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By George A. Roberts, Robert F. Mehl

When austenite first forms from aggregates of cementite and ferrite, it is not homogeneous.' This inhomogeneity, consisting of both undissolved carbide and carbon concentration gradients, has a profound effect upon the characteristics of the austenite-pearlite reaction. The rate of formation of pearlite is increased by the presence of inhomogeneities2,3 and because of this (when the inhomogeneity is sufficiently pronounced) the hardenability of the steel is reduced.4,5 In addition to this kinetic effect, inhomogeneities will cause the direct formation of spheroidite from austenite at temperatures just below the Ael.6-11 The present report attempts quantitatively to evaluate the effect of inhomogeneity upon the rate of the austenite-pearlite reaction, presents a method of determining the austenitizing cycle necessary to obtain "practical homogenization," and considers the effect of inhomogeneity on hardenability. Effect of Inhomogeneities on Reactions Near Ae1 Few quantitative data are available representing the effect of undissolved carbide or of carbon concentration gradients upon the rate of the austenite-pearlite reaction. In procuring such data it is necessary to separate the effect of undissolved carbide from that of grain size, and this is not an easy task. The solution of carbide is always accompanied by an increase in the grain size, both effects contributing to the retardation of the reaction rate. It has been possible to make this separation and to obtain data that are independent of the grain size by the use of steels that differ only with respect to their tendency toward grain-coarsening. Steels C and D in Table I are such steels. These steels have been studied previously ;l,2,12 they differ only with respect to deoxidation practice; C was deoxidized with silicon while D, teemed from a portion of the same heat, was deoxidized with additional auantities of aluminum in the mold. C therefore is what is normally termed a "coarse-grained steel" and D is a, "fine-grained steel." These steels can be compared at the same grain size by heating c to a low temperature and heating D to an elevated temperature, producing a structure of austenite plus residual carbide in the former while forming homogeneous austenite in the latter; in such

Jan 1, 1943

By Herbert K. Kutter

This paper is concerned with the physical phenomena in the fracture process of presplitting and only indirectly with the establishment of the optimum presplitting parameters. Its nature is therefore qualitative, rather than quantitative. Before examining the problem of presplitting, it is first necessary to study the phenomena which occur when an explosive charge is detonated in a borehole. To do this it is desirable to consider the action of the explosion wave separately from that of the expanding gases.l In the theoretical analysis such a separation poses no problems. Experimentally this was accomplished by use of an underwater-spark discharge to generate the stress wave and by pressurized oil to simulate the pressure of the explosion products. The main role of the wave is to generate a densely radially fractured zone around the borehole. The subsequent gas pressure, exerted against the walls of a highly (radially) fractured cavity, generates a quasi-static stress field (henceforth referred to as static stress field). This stress field was found to be the same as that of a pressurized cylindrical "equivalent cavity" with a radius equal to that of the crack tips. Under these conditions the quasi-static stresses become appreciable and cause further extension of the radial cracks. It was further found that, under gas pressure, the longest of the radial cracks would extend first, and extension of two diametrically opposed radial cracks requires the least pressure. From these observations concerning the single shot the transition to a whole series of more or less simultaneous shots, as in presplitting, can readily be made. In the case of multiple shots, as in presplitting, exactly the same effects occur, but at numerous locations and sufficiently close in time that they interfere with

Jan 1, 1968

AT the Non-ferrous Metallurgy session on Wednes-day afternoon, R. M. Roosevelt, vice-president of the Eagle-Picher Lead Co., presided. The paper "Sug-gested Improvements for Smelting Copper in the Rever-beratory Furnace," by G. L. Oldright and F. W. Schroeder, was presented by. Mr. Oldright. It was brought out that lessening of dusting of the charge would increase the life of the arch at present operating temperatures, but will not allow much higher tempera-tures to be used unless dusting can be entirely elim-inated. The best opportunity for improving rever-beratory practice lies in the use of still higher tempera-tures but this requires the development of refractories superior to those now used. There was an interesting discussion of the facts brought out. The paper. on the "Formation and Decomposition of Zinc Ferrite," by

Jan 3, 1928

By V. Lessels, D. J. Buckwalter, D. H. Rose

At White Pine Copper Co.'s operation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the company has been losing more than four lbs of copper in each ton of sand tailings. With an average rate of 12,000 tpd of sand going to the tailing pond daily, the company has been losing more than 14 million lbs of the red metal annually. With an eye aimed toward lessening this loss, White Pine engineers in 1959 initiated a study on techniques for recovering this "lost" copper from the sands. Inasmuch as the flotation operation was considered to be optimized, a logical approach seemed to be leaching. For various reasons ammonia, ferric chloride, acid, and biological leaching were ruled out as impracticable. This led to a consideration of cyanide leaching as practiced in the precious metals industry.

Jan 8, 1967

By W. R. Hibbard

Although extensive pole figure studies have been reported by Brick1 and others2,3 showing preferred orientations in rolled and annealed 70-30 alpha brass, and by Hermann and Sachs4 in 70-30 alpha brass cups, comparatively little information has been published on textures in drawn 70-30 alpha brass tubes. Crampton5 reported a (110) , [111] texture in drawn brass tubes based on selected individual X ray photograms following the method of Norton and Hiller,6 but the extent and ease of developing this texture and the annealing texture have not been reported and pole figures of these structures were not found in the literature. The present investigation was further stimulated by the possible influence of textures on the mercury stress-corrosion cracking of brass tubes. According to Snoek,7 iron-nickel alloy sheet with a strong cubic texture was more resistant to corrosion than a randomly oriented sheet. Crampton5 reported that single crystals of 70-30 alpha brass drawn into tubes did not crack after 24 hr in a standard mer-curous nitrate test. Edmunds12 found that single crystals of 70-30 alpha brass did not crack in a standard mercurous nitrate test but did crack when subjected to ammoniacal vapor. Wasserman11 reported a similar failure of a single crystal of brass in ammonia. A tube with a strong texture might approach single crystal behavior and tend to resist mercury cracking if the differences in orientation between adjacent grains were sufficiently slight. Preparation OF Specimens Crampton's5 tubes drawn 28 pct reduction in area developed a slight degree of preferred orientation while in tubes drawn 48 pct it was more marked. Based on this information, in order to obtain specimens with markedly different degrees of preferred orientation but with the same final draw, two sets of 70-30 alpha brass tubes were made following the mill schedules shown in Table I. The final draw involved a large reduction in outside diameter, and a ratio of reduction in area to reduction in outside diameter similar to that reported by Crampton,5, 10 to cause mercury cracking of brass tubes. The brass contained 71.31 pct copper, 0.01 pct lead, 0.01 pct iron and zinc by difference. Determination of Pole Figures A 6-in. length from each tube was rotated rapidly by an electric stirrer in 25 pct nitric acid until the gauge was reduced to 0.003-0.005 in. The tubes were carefully cut longitudinally and the walls gently flattened. They were further etched in 25 pet nitric acid to 0.0015 in. thickness and (111) pole figures were determined using copper K-alpha radiation in the manner described by Brick.' The three general types of pole figures

Jan 1, 1949

By W. R. Hibbard

Although extensive pole figure studies have been reported by Brick1 and others2,3 showing preferred orientations in rolled and annealed 70-30 alpha brass, and by Hermann and Sachs4 in 70-30 alpha brass cups, comparatively little information has been published on textures in drawn 70-30 alpha brass tubes. Crampton5 reported a (110) , [111] texture in drawn brass tubes based on selected individual X ray photograms following the method of Norton and Hiller,6 but the extent and ease of developing this texture and the annealing texture have not been reported and pole figures of these structures were not found in the literature. The present investigation was further stimulated by the possible influence of textures on the mercury stress-corrosion cracking of brass tubes. According to Snoek,7 iron-nickel alloy sheet with a strong cubic texture was more resistant to corrosion than a randomly oriented sheet. Crampton5 reported that single crystals of 70-30 alpha brass drawn into tubes did not crack after 24 hr in a standard mer-curous nitrate test. Edmunds12 found that single crystals of 70-30 alpha brass did not crack in a standard mercurous nitrate test but did crack when subjected to ammoniacal vapor. Wasserman11 reported a similar failure of a single crystal of brass in ammonia. A tube with a strong texture might approach single crystal behavior and tend to resist mercury cracking if the differences in orientation between adjacent grains were sufficiently slight. Preparation OF Specimens Crampton's5 tubes drawn 28 pct reduction in area developed a slight degree of preferred orientation while in tubes drawn 48 pct it was more marked. Based on this information, in order to obtain specimens with markedly different degrees of preferred orientation but with the same final draw, two sets of 70-30 alpha brass tubes were made following the mill schedules shown in Table I. The final draw involved a large reduction in outside diameter, and a ratio of reduction in area to reduction in outside diameter similar to that reported by Crampton,5, 10 to cause mercury cracking of brass tubes. The brass contained 71.31 pct copper, 0.01 pct lead, 0.01 pct iron and zinc by difference. Determination of Pole Figures A 6-in. length from each tube was rotated rapidly by an electric stirrer in 25 pct nitric acid until the gauge was reduced to 0.003-0.005 in. The tubes were carefully cut longitudinally and the walls gently flattened. They were further etched in 25 pet nitric acid to 0.0015 in. thickness and (111) pole figures were determined using copper K-alpha radiation in the manner described by Brick.' The three general types of pole figures

Jan 1, 1949

By D. R. Skidmore, C. J. Konya

To quantify the effects of proper stemming on air-blast and flyrock reduction for a surface mining operation, a study was undertaken with funding from the Office of Surface Mining. Known weights of explosive charges were detonated in a simulated blasthole when confined with various types and size distributions of stemming. Results showed that proper selection of material type and size distribution can reduce necessary stemming length by 41 % and airblast levels by 23%. A relationship was obtained for minimum length of stemming for explosive confinement as a function of stemming size distribution and borehole diameter over a range of explosive pressures.

Jan 1, 1984

By O. Bilharz

The rules laid down by Peter von Rittinger in his classic Lehrbuch der Aufbereitungskunde (Berlin, 1867, p. 513) concerning the designing of dressing-works still possess authority for such works and their operation. Nevertheless, some modifications and additions suggested by practice may be of value at the present time. Rittinger says: "I. Choose the apparatus and machines which can be, under the existing con-' ditions, easily constructed and kept in running order!' This rule contemplates the construction of apparatus (mostly of wood) on the spot, with the command of good sbops and especially of good workmen in wood. But in many cases, particularly for the sake of a prompt supply, the construction of apparatus is now left to special manufactories, which pay more attention in the choice of materials to durability and strength than to easy manipulation and erection. Nevertheless, here,as in many other instances, simplicity of construction and solidity of execution are to be recommended. Especially important is the convenient and cheap replaceability of

Jan 1, 1894

By Finn Ouchterlony

A simple bilinear R-curve description of crack extension resistance is applied to the testing of sub-size rock core specimens. The K-curve consists of a linear sub-critical part and a flat post-critical part. Formulas for the apparent energy rate resistance quantities Gm, Jm, and [R] are developed. Experiments on notched cores of Ekeberg marble, Bohus granite, and Stripa granite are compared with these predictions. The R-curve model gives reasonable results for Gm -data but fails essentially to describe the Jm and [R]-data. Another model with a sharply increasing linear post-critical part could possibly account for the [R]-data, but direct R-curve measurements seem a better approach.

Jan 1, 1982

By ElRoy Nelson

WATER provides to many mineral industries functions similar to those performed by money in the economic system. Water is a medium of exchange. It is also required in chemical reaction for cooling, for transfer of minerals, and for cleaning. To a great extent, water is also a raw material in almost every industrial operation; it becomes a component of the finished product. In the Rocky Mountain region, water is treated with a great deal of respect. There has not been enough of it when needed. Long ago storage facilities were planned and devised to assure a supply during periods of shortages. This comes from the history of the region in irrigation and mineral processing. Within this region the shovel was always the most lethal weapon used in settling disputes over the use or misuse of water.

Jan 10, 1954

By Milton H. Ward

INTRODUCTION Historically, planning a mine involved the economic decision of whether to mine by open-pit methods or underground methods. The method selected was influenced by a number of factors, including size, tenor, and location of the deposit. If the project could not be justified by either underground or open-pit practices, it remained in fallow until economic conditions changed or technology advanced. Technology has advanced and the mining industry now has another option, that of in situ leaching. This method is on the threshold of becoming a commonly used alternative for production in many types of metal and mineral deposits. It will be utilized as the primary method for developing an ore body or as an adjunct to open-pit or underground operations. The following considers application of the technique to a deposit that had been partially exploited by open-pit methods. HISTORY The Big Mike Copper Mine is located approximately 30 miles south of Winnemucca, in Pershing County, Nevada. Interest in the property dates from the turn of the century, but little exploration was undertaken until the mid '60s. In 1967 Cerro Corporation acquired the property and initiated a major drilling effort. Ranchers Exploration obtained the property after this exploration program in late 1969 and confirmation drilling was undertaken. The deposit was delineated and it was determined that reserves amounted to about 100,000 tons of 10.0% massive copper sulfide ore and 700,000 tons of 2 .O% mixed oxide-sulfide ore. The ore body was a lenticular deposit, dipping at 50°. The massive sulfide mineralization was chalcocite and

Jan 1, 1974

By James R. Jones

The concern for air pollution goes back centuries as will be seen from this quotation: "Strife and coal, it seems, have a hand-in-hand historical relationship. It was thought by some . . . in the Middle Ages that burning coal filled the air with dangerous poisons. So great was the concern that in 1306 King Edward I of England passed the first and unquestionably the harshest, air pollution legislation edict that history will record. His proclamation declared the use of coal an act punishable by death." As related to coal mining the air pollution problem is primarily that of its customer when using the fuel. Thus the major impact relates to markets for coal rather than the actual mining operation itself. In the vicinity of the coal mine the problem is principally related to fugitive dust from roads, transfer facilities, loading facilities, crushers. etc., and particulate matter (dust or fly ash) from thermal dryers and air cleaning tables. FUGITIVE DUST Most state air pollution regulatory agencies now have rules and regulations requiring control of fugitive dust. This refers to dust generated from normal processing operations. A typical air pollution control agency regulation reads as follows: "Fugitive Dust" "No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit any material to be handled, transported, or stored; or a building, its appurtenances, or a road to be used, constructed, altered, repaired, or demolished without taking reasonable precautions to prevent particulate matter from becom-

Jan 1, 1973

By W. J. Babyak, F. N. Rhines

It has long been supposed that, regardless of the mechanism by which grain boundaries increase the hardness of a ductile metal, the effect should be linearly proportional to the grain boundary area. At the present time two methods for determining grain boundary area in an isotropic aggregate are available. The first, derived by Angus and Summers,' presumes that the grain boundary area is equal to 3vn, where n is the number of grains per sq mm in a random section through the metal. This estimate is based upon the assumption that the grains are equivalent to cubes whose faces correspond with the grains as observed in the micro-section. Measurements on copper, bronze, and a brass showed that a nearly linear relation exists between 3vn and hardness. This is illustrated, for the case of brass, in Fig. 1. The second method, developed independently by Smith and Guttman2 and by Duff in, Meussner, and Rhines,3 is absolute and employs a simple linear intercept count for measuring grain boundary area. It involves no assumptions with respect to the shape and distribution of the grain boundaries. The total surface in unit volume is 2 NL , where NL is the number of intercepts between grain boundary and unit length of a test line passed randomly through the sample. In practice, NL,, the average number of grain boundaries intercepted by unit length of traverse across a prepared microsection, is ob-

Jan 1, 1961

By Douglas Bunting

With the gradual exhaustion of the upper veins in the anthracite coal-fields, the problem of mining at greater depths acquires increasing importance and demands the consideration .of a number of important factors, one of which is the greater earth-pressure and the consequent necessity of stronger support for the roof. Under the pillar-and-chamber system, almost exclusively followed in the Northen anthracite-field, the highest economy in mining is generally secured by leaving, on first mining, pillars only sufficient to support safely the overlying strata. As to the necessary size of such pillars, the opinions of mining experts are widely divergent. In establishing the width of chambers and pillars, the thickness of vein and its depth below the surface have received little consideration. For instance, it has been quite usual to work both overlying and underlying veins with the same width of chambers and pillars, when the lower vein was two and one-half times as thick, and twice as far below the surface, as the upper. In view of the generally-accepted theory that the crushing-strength of coal-pillars of the same base-area becomes less with increased height, it is probable, in this instance at least, that the moat economical mining has not been secured. This question of adequate pillar-support is economically less important down to about 800 ft. than at greater depths; and it is with reference to mining at these greater depths that the study of the subject here presented has been prompted. The necessity of leaving larger pillars, involving greater mining-costs per ton and also smaller yields per acre, is one of the troubles of deep working. To mine without leaving adequate pillar-supports will result, sooner or later, in a squeeze. Limited areas, it is true, have been mined at certain widths of

Jan 1, 1912

By D. T. MacRoberts

Tins paper embodies the results of theoretical studies concerning gas reservoirs, especially the effect of drilling programs of various intensities upon pressure depletion and ultimate recoveries. The primary objective has been to determine the net quantity of recoverable gas that could be obtained as a result of each additional well, in comparison with the gas that might be secured from a single well ideally placed with respect to both acreage and geological structure. No method is yet known whereby the relative merits of intensive and sparse drilling can be compared experimentally; a reservoir must either be drilled closely or developed with wide spacing, but both programs cannot be conducted simultane-ously. Hence, the analytical method seems to be the only approach to the problem. While the present state of our theoretical knowledge does not offer a precise solution to the problem of gas flow in sand bodies, it takes such appropriate cognizance of the limitations of the methods used as to restrict any answer obtained to the realm of engineering accuracy. In solving the problem for the average gas field, it was found that practically the same answers resulted as to pressure distribution, regardless of the size of the drainage radius, even though the latter was assumed to vary from a few feet as a minimum to that of the entire reservoir as a maximum. Such limits represent extreme possibilities; therefore, the practical conditions that are associated with normal development programs, in which wells are placed in the center of tracts varying in size from 40 to 640 acres, will of necessity result in less extreme variations than those indicated in the tables accompanying this paper. Stated more concisely, the amount of gas unrecovered at abandonment (of the particular field used for illustrative purposes) will lie somewhere between 4.6 and 6 per cent of the total original content, no matter how intensively the field is drilled.

Jan 1, 1938

By Alden B. Grenninger

The time-honored description of the growth of metal crystals to form polycrystalline aggregates is one in which two important steps are considered: (1) nucleation, and (2) dendritic growth, each dendrite starting from its individual nucleus and resulting (upon slow cooling, assuming no solid phase changes) in a macrograin. This picture of the process of crystallization is incomplete, and it is with the hope of enlarging upon it that the following summary and correlation of experimental results are given. Mosaic Structure For an exact definition of the mosaic structure of metal crystals—if, indeed, one can be found that will hold for all metals—one must await the results of much experimental work in this field. The writer's investigations have been confined almost entirely to copper and a few of its alloys. The following terms are proposed, and will be used in this report: Macromosaic Structure1.—Large-scale mosaic structure; more specifically, mosaic structure of a scale large enough to produce splitting of Laue spots on back-reflection Laue X-ray patterns2. The deviation from exact parallelism of neighboring macromosaics varies from a few minutes to a few degrees3. Just as there are no exact dimension limits for macrograins, so the dimensions of a macromosaic vary considerably. Macromosaic structure may often be seen on copper single crystals if they are examined carefully with critical illumination4. However, back-

Jan 1, 1936

By F. Keeler, C. M. Craighead

Aluminum alloys containing magnesium and silicon are susceptible to strengthening and hardening by suitable heat-treatments, and they constitute a class of alloys of considerable commercial importance. Generally, they contain these two elements in the proportions required for the formation of the intermetallic compound Mg2Si, or an excess of silicon; no commercial wrought alloys are made with an appreciable excess of magnesium. The reason for not having excess magnesium is obvious from the results given in this paper, since it is shown that excess magnesium results in a proportional decrease in the solubility of Mg2Si. This is the eighteenthl of a series of papers from the Aluminum Research Laboratories dealing with the equilibrium relations in aluminum-alloy systems; most of the previous publications concerned binary aluminum-alloy systems; this is the fourth of a group pertaining to ternary aluminum-alloy systems. The work on this system was completed in 1930, but the results were not published because of the pressure of other work. Hanson and Gaylor2, in 1921, presented the results of an extensive investigation of the aluminum-magnesium-silicon system. Their results indicated that an excess of magnesium over the amount required to form the compound MgzSi caused a noticeable decrease in the solid solubility of MgzSi in aluminum. A more recent investigation3 in these laboratories showed that the solid solubility of MgzSi in aluminum was 1.85 per cent at 595' C. and decreased to 0.30 per cent at 300' C. The results of the latter investigation were used as the basis for the present work. The Present Investigation In the present investigation, a study was made of the effect of various amounts of excess magnesium upon the solid solubility of MgzSi in

Jan 1, 1936

By John M. Hartman

The high temperature of the blast of modern furnaces renders it desirable that the pipe conveying the blast into the furnace crucible shall transmit and radiate as little heat as possible. To accomplish this, the pipe shown in the accompanying sketch was devised and patented. It consists of a slide-valve, leg-pipe, and belly-pipe, which are held together and to the tuyere by a system of levers and links. The slide-valve is superior to the old throttle-valve. The legpipe is formed of two thicknesses of wrought-iron pipe, with a space of half an inch filled in with clay and brick. The belly-pipe is made in the same way as the leg-pipe, and terminates in a globe face to suit the tuyere. The quarter turn is made extra thick, of cast iron, and the cap on the end is lined with clay also. The catches, A, B, C, are merely for convenience in putting the pipe together. The joints D and E are globe faces, and allow the pipe to adjust itself to any angle. The eye-piece is made of violet glass, which cuts off the glare from the bright coals in the furnace and allows a close examination of the interior, so that any water dropping or vapor can be detected. The glass does not become coated with dirt, like mica. Since good running of furnaces is shown by a bright tuyere, it is necessary to have a good eye-piece to examine them. To detach the pipe, a man lifts the weights, the side rods are then slipped off the bell crank under the quarter turn, the link under the belly-pipe is unhooked, and the pipe carried away. The same process is reversed to put the pipe together. The nozzle is changed by taking off the cap, G, drawing the nozzle through the belly-pipe, and inserting another. In this way the change can be made quickly, without taking down the pipe. On the old tuyere pipe bolts with brass nuts were used, which burned up and gave trouble. In other cases key-bolts were used, making it difficult to adjust the pipe. Bolts make too rigid a joint, and there is no provision for movement from contraction or expansion. As the temperature of the blast increases there is more expansion, and where rigid joints are

Jan 1, 1879

By John M. Hartman

THE high temperature of the blast of modern furnaces renders it desirable that the pipe conveying the blast into the furnace crucible shall transmit and radiate as little heat as possible. To accomplish this, the pipe shown in the accompanying sketch was devised and patented. It consists of a slide-valve, leg-pipe, and belly-pipe, which are held together and to the tuyere by a system of levers and links. The slide-valve is superior to the old throttle-valve. The leg-pipe is formed of two thicknesses of wrought-iron pipe, with a space of half an inch filled in with clay and brick. The belly-pipe is made in the same way as the leg-pipe, and terminates in a globe face to suit the tuyere. The quarter turn is made extra thick, of cast iron, and the cap on the end is lined with clay also. The catches, A, B, C, are merely for convenience in putting the pipe together. The joints D and E are globe faces, and allow the pipe to adjust itself to any angle. The eye-piece is made of violet glass, which cuts off the glare from the bright coals in the furnace and allows a close examination of the interior, so that any water dropping or vapor can be detected. The glass does not become coated with dirt, like mica. Since good running of furnaces is shown by a bright tuyere, it is necessary to have a good eve-piece to examine then. To detach the pipe, a man lifts the weights, the side rods are then slipped off the bell crank under the quarter turn, the link under the belly-pipe is unhooked, and the pipe carried away. The same process is reversed to put the pipe together. The nozzle is changed by taking off the cap, G, drawing the nozzle through the belly-pipe, and inserting another. In this way the change can be made quickly, without taking down the pipe. On the old tuyere pipe bolts with brass nuts were used, which burned up and gave trouble. In other cases key-bolts were used, making it difficult to adjust the pipe. Bolts make too rigid a joint, and there is no provision for movement from contraction or expansion. As the temperature of the blast increases there is more expansion, and where rigid joints are

Jan 1, 1879

By Ralph E. Grim

THE technology of clay minerals is defined, for the purpose of this review, as- the application of fundamental data regarding clay minerals, and techniques of handling them, to the various industries, arts, and professions concerned with clay materials. The aim of the paper is to narrate recent developments in clay mineral technology. This review does not claim to be complete, and perhaps gives undue emphasis to matters that have been worked on in the author's laboratory or with which he has some other connection. In the United States in recent years, particularly since the end of World War 11, interest in clay mineralogy has increased greatly. Many laboratories in many different fields have embarked on studies of clay minerals but unfortunately much of this work has not been published. CERAMICS In the field of ceramics, in recent years, a great deal of interest has developed in clay mineralogy. Papers too numerous to be reviewed here have been published portraying the clay mineral composition of substantially all the important types of ceramic clays in all countries. There has been a growing tendency to attempt to solve processing problems on the basis of clay mineral data rather than chemical analytical data. Likewise, there is an in- creasing tendency to control the characteristics of raw materials on the basis of clay mineral composition rather than chemical composition. In the United States in the last few years something like 50 differential thermal analyzers have been set up, and many are for the sole purpose of controlling raw material and processing. The ceramic industry is currently increasing its attention to the influence of exchangeable ions and soluble salts on physical properties. Ion concentration in clay suspensions has long been a matter of interest, but now it is also of interest in clays in the plastic state because of its recognized importance in the plastic, shrinkage, and bonding properties of clays. Students of clay have long recognized that an understanding of the plastic properties of clays is based on an understanding of the character of the water in clay-water systems, the nature of the binding force between individual clay mineral particles, and the factors that control the character of the water and the nature of the bonding force. In the last few years, some extremely important contributions have greatly increased the understanding of the nature of water adsorbed on the clay mineral surfaces. In this connection the work

Jan 1, 1952