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By W. M. Courtis

SINCE many accounts of Silver Islet Mine, in Lake Superior, have already been published, it is supposed that the members of the Institute are familiar with the location and character of the mine. To many, however, a more detailed account of the ore and manner of treatment will, perhaps, not be without interest. The extraordinary richness of Silver Islet ores, and the difficulty of obtaining correct assays, induced the company to erect smelting works of its own. Accordingly, ground was broken at Wyandotte, Mich., early in the spring of 1871, and the work was pressed on with indomitable energy by Captain E. B. Ward of Detroit, as president, and Mr. Thomas MacFarlane, the discoverer of Silver Islet, as superintendent of the works, so that by July 1st the works were so far completed that smelting could be commenced. The intention was to work Western ores with those from Lake Superior, since the latter contain but a small amount of lead. Hence the capacity of the works is much larger than is needed for the present yield of the mine. The planned process for treatment was smelt-

Jan 1, 1874

By C. F. Cornell, Henderson, A. F. Dunyon, D. A. Dahlstrom

IN processing magnetic taconites several steps of crushing, grinding, classification, and magnetic separation are required to produce a 60+ pct Fe concentrate. Usually the final concentrate is in a slurry form of 55 to 70 pct solids by weight and is further characterized by a particle size of 60+ pct -325 mesh. In taconite plants already completed or under construction the conventional method used to obtain pellets suitable for blast furnaces is to filter the concentrate slurry, ball the filter cake, and then harden the green pellets in a traveling grate or in a vertical shaft furnace. Large tonnages must be handled in minimum floor space, with reduced maintenance and lowest possible operating cost. Filtration must therefore achieve two objectives: 1) high filtration rate-in terms of pounds of dry solids per hour per square foot of filtration area-at a low filtrate solids concentration, and 2) a filter cake moisture that will always permit efficient balling within the normal fluctuations of plant operating conditions. If moisture contents are too high, balling may be impossible or result in a mushy ball without enough green strength for the firing operation.

Jan 3, 1957

By William M. Courtis

Since many accounts of Silver Islet Mine, in Lake Superior, have already been published, it is supposed that the members of the Institute are familiar with the location and character of the mine. To many, however, a more detailed account of the ore and manner of treatment will, perhaps, not be without interest. The extraordinary richness of Silver Islet ores, and the difficulty of obtaining correct assays, induced the company to erect smelting works of its own. Accordingly, ground was broken at Wyandotte; Mich., early in the spring of 1871, and the work was pressed on with indomitable energy by Captain E. B. Ward of Detroit, as president, and Mr. Thomas MacFarlane, the discoverer of Silver Islet, as superintendent of the works, so that by July 1st the works were so far completed that smelting could be commenced. The intention was to work Western ores with those from Lake Superior, since the latter contain but a small amount of lead. Hence the capacity of the works is much larger than is needed for the present yield of the mine. The planned process for treatment was smelt-

By Gilbert H. Cady

HE application of geology to problems arising A in coal mining engineering and coal preparation has, in general, been somewhat remote, or the geological problems have involved such simple forms of geological knowledge that the attention of specialists in this field has not been commonly thought necessary. Furthermore, the geology of coal beds and coal mining has received but scant attention in our educational system, even in mining education; so that coal mining engineers have become somewhat conditioned against geological thinking. Geologists, on the other hand, have commonly failed to realize that there are geological aspects to coal mining and coal preparation problems. A further reason why geology receives so little consideration in coal mining undertakings in this country lies in the fact that our coal supplies are, or have been thought to be, almost unlimited, have been easily accessible, and very cheaply mined. Conditions have been changing within recent years. Failures can be less easily endured. Great inroads have been made on our bonanza deposits of easily mined coal and the increasing cost of coal and the increasing difficulty of finding it in easily accessible and large quantities places greater and greater importance on accurate information and good technique in exploration. It seems probable, therefore, that the opinions and aid of geologists will be more commonly sought than in the past in the exploration for coal and in the development and operation of coal mines, and analyses of mining conditions, preparation, and utilization.

Jan 1, 1951

By Gilbert H. Cady

HE application of geology to problems arising A in coal mining engineering and coal preparation has, in general, been somewhat remote, or the geological problems have involved such simple forms of geological knowledge that the attention of specialists in this field has not been commonly thought necessary. Furthermore, the geology of coal beds and coal mining has received but scant attention in our educational system, even in mining education; so that coal mining engineers have become somewhat conditioned against geological thinking. Geologists, on the other hand, have commonly failed to realize that there are geological aspects to coal mining and coal preparation problems. A further reason why geology receives so little consideration in coal mining undertakings in this country lies in the fact that our coal supplies are, or have been thought to be, almost unlimited, have been easily accessible, and very cheaply mined. Conditions have been changing within recent years. Failures can be less easily endured. Great inroads have been made on our bonanza deposits of easily mined coal and the increasing cost of coal and the increasing difficulty of finding it in easily accessible and large quantities places greater and greater importance on accurate information and good technique in exploration. It seems probable, therefore, that the opinions and aid of geologists will be more commonly sought than in the past in the exploration for coal and in the development and operation of coal mines, and analyses of mining conditions, preparation, and utilization.

Jan 1, 1951

By Eugene Coste

In a recent paper' I took exception to the opening paragraph of Mr. Hill's paper, in which he says:— " In endeavoring to interpret the geological occurrence of oil, the geologist is confronted by the fact that science has not yet solved the problem of its origin, which lies at the root of the subject.... For the present we must consider oil as a material in the rocks, the origin of which is still unexplained." I take this occasion to repeat my objection to the above statement, as well as to the similar statement of Mr. C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy in their recent bulletin2 on the same oilfields :—" The origin of petroleum is one of the most obscure problems by which geologists are confronted." I do not hesitate to say that these statements, which claim we know so little to-day of the origin of petroleum, are not warranted in the present state of geological science, and that, on the contrary, geology can to-day most clearly prove the origin of oil to be inorganic and the result of solfataric volcanic emanations. It has been so long assumed that oil or bitumen is due to the decomposition of the organic remains of the sedimentary rocks, that the words organic and bituminous are used synonymously and, accordingly, without attempt at explanation, the origin of oil is in every case ascribed to some bituminous-shale horizon, more or less full of organic matter. Such falla

Jan 1, 1905

By P. K. Kaiser, C. Mackay

A circular shaft with a diameter of 6m was excavated by the conventional drilling and blasting method to a depth of 235m through 60m of glacial till, 1 Om of water bearing basal sand, 1 1 Om of clay shale (Bearpaw Formation) and finally a strata of coal, mudstone, siltstone and sandstone (Oldman Formation). The lined shaft was instrumented at three levels by multipoint extensometers to determine the displacement field near the shaft bottom, embedment strain gauges to measure the strains in the liner and IRAD-stress change gauges to observe the radial and tangential stress changes in the rock mass. The data from these gauges were used to determine the in situ stress field. An attempt to measure in situ stresses by overcoring was also made at a higher elevation. The performance of the shaft and its support was then evaluated by use of the "Convergence-Confinement Method". For this purpose the measurements of stress changes and displacements were combined to determine by extrapolation the displacements ahead of the shaft and after the liner installation. The convergence curves calculated in this fashion were then used to evaluate the performance of the cast-in-place concrete liner and of an alternate shotcrete shaft support system.

Jan 1, 1983

By Carl S. Westerberg

1,. C. McCABE*-—An increased derliand for coal in the west is to be expected because of the growth in population and industry during the past ten years. The author calls attention to the increased mechanical cleaning of Utah coal between 1938, when no cleaning was being done, and 194.7, when more than 24 pct of the production was cleaned. This is essentially the Period of most rapid growth of the Pacific Coast. area altliough the growth and, no doubt, the general trends in coal production and cleaning continued at a less accelerated rate during 1948. The Pacific southwest increased 37 pct in population between 1940 and 191.7 while the United States showed only a 7 pct increase in the same period. it has been estimated that there will be an additional 15 pct increase in population between 1947 and 1950. The conclusion that more coal and more mechanicak cleaning capacity will be required appears to be well founded. Mr. Westerberg discusses the cco- nomic advantages of coal cleaning reflected in freight savings, in lower cost per million Btu, and lowered ash and sulphur content. In view of the limited occurrence of coking coals in the west it would be interesting to know whether significant beneficiation in coking strength can be expected from mechanical cleaning of Utah coals. This has been demonstrated for some eastern and midwestern coals. One can readily agree to the desirability of recovering the fine coal that has heretofore been lost in washery slurry. The very cheapness of coal has Iridered

Jan 1, 1950

By Walter Weeks

THE subject of the flow of air through a mine under the influence of natural ventilation has proved an elusive one. To my knowledge only cut and try algebraic solutions have been used where multiple paths are involved. The object of this paper is to present a method for the graphi-cal determination of the flow induced by the natural ventilation pressure (N.V.P.) alone or in combination with a fan. The N.V.P., measured in pounds per square foot, induced by two columns of air between two horizontal planes at different elevations, is equal to the difference in weight of the two columns, assuming each to have a cross-sectional area of 1 sq. ft. Pressure in pounds per square foot is converted into inches of water by dividing by 5.19. Methods of calculating the N.V.P. have been discussed in the litera-ture. In this paper, for simplification of exposition, the change in pres-sure due to the weight of superimposed air will be assumed directly proportional to the length of the column. The actual methods of cal-culating the N.V.P. do not affect the solutions to be presented. It must be realized that the precision to be obtained from the small-scale, inked diagrams presented is not as great as would be obtained from large-scale, penciled curves that would he used in practice. The accuracy of the curves does not warrant reading "volumes" closer than the nearest thousand cubic feet per minute.

Jan 1, 1938

By R. J. Charles

PREVIOUS study' of simple impact systems indicated that energy required for fracture and size reduction of brittle materials is greatly dependent on the type of loading that is employed. In this regard it was postulated that fracture and size reduction of a brittle specimen might be accomplished by a high velocity impact at an energy level at which a low velocity impact would leave the specimen relatively undamaged. The finite time required to propagate energy away from the point of loading of an impacted object to other parts of the object and to its supports may permit a concentration of energy at the point of impact if the rate of loading is high. Localizing of energy at the point of impact could quickly initiate fractures that would propagate through the impacted material along with the traveling stress waves. As the cracks form, the initially absorbed strain energy would be released and portions of it travel ahead of the wack tips as stress waves. These secondary stress waves, combined with the initial stress waves derived from the impact, would produce high localized strain conditions in front of the fracture zone. The fracture zone would propagate and the specimen shatter. High rates of loading are brought about by short impact times, in turn obtained by employing high velocity projectiles that are of small mass compared to the impacted object. In the case of a low velocity impact, at an energy level equal to that of a high velocity impact that causes fracture, loading rate would be relatively

Jan 1, 1957

By Kenzo Murao, Sei Nakao

HISTORY OF ASHIO SMELTER The Ashio copper mine, which formed the main part of Furukawa mining industry, is located inland of Kanto area, and is known as the oldest copper mine of Japan. The mining started even since 1610, and Mr. Furukawa began management in 1877. Afterwards, within a short period, the mine became to have the highest productivity in the Far East. The total quantity of mined copper reached approximately more than 800 thousand tons. The mother rock of the ore deposit in Ashio was rhyolite, and was formed of sissurefulling and irregular clod that was called Kajika deposit. The lode was nzrrow of 6 to 7cm. The mineral was formed mainly of chalcopyrite, including also pyrite, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite that were not favorable. After the founding of the copper mine, the Ashio smelter started the operation of Mabuki process as the beginning in 1611, and subsequently adopted the processes of the blast furnace, reverberatory furnace, and flash smelting furnace of the present use. As indicated above, the copper ore of Ashio mine included arsenic. For the purpose to remove it, the operation of the arsenic trioxide production using MacDougall's multiple hearth roaster was started in 1918, and it maintained the status of having the most qualified technique within the country. However, as the completeness in the disposition of anti-pollution and safety had been requested in those years, we studied and developed a unique equipment in 1970. It excludes the heavy metals especially arsenic and copper from the waste water of sulfuric acid process of Flash Smelter's exhaust gas.

Jan 1, 1976

By D. D. Bolstad, S. M. Dar, T. W. Smelser, H. C. Pettibone

The use of roof bolt supports has reduced the number of fatal and nonfatal roof fall accidents in coal mines. Roof fall accidents, however, still occur far too frequently. Roof bolting plans are based almost entirely on trial and error, which inevitably leads to underdesign or overdesign with regard to bolt length, spacing, tension, and bolt type for the specific conditions. Underdesign poses safety problems, and overdesign leads to unnecessary costs. Guidelines are needed to select and design optimum roof-bolt plans that will maximize safety and minimize cost. Despite the use of 100 million roof bolts per year, the theory of roof bolting remains underdeveloped. Underground tests designed to provide this knowledge have been only partially successful owing to the many uncontrollable geologic variables present in underground mining situations. The Bureau of Mines believes that the best approach is to conduct a laboratory model study in correlation with finite-element analysis (FEA) and field verification, where these variables can be tightly controlled and measured. A physical model allows precise performance measurement of different bolt types as a function of a wide range of precisely measured parameters. Although the model being used is idealized and limited in size, it serves as a reliable basis for confirming the mechanism of rock reinforcement by bolting and the accuracy of the computer FEA approach to modeling mining problems.

Jan 1, 1984

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9, A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-days, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special, attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining-maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that, the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library y forwarding copies of mining reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified; indexed, and made availableto other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either y purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 8, 1914

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all weep-days, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining-maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining-reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 3, 1914

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-days, except holidays, from Sept. 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The 'Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be. of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining reports, maps privately issued; and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members, while in the city will use, the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 12, 1915

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-days, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that. the information received may he what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will he saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by, purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and, assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 8, 1915

The Library of. the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. on all week-days, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining, and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining-maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining-reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 1, 1914

A. 0. ASHMAN, Palmerton, Pa. (written discussion *.).-Mr. Newcomb's paper has interested me greatly, as I have had numerous experiences along this line. I do not think enough emphasis can be put on his warn-ing to keep platinum couples free from contact with quartz tubes, as silica shows a tendency to alloy with platinum to a surprising degree even at low temperatures. I have frequently had evidence of silica contamination in a perfectly good tube, in which there was seemingly no possibility of a reducing atmosphere. This is rather important as it seems to be common practice to insulate, as well as protect, the wires by means of- capillary silica tubing, thus allowing the entire wire to be in contact with the silica. The best way to mount a couple in a silica protecting tube is by means of double-bore porcelain insulating tubes, the protecting tube being slightly longer than the couple so as to leave a space between the couple and the end of the tube. In this way there is no possibility of contamination from silica. In no case should silica capillary tubes be used to insulate platinum wires. Mr. Newcomb states that there is still much to be desired in pyro-meter protecting tubes; this is in keeping with my experience. From a practical standpoint there is not a satisfactory pyrometer tube on the market for high temperatures; with all clue respect to the many improve-ments and good work recently done in this line. I believe that the whole future development of pyrometry is dependent on the development of suitable refractories. With suitable refractories, for example, Darling's1 work with liquid couples could be developed to a practical basis, making possible the use of base-metal couples to replace platinum.

Jan 12, 1919

By Charles H. Behre

This paper discusses education and training for economic geologists other than petroleum geologists. Candidates enter economic geology through liberal arts colleges, engineering schools and university graduate study. Whatever their backgrounds, rigorous courses are desirable-now conceded in theory, but not adequately recognized in practice. Besides basic sciences (each studied long enough to give a fair comprehension of its basic tenets), a functional command of English and two modern foreign languages is needed, as well as a broad understanding of mining, milling and metallurgy. A year of economics and finance is recommended. Surveying and drafting are essential skills. Yet geology should be represented in each term; otherwise the initial enthusiasm for the science, once contact is broken, may never be regained. A five-year curriculum is thus designed to take care of all major requirements and culminate in the M. S. degree. This curriculum reduces "cultural" courses below the average liberal arts requirements, but this is regarded as necessary. The pursuit of "culture" is assigned, as in most engineering and medical curricula, to extra college years or extracurricular time. To avoid the danger of over-crowding the schooling, the Doctorate in geology is preferred wherever possible. Its two added years should permit wider professional education; more browsing in "cultural" pastures; due attention to broader social implications; and some training in the research now increasingly required of the mineral industry. "In-course" training through cooperation between school and industry is especially advocated. The Institute should take the initiative in stimulating this practice.

Jan 1, 1947

By A. S. Richardson

VENTILATION of the Butte mines has long been a rather difficult problem because of the natural high temperature of the rock. With increase in mining depth, higher rock temperatures have been encoun-tered, and this has caused a constantly growing demand for more effective ventilation measures. During recent years the hazards of dust in mine air have been more clearly recognized, and have necessitated the adoption of dust-prevention methods. To meet these ventilation problems in the mines of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., a mines ventilation department was organized in 1918, to act under the direction of the general superintendent of mines. At the present time, under normal operating conditions, the force employed includes the ventilation engineer, two chief assistant ventilation engineers and eight assistant ventilation engineers. The activities of the department are, briefly: (1) planning and supervising operation of the general ventilation system; (2) planning and supervising the operation of dust-prevention measures, together, with dust sampling and related microscopic work for the quantitation of the dust samples and determina-tion of particle-size distribution; (3) the design and development of air-conditioning methods to meet present exceptionally severe temperature conditions and in anticipation of future requirements. To a large extent the technical features of the ventilation methods have been described in earlier papers by the author. This paper is written mainly to summarize past accomplishments bearing most closely on health and safety, with a somewhat more detailed account of the dust-prevention measures that have been developed comparatively recently.

Jan 1, 1938