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By C. G. Dunn, E. F. Koch, K. T. Aust

Strain-induced grain boundary migration was studied in a series of silicon-iron (3% pct Si) bicrystals of controlled orientations. Each bicrystal was given a 7 pct cold-rolling strain rind annealed at 1100°C. The direction of boundary migration was found to depend on orientation; results for several orientations related by a common [110] axis are given. Analysis of the micrographic and X-ray data is made in terms of the residual strain-energy densities within the crystals (energy per unit volurne) and a driving force on the boundary due to an energy density difference across the boundary. Relative strain energies were obtained for the various orientations investigated. A CHROME-acetic acid electroetching method for revealing dislocation sites in silicon iron was previously applied to clarify the structural features and the energetics involved in strain-induced grain boundary migration.',' The present paper is a continuation of this study, but is primarily concerned with the influence of crystal orientation. Sperry, as reported by Beck,3 attempted to determine the factors that influence the preferred growth of one grain over another in aluminum due to strain-induced boundary migration. He found that the particular grain of a pair which work hardened more was invaded, although exceptions to this correlation were noted. The index of work hardening was determined from microhardness measurements of each grain before and after cold-rolling. In the present study, orientation itself was taken as a useful variable for studying the behavior of individual grains in a bicrystal and the direction of boundary migration, since the extent of work hardening is orientation dePendent." The effect of strain on boundary migration is evident from a consideration of driving forces. Thus, in the absence of inclusions, the driving force (per unit area of boundary) for growth of grain A into grain B when a bicrystal is strained and annealed may be expressed as follows:2

Jan 1, 1960

By Charles Becker

THE practice of drying phosphate in Florida is as old as the industry, which began a little more than half a century ago. The methods, however, have changed considerably. At first, the natural process of exposure to the sun and air was used, later supplemented by wood fires beneath open-air stationary dry kilns and drying towers of various designs. It was not until the early nineties that rotary driers came into use, and at first they were of very small design and fired with wood. As the industry grew and tonnage increased, so likewise grew the number and size of rotary driers, until today the largest installations are 6 ft. up to 7 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and 55 to 60 ft. long, fired with crude oil. The reasons for drying phosphate rock are: (1) to eliminate freight on water in the shipment and (2) to facilitate the good grinding qualities required by the buyers in their acidulation. Phosphate pebbles vary materially in natural characteristics and each property has a direct bearing on the processing. In making comparisons of cost and operating conditions, the following are usually taken into consideration: 1. The hard dense pebbles, which contain very little interior moisture and 6 to 8 per cent total moisture, usually produced from the low-grade deposits. 2. The lighter, porous pebbles, which contain 4 to 5 per cent interior moisture and a total moisture ranging from 9 to 15 per cent. 3. The product of recovery operations using oily reagents, containing from 15 to 25 per cent moisture. 4. The size of the pebbles. Usually the plus 5-mesh material is considered as "coarse rock"; the minus 5-mesh plus 24-mesh is "fine rock," and the minute particles below 24 mesh are called "concentrate." 5. The amount of moisture allowed in the dried product. The practice is generally to dry down to 1.5 to 2 per cent moisture. There is, however, an actual range in guarantee of from 1 per cent maximum to 3 per cent maximum.

Jan 1, 1936

By D. K. Crampton

INTERNAL stress and season cracking in brass have been studied for many years and the technical literature contains many data on various phases of the subject. A résumé of the literature shows certain fairly well established points upon which various authors are mostly agreed: 1. Season cracking is primarily caused by the presence of relatively high internal stresses, or possibly in some cases by external stresses, or both. 2. A specific corrosion is also essential to season cracking: Certain agents, particularly mercurous salts, mercuric salts and ammonia salts; have such a specific corrosive effect. 3. The tendency to season crack under given conditions increases with increasing zinc content, brass containing less than 20 per cent zinc being relatively immune. 4. In alpha brass the season cracks are intercrystalline; in alphabeta brass they lie between the two constituents; and in beta brass they are transcrystalline. 5. The ordinary impurities or added elements in special brasses have little or no effect on the tendency to season crack. 6. Internal stresses can be eliminated, or at least reduced to a safe 'limit by annealing treatments at temperatures that do not produce visible microstructural changes or appreciable softening of the worked brasses. There are, however, some points in connection with the phenomenon of season cracking which have not been thoroughly investigated, or wherein different authors and investigators are not entirely in agreement. The investigations described in this paper were undertaken to determine: 1. The correlation between mercurous nitrate tests and actual season cracking on long-time atmospheric exposure. 2. The quantitative effect of type and degree of drawing operations on the intensity of internal stress and on the tendency to season crack in brass tubes. 3. The possibility of drawing high-brass tubes in such a manner as to prevent the occurrence of harmful stresses rather than to find a remedy for such stresses once having obtained them.

Jan 1, 1930

By B. A. Rogers

The etching effect that is produced on a piece of polished iron or steel when it is heated in hydrogen or in a vacuum seems to have been observed first by Osmond,' who believed that he could distinguish four systems of grain boundaries on a piece of steel which had been heated in hydrogen. In a number of other investigations, samples of pure iron were found, after heating, to have complex networks in which two or three systems of grain boundaries could be detected. It was further noticed that samples that had been polished plane before being placed in the furnace were, after treatment, roughened and undulating over their entire surfaces. From a comparison of the temperature of heat treatment with that of the A3 transformation, it was concluded that the changed appearance of the samples was definitely related to the latter phenomenon. Certain other deductions were made but these are not of importance here and only observations on the appearance of the samples will be reviewed. Ewen2 heated a strip of polished iron in a vacuum in such a way that one end was maintained at a temperature of 1000" C. and the other at 580" C. On the cooler end there was outlined a simple polyhedral network, and at the hotter there appeared the complex systern of lines ant the undulating surface characteristic of iron which has passed through the A3 transformation. He found that in going from the cooler toward thc hotter end the sample maintained much the same character of surface up to the beginning of the transformed area, but that near this region doublc grain boundaries were of frequent occurrence. Rawdon and Scott concluded that the simple type of network brought out by heating a sample of pure iron in a vacuum was of the same type as that developec by ordinary etching methods. They also confirmed the observations of

Jan 1, 1929

By J. C. Sullivan, W. A. Knoll

THE sinking of a new shaft at the Newport mine, Ironwood, Mich., was started in May 1931 and completed on Aug. 3, 1932. During this period, 2665 ft. of shaft in granite was completed, at an average advance of 6 ft. per 24 hr. In November of 1930, experimental work was con- ducted on 65 ft. of shaft through 22 ft. of overburden where ledge was encountered, and this work convinced the operators that all drilling could be done with vertical holes with the blasting relief to a 4%-in. hole drilled vertically in the center of the cut. The reason for not adopting the conventional V-cut was to get away from damaging the shaft steel. The blasting in a V-cut naturally tends to throw the broken material upward, but with the cut as adopted the relief was in a horizontal direction to a large extent. The scheme of mucking employed made it necessary to keep the steel shaft sets within 50 ft. of the bottom at all times. This could not be done without serious damage with a V-cut when blasting in granite. The cut as drilled also broke 10.83 ft. per round of drilling, which was considerably more than the experience with a V-cut in the same material. The extended cut reduced proportionately the delays for charging, blowing smoke and handling drilling equipment in the shaft. Another advantage was the ease in drilling vertical over inclined holes, and the preservation of the proper spacing of the drill holes at the bottom of the cut. DRILLING Air was carried down the shaft in an 8-in. flanged pipe line at a pres- sure ranging from 95 to 100 lb. This line was extended to within 100 ft. of the bottom, where a valve and a 4 by 4 by 6-ft. tee was connected to it. To each side of the tee was connected a nipple and elbow, the resulting span of the two elbows being about 4 ft. Lengths of short 3-in. hoses

Jan 1, 1938

By F. W. Jr. Sperr

THE byproduct coke oven is the most important artificial source of fuels for metals melting. Its products are solid, liquid, and gaseous in form. The amount of coke and primary byproducts obtained per ton of coal varies with the nature of the coal. The following represents the results obtained in many plants: Metallurgical coke (over 3/4 in.) 69 per cent. of coal Domestic coke (1/2 to 3/4 in.) 2 per cent. of coal Breeze (under 1/2 in.) 4 per cent. of coal Surplus gas, cubic feet per net ton 6600 Gas for heating ovens, cubic feet per net ton 4400 Tar, gallons per net ton 9 Ammonium sulfate, pounds per net ton 25 Benzols, gallons per net ton 4 All of these products, except ammonium sulfate, have important fuel value. Part or all of the metallurgical coke may be crushed or screened to furnish additional domestic coke. If producer gas is used, there will be a surplus of 11,000 cu. ft. of coke-oven gas per net ton of coal. The use of coke in the metallurgical industries has been retarded by the mental attitude of writers who disregard the dependence of coke quality on the conditions of its manufacture. Terms like "byproduct coke,"' "beehive coke," "48-hour coke," and "72-hour coke" are only generally descriptive and tell nothing of the coke quality. For example, one writer1 stated that in brass-foundry practice, Connellsville coke is considered much superior to byproduct coke on account of the high sulfur content of the latter. Another2 says, "At equal prices for hard Connellsville coke and for byproduct coke at the foundry door, the hard coke is unquestionably cheaper. It will melt more metal per ton than the byproduct coke and requires less labor, as the byproduct coke is less dense and burns faster, thus requiring more frequent firing." A little study of the conditions under which coke is manufactured will show the error in mak-

Jan 10, 1920

By Oswald J. Heinrich

The serious objections to the Leblanc soda process may be enumerated as follows: 1st. The total loss of sulphur employed, equal to about one-third of soda produced. Various processes have been proposed to regain this sulphur, but none have come into practical operation on a large scale. 2d. The great balk of waste products, equal to nearly twice the amount of soda, which forms a serious annoyance about the works. 3d. The complicated series of operations necessary. 4th. The large amount of labor and fuel required. 5th. The prodoction of noxious gases which necessitate extensive condensing arrangements. 6th. The large capital necessary for the . erection and maintenance of the plant, These objections have long been recognized, and many attempts have been made during the last thirty or forty years, to discover and introduce a cheaper and more direct method for the manufacture of this important staple. The reaction between bicarbonate of ammonia and common salt, whereby bicarbonate of soda, insoluble in a solution of chloride of ammonium, is precipitated, has been closely studied for the last twentyfour years, on account of its simplicity and the purity of the product it affords. This ammonia-soda process is now so far developed, that while it is not in position to entirely replace the Leblanc process, yet it can successfully compete with it where the conditions and localities are favorable. The advantages of the ammonia-soda process may be summed up as follows : 1st. It is independent of the essential agent in the Leblanc process, via., sulphuric acid, and hence can be established in those localities where salt is abundant, and yet where sulphuric acid could not be made, or where it could not be transported profitably. 2d. The ammonia-soda process being a " wet" process, the evaporation of salt brines to obtain the solid salt required in the Leblanc process, is rendered unnecessary. 3d. The direct conversion of chloride of sodium into bicarbonate of soda, which can readily be converted into the maketable monocar-

Jan 1, 1879

By W. H. Howard

As the result of a series of analyses and volume determinations of gases discharged from the converters at the Garfield Smelting Co.'s smelter at Garfield, Utah, it was found that a considerable amount of lead fume was escaping from the stacks of the converter plant, and that if this lead could be recovered at a reasonable expense an attempt should be made to collect it. Two methods suggested themselves: (1) filtration through bags; (2) electrical precipitation of the condensed fume by a Cottrell plant. Filtration through Bags Tests were made in filtering converter gases through the ordinary woolen bags of lead-smelter bag houses to determine how long such material could withstand the corrosive action of the gases. While blowing on white metal only, the fabric was usually destroyed in 10 to 14 hr. In tests conducted in filtering gases when blowing on matte or slagging stage exclusively and when relatively considerable lead was being volatilizcd, bags in one instance lasted 60.5 hr. It therefore was evident that the Garfield converter gases did not contain in themselves sufficient neutralizing elements for the purpose of direct bag filtration, even during the slagging stage. Such results were more or less anticipated, but it was thus proved that under all conditions of blowing Garfield mattes a very considerable amount of neutralizing agent, zinc oxide or lime, or both combined, as in the Sprague process, would be required to render bag filtration possible. Again, owing to the constantly changing quantities of SO3 from a given battery of converters, depending on the number blowing at a given time and on the stages of the blow, it would be practically impossible to feed automatically the required amount of neutralizer. In order to safeguard the bags sufficient neutralizer would have to be continuously added to meet the maximum SO3 output, thus wasting neutralizers and giving an undesirably diluted final product. Such a condition is entirely different

Jan 1, 1915

By Eugene A. Stephenson, Leon J. Pepperberg

The natural gas industry is essentially a byproduct of the oil industry. When first discovered the gas was usually regarded as a nuisance, and even when found immediately associated with oil, or suspected to be so, it was customary to blow it freely into the air, in the hope that gas would shortly be replaced by a flow of oil. The early methods of production,' transportation, and utilization were neither economical nor efficient; the chief value of gas was based on its use as a fuel, with no regard to (1) its effect. upon the oil with which it was associated, (2) its importance as a lifting agent, or (3) to its possibilities for the manufacture of byproducts. The spread of scientific research among major gas and oil companies, manufacturers, and academic groups, has gradually brought recognition of the fact that many of the technical problems bearing on production, transportation and utilization are common to both the gas and the oil industry. A few of the problems that have received serious study, and from which highly gratifying results have been obtained, are: (1) gas measurement, (2) oil well and gas well capacity tests, (3) elimination of field waste, (4) design of pipe lines and compressor stations, (5) extraction of constituents which might interfere with the normal flow of gas through the line, (6) control of reservoir pressure, (7) estimation of reserves of both oil and gas, (8) control of water encroachment, (9) measurement of factors which influence fluid movement through sands, (10) solubility of gases in oils, (11) effect of dissolved gases upon the properties of the solution. These investigations have demonstrated that almost every problem relating to oil production also involves some phase of natural gas engineering. During the past 15 years the use of experimental methods for the discovery and measurement of obscure, influencing factors, which cannot be determined purely by hydrodynamic or thermodynamic analyses, have contributed much towards the progress made in solving the problems of the oil and gas industries. Most of the experimental work on

Jan 1, 1934

By J. G. Savins

Analytical procedures are described for optimizing the selection of a rheological model when it is desired to express the functional relationship between true shearrate and shearing stress in analytical form. The procedures are extended to two principal model categories — "Generalized Newtonian" and "Viscoplastic" models. Graphical examples are presented to illustrate the utility of certain characteristic deriuative functions in distinguishing between these categories and in determining how well a particular model reflects the flow behavior of rheologically anomalous materials in simple shearing flows. INTRODUCTION Modern drilling fluids and fracturing fluids, being chemically complex, are frequently non-Newtonian — a peculiarity which complicates the solution of problems such as designing flowline and process equipment, and predicting laminar-turbulent behavior, solid-suspending ability and cutting-transport efficiency. Therefore, techniques of data analysis which accurately characterize the behavior of rheologically complex materials are needed for the accurate formulation of solutions of these and similar problems. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the application of a sensitive method of rheological data analysis — the dual differentiation-integration method of optimizing the selection of the functional relation between shear rate and shearing stress — to a variety of materials of interest in drilling and production practices. BASIC CONCEPTS THE DIFFERENTIATION METHOD To a first approximation, the viscosity function for a non-Newtonian system can be expressed in a form analogous to Newton's law of viscosity by the following generalization2.3 between the stress On introducing the restrictions that the system is incompressible and the motion is rectilinear, then l = 0 and l3 = 0 ; and with the further restriction that the flow is slip-free, the viscosity (an invariant) is then determined solely by 12. With this approach one can set up a suite of integral equations relating observed kinematical and dynamical parameters for certain types of flow experiments involving simple shearing motion, e.g., flow in a cylindrical tube, flow between rotating concentric cylinders, and flow between fixed parallel surfaces of large aspect ratio. Taken in the order cited, these integral equations are as follows.

By Arthur Notman

(San Francisco Meeting, September, 1915) SACRAMENTO HILL is a mass of granite porphyry intruded along a fault between Paleozoic sediments and pre-Cambrian schists in the Bisbee district, Cochise County, Arizona. The intrusion invaded both walls of the fault to a large extent, and the accompanying extensive mineralization of the Paleozoic limestones is the locus of the great high-grade copper orebodies of the Bisbee mines. Prior to 1909, although the presence of ore in the mass of the hill itself had long been suspected, systematic exploration had not been attempted. A few shallow pits on the surface here and there had disclosed some chalcocite with associated carbonates as stringers in a mass of strongly brecciated, silicified, and iron-stained porphyry. The workings in the surrounding limestones had penetrated the porphyry in a dozen or so places for some distance from the contact but had disclosed no ore. However, the rock had been largely altered to quartz and sericite and very thoroughly impregnated with pyrite and traces of the copper sulphides. A close geological study of the conditions, both surface and underground, strengthened these suspicions, and plans for prospecting the hill were made in 1909. Reference to the accompanying illustrations, Figs. 1 and 2, will give an idea of the general appearance of the surface. The mineralization is more intense in two main zones, one at the west end and the other at the east end of the hill. The outcrop of the hill is elliptical and approximately 3,000 ft. long by 1,400 ft. wide. The Sacramento shaft, which is the main hoisting shaft of the mine and situated at the east end of the hill, as shown by the accompanying map (Fig. 3), offered a convenient base for prospecting that end of the hill, while the workings from the Holbrook shaft offered a similar opportunity at the west end. The choice of level for the first work was determined by analogy with the most favorable depth for enrichment below surface observed in the other disseminated deposits of the Southwest.

Jan 8, 1915

By G. S. Brooks, L. G. Duncan

During the past few years, the Mineral Point Zinc Co. has had under consideration the improvement of various types of gas-filtering apparatus used in the removal of dust from crushing and milling plants, in the manufacture of oxide, and on blast-furnace fume and sintering furnaces. The original equipment of the various plants of the company was, of course, along lines of the standard stationary bag house. These houses required large surfaces, hand shaking, and varied only in the manner of the collection of solids and in the distribution of the gas. , Early in 1908, the first trial of a mechanical bag house was made at Nassau Plant at Depue, Ill. The duty of this installation was on dust-laden gas from a fine-crushing mill. The Printz and Rau bag machine was finally adopted and put into operation. This ingenious machine embodied what were then to us two novel features in bag-house practice: 1. An intermittent crinkling and snapping of the filtering fabric to free the meshes of solids. 2. A reversal of gas flow for a short period by a temporary connection with the suction trunk. This equipment worked fairly well except in cold weather, when we ran into condensation troubles. Had we at that time understood more fully some of the limitations of fabric filtering work, these might well have been remedied. We were impressed by this experience, however, with the efficiency of sudden tension on the fabric under suction. After a study had been made of some of the western blast-furnace houses using the reversal-of-flow feature, experiments were started early in 3 914 with a view to developing an automatic equipment along the best lines of our past experience. The objects sought were: 1. Keeping labor out of the houses for hygienic reasons. 2. Reduction of labor costs. 3. Reduction in size of bag houses. 4. Accessibility. 5. Ability to handle relatively hot gases where required.

Jan 1, 1918

By J. Stubbins

1 1.4-1. Source of Water. Precipitation in the form of rain or snow is the original source of water that enters most surface mines. The precipitation, which does not escape to the atmosphere, either becomes surface run- off or infiltrates into the ground to become ground water (3,4). Evaporation and surface run-off can be measured. The water that infiltrates the ground disappears from view and is more difficult to evaluate. In general, it moves in a pattern similar to the surface run-off, but at a much slower rate, since its progress is impeded by many subsurface conditions. The infiltrating water descends through the soil and rock by whatever passageways permit flow until the water table or top of the zone of saturation is reached. Though usually pictured as a level surface, it is dependent upon the topography and the permeability of the enclosing material, and therefore it can be as erratic and unpredictable as the subsurface geology. Ground water may become surface run-off again at a lower point, and likewise, surface run-off of lakes and streams can infiltrate to become ground water. Should the ground water be confined to a permeable zone overlain by an impermeable barrier, a pressure is created. Such water is said to be artesian if the pressure head is sufficient to raise the confined water to the surface. These conditions are more commonly found in relatively flat-lying bedded formations. 11.4-2. Recognition and Estimation of Water. Dewatering and flood control should be considered by the design engineer at an early stage in all surface mine planning. Recognition of the possible problems, and making allowance for their solution, is an inexpensive precaution. Circumstances which should lead to investigation are: 1. High rainfall 2. Experience of other mines in the area 3. Evidence of water and caving in drill holes 4. Presence of springs and artesian wells 5. Geological evidence of aquifers.

Jan 1, 1968

By Wilbur A. Nelson

In 1839, Gerard Troost,1 the first State Geologist of Tennessee, reported the occurrence of zinc ores in east Tennessee, in connection with the iron ores at Embreeville; in 1844,2 he refers to the zinc deposits of east Tennessee, especially the apparently rich deposits occurring in Jefferson and Claiborne Counties, while his ninth annual report 3 s a description of the zinc deposits of Jefferson County and a description of the most improved processes by which zinc is extracted from its ores. Yet, only during the last few years have these ores been successfully worked. As far as can be learned, prior to the systematic development of the Mascot district in 1911, no large-scale or successful operation of any of the zinc deposits was carried on. But in that year, after several companies had made considerable progress in developing the Mascot area and had proved a relatively extensive body of low-grade sulfide ore, the American Zinc Co. entered the field. It introduced modern methods of prospecting and mining and from the first was successful. Too great credit cannot be given this company for its pioneer work in a previously unimportant field. Throughout the history of its operations, the American Zinc Co. has confined its efforts to underground mining of the sulfide ore, sphalerite. This company has found that successful results in zinc mining in east Tennessee can be achieved only by expending large sums in prospecting and blocking out bodies of pay ore in sufficient magnitude for large-scale operations. At Mascot are located the mines of the American Zinc Co. of Tennessee, the mines being situated along the Southern Railway in the Ilolston River Valley, Knox County, about 13 miles northeast of Knox-ville. At first only open pits, which were worked for oxidized ores, were operated and the production was small. In 1900, the Roseberry Zinc Co. was organized and sank to a depth of 187 ft. what is now known as No. 3 shaft of the American Zinc Co. The upper 30 ft. was in residual clay,

Jan 1, 1925

By Michael D. Martin

Pima Mining Co., managed and 50% owned by Cyprus Mines Corp., with Union Oil of California and Utah Construction and Mining Co. sharing equally in the remaining 50%, is a medium-sized open pit copper mine situated in the very active Twin Buttes mining district, 22 miles southwest of Tucson, Ariz. In 1965, a three-part paper described Pima's growth from 3,000 tpd (tons per day) in 1957 to 18,000 tpd nine years later. Within months of the completion of the last stage of this sixfold expansion, studies were being wound up on a further major expansion, this time to 30,000 tpd. This expansion is now a reality. Details of the enlargement of the crushing and concentrating plant have already been covered in a recent paper, and the present paper will cover pit engineering studies, equipment selection, and current operating practices. Key factors in top management's decision to go ahead with the latest expansion were: (1) a substantial increase in ore reserves coupled with an appreciable decrease in grade, (2) a generally favorable outlook for copper prices, and (3) better than expected performance by mine and mill equipment purchased for the expansion to 18,000 tpd. For the pit design studies, particular attention was paid to pit stability, a problem area at times in the past, and to the location and grades of the final ramp systems. In drawing up the long-term mining schedule, the attitude of the ore, with the higher grade material lying deeper, was a critical factor and considerable stockpiling of lower-grade material in the early years had to be accepted in order to keep the annual grades close to the average of the orebody. The expansion called for major purchases of mine equipment in order to gear up the mine for delivery of 30,000 tpd to the concentrator. In general, equipment chosen was of types already proven at Pima, al- though there were some exceptions to this practice. One of these excep-

Jan 1, 1969

By Dewitt T. Ring

Lack of reliable detailed production figures for earlier years, together with the loose nomenclature in reference to producing horizons and the application of the term "field" without any definite meaning or restriction, has made it impossible to gather statistical data suitable for the Institute's form. In common with all other producing areas in the United States, Ohio has felt severely the economic ills of the entire industry during the past year. With overproduction, not only of crude but also of refined products, going on throughout the country, the price structure as a direct consequence has weakened on Ohio oils. Valuable crude is being sold at a big loss today because producers arc willing to, and do, sell more than the market can absorb. The axe hangs heavy over the heads of Ohio producers, and will until something constructive is done to keep supply in proportion to demand. This not only applies to Ohio but to the entire industry. Production of Pennsylvania grade in Ohio was under 50 per cent proration, which has been in effect since Oct. 1, 1937. Three price cuts since February have lowered the posted price from $1.70 to $1.18, a 30 per cent reduction; other grades were less drastically reduced. Pipeline storage facilities were limited; many producers were faced with the problem of providing their own storage or the risk of ruining their wells. If they wanted to pull and abandon wells, there was no market for junk equipment. Many employees have been cut to half time and in a number of instances their services entirely dispensed with. Summary of Production and Drilling Both oil and gas production in the state during 1938 showed a definite decline over the previous year. (A table showing production by years from 1876 through 1937 was published in Vol. 127 of the Transactions.) The total production of crude oil in the state for 1938 was 3,357,914 bbl., as compared with 3,654,000 bbl. in 1937, a decrease of 7.1 per cent. At

Jan 1, 1939

By Dewitt T. Ring

Lack of reliable detailed production figures for earlier years, together with the loose nomenclature in reference to producing horizons and the application of the term "field" without any definite meaning or restriction, has made it impossible to gather statistical data suitable for the Institute's form. In common with all other producing areas in the United States, Ohio has felt severely the economic ills of the entire industry during the past year. With overproduction, not only of crude but also of refined products, going on throughout the country, the price structure as a direct consequence has weakened on Ohio oils. Valuable crude is being sold at a big loss today because producers arc willing to, and do, sell more than the market can absorb. The axe hangs heavy over the heads of Ohio producers, and will until something constructive is done to keep supply in proportion to demand. This not only applies to Ohio but to the entire industry. Production of Pennsylvania grade in Ohio was under 50 per cent proration, which has been in effect since Oct. 1, 1937. Three price cuts since February have lowered the posted price from $1.70 to $1.18, a 30 per cent reduction; other grades were less drastically reduced. Pipeline storage facilities were limited; many producers were faced with the problem of providing their own storage or the risk of ruining their wells. If they wanted to pull and abandon wells, there was no market for junk equipment. Many employees have been cut to half time and in a number of instances their services entirely dispensed with. Summary of Production and Drilling Both oil and gas production in the state during 1938 showed a definite decline over the previous year. (A table showing production by years from 1876 through 1937 was published in Vol. 127 of the Transactions.) The total production of crude oil in the state for 1938 was 3,357,914 bbl., as compared with 3,654,000 bbl. in 1937, a decrease of 7.1 per cent. At

Jan 1, 1939

By R. W. Smith. Discussion by D. Watson, R. M. Manser

D. Wotson, R. M. Monser (Watten Spring Laboratory, Stevenage, Herts., U. K.) - This is a valuable and interesting paper and will make an important contribution to the development of a general theory of silicate flotation. In particular the dominance of surface reactions which produce fluosilicic acid and its ions has been convincingly demonstrated. In a paper to be published shortly, however, we offer some evidence which is not consistent with the feldspar activation theory proposed by Prof. Smith. This theory, given in Eqs. 17-20, suggests that activation takes place through the exchange of SiF6 ions for OH- at aluminum sites. This results in a negatively charged site facilitating adsorption of RNH3 Firstly, we have determined the flotation response (using the vacuum flotation technique) and the adsorption of dodecylamine on a natural feldspar (albite) and on the same feldspar after washing with perchloric acid at pH3. This pre-treatment was shown to remove surface adjacent aluminum atoms. It was found that although the acid washed feldspar floated much less easily than the untreated sample, the function of fluoride ion - giving activation over the pH range 4-6.5-was preserved. Moreover, the amount of dodecylamine adsorbed either with or without fluoride present is little affected by acid-washing, despite the depression caused by this treatment. This suggests that surface aluminum atoms can be of little importance in the fluoride activation mechanism. Secondly, we have determined the changes in solution concentration of F- and H+ (or OH-) accompanying reaction of the surface with fluoride ion. The ratio of H+ lost from solution to F- lost is high, ranging from 6.9 at pH4 to 1.0 at pH 7.5. This is consistent with reaction of HF (6 molecules for every Si removed) at the surface, producing SiFi-ions, but not with the re-adsorption of these ions.

Jan 1, 1967

By Oswald J. Heinrich

THE serious objections to the Leblanc soda process may be enumerated as follows : 1st. The total loss of sulphur employed, equal to about one-third of soda produced. Various processes have been proposed to regain this sulphur, but none have come into practical operation on a large scale. 2d. The great bulk of waste products, equal to nearly twice the amount of soda, which forms a serious annoyance about the works. 3d. The complicated series of operations necessary. 4th. The large amount of labor and fuel required. 5th. The production of noxious gases which necessitate extensive condensing arrangements. 6th. The large capital necessary for the erection and maintenance of the plant. These objections have long been recognized, and many attempts have been made during the last thirty or forty years, to discover and introduce a cheaper and more direct method for the manufacture of this important staple. The reaction between bicarbonate of ammonia and common salt, whereby bicarbonate of soda, insoluble in a solution of chloride of ammonium, is precipitated, has been closely studied for the last twenty-four years, on account of its simplicity and the purity of the product it affords. This ammonia-soda process is now so far developed, that while it is not .in position to entirely replace the Leblanc process, yet it can successfully compete with it where the conditions and localities are favorable. The advantages of the ammonia-soda process may be summed up as follows : 1st. It is independent of the essential agent in the Leblanc process, viz., sulphuric acid, and hence can be established in those localities where salt is abundant, and yet where sulphuric acid could not be made, or where it could not be transported profitably. 2d. The ammonia-soda process being a " wet" process, the evaporation of salt brines to obtain the solid salt required in the Leblanc process, is rendered unnecessary. 3d. The direct conversion of chloride of sodium into bicarbonate of soda, which can readily be converted into the maketable monocar-

Jan 1, 1879

By Charles Legrand

IN many iron, coal and copper mines where large tonnages are known before starting operation and proper provisions can be made, the problems of electric traction by trolley locomotives are not very different from those of surface plants. In such installations the gauge of the track, the radius of curves, and the clearances, both vertical and horizontal, can be made to suit the conditions of the traffic. It is more difficult to install electric traction in mines which were started with hand tramming and where no consideration was given to the possibility of mechanical traction being used. The writer having had some experience in the installation of electric traction in copper mines, the following remarks apply more particularly to these mines. With the gauge of track usually 18 or 20 in., the weight limit of locomotives obtainable from manufacturers in this country varies from 3 . to 6 tons. The full-load speed varies from 42 to 6 miles per hour. These locomotives, being made to run on very small radius curves, have a short wheel base and a long overhang from axle to coupling, which necessitates a coupling with a good deal of lateral motion to avoid derailing the cars on sharp curves, especially if couplings are of the standard railroad automatic type. Although, 3-ton locomotives will run on 12- or 16-.1b. rails, it has been found more satisfactory to use 25-lb. rails, as the track keeps in much better shape, it is easier to maintain the bonding in good order, and fewer derailments from dirt on the track occur with the larger rails. Where 6-ton locomotives are used the 25-1b. rails are satisfactory, but 40-lb: rails have proved cheaper where the traffic is heavy and the ground is soft, as the track maintenance is considerably lower with the heavy rails. The locomotives will run on 15-ft. radius curves, but on through runs it is advisable not to go below 40-ft. radius.

Jan 2, 1914