Search Documents

By L. W. Blau

PERHAPS the most important event f or exploration geophysics in 1940 was the publication of three textbooks : "Geophysical Prospecting for Oil," by L. L. Nettleton ; "Exploration Geophysics," by John J. Jakosky; and "Geophysical Exploration," by C. A. Heiland. The literature had grown so bulky, and such a long time had elapsed since the publication of the texts by Ambronn and Eve, that treatises covering exploration geophysics comprehensively in all its branches and giving literature and patent references were sorely needed. This need has been satisfied admirably in these textbooks, and geophysicists owe the authors a debt of gratitude. In 1940, geophysics came of age. A conference on applied nuclear physics was held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2. Several papers on geophysical subjects were presented at this meeting. Geophysical activity has decreased in all parts of the world except perhaps in Canada where, under the stimulus of the war's increased demands, prospecting for oil has increased. However, even there the war has had a seriously adverse effect on prospecting for ores and upon the promotion of new properties, although activity in producing and near-producing mines has been stimulated.

Jan 1, 1941

By R. J. Mechin

Top-slicing was introduced in the Pachuca district in 1917 by T. C. Baker, at that time mine superintendent of the Santa Gertmdis mine. There then existed 1200 ft. below the surface, lying between the fourteenth and eighteenth levels (a vertical distance of 354.2 ft.) a block of ore having a length of 295 ft. and an average width of 82 ft. and dipping at an angle of 65°. This block lay in the hanging wall of the vein and consisted of highly altered and fractured andesite, cut through with mineralized quartz stringers. On the foot-wall side, 26 ft. of old filling, left by former operators, was of payable grade. Stoping therein was first undertaken by the square-set filling system, but because of the extremely heavy hanging wall and loose dry filling in the foot wall, all square setting had to be accompanied by spiling, which made the operation exceedingly slow and costly. A system of mining was sought that would eliminate the difficulties inherent to the square-set system in heavy ground and that at the same time would effect the desired economies in mining. After several years, top-slicing has met all the conditions most satisfactorily, so that when similar conditions presented themselves in El Bordo mine, this method was adopted with necessary modifications. El Bordo mine is operated by the Santa Gertrudis company, and is situated about two miles north of Pachuca. Because of the diversity of the orebodies, a number of different mining methods are in use, among them top-slicing. Description of Block of Ore Former operators, when mining the original vein, left in the foot wall ore of too low grade to be profitable at the time; also, considerabe low-grade material was sorted out and stored as filling in the stopes. Some pillars were left in place, either for support or because they were not payable. All this has formed a body of ore that can now be exploited

Jan 1, 1925

By Rossiter W. Raymond

BY the courtesy of Mr. Charles W. Jenks, of Boston, one of the owners of this interesting mine, I am enabled to lay before the Institute a suite of specimens, illustrating its peculiar formation and the paragenesis of mineral species which it presents; and a recent brief visit and rapid reconnoissance of the locality permit me to supplement this exhibition with a general description, based upon personal observation. The mine is situated upon the Culsagee Fork of the Tennessee River, in Macon County, North Carolina, a few miles from Franklin. The most practicable route by which it can at present be visited is by wagon (or preferably on horseback) from Seneca City, S. C., a station on the Charlotte and Atlanta Air Line Railroad. The itinerary is as follows: to Walhalla,* nine miles; Walhalla to Highlands, twenty-nine miles; Highlands to the Culsagee, fourteen miles. By passing the night at or near Highlands, the mine can be reached and examined and the return to Highlands made on the second day; and the round trip, if performed in the saddle, can be completed in three days from Seneca City. It is not easy, with due regard to steed and rider, to do it in less time. The rough and precipitous mountain roads do not permit rapid travel ; and the journey is at best a fatiguing one. But its slight hardships are overpaid by the stimulating effect of the climate and the great beauty of the scenery, both of which are destined to become more widely known than at present, to seekers for health and pleasure. Indeed the town of Highlands, already named, is almost entirely made up of northern immigrants, attracted by these advantages and by the inducement of cheap land for agriculture and stock-raising. The Culsagee or Sugartown fork of the Tennessee traverses the belt of ancient crystalline schists on the west flank of the Blue Ridge. This belt abounds in valuable minerals. Among those of the nonmetallic class may be mentioned graphite, soapstone, serpentine, ashes- * A branch or cross railroad is in operation as far as Walhalla ; but the single daily train runs at an hour not convenient for this expedition ; and Seneca City is probably the best starting-point. At all events, I obtained there an excellent mount for the trip.

Jan 1, 1879

By F. H. Kihlstedt

The Larap iron deposits, 125 miles east of Manila, are the biggest high-grade iron deposits in the Philippines, and have in seven years produced nearly 4 million tons of 60 per cent ore. Magnetic surveying followed by churn and diamond drilling cheaply developed a score of million tons. The ore zone is a wedge of metamorphic rocks in fresh, Miocene sediments overlain by agglomerates, which seem to have filled a river valley eroded in the sediments. A mild overthrust of the competent agglomerates crumbled the shale in front. Solutions gradually turned it into more competent hornfels and deposited pyrite, then magnetite and pyrite in the pores. As the temperature rose large bodies of magnetite with some pyrite were deposited by replacement and in open cavities in tensional areas of overthrust shears. At still higher temperature magnetite and calcium-magnesium silicates formed other bodies in similar cavities, and finally the thrust zone was invaded by syenite porphyry, causing high-temperature alteration products. Possibly, as temperature abated, more high-grade ore was deposited. The complicated faulting indicates dynamic, chronological and spatial changes of mineralization rather than zoning in a static system. Noncommercial copper, molybdenum and some gold accompanied the iron mineralization. In the thirties the Philippines gained a justified reputation as a country of considerable mineral wealth. Traces of Chinese workings show that these earliest travelers and traders had in a small way exploited the latent gold resources in the Islands. The Spaniards continued this for centuries, but did not succeed in establishing any steady mining industry. Modern technology was required to get it started. The rapid development in the last decade before the war got its impetus from several financial factors, the return to sugar growers of previously collected taxes, the influx of Spanish capital during the civil war in Spain, the influx of Chinese capital when the Japanese started their "China incident," and others. Directly or indirectly much of this capital reached the mining industry; in particular, gold mining. Out of the turmoil of an exceptional mining boom emerged a sufficient number of good and well managed gold properties to send the production to a level above that of any single state in the United States at the time. Other ore deposits besides those of gold also received their share, and for a country without any heavy industries at

Jan 1, 1949

By F. H. Kihlstedt

The Larap iron deposits, 125 miles east of Manila, are the biggest high-grade iron deposits in the Philippines, and have in seven years produced nearly 4 million tons of 60 per cent ore. Magnetic surveying followed by churn and diamond drilling cheaply developed a score of million tons. The ore zone is a wedge of metamorphic rocks in fresh, Miocene sediments overlain by agglomerates, which seem to have filled a river valley eroded in the sediments. A mild overthrust of the competent agglomerates crumbled the shale in front. Solutions gradually turned it into more competent hornfels and deposited pyrite, then magnetite and pyrite in the pores. As the temperature rose large bodies of magnetite with some pyrite were deposited by replacement and in open cavities in tensional areas of overthrust shears. At still higher temperature magnetite and calcium-magnesium silicates formed other bodies in similar cavities, and finally the thrust zone was invaded by syenite porphyry, causing high-temperature alteration products. Possibly, as temperature abated, more high-grade ore was deposited. The complicated faulting indicates dynamic, chronological and spatial changes of mineralization rather than zoning in a static system. Noncommercial copper, molybdenum and some gold accompanied the iron mineralization. In the thirties the Philippines gained a justified reputation as a country of considerable mineral wealth. Traces of Chinese workings show that these earliest travelers and traders had in a small way exploited the latent gold resources in the Islands. The Spaniards continued this for centuries, but did not succeed in establishing any steady mining industry. Modern technology was required to get it started. The rapid development in the last decade before the war got its impetus from several financial factors, the return to sugar growers of previously collected taxes, the influx of Spanish capital during the civil war in Spain, the influx of Chinese capital when the Japanese started their "China incident," and others. Directly or indirectly much of this capital reached the mining industry; in particular, gold mining. Out of the turmoil of an exceptional mining boom emerged a sufficient number of good and well managed gold properties to send the production to a level above that of any single state in the United States at the time. Other ore deposits besides those of gold also received their share, and for a country without any heavy industries at

Jan 1, 1949

By Robert :H. . Lesemann

I recently gave a talk at a seminar on mine development in the Eighties. I had to present CRU' s long-range market outlook for copper, lead, zinc, nickel, molybdenum and silver. In reviewing the recent history of each metal, and our projections, I tried to find some common pattern of behavior that could prove a guide in projecting future market behavior. When you sweep aside your input-output models and econometric equations, what you seem to be left with is this: "When a market goes through a prolonged period of price weakness, you can usually look forward to a period of considerable improvement. " "When a market goes through a prolonged period of price strength, you can always anticipate a prolonged period of price weakness." Stated another way, "The better things are, the worse they will get."

Jan 1, 1982

By AIME AIME

THE many kinds of iron and steel may be grouped into two general classes. First, there are the common steels and cast irons, made in enormous tonnages each year and used for the construction of buildings, ships and bridges, for pipe, for reinforced concrete highways, for the so-called tin cans, and by the railroads and other industries for which a low cost material is suitable. Second, there are the alloy steels and alloy cast irons, which are alloys of the chemical element iron and one or more of a large number of special elements such as manganese, silicon, nickel, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and molybdenum. Alloy steels and irons are more costly than the common grades but their higher cost is, for many applications, justified by their superior properties, leading to ultimate economies or other advantages. They may be harder, stronger, tougher, or more resistant to rusting than the common varieties, and so are extensively used for tools, for ornamental work on buildings and in the automotive, aircraft, and other industries for, which the higher cost is compensated for by the higher quality.

Jan 1, 1933

By Amos L. Beaty

The oil industry can prosper only if crude production is not excessive. This is true for several reasons. In the first place, the marketing branch of the business is so highly competitive that there is little room for profits in it. There are too many service stations, too many middle men or jobbers, too many refiners eager to press their products upon the market. And the battle is between the strong. If any money is being made in oil today it is by small marketers who buy products from the refining companies and sell on guaranteed margins. In the second place, refineries are overbuilt. There is a large surplus refining capacity. If refined stocks were drawn down they could and would be replenished in short time on short notice. This excessive refining capacity is not serious, however, if the supply of crude is limited to trade requirements. True, it may reflect upon the intelligence of the industry, but if there were a shortage of crude for a few years refining capacities would be readjusted. In the meantime no great harm could result from some idle capacity. It requires no computation to see that refiners could not produce surplus stocks of products from a short supply of crude. I have in mind, of course, the increased yields from cracking. Allowance must be made for that. Still, the picture is the same; less crude is required. I think we can have prosperity in the oil business if too much crude is not produced. A proper limit at this point would be felt all the way down the line. It would slow the refiner and slow the marketer inevitably. Once this constant pressure to make more and sell more is off, operations will be normal and there will be some return on investments. Peices in Relation to Production Potential production at this time is very large, and this condition has existed for many months. As a result the price of crude is low. It is below the average cost of production. Nevertheless, if restraints were withdrawn actual production would immediately increase and the situation would become even worse than it is now. Eventually, of course, the

Jan 1, 1932

By R. M. Raymond

RECENTLY one of the Welsh coal companies, which has an excellent plant of up-to-date ma-chinery both on the surface and underground, operated under modern methods, sent one of its engi-neers to the United States to study actual operations in the mines. He visited several of the most important and best conducted collieries, went back, and reported that the greatest difference between operations in England and in the United States was. the closer con-tact between management and workmen. By manage-ment he meant management all the way through; close cooperation between office management, superintend-ents, foremen, shift-bosses, etc., and the workmen. A visit to some of the coal mines in that country by the writer made this fact rather impressive. The feel-ing on this side of the water that the methods in use in the coal mines in England are not up-to-date was found in many cases to be quite erroneous. Many mines, particularly those with very thin beds, in which profitable operations are doubtful under the best con-ditions, have necessarily had to adhere to old methods instead of making mechanical improvements. The Powell-Duffryn mines, in the center of the South Wales district, are certainly operating successfully, and have planned their business excellently. Sufficient areas of contiguous land have been leased for extended opera-tions. Mine plants are laid out in the valley, for work-ings on both sides, on a reasonable tonnage of 1500 to 3000 tons to each operation. The beds are from 30 to 48 in. thickness, and a 3-ft. seam is considered an ex-cellent thickness of coal; in fact, the miners prefer to work on the thinner beds rather than the thick ones, where they consider it more difficult to control the backs. This company is making use of its fine coal for produc-ing electric power, which is distributed to its own operations, and for use in the communities adjoining. For this purpose methods of cleaning the fine coal are being put into use. Compressed air is generated at the central power plant and is transmitted over long dis-tances to various mines in each valley. A byproduct coke plant uses more of the fine coal and gives further returns from non-commercial coal. The long-wall system applied in sections of limited size is popular in working the small seams, and me-chanical cutting is used, also handling either by shaking chutes or belt conveyors, or a combination of both. In some mines mechanical cutting is not necessary. The backs are so handled that in the softer or somewhat crushed seams hand cutting can be carried on effec-tively.

Jan 10, 1927

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period Feb. 10, 1916 to Mar. 10, 1916. ALLAN, FERGUS L., Min. Engr., Cons. Min. Engr., Mexico Mines of El Oro, El Oro, Mex. ARMSTRONG, EMERSON WARREN, Met.,. Mina Bibilonia, La Libertad, Nicaragua, C. A. BABB, P. A Blaisdell Coscotitlan Syndicate, Pachuca, Hgo., Mex. BANDY, PERCY J Fundicion Delicias, Calle Delicias, Mexico, D. F. BELLWALD, J. N Apartado 1488, Mexico, D. F. BILLICK, DON CARLOS, Min. Engr., Supt., Hess Gold Mines Co., Alturas, Modoc Co., Cal. BITLER, FRANK L., Cons. Min. Engr., Birkinbine Engineering Offices, Parkway Bldg., Broad and Cherry Sts.. Philadelphia. Pa.

Jan 4, 1916

By M. H. Forester, John D. Cooner

ALTHOUGH the unmined anthracite will last for approximately A 150 years, most of the thicker and cleaner coal beds have been almost entirely first-mined and pretty well robbed, leaving much of the present and future production to come from thin and dirtier beds. Herewith is a section of one of the dirty beds being mined in the Wyoming region This section shows that 45.8 per cent of the bed is made up of impurities and that the 45 in. of coal in the bed is in five benches, the thickest of which is 19 inches. In some localities of the anthracite region there are 14 beds of minable coal. Orderly and proper mining of the coal makes it necessary to rob or second-mine-almost all beds have already been first-mined-in sequence from the top downward. Therefore the robbing of the few remaining portions of the thicker and cleaner beds is in many instances being held up by the mining of the overlying thin and dirtier coal beds. Impurities Impurities consist of fire clay, slate, rock, and bone. The latter, which is black, contains 40 to 60 per cent carbon and often resembles good coal. In some beds there are also bands of "blue" coal, which, as the name implies, is of a bluish slaty color. Although much of this "blue" coal has a carban content almost as high as the good anthracite, it is not

Jan 1, 1943

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period May 10 to June 10, 1915: Members ANDREEN, HARRY MAYO, Millman: and Assayer Thane, Alaska. BANKS, HUBERT RAYMOND, Min. Engr., Mill Staff, Consolidated Arizona Smelting Co., Humboldt, Ariz. BASSETT, ARTHUR F., Min. Engr., Care Consolidated Arizona Smelting Co., Humboldt, Ariz. BLACKNER, LESTER A., Slope Engr.... Care Ray Consolidated Copper Co., Ray, Ariz. BUSHNELL, C. E., Draftsman Butte & Superior Copper Co., Butte, Mont. CAVAGNARO, DAVID AMILE, Min. Engr., Genl. Supt., Wisconsin North Fork GravelMines, Forest, Sierra Co.; Cal. COGHILL, WILLIAM HAKES, Met., Ore Testing Laboratory, 3705 Hueco St., - - El Paso, Tex.

Jan 7, 1915

By Paul Billingsley

The term Boulder batholith was first applied in 1897 by W. H. Weed2 to the extensive mass of granite in western Montana within whose borders occur the ore deposits of Butte. In a general way this was known to extend from Helena on the north to the Highland Mountains near Butte on the south, and to be relatively narrow in its east-west diameter. Its intrusive relations to the surrounding sedimentary rocks, and its probable Tertiary age, were described by Weed, but in many ways his statements, based upon incomplete data, have required revision. Most notable of the errors of this description of the batholith were the failure,3 since corrected, to recognize the intrusive contact of the granite with the capping of andesite, and the complete absence of any reference to the many extensions of the granite beyond the somewhat narrow limits of its largest exposure.

Jan 1, 1915

Occasionally it is interesting, and sometimes useful, to review the past for early references to our industry, and to learn of the trials and travail passed through before it arrived where it now is- and the results of such a review follow. Some time ago one of our modern playwrights and poets, Arthur Guiterman, turned to coal, with the following result: Afar in the Carboniferous time I grew in Paleozoical slime, A lepidodendron with boughs on my stem And lepidostrobuses grew out of them. My roots in the mud of the ages I spread And up to the heavens I vaunted my head, I throve in the heat of tropical sun, And now I am coal at two dollars a ton

Jan 1, 1939

Occasionally it is interesting, and sometimes useful, to review the past for early references to our industry, and to learn of the trials and travail passed through before it arrived where it now is - and the results of such a review follow. Some time ago one of our modern playwrights and poets, Arthur Guiterman, turned to coal, with the following result : Afar in the Carboniferous time I grew in Paleozoical slime, A lepidodendron with boughs on my stem And lepidostrobusea grew out of them. My roots in the mud of the ages I spread And up to the heavens I vaunted my head, I throve in the heat of tropical sun, And now I am coal at two dollars a ton.

Jan 1, 1935

By Eckley B. Coxe

I wish to call the attention of the Institute to a peculiar variety of anthracite which occurs in the Buck Mountain vein at our collieries at Drifton, and in the same and other veins in different localities in the anthracite coal-fields. It is known among the workmen as iron-gray or cast-iron. It has a dull, greasy appearance, as if a piece of ordinary anthracite had been rubbed with a dirty and greasy rag and allowed to dry. It was formerly considered a very impure coal containing a high percentage of ash, and was picked out of the coal and thrown away. But the following analysis of it and of its ash, made by Mr. J. Blodget Britton, of Philadelphia, shows that such is not the case, the percentage of ash not being much higher than that of the ordinary anthracites as they are prepared for market. ANALYSIS OF COAL. Water,.........4.36 Fixed carbon, by difference,.. 84.90 Volatile combustible matter,. . 3 48 Ash,..........7.26 100.00 The carbon proved to some extent to be of the nature of graphite, and slowly combustible. ANALYSIS OF ASH. Silica,.........25.66 Sulphur,........ .17 Alumina,........27.03 Phosphoric acid,.......21 Ferric oxide,.......42.83 Alkali, undetermined matter and Lime,.........1.56 loss,.........60 Magnesia,........1.83 Manganous oxide,......11 100.00 We recently collected a quantity of the substance and made a fire with it, in an ordinary stove, which was kept up several days. We found that it burned with intense heat, and apparently as freely as our other coal does. Mr. Britton is probably right in his view, that the difference in appearance is not due to impurities in the coal, but to the fact that the carbon is in a more or less graphitic form, as many of the standard coals are no purer. I bring this before the Institute as I know that a large quantity of this valuable fuel is thrown away every year, on account of its supposed impurities.

Jan 1, 1879

By J. J. Thomas, J. H. Nead

This investigation was undertaken to determine, if possible, the relation between static and dynamic tensile tests as measured by the work required to break test specimens slowly, in a tensile testing machine, and rapidly, by means of a falling weight. It was hoped that the investigation would throw some light on the role played by ductility under different rates of application of load. In problems of design, it is usually assumed that the moduli of elasticity of all steels are equal; viz., about 30,000,000. The stress-strain diagram within the elastic limit is a straight line, as shown in Fig. 1, where OA is the curve of a hard steel and OB that of a soft steel. If the modulus of elasticity is constant, as assumed, the slope of the line OC

Jan 1, 1922

By J. H. Nead, J. J. Thomas

This investigation was undertaken to determine, if possible, the relation between static and dynamic tensile tests as measured by the work required to break test specimens slowly, in a tensile testing machine, and rapidly, by means of a falling weight. It was hoped that the investigation would throw some light on the role played by ductility under different rates of application of load. In problems of design, it is usually assumed that the moduli of elasticity of all steels are equal; viz., about 30,000,000. The stress-strain diagram within the elastic limit is a straight line, as shown in Fig. 1, where OA is the curve of a hard steel and OB that of a soft steel. If the modulus of elasticity is constant, as assumed, the slope of the line OC

Jan 1, 1922

For the year ending February, 1918 PRESIDENT PHILIP N. MOORE ST. Louis, Mo. PAST PRESIDENTS WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS NEW YORK, N. Y. L. D. RICKETTS, NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS, NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE, NEW YORK, N. Y. SECRETARY EMERITUS ROSSITER W. RAYMOND,.. NEW YORK, N. Y. SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 3, 1917

By Norman Carmichael, John Kiddie

The problem of transportation in the Clifton-Morenci district of Arizona has been one of peculiar difficulty and consequently has been an important factor in the cost of mining and treating the ores produced. From the crude beginning made over 50 years ago, many changes have been necessary to keep pace with the increased output of copper. A heavy-duty haulage system has developed on the original 20-in. track gage to meet the existent metal-mine conditions. Topography The transportation difficulties of this district may be readily appreciated from the relief map shown in Fig. 1. The northern half of the district is high mountainous country and there is a general but irregular drop toward the southern part, where the country, although still rugged, is in reality a great sloping plain. This is cut by numerous ravines from which the waters, in the rainy season, discharge into the channel of the San Francisco River. A chasm, 1000 ft. deep, has been eroded through the center of the district by Chase Creek, which is flanked by high irregular mountain masses, notably Copper Mountain, American Mountain, Coronado Mountain, and Markeen Mountain. The latter rises 2300 ft. above the bed of the creek, The San Francisco River has also cut a deep channel, though it is somewhat broader than Chase Creek. Eagle Creek traverses the extreme southwest portion of the area, where it has carved picturesquely through vast volcanic flows. Faulting has left its mark upon the topography of the district by adding to the irregularities caused by erosion. Strong faults occur at the Coro-

Jan 1, 1924