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By T. B. Counselman

Probably the earliest concentration of iron ore in this country was carried on in the northeastern magnetite areas. Magnetic concentration was relatively simple and gave a concentrate that, after agglomeration, and in spite of being high in phosphorus because of the dry concentrating methods then in use, was satisfactory blast-furnace feed. Production from the northeastern magnetite area languished after the discovery and development of the Lake Superior ores, where there was seemingly an unlimited tonnage of high-grade ore, first the Michigan ores, and subsequently the still larger deposits of Minnesota. For years only the higher grade, direct shipping ores of the Lake Superior district were mined. Those of Michigan, and of the Vermilion Range in Minnesota, were hard ores and came principally from underground mines. The softer ores of the Mesabi came partly from underground mines, but mostly from the enormous deposits that could be worked by open-pit methods. The costs of ore from these open-pit deposits, even with the high initial cost of stripping, were so low that the underground mines of the Mesabi could hardly compete. The so-called Old Range ores, of Michigan and of the Vermilion. Range of Minnesota, were hard and lumpy, and opened UP the burden in the blast furnace, therefore making possible harder driving with greater output. Also, some of these ores were of such grade and physical characteristics that they were suitable for charge ore in the open hearth. These ores, therefore, commanded a price premium, and could compete with the softer, finer, but cheaper, Mesabi ores. The big tonnage reserves, however, are on the Mesabi. and it is these big open-pit deposits that constitute our stock pile of iron ore, from which we are drawing so heavily during this war period. On the western end of the Mesabi the ore was found to be high in silica, and not suitable as furnace feed. As early as 1902, attempts were made to concentrate this so-called wash ore and by 1910 the first washing plant was put into operation. The Process was very simple, consisting essentially of a sizing and washing operation, with scalping screens, logwashers, and tables, which later were replaced by classifiers. Ore particles finer than 100 mesh were deliberately wasted, because these fines were undesirable in the furnace. Fortunately, these tailings were impounded, and already are being reworked. Before long some of the low-grade ores began to require more elaborate treatment than the simple washing operation and, tables having been discarded because of their low capacity, in favor of classifiers, jigs were next introduced. These were able to discard coarser pieces of tailing than classifiers. jigs are in active use today, various improvements having been made in their design and application. Various other machines and methods of concentration have been tried from time to time, and have in turn been discarded for more improved processes. The latest and most important process that has been

Jan 1, 1947

By H. H. Gardner

Introduction The Greenhill mine of West Canadian Collieries, Limited, is on the Alberta side of the Crowsnest pass, twelve miles from the Alberta British Columbia boundary-line. Here, five coal seams of Lower Cretaceous age are found in the Kootenay formation. They outcrop on the north and south slopes of the valley, with strike approximately N.30°W., paralleling the main range of the Rocky mountains, and dip about 40 deg. westward. Of the five seams, only two, designated No. 1 and No. 2, have been worked to date. On the West Canadian Collieries property, No. 1 seam ranges in thickness from thirty feet to nil. Generally, it has a hard, strong conglomerate roof. No. 2 seam is separated from No. 1 by forty-five feet of shales and sandstones. It has a thickness of eight to thirty feet.

Jan 1, 1947

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 Henderson,= by Allen Kissock,4 and by Leo H. Glanville.5 Consequently, this paper will be corfined 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 19-20, in connection with the milling practice at Dominion Molybdenite Co., Quebec. Nevertheless, 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, 1947

By George B. Clark

THE " Munroe effect" of shaped explosive charges was discovered by Charles E. Munroe more than 50 years ago (in 1888), but it was not until World War II that it was put to any practical use. Both Allied and Axis armies used the principle effectively in bazooka projectiles, artillery projectiles and in fixed shaped charges. The first two were used primarily to combat tanks and other armor and the latter to assault pillboxes and other fixed concrete emplacements. Many engineers and others who saw the military application of the jet effect of shaped charges believed application would be possible in many industrial fields where blasting is used, such as mining and quarrying. Some work has already been done on the problem of making shaped charges applicable to mining operations. Experimentation conducted at the National Tunnel and Mines' was directed primarily along the lines of use of shaped charges for secondary blasting in connection with long-hole stoping methods. Experimentation initiated earlier and conducted by the author2 at the University of Utah on a more scientific basis was directed at revealing the basic principles of the functioning of shaped charges, as well as the feasibility of using them in mining operations after the principles of their operation had been clearly defined. It was found that: (I) a given design of charge required an optimum standoff to make it most effective, either in penetrating solid rock or steel (see Fig 3); (2) for a given design of charge there exists an optimum ratio of charge diameter to charge height above which the increase in effectiveness of the charge decreases rapidly (see Figs 4 and 5); (3) partial confinement has the effect of making charge performance much more consistent; (4) the higher power and higher velocity explosives tested are much more effective than relatively low-strength explosives; and (5) shaped charges may be adaptable to mining operations in secondary breakage and drilling blasting holes. Fig I is a diagrammatic sketch of the action of a shaped charge for two types of cavities, while Fig 2 shows the approximate manner in which the jets are believed to be formed when an explosive wave encounters the cavity, approaching it from the top. The experimentation already completed has laid the foundation for further research in the study of shaped charges. Standoff effects, effect of the strength of explosives and other features have been fairly well established. Such elements in the design of shaped charges as (I) geometry of cavity liners, (2) relative horizontal dimensions of explosive column, (3) effect of

Jan 1, 1947

By Clarence E. Sims

DURING the past several years the steel casting industry has made studies of heavy castings in which the test bar has been taken from heavy sections rather than from attached or separately cast coupons. It has been noted that the ductility properties of these heavy sections are often lower than those normally expected. Such lowered ductility is usually accompanied by a spotty test bar fracture and the ductility values often can be greatly improved if a low-temperature aging treatment is given to the casting. A loss of ductility of this type is considered "abnormal," since it is not accompanied by an increase of tensile strength or hardness, and "temporary" when the ductility can be restored by aging. The cure of such an abnormal condition represents a real improvement in the quality of the steel. Some hundreds of previous investigations, largely qualitative in nature, have established beyond reasonable doubt that hydrogen is normally present in newly manufactured steel and that this gas, in small amounts, can cause a temporary abnormal loss of ductility. The commonly observed association of high gas content and low ductility has given strong evidence for the presumption that hydrogen, possibly assisted by other gases, is the primary cause of the low ductility observed. Accordingly, the Steel Founders' Society of America has, since Nov. 1, 1944, sponsored investigations at Battelle Memorial Institute whose primary objective is to obtain quantitative information on the relation of the amount of hydrogen and nitrogen in steel, together with associated methods of steelmaking and treatment, to low-ductility effects and porosity.

Jan 1, 1947

By Malcolm F. Hawkes, Robert F. Mehl

THE rate of isothermal transformation of austenite to pearlite depends upon the rate of nucleation, N, and the rate of growth, G, of pearlite in austenite.1.2 Values of N are given in terms of the number of nuclei forming in unit time per unit grain boundary area of unreacted austenite; values of G are given in terms of the linear rate of radial growth. Variations in the isothermal rate with temperature result from variation of -N and G with temperature. Depth of hardening of a steel depends fundamentally upon values of N and G; changes in carbon and alloy content effect changes in N and G and thus affect depth of hardening. Quantitative studies are available on N and G for the formation of pearlite in plain carbon eutectoid steels.3 Systematic studies in this field are necessary if the phenomena are to be well enough known to furnish. a proper basis for full rationalization and for theory. Accordingly, the studies are continuing, both with respect to the effect of alloying elements upon the values of N and G in the formation of pearlite, and to the values of N and G for the formation of ferrite in hypoeutectoid steels. The present paper is the first relating to the effect of alloying elements upon the values of N and G for pearlite. It offers special interest since cobalt is known to have an anomalous effect upon the rate of formation of pearlite, accelerating it, whereas all other elements retard it.' It will be shown that cobalt increases both N and G for pearlite and that this effect is inherent in the Fe-Co-C system and not dependent upon factors relating to austenite heterogeneity nor upon any recognizable adventitious factor. Inasmuch as the rate of diffusion of carbon in austenite and the interlamellar spacing of pearlite are variables related to G and possibly to N (in a manner not yet certain), measurements of the "effect of cobalt upon them are also reported here. In the course of the work, measurements were made on the effect of cobalt upon the martensite temperature and these are given. COBALT AS AN ALLOYING ELEMENT IN STEEL PROPERTIES OF COBALT Cobalt resembles iron more closely than does any other chemical element. Its atomic number is 27, hence it is the element immediately following iron in the periodic system. The two differ in atomic structure only in the fact that cobalt contains seven electrons instead of six in the third, or transition, level of the third shell. The next shell, which is the

Jan 1, 1947

By William Fraser

SINCE the operative word in the subject on which I have been asked to speak is "international," I need hardly emphasize before such an audience as this that it is one which calls for some discretion on my part at the present juncture of world affairs, since, in some respects, it may not be devoid of a controversial aspect. For though the war is over, it has left behind it a sorry state of health in the political and economic complex of the world we live in; and however different may be the impact of these factors on each of us, yet none of us can any longer hope to devise a system or policy to escape from much of its controversial heat, or evade the obligation of doing what we can to diminish it. I would like, therefore, to consider with you how one great form of world enterprise whose range is coextensive with material civilization itself-that is, the Petroleum Industry-can make and is competent to make, a contribution to international health; for it is now an agreed commonplace that oil is arterial in the world's system and we need no telling that a healthy body needs healthy blood. Before embarking on my subject, let me assure you that I have no need to be told that this country before all others-and for obvious reasons is the major sounding board of opinion in matters affecting most aspects of the petroleum industry-technical, economic, national and international (but, may I please add parenthetically, not to the exclusion of quite a

Jan 1, 1947

By Zay Jeffries

THE metallic products of today represent the temporary end point of the efforts and interplay of thousands of years of the human struggle for existence, for pleasure, for conquest, for defense, for improvement in the standard of living, and for the satisfaction of that irrepressible urge to discover and utilize the materials and laws of nature Each metal has gained its place in the sun in severe competition with all other materials, be they metallic or nonmetallic Each serves better than any other for certain purposes. The compromise between cost and properties usually determines the selection of a metallic product for a given use. There are exceptions, as in wartime when the availability at a certain place at a certain time may far outweigh the ordinary economic considerations. In many instances superior properties are vastly more important than cost. If this were not so, the metal industry, for practical purposes, would be the iron industry. The use of 38,000,000 metric tons of newly produced nonferrous metal during, the five-year period from 1940 through 1944 is ample evidence that the special properties of these many metals have great economic value. In fact, our extensive industrial advances would have been quite impossible without the great range and variety of properties and combinations of properties of the nonferrous metals. This observation is not made to detract in the slightest way from the dominant role played by iron and steel. During the past century the production of pig iron has constituted well over 90 per

Jan 1, 1947

By Spruille Braden

My attendance at this seventy-fifth Anniversary banquet of the A I M E is for me a homecoming, It means renewing associations with old friends, breathing again 'the invigorating mining atmosphere in which I was born and reared, and being among those who remember with affection and esteem the man from whom I inherited a name so intimately linked to-the mining profession Tonight, like a prodigal son strayed from mining into the far countries of diplomacy, I return, to eat and be merry over the fatted calf on this pleasurable occasion , While there is no riotous living in modern diplomacy, you are no doubt convinced that neither did I suffer a mighty famine in those far lands When I entered the Foreign Service, a few mining friends, viewing diplomats as sartorial perfectionists, or "striped pantsers" preoccupied with the art of cookie pushing, no doubt thought me a lost soul Conversely, some of my new colleagues at first looked upon me captiously and later as a reformed character, because they believed all miners to be rough customers, attired in muddy boots and given to direct action and equally direct or even explosive speech In point of fact, these two professions have much in common I do not have in mind the parallel cynicisms that "a miner is a liar with a hole in the ground" and "a diplomat a man sent abroad to lie for his country " I do

Jan 1, 1947

By George Breyer

DURING the past 25 years the steelmaker has experienced some difficulty in producing steel to meet the standards established by the metallurgist. In contrast to the past, when a chemical specification of broad limits was the only requirement, he now has to employ such tests as microscopic, macroscopic, tensile, impact, Magnaflux and even X-ray and supersonic. The development of these tests has more than set the pace for a manufacturing process of which the exactness still hinges to an important degree on the ability of the furnace operator. In our efforts to produce steel, and especially alloy steel, to meet the exactness of modern engineering specification, many factors must be taken into account. It is not sufficient to make a good heat of steel in the furnace and then be satisfied that the job is done, since there are many pitfalls between the furnace and the finished product. The literature abounds with information on melting practices, deoxidation methods and slag control, but the lack of positive information about what happens when the steel is teemed into molds is quite evident. Such questions as what is the proper mold size, shape and thickness; which is the best mold coating; what is the best rate of pour for any given steel, and what is the effect of cooling rates on quality, are still answered by opinions. It is acknowledged that a poor heat of steel cannot be improved in the pouring pit. On the other hand, a good heat can be ruined by improper handling after it leaves the furnace.

Jan 1, 1947

By P. H. Cardwell

The effect of various plastics upon the permeability of a sand and the mechanism of their ensuring permeability within the consolidated sand body is discussed. Data are presented on various properties of the plastic materials used in sand consolidation and the effect of temperature and usable temperature ranges are considered. The recovery of petroleum from uncon-solidated sands presents serious production problems, owing to sloughing of the formation. The solution of some of these problems usually has been by mechanical methods.' The ideal way of controlling the sloughing tendencies of these un consolidated formations, however, is to prevent the movement of the individual sand grains by the use of a bonding medium. A step in the desired direction was taken by Irons and Stcesser2 when they taught the use of liquid plastics to produce a consolidating deposit that prevents sloughing. More recently, Wrightsman and Buckley3 proposed a modification of this process. In this use of the liquid plastic, the sand grains become coated and the ensuing hardening of the plastic by polymerization or condensation cements together the sand Particles. Liquid plastics that have been suggested for this Purpose are of the following types: phenolformaldehyde, alkyd resins, vinyl type resins, polystyrene and the acrylic esters. When the flow of fluids through a sand must not be materially reduced, it is essential only to cement together the sand grains with liquid plastic and leave a portion of the interstitial space for fluid flow. TO be assured of obtaining fluid flow through the sand interstices after injection of plastic, it has been necessary in the past to remove the excess plastic from the interstices between the particles before it sets. Wrightsman and Buckley suggest two methods for the removal of the excess plastic from the interstices of the sand: (I) to flush the excess plastic back into the formation, away from the well bore, by use of oil or water; (2) to produce the well before the plastic has set, thereby moving the excess plastic into the well bore. Under certain well conditions it is very difficult to remove the excess plastic from all parts of the formation by either of these methods and leave the formation consolidated with no sections completely sealed. The method* described herein of retaining permeability within a sand body is to use a liquid plastic that upon setting ensures permeability within the consolidated sand body. This cements the sand grains but obviates the need for removing plastic from the interstices of the sand. One of the ways of accomplishing this is to use a liquid plastic that occupies a considerably greater volume than the solidified resin it yields on further polymerization or condensation in situ. In order to be satisfactory, the volume of the plastic while liquid should be at least one and one half times the volume of the solid formed. Preferably,

Jan 1, 1947

By J. Gough M. D.

There are many points still obscure regarding the nature of coal-workers'- pneumokoniosis, but the interpretation of the disease has been greatly clarified in recent years. It is now known that exposure to fumes or gases or other conditions peculiar to coal-mining are not necessary factors in the production of pneumokoniosis. The same disease occurs in coal-trimmers working in the docks, and it is thus established that the inhaled dust is the primary factor. On the other hand, there is no completely satisfactory explanation of the distribution of the disease. Geological and petrological studies have not given an unequivocal explanation of the difference in incidence in different parts of the coalfield. It is an open question whether the quantity of dust inhaled is more important than its chemical composition. However, there is ample evidence from the medical side that elimination of dust and of tuberculosis from the environment of coal workers will be required to prevent pneumokoniosis. Much is being done with regard to elimination of dust, and a similar energetic action is required in regard to tuberculosis.

Jan 1, 1947

By W. A. Jones

Purpose of Paper Geophysics is a highly developed science which has found a wide use in industry. Perhaps the most spectacular application has been in the field of oil exploration. It has been estimated that, up to the end of 1939, geophysics was responsible for the discovery of five billion barrels of oil. In 1944, the sum o $40,000,000 was expended for geophysical work in the search for new oil deposits. Although the metal mining industry has so far made comparatively little use of the science, it is becoming increasingly common for the exploration engineer or geologist to be required to co-operate with the geophysicist. Many papers dealing with applied geophysics have been published but in most of them advanced training in physics and mathematics on the part of the reader has been assumed. It is difficult for the average engineer to obtain a ready understanding of the equipment, field procedure, and scope and limitations of the science from the literature. The present paper attempts to describe briefly and in simple terms the principles underlying magnetic, self-potential, and electrical resistivity methods and their application to a field problem. Introduction Geophysics is concerned with the study of gravity, magnetism, natural earth currents, earthquakes, vulcanism, and many other natural phenomena. The methods, originally devised for the measurement, for scientific purposes, of the forces associated with such phenomena have been adapted to the search for buried deposits of economic value. If the body sought has large dimensions and distinctive physical properties, geophysical measurements may reveal associated, and in some cases quite characteristic, anomalous features. However, in many instances the mass cannot be indicated directly but has a common association with geological features which can be defined by physical measurements. Although such surveys cannot specifically identify oil, metalliferous minerals, or other commercially valuable substances, it is possible to delineate anomalous sub-surface physical features which, with the help of geological information, can be assessed as possible or probable indications of the body or structure sought. The nature and extent of the material causing an anomaly, and its economic importance, can only be determined by further exploration, such as drilling.

Jan 1, 1947

By J. Rogers, H. F. A. Hergt, K. L. Sutherland

IN 1938 Ralston4 reviewed the many attempts to find a satisfactory collector for the separation of cassiterite from its ores and in 1944 Dean and Ambrose2 summarized some further attempts. Generally, soaps and amines are effective but nonselective collectors. We have discovered that reagents containing either the polar group -SO4- or _S03- are excellent collectors for cassiterite and promise to be selective.1 The response to these reagents of cassiterite and of minerals commonly associated with it was studied, using the captive-bubble technique. Using these fundamental data, the practicability of separation and concentration of tin was investigated by flotation tests in a 2000gram Denver cell. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Reagents All inorganic reagents were of Analar grade. The preparation and purification of sodium cetyl sulphate, cetyl trimethyl-ammonium bromide, laurylamine and cetylamine have been previously described.5 The other collectors were commercial surface-active agents, which were used without purification. Tests Captive-bubble Tests and Cylinder Flotation Tests have been previously described.5-10 The full lines shown in the figures relating solution composition to contact (flotation) distinguish solutions in which contact (flotation) is possible from those in which it is not. The curve is derived by successive approximation and the accuracy is ±0.2 pH units and ± 5 mg. per liter of collector or depressant. Solution compositions for which it was shown experimentally that contact or flotation is possible are marked by a circle, those for which it is not possible, by a cross, and those for which it is doubtful by a cross within a circle. It is assumed that at all other solution compositions within (without) the curve, contact or flotation is possible (not possible). After testing in the collector solution, the mineral was removed, washed, and tested by the captive-bubble method in water, or floated in a cylinder with frother only. In this way the composition of solutions in which a mineral was conditioned but in which properties of the collector solution prevented contact or flotation can be defined. The composition of solutions in which conditioning was possible lie between the full and broken curve, and the experimental results are indicated by a square. The curves show the limits of composition of solutions in which flotation in a cell would be possible but many factors other than those considered in these tests determine recovery and grade of a given mineral in practice. Flotation Tests in 500 and 2000-gram Denver Submachines.--Melbourne tap water, containing 12 parts calcium, 6 parts

Jan 1, 1947

By Bernard Kopelman

The particle size of tungsten metal powder used to make tungsten wire for use in radio tubes and incandescent lamps must be closely controlled if the highly desirable feature of nonsagging is to be achieved. Our knowledge of factors affecting the particle size of tungsten powder has been limited by lack of any extensive literature on the subject. There are no publications in the English language discussing this problem in any but the most general terms. In this paper the published experimental information on this subject is reviewed. Based on the published data and some experimental data obtained by the author, a general theory of factors affecting the particle size of tungsten metal powder obtained by reduction of the oxides in hydrogen is offered. The various forms of the tungsten oxides and tungsten metal used in the experiments described were those prepared by commercial processes, so that the experimental results obtained on a laboratory scale would be more directly applicable to actual commercial reduction conditions. The effects of time of reduction, temperature. and concentration of water vapor in the hydrogen were observed by counting microscopically the particle distribution obtained. Such a method is very time-consuming, but the data obtained by this method are more reliable and more fundamental than those obtained by any of the several instruments available for measurement of particle size. Review of the Literature Until the year 1912, tungsten powder was prepared commercially by reducing tungstic oxide in the presence of carbon or one of its compounds (such as glycerin or ethylene glycol), usually by firing the mixture in a closed fire-clay crucible. The resultant powder contained about 95 per cent tungsten.' When reduction of tungsten oxides by H² was introduced Commercially,²,³ several investigators became concerned with the equilibria between tungsten metal and its several oxides in an atmosphere of hydrogen and water vapor.4-l3 While these many investigations were in fair agreement on the equilibria WO³ + H2 = WO2 + H2O and WO2 + 2H2 = W + 2H2O there arose considerable controversy as to the chemical composition of the oxide between WO³ and WO², because of very poor agreement on the equilibrium constant of this intermediate oxide reduction reaction. The controversy on this intermediate oxide has been in progress for more than 100 years. Thus Malguti,14 in 1835, decided it was WO2.56 In 1857, Riche15 proposed the formula W³O8. Usler,16 in 1865, confirmed the existence of WsO8 and further proposed W1O1l. In 1897, Desil7 agreed upon W²O8 but also found W5O14.

Jan 1, 1947

By J. L. Jobe

In planning the operation of a new mine or new sections of an operating mine, due provision must be made for the ultimate recovery of as much of the seam as is consistent with safety and economic principles. Each mining district and, indeed, each seam, especially in mining under submarine conditions, has individual problems which render hard and fast rules under all conditions of mining impossible. However, certain basic principles can be applied to all seams under specific conditions. In all mines, the two basic methods of mining, 'longwall' and ?room-and-pillar? or their variations, can be adopted, but certain fundamental factors must be analyzed before either method is finally applied to the extraction of the seam. The factors which enter into the successful, safe, and economic extraction of all seams are, briefly stated, as follows: (1) Character and thickness of the seam. (2) Character of the floor and immediate roof of the seam. (3) Composition, strength, and thickness of the overlying beds to the surface. (4) The depth of cover to the surface or sea bottom. (5) Conditions under which the seam is mined (land or submarine area). (6) Pitch of the seam. (7) Economic value of the seam. (8) Mining laws.

Jan 1, 1947

By E. H. Crabtree, T. C. King

THE ferrosilicon grinding unit at the Central Mill of the Eagle-Picher Mining & Smelting Co. near Picher, Okla., was completed in March 1947. The object of the plant was to grind pigs of ferrosilicon, having a size of approximately 1 ½ by 4 by 12 in. and an analysis of 85 pct Fe and 15 pct Si, to approximately 100 mesh by crushing and wet grinding in a ball-mill classifier circuit. The minus-loo mesh ferrosilicon had formerly been purchased, and was used as medium in the heavy media process for treatment of lead-zinc ores. From the standpoint of dollars and cents, the cost of minus-100 mesh ferrosilicon was roughly $40.00 per ton more than pigs of the corresponding alloy delivered to the mill. Estimated wet grinding costs were considerably below this figure. The possible saving in cost of make-up medium for the cone plant was particularly attractive since, at that time, the plant losses averaged over four tons of minus-100 mesh ferrosilicon per day. Aside from the probable saving on the grinding charge, the need for such a unit was twofold. First, periodic fluctuations in the differential between the top and bottom densities of the cone were thought to be detrimental to metallurgy. There was little doubt that an intermediate differential existed at which the heavy media separation was most efficient, representing a compromise between concentrate grade and tailing loss. Furthermore, if a finer, but considerably cleaner, medium could be obtained, there was the possibility that the differential could be decreased without increasing the viscosity, or conversely, the viscosity of the medium decreased without increasing the differential. Preliminary to experimental work aimed at pegging the cone differential and circulating medium viscosity at whatever values were found to be most efficient, it was essential to have control over both the non-magnetic content of the medium and the particle size of the contained ferrosilicon. The latter was possible by means of a grinding unit at the mill. Second, whereas the ferrosilicon alloys are made by a number of manufacturers, only two, to our knowledge, grind it in any quantity for use in heavy media plants. For all practical purposes, the Central Mill was limited to one source of supply, a particularly vulnerable position. In case the supply was cut off, it was thought that pigs of the 85 pct Fe, 15 pct Si alloy could be obtained elsewhere, providing means of grinding them was available. There was no published information available covering wet grinding of ferrosilicon. Dry grinding in batch mills and in continuous mills with air classification was being practiced, but the cost of grinding was excessive and the dust condition objectionable. It appeared that primary and secondary crushing was no particular problem, providing heavy duty equipment was used;

Jan 1, 1947

By Pei-Yung Huang, Carle R. Hayward

IN order to understand more fully the actual state of copper lost in copper reverberatory slags, a systematic study on the various reactions between certain metallurgically important copper compounds and synthetic copper reverberatory slags was undertaken by the authors in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1942 to 1945.1 This paper, being only a part of the work completed, is published first because it furnishes the first experimental evidence of the formation of copper ferrite from reactions between cuprous oxide and copper reverberatory slags. CHOICE OF SLAG COMPOSITION The choice of the composition of the synthetic reverberatory slags to be used was much deliberated. Commercial copper reverberatory slags, neglecting minor constituents, average:2.3 45 to 47 pct FeO; 38 to 42 pct Si02; 5 to 6 pct CaO; 5 to 6 pct A1203. Since the ternary system CaO-FeO-SiO2 has been much more thoroughly studied4 and is much simpler than the quaternary system CaO-FeO-Si02-A1203, it was decided to use calcium oxide only instead of calcium oxide and alumina in the synthesis of the slags. Fortunately the composition of the average copper reverberatory slag with calcium oxide substituted for alumina lies in the region of the phase diagram clarified by the investigators. A survey of the phase diagram (Fig I) suggested two compositions: (I) the com¬position near the invariant point S, which is made up of 46 pct ferrous oxide, 37 pct silica and 17 pct calcium oxide; (2) the composition near the invariant point K with 45.5 pct ferrous oxide, 43 pct silica and 11.5 pct calcium oxide. Composition S has the advantage that the percentages of ferrous oxide and of silica almost exactly coincide with those of the average reverberatory slags, and that of the lowest melting point (1093° ± 3°C) in the whole ternary system. The calcium oxide content, however, obviously is high. Since we have already substituted calcium oxide for alumina, and since calcium oxide is more basic than alumina, the resulting slag is decidedly too basic. Composition K has a slightly higher melting point (1105° ± 3°C) and a higher silica content, but this is preferred because the slag is saturated with respect to tridymite and thus should not corrode siliceous refractories. Besides, it is less basic than composition S. The final slag composition, therefore, was chosen to

Jan 1, 1947

By J. L. Bruce

AFTER six years of war-enforced idleness, Cyprus copper mines are operating again. This relatively long shutdown seems infinitesimal when compared with something like seventeen hundred years of inactivity that followed the important operations of the ancient Romans, and continued until the twentieth century. The historical records of the ancient operators are scarce but full of interest to those who realize that Cyprus copper production was important more than two thousand years ago. This paper, however, will give only a brief review of the ancient history and the evidence of ancient mining which have been quite fully covered in other publications.1-6 The purpose of this paper is to give a general sketch of the Cyprus Mines Corporation's enterprise in the Island of Cyprus, with special emphasis on those conditions and practices which are unusual. The picture is not intended to be complete, and many interesting details will be omitted. Some of these may be described in subsequent papers covering departmental practices. The principal operations of Cyprus Mines Corp. are in Cyprus, where it has leasehold concessions from the Cyprus Government covering about 50 square miles. It holds additional areas under "Prospecting Permits." The consideration for the concessions is a royalty on production, coupled with minimum annual rentals. Cyprus is a British Colony in the Eastern end of the Mediterranean with an area of about 3000 square miles and a population of about 400,000, of which 65 pct may be classed as Greeks on the basis of language, religious training, and traditions. About 25 pct are Moslems, principally of Turkish extraction. Prevailing languages are Greek and Turkish. A large proportion of the supervisory and administrative staff and practically all of the skilled and unskilled craftsmen and laborers are drawn from the native population. The "overseas" staff constitutes not more than 2 pct of the employees. The majority of these are from the United Kingdom, the British Dominions and Colonies. About one-third are from the United States of America. The topography of the Island is rugged, with mountains and foothills covering more than two-thirds of the area. Between the Kyrenea range rising to 3000-ft elevation, along the north coast, and the Troodos range (maximum elevation 6400 ft) occupying the southwest half of the Island, lies a cultivated rolling plain, the "Mesaoria," dry in summer and watered only by the winter rains and by scanty irrigation from small mountain streams and wells in the spring and summer. Climate and natural vegetation are characteristic of semi-arid conditions. The "urban" population, about one-fourth of the total, lives in the five port towns, Famagusta, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos and Kyrenia, and in the capitol Nicosia, near the center of the Island. The suburban population lives almost entirely in villages or small towns, with very few people residing in isolated country homes.

Jan 1, 1947

By Leon W. Dupuy

INTRODUCTION A BRIEF elemental discussion of the fundamental factors involved in diamond drilling often fills a need, particularly when a mine operator is contemplating for the first time an exploratory drilling campaign. Mr. James A. Barr, of the Mining Methods Committee of the Institute, has suggested that many engineers must undertake a drilling program of one kind or another and, in the case of diamond drilling, sometimes even are at a loss as to how to start correspondence. The Bureau of Mines has acquired much experience in managing exploratory diamond-drilling activities. Its activities in diamond drilling included exploring for potash in Texas, Utah and New Mexico 1-4 during the 1920's. The Strategic Minerals Exploration program was started in 1939 and was materially expanded during the war to include critical and essential minerals. At the peak of its war-time activity more than 200 engineers were employed, a majority of whom supervised diamond drilling. Many of them had little experience with such work prior to their employment with the Bureau, and it was necessary to instruct them in their duties. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to present the fundamentals of exploratory diamond drilling from the viewpoint of management in such a way that they will serve as a basis on which those beginning exploratory diamond drilling may build an experience and acquire ability to direct exploration as they gain that experience. SELECTION OF METHOD OF DRILLING Selection of the method of drilling is governed by the type of material to be penetrated and by the type of sample needed to determine the quality and importance of a deposit. Types of drills that might be used for a given job include diamond drills, churn drills, hand auger drills, power auger drills, bucket drills, and rotary drills (sometimes called "seismograph rigs"). Each type has a specific field in which it is most useful. While the Bureau of Mines utilized all the types of drilling mentioned, diamond drilling was used on a majority of its exploratory projects. FACTORS GOVERNING SELECTION OF DIAMOND DRILLING The prime consideration in selecting a method of drilling is first to determine what results are desired and then to choose a method that will furnish reliable data in the ground to be penetrated. Use of diamond drills permits recovery of a core as well as sludge at a comparatively low cost. The core provides an excellent means of studying the formation being drilled and furnishes much information that would be difficult to obtain otherwise. Diamond drills will recover a satis-

Jan 1, 1947