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By J. Murray Riddell, Arthur E. Anderson, Grover J. Holt

Out of the depths of each business cycle we emerge with a stimulus for greater efficiency and a realization of progress in industrial technique. The recent years have not been an exception to this rule, and in retrospect we sense that significant advances have been made in mining practices on the Mesabi Range, with emphasis on speed of production and economy of operation. A survey of such changes does not reveal anything that is fundamentally or basically new, but it is apparent that ideas and machines that have found wide application in industry elsewhere, with necessary modifications, are being put to productive use in mining iron ore. Innovations in transporting and conveying ore from the open pits stand out with greatest prominence, so that, in the main, it will be with these features that this paper will treat, in the review of progress made to this date. The late years have witnessed the development of small deposits for open-pit operation, the cleaning up of pits nearing exhaustion, and in two large operations the approach to the limit for haulage by steam locomotives, owing to grades, making it necessary to recover the ore in slopes, track benches and below the power-shovel limit by a milling and scram operation. For several years small standard-type dump trucks have been used in clean-up or scram operations within the pits, but during the season of 1936 the first effort was made to use heavy truck haulage in the transportation of stripping and iron ore. The new units in use today vary from 15 to 20 tons in capacity, and are equipped with powerful gasoline or Diesel engines and supplemented by trailers or wagons on rubber or crawler treads. The Diesel engine finds favor with most operators because of fuel economy. These units develop upward of 125 hp. in the 15-ton trucks. The speed of these trucks varies from 2 miles per hour in Pow gear to 35 in high gear. The transmission affords 12 speeds forward and 3 speeds in reverse.

Jan 1, 1940

By William Greenawalt

The Greenawalt electrolytic copper extraction process is applicable to suitable oxide ores, sulfide ores and concentrates, and low-grade matte. The process is self-sustaining in acid on sulfide ores or concentrates, on mixed ores, on high-grade oxidized ores; and on low-grade oxidized ores the amount of acid to be purchased or manufactured is greatly reduced. The ferric iron is under easy control, and copper may be effectively deposited from solutions of any acid or iron content likely to be used in copper leaching. From 60 to 75 per cent. of the copper may be removed from the solution in passing through the electrolytic department, before returning the solution to the ore. The amount of copper requiring chemical precipitation, from the waste and foul solutions, is only about 5.0 per cent, of the total copper produced, and this 5.0 per cent. is converted into the electrolytic metal in the regular operation of the process. The entire process can be made practically automatic, and can be carried out mechanically. There is no uncertain departure of any kind in the application of the process; no unusual or unproved apparatus is used. EVER since electrolytic copper refining gave promise of success, about a half century ago, efforts have been made to apply the idea to the extraction of copper from its ores. The methods of attack have, usually, been to leach with a dilute acid and then to deposit electrolytically the copper from the resulting solution with the simultaneous regeneration of the solvent used in the process. Many efforts have been made, and many patents have been taken out, both in the United States and abroad, to give this idea practical application, but only within the past few years have the difficulties been surmounted. Leaching and electrolysis, as applied to copper ores, are among the most promising fields in modern metallurgy. New conditions are arising, which will bring the wet methods into prominence; while high freight rates and increasing cost of fuel will tend to limit smelting to highly favored localities. The possibilities offered by the installation of hydro-electric plants and the greatly enlarged range of power transmission will greatly widen the field of electrolytic methods.

Jan 1, 1924

By E. H. Jr. Dix

THE importance of aluminum-silicon alloys in the light alloy field is now generally recognized. Where silicon was once considered detrimental to the properties of aluminum, useful alloys now contain as much as 13 per cent. Furthermore, silicon is present as an impurity in aluminum of even the purest grades. Iron is another important impurity in aluminum and like silicon is found in small quantities in the purest aluminum available today. The manner of occurrence of iron and silicon in commercially pure aluminum and many of its alloys exerts, a very pronounced influence upon their properties. The effect of large quantities of iron in aluminum-silicon alloys is so detrimental that it has been found necessary to limit the allowable maximum percentage to as low a figure as is consistent with quantity production and satisfactory physical properties. The intimate relation existing between iron and silicon in aluminum and aluminum alloys makes necessary a more complete knowledge of this ternary system. This paper is divided into two principal parts, dealing respectively with aluminum-silicon solubility equilibria and the constitution of aluminum-iron-silicon alloys.

Jan 1, 1927

By R. J. Cowan

IN the art of cementation a controversy has been going on for years as to whether solid or gaseous carbon is the active agent in carburizing steel. More recently opinion has crystallized into a compromise to the effect that carburizing is a gaseous cementation of steel in the presence of solid carbon. The importance of this theory has a particular bearing upon the work to be described. In the art of carburizing, use is commonly made of such words as "catalytic," "atomic," "nascent" and "activated;" in an attempt to describe the process. These words are used indiscriminately. For, instance, the gas is said to be "catalytic" and carbon to be "nascent," or vice versa. In using these expressions, investigators are confirming the acceptance in their minds of the active conditions of both gas and carbon in the cementation process.

Jan 1, 1931

By Robert H. Richards

Tuns truly remarkable machine was built on a preliminary scale in May, 1895. The first full-sized table was built by Mr. A. R. Wilfley, and was used in his own mill in Kokomo in May, 1896. The first table sold for installation was placed' in the Puzzle mill, Breckinridge county, in August, 1896. The mill enthusiasts at first hailed it as the cure for all the ills that flesh is heir to in the milling line. A little later it was found to make losses which were serious, and on this account the table succeeded only to a limited extent in displacing the vanners of the gold-mills. Still later, mill-men in a number of districts throughout the country made special studies of the faults of the machine, and devised a number of ways of grouping supplementary machines to overcome as far as possible the losses, and at the same time retain the benefit of the extraordinarily large capacity accompanied by the production of clean concentrates for which the machine has become so justly famous. I hope to make an exhibit of some of these methods in an appendix to my book on ore-dressing which is now in preparation. These experimenters have not written up the subject, and if they possess all the facts they have not given them out for the benefit of the mining profession at large. The object of this paper is to obtain the facts and to pre¬sent them so clearly that their bearing can be seen by all. To this end two complete series-'of tests have been planned. One (the present paper), to study concentration of galena in presence of quartz; the other (to follow shortly), to study concentration of chalcopyrite in presence of quartz. Some authorities claim that the table does its best work when treating natural products; by this phrase I mean products which have been crushed to pass through a limiting

Jul 1, 1907

By Walter S. White

The Michigan native-copper district has produced about 5,400,000 tons of copper since mining began in 1845. The copper occurs primarily as open-space fillings and replacements in amygdaloidal flow tops and conglomerate beds of the Portage Lake Lava Series, of middle Keweenawan age. Secondary minerals with which the copper is associated include microcline, chlorite, epidote, pumpellyite, prehnite, quartz, and calcite; zeolites, other than laumontite, are not abundant. A zonal pattern of the secondary minerals transects bedding and suggests regional metamorphism mainly to the grade of the prehnite-pumpellyite graywacke facies of Coombs. Most of the major copper deposits are near the upper limit of abundant quartz in this zonal pattern. The distribution of copper in both amygdaloid and conglomerate deposits is controlled partly by primary permeability of the rocks and partly by later tectonic fracturing that was concentrated in the mechanically weak flow tops and sedimentary beds. Ore shoots and deposits are therefore controlled partly by primary structural features, such as areas of thick and thin fragmental amygdaloid or the boundaries of conglomerate lenses, and partly by regional structure: a number of ore deposits are in synclinal downwarps. The copper-bearing solutions that formed the deposits were ascending. They may have come from a large concealed intrusive, or may have been driven out of the porous tops of lava flows when the rocks were compacted and metamorphosed at great depth in the central part of the Lake Superior syncline. The second hypothesis seems more consistent with the widespread distribution of the copper, its relation to mineral zoning that represents truly regional metamorphism, its native state, and the likelihood that copper deposition was later than most or all of Keweenawan volcanism.

Jan 1, 1968

By J. D. A. Morrow

TO my mind the National Bituminous Coal Act so far has proved one of the unhappiest experiences that has ever befallen the bituminous coal operators of the United States. Viewed in the light of its ugly consequences everyone should recognize this measure for what it is -a weird thing as unreal as a page from "Alice in Wonderland." Indeed it might be another stanza to the tale of the Walrus and the Carpenter, with the coal operators in the role of the unfortunate oysters who were taken on that memorable ramble. It is time that coal producers open their eyes, jerk themselves out of any lingering hypnotic optimism about the price-fixing provisions of this law, demand the repeal of these corroding clauses, and then set about remedying as best they can the disastrous effects of this retromingent scheme to regulate the coal business.

Jan 1, 1939

By Henry Mackay

THE interesting paper recently submitted by Messrs. Tobelmann and Potter' shows that chemical problems have developed which are of great interest in this new and important branch of metallurgy. Those who realize what a process of this kind really involves will agree that it deserves a better name than "leaching process." The word leaching conveys the idea that the copper is simply leached out of the ore with acid and then precipitated on iron; the chemistry of such a process would be of little interest. As, however, during the first year's operation of this plant 24,400,532 lb. (11,067,837 kg.) or about two-thirds of the produce, was electrolytic copper, while 7,992,033 lb., or about one-third, was cement copper, it would seem more appropriate to term the process electrochemical. It further appears, from the particulars given, that efforts have been made to have the entire production in the form of electrolytic copper. -This could be done if the chemistry of the problem were kept in balance, so that it would not be necessary to discard any solutions that carried copper and acid of commercial value. A process, such as that under consideration, in which the copper is precipitated from solution by electrolysis, the solvent being at the same time regenerated, is one that requires special chemical and electrochemical knowledge and experience if all the -copper in solution that has been extracted from the ore is to be successfully and economically produced as electrolytic copper. The object of this paper is to discuss, from the practical and theoretical standpoints, the chemical and electrochemical problems involved in the working of a process of this kind, and' which must be solved to keep it in chemical and electrochemical equilibrium. In such a process, if the chemical balance is maintained, a solution can be used alternately as a

Jan 9, 1919

Jan 1, 1947

Jan 1, 1947

By Robert C. Paddock

INTRODUCTION A way of producing 3,000 tpd from the El Mochito Mine was needed. Of this production, 2,000 tpd must come from the San Juan orebody. The original sub-level stoping method did not give satisfactory results due to ground instability, and the highly irregular ore/waste contacts encountered . The experience gained from the initial system helped guide research into the ground instability problem. Results from this work, combined with knowledge gained about the orebcdy configuration, defined constraints that were previously not fully appreciated. These constraints, and others, combined with objectives, were considered together to develop a new mining method. No single technique was found to be suitable, so a hybrid mining system was developed. A combination of ramping, cut and fill, and vertical crater retreat, with an option to use top heading and benching was developed. To complement the mining system, the type of equipment needed was decided upoun. Also, to support the mining system at this expanded rate of product ion, major modifications of existing infrastructure were required. THE EL MOCHITO MINE The El Mochito Mine, of Rosario Resources Corporation, has been in continuous product ion since 198. The mine began operations in April of that yeas at a rate of 100 tpd. The reserves in 198 were 100,000 tons of silver ore assayed at 1,250 grams per tonne. As of the end of 1979, the El Mochito orebodies have produced over 5.6 million tonnes of ore averaging 516 grams per tonne silver, 6.8 lead, and 7.8% zinc. Present ore reserves are about 7.9 million tonnes, averaging 138 grams per tonne silver, 4.6% lead, and 8.7% zinc, with minor quantities of copper, cadmium and gold. An expansion plan to increase mill production two fold to 2,500 tonnes per day is underway. This expansion will require the mine to produce 3,000 tpd. The mine consists of numerous orebodies, all of which have been mined to a certain extent. Of all the orebodies, the San Juan contains 8% of known reserves. This amounts to about 6.7 million tonnes. The significance of the San Juan orebody to the future life of the El Mochito Mine is obvious. If the required mine production of 3,000 tpd is to be sustained, the San Juan must be the source of the majority of that production. Due to the mineability and overall logistics concerned with the other orebodies, the San Juan must be able to reach and maintain a production rate of 2,000 tpd by 1982. GEOLOGY OF THE SAN JUAN OREBODY The El Mochito Mine is a classic example of a chimney replacement deposit in limestone. Similar deposits axe found in Mexico, at the Naica, Providencia, and Santa Eulia Mines. The El Mochito Mine is located at the south- western end of the Sula Valley on the western edge of the Honduras Depression in the Central Cordillera and Central Highlands of Honduras in a setting of Mesozoic sediments. The orebodies occur in a structural basin developed between NNE trending normal faults and apparently hinged on the south end. Topographically, the Mochito Basin lies between the uplifted Santa Barbara mountain in the west and the Palmer Ridge on the east. The San Juan orebody occurs near the intersection of the NE trending San Juan fault and the ENE trending Porvenir fault. The downward continuation of the orebody is controlled by the westward rake of these NW and N dipping structures. The discovery of the San Juan orebody is attributed to analysis of structural evidence of known ore deposits by in-company geologists. The composition of the San Juan orebody is primarily garnet skarn, with local concentrations of hedenbergite and magnetite. The economically important sulfide mineralization consists of (in decreasing abundance), sphalerite , galena, pyrrhotite , and chalcopyrite. There is some indication that a Cu-Ag mineral such as tetrahedrite may also be present. The skarns were formed by replacement of the original limestone by hydrothermal water migrating upward roughly along the intersection between the Porvenir fault system and the San Juan fault system. Textural evidence suggests that the orebody is a composite of several pulses of hydrothermal activity which would explain, in pat, the great irregularity of the contacts and the large horizontal variation in mineralogy. A general pattern of skarn types can be seen in the orebody, partially accounting for the observed lateral variation in grades. This zonation is very generalized, and one or more zones may be missing in any given locality. The orebody is almost invaxiably surrounded by a 2 cm to 25 cm zone of bustamite skaxn with low values. The border skarn is usually

Jan 1, 1981

By Gustav Egloff

AN unexpected and unprecedented demand for its products now challenges the petroleum industry. Between 1939 wand 1946, domestic oil demand increased nearly 45 per cent and in the first half of 1947 it was 10 per cent higher than in 1946. In 1939 the United States produced 1,264,962. 000 bbl of crude oil and indications are that about 1,860,000,000 bbl will be produced in 1947, a 47 per cent increase. Runs to stills are more than keeping pace with production. The crude capacity of 365 operating refineries is rated as 5,400.000 bbl daily and almost 100 per cent of this capacity was running crude oil in August 1947. The oil industry is cognizant of our need for a greater volume of petroleum products and is expending the huge stun of four billion dollars on exploration. production. transportation, refining. and marketing of petroleum. Of this amount about half will be spent on exploration and production. a billion on refining. and another billion on transportation and marketing facilities.

Jan 1, 1947

By Ralph W. Marsden

The natural iron ores of the Lake Superior Region in the United States are being replaced by iron-ore concentrates produced from magnetite- or hematite-rich horizons in the Precambrian cherty iron formations. The production of natural ores will soon be less than one-half of the total ore shipped annually. The tonnage of natural ore produced will continue to decline until it is a minor percentage of the ore shipped. The natural ores include (1) soft ore, (2) hard ore, ( 3) conglomerate ore and ( 4) siliceous ore. The soft ores are the important ore type and are sometimes termed "Lake Superior type ore". These ores are in situ deposits of hematite and limonite formed by the leaching of silica and other gangue materials in the iron formations. The leaching is believed to have been done by downward moving surface waters. In deep ore deposits, generally over 1000 feet below the present surface, circulation and leaching action may have been assisted by hydrothermal activity. Hard ore deposits occur on the Vermilion and Marquette ranges where hematite or magnetite has replaced the silica (and possibly some silicates) in cherty iron formation. These ores commonly occur in structural situations favorable for the movement of hydrothermal waters. The ores are believed to be the result of hydrothermal action with iron, possibly from the iron formation, transported by hydrothermal waters to areas favorable for the replacement of silica by iron oxides. Certain stratigraphic horizons of the Lake Superior Precambrian cherty iron formations contain sufficient iron as magnetite or hematite, with a grain size and texture that will give adequate mineral liberation, to yield an ore-quality product after grinding and concentration. The magnetite-rich deposits are termed magnetite taconites. These ores occur on the Mesabi, Gogebic, and Marquette ranges. Magnetite taconite ores are unenriched cherty iron formation and are the result of the sedimentary deposition of the iron formation and the metamorphic history of the rock. The commercial quality hematite-rich iron formations in Michigan are termed jasper ores. The jasper ores are being mined on the Marquette and Menominee ranges. These ores are composed of specular or granular hematite associated with quartz and iron silicates. The jasper ores appear to be recrystallized iron formations in which iron, prior to recrystallization, occurred as hematite.

Jan 1, 1968

By C. A. Zapffe, C.E. Sims

Many hundreds of publications have appeared during the past 78 years that treat the subject of hydrogen in iron and steel.l05 but conclusions regarding the functions of hydrogen in causing some important defects in steel are still unsatisfactory to many; and other hydrogen-caused phenomena yet remain to be identified with this gas. The most widely discussed of these defects is hydrogen embrittlement, but the conception, perhaps the popular one, that embrittlelnent is due to hydride formation aoes not conform to the known facts.l04 The true identity of hydrogen embrittlement seems instead to lie in a mosaic nature of metal crystals, which is a concept not Yet accepted by most metallurgists. A study of hydrogen embrittlement therefore provides new viewpoints in regard to the crystalline substructure of steel.

Jan 1, 1941

By C. E. Sims, C. A. Zapffe

Many hundreds of publications have appeared during the past 78 years that treat the subject of hydrogen in iron and steel.l05 but conclusions regarding the functions of hydrogen in causing some important defects in steel are still unsatisfactory to many; and other hydrogen-caused phenomena yet remain to be identified with this gas. The most widely discussed of these defects is hydrogen embrittlement, but the conception, perhaps the popular one, that embrittlelnent is due to hydride formation aoes not conform to the known facts.l04 The true identity of hydrogen embrittlement seems instead to lie in a mosaic nature of metal crystals, which is a concept not Yet accepted by most metallurgists. A study of hydrogen embrittlement therefore provides new viewpoints in regard to the crystalline substructure of steel.

Jan 1, 1941

The following is an incomplete list of members and guests who called at Institute headquarters during the period Sept. 10, 1919, to Oct. 10, 1919. L. D. Anderson, Salt Lake City, Utah. P. S. Matthews, Newark, N. J. Ray J. Barber, New York City. A. Poole Maynard, Atlanta, Georgia. L. A. Barton, Major U. S. Engineers. L. J. Mayreis, Jamshedpur, India. J. A. Battle, Chicago, 111. Benj. L. Miller, Bethlehem, Pa. R. W. Bissell, New York City. Geo. D. Morgan, Bartlesville, Okla. Gilman E. Brown, Shanghai, China. A. C. Munroe, El Paso, Texas. Stanley Brown, Chuquicamata, Chile, Paul I. Norton, Jr., Columbus, Ohio. S. A. Walter G. Perkins, Stanford University, Norman Carmichael, Clifton, Arizona. Cal. Richard H. Catlett, Newark, N. J. Fred S. Porter, Seattle, Wash. Roderic Crandall Charles E. Prior, Cherry Creek, Nevada John J. Croston, Atlanta, Georgia. G. M. Richards I. N. Dally, Seattle, Wash. Gilbert Rigg, Melbourne, Australia. A. Faison Dixon, New York City. Pierre H. Sauvajol, Paris, France. Walter Dobbins, Springfield, Ill. Carl Scholz, Chicago, Ill. Foss E. Douglass, Rancagua, Chile. Ellsworth H. Shriver, Marysville, Ohio. H. S. Emlaw, Grand Haven, Mich. Harvey B. Small, Magangue, Colombia. R. S. Everet, Barre, Mass. Henry B. Smith, New Britain, Coma. H. W. Gipp, Melbourne, Australia. J. T. Smoody, Cornwall, Pa. F. A. Glass, Brainerd, Minn. S.. J. Speak, London, England. C. D. Grier, New York City. D. R. Thomas, New York City. James L. Head, Rancagua, Chile. Kirby Thomas, New York City. Geo. B. Holderer, New York City. R. M. F. Townsend, Washington, D. C. W. Spencer Hutchinson, Boston, Mass. Carl J. Trauerman, Helena, Mont. Henry Jequier, Paris, France. A. C. Veatch, London, Eng. L. W. Kemp, Chuquicamata, Chile. Myron R. Walker, Pittsburg, Pa. Herbert S. Kohlberg, El Paso, Texas. Curtis C. Webb, New York City. H. M. LaFollette, La Follette, Tenn. James Wilding, San Francisco, Cal. Richard Lamb, New York City. S. H. Zimmerman, New York City.

Jan 11, 1919

By B. B. Kunkle

The history of this refinery has been one of expansion. It now has the capacity to produce 240,000 tons of cathodes annually. A general flowsheet and descriptions of the plant layout, operations involved, and equipment used at one of the world's largest and most modern electrolytic copper refineries are presented. THE El Paso copper refinery of Phelps Dodge Refining Corp. was originally constructed by the Nichols Copper Co., in association with Phelps Dodge Corp. and the Calumet & Arizona Mining Co., in order to refine anode copper produced at the smelters of the two latter companies. Initial production was obtained from the plant in January 1930 and its annual refining capacity was 100,000 tons of anodes. In order to keep pace with Phelps Dodge Corp.'s increasing copper production in the Southwest, it became necessary in 1937 to increase the El Paso plant's refining capacity to 160,000 tons of cathodes annually. This was accomplished by adding two sections to the electrolytic tank house, increasing the number of anodes placed in each commercial electrolytic tank from 33 to 37, and making changes in the dc circuits which made it possible to put three generators on each of the two circuits instead of two, thus increasing the amperage on each circuit from 10,000 to 14,800 amp. The capacity of the two furnaces from which refined shapes were cast was increased by raising the sidedoor bays on the furnaces 6 in. An increase of 70 pct in the productive capacity of Phelps Dodge Corp.s Morenci Branch in 1942 again made it necessary to expand refining capacity. In order to accomplish this, Defense Plant Corp. set up a project to increase the capacity of the El Paso plant to 240,000 tons of cathodes annually. This project consisted of enlarging the tank house approximately 50 pct, the construction of another wire- bar furnace, and corresponding increases in other departments where necessary. The engineering work on this expansion was begun in March 1942. Actual construction was under way by August 1942, and the work was completed by March 1944. These additional facilities were purchased from Defense Plant Corp. by Phelps Dodge Refining Corp. in August 1949. The plant is in El Paso about eight miies east of the center of the city and near Highway 80 and the main lines of the Southern Pacific and Texas & New Orleans railroads. The plant site covers approximately 494 acres of company-owned land that is ideally adapted for its use, being well-drained sandy soil and having enough slope so that a minimum amount of excavation was required when the plant was constructed. There is still ample room on the plant site for any future plant expansion. The plant is constructed on four different ground levels and so arranged that the unrefined copper is unloaded on the highest level at the north side of the plant and the refined copper is shipped out from the lowest level on the south side of the plant. The receiving or unloading platform, weighing and sampling rooms, main floor of the tank house, acid and condensate storage tanks, and the slimes and copper sulphate plants are on the first or highest level. The tank house basement, yard scales, charging and furnace bays, balloon flue and stack, brick-storage building, substation and power house, boiler feedwater treating plant and pump house, water storage tanks, and change houses are on the second level. This second level also contains ample yard area for setting-up furnace charges, and for storage of custom scrap, cathodes, scrap anodes, blister, coke, and poles. The casting wheels, inspection conveyors, cathode shears, wire-bar scalping machine, slag

Jan 1, 1952

By AIME AIME

AT the annual .meeting of the Minnesota Section in December, Dr. Leith characterized as a question still open the exact method of origin of Lake Superior iron ores and emphasized it as an important practical problem for the future. He welcomed the step taken last year by Dr. Gruner in presenting a new hypothesis, and asked Lake Superior geologists to meet the challenge of such multiple hypotheses by unbiased, study.

Jan 1, 1932

By G. A. Vissac

IN the presentation which follows, washability curves, such as are commonly used in making studies preliminary to the cleaning of any coal or to the concentration of any mineral, have been reduced in each instance to a single straight line; thus all the most important characteristics of the coal or mineral are represented in a form more advantageous than that in which such data usually are shown. To obtain consistent results, float-and-sink data must be based on a single definite narrow size range, which may be designated "a coal unit." It will be shown that such units, each embodying a different size range, can be grouped to form what may be termed "a composite coal." A three-dimensional presentation will emerge, which will closely identify the coal, illustrate its characteristics in a new manner and explain many obscure facts. FLOAT-AND-SINK TESTS For the preliminary study of any cleaning or concentration problem, or in the control of any operation, float-and-sink tests must be made. The results of these tests are grouped in tabular form and then illustrated in various systems of curves; but if such a graphic representation is to have the utmost practical value, it must offer at least the following advantages: (I) It must be easier to read than the tabular results, and (2) it must be easy to plot, check and interpolate. The first requirement will be attained by reducing the number of curves to a minimum, and the second by some system of representation that will use only straight lines. Of the many washing curves now in use, only the "recovery curve," often known as the "composite curve "-a somewhat misleading term-will be considered. Any point on the recovery curve will show what percentage of weight of clean coal can be recovered when the mineral is washed at a certain specific gravity. As an example, the tests listed below Fig. I are illustrated in the drawing by a curve obtained by plotting (I) as abscissas the ash content of the coal recovered and (2) as ordinates the corresponding percentage of refuse discarded; but, in general practice, instead of writing down that weight, it is customary to set down its complement, which is the corresponding weight of coal recovered. From this curve can be deduced the information necessary for the solution of most practical problems. NEW FORM OF GRAPHIC PRESENTATION The resemblance of the recovery curve in Fig. I, or, for that matter, the recovery curve obtained in common practice, to a power curve is apparent. The general equation of such a curve is y = axn where n is negative. Taking logarithms: log y = a + n log x. Using a logarithmic scale, the equation of the recovery curve will be Y = A + bX. On this logarithmic basis, the recovery graph will be a straight line, using the same variables as in Fig. I ; namely, the ash con-

Jan 1, 1942

By Marcus A. Grossmann

The Institute has established this lectureship to honor the memory of a great American metallurgist, one whose fame has continued long after his passing. As one scientist recently stated it, "All metallurgical texts gradually become outdated and outmoded, except those of the great Henry Marion Howe." It seems fitting, then, that, once every year, we shouId review, in his honor, some aspects of the science in which he was such a distinguished leader, and also discuss any new data that may help to clarify our concepts. It is my privilege, for which indeed I express the deepest appreciation to this Institute, to offer for consideration a few thoughts on the toughness and fracture of hardened steels. Before proceeding to the data, I wish to express my great indebtedness to many associates whose stimulating discussions, generous contributions of data and cooperation in experiments are gratefully acknowledged. (But I wish to absolve them of any blame that may arise from the way in which their discussions and data have been used!) First, Dr. Edgar C. Bain, Vice President, Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, whose amiable but merciless criticisms and always constructive and thoughtful suggestions help unfailingly to guard against pitfalls. Then to associates at Gary Steel Works, especially Mr. H. B. Wishart, Mr. W. K. Smith and Mr. V. Elliott, for great assistance in securing data. Also to Col. C. H. Greenall, Director of Laboratories, Frankford Arsenal, and his metallurgical staff, including Messrs. J. K. Desmond, H. Markus, D. F. Armiento, H. Rosenthal and Henry George, for numerous data and illustrations. Further to Dr. J. R. Low and Dr. M. Asimow, for helpful discussions of effects of states of stress during deformation and rupture, to Mr. J. M. Hodge for discussions and data, to the staff of the U. S. Steel Corporation Research Laboratory for advice and data, and to the Metallurgical Staff at Duquesne Steel Works. The individual acknowledgments will also be found under illustrations. Acknowledgment is also due to Mr. S. C. Snyder for incredibly meticulous scrutiny of manuscript. To all of these, grateful thanks. Introduction The discussion to be offered here will deal with quench-hardened steels only, and may perhaps be considered under three headings: 1. It was found that, when ferrite was precipitated in the (prior austenite) grain boundaries of hardened steel, the notch-bar toughness was much less than in pieces fully hardened. The fracture took place in the ferrite, and the loss in toughness is attributed to the lower cohesive (cleavage) strength of the ferrite, as cornpared with martensite. 2. When notch-bar impact test pieces of quenched and tempered steels were examined as to their mode of fracture, it

Jan 1, 1947