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By L. A. Creglow

IN common with many other companies engaged in the mining and processing of ores, research has always been an important activity of the United States Smelting Refining and Mining Company. Much of this research has been carried on at the various plants of the Company by the operating staffs, and over the years has been an essential factor in developing new methods and improving existing methods of operation. In 1917 arrangements were made with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under which the Company had the exclusive use of one or two small laboratories in the then newly constructed MIT buildings and the use of the metallurgical laboratories, subject of course to the Institute's needs. After about two years this work was temporarily discontinued but was resumed in 1920 under the direction of G. H. Clevenger, consulting metallurgist for the Company, who recently retired. Becoming cramped for space, the laboratory was moved to a location near MIT on Amherst Street, Cambridge, in 1924. Establishment of a general research laboratory in metropolitan Boston naturally followed from the fact that the head office of the Company was located there and that the library facilities available for all types of research were, and are, unsurpassed. The disadvantages in carrying on research at great distances from the operating units of the Company were always apparent, but with widely scattered plants this disadvantage could not he overcome. With

Jan 1, 1948

By G. W. Josephson

VIRTUALLY every year inventors find one or more startling new uses for one of the varied products of the nonmetallic mineral industries. For example, in November a major step toward positive control of rainfall was made when an experimenter converted a cloud to snow by dropping a few pounds of solid carbon dioxide into it. Other examples of ingenuity in the development of markets and production methods are noted in the following pages. For most of the industrial mineral products one of the outstanding features of 1946 has been the high level of production. There are exceptions, such as quartz crystal and lithium, whose production capacity during the war outgrew current peacetime needs, but they are few. Some technical men point out that this prosperity is not an unmixed blessing to technologic progress, because so much effort must go into day-to-day production problems that relatively little opportunity is left for the pursuit of new developments.

Jan 1, 1947

By A. E. Zawadzki

A progress report is presented on the development of a process for the removal of sulfur dioxide from flue gases. Catalytic oxidation of the sulfur dioxide in flue gases, with the production of recoverable sulfuric acid, has been demonstrated to be technically feasible. Problems associated with the process are discussed. The need for an inexpensive and efficient process for controlling sulfur dioxide emissions from utility plant stacks has been accentuated by the ever-increasing public demand for elimination of all man-made air pollutants. I would like to describe the results of an investigation of the development of such a process; more important, I would like to present a discussion of the problems associated with the process which remain to be solved. The research work on the BCR catalytic gas phase oxidation process has been jointly sponsored by the Association of Edison Illuminating Cos., Edison Electric Inst. and Bituminous Coal Research, Inc., since 1958. However, work on SO2-pollution abatement was initiated by BCR in 1953. Tieman and Clymer,1 working with ozone and simulated flue gases, evaluated a gas phase oxidation process for removing SO2 from flue gases. Their experimental data indicated that the use of ozone to oxidize SO2 in flue gas concentrations, with subsequent recovery of H2SO4, did not appear to be economical due to the large ratio of ozone to sulfuric acid produced (2.6 to 1). The cost of the ozone would be 6 to 10 times the cost of sulfuric acid produced. As a result of the ozone study, work on a catalytic oxidation process was developed. The following reactions are the basis for the catalytic oxidation process Reaction [I] normally occurs in the combustion of sulfur-bearing fuels. At the high temperature found in the combustion chamber, 95% to 99% of the sulfur in the fuel is oxidized to SO2 and 1% to 5% is oxidized to SO3. The concentration of SO2 in the combustion gases depends on the combustion efficiency and the quantity of excess air used. A commonly used rule of thumb is 0.1 percent by volume SO2 in the flue gas for each 1% sulfur in the fuel. Reaction [2] proceeds at a wide range of temperatures. The rate of the reaction is rapid above l,000°F; however, the equilibrium conversion drops rapidly above this temperature. 2 Reaction [3] occurs rapidly to completion at temperatures below 400°F; above this temperature some SO3 exists in equilibrium with H2SO4. Complete dissociation of H2SO4 occurs above 650°F.3 The simplicity of the proposed process provided added incentive to the development and evaluation of the various component unit operations. The advantages of the process were considered to be as follows: 1) no raw materials were required, 2) the unit operations were not radically new; and 3) a salable product, sulfuric acid, would be produced. The successful development of the process was contingent upon the solution of several major problems: 1) The development of a catalyst which would provide high catalytic activity at reasonable conditions of gas flow and temperature without causing an unacceptable increase in pressure drop. 2) The development of a high temperature dust collection system to provide clean flue gases to the catalytic reactor. 3) The complete recovery of the sulfuric acid produced in the process; the effluent gas must contain less than 20 ppm by volume of sulfuric acid. As of this date, the complete solution to these problems has not been achieved. EXPERIMENTAL Catalyst Development: The use of platinum and vanadium catalysts for the production of sulfuric acid by the treatment of dry gases containing 5% to 20% by volume sulfur dioxide has been known for many years. The application of the basic idea of catalytic oxidation of sulfur dioxide in flue gas concentrations was

Jan 1, 1965

By L. S. Allen, R. L. Caldwell, W. R. Mills

Borehole models used in the study of nuclear well logging are reviewed and the merit of heterogeneous us homogeneous formation simulation is discussed. .A heterogeneous model for simulating sandstone formations of variable porosity is described. Simulation adequacy was checked by steady-state and pulsed-neutron measurements. INTRODUCTION In the course of developing new methods of nuclear well logging, the problem of testing new logging instruments under controlled conditions always arises. This testing is usually done in wells of known lithology, porosity and fluid saturation, or in laboratory test facilities which simulate the borehole environment. Although the former approach is possibly more satisfying, it is frequently difficult or inconvenient to find wells with enough variation in the cited parameters for a truly comprehensive study, On the other hand. laboratow- test facilities can simulate a wide variety of formation and borehole conditions if care is exercised to maintain adequate simulation under all conditions. Workers concerned with the development of nuclear well logging methods have reported several types of research facilities in the past. Tittle, et a1 used cubical tanks filled with Ottawa silica sand to study the steady-state behavior of thermal and epithemal neutrons in simulated sandstone logging environments.1 In addition to the effects of fresh vs salt water, a wide variety of casing sizes and compositions were investigated. Tittman also used a large tank of Ottawa sand to measure the slowing down length of sio2;2 for making the same measurement in CaCO3, however, an assembly of solid Vermont marble blocks was used. More recently a very useful and carefully planned test pit for nuclear logs was constructed under the auspices of the API.3 This facility consists of three massive limestone sections, each 6-ft thick and more than 5 ft in diameter. The blocks are buried, one on top of the other, in a concrete- lined pit having a total depth of 24 ft. Each section is made of a different limestone to achieve porosity variation, the selection being Carthage (2 per cent), Indiana (19 per cent) and Austin (26 per cent). The blocks are traversed by a 7 7/8-in. diameter borehole and are saturated with fresh water. Great care was taken to insure total saturation of the stone. Homogeneous mixtures and materials have not been used exclusively for simulating earth formations. Tittle, et a1 4 showed that a heterogeneous lattice of water and graphite could be used to simulate Liquid furfural with very little effecton measured thermal and epi thermal neutron distributions. Subsequently, a lattice-type model for simulating limestone earth formations was designed and built by Berry This limestone model was constructed of 7/8- x 11/4- x 36411. marble rods glued together with a plastic resin to form a 36-x 42- x 42in. cube. The cube was honeycombed vertically with 7/8- x 7/8- x 3641-1. holes for porosity and had a 111/2-in. diameter hole in the center to serve as the borehole. Lower porosities were simulated by placing marble rods in the square holes. The finished cube was used with the borehole vertical and set in a tank to hold liquid for filling the holes in the rock matrix. A second type of heterogeneous borehole model has been proposed by Kukharenko, et a1.6= In this concept the model is composed entirely of solid material. The hydrogen equivalent of formation fluids is simulated by making the model of alternating layers of dense rock and celluloid. Additional hydrogen is included by drilling vertical holes in the rock sections and filling them with solid forms of hydrogeneous material. The volume of the holes is equal to the volume of the celluloid layers, so an axial and radial dispersion of the hydrogeneous material is thus obtained. One such model was composed of alternate 50 mm-thick sand layers and 2 mm-thick celluloid sheets. Approximately 200 appropriately spaced plastic tubes were used in each sand section. The plastic tubes were filled with paraffin for additional hydrogen concentration. This arrangement yielded a model with a water-equivalent hydrogen concentration of 10 per cent. Experimental data taken in this model and in a model consisting of the same material but homogeneously dispersed showed that the heterogeneous system adequately

Jan 1, 1966

By F. B. Plummer

PROGRESS during 1940 in oil-production technology has been confined largely to a steady advancement in practices inaugurated in previous years, rather than the introduction of any new startling process or technique. The usual changes, improvements and additions in production equipment have been introduced. An increased attention to, and interest in, research has been noteworthy, resulting in improved efficiency in operation of oil wells. control, utilization of reservoir energies and reduction of production costs.

Jan 1, 1941

By John Johnston

THIS necessarily brief sketch will attempt to summarize the high lights of perhaps the best meeting so far held by the Iron and Steel Division. All sessions were well attended and the discussion was vigorous and of a high order. The technical sessions opened. on Tuesday morning. "Precipitation Hardening of Copper Steels" was discussed by Cyril S. Smith and Earl W. Palmer, and dealt with steel with a 1 per cent copper content. Discussion brought out that there were no fabricating difficulties, but that the surface might be somewhat checked due to intergranular penetration of copper which could be easily taken care of. Probable advantages of steels of this type for high temperatures were pointed out. "An Improved Nickel-chromium Hardened Chilled Cast Iron," by J. S. Vanick, described a wear-resistant cast iron and evoked a lively discussion.

Jan 1, 1933

By ROBERT H. BOOTH

THE happy intra-plant relationships of the Bridgeport Brass Co. are largely attributable to the interest of the management in this important business factor. In furtherance of this development Carl F. Dietz, President of the Company and a member of the Institute, has contributed the novel plan for the objective presentation of business economics, described herein. All of the officers of the corporation are active in its management and they together with many other workers filling both executive and subordinate positions have a substantial financial interest in the enterprise. The viewpoint of this organization is fairly reflected by the following quotation from Roosevelt's "The Foes of Our Own Household."

Jan 1, 1924

By Howard H. Fields

Any mining engineer with a desire to operate independently, with some financial backing, and with no fear of heavy responsibility and long hours, should be able to make a comfortable living in Mexico. Barring a few inconveniences such as a lack of satisfactory liability or accident insurance, the difficulty of obtaining repair parts or vehicles, and the length of time required to receive returns from shipments, the operation of small mine is not at all difficult. It is, in fact, a little easier to find a good prospect in Mexico than in the U.S.

Jan 1, 1950

By G. V. Smith, C. O. Tarr, R. F. Miller

Metallurgists have long recognized that the Fe3C type of carbide is not a stable phase in steel and that, given sufficient time, it will decompose with formation of graphite, at least at temperatures below about 205o°F.l This slow graphitization has never been of much concern to users of hypoeutectoid steels, for in such steels it occurs only during prolonged exposure at elevated temperature. In I935, Kinzel and Moore2 reported complete graphitization of the carbide of a 0. I5 per cent carbon steel that had been in service for about 26,000 hr. at a temperature of about IIOO° to 12oo°F. In discussing this paper, both Mathews and Sauveur reported graphitization of slightly hypereutectoid steels. In an extensive investigation of graphitization of high-purity iron-carbon alloys, Wells1 produced graphite at 7oo°C. (I29o°F.) in an alloy containing as little as 0.13 per cent carbon, and showed that graphite may precipitate either directly from austenite or from decomposition of Fe3C, also that the rate of graphitization tends to increase with increase of temperature, at least up to a certain point, and with the presence of graphite nuclei. Jenkins, Mellor and Jenkinson,3 studying the structural changes in carbon steels ranging from 0.17 to 1.14 per cent carbon during stress-rupture tests at elevated temperature, observed graphite in an aluminum-killed 0.40 per cent carbon steel after fracture in 4340 hr. under a stress of 17,900 lb. per sq. in. at 840°F. and in many of the steels after stress-rupture test at 12oo°F. Unstressed samples of 0.60, 0.86 and I.I4 per cent carbon steels graphitized almost completely in 360 hr. at I200°F., while samples of 0.90 and 1.10 per cent carbon steels were somewhat graphitized, and steels containing 0.24, 0.40 and 0.57 per cent carbon showed no sign of graphite. Their results indicate that graphite precipitates the more readily the higher the carbon content, though this tendency is influenced to some extent by deoxidation practice, and that graphitization is accelerated by plastic deformation. In a recent study of the graphitization of 0.4 and 0.6 per cent carbon steel strip, made by M. A. Hughes,4 it was found that at I2oo°F. graphite appeared after 72 hr. in aluminum-killed but not in silicon-killed steel, and that the rate of graphitization was increased by slow cooling from I6oo°F. and by cold-working prior to annealing. In creep tests of normalized 0.15 per cent carbon steel killed with 2.5 Ib. of aluminum per ton, at the U. S. Steel Corporation laboratory at Kearny, spheroidization and some graphitization were found after 3000 hr. at Iooo°F. under a stress as low as 1500 lb. per sq. inch. .

Jan 1, 1944

By C. O. Tarr, G. V. Smith, R. F. Miller

Metallurgists have long recognized that the Fe3C type of carbide is not a stable phase in steel and that, given sufficient time, it will decompose with formation of graphite, at least at temperatures below about 205o°F.l This slow graphitization has never been of much concern to users of hypoeutectoid steels, for in such steels it occurs only during prolonged exposure at elevated temperature. In I935, Kinzel and Moore2 reported complete graphitization of the carbide of a 0. I5 per cent carbon steel that had been in service for about 26,000 hr. at a temperature of about IIOO° to 12oo°F. In discussing this paper, both Mathews and Sauveur reported graphitization of slightly hypereutectoid steels. In an extensive investigation of graphitization of high-purity iron-carbon alloys, Wells1 produced graphite at 7oo°C. (I29o°F.) in an alloy containing as little as 0.13 per cent carbon, and showed that graphite may precipitate either directly from austenite or from decomposition of Fe3C, also that the rate of graphitization tends to increase with increase of temperature, at least up to a certain point, and with the presence of graphite nuclei. Jenkins, Mellor and Jenkinson,3 studying the structural changes in carbon steels ranging from 0.17 to 1.14 per cent carbon during stress-rupture tests at elevated temperature, observed graphite in an aluminum-killed 0.40 per cent carbon steel after fracture in 4340 hr. under a stress of 17,900 lb. per sq. in. at 840°F. and in many of the steels after stress-rupture test at 12oo°F. Unstressed samples of 0.60, 0.86 and I.I4 per cent carbon steels graphitized almost completely in 360 hr. at I200°F., while samples of 0.90 and 1.10 per cent carbon steels were somewhat graphitized, and steels containing 0.24, 0.40 and 0.57 per cent carbon showed no sign of graphite. Their results indicate that graphite precipitates the more readily the higher the carbon content, though this tendency is influenced to some extent by deoxidation practice, and that graphitization is accelerated by plastic deformation. In a recent study of the graphitization of 0.4 and 0.6 per cent carbon steel strip, made by M. A. Hughes,4 it was found that at I2oo°F. graphite appeared after 72 hr. in aluminum-killed but not in silicon-killed steel, and that the rate of graphitization was increased by slow cooling from I6oo°F. and by cold-working prior to annealing. In creep tests of normalized 0.15 per cent carbon steel killed with 2.5 Ib. of aluminum per ton, at the U. S. Steel Corporation laboratory at Kearny, spheroidization and some graphitization were found after 3000 hr. at Iooo°F. under a stress as low as 1500 lb. per sq. inch. .

Jan 1, 1944

By P. D. Merica

MY remarks are addressed to the question whether a program of international mineral control can effectively serve as a means of maintaining world peace in the kind of world envisaged by the Atlantic Charter. They do not touch the quite different questions whether such control could be appropriately used for postwar punishment of Germany and Japan, or for other purposes. I assume also that the question relates, not to the transition period immediately following the war, but to the more normal years which we hope will succeed this. Finally, they deal primarily with metals and metallic minerals rather than with. oil or coal or other minerals, although they may be applicable also to these other nonmetallic materials.

Jan 1, 1944

AlFred JamEs," London, Eug.:—I thank you, gentlemen, for Sour kind invitation to address you. It is a very great pleasure for me to be here at your annual meeting, and, although I have been a member since 1894, this is the first opportunity I have

Jan 1, 1909

Discussion of the paper of E. G. Woodruff, presented at the Butte meeting, August, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 78, June, 1913, pp. 1001 to 1010. F. A. LINFORTH, Butte, Mont.:-I have not had an opportunity of reading this paper thoroughly, but I would like to call attention to the possible use of the contours on fault planes. It is obvious that if the contours of fault surfaces call be determined, we will be able to determine the axes of the hollows in the fault surface. It seems probable, and there are examples to point to the accuracy of, the assumption, that the axes of these hollows may be the direction of movements on the faults, and if that is true it will aid materially in locating faulted ore bodies or the shoots of ore on the opposite sides of faults. A few such contour maps of faults have been attempted on some of the faults of the Butte district, and those faults which are believed to have the nearly normal movement exhibit for the axes of these hollows a line nearly up and down in the plane of the fault, but in those cases where the throw is believed to bee nearly horizontal we find that the axes of the hollows are almost horizontal lines. In other words, the movements on faults, I believe, would be more nearly indicated by the larger grooves in the fault surfaces than by the small slickensides and minor hollows that are seen, so that contour maps might be valuable in geology in that way. C. W. GOODALE, Butte, Mont.:-I received a letter from Mr. Woodruff asking me to take part in the discussion of his paper, but I have not had time to give the paper any study. I can certainly add my opinion to that of all the engineers here that the topographic maps of the government are of great aid to the engineer. When I visit a new district, the first thing I do is to see if that district has been covered by the U. S. Geological Survey avid if topographic map has been issued. And I find that some of the younger engineers frequently come into my office to see if I have such maps. I know in some cases the reports made out by engineers contain copies of these topographic maps, or clippings from them. I am sure that. the topographic maps furnished by the government are of very great value to our engineers.

Jan 11, 1913

By John S. Crout

TWENTY-FIVE years ago the training of an engineer was of interest solely to the educator and to the student entering the field. At that time the engineer's position in society was relatively simple. His training emphasized design and operation and he expected to enter industry to handle the engineering problems of raw materials production, mechanical and product design, and the operation of power plants, factories, transportation and communication systems, and similar phases of industrial activity. He was not concerned with or particularly interested in the problems of management, administration, sales, publicity, industrial relations, or of legislation. To a large degree he was content to leave these matters to self-made businessmen, or men trained in law, finance, or commerce. That period in the evolution of the engineer is now history. It is generally conceded that the modern world is dependent upon engineering technology for its day-to-day survival. The continued operation of facilities on which mankind relies is dependent upon the functioning of mines, utilities, chemical plants, and other factories, all of which require the knowledge and the skills of trained engineers. Thus from a purely mechanical point of view, the engineer has become indispensable to

Jan 1, 1947

W. B. PRICE,* Waterbury, Conn. (written discussion??.-It has been our experience, especially in cupro-nickel, that manganese has been very beneficial, not only, as stated by Mr. Braid, in removing sulfur, but also for its property of reducing oxides, thus making the metal more fluid, and enabling it to be poured at a lower temperature; this, in turn, prevents softening of the graphite pots and the absorption of carbon. It also acts very effectively in keeping the carbon in solution in the cupro-nickel, in the combined form. However, in the case of cupro-nickel, to obtain all these benefits it has been found necessary to keep the manganese content as near 0.25 per cent. as possible. Manganese also is very effective in diminishing the amount of blisters in cupro-nickel. So far as I am aware, both from personal experience and from the experience of others who have been engaged in the manufacture of nickel-silver and cupro-nickel, manganese used either in the form of pure metal or as manganese-copper alloy (30 Mn, 70 Cu) gives better results than any other flux. While this may seem a strong statement, manganese is the natural flux for nickel-silver and cupro-nickel.

Jan 12, 1918

By M. B. Hopkins

FOR years the expression "except rubber, tin, and manganese" has appeared in practically every discussion of the natural resources of the United States. Knowledge that natural rubber is not produced in the United States has now spread from the relatively few who have reason to be interested in the country's basic raw material supplies to all those who ride in automobiles, which means everybody. This "everybody" reads in the daily papers that we have a stock pile of natural rubber and that plenty of synthetic rubber is just around the corner. Statistics as to the United States' rubber requirements and sources of supply are of interest to him only to arrive at an answer to the question : "After taking care of rubber requirements for military purposes, will there be rubber for my automobile and the many other rubber articles I want?" More than 30,000 different rubber articles are manufactured in addition to the tires and tubes which use up about 70 per cent of the rubber supply.

Jan 1, 1942

By Wen H. Su

Multiple seam mining and its associated problems are very serious in Southern West Virginia where poor planning or lack of knowledge in seam interaction often results in complete loss of coal properties. Several measures have been proposed to alleviate the interaction problems under various multiple seam conditions, but few of them are specific in terms of mining plan. Two parallel approaches are adopted for this paper. One is field investigation which consists mainly of mine site visits and gathering of data. The other is the two-dimensional finite element simulation of mine workings using the data gathered as input. Two typical cases which represent the past and present multiple seam mining practice in West Virginia were investigated. Much attention is focused on the interaction problems experienced and the important parameters controlling interaction. Several key parameters controlling interaction in multiple seam mining were analyzed. Proper mining plans, by which the interaction problems can be minimized, are proposed for the individual cases after a better understanding of the interaction mechanism was realized through finite element analyses.

Jan 1, 1984

By C. A. Gibbons

AFTER nine years of extremely de- pressed business, marked mostly A with red ink on the balance sheets of most coal companies and with an increasing internal competitive struggle for diminishing markets, somewhat of a change appeared during 1939. Shipments increased and prices generally firmed, giving the coal industry increasing optimism and encouragement for the future. Specifically, it now appears that bituminous coal production for 1939 will approximate 378,000,000 tons, and anthracite production will approximate 47,500,000 tons, bituminous production being around 14 per cent ahead of 1938 and anthracite production 12 per cent better. The curve on p. 31, showing both bituminous and anthracite production, furnished by the bituminous coal division of the Department of the Interior, shows graphically most of the 1939 monthly production and clearly illustrates the increased production.

Jan 1, 1940

By John V. Hamme

ONE of Tungsten Mining Corp.'s Vance County, N. C., mill near Henderson was the installation of a new crushing plant with a capacity of 45 to 50 tph. During 1953 the milling rate was jumped from 650 tons to 800 tpd simply by expanding existing facilities, eliminating bottlenecks, and making changes in the existing and new circuits. Previous expansions in 1951 and 1952 raised mill capacity from 300 tons to 650 tpd. In its latest move, Tungsten Mining decided that expansion of existing facilities would be more economical than building that normal production was uninterrupted. For the engineering and design of the new crushing plant and mill expansion the services of the Southwestern Engineering Co., Los Angeles, were obtained. The Southeastern Construction Co., Charlotte, N. C., carried out construction, alterations to existing facilities, and the installation of equipment

Jan 10, 1954

By S. F. Ravitz

IN his excellent book on the Principles of Flotation, Wark1 makes the following sig-nificant statement concerning the theory of flotation: Two questions of first-rate importance must be considered . . . First, it must be decided whether the sulfide minerals require a collector in order that they may float, or whether as has been claimed, they possess an inherent float-ability and need no collector. Second, it must be decided whether the xanthate type of col-lector can react with or be adsorbed by the unchanged sulfide minerals themselves, or whether, as many claim, reaction with the collector is dependent upon initial oxidation of the mineral surface. In the theory of flotation there are no two questions of greater impor-tance than these. Ravitz and Porter2 presented evidence that galena can be floated without a col-lector, and even without any reagent, pro-vided oxidation products are thoroughly removed from its surface. They found also that thoroughly cleaned galena floated faster when xanthate was used than when a frother alone or no reagent was used, and that, without a collector, the recovery decreased gradually upon exposure of the mineral to air. Their work, however, has met with considerable criticism. 1(127),3-6 This paper is presented to answer the objections that have been raised, and to present additional data that confirm their results.

Jan 1, 1940