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Jan 1, 1942

By Herbert H. Kellogg

RECENTLY the long-chain primary amines have been used extensively for the flotation of silicate minerals. The use of amines to float sulphide minerals has been investigated by several authors1-5,18 but most of this work has been done with the short-chain (less than six carbon atoms) primary amine compounds or the more expensive secondary, tertiary and quaternary amines. Perhaps the fact that the long-chain amines are good collectors for the common gangue minerals has led investigators to omit them from consideration as collectors for the selective flotation of metallic sulphides. The work reported in this paper was designed to investigate the use of a typical long-chain amine salt, lauryl amine hydrochloride, as a collector for the flotation of galena-sphalerite ores. The results show that lauryl amine hydrochloride (LAmHCI), when used in small amounts, is a good collector for the selective flotation of sphalerite and galena from the common gangue minerals. The differential flotation of sphalerite from galena was not accomplished but the amine flotation of sphalerite after the standard xanthate flotation of galena is possible. The experimental work reported herein is not complete enough to be able to say whether amine flotation of lead-zinc ores would prove superior to xanthate flotation, or whether the method is even applicable to a more complex ore than the one used for this work. However, the apparent reagent costs for the flotation operations described in this paper seem to be less than for xanthate flotation. This fact alone should be sufficient to encourage the millman to investigate the use of these amine reagents, especially as these reagents are available on a commercial scale at a reasonable price. This paper has as its secondary purposes to illustrate how contact-angle measurements have aided in this investigation, and to bring forward some evidence concerning the mechanism of the collecting action of primary amines. CONTACT-ANGLE TESTS The contact-angle measurements were made by the method described by del Giudice6 and used in recent work by Taggart and his collaborators.7-9 The mineral specimens for the contact-angle tests were carefully chosen, to avoid cracks and inclusions of other minerals. All specimens were mounted in "transoptic" plastic mounts and the surfaces were cleaned by polishing with levigated alumina on a cloth-covered glass polishing wheel. Distilled water was used on the lap during the polishing and at all subsequent steps in the contact-angle tests. The mounted mineral specimens were handled with glass forceps and special care was exercised to prevent exposure of the dean surface to air or any other source of contamination.

Jan 1, 1945

By W. D. Smith

It has been 5 years since the writer left the Philippine Islands and while in that country his chief work did not lie in this field, though he has visited all but one of the localities mentioned in this article. The principal field studies relating to oil were M de by his colleague, Mr. Wallace E. Pratt. The writer's investigations ealt with the general stratigraphy and paleontology of the Philippines. with the exception of the investigations made by Mr. Pratt and the writer very little information on this subject is available. A number of geologists in the employ of large oil companies have visited the Islands from time to time but, following the general rule, the public has scarcely ever been permitted to learn anything of the results. The writer is indebted to the Bureau of Insular Affairs, Washington, for late information regarding recent legislation in the Islands relating to petroleum. All the known oil seeps, petroleum residues, such as ozocerite, and natural-gas emanations are associated with Tertiary sediments. The chief seeps and most promising prospects are located as follows: 1. Bondoc Peninsula (lower end), Tayabas Province, Southeast Luzon. 2. The west coast of the island of Cebü from Alegria north to, and perhaps beyond, Toledo. 3. Central Mindanao not far from Lake Lanao. 4. The ozocerite veins on the Island of Leyte in the northwestern part in the vicinity of the town of Villaba. 5. Natural gas from some deep wells in Tertiary shale formations on the eastern flank of the Cordillera and extending out under the plain on the island of Panay. The first mention in geological literature, to the writer's knowledge, of gas or petroleum in the Philippines is found in the description of the Island of Panay by the Spanish geologist, Abella, in the year 1890. In 1898, an oil well was being dug on the estate of Smith Bell & Co., an English concern, near the town of Toledo on the west coast of Cebu. In

Jan 1, 1921

By Raymond Ladoo

THE milling of talc, as is the case of many non-metallic minerals, until recently, has not received adequate technical consideration, for the talc industry has become of importance only within the last decade. At first, talc was used only in the massive form, for foot warmers, griddles, and so on, and milling methods were unnecessary. As the demand for ground talc increased, producers adopted the machinery used in the milling of flour; in fact, many talc mills were rebuilt flour mills. Improvement has been slow, but today several types of grinding and separating machinery are in use; many of them, however, are still inadequate and inefficient. To determine the best methods of milling talc, it is necessary to understand the essential properties a talc must possess to fit it for a particular use. For toilet purposes, whiteness, freedom from lime and grit, fineness of grain, and good "slip" are essential. As a paper filler or coating, the talc must be white, have a good slip, be free from grit and iron, uniform, and fine grained; freedom from lime is a disputed point. Fibrous talc is supposed to be superior to massive on account of the interlocking of grains in the paper, thus increasing its strength; this point, though, is in doubt. In general, talc for the paper industry need not be of as high quality or as fine grained as that used for toilet purposes. Talc is usually bought by sample, for which reason it is difficult to state the essential properties for use in paint, rubber, roofing, and so on. The adoption of standard screen tests and standard grades by producers is necessary before an accurate basis for manufacturing or selling standards can be established. Off-color tales might be utilized, as in Germany and-Austria, by the establishment of standard grades of colored tales.

Jan 1, 1921

By J. H. Fletcher

ALTHOUGH some mines have been completely mechanized, on the whole mechanical equipment has made slow progress in the coal fields. Coal mining is particularly well adapted to hand labor. The skillful hand miner can keep his working place safe under difficult roof conditions, remove impurities from the coal at the point of origin, and produce a maximum percentage of large-size coal, so as to command the highest price on the market. Hand mining has also the advantage of low capital investment per ton of production and moderate carrying charge when the mine is idle. Though animal haulage gave way to electric locomo-tives and hand cutting to mining machines, beyond these concessions most of the tonnage is still produced by manual labor. But factors over which producers have no control are speeding the change to mechanical mining. The additional investment in underground equipment and surface preparation plant must be offset by a great increase in tons per man-day, and to do this the employees should be able to utilize as much of their time as possible on production. In the installation of mechanical mining, the only change in method usually has been to add loading machines to a mine already developed for hand loading. Because of a lack of suitable equipment, few mobile loading machines have been installed in seams of coal less than 4 ft. thick; the mechanization in the thinner seams has been confined largely to shaking conveyors and hand loading onto chain conveyors. Mechanical mining requires an organization that is prepared to study its particular problem from production territory to market in recognition of the changed factors arising from the use of loading machines at the working face, and other causes, such as safety of men and property; high wage scale on hourly basis; concentrated working territory and rapid extraction from a given area; change in the percentage of sizes of coal produced and effect of this on average realization. There are also the coal-cleaning problem; increased capital investment, maintenance, obsolescence, and the relation of all these to the spread between realiza-tion and production cost. If coal seams were uniform, the answer would

Jan 1, 1939

By H. B. Emerick

An effort has been made to evaluate the individual influence of various factors in steel making and rolling operations upon the surface quality of semi-finished steel products. The thoughts expressed are not entirely theoretical, but rather are based upon several years critical observation of mill yields and rejec-tions and are supported by actual data wherever this has been possible.

Jan 1, 1940

Jan 1, 1959

By Ralph J. Schilthis

Several investigators1-8 have reported evidence of the existence of native or connate water in oil-and-gas-bearing strata. Both water and salt have been detected in cores of oil sands that yielded oil and gas exclusively when produced. Electrical logs often reveal unexpectedly low resistivity through oil and gas sands, indicating the presence of some material that is a considerably better conductor of current than oil and gas. Furthermore, calculationsg of the oil and gas content of reservoirs based upon production and reservoir-pressure decline data indicate appreciably lower values than are arrived at under the assumption that the pore space is occupied completely by oil and gas. Origin and Occurrence of Connate Water in Oil-and-gas-bearing Formations The view has been expressed, 10-15 and is generally agreed upon, that the expulsion of oil and gas material from source beds and the subsequent migration and accumulation occurred in the presence of salt water. As the strata that usually form reservoirs for oil and gas were laid down by, or in the presence of, ancient seas, the pore space within the strata must have been saturated with salt water before the entrance of the oil and/or gas. Thus, the accumulation of oil and/or gas in the upper regions of structures suitable for reservoirs must have required displacement of the connate water therefrom. In the absence of any forces other than gravitational, it would be expected that the displacement of the connate water out of the zones finally occupied by gas and oil would be complete, and that the vertical distribution of gas, oil, and water in a reservoir would be strictly in the order of their densities. Apparently, however, surface and interfacial forces that will not permit complete segregation of the fluids are active within the capillary spaces comprising a reservoir. The effects of these forces on both accumulation and production of oil and gas have been the subject of study by a number of investigators.16-37 In general, the view is held that the character of most materials that make up the reservoir rock leads to preferential wetting of the rock by

Jan 1, 1938

By S. J. Aresco, A. A. Orning

This paper presents a scheme for determination of precision for the various steps in coal sampling, sample preparation, and analysis. It also gives resulting data on 100 American coals from various coal fields covering all ranks from lignite to low-volatile bituminous. The variances of the various steps of the process are studied as a function of the coal preparation, the top size of coal as sampled, and the ash content. To understand the variables that control the overall precision of coal sampling, sample reduction and analysis, there is need for measurement of the variances due to successive steps of the process. The purpose of the present paper is to study these variances as a function of the coal preparation, the top size of the coal as sampled, and the ash content. The sampling data included are from 100 individual preparation plants from various coal fields in the United States and cover all ranks of coal from lignite to low-volatile bituminous; various types of preparation; deep, strip and auger mines; and, in many instances, mixtures from two or more coal beds or types of mines. The collection of data is continuing, but sufficient work has been done to draw some important conclusions. Since the work was done in conjunction with the Bureau of Mines sampling of coal, the time that could be spent at any one preparation plant was limited. This, in turn, limited the number of samples that could be taken for each coal. For this reason, the results from various plants were pooled in blocks. Two major blocking categories were "raw" and "washed!' The raw coals had no preparation other than crushing and/or screening. The washed coals were prepared further by some combination of wet or dry mechanical cleaning. The categories were further divided ac-

Jan 1, 1965

By Stuart H. Ingram

DEFINITION THE term lightweight aggregate implies material which may be substituted for the usual rock, sand and gravel commonly used as the major part of concrete, but distinguished by being much lighter in weight. BACKGROUND The art of making and using concrete is old and well developed. Research and experience have pretty well determined the qualities necessary in its constituents, and time has tested theories and applications. Elaborate specifications and tests have been devised and generally adopted governing all phases of concrete work, from selection of material, through engineering design and down to mixing and placing. Standard practices have become routine to executives and laborers, and operations have been simplified and costs lowered. Though many lightweight aggregates meet the basic specifications necessary for usefulness, their physical qualities are so different that they frequently will not pass standard tests, and some of them cannot be mixed and placed with the usual formulas for water and slump. As a rule their use produces a concrete with a lower modulus of elasticity which requires design change, and being produced in much smaller quantities than ordinary aggregate, production costs are higher. This latter works in a vicious circle to restrict their use and maintain prices that are not competitive, except as against each other. INCREASED DEMAND In spite of such handicaps consumption has grown steadily for the past two decades and is apparently growing even faster today. It is evident that lightweight concrete must have better qualities, and be sufficiently better to overcome the higher cost and the other difficulties and disadvantages pertinent to the use of a new and different material in an old industry. Hence the study of its main ingredient should be of interest to all engineers. Our group has a double interest in the subject since most of the materials which have been used as sources of lightweight aggregate are either mined, or are by-products of mining operations. We are directly interested in their production as well as their use, and since available supplies of materials suitable are limited, the increasing use, and rising demand, make the discovery of new sources, or the development of processes to adapt other natural materials to this use, a promising field; and one in which our profession should take an active part. RECENT DEVELOPMENT Descriptions of ancient work contain references to the use of spalls of tuffs or pumice in concrete masonry, but it is only since the nineteen twenties that serious attempts have been made to produce and market lightweight aggregates. A period of rapid advance in theory and practice in cements, mortars and con-

Jan 1, 1947

By R. E. Cech

Particles -3 to 30 µ diam of a 29.5 pet Ni, 70.5 pet Fe alloy after being melted and solidified while falling through a hydrogen atmosphere were found to contain a distortion-free body-centered-cubic phase. In most particles, the amount of body-centered-cubic phase approaches or equals 100 pet. It was shown by a series of experiments that this phase forms directly from the liquid. It is pointed out that a mechanism previously suggested in recent papers on the theory of the liquid-solid transformation can account for the solidification of body-centered-cubic phase in a temperature range where face-centered-cubic is the stable phase. IN the course of an operation to produce powders for a study of the martensitic transformation in Fe-Ni alloys, an unexpected phenomenon was observed. Powders of a 29.5 pet Ni alloy, which has a subzero M, temperature, were found to contain considerable amounts of a body-centered-cubic phase at room temperature. The experiments to be described were designed to elucidate the mode of formation of this unexpected phase. Experiments and Discussion An alloy containing 29.5 wt pet Ni, balance iron, was vacuum melted from high purity electrolytic iron and carbonyl nickel shot and solidified in the crucible. The metal was converted to oxide, ground to 100 pet <37µ, pressed to a cake, and homogenized 20 hr at 1350°C. To insure homogeneity the grinding, pressing, and homogenizing heat treatment was repeated a second time. The oxide was then ground to 100 pct <37µ and hydrogen reduced at 500°C. The reduced powder was given a spheroidizing treatment to produce spherical cast particles. The treatment consisted of dispersing the particles in hydrogen and allowing them to drop through a vertical hydrogen furnace set to a temperature higher than the liquidus of the alloy. This operation, commonly known as shotting, has been described more fully elsewhere.&apos; The powder produced by this method was found to contain approximately equal parts of body-centered-cubic and face-centered-cubic phases. A magnetic separation technique, previously described,&apos; was applied, and it was found that particles were either completely face-centered-cubic or nearly completely body-centered-cubic. The microstruc-

Jan 1, 1957

By J. A. Knox, R. M. Lasater, J. M. Tinsley

Chemical squeeze treatments have been used to provide temporary relief from certain production problems. The chemical fracture-squeeze technique, combining the effects of a fracturing treatment and a squeeze operation, has been more successful than conventional squeeze operations. Knowledge derived from well stimulation and reservoir engineering research provides a means for predicting the theoretical effective life of such a treatment. Analysis of theoretical equations and concepts developed allows selection of improved treatment techniques based on specific formation conditioins. Theory used in this analysis was developed as an extension of previous electrical model studies made to establish the expected flow and pressure profiles adjacent to a fracture system. The chemical fracture squeeze technique can be utilized in the economic application of corrosion inhibitors, emulsion breakers and paraffin and scale inhibitors. Application of this technique is shown to be effective. The slow return rate of injected chemicals, controlled by the resultant flow profiles and treatment variables, permits extended periods of chemical effectiveness. Results of field treatments are given, showing that the concepts outlined above for chemical fracture-squeeze treatments are valid and that applying this technique can help alleviate many current production problems. INTRODUCTION Much progress has been made in the last 10 to 15 years in developing chemicals for use in stimulating wells, maintaining production and protecting well equipment from damage due to corrosion. Not too many years ago, some wells seemed to dry up or wear out. In many cases the wells were produced as long as possible without any attempt at maintaining productivity. Even with the advent of new and better stimulation techniques, a rapid decline in production was observed. Methods of removing and, in some instances, preventing damage have been developed. Among thosc factors responsible for uneconomical production are scale, paraffin, corrosion, bacteria, water blocks and emulsions. Soluble scale-prevention chemicals have been developed1,2 that can be placed in a formation along with frac- turing sand. As the water produces back across this bed, the solid material dissolves slowly and can provide long-term protection from scale. However, bottom-hole temperature and salinity of produced water vary widely and both these factors influence the rate of solubility. Scale inhibitor composition is also a controlling factor. Some of the solid material may be crushed, increasing the surface area exposed to water and increasing the rate at which it dissolves. Some of the material may never be contacted by water and can be lost. However, this type of treatment has been very successful in many instances and has helped maintain economical production for extended periods of time. Liquid scale inhibitors, which are more widely applicable and more stable, have been developed in recent years; however, because they are liquids, their use has been restricted to treatment down the annulus, using metering pumps to provide proper concentrations in the produced fluid. This has prevented use in wells containing packers, in dually completed wells and in gas-lift and flowing wells. Wells that operate with an open annulus may also experience severe corrosion problems due to introduction of oxygen. Paraffin inhibitors3 have been developed that can be fractured into a well as particulate solids to be slowly dissolved in the produced fluid. These materials are not usually effective in wells with a bottom-hole temperature in excess of 120F since solubility rate may be too fast if that temperature is exceeded or if aromatic content of the oils is unusually high. Corrosion inhibitors have been developed that can be fractured&apos; into a well for long-term feedback, but development of a material with proper solubility or feed rate has been difficult. Corrosion inhibitors are available in many different forms. Liquids have been lubricated down the annulus or sticks or pellets dropped down tubing. Inhibitor squeeze treatments5 devcloped a few years ago led to development of inhibitors with particularly strong film-forming properties.6,7 This technique basically involves displacing a highly concentrated solution of the inhibitor into the formation through the tubing. Kerver and Hanson8 studied the adsorption properties of inhibitors on various types of formations. They showed that, even though the inhibitor was displaced radially into the true permeability, it could be produced back for a long period of time because of slow desorption from the rock. Methods developed for monitoring the return of these inhibitors generally have established 1 to 6 months as the effective limit before retreatment is necessary.9 Inhibitors displaced into the interstices of the formation sometimes cause emulsions that either hamper production or cause treating problems on the surface.

By Frank C. Smith

THE following article covers the history of a metallurgical campaign, commenced in March, 1905, at the mines of the Socorro Gold Co., in the so-called desert region of Yuma county, Arizona. The results obtained were simply a function of necessity, as will be seen from the description of the local economic conditions and the character of the ores treated. The mines and mill of the Socorro Gold Co. are located near the small village of Harrisburg, about 60 miles from Congress Junction, Arizona, which, at the time this work was undertaken, was the nearest railroad station, and from which all supplies were brought by wagon through the desert, at a cost varying from $10 to $15 per ton in addition to the railroad freights. Wood, the only available fuel, cost $7 per cord. Water for all purposes was pumped to the plant from a well in the valley about 4 miles away. Under the Arizona law, a working-shift is 8 hr. Wages were $6 per day for foremen and mill-men, $4 per day for blacksmiths and engineers, $3.50 per day for miners, and $3 per day for shovelers and trammers. The ore consisted of quartz, in which, above the 250-ft. level, the iron-minerals were largely oxidized and some free gold was visible; below that level few traces of oxidation occurred, and pyrite constituted the principal mineralizer in the quartz, together with occasional pockets of galena and a few eccentric specks of covellite. The 20-stamp mill was equipped with plates for amalgamation, and three Standard tables for concentration. The tails from the tables were elevated by a centrifugal pump to a launder, by which they were conveyed to a 60-ton cyanide-mill for further treatment. The cyanide-mill was erected at so great a distance from the stamp-mill that a separate crew of workers and a separate power-plant were necessary. No arrangement had been made for the treatment of the concen-

Jan 1, 1907

By Philip Lindstrom

T he Radon mine is in the north end of the Big Indian mining district in San Juan County, Utah. Hecla Mining Co. operated the mine from early 1955 to early 1964 through an operating agreement with Federal Resources, Inc. Development consisted of a 3-compartment, 690-ft shaft, 4 main levels driven on the ore horizon and a haulage level below the ore. Evaluation of physical and economic factors showed that this flat-dipping ore occurrence could be mined by a low-cost coal mining method. The value of the deposit was high and unusual pre¬miums were possible by clean mining. Complete extraction without loss of ore pillars, minimum ore dilution and high production per man were obtained by longwall mining.

Jan 12, 1964

By Donald Ofte

LIQUIDUS temperatures of molten alloys were measured in an oscillating-cup viscosimeter by observing the abrupt increase in the alloy viscosity when the apparatus was cooled below the alloy liquidus temperature. The liquidus transformation can be an elusive thermal effect in an alloy system where a small amount of material is involved in a low-enthalpy liquidus reaction, or where other unfavorable physical conditions interfere. Using the viscosity technique, liquidus temperatures were measured in binary alloys of plutonium with cerium, gallium, and iron, as well as ternary Pu-Ce-Co alloys. The previously described oscillating-cup viscosimeter1 is a torsion pendulum consisting of a right circular, cylindrical tantalum cup fitted to a rigid shaft which, in turn, is suspended by a torsion fiber in a highvacuum system. When the torsion pendulum is placed in oscillation the viscosity of the liquid contained in the cup is a function of both the decay of the oscillation caused by the viscous drag of the liquid contained in the sealed tantalum cup, and the period of the oscillation. The period is measured by a photo-electrically operated timer to the nearest thousandth of a second. Prior to each measurement, the apparatus is held at temperature between 5 and 18 hr to assure thermal equilibrium throughout the 8 to 10-cc alloy sample. When the cup, filled with a liquid metal, is oscillating. only a very thin outer layer of the fluid is in motion. This moving annulus represents the liquid&apos;s contribution to the moment of inertia of the torsion pendulum. When the viscosity increases, more liquid is placed in motion, and the slight increase in the moment of inertia causes a corresponding increase in the period of oscillation.

Jan 1, 1967

By A. H. Bell

The general principles of the gas-lift will not be described in this paper. Only specific details that have not been fully discussed in previous papers, or results that do not fully coincide with conditions previously described, will be dealt with. The principal points to be emphasized and for which supporting data are furnished are as follows: 1. Gas-lift installations usually have comparatively high efficiencies as compared with standard pumping equipment, when reduced to a basis of barrels produced per horsepower installed. 2. Advantages of high-pressure plants from the standpoint of operating efficiency and for the application of the gas-lift early in the life of flowing wells. 3. Evidence of increased ultimate yield through conservation of gas by the gas-lift. 4. Possibility of development of new equipment to increase efficiency of the gas-lift. 5. Indications of the advantages of repressuring as a means of stabilizing gas-lift wells and as a means of increasing ultimate yields. TyPes of Installation The gas-lift installations of the more important companies in California have been of the central-plant type wherever field conditions would permit. This has resulted in greater flexibility and lower installation costs per well than could be obtained with individual well units. In general discussions of the gas-lift method of production, the installation costs are frequently referred to as being too high for economical operation. If the field conditions are carefully analyzed and the plant designed with the idea of obtaining high operating efficiencies, the installation cost per well can be lowered sufficiently to compare favorably with individual well-pumping units, when the operating advantages are considered. Much greater production per horsepower can be obtained with the gas-lift than is possible with pumping equipment. Table 1 shows the unit sizes and costs of gas-lift installations of three companies in the Los Angeles basin. The cost of walking beams, rods,

Jan 1, 1928

By H. M. Merry

THE graphic methods and records described in this article have been developed, with satisfactory results, for the use of executives of the Chino Copper Co., in Hurley, N. Mex. Particular attention is directed to the use of large wall-charts, the quick reference display of large charts, the scale notation of metallurgical charts, the inclusion of mesh extraction on screen analysis diagrams. To properly comprehend the operation and metallurgical results from a concentrating plant, a daily record of essential data is kept, usually involving the dry weight of ore milled or treated, dry weight of concentrate or metal produced, assay values of heading, assay values of tailing, assay values of concentrate, and percentage of extraction or recovery. In addition it is often necessary to record moisture, pulp density, or dilution; percentage of weight of oils and reagents employed; screen analyses of grinding conditions, oversize, etc.; assay values of non-valuable or interfering substances; cost data; and such special information as may be required.

Jan 9, 1919

The Institute is custodian of funds for support of numerous gold medals and prizes and has representatives on boards awarding still others. Details regarding the Institute Awards are given below. The Institute is represented on the boards of the John Fritz Medal, the Hoover Medal and the Washington Award, in connection with the three national societies of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical engineering; and, also, in the case of the Washington Award, with the Western Society of Engineers. The Institute is represented with these four societies on the committee in charge of the Alfred Noble Prize.

Jan 1, 1937

By L. A. Morley, W. T. Parry

Laboratory prepared clay-quartz sand samples and fault gouge from an open pit slope undergoing plane-type failure were tested in the laboratory to determine potential mining applications of electroosmotic stabilization and to provide a better understanding of electrochemical hardening. Experiments with very low current densities and free access of electrolytes to both anode and cathode showed an increase in cohesion. Cohesion in a fault gouge increased by 9.3 to 113%, depending on location with respect to the electrodes. For this, power consumption was equivalent to 0.727 watt-hr per cu ft (25.69 watt-hr per cu m). Regions of electrochemical hardening were determined by pH and the anolyte used. Electroosmotic stabilization appears as a reasonable solution to some types of mining problems.

Jan 1, 1975