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By David A. Keys

The object of this investigation was to determine with a vertical magnetic variometer the extent of the titaniferous ore deposit that occurs not far from Ivry in Terrebonne County, Quebec, about 70 miles north of Montreal. The Ivry mine, on lots 37 and 38 of range V, Beres-ford township, Quebec, is one of the largest and most accessible to transportation of the deposits of ilmenite in Quebec. The ore consists of an aggregate of ilmenite anhedra serving as host for numerous fine plaques of hematite. No magnetite is known from any occurrence near this lot, and in this way the deposit differs from many others that contain a large percentage of magnetite with the ilmenite. The deposit at Ivry thus has much lower magnetic susceptibility than those containing abundant magnetite, and a sensitive magnetometer was necessary for the work, although a body of magnetite with ilmenite about a mile from the Ivry mine was successfully prospected with a dip needle. The principal orebody is exposed in a quarry known as the Ivry mine, from which about 16,000 tons of ore have been shipped. Small exposures of ilmenite isolated by drift serve to show the presence at the surface of some of the bodies indicated by the magnetometer, but most of the hill is covered with glacial till and second growth hardwood. At the lower levels the till gives place to fluvioglacial sands and gravels from which the forest has been cleared. The increasing thickness of the sand and gravel as the hill descends makes the tracing outward of the deposits from the rocky knob of anorthosite a difficult matter. Within the orebodies too, some masses of anorthosite persist, which may account for some local irregularities. Fig. 1 is a photomicrograph, taken by reflected light, of a typical specimen of the ore. The dark patches are hematite and the light parts are ilmenite No trace of magnetite was found. Pig. 2 is a photomicrograph of a thin section of the country rock showing the texture of the anorthosite. The mean of four analyses quoted by Robinson1 is: titaninm, 19.26 per cent; iron 45.41 per cent. The ilmenite ore is not sufficiently magnetic to deflect an ordinary compass needle, but the effects of the induced magnetism in the ore by

Jan 1, 1940

By W. H. Davitt

While it is true that taxes, especially income taxes, whether they be federal, state, or local, are not usually thought of as a "cost" of doing business, it is equally true that these tax costs do reduce the distributable profits just as much as the cost of power, supplies, or labor. Therefore, the consideration given to taxes is often as important as that given to other costs. Hopefully you will recognize that, within certain limits, taxes can be controlled to an economic advantage. The tax laws as now imposed are quite complex. Many of these laws and the regulations thereunder involve many factual determinations, technical considerations, and specialized valuations that can best be made by people trained in the specific area concerned. A substantial amount of a tax liability turns on the proper consideration given to issues involving facts and principles which are peculiarly engineering in nature. The importance of these "engineering" issues in tax administration has been significantly increased in recent years by our rapidly advancing technology, automation, stepped-up mineral and oil exploitation, new industries such as electronics and nuclear power, and the extension of percentage depletion to all minerals. These specialized requirements incorporated in the law are so technical that full consideration can not be given by people with a non-engineering background.

Jan 7, 1974

By C. S. Simons

Manufacturers of filtering, thickening or clarifying equipment, have been active in developing machines to meet increasingly rigid operator requirements, and the innovations resulting from this effort are moving into commercial applications. In general, the results of these applications are reported to be good. Little has been reported on progress in theory. The growing insistence on the part of pollution control agencies that waste water discharged into streams contain less and less suspended solids is being felt by a broad cross section of industry. A new clarifier, based on the often rediscovered fact that suspended solids settle more rapidly in inclined channels, is being marketed by Neptune MicroFLOC of Corvallis, Ore. This unit employs modules of inclined tubes, mounted in the upper zone of the clarifier, which carry the water flow. These were developed for light solids, such as those encountered in domestic water treatment and in paper mill waste water. In these applications, flow rates up to about three times those permissible in conventional clarifiers are reported to give comparable overflow turbidity. By combining these units with mixed media filters, high clarity may be obtained with minimum capital. Use of such units in the metallurgical industry, particularly where water reuse or effluent quality is important, should grow.

Jan 1, 1970

By John T. Dickman, Ralph E. O’Dette

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) is in the process of evolving a computer-based information system which will process all of the material selected for abstracting in the area of chemistry and chemical engineering and its related fields such as the earth sciences and technologies. This system is already operational to some extent and is expected to be fully utilized by 1971. The objective of CAS is to make chemical and related information more readily available, more usable and more used. Chemical Abstracts handle some 5000 abstracts weekly from 13, 000 journals and patents from 25 nations. These cover all of the 80 CA subject sections which relate to chemistry and also extend into areas of interest to geologists, mineralogists, and mining engineers. In this way, CAS fulfills its objective of complete coverage of its major fields, informative abstracting, and indexing to maximum specificity. The concept of a computer-based information system is that of a single machine-language data base into which the results of intellectual analysis of the literature are entered and from which computer programs produce a variety of publications and services applicable to the needs of a wide range of users.

Jan 1, 1969

By H. H. Alexander

IN the early part of the last century textile fabric was used for the filtration of products of combustion and lampblack was obtained by passing smoke through a series of canvas bags. Natural draft was, used to draw and force the smoke through the bags. About 1850 bag filtration was used for collecting zinc oxide. Around 1876 it was introduced for collecting the fume from lead-ore hearth smelting in. Missouri. Shortly afterward it was used, first at Portland, Me., and later at Canon City, Colo., for the collection and production of zinc-lead pigment in treating mixed zinc-lead sulphides. In 1890 the Globe Smelting & Refining Co., at Denver, Colo., installed a bag house containing 1,458 bags for the recovery of fume from silver-lead blast furnaces. This installation was too small to handle all of the gases and was increased to approximately 2,300 bags. . In 1900 the number of bags was again increased, making a total of approximately 2,800: The usual difficulties incident to new installations were encountered, but they were gradually overcome and the bag house became accepted as standard practice for this class of smelting. As all of the bag houses built since have followed the general lines of the Globe installation, a short description may be of interest. The general construction of the Globe bag house is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The building is 149 ft. 8 in. long by 67 ft. 4 in. wide and 40 ft. 2 in. high from the basement floor to the eaves of the roof, having brick walls 26 in. thick from the foundation up to the thimble floor, from there an 18-in. wall for 16 ft. and a 13-in. wall from this point to the top, a distance of 14 ft. 2 in. Additional stiffening is given to the walls above the basement by pilasters located every 16 ft. The end-wall construction is similar to that of the side walls with the exception of the spacing of the pilasters, which is somewhat greater. The roof is made of corrugated iron laid on 1-in. boards and supported by a timber frame work spaced 16 ft. apart resting on the basement partition walls. On top is a louver running the

Jan 8, 1914

[Appalachian Petroleum Section: Chairman: Robert H. Edele, 1st V.C.: Robert Vutech, 2nd V.C.: Robert Tullis, Sec.-Treas.: Frederick T. Solomon. Meets last Tuesday of each month in Charleston, W. Va. Balcones Section: Chairman: Dr. Frank W. Jessen, 1st V.C.: Gilbert M. Andreen, 2nd V.C.: Lloyd N. Johnson, Seo.-Treas.: W. C. Vercellino. Big Horn Basin Subsection: Chairman: B. E. Yester, 1st V.C.: Robert J. Woodhall, 2nd V.C.: Herbert A. Koch, Secretary: Dean Costello, Treasurer: Thomas W. DeLong. Meets 2nd Wednesday; alternating between Cody and Worland. Billings Petroleum Section: Chairman: George O. Ellis, 1st V. C.: Robert L. Spottswood, 2nd V. C.: Robert M. Watkins, Sec-Treas.: Joseph H. Bato. Meets 5:30 p.m., 3rd Tuesday at Billings Press Club.]

Jan 1, 1961

Some years ago the open Hearth Committee of the Institute reached the conclusion that the reading of "set" papers tended to preclude the specific and detailed discussion of specialized problems of current interest to those operating steel plants. As an innovation the Committee distributed in advance of the meeting in May, 1927, a questionnaire containing a list of 27 topics involving operating problems. The subsequent discussion of the questions, participated in by 37 members, was a conspicuous success. Semiannual meetings have been held since; and at the conference of November, 1929, at Chicago, 131 men were present and the minutes comprised a book of 133 printed pages, thereby, indicating the growing value of the conference in the eyes of both the metallurgists themselves and the companies that employed them. With this example in mind, the Directors felt that definite advantages would accrue to a similar conference to be participated in by smelter officials and metallurgists engaged in the operation of copper reverberatory furnaces. The settlement of the Carson litigation, which for several years had virtually stopped public discussion of reverberatory practice, offered an opportune time for launching the scheme. Although the Conference may become largely self-financing in the future, some funds were regarded as necessary to conduct the first meeting. The members of the Rocky Mountain Income Committee, in view of the fact that copper smelting was essentially an activity of the Rocky Mountain area, recommended the project be, in effect, underwritten by the Fund, and the directors approved an appropriation for this purpose. Invitations were extended to high executives of the various-companies interested to send representatives to an initial meeting to be held at Salt Lake City, May 26-27. The response was enthusiastic. Twenty-three metallurgists representing 12 different plants were present to discuss the comprehensive-program relating to construction and operating phases of reverberatory smelting. It was understood that the record was not to be included in the regular publications of the Institute but that it would be prepared for private distribution among the participants and the officials of their companies. That the exchange of views and experience was no less instructive and stimulating than it was frank, full and informal is indicated by the following transcript of the minutes of the meeting.

Jan 1, 1930

J. J. MCLELLAN, Webb City, Mo.-The Media mill, at the time it was built, was the largest mill that had been designed in the Joplin district. It was put up in a hurry, to take advantage of the high prices for zinc ore in 1915, by the owners of an adjacent plant, which had been very profitable. They owned a compound Corliss engine, and to take advantage of a single-unit drive it was necessary to build the mill in the form chosen, which involved making the hopper feed directly through the breakers and rolls, the undersize from the screen passing at once to the jigs, the oversize going through the rolls and returning to the original trommels. The mill was built in fairly good proportion; crushing was done by jaw breakers, Webb City pattern,' and three sets of 42-in. (106.7-cm.) Cornish rolls for reducing the oversize. The jigs were larger than the usual practice. The roughers were two six-cell jigs, with 42 by 48-in. cells. The cleaner jig was the largest ever constructed in the district up to that time, having seven 36 by 48-in. cells, for treating the rougher jigs. There was also a chat rougher. "Smittem," as used in our district, is the partly concentrated product from the rougher, which is finished on the cleaner jigs. "Chats" are the middlings proper, that is, they are the grains of chert with included particles of sulphide; the very low-grade smittem is sometimes included among the chats. When drawing chats from a jig, we also draw about ten times greater quantity of barren chert in order to insure complete recovery of mineral. This mixture of middlings and tailings is taken to a set of 30-in. rolls, the crushed product then going to a chat rougher, a comparatively small jig, with 26 by 36-in. cells. The principal departure of the Media mill from the usual practice was to build a hopper sufficiently high to give gravity feed to the jigs, without using elevators. The sludge plant, for table treatment of sand and slime, also contained several innovations in the manner of distributing the feed. The tables were arranged in two rows and the feed ran around the outside in a launder having two or three cone classifiers

Jan 1, 1918

By K. N. Weaver

In the early 1950's the cement industry began putting a new emphasis on geology. This article points up some of the industry's raw materials problems that geologists are uniquely qualified to handle. Portland cement can be made from relatively abundant industrial minerals and rocks, and this may explain why cement producers placed little emphasis on geology during the early days of the industry. After World War 11, however, the industry began to recognize the need for geological exploration and some of the larger companies began to build a permanent geological staff. This development has its roots in: 1) The rapid expansion of the industry. After World War II and continuing into the early 1950's the demand for cement far exceeded the production capacity. This placed a great deal of pressure on the producers to enlarge capacity at their plants and to develop new sites. 2) The closing of many cement plants due to inadequate raw materials. Producers feared lack of raw materials due to inadequate exploration and evaluation. 3) An ever increasing pressure for upgrading of the quality of portland cement, necessitated upgrading the quality of raw materials. 4) The increasingly large capital investment needed to build new cement plants required a higher degree of accuracy in reserve calculation. These reasons are more or less self explanatory and will not be elaborated on. They are outlined to illustrate the probable evolution of thought among cement management to justify the development of a geological staff. In the author's personal experience the geologist must continually readjust to changing conditions within the industry. For example, cement production capacity grew so rapidly that today production is only about 70% to 75% of rated capacity (73.8% in 1963). Therefore, whereas the geologist's function during the active expansion of capacity was primarily one of exploration, one of his major functions today is the development of existing reserves. This assumes of course that reserves at existing plants have been proven to be adequate in terms of the company's reserve policy. Through the proper development of raw materials, the geologist can markedly influence quality control, production and long range planning. Examples of several of the operations of Medusa Portland Cement Co. will illustrate how proper attention to geologic detail pays off in the above areas. Because limestone is the major raw material of port-land cement, the examples will be concerned with it. DEVELOPMENT OF GEOLOGIC DETAIL One of the prime objectives of an exploration or development project should be the establishment of the stratigraphy and structure of the deposit. The basic tool for exploration and development is still the core drill, and the geologist must gain a maximum amount of information from a minimum amount of drilling. In order to obtain this objective the following is essential: 1) Adequate detailed geologic logging of cores. The core is first logged and separated into lithologically distinct units. In order to make the lithologic breaks as meaningful as possible, representative pieces of core (not all) are etched in dilute HCI. This removes the "drill polish", brings out the structure of the rock and indicates the proportion of dolomite and argillaceous material because dolomite and argillaceous material etch in relief. In this way the lithologic breaks become clearer and one gains a general idea of the chemical makeup before analysis. This method of logging lessens the probability of including two types of stone, e.g. limestone and dolomite into the same sample for chemical analysis. 2) Representative sampling for chemical analysis. After logging, the lithologic units are sampled for chemical analysis. A representative analysis can be obtained by extracting a 1-in. sample for every foot of core. For example, a lithologic interval of 10 ft to 20 ft would yield ten 1-in. samples taken at 11 ft, 12 ft, 13 ft... and 20 ft. These samples are then crushed, pulverized and split into a sample for chemical analysis. This sampling method represents a significant saving of time over splitting the entire core. 3) Preparing the core as a record. Because of the expense of storage and the difficulty of handling large amounts of core, only representative samples of each lithologic unit are saved for reference. An

Jan 1, 1965

By G. J. Heuer, J. N. Dew, G. C. Clark

The effect on well behavior of partial permeability barriers, changes in producing rates and well spacings have been calculated through use of a radial, unsteady-state, two-phase-flow mathematical model. This model allows for variations in permeabilities and porosities with distance from the wellbore. The numerical methods necessary to solve the problem require use of a highspeed digital computer, in this case an IBM 704. In each instance, pressure and saturation gradients, gas-oil ratios and recoveries around a well producing by solution-gas drive have been calculated as a function of time and distance from the wellbore. Comparisons are made to show the effect of changes in producing rate and of varying permeability near the wellbore and out in the formation on the production and pressure history of the well. The effect of different well spacings on producing rate and ultimate recovery is considered. Although the mathematical description of the reservoir is simplified in comparison to an actual reservoir, the results do give some insight into the difficult problem of spacing and proration in a heterogeneous solution-gas-drive reservoir. Results show that for the cases considered spacing has little effect on ultimate recovery and that permeability barriers removed from the well decrease producing rate for a period of time but have only a small effect on ultimate production. INTRODUCTION The effect of spacing and producing rate on the production characteristics and ultimate recovery of a well producing by the solution-gas-drive mechanism have been topics of interest to the oil industry for many years and the subject of many hearings before state regulatory bodies. The problem is very complicated because of the difficulty of simulating in the laboratory a reservoir producing by the solution-gas-drive mechanism under anything like normal field conditions. This paper gives the initial results of a study aimed at determining the effect of these factors on production from reservoirs simulated by a mathematical model. Two-phase, unsteady-state equations are used to calculate pressures, saturations, and rates of oil and gas flow as a function of time and distance from the wellbore. The model is radial, and reservoir properties may be varied with distance from the wellbore. A decrease in permeability at a given distance results in a low-permeability ring concentric with the wellbore through which all the fluids from more distant portions of the reservoir must flow. The current mathematical model allows for variation of permeability, porosity and saturations as a function of distance from the well. Any desired drainage radius for the well may be selected. Drainage radii of 745 and 1,053 ft, which correspond to 40- and 80-acre spacing, were chosen for the calculations which follow. A large amount of the input data has been held constant. No investigation was made into the effect of changes in fluid properties and relative permeability characteristics on oil and gas production behavior. Fluid properties and relative permeabilities are essentially those of the White Mesa portion of the Greater Aneth area in southeastern Utah. A recently concluded hearing before the Utah Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to determine spacing for the field aroused interest in the possible effect of permeability constrictions located some distance from the well on production and recovery. This interest stimulated the present study. In this paper, no attempt has been made to simulate any field production characteristics exactly. Only the solution-gas-drive mechanism has been investigated, and production by liquid expansion has not been considered. This investigation is exploratory in nature but does give some insight into the problems of spacing and proration in a solution-gas-drive field having permeability variations. THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL The mathematical model is similar to that proposed by West, Garvin and Sheldon.' Approximately the same techniques have been used in arriving at a solution. The equations are nonlinear, partial differential equations which have been known for some time. The particular equations used for this study neglect the effects of capillary pressure and gravitational forces. The advent of modern digital computing equipment has made their solution practical. Basically, the method solves for pressure, saturations, and oil and gas flow rates as a function of distance and time. In our model, distance to the

By J. P. Kerr, W. H. Cordell

Conditions in the oil and gas industry in Indiana were about the same in 1935 as in 1934. This is especially true of the old Trenton area and the Harrison County area where production was steady and almost no exploration and development took place. The past year has seen an increase in drilling activity and a decrease in oil and gas output in southwestern Indiana. In the state, 224 wells were completed in 1935, of which 48 were oil wells, 61 gas wells, and 115 dry holes. A few of these were old gas wells deepened to oil horizons. Twenty-six wells started during 1935 were not completed by Dec. 31. Approximately one-half the wells drilled were within proven areas. A relatively large number of wildcats, especially in Daviess, Pike and Gibson Counties, were in search of new gas supplies to supplant the diminishing resources in those counties. The decreased production of gas was due largely to the fact that existing supplies declined more rapidly than new fields could be brought on. The Alford field, in Pike County, which produced the bulk of the supply in 1934, was called on to do likewise in 1935, but was unable to respond sufficiently to keep up the yearly production for southwestern Indiana. During the last half of the year, the Oaktown field, Knox County, was connected with one of the principal pipe lines of the state, which helped to keep gas production above an unusual low. The decline in oil production was due almost entirely to proration during the first eight months of the year. The proration affected Daviess, Pike, Gibson, Sullivan and Vigo counties, which produce about three-fourths of the total for the state. After proration was lifted, the wells never quite reached the conditions existing before proration. The average daily production per well in Indiana is less than two barrels. The outstanding development in Indiana in 1935 was the drilling in the Oaktown field immediately before and after the laying of the 6-in. pipe line to the field. Almost without exception the wells came in with an open flow of two to four million cubic feet. At the end of the year, 26 wells were connected to the pipe line. Development of this field will

Jan 1, 1936

By J. P. Kerr, W. H. Cordell

Conditions in the oil and gas industry in Indiana were about the same in 1935 as in 1934. This is especially true of the old Trenton area and the Harrison County area where production was steady and almost no exploration and development took place. The past year has seen an increase in drilling activity and a decrease in oil and gas output in southwestern Indiana. In the state, 224 wells were completed in 1935, of which 48 were oil wells, 61 gas wells, and 115 dry holes. A few of these were old gas wells deepened to oil horizons. Twenty-six wells started during 1935 were not completed by Dec. 31. Approximately one-half the wells drilled were within proven areas. A relatively large number of wildcats, especially in Daviess, Pike and Gibson Counties, were in search of new gas supplies to supplant the diminishing resources in those counties. The decreased production of gas was due largely to the fact that existing supplies declined more rapidly than new fields could be brought on. The Alford field, in Pike County, which produced the bulk of the supply in 1934, was called on to do likewise in 1935, but was unable to respond sufficiently to keep up the yearly production for southwestern Indiana. During the last half of the year, the Oaktown field, Knox County, was connected with one of the principal pipe lines of the state, which helped to keep gas production above an unusual low. The decline in oil production was due almost entirely to proration during the first eight months of the year. The proration affected Daviess, Pike, Gibson, Sullivan and Vigo counties, which produce about three-fourths of the total for the state. After proration was lifted, the wells never quite reached the conditions existing before proration. The average daily production per well in Indiana is less than two barrels. The outstanding development in Indiana in 1935 was the drilling in the Oaktown field immediately before and after the laying of the 6-in. pipe line to the field. Almost without exception the wells came in with an open flow of two to four million cubic feet. At the end of the year, 26 wells were connected to the pipe line. Development of this field will

Jan 1, 1936

By Charles Pack

DIE castings may be defined as metal castings made by forcing molten metal, under pressure, into a metallic mold or die. It is necessary to keep this definition in mind to avoid confusing this process with other permanent-mold casting processes. The fundamental principles of the process have been known and practised many years. The simplest application is embodied in the modern linotype machine in which molten metal (usually tin-lead alloy) is forced under pressure into a metallic mold. The pressure is derived from a piston and cylinder immersed in the molten metal. Progress in the art of die casting may conveniently be divided into threee groups: Machine for imparting pressure to the metal, material for the die or mold, casting alloys. CASTING MACHINES The problem of delivering molten metal under pressure into a die is comparatively simple, when dealing with low-fusing-point alloys, as the alloys of lead and tin, but it is much more complicated when dealing with metals of higher fusing points, such as the alloys of zinc, aluminum, and copper. Although the art of die casting is comparatively new and, to a large extent, unknown, the records of the patent office are replete with patents on the subject. Fig. 1 shows the Underwood machine patented in 1902; this is probably one of the first machines designed for the production of commercial die castings. The relation of this machine to the linotype casting machine is clearly. apparent. A cylinder and piston are immersed in the molten metal, the application of power to this piston forcing the molten metal, under pressure, into the mold or die. The Doehler machine, Fig. 2, patented in 1907, is based on the same general principles. This machine is used to a large extent at the present time, throughout the United States, for the production of zinc, tin, and lead alloy die castings.

Jan 2, 1919

By Basil B. Zavoico

The production of all Russian fields incressed from approsimatctly 74,000,000 bbl. during 1926-27, to approximately 83,000,000 bbl. during 1927-28. Of this amount Baku was responsible for 54,.500,000 bbl., Grozny for 25,800,000 bbl., and Emba for 1,200,000 bbl. Accordingly, the proportional importance of the Grozny oil field has been considerably increased, the present production being twice that of 1913. The most notable factor of production during 1927-28 was the importance of gushers; 40.8 per cent. of the total was thus obtained. In the Baku fields 26 per cent. of the total, and in Grozny 74.2 percent'. of the total were produced by naturally flowing wells. This may be explained by the reduction in authorizations for drilling by the central authorities, and, accordingly, the local trusts increased the production to the planned figures at the expense of the proved prolific reserves. In Baku region, the Surnkany oil field produced 36.1 per cent. of the total Baku production, or an equivalent of 53,800 bbl. per clay, the largest percentage coining from the fifth horizon. Nest year's plans call for continual development of that horizon as well as of the sixteenth horizon in the Bibi-Eibat field, which was opened lately. In the Grozny fields the New Area (Bellik) WAS responsible for 79.4 per cent. of the total production. The authorized plan for 1928-29 production calls for 92,200,000 bid., and a reasonably accurate estimate for 1932--33 production is placed at. 156,000,000 bbl., with Baku contributing 101,800,000 bbl., Grozny 44,100,000 bbl., Emba 6,200,000 bbl., Kuban 2,100,000 bbl., Saghalien Island 1,400,000 bbl., and Russian Turkestan 400,000 bbl. In connection with recent discoverices in the Baku area these figures art. quite conservative. The average production per well per day in the Baku oil fields was 49.2 bbl., in Grozny 175 bbl.; in detail, Surakany oil field averaged 250 bbl., and the New Area in Grozny 514 bbl. per day. New completions in all Baku fields averaged 264 bbl. per day, and in Grozny 970 bbl. pel. day. These figures show a considerable progress in the technical developnlent of all fields, compared even with the prerevolution figures, since all the mprovements are noted in the fields that arc over 30 years old.

Jan 1, 1929

By R. G. Knickerbocker

THE copper smelter and refinery of The Messina (Transvaal) Development Co. Ltd., at Messina, South Africa, was erected in 1920 and 1921, but initial operations were deferred until late in 1922 on account of the collapse of the copper market in the interim. Because the anticipated production was to be only 20 tons of copper per day from a high-grade matte containing 60 per cent copper, and because the ore did not contain gold or silver in quantities sufficient to pay for separation from the copper bullion, it was decided to design the plant along lines quite different from the modern smelteries treating large quantities of sulfide ores carrying appreciable amounts of gold and silver. The plant was built, therefore, for the production of copper by the Nicholls-James process. By this method two-thirds of the copper matte produced was roasted in a Merton calciner and charged into a bath of the remaining one-third portion of unroasted matte in a reaction furnace. The original design was not only novel in providing for the Nicholls-James process, but also in comparison with new plants built elsewhere, because of factors inherent in the locality. Sources of supply for machinery were very remote; it takes three months after the placing of an order to accomplish delivery of machinery into Messina from the United States. Native labor was available at 30 to 40¢ per 8-hr. shift. These factors permitted plant design which provided no overhead cranes, no matte ladles, no slag pots or other usual mechanical means of transportation between departments. The design resulted in a compact simple plant with furnaces arranged close together and. terraced so as to provide for gravity transfer of molten material from one furnace to another and for manual disposal of products. Fig. 1 shows the relative location of furnaces. The three furnaces are parallel on successively decreasing elevations. A superimposed feed floor was provided above the furnaces. All three furnaces were provided with coal-dust burners served from a Bonnot system of coal-dust transportation, and the waste gases were discharged into waste-heat boilers.

Jan 1, 1932

By E. Cortese

Phosphate occurs in many places in Egypt, in two main zones: one in Upper Egypt, along the Nile Valley, principally on the right side, and one near the Red Sea coast. In the Nile zone, the principal layers of phosphate rock are to be found: in the mountains east of Mahamid (right side of the valley); in the hills near Sibaiya, also called Sebaieh (both sides); in the hills of Agula, Hagaza and Gurn (right side); and further on, along the camel road leading from Kena to Kosseir, a few miles east of Legheita's Oasis. Following that track, after having crossed the watershed, underlain by rocks like granite, serpentine, porphyry, and diabase, one comes again to the Cretaceous formation containing considerable quantities of phosphate, at Gebel Duwi, Gebel Nakheil, and Gebel Kosseir El Kadim, not far from the coast. More to the north, in the hills near Safaga Bay (Um El Uettat El Wasif) is another rich bed of the same formation. There are reports of phosphate existing near Suez and in the Sinai peninsula, and possibly some other zones can be traced or discovered in the future. The mines are well developed on the right bank of the Nile at Sharawna (near Sebaieh Station) and along the Red Sea coast, at Safaga and near Kosseir. Prospecting work has been done at Gebel Duwi, Gebel Gurn, Agula, Hagaza, and near Mahamid. The phosphatic formation in Egypt is quite variable, not only from place to place, but even within small areas. The phosphate is all of Cretaceous age, as is proved by the fossils found in it. It is considered to belong to the Campanian or, more appropriately, to the Maestrichtian series. The principal fossils are: Alectryonia Villei Coq. sp.; Roudereia Aures-sensis Coq. sp. = R. Drui Mun. Chalm.; Trigonoarca multidentata, Newton.; Cardita libyca, Zittel; Libycoceras Ismaely, Zittel; Nautilus sp.; Ancystrodon libycum Dam.; Corax pristodontus Ag.; Lamma biauriculata Zittel sp. Above the Maestrichtian beds, we have the Danian series, unconform-ably covered by Lower Eocene beds. Under the phosphate is a grayish marly clay, and beneath this, bluish-gray scaly shales resting on the Nubian sandstone (Santonian).

Jan 1, 1918

By R. B. Newcombe

Despite abnormal economic conditions and the unhealthy state of the petroleum industry, 1930 closed without any marked decline in total production of oil in the Middle Western States. The most accurate figures available would indicate for this district an output of close to 25,000,000 bbl. for 1930 as compared to 26,000,000 bbl. for 1929. This can be accounted for by the settled nature of a great many of the wells producing in this area and the favorable geographical position, which affords adequate refining and marketing facilities. The only new flush production field discovered in the area was the Legrande oil pool in southeastern Hart County in western Kentucky, where wells up to 1000 bbl. initial have been reported from a shallow depth. Important extensions have been found in a number of central Ohio fields, and activity in the central Michigan area resulted in new pools along the northwest trend of the Mt. Pleasant structure. These new districts, known as the Leaton and Vernon pools, have not yet reached the scope of the Mt. Pleasant field proper, and although the structure is similar, sand conditions are not strictly analogous. Wildcatting was retarded somewhat by the scarcity of market for oil and many important wells were shut down for several months. This has not shown such a profound effect on production as the reticence of operators to drill inside proven locations. The major companies have not been able to dispose of their oil and the smaller operating units are having trouble financing their projects. The result is that oil in sight is not being produced and output is suffering accordingly. Another important effect on production was the introduction of proration by the major crude purchasers and a voluntary shut-down by Kentucky operators. This step became necessary because of the glutting of lake port refineries with Mid-Continent oil, and was not fostered by regulating state bodies, as in the case of the southwestern states. Small refining units have sprung up to meet this situation in a number of instances but they have experienced some difficulty in disposing of their product because of "dumping" tactics from other quarters. New refinery outlets on the Great Lakes and new pipe line connections should tend to alleviate this difficulty during the coming year. The

Jan 1, 1931

By H. L. Stone, A. O. Garder

A numerical method of solving the partial differential equations which describe the one-dimensional displacement of oil by gas has been presented. Possible extension of the method to treat multidimensional flow is discussed, and the limitations of this extension are indicated. Using this method, it is possible to allow for the existence of a gas cap, the presence of any number of gas-injection or oil-production wells and the evolution of dissolved gas from the oil. It is also possible to allow for variation in the cross-sectional area, elevation, porosity and permeability of the reservoir. The influence of relative permeability and the force of gravity in the direction of flow upon the displacement is considered. The influence of capillary pressure upon the flow and the effect of gravity in the direction perpendicular to flow are neglected. The physical properties 01 the fluids are considered to be Junctions of pressure only, and equilibrium between contiguous phases is assumed. The numerical calculations can be readily carried out by the use of a digital computer. Several example analyses have been performed using the IBM 704 computer, and about one-third of an hour of computing time was required per case. Reservoir behavior predicted by use of this numerical method was compared to data obtained by other methods for three cases — complete pressure maintenance, dissolved-gas drive and gas-cap drive. The independent solutions to these problems were obtained by analytical solution, laboratory experiment and field data, respectively. Agreement of the numerical solution with data from these sources was good; this agreement establishes the convergence and accuracy of the numerical method. INTRODUCTION Most petroleum reservoirs can be produced by any one of several alternative programs. When a reservoir is produced by primary methods, production economics can be influenced by controlling the number and location of wells and the flow rate of each well. An even greater influence may be achieved by augmenting the recovery of oil obtainable by primary methods. This can be accomplished by injection of fluids such as water, natural or enriched gas or a bank of light liquid hydrocarbons. Selection of the most desirable operation requires a means of predicting the reservoir behavior which will result from each of the several alternative programs. The purpose of this paper is to present a mathematical method for predicting the behavior of reservoirs produced by gas-cap drive, dissolved-gas drive or pressure maintenance by gas injection. The method described herein takes cognizance of phase changes caused by a decline or an increase (due to gas injection) in reservoir pressure, of the presence of a gas cap and of the effect of gravity on the flow of gas and oil. Relative permeability relationships are used to define the flow properties of the rock. Allowance is made for variation in cross-sectional area, elevation, permeability and porosity of the reservoir. Both the influence of capillary pressure upon the flow and pressure gradients in the gas cap are neglected. Whenever a liquid phase and a gas phase are in contact, they are assumed to be in equilibrium. The physical properties of the fluids are considered to be functions of pressure only. Therefore, if the method is to be used to predict the effects of a gas-injection program, mixtures of the injected gas and formation crude should-have the same physical properties as mixtures of formation gas and crude. The equations to be presented in this paper apply only to a one-dimensional case; therefore, they neglect the influence of gravity in the direction transverse to the flow. As is well known, this gravitational influence may lead to overriding of oil by gas. Consequently, this procedure as presented is most applicable to long, thin reservoirs for which gravity overriding is not important. On the other hand, the equations presented can be generalized to treat multidimensional flow and, hence, to consider gravity overriding, if desired. A word of caution on two points is advisable here, however. First, the authors have not demonstrated the accuracy of the numerical technique for multidimensional flow. Second, and more important, capillary pressure will often be of importance in multidimensional problems. Obviously, in such cases a generalization of the

By Arthur F. L. Bell

Discussion of the paper of ARTHUR F. L. BELL, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 105, September, 1915, pp. 1769 to 1799. WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS, San Francisco, Cal.-Is the Union Avila plant run as a topping plant or as a dehydrating plant? A. F. L. BELL, San Francisco, Cal.-Both. It takes off an average of 20 per cent. water besides topping the oil. Part of the crude oil is run through an electrical separator before running to the topping plant, but the entire crude averages about 20 per cent. when it enters the topping plant. DAVID T. DAY, Washington, D. C.-I suppose most of the work contemplated in these large topping plants is simply to deal with topping the oils with only a small percentage of water in them. A. F. L. BELL.-Not more than 2 per cent. of water can be handled in ordinary stills without causing trouble. At our Gavotte refinery, where the oil runs from 15 to 30 per cent. water, we carry 20 lb., pressure oil our stills to hold the framing down, we can do that with small stills, with large one's it would not be safe; but with a retort, the quantity of water contained in the oil does not affect its working. It simply means additional fuel to evaporate the water.

Jan 12, 1915

By W. C. Lilliendahl, H. W. Highriter

THE method developed and used in this laboratory for the production of metallic uranium of such purity that it is ductile and can be cold-worked to fine wire or thin sheet by rolling has already been described1. It consists, briefly, in the electrolysis of potassium uranous fluoride (KUF6) in a molten bath composed of equal parts of sodium and calcium chlorides. The bath is contained in a graphite crucible, electrically heated to about 775° C., the crucible serving as the anode for electrolysis. The uranium deposits in finely divided form mixed with salts upon a molybdenum cathode suspended axially in the crucible. Upon completion of the electrolysis the cathode is removed and cooled, the deposit broken and leached to remove salts. The metal powder is washed with water and dilute acetic acid and dried in vacuo to reduce oxidation. Suitable amounts are then pressed into pellets and heated in vacuo by high-frequency induction, using a thoria crucible. The uranium melts and flows away from the pellet, leaving a shell, which is largely oxide. In general, this method produced a satisfactory metal, although at times the uranium was not ductile. The investigations recorded here were made to find the cause of this embrittlement. It was known that the metal generally contained carbon, derived from disintegration of the graphite crucible in which electrolysis is conducted, in amounts dependent upon the thoroughness of washing the metal powder. Accordingly, analyses of several samples, both ductile and brittle, were made by combustion and absorption of CO2 in Ascarite, using air instead of oxygen to reduce the temperature and rate of oxidation. Several of these metals were made with special precautions to reduce carbon content. The results show no relationship between ductility and carbon content in the range investigated (Table 1).

Jan 1, 1935