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By John E. Young

U.S. Steel Corp.'s Winifrede mine is operated by Lynch District in the mountainous region of eastern Kentucky. This region is characterized by narrow finger ridges and precipitous slopes, which present both an opportunity and challenge in the design and selection of coal-handling facilities for the movement of coal from the section belts to the railrod cars. Lynch District selected diesel-powered locomo¬tives and 100-ton articulated cars capable of negotiating sharp curves. The drop¬bottom mine cars are equipped with longitudinally hinged doors that are auto¬matically opened and closed. Lynch District selected a large-diameter steel-lined borehole for lowering the coal approximately 1000 ft from the seam level to the valley floor railroad load-out point. Taking advantage of gravity, the presized coal is "lowered" vertically approximately 720 ft to existing entries of a previously abandoned mine. The coal is then conveyed horizontally into storage. The coal¬handling facility from the mine-car dump to the railroad load-out point is fully automatic through use of tone control. TV cameras are installed along the facility to continuously monitor the strategic points. The diesel locomotives are either directly operated or remotely radio-controlled, depending on the functions Per¬formed. U.S. Steel Corp.'s Winifrede mine is operated by Lynch District in the mountainous region of eastern Kentucky. This region is characterized by narrow mountain ridges and precipitous slopes which present both an opportunity and challenge in the design and selection of coal-handling facilities for the movement of coal from the section belts to the railroad cars. The narrow finger ridges precluded use of under¬ground haulage and, thereby, presented the opportunity to use high-capacity equipment on the outside bench. The precipitous mountain slopes, steepest at the Wini¬frede seam horizon, presented a challenge to select a solution for lowering the coal approximately 1000 ft from the seam level to the valley floor railroad load-out point. It was evident from the start of planning that these two factors predominated; namely, rail haulage and coal lowering, and solutions to these would determine the final design of the Winifrede mine coal-handling facilities. The Winifrede mine derives its name from the Wini¬frede Seam which comprises the total reserve recov¬erable from this facility. The seam is 5 ft high with a good siltstone bottom and competent shale or sandstone roof. The seam is at an elevation of 2700 ft where the mountain ridges are long and narrow. This configuration of the reserve was ideal for conveyor belt installation to transport the coal from the working face to the outside bench. The preclusion of underground rail haul¬age permitted an opportunity to review the type of locomotive power and to select high-capacity equipment without the limitations associated with underground systems. Since the basic electrical design of the mine was al¬ternating current, with rectification to direct current for shuttle cars required only in the face areas, there was no point in bearing the burden of additional cost of dc trolley installation. And, since the haulage would re¬quire only a few tunnels to negotiate sharp points and to reach the back side of the reserves, diesel power was selected for the haulage locomotives. To provide stability on the almost continuously curv¬ing track and to provide the maximum width of haul¬age equipment, both locomotives and mine cars, stan¬dard railroad gage was chosen to offer the largest choice of equipment. The decision was made to select a standard 45-ton railroad diesel locomotive but to lower the cab height to reduce tunnel excavation requirements. The mine car was the next challenge. Past experience in Lynch operations indicated that drop-bottom cars would be a successful application with the free-flowing coal. The search was for a drop-bottom car within the dimensions of the locomotive to discharge the coal in the shortest time. Numerous types were considered and visits made to various sites to observe cars in operation.

Jan 1, 1972

By Felix E. Wormser

REGISTRATION started bright and early Monday morning in the Silver Corridor at the Waldorf-Astoria with Mrs. W. H. Bassett as chairman. What a registration-over 200 ladies! Several joined us from as far away as California and Washington State. Apparently they enjoy our meetings so much that present travel inconveniences didn't discourage their coming. At noon the ladies joined the men at the All-Institute Luncheon and Monday evening we had our informal dance, which is separately reported. Tuesday morning was devoted to our annual meeting at which all Section annual reports were read. At noon we were all the guests of the W.A.A.I.M.E. at a luncheon at the Port Arthur Restaurant on Mott St. in Chinatown. Many of us rode down on the old 3d Ave. elevated railway-the last of four. It, too, is soon to be torn down. The luncheon was delightfully unusual, with huge dishes of delicious Chinese food on each table. Our chairman, Mrs. Read, who lived in China in her youth chose our menu, and she chose it well, for most of us indulged so heartily that as we arose from the table we felt we couldn't eat again for 24 hours. Someone donated sherry wine, and boxes of Chinese pencils as favors. We wonder who? All owe a big vote of thanks for this lovely party to Mrs. T. T. Read and Mrs. H. A. Prosser, chairmen, and Mrs. H. W. Hardinge, Mrs. R. Hursh, and Mrs. R. L. Lloyd, vice-chairmen.

Jan 1, 1944

By E. B. Thornhill

Discussion of the paper of E. B. THORNHILL, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 104, August, 1915, pp. 1653 to 1670. D. B. HUNTLEY, Oakland, Cal.-About 15 years ago it chanced to be my lot to cyanide some mill tailings, assaying about $5 per toll in gold and, a few cents in silver. It was in southern Idaho, a. desert region where costs are nearly as large as in central Nevada. We knew that we had a lot of tailings that had been amalgamated and contained about 1 lb. of quicksilver per ton. We knew that we would dissolve some of the quicksilver when we cyanided them with say 0.25 per cent. cyanide solution. We figured (optimistically) that the cyanide would dissolve all of the quicksilver, and we thought to capture all of that, 1 lb. per ton; and we figured out profits as partly gold, partly silver, and partly quicksilver from the recovery in working those tailings. Actually, however, we did this: We had a battery of three large, old-fashioned silver-mill retorts. We retorted our zinc-dust precipitate, recovering about ¼ lb. of quicksilver per ton treated. That was only a loss of 75 per cent. of what we originally had, but still it was profitable by virtue of the conditions. I mention it partly to call attention to the crude old way of doing it, and partly to call attention to how chemical methods for recovering quicksilver have developed in the last 15 years.

Jan 12, 1915

By Dorsey Hager

THE rapid increase of water troubles in the Mid-Continent oil fields is causing much alarm. Troubles occur at Towanda, Eldorado, Augusta, Cushing, Blackwell, and Healdton, although they had, not been acute in the Mid-Continent field until about two years ago, when the unusual conditions in the deeper oil fields were first encountered. California faced the same situation, but, thanks to aggressive measures, has largely overcome the dangers. The following analysis of water trouble may throw some light on the subject and be of assistance in solving the problems involved. WATER TROUBLES CLASSIFIED The presence of water in large quantities in oil sands has the following results: 1. Diminishes oil production. 2. Diminishes casing-head gasoline production: (a) By curtailing the gas flow. (b) By making the use of vacuum pumps unsuccessful. 3. Increases lifting costs: (a) By making it necessary to pump large quantities of water, which requires. a fast motion and long stroke (third hole). (b) By requiring the use of compressors for air lift. (c) By causing break-downs and delays due to the high speed necessary to pump water. (d) By making it necessary to treat "cut" or emulsified oil. Oil production is seriously curtailed by the presence of large quantities of water. Lease records show that wells are shut down 40 to 60 per cent. of the pumping time where serious water trouble occurs. While a small quantity of salt water may cut the paraffine and keep the oil moving, several hundred feet, or a hole full of water, effectually "kills" the oil

Jan 10, 1918

On Jan. 1, the office of the. National Service Committee was established at 502 McLachlen Building, Washington, D. C. The first work was to review current legislative information; which is being continued and good results are accomplished. Whenever matters of importance appear in the Congressional Record, notice thereof with such documents as are germane are forwarded to the members of the committee for their information and advice. The first formal report of the chairman was on the so-called Smith-Howard bill to secure Federal endowment for the establishment of engineering research. The chairman of the Committee, at the request of the Executive Committee of the Engineering Council, appeared before the Senate Committee on Education and Labor for the purpose of opposing those features of the so-called Kenyon bill which would create a practically permanent commission dominated by the Engineering Corps of the Army over all Federal engineering projects as well as state and municipal projects receiving Federal aid. The greater part of the time has been expended in correspondence and consultation on the matter of the establishment of a Department of Public Works. The results of this work lead to the belief that there is much promise of the establishing of such a department by the 66th Congress Hall members of engineering societies, as well as the societies themselves, will unanimously agree on and support a measure, and in order to secure such unanimous support, it will be advisable to call a conference of engineering societies. .

Jan 4, 1919

By Roy P. Hudson

A micropyrometer known as the De Graaf apparatus has several advantages over the gas-furnace method for determining ash fusibility. When the De Graaf apparatus is operated by a modified method of procedure, the results closely check those of the gas-furnace method. This is indicated by tests on 27 samples of coal ash, with an extreme variation in fusibility values of 654" F. However, most of the ashes fused at temperatures between 2300º and 2500º. This, presumably, is the temperature interval within which the micropyrometer gives the best results. Additional comparisons are desirable. DISCUSSION (Thomas G. Fear presiding) A. C. FIELDNER,† Washington, D. C. (written discussion‡).-—The Pittsburgh Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines has made two investigations1 of the micropyrometer for determining the fusibility of coal ash. These studies were undertaken with a view to adopting the micropyrometer method us a substitute or alternate to the present standard gas-furnace method, in view of the obvious advantages of greater speed, smaller ash sample, smaller laboratory space requirements, less equipment and greater comfort to the operator. However, the investigation showed that the micropyrometer type of furnace as then operated in five laboratories having this equipment could not be accepted as an alternate to the standard gas furnace, which is capable of close duplication in different laboratories, as shown in a recent colmparison between the Pittsburgh Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Mines and the Fuel Research Station of Great Britain.2 The algebraic meau

Jan 1, 1934

By Walter McDermott

THIS machine is an improvement on the well-known endless traveling belt used for dressing slimes in many mills ; the chief point of difference, and constituting the essential advantage of the present over the old form, is the application to the machine of a secondary agitating or shaking motion, in addition to the ordinary progressive motion of-the belt. In the machine as heretofore made, the inclined belt or apron moved slowly up against a thin stream of water and ore, depositing the concentrations carried over in a tank placed below, through which the belt travelled, of course, in a reversed position. By reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that in this main principle the new modification does not differ materially; but the means by which it is carried out are essentially different. The machine consists of a substantial frame of mood, F, Figs. 41, 42, and 43, within which hang the shaking frame and rollers, B B, A, Endless apron ; B, Apron frame and rollers ; C, Driving drum ; D, pulleys; El Shaft and connecting rods; F, Wooden frame; G, Shaft of regulating Pulley ; H, Yokes. supporting the upper half of the travelling apron, A, which passes below around the driving drum, C, in the water-tank, J. On leaving the water-tank, the belt passes over the guiding and tightener pulley, G. The ends of the shaking-frame, B, are provided with iron yokes, H H, bored to admit the shafts of the end rollers, and carrying a lug, by which attachment is made to the connecting rods,

Jan 1, 1875

By J. F. K. Brown, E. E. Roecker

For three years The Hudson Coal Co. has used egg anthracite instead of coke in its foundry cupola. It has long passed the stage of being told it cannot be done—the metal would be cold, of poor quality, or the speed of operation would be low. From observation, from use and from test. we know that our metal is about average; the cast iron invokes no adverse comment from the machine shop and the speed suits our foundry requirements. We have there-iore resolved into practice anthracite combustion processes in an industrial furnace formerly using coke, under conditions suitable to our needs. When it comes to translating what we know into use in another cupola, however, where operating conditions may be different, or to explaining why, with seemingly the same conditions in our own cupola, we have attained sometimes a temperature of 2800° in the metal and at another time 2600°, or a speed of 5 tons per hour against 2 35 tons per hour, we cannot do it. We cannot do this because there seems to be an unbridged gap between laboratory ideas on combustion and practical ideas on com-bustiqn, which we have been unable to cross in terms understandable to us as practical consumers. This gap or bridge centers around the problem of how combustion actually takes place; and we believe it is controlled by two factors: (I) the character of the surface of the fuel and (2) the space provided and needed within which the oxygen of the air is allowed to or can act on that surface. It has long been contended on behalf of coke that porosity is an important factor in combustion, although, admittedly, there are two schools of opposing thought on this question, as revealed in technical literature. It has been understood generally that a light, porous coke is the best metallurgical fuel because there are more square inches of carbon exposed to the blast of air, therefore more useful carbon-dioxide reactions can take place in the given space between the entrance of the air and the point where useful work is done. It is now our general idea that the heavier and the harder the coal, the better the metallurgical fuel, provided the surface of that fuel is suitable for fast reaction with the oxygen. Time and Space A cupola is loaded in layers of fuel and iron. The horizontal line where the first charge of iron rests on the coal is the top of the bed coal. With us that is 22 in., usually, above the tuyeres where the air enters. This means 600 lb. of coal. Every subsequent coal layer is 100 to 125 lb. of coal, and that 100 to 125 lb. of coal melts 1000 lb. of iron at around 2700° in the ladle. This quantity of coal represents a 3-in. layer spread across the cupola. The question arises: If this 3 in. of coal will melt 1000 lb. of metal, why was it necessary to use 600 lb., or 22 in., of coal beneath and between the first charge of iron and the air entrance?

Jan 1, 1944

By E. E. Roecker, J. F. K. Brown

For three years The Hudson Coal Co. has used egg anthracite instead of coke in its foundry cupola. It has long passed the stage of being told it cannot be done—the metal would be cold, of poor quality, or the speed of operation would be low. From observation, from use and from test. we know that our metal is about average; the cast iron invokes no adverse comment from the machine shop and the speed suits our foundry requirements. We have there-iore resolved into practice anthracite combustion processes in an industrial furnace formerly using coke, under conditions suitable to our needs. When it comes to translating what we know into use in another cupola, however, where operating conditions may be different, or to explaining why, with seemingly the same conditions in our own cupola, we have attained sometimes a temperature of 2800° in the metal and at another time 2600°, or a speed of 5 tons per hour against 2 35 tons per hour, we cannot do it. We cannot do this because there seems to be an unbridged gap between laboratory ideas on combustion and practical ideas on com-bustiqn, which we have been unable to cross in terms understandable to us as practical consumers. This gap or bridge centers around the problem of how combustion actually takes place; and we believe it is controlled by two factors: (I) the character of the surface of the fuel and (2) the space provided and needed within which the oxygen of the air is allowed to or can act on that surface. It has long been contended on behalf of coke that porosity is an important factor in combustion, although, admittedly, there are two schools of opposing thought on this question, as revealed in technical literature. It has been understood generally that a light, porous coke is the best metallurgical fuel because there are more square inches of carbon exposed to the blast of air, therefore more useful carbon-dioxide reactions can take place in the given space between the entrance of the air and the point where useful work is done. It is now our general idea that the heavier and the harder the coal, the better the metallurgical fuel, provided the surface of that fuel is suitable for fast reaction with the oxygen. Time and Space A cupola is loaded in layers of fuel and iron. The horizontal line where the first charge of iron rests on the coal is the top of the bed coal. With us that is 22 in., usually, above the tuyeres where the air enters. This means 600 lb. of coal. Every subsequent coal layer is 100 to 125 lb. of coal, and that 100 to 125 lb. of coal melts 1000 lb. of iron at around 2700° in the ladle. This quantity of coal represents a 3-in. layer spread across the cupola. The question arises: If this 3 in. of coal will melt 1000 lb. of metal, why was it necessary to use 600 lb., or 22 in., of coal beneath and between the first charge of iron and the air entrance?

Jan 1, 1944

By Herbert Hoover

NO ONE could fail to be gratified to receive so profound an approbation in his calling from the members of one's own profession. To have re-ceived this distinction from men, many of whom have been professional associates and friends over more than a quarter of a century, warrants a pride. and satisfac-tion that could come from no other source. It has often been said that men are really known only to their brothers in labor and in profession. The long friendship I have received from Mr. Saunders and the distinguished service that he has contributed to the mining industry add to my appre-ciation of this event. Mr. Kelley's remarks bring my mind easily to the beginning of that period of great advance in the engineering, profession of forty years ago. Three great forces contributed to the development of the profession. The first was the era of intense development of minerals, metallurgy; and transportation in our great West. It greatly stimulated invention; it made a demand for training and skill on the part of our engineers. The pressure of national development advanced our American practice beyond the rest of the world. Moreover, the skill of our engineers of that period owes a great debt to American educators. The leaders of our universities were the first of all the educators of the world to recognize that upon them rested the responsibility to provide fundamental train-ing in, the application of science to engineering under the broadening influence and cultivation of university life. They were the first to realize that engineering must be transformed into a profession in the highest sense, not only in the training and character but that the essential quality of a profession is the instillation of ethics. That implies not alone the job but the responsibility of the community for the job. Our uni-versities poured into our development a great stream of men with this background and training. A third distinction that grew in American engineering was the transformation from solely a technical profession to a profession of administrators-the business manager with technical training.

Jan 3, 1928

By AIME AIME

CHARLIE WARNER, Chairman of the Petroleum Division, is no stranger to the problems of the oil industry or to those of the Petroleum Division, after more than 25 years of experience in locating and producing oil and more than 22 years of membership in the Institute. He was born at Jefferson, N. Y.. April 27, 1894, and educated in the public schools of New York State and at Cornell University where he studied geology and allied sciences from 1913 to 1917 and received a B.A. degree. Immediately upon completion of this training, he was employed by the Empire Gas & Fuel Co. as a field geologist in Oklahoma and Kansas. Two years later he became district geologist for the Emerald Oil Co. in Oklahoma and Kansas, and in 1920 he rejoined the Empire Gas & Fuel Co. in the capacity of district geologist in Oklahoma. In September of 1921 he began his association with the Houston Oil Co. of Texas. He was district manager for the company in the Mid-Continent area until 1932 when he was transferred to the head office at Houston, where he became superintendent of the land and lease department in 1934 and was elected a director of the company in 1941. In these capacities, and also as petroleum engineer for the company, he keeps in intimate touch with all phases of field activity and with the regulation of the industry by State and Federal agencies.

Jan 1, 1943

By M. S. NORTH

IT may be a far cry from the days of the old horse whim, and it is relatively a long way back to hand production in factories. Modern machinery has made possible deep shaft-sinking, newer methods have increased the recovery of mineral. Technically, excavating and ore dressing have advanced as has mass production and its many ramifications in the manufacture of commercial product. To those of the mining industry who would have us believe that mining and manufacturing are totally different enterprises, it can be said that certain differences do exist. These differences rather than being fundamental are the result of adhering to past practices which were possibly sound years ago but do not measure up today. Differences in managerial control, sales, and distribution, cost finding, etc., are often so pronounced that efforts to compare or contrast are almost futile.

Jan 1, 1930

By Arthur Notman

YEAR ago, the Committee on Mineral Economics ventured to predict a more realistic attitude by the public toward the folly of seeking to have more by making less under the guidance of the Blue Eagle. A unanimous decision of the Supreme Court of the United States has now laid that embattled bird to rest. De rnortuis nil nisi bonum. In spite of dire predictions of disaster to follow its early demise, the metal industries and many others have improved substantially. One could name many indications of that improvement, and on the strength of stock-market activities might assume

Jan 1, 1936

By David R. Mitchell

IF you are the owner of a mine, or a mine executive, or just an ordinary miner, and have a son about to go to college, do you urge him to take up mining engineering or do you try to dissuade him from such a course? If you live in the East, or the Middle West and your interest has been in coal rather than metal mining, the chances are that your young hopeful will be urged to do almost anything else rather than follow in father's footsteps.

Jan 1, 1939

By R. N. Hunt

GEOLOGICAL and exploration work of the United States Smelting Refining and Mining Company are handled by the mines geological and the exploration divisions of a geological department under the direction of the chief geologist. The mines division at present includes, in Utah. a geologist in charge, resident at Bingham, assisted by a geologist stationed at each operation, and a small group of geologists resident at the Bayard unit, in New Mexico. The duties of the mines division include the mapping and delineation of the geology of the mines, direction of sampling and diamond drilling, and the periodic calculation of ore reserves. At Bingham an amount of underground drilling within the limestone and porphyry formations which are hosts to the ore bodies supplements and completes development by mine workings. At Bayard, five to seven drills are kept busy underground, and eight to twelve drills operate on the surface. The mines division men live at the mine and work in close co-operation with mine superintendents and foremen. Development work is discussed, initi-

Jan 1, 1948

By A. H. Larson, R. J. McClincy

The activity of Sb,03 in PbO-Sb,03 slags containing less than 50 mol pct Sb,03 was determined by the inert-gas saturation method at 700°C. In this composition range, the activity gf SbzO3 shows a strong negative deviation from ideality. The activity of PbO in these slags was calculated by application of the Gibbs-Duhem iniegration to the Sb203 activity data. The calculated activity of PbO in slags containing more than 63 mol pct PbO was found to deviate in a positive direction from ideality uthile a negative deviation was found for slags containing less PbO. The standard Gibbs free energies of formation of Sb,03 and PbO. Sb203 have been calculated and compared with existing data in the literature. The activity of Sb203 in PbO-Si0,-Sb203 (PbO/SiO, = 2) slags containing less than 25 mol pct Sb,03 was also determined by the inert-gas saturation method at 700°C. In this composition range, the activity of Sbz03 shows a very large negative deviation from ideality. VERY little experimental work has been published in the past to determine equilibrium data in the oxide systems connected with the refining of lead. These data are of value since impurities such as antimony, arsenic, and tin must be removed from lead and recovered for further treatment. Equilibrium studies on antimony and arsenic systems are also of interest for the design of new processes for lead refining and lead dross treatment. Maier and ~incke' first determined the liquidus curves for the PbO-Sb203 system and identified the compound PbO . Sb203. They found the phase diagram for this system to be two simple eutectics located on either side of the congruent melting compound. They also determined a very limited amount of vapor pressure data for Sb406 abbve PbO-Sba3 melts at 697"~. A second phase diagram investigation on this system was reported by Hennig and Kohlmeyer' who confirmed the existence of the compound PbO . Sb203 as well as the form of the diagram. A disagreement was noticed, however, in that their liquidus temperatures over nearly the entire composition range were higher than those reported by Maier and Hincke. Barthel~ and pelze14 redetermined the liquidus curve at the PbO-rich end of the PbO-Sb@, system and agreed very closely with the results of Maier and Hincke. None of the investigators mentioned above reported any mutual solid solubility in the PbO-SbD3 system. Zunkel and Larson5 have determined the phase diagram for the PbO-rich end of the PbO-Sb203 system by slag-metal equilibrium studies in the Pb-PbO-Sb203 system and by thermal analysis studies in the PbO-Sbz03 system. A maximum solid solubility of 5.6 mol pct Sb203 in PbO was observed at the eutectic temperature of 604°C. Their results for the phase diagram agree favorably with those of Maier and Hincke. The vapor pressure of Sb2O3 in the temperature range from 470" to 800°C has been determined by Hincke, using a modification of the transportation meth~d.~ His results for temperatures below the melting point of Sba3 are the only data reported in the published literature. The predominant vapor species has been shown to be Sb,06 by Norman and staley.? Myzenkov and Klushin,8 using the boiling-point method, have determined the pressure of Sb406 above liquid SbD3 in the temperature range from 715" to 1025°C. The agreement between these two studies is not very close. A portion of the discrepancy lies in the fact that Hincke used silica crucibles, which were attacked by the liquid Sbz03 at high temperatures. This fact does not account, however. for the large difference observed at the melting point. ~aier' gives a brief summary of vapor pressure data for Sb,O, above pure liquid Sbz03 which agree quite well with the data of Myzenkov and Klushin at temperatures near the melting point. This paper describes the determination of Sb2O3 activity data in the PbO-Sb203 and Pb0-Si02-Sb203 (PbO/SiOz = 2) systems by the inert-gas saturation method. These activity data are compared with the data calculated by Zunkel and arson. EXPERIMENTAL Materials. The materials used in this investigation were analytical reagent-grade PbO (99.8 pct PbO, 0.14 pct insoluble in CHsCOOH, 0.02 pct not precipitated by HB, 0.1 pct CaO, and 0.08 pct SiOz), Sbf13 (99.6 pct Sb203, 0.004 PC~ C1-, 0.005 PC~ SO;-, 0.15 p~t AS, 0.001 pct Fe, and 0.03 pct other heavy metals such as Pb), and SiOz (chromatographic grade). Apparatus for Vapor Pressure Determinations. The apparatus used in this investigation consisted of a transportation reaction system with two separate gas trains. The argon transporting gas was first mixed with a small amount of hydrogen, metered, and dried by passage through silica gel and anhydrone drying tubes arranged in series. After this preliminary drying, the argon was passed through copper wool at 500°C to convert the residual oxygen to water vapor which was removed by three anhydrone drying tubes. A second stream of argon was metered and dried and then passed around the outside of the alumina reaction tube to flush away the volatile species to pre-

Jan 1, 1970

By Robert W. Hunt

THE first pump of this character, made by H. R. Worthington, and, so far as the writer is informed, the first and only one of this kind ever constructed, is now in daily use in the above-named works. The water-pressure necessary for the working of the hydraulic machinery of this plant had been supplied, up to the time of the building of this pump, by two Worthington Duplex High Pressure Pumps, having steam-cylinders of 20 inches diameter and 12-inch stroke, with water-plungers of 72 inches diameter; eight inlet and eight outlet valves of 22 inches diameter, and pumping into a 6-inch pipe. These pumps required a large amount of steam, and, in consequence of the various additions to their duty, their capacity became far short of the work required. In preference to putting in another engine of the same class, it was decided to accept Mr. Worthington's proposition to build the compound one under description, he guaranteeing that it should be equal to the demands of the works, and at the same time cause a saving of from 5 to 6 tons of coal per day from the amount required to run the two old pumps. The new engine has been in operation about one month, and so far has exceeded the most sanguine expectations. It consists of two high-pressure cylinders of 21 inches and two low-pressure ones of 36g inches diameter, by 36-inch stroke, with water-plungers of 91 inches diameter. There are two air-pumps of 20 inches diameter by 18-inch stroke; the condenser being 24 inches diameter by 60 inches high. Both cylinders are jacketed with wood and felt, and the low-pressure cylinder also with live steam. The high and low pressure steam-cylinders are in line and immediately adjoining each other, while the inconveniences attending an internal stuffing-box are avoided by having two piston-rods for each of the low-pressure cylinders, running through stuffing-boxes on the outside of the smaller high-pressure ones. The steam-valves are very ingeniously designed balanced

Jan 1, 1876

By R. E. Smallman

R. E. Smallman (University of Birmingham, England)—Recently, Tedmon and Ferriss11 have determined the yield stress parameters oi and ky for tantalum by measuring the lower yield stress as a function of grain size 2d and fitting the results to a relationship of the form They report that although ky , which is taken to be a measure of the dislocation locking strength, is small (- 2 to 4 x 106 cgs units) a substantial yield drop is nevertheless observed in a normal tensile test. Niobium gives a similar result,12-14 as pointed out in the original work by Adams et a1.,12 and in order to check this apparent anomaly the yield-stress parameters of electron beam-melted niobium have recently been reanalyzed15 by the Luders strain technique. In this method the strain hardening part of the stress-strain curve is extrapolated to zero plastic strain; the intercept on the preyield portion of the curve is taken to give oi, whilst the difference between oi and the lower yield stress gives kyd-1/2. The results indicate that ky increases with increasing grain size and hence, a plot of vs d-112 yields an apparent ky, which is lower than the true value. A similar effect could account for the small ky found in the relatively pure tantalum used by Tedmon and Ferriss. The variation of ky with grain size shows that dislocations are more strongly locked in coarse-grained specimens than in fine-grained samples. In niobium, this may be attributed to the fact that the dislocation density in the fine-grained material is higher than that found in the coarse-grained samples which are given a sufficiently prolonged anneal to remove any residual substructure and, since the metal contains only a small amount of interstitual impurity, a variation in locking occurs. By contrast, application of both the grain size analysis and the Luders strain method to yield-stress data from commercially pure vanadium containing a large amount of interstitial impurity gives consistent values of oi and ky, with ky independent of grain size and temperature. Electron microscope observations show minor variations in dislocation density from grain size to grain size, but in any case in this material the dislocations are heavily locked with precipitate. On yielding new dislocations are generated and, as a consequence, the importance of any differences in dislocation density between the various specimens of different grain size is considerably reduced. It is perhaps significant that Adams and lannucci,16 working with a grade of tantalum containing a higher interstitial content than that used by Tedmon and Ferriss, prepared the specimens of different grain size by annealing in the temperature range 1500" to 2000° C to minimize any differences in dislocation structure, and found that ky had a value of 1.04 x 107 cgs units, independent of testing temperature. Such behavior is consistent with the dislocations being locked by carbide precipitates so that the generation of free dislocations is an athermal process. The recent work of Gilbert et al.17 also shows that in tantalum there is no significant variation of ky with grain size provided it contains 150 ppm of oxygen. In this case, however, the dislocations are not locked by precipitate and ky is temperature dependent. C. S. Tedmon and D. P. Ferriss (authors' reply)— We would like to thank Dr. Smallman for his interesting comments and discussion to our paper, "The Dependence of Yield Stress on Grain Size for Tantalum and a 10 pct W-90 pct Ta Alloy".18 It was suggested that perhaps the relatively small values obtained by us for ky of tantalum could be attributed to the same cause that accounts for the apparently small values of ky that result when it is determined by the Luders Strain technique. Since our values were obtained by plotting the lower yield stress vs the reciprocal of the square root of the grain size, it is not clear how this could be the case. The values of ky in this experiment have been calculated, using the Luders strain technique. With this method, values for ky on the order of 2 x 105 to 5 x lo6 cgs units were obtained. In spite of this rather large variation, the magnitudes are still small, and there appeared to be no good correlation between ky and the grain size or the yield stress, probably because of the difficulty in accurately extrapolating the work-hardening portion of the curve back to zero plastic strain. As was shown in the original data,18 there was little work hardening in any of the curves, at any temperature. In his discussion, Dr. Smallman also points out how ky has been observed to increase with increasing grain size, when determined by the Luders strain technique. There are at least two possible explanations for this. In the first case, if it is assumed that the bulk of the interstitial impurities are concentrated at the grain boundaries, then, of course, the available grain boundary area would decrease with increasing grain size, thus presenting less area for the interstitials, which would then presumably increase the concentration within the grains, thereby increasing the locking of the dislocations. In the second case, the increase in ky with increasing grain size would be attributed to the nature of the grain boundary itself. One of the several ways of deriving the Hall-Petch equation19 is based on the stress concentration arising from a pile-up of dislocations at the boundary. The ability of the stress concentration to unlock a source in a neighboring grain would depend on the strength of the grain boundary. As is well-known, the nature and struc-

Jan 1, 1963

By L. C. Graton

At the Tenth International Geological Congress, Mexico, 1906, Waldemar Lindgren presented "The Relation of Ore Deposition to Physical Conditions." Retrospect ranks it as the outstanding offering at that Session and as the most fundamental contribution up to that date on the philosophy of ore deposition. Elaborating thereon in his text-book "Mineral Deposits," Lindgren analyzed ore-forming processes under conditions prevailing from great depth up to surface; explained the nature of deposition in each environment; and developed a comprehensive genetic ore classification, which brought wide acceptance and enriching contributions by many. Since Lindgren's latest edition (1933), have come wealths of material relevant to ore genesis, particularly through amazing renaissance and proliferation throughout science. Current publication regarding ores now emanates largely from a generation caught in pressures of the breathless modern tempo, which tempts scant reflection upon earlier truths. Consequently, today's thrilling output contains not a few offerings that need challenge because supplanting interrelationship and system by what seems, collectively, an assemblage of strange, ad hoc and often self-contradictory concepts. From these latter some merit may eventuate but at the probable cost of present confusion and delayed progress. The following pages, naming numerous post-Lindgren advances, record the conviction, held by many, that Lindgren's philosophy, progressively improved, remains the soundest approach to understanding ore genesis.

Jan 1, 1968

By OTTO HERRES

TO operate the bituminous coal industry in the United States in 1929 cost $770,237,000, of which $30,739,000 was paid for purchased power and $34,947,000 for new machinery and equipment. Equipment aggregated 3,124,000 hp. A mining industry that spends $65,000,000 a year for power and machinery is likely to be fairly well mechanized, and when the machinery in use takes three million horsepower to drive it, the probabilities are that mechanization has been in progress in at least some of the mines for quite a few years. Mechanization in its broadest sense implies machine cutting, power drilling, mechanical loading, electric haulage, mechanical sizing and cleaning, and lesser applications of machinery to mining operations. But the introduction and development of mechanical loading has been the feature of coal mining recently and its extraordinary progress is causing great changes within the industry. First, let us look at the records. The quantity of coal loaded mechanically in bituminous mines was:

Jan 1, 1933