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By P. Somasundaran

Processing of fine particles in suspension is markedly affected by their state of dispersion/aggregation. In addition, tendency for a given component of the system to undergo selective aggregation or selective dispersion is an important property which may be put to use for processing. In this paper, principles governing flocculation, dispersion, and selective flocculation of mineral fines are discussed and then the role of major solution properties such as pH, ionic strength, etc. is examined.

Jan 1, 1980

INTRODUCTION The regional characteristics of porphyry copper deposits in South America southward from Pantanos and Pegadorcito, Columbia, will be summarized. The age of formation of deposits spans the period from the Permian to the present. Where possible, the general characteristics and the individual structural features of the deposits are integrated into the plate tectonic model. Individual deposits cited in this chapter, located in Fig. 1, are the best known and most fully described, and form the Andean copper belt (Peterson, 1958). Smaller porphyry copper deposits fall both east and west of the line of large, high grade deposits (e.g., Chuquicamata and Toquepala) that make up the spine of this belt. Most of those smaller deposits (e.g., Mi Vida [Koukharsky and Mirre, 19761) are omitted from Fig. 1 and Tables 1 and 2, however. Neither the Andean orogen nor the individual deposits within it are as well de- scribed in the literature as are their counter- parts in the Cordilleran orogen of North America. Therefore, generalizations relying on regional geologic mapping, geophysics, and isotopic geochemistry lack details pertinent to this type of deposit in the Cordilleran orogen. The South American porphyry copper province has been described by Hollister ( 1974) to include most of the Andean orogen excepting the tin province of Bolivia. Porphyry copper deposits have not been commonly found within the tin belt, although copper-tin (e.g., San Rafael, Peru) and copper-tungsten (e.g., Llamuco, Chile) de- posits are known. James (1971) shows the depth to the Moho to be appreciably greater where the tin belt exists, but disclaims any genetic significance from the coincident appearance of the tin-tungsten province and the inhibition of porphyry copper development where the sialic crust thickens. Dates on tin mineralization in this belt (Clark and Farrar, 1973) are similar to some dates for porphyry copper mineralization known else- where in the Andean orogen. It seems that some mechanism is needed to explain the geographic separation of porphyry copper- molybdenum and simultaneous tin-tungsten- molybdenum metallization within the same tectonic system and appearing at similar distances from the trench. The thickened crust of the tin belt is one of the few known differences. Tables 1 and 2 list some of the most important porphyry copper deposits explored to date, but do not include Antaminas, Peru. or a number of other large skarn deposits

Jan 1, 1978

By Erik G:Son Odelstjerna

ALTHOUGH the Swedes have not taken as prominent a position in the open-hearth as in the Ressemer industry, the successful development of which in Sweden has been described by Prof. Åkerman, in a paper read before the Institute,? nevertheless our work with the Siemens-Martin method may possess some interest, even for countries outside our own, and especially for the United States, where the charcoaliron industry competes with that of Sweden for the first rank in extent and importance. I take the liberty therefore of giving in

Jan 1, 1895

By D. W. Akins

The case history of a combination gas and water flood instituted early in the life of a field is described. It was recognized from the beginning that recovery would be low, under normal production methods, from the several separate, thin beds of porous limestone which had such poor native permeability that the wells would not produce without acidizing. It is thought that the combination flood gives excellent recovery efficiencies for this type of reservoir. The chief function of the gas flood now is to maintain bottom hole pressure in that part of the reservoir which will not be affected by the water injection program until later. Present estimates are that ultimate recovery will be approximately double the recovery expected under the original solution gas drive mechanism. Wide (80-acre) spacing has enhanced the economics of the over-all field program by the elimination of more than $5,000,000 worth of unnecessary wells. INTRODUCTION The Haynesville Pettit Field was discovered in November, 1941, with the completion of T. L. James Co.'s Callie Akin No. 1, located in the W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Section 27-23N-8W, Claiborne Parish, La., at an approximate depth of 5,300 ft. The center of the field is about two miles north and a mile west of the town of Haynesville, La. A total of 189 producing wells have been drilled on 14,500 acres. An additional nine dry holes were drilled. The Louisiana-Arkansas state line divides the field so that 34 wells are in Arkansas and 155 are in Louisiana. Governmental sections are divided equally to contain eight production units making 80-acre spacing where the sections are regular. Along the state line in Louisiana there is an irregular tier of sections, each of which contains approximately 456 acres. When divided equally into eight production units the spacing is 57 acres per well for these three and a fraction productive sections. All Haynesville Pettit wells are identified by their section number followed by their position in the section as determined by numbering the production units counterclockwise beginning in the upper right corner of the section. All of the producing wells in the field except two are unit-ized and operated by the Haynesville Operators Committee. These two wells are located in the extreme northern part of the field in Arkansas. Efforts to bring them into the Unit are being continued. The Pettit operators organized the Haynesville Operators Committee and the field became a unit operation May 1: 1944. GEOLOGY The Pettit is Lower Cretaceous in age and is defined as the uppermost porosity in the Sligo formation. The unitized area known as the Haynesville Pettit Field is composed of two separate zones of porosity approximately 40 ft apart and without connection between the two, except in wells. These zones are known as the Upper Pettit and the Lower Pettit. The Upper Pettit is separated into two sections throughout most of its area by a relatively thin but quite impervious shale streak. These are called the "A" and "B" sections of the Upper Pettit. All of these lenticular zones are composed of coquina limestone and a small percentage of normal oolites. The large

Jan 1, 1951

By D. W. Akins

The case history of a combination gas and water flood instituted early in the life of a field is described. It was recognized from the beginning that recovery would be low, under normal production methods, from the several separate, thin beds of porous limestone which had such poor native permeability that the wells would not produce without acidizing. It is thought that the combination flood gives excellent recovery efficiencies for this type of reservoir. The chief function of the gas flood now is to maintain bottom hole pressure in that part of the reservoir which will not be affected by the water injection program until later. Present estimates are that ultimate recovery will be approximately double the recovery expected under the original solution gas drive mechanism. Wide (80-acre) spacing has enhanced the economics of the over-all field program by the elimination of more than $5,000,000 worth of unnecessary wells. INTRODUCTION The Haynesville Pettit Field was discovered in November, 1941, with the completion of T. L. James Co.'s Callie Akin No. 1, located in the W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Section 27-23N-8W, Claiborne Parish, La., at an approximate depth of 5,300 ft. The center of the field is about two miles north and a mile west of the town of Haynesville, La. A total of 189 producing wells have been drilled on 14,500 acres. An additional nine dry holes were drilled. The Louisiana-Arkansas state line divides the field so that 34 wells are in Arkansas and 155 are in Louisiana. Governmental sections are divided equally to contain eight production units making 80-acre spacing where the sections are regular. Along the state line in Louisiana there is an irregular tier of sections, each of which contains approximately 456 acres. When divided equally into eight production units the spacing is 57 acres per well for these three and a fraction productive sections. All Haynesville Pettit wells are identified by their section number followed by their position in the section as determined by numbering the production units counterclockwise beginning in the upper right corner of the section. All of the producing wells in the field except two are unit-ized and operated by the Haynesville Operators Committee. These two wells are located in the extreme northern part of the field in Arkansas. Efforts to bring them into the Unit are being continued. The Pettit operators organized the Haynesville Operators Committee and the field became a unit operation May 1: 1944. GEOLOGY The Pettit is Lower Cretaceous in age and is defined as the uppermost porosity in the Sligo formation. The unitized area known as the Haynesville Pettit Field is composed of two separate zones of porosity approximately 40 ft apart and without connection between the two, except in wells. These zones are known as the Upper Pettit and the Lower Pettit. The Upper Pettit is separated into two sections throughout most of its area by a relatively thin but quite impervious shale streak. These are called the "A" and "B" sections of the Upper Pettit. All of these lenticular zones are composed of coquina limestone and a small percentage of normal oolites. The large

Jan 1, 1951

By N. A. Gokcen, R. A. Dodd

Solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron-manganese system at 1550°C and one atmosphere pressure has been determined by a simple method. Results show that the solubility increases from 0.040 pct for pure iron to 1.41 pct for pure manganese. DETERMINATION of the solubility of gases in volatile metals. and alloys by the well-known Sievertsl method is unreliable. This is particularly true for the Fe-Mn system since Mn vaporizes readily from the alloys containing as little as 2 pct Mn, and, upon condensing on the cooler parts of the apparatus, it absorbs large amounts of nitrogen. Further, the condensing Mn vapor interferes with the usual method of temperature measurements with an optical pyrometer.

Jan 1, 1962

By Lachlan Gilchrist

MEASUREMENTS of resistivity by methods involving the use of two current electrodes and two potential electrodes in general collinear with the current electrodes have been made extensively in geophysical investigations. In the method developed by Wenner and made use of by Gish and Rooney, and later in a modified form by Lee, the distance between the current electrodes is divided into three equal parts by the potential electrodes. In one of the methods developed by Schlumberger prospecting methods and by Koenigsberger, one current electrode is placed at considerable distance from the other and potential measurements are made in the immediate neighborhood of one of the current electrodes. The method is described as the single current electrode method, and the effect of the distant current electrode is considered negligible or a correction is made for the effect in the calculation of the resistivity. Usually the correction that is introduced is based on the calculated effect for measurements made in a homogeneous conducting material. The useful application of these methods in prospecting for minerals, of course, is in regions where nonhomogeneous conditions exist. In many of these conditions it is very doubtful whether the effect of the distant current electrode may be neglected, except for measurements in the immediate neighborhood of the "single" current electrode, and corrections based on homogeneity of the medium will necessarily be inadequate. In order to obtain a degree of symmetry that would preclude the necessity for corrections for the distant electrode and that would simplify interpretation, it appeared desirable to use a central current electrode and a set of distant end current electrodes symmetrically placed about the central electrode as shown in Fig. 1 and to provide by means of auxiliary resistances that the currents passing into the earth at the distant end electrodes should be equal. Circumstances did not permit the operation of this plan in complete detail but a degree of symmetry was obtained by using a central current electrode and two distant collinear end current electrodes and by taking measurements along a line passing through

Jan 1, 1931

By Milton Ohring, Stephen M. Edelglass

THE recently determined coefficients for diffusion of very dilute impurities in aluminum are shown in Table I. Of these data the activation energies for Ag110, cu54, Mn54 and zn85 are clustered about the value of self-diffusion in aluminum; for the remaining

Jan 1, 1970

By Robert W. Hunt

(Cleveland meeting, October, 1912.) PERHAPS of all the scientific economic questions which have been claiming the attention of capitalists, metallurgists, manu-facturers, directors of public utilities, and the general public of America, during the last few years, none have been of more importance than the one relating to the wear and safety of steel rails. The discovery of the Bessemer process made possible modern railway development. In that growth, as has generally happened in all progressive movements, ill its department have not remained equally balanced. Iron rails permitted the construction of roadways for the passage of power-driven vehicles. In time the speed and weight of such carriages proved too much for the wearing-qualities of the rails, and the limit of railway capacity seemed to have been reached. Bessemer made his invention, which was soon perfected and developed, especially as related to steel rails, and thereby increased the limit of capacity, acid vastly greater railway progress was, made possible. The Siemens-Martin open-hearth process followed, and was later supplemented by the Thomas-Gilchrist basic improvement. For a time the Bessemer steel rails of commerce Were, more than equal to all that was asked of them, but this did not long continue, as evidenced by the records in our Transactions. Revolutionary changes occurred in the industrial world, and in no part of it more than in steel-rail manufacture. Great and powerful commercial combinations were made, whose financial resources made possible the supplanting of the then most efficient blast-furnaces, steel-works, mid mills, by others of theretofore unimagined capacity. Old traditions and practices of steel-making were wiped away, and, in too many cases, output was apparently the chief aim, with the result that much dissatisfaction with the wear and safety of rails was felt by railway officials, and the general public was concerned as to its safety when traveling. The climatic conditions of the winter

Dec 1, 1912

By Russell Salter, Edwin J. King

SINCE 1950, when perhaps two or three cyclones were being tested in Arizona, the number in use has grown to about 100. Most of these have come into operation within the last two or three years, and according to information supplied by various mining companies, the number will continue to grow for several years more. In mills that have been recently constructed, cyclones dominate the fine classification field, removing grit from lime slurries, producing smelter flux, reducing concentrate thickener overloads, classifying molybdenite in grinding circuits, and conditioning flotation feed. Four major copper companies are now testing cyclones in primary grinding circuits, and one concentrator soon to begin operation will classify entirely with cyclones. In at least two instances these versatile machines have been given a vital role in the construction of tailings disposal systems.

Jan 8, 1957

Terminology Relating to Nonmetallic Elements in Metals. See IRON AND STEEL Ferromagnetism in Metallic Crystals. BY L W MCKEEHAN (Tech. Pub 554, Metals Tech , August; also Trans, vol 111. 20,500 words ) The directions for easiest magnetization of ferromagnetic single crystals are those of simple crystal- lographic forms and the extra energy needed for magnetization in other than these preferred directions depends upon the material selected for test The history of magnetic tests upon metallic single crystals, reviewed in detail, shows that crystals of one metal agree rather well as to the magnitude of such energy differences. This makes ~t probable that these differences are really charactenstic of the ferromagnetic

Jan 1, 1935

By Donald P. Bellum, Lee Nugent

Southwestern Utah is well known for its scenic attractions. The beauties of Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon and the Grand Canyon are of world renown. Thusly, Cedar City is known, at least by the local Chamber of Commerce, as the Gateway to the Utah Parks. However, of the thousands of tourists flocking to Utah's many points of interest by way of Cedar City, few realize that any mining takes place in the vicinity, in spite of the fact that iron mines have been in continuous operation for 40 years. The Pinto-Iron Springs Mining District is only 15 miles west of Cedar City, and is the largest iron ore producing district in the West. In recent years, the shipments have ranged from 2% to 4 million tons per year making Utah the fifth-ranking state in iron ore production.

Jan 11, 1963

By R. W. Heckel, R. A. Tanzilli

ANALYTICAL results have previously been presented for the diffusion-controlled solution of a second phase in a finite medium for planar, cylindrical, and spherical geometries.' These results were obtained by numerical methods using digital computer techniques and are applicable not only to the stage of the problem where the unstable phase shrinks to zero size, but also the subsequent stage where the concentration gradients in the matrix phase become negligible (essentially complete homogenization). It is anticipated that the results of such an analysis may be of use to those workers who are interested in the processes

Jan 1, 1970

By G. K. Manning, C. H. Lorig

TWO metallurgical tools have acquired wide use within the past several years as a means of studying the transformation characteristics of steel. One is a technique used first by Bain and Davenport for determining the transformation characteristics of a steel at constant temperature; the second is the end-quench hardenability test. Constant-temperature transformation curves like those of Bain and Davenport have done much to rationalize the metallography of steel; however, in commercial practices, constant-temperature transformation is seldom encountered, therefore only rarely can such curves be directly applied. The real reason for the determination of such curves lies in the fact that they provide a way of thinking about transformation that is both convenient and productive. The end-quench hardenability test is a more practical means of studying transformation, for, by correlating positions on the hardenability bar with shapes of different masses, an almost direct application of the results can be made. Unfortunately, the end-quench test, though practical, can do very little toward improving the metallurgists' way of thinking about transformation. These two metallurgical tools, dealing with precisely the same phenomenon, should be very closely associated in metallurgists' minds. Actually, they are frequently pushed into separate mental corners and considered as being more or less distinct and unrelated. The reason for this is that no strong connecting link between them has been developed. An attempt is sometimes made to relate these two tools by projecting the critical cooling rate on the isothermal transformation plot as illustrated in Fig. I. The critical cooling rate is considered as a constant rate-though in practical applications, cooling rates are never constant—and this constant cooling rate is given uniform significance from the Ae temperature down to the temperature of initial transformation. A little thought indicates the errors of such a procedure. Certainly the time interval spent just below point A of Fig. I cannot be as effective in promoting nucleation as is the time interval spent just above point B. Yet the procedure represented in Fig. I considers all the time spent between temperatures A and B to be just as effective in promoting nucleation as though all the time were spent at temperature B. Furthermore, change the shape of the isothermal curve between points B and C in any way desired, and the required critical cooling rate is not changed one iota. This cannot possibly be true. Such a way of thinking about critical cooling rates not only is incapable of giving any results that are quantitatively satisfactory but is likely to give very misleading qualitative results.

Jan 1, 1947

By G. K. Manning, C. H. Lorig

TWO metallurgical tools have acquired wide use within the past several years as a means of studying the transformation characteristics of steel. One is a technique used first by Bain and Davenport for determining the transformation characteristics of a steel at constant temperature; the second is the end-quench hardenability test. Constant-temperature transformation curves like those of Bain and Davenport have done much to rationalize the metallography of steel; however, in commercial practices, constant-temperature transformation is seldom encountered, therefore only rarely can such curves be directly applied. The real reason for the determination of such curves lies in the fact that they provide a way of thinking about transformation that is both convenient and productive. The end-quench hardenability test is a more practical means of studying transformation, for, by correlating positions on the hardenability bar with shapes of different masses, an almost direct application of the results can be made. Unfortunately, the end-quench test, though practical, can do very little toward improving the metallurgists' way of thinking about transformation. These two metallurgical tools, dealing with precisely the same phenomenon, should be very closely associated in metallurgists' minds. Actually, they are frequently pushed into separate mental corners and considered as being more or less distinct and unrelated. The reason for this is that no strong connecting link between them has been developed. An attempt is sometimes made to relate these two tools by projecting the critical cooling rate on the isothermal transformation plot as illustrated in Fig. I. The critical cooling rate is considered as a constant rate-though in practical applications, cooling rates are never constant—and this constant cooling rate is given uniform significance from the Ae temperature down to the temperature of initial transformation. A little thought indicates the errors of such a procedure. Certainly the time interval spent just below point A of Fig. I cannot be as effective in promoting nucleation as is the time interval spent just above point B. Yet the procedure represented in Fig. I considers all the time spent between temperatures A and B to be just as effective in promoting nucleation as though all the time were spent at temperature B. Furthermore, change the shape of the isothermal curve between points B and C in any way desired, and the required critical cooling rate is not changed one iota. This cannot possibly be true. Such a way of thinking about critical cooling rates not only is incapable of giving any results that are quantitatively satisfactory but is likely to give very misleading qualitative results.

Jan 1, 1947

By John D. Hanks

INTRODUCTION Chevron's Uranium Mill is located near Panna Maria, Texas; 70 miles southeast of San Antonio. Designed by Kaiser Engineering, the Mill will process a nominal 2500 dry T.P.D. of uranium bearing ore containing 15% uncombined moisture. Earl Torgerson, San Mateo, California, is the consulting metallurgist on process design. Feed to the plant consists of a mixture of high, medium and low grade sandy day ore; the average grade of the ore will be 0.7% throughout the life of the project. The ore is delivered to the mill via truck and stored by type in individual piles on a flat storage area. The ore is fed by conveyor to a semi-autogenous grinding mill. The SAG mill discharge slurry is pumped either to a storage tank or to the first of five mechanically agitated leach tanks where both H2SO and NaC103 are added. Following leaching, the slurry is mixed with thickener No. 2 overflow before being pumped to a six-thickener, countercurrent decantation circuit where the solution containing uranium is separated from the leach residue. The residue is washed essentially free of solubilized U308 values at the sixth thickener and discharged to an adjacent tailings pond. The first thickener overflow, containing approximately 0.4 grams U308 per liter, is filtered for clarification and sent to the liquid ion exchange (solvent extraction) section. The pregnant aqueous solution is mixed with organic solvent containing amine on which the complex uranyl sulfate ions are absorbed. The immiscible aqueous and organic solutions are mixed and separated in each of the four stages of solvent extraction. The final pregnant organic is directed to a stripping section. A strip solution containing (NH4)2S04 (ammonium sulfate) and NH4C1 (ammonium chloride) is contacted and separated from the organic in each of the four mixer-settler units. The strip solution is mixed with NH3 and the uranium precipitates along with trace amounts of sulfate, chloride, and ammonia. After washing in a thickener, the uranium precipitate or yellowcake is centrifuged and dried in a multiple hearth roaster. Overflow from the yellowcake thickener is recycled back to the stripping section of the solvent extraction circuit. The dried yellowcake concentrate contains more than 98% U308; diluents include H20, ammonia, chloride, etc.. Impurity concentratons in the product are sufficiently low, after drying, to permit direct shipment to refinement installations. ORE RECEIVING Ore from one or more mines will be stored on a pad adjacent to the uranium processing mill. Ore stored in the area may total 200,000 tons or more, which is equivalent to over a two month treatment reserve for the mill. In addition to providing surge capacity, the proposed storage facility permits natural oxidation of the ore and affords an area which, in turn, improve plant U308 recovery and reduces consumption of oxidizing reagents. The uranium bearing ore is segregated at the storage area into several distinct types. One group can be identified by its sandy, clay-like matrix and will be distinguished by its U308 concentration of high, medium, or low. Other ores contain substantial quantities of carbonaceous shale, typical of ore in the area. Feed is recovered from any one or combination of piles, in accordance with operating requirements and recovery factors. The run-of-mine ore, at 15% moisture, is transferred to a stationary, 24-inch by 24-inch grizzly. Undersize material falls into a 280-ton surge hopper located below grade, while oversize material is removed for preliminary size reduction. A sump-pump is located at the reclaim hopper to recover excess mositure and ore spillage for processing. Plant feed is continuously drawn from beneath the hopper at an average rate of 120 tons per hour by means of an apron feeder. The hopper is equipped with a low level safety system to protect the apron feeder assemble. The ore is transferred to a belt conveyor, elevated and discharged into a semi-autogeneous grinding (SAG) mill. Water addition at the discharge point is automatically controlled by a feed rate, moisture analyzer system located on the belt conveyor. GRINDING Minus 24-inch ore, at a rate of 120 mosit tons per hour and cyclone underflow at a rate of 137 moist tons per hour are combined with a controlled 186 gallons per minute fresh, warm plant process water. The mixture, at an average 68% solids, is fed to the SAG mill. The viscous mass is subjected to grinding at a temperature moderately above ambient resulting from use of the 140ºF well water. The 16.5'x5.0' Marcy Mill is driven by a 500 H.P. A.C. Motor. The mill will rotate at 73.4% of critical speed or 14.06 R.P.M. Eight percent of the mill's volume will be occupied by steel grinding balls; 22% by pulp. The mill is designed to rotate in either direction, in order to obtain maximum lifter and liner life. The SAG mill is equipped with a trommel having ½ -inch slots for removal of oversize material at its discharge and the large or oversize material is collected and either recirculated periodically or discarded. The undersize slurry is diluted to 64% solids with the addition of hot well water or mine water to the mill discharge sump. The flow is automatically controlled utilizing data from a gamma density meter. The slurry from the mill discharge sump is pumped to hydrocyclones to classify the particles. Underflow from the cyclones, at 80% + 28 mesh, is recycled to

Jan 1, 1979

By J. B. Woodworth

Under the above title it is desired to bring to the attention of assayers a short-cut method which has been perfected by Mr. A. S. Warren, of Buffalo, and the writer; has been used several years at three " Lake copper " refineries in occasional alternation with the regular " combination," or a wet and fire," assay; and has proved more rapid, and rather more accurate than the latter on all refined copper—namely, the direct cupellation of the silver chloride (+gold) precipitate, without scorification. No claim of priority is made for this direct method, as it has suggested itself to many others, and was mentioned by Mr. Warren in the symposium of assayers' results brought together in 1895 by the Secretary," after the plan and suggestions of Dr. A. R. Ledoux.† Lately, this important subject of assaying copper-materials seems to have been re-opened for discussion. The shortening of time by 'the direct method is so considerable (nearly 20 minutes on a batch)—to say nothing of the saving

Jan 1, 1902

By R. S. Archer

THE binary aluminum-silicon alloys have certain characteristic advantages which are now well known, and these alloys have come into considerable use during the past several years.1 Their field of application has been limited to a certain extent, however, by their low yield point and hardness, low endurance limit, and relatively poor machining characteristics. These properties are improved by the addition of copper, and the ternary aluminum-silicon-copper alloys constitute an important class. The addition of copper decreases the corrosion resistance of the aluminum-silicon alloys and increases specific gravity. Magnesium is a hardening addition which seems to have relatively little effect on corrosion resistance, and which, of course, reduces specific gravity. The object of the work described in this paper was the development of alloys and heat treatments for the production of sand castings and permanent-mold castings having substantially all the advantages of the binary aluminum-silicon alloys together with mechanical properties improved to a degree permitting wider application.

Jan 1, 1930

In introducing last year's Industrial Minerals Review, Stan Lefond accurately predicted that the 1974- 75 period would be quite difficult and frustrating. Although 1974 demand and prices for most industrial minerals were exceptionally strong, operating costs also rose rapidly-while shortages of supplies and equipment, symptomatic of an overheated economy, occurred from coast to coast. Thus, at the end of 1974 recessionary forces were accelerating-and the minerals industry will soon be facing falling demand as a consequence of sharp declines in auto production, housing, appliances, and other consumer goods. Moreover, when sales weaken, the high-volume, low-prices industrial minerals will incur sharply increased unit costs. To maintain adequate profit margins under these conditions will require cautious and perceptive management.

Jan 2, 1975

By H. R. Aldrich

THIS paper is not a treatise on the theory and practice of magnetic surveying. It merely presents a diagram upon which have been plotted observations taken with the simplest form of magnetic instrument, the lowly dip needle, over a large area astride the Lake Superior syncline of northern Wisconsin. The exposures of the underlying formations are not sufficiently great in number nor fortunate in distribution to have provided the fuller understanding of the geology which has been secured by the use of the magnetic observations as an auxiliary tool or accessory in the hands of the geologist. The diagram (Fig. 2) in large part speaks for itself if studied in connection with the geological map (Fig. 1) for which it is the main control. It is presented to demonstrate the extent to which the use of such methods may aid in the solution of geological problems in a covered country. The diagram is probably unique in assembling the expression of such a wide range of formations, affected by so wide a range of secondary processes, and deformed by so many different structures in terms of magnetic variation. Few geologists outside of the Lake Superior country have had any first-hand experience in the taking of magnetic observations and the interpretations of the results in terms of geological conditions; nor have the Lake Superior men gone with the methods far afield from the mere tracing of iron formations. In more recent years the oil companies have gone heavily into investments in magnetometers, balances, and dip needles in the quest of concealed structural anomalies which are the favorable loci of petroleum accumulation. But these geophysicists come back from the fields with their collections of observations facing the question of interpreting the geological meaning of their magnetic anomalies.

Jan 1, 1928