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By C. S. Matthews, H. C. Lefkovits

The performance of depletion-type reservoirs at the stage in which the gas is at such low pressure that gravity is essentially the sole driving force has been investigated both theoretically and by use of scaled models. A simple theory is developed which completely explains the scaled model experiments. It also agrees with some field data. When the range of production rates to be considered is less than 25, the theory predicts that the production rate decline curve for homogeneous reservoirs in which there is a free surface will be of the hyperbolic type with n = 2: The theory gives a physical significance to the parameter y. INTRODUCTION This investigation was undertaken to determine a method for prediction of performance of reservoirs where gravity is the sole driving agent. Depletion-type reservoirs fall into this category after the pressure has fallen to some low value. Some examples of this type are found at Healdton ('Oklahoma), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), Midway-Sunset (California), and East Coalinga (California). Generally the production rate per unit thickness is quite low in such reservoirs, with the conse- quence that this stage is sometimes called the stripper stage. However, per well production rates may be of the order of 50 B/D because of the considerable sand thickness open in some of the reservoirs. In the past, predictions of behavior of such reservoirs have been based on empirical extrapolation of the rate of production to the economic limit. Difficulties arise when new wells are drilled in the field or when production is artificially curtailed, since in such cases the decline rate of individual wells or leases changes and no clear trend can be detected. It was hoped that the present study would lead to improved methods for evaluation of such reservoirs. The study was initiated by building a scaled model for a particular field and by running a number of experiments on this model. Later a simple theory was developed which explained the laboratory results completely. The theory led, as shown below, to a hyperbolic-type decline equation which had been used previously' in a completely empirical manner. THEORY The General Case The problem to be treated here is the following: We are given a homogeneous cylindrical porous reservoir with exterior radius r, wellbore radius r., and height h,, containing, from the bottom up to a height hit oil, some gas, and interstitial water (see Fig. 1 A). The portion of the reservoir between K, and h, is filled with gas at low pressure, with residual oil, and with interstitial water. If at a time t = 0, the level of the oil in the wellbore is lowered to a height h,, what is the production rate from the reservoir at a time to The configuration within the reservoir at some instant

Jan 1, 1957

By J. N. Hobstetter

It is widely believed that the nucleation of phase transformations in solid metals is accomplished by some type of local atomic fluctuations in the parent phase which arise from spoutaneous difiusion in the metal or alloy system. Under appropriate conditions, these fluctuations are believed to be stable in the sense that the free energy of the entire system is lowered if the fluctuations, or nuclei, grow. Under other conditions they are thought to be unstable in the sense that the free energy is lowered if they redissolve. The criterion for stability is usually taken as the size of the fluctuation. This view has been rationalized by Beckerl in terms of the free energy released by the volume of the nucleus and the free energy associated with the formation of a new surface surrounding the nucleus. The qualitative result of this reasoning is shown in Fig I where the changes in free energy for the surface and volume effects are plotted together with their sum against the radius of the nucleus. There is evidently always a critical size r, beyond which the release of free energy which is proportional to the volume always dominates the increase of free energy which is proportional to the surface area. Borelius2 has also attempted to rationalize the stability criterion for binary alloys, but in terms of the internal concentration of the fluctuations. He has found that, if surface energies are entirely ignored, the fluctuation must still reach a critical concentration if it is to become stable and avoid subsequent dilution. Although the Borelius theory fails to predict many observed nucleation phenomena such as the vanishing of the nucleation rate at the critical temperature, the major premise must certainly be valid. In this paper a reconciliation of the Becker and Borelius views is made by means of a search for nuclei which are at once stable with respect to both size and internal concentration. The increase in free energy per mole accompanying the formation of a nucleus which is just stable, AF., is independent of the path whereby the nucleus is brought into being. It is thus appropriate to seek critical nuclear attributes without reference to the fluctuation mechanism. The rate of nucleation, however, cannot be treated without a detailed understanding of the exact fluctuation process which produces stable nuclei. In this and succeeding papers the purpose will be to find the size, shape and internal concentration of the stable nucleus which is formed with a minimum increase in free energy in a wide variety of systems. The Nature of the Nucleus It is necessary ti have rather detailed knowledge of the nature of a nucleus if AF, is to be computed. Fortunately, enough facts are known or suspected about the nucleus to make possible a detailed analysis. X ray diffraction studies have shown

Jan 1, 1949

Discussions of the papers of DORSET A. LYON and SAMUEL S. ARENTZ, RICHARD D. DIVINE, H. A. WENTWORTH, and S. E. BRETHERTON, presented at the Salt Lake meeting August, 1914, and printed in Bulletins Nos. 91 and 92, July and August, 1914. GEORGE W. RITER, Salt Lake City, Utah.-We have every reason to believe that oil flotation Will soon come into general use as a final guard against slimes losses in concentrating mills, not only in the case of zinc ores, but also in the case of other semi-precious ores. It also promises much as a primary process for the concentration of minerals that are not adapted to gravity methods. Moreover, modifications of the process involving selective or preferential flotation are gradually becoming understood, and will make it possible to eliminate pyrite and other minerals occurring as undesirable impurities in zinc concentrates. And what perhaps is of equal importance, further modifications promise an effective method of separating zinc blende from ores that are chiefly valuable for copper, lead, anti precious metals, thereby making an asset out of zinc which has heretofore been a liability. The tendency of certain pulverized minerals to float on water, especially after having been in contact with grease, has been known to mill-men for a long time, and was formerly something to be deplored and to be striven against. All at once, this tendency has become a saving grace; and now, like tardy converts to a new faith, we are zealous advocates of something we once despised. I was once employed at a mine in the Tintic mining district of Utah¬the old Eureka Hill property-where ores that were too low in value to Warrant being sent to copper or lead smelters were treated in a combination mill. The ores contained gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, manganese, arsenic, etc., in varying quantities and in varying mineral forms, mingled in a quartz and calcite gangue. The material was stamped fine and then concentrated on Frue vanners so as to make a smelting concentrate, after which the tailings were thickened and treated in amalgamating pans for the recovery of non-concentratable precious metals. In the amalgamating pans, under the influence of heat and agitation, a dark greasy froth or scum sometimes formed on the surface of the ore mixture. This froth or scum was composed mainly of mineral sulphides, and its occurrence might have meant only casual losses in the previous concentration, except that the phenomenon was accompanied by faulty amalgamation of the precious metals and by excessive losses in the mill tailings. Grease and oil, present by accident, were the cause of the trouble.

Jan 11, 1914

The Hadsel Mill. By R. G HALL (Trans, vol 112 4000 words) This mill is designed to effect the entire reduction of ores by combined crushing and grinding from mine run size to material sufficiently fine for the usual operation of flotation or cyaniding The work is begun and completed in the same machine. The machine is designed on the principal of the elevator wheel, and crushing and grinding are accomplished by dropping a mixture of ore and water upon specially placed "breaker plates" in such a manner that the resultant material passes back into the buckets of the wheel for further elevation One method of removal of the finished product is to permit an overflow of wet pulp on one side of the mill through coarse screens A recent improvement provides for the removal of a pulp by a launder part way up the path of the buckets In either case the pulp passes to a classifier, and the oversize back to the mill in the manner familiar in ball-mill practice Although hardly through the development stage, the machine has given a very good account of itself in simplification of plant, by elimination of coarse and fine crushers with consequent reduction of installation cost and power consumption As compared with the ball mill alone, there is a reduction of power consumption as well as a material reduction of grinding steel There is an increase in cost of maintenance other than grinding steel, but as the machine passes out of the development stage there is a show¬ing of reduction of costs on this item It seems probable that with further develop¬ment and strengthening of the weaker parts further improvement may be made Ball Milling. By A. M Gow, M GUGGENHEIM, A. B. CAMPBELL AND W. H COGHILL. (Tech Pub 517; also Trans, vol 112. 24,000 words) This paper outlines a new philosophy in ball milling by using power as an index of mill operation and ascertaining the effects of the set and induced variables By recognizing the amount of ore in the mill as an important induced variable and recognizing that the amount of ore in the mill depends principally on the size of the discharge trunnion, ball volume, rate of feed, and speed of mill, obstacles formerly met were surmounted When the amount of ore in the mill is dealt with intelligently and the applied work is proportional to the amount of feed, series testing, which would otherwise give a hotchpotch, gives concordant results The study of ball paths and trajectories was seen to be fruitless when it was shown that the old attrition theory for slow mill speed

Jan 1, 1935

By John N. Hobstetter

IT is widely believed that the nucleation of phase transformations in solid metals is accomplished by some type of local atomic fluctuations in the parent phase which arise from spontaneous diffusion in the metal or alloy system. Under appropriate conditions, these fluctuations are believed to be stable in the sense that the free energy of the entire system is lowered if the fluctuations, or nuclei, grow,' Under other conditions they are thought to be unstable in the sense that the free energy is lowered if they redissolve. The criterion for stability is usually taken as the size of the fluctuation. This view has been rationalized by Becker1 in terms of the free energy released by the volume of the nucleus and the free energy associated with the formation of a new surface surrounding the nucleus. The qualitative result of this reasoning is shown in Fig I where the changes in free energy for the surface and volume effects are plotted together with their sum against the radius of the nucleus. There is evidently always a critical size r. beyond which the release of free energy which is proportional to the volume always dominates the increase of free energy which is proportional to the surface area. Borelius2 has also attempted to rationalize the stability criterion for binary alloys, but in terms of the internal concentration of the fluctuations. He has found that, if surface energies are entirely ignored, the fluctuation must still reach a critical concentration if it is to become stable and avoid subsequent dilution. Although the Borelius theory fails to predict many observed nucleation phenomena such as the vanishing of the nucleation rate at the critical temperature, the major premise must certainly be valid. In this paper a reconciliation of the Becker and Borelius views is made by means of a search for nuclei which are at once stable with respect to both size and internal concentration, The increase in free energy per mole accompanying the formation of a nucleus which is just stable, ?fe, is independent of the path whereby the nucleus is brought into being. It is thus appropriate to seek critical nuclear attributes without reference to the fluctuation mechanism. The rate of nucleation, however, cannot be treated without a detailed understanding of the exact fluctuation process which produces stable nuclei. In this and succeeding papers the purpose will be to find the size, shape and internal concentration of the stable nucleus which is formed with a minimum increase in free energy in a wide variety of systems. THE NATURE OF THE NUCLEUS It is necessary to have rather detailed knowledge of the nature of a nucleus if ?Fe is to be computed. Fortunately, enough facts are known or suspected about the nucleus to make possible a detailed analysis. X ray diffraction studies have shown3

Jan 1, 1948

By B. N. Bose, M. F. Hawk

SINCE Davenport and Bain' introduced the isothermal transformation technique for the study of austenite decomposition in steels, a new field of investigation has opened up. Extensive research has been carried out on many different steels, but relatively little work has been done on eutectoid transformations in analogous alloy systems. The researches of Smith and Lindlief,² Mack,³ and Klier and Grymko²0 on the beta-phase transformation in copper-aluminum alloys, of Hibbard, Eichelrnan, and Saunders4 and Smith5 on the kappa-phase transformation in copper-silicon alloys, of Chaudron and Forester6 on the decomposition of "FeO," and of Wasserman7 on similarities between the iron-carbon, copper-aluminum, copper-tin, and copper-beryllium systems essentially comprise the field. The iron-nitrogen system, in view of its remarkable similarity to the iron-carbon system, is particularly attractive for the study of eutectoid decomposition. The present investigation is concerned with the study of isothermal transformation, proceeding by the familiar nucleation and growth processes, and of martensitic transformation characteristics of pure iron-nitrogen alloys. The kinetics of transformation and the morphology of the transformation products have been investigated, for these must be the factors determining the properties and behavior of the final product. The Iron-Nitrogen System he binary iron-nitrogen phase diagram has been a matter of considerable disagreement among vari01.1s investigators. However, the phase diagram according to Eisenhut and Kaupp8 and Lehrer10 is now considered essentially correct as reproduced in fig. 1. The important values, 2.35 pct nitrogen and 591°C, for the co-ordinates of the eutectoid point (obtained from this diagram and used in the re- search to be described) were confirmed in a concurrent study of Paranjpe, Cohen, Bever and Floe." The eutectoid decomposition involves the transformation of the ? face-centered cubic interstitial solid solution of nitrogen in iron to the a body-centered cubic interstitial solid solution of nitrogen in iron and the ?' nitride of iron. This nitride is essentially the compound Fe,N; it also possesses a face-centered cubic lattice but a considerably larger one than the ?; the nitrogen atoms in ?' are arranged in an ordered way in the centers of the unit cubes.8,10,11 A martensitic structure has also been reported8,12 in iron-nitrogen alloys and was studied in the research to be described here. Materials and Methods The specimens used in this investigation were prepared by nitriding "pure" iron. This iron was supplied by the Westinghouse Research Laboratories and is the product bearing their trade name "Puron"; it contains about 0.04 wt pct total impurities, the major portion of which is oxygen. Specimens were ribbons several inches long, a tenth of an inch wide, and 0.125 mm thick; this was the

Jan 1, 1951

By AIME AIME

THE second blast furnace of the Azov steel mill was blown in on Feb. 17, says the Economic Review of the Soviet Union. This furnace, the 111th in the U. S. S. R., has a volume of 930 cubic meters, and a daily output of 775 tons of pig iron. The 1934 program at the Azov plant includes three 250-ton-open-hearth furnaces, two coke-oven batteries, a repair shop, mine and agglomeration plant at Gamysh-Burum, and two ports, one at the latter town and one at Mariupol. On Feb. 21 the sixth open-hearth furnace of the Stalinsk (Kuznetsk) mill started operations; on Feb. 12 the fourth open-hearth furnace at the Liebknecht mill at Dniepropetrovsk, produced its, first steel, 47 tons of high-grade boring steel. The fourth open-hearth furnace

Jan 1, 1934

By C. G. Dunn

MANY investigations have been made concerning the nature of plastic deformation and recrystallization of metals either in the form of polycrystalline materials or in the form of single crystals. However, similar work on strip materials composed of large grains as thick as the strip and having a high degree of preferred crystal orientation has not been carried out extensively. Such materials are ideal not only for studying changes in single crystals under conditions where neighboring grains exert their influences but also for obtaining the, complete change in orientation of a grain or group of grains during the course of plastic deformation and subsequent recrystallization. It is well known that first-order twins in the form of Neumann bands may be produced during the plastic deformation of ferrite crystals, particularly silicon ferrite crystals.1-3 Furthermore, it is believe that high-stress regions exist in the vicinity of these bands4a and it has been said that these banded regions would be active in recrystallization processes.5 Evidence to that effect in silicon ferrite had already been presented with photomicrographs showing recrystallization among Neumann bands during the early stages of recrystallization.5,6 Similar evidence has been published for nonferrous metals.5 Merging of fine parallel deformation bands during annealing to form twin bands of ordinary appearance in alpha brass has been offered not only as evidence of an active role being played by mechanical twins but also as evidence that such twins existed prior to recrystallization.5 Proof that such new structures are actually first-order twins, or even twins at all, must be considered inadequate except for those cases where X-ray or optical data have been obtained to confirm the necessary orientation relationship.7,8 A. B. Greninger has obtained excellent iliustrations of annealing twins in alpha irons Since his material was previously deformed by sharp hammering, a process that generally induces Neumann bands, the existence of twins following annealing might suggest that they grew from mechanical twins. In connection with transformation twins in alpha iron, Greninger reported that grains containing. three twin orientations occurred rarely and none occurred with three sets of well-developed bands.9 The work at the Pittsfield Works Laboratory on silicon ferrite in the form of large-grained strip steel deformed a small amount and annealed to partially recrystallize the grains indicates that the deformation and recrystallization processes that lead to annealing twins involve more complex processes than the formation of Neumann bands and the growth of such bands. Some groups of annealing twins are obtained which contain not only three well-developed twin structures, but also contain more than one order of twins. It is also shown, in one case, that an interrelated group of twins did not arise within one single parent grain and, furthermore, orientations of grains in the group

Jan 1, 1944

REPUBLIC STEEL CORP. and Armco Steel Corp. have joined in a $160,000,000 project for the production of iron ore from Taconite in the Lake Superior mining region. The two companies announced acquisition in equal shares of 100 pct ownership of the stock of Reserve Mining Co., which controls a vast deposit of magnetic Taconite iron ore on the eastern end of the Mesabi range in Minnesota. Through Reserve Mining the two companies will build a plant for manufacturing high grade ore from Taconite near Beaver Bay on the north shore of Lake Superior. The first announcement calls for about a $60,000,000 plant which will be built as soon as plans are completed and will have an annual capacity of about 2,500,000 tons of iron ore pellets. Longer range development plans call for future expansion of the plant to provide an annual capacity of 10,000,000 tons. This will amount to an additional investment of

Jan 10, 1950

By Carle R. Hayward

GENERAL conditions in the lead industry have registered a distinct improvement. The first signs of a strengthening market were found in an increasing demand for scrap. There is keen competition for old battery plates both by large and small dealers. The large operator smelts them either alone or in combination with ores or other lead-bearing material, giving an antimonial lead for which there is brisk demand. The small operator usually has three alternatives. He may simply melt out the metallics in a kettle at low temperature, giving an antimonial lead and a pulverulent lead oxide; he may fuse under oxidizing conditions, giving a soft lead and lead-antimony slag; or he may fuse under reducing conditions, giving a relatively low-grade antimonial lead and a low-antimony slag. In each case the metal product is used or sold, and the dross or slag sold to a large smelter. It will be interesting to see what the final outcome will be of this situation which is generally conceded to be unsatisfactory.

Jan 1, 1937

By K. Harms, T. D. Jones

TO unload large tonnages of lead bullion cast in 100-lb. bars is a problem which has confronted the lead refineries for many years. The bars, on arrival, must be restacked for unloading by truck or hand-charged to charging machines. Selected crews of labor, capable of working at sustained speeds for five- or six-hour periods, are required for this exhausting task. Due to the fatigue involved crew personnel changes rapidly. During the war it became increasingly difficult to maintain crews, especially in critical labor areas, so that the development of casting and shipping ten-ton lead blocks from the smelters to the refineries became a must in our operating program. For many years lead refineries, when making interdepartment or intradepartment transfers, have cast lead blocks weighing five or ten tons which are easily handled by crane by merely attaching the crane hook to a steel anchor embedded in the frozen lead blocks. In previous years, the practice was to use regular smelter slag pots which, due to their rounded shape, produced what were called "buttons" by the refinery personnel. The button-type blocks were unsafe as they rolled and tipped easily and were unsatisfactory for stacking since no piling pattern could be followed. To remedy this situation, flat-bottom molds came into general use and later the bottoms were made concave to prevent slipping.

Jan 1, 1946

By B. B. Gottsberger

A NOTABLE feature of the practice of the American mining engineer is the fact that 'his field has been world wide, and the results of his work may be found in all countries. For this reason, the mining engineer is particularly interested in any legislation tending to restrict his freedom in this respect. In their zeal to improve the status of the professional engineer, those responsible for the enactment of the registration laws now in effect in various of the United States may have introduced a practice that will result very much to the detriment of the American mining engineer. He is preeminently interested in the maintenance of the professional "open door," and fame may be the reward of him who calls the first "International Conference for the Limitation of Restrictive Legislation." There is no reason why these United States should be the only country to regulate the practice of professional engineering and, in fact, the movement is spreading beyond its borders. Already, it is necessary for the mining engineer to be thoroughly conversant with the various state laws in order to insure his right to pursue his calling. It may soon be necessary for him to make sure of his status in foreign countries before undertaking work in them.

Jan 1, 1921

By G. L. Wilhelm

Prior to the construction of a 450 tpd concentrator at the Mayflower mine, owned by the New Park Mining Co. and operated by the Hecla Mining Co., the common mining methods were cut and fill, with waste or gob filling and square set timbering with waste fill. Stoping operations were beset with the usual problems related to waste filling methods- storage and handling of fill material from development, costly waste excavations necessary to obtain a portion of the needed waste rock, slow mining cycles due to filling and inefficient ground support. After Hecla Mining Co.'s successful utilization of sandfill in its mines in the Coeur d'Alene district, utilization of hydraulic fill in stoping operations at the Mayflower was a logical development of the modernization plan then in progress. The mine, located in the southeasterly part of the Park City mining district, Utah, is a medium size producer of lead and zinc ores, with gold, silver and copper as secondary minerals. The mine has been producing commercial ore since 1939 from a dual vein system which outcrops at an elevation of 7200 ft in the Wasatch Range. Access to the present mining areas is gained by a 7200-ft haulage tunnel and by an interior, three-compartment main shaft. The present mining horizons are about 2400 ft deep. The average horizontal cut and fill stopes, ranging from 3-15 ft wide and up to 120 ft long, can be classed as small.

Jan 5, 1968

By AIME AIME

THE time of the Section delegates was economized this year by providing the section reports in mimeo- graphed form, together with the reports of the officers and committees of the Institute, for their consideration on arrival. The meeting was called for Thursday forenoon and despite a certain amount of oratory managed to get through before all the luncheon was gone. In all, nine section delegates and one from the Iron and Steel Division attended and took part. One delegate, who had come many miles, got lost in the complication of the program and failed to attend. Six appointed dele- gates failed to attend and two sections neglected to make appointments.

Jan 1, 1929

By J. B. NEALEY

MANY nonferrous smelting plants have recently adopted natural gas as fuel with resultant economies, both in cost and efficiency of utilization. Not only has this fuel been used for roasting, reduction, sintering, drossing, and smelting, but also for power. All of the three big smelters near Salt Lake City, Utah, have been changed over from coal and oil firing to gas. Among these is the plant of the International Smelting Co., Tooele, an Anaconda subsidiary, smelters of both copper and lead ores. In the roasting division at Tooele are 32 MacDougall six-hearth roasters, each 16 ft. in diameter and 19 ft. high. Two gas burners are installed on each furnace. These burners are of the single-valve, automatic gas-air proportioning type using high-pressure gas at 10 lb.

Jan 1, 1933

By PAUL AUDIBERT

THE downward trend of metal prices seems to act something like a reagent that precipitates selfishness in most business men's hearts; in the same way the upward trend precipitates altruism. Operators do not say: "I continue working my mine without curtailment because I can afford the present prices while my neighbor cannot and thus will give me way." They say: "I continue working my mine because 1 consider it a service for consumers. They will get better prices on a free market. Any curtail¬ment would be an attempt to raise prices artificially, that is to say, bad economics." Copper producers have learned how fallacious is such an opinion. It perhaps was not fallacious in olden times when all mines were worked on a small scale even if operating on a big deposit. At that time the supply and demand law played fair. When prices were too low and profits were vanishing for many mines, they would. shut at once, then little by little the metal scarcity would induce prices to climb up again; finally these prices would reach the point when it became profitable to again work the closed mines. Re-opening and shutting down mines was then a normal custom. Workers and operators weakly deplored this unstability, but there was nothing effective they could, do about it.

Jan 1, 1931

By AIME AIME

JAMES TERRY DUCE is still on the sunny side of fifty, having been born on Dec. 30, 1892 in Worcester, England. Early in life he came to the United States, however, and graduated from the University of Colorado in 1915 .as a geologist. Thereafter for a few years he was with the Colorado State Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines, also doing a bit of teaching at his alma mater and at Washington University, St. Louis. Towards the end of the World War he was with the chemical warfare section of the U. S. Army. Beginning in 1919, he spent 21 years as geologist in various capacities for The Texas Corporation, for a time

Jan 1, 1941

By AIME

The Taconites Are Ready, the editorial appearing on P. 933 of the September issue, has provoked comment from several informed engineers to the effect that the indicated profit margin was considerably exaggerated. The cost figures in the editorial, taken from the Congressional Record, were characterized as inaccurate by some correspondents. The theme of the story was, however, substantiated in the announcement (P. 1023, October) that Republic and Armco had joined forces in a $160 million project for taconite development. Chief among the dissenters was E. W. Davis, , Director of the Mines Experiment Station at the University of Minnesota. Mr. Davis has worked up the following set of cost figures:

Jan 1, 1950

By Dwight L. Sawyer

IF it had not been for the testimony of former Secretary of the Interior, Harold L. Ickes, before the Senatorial investigating committee the public would have heard little about the Federal Government's suit against California for the ownership of the tidelands. The Ickes-Pauley dispute brought to public attention that the California tideland oil deposits are the last remaining large Federal oil reserves. Ickes contends that these tideland oil deposits belong to the nation for the benefit of all the people of all the states and not solely to the State of California. Ickes also accused California oil man Ed Pauley of offering to give $330; 000 to the Democratic party fund if Ickes would drop the Federal Government's suit against the State of California for the ownership of said tidelands. The tidelands may be considered as the land bordering the coast line between mean high tide and outward under the ocean for a distance of a marine league, or about three statute miles. This strip of land along the coast of southern California contains large oil deposits which have a present and future prospective value of several billion dollars.

Jan 1, 1947

By W. L. Batt

MODERN war means mechanization, and mechanization means raw materials, especially minerals-and lots of them. Let me recall a few events of recent history-events that constitute mile- stones down the road to the war now blazing on three continents and threatening to spread still farther. In 1932, Japan took Manchuria, largely upon the excuse that she needed raw materials; in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia, largely upon the excuse that Mussolini's growing nation needed raw materials-in this case oil; from 1933 to 1935, Germany cried out for a greater share of the world's natural wealth, and since 1938 has invaded or occupied ten other countries, frequently upon the excuse that she needed-and had a right to-more raw materials.

Jan 1, 1940