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By John L. Ryon

Experimentation with ammonium nitrate fuel oil mixtures at three under-ground salt mines revealed its excellent applications at those properties. The author relates the present blasting practice used at these mines by the International Salt Co.

Jan 4, 1961

By B. Ladanyi, B. Hoyaux

One of the most important problems in underground works is the assessment of the stability of underground openings and the determination of loads on eventual supporting structures. Under certain stress conditions, a hard and sound rock around an unlined opening may show a tendency to rock bursting, which can be prevented by appropriate measures. On the other hand, a less competent rock even if it fails in a less violent manner may give rise to a rock load because within limited regions surrounding the opening, the failed material may have a tendency to flow into the opening; this condition should be prevented by designing a proper supporting structure. The stability of the opening, as well as the value of the design loads acting on the supports in the latter case, depends clearly on the shape, extent, and location of the failed regions, which are often called “plastic zones.” It has been known for some time how the plastic zones develop in some very simple cases, such as in the case of a circular opening in an elastic ideally plastic medium subjected to a nongravitational stress fie1d.l However, to the knowledge of the authors, no information has been available up to now about the extent of the plastic zones in a more general case and for rocklike media. ASSUMPTIONS ON ROCK BEHAVIOR MADE IN THE CALCULATION The solution shown in this chapter is valid for a horizontal tunnel of circular cross section driven through a rock medium at a finite depth.

Jan 1, 1970

By A. M. Gaudin, W. D. Charles

IN flotation lime is used to depress pyrite. For this purpose it is preferred to caustic soda. The low cost of lime and the widespread availability largely account for this preference. However, there is some evidence' that pyrite is more readily depressed by calcium than by sodium ions at the same pH. To measure the difference in adsorption of calcium and sodium, which is thought to lie at the basis of the differences in depressing action, radionuclides of calcium and sodium have been used. The experimental work has included an evaluation of the effect of dissolved oxygen, of the concentration of calcium or sodium, of the concentration of hydrogen ion, and of the anions present. Preliminary work in the investigation entailed preparation of the pyrite, development of a technique for counting pyrite coated with Ca and Na, the radionuclides used, and development of an apparatus to study the adsorption of calcium and sodium on pyrite. The main experimental work included calcium adsorption and sodium adsorption studies detailed below. The following are the most salient observations made during these experiments. Oxygen in solution increases the adsorptive power of pyrite for calcium

Jan 1, 1954

By A. C. Emery

The physical and chemical properties for the metalliferrous feed materials to the Imperial Smelting Process blast furnace are defined and the means of achieving these properties by the sintering or briquetting routes discussed. Modern sinter plant performance data is included with a plant flow sheet showing draughting patterns. The necessity for ensuring an adequate SO2 content in sinter machine gases when roasting sulphide materials to enable conversion to sulphuric acid in a contact acid plant is described. The ability of the process to consume limited quantities of oxide materials, residues from other processes and other secondary sources is discussed. The argument for a briquetting route is developed out of this limitation and the merits of cold and hot briquetting examined. Development work on the hot briquetting route for this purpose is briefly described and several flow sheets outlining possible applications for hot briquetting to different raw material situations including the preparation of low lead charges for the furnace are presented.

Jan 1, 1977

By Fred C. Bond

DISCUSSION Milton C. Shaw and Donald R. Walker (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)—For many years the two empirical rules of comminution bearing the names of Rittinger and Kick have been applied to grinding processes to account for the energy required to crush brittle materials. The basis for Rittinger's rule was the thought that the energy to grind a substance went largely into supplying the additional energy associated with the new free surface, while Kick's law was prompted by the concept of dimensional similarity and is a special statement of the concept of constancy of strain energy to cause rupture. According to Rittinger the energy to grind a given volume varies as the change in the square of the mean particle size, v - A (D2), while according to Kick this energy varies

Jan 1, 1953

By Fred C. Bond

DISCUSSION Milton C. Shaw and Donald R. Walker (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)—For many years the two empirical rules of comminution bearing the names of Rittinger and Kick have been applied to grinding processes to account for the energy required to crush brittle materials. The basis for Rittinger's rule was the thought that the energy to grind a substance went largely into supplying the additional energy associated with the new free surface, while Kick's law was prompted by the concept of dimensional similarity and is a special statement of the concept of constancy of strain energy to cause rupture. According to Rittinger the energy to grind a given volume varies as the change in the square of the mean particle size, v - A (D2), while according to Kick this energy varies

Jan 1, 1953

CHARGING of an open-hearth heat is begun as soon as possible after the previous heat has been tapped. Ordinarily, about 40 min is required to drain and dress the furnace hearth, make up the taphole, and perform routine repairs of the banks. Repairs to the upper back wall and to the front wall and jambs can ordinarily be done while the first scrap charge is being heated and are therefore allowed to wait in order to save furnace time. Any major repairs required on the hearth or other parts of the furnace necessitate longer delays because such repairs must be made while the furnace is empty. Although charging practice varies considerably in detail with the type and proportions of scrap and iron used, many factors are common to all varieties of charge. Such general considerations are dealt with first. CHARGING EQUIPMENT AND STOCK HANDLING The physical equipment available for loading and weighing the stock, transporting it to the furnace, and charging it, may have a major effect on charging practice. Limestone, scrap, and all other solid melting stock are charged mechanically by means of equipment illustrated in Fig 2-1. The charging of hot metal is shown in the background of this figure. Mechanical equipment and plant layout for stock handling are described in Chapter 1. It is generally desirable to charge the scrap about as fast as the physical volume can be put into the furnace. Charging scrap that is too heavy or adding the charge too rapidly (less than 45 min) may be detrimental to melting rate because of excessive chilling of the entire furnace system and also because of poor conduction of heat to the lower layers in the furnace; but the more common problem is the reverse one of charging light 'scrap fast enough to maintain a normal heat time. A limiting factor may be the height to which the scrap may he piled in the fur-

Jan 1, 1951

By B. Amero, W. Petruk, D. R. Owens, D. R. Morris

Samples taken at different heights in the lead blast furnace of Brunswick Mining and Smelting corporation were studied to determine the phases present in order to interpret the reactions In the furnace. The main phases in the blast furnace feed are Pb3Ca2S13011, Zn ferrite (ZnFe204), and hardystonite (Ca2ZnSi207); rninor ones include lead and a Pb silicate. The temperature in the furnace varies from about 300°C at 4.2 m above the tuyeres to 1150°C at 1.1 m. There is no evidence of reactions in samples from points cooler than 800°C. Some reaction occurs between 950° and llOO°C and the lead sinter is nearly decomposed at about 1150°C. The first evidence of reaction was the decomposition of Pb silicate to lead and S102. At higher temperatures the Pb Ca2Si3011 decomposed to form lead and hardystonite (Ca2ZnS120rf. The Zn required for hardystonite was derived from the Zn ferrite which apparently re-equilibrated to a new Zn ferrite with less Zn. The decomposed sinter consists essentially of lead, hardystonite, wustite and a Zn ferrite with a low Zn content.

Jan 1, 1984

By Herbert W. Huse

Nitrogen, and its compounds, unique among the materials described in this volume, is absolutely essential to the existence of the human race. Almost all minerals are important and the absence of any one of them would be sorely felt; but nitrogen is an integral part of the cycle of life itself. Man cannot live without nitrogen which, as an inert gas, composes the major part of the air he breathes; as compounds, nourishes the vegetation which he eats; and, as protein, forms a part of his very flesh and blood. Nature originally provided man with a vast reserve of usable nitrogen compounds in the form of fertile soil. She constantly replenishes the supply by "fixing" nitrogen in the air at the estimated rate of 400,000,000 tons per year (an insignificant 6 lb per acre) during electrical storms. She has also placed certain microorganisms in the soil which are able to "fix" nitrogen and convert it into forms which plants can use. Legumes like cow peas, soy beans, clover, and alfalfa have extraordinary roots which serve as stimulating hosts to these bacteria which, in turn, nourish the plant. By plowing in all or part of such crops, their above-average nitrogen content can be returned to the soil for other more useful crops. The mechanism for this recycle is supplied by "denitrifying" bacteria which attack the dead plant tissue and liberate nitrogen and ammonia. However, since one crop of grain, sugar beets, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., takes out a major portion of the nitrogen which a plowed-in legume crop can supply, this method of fertilization is obviously inadequate. Drastic intervention by man has become necessary to support the ever-growing population of the world.9,15,20 Old civilizations with a high population density, such as the Chinese, were able to exist for centuries by carefully tilling the soil, rotating crops, and returning to the soil all the nitrogen in vegetable wastes plus human and animal excreta. But the lack of a means for augmenting their supply of nitrogen placed a ceiling on further development and kept the mass of the population in a chronic state of undernourishment, frequently punctuated by famine. Nitrogen plays another important role in the life of mankind. In the form of explosives, nitrogen helps to wrest from the earth many materials needed for our material well-being. Also, in the form of explosives and propellants, nitrogen increased the destructiveness of wars to a point only exceeded by the fantastic power of atomic energy. Man's first really effective efforts to improve his position with respect to nitrogen began in the 18th Century with the mining of sodium nitrate. By the late 1880's this had become a big industry serving a large part of the world. In the late 1890's nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, was being recovered from coke-oven operations. In 1900 nitrogen, in the form of nitric oxide, was being obtained from the air by an electric-arc process. About 1904 another "fixation" process based on the reaction of nitrogen with calcium carbide to form cyanamide was commercialized. By 1913 the Haber-Bosch process of "fixing" atmospheric nitrogen by reacting it with hydrogen to produce synthetic ammonia was successfully applied on a large scale, first in Germany and then throughout the industrial areas of the world.9 All the above methods of obtaining nitrogen compounds are still in use and, between them, they assure mankind of adequate supplies for all time. While this fortunate situation is not unique amongst industrial raw materials, all too few of man's needs are so well in hand.

Jan 1, 1960

By Harlowe Hardinge

The sound made by ball, pebble and rod mills has long been used by the operator as the "telltale" of their operation. The nature of this sound depends upon local conditions and the type of mill used. By experience an operator can tell whether the mill is running properly or not. Some operators are able to detect the difference in sound much better than others and get better results running the same mill under the same conditions. The automatic operation of a mill using sound as the fundamental means for maintaining control presents many problems. The satisfactory solution of these problems requires, for given operating conditions, a greater average output, with improved product for subsequent processing, than can be obtained by manual control. Relation of Sound to Useful Grinding Energy Experience has taught us that there is a difference in character as well as in intensity of sound between a mill grinding wet and one grinding dry, in open or closed circuit, to obtain a coarse or fine product, on the same material, to say nothing of the effect with a variety of different materials. Broadly speaking, a wet-grinding mill operates best at a lower sound level than the same mill grinding dry, with other conditions the same. Several reasons for this variation in sound intensity under these conditions can be advanced, but the important point is that there is a difference, based upon practical results. Since these reasons may be more or less involved, and may be subject, to much discussion, only one will be considered here. It is apparent that two balls hitting together or a ball striking the lining, if there is no intervening material, will produce the maximum sound. If a complete cushion of material is placed between the balls or ball and liner, so that the energy is dissipated without doing useful work, the balls will be unable to create enough pressure or force to fracture the particles, and the sound will be at a minimum. At some point in between—that is, where there is sufficient material between the balls or ball and liner so that the ball will fracture the particles without mashing them unduly—the sound

Jan 1, 1939

By Harlowe Hardinge

The sound made by ball, pebble and rod mills has long been used by the operator as the "telltale" of their operation. The nature of this sound depends upon local conditions and the type of mill used. By experience an operator can tell whether the mill is running properly or not. Some operators are able to detect the difference in sound much better than others and get better results running the same mill under the same conditions. The automatic operation of a mill using sound as the fundamental means for maintaining control presents many problems. The satisfactory solution of these problems requires, for given operating conditions, a greater average output, with improved product for subsequent processing, than can be obtained by manual control. Relation of Sound to Useful Grinding Energy Experience has taught us that there is a difference in character as well as in intensity of sound between a mill grinding wet and one grinding dry, in open or closed circuit, to obtain a coarse or fine product, on the same material, to say nothing of the effect with a variety of different materials. Broadly speaking, a wet-grinding mill operates best at a lower sound level than the same mill grinding dry, with other conditions the same. Several reasons for this variation in sound intensity under these conditions can be advanced, but the important point is that there is a difference, based upon practical results. Since these reasons may be more or less involved, and may be subject, to much discussion, only one will be considered here. It is apparent that two balls hitting together or a ball striking the lining, if there is no intervening material, will produce the maximum sound. If a complete cushion of material is placed between the balls or ball and liner, so that the energy is dissipated without doing useful work, the balls will be unable to create enough pressure or force to fracture the particles, and the sound will be at a minimum. At some point in between—that is, where there is sufficient material between the balls or ball and liner so that the ball will fracture the particles without mashing them unduly—the sound

Jan 1, 1939

By John A. Hansuld

Molybdenum presents a series of baffling geo- chemical puzzles. It can exist in six different valence states, possessing three different coordination numbers. As a result, it combines with other elements to form a wide variety of negatively and positively charged ions and complexes whose exact chemical nature are relatively unknown. Its rather complex chemistry might be described as "ambidextrous, bi-sexual and polygamous". It is little wonder then that the geochemistry of molybdenum is relatively unknown, and compared to most common metals its geochemical behavior is somewhat unique. The behavior of a particular element or metal, such as molybdenum, in a given dispersion media is largely controlled by the stability relations among its various oxidation products. Recognition of these products and an understanding of their stability relations is therefore a prerequisite to a proper understanding of its observed behavior. Because most secondary dispersion media represent aqueous chemical systems, stability relations are best expressed as functions of Eh and pH.

Jan 12, 1966

By T. G. Chapman

THE writer has carried on experimental work for several years with respect to the simultaneous dissolution of gold by cyanide and the adsorption of the dissolved gold on activated charcoal in ore pulps, fol-lowed by the recovery of the charcoal by flotation. The results of this experimental work have been sufficiently encour-aging to suggest a new process based on the principle of simultaneous dissolution and adsorption of gold, applicable to certain ores and tailings that cannot be treated to advantage by countercurrent decantation or filtration. Applications for patents have been filed and The Dorr Company, Inc. has the exclusive right to license the use of the process. The purpose of this paper is to describe such a process, state its pos-sible advantages and immediate field, and give some results obtained on a laboratory scale.

Jan 1, 1939

By G. R. Fitterer

BY means of the C-SiC thermocouple1, liquid metal temperatures have been found to vary much more than was previously supposed, and fortunately these variations can be directly associated with some of our former knowledge which combined to form the "art" of liquid-metal manipulation. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DEVICE Several types of installations are operating in different plants. There are so many variables in steel plants in regard to operation, pro-cedure, arrangement of pouring platforms, ladles, etc., that most of the installations now in service in this country are "tailor-made"; never-theless, it is felt that satisfactory gains have been made inasmuch as each installation has indicated some effect of temperature upon the metal-lurgical operation, and has pointed the way toward technical and finan-cial benefits. In most cases, it has been necessary to accumulate the temperature data until sufficient metallurgical information is available for the drawing of conclusions. When mechanical difficulties have been eliminated, a distinct correlation of these factors has been obtained. The installations now in service. are used for the determination of temperatures in the basic open-hearth furnace prior to tapping and in ladles from both acid and basic furnaces prior to pouring. Some of the installations are in shops making the higher priced steels; others are in "tonnage shops." The errors of human element, smoke screens and emissivity corrections connected with the use of the optical pyrometer do not affect the C-SiC thermocouple readings. The accuracy of the C-SiC- thermocouple and the temperatures measured are discussed later in this paper.

Jan 1, 1936

By Wheeler P. Davey

When metals are subjected to mechanical working, such as rolling, one of the phenomena that take place is a movement of the crystals of the metal into a system or systems of orientation which bear an angular relation to the direction of working. In rolled metal the crystals may orient themselves with respect to the rolling plane or the rolling direction, or both. Direct evidence of the existence of preferred orientations in rolled metal has been obtained by numerous investigators from X-ray patterns of the rolled metal. Most of these workers used a monochromatic pinhole method. Where the degree of preference for a single orientation is high the monochromatic pinhole pattern may be interpreted by a geometrical calculation based on the angular relationships of the planes in the crystal and the diffraction arcs on the X-ray pattern. This process may be aided by the geometrical construction of the locus sphere (Lagenkugel), and reflection circles of Polanyi,l Polanyi and Weissenberg,2 and Mark and Weissenberg,3 and of the plane polar figures (flachenpolfigur) of Franz Wever.4 R. M. Bozorth5 solves X-ray patterns from metals having a single preferred orientation by means of a series of charts which when placed over the X-ray pattern give directly certain angular relationships, between the crystal planes and the surface of the specimen.

Jan 1, 1930

COMMITTEES Committee on Arrangements DAVID H. BROWNE, Chairman LAWRENCE ADDICKS THOMAS T. READ P. E. BARBOUR BURR A. ROBINSON GEORGE D. BARRON F. T. RUBIDGE KARL EILERS E. MALTBY SHIPP LOUIS D. HUNTOON BRADLEY STOUGHTON H.A. MEGRAW EDWARD B. STURGIS ARTHUR L. WALKER

Jan 4, 1917

By Wallace W. Wilson

This DaoerAA calls to attention for the first time, to the writer's knowledge, a purported recovery of oil by substantially horizontal gas cycling that is considerably in excess of 50 per cent of the oil originally in place. The average angle of dip along the path of travel of the gas is less than one degree of arc. The best recovery by gas cycling previously brought to the writer's attention1 occurred in the case of the Mile Six Field in Peru, where about 68 per cent of the original oil in place has so far been recovered. In this case, however. the recovery was greatly aided 1)y the high dip angle of about 17.5". An approximate estimate of recovery was made by the method developed by the writer' for the case of the Cook Ranch Field, using an average relative permeability ratio function dictated by past experience with a number of good quality sandstones. A result of about 40 per cent recovery of the original oil in place wa* obtained after the 8.5 pore volumes of cumulative gas cycling undergone by the Cook Ranch Field. Tile writer desires to emphasize what appears to him as the sound engineering practiced at Cook Ranch, and also the care attending the taking of data and the high quality of the calculations made. It is impossible to take issue on factual grounds with any of the conclusions drawn in the paper. It is, however, desired to point out the difficulty of explaining the unexpectedly favorable oil recovery on ordinary theoretical grounds. It would be of interest to know whether relative permeability ratios have been measured on the Cook sand. The operator is inclined to attribute some of the excess benefit to settling of the oil across the bedding planes into the lower part of the sand. It is difficult for the writer to appreciate the importance of such an effect, inasmuch as the concomitant opening of excessive vacated pore space in the upper part of the sand would he expected to cause excessive bypassing of the gas. REFERENCE 1. Welge. H. J.: "A Simplified Method for Computing Oil Recovery by (Gas or Water Drive." Trans. AIME, (1952), 195, 91. AUTHOR'S REPLY TO MR. WELGE Welge has poined out clearly the difficulty of applying material-balance procedures in calculating the Performance of low-pressure, dispersed gas injection operations. There can be no argument that even with the most favorable assumptions of K,/K,, and with cumulative gas cycling in excess of normal expectations, the calculated oil recovery will be considerably less than the 72.5 per cent recovery realized from this project to Jan. 1, 1951. There probably are at least two reasons for the unusually high recovery from this reservoir, the effects of which would be difficult or impossible to calculate by known methods: 1. The operator did not use the same injection wells for the entire operation, and exercised considerable control over producing GOR by changing the locations of injection wells whenever well performance indicated excessive bypassing. Fifty-six wells were used for injection, not over 29 of which were in use simultaneously. This procedure resulted in frequent shifting of the fluid movement patterns in the reservoir and undoubtedly increased the ultimate recovery. The writer knows of no satisfactory procedure for calculating the effect of this practice. 2. Vertical movement of oil across the bedding planes of the reservoir rock hy gravity drainage tended to maintain a relatively high oil saturation, and hence a favorable K,/K, ratio, in the lower sections of the reservoir. As pointed out by Welge, this condition has aggravated the tendency for high producing GOR, but at the same time it has resulted in increased oil recovery. As may be seen from the performance charts for the various battery areas, operating (GOR'S have been quite high for the last several years of reported history.

Jan 1, 1952

By Donald C. Moore

INTRODUCTION Published laboratory procedures used by the major crusher manufacturers for estimating crusher size are based upon techniques developed in the mid 1940's. Specifically, the two largest U.S. crusher manufacturers are using the Bond impact procedure. Although the procedure is still in use, there is little confidence in the results. Unless the laboratory results fall within a preconceived range, personal experience is used for selecting the number of crushers and connected horsepower (Coleman, 1978). There have been numerous theoretical studies of the communition of particles. However, no procedure has been widely acclaimed for predicting crusher power requirements. Experimental studies have included breakage by slow compression, slow speed impact and high speed impact. Theoretical results have increased our knowledge of the comminution process, but the procedures have not been capable of analyzing the complex mechanism of industrial crushing machines. The purpose of this chapter is to review the empirical crushing procedures that have been used, including advantages and disadvantages. A new procedure which has been in development at Allis-Chalmers Corp. from 1977 to 1982 is detailed. Actual results of the new procedure on a concentrator feasibility study are included. EXPERIMENTAL GOALS The goals of a laboratory crushability procedure are accurate predictions of: (1) Rock crushability, measured as energy per unit mass. (2) Crusher product size analysis. A procedure capable of predicting these parameters should be inexpensive and require a minimum amount of sample. CRUSHABILITY TESTS Bond Impact Procedure F. C. Bond (1946) detailed the development of the pendulum impact device that is still used by the leading crusher manufacturers (Bond; Rexnord, 1976). The device (Fig. 1) is comprised of two bicycle wheels with 13.6 kg steel hammers tangentially attached to the rims. The hammer faces are 50 mm apart at rest. On opposite ends of the hammers lifting

Jan 1, 1982

By Stefan Boshkov, Malcolm T. Wane

THE validity and accuracy of velocity measurements underground have been questioned repeatedly by those in mine ventilation work. The general disagreement on the subject is well illustrated in an AIME publication.' Although the presence of errors is readily admitted, their magnitudes are not known and often are described by practical operators merely as "great," "small," or "of no importance." The belief that errors are of academic interest only prevails because of a justifiable claim that actual volumes of air circulated are well in excess of those required by law and safe mining practices. Poor understanding of the source and nature of errors inherent in velocity measurements, coupled with questionable determination of cross-sectional area, result in faulty techniques for the purpose of expediting ventilation surveys and render doubtful the calculated volume. Often consistency of readings is confused with accuracy. A succession of check readings showing a maximum deviation of 5 pct in the measured value of velocity usually signifies nothing more than diligent application of technique in a stable ventilating current. This article discusses the errors involved in air measurements underground. Where instrument errors are presented, the treatment is confined solely to the rotating-vane anemometer, recognized as a most useful ventilation measurement tool because of its simple design and easy operation. In the following pages a positive deviation is defined as one which has to be added to the registered air velocity to obtain the true air velocity.

Jan 1, 1956

By C. M. Warner

In both the Flat River district of southeast Missouri and the Joplin district of southwest Missouri the lead concentrates are of very high grade, free of arsenic, antimony and bismuth, and contain no gold and very little silver. The general practice in both districts is to smelt the concentrates containing 70 to 85 per cent lead on Scotch hearths, to recover 70 to 85 per cent of the lead, and then smelt in a blast furnace the slag formed in the Scotch hearths to bring the total recovery of lead from lead concentrates to over 97.5 per cent. At the lead smelter of the St. Joseph Lead Co. at Herculaneum, Mo., no Scotch hearths are used. In the other smelters in the district the blast furnace plays a minor role to the Scotch hearth . The concentrates produced from the Flat River district are either table concentrates or flotation concentrates containing: Both types of concentrates are received at Herculaneum in box cars after being sampled. Great care is taken in weighing and sampling of cars of concentrates and in the determination of moisture and lead contents. The concentrates are unloaded into bins by an adaptation of scoop grain unloader. Four men unload and sweep a 40 to 45-ton box car of concentrates in 30 minutes. The same grade of concentrates is received each day and no metal-bearing fluxes are available. The problem is to get as high a recovery as possible as cheaply as possible from the high-grade lead concentrates produced by the company's concentrating mills. Sintering The bulk of the sulphur is removed from the concentrates and the fine concentrate particles are agglomerated by double roasting on typical Dwight and Lloyd sintering machines.

Jan 1, 1937