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By M. L. Fuller

DURING the last several years many papers have appeared dealing with the structure of highly polished metal surfaces. The awakening of interest in this subject is due to the applicability of the electron diffrac-tion technique to the study of surfaces. The original theory of Beilby1 considered the surface of polished metals as of the nature of a super-cooled liquid or a vitreous, amorphous solid. The electron diffraction effects from polished metals have been interpreted by many to be a direct experimental proof of the correctness of the Beilby theory. This inter-pretation has been strongly opposed by others, so that at the present time the subject is in an uncertain and controversial state. In the present paper new, and hitherto unpublished, electron diffrac-tion effects from polished zinc are described. These observations indicate that the polished surface of zinc is crystalline.

Jan 1, 1938

By S. F. Shaw

IN 1913, the Tiro General mine, at Charcas, S.L.P., Mexico, which had been making from 125 to 150 gal. of water per min., was allowed to become flooded, after all the pumps had been removed, and in 1918 the problem of unwatering it came up for solution. There are two vertical shafts, the Tiro General, 1390 ft., and the San Fernando, 1225 ft. in depth, with five connecting levels between them. The San Fernando shaft had been partly retimbered, while the Tiro General had been newly timbered from the collar to, 1090 ft. in depth. It had been possible to place guides in only one compartment of the Tiro General, from the collar to the seventh or 850-ft. level, to which it was necessary to lower the water before station pumps could be installed. Soundings indicated that compartments in the Tiro General were open to 1082 and 428 ft., and in the San Fernando shaft to 471, 488, and 586 ft. The water had risen to a point 140 ft. below the collar of the Tiro General shaft. PUMPING EQUIPMENT The steam plant at the Tiro General shaft includes one 300-hp., one 150-hp. and one 100-hp. Erie City water-tube boiler, and two 160-hp. Heine water-tube boilers. All but one of these boilers were supposed to be in good shape, but it was soon discovered that six years of idleness in a climate that is foggy for several months of the year had left them in poor condition. The compressed-air plant comprises one Nordberg cross-compound compressor with piston displacement of approximately 2500 cu. ft. of free air compressed to 96 lb. per sq. in.; and another Nordberg cross-compound with piston displacement of 1235 cu. ft. of free air, to the same pressure.

Jan 2, 1920

By Geoffrey Gilbert

A study of specimens shows that the key to both oxidation and enrichment at Duck-town is the behavior of pyrrhotite, which is in part dissolved and in part replaced by marcasite. Enrichment takes place chiefly at the expense of marcasite. THE material that forms the basis of this paper was collected in the spring of 1922, during a ten-day visit to Ducktown by the writer in the company of Prof. L. C. Graton. The time available for the work was far too short to allow anything like a thorough study of the deposits, and structural and stratigraphic questions, though they have an important bearing on the origin of the primary ores, were necessarily left untouched. Attention was focussed on the zone of oxidation and enrichment; and by devoting most of our time to the upper levels, open pits, and old workings, and examining the deeper levels only thoroughly enough to obtain a fair idea of the nature of the primary sulfide ore, we were able to make a reasonably complete survey of the various orebodies. With this field work for a background, the writer later made a study, in the Harvard laboratories, of the specimens obtained during the visit. As some of the facts brought to light by this study appear to be new, it seems worth while to set forth the outstanding features and a proposed explanation of them. Much of the Ducktown material that is obviously of greatest significance, as regards oxidation and enrichment, is soft and crumbly. Notwithstanding the desirability of gaining from such material all possible information as to its mineral composition and textural relationships, but little has heretofore been learned regarding it; but, by suitable preparation of this material in connection with the present study, it has been possible to examine it under the microscope without any disturbance of its texture and about as satisfactorily as if it were hard, fresh ore. The information thus gained has contributed measurably to the results set forth in this paper.

Jan 3, 1924

By R. J. Wysor

MORE than two years ago, in making efficiency tests on our hot-blast stoves, I was surprised to discover a marked difference in temperature as indicated by a pyrometer inserted near a stove on blast, and the regular recording instrument situated near the bustle pipe. A special hole was then provided at the junction of the hot-blast main and the bustle pipe, and portable pyrometers with bare fire ends were used, both at this point and in the stove necks. I had occasion to make a number of such tests on various stoves on the same furnace, the difference in temperature as shown by the two pyrometers varying chiefly with the temperature of the blast, and the distance of the stove from the furnace. However, this difference was always great, often averaging above 100° F., for the entire period of a stove on blast. Later, experiments were made with similar results on another group of stoves. The pyrometers used were properly standardized and checked against each other before and after each test. However, there was still a slight doubt as to the accuracy of the results obtained, as subsequently explained. But I have obtained corroboration of the magnitude of heat losses from blast-furnace hot-blast mains from two independent sources. I have learned from H. A. Brassert, Superintendent of Blast Furnaces, South Works, Illinois Steel Co., that he has recently clone some experimental work similar to my own, and found temperature drops of the same order of magnitude. Also, C. R.. Lyle, of the Armstrong Cork Co., has made some interesting theoretical calculations, based oil the thermal conductivity of fire brick, for the particular conditions of several of our tests; and his theoretical interpolations, all facts being considered, check our actual observations fairly well. I understand that Mr. Lyle expects to publish the results of his investigations.

Jan 10, 1915

By Herbert Clark Hoover, Lou Henry Hoover

PREVIOUSLY I have given much information concerning the miners, also I have discussed the choice of localities for mining, for washing sands, and for evaporating waters; further, I described the method of searching for veins. With such matters I was occupied in the second book; now I come to the third book, which is about veins and stringers, and the seams in the rocks1. The term "vein" is sometimes used to indicate canales in the earth, but very often elsewhere by this name I have described that which may be put in vessels2; I now attach a second significance to these words, for by them I mean to designate any mineral substances which the earth keeps hidden within her own deep receptacles.

Jan 1, 1950

By Joseph Daniels

The Fritz Engineering Laboratory was built under the direction of John Fritz, and presented by him to the University. A view of the building, looking east, is shown in Fig. 1. The building was started in 1909, and completed in 1910, although all of the equipment was not placed until later. Mr. Fritz gave his personal attention to the details of construction and equipment, and it was his custom to drive over every day to the University from his home in Bethlehem and spend some hours watching the work, offering suggestions, making changes, and planning new work. The result is a building and an equipment which embody his practical ideas. The laboratory structure is of the steel mill-building type, of light-colored brick, 91 by 114 ft., of which a section is shown in Fig. 2 and the floor-plan in Fig. 3. The steel frame carries the roof and traveling crane-way. Ample light has been provided by numerous windows in the side and end walls, in the clerestory, and by a skylight 84 ft. long and 9 ft. wide in the north roof. The main aisle of the building is 49 ft. 2 in. between centers of crane-columns, and has a clear height of 40 ft. The remainder of the width is taken up by two side aisles, 18 ft. high. The laboratory consists of four sections: (1) A general testing-section containing the testing-machinery, a small machine shop, and an office; (2) a cement-testing room; (3) a room for making and storing concrete test-specimens; (4) a hydraulic section.

Jan 1, 1912

By G. L. Oldright, T. B. Brighton, C. M. Dice

The base bullion from the lead blast furnace contains varying amounts of the impurities left in the smelter feed by the concentrator, regardless of the method of smelter operation. These impurities may be held in part in mechanical suspension rather than being present as true alloys. However, usually there is little free space in the crucible in which to separate these drosses before the bullion is taken from the lead well. When such a dross is melted in a laboratory crucible and allowed to cool, the products obtained are lead bullion, speiss, and matte in well separated layers. Typical analyses of layers are: Analyses. Per Cent Element Bullion Speiss Matte Pb.............................................. 92.0 41.2 38.3 Cu.............................................. 2.4 36.3 40.6 As............................................... 4.0 16.5 4.3 Sb............................................... 0.7 0.2 0.4 S................................................ 0.6 1.9 13.1 Fe............................................... 0.0 0.0 0.0 Totals......................................... 99.7 96.1 96.7 The absence of iron in these products drossed from the blast-furnace bullion proves that the impurities for the greater part are not simply finely divided blast-furnace speiss or matte that has been dissolved or dispersed in the lead, but are held in solution by the liquid metal and rise to its surface as infusible compounds when the temperature of the bath is lowered. In general, the drosses made locally are metal sulphides and arsenides and not oxidized compounds. The large content of metallic lead also does not seem to be retained because of oxidized compounds

Jan 1, 1937

By Henry Mulryan

The largest and purest known deposit of diatomite is being actively mined and processed 3 1/2 miles south of Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, Calif., by the Johns-Nlanville Products Corporation. The workings cover 4000 acres, the depth of economically recoverable diatomite being 1000 ft. (Fig. 1). Lompoe, a community of 2500 population, is situated in the Santa Ynez River Valley 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. It is 44 miles

Jan 1, 1938

By Henry Mulryan

The largest and purest known deposit of diatomite is being actively mined and processed 3 1/2 miles south of Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, Calif., by the Johns-Nlanville Products Corporation. The workings cover 4000 acres, the depth of economically recoverable diatomite being 1000 ft. (Fig. 1). Lompoe, a community of 2500 population, is situated in the Santa Ynez River Valley 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. It is 44 miles

Jan 1, 1938

By D. Webster

It has been found that cold work and annealing treatments greatly retard subsequent grain growth and re-crystallization in thoria-dispersed nickel and NiCr. It is suggested that this is due to cavities which form at the particle-matrix interface durilzg cold work. Some of' the cavities formed are stable at elevated temperatures and prevent the mouement of large-angle grain boundaries. The movement of these boundaries at elevated temperatures is known to start recrystal-lization and when they are pinned by voids recrystal-lization is made more difficult. TD Nichro,me had a maximun resistance to recrystallization when the initial structure was coarse-grained and had a low dislocation density. A precipitation reaction occurred between 700° and 1200° F in cold-worked TD Nichrome. It has been shown by Grant and his coworkers1-3 that a large part of the strength of dispersion-hardened materials is a result of the cold-worked structure produced during fabrication. In a comparison of the strength of cold-worked copper with and without an oxide dispersion, Grant4 has demonstrated that there is little difference in strength at room temperature. The function of the dispersion is essentially to maintain the cold-worked structure at higher temperatures than is possible in the base material. The dispersion accomplishes this by making recrystallization more difficult. The mechanism by which this is achieved is discussed in this paper. The fabrication history of the material has been found to greatly influence recrystallization behavior and this aspect is discussed in some detail. I) MATERIAL Three different thoria-dispersed materials were examined. 1) DuPont 2 pet thoria-dispersed nickel (TDNi) in 0.050-in. seeet. Thoria particle size is in the range 100 to 2500A. 2) DuPont 2 pct thoria-dispersed nichrome (20 pet Cr, 80 pct Ni) (TDNiC) in 0.125-, 0.060-, and 0.040-in. sheet. In the as-received condition these sheets have

Jan 1, 1969

By Harry M. Mikami

Chromite is the only ore mineral of metallic chromium and chromium compounds and chemicals. Because of this fact, chromite and chrome ore are used synonymously in trade literature. In commercial market quotations, chrome ore is the term commonly used. Chromite per se, because of properties imparted by its chromium content, is used in refractories and in special purpose moulding sands for metal casting. There are many other minerals containing some, generally minor, amounts of chromium, but none are commercial sources of the element (Thayer, 1956, p. 15). Chromium and chromite have many diverse uses that, directly and indirectly, critically affect vast segments of our modern industrial system. Most important are probably the metallurgical applications wherein chromium is a component of heat, abrasion, corrosion, and oxidation-resistant, and high strength alloys of many types. Stainless steels are the largest volume category of chrome-bearing alloys. Chromium chemicals are used in leather tanning, in pigments, dyes and mordants, printing, :hemica1 process industries, photography, pharmaceuticals, metal plating, pure chromium metal production, and for many other purposes. Chromite is a necessary constituent in basic refractories indispensable for the production of steel, copper, cement, and glass. Under present economic-political conditions, he U.S. and for that matter, North America, has virtually insignificant ore reserves of chromite. There are chromite deposits, as will be described, but they would only be used under highly abnormal conditions if all outside sources were cut off. All chromite used in the U.S. is imported from the eastern hemisphere in which are contained the principal world reserves. As the main suppliers in 1971-72 were the USSR, Turkey, Republic of South Africa, Philippines, and Rhodesia, the strategic nature of chromite is obvious.

Jan 1, 1975

By Francis F. Lucas

A microscope objective of given numerical aperture, when used with light of given wave length, has some fixed limit of resolution. This may be expressed as potential resolving ability—the ability to resolve is inherent in the lens but whether this limit is achieved in practice is quite another matter. Nearly 50 years ago Abbe evolved theoretical considerations which indicated that the ability of a lens to resolve detail is directly proportional to twice the numerical aperture of the objective and inversely proportional to the wave length of the light used. It is true, unquestionably, that as the numerical aperture of the objective is increased the potential resolving ability of the lens is increased and likewise when the wave length of the light used is decreased, the degree of resolution is increased. Whether Abbe's formula expresses the exact relationship is not a matter of great concern. It suffices to know that to improve resolution, other things being equal, two avenues of approach are available. Either the numerical aperture of the objective may be increased or the wave length of the light decreased. With the apochromatic system it is possible to employ successfully wave lengths from 400 to 500 uu and still secure reasonably short exposures. The present limit for numerical aperture is 1.40 N. A. although objectives of 1.60 N. A. are now an experimental possibility for metallurgical work. Thus certain well defined limits are set for those who work within the range of the visible spectrum. In order to take advantage of the increase in resolving power which accompanies a decrease in the wave length of light employed, Dr. A. Kohler and Dr. M. Von Rohr of the Zeiss Scientific Staff developed the "monochromats." These are quartz objectives corrected for the single wave length 275 uu which lies in the ultra-violet region of the spectrum. They also developed a series of quartz oculars and a complete photo-micrographic equipment with which to use the quartz optics. Quartz must be used for the optical parts because glass absorbs ultra-violet light almost completely. Thus there was made available about 20 years

Jan 1, 1926

By W. C. Phalen

SALT-MAKING PROCESSES THE production of salt in the United States divides itself at the outset into two distinct classes: (1) The mining of rock salt and its purification and separation into marketable sizes, and (2) the production of salt by evaporation from brines, bitterns, and other solutions. The processes employed at the present time in the manufacture of salt by evaporation may be outlined as follows: 1. Solar evaporation. 2. Direct-heat evaporation (a) in open kettles; (b) in open pans. 3. Steam evaporation, (a) in jacketed kettles, (b) in grainers. 4. Vacuum-pan evaporation. In this paper only the solar-evaporation processes practised in different parts of the United States will be described. SOLAR EVAPORATION Localities In the Eastern States the solar-evaporation process is not generally employed for climatic reasons. In the Western States, particularly in California and Utah, the great bulk of the salt produced originates in the solar-evaporation process. Of the Eastern States producing salt, this process, so far as the writer is aware, is employed in New York State only.

Jan 9, 1914

By D. L. Ritter, N. J. Grant, B. C. Giessen

Forty-six alloys covering the complete concentration range of the Nb-Rh system were examined by metallographic and X-ray methods; solubility limits of terminal ad intermediate phases and transformation and solidus temperatures were determined. There are nine intermediate phases; two eutectic, five peritectic, two eutectoid, and three peritectnid reactions were encountered. The experimental methods and the constitution diagram are described in Part I. Part 11 deals with the crys -tallography and relation of the intermediate phases. The Nb-Rh system was selected for study for three reasons: first, it was hoped that the anticipated similarity of the Nb-Rh phase diagram to the Ta-Rh1 and Ta-Ir2 diagrams treated earlier (see also Ref. 3) and to the Nb-1r4 diagram treated simultaneously would allow a crystallographic and comparative evaluation of the intermediate phases in these related systems; second, it was likely that the previous experimental methods could be carried over without significant change; and third, it was expected that the interesting mechanical properties of the a1 phase of the Ta-Rh and Ta-Ir systems would also be encountered in similar phases of the new systems, and that these phases could be investigated more closely. The phase diagram had not been treated fully in the literature; only brief surveys of some intermediate phases were found.5-7 It was attempted to cover the details of the phase boundaries, Part I, as well as to present the crystallography of the intermediate phases, Part 11. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Specimen Preparation and Treatment. The following high-purity starting materials were used. 1) Niobium powder, 99.8 pct pure, mesh size -60 +200, from Wah Chang Corp., Albany, Ore. The analysis furnished by the supplier showed the following major impurities: Ta, <500 ppm; Zr, <500 ppm; 0, 300 ppm; Fe, 280 ppm; Ti, <I50 ppm; W, Si, <100 ppm; C, N, 30 ppm; all other impurities, <30 ppm. 2) Rhodium powder, ground sponge, 99.9+ pct pure, mesh size -80, from J. Bishop Co., Malvern,

Jan 1, 1964

Total U.S. mineral production reached an estimated $17.8 billion for 1960, 4 pct above 1959 and second only to the record high of $18.1 billion established in 1957. As a group, metals achieved a rise from $1.6 billion in 1959 to $2.0 billion this year, an increase of 28 pct. Similarly the value of nonmetallic production including fuels (i.e., natural gas, petroleum, natural-gas liquids, asphalt and related bitumens, carbon dioxide. anthracite. bituminous and lignite coal, peat, and helium) rose from $15.5 billion in 1959 to approximately $15.8 billion in 1960. However, this 2 pct increase in the total value of non-metallic production was due to an increase in the value of the fuels ($11.8 billion in 1959 to $12.2 billion in 1960) which offset a drop in value of the other nonmetallic minerals ($3.7 billion in 1959 to $3.6 billion in 1960).

Jan 2, 1961

By George W. Riter

(Canal zone meeting, November, 1910.) A DISTINGUISHED engineer, the active head of a large mining company, has said that surveying attains the dignity of a profession only in the hands of a few men-the few who know how to keep notes that will be understood by even a novice without further word of explanation. Of all mine-records, survey notes are perhaps the most important. The maps made from them serve as a working-guide, and as framework for other data ; and when, from any cause, access to underground workings is shut off, the surveyor&apos;s record often becomes invaluable. So seldom does a surveyor have a chance to check underground surveys by making a closure, that he is compelled to rely on the precision of each step of his work for the accuracy of the final result. When data are fully recorded on the spot, the notes, even in the hands of second parties, become evidence of the care and precision with which the surveying was done. It is worth a great deal to be able to pick up the work of a former surveyor where it was left o$; and to be able to carry it forward without retracing from the beginning. The purpose of this paper is to describe the survey-note system of a mine now under my direction, in which underground surveys had to be relied upon entirely for the proper division of rich ore-bodies between neighbors, thereby placing a premium on accurate surveying and permanent records. In survey-work, it soon turns out that paper is the least item of expense, and that little is gained by trying to economize note-book space. For many purposes it is best to record notes on cards or loose-leaves, which may be left in the office at the end of the day&apos;s work, and need not be carried into the mine again, there to become smeared with grime and grease. With the loose-leaf or card system, all notes relating to the same local-

Apr 1, 1911

By J. T. Eash, E. M. Wise

Platinum and palladium are the most generally useful, most ductile and least rare members of the platinum family. They have many important applications in the pure state but for other applications it is frequently desirable to harden them and otherwise modify their properties by alloying small amounts of the other platinum group metals with them. These alloys are frequently required to withstand very drastic forming operations and to possess certain mechanical properties to fulfill specific requirements. For these reasons a knowledge of the tensile properties and annealing characteristics of pure platinum and palladium as well as their more useful commercial alloys is important to the user and the fabricator. The present work was undertaken to fill this need. Rather brief (5 min.) annealing treatments were employed to render the data of maximum practical value and all tests were conducted upon 0.050-in. dia. wire, initially reduced 50 per cent in area by cold drawing, for the same reason. Conclusions 1. Pure (thermocouple grade) platinum reduced 50 per. cent by cold drawing exhibits the following tensile properties: ultimate tensile strength, 36,000 lb. per sq. in.; proportional limit, 27,000 lb. per sq. in.; elongation, 2.5 per cent in 2 in.; reduction in area, 95 per cent. When fully annealed by treatment at 1100°C. its properties are: ultimate tensile strength, 20,700 lb. per sq. in.; elongation, 30 per cent in 2 in.; reduction in area, 93 per cent. 2. The addition of alloying elements in moderate amounts markedly increases the strength and annealing temperature without much detriment to the ductility. The behavior and properties of variously hardened platinum alloys are considered in some detail. The behavior of a 20 per cent iridium

Jan 1, 1935

By J. T. Eash, E. M. Wise

Platinum and palladium are the most generally useful, most ductile and least rare members of the platinum family. They have many important applications in the pure state but for other applications it is frequently desirable to harden them and otherwise modify their properties by alloying small amounts of the other platinum group metals with them. These alloys are frequently required to withstand very drastic forming operations and to possess certain mechanical properties to fulfill specific requirements. For these reasons a knowledge of the tensile properties and annealing characteristics of pure platinum and palladium as well as their more useful commercial alloys is important to the user and the fabricator. The present work was undertaken to fill this need. Rather brief (5 min.) annealing treatments were employed to render the data of maximum practical value and all tests were conducted upon 0.050-in. dia. wire, initially reduced 50 per cent in area by cold drawing, for the same reason. Conclusions 1. Pure (thermocouple grade) platinum reduced 50 per. cent by cold drawing exhibits the following tensile properties: ultimate tensile strength, 36,000 lb. per sq. in.; proportional limit, 27,000 lb. per sq. in.; elongation, 2.5 per cent in 2 in.; reduction in area, 95 per cent. When fully annealed by treatment at 1100°C. its properties are: ultimate tensile strength, 20,700 lb. per sq. in.; elongation, 30 per cent in 2 in.; reduction in area, 93 per cent. 2. The addition of alloying elements in moderate amounts markedly increases the strength and annealing temperature without much detriment to the ductility. The behavior and properties of variously hardened platinum alloys are considered in some detail. The behavior of a 20 per cent iridium

Jan 1, 1935

By Walter Miller

DURING the second year of America&apos;s active participation in the war the main objectives of the petroleum refining industry were again to provide the four most important product needs for war: 100-octane aviation gasoline, toluene for TNT production, high-quality lubricating oils for the needs of aviation and the armed forces, and petroleum chemicals for synthetic rubber manufacture. All other materials supplied by the petroleum industry took an inferior priority ranking, depending on the degree of essentiality. To accomplish the above objectives the industry initiated and carried on a building program during 1942 and 1943 which will put those two years down in petroleum refining history as the greatest construction years of all time, a record which will hold for decades to come. Led by an estimated total of $900,000,000 going into 100octane and contributory plant investment, it is easy to picture a total of two billion dollars and more going into additional refining-industry plant investment during 1942 and 1943, most of it privately paid for, but a substantial part covered by R.F.C. Government money financing.

Jan 1, 1944

POSITIONS VACANT (Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons.) Position open as assistant superintendent at a steel plant. Practical experience in the manufacture of crucible and open-hearth steel and heat treatment of steel and alloy steels required. This position offers an excellent future. No. 9. A company in Virginia desires a man with experience in Western mines to act as superintendent of its pyrite mine. No. 15. Position open as instructor at a University in Middle West to teach the mechanical side of mining, such as hoisting, haulage, drilling, and mine surveying. Salary, $1,500 to $1,800. No. 16. Experienced amalgamator wanted at a mill in Ivory Coast, Africa. An American speaking French preferred. No. 18.

Jan 5, 1914