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By James B. Cathcart

The potash mine of the International Minerals and Chemical Corp. is about 18 miles east of Carlsbad, New Mexico, in sec 1 and 12, T 22 S, R 29 E, N.M.P.M. Potash is produced from two zones in the Salado formation of late Permian age. The lower zone, consisting of a mixture of sylvite (KCI) and halite (NaCl), lies at a depth of about 900 ft, and the upper zone, in which the principal potassium mineral is langbeinite (K2SO4 2MgSO4), lies at a depth of about 800 ft. Because of the plastic nature of the material, fractures in the Salado formation are extremely rare and have been noted only on the 800 ft level of the International mine. The open fracture described below is almost unique. Only one other open fracture has been noted, and it was on a working face in the same general area as the one described, but was destroyed before the writer had a chance to examine it. According to J. E. Tong, foreman on the 800 level, this fracture was similar to, but smaller than, the one herein described. The saline strata are nearly flat-lying and comprise interbedded layers of halite, anhydrite (CaSO4), and poly-halite (2CaSO4.MgS04.K2SO4-2H2O), with halite predominating. The halite layers contain local concentrations of sylvite, carnallite (KC1.MgCl2.6H2O), and langbeinite. The principal marker in the potash mines area is a bed of anhydrite about 8 ft thick, and 70 ft below the 800 level. This bed contains varying amounts of polyhalite, and locally a few blebs of sylvite. Two principal marker beds are present over most of the 800 level. The lower is the "Middle Salt Marker," a bed of bright-orange halite, which ranges in thickness from a knife-edge to about 0.6 ft, and is usually bounded above and below by thin seams of green or reddish-brown clay. In langbeinite-rich areas, this marker usually contains abundant blebs of langbeinite. The upper of the two principal markers is a green clay seam, containing abundant halite, which ranges in thickness from 0.1 to about 0.5 ft. It is 2 to slightly more than 5 ft above the Middle Salt Marker. No langbeinite of minable grade is found above this clay, and it

Jan 1, 1950

By Frederick Rhines

PURE copper that has been allowed to oxidize at an elevated tempera-ture in the air is found to be covered with two distinguishable layers of oxide scale. The outer of these, which is very thin, is composed of cupric oxide, while the inner layer, comprising the bulk of the scale, is made up chiefly of cuprous oxide (Fig. 1a). If a small quantity of an alloying element, such as silicon, is present in the copper, silica particles are found disseminated through the cuprous oxide, deposited most abundantly near the metal surface, and, in addition, silica particles occur to a limited depth within the copper itself (Fig. 1b). It is this inner layer, composed of oxide particles precipitated in a matrix of metallic copper that is known as the "subscale" or the zone of internal oxidation. Under a low oxygen pressure it is possible to produce the subscale without the formation of external layers of copper oxides, thus leaving the metal surface bright and apparently clean while oxidation has occurred, in fact, to a considerable depth within the metal (Fig. 2). Although little is yet known in a detailed way of the mechanism of internal oxidation, the general nature of the process is evident. By virtue of the considerable solubility of oxygen in copper,1 it is possible to bring the alloying element in contact with oxygen within the metallic solid solution. If the oxide of the alloying element is more stable than cuprous oxide, the foreign oxide may form and, since most oxides are relatively insoluble in copper, it will not long remain in solution, but will separate as a precipitate. As the metallic solute is exhausted in the zone of precipitation, oxygen that is constantly being supplied at the surface diffuses farther into the alloy and thus produces an ever-thickening shell of subscale. The distribution of the reacting elements in the subscale and adjoining zones must be somewhat as indicated in Fig. 3. The conditions requisite to internal oxidation to be anticipated are thus: (1) a solubility of oxygen in the alloy, (2) the ability of oxygen to diffuse at an appreciable rate into the alloy, (3) the possibility of the

Jan 1, 1940

By Scott Turner

HOSTS of friends will rejoice that T. A. Rickard has been given honorary membership in the Institute. It might well have been done long ago, since, when one reviews distinguished services rendered by individuals to our organization and our profession, it is at once apparent that his name ranks high and that he has merited this distinction for more than three decades. Our by-laws restrict this list to twenty names; "T.A." becomes the sixteenth living member. Young engineers should particularly be pleased; Mr. Rickard has had a career rich in human interest, and full of useful suggestions to the younger men; he has given them good advice and set them a notable example; he, more than anyone else, has shown them how technical writing can be clear and concise; he has inspired youngsters to do their best; he has been their friend. No one has more first-hand knowledge of these facts than the writer of this appreciation:

Jan 1, 1935

By C. S. Matthews, J. L. Mahaffey, W. M. Rutherford

This paper gives results of an experimental study of the sweep efficiency of a miscible displacement in a five-spot. The study was carried out in a parallel-plate glass model in which effects of diffusion were scaled at or near the molecular diffusion level. The experiments show that very early breakthrough (25 to 35 per cent of pore volume (PV) injected) may be expected in miscible floods because of the unfavorable viscosity ratio. However after 1 PV of displacing fluid is injected, the sweep rises to a reasonable value (50 to 60 per cent). Photographs show that small slugs of less than 10 per cent of PV tend to dissipate before breakthrough. A minimum slug size of 15 per cent of PV would appear to be necessary even in a relatively homogeneous formation. Presence of a slug whose viscosity is inter-mediate between that of oil and gas increases the sweep efficiency of the oil-gas system. In a typical system the sweep at breakthrough rose from 26 to 37 per cent of PV for a 25 per cent slug. The increase in sweep brought about by use of a large slug could well pay for the extra deferment cost of the additional slug material. INTRODUCTION Most miscible displacement processes involve the displacement of oil with fluids of much lower viscosity and density. The displacement process at these adverse viscosity and density ratios is dominated by instability phenomena, i.e., viscous fingers and gravity tongues. These phenomena have highly adverse effects on oil recovery. Although a number of laboratory studies have been made to determine the effect of adverse viscosity ratios on five-spot sweep patterns,l,2 the scaling of diffusion effects is uncertain. In the series of scaled model studies reported herein, an attempt was made to scale diffusion. Model studies of miscible displacements in which molecular diffusion predominates are per-mitted by controlling the parallel plate spacing which reduces convective mixing to arbitrarily small levels. To decide how this scaling relates to any particular Geld displacement necessitates an estimation of diffusion effects for the natural rock being considered and conditions under which displacement will be conducted. The approach normally taken is to extrapolate data obtained from stable miscible displacements performed in the laboratory, such as those presented by Brigham et al.3 The validity with which such an extrapolation can be applied to an unstable flow system has yet to be established. If this approach is accepted, a family of oil recovery curves can be generated for a single viscosity ratio based on Brigham's observation that the magnitude of the dispersion coefficient is dependent, among other things, upon specific rock properties. Objective of our test was to define the lower limit of this range by presenting the case where dispersion effects were reduced to the molecular diffusion level in both the transverse and longitudinal directions.

Jan 1, 1967

By HENRY COLEMAN

WE as employees of these related companies, I am sure, are proud to be affiliated with them, and have great faith in the sagacity and fore- sightedness of our employers. Most of us here have been called into important positions in these organizations, and it should be our most earnest endeavor to sense and carry them out as if they were our very own. We have been asked to supervise and carry on a work over which our employers cannot personally watch. It has been well said that the most efficient organization is that which requires the least attention from its head. Because of the very nature and condition of our work, which separates us by many miles from our employers and makes it impossible for us to receive attention and instructions from the heads of our departments, save for occasional visits and correspondence, we are given a great opportunity to prove that we can be efficient workers without too much attention from the heads of our departments. There are few employees who cannot do their duty when it is laid before them in specific terms, and when their employers are always there to see that their plans are carried out. But the employee who is really giving efficient service sees his duty himself and willingly does it. '

Jan 1, 1931

By H. O. Hofman

The mining and metallurgical laboratory, as we understand the term in this country, is a place .in which mechanical and chemical working-tests are made on ores, fuels and furnacematerials. It is of quite recent origin. The first laboratory of this kind to be used in connection with teaching was put into operation in 1871 at the Massachusetts Institute of Techilo1ogy. † The idea had already existed in the mind of President W. B. Rogers when he wrote, in 1864, his pamphlet 'on " The Scope and Plan of the School of Industrial Science of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology;" but several years elapsed, and an extended visit to the mines and mills of Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California was required before this idea could take a form adapted to the purposes of original research as well as of instruction. The laboratory was given from the first into the charge of Prof. R. H. Richards, who, by improving its methods and enlarging its scope, has brought it to the position which it occupies to-day as the leading representative of its class. Private laboratories for making tests upon ores had previously existed here and there, especially on the Pacific coast, for silver and gold ores; but in the educational field the

Jan 1, 1896

By Robert Linton

M ETHODS by which Americanization is developed among the foreign workers at the mines in the United States, with particular reference to mines of the Pennsylvania coal region, were discussed in a most constructive way at the Wilkes-Barre Meeting of the Institute. Arthur Notman, of the Phelps Dodge Corpn., as chairman, guided the discussion. Americanization was defined by E. E. Bach, !chairman of the Institute's Sub-committee on Americanization, who said: "Americanization applies either to the native-born or foreign-born and is that process of assimilation which guarantees the full functioning of American citizenship. Naturalization papers merely entitle one to the privileges of citizenship."

Jan 1, 1921

By H. K. Shearer

Drilling for oil and gas in Arkansas in 1934 showed more activity than in any year since 1929; with a total of 96 completions, including 36 oil wells, 1 gas well and 59 dry holes. Of the producers, the lone gas well and 35 oil wells were in old fields, and one wildcat producer opened a new pool. Of the dry holes, 16 were in or near fields and 43 were wildcats. The total reported initial daily production of the oil wells was 9013 bbl., averaging 252 bbl. per well. Active drilling operations numbered 65 at the close of the year, compared with 26 at the beginning.

Jan 1, 1935

By R. J. Cowan

In the art of cementation a controversy has been going on for years as to whether solid or gaseous carbon is the active agent in carburizing steel. More recently opinion has crystallized into a compromise to the effect that carburizing is a gaseous cementation of steel in the presence of solid carbon. The importance of this theory has a particular bearing upon the work to be described. In the art of carburizing, use is commonly made of such words as '' Catalytic" "atomic," "nascent" and "activated," in an attempt to describe the process. These words are used indiscriminately. For instance, the gas is said to be "catalytic" and carbon to be "nascent," or vice versa. In using these expressions, investigators are confirming the acceptance in their minds of the active conditions of both gas and carbon in the cementation process. Reactions at Metal Surfaces For many years attention has been directed to the consideration of reactions that occur on metal surfaces. When heated under the influence of certain metals a complex gas will be broken down and one of the constituents thereof usually found to be very active chemically in combining with the metal. The process of nitriding is an example of this type of reaction. In this case ammonia (NH3) breaks down at the metal surface and the nitrogen which is thus liberated reacts with the surface to form a nitride whereas molecular nitrogen not so liberated is inert and will not react chemically with the metal. Whatever term or terms may be used to describe such reactions, the fact remains that they are highly important and valuable in their commercial applications. Since the metal surface plays so important a part in these reactions, it is evident that any accumulation of reaction products thereon interferes seriously with the progress of the reactions. For this reason it is desirable to remove all such products as rapidly as they are formed in order to bring active gas into contact with the surface and thus facilitate the desired reactions. This is accomplished best by conducting the operation in a continuous manner, thereby causing the reacting gases to pass over the

Jan 1, 1931

By Kalervo Rankama

UNTIL a few years ago, geological mapping, the study of ore boulders, and different geophysical methods were the principal means used in the systematic search for mineral deposits covered by a layer of disintegration products or soil. These methods have been developed to a high stage of perfection as far as the geometrical definition of the conductor is considered. Use of geophysical methods in prospecting is based on the fact that an ore body differs from the country rock not only geologically but also in its physical properties. The general drawbacks and complications included in the use of geophysical methods are well known to everyone who has been using them, so need not be entered into here in detail. One of the more important ones is the fact that geophysical methods are unable to furnish information concerning the chemical composition of the ore bodies responsible for the indications. Further, the ores of many metals, such as silver, gold, beryllium, zinc, mercury, tin, lead, vanadium, antimony, chromium. molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and the platinum metals cannot be directly located by known geophysical methods, owing to lack of physical characteristics suitable for distinguishing them from the country rock. Thus it is quite natural that efforts have been made to develop direct methods for prospecting and locating ore bodies of the elements named. Known as chemical, biogeo-chemical, and geobotanical methods of prospecting, these have been much improved during recent years. A brief review of these methods and of some results obtained with them will be presented in the following, on the basis of available information and my own experience.

Jan 1, 1947

By C. S. Finney, John Mitchell

The introduction of ovens for the production of metallurgical coke is believed to be due to L. L. Norton who operated an iron foundry in the vicinity of Connellsville, Pa. Persuaded by his foreman, an English immigrant named Nickols from Durham, L. L. Norton put up a 12-ft square oven which produced coke in 1833. The coal used was taken from a local mine at Mounts Creek. The oven seems to have been used in conjunction with the customary method of coking in mounds. It was in the Connellsville district also, in 1841, that two carpenters, Provence McCormick and James Campbell, formed a partnership with John Taylor, a stone mason, for the manufacture and sale of oven coke. The task of the mason was to construct the ovens, while the carpenters were to build the arks by which the coke could be taken by water to the market at Cincinnati. The following account of the enterprise was given by McCormick: "James Campbell and myself heard in some way that I do not now recollect that the manufacturing of coke might be made a good business. Mr. John Taylor, a stone mason, who owned the farm on which the Fayette coke works now stand, and who was mining coal in a small way, was spoken to regarding our enterprise, and proposed a partnership-he to build the ovens and make the coke and Mr. Campbell and myself to build a boat and take the coke to Cincinnati, where we heard there was a good demand. This was in 1841. Mr. Taylor built two ovens. I think they were about 10 feet in diameter. My recollection is that the charge was 80 bushels. The ovens were built in the same style as those now used, but had no iron ring at the top to prevent the brick from falling in when filling the oven with coal, nor had we any iron frames at the mouth where the coke was drawn. The top and mouth had to be repaired when they fell in. In the spring of 1842 enough coke had been made to fill two boats 90 feet long-about 800 bushels each-and we took them to Cincinnati down the Youghiogheny, Monongahela, and Ohio, but when we got there we could not sell. Mr. Campbell, who went with the boats, lay at the landing some two or three weeks, retailing out one boatload and part of the other in small lots at about 8 cents a bushel. Miles Greenwood, a foundryman of that city, offered to take the balance if he would take a small patent flour mill at $125.00 hi pay, which Mr. Campbell did. He had it shipped here. We tried it, but it was no good, and we sold it to a man in the mountains for $30.00, and thus ended our coke business." So successful did the coke subsequently prove to be in use that the three partners were asked to deliver more. Evidently they had had enough of the coke business, however, for they refused to have anything more to do with it. Few ovens were built between 1841 and 1855, and it is reported that in the latter year, "there were only 26 coke ovens along the river above Pittsburgh". Successful coke makers of these years included Mordecai Cochran, Richard Brookius, and Colonel A. M. Hill. It was the use of coke in 1859 in the Clinton furnace erected by Graff, Bennett and Co. in a plant on West Carson Street, Pittsburgh, that brought the real beginning of the coke-iron era in America. Here the successful use of Connellsville coke as a blast-furnace fuel was demonstrated beyond all possible doubt, and from the year 1859 the coking industry expanded tremendously. The era of beehive coke ovens During the latter half of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth, the major percentage of metallurgical coke produced in the United States came from beehive ovens. It was not until 1893 that the first battery of by-product ovens came

Jan 1, 1961

By John E. Hagni, Richard D. Hagni

ORE.ID, a microcomputer program, rapidly searches a database of the principal properties for 573 ore minerals. Searches may be performed on any or all of the following properties: mean Vickers hardness, Talmage hardness, mean reflectance, strength of anisotropism, and colors and tints of the mineral and its internal reflections. Data from the International Mineralogical Association - Commission on Ore Microscopy data card file have been used when available. The program displays the number and type of data matches for each mineral found, displays their chemical components, and allows the range to be narrowed or widened for each of the identification properties for repeated searches, if desired. ORE.ID is much more rapid, allows for the use of more identification properties, and involves more ore minerals than any previous identification system.

Jan 1, 1985

By A. C. Rubel

WHAT does management expect of W and from an engineer? First and foremost, it expects that he should become, and therefore should fit himself in every way to be, a part of management so that he may assume as much and as many of the responsibilities of management as his ability and the opportunities of the job permit. Let me make clear at the start that the profession of pure, technical engineering offers but limited opportunities at the top levels because of the inherent organization of engineering work. The line of succession to top jobs may be likened to a cone with a broad base and an extremely sharp point. Consider any oil company, large or small, or any operating function of that company, and you will find few top engineering jobs in the organization. This is true by the nature of the work handled. There will be a few district engineers depending on the spread of operations, a chief petroleum and production engineer, perhaps a few research engineers, possibly some technical executive assistants, and that is usually all. The road to these jobs is a long one and the competition is tough. The larger the organization the greater the opportunity, but always the ratio of engineers to top engineering jobs is only a small one.

Jan 1, 1947

By Sanford Belden

My topic, Recent Developments in the Design of Electric Mine Locomotives and Mining Machinery, does not require me to go into a general review of electricity as applied to the mining industry. Interesting as that subject always is, what I might say in regard to it, by way of introduction, would be unnecessary use of your time, since such facts are familiar to all. First, we will consider the recent development of the electric mine locomotive. We may well pause for a moment to reflect upon its importance to the coal-mining industry of to-day. With the dawn of the electrical age its advent was inevitable. Our practical interest is aroused not so much by the first crude effort as by the great efficiency attained during the 30 or more years since the electric locomotive made its first appearance. To judge accurately what it means to coal mining, and through coal mining to the industrial field at large, we would have to know how many of these locomotives are in use throughout the country and their aggregate daily performance, and then compare the results with what could be expected with other forms of power. Such data are lacking, but it requires no statistician to make it evident that the electric mining machine is a tremendous factor in modern progress, and that without it the work of the world could never have reached its present magnitude. Not only has the electric mine locomotive served its own special branch of usefulness, but incidentally it has solved in the main the whole problem of electric transportation. It is but a step from the triumph of a 25-ton locomotive leading a long train of loaded coal cars from a mine to the electrification of common carriers. We may or may not be near any great change in this respect. Economical reasons may hold it back for an indefinite period. But the fact remains that in the development of our mine locomotives we have met this larger emergency, in mechanical type and efficiency, whenever it may come.

Jan 6, 1914

James GayleY, New Pork City (communication to the Secretary*) :—The main thing that is sought after in this matter is that all purcliases shall be made by analysis. This is done already in special lines, as in the manufacture of various grades of steel in which phosphorus, silicon and sulphur are specified within narrow limits, and I quite agree with Mr. Cook that specifications, which are over-rigid in unessential particulars, should be avoided, as they defeat their own purpose because unreasonable requirements permitting no variation are practically not fulfilled, and it is impossible to specify grade

Jan 1, 1905

By PALMER H. TYLER

WHEN the Mid-Continent Section of the A. I. M. E. met at the roof garden dining room of the Tulsa Club on Monday evening, May 13, most of the members present came prepared with a credulity-stretching yarn of some sort or other, gathered from actual experience. Perhaps it was not realized at the time that such anecdotes would eventually burst into print, but while the excellent dinner was appeasing the inner man the word was passed around that informality and spontaneity of expression would characterize the meeting, with the result that the shackles of convention were eventually cast aside and the meeting waxed better and better until the hour grew ,late, and the chairman, L. G. E. Bignell, originator of the idea, brought to a close what was agreed to be a profitable and entertaining evening. The ball was started rolling by Paul Ruedemann of the program committee, who offered the following:

Jan 1, 1929

By H. DeWitt Smith

THE mine operated by the United Verde Copper Co. is situated near Jerome, Ariz., on the eastern flank of the Black Hills, at an elevation of approximately 5500 ft. (1676 m.) above sea level. The mine and the town of Jerome are located on a steep hillside, which slopes rapidly to the valley of the Verde River. The smelter town of Clarkdale is situated in the Verde valley 4.1 mi. (6.5 km.) distant in an air line from Jerome, and at an elevation of 3560 ft. The two towns are connected by the standard-gage railroad of the Verde Tunnel & Smelter R. R., a subsidiary of the United Verde Copper Co. This road is 11 mi. long and has a compensated 4 per cent. grade. At Clarkdale, it connects with the Verde Valley branch of the Santa Fe R. R. The narrow-gage (36-in.) line of the United Verde & Pacific Ry. was, until 1919, Jerome's only rail connection with a main trunk line. This road connects with a branch line of the Santa Fe system at Jerome Junction, after traversing 26 mi. of mountainous country. From the time of its location, in 1876, until its purchase by Senator W. A. Clark, of Montana, in 1889, the United Verde mine was worked on a small scale and shipments of high-grade gold-silver ore were made from the surface workings. Until 1894, when the narrow-gage railroad to

Jan 8, 1920

By E. E. Donath

Application of the coal hydrogenation process for the production of chemicals is described. It has been estimated that a plant to produce 31,090 bbl per day of chemicals and fuels would cost $326,- 000,000. These products would consist of 6.1 pct by weight tar acids, 50.8 pct aroma tics, 16.4 pct LPG, and 26.7 pct gasoline. THE coal hydrogenation process is well known as a means for the production of liquid fuels from coal. In this paper the possibilities of the coal hydrogenation process as a source of chemical raw materials will be discussed. The recovery of chemicals from coal hydrogenation products necessitates some modifications and additions to the equipment used for the production of fuels. The conversion of coal into liquid fuels such as gasoline requires two steps: liquid phase and vapor phase hydrogenation. Intermediate oils obtained in the liquid phase contain oxygen and nitrogen compounds, especially aromatic compounds, since the coal itself is composed mainly of cyclic compounds. These oils are the raw material for the separation of high molecular weight aro-matics and of tar acids and tar bases. The relative amounts of heavy and middle oil—boiling above and below, e.g., 325°C—can be influenced by temperature, residence time, and catalyst of the liquid phase hydrogenation. In the vapor phase hydrogenation a solid bed catalyst is used to convert the intermediate oil from the liquid phase operation into hydrocarbons of the gasoline boiling range. Essentially pure hydrocarbons with a low content of sulphur, oxygen, nitrogen, and olefines are obtained. Depending mainly on the catalyst, the high ring compound content of the liquid phase oil can be preserved and gasoline rich in aromatics obtained. However, with other catalysts, these ring compounds can be split into gasoline with a high content of isoparaffins.' Again, depending on the operating conditions, products of varying boiling range can be obtained. Selection of catalyst and operating conditions therefore makes possible the production of different grades of motor fuel and also variations in the relative amounts of benzene, toluene, and xylene when aromatic hydrocarbons are produced. The schematic flowsheet, Fig. 1, shows the main steps of the coal hydrogenation process, and the product streams used for the recovery of chemicals are indicated. In the liquid phase hydrogenation stage, coal is made into a paste with recycle heavy oil. The coal paste is mixed with hydrogen and preheated at a pressure of 300 to 700 atm in heat exchangers and preheaters. The coal paste and hydrogen enter high pressure converters where the liquefaction of coal, conversion of the high boiling liquid materials initially obtained, into intermediate oils is performed at a temperature around 470°C. The reaction products enter the hot catchpot in which lower boiling oil vapors are separated from the residue containing unreacted coal, ash, and heavy oil. This residue, usually called H.O.L.D. (heavy oil let down), is processed to separate solid and liquid material. By thermal treatment of the residue, e.g., a coking process, distillate oil is obtained, which can be recycled as part of the pasting oil. This stream is rich in polynuclear aromatics and can be, and has been, used for the recovery of such material. The oil vapors and hydrogen from the hot catchpot are cooled in heat exchangers and a cooler, and the condensed oil is separated from the recycle hy-

Jan 1, 1953

By E. E. Donath

Application of the coal hydrogenation process for the production of chemicals is described. It has been estimated that a plant to produce 31,090 bbl per day of chemicals and fuels would cost $326,- 000,000. These products would consist of 6.1 pct by weight tar acids, 50.8 pct aroma tics, 16.4 pct LPG, and 26.7 pct gasoline. THE coal hydrogenation process is well known as a means for the production of liquid fuels from coal. In this paper the possibilities of the coal hydrogenation process as a source of chemical raw materials will be discussed. The recovery of chemicals from coal hydrogenation products necessitates some modifications and additions to the equipment used for the production of fuels. The conversion of coal into liquid fuels such as gasoline requires two steps: liquid phase and vapor phase hydrogenation. Intermediate oils obtained in the liquid phase contain oxygen and nitrogen compounds, especially aromatic compounds, since the coal itself is composed mainly of cyclic compounds. These oils are the raw material for the separation of high molecular weight aro-matics and of tar acids and tar bases. The relative amounts of heavy and middle oil—boiling above and below, e.g., 325°C—can be influenced by temperature, residence time, and catalyst of the liquid phase hydrogenation. In the vapor phase hydrogenation a solid bed catalyst is used to convert the intermediate oil from the liquid phase operation into hydrocarbons of the gasoline boiling range. Essentially pure hydrocarbons with a low content of sulphur, oxygen, nitrogen, and olefines are obtained. Depending mainly on the catalyst, the high ring compound content of the liquid phase oil can be preserved and gasoline rich in aromatics obtained. However, with other catalysts, these ring compounds can be split into gasoline with a high content of isoparaffins.' Again, depending on the operating conditions, products of varying boiling range can be obtained. Selection of catalyst and operating conditions therefore makes possible the production of different grades of motor fuel and also variations in the relative amounts of benzene, toluene, and xylene when aromatic hydrocarbons are produced. The schematic flowsheet, Fig. 1, shows the main steps of the coal hydrogenation process, and the product streams used for the recovery of chemicals are indicated. In the liquid phase hydrogenation stage, coal is made into a paste with recycle heavy oil. The coal paste is mixed with hydrogen and preheated at a pressure of 300 to 700 atm in heat exchangers and preheaters. The coal paste and hydrogen enter high pressure converters where the liquefaction of coal, conversion of the high boiling liquid materials initially obtained, into intermediate oils is performed at a temperature around 470°C. The reaction products enter the hot catchpot in which lower boiling oil vapors are separated from the residue containing unreacted coal, ash, and heavy oil. This residue, usually called H.O.L.D. (heavy oil let down), is processed to separate solid and liquid material. By thermal treatment of the residue, e.g., a coking process, distillate oil is obtained, which can be recycled as part of the pasting oil. This stream is rich in polynuclear aromatics and can be, and has been, used for the recovery of such material. The oil vapors and hydrogen from the hot catchpot are cooled in heat exchangers and a cooler, and the condensed oil is separated from the recycle hy-

Jan 1, 1953

By Henry Ferguson

THIS paper is a preliminary statement, intended to present the more important results of the recent studies of the ore deposits of the Alleghany district in advance of the publication of the complete report, now in preparation. The Alleghany district (Fig. 1) has been a producer of gold since the early days of California gold mining. As in other California gold camps, placers yielded the bulk of the earlier production, but during the last 30 years lode deposits have been the only important source of output. The district differs from other California gold-quartz districts in that nearly all the production is from small shoots of high-grade ore. The mining camps of Alleghany and Forest are on the western flank of the Sierra Nevada range about 20 miles west of the crest. The gently sloping lava-covered plateau which controls the upland topography has been trenched by deep canyons of the westward flowing streams, which are cut to depths of as much as 2000 ft. below the crests of the ridges. The district is about 18 miles from Nevada City but the automobile road which connects the two places is 31 miles long. The senior writer first visited the district in 1913 and published a short description of the lode deposits.1 The increasing importance of the district made further study desirable. A detailed topographic map was therefore made by W. B. Upton, Jr., of the U. S. Geological Survey, in the spring of 1924, and the senior writer spent parts of the field seasons of 1924 and 1925 in the district. For the second field season the Geological Survey was fortunate in securing the services of R. W. Gannett, who had already done geologic work in the district for several of the mining companies. Owing to the death of Mr. Gannett in October, 1925, just before the close of his field work, the work of preparation of the entire report fell to Mr. Ferguson. He takes this opportunity of acknowledging how deeply he is indebted to Mr. Gannett for his excellent work in the field, and his realization of how greatly the completion of the report on the district has suffered from lack of Mr. Gannett's assistance in the office. In October, 1.928, after the completion of the first draft of the manuscript, Mr. Ferguson made a short visit to the district.

Jan 1, 1929