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By Michael E. Zellars

The environment for deposition of marine phosphorite is controlled by the relationship of prevailing climatic, oceanographic, structural, and sedimentary conditions. The set, or sets, of conditions that has evoked the accumulation of economic concentrations of phosphorite has been the subject of a number of previous works. Phosphorite presently considered ore is generally in excess of 10% P205 with an extractable phosphate product in excess of 30% P2O5. The concentration of the product in the ore, its amenability to state-of-the-art extraction, and thickness of the overburden are major controlling factors in determining its mineability. A recent survey of phosphorite deposits in the south-eastern United States included a review of the depositional and structural setting for the major areas of occurrence. The application of previous work regarding phosphorogenesis has led to the establishment of a general depositional model for most mid-Miocene primary phosphorites, and, is also possibly applicable to the Bone Valley (Pliocene-Miocene) district of central Florida.

Jan 12, 1978

By W. M. Tuddenham, R. J. P. Lyon

In many areas surrounding the orebodies in mining districts rocks have been bleached and altered by the ore-forming solutions and have been oxidized during later weathering processes. A number of the rock-forming silicates have been broken down to clay, sericitic micas and chlorites have been developed, and pyrite may be found hundreds of feet outside the economic limits of the orebody. These halos of altered ground are prime targets used by geologists in many districts to delineate promising sites for drilling. Both in the field and in the laboratory it is often difficult to map these mineralogical changes in the halos in detail without numerous petrologic examinations. The secondary minerals are generally fine-grained, and since conversion of one mineral to another is often progressive, many alteration processes have not proceeded to completion (feldspars to clay to sericite mica). Qualitative detection of these minerals is difficult; quantitative determination is frequently impossible.

Jan 12, 1959

By Ramachandra Rao

THE occurrence of copper ores at Garimenapenta, 14 59 min 30 sec N Lat., 79 33 min 10 sec E Long., in Nellore district, Madras State, India, has been examined and investigated on numerous occasions during the past two centuries.' No tangible orebody was ever located as a result of all the ex- tensive trenching and shafting done in the area by various agencies. However, during 1933 Messrs. Piepmeyer & Co., a German firm engaged by one of the leaseholders of the area, carried out an electrical survey using inductive methods.' On the basis of certain strong indications found in their survey, they recommended that the prospect be proved by drilling or shafting. But for want of financial backing no further work was carried out. When the Madras government more recently proposed investigation, Dr. Krishnan, then Supt. Geologist of the Madras Circle, urged that before further costly ventures were carried out a test geo-

Jan 1, 1954

By C. G. Dunn

Identification of the kinds of orientation relationships that may exist among crystals is an important problem in the metallurgical field. As an aid to its solution standard orientations of several orders of twins would be very useful for rapid analyses to discover high-order as well as low-order twin relationships. Although data have been published that give orientations for three generations of twins, these data are not readily useful in the form presented; i.e., in a stereo-graphic projection with one pole per orientation.' However, accurate data based on calculations of the positions of all {1001 planes for such groups would be very useful when presented in tabular form. Therefore, calculations have been made for a group of four orders of twins and the data are listed in Table 3. Illustrative applications are considered briefly, with the idea of pointing out what may be done with large groups of orientations. Method of Computing Orientation OF a Twin It is common practice to describe the orientation of a crystal in terms of the positions on a stereographic net of the poles of certain planes of the crystal. A single position on a net may be given in terms of two angle variables, two sets of which appear in the following equations: Polar Net Wulff Net x = , sin ?p cos Fbp x = r COS ?w y = r sin ?p sin Fp y = r sin ?w cos Fw % = r cos ?p z = r sin ?w, sin +, The three numbers z, y and z determine a length r as well as a direction (0, 4) in an X, Y, Z coordinate system. In the present case, r will be set equal to (h2 + k2 + L2)1/2, where h, k and I are the usual Miller indices for a crystallographic plane, a restriction that facilitates determination of the positions of poles of new planes from those of old or known ones,2 as will become evident later. Furthermore, since twinned lattices have certain planes in common, it is an easy matter to determine the orientation of a twin of a crystal if the orientation of the crystal itself is known. We start therefore with a crystal of known orientation (positions of three {Ioo} poles given) and determine where the cube poles occur in first, second, third and fourth-order twins. Methods for identifying twinned lattices and for making the calculations to find the orientation of a twin have been published.3,4' Reference 4 will be illustrated in the calculation of the orientation of a twin, even though this method differs from the one used by the writer in obtaining the following data on four orders of twins. Consider a crystal S and its twin A1, A' being one of the four {112} or {III} type* first-order twills of S. The orientation of S—i.e., the positions of poles of (I00)

Jan 1, 1945

By E. A. Lowe, C. C. Walden, D. W. Duncan, P. C. Trussell

The industrial importance of bacteriological leaching is finding increasing application in the treatment of low-grade ore and of exhausted mines. Another possible application of bio-leaching is in the extraction of ore concentrates, although here the first uses will likely be for ores that are refractory to conventional metallurgy. Biological leaching studies, which have been in progress for over ten years in this laboratory, are directed towards the more rapid and complete leaching of metals from their sulfides, particularly of copper, zinc, and nickel. The program involves not only laboratory studies, but pilot-plant operations and liaison with mining companies which are underwriting the cost of the investigations. Although the bacterial oxidation of mineral sulfides to the corresponding water-soluble sulfates has been occurring naturally for many centuries, the first documented recovery of solubilized metal from pregnant solution was at the Rio Tinto operation in Spain. At this location leaching variables were studied extensively in an empirical manner some years before the causative bacteria were first isolated from other leaching situations. Documentation of the presence of bacteria in leach waters of the Rio Tinto, Spain, operation was not confirmed until 1962.3 On this continent leaching was pioneered in the early

Jan 1, 1968

Henry D. Hibbard, New York City (communication to the Secretary): The title of Mr. Sargent's paper is somewhat misleading, since the paper itself relates chiefly to various kinds of annealing and their effects, and in very small part only to heat-treatment proper. This term has a well-defined meaning in steel metallurgf, and always includes a rate of cooling faster than the material treated would have in the open air. In bringing about this accelerated rate of cooling, some medium other than air at rest is brought into contact with the heated steel. Usually a liquid (almost always either oil or water) is employed ; but for certain steels a blast of air, and for others an easily fusible or soft metal, such as led (either solid or melted), may be used. Heat-treatment usually includes also subsequent moderate heating, followed, it may be, with another accelerated cooling.

Jan 1, 1902

By J. P. Witherow

The blast-filmace plant of the Crozer Steel and Iron Company was built under contract by Witherow & Gordon, of Pittsburgh, Pa. The furnace is 70 feet high by 16 feet bosh, tunnel-head 12 feet 8 inches, and hearth 9 feet in diameter. The columns are 20 feet high above furnace level, below which they extend 2 feet. The shell is 23 feet diameter at bottom and 19 feet at top. The plate iron is 3/8 inch at bottom, and tapers to 1/4 inch, the top ring being 5/16 inch.

Jan 1, 1884

By P. H. G., Durville

ANY metal which contains even a small percentage of aluminum possesses certain peculiarities of appearance and properties which are exhibited both when the metal is melted and after it solidifies. Pure aluminum, or an alloy containing a small proportion of aluminum, can be melted without flux-except for a layer of charcoal-because a film of aluminum oxide and metal forms at the surface of melted aluminum. Although very thin, this film is air-proof, and it prevents the metal underneath from oxidizing. This oxidized film does not move easily on account of its toughness and high surface tension. One very important point in connection with this process of still casting has not been strongly enough stressed, namely, that the same kind of surface film with the same peculiarities forms over the surface of all melted alloys that contain even a small proportion of aluminum. Experienced foundrymen know how desirable it is to cast aluminum under its "skin" or under the surface of the film which tends to remain still. In the case of red copper, when in fusion, the surface shows pure copper only. This' is due to the fact that liquid copper constantly absorbs the copper oxide which forms on the surface. By closely examining melting copper the oxide can be seen dissolving in the bath, and going into solution just as pulverized sugar dissolves in water. When copper is cast in the open, either in wire bars or cakes, the surface of metal exposed to the air is covered by a film of black oxide that cannot be absorbed by the metal.

Jan 1, 1927

By Grover J. Holt

Open-pit mining on the iron range has been in a stage of transition for several years from the standpoint of mechanization. The most radical change in open-pit mining methods was started in open-pit haulage in 1937 with the departure from the then standard system of locomotive and car transportation and the advent of the heavy duty truck as a replacement. The initial use of trucks was followed shortly by the first installation of a conveyor belt for open-pit ore haulage. The growth of the combination of trucks for gathering units delivering to a conveyor system for transportation out of the pit, has been rapid and this transition appears to have reached a peak in 1949 with locomotives and cars now being used in only a few of the largest open pits. One point which must be considered, if we assume that the maximum equipment change- over point has been reached, is that the largest pits have probably passed their peak of production. Future ore replacement must come from smaller pits wherein the truck conveyor system has done an outstanding job.

Jan 1, 1950

By J. R. Low, D. F. Stein

Single crystals of iron have been grown from three different lots of Ferrovac "E" of somewhat different chemical composition by the strain anneal technique. Using a technique to seed the crystal similar to Dunn's for silicon-iron, it has been possible to orient the crystals grown in both direction and plane of growth. Crystals having the plane of the strip oriented (100) , (110), (111), (112), (123), and (491) have been grown. The growth directions used have been [100], [110], 45 deg from a [110}, and various others of no specific crystal orientation. The usual dimensions of the crystals were 8 by 1 by 0.08 in. Attempts to grow crystals were about 90 pct successful. METHODS of growing single crystals of high purity iron have been reported in the literature.1-4 However, each of these methods was not completely reliable when used on materials having slightly different chemical composition and in some instances a small number of successes were obtained using identical materials. Except for the method used by S. Dohi and T. Yamoshita,1 it has not been possible to reorient single crystals of high purity iron to give any desired orientation. The method to be described has made it possible to grow single crystals from three different lots of material having different compositions, and to orient the crystals with respect to growth direction and surface. STARTING MATERIAL The material used during this investigation was a vacuum melted high purity iron marketed by the Vacuum Metals Corporation designated Ferrovac "E." Three lots of Ferrovac "E" having the following composition were used with equal success: The compositions listed are those of the as-received material; and they may have been modified before the growth of single crystals. Analysis of heat B just before growth and after growth revealed that the heat treatment prior to growth did not change the carbon content, but the oxygen content was changed from 0.0092 pct to 0.0034 pct and the nitrogen content from 0.0003 pct to 0.0001 pct. After growth of the single crystals, the carbon had dropped to 0.001 pct. None of the heat treatments would be expected to change any of the other impurities very markedly. Heat C would be expected to have a metallic impurity content similar to heats A and B. PROCEDURE Ferrovac "E" iron which had been obtained in bar form having a diameter of about 1 in. was rolled into strip for growing single crystals. By passing the 1-in. bar through a cold rolling mill several times, it was reduced to a strip 0.15 in. thick. The strips obtained were then cut into suitable lengths for heat treating (about 9 in. long), annealed at 925°C for 2 hr in dry hydrogen and water quenched. It was then necessary to bake the strip at 200°C for 24 hr in air in order to prevent cracking during further rolling operations. While it was possible to cold roll the 1-in. bar directly to the desired 0.080-in. strip, the intermediate anneal was used because the strip so obtained produced better single crystals. The strip obtained by rolling the 1 -in. bar directly to 0.080-in. strip produced single crystals having a large number of occluded grains. Experiments showed that the optimum reduction in area by rolling prior to the growth of single crystals was about 50 pct. Attempts to grow single crystals from material that had been reduced less than 40 pct were unsuccessful presumably because the matrix did not possess the critical amount of texture necessary for growth. The strip obtained after the rolling operations had very irregular edges which were ground to give a strip with uniform dimensions. The strip was then annealed at 825°C for 3 hr in hydrogen and furnace cooled. Fig. 1 illustrates the grain size obtained. A temperature of 940°C was used for the annealing temperature on one group of strips

Jan 1, 1962

By Robert W. Hunt

HAVING devoted considerable time to the investigation of the Clapp-Griffiths converter and the metal produced in it, it may perhaps be of interest to the Institute to learn the conclusions which I have formed. Of course, it is well known that the stationary converter of small size is the very oldest type of vessel used in the pneumatic process. Hence it will be only necessary to call your attention to the points which are special features of the Clapp-Griffiths. This converter has a slag tap-hole, situated at such a height in relation to the metal under treatment that, when the cinder is formed and boils up as the blow progresses, it can run off and thus be removed from contact with the iron, and will also be out of the way when the decarbonized metal is tapped into the casting ladle and the manganiferous alloy added. The manner of shutting off the blast, when the process is completed and the metal is being tapped, is another distinctive feature. The tuyeres are situated around the sides of the vessel, and enter the interior some little distance above the bottom; they are provided with plugs through the centers of which there are small openings. When the blow is completed, these plugs are forced forward into the outer orifices of the tuyeres, thus shutting off the blast, excepting the small quantity' entering through the passages named. While this is sufficient to keep the metal from running into the tuyeres, it reduces to the minimum the action of the blast while the metal is being tapped. Of course, this is of great importance, as in an ordinary stationary converter any delay in getting open the tap-hole means overblowing, and even while the first part of the charge is running out the oxidation is in frill force. Duplicate or movable bottoms are used, thus more than doubling the possible output of the plant. The pressure of' blast is quite light, never ex-

Jan 1, 1885

By Luke L. Y. Chang, Bert Phillips

A number of molybdenum oxides have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been described.' No data have been published on the stabilities of these oxides nor on the phase relations in the system Mo-0. It is probable that the tendency toward oxidation of both the metal and the oxides with low oxygen content in addition to the high volatilization rate of the oxides with high oxygen content have precluded accumulation of reliable data for establishing phase relations. These problems make experimentation difficult, but a modifi-

Jan 1, 1965

By R. C. Hassinger, D. V. von Rosenberg

Transverse dispersion has received considerably less treatment in the literature than has longitudinal dispersion. Different methods for determining transverse dispersion coefficients have been used in different investigations, and the results obtained have not been consistent enough to permit accurate generalizations as to the effect of various physical parameters on the magnitude of these coefficients. A numerical solution to the differential equation describing transverse dispersion in the absence of longitudinal dispersion was obtained to enable one to calculate the dispersion coefficient from experimental results. The more general dispersion equation including longitudinal dispersion also was solved numerically to give quantitative limits of a dimensionless group within which the assumption of negligible longitudinal dispersion is justified. Possible experimental procedures were examined, and one utilizing a cylindrical packed column was chosen for the determination of transverse dispersion coefficients. Values of these coefficients were determined for a system of two miscible organic fluids of equal density and viscosity, for two sizes of packing material over a wide range of flow rates in the laminar regime. The dispersion coefficient was found to decrease, for a constant value of the product of packing size and interstitial velocity, as the size of the packing material particles increased. INTRODUCTION Longitudinal dispersion has received extensive treatment in the literature, and consequently is better understood than its orthogonal counterpart, transverse dispersion. Many mathematical models of dispersion processes assume that transverse dispersion is rapid enough to damp out any radial** concentration gradients and therefore may be neglected. Laboratory and production results, however, indicate that this is a poor assumption.l,2 Various experimental procedures for determining transverse dispersion coefficients have been used in previous investigations, but the results have generally been expressed by similar correlations. The transverse dispersion coefficients obtained, however, have often varied considerably for given values of the correlation parameters. We feel that further experimental determinations of transverse dispersion coefficients will help alleviate some of the inconsistencies in these empirical correlations. One assumption implicit in all previous investigations is that of negligible longitudinal dispersion in the experimental system. An attempt to justify this assumption often is made using intuitive reasoning, but it is apparent that this reasoning must break down as the condition of zero flow rate is approached. A mathematical examination of the equations describing the system yields physical limits outside of which the assumption of negligible longitudinal dispersion is invalid. BACKGROUND In a porous medium, the "effective molecular diffusivity" De is less than the molecular diffusivity D measured in the absence of a porous medium, due to the tortuous path which a diffusing molecule must travel. Various authors3-5 have reported values of the ratio De/D in the range of 0.6 to 0.7. When there is fluid flow within the porous medium, mass transfer occurs by convective dispersion as well as by molecular diffusion. These are separate phenomena and can be treated as such on a microscopic scale. However, the mathematical complexity is such that only extremely simple geometries could be considered, and the results hardly would be applicable to the complex geometries existent in actual porous media. A more

Jan 1, 1969

By Charles L. Mantell, B. G. Shah

SINCE the beginning of the industry, commercial electrolytic manganese has followed the Shelton patent' among others, which called for the addition of sulfur dioxide in controlled amounts, to a purified manganese sulfate-ammonium sulfate at a controlled pH. Every attempt to eliminate sulfur dioxide additions has resulted in operating difficulties, chiefly solution of the deposited metal and lowered current efficiencies. Many replacements for sulfur dioxide have been proposed and studied, chiefly sulfur compounds, urea, thiourea, and proteins similar to those employed successfully in copper refining. It has been suggested that sulfur dioxide is a re-ductant for higher-valence manganese compounds, or that it is reduced by manganese metal in the deposit to hyposulfites or its compounds, and that these might affect the cathode film or the deposition potential, or the overvoltage of manganese. The additives were studied following the method of Mantel1 and Ferment2 who determined the feasibility of current-potential curves as an analytical tool for monitoring manganese elec trowinning solutions for metallic impurities: nickel, cobalt, silver, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cadmium, magnesium, and sodium. The individual effect of each on the standard polarization was determined for a range of concentrations. Not all affected the polarization curve; cadmium, magnesium, and sodium had no effect. Nickel, cobalt, silver, copper, and zinc yielded a correlation between transition current and concentration of impurity.

Jan 1, 1968

By J. J. Stokes

Literature on the electrolysis of aluminum from cryolite melts and on the structure of these melts is surveyed critically. Data on density, freezing point, and other properties are reviewed. Theories of the electrolysis are examined in the light of these data. Two theories are presented which account equally well for the observations. ALTHOUGH the production of aluminum is a large-scale industrial process, consuming approximately 3 pet of all of the electric current generated in this country, the mechanism of the Hall Process remains a 70-year-old mystery. It is a remarkable fact that the aluminum industry, which was established largely through research and owes much of its growth to research, still employs as its basic process the one developed by Charles Martin Hall while he was still a young man working in a woodshed. There are, of course, modifications in detail and a tremendous expansion of the size of the units used, but basically the process employs carbon anodes and a carbon-lined iron vessel as a cathode for the electrolysis of alumina dissolved in molten salt. Of the almost infinite variety of salts available, the relatively minor Greenland mineral, cryolite, 3NaF.A1F3, is still the only one which gives good performance in the electrolysis. In the early days, the process was thought of as a simple one. The dissolved alumina dissociated and, during the electrolysis, the aluminum was carried to the cathode where it was discharged and collected in a pool of metal. The oxygen was carried to the carbon anode where it reacted to form primarily carbon dioxide together with some carbon monoxide. About the only virtue that can be claimed for this hypothesis is that of simplicity. The actual mechanisms must be tremendously more complex. This paper is devoted to a rather narrow part of the whole subject, namely, what ions are present in the bath, and by what mechanism the current is carried. The complexity of the literature on this system is demonstrated in Table I, which shows the ions postulated as being present during the process. This system is not easy to investigate. Cryolite melts at about 1000°C, so that all the investigations are at relatively high temperatures. Molten cryolite fumes in air, particularly if excess aluminum fluoride is present. The cryolite changes composition on heating at 1000°C, principally by reaction with moisture in the air, but apparently also by reaction with oxygen. Cryolite reacts with most of the customary materials of construction, and those that are not attacked by cryolite seem inevitably to react with molten aluminum. Graphite is the only common material that is inert to the electrolytic bath. Pure cryolite can be held in platinum. There is hope that some of the newer refractories will stand up in bath, and their development for this purpose would be a major advance in the field. The techniques to be discussed, then, are not the most advanced ones. Rather, they are examples of old standardized methods applied under difficult conditions. The principal methods that shed real light on the mechanism are density, electrical conductivity, freezing-point lowering, transport number, viscosity measurements, and reactivity of bath with carbon dioxide. The first measurement to be discussed is density. This procedure is relatively straightforward. A hollow platinum bob is suspended by fine platinum wire from an analytical balance into the melt being investigated. Density1-4 of the system sodium fluoride-aluminum fluoride is shown in Fig. 1. There is a maximum in the density near the cryolite composition, but actually the maximum is on the NaF-rich side of cryolite, close to the composition NaF - Na3AlF8. Density measurements are also useful in giving a clue to the nature of cryolite-alumina melts.1, 4 On the first addition of alumina, density decreases, Fig. 2, although the density of alumina, either solid or liquid, is higher than that of cryolite. These density results indicate that the systems are not simple. A great deal of effort has been spent in measuring the electrical conductivity of molten cryolite and of cryolite with various additives. Conductivity measurements are quite easy for fused salts that can be measured in a dip cell, but no successful dip cell has been made available yet for cryolite. Recourse is had

Jan 1, 1959

By Peter M. Grant

The paper describes in broad outline the design of circular shaft linings with particular reference to the practical aspects. In the main it refers to recent British and German practice but has general application for any shaft lining design.

Jan 1, 1983

By Paul G. Shewmon

The migration of slightly solzrhle spherical particles through a solid under the infllrence of a temperature gradient is analylzed for the cases of various transport mechanisms. It is shown that the variation of the velocity of the particles with radius, r, depends on the dominant mechanism of matter transport around or through the inclusion. Thus the velocity varies as r-1 jor surface-dijf1~sion controlled migratzon. is independent of r for volume diffusion in either phase, and varies as if the rate is determined by an interfacial reaction (n is the order of the interfacia1 reaction). These same results hold tor the migration of a cvlinder of length much greater than its radius. and .for other types of potential gradients, e.g., an electrical field. These equations are combined with recent electron-microscopic ohservations to show that the rate of migratzolz of small helium-silled bubbles through copper is determined by surface diffusion of the metal atoms. With these equations and the temperature gradients attainahle in an electron-microscope joil, the dominant transpar/ mechanism (or any migrating pnrtzclos can he determined. AS a result of fission, rare-gas atoms are created in the hot fuel element of a nuclear reactor. These insoluble atoms precipitate to form bubbles of the gas in the fuel. The subsequent migration and coalescence of these bubbles is thought to play a dominant role in the swelling of fuel elements which in turn can limit the fuel-element life. As a result of this practical problem and because of the relative simplicity of the system, workers in several laboratories have imbedded rare-gas atoms in metals with the aid of an accelerator and studied the formation and behavior of the bubbles that form on annealing. Recently Barnes and Mazey have studied the migration of such helium-filled bubbles in copper foils using the electron microscope and the temperature gradient that can be induced in the foil by the electron beam. They found that the smaller bubbles moved faster than the larger ones. It is shown below that, if this is true, the rate-controlling step in their migration is surface diffusion of metal atoms instead of volume diffusion, vapor transport, or an interfacial reaction. The analysis given is in no way limited to gaseous inclusions so the variation of velocity with particle size for any relatively insoluble precipitate particles could be used to obtain information about the relative importance of surface diffusion, volume diffusion, and interfacial reaction in such two-phase systems. VOID MIGRATION IN A TEMPERATURE-GRADIENT ANALYSIS Barnes' studies indicate that helium does not dissolve or diffuse in metals to a measurable extent, so that when the voids move they must do so through the movement of metal atoms from the leading to the trailing sides of the void.' Thus voids might move by surface diffusion, diffusion of vacancies in the surrounding lattice, or vapor transport. We consider first the case of flow by surface diffusion alone. We assume that there is a force, in the sense of irreversible thermodynamics, tending to move the atoms around the bubble in a given direction. We designate this direction as the x axis and the force per atom as Fa. The net rate of flow of atoms from one side of the bubble to the other, under the influence of this force, is the surface flux, Js, times the cross-sectional area available for flow, A,. A, is taken as the circumference times the thickness of the high-diffusivity surface layer 6. Thus where 51 is the atomic volume. For bubbles to advance a distance dx, a volume equal to nr : dx must flow around the void so that The minus sign enters because the bubble moves in the direction opposite to that of the force on the atoms. Equations for volume diffusion and diffusion through the vapor can be obtained in the same manner. For vapor transport we have Ag = and the ratio of the densities of metal atoms in the gas and the solid (pg/pl) enters so that

Jan 1, 1964

By Ralph D. Parker

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

Jan 1, 1937

By Charles F. Park

CORRECTLY speaking, iron ore is limited to any naturally occurring rock from which iron may be extracted at a profit, but in practice the term is frequently used to indicate borderline material or inaccessible material that may in the future become commercially profitable. This distinction is much more than quibbling about terminology. When a layman hears that there are about 45 billion tons of iron ore in the world he naturally thinks that sounds like quite a bit of rock, and what is the use of worrying about the depletion of so plentiful a material. He does not realize, nor does he stop to analyze. why iron ore in Europe and Japan may carry no more than 30 per cent iron while tremendous quantities of 50-60 per cent iron ore in Brazil are not exploited. To people in the iron industry the answer is obvious: the Brazilian material is inaccessible, and there is no suitable fuel near-by. In places closer to home, submarginal ore in considerable quantity contains undesired impurities, such as sulphur, phosphorus, or titanium.

Jan 1, 1947

CHARGING of an open-hearth heat is begun as soon as possible after the previous heat has been tapped. Ordinarily, about 40 min. is required to drain and dress the furnace hearth, make up the tap hole, and perform routine repairs of the banks. Repairs to the upper back wall and to the front wall and jambs can ordinarily be done while the first scrap charge is being heated and are therefore allowed to wait in order to save furnace time. Any major repairs required on the hearth or other parts of the furnace necessitate longer delays, because such repairs must be made while the furnace is empty. Although charging practice varies considerably in detail with the type and proportions of scrap and iron used, many factors are common to all varieties of' charge. Such general considerations are dealt with first. GENERAL CHARGING PRACTICE Charge materials are discussed in detail in Chapter IV; the present chapter is concerned with the charging, melting, and proportioning of the raw materials in the various types of furnace practice. Charging Equipment and Stock Handling. The physical equipment available for loading and weighing the stock, transporting it to the furnace, and charging it may have a major effect on charging practice. Limestone, scrap, and all other solid melting stock are charged mechanically by means of equipment described in Chapter I (see also Fig. 18, page 33). It is generally desirable to charge the scrap about as fast as the physical volume can be got into the furnace. A limiting factor may be the height to which the scrap may be piled in the furnace without deflecting the flame to such an extent that it will impinge on the roof or walls and thus damage the refractories, but light scrap may often be piled up near the roof since the flame usually "cuts it down" rapidly before impingement on any roof area can persist long enough to do appreciable harm. When the nature of the scrap and the handling facilities are adequate to meet the aim of rapid charging, little thought is given to this feature of operation. Unfortunately, at times

Jan 1, 1944