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By John W. Weeton, Donald W. Petrasek

Relatively few metal-metal systems exist that would permit the creation of fiber-metal composites consisting of mutually insoluble constituents. It is anticipated that most high strength-to-weight ratio and high -temperature fiber composites ultimately to be produced will utilize high-strength fibers embedded in a highly alloyed matrix. An investigation was conducted to determine the effect of alloying on the tensile Properties and micro-structure of tungsten-fibey-reinforced composites. Composites were made of tungsten fibers infiltrated with copper binary alloys that contain elements of varying solubility in tungsten. Room-temperature tensile tests were made on the composites, and a metallographic study of the microstructure of the fiber-metal-matrix interfaces was conducted. It was shown that, as the depth of penetration of some alloying elements into the fiber increased, a decrease in both tensile strength and ductility of the composite results. A notch effect, due to the formation of a brittle alloy zone with the tungsten fiber, was observed and gave rise to greater reductions in tensile properties and ductility behavior than would be Predicted by a law-of-mixture relation alone. In recent years, investigators have considered combining fibrous materials with relatively weak binder materials. The interest in fiber-reinforced composites results from the fact that fibers or wires may be exceedingly strong and exhibit mechanical properties superior to those of the bulk materials from which they are derived. For example, tungsten wires drawn to less than 1 mil in diameter may have strengths of over 600,000 psi,' while steel wires ranging from 10 to 3 mils in diameter may have strengths of the order of 300,000 to over 600,000 psi.2 Both metallic and ceramic whiskers are known to have very high strengths. For example, iron whiskers have been shown to have strengths of 1.9 million psi3 and sapphire whiskers have been reported to have strengths of the order of 1.7 million psi.4 If all or part of the strengths of such fibers could be retained, subsequent to the incorporation of the fibers in an engineering material, a superior material could result. In previous work done at the Lewis Research Center, McDanels, Jech, and weeton5 demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating metal-fiber—metal-matrix composites that utilized the full strengths of the fiber and matrix materials. Tungsten fibers were combined with a copper matrix by a liquid-infiltration method such that the tungsten fibers were uniaxially oriented parallel to the tensile axis of the composite. A linear relation was established that related the tensile strength of the composite with the volume percent of the fibers. Mutually insoluble constituents were selected for the study so that the strength of the composite could be quantitatively related to the strength of the individual constituents. The fact that there are only a few metals that are mutually insoluble with tungsten, e.g., copper, silver, gold, and zinc, and that these either have low melting points, high vapor pressures, or poor oxidation resistance, makes it necessary to utilize other metals that are soluble in tungsten, where high-temperature applications are ultimately contemplated. It was anticipated that, for most practical fiber-reinforced composite materials, it would be necessary to use a fiber and metallic matrix that would have varying degrees of solubility for each other. A logical extension of the earlier work was thus felt to be a study that would determine the effects of elements that had mutual solubility with the tungsten. Numerous investigators have found that tungsten fibers may be damaged by thermal treatments or contamination of the surface of the fiber by alloying elements.6-10 On the other hand, surface treatments may improve the strength of such fibers."-" Relatively little work with composites containing tungsten fibers have been reported. The work of parikh14 has shown that kinked, short-length tungsten, steel, and molybdenum fibers could str'engthen such matrices as silver, gold, and copper. Some of the combinations of fibers and matrices studied by

Jan 1, 1964

By Bruno Nordberg

HOISTING is one of the earliest endeavors of man with machinery, for hoisting was probably used by the early Egyptians. Treadmills were used for general hoisting until early in the nineteenth century and it was a short step only to attach a Watt steam engine to the rope drum of a hoist. One of the earliest steam hoists was built for a coal mine at Frisne, near Valenciennes, France. It was a remarkable piece of engineering created by James Watt in 1811, using a wooden drum on a vertical shaft. This followed the crude hoist by Holtzhausen in 1803, which used a drum of wood on a horizontal shaft.1 In this country there were examples of crude mine hoists, which have been developed into the efficient machines in use today. African and Australian mines show examples of both extremes, and have an array of fine hoisting equipment exemplified in those built by British manufacturers. The influence of both English and American engineering in hoisting is interestingly evident in Canada. The information available to the writer does not reveal this to be true of South Africa, although American-built hoists have been furnished. Mining camps develop their own style of equipment, adapted to local conditions. For instance, the Butte mining district adheres to the straight drum with friction clutches, because of the great number of levels from which hoisting is done or to which men and material are lowered and the necessity for hoisting or lowering unbalanced. The north Michi-gan copper country uses both straight and cylindroconical drums and hoists continually in balance, so that the drums are not clutched to the main driving shaft. The Joplin mining district, Missouri, has its own peculiar small hoists. Other individual mines or localities in which a number of mines have been developed show individualisticc types of hoists, depending upon their particular problems. In each instance, however, the particular problem must be carefully analyzed, as conditions are seldom so near the same that a number of identical hoists can be used to advantage.

Jan 1, 1940

By F. Keller, A. H. Geisler

Some of the important changes that take place in the structure of aluminum alloys are largely submicroscopic in character. This is especially true of the changes that accompany age-hardening and recrystallization. Although improved metallographic practices have been helpful in indicating some of these changes indirectly, results are limited by the resolving power of optical microscope lenses. The electron microscope, however, provides a new and important means for investigating the fine structure of metals in a range not possible heretofore. It is anticipated that this microscope will yield new and useful information to metallurgists when suitable techniques are developed to utilize its very high resolving power. Several unique methods have been devised to permit the examination of the structure of opaque samples by the electron microscope. These are all based on the principle of producing a very thin film that represents the prepared surface of the opaque metal sample, which can be examined in the transmission microscope; however, the available methods fall into three categories, depending on the manner in which the film is obtained. With the oxide-film method developed by Mahl3-17 a very thin surface layer of the metallographic sample is converted into oxide by a thermal, chemical or anodic treatment. After removal from the metal sample by one of the special techniques described by Evans,19 this oxide film is examined in the electron microscope, and is found to portray the structure of the original metal surface. Films formed on aluminum,8,17 nickel,7 iron 3,8,9 and a nickel-beryllium alloy" by heating; films formed on iron 8.9 by chemical action; and films formed on aluminum3-16 by anodic oxidation, have been examined. The other two are more recent methods developed principally in this country; they consist in making the thin film in the form of a mold or replica of the surface contour of an etched sample. With the negative replica method the thin film is made directly on the sample; with the positive replica method it is made on a negative reproduction of the sample. With both methods, variations in the contour of the metal sample, caused mainly by etching, produce variations in the thickness of the surface replica. Because of the direct dependence of the amount of scattering of the illuminating electrons upon the thickness of the film penetrated, only the variations in thickness of the replica are responsible for tones in the electron image. Negative replicas are made by forming a thin film of some suitable material directly on the polished and etched metal sample, and derive their name from the fact that after removal from the sample they have the high and low points in the sample reversed, as shown in Fig. I. Nega-

Jan 1, 1944

By AIME AIME

THIS year the Chairman of the Institute's Iron and Steel Division is THIS William Anderson Haven, better known to the membership generally as Bill Haven. The Division Chairman is an individual endowed with a broad perspective of the ferrous metal industry he result of his earlier experiences as a successful operating man in the working and management of blast furnaces and his later experiences as an engineering-consulting executive concerned with the design and erection of and steel works throughout the world. William A. Haven was born to iron steel in the Pittsburgh district on ;. 1, 1888, and in due time--or in 1909 graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor degree in industrial chemistry.

Jan 1, 1944

By AIME AIME

CORROSION of tanks, pipes and other equipment in the oil fields is becoming worse as the production of high- sulfur crudes in the Texas panhandle and west Texas areas increases. It has been estimated that .in certain fields of that State one tank out of every five has to be replaced every year because of the high sulfur content of the crude. One suggested method for combating tank corrosion is the use of .materials which have a high resistance to the corrosive action of hydrogen sulfide and high-sulfur crudes; aluminum is one of these materials. As a result, the United

Jan 1, 1929

By AIME AIME

Change of Meeting from Birmingham to Chattanooga. In consequence of the disturbed conditions attending a long¬continued labor strike in Alabama, the meeting of the Institute was changed from Birmingham, Ala., to Chattanooga, Tenn., where it will. begin on Thursday evening, Oct. 1, 1908. Information. of this change bad been sent to the newspapers through the Associated Press, and by circular to all members, when news was received of the sudden and unexpected termination of the strike referred to. It was, unfortunately, too late to change once more the arrangements for the meeting. But it is hoped that the cordial invitation of the citizens of ,Birmingham may be renewed and accepted at a future time, not too remote. Office Facilities for Visiting Members. A separate room in the suite occupied by the American Institute of Mining Engineers on the ninth floor of the United Engineering Society Building, has been equipped with furniture and telephone extension for the temporary use of members of the Institute or of sister societies, or visitors suitably accredited. Members of the Institute visiting New York for a short time, who need office facilities during their stay, or members residing in the city. who need temporary office accommodation, can arrange to have set apart for their exclusive use a room, equipped with office furniture, telephone, etc.,. in the suite of the Institute. It is not the intention to give possession of the room to any individual for an indefinite time, but to offer to members of the Institute an opportunity to acquire a well-located, well-equipped business headquarters to carry on transactions which

Jan 9, 1908

By CHARLES HOPPER

In preparing the Steep Rock Lake iron ore body for mining, it was necessary to drain Steep Rock Lake. Using diamond drills, a cut 1800 ft long, 100 ft wide, and maximum depth of 95 ft amounting to 300,000 cu yd of material, was excavated in Greenstone to provide a drainage channel. This was done under the general contractor C. A. Pitts, of Toronto, who in turn employed a diamond drill contractor, Boyles Bros., to do the drilling. The method of excavation was selected be- cause a clean square cut and grade could be maintained in the bottom of the channel. Bootlegged holes would have left blocks of rock in the corners which would have created a situation which would have become progressively worse as the open cut advanced from one side of the ridge to the other.

Jan 1, 1949

By Joseph Newton

MUCH the same story can be told about the copper industry for the year 1944 as for the three preceding years. Operators report few or no technical changes at their plants and the main endeavor has been to maintain high production with existing equipment. No large new installations have been made to increase plant capacities and apparently over-all copper production has passed its maximum. The present decline in copper production results partly from the severe labor shortage. As is true of most industries; the outstanding fact about the copper industry during the past few years has been its tremendous and sustained production which has been maintained in spite of serious shortages in material. labor, and technical personnel. The figures in Table I give a concrete example of how production has been increased at one large smelter in the United States-the Garfield plant of the American Smelting and Refining Co. at Garfield. Utah. These figures, reported by W. G. Rouillard. superintendent. give the production of the Garfield plant for the five years 1940-44 inclusive. The total blister production

Jan 1, 1945

By E. R. Gilbert

Klopp et al. have reported data on tensile and creep properties of are-melted and electron-beam-melted tungsten. We would like to point out some similarities between their creep results and ours on are-melted and powder-metallurgy tungstenand offer some alternate interpretations of the data which lead to different rate-controlling mechanisms. Klopp et al. observed extensive transient creep in the 2250" to 3500°F temperature range where the acthetivation energy is 106,400 ± 3300 cal mole-1. They suggest cross slip as the possible rate-controlling mechanism since "cross slip may occur only by the movement of screw dislocations, and not edge dislocations, thus allowing only partial recovery of the strain hardening and resulting in a continuously decreasing creep rate, characteristic of transient creep.'' Our tests on are-melted tungsten and powder-metallurgy tungsten displayed an extensive transient creep stage in the same temperature range but they also displayed a steady-state creep stage. The stress levels and strain rates of the two investigations, 1.4 to 7 kg mm-2 and 10-7 to 10-4 sec-1 for that of Klopp et al. and 4.5 to 10 kg mm-2 and 10-8 to 10-4 sec-1 for those of Gilbert et al., are overlapping. The activation energy for creep of our powder-metallurgy tungsten is 105,000 cal mole-1. This close agreement with the value found by Klopp et al. suggests that the same mechanism may be common to both types of materials. It may be possible to gain some additional insight into the rate-controlling mechanism by applying the analysis made by conrad22 in terms of the activation volume. The value for the activation volume depends upon the dislocation mechanism and may be used to help differentiate between various dislocation mechanisms. The activation volume for cross slip is 10 to 100 b3. Values determined from our data were 130 to 220 b3 which are in better agreement with the range of 102 to 104 b3 for nonconservative motion of jogs. Values determined from data of Klopp et al. are 240 to 1040 b3. We suggest that the rate-controlling mechanism for creep in this temperature range may be nonconservative motion of jogs assisted by enhanced diffusion along grain boundaries or dislocations. This model requires an activation energy lower than that for self-diffusion as is observed. If this is the controlling mechanism, a higher activation energy which is closer to that for self-diffusion might be expected for tests conducted on specimens with reduced grain boundary area, i.e., larger grain size. In support of this premise we have conducted tests on speci- mens having one to three grains per cross section for which a higher activation energy of 130,000 cal mole-1 was observed. Also, in agreement with results of Klopp et al., a faster creep rate resulted from the increased grain size and probable decreased dislocation density. Further argument against the cross slip mechanism is based on the constant activation energy we obsserved over the range of 5.0 to 10 kg mm-2,21 whereas the activation energy for cross slip displays a significant stress dependence.23 In addition to this, the powe on the stress term for the strain-rate dependence appears too high for cross slip. The values for tungsten fall in the range of 4.5 to 7 (Klopp et al. and Ref. 21) whereas values of approximately 2 are observed in creep by cross slip for hep metals.24 At temperatures from 3300° to 4000°F, Klopp et al. observed an activation energy of 141,000 ± 4000 cal mole-' which is less than that for self-diffusion, 153,000 cal mole-1, 25 and less than that reported for high-temperature creep of powder-metallurgy tungsten by Green:' 160,000 cal mole-1. Klopp et al. suggested that recovery of strain hardening by dislocation climb is the rate-controlling mechanism in this temperature region. Actually an activation energy larger than that for self-diffusion is predicted by this model if the temperature dependence of the elastic modulus27 is taken into consideration. Klopp et al. attributed this lack of correlation to the compositional differences between powder-metallurgy tungsten used by Green and their own arc- and EB-melted tungsten. It is our position that the value of 141,000 ± 4000 cal mole-' represents a transitional value between the higher and lower activation energies and does not represent a discrete mechanism of deformation. If the tests had been extended to higher temperatures the higher value of activation energy would have been observed as has been demonstrated by both our analy sis'' of isothermal test data by GE-NMPO28 and differential temperature tests28 on are-melted tungsten. The activation energies determined (170,000 and 160,000 cal mole-1) were greater than that for self-diffusion and are in better agreement with the value found by Green. The model of dislocation climb is associated with ; activation volume of 1 b3 according to Conrad.22 The activation volume calculated for the creep data of fou independent investigators in the temperature range where the activation energy for creep is near that for self-diffusion (Klopp et al. and Refs. 26, 28, and 30) is 110 to 2800 b3 and is in the range suggested for nonconservative motion of jogs. In the case of tungsten this mechanism may be preferred over that of dislocation climb. Sincere appreciation is expressed to Messrs. J. E. Flinn and F. L. Yaggee for the helpful discussions and suggestions in the preparation of this communication.

Jan 1, 1967

By Subhas G. Malghan

Feldspathic deposits occur widely throughout the United States, but North Carolina, California, Connecticut, and South Carolina accounted for over 80% of the total domestic feldspar output for the year 1973.1 Pegmatites and granites constitute the major feldspar reserves of the United States, 2 and in addition, feldspar is produced as a byproduct by firms whose major products are spodumene and mica. 3 Feldspar flotation is practiced in the United States, Mexico, Finland, Norway, West Germany, Japan, and the USSR. According to the US Bureau of Mines estimates, the production of feldspar in the United States and rest of the world were 704,000 and 2,514,000 t, respectively. Feldspar is principally used as a flux in making glass, pottery, porcelain, enamel, tile, and other ceramic products. In recent years, the domestic feldspar industry is faced with a number of problems. As a result of increased cost of energy and the introduction in 1972 of new legislative programs relating to air, water, and noise pollution, land-use restrictions, and mined-land rehabilitation, the production costs have increased. Apart from the increased cost of operation, an operational problem exists with the feldspar producers in North Carolina, especially those in the Spruce Pine area. This problem is concerned with the use of hydrofluoric acid in the feldspar flotation. Feldspar producers in Spruce Pine, NC, have been discharging process waste water into the North Toe River. The mill waste water contains active fluoride ions. Fluoride in excessive concentrations is undesirable in waters used for drinking. It is stated that water containing 0.9-1.0 ppm fluoride will seldom cause mottled enamel on children's teeth; and for adults, concentrations less than 3-4 are not likely to cause endemic cumulative fluorosis and skeletal effect. Although the literature on this subject is rather confusing and inconclusive, the inference that concentrations over 4 ppm may affect bone structure is clear. According to the recent Federal Register,4 maximum fluoride level of 1.4 ppm at 79°-98°F is considered to be adequate and safe for the protection of health of the consumers. The EPA and state environmental agencies have accelerated their drive to reduce water pollution on a faster schedule. By 1977, the EPA specifications for maximum contaminant level of fluoride ions in the discharge waters of feldspar milling operatins is expected to be reduced to 2.0 ppm. The other problems of using hydrofluoric acid are the following: toxicity, hazards of handling and storage, and high cost as compared to other inorganic acids (almost 16 times the cost of sulfuric acid). In order to reduce fluoride levels in mill discharge waters, mining companies have taken the following steps: I) Recirculating a part of their mill water. Even though recirculation of mill water seems to be a novel method of reducing fluoride contamination of the discharge water, there are certain operational and handling problems. 2) Conducting research on the treatment of fluorides in mill waste water. The technology of treatment of fluoride ions has received considerable interest in the recent years. A recent research report5 estimates that the cost of fluoride ion removal to meet the present specifications in the feldspar industry is approximately $0.25/t of ore processed, and about $0.50/t of feldspar produced. At the request of the feldspar producing industries in North Carolina, the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Minerals Research Laboratory has taken up a research program directed towards overcoming the fluoride ion pollution problem. After a close study of the operational, technical, and economic aspects of feldspar flotation, it was decided to attempt to replace the conventional hydrofluoric acid process. Conventional Feldspar Flotatin Using Hydrofluoric Acid Since the inception of the feldspar flotation process using hydrofluoric acid by O'Meara2,6 the process has achieved a great commercial success. In the conventional flotation separation of feldspar-quartz, hydrofluoric acid is used to suppress quartz and activate feldspar, and a long chain amine salt (acetate or chloride) is used as a collector. The bulk of amine collectors used in current feldspar operations are applied as the water-soluble acetates of the free-base amines. These products are pastes or waxy solids which are available in a range of acetic acid neutralization levels generally 50 to 100% neutralized. In spite of the problems mentioned in connection with the use of hydrofluoric acid, this process is extremely stable with respect to changes in the process variables. With the exception of a few operations, alaskite and pegmatite are the major sources of feldspar.7 In the flotation treatment of a pegmatite that contains iron-bearing minerals (heavy minerals), mica, feldspar, and silica, a logical order of removal presents itself considering the following:8 1) Mica is readily floated by an amine collector in a pulp pH 3.5. Some iron-bearing minerals will usually respond to amine collector in acid circuit with the mica concentrate. 2) Since iron minerals tend to occur invariably in the feldspar concentrate, it is desirable to remove most of these prior to feldspar flotation. A fatty acid or a petroleum sulfonate collector used in this flotation step in acid circuit will float iron-bearing minerals. 3) Using hydrofluoric acid to maintain pH of 2.5, an amine collector employed in a final step will float feldspar away from silica, usually leaving the latter in the tailing as a high-grade silica concentrate. The problems connected with the flotation separation of feldspar-quartz arise due to the similarities in their chemical structure. Therefore, any reagent system that is likely to succeed in feldspar-quartz separation should have adsorption affinity towards one of the minerals and depression effect towards the other mineral.

Jan 1, 1979

By M. R. Geer Olds, H. F. Yancey

THE increase in the number of coal-cleaning plants employing dense-medium processes occurring since 1946 is especially interesting when viewed historically. Both sand and magnetite were introduced as material for heavy mediums at about the same time, sand in the Chance process in 1921 and magnetite in the Conklin process in 1922, but from that point on their records diverge. The Chance process enjoyed a steady growth from its inception, whereas no additional magnetite plants were built in the United States for over 20 years. Then, following the close of the World War 11, magnetite was again introduced, this time with marked success. During the following years some 47 plants employing magnetite medium were built. This rapid growth of dense-medium cleaning has been concurrent with widespread adoption of full-seam mining on one hand and a return to a more competitive market on the other. At a time when changing mining practice has provided cleaning plants with dirtier coal and changing market conditions have simultaneously demanded a cleaner product, the industry has through necessity turned to improved preparation. The inherently greater sharpness with which dense-medium processes can separate coal from impurity is thus helping to hold the line against ever-increasing mining costs and at the same time assisting materially in retaining badly needed markets. Although dense-medium cleaning unquestionably offers a distinct advantage when the washing problem is difficult, other methods can provide almost equally high efficiency when the coal is easy to wash. Moreover, fine coal cannot yet be treated by heavy medium in a proved process, although the Driessen cyclone is in the pilot-plant stage. Most of the present types of dense-medium equipment have been in use only a few years, and the dearth of information in the literature concerning their performance characteristics is entirely understandable, Nevertheless this information is necessary if the process is to be intelligently applied to individual cleaning problems. Without data on the efficiency of a process in a particular type of separation, it is difficult to assess the advantage to be expected from it. Similarly, the role of particle size in heavy-medium separation is important in some cases, yet there is little published information on this aspect. To mention only one more of the numerous points on which essential information is lacking, the bearing of medium characteristics on performance has been discussed only in qualitative terms. It was with the hope of providing information on some of these points that the Bureau of Mines built a dense-medium pilot plant for cleaning coal at its Northwest Experiment Station in Seattle in 1950. The plant has been operated continuously since that time, and over 50 runs have been made on 7 coals exhibiting a wide range of washability characteristics. An idea of the magnitude of this work will be gained from the fact that examination of the plant products has involved some 600 float-and-sink separations and about 2500 ash determinations. A laboratory pilot plant is especially well adapted to investigate many aspects of performance because close control over test conditions can be exercised and because a large number of tests can be made rapidly. On the other hand, factors such as consumption of medium and other cost items can be investigated satisfactorily only in a commercial plant. Actually, the two forms of investigation should be complementary, with the laboratory work pointing the way for confirming tests in commercial units. Pilot Plant The dense-medium pilot plant employed for this work comprises a 24x30-in. drum-type separating vessel, a 12-in. densifier, a 12-in. magnetic separator, a 26-in. x 9-ft vibrating screen, and the necessary pumps and conveyors for handling materials. Arrangement of these units corresponds with the flowsheet used in most commercial plants, except that a thickener is not provided for the feed to the magnetic separator. Coal and refuse discharge from the separating drum to the vibrator, which is divided longitudinally down the center. Medium draining through the first 3 ft of the screen is recirculated directly to the drum. Sprays on the middle 3 ft of the screen rinse medium from the products, and the last 3-ft section is for dewatering. Dilute medium from the rinsing and dewatering sections is pumped to the magnetic separator, where magnetic solids are recovered. These are pumped to the densifier, from which they return to the medium-drainage sump by gravity through a demagnetizing coil. The drum-type separating vessel is a scale model of a commercial unit. Feed enters axially at one end of the drum just below the surface of the bath, and float material overflows through a circular opening at the other end. Particles sinking to the bottom of the bath are picked up by lifting flights bolted to the inner wall of the drum, elevated out of the bath, and sluiced to the vibrating screen. Baffles suspended in the bath prevent float material from entering the sink-lifting flights. About 8 gpm of medium is used to sluice the feed into the drum. An additional 15 to 24 gpm, depending upon operating conditions, is added through two pipes dipping into the bath behind the baffle on the side where the sink-lifting flights enter the bath. The bath available for separation is 2 ft long and 13 in. wide, giving an area of 2.08 sq ft. Depth of bath from the surface to the top of the sink-lifting flights, measured vertically below the axis, is 6 in.

Jan 1, 1954

By R. C. Gifkins, K. U. Snowden

The value of the index n in power ktivs for the stress sensitivity of minimum creep rale at lead is derived front results drawn from lite literature and from previously unpublished nork on commercial (99.99 pel) and high-purity (99.999 pel) lead polycryslalline and hi crystal specimens. In tests al 0.5Tm (22 to 50'C) for slvesses below 250 psi, n fulls to mily for poly-cr,yslullirle specimens, single crystals, and bicrystals, and toy grain boundary sliding in bicrystals. Between 250 and 500 psi there is a tyansilion range and, for the polycrystalline specimens al least, u high-stress regime for 500 to 1500 psi where n is 5 or 6. These results are such that none of the suggested stress taws can he used to extrapolate to very loir stresses. Meclianisms for deformation in Ike grains and toy grain boundary sliding in the low-strcss regime are outlined. In particular, the mechanism for grain boundary sliding involves sliding controlled by diffusion from tensile to compressire Ledges. predictions based on this model give promising numerical agree-nicul with experiment. II is suggested that the mechanism for grain boundary sliding may he important in other circumstances, e.g., in creep of ceramic materials or superplaslicity, because it can operate with lille or no dislocation aclirity. WhEN the stress dependence of secondary creep rate is represented by a power law the values taken by the stress exponent n are found to vary between 1 and 7, see, c.g., Garofalo.' In Eq. 1 11 u is the applied stress and A a constant. The case for accepting values of v = 1 rests principally upon tests at high temperatures (>0.9Tm) and there have only been isolated tests at lower temperatures (rather than plots of creep rate against stress) for which the creep rates are such that some form of Nabarro-Herring creep with n = 1 is applicable. Hanson5 and Greenwood and cole6 plotted creep rate against stress for tests made in the vicinity of 0.5Tw, and found a "creep yield", so that below a certain low stress the creep rate was linearly related to stress: these observations appear to have been subsequently ignored. Various models have been proposed which agree with a large body of experimental results in which n equals -5 at high stresses (e.g., weertman7 and McLean8). Various alternatives to Eq. [1] have been proposed principally as a means of unifying creep data, but sometimes, it seems, in order to obviate the necessity for assuming a series of regimes of deformation associated with the various values of n; further refer- ence to these will be made in the section on stress laws. This paper calls attention to extensive results which show n = 1 for the creep of lead at room temperature (0.5 T,). RESULTS Fig. 1 is a composite diagram based on figures in the literature6,9,10 with additional results obtained by the present authors and their colleagues11,12 in the course of a number of investigations not directly concerned with stress sensitivity. In Fig. 1 In creep rate is plotted against In stress. The curves show results for two kinds of material. Lead I is of commercial purity (99.99 pct Pb) and lead IT a specially refined material, hydrogen-purified to remove oxygen; it contains 99.999 pct Pb. Curve A is for lead I in polycrystalline form (grain diameter 0.02 to 0.05 cm) at room temperature (22' to 26°C). Curve B1 is for lead I, polycrystalline, tested at 50C. Curve B2 is for lead 11, polycrystalline (grain diameter 0.02 cm), tested at room temperature (22 O- Curves C to F relate to tests made of bicrystals of lead 11: all of the same nominal orientation ("Y" in Ref. 12). Curves C and V are for creep within the component crystals of the bi crystals at 22°C (AB and CD in Fig. 2). Curve E is for creep measured in a gage straddling the boundary, approximately 0.15 mm either side (BC in Fig. 2). Curve F shows rates of grain boundary sliding (as distinct from strain rates in the other curves), obtained by averaging the offsets of six marker lines on the bi-crystal boundaries. The principal feature of the results is that the stress sensitivity falls into two distinct regimes, according to whether the stress is below approximately 250 or above 500 psi (there is a transitional range between 250 and 500 psi). The new result is that below -250 psi two of the curves (A and BI) give a value of n 1, and the other curves also drop below n - 2 to -1.5 but do not extend to low enough stresses to show clear evidence of n 1. At very high stresses the curves tend to give values of n - 6, as previously determined in other investigations. Curve R2 for the high-purity lead in polycrystalline form at room tenlperature almost merges with B, and thus gives new significance to the values for stresses of 150 and 200 psi; previously'3 these points had seemed to fall away from the curve of slope -3, but they now can be seen as almost completing a transition to n = 1. It should be noted that there was originally considerable apparent scatter in the results for the high-purity lead. However, this was found to be associated with annealing conditions or variations in residual content of oxygen and curve B2 was constructed using the highest rate (i .e., the rate for the purest lead) determined for each stress during the course of various investigations over the years: altogether, some forty tests were used in constructing curve R2.

Jan 1, 1968

Jan 1, 1967

By William N. Poundstone

What attracts young engineering graduates into the coal industry? What do these young men expect of a career in coal mining? These questions are often asked and debated by mining men throughout the country. In order to present a comprehensive answer to them, an opinion survey was conducted at West Virginia University's School of Mines among the junior and senior classes and part of the sophomore class. The tabulation of the answers showed that the present-day mining engineering student is an older, more mature individual as compared with former years and as compared with other present-day college students. The average age of the country's record-breaking 150,000 college graduates is 24 years. Among this year's mining graduates at West Virginia University, 78% are of this age or older. Over half (54%) of those polled in the survey are married. This is com- pared to 30% as a national figure. Of those married, 38% have one child and over 6% have two children. The entire senior group covered by this survey has averaged almost three years in the armed forces. An article entitled "The Class of '49" in the June issue of Fortune magazine states that this year's class is the oldest, most mature class in history. Our survey indicates that the mining engineering students at West Virginia University are well above the average in this respect.

Jan 1, 1949

By Walter F. Bradley

CLOSE to 300 members and guests were registered at the Regional Meeting of the Institute in San Francisco. Oct. 3-6, and many other mining men were present at some of the sessions, but failed to register. Headquarters were at the Palace Hotel. Technical papers for the Metals Session were sponsored by the San Francisco Section, whereas the program for the Industrial Minerals Session was arranged by the Southern California Section. Walter W. Bradley, Chairman of the San Francisco Section, opened the General and Metals Session, introducing President Buehler, who gave a hearty welcome to those present. Clyde M. Eye, of the. Benguet Consolidated Mining Co., presented the first paper, entitled "The Economic and Strategic Value of Philippine Metals to the United States." In closing, he urged. that this country retain and control the Philippines because their large

Jan 1, 1935

By T. R. A. Davey

A Survey of current and recent research and developmental work is supplemented by predictions for processes which should be developed over the reminder of this century.

Jan 1, 1970

By Richard H. Mote, W. C. Schroeder

The endlessly changing pattern of mineral supply and demand offers opportunity to the alert and can bring disaster to the unwary. The discovery of ore bodies, the invention of extractive processes, the provision of new transport facilities, the political stabilization of underdeveloped areas, and many other changes can increase supply dramatically. Such new outpourings of mineral wealth from ore bodies bring fortunes to their developers, and consumers frequently find their competitive positions decidedly improved by new and cheap sources of supply. On the other hand, operators of marginal properties can find competition from newly opened high-grade mines intolerable. Consumers that have depended on the products of nearby, high-cost mines may find new, remote, low-cost supplies advantageous only to their competitors. The invention of new prospecting methods can have spectacular effects. Shortly after World War I the discovery rate of petroleum pools began to decline. The leading prospecting technique of that day, the projection downward of surface reflections of geologic structure, was proving less rewarding. Prophets foretold an oil shortage in the near future. But at that very moment scientists were perfecting the application of seismic waves to reveal underground oil-bearing geologic structures. As these geophysical methods were put into commercial use the whole outlook changed-the problem of the 1930's became how to cope with the surplus from discovery, not how to meet the ever rising demand. Many lead mines were being abandoned as unprofitable about this same time because the penalties charged by smelters for the zinc in the ores and concentrates more than counterbalanced the payments for lead and silver. Then selective flotation (at the time called differential flotation) appeared,

Jan 1, 1959

By Walter J. Mead

By American tradition, if not by rational decision, publicly owned natural resources have been transferred to private industry for processing. The process of transfer requires specific determination of the price which the patentee, buyer, or lessee must pay to the government in exchange for the right to develop a resource, and selection of the patentee, buyer, or lessee from among several possible contestants. Pricing of natural resources owned by the government presents a set of problems quite different from ordinary commodity pricing. Natural resources in situ are not homogeneous commodities. Within any class of natural resources, specific leasable parcels will differ in value by reason of location and accessibility, as well as quality and quantity. Thus, there is no "going price;" every lease within a specific resource class will have a different value. To complicate further the pricing and buyer selection problems, competition may not be reliable. Natural-resource markets are characterized by oligopsony conditions. In a significant number of cases, as will be shown later, there has been only one bidder for a given lease, and in most lease sales the number of bidders is equal to or less than three. As a further complication, there is great uncertainty regarding the value of specific resources, even among the best-informed buyers, as well as within the leasing agency. In some instances, particularly with regard to oil and gas resources, there may be uncertainty about the presence of resources, as well as the quantity and quality of any resources contained in the tract offered for lease. In other cases, such as oil shale and some deep ocean minerals where new technologies are involved, the presence of the resource is clearly established. There may be a relatively high degree of knowledge about the quantity and quality of the resource, but there is great uncertainty concerning the cost of production. These problems in total make it difficult for the leasing agency to appraise accurately the resource to be leased, as well as for the potential bidder to calculate a bid price that will yield him a normal profit. The pricing goal of the federal government as the seller or lessee may be to capture the economic rent; that is, the price of a resource might equal its discounted present value. A required price substantially above this amount would either generate no bids, or, in the long run, would bankrupt the buyer. A price below this amount is a disguised subsidy to the lessee. A subsidy to mineral lessees, as to any other economic interest group, as a minimum should be justified by a clear showing of net external benefits from the economic activity. In the case of timber sales by the U.S. Forest Service, the Forest Service Handbook asserts that "the aim in national forest stumpage appraisal is to determine market value,"8 and "market value" is equated to "fair market value." Regarding minerals, there is no reference in legislation or regula-

Jan 1, 1976

While coal was mined in New Mexico in 1860, production was on a small scale during the period considered here, and Table 77 contains all the data found. [ ]

Jan 1, 1942

By R. B. Mears, G. F. Sagar, R. H. Brown

There are well recognized procedures for determining the various tensile, fatigue, and other mechanical properties of the common structural materials. This makes it possible for engineers to design structures of various materials which have adequate initial strength to stand the stresses to which they are subjected in service. There is also considerable general information about protective measures suitable for protecting the usual structural materials from the effects of ordinary environments. However, often insufficient quantitative information is available on the combined effects of stress and corrosion to permit the designer satisfactorily to appraise the structure from the stress-corrosion standpoint. This situation is further complicated by the fact that the stresses causing stress¬corrosion failures are usually not the design stresses but rather the residual forming and assembly stresses which are generally of unknown magnitudes. Thus, tests which will rapidly evaluate the susceptibility of materials to stress-cor¬rosion failures are extremely useful. Of particular value are tests which can be applied to built-up structures as well as to simple specimens, since, as mentioned above, residual stresses often are caused by fabricating procedures and assembly operations. The present paper contains

Jan 1, 1945