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By Albert L. Toenges

Alaska requires an adequate fuel supply for its development, and has large potential coal reserves ranging from lignite to subbituminous and anthracite. Coal production in the Territory now is less than the requirements. In L947, production was 361,000 tons, divided about equally between bituminous coal from the Matanuska field and subbituminous coal from the Nenana field. There is need for development of modern mechanized mines, which should produce the required output with a minimum of workers. These mines should not be thought of in the light of large potential capacity, as in the States. However, these new mines should be developed by modern methods, which should result in lower costs than at Present. Because of the diverse physical conditions in the coal fields, intensive investigation by diamond drilling is necessary to properly plan the development and equipment of mine sites at minimum cost. The Bureau of Mines is doing this now in the Wishbone Hill area of the Matanuska field. All coal land in Alaska is government-owned and subject to the Coal Leasing Act. Coal mining in Alaska has been handicapped by an inadequate supply of dependable workers. Wage scales have been very high in recent years, and "floaters" have been attracted to the coal mines. This type of labor is not conducive to efficient operation. Modernization of mines will require skilled and dependable workers and to induce such men to become interested in coal mining in Alaska, modern facilities, such as modern houses, schools, churches, and recreation halls, must be provided near the mines. Alaska is still a frontier and improvements in living standards must accompany development of mines in order that a stable community may be established. Coal is known to have been mined in Alaska at Port Graham, on Cook Inlet, by the Russians in 1854. During the Klondike gold rush in 1898, coal was mined in scattered areas for use on steamers plying the Yukon River and its navigable tributaries. After the Alaska Railroad was built, two important fields were developed—the Nenana and the Matanuska (Fig 1). The Bering River field was explored by the Guggenheim interests at one time, and a railroad to the area was constructed. However, the field was abandoned because of litigation and reported unsatisfactory physical condition of the beds. There are areas that today are unimportant but which may be developed in the future. Possibly the most important of these is the deposits of subbituminous coal adjacent to Cook Inlet, near Homer, on the Kenai Peninsula (see Fig 1). It is expected that the demand for coal in the Kenai Peninsula will increase because the population in that area has increased as a result of agricultural development. Numerous outcrops of coal are exposed on the peninsula and development of a mine there would obviate dependence on supplies of coal from the Matanuska field. Coal from this field must be shipped approximately 160 miles by rail to Seward and transported thence by boat about 180 miles to Homer. There has been no regular boat service from Anchorage to Homer. There are deposits of coal in the Arctic region but a description of them will not be given in this paper, which will describe the more important deposits in the Alaska Railroad belt. The results of a reconnaissance in the Arctic have been described.' Description of Fields MATANUSKA FIELD The Matanuska field lies in the valleys of the Matanuska River and its tributaries and their separating ridges. This field has been interpreted by geologists as a sunken fault block that separated the Talkeetna Range of mountains from the Chugach Range. The Matanuska River flows west along the south side of the field and the Glenn highway, which extends from Anchorage via Palmer to the Richardson highway near Glen Allan, follows the Matanuska Valley. This road to the coal field can be traveled the year around. Although the snow-

Jan 1, 1950

By C. M. Ball

The magnetic concentration of iron-ores has been so often and so widely studied and discussed among the members of the Institute that any remarks concerning its general importance, from an economic standpoint, would be superfluous; but it is thought that a description of the Ball and Norton ore-separator, designed for cobbing and separating magnetic iron-ores, indicating its essential differences from other machines and the advantages claimed for it, together with some account of recent results obtained in its application to the concentration of such ores, will prove of interest. This machine is the joint invention of Mr. Sheldon Norton, of Hokendauqua, Pa., and the writer, and has been patented in the United States, Canada, and other countries. Of the accompanying illustrations, Pig. 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the perfected ore-separator, adapted for separating fine ore, and Fig. 2 the same, adapted for cobbing ore of the size of stove- or chestnut-coal. The two designs are identical in principle, and vary from each other in minor details only. The apparatus consists of a partially-closed chest, having an opening at f, from the feed-hopper, h, through which the ore is delivered to the machine from an ore-pocket or storage-bin provided with means for regulating the flow of ore, so that, when the machine

Jan 1, 1891

By H. K. Work

THE instrument for the rapid determination of carbon in steel, described in this paper, was developed originally to facilitate the opera-tion of the pilot-sized open-hearth furnace in the Jones & Laughlin Research and Development Laboratory. In this small furnace, with its shallow bath, the drop in carbon is accelerated, and a rapid, reliable test for carbon content is indispensable. This problem becomes rather acute when it is desired to finish heats at a carbon content higher than can be estimated with any degree of accuracy by the fracture test. Several independent methods for determining carbon were investigated, therefore, and it was found that a relatively simple magnetic device could be made to give reproducible results. A laboratory instrument was designed and set up for the use of the furnace operators. It was tested exhaustively in the laboratory and was used with considerable success for following the carbon content in the furnace bath. As soon as suffi-cient data had been compiled to indicate that the instrument might have a wider application, a more rugged model was constructed and placed in the mill to be tested on commercial heats. Finally, about a year ago, instruments were furnished to the plant open-hearth shops, and these have been in use since that time. As a matter of convenience, the instrument has been named the "Carbanalyzer," and will be referred to by this designation in the following pages. ?

Jan 1, 1939

By Herbert A. Everest

The idea of economical production is usually associated with large operations, tonnages, and mines, with even larger capital behind them. , Nevertheless many small mines operate in the shadow of large competitors and make a good showing on the capital invested despite larger overhead expenses. For the purpose of this discussion I will divide the cost of production into classes, and specify opposite each the approximate percentagc expended thereon: 1. Labor, including miners and company men; 60 to 75 per cent. 2. Development, including all necessary .yardage, room turning, crosscuts, etc.; 7 to 12 per cent. 3. Deadwork, covering payment to miners for handling falls, draw-slate, or faults, rock work, water, and in general, all nonproductive labor; 3 to 7 per cent. 4. Supplies: mine timbers, oil, brattice material, lumber, cement, and repairs to equipment; 2 to 6 per cent. 5. Expense: management, selling, office, taxes, etc.; 1 to 5 per cent. 6. Depreciation of coal reserves and royalties; 6 to 10 per cent. 7. Depreciation of equipment and interest on capital invested; 1 to 3 per cent. 8. Fuel; ½ to 1½ per cent. The labor cost for a small mine is relatively much lower than for a large mine, particularly the sum paid to company men. Idle-pay expense is cut to a minimum; the labor item being larger than all the others together, a saving in labor makes a decided showing on the total cost. The development charges in small and large mines are about the same. There should be a small showing on the deadwork item in favor of the small mine. The unit cost for supplies is usually small in the small mine. The operator of the small mine finds, owing to a limited tonnage, that the expenses of management, selling, etc., are abnormally high. The item, depreciation of coal reserves and royalties, is usually about

Jan 1, 1916

By Charles H. Snow

The engineer has often to penetrate difficult or unknown regions. Mineral, irrigation, boundary and railway problems frequently necessitate journeys through, or long residence in, localities whence sustenance cannot be drawn. The selection and conveyance of provisions, outfit and implements thus become a matter of the first importance. Scientific skill, even of the highest order, is powerless unless supported by the proper appliances and foods. The advance of civilization favors the engineer, in that it is constantly enlarging his facilities and thus reducing his difficulties. Notwithstanding this fact, many are yet brought face to face with the problems considered in this paper. Distinction must be made between parties which are to be in constant or even occasional touch with a base of supplies, and those which will be for a long time dependent on their original outfit. Again, the requirements of a party on the march are different from those of a fixed camp. The district, season, cliinate, size and personnel of party also influence the character of the outfit. A party that is to be detached from its base of supplies for some time requires a greater variety of food than if it is to be gone for a short time. Much less in proportion need be taken where the journey is not long, so that privation is confined to a limited period. The ability to establish a fixed camp permits a larger outfit than would be possible if the camp mere to be moved from day to day. Transportation, climatic and other conditions are thus so varied that lists prepared for one work could hardly be applied to any other without some modification. Lists that have proved successful in some instances may, however, serve as bases to be added to, or otherwise altered, for the case in hand. The mistake usually made is in providing too large an outfit. Every emergency cannot be provided for; so that it is well to take, not what may be needed, but what cannot be spared.

Jan 1, 1900

By I. N. Knapp

I Herewith present some notes on the use of Portland cement to cement in the casing, and for plugging, to exclude water from oil and gas wells, and the methods employed. I have used my best efforts to. make each step of the operation of cementing wells perfectly clear. The information is the result of actual experience and observation. The illustrations are from original drawings made especially for this paper. Portland Cement It is not necessary to discuss here the manufacture of cement. Any established brand of the slower setting Portland cements may be purchased with the confidence that it will harden, if properly used, and exclude water from and plug wells efficiently. Setting.—By the setting of cement is meant its initial change from a soft or plastic mortar to a friable solid. After the cement has become thoroughly set it is still very weak and can be readily pulverized in the fingers. Setting is thought to be effected by the crystallizing out of the silicate and the aluminate of lime, which are soluble in water in their anhydrous form. After dissolving in the water they pass to the hydrated state, in which they are insoluble, and hence are precipitated in a crystalline form. Ordinarily neat Portland cement mortar remains perfectly plastic for from 1 to 1 1/2 hr. after mixing with water at about 70" F. A higher temperature accelerates and a lower retards setting.. Hardening.—This is due to a continual crystallization of salts from solution, and to further chemical and physical changes which develop slowly, but which continue for long periods of time. Testing.—It is no more necessary for an operator to go into the scientific testing of cement to be used in a well than to so test the pipe used. He must depend for the quality of each on the tests and reliability of the manufacturer. Cement or pipe may be damaged in shipment so

Jan 1, 1915

By Charles T. Van Winkle

Until the advent of the porphyry coppers and the introduction of flotation which soon followed, crushing and grinding for many years proceeded along somewhat stereotyped lines, without important alteration in type of machinery. For the finer crushing and grinding, stamps, rolls, and various patterns of Huntington and Chilean mills were in general use. Ball-mills were in use abroad, but owing to their small capacity and the high cost of screens and steel, they never obtained much footing in the United States. Tube-mills were first introduced into the crushing departments of cyanide plants when it was found that for crushing finer than 30-mesh other types of crushing machinery were not efficient. In order to crush with one pass, these mills were made 18 to 22 ft. (5.5 to 6.7 m.) in length. Pebbles were used as a grinding medium and the mills were lined with either silex blocks or fragments of quartz or flint pebbles set in cement. While the cylindrical tube pebble-mill had been used to some extent in small installations of concentration mills, the first instance of its use on a large scale was at the concentrating plant of the Miami Copper Co., where 8-ft. by 22-in. (2.5-m. by 55.9-cm.) Hardinge mills were tried out against Chileans. The results of these experiments led to the gradual replacement of the Chilean by the Hardinge mill. Robert Franke published an article' describing the work done, comparing the two types of mills. At the same time, according to Franke, a test was run using a 6-ft. (1.8-m.) Hardinge ball-mill as a substitute for rolls for intermediate crushing on 1/2-in. material. According to Franke, this mill was soon discarded, since it was found that to obtain the desired product the mill must be limited in capacity. The Miami Copper Co. made no test with other types of ball- or pebble-mills. Following this example, others installed the conical type; and when the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. decided to build a concentrator, it adopted the conical mill. As the requirements for mills would be very large, it purchased manufacturing rights in the State of Arizona from the

Jan 1, 1918

By Joseph H. Taylor

The Ducktown district is in the extreme southeastern corner of Tennessee, its principal railroad point being Copperhill, on the Blue Ridge division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, midway between Knoxville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga. The ore deposits were discovered about 1849 and development work was begun in the early fifties. Only the "black copper" ores, products of secondary enrichment, from beneath the gossan outcrops and overlying the massive sulphide deposits, were then mined and smelted for their copper content. Upon their exhaustion, attention was directed to the treatment of the pyritic ore remaining, resulting in the devising of a process consisting of open-heap roasting, followed by blast-furnace smelting, which was practised until 1903, when semi-pyritic smelting was adopted. In 1908, the companies operating in the district, on account of litigation brought about by alleged smoke damage to forests and vegetation in the adjoining counties of Georgia, were compelled to erect enormous acid plants to prevent the escape of the sulphur dioxide produced in the smelting operations. The utilization of this sulphur dioxide in the manufacture of sulphuric acid as a byproduct has added to the revenues of the companies, and at the same time has furnished a valuable source of supply of sulphuric acid to the fertilizer trade of the South, and more recently to the manufacturers of eyplosives for use in the production of war munitions. The steadily increasing demand for sulphuric acid for the manufacture of fertilizers and explosives, together with the decreasing imports of pyrites, from which the acid is generally produced, now makes it imperative that greatly extended resources of pyrite be developed. While the Ducktown deposits do not predominate in pyrite, they do contain an inexhaustible supply of pyrrhotite, admixed with pyrite, which can be satisfactorily employed to supplement or substitute for pyrite in acid making.

Jan 1, 1918

By Fernando A. Buttazzoni, Jorge C. Munita

INTRODUCTION To provide a background for discussing long-range financial and operational planning in the mining industry, we would like to begin by describing the role of planning in Codelco. Having taken part in Codelco's planning process since its inception in 1976, we believe that useful conclusions may be drawn for the experience we shall relate. Although Codelco is a state-owned copper producer with an important role in the Chilean economy, and is consequently very much at the core of national economic planning, the following discussion is not related to government planning but to planning in an operationally and commercially autonomous business concern with all the characteristics of a private enterprise. The only way in which Codelco differs from private business is that its financial successes or failures have a more direct impact on the countryls ability to participate in international trade, to meet its international financial commitments and to achieve economic and social growth. Thus, what follows is a presentation of the conceptual features of the planning process at Codelco and a description of the current state of planning in the company. It is understood that certain conceptual components are basic to any formal strategic planning process, and that the components of Codelco's planning process are therefore generally applicable in similar companies. First, the mission and scope of operation of the company must be defined, and goals must be set to achieve leadership in the business activities in which it engages. Having set this framework, the company must constantly scrutinize those internal elements and conditions that are essential to fulfill its mission and achieve leadership. In Codelco this means considering the actions which can best serve to define future capacities, taking into account declining ore grades and determining optimal production levels; watching over the productivity and skills of its labor force, and; keeping abreast of technological developments in non-ferrous mining and processing. If the company is proficient in these three areas, it will be cost efficient and there- fore competitive. Codelco must also watch over the business environment in which it operates. The company sells concentrate, blister and fire-refined copper, wirebar, cathodes and wire rod and must study the behavior of the market to attune its product mix to the demand existing for these various commodities in the international market and the copper consuming industries in general. By examining the internal and external environment in which the company conducts its production and commercial operations, it is able to diagnose its strengths and weaknesses, to identify the hazards it must overcome to stay ahead in the copper trade, and to take full advantage of business opportunities as they arise. CHARACTERISTICS OF CODELCO-CHILE Although our subject is Codelco, readers should keep in mind that there are many other copper producing operations in Chile, all in the private sector, and many valuable deposits that may be exploited in the future. Codelco is the only public sector copper producer, although there is one other state enterprise that operates smelting and refining facilities principally to serve a large number of very small producers of copper concentrate. In the mid-19801s, Codelco is the largest copper mining company of the world and the largest producer and exporter of copper with yearly sales totalling close to US$ 1.8 billion in 1983. Moreover, it is a highly profitable copper company at a time when the world copper industry as a whole has reported losses for several years. Codelco-Chile is a fairly new organization. The history of the four mining operations it manages is much longer: El Teniente was opened in 1912, Chuquicamata in 1915, Salavador in 1959 -- with installations of the old Potrerillos mine dating from 1927 -- and Andina in 1970. Having had separate owners, the management systems of the

Jan 1, 1985

By Robert W. Hunt

I have frequently stated that while the chemical composition of steel is important, yet even greater importance is connected with the mechanical and heat treatment of the metal. During the past year I encountered such a positive example of that fact that I deem it worth putting upon record. A prominent railway system divided an order for open-hearth steel rails between two steel works, both of which are under the control of the same corporation; giving to one about 18,000 tons, and to the other 7,500 tons of the same section and to be made under the same specifications. The rolling results obtained in the two mills varied so widely that a study of the figures is intensely interesting and serves to illustrate the advantages obtained by carefu1 ingot casting, and, quite as pertinently, the possible benefits of careful subsequent heating and rolling with moderate reductions in the rolling process. The smaller order was rolled complete in four installments during the same months that the larger order was being made in six separate installments; but, to permit of exact comparisons, the totals of the four installments (completing the order with the mill which I will call A) are given with the totals of the first four installments of the larger order, made by the mill designated as B. These rolling results are: Mill A. Mill B. Number of rollings,............................................ 4 4 Total number of rails rolled................................ 18,278 27,832 Percentage of rails cut to short lengths because of flaws near ends, etc......................................... 0.7 7.6 Percentage of rails made second quality for flaws, etc. 0.9 6.3 Percentage of rails scrapped for flaws, etc............... 0.6 4.5 Percentage of rails scrapped for failure at drop test... none 3.4 It should be stated that the figures given above cover all the reasons for putting the rails in the classes stated, Thus a part of the percentage of rails cut to short lengths may have been

Jan 1, 1914

By S. C. Hollister

An evaluation of the function of the engineer, so that means whereby education can best serve his needs can be adopted. THERE has been a steady increase in specialized branches of engineering during recent years. Some of these are simply specializations in the function of engineering, such as welding engineering, tool and die engineering, petroleum engineering, and refining engineering. Others are associated more closely with the basic sciences, as for example, geological engineering or engineering physics. Still others tend toward the border line of business, such as administrative engineering or general engineering.

Jan 1, 1950

LINN BRADLEY, H.' D. EGBERT and W. W. STRONG (communication to the Secretary*).--In the discussion of the paper, a request was made for a further explanation of the curves given on Chart I. In preparing the curves given on this chart, a typical blast-furnace top gas having the following composition by weight was assumed: Per Cent. C02 21.00 CO 24.00 Hz 0.25 CH4 0:25 N2 54.50 For any given top-gas temperature, Curves A, B, C, D, and E indicate in British thermal units the sensible heat lost in cooling the top gas to 60° F. by wet-cleaning methods. Top-gas temperatures are plotted as abscissae, sensible heats above 60° F. in British thermal units are plotted as ordinates, and separate curves are drawn for top gases carrying various amounts of moisture. For any given stove exit-gas temperature, curves A1,-B1, C1, D1, and E1, indicate in British thermal units the sensible heat carried out of the stoves by the moisture which is left in the top gas when it is dry-cleaned and enters the stoves hot. This moisture is removed when the gases are wet-cleaned and the sensible heat which it carries out of the stoves is therefore saved. As before, separate curves are drawn for top gases carrying various amounts of moisture. The curves in Fig. 1, therefore, indicate graphically how much more sensible heat is conserved by cleaning the top gases by the dry-hot method than is conserved by cleaning the top. gases by a cold-wet method and thus removing the greater part of the moisture carried by them. They also show of how little moment it is from a heat conservation standpoint whether or not the moisture carried by the top gases is removed before they enter the stoves. That wet cleaning secures the removal of this moisture and is thus to be recommended from a heat conservation standpoint is an argument often advanced by advocates of wet cleaning. The curves of Fig. 1 show how fallacious such an argument is.

Jan 6, 1917

By J. Blodget Britton

IN the Journal of the Franklin Institute for May, 1870, there is published a description of a Colorimeter, together with a modification of the method proposed by Professor Eggertz, for determining combined carbon in iron and steel. An instrument of the kind there described, but of a little higher range, though in other respects not differing materially from the one originally made and used in the Iron-Masters7 Laboratory, I now submit to your inspection ; and I propose, also, to make some determinations minations with it for the purpose of showing how quickly they may be made, and enabling you to form some judgment of what reliance can be placed in the results. Professor Eggertz proposed only a single standard, and the solution to be tested should be diluted to exactly correspond in color with that of the standard, and the per cent. of carbon calculated after carefully noting and making allowance for the measures of water used in diluting. In practice, difficulty was found in bringing the color of the normal solution down to the exact shade of the standard; also other difficulties were met with in conducting the process, causing delay and interfering with the accuracy of the results. To materially overcome these, and after numerous attempts, an instrument such as is now before you suggested itself to me; and also I concluded to use a larger quantity of metal than directed by Eggertz, and, in addition, to filter the solution from its insoluble matter before making the comparison; and, more recently, to use an acid of just such strength as would completely dissolve the metal without the application of heat. Experimenting with these changes from the original method I obtained reasonably good results. The instrument, you will observe, consists of a series of tubes, sixteen in number, two and a half inches long, and about half an inch in diameter, standing upright, and securely fastened in a light, portable, walnut-wood frame, but separated one from the other so as to allow just sufficient space between to place for comparison the . tube containing the solution to be tested. The tubes are filled with

By Ralph D. Parker

A STRIKING testimonial to the value of safety was contained in an ad- dress given in May, 1936, by A. R. Young, vice-president of the United States Steel Corp.: In the period from 1906 to 1935 we have spent $24,860,540 on safety work. By comparing the cost of "prevented" accidents by the cost of settling similar accidents, we found that we had made a saving of $117,224,238. Even if those figures are 50 per cent wrong, at least we got back every dollar we paid for safety and another with it. I don't think anyone has to blush before his board of directors for an investment of that kind.

Jan 1, 1937

By R. Havens, K. C. Dean, H. Dolezal

Mine, mill, and smelter wastes aggregating billions of tons are scattered across the country as unattractive barren piles that mar the natural beauty of the land. As the population of the United States increases and the demand for land intensifies, populous centers are slowly encroaching on these formerly isolated wastes. Encroachment sharply intensifies the importance of controlling the air and water pollution derived from natural weathering of such wastes. Use or stabilization of these wastes comprises the only viable means for minimizing pollution. Utilization is preferable to stabilization, because full use would both eliminate the waste and broaden the mineral resource base. However, the wastes typically comprise immense tonnages of materials discarded by selective mining or after recovering the significant mineral values by milling and/or smelting. Only rarely can such low-grade material be reprocessed to extract additional minerals at a profit. Some mineral wastes are suitable for disposal as mine fill, railroad and highway road ballast, and land fill. Similarly, some mineral wastes can be utilized as raw materials for making brick, rock wool, concrete, and ceramic products. Several means exist for stabilization of relatively fine-sized wastes, which constitute the chief sources of air and water pollution. These include physical, chemical, and vegetative stabilization, and combinations thereof. Massive coverings of coarse slag, concrete, and soil may be used to prevent erosion of waste piles. A variety of chemicals can be used to bond the particles of fine-size waste into a relatively inert mass. However, the most promising method of producing an esthetically appealing storage site is vegetative stabilization. Numerous species of plants can germinate, grow, and reseed in waste materials which have been adequately prepared to support plant life.

Jan 3, 1969

By A. J. May

THE Star shaft is near the north boundary of the group of mining claims belonging to the Ground Hog Unit of the American Smelting and Refining Co., near Vanadium, N. Mex. The shaft bins and surface plant are served by a siding from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, and this factor of railroad transportation influenced the choice of site. This paper describes the shaft sinking only, and does not cover the surface plant or other parts of the mine or its equipment. Experience with this shaft seems of interest because of the mechanical mucking, good rate of progress, and the costs obtained at the present level of labor and material costs. The shaft has four compartments, as shown in fig. 1. Equipment: Riddell Mucker: The mucking was done by a clamshell bucket and a Riddell mucker, which, as in other shafts sunk with this machine, consisted of a carriage mounted on axles with double flanged wheels that traveled back and forth on a swinging track, parallel to the long axis of the shaft (fig. 2 to 6). Three air motors were mounted on the carriage; one hoisted the clam, one operated the bucket opening and closing device, and the third moved the carriage along the track. The carriage was designed with guide shoes and could be hoisted to the surface in either skip compartment without trouble (fig. 4). During blasting operations the clam was tied on the rails and the carriage was hoisted up a few sets to protect it from flying rock. No attempt was made to hoist the carriage and clam together lest the clam catch in the timbers. The track on which the carriage operated was built of extra heavy 6 in. pipe with 1x2 in. strap welded on top for rails. A 1/2x4 in. angle was welded on the bottom of the 6 in. pipe with a 1 in. round rod welded in the angle for a filler and additional strength. The end or cross pieces of the track which kept the track to gauge, were also made of reinforced, heavy 6 in. pipe and were bolted to the long members on which the carriage traveled (fig. 2 and 3). This section of track was used, instead of heavy railroad rails, for two reasons: (1) this section would bend before it snapped and was much safer for the men in the bottom; and (2) it was a better blasting shield, and protected the timbers better, in fact, only five wall plates were broken by blasting in 1926 ft of shaft, although 150 to 225 lb of 40 pct powder was loaded per round, depending on the ground conditions. The swinging track was supported by four 5/s in. hoisting cables anchored to the end plates. There were also four safety cables fastened two to three sets above the carriage, which would catch the carriage if one of the supporting cables should fail for any reason (fig. 7). Clamshell Buckets: Two clams were used, each of 3/s yard capacity, both manufactured by Blaw Knox, Nos. 662 and 663. The No. 663 clam was 4 in. wider and 5 in. shorter than the No. 662, but seemed to dig and load more satisfactorily. It was easier to hoist and lower when it came up for repair. It did not turn over as easily, had less spill

Jan 1, 1950

By W. H. Corbould

The township of Cloncurry is situated in the northwestern part of Queensland, about latitude S. 20" 42' 53" and longitude E. 140" 30' 25". Townsville is the port through which all the trade passes and is about 470 miles east-northeast of Cloncurry township. The Cloncurry copper district covers an area about 200 miles long by 40 miles wide. Unfortunately the mines are very scattered over this area, there being no large groups of mines. Mount Elliott mine is situated about 70 miles south from the township of Cloncurry, and Mount Oxide mine about 150 miles north of Cloncurry. The district has been known for the last 35 years, and in the early stages a large amount of capital was expended with little to show for it; but within the last four years the railway has been extended from Townsville to Mount Elliott and about 40 miles north of Cloncurry, which has made possible the treatment of the ores of the mines on this extension. The Mount Elliott company within the last few years has smelted and converted on its mine 169,688 tons of ore for 20,554 tons of blister copper, containing 20,377 tons of copper, 35,642 oz. of gold and 28,841 oz. of silver, at a cost of about 233 per ton of blister copper, f.o.b. Townsville. This cost included all development, wages, salaries, general management, office, agency, legal expenses, freight, etc. The gold and silver contents would practically pay for freight to Europe, refining, realization charges, etc. The costs of supplies are as follows: Firewood, 15s., coke, 75s., mine timber, 54s., and coal, 60s. per long ton; explosives: dynamite and gelignite, 50s., and blasting gelatine, 65s. 6d. per case, Mount Elliott Mine The pay shoot of the orebody outcrops at the surface for about 200 ft., and lies between two slate walls about 40 ft. apart., having a general

Jan 1, 1915

By F. W. Schremp, V. L. Johnson

This paper discusses the results obtained from high temperature, high pressure filter loss studies in which field samples of clay-water, emulsion, and oil base fluids were used. High temperature, high pressure tests of some premium priced emrilsion and oil base drilling fluids show filter loss peculiarities that are not predicted by standard API tests. It is recommended that high temperature, high pressure filter loss tests be used to evaluate the performance of such fluids. Apparatus is described which proved to be satisfactory for evaluating filter loss behavior over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. INTRODUCTION The petroleum industry spends large sums of money each year on chemical treating agents for lowering filter loss and on premium-priced low filter loss drilling fluids. While it is an accepted fact that low filter loss is advantageous during drilling operations, it is questionable whether the present standard method of determining filter loss gives a reliable indication of the loss to he expected under bottom hole conditions. The purpose of this paper is to show that high temperature. high pressure filter loss tests Should be used to evaluate filter loss behavior of fluids for deep drilling. Concern over possible effects of filter loss on oil well drilling and well productivity dates back to the early 1920's. During the years 1922 to 1924, filtration studies were reported by Knapp,' Anderson2 and Kirwan." These studies were the first to be reported in the literature on this subject. No further information was published on the subject until 1932 when Rubel' presented a paper in which he discussed the effect of drilling fluids on oil well productivity. In 1935. .Jones and Babson constructed the first laboratory tester designed to study the effects of temperature and pressure on the filter loss behavior of clay-water drilling fluids. In a discussion of their investigations, Jones and Babsons stated, "Performance characteristics of a mud can he evaluated with considerable reliability by a single test at 2,000 psi and 200°F. Exact correlation between the results of performance test5 made under these conditions and the behavior of muds in actual drilling operations is of course impossible." Jones arid Babson apparently were well aware that at best laboratory tests can give only qualitative answers to the question of what is the actual behavior of a drilling fluid when subjected to deep drilling conditions. Jones' presented a paper in 1937 in which he described a static filter loss tester to be used for routine filter loss tests. This instrument subsequently was adopted as the standard APl filter loss tester. In 1938, Larsen7 developed a relationship between filtrate volume and filtrate time that is in general acceptance today. Larsen was cognizant of the danger of estimating bottom hole behavior from filter loss measurements at room temperature. He tried to predict the effect of temperature on filter loss by relating temperature effects through the temperature dependence of filtrate viscosity. This was undoubtedly an over-sirriplification of the temperature dependence of drilling fluid filter loss. In 1940, Byck" published a summary of experimental results of filter loss tests made on six representative California clsy-water drilling fluids. He concluded that "no existing method will permit even an approximate determination of the filtration rate at high temperature from data at room temperature. It is necessary to measure filtration at the temperature actually anticipated in the well, or to make a sufficient number of tests at various lower temperatures so that a small extrapolation of these data to the anticipated well temperature may be applied." Byck's findings were presuma1)ly well accepted and recognized by drilling Fluid technologists, and yet, they did not lead to wide adoption of high temperature drilling fluid filtration equipment. This is evidenced by the fact that no addition information has appeared in print on the subject since 194). Study of Byck's data shows that there was a useful consistency in them. The fluids did not show predictable losses at high temperatures, but they did line up at high temperatures in approximately the same order that they lined up at low temperatures. That is, if a fluid appeared to be a good fluid with relatively low loss at low temperatures, it would also be a good fluid with relatively low loss at high temperatures. In the last decade. the above situation has changed. The drilling fluid art is markedly different from what it was. The outstanding change, as far as the present discussion is concerned, has been the adoption of wholly new types of drilling fluids. Oil base and emulsion drilling fluids have come in to wide use. It is, therefore, necessary- to re-examine previously satisfactory generalizations to see if they are still valid. It turns out. as might have been expected. that Byck's explicit generalization. already quoted, is still true. Filter losses at high temperatures cannot be predicted from filter losses at low temperatures. However, no further generalizations are valid now. Fluids of different chemical types show different general behaviors. No longer do the fluids line up approximately the same at high temperatures as they do at low temperatures. They may line up entirely differently. Special fluids exhibiting very low loss at low temperatures may have losses as high as those of ordinary clay-water fluids at high temperatures. This fact is highly significant, because premium prices are being paid for the special fluids.

Jan 1, 1952

By James E. York

At a meeting of the American Society for Testing Materials at Atlantic City, June, 1908, Dr. C. B. Dudley, in his presiden-tial address,' showed the vital necessity of not only making a steel rail as good as in the past, but of making it considerably better in order to meet the present and prospective requiremeuts of railroads. Doctor Dudley requested the co-operation of all who from personal experience could give information that would result in bringing about the production of a steel rail that could be relied upon to meet the present requirements. I have had considerable experience in the practical manufacture of steel of almost every grade, during the past 40 years, and I shall suggest changes that will bring about the results desired. Doctor Dudley has had a long experience as chemical and metallurgical expert for the Pennsylvania railroad, but he frankly admits that up to the present time both he and other metallurgical authorities lack the practical knowledge of steel-making that is necessary to state correctly the reasons for the unreliability of the steel rails now produced. The necessity is self-evident for more positive practical knowledge on the part of these experts of what is possible and what is impossible regarding the practical manufacturing of steel rails from the ingot to the finished product. Chemical knowledge in steel-making is far ill advance of what it was years ago, and might be said to cover every requirement (in that department) for producing reliable steel. The study of the metallography of steel has been of great value, also the physical testing of steel, but this knowledge will only de-

Jan 1, 1910

By AIME AIME

BORN a Chicagoan, on Aug;. 31, I879. Oscar Johnson lived in that city until young manhood. As a youth delivering newspapers he set his sight on the l university of Chicago and at sixteen years of age he began working summer vacations in the foundry of the Pullman Company. Misfortune came to his family during the summer of 1898 when tuberculosis took his only sister and brother. His mother, apprehensive of Oscar's health, urged him to try the West at least for awhile. So late summer found Oscar in Salt Lake City, employed by the Trent Engineering & Machinery Co. At that time it was busy building equipment for use in the war with Spain. Though he did not know it then, Oscar war was laying the groundwork for his present membership on the Mining Equipment Industry Advisory Committee of the W.P.B., a post which keeps him commuting between Denver and Washington.

Jan 1, 1944