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By H. H. Stoek

THE fundamental reasons underlying the choice of a method of mining a coal seam are safety of operation, cheapness of producing the product and the character of the product as a saleable article. From the standpoint of safety, open or strip coal mining is always preferable, as many of the dangers inherent to underground work are absent, such as explosions of gas and dust, falls of roof and coal, and also to a great extent those due to haulage and the use of explosives, thus eliminating three of the chief causes of accident from which about 75 per cent. of the underground accidents in coal mines occur. The conditions under which coal is stripped also make the work much safer than ordinary quarry work, as the depth. of the pit is usually comparatively slight. From the standpoint of low mining cost, there is much misapprehension and many of the costs given are misleading in that they do not take into account such items as the destruction of the surface for future use, the full cost of the removal of the overburden, depreciation, amortization, coal depletion, loss of time through floods and from bad weather in winter, etc. Coal is no doubt often put on the cars at less cost by stripping than by underground mining, but by no means always so, as is too generally assumed. In some cases coal must be obtained by stripping or not at all, due to the small amount of overburden that renders underground mining impossible.

Jan 9, 1917

By Oscar H. Hershey

COMPLAINT has been made that in the literature of economic geology the work of the "company or practical" mining geologists does not get enough attention. I propose to attempt to overcome this com¬plaint in reference to one important lead-mining district, that of the Coeur d'Alene in northern Idaho. Furthermore, I will assume that the reader is not so much interested in the geology of the district as in the methods of application used and incidents that have arisen in the work. All the important discoveries of ore in the Coeur d'Alene were made without benefit of geology. Certainly I would not claim the reputed discoverer of the Bunker Hill mine as a fellow geologist. It appears also that the mines were operated quite successfully for many years without geological specialists, though doubtless certain properties were visited at long intervals by such men as Waldemar Lindgren. It was known that the ores occur in quartzite, graywackes and slates as stated by J. R. Finlay in 1903. (TRANS., VOL. 33.) He described the ore as occurring in typical fissure veins that occupy fault-planes of indeterminate displacement. The Bunker Hill lode was based on a definite fissure with the mineralization all on the hanging-wall side, extending as far as 300 ft. from the fissure.

Jan 1, 1933

By Frank L. Gaddy

Falls of roof account for over 50% of the fatalities that occur in coal mines in the U.S. Thus, roof control is one of the more important phases of underground mining. In reality, the control of roof influences the system of mining and is a major determinant of the width and spacing of working places, operations at the mining face, ventilation control, and surface subsidence. Frequently, the control of roof is the largest single cost item. Roof control is a never-ending task, not only at the working face and throughout sections where men are working, but along haulways and airways that must be maintained for the life of the mine. This is because roof, even the best of roof, slowly deteriorates, so it must be frequently examined, with corrective support applied when needed. As coal is excavated, stresses are set up in the roof became the previous equilibrium is upset, resulting in pressures that cause fractures and slight, movements that are, frequently, hard to detect. Unless the immediate roof, in the excavated area, is given support by artificial means, it might fall or there might be a succession of falls, varying from a thin scale to several feet, depending on the nature of the top. Exceptions to this are those rare mines, or sections of mines, with hard, strong, nonweathering roof that requires no support. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF ROOF There are two broad types of roof as far as support is concerned, the immediate roof above the coal and the main roof. Artificial support for mining purposes is only concerned with the immediate roof as nothing except large blocks of solid coal, or massive concrete, will support the main roof. The immediate roof is generally a few feet thick but can vary from inches to 20 ft or more. There are examples of where there is no immediate roof as the massive main roof lies directly on the coal bed, but this is rare. Impossibility of supporting the main roof and all of the cover

Jan 1, 1973

By B. P. Mulcahy

When the phrase "selection of coal for carbonization" is used, there is always the implied continuance of thought "to make good coke.'' The reason for this, of course, lies in the fact that, in almost all instances, when coal is carbonized coke is the principal product. Under certain conditions the yield of gas may also be a factor, but even here it must be secondary to the coke yield, for in every instance coke represents the largest single product of the process. The importance of coke to the byproduct industry has been considerably enhanced during the past 20 years because of the continuously decreasing financial returns of all the by-products. This fact will account, in part, for the rebirth of interest and investigation in the carbonization process during the past 10 years. Many papers have been written on this subject, with naturally divergent thoughts because of the diversity of interests, but in each instance the common aim was the same—the making of better coke. Scope of Investigation In perusing this literature, the writer was struck with the constantly recurring imposed condition of asking for better coke, but with the distinct unwillingness to make any concession to temperature of carbonization. When there is a high demand for coke, the only means by which the industry can increase the quantity is to shorten the coking time by an increase in temperature, or to increase the quantity of low-volatile coal, or both; and since in many instances the percentage of low-volatile coal can be increased only in small quantities, because of factors to be discussed later, the big increase must come from shortening the coking time. When this is done most of the improvement accomplished by the selection of the coals in the mixture is lost. It is not felt necessary in this paper to discuss the advantages of minimum ash and sulphur and other materials in coal. The value of minimum contents of these materials in coke is well established. When the use of coals high in these contents is dictated, the selection of coals, as we will consider it here, cannot apply to full advantage. The scope of this paper, then, will be to discuss the factors of inherent coal characteristics and operating procedures that influence coke quality, for they are fundamentally related and both must be considered if we are to attain our objective of better coke. A study of either must embrace a study of both simultaneously. To properly evaluate the influence of the coal and to help in the selection, we must first be able to appraise the coke, and interpret fairly the influence of the process in all of its aspects. Appraisal of Coke To refer simply to the quality of coke gives no indication of what is meant, for the term is too general in its implication. An analysis of a coke is divided usually

Jan 1, 1944

By B. P. Mulcahy

When the phrase "selection of coal for carbonization" is used, there is always the implied continuance of thought "to make good coke.'' The reason for this, of course, lies in the fact that, in almost all instances, when coal is carbonized coke is the principal product. Under certain conditions the yield of gas may also be a factor, but even here it must be secondary to the coke yield, for in every instance coke represents the largest single product of the process. The importance of coke to the byproduct industry has been considerably enhanced during the past 20 years because of the continuously decreasing financial returns of all the by-products. This fact will account, in part, for the rebirth of interest and investigation in the carbonization process during the past 10 years. Many papers have been written on this subject, with naturally divergent thoughts because of the diversity of interests, but in each instance the common aim was the same—the making of better coke. Scope of Investigation In perusing this literature, the writer was struck with the constantly recurring imposed condition of asking for better coke, but with the distinct unwillingness to make any concession to temperature of carbonization. When there is a high demand for coke, the only means by which the industry can increase the quantity is to shorten the coking time by an increase in temperature, or to increase the quantity of low-volatile coal, or both; and since in many instances the percentage of low-volatile coal can be increased only in small quantities, because of factors to be discussed later, the big increase must come from shortening the coking time. When this is done most of the improvement accomplished by the selection of the coals in the mixture is lost. It is not felt necessary in this paper to discuss the advantages of minimum ash and sulphur and other materials in coal. The value of minimum contents of these materials in coke is well established. When the use of coals high in these contents is dictated, the selection of coals, as we will consider it here, cannot apply to full advantage. The scope of this paper, then, will be to discuss the factors of inherent coal characteristics and operating procedures that influence coke quality, for they are fundamentally related and both must be considered if we are to attain our objective of better coke. A study of either must embrace a study of both simultaneously. To properly evaluate the influence of the coal and to help in the selection, we must first be able to appraise the coke, and interpret fairly the influence of the process in all of its aspects. Appraisal of Coke To refer simply to the quality of coke gives no indication of what is meant, for the term is too general in its implication. An analysis of a coke is divided usually

Jan 1, 1944

By S. W. Miller

During the examination of welds made in steel by the oxy-acetylene and electric-arc processes, the writer has met with some unusual structures, which he has not encountered elsewhere. They seem to be quite closely associated with the welding methods used, and characteristic of them, and would seem to be worth noting, especially as the references to them in the literature are few, and their explanation not clear or complete. An introductory word or two about fusion welding may not be out of place. The oxy-acetylene process is based on the great and very local heat generated by the burning of acetylene in the presence of commercially pure oxygen, the two gases being thoroughly mixed before combustion. The theoretical temperature is somewhat under 4000" C, but on account of various losses, the actual maximum temperature is probably about 3000" C.' The electric-arc process, using a metal electrode, which is also the filling rod, generates a still higher and more local temperature. The actual temperature of the positive crater of the carbon arc is given as 3500" C.2 NO figures have been found for the temperature of the arc using a metal electrode, but it would probably not be very different from that of the carbon arc, and probably higher than that of the bxy-acetylene flame. The greater localization of the electric arc is due to the fact that it is not surrounded by a large envelope flame, as well as to its higher temperature; while the oxy-acetylene white cone, or welding flame, in which the carbon of the acetylene is burned to CO, is surrounded and preceded by a long envelope flame, itself of quite high temperature, in which the CO is burned to GO2, and the hydrogen of the acetylene to H2O. This flame spreads around and over the pieces being welded, heating them to a further distance from the weld than does the electric arc.

Jan 1, 1918

By AIME AIME

The following abstract of the minutes of the final Adjourned Annual Business Meeting, held Nov. 12, 1912, in the office of the Institute, 29 West 39th Street, New York City, is here presented for the information of the membership at large. On the announcement by the Secretary that there was a quorum present, President James F. Kemp called the meeting to order. The minutes of the Adjourned Annual Business Meeting of Oct. 7, 1912, were read and approved. (Sec p. xi,Bulletin No. 71, November). Prof. Jos. W. Richards, in behalf of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors and the Council (Messrs. Richards, Kirchhoff, and Rand), withdrew the two proposed amendments to the Constitution offered by the said Committee at the Adjourned Annual Business Meeting of Oct. 7, 1912. (See Bulletin. No. 70, October, 1912, p. vi., and Circular Announcement No. 8, Oct. 15, 1912, p. 15.) Professor Richards presented a syllabus of the proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws prepared by the Special Committee. Several members present discussed various sections of the proposed Constitution, and the Committee advised that the suggestions would he duly considered before submitting the final document, which would be duly presented and sent to the membership at large at least 30 days before the next Annual Business Meeting, Feb. 18, 1913. Professor Richards presented a resolution, seconded by Mr. Kirchhoff, making a change in the present Certificate of Incorporation, so that it would conform to the proposed changes in the Constitution and By-Laws; said resolution was unanimously adopted. Professor Richards presented another amendment to the Constitution, which had been purposely omitted from the printed list, but had been requested by many members, namely, the creation of a " Class of Fellows." This question was freely discussed at the Cleveland meeting (see Bulletin No. 71, November, 1912, p. 1348), and in view of the diversity of opinion it was-decided to present it in separate form for separate action of the membership at large at the Annual Business Meeting, Feb. 18, 1913. In answer to question, the President announced that the proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws presented by Messrs. Corning and Stone at the Adjourned Annual Business Meeting, Oct. 7, 1912, and published in Circular Announcement No. 8, Oct. 15, 1912, were still on record. Professor Richards presented a syllabus of the proposed amendments to the By-Laws, and several sections were discused by members present, but no action of record was taken. Mr. Charles F. Rand read a letter from Mr. L. K. Armstrong, Sec-retary of the Spokane Local Section of the Institute, referring to the proposed amendments to the Constitution, and he announced that many of Mr. Armstrong's suggestions were, in one form or another, already incorporated in the proposed amendments submitted by the Special Committee. A special vote of thanks was passed to Dr. Albert R. Ledoux for the valuable assistance rendered by him to the Special Committee in the preparation of the proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.

Dec 1, 1912

By J. R. Finlay

BEFORE entering into the statistical part of this article, some general comments may be ln order. Each important war seems to introduce a new atmosphere and a new epoch. The Civil War led to the period of great interior development in North America, of the transcontinental railroads, and of large-scale manufactures. The first World War introduced the general use of the automobile, the building of a huge network of highways, the radio, and household engineering. Now I expect World War II also to introduce some new ways of living. Transocean aviation will become a commonplace; we shall probably have much more of an eye to our military and naval establishments and be more conscious of Eastern Hemisphere affairs instead of thinking so exclusively of the Western. Each war has also multiplied government expenditures and taxes; and to this rule the present one will certainly be no exception.

Jan 1, 1944

By R. A. Young

Zinc metal production in the operating plants in the United States during 1948 was approximately equal to that of the year 1947, although new developments during the year assure higher output in 1949, if economic conditions are favorable. In the Western plants, the man-power shortage was almost completely overcome and new capacity has been or is in the process of being added to three plants; thus by December of 1948 daily zinc metal production had risen to the highest point since May of 1944 despite strikes in one large primary smelter and in one secondary plant.

Jan 1, 1949

By Luckie. Peter T., Deurbouck. A. W., Harold L. Lovell, E. R. Palowitch, James K. Kindig

PART 1: DENSE MEDIUM SEPARATION by E. R. PALOWITCH and A. W. DEURBROUK INTRODUCTION During 1974, 43.9% of the 603,406,000 tons (549,099,000 mt) of bituminous coal and lignite produced was cleaned mechanically, of which 82,280,000 tons (74,875,000 mt) was cleaned by dense medium processes.l The percentage of bituminous coal and lignite cleaned mechanically by dense medium processes increased from 7 to 31 % between 1938 and 1974. Dense medium separations include those coal preparation processes which clean raw coal by immersing it in a fluid having a density inter- mediate between clean coal and reject. As there is a general correlation between ash content and specific gravity, it is possible to achieve the required degree of removal of ash-forming impurities from a raw coal by regulating the specific gravity of the separating fluid. Dense medium processes offer the following advantages over other coal cleaning processes: 1) Ability to make sharp separations at any specific gravity within the range normally required even in the presence of high percentages of the feed in the range of 2 0.1 sp gr units. 2) Ability to maintain a separating gravity that can be controlled with ± 0.005 sp gr units.

Jan 1, 1979

By A. D. Hughes

C. W. MERRILL*-Mr. Hughes' paper not only is very well presented but is most timely in that it covers a subject of vital interest to the United States. Tin is one of the strategic metals which has not been found here in appreciable quantities. The total United States tin output since the first recorded production over 100 years ago would not supply current consumption for a fortnight. On the consumption side, tin is extremely important in national defense because of its use in tin plate which, in the form of tin cans, makes it possible to feed properly the armies that the United States recruits from its civilian population in emergencies. Moreover, the internal combustion engines so important in powering tanks, planes, and other war machines, require large quantities of tin alloys for bearings and for soldering. These considerations, along with the fact that Malaya, historically, has been the leading source of tin to the United States, make the kind of information that Mr. Hughes has presented so ably, a matter of vital interest.

Jan 1, 1949

By L. L. Wyman

IN order to clarify and amplify the existing data concerning the action of the cementing material in cemented tungsten carbide alloys, the authors have initiated this investigation of the entire range of cobalt-tungsten carbide alloys. Inasmuch as the ultimate objective is relative to what actually goes on during the sintering of cemented tungsten carbide materials, this work was necessarily restricted to heat treatments similar to those used in actual production of these materials. In the course of numerous experiments, the authors have noted several conditions that indicated that there was a solubility to be considered. Among these factors are the following: 1. Many of the alloys showed a much larger amount of binding constituent to be present than could possibly be accounted for by the cobalt content. 2. In many areas, grains of the carbide constituent are much larger than the particles of carbide originally added. In addition, these grains are of very regular contour. 2a. In samples of cemented tungsten carbide which had been fused in the atomic hydrogen torch in the presence of excess hinder constituent, immense grains are formed, and their shapes are very regular. This is also true when the cemented tungsten carbide of 13 per cent. Co content is fused alone in the atomic hydrogen torch. Contrary to general expectation, chemical analysis of this material, after fusion in the atomic hydrogen torch, checks the analysis of unfused material. 3. In making the cemented tungsten carbide materials by the process of exerting the pressure at the time of heating a certain portion of the contents squeezed out of the mold. Chemical analysis has shown that this material contains approximately 12 to 20 per cent. of tungsten. The microstructure shows a cored dendritic structure interlaced with eutectic network, and some graphite, as shown in Fig. 1. 4. Thermal analysis of these materials has consistently indicated an arrest point close to 1350° C.

Jan 1, 1930

By B. C. Allen

The interface energies of chronzium, molybdenunz. hugsten, and their solid-solution alloys Cv-35Re, MO-33Re, and UJ-25Re were studied at 0.6 to 1.0 of the absolllte liquidus ter)zpe,vature using fiz&apos;e )izethods. Liquid surface tension, yv , was deter mined clsing the pendant-drop and drop-weight methods. Results are, respectizlely, 1700, 2370, and 2480 +100 dynes per ct for the rhernium -containing alloys and essentially the same as tlwse reported for liquid chro)riln, trolybdenum, and tungsten. Average solid slrjace energy, rsv< xias ))zeasured using tlre fiber-extetlsion method. The ratio of ysS, the acerage high-angle grain-boundary energy, to ySV cclas jolnd fronz grain-bolzdary grooue angles fort)zed at the surface in an inert atrfizosphere. Absolllte iute?:face energies were deterawined using ?nultip/rase equilibria involzing suitable liquids of known surface tension (tin, silver). Interpretation of the experimented results in view of pvobable tenzperatzcre, orientation, and purity effects giz,e the follouling approximations in ergs per sq ctn: ysv (i2lo. Mo-33Re) - 2100, ySS (Mo, Mo-33Re) - 800, rr (defornzation twins in MO-33Re at 1200"C) - 800. ysV (Cr. Cr-35Re) - 2400. YSS (CY, Cr-35Re) - 1000. Probably Ylv- YSV- 2500 for tungsten and W-25Re, giving yss (It&apos;, W-25Re) - 900. The interface energies of solid and liqid ch?&apos;omiu?.z, nolybdenu?rr, and tungsten are not geatly aff&apos;ected by rhenium and therefore are not a ttlajor factor in the ductili zing rhenium effect in Croup VI-A metals. THE interface energies of the refractory Group VI-A metals, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten, are not well-established. The objective of this investigation was to study the liquid surface tension, solid surface energy, and grain-boundary energy of these metals and compare them to those found for the bcc solid-solution alloys, Cr-35e,&apos; 0-33e,&apos; and -25e. Five techniques were used to measure interface energies in high-purity polycrystal rod, wire, and sheet at 0.6 to 1.0 of the absolute liquidus temperature. The alloys were chosen to see if there was any connection between interface-energy behavior and the ductilizing rhenium effecL4j5 EXPERIMENTAL WORK Materials. A description of the materials used is presented in Table I. Chromium rod was prepared by arc melting iodide process crystals supplied by Chromallo Cor., hot extruding, and warm swaging to 0.63-cm-diam rod.6 The sheet was prepared by rolling as-extruded rod to 95 pct reduction in area from a hydrogen furnace at 800" to 900°C and surface grinding off 0.02 cm from each face. Cr-35Re rod was prepared by arc melting sintered rhenium powder and iodide chromium crystals, warm rod rolling to 50 pct reduction in area in cans, and swaging to 60 pct reduction in area at 1100" to 1200°C. Some of the rod was warm-rolled to sheet and then surface-ground. Portions of swaged chromium and Cr-35Re were further reduced by swaging and drawing to 0.013-cm-diam wire by the General Electric Co. Mo-33Re and W-25Re rod, sheet, and wire were provided by Chase Brass and Copper Co. The molybdenum sheet consisted of two lots, both essentially the same except for the carbon content. Liquid Surface Tension. The liquid surface tension of Cr-35Re, Mo-33Re, and W-25Re was measured by a combination of pendant-drop and drop-weight methods using techniques already decribed." Following out-gassing, molten drops were formed on the ends of centerless-ground Mo-33Re and W-25Re rods by electron bombardment at 5 x 106 mm. Similar drops were formed on outgassed Cr-35Re rods by induction heating under 1 atm of 99.995 pct Ar. Solid Surface Energy. Solid surface energy was measured by conducting microcreep experiments on molybdenum, Mo-33Re, chromium, and Cr-35Re wires at 2350°, 2306, 1550°, and 180O°C, respectively. In preparation, gage marks -2.5 cm apart and -0.001 cm deep were circumferentially scribed on the wire with a razor blade. Weights of the wire material were then attached. Five to seven reasonably straight wires were hung in a container made out of the wire material. The free end was placed through a small hole in the removable top and secured by bending a small portion 90 deg. The containers not only tended to provide vapor-solid equilibrium for the wires but also protected them from gaseous impurities. They were nominally 2.5 cm in diam by 5 cm high and were made from extruded chromium rod, Cr-35Re arc casting, molybdenum bar stock, or welded Mo-33Re sheet. After deg re as ing, the assembly was outgassed at a relatively low temperature to 2 x 10"5 mm and then recrystallized 2 to 8 hr at the creep temperature in a rhenium-element resistance furnace. The static argon atmosphere was gettered by tantalum radiation shielding. Specimen temperature was measured optically to 25"C using calibration with known melting points and blackbody conditions. The wires generally developed a stable bamboo-type structure according to Fig, l(b), (c), and (d) and retained their gage marks [upper portion of Fig. l(d)]. One or two of the weights were clipped off to provide a low load for the creep anneal. To minimize the possibility of bending or breakage, the wires remained attached to the top of the annealing container which was held to keep the wires vertical. The distance between gage marks was

Jan 1, 1967

By Frank Fahrenwald

I. INTRODUCTORY METALLURGICAL research has discovered many an alloy possessing properties not combined in any single metal, and progress still consists chiefly in the investigation and utilization of alloys. In the case of iron, the demands of automobiles, high-speed machines and high-duty engines have led to the production of special iron alloys which will meet any reasonable specifications in that field. In like manner, the bronzes, brasses and other alloys of copper have been brought to remarkable perfection, and for nearly every industrial purpose some alloy has been found more suitable than the pure metal. Less complete success has attended the attempt to find substitutes for gold, platinum, and the other precious metals. Indeed, it is not likely that a material can be produced which will possess all the properties of any one of them; yet it is reasonable to hope that, for any given use, the properties required may, be found in some less expensive material. Thus, in incandescent electric lamps, the wire passing through the thick glass neck of the bulb was, until recently, almost universally made of platinum, for the single reason that no other known material, suitable as a conductor, had the same coefficient of expansion as glass. But a comparatively recent investigation of the iron-nickel series&apos; has shown that alloys of those metals may be produced, the coefficient of expansion of which can be accurately controlled between that of iron or nickel and zero. Thus, in that particular industry, a substitute for platinum has been found. According to statistical reports, not only considerable quantities of gold and iridium, but also more than one-third of the annual supply of platinum, are used (and, in the nature of the case, irrevocably lost) by dentists. Platinum is thus employed in several forms. As a thin foil, it serves various purposes for which its high melting point, pliability, chemical resistance, and other properties-including the ease with which

Jan 1, 1916

By A. B. Stickney

UPWARDS of 200,000 engineers in this country are sufficiently interested in engineering as a profession to have joined a society, but not over 10% of them belong to any one society. There is a widely-felt need of an over-all organization of all the societies to act as spokesman for all engineers on matters of common concern. On a local basis, over 100,000 engineers in 35 metropolitan areas have organized themselves into local councils, and are doing an effective job of intersocietal co-operation within their sphere of activity. In the last few years much has been said and written about a similar organization on a national scale. Everybody wants iteverybody is talking about it-it&apos;s in the air-it&apos;s coming-it&apos;s inevitable. Although it is no longer necessary to talk about why or whether there should be such an organization, there is no such unanimity about what it should be like. This paper outlines a proposed organization by answering four questions-who, how, what, and who will pay for it.

Jan 1, 1946

By Edgar C. Bain

Jan 1, 1932

By C. H. Chou, A. Sauveur

The senior author of this paper has expressed the belief that when gamma iron transforms into alpha iron on reaching the A3 point, each gamma grain does not change bodily into one or more alpha grains but that the alpha phase forms first at the boundaries and along the crystallo-graphic planes of the austenite grains.1 To quote: On cooling through the point As, at about 900° C, iron passes from the gamma condition to a new allotropic form generally designated as alpha. This transformation, however, is not instantaneous. There are good reasons for believing that it begins at the grain boundaries and along the octahedral planes of the crystals and that it progresses until each grain of gamma iron is changed into a grain of alpha iron, the resulting structure being similar to that of gamma iron. Were it possible to retain

Jan 1, 1929

By C. H. Mathewson

MICROSCOPIC. rnetallography has been exploited quite well enough to bring about a very general understanding that the typical metal or alloy is composed of minute crystalline particles blended into a coherent microstructural mosaic. One does not have to be a specialist in metallography to realize that the properties of such an aggregate are essentially a summation in appropriate form of individual effects derived from the shape, size, placement or orientation and cohesive characteristics of the component particles. It is clearly of great importance to consider the various forms of discontinuity which may occur at the boundaries between these crystalline particles. When a number of &apos;particles each possessing the same orderly arrangement of atoms are brought together into a close-fitting system of purely haphazard contacts, not unlike a handful of snowflakes compacted into a snowball, the particles are said to possess random orientation. There are no generally accepted views concerning the arrangement of the atoms or the constitutional reaction between atoms where one crystal meets another, but these contact regions are characterized by strength rather than weakness and it is customary to require the presence of many rather than few boundaries in preparing metal for useful service. Under certain circumstances all of the particles in a metal may be nearly alike in orientation. Other general tendencies of orientation may be associated with particular forms of mechanical and thermal treatment. In contrast with these cases of fortuitous or statistical diversity of orientation, we often find adjacent particles united along a plane which possesses a grouping of atoms belonging equally well to both structures. This, of course, determines a fixed relationship between the two orientations and it is always possible to derive one from the other by some form of rotation or reflection prescribed by the symmetry of the crystal structure under consideration. Particles united in this manner are known as twin crystals although the term refers to the form of association rather than the number of individuals concerned.

Jan 1, 1928

By John A. Gann

The following investigation constitutes a brief réumé of the more important binary magnesium alloys from the standpoint of metallo-graphic technique, and the effect of heat treatment on structure and properties. The comparative newness of the subject justifies this procedure as a preface to a more detailed study of each individual series of alloys. The work was started with the idea of practical application in the industry rather than as a theoretical investigation. The alloy compositions studied were selected as those most likely to show whether heat treatment would produce beneficial results. Furthermore, it was considered satisfactory to use commercial 99.9 per cent. magnesium, the best commercial grade of alloying ingredients, and to limit the time of heat treatment at the expense of incomplete equilibrium. These facts must be kept in mind when examining the results obtained, and the conclusions drawn. Preparation of Alloys All melts were made in an oil-fired cast-steel pot, approximately 12 in. dia, by 12 in. deep. Approximately 15 lb. of flux and 50 lb. of magnesium were melted and the calculated amount of alloying metal was added. After thorough alloying and puddling, the metal was chill cast in a graphite mold with four 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 in. bars fed from a common sprue and runner. The next higher composition alloy in a given series was made by adding the calculated amount of metal to the heel from the preceding cast. The pot was thoroughly cleaned after each series and new flux then introduced, thus avoiding possible contamination from earlier melts. The percentage compositions given in Table 1 are the calculated values. While not all alloys were analyzed, enough were checked to indicate that the reported compositions are correct to a few tenths of one per cent. A more detailed description of the foundry methods employed has been given in a previous paper. 1

Jan 1, 1929

By John A. Gann

The following investigation constitutes a brief réumé of the more important binary magnesium alloys from the standpoint of metallo-graphic technique, and the effect of heat treatment on structure and properties. The comparative newness of the subject justifies this procedure as a preface to a more detailed study of each individual series of alloys. The work was started with the idea of practical application in the industry rather than as a theoretical investigation. The alloy compositions studied were selected as those most likely to show whether heat treatment would produce beneficial results. Furthermore, it was considered satisfactory to use commercial 99.9 per cent. magnesium, the best commercial grade of alloying ingredients, and to limit the time of heat treatment at the expense of incomplete equilibrium. These facts must be kept in mind when examining the results obtained, and the conclusions drawn. Preparation of Alloys All melts were made in an oil-fired cast-steel pot, approximately 12 in. dia, by 12 in. deep. Approximately 15 lb. of flux and 50 lb. of magnesium were melted and the calculated amount of alloying metal was added. After thorough alloying and puddling, the metal was chill cast in a graphite mold with four 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 in. bars fed from a common sprue and runner. The next higher composition alloy in a given series was made by adding the calculated amount of metal to the heel from the preceding cast. The pot was thoroughly cleaned after each series and new flux then introduced, thus avoiding possible contamination from earlier melts. The percentage compositions given in Table 1 are the calculated values. While not all alloys were analyzed, enough were checked to indicate that the reported compositions are correct to a few tenths of one per cent. A more detailed description of the foundry methods employed has been given in a previous paper. 1

Jan 1, 1929