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By Richard B. Greenwalt, John M. Bertram, George E. Aiken

Agglomeration developments in the iron ore industry of North America over the past twenty years are closely related to shifting patterns in commercially acceptable ore grades and even the definition of iron ores. As early as WW II the rich Mesabi hematites were depleted, ending a 50-year era of direct shipping ores that included reserves of an estimated three billion tons. Decreasing ore grades and rising costs began to force the closing of many underground iron mines and processes were being developed to use domestic low-grade iron deposits. This resulted in the rapid development of iron ore beneficiation processes and signaled the coming trend toward concentration, sintering and pelletizing. Yet even today when agglomeration facilities are treating 90 % of the Mesabi Range product much remains to be done in keeping world-wide competitive forces in check and in ensuring the long- term utilization of these expansive ore supplies in an up-until-now captive U.S. market.

Jan 10, 1973

By H. Pew, J. H. Field

To alleviate pollution more restrictive legislation is being enacted, either limiting emission of pollutants or the type of fuel that can be utilized. The nature and magnitude of air pollution problems affecting the mining, preparation, coking and combustion of coal are described. Methods for combatting particulate emissions by use of mechanical separators and electrostatic pre-cipitors are discussed. Proposed methods to meet the problem of gaseous emissions currently receiving considerable attention are described, with special emphasis on methods to decrease pollution by sulfur oxides. Concern about air pollution goes back several centuries, but until very recently most effort has been aimed at coal smoke and other visible pollutants. The classic example of a 'successful' campaign for smoke abatement and control is the fruitful combined effort of the city of Pittsburgh and its surrounding Allegheny County, which eventually led to the reconstruction of downtown Pittsburgh at an estimated cost of one billion dollars. Historically, the city's downtown Golden Triangle district had been afflicted by pollutants evolving from steel mills, from a variety of other industries, and from railroad locomotives. Efforts to alleviate the situation prior to 1943 were virtually ineffective. In 1945, however, a comprehensive redevelopment plan was prepared and backed by state authority. Within a few years a clean, modern metropolis has evolved where once stood America's famous 'smoky city.' But the victory in Pittsburgh, as in various other American cities, has not solved the national problem. Current estimates indicate that 133 million tons annually of air pollutants from all sources still are emitted annually into the atmosphere above the United States. About 10% of this annual effluent is particulate matter so that most of the remaining pollution problems will be solved only when other effluents are reduced. Essentially, these are sulfur oxides, nitro- gen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide. Over the years, both states and local communities have tended to increase the restrictions on smoke and fly ash — problems mostly of concern in the combustion of coal. Prior to the middle 1950's, ordinances sometimes permitted emissions of smoke equivalent to as much as No. 3 on the Ringlemann scale. Since 1956, no ordinance has been passed which allows smoke of greater than No. 2. Under today's conditions of improved fuels, equipment and practice, a few communities have passed laws prohibiting emission of smoke of any density darker than Ringlemann No. 1. The majority of existing laws on fly ash emission in the U.S. limit emissions equivalent to 0.85 lb of fly ash per 1000 Ib of flue gas. In recent years, however, regulations which have been adopted give cognizance to the higher level of performance now obtainable with improved equipment. A comparison of the restrictions of five codes adopted since 1960 is given in Table I. The most stringent of these is the one for New York City which provides for a maximum emission of 0.6 lb fly ash per million Btu heat release (equivalent to roughly 0.51 lb/1000 lb of flue gas). The first comprehensive effort to restrict the emission of SO2 resulted from the passage of a 1937 law in St. Louis. This regulation stipulated that coal containing in excess of 23% volatile matter and 2% sulfur must be washed, thereby presumably producing some effective reduction in the input sulfur content. This was followed in 1949 by a Los Angeles County law which prohibited the emission of SO2 in concentrations greater than 0.2%. Most SO2-restrictive legislation passed since that date has been based on this limiting 0.2% SO2 by volume, although modifications are occasionally permitted under selected conditions, sometimes based on the fact that certain limiting ground concentrations are not exceeded — such as in the rules adopted by the San Francisco Bay area. To date, no legislation has been passed in the U.S. to limit the generation of nitrogen oxides from the combustion of fossil fuels. However, such oxides are considered to be of potential importance in air pollution control because of their possible detrimental effects on health and their reported role in the formation of photochemical smog. Interest in reducing oxides of nitrogen from powerplant and auto exhausts is increasing and regulations limiting their quantity can be expected in the future.

Jan 1, 1968

By Forrest F. Craig

Both early and more recent1 laboratory measurements of gas-oil relative permeabilities were made by subjecting oil-saturated cores to external gas drives. In these runs it was generally assumed that the flowing gas/oil ratio was constant at every point throughout the core. Using this assumption, the resulting equation for the gas-oil relative permeability ratio becomes A where Q is the flow rate at the producing end of the system. This relative permeability was then specified for the average saturation of the core. The assumption and resulting equation fail to recognize that in an external drive, the oil flow rate varies from zero at the injection end to a maximum at the producing end. The assumption also fails to consider the existence of a saturation gradient during an external drive. This saturation gradient is due solely to non-steady-state flow. Some authors2,3,4 have used this erroneous method of calculating relative permeability ratios from external drives. Other authors5,6,7 have used relative permeability ratios in calculating expected field performance by external drive, using Equation (1) and making the incorrect assumption that the saturation is uniform within the driven portion of the reservoir. To find the correct relation between the relative permeability. ratio at the average saturation and the produced gas/oil ratio, the insertion in Equation (1) of a factor, F, to adjust it for oil velocity gradient has been considered. The equation then takes the form Assuming that the oil velocity is directly proportional to the distance from the injection point leads to the conclusion that, for a linear system, the average oil velocity is one-half that at the producing end. Thus, the average gas/oil ratio is twice the produced gas/oil ratio, and Equation (2) is transformed into However, here again the existence of a saturation gradient is not recognized. The produced gas/oil ratio is related to the relative permeability ratio at the saturation of the outlet end of the system. It can be shown quite readily that, if the true log k,/k, saturation relationship is linear over small ranges of saturation, then d log kjko Where aaxv and u2 are the average and outlet saturations, respectively. Examination of Equation (3) shows that the factor F cannot have a single value over the whole saturation range. Another method of dealing with external drives is that of Buckley and Leverett.' Their method, which assumes no gas expansion and outlet end effects, considers fully the saturation gradient present due solely to the displacement mechanism during an external drive, and applies Equation (1) to each point along this gradient. The calculation of production history using relative permeability ratio is straightforward. However, the calculation of relative permeability ratios from production history by this method is impractical. In a recent paper, Welge,1 using an approach similar to that of Buckley and Leverett, presents a simplified method for determining the saturation at the producing end of the system. At thi; saturation, the relative permeability ratio calculated by Equation (1) applies exactly, after breakthrough of the stabilizej front. By this method, relative permeability ratios or production history may be calculated with equal ease. Use of this method as a laboratory tool in determination of relative permeability ratios by external drive requires the knowledge of the total injected fluid volume; in addition to the average saturation and producing ratio. As a preliminary test of this method of calculation, laborntory external gas drives were run on a 3% in. diameter, 11 in. long sample of Nellie Bly consolidated sandstone. This core sample had a permeability of 824 md and a porosity of 28.1 per cent. The driving fluid was air. Three different oils were used, having viscosities of 1.4, 9.8, and 125 cp, respectively. The runs were made under identical pressure differentials,

Jan 1, 1952

By Robert D. Thomson

Listed among strategic and critical minerals for stockpiling, mica is an important raw material in electronic and electrical equipment industries. Each year large quantities are consumed in the manufacture of television and radio tubes, radar sets, generators, transformers, electric toasters, and irons. Crude mica, which comes from the mine in crystals or in rough books of various shapes and sizes, is known as run-of-mine or book mica. Structural imperfections, impurities, rough edges, and defective laminae are removed by cobbing, rifting, and trimming to produce a marketable block mica or film mica. After the rough books have been hand-cobbed to remove adhering rock, dirt, and crushed or defective mica they are rifted, or split. In the U.S. a straight-bladed knife is generally used for rifting. Products of this operation are classed broadly as untrimmed sheet mica and scrap.

May 1, 1956

By F. R. Wadleigh

There are in commercial use today in the United States various classifications of coal, each based on one or more characteristics. The bases of these classifications may be described as follows: GeNeRaL Basis Examples 1. Geological By seams and basins (local). 2. Chemical By constituents, as determined by analysis—ash, volatilc, slilfur and hcating value. 3. Combustion Characteristics As frce-burning, smokeless, character of ash. 4. Carbonization Characteristics Coking, noncoking. 5. Physical Characteristics Splint, soft, hard, block. 6. Geographical States, Fields, Counties, Districts. 7. Sizes By dimension or name. 8. Company Names Producing or sales company names, as "C. C. B. Pocahontas," etc. 9. Trade Names, copyrighted or not 10. Uses Gas, steam, coking, locomotive, fuel, bunkers, etc. 11. Use Methods Stoker coal. 12. Pools (Tidewater Exchanges) Analyses Size Seams Railroads Uses Structure Districts There are also classifications founded on more than one basis, as follows: 1. Geographical and Geological. By locality of mines (State, District, County) and seam. Examples: Cambria County, Miller Seam, New River, Sewell Seam. 2. Geographical and Chemical. Alabama medium volatile. 3. Combustion Characteristics and Ash Content. Free-burning, red ash (anthra- cite). 4. Carbonization Characteristics and Analysis. Noncoking, high-volatile, low sulfur. 5. Physical and Carbonization Characteristics. Splint, noncoking. 6. Size and Use. ¾-in. gas coal; domestic sizes (prepared sizcs); stcam sizcs. 7. Company Name and Seam. Consolidation Co., Elkhorn. 8. Size and Analysis. Low-volatile run-of-mine; low-volatilc slack. 9. Sizes—size of screen and name. 6 by sin. lump. 10. Chemical and USP. High-volatile steam. 11. Geographical and Use. Youghiogheny gas. 12. District, Size and Use. Pittsburgh gas l¼-in. lump. ,

Jan 1, 1930

By H. A. Dierks

PENNSYLVANIA's anthracite region lies in the heart of the richest and most densely populated area of the U. S. Nearly 70 million people live within a radius of 500 miles, in which 130,000 manufacturing plants employ more than 8 million workers. The region comprises some 3000 sq miles and contains 484 sq miles of coal measures, which folding and erosion have divided into four separate and distinct fields, known as the Northern, Eastern Middle, Western Middle, and Southern.

Jan 10, 1957

CHARLES KIRCHHOFF, Chairman. ALBERT SAUVEUR, Vice-Chairman. HERBERT M. BOYLSTON, Secretary, Abbot Bldg., Cambridge, Mass. John Birkinbine, J. Esrey Johnson, Jr., Felix A. Vogel, William H. Blauvelt, William Kelly, Leonard Waldo, James Gayley, . Richard Moldenke, William R. Walker, Henry D. Hibbard, Joseph W. Richards, - William R. Webster. Henry 1%1. Howe, E. Gybbon Spilsbury, Frederick W. Wood. Robert W. Hunt, A. A. Stevenson, The Board of Directors of the Institute has authorized the holding of a meeting under the auspices of the Iron and, Steel Committee in New York City, October 16 and 17, 1913. Gratifying responses have been received to the request of the Committee for contributions, the following papers being already assured: 1. H. M. Howe, Equilibrium Temperature for A, in Carbon Steel. 2. H. M. Howe, The Divorcing of the Eutectoid in Meteorites. 3. H. M. Howe and A. G. Levy, Determination Of the Position of Ae3, in Carbon-Iron Alloys. 4. G. .K Burgess, J. J. Crowe and H. S. Rawdon, Thermal and Microscopical Examination of Professor Howe's Standard Commercial Steels. 5. H. Dl. Hove, Discussion of the Existing Data as to the Position of Ae3,. 6. J. H. Hall, Shock Tests of Cast Steel. 7. H. F. Miller, Jr., The Design of Regenerators for Open-Hearth Furnaces. 8. E. Stütz, Paper on the "Scoria Process." 9. Albert Sauveur, Mayari Steel. 10. Felix A. Vogel, Briquetting. 11. J. E. Johnson, Jr., Paper on " Cast Iron."

Jan 6, 1913

By R. B. Sosman, J. C. Hostetter

It is well known that ferric oxide, Fe2O3, is paramagnetic, while magnetite, Fe3o4, is classed among the highly ferromagnetic substances. But magnetic data on oxides intermediate in composition between Fe2o3 and Fe3O4 have been almost completely lacking. Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 form a solid-solution series, according to present evidence.' In this series the properties change continuously from Fe2O3 toward Fe3O4, as the percentage of FeO increases from zero toward 31.03, which is the percentage in magnetite. It is possible that there is a break in the series near Fe3O4, but it has not yet been possible to establish the existence of such a break experimentally. The occurrence of solid solution in this series is shown by the dissociation pressure, or oxygen pressure in equilibrium with the oxides, which falls continuously over the range from Fe2O3 to Fe3O4. The oxygen-pressure curves at 1100" and 1200" are shown in Fig. 1. The existence of solid solution is also demonstrated by the continuous change in optical properties from Fe2O3 over to a composition containing about 18 per cent. FeO, at which point the opacity of the oxide becomes so great that it is impossible to obtain measurements at higher percentages of ferrous iron. Natural oxides of iron intermediate in composition between Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 are much more common than is generally supposed. If a mineral oxide is not strongly attracted by a small hand magnet and if it gives a red streak, it is usually labeled "hematite." If it is strongly attracted by the hand magnet it is usually labeled "magnetite" without further tests. As we shall show later, oxides containing from 1 up to 31 per cent. FeO can be thus erroneously lumped together as "magnetite." It is a fact, nevertheless, that the great bulk of natural oxides of iron lie fairly near either Fe2O3 or Fe3O4 in composition. The reason will be

Jan 1, 1918

Arizona E. P. MATHEWSON, Chairman W. V. DECAMP. First Vice-chairman H. W. ALDRICH, Second Vice-chairman E. D. GARDNER, Secretary-Treasurer, Care U. S. Bureau of Mines, Tucson, Ariz. F A. AYES, J. P. HODGSON W L DU MOULIN WILLIAM KOERNER Boston Meets first Monday each winter month GEORGE B WATERHOUSE, Chairman GEORGE A PACKARD, Vice-chairman F. LEROY FOSTER, Secretary-Treasurer Room 8-219, Mass. Inst. of Tech , Cambridge, Mass. F K MORRIS F S MULOCK

Jan 1, 1923

By John L. Burns

The object of this chapter is to present data concerning the effect of the introduction of relatively slight amounts of carbon and nitrogen into supersaturated solution in iron. The study is confined to the alpha temperature range of both the Fe-C and Fe-N systems. The age-hardening characteristics of these two systems are considered. These data are compared to those of other age-hardening alloy systems and a "classification" is essayed. A.—Relation of Lattice Parameter and Electrical Conductivity to Changes in Physical Properties Due to Aging of Fe-C Alloys Since Whiteleyl in 1927 showed that some of the iron carbide that is normally present in slowly cooled low carbon-iron alloys disappears on rapid cooling from just below the A, point, interest has been manifested in the possibilities of age-hardening in these alloys. Masing and Koch,~ and at the same time and independently, W. Koster,~ proved these alloys to be age-hardenable. A. A. Bates4 a little later also published an interesting paper on changes in physical properties due to the aging of low-carbon steels. Many other papers have appeared showing changes in physical properties in specific instances due to this same phenomenon.

Jan 1, 1934

Discussion of the paper of F. C. LANGENBERG and R. G. WEBBER, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 98, February, 1915, pp. 291 to 300. HENRY M. HOWE, Bedford Hills, N. Y.-The results here given are of great interest and are welcome as forming another rivet to increase the stability of our present theories of the constitution and properties of steel. The important discovery is that the hysteresis increases with the fineness of the structure, that is to say with the extent of contact between the particles of ferrite and cementite. All of the specimens except No. 4 consist of ferrite and cementite of different degrees of intimacy of admixture. If hysteresis represents something akin to surface friction, which retards the rotation of the ferrite on the application and release of the magnetizing force, then it is only natural that it should increase as it does with the intimacy of admixture, because it is at the surface of contact of a given particle of ferrite with the neighboring particles of cementite that this friction is to be expected, and of course the extent of surface must in¬crease with the intimacy of admixture. The somewhat greater hardness of specimen 4 than of the others may perhaps he referred to the principle discussed in my paper, Why Does Lag Increase with the Temperature from Which Cooling Starts?' The furnace-cooled specimens were cooled so slowly that the influence of the initial temperature of heating is effaced. But in the air-cooled specimens we have the suggestion that the high temperature, 1,000°, from which the cooling of No. 4 started has prevented the completion of the transformation, with the result that the metal is slightly harder than any of the others. The difference is not to be explained by difference in the fineness of structure, because the whole range of fineness from No. 1 to No. 6 is accompanied by no change in hardness, the only change being an appreciable increase of hardness following the air cooling from 1,000°.

Jan 5, 1915

By I. L. Dillamore

I. L. Dillamore (University of Birmingham)—The different textures developed in various fcc metals have long awaited satisfactory explanation and it has now become clear that these differences are related to parallel differences in the deformation characteristics of the metals. Liu is correct, therefore, in seeking to account for the observed textures in terms of the flow mechanisms but I believe, for the reasons outlined below, that the particular interpretation of flow mechanisms proposed by Liu is open to substantial objections. By considering the forty-eight possible designations of the twelve octahedral slip systems found in fcc metals as distinct and separate deformation modes, Liu has fallen into the error of assuming that only positive glide dislocations associated with each system are present. In fact both positive and negative dislocations will be present and the only difference between for instance the systems B4 and B4' (in Liu's notation) is that under a stress of given sign the direction of motion of a dislocation is reversed on changing from B4 to B4'. For both orientations positive and negative dislocations will be present. In considering possible dislocation interactions it is, therefore, inadmissible to differentiate between R4 and R4' as Liu does. Liu considers those dislocation interactions which give the biggest reduction in energy to be the most favorable and neglects, on the grounds that they will form strong barriers to slip, interactions between dislocations with perpendicular Burgers vectors. Setting aside interactions between positive and negative dislocations of the same slip system, which must occur regardless of the combination of slip systems chosen, the biggest reduction in energy occurs for the Lomer-Cottrell interaction and it is Lomer-Cottrell barriers which are thought to provide the stronger dislocation obstacles. On the other hand the intersection of dislocations with perpendicular Burgers vectors is thought to be a low-energy process which contributes only a fairly small temperature-dependent part of the total work hardening. On this basis it seems doubtful whether the reduction in energy through possible dislocation interactions provides a reasonable criterion for choosing the operative slip systems. From the point of view of texture development it is unsatisfactory to ignore the slip rotations leading to an end position and to neglect to consider the stability of the chosen end point. It is also unsatisfactory to treat the two stress axes as interchangeable since, if the stress system is idealized as biaxial, one stress is compressive and the other is tensile. For the same reason the rotations of the two stress axes are not made compatible simply by assuming that the same slip directions are responsible for the rotations of the two stress axes. It is, in short, essential to treat the two stress axes as acting together on the same slip systems. Turning to the question of the difference between the copper-type and the brass-type texture, there now remains little doubt that the difference is attributable to differences in stacking-fault energy (y), as noted by Liu, but it is doubtful whether the temperature dependence of the texture in copper and in silver is due to increasing stacking-fault energy with increasing temperature. The results of Swann and Nutting42 cited by Liu were obtained in Cu-A1 alloys and the apparent increase in stacking-fault energy on raising the temperature may be influenced by short-range ordering. In pure metals such effects are absent and the only data available on the variation of y with temperature are those of Buhler et a1.43 for silver. They report a minimum at 200°C which does not fit the hypothesis put forward by Liu. It is much more likely that thermal activation of cross slip is important in determining which texture develops, as proposed by Dillamore and tors. These workers have proposed an explanation for the differences in observed texture among the fcc metals and the pole figures predicted consist of an orientation spread which is in better agreement with observation than the limited number of discrete orientations suggested by Liu. The theory of Dillamore and Roberts is also able to account for the differences between aluminum and copper which Liu still leaves unexplained. Y. C. Liu (author's veply)—The writer appreciates the interest of Dr. Dillamore, but must discuss some of his comments in order to avoid cross purposes. The phrase, "forty-eight slip systems," which appeared twice in the text—in the caption of Fig. 1 and the first paragraph in the Discussion—might unfortunately have led Dr. Dillamore to disagree

Jan 1, 1965

By G. B. Gibbs

Various semiempirical equations which relate defect-formation energies and entropies with elastic and thermal properties of a metal crystal are shown to be related by a simple model for lattice energy. An illustrative comparison of theory with experiment is made using self-diffilsion data for fee metals. SEVERAL workers have related the free energy of defect formation with elastic and thermal properties of a crystal lattice, particularly elastic bulk modulus and Debye temperature. The present note shows how the various approaches are related by a simple model for lattice energy. A comparison of theory with experiment is given using the self-diffusion parameters of fee metals. 1) A MODEL OF THE CRYSTAL LATTICE The internal energy per atom in a metallic lattice may be written U=Ui-Ue [1] where Ui and Ue refer to ion-ion interaction and valence electron energies, respectively. The volume per atom V has an equilibrium value 52 for which

Jan 1, 1968

By David R. Mitchell, Ernest M. Spokes

INFORMATION on magnetic properties of minerals other than magnetite is scanty and some- times erroneous. Often there is no information at all. W. R. Crane's table of tractive forces published in 1901 is still the best guide in the field, but Crane's data can be used as a guide only, since he ignored such important factors as impurities in the minerals, size, and packing effect. During the 1930's work by the U. S. Bureau of Mines added greatly to knowledge of the behavior of certain minerals in a magnetic field. The USBM bulletin gave for the first time complete magnetic characteristics for magnetite and fragmentary data for a few other minerals. The work reported here covers a study of the magnetic-susceptibility relationships of the wolf-ramite series of minerals and sphalerites as related to their chemical compositions. Theories are proposed to explain divergences found from commonly accepted beliefs.

Jan 3, 1958

By Lyall Zickrick, R. S. Dean, F. C. Nix

The first attempt to establish an equilibrium diagram of the lead-antimony series was made by Roland-Gosselinl in 1896. This investigation classified the system as a purely eutectiferous one, with the eutectic at 12.5 per cent. antimony and 228" C. In the next year, Stead2 placed the eutectic temperature at 247' C. The error in temperature made by Roland-Gosselin, however, has been perpetuated in the literature with a remarkable degree of persistency; this value was accepted by Campbell (1902), and Ewen (1910),3 and will be found in the last edition of Desch's3 Metallography (1922). Gonterman's investigation, made in 1907, was the most complete one available at the time .the present investigation was started. He concluded4 that the system was a simple eutectiferous one and placed the eutectic at 13 per cent. antimony and 247° C. Other investigations by Tammann (1907),5 Garbow (1909),6 Rudolfi (1910),7 Loebe (1911),8 and Leroux (1913)9 added little, if anything, to Gonterman's diagram. A number of investigations have been made of physical properties of the alloys. The electrical conductivity of the series was studied by Matthiessen (1860)10 and by A. W. Smith (1921);11 the thermoforce by Rudolfi (1910),12 and Pelabon (1923) ;13 the specific heat by Durrer

Jan 1, 1926

By E. M. Norris

Phosphate deposits are distributed widely over the earth's surface. Of the known areas of deposit, eight fields are of particular interest because of their vast reserves of high grade phosphatic material and the volume of their production that goes to the world's great consuming areas. These fields, in the order of their present economic importance, are situated respectively in Florida, French Morocco, Kola Peninsula of U.S.S.R., Tunisia and Algeria, Tennessee, Mon- tana-Idaho-Wyoming-Utah, Ocean and Naru Islands in the Gilbert group, and in Egypt. The Rocky Mountain deposits have a comparatively low ranking in the phosphate trade of today, but this field contains one of the largest known reserves of phosphatic material, associated with which are recoverable trace minerals, which are of increasing importance in our national economy. The first discoveries of phosphate rock in the western states were recorded in Cache1 and Rich² counties in Utah, respectively in 1889 and 1897. Mining operations were begun on these deposits near Montpelier, Idaho, in 1906. During the latter year geological studies of the phosphate beds were started by Weeks and Ferrier of the U. S. Geological Survey. These studies have been continued to the present day by a distinguished roster of the Survey's technicians. As a result of this systematic exploratory program, the Survey has published a series of bulletins, papers, and maps, which provide the mining public with a comprehensive study of the exposed

Jan 1, 1950

By David R. Mitchell

IF you are the owner of a mine, or a mine executive, or just an ordinary miner, and have a son about to go to college, do you urge him to take up mining engineering or do you try to dissuade him from such a course? If you live in the East, or the Middle West and your interest has been in coal rather than metal mining, the chances are that your young hopeful will be urged to do almost anything else rather than follow in father's footsteps.

Jan 1, 1939

By R. V. Whetsel, V. R. Garfias

Petroleum production in the Mexican fields during 1932, estimated at 32,400,000 bbl., was only 564,000 bbl., or about 2 per cent less than the 1931 total. Production in the northern fields declined approximately 1,100,000 bbl., the Tehuantepec output showed a drop of 340,000 bbl. and the South fields gained 865,000 barrels. Wildcatting continued at a reduced rate, the only successful completion being Presa No. 2 well which at a depth of 1535 ft. produced about 7,000,000 cu. ft. of gas. This well is an offset to Alberca No. 1 completed during 1931. General conditions in the petroleum industry coupled with the additional burden of the 21c per bbl. duty on oil imported into the United States further discouraged development activity in Mexico during 1932. Production of the Mexican fields in 1932 was distributed as follows: Production (U. S. Barrels) 1931 1932 _______________________________________________1________________________ Northern fields.................................... 14,092,000 13,000,000 South fields....................................... 10,535,000 11,400,000 Tehuantepec fields............................... .. 8,000,000 32,964,000 32,400,000 Since their discovery to the end of 1932, the fields have produced as follows: (U. S. Barrels) Northern fields..................................... 681,300,000 South fields........................................ 967,200,000 Tehuantepec fields.................................. 40,540,000 1,689,040,000 The tremendous productivity of the Mexican wells and the very small number actually drilled in the proven areas is shown in the following table:

Jan 1, 1933

By John A. Riddle

Some of the pitfalls and problems in selecting and applying corrosion-resistant materials in uranium plants are discussed, together with some suggested solutions. Includes some cost data.

Jan 1, 1982

By K. G. Wikle, J. G. Klein, W. W. Beaver

Consolidation of hydride process, electrolytic, calcium reduced, and comminuted thorium powder, as well as saw chips and lathe turnings, by vacuum hot pressing and by cold pressing-vacuum sintering was studied. The mechanical properties of the consolidated material in the extruded form are compared with those of wrought castings. AT present there little little industrial use for thorium metal, although it has some important though small scale applications in electronic equipment. Despite its high inelting point—about 1750°C —a low modulus of elasticity, 11.4xl0 si at 20°C;' relatively low mechanical properties coupled with a high density, 11.7 g per cu cm; and an unusually high chemical activity with normal atmospheres limit any structural applications. The metal is utilized as an alloying element principally in magnesium. Pure thorium finds utility as electrodes in gaseous discharge lamps such as the high intensity mercury lamp' because its low work function and high electron emissivity provide lower starting potentials and more uniform operating characteristics than other available materials. The metal is also found in photoelectric tubes used for the measurement of the ultraviolet spectrum." Thorium metal has been used in germicidal lamps of the cold cathode type as sputtered coatings on nickel in order to provide a low work function surface and a low starting voltage. Other applications have involved the radioactive properties of thorium for the production of ionized particles." The potential value of thorium is much greater than its present use pattern because of possible utility in the field of nuclear power. Th may be converted through nuclear reaction to a fissionable element U which should be capable of acting similarly to U in the g'eneration of atomic power. Thorium has been reported to be about three times as plentiful as uranium in the earth's crust, placing it in the order of abundance of lead and molybdenum." Thus, it is of interest in augmenting the potential supply of fissionable material for nuclear power. Because of its high melting point, thorium is usually produced as a powder through the calcium reduction of its oxide or thermal reduction of halides by sodium, magnesium, and calcium. It may also be produced in flake form by electrolysis of fused alkali or alkaline earth chloricles and fluorides. Therefore, powder metallurgy assumes importance in the fab- rication of thorium metal shapes. Furthermore, it is rather difficult to obtain pure thorium by melting, as the molten metal reacts readily with graphite as well as oxide, carbide, and nitride refractories. These contaminate the melt with oxides, carbides, and metallic impurities." The current investigation was undertaken to examine the fabrication of thorium by powder metallurgy methods which have been used for the commercial production of beryllium and other metals.' A sparcity of data concerning the comparative cold and hot compaction of thorium powders of different derivation existed. Therefore, all commercially available types were examined along with other experimentally produced thorium powders in order to round out the comparison of consolidated thorium powders with melted reguline metal. Review of the Literature By heating a mixture of ThC1, with potassium, Berzelius made the first thorium metal as an impure powder in 1828. Improvements in the basic process, increasing thorium assay to 99 pct, were made by several investigators including Arsem," Lely and Hamberger10 and Von Bolton." Calcium reduction of Tho, to make powders was investigated by Berger," Huppertz,'" Kroll," and Kuzel and Wedekind.'" A thorium powder produced by this method using a CaC1, fluxing agent assayed 99.7 pct, as reported by Marden and Rentschler.'" Compacted and sintered, this product was found to be ductile, and could be fabricated into wire and sheet. Improvements of the calcium reduction process were made later" wherein CaCl, was eliminated from the reaction, producing metal assaying 99.8 pct Th. Further work by Lilliendah118 howed that a coarser metal could be obtained by the substitution of ThC1, or ThOC1, for oxide with consequent advantage of stability to atmospheric reaction. Reports on the technology of thorium developed in Germany during World War II have been made by Espe."' Thorium powder of 99.5 pct Th was obtained by reduction of the oxide by calcium. Screening to —200 mesh, compacting with about 20 tsi, and sintering in vacuo at 1320" to 1360°C for 3 hr resulted in a porous sinter cake. The sinter cake was sufficiently ductile to be worked into bar, wire, and sheet which could be employed as electrode materials.

Jan 1, 1957