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By M. E. Wadsworth, I. B. Cutler

Coprecipitation of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes has been applied to floccula-tion of several mineral systems. Results obtained in a study of the flocculation of kaolinite and hematite suspensions of polycationic and polyanionic electrolytes are presented. Greatly increased settling rates were observed following precipitation of positive and negative polyelectrolytes on the surface of finely divided minerals in aqueous suspension. The ratios of polycationic to polyanionic electrolytes required to produce maximum sedimentation have been shown to correspond closely with the equivalence points obtained by light scattering studies of systems containing the positive and negative polyelectrolytes by themselves. DISPERSION of colloids has been of interest to surface chemists for many years. Flocculation studies have been employed to evaluate the limits of colloid stability. In water suspensions, colloids become unstable and flocculate when the ( potential, the potential of the kinetic solvation sheath, falls to a value at which van der Waals forces may act to draw the particles together. This may happen through an adjustment of the pH of the suspension or by addition of a salt. Optimum conditions for rapid formation of large flocs are found in the region of minimum ( potential. In addition to these well known considerations, colloids in water suspensions are known to be flocculated by certain large organic macromolecules. These polyelectrolytes in some cases minimize the i potential and in other instances increase the attractive forces by supplying sites for hydrogen bonding.' Use of organic polyelectrolytes in flocculation of mineral colloids has increased rapidly in recent years. These materials are now recognized as indispensable aids to fluid-solid separations in many extractive metallurgical operations. They have been found to increase both the settling rate in thickeners and the filtration rate of filters. In the elucidation of the characteristics of these organic reagents as floc-culants in this laboratory, it was discovered that interaction of certain polyelectrolytes had a surprisingly good effect on flocculation of mineral colloids. Experimental Procedure: The anionic flocculants used in this study were Lytron 886 and 887, produced by Monsanto Chemical Co. Both reagents are copolymers of vinyl acetate and maleic anhydride. Lime is added to Lytron 886, whereas Lytron 887 is all organic. These reagents possess two carboxyl groups for each acetate group and are therefore anionic in character. The cationic reagents used were the Peter Cooper Co. 1-X and 2-X glues. The structures are not definitely known, but the re- agents are amines and are cationic in character. The glues were prepared in the chrome-alum form. Both types of reagents may be classified as polyelectrolytes in that they are high molecular weight polymers and ionize in water. All data presented are in terms of sedimentation rate, measured in 250-ml glass-stoppered graduated cylinders. With suitable precautions such measurements are fairly reproducible and provide a sensitive means for selecting important parameters such as pH, reagent concentration, and floc size and density.2 Agitation was standardized with five complete end over end cycles of the suspensions in the stoppered graduated cylinders.

Jan 1, 1957

Receipts General Funds: Initiation fees ' 6,008.50 Arrears of dues 1,772.69 Current dues 46,576.56 Advance dues 1,820.97 Sale of binding 10,554.43 Sale of advertising 6,003.42 Sale of Transactions 3,237.07 Sale of special editions ' 1,722.50 Sale of Bulletins and. pamphlets ' 2,263.95 Miscellaneous Receipts; Interest on investments and deposits 450.06 Sale of pins and fobs 312.80 For the collection of checks 161.84 From Finance Committee, Feb., 1916, Meeting 101.02. Subscriptions to the land fund 86.14 Arizona Meeting refund from N. Y. Central Railroad.. 52.48 Local Section refund from N. Y. Central Railroad.... 31.85 Miscellaneous 425.68 Total Receipts General Funds 81,611.96 Cash balance Dec. 31, 1913 1,063.39 $82,675.35

Jan 2, 1917

By T. M. Broderick

INVESTIGATIONS into the possibilities of economically mining and concentrating low-grade iron ores of the Lake Superior region are attract-ing increasing attention. Among the organizations that are carrying on the work are the United States Bureau of Mines, the State of Minne-sota (which spends about $80,000 annually on problems of the 'iron and ferroalloy ores of Minnesota), and the State of Michigan (which spends about $10,000 annually of its iron-ore research). Several of the mining companies are also financing research. Of the states in the Lake Superior district, Minnesota has done most in iron-ore concentration. In 1930, thirty-seven concentrating plants were in operation on the Mesabi Range, beneficiating about one-third of the total ore shipped. About one-half of these plants reduced silica; the others reduced moisture or improved the structure of the ore.1 Research into the possibilities of magnetic concentration of the Eastern Mesabi magnetite ores indicates that vast tonnages of that ore may be utilized at a profit in the not distant future. Magnetic concentration has also been tried at Sellwood, Ontario, on the Moose Mountain deposit, and at the Berkshire mine in Wisconsin on the magnetic ores of the Western Gogebic Range. There have been few attempts to concentrate Michigan iron ores. In order to determine the possibilities of such concentration, iron-ore research has been carried on at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology for the past few years. After a general survey of the iron ores of the state, a program of more detailed experimentation was out-lined, starting with work on the Ironwood formation of the Gogebic Range. The results of this research led to the belief that gravity methods will produce fairly satisfactory concentrates from the parts of the iron formation that are made up of comparatively thick alternating beds of rather high-grade ore and lean chert.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. S. Busk

Niels Engel (University of Alabama, University, Ala.)— In this paper it was pointed out that the electron-gas and energy-band theory accounts for the fact that the lattice parameters exhibit a sudden change when the electron concentration (number of bonding electrons per atom) exceeds a certain number around two. This statement is said to support and prove the electron-gas theory. But this theory is not able to account for a series of experimental data. Also several expectations, deduced from this theory, are not found to exist. In Figs. 6 and 7 the energy bands of the second and third periods are given as they must be assumed in order to account for the electrical properties of the elements in these periods. In Figs. 6 and 7 the electron-gas and energy-band theory is compared with the electron-oscillator hypothesis in accounting for the properties of the elements in the second and third periods. Fig. 6 shows the second period, The energy-bands are overlapping and separated to be in agreement with the electrical conductivity of the elements. The oscillator hypothesis explains conductivity due to electron vacancies. In graphite there is a closed s-shell in every other atom and two vacancies in the others. Conductivity is therefore only maintained by migration of s-electrons in graphite. In boron there are no s-electrons. The diatomic molecules of nitrogen and oxygen and the paramagnetism of oxygen can be accounted for by a similar behavior as the s-electrons of the bonding electrons. But this explanation will deviate too much for the purpose of this discussion. Fig. 7 shows the third period. In the energy-band picture about two s-electrons are assumed in magnesium and aluminum, but only one s-electron is assumed in silicon. The diamond lattice is assumed to be controlled by a sp3 hybrid. However the electron distribution develops ideally according to the oscillator hypothesis. Only sodium, magnesium, and aluminum exhibit electron vacancies and conductivity. To account for the insulator properties in Si, P, and S in the third period it must be assumed that the four last added p-electrons must be taken up in bands containing only one electron per band.' (Compare the electron band picture in Hume-Rothery.' Hume-Rothery does not consider the insulator properties of the nonmetals.) In the second period already the first p-electron must have entered a single electron band. Based on the energy-band picture in Figs. 6 and 7, the following questions must be asked: 1—Is it consistent with the energy-band idea that electrons of the same kind (p-electrons) can be divided into separated bands? 2—Is it consistent with the energy band idea that single electron bands can exist? 3—Why are the first two p-electrons (in boron and diamond) separated into two single electron bands in the second period, but overlapping in the third period (aluminum)? 4—Why are s-electrons and d-electrons taken up in continuous overlapping bands, while p-electrons are divided into single electron bands? 5—Why do the peaks and valleys (y and w and further x and z) of the energy band below four electrons per atom not show up in the electrical conductivity of alloys? For example consider the Li-Mg system or the alloys between Mg and three electron metals where the mentioned discontinuity in the lattice parameter is found. 6—Why does the beginning of the p-electron band (x) not show up in the lattice constants similar to the filling up of the s-electron band (z) ? In magnesium alloys the electron-gas theory postulates the first Brillouin zone to be filled at about two electrons per atom. This is claimed to explain the sudden change in lattice spacing and c/a values of several magnesium alloys when the electron concentration exceeds a few percentage points over two electrans per atom. This was emphasized in the paper by Busk. If the electron-gas energy-band theory is correct a sudden change in electrical conductivity and possibly other properties .should be expected when the same electron-concentration or temperature is exceeded. A sudden change in lattice spacing or other properties should also be expected when the filling degree is such that p-electrons are introduced into the p-band, for example at x in Figs. 6 and 7. Such phenomena are at found by experiment. and If the number of electrons should vary with the energy level depending on the average number of bonding electrons per atom, the electrical conductivity should be expected to vary in accordance with the energy band layout (Figs. 6 and 7) caused by different numbers of conducting electrons at different filling up degrees. Nothing indicating such a behavior is observed. In addition to these discrepancies between the electron-gas and energy-band theory and measured data, the theory violates the principles developed along with the Bohr theory of atomic structure. According to these principles a filled shell is saturated and therefore unable to form bonds. Therefore two S-electrons per atom should form a closed or saturated shell, which has been pointed out as accounting for the inability of helium to form bonds. Beryllium, magnesium, or calcium atoms with two s-electrons should be expected to form inert atoms with properties almost like the helium atoms. Several other inconsistencies and disagreements with measured data of the energy-band theory can be mentioned. Some of these are discussed with reference to other papers. 8 Because the electron-gas and energy-band theory seems to fail on several points, I have developed another theory which can account for all the phenomena the electron-gas theory is able to account for. This new theory is further able to account for things which are impossible to explain by the electron-gas theory at the present state.

Jan 1, 1953

By B. W. Dyer

In 1924, the Crescent Eagle Oil Co., while drilling the salt section of the Paradox formation in Grand County, Utah, encountered a salt that did not appear to be sodium chloride. This salt was analyzed and showed the presence of potash minerals, both sylvite (KCl) and carnallite (KMgC12.6H2O). Because of the high potash content of the sample, there was considerable speculation: (I) as to whether the hole had been salted, and (2), if not, the extent, richness, and the depth at which the deposit occurred. The discovery caused a large amount of activity in the area. During the next few years, 68 potash prospecting permits were issued by the Government, 24 under the Act of 1917 and 44 under the Act of Feb. 7, 1927, each including about four sections of land. Several holes, all shallow, were drilled for potash. A number of holes were drilled for oil into the salt horizon and the cuttings collected at the oil wells were examined petrographically and chemically. The shallow test holes were not sufficiently deep to reach the potash horizon and revealed nothing of value, but several of the oil test holes gave some indication of where potash might be found. Location and Geology of Deposits The potassium and magnesium salts have been found in various places from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad tracks about seven miles west of Thompsons, in eastern Utah, to Cane Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River— a distance north and south of about 35 miles. In this locality, there appear to be five separate deposits: the Crescent Eagle area, which is in T. 22 S., R. 19 E.; the Salt Valley area, in the vicinity of the north-south line of T. 23 S., between R. 20 E. and R. 21 E.; the Seven Mile area, in the eastern part of T. 25 S., R. 20 E.; the Cane Creek area, on the Colorado River, in T. 26 S. and T. 27 S., R. 20 E. and R. 21 E.; and the Salt Wash area, in T. 22 S. and T. 23 S., R. 16 E. and R. 17 E. (Fig. I.) The Crescent Eagle and Salt Valley areas are in the Salt Valley anticline, some of the wells being in the fault graben and others outside. Structurally, the Salt Valley anticline is very complex, and can be described in general terms as a northwesterly plunging collapsed anticline about 15 miles long. In the Crescent Eagle area, the valley graben is about 1 1/2 mile wide and the salt probably forms a plug, the apex of which is in the vicinity of the Crescent Eagle well. Owing to the complex structure, there has been every opportunity for flowage in the salt to cause local thinning or thickening of beds. The regular succession of formations in the general area* is: Cretaceous Mancos Dakota Jurassic Morrison Summerville Entrada Carmel

Jan 1, 1948

By M. R. Pickus, C. H. Mathewson

THE study of the plastic deformation and recrystallization of metals has been the subject of many investigations. In regard to the simple deformational processes, such as tension and compression, the early knowledge gained from studies of polycrystalline material has been supplemented by many significant researches on the behavior of single crystals. Unfortunately, this has not been true for more complicated deformational processes. As far back as 1927, G. I. Taylor1 wrote: It is impossible in the present state of knowledge to do more than give a possible reason why (face-centcred cubic) crystals set themselves with a (110) direction in the plane of rolling, and at right angles to the direction of rolling. The explanation of why the orientation of the crystal axes round the transverse direction is what it is, must be left till the distortion of metals, and particularly single crystals of metals in the process of rolling, has been studied in greater detail. That this gap in the systematic study of deformation and recrystallization has not yet been filled was indicated by C. H. Samans,2 who wrote in 1934 that "only four investigations upon cold-rolled single crystals of any of the face-centered cubic metals have been reported in the literature." Of these four studies, only those of S. Tanaka3 and T. Sakao,4 both of whom worked with aluminum crystals, had quantitative significance. The other two, carried out by F. Wever5 and W. G. Burgers," were of a qualitative nature. It is our hope that the present investigation may contribute something to the knowledge necessary for a rationalization of the origin of rolling textures in terms of the known behavior of single crystals, and may add pertinent information concerning the recrystallization characteristics of deformed single crystals.

Jan 1, 1938

By H. A. Lequear, J. D. Lubahn

A sudden change from one constant strain rate to another during a tensile test causes an unusual transient in aluminum alloy 61ST. A sudden change from one constant stress to another during a creep test does not produce an unusual transient in this material. A specially devised test shows that the nature of the previous steady-state conditions, which the sudden change disturbs, is one of the factors affecting the transient behavior. Some of the observations may be explained in terms of strain aging. USUALLY a sudden change during a tensile test from one constant strain rate to another causes a small, abrupt vertical shift from one stress-strain curve to another, parallel one. This behavior is apparently characteristic of all metals at very low temperatures and of many metals for wide ranges of temperature. It is illustrated in Fig. 1 for some early data on 61ST tested at — 195oC, and in Fig. 2 for some recent data on copper at room temperature. The greater accuracy of the results of Fig. 2 over previous ones' is due to the equipment shown in Fig. 3. Three levers apply the bulk of the load, while the changes in the small remainder load are indicated sensitively by a low capacity load scale. Refs. 2 and 3 describe the recording equipment. A test like those in Figs. 1 and 2 provides the information necessary to determine the rate sensitizrity, n,4 of the metal. ( a log s ) ? log s n = ------------------------ ----------------------------= ( a logs e, ? log e logS2-logS1 log S2/S1 log i2 — log e1 log e2/e1 where S equals stress: e is logarithmic strain or natural logarithm of (final gage length/initial gage length);" i is strain rate or de/dt: and n is rate sensitivity, rate of change of log stress with log strain rate at a given strain, or (a log S/a log i),. Normally, the rate sensitivity, n, is positive, which means that an increase in stress causes an increase in rate. However, certain exceptions, attributed to strain aging,5 have been observed. Fig. 2 indicates how rate sensitivity values are derived from the measurements. Table I summarizes the rate sensitivity values derivable from Fig. 1. In contrast to the behavior of copper in Fig. 2, the aluminum alloy 61ST, which strain ages when tested near room temperature, exhibits an unusual transient when the strain rate is suddenly changed,' as shown in Fig. 4. Initially, there is a comparatively sudden vertical shift of the stress-strain curve in a direction corresponding to the rate change, but then the curve gradually shifts back again. The initial shift is not as sudden as might be expected, because the testing machine is unable to achieve the impressed rate change instantaneously, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The behavior shown in Fig. 4 will be referred to as a tensile transient, the word tensile implying that the behavior was observed in a tension type of test. The corresponding test, where the strain rate is maintained constant except for the sudden change, will be called a tensile transient test. A creep transient, by contrast, will be defined as a temporarily abnormal behavior in a creep transient test, where there is a sudden change from one constant load to another.' In Fig. 4, a naive look at the gradually decreasing and then increasing load after a sudden rate incre-

Jan 1, 1957

By Junius D. Edwards

WHEN Charles Martin Hall invented the electrolytic process for the production of aluminum, one basic requirement was a supply of pure alumina. Now, more than 50 years later, the same requirement still holds, and there are no technical straws in the wind to indicate that this situation is likely to change. Long ago, Aluminum Company of America took a number of steps to see that this country should not face shortages of alumina and aluminum in time of emergency. As one step to this end, the Company developed and used a supply of bauxite in South America in order to conserve dwindling Arkansas reserves. Another, and more a program than a step, was to investigate every type of process that might bear the possibility of utilizing the low-grade ores of aluminum that are more plentiful than bauxite. It is a long story, but the investigation included electric-furnace processes, acid extraction processes and alkaline extraction processes, with or without preliminary furnace and sinter treatments. Some of the processes developed were operated in commercial production. This work has been continuous since the first World War. The turn of the wheel came sooner than was expected when, in 1942, bauxite shipments through the Caribbean became uncertain and hazardous through the operation of submarines. The tremendous requirements of aluminum for the war effort were consuming high-grade bauxite at an alarming rate and a national search for substitutes began. High-grade bauxites, for technical and economic reasons, have been defined as those containing about 7 per cent or less of silica. While bauxite of this grade was limited in amount in the United States, there was in sight a substantially greater volume of low-grade, high-silica bauxite not amenable to economic treatment by the Bayer process, but richer in alumina than the clays or other available low-grade ores. It was at this point, and after several years of intensive research on this particular phase of the problem, that Aluminum Research Laboratories brought to completion the invention of one of its research staff, which made practical the utilization of large reserves of low-grade bauxite in America. BAYER PROCESS The Bayer process has been almost universally used for the 'production of alumina from bauxite. This process, in outline, comprises the digestion of finely ground bauxite in a solution of caustic soda (NaOH) under pressure and at an elevated temperature. Alumina in the bauxite goes into solution as sodium aluminate and the impurities-oxides of iron, titanium and silicon-remain undissolved. The undissolved residue, known as "red mud," from its color, is separated and run to waste. Aluminum hydrate (A1202.3H20) is precipitated from the solution of sodium aluminate, and the liquor containing the caustic soda and some alumina is returned to the process for digesting more bauxite. The aluminum hydrate, after washing, is calcined at a high temperature to produce

Jan 1, 1945

By Robert Pack

INTRODUCTION SOONER or later in the development of any natural resource it becomes highly desirable to know the quantity of this resource in the country as a whole, as well as of the part that is being developed, for the general course and. conduct of the development work must be governed to some extent by the total supply available. An accurate estimate of the quantity of any natural resource is difficult to make; yet if one is diligent enough one can obtain a pretty accurate idea of the quantity of marketable timber, the acreage of tillable land, or the horsepower that may be developed from the streams, for these are things that may be measured. But any attempt to estimate the quantity of some mineral in the ground appears to enter the realm of imagination and it seems that the estimate can be nothing more than a blind guess. It may appear to be especially futile to attempt to determine the quantity of oil and gas that is available in the ground, for these minerals are so vagrant that even if the quantity now available should be known quite exactly, the quantity that will eventually be obtained may be much less, for certain losses in the extraction of both oil and gas are unavoidable, and just what these losses will be cannot be predicted. Though necessarily inaccurate, estimates of such mineral reserves are, however, of distinct value, for they summarize the existing knowledge of the deposits of the mineral and thus enable those who are interested in some industry that depends in one way or another on this mineral to formulate a rational commercial policy. Some time ago, when the price of gasoline suddenly rose in a rather spectacular manner, the writer was one of the U. S. Geological Survey geologists called upon to help to estimate the quantity of oil that could be obtained in the United States, for the fear had become widespread that perhaps the rate of increase in the price of gasoline was a measure of the rate of depletion of the supply of petroleum. It thus became his

Jan 8, 1917

By L. R. Grabill

The Bassick mine, located six miles east of Silver Cliff, Colorado, has, ever since its discovery, been noted for peculiar features. Some of these characteristics exist in one or two other mines, while some are entirely unique. Among these peculiarities I have selected the most noticeable for treatment in this paper: First. The methods of deposition of the ores, which is not, as in ordinary veins, in strata or layers parallel to the walls of the fissure. The ores are arranged in concentric layers upon detached and abraded fragments of the walls; each ore in a separate stratum, and always in the same place in the series. Second. The characteristics of the fissure or opening; its shape and dimensions; its contents, or the vein-filling; and its verticality. Third. The peculiar products of the mine. The most noticeable of these products is charcoal, which is occasionally, and at long intervals, found throughout the ore-body, and in the surrounding conglomerate, from the surface down to the present depth, which is something over eight hundred feet. The existence of charcoal here is, as far as I know, the only instance of its discovery in mines of metallic ores. Fourth. Besides the charcoal, there are other products, in themselves not peculiar, whose manner of arrangement and composition are unusual. The mine is situated near the centre of a small rounded hill of eruptive trachytic rock and feldspathic conglomerate. The diameter of the base of this hill varies from 700 to 1200 feet, and its height is 200 feet above the general level. A cliff or outcrop of fine conglomerate is exposed on the southwest side of the hill. On the northeast it joins by an upward slope the fine-grained, hardened feldspathic paste of Mount Tyndall, which rises 600 feet higher, and of which the elevation containing the Bassick mine thus forms an arm. On visiting the mine, one's attention, whether he is a scientist or not, is immediately attracted by the unusual method of arrangement of the ore. It is seen to be disposed in concentric layers around fragments of trachyte. These fragments, of which each one con-

Jan 1, 1883

By B. B. Rath, Hsun Hu, R. S. Cline

FOLLOWING the techniques used by Beck and co-worker~ "~ the characteristics of selective growth in the recrystallization of a zone-refined aluminum single crystal, rolled 80 pct at -78°C in the (110)[112] orientation, have been studied. The material was 99.999+ pct pure. The as-grown crystal had a resistance ratio, R(298°K) /R(4,2°K), of approximately 5000. The method of preparation of the single crystals and the necessary precautions in handling them during rolling in order to avoid recrystallization in locally distorted regions were described in an earlier paper.3 The rolling texture of this zone-refined aluminum crystal is practically identical with that of less pure aluminum crystals rolle! in the same orientation, i.e., a very sharp (110)[112]. Random nuclei were provided by artificial nuclea-tion by abrading one face of the rolled crystal on 600-grit emery paper in a random fashion. The thin layer of disturbed metal recrystallized at room temperature into fine grains almost immediately. An X-ray diffraction pattern was taken from the abraded surface of the crystal, and the relative intensities of the various reflection peaks were compared with those obtained from a powder specimen. As shown in Fig. 1, the relative intensities of the various peaks from the recrystallized layer varied somewhat from experiment to experiment, depending presumably on the abrading technique. However, the texture of the recrystallized layer produced by this method is nearly as random as that of a powder specimen. Fig. 2 shows the texture determined from the "growth side" (face opposite the abraded surface) of the crystal after it was kept at room temperature for 100 hr. The specimen was only partially recrystallized, as shown by the remaining deformation texture. The new orientations are derived from the recrystallized grains grown through the thickness of the crystal from the "nucleation side" (the abraded surface). Fig. 3 shows the texture after complete recrystallization produced by annealing at 60°C for 1 hr. The arrows indicate 40-deg rotation around the (111) axes of the deformation texture. The microstructure of a completely recrystallized specimen is shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the texture of the re-crystallized grains grown from the nucleation side to the growth side is essentially the same as that observed in less pure aluminum' (99.994 pct) and dilute alloyz crystals rolled in the same orientation. How-

Jan 1, 1968

By Richard M. Foose

The year 1950 has been a fascinating and unusual one as far as industrial minerals are concerned because of the sudden development of a critical international situation in late June. The first half of the year was marked by thriving peacetime conditions.

Jan 2, 1951

By Stewart R. Wallace

"For his achievements in unravelling the complex geology of the Climax ore body; for his leadership in the discovery of the Henderson deposit; for his continued encouragement of young geologists; and for his lecture . .."

Jan 1, 1975

By C. M. Shigley

Tan record of the largest magnesium plant in the country utilizing sea water as a primary raw material stands as another victory in the struggle for large-scale production of pure chemical elements from the oceans. Bromine was the first element to be economically and commercially recovered when, in 1933, a six million pound per year unit was built on the Atlantic Coast near Wilmington, North Carolina, by the Ethyl-Dow Chemical Co.1 The bromine was reacted with ethylene to produce ethylene dibromide, a necessary associate of tetraethyl lead in ethyl antiknock fluid. Within eight years that plant was doubled and redoubled, and another large unit was put into operation at Freeport, Texas, taking bromine from the Gulf of Mexico. In 1940, in fortunate anticipation of the impending demand for magnesium and the limitations of the production from natural brines, the Dow Chemical Co. turned again to the sea, and designed and erected a plant at Freeport to produce 18,000,000 lb. of magnesium per year from sea water.2 In March 1941, two months after the new plant had been put into successful operation, construction of an 18,000,000-lb. Government-financed addition was started. Late in 1941, as a part of the $400,000,000 defense program intended to produce 600,000,000 t0 700,000,000 lb. of magnesium per year, Dow was asked to build and operate for the Government a 72,000000-lb. plant near its original plant at Freeport. Within a few days after the Japanese made their attack at Pearl Harbor, preparation of a site was started at Velasco, Texas, for the construction of the Texas plant of the Dow Magnesium Corporation-the largest known magnesium plant utilizing sea water as its raw material. Less than six months after the first piling was driven, urgently needed magnesium was in steady production. Five months later, the plant had exceeded its rated capacity. It remained above rated production until the general magnesium curtailment was applied to Government-owned plants in September 1944. Credit for the construction and operation record of the Dow magnesium plant must be divided among the efforts of a very determined group of men, an extremely favorable location, and a simple process. It is with the two latter aspects of the plant that this article will deal. The site for the new enterprise was chosen near Velasco, Texas, on property bordering the Brazos River at a point approximately 6 miles inland from the original magnesium plant and y miles inland from the Freeport Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. This location was far enough away from the operating units to reduce both interference from construction and the vulnerability of closely bunched manufacturing operations to the then feared air attack. Yet the distance inland was not too great for the economical construction of a barge canal from the harbor to serve both the transportation of raw

Jan 1, 1945

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Jan 1, 1956

The Mexican Government is building a mill at Churunibave in Sonora to handle lead, zinc, and copper ores. This development was sparked by increased mining activity in Mexico and Arizona caused by the Korean war. Pickands Mather, acting for a group of iron ore producers, is negotiating an agreement with Steep Rock Iron Mines, Ltd. to explore and perhaps lease iron ore property covering more than 1000 acres in the Steep Rock Lake area in Western Ontario. Plans call for the early commencement of an exploratory program. Other members of the group by Pickands Mather are Bethlehem Steel, Youngstown Sheet & Tube, the Steel Co. of Canada, and Interlake Iron Corp.

Jan 3, 1951

By M. N. Dunlap

Tries article summarizes the successful incorporation of a flash-flooding stream into the tailing-disposal system at the St. Joseph Lead Company's Federal Division mill, in St. Francois County, Missouri. The mill was built in 1906, by the Federal Lead Co., as its No. 3 mill for the concentration of southeastern Missouri lead ores, and damming Davis Creek was first considered in 1908. Plans were made also in 1925 and in 1937. Dam layouts varied from a reinforced concrete structure to a barrier built of tailings alone. All were abandoned because of liability that would be incurred by flashflood rupturing of an incompleted dam. By 1942 mill capacity had reached 12,000 tons daily and increasing tailing-disposal costs again focused attention on the Davis Creek basin. This time the problem of riskless dam building was solved. Moreover, most of the items that appeared in the answer were materials that normally required wasting and the major portion of labor involved performed functions that it would normally have done, without constructive benefit, elsewhere. The new layout also made possible advantageous changes in mill-water supply pumping; static head being reduced from 514 ft to 95 ft, friction head from 4900 ft to 2860 ft, and pumping can be done now at periods of low power demand. The following facts about the Davis Creek watershed explain the 36-year reluctance to reach these, and other, benefits. Size: 3600 acres. Outline: roughly pear-shaped, 2 1/2 by 3 miles at the largest dimensions. Topography: mostly hill land with steep valleys. Relief : 760 minimum to 1153 maximum. Maximum rainfall: 3.36 in. per hour. Permanent water: none natural. Now 2200 gpm discharged through 16-in. drill hole from mine pumps underground. Geology: the 17 acres near dam centerline is Bonne Terre dolomite covered with sand and gravel eroded from Pleistocene beds that cap some of the hills. The remainder of the pond basin is on Davis shale. Soil cover: mostly second-growth timber with some abandoned fields; all subject to careless burning, which reduces water-retaining ability. Flood history: flash-flooding that had taken at least one life. Downstream values: two railroad bridges before creek intersection with Flat River. Immediately below confluence, a highway bridge, a low-water crossing, a few business establishments and several blocks of residences. In July 1942 the following segments of an ingenious plan were put into operation. A ditch 270 ft long, 16 ft wide and 5 1/2 ft deep was excavated to bedrock in the gravelly soil along the proposed dam's centerline. This excavation, which exposed many gravel-filled channels, was run full of slimes drawn from a riser set in the top of an adjacent tailings-disposal

Jan 1, 1947

By C. A. Zapfee, C. E. Sims

An investigation of the behavior of inclusions in steel several years ago1 led to the conclusion that some of the commonly occurring inclusions in steel have appreciable solubilities, particularly in liquid steel. In the belief that further study and clarification of this matter was warranted, a laboratory study of oxides in liquid steel was started. These oxides are generally the result of deoxidation treatment, and the basis of an understanding of their behavior must be, therefore, the behavior of the deoxidizer in liquid iron. The Fe-Si-O system was selected for the first study, and the apparatus used and experiments conducted are described herein. Apparatus The apparatus is shown in Fig. r and the system is shown by diagram in Fig. 2. Furnace, A lmosphere Commercial hydrogen (1) passes through an orifice (2) into a manometric system that measures the tankside pressure (3) and the back pressure (4) in the system. A water trap (5) guards against excess tankside pressure. A by-pass with stopcocks (6 and 7) is provided, so that the hydrogen can be routed directly from the tank to the furnace if desired. When stopcock 7 is closed and stopcock 6 is open, the gas proceeds through the conditioning train, of which the first unit is a furnace (8) that contains platinized asbestos at 350°C. The temperature is measured by a thermocouple and potentiometer (9) and is controlled by a slidewire resistance (10). In this furnace fres oxygen is converted to water vapor. The exiting gas passes over a water bath (11) kept slightly below boiling temperature by an auxiliary heating unit (12). This unit also heats a surrounding copper coil (13) containing water, and the heated water rises through a collar (14)

Jan 1, 1943

By M. E. Gershon

Conventional methods of drill hole site selection are reviewed briefly. Two approaches using geostatistics are then discussed, both of which have been shown to yield improved results. Finally, a branch and bound algorithm is described which will select the best locations for drilling from a user specified number of possible drill sites. Two options are discussed. First, the user can specify a maximum drilling investment or a maximum number of drill holes and the program will select the locations yielding the minimum estimation variance. This amounts to getting the most for a given investment. Alternatively, a maximum tolerable estimation variance can be specified and the program will select the number and location of the drill holes to obtain the desired information at a minimum cost. Another benefit of the approach is the quantification of the tradeoffs between investment and information obtained.

Jan 1, 1985

By Albert Sauveur

Jan 1, 1924