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By George F. Weaton

Although an almost continuous campaign had been carried on by various experimenters since 1885 to find a commercial process of smelting zinc by electrothermic means, no commercial success was attained in the United States. The St. Joseph Lead Co., appreciating the theoretical possibilities of such a process, such as the ability to construct units of large capacity, quality control, and the possibility of treating complex and refractory ores, decided in 1926 that the process was worthy of further investigation, and in that year, at one of its southeast Missouri plants, began the development of the electrothermic zinc-smelting process according to the invention of the late Earl C. Gaskill. Late in 1929 the process reached a stage of commercial significance, and in 1930 the erection of a modern electrothermic zinc smelter was begun, at Josephtown, Beaver County, Pa. The site is 3 miles from Monaca, which is on the main line of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, and a spur of the railroad has been constructed to the plant site. The site borders upon the Ohio River, which is navigable for 600 to 800-ton barges. This district was selected for the plant after an economic survey involving such questions as cost and availability of electric power, reduction fuel, transportation facilities, and the transportation charges on raw and finished materials, labor conditions, and taxes. The initial unit of the plant was designed to treat daily 120 tons of 58 per cent zinc sulphide concentrates from the company's mines in St. Lawrence County, New York. The plant equipment is housed in seven modern steel-frame buildings, and includes: Roasting and Acid Plants 3000-ton concentrate storage. Two Nichols-Herreshoff 21 ft. 6-in. diameter, 12-hearth roasters with usual cast-iron airshaft supporting chromium-alloy rabble arms and rabbles. SO2 gas purification system consisting of: One double-compartment hot-dust Cottrell precipitator. Cast-iron sinuous air-contact gas cooler.

Jan 1, 1937

By R. W. Raymond

THE death of Privy Councilor Bruno Kerl, on March 25, 1905, terminated a distinguished and useful career. Bruno Kerl was born March 24, 1824, at St. Andreasberg in the Harz, and entered in 1840 the mining school of Clausthal, where he studied for three years, working at the same time in the mines and stamp-mills. After an additional year of practice in the silver-reduction and iron-works of the Upper Harz, he passed his examination as a metallurgical graduate, and studied for a year at Göttingen under WV filer in chemistry, Hausmann in mineralogy, and eminent teachers in other branches. In 1846 he was employed at the Oker works, but very soon left this post, to become a tutor in chemistry, metallurgy, etc., at Clausthal, where he continued to labor until 1867. During this period the Clausthal school became a completely equipped Mining Academy, and Kerl was made in 1862 a full professor. Meanwhile, in addition to the work of instruction, he discharged, simultaneously or successively, the duties of many responsible official positions in the Royal Hanoverian administration of mines and smelting-works, and also published many valuable books and treatises. Among these were professional guide-books to the Upper and Lower Harz, and their characteristic metallurgical processes; a manual of qualitative and quantitative blow-pipe analysis; another of metallurgical assaying ; and, most important of all, a Handbook of Metallurgy in four volumes, the second edition of which was issued in Leipzig, 1861-1865. This book was speedily recognized as the leading authority in its field. In this country, the English translation and revision, by Crookes and Röhrig, published about 1869, had a large circulation. In addition to these literary labors, Prof. Kerl became in

Jul 1, 1905

By Thomas T. Read

REVIEWING the events of the year in mineral industry education, a certain amount of either amusement or irritation, depending upon one's viewpoint, can be derived front the section dealing with mining engineering in Walter B. Pitkin's "New Careers for Youth" which appeared during the summer. On p. 102 Prof. Pitkin says "The mining engineer is disappearing .. . because . . . the profits of mining decline rapidly with the age of the mine." In his "Are Too Many Students Taking Mining Courses?" published in the May issue of this journal, W. B. Plank presents statistics showing that there was some decline in student enrollment in mining and metallurgical courses in 1932-3 and 1933-4, compared with 1930-31, but that the decline was proportionate to that in all lines of engineering study combined. Informal reports from Institute officials that have visited tinning schools during the fall indicate that nearly all schools showed an increase in enrollment for the current school year. Pre else statistics will be made available by Prof. Plank at the Annual Meeting. His study last year provided, for the first time, accurate and complete information on the enrollment in mining schools, as well as the number of various courses and the degree granted, and it will be interesting to have comparable figures for this year. Prof. Pitkin's views on the future opportunities for mining engineers were discussed at some length - on pages 439-4.40 of the November issue of MINING AND METALLURGY.

Jan 1, 1935

By AIME AIME

THE World. Engineering Congress closed as it opened, with a brilliant and dignified ceremony. On Oct. 29, 1929, there were hearty speeches of welcome and of hope for the successful issue of this international gathering; on Nov. 7, the farewells were even more heartfelt expressions, and anticipation gave place to, realization. H. I. H. Prince Yasuhito of Chichibu, who had graciously opened the Congress; was unavoidably absent at the closing ceremony, being on duty with his command at the Army maneuvers, so that the principal speech was made by the President of the Congress, Baron Furuichi. The outstanding statistics of the meetings were: an over-all attendance, delegates and members, of 800 from overseas and 2800 Japanese 83 sectional meetings, all. meetings having practically capacity attendance, this being especially true of Section 11, mining and metal¬lurgy, where standing room only was commonly the rule; and 780 papers were presented, in full or in abstract or by title. H. I. H. Prince Chichibu attended each section on Oct. 31. The large attendance of Japanese students was notable at most sections.

Jan 1, 1929

By CARL B. SNYDER

PERHAPS the most extraordinary thing about business, the trade and production of the country as a whole, is its amazing continuity and growth, its momentum and energy. It goes on year after year, growing steadily, almost without breaks, in spite of every kind of disturbance. We have been grossly deceived into the idea that business is highly variable. We have taken a few things like pig iron, and the like, constructional activity broadly, and imagined that these are a trustworthy measure of trade. Actually they are the worst that we could find. They do not apply to more than 10 per cent or, at the most, possibly 15 per cent of the total of the country's industrial activity. The other 85 or 90 per cent, or even more, goes on growing surely and steadily just like the growth of population and the steady advance in technique, invention, discovery, and improved methods of production Let me give you what seems to me one of the most remarkable examples of this amazing momentum and regularity. You know that 90 per cent or more of the business of the country is done 'by means of checks. About seven-eighths of the total of all checks drawn are reported regularly every week in the newspapers. Let us follow these reports from week to week, just as they come, and plot them up against the correspond- ing weeks of last year, and the year before, and the gear before that, as far back as you would like to go. Take especially the figures for 140 selected cities out- side of New York.

Jan 1, 1929

By Walter A. English

CONTENTS PAGE Introduction. By WALTER A. ENGLISH 1 Theory of Seismic Reflection Prospecting. By WILLARD H. TRACY 2 Instruments for Reflection Seismograph Prospecting. By ARTHUR NOMANN 9 Seismograph Field Operations. By FRANK ITTNER 15 Determining Geologic Structure from Seismograph Records. By P. C. KELLY 22 INTRODUCTION BY WALTER A. ENGLISH,* MEMBER A.I.M.E. THE four papers making up this symposum have been prepared espe-cially for those who have no knowledge of seismograph prospecting. To many people mathematics is a formidable subject, and many are discouraged from studying seismograph prospecting under the mistaken assumption that the mathematical requirements are severe. In the papers presented here there is not a single mathematical equation. We believe that considerable competence in dealing with some of the most important problems of this work can be attained without any mathe-matical training whatever. At the present time, there is a real need for interpretation of results by persons thoroughly competent to bring geologic experience and imagination to bear on data that are subject to multiple interpretation from a strictly physical viewpoint. Likewise, those charged with the responsibility of planning seismo-graph exploration campaigns would do well to become familiar with as . much as possible of the technical aspects of the work. They would then be in better position to judge of its success in individual cases. It has often been said that the seismograph is a new structure-finding tool for the geologists to use. Using a tool and using its product are two different things. One does not use an automatic screw-threading machine when he buys a box of screws at the hardware store. Neither does the geologist

Jan 1, 1939

By W. M. Corse

AS THE outstanding contribution of the Committee on Correlation of Research of the Institute of Metals Division for 1932, may be mentioned the publication of Bureau of Mines Information Circular 6637, entitled "Research Activities in the Mineral Industries of the United States." This circular was compiled by A. C. Fieldner and Alden H. Emery, members of the Committee, in cooperation with the Bureau, and comprises a285-page list of research problems reported to the Bureau as engaging the attention of the various mineral industries. To obtain this information questionnaires were sent to 106 governmental agencies, 338 trade and professional associations, 524 colleges and universities, 9 endowed research institutions, and 1847 private companies and consulting laboratories. In order that the returns should be as complete as possible, the original mailing list included names from which it was not expected much pertinent information would be obtained. However, the procedure was justified as significant returns were obtained from many of these.

Jan 1, 1933

By AIME AIME

CHARACTERIZING the annual meeting as the biggest and best one yet has happened so repeatedly that some may suspect it has become a conventional phrase, like "good morning," and yet, what else can be said when not only one but all the many who express an, opinion use exactly those words, while the first of the two adjectives refers to a physical fact that is established by count. Perhaps there were hose who thought it not the best, but if so they were too tactful to say it out loud. So without further ado . let us admit that the one hundred and thirty-ninth general meeting of the A. I. M. E. held; as our By-laws provide, in New York during the third week of February, was the biggest and best of them all. Perhaps it is because we appreciate friendliness more as we grow older, but somehow the friendly atmosphere seems to rise slowly in temperature with the passing of the years. The actual atmosphere on the opening morning was quite the contrary, Feb. 17 being the coldest clay, so far, of this winter, and the suburbanites claimed that their thermometers had registered 5" below zero when they got up, though the official records of the weather man did not go that low. From that time the temperature steadily rose until Thursday afternoon, when the official record of 66" constituted a record high for Feb. 20 at New York. The weather man explained it by learned discussion of highs and lows, but we suspect the A.I. M. E. members must have had something to do with it.

Jan 1, 1930

?AARONSON, ALFRED E, .Vice-Pres, Mid-Co Petroleum Co , Mid-Co Bldg, Tulsa, Okla '18 ABADIE, EMILE R, Min Engr - Box 927, Porterville, Cal '76 ||ABADILLA, QuiRiCo A, Student, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo. '20 ABBOTT, CLARENCE E, Gen'l Supt, Iron Mines Div, Tenn Coal, Iron & R R Co , 1405 Minnesota Ave, Bessemer, Ala. '04 ABBOTT, Louis BENJAMIN, Chief Engr, Consolidation Coal Co-, Elkhorn Div, Jenkins, Ky '15 ABBOTT, ROBERT R Met. Engr, Peerless Motor Car Co, Cleveland, Ohio. '12 ABE, ASAKA Fujita Min Co, Dojima, Osaka, Japan '14 ABEEL, GEORGE H, JR, Cons Min Engr, 633 St Paul Ave, Los Angeles, Cal '18 ABEL, ALBERT E, Mgr., Pittsburgh Dist, Valley Mould & Iron Corpn, 28th St & R R Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa '19 ABEL, W D, Min. Engr. 3897 Sacramento St , San Francisco, Cal. '19 ABELL, 0 J, Pres & Treas, Abell-Howe Co, 332 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill '19 ABERNATHY, G E Willow Springs, Mo '20 ABEY, HIROSHI, Min & Met Engr, Arakawa Mine, Mitsubishi Co, Senpoku-gun, Akitaken, Japan '17

Jan 1, 1923

The First Conference of the Powder Metallurgy Committee convened in the East Foyer of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, New York City, at 9:45 a.m., on Feb. 21, 1944, Mr. John Wulff, General Chairman, presiding. THE CHAIRMAN.-In behalf of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers I welcome all members and guests to this conference on Powder Metallurgy. We hope that this meeting will give expert and novice in the field a chance for discussion. Unfortunately, the subject has been overemphasized by some, and, of late, severely criticized by others. We have here today powder producers, fabricators, and engineers of different viewpoints, who can make the meeting a success. Such success depends not only on the caliber of the papers presented but more so on the discussion. To give you time for a free exchange of views, the papers have been shortened purposely. With the hope that you will all benefit by this conference, I shall turn the meeting over to the Chairmen of the morning session, Mr. Roland P. Koehring, of Moraine Products Division of General Motors, and Dr. R. K. Waring, of the New Jersey Zinc Company. SESSION ON DESIGN FACTORS IN POWDER METALLURGY R. P. Koehring and R. K. Waring presiding The opening paper of the session was presented by Mr. Fred P. Peters, as follows:

Jan 1, 1945

By F. N. Speller

ASIDE from the Tuesday symposium on gases in metals, the Iron and Steel Division swung into action for the first time on the third day of the meeting with a discussion of iron and steel alloys. Dr. E. S. Davenport opened the discussion on Wednesday morning by presenting the paper written by himself in association with E. C. Bain and W. S. N. wiring on the equilibrium diagram of iron-manganese-carbon alloys. A written discussion by Mr. Scott showed qualitative agree- ment, but some quantitative disagreement. Messrs. Marsh and Sisco discussed the paper at length, pointing out non- agreement of certain conclusions with the phase rule. Dr. Krivobok, although differing with the authors on some points, stated that in his opinion the information collected would be valuable in the practical use of these alloys.

Jan 1, 1932

By WILLIAM J. LINNEY

MAGNETITE ore from Lyon Mountain, so- called "Low Phos Chateaugay," has long been known to the iron and steel industry for its almost complete absence of impurities. These magnetites occur along the northern foothills of the Adirondacks in several parallel and folded stringers which are continuous for several miles, striking generally northeast-southwest and dipping usually over 45° to the northwest, or roughly toward the St. Lawrence River. Ore of minable thickness is found in shoots of various sizes as to length and breadth, but of undetermined and possible great depth.

Jan 1, 1943

By Bruce W. Gonser

TIN is not yet classed as a rare metal, but it has taken a long stride in that direction in the last ten months. It is now in Group 1 of the War Production Board's critical list, along with such company as magnesium aluminum, and nickel. This is in sharp contrast with the position a year ago when the supply well exceeded demand, and tin was used when feasible in place of really scarce metals. The geographical sources of tin production in recent years are shown in Table 1. Preponderance of former production in southeastern Asia, particularly Malaya and the Netherlands Indies (but all now controlled by the Japanese). is entirely too marked to be funny. Of the 1940 known world production of 237,000 long tons nearly all was controlled by the United States, Great Britain, and their friends. Now their supply is from countries that produced only 28 per cent of that amount. This excludes China and Australia, which because of shipping difficulties and local consumption, cannot be expected to export much tin. In spite of some expected increase in production, therefore, the supply is, and will continue to stay for at least several years, way below that desired for even normal uses. Although deliveries to consumers in the United States alone

Jan 1, 1942

A self-appointed, committee consisting of J. Waldo Smith, Chairman, Richard S. Buck, J. J. Carty, J. Parke Channing, E. L. Corthell, Alfred Craven, Thomas Crimmins, Gano Dunn, George Gibbs, Alex. C. Humphreys, F. L. Hutchinson, Charles Warren Hunt, D. S. Jacobus, John W. Lieb, William Barclay Parsons, George H. Pegram, Charles F. Rand, Calvin W. Rice, Robert Ridgway, William L. Saunders, Merritt H. Smith, Bradley Stoughton, and William H. Wiley, organized a course of seven free lectures on military engineering, which were given by Captains Thomas M. Robins, Richard T. Coiner, Edward D. Ardery, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, and which was under direction of Major General Leonard Wood. The United Engineering Society presented, without charge, the use of the auditorium for the purpose of these lectures, but the interest proved to be more than three times as much as had been expected, and it was therefore necessary to divide the courses into three parts, one of which was given in the afternoon in the auditorium of the United Engineering Societies Building, one in the evening in the same place, and another in the evening in the auditorium of, the American Society of Civil Engineers. These lectures occurred on Mondays, from Feb. 14 to Mar. 27, 1916. The subjects and speakers were as follows: Feb. 14, 1916: Organization and Duties of Engineers in War, and what Engineers in Civil Life will be called upon to do in the Defence Of the United States. Captain Thomas M. Robins, Corps of Engineers. Feb. 21, 1916: The Service of Reconnaissance Including Surveying, Mapping and Sketching, Photography and Map Reproduction. Captain Richard T. Coiner.

Jan 5, 1916

By Strathmore R. B. Cooke, Iwao Iwasaki

RECENTLY spectrophotometry has been reported to provide a convenient technique for the rapid and reproducible determination of xanthate concentration in pulp solutions,12 and for a kinetic study of xanthate decomposition in acid solutions." Since the application of this analytical technique is feasible for those compounds showing pronounced light absorption maxima in the near ultraviolet region, it was deemed advisable to investigate the absorption spectra of some of the organic compounds that are used in flotation. It is known empirically that certain groups of atoms in an organic compound cause characteristic light absorption in the ultraviolet and near ultraviolet range, and the wavelengths and intensities of the corresponding absorption maxima are relatively independent of the nature of the remainder of the compound. The characteristic values of such groups, which are known as chromophores, are given in the literature.4,5 According to this information, many of the sulphydryl compounds are expected to show absorption maxima in the near or long wavelength ultraviolet region, whereas the saturated fatty acids and the saturated alkylamines do not. This article reports the absorption spectra of the six following types of sulphydryl compounds; mono-, di-(xanthate), and trithiocarbonates, dithiocarba-mate, dithiophosphate (aerofloat), and mercaptan. A Beckman DU quartz spectrophotometer was used to investigate the spectra in the wavelength region of 215 to 350mp. Materials: All the mono-, di-, and trithiocarbonates used in this investigation were prepared in the usual manner" from appropriate compounds obtained from Eastman Distillation Product Industries. The dithiocarbonates included the normal alkyl compounds from methyl to octyl inclusive, as well as the isopropyl, isobutyl, and isoamyl xanthates. Iodo-metric titration gave 99.7 and 99.5 pct purity for

Jan 1, 1958

By P. A. van der Meulen

Some time ago, the writer received from W. O. Borcherdt, Superintendent of the works of the Bertha Mineral Co. at Austinville, Va., several specimens of a dense yellowish slag-like material, containing cavities showing clear needle-like crystals, and representing a product formed by the fumes of zinc oxide and basic lead sulphate from the oxide furnace, attacking the firebrick lining of the flues. The matrix, which is of a greenish-yellow 'color, is made up chiefly of an amorphous glass, carrying numerous crystals, the latter being well-defined, clear, and transparent, but colored a very light yellow by small amounts of ferric oxide. A number of the crystals were carefully separated from the matrix and tested with the blowpipe. They have a fusibility of about 2, yield a globule of lead and a coating of lead oxide before the blowpipe on charcoal, and contain some zinc. Their hardness is 5 to 6. Under the microscope the crystals appear to be made up of a prism, with narrow faces, and a fairly large pinacoid, but unfortunately show no terminal faces (Fig. 1). Between crossed nicols they gave parallel extinction in the three planes containing the crystallographic axes, and are therefore orthorhombic. The index of refraction is high. A number of the best crystals were measured on the reflection goniometer, the angles given below representing the average of measurements made on different individuals. mm = 46º 52' mb = 66º 34' a :b :c = 0.4334:l:? Inasmuch as the results indicate that the crystals do not correspond with any silicate of lead and zinc, either natural or artificial, heretofore

Jan 1, 1918

CHARLES F: WILLIS,* Bisbee, Ariz. (written discussion?).-An employment department operated only with the object of relieving the foremen from hiring and for the purpose of centralizing record keeping is not likely to be entirely successful, and is doing but a small part of the good that practice has shown is possible; although it was .probably a desire to save time and to conduct the business more conveniently that led many mining companies to centralize their employment department. The ultimate object, however, is the reduction of labor turnover, by obtaining men better qualified to fill the positions to which they are assigned, by following up their work and providing for transfer to other departments or for promotion, if advisable, by reducing the number of quits for inconsequential reasons, and by supervising such laying-off as is necessary in such a way that the permanent force is not upset. It provides a stability 'of employment, free from favoritism and paternalism, probably the best form of employment insurance that we can have. The value of the employment department is in direct proportion to the breadth of its supervisor, his ability to estimate and place men, his sympathy in dealing with their petty troubles, and his analysis of quits and the reasons therefor. There is probably no better index of the soundness of the industrial relationship between the employee and the employer than the reasons why men quit; an intelligent, unbiased analysis of these reasons tells where corrective measures are necessary. In nine cases out of ten the reasons are small grievances, easily corrected, and are things usually overlooked by mine officials.

Jan 6, 1919

By Eckley B. Coxe

AT the first meeting of the Institute, a paper was read by Mr. Rothwell, calling attention to the importance of at once considering the great waste of anthracite coal under the present system of mining and preparing that fuel for market, and a committee was appointed to examine and report upon the method now in use. About the time the committee were selected, a general resumption of work, after the long strike, took place in the coal regions, and the members of the committee have not in consequence had as much leisure to devote to the study of the question as its importance de¬mands. In the present preliminary report we shall merely sketch out the plan which we propose to pursue in our investigations, so that when our fellow-members are called upon to assist us in our work by fur¬nishing statistics, etc., they may understand more clearly for what object our inquiries will be made. As one of the most practicable methods of obtaining the informa¬tion requisite for an intelligent consideration of our subject, we pro¬pose to send, from time to time, to members and others interested in the mining of anthracite coal, printed sets of questions relating to points under consideration. We would here impress upon our fellow¬-members the importance of filling up these papers as far as they can from their own knowledge. We would, of course, wish each ques¬tion to be answered as fully as possible, but we do not expect every one to answer them all. One question well answered would be of more use to us than the whole paper filled up with answers, many of

Jan 1, 1873

By Jack Fox

It is some time since these columns have contained a report to the members on just what is doing in the Society of Mining Engineers. Accordingly, even though it is now a month and a half after the Annual Meeting in Denver, it seems that a report on what transpired at the SME Board Meeting there is in order. First off, I'd like to say that the Members of the Society of Mining Engineers can be justly proud of their representatives on the SME Board of Directors. Of 21 members and officers on the "Old" Board of Directors, 19 were present. President Brower Dellinger chaired the "Old" Board Meeting. Of the 21 members on the "New" Board of Directors, every single one was present. James Boyd, the outgoing AIME President, attended and expressed his appreciation of the support that the Society of Mining Engineers had given him during his year as President of AIME. Members Multiply Robert S. Shoemaker, Chairman of the SME Membership Committee, pointed out that based on figures available, the Society of Mining Engineers had a net gain of 523 members during 1969 while SPE had a 490 net gain and The Metallurgical Society a net loss of 159. This is probably the first time in the last 20 years that anyone has exceeded the SPE net gain in membership. While SME still has a way to go to surpass the Society of Petroleum Engineers in number of members, we did have, on December 1, 1969, 16,369 members. However, 419 were dropped at the end of that month leaving us with a net for the year of 15,950.

Jan 1, 1970

By Charles A. Colton

The results of a series of analyses extending over a period of three weeks at the Cedar Point Iron Company's furnace, Port Henry, New York, are given in Tables I and 11. This furnace uses a very pure magnetite and Lehigh and Lackawanna anthracite. The flue leading the gas from the "down-comer" to the boilers was tapped by a 2 inch gas pipe, which carried the gas to the Orsat apparatus. The pressure of the gas not always being sufficient, owing to the small amount made, to force it into the apparatus, I omitted taking samples several days, and with the exception of the last three days of the campaign, made the analyses whenever opportunity offered. I find the Orsat apparatus, as described by Prof. Egleston," to work very well, with one exception. The CO is not absorbed as readily in the ammonia-copper solutiou as he states in his description of the apparatus, as many as 50, and sometimes GO, passes being necessary to absorb all the CO. The power of absorbing rapidly increases as the solution is used, and this would indicate that the more oxygen it contains the quicker will it do the work. Probably the addition of a small amount of some oxidizing agent would remedy this. When the furnace was working in its normal condition, I had no occasion for using the filter, the amount of fume being so small as not to canse any inconvenience. The gas burned with the flame peculiar to CO, and contained just enough solid particles to give it a slight reddish tinge.

Jan 1, 1879