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By Michael L. Free

The hydrometallurgy curriculum for undergraduate students at the University of Utah has evolved to contain a variety of tools to help students understand and apply hydrometallurgy in a context that has industrial relevance. In order for students to perform as engineers in an industrial hydrometallurgy setting, they need to understand thermodynamic and kinetic fundamentals and be able to apply these fundamentals to extraction, concentration, and recovery applications. Students must also understand related environmental, economic, and assessment issues in hydrometallurgy and be able to work with others. In order to meet these needs, the hydrometallurgy curriculum includes a variety of relevant subject information, on-line resources, laboratory experiences, and team work opportunities to help prepare students for careers involving hydrometallurgy. The development and use of these resources will be discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 2014

Primary sulphidic gold ores in the Archean provinces of Western Australia can be broadly sub-divided into pyritic, pyrite-telluride, arsenical and antimonial types. Pyritic ores contain only native gold, and are essentially not refractory. Arsenical ores almost always carry some invisible gold, and may vary from mildly to highly refractory. Pyrite-telluride ores contain gold-bearing tellurides, and are refractory to varying degrees. Antimonial ores usually contain aurostibite, and may be very difficult to process. A classification scheme for metallurgical processing, based on mineralogy, is proposed for the ores, and implications for processing are discussed.

Jan 1, 1995

Never known as a conference to shy away from its share of off-color jokes, the Colorado Mineral Processing Division?s Annual Meeting returned to the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO April 26-28 for its 62nd edition, this one held under the theme ?Does size matter (is bigger always better).? With the predictable jokes sprinkled in here and there, and a few unpredictable ones as well, the three-day conference featured a healthy mix of talks about some of the latest technical developments in the field of mineral processing, as well as insightful looks at some new operations in the western United States. This year, the Colorado MPD also launched the Wagner Equipment Student Scholarship program.

Jan 1, 2012

By James B. Cathcart

Marine phosphorite deposits occur in Braxil, in the Bambui Group of late Precambrian or Early Cambrian age. The phosphorite is laminated, isoclinally folded, and is composed of black, elongated apatite pellets and quartz grains cemented by quartz and muscovite. Abundant, narrow quartz veinlets cut through the .rock at right angles to the elongation direction of the pellets. The phosphorite is 0 to 80 m thick and contains 5 to 30 percent P2O5. The deposit is elongate towards the northeast, and the central, thickest, and richest part is bounded by faults. Measured reserves are about 250 million tons that average a bout 13 % P205. Preliminary testing indicates that grinding, scrubbing, and desliming will produce a material usable for fertilizer manufacture at a cost competitive with imported phosphate fertilizers.

Jan 1, 1979

By R. Karl Zipf

The sudden, violent collapse of large areas of room-and-pillar mines poses a special hazard for miners and mine operators. This type of failure, termed a 'cascading pillar failure' (CPF), occurs when one pillar in a mine layout fails, transferring its load to neighbouring pillars, which causes them to fail, and so forth. Recent examples of this kind of failure in coal, metal and nonmetal mines in the U.S.A. are documented. Mining engineers can limit the danger presented by these failures through improved mine design practices. Whether failure occurs in a slow, non-violent manner or in a rapid, violent manner is governed by the local mine stiffness stability criterion. This stability criterion is used as the basis for three design approaches to control cascading pillar failure in room-and-pillar mines-the containment approach, the prevention approach and the full extraction mining approach. These design approaches are illustrated with practical examples for coal mining at shallow depth. Cascading pillar failure {CPF) in room-and-pillar mines can go by many other names, such as `progressive pillar failure', `massive pillar collapse', 'domino-type failure' or 'pillar run'. In this kind of failure when one pillar collapses the load that it carried transfers rapidly to its neighbours, causing them to fail, and so forth. This failure mechanism can lead to the rapid collapse of very large mine areas. In mild cases only a few tens of pillars might fail; in extreme cases, however, hundreds, even thousands, of pillars can fail. CPF can have catastrophic effects on a mine, and sometimes these effects pose a greater risk to health and safety than the underlying ground-control problem. Usually, the CPF induces a devastating air blast as a consequence of the displacement of air from the collapse area. An air blast can disrupt the ventilation system totally by destroying ventilation stoppings, seals and fan housings. Flying debris can seriously injure or kill mining personnel. The CPF might also fracture a large volume of rock in the pillars and immediate roof and floor. In coal mines and certain other mines this can lead to the sudden release of large quantities of methane gas into the mine atmosphere; a methane explosion might result from the CPF. CPF is at the far end of the spectrum of unstable pillar failure. At the other end are slow `squeezes' that develop over days to weeks and, because of their slow progress, do not pose an immediate danger to mining personnel. There is ample warning time for men and machinery to get out of the way of the failure. In a CPF, however, the failure progresses so rapidly that men and equipment cannot be evacuated in time. Significant seismic energy is released as a consequence of the rapid failure and collapse. CPF should not be confused, however, with coal-mine bumps and rockbursts. In some cases the damage can appear similar, but the underlying mechanics are completely different. As will he shown later, the mechanics of CPF depend on the applied vertical stress and the post-failure, i.e. strain-softening, behaviour of the pillars. In a CPF pillars shed their applied load rapidly and have very little residual strength after failure. The collapse itself may release significant seismic energy, but otherwise the mine is seismically quiet. Alter a CPF the openings in the affected mine workings have usually closed completely. In contrast, coal-mine bumps and rockbursts occur in seismically active mines. Research has shown that coal-mine bumps and rockbursts are seismic events induced by mining that damage underground mine workings. Bumps and bursts are thus a subset of a much larger set of mining-induced seismic events.[ Only some of these seismic events damage mine workings; fortunately, most do not. The mechanisms by which a mining-induced seismic event can lead to a damaging coal-mine bump or rockburst is still a significant research area.2 After a bump or rockhursr the affected mine workings may or may not be completely closed. For example, in the coal-mine bump described by Soler and co-workers2 the mine workings remained open even though the pillars were destroyed during the bump event. Because CPF differs from a coal-mine bump or rockburst, the design approaches to control their occurrence also differ. The design recommendations developed here apply to CPF and not to bump- or burst-prone mines. Cascading pillar failure examples Unfortunately, CPF has occurred in room-and-pillar coal, metal and non-metal mines. The most infamous example is the Coalbrooke colliery in South Africa, where 437 miners perished where [si >1 3at1ttsumsus7car kky vArtMixiL7i nesafr tramwsamn ures] on 21 January, 1960.1 Table I summarizes the mining dimensions of 13 examples of rapid pillar collapse in U.S. coal mines. All occurred during the 1980s and 1990s, and all happened suddenly or without significant warning. Most resulted in air blasts and damage to the ventilation system. Table 2 gives the mining dimensions of six room-and-pillar metal and non-metal mines in the U.S.A. where failure occurred in all probability by the CPF mechanism. The collapse areas can be huge. Fortunately, some of these failures gave advance warning. At the lead-zinc mine slabbing from pillars and roof falls began four weeks prior to the main collapse.3 At the copper mine considerable rock noise and smaller failures preceded the main collapse by five days.5 At the copper-silver mine it is not known if nature provided a warning.6 Evidently, the trona mine collapsed without warning.7,8 Rock noise and other failure warnings preceded the silica mine collapse by three weeks. v The presence or absence of warnings at the salt mint is not known. to Most of these collapses induced a substantial air blast; damage to the ventilation systems was limited, however, to bent airdoors and a few downed stoppings, except at the trona mine where extensive damage to the ventilation system resulted.

By H Jones

Closure cost estimates may be generated at any stage of a mining operationÆs life; commencing with the initial prefeasibility studies and continuing through to the final decommissioning cost estimates. However, not all mine closure cost estimates are necessarily the same. Cost estimates will vary depending on the purpose for which they are prepared, the organisations requiring or undertaking the estimate and the stage of the mining operation. Different organisations can legitimately arrive at disparate cost estimates for closing the same mine because the organisations have different reasons for requiring the estimates. Another, equally valid, reason for potentially wide variations in cost estimates by different organisations on the same mine site is the different definitions of æclosure costsÆ used by different estimators. This paper considers the different approaches by different organisations including operating companies, government authorities and financial organisations and uses a hypothetical example based on practical experience to illustrate some of these differences in estimation methods.The paper suggest that a more consistent approach to closure cost estimating in the Australian mining industry would assist mining companies, governments, the accounting industry and the broader community to better understand this complex component of mine planning. One possible approach to closure cost estimating is briefly outlined.CITATION:Jones, H, 2012. Closure cost estimation - All things to all men?, in Proceedings International Mine Management 2012, pp 115-124 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 20, 2012

By Launa G. Mallett, Kathleen Kowalski-Trakofler, Robert H. Peters, Charles PH. D. Vaught, Peter Keating, William J. Wiehagen

On-the-job training is a common means of training or retraining workers and the practice may seem simple and straightforward. Doing it effectively however requires more thought and preparation than simply having someone follow an experienced worker around and watch what they're doing. Over the years, various techniques and practices have evolved that pass on the skills and knowledge of a trainer or coach in a manner that leads an inexperienced trainee to really absorb the information being taught. On-the-job training thus becomes less a haphazard show-and-tell and more a real transfer of information. The goal of this document is to describe how to develop or manage an on-the-job training program so that information is passed on from trainer/coach to trainee efficiently and effectively. By efficient is meant the best use of time and resources of all those involved in the training process, and by effective is meant that the trainee truly learns the skills and internalizes the knowledge needed to perform the job well. The first part of the document discusses topics to think about when developing a formal on- the-job training program. A structure based on coaching is suggested. Then a workshop designed to prepare trainers as coaches is described. Workshop materials include an instructor’s guide and trainee workbook. These materials can be used to train coaches and to assist trainees as they go through the learning process. Content related to specific jobs can be added to these materials to create targeted on-the job-training manuals. Structuring a formal on-the-job training program It is likely that some form of on-the-job training (OJT) is being conducted at your workplace. The formality of that training can range from a structured program to an informal “follow Joe around” method. If your program is completely unstructured, it may not be meeting current training needs. Worse, it may perpetuate bad habits and create “trained” employees who are not given the same information or evaluated to the same standards. Wiehagen et al. comment that, “Success in using unplanned OJT is usually dependent on the luck of the draw, that is, whether the informal trainer is competent at the task he or she is teaching, is motivated to teach, can organize the job into logical components, and knows something about good practices in teaching and evaluating” (2002, p. 27). It is only through planning a structured OJT program that consistency can be created and maintained. At the least, all trainees who have successfully completed such a program can be expected to perform at an established level—they will know what they must do to be successful.

Jan 7, 2005

By G. R. Speich

A cellular precipitation reaction in which cells consisting of an Ni3Ti (DO24) phase and austenite are formed has been studied in an austenitic Fe-30 Ni-6 Ti alloy. The variation of the growth rate and interlamellar spacing of the Ni3Ti cells with temperature has been determined m the range 400" to 975°C; the interlamellar spacing is proportional to the degree of undercooling; the growth rate can be expressed by an equation of the form G = K?T)2 exp(-Q/RT). The habit of the Ni3Ti lamellae is (001)Ni3Ti (111)y;[010]Ni3T2 [010]y. An almost perfectly coherent interface is formed between Ni3Ti lamellae with this orientation rela -tionship and the intervening austenite. This first Ni3Ti cellular product is subsequently consumed by a second cellular reaction of much coarser spacing. CELLULAR precipitation reactions have been studied in copper-base,1,2 Au-Ni,3 pb-sn,4 and iron-base ferritic5,6 solid solutions, and this mode of precipitation has been treated theoretically by smith," Turnbull,8,9 cahn,10 and more recently by bohm.11 In the case of substitutional austenitic iron-base alloys little or no data are available, Cellular precipitation reactions are well known in austenitic nickel-base alloys12,13 but usually these reactions do not proceed to completion because of general precipitation occurring in the matrix, and they have not been studied in detail. Precipitation from an austenitic Fe-30 Ni-6 Ti alloy was studied as part of a larger investigation of the mechanisms of precipitation from substitutional iron-base alloys. This alloy, austenitic at high temperatures, decomposes at lower temperatures by a double cellular precipitation reaction. The first decomposition product consists of alternate lamellae of an Ni3Ti(DO24) phase and austenite. The reaction proceeds to completion, consuming all of the original austenite. This first cellular product is subsequently consumed by a second cellular reaction of much coarser spacing. The first cellular reaction was studied in detail by light and electron microscopy, hardness measurements, and by X-ray and electron diffraction. Interlamellar spacings and growth rates were measured during isothermal aging in the range 400" to 975°C. The orientation relationship between the Ni3Ti and austenite lamellae was determined and indicates that an almost perfectly coherent interface exists between the two phases. This first Ni3Ti cellular reaction is of particular interest because it occurs over such a wide temperature interval. This allows cellular growth rates and interlamellar spacing data to be obtained for much larger degrees of undercooling than reported hitherto. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The Fe-30 Ni-6 Ti alloy was prepared from electrolytic iron, Mond nickel shot, and sponge-purity titanium* by vacuum melting in a zirconia crucible

Jan 1, 1963

By John T. Norton

In spite of the very general errlployment of nitride hardening, there is still considerable doubt as to the real nature of the mechanism involved. Experience has shown that the addition of small amounts of hardening elements to iron or steel results in a wide variety of desirable properties in a nitrided case. Perhaps the foremost of these elements is aluminum and in this investigation an attempt has been made to study the behavior of aluminum during the hardening process. It is believed that the establishment of a complete atomic picture of the metal at various stages of the process will indicate the relationships between the several kinds of atoms and their individual influences on the physical properties in a clear and direct fashion. A consideration of the problem suggests a surprising similarity between the mechanisms of nitride hardening and of age-hardening. It is now generally understood that age-hardening may take place by one of two distinct processes, the first involving the precipitation of a finely dispersed phase and the other being concerned with the modification of an existing phase. Following much the same line of reasoning, two theories of nitride hardening have been suggested. The first explanation, which has been generally discussed, particularly by Fry,' states in brief that the presence of aluminum causes the precipitation of aluminum nitride during nitriding and that this finely dispersed phase is the primary cause of hardening. The second explanation, which has not been published but which has been freely discussed by those interested in the problem, postulates the substitution of aluminum atoms for certain of the iron atoms in the several iron-nitrogen phases in the same manner that the substitutional iron-alurninurn solid solution is formed. The marked increase in hardness, as compared with the aluminum-free system, is attributed to the severe lattice distortion accompanying this replacement.

Jan 1, 1934

By George E. Blandford

A deterministic model to assess the hydrologic impact of small watersheds subjected to unsteady storm events is presented. The overland flow model is based on the kinematic wave approximation coupled with a Green-Ampt infiltration equation. The Green-Ampt infiltration parameters are estimated using the USDA-ARS parameter estimation technique which is based on soil moisture-tension data. A Galerkin finite element formulation of the kinematic wave approximation is presented for the deterministic analysis of overland flow on small watersheds. The finite element formulation includes linear, quadratic and cubic Lagrangian one-dimensional spatial elements. A linear time variation is assumed which includes both explicit and implicit time marching algorithms, depending on the choice of the time weighting parameter. The implicit time algorithms result in a system of nonlinear equations which are evaluated using a modified Newton-Raphson iteration scheme. Initial solution estimates are generated using a linear finite difference procedure. The coupled infiltration overland flow model is tested using storm data for impervious surfaces, a laboratory soil flume, and two natural, USDA-ARS experimental watersheds.

Jan 1, 1983

By G. Wren

As base metal sulphide resources become increasingly challenging to process, producers seek alternative options to treat concentrates. This study considers the mineral, elemental, and leaching character of a West Australian nickel sulphide deposit (Cosmos Nickel Project). After a brief review of the published work bench top leach tests were conducted to examine the factors which impact the kinetics of nickel sulphide leaching such as particle size, temperature, acid strength and type, concentration of copper sulphate and sodium chloride, and oxygen partial pressure. The effect of sodium chloride was considered due to the common occurrence of hyper saline water at West Australian nickel sulphide mine sites. Ultrafine grinding to an 80% passing size of 10 µm resulted in high nickel leaching efficiency. Moreover, higher concentrations of acid, copper(II) and sodium chloride also gave higher nickel and cobalt leaching efficiencies but arsenic precipitated as FeAsO4. Under the most suitable conditions the extractions of nickel, cobalt and arsenic at 90oC after 6 hours were >95%, 90% and <5%, respectively. The comparison with results from high pressure operations indicates the possibility of using a hydrometallurgical flowsheet based on fine grinding and atmospheric pressure leaching and warrants further investigations.

Jan 1, 2014

During the 1950&apos;s there was a flurry of activity on the design of main ventilation shafts for mines. More recently, a new ana- lysis was commissioned in relation to the multi-shaft, nuclear waste isolation facili- ties currently under design in the United States. This paper presents the major find- ings of that study and should prove of value as a reference in the design of proposed new shafts. An overview of mine shaft resistance introduces the effects of the shaft walls, fittings, conveyances and shaft stations. Each of these is analyzed in turn. A com- pletely new technique is described, which facilitates the estimation of wall resis- tance. The effect of size of a conveyance is quantified and shown to be dominant when the cage occupies more than 30 per cent of the shaft cross-section. The dynamic effects of a moving conveyance are also analyzed.

Jan 1, 1988

By Charles L. Kimbell

Comprehensive world mineral industry investment data do not exist, but limited material published on aggregates of in vestment in some elements of the world mineral industry suggest a continued up-turn in the investment level, at least in market economy countries in 1989. Steel industry investments in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries are not yet available for 1989 but, as shown in table 6, increased by 22.1% in 1988, after showing a decrease of 5.2% (revised) in 1987. The pattern of investment ups and downs varied during 1988 within country blocs and economic alliances showing no particular trends. Investment in the steel industry by the United States increased by 58.3% between 1987 and 1988 and was 1 1.9% higher than the previous highest amount invested during the 1984-88 period but was still 41.5% less than the amount invested in 1983. Investment in the steel industries of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) dropped again in 1988 from the revised amount for 1987, which became the first drop after several years of steady growth in what became the expanded ECSC in 1986. This drop in 1988 was the result of lower investments by Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Nether- lands, and Spain, investments grew or remained level in Belgium, Portugal, and the United Kingdom in 1987 and 1988. A decrease in investment in the Canadian (-26.6%) steel industry was offset by in- creases registered by the members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) of 31.7%, by Japan of 19.8% by Turkey of 22.4%, and a slight increase by the nations of Latin America. If data for the world steel industry as a whole, including those of the centrally planned economy countries, were available, the same pattern presumably would be shown as that reported; that is, it would remain fairly stable, with increases in some countries being offset by decreases in others. However, the lack of comprehensive information on the centrally planned economy countries makes it impossible to determine whether the overall trend was up or down despite recorded increases or decreases in production of the materials involved. Preliminary data show that investment levels in industries dealing with the production and/ or processing of mineral commodities for

Jan 1, 1992

By E. T. Turkdogan

In this theoretical paper, a transport-reaction mechanism is suggested for the enhancement of the rate of vaporization of metals, or other materials, brought about by the process of convection and condensation. Based on theoretical reasoning it is predicted that, when there is a temperature gradient surrounding the heated object, a slight increase in the rate of vaporization brought about by natural convection is enhanced further as a result of condensation of the vapor close to the surface of the object. In order to derive the effective vapor-concentration profile, consideration is given to the super saturation of the vapor necessary for the homogeneous nucleation of the condensed phase from the vapor. For the formulation of the rate equation based on this mechanism, adequate information should be available on the transport properties of gases and vapors at elevated temperatures and the method of calculating nucleation pressures of the vapor. The methods of deriving such data are discussed in the paper and a rate equation is calculated for the vaporization of iron in helium for various temperature gradients in the boundary layer. Considerations are also given to the effect of oxygen on rates of vaporization of metals under isother ma1 and nonisotherma1 conditions. THE study of the methods of enhancement or retardation of basically transport-controlled vaporization reactions is of theoretical interest with possible practical implications. There are several ways of bringing about such effects. For example, Turk-dogan, Grieveson, and Darken1 demonstrated that the rates of vaporization of metals under isothermal conditions were increased by several orders of magnitude, up to the maximum rate attainable in vacuo, by introducing some reacting gas into the inert atmosphere surrounding the metal. Such an effect is brought about by the interaction of the counter-diffusing reacting gas and metal vapor in close proximity of the metal-gas interface. Another case which is often experienced in practice is that of vaporization affected by natural convection. Although several theoretical and experimental studies of this problem have already been made, no detailed consideration has been given to the possible effects of condensation of the vapor in the boundary layer on vaporization rates, which constitutes the subject matter of this paper. BASIC CONCEPT OF ENHANCED DIFFUSION-LIMITED VAPORIZATION When a heated object, for example a metal sphere, is submerged in a fluid medium, heat is transferred from the surface of the object to its surroundings by four simultaneously occurring transfer processes: i) free-molecular conduction at the gas-solid interface over the distance equal to the mean free path of the gas, ii) conduction and convection through the fluid-dynamic boundary layer, iii) latent heat of mass transferred, and it!) radiation. The free-molecular conduction becomes pronounced only when the total pressure in the system is very low, e.g., below 1 mm Hg. Therefore, this term may be neglected for ordinary pressures. At low mass-transfer rates, due to vaporization of the object, the contribution of process iii) to the heat transfer can also be neglected. Finally, since the temperature profile is not affected by radiation, the latter need not be considered. The natural convection is brought about by gravitational body forces arising from a decrease in the

Jan 1, 1964

By P. V. Ananthapadmanabhan

Feedstock powders of metals, alloys and ceramics for thermal spray applications have to meet several specifications. Particle shape, size and distribution, powder flow characteristics and density are the important factors that need to be controlled, in order to ensure high spray efficiency and better coating properties. Thermal plasma technology can be effectively utilized to produce metal, alloy and ceramic powders for spray applications. The present paper describes plasma spheroidisation of commercially available aluminium powder and nickel-aluminium powder blend in a plasma reactor. Results show that the processed powder particles bear spherical morphology with excellent flow characteristics, which make them ideal for thermal spray applications.

Jan 1, 1997

By F. G. Miller, T. D. Mueller, L. B. Davidson

A mathematical model of reservoir behavior during one cycle of the intermittent steam injection process is presented in this paper. A cycle of the process is considered to be composed of three stages: injection, condensation and production. The model concentrates on behavior during the production stage. The influence of several parameters on production improvement is described, using the results obtained with a numerical equivalent of the model. Reservoir system parameters considered are thickness, reservoir thermal conductivity, oil viscosity, solution gas-oil ratio and the change in oil effective permeability with temperature. Operating parameters investigated are heat injection rate, steam temperature and cumulative injection time. In the face of considerable uncertainty, the model appears to give a fair prediction of the behavior observed during an actual test. This makes the model a useful means of selecting projects. It is shown that the model may also be utilized to select an optimum set of operating conditions for a particular project. Results of this study show the extent to which production improvement depends on each of the parameters investigated and give an indication of the range of system conditions within which the process would be effective. INTRODUCTION In recent years the intermittent steam injection or steam soak process of oil recovery has become a popular method of improving recovery in reservoirs bearing high-viscosity hydrocarbons. Production improvement due to the process results from heating the reservoir near the wellbore. The process is applied on an individual well basis and is executed in a series of cycles, each consisting of three stages: injection, condensation (the soaking period) and production. During the injection stage, high-pressure steam is injected into the reservoir surrounding the well-bore. This study assumes that injection is carried out over the entire vertical section of the reservoir rock that can be exposed to fluid injection. The condition of steam entering the reservoir is considered to fall within the following limits: (1) steam pressures less than 1,000 psig, (2) steam temperatures between 300 and 700F and (3) steam quality less than 90 percent. The last restriction is due to equipment limitations. Normally, injection re maintained for less than 3 weeks. After termination of injection, the condensation stage begins. The well is shut in for several days, supposedly to make certain that the injected steam condenses. This condensation would insure the retention of injected heat. The production stage is initiated when the well is opened again. Reservoir response during this stage determines the effectiveness of the process (response is defined as the oil production rates, the water production rates and the wellbore temperatures observed during the entire production stage). The immediate response of the reservoir is sometimes quite good. Sets of case histories by Longl and by Owens and Suter2 give some typical figures for response. Duration of the production stage is equal to the time needed for the oil production rate to decline to some predetermined value. This usually requires 4 to 6 months. Termination of the production stage coincides with the start of the next cycle. The process is continued, cycle by cycle, until it becomes unprofitable to continue. One simple model2 and two more sophisticated models3,4 of the process have been presented. These are based on fundamentally different assumptions than those used in this investigation. Although the three models might be modified to fit the assumptions used in this study, it is felt that greater rigor would result by developing a

By B. J. Cunliffe

"Filter cloth in the mining industry is an ambiguous title asthis suggests filter cloth use from underground ventilation to the refining processes. The time allowed for this paper would be better served in con-centrating on vacuum filters common to all mine mills and to offer some simple guide lines to the mill metallurgists in the choice of filter cloth for this type of filter.The requirement of the filter cloth is to separate solids from liquids under a vacuum head by forming a permeable layer of solids or cake, through which liquids can flow until the panel or disc sector leave the slurry tank and to continue to pass residual moisture from the cake formed during the cake drying cycle, and to discharge the cake on air-blow so that the cycle can be repeated.Whilst the mill metallurgist should not be expected to under¬stand all aspects of filter cloth manufacturer, it is however, advantageous for him to understand a little of the textile language associated with filter cloth for his own protection against ""trial-and-error"" methods, which are both time consuming and costly.If improvements are to be made over existing filter cloth in use an examination of the limiting factors of the cloth used should be made and the major causes for removal determined, e.g. cloth blinding, high moisture in cake, poor cake discharge on air blow, mechanical damage to cloth.As each of the limiting factors mentioned has a bearing on the choice of fibre used, the yarn type and weave of a suitable cloth, an under-standing of these points will assist the mill metallurgist in avoiding repetitive trials offering little degree of success."

Jan 1, 1971

By Francis Laur

BAUXITE, at first considered as a mineralogical curiosity without importance, now attracts daily increased attention from mineralogists, geologists, and manufacturers. The metallurgy of aluminum, which has entered with the advent of electrolysis upon a new phase within the last few years, requires every day larger quantities of pure alumina, and this can only be obtained from bauxite, which is, of known substances, the richest in free alumina. Bauxite has been mined since 1872 in France, whereabout 200,000 tons have been produced, and where, as a natural consequence, its deposits, qualities, and applications have become known. Within a few years past, discoveries of important deposits of bauxite have been made in the United States and Canada, and this almost entirely new subject has thus acquired an additional interest for the mining engineers and metallurgists of the American continent. A brief summary of the available data concerning it appears likely, therefore, to be appropriate and valuable.* I.—HISTORICAL. It was in 1821 that the famous chemist Berthier discovered at Baux (Bouches du Rhône) a hydrate of alumina (varying from 66 to 79 per cent. in its contents of the oxide) mixed with silica and

Jan 1, 1895

By D. Kunstelj, M. Stubicar, A. Tonejc, A. Bonefacic

A. Bonefafcic, D. Kunsfeli, M. Stubicar, and A. Tonejc The present communication is concerned with the variation of the texture in aluminum wires with die angle and temperature, at constant speed of extrusion. Experiments were carried out concurrently on refined samples, with a stated purity of 99.997 pct pure A1 and commercial samples of 99.5 pct Al. Ingots of refined aluminum samples were machined to 30-mm-diam by 150-mm-long billets. These billets were transformed to 5-mm-diam wires by drawing. The final form, suitable for examination, was obtained by extrusion through conical-face dies with a 1-mm hole diam and extrusion ratio 5:l in diam. The initial form of the commercial aluminum samples was drawn wire 5 mm in diam. These samples showed a poorly defined texture with (111) as a major and (001) as a minor component. A similar defined texture appeared in the refined aluminum samples after drawing to 5 mm diam. Conical-face dies with different angles (defined by the axis and the generating line of the cone) were used in our experiments. The values of the angles were 27, 35, 45, 57, 63, and 90 deg. The extrusion container was fitted with a heating element and controller permitting temperatures up to 600°C to be maintained within i5"C. Extrusion was performed at 250°, 300°, 350°, 400°, and 500°C at constant speed (approximately 1 mm per sec) and constant die reduction. The extrusion product was a wire 1 mm in diam and approximately 20 cm long. In order to remove the surface layer with the "conical" texture and to reduce the absorption by the X-ray examination of the samples, the extruded wire was etched to 0.22 mm in diam. Experiments were performed in the middle sections of the 20-cm-long wires. In addition to the die of l-mm hole diam, dies with a 1.5-, 0.7-, 0.6-, 0.5-, and 0.4-mm hole diam and 63-deg die angle were constructed. In our experiments we did not find in these ranges any important difference concerning the texture of the extruded wires and we continued our work solely on the 1.0-mm die. The diffracted X-rays (Cu K radiation) were recorded photographically. Diffracted intensities were measured on the (111) reflection with a microphotometer. The relative amounts of texture components were determined from the areas under the diffracted maxima. We found the texture of extruded aluminum wires to be strongly influenced not only by the temperature of extrusion and the purity of the sample but also by the form of the die. It is generally admitted that cold-drawn aluminum wires have mainly a (111) texture with a small amount of (001) component, Table I of Ref. 1. In our experiments with wires extruded in conditions represented by Fig. 1, in some cases a single (001) texture was obtained. If these wires were drawn repeatedly at room temperature, X-ray measurements revealed a duplex (001)-(111) fiber texture. Further drawings increased the (111) and decreased the (001) texture component. In Fig. 1 the percentage of material oriented with (001) parallel to the extrusion direction is represented as a function of the temperature and the die angle (a), for commercial and refined aluminum samples, respectively. From these diagrams we may draw the following conclusions. The slope of the die (a) influenced more strongly the texture at the lower rather than the higher temperatures. Again, a stronger influence was found in the case of the commercial in comparison with refined aluminum samples. In the case of the commercial aluminum samples the amount of material with (001) texture increases with increasing wire temperature in an approximately linear manner. This effect is less pronounced in the pure aluminum samples, with the exception of the die with a = 45 deg. In this case the (001) texture decreases with increasing temperature, as shown in Fig. 1. Component (001) is more pronounced in higher-purity aluminum samples. Our experiments led to the conclusion that both (001) and (111) components are essentially stable in extruded aluminum wires. As we obtained a single (001) texture starting with a sample of drawn wire in which the (001) component was very weak, our experiments revealed that the (001) component is not a remnant of the initial texture; this is in disagreement with the findings of Vandermeer and McHargue.1 We gratefully acknowledge discussions with Professor M. Paic. 1 R. A. Vandermeer and C. J. McHargue: Trans. 7MS-AME, 1964, vol. 230, p. 667.

Jan 1, 1969

R. 8. MACPHERRAN, Milwaukee, Wis. (communication to the Secretary): The importance of carbon in pig-iron, as well as the desirability of buying, for some purposes, irons which are high in carbon, has always been recognized. Mr. Summers, I think, has given undue weight to the carbon-determinations. The combined carbon often decreases materially as the center of the pig is approached, with a corresponding increase in the graphite. Even the determination of total carbon, to be of service, must he supplemented by that of other elements. By it alone, the softness of a foundry-iron cannot be determined. Car-wheels and No. 5 iron, for instance, frequently contain 3.75 per cent. of carbon. This is the percentage specified by Mr. Summers for his No. 1 iron, " with the silicon about anywhere the furnace-man wants it." It is true that, other things being equal, the higher the carbon the softer the iron for foundry-use. But to introduce any given percentages of graphitic and total carbon into a pig-iron specification would but make the specification more complicated, without increasing its value in a commensurate degree. Mr. Summers does not believe in the governing of mixtures by the silicon, and, in support of his views, gives several tables. It seems to me that both his conclusions and his tables are somewhat unsatisfactory. He comments on the irregularity in carbon, but fails to note the significance of the irregularity in silicon..The variation of 0.7 per cent. in silicon, for example, is too great to be accounted for by difference in blast. It might better be attributed to bad grading at the furnace, unsystematic sampling, or irregular charging. Deductions drawn under such conditions are of little value. In ordinary work the castings from the same mixture should

Jan 1, 1899