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By James Bowron

CONSIDERING the importance of the steel trade and the strategic position occupied in it by the Birmingham District, it may be surprising to many to realize that even the first pig iron smelted with coke was made in Alabama on Feb. 28, 1876, although merchant pig iron had been produced in Rockwood, Tenn., in 1867, a plant which is still in active operation. The heavy deposit of Clinton ore extending from Pennsylvania into Alabama, varying greatly in accessibility on account of geological changes such as erosion or anticlinal upthrow, varies equally as much in thickness and in quality. The brown ores extensively scattered through the South also vary materially in quality, some being relatively low in phosphorus and high in manganese, and vice versa. The red ore varies materially in phosphorus, but the iron produced from these ores was always considered to be too high in phosphorus for treatment by acid Bessemer or open hearth and did not contain sufficient for the basic Bessemer process. Under these conditions there remained only the basic open hearth as a possibility, and for many years it appeared impossible to use it, because, with coke smelted iron, the silicon was too high to permit its use in basic lined furnaces.

Jan 1, 1924

By Linn M. Farish

SOVIET RUSSIA reserves must be stupendous. In 1937 I. M. Goubkin placed the reserves of all categories it approximately 48 billion barren which was about twenty billion horn Is in excel:, of all the oil produced in the world since 1857. It is not unlikely in fact it is probable, that these huge stores of petroleum may ultimately be proven to exist within the present boundaries of the U.S.S.R. The size of the country is almost beyond imagination it is 2.7 times as big as the United States. Great sedimentary basins exist in all its different geological provinces, much of which are entirely untested and barely prospected. Oil in commercial quantities is actually produced from formations in every period from the Devonian to the Pleistocene. In the Emba region alone, 300 salt domes are known with an estimate of 700 still to be found. Only 22 of the 300 have been drilled and all showed oil. Of the 22 domes drilled six are now producing. There are 400 mapped structures reported in Azerbaijan

Jan 1, 1940

By T. D. Jones

MUCH the same story can be told for the lead industry for the year 1945 as for the three previous years. In response to inquiries as to new developments, invariably the answer has been, "No new developments-our men either too busy with the man-power problem or trying to get production out." Time and efforts of industry have been concentrated for the most part on war or readjustment problems. Now that V-E and V-1 day have passed, the lead industry can justly be proud of its record in World War II. As in previous wars, lead played an important role and one of its most spectacular uses was in the production of the atomic bomb. We read that the part lead played was rather obscure, but as a protective agent, lead played a most significant role. "Since the materials in the Pile Plant are intensely radioactive, all storage and handling must be done behind thick concrete walls or lead shields. The material is never seen and all operations are auto matically controlled by a foolproof remote control system especially designed for this purpose." (Chews. & Met., Sept. 1945.) When our armies invaded the European theater of war and made a landing on Normandy beach, gasoline and oil for the motive power were furnished through miles of armored lead pipe. This amaz-

Jan 1, 1946

By Sallie McCabe Johnson

LIFE IN RUSSIA for the foreign woman is hard. It is up to her whether her days are spent in tearful longing for ironic or whether she :hakes the real effort to ferret out the interesting or amusing side of such exasperating conditions as ooh a Russian can conjure. So to begin Discard all promises.. This is perhaps the most difficult thins- to learn but promises in Russia are nut what they are at home. There are many reasons for ibis, sonic good and some bad but whatever the reason. the fact remains that they are usually worthless- as each of us must slowly learn In, disappointment after disappointment. Also we must learn that we cannot expect to get or to do a certain thing just because someone else has done so. What we did yesterday perhaps cannot be dune today. What we purchased air hour ago, oxen ten minutes ago- we cannot purchase now. What our neighbor did this morning we cannot do this afternoon. Changes arc continuous. Every person's experience is different from that of another aid this in a great measure accounts for the conflicting stories brought horns. In a land of chaos we live only from hour to hour and this is one of the exceedingly exasperating conditions to face. When I wished to visit Leningrad, an overnight nip from Moscow, more than a week's lime w as required to obtain a ticket, vi en through the efficiency of lntourist: alone I might have spent a month at it. Each day

Jan 1, 1932

By David W. Brunton

I. INTRODUCTION. THE list of our past-Presidents comprises the names of runny who, in their official addresses, have sketched the current progress of the arts and professions with which they were familiar. Such addresses are, in my judgment., highly useful, setting forth the results of our own work as a. society, and recalling to our minds the particular lines in which discussion would prove most fruitful. . Following this course with some hesitation, I venture to offer an outline of the recent improvements and the present situation in minim and metallurgy in the Western United States. The wonderful advances in mechanics, chemistry, and electricity have all combined to aid these arts to such an extent that. progress during the last decade has undeniably been more rapid than ever before in the history of the profession.. In all mining countries improved transportation-facilities, in many instances called into existence by the traffic created by the mines themselves, have done much- to enlarge the. field of operations by the reduction of freight-, operating- and living-expenses, thereby bringing lower-grade properties into the producing class. Under normal' conditions, as the age of a district in¬creases, all these differentt factors should combine to off-set. the augmented costs attendant on deep mining, and greatly tend to prolong the profitable life of the mines. The more recent and important improvements in our Western mining-practice which have contributed most toward the advancement of the art may be briefly summarized as follows; but, before beginning this portion of ray address, I wish to thank most heartily the many engineering friends who have so

Sep 1, 1909

By J. E. Tobey

THERE are a lot of good things about this great industry of ours. Let us stop commiserating and consider some of the things that are right in this business. Coal is number one in the basic material industries. Our civilization owes more to it than to any other basic commodity. We are literally immersed in the benefactions of coal. In cur man-made world it is indispensable and we are constantly surrounded by objects, materials, and services which owe their existence to coal. Practically all the important materials, such as iron, steel, brick, cement, lime, rubber, glass, cotton, and wood have felt its magic touch.

Jan 1, 1939

By Lucius W. Mayer

WHILE the mind of the financier does not normally run along channels similar to those of his technical adviser, engineers, because of their exactness, are ever more called upon to manage affairs where financial matters are involved. It is, true, not a relatively large number have thus far functioned in this capacity. It is also true that the essentially financial mind could not serve in a responsible engineering position; for to be a successful engineer one requires precise thinking, making due allowance for factors of safety. To be a financier seems to require less aptitude for exact thinking than of enthusiasm and confidence in capitalizing prospective possibilities. Both require imagination, the engineer being, more conscious of the limitations of natural conditions. It is to be regretted that the engineer' stands so far aloof from financial matters. Many consider them- selves successful, as did Steinmetz, as long as their reward is the consciousness that they are giving supreme service to mankind. They are 'generally happy in their work and, like our honored brothers who are teachers, gain their greatest satisfaction, not in the amount of their remuneration so much as in the service rendered society and in the excellence of results achieved. Indeed, these sentiments bespeak character and command respect.

Jan 1, 1924

By W. H. Hough, P. B. Leavenworth

Development during 1942 led to the discovery of 26 new fields in the Texas Gulf Coast, as compared with 27 during 1941. Of these, 19 are classed as oil fields, 4 distillate fields, and 3 gas fields. Production from the new fields amounted to 614,467 bbl. to October 1942. Producing Sections.—Discoveries in I942, compared with the previous two years, classified by producing formations, are shown in the following table: It is interesting to note the increase in Wilcox discoveries due to the extensive geophysical campaign that has been con. ducted since 1940. Drilling.—During the year 688 wells were drilled, of which 574 produced oil or gas and 114 were dry. This represents a considerable decline in activity over the previous year, when 1405 wells were drilled in the area, of which 1081 were producers and 324 failures. Jackson County continued to hold the lead, with 222 wells completed. Production.—-Despite curtailed drilling, production amounted to 118,009,451 bbl. for 1942, indicating a slight increase over the 113,726,893 bbl. produced during 1941. The statistics in Tables I and 2 include condensate and distillate as oil production, because many Gulf Coast fields produce oils with a wide variation of specific gravities, all of which are commingled in pipe lines. Table 3 shows by counties most of the activities referred to. The number of wells drilled includes only field wells; not wildcats. Outstanding Fields of 1942 The Texas Gulf Coast covered in this report has 270 more or less active oil and gas fields, including the new discoveries of 1942. Of these the most outstanding from the standpoint of production are listed in Table 4. Each of these fields produced one million barrels or more during 1942. Some of the fields where new extensions are occasionally referred to as separate fields, such as West Columbia and New West Columbia, or Thompson and South Thompson, are combined to give a more accurate outline. Two interesting facts may be noted from this list of some 26 oil fields: (I) that the Lolita field, Jackson County, is the only discovery since 1938 to produce more than one million barrels annually, although there have been 79 discoveries since Jan. I, 1940; (2) that 20 of these 26 fields produce from the Frio. New Fields ALief, Harris County.—Pure Oil Company's No. I Mike Albanese was drilled to 8637 ft. in Cook Mountain shale. After numerous tests the well was completed on Apr. 20, 1942, in a Yegua sand at 7919 to 7924 ft. for 54 bbl. of 52' gravity oil and 3,335,000 cu. ft. of gas through

Jan 1, 1943

By W. H. Hough, P. B. Leavenworth

Development during 1942 led to the discovery of 26 new fields in the Texas Gulf Coast, as compared with 27 during 1941. Of these, 19 are classed as oil fields, 4 distillate fields, and 3 gas fields. Production from the new fields amounted to 614,467 bbl. to October 1942. Producing Sections.—Discoveries in I942, compared with the previous two years, classified by producing formations, are shown in the following table: It is interesting to note the increase in Wilcox discoveries due to the extensive geophysical campaign that has been con. ducted since 1940. Drilling.—During the year 688 wells were drilled, of which 574 produced oil or gas and 114 were dry. This represents a considerable decline in activity over the previous year, when 1405 wells were drilled in the area, of which 1081 were producers and 324 failures. Jackson County continued to hold the lead, with 222 wells completed. Production.—-Despite curtailed drilling, production amounted to 118,009,451 bbl. for 1942, indicating a slight increase over the 113,726,893 bbl. produced during 1941. The statistics in Tables I and 2 include condensate and distillate as oil production, because many Gulf Coast fields produce oils with a wide variation of specific gravities, all of which are commingled in pipe lines. Table 3 shows by counties most of the activities referred to. The number of wells drilled includes only field wells; not wildcats. Outstanding Fields of 1942 The Texas Gulf Coast covered in this report has 270 more or less active oil and gas fields, including the new discoveries of 1942. Of these the most outstanding from the standpoint of production are listed in Table 4. Each of these fields produced one million barrels or more during 1942. Some of the fields where new extensions are occasionally referred to as separate fields, such as West Columbia and New West Columbia, or Thompson and South Thompson, are combined to give a more accurate outline. Two interesting facts may be noted from this list of some 26 oil fields: (I) that the Lolita field, Jackson County, is the only discovery since 1938 to produce more than one million barrels annually, although there have been 79 discoveries since Jan. I, 1940; (2) that 20 of these 26 fields produce from the Frio. New Fields ALief, Harris County.—Pure Oil Company's No. I Mike Albanese was drilled to 8637 ft. in Cook Mountain shale. After numerous tests the well was completed on Apr. 20, 1942, in a Yegua sand at 7919 to 7924 ft. for 54 bbl. of 52' gravity oil and 3,335,000 cu. ft. of gas through

Jan 1, 1943

By Jack Green

Within three major tectonic time frames of earth history: Microplate (±3.8 - ±2.6 billion years), intraplate (±2.6 - ±1.3 b.y.), and macroplate (=1.3 b.y. - present), precious - metal deposits are confined to specific structural, depositional and physico-chemical environments. Precambrian primary gold deposits are localized in two microplate greenstone episodes (±3.7 and ±2.7 b.y.); secondary gold in Witwatersrand placers (±2.6 b.y.). Precambrian primary platinum group metals are in anorthositic facies of layered mafic intrusions (±2.8, ±1.8 and ±1.0 b.y.). Most radioisotope mineral dates cluster - at these times and are coincident with inflections on polar wandering curves. These coincidences may reflect episodicity in lunar tidal disruptions and global deceleration effects in crust and outer core during micro- and intra- plate phases. Macroplate tectonics and an oxygenated atmosphere created favorable conditions for strata-hosted and plate suture gold and silver deposits. "Black smokers" at constructive plate margins and calc-alkalic calderas at destructive plate margins are loci for hydrothermal gold and silver.

Jan 1, 1984

Minute of the Board of Directors, Jan. 26, 1917 In the name of all the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, this Board extends to. Mr. Herbert C. Hoover, an honored Vice-President of the Institute, on the occasion of his present temporary return to his native land, the cordial welcome of his colleagues, and their congratulations upon the noble work splendidly done by the Commission for Relief in Belgium of which he is the head. It is understood that a leading purpose of Mr. Hoover's visit to America at this time is the collection of additional funds, to be administered by his Commission in the care of the destitute children of Belgium. To this enterprise endorsed by both the belligerent parties, as well as inspired by the purest and tenderest sentiments of humanity, contributions are solicited from engineers, especially through an organization known as the "Belgian Kiddies Limited," which this Board, heartily approving its object and method, recommends to the consideration of the members of the Institute. On motion duly seconded it was unanimously VOTED.-That this minute be spread upon the record of the Board, and published in the Bulletin, and that a copy thereof be transmitted to Mr. Hoover, and to the San Francisco Section of the Institute.

Jan 3, 1917

By Sherwin F. Kelly

THE joint meetings of the Mining Geology Committee and the Society of Economic Geologists proved to be deservedly popular, and the interesting papers drew an attendance which strained the capacity of one of the large meeting rooms.. As might be expected these days when even the Supreme Court can't keep away from the subject of gold, the discussions opened on Thursday morning with several papers devoted to questions of structural and mineralogical relationships of the deposits of this metal. The presentation of Ira B. Joralemon's paper, "Veins and Faults in the Bralorne Mine," by Reno Sales, elicited considerable discussion on the relation of mariposite to gold, and the situation of the gold deposits with respect -to the Coast Range batholith. H. V. Warren stated that lie had observed mariposite always to be associated with gold in this region, but that gold was not always associated with mariposite. He pointed out that there is a series of veins on the west side of the batholith with a different mineralogy that, because of their richness but small size could quite easily make good, small mines. John A. Dresser concurred in this, and said lie thought this region was one of great promise for the mining geologist. He also reported having found mariposite associated with gold values below commercial limits, in the Appalachian regions.

Jan 1, 1935

By S. F. Shaw

Tars paper is a review of the principal details of cyanide practice in several of the modern plants in America, mainly during the year 1908. Two of the mills, the Goldfield Consolidated and the Vets, Colorado, are not yet prepared to give data, the former having started about Jan. 1, 1909, and the latter not yet being completed. These two mills embody most of the latest methods and are therefore described as far as possible. I. CRUSHING. The principal methods of crushing ores for treatment by the cyanide process are with gyratory and jaw-crushers, stamps, Bryan and Huntington mills, and tube-mills. The first stage is usually done by gyratory or jaw-crushers, in a few cases sup-\

Jul 1, 1909

ANNUAL meeting of the Woman's Auxiliary of the American Institute of Mining and Metal-lurgical Engineers convened on Tuesday morn-ing, Feb. 20, the president, Mrs. H. W. Hardinge, presiding. President Hardinge, in opening the meet-ing, said: "I have the honor and great pleasure to welcome you to our seventh annual meeting. It has been a happy year, though I started in fear and trembling. My fear is partly gone and my trembling becomes less as time goes on. Never has a chairman had such splendid cooperation and harmony in her work; no. matter how much was asked nor what the task, I have always received the same answer, `We are with you, of course we can do it.' Often the road has been untried and the way full of snares, but we have all pulled together. Is it any wonder we have had a prosperous year? I cannot thank the governing -board and officers enough for their help." Mrs. Hardinge described her trip through the West last summer, during which she visited many of the local sections of the Auxiliary. She also spoke of the work of the Rossiter Raymond memorial library which has been started as an activity of the Woman's Auxiliary. Mrs. Reynders read the minutes of the last annual meeting, and Mrs. Kemp read the treasurer's report. The latter showed that on Feb. 1, 1922, there was a bank balance of $683.61 and on Feb. 10, 1923, the bal-ance was $947.93. Mrs. Westervelt expressed the sorrow of the Auxiliary for the death -of Mrs. Florence Howe Hall and of Mrs. Levi P. Holbrook.

Jan 4, 1923

By J. Robert Van Peli

IT was a strange but highly fruitful marriage-that union of hardy explorers, seeking the rich treasures of copper in the Lake Superior wilderness, with Boston's aristocracy of brains, capital, and enterprise. This historic wedlock, which has continued happily to the present day, was the means by which the wealth of Lake Superior's copper was won for the use and benefit of an expanding America. One branch of this family tree, the western branch, begins with prehistoric Indian miners, embraces the early French explorers of the Upper Lakes, and finally includes the British and American pioneers who reduced the vague rumors of copper to known fact and actually began the mining of copper in the wilderness. The other branch, the New England line, begins

Jan 1, 1948

By Marius R. Campbell

Does mine-sampling show the commercial value of a coal, and if so, how should it be done? This question is often asked, but seldom answered. During the past summer, while engaged in securing coal for the Government coal-testing plant at St. Louis, I had an excellent opportunity to obtain information on this subject, and the results seem to furnish an answer to the questions propounded above. Sampling for the Geological Survey Coal-Testing Plant. In organizing the work of the testing-plant, it was decided that coal in car-load lots only would be accepted for testing, also that this coal should be loaded under the immediate supervision of a representative of the plant, so as to be certain that the car-load sample would be representative. As an additional check on the work, two mine-samples were to be collected from each mine visited, and these samples, as well as the sam¬ple from the car when it was received at the testing-plant, were to be carefully analyzed at the chemical laboratory, which was established in connection with the plant and operated under the direction of Prof. N. W. Lord, of the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Mine-Sanmhling:-Mine-samples were collected with great care by me and my assistants, Messrs. J. Shober Burrows, John W. Groves and Frank W. De Wolf. The dominant idea in the regulations which were adopted for mine-sampling was that it should be done in such a manner that the sample would have the same composition as the commercial output of the mine. .

Sep 1, 1905

COUNCIL OF ECONOMICS OF AIME Formerly Mineral Economics Division Established as a Division December 15, 1948 Established as a Council February 26, 1957 Franz R Dykstra, Chairman Paul Schultz, Vice-Chairman A J Phillips, Vice-Chairman Douglas Donald, Vice-Chairman J S Vanick, Contact AIME Director A H Lindley, Jr, Secretary-Treasurer Lehman Brothers 1 William Street New York 4, N Y COUNCIL OF EDUCATION OF AIME Formerly Mineral Industry Education Division Established as a Division January 15, 1932 Established as a Council February 26, 1957 0 Cutler Shepard,Chairman Lysle E Shaffer, Vice-Chairman John C Calhoun, Jr, Past Chairman J C Kinnear, Jr, Contact AIME Director J D Forrester, Secretary-Treasurer College of Mines Univ of Arizona Tucson, Arizona

Jan 1, 1958

By EDWARAD A. SIVEDENBORMG

REPORTS have been made at different times on the progress of water encroachment in the Frontier sands in the Salt. Creek oil field, Natrona county, Wyoming. All previous reports have, -however, been largely based on the position of water in the sands as determined by various physical tests. Subsequent information has been secured through a preliminary investigation of the porosity, grain size and degree of saturation of the Frontier sands. Also, a closer differentiation has been made between the waters encountered incident to the production of oil by means of chemical analysis. In view of the more recent developments there has been a need of a water encroachment map of the first Wall Creek based on a field survey and additional information acquired since the water encroachment map of the sand of 1926, by J. S. Ross and E. W. Henderson, petroleum engineers of the U. S. Geological Survey. The present report is confined to a study of the first Wall Creek sand and was written in connection with the preparation of the map, showing water encroachment in this sand. The first Wall Creek sand was the discovery sand in the field, the first well having been drilled in 1908. Its thickness averages 120 ft. and, varies between 90 and 160 ft. The sand is in the Colorado group of the Upper Cretaceous series and is further considered as a part of the Frontier formation found in other parts of Wyoming.

Jan 1, 1930

Jan 1, 1886

Ferrous and Nonferrous Physical Metallurgy Established as a Division April 26, 1918 T A Read, Chairman O T Marzke, Past Chairman J H Jackson, Senior Vice-Chairman David Swan, Vice-Chairman D C Johnston, Secretary-Treasurer AIME, 29 West 39th Street New York 18, New York

Jan 1, 1960