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By J. D. Edwards

When Charles Martin Hall invented the electrolytic process for the production of aluminum, one basic requirement was a supply of pure alumina. Now, more than 50 years later, the same requirement still holds, and there are no technical straws in the wind to indicate that this situation is likely to change. Long ago, Aluminum Company of America took a number of steps to see that this country should not face shortages of alumina and aluminum in time of emergency. As one step to this end, the Company developed and used a supply of bauxite in South America in order to conserve dwindling Arkansas reserves. Another, and more a program than a step, was to investigate every type of process that might bear the possibility of utilizing the low-grade ores of aluminum that are more plentiful than bauxite. It is a long story, but the investigation included electric-furnace processes, acid extraction processes and alkaline extraction processes, with or without preliminary furnace and sinter treatments. Some of the processes developed were operated in commercial production. This work has been continuous since the first World War. The turn of the wheel came sooner than was expected when, in 1942, bauxite shipmerits through the caribbean became uncertain and hazardous through the operation of submarines. The tremendous requirements of aluminum for the war effort were consuming high-grade bauxite at an alarming rate and a national search for substitutes began. High-grade bauxites, for technical and economic reasons, have been defined as those containing about 7 per cent or less of silica. While bauxite of this grade was limited in amount in the United States, there was in sight a substantially greater volume of low-grade, high-silica bauxite not amenable to economic treatment by the Bayer process, but richer in alumina than the clays or other available low-grade ores. It was at this point, and after several years of intensive research on this particular phase of the problem, that Aluminum Research Laboratories brought to completion the invention of one of its research staff, which made practical the utilization of large reserves of low-grade bauxite in America. Bayer Process The Bayer process has been almost universally used for the production of alumina from bauxite. This process, in outline, comprises the digestion of hely ground bauxite in a solution of caustic soda (NaOH) under pressure and at an elevated temperature. Alumina in the bauxite goes into solution as sodium alumi-"ate and the impurities—oxides of iron, titanium and silicon—remain undissolved. The undissolved residue, known as "red mud,'' from its color, is separated and run to waste. AluKlinum hydrate (A12O3.3H2O) is precipitated from the solution of sodium aluminate, and the liquor containing the caustic soda and some alumina is returned to the Process for digesting more bauxite. The aluminum hydrate, after washing, is calcined at a high temperature to produce

Jan 1, 1949

By Raymond M. Howe

Some time ago, a prominent engineer asked a representative of the firebrick industry to prepare a comprehensive paper on blast-furnace refractories. It was to have been the purpose of this paper to gather practical experiences from widely different sources, in the hope of determining what kind or kinds of firebrick were best adapted for certain uses. This engineer sent questionnaires to the large consumers of blast-furrace linings and stovebrick and received very detailed replies as to their experiences. These replies are conflicting, but, having been turned over to the writer, form the basis of this attempt to meet the request. Because of the impossibility of making final recommendations at this time, a few of the more interesting and commonly known methods of studying refractories are also discussed, as well as the more recent developments in this field. The first reply to the questionnaire stated that good service was being secured from the linings. This satisfactory condition was attributed to the use of a very good distributor. The writer believed that manufacturers try to and do produce a good product and that the proper handling of equipment is of the utmost importance, if good results are to be secured. The type of bricks used was not mentioned. The second reply stated that good life was secured from the furnace linings, but that the writer had had soft-fired stovebrick crumble and, for that reason, preferred a hard-fired product for use in this position. The type of bricks used was not mentioned. The third reply stated that firebrick had crumbled from the mantle up; the cause was not known. The fourth reply stated that the stove linings were satisfactory. Hand-made furnace linings failed after.4 years' service so a steam-pressed lining- was installed which was still good after 4 years of service. Consequently, a second steam-pressed lining was installed but this disintegrated at the top after the furnace had been in blast 7 months. The firebrick manufacturer attributed this failure to the expansion of iron blocks that had been installed at the stock line to prevent erosion. The fifth reply stated that the present "hard-burned" hand-made furnace lining had worn away very uniformly to the depth of only 5 in.

Jan 1, 1920

By Harrison Souder

THE object of this paper is to bring to. the notice of engineers a safety detonating fuse by the use of which misfires in blasting may be eliminated and safety in blasting operations promoted. This new detonator is a French invention and is known as Cordeau detonant or detonating fuse and is sold under the name of Cordeau-Bickford. It consists of a lead tube 5 to 6 mm. in diameter, filled with trinitro-toluene. While applicable to all classes of mining it will appeal especially to those who have to do with deep-hole blasting in open-cut clines or quarries, or any operations where a large number of holes are to be shot at one time. Since the introduction of the deep-hole blasting in the Cornwall iron mines, much trouble has been experienced from misfires and many experiments were made to determine the best and safest method of blasting. Before the introduction of the detonating fuse it was found that to insure the best results, two or more high-power electric exploders, not less than No. 6, with specially insulated conductors, should be placed in each hole; the holes wired in parallel, and for a large number of holes the current to be supplied by a live wire to the bus or lead wires at about the middle of the bench. The voltage in general use is 110 to 220, but as our material is a magnetic iron ore and the holes are generally damp, we found it advisable to reduce this to about 30 volts to prevent short circuits. A No. 7 or No. 8 special insulated detonator was adopted. But with the best of care and attention to the minutest detail, we were not able to eliminate occasional misfires and the consequent ever present danger of accidents.

Jan 10, 1914

By E. A. Rychkun

The transition from Larger word type computers to the small byte oriented micro-computers has allowed specialized software to be placed directly under the control of the people requiring solutions. In addition, with the advent of interactive graphics, many complex geological and mining engineering problems can be solved graphically, thereby further forcing obsolescence on larger computers. Although the industry has not yet caught on or taken full advantage of this fact, some companies have begun to move in this direction. One such case is the Coal Evaluation System presently in use at Manalta Coal Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta. This system, designed to allow interactive analysis of simple to complex coal deposits, leads one from geophysical/core log data, to geological modelling, strip or open pit design, equipment selection, cost estimation, and cash flow analysis. The micro-computer system used is portable, stands alone, and costs less than $120,000. It is the purpose of this paper to present the coal evaluation system and its development methodology which maximizes the use of the newest computer technology. Further, in order to illustrate the practical application of the system, an example application based upon a large operating coal mine will be discussed.

Jan 1, 1983

By H. K. Shearer

The principal events in the oil history of south Arkansas, north Louisiana and Mississippi in 1930 have been: In Arkansas, very little activity, except for discovery of deep oil production at Urbana, and completion of the first oil well in Miller County. In Louisiana, continued development of the Zwolle area, bringing production up to about 10,000 bbl. per day; practically complete development of the Carterville oil-producing area; discovery and drilling of the rather disappointing Holly area, and discovery of Trinity gas production at Sugar Creek, Claiborne Parish and Rodessa, Caddo Parish. In Mississippi, discovery of the Jackson gas field, in Hinds and Rankin counties. Proration of oil runs was not put in effect in these areas during 1930, because the natural decline of the older fields brought production below the demands of local markets. The only effect of the oversupply and low price of oil was the curtailment of some drilling which might otherwise have been done. Drilling in Arkansas reached the lowest stage since the discovery of oil, with less than 100 completions. Louisiana showed some increase in drilling over 1928 and 1929, but almost half of the wells were drilled primarily for gas rather than oil. As no review on north Louisiana production has been prepared since 1927, and there was none on south Arkansas for 1928, the developments of the three years, 1928, 1929 and 1930 are here briefly discussed.

Jan 1, 1931

By Charles E. Weaver

During the past few years there has been considerable activity in prospecting for oil and gas in several parts of western washington. From time to time seepages of oil or emanations of gas have been reported from various places. Several companies have been organized for the purpose of drilling, but only a part of these have actually begun operations. In certain localities very small seepages of oil occur, but up to the present time no oil or gas in commercial quantities has been obtained. In order to determine the conditions which may be favorable or unfavorable to the occurrence of petroleum it becomes necessary to know the character and extent of the geological formations in which such deposits might occur. In other regions where producing wells have been developed it is possible to know what formations contain the oil and what structural conditions influence its concentration in reservoirs or zones. It is usually possible to determine those strata which contained the materials from which the petroleum may have been derived and also the position and distribution of the more porous sandstone belts into which it may have collected. Detailed stratigraphic surveys may even determine the depth at which a certain known oil-bearing zone may be tapped at any particular place. It is also possible to recognize those formations which are presumably barren of oil, as well as those which are absolutely so. In new regions far distant from any of those which are now producing or have produced in the past, it becomes absolutely impossible to foretell whether oil may exist in commercial quantities or not. Assuming that such deposits do exist, it is extremely difficult to predict at what depth the produciqg zone or zones occur. However, in prospecting in a new and unexplored region, use should be made of such laws as have been found to govern the occurrence of petroleum deposits in other well-developed fields. Such deposits in their world-wide distribution are found almost exclusively associated with sedimentary rocks. Areas composed predominatingly of igneous and metamorphosed rocks are to be rcgarded as extremely unfavorable localities for the occurrence of commercial deposits of oil or gas. Assuming that such oil deposits are

Jan 1, 1916

By H. Siebert, G. Raitt

With the advent of the Interstate Highway Pro- gram, many problems have been encountered in the application of highway design standards to topography, particularly rock cut design. A rigid application of slope ratios with little respect to rock type, dip, foliation, structure and height of cut face is a problem. Generally a slope ratio of ½ : 1 or 63º for shallow cuts and 1/3: 1 or 71º in deeper cuts are used in Connecticut. The deepest cut face constructed recently was greater than 185 ft. With cuts of this size, rock fall and stability become a problem, and a way to reduce the problem is to construct a stable face initially. A search of the literature indicates that adequate information on the construction of stable rock slopes is not available. A major highway contract was awarded in 1962 to Savin Brothers, Inc., in which line drilling on 6-in. centers was required in many portions of the contract where the cut was greater than 60 ft and one or more benches were to be constructed. From the start of the project many variations were attempted regarding slope hole spacing and distribution of explosives in the holes. Rock ranged from a competent granitic gneiss to an incompetent soft graphitic schist. Generally, the roadway alignment was roughly normal to the strike of the foliation having a dip of ± 60º. An important factor affecting construction of rock slopes was the existence of intersecting joints and faults. The spacing used in less competent rock was about one ft on center. Loading of holes was purposely varied. As competency of the rock increased, hole spacing was also increased. Thus, on a different project in similar rock, spacing was kept at 4 ft.

Jan 4, 1966

By C. D. Young

IN an effort to employ cast steel of a stronger structure than that found in the annealed steel castings, the possibilities of heat treatment which will increase the strength without materially decreasing the ductility may be resorted to. The following abstracted report (which is a brief outline of what has already been clone by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. at its shops and Test Laboratories at Altoona, Pa.) is of material interest, as it indicates what may be done with steel castings when properly treated, thereby permitting in railway service greater strength of cast steel parts without any increase in weight or space. The question of the heat treatment of alloy steel castings is not taken up in this paper. The obscurity formerly surrounding the heat treatment of steel has been for the most part removed by the development of our knowledge of the critical points of steel, pyrometers, furnace construction, and the testing of the finished product. The operations of the heat treatment proper will be taken up under the heads of (1) heating for quenching; (2) quenching; (3) drawing. (1) Heating for Quenching.-Heating for quenching is best conducted slowly, especially in the case of castings of variable thickness. Cracks may occur either in heating or in cooling, clue to different temperatures at different points of the casting. The castings should be thoroughly soaked at the maximum temperature (generally 1,500° to 1,600° F.), 1 hr. being sufficient for sections 1 ft. in thickness. The minimum temperature which will produce the desired hardening effect will, in all cases, be found to be the most satisfactory, as the grain coarsens when the critical range is exceeded to too great an extent. All temperatures should be governed by a checked pyrometer with the hot junction to the heated object, and with several couples in a large furnace to insure a uniform temperature.

Jan 2, 1914

By John G. H. Crump, E. W. Owen, Peter P. Gregory

A noticeable decrease in activity characterized the year 1938 in the West Texas area. The total number of wells completed dropped to 2045 for 19381 as compared with 2806 completions in 1937,l a decline of 27.12 per cent. This trend contrasts the sharp increase of 76.29 per cent in completions in 1937 over the 1936 total. Of 2045 well completions during 1938,' 1788 were oil wellsll 16 were gas producers1 and 241 were listed as failures.' During 1938 the ratio of dry holes drilled to oil-producing or gas-producing wells completed was one dry hole to each 7.48 oil wells, which compares with one dry hole drilled to each 7.477 oil wells in 1937. Nearly 200 wells drilled during 1938 in West Texas were either wildcat or partly wildcat wells, an increase of about 25 over the year 1937, when approximately 175 wells drilled were so classified. The 200 exploratory wells drilled represent about 10 per cent of the total number of wells completed. West Texas produced 71,257,541 bbl.1 of oil in 1938 as compared with 75,743,000 bb1.2 of oil in 1937, a decrease of 4,485,459 bbl., or a 5.92 per cent decline. By comparison, West Texas produced 22.36 per cent more oil in 1937 than during 1936. In December 1938, the 9247 producing oil wells in West Texas1 averaged 22.08 bbl. per day per well as compared with December 1937, when 7571 wells1 produced an average of 25.18 bbl. per day per well, or a decline in daily well average of 12.32 per cent. Discoveries No outstanding new fields were discovered in West Texas during 1938, in spite of continued, active wildcatting operations. Several new oil-producing areas were, found, however, the value of which is still unknown.

Jan 1, 1939

By E. W. Owen, John G. H. Crump, Peter P. Gregory

A noticeable decrease in activity characterized the year 1938 in the West Texas area. The total number of wells completed dropped to 2045 for 19381 as compared with 2806 completions in 1937,l a decline of 27.12 per cent. This trend contrasts the sharp increase of 76.29 per cent in completions in 1937 over the 1936 total. Of 2045 well completions during 1938,' 1788 were oil wellsll 16 were gas producers1 and 241 were listed as failures.' During 1938 the ratio of dry holes drilled to oil-producing or gas-producing wells completed was one dry hole to each 7.48 oil wells, which compares with one dry hole drilled to each 7.477 oil wells in 1937. Nearly 200 wells drilled during 1938 in West Texas were either wildcat or partly wildcat wells, an increase of about 25 over the year 1937, when approximately 175 wells drilled were so classified. The 200 exploratory wells drilled represent about 10 per cent of the total number of wells completed. West Texas produced 71,257,541 bbl.1 of oil in 1938 as compared with 75,743,000 bb1.2 of oil in 1937, a decrease of 4,485,459 bbl., or a 5.92 per cent decline. By comparison, West Texas produced 22.36 per cent more oil in 1937 than during 1936. In December 1938, the 9247 producing oil wells in West Texas1 averaged 22.08 bbl. per day per well as compared with December 1937, when 7571 wells1 produced an average of 25.18 bbl. per day per well, or a decline in daily well average of 12.32 per cent. Discoveries No outstanding new fields were discovered in West Texas during 1938, in spite of continued, active wildcatting operations. Several new oil-producing areas were, found, however, the value of which is still unknown.

Jan 1, 1939

By E. De Golyer

THE petroleum production of the world, in 1923, for the first time reached the billion-barrel mark. A preliminary estimate of production is 1,014,413,000 bbl., an increase of 159,604,000 bbl., or 18.6 per cent. over the 854,809,000 bbl. produced in 1922, the year of next highest production. This increase resulted from an increase of 178,469,000 bbl. in the production of the United States; the total for the rest of the world shows a loss of 18,865,000 bbl., a loss caused by the decrease of approximately 32,278,000 bbl. in Mexican production. The Mexican decrease more than offset increases in the production of Russia, Persia, Roumania, Venezuela, Sarawak, and various minor fields. The increase in production for the United States, and consequently for the world, was the result of flush production from development to maximum capacity during the year of eight, bonanza fields-fields reaching daily yields of 100,000 bbl. or better. It might be ascribed more exactly to the production from the three flush fields of the Los Angeles basin. Their production alone was greater than the increase in the world petroleum production, or the increase in the production of the United States, and it was cheap oil from these fields that demoralized the oil markets of the world. The Basin fields were. the features and dominating factors in the oil industry of the world during 1923. The bonanza fields of 1923, their estimated production for the year, and peak are given in Table 1.

Jan 3, 1924

By J. S. Kirkaldy, D. G. Fedak

The extra degree of freedonz introduced by a second independetzt concentration in a tenzary system gives rise to the possibility of unstable planar phase interfaces in semi-infinite diffision layer couples. Diffusion paths which pass continuously in and out of too-phase regions of the phase diagram but which are not coincident with tie-lines give rise to super saturated zones which may be either adjacent to or isolated from planar phase interfaces, with corresponding nonisolated or isolated precipitates. Nonisolated precipitates are equivalent to morphological development of the interface. Selected couples in the ternary systems Fe-Ni-Cr and Cu-Zn-Sn have been examined nzetallographically and ifz the latter case both isolated and uo~zisolated precipitates have been observed. The diffusion path in one of the couples showing interface morphological developtnent has been examitled using electron probe microanalysis. IGNORING the spurious effects of preferential grain boundary diffusion and anisotropic crystal growth7 it can be unequivocally stated that it is impossible for a binary isothermal diffusion couple constructed of two unsaturated phases to sustain a nonplanar phase interface. Consider for demonstrative purposes the schematic phase diagram of Fig. l(a). Given an initial flat phase interface, semi-infinite boundary conditions and the internal boundary condition fixed by the constitution diagram, xB = xB(T), the unique solution of the diffusion equation requires a persistent flat interface. No other solution is possible. If, however, we anticipate the involvement of surface tension, then the internal boundary condition must be written xB = xB (T,Y) where r is the radius of curvature of a hypothetical nonplanar interface. The introduction of a new parameter such as r can be equivalent to the release of an internal constraint, so that a stable nonplanar interface may be possible after all. Consider a perturbation to the interface as indicated in Fig. 1(b). According to the Ostwald-Freundlich equation: which is applicable to a system of this constitution, the solubility of A in the matrix ß ,xB (Y), at a point of curvature r is given by where Va is the molar volume of the a-phase, R is the gas constant, and a is the interfacial tension. Since the right hand side is positive, xB(r) >xB cm, as indicated in Figs. 1(a) and 1(c). Accordingly, the perturbation will carry the interface concentration in a direction which is opposite to that which would sustain local equilibrium. Such a perturbation is necessarily moderated and the system is returned to its initial condition. This result is general for all binary couples since we can regard an interfacial perturbation as an attempt to precipitate within un-

Jan 1, 1962

By H. C. Miller

The energy stored in the compressed natural gas absorbed in or otherwise associated with the oil in reservoir sands is usually the most important factor in oil recovery. It is recognized that hydrostatic pressure and gravity may aid materially in the drainage of oil, but in the early life of the majority of fields the principal source of propulsive energy is the expansive force of the gas associated with the oil. Since gas is admittedly the most important factor in the production of oil, its control so as to produce the maximum amount of oil with the minimum amount of gas will be reflected in increased oil recovery from reservoir sands. Controlling the gas means regulating its expansion so that the velocity of flow of oil through the channels in the reservoir sands is neither so great that frictional resistance becomes excessive nor so slow that the gas, because it can travel more rapidly than oil through the irregular passageways in the sands, will by-pass and reach the well without. doing useful work in bringing oil from the sands. Oil and gas flow from the reservoir sands to the well because of differences in pressure. The rate of flow is dependent upon the differential pressures existing in the sands and in the well. By altering the amount of back-pressure maintained on the well this differential pressure can be regulated and changed from a maximum (well flowing "wide open") to a minimum when there will be no flow. Oil and gas flow through the irregular channels in reservoir sands at different rates mainly because of the fact that one is a liquid and the other a gas. Therefore, because oil and gas have different characteristics of flow, application of back-pressure, changes the rates of flow with relation to one another so that wide variations in gas-oil ratios are possible. Obviously, the formation gas energy will be utilized most efficiently when a unit of gas delivers the maximum amount of oil to the well. Determination of Necessary Back-pressure The amount of back-pressure that should be maintained against the producing sand in order that the minimum amount of gas will be produced with each barrel of oil can be determined only by actual field tests made

Jan 1, 1929

By Richard McCaffery

THE statistical analysis of blast-furnace data was undertaken to determine some of the relations which exist between the variables involved in furnace operation, and particularly to show the effect of variation of slag composition on such economically important factors as coke consumption, daily tonnage of pig iron and sulfur elimination. It was desired to correlate the results obtained in- commercial practice with those predicted from a study of the quaternary system lime-alumina-silica-magnesia. This paper presents the results of a preliminary study of blast-furnace daily operating reports, and is intended to indicate the suitability of our method of attack and something of the results that may be expected from an extended statistical examination of such data. It has been shown that blast-furnace slags are not composed of oxides, as reported by chemical analysis, but are actually composed of several compounds, each made up of two or more of the oxides present.1 These compounds persist in the liquid state, and the properties of a slag are the properties of a mixture of these compounds, and not of a mixture of the ultimate oxides .2,3 The oxides lime, alumina, silica and magnesia make up 94 to 96 per cent. of the usual blast-furnace slag, and assuming that we may neglect the remainder of the components, we may determine the minerals present, and their relative proportions, from a study of the quaternary system involving these four oxides. Operating reports from 15 furnaces were available for this investigation. Complete slag analyses for one slag per day were available, permitting the calculation of the mineral composition of the slags used. Basic, malleable and foundry irons, with silicon varying from 0.75 to 4.50 per cent. were included in the reports for this examination.

Jan 1, 1931

By W. W. Cotter, W. R. Clark

WEBSTER tells us the word "extrude" means to "force, press or push out; to protrude." As applied to the metal industry, the process consists largely of forcing plastic elements (plasticity usually obtained by preheating), through dies of predetermined profiles, into constant sections of considerable length and weight. Most of the "virgin" metals are quite malleable under this process, likewise many of the commonly used "alloys" in various industries, when basic elements are proportioned or combined within the natural laws and limits of good metallurgy. Several of the foundry alloys, both ferrous and nonferrous, together with some of the heat-treatable light metal mixtures, are decidedly weak and hot short at ordinarily plastic ranges, and consequently are troublesome or quite incapable of commercial extrusion. DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESS This process was conceived some time before 1800 and during its first century was employed almost entirely in making lead pipe, plumbing fittings and coating electrical cables. As a result of contact and experience with the lead industry and presses, Alexander Dick, of London, England, is credited with first having applied the principles of extrusion to brass, and in 1894 brought out a 500-ton horizontal press powered by hydraulics. A duplicate of this unit was imported by one of the Connecticut brass mills and was in experimental operation by 1900. During the first five years of operation, this press proved the value of the method to American industry, as it immediately revolutionized and converted the manufacture of brass rod from a 15-pass cold-rolling operation, with elimination of several intermediate anneals and cleanings, to an extrusion and a finishing draw. Likewise, ornamental brass and bronze moldings formerly cast and machined were produced in one squeeze on the extruder. The extrusion operation, being entirely that of compression, deforms the material without tensile stresses and can be used on delicate mixtures under heat, which cannot be hot-worked by straight hot-rolling or roller piercing. Base slabs of clock-brass strip were early in line of development or improvement, as were the brass bronzes (Naval brass, Muntz metal, manganese bronze, and others), popular as engineering materials for bolt stock, as well as structural shapes for marine and other mild conditions of corrosion. By 1910, American engineers undertook to design tube shell extruders, but were unsuccessful. The first World War began before fabricators could procure the more substantial designs of tube extruders produced in Germany; and it was not until the middle twenties that better models of the Universal extruders (double-actioned presses), equipped with hydropneumatic accumulator systems and other modern equipment, were available in the United States.

Jan 1, 1945

By William A. Kennedy, Jonathan R. Stahl

This paper deals with the phenomenon of water held in a leach dump due to capillarity. Water is shown to be retained in the fine pores of the ore as well as in the interstices between the rock and soil particles. Upon drainage, Chino leach dump material shows two distinct capillary systems and a double capillary curve is often obtained. Both the igneous and the sedimentary rocks composing the leach material are shown to have appreciable porosity but little permeability. Fluid flow is, therefore, restricted to the interstices between the rock and soil particles. The irreducible water saturation for the aggregate is found to be 884 for the -48 mesh material and 235 for the448 mesh to one inch material. The composite sample of minus one inch dump material had an irreducible water saturation of 52 percent. The irreducible water saturation in the fine pores of the ore was found to be between 73 and 76 percent. Very coarse pores or channels between large rocks exhibit essentially zero capillary retained water. The presence of fine material in a dump can cause high water saturations to be retained and these saturations may be mistaken for perched water tables. Perched water tables can be drained but capillary water will be retained. Capillary pressure data can aid in distinguishing between perched water tables and capillary retained water.

Jan 1, 1974

By Frank Nicholson

Copper ore was first noticed in Ste. Genevieve County in 1563. The diswvery mas made by a German farmer named Simon Grass, who had occasion to make a road from his farm down the hill into the neighboring valley, and while so engaged noticed pieces of a green-colored mineral, some of which he collected. Not knowing the character of the ore he had found, and supposing it to be valua ble for its brilliant green color only, he carried a piece with him into the town of Ste. Genevieve and showed it around the various bar rooms as a curiosity. No special attention was paid to the matter until nine years later, when Mr. 0. D. Harris sent a specimen of the ore to Dr. Theodore Fay, of St. Louis, for analysis. This analysis, which was the first ever made of Ste. Genevieve copper ore, showed the specimen to contain : Copper,. .........17.75 per cent. Zinc,..........3.21 " Iron........... 24.50 " Sulphur ..........1.09 " Organic matter, silica, carbon, and oxygen,. .. 53.45 " 100.00 " From this analysis it is evident that the sample was taken from near the surface, and was probably recognized by its green color. The almost entire absence of sulphur proves it to be an oxidized form. There is on file, at the office of the Ste. Genevieve Copper Works, a paper* giving three arsays of the ore made in 1875 by Henry B.

Jan 1, 1882

By James F. Lewis

The hematite iron ore mines east of the Hudson River are confined to a strip of country ten to fifteen miles wide, commencing on the south, near Fishkill, running northeast through Dutchess County, and striking the southeast corner of Columbia County, extending into Litchfield County, Conn., known there as the Salisbury mines, cropping out again at and near West Stockbridge, Lanesboro, and Cheshire, Mass., also in Bennington County, Vermont. The ores are found in beds or deposits and in veins, with a limestone ledge on one side and slate on the other, from six to thirty feet from the surface. Portions of it are quite solid, called rock ore, but

By A. S. Richardson

VENTILATION of the Butte mines has long been a rather difficult problem because of the natural high temperature of the rock. With increase in mining depth, higher rock temperatures have been encountered, and this has caused a constantly growing demand for more effective ventilation measures. During recent years the hazards of dust in mine air have been more clearly recognized, and have necessitated the adoption of dust-prevention methods. To meet these ventilation problems in the mines of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., a mines ventilation department was organized in 1918, to act under the direction of the general superintendent of mines. At the present time, under normal operating conditions, the force employed includes the ventilation engineer, two chief assistant ventilation engineers and eight assistant ventilation engineers. The activities of the department are, briefly: (1) planning and supervising operation of the general ventilation system; (2) planning and supervising the operation of dust-prevention measures, together with dust sampling and related microscopic work for the quantitation of the dust samples and determination of particle-size distribution; (3) the design and development of air- conditioning methods to meet present exceptionally severe temperature conditions and in anticipation of future requirements. To a large extent the technical features of the ventilation methods have been described in earlier papers by the author. This paper is written mainly to summarize past accomplishments bearing most closely on health and safety, with a somewhat more detailed account of the dust- prevention measures that have been developed comparatively recently. FACILITATING FLOW OF AIR As a basic requirement for the safety of the men, all ventilation plans are subject to a ruling that the main operating shafts must be maintained as inlet air courses. Under this condition, a safe, fresh-air escapeway is assured if a fire occurs within the mine, and the shaft is available as a base for fire-fighting operations. Control of the direction of air flow is

Jan 1, 1938

By Rush Greenslade

THE oil and gas lease is the basic contract of the oil and gas industry; it is the foundation stone upon which the producing industry, particularly, is based. As the industry is precarious and highly speculative, the foundation contract should be of the utmost integrity and certainty. But right there an anomaly exists; the oil and gas lease is the most obscure, most uncertain, doubtful contract in the realm of law today. That is a condition that must be considered when taking oil and gas leases, and when buying, selling, and holding them. It may fairly be asked why should this industry rest upon so insecure a foundation. Why should not the oil industry rest upon the contract that is the basis of all industry, the warranty deed? There are many contributing reasons, but the principal one is business expediency. The Anglo-Saxon idea of ownership of land is that every land owner owns from the center of the earth to the sky all that is above and all that is below-consequently the oil and gas are owned by the person who owns the surface. That idea is not exactly true with reference to oil and gas, for many states have adopted the doctrine that oil and gas are like wild animals; they are fugacious and migratory and belong to the man that traps them. But, except for that doctrine, we believe that oil and gas are owned by the owner of the surface, wherein we differ from the Latin-American countries where the mineral rights are owned by the government. The United States was settled largely by homesteading. The owners of land were, in the main, farmers, who did not have the means or the faith to drill for oil or gas. The operators or speculators did not want to buy the land on the mere possibility of finding oil; hence a compromise resulted by which the land owner gave the speculator or the operator what he called an oil and gas lease, or a right to go upon his land and drill for oil and gas. What is supposed to be the first oil lease placed on record reads as follows: Agreed this 4th day of July, A.D. 1853, with J. D. Angier of Cherrytree township in the county of Venango Pennsylvania that he shall repair up and keep in order the old oil springs on land in said Cherrytree township, or dig and make new springs, and the expense to be deducted out of the proceeds of the oil, and the balance, if any, to be

Jan 8, 1924