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By J. B. Mackintosh

Some months ago I received a sample of a highly crystalline product occurring in the hearth of the shaft-furnace used in smelting the roasted niccoliferous pyrrhotite at Mr. Joseph Wharton's works near the Gap Mine, Lancaster County, Pa. Mr. Wharton first observed this product in cavities in the concretions in these furnaces about the year 1870, and published a description of it in that year.* Thinking that it might show some analogy to meteoric iron, he sent the present sample to Mr. George a F. Kunz, who turned it over to me, with the request that I should analyze it at my convenience. The results do not show the expected analogy, because the sulphur in meteoric iron is combined as FeS., while in this product there is only one-sixth the necessary amount of sulphur, which, however, seems to be combined with all the metallic elements present, forming a sub-sulphide of definite composition. I am informed by Mr. Wharton that he has had for a long time the sample which I have analyzed, and that it probably is about the same age as that which he first described. It is worthy of note that the material does not show any signs of oxidation, but that the crystals preserve a brilliant metallic lustre. The first two analyses, made by Mr. J. Voigt, are those given by

Jan 1, 1888

By Richard P. Rothwell

THE communication which I have to lay before my fellow-members of the Institute, is no elaborate paper, nor the statement of any great discovery ; it is simply the record of convenient methods of conducting topographical surveys, and of keeping the notes of the same; methods that have grown out of practical experience, and have saved me many a day's labor by facilitating office and field work, and at the same time secured a greater degree of accuracy than is obtained by the methods now in general use. I assume it as granted that no topographical map is worthy of the name, except it represent the elevations and depressions of the surface by means of horizontal or contour lines. In the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, the contour lines are traced for every fifty feet vertical height, I believe, by running out the line with level and compass through all its meanderings on the surface ; this, of course, is a very tedious, though accurate process, but "in the woods," where many of our surveys have to be made, it would be practically impossible. Some time ago, I made an extensive and quite elaborate topographical survey and contour map of the southern portion of the Cahaba coal-field, in Alabama, the object of the survey being to

Jan 1, 1875

Advantages to Members of Our Advertising Section.-It is our intention to make the advertising section of the Bulletin as comprehensive as possible, so that members can turn to it for complete information as to where to buy the best mining and metallurgical supplies at the lowest prices. No firms or supplies of dubious reputation are advertised in the Bulletin. If members, in buying any material, will refer to the advertisement of that material in the Bulletin, or if they do not find it advertised in the Bulletin, will, when ordering, ask the manufacturers why the goods were not advertised in the Institute publication, it will be of material benefit to all of us, because the chief reason why advertisers are unable to trace direct results is because purchasers do not mention the Bulletin when writing. Finally, if members, when in need of anything whatsoever, will write to the Institute headquarters, an effort will be made to send them a complete list of manufacturers able to supply the desired materials of good quality. The furnishing of these lists will be a benefit to our Advertising Department, as well as to the members. We need scarcely call attention to the advantages obtained by the members from the money which advertising brings in, because all this money is returned directly to the members in one form or another.

Jan 7, 1913

By C. Jackson, J. J. Harrington

The pH control system at Kennecott Copper Corporation's Nevada Mines Division concentrator consists of two independent systems, lime dilution and lime addition. Lime dilution is accomplished in a mixing tank where slaked lime and water are introduced proportionately. The desired dilution of the milk of lime is determined by the electrical inputs provided by eight pH probes, one per grinding section. The inputs are averaged and applied to a time base generator. The summation output of the time base generator determines the proportion of lime and water that are to be mixed and applies this input to a voltage sensitive switching device. The switching device provides a signal to one of two relays which will add either slaked lime or water, dependent upon the summation output. The entire cycle is based on a 2-min repetition rate to allow for sufficient mix time. Responsivity is controlled by maintaing a limited maximum solution level in the mix tank. Lime addition is controlled independently within each grinding section. The electrical input from the pH probe in a given section controls the solenoid valves which provide lime to each of the ball mills. The valves remain open within a time range capable of maintaining the pH of flotation feed at a given set point.

Jan 1, 1978

By George Laird

IF IT IS true that Sir Walter Raleigh lost his head for his failure to find gold in the Guianas, the trumped up charge of "treason" might better have been "con-tributory negligence." That systematic investigation and development of the gold-bearing areas of both Dutch and French Guiana have not been accomplished is not due so much to the lack of gold as to the geo-graphical, physical and climatic conditions of the two colonies. The Dutch, as a people, are not prospectors. The French look upon "Cayenne," or French Guiana, as DJOEKA BOATS USED IN RIVER TRANSPORTATION. just what it is: a penal colony, which produces a certain amount of balata, gold and essential oils, all of which can be purchased from the natives with far less physical exertion than they can be secured from the "bush" or jungle. The colonies have had their gold "booms," and dur-ing these periods the production has increased to a considerable amount, but the hardships to be endured in reaching the fields, the cost of transporting tools and supplies, the ever-present fevers, the bite of the "57 varieties" of insects and, lastly but not leastly, the abundance of rum in the seaport towns, dampen the ardor of even the strongest; the production of gold is left to the "pork knocker" or illegal gold digger and to the comparatively few producing "mines."

Jan 10, 1922

During 1918, the activities of the United Engineering Society, the Library, the Engineering Foundation, and Engineering Council Were deeply affected by the war and much important war work Was done in our building. The endowment of Engineering Foundation was increased to $300,000 by an additional gift of $100,000 from Ambrose Swasey. By bequest of Dr. James Douglas, the American Institute of Mining Engineers received an endowment of $100,000, the income of which Will be expended in the maintenance of its library (now a part of the joint library). The Library Service Bureau has gained steadily; its business for 1918 amounted to nearly $10,000. Indexing of current engineering literature has been undertaken in conjunction With the Founder Societies and the Index is being printed in their publications. This service has been extended to the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Mining Institute. The expense is borne by the Societies. In this connection the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has purchased the Engineering Index heretofore published by "Industrial Management." In June the Westinghouse and General' Electric Co. donated to the United Engineering Society their Patent Con¬trol Library of about 8000 volumes. Other noteworthy gifts Were a collection of 370 pieces relating to patent litigations, from Jesse M. Smith, and Dr. William Paul Gerhard's collection on gas engineering, transferred by the American Gas Association.

Jan 1, 1923

By Sumner M. Anderson

Anderson: Will, I have known you for only the past 30 years of your extraordinary mining career, and have often wondered just how it got started. Wright: I suppose you might say it was largely a matter of heritage. My father, who in 1886 was one of the founders of the Michigan College of Mines, was Michigan State Geologist until his un- timely death in 1888.

Jan 8, 1968

By H. J. Denning, M. W. Brabbins, A. K. Isaac

The quality of a coalface floor is the essential element that enables powered supports to generate their designed loads in control of coalface strata. The paper introduces a technique for the appraisal of coalface foundation stability. A criterion of support efficiency, viz., the support pressure increase/strata convergence, is included in case study data obtained from investigations in the South Wales Coalfield, U.K.

Jan 1, 1984

THE Institute of Metals Division of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers appointed a Research Committee in 1925 to de-termine what could be done by the Division to promote research work in the United States on non-ferrous metals. It was recognized that a considerable volume of use-ful research work in this field was being carried on by individual industrial companies as well as by the uni-versities and other research institutions, such as the Bureau of Standards. One need only refer to the recent research literature on non-ferrous metals in the TRANS-ACTIONS of the A.I.M.E., and elsewhere, to be con-vinced of healthful research activity in this field. The appointment of the Committee, however, voiced the impression that what was being done was, however excellent, inadequate for the needs of the industry. It was felt that the Division could usefully devote some of its time and effort in stimulating activity in this field. The deliberations of the Research Committee have not failed to develop wide differences of opinion even on the simple questions: (1) whether the Division can aid in any practical manner in this cause and (2) what the features of such aid might be. However, it was clear that there was only one type of research activity with which it could be very usefully concerned, viz., that on subjects of fundamental interest and general application. It was obvious that research work having special objects and more immediate commercial appli-cation should best be left to the industry itself.

Jan 1, 1927

By R. J. Wysor

CHARLES H. RICH, Conshohocken, Pa. (communication to the Secretary*).-Mr. Wysor has certainly covered his subject in the most thorough and able manner and his paper will no doubt result in enlarged effort toward the conservation of this important byproduct. Not all furnace burdens are as rich in alkalies as those noted by Mr. Wysor. In our own experience we have never gone into any extended examination of the materials entering the furnace burdens, but have made a number of determinations of the water-soluble alkalies of our flue and boiler dust and found maximum of about 4 1/2 per cent. K20-too small for profitable reclamation. We have, however, frequently encountered the smoky gas described by Mr. Wysor. Such gas carries heavy fume, and buds with a fitful flame difficult to maintain. So pronounced was the inhibitory effect of the fume that, in extreme cases, the flame of a lighted match was extinguished by the current of gas and it was found impossible to conduct calorimeter tests without preliminary washing of the gas. When the gas was led through a washer filled with distilled water and pieces of coke, the fume was absorbed and the gas burned without difficulty. Careful analyses conducted on the water solution from the washer showed cyanides in increasing amounts in proportion to the difficulty experienced in burning the gas. We, note Mr. Wysor's statement that he has never found evidence of cyanides in their gas, ascribing the difficulty of burning such gas to the presence of chlorides. Our determinations were conducted in such manner as to preclude possibility of interference by chlorine.

Jan 3, 1917

By Kenzo Murao, Sei Nakao

HISTORY OF ASHIO SMELTER The Ashio copper mine, which formed the main part of Furukawa mining industry, is located inland of Kanto area, and is known as the oldest copper mine of Japan. The mining started even since 1610, and Mr. Furukawa began management in 1877. Afterwards, within a short period, the mine became to have the highest productivity in the Far East. The total quantity of mined copper reached approximately more than 800 thousand tons. The mother rock of the ore deposit in Ashio was rhyolite, and was formed of sissurefulling and irregular clod that was called Kajika deposit. The lode was nzrrow of 6 to 7cm. The mineral was formed mainly of chalcopyrite, including also pyrite, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite that were not favorable. After the founding of the copper mine, the Ashio smelter started the operation of Mabuki process as the beginning in 1611, and subsequently adopted the processes of the blast furnace, reverberatory furnace, and flash smelting furnace of the present use. As indicated above, the copper ore of Ashio mine included arsenic. For the purpose to remove it, the operation of the arsenic trioxide production using MacDougall's multiple hearth roaster was started in 1918, and it maintained the status of having the most qualified technique within the country. However, as the completeness in the disposition of anti-pollution and safety had been requested in those years, we studied and developed a unique equipment in 1970. It excludes the heavy metals especially arsenic and copper from the waste water of sulfuric acid process of Flash Smelter's exhaust gas.

Jan 1, 1976

By Richard Moldenke

ONE of the gravest problems of the iron foundry today is the accumulation of sulfur in commercial scrap and its effect on the castings made therewith. The ordinary jobbing castings today show a sulfur content of 0.18 per cent., and occasionally as high as 0.22 per cent. The product of the foundry during the war is undoubtedly .to blame for this rapid increase and conditions will become worse as the millions of tons of gray-iron castings of the war period return to the foundry in the form of commercial scrap. In the ordinary cupola remelting of pig and scrap, at least 0.02 per cent. sulfur is taken up; often double that amount. The high cost and difficulty of obtaining pig iron during the war period compelled the use of considerable scrap in the mixtures; frequently charges containing. 90. per cent. of bought scrap were melted. Naturally the sulfur content of the castings increased. Until the advent of the basic-hearth electric furnace, the only method of holding the sulfur within reasonable limits was to use high percentages of pig in the foundry mixtures. Pig iron seldom contains over 0.05 per cent. sulfur, if well made. With pig iron forming 60 percent. of the .charge and the gates, runners, rejections, and bought scrap the other 40 per cent., the sulfur content of the castings can easily be held down to 0.10 per cent. Pig iron, however, costs more than scrap even when melting loss differences are considered, hence as small a percentage as possible will be used.

Jan 2, 1921

By R. J. Armstrong, J. J. McKay

The Montana Phosphate Products Co. is currently operating three underground phosphate mines in Powell County, MOnt. † In this area the Phosphoria formation is from 35 to 50 ft thick and contains a bed of phosphate rock varying in thickness from 2 1/2 to 5 ft, overlain by 12 to 30 ft of cherty quartzite, and underlain by about the same thickness of quartzite and shaly to cherty beds. In general, the phosphate bed has a reasonably hard quartzite footwall, as well as a hard cherty hanging wall, both of which greatly facilitate the mining operation. Folding has deformed the phosphate bed to a considerable degree in the area. It is carried to surface by several of the anticlines and lowered to considerable depths in some of the syn-clines. The main structural features affecting the mining operations of the company are the Garrison anticline and the adjoining syncline and succeeding limb of a second anticline on the east (Fig I). The axis of the folding strikes roughly northwest-southeast. The three mines, namely, the Anderson, Graveley, and Luke are on different limbs of the above folds. Accordingly, the dip of the bed, and consequently the mining method, in each mine differs to a considerable degree from that of the others. For this reason, each operation will be dealt with separately. Anderson Mine LOCATION AND DEVELOPMENT Topographically this mine is in a narrow valley, the bottom of which has an altitude of 5200 ft. The phosphate bed outcrops near the ridge on the east and dips towards the valley floor at an angle of from 25 to 30°,

Jan 1, 1950

By Reginald S. Dean

THE commercial availability of electrolytic manganese has greatly changed the position of manganese as a nonferrous alloying metal. Manganese metal commercially available up to about ten years ago was reduced with either silicon or aluminum and contained substantial amounts of the oxides of these metals and other impurities. Manganese was accordingly not available as an alloy base and its addition to copper-base and nickel-base alloys was generally limited to a manganese content of a few per cent. Several special alloys like manganin contained up to 12 pct of manganese. A method for the production of electrolytic manganese was developed by the Bureau of Mines in 1936 and commercial production was begun in 1938. At the present time (June 1951), production is about 12 tons per day but appears likely to be substantially increased. Electrolytic manganese is deposited from an aqueous electrolyte containing manganese and ammonium sulphates and is marketed as cathode fragments about 1/8 in. thick. The impurities in its composition are as follows: iron, 0.0015 pct; copper, 0.001; arsenic, 0.0005; cobalt, 0.0025; lead, 0.0025; molybdenum, 0.001; sulfide sulfur, 0.017; sulfate sulfur, 0.014; insoluble, 0.002; carbon, 0.002; hydrogen, 0.015. These figures are from Bulletin 463, U. S. Bureau of Mines. From an alloying standpoint, the most important impurity is hydrogen. This can be removed by heating; 95 pct of the hydrogen can be removed in this way without introducing significant amounts of oxygen or nitrogen. Much of the commercial electrolytic manganese used in alloys is dehydrogenited by the producer, since the amount

Jan 1, 1953

By John F. Blandy

IT is not my intention in this article to consider this subject in the light of the geographer or geologist, but rather in that of the mining engineer, and to endeavor to show the necessity and value to him of studying the minor details of the field or district in which he may be engaged. I t has been said by a distinguished geologist that "the natural boundaries of the geographer are rarely described by right lines. Whenever they occur, however, the geologist may look for something remarkable." And again : " Physiognomy is no idle or doubtful science in connection with geology. The physiognomy of a country indicates almost invariably its geological character." Our country furnishes examples enough of the truth of these remarks, and in no part of it is it so beautifully illustrated as in our own State, which has been so ably described by Prof. Lesley in his admirable little work on the "Topography of Coal." As the great mountain lines become guides to the geologist in determining and mapping out the geography of the formations, so do the minor details of topography become guides to the mining engineer in conducting his explorations, discovering of dislocations, and determining the character of the deposits which are the object of his search. I t is therefore requisite that he should, whilst making his surveys, pay the strictest attention to every variation of the landscape and surface of the ground. Until he has mapped out every feature he may be unable to read the geological changes which may have

By G. C. Wallick, W. R. Foster, J. G. Savins

Inasmuch as the differentiation and integration methods represent different modes of rheological analyses, a dual scheme of analysis using both methods should lead to a generalized method of data analysis. A dual differentiation-integmtion method of analysis is applied here to the Poiseuille flow of a variety of ideal Generalized Newtonian and viscoplastic models. Using machine-processing techniques, the result is a spectrum of response patterns which are expressed in terms of certain derivative functions. It is shown that these characteristic functions form the basis of a highly-sensitive analytic technique for optimizing the selection of the most appropriate functional relationship between shear rate and shearing stress. INTRODUCTION In the first paper of this series, Savins, Wallick and Foster1 presented an historical review of the salient features of the differentiation method of rheological analysis in Poiseuille flow, and also indicated how the method could be applied to problems involving plane Poiseuille flow. It was shown that the differentiation and integration methods, although basically not incompatible, do represent different modes of rheological analysis. This suggests that valuable background information regarding the probable response characteristics of real data obtained with the differentiation method can be obtained from an integration method-differentiation method analysis of the response of a variety of ideal rheological models. The present paper describes how this dual method of analysis has been applied to suites of idealized models representing a wide variety of Generalized Newtonian and viscoplastic behavior which have received attention at various places in the literature.

J. L. JONES,* Pittsburgh, Pa.-If a nickel anode is cast under commer-cial conditions, will it contain nickel oxide? Will the nickel oxide affect the rate of corrosion in a double sulfate solution; or will the nickel oxide dissolve in a double sulfate solution? I would also like to ask whether a 98 per cent. pure nickel anode will corrode as fast as a 96 per cent. nickel anode; whether electrolytic nickel will corrode less rapidly than nickel containing a small amount of carbon; and whether the materials some-times used in coating molds for casting nickel anodes will affect the rate of corrosion of the anode? In other words, whether an electrically non conducting coating is likely to be present that will prevent the nickel anode from corroding rapidly. JOHN F. THOMPSON.-The nickel oxide will not dissolve in the double sulfate solution, as far as we know. We do not make the ordinary nickel anode of commerce, but we supply nickel to the nickel anode makers. Those makers almost invariably buy a high-carbon nickel shot, ranging around 0.45 per cent. carbon. In their process, they even further, car-burize it so as to get nickel that will melt easily and be fluid enough to fill the mold, so that the ordinary cast anode on the market is unquestion-ably oxide free. The only time that such an anode will have oxide will be through an error in melting. Some cupola makers of anodes have had trouble with oxidation, but as a rule the anodes are thoroughly carburized; so much so that they probably carry a couple of per cent. of carbon of which around. 1.6 per cent. is graphite.

Jan 12, 1919

An "international gold conference" was held at Spokane, Wash., on Sept. 5, 1918, under the auspices of the Northwest Mining Association, which was attended by a large number of engineers, mine operators, and bankers, representing the northwestern states, as well as Alaska and British Columbia. The principal subject under consideration was the doleful condition of the gold-mining industry, gripped between the diminished purchasing value of its product, and the increased cost of its operation. Two resolutions were adopted by the meeting. The first approved the resolution adopted Aug. 12 by the American Gold Conference, a permanent organization formed at Reno, Nev., in which it is stated that relief by the United States to the gold producers of this country should he made to correspond with the increased cost of production, the extent of the relief to be fixed from time to time to Meet changing conditions. The second resolution, adopted after serious and long-continued discussion, was introduced by F. A. Ross, mining engineer, of Spokane, and a member of the Institute, and was as follows: WHEREAS, it is now clearly understood and agreed by the allied nations that national gold reserves must be augmented without delay if rapidly expanding credits are to be secured; and WHEREAS, at this time, the production of gold is daily decreasing to an alarming extent because of well known conditions that, render the mining of gold-bearing ores unprofitable; and WHEREAS there is no way by which the mining of gold-bearing ores may be made profitable except by the direct' aid and influence of the government; and WHEREAS the government has appealed to the mining industry for practical information and practicable suggestions upon this subject; therefore, be it

Jan 10, 1918

By O. P. Hood

.NONE of the methods now in use for the transportation of materials underground is entirely free from more or less serious objection. The great flexibility, ease, of control and economy of operation of electric tramming are accompanied by the serious menace of a trolley-wire distributing system. As the gasoline locomotive has even greater flexibility of application and requires no similar dangerous distributing system, it might be considered a safety device which would make possible the elimination of the dangerous trolley system were it not possessed of other objectionable qualities peculiar to itself. It is found that the exhaust gases from the engine may be injurious to the health of those breathing the air in which the locomotive has been operating. While electric shock may kill the individual who makes contact with uninsulated parts, the gasoline engine may be detrimental to the health of all those who have to work within the atmosphere corrupted by exhaust gases. The degree of pollution meas-ures the magnitude of the menace. This may be negligible at times, but with careless operation it becomes serious. The exhaust gases from an engine are composed of, nitrogen, a little free oxygen, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, the last two being considered dangerous. The presence of carbon dioxide as a product of combustion of the gasoline was recognized as an objection from the beginning of the use of these machines, but attention was called to the fact that the amount produced was relatively small as compared to that from other sources of this gas, and it was not likely to be made in dangerous quantities. The effect of carbon dioxide, except in relatively large percentages, is confined to the effect it may have in reducing the oxygen content of the air that is breathed.

Jan 10, 1914

By R. H. Lee

Without doubt, one of the most frequent and serious ani~oyailces connected with the practical running of a blast-furnace, especially in single-furnace plants, is caused by low steam, in spite of the fact that all boilers at blast-furnaces have grates for burning coal, and that coal is more or less continuously burned upon them, from three to a dozen men being pretty constantly engaged around the boilers as firemen or coal- and ash-handlers. At times, when the furnace is " tight," all available men arc put on to assist the regular firemen; yet sufficient steam cannot be got to keep the engines up to their regular number of revolutions, while the stoves, deprived of the gas which has been sent to the boilers, run cold, so that, when the furnace loosens up and resumes the regular rate of driving, the blast is very considerably below normal temperature, and a "cold," or at best a " high-sulphnr," cast is the result. Again, it often happens that a furnace, running at its best, becomes temporarily a little too hot: the pressure rises; the amount of gas made is diminished; the steam soon commences to go down; and a small scaffold is likely to form before the furnace has been brought back to the proper rate of driving, and thus enabled to take its regular amount of blast. The usual remedy is either to "jerk" the furnace by a sudden, brief intermission in blowing, or to cool the furnace by lowering the heat of the blast; but if the lower blast-temperature be maintained too long, the hearth and descending stock may be cooled below the " critical temperature" mentioned by Mr. Johnson,' and the furnace may go to the other extreme, and become cold. This is especially the case when coal or coke high in sulphur is used.

Jan 1, 1907