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By G. Derge, M. Bourgon, G. M. Pound

A STUDY of electrical conductance in molten Cu-Fe sulfide mattes' has shown that pure molten Cu,S behaves like a semi-conductor in that it is an electronic conductor and its specific conductance, of the order of 100 ohm-' cm-', increases with increase in temperature. On the other hand, pure molten FeS, another electronic conductor, behaves like a metallic conductor in that its specific conductance, about 1500 ohm-' cm-', decreases with increase in temperature. Molten solutions of Cu,S and FeS follow a roughly additive rule of mixtures with respect to both specific conductance and temperature coefficient. The behavior of molten Cu,S may be understood, by analogy to the situation in solids, in terms of semiconductor theory.' It is thought that, although the melt consists of cuprous and sulfide ions, the bond between these atoms has a certain degree of cova-lency. According to the simplest concept the electrons in the partially covalent bonds are thermally promoted to a conduction band. In another concept, small amounts of impurities (undetermined) provide donor or acceptor levels in the forbidden zone between the valence and conduction bands and thus facilitate semi-conduction in the usual way. However, the metallic behavior of molten FeS is difficult to explain, because one might expect from similar reasoning that it too should act like a semi-conductor. It was suggested that the apparent metallic behavior of molten FeS might be explained by a large negative temperature coefficient of density. Thus if molar conductance instead of specific conductance were plotted versus temperature, the slope might prove to be positive, indicating semi-conduction instead of apparent metallic conduction. Accordingly, density measurements were made in order to answer this question in regard to molten FeS and also to provide data for conversion of specific conductance to molar conductance for molten Cu,S and a molten 50-50 wt pct Cu-Fe sulfide matte. Experimental Diagrams of the apparatus are given in Figs. 1 and 2. A 3 x 8-cm dense alundum crucible containing the prefused specimen is positioned in the uniform temperature zone of an induction furnace tube and melted under a helium atmosphere. Then the cell assembly, consisting of two 3-mm spectro-graphite rods, one of which is in a 1-cm ID open

Jan 1, 1959

By Don B. Shupe, John K. Berry

The handling and disposal of mine water is a much larger problem than is apparent at first glance. Many more tons of water are removed from underground coal mines in the United States each year than tons of coal. In the old anthracite region of Pennsylvania the average was around 32.7 t (36 st) of water for each ton of coal produced, while bituminous mines average about 4.5 or 5.4 t (5 or 6 st). Water encountered in the mines may come from several different sources. In mines with light cover and without a firm solid roof, rain may seep directly into the workings. This is also true of deeper mines where pillar falls have broken the roof to the surface. The top under creek beds is generally faulty and broken and water comes through the roof at this point. Deeper mines are frequently overlain by water-bearing strata and pillar breaks and faulty top can admit water, while places running to the dip often accumulate water which comes up through the bottom. In all cases, except where passing under a year-round stream, the amount of water made is usually pretty closely connected with the weather-more water during the rainy season, less in the dry, although the deeper a nine is, the longer it is before changes in rainfall are felt. Another source of water, not connected with seasonal changes, is old water, accumulated over a period of time in abandoned workings of the mine, or from flooded adjacent mines. Here the water filters through the coal, the parting, or comes up through cracks in the bottom. Similarly, core holes, drilled to prospect the property, can be a source of unexpected water and modern safety requirements for dust-allaying water at the working faces can turn a pleasant working area into a soggy mess over the weekend if the system is not properly maintained and operated. Why water must be disposed of is obvious. If allowed to accumulate, sooner or later the mine will fill up, or at least it will become "roofed" in low places, blocking ventilation and traffic. It must be controlled long before it reaches this stage. Water standing in the working faces is

Jan 1, 1981

By R. E. Head

Some mixtures of sulphide and oxide ores from the Tintic district in Utah are of a sufficiently good grade to be shipped to the smelter without beneficiation. In mining this type of ore, however, a material tonnage of ore of a similar composition but of lower grade is obtained. It is a question of economics whether such ore should be shipped with a certainty of a small return or concentrated if that would yield a sufficiently increased return to amortize plant construction and upkeep and yield a higher rate of profit than at present. It may be assumed that the tonnage of this borderline ore is constantly increasing and that eventually it will attain such proportions as to justify plans for milling on a relatively large scale. Under existing conditions, the producer of mixed sulphide and oxide ores is not greatly concerned about the physical characteristics of his ore or of its mineralogical complexities, since his contract with the smelter calls for payment on the basis of chemical analysis. When concentration is contemplated an entirely different picture is presented. Percentages of valuable metal content must then be con-sidered in terms of minerals, for it is in the form of minerals that recoveries are made and losses sustained. In describing the performance of a given flotation mill and reagent combination, it may be stated as a generality that a specific percentage recovery of valuable elements is made. Technically, however, the concentrator is really constructed and the reagents are selected to recover the valuable minerals. These considerations must be given prominence in discussing borderline ores from the Tintic district because of their physical characteristics and mineralogical composition. Because of these peculiarities they may be justly termed complex, since their lead, silver, and copper contents are each represented by two or more minerals of different chemical composition and presenting widely divergent physical properties. This paper sets forth the results of a microscopic study of a type of borderline ore from the Tintic district that is now being treated by direct smelting. A

Jan 1, 1939

By R. E. Head

Some mixtures of sulphide and oxide ores from the Tintic district in Utah are of a sufficiently good grade to be shipped to the smelter without beneficiation. In mining this type of ore, however, a material tonnage of ore of a similar composition but of lower grade is obtained. It is a question of economics whether such ore should be shipped with a certainty of a small return or concentrated if that would yield a sufficiently increased return to amortize plant construction and upkeep and yield a higher rate of profit than at present. It may be assumed that the tonnage of this borderline ore is constantly increasing and that eventually it will attain such proportions as to justify plans for milling on a relatively large scale. Under existing conditions, the producer of mixed sulphide and oxide ores is not greatly concerned about the physical characteristics of his ore or of its mineralogical complexities, since his contract with the smelter calls for payment on the basis of chemical analysis. When concentration is contemplated an entirely different picture is presented. Percentages of valuable metal content must then be con-sidered in terms of minerals, for it is in the form of minerals that recoveries are made and losses sustained. In describing the performance of a given flotation mill and reagent combination, it may be stated as a generality that a specific percentage recovery of valuable elements is made. Technically, however, the concentrator is really constructed and the reagents are selected to recover the valuable minerals. These considerations must be given prominence in discussing borderline ores from the Tintic district because of their physical characteristics and mineralogical composition. Because of these peculiarities they may be justly termed complex, since their lead, silver, and copper contents are each represented by two or more minerals of different chemical composition and presenting widely divergent physical properties. This paper sets forth the results of a microscopic study of a type of borderline ore from the Tintic district that is now being treated by direct smelting. A

Jan 1, 1939

By Luther Eames

THE recovery of dissolved gold from slime pulp in the cyanide process was first accomplished by intermittent decantation. This simple process consists in mixing with the pulp containing the values in solution, a solution of lower gold content, settling the mixture in a tank and decanting the clear supernatant fluid. The thick pulp remaining in the tank is pumped to a second tank together with more barren solution and again settled and decanted. After several repetitions of this operation, values are so far reduced that further washing is not profitable. The gold recovery of this process is high, but the plant required is bulky, labor cost is high and the amount of solution to be precipitated is excessive. HISTORICAL DATA As early as 1901, a plant was built in the Black Hills of South Dakota by John Randall, employing the same principles but attempting to make the process continuous by substituting for flat-bottomed tanks, cones which operated continuously, receiving a constant feed and discharging a steady stream of thickened pulp. These cones were operated in series, the thick underflow of the first one forming, with a stream of diluting solution, the feed to the second cone of the series. Barren solution was added to the tank immediately preceding the discharge tank and, after being slightly enriched by the low-grade pulp in this tank, overflowed to form a diluting solution again for the richer feed entering the third tank from the end of the series, and so on back to the richest tank of the series. Clear water was used for the wash in the final tank: This is the principle on which all successful countercurrent decantation plants operate at the present time, but Randall's plant was not successful because of mechanical difficulties in getting a continuous thick discharge from his cone tanks. A similar plant was built in South Africa although there the washes were not repeatedly used, as in Randall's case, but were precipitated after each contact with the ore. This also was abandoned

Jan 12, 1916

By J. F. Myers, S. D. Michaelson, F. C. Bond

THIS work was undertaken with the object of collecting plant data on rod milling, making laboratory tests on representative samples of the various ores, and arriving at a basis for comparing the relative efficiencies of different mills operating on widely different materials and under varying conditions. These efficiencies consider only power consumption and do not include the other elements of operating costs. The over-all economic efficiency may be quite different from the consumption efficiencies with which this paper is concerned. It is hoped that these collected data will be of value in indicating the most favorable conditions of rod-mill operation. Operating-plant data on 14 different installations from 11 plants throughout the United States and Canada were collected, and laboratory tests were made on samples of these ores. The plant rod mills were all operated wet, and either in open circuit or with circulating loads so small as to be negligible. Data were obtained on one roll-crushing operation at the Utah Copper Co., for comparison. The rolls were operated wet in closed circuit with 10-mesh vibrating screens, and with a high circulating load averaging about 600 pct. This particular roll operation can be considered as a model of efficiency. The collected plant data are necessarily incomplete in some instances. Each ore was assigned a code number, and the name and location corresponding to the code number are listed in Table I when permitted. [ ] The power data in every instance refer to motor input. Net power was reported by the operator for samples I-39 and I-45, and this was increased by 20 pct to compensate for motor losses and power factor. The plant rod-mill data are listed in Tables 2 and 3. In Table 2 the speeds are calculated on the basis of partly worn rod-mill liners 2 in. thick. Where D

Jan 1, 1947

By Dorsey A. Lyon, Robert M. Keeney

Page I. Introduction..........234 I1. Chemistry oF Copper Smelting...235 1. Native Copper Ores.......235 2. Oxide and Carbonate Ores....235 3. Sulphide Ores.......236 (a) Elimination of sulphur ...236 III. Reverberatory Copper Smelting...237 IV. Substitution of the Electric Furnace for the Reverberatory Furnace..................... 238 V. Smelting of Fine Michigan Native-copper Concentrates in the Electric Furnace.................. 239 1. Conclusions.................240 VI. Proposed Process for Electric melting of Fine Native-copper Concentrates.................. 241 VII. OrdINary Copper Blast Furnace 'Smelting......... 245 1. Prerequisites.................. 245 2. Losses .................... 247 VIII. Experimental Data on the Electric Smelting of Raw Sulphide. Oxidized and Carbonate Ores............. 248 1. Vattier's experiment................ 248 2. Wolkoff's experiments................ 249 3. Experiments of Stephan.............. 250 (a) Conclusions of Stephan ............ 251 IX. Smelting of Sulphide Ores in the Electric Furnace...... 251 1. Ores Treated.................. 252 2. Conclusions................... 253 X. ELectric Furnace vs. the Reverberatory Furnace and Blast Furnace as a Melting Agent.............. 253 XI. Smelting of Sulphide Ores without Roasting or Partial Pyritic Smelting............254 XII. The Electric Blast Furnace vs. the Copper Blast Furnace for Partial Pyritic Smelting.......259 1. Metallurgical conditions......259 2. Mechanical considerations......259 3. Comparison of costs.......260 (a) General considerations .....260 (b) Cost of plant........260 (c) Amount of electrical energy...260 (d) Cost of smelting.......261 (e) Cost of electrodes........262 XIII. The Use of the Electric Furnace in the Smelting of PyRITIc ORES : 262 XIV. Summary...................... 264

Jan 1, 1914

By Charles C. Rodd

PRIOR to 1938, proration procedure in Kansas required the physical testing of wells in order to set up a basis for allocating production. Subsequently the use of liquid-level data and bottom-hole pressure data was authorized on certain types of wells as a basis for calculating well capacities, thereby permitting wells to be tested at low rates and with small volumes of production. This paper gives some attention to the equipment used for obtaining liquid-level data but in general it is devoted to the theoretical and physical factors involved in well testing by drawdown methods. These tests are divided into two classifications: (1) liquid-level data used directly to calculate capacities, and (2) liquid-level data and liquid-level measuring equipment used in connection with other data to determine bottom-hole pressure. Equations and calculations for both types of tests are shown. Well capacities calculated from fill-up data have not been used generally but offer a simple means of testing some wells. Theoretical factors and calculations for such tests are shown. IN the state of Kansas, proration laws required that the "ability of a well to produce" be given consideration in state allocation orders and for many years this was the only factor used in prorating the allowed oil. The "ability of a well to produce" was the quantity of oil that could be obtained from a well in a prescribed period, usually 24 hr. Early in the history of State-regulated proration, Kansas operators realized that, unless some restriction were placed upon equipment, the competition between producers to obtain large well "potentials" might result in a race to install the largest pumping equipment. Consequently, restrictions were placed upon the size of tubing and length of pump stroke that could be used in pumping wells during potential tests. Later, restrictions were placed also upon the size of tubing and chokes that could be used in flowing walls. Despite the restriction set-up, better pumping equipment was designed and installed, pumps were improved, and various devices were invoked to obtain high rates of production for short periods of time. By 1937 pumping cycles of forty to forty-five 54-in. strokes per minute were not uncommon, and numerous wells had produced at the rate of 3500 bbl. per day for short periods. Such production was far beyond any rate that could be long sustained. Equipment necessary to take "potentials" was several times larger than that needed for normal producing purposes, and repairs and replacements required by the high pumping speeds were excessive. Also, many operators were beginning to suspect that the high rates of production maintained during "potential" tests were conducive to early water encroachment. By 1938 large-scale physical testing of wells in Kansas ended, the use of the bottom-hole pressure gauge had become common, engineers and operators were becoming familiar with the term "productivity index," and bottom-hole pressure was being used as a factor in allocation in many areas. There were many drawbacks, however, to large-scale use of

Jan 1, 1942

By John L. Schroder

In selecting the best system of mining for a particular operation, many different factors must be considered. The system to be finally selected should be that which provides: 1) The highest possible degree of safety for mine personnel. 2) The lowest cost per ton of product. 3) The maximum coal production per man-shift. 4) The most suitable quality of final product, considering its intended use. 5) The maximum percent recovery of coal per acre of reserve consistent with cost and subsidence rights. 6) Consideration for the ecology of the area. Some of the important factors to be considered when choosing a method of mining are: 1) Amount of cover over the coal seam. 2) Type of the rock in the overburden. 3) Characteristics of the coal seam including: (a) the thickness of the coal seam; (b) the nature and location of any impurities or irregularities; (e) the dip (or pitch) of the coal seam; (d) the nature and direction of any definite cleavage ill the czoa1 seam; (e) the hardness of the coal; (f) the structural strength of the coal; and (g) the presence, anti amount, of explosive gas (methane). 4) Quantity of water likely to be encountered in the mining operation. 5) Nature and strength of the roof (top) over the coal seam. 6) Nature and strength of the floor (bottom) under the coal seam. 7) Any previous or concurrent mining in seams above or below the coal seam to be worked. Information on items 1-7 may be obtained in several ways. Topographical and geological reports and maps of the area are generally available

Jan 1, 1973

By Arthur S. Coffinberry, Ralph Hultgren

We have studied the gold-aluminum system by X-ray diffraction and by the microscope over the entire range of composition for temperatures between 300° and 500° C. Results obtained are shown in Fig. 1, combined with the work of Heycock and Neville1 at higher temperatures. The diagram differs in important details from that given by Hansen2 in his critical compilation of the literature of binary alloy systems. This work was undertaken both because of the intrinsic value of a knowledge of the phase diagram of this system and because of the need of theoretical metallurgy for precise and accurate data, particularly X-ray diffraction data. Systematic studies of equilibrium diagrams, particularly by Hume-Rothery,3 have shown regularities that yield a certain insight into the nature of alloying forces. It has been shown, for example, that solid solubility depends on the concentration of free electrons in the alloy, on the relative radii of solvent and solute atoms, on the forces of attraction between atoms, and on the relative stability of intermediate phases. The well-known Hume-Rothery rule states that the crystal structures and compositions of many intermediate phases depend on the electron-to-atom ratio. This has been confirmed and extended by wave mechanical calculations.4 A knowledge of the forces between atoms in alloys, even an imperfectly developed empirical one, should be a valuable guide in the preparation of technological alloys of desirable properties. Furthermore, such information is basic in such problems as rate of diffusion, age-hardening, phase transformations, and others. The most valuable data for this purpose are furnished by X-ray diffraction studies. Unfortunately, work has been

Jan 1, 1938

By Shiou-Chuan Sun

THE effects of oxidation on the flotation behavior of sulphide minerals have been extensively studied 1-3 but no similar study has been made of coals. Coals of bituminous and lower rank undergo atmospheric oxidation during mining and storage, and their degree of oxidizing increases with temperature, 4,5 and time of exposure." The problem of recovering fine oxidized coal from culm piles, rivers, and streams by froth flotation has become increasingly important to the coal industry as well as to those concerned with air and stream pollution. This paper describes the flotation behavior of oxidized and unoxidized coals and carbons in the presence of oily collectors and presents the reagents found effective in the flotation of oxidized coals and carbons. Except where otherwise stated, flotation tests were performed in a 50-g Denver flotation cell. Solid feed for each test was 30 g, and the pulp dilution was kept at 8.5. The —65 mesh coal sample was wetted by agitation with water in the flotation cell for 6 min, then conditioned with a predetermined amount of collector for 2 min, and finally floated with pine oil as frother for 3 min. The oxidation of coals and carbons was performed in a vertical, electrically heated glass tube, shown in Fig. 1. One hundred grams of —65 mesh coal were fed into the glass tube and heated to 10° to 20 °C below the predetermined temperature of oxidation. Compressed air was admitted to the tube at a rate of 0.05 cu ft per min and the temperature was controlled by a variable voltage regulator. The oxi-

Jan 1, 1955

By Arthur S. Coffinberry, Ralph Hultgren

We have studied the gold-aluminum system by X-ray diffraction and by the microscope over the entire range of composition for temperatures between 300° and 500° C. Results obtained are shown in Fig. 1, combined with the work of Heycock and Neville1 at higher temperatures. The diagram differs in important details from that given by Hansen2 in his critical compilation of the literature of binary alloy systems. This work was undertaken both because of the intrinsic value of a knowledge of the phase diagram of this system and because of the need of theoretical metallurgy for precise and accurate data, particularly X-ray diffraction data. Systematic studies of equilibrium diagrams, particularly by Hume-Rothery,3 have shown regularities that yield a certain insight into the nature of alloying forces. It has been shown, for example, that solid solubility depends on the concentration of free electrons in the alloy, on the relative radii of solvent and solute atoms, on the forces of attraction between atoms, and on the relative stability of intermediate phases. The well-known Hume-Rothery rule states that the crystal structures and compositions of many intermediate phases depend on the electron-to-atom ratio. This has been confirmed and extended by wave mechanical calculations.4 A knowledge of the forces between atoms in alloys, even an imperfectly developed empirical one, should be a valuable guide in the preparation of technological alloys of desirable properties. Furthermore, such information is basic in such problems as rate of diffusion, age-hardening, phase transformations, and others. The most valuable data for this purpose are furnished by X-ray diffraction studies. Unfortunately, work has been

Jan 1, 1938

By Will H. Coghill, Fred D. DeVaney

THE coercimeter, as its name implies, is an instrument for measuring the coercive force[+] of magnetic substances. It was developed by Davis and Hartenheim in the Special Studies Section, Metallurgical Division. A detailed description of this apparatus may be found elsewhere.2 The coercive force determinations of magnetic materials are interesting because of the relationship established by Gottschalk,4 who showed a linear relationship between the magnetization coercive force and the specific surface of comminuted particles. The value of this relationship in determining grinding efficiency has been shown by Dean.3 The determination of the surface contained in the subsieve sizes has always been a difficult problem for investigators. They made approximate measurements of the surface of coarse materials by sizing on screens, but for the determination of the surface of the sub- sieve sizes it was necessary to make detailed grain counts or elutriation tests, or to study dissolution rates. The technical literature contains many references to other methods for determining these surfaces, either by some special apparatus or by mathematical calculations based on distribution lines. Many of the methods are long and tedious, and the results of some, at least, are questionable. The turbidimeter gives quick results on ground cement. By using magnetite as the material to be ground, a simple determination of its coercive force by the coercimeter, requiring 10 minutes or less, can be transposed directly and accurately into units of relative surface. This subject has been pursued further by the U. S. Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, Rolla, Mo., and the following is a description of the results.

Jan 1, 1938

By George Burgess

I. INTRODUCTION THE suggestion has often been made that it would be highly desirable, at least for certain grades of steel, to be able to control more certainly, by pyrometric measurement or otherwise, the temperatures of the operation of the open-hearth and other furnaces used in the manufacture of steel and iron. That the properties of the ingot and finally of the finished steel product are intimately related to the final temperatures attained by-the metal inn the furnace and to the temperature of casting, has been recognized by metallurgists for a long time, and this question has been very thoroughly treated, especially by Prof. Henry M. Howe, and by A. W. and H. Brearley.1 It is the object of this paper to demonstrate that in so war as casting temperatures of furnaces, steel ingots, and similar operations involving the temperatures of streams of iron and steel are concerned, well-known pyrometric methods s may be easily applied-if certain recently determined corrections are made and precautions taken-with a relatively high degree of accuracy. Greater but not insurmountable difficulties will be encountered in. the case of open-hearth furnace temperatures, while for" those of the converter type a ready solution does not seem practicable. It appears that certain essential data have always been lacking in reporting observations such as those of Le Chatelier in 1892. Thus the correction to be applied for the characteristic radiation-or emissivity¬has hitherto not been adequately taken into account nor the limitations of the several possible pyrometric methods clearly recognized.

Jan 2, 1917

By Morris Muskat

In preparing a well for pumping, observations are often made of the fluid level in the well bore or bottom-hole pressures at various times before equilibrium has set in. From a qualitative point of view one may immediately infer that if the rise in the bottom-hole pressure or fluid level is rapid the permeability of the sand about the well bore is large, and converse conclusions may be drawn if the rise is slow. However, a more quantitative estimate will give additional information of value, as will be shown in this paper. To derive such an estimate we may proceed as follows. Let h be the fluid height, above the sand face, at time t, and let yo be the average density of the fluid that enters the bore. The bottom-hole pressure, for a fluid height h will therefore be p = rogh, neglecting, of course, the friction drop in the well bore, while the fluid is rising, as may be justifiably done for most pumping wells. If a is the free area of the open-flow string—assumed to be uniform— the rate of production from the sand during the rise of fluid will be: where the last part of the equation merely indicates that, in general, the production rate Q must be considered as a function of the back pressure, and is determined by it alone. In fact, equation 1 shows that if the rate of rise of the pressure or fluid level is determined as a function of the height of rise, or p, for a number of values of the latter, this functional relation between Q and p will be immediately given. Conversely, if we know this functional relation, the rate of increase of p or h may be predicted, or, by observing the rate of rise of p or h some of the constants of the sand may be determined. Thus we may approximate the production from a well in a pumping state by that of a dead

Jan 1, 1937

By Edwin Chance

DURING the past 10 years, the safe and efficient lighting of the coal mines of this country has received an ever-increasing amount of attention. Several States have passed laws attempting to regulate the type of lamp to be used and the nature of the fuel to be burned, and the mining departments of coal-mining States have generally shown a keen and intelligent interest in this subject. The passage of the recent Employers' Liability Act in Pennsylvania has made it necessary for many coal-mining companies to take out liability insurance, and the companies underwriting such insurance have made it desirable for the insured to permit the use of, none but illuminants of established worth. While these conditions have not obtained for a sufficient length of time to permit the statement that the illumination of coal mines by portable lamps has been standardized, still, considerable progress has been made and the direction of future practice in this branch of coal-mining technology is very evident. Under these conditions it seemed that a review of the methods now used in coal-mine illumination, together, with a brief consideration of the principles underlying these methods, might be of some interest. Miners' lamps may be divided into three classes: The open light, the electric cap lamp and the flame safety lamp. It will be desirable to consider each of these classes separately, as each has properties peculiar to itself and one class is hardly comparable with another. In this country, without question, the open light is the most generally used of all miners' lamps. This fact is explained by the relative freedom of a large proportion of our mines from gaseous conditions, and by the admirable systems of ventilation installed in those that show a tendency toward such conditions. In the metal relines, the miner's candle has had and still has considerable vogue. Because of the small amount of ventilation usually supplied in metal mines, the freedom of the candle from any tendency to produce noxious gases or offensive odors, and the small amount of air it consumes, are. valuable assets, while, because

Jan 2, 1917

By Charles R. Fettke

The permeability of an oil or gas sand is its capacity for transmitting fluids, either liquids or gases, under pressure. The permeability of a sand depends upon the size and shape of the openings in it and the extent to which these communicate with one another, as well as upon the ratio of their volume to the total volume of the sand. The apparatus employed and the method of procedure used by the authors in conducting the permeability tests have been described in a previous pub1ication.l For the tests described here 1/2-in. cubes were used. They were set in the lower end of a 1-in. union, inserted in a square hole cut in a hard rubber stopper which fitted into the lower end of the union. In the tests with air, volumes were measured with a wet American gas meter of 100 cu. ft. capacity. In those with water, distilled water at room temperature was employed, unless otherwise noted. DescRiption of Sands Tested The tests described in this paper were performed upon 18 samples representing typical oil and gas sands from 7 localities in northwestern Pennsylvania. For purposes of identification, the cores from which the samples came have been designated by capital letters, the sequence of the samples in the cores by numerals, and the individual cubes by small letters. All cubes from the same samples came from adjacent portions parallel to the bedding. Core A of the Bradford sand came from the north central part of the Bradford field, from an area where water-flooding operations have proved highly successful. Core B of the same sand was obtained from the southern part of the field. This core contained a so-called "loose streak," 7.5 ft. thick, in the middle portion of which B2 is a representative sample. The "loose streak" has given trouble in water-flooding but responded favorably to an air-drive, using a pressure of 300 lb. The natural production was increased approximately five times over a period of three years in which the air-drive was in operation. Core C, also of the Brad-

Jan 1, 1931

By Clarence E. Jackson, George G. Luther

THE ever increasing array of information concerning the measurement of the effect of the welding process on the properties of a steel is an indication of the tremendous effort that is being expended in this field. The methods that have been considered may be divided into two groups: first, those that measure directly the effect of welding on the ductility of a steel, and, second, those that observe the change in some property, such as the hardness of the heat-affected zone, and assume a direct correlation between this change and the resultant ductility. The nick-bend test is a direct method designed for studying the effect of welding on the ductility of a steel. The test specimen (Fig. I) consists of a bar cut from a plate with a bead weld on the surface. The specimen is prepared with a saw-notch placed so as to restrict deformation to the heat-affected zone under the bead weld when tested as a static bend. Failure is caused by rupture of the low-ductility metal in the heat-affected zone. The angle at maximum load is used as an index of the effect of the welding process on the material. In the development of the nick-bend test considerable scatter was noted in some of the results, although the agreement of duplicate specimens welded at the same time and tested consecutively was excellent. Upon further investigation it was found that the change in ductility was dependent upon the interval of time between the welding operation and the testing of the specimen. For the six steels of Fig. a, the angle at maximum load in four cases was doubled and in one case was tripled. All steels that have been studied show an improvement in the angle of bend for longer intervals between welding and testing. This same behavior has been found in weldability tests using the Navy T-bend

Jan 1, 1945

By R. W. Raymond

The tidings of Mr. Hewitt's death, cabled to me at Rome, Italy, brought me a great shock as well as a sincere sorrow. I had left him, a few weeks before, not indeed in vigorous health, but still quite able to command recognition as a continued power in public affairs; and I thought him destined to enjoy for many years that final stage of a long, active and honored career, in which, having passed beyond the struggles and rivalries of business and of politics, his life and character could be justly appreciated by all men, like some noble work of art, already crowned, and marked henceforward "hors de concours." Moreover, he was, and would be to the end, not merely the passive recipient of admiration and esteem, but the source of iuspiring appeals, effective warnings and wise counsel. His rich and varied experience he had placed at the service of his fellows. His lightest word was weighty, and those who contradiEted him only injured their own cause thereby. Great trusts (true " trusts," in the old and proper sense of the term), like the Cooper Union, the Carnegie Institution, and others, still commanded his disinterested services. Great principles of liberty and of justice continued to be reinforced in perilous crises by his powerful advocacy; great measures were daily receiving from him a decisive impetus. No wonder it seemed to. us that this happy period of reward so well earned, and of beneacence so welcome to innumerable recipients of its blessing, must continue yet awhile. We did not expect the night instailtly to engulf the full-orbed sun. Nor, indeed, has this been our experience; in this instance, the sunset has left an afterglow more luminous than many a noonday. For the principal data contained in the following brief sketch of Mr. Hewitt's life, I rely upon memoranda personally approved by hirn, some months before his death, for my use in

Jan 1, 1904

By A. D. Rich

THE term "bleaching clay" or "bleaching earth," as used in the oil industries, refers to clays that in their natural state, or after chemical or physical activation, have the capacity for adsorbing coloring matter from oil. There are three common types of bleaching clays: fuller's earth, activated clays, and activated bauxite. Fuller's earth, or naturally active clay, is prepared from bentonites that possess natural activity. It is not activated commercially; in fact, earths of this type ordinarily do not respond satisfactorily to acid activation. Fuller's earth is prepared in pulverized as well as granular form for use in the contacting and percolation processes, respectively. Acid-activated clays also are of bentonitic origin. The basic raw clay, however, is of a type that has a very low natural activity but is highly activable by treatment with mineral acid. Commercial acid-activated clays generally possess several times the decolorizing power (bleaching efficiency) of the best quality of fuller's earth. The former are prepared commercially only in the pulverized grade because of the difficulties in obtaining a satisfactory granular product, and hence are used only in the contact process. Activated bauxite is made by heat-treating bauxite ore, which in its natural state has very little natural activity. The commercial product is prepared in granular form for use in the percolation process on petroleum oils. For the most part, bleaching clay is used commercially in the decolorization of animal, vegetable and petroleum oils, fats and waxes. It is applied in two ways: (1) by the percolation method and (2) by the contacting method. Percolation refers to the passage of oil through a bed of granular clay whereas contacting refers to direct agitation of oil and pulverized clay followed by removal of the clay from the oil by filtration. In either case, the decolorizing effect is obtained by inti-

Jan 1, 1949