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By F. F. Poland

S. ROLLE*—As one who has been privileged to read Mr. Poland's paper before its publication, I wish to express high praise for it and the record which it gives of the work done by the Research and Development Department of Revere Copper and Brass Inc. in developing a satisfactory furnace for the recovery of metallic zinc from secondary metals by distillation. I have also had the opportunity of studying the operation of the furnace when running on scrap brass at the Detroit plant of Revere, and I can therefore say from knowledge gained first-hand that the unit is efficient and economical when used in conjunction with distillation. However, when I read what Mr. Poland has to say in reference to the possibility of using the furnace for melting copper cathodes for the production of oxygen-free and tough-pitch copper shapes, I am constrained to be somewhat skeptical. No doubt the furnace can readily be modified so as to make it possible to melt cathodes, but that is only a part of what is required to produce refinery shapes. Because of its construction the atmosphere in the furnace is highly reducing and even without protective gases such as nitrogen the copper cathodes which are

Jan 1, 1950

By Lawrence Addicks

F. N. FLYNN, Clifton, Ariz.-As a number-of my associates in Arizona know, for a great many years, I have felt that leaching was one of the coming problems. We are about to start experiments at Clifton, along the idea of leaching wet flotation concentrates direct, without roasting-differing in this respect from Mr. Addicks' suggestion. We are prompted in starting these investigations by the difficulty in. transporting and handling flotation concentrates, and consideration for drying and roasting dust losses. I have had the idea for 5 or 6 years past, that those very fine concentrates could best be treated by leaching at the concentrating plant, thus eliminating our transportation difficulties to the smelter, and dust losses at the smelter. Given flotation concentrate, if it must be dried and roasted, it would, in our case, undoubtedly be cheaper to smelt the calcine, but if it can be leached raw and wet and the drying difficulties- and dust loss eliminated, it would be very advantageous to leach it at the mill. I realize that it will be a difficult problem, and one which may take several years to develop, but if developed, it would pay for many years' expense of investigation, and we have been encouraged by our general manager to investigate its merits.

Jan 12, 1916

By A. Y. Bethune, W. G. Woolf

THE hydrometallurgy of special high-grade zinc as practiced by the Sullivan Mining Co. at its electrolytic zinc plant, Kellogg, Idaho, involves an important filtration step immediately following the leaching process. By means of the filtration the heavy zinc sulphate solution is separated from the residual products which remain after the zinc calcine has been dissolved in the sulphuric acid electrolyte. Because this plant uses the so-called high-acid, high-density process' for the production of First, the strength of the electrolyte (270g H,SO, per liter) results in a saturated zinc sulphate solution, having a specific gravity of 1.510 to 1.540, which must be kept warm during filtration because of its property of "seeding out" small crystals if allowed to drop much below 60°C. Second, the action of the "high" acid on zinc calcine under the temperature conditions of the leach (80" to 102 "C), although favorable to good zinc extraction, causes a considerable quantity of iron to be dissolved (8 to 18. g per liter) along with variable quantities of alumina and silica, depending on the grade and type of original zinc concentrates roasted. These three, iron, alumina, and silica, are almost completely precipitated during the neutralization of the leach (only a few. milligrams per liter of each remain in solution), so that the resulting pulp, instead of being a granular, sand-like product having a particle-size distribution dependent on the fineness of the zinc calcines leached, is in reality a slimy, chemical precipitate whose filtration characteristics constantly change depending on the amounts of iron silica, and other impurities, which are dissolved and reprecipi-tated. Third, the combination of supersaturated solution of high specific gravity plus a dense, semi-gelatinous residue creates a difficult washing problem requiring a positive displacement wash to liberate the zinc sulphate entrapped in the pulp. In a closed-cycle hydrometallurgical operation, such as practiced in this plant, the extent of washing is determined by the volum,e limitations imposed on the intermediate wash waters by the amount of "fresh" (or process) water which may be added. The volume of fresh water used for makeup purposes is limited to the amount which is lost during the closed cycle by evaporation in the leach, sulphate content of the calcines leached, moisture content of the residue, and spillage. The Burt filter as modified and improved by the Sullivan Mining Co. has successfully met and overcome these difficulties under a variety of zinc plant operating conditions since 1928. It might have many interesting applications to metallurgical fields other than that of electrolytic zinc, and its possible usefulness to hydrometallurgists in general warrants its description and discussion. The Burt filter is so named from its inventor who originated it in Mexico for pulp filtration in the cyanide process for gold and silver ores. While retaining the basic principle of Burt's earlier revolving pressure-type filter with internal filtration media, a number of modifications and improvements have been made in Sullivan Mining Co.'s installation. The Burt filter may be classified as a batch-type pressure filter in contradistinction to either the conventional vacuum-type filter, which depends on atmospheric pressure to force solution through a cloth medium, or to the filter-press, which employs whatever pressure is imparted by the pump delivering the liquid being filtered. The Burt consists essentially of a hollow steel cylinder about 40 ft long, 5 ft in diameter, resting horizontally, and capable of rotation about its long axis. It is supported on one end by a hollow trunnion and near the other end by a riding-ring and roller combination. The cylinder is lined with filter units each fastened against the inside of the shell and parallel to the long axis so as to form a hollow cavity into which pulp may be charged. A specific amount of pulp is admitted to the filter and a unique valving arrangement prevents the loss of pulp while air pressure forces the solution through a canvas medium to the discharge port of each filter unit. The residue is left on the surface of the canvas inside the cavity. The remainder of the filter cycle is concerned with washing the residue free of zinc sulphate, discharging it from the Burt, and preparing the filter for the next charge. A more detailed description of Burt filter construction, a typical filter cycle, and its operating characteristics when employed on material encountered in this plant will be given in that order. Description of the Filter: Fig. 1 shows a side elevation view of a filter with riveted shell construction. Since this drawing was made shells have been fabricated by welding, instead of riveting, with complete success. Shells are lagged on the outside to retain heat. Fig. 1 shows a side elevation and plan view of a Burt filter in operating position. The 1/2-in. steel shells are lined with 3/16-in. copper sheet as protection against the corrosive action of the solution (containing about 500 mg Cu per liter) on iron, and the copper is given a thin protective coating of plastic-base paint. Fig. 2 is a view from the discharge end of the filter, with head removed, before filter units are fastened to the periphery. It shows

Jan 1, 1951

By W. G. Woolf, A. Y. Bethune

THE hydrometallurgy of special high-grade zinc as practiced by the Sullivan Mining Co. at its electrolytic zinc plant, Kellogg, Idaho, involves an important filtration step immediately following the leaching process. By means of the filtration the heavy zinc sulphate solution is separated from the residual products which remain after the zinc calcine has been dissolved in the sulphuric acid electrolyte. Because this plant uses the so-called high-acid, high-density process' for the production of First, the strength of the electrolyte (270g H,SO, per liter) results in a saturated zinc sulphate solution, having a specific gravity of 1.510 to 1.540, which must be kept warm during filtration because of its property of "seeding out" small crystals if allowed to drop much below 60°C. Second, the action of the "high" acid on zinc calcine under the temperature conditions of the leach (80" to 102 "C), although favorable to good zinc extraction, causes a considerable quantity of iron to be dissolved (8 to 18. g per liter) along with variable quantities of alumina and silica, depending on the grade and type of original zinc concentrates roasted. These three, iron, alumina, and silica, are almost completely precipitated during the neutralization of the leach (only a few. milligrams per liter of each remain in solution), so that the resulting pulp, instead of being a granular, sand-like product having a particle-size distribution dependent on the fineness of the zinc calcines leached, is in reality a slimy, chemical precipitate whose filtration characteristics constantly change depending on the amounts of iron silica, and other impurities, which are dissolved and reprecipi-tated. Third, the combination of supersaturated solution of high specific gravity plus a dense, semi-gelatinous residue creates a difficult washing problem requiring a positive displacement wash to liberate the zinc sulphate entrapped in the pulp. In a closed-cycle hydrometallurgical operation, such as practiced in this plant, the extent of washing is determined by the volum,e limitations imposed on the intermediate wash waters by the amount of "fresh" (or process) water which may be added. The volume of fresh water used for makeup purposes is limited to the amount which is lost during the closed cycle by evaporation in the leach, sulphate content of the calcines leached, moisture content of the residue, and spillage. The Burt filter as modified and improved by the Sullivan Mining Co. has successfully met and overcome these difficulties under a variety of zinc plant operating conditions since 1928. It might have many interesting applications to metallurgical fields other than that of electrolytic zinc, and its possible usefulness to hydrometallurgists in general warrants its description and discussion. The Burt filter is so named from its inventor who originated it in Mexico for pulp filtration in the cyanide process for gold and silver ores. While retaining the basic principle of Burt's earlier revolving pressure-type filter with internal filtration media, a number of modifications and improvements have been made in Sullivan Mining Co.'s installation. The Burt filter may be classified as a batch-type pressure filter in contradistinction to either the conventional vacuum-type filter, which depends on atmospheric pressure to force solution through a cloth medium, or to the filter-press, which employs whatever pressure is imparted by the pump delivering the liquid being filtered. The Burt consists essentially of a hollow steel cylinder about 40 ft long, 5 ft in diameter, resting horizontally, and capable of rotation about its long axis. It is supported on one end by a hollow trunnion and near the other end by a riding-ring and roller combination. The cylinder is lined with filter units each fastened against the inside of the shell and parallel to the long axis so as to form a hollow cavity into which pulp may be charged. A specific amount of pulp is admitted to the filter and a unique valving arrangement prevents the loss of pulp while air pressure forces the solution through a canvas medium to the discharge port of each filter unit. The residue is left on the surface of the canvas inside the cavity. The remainder of the filter cycle is concerned with washing the residue free of zinc sulphate, discharging it from the Burt, and preparing the filter for the next charge. A more detailed description of Burt filter construction, a typical filter cycle, and its operating characteristics when employed on material encountered in this plant will be given in that order. Description of the Filter: Fig. 1 shows a side elevation view of a filter with riveted shell construction. Since this drawing was made shells have been fabricated by welding, instead of riveting, with complete success. Shells are lagged on the outside to retain heat. Fig. 1 shows a side elevation and plan view of a Burt filter in operating position. The 1/2-in. steel shells are lined with 3/16-in. copper sheet as protection against the corrosive action of the solution (containing about 500 mg Cu per liter) on iron, and the copper is given a thin protective coating of plastic-base paint. Fig. 2 is a view from the discharge end of the filter, with head removed, before filter units are fastened to the periphery. It shows

Jan 1, 1951

By Newell G. Alford

At its meeting in the fall of 1937, the Executive Committee of the Coal Division considered the growing scarcity of young engineers entering coal mining with serious intentions. This scarcity was the cause of considerable alarm and a committee consisting of C. T. Hayden, E. A. Holbrook, C. E. Lawall and L. E. Young, with the writer as chairman, was appointed to gather factual data on the current trend. A questionnaire1 was designed and mailed to the heads of the 60 mineral technology schools listed by Prof. W. B. Plank in his article in September 1937.2 Replies were received from 46 institutions, not all from heads of coal-mining courses but all from men that at one time or another have had experience with some kind of coal-mining curricula and know current student impressions. Our committee is indebted to all of these gentlemen for their cooperation. Our committee hoped by this means to quickly reach the root of the trouble and make a set of comprehensive recommendations to the Coal Division for relieving the industry immediately from the growing dearth of youth who yearn for coal-mining careers, but the condition is more serious than at first diagnosed. We must now refer the question back to the Coal Division, with the recommendation that the Division get the industry's permission for still another major operation on its frame of mind. In addition to 10-year statistics on the first pay received by graduates in coal mining and other technical work, we requested enrollment data for 20 years from all schools with either mining engineering or mineral technology curricula. Nine leading questions were also plied, as shown in the Appendix. Every one of the answers was significant and interesting. Fortunately, we encountered positive frankness that was extremely helpful.

Jan 1, 1938

By Newell G. Alford

At its meeting in the fall of 1937, the Executive Committee of the Coal Division considered the growing scarcity of young engineers entering coal mining with serious intentions. This scarcity was the cause of considerable alarm and a committee consisting of C. T. Hayden, E. A. Holbrook, C. E. Lawall and L. E. Young, with the writer as chairman, was appointed to gather factual data on the current trend. A questionnaire1 was designed and mailed to the heads of the 60 mineral technology schools listed by Prof. W. B. Plank in his article in September 1937.2 Replies were received from 46 institutions, not all from heads of coal-mining courses but all from men that at one time or another have had experience with some kind of coal-mining curricula and know current student impressions. Our committee is indebted to all of these gentlemen for their cooperation. Our committee hoped by this means to quickly reach the root of the trouble and make a set of comprehensive recommendations to the Coal Division for relieving the industry immediately from the growing dearth of youth who yearn for coal-mining careers, but the condition is more serious than at first diagnosed. We must now refer the question back to the Coal Division, with the recommendation that the Division get the industry's permission for still another major operation on its frame of mind. In addition to 10-year statistics on the first pay received by graduates in coal mining and other technical work, we requested enrollment data for 20 years from all schools with either mining engineering or mineral technology curricula. Nine leading questions were also plied, as shown in the Appendix. Every one of the answers was significant and interesting. Fortunately, we encountered positive frankness that was extremely helpful.

Jan 1, 1938

By Luther W. Bahney

(San Francisco Meeting, October, 1911.) LIME is the alkali that is almost universally added to the solutions in the cyanide process of gold- and silver-extraction for maintaining the so-called, protective" alkalinity. It is produced by the burning of limestone. The value of lime for this purpose depends upon the percentage of calcium oxide contained, which is determined by three factors : 1, purity of the limestone used; 2, degree of the burning-temperature and the period of burning; and 3, length of time of storage of burned material and the condition stored, and whether it has been damp or wet during the storage. These three factors render uncertain the quality of lime bought in the open market. In the United States, lime bought from reliable manufacturers, who thoroughly burn a pure limestone and deliver at once to the consumer from the kilns, may be of a fairly-high and uniform composition ; but in Mexico and Central America, where it is purchased from many small producers, who often start with a poor grade of limestone and burn it in small crude kilns with as little fuel as possible, the quality of the product is quite variable. In consideration of the foregoing, it is apparent at once that there is a great need for a rapid technical method for the valuation of the lime to be used in a cyanide-plant. The determination of calcium by the gravimetric method, with the necessity of determining also the proportion of carbon dioxide, silica, and iron, requires too much time, and is usually out of the question for an isolated plant unequipped with a skilled chemist and, the necessary apparatus. The calculating of all the calcium so found to calcium oxide, although sometimes done, is manifestly very inaccurate.

Nov 1, 1911

By Gordon C. Hicks

Prior to 1950 most fertilizer manufactured in the United States was produced in a nongranular form. In such form, the material caked when stored and was extremely dusty when applied in the field. About this time a wide interest developed in the fertilizer industry for the manufacture of a granular, high-analysis fertilizer of improved physical properties. Thus, TVA began work on fertilizer granulation about 1950 using both a pugmill (double-shaft paddle mixer) for a thick slurry of nitric phosphate and a continuous ammoniator-granulator drum for superphosphate-base mixed fertilizer. Granulation in these units was mainly by agglomeration. The liquid phase generated by the moisture and by the heat of reaction of ammonia with acidic materials, such as superphosphate and sulfuric or phosphoric acids, resulted in agglomeration of the solid ingredients. About 1956, TVA began studies of the use of a pan or disk granulator for production of ammonium nitrate or other fertilizers containing a large proportion of ammonium nitrate, such as 30-10-0 ammonium phosphate nitrate. This is the layering method of granulation. More recently, TVA has demonstrated pan granulation of urea from a highly concentrated solution and granulation of ammonium polyphosphate melts in a pugmill. The bulk of TVA studies throughout the years has related to use of the drum granulator. About 200 granulation plants in the United States have been licensed and built to use the TVA continuous ammoniator-granulator; it is estimated that more than half of the 20 million tons of mixed fertilizer used in the United States in 1974/1975 was produced in these plants. Some other granulation processes developed for use in the drum granulator include diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, urea- ammonium phosphate, ammoniated superphosphate, and most recently, NPK fertilizers by melt granulation using a pipe reactor.

Jan 1, 1977

POSITIONS VACANT (Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons.) Two metallurgical chemists for permanent positions in Siberia; one man to have charge of laboratory dealing with the products of a mill working silver-lead-zinc ores, the other to have charge of laboratory in connection with smelting these products. Established camp; living conditions and climate good. Married men preferred. No. 57. An electro-metallurgist for small zinc plant now under construction. Moderate salary to start but likelihood of substantial increase if plant proves successful. No. 58. Assistant engineer in office of consulting engineer for large mining and smelting company. Man desired with technical education and broad experience in mechanical line in connection with mining and smelting operations, capable of taking charge of office and drafting room. No. 59.

Jan 1, 1916

By Guillermo V. Borquez

INTRODUCTION The basic factors that influence the selection of a mining method are the geometry of the ore deposit and the strength of the ore and surrounding rock. These factors usually determine the ore recovery and dilution of the deposit under analysis. For the purpose of this paper we will consider a generalized case of a block caving system and the sequence of the analysis needed to optimize ore recovery. The analysis presented is intended for the preliminary planning stage. The critical factors involved in the caving process are identified and the methods for evaluating the suitability of a particular deposit to the caving method of mining are outlined. The mine design is approached by identifying the two most important, dimensions: the size and spacing of the draw points. These dimensions are estimated from a simulation model which takes into account the ore recovery, the incremental value of the ore recovered, and the safety conditions of the operations. The model estimates the number of draw points required to extract efficiently and safely the broken ore from the caving area. This number is found in the range where the net incremental value of the ore is maximized and the probability of pillar failure does not exceed the limit which is acceptable for a safe mining operation. A mining method and its design are in a continuous process of optimization. This process is unique for each deposit because of the many parameters involved; therefore, a back analysis of the operations should be performed when possible. These analyses will indicate if the ore body responds in a predictable manner to the parameters contained in the geological, fragmentation, and draw point models. SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVE MINING METHODS The selection of a mining method best suited to define the minable ore reserves of a given deposit involves consideration of the geometry of the ore deposit and the strength of the ore and surrounding rock. These two factors are usually sufficient to determine the ore recovery and dilution of the deposit. After analyzing the geological reserves and defining the limits of the deposit, either an open pit or an underground mining method can be selected to define the minable ore reserves. The sequence of steps to follow in the selection of a mining method is presented in Figure I. From an economic point of view, the strip- ping ratio is the determining factor for the selection between an underground or open pit method. In turn, the stripping ratio is a function of the grade distribution and con- figuration of the ore body. In order to obtain a preliminary estimation of the stripping ratio, a parametric analysis could be applied, such as the approach used by Professor E. P. Pfleider (1972) and summarized in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1981

The Institute makes liberal provision for inclusion of engineering students through individual Student Associate membership. Such members pay $2 per year, receive MINING AND METALLURGY, may purchase Technical Publications at reduced rates, have the privilege of attending all meetings and are furnished a distinctive badge in the form of a watch fob. Provision is also made for the affiliation of organized student societies in recognized schools of engineering chemistry, geology and related sciences. In order to qualify for affiliation it is not necessary that all members of the society become Student Associates since the individual members of the society are not listed as members of the Institute However, a large majority of the members of many of the societies are also Student Associate Members of the Institute. Among the things that the Institute does for the affiliated societies are the following: (a) A copy of each issue of MINING AND METALLURGY is furnished to the society; (b) Reports of the meetings and activities of the society are reported in MINING AND METALLURGY; (c) Assistance is given by the Institute in obtaining speakers for the meetings of the society; (d) The name of the society and of its officers is listed in the annual Directory and other publications of the Institute; and (e) Members of the society are given the use of the Engineering Societies Employment Service. Student organizations, desiring to be recognized as affiliated student societies of the Institute, should make application to the Secretary, giving particulars as to the nature of their organization, of their membership, and their officers. The accom¬panying list on page 24 gives the names of the affiliated student societies, their presi¬dents and their secretaries, as of April 17, 1931.

Jan 1, 1923

At the meeting of the Board of Directors the following resolution was passed: "The members of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Mining Engineers desire: to place on record their appreciation of the very great generosity of one of their colleagues and a member of the Board, George D. Barron, expressed in his gift of $5000 to relieve the financial stringency caused by the unusual expenditures of the Institute for war work and the remission of dues of those members on active service." By-Law VIII. was amended to make a slight change in District No. 5. The report of the Auditing Committee was accepted. Tellers were appointed to: count the ballots on officers and on the proposed amendment. The proposed budget for the year 1919 was presented. The following resolution re Secretary Emeritus Rossiter W. Raymond, which had been prepared, by request, by Dr. A. R. Ledoux was then unanimously adopted. "The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Mining Engineers would place upon its minutes its profound sense of loss and sorrow in the death of Rossiter Worthington Raymond, Ph. D., LL. D., Secretary Emeritus of the Institute. Both as one of its founders and as its Sec-retary for 27 years, his was the guiding spirit of the Institute for more than a generation. "During the greater part of this long period, it might almost have been said that the Institute was Dr. Raymond-and Dr. Raymond the Institute. When with the progress of growth and development, great changes were introduced, Dr. Raymond acquiesced in these in spite of some misgivings, such as those with which a father might contemplate the emergence of his child from the careful supervision of the home; but as Secretary Emeritus for the past eight years, lie was always ready with valuable advice and helpful suggestion.

Jan 3, 1919

By M. T. Abasov

The work suggests an approach to the problem of optimally planning the drilling and development of gas fields. The approach is based on systems analysis and allows a joint optimal choice of the total number of wells in the field, their spacing in the reservoir, the diameter of production tubing, drilling dynamics, the number and spacing of drilling platforms and well pattern schemes for each plat- form as well. The optimal solution satisfies the set of technical- economical requirements and provides a minimum value of discounted total expenditures (capital costs plus operating costs). A mathematical model of the problem is presented. This work represents an extension of the authors&apos; previous investigations that formulated and solved problems of optimal drilling of oil and gas deposits by directional wells [1] and problems of optimal control of the number of active wells in multi-reservoir oil and gas fields [2], [3]. For construction of the mathematical model we choose a range (Nmin, Nmax) of possible values of the total number of wells, N, which should be drilled in the deposit. Here Nmin, Nmax are minimum and maximum numbers of wells correspondingly, that should be drilled into the reservoir. N[€](Nmin = N1, ... N[o], ..., Nm = Nmax). For simplicity a one-reservoir gas field is considered. It is assumed that: (a) wells are spaced in the reservoir uniformly, (b) there is a certain algorithm providing a uniform spacing of the given number N[o] ([0]=l, . . . , m) of wells in the reservoir, (c) the diameters of the production tubing for all the wells are the same. The relation Qz (x), i.e. the dependence of the cumulative output of gas from the cumulative "well-years" of operations is constructed for each diameter dZ from the given range of diameters d1< ...< dr.

Jan 1, 1977

By Joseph Taylor

THE Ducktown district is in the extreme southeastern corner of Tennessee, its principal railroad point being Copperhill, on the Blue Ridge division of the Louisville &Nashville Railroad, midway between Knoxville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga. The ore deposits were discovered about 1849 and development work was begun in the early fifties. Only the "black copper? ores, products of secondary enrichment, from beneath the gossan outcrops and overlying the massive sulphide deposits, were then mined and smelted for their copper content. Upon their exhaustion, attention was directed to the treatment of the pyritic ore remaining, resulting in the devising of a, process consisting of open-heap roasting, followed by blast-furnace smelting, which was practised until 1903, when semi-pyritic smelting was-adopted. In 1908, the companies operating in the district; on account of litigation brought about by alleged smoke damage to forests and vegetation in the adjoining counties of Georgia, were compelled to erect enormous acid plants to prevent the escape of the sulphur dioxide produced in the smelting operations. The utilization of this sulphur dioxide in the, manufacture of sulphuric acid as a byproduct has added to the revenues of the companies, and at the same time has furnished a valuable source of supply of sulphuric acid to the fertilizer trade of the South, and more recently to the manufacturers of explosives for use in the production of war munitions. The steadily increasing demand for sulphuric acid for the manufacture of fertilizers and explosives, together with the decreasing imports of pyrites, from which the acid is generally produced, now makes it imperative that greatly extended resources of pyrite be developed. While the Ducktown deposits do not predominate in pyrite, they do contain an inexhaustible supply of pyrrhotite, admixed with pyrite, which can be satisfactorily employed to supplement or substitute for pyrite in acid making.

Jan 2, 1918

By F. P. Dewey

Recent discussions have furnished to the members of the Institute much information concerning aluminum and its applications. The present paper will be devoted almost entirely to the description of a process by which the metal is produced in the form of alloys. The characters which especially distinguish the Heroult process consist in electrolyzing a mass of molten alumina (Al2O3), and at the same time alloying the separated aluminum with a heavy metal, the heat necessary for the fusion of both the alumina and the alloying metal being supplied by the direct passage through the molten Al2 0, of an electric current of high amperage and low voltage. The process has been in active operation at Neuhausen in Switzerland for about two years. It is also in active operation at Froges in southern France. Both these locations were selected for this purpose on account of the presence of large and desirable water-powers. The apparatus consists of a carbon containing-vessel, which may be a single crucible for small operations, or may be built up of slabs or blocks of carbon for large and industrial operations. When built up of slabs or blocks, the whole is surrounded by an iron casing. In the earlier crucibles this iron casing was cast around the carbon, in order to secure close electrical contact. This, however, has been found unnecessary; and in the later crucibles the casings consist of plates bolted together, while pulverized carbon is packed between the carbon blocks and the iron. Electric conductors are united direct to this iron casing, and the current passes from this through the carbon lining to the interior of the crucible. By this

Jan 1, 1890

ALTHOUGH the first colonists in the area that is now the United States, whether Spanish, French or English in nationality, were usually keenly interested in the possibilities of mineral wealth, it is a curious and interesting fact that none of them happened upon the mineral deposits that eventually were to make this the greatest mineral-producing country; up to 1800 it would probably have been rated as rather poor in minerals. Spanish explorers traversed the southeastern United States with- out finding the Appalachian gold deposits that aroused so much interest in the early nineteenth century; Coronado sought in vain for the seven golden cities of Cibola; and the important gold deposits of California were not discovered until the political sovereignty of the region had passed from Mexico, which had held it for three centuries. The French also held Canada for nearly two centuries (and the British for another century) without finding the mineral deposits in Ontario and Quebec that now are so important. Though they knew of the copper of the Keweenaw peninsula, the lead ores of Wisconsin and Missouri, and the coal of Illinois in the seventeenth century, these deposits were all too remote for exploitation. In the area held by Great Britain, iron smelting was planned at Jamestown as early as 1619 and was actually begun at Lynn, Mass., in 1643. The industry grew slowly, at first, but had reached considerable importance before the Revolution. Commercial bituminous coal mining began about 1750 in Virginia but anthracite mining in Pennsylvania was not started until 1800. As a result there was naturally little interest in the technical aspects of mineral production here before 1800 by any except the few people who were actually engaged in it. Students of natural science were much interested in minerals, however. The activities of those who rank as geologists are so thoroughly covered in

Jan 1, 1941

By W. L. Austin

The advance made in recent times in this branch of metallurgy is indicated by the attention the subject is receiving from important American copper-producing companies. Reference to the files of publications devoted to the mining industry discloses that some 20 American companies are actively investigating the amenability of their ore, or other material, to leaching methods, and that plants of varying capacities up to 10,000 tons per day arc under construction or are projected. Several leaching works are in commercial operation. It has been frequently pointed out that no method of leaching is universally applicable, for the reason that each ore differs in some particular from apparently similar ore found elsewhere, and also because local conditions are rarely the same even where the ore closely approximates in character that being worked at some other point. For this reason the older companies are approaching the matter in a conservative manner, experimentally determining for themselves the salient features in each instance. In considering a leaching proposition three factors at once fix the attention: (1) disengaging the metal from mineralized forms in which it is found in nature; (2) recovering the metal in a commercial state after it has been dissolved; (3) the apparatus best adapted to carrying out the several operations. Bringing the Metal into Solution This feature.has been found to present no serious difficulties. Numerous solvents for copper are known, and it has been repeatedly demonstrated on a commercial scale that from 80 to 90 per cent. of the metal contained in an ore can be rapidly brought into solution. It is interesting to note, however, that all of the companies above referred to have selected sulphuric acid as the basis for a lixiviant. Where oxidized ore practically free from precious metals is treated simple leaching with

Jan 1, 1915

By S. D. Warriner

ONE of the most, if not the most, difficult of the problems associated with the mining and distri-bution of anthracite is to get clearly into the minds of the consumers and of the editorial and reporto-rial writers in the public press the relationship between the cost of production, the price at the mine and the price that the consumer pays for his coal, delivered in the cellar. One sees in his morning paper a statement to the .effect that out of the $12 or $13 per ton that his dealer charges him, the miner gets only $2 or even less, and he asks himself or the paper asks for him, "Who gets the difference?" Not infrequently the amount that the miner gets is given for run-of-mine bituminous coal while the price quoted is that of prepared anthra-cite, egg, stove, or chestnut, as the case may be, delivered to the bin of the consumer; and the difference stands out with all the more prominence; and it sticks in his memory with a persistency which no manner of explanation is able to efface. A recently published official report for the year. 1921 of one of the State Bureaus stated the total production of anthracite in net tons of 2000 lb., and included not only the output recovered by washeries from old culm banks and by dredges from creek and river channels, but also the colliery consumption;, i.e., the coal used by the companies in the operation of the collieries. This resulted in a total production of 90,509,075 net tons for which the labor cost was stated at $283,961,300, or $3.13 per net ton, equivalent to $3.50 per gross ton. This figure of $3.50 was immediately seized upon as representing the labor cost per gross ton of fresh-mined commercial coal. It is almost a hopeless task to try to correct such errors of statement in the first place, and, in the second place, to correct the misapprehen-sions that arise from them. As a matter of fact, the report was misleading in regard to the labor cost of the entire production shipped, as the coal used for colliery consumption should be deducted. Correctly stated, the report should have shown, calculated in terms of gross tons of 2240 lb., the legal weight in Pennsylvania, as follows: Gross production 80,607,359 tons Less colliery fuel 8,757,137 tons Commercial production 71,850,222 tons Total labor bill $283,961,300.00 Labor cost per ton...: 8 3.952 The foregoing figures" of tonnage are obtained from the State Department of Mines. Even these include the quantity recovered from calm, banks by washeries, and consequently the $3.95 arrived at as the average labor cost is somewhat less than that actually involved in the mining of fresh-mined coal. Unfortunately, the figures of washery production and the cost of producing it are not available.

Jan 7, 1922

By Lawrence H. Van Vlack

The energy of the y-iron grain boundary was determined to be 850 ergs per cm2 at 1105°C. The a/a and the a/y boundaries possess somewhat less energy. The microstructures of several iron alloys are discussed in terms of the interfacial energy relationships. THE dependence of the shape of liquid interfaces upon their energies has been studied for some time.1"3 Recently, Smith&apos; concluded that many of the microstructures observed in metals may be attributed to the energies of the interfaces between the grains and phases. While the energies of liquid surfaces have been measured by numerous different methods: only two attempts have been made to determine experimentally the energy of surfaces involving crystalline solids. Udin, Shaler, and Wulff8 used a procedure introduced by Berggren7 to measure the surface tension of solid copper. It consisted of determining the load required on a thin copper wire so that the surface tension was counteracted, and no net strain resulted. Bailey and Watkins8 sed a different technique and were able to determine both the surface tension of copper and the tension of the copper grain boundary. They measured the contact angle which liquid lead makes against a copper surface. They then calculated the above energies from the surface energy of liquid lead by using the Pb vs. Cu/CuY dihedral angle and the surface groove angle formed during thermal etching. They obtained a value of 1800 dynes per cm for the surface tension of clean copper and approximately 640 dynes per cm for the tension of copper grain boundaries. The former value was somewhat higher than Udin&apos;s value of 1500 dynes per cm. This paper includes a determination of the energy of the y-iron grain boundary. In addition, the micro-structural relationships of several other metallic and nonmetallic phases with iron were examined and an attempt was made to interpret the observed structures in terms of interfacial energy relationships. Theoretical Considerations In a three-phase material containing a solid and two liquids, there may be two solid/liquid interfaces, one liquid/liquid interface and one inter- granular interface. Liquid/liquid interfacial energies can be measured directly. Therefore, by determining the energy of such an interface and by measuring the required interfacial angles: the energies of the interfaces involving solids may be obtained.10 They may be shown schematically as in Fig. 1. The above procedure requires the following assumptions: 1—The interfacial energies are, in general, unaffected by boundary orientation, and 2— the shapes of the interfaces are unaltered between annealing and sectioning for microscopic examination. The first assumption is good to a first approximation as shown by Dunn and Lionetti11 except for a few critically orientated boundaries. Two conditions may alter the shape of a boundary upon cooling: 1—Precipitation of dissolved material upon one side of the interface, and 2—a change in volume during the transition from one phase modification to another. The former must be detected by microscopic observation. The latter may become appreciable in systems containing an interface between two liquids which solidify after annealing. However, possible movement of the two-liquid interface may be checked in the system diagrammed in Fig. 1 by measuring 8, for example, and comparing it with its value as calculated from the other interfacial angles by: tan8, C11 05 COS- o- + cos 8, cos- The choice of a suitable pair of liquids is limited by several factors. The relative values of the several

Jan 1, 1952

By K. H. Ribe

Water often enters an oil reservoir during completion or workover operations on a well and forms a partial "water block" to oil production. A mathematical study of radial two-phase flow, neglecting capillary effects, has been employed to study the formation of such a water block and subsequent re-moval by production from the well. The effects of reduced oil permeability about the well on the well productivity were studied. The fluid saturation distributions about the well during formation and removal of the water block have also been computed. Several relative permeability relations and viscosity ratios were employed. If water has invaded the formation, its influence through relative permeability effects alone can cause the following. 1. Oil productivity will be depressed for extended periods after production is resumed and will build up only gradually as the water is removed. 2. Oil injected for treatment of water blocking will delay rather than promote restoration of full well productivity by enlarging the region invaded by water. Thus, unless the specific action of chemicals contained in the oil is needed, oil injection appears undesirable. INTRODUCTION During oilwell workover operations, water may enter the oil-bearing formation from the wellbore. When production is resumed, oil must flow through the region invaded by this water. The presence of this region can cause both well productivity and oil production rate to be low and oil to be produced with high water-oil ratio for some time after production is initiated. This situation is sometimes described as a water block. The introduction of water into the formation may result in other actions which also lead to reduction in well productivity and which are also usually included in the connotation of the broad term, water block. Often considered, for example, are the possibilities of clay swelling by contact with fresh water and the formation of emulsions with the formation oil. If it is suspected that such specific actions have taken place, remedial treatments are undertaken which usually involve the injection of chemicals in oil. Since the introduction of water, even in the absence of specific interactions with the formation or oil, will cause a temporary water block (which might be misinterpreted as evidence of a more severe situation), it is of importance to evaluate the magnitude and duration of this blocking which results purely from the reduction in relative permeability to oil in the vicinity of the wellbore. It is also of interest to evaluate the effect of oil injection on the productivity of a well blocked by water in this manner. Inasmuch as this unfavorable condition may persist for some time, it may lead to premature condemnation of a workover or premature abandonment of a potentially productive pay zone. A quantitative evaluation of the influence of water entry on the oil productivity through changes in relative permeability was made by solving a radial form of the Buckley-Leverett equation. The distribution of water saturation around the wellbore during the entry of water was calculated and was followed by a similar calculation of the saturation distribution during the period of resuming production. At any stage in the removal of the invading water, knowledge of the distribution of its saturation permitted calculating the attendant loss in oil productivity. The influence of the shape of the relative permeability relationships was also evaluated by carrying out the calculations for two hypothetical cases. Further, the effect of the oil-water viscosity ratio was examined by repeating the calculations, for several ratios of unity and greater, with the same relative permeabilities. Fi-nally, results are presented to show how the length of time a well must be swabbed to resume production depends on the length of time it has been subjected to invasion by water. STATEMENT OF THEORY Differential Equations Water is assumed to enter a producing formation which is initially at the connate-water saturation and contains no gas. The water and oil are treated as in-