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By E. M. Elkin, J. H. Schloen

All known methods of treating and recovering the various components of copper refinery slimes are discussed. The slimes treatment processes presently used by five copper refineries are described and flowsheets are given. A bibliography is appended. THE recent increase in anode copper production at the Noranda smelter placed an additional load on the Montreal East plant of Canadian Copper Refiners Limited. The consequent increase in the amount of anode slimes led to a careful consideration of the various methods of slimes treatment. A critical review of these methods is presented here in the belief that it would be of interest to copper refiners. No such review has yet been published, although a number of individual flowsheets have been described. To make the information of greater value, a questionnaire was sent to all copper refineries. While the overall response to the questionnaire was not entirely satisfactory, the foreign refiners gave much detail in their answers and expressed willingness to cooperate further if needed. Although the data below do not cover all refineries, it is thought that examples of all flowsheets currently in use are included. A comparison of these flowsheets should prove of interest. The paper is divided into two parts. One part deals with a discussion of all known methods of treating and recovering the various components of the slimes. The second describes the processes now in use at various copper refineries for the treatment of raw slimes up to the production of Doré bullion. A brief description of the two main electrolytic methods of parting Doré bullion is appended. Since the first commercial application of electrolytic refining of copper by J. B. Elkington in 1865, the treatment of anode mud or slimes has undergone many changes. The object of treating slimes has always been the recovery and separation of precious metals. With the passage of time, increasing attention has been paid to improvement in recovery and quality of byproducts, mainly selenium and tellurium. The original methods of treatment were crude, although relatively direct. For example," the slimes were fused on a dolomitic clay bed in a reverbera-tory furnace; the slag was removed and the resulting metal cupelled to silver and gold. In another process, the dried slimes were oxidized and scorified on the lead bath of a cupelling furnace. Later, these pyrometallurgical methods were modified by sulphuric acid leaching, followed by fusion with niter in a reverb eratory furnace. A preliminary oxidizing roast improved the leaching step. Straight hydro-metallurgy has not found practical application. No matter what method is employed, the result is Dorb metal—a silver-gold alloy, with or without the metals of the platinum group. Characteristics of the Slimes Anode slimes are made up of those components of the anodes which are not soluble in the electrolyte. They contain varying quantities of copper, silver, gold, sulphur, selenium, tellurium, lead, arsenic, antimony, nickel, iron, silica, etc. The color of raw slimes is grayish black and the particle size is —200 mesh. However, Baraboshkin and Gaev (Ref. 1, p. 37), describe light gray colored slimes from the electrolysis of secondary copper which are composed predominantly of sulphates and of basic salts. In anode furnace practice primary and secondary metals are not usually segregated and such slimes do not commonly occur. Copper in the slimes originates to a large extent in the cuprous oxide of the anodes and is therefore dependent on the oxygen content of the latter: Cu2O + H2SO4 + CuSO4 + H2O + Cu [I] Opinions have been expressed that some of the copper is formed by decomposition of cuprous to cupric sulphate Cu2SO4 ? CuSO4 + Cu PI The product of either reaction is very finely divided. Depending on the slimes composition, much of the copper is combined with sulphur, selenium, tellurium, etc. The balance of the copper is in the free metallic state.

Jan 1, 1951

By W. R. Shimer, F. O. Kichline

The investigation herein described was carried out for the purpose of studying, both by chemical and metallographical means, the extent of over-oxidation of steel that can be accomplished by excessive overblowing in a Bessemer converter. 111 addition there are appended some results of basic open-hearth and crucible steels. Remarks on Chemical Methods. The test block used was hemispherical in shape, 4.5 in. in diameter and 2 in. thick. Drillings for analysis were obtained by drilling through the entire solid part of the block, carefully avoiding all cracks and blow-holes and mixing these drillings thoroughly. Drillinga were carefully examined for scale and the finest were gone over with a microscope to be sure all scale from whatever source had been removed. Oxygen was determined by the well-known method of Ledebur, modified according to Cushman,1 with, however, the removal of the preheating tube, which was found unnecessary. This method has been found to give concordant results. Blanks run from 0.0003 to 0.0006 g. Duplicate determinations varied not more than 0.001 to 0.003 per cent. It seems to be generally supposed that the hydrogen method gives only that oxygen which is combined with iron. Whether this be true or not, the content of oxygen existing as iron oxide no doubt predominates sufficiently, so that the result obtained is sufficient to indicate whether the steel is over-oxidized or not. We are well aware that the oxides of manganese and chromium, when existing alone, are not reduced by hydrogen at a red heat. To learn of their action in steel the following work was carried out: A sample of ferro-manganese and of ferro-chrome were each exposed

Jan 1, 1914

By W. A. Tiller, W. C. Johnston

The solute distribution ahead of an advancing solid-liquid interface is controlled by varying the momentum boundary layer thickness in the liquid adjacent to the interface. Single pass zone-melting experiments on Pb-Sn alloys are described in which the liquid is caused to rotate in the plane of the solid-liquid interface due to the influence of a magnetic .field rotating in this plane. The variation of the diffusion boundary layer thickness with field strength is determined. DURING the freezing of an alloy a partitioning of solute occurs at the solid-liquid interface, the magnitude depending upon the difference in the solid and liquid solubilities at the interface temperature. Because the diffusion coefficient is so small in the liquid relative to normal freezing rates, either a pileup or a depletion of solute occurs at the interface when the partition coefficient, kO, is either less than or greater than unity, respectively. This solute distribution is completely characterized by i) the solute concentration in the liquid far from the interface, C) the ratio of freezing velocityf, to diffusion coefficient, D, iii) the partition coefficient, ko, and iv) the thickness of the diffusion boundary layer, 6,, at the interface (this assumes that an electric field is not applied across the interface). For a particular system, C ko and D are fixed so that the character of the solute distribution can be changed only by a variation of either f or 6c. As is well known, the freezing velocity can be changed by varying the thermal environment of the alloy. Whereas, the thickness of the solute rich layer can be changed by varying the fluid flow conditions in the liquid. It is the purpose of this paper to describe a technique for controlling the fluid flow conditions in the liquid. During most solidification experiments the driving force for fluid flow arises from either mechanical mixing, thermal convection or electromagnetic mixing. The momentum boundary layer thickness, 6m at the solid-liquid interface, within which negligible movement of the liquid occurs, has been calculated for the special case of mechanical mixing where crystals are solidified by the Czochralski technique.l,2 The calculation of 6m for the case of thermal convection has also been made.3 In some calculations it has been assumed that the momentum boundary layer thickness, 6,, may be equated to the thickness of the diffusion boundary layer 6c, at the interface. However, as may be seen from Appendix I this is only true in very special cases and in general where a is a constant of magnitude determined by the particular liquid alloy. Neither calculations nor experimental data exist for the dependence of upon electromagnetic mixing. In this paper experiments are described in which the liquid is caused to rotate in the plane of the interface due to the torque developed on it by a magnetic field, H, rotating in this plane. The variation of is controlled by the variation of H. A magnetic field rotating in a plane perpendicular to the interface has been used for the purification of aluminum. Experimentally, we determined the variation of 5C with H by using the zone-melting technique of pfann5and a theoretical relationship of Burton et a1.2 pfann5 has shown that, after the passage of one molten zone through a long cylindrical charge of uniform concentration, CO, the solute distribution, C,, in the solid is as shown in Fig. 1. The equation describing this distribution is

Jan 1, 1962

By Walter H. Munk

Generation of Waves by storms, and the transformation of waves in shallow water by local bottom topography are briefly reviewed. A detailed description of water motion in waves explains the nature and distribution of wave forces. A numerical example dealing with forces and moments against vertical piles summarizes the principles involved. Introduction The oil industry is moving into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The design and construction of offshore drilling rigs present a number of difficult problems, among them problems involving the action of waves on fixed and floating structures. This paper deals with our present knowledge of ocean waves as it pertains to these problems, and the principles involved in computing wave forces against fixed structures. It is hoped that the more difficult case pertaining to floating structures can be discussed at a later time. None of the engincering aspects of the problem are entered upon in this paper, yet an understanding of the principles presented here should be helpful in the solution of practical problems. Waves are capable of exerting almost unbelievable forces. During a gale, waves at the harbor entrance of Amsterdam Canal in Holland lifted a 20-ton concrete block, which was resting on the bottom in 12ft of water, and deposited it on top of a pier which was 5 ft above the high water mark. At Wick Breakwater in Scotland, a mass of large stones in cement and bound together with iron rods, weighing 1350 tons, was broken loose and moved bodily! But one need not go to Holland or Scotland to find evidence of damage that waves are capable of inflicting (Fig I and 2). What is the mechanism by which waves are capable of exerting such enormous forces? To answer this, we must consider briefly the nature of wave motion. When a wind blows over a wheat field, waves appear to travel across the field, whereas the wheat itself remains rooted, slowly swinging back and forth. Similarly, in the case of water waves, the waveform travels swiftly over the water surface, whereas the water particles oscillate back and forth, but scarcely advance. The speed of the wave form is called wave velocity, the speed of the water particles is called orbital velocity. This fundamental difference between wave velocity and orbital velocity was already recognized by Leonardo da Vinci. Orbital velocity is generally much slower than wave velocity except for a breaking wave, a case which is of particular importance in the application to engineering problems. Forces exerted by the waves on obstacles

Jan 1, 1949

By P. L. De Bruyn

The adsorption density of dodecylammonium ions at the quartz-solution interface has been Theadsorptiondensitydetermined as a function of collector concentration and pH. A ten thoushasbeenandfold range of amine salt concentration was covered at neutral pH. Experimental results show that over a thousandfold concentration range at neutral pH, the adsorption density (I) is proportional to the square root of collector concentration. Except at high concentrations, I increases with increases with increasing pH, but in general this effect is surprisingly small. . , . . A critical pH curve has been established for the flotation of quartz with dodecylammonium acetate. The conditions along the flotation curve are correlated with the adsorption measurements. THE behavior of collectors at the mineral-solution interfaces is usually explained in terms of an ionic adsorption process. Through the distribution of collector ions between the solid surface and the- co-existing solution phase the mineral is believed to acquire a water-repellent surface coating. Quantitative adsorption studies have been made on simple flotation systems1-4 only within the last few years. Such investigations were made possible by the adoption of the radiotracer method of analysis. As a consequence of these studies a new parameter has been added to aid the understanding of the flotation process. The research investigation to be discussed in this paper was undertaken to obtain a better understanding of the behavior of a cationic-type collector. This objective was approached through the determination of the distribution of dodecylammonium acetate between the quartz-solution interface and the solution as a function of the collector salt concentration and pH. To bring this investigation to focus on the more practical aspect of flotation research, an attempt was also made to correlate the adsorption results with actual flotation tests. Quartz: A —100 mesh ground crystalline quartz was infrasized; the products of the third and fourth cones were mixed together and reserved for experimental purposes. This stock material was cleaned by leaching in boiling concentrated HC1. After leaching the quartz was rinsed with distilled water until the filtrate showed no trace of chloride ian. It was then washed several times and dried. The qwrtz had a specific surface of 1400 cma per g as deterhined by the krypton gas adsorption method. Collector: The distribution of dodecylammonium acetate between the quartz surface and the solution phase was determined by the radiotracer method of analysis with carbon 14 as the tracer element. The radioactive amine salt with C" synthesized into the hydrocarbon chain5 was supplied by Armour and Co. The tracer element was located adjacent to the polar group. The radioactive salt as received had a specific activity of about 0.14 mc per g. When desired, dilution of this activity was effected by addition of non-radioactive dodecylammonium acetate also supplied by Armour and Co. ........ All other inorganic reagents used in this research were of reagent grade. Conductivity water was used for making up all solutions. Adsorption Tests: Two different experimental methods were used. In the first, to be designated as the agitation method, a weighed amount of quartz and a measured volume of amine salt solution were agitated in a 100-ml or 50-ml glass-stoppered pyrex graduated cylinder. The cylinder was filled with solution up to the stopper, since erratic results were obtained when an air space was left over the suspension. Time of agitation varied from 1 to 2 hr. Preliminary tests at different agitation times showed that the amount adsorbed remained constant for all agitation times exceeding 1/2 hr. After this conditioning period, the solids were separated from the solution by filtration through a Buechner fritted-disk funnel. The solution was re-circulated 10 times or more to allow the fused silica disk to come to equilibrium with it. Determinations of the amount of amine adsorbed on the frit itself indicated that this amount was less than 10 pct by weight of the amine acetate abstracted by 10 g of quartz. The funnel with quartz covered by a thin layer of solution was then centrifuged for approximately 5 min, at which time the moisture content of the solids was reduced to about 5 pct by weight. The wet quartz was blown into a tared beaker, re-weighed and allowed to dry at room temperature. A final weighing was then made to determine the moisture content. The second experimental method, similar to the procedure adopted by Gaudinand Bloecher,' will be referred to as the column method. Two liters of solution were passed through a bed of quartz contained in a Buechner funnel attached to a pyrex separatory funnel by means of a ball and socket joint. Preliminary tests showed that increasing the volume of solution above 2 liters does not give a measurable increase in adsorption. From 4 to 4 1/2 hr were required for 2 liters of solution to pass through the column. The moisture content of the quartz was again reduced to a minimum by centrifuging. A slightly modified column apparatus was used for experimenting with alkaline amine solutions. The same basic unit was used, but the underflow from the Buechner funnel was again fed into a Separafory

Jan 1, 1956

By Carl E. Swartz

For many years kettles used in the melting and refining of lead and other nonferrous metals and alloys have been made of cast iron. The logic of this probably lies in the fact that cast iron has been known as a material of construction for vessels of this type much longer than steel, and satisfactory fabrication from it has been more easily accomplished and better understood. As the capacity of lead refineries has increased, it has been only natural to increase the size of kettles. Today kettles of 150 to 250 tons are not uncommon. As the size of the kettles increased and better shapes were designed, the uniformity of material of construction became more important. Records kept over comparatively long periods of time have shown that the length of service of kettles has not been uniform. Many causes contribute to this and the importance of each has not yet been evaluated. Kettle design, kettle setting, method of firing and material of construction have been changed from time to time to obtain better service, but the variation in length of service is still great. A kettle may fail during the first few heats or may last through more than one thousand heats. The purpose of this article is not to present the conclusions of a finished piece of research on kettle manufacture and use, but to present a series of observations made over considerable time in the hope that others will publish data and that all may be correlated into a logical scheme which will result in better service and longer kettle life.

Jan 1, 1931

By William C. Schulte, Gilbert E. Doan

An extensive program of investigation is being carried out at Lehigh University in the study of arcs and arc welds of high-purity iron1, sponsored by the Engineering Foundation. The part of that program reported in the present paper deals with welds made of high-purity iron in an argon atmosphere and for comparison with them welds made of the same iron in ordinary air. Welds of commercial steel also were made in argon and in air. The primary purpose of the study is to discover the basic physical constants of iron welds when not contaminated either by impurities in the iron or by the action of oxygen and nitrogen of the air during welding. Upon these constants can be founded such future studies as will determine what effects the various impurities and alloy elements present in steel have upon its welding characteristics, and what influence is exerted by the action of oxygen and nitrogen. The welding of steel involves such a multitude of variables, both of composition and of procedure, that development in the fabrication of this most important metal has necessarily been slow, wasteful, and in many instances discouraging. In the present investigation, the simplest possible condition has been selected; namely, iron practically free from contamination and a nonparticipating atmosphere, the inert gas argon. This simplification reduces the number of variables to a point where more rigid control of the system is possible. Although this study is significant for the contributions it makes to the science of steel fabrication, yet it is hoped that it will not be without value also in increasing knowledge of the. nature and behavior of iron and steel in general. From the standpoint of open-hearth practice, and to some extent from the standpoint of electric-furnace practice also, the conditions of melting and casting iron in this investigation are extraordinary. The casting temperature is high, the mean temperature of the metal probably reaching 2000' C. (3600' F.)? The rate of chilling of

Jan 1, 1936

By G. L. Oldright, T. B. Brighton, C. M. Dice

The base bullion from the lead blast furnace contains varying amounts of the impurities left in the smelter feed by the concentrator, regardless of the method of smelter operation. These impurities may be held in part in mechanical suspension rather than being present as true alloys. However, usually there is little free space in the crucible in which to separate these drosses before the bullion is taken from the lead well. When such a dross is melted in a laboratory crucible and allowed to cool, the products obtained are lead bullion, speiss, and matte in well separated layers. Typical analyses of layers are: Analyses. Per Cent Element Bullion Speiss Matte Pb.............................................. 92.0 41.2 38.3 Cu.............................................. 2.4 36.3 40.6 As............................................... 4.0 16.5 4.3 Sb............................................... 0.7 0.2 0.4 S................................................ 0.6 1.9 13.1 Fe............................................... 0.0 0.0 0.0 Totals......................................... 99.7 96.1 96.7 The absence of iron in these products drossed from the blast-furnace bullion proves that the impurities for the greater part are not simply finely divided blast-furnace speiss or matte that has been dissolved or dispersed in the lead, but are held in solution by the liquid metal and rise to its surface as infusible compounds when the temperature of the bath is lowered. In general, the drosses made locally are metal sulphides and arsenides and not oxidized compounds. The large content of metallic lead also does not seem to be retained because of oxidized compounds

Jan 1, 1937

By R. T. Torgerson, W. A. Baginski

Alloying studies were conducted on modifications of Cb-10W-1OHf (C-129) alloy as part of a cooperative alloy development effort between The Boeing Co. and the Wah Chang Corp. The purpose of these studies was to develop a fabricable, high- strength columbium alloy with superior melding properties. The initial investigations of alloy modifications were conducted using laboratory-melted button ingots. An alloy with the composition exhibited excellent veld ductility, elevated-ternpevature strength, and fabricability. The yttrium-modified alloy was desigrzated C-129Y and was selected for further developrnetzt. Three prodziction heats of C-129Y weve processed into sheet. Welding, forming, and tensile proper-lies are presented for this material. Tungsten-are welds of. C-129Y exhibited a minimum bend radius of 1/2T in the as-welded conditioti compared to 8T for C-129 alloy. An investigation was conducted on Disil coating of C-129Y and test data are presented on oxidation resistance and effects of re-entry environments. The excellent combination of strength, fabricability, weldability, and low transition temperature of C-129Y alloy offers potential design advantages for use of this alloy in structures of aerospace vehicles. It is atiticipated that C-129Y will rapidly supplant C-129 and similar alloys clue to the versatility provided by its impvoved welditzg properties. COLUMBIUM alloys with improved properties are required to achieve better performance and efficiency of radiation-cooled structures for re-entry vehicles and recoverable launch systems. Cooperative work by The Boeing Co. and the Wah Chang Corp. resulted in the development several years ago of C-129 alloy, a high-strength Cb-W-Hf alloy.' This alloy has received favorable consideration for many advanced designs of high-temperature structures due to its excellent combination of properties. However, this alloy exhibits low weld ductility unless given a high-temperature stress-relief treatment. For this reason the development effort was directed towards modification of the C-129 alloy composition (Cb-1OW-1OHf) to eliminate the need for post-weld heat treatment. This paper describes the successful development of an alloy meeting this requirement. This new alloy was designated C-129Y and has a nominal composition of EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES Alloying Studies. Various Cb-W-Hf compositions were investigated using are-melted button ingots. These buttons were hot-forged using a protective glass coating and rolled into sheet specimens. Metal-lographic examination: tensile testing, and welding studies were conducted to evaluate properties of the experimental alloys. Sheet Fabrication. Three pilot production heats of C-129Y were fabricated into sheet to establish processing techniques and to determine sheet properties. The three heats consisted of 6-in.-diam ingots weighing from 140 to 250 lb. The ingots were prepared by electron-be am melting followed by vacuum-arc melting. The hafnium and yttrium additions were made during the are-melting operation by tack welding alloy strip additions to the Cb-W master-alloy electrode. The final ingots were machined into billets with samples of the machine turnings collected for chemical analysis. Ingot breakdown methods for the three heats are as follows: Ingot Ingot Heat Size Weiaht___Breakdown Method A 6 in. 250 lb Hot extrusion B 6 in. 140 lb Hot forging C 6 in. 250 lb Hot extrusion Sheet bars from the extrusion and forging operations were conditioned, recrystallized, and rolled into sheet. Initial rolling was conducted at elevated temperatures and final rolling was conducted at room temperature.

Jan 1, 1967

THE metal iron has physical and chemical properties which are somewhat different from those of steels, but a knowledge of the pure metal is a useful starting point in studying the behavior of steels. Solid iron exists in two different crystalline forms, called alpha (a) and gamma (?) iron, the former being the ordinary form at room temperature. When heated above the "A2 point," 768 C (1414 F), the metal becomes nonmagnetic, and at the "A, point," 910 C (1670 F), it undergoes a change in crystalline form to become gamma iron. In the range 768 to 910 C, it is sometimes called beta (ß) iron to distinguish it from the magnetic alpha, but the two are identical in crystal structure. When gamma iron is further heated to 1400 C (2552 E), it changes into delta (d) iron, which is identical with beta or non- magnetic alpha iron. Pure iron melts (in an inert atmosphere) at 1537 C (2800 F); the melting point is generally lowered by alloys or impurities. PROPERTIES OF IRON AT HIGH TEMPERATURES Many of the properties of iron undergo abrupt changes at the transition temperatures.1 For example, in heating through the A, point, a sudden shrinkage in volume occurs. Similarly, melting is attended by sharp physical changes such as an increase in volume. Table 16-1 contains a summary of the measured physical properties of pure iron at several temperatures. Usually the properties change smoothly within the range of stability of a given form, but this is not always true. For example, the specific heat reaches a sharp maximum at the A2 point although no trans- formation occurs. (See Fig 14-1.) Solvent Powers of Liquid Iron. Liquid iron is capable of dissolving most of the other metals and many nonmetallic elements as well. Of the metals that are liquid at the melting point of iron, only lead, silver, and bismuth refuse to dissolve to an ap-

Jan 1, 1951

By W. A. Alexander, L. M. Pidgeon

Metallic magnesium and similar meta!s near the top of the electromotive series have been commercially produced by the electrolysis of a suitable molten salt. Despite the success of electrolysis, sufficient inherent objections exist to justify the search for a direct reduction method. Such a method would widen the choice of raw materials, relax the rigid electrolytic requirements of raw-material purity, and, by obviating direct current, over simplicity of plant equipment. This paper describes the pilot-plant development of one such method, which has subsequently formed the basis of operation of six commercial plants-—one in Canada and five in the United States. Unlike aluminum, magnesium is volatile at relatively low temperatures. This physical property, which produces its greater inflammability, also offers possibilities of direct reduction that are not available with aluminum. In the basic reaction MgO + X = XO + Mg if X is nonvolatile, the reaction may be forced to the right at high temperatures by the evolution of magnesium vapor, despite the large negative value of the heat of reaction which is almost bound to follow the use of any available commercial reducing agent. The cheapest X, of course, is carbon, but this notable advantage is modified by the production of a volatile oxide CO, so that both Mg and CO are evolved simultaneously. Elaborate devices are required to shock-cool the equilibrium mixture in order to prevent back reaction. At best, a pyrophoric powder is produced, requiring redistillation to provide marketable metal. The practical development of this process, is due to F. Hansgirg, and his methods have recently been given a trial on a grand scale in the plant at Permanente, California, and smaller plants were previously built in Austria, England and Japan. A second class of reducing agents is available, those which produce nonvolatile oxides. When XO and X are relatively nonvolatile, magnesium is the only volatile member of the system. It may be evolved in a simple distillation step and condensed without the formation of powder. Two basic requirements must bc fulfilled in order that such a reaction may proceed: I. The reducing agent when heated to a reasonable temperature in presence of MgO must cause the production of an appreciable equilibrium vapor pressure of magnesium. This magnesium must be removed continuously. z. A supply of heat must be maintained. In order to fulfill the first requirement, operations must be conducted in vacuo or in a stream of Hz. Owing to its greater efficacy and relative safety, vacuum has been employed in the work to be described. The choice of a suitable reducing agent formed the subject of an extensive series

Jan 1, 1944

By Malcolm J. McPherson, Michael Hood

Sunnyside Mines, owned and operated by the Kaiser Steel Corporation, are situated near the city of Price, Utah. The complex comprises three adjacent mines, named simply Nos. 1, 2 and 3, all connected underground. Two seams, the upper and lower Sunnyside have been worked. These dip at about 10 percent to the north-east. The surface cover is variable due to the mountainous nature of the topography. The Sunnyside upper seam varies from 5 1/2 ft (1.7m) to 9 ft (2.7m) In thickness whilst the lower seam remains at about 6ft (1.8m). The separation between the two seams has ranged from 7 to 45 ft over the mined area (2 to 14m). Longwall mining has been practiced at Sunnyside for over 20 years due to difficulties of roof control encountered when using the roan and pillar system. Number 3 mine is bounded on the north and south sides by mines Number 1 and 2 respectively. Whilst current production is concentrated into Number 1 mine, much of the future of the complex lies in the further development of deeper reserves in Number 3 mine. Workings in this latter mine were curtailed in 1978 due to difficulties in ventilation. Present developments are ventilated partially from the neighboring Number 2 mine where no workings are in progress. The layout of Number 3 mine is illustrated on the schematic Figure 1. Trunk airways extend down dip from the surface at No. 2 Canyon and the Water Canyon for a distance of some 9,600 ft. (2930m). The area between the two sets of trunk airways has been worked extensively in both seams as have the corresponding reserves on either side in the connected adjacent mines. At the present time exhausting fans are sited at the top of a shallow shaft in No. 2 Canyon and an 8 ft (2.4m) diameter shaft sunk to a depth of 1013 ft (310m) closer to the current developments (Figure 1). The current airflow system, even with an additional 116,000 cfm (55m3/s) entering from No. 2 Mine, is adequate only for the development work now in progress but will be unable to support new longwall faces further downdip. The basic ventilation problem of this mine may be stated quite simply. In a situation where all intake and return airways pass through extensive old workings, a ventilation system design was required that would be effective, efficient and economic for the foreseeable future of the mine. ORGANIZATION OF THE PLANNING PROCEDURE The procedure followed during the study is illustrated on Figure 2. Initial ventilation surveys established the current state of the airflow system and provided the necessary data for setting up a Basic Network File in a computer store. The data in this file was a mathematical model of the ventilation system of the mine. The basic network was analysed by a ventilation network analysis program in order to correlate the measured and computed airflows and to establish the basic network as a true representation of the mine as it stood at the time of the surveys. The network model could then be extended to simulate the future development of the mine and alternative ventilation designs investigated. The remaining sections of the paper outline the work involved in each of these main phases of the planning procedure. VENTILATION SURVEYS Conduct of Surveys Two types of measurements were conducted simultaneously throughout the air-carrying routes of the mine: (i) Airflow measurements were made by anemometer traverse or smoke tube at 221 selected stations. Anemometer traverses were repeated at each station until at least three gave results to within 5 per cent. (ii) Pressure drop measurements were made across ventilation doors, regulators and, wherever possible, across stoppings. Additionally, frictional pressure drops were measured along airways where such pressure drops were significant (above 0.01 inches of water gauge or 2.5 Pa over a 100m distance). The trailing hose method was used to determine these frictional pressure drops. This involved laying out 100m of abrasive resistant plastic tubing (3 mm internal diameter) with a 4 ft. pitot-static tube facing into the airflow at either end and a low range pressure gauge connected into the line. The trailing hose method was preferred to the alternative barometer technique for this study because of (a) the relative ease of access between measuring points and (b) the greater accuracy within individual airways. The anemometers used were Davis Biram Type A/2-3" (30 to 5,000 ft/min) and Airflow Developments AM-5000 digital (50 to 5,000 ft/min). The pressure gauges employed were Dwyer magnehelic instruments. These were preferred to liquid in glass manometers because of their portability and dependability under adverse mining conditions. A checklist of the equipment used in the survey is given in Appendix 1. The instruments were calibrated before and after the surveys in the mine ventilation laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. The survey occupied two teams, each of three men, for ten working days. The work consisted

Jan 1, 1982

By Ray Light, Everett M. White

Numerous articles have been written about the coal miner ; he has been compared with brave men who have gone out to conquer some unknown hazard throughout the ages. Now, however, modern mining is no longer something to be avoided, but a vocation that anyone can be proud of, with remuneration equal to or above that of almost any industry. A concerted effort is being made each day by both the operators of most mines as well as the state and federal inspectors to see that coal mines are as safe or safer than work places in any other industry. How- ever, it is true that mine fires and explosions have occurred in the mining industry since its inception. One of the earliest accurate references to such an occurrence is found in the transactions of the Royal Society of London. In the Colliery Managers' Handbook, 1898, Caleb Pamely writes of an explosion that occurred ,at Fatfield, England in August 1708, resulting in the deaths of 69 persons. He states: "Three of them, viz, two men and a woman, were blown quite up from the bottom of the shaft, fifty-seven fathoms deep, into the air, to a considerable distance from the mouth of the pit." It is interesting to note that women were employed ,as miners in England during that period. In the United States, the first record of coal mined was in 1702 by the Jamestown colonists. In 1786, about 20 years after Pittsburgh, PA was first settled, a charter was granted by William Penn to mine coal on the banks of the Monongahela River. Then in 1803, the first important coal company, the Lehigh Coal Co., was established. From this beginning, the mining industry continued to grow in importance and the first state mining law was formulated in 1870. The Pennsylvania state mining law was followed in 1873 by Ohio's, and in 1876 by Maryland's. A mine explosion at Avondale, PA in 1869 stimulated state legislatures to formulate these early laws. In 1907 near the town of Fairmont, WV, there were, within three days, two explosions resulting in a total of 597

Jan 1, 1981

By M. J. Spendlove, H. W. St. Clair

The problem frequently arises, particularly in refining metals or smelting scrap metals, of separating metals in the metallie state. Many metals may be separated by taking advantage of their difference in vapor pressure. Such separations can be made at atmospheric pressure, but the separations are much more selective and can be carried out at considerably lower temperatures if the distillation is done at pressures of a few millimeters or less in an evacuated enclosure. Until recently, this has not been considered feasible as a metallurgical operation, but the recent improvemcnts that have been made in vacuum technology have broadened the applicability of vacuum processes and have prompted re-examination of low-pressurc distillation of metals as a practicable process. The distillation of zinc from lead is one separation that has already been reduced to practice.l This paper is the first of a series of studies being made on separation of nonferrous metals by distillation at low pressures. Although these experiments were confined to the separation of zinc from aluminum, the significance of the results is by no means confined to these two metals. The purpose has been to investigate a metallurgical technique rather than merely to devise a means of separating specific metals. The experimental work on distillation of zinc from zine-aluminum alloys at reduced pressure grew out of earlier work on distillation at atmospheric pressure.2 The earlier work indicated that it would not be practicable to decrease the zinc in the alloy much below 10 pct owing to the high temperature required. Therefore attention was turned to distillation ah low pressures, at which lower temperatures are required. After preliminary tests were made in a small, evacuated tube furnace, a larger furnace having a capacity of 100 to 150 Ib of metal per charge was constructed. Distillation tests were first made on pure zinc and then on aluminum-zinc alloys of various composition. Particular attention was given to the limit to which zinc could be reduced in the residual metal. Data were also taken on the rate of evaporation, and heat balances were made for both the crucible and the condenser. Distillation Furnace The vacuum-distillation unit is illustrated schematically in Fig 1. The major components are the induction furnace, the condenser, the vacuum system, and the power-conversion unit. Power is supplied to the induction furnace from a 50-kw 3000-cycle motor-driven alternator. The pressure in the furnace is reduced by a vacuum pump having a nominal pumping speed of 10 liters per sec. When in operation, the metal vapors travel upward from the furnace to the water-cooled condenser where they are collected in amounts of 50 to 100 lb. The condenser is removed with aid of an electric hoist. When the system is under vacuum, the condenser is made self-sealing by a rubber gasket between the smooth-faced, water-cooled flanges at the top of the furnace and the bottom of the condenser. The pressure of the atmosphere is more than sufficient to insure sealing. At the conclusion of an experiment, the residual metal can be removed from the furnace by removing the condenser and tilting the furnace with the electric hoist. The metal was cast into the molds carried on a mold truck. A photograph of the furnace and auxiliary equipment is shown in Fig 2. The details of the vacuum furnace are illustrated in Fig 3. The furnace proper is made vacuum-tight with rubber gaskets placed at each end of a fused quartz cylinder. A clamping plate at the bottom and a ring at the top are made to squeeze the rubber between the metal and the end of the quartz tube. A large graphite crucible placed inside the quartz cylinder is thermally insulated and physically supported by refractory insulating bricks. A thermocouple in a quartz protection tube is located at the bottom of the crucible: the leads pass through a rubber seal in the bottom plate. The supporting structure for the furnace is an angle iron frame with transite board sides. The condenser is made in the form of a water jacketed cylinder with an opening to the vacuum line at the top. The bottom has a projecting skirt inside the machined flange to provide additional cooling for the rubber gasket. Condenser sleeves are made in the form of two semicylindrical pieces of sheet metal that fit snugly inside the cooling jacket. The split sleeve facilitates removal of the condensate. Measurement of Temperatare and Pressure The metal temperature was measured by a platinum-platinilm rhodium thermocouple inserted in a well extending up into the bottom of the graphite crucible. During rapid evaporation there is a wide difference in temperature between the surface and the main body of metal in the crucible because of the large amount of heat that must be conducted to the surface to supply the heat of evaporation. The heat of

Jan 1, 1950

By W. G. Jeffery, James F. McDivitt

THE FRAMEWORK Consider where you, the reader, would place the emphasis m your answer to the following questions on mineral supply. Do you think of the mineral resources of developing countries in terms of the contribution which they can make to world mineral supply or in terms of the contribution they can make to development of the country? Do you look upon developing countries as a source of minerals for world industry or as a potential enormous market for minerals? If you are from a developed country it would be surprising I£ you did not emphasize the first alternative in each case, but it is also possible that simply raising the questions will call for some mental adjustments, because usually we do not think in these terms. If you are among the two-thirds of the world's population which comes from developing countries, you might well emphasize the second alternative. And to a growing extent during the reaming decades of the 20th century this is where emphasis must be placed. Increasing amounts of the world's mineral production come from countries which are in the early stages of development. Mineral consumers of the world look to these regions for continuing supplies of material to help meet their ever-growing needs; the producing countries look to mineral exports as one means of stimulating and financing their economic development-this seems a happy and fortuitous relationship. But due to the complexities of world mineral supply, it is a relationship which is fraught with potential confusion and misunderstanding. That this is so is not surprising when one considers that many of the producing countries are new countries which are urgently trying to find the path along which they can move towards development; that the direction of the path is by no means clear because various theories of economic development, as a planned and deliberate process, are relatively recent in origin and none are well understood; and that the very concept of the less developed countries (LDC's) is a relatively new one. To further complicate the situation there has never been a clear under- standing of the full role which minerals play in economic development, either in the case of those countries which are already classed as developed, or in the case of countries which are in the process of development. Before embarking on an investigation of some aspects of the relationship between minerals and developing countries, it seems wise to establish broad terms of reference, which may not be totally valid but which will at least give an initial direction for a journey with no clearly definable goal. First it can be noted that the world has been divided somewhat arbitrarily into a group of countries that are termed developed or advanced and a group of countries which

Jan 1, 1976

By K. W. Nelson, John N. Abersold

INDUSTRIAL hygiene has been defined by Patty' as "the science and art of recognizing, evaluating, and controlling potentially harmful factors in the industrial environment." This definition implies thorough study of operations, evaluation of potentially harmful factors through air sampling, micro-analyses and other means and finally, appropriate medical and engineering control wherever indicated. The prevention of industrial health injuries is a vital part of operations of American industry today. Progress and interest in this field has increased steadily for many years, the most rapid progress having been attained, perhaps, during the last three decades. It is significant to note that there are now official agencies in 46 states actively concerned with industrial health problems and that a western field station has been established recently in Salt Lake City by the U. S. Public Health Service to augment its industrial hygiene services directed from headquarters of the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md. Many of the larger industries have found it advantageous to establish their own industrial hygiene departments. The American Smelting and Refining Co. is a world-wide organization engaged in the mining, smelting, and refining of lead, copper, zinc, silver, gold, by-product metals, including cadmium, arsenic, and others. In the United States there are 13 smelters and refineries, 11 secondary smelters or foundries, and a number of mines. Approximately 9000 workers are normally employed. It has long been the established company policy to seek out occupational hazards and provide safeguards for employee health. Protective equipment has been supplied to individual workers and exhaust ventilation installations have been in use in some operations for more than 40 years. All of the major units have their own medical departments which provide employees with excellent medical and hospital care. In 1937 full scale industrial hygiene studies were undertaken at the Selby Plant and were extended to most of the other smelters during the next three years. In 1945 the Department of Hygiene was organized with Professor Philip Drinker of Harvard University as Director and with Dr. S. S. Pinto as Medical Director. The department is responsible for coordinating and maintaining a program for the good health of all employees from top management down to the lowest paid day worker. It is essentially a service organization serving all of the United States plants regardless of location or size. Full and part-time physicians employed in all of the company's American plants and working in close cooperation with the Medical Director are responsible for de- termining the state of health of all the employees and giving treatment when necessary. In general, medical care is confined to accidents or illnesses occurring while the men are on the job. Among the duties of the doctors is the making of careful physical examinations of new employees and routine check-ups of old employees. In addition to medical care a primary responsibility of the department is the prevention of occupational illnesses. In this the main concern is with the working environment in relation to its effect on the worker. Environmental factors may be dusts, fumes, gases, toxic materials, heat, humidity, radiation, or noise. The objectives are: (1) Immediate control of these factors through the education of the worker, through providing the wearing of respirators or other protective devices, and through careful medical examinations and regular analysis of urine specimens; (2) a long range control program which may be accomplished by local exhaust ventilation, wetting of materials, changes in metallurgy, changes in methods of handling, or by use of special devices and special equipment. To accomplish these objectives a fine industrial hygiene laboratory was built in Salt Lake City and equipped to do routine and experimental work. Trained and experienced industrial hygienists obtain the facts by making frequent hygiene surveys. These surveys include tests of the air, studies of all processes, and careful investigation of ventilation, lighting, and general working conditions. Except in emergencies, the air contaminants and often the substances handled by the worker are sent to the laboratory for analysis by chemists and technicians specially trained in industrial hygiene methods. The findings are evaluated in terms of limits recommended by various State and Federal agencies, and in light of all available medical data. The methods used for studying the working environment involve all of the usual chemical and physical procedures employed in industrial hygiene. The Impinger, electric precipitator, thermal pre-cipitator, and filter paper sampler have been used to collect atmospheric dust and fume samples. Of special interest here is the filter paper sampler, shown in Fig. 1, which was developed by Dr. Silver-man at Harvard University. The instrument has been improved and is used very extensively in field studies. A water manometer connected behind an orifice is used to determine the rate of air flow. Calibration is effected by use of a standard gas meter or rotameter. The dust or fume is collected on a filter paper clamped between two rings, as shown in Fig. 2. The filter paper, such as Whatman No. 52, collects both dust and fume with a very high efficiency. The instrument is very convenient and easily transported. The solids collected on the filter paper are analyzed in the laboratory usually by use of a polar-ographic procedure. By this procedure it is possible to measure quantitatively in a single analysis the

Jan 1, 1952

By R. W. Armstrong, P. C. Jindal

The hardness dependence on grain size for polycrys-talline cartridge brass and a leaded brass has been measured by Brine11 and Rockwell B testing. In each case, the hardness, H, depends on the average grain diameter, 1, according to: H =Ho + kHl-1/2 where Ho and kH are experimental constants. Diamond pyramid hardness values have also been measured as a function of the indentation size and grain size to give additional information on the nature of the hardness test and the dependence of hardness on micro-structure. The hardness of polycrystalline brass depends on its grain size. Bassett and Davis' demonstrated this as early as 1919 by making Brinell hardness measurements on cartridge brass. Since then, the hardness of this type of material has been measured as a function of grain size by making Rockwell,2'3 Vickers,4 and Brinell5 tests. he hardness dependence on grain size has also been measured for other materials. Angus and summers6 investigated the grain size dependence of the Brinell hardness of polycrystalline copper and a Cu-4.5 pct Sn bronze. In other studies, nickel,? Armco iron,Big an Fe-0.07 pct C alloy,I0 and an 0.39 pct C-12.45 pct Cr stainless steel" have been investigated. In some of the preceding cases, the hardness results have been analyzed to show that the hardness varies with the average grain diameter, 1, according to an l-l\4, l-1/4 or I-2 dependence,11-13 The studies of the influence of grain size on hardness have not been based on any theoretical model. This may be because the hardness of a material is itself a complicated property. However, attempts have been made to correlate, experimentally and theoretically, the hardness of a material with its unidirectional stress-strain behavior.14-l6 On this basis, Hall" proposed that the polycrystal hardness dependence on grain size might follow directly from the Hall-Petch18,19 relation for the grain size dependence of the yield stress. Thus, the hardness-grain size relation was given as: H = Ho + kHl-1/2 [1] where Ho and kH were taken as experimental constants. The relation was applied to the measurements on brass,' copper,6 bronze,= and Armco iron.' More recently, this relation was shown by Armstrong and jindal20 to adequately describe the measurements on cartridge brass made by Bassett and Davis' and Babyak and Rhines.5 In this case, the relationship was taken a step further by independently relating the values of Ho and kH to the values of oyand ky, previously reported by Armstrong, Codd, Douthwaite, and petch21 from measurements of the yield stress dependence on grain size for this type of material. In the present investigation, new Brinell and Rockwell B hardness measurements have been made as a function of grain size for a cartridge brass and a leaded brass. In addition, diamond pyramid hardness values were measured as a function of the indentation size. All these results are applied to a further analysis of the hardness dependence on grain size. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Cartridge brass and a leaded brass were selected for this investigation for two main reasons: it was anticipated 1) that these materials could be cold-worked and recrystallized to a wide range in grain size and 2) that the results to be obtained on these typical industrial materials could be usefully compared with previous investigations. The chemical analyses of the actual materials which were employed are given in Table I. The as-received 1/2- and 3/4-in.-thick plates were given various reductions in thickness by cold rolling. The rolled material was heat-treated at various temperatures between 330" and 850°C for differing time periods from 5 min to 9 hr to achieve a variation in the average grain diameter between 0.0339 and 0.000543 cm.22 During heat treatment, the brass was protected from zinc loss by packing it in chips or foils of the same composition material. Reasonably equi-axed grain structures were obtained in each case. The metallurgical grain sizes of the specimens were determined from measurements of the average linear intercept on a random line. Annealing twin interfaces were not counted along with grain boundaries. The

Jan 1, 1970

By John D. Sullivan

Leaching of copper ores is a comparatively old art, probably dating back to medieval times. The leaching of mixed oxidized-sulfide ores, however, is modern. The first modern plant leaching mixed ores was at Ajo, Ariz., where commercial operations commenced in 1917. While the ore at Ajo was primarily oxidized there was always some sulfide present. The Inspiration leaching plant, which was put in operation in 1926, may be considered the first plant constructed for the extraction of both sulfide and oxidized copper. The pioneers in leaching mixed ores had a difficult task before them since they had very little fundamental data on the chemical and physical factors of leaching. For the very large amount of painstaking experimental work that was done before building the Ajo and Inspiration leaching plants the reader is referred to the original articles.' For a period of several years the writer worked on problems connected with the chemistry and physics of leaching mixed oxidized-sulfide ores. This paper summarizes the experimental work and discusses various factors involved in leaching ores. It also presents many data heretofore unpublished. Among the new data are those on chrysocolla, pages 518 to 519, inclusive; dioptase, page 519; covellite, page 529; virtually all those on chalcopyrite, pages 531 to 533, inclusive; enargite, page 533; and tetrahedrite and tennantite, pages 534 and 533. The oxidized copper minerals of commercial importance in American ores are azurite, Cu3(OH)2(CO3)2; malachite, Cu2(OH)2CO3; chrysocolla, CuSi03.2H2O; tenorite (or melaconite), CuO; and cuprite, Cu2O. Dioptase, CuSiO3.H2O is less common. Brochantite, CuSO4.3Cu(OH)2, while the chief mineral in the ore at Chuquicamata, is not of major importance in the United States. Metallic copper, while chemically not so, is frequently classed as an oxidized mineral of copper. The most important sulfide minerals are chalcocite, Cu2s; covellite, CuS; bornite, Cu5FeS4; and chalcopyrite, CuFeS2. Less important complex sulfides are enargite,

Jan 1, 1934

By H. H. Kaveler, Z. Z. Hunter

Variation of the horizontal permeability (parallel to the bedding plane) in the vertical section of reservoir rocks has long been observed as a characteristic of a normally heterogeneous system which reservoir rock represent. The use of a recently developed water injection profile device offered opportunity to measure with a high degree of reliability the rate of inflow of water into Burbank sandstone in wells previously cored. Water injection profiles were not correlative with core permeability profiles in such wells. Apparently the vertical permeability substantially influences the flow between strata in a formation in a manner as to void the usual conclusions that have been drawn from consideration of the horizontal permeability measurements alone. The results obtained in comparing water injection profiles with horizontal permeability profiles suggest that many of the usual production operations based upon "selective" behavior or treatment of rock exposed in well bores need to he re-valuated and re-examined. INTRODUCTION Petroleum reservoir rock are heterogeneous systems. Heterogeneity exists in respect to lithologic character insofar as such rock are composed of distinguishable solid phases. Heterogeneity also exists in respect to certain properties, such as porosity and permeability, that vary due to variation of the physi-cal structure of the rock. Except in exceptional cases, both the horizontal permeability (measured parallel to the bedding planes) and the vertical permeability (measured perpendirularly to the bedding planes) exhibit significant variation in any common source of supply. The variation in horizontal permeability. as reflected by con. analyses. has drawn the greatest attention of petroleum technologists probably out of the general notion that the mass movement of fluids in a reservoir is predimonantly in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, in the usual case, the rock permeability measured in the horizontal direction is greater than that in the vertical. The variation of horizontal permeability of reservoir rock has been the basis for developing a number of operating practices and procedures intended to improve the petroleum production operation. Many such procedures are referred to as "selective" in the sense that the practice is intended to control the flow to a more. or less. permeable interval within the common source of Supply. It is often said that such practices are "tailored" to the permeability profile. The practices referred to involve, among others, the following: selective perforation of casing; selective shooting, acidizing and plugging: plugging back to intervals of low permeability; and, regulation of flow to prevent coning of water or gas, or irregular encroachment of water or gas. Certain expressed notions involving a concept of "by-passing," or "trappingl" that are held to be particularly harmful in causing the avoidable loss of recoverable petroleum have grown from observed variations in the horizontal permeability. Oftentimes estimates of the reserve of a common source of supply are tempered by conclusions relating variation in horizontal permeability to recover-ability of the oil-in-place. Certain conclusions attributed to the significance of the variation of the horizontal Permeabilitv often extend to the design and operation of pressure-maintenance projects involving both water flooding and gas-injection. Many advocate increasing the number of injection wells, advocate maintaining uniform and equidistant input-output well patterns, or advocate so-called "dispersed" gas-drive techniques rather than gas-cap injection because the permeability profile of cored wells is supposed to indicate that "by-passing" or "trapping" would otherwise exist. It is important, therefore, to have an opportunity to test whether the variation in the horizontal permeability found through core analyses of a typical reservoir rock is sufficient to establish the paths of fluid flow in a reservoir. It is particularly important to have an opportunity to determine whether flow at the sand face of a well conforms to the permeability profile as established by core analyses. In that manner, the merit of certain 50-called "selective" operating procedures and other notions may be evaluated. The purpose of this paper is to compare horizontal permeability profiles of wells in the Bartlesville (Bur-bank) sandstone with water injection profiles, for the purpose of showing that there is no correlation between the horizontal permeability of a core and the water intake characteristics of a typical sandstone. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BARTLESVILLE (BURBANK) SANDSTONE The Bartlesville sandstones of Northeastern Oklahoma are off-shore bar deposits.' Although other reservoirs had different processes associated with their deposition or with the formation of their porous, permeable structure, the l!artlesville sandstones on which these field Fields were made are, in every respect. typical petroleum reservoir rock. The permeability of the Bartlesville sandstones shows a typical variation in both the horizontal and vertical direction. Furthermore, the permeability profile logs of wells in any pool are not correlative, even as between wells as close as 660 ft and 330 ft apart.'. The same condition exists in such sand-tones as the Jones Sand at Shuler' and is the ordinary and usual characteristic of reservoir rock. THE FIELD DATA The data reported herein are those obtained from coring of nine wells on the center of ten-acre locations for the purpose of providing water-injection wells in the Bartlesville (Burbank)

Jan 1, 1952

By L. G. Huntley

I. HISTORY OF OIL DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO THE occurrence of oil or "tar" in Mexico was mentioned as early as the seventeenth century by Friar Sagahun, who gives the Indian name "chapopote," by which these asphalt seepages are still called. This asphalt was apparently used, as it has been used by primitive people in many parts of the world, in religious ceremonies and for medicinal purposes. Travellers also report that the ruins in Yucatan and the pyramids in southern Mexico show traces of the use of "chapopote" as a building cement.1 DeGolyer says that the first attempt to exploit oil or gas in Mexico in a commercial way is shown by the records of the Memoria de Fomento of 1865, when permission was granted to a Senor Ildefonso Lopez to exploit the deposits of petroliferous substances in the San Jose de Ias Rusias area in the State of Tamaulipas. Other concessions follow, and probably refer to surface seepages which occur in that district. This was several years after the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania. In 1868, a well 125 ft. deep was drilled by a company organized in Mexico City, in what is now known as the Furbero district, and a little oil was refined there. In 1873, residents of Tampico denounced seepages along the Tamesi River, and asphalt was mined near Tempoal in the Canton of Tantoyuca. No drilling was attempted. But between 1880 and 1883 several shallow wells were drilled for oil in Mexico, two of them being near the present Potrero de Llano field west of Tuxpam. The wells were drilled by a Boston company with Canadian rigs, and are said too have reached a depth of about 400 ft., while one is reported to have flowed. Several other abortive attempts were made to drill for oil between 1885 and the beginning of the present century, about which time the Mexican, Petroleum & Liquid Fuel Co., Ltd., in which Cecil Rhodes was interested drilled 24 wells unsuccessfully, several of them as deep as 1,500 ft., in the State -

Jan 9, 1915