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By Paul Gordon, A. S. Iyer

Apreliminary investigation has been carried out on the annealing behavior of explosively deformed copper as compared to that of conventionally deformed copper, using hardness, stored energy, and the sharpening of X-ray spots on Debye rings as the measures of annealing. Some metallographic observations were also made. Two purities of copper were studied. The first was tough pitch copper obtained as a small piece from the guard ring of a sample explosively deformed to approximately 500 kbars.* The second consisted of mentedand deformed these samples quite badly so that only a few small fragments were available for the annealing experiments. As a result, little in the way of quantitatively significant data was gleaned from the measurements. However, several important qualitative differences between the annealing of explosively deformed and conventionally deformed copper have been observed. It is these effects which are described in this report. Fig. 1 presents the results of hardness and stored energy measurements during the annealing of the high-purity copper after explosive and after conventional deformation. The data for the conventionally deformed copper were taken from the work of Gordon;' in this copper it is evident that most of the stored energy is released concommittantly with the hardness drop. As shown in orddon's' investigation, these effect:: are definitely associated with recrystal-lization. In the case of the explosively deformed copper, on the other hand, a large fraction of the stored energy is released before any appreciable hardness change takes place. At 160°C about 40 pct, and at 170°C about. 80 pct, of the stored energy appears to have been released prior to the onset of softening, i.e., undoubtedly prior to recrystallization. In view of the facts that the hardness and energy measurements were made on separate samples and that there is reason to suspect that the intensity of the explosive deformation from sample to sample may not have been uniform, a check run was carried out in which both energq release and hardness changes were measured cnn the same sample. The results of this run, shown in Fig. 2, confirm the conclusion that much of the stored energy is released before the hardness begins to change appreciably. In an effort to obtain some idea of the activation energy associated with the early release of energy, a single callorimetric sample was annealed in two steps, first at 149.5"C and then at 159.5"C, Fig. 3.

Jan 1, 1962

By Jerome Strauss

IN his review of developments in 1943, Gilbert Seil, Chairman of this Committee on Reduction of the Ferroalloy Ores, tabulated the consumption of the alloying metals in relation to the steel production of that year. In the year just closed the approximate tonnage was of the same order, differing only to a minor degree or suffering some correction with more precise figuses available, as indicated in the following estimates: Consumption Metals in Tons Steel 92,000,000* Manganese 700,000 Silicon 200,000 Chromium 200,000 Nickel 75,000 Molybdenum 20,000 Tungsten 8,000 Vanadium 1,700 Titanium 1.600 Boron 10 `Production figure. The technologic studies instituted during 1942 and carried forward with such great vigor during 1943 continued into 1944 although in some instances were brought to a close either by completion of the specific development

Jan 1, 1945

By J. S. Miller

This paper describes the method of mining a steeply pitching anthracite seam on a heavy pitch in the Orchard vein in No. 1 Tunnel of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co. The Orchard vein in the Neaquehoning district has a thickness of about 15 ft. on the level of the gangway, which is sufficient thickness for the gangway to be driven full width in coal. Above the gangway, the vein becomes thinner and near the surface is about 8 it. thick. The coal is of good hard quality and carries a fairly good roof. The pitch of the vein is between 65" and 70". Usually the breast-and-pillar method has been employed in the mining of the steeply pitching veins in this section. This method produced good results as far as the mining of the breast was concerned but the recovery of the pillar was difficult as to full extraction and expensive as regards costs. To recover these pillars after the breasts were driven, three methods were commonly employed; they were known as the pillar-breast method, pillar-skipping method, and pillar-chute method. The pillar-breast method consisted in putting a battery in one corner of the pillar (Fig. I), coupling the manways A and B of the two adjacent breasts for two or three lengths ahead of the working face of the pillar being cut, and working the pillar as a breast. This method was used by the more skilled miners of the earlier days but has practically been abandoned. A slight variation of this method is used to some extent. In this case, the pillars are left wider than ordinarily and of sufficient width for the full-width breast to be driven in and a small pillar left on each side of the pillar breast between it and the regular breasts. With the completion of the "pillar breast," the ribs are drilled full of holes, loaded, and fired. In the pillar-skipping method (Fig. 2), the middle breast of three is not driven through and is drawn empty while the outside and inside breasts are kept full. At the corners of the two pillars standing, batteries are put in and a skip of the two pillars started; the coal in the two pillars is blasted over into the empty breast. A small pillar is kept along the

Jan 1, 1925

By J. T. Brown

AS far as could be ascertained, no one had previously investigated the creep strength of silicon poly-crystals. Literature has appeared showing evidence for plastic deformation in silicon single crystals and whiskers.*1"6 Also the fact that germanium, a material of similar crystal structure to silicon undergoes plastic deformation under stress at temperatures above about 60 pct of its melting temperature, has been known for some time.2"4'7 This investigation was performed for the purpose of determining the strength and ductility of silicon polycrystals under creep conditions that would give fairly long times to rupture. PROCEDURE The silicon specimen blanks were obtained by first placing granulated transitor grade silicon (99.999 + pct pure) in a silica crucible. The crucible was surrounded by a graphite susceptor, and induction heating was used for melting the silicon in a vacuum furnace. Blank specimens were formed by freezing molten silicon onto a polycrystalline seed of silicon in a vacuum furnace. The seed was attached to a motor driven revolving rod. As silicon solidified, this rod was gradually withdrawn from the melt. A shape with a contracted center section was obtained by varying the rate of withdrawal from the melt. Specimens for the creep-rupture tests were ground from these "pulled" blanks. Creep-rupture tests were performed in spring loaded machines under constant load at 1800" and 2000° F. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A test specimen which was sectioned longitudinally is shown in the photomacrograph in Fig. 1. Very little deformation has taken place in the portion of the specimen shown, however, slip lines from several slip systems within the same grain, and deformation band formation was seen. The elongated appearance of the grains is due to the method of growing the specimens. One of the most interesting aspects of the results obtained from the creep-rupture tests was the high strength and the accompanying large amount of ductility. The data obtained is listed in Table I which shows the stress to rupture in 100 hr at 2000°F is between 8000 and 9000 psi. This indicates that silicon's strength at 2000°F is about equal to that of the best commercial super-alloys. It is important to mention that silicon has less than 1/3 the density of iron-, nickel-, and cobalt-base alloys. The usual type alloys for high-temperature applications

Jan 1, 1960

By William Hutton Blauvelt

The type of gas producer in which the ashes are fluxed and run off as slag was among the very earliest made. Ebelmen built the first one in 1840 at Audincourt, France, only a year after the installation of the first gas producer of which we have record. Charcoal was used as the fuel, with blast-furnace slag and clay as flux. My interest in this type of producer began when as a boy I saw the fluxing producer at Chester, N. J., which was invented by W. J. Taylor, and described by him in 1881.' This producer was invented independently by Mr. Taylor to meet the difficulties he experienced in making producer gas for roasting sulphurous iron ores. It will be of interest to review briefly his description of his producer. It was built like a small blast furnace, having a hearth 24 in. in diameter and 24 in. high. The bosh angle was 25' from the vertical; the diameter at the bosh 4 ft. and at the top 3 ft.; the total height 12 ft. The producer contained one water-cooled tuyere 12 in. above the bottom, with a 1.5-in. nozzle. Depth of the coal above the tuyere, 6 ft. Mr. Taylor mixed the coal with from 30 to 40 per cent. of basic blast-furnace slag to flux the ash. Occasionally some limestone was also used, but never limestone alone, as the use of the furnace cinder gave a larger volume of slag and made it easier to maintain a proper fluidity. The producer was blown with a small Weimer blowing engine, delivering 300 ft. of air per minute, at from 1 to 1.5 lb. pressure. The slag was tapped every 2 hr. and was black and glassy in appearance. Broken or egg size anthracite was used. The fine sizes of anthracite could not be made to work. Mr. Taylor expressed the belief that bituminous coal could be used if not too fine, but no experiments were made with this coal. Runs were made of four weeks' duration, with no stops or changes. Mr. Taylor reported the following advantages: 1. Excellent gas, very uniform in quality. The high fuel bed permitted no air to pass unconsumed, and the gas was almost entirely free from carbonic acid.

Jan 1, 1914

By K. D. McBean, W. H. Hannay, B. A. Stimmel

The electrolytic plant at Trail, B. C., was erected by the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Ltd., for the treatment of zinc ores and concentrates, particularly those of the Sullivan mine at Kimberley, B. C. It began operations in 1916 at a rated capacity of 60 tons of cathodes per day, which has been steadily increased to the present production of 400 tons per day. The Sullivan has furnished the greater part of the zinc so far produced, although notable tonnages of customs zinc concentrates have been treated. The maximum yearly tonnage of customs concentrates, 25,000 tons, was treated in 1926. Practically no customs concentrates hale been treated since 1929. The total bar zinc production to the close of 1935 was 1,092,782 tons. The zinc mineral in the Sullivan ore is marmatite of somewhat variable composition, ranging between 6ZnS.FeS and 8 ZnS.FeS. Practically all the zinc ores tributary to this plant are marmatites; and the iron content of the zinc mineral varies considerably. The formation of zinc ferrite during roasting is now a matter of common knowledge, so the possible extraction from any zinc concentrate is largely a function of the iron content; the progress made in concentration is reflected directly in zinc-plant recovery. The Trail plant operafes on the low-acid system, as do all the other major plants on this continent at present operating, except the electrolytic plant of the Sullivan Mining Co. at Kellogg, Idaho. The new Magdeburg plant, in Germany, occupies an intermediate position between high and low acid. Plant operation at Trail will be treated in this paper under five main sections: roasting, leaching and purification, electrolysis, cadmium recovery and melting. The oxide section of the plant, treating zinc fume from re-treatment of lead blast-furnace slag, is practically a separate zinc plant; this is necessary because of the presence of fluorine in the smelter zinc fume. Cadmium is recovered electrolytically from the purification residues of both the sulphide and oxide leaching plants.

Jan 1, 1937

By F. F. Sharpless

IT IS to be. read in Western newspapers that Hon. S. S. Arentz who introduced H. R. 7736, 'has repudiated it, that certain mining men in Utah and Nevada say that they will fight it "until hell freezes over." It is to be read in more temperate expressions that "the eminent engineers who drafted the bill exhibited a woeful misunderstanding of Western sentiment and opinion." Furthermore, it is averred that there is no need for revising the mining laws, that we have got along pretty well under the existing laws, etc. Such statements are so surprising in view of, the facts of record that it is hard to believe that the oppon-ents of the bill, who make them, are well informed, or that they represent general opinion. It will be useful therefore to review the record of the case. Our GOOD OLD MINING LAWS We have indeed got on well in our mining industry, but that has not been by virtue; of our good old mining laws. Rather has it been in spite of them. Ever since the Richmond-Eureka case in the '70s there has been litigation arising from them. Early in the '80s the apex law was discarded by common consent in Leadville, and it has been ignored in every district of flat-lying ore deposits ever since. The great mines of the present time are the porphyry copper deposits. At Bingham, Ely, Ray, Chino, Miami, Clifton and Ajo the apex law is simply inapplicable. A law that is inapplicable to the modern conditions of mining may be an old law, but it can not properly be characterized as a "good" law. For such reasons, and many others of weight, there has been a demand for revision of the mining laws; dat-ing ,back at least three decades. President Roosevelt appointed a commission to advise respecting the question, said commission comprising. Dr. James Douglas (chairman), John Hays Hammond, D: M. Barringer, Walter B: Devereux, and William B. Mather. This committee was unanimous on the following points:

Jan 1, 1922

By S. A. Falconer

This paper deals with the practical application of the Dutch State Mines cyclone separator for fine-coal cleaning. The more important operating variables are discussed, and results of a number of continuous-scale tests on various fine coals with a 6-in. cyclone separator are given. Descriptions of the Cyanamid Pilot Plant and the 50 tph Cyclone Separator Plant at the Emma Washery in Holland are included. TODAY, as never before, the coal producers of this country are faced with the necessity for obtaining maximum yield of marketable coal of all sizes down to and including the finest. Particular interest is being displayed in a more effective means of recovering the finer sizes which in the past so often have been discarded to waste or treated by inadequate equipment. The reasons for this interest are easily understood. Rising mining costs have resulted in the increased use of mechanized equipment underground for full seam mining. This, in turn, means more refuse in the run-of-mine and also more fines in the feed going to the cleaning plant. Stringent antistream pollution laws now make it necessary at least to impound the fines, and usually it is a paying proposition to recover the coal from these fines before sending them to the storage area. Finally, the market and price of the finer sizes has increased, but at the same time specifications have tightened and the demand is for higher grade products. During the past four years a great deal of publicity has been given to this new process and apparatus for treating fine sizes of ores as well as coal. Excellent discussions of the apparatus itself and the theoretical aspects of the basic operating principles involved in its operation have been presented by M. G. Driessen,1-3 M. R. Geer and H. F. Yancey,4,5 J. W. Hyer6 and more recently by D. A. Dahlstrom8 as well as others.7,9-11 In view of this, it has been decided to include in the present paper only a brief description of the cyclone separator and its operating principles. This paper deals primarily with some of the more practical commercial aspects of the process and equipment required for its operation; the variables in the operation of the cyclone, their effect and means for control; and the results obtained with a 6-in. semicommercial size separator on a variety of fine coals, bituminous and anthracite, using finely ground magnetite for the separating medium solids. A description is included of the commercial-size cyclone separator pilot plant installed by the Dutch State Mines at its Emma mine in Holland, where finely ground slate is utilized as medium solids. Field of Application: The Dutch State Mines cyclone separator operates most efficiently on ores and coal in the size range of % in. to about 48 mesh. On some types of feed, effective separation can be made on sizes as small as 100 mesh, but up to the present, this may be considered exceptional. Depending upon the type of medium used, the specific gravities of separation can be varied within wide limits, up to as high as 2.70, if magnetite is used as medium. Early Development: The development of the Dutch State Mines cyclone as a separator, or cleaner, was the outgrowth of early experimental work by Dries-sen' and others in Holland, just prior to World War 11, in the course of which was discovered the effectiveness of the cyclone in reclaiming and thickening the dense medium used in the "Loess" process of

Jan 1, 1951

By S. A. Falconer

This paper deals with the practical application of the Dutch State Mines cyclone separator for fine-coal cleaning. The more important operating variables are discussed, and results of a number of continuous-scale tests on various fine coals with a 6-in. cyclone separator are given. Descriptions of the Cyanamid Pilot Plant and the 50 tph Cyclone Separator Plant at the Emma Washery in Holland are included. TODAY, as never before, the coal producers of this country are faced with the necessity for obtaining maximum yield of marketable coal of all sizes down to and including the finest. Particular interest is being displayed in a more effective means of recovering the finer sizes which in the past so often have been discarded to waste or treated by inadequate equipment. The reasons for this interest are easily understood. Rising mining costs have resulted in the increased use of mechanized equipment underground for full seam mining. This, in turn, means more refuse in the run-of-mine and also more fines in the feed going to the cleaning plant. Stringent antistream pollution laws now make it necessary at least to impound the fines, and usually it is a paying proposition to recover the coal from these fines before sending them to the storage area. Finally, the market and price of the finer sizes has increased, but at the same time specifications have tightened and the demand is for higher grade products. During the past four years a great deal of publicity has been given to this new process and apparatus for treating fine sizes of ores as well as coal. Excellent discussions of the apparatus itself and the theoretical aspects of the basic operating principles involved in its operation have been presented by M. G. Driessen,1-3 M. R. Geer and H. F. Yancey,4,5 J. W. Hyer6 and more recently by D. A. Dahlstrom8 as well as others.7,9-11 In view of this, it has been decided to include in the present paper only a brief description of the cyclone separator and its operating principles. This paper deals primarily with some of the more practical commercial aspects of the process and equipment required for its operation; the variables in the operation of the cyclone, their effect and means for control; and the results obtained with a 6-in. semicommercial size separator on a variety of fine coals, bituminous and anthracite, using finely ground magnetite for the separating medium solids. A description is included of the commercial-size cyclone separator pilot plant installed by the Dutch State Mines at its Emma mine in Holland, where finely ground slate is utilized as medium solids. Field of Application: The Dutch State Mines cyclone separator operates most efficiently on ores and coal in the size range of % in. to about 48 mesh. On some types of feed, effective separation can be made on sizes as small as 100 mesh, but up to the present, this may be considered exceptional. Depending upon the type of medium used, the specific gravities of separation can be varied within wide limits, up to as high as 2.70, if magnetite is used as medium. Early Development: The development of the Dutch State Mines cyclone as a separator, or cleaner, was the outgrowth of early experimental work by Dries-sen' and others in Holland, just prior to World War 11, in the course of which was discovered the effectiveness of the cyclone in reclaiming and thickening the dense medium used in the "Loess" process of

Jan 1, 1951

By H. W. R. Wardlaw

This paper shows how the cost of the drilling operation per 100-ft drilled can be related directly to bit weight, rotary speed and hydraulic horsepower variations. This enables optimum drilling conditions to be determined in a rapid and concise manner. The paper also shows how data for such calculations cun be obtained quickly and accurately by the "drill-off" method suggested by Lubinski. Examples are given to illustrate the principles and methods used. INTRODUCTION The problem of drilling oil wells at lowest cost and hazard needs little introduction, since it has been with us virtually from the earliest days of our industry. With better understanding of the effect of the various factors of bit weight, rotary speed and hydraulic jet action, however, the problem has recently taken on a more scientific aspect, and engineers or groups of engineers have been assigned to study many of the facets of this problem not immediately apparent to the general observer. Moreover, the availability of better equipment and materials has enabled certain practices to be adopted which were hitherto impractical or uneconomic. This has paved the way for further efforts to reduce footage costs, and so on. The improvements to be made in drilling technology and cost reduction are by no means exhausted, and we still frequently hear of new records being set and new materials and equipment becoming available. Some of the analytical methods used by the author to assist in promoting faster and more economic methods of drilling, particularly in Venezuela, form the basis for this descriptive study. STATEMENT OF THEORY AND DEFINITIONS In a highly competitive industry, it is no longer permissible to regard penetration rate as the sole criterion for drilling efficiency. Every new technique, however spectacular, must nowadays be viewed in the cold light of whether it will eventually lead to lower cost per foot drilled. In the exposition which follows, therefore, actual drilling rates will play only a secondary role, and attention will be focused on the more important aspect of cost per foot drilled. Changes in drilling factors such as weight and rotary speed will be studied in the light of how they directly affect the cost of operations. The advantage of this method is twofold—(1) cost increments are indicated directly; and (2) the relationships are, surprisingly enough, simpler than those relating to drilling rates. To achieve these advantages, it is necessary to introduce a new unit of measurement which, although unfamiliar, is readily understood. The unit in question will be referred to as the "actual drilling cost factor" and will be designated by the symbol h. The unit is defined as the number of rotating hours taken to penetrate 100 ft of formation. The unit can be obtained immediately from the actual drilling rate (r) in feet per hour; thus, This latter transformation is so easily effected that it may be convenient to use h as an international symbol for drilling cost, and to delay conversion to dollars, bolivars, pounds, etc, per foot until actually required (e.g., for fiscal reasons, etc.). In actual operations, h was found to vary in a relatively simple manner with increases in bit weight. The variation in h with rotary speed was found to be somewhat more complex. However, this also could be enormously simplified by introducing a further factor known as L or relative bit life. The factor L is also defined very simply by dividing 1,000 by the rotary speed (N) in revolutions per minute.

By T. E. Leontis

Data are presented in this paper to show that addition of zirconium to sand-cast Mg-Th alloys effects a marked decrease in the grain size of these alloys which is accompanied by a significant increase in the mechanical properties over the entire range of thorium content investigated. The beneficial effect of zirconium on the strength properties is maintained at elevated temperatures up to 700°F. In addition the alloys exhibit exceptionally high creep resistance at temperatures up to 600°F. Zirconium does not greatly improve the strength or creep characteristics of extruded Mg-'Th alloys. Cerium is not a desirable addition to Mg-Th-Zr alloys. IN a previous paper,' it was shown that addition of thorium to magnesium imparts exceptionally high resistance to creep at elevated temperatures both in the sand-cast and in the extruded states. The large grain size of the sand-cast alloys, however, renders them of questionable value as engineering materials. Sauerwald² showed that the grain size can be reduced effectively by the addition of zirconium. Results of a detailed study of the properties of Mg-Th-Zr alloys over a wide range of thorium content are presented in this paper. In accordance with the preliminary findings of Sauerwald,² it is shown here that Mg-Th-Zr alloys possess the unusual combination of fine grain size and a high level of strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures. Some information on the effect of cerium on the properties of Mg-Th-Zr alloys is presented also. Effect of Th on Solubility of Zr in Molten Mg Sand-cast test bars and 3 in. diam extrusion billets of Mg-Th-Zr and Mg-Th-Ce-Zr alloys* were pre- pared according to the procedures described in the previous paper.' The zirconium was added in the form of sponge metal as supplied by the Bureau of Mines.' The maximum amount of zirconium that usually can be introduced into magnesium at the customary alloying temperature of 1350° F is about 0.7 pct. The analyses in Table I clearly show that thorium in- creases the solubility of zirconium in liquid magnesium. The tabulated zirconium contents are designated as "acid soluble;" this serves to distinguish these values from the small amount of zirconium that is not dissolved when the alloy is subjected to the action of a dilute acid solution. The "acid-insoluble" zirconium is believed to be ineffective as an alloying ingredient. The acid-insoluble zirconium contents ranged between 0.03 and 0.16 pct in the present alloys, the tendency was toward higher values in alloys with higher thorium content. In contrast to the effect of thorium, cerium decreases the solubility of zirconium in magnesium. This is shown by the three Mg-Th-Ce-Zr alloyst in- cluded in Table I and stands in agreement with the observations of Nelson and Stricter".' on Mg-misch-metal-Zr alloys. Effect of Zr on Grain Size of Mg-Th Alloys The potent effect of zirconium as a grain refiner has been demonstrated for many types of magnesium alloys.3-8 Of greatest importance to date are Mg-Zn-Zr alloys5,6,8 and Mg-mischmetal-Zr alloys.3,4,7 Zirconium has also been found to exert a marked grain-refining action on Mg-Th alloys. All the Mg-Th-Zr alloys cast in the form of ½ in. diam test bars have an exceedingly fine grain size (Table I). Reference to the previous paper' will show that binary Mg-Th alloys containing up to 6 pct Th are almost completely columnar even in the M in. diam reduced section of a test bar, and that 10 to 50 pct Th alloys have an equiaxed grain structure of 0.03 to 0.08 in. The data in Table I also show that addition of cerium to Mg-Th-Zr alloys has no effect on the grain size. In addition to increasing the strength properties, the fine grain size of Mg-Th-Zr alloys

Jan 1, 1953

Discussion of the paper of EZEQUIEL ORDOÑEZ, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 19.14, and printed in Bulletin No. 94, October, 1914, pp. 2531 to 2536. DAVID T. DAY, Washington, D. C.-Dr. Ordoñez is really the pioneer in the study of the occurrence of Mexican oil. His studies came at such an early time as to prove really prophetic. He was successful in pointing out the relationship of these oil deposits to the volcanic teeth which are so very characteristic as a geological feature in the coastal plain of Mexico. At that time only the first wells around Ebano had been drilled, and drilled under the direction of Dr. Ordoñez himself. Only these Ebano wells were available for a real study of the condition of the occurrence of oil, the other large gushers not then being known. From that time on, the study of the geology of the country has, in large measure, been able to keep up with the oil development. As usual, a great deal of haphazard work in the exploration of the oil fields has been carried on. The results have been good, bad, and indifferent. We know a great deal more about the distribution of oil in Mexico than we do about the geology of it. Two ideas have become prevalent in regard to the Mexican oil, due to the peculiar development there: (1) That oil is omnipresent over a tremendous area bounded by De Soto La Marina, in the province of Tamaulipas, on the north, to south of Tuxpam in Veracruz; and (2) that there are very few spots in all this region which have rich gushers. The truth is somewhere between the two. The amount of land taken up, chiefly by three or four large companies, is extremely great, and covers all the possible chances. The idea that oil is going to be discovered in a large percentage of the land taken up by the oil companies, seems to me entirely unjustified. The amount of oil that will be produced from comparatively small spots here and there over that territory and other territory, undoubtedly will be very great. I do not think there is any hope of multiplying the capacity of these large gushers by the area of that part of Mexico in which they are contained, as a, large number of promoters are inclined to do.

Jan 4, 1915

By R. H. Tien

The accuracy of the method of steady-state approximation applied to the problems of heat transfer involving phase change (London and Seban's solution) is improved by defining a "modified heat of fusion" which accounts for the effect of specific heat. An analytical expression for this modified heat of fusion is derived in terms of the actual heat of fusion, specific heat, and surface temperature. Numerical solution for the freezing of iron indicates that the ratio of the modified heat of fusion to the actual heat of fusion increases from 1.04 to 1.4 as the surface temperature decreases from 2700° to 1600°F. The heat transfer process accompanying solidification is complicated owing to the moving solid-liquid interface where the latent heat of fusion is released. Exact analytical solution is available only for a few special cases of freezing problems such as Stefan's1 problem. In a commonly used steady-state approximation method, London and seban's2 solution, the effect of specific heat is neglected. This approximation, however, may introduce some degree of error in mathematical analysis when the temperature of the solid surface is much lower than the freezing temperature, as in the case of freezing metals. In a recent work by Robertson and Schenck,3 the problem of freezing a semi-infinite region with finite surface conductance was programed in a digital computer through the finite difference method. A family of curves for the correction of the London-Seban solution was given in a dimensionless plot for different ratios of heat of fusion and specific heat effect; it was shown that the London-Seban solution when applied to the freezing of a mild steel slab under some particular conditions gave results in error by about 10 pct in the solidification rate. Although the Robertson-Schenck computer result has improved the London-Seban solution to a great extent, lack of generality and the tedious computing procedure have restricted its application. In this paper a "modified heat of fusion" which accounts for the effect of specific heat is defined, and is used instead of the actual heat of fusion in the London-Seban solution. An analytical expression of this modified heat of fusion in terms of the specific heat, surface temperature, and actual heat of fusion is derived by comparing the solutions of Stefan and London-Seban for the case of freezing of a semi-infinite region with constant surface temperature. It can also be extended to the case with finite surface conductance, and the results show good agreement with the Robertson-Schenck computer solution. The expression of the modified heat of fusion, the accuracy of the London-Seban solution, and the temperature distribution within the solid are presented graphically in dimensionless form. Numerical solution for the freezing of iron indicates that the ratio of the modified heat of fusion to the actual heat of fusion increases from 1.04 to 1.40 as the surface temperature decreases from 2700° to 1600°F.

Jan 1, 1969

By A. E. Lee

THE Blackwell Zinc Co., Inc., a subsidiary of the American Metal Co., Ltd., operates a horizontal retort zinc smelter at Blackwell, Okla. The plant has 14 furnace blocks of 800 retorts each, fired with natural gas on a 48 hr cycle. Over 13,000 tons of zinc-bearing material, chiefly sulphide flotation concentrates, are treated monthly to produce slab zinc and high lead-cadmium fume. In 1942 a program of rebuilding and modernizing the smelter was started. By 1947 furnace smelting capacity had been increased to a point where roasting and sintering facilities were inadequate, and it was necessary to purchase oxidized materials to supplement sinter production. The seven 210 ft Ropp roasters and three 42 in. x 44 ft Dwight-Lloyd machines then in use had been in service at least 20 years and were in need of major rebuilding. Thus it was entirely practical to consider all new equipment and a change of method rather than rebuilding and repairing obsolete units. A study of the problem indicated that roasting as such could be eliminated and roasting and sintering accomplished in one step by a modification of the Robson process,' which had been used since the early 1930's by the National Smelting Co., Ltd., at their plants at Avonmouth, England, and Swansea Vale, South Wales. Francis P. Sinn, General Manager, Zinc Smelting Operations, The American Metal Co., Ltd., who was familiar with the practice in England, suggested the use of one large machine for the entire operation from concentrate to sinter. One step sintering appeared to best meet Blackwell's plant requirements and indicated substantial savings in labor, gas, coal, and repair costs. Choice of Machine Size The sinter machine size was set at 12x168 ft for a rated capacity of 540 tons per day. This tonnage, produced on a five day week, would meet the seven day requirements of the 14 furnace blocks. The one large machine was quoted at a lower cost than two or more 6 ft wide machines of similar total capacity. Further, the larger machine could be housed in a smaller structure and only one set of equipment for charge preparation and delivery and for disposal of sinter cake was needed. One machine on a five day week made possible a concentration of the skilled operating personnel and required less men than a plant including two or more machines and related equipment circuits. Fewer units of equipment meant less maintenance, and the two down days weekly allowed ample time to repair and, if necessary, to make up lost production. Experience had indicated better sintering quality and rates with larger masses of material, not only on wider machines, but also in deeper beds. The ratio of windbox perimeter to area for the 12x168 ft machine is 0.179, compared to 0.353 for a 6x102 ft machine and 0.617 for a 42 in. x 44 ft machine. This meant less air leakage with resulting fan power savings and less spoilage of charge along the pallet sides. Performance Initial operation of the new sinter plant was made in November 1951 and regular production attained late in December. The average product sinter output during 1952 and the first half of 1953 has been 18.2 tons per hr. The average for one month has been as high as 22.4 tons per hr. Considerable experimenting with varied operating conditions accounts in part for the below capacity — 24 tons per hr — average output, and work to further improve production rate continues. A typical sinter analyses is 66.0 pct Zn, 0.3 pct Pb, 0.1 pct Cd, 0.3 pct S, 8.0 pct Fe, 2.0 pct SiO,, 0.8 pct CaO, and 0.2 pct MgO. Use of this material has made possible increases in furnace burden and improved furnace operation over the former practice using sinter made from Ropp roasted concentrates. Better lead and cadmium elimination in sintering has permitted the furnace production of slab zinc lower in lead and cadmium. Anticipated economies of operation have largely been gained. The sinter plant is operated by seven men per 8 hr shift — one head operator, three equipment operators and three sweepers — plus one oiler on day shift only. While it has been necessary at times to operate seven days a week to produce the required sinter tonnage, the five day work week usually has been adequate. Consumption of natural gas for sinter bed ignition is 200,000 to 300,000 cu ft per day. Green Ore Sintering Practice The 30 to 31 pct sulphur content of the —200 mesh zinc concentrates is the fuel used to sinter the charge, no coal addition being required. In the feed to the machine, sufficient concentrates are added to crushed return sinter fines containing 0.3 to 0.5 pct sulphur to produce a charge averaging 5.0 to 6.5 pct sulphur. Since the return sinter used in Blackwell's practice is varied from — 1/2 to — 1/8 in., the actual sintering mixture of fine sinter and concentrates is somewhat higher in sulphur. The coarser sinter particles are too large to resinter and merely aid porosity in the sinter bed. The ratio of concentrates to return sinter in the charge ranges from about 1:4 to 1:5.5. Variations are based on the appearance of pried up bed sections, bed exit gas temperature trends, windbox suctions, and return sinter size. Sufficient sulphur must be used to obtain fritting of the charge into a soft sinter cake and to aid in the elimination of lead and cadmium. Excessive feed sulphur will result in partial slagging of the cake impairing porosity and prolonging sintering time.

Jan 1, 1954

By W. M. Small

Austria.—Austria produced some 430 cisterns of 10,000 kg. each of crude oil of a 0.9428 sp. gr. during 1934. Gosting II well near Zis-tersdorf was placed on the pump in August and at the end of the year was still producing about three cisterns daily. This well is owned by the Erdöl-Produktionsgesellschaft while Gösting I is owned by Raky-Danubia. Only five wells were completed in the republic during the year. These accounted for 1783.5 meters of the 2225 meters drilled. The only producer completed was Gosting 11. At the close of the year, four rigs were in operation and one rigging up. At least 8 or 10 new wells are planned in Lower Austria for 1935. The European Gas & Electric Co. put its 6-km. gas line into operation in May and has sold 12,301,550 cu. m. of gas to the Vienna City Electric Works. A 2-km. pipe line was built from Gösting II to the railway loading rack near Zistersdorf. Hungary.—No oil or gas was produced except a small amount of gas trapped from flowing artesian wells. The Government completed and abandoned a 1500-m. hole at Tisztaberek in northeastern Hungary and is drilling at 967 m. near Bogáes, 120 km. northeast of Budapest. It is unofficially reported it plans to drill two new wells in 1935. The European Gas & Electric Co. has a rig up for a test at Mihalyi in Transdanubia. Czechoslovakia.—In Gbely (Egbell) there were produced 1283 cisterns of 10,000 kg. of 0.935 sp. gr. oil and a small amount of gas used for fuel. This field is operated by the Government; 17 shallow producing wells and three dry holes were drilled, with a total of 3351 m. of hole completed. In Hodonin (Goding) there were produced approximately 1300 cisterns of 10,000 kg. each of 0.91 sp. gr. oil and a small amount of gas used for fuel. The field is operated by the Apollo, which drilled four producing wells averaging 460 m. in depth, one small gas well of 550 m., one small gas well 260, and one dry hole 230 m. Two wells were deepened a total of 80 meters. The Government is drilling below 800 m. in a wildcat test in eastern Czechoslovakia near the Rumanian frontier.

Jan 1, 1935

By Otto Wartenweiler

AFTER the phenomenal development of the new mine, the United Eastern Mining Co., with Mr. Frank A. Keith as President, decided to install a reduction plant. The character of the ore, closely resembling the product of other mines in the district, did not offer any particular metallurgical problems, since these neighboring mines had been operating milling plants very successfully for several years. Thus, with the general metallurgical treatment fairly well-defined, the matter of next importance was to design and construct a plant as economically as possible, that would give the best results obtainable. The ore consists of a mixture of calcite and quartz in about equal quantities with some decomposed andesite, while the average value of mill heads were calculated to be $20 plus in gold, no silver being present. The tonnage to be treated at ,the start was fixed at 200 tons, but, in view of the favorable condition of the mine, it was considered advisable to arrange facilities, for increasing the capacity to 400 tons. . While it is best in some cases to adopt a distinct independent unit system where future enlargement is contemplated, in this instance the plans worked out differently. Summarized, the treatment adopted consists of coarse crushing, coarse grinding, fine grinding and cyanidation. For coarse crushing the selection of the No. 6 size gyratory crusher was governed not so much by its capacity as by the size of the feed openings to properly receive the run-of-mine material, which was too coarse for a No. 5 crusher. To accomplish the coarse grinding to. best advantage, a careful comparison was made between the modern steel ball mill-the last word in crushing and grinding-and one of its older, and, at that time better-established, competitors, the rolls.' The following conclusion was reached: While it is possible that for the sized plant under consideration the cost of operating rolls might be a little cheaper, it is preferable to use ball mills because a simpler arrangement is possible, and1 because. the handling of, ball mills is preferred by the operator.

Jan 11, 1917

In the Philippines, where distances are spoken of in terms off fight time, the Sipalay copper mines are two flight hours southeast of Manila on the island of Negros. After landing at the airport in Bacolod, it is then 170 km (106 milers) by surface transportation to Marinduque Mining and Industrial Corp.'s expanding copper operation. While copper deposits were discovered in the area in 1936-and one mine, the Binulig, began operations soon after-it wasn't until 1956 that stripping at Sipalay and construction of a 4000-t/d (4400-stpd) mill began. The mill went into operation in May 1957, and the first shipment of copper concentrate was made three months later.

Jan 8, 1978

By Basil B. Zavoico

During 1938 the Russian oil industry, while able to increase its production 4.69 per cent above the preceding year, was not successful in correcting some of its basic difficulties, and the industry's position as it entered 1939 was unsatisfactory. The internal political difficulties of 1937 and 1938 took a toll in the oil industry as they did elsewhere in the U. S. S. R., further complicating the solution of the problems facing it, most important of which still remain: lack of experienced and responsible leadership, able to make quick decisions; undisciplined and migratory labor; and insufficient and often unsatisfactory quality of the various equipment needed by the industry and its ineffective distribution. Recent developments in the U. S. S. R. suggest that during 1939 the management will be granted more latitude and hence somewhat better results may be anticipated from the executive branch, provided, however, the "purges" do not recur. The labor should be better disciplined and should not shift as easily, owing to the introduction, at the close of 1938, of individual labor passports to all workers in the country, the principal purpose of which is to correct those two deficiencies. It is not anticipated, however, that the service of supply will show any appreciable improvement in 1939, partly because of inherent difficulties and partly because the manufacturers of heavy machinery are working primarily and necessarily for munitions. Production Production of crude oil during 1938 is estimated at 224,714,000 bbl., as compared with 212,742,000 bbl. in 1937, an increase of 4.69 per cent but 12.76 per cent below the planned output. While there were no major readjustments in the source of supply of crude oil, both the older districts, Baku and Grozny, were barely able to maintain their 1937 levels of production, the increased output being supplied primarily by the fields of Maikop and Ural Permian Basin districts. While exploration work was outstandingly successful in 1937, in 1938 no discoveries of any

Jan 1, 1939

By Basil B. Zavoico

During 1938 the Russian oil industry, while able to increase its production 4.69 per cent above the preceding year, was not successful in correcting some of its basic difficulties, and the industry's position as it entered 1939 was unsatisfactory. The internal political difficulties of 1937 and 1938 took a toll in the oil industry as they did elsewhere in the U. S. S. R., further complicating the solution of the problems facing it, most important of which still remain: lack of experienced and responsible leadership, able to make quick decisions; undisciplined and migratory labor; and insufficient and often unsatisfactory quality of the various equipment needed by the industry and its ineffective distribution. Recent developments in the U. S. S. R. suggest that during 1939 the management will be granted more latitude and hence somewhat better results may be anticipated from the executive branch, provided, however, the "purges" do not recur. The labor should be better disciplined and should not shift as easily, owing to the introduction, at the close of 1938, of individual labor passports to all workers in the country, the principal purpose of which is to correct those two deficiencies. It is not anticipated, however, that the service of supply will show any appreciable improvement in 1939, partly because of inherent difficulties and partly because the manufacturers of heavy machinery are working primarily and necessarily for munitions. Production Production of crude oil during 1938 is estimated at 224,714,000 bbl., as compared with 212,742,000 bbl. in 1937, an increase of 4.69 per cent but 12.76 per cent below the planned output. While there were no major readjustments in the source of supply of crude oil, both the older districts, Baku and Grozny, were barely able to maintain their 1937 levels of production, the increased output being supplied primarily by the fields of Maikop and Ural Permian Basin districts. While exploration work was outstandingly successful in 1937, in 1938 no discoveries of any

Jan 1, 1939

By K. W. Nelson, John N. Abersold

INDUSTRIAL hygiene has been defined by Patty' as "the science and art of recognizing, evaluating, and controlling potentially harmful factors in the industrial environment." This definition implies thorough study of operations, evaluation of potentially harmful factors through air sampling, micro-analyses and other means and finally, appropriate medical and engineering control wherever indicated. The prevention of industrial health injuries is a vital part of operations of American industry today. Progress and interest in this field has increased steadily for many years, the most rapid progress having been attained, perhaps, during the last three decades. It is significant to note that there are now official agencies in 46 states actively concerned with industrial health problems and that a western field station has been established recently in Salt Lake City by the U. S. Public Health Service to augment its industrial hygiene services directed from headquarters of the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md. Many of the larger industries have found it advantageous to establish their own industrial hygiene departments. The American Smelting and Refining Co. is a world-wide organization engaged in the mining, smelting, and refining of lead, copper, zinc, silver, gold, by-product metals, including cadmium, arsenic, and others. In the United States there are 13 smelters and refineries, 11 secondary smelters or foundries, and a number of mines. Approximately 9000 workers are normally employed. It has long been the established company policy to seek out occupational hazards and provide safeguards for employee health. Protective equipment has been supplied to individual workers and exhaust ventilation installations have been in use in some operations for more than 40 years. All of the major units have their own medical departments which provide employees with excellent medical and hospital care. In 1937 full scale industrial hygiene studies were undertaken at the Selby Plant and were extended to most of the other smelters during the next three years. In 1945 the Department of Hygiene was organized with Professor Philip Drinker of Harvard University as Director and with Dr. S. S. Pinto as Medical Director. The department is responsible for coordinating and maintaining a program for the good health of all employees from top management down to the lowest paid day worker. It is essentially a service organization serving all of the United States plants regardless of location or size. Full and part-time physicians employed in all of the company's American plants and working in close cooperation with the Medical Director are responsible for de- termining the state of health of all the employees and giving treatment when necessary. In general, medical care is confined to accidents or illnesses occurring while the men are on the job. Among the duties of the doctors is the making of careful physical examinations of new employees and routine check-ups of old employees. In addition to medical care a primary responsibility of the department is the prevention of occupational illnesses. In this the main concern is with the working environment in relation to its effect on the worker. Environmental factors may be dusts, fumes, gases, toxic materials, heat, humidity, radiation, or noise. The objectives are: (1) Immediate control of these factors through the education of the worker, through providing the wearing of respirators or other protective devices, and through careful medical examinations and regular analysis of urine specimens; (2) a long range control program which may be accomplished by local exhaust ventilation, wetting of materials, changes in metallurgy, changes in methods of handling, or by use of special devices and special equipment. To accomplish these objectives a fine industrial hygiene laboratory was built in Salt Lake City and equipped to do routine and experimental work. Trained and experienced industrial hygienists obtain the facts by making frequent hygiene surveys. These surveys include tests of the air, studies of all processes, and careful investigation of ventilation, lighting, and general working conditions. Except in emergencies, the air contaminants and often the substances handled by the worker are sent to the laboratory for analysis by chemists and technicians specially trained in industrial hygiene methods. The findings are evaluated in terms of limits recommended by various State and Federal agencies, and in light of all available medical data. The methods used for studying the working environment involve all of the usual chemical and physical procedures employed in industrial hygiene. The Impinger, electric precipitator, thermal pre-cipitator, and filter paper sampler have been used to collect atmospheric dust and fume samples. Of special interest here is the filter paper sampler, shown in Fig. 1, which was developed by Dr. Silver-man at Harvard University. The instrument has been improved and is used very extensively in field studies. A water manometer connected behind an orifice is used to determine the rate of air flow. Calibration is effected by use of a standard gas meter or rotameter. The dust or fume is collected on a filter paper clamped between two rings, as shown in Fig. 2. The filter paper, such as Whatman No. 52, collects both dust and fume with a very high efficiency. The instrument is very convenient and easily transported. The solids collected on the filter paper are analyzed in the laboratory usually by use of a polar-ographic procedure. By this procedure it is possible to measure quantitatively in a single analysis the

Jan 1, 1952