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By P. Somasundaran, D. R. Nagaraj

This study initiated to explore the potential of commercial chelating extractant for beneficiation of minerals revealed "LIX "65N to be an excellent collector for cuprite and chrysocolla. The collector action of the LIX is proposed to result from its chelation with copper species on the surface of the minerals. Thus, the syn-isomer of LIX65N, which is unable to form a chelate with copper ions, failed also to act as a collector. The proposed mechanism takes into account partitioning of LIX between the mineral surface (to form a surface chelate) and the copper chelate dispersed in the bulk aqueous phase (either due to formation of the chelate with dissolved copper, or due to detachment of chelate formed at surface). The efficiency of the collection is dependent upon this partitioning since the bulk chelate is found unable to collect. The marked decrease in flotation obtained when copper was added to the system supports this mechanism. The dependence of flotation of chrysocolla and cuprite on pH and reagentizing time is discussed on the basis of the proposed mechanism. Batch laboratory flotation tests using synthetic mixtures of oxide, sulfide and mixed oxide-sulfide copper minerals with quartz demonstrated the ability of LIX to separate the copper minerals from quartz.

Jan 1, 1980

By Daryl R. Tweeton, Jerry R. Riding, Grant Buma, Frank J. Rosswog

In situ solution mining of uranium has environmental advantages over conventional mining. The leaching of uranium, however, alters the ground-water quality in the aquifer where the mining occurs. Currently, regulations require that the ground water be restored to approximately its original condition. This paper, a summary of a study funded by the Bureau of Mines, reviews the state of the art in restoring ground-water quality after in situ uranium leaching. Current restoration practices discussed include disposal of liquid wastes in deep disposal wells and evaporation ponds, producing from all wells during restoration, and recirculating water purified in surface plants. Methods for predicting the effectiveness and cost of current techniques are presented. Possible alternative techniques are also described. Two restoration operations are discussed.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. P. Timmons, J. H. Moran, G. K. Miller, M. A. Coufleau

A prototype equipment has been designed and built for the digital recording of well logs on magnetic tape at the same time that the regular film recording is made. The format of the digital tape produced is such that it can be used directly at the input of the ZBM 704, 7090 or other models of ZBM computers which accept digital magnetic tape. This apparatus has been used for the experimental field recording of dipmeter tape logs which were subsequently computed by means of an ZBM 704 or 7090. In this paper the equipment and the digital tape are described briefly, and their application to the computer-interpretation of dipmeter data is discussed. A principal element in the interpretation of the dipmeter log is the correlation of the three microresirtivity dipmeter curves to determine the depth displacements between them. Several correlation methods for computer use are considered, with particular attention to their sensitivity to error and their consumption of computer time. The tape data were used to compute information content of the dipmeter microresistivity curves in terms of their frequency spectra. The results show that the sampling rate used in recording the digital information is quite adequate and illustrate a use of the digital tape in evaluating the characteristics of new tools. Some examples of field results are shown. It can be foreseen that, when digital tape recording becomes available for general field use, a whole new realm of possibilities will be opened up for the processing of other well logs through computations, which hitherto were not feasible because they were too laborious and time-con.sunzing. INTRODUCTION The last few years have seen a revolution in the design and production of data-processing equipment. Stored-pro-gram digital computers have progressed from a research curiosity to the basis of a major industry. There are now hundreds of such machines in daily use in the United States. With the acceptance of a technique that was, in fact, already clearly described by John von Neumann in 1945, the last decade has seen great strides in the development'of components, reliability, programming systems and, most spectacularly, in the sheer number of machines built and in use. In 1957 there were enough digital computers available to the oil industry to justify the suggestion that it would be worthwhile to investigate the possibility of using these machines in processing well log data.' The first result of this investigation was the appearance of what may be referred to as the input-output bottleneck. Well logs are customarily recorded on film. To get these data into a machine required then (and still does): a time-consuming semi-automatic reading of the film; conversion of the log data to digital form; and recording these digital data in some medium acceptable for computer input, such as cards, magnetic tape, or punched paper tape. However, the recording, reading, and re-recording could only result in deterioration of the data. Therefore, it was concluded that the fist step should be the development of a new, more direct recording technique supplemental to the film recording, which would provide easy access to the digital computer. There are many solutions to the problem of recording log data in an easily recoverable form. After careful consideration it was decided to adopt the boldest solution which, it was felt, was also the most elegant. It was decided to record well logs directly, in the field, on magnetic tape in such a way that this tape could be used without further modification as an input to the IBM 704 or 7090 computer. To realize practical field recording of magnetic tape logs, it became necessary to develop in a rather small package, an analog-to-digital converter, a tape recorder, and the necessary multiplexing and control circuits to allow the simultaneous recording of a multiplicity of logging signals. The magnetic tape recording was to be made simultaneously with the conventional logging operation in such a way as not to interfere with it. Along with the development of hardware, it was necessary to begin development of interpretation techniques and machine programs that would exploit the power of the digital computer. Here, again, there is a long list of possible applications. After much consideration it was decided to concentrate on the interpretation of the dipmeter log as a first application. It is the object of this paper to describe in some detail the developments sketched in the last three paragraphs.

By Grover J. Holt

A detailed description of the many variations in iron mining and transportation practice in Minnesota would require much space. Since a fairly detailed description of the practices then in use was published in the guidebook issued in connection with the meeting of the Institute on the iron ranges in 1920, and subsequent developments have been described by E. E. Hunner, M. H. Barber,2 and A. E. Anderson, J. M. Riddell and G. J. Holt,³ it will not be necessary here to do more than review the highlights of current practice. Details on any points of interest can be obtained through correspondence with the operators involved. † The iron ores of Minnesota, which have been formed through enrichment of the iron formation in which they occur, largely by the removal of silica, are usually covered by a blanket of glacial drift known locally as "surface." Surface material, including sand, clay, hardpan and boulders, makes up the greater portion of the stripping in open-pit operations. In some instances, stripping also includes taconite and paint rock," directly below the surface material and overlying the ore. Tacenite is the iron formation, a ferruginous chert with inter-bedded slate layers. :'paint rock" is a local term for oxidized slate layers inter- bedded in the iron formation, high in phosphorus, alumina and moisture. The iron ores fall into two classes: (I) direct shipping (merchantable ores or ores requiring no treatment except possibly crushing or screening to make an acceptable sized product), and (2) ores requiring beneficiation (such as sintering, drying, washing, jigging, high-density treatment, or magnetic separation in the case of magnetite). The Mesabi Range produces chiefly soft Bessemer and non-Bessemer ores. The Cuyuna Range produces mainly low-manganese brown ore and high-manganese black ores, with some iron ore. The Vermilion Range yields mainly Bessemer and non-Bessemer iron ore, with some hard or lump ore that finds use in the open hearth. Open-pit mining is limited to the Mesabi and Cuyuna Ranges but underground mining is done on all three. The choice of mining methods is determined by the relative economics of overburden-removal and shaft-mining costs. Stripping Practice Common practice has been to remove the bulk of the overburden during the winter season and to mine during the summer, In- the present emergency many operators are forced to forego the economies attained by year-round utilization of paper. and to equip for, and carry on, stripping and mining simultaneously. In the normal years or lean years to come, most properties probably will be overequipped and high depreciation charges Will have to be absorbed.

Jan 1, 1943

By W. Denham Verschoyle

In designing a pocket instrumeut whereby any giver1 horizontal or vertical angle may be closely approximated, the following points should be kept in view, if general utility is aimed at : 1. The instrnment should be light and compact, so that it can be carried in the pocket, or in a sling. 2. It should be capable of observing any angle whatever, horizontal or vertical. 3. Since time is often an important consideration in making a preliminary survey, it should be capable of giving the horizontal and vertical angle at one observation. I do not know of any instrunlent that will fulfill these requirements, except the one here described. Where the depression- or elevation-angle of the distant object, whose bearing is required, exceeds 50 or 60 degrees, it becomes difficult or impossible with a prismatic compass, for instance, to obtain accurate results; and since it frequently happens, particularly in mining, that much work requires to be done beyond that limit, it is obvious that an instrument which can be used to observe a high angle just as easily as a low one, if not absolutely a necessity, will at least be a great convenience. How this a pocket transit" attains to the required degree of universality will be understood from the diagram, Fig. 1, in which B is a beveled, graduated circle, attached to and freely revolving about the center of the magnet A. Light falling on B is reflected through a window in F (the compass-box), along the line AC, and is again reflected back to the eye at D by the prism C. By a simple arrangement, the tight-line BCE call be completely revolved in the vertical plane DE, which is normal to AC. It is clear, then, that no matter through what vertical

Jan 1, 1908

HENRY A. VEZIN, Denver, Colo. (communication to the Secretary, February, 1897): I have read Mr. Austin's paper with considerable interest, more especially as the designing and study of such works have been an attractive occupation for me during the last twenty-five years. Mr. Austin says that a " plant on a terraced site has generally been considered the most advantageous," and also that " many advocate a level site," while he himself " is disposed to advocate a modification of the latter plan, utilizing an extended surface with a moderate slope."* Among the advocates of the terraced sites as against level ones, I do not recollect ever meeting a metallurgist who had even made an attempt to plan his works for level ground, or who had, in a lucid interval, figured how much he gained or lost by one or the other method. The average metallurgist starts with the assumption that it is rational to conduct his material down hill because its movement is aided by gravity, while to elevate ore or furnace-material by machinery he vaguely believes to be not alone wrong in principle, but also unnecessarily expensive. Let us look into the expense of elevating and see whether it really is prohibitory of the successful operation of smeltingworks on a level site. Hoisting or elevating material in the

Jan 1, 1897

By Oswald J. Heinrich

At the Baltimore meeting of the Institute in February, 1879, Mr. Eckley B. Coxe, then president of the Institute, called attention in his address to the subject of Secondary Technical Education, and

Jan 1, 1881

By Charles Willard Hayes

Shortly after the discovery of black phosphate on Swan creek, in Hickman county, Tennessee, prospectors familiar with the Florida phosphate came to the region and began the search for rock similar to that found in Florida. Among these was Mr. E. Slattery, who located at Linden, in Perry county. He gave a piece of the Florida rock to Mr. C. C. Sutton, and the latter discovered on Tom's creek a deposit which bore a strong

Jan 1, 1896

By Donivan L. Gordon, Fred H. Dorheim

Often, as viewed by the public and many in the mining industry, abandoned limestone and gypsum quarries offer a simple, economic solution to the twofold problem of solid-waste disposal and land reclamation. In a state where about 75% of the existing quarries are in hydrologic connection with carbonate aquifiers the rationale for considering the storage of solid waste in them must be critically examined. Consistent with the requirements of water resources protection, criteria are suggested to evaluate the potentiality of using abandoned limestone and gypsum quarries as sanitary landfill sites.

Jan 1, 1975

By Clarence Seyler

THE technical difficulties of cutting thin sections of coal for examination by transmitted light have hitherto restricted the investigation of the important subject of the microstructure of coal to the few possessed of the requisite skill and time. Apart from this, the method fails with anthracites and other coals rich in carbon, owing to the opacity of the material. Occasional use of the method of polishing a surface, with or without etching, has been made, but it was not until Winter1 published an account of his results that attention was seriously directed to the method. In May, 1923, a specimen of dull anthracite came into my hands; I tried Winter's method on it and the presence of megaspores and other vegetable structures became clearly visible. A preliminary notice was published by me;2 but I soon abandoned the use of Schulze's solution having found that a mixture of chromic and sulfuric acids gave far better results. In the meantime Turner and Randall, in America, had independently developed the method of flame etching, as applied to anthracite, with great success. I have spent a year studying the method of chromic etching, which gives excellent results with bituminous coals and cannels, as well as with anthracite. For anthracites, I have used the chromic method and Turner's method of flame etching, whichever was the more convenient or as a check one on the other. The polishing is done, according to metallurgical practice, by the use of a polishing machine and successively finer emery paper, followed by polishing on cloth moistened with a suspension of levigated green oxide of chromium, and a final rubbing on "selvyt" (a cotton velvet polishing cloth) moistened' with alcohol. The polished sample is examined by reflected light with a 2/3 and 1/6 in. objective. Bituminous coals usually show considerable structure, and even anthracites show it faintly in places. The sample is then etched by immersion in a boiling solution made by adding 10 c.c. of concentrated sulfuric acid to 30 c.c of a saturated solution of chromic acid; enough water is then added to dissolve

Jan 3, 1925

The Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties. United Engineering Trustees, Inc. When Mr. Carnegie made. his gift ?for the erection of a suitable home? for the engineering societies,

Jan 1, 1944

By Robert E. Cuthbertson

IT is the purpose of this paper to describe in detail the laboratory development and mill application of an unusual combination of flotation reagents employed in the concentrator of the Climax Molybdenum Co., on the Continental Divide, near Leadville, Lake County, Colorado. This development originated in an ore-dressing research laboratory maintained by Climax at the experimental plant of the Colorado School of Mines, which is staffed by men directly employed by the Climax Molybdenum Co. Mill-scale testing of laboratory developments was supervised by a representative from the testing laboratory, working in close cooperation with the operating staff at the mill. General milling practice at Climax is ably described in a paper by E. J. Duggan,1 mill superintendent. Other aspects of the Climax project have been described in papers by W. J. Coulter,2 by Butler, Vanderwilt and Henderson3 by Allen Kissock,4 and by Leo H. Glanville.5 Consequently, this paper will be confined to the metallurgical aspects of recent reagent developments, avoiding, as much as possible, repetition of material covered in these earlier publications. BRIEF HISTORY OF REAGENT PRACTICE AT CLIMAX Prior to the year 1937, the only reagents employed at Climax for froth production and collecting action in the flotation of molybdenite were steam-distilled or destructively distilled pine oils. The only exceptions to this practice were brief periods of mill testing, when reagents of various types were tried on an experimental basis. None of these experimental runs was sufficiently encouraging to justify its continuation as regular practice. Sodium, cyanide has been employed since the very early days of milling at Climax as an inhibiting agent for control of pyrite and chalcopyrite. Alkaline reagents such as lime or soda ash have been used in recent years to minimize the detrimental effect of iron salts on flotation of molybdenite. The presence of these harmful salts is attributed to the decomposition of fine metallics abraded from liners and balls in the first stage of regrinding rougher concentrate. Flint pebbles are used in subsequent regrinding, since alkaline reagents are not entirely adequate to offset the inhibiting effect of iron salts as the grind becomes progressively finer and the grade of concentrate progressively higher. Climax metallurgists were familiar at an early date with the use of petroleum products such as kerosene and gas oil as promoters of flotation of molybdenite. Charles C. Oliver6 discussed the use of pine oil and kerosene as early as 1920, in connection with the milling practice at Dominion Molybdenite Co., Quebec. Never theless, the early attempts to apply this knowledge in the Climax concentrator were complete failures. In the light of recent experience, it may seem strange that the early mill tests with petroleum

Jan 1, 1944

SECTION I Page Page Report of Nominating Committee. v Employment li Proceedings of St. Louis meeting. , vi Local Section News.: liv Engineering Foundation, Report Affiliated Student Societies lvi of Secretary xxxviii Forthcoming Meetings lvii Engineering Council xlii. Library lviii Suggested College Course on the Membership lxiii Human Side of Engineering... xlii Biographical Notices: Engineering Societies Club of Alexander Bryden. By C. L. Hawaii xlv Bryden lxxxiii Members in Military Service .... xlv E. F. R o e b e r . B y J. W. Meeting of Board of Directors...' xlvii Richards lxxxv 1918 Dues xlviii Institute Committees lxxxvi Transactions for 1917 xlviii Officers and Directors xciv Personal xlix

Jan 12, 1917

Jan 1, 1917

By John A. Church

In May, 1878, I had the honor of presenting to the Institute, at the Chattanooga meeting, some observations upon the heat of the Comstock Lode, and since then the subject has attracted some attention and criticism, in the course of which, L have observed errors of apprehension which I beg leave to correct now. Mr. John Arthur Phillips discussed it before the Geological Society, his paper being printed in the Quarterly Journal for August, 1879." His criticism is based upon that part of my paper in which I quote a number of analyses of the mine waters, to illustrate the fact that the heat does not come from the oxidation of pyrite. I pointed out that these waters contain only an insignificant proportion of sulphuric acid, and not enough to account for even one per cent. Of

Jan 1, 1880

By T. P. Chen, F. W. Bowdish

Studies made with a captive bubble apparatus on the sulfidization and collection by amyl xanthate of true chrysocolla specimens have defined the ranges of pH value and sulfide concentration which permit contact between the bubble and the mineral surface. Titanium compounds were the most effective of the materials found to activate the sulfidization of chrysocolla. With titanium activation, the contact angles and the ranges of pH value and sulfide wncentration giving bubble contact were all increased. Chrysocolla ores were concentrated by flotation. Chrysocolla ores occur at many localities in grade and quantity sufficient to make mining and millin feasible, but no satisfactory method of concentratio has been found. Although chrysocolla may be leached with acid, only those ores without acid-consuming gangue may be leached economically. Because of its potential importance, a study of the conditions nece sary for flotation of chrysocolla has been carried ou The literature contains a few references to flotation of chrysocolla. Two methods were developed by the U. S. Bureau of Mines.1,2 The first consisted of a fatty acid soap and a high xanthate as collectors of chrysocolla from a synthetic ore, while the second involved the use of hydrogen sulfide and xanthate. Ludt and DeWitt3 demonstrated the difference in adsorptive powers of chrysocolla and quartz for bas triphenyl methane dyes and suggested the use of butyl, hexyl or octyl-substituted malachite green as collector. Jackel4 emphasized the effects of combin tions of reagents such as Aerofloat 31, pine oil, and Reagents 404 and 425 with sodium sulfide and zinc hydrosulfite as conditioning agents. Although he reported recoveries of 89% from a synthetic ore and 98% from a natural ore containing azurite, malachite, chalcopyrite and chrysocolla, careful application of Jackel's method to chrysocolla from Tyrone, N.M., failed to give a high recovery. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE Samples from Inspiration, Ariz., and Tyrone and Magdalena, N. M., were used for experimentation and verified as true chrysocolla by leaching tests, specific gravity tests and X-ray diffraction. Chrysocolla does not dissolve at pH 4, although malachite and azurite do. Chrysocolla is about half as dense as the copper carbonates. X-ray diffraction analyses by the powder camera method confirmed the samples as true chrysocolla. A captive bubble apparatus, which cast an enlarged image of the air bubble and the mineral surface upon a screen, was used to check on the character of the surfaces. The specimens were prepared by grinding a flat surface on a glass plate using fine abrasive; then they were washed and kept in distilled water until they were to be treated with reagents. Before each reagent treatment, the specimen was carefully checked for cleanliness in the captive bubble apparatus. It was assumed that the surface was clean if, after fine grinding and washing of the specimen, the bubble would not stick. Specimens were handled with glass forceps, and precautions were taken to avoid contamination of the mineral surfaces. Contact angle measurements were carefully made several times on each treated specimen to obtain reliable average values. EFFECT OF pH VALUE AND SODIUM SULFIDE CONCENTRATION In each experiment, a specimen with a freshly ground surface was immersed for 10 min in a solution of sodium sulfide, washed and immersed for 15 min in a solution containing 30 mg per 1 of potassium amyl xanthate. The specimen was then washed again in distilled water and tested for contact angle in the captive bubble apparatus while submerged in distilled water. In this series of experiments, the pH of the sulfidizing solution was varied from 3 to 7, and the concentration of sodium sulfide, containing 60% Na2S, was varied from 50 to 650 mg per 1. Many combinations of pH value and sulfide concentration resulted in no contact between the bubble and the surface, but over a limited range of conditions, contact angles varying from 24ºto 52ºwere obtained. The data in Fig. 1 show sulfidization conditions that lead to bubble contact and those that do not. The region of contact is surprisingly small, which may indicate why flotation of chrysocolla involving sulfidization has proven so difficult in practice. Several features of the system are illustrated in Fig. 1. In the region between pH values of 4 and 6 with sodium sulfide concentrations below about 350

Jan 1, 1963

By W. E. D. Jr. Stokes

THE application of aviation to mining and petroleum operations, on the basis of economy and attainment, has become a demonstrated fact. According to Dominion Government records, 30. Canadian companies engaged in air transportation with northland mining camps, carried 13,000 tons of freight in 1935, and in 1936 carried 16,000 tons. In addition, many mining companies used planes to transport prospectors with canoes, outboard motors, gasoline drums and supplies to remote locations, and one company maintained a plane to take radium-bearing ore from its mine on Great Bear Lake nearly 1000 miles south to the rail-way at Waterways, Alberta. Heavy pieces of mining machinery weighing 2 tons are being carried by Ford trimotor planes over the Andes, at an altitude of not less than 15,000 feet. At Bulolo, New Guinea, 17,500 tons of disassembled gold-dredging equipment has been flown over inaccessible terrain, while supplies and building materials for a, community of 1000 whites have been transported by airplane. A 31..4-ton shaft was carried on one notable trip, while at another time an automobile, 2 tons of rice and a large safe went over the mountains in one plane. Fig. 1 shows an electric generator that was carried by plane to Bulolo. Many large American oil companies operated fleets of planes during 19:36, ranging from fast, luxurious air liners for executives to elaborate geological prospecting units, ambulance planes, freight carriers and pipe-line repair crews. According to the U. S. Geological Survey, commercial firms photo-graphed 16,291 square miles during 1935, while the Government compiled from aerial photographs by the Geological Survey in the United States 85,544 square miles. It was found that information could be determined in a fraction of the time required by surface methods.

Jan 1, 1937

By Wolfgang Pietsch

Direct Reduced Iron is a product obtained during solid state reduction of iron oxides into metallic iron. General chemical and physical characteristics of all direct reduced iron materials result in a noticeable reoxidation tendency and a relatively low ignition temperature. As most of the chemical reactions are exothermic, normally heating occurs and if water is present hydrogen evolves. Dry direct reduced iron deactivates quickly in air but is still reactive if it comes into contact with moisture. Because of these characteristics, special requirements are necessary for safe storage, shipment, and handling. In an effort to improve this situation passivation techniques were and still are being developed. The paper discusses the properties of direct reduced iron, presents past experience with storage, shipment, and handling of MIDREX® Iron, a direct reduced iron material produced in the MIDREX® Direct Reduction Process, and evaluates benefits derived from different passivation techniques.

Jan 1, 1978

By W. W. Weigel

The mines of the St. Joseph Lead Co. in St. Francois County, Missouri, form a roughly triangular area of about 45 square miles. Locally this is known as the Lead Belt. The four operating mines in the area at present are the Federal, Leadwood, Desloge, and Bonne Terre, in decreasing order of mine area and daily production. Mining began in 1864 and has been carried on in the district continuously since that time. As a group, the Lead Belt mines now handle 20,000 gal. per min. of water, average head about 465 ft., against a normal daily ore tonnage of 21,200 tons. For a six-day operating week this gives a ratio of 6½ tons of water per ton of ore. Total average pumping in 1931 was about 15,000 gal. per min. Since that time a large area of virgin territory has been opened, much of which has had temporary flush flows. About 75 per cent of the water enters in certain restricted very wet areas. Production figures are given in Table I. The figures by divisions for 1931 and 1941 are not exactly comparable, as there were several transfers of pumping loads from one division to another during that period of time. Geology The, basement formation in 'the Lead Belt area consists of the pre-Cambrian rhyolite porphyry and granite. Overlying this is the La Motte sandstone, of Middle Cambrian age, which offers a good medium for circulation of water. It varies in thickness up to 400 ft. Above this is the Bonne Terre dolomite, approximately 375 fl. thick, which in turn is overlain by the 150-ft. Davis shale. The formations above this, present in the Lead Belt in small areas only, are of minor importance. The ore bodies occur as large, horizontal tabular masses or as long, narrow runs; they are found throughout the Bonne Terre but largely in the lower 150 ft. The rather indefinite contact with the La Motte is a favorite ore horizon. Milling is entirely by open stope and pillar breast systems. To the south, west, and north of the district, sandstone outcrops are few and limited. Heavy faulting bounds The district on those sides and probably there is little if any artesian circulation from those directions. To the east, the La Motte rises to an outcrop area of about 40 square

Jan 1, 1943

By George A. Roche

Investment in growth stocks is the most assured way of achieving superior, long term investment accomplishment. There are many criteria used to select growth companies but the most important is a combination of superior management operating in an industry with above average growth potential. This growth stock approach is the cornerstone of investment strategy for two of the three mutual funds sponsored by the Price organization and for its private clients. However, during the past five years inflation has accelerated due to a variety of factors including the inability of government to meet seemingly unlimited needs with limited revenue sources.

Jan 4, 1972