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By AIME AIME

EARLE EDWARD SCHUMACHER, the new Chairman of the Institute of Metal, Division. is well known to the metallurgical profession. His election a, Chairman is the culmination of fifteen years' service to the Institute, beginning in 1930 when he was elected Member. Since that time he has served as member of the I.M.D. Data Sheet Committee. 1935-40; Papers and Publication Committee. 1936; Executive Committee. 1937-1910: Papers and Programs Committee, 1937-1938. (Vice-Chairman, 1939-40, Chairman. 1941-12): Annual Award Committee. 194142. (Vice-Chairman, 19431: Vice-Chairman, LM.D., 1943-44; Chairman Publication Committee, 1943-44; member Powder Metallurgy Committee), 1944. Pew other men have contributed so Much time anti effort in so many way- to the interests of the metals branch o4 the A.I.M.E.

Jan 1, 1945

By C. H. Jr. Herty

FEW subjects have attracted the attention of metallurgists more than ,oxygen in steel. From the days of Mushet and Ledebur interest in this subject has been increasing, and as additional knowledge has become available, the problem has naturally grown more complex. Instead of using the simple term "oxygen" we now distinguish between iron oxide, silicates of various kinds, oxysulfides, oxygen as gas and oxygen in solid solution in steel. There are five general methods for determining oxides in steel: hydrogen reduction;, vacuum fusion; various wet-extraction methods, including electrolytic methods; methods depending on volatilization of the iron away from the oxides; and metallographic methods. For oxygen in solid steel each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages. The hydrogen-reduction method is of no use on steels above about 0.20 per cent. carbon;1 furthermore, it gives only FeO and possibly some MnO. The vacuum-fusion method2 is expensive and gives total oxygen, with the exception of some A1203, and does not differentiate between the various oxides in which the oxygen exists. Most of the wet-extraction methods' give only the more insoluble oxides Si02 and A1203, though the iodine method gives MnO to an uncertain degree (information that may be more misleading then no information

Jan 1, 1930

By John A. Meech, J. G. Paterson

Activated carbon is a strong adsorbent for amyl xanthate, capable of removing from solution up to a quarter of its own weight in xanthate. In selective flotation system where depression is unstable, separation efficiency increases with activated carbon additions. The improvements observed are brought about by two mechanisms. First, by removing stripped and residual collector ions from solution, competition between depressant and xanthate is reduced and depression is stabilized. In addition, the texture of the froth phase at high pine oil concentrations is modified by activated carbon such that better drainage between the air bubbles takes place, alleviating the mechanical entrapment of depressed mineral particles. In treating a bulk copper/lead concentrate produced from GECO ore, selectively between galena and chalcopyrite is increased when activated carbon is used. Although the rate of flotation of galena is marginally lowered by activated carbon, a small extension in the duration of flotation allows the lead recovery to increase by 19% at the same recovery of copper. An addition rate of 0.75 kg/ton (1.5 lb/st) of bulk concentrate is suggested as optimum from this testwork. However, the actual level used in the mill is dependent upon the residual concentrations of collector and frother in the bulk concentrate pulp.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. M. W. Mackenzie

The rheological properties of aqueous solutions of several commercial flocculants were investigated using a rotating coaxial cylinder viscometer. Similarities between the pH-apparent viscosity relationship and the flocculating properties of the reagents are discussed here. Synthetic neutral polymers and polyelectrolytes are used extensively as flocculants in mining and chemical engineering operations. The action of these reagents has been interpreted as adsorption of the polymer flocculant to the mineral surface, followed by the formation of physical polymer bridges between the particles.4,5 A consequence of the bridging model is that the efficiency of a polymer flocculant depends on the degree with which the polymer is adsorbed to the mineral surface, and the extent to which the polymer molecule forms a bridge between colliding particles. The length of the polymer molecule and its orientation at the mineral surface are important in the bridging mechanism since the further the polymer segments can protrude from the mineral surface the greater the probability may be of these segments contacting another mineral particle. Linke and Booth7 have shown that, for a silica suspension, both the settling rate at a given polymer addition and the maximum settling rate obtainable increase with increasing molecular weight. The analysis of silberbergl0 has

Jan 1, 1964

By R. D. Nelson, D. H. Polonis

ThE eutectoid decomposition of 6 phase in the Cu-Sn system (32.53 wt pct Sn) has been studied by several investigators.1-6 On the basis of X-ray work, Iball and 0wen1 reported complete decomposition of 6 in powder specimens after 7 days at 300°C. Wang and Hansen followed the micro-structural changes during heat treatment of lump specimens and estimated 5 pct decomposition after 63 days at 300°C. Wang and Hansen suggested that the discrepancy between the decomposition rates of powder and lump specimens might be due to the excess surface free energy of powders. The present work involved 6 decomposition in copper-tin alloy powders containing 32.6 wt pct Sn. Alloy lump specimens exhibited entirely 6 phase after fairly slow cooling (air cooling) from above 350°C and were so brittle that they could be easily crushed to-200 mesh in a percussion mortar. X-ray diffraction study of the as-crushed powders (-200 mesh) revealed 100 pct 6 phase with very slight line broadening effects due to strain introduced by crushing. Only 6 phase was detected by X-ray diffraction in powders which were heat treated 4 hr at 450°C and air cooled to room tem-

Jan 1, 1960

By J. B. Clemmer

PRODUCTION of magnesium metal in the United States during the past decade has increased from less than 600,000 lb. in 1928 to more than 4,800,000 lb. in 1938.1 The growing industry has stimulated interest in methods of production and in sources of raw material. All of the present domestic production is from brines. However, the availability of large tonnages of magnesite in the state of Washington, together with the possibility of cheap power, have created interest in the utilization of magnesite for the production of magnesium metal as well as for other purposes. Magnesite, the carbonate of magnesium (MgC03), usually is associated with lime-stone (CaCO3) and dolomite (MgC03 CaCO3). It occurs in crystalline and microcrystalline (sometimes termed amor-phous) forms.2 The more common crystal-line mineral is found in various shades of white, gray, yellow and brown, the colors being due to impurities, chiefly iron. Magnesite has a hardness of 3.5 to 4.5 and a specific gravity of 3.0 to 3.1. It forms rhombohedral crystals in the hexagonal system, having a vitreous, pearly luster. The quarries and mines of the Northwest Magnesite Co. near Chewelah, Wash., are large producers of magnesite for refractories.

Jan 1, 1940

By Yoshinao Nakada

In many experiments involving electropolishing such as electropolishing during deformation and electrothinning of deformed metals for electron microscopy, it is usually assumed that the specimen temperature is the same as the temperature of the polishing bath. In order to test this assumption, the interior temperature of aluminum single and polycrystals was measured while they were being electropolished. Specimens were 1/4 by 1/4 by 6 in. and were of 99.99 pct purity. A small hole 1 in. deep was drilled axially at one end of the specimen so that a copper-constantan thermocouple could be inserted. The electropolishing solution was 4 parts methanol (reagent grade) and 1 part perchloric acid (70 pct). The electropolishing was performed using an apparatus shown in Fig. 1. The electropolishing solution was stirred by a motor-driven stirrer and was cooled to —5°C with a mixture of methanol and dry ice. Electrolyte temperature was measured and remained at -5°C during the electropolishing. Current density of 0.3 amp per sq. cm was used. When the current was turned on, after about a 5-sec delay, the temperature began to rise rapidly until it reached 65°C. In order to determine whether the temperature measured was localized, the thermal expansion of the specimen was meas-

Jan 1, 1965

By G. E. Johnson

LEAD SMELTERS AND REFINERS in 1932 were confronted with the problem of adjusting operations and costs to curtailed production and consumption at reduced prices, a problem which has been partially solved at least by improvements in operating technique and increased efficiency. At the Mount Isa properties in Australia, a third blast furnace and additional Dwight-Lloyd sintering machines were installed during the year, designed to increase the production to 6,000 tons of bullion per month. The large proportion of lead carbonate in the ores to be treated has presented metallurgical problems. Of the total lead contained in the concentrates to be smelted, two-thirds is Dresent as carbonates and one-third as sulfides. In the iiitial operations, the resulting Dwight-Lloyd sinter was soft, contained an excessive amount of fines, and was easily fusible. When charged to the blast furnaces it developed accretions in the upper part of the furnace owing to the easily fusible lead carbonates softening and fusing at the top of the charge column. This was remedied by the addition to the sinter feed of diluents of higher melting point, granulated slag and crushed limestone. The sinter feed consists of concentrates, Cottrell dust and wind-box cleanings, totalling 57 per cent of the charge; return sinter fines 15 per cent; granulated slag 23 per cent; and crushed limestone 5 per cent. The sinter produced contains 34 per cent lead and 0.5 per cent sulfur. Experiments indicated that double sintering under these conditions was of no advantage, so the original plan of single sinter treatment was retained.

Jan 1, 1933

By Edward Steidle

THAT veterans are crowding the colleges is no longer news; 78 per cent of the 1916-47 enrollment in mineral industries curricula in the United States were veterans, but the rapid comeback from an estimated 1262 total mineral industries students in 1944-45 to 11,422 in 1946-47 is almost astonishing. The figure, which includes 1008 graduate students, is a substantial increase over the previous top record of 9619 in 1938-39. A small part of the increase is caused by the larger number of women entering the field, of whom there were c 9 in 1916-47. Petroleum leads the curricula with 34.5 % of the enrollment, metallurgy is second with 28%, and mining is third with 18%. Table 1. shows all curricula offered and those accredited by ECPD. Using the Mississippi River as a dividing line, 31 colleges in the East and 27 in the West offer curricula in the mineral industries.

Jan 1, 1948

T. Kirke Rose, London, Eng. (communication to the Secretary*) :—The authors have shown that, under certain conditions, the rate of dissolution of gold by chlorine and bromine is reduced by the addition of 10 per cent. of silver to the gold, and that the action is almost stopped when the silver amounts to 30 or 40 per cent. of the alloy. Even if full recognition is given to the practical way in which the work was done, however, it is to be regretted that Prof. Hofman and Mr. Magnusou did not determine the temperature at which the experiments were carried out. From the details given, it may be inferred that the temperature was raised by chemical action by about 20' C. when 21 g. of sulphuric acid was added, and that the mixture was then slowly cooled down during the experiment. When bromine or very weak chlorine solutions were used, there could not have been any perceptible heating-action. As the action of both chlorine and bromine is aided by heat, it follows that the stronger solutions of chlorine were given an unfair advantage over the weaker solutions, and over bromine. If the temperature had been the same in each case, I do not think that the conclusions deduced by Prof. Hofman and Mr. Magnuson' would have been found to be justified. (This is speaking generally. In barrel-treatment the conditions are similar to those in the experiments.) The superior speed of bromine as compared with chlorine at equivalent strengths is not yet disproved, and the differences noted between strong and weak solutions of chlorine may have been largely a function of the temperature. Moreover, the authors used somewhat-coarse particles of gold, and did not try how far time was a factor, although it is obvi-

Jan 1, 1906

By Frank C. Smith

THE following article covers the history of a metallurgical campaign, commenced in March, 1905, at the mines of the Socorro Gold Co., in the so-called desert region of Yuma county, Arizona. The results obtained were simply a function of necessity, as will be seen from the description of the local economic conditions and the character of the ores treated. The mines and mill of the Socorro Gold Co. are located near the small village of Harrisburg, about 60 miles from Congress Junction, Arizona, which, at the time this work was undertaken, was the nearest railroad station, and from which all supplies were brought by wagon through the desert, at a cost varying from $10 to $15 per ton in addition to the railroad freights. Wood, the only available fuel, cost $7 per cord. Water for all purposes was pumped to the plant from a well in the valley about 4 miles away. Under the Arizona law, a working-shift is 8 hr. Wages were $6 per day for foremen and mill-men, $4 per day for blacksmiths and engineers, $3.50 per day for miners, and $3 per day for shovelers and trammers. The ore consisted of quartz, in which, above the 250-ft. level, the iron-minerals were largely oxidized and some free gold was visible; below that level few traces of oxidation occurred, and pyrite constituted the principal mineralizer in the quartz, together with occasional pockets of galena and a few eccentric specks of covellite. The 20-stamp mill was equipped with plates for amalgamation, and three Standard tables for concentration. The tails from the tables were elevated by a centrifugal pump to a launder, by which they were conveyed to a 60-ton cyanide-mill for further treatment. The cyanide-mill was erected at so great a distance from the stamp-mill that a separate crew of workers and a separate power-plant were necessary. No arrangement had been made for the treatment of the concen-

Jan 1, 1907

By Ferid Kromer

This paper is the first in a series which will describe geology, mining methods, and production costs of some, of Turkey's more important minerals. In this paper the economically significant minerals-chromite, meerschaum, and magnesite-of the Tagtepe district are described. The cost data presented are believed by the author to be the first made public on Turkish chromite mining.

Jan 1, 1950

By M. E. Wadsworth, R. D. Groves, B. W. Madsen

Experimental results obtained from large-scale (7 ton), long-term (500 days) leaching of low-tenor copper sulfide ores were interpreted by a geometric model involving the movement of a reaction zone through the ore fragments. The postulated leaching mechanism involved mixed kinetics and included diffusion of the reacting species through the host rock and a chemical reaction at the surface of the mineral particles. Ore properties which were considered were Ore particle size and shape, grade of ore, and mineral content. Excellent agreement between the mixed kinetic model and the laboratory leaching results was obtained when -1/2-in. ore particles were not included in the leach. Also, a satisfactory prediction of copper recovery from +1/2-in. ore with a different particle size distribution was made; however, it was necessary to modify the shape factor in the model. Prediction of copper recovery from an ore sample which included the -1/2-in. fine fraction and leaching for 460 days was 56.5%, and the recovery from leaching was 47.0%. The presence of fines caused solution channeling and a deficiency of oxygen which inhibited the leaching rate. Also, compaction of fines around coarser particles interfered with circulation around the ore particles, and bulk solution transport probably was a rate controlling factor.

Jan 1, 1976

By R. K. Adams

The availability of digital computers costing less than $15, 000 makes them economically attractive as versatile research and experiment tools. Several such installations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown that improvements in research productivity and experimental control accuracy can result from the proper application of a small digital computer. However, careful attention must be paid to several potentially expensive problems in 1) interfacing the experiment to the computer and 2) programming the computer. Two specific applications of very small computers to metallurgical testing and research are described. One is a system for data acquisition and precise temperature control associated with a thermocouple testing program, and the other is a system for pulse calorimetry determination of the specific heat of metals over wide temperature ranges and in the neighborhood of metallurgical transformations. The data acquisition system which uses a PDP-8/S computer monitors signals from up to 264 low-level thermocouple signals at two scanning speeds: 10 readings per second for long-term drift data, and 500 readings per second for transient data. The pulse calorimetry system which uses a PDP-8 computer accepts up to 6 signals of 0- to 10-v range and because of a larger analysis program, uses a bulk memory (magnetic disc) in addition to core memory.

Jan 1, 1969

By J. F. Sepulveda, J. D. Miller

Tar sand deposits in the state of Utah contain more than 25 billion bbl of in-place bitumen. Although 30 times smaller than the well-known Athabasca tar sands, Utah tar sands do represent a significant domestic energy resource comparable to the national crude oil reserves (31.3 billion bbl). Based upon a detailed analysis of the physical and chemical properties of both the bitumen and the sand, a hot-water separation process for Utah tar sands is currently being developed in our laboratories at the University of Utah. This process involves intense agitation of the tar sand in a hot caustic solution and subsequent separation of the bitumen by a modified froth flotation technique. Experimental results with an Asphalt Ridge, Utah, tar sand sample indicated that percent solids and caustic concentration were the two most important variables controlling the performance of the digestion stage. These variables were identified by means of an experimental factorial design, in which coefficients of separation greater than 0.90 were realized. Although preliminary in nature, the experimental evidence gathered in this investigation seems to indicate that a hot-water separation process for Utah tar sands would allow for the efficient utilization of this important energy resource.

Jan 9, 1978

By Alan English, M. F. Morgan

EXPERIMENTAL work on the concentration and agglomeration of low-grade iron ores was started many years ago at the Mines Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota by E. W. Davis and his staff. From these laboratory results and the work of 0. G. Lellep, consultant for the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co., there were indications that the use of a downdraft continuous- grate furnace, patterned from a conventional-type sintering machine, would be practical. Consequently, a pilot plant was designed and constructed by the joint efforts of Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. and Arthur G. McKee & Co. at Carrollville, Wis. Several years of work resulted in plans to build a large-scale pilot plant for commercial application. Such a pilot plant, built at Babbitt, Minn., by the Reserve Mining Co., was designed to produce 1000 tpd. Sufficient metallurgical and operating data were accumulated to permit the successful application to the design of a commercial plant of any desired capacity. Based upon this data, a pelletizing plant having a 3 ¾ million ton per year capacity was erected by the Reserve Mining Co. at Silver Bay, Minn. and started operation in October, 1955. Provisions were made in the design to permit future expansion to a capacity of 10 million tons per year.

Jan 3, 1958

By Donald W. Mitchell, John Nagy, Edwin M. Murphy

In 1957 research was initiated in the U.S. Bureau of Mines experimental coal mine near Pittsburgh, Pa., to study factors affecting foam generation and transport, to evaluate the effectiveness of high-expansion foam for controlling mine fires, and to develop techniques for applying the method under U.S. mining conditions. These investigations showed that high-expansion foam containing at least 0.2 oz of water per cu ft of foam is effective in controlling experimental underground fires burning coal, wood, and oil. Sometimes the fire was completely extinguished, but more often, it was brought under sufficient control to permit either a direct attack on the fire with a stream of water or loading of the hot material into cars. A progress report prepared in July 1958 summarized the initial achievements of the USBM experiments. Since then other phases of the foam-plug method for attacking fires have been studied in the laboratory and in the mine. Previous studies by British engineers of the foam-plug method for fighting mine fires indicated that high-expansion foam was effective in controlling experimental timber fires in an underground passageway. Their subsequent work pertained to the practical aspects of fighting large fires within a mining area with a foam-plug.

Jan 9, 1960

By J. C. Fisher

C. S. Smith has described a method for measuring the relative values of different solid-solid and solid-liquid interfacial tensi0ns. When a polyphase alloy is held at an elevated temperature, individual particles of each phase adjust their shapes and minimize the interfacial energy. Wherever three interfaces meet, the dihedral angles are such that the three interfacial tensions, considered as forces, are in equilibrium. When the angles between three forces in equilibrium at a point are known, it is possible to determine any two in terms of the third. In this way ratios of interfacial tensions have been .obtained. The value of a given interfacial tension ratio was found to be independent of the alloy system from which it was determined. Smith also has employed the method when one of the phases is liquid. When equilibrium is reached with respect to In the course of work on grain growth in high purity aluminum a simple optical method was developed for detecting the presence or absence of preferred orientation in annealed specimens. The specimens were prepared by grinding, polishing and "deep etching." The etching reagent used for high purity aluminum has been described.* The resulting etch pits produced selective

Jan 1, 1949

By J. H. Swisher

HIGH-temperature anneals in wet hydrogen are widely used in research as a technique for decarburiz-ing Fe-C alloys. This technique is also used commercially in processing low-carbon steels for magnetic applications. The results of some calculations to be presented show that for temperatures up to 1100°C there is a critical temperature for maximizing the decarburization rate of alloys containing about 0.1 pct C. The low-temperature portion of the iron side of the Fe-C phase diagram1 is reproduced in Fig. 1. Preliminary calculations show that the critical temperature is between 727" and 905°C. In this range, the alloy contains two phases during heat treatment, ferrite and austenite. Decarburization therefore occurs by a process termed "diffusion accompanied by a phase change".' For intermediate stages of decarburization, the carbon concentration profile in a flat plate is shown in Fig. 2. The carbon content increases linearly from zero at the surface to a value, cB , at the two-phase boundary. cB is known from the phase diagram, see Fig. 1. At the interface where x = 5, the carbon content increases to ci, the initial concentration in the alloy. smith3 has derived an equation which describes the rate of movement of the boundary. With a rearrange-

Jan 1, 1969

By Arch. B. Johnston, Carle R. Hayward

The effect of copper on steel has been studied by numerous investigators. Before modern testing methods had been developed, blacksmiths noted red shortness in iron, the cause for which was ascribed to the presence of copper. Numerous papers have been published on the corrosion of steels containing various amounts of copper, and a few writers have discussed the effect of copper on the mechanical properties of steel. The purpose of the investigation described in the following paper was to obtain additional data on the mechanical properties of medium-carbon steel containing small quantities of copper. Among those who have published results of mechanical tests on copper steels are Ball,' who states that copper increases the tensile strength and hardness but lowers the elongation. Stead2 states that copper steels closely resemble nickel steels containing equivalent percentages of nickel, as regards tensile strength, resistance to shock, corrosion and hardness. Wigham3 found that copper in small amounts had no injurious effect on steel. Breui14 found that with 1 per cent. carbon, copper lessened the brittleness of steel and in low-carbon steel it increased the tensile strength and lowered the ductility slightly. H. H. Campbell5 states that copper up to 0.25 per cent. slightly raises the elastic limit, elongation and reduction of area.

Jan 1, 1918