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By A. J. Lanza

IN view of the immense amount of attention that silicosis has received in this country in the past few years, it is timely to review the status of the silicosis problem at present. Who gets silicosis? The individual exposed to the inhalation of free silica dust. The effects upon the individual depend upon the amount of silica inhaled or, in other words, the severity of exposure, rather than upon any special variation or susceptibility among those exposed. A considerable amount of study has been given to determine what may be the role of predisposing causes in the development of silicosis. To men-tion one instance, at the Picher Clinic careful records were kept of all previous illnesses of the men examined as well as abnormalities present at the time of examination. Examinations of over 27,000 miners were made during the years the clinic was conducted under governmental auspices-a very fair sized sample. The general conclusions from all this work were that the incidence of silicosis is not appreciably influenced by racial, structural, or other inherent qualities; it is influenced by acquired defects-particularly as these affect the lungs. That is to say, the average run of human beings respond similarly to similar exposures to silica dust and those whose lungs are already impaired by tuberculosis or other pulmonary disease acquire silicosis more readily than those with healthy lungs. It may well be, and there is some clinical evidence in support, that negroes acquire silicosis more readily than do whites, but the infection factor has not been so carefully studied among negroes exposed to silica as it has among whites. We know that tubercle infection is more prev-alent among negroes than among whites. There may be other factors concerned in the development of silicosis in negroes as compared to whites, but there is not available information upon which to base posi-tive statements.

Jan 1, 1937

By James Norman, E. W. Gieseke

Spodumene is a lithium-bearing pyroxene, and is an important source of lithium compounds. Because of its high alumina and lithia content, it might be a desirable constituent of glass batches. The use of spodumene in ceramics will undoubtedly increase, as it has been shown that a mixture of the proper proportions of this mineral with soda feldspar and potash feldspar has a much lower maturing temperature upon firing than has any one of the three components. The mineral spodumene seldom occurs as pure mineral, but ordinarily with feldspars, mica and quartz. All spodumene-bearing rocks tested contained these minerals as gangue. Small amounts of iron and manganese oxides also were present, usually as stains on the silicate grains. Mica associated with the spodumene carried a considerable amount of lithia. This was discovered in flotation tailings, which, although virtually free of spodumene grains when examined microscopically, showed 0.4 to 0.5 per cent Li²O on chemical analysis. The lithia content of micas picked from the North Carolina spodumene rock was variable. Some samples contained little lithia, others more than 3 per cent. In 1938, under the supervision of Oliver C. Ralston,S the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Tennessee Mineral Products Corporation, undertook to study the beneficiation of North Carolina spodumene by froth flotation. The Bureau had previously published investigations on the beneficiation of spodumene.2,3The methods described in the second publication3 did not give good results with badly weathered spodumene rock, so that more thorough investigation of the subject was warranted. Study of Method of Flotation Separation Most of the work on concentration of spodumene was done with rock from near King's Mountain, North Carolina. Rock from two

Jan 1, 1942

By John Gross

THE method of measurement of surface on quartz particles was given in a previous paper.1 With such a method the relation of surface produced in crushing quartz can be compared to the work in crushing without recourse to sieve sizing or microscopic measurement. In crushing, the work input must be known with a fair degree of accuracy. With crushers, rolls, ball mills, and similar apparatus the measurement of the work in crushing is subject to possible errors, due to friction in .the transmission as well as in the machine itself. Moreover, relatively large quantities of material must be crushed to get an average figure. In the selection of a method of crushing, simplicity in design and operation was desired and this was most readily obtained by the use of a free-falling body. A description of the apparatus embodying this principle is given herewith. THE CRUSHING DEVICE The apparatus used is shown in Fig. 1 and in cross-section in Fig. 2. The material to be crushed is placed in the crushing chamber C in the steel mortar M. The mortar is 3 in. dia. by 3 in. high. Two mortars are used, one having a crushing chamber 1-in. dia. by 1/2 in. deep, with a capacity of 4 g. of quartz, the other having a crushing chamber 1 ½ in. dia. by 3/4 in. deep, with a capacity of 12 g. of quartz. The position of the mortar is adjusted by means of three centering screws A. The steel plunger P, which fits neatly into the chamber, is placed on top of the material to be crushed. Plungers of different lengths were tried and as they were found to give practically identical results the length adopted was equal to the depth of the chamber.

Jan 1, 1928

By A. R. Powell

Four, general methods have been used in the study of the decomposition of coal. The first has been directed toward the processes of coal formation, the second has been by means of microscopic studies, the third from the data of destructive distillation, and the fourth has made use of various solvents. Applying these methods to the sulfur of coal, it has been found that the organic sulfur of plant and animal life enters into the formation of coal and remains in organic combination in the final product. The inorganic sulfur is almost entirely combined as iron pyrites and marcasite. The infiltration of hydrogen-sulfide waters is doubtless a large factor in these combinations. Sulfates are found in very small quantities except where free oxygen has entered the coal strata. The mechanical mixing of detritus with the early coal material is another source of sulfur. In this case the sulfur is distributed in microscopic particles throughout the mass. In destructive distillation, a part off the sulfur comes off as hydrogen sulfide and various thiophen compounds, but this furnishes little information as to the nature of the sulfur compounds in the coal itself. The use of solvents has given valuable data concerning the sulfur compounds in coal. Fremy1 and later E. Guignet2 noted the action of alkaline solutions on coal after treatment with nitric acid and Anderson and Roberts3 showed' the presence of large quantities of organic' sulfur in the extract so obtained. In a study of the phenol extract of coal, Parr and Hadley4 found organic sulfur in the soluble organic material. These investigations proved the presence of organic sulfur in coal in addition to the inorganic forms, such as iron pyrites and sulfates. T. M. Drown5

Jan 9, 1919

By H. M. Chance

Probably no other prosperous mining district is so little known as the Black Hills. The name leads one to assume that the district is a rolling country, consisting of more or less insignificant hills. Nothing could be more untrue, as the Black Hills is an elevated region rising to heights of 7000 and 8000 feet above sea-level, and broken by deep gorges and ravines. It is, in fact, a mountainous country in all that that term implies ; but the cañons and gorges are of such a character that the country is easily penetrated by railroad-lines, and good wdgon-roads exist to-day, affording access to every portion of it. Aside from the stampede to the Black Hills country in 1876, when gold-placers were discovered, and 15,000 or 20,000 people became infected with the mining fever, the region has never had a mining " boom." Quartz-mining commenced in 1877 or 1878, and has been successfully prosecuted ever since; the output of gold steadily growing, until at present the yield is about $7,000,000 annually. This great production is about equally divided between two entirely different classes of deposits. The first class, comprising the so-called quartz or free-milling ores (of which the Homestake mine is the principal producer), are veins of generally steep dip, in the older metamorphosed rocks, and similar to the veins worked in other mining districts. The second class of mines is located in what is known as the " siliceous gold-belt." The Siliceous Gold-Belt. This belt, more particularly to be described in this paper, lies in the immediate vicinity of Deadwood and Lead City, and covers an area 6 or 7 miles in length by 3 or 4 miles in width. The formation in which the siliceous ores are found is a nearly horizontal series of sandstones and shales, generally

Jan 1, 1901

By James Norman, E. W. Gieseke

Spodumene is a lithium-bearing pyroxene, and is an important source of lithium compounds. Because of its high alumina and lithia content, it might be a desirable constituent of glass batches. The use of spodumene in ceramics will undoubtedly increase, as it has been shown that a mixture of the proper proportions of this mineral with soda feldspar and potash feldspar has a much lower maturing temperature upon firing than has any one of the three components. The mineral spodumene seldom occurs as pure mineral, but ordinarily with feldspars, mica and quartz. All spodumene-bearing rocks tested contained these minerals as gangue. Small amounts of iron and manganese oxides also were present, usually as stains on the silicate grains. Mica associated with the spodumene carried a considerable amount of lithia. This was discovered in flotation tailings, which, although virtually free of spodumene grains when examined microscopically, showed 0.4 to 0.5 per cent Li²O on chemical analysis. The lithia content of micas picked from the North Carolina spodumene rock was variable. Some samples contained little lithia, others more than 3 per cent. In 1938, under the supervision of Oliver C. Ralston,S the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Tennessee Mineral Products Corporation, undertook to study the beneficiation of North Carolina spodumene by froth flotation. The Bureau had previously published investigations on the beneficiation of spodumene.2,3The methods described in the second publication3 did not give good results with badly weathered spodumene rock, so that more thorough investigation of the subject was warranted. Study of Method of Flotation Separation Most of the work on concentration of spodumene was done with rock from near King's Mountain, North Carolina. Rock from two

Jan 1, 1942

By James Boyd

In critical times such as the present, when the whole world is agitated by the aftermath of war and the road to peace is blocked by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, it is fitting that we should pause to take inventory of the material resources essential to our national security. Our status as a world power, in peace as well as in war, is intrinsically bound to the availability of minerals, for the foundation of our industrial and economic structurewhich in turn largely determines our military potential and our limits of national prosperity-rests on our ready access to economic sources of iron, copper, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, and at least threescore of other metals, minerals, and mineral fuels. By applying the well-known facts of mineral resources to recognized fundamental concepts of preparedness, we can obtain a- clearer picture of the essential needs of our country. Historically, the lure of minerals and other raw material resources has all too frequently led nations to policies of imperialism and war. For more than a century the staking of colonial territory for new sources of raw materials has been a primary objective of many nations. These national policies. of aggrandizement were accelerated by increasing industrialization. The nations, in their aggressive search for

Jan 1, 1948

By Keith Contor

The concept of using simulators to train operators of vehicles is not new. However, the Bureau of Mines initiated these programs to determine if computer controlled training devices would enhance production and improve safety in the coal mining industry. Two prototype devices have been constructed, tested and are currently operational. The continuous miner and dragline operator training systems both incorporate full scale operator stations using operational controls and displays. The operator interacts with the visual system through the cab controls to perform basic tasks and develop skills required for startup, operation and shutdown of the mining equipment. Data pertaining to the concepts and techniques applied during the design, development and evaluation of the training devices are presented. Descriptions of trainer designs and visual systems for training equipment are presented and the results of the system evaluation are summarized.

Jan 1, 1983

By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel colltent is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dorè furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfartory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. . It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1943

By Frederic Benard

THIS paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordi-nary, nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the doré furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investi-gation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may he mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte pre-sents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed sepa-rately below.

Jan 1, 1938

By A. S. Koster, G. D. Rieck

X-ray experiments were carried out to show the occurrence of cylindrical texture in drawn tungsten wire. Only a small amount of (110) (110) cylindrical texture could he found in wires of intermediate thickness, i.e., of about 1.5 mm diameter. DRAWN wires of tungsten and other bcc metals like iron and molybdenum show a well-established (110) fiber texture. Now it might be conceivable that in drawing radial stresses remove the randomness of the crystallites around the [110} axis, thus giving a fiber texture of higher symmetry. In the resulting so-called cylindrical textures a specified plane normal coincides with the radius of the wire. Several authors discuss the occurrence of cylindrical textures in bcc metals. ~ieck' found no cylindrical texture in drawn tungsten wires of 165 n diameter. Leber~ states that in tungsten wires of 3 mm diameter a cylindrical {100)(110) texture is developed, which is gradually converted to a normal fiber texture by subsequent drawing. He also reported a definite cylindrical texture at the surface of iron wires. Peck and Thomas3 observed a nonuniform mode of deformation of the grains in transverse sections of heavily drawn tungsten and iron wires. According to Bhandary and cullity4 a swaged iron wire has neither a perfect (110) fiber texture nor a perfect {100}(110) cylindrical texture. It is clear that the concept of cylindrical texture in bcc metals still lacks a firm experimental basis. Leber's eviden~e,~ which seems to be the strongest, rests upon qualitative interpretation of photographs. The appearance of the 110 and 200 lines on the photograph of 3-mm wire, however, can be very well attributed5 to a normal ( 110) fiber texture superimposed on random background; our Fig. 1, giving a Debye-Scherrer diagram of etched tungsten wire of 180 p, is free of cylindrical texture according to all authors, but is quite similar to Leber's diagram. It was therefore decided to use a different method of X-ray texture determination on tungsten wires of diameters where cylindrical textures may be expected.

Jan 1, 1965

By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel colltent is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dorè furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfartory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. . It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1943

By Frederic Benard

THIS paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the doré furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dore furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefork was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1944

By F. D. Mahone

MUCH crude oil, as produced from the well, carries varying amounts of water, which may be present as free water in' globules sufficiently large to settle out, in time, if the fluid is allowed to stand, or as an emulsion formed by myriads of minute water particles, each surrounded and entrapped by a film of oil through which it cannot break under the action of gravity alone. Such an emulsified mixture of oil and water is commonly termed "cut oil." When such an emulsion is subjected, under proper conditions, to the .influence of a high-potential alternating-current field, the minute water particles rupture the enveloping oil films and coalesce into larger water droplets this procedure continuing until all the water is freed into drops of such size that they readily settle out. This action has been photographed by the micro-moving-picture camera; under, the microscope, the breaking-up of the emulsion, as described, is seen to be accomplished in a few seconds. The low power requirements of the process, from records of commercial plants, substantiate the theory that the action is that of a multitude of electrical condensers in series, rather than that of a number of conducting paths. The minute water particles serve as the metallic elements, or plates, of the condensers and the separating oil acts as the dielectric. Such surface charges as the particles may have are removed, and the intervening oil is broken, probably electrically by the voltage and mechanically by the attractive force between adjacent oppositely electrified particles. The principle of breaking up an emulsion under the influence of an alternating electric field was discovered by F. G. Cottrell and Buckner Speed, through experiments conducted, at the University of California, which resulted in a plant being installed on the property of the Lucile Oil Co. in the Coalinga field, California, early in 1909. This plant was able to reduce 14-per cent. emulsion to less than 2-per cent. with commercial success.

Jan 7, 1924

By John B. Gustavson, Thornton L. Neathery

A geochemical survey was conducted in the gold district in Alabama. Eight old mines were found to be sufficiently large in tenor and tonnage to be economical today. Four of these appeared to be amenable to exploration for new blind deposits. A gaseous aspiration AA method was used on soil samples. The results indicate that arsenic, antimony, and zinc may be good pathfinders for lode gold and residual placers in the saprolite. Antimony and zinc display a high correlation coefficient at gold-bearing locations in contrast to non-mineralized areas. The low cost of this method could make it a tool for selecting detailed targets to be drilled and trenched in the saprolite. Outcrop sampling was found to be inefficient due to paucity of outcrops and lack of correlation between the trace elements and gold in the rock samples, due to extensive weathering. Schistosity changes and silicification, on the other hand, have been found to be helpful in exploration around granite plutons.

Jan 1, 1977

By Samuel S. Wyer

1. The following is an abridgment of a recent report made by the author, covering an investigation of: (A) The necessary use of natural-gas compressors; (B) The effect of gas compressors on natural-gas field operating conditions in Ohio, with special reference to the working pressure relations of gas wells of one company discharging by natural rock-pressure flow without compressors, and adjacent wells of other companies, discharging into intake lines to gas-compressing stations. Tests were made at 107 different places in the counties of fairfield, Licking and Knox, Ohio, which required 7,000 miles of automobile driving, and consumed 6 months' time. 2. A proper conception of the necessary use and effect of natural-gas compressors in natural-gas production necessitates a clear understanding of certain fundamental definitions and judicial doctrines, which are given herein. 3. Gas is a fluid composed of a large number of molecules which are vehicles of energy continually in motion, and havingan inherent tendency to get farther and farther apart. The range of motion of the molecules is limited only by the volume of the closed containing vessel in which they constantly move to and fro. The most distinguishing characteristic of gas is its universal property of completely filling an inclosed space. 4. Gas pressure is the result of the combined efforts of all the moving molecules in the mass trying to get farther and farther apart, that is, a mass of gas inclosed in a vessel expands and fills it, and being restrained from further expansion, it exercises a pressure against the walls of the vessel. This pressure is the same in all directions on equal areas of surface, as shown in Fig. 1. With a given mass of gas, any increase in volume of containing vessel will give the molecules more range of motion, * The public's interest in the age and magnitude of the art of gas compressing and development of the law relating to the use of grs compressors in natural gas production is discussed in the preceding paper. Development of the Law Relating to the use of Gas Compressors in Natural Gas Production; see also Is It Feasible to Make Common Carriers of Natural Gas Transmission Lines, vol. xlviii, 471 to 480 (1914). Consulting Engineer.

Jan 1, 1916

By A. J. Lanza

IN view of the immense amount of attention that silicosis has received in this country in the past few years, it is timely to review the status of the silicosis problem at present. Who gets silicosis? The individual exposed to the inhalation of free silica dust. The effects upon the individual depend upon the amount of silica inhaled or, in other words, the severity of exposure, rather than upon any special variation or susceptibility among those exposed. A considerable amount of study has been given to determine what may be the role of predisposing causes in the development of silicosis. To mention one instance, at the Picher Clinic careful records were kept of all previous illnesses of the men examined as well as abnormalities present at the time of examination. Examinations of over 27,000 miners were made during the years the clinic was conducted under governmental auspices-a very fair sized sample. The general conclusions from all this work were that the incidence of silicosis is not appreciably influenced by racial, structural, or other inherent qualities; it is influenced by acquired defects-particularly as these affect the lungs. That is to say, the average run of human beings respond similarly to similar exposures to silica dust and those whose lungs are already impaired by tuberculosis or other pulmonary disease acquire silicosis more readily than those with healthy lungs. It may well be, and there is some clinical evidence in support, that negroes acquire silicosis more readily than do whites, but the infection factor has not been so carefully studied among negroes exposed to silica as it has among whites. We know that tubercle infection is more prevalent among negroes than among whites. There may be other factors concerned in the development of silicosis in negroes as compared to whites, but there is not available information upon which to base positive statements. INFECTION AND COMPENSATION Our first ideas about silicosis in this country were derived from early studies in the mining industry where the silica exposure was severe and

Jan 1, 1937

By H. N. Kalia, J. B. Gresham

Several attempts have been made in the past 60 years to commercialize the vast oil shale deposits of the US. However, the industry has yet to become economically viable. To date, it has not been possible to produce oil from oil shales at a competitive price compared with oil produced by conventional methods. The development work, nevertheless, has been fruitful in furthering the art of thick bed mining and technology of in situ retorting. The in situ method has the potential of recovering oil from thick beds, and the resource recovery potential is much greater than that from underground mining and surface retorting. In situ methods require that the shales/marlstones be fragmented in place to induce adequate porosity and permeability to allow in situ heating of the fragmented shales. This can be accomplished by using explosives. However, it has been found that the existing blasting systems, though very efficient, have some drawbacks. The explosives become insensitive when shot in multiplevertical decks. They can also become insensitive when spaced horizontally at close proximity to other charges. Also, since the blasting is done in a very limited free face, the delay time that can be allowed between charges is also quite limited. Consequently, it is not always possible to routinely predict the performance of the blasting system. Furthermore, since it is not possible to undertake secondary blasting, it is imperative that the blast design function properly. Recent successful retorting by Occidental Petroleum Co. Of Retorts 7 and 8 suggests that some of these problems may have been overcome. This paper addresses some aspects of in situ retorting and problems that have impeded the development of a viable oil shale industry in the US.

Jan 1, 1986

By T. M. Chance

THE necessity of adopting improved methods of bituminous-coal cleaning at. many collieries is recognized by all familiar with the requirements of the various bituminous markets, the approaching exhaustion of the relatively small areas of inherently high-grade-coal, and the difficulties encountered in maintaining a uniform grade of shipped coal. Many coals lose much of their .market value by degradation in size, and, in any event, if the cleaning process is to contemplate wetting the coal the minimum amount of fines should be produced to prevent sludge losses and the difficulties resulting from the moisture content of the wet fines. Hence, it is desirable to by-pass the finer coal dry, if this can be done without too-great increase in impurities in the final product. This procedure has given excellent results at washeries at Steelton and in the Birmingham district. If the raw fines are too impure to permit admixture with the washed coal, it may be desirable to use dry methods, such as the pneumatic table, rather than to wet an excessive amount of such fine material. The bituminous-coal cleaning plant should therefore: (1) Treat the raw coal in as large lump as possible and without sizing; (2) eliminate degradation of pure coal -in the washing process; (3) avoid wetting the fines, if possible; (4) produce washed coal practically free from mechanically included impurities; (5) crush the refuse and retreat, if much intergrown coal, and refuse are present, rather than precrush the entire feed. Ordinary gravimetric methods of concentration, whether hydraulic or pneumatic, will not meet all of these requirements, as the large lump includes those sizes. now sent to the picking tables, if it is desired to treat material of such size. I do not know of any prior commercial method, based on the falling velocity, coefficient of friction or resistance to fracture, that permits the production of clean coal varying in size from, say, 10-in. lump to 1/16 -in. mesh.

Jan 6, 1924