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By Reno H. Sales

The present-day application of geological knowledge to mine operations owes much to Survey activities. Early publications covering developed deposits at Comstock and Eureka in Nevada, and Leadville in Colorado, aroused great interest in mine geology among mine owners and operators. In later years personal contacts between Survey geologists, notably Lindgren, Spurr, Emmons, Weed, and Ransome, to name only a few, and mine managers, mine superintendents and mine foremen, brought directly home the importance of geological mapping and study in connection with mine operations. However, the Survey had recognized from the beginning that it was not practicable, either from the viewpoint of cost or policy, to supply direct help to the miner. The situation was met by many large mining companies through the organization of geological departments to deal with problems of geology which concerned not alone the every-day mine operation but also the life expectancy of the ore deposit. The mine owner therefore looked to the mine geologist to apply the "laws of ore deposition" in estimating the future of his mine. The examination of outside properties also became a duty of the company geologist where replacements were needed or where expansion of operations was contemplated. And finally, out of this situation there developed the independent consulting geologist, specializing in geological examinations of prospects, mines, and mining districts, whose duties included the highly important but often difficult task of appraising ore reserves and ore possibilities. Thus, while it may be considered by many that the work of the mine geologist overlaps that of the Survey geologist, their respective fields of endeavor are not in conflict. The appearance of the mine geologist has lessened in no manner the need of intensive field and research work by the Geological Survey and related organizations.

Jan 1, 1935

Jan 1, 1891

By Reynold Q. Shotts

Data are presented which show that fractions of varying densities from the same coals are oxidized at different rates by nitric acid. From oxidation data, the approximate quantity of "bright" and "dull" components may be calculated. Definite relationships between oxidation rate and rank are shown for density fractions from at least two bituminous coals.

Jan 8, 1950

By G. W. Nabor, M. Mortada

The effects of anisotropic or directional permeability on the areal sweep efficiency and the flow capacity are examined. The paper points out the importance of taking directional permeability into consideration in planning a flood. It analyzes the two-dimensional flow pattern associated with the skewed line drive for a unit mobility ratio. The direct and staggered line drives are treated as special cases of the skewed line drive. Analytical expressions are developed for the areal sweep efficiency at breakthrough and the flow capacity. They are related to the spacing between like wells, the distance between a row of injectors and the nearest row of producers, and the degree of skewness of the line drive. The latter quantity is defined such that it is equal to zero for the direct line drive and equals one-half for the staggered line drive. The areal sweep efficiency and the flow capacity depend also on the orientation of the flood pattern with respect to the principal axis of anisotropy. The paper provides a simple method for determining the areal sweep efficiency and the flow capacity for a formation in which the permeability in the bedding plane is anisotropic. INTRODUCTION Directional or anisotropic permeability is manifested by the ability of the formation to conduct fluids more readily along certain preferred directions. This situation occurs in many producing formationsl-4 and is usually attributed to depositional features in which the sand grains are oriented in a preferred direction. In some cases it results from the formation of a major and a minor fracture system. 4 Directional permeability should be taken into account in many phases of the production and exploration activities. Recognizing its existence in the formation of interest and planning accordingly can lead to increased recovery and substantial savings. For instance, the areal sweep efficiency in a water flood depends to a great extent on the orientation of the flood pattern with respect to the principal axis of permeability. Anisotropic5 permeability is specified by the directions of its three principal axes and the permeability along each axis. The principal axes of permeability are mutually perpendicular. This paper deals with the areal sweep efficiency at breakthrough and the flow capacity for formations with aniscltropic permeability. The flood pattern considered consists of alternate rows of injecting and producing wells. The rows of wells are parallel and form a developed, skewed line drive which is illustrated in Fig. 1. The staggered and direct line drives are treated as special cases of the skewed line drive. PRELLMINARY CONSIDERATIONS The formations considered in this paper are assumed to be of uniform thickness and porosity. The permeability is uniformly anisotropic, with each principal axis of permeability maintaining

By Leon McCulloch

WIIen clean iron and metallic zinc dust, protected from the air, arc heated below the melting point of zinc, the iron takes on a coating that has excellent protective value. This coating is a brittle alloy of zinc and iron, and the process is called sherardizing. Although the zinc particlcs are covered with oxide and cannot touch the iron, an extremcly small amount of the zinc vaporizes and the vapor, reaching the iron, alloys with it. Other zinc then vaporizes to replace that which has been removed from the atmosphere. This process continues indefinitely at a decreasing rate, for the coating already formed permits zinc to diffuse through it to combine with the iron beneath. In this way, the coating grows outward from the surface of the iron, as the bark grows from a tree. The method of growth was clcarly seen while sherardizing small cubes of cast iron, at about 450" C., in a srnall glass-stoppcrcd bottle enclosed in a rotating drum. The dust contained about 3 per cent. iron, which prevented caking, and coatings % in. thick were grown in a few hours. After a heavy layer had been formed, the cubes mere again treated for a shorter time. The layer last formed was seen to lie next to the iron, instead of at the outer surface, showing that the growth was from the surface of the iron outward. The coatings split at the edges and corners, leaving the iron exposed there. Flakes of graphite from the iron were lifted upward and embedded in the coatings. The composition of sherardized coatings varies from the outer surface inward, as would be expected from the mode of growth. That is, the iron content increases slowly at first, then more rapidly as the iron is approached. At the surface the least amount of iron possible is 6 per cent., as the experiments described below have shown. A study was made of the effect of iron in zinc dust on the proccss and on the resulting coatings. Glass bulbs, holding the small pieces to be sherardized, together with enough zinc dust to make them two-thirds full, were heated in a small, rotating electrically heated and controlled furnacc. The bulbs had 6-in. (15 cm.) necks, of 96-in. (9.Fj mm.) tubing, plugged

Jan 1, 1923

By Leon McCulloch

WIIen clean iron and metallic zinc dust, protected from the air, arc heated below the melting point of zinc, the iron takes on a coating that has excellent protective value. This coating is a brittle alloy of zinc and iron, and the process is called sherardizing. Although the zinc particlcs are covered with oxide and cannot touch the iron, an extremcly small amount of the zinc vaporizes and the vapor, reaching the iron, alloys with it. Other zinc then vaporizes to replace that which has been removed from the atmosphere. This process continues indefinitely at a decreasing rate, for the coating already formed permits zinc to diffuse through it to combine with the iron beneath. In this way, the coating grows outward from the surface of the iron, as the bark grows from a tree. The method of growth was clcarly seen while sherardizing small cubes of cast iron, at about 450" C., in a srnall glass-stoppcrcd bottle enclosed in a rotating drum. The dust contained about 3 per cent. iron, which prevented caking, and coatings % in. thick were grown in a few hours. After a heavy layer had been formed, the cubes mere again treated for a shorter time. The layer last formed was seen to lie next to the iron, instead of at the outer surface, showing that the growth was from the surface of the iron outward. The coatings split at the edges and corners, leaving the iron exposed there. Flakes of graphite from the iron were lifted upward and embedded in the coatings. The composition of sherardized coatings varies from the outer surface inward, as would be expected from the mode of growth. That is, the iron content increases slowly at first, then more rapidly as the iron is approached. At the surface the least amount of iron possible is 6 per cent., as the experiments described below have shown. A study was made of the effect of iron in zinc dust on the proccss and on the resulting coatings. Glass bulbs, holding the small pieces to be sherardized, together with enough zinc dust to make them two-thirds full, were heated in a small, rotating electrically heated and controlled furnacc. The bulbs had 6-in. (15 cm.) necks, of 96-in. (9.Fj mm.) tubing, plugged

Jan 1, 1923

Jan 1, 1945

By H. M. Katz, J. L. Speirs, F. B. Hill

Jan 1, 1961

By J. S. Rinehart, W. C. Maurer

The mechanics of impact crater formation in rock, particularly sandstone, has been sutdied, the velocity range being approximately that normally associated with oilwell gun perforators. The bullets were small steel spheres having diameters of 3/16, 9/32 and 7/16 in; impact velocities ranged from 300 to 7,000 ft/sec. The craters have two distinct parts — a cylindrical hole (or burrow) with a diameter the same as that of the impacting sphere, and a wide-angle cup comprising most of the volume of the crater. The burrow is fornred as material in front of the projectile is crushed and pushed aside, forming a cylindrical hole surrounded by a high-density zone. The clip forms as fractures are initiated in front of the projectile and propagate along logarithmic spirals, approximaling maximum shear trajectories, to the free surface of the rock. A most significant observation (made for the first time) was that, below the base of the cup in one type of sandstone, there are a group of similar fractures, not extending to the surface, which are spaced uniformly a few millimeters apart. Each fracture follows roughly the contour of the base of the cup and appears to require a certain threshold impulse to initiate it. These fractures comprise a relatively high fraction of the total, newly exposed surface area. The volume of the material removed by crushing varies as the first power of the impact velocity and the volume removed by fracturing, as the second power of the impact velocity. Penetration varies linearly with the impact velocity and is inversely proportional to the specific acoustic resistance of the target material, the proportionality constant being dependent upon the shape of the projectile. INTRODUCTION Yield of oil from a producing well is frequently enhanced by firing bullets and shaped charges through the well casing into the oil-bearing rock, forming craters and fractures from which oil can flow more readily. The purpose of this investigation has been to develop a better understanding of the mechanics of impact crater formation in rock, particularly sandstone, the velocity range being approximately that normally associated with oilwell gun perforators. FORCES OPERATIVE DURING IMPACT When a projectile moving at considerable velocity strikes a- massive target such as oil-bearing sandstone, intense and complex transient stress situations develop within both the projectile and the rock or sandstone against which it is striking. Usually the struck rock fails, the missile or projectile penetrating into the rock to some depth where it comes to rest or is forcibly ejected from its burrow by expansion of a plug of target material compressed in front of it. When the impact velocity is very high, the projectile itself may fail, breaking apart or becoming distorted; this situation is not considered here, the discussion being limited to nondeforming projectiles. Many experimental studies'.' have been carried out to determine the nature of the mechanics of crater formation and the salient features of the forces coming into play, some of the earliest studies being the French Army experiments performed at Metz between 1835 and 1845.' The stratagem in most instances has been to make a post-mortem examination of the crater, measuring volume and depth of penetration and deducing force relationships from these observations rather than performing the more difficult (usually almost impossible) feat of measuring stresses during penetration. In many materials, the force acting during penetration of the projectile is found to be the sum of two components—(1) a constant force, independent of the velocity, representing some inherent strength of the target material; and (2) a component, proportional to the square of the velocity, representing inertial forces. For such materials, the average force per unit area acting on the projectile at any instant while it is in motion and being decelerated may be written F/A = a + bv2 . . . (1) where v is the velocity of the projectile at that instant, A is the cross-sectional area of the penetrating projectile taken normal to its trajectory, and a and b are constants which are dependent upon the target material and the shape of the projectile. It follows that the total penetration s is given by .........(2) where v, is the velocity of the projectile when it just strikes the target. Values of a and b for spherical projectiles impacting in a loose sand-gravel mixture and compacted earth were obtained in the Metz experiments. For sand-gravel, a and b are 620 psi and 0.0115 (psi) (ft/sec)', respectively; and for compacted earthworks, a and b are 432 psi and 0.0008 (psi) (ft/sec)'. Figs 1 and 2

By C. G. Maier

COMMERCIAL processes of lead softening directly involve the behavior on fusion of mixtures of the oxides of antimony and lead, and the vapor pressures of these materials. Practically no quantitative data have been available for the discussion of lead softening from the point of view of the fundamental metallurgy of the process. The Pacific Experiment Station -of the United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the University of California, in the course of its program of study of the fundamental properties of oxides and sulfides, recently made vapor pressure measurements upon the various forms of pure antimony trioxide.1 When these measurements were considered in connection with the softening and "fuming" furnaces which are often used for lead purification, an unexpectedly anomalous condition appeared. In brief, this anomaly consisted in the fact that in certain softening furnaces, where lead bullion of approximately 1 per cent antimony content was being treated at a temperature of approximately 1300° F., no appreciable volatilization of antimony occurred, there being produced only a "skim" containing from 15 to 20 per cent Sb, 65 to 60 per cent Pb, as mixed oxides. In the "fuming furnaces," where the temperature was only about 1400° F. and where an accumulation of "skims" from the primary softener was being treated with certain other antimony-containing materials, a considerable volatilization of antimony as oxide occurred; an "impure" skim of some 60 to 65 per cent Sb and 10 per cent Pb was also produced as mixed oxides. The latter material cannot be suitably treated in hearth-type or softener furnaces. The essential chemical difference between the first and second step is the customary use of some reducing material (such as petroleum coke) in the later operation. An obvious interpretation of the effect of coke in facilitating the fuming of the antimony is the supposition that the antimony may be reduced to metal, and volatilized as such. This supposition is improbable, however, when it is realized that a slight extrapolation of the vapor-

Jan 1, 1932

By C. M. Signer, W. P. Hewitt

THIS is a story of a mine discovered in the days of the Conquistadores but that remained unimportant until the second decade of this century. Without the usual legendary history of romance and fabulous riches it has become famous for the development of unexpected metals and unusual problems. These developments and experiences, exciting and interesting as any legend, are the substance of the San Antonio mine of the Santa Eulalia district in northern Mexico. Originally opened for its silver-lead content, it developed a tin deposit of singular economic importance and unique geologic interest, a vanadium orebody that for a few years placed it among the leading vanadium producers of the world, and now lead and zinc sulphide ores. It has been the seem of a disastrous flood that brought deep-sea divers into Mexico's desert mountains and raised important problems regarding ground water, demanding unusual measures. Geology and operating questions relating to the above matters will be discussed and much of it is recent history which has become a part of Mexican mining lore. History Dates Back to 1325 Santa Eulalia is the oldest of American cities, founded in 1325 by the Aztecs under the name of Tenochtitlan and devastated in 1521 by Cortes and his rapacious band of iron-willed adventurers. Their lust for gold burned through the Aztec empire and onward into most of North America. Santa Eulalia was in the path of conquest. In 1591 the district's first ore discovery was made near what is now the San Antonio mine. The ores carried no gold and the silver-lead content was unattractive to the early pioneers. Not until 1700 was real mining activity undertaken.

Jan 1, 1952

Jan 3, 1976

By Albert Sauveur

(Cleveland Meeting, October, 1912.) ALTHOUGH many metallurgists know that some pearlitic special steels can be made troostitic, martensitic, and even austenitic, without quenching, and, therefore, without exposing them to the dangers of the quenching-bath, the practical significance of such possibility does not seem to have received the attention it deserves. Let us recall briefly the mechanism of the transformation alluded to. In Fig. 1 (after Guillet) is shown the constitutional diagram of nickel-steel that; is, of alloys of iron, carbon, and nickel. Any steel the composition of which falls within the area LPO is pearlitic after slow cooling; any steel the composition of which is represented by a point within the area MLO is martensitic, and any steel within the area MNO is austenitic. Starting with pearlitic steel, then by increasing the carbon-content or the nickel-content, or both, the metal becomes martensitic and eventually austenitic; that is, its composition crosses first the boundary-line LO and then the line M0-and it remains martensitic or austenitic after slow (air) cooling.1 We have inn this way imparted to the metal without quenching it the properties of hardened carbon-steel. In other words, the steel is now self-hardening. Nickel cannot be introduced into solid steel, but by the well-known process of case-hardening it * Professor of Metallurgy and Metalllography in Harvard University. + Assistant in Metallurgy and Metallography in Harvard University. 1 The boundaries between the various zones are not, as a matter of fact, as sharp as indicated in the diagram, because pearlite is not transformed abruptly and in its entirety into martensite when a certain critical composition is attained, nor is martensite suddenly and completely converted into austenite. Greater refinement in the construction of the diagram would undoubtedly result in the introduction of troosto-pearlitic, troostitic, and troosto-martensitic zones between the pearlitic and martensitic areas and-of a martenso-austenitic zone between the martensitic and austenitic areas. Fur the purpose of this note, however, the existence of these transition-conditions may be ignored.

Nov 1, 1912

By Wilson Blake

Rock deformation and failure taking place around underground openings is usually both accompanied and preceded by the phenomena of rock noise or microseismic activity. These small-scale releases of seismic and acoustic energy can be detected with special geophysical monitoring equipment. Use of this equipment allows one to look inside a rock mass to determine how an opening is behaving under the applied loading system. Microseismic equipment and monitoring techniques are briefly reviewed, and use of the microseismic method as an engineering tool in monitoring rock structure stability is illustrated by case histories. Examples cited range from evaluating roof stability using single-channel portable equipment, to rock burst monitoring using sophisticated computer controlled, multichannel monitoring systems.

Jan 1, 1983

By A. C. Fieldner, F. H. Gibson, W. A. Selvig

A foRmer paper1 described in detail various methods of calculating coal analyses to obtain the composition and calorific value of the pure coal substance—that is, of the coal free from its mineral matter. The paper included a table showing calorific values of pure coal, as calculated from float-and-sink portions, by means of the Parr formula for "unit coal" and by the customary moisture-free and ash-free formula. A modification of the Parr formula was proposed, based on the assumption that one-half the sulfur present in Coal occurs as pyritic sulfur and one-half as organic sulfur. In the published discussion of the paper Cady gave a table of results on a large number of Illinois coals as obtained by the Parr formula and the proposed modification thereof. The results obtained by Cady indicate that the Parr formula applies better to Illinois coals than does the modified formula proposed by Fieldner and Selvig. The present paper gives results obtained by applying the modified Parr formula to the analyses of the float-and-sink portions of the coals shown in the former paper, and results obtained by applying the Parr formula, the modified Parr formula, and the simple moisture-free and ash-free formula to various coals of the United States ranging in sulfur content from less than 1 per cent to more than 4 per cent sulfur. A graphic method of estimating the calorific value of pure coal and determining the relation of the coal ash to the mineral matter of coal, as proposed by Stansfield and Sutherland,2 was applied to a number of coals, and the results are given herein. Testing Formulas with Float-and-sink Separations The former paper by Fieldner and Selvig gave heat values of pure coal of the float-and-sink portions of 21 coals, as calculated by the Parr formula

Jan 1, 1932

By J. R. Maxwell

Large capacity flotation cells with volumes ranging in size from 300 to 2000 cu ft are used in the Opemiska concentrator, Opemiska Copper Mines (Quebec), Canada. This paper gives a description of the flowsheet with metallurgical comparisons using Maxwell vs. conventional cells, total power consumption used, and estimated maintenance costs.

Jan 1, 1973

By V. G. Mooradian, John T. Norton

THE diffusion of metal atoms into the crystal lattice of another metal and the assumption of regular positions to form a homogeneous alloy are some of the most fundamental phenomena of structural. metallurgy. The mechanism of this process has been the subject of a great deal of study from many viewpoints, but the picture is still far from complete. It is generally believed that if one metal is to diffuse into another, the first must have some solubility in the second1. This means that the solvent must be able to accommodate the stranger atoms, either on points of its own lattice or in the interstices between, without losing its own crystallographic identity. It is also a general observation that cold-working is a distinct aid in the diffusion process, causing it to take place with greater rapidity at the same temperature or with the same speed at a lower temperature. There is considerable doubt, however, as to the real significance of the deformation in its effect on the diffusion mechanism. Several factors associated with the cold-working. may be responsible for the increased diffusion rate. The plastic deformation causes a distortion of the solvent lattice, which may be an aid in the assimulation of atoms of another kind. There are many references2 in the literature that suggest that some distortion or "loosening" of the lattice is necessary for atomic migration and that diffusion cannot take place in the undis-

Jan 1, 1935

By Alvin Kaufman

At the turn of the century the U.S. had a gross ALVIN KAUFMAN Mineral Economist U.S. Bureau of Mines area slightly in excess of three million square miles, a population of 76 million, a gross national product of $37 billion (constant 1929 dollars) and a mineral production valued at $2 billion (1929 dollars). Some 60 years later its area had increased by 600 thousand square miles, population had risen 140%, gross national product was seven times greater and mineral production had grown to a value five times that of 1900. Of perhaps greater significance, however, were the changes wrought by technology. It was during this period that the "American Way of Life" was revolutionized by the introduction of the airplane and the automobile; man also took his first probing steps in the utilization of nuclear energy and pre- pared to unlock the secrets of space. It was during these six decades, also, that he learned to create additional new materials, some of which were from old sources such as plastics from petroleum and coal. These new materials have created competition and attendant problems for the traditional materials such as iron, copper, lead and zinc. Additional problems undoubtedly will be created by technologic advances in the future.

Jan 2, 1963

The regular activities of the Institute are financed mainly by income derived from members' dues, from advertising in MINING AND METALLURGY, and from the sale of publications to the public. In addition, collateral activities and special projects are financed each year by means of income from endowed funds controlled and administered by the Institute. In the aggregate, the amount of these endowments totals more than $637,000. An active effort is being made to increase the endowment funds of the Institute through a standing committee, of which Henry Krumb is Chairman, and of which the other members are: George D. Barron, Cleveland E. Dodge, John V. N. Dorr, Howard N. Eavenson, D. C. tackling, Harvey S. Mudd, Wallace E. Pratt, Milnor Roberts, and Wilfred Sykes. This committee believes that there exists a tremendous opportunity for the Institute to be of evergrowing service to the public, to the mineral industries, and to the 'profession. It welcomes suggestions as to names of men of means who are vitally interested in the mineral industries, and to whom the opportunity to make a contribution or bequest might appeal favorably if presented in the proper light.

Jan 1, 1946

By J. E. Ryan

TRONA, Calif., is a miniature urban community of some 3500 people, located on the northwest shore of dry Searles Lake in the extreme northwest corner of San Bernardino County, approximately 186 miles north and east of Los Angeles. Since it is situated on the Mojave Desert, a typically desert climate prevails with wide variations in temperature between day and night, extreme daytime summer heat, and cool to cold winters. Rainfall averages somewhat less than 4 in. per year, and dust storms are common. The rate of evaporation, however, is great, amounting to 6 to 9 ft of water per year. The extremely low humidity makes the summer heat of 110°F tolerable with only a mild, temporary discomfort.

Jan 5, 1951