

DURING the past few years the taking of cores in drilling with rotary equipment has been perfected to a remarkable degree in the Gulf Coast fields of Texas and Louisiana. Taking of cores is becoming quite a common thing, especially in the newer fields, and drillers are becoming expert in this work. The writer has seen cores 5 to 8 ft. long taken with great ease in wells as deep as 4500 ft. Coring is doing much to remove the prejudice which so many petroleum engineers seem to have against .the use of rotary drilling equipment for exploratory work. Some operators .are now claiming that when used with a reasonable amount of coring the rotary system is even more satis-factory than cable tools for exploring in certain territory. A case has recently been pointed out in the South Electra field of North Texas, where producing oil sands, passed over by cable-tool drillers, are being brought in with rotary equipment. It seems that in this particular territory the sands are rather thin. Cable-tool drilling was carried on for the most part in a wet hole and the red mud encountered in drilling caved into the hole very badly, so that the cuttings showed mostly red mud and the driller, thinking that the sand did not amount to anything, carried his water string through the sand. The later .operators, drilling into the sand with rotary equipment and coring it, found that it was well worth testing.

Jan 10, 1922

By H. E. Brauer

PART I INTRODUCTION Among the zinc base alloys used for casting in metal moulds, particularly die casting, those alloys containing aluminum usually together with copper, are probably the most widely used. The reason lies in their desirable mechanical properties and the fluidity and absence of hot shortness which facilitate casting. Objection to the use of these alloys may bee raised on account of the rather frequent instances of failure of a type variously described as disintegration, exfoliation and intercrystalline corrosion. In all cases which have come to our knowledge where the conditions of service were known, failure has occurred upon exposure to moisture and heat varying from a hot moist atmosphere to high pressure steam. Moreover, the alloys described in all such cases contain impurities or alloying metals which the present authors have found to have enormous accelerating effects on intercrystalline oxidation in zinc-aluminum alloys. Thus Williams1 experimented with an alloy containing a large percentage of tin exposed in Cuba. Bauer2 reports failure of a boiler plug containing over 1 per cent. of impurities, doubtless lead for the most part, and Rawdon's3 examinations were made on an alloy containing 0.4 per cent. lead also exposed to the Tropics. No thorough investigation of the nature and cause of this type of failure has been made heretofore, so far as the authors are aware, although Rawdon correctly classified it as internal oxidation. We have, therefore, carried out this investigation in order to determine the exact nature of this phenomenon and the effect of other metals present as impurities or intentional additions in accelerating or-retarding it. In the appendix we include a considerable amount of data which may be valuable in selecting an alloy combining good physical properties with high resistance to oxidation.

Jan 8, 1922

By E. Werchowsky

FOR over four years, since the revolution of 1917, Russia has been cut off from the Western world. Political and general economical reforms have attracted the attention of the public and business world, but mining men have had no information as to the situation in their branch of industry, as various articles which have appeared in the European and American press gave little information as to actual conditions in our country. When the Soviet system of government was estab-lished and private ownership abolished, it affected the FIG. 1.-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINES. mining industry very little at first. The power of the Soviets did not affect the Ural provinces nor Ukraine or Asiatic Russia (Siberia, Turkestan, etc.) during 1918 and 1919, and, as is well known, the mineral wealth of the republic lies within those boundaries. In the Ural Mountains are copper, gold, and platinum; in Siberia, silver, lead, zinc, and gold, and the coal deposits in Koushetz district; in Ukraine, there are the coal fields of Donetz and the iron mines of Krivvy Rog, and silver, lead, zinc, copper, oil, etc. in the Cauca-sus. The mineral resources of Central Russia are the coal fields of Moscow (low-grade and brown coal), turf deposits, iron mines in Tula and Kalonga provinces, and quarries of granite and other building materials.

Jan 8, 1922