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By Freeman Bishop

Elburt F. Osborn's scholarly look doesn't prevent his keen insight into human beings and practical affairs of the world from coming through strong and clear, as it did in an exclusive interview with this reporter a half-hour after Dr. Osborn was sworn in as director of Interior's Bureau of Mines. An internationally recognized authority on geology and mineral resource development, Dr. Osborn won his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology. Since 1959, he has been vice president for research at Pennsylvania State University, where he originally joined the staff as professor of geochemistry in 1946 and also served for six years as dean of the College of Mineral Industries.

Jan 1, 1971

By H. E. Nold

THIS paper is an effort to explain in a simple manner the fundamental principles involved in examining a clay deposit for both quantity and quality and in operating a clay mine, either open-pit or underground, SO that the best quality of finished material can be made from the raw material available. The writer is aware that what is recommended in this paper is everyday practice in many refractories plants and in some other heavy-clay products plants, but observations made while visiting practically every clay mine in Ohio have convinced him that the practices herein discussed are not as widely used as their importance warrants. It is true that the problem of mining for quality is more acute in refractories plants than in most heavy-clay products plants, yet some of the latter are finding it profitable to pay more than ordinary attention to the selection and blending of their raw materials. It is hoped that this short paper may prove helpful to some who are now finding it difficult to produce a uniform product of as high quality as their clay deposit seems to warrant. The coordination of the work of the clay mine or pit with the manufacturing plant, to the end that the best product possible be made from the raw material available, presupposes a rather intimate knowledge of the clay deposit. The knowledge must include not only information of the amount of clay available but also rather detailed information about both vertical and horizontal variations in quality of the clay. This information should cover three things: quality, quantity, and location. Sampling Undeveloped Deposits In the case of an undeveloped deposit with a shallow overburden, pitting may be the cheapest way of testing. For thick deposits or deposits with rather heavy overburden, the diamond drill, using a double core barrel, offers the best means of testing. When using the diamond drill in clay testing, it is doubtful whether it pays to take less than 2-in. cores; it is difficult to get complete cores with smaller drills, and the quantity of material obtained with smaller cores is not sufficient for the necessary tests.

Jan 1, 1929

By H. W. McCue, Henry Rogatz

Oil.—During the year 1939, there were 365 oil wells drilled in the Texas Panhandle, with a total daily initial production of 130,968 bb1.— that is, 69 fewer oil wells drilled than in the previous year, with a decrease. in total daily initial production of 61,738 bbl. The total daily potential of the field on Dec. 5, 1939, as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission, was 1,344,677 bbl., an increase of 94,032 bbl. over the previous year. On Dee. 5, 1939, a daily allowable of 130,527 bbl., which was an

Jan 1, 1940

By Henry Rogatz, H. W. McCue

Oil.—During the year 1939, there were 365 oil wells drilled in the Texas Panhandle, with a total daily initial production of 130,968 bb1.— that is, 69 fewer oil wells drilled than in the previous year, with a decrease. in total daily initial production of 61,738 bbl. The total daily potential of the field on Dec. 5, 1939, as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission, was 1,344,677 bbl., an increase of 94,032 bbl. over the previous year. On Dee. 5, 1939, a daily allowable of 130,527 bbl., which was an

Jan 1, 1940

By Hayes Theiling Dorton

This paper describes the record-keeping and reporting responsibilities of the West Virginia Department of Mines and tells about the pilot project conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and worth of implementing a computer-based formation management system encompassing the large amount of data used by the Department and to lay the groundwork for future implementation of a state-wide information network. The paper briefly discusses the equipment and software that was used. It also discusses the system data files and subfiles that were constructed (or will be constructed in later phases of the project). Finally, the paper describes how the system will expand in the next several years.

Jan 1, 1983

By Hsun Hu, R. S. Cline

In an earlier publication1 it was shown that a single crystal of Cu-4 wt pct Al cold-rolled in the (110)[112] orientation was stable up to 95 pct reduction, although the orientation spread was considerable larger than in a similarly oriented and cold-rolled copper single crystal. When rolled to 99 pct reduction, the copper crystal retained its initial orientation and a high degree of sharpness of texture, whereas the Cu-4 pct

Jan 1, 1969

By James Gayley

The occurrence of obstructions in furnace-hearths is nothing new to blast-furnace managers. The removal of them is becoming more and more simplified every day. The appliances that can be readily obtained at any works, are so simple in construction and effective in operation that they can overcome the most obstinate condition of affairs that can exist in a furnace-hearth. The old method of opening up tuyeres and notches with sledges and chipping-bass,. Was

Jan 1, 1886

Meeting of Dec. 18, 1914. Charles F. Rand, Karl Eilers, and William L. Saunders were appointed a Committee to audit the accounts of the Institute. The matter of the Committee to investigate the relative merits in metallurgical work of turbo-blowers and the reciprocating blowing engine was laid on the table. Benjamin B. Thayer was elected representative on the Board of Trustees of the United Engineering Society to succeed James F. Kemp. Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Membership, 32 Members, 8 Associates, 3 Juniors were elected, and the status of one Associate was changed to that of Member. Twenty-six members owing dues for from three to six years were dropped from the rolls in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Jan 2, 1915

By M. E. Prunty

Activity in coal preparation in 1967 was on the up-swing and all indications are that demands will be greater in the future. Feed tonnages to plants are increasing and a significant factor is that the top size being fed to plants is decreasing. This has been brought about by market demands, better cokability in some cases and emphasis on sulfur reduction in others. New plants are being built and some are in operation in the coal fields of southern Illinois. These plants are producing metallurgical coal in circuits that contain heavy medium cyclones and froth flotation on the - ½ mm x 0.

Jan 2, 1968

By L. W. Kempf, K. R. Van Horn

DURING the recent development of aluminum alloys for free-cutting screw-machine rod, it became desirable to know something of the solubility of lead and bismuth in liquid aluminum and in some aluminum alloys. The literature is not particularly helpful in supplying this information. These portions, therefore, of the constitutional relationships of aluminum-bismuth and aluminum-lead alloys were investigated by thermal analysis and by chemical analysis of samples taken from aluminum-rich melts in equilibrium with precipitated lead or bismuth. The solubility of lead and bismuth in some liquid aluminum-copper alloys was also investigated. Some consideration was also given to the solubility of these elements in solid aluminum. Among the earliest investigators of the aluminum-lead and aluminum-bismuth systems was Wright,1 who reported that melts of aluminum and lead formed two layers indicating limited liquid solubility. Under his conditions, the aluminum-rich layer was reported to contain 1.91 per cent Pb and the lead-rich layer, 0.07 per. cent Al. Subsequently, Pecheau2 found that in aluminum-rich alloy melts with more than 10 per cent Pb three layers were distinguishable. He reported that the middle layer contained from 3 to 10 per cent Pb. He also found that the melting point of aluminum appeared to be lowered slightly by the addition of lead. Gwyer3 investigated these alloys and found evidence of a slight lowering of the freezing point of aluminum by the addition of either lead or bismuth. He found no evidence of solid solubility in either case and made no attempt to determine the liquidus curves. Hansen and Blumenthal4 reported that the addition of lead distinctly lowered the solidification point of aluminum. They also found that bismuth lowered the melting point of aluminum. Guillet5 reported almost complete mutual immiscibility for the aluminum-bismuth alloys in the liquid state. Bohner6 examined the effect of various concentrations of lead and bismuth on the electrical conductivity of aluminum. He found decreases in conductivity on annealing at 500° C. as compared with the conductivity of the same alloys on annealing at 300° C.

Jan 1, 1938

By J. B. Gwiazda

This work contains a description of a new design of lemniscate-guided powered roof support units, with a discussion of currently designed supports and their interaction with the roof. Conventional roof supports of this type present a serious reaction with the roof because of the horizontal displacement of the canopy in the course of decreasing support height as the support takes weight. The new design presented eliminates previous disadvantages of lemniscate supports and ensures proper performance of the latter in relation to the roof of a mine working.

Jan 1, 1986

Despite the uncertain political situation in Katanga, copper and cobalt mining and metallurgical operations of Union Miniere du Haut-Katanga were normal at the time of this writing. In fact operations continued normal after Congo independence on June 30, 1960, with copper and zinc production for that year being slightly higher than in 1959. United Nations military operations from September to December 1961 resulted in death, shutdowns and damage to company persons and installations. Nevertheless, results for that year were only slightly off normal production. Moise Tshombe delared Katanga a separate state after Congo independence. Although there has been tribal unrest, the new State has enjoyed relative calm and normal industry by comparison with other parts of the Congo as a result of the firm hand of Moise Tshombe's government and the continued presence of Belgian officials and technicians.

Jan 12, 1962

By Finn Ouchterlony

A simple bilinear R-curve description of crack extension resistance is applied to the testing of sub-size rock core specimens. The K-curve consists of a linear sub-critical part and a flat post-critical part. Formulas for the apparent energy rate resistance quantities Gm, Jm, and [R] are developed. Experiments on notched cores of Ekeberg marble, Bohus granite, and Stripa granite are compared with these predictions. The R-curve model gives reasonable results for Gm -data but fails essentially to describe the Jm and [R]-data. Another model with a sharply increasing linear post-critical part could possibly account for the [R]-data, but direct R-curve measurements seem a better approach.

Jan 1, 1982

By Daniel T. Hegyan, Thomas B. Zugates

Continuous vacuum disk filters are increasingly being used to filter refuse from the fine-coal washing circuits as it becomes important to close the water circuits and eliminate sludge holding ponds. This paper discusses our past experience filtering refuse, effects of solids concentration in the filter feed, use of polymer flocculation aids, effect of flocculation devices, and effects of particle size and ash content on the filtration rate. Detailed tests were performed on existing installations utilizing coal refuse filters to determine optimum flocculant dosage, solids concentration, and disk rotation speed to form a dischargeable cake. Information was also obtained showing effect of flocculant addition on the moisture of the filter cake.

Jan 1, 1977

By A. W. Faheneald, Lewis S. Prater

By taking advantage of the fundamental difference between screening and classification—namely, that specific gravity has no effect on screening but is one of the important factors in classification—a combination of the two may be used as a process of mineral concentration. Although this fact is not new, so far as is known it has had little or no commercial application. The scheme is not presented now as a process for producing finished products but rather as a preliminary operation rejecting part of the barren material from an ore before it is subjected to more costly treatment. That is largely the function of the new heavy-media concentration processes that have been widely accepted. Original installation costs for the present sink-float processes are relatively high, however, which confines their use to operations where large tonnages are handled. Sink-float has been successful on only the relatively coarse (approximately plus 10-mesh) portion of an ore, and it is in this same range that classification screening can function most satisfactorily. Theoretically, there is no upper limit to the size of particles that can be handled in a sink-float operation, but the degree of liberation in the very large pieces usually limits this. With classification screening, particles from % to % in. would be the largest that could be handled, but the lower range could be extended somewhat below 10 mesh. In order to take full advantage of the difference in specific gravities of the minerals being separated, sorting in the classifier should be under as extreme hindered-settling conditions as possible. Laboratory tests have been made on a galena ore and on an artificial mixture of quartz and magnesite to determine the separations that may be expected. Although more than one scheme may be followed, in these tests the separations were made by cutting the underflow from the classifier as a concentrate and then screening the overflow. The screen oversize was rejected as a tailing. Classification was done in a hindered-settling teeter column and screening was done by hand, using the standard 4 2 series. The accompanying flowsheet gives the testing procedure followed.

Jan 1, 1947

By Arthur Braid

THE war has caused an increasing scarcity of phosphorus and its well known alloys with copper and tin. At the same time, the production of brass and bronze, nickel-silver, cupro-nickel, and other non-ferrous alloys, has considerably increased. The manufacturers of these products had therefore to secure other materials which would serve their purpose; principally that of a deoxidizer, which could be. obtained promptly and regularly. Fortunately these materials, pure carbon-free manganese metal and manganese-copper alloy, were not hard to find-in fact, they were never lost. Manganese in various forms has been used in Europe for more than a century; in this country, however, when manganese was first used, and indeed for a long time thereafter, it was consumed mainly in the- manufacture of manganese-bronze. Many foundrymen at that time used manganese-copper with the same freedom as phosphor-copper. Although iron enters into the composition of certain- grades of bronze, it is very detrimental to non-ferrous mixtures in general; consequently ferro-manganese is not applicable, and therefore pure manganese metal, or the alloy of manganese and copper, technically free from iron and other impurities, is now being generally used. The following are the principal elements having an affinity for oxygen: 1, Sodium. 2, Potassium. 3, Calcium. 4, Strontium. 5, Barium. 6, Magnesium. 7, Aluminum, 8, Phosphorus. 9, Silicon. 10, Manganese. 11, Iron. 12, Zinc. 13, Lead. Each metal has its natural flux, or deoxidizer, in the form of a metal or non-metal which will alloy with it, and has a strong affinity for oxygen. For example, phosphorus, as is well known, acts very beneficially in copper alloys that contain tin. Within 'the last few years, and particularly since the war began, the great value of manganese in nickel alloys has been demonstrated, and one by one the manufacturers of these products have adopted its use. While manganese has not so strong an affinity for oxygen as magnesium, aluminum, or silicon, it is nevertheless sufficiently powerful to reduce any oxide of nickel, copper, or zinc that may be present in the nickel alloy to be purified.

Jan 11, 1918

By A. W. Faheneald, Lewis S. Prater

By taking advantage of the fundamental difference between screening and classification—namely, that specific gravity has no effect on screening but is one of the important factors in classification—a combination of the two may be used as a process of mineral concentration. Although this fact is not new, so far as is known it has had little or no commercial application. The scheme is not presented now as a process for producing finished products but rather as a preliminary operation rejecting part of the barren material from an ore before it is subjected to more costly treatment. That is largely the function of the new heavy-media concentration processes that have been widely accepted. Original installation costs for the present sink-float processes are relatively high, however, which confines their use to operations where large tonnages are handled. Sink-float has been successful on only the relatively coarse (approximately plus 10-mesh) portion of an ore, and it is in this same range that classification screening can function most satisfactorily. Theoretically, there is no upper limit to the size of particles that can be handled in a sink-float operation, but the degree of liberation in the very large pieces usually limits this. With classification screening, particles from % to % in. would be the largest that could be handled, but the lower range could be extended somewhat below 10 mesh. In order to take full advantage of the difference in specific gravities of the minerals being separated, sorting in the classifier should be under as extreme hindered-settling conditions as possible. Laboratory tests have been made on a galena ore and on an artificial mixture of quartz and magnesite to determine the separations that may be expected. Although more than one scheme may be followed, in these tests the separations were made by cutting the underflow from the classifier as a concentrate and then screening the overflow. The screen oversize was rejected as a tailing. Classification was done in a hindered-settling teeter column and screening was done by hand, using the standard 4 2 series. The accompanying flowsheet gives the testing procedure followed.

Jan 1, 1947

By Alfred H. Bell

Drilling activity in the eastern interior coal basin, which includes Illinois, southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky, decreased greatly in 1931. Only 521 wells were drilled as compared with 1438 in 1930.' The decline in oil production (Fig. 1) was due partly to the failure of new production to make up for the natural decline of the old wells and partly to artificial curtailment of production to meet a decreased demand. During the year prices trended sharply downward until July, after which they made a partial recovery (Fig. 2). The average price of Illinois crude, which is the same as that for southwestern Indiana, was $0.852 per barrel in 1931 as compared with $1.616 in 1930, or slightly more than one-half. The cost of drilling has declined only slightly. The 25 per cent curtailment of production which was adopted by agreement of the southeastern Illinois operators on Sept. 1, 1930, ended on June 3, 1931. It was effective for five months in 1931 as compared with four months in 1930. The outlook for 1932 is for drilling activity in the whole area to continue at about the same rate or to decrease somewhat unless it is stimulated by a substantial rise in crude oil prices or by the discovery of extensive new productive territory. Discoveries of new productive areas and new sands during the year were few. A new gas area was discovered early in the year in Busseron township, Knox County, Indiana, in which the producing sand is in the Pennsylvanian at depths of 630 to 730 ft. The wells had a total initial open-flow capacity of 7 or 8 million cubic feet per day but are shut in for lack of marketing facilities. An exceptionally large gas well which was drilled in Gibson County between Oakland City and Francisco reached a total depth of 1490 ft. and produced from the Brown sand of Chester age. The initial open-flow capacity was reported as 13 million cubic feet per day. In western Kentucky a number of extensions to oil and gas-producing areas are reported. The most active drilling campaign was in Hart County, where 124 wells were drilled, most of them in the

Jan 1, 1932

By R. A. Wood, R. I. Jaffee, H. R. Ogden, D. N. Williams

Dispersion-containing titanium-copper alloys were prepared having mean free paths varying from 1.0 to 9.7 P. Tensile studies at room temperature and at 1000°F showed that little or no strengthening occurred when the mean free path exceeded 3 p. However, at lower values of mean free path appreczable strengthening was observed. A considerable amount of strengthening also resulted from copper in solid solution. DURING the past several years, an increasing amount of study has been devoted to dispersion hardening, an alloying process in which increased strength is obtained through the addition of a ran-

Jan 1, 1961

By Edgar A. Scholz, Attilio G. Spat

The rapid worldwide increase in labor costs, prices of goods and services, and the rising tide of economic nationalism do not bode well for the future of mineral exploration and the mining industry. The increasing complexity and difficulty involved in finding economic mineral deposits makes these trends particularly significant. A comparative cost analysis of domestic and foreign exploration projects which developed into mines during the period 1960-74 may be useful in indicating the general nature of exploration expenditures as these trends continue. This analysis is based on a survey of 18 US and Canadian mining companies. Due to the inexact nature of exploration expenditure data, plus the fact that no two mining companies follow the same system of cost allocation, the results of the survey must be considered quite general in character.

Jan 6, 1977