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By D. H. Davis

HAND picking was the earliest form of coal preparation, first practiced to improve the outward appearance of the coal being loaded and to remove any pieces that might appear objectionable to the buyer. It is still extensively practiced on the plus 1-in. sizes and particularly on the plus 4-in. and larger sizes. The percentage of ash reduction that can be obtained by hand picking depends entirely upon the amount of free impurity occurring in the coal. In a particularly dirty seam, where a considerable quantity of rock occurs with the coal as mined, hand picking produces sizable reductions in ash. If the coal is prepared clean at the working face hand picking is a final check; in some cases, on the smaller sizes, it is practiced only to show that an effort is being made to prepare a clean product. Because of the variety and different methods of handling coal, the early plants were not always adapted for e5cient hand picking. At most mines an attempt is made to - remove the visual impurities at one or more of the following places in the surface plant: (1) in the tipple during screening; (2) on picking band, belt, or shaking conveyors; (3) during the loading of the coal as it goes into the railroad car. Whatever the physical arrangements of the plant may be, the usual practice is to run the coal over the screen, picking table or boom at such a rate that each piece of impurity is exposed to the view of the picker. Coal should be uniformly sized and spread out on the table so as not to exceed one particle in depth. The flow should be even in tonnage and the speed of travel should be from 30 to 60 ft. per minute and not exceed 80 ft. per minute. The dirtier the coal, the slower the speed required for a fixed number of pickers. Actually, picking capacity depends on the number of particles per minute that can be picked out and rejected. The percentage of impurity removed is determined by this and the average weight of piece rejected. Handling a mixture of sizes from nut to the largest lump over the same picking table or conveyor is not conducive to efficient separation by hand picking because the lump hides the smaller impurities. Picking tables should not exceed 5 ft. in width, so that a picker on either side will be able to remove impurities from the center of the table. Guards usually are placed at the side of the screen, boom or table, to allow the pickers to stand close enough to remove the impurities without too long a reach.

Jan 1, 1950

By Michael Tenenbaum, T. L. Joseph

In a previous investigation1 the authors studied the effect of pressure on the reduction of iron ores by hydrogen. With hydrogen as a reducing agent, the rate of reduction was increased substantially by increasing the pressure from 1 to 2 atmospheres. The results with hydrogen prompted the present study of the effect of pressure on reduction with carbon monoxide and with mixtures of carbon monoxide and nitrogen. Features of Reduction Process The gas stream in the lower part of the blast furnace always contains sufficient concentrations of reducing gases to complete reduction provided sufficient time is allowed for the reaction to proceed. Reducing gases react immediately with the iron oxide on the surface of lumps of ore. However, as the unreduced surface recedes from the easily accessible exterior of the lump, the reaction proceeds by virtue of the diffusion of the gases into and out of individual pieces. The rate of diffusion of gases, which undoubtedly plays an important role in the reduction of iron ores, depends on several factors, most important of which are: (1) molecular weight or density, (2) pressure, (3) temperature, (4) concentration gradient. Thus, the rate of reduction of a lump of iron ore at any temperature will depend not only on the specific reaction rate but also upon: (1) available surface of unreduced iron oxide, (2) rate of diffusion of the reducing gas to the reacting surface, (3) rate of effusion of the gaseous products of the reaction from the reacting surface, (4) adsorption of the gases on the reacting surface. The various features of the reduction process were discussed in previous work and need not be reviewed. However, in order to explain

Jan 1, 1940

By John Birkinbine

Much has been contributed to the Transactions of the Institute concerning the construction and operation of American blast-furnares ; but the following compilation is offered as possibly furnishing additional information upon the general features, dimensions, locations, capacities, etc., of the blast-furnaces of the United States; while, incidentally, the ores upon which they rely are noted in a general way. The paper is presented chiefly as a compilation, and the figures given are selections from most reliable sources, or averages calculated from official statistics, placed for convenient reference, with a view of assisting those who consult the Transactions in determining the present relative merits and importance of various sections of the country. The scope of the paper has been restricted to as few topics as possible, and all the details of special plants, or notable outputs have been ignored. While every effort has been made to give correct figures and data, the changes which are constantly taking place in the iron-producing industry, will, undoubtedly, by the time the paper is in print, develop some errors. It is difficult to determine which of the blast-furnace plants of the country should or should not be considered as upon the active list. A number which have not been in operation for years are still reported as active, some of which will scarcely be put in blast again, and others are handicapped so that they can only operate in times of abnormal profits. It is therefore scarcely probable that there are over 600 blast-furnaces in the United States which can properly be considered as active; but so many considerations affect the various plants, that, it being impossible to determine the exact number, I have relied upon the annual reports presented to the American Iron and Steel Association. Concerning the number of plants which could be stricken from the list, the Secretary of this Association says: "In January last (1885) we enumerated 669 furnaces, which included many stacks which had not been in blast for a very long time, and others which could not be operated except during short periods of exceedingly high prices for pig iron. We have gone over this list very carefully and have eliminated 10 anthracite, 19 bituminous, vol. xiv.—36

Jan 1, 1886

By James E. Berryman

A method is presented for calculating the pressure depletion performance of a gas-condensate reservoir from the original reservoir fluid composition using the laboratory determined pressure-production history and retrograde liquid accumulation as guides. Equilibrium vaporization ratios for this calculation were modified from published data until the calculated dew point pressure and retrograde liquid accumulation agreed with the values observed in the laboratory. The calculated results are compared with the produced gas composition determined by low temperature analysis during constant volume laboratory experiments of pressure depletion behavior. This comparison shows that the calculation procedure is adequate for determination of gas phase composition. Data from field separation tests in low temperature separators are presented which verify the applicability of published equilibrium vaporization ratios for a wide range of separator conditions. INTRODUCTION A reliable prediction of the pressure depletion performance of a gas-condensate reservoir is necessary in determining reserves and evaluating field separation methods. The predicted performance is also used in planning future operations and studying the economics of projects for increasing liquid recovery. Because the flow of fluid in a volumetric gas-condensate reservoir is usually single phase flow, the pressure-depletion per-formake is primarily a function of the phase behavior of the reservoir fluid. The properties of a gas-condensate system of major importance are: (1) compressibility factor at reservoir temperature and pressure; (2) dew point pressure; (3) composition changes of the vapor phase with pressure depletion; (4) recovery of original in-place hydrocarbons at any pressure; and (5) retrograde condensate accumulation. These properties are most generally determined by a pressure depletion-type experiment on recombined separator gas and liquid samples in the laboratory. ldeally the pressure-depletion performance can be calculated from the composition of the original reservoir fluid if the reservoir temperature and initial pressure are known.1,2,3 It has been reported "... comparison of such computations with depletion-type ex-periments on recombined samples in the laboratory have yielded results that appeared to be entirely adequate.". The success of such calculations is determined by the equilibrium vaporization ratios chosen, especially those for the higher boiling point hydrocarbons. It is the purpose of this paper to present a method for computing the change in composition of the vapor phase during pressure depletion by production using laboratory determined properties of the system to guide the calculation and to illustrate the use of the method with data from the Cockfield "D" sand of Washington field, St. Landry Parish, La. Results of field tests and laboratory analysis are included. As a result of this reservoir fluid study, a cycling program has been evaluated, the fidd has been unitized, and the cycling started in July, 1956.

Jan 1, 1958

By B. M. Larsen, T. E. Brower

INTRODUCTION THIS discussion is based on statistical manipulation and evaluation of operating data from several commercial blast furnaces which include rather wide variations in practice. We are concerned here mainly with the effect of manganese on sulphur elimination under operating conditions in commercial blast furnaces, but this effect can be outlined more clearly by including certain other variables such as silicon in iron and slag basicity, which are all in part interrelated. Real progress in understanding all of the smelting-zone reactions in this process requires more laboratory studies of slagmetal melts similar to those in the blast furnace, with careful control of oxygen pressure. Such experimental work is very difficult, however, and in the meantime, with the present scarcity of more fundamental data, such statistical trends and correlations as can be obtained from commercial furnace operating records may help in choosing laboratory test conditions as well as adding to our knowledge of operating procedures. We do not know just why the furnace data are apparently so irregular that statistical treatment of large numbers is needed to obtain accurate trends. It is .partly caused, no doubt, by the many simultaneous variables present, but there are perhaps also such factors as: (I) the continual swings up and down so characteristic of the process; (2) difficulty of accurate sampling of co-existing phases, as well as (3) the presence of both equilibrium and rate factors as a result of the fast driving of the process, In desulphurization, for example, the flow of thin layers of slag and metal over solid coke surfaces, plus the contact between droplets of iron falling through the slag layer in the hearth, would lead one to expect a close approach to equilibrium, On the other hand, most of the critical part of sulphur removal may occur in a short time and distance below the tuyeres with perhaps an accompanying decrease in oxygen pressure and the concurrent reduction of much of the silicon and manganese, so its degree of approach to equilibrium may be quite variable. PROBABLE CHEMISTRY OF DESULPHURIZATION Since there is little evidence that sulphur atoms in the iron solution are associated to any appreciable extent in molecules such as MnS, the transfer from slag to metal and back again can be written:* [(FeS) -, [FeS],[I] hence the following reactions seem most probable in the slag phase, (FeS) + (CaO) = (CaS) + (FeO), [2] and, (FeS) + (MnO) ;:2 (MnS) + (FeO). [31]

Jan 1, 1948

This issue presents the first of several articles making up the Bump Symposium, which was held at the 1958 Annual Meeting of AIME. Other Symposium papers will appear in the September issue of Mining Engineering. THE term mountain bump describes the sudden rupture of one or more coal pillars under excessive stress. These bursts occur with varying degrees of violence and sometimes include adjacent strata, especially the bottom rock. Many failures do not develop enough violence to be dangerous and are regarded as an aid to coal production, but severe occurrences are accompanied by tons of flying coal, dense clouds of dust, and excessive gas emission. Such bursts sometimes throw heavy machinery several feet. Major factors to be considered in the problem are the nature of the strata above and below the seam and the depth of cover. Bumps are classified as to their nature, extent of damage, and point of occurrence, e. g., face bump, coal bump, high side bump, low side pavement bump, and district bump. The problem is extremely complex, and it cannot be over-emphasized that preventive measures, if they are to be successful, must be based on a thorough study of conditions in the individual mine. In western Canada, for example, the McGillivray mine, operating in a 9-ft seam at 2000 ft, has experienced severe bumps, but there have been no occurrences in the International mine, which operates in the same coal seam at 2400 ft, where the coal averages 17 ft thick. Differences in conditions governing the operation of these two mines are described in one of the following articles (see page 883). Again, most bumps in coal mines take place along pillar extraction lines, but at the Sunnyside mine in Utah they also occur a long way from active workings and sometimes in virgin territory. It is usual, too, for such failures to occur under fairly deep cover. But at Sunnyside, to cite only one instance, there have been disturbances along the main fault zone under less than 500 ft of cover. All too often conditions favorable to bumps are revealed only by actual mining—at Springhill No. 2 mine, drilling in roof and pavement strata disclosed a 60-ft sandstone bed after operations had started— and where extraction has advanced too far for preventive measures to be incorporated in the mining plan, districts have had to be abandoned. But in an era when premium ores are being rapidly depleted in the face of rising demands, abandonment is not easily justified. There must be systematic planning to eliminate coal mine bumps, insofar as this is possible. As in the Gary district of West Virginia (see page 888) much has been accomplished by planned operations based on known factors in bump control. But even this is not enough. Precise instrumentation is needed to indicate where bumps are likely to occur, and in both the U. S. and Canada stress analysis studies are being carried out with this object in view. These pages reveal the progress being made.

Jan 1, 1959

By E. A. Gulbransen, W. S. Wysong

THE behavior of molybdenum and its surface oxides in oxidizing and reducing gas atmospheres and in high vacua at elevated temperatures is a question of scientific and technical importance The use of molybdenum as a metal or as an important component in alloys in oxidizing atmospheres at elevated temperatures has been limited because of the unprotective nature of its oxide film and the volatility of this oxide at moderate temperatures. This communication will present results of a vacuum microbalance study 1,2 of the following problems. (11) the oxidation kinetics in the temperature range of 250° to 450°C; (2) the reduction with pure hydrogen of thin oxide films formed on molybdenum; (3) the volatility of the thin oxide films, and (4) the vacuum oxidation of molybdenum at high temperatures. Molybdenum is an interesting metal to study for the following reasons: (I) although the oxide-to-metal-volume ratio is greater than one, the metal is not considered protective; (2) the metal oxidizes readily at temperatures of 250°C and higher; (3) the oxides of the metal are reduced at temperatures as low as 500°C by pure hydrogen; (4) the oxide MoO3 melts at 795°C; and (5) the oxides of molybdenum are volatile at moderate temperatures. The following variables are studied in the oxidation kinetics. time, temperature, pressure, surface preparation, surface area, concentration of inert gas in the lattice, cycling procedures in temperature, vacuum effect and high temperature vacuum oxidation The general interpretation of many of these factors has been previously discussed. LITERATURE The oxidation of molybdenum has not been studied critically. Although" many studies have probably been made on the kinetics of the oxidation process, none has been reported in the literature available to us. The crystal structures found in the oxidation of molybdenum have been studied by Hickman and Culbransen 4 Their results showed that MoO2 is the oxide which is stable in contact with the metallic subgtrate throughout the temperature range 300 to 700°C. As the film thickens in the low temperature range, MoO3 becomes predominant on the surface. Above 400°C, Mo03 is no longer observed, Mo02 being the only oxide found. Hagg and Magneli5 have shown from an X ray study that the a-phase, orthorhombic MoO3 is stable up to 1050°C. Two other phases, ß and ß', with compositions close to Mo02 90 are also obtained The formula for the ß phase is not given but that of the ß' phase is defined as Mo9026. The ß' phase is found to be built upon a monoclinic unit cell. A -?-phase is isolated from a preparation M00275 heated for 17 hrs at 670°C. This phase is

Jan 1, 1947

By G. K. Engelhart

A multi-stage counterflow process developed in Germany preheats dry pulverized portland cement raw materials held in suspension in rotary kiln waste gases. Capacity of the first kiln installed for this purpose in the United States has been increased from 860 to 1500 bbl per day, with fuel reductions from 1,100,000 Btu to 650,000 or 700,000 Btu per bbl. Sixty percent of total waste gas is used. As full use of the gas stream is approached, additional kiln production and fuel economy may be expected. EFFECTIVE use of rotary kiln waste gases to preheat dry pulverized materials has been demonstrated in full-scale operation at the Allentown Portland Cement Co. plant, Evansville, Pa. Pulverized raw materials are preheated in suspension in the gas stream in a multi-stage counterflow process which draws the gases through a series of cyclone collectors. Upon entering the first cyclone stage the material, continuously delivered and suspended in the gas stream, is successively collected and re-suspended until it discharges through the kiln feed pipe. Gas and material contact time is thus prolonged, providing a high degree of heat recuperation with a very low temperature differential between gas and material at the final stage. The suspension preheater, developed by Klock-ner-Humboldt-Deutz AG of Cologne, Germany, was first installed at the Norddeutsche Huette plant, Oslebshausen, Germany. Similar preheaters are now in operation at three other German cement plants. The first American installation, at the Allentown Portland Cement Co. plant, was designed and manufactured by Fuller Co. of Catasauqua, Pa., Humboldt's licensee for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Design of this installation is essentially the same as the German original, but provision was made for varying the method to adapt the process to specific objectives of American portland cement production. Differences between German and American cement clinker production practices are directly related to differences in three primary production cost items: fuel, labor, and power. Because fuel costs are high in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, thermal efficiency has been the first objective of European cement producers and manufacturers of rotary kilns. The Germans have developed such recuperative equipment as the present suspension preheater, the Miag calcinator, and the Lepol kiln, the invention of 0. G. Lellep. In North America labor is the principal cost item, although rising fuel costs are of growing concern. High clinker production is therefore of first importance. Recent installations of longer dry process cement kilns have been disappointing, failing to make satisfactory reductions in exit gas temperatures when production is held at an acceptable level. The Humboldt suspension preheater satisfies both

Jan 1, 1955

By Francis M. Rich

BEFORE the world-wide depression, the primary purpose of most blast-furnace operators was to produce a maximum tonnage of pig iron per day for each furnace in blast. Some attention was paid to the conservation of labor and raw materials, but the idea was well established that low-cost pig iron was attainable only when each furnace was producing a high tonnage. After the depression had set in, the picture changed considerably. Each blast-furnace operator was forced to run his plant in a manner that best fitted the economical set-up of his company. A great deal of thought was expended on the different methods of operation, always with the idea of making each product in a way that would best serve his company financially. Because of this abnormal condition, the blast-furnace man was compelled to indulge in various practices of which many had been believed to be next to impossible up to that time. The ultimate purpose of these innovations was either one or a combination of the following: 1. To produce only enough pig iron for immediate consumption at a minimum cost. 2. To produce gas for boiler or mill use to supplant some higher priced fuel. 3: To consume the coke produced at the coke plant, which was often viewed as a byproduct. 4. To protect the cash position of the company. These conditions were met by diverse methods, some of which were: 1. Slow or decreased wind. In some instances the blast blown was held as low as 25 per cent of the normal volume. 2. Intermittent operation, in which the furnaces were shut down or "fanned" at frequent intervals.

Jan 1, 1935

By James R. Jones

The concern for air pollution goes back centuries as will be seen from this quotation : "Strife and coal, it seems, have a hand-in-hand historical relationship. It was thought by some . . . in the Middle Ages that burning coal filled the air with dangerous poisons. So great was the concern that in 1306 King Edward I of England passed the first and unquestionably the harshest air pollution legislation edict that history will record. His proclamation declared the use of coal an act punishable by death." As related to coal mining, the air pollution problem is primarily that of its customer when using the fuel. Thus the major impact relates to markets for coal rather than the actual mining operation itself. In the vicinity of the coal mine the problem is principally related to fugitive dust from roads, transfer facilities, loading facilities, crushers, etc., and particulate matter (dust or fly ash) from thermal dryers and air cleaning tables. FUGITIVE DUST Most state air pollution regulatory agencies now have rules and regulations requiring control of fugitive dust. Fugitive dust has been defined by the courts as particulate matter other than that emanating from a specific point such as a stack or chimney. A typical air pollution control agency regulation reads as follows : “Fugitive Dust " "No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit any material to be handled, transported, or stored; or a building, its appurtenances, or a road to be used, constructed, altered, repaired or demolished without taking reasonable precautions to prevent particulate matter from be- coming airborne. Such reasonable precautions shall include, where applicable, but not be limited to the following:

Jan 1, 1981

By R. G. Hite, R. G. Rowe

The Crandon deposit, located in northern Wisconsin, is a 65.8 million ton Precambrian volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit which averages 1.4% copper and 5.8% zinc. The deposit is classic in origin, mineralogy and shape. Comprehensive understanding of the geology of both the deposit and the project site has been fundamental to the credibility and success of project feasibility studies and regulatory permit preparation. Mine development in the current investment and regulatory climate requires thorough and timely application of geologic tools. From 1977-1980 geologic activities were focused on the typical objectives of orebody delineation, reserve estimation, depositional geology, and general site investigation. Results from these programs formed the basis for the project's preliminary feasibility studies. Since 1981 further geologic investigations have provided criteria for project design, site management, and operational permitting. Activities have included mine entry position definition drilling, developing geostatistical reserve modeling, large diameter (150 mm) core drilling for mill pilot samples, rock mechanics testing, and evaluation of the glacial overburden/deposit geohydrology for computer simulation.

Jan 1, 1984

By John M. Kelly

This report covers the development, exploratory drilling, and production of oil and gas in New Mexico during 1945. The statistical information was gathered from state regulatory agencies and other sources believed to be reliable; it is presented here in combined form for general information only, and the author assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.

Jan 1, 1946

By H. H. Evinger, M. Muskat

A methoD of calculating productivity factors for oil, gas, and water systems in the steady state is presented as an illustration of the quantitative application of the fundamental data on the flow properties of heterogeneous fluid systems. While the numerical results of the calculations cannot be applied directly to field conditions, because they are based on permea-bility data for unconsolidated sands and involve specific assumptions regarding the nature of the reservoir fluids, the methods of analysis and interpretation should havc significance in considering certain specific field situations when the necessary field and laboratory data become available. Moreover, it is felt that even under the idealized conditions to which the numerical calculations refer they should serve to give at least the orders of magnitude of the effects of gas-oil ratio and connate water on observed productivity factors. Within the indicated limitations, the computations imply that the foregoing factors can explain only a part of the apparent discrepancy between the homogeneous fluid productivity factors and those obtained recently in field measurements on the West Coast. IntroductioN Sufficient laboratory research has been carried out in the last several years on the fundamental features of the flow of heterogeneous fluids through porous media to call for consideration of what can be done with this type of information. It has, of course, already led to a, much clearer general understanding of the mechanics of oil production. However, examples of the quantitative application of the results of such laboratory studies are few in the literature. part of the explanation for this fact lies undoubtedly in the lack of sufficient laboratory data relating to practical fluids and sand systems such as would occur ill actual oil reservoirs. However, unless it can be shown that if such data were obtained quantitative applications could be made, serious doubt may be cast upon the desirability of carrying on further extensive experimental research work on fluid flow. The purpose of this paper is to present one approach to the problem of quantitative application of laboratory data to practical field problems. Because the published results on the basic experiments with three-phase fluid systems in porous media are limited entirely to uncon-solidated sands, the numerical applications made here will not pertain directly to any actual field situation. However, they should serve to illustrate what could be done with fundamental laboratory data if they were extended to cover the field of consolidated sands. From this point of view, it is hoped it will serve to encourage further laboratory research on this problem. The particular application to be treated here relates to the calculation of the productivity factors for oil-gas-water systems in the steady state. This specific problem seems especially appropriate for discussion in view of the recent publication by Johnston1 of the results of produc-

Jan 1, 1942

By George C. Lipsey

FOR many years the mining of coal and other minerals occurring in sedimentary formation has been planned according to information obtained by diamond drilling. Placer mines have used churn drills for sampling and estimating deposits, and some metal mines have used the method either wholly or in part. The diamond drill method, therefore, although not entirely new, has come into more prominence in the last few years. Several large-scale developments now being planned or in the production stage have used this method in varying degree. This paper will describe the operations of the Howe Sound Exploration Co., Ltd. at Snow Lake, Manitoba, where a gold mine was developed and equipped for mining and milling wholly on the basis of diamond drilling results. The property has been in operation nearly 3 years, so that results can be compared with the estimates and assumptions made from the diamond drilling. In developing the subject it is necessary to outline as briefly as possible the normal method of mining, from discovery to production stage. Table I sets forth these various stages, the methods of financing, the percentage of total cost, and the relative time interval required for each section of the work. The plan presented in this table cannot be applied to all mining developments, but it gives a basis on which to work. In Stages 2 and 3 the investment is moderate, and if the property does not respond favorably the options or interests can be terminated. Stage 4 represents a sizeable investment, and it is more difficult to drop the property after this part of the operation is completed. Stages 2, 3, and 4 may be repeated several times by diflerent groups or companies before Stage 5 is reached, but when Stage 5 has been started the total capital investment must be provided and there can be no turning back. It will be noted that there is a total of 116 units of investment in the overall cost if one company proceeds with Stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 in order. Stage 4, however, consumes time which is important when markets are being considered. Bringing a property into production when metal prices are low is much more difficult than when the prices are high, and if this stage can be set aside production is attained more quickly. When Stage 4 is eliminated the total becomes 86 units of cost for Stages 2, 3, and 5, but an adjustment of 14 units must be added to Stage 5. These 14 units represent the useable value of Stage 4. Thus Stage 4 represents an investment of 30 units if carried on before Stage 5, but 14 units if included with Stage 5. This is accounted for by the fact that development work can be accomplished more cheaply under Stage 5, since everything that is done is planned on a production basis with permanent services. Stage 4 must of necessity be governed by expenditures, and a great many temporary services, including housing and power plants, must be provided. The prospect shaft is a small one, and drifts,

Jan 1, 1953

By F. C. Oliphant, George H. Fancher

Two samples of drilling mud from the Hastings oil field, Texas, were tested, and the solids in each were separated into small fractions of a limited range in particle size. The mineral composition of each fraction by X-ray analysis is reported, and the results are interpreted in relation to other measured quantities, such as the physical properties of the original samples and the density of the various fractions. It was found that only 7 to 8 per cent by weight of the solids was of colloidal dimensions and that neither of the samples contained montmorillonite but did contain illite. Considerable calcite was also found. These data should be useful to the geologist interested in the origin and history of sedimentary strata as well as to the petroleum engineer. Introduction The questions, What is good drilling mud? What constitutes bad drilling mud? are pertinent, because the proper use and control of drilling fluids has been a factor of great importance in the successful drilling and completion of oil wells since the days of Captain Lucas. Adequate control of the characteristics of drilling fluids has assumed greater significance comparatively recently because of the problems introduced by caving formations in deep wells, costly blowouts and impressive mud bills. Much is known about the solution of some of the problems but, despite extensive research directed toward a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of clay suspensions, it is difficult to define precisely a drilling mud, and much more difficult to say what constitutes a good mud. It is generally believed that the smaller particles of a drilling mud greatly affect its physical properties. In fact, it is customary to blame the colloids in a mud for nearly everything that goes amiss, because colloidal properties have effects out of all usual proportion on viscosity, filtration rate and reaction to electrolytes. It is germane to know whether drilling muds possess colloids and if so, the quantity and kind. Source oF Samples Two drilling muds from the Hastings oil field, Brazoria County, Texas, were selected because it is generally agreed that in this oil field good natural muds made solely from formations penetrated by the drill can be used until the well is nearly ready for completion. Customary drilling procedure in this field is to spud in with water, set a protective string of pipe, drill to 2500 ft. and set the surface casing. Drilling is continued to 5500 ft. with no treatment of the drilling fluid other than addition of water to

Jan 1, 1943

By E. A. Nesbitt

The important permanent-magnet alloys 15 years ago contained carbon and depended upon it for their permanent-magnet properties. In recent years great advances have been made in a number of new alloys substantially free of carbon. These include Remalloy,' an alloy of iron, cobalt, and molybdenum, the various iron-nickel-aluminum alloys of the Mishima2 type, and the more recent Alnico V3 in which the best properties are developed by heat-treating in a magnetic field. The Mishima and the Alnico types of alloys are very brittle and after casting must be ground to size. This article describes a permanent-magnet material4 that can be machined as cast, and when handled with some care can be rolled to thin sheet and drawn to fine wire. Optimum magnetic properties are developed by a simple heat-treatment, and at this time the ductility of the alloy disappears. If the cast alloy is heat-treated without cold-working the mag netic energy product is about 1.0 X 106. This material is called Vicalloy I (pronounced vicalloy, V for vanadium, I for iron, and C for cobalt). When the alloy is first hot-worked and then considerably reduced in area by cold-swaging, drawing or grooved rolling, it is found that after heat-treatment the magnetic energy product measured in the direction of previous extension can be increased to 2.0 to 3.5 X 106. These higher values have been obtained only after reductions in area of 75 to 95 per cent, and since the material hardens considerably during working, the reduction ordinarily can be accomplished only in fine wires, although larger sizes can be reduced by the use of powerful machinery. When the material has been cold-worked in such a manner as to improve its energy product substantially, it is called Vicalloy 11. Commercial use of Vicalloy has been made in the recording of speech. Tape 0.002 by 0.050 in. has been found superior in quality to all others tried, and is now used in the Western Electric Mirrorphone 5 In a variety of forms Vicalloy I or I1 is useful in many laboratory instruments, and in experiments in which the sizes and shapes required cannot be obtained with the other more brittle permanent-magnet materials. In 1936, during a study of other age-hardening magnetic systems, it occurred to the author that some of the iron-cobalt-vanadium alloys might be suitable for permanent magnets. The proportions of iron, cobalt, and vanadium were varied and a range of alloys of particular interest was found, as shown by the indicated area in Fig. I. The limits of this range of composition are 30 to 52 per cent iron, 36 to 62 per cent cobalt, and 4 to 16 per cent vanadium. The compositions indicated by points outside this area were also tested. Preparation and Properties OF Vicalloy I The alloys were usually cast in graphite molds into bars 3/4 in. in diameter and

Jan 1, 1946

By Donald W. Scott

Generally speaking, there is nothing very difficult about taking good microgrztphs of photogenic thin sections or grains with a petrographic microscope-camera setup. However, sometimes it is desired to show some detail that cannot be illustrated satisfactorily by the usual micrographs taken with parallel polarized light, with crossed nicols, or even with two micrographs. A simple procedure giving good results has been used at Battelle Memorial Institute for subjects falling into this classification, and it is believed to be of interest, especially to research people who must sell a point to executives through the medium of well-illustrated reports. The following problem illustrates a typical application: It is desired to photograph a thin section of an iron ore to illustrate the character and association of the iron oxides and the individual quartz crystals. A magnification of 75 dia. is acceptable. A micrograph of the field in question (Fig. Ia) was taken with parallel polarized light. Due precaution was taken to provide critical illumination, correct exposure, a sharp focus, a good darkroom technique, and other essential conditions. It illustrates correctly the iron oxides, but it fails to show the individual quartz crystals. A micrograph of the identical field (Fig. Ib) was taken under the same precise conditions, but with crossed nicols. It gives a better idea of the character of the individual quartz crystals but is likely to be misinterpreted unless accompanied by a lengthy descriptive note. This micrograph suggests that the centrally located, large black area is composed entirely of iron oxides. That this' is an incorrect interpretation is evident by reexamining the micrograph of Fig. Ia. The correct interpretation is that the dark area contains quartz crystals oriented with their optical directions parallel to, or nearly parallel to, the vibration directions of the polarizer and analyzer of the microscope. Thus, the executive, or anyone who had not done the work personally, would get no more than a fair interpretation, even if two micrographs were included; and in the interests of both brevity and clarity, one micrograph usually is more desirable. Exactly how many quartz crystals occur in this region cannot be told from the two micrographs, and a printing of the two negatives in register would likewise not show the detail desired. Thus, it is evident that some subjects cannot be satisfactorily illustrated by the usual procedures. In photographing Fig. Ic the light was subdued and, during the entire exposure of 75 sec., the analyzer nicol was rotated uniformly in its mounting from a crossed position to 45° uncrossed position to introduce the desired amount of contrast in the various individual quartz crystals. The true reproduction of the character and association of the iron oxides, and the additional structure and detail in the quartz areas, is apparent. It might be

Jan 1, 1949

By B. Otto Pixler

Mud-analysis logging provides identification of the fluid content of formations drilled by the rotary method and permits the accurate correlation of oil and gas shows with the depth. Mud-analysis logging eliminates much coring and has an especially important application in drilling programs when coring is particularly hazardous or the electric log is difficult to interpret correctly. An appreciation of the factors that influence the results of the mud analysis, such as rate of penetration, mud properties, coring, and characteristics of reservoir rock as related to the "flushing effect," permits a better understanding of the mud-analysis log. Recent studies of the relationship of the two gas readings obtained by the gas-detector instrument have proved significant. The difference between the total combustible gas reading and the higher molecular weight gas reading indicates the presence of methane. With few exceptions, zones not showing an increase of methane probably can be condemned. Mud-analysis logging furnishes valuable information, which generally cannot be obtained by other methods. Introduction Logging by mud analysis of wells drilled with rotary tools is a direct method of locating oil-and-gas-bearing formations. The use of this method of logging has increased each year until now more than 20 field units are being used in 13 oil-producing states and in some foreign countries. Several papers1-9 have been published in the petroleum trade journals describing in detail the equipment and the application of mud-analysis logging. This paper will discuss briefly the method and review its application and some of the late developments. Method As the drilling of a well progresses, the drilling bit dislodges and disintegrates a cylindrical section of the formation. If oil or gas is contained in the pore spaces of the cylinder, some of the contents of these porous spaces will be entrained in the drilling fluid. In wall logging by mud analysis, the mud is continuously examined for oil and gas on its return to the surface, and the results are correlated back to the actual depth of the hole at the time the mud was clearing the eyes of the bit. The test for gas is made by diverting a portion of the circulating mud from the flow line to a separator or gas trap, where the mud is thoroughly mixed with air and a portion of the gas entrained in the mud is removed. A stream of air is drawn coun-tercurrent to the flow of mud in the gas trap, thus materially assisting the separation of the gas from the mud. The air-gas mixture is then drawn into a "hot-wire" gas-detector instrument where the percentage of the combustible gas is determined. The presence of oil in the formation drilled is detected by a physical examination of the drilling mud under ultraviolet light. A sample of the mud is treated to reduce the surface tension and gel strength, after which it is placed in a viewing box. This box is so constructed that all external light is excluded and so that the sample may be subjected selectively to either ultra-

Jan 1, 1946

By J. R. Thoenen, M. C. Malamphy, G. K. Dale

THE beginning of the war and the events leading up to it precipitated a near crisis in the aluminum industry. Demands for the metal reached proportions far beyond the prewar production capacities and, in addition, the submarine menace seriously curtailed the importation of bauxite from South America, hitherto a chief source of high-grade ore. The situation required an intensive search for domestic ore to augment the reserves and in October 1941 Congress directed the Department of the Interior to investigate the extent, mode of occurrence, and quality of bauxite in the United States. In December of that year the Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey began the search for bauxite in Arkansas, where more than 90 per cent of the domestic ore had been produced and where the greatest amount of bauxite was known to occur. The program involves the geophysical and geological investigation of the Arkansas bauxite region and the core drilling of areas considered favorable for the occurrence of bauxite deposits. Cores taken from the bauxite-kaolin zone are sampled and analyzed in the Bureau of Mines laboratory in Little Rock. The information from each of the deposits discovered is then assembled, the bauxite is graded with respect to its possible utility, tonnage estimates are made, and the whole is presented in the form of a war minerals report. Thirty-eight new bauxite deposits had been discovered and investigated at the end of the calendar year 1944, and the presence of several others had been indicated by the drilling. More than 5000 holes had been drilled throughout the bauxite region, and more than 60,000 chemical analyses had been made of samples taken from the bauxite-kaolin zone. A study of the chemical analyses led to certain general conclusions not only with regard to the chemical composition of Arkansas bauxite, but also with regard to its component minerals. Charts and diagrams based on these conclusions have been developed for practical use by the Bureau of Mines: (I) to serve as a check against laboratory analyses, (2) to present tonnage estimates of ore bodies based on mineral composition, (3) to illustrate the relationship of tonnages of bauxite to the alumina, silica, and iron content, and (4) to serve as a control for mining operations by providing a means for quick estimates of the value of the ore from a partial analysis of its chemical constituents. The use of charts and diagrams similar to those discussed in this paper is not new. The use of the trilinear diagram for studying the ultimate analyses of coals as originally proposed by Ralston in Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 93 (1915) showed that the various ranks of coal fell in different areas on the diagram and that volatile matter, calorific value and other properties could also be plotted by the use of contours. A considerable subsequent literature, largely on classification of coals, has accumulated since then, showing the utility

Jan 1, 1945

By William B. Senseman

FoR reasons well known to mining engineers, wet grinding is quite universal in plants having to do with the extraction of metallic values from crude ores. In the processing of the nonmetallic and industrial minerals, dry grinding is the more common method. The crude materials usually contain less moisture than is required for wet grinding and the products usually are marketed in dry form; most of them as powders. To grind wet, therefore, would entail the addition of water and an expense for drying the product, which is not justified. Furthermore, the material would be a dried cake that would still have to be pulverized or disintegrated before use. For producing fine products, air separators have largely replaced the earlier practice of sizing with screens and bolting reels. Mills in which the air-separating feature is an integral part of the design are now commonplace. Mill designs are many and air systems have developed along various lines, but for the purpose of this discussion, only the fundamental idea need be emphasized— the idea of using air for sizing and removing pulverized material from a grinding mill. About 20 years ago, when the use of mills equipped with air separation had become common practice, heated air or gas was introduced to such a system for the removal of moisture. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the developments and trends that have followed this experiment. It is an important development, for mills equipped with air separation are now universally used for pulverizing not only nonmetallic and industrial minerals, but a great variety of other materials. All such mills are essentially the same. Dried material is pulverized, removed by an air stream, trapped in a cyclone collector, and relatively clean air from the cyclone is returned through a fan to the mill. There is no theoretical need for a vent from the system. The practical need is to vent the air that leaks into the system; and, since the cyclone is not 100 per cent efficient as a dust collector, this vented air carries some dust with it. The initial attempt at drying was made on a system like that described, by the addition of a furnace. The minus pressure within the mill draws hot gas from the furnace. Infiltration air, along with the drying gases and evaporated moisture, is vented as before. The first application was made to a mill used for pulverizing coal. The coal contained very little moisture, so very little drying effect was needed for the success of this experiment. Actually, some calculated efficiencies of over 100 per cent were obtained before due allowance was made for the conversion of mill power into useful heat. When moisture is low, the heat obtained from the conversion of milt power is an appreciable part of that required. That drying can be effected in the short time interval available in a grinding mill of this type is better understood by visual-

Jan 1, 1948