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By Joseph A. Holmes, Henry Kreisinger

At the Mining Experiment Station of the U. S. Geological Survey, in Pittsburg, an investigation of the process of combustion is being carried on in a specially-designed furnace having an unusually long combustion-chamber. This work is conducted by a con~mittee consisti~lg of 11. Kreisinger, mechanical engineer; Dr. J. C. W. Frazer, chemist; and Dr..J. K. Clement, physicist. The problem, essentially one of physical chemistry, is estremely interesting to all who are concerned in the burning of coal or the construction of furnaces. The main object of these experiments is to ascertain the relation between the amount of' the volatile combustible driven from the coal and the combustion-spaces necessary to burn it completely. Our best steam-coals vary from 15 to 45 per cent. in volatile matter and from 40 to 75 per cent. of fixed combtistible. The greater part of the latter is burned on the grate: but the volatile combustible leaves the freshly-charsed coal and must be burned in the combustion-space. If this space is not large enough, the volatile combustible mill leave the furnace only partly burnecl, and the result will be a considerable heat-loss and a smoky stack. Strictly speaking, the factor which determines the completeness of combustion of the volatile matter, after it has been mixed with a certain amount of air, is the length of time the mixture is allowed to remain in the combustion-space; but this length of time depends on the extent of the space itself. Let us suppose, for instance, that, when a given coal is burned at a certain standard rate, the volume of the volatile combustible driven oft' per second is 10 cu. ft. Adding, say, 10 cu. ft. of air, the volume of the resulting burning mixture is increased to 20 cu. ft. If the combustion-space is 30 cu. ft., the burning mixture will stay in it,

Jan 1, 1911

By C. H. Hitchcock

The puiblication by the Institute of a small geological map of the United States calls for an explanation of its peculiarities. The title intimates that it is intended "to illustrate the schemes of coloration and nomenclature recommended by the International Geological Congress." By way of further explanation it is said to be "based, by permission of the Director of the United States Geological Survey, upon the map published in his Fifth Annual Report, the portions not colored in that map being here supplied from other sources." The map referred to was prepared by W. J. McGee, and in the text of the report containing it he has given a list of the authorities employed in the compilation. The scheme of coloration used for the map was the one proposed by the Director, in the Seeond Annual Report, for the publications of the United States Geological Survey, which differed materially from those employed by the older American geologists. Because of the increasing diversity in the particular colors employed to represent rocks by geologists in different countries, and of the existence of very dissimilar schemes of nomenclature, it seemed best to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at its Buffalo meeting in 1876, to appoint an international committee of geologists, who should consult together, and, if feasible, to call an International Congress to discuss these subjects. The proposition met with favor, and the meeting was called. The first session was held at Paris, in 1878, when geologists were present from twenty different countries. Once organized, the Congress has perpetuated itself, enacting regulations for its conduct, choosing the French language for its medium of communication, and arranging for the compilation of a geological map of Europe upon which the perfected schemes of coloration and nomenclature will be delineated. The American Association maintains a standing committee to represent it at the international sessions, and to report their proceedings. Sixteen countries were represented at the second Congress, at Bologna;

Jan 1, 1887

By A. S. Eve

In the spring of 1930, the question was raised as to the possibility of estimating the depth to which the pyrrhotite-nickel deposit at the Falconbridge mine extended in the earth. This body is 7500 ft. long, it dips at 80° to the north, and it is fairly straight with slight sinuosities. Dr. F. W. Lee suggested that it might be possible to solve the problem by measuring the vertical magnetic intensity, with a good magnetometer, both near the surface of the earth and also at a level a few feet higher in the air. The writer regarded this suggestion with some scepticism, but it was decided to put the scheme to a practical test. In July, 1930, Dr. Lee, Dr. Keys and the writer, with Mr. Joyce and Mr. Belloc as assistants, made a firm, light wooden platform (Fig. 1) measuring 4 by 4 ft. on the top, which was 10 ft. above ground. This platform could be moved easily a few yards by four men, and carried across country in a wagon or by motor truck. Some iron nails were used in its construction, but we were not able to detect their influence on the Askania magnetometer. Nevertheless, in future work, the use of iron should be completely avoided. Readings were taken along a traverse at right angles to the orebody, at several stations, both on the ground and on the platform. The excess readings, over the dike, as compared with those about 800 ft. away, are shown in Table 1. The largest reading, 6.8, is open to suspicion and should be rejected. The depth of the top of the orebody is known by electrical survey, and by actual drilling, to be about 112 to 123 ft., and the covering is sandy glacial drift. Similar readings were taken over a long straight magnetic diabase dike. These also are shown in Table 1. The magnetic vertical intensity is consistently less at the higher level, which is 10 ft. above the lower level.

Jan 1, 1932

By Robert S. Dewey

Drilling in West Texas during 1942 was substantially less than in the previous year. In all. 1267 Wells were drilled, as compared with 2325 wells in 1941. Of these 1267 wells, 1052 oil wells, 10 gas wells and 69 dry holes were drilled in proven fields and 36 oil wells, one gas well and 99 dry holes were wildcat operations. Of the 36 wildcat wells completed as oil producers, 16 led to new field discoveries, three found new productive horizons in old fields, and 17 extended the productive limits of established fields. Where semiwildcat drilling took place along established productive trends, there was often no sharp demarcation between wildcat wells that extend field limits and normal development to fulfil lease obligations, other than the arbitrary classification of a well as a wildcat if it was drilled at a distance of 2 miles from a producing oil well. The dry hole drilled on the edge of a field may have proved a more hazardous operation than a semiwildcat drilled several miles from production but favorably located on structure. The percentage of successful wildcatting ranges from 26.5 down to 14 per cent, dependent upon the degree of inclusion of the semiwildcat operations. Irrespective of which figure was used, the West Texas area maintained its better than average exploratory position. No doubt a number of factors may have influenced the extent of the 1942 development. Among those arising from the economic dislocation attendant on the war effort, the following are worthy of note. Owing to inductions into the armed forces and shipyard competition for mechanically trained men, experienced drilling personnel was sharply reduced, thereby increasing drilling costs and well-completion hazards. Replacement labor has not met the same standard of responsibility or workmanship to which the oil industry has grown accustomed. Increased military consumption of aviation gasoline and other crude products, coupled with decreased domestic consumption of lower-octane gasoline, has stimulated the market demand for the types of sweet crude most readily processed with available refinery equipment to meet war requirements, and has depressed the market demand for the sour West Texas crudes. As a majority of the purchasers of West Texas crude normally ship a substantial portion of sour crude to the refineries on the Atlantic seaboard, the loss and diversion of tanker service between Gulf Coast and north Atlantic ports have further curtailed the market demand for this type of crude oil. As some purchasers of crude oil were able to move by pipe line their West Texas trunk-line capacity to Midwestern refining centers, they were not impelled to curtail purchases of West Texas crude. The varying ability of the purchasers of crude oil to market West Texas crude was reflected back to various fields to which they were connected, causing an unequal distribution of production as among fields and operators. The pipe-line runs from the West Texas-New Mexico area decreased from approximately 354,000 bbl. Per day in January to about 265,000 bbl. in December 1942. .Approximately 2,991,000 bbl. of West

Jan 1, 1943

By Robert S. Dewey

Drilling in West Texas during 1942 was substantially less than in the previous year. In all. 1267 Wells were drilled, as compared with 2325 wells in 1941. Of these 1267 wells, 1052 oil wells, 10 gas wells and 69 dry holes were drilled in proven fields and 36 oil wells, one gas well and 99 dry holes were wildcat operations. Of the 36 wildcat wells completed as oil producers, 16 led to new field discoveries, three found new productive horizons in old fields, and 17 extended the productive limits of established fields. Where semiwildcat drilling took place along established productive trends, there was often no sharp demarcation between wildcat wells that extend field limits and normal development to fulfil lease obligations, other than the arbitrary classification of a well as a wildcat if it was drilled at a distance of 2 miles from a producing oil well. The dry hole drilled on the edge of a field may have proved a more hazardous operation than a semiwildcat drilled several miles from production but favorably located on structure. The percentage of successful wildcatting ranges from 26.5 down to 14 per cent, dependent upon the degree of inclusion of the semiwildcat operations. Irrespective of which figure was used, the West Texas area maintained its better than average exploratory position. No doubt a number of factors may have influenced the extent of the 1942 development. Among those arising from the economic dislocation attendant on the war effort, the following are worthy of note. Owing to inductions into the armed forces and shipyard competition for mechanically trained men, experienced drilling personnel was sharply reduced, thereby increasing drilling costs and well-completion hazards. Replacement labor has not met the same standard of responsibility or workmanship to which the oil industry has grown accustomed. Increased military consumption of aviation gasoline and other crude products, coupled with decreased domestic consumption of lower-octane gasoline, has stimulated the market demand for the types of sweet crude most readily processed with available refinery equipment to meet war requirements, and has depressed the market demand for the sour West Texas crudes. As a majority of the purchasers of West Texas crude normally ship a substantial portion of sour crude to the refineries on the Atlantic seaboard, the loss and diversion of tanker service between Gulf Coast and north Atlantic ports have further curtailed the market demand for this type of crude oil. As some purchasers of crude oil were able to move by pipe line their West Texas trunk-line capacity to Midwestern refining centers, they were not impelled to curtail purchases of West Texas crude. The varying ability of the purchasers of crude oil to market West Texas crude was reflected back to various fields to which they were connected, causing an unequal distribution of production as among fields and operators. The pipe-line runs from the West Texas-New Mexico area decreased from approximately 354,000 bbl. Per day in January to about 265,000 bbl. in December 1942. .Approximately 2,991,000 bbl. of West

Jan 1, 1943

By Francis A. Pocock

The writer is continually asked, if this electricity:is all you claim for it, why do not the mines put it in and use it? The best answer was given by Mr. John Fox Tallis, in his paper read before the South Wales Institute of Engineers in 1888, namely, that the reasons are similar to those which have prevented the more general employment of other systems of haulage. Managers, as a rule, are " not experienced mechanical engineers; neither are they all versed in electrical engineering." It may be said that there are a number of " able and practical electrical engineers who could do the work; but those electrical engineers are not conversant with the practical routine of colliery work and are, therefore, placed at a disadvantage by not knowing the actual requirements of mining engineers, and the many little difficulties to be met and contended with in underground workings; and, until mining engineers have acquired the necessary knowledge and a confidence in electricity, it is only natural that they will continue to follow the beaten path." In the above remarks, Mr. Tallis has hit the nail on the head. In the face of the partial failure, financially, of the haulage-plant which the Union Electric Company of Philadelphia had set to work at Lykens Valley, Pa., an electric haulage-plant was installed near Scranton, Pa. The question was not whether electricity could do the work, but whether any electrical company knew enough about the practical difficulties to attack and overcome them. That point being settled, the remainder was easy. The contract for the Erie Colliery haulage-plant was signed in January, 1889. This colliery is owned by the Hillside Coal and Iron Company, Mr. Samuel Hines, President, and Captain W. A. May, Superintendent. The company has been using arc-lamps in its breakers for three years. It is the only company in the Lackawanna Valley which has had enterprise enough to do so. Consequently, it was acquainted

Jan 1, 1890

By R. D. Sprague, C. B. Richardson

The year 1938 was the most active and successful in the history of the oil industry in southern Louisiana. Drilling showed a 16 per cent increase over that of 1937, with a total of 538 wells drilled, which yielded 315 oil wells, 19 distillate wells, 4 gas wells and 200 dry holes. Nineteen new fields were discovered during the year, all but three of which were completed by plugging back to sands previously drilled through. Electrical logging played a large part in these new discoveries as well as in the discovery of new sands during routine development of fields. Fourteen of the new discoveries produced oil, and five produced only gas and distillate. Southern Louisiana continues to lead the world in depth of drilling, which is in part due to the great thickness of comparatively young deltaic sediments near the coast and the existence of numerous sands. The present development is rather evenly distributed over a coastal strip 100 miles wide. New Fields North Tepetate, Acadia Parish.—Atlantic Refining Company's No. 1 Klumpp was completed for a new field through perforations from 7960 to 7970 ft. The initial production was 65 bbl. of 54" gravity distillate and 4 million cubic feet of gas daily through a 1/4-in. choke with tubing pressure of 2850 Ib. and casing pressure of 2930 lb. The well is in see. 12, 7 S., 2 W., just north of Tepetate field. It was drilled to a depth of 8705 ft. and plugged back for its final completion. Atlantic's NO. 2 was completed in a new sand at 8300 ft., also for distillate. South Crowley, Acadia Parish.—Humble Oil and Refining Company's No. 1 Boyd Finch was completed in July 1938, as an oil well through perforations from 7318 to 7325 ft. after plugging from a total depth of 10,222 ft. After making several hundred barrels of oil, the well went to

Jan 1, 1939

By C. B. Richardson, R. D. Sprague

The year 1938 was the most active and successful in the history of the oil industry in southern Louisiana. Drilling showed a 16 per cent increase over that of 1937, with a total of 538 wells drilled, which yielded 315 oil wells, 19 distillate wells, 4 gas wells and 200 dry holes. Nineteen new fields were discovered during the year, all but three of which were completed by plugging back to sands previously drilled through. Electrical logging played a large part in these new discoveries as well as in the discovery of new sands during routine development of fields. Fourteen of the new discoveries produced oil, and five produced only gas and distillate. Southern Louisiana continues to lead the world in depth of drilling, which is in part due to the great thickness of comparatively young deltaic sediments near the coast and the existence of numerous sands. The present development is rather evenly distributed over a coastal strip 100 miles wide. New Fields North Tepetate, Acadia Parish.—Atlantic Refining Company's No. 1 Klumpp was completed for a new field through perforations from 7960 to 7970 ft. The initial production was 65 bbl. of 54" gravity distillate and 4 million cubic feet of gas daily through a 1/4-in. choke with tubing pressure of 2850 Ib. and casing pressure of 2930 lb. The well is in see. 12, 7 S., 2 W., just north of Tepetate field. It was drilled to a depth of 8705 ft. and plugged back for its final completion. Atlantic's NO. 2 was completed in a new sand at 8300 ft., also for distillate. South Crowley, Acadia Parish.—Humble Oil and Refining Company's No. 1 Boyd Finch was completed in July 1938, as an oil well through perforations from 7318 to 7325 ft. after plugging from a total depth of 10,222 ft. After making several hundred barrels of oil, the well went to

Jan 1, 1939

T. W. ROBINSON, Pueblo, Colo.: Mr. Potter's review is a striking testimony to the important part played by science in this branch of practice. But, the question arises, In which department has science effected most ? The available raw material, the size of furnaces, the general design and equipment of the plant, and the daily management, are particulars, each of which contributes to the general result, while the effect of each merges into that of the others. The following notes concerning the operations of the furnace-plant of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (formerly the Colorado Coal and Iron Company), at Pueblo, may throw some light upon the question of their relative importance. This company operates three stacks, and when the plant first came under my observation, about nine months ago, the furnaces were constructed, equipped,and run as stated below: Raw Materials.—The main sources of ore-supply were, as they still are, the Orient and Calumet mines of the company. The Brecce and Morning Glory ores, mentioned below, were formerly brought from Leadville, but are practically now no longer used. The Orient ore is a porous brown hematite, easily reducible in the furnace. The Calumet is a magnetite, very refractory in character, requiring preliminary roasting. Both are fairly uniform in composition. The Breece and Morning Glory are red hematites, resembling in appearance the soft ores of the Vermilion range, Lake Superior. The coke here used is made of coal from the company's mines in southern Colorado, and is distinct from that produced by the company in the western part of the State. The structure is similar to that of Alabama coke. The limestone employed is a calcite. The analyses are given in Table I. I would note, parenthetically, that I know of no section of the country presenting harder conditions for furnace-practice than these materials impose. Results cannot be measured by the more

Jan 1, 1894

By N. H. Mannakee

[Secretary's Note.—At the Spokane meeting of the Institute, in discussion of President Brunton's address on "Modern Progress in Mining and Metallurgy in the Western United States," and at the request of members present, Mr. Ayres gave an oral account of his new separator, which is here published as an independent paper, partly because of its inherent importance and partly because it describes an improvement which did not originate in the Western United States, and therefore does not fall, strictly speaking, under the title of President Urunton's address.—R. W. R.] A brief history of the growth of the anthracite-coal preparation will give a better view-point from which to judge the present problem of separating slate from coal. At the beginning of the commercial value of anthracite, 70 years ago, only the pure portions, or " splits," of the veins were mined and shipped to market, and without any preparation or screening other than the selection, while loading, of the glassy lumps, and the rejection of the fine material and the slate that had strayed accidentally into the coal. The next step was the crushing or breaking of the coal (hence the name "breaker" as applied to the preparation-building), and the sizing of it by means of bars or revolving screens. This stage of its development marked the advent of the " breaker-boy " as a slate-picker, with his ever-increasing capriciousness. As the richer veins or a splits " became exhausted and the market demanded a still greater output, the less-pure " splits " and the thinner veins were utilized to produce the coal. Carrying as they do a far greater percentage of impurities, particularly when removing the pillars, it became necessary to build new and better equipped preparation-plants. Finally, we are now at the highest stage of complicatioii yet known to the art of coal-preparation. We are dealing with varying specific gravities, frictional difference, hardness, structure, and form in the pieces of coal and slate coming from many different veins, and

Jan 1, 1910

By Alphonse Hennin

It is well known that under certain conditions ammonia is found in the gas produced by the distillation of coal. Until recently it was held, and many still believe, that this ammonia exists in the coal, and is a natural product of the destructive distillation, varying in percentage, like the other products, according to the nature of the coal, but not formed synthetically beyond that limit. This opinion is in contradiction with well-established facts concerning the formation of ammonia from the elements of the coal. If any ammonia exists as such in the coal, the quantity is insignificant. The purpose of this paper is to explain the theory of the formation of ammonia during distillation, and call the attention of the members of the Institute to its application in connection with the production of heating-gas for metallurgical purposes, etc. For many years little or no importance was attached to the presence of ammonia in coal-gas. It was deemed by the gas-manufacturers an undesirable product of the process, as one of the impurities to be removed; and no attempt was made for its recovery. Not until its practical extraction and utilization was found possible, did scientists commence to investigate the question. Little was known about the nitrogen of the coal, and still less about the reactions leading to its transformation into ammonia. A. W. Hofmann, I believe, was the first to establish a relation between the percentage of nitrogen in the coal and the proportion of ammonia in the coal-gas. As early as 1863 he pointed out that, in dry distillation, such as is practiced in the manufacture of illuminating-gas, only one-third of the total nitrogen in the coal is liberated, two-thirds remaining in the coke. It is no longer possible to doubt that the ammonia is a synthetical product, resulting, under certain conditions, from the combination of the,elements of the coal. Chemistry teaches that ammonia is formed in many cases when

Jan 1, 1893

By J. W. Whitlow, P. K. Theobald, W. C. Overstreet

Monazite placers in a region of the Carolinas ex- in 1951-1954 by the USGS are estimated to contain at least 53,000 short tons of thorium and 4600 short tons of uranium. None of these deposits is being mined. The 5200-sq mile area investigated extends northeast along the western Piedmont from the Savannah River in South Carolina to the Catawba River in North Carolina. Much of the region is 700 to 1100 ft above sea level. Gentle hills and broad interfluves give a local relief of 100 to 200 ft. This increases to 1700 ft at the west margin of the area where the east flank of the Blue Ridge is approached in South Carolina and the South Mts. are entered in North Carolina. This report is restricted to placers in the Piedmont. Monazite deposits in the Blue Ridge and coastal plain were not covered by the investigation. Monazite Mining in the Carolina Piedmont: Discovered in 1879 by W. E. Hidden,' the monazite placers in the Carolina Piedmont were first mined in 1886. The area was a major world source for thorium and the lanthanides until 1895, when Brazilian monazite entered the trade. Total output from the Carolina Piedmont has been nearly 5500 tons of monazite,2 but the placers have been idle since 1911, except for 48 tons produced between 1915 and 1917. Monazite mining was revived in the Carolinas in 1954 when a dredge operated by the Heavy Minerals CO. opened a fluviatile placer along Horse Creek in the coastal plain near Aiken, S. C. Geology and Mineralogy: Two recent papers",' have described the geology of the monazite placer district in the Piedmont between the Savannah and Catawba rivers; the general geology of the region has been reviewed by P. B. King.' These reports show that the placers are in locally derived alluvial sediments that cover the floors of shallow, narrow valleys in an area underlain by monazite-

Jan 1, 1960

By Alec M. Crowell, J. W. Sanders

While the production of crude oil and condensate in South Arkansas increased only 1.7 per cent over the 1940 figure, complete utilization of gas produced with the oil and condensate, and heretofore wasted, was beginning to be evidenced. There were 26,229,264 bbl. of oil and condensate produced in South Arkansas during 1941, as against 25,790,380 bbl. for the year 1940. (Fig. I.) Since 1936, deep producing sands have been discovered in 18 fields and during that period only 40 per cent of the total state production has come from Upper Cretaceous formations while 60 per cent came from the Lower Cretaceous and Jurassic formations. The gas produced with crude oil and condensate from the latter formation contains large quantities of hydrogen sulphide, the maximum being 6900 grains per 100 cu. ft. in the Patton pool of Lafayette County. Gas Utilization During the latter part of 1940 and the early part of 1941, pilot plants were placed in operation to determine whether the hydrogen sulphide and deleterious material in South Arkansas gases could be removed economically. The Federal Government desired to build a large aluminum plant in the Ouachita Valley and was seeking cheap fuel for the generation of electricity. The fact that the gases were produced with appreciable quantities of crude oil and condensate made it available at a very low price, since the state's conservation law prohibits the flaring of any gas. As a result of these experiments the first large-scale unit for the processing of gases containing hydrogen sulphide was placed in operation on Sept. I, 1941. The plant is in the Magnolia oil field, Columbia County. It processes residue gas from the Shell Oil Company's gasoline plant in that field and also raw gas from the Village field, 6 miles east of the Magnolia field. The gas entering the desulphuri-zation unit is laden with approximately 1400 grains of hydrogen sulphide per 100 cu. ft. and is stripped to a content of 4 grains per 100 cu. ft. The capacity of the plant is 15 million cu. ft. of gas treated daily under a pressure of 160 lb. per sq. in. The cost of treatment, exclusive of depreciation, is appreciably less than I per 1000 cubic feet. Two other plants of much greater capacity have been announced and priorities have been granted, which should bring the total amount of gas treated to 150 million cu. ft. daily. The gas to be treated will have a maximum hydrogen sulphide content of 4500 grains per 100 cu. ft. and will be processed under a pressure of 600 lb. per sq. in. These developments are something entirely new in field practice for the industry. The fact that this heretofore wasted gas is available at very low cost has led to the location of some eight war industries within the state, in addition to the alu-minum plant. Recovery OF Sulphur The Susearch Corporation and the Southern Acid and Sulphur Co. placed in operation during 1941 pilot plants to de-

Jan 1, 1942

By Alec M. Crowell, J. W. Sanders

While the production of crude oil and condensate in South Arkansas increased only 1.7 per cent over the 1940 figure, complete utilization of gas produced with the oil and condensate, and heretofore wasted, was beginning to be evidenced. There were 26,229,264 bbl. of oil and condensate produced in South Arkansas during 1941, as against 25,790,380 bbl. for the year 1940. (Fig. I.) Since 1936, deep producing sands have been discovered in 18 fields and during that period only 40 per cent of the total state production has come from Upper Cretaceous formations while 60 per cent came from the Lower Cretaceous and Jurassic formations. The gas produced with crude oil and condensate from the latter formation contains large quantities of hydrogen sulphide, the maximum being 6900 grains per 100 cu. ft. in the Patton pool of Lafayette County. Gas Utilization During the latter part of 1940 and the early part of 1941, pilot plants were placed in operation to determine whether the hydrogen sulphide and deleterious material in South Arkansas gases could be removed economically. The Federal Government desired to build a large aluminum plant in the Ouachita Valley and was seeking cheap fuel for the generation of electricity. The fact that the gases were produced with appreciable quantities of crude oil and condensate made it available at a very low price, since the state's conservation law prohibits the flaring of any gas. As a result of these experiments the first large-scale unit for the processing of gases containing hydrogen sulphide was placed in operation on Sept. I, 1941. The plant is in the Magnolia oil field, Columbia County. It processes residue gas from the Shell Oil Company's gasoline plant in that field and also raw gas from the Village field, 6 miles east of the Magnolia field. The gas entering the desulphuri-zation unit is laden with approximately 1400 grains of hydrogen sulphide per 100 cu. ft. and is stripped to a content of 4 grains per 100 cu. ft. The capacity of the plant is 15 million cu. ft. of gas treated daily under a pressure of 160 lb. per sq. in. The cost of treatment, exclusive of depreciation, is appreciably less than I per 1000 cubic feet. Two other plants of much greater capacity have been announced and priorities have been granted, which should bring the total amount of gas treated to 150 million cu. ft. daily. The gas to be treated will have a maximum hydrogen sulphide content of 4500 grains per 100 cu. ft. and will be processed under a pressure of 600 lb. per sq. in. These developments are something entirely new in field practice for the industry. The fact that this heretofore wasted gas is available at very low cost has led to the location of some eight war industries within the state, in addition to the alu-minum plant. Recovery OF Sulphur The Susearch Corporation and the Southern Acid and Sulphur Co. placed in operation during 1941 pilot plants to de-

Jan 1, 1942

By C. M. Weld

In the course of my professional work in China during the fall of 1907, I had an opportunity to visit the iron-ore mines at Ta-yeh in Hu-pei province (long. 114O 50t E., lat. 30' 20t N.). It occurs to me that a rescript and discussion of my notes taken at that time should be of interest, particularly as supplementing the exceedingly interesting recent paper of Thomas T. Read on The Mineral Production and Resources of China.' Ta-yeh is situated near the right bank of the Yangtze river. The mines are at an average distance of about 16 miles from the river-port Shi-hui-yao, which in turn is some 70 miles SE. of Hankom. The ores are shipped to the works of the Han-Yeh-P'ing Iron & Coal Co. at Hanyang, as also very largely to the Japanese government iron- and steel-works at Wakamatsu, Japan. Smaller qnantities have been exported to the Pacific coast of the United States. These ore-deposits have been briefly noticed in a number of publications, but, so far as I know, Mr. Read's description, in his chapter or1 the iron-ores of the Chinese Empire,2 contains the first attempt to define their geological character. In his more recent paper Mr. Read follows very closely the text of his earlier description. To quote briefly from the recent paper, he says : " The iron-ores at Ta-yeh .... lie along the contact between a marble and an intrusive body of a dark-gray syenitic rock." He refers to a figure which exhibits in plan, but not in section, the relative positions of the syenite, ore-bodies, and limestone. The contact is seen to trend approximately E-W., with the syenite on the north and the limestone on the south. " The syenite lies to the north of the marble, and a few miles farther north the marble again appears, iron-ore again being present along the contact." No litho-

Jan 1, 1913

By Martin Coryell

EHRENBERG was the first to publish and direct attention to the peculiarities of the diatomaceous deposit of Richmond; but how and by whom he was supplied with the material for his microscopical investigations, is not generally known; but we may presume W. B. Rogers, formerly State Geologist of Virginia, furnished the material, and may have given the geological position or horizon. O£ these facts we have no available evidence, nor have we any estimate of the thickness of this stratum of diatomaceous or infusorial earth. At the request of a member of this Institute, I have investigated the subject, and offer the following facts as the result, derived principally from information supplied by Mr. John Ott, of the Southern Fertilizing Company, Dr. William Taylor, State Chemist, C. Peticolas, microscopist, Captain Robert H. Temple, civil engineer, Major C. M. Bolton and Mr. C. M. Smith, civil engineers, and formerly engaged in constructing the tunnel under Church Hill, in Richmond. The city of Richmond is generally described as being built on seven hills. This is not the fact, geologically speaking. Originally, there was an immense plateau of land, about two hundred feet above tide, in which a deep excavation was made from the west to east by the James River cutting down to the granite. Opening southward and meeting the valley of the James are various ravines and gullies, in the principal of which are Shockoe and Gillies Creeks. The formation is tertiary, subdivided into all the classified divisions, but at the present moment no one has been found to make this section a special study. Rogers's early classifications and diagrams, with all their imperfections, are the only published records, and the printed editions are long since exhausted. The city of Richmond is really situated in these ravines of the James, Shockoe, Gillies, and their connections. The profile marked A, Plate V, represents the section of the plateau

Jan 1, 1876

By Martin Coryell

Ehrenberg was the first to publish and direct attention to the peculiarities of the diatomaceous deposit of Richmond; but how and by whom he was supplied with the material for his microscopical investigations, is not generally known; but we may presume W. B. Rogers, formerly State Geologist of Virginia, furnished the material, and may have given the geological position or horizon. OF these facts we have no available evidence, nor have we any estimate of the thickness of this stratum of diatomaceous or infusorial earth. At the request of a member of this Institute, I have investigated the subject, and offer the following facts as the result, derived principally from information supplied by Mr. John Ott, of the Southern Fertilizing Company, Dr. William Taylor, State Chemist, C. Peticolas, microscopist, Captain Robert H. Temple, civil engineer, Major C. M. Bolton and Mr. C. M. Smith, civil engineers, and formerly engaged in constructing the tunnel under Church Hill, in Richmond. The city of Richmond is generally described as being built on seven hills. This is not the fact, geologically speaking. Originally, there was an immense plateau of land, about two hundred feet above tide, in which a deep excavation was made from the west to east by the James River cutting down to the granite. Opening southward and meeting the valley of the James are various ravines and gullies, in the principal of which are Shockoe and Gillies Creeks. The formation is tertiary, subdivided into all the classified divisions, but at the present moment no one has been found to make this section a special study. Rogers's early classifications and diagrams, with all their imperfections, are the only published records, and the printed editions are long since exhausted. The city of Richmond is really situated in these ravines of the James, Shockoe, Gillies, and their connections. The profile marked A, Plate V, represents the section of the plateau

COLUMBIA SECTION STANLY A. EASTON, Chairman, FREDERIC KEFFER, Vice-Chairman, L. K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P. 0. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. D. C. LIVINGSTON FRANK A. Ross The first meeting of the Columbia Section was held on March 24, as a part of the 1916 Northwest Mining Convention which was held under the -auspices of the Spokane Mining Men's Club assisted by the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, the technical program being in charge of the Spokane Engineering and Technical Association assisted by the local sections of the A. I. E. E., A. S. C. E., and A. I. M. E. The program of the successive sessions was carefully arranged with view to its application to mining, and in addition to the technical program there were exhibits of ores, minerals, devices, etc., of interest to the delegates, who numbered over 500. A portion of the program was also arranged with special reference to the requirements of the prospector and miner. A reception, a banquet, a complimentary luncheon, a regular daily call' of the Stock Exchange, a visit to the High Schools and to one of the substations of the Washington Water Power Company and to the Union Iron Works kept the visitors entertained, the ladies being looked after by a special committee of ladies who held open house during the entire week. Several important resolutions were passed by the Convention and one by the Columbia Section, A. 1. M. E. With Stanly A. Easton, chairman, presiding, the Columbia Section, American Institute of Mining Engineers, occupied the time between 2.00 and 5.30 p.m., March 24th, the Moorish room of the Spokane hotel being filled with members and their guests. "The Apex Law and the Mineral Surveyor" was a paper presented by F. W. Callaway and generally dis-cussed because of its local application in the Coeur d'Alenes, the conclusions being reached after expensive litigation between two of the large mining operators in that district.

Jan 6, 1916

E L. DEGOLYER, our new president, though a petroleum geologist by profession, has always s been associated with mining, for soon after his birth at Greensburg, Kan., on Oct. 9, 1886, his parents moved to Joplin, and when he went, in the course of time, to the University of Oklahoma, he intended to follow his course there with another at a mining school. He became a field assistant in the U. S. Geo-logical Survey, however, while still an undergradu-ate, and after field experi- ence in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado and Oklahoma, he went to Mexico as geologist for the Mexican Eagle Oil Co. This was in 1909, and as a result he was unable to complete his work for his degree until 1911. In Mexico, he located the Potrero de Llaño No. 4, one of the world's largest oil wells, and also the dis- covery well in the Naran- jos pool; and the Colorado School of Mines conferred the honorary degree of : Doctor of Science on him in 1925. On his return from Mexico, he engaged in the consulting business, specializing in financial ap- praisement, the Union and Marland companies being among his clients. In 1919, he organized the Amerada Petroleum Co., with the backing of Lord Cowdray. Last year, control of the company was purchased by an American group, headed by Dillon, Read and Co. Mr. DeGolyer is n o w president of the company. He is also vice-president and general manager of the Rycade Corp, the Rycade Oil Corp., and president of the Geophysical Re-search search Corp. The l a t t e r represents the practical appli-cation of his inter-est in the use of the torsion balance in the locating of salt domes, in which he has pioneered, the Nash dome being the first oil field in America actually brought into production by these methods.

Jan 3, 1927

W. R. Ingalls, since 1905 editor of the Engineering and Mining Journal, retires from that position with the issue of Mar. 22, to open offices in New York City as a consulting engineer. The severing of this connection .will not be complete, however, as Mr. Ingalls will continue as consulting editor, and will handle the metal-market quotations in the Journal which are now the accepted authority for the government settlements of ore importations and the basis of practically all the ore settlements between miners and smelters throughout' the country. No greater compliment can be paid to Mr. Ingalls than this, unless it is the recognized fact that these quotations have been made what they are by his ability and his integrity, which secured for him channels of information vital to the accurate estimating of the market, but denied to anyone else. The Journal, under the. strong hand of Mr. Ingalls, has always been the acme of ethics in technical journalism, and the best wish that can he given to his successor, not yet announced, is that the Journal may long continue to live up to the standards not originated, but so consistently maintained and strengthened by Mr. Ingalls. His spelter statistics are accepted as authoritative wherever the English language is read and zinc ore is mined. He has found time during his very arduous years on the Journal to he the author of several works on the resources and metallurgy of zinc, lead, cadmium, etc.; for 5 years was the editor of Mineral Industry; and was consulting engineer for the Bureau of Mines and joint author of their voluminous and authoritative work on mine safety rules. His retirement from the Journal is a distinct loss to every one of the Journal's readers individually and to the profession as a whole. Universal good wishes go with Mr. Ingalls to his new field, which has for a long time been offering him professional attractions that his confining editorial work has not permitted him to accept.

Jan 4, 1919