Search Documents

By H. M. Rutherford

The reflection method in seismic prospecting has aroused much interest in the past few years. The purpose of the present paper is to present the method of reflections in the mapping of geologic structure and also to give some indication of its limitations. The reflection method is well adapted to the mapping of geologic structure in the Mid-Continent fields, and has been found most useful there. The refraction method is ideally suited to the finding of structures, such as domes, where the amount of relief is very large. This explains the brilliant success of the refraction method in the Gulf Coastal region of Texas and Louisiana. The additional fact that salt has a much higher velocity than the surrounding sediments made their discovery much easier. By the use of the reflection method, differences of relief of 25 to 50 ft. to the mile may be detected at a depth of 5000 ft., and the depth points accurately plotted on a map. This is hardly possible by the use of the refraction method. The reflection method has been in almost continuous use in the Mid-Continent area since 1926, but very little, if anything, has been published until recently'(7) † regarding either the method or the results. The discovery of several oil fields is now attributed to the use of the reflection method. Reflection methods have been used by the Germans to find the thickness of the ice of several glaciers. (2,8) The depths there considered were of the order of only a few hundred feet. For the method to be of any practical value in this country, it must be able to work to depths of several thousand feet. As was indicated above, this is now possible, though there are many problems connected with the reflection method yet to be solved. The refraction method requires that the shooting be done over long ranges. It was necessary, for example, to take distances out to several miles in order to penetrate some five thousand feet. Naturally this uses a good deal of dynamite. In the reflection method the distances are much shorter and the amounts of dynamite are much smaller, within limits which will be noted below. The chief distinction between refraction and reflection methods is to be found in the analysis of the seismo-gram. Refraction shooting makes use of only the first arrival of energy

Jan 1, 1934

INTRODUCTION In the preceding chapters we have discussed the various elements of mineral economic analysis, their interrelationships, and the most accepted and advanced techniques by which these elements are manipulated to provide the decision maker quantitative measurements for judging alternate investment opportunities. Regardless of how carefully the economic evaluation is made, and how comprehensive the study of economic parameters has been, uncertainty still remains a significant factor in the outcome of the analysis. The investor or money manager is acutely aware of the uncertainty factor. Many of the economic parameters are functions of economic forecasts and value estimates that can- not be known with any degree of certainty. The postulated DCF-ROR is based upon certain estimates representing "best guess" values, and a single point parameter DCF-ROR analysis represents a combination of "best guesses." The wise decision maker looks at such an analysis and asks the "what if" questions. What if the production cost is 10% higher than the estimate? What if there is an overrun in construction costs? What if the mineral price falls lower than expected? What will be the effect of a higher royalty rate? Many more such questions may arise in trying to assess the total risk involved in funding a mineral project. Prior to the advent of the computer it was difficult to answer all such anticipated questions because of the many laborious calculations involved. Now, with the aid of the computer, most of these questions can be answered by the analyst at the same time the original computations are made by using the process of sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis shows the effect of critical parameter changes upon the DCF-ROR or other profitability measure. When probability of occurrence can be associated with the various parameter value levels, sensitivity analysis becomes probabilistic analysis, and the risk factor can be quantitized in terms of total probability. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS The determination of the sensitivity of the profitability index (usually the DCF-ROR) to changes in the various economic parameters, taking them one at a time, is called sensitivity analysis. The analysis may be performed for any number of parameters involved in the DCF-ROR computation. Generally, in mineral evaluations the most sensitive and most tested parameters are: the metal or mineral price, the operating cost, the annual production grade, and the initial capital invest-

Jan 1, 1980

By G. F. Tagg

In an earlier paper1, the author described a method of interpreting earth-resistivity curves, based on the theoretical investigation of a single horizontal underlying stratum. If the four-electrode system of Wenner is employed, the resistivity in a homogeneous soil is given by the formula where a is the electrode separation and R is the resistance of the earth between the two inner electrodes. If the earth is not perfectly homogeneous, the application of this formula gives an apparent specific resistance varying with the electrode separation. In the special case of the single horizontal underlying stratum, there is a surface layer of thickness h and resistivity p1 and a lower layer, extending to infinity, of resistivity pz. It has been shown by Lancaster-Jones2 that the apparent resistivity obtained by an application of equation 1 is related to the true resistivities, the depth h and the electrode separation a by an expression of the formhere pa is the apparent resistivity and F is a function (actually an infinite series), of the ratio h/a, and a reflection coefficient k = (p2 — p1)/(p2 + p1). For given values of h/a and k, the right-hand side of equation 2 can be calculated, and curves drawn showing the relationship between pa/p1, h/a and k. Such a set of curves for the case when p1 > p2 is given in Fig. 1. When pl is less than pz it is more convenient to use conductivity instead of resistivity. Hence, if oa = the apparent conductivity = lip, and a1 = the conductivity of the upper layer = l/pl, it follows that GeophyGical prospecting by earth-resistivity methods is frequently applied to investigation of structural problems in geology. Fig. 1 indicates a scheme of the general arrangement used in these methods of measurements. The battery (or generator) E is connected with two "current electrodes" I1 and I2. The current of intensity J, supplied by this battery, passes through the earth between these elcc- trodes. A potential difference U will be measured between two other electrodes V1 and Vz, called "potential electrodes." According to the configuration of electrodes (Fig. I), the resistivity of a homogeneous soil results from the formula

Jan 1, 1940

By G. F. Tagg

In an earlier paper1, the author described a method of interpreting earth-resistivity curves, based on the theoretical investigation of a single horizontal underlying stratum. If the four-electrode system of Wenner is employed, the resistivity in a homogeneous soil is given by the formula where a is the electrode separation and R is the resistance of the earth between the two inner electrodes. If the earth is not perfectly homogeneous, the application of this formula gives an apparent specific resistance varying with the electrode separation. In the special case of the single horizontal underlying stratum, there is a surface layer of thickness h and resistivity p1 and a lower layer, extending to infinity, of resistivity pz. It has been shown by Lancaster-Jones2 that the apparent resistivity obtained by an application of equation 1 is related to the true resistivities, the depth h and the electrode separation a by an expression of the formhere pa is the apparent resistivity and F is a function (actually an infinite series), of the ratio h/a, and a reflection coefficient k = (p2 — p1)/(p2 + p1). For given values of h/a and k, the right-hand side of equation 2 can be calculated, and curves drawn showing the relationship between pa/p1, h/a and k. Such a set of curves for the case when p1 > p2 is given in Fig. 1. When pl is less than pz it is more convenient to use conductivity instead of resistivity. Hence, if oa = the apparent conductivity = lip, and a1 = the conductivity of the upper layer = l/pl, it follows that GeophyGical prospecting by earth-resistivity methods is frequently applied to investigation of structural problems in geology. Fig. 1 indicates a scheme of the general arrangement used in these methods of measurements. The battery (or generator) E is connected with two "current electrodes" I1 and I2. The current of intensity J, supplied by this battery, passes through the earth between these elcc- trodes. A potential difference U will be measured between two other electrodes V1 and Vz, called "potential electrodes." According to the configuration of electrodes (Fig. I), the resistivity of a homogeneous soil results from the formula

Jan 1, 1940

By Ernest Gayford

THIS is a nontechnical paper on flotation, subdivided under three general headings: (1) Definition of flotation; (2) what flotation is now doing in Utah; and (3) what is the future of flotation? . DEFINITION T. A. Rickard defines flotation1 as "the act or state of floating," from the French flottaison, water-line and fitter, to float. The dictionary defines flotation as "the science of floating bodies." The flotation process is a method of concentrating ores by frothing. Weinig and Palmer 2 define flotation as follows: What is the flotation process? Briefly, it consists in the agitation of finely divided ore in water containing bubbles of air or gas, a small amount of oil and, usually, other reagents, soluble and insoluble; under these conditions the small parti- cles of native metals, sulfides, arsenides, antimonides, selenides and tellurides show a tendency to attach themselves to the 6lms of the bubbles, and are thus carried to the surface of the water. The oxidized gangue minerals, such as quartz, feldspar, limestone, hematite, etc., show much less affinity for the bubbles, are easily wetted by the water, and either remain in suspension in the water, or sink to the bottom of the vessel. If the bubbles are sufficiently stable they can be removed, carrying their load of sulfide-mineral particles with them. Thus there can be effected a separation of the two classes of minerals from each other, assuming that the grinding has been sufficient to unlock all of the particles of different composition. The separation does not depend upon differences in specific gravity of the various minerals; in fact, the sulfides are usually heavier than the oxides, and some of the heaviest sulfide minerals are the easiest to float. A particle of mineral may be so large, however, that its weight will counteract its affinity for the film of the bubble. In most cases the ore must be fine enough to pass a screen having at least 48 meshes to the linear inch. Taggart defines flotation as follows : Flotation is a method of wet concentration of ores in which separation of mineral from gangue is effected by causing the mineral to float at or above the surface of a body of liquid pulp while the gangue becomes or remains submerged. The method

Jan 1, 1928

By E. L. Estabrook

THE production of crude oil in Wyoming rose to 44,290,010 bbl. in 1923 and declined, during 1924, to 39,295,030 bbl., a decrease of about 11 per cent. The Salt Creek field supplies 75 to 80 per cent. of the production. Pipeline runs from the Salt Creek field reached a maximum in November, 1923, at a daily average for the month of 116,437 barrels. During 1924, the gas pressure in Salt Creek has declined rapidly and the production dropped to about 60,000 bbl. per day. Part of 'the decline during the last few months was due to lack of power to pump the wells. The electric-power plant of the Midwest Refining Co. did not begin to deliver current until the middle of December, by which time several hundred wells were off production. The cold snap in December, which brought, the temperature down to 30° below zero on the 17th, tied up operations almost completely and the average production for the month was only 49,545 barrels. As more wells are being pumped and the number of dead wells reduced, the production is rising and was up to 61,000 bbl. during the last week of January. A further increase is expected as the weather becomes warmer. The production of Salt Creek, by months, during 1924 is given in Table 1. TABLE 1.-Total Monthly Production, Average Daily Production and Number of Producing Wells in Salt Creek during 1924 TOTAL PRODUCTION, DAILY AVERAGE, NUMBER OF MONTH BARRELS BARRELS WELLS January 3,523,647.40 113,666.05 919 February 3,074,916.67 106,031.61 929 March 2,977,095.14 96,035.32 950 April 2,811,110.22 93,703.67 987 May 2,858,842.04 92,220.71 1,024 June 2,649,752.57 88,325,09 1,092 July : 2,697,829.36 87,026.75 1,153 August 2,624,371.84 84,657.15 1,213 September 2,281,219.04 76,040.64 1,274 October 2,073,961.42 67,000.84 1,313 November 1,722,050.09 57,401.67 ~ 1,335 December 1,535,903.78 49,545.28 1,352 Total 30,831,699.57 84,239.61 1,352

Jan 3, 1925

By Albert Sauveur

SOME writers believe that when austenite transforms completely into pearlite on slow cooling through the thermal critical range, such transformation does not imply the formation of any of the so-called transition constituents: martensite, troostite and sorbite. Might it not be claimed with as much justification that when water freezes it does so suddenly, solid ice being obtained without passing through the intermediate stages of ice and water? Obviously, regardless of the speed of solidification, this would be erroneous. Before reaching the completed solid condition, this must of necessity pass through an unbroken series of stages when the system consists of mixtures of water and of ice, the former decreasing and the latter increasing in amount. Are not these "transition" stages in the freezing of water similar to the transition stages occurring in the transformation of austenite into pearlite? To clarify, let us consider in Fig. 1 the mechanism of the transformation of eutectoid steel from its austenitic to its pearlitic condition as it cools slowly through its thermal critical range. It is generally admitted that this transformation is the result of two distinct phenomena: (1) the allotropic change of gamma iron into alpha iron and (2) the crystallizing out of solution of the carbide Fe3C. Whether this crystallizing of Fe3C implies also its formation is immaterial for our purpose. In other words, whether it is the carbon in atomic dispersion which is present in gamma iron or molecules of Fe3C has no bearing upon the matter to be discussed. The transformation of gamma iron into alpha iron cannot take place suddenly. It must of necessity be progressive, regardless of the speed with which it may take place. At A, for instance, there would be present AB gamma iron and BC alpha iron. The distance MN does not refer to falling temperature, but to the passage of time. It may be assumed that the transformation takes place at a constant temperature (the Ar321 point). In a similar way, the crystallization of Fe3C out of the austenite solid solution must be progressive as depicted between M and N. At A there would be present AB gamma iron, BC alpha iron, CD carbon dissolved in gamma and in alpha iron and DE Fe3C. This condition may be described according to individual preference as martensite or troostite. To sum up, can the metal pass from condition

Jan 1, 1931

By J. Parke Channing

We are accustomed to think that we are efficient in the United States, particularly with respect to such things as mining and manufacturing. The conduct of the war has demanded in England and in France a complete readjustment of manufacturing methods and plans, and today England, is probably as efficient a country as there is in the world, not even excepting Germany. This is all the more remarkable because it has been notorious for years that England has been inefficient in her manufacturing and the country has been flooded with things "Made in Germany.'' Today England is almost a socialistic community and the State is doing almost everything. England is now in such a position that practically everyone in the country is engaged in industry necessary for the conduct of the war, and this has been accomplished by increasing the efficiency both of her tools and of her man power. In the United States we certainly have been efficient so far as machines and perhaps so far as methods have been concerned, but we have not been efficient in the utilization of our man power. Before the war, our labor was undoubtedly far more efficient than that of England, but it certainly was not so highly efficient as it should have been, and the problem that confronts us today, and will all the more confront us after the war, is to make our man power efficient. England has had a taste of what you may call State Socialism, and her laboring men are not going to be content to return to the old order of things. There is one feature of the labor problem in England which has permitted her to reach this condition of state socialism with comparative rapidity; this is that practically all of her laborers are English; she has little or no foreign population. While an Englishman may be a strong union man and ready to fight his employer tooth and nail, at heart he is still a British subject, and when his country was in danger he rose to the occasion. In the United States we have such an admixture of unassimilated foreigners that the problem is more difficult, and as yet we have not been brought to that point of stress which has arrived in England. But if

Jan 1, 1919

E. G. WOODRUFF, Houston, Tex. (communication to the Secretary*). -Mr. Matteson has presented to us an idea worthy of our careful consideration. We have real troubles in the petroleum industry and as the supply of crude is exhausted our problems become more complicated and more numerous. Therefore, we who are engaged in field work are forced to consider all possible means which promise assistance in the location of prospective pools and the economic development of pools already located. In our country we are accustomed to turn to the. Government for relief in all our troubles. Do we want an Oil and Gas Bureau doctoring us? Will such a bureau do us practical good? The principal point Mr. Matteson suggests is that such a bureau should he authorized to receive and file all well logs. In analyzing such function, I am led to the following conclusions: If well logs are simply to be filed they would be useless. If they are to be filed and the files opened to the public, what benefit will be derived and can such action be taken justly? There is no doubt that if the record of all wells drilled in the United States were available the petroleum industry would be saved an immense amount of needless expense. Accumulating conditions would be better understood and prospecting more intelligently directed. Our other consideration is: can the oil companies be required to open well records to the public justly? I think all will agree that if any one should have the advantage of a well record it should be the company that drilled the well. If the oil companies are forced to file such record and open the files to the public, the company drilling the well cannot derive the exclusive benefit from the money expended. Would it be just for a small company to be compelled to reveal its records of a well it had recently completed, to its strong competitor who holds near or even adjacent leases? Would it have been just to the successful companies, in the Gulf Coast country to have been forced to display their hard-earned knowledge of 15 years to the host of younger competitors who have recently flocked to the Gulf Coast attracted by the success of those who have labored so long and learned of the conditions controlling the fields through the hazards of the industry.

Jan 10, 1917

By H. H. Reamer, B. H. Sage

An experimental investigation was conducted upon five different paired samples of oil and gas from a field in Louisiana. The study, with each pair of samples, included the measurement of the formation volume and the volume of the liquid phase for three mixtures of the oil and gas. The gas-oil ratio varied from approximately 200 to over 40,000 cu ft per bbl and measurements were made at temperatures between 40" and 250°F. The gravity of the tank oil for the five samples under investigation varied between 38.0" and 55.8" API. The composition of the oil and gas samples and their mixtures is submitted 'References given at end of paper. Manuscript received at the office of the Petroleum Branch February 21, 1950. in tabular form. A number of diagrams depicting the effect of temperature and gas-oil ratio upon retrograde dew-point pressure are presented. INTRODUCTION During the past two decades a fairly large number of investigations were made of the volumetric behavior of naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures. The earlier work of Beecher and Park-hurst' and a more recent report on samples from Dominguez Field2 are typical of research of this nature. Such studies have been used in estimating the volumetric behavior of fluids in producing fields other than those from which samples were taken. Progress has been made3.4.5 in correlating the influence of pressure, temperature, and composition upon the specific and formation volume of hydrocarbon mixtures of relatively low gas-oil ratios, but attempts to extend this correlation to higher ratios have not been particularly successful. The influence of composition upon the volumetric behavior of such systems cannot be simply related to a single parameter such as gas-oil ratio. In order to aid in the extension of the correlation of the volumetric behavior of mixtures of oil and gas to higher ratios, a rather complete study was made of five different pairs of samples from a Louisiana field. The complexity of the influence of composition upon the volumetric and phase behavior of such systems in the regions of retrograde condensation was indicated by earlier Work,6,7,8,9,10 and it is doubtful if simple correlations can be established in these regions with the information currently available. The terminology employed in this paper is identical to that utilized earlier."

Jan 1, 1950

By R. Kossowsky

BRIDGMAN has listed five possible transitions in bismuth at 25°C which were observed as volume changes. He was unable however to detect the last three transitions by electrical-resistivity changes. Kennedy and LaMori have verified the pressures at the Bi 1-11 and Bi 11-111 transitions. They suggested however that the 125-kbar transition previously reported by Bundy3 actually corresponds to the 90,000 kg per sq cm transition observed by Bridgman.1 Jura4 reported a well-defined drop in resistivity at 92 kbar obtained by a four-lead method. The Bi 111-IV and Bi IV-V transitions have not been reported in any of the above-mentioned references.'-' Bundy3 observed a small dent in the low-temperature boundary of the Bi Vll region which is consistent with the presence of a 111-IV boundary. Zeitlin and Bray-man5 were the only ones to report small but well-defined drops in resistance of bismuth at 44.0 and 63.8 kbar, corresponding to Bridgman's 111-IV and IV-V transitions, respectively. High-purity (99.99 pct) 0.020-in.-diam 0.5-in.-long bismuth wire was used to calibrate the Uniram tetra-hedral high-pressure apparatus used in the present work. The bismuth phase changes at 25°C were correlated with changes in electrical resistance as a function of pressure. The output of a sensitive bridge constructed of carbon resistors and kept at a constant temperature of ±°C during the measurements was fed to the Y axis of a MoseleyX-Y recorder and the X axis was used for time scans. Specimens were pressurized using a hydraulic press with maximum capacity of 200,000 lb. Load was applied in increments of 2000 lb and held for about 3 min. The resistance was recorded at the end of this time period. Good contact was established below 20,000 lb. Typical recorder charts are reproduced in Figs. 1 and 2 which show that resistance fluctuations were practically nil during each time scan. Well-defined discontinuities in resistance were observed at 58,000 and 82,000 lb, Fig. 1. Two small but definite "blips" are noticed at 92,000 and 122,000 lb, Fig. 2. At 156,000 lb another drop is observed which

Jan 1, 1967

By H. M. Howe

(Read at. the Lake George Meeting, October, 1878.) MANY direct processes have been proposed for the treatment of oxidized ores of copper by reducing the copper oxide to the metallic state, and by separating it from its impurities by a subsequent fusion. The radical objection common to all the methods which have come to my notice, except those in which sulphur plays the prominent part, is that the very deoxidizing agent which effects the reduction of the copper oxide, inevitably reduces at the same time a very considerable part, if not the whole, of the iron which almost invariably accompanies copper in its ores. The result is that, when the ore is subsequently fused, a very great quantity of the already reduced iron separates from the slag along with the copper, alloying with it, and necessitating costly subsequent operations for its separation. Thus, at Perm, in the Urals,* the product of the fusion of ferruginous copper oxides is a mixture of one hundred and fifty-five parts of highly cupriferous pig iron with two hundred and five parts of very impure and ferruginous black copper, containing some 10 per cent. of carbon and iron, though free from sulphur, and of course very difficult to refine. If, in order to avoid this reduction of iron to the metallic state, the reducing action be made feebler, it inevitably results that a considerable part of the copper as well escapes deoxidation ; and, consequently, the slags are so rich that it becomes necessary to treat them subsequently in order to recover the copper which they contain. Thus, in treating native copper, at Lake Superior, where the reducing action is purposely made feeble in order to prevent the deoxidation of the iron, the slags from the first fusion of the ore carry so much copper as to render it imperative to treat them again, which is done in a cupola. And yet, in spite of so far weakening the reducing action as to cause a notable slagging of the copper, a very considerable reduction of iron actually takes place. These are the two dangers which threaten the smelter of oxidized copper ores. If he wishes to avoid slagging his copper, he must have so strong a deoxidizing action as to reduce a great deal of his * Rivot, Prineipes Généraux du Traitement des Minerais Métalliques, i, p. 79.

Jan 1, 1879

By Pieter W. Greeff, Graeme W. Mitchell

INTRODUCTION This paper describes the underground environmental planning parameters developed for Pancontinental Mining Limited's Jabiluka uranium deposit. The deposit is located 230 km east of Darwin in the Alligator Rivers region of the Northern Territory, Australia. The deposit is situated within land subject to an Aboriginal land claim, adjacent to a National Park and within a proposed extension to that National Park, as well as being close to a long- established Aboriginal reserve. In addition, being the first large underground uranium mine planned in Australia, the environmental considerations, both on surface and underground are considerable. Pancontinental is committed to the highest practicable standard of environmental management in the operation of the mine. In addition, Government regulations and requirements are particularly stringent by world standards. The underground environmental problems are discussed later in the paper with emphasis placed upon radiation aspects, both gamma and radon daughters, and dust. Consideration has also been given to heat and humidity due to the location of the deposit in a sub-tropical region 12° south of the equator. The paper explains how these environmental factors influence the design and selection of stoping methods. GEOLOGY AND ORE RESERVES The Jabiluka Two orebody is completely overlain by flat-bedded Kombolgie Sandstone with a thin layer of surficial colluvial sands. The orebody occurs in an east-west striking folded succession of Lower Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Cahill Formation. Uraninite and pitchblende constitute essentially all the uranium mineralisation and are contained in the four lithological series, as shown in Fig. 1. - ,Upper Graphite Series - Main Mine Series - Lower Mine Series 1 - Lower Mine Series 2 The succession at Jabiluka has been folded and forms an east-south-east striking, asymmetric syncline-anticline which dips south and plunges to the east. A major fault bisects Jabiluka Tw8 having a north-south trend and dipping about 80 to the west. A near vertical tourmaline granitic pegmatite dyke up to 30 m in thickness has intruded the Jabiluka Two orebody at the western end. Current drilled ore reserves for Jabiluka Two are 52.0 million tonnes at 0.39% U308. Included in these reserves are 1.1 million tonnes of gold ore at 10.7 g/tonne. A large proportion of the orebody can be mined in thick sections (over 80% of tonnage) either as single sections or by bulking a number of thin sections which are close together.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. R. Elsea, C. C. McBride

HIGH-TEMPERATURE alloys, that is, alloys that are strong at high temperatures, have become increasingly important with the development of modern aircraft engines. Many alloys of this type are available. However, metallurgists do not have a clear understanding of the phases or structures which are responsible for these high-temperature properties. If these basic factors were understood, it might be possible to make better or cheaper alloys for service at high temperatures. For this reason, an investigation of the fundamental factors promoting high-temperature strength in alloys was started at Battelle Memorial Institute. This was to have included a study of the relationship between the structure and properties of cobalt-chromium base alloys of the vitallium type. It soon became clear that the structure of vitallium is quite complex and that the equilibrium diagrams which should explain these structures were unreliable. As a result, the cobalt-chromium binary diagram was determined as the first phase of this investigation1. This diagram is shown in fig. 1. During the study of the cobalt-chromium binary system, it was learned that these alloys may pick up considerable nitrogen when melted and heat treated in air. The extent to which nitrogen affects the various reactions in cobalt-chromium base alloys was not known, but there were indications that this impurity might be responsible for some of the erratic test results obtained for vitallium. Consequently, nitrogen was the first ternary addition studied. Thereafter the work was extended to ternary additions of iron and of nickel. This paper describes the investigation of the effects of nitrogen, iron, and nickel upon the reactions in cobalt-chromium alloys with 80:20 and 68:32 cobalt-chromium ratios. Experimental Work Alloy Preparation: A series of cobalt-chromium base alloys containing various amounts of the third element being studied were made for both the 80:20 and the 68:32 cobalt-chromium ratios. Electrolytic chromium, cobalt, and iron, and reagent-grade nickel powder were used as melting stock. Table I contains the chemical analyses of these materials. The charges were melted in alun-dum thimble crucibles which absorbed chromium oxide and effectively deoxidized the melts. These crucibles were supported by close-fitting graphite sleeves so that if they cracked during melting the metal would not be lost. Carbon increases, during

Jan 1, 1951

By H. M. Rutherford

THE reflection method in seismic prospecting has aroused much interest in the past few years. The purpose of the present paper is .to present the method of reflections in the mapping of geologic structure and also to give some indication of its limitations. The reflection method is well adapted to the mapping of geologic structure in the Mid-Continent fields, and has been found most useful there. The refraction method is ideally suited to the finding of structures, such as domes, where the amount of relief is very large. This explains the brilliant success of the refraction method in the Gulf Coastal region of Texas and Louisiana. The additional fact that salt has a much higher velocity than the sur-rounding sediments made their discovery much easier. By the use of the reflection method, differences of relief of 25 to 50 ft. to the mile may be detected at a depth of 5000 ft., and the depth points accurately plotted on a map. This is hardly possible by the use of the refraction method. The reflection method has been in almost continuous use in the Mid-Continent area since 1926, but very little, if anything, has been published until recently(7) ? regarding either the method or the results. The dis-covery of several oil fields is now attributed to the use of the reflec-tion method. Reflection methods have been used by the Germans to find the thick-ness of the ice of several glaciers. (2,8) The depths there considered were of the order of only a few hundred feet. For the method to be of any practical value in this country, it must be able to work to depths of several thousand feet. As was indicated above, this is now possible, though there are many problems connected with the reflection method yet to be solved. The refraction method requires that the shooting be done over long ranges. It was necessary, for example, to take distances out to several miles in order to penetrate some five thousand feet. Naturally this uses a good deal of dynamite. In the reflection method the distances are much shorter and the amounts of dynamite are much smaller, within limits which will be noted below. The chief distinction between refrac-tion and reflection methods is to be found in the analysis of the seismo-gram. Refraction shooting makes use of only the first arrival of energy

Jan 1, 1932

By T. S. Washburn

Deoxidation is one of the most complex metallurgical operations in the basic open-hearth process. The necessity for deoxidation arises from the fact that the refining operations that precede it require the oxidation of the steel bath. when the refining is completed and the desired composition of the bath has been obtained with respect to the elements subject to control by 'oxidation. there is usually an excess of oxygen present in the bath from the standpoint of the amount desired in the finished steel. The objectives of deoxidation are to control the amount and type of oxides and, although not directly ilnp1it.d by the term or always considered as a Part of the process, to control the amounts of gases such as hydrogen or nitrogen that will be present in the finished steel. There are other aspects to be consideretl in connection with deoxidizing procedures. In addition to the primary objectives of oxide and gas control. the composition of the steel is affected by the elements introduced during the deoxidizing process. Factors in furnace operations are likewise involved, such as slag composition, temperature control. arid heat time. .ill of these should be considered in establishing the most satisfactory deoxidizing procedure for each grade of steel. The purpose of this paper is to outline the objectives of deoxidation as related to steel characteristics, and to summarize the factors in furnace practice and the economic aspects to be considered in connection with deoxidation procedures. Objectives of Deoxidation The primary objectives of deoxidation are the formation and elimination of oxides. The amount of oxygen present in the bath prior to deoxidation is an important factor, since it is the basis of any deoxidation procedure. The oxygen content of the bath is primarily a function of the carbon content, although it is affected also by the temperature, the oxidation of the slag, and transient conditions within the furnace. The relation of oxygen to carbon in the bath is shown in Table I. Table I shows that under actual operating conditions, the amount of oxygen present in the bath is higher than the theoretical amount. This relation would be expected, since the bath is in a state of metastablc equilibrium during the period that the carbon is being eliminated. The most important feature demonstrated by this table, however, is the rapid increase

Jan 1, 1945

By A. Chakravarti, C. C. Harris

First-order kinetics adequately describe the recovery of a single floatable species. The conditions under which cell behazior can be simulated by a single-phase model are discussed; deviations from the multiphase model are accountable. The rate coefficient depends upon operating conditions besides particle size and mineralogy and the physicochemical properties of the pulp constituents. The model for a real flotation system combines the first -order, single-phase model with a distribution of noninteracting species. Methods for determining the distributions are discussed. Applications of the procedure to flotation studies are outlined. The mathematical description of flotation as a rate process can be traced to Garcia1 who reported cases in which the fraction of solid remaining in a cell in semi-batch operation, F (for Notation used throughout, see Table l), decays exponentially with experimental time T. F = e-k>r. (1 The differential equation leading to Eq. 1 is dF ----= -k,F (2) dT which is recognized as the algebraic analog of the chemical kinetics first-order reaction equation.' This has led to suggested mechanisms for flotation and mathematical relationships other than first order: with very little foundation other than analogy. The flotation rate coefficient kl can be accounted for as the product of several probabilities concerning bub-ble-particle attachment and detachment, aggregate entry from pulp into froth and return from froth to pulp, and removal from froth as concentrate. These factors clearly contribute to the magnitude of the overall flotation rate, and there are others also, but describing flotation merely as the overall probability of consecutive gross events hardly appears a significant advance in understanding. More recently, it has been described in terms of a stochastic process, which promises to provide a more satisfactory approach? The present paper will be more concerned with a phenomeno-logical description of the flotation process than with an account of the internal mechanics of the process. This is not a statement of priorities, or a judgement of the relative importance of these options but rather an assessment of what is presently possible. Previous investigators'" have developed methods for interpreting semi-batch flotation data in terms of species distribution. These methods have been used in an attempt to explain flotation behavior in response to changes in operating conditions." Inspection of examples given in the literature" reveals discrepancies between theory and experiment, and data obtained in the Colum-

Jan 1, 1971

By F. J. Martin, W. G. Hubler

The Beattie mine is at about the center of Duparquet township in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It is 22 miles northwest of the town of Noranda. The elevation is approximately 1200 ft. above sea level. This locality, long considered a favorable one from the geological point of view, has been prospected for over 20 years, but no discoveries of economic importance were made until the present orebody was found by John Beattie in 1930. The specific gravity of the ore is 2.77. The gold occurs in intimate association with the sulfides, pyrite and arsenopyrite, which in turn are very finely disseminated in a silicified porphyry. The bulk of the gold is associated with the pyrite, only a small proportion being with the arsenopyrite. There are small amounts of magnetite, ilmenite and chalcopyrite present in the ore. There is also some hematite in the ore that is mined from near the surface in the open pit. Metallurgical Problems and Methods or Attack 1. The ore is extremely hard and resistant to grinding. 2. The sulfide minerals are finely disseminated in the gangue. 3. The gold, in turn, is so intimately associated with the sulfides that grinding to even 5 microns will not release all of the values for cyanidation. 4. It is necessary to make a high ratio of concentration in order to obtain a product sufficiently high in gold to meet high shipping and treatment charges. Hardness of the Ore.—Owing to the extreme resistance of the ore to grinding, it was recognized that grinding costs would be high. Microscopic tests showed that grinding to 95 per cent minus 325 mesh would be necessary to liberate a sufficient amount of the values in order to obtain a tailing assaying 0.02 oz. gold per ton, which is considered to have the economical minimum gold content that can be obtained. It is not feasible to grind this hard low-grade ore (0.18 to 0.20 oz.) to 95 per cent minus 325 mesh, so it was necessary to overcome the problem in another way. The following method was decided upon: (1) Fine crushing to minus 1/4 in.; (2) relatively coarse primary grinding; flotation of low-grade concentrates in the primary and rougher circuits and discarding the

Jan 1, 1935

By Albert Sauveur

Some writers believe that when austenite transforms completely into pearlite on slow cooling through the thermal critical range, such transformation does not imply the formation of any of the so-called transition constituents: martensite, troostite and sorbite. Might it not be claimed with as much justification that when water freezes it does so suddenly, solid ice being obtained without passing through the intermediate stages of ice and water? Obviously, regardless of the speed of solidification, this would be erroneous. Before reaching the completed solid condition, this must of necessity pass through an unbroken series of stages when the system consists of mixtures of water and of ice, the former decreasing and the latter increasing in amount. Are not these "transitionV stages in the freezing of water similar to the transition stages occurring in the transformation of austenite into pearlite? To clarify, let us consider in Fig. 1 the mechanism of the transformation of eutectoid steel from its austenitic to its pearlitic condition as it cools slowly through its thermal critical range. It is generally admitted that this transformation is the result of two distinct phenomena: (1) the allotropic change of gamma iron into alpha iron and (2) the crystallizing out of solution of the carbide Fe3C. Whether this crystallizing of Fe3C implies also its formation is immaterial for our purpose. In other words, whether it is the carbon in atomic dispersion which is present in gamma iron or molecules of Fe3C has no bearing upon the matter to be discussed. The transformation of gamma iron into alpha iron cannot take place suddenly. It must of necessity be progressive, regardless of the speed with which it may take place. At A, for instance, there would be present AB gamma iron and BC alpha iron. The distance MN does not refer to falling temperature, but to the passage of time. It may be assumed that the transformation takes place at a constant temperature (the Ar321 point). In a similar way, the crystallization of Fe3C out of the austenite solid solution must be progressive as depicted between M and N. At A there would be present AB gamma iron, BC alpha iron, CD carbon dissolved in gamma and in alpha iron and DE Fe3C. This condition may be described according to individual preference as martensite or troostite. To sum up, can the metal pass from condition

Jan 1, 1931

By Arthur S. Dwight

We author of this historical chapter will perhaps be criticized for limiting his subject to the history of the blast furnace in lead smelting, and especially to the part it played in the great custom ore-smelting business which for three decades or more was the means of opening up vast mineral treasures and practically dominated the mining industry in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, in Mexico and in Canada. The men of that era shared the romance and the thrills of mining, and bore their part as pioneers in the building of the great West. The present writer was too young to participate in the first of the three decades mentioned, but immediately thereafter came under the apprenticeship of some of the men who had worked out the early metallurgical problems of the industry, became personally acquainted with most of the others of that group, heard the tales of early experiences, successes and failures, the gossip of the frontier and mining camps, from all of which there remain embedded in his mind clear impressions of the outstanding personalities of that time. That is the background against which the fifty years of intimate contact with the mining and smelting business and his own experiences as metallurgist stand out in his memory, and it is hoped that the gentle reader may understand and approve his desire to rescue from comparative oblivion the fundamentally valuable results accomplished by these fathers of the industry. It will be the purpose of this chapter first to narrate the general history of the growth of the industry; second, to pay tribute to some of the pioneer metallurgists, and third, to discuss some of the salient points of the metallurgical practice at different periods, to illustrate the technical progress of the art. The series of eight Annual Reports of Rossiter W. Raymondl,† U. S. Commissioner of Mining Statistics from 1869 to 1876, contain most of the available information about the early smelting operations in the Rocky Mountain region, and much is in the early volumes of the Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. The monograph by S. F. Emmons2 though not published until 1886, contained an elaborate description of the smelting works operating in 1879. Otto H. Hahn3 wrote a valuable paper in 1883, on smelting prac-

Jan 1, 1937