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By Joseph Pogue

ANY mechanism, either natural or artificial, for regulating the func-tioning of a given unit in the general economy must operate toward the maintenance of equilibrium if it is to survive. The petroleum industry, concerned as it is with the production of a natural resource of specialized character, is surrounded not only by the economic factors common to other industries but by an extra set of unique elements centering about the fugitive character of crude petroleum under conditions of competitive development. The term equilibrium, therefore, so far as the oil business concerned, involves a combination of economic and physical factors: the first set having to do with supply, demand, costs, profit margins, purchasing power, and the like; and the second, with underground pres-sures in oil pools, efficient rates of extraction, and all other aspects of engineering that may be summarized by the familiar term "conserva-tion." The two categories, in fact, are not as clearly divided as the foregoing statement would imply, for in practice it will be found that the economic and physical aspects have a pervasive interaction and interrelationship. If the development of the petroleum industry in the United States is examined from its inception in 1859 down to the present, it will be found that, beginning about 11 years ago, a new mechanism for regulating the production of crude petroleum made its appearance. Prior to this recent period, the production of this raw material was determined by competitive forces operating without outside restraints. At present the output of crude oil is subjected to supervision by regulatory bodies in most of the oil-producing states, which impose upon the operators certain conditions having to do with the manner and rates of production. Thus, in the space of a decade, the mechanism for producing crude oil has changed from an automatic to a designed procedure called proration. And in its short history this method has been marked by a rapid evolution in its nature and incidence, with progressive changes still under way.

Jan 1, 1938

By M. C. J. van der Merwe

"Carboxymethyl cellulose is an organic binder used in the iron ore pelletizing industry. The basic principles of how carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solutions behave during the pelletizing process and how these principles affect the drop and compression strengths of the pellets are poorly understood. The aim of the investigation was therefore to gain knowledge on the behaviour of CMC during the pelletizing of haematite concentrate.Haematite pellets with different additions of CMC (0.1–0.4 wt%), were subjected to drop tests, compression tests, and free moisture content analysis. The relationship between the drop strength, compression strength, free moisture content, elapsed time, and CMC concentration was analysed.The drop strength had a strong correlation with the free moisture content of the haematite pellets, with a correlation coefficient of 0.94. The compression strength of the CMC-bonded haematite pellets increased as the free moisture content decreased, reaching a maximum upon depletion of the free moisture content. Haematite pellets with CMC concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 wt% developed most of their strength within the first day after pelletizing, whereas pellets with concentrations of 0.3 and 0.4 wt% developed most of their strength between one and two days after pelletizing. The time within which CMC-bonded haematite pellets develop most of their strength is therefore dependent on the CMC concentration. IntroductionFines are produced during the beneficiation of iron ore. These fines are separated from the lump ore and can be upgraded to produce a concentrate, which is used as a raw material for the production of pellets. Pellets in turn form a key burden material for direct reduction processes as well as the blast furnace (Zhu et al., 2015).Inorganic binders such as bentonite have been used predominantly in the iron ore pelletizing process to obtain pellets with suitable properties (Eisele and Kawatra, 2003). These binders, however, have the disadvantage of introducing impurities into the pellets. This has resulted in organic binders being pursued as suitable replacements for inorganic binders, of which carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) shows good potential. Although CMC has been used as an organic binder in iron ore pelletizing, the fundamental principles of how it behaves during pelletizing and how these impact on pellet properties are poorly understood."

Jan 1, 2017

By Jean-Louis Dirion, Guy Depelsenaire, Patrick Sharrock, Souhila Kribi, Ange Nzihou, Jocelyn Ramaroson

"This study assesses the Novosol® process, an emerging technology developed by Solvay to treat heavy metals from dredged sediments using phosphoric acid. The main goal is to convert toxic metal ions, such as Pb2+, Cd2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ to insoluble metallic phosphates. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by performing the chemical reaction in a tubular reactor, followed by convective drying and maturation of the treated sediment at ambient temperature and finally thermal destruction of the organic matter by calcinations (500°C-700°C). Selected variables (acid concentration, volume fraction of solids, flow rate, drying and calcination temperature and time) were investigated. Laboratory scale experiments were carried out with various combinations of these parameters. The influence of the quantity of acid and the temperature of calcinations on physical properties of the sediment and stabilization of the heavy metals are discussed. Introduction The French territory counts 525 000 km of rivers which transport each year on average 6 million m3 of sediments. Their deposit causes the silting of channels, rivers and lakes. This completely natural phenomenon is exacerbated by the introduction of industrial and urban wastes into the erosion and sedimentation process. This silting leads to clogging of rivers, with a reduction in their flow rates. Consecutively, other problems appear, such as flooding risks, decrease of biological purification capacity and associated loss of the biodiversity. The presence of toxic compounds (from industrial, household or agricultural origins) in the sediments worsens the situation, and requires curing to restore the natural environment and its function. The dredged sediments are either spread on agricultural land, land tipped, confined or sent for chemical or physical treatment [12]. The first research programmes on toxic sediments appeared at the end of the Eighties in the United States, in Canada, in the Netherlands and in Germany. Several techniques of treatment were developed for the sediments; these techniques can be used alone or in combination. These techniques include extraction and concentration of the pollutants: the pollutants are isolated from the sedimentary matrix and the sediment is decontaminated. In some cases of organic contaminations, the pollutants are destroyed by chemical oxidation or biodegradation and in other cases, the contaminated material is either stabilized (mixed with hydraulic binders), or destroyed (incineration) [14,15]. Phytoremediation by afforestation has also been reported [19]."

Jan 1, 2008

By Richard Moldenke

ONE of the little-known characteristics of cast' iron, which neverthe-less has an important bearing on results where accuracy in machining-is essential, is the ability of this material to ease up internal strains when. .allowed to remain quiescent for a more or less extended period of time. At seems as if the molecules in such a casting, by virtue of their "mobility,? can adjust their relative positions to an extent sufficient to overcome some of the existing stresses. The following instance will perhaps give a fair idea of the condition a casting may he in when just shaken out of the sand. A very large sheave-wheel, after shaking out, was taken' outdoors to be, cleaned and made ready for turning up. It was leaned against the side of the building, but before much could be done an arm tore apart with a loud report. Investigation showed that the sun had been shining on the upper rim, this adding a slight strain to those already existing within the arm and thus overbalancing the strength of the metal in tension. Had this sheave been kept under cover for a while, or at least until machined, the-strains., would have eased off sufficiently to allow the sun to look upon it without disaster. It will not be necessary to multiply examples. Every engineer knows the danger of water-hammer in pipe lines, particularly if the latter are of cast iron. Every mechanic knows, or should know, that it is not good to strike a fitting that is under steam pressure. It will be necessary to say a few words on the "internal- strains" in castings-the so-called "casting strains" we hear so much about. We all know that to get a casting reasonably true to the dimensions wanted requires a slightly larger pattern. The usual allowance for gray iron is 1/8 in. to the foot (1 cm. per meter) and ¼ in. to the foot (2 cm. per meter) for white iron (all dimensions). This reduction in length, breadth and thickness in a casting is erroneously called "shrinkage." It should be called "contraction," as for practical purposes. it is simply the difference .in dimensions of the casting red-hot and cold.

Jan 2, 1917

By Samuel M. Cassidy

The exact date of man's first use of coal is lost in antiquity. The discovery that certain black rock would burn was undoubtedly accidental and probably occurred independently and many times in the world over thousands of years. It is quite likely that these independent discoveries were made when primitive man chanced to build camp fires on exposed ledges of a black rock, then was amazed when it caught fire. The Chinese recorded the use of coal 1100 yearn before the Christian Era and from the Bible we learn that King Solomon was familiar with coal in what is now Syria. In Wales, there is evidence that the Bronze Age people used coal for funeral pyres, and it is known that the Romans used this fuel. There are other ancient references. So the knowledge that coal would burn, and even some uses of that knowledge, go back thousands of years. However, practical and consistent use of coal seems to date to England in the Middle Ages. COAL IN AMERICA In the Americas, there is evidence here and there of occasional use by the Indians. However, the first recorded discovery of coal, in what is now the US, was by French explorers, who reported an outcrop exposure on the Illinois River in 1679. Following this, other discoveries were made by French and British explorers, but the first recorded actual usage was in Virginia in 1702, where a French settler was granted permission to use coal for his forge. Earliest recorded commercial mining was in 1750, from the James River coaEeld near Richmond, VA, a deposit now abandoned. Besides local consumption from this field, shipments were made to Philadelphia, New Pork, and Boston. During the Revolution this coal was of impor- tance in the manufacture of shot and shell; so important, in fact, that the British sent an expedition in 1781 to destroy the iron works and

Jan 1, 1981

By AIME AIME

EUGENE AUSTIN STEPHENSON, better and affectionately known as "Steve," has long been an active and enthusiastic member of the Petroleum Division of the Institute. As its Secretary-Treasurer for several years, he was the spark plug that so successfully carried the Division over the trying period of the early thirties. "Steve" was born at Franklin, Mich., July 27, 1883; graduated from Adrian College in 1905, and later received his Doctor's degree from the University of Chicago where he was an instructor for two years. From 1917 to 1925 he was chief geologist for the South Penn Oil Co. and from 1925 to 1930 he was associated with Ralph Davis, Inc., of Pittsburgh, consulting engineers. In 1930 the Missouri School of Mines called him to Rolla to head a department of petroleum and natural gas engineering. and in 1938 he was invited to build up a similar department at the University of Kansas.

Jan 1, 1941

By V. H. Wilhelm

During the first half of the year 1935, the oil industry in California was on a fairly profitable basis, owing mainly to the operation of the Petroleum Marketing Agency. Coincident with the discontinuance of enforced curtailment, California production surged upward from an average of about 500,000 bbl. per day (over the first five-month period) to approximately 625,000 bbl. per day (over the last seven-month period). On Dec. 9 the state production had reached a peak of over 700,000 bbl., a figure that had not been approximated since the early days of voluntary curtailment (Fig. 1). A price cut was instituted during the last half of August, but had no deterring effect on operators that were determined to take advantage of the breakdown of curtailment and produce to capacity. New reserve figures, compiled from actual potentials, available after cessation of curtailment, revealed the startling fact that California reserves were rapidly declining. This situation, coupled with the desire among operators to obtain a more equitable price for their dwindling reserves, caused a restoration in November of a portion of the August price slash. A further rise in price was effected in early December, and crude quotations at the end of the year closely approximated those in effect during the first right months. At the close of the year, the industry felt confident that the production situation was under control. In all fields where competition is keen because of close spacing, production is gradually declining. In the Los Angeles Basin especially there is no likelihood of a large amount of overproduction, unless a new pool is discovered or deeper drilling reveals a prolific source of crude. As long as the fields that are operated by a few companies, such as Kettleman Hills, North Belridge, Ventura Avenue, West Coyote, Dominguez, and some others, can be controlled, it is believed that the overproduction problem in California will be solved.

Jan 1, 1936

By W. E. Coxe

In 1857 the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, whose main line extended from Philadelphia to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, with branches into the coal regions of Schuylliill County, made a contract with the Fairmount Rolling Mill, at Philadelphia, for the rerolling of some four thousand tons of iron rails. The essential features of the agreement were that the old rails should be piled with puddled iron and rolled into flats for the rail pile, which latter was • to be of a section seven inches square, and after being heated, and reduced, by rolling, to a bloom of a section about fire inches by six inches, was to be reheated, before being finished into the rail of the T pattern, four inches high, weighing sixty-four pounds per yard. Great care was exercised in the execution of this contract, and the rails being distributed over all parts of the road, gave general satisfaction by their excellent wear. Five years afterward, the principal proprietor and manager of the Fairmount Rolling Mill was elected President of the Reading Railroad, and very many of the rails made under his supervision were still in use in the tracks of the company, of which he had just assumed the management. His first efforts were, therefore, directed to the procuring of more rails of the same quality wherewith to replace those worn out. Here he encountered some trouble, makers refusing to bid because of the details in the specification, the required reheating being the objectionable feature, for which it was generally intimated they would not be sufficiently remunerated for the increased labor, extra coal consumed, and the changes necessary from the established methods of working. Most of the new rails were, therefore, bought, and the old rails rerolled without regard to any particulars as to the manner of piling, heating, etc., each manufacturer furnishing what he deemed the best article possible for the money. As a consequence, rails of all imaginable grades were placed in the tracks, some giving out in six

By E. Salinas-Rodriguez, J. Hernández-Ávila, E. O. Ávila-Dávila, A. Romero-Serrano, M. Perez-Labra, G. Juárez-López

"Single phase rubidium jarosite was synthesized by precipitation from aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction and SEM-EDS analyses showed that the synthetic rubidium jarosite formed in subspherical particles with an average particle size of about 35 µm. The chemical analysis showed an approximate composition of Rbo9432Fe3(SO4)2 1245(OH)6. The decomposition behaviour of the jarosite in terms of solution pH was thermodynamically modeled using FACTSage by constructing the potential-pH diagram at 298.15 K. The E-pH diagram showed that the decomposition of jarosite leads to goethite (FeOOH) together with Rb+ and SO42- ions. The experimental decomposition of the Rb-jarosite was carried out in alkaline solutions with five different Ca(OH)2 concentrations. The decomposition process showed an ""induction period"" followed y a progressive conversion period where the Rb+ and SO42- ions formed in the aqueous solution. In contrast, calcium was incorporated in the solid residue and iron was transformed into amorphous ferrihydrite. The kinetic analysis showed that this process can be represented by the unreacted-core chemically controlled model. The reaction order with respect to Ca(OH)2 is 0.4342 and the calculated activation energy is 98.70 kJ mol-1. IntroductionJarosite type compounds are hydrous sulfate minerals containing alkalis and ferric ions, MFe3(SO4)2(OH)6, where M can be H3O+· Na+, K+, Rb+, Ag+, NH4 +, Tl+, ½ Pb2+ or ½ Hg2+. Jarosite-type compounds were formed by the natural ""in situ"" oxidation of pyritic ores leading to the replacement of the original iron sulfides and iron oxides (Dutrizac and Kaiman) [1]. The great interest in jarosites is due to its ability to eliminate or diminish the iron concentration of the acid leach solutions produced in the hydrometallurgical zinc process, with relatively low losses of divalent metals such as Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+ or Co . However, the losses of the metal values demand a careful study of the conditions under which the jarosite compounds are formed together with their chemical properties."

Jan 1, 2012

By Persifor Frazer

MR. Theodore D. Rand has made some interesting observations on the serpentines of Chester and Delaware counties, Penna., in which he suggests that the outcrops of this rock are detached from each other, and that while a comparatively narrow belt, running nearly east and west, mill include them all, the strike of each outcrop differs considerably from the direction of this narrow belt; and that it results that these isolated exposures exist on the map, as it were, in echelon, the easternmost end of each lying northwest of the western extremity of its neighbor. As he elsewhere remarks, this is important, if established, and the writer spent a day or two recently on the ground in the study of this phenomenon. One thing would seem to follow from such a state of facts, viz., that this serpentine at least must have been of secondary origin, for it is difficult to conceive of a rock which occurs intercalated in numerous horizons of a different formation, and agreeing with the latter in bedding, unless the former were an altered product of the latter. It is true that one might account for it by the supposition of an original unconformable deposit, which had been broken by a number of faults and distorted by throws to the northwest; but this hypothesis would do violence to the observed facts relating to the measures along with which the serpentine occurs, and in which no such distortion has been observed. * Thus for determining, by evaporative test, the calorific power of a coal, the ultimate constitution of which is known, it is requisite, that, besides the quantity of coal consumed and the weight of the water evaporated, the temperature and chemical composition of the escaping gases, or gaseous residue, shall be quantitatively determined, the same as solid residues of ash and unconsumed fuel. In observance of such requirements, the Heizversuchstation of Munich has been in operation since 1879. This consists of a permanent boiler plant, constructed on the principle of the calorimeter, with special provision for avoiding errors from loss of heat—snch, namely, as arise from radiation and conduction, and from the varying proportions of water in steam.—Muck. Steinkohlen-Cliemie, 1881, 146. See Proc. Min. and Geol. Sect., Acad of Nat. Sci., 1850 and 1881, pp. 9 and 28.

Jan 1, 1884

By William James Middleton

The life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach can be an important tool for the quantification and evaluation of environmental impacts associated with metal production systems. At the conceptual phase of a new metals development project, LCA can: ? Aid project decision making by evaluating the environmental consequences of design decisions ? Support project permitting and reinforce site/process environmental impact assessment ? Allow environmental impact comparisons between alternate flow sheets For existing metals production systems, LCA has been used to aid targeted process improvements by monitoring recent historical trends in environmental performance, either through local or external (externalities) process improvements. This paper discusses the life- cycle assessment methodology, and its application as a supportive tool for environmental decision-making in process design and operation, and for site environmental impact assessment and permitting. Selected examples from a recent LCA performed on the Pressure Acid Leach Process for treating nickel Laterite ores are employed to demonstrate the usefulness of the tool.

Jan 1, 2004

By H. J. Struth

Gasoline is undoubtedly of major importance not only to the petroleum refiner but to the producer. To study the economic aspects of gasoline is, in a measure, a constructive effort to solve the problem of overproduction not only for the refiner but for the entire petroleum industry. After all, the prime object of producing crude petroleum is to supply motor fuel and lubricants to nearly 25,000,000 American motor vehicles, not to mention the increasing demand for these products abroad. Since gasoline furnishes the chief source of revenue to the refiner, it follows that this important product should veritably become recognized by all branches of the petroleum industry as an almost infallible index of day to day requirements of the producer and the refiner. A careful study of gasoline statistics over the past decade or more reveals that there is a definite correlation between world-wide gasoline requirements and the demand for crude petroleum, as well as all other petroleum products. This leads the writer to the conclusion that gasoline is literally the economic yardstick of the entire petroleum industry. Control of Operations That the refiner has begun to recognize the urgent need for controlling his operations is evidenced by the results of the past three years. Unfortunately, it is a difficult problem to convince the refiner that he cannot run crude in excess of the demand for gasoline, without incurring a consequent decline in the market value of this and all other products of distillation. Undoubtedly, he still has much to learn in this respect. Few commercial products have enjoyed such phenomenal growth in demand as has gasoline, and, at the same time, few products have failed, as has gasoline, to reap financial benefit from the popular demand for a national necessity. Perhaps this unprecedented demand was responsible for the overextension of retining facilities, which resulted in the excesses of recent times; at any rate, as the demand for gasoline grew by leaps and bounds, so the refining industry continued to increase its capacity for

Jan 1, 1929

By V. H. Wilhelm

During the first half of the year 1935, the oil industry in California was on a fairly profitable basis, owing mainly to the operation of the Petroleum Marketing Agency. Coincident with the discontinuance of enforced curtailment, California production surged upward from an average of about 500,000 bbl. per day (over the first five-month period) to approximately 625,000 bbl. per day (over the last seven-month period). On Dec. 9 the state production had reached a peak of over 700,000 bbl., a figure that had not been approximated since the early days of voluntary curtailment (Fig. 1). A price cut was instituted during the last half of August, but had no deterring effect on operators that were determined to take advantage of the breakdown of curtailment and produce to capacity. New reserve figures, compiled from actual potentials, available after cessation of curtailment, revealed the startling fact that California reserves were rapidly declining. This situation, coupled with the desire among operators to obtain a more equitable price for their dwindling reserves, caused a restoration in November of a portion of the August price slash. A further rise in price was effected in early December, and crude quotations at the end of the year closely approximated those in effect during the first right months. At the close of the year, the industry felt confident that the production situation was under control. In all fields where competition is keen because of close spacing, production is gradually declining. In the Los Angeles Basin especially there is no likelihood of a large amount of overproduction, unless a new pool is discovered or deeper drilling reveals a prolific source of crude. As long as the fields that are operated by a few companies, such as Kettleman Hills, North Belridge, Ventura Avenue, West Coyote, Dominguez, and some others, can be controlled, it is believed that the overproduction problem in California will be solved.

Jan 1, 1936

By Launa G. Mallett, Barbara Fotta

This report examines the effects of mining height on injury rates in U.S. underground nonlongwall bituminous coal mines, controlling for both the employment size of the mine and the mining methods. Using the mine-level employment and injury data reported to the Mine Safely and Health Administration, mines were stratified by average coal seam height (<43 in, 43-60 in, and >60 in) and by the average number of employees working at the mine (<20 employees, 20-49 employees, 50-99 employees, and >99 employees). To reduce the confounding effects of mining method on injury rates, mines using longwall mining methods were identified and excluded from analysis. The employment data show that as the mine size increases, the proportion of hours worked in low seams decreases substantially. Additionally, miners injured in small, low- scam mines arc, on average, younger and less experienced than those injured in large high-seam mines. Nonfatal disabling and fatal injury rates were computed within each category of employment size and seam height for the major types of accidents (ground falls, powered haulage equipment, machinery, handling materials, slips and falls, and hand tools). Our findings suggest that, regardless of the employment size, as mining height increases, miners are at increasingly higher risk of injury from accidents due to slips or falls and accidents involving shuttle cars and falls of ground. As mining height decreases, miners are at higher risk 01 injury from accidents involving roof bolting machines, load-haul-dump types of powered haulage equipment, personnel carriers, and powered haulage conveyors. On the other hand, regardless of the height of the coal seam, miners working in large underground mines had higher rates of injuries resulting from accidents involving handling materials and nonpowered hand tools, but lower rates of injury from accidents involving continuous mining machines and lower rates of fatal injuries from falls of supported and unsupported mine roof. Finally, miners working at small mines in low or medium seams are at higher risk of being fatally injured by a ljll of unsupported mine roof. These findings suggest the importance of&apos; considering the working height of the mine, as well as the employment size of the mining operation, when developing intervention strategies to reduce injury risk to underground coal miners. Results also identify the need to further explore how mining height contributes to the frequency and severity of injuries.

Jan 11, 1997

By David R. Mitchell, Ernest M. Spokes

MINING ENGINEERING, page 373, March 1958, vol. 211) S. C. Sun: This article by Spokes and Mitchell deserves high commendation. For many years mineral dressers have been at a loss to explain the variation in magnetic susceptibility of the same mineral species obtained from different localities. In fact, they do not even have a list of accurately measured data on the specific magnetic susceptibility of weakly magnetic minerals to consult. Experience as a university teacher has firmly convinced me that the average student has more difficulty in acquiring a satisfactory knowledge of magnetism than of any other branch of mineral dressing. This is almost entirely because the subject has been treated far too much from a strict practical standpoint and far too little from a fundamental one. It is no exaggeration to state that almost all the published theoretical discussions are based on the experimental results of manufactured chemicals and alloys, but not of naturally occurring minerals. In an attempt to remedy this state of affairs, the author of this article not only set up a new magnetic balance in the Department of Mineral Preparation of The Pennsylvania State University, but also performed work of fundamental value, thus pointing the way to further research. This is evidenced by the fact that an investigation of the magnetic susceptibilities of manganese minerals was recently completed by S. G. Watt under the direction of David R. Mitchell, now acting dean of the College of Mineral Industries of the Pennsylvania State University. D. J. Cook is studying the magnetic susceptibility of titanium minerals under my supervision. It is hoped that our research program can be continued for several years and that similar investigations will be initiated at other universities and research institutions. Ernest M. Spokes (author&apos;s reply): The discusser has touched the heart of a pedagogical problem in the field of minerals beneficiation—students do not understand magnetism and, as a result, neither do the graduate engineers. Only recently has the average course in engineering physics started teaching the fundamentals of magnetism, as they are understood in modern physics, in addition to the classical treatment of the mathematical aspects of magnetic phenomena. It is to be hoped that this increasing instruction in fundamentals will improve our understanding and inspire research to determine more of the basic magnetic data that are essential if we are to see improved methods of separation by magnetism.

Jan 1, 1959

By W. E. C. Coxe

IN 1857 the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, whose main line extended from Philadelphia to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, with branches into the coal regions of Schuylkill County, made a contract with the Fairmount Rolling Mill, at Philadelphia, for the rerolling of some four thousand tons of iron rails. The essential features of the agreement were that the old rails should be piled with puddled iron and rolled into flats for the rail pile, which latter was to be of a section seven inches square, and after being heated, and reduced, by rolling, to a bloom of a section about five inches by six inches, was to be reheated, before being finished into the rail of the T pattern, four inches high, weighing sixty-four pounds per yard. Great care was exercised in the execution of this contract, and the rails being distributed over all parts of the road, gave general satis¬faction by their excellent wear. Five years afterward, the principal proprietor and manager of the Fairmount Rolling Mill was elected President of the Reading Railroad, and very many of the rails made under his supervision were still in use in the tracks of the company, of which he had just assumed the management. His first efforts were, therefore, directed to the procuring of more rails of the same quality wherewith to replace those worn out. Here he encountered some trouble, makers refusing to bid because of the details in the specification, the required reheating being the objectionable feature, for which it was generally intimated they would not be sufficiently remunerated for the increased labor, extra coal consumed, and the changes necessary from the established methods of working. Most of the new rails were, therefore, bought, and the old rails rerolled without regard to any particulars as to the manner of piling, heating, etc., each manufacturer furnishing what he deemed the best article possible for the money. As a consequence, rails of all imaginable grades were placed in the tracks, some giving out in six

Jan 1, 1877

In 1803 the purchase of the immense territory called the province of Louisiana wm arranged between Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, and Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of France. This central portion of what is now the United States was claimed in 1682 by the explorer Robert de La Salle for France, who continued to hold her title to the vast domain until 1762, when it passed by treaty to Spain, only to be retroceded to France in 1802, in consequence of Napoleon&apos;s military domination of Spain. Jefferson did not care to see New Orleans and its extensive hinterland pass into the hands of France. Spain did not matter so much; she was quiet and feeble, whereas France was restless and aggressive under Napoleon, who had dreams of founding a French colonial empire on the American continent. The expression of American feeling that Jefferson elicited came as a surprise to Napoleon, who concluded that a contest was not worth while, for his navy had been shattered by the English, and it was evident that only maritime supremacy could enable him to retain this trans-Atlantic possession; so he resolved to put it out of the grasp of England and at the same time replenish his military chest by selling Louisiana to the United States. The price was 60 million francs. By the terms of the Louisiana purchase a magnificent territory was added to the national domain; it covered more than a million square miles, or more than the total area of the United States at that time. Louisiana included the present States of Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, with parts of Colorado, Idaho, and Minnesota; but

Jan 1, 1932

By E. D. Gardner

When the National Forests were created, all lands embraced in their boundaries were exempted from all forms of entry, except mineral claims. Later, by Act of June 11, 1906, and as amended by Act of Aug. 10, 1912, provision was made allowing homesteads on areas chiefly valuable for agriculture and not necessary for the public use. Patents to mining claims in the Forests are granted the same as on land not in the Forests, irrespective of timber or other values. It is the policy to encourage the highest use of the Forests. As a business proposition, it is a good policy to have mines developed in the Forests. Their development in remote or inaccessible regions causes the country to be opened up and, in addition to the local market which the mines create, means of transportation are afforded to outside markets. No examination of mining claims is made until patent has been applied for, unless they are actively interfering with the administration of the Forest. In this case, an examination is made, and if there is evidence that the claims are being held in good faith they are in no way interfered with. Timber is never sold from a mining claim except with the consent of the claimant, or unless it is clearly shown, after an examination, that the claim is abandoned. In the case of fire-killed timber, which rapidly deteriorates by standing, a contract bond arrangement can be made for the sale of the timber which protects the interests of both the mining claimant and the government. The promiscuous locating of mining claims has in the past caused considerable trouble. It has been, and still is, the custom in some parts of the West to locate a mining claim when the surface rights of any particular area are desired, irrespective of the mineral character of the ground. This has been done to hold power sites, town sites, summer residences, springs, etc. When the ground is desired for any of these purposes, what is known as a Special Use Permit will be issued at a nominal sum, to legalize the occupancy. In most instances, it is far cheaper to take out one of these permits than to do the annual assessment work on a mining claim, but, of course, patent to the ground cannot be obtained in this manner. If mineral were discovered on the land covered by a Special Use Permit, it would ordinarily be the policy to cancel the permit if it were clearly

Jan 1, 1915

By Coopers &. Lybrand

INTRODUCTION From a tax viewpoint, United States mining companies are at a substantial disadvantage in the international mining area compared with companies in other major capital-exporting countries, according to a 1975 study by Coopers & Lybrand for the American Mining Congress. The study compared the relative tax position of a United States investor with investors from Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The comparison was based on average rates of return realizable by investor companies on four mine-model investments in twelve capital-importing countries. The countries in which these investments were assumed to be made are varied in their tax systems so that a wide range of possibilities was included in the analyses. Each mine model was standard so that the rates of return for each investment by each investor were affected solely by the respective tax systems of the capital-exporting and capital-importing countries. UNITED STATES POSITION The study found that the United States competitive position, in terms of the average rate of return on an overall basis, ranked next to last among the nine capital-exporting countries in the study. Further, the United States overall rate of return is more than 20% below that of the country (Japan) with the highest overall rate of return. On an average return-on-equity basis, the United States&apos; position among the nine investor countries, for each of the mine investments studied, was: copper, eighth; iron ore, sixth; nickel, fifth; manganese, a tie for last place. Figure 1 shows the overall results realized by each capital-exporting country on the basis of average return on equity. [ ] The frequency with which a given capital-exporting country attains the highest or next highest rate of return in a capital-importing country provides further insight and another basis for comparing the tax laws of the capital-exporting countries. Of the situations compared in the study, the United States never attained the highest rate of return, and reached the second and third highest rate of return in only two instances. The tables showing the frequencies of rankings are given in Table 1 for each of the four mine models. In summary, the United States mining company does not have a competitive advantage under the tax rules when competing for mineral concessions in other countries. The United States company, in fact, appears to be at a clear disadvantage. The study also considered the effect of the following recent tax proposals on United States investors in international mining ventures:

Jan 1, 1985

THERE are three objectives in translation of works of this character : to give a faithful, literal translation of the author&apos;s statements ; to give these in a manner which will interest the reader ; and to preserve, so far as is possible, the style of the original text. The task has been doubly difficult in this work because, in using Latin, the author availed himself of a medium which had ceased to expand a thousand years before his subject had in many particulars come into being ; in consequence he was in difficulties with a large number of ideas for which there were no corresponding words in the vocabulary at his command, and instead of adopting into the text his native German terms, he coined several hundred Latin expressions to answer his needs. It is upon this rock that most former attempts at translation have been wrecked. Except for a very small number, we believe we have been able to discover the intended meaning of such expressions from a study of the context, assisted by a very incomplete glossary prepared by the author himself, and by an exhaustive investigation into the literature of these subjects during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. That discovery in this particular has been only gradual and obtained after much labour, may be indicated by the fact that the entire text has been re-typewritten three times since the original, and some parts more often ; and further, that the printer&apos;s proof has been thrice revised. We have found some English equivalent, more or less satisfactory, for practically all such terms, except those of weights, the varieties of veins, and a few minerals. In the matter of weights we have introduced the original Latin, because it is impossible to give true equivalents and avoid the fractions of reduction ; and further, as explained in the Appendix on Weights it is impossible to say in many cases what scale the Author had in mind. The English nomenclature to be adopted has given great difficulty, for various reasons ; among them, that many methods and processes described have never been practised in English-speaking mining communities, and so had no representatives in our vocabulary, and we considered the introduction of German terms undesirable ; other methods and processes have become obsolete and their descriptive terms with them, yet we wished to avoid the introduction of obsolete or unusual English ; but of the greatest importance of all has been the necessity to avoid rigorously such modern technical terms as would imply a greater scientific understanding than the period possessed. Agricola&apos;s Latin, while mostly free from mediaeval corruption, is somewhat tainted with German construction. Moreover some portions have not

Jan 1, 1950