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By George F. Kunz, Henry S. Washington

The recently discovered occurrence of diamonds near Mur-freesboro, Pike county, Ark., was brought to our attention by Mr. Samuel W. Reyburn (Trustee for Messrs. C. S. Stifft, A. D. Cohn, August Zinsser, Jr., and himself, owners of the property), through whose courtesy we investigated the locality of the deposit. Prospecting with the diamond-drill is now in active progress; but mining operations on a large scale have not yet been ordered. Geology.—The geology as well as the petrography of this interesting locality has been well described by Messrs. J. C. Branner and R. N. Brackett,' but they did not class it as dia-mondiferous, although Branner suggested that it might be. Briefly summarized, the igneous rock in which the diamonds are found is a vitreous peridotite, forming a stock or volcanic neck, which has broken up through the Carboniferous and Cretaceous quartzites and sandstones. After an extensive period of erosion, during which an unknown portion of the neck and pre-

Jan 1, 1909

By J. R. Campbell

It is the purpose of this paper to review somewhat in detail the literature on the subject that is extant, which ought to provoke considerable beneficial discussion. The value of 1 per cent. ash in blast-furnace practice was brought to the attention of the writer when he was connected with the U. S. Steel Corpn. Various groups of blast furnaces in the Pittsburgh district compiled a statement in which the average saving was about 6 c. per ton on pig iron for every 1 per cent. of ash reduction. Later, the same groups of furnaces, when materials had reached a higher price, compiled a statement in which there was a 30-cent saving on pig iron for every 4 per cent. ash reduction in the Pittsburgh district, which was equivalent to 7½ c. for every 1 per cent. ash reduction. In the Chicago district, on long freight hauls of coal and coke from the Pocahontas district, the set-up was 30 c. per ton of pig iron for every 2 per cent. ash reduction, or 15 c. for every 1 per cent. Some years ago, Ralph H. Sweetser, of the American Rolling Mill Co., presented a paper which provoked considerable comment.' To get the matter again before this body a résumé of his computations is given below: Comparison of Pig Iron Costs Ash in Coal. Ash in CoKe, Fixed Carbon in Coke peR Ton OB PIG Iron peN Day, Per Cent. PeR CeNt. Coke. Per Cent. PIG IRon. Lb. Tons 6.00 8.70 89.80 1800 365.0 7.00 10.15 88.35 1860 353.2 Coke with 8.70 Per Cent. Ash Ore mixture, 4144 It). = 1.85 tons @ $5.50.............................. $10.17 Coke, 1800 lb. = 0.90 ton @ $6.50..................................... 5.85 Limestone, 1000 lb. = 0.50 ton @ $1.50................................. 0.75 Labor, $365 per day on 365 tons....................................... 1.00 Supplies and service, $250 per day...................................... 0.68 Overhead, $200 per day............................................... 0.55 Reserve for relining and depreciation................................... 1.00 Total............................................................. $20.00

Jan 1, 1931

Gach-Saran.—The most important development of 1937 has been the successful completion of initial exploratory wells in the Gach Saran (formerly known as Gach-i-Qaraghuli) field, about 125 miles southeast of Haft Kel. Two of these wells are rated at 33,000 bbl. per day at flowing pressures exceeding 800 lb. Drilling is proceeding with the object of delimiting the structure. Exploratory drilling is also being undertaken in several areas within the company's concession. In the producing fields the policy of controlled production has been maintained as in the past, and drilling has been limited to that required for maintenance of production and general control of the fields. Acid treatment to increase production when desired has continued to be successful in most cases. Table 1.—Crude Production in Iran Masjid-i-Sulaimana Haft Kel Total Year barrelsb Ton Barrelsb To Barrelab 1936 3,641,247 27,820,000 4,473,849 34,200,000 8,115,096 62,020,000 193P 4,375,112 33,110,000 5,693,849 43,480,000 10,068,961 76,590,000 * Net production; i.e., excluding surplus products re-injected to reservoir. 6 To nearest 10,000. " Correct to November, with an added estimated figure for December. Masjid-i-Su1aiman.—There have been no new developments in this field. The policy of returning, as and when necessary, surplus products to the reservoir has been maintained. Haft Ke1.—Drilling to explore deeper formations has been undertaken, but has not progressed far enough for conclusive results to be drawn. Gasoline retention in the crude by means of multistage pressure stabilization has been continued as in past years. Separation pressures are as follows: well-head separators, 500 lb.; central battery, 190, 85, 40, 20 and 10 lb. per sq. in., respectively. The stabilized crude is delivered to pipe line at atmospheric pressure, or ex the 10-lb. stage, in accordance with refinery requirements.

Jan 1, 1938

Jan 2, 1951

Jan 1, 1928

but, returning to South Africa, for the next two years he was assistant general manager of the Simmer Deep Gold Mining Co., at Johannesburg. In June, 1911, he returned to New Zealand as general manager and consulting engineer for the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, at Reefton, which position he held at the time of his admission to the Institute in 1914. Early in September, 1915, he left New Zealand for active service in France. Corporal Sheppard B. Gordy Sheppard B. Gordy, born in Ansonia, Conn., in 1889, graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School in 1910 and with the degree of E. M. in 1912. He entered the employ of the Braden Copper Co. immediately on his graduation and remained with this company four years, working up through the various grades to assistant foreman and foreman to one of the individual mines. The last year he was in its employ, he acted as general mine foreman. He was for a short time with the Chile Exploration Co. and then went with the Andes Exploration Co. (Anaconda) and remained with the latter, doing mine exploration and development work, until he sailed for home in June, 1918, to give a more personal and active service to his country in her need. He declined a tender of induction into an officers' training camp, at the urgent request of Professor McClelland supplemented by Mr. Potter, because they demonstrated to his satisfaction that he could give more valuable service to his country in helping out with the aircraft production. Being within the draft age, in order to carry out this plan, it was necessary for him to be called by his Local Board and sent to camp. This call came Aug. 26. Two weeks before that time he had gone to Dayton, Ohio, to begin the study of aircraft production, and was sent by the Dayton Board to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, where he died of pneumonia on Oct. 9. Lieutenant Thomas Clarence Gorman Thomas C. Gorman, a lieutenant in the Second Tunnelling Company of the Canadian Engineers, was killed in France on Mar. 18, 1918. He was resting in his sleeping hut and was in the act of writing a letter when a bursting shell killed him.

Jan 1, 1920

By J. O. Whiteley, C. Dietz

It is difficult to give a refining outline that may be followed for any and all combinations of the platinum metals; different combinations require different methods of attack. This paper does not pretend to go into all of the reactions of the metals of the platinum group, but will outline the commercial refining of platinum scrap. Typical Platinum Scrap As a concrete case, let us take 100 oz. of miscellaneous scrap, made up of jewelry scrap, dental scrap and laboratory ware. This lot will contain some platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, gold, silver and copper. The first problem is to get all of the metals in solution. If the scrap is principally platinum, palladium and gold, a treatment with aqua regia is the course to pursue; but if the scrap contains alloys high in iridium or ruthenium, aqua regia will act too slowly. In the case in hand, we are going to presume that we have scrap high in iridium and ruthenium, and proceed accordingly. Obtaining Residue A Place the scrap, together with six times its weight of granulated test lead, in a solid carbon crucible. This crucible may be placed inside a clay graphite crucible packed with charcoal, to prevent the excessive oxidation of the carbon crucible by the furnace blast. Place a tight cover on the carbon crucible; heat gradually to a good red heat and allow it to soak in the heat for 4 or 5 hr. After the leaded mass is cool, dissolve in dilute nitric acid (1-6) on a steam plate or sand bath. This dissolves practically all of the lead and most of the palladium, silver and copper, together with seme of the platinum and rhodium, and leaves the iridium, ruthenium, gold, and most of the rhodium and platinum as a finely divided residue. Siphon off the clear solution and treat the residue with another portion of dilute nitric acid to insure the solution of the lead and copper. The second nitric acid solution is added to the first, and the residue is filtered on suction and washed thoroughly with hot

Jan 1, 1928

The Johns Hopkins Press, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md The Johns Hopkins Press has issued a number of books as The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Geology Five of the studies are paleontological in character; five are on geology: No. 1, The geology of the Corocoro copper district of Bolivia, by J. T Singewald, Jr and E W. Berry, $1 50, 2, The geology and paleontology of the Huancavehca mercury district, by E W Berry and J T Singewald, Jr $1 50, 6, Contributions to the geology and paleontology of South America, by E W. Berry and F M Swartz, 3175, 7, The geology of the Island of Trinidad, B W I, by G A Waring, with notes on the paleontology by G. D Harris, $1 75, 8, Fifty years' progress in geology, 1876-1926 Papers presented at the Geological Conference during the 50th Anniversary of the Johns Hopkins University, $1 50 An additional publication on geology is. Notes on the minerals occurring in the neighborhood of Baltimore, by G H Williams, 25 cents. In the list of Doctors' Dissertations available from the University are found all theses on geology and mineralogy, about 90 in number, from 1886 on Authors of many of these have since made great names for themselves in the fields of geology and mineralogy. Most of the theses have been published as papers by other agencies and, as such, will be found under other headings in this directory

Jan 1, 1933

The Tuscarora mining district, which has been highly productive of gold and silver ores in past years, is situated about 50 miles north- west of Elko, Nevada. The town of Tuscarora lies at an altitude of about 6,000 ft on the west side of the Independence Valley. Precipitation, particularly the winter snowfall, is considerably greater than in many other parts of Nevada, and temperatures are lower. From Tuscarora can be seen-across Independence Valley in the mountains to the east, a distance of about 12 miles, the Freeport Minerals Jerritt Canyon mine, which seems to be-destined to become one of the great gold mines in the western hemisphere. Tuscarora, a gold and silver camp, was active from the early 1870s to 1903 and produced about $10 million in those 30 years. Ten major mines and several smaller ones were operated in an area of about 1.45 square kilometers (one-half squaremile). The deepest shafts were only 230 m (750 ft) but most of the ore came from about the 105 m (350 ft) levels. Mineralization above the water table, at about 30 m (100 ft), was mostly native silver and cerargerite with free gold. Below the water table the ore was rich in sulfides including argentite, stephanite, proustite, pyrargyrite, enargite, arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite and galena. A number of the properties contain sizeable dumps of what was con- sidered waste rock when it was mined. These dumps aggregate over 408,000 mt (450,000 st) with one dump, the Navajo, containing over one-third of the total. A few grab samples taken in the summer of 1978 from some of the dumps indicated interesting silver values with minor gold content. AgAu Exploration Ltd., was organized to explore and develop these dumps into a heap leaching operation. In the fall of 1978 a campaign was started to lease, with front money payments on a royalty basis, three groups of claims on which were located a few hundred thousand tons of dumps. In September and October of 1978, a systematic program of sampling was started on the Navajo dump which was most favorably situated in that it was near to an area which would furnish good sites for heap leaching pads. At the time it was fully recognized that sampling of dumps was a most difficult problem. Because of the topography on which they were situated and the manner in which they were formed, each dump required its own special sampling technique.

Jan 1, 1981

By J. R. Long, E. T. Hayes, R. S. Dean, F. S. Wartman

The production of titanium in I5-lb. lots and with a purity sufficient to be consolidated into ductile metal, as described in a previous paper,' has provided adequate material for a study of the physical properties of titanium and a more thorough examination of its working qualities. Data on the physical properties reported in that paper were obtained on metal fabricated by a fixed procedure, standardized for the purpose of control of the reduction, and are representative only of material fabricated under those conditions. There are many possible variables in the working schedule, which will have significant effects on the properties of the finished material; and since the previous working methods were not necessarily the best, an investigation of the fabrication of titanium by other methods was undertaken. In this work the consolidation of the powder by pressing and sintering was conducted essentially as outlined in the report cited' and all efforts were centered on fabrication methods for those powders and the proper- ties produced by them. Hardness, density, microstructure, and tensile properties were determined at various stages in the working and annealing; and resistivity measurements were made on a few bars and drawn wire. Consolidation of the PowdeR The screen analysis of the available titanium powder is given in Table I. No attempt was made to alter the size distribution from that noted because this powder, although coarse by normal powder-metallurgy standards, produced acceptable compacts suitable for the present work. Because of their large specific surface, finer powders are more contaminated by oxygen and produce harder compacts, which are difficult to work. The powder as produced is soft, compresses in a normal fashion, and exhibits very little tendency to adhere to the die surfaces. Unlike aluminum and magnesium powders, it can be readily pressed without the use of die lubricants. When compacted at 50 tons per

Jan 1, 1946

By Bernard York, John J. Reed

W. 0. Philbrook (Carnegie Institute of Technology, Phila.)—Mr. DeVaney's paper is a valuable addition to the growing technology of the magnetic roasting of lean iron ores. His furnace is ingeniously designed to permit close control of the process and to achieve high thermal efficiency by counter-current heat exchange and the withdrawal of both solid and gaseous products at relatively low temperatures. The principle of using a lean reducing gas to avoid over-reduction of the ore even at high operating temperatures (for rapid reaction rate) is thoroughly sound. The gas analyses and flow rates reported, however, are internally incon- sistent and render suspect any details of a heat balance based upon them. While it is entirely proper to consider the entrant gas as a reagent and to account only for the heat evolved by consuming a portion of the gas, many operators are accustomed to a heat balance using the total calorific value of the reagent supplied; and comparison of heat balances made with different bases of calculation can be quite misleading. Since Mr. DeVaney's paper is likely to be cited frequently in future discussions of magnetic roasting processes, it seems worth while to point out the internal discrepancies and to give alternate values of heat requirements for different bases of calculation.

Jan 1, 1954

By D. S. Eppelsheimer, D. N. Williams

The compression texture of iodide titanium is determined and found to consist of a [0001] texture rotated 15° to 30° from the axis of compression. As the amount of reduction increases, the angle of rotation decreases. The 0001 rotation showed a slight preference for a <1010> rotation axis. RECENT investigation of the cold rolled texture of titanium&apos; has shown this metal to exhibit a new type of rolling texture. This texture can best be described as a (0001) [10i0] with the 0001 planes rotated approximately 30" to the transverse direction around a <10i0> rotation axis. Rather good results in explaining the cold rolled texture have been obtained by other workers&apos; by examination of the tension and compression textures. No information was found giving the tension texture of titanium. Generally the tension texture of a hexagonal close-packed metal is identical with its wire texture. The drawn texture of titanium has been investigatedh nd has been found to be predominately [10?0]. Since this is the common tension texture of hexagonal metals of low c/a ratio, the explanation of the difference between the rolling texture of titanium and the rolling texture of other hexagonal metals is not indicated by examination of the tension texture. Therefore, the compression texture of titanium should be particularly important in the explanation of the unusual transverse rotation of the 0001 planes found in the cold rolled texture. The compression texture of titanium was examined by Yen.",&apos; His results showed titanium to exhibit the usual [0001] texture up to 85 pct reduction. At higher reduction a double texture appeared in which the 0001 planes were rotated from 10" to 30" from the plane of compression. This change in the compression texture seemed unusual since the tendency for hexagonal close-packed metals is to approach the [0001] texture as the idea compression texture. Mechanical twinning generally occurs over a considerable range of reductions beginning at a rather low reduction. The samples used by Yen in his investigations were prepared by two methods. Compression in a testing machine was used up to a reduction of 85 pct. Compression by compression rolling was used at higher reductions. Since the change in texture occurred at the same reduction as the change in the method of compression, a connection between the two seemed likely. To check this possibility and to locate the position of the change in texture definitely, if it was found to exist, the compression texture of titanium was re-examined. An iodide titanium crystal bar (99.9 pct Ti) produced by the New Jersey Zinc Co. and donated by the Titanium Alloy Manufacturing Div. of the National Lead Co. was used in this investigation. Procedure The investigation of the compression texture was carried out in three steps; compression, specimen

Jan 1, 1953

By Earl Oliver

Some two years ago the Petroleum Division of the A. I. M. E. organized a special study of unit operation. That method of handling oil pools had been urged as the remedy that would save the United States petroleum industry from the crisis that even then loomed as more than a small cloud on the horizon. Today it is only one of several remedies vigorously advocated. Proration, regulation of imports, unit operation, constructive marketing and interstate compacts all have their earnest proponents, but the advocates of each have been disposed to look with indifference on the other respective proposals, with the result that none has had united support. Meanwhile the industry has drifted rapidly toward a serious crisis, the imminence of which in itself may bring the solution. The gravity of the situation tends to force study of the merits of proposals that a short time previously were brushed aside as impractical; and to the surprise of most of us we now find merit where previously we thought none existed. Irrespective of what might have been the result had any single proposal being adopted years ago, it is now apparent that under present conditions no one of the remedies—unit operation, proration, regulation of imports or constructive marketing—standing alone would be of much benefit. On the other hand, it is becoming evident that a well balanced program comprising all four of these remedies might save the United States petroleum industry; also that some such comprehensive program might be necessary to save it. It is even becoming evident that the despised interstate compact might be an appropriate type of machinery in which to group and coordinate all these remedies. We have progressed beyond the belief that either the industry or the government working alone can correct the situation, and have arrived at the more healthy realization that the task will require most sympathetic cooperation between government and industry, backed by an equally sympathetic public understanding. If we were functioning under a Mussolini or a Stalin, stabilizing the petroleum industry would be a much simpler task. However, in the

Jan 1, 1931

Jan 1, 1911

By Susanne Pignolet, Richard D. Hagni

Ore microscopy has been applied to the complex cobalt-nickel- copper-lead-zinc ores from the Madison Mine in the Fredericktown subdistrict of the Southeast Missouri Lead District to predict potential beneficiation problems. It has been found that in some portions of the ore deposit, textures are present which may result in metal losses. In ores from the Bonneterre Transition Zone the intimate association of siegenite with chalcopyrite may result in cobalt and nickel losses to the copper concentrate and nickel contamination of the copper matte at the smelter. In ores from high stratigraphic horizons, this association is relatively uncommon, and siegenite is commonly associated with bravoite. This latter association will increase the the recovery of cobalt and nickel in the siegenite concentrate. However some cobalt and nickel will be lost to the tails as bravoite-pyrite particles due to the intimate intergrowth of these minerals. Other textures which may result in beneficiation problems include the intimate intergrowth of chalcopyrite and galena and the occurrence of sphalerite as inclusions in galena.

Jan 1, 1984

By Irving Palmer

DURING the past 15 years in this country there have been few additions to the literature of lead smelting. After the consolidation of the principal smelting companies at the beginning of this period it became the policy of the larger company not to permit the publication of details in regard to many of its metallurgical processes. This led to similar action on the part of some of its competitors. The result, of course, was a decided decrease in the number of papers written upon the practical side of the subject. Even upon the theoretical side the contributions have been few. It would seem that the industry as a whole has suffered from this general unwillingness to exchange information. While it is true that a given company is entitled to the reward that may come from its own development of a new process, it is also true that a still greater reward might be the result of a free exchange of ideas with other plants. This principle has been recognized for a long time in other metallurgical industries, notably those engaged in the smelting of iron and the manufacture of steel. It is pleasing to note that the leading lead-smelting company has very recently decided to modify its policy of secrecy, and to permit the publication of papers covering some details of its metallurgical methods. The statement has been made that there has been but little progress in lead smelting during the period just referred to. This impression is due in part to the scarcity of papers written on the subject. There has been, it is true, some discussion of the new sintering processes, but with little reference to detail, and to the effect that blast roasting has had upon the industry as a whole. In spite of the prevailing belief, it may be said that lead smelting, in common with other metallurgical industries, has made steady and substantial progress. It is the purpose of the present paper to discuss briefly some features of the industry as it is now conducted, with special reference to the blast-furnace practice in the larger silver-lead smelting plants of the United States and Mexico.

Jan 7, 1914

By John P. Bryant

Plant nutrients are obtained by plants from both the air and the soil. Carbon dioxide, a gaseous form of carbon and oxygen, supplies the carbon which usually makes up 50% or more of plant structure. Plants are capable of absorbing carbon dioxide directly from the air. Most of this nutrient comes from the air, although some carbon dioxide is absorbed by soil water and taken into the plant as liquid. Growing plants use more water than any other substance. Plant nutrients in the soil dissolve in soil water; soil water entering the plant carries nutrients into the plant structure. Water is then given off into the air as the plant breathes or transpires. The inorganic or mineral portion of the nutrients which plants require comes from the soil. Inorganic or mineral composition of plants is usually less than 5% of their weight, and this mineral requirement, usually lacking in the soil, must be provided by fertilizers. Proper fertilization of a soil to improve its mineral level and productivity is the basis for the fertilizer industry (Thomas, 1960). There are 13 essential plant nutrients which often must be added to soils or plants and are generally considered as fertilizer minerals. These nutrients are divided into the categories: primary minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium); secondary minerals (calcium, magnesium, sulfur); and micro or trace minerals (boron, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, chlorine). Further, cobalt is often added to fertilizers. Although it is not considered to be an essential plant nutrient, it is essential to animal health and is often applied to forages as a fertilizer constituent. One point of major significance to the fertilizer industry is that not all nutrient carriers supply that nutrient in a chemical form which will be available to the plant. Thus, a product which may be considered a fertilizer mineral may require substantial processing or treatment before it becomes useful as a nutrient carrier. Fertilizer Industry Scope Until about 1900 demands for higher crop yields were met simply by bringing new agricultural lands into cultivation. Since that time great progress has been made in increasing yields through fertilization and improved varieties and cultural practices. The importance of the fertilizer industry to the economy and welfare of the U.S. is widely recognized. [Fig. 1] illustrates the relationship of lime and fertilizers to crop yields. In terms of tons of fertilizer products, the growth of the industry has been phenomenal, particularly between 1950 and 1970. Table 1 shows the increase in fertilizer usage. Primary Plant Nutrients in Fertilizers Primary minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) are designated as such because of their significance to plant growth. Practically all soils are deficient in both nitrogen and phosphorus, and most of them are also deficient in potassium. Consequently, these nutrients

Jan 1, 1975

ROBERT VAN ARSDALE NORRIS, who died at his home at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on April 20, 1928, was born at Newark, N. J., on May 2, 1864, of parents who were direct descendants of such sterling New Eng-landers as Governor William Bradford, John Alden and Timothy Dwight. He went to the Collegiate School in New York and then to the Colum-bia School of Mines where he graduated with the class of 1885, having among class-mates A. S. Dwight, E. N. En-gelhardt, H. L. Hollis, G. B. Lee, Richard Moldenke, Wil-bur Sanders, Joseph Struth-ers, E. A. Wiltsee, and I. H. Woolson. His marked ability even among so many men of unusual ability caused him to be chosen as assistant to Pro- fessor Munroe in the summer school of mining and survey-ing immediately after gradua-tion, and he shortly after was also inspector of dredging operations on the Maurice River improvement work, Millville, N. J. The follow- ing year he worked in the chemical laboratory of Herman Behr in Brooklyn, and toward the end of 1886 he joined the staff of the Pennsylvania R. R. Coal Co. and the Susquehanna Coal Co. as assistant engineer. Six years later he was made principal assistant en- gineer and in 1900 he was made chief engineer of these companies. In 1904, he withdrew from them and estab- lished an office as a consulting engineer at Wilkes- Barre, later taking his son, Robert V., Jr., into partner- ship with him. They acted as consulting engineers for the coal department of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. Co., the Lehigh Valley Coal Co., Coke Bros. & Go., Inc., the coal department of the Pennsyl- vania R. R. Co., the Wilkes-Barre & Hazelton R. R. Co., the Sterling Salt Co., and others, specializing in ex- amination and appraisal of coal properties, and also matters of Federal taxation.

Jan 5, 1928

By Julien F. Phillips, Donald E. Garrett

The production of soda ash from natural sources is one of the United States&apos; oldest industries. The London Company, which financed the settlement of Jamestown, in the fall of 1608 exported in its first cargo from Virginia " . . . trials of pitch, tar, glass, frankincense, and soap-ashes."1 This last product, a crude mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates obtained by the burning of wood in iron pots, was the commercial soda ash of its day, used in the infant soap, glass, and bleaching industries. Besides having a good cash value, its production helped to clear the land, and it was a compact, easily shipped commodity. The extra high potassium content of these American "pot-ashes" gave them an added market as a fertilizer, a field that they dominated until the opening of the Strassfurt deposits in 1860. This form of natural soda ash disappeared forever from commercial importance with the introduction of the Le Blanc process (1791), and later the Solvay process for manufacturing soda ash. The Solvay process was rapidly accepted in the United States, and has accounted for most of the country&apos;s soda ash production since 1884. It was not until the western part of the country began to be developed that natural soda ash was again produced. A number of lakes, playas, and springs west of the Rocky Mountains were found to be rich in this mineral, and climatic conditions were ideal for its easy recovery by solar evaporation. The production of natural soda ash from these deposits has become a steadily growing industry in the United States. Production A summary of the production and value of natural sodium carbonates in the United States is presented in Table 1. Prior to 1927 the principal output came from several different companies at Owens Lake, California. Then production at Searles Lake, California, began to [ ] increase until it became the most important source. In 1948 the sale of crude trona from Green River, Wyoming, commenced and since that time production from these latter two areas has been about equal. Table 2 lists the four

Jan 1, 1960

A record $19.7 billion in minerals was produced by United States industries in 1963. This was some $800 million above the previous high established in 1962. Preliminary statistics compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Mines show that most metals, nonmetals, and fuels gained both in value and volume of production. The 1963 total represents the largest value increase since 1956 and continues an upward trend begun in 1959. Product.ion and value of all mineral fuels rose, with anthracite registering a remarkable 20% value increase. Nonmetals advanced 591 in value, gains exceeding losses by 213 to 1 among individual commodities. Heavier industrial demand and the settling of labor difficulties were among the factors contributing to increased output of such materials as iron ore, bauxite, molybdenum, lead, and zinc, which accounted for most in€ the growth in metal output. Silver prices continued to rise and, as a result, production value of that metal gained 132,.

Jan 2, 1964