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Report of Secretary TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERS Gentlemen -I herewith present a report of some of the more important activities of the Institute for the year of 1922. The outstanding feature of the year is the optimism felt by our members despite the continued depression in the mining industry. January 1, 1921, found many of our members out of employment or drifting into other industries to tide them over the depression; but almost universally the feeling has been that this was but a temporary condition and that sooner or later the necessary production of raw materials would enable these members to return to their former activities and renew their participation in Institute affairs As the year passed conditions improved and, before it ended, many had found employment in their previous occupations. Bearing in mind that this depression has been very real, we have reason to be well satisfied with the work that the Institute has been able to do The loss of members through inability to pay dues has been large, and income has been correspondingly reduced, but it proved to be materially in excess of that anticipated early in the year, so that a substantial and unanticipated balance was carried forward toward the activities of 1923.

Jan 1, 1923

Jan 1, 1961

H. McD. Lorain says in regard to his son, Captain S. H. Lorain; "It might be of interest to you to know that, although but 23 years of age, my son is captain of Co. C 107th U. S. Engineers, Thirty-second Division. He landed in France about the middle of February, 1918, and was commissioned a captain on Sept. 5, 1918. He started for the front the latter part of June and was there continuously until the armi-stice was signed, on Nov. 11, being on the front lines in the Argonne at that time. He is, at present, in Coblenz, Germany, with the Army of Occupation. Although much of his work was clone under artillery and machine-blur fire, as well as airplane bombs and fire, he escaped without a scratch. Once, he was the only one of a group who escaped without a scratch from an exploding shell." Lieut. Bernard H. Lasky, on a post card received a short time ago, gave the following brief record of his military career. "I have been serving with the 316th Engineers in France and in Flanders and had the satisfaction of being in the last big drive in Belgium which sent the enemy beyond Avaenarde and did much to increase their gait on their way to Brussels. On Oct. 1, I received a commission as second lieutenant and was assigned to Co. C of the 316th Engineers."

Jan 3, 1919

R. S. MACPHERRAN,* Milwaukee, Wis. (written discussion?);-Mr. Stork's paper is very interesting, but I am unable to agree with some of his conclusions. He argues very strongly for the beneficial effect of oxygen, but gives no actual determinations of this element to support -his views. He states that the oxygen resulting from a high bed, heavy charges, low coke ratio, etc. must not be confused with the oxygen under normal conditions. I will be glad to know in what respect these oxygens differ or in what state they occur. Is it his opinion that the beneficial type is present as a dissolved gas and the other as metallic oxide? I will not discuss the first five of his six points, as I have not seen enough trustworthy determinations of oxygen in cast iron to form any conclusions as to its effect. I have never known the addition of manga-nese, however, to reduce the strength of cast iron. Under the sixth point, I would say that the addition of steel lowers the total carbon content, and by this action will increase the strength independently of oxygen. This reduction of carbon operates also to raise the melting point. It is interesting to note here that the author, in order to get proper fluidity for his cylinders, was obliged to reduce his oxygen by raising the manganese in the charge.

Jan 12, 1919

CHARLES F: WILLIS,* Bisbee, Ariz. (written discussion?).-An employment department operated only with the object of relieving the foremen from hiring and for the purpose of centralizing record keeping is not likely to be entirely successful, and is doing but a small part of the good that practice has shown is possible; although it was .probably a desire to save time and to conduct the business more conveniently that led many mining companies to centralize their employment department. The ultimate object, however, is the reduction of labor turnover, by obtaining men better qualified to fill the positions to which they are assigned, by following up their work and providing for transfer to other departments or for promotion, if advisable, by reducing the number of quits for inconsequential reasons, and by supervising such laying-off as is necessary in such a way that the permanent force is not upset. It provides a stability 'of employment, free from favoritism and paternalism, probably the best form of employment insurance that we can have. The value of the employment department is in direct proportion to the breadth of its supervisor, his ability to estimate and place men, his sympathy in dealing with their petty troubles, and his analysis of quits and the reasons therefor. There is probably no better index of the soundness of the industrial relationship between the employee and the employer than the reasons why men quit; an intelligent, unbiased analysis of these reasons tells where corrective measures are necessary. In nine cases out of ten the reasons are small grievances, easily corrected, and are things usually overlooked by mine officials.

Jan 6, 1919

HENRY FAY, Cambridge, Mass. (written discussion *).-Mr. Rawdon has made a distinct contribution to our knowledge of wrought iron, and .perhaps of steel. It will undoubtedly lead to more careful scrutiny of high-phosphorus steels, with perhaps important results. In view of his results, it would seem to be unprofitable to push further any propaganda on the use of higher-phosphorus low-carbon steels until further information is available. As is well known, and as Mr. Rawdon clearly shows, the process of solidification is a selective one, and there is abundant opportunity for those portions of the melt last to solidify to become rich in phosphorus, and the diffusion of this phosphorus-rich area is slow. Hot work does not help the situation appreciably and only serves to concentrate the low-melting material. It is undoubtedly true, as some writers have recently claimed, that the specifications for steels as they. now exist eliminate some perfectly good material. Higher phosphorus in steel may be perfectly safe provided all of the phosphide is completely and uniformly, diffused in the solid solution. If, on the contrary, it is not evenly diffused, and there is a reasonable chance for it not to be, it makes the steel unsafe. Until our knowledge: of the rate of diffusion of phosphorus in steel, and the effect of other elements upon the rate, is more complete, it seems to me unwise, in view of Mr. Rawdon's experiments, to listen to the recommendations for the use of higher-phosphorus steels.

Jan 1, 1918

By W. P. Yant

THIS paper presents evidence of the general occurrence of methane in a large number of the coal fields of the United States and substantiates the apparent unnecessary differences in the ventilation requirements and codes in the various states, as was brought to the attention of the Committee on Mine Ventilation of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers at its Pittsburgh meeting in October, 1925, by J. A. Garcia.1 The data in his report have been compiled from the files of the Gas Laboratory of the Pittsburgh Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines and represent samples collected throughout the various states and submitted for analysis by its engineers, also by mine operators and State mining departments, since 1911. Several thousand analyses were available but most of them were rejected because they represented abnormal conditions, undefined place of sampling, special investigations, or duplications in the same mine. Only those samples were included which, without reasonable doubt, were ascertained to fall within three major classes, namely, main return, air splits, and face and rooms of live workings. In the case of air splits, and face and room samples, only the one which contained the highest percentage of methane found in a given mine was taken.

Jan 1, 1927

On request of the Commissioner of Education, a small group of administrative professors of engineering and commerce from higher institutions near St. Louis met in conference with the Specialist in Commercial Education of the Bureau of Education on Feb. 22, for the purpose of discussing ways and means whereby the business of our country may be furthered through increased opportunity in our higher institutions for the preparation of engineers with business training. One or more representatives were present at this conference from the University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, Washington -University, University of Missouri, University of Iowa, Iowa State College, University of Kansas. It was recommended at this conference: First, That the Commissioner of Education appoint immediately a committee to consider commercial engineering in its various aspects and to prepare and approve one or more curricula in commercial and industrial engineering that can be recommended by the Bureau of Education for adoption in our colleges and universities. It was suggested that the committee consider the following curricula plans: First, That a minimum number of hours in business training be required in all engineering courses. Second, That a curriculum providing for a minimum of fifteen to thirty units in business economics be incorporated in all engineering courses and offered on an elective basis. Third, That a curriculum in commercial or industrial engineering, permitting full and proper emphasis upon engineering subjects, be offered in the School of Commerce with degree to be given in that school. Fourth, That a five-year combined engineering and commercial course he prepared.

Jan 5, 1919

By K. P. Wang, Virgil L. Barr

The U.S. Minerals Attaché Program, similar to the scientific and technical attache programs of other industrialized nations, is designed specifically to keep surveillance on significant worldwide developments in minerals, metals, and fuels. Knowledge of international minerals developments is essential for both domestic planning and conduct of foreign affairs. CONTROLLED BY DEPT. OF STATE Ten minerals specialists-eight minerals attaches and two petroleum attachés-man this far-flung, worldwide program for the U.S. Government as best they can. Minerals attach& also handle oil, in posts lacking petroleum attaché. The legislative authority for the Minerals Attaché Program is the Foreign Service Act of 1946 and succeeding amendments and Presidential Executive Orders. Therefore, this program is controlled by the Department of State. Interior (representing the Bureau of Mines) and State collaborate in policy formation and direction by means of a "memorandum of agreement" which covers establishment of posts, selection of officers, contents of reports, and supplemental training. State also has about half a dozen nonspecialist officers to complement the work of the minerals and petroleum attaché. It is not the intention here to evaluate the administrative arrangements of this program but rather to describe it and to provide examples of the important job it is doing.

Jan 11, 1965

By Ichiro Ito

At present, in Japan, the application of in-place leaching technique to the mined-out stopes has been carried out at two copper mines in a comparatively large scale. These mines are the Kosaka mine and the Tsuchihata mine, both are situated in the north-east district of Japan. At first, the author would like to tell about the in-place leaching operations and their results at these two mines. Then, the problems involved in the application of in-place leaching technique to the Japanese metal mines and the possibility of the future development of this technique in Japan are referred, too. Next, as to the research works, the author would like to explain briefly about some of the important results obtained in the recent studies on in-place leaching as well as on bacterial leaching in Japan.

Jan 1, 1976

(Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons introduced by members) Member, aged 32. Fifteen years' experience in the mining, quarrying, and manufacture of gypsum and gypsum products, as purchasing agent, designer, operating manager and managing executive. Thoroughly familiar with the business in all branches, especially the organization of efficient producing forces and machinery and the value of cost and their application to manufacturing. Desires responsible position with a financially reliable concern in the same or similar business in which an interest may be obtained at a later date. Now doing consulting work, but free for appointments after April 1. New York or Philadelphia. No. 345. Member, technical graduate. Unmarried. Aged 32. Seven and one half years' experience in mining, timbering, and mine sampling. At present, and for past two and a half years, mine sampler for well known and highly successful mining company. Desire change. Go anywhere. Prefer assisting Mining Engineer. No. 346. Member, 40 years old. 18 years' experience in examinations and operation in the United States, Mexico and South America. Especially successful with poor class of labor. Open for engagement in any part of the world, in technical, administrative or consulting work. No. 347. Member, technical graduate. Sixteen years' experience as engineer, superintendent, and manager in metal mines. Exploratory . work, developing and equipping new properties. Operation of large mines, and various systems of mining. Low costs. Specialized in iron and copper mining, but have had some experience in zinc, lead and pyrite mining. No; 348.

Jan 4, 1917

Discussion of the paper of L. C. MORGANROTH, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 93, September, 1914, pp. 2345 to 2352. D. T. DAY, Washington, D. C.-I would like to hear some further detail as to the California deposits. L. C. MORGANROTH, Pittsburgh, Pa.-We have examined the California deposits at various times; I have been over practically all of them myself. These deposits are all of the massive variety. While it is possible that it could be mined and used for metallurgical purposes, it is not feasible because it costs too much. At the present time magnesite which is mined in California is used in the making of plaster, or by the paper trade. Careful figures show that if the California magnesite could be delivered to Atlantic seaports in the crude state at not over $4 a gross ton, and assuming that it would give the same results as the Austro-Hungarian magnesite, it would be cheaper to use the latter. It is also more difficult to dead-burn the massive magnesite, for while it starts to give up its gas readily, the difficulty consists in driving off the last few per cent., and unless this is driven off the magnesite will absorb C02 from the air, so that in a few months it may have 10 or 12 per cent. DAVID T. DAY.-How is the Austro-Hungarian supply at the present time ?

Jan 4, 1915

By C. L. Warwick, A. B. Parsons

The papers and discussion appearing in this volume were presented at a symposium jointly sponsored by the American Society for Testing Materials and the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and held at Philadelphia, Pa., November 29, 30, and December 1, 1944. Late in January, 1944, Lieut. Col. C. H. Greenall, Officer-in-Charge of the Laboratory Division, Frankford Arsenal, Ordnance Department, U.S.A., suggested to the American Society for Testing Materials that it might be a propitious time to arrange for a symposium on stress-corrosion cracking at the Annual Meeting of the Society in June, and agreed to make available a number of papers relating to work being carried out at that Arsenal. The Society's Committee B-5 on Copper and Copper Alloys, Cast and Wrought expressed keen interest in the symposium, and other Society committees were contacted and agreed to cooperate. Since the subject is one of primary interest also to the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, it was arranged that the two organizations would jointly sponsor the symposium. A Symposium Committee was formed under the joint leadership, for A.S.T.M., of Carter S. Cole, then Chief of the Metals Branch, Conservation Division, War Production Board and now Engineer on the Headquarters Staff of the Society; and, for A.I.M.E., of E. A. Anderson, Chief of Metals Section, Research Division, New Jersey Zinc Co. (of Pa.) and chairman of the Program Committee of the Institute of Metals Division. The Symposium Committee was constituted as follows:

Jan 1, 1945

By William Reynolds

THIS paper deals with the results of a study of the application and development of mining machines for cutting out and removing dirt bands in bituminous coal beds. FACE PREPARATION When one or more dirt bands1 occur in a seam of coal, the problem of elimination of impurities becomes manifest. The degree of complete-ness to which these impurities are removed at the face has an important bearing upon labor costs, haulage costs and outside cleaning costs, and often the ash content of the product is markedly affected. Yet, because the present-day miner is paid for the number of tons he loads he often lacks interest in the quality of the coal. To insure a clean product, a system of penalties for dirty coal is enforced, but control of extraneous impurity content in the loaded coal is often inadequate and ineffectual when coal and banded impurity are shot as one. It seems only logical that to reduce the amount of impurities by proper face preparation before the men are permitted to load the coal is the most efficient method of preparation.

Jan 1, 1936

By W. E. Horst

During the past few years of operation at Kings Mountain, N. C., full-scale flotation has generally yielded poorer metallurgical results than those obtained in the laboratory or pilot plant. After 2 min in each size of Denver flotation machine in the spodumene rougher circuit, pilot recovery (41.7 pct) was almost three times that of the plant (13.6 pet) and about twice that of the laboratory (21.0 pet). Pilot and commercial plant data are based on continuous operation, and laboratory results on batch testing of rougher performance. The ore is a pegmatite containing spodumene, feldspar, quartz, mica, and amphibolite. Data were accumulated to evaluate the scale-up relationships between laboratory, pilot plant, and plant flotation cells. Flotation rate constants and dimensional analysis were used to define the relationship existing between flotation behavior and scale of operation.

Jan 11, 1958

By James W. Lower

IN developing the orebody on lower levels of the Star mine at Burke, Idaho, Hecla Mining Co. is faced with a serious problem in driving raises. Levels are at 200-ft intervals. As a raise is being driven between levels, at points about 70 and 130 ft from the sill, heavy pressure arches develop and the raise becomes extremely hazardous. Eventually, following a blast, caving occurs, making it impossible to recover the raise. In February 1957 it was decided to attempt sinking a small winze on the vein from the 5500 to the 5700 level. This shaft (winze-raise No. 2) was to be used as a raise prior to stoping. It was assumed, and correctly, that the heavy ground pressure could be controlled by timbering close to the bottom after each advance.

Jan 7, 1958

By Adrian E. Ross

Diamond drilling through caving formations at depths greater than ZOO0 ft has long presented serious difficulty, generally solved either by casing or cementing. Casing is permitted only when the resulting smaller hole is acceptable, and cementing is frequently a problem at depth. A new method that injects cement under pressure at the desired location is an aid in diamond drilling deep holes. DRILLING through caving formations in diamond drill holes at depths greater than 2000 ft has long been a serious problem. These caving formations are normally passed only by casing the hole or by cementing the hole. Casing the hole is possible only when a resulting smaller hole is acceptable. In as much as only a limited number of reductions are economically practical, cementing is frequently considered the only method suitable for solving these problems. Cementing either by pumping a slurry into the hole or by dropping cylinders containing cement has proved satisfactory on holes under 2000 ft. In holes substantially deeper than 2000 ft these methods are not satisfactory, since during the pump- ing process cement separates out, whereas cylinders usually break before the bottom of the hole is reached. A new procedure, the injector method, apparently solves these problems.* With this method, cement is lowered in the hole in a cylinder, the cement being

Jan 1, 1953

By D. S. Greig

There was a decline in the Italian oil production in 1933 and also in the footage drilled. A total of about 194,500 bbl. of crude oil was produced in the Emilia district of northern Italy from the same fields in production as in 1932. New drilling to the extent of 80,700 ft. failed to find new production to compensate for the decline in old wells, and no new fields were discovered in spite of an active exploration campaign by the government-owned company A.G.I.P., which has just completed the first year of a five-year exploration program. This company drilled a total of about 33,000 ft. The majority of its tests were drilled in the Po Valley upon locations selected by geophysical methods. This company is changing over to the rotary system for all future wells. It produced about 16,600 bbl. of oil from wells near Salsomaggiore and in the Po Valley. The Petroli d'Italia, which operates the old fields of Montechino, Valleja and Gratera south of Piacenza, has been doing normal development drilling in the endeavor to extend its present fields. Also it was drilling two exploration wells in the Torino district. It drilled a total of about 13,930 ft. and produced approximately 12,645 bbl. of very high-grade oil (specific gravity about 0.765). The Societa Petrolifera Italiana was occupied chiefly in exploratory drilling in the endeavor to extend its producing fields at Salsomaggiore and at Vallezza, south of Parma. It was also drilling one exploration well at Rile dell7Olio near Voghera on the line Milan-Genoa. It drilled a total of 33,849 ft. and obtained a production from its two fields of 165,273 bbl. It also produced 123,220 gal. of casinghead gasoline from Vallezza field absorption plant.

Jan 1, 1934

By Harry E. LeGrand

Most mine operations are hampered to varying degrees by excessive inflow of water into mines or scarcity of water for processing the materials. These internal problems are compounded in many cases by such external hydrological problems as lowering of ground-water levels in areas outside the mine properties, subsidence of ground surface, adverse geochemical changes, and pollution. The development of a mine below the water table disturbs the natural ground-water system, causing a convergence in the flow of water from a surrounding area. The mine becomes the apex of a depressed cone in the water table. The fact that mines are commonly located in complex and somewhat anomalous geologic environments prevents an idealized treatment of the mine as a well that would be similar to a water well in a homogeneous aquifer having isotropic conditions. Yet, adherence to some principles of ground-water behavior is helpful when combined with an understanding of the local geology. A program calling for an appraisal of all pertinent hydrological conditions prior to mining and during various stages of development should supply adequate information for mine officials to anticipate difficulties and to allow for corrective measures. Before and during mining operations there should be a mine hydrology framework and plan, in which there is continual upgrading of such considerations as anticipated actions, consequences of actions, remedial plans, and contingencies.

Jan 1, 1973

By R. E. Grim

With the exception of the extreme northeastern part of the state, Mississippi lies wholly within the Gulf Coastal Plains. The largest structural feature definitely proved is the so-called Jackson structure1 in the central part of the state. This structure is mainly the result of the burial of an igneous ridge on the old sea floor. The ridge trended in a northwest direction from about the town of Jackson in Hinds County into southeastern Arkansas. The present structure is the burial of the ridge. Recent detailed surface work by major oil companies has suggested smaller structures in other parts of the state, but so far they have not been definitely proved. Also considerable magnetometer and seismographic work has been done in the northern and central part of the state. The results of the operation of the seismograph are not yet available, but the magnetometer located many "magnetic highs" in this part of the state. Outside of the area of the Jackson structure, the exact cause for this magnetic variation is not known. In a portion of south Mississippi, considerable seismographic work has been done recently in an attempt to locate salt domes. While the details are not available, it has apparently met with little success. Prospecting by districts during the past year may be summarized as follows: Five wells of importance were drilled in the Amory district of east Mississippi. This district comprises all or parts of Monroe, Lee, Itawamba, Prentiss, .Alcorn and Tishomingo counties. Small gas was discovered at about 2500 feet. Several wells were drilled in the. Jackson district which is located in part or all of Hinds, Rankin, Madison and Yazoo counties. Some of these wells were abandoned and one was shut down most of the year

Jan 1, 1930