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By AIME AIME

THERE is a constant reiteration in some quarters that technical societies are autocratic and that democracy is utterly lacking and that members would welcome democratic societies in which they had full, control of affairs. While we may not speak for other societies, than our own, in so far as th's Institute is concerned such charges- can only come from people uninformed as to the circumstances. It. is no curtailment of the democratic privileges of the members that a -slate is prepared by the Nominating Committee to be voted on at the annual meeting. The Constitution of the, institute stipulates how the nominating committee shall; be chosen and who shall compose it, which prevents anything like- a- clique controlling- the situation. The Constitution further provides how the nominees shall be distributed geographically and the by-laws specify geographical boundaries: for-these nomination districts. Further more, any man or complete ticket can be placed in nomination by means of a petition signed-by only; twenty-five members,- and three or four times such an independent slate has been so nominated and elected.

Jan 1, 1920

By P. B. Elkin, K. C. Ten Brink, Allen D. Garrison

It is the purpose of this article to present the results of an investigation of certain clay and shale suspensions having viscosities that are materially influenced by fluid motion, and to discuss the bearing of these results upon the choice of policy in the control of drilling fluids. A previous article described the design and the characteristics of an instrument adapted to measure the viscosity of plastic suspensions during continuous uniform motion and at a variety of speeds.' It has long been recognized that the viscosity of a clay suspension depends on the past history of the fluid motion. Since an abundance of literature is available on this phenomenon,2 it is not necessary to describe it in more than general terms. It is usually observed that rapid motion reduces the viscosity of a clay suspension, and that some time is required for the viscosity to fall to its equilibrium value after the steady motion is started. On reducing the speed of motion to some lower value, the viscosity again rises, but it also requires some time to attain a steady viscosity value at the slower rate of motion. Thus clay suspensions are usually observed to be increasing in viscosity as time passes when the measurement has been immediately preceded by fluid motion that was more rapid than that employed in the measurement. And it is usually observed that the viscosity falls as time passes when the measurement has been preceded by more quiescent conditions. Reed,3 and Broughton and Hand4 have reported a condition of observation of clay suspensions in which the viscosity was observed to fall during the first few moments of steady motion, and rise thereafter. The characteristics of the new instrument are particularly well adapted to studies of this kind. With it we have been able to observe all of the phenomena described above, and it is important to understand their nature because they all occur at some time during normal drill-

Jan 1, 1940

By K. C. Ten Brink, Allen D. Garrison, P. B. Elkin

It is the purpose of this article to present the results of an investigation of certain clay and shale suspensions having viscosities that are materially influenced by fluid motion, and to discuss the bearing of these results upon the choice of policy in the control of drilling fluids. A previous article described the design and the characteristics of an instrument adapted to measure the viscosity of plastic suspensions during continuous uniform motion and at a variety of speeds.' It has long been recognized that the viscosity of a clay suspension depends on the past history of the fluid motion. Since an abundance of literature is available on this phenomenon,2 it is not necessary to describe it in more than general terms. It is usually observed that rapid motion reduces the viscosity of a clay suspension, and that some time is required for the viscosity to fall to its equilibrium value after the steady motion is started. On reducing the speed of motion to some lower value, the viscosity again rises, but it also requires some time to attain a steady viscosity value at the slower rate of motion. Thus clay suspensions are usually observed to be increasing in viscosity as time passes when the measurement has been immediately preceded by fluid motion that was more rapid than that employed in the measurement. And it is usually observed that the viscosity falls as time passes when the measurement has been preceded by more quiescent conditions. Reed,3 and Broughton and Hand4 have reported a condition of observation of clay suspensions in which the viscosity was observed to fall during the first few moments of steady motion, and rise thereafter. The characteristics of the new instrument are particularly well adapted to studies of this kind. With it we have been able to observe all of the phenomena described above, and it is important to understand their nature because they all occur at some time during normal drill-

Jan 1, 1940

By William P. Blake

The numerous and copious reports of geological surveys made in the lead and zinc region of Wisconsin leave, perhaps, but little room for any original work, or for descriptive details of the nature and origin of the deposits not already given in the exhaustive memoirs of Percival, Whitney, and Chamberlin and their associates. HOWeyer, since the completion of the last survey, in 1879, much more attention has been given than before to the exploration of the ores of zinc, especially of late years, since the region has been better opened up by railways and the zinc industry of the country has assumed large proportions, giving a constantly increasing demand for zinc-ores. A residence of more than a year in the region, and the active direction during that time of mining operations over a considerable area, have familiarized me with the forms and peculiarities of many of the deposits; and it appears probable that some observations upon them, especially from the mining and commercial standpoint, may interest the members of the Institute. A few notes on the structure of the deposits from the mineralogical and chemical standpoints have already been presented by me to the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences." The presence of lead-ore in the soil at many points along the Mississippi river was well known to the aborigines, and early attracted the attention of the frontier traders, who purchased from the Indians the ore and even lead smelted out by the squaws. The demand for the lead-ore soon increased, and it became one of the early and potent factors determining the settlement of southwestern Wisconsin, and the development of its mining and agricultural resources. The mines of that section, together with those of Missouri and the Mississippi valley, may be said to have been the cradle of mining in the western United States. The deposits of ore being at or near the

Jan 1, 1894

By Denis G. Maxwell

INTRODUCTION It is my intention in this paper to deal with gold, uranium, diamonds, platinum, manganese, chrome, vanadium and heavy mineral sands. These are the most important strategic minerals produced by the Republic of South Africa which are not covered in other sessions of this program. In each case I have high- lighted the statistics and peculiar advantages which combine to make South Africa a vital source of these minerals. Before proceeding to give individual attention to these minerals I believe it would be useful to define what I mean by 'strategic'. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines strategic in the context of materials as 'essential for war'. However it is commonly used in a much broader sense than this (often, in fact, very loosely) and I prefer to define it as 'concerned with the acquisition and maintenance of power, whether economic, political or military.' A VITAL SOURCE In dealing with the individual minerals I have quoted statistics which are contained in Tables 1, 2 and 3. Table 1 clearly shows the absolute size of the South African mineral industry. However, it can also be used to demonstrate the importance of the industry to the South African economy if compared with the GNP in 1980 of about R60 billion. Table 4 illustrates clearly how important South Africa is as a supplier of these minerals to most of the important industrialized countries of the Western World. Gold If anyone had any doubts about the inclusion of gold in a list of strategic minerals I am sure that the above definition of 'strategic' will convince them that it certainly belongs there. Similarly no one is likely to have any doubt about the fact that South Africa is a vital source of supply. Tables 2 and 3 show that in 1980 we had 51% of the world's reserves and accounted for 55% of world production. The figures for the Western World are considerably higher. The only other major producer, of course, is Russia, with small but significant production in the Pacific Rim area coming from Australia, Canada, Latin America, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and the U.S. All South African mine gold production is shipped in bullion form containing about 88% gold and 9% silver to the Rand Refinery which is a modern refinery with large scale units capable of refining half a ton of bullion at a time. The Refinery is equipped to produce standard 'good delivery' gold as well as 9999 gold and 999 silver. The Refinery also produces the 22 karat blanks which are, used by the South African Mint to produce Kruger Rands. It goes without saying that the South African gold mining industry leads the world in all aspects of deep-level, narrow-reef mining technology. The industry's metallurgists, too, have a record of tenacious and continuing efforts to improve extraction to the level of the present finely honed efficient process used on all the modern mines. Uranium In 1980 South Africa had 14% of the uranium reserves of the Western World and accounted for 14% of production. In view of the paucity of data I am not in a position to estimate figures for the total world. All the other major sources of uranium in the Western World are situated around the Pacific Rim, with the U.S. and Canada already being major suppliers and accounting for 38% and 17% of Western World production in 1980. Australian production at the time was small but they have very large reserves and production is already rising rapidly. The U.S., Canada and Australia account respectively for 22%, 19% and 29% of the uranium reserves of the Western World. South Africa has been a major producer continuously for 30 years. Nearly all the uranium produced, amounting to about 115 000 tons up to the end of 1981, was a by-product or co-product of gold extraction. During that time the industry has frequently led the world in technological innovation, and has established a reputation as a reliable producer of a consistent, high-grade product. In the latter respect, it is helped by the fact that production is marketed by one company, Nuclear Fuels Corporation, which also blends, dries and calcines the product from the individual mines and samples and assays it before shipping. Diamonds Diamonds are the rock on which the South African mineral industry is founded. The discovery of diamonds in 1866 gave rise to the first major mineral industry in the country and the profits from diamond mining helped to finance the gold mining industry 20 years later. Although now overshadowed by gold, diamonds are still very important in the overall picture of mineral production and exports, as can be seen in Table 1. There are really three separate diamond markets - gem, natural industrial, and synthetic - and, to be meaningful, statistics should be provided separately. Unfortunately separate figures are not available. The figures in Tables 2 and 3 show that, for gem and natural industrial together, South Africa ranks third in the world in production and second in reserves. South Africa is a major producer of synthetics and probably ranks second in the world after the U.S. Recently, of course, Australia was the scene of a major diamond discovery and will soon become the only

Jan 1, 1982

By AIME AIME

AT the seventeenth National Metal Congress, held at Chicago, Oct. 1-3, the Iron and Steel Division and Institute of Metals Division participated with the American Society for Metals, American Welding Society, and the Wire Association in one of the most successful meetings ever held. The total attendance at the technical sessions and the scope of and interest shown in the exhibits at the Exposition were greater than at any of the "Metal Weeks" since the depression began. The Iron and Steel Division held two all-day symposia and one general session. The latter, at the International Amphitheatre, Wednesday afternoon, was the only one poorly attended. This was attributable, at least partly, to the location of the meeting roan.

Jan 1, 1935

By Courtenay DeKalb

Revision of the United States mining law is needed chiefly because of the following reasons: 1. The conceptions as to the characteristics of orebodies that were held at the time the statute of 1872 was enacted have since proved to be in many respects erroneous. 2. The operation of the existing law has been found to work unnecessary hardship upon many claimants to mineral land. 3. The existing statute fails in large degree to encourage development of mineral resources. 4. The existing law often produces conflict between placer and lode-claim rights, working unnecessary injustice to placer claimants. 5. The methods of establishing the rights of locators on United States mineral land are defective, and are not uniform throughout the States within which such lands exist. Law of the Apex The objections to the so-called "law of the apex" are so well known as to require no detailed statement. It is sufficient to point out that the apex rule was based upon the notion that ore deposits consisted of well-formed veins included between definite walls, like the slice of ham in a sandwich. The fact is that veins conforming to that simple type are rare. Irregularity is the rule, and the chief metal production of the United States comes from mass? which bear no resemblance to the tabular form of vein. Manifestly the law of the apex fails completely in such cases. Moreover, the tendency is constantly toward the exploitation of ores of lower grade than could formerly be worked, and such deposits exist mainly in the form of large irregular impregnated zones and masses, so that the future development of our mineral resources would be continuously embarrassed by shadowy claims to extra-lateral rights by the locators of so-called apexes.

Jan 1, 1915

By Alfred R. Powell

Late in 1944 a group of petroleum and coal technologists was organized in Washington under the sponsorship of the Petroleum Administration for War and the U. S. Bureau of Mines. This group, known as the Technical Oil Mission, was placed under the authority of the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which was then promoting the organization of other missions to be sent to Germany to obtain technical information regarding various industries in that country. The objective of the Tehnical oil Mission was to obtain technical data on German production of synthetic oil from coal and all other commercial practices and research projects connected with the oil industry. The primary purpose was to obtain such data as were immediately essential to assist the war against Germany and Japan, with secondary emphasis on technical information that would assist American industry after the end of the war. since oil-production facilities in Germany and the occupied countries controlled by Germany were the top targets for strategic bombing, the Technical Oil Mission was the first group under the Technical Induslrial Intelligence Com,mittee to enter Germany. A few members of the group flew to London in February 1945 and the majority of the remainder followed in March. In London they were joined by an equal number of British investigators and the combined mission was then sent into Germany under the authority of the Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (CIOS). A summary of the more important information gained by this combined British and American mission is presented below. German Oil Production The oil available to Germany, both natural and synthetic, and including production from occupied countries, reached a peak in late 1943 and early 1944 Production at this time was at the rate of 1,200,000 metric tons Per month, equivalent to 100,000,000 bbl. per year, or about 7 per cent of the wartime production in the United States. Of this production, jo per cent was crude oil from Romania and Hungary, 12 Per cent was crude oil from Germany itself, including Austria, 9 per cent cumprised coal-carbonization products, that is, tar and light oil, and only the remaining 29 per cent was synthetic liquid fuel made from coal or tar. Synthetic liquid fuel made in Germany was equivalent therefore to less than 2 per cent of wartime production of crude oil in the United States. The success of the strategic bombing campaign against German oil-production facilities is demonstrated by the fact that by September 1944 the Ploesti fields of Romania and much of the syrlthetic oil production had been eliminated, so that the amount of oil available to the German war machine was only 25 per Cent of the peak qualltity mentioned above. By early 1945, when the combined British and American oil mission was entering

Jan 1, 1947

By Alfred R. Powell

Late in 1944 a group of petroleum and coal technologists was organized in Washington under the sponsorship of the Petroleum Administration for War and the U. S. Bureau of Mines. This group, known as the Technical Oil Mission, was placed under the authority of the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which was then promoting the organization of other missions to be sent to Germany to obtain technical information regarding various industries in that country. The objective of the Tehnical oil Mission was to obtain technical data on German production of synthetic oil from coal and all other commercial practices and research projects connected with the oil industry. The primary purpose was to obtain such data as were immediately essential to assist the war against Germany and Japan, with secondary emphasis on technical information that would assist American industry after the end of the war. since oil-production facilities in Germany and the occupied countries controlled by Germany were the top targets for strategic bombing, the Technical Oil Mission was the first group under the Technical Induslrial Intelligence Com,mittee to enter Germany. A few members of the group flew to London in February 1945 and the majority of the remainder followed in March. In London they were joined by an equal number of British investigators and the combined mission was then sent into Germany under the authority of the Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (CIOS). A summary of the more important information gained by this combined British and American mission is presented below. German Oil Production The oil available to Germany, both natural and synthetic, and including production from occupied countries, reached a peak in late 1943 and early 1944 Production at this time was at the rate of 1,200,000 metric tons Per month, equivalent to 100,000,000 bbl. per year, or about 7 per cent of the wartime production in the United States. Of this production, jo per cent was crude oil from Romania and Hungary, 12 Per cent was crude oil from Germany itself, including Austria, 9 per cent cumprised coal-carbonization products, that is, tar and light oil, and only the remaining 29 per cent was synthetic liquid fuel made from coal or tar. Synthetic liquid fuel made in Germany was equivalent therefore to less than 2 per cent of wartime production of crude oil in the United States. The success of the strategic bombing campaign against German oil-production facilities is demonstrated by the fact that by September 1944 the Ploesti fields of Romania and much of the syrlthetic oil production had been eliminated, so that the amount of oil available to the German war machine was only 25 per Cent of the peak qualltity mentioned above. By early 1945, when the combined British and American oil mission was entering

Jan 1, 1947

By George G. Thomas

IN April 1949, Newfoundland became the tenth province of Canada. It had been a Dominion of the British Commonwealth, though actual Dominion status had been suspended for some fifteen years. During that fifteen-year period the Government had been by commission. Throughout the regime of the Commission Government, a limited program of investigation of the mineral resources of the country was in progress. It was during this period that the investigation of the iron resources of Labrador by the predecessors of the Iron Ore Company of Canada began. Since Confederation there has been a marked change in the attitude of mining capital to the new province and a notable acceleration in the tempo of prospecting and exploration. There is no private Newfoundland capital available for mineral exploration. In the past, as now, capital must be attracted to the province. Prior to Confederation, Canadian capital had to cross the barriers of customs and immigration. American capital hazily regarded Newfoundland as part of Canada, with one notable exception, the American Smelting and Refining Company at Buchans. Buchans The most significant mining development in Newfoundland today is the property of the Buchans Mining Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the American Smelting and Refining Co., located at the town of Buchans. Their milling operation produces lead, zinc, and copper concentrates by selective flotation, and also produces a small amount of gravity concentrate. Presently the mill treats, about 320,000 tons of ore per year. Production started in 1928 at 500 tons per day and has been raised over the years to the present figure of 1200 tons per day. Conventional prospecting methods uncovered the original deposit. It was first examined as a possible source of sulphur from pyrite. Geophysical prospecting and diamond drilling resulted in discovery of enough additional ore to warrant a large scale operation. Mining is by open cut methods. In addition conventional underground cut and fill stoping and square set stoping methods are employed. Between 850 and 900 men are employed at Buchans. Concentrates are shipped by rail to Botwood and leave the country through the port. Buchans Mining is currently investigating a Crown concession covering an area of approximately 6250 square miles, adjacent to the area of present operations. Aerial photographs have been made of the area, and geologic parties, supplied by plane, are in the field during the summer months. The concession lies south of the Falconbridge concession. The geology of the Buchans area can be divided into three groups. The first category is the oldest and called the Buchans Series. It consists of volcanic lavas, breecias and tuffs and underlies most of the Red Indian Lake Basin. The second is a group of igneous rocks such as granite and quartz porphyry intrusive in the volcanics. It makes for rough country north and west of Buchans. The third group consists of sills and dykes penetrating the lavas near

Jan 1, 1952

By J. B. Urnfileb

THE function of gas in the development and production of oil has far reaching consequences that should be emphasized. The technical aspects of the subject have recently had a great deal of attention but less thought has been given to fundamental concepts underlying oil and gas law and the many customs and practices that have grown up in the industry. I shall re- view briefly the advance in knowledge of the subject and attempt to relate these concepts to legislative, judicial and operating problems. Early writers on oil and gas in Pennsylvania noted their close association in oil pools and their contemporaneous decline in output; also, that as gas pressure decreases so does production, that new offset wells reduce the output of existing wells, and even that tubing a well lengthens its flowing life. Expanding gas was deduced as the principal expulsive force. These fundamental observations had been made at least as early as 1880.l They were treated, however, as academic considerations and did not greatly influence law or practice for many years except to instil into all operators an urgent desire to hasten offset drilling to obtain as much of the flush as possible.

Jan 1, 1932

C. W. Kempton, Oro Blanco, Ariz.: In his interesting paper, Mr. Ingalls refers to reports of tin-deposits near Sain Alto, Zacatecas, Mexico. During 1891 I made some personal examinations of these deposits. They are, for the most part, located from 10 to 30 miles west of the town, in the Sierra del Fraile.

Jan 1, 1896

By Robert E. Tally

A recorded in the account of the Annual Meeting, on another page, the report of the tellers showed that all men nominated by the committee, which included Messrs. Wilber Judson, E. DeGolyer, W. A. Weldin, J. A. Norden, J. D. MacKenzie, Wilfred Sykes and S. Skowronski, were duly elected to the offices for which they were nominated. Robert Tally, who was elected to the presidency for 1931-2, is well known to all our members not only because he has served on the Board of Directors since 1928, but through a brief outline of his great achieve¬ments in his chosen profession pub¬lished in our issue of December last. The vice-presidents, Howard N. Eavenson and H. A. Guess, are also well known to our members. Mr. Eavenson has not only been chairman of the Coal Division since its organization, but was also a Director during 1917, 1918 and 1919., Mr. Guess was Director in 1926, was elected a vice-president by the Board last year to fill the vacancy created by the election of Mr. Bassett to the presidency, and is now elected to the usual three-year term.

Jan 1, 1931

SECTION I Page Page New York Section War Meeting on Employment xxxii Sulphur and Pyrite v Local Section News xxxiv War Minerals Committee xviii Forthcoming Meetings xxxvi St. Louis Meeting xx Library xxxvii Minutes, of Meeting, Executive Membership xli Committee xxvi Institute Committees Iv Members in Military Service xxvi Officers and Directors lxii Personal xxx

Jan 10, 1917

By M. Deighton, R. N. Parkins

The metals Cd, ,Wg-, Sn, TI, Zn, and Zr reach a peak hardness after a criticfir1 deformation by rolling- and then soften with fwther rolling-, thereby exhibiting wovk softening. Optical metallography on Cd, Mg, and Zn shows that work softening is accompanied by a change in grain size occurring during deformation. The creep of zinc from -1l° to +60°C at stresses in the range of 7.9 to 17.3 kg per sq mm is given by € = e0 -t- Bt + Kt +at6. The third and second rate constcints are related by the equation a = K~ K6 and their stress and temperature dependence can be represented by the equations K = A, . exp - (u, - Bu)/kT. A model based upon the stress activated glide of sub-boundaries is proposed which qualitatively accounts for the metallog-raphic observations. Expressions, which are in reasonable quantitative agreement with the ex-pe~inzental observations, are derived for the creep of zinc. THE term "work softening" has been used previously by Polakowski1 and by Cottrell and stokes2 to describe phenomena where further strain of a deformed material leads to a decrease in flow stress. In both cases, however, the conditions were changed for the second straining. Here, the term "work softening" is intended to refer to a decrease in flow stress after continued straining in the same direction at the same temperature: work softening is the antithesis of "work hardening". Work softening of zinc was reported by chadwick3 and in discussion of that paper Jenkins4 indicated that cadmium also work softens. More recently work softening has been reported5 in two magnesium alloys, -99.5 pct Mg. Chadwick found that the hardness, 0.2 pct Proof Stress and the UTS of electrolytic zinc all increased with progressive cold reductions up to 30 pct and then progressively decreased with further rolling. Gay and Kelly6 used a back-reflection X-ray technique to study the effect of cold rolling zinc and found that although deformations greater than 2 to 5 pct reduction in thickness produced some recrystallized grains, deformations greater than 40 pct caused com-plete spontaneous recrystallization. At deformations greater than 60 pct the material was found to consist solely of recrystallized grains, -20 pm diam, the size of which decreased with increasing reduction and was much less than the initial grain size of the annealed material (-300 pm diam). Similar results were also reported for cadmium, tin, and lead.6 Gay, Hirsch, and Kelly' suggest that these experiments indicate recrys-tallization takes place when the dislocation density exceeds a certain value. However, no measurements of MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The purity of the metals used in this work is indicated by the following figures: Zn (99.99); Cd (99.94); Mg (99.95); T1 (99.99). The zirconium was iodide crys tal bar with a probable purity of about 98 pct. The metals were obtained in the form of 0.25 in. thick strip or 0.425 in. diam rod by various fabrication methods and then annealed to ensure complete re-crystallization. Hardness-deformation curves were obtained at room temperature by rolling 4 in. thick strip under conditions which left a surface adequate for diamond pyramid hardness tests immediately after rolling. The hardness was taken as the niean of five impressions made using a 5 kg load and the time elapsing between rolling and making the last impression never exceeded 5 min. The zinc specimens for creep testing were from 3 by 3 by 4 in. cast slabs which were rolled to 0.10 in. thickness starting at 350°C and finishing cold. The resulting strip was cut into pieces 1 in. wide and annealed in batches. With suitable choices of annealing temperature between 100" arid 400°C five different grain sizes varying from 4.54 x 10' to 3.03 x l05 grains per sq cm (530 to 20 um diam) were obtained. Creep tests were done in compression using a sub-press, based on a design after Ford,8 in which the strip is compressed between dies 0.100 in. wide under conditions of plane strain. Since there is no lateral spread of the material, the area of contact between the dies and strip remains constant throughout the test and the application of a constant load, using the load maintaining device of a hydraulic testing machine, resulted in a constant stress. Covering the dies with strips of P.T.F.E. reduced frictional effects to a minimum. The creep strain was obtained by measuring the travel of the crosshead of the testing machine to a sensitivity of 0.1 pct reduction in thickness. The complete subpress assembly was contained in a steel box and for tests above the ambient this was filled with liquid paraffin and heated electrically. Temperatures below the ambient were obtained with a cooling mixture of acetone and solid carbon dioxide in the box. The liquids were stirred and the temperature of the specimen, which was controlled to ±0.5"C dur-ing a test, was measured by a thermocouple placed near the dies. Compression testing of cylindrical specimens was also carried out in the subpress using hardened flat discs separated from the test material by P.T.F.E. sheets which obviated barrelling of the specimens. Various initial strain rates were supplied by the hydraulic testing machine, and the deformation was measured by a clock dial gage resting on the cross-

Jan 1, 1970

By Frank T. Sisco

DURING the past year the iron and steel industry of the world as a whole operated on a satisfactory basis. No discoveries nor new processes of outstanding importance were announced either here or abroad, although rumors of such were persistent. In general, the efforts of operating and research men in the iron and steel industry seemed to be confined to improving quality and reducing cost, not a new aim, for the same efforts have been noted in nearly all of the annual reviews of the industry for at least fifty years. Most published papers on blast furnace or steel-making practice were of minor importance, at least when judged by the criterion of radical change in process or product. If the number of reports in the technical journals, or articles in the trade press, is used as a basis for comparison, continuous-mill sheet is still the most important single product of the industry; papers were published detailing the results of the investigation of various phases of the

Jan 1, 1938

By C. V. Corless

WE are living at a period of the world's history in which social phenomena are on so vast a scale, are of so profoundly soul-searching a nature, and are occurring in such rapid succession in the great world drama in which we are both actors and spectators, that, in our efforts to obtain a rational point of view in relation to them, our minds may fail to discern the simple in the complex and our understanding is liable to be-come confused or even overwhelmed. To the social student whose scientific training has convinced him of the truth of the evolutionary law, Natura non facit saltum, it is neither the vast scale of the events; their deeply soul-stirring nature, nor their rapid succession that matters so much, as the discovery of the underlying principle or law in accordance with which the disintegration and reintegration, which are the two aspects of social evolution, or indeed of evolution everywhere, are occurring. He is most deeply concerned in seeking an answer to the question: Have we in the present great and perplexing upheavals in human society, whether regarded in Central Europe, in Russia, in Great Britain, or in America, a really new cause at work, or, have we, though on a very- large scale, merely new manifestations of the working out of an old principle? When we think of the appalling struggle in Europe, into which the world's greatest exemplar of democracy was finally drawn, no one has any hesitation in admitting that the great conflict was fundamentally a life-and-death struggle for self-preservation and self-propagation on the part of autocracy. The variations we meet with in the statement of the cause of the war arise mainly from differing distances of perspective: but in the last analysis all agree that the autocratic system of political government, which found its very soul and center in Prussian despotism, was consciously arrayed in a final "world-power-or-downfall" struggle against a love of freedom which was steadily widening and-deepening throughout the world, and particularly throughout those parts of the world where this love of freedom and justice has found expression in democratic institutions. It is not irrelevant to our discussion to recall in passing that this most imposing structure ever conceived by the human mind as an instrument of tyranny is lying today an irretrievable mass of ruins, completely over-

Jan 4, 1919

By Norman Weiss

MOST papers on xanthate have dealt with principles rather than practice. On the assumption that many millmen are interested in knowing where and in what manner the xanthates are being used in mills other than their own, this paper will summarize the results of a recent survey of North American plants. A brief background story and a description of the xanthates will be followed with the results of that survey; then a few observations will be made on storage, feeding, and ore testing. The first xanthate was made in 1822 by Zeise of the University of Copenhagen. With commendable scientific detachment (or perhaps a bad cold) Zeise ignored a more pervading quality of the substance and named it for its color, after the Greek word "xanthos," meaning yellow. During the first 80 years of its recorded existence xanthate found use only in.small quantity as an insecticide; after the turn of the century there was some further demand for it in the vulcanization of rubber. It was not until 1922, by coincidence the centennial of Zeise's discovery, that C. H. Keller of San Francisco, seeking sulphidizing agents, recalled xanthate in connection with his experience years earlier when he had seen this material used in Europe to combat grape phylloxera. His successful tests with the new flotation reagent culminated in the basic xanthate patent (U. S. 1,554,216) in 1925. In the minds of many metallurgists the introduction of xanthate as a flotation reagent is identified with the beginnings of alkaline circuits, the first use of chemical collectors, and the beginning of selective flotation. Actually, these preceded xanthatc by a number of years. The alkaline circuit in lead-zinc flotation was introduced by Lyster as early as 1912. In 1922 Sheridann and Griswold made their momentous discovery (Timber Butte) that alkali cyanides and zinc sulphate effectively inhibited the flotation of pyrite and sphalerite in pulps made alkaline with sodium carbonate or bicarbonate. The use of lime to retard pyrite in copper flotation began within two years after Ralston directed attention to its possibilities in 1917. These were the beginnings of modern selective flotation, which was practiced successfully on copper-iron ores at Nacozari in 1922, and at Inspiration, Cananea, and others only shortly afterward. In the lead-zinc mills, selective flotation was of even greater economic importance at that time. The Sunnyside plant of U. S. Smelting, Refining, and Mining Co. used the process earlier than 1920, and Consolidated, Timber Butte, and others soon followed. As a chemical collector xanthate was relatively a latecomer, for the Corliss patent of 1917 covered the first of these, alpha-naphthylamine, and the Perkins patent of 1918 the second, thiocarbanilid. Both of these were in extensive use before Keller's xanthate made its commercial debut in 1923. There is general agreement, nonetheless, that the introduction of xanthate was

Jan 1, 1947

By G. M. BUTLER

TWENTY-ONE of the states in the Union, the Territory of Hawaii, and seven provinces of Canada now have in operation laws requiring that professional engineers be registered or licensed. In addition, two states require that civil engineers be registered, and one other state demands registration of structural engineers. Moreover, nearly every year sees additions made to the list. The registration movement, fostered by the American Association of Engineers, now has the powerful, energetic backing of the An1,erican Society of Civil Engineers, which is itself now fostering registration legislation, and there is a strong sentiment in favor of registration in the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Only in the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers is anti-registration sentiment, strongly dominant, but many members of this organization are enthusiastic advocates of registration.

Jan 1, 1930

By W. M. Courtis

. There seems to be a well-established belief that there is an indescribable something in the appearance of gold-quartz not to be learned from books, that enables those who are fortunate enough to have acquired the power to recognize this characteristic, to pronounce at once that a certain quartz will or will not pay. The stronger this claim is made, the more certain is the claimant to be one of the self-styled practical miners. After several years spent among the gold-mines of California with practical and professional gold-miners, I have come to the conclusion that very few care to risk an opinion on a piece of quartz until some of it has been "horned out." Nevertheless, there is what the miners call a " kindly " appearance, that is more often followed by good results than is a vitreous, water-wet-looking quartz. A dark, resinous quartz seems to be most in favor, but there are so many exceptions that even quartz as " white as a hound's tooth " produces gold in some mines.. The ribbon-quartz, a laminated variety, separated by thin talc or chlorite partings, has a well-known good name. The slides of rich quartz specimens show that this parallelism is a microscopical characteristic of the only macroscopical distinction that, as a rule, these quartzes show. This is shown by Nos. 12 and 13, photographs of the richest quartz, that averaged $65 per pound. It is noticeable, also, in Nos. 7 and 9, and others. Dr. Hensoldt, of Columbia College, who prepared, excellently, a large number of my slides, and whom I have to thank for descriptions and suggestions, says of Nos. 12 and 13: "This variety of quartz differs considerably, microscopically, from the others of your locality, and is, in more than one respect, remarkable. Like the

Jan 1, 1890