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By R. J. Hopkins, L. B. Haney

On the basis of limited experimental work conducted at the Port Pirie smelter, it would appear that, by increasing the specific surface of sinter, and possibly that of coke as well, a marked increase in the rate and degree of sinter reduction in the furnace shaft can be achieved. Fusion-point tests have shown that this increased reduction means a much higher sinter fusion point and narrower plastic zone, while the more efficient utilization of coke in the furnace is inherent in the intensification of reduction by the provision of a more reactive sinter surface. Investigations aimed at increasing the ability to operate the blast furnace with a higher lead tenor of sinter reducing fuel cost proportionately, and at eliminating the loss in reduction potential in coke entering the furnace, as shown by the presence of appreciable proportions of CO in the top gases, are reported. Several lines for future investigations that could result in improved smelting methods are proposed. A SOMEWHAT informal presentation of ideas on lead blast-furnace smelting will be given in this paper. These ideas have been developed during observations of furnace behavior at Port Pirie and earlier at Mt. Isa, and have been guided by the results of laboratory experiments at Port Pirie. The authors do not intend to propound any particularly new theories, but present their ideas as a basis for discussion which may help toward a better understanding and improved control of blast-furnace operation. Performance variations of considerable magnitude occur from time to time at most lead blast-furnace plants. While Port Pirie is fortunate in having a very regular supply of high grade concentrates, it is no exception in this respect. Such irregularities are of considerable economic importance and they constitute a challenge to present-day metallurgists in their efforts to obtain an ever greater degree of control over furnace operation. In operating as Port Pirie does with a relatively high lead charge, it has been recognized for a long time that shaft conditions are ,of the greatest importance. A practical, or engineering, attack on the problem of accretions consisted of changes in furnace design, e.g., by widening the shaft to 10 ft above the bottom row of tuyeres, and by the provision of curved ends and vertical walls.' That this attack has had a great measure of success is shown by the fact that barring down of these wide furnaces is rarely necessary, shaft conditions have greatly improved, and sensitivity to charge variations has been markedly reduced. These modifications, followed by some metallurgical changes (chiefly the incorporation of pig iron into the furnace charge in 1948), have brought furnace operation to a point where some variables which were previously masked can now be studied. Accordingly, over different periods of time during the last five years, such variables as could be given numerical values have been recorded and subjected to statistical examination. The objectives of this work were: 1—to reveal the true importance of the different variables and 2—to show the proportion of total furnace variation which is unexplained and therefore referable to causes not measured at present? e.g., shaft accretions, sinter structure, coke structure, and others. Statistical Study of Variables In this work factors relating to furnace speed and lead reduction have been examined: 1—slag com-

Jan 1, 1955

By K. D. Weverstad, J. E. Cleveland, J. C. Franklin, J. W. Black

A mined-out stope being backfilled with classified mill tailings was continuously monitored, both upstream and downstream, to determine the radon concentration associated with the mill tailings. The radon monitoring was done before, during, and after the backfill operation. Data taken during weekends when no mining activities were influencing the radon concentration showed a 90 percent reduction in radon discharge from the stope after being backfilled. Water used to mix with the classified sands showed an increase in the heavy metals concentration immediately after seeping from the inplace sand. However, the water used in backfilling is less than ½ of 1 percent of total mine water discharged. The change in contamination is not measurable at the pumping station.

Jan 1, 1982

By Arthur B. Emmons

HAVING been in the management of a company which has been exploring with a diamond drill during the past year in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, with a view to finding workable anthracite coal of a better quality than has been hitherto found, I have collected a certain amount of material which seems to have some scientific interest (though in this respect it is unfortunately incomplete), as well as a possible value to any one who may be tempted to follow ant a similar line of investigation. The following are the analyses of the coal from the Portsmouth

Jan 1, 1885

By Donald W. Mitchell

MINE operators have a choice of several classifications of mechanical loaders. Within each classification there are many types and makes available. Table I lists loaders on which manufacturing data as to operating characteristics are available. This paper discusses the conditions met in a mine as they affect these characteristics. It is assumed that management will provide satisfactory engineering, supervision, power, maintenance, loader service within a concentration of workings, and a balanced working cycle served by balanced production equipment. These are factors which affect the optimum operational efficiency of a loader. The conditions which determine loader choice are:

Jan 5, 1951

By Jack R. Elenbaas, Donald L. Katz

A radial turbulent flow formula has been developed which permits the computation of the pressure drop for radial flow in gas wells whether the flow is laminar, turbulent, or partially laminar and partially turbulent. Using the formula a complete back-pressure curve has been calculated and analyzed by a comparison with existing back-pressure curves. A procedure is presented for computing the permeability of the porous media when the porosity, sphericity and average particle diameter are known. Introduction Recent studies on the flow of fluids through porous media have provided new methods for computing flow under turbulent conditions. The present study was initiated as an investigation of pressure -drop computations for flow through porous sands in gas wells and as an analysis of present-day back-pressure tests. Although laminar flow exists in the producing formation of gas wells under normal flow rates, turbulent flow does take place adjacent to the well bore. As the flow rate is increased, turbulent flow exists further and further into the producing formation and under open-flow conditions in relatively deep wells a considerable portion of the flow through the sand will be turbulent. In order to calculate a complete backpressure curve for relatively deep wells without resorting to extrapolation of curves drawn from data obtained in back-pressure tests or calculations made in the completely laminar region, it was necessary to have some means of calculating pressure drop for flow through porous sands under turbulent conditions.4.6 As a result, a radial turbulent flow formula was derived from the equations recently presented by Brownell and Katz.1 A rigorous solution of this equation involves a trial and error graphical integration. By making the assumptions of average viscosity, temperature and compressibility factor of the flowing gas, it was possible to graphically integrate the relation for the general case of radial flow of gases through the porous sand of gas wells. A chart has been prepared relating the value of the integral to the radius of the well bore and to the Reynolds number of the flowing gas. The chart actually performs the graphical integration and the solution of the formula is then reduced to a simple trial and error calculation. A typical back-pressure curve is calculated to show the transition from laminar to turbulent flow. This paper will briefly describe the pro-cedurcs for computing flow through porous media, including a method for predicting sand permeability from porosity and grain size and shape. Flow through Porous Media Brownell and Katzl recently reported a correlation for computing flow of fluids through porous media by the use of an enlarged Reynolds number and friction factor in which the porosity of the bed is included as an additional prime variable. The enlargcd Reynolds number com-

Jan 1, 1948

By Donald L. Katz, Jack R. Elenbaas

A radial turbulent flow formula has been developed which permits the computation of the pressure drop for radial flow in gas wells whether the flow is laminar, turbulent, or partially laminar and partially turbulent. Using the formula a complete back-pressure curve has been calculated and analyzed by a comparison with existing back-pressure curves. A procedure is presented for computing the permeability of the porous media when the porosity, sphericity and average particle diameter are known. Introduction Recent studies on the flow of fluids through porous media have provided new methods for computing flow under turbulent conditions. The present study was initiated as an investigation of pressure -drop computations for flow through porous sands in gas wells and as an analysis of present-day back-pressure tests. Although laminar flow exists in the producing formation of gas wells under normal flow rates, turbulent flow does take place adjacent to the well bore. As the flow rate is increased, turbulent flow exists further and further into the producing formation and under open-flow conditions in relatively deep wells a considerable portion of the flow through the sand will be turbulent. In order to calculate a complete backpressure curve for relatively deep wells without resorting to extrapolation of curves drawn from data obtained in back-pressure tests or calculations made in the completely laminar region, it was necessary to have some means of calculating pressure drop for flow through porous sands under turbulent conditions.4.6 As a result, a radial turbulent flow formula was derived from the equations recently presented by Brownell and Katz.1 A rigorous solution of this equation involves a trial and error graphical integration. By making the assumptions of average viscosity, temperature and compressibility factor of the flowing gas, it was possible to graphically integrate the relation for the general case of radial flow of gases through the porous sand of gas wells. A chart has been prepared relating the value of the integral to the radius of the well bore and to the Reynolds number of the flowing gas. The chart actually performs the graphical integration and the solution of the formula is then reduced to a simple trial and error calculation. A typical back-pressure curve is calculated to show the transition from laminar to turbulent flow. This paper will briefly describe the pro-cedurcs for computing flow through porous media, including a method for predicting sand permeability from porosity and grain size and shape. Flow through Porous Media Brownell and Katzl recently reported a correlation for computing flow of fluids through porous media by the use of an enlarged Reynolds number and friction factor in which the porosity of the bed is included as an additional prime variable. The enlargcd Reynolds number com-

Jan 1, 1948

By Erwin J. Durrer

The development of planning in the petroleum industry is de- scribed and the current status analyzed. Worldwide transportation networks led to corporate models which caused a differentiation between operations research and planning groups. Ranking of projects solely by ROI proved infeasible because of the diversified nature of the industry. Qualitative elements such as synergism with ongoing operations and the external socio-economic environment had to be included, leading to business plans based on scenarios of possible futures and stressing growth-opportunities over cash-flow rich mature product lines. In addition, decision analysis is finding applications in large capital, high uncertainty situations such as planning for synthetic fuel development.

Jan 1, 1977

By Charles W. Frey

OF all the machinery used in mining work, mine cars are probably the most abused. They are hauled through water and muck, up hill and down grade, whipped around curves, bumped and jerked, and exposed to the ravages of the weather. However, as a general rule their lubrication is not altogether neglected. The mine operator may not heed the extra drag that a frozen conveyor bearing gives, but he is all too aware of the increased load that faulty mine car wheels put on his power plant. When the circuit breakers begin to fly, and when his mine loco- motives come out with only half the cars that they were able to carry a month before, then neglected mine car wheel lubrication becomes apparent, and woe to the person responsible.

Jan 1, 1938

By J. Kucera, J. Vreštál

DIFFERENT authors1 ' have been engaged in meas-uring the vapor pressure of pure cobalt. The results of their measurements satisfy the expected temperature dependence of vapor pressure and are in mutual agreement, with the exception of the results by De Dyk Man and ~esmejanov.~ The latter authors, by using the effusion method, have achieved considerably higher values than other workers. By using the isotope exchange method they obtained much lower values than other authors. The determination of thermodynamic functions of the binary Ni-Co system was carried out, as far as we know, only by De Dyk Man and Nesmejanov.4 This determination was based on extremely low values of vapor pressure over pure cobalt obtained by the isotope exchange method. Therefore we considered it useful to repeat these measurements. Furthermore, the reliable values of thermodynamic functions should complement the migration characteristics, the inner magnetic field data obtained by Miissbauer effect measurements, specific heat data, and the K effect and positron annihilation characteristics that have been achieved for the Ni-Co system in the Institute of Metallurgy of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Brno.5-9 The measurements in this paper were performed by the isotope exchange method. In this method, as has been shown by analysis,10-'3 the vaporization rate, w, can be calculated from the relation w = k/1oSw [1] i0Sw) [1] where L, is the activity per unit mass of the source, S is the area of evaporation, k is the tangent at the point t = 0 to the curve giving the radioactivity de-pendence of the target vs annealing time, t, and wis the probability for the tracer atom condensation on the target surface. The value for cc. can be obtained from the equation w = a + 2P(l-a) [2] where P is Clausing's coefficient and a is the condensation coefficient. In the present work the cylinder shaped containers for annealing the samples were used, characterized by the ratio 1:d = 1.06. Here 1 is the length and d the diameter of the container. For this ratio P = 0.514 and w =0.5, and w is independent of the condensation coefficient. The vaporization rate is related to the vapor pressure p by the relation where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, and M is the molecular weight of the component investigated. Measurements of the vapor pressure of the i component over the pure metal, p!, and the alloy, pi, at the given temperature and composition enable one to calculate the thermodynamic activity of this component from the equation ai=pi/pi [4] is and the activity coefficient ri=ai/xi [5] xi where xi is the molar fraction of the investigated alloy component. EXPERIMENTAL Evaporization rate measurements were carried out with pure cobalt and eight different Ni-Co alloys, which were kindly delivered by the Centre National de Recherches Me'tallurgiques Liege, Belgium. The composition of the alloys is given in Table I. The cobalt used in these alloys contained the following impurities: 0.016 wt pct Fe, 0.014 wt pct Cu, 0.01 wt pct Mn. Other elements were present in much lower concentrations. From the melts, samples in the form of small cylinders of 12 mm in diam were ma-chined. The thickness of the targets and sources was 2.5 and 1.2 mm, respectively. The lower thickness of the sources was chosen to make their over-all ac-tivity as low as possible. Sources were activated in

Jan 1, 1970

By W. B. Potter

THERE is probably no more interesting group of mineral fuels to be found in any country than that occurring within the limits of the new State of Colorado. The supplies are so abundant, and the occurrence and distribution are so favorable for easy development and transportation to the future manufacturing centres of the State, that they are destined to play a very important part in the material growth and prosperity of the region, the more so because of the rich and varied stores of ores awaiting metallurgical treatment, and the comparative scarcity of timber for fuel. From a purely scientific point, also, these lignitic coals form an interesting and important series. An examination of their geological occurrence and relations opens up new and important questions regarding the comparative value of various kinds of geological evidence, while a study of the character and composition of this class of fuels, which forms a connecting link, as it were, between the lignites and the true bituminous coals, may lead to a more thorough and accurate classification of mineral fuels. The analyses here presented are from samples, of not less than fifty pounds each, obtained by myself during the summer of 1875, and may be regarded as representing very fairly the average run of

Jan 1, 1877

By David B. Reger

The substantial expansion of previously discovered gas pools was the principal feature of petroleum activity in West Virginia during 1940. At least one new gas pool was discovered and various other successful wildcat completions may prove to be gas-pool openers. Some slight extensions of oil pools were also made. The new productive territory, principally gas, added by these extensions was approximately 33,800 acres. ' In general, oil activity was slight because of unfavorable crude prices. Gas activity, on the contrary, increased considerably, although the price of gas did not materially change. The account of operations, as gathered from trade journals and other reporting services, shows that 709 new wells were drilled, resulting in 102 new oil wells with I055 bbl. of daily new produc-tion; 468 new gas wells with 633>g47,000 cu. it. of daily open flow; and 139 dry holes. Also, 91 old wells were drilled to deeper sands, with 143 bbl. and 44,833,000 cu. ft. of added production. On the new wells the oil average was 10.34 bbl, per well per day; and the gas average was 1,354,000 cu. ft. per well per day. On new wells the ratio of dry holes to completions was 19.61 per cent. On deeper drilling to other sands the ratio of failures was 12.I per cent. From an exploratory standpoint, one strictly new gas pool (Lorentz) was opened in Upshur County. Little forecast of its extent or reserve can now be made. The new extensions of various other previously discovered pools, however, give assurance of a new gas reserve that will equal approximately a year of gas demand. In addition to these definite supplies two widely separated Oriskany sand (L. Dev.) wildcats in Jackson County, one of which was completed late in 1940 and the other early in 194.1, may indicate two separate pools or may greatly extend known pools. In south-ern Kanawha County, also, an old Oris-kany-sand well deepened to the White Clinton sand (Sil.) showed a volume of 733,000 cu. ft. and rock pressure of 1800 Ib., giving rather clear assurance that this deep sand, in which only slight quantities of gas had previously been found, should eventually supply much new gas. On the other hand, various deep tests to the Oriskany sand in Harrison, Putnam, Randolph and Wood Counties were totally dry or gave only small volumes of gas, The principal oil wells completed, by counties, were: Calhoun, 15; Clay, Ir; Pleasants, 14; Ritchie, 15; and Roane, 7. Production for the year was estimated by the U. S. Bureau of Mines as 3,444,000 bbl., as compared to 3,684,000 bbl. in 1939. The leading counties in gas-well completions were: Boone, 36; Braxton, 17; Cabell, 25; Calhoun, 16; Clay, 22; Gilm.er, 47; Jackson, 38; Kanatvha, 77; Lincoln, 18; Putnam, 32; IGtchie, 40; and Wayne, 31, Production for the year is estimated by me as I70,000,000,000 cu. ft. as compared to I59,226,000,000 cu. ft.* in 1939. No long pipe lines were built but various gas-line extensions and cross connections,

Jan 1, 1941

By David B. Reger

The substantial expansion of previously discovered gas pools was the principal feature of petroleum activity in West Virginia during 1940. At least one new gas pool was discovered and various other successful wildcat completions may prove to be gas-pool openers. Some slight extensions of oil pools were also made. The new productive territory, principally gas, added by these extensions was approximately 33,800 acres. ' In general, oil activity was slight because of unfavorable crude prices. Gas activity, on the contrary, increased considerably, although the price of gas did not materially change. The account of operations, as gathered from trade journals and other reporting services, shows that 709 new wells were drilled, resulting in 102 new oil wells with I055 bbl. of daily new produc-tion; 468 new gas wells with 633>g47,000 cu. it. of daily open flow; and 139 dry holes. Also, 91 old wells were drilled to deeper sands, with 143 bbl. and 44,833,000 cu. ft. of added production. On the new wells the oil average was 10.34 bbl, per well per day; and the gas average was 1,354,000 cu. ft. per well per day. On new wells the ratio of dry holes to completions was 19.61 per cent. On deeper drilling to other sands the ratio of failures was 12.I per cent. From an exploratory standpoint, one strictly new gas pool (Lorentz) was opened in Upshur County. Little forecast of its extent or reserve can now be made. The new extensions of various other previously discovered pools, however, give assurance of a new gas reserve that will equal approximately a year of gas demand. In addition to these definite supplies two widely separated Oriskany sand (L. Dev.) wildcats in Jackson County, one of which was completed late in 1940 and the other early in 194.1, may indicate two separate pools or may greatly extend known pools. In south-ern Kanawha County, also, an old Oris-kany-sand well deepened to the White Clinton sand (Sil.) showed a volume of 733,000 cu. ft. and rock pressure of 1800 Ib., giving rather clear assurance that this deep sand, in which only slight quantities of gas had previously been found, should eventually supply much new gas. On the other hand, various deep tests to the Oriskany sand in Harrison, Putnam, Randolph and Wood Counties were totally dry or gave only small volumes of gas, The principal oil wells completed, by counties, were: Calhoun, 15; Clay, Ir; Pleasants, 14; Ritchie, 15; and Roane, 7. Production for the year was estimated by the U. S. Bureau of Mines as 3,444,000 bbl., as compared to 3,684,000 bbl. in 1939. The leading counties in gas-well completions were: Boone, 36; Braxton, 17; Cabell, 25; Calhoun, 16; Clay, 22; Gilm.er, 47; Jackson, 38; Kanatvha, 77; Lincoln, 18; Putnam, 32; IGtchie, 40; and Wayne, 31, Production for the year is estimated by me as I70,000,000,000 cu. ft. as compared to I59,226,000,000 cu. ft.* in 1939. No long pipe lines were built but various gas-line extensions and cross connections,

Jan 1, 1941

By Stanley M. Moos, Richard Addison

Introduction The Pueblo Viejo gold-silver mine, located in the Dominican Republic, started production in early 1974 processing ores averaging 4 g/t gold and 20 g/t silver at a rate of 7.25 kt/d. The ore milled is a silicified siltstone with average work index of about 8 that occurs as an extensive oxide capping of a primary sulfide ore body. The sulfide ores are refractory to conventional treatment process and extensive research work is now in progress to develop a treatment process for them. The ore deposit has a long history, having been mined by the indigenous Arawak Indians for some time in the early sixteenth century prior to the arrival of the Spanish, and then by the Spaniards. In the early 1950s, Italian engineers attempted to process the sulfide ores. Mining by the Indians and Spanish was abandoned because of low grade and little coarse gold in the oxide ores and by the Italians because of the refractory nature of the sulfide ore. In 1969, Rosario Resources geologists discovered that there existed sufficient reserves of oxide ore for a viable mining operation and the plant was designed, built, and brought into production.

Jan 1, 1981

By C. E. Capes

A number of novel but increasingly-important methods of size enlargement in liquid systems are reviewed. These techniques use relatively strong bonding and specialized equipment to form dense and substantially permanent agglomerates directly from particles in liquid suspension. In addition to separation of particles from suspensions, these methods have other broad objectives, including the production of granular (often spherical) materials, displacement of suspending liquid from the product and the selective agglomeration of one or more components of a multi-particle mixture. The underlying principles of the methods discussed include agglomeration by immiscible liquid wetting and by polymeric flocculants. Other procedures to produce granular, free-flowing products based on dispersion and solidification in liquids are also noted briefly. Applications in a variety of fine particle systems are considered with emphasis on minerals and fuels beneficiation and on waste treatment.

Jan 1, 1980

By Charles Morgan

AN increased demand for brown iron ore in the Birmingham district during the past 18 months has caused renewed activity both in prospecting and mining these ores. In recent years the production in Alabama has ranged from 41,559 tons in 1932 to 639,351 tons in 1928. During the last 9 years about 83 per cent of the total brown ore produced in the United States has come from Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). PROSPECTING Two methods of prospecting are used in this district: (1) test pits, (2) churn-drilling. Usually there is certain quite definite information on an area to be prospected; some of the indications are float ore such as small gravel or small and large boulders known as "dornicks" scattered over the surface, and ore exposed by erosion in gulleys and ravines, which have cut or eroded through the overburden. Often these natural erosions furnish an indication of the thickness of the ore and to some extent of the area of the ore body.

Jan 1, 1937

By C. H. Stein

The Pennsylvania Legislature, on March 13, 1837, passed an act authorizing the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. to construct a railway to connect the North Branch Division of the Pennsylvania Canal with the slack water navigation of the Lehigh River; the navigation company accepted this act on May 10, 1837. Edwin A. Douglas, chief engineer for the navigation company, located the route for this railway from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre, which was called the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad. The object was to transport coal from the Wyoming Valley, of Pennsylvania, to the Atlantic seaboard. This railway was considered a marvelous piece of engineering, as it included a tunnel nearly 55 mi. long, and a series of inclines, or planes, up which the cars laden with coal were raised from the vicinity of Ashley to the summit of the mountain near Solomon's Gap, whence they were taken to White Haven by rail. There the coal was transferred to canal boats. In June, 1862, floods almost completely destroyed the upper division of the canal, so on March 4, 1863, the Pennsylvania Legislature passed an act prohibiting its restoration, but granted a charter for the construction of a railway from White Haven to Mauch Chunk to connect with the line from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre, previously built. On March 16, 1864, a supplementary act was passed extending the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad to Easton, Pa. This completed a direct all-rail route from Wilkes-Barre to the New York harbor (by way of the Central Railroad of New Jersey). Up to this time, all freight and passenger traffic passed over the planes, but in 1866 and 1867 there was constructed what was known as the "back track" down the mountain side between Solomon's Gap and Ashley over which all the passenger traffic and empty cars thereafter passed; it is now known as part of the main line. For the handling of the heavy coal traffic, however, this would have involved a continuous climb from Ashley, 170.27 mi., from New York, to Solomon's Gap, 157.8 mi. from New York, or a distance of 12.47 mi., and a total ascent of 1013.75 ft., composed of grades 95.61, 83, and 51.4 ft. per mi., respectively, and

Jan 1, 1922

By V. C. Rogers

ALTHOUGH surveying at mining properties is fundamentally the same regardless of the method of mining, at Climax, due to the nature of the ground, the policy of advance development work, and extremes in climatic conditions, surveying practice has had to be revised to meet the specialized conditions of this particular type of mining operation. The company's mine is one of the largest underground properties in the United States. It has proved ore reserves of 275,000,000 tons, 60,000,000 tons of which have been broken. To date, 109,000 ft. of development drifting have been driven, as well as 40,926 ft. of development raising, 10,000 ft. of ventilation drifting and raising, 16,000 ft. of exploration drifting, and 206,000 ft. of diamond drilling. Normal production varies between 1.2,000 and 15,000 tons daily. Development work proceeds at a rate of 11/2 tons developed for every ton milled and with a development of 18,000 to 20,000 tons per day, the following crew is required to take care of mine and surface engineering

Jan 1, 1946

By George Rice

THE subject of violent bumps in coal mines has been again brought to attention by a recent succession of such occurrences in the coal mines of the Cumberland field of eastern Kentucky and southern Virginia, which have caused fatalities and injuries to underground employees, a report on which is being issued by the United States Bureau of Mines1. The A.I.M.E. has had two valuable papers on bumps in the No. 2 Mine, Springhill, Nova Scotia, each followed by general discussion on bumps and their causes2. This paper gives a brief review of suggested causes and remedial measures given in English, Canadian and United States reports on bumps in coal mines, and then presents suggestions arising from the writer's recent investigation of the bumps in the Cumberland mines, made at the request of the mine operators, to determine the causes and remedies. These bumps, which occur under the simplest natural conditions, provide better opportunity for analysis of causes and effects than afforded under more complex conditions. The simple conditions in this field consist of relatively thin and level coal beds and uniform roof strata free' from folding and faulting.

Jan 1, 1935

By A. U. Seybolt

The solubility limit of oxygen in columbium has been determined in the range between 775' and 1100°C by means of lattice parameter measurements and microscopic examination. The solubility is a function of temperature and varies, in the range given above, from 0.25 to 1.0 pct O, respectively. BECAUSE of the marked deleterious effect of oxygen upon the mechanical properties of some of the transition metals, it is desirable to know something about the solubility of oxygen in these metals. The brittleness caused by oxygen in solution is particularly marked in the case of the group VA elements, vanadium, columbium, and tantalum. The solubility of oxygen in vanadium has already been reported in an earlier paper,' and Wasilewski2 has given a value (0.9 wt pct) for the solid solubility of oxygen in tantalum at 1050°C. Brauer3 in 1941 investigated the Cb-0 system up to Cb2O5, but made no real effort to investigate the extent of oxygen solubility in the metal. He made the observation, however, that this solubility must be less than 4.76 atom pct (0.86 wt pct) oxygen. This estimate was made from X-ray diffraction results on the alloys CbO, CbO, and CbO; all alloys consisted of the terminal (Cb) solid solution plus CbO, but the last alloy containing 4.76 atom pct 0 showed only three very weak CbO lines. It is surprising that Brauer, by examining only three alloys, arrived at an estimate of the solubility which agrees very well with the results to be reported herein. Experimental Procedure A columbium strip obtained from Fansteel Metallurgical Products was cut into strips, 0.020x1/2x2 in. Two holes, about 3/16 in. in diameter, were made near the ends of the strips in order to hold them against a flat steel block for mounting in a General Electric X-ray spectrometer for lattice parameter measurements. The same holes were used to hang the specimens inside a fused silica vacuum furnace tube which was part of a Sieverts' gas absorption apparatus. The apparatus and method of adding oxygen gas has been previously described.1 According to the supplier, the columbium obtained had the analysis given in Table I. After degreasing the samples, approximately 0.001 in. was etched from each side of the samples in order to remove possible surface impurities from the last rolling operation. For this purpose the following cold acid pickle was found satisfactory: 8 parts HNO3, 2 parts H2O2 and 1 part HF. Various Cb-O compositions were obtained up to 0.75 wt pct O by the gas absorption and diffusion technique. After the sample had absorbed all the oxygen gas added at 1000°C, an additional 24 hr was allowed for homogenization. This treatment appeared to be adequate, as shown by the linearity of the lattice parameter-composition plot. More concentrated alloys were prepared by arc melting mixtures of Cb and Cb2O5 since it was very time-consuming to make Cb-0 alloys in the neighborhood of 1 pct O, or over, by the diffusion method. When the flat strip specimens were used, they were ready for the X-ray spectrometer after cooling from the Sieverts' apparatus. The cooling rate obtained by merely allowing the hot fused silica furnace tube to radiate to the atmosphere (when the furnace was lowered) was sufficiently fast to keep the dissolved oxygen in solution. Arc-melted alloys were reduced to —200 mesh powder in a diamond mortar, wrapped in tantalum foil, sealed off in evacuated fused silica tubes, and then heat treated as indicated in Table 11. The fused silica tubes were quickly immersed in cold water without breaking the tubes after the heat treatments. The tantalum foil prevented reaction between the fused silica and the sample; there was no reaction between the powdered samples and the foil at 1000°C, but some trouble was experienced at 1100°C. At this temperature level a reaction between the sample and the foil was sometimes observed, which resulted in erroneous parameter values. Experimental Results Hardness Tests: Since most of the X-ray samples were in the form of flat strip, it was convenient to obtain Vickers hardness numbers as a function of oxygen content. Compared to the V-O case,' oxygen hardens columbium much more slowly, presumably because of the larger octahedral volume in colum-bium (about 12.0 compared to 9.3Å3 in vanadium), hence, requiring less lattice strain for solution. The plot of VHN vs wt pct O is shown in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1955

By John Marshall

THE purpose of this paper is to present to the profession data and experience obtained over a period of 5 years in the operation of 87 shaker-conveyor units, and the production of 2,169,638 tons of run-of-mine anthracite coal. The data are not generally available and should be of interest to those concerned with the operation of anthracite and bitu-minous mines. To simplify comparison, a ton of 2000 lb. of raw run-of-mine coal has been used as the production unit throughout this paper.

Jan 1, 1940