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By Pual M. Tyler

BLIZKRIEG tactics in the present war have consumed metals on such a profligate scale that some of the best-laid procurement plans for civilian and military needs of even a year ago seem in retrospect incredibly meager. Conservation of raw materials has reached an all-time climax in Germany, where metals are worth more than human life and throwing away an empty toothpaste tube may be legally punished by death. Even the United States and the British Empire, proud masters of nine tenths of the world?s known mineral reserves and processing plants, are being driven to metals and feverishly expanding production facilities that not long ago were deemed overbuilt. After the war is over and inevitable postwar readjustments are completed, it is reasonable to expect that purchasing power ? or at least the ability to procure the comforts and luxuries of life ? will be distributed among vastly larger population than ever before, accelerating the rising trend in demand for industrial raw materials in ever greater quantity and variety.

Jan 1, 1942

By Michael Tenenbaum

A REVIEW of process metallurgy of iron and steel during 1944 in many ways reflects the political and military developments of the year. Early in 1944 the tremendous wartime emergency expansion program was virtually completed and the industry directed its efforts to maintaining maximum production wherever needed. The vigorous production programs inaugurated to support the Normandy invasions did not persist as Allied armies approached Germany. General public apathy which developed with the prospect of an early ending of the European fighting was reflected in a general relaxation in armament programs. Toward the end of the year, as the prospect of a prolonged war became real, the entire program revived considerably and the need for steel became acute. Between January 1940 and October 1944 more than 12,400,000 tons had been added to the nation's steelmaking capacities, and over 12,700,000 tons added to the blast-furnace facilities. The total cost of this enormous program was more than two billion dollars. By July 1, 1944, total steelmaking capacity had exceeded 94,000,000 tons, with blast-furnace capacity rated at 68,400,000. Annual steel production, which was 88,900,000 tons in 1943, increased slightly during the past year and was estimated at 89,500,000. Production of pig iron also increased somewhat from 61,800,000 tons in 1943 to an estimated output of 62,500,000 in 1944. This review deals with a few of the numerous factors involved in maintaining the wartime iron and steel program at the level necessary to accomplish this enormous output.

Jan 1, 1945

By J. M. Clark

(Wilkes-Barre Meeting, June, 1911.) For some years past, those interested in the development of the increasingly important mining industry of Canada, have urged the adoption by the Dominion Parliament of a federal mining-law, which would have the force and stability of statutory enactment. At present, placer-mining in the Yukon Territory, is governed by the Yukon Placer Mining Act. All other mining under federal jurisdiction is governed by 'Orders in Council and Ministerial Regulations. In the earlier stages of development, it is perhaps a matter of necessity that these important matters should be so dealt with; but it is now felt that the time has come when mining-rights in the extensive regions under federal control should be put on a permanent basis, -and that any changes required from time to time should be made only after full and open discussion in Parliament. A short sketch will suffice to indicate how vast and varied the interests affected really are. When the Dominion of Canada was constituted by the Imperial Statute known as the British North America Act of 1867 (which came into force by proclamation on July 1 of that year), it comprised only the present Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick; but provision was made for the inclusion of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, Rupert's Land, and the North West Territories. Subsequently Rupert's Land and the North West Territories were acquired, the 'Crown Colonies of British Columbia and * SECRETARY'S NOTE.-Mr. Clark, an eminent Canadian lawyer, and joint author of the treatise on "The Law of Mines in Canada," has been requested by the Do¬minion Government to prepare a Federal mining-law, and presents this paper, by invitation of the Council, in order to obtain, if possible, useful suggestions from members of the Institute.-R. W. R.

Apr 1, 1911

By N. G. W., Cook

When an excavation is made underground the original rock stresses are removed from the surfaces of the excavation. These surfaces converge to partially close the excavation and the superincumbent rock mass moves down towards the excavation. If the convergence of the surfaces of the excavation were controlled, energy generated by their motion against the controlling forces could be extracted. Since the total forces in the rock mass are not significantly affected by the excavation, stress concentrations arise around the excavation, which compensate exactly for those stresses no longer transmitted through the excavation. These phenomena give rise to two general principles which provide the basis for analyzing the effects of making any underground excavation. The first of these is that the total force resulting from the stresses across any plane in the rock, including any plane through the excavation, must be the same before and after the excavation is made. The second of these is that energy must necessarily be released as a result of making an underground excavation.

Jan 1, 1969

By John M. McAnerney

In 1955, the U.S. Army started to experiment in Greenland with tunneling in glacial ice and later in frozen glacial moraine. By 1960, long adits and experimental rooms had been successfully excavated. Full mechanization with coal-cutting machinery was most efficient in ice but drilling and blasting were necessary in bouldery moraine. In 1963, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, (USA CRREL; redesignated U.S. Army Terrestrial Sciences Center July 1, 1968) started a tunnel in the frozen silt of central Alaska near Fairbanks. The original adit of 360 ft (109 m) was successfully driven in the permafrost by a twin-rotor tunnel-boring machine, the Alkirk Cycle Miner. The workings were enlarged in 1966 and 1967 by standard mining techniques in which jackhammers, steam points, and augers were compared. A mechanical coal cutter was tried to supplement drilling and blasting. In 1968, airblasting techniques were used successfully for breaking out the frozen silt. All mine products were loaded mechanically and hauled by self-dumping shuttle car. Pneumatic methods of transport were tried for both dust removal and for conveying blast products up to 3-in. maximum size. Studies of the effects of natural winter ventilation through a shaft showed that tunnel closure could be reduced by lowering the adjacent ground temperature. It is concluded that underground openings in frozen ground should be cut and maintained at well below freezing temperatures to hold deformation to a minimum. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND This chapter deals with aspects of tunneling not previously discussed in the conference papers in this book. The chief differences are that the three tunnels lie entirely within frozen material and are relatively small, since they were constructed mainly for research. The primary objectives of the research were to develop underground shelters for military per-

Jan 1, 1970

F A. THOMSON, president of the Montana School of Mines, gave an interesting talk on mining schools of the past, present and his ideas of the future before a recent meeting of the Montana Section of the A. I. M. E. He covered the history .of the various mining schools and com- pared the three main types of schools; those attached to or forming part of an endowed college or university such, for example, as' the Columbia School of Mines, the Mining Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Mining Department of Stanford University. These resemble in a general way the second class, those attached to the state universities and colleges. The schools of this general type have had varied success.

Jan 1, 1928

By Elmer A. Jones

Development work in mines of St. Joseph Lead Co., Southeast Missouri, using trackless loading equipment shows definite advantages: Speed of cleaning, ability to work on steep grades and sharp crosscuts, good later tracking conditions, and possibility of wasting rock in old abandoned stopes.

Jan 1, 1950

By Edward P. Barrett

DURING the past few years numerous references have been made in the technical press and Bureau of Mines Bulletin 270 to sponge iron' and so-called "direct metal" processes. The idea has been prevalent that sponge iron and "direct metals" are cheap commodities. In many instances it has been proposed that these processes be used to treat low-grade ores, utilizing low-grade coals as reducing agents. It is questionable whether or not high-grade sponge iron can be made from low-grade materials. Particles contain¬ing iron oxide and gangue become, upon almost complete deoxidation, particles containing metallic' iron and gangue. The possibility of mechanically separating the metallic iron from the gangue in these particles depends . on the physical characteristics of the particular ore under treatment. Some ores, in which the minerals constituting the gangue break free from the iron oxide upon crushing, may be concentrated magnetically after the iron oxides have been reduced to metal. The finely disseminated ores are least amenable to concentration. In general, high-grade sponge iron can only be made from high-grade raw materials. Sponge iron containing small amounts of sulfur can only be made from raw materials containing small amounts of sulfur or by

Jan 1, 1930

By Luis Elek

DEVELOPMENT of the cement industry in Mexico began some 40 years ago. It has gradually reached great importance in the economic life of the country and has contributed greatly to the technical and economical advances which have been so noteworthy, particularly during the last 15 years. From a modest start, the industry now comprises 18 cement-producing plants having a potential annual capacity of approximately 14 million bbl. About half the plants were built and equipped with second-hand machinery during the last world war when no new machinery could be procured. They will hardly attain full production before being modernized and reconditioned, a job now under way in several of the plants. At present, the yearly consumption is only about 8 to 9 million bbl but is steadily increasing. This is only a fraction of the cement consumed in the U.S.A., which is about 250 million bbl per year, although on the basis of consumption per capita per year, the figure is 1/3 bbl for Mexico and 1 2/3 bbl for the U.S.A. Cement consumption in Mexico is well above the average of all other Latin American countries, with the exception of the Argentine, and considering the potentialities and undeveloped riches of Mexico, the road construction and irrigation works, it is fair to assume that the Mexican cement industry will still prosper and expand in spite of temporary setbacks in the future caused by-local events of economic or political nature. Portland cement is manufactured by burning a mixture of raw materials, one of which is mainly composed of calcium carbonates and the other of aluminum silicates. The most typical materials answering this description are limestone and clay, both of which occur in Mexico in many varieties. To be usable for cement manufacture limestone should contain at least 77 to 80 pct calcium carbonate. Lower grade limestone can be used for cement manufacture only if the lime content is increased by the beneficiation process, which has not yet been adopted by the Mexican cement industry. Most of the limestone used by Mexican cement plants has a calcium carbonate content of 90 to 95 pct and therefore requires addition of one or several correction materials. A typical composition of raw mix for cement manufacture is 85 pct limestone and 15 pct shale, clay or volcanic materials. Occasionally it is necessary to add a smaller amount of sand or other siliceous material to increase the silica ratio in the raw mix. Likewise, it is sometimes necessary to add 1 or 2 pct iron ore to facilitate fusion in the kiln and to obtain proper relation between alumina and iron oxide. After calcining and

Jan 1, 1952

By O. E. KEOUGH

AT the Tooele custom lead-zinc ore concentrator,' two sections, each having a daily capacity of 500 to 600 tons, are operated on slightly different types of ores with but little difference in flow sheet and reagents. The ores comprising the two general classes are the coarsely crystalline type, with low pyrite and sphalerite low in iron content, from the Park City district, and the more finely disseminated higher pyrite ores from Bingham, which are more difficult to treat by flotation. Laboratory testing determines with which general class a new ore will work better. The ores are crushed to minus 1 1/4-in. size at either the Utah Ore Sampling Company's plant at Murray, Utah, the Tooele smelter sampling plant, or the crushing plant at the concentrator. The ores for each section are mixed to maintain as nearly as possible uniform lead and zinc contents.

Jan 1, 1930

By H. M. Chance

Discussion of the paper of H. M. Chance, Bi-Monthly Bulletin, No. 23, September, 190S, pp. 791-808. CHARLES CATLETT, Staunton,Va. (communication to the Secretary *):-Mr. Chance's suggestions that the brown hematite ores of the Potsdam formation are due to the alteration in place of iron sulphide, and that their extension may reasonably be expected to contain valuable deposits of unaltered sulphide, are interesting; but the facts marshaled by him are too limited to justify more than the hope that they may serve as a commercial source of sulphur. It is true that these deposits have been the source of large amounts of iron-ore; and it. is common, as stated by him, for the mining operations to extend to a shallow depth only; but this is largely due to the fact that the surface-material represents an accumulation from the breaking down and collection of the ore which formerly reached a much higher level. With, increasing depth comes a decreasing thickness of valuable material. This is especially appreciated by a glance at Mr. Chance's drawings. This is the reason why so many disappointments have resulted when these ores have been followed to greater depths. Even if the ore is largely derived from oxidation in place, it is impossible to ignore the great number of concretionary forms, as well as those showing the evidence of secondary solution and deposition now taking place, such, for instance, as the part replacements of fragments of quartzite derived from the underlying beds. Concretionary form does not necessarily mean long transportation, and may be a variation of material in place; but commonly it is an evidence of collection, and tends to imply that more or less concentration has taken place. This fact would also argue against an equally extensive develop¬-

Nov 1, 1908

By B. M. Larsen, T. E. Brower

A perspective is presented of the steel plant sulphur distribution and elimination problem from coal to liquid steel ready for teeming, giving distributions of sulphur over a range of coke sulphur content, and some methods of sulphur control, in the blast furnace, external desulphuriza-tion between blast furnace and open hearth, distribution between fuel, slag, and metal, and methods and limitations of control of sulphur in the open hearth furnace. AS a part of the 1951 AIME symposium on sulphur in steelmaking, it was thought that a discussion of the distribution of sulphur throughout the whole series of operations, from coal and ore to finished steel ingots, might have some value in giving a perspective on the whole problem. The following discussion is an attempt to present such an overall picture. The order is that of the actual plant operations, beginning with a very brief consideration of the coking process. Sulphur in Coal and Coke Since by far the largest source of sulphur entering the steelmaking cycle is in the coal used to make coke for the blast furnace, it would seem reasonable to eliminate some of it, either from the coal, or the coke, or during the coking process. This has appeared impracticable up to the present, at least, for two main reasons: the low activity of the organic sulphur in either coal or coke, and because of price limitations involved in treating a low cost material such as coke. A variable portion, usually M or less, of the sulphur is present in coal in the form of pyrites or similar compounds, and a large part of this sulphur may be removed in the coal washery. Most of the sulphur, however, is normally present as "organic" sulphur, intimately associated with the coal structure. Its distribution prevents any separation by mechanical means. Its low activity makes improbable ' any rapid chemical removal, although hydrogen will remove sulphur from both coal and coke. Thus, prolonged recirculation of coke oven gas in the coking process would tend to leave a smaller percentage of the total sulphur in the coke residue. Table I shows a typical distribution of sulphur from coal into products in the coking process. As the sulphur in the coal increases, the sulphur in the coke tends to increase in about the same proportion. Sulphur in the Blast Furnace The best picture of the situation in the blast furnace is provided by a sulphur balance of raw materials entering, and of products leaving, the furnace. The difficulties in accurate weighing and sampling of the variable solid materials entering this process, and the number of hours required for the raw materials to descend through the furnace under variable operating conditions, make it difficult to obtain an accurate balance. However, balances made over periods of weeks or months tend to average out some of these uncertainties. Table I1 presents three typical sulphur balances similar to a number that the writers have calculated. In most of these the slag volume calculated from the sulphur balance is, in some instances more, and in other instances less, than the value corresponding to the best input and output balances of the other slag constituents (lime, silica, alumina, etc.). Probably the greatest source of error in these calculations is the sulphur content of the slag. Despite some possible inaccuracies the balances of Table II show rather definitely the following points: 1—That 87 to 95 pct of the total sulphur input is in the coke and 95 to 97 pct of the total sulphur output is in the slag. Also, that if any sulphur leaves the furnace with the gas it is relatively small, amounting to a possible 1 pct or less. 2—At the lower sulphur coke level of 0.86 pct the total amount of sulphur charged is 15 Ib of sulphur per ton iron increasing to 26 lb per ton at the higher sulphur, intimately associated with the coal struc-rare burdens containing sulphur-rich ores will the total sulphur burden fail to be nearly proportional to the content in the coke used. 3—The 7 to 9 pct of the total sulphur input from the limestone of furnaces B and C is due to the relatively high sulphur content of the stone, 0.226 and 0.265 pct, respectively. In the case of furnace A, the sulphur content of the limestone was only 0.06 pct which resulted in only 3 pct of the total sulphur input coming from this source. It is rather interesting to compare the sulphur balances of a typical ferromanganese furnace with

Jan 1, 1952

By C. K. Gupta, P. K. Jena

Niobium (columbium) metal in the form of a button has been produced by calciothermic reduction of niobium pentoxide using sulfur as the heat booster. In these experiments with 50 g of niobium pentoxide per batch, the influence of percentage of calcium in excess of the stoichiometric, the percentage of sulfur by weight of the niobium oxide, and the outer-wall temperature of the bomb on the quality and yield of the metal has been studied. The maximum yield on this scale was 78 pct using 50 pct excess Ca and 20 pct of S and at a bomb-wall temperature of 600°C. In experiments conducted on 500 g of niobium pentoxide, reduction with 40 pct excess Ca and 20 pct of S, and at a bomb-wall temperature of 500°C, the.yield of the metal improved to 82 to 84 pct. Some of the reduced-metal samples have been electron-beam melted and the button melts thus obtained have been observed to be extremely ductile and capable of cold reduction to 98 pct without intermediate annealing. NIOBIUM, because of its high melting point (2468oC), its ductility, its resistance to corrosion especially in liquid metals, its high-temperature mechanical properties, and its relatively low capture cross section (1.1 barns) for thermal neutrons, has potentialities as a structural material in the field of nuclear engineering. Niobium and its alloys are also gaining importance in high-temperature technology as components in aircrafts, jet engines, and missiles, electronics, chemical engineering, and surgery. In 1904 Weiss and Aichel 1 produced niobium by reduction of its pentoxide by misch-metal. Since then a large number of investigations have been carried out for the extraction of niobium from its compounds. The various routes through which the metal niobium has been extracted from its compounds can broadely be classified into the following groups: a) reduction of its halides, oxides, and fluo-salts with metals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and aluminum;2-10 b) reduction of its halides with hydrogen and oxides with carbon or carbides;11-18 c) electrolytic winning from its halides and fluo salts;19-25 and d) thermal decomposition and disproportion ion of its halides26-30 Among the processes in commercial use at present are sodium reduction or fused-salt electrolysis of potassium niobium fluoride, carbide or carbon reduction of the oxide, and hydrogen or metallothermic reduction of the chlorides. In 1907 Von Bolton2 prepared niobium by reducing niobium pentoxide with aluminum. Dennis and Adam-sona attempted reducing the oxide with magnesium powder in argon atmosphere and the resulting metal contained as much as 5 pct O. Mondolfo8 claimed a method for the reduction of the oxides with aluminum. In the case of both magnesium and aluminum reduction, it has been stated31 that by-product oxides such as MgO or A12O3 would involve a major separation problem. Further, in the case of alumino-thermic reduction, the solubility of aluminum in niobium and intermetallic formation have to be reckoned with. In 1922 Bridge3 produced niobium by calcium reduction of niobium pentoxide. Dennis and pdamson' obtained the metal by a similar method with an oxygen content of 0.2 pct. In most of the cases of metallothermic reduction of niobium oxides mentioned above, the metal niobium is obtained in the form of powder. In an attempt to produce massive niobium metal, lock' used iodine as the thermal booster in the bomb reduction of niobium pentoxide by calcium. Massive niobium metal was obtained with a maximum yield of 75 pct containing 0.1 pct 0. Joly32 carried out experiments on calcium reduction of niobium pentoxide on a 2-kg scale using sulfur as the heat booster in a sealed bomb filled with argon. In his experiments, the reaction was initiated by passing a current through niobium spiral wire embedded in the charge. In a typical run consisting of 2000 g of niobium pentoxide, 3100 g of calcium, and 800 g of sulfur (S/Nb2O5 = 3.3), he obtained massive metal in the form of a very uneven mass with a yield of -57 pct. With lower amounts of sulfur and calcium, powder niobium mixed with small metal globules was obtained and the yield was also poor. From these experiments he concluded that this method is not a suitable one for industrial development considering the quality and yield of metal obtainable and the possible hazards with higher ratios of sulfur to niobium pentoxide in the -~charere. In the present work, a detailed investigation on the calciothermic reduction of niobium pentoxide in a stainless-steel bomb in presence of sulfur as the heat booster was undertaken on a laboratory scale.

Jan 1, 1964

By John Birkinbine

The following data concerning the general dimensions and district-location of the blast-furnaces of the United States are intended to supplement a paper of similar title, which appears in volume xiv., pages 561 to 577, of the Transactions, and bring the record to the end of the calendar year 1886. The reasons for presenting the figures at so short an interval since the former paper are that the American Iron and Steel Association has lately issued a new directory of iron and steel works (edition of 1886) from which many of the plants which have been inactive are omitted and new industries added, to such an extent as to materially affect the figures presented in the first paper; and also that the improvement in business has encouraged a production of pig-iron in 1886 in excess of any previous outputs, and the results obtained in the industry at large as well as at individual plants form a better index of what the American furnaces can accomplish than those heretofore presented. The statement will not be extended beyond the production of pigiron, although it could well be made to include the manufactured iron and steel; and while the data given have been verified as far as possible up to the close of the year 1886, no attempt, except in special cases, has been made to note the changes which have taken place since that time—changes which within the next twelvemouth will affect some of the figures here presented. At the close of the year 1886 there were 579 blast-furnaces reported on the active list—an apparent decrease, as compared with my former paper, of 97 stacks; but this was not an actual decrease, since most of the furnaces dropped from the Directory were those which, owing to location, inefficient equipment, or fake of ore-supplies, etc., were considered likely to remain inactive, although a number of them will possibly be temporarily put into blast with iron advancing in price. On the other hand the new plants added

Jan 1, 1887

By Luis Elek

DEVELOPMENT of the cement industry in Mexico began some 40 years ago. It has gradually reached great importance in the economic life of the country and has contributed greatly to the technical and economical advances which have been so noteworthy, particularly during the last 15 years. From a modest start, the industry now comprises 18 cement-producing plants having a potential annual capacity of approximately 14 million bbl. About half the plants were built and equipped with secondhand machinery during the last world war when no new machinery could be procured. They will hardly attain full production before being modernized and reconditioned, a job now under way in several of the plants. At present, the yearly consumption is only about 8 to 9 million bbl but is steadily increasing. This is only a fraction of the cement consumed in the U.S.A., which is about 250 million bbl per year, although on the basis of consumption per capita per year, the figure is 1/3 bbl for Mexico and 1 2/3 bbl for the U.S.A. Cement consumption in Mexico is well above the average of all other Latin American countries, with the exception of the Argentine, and considering the potentialities and undeveloped riches of Mexico, the road construction and irrigation works, it is fair to assume that the Mexican cement industry will still prosper and expand in spite of temporary setbacks in the future caused by local events of economic or political nature. Portland cement is manufactured by burning a mixture of raw materials, one of which is mainly composed of calcium carbonates and the other of aluminum silicates. The most typical materials answering this description are limestone and clay, both of which occur in Mexico in many varieties. To be usable for cement manufacture limestone should contain at least 77 to 80 pct calcium carbonate. Lower grade limestone can be used for cement manufacture only if the lime content is increased by the beneficiation process, which has not yet been adopted by the Mexican cement industry. Most of the limestone used by Mexican cement plants has a calcium carbonate content of 90 to 95 pct and therefore requires addition of one or several correction materials. A typical composition of raw mix for cement manufacture is 85 pct limestone and 15 pct shale, clay or volcanic materials. Occasionally it is necessary to add a smaller amount of sand or other siliceous material to increase the silica ratio in the raw mix. Likewise, it is sometimes necessary to add 1 or 2 pct iron ore to facilitate fusion in the kiln and to obtain proper relation between alumina and iron oxide. After calcining and

Jan 1, 1953

By Luis Elek

DEVELOPMENT of the cement industry in Mexico began some 40 years ago. It has gradually reached great importance in the economic life of the country and has contributed greatly to the technical and economical advances which have been so noteworthy, particularly during the last 15 years. From a modest start, the industry now comprises 18 cement-producing plants having a potential annual capacity of approximately 14 million bbl. About half the plants were built and equipped with secondhand machinery during the last world war when no new machinery could be procured. They will hardly attain full production before being modernized and reconditioned, a job now under way in several of the plants. At present, the yearly consumption is only about 8 to 9 million bbl but is steadily increasing. This is only a fraction of the cement consumed in the U.S.A., which is about 250 million bbl per year, although on the basis of consumption per capita per year, the figure is 1/3 bbl for Mexico and 1 2/3 bbl for the U.S.A. Cement consumption in Mexico is well above the average of all other Latin American countries, with the exception of the Argentine, and considering the potentialities and undeveloped riches of Mexico, the road construction and irrigation works, it is fair to assume that the Mexican cement industry will still prosper and expand in spite of temporary setbacks in the future caused by local events of economic or political nature. Portland cement is manufactured by burning a mixture of raw materials, one of which is mainly composed of calcium carbonates and the other of aluminum silicates. The most typical materials answering this description are limestone and clay, both of which occur in Mexico in many varieties. To be usable for cement manufacture limestone should contain at least 77 to 80 pct calcium carbonate. Lower grade limestone can be used for cement manufacture only if the lime content is increased by the beneficiation process, which has not yet been adopted by the Mexican cement industry. Most of the limestone used by Mexican cement plants has a calcium carbonate content of 90 to 95 pct and therefore requires addition of one or several correction materials. A typical composition of raw mix for cement manufacture is 85 pct limestone and 15 pct shale, clay or volcanic materials. Occasionally it is necessary to add a smaller amount of sand or other siliceous material to increase the silica ratio in the raw mix. Likewise, it is sometimes necessary to add 1 or 2 pct iron ore to facilitate fusion in the kiln and to obtain proper relation between alumina and iron oxide. After calcining and

Jan 1, 1953

By William B. Plank

Mineral engineering student enrollment in U. S. and Canadian schools for 1955-1956 is 11,408, an increase of 11 pct more than last year. The undergraduate and graduate engineering students in both countries number 251,765, or 13 pct more than last year. These figures have been released by the American Society for Engineering Education. The largest increase in the undergraduate mineral engineering group in the U. S. is in ceramic engineering, with 676 students, or 31 pct more than last year. The next largest increase is in mining which shows a gain of 13.5 pct, compared with a gain of 13.1 pct in the total undergraduate enrollment in all engineering schools approved by the Engineers' Council for Professional Development. This figure is 190,355, which approaches the prewar figure. Metallurgical undergraduates increased 13 pct; geological, 5 pct; and petroleum, 2.5 pct. This year the figures for geophysics are combined with those for geological engineering, making a total of 1610 undergraduates, of which the geophysicists comprise about one seventh.

Apr 1, 1956

By E. C. Houston

The phosphate ores mined in middle Tennessee typically consist of granular rock phosphate particles disseminated in a clayey matrix. In the TVA plant near Columbia, Tenn., the phosphate ore is mined, made into a slurry with the addition of a small amount of sodium hydroxide as dispersant, and treated in a hydroseparator to remove minus 10 micron material. The hydro-separator underflow, comprising a rough concentrate, is transported by pipeline to the plant; the hydro-separator overflow, comprising a tailing, is flocculated by addition of calcium sulphate and is discharged to settling ponds at a rate of about 1400 gpm. Sedimentation in the ponds produces a clarified effluent, which may be recycled for use as process water or discharged to surface drainage. This method of tailing treatment is not entirely satisfactory since poor sedimentation characteristics of the tailing result in poor ultimate utilization of pond storage volume.

Jan 1, 1949

By Donald B. Gillies

THE great source of iron ore for the furnaces of this country has been the Lake Superior district. Ore was first discovered there in 1844, and the first shipments made via the Great Lakes in 1852 to a furnace at New Castle, Pa. The stream of ore from that region increased slowly to exceed a million tons in 1873, and did not reach 10 million tons until 1895. By 1901 it exceeded 20 million tons, and in 1907 over 40 million tons. Total Lake Superior output through 1948 was about 2500 million long tons. Outside the Lake Superior district are the Southern district, including mainly Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Texas; the Eastern district of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; the Western district embracing Wyoming, Utah, and California.

Jan 1, 1949

By J. Handin, S. J. Bauer, M. Friedman

Deformation mechanisms in room-dry and water-saturated specimens of Charcoal Granodiorite, shortened at 10-4s-1, at effective pressures (Pe) to 100 MPa and temperatures to partial melting (?1050°C) are documented with a view toward providing criteria to recognize and characterize the deformation for geological and engineering applications. Above 800°C strength decreases dramatically at effective pressures ? 50 MPa and water-weakening reduces strength an additional 30 to 40% at Pe = 100 MPa. Strains at failure are only 0.1 to 2.2 percent with macroscopic ductility (within this range) increasing as the effective pressures are increased and in wet versus dry tests. Shattering (multiple faulting) gives way to faulting along a single zone to failure without macroscopic faulting as ductility increases. Microscopically, cataclasis (extension microfracturing and thermal cracking with rigid-body motions) predominates at all conditions. Dislocation gliding contributes little to the strain. Precursive extension microfractures coalesce to produce the throughgoing faults with gouge zones exhibiting possible Riedel shears. Incipient melting, particularly in wet tests, produces a distinctive texture along feldspar grain boundaries that suggests a grain-boundary-softening effect contributes to the weakening. In addition, it is demonstrated that the presence of water does not lead to more microfractures, but to a reduction in the stresses required to initiate and propagate them.

Jan 1, 1982