Search Documents

By Swapan Bhattacharya

Section 516 of Public Law (PL) 95-87, commonly known as the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), requires that underground coal mine operators must 'adopt measures consistent with known technology in order to prevent subsidence causing material damage to the ex- tent technologically and economically feasible, maximize mine stability, and maintain the value and reasonable foreseeable use of such surface lands, except in those instances where the mining technology used requires planned subsidence in a predict- able and controlled manner..." Implied in the constraints of Section 516 (b) (1 of SMCRA is a determination of what constitutes "material damage" to surface structures and renewable resource lands, and the capacity for sequential land use following underground mining. This Study was undertaken in an attempt to provide quantitative guidelines for estimating material damage to a wide variety of surface structures and renewable resource lands. Surface structures studied included buildings, bridges, railroads, highways. pipe- lines, d~, embankments, and water reservoirs. Damage criteria for buildings developed in this study along with details of the adopted methodology have been presented elsewhere (Bhattacharya et al.) (1). and will not be repeated here. Similar guidelines for renewable resource lands have also been discussed (Singh and Bhattacharya) (2)

Jan 1, 1984

By W. K. Overbey

Knowledge of fracture systems in oil or gas reservoirs is essential to the efficiency of both primary and secondary production operations. A relationship was established between structural features of the surface and both natural and induced fractures in oil and gas reservoirs, thus providing a method of predicting the direction of rock fracture prior to field development and well completion. Correlations between the surface features and under-ground fractures resulted from analysis of joint strike measurements, bottom-hole impression packer surveys, photographs of hydraulically fractured wells, fracture data from oriented cores, in situ strain measurements from formation outcrops, and lineament analyses from aerial photographs. The mean orientation of surface fractures, lineaments, and stress field directions ranged from N 53° E to N 73° E, compared with an average orientation of N 63° E for the hydraulically induced fractures. Tectonic stress field was shown to influence the direction of hydraulically induced fractures. This report presents the details and application of techniques to obtain the orientation of the principal horizontal compressive stress field component and thus the direction of induced fractures.

Jan 1, 1971

By Gillies A. D S, Lee A. H

The major operational objectives of a mine water resource management system (WRMS) are to supply the water needs of the mine and mill, to minimise disturbance to mining due to rainfall flooding or seepage and to dispose of excess water. Historically, company management have placed a significantly lower emphasis on managing the WRMS as compared to managing production. Changing Government legislation concerned with the disposal of water from mine sites is, in many cases making mining companies look more closely at how they manage their water. For example, within the next few years it is likely that prior to mining approval by the Government, mining operations will have to submit water management plans/budgets and contingency strategies in addition to operational plans. While the formulation of a comprehensive water management plan/budget is an additional cost to the company at the mine establishment stage, such plans can be beneficial to the operation in the longer term.The two keys for the efficient design, operation and development of a WRMS are the establishment of written goals which have managerial priority and secondly, access to appropriate good quality data. Managerial priority towards the WRMS will increase as a consequence of the education of mine operators in the benefits to the operation of good WRMS management or less desirably as a requirement to meet Government legislation. The collection of appropriate WRMS data is a more complex issue and to obtain information efficiently and cost effectively relies on the clear definition of the data application.

Jan 1, 1992

By C. M. McCulloch

Examination of several coalbeds in Walker County, Ala., Cambria, Greene, and Fayette Counties, Pa., and Raleigh and Wyoming Counties, W. Va., indicates that cleat orientations are similar throughout a vertical sequence of strata. Studies of cleat orientation were carried out in underground mines that are operating in separate coalbeds vertically above one another. The data show that over a vertical separation of 100 to 400 feet, the average difference in coal cleat orientation between mines is 04° for the face and 08° for the butt cleat. Variations of coal cleat direction between coalbeds examined in strip-mined areas show similar values. Cleat orientations measured at outcrops agree well with the directions measured underground, suggesting that the amount of vertical separation between coalbeds has little effect on the resulting differences in cleat directions. The largest variation of cleat directions between adjacent coalbeds occurs where a large horizontal distance separates two sample locations. Cleat orientations for deeper coalbeds are most reliable where the data are taken from directly above.

Jan 1, 1976

By Roger N. Dokken

It is well-known1-4 that Fe-Si alloys from approximately 9 to 27 at. pct Si show an ordered structure of the Fe3Si type at room temperature. Recently Meinhardt and Krisement,' through an investigation of Fe-Si alloys at room temperature by neutron diffraction, discovered that at 10.8 at. pct Si ordering of the FeSi type occurs while above this composition the normal Fe3Si-type superstructure appears. This FeSi type of ordering was also found by Davies8 as indicated by X-ray diffraction measurements on an Fe-8.7 at. pct Si alloy. Meinhardt and Krisement7 extended their neutron-diffraction work and determined the phase-boundary temperatures for both FeSi- and Fe3Si-type ordering. Ordering phenomena can also be studied by resistance measurements.4,8-11 Krivoglas and Maty-sina" carried out a theoretical development of the

Jan 1, 1965

By Charles S. Barrett

Metallurgists are making use of the stereographic projection to a steadily increasing extent. In the last five years no less than 20 papers in American metallurgical journals alone have employed the stereographic projection; recent books on physical metallurgy, plastic deformation, X-rays and their applications, and crystal structure use it. Mineralogists have used the stereographic projection for many years in the description of symmetry classes and crystal planes, for it presents an accurate, easily understood plot of any angular relations in crystals with all unessential features eliminated (such as the accidentally determined size and shape of crystal faces). In metallography and physical metallurgy the projection is much used for the analysis of markings appearing on polished grains: slip lines, twins, cracks, structures formed by precipitation, magnetic-powder patterns, etch pits, etc. Data from certain types of X-ray photograms are most conveniently analyzed by its use, particularly those for determining the orientation of single crystals or the preferred orientation of grains in an aggregate. Calculations of how to tilt or cut a crystal parallel to a certain crystallographic plane or to reflect X-rays from a certain plane are rapidly carried out. It has been adopted almost universally to the exclusion of other methods by those studying the deformation of metallic crystals, save where the accuracy required is greater than a few tenths of a degree. Any directional property in a crystal or polycrystalline material can be shown on a stereographic projection; for example, the modulus of elasticity, yield point, etc. It has been repeatedly called to our attention that there is need of an elementary explanation of the principles and methods of stereographic projection, covering all the common applications in the field of metallography and physical metallurgy. The following contribution is an attempt to fill this need. The description of each method is supplemented with references to publications in which the method has been used. For convenience to the reader, these illustrative references are chiefly in American journals, particularly the publications of the American Institute of Mining and

Jan 1, 1937

By Rajiv Hadkar, M. D. McKinley, J. B. Hiskey, B. J. Scheiner, G. W. Warren

Flyash from municipal solid waste incinerators containing roughly 13 to 15% Zn, 2% Pb and 0.2% Cd is an attractive material for simultaneous metal recovery and detoxification. Results have shown that Pb in flyash is present as PbSO4 and PbC12 and that about 70% of the Zn is present in the form of soluble amorphous compounds. Leaching results in a number of acid and basic lixiviants show that acid leaching is clearly more effective than basic leaching which is limited by low solubility of Cd and Zn. Cementation in acid solution with pH < 1 promotes redissolution of the precipitated metal. Successful zinc electrowinning from chloride leaching solutions has also been demonstrated, although Pb2+ and Na+ can be potentially detrimental. The presence of Pb2+ can prevent deposition of metallic Zn, forming zinc oxychloride, ZnC12.4Zn(OH)2, instead. High concentrations of Na+ can also result in precipitation of NaCl. This investigation has shown that hydrometallurgical treatment of MSW flyash through leaching, cementation and electrowinning is a potentially feasible method for simultaneous detoxification and recovery of metal values. Several issues have also been identified which would require further investigation for final process development.

Jan 1, 1993

By B. P. Watson

The first crush pillars on the Bushveld platinum mines were introduced at Union Section in 1978. Before the introduction of crush pillars, serious problems were experienced when stoping advanced to a point 30 m to 40 m on both sides of the centre gully. At least three to four stopes were collapsing per month. The introduction of the pillars stopped the stope collapses in the mining area where they were introduced. The residual stresses of these pillars were never measured; however, the successful elimination of the ?back-break? problem suggests that the original pillars had a residual strength of at least 8 MPa. Apart from back analyses, very little work has been done to determine the residual strength of crush pillars and only very recently have any measurements been made. The lack of knowledge in this field has resulted in pillars being designed based on experience. Concerns about stope collapses, similar to the Coalbrook disaster, have led to larger pillars being cut in more recent times. If such pillars were cut in brittle quartzites they would always fail violently but the ductile nature of the Merensky Reef generally allows large pillars to fail without bursting. Occasionally, however, one would burst in a working area. Increased incidence of bursting has been reported on some mines at deeper levels but most of these bursts occur in the back areas. Nevertheless, the incidence of bursting increases the risk of falls of ground in already dangerous areas, and the larger pillars decrease the extraction ratio. This paper describes the evaluation of stress measurements conducted in two boreholes over a crush pillar with dimensions 2.5 m x4.0 m, and a height of 1.2 m. Boussinesq equations for vertical and shear stress were used to analyse the original measurements and provide a stress profile across the pillar as well as the residual strength of the pillar. The results showed an unexpectedly high peak stress of 280 MPa at the centre of the pillar and a residual strength of 48 MPa. The reason for the high residual strength is suspected to be the result of the stiff environment under which the pillar failed and the small height of the siding on the up-dip edge of the pillar. More measurements should be conducted on several mines to establish a range of residual strengths for narrow crush pillars.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. Henley

Paper presented at a meeting on: Artificial intelligence in the minerals sector, held in Nottingham, UK, 20 April 1993 (original title: The database: a pre-requisite for large-scale use of AI in mining). Artificial intelligence is a term which has been widely applied to different techniques including rule-based systems using inductive and deductive logic algorithms, neural networks, learning systems and genetic algorithms. In principle it should be applied to adaptive statistical techniques. Some of these applications have been coded in languages which are specifically suited to the novel requirements of AI but are not easy to integrate with more traditional computing methods. Efforts have been made to bridge the gaps, particularly with database management systems and such efforts at integration should provide the key to future success in the application of AI. A field which has been termed "knowledge engineering" cannot be credible as such if it fails to provide easy access to raw materials of "knowledge" i.e. the data residing in databases. In the mining industry there are a number of significant areas in which AI could usefully be applied throughout the industry, but its advance is slow because of the lack or inefficiency of such database links. Current development of object-oriented database systems for geology and mining holds out hope for such integration in the foreseeable future

Apr 1, 1994

By H. M. Strong, R. A. Oriani

THE technological interest attaching to light, age-hardening alloys for structural uses has been pointed out to one of us.1 A potentially interesting alloy would be titanium-rich Ti-Mg alloy, provided that sufficient solid solubility exists. or could be induced at high pressure. and provided also that age hardening can be induced by proper temperature and/or pressure annealing. It was decided therefore to explore the feasibility of producing a Ti-Mg alloy in the high-pressure apparatus. Experimental. Three high-pressure runs have been carried out. In each case the geometry of the sample was that of a cylinder of titanium of commercial purity, into which a narrow hole had been drilled along the axis; this hole was filled with magnesium wire,

Jan 1, 1967

By R. Argane

In this work we assessed the geochemical behavior of concentrator tailings deposited at the abandoned mines of Zeida and Mibladen (Upper Moulouya, Morocco), using physico-chemical analyses, mineralogical characterization, acid base accounting and weathering cell tests. The aim of the study was to evaluate mine drainage quality and to assess metal mobility from these concentrator tailings. Chemical analyses show that the Upper-Moulouya abandoned tailings contain relatively high quantities of lead (0.261 to 0.594 % wt). Mineralogical analyses reveal the abundance of neutralizing minerals (calcite, dolomite, ankerite, and aluminosilicates) which influence mine drainage and metal mobility in mine tailings. Leachate analyses from weathering cell tests show alkaline conditions, small conductivity values, and low solubility of Pb-mineral phases. According to these results, abandoned mine tailings in the Upper-Moulouya district have very low potential for generation of contaminated mine drainage and for leaching of heavy metals. However, the inhalation of tailings exposed to winds generate dust problem facing the local population and may cause health consequences.

Aug 1, 2013

"Tell us how you got involved in mining?I was first exposed to mining at a young age, as a consequence of my dad and his passion for the industry and rock collecting. Even though he graduated with a degree in mining engineering from Washington State University, my dad spent most of his career working as a structural engineer for the Boeing Company. At the time, Boeing supported a range of employee activities and clubs, including one devoted to mineral prospecting, small-scale dredging and rock hounding. My dad was extremely active in the Prospectors Club, where as a family, we spent a good part of my youth tramping around the Pacific Northwest digging for mineral specimens and panning for gemstones and gold. On my mother’s side of the family, I had relatives that mined in Dawson City and Fairbanks, AK which left a family legacy of sorts. I loved the stories that my dad and a close buddy of his, who was a geologist, would tell about various operations and towns, as well as the wild times at the annual Northwest Mining Association (NWMA) meeting in Spokane, WA. My first recollection of ever being at a commercial operation was during a tour of the Bunker Hill Mine with my dad when I was 7 or 8 years old; this had to have been shortly before the May 1972 fire at Sunshine. That visit of the mine and processing facilities made a permanent impression on me. While I always knew there was something special about the Silver Valley, I began to understand why. To this day, I still get the same feeling when I visit historic mining districts like Leadville, Morenci, Virginia City, Butte, Silverton and Barkerville. During our summer excursions to Helena, MT to dig sapphires, we would usually make visits to Butte and watch mine operations inside the Berkley Pit and surface activities at the Kelly and Mountain Con. In high school, I did well in math and science and began entertaining thoughts of pursuing a degree in engineering. Above all, I wanted to go to a college in the West that had a good academic reputation, where I could also play football. As a 6-ft, 190-lb nose guard, my options for a Division I scholarship were pretty slim, and there weren’t that many technical schools in the Northwest that were Division II that offered athletic scholarships. As fate would have it, I was unexpectedly contacted by Marv Kay, a legendary coach at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), and was recruited to play ball. Fortunately, I had a couple of high school friends who were already attending CSM, and I had just secured a summer internship with Asamera Minerals in Wenatchee, WA. It was as if all the stars had aligned, and, with the support of my parents, I made the decision to attend Mines. Despite the stress of getting through CSM during a period when the mining industry was in freefall, it was a great decision to attend Mines, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities, friendships, and faculty mentoring I received as a student"

Mar 1, 2019

By H. Cecil Spicer

THE results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods April-May, 1939, and May-July, 1940. The United States Potash Co. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation was completed under a cooperative arrangement made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an effort was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. EARLIER STUDIES Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friede1 and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the discovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3 described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlumberger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies on salt deposits in which the single-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performed with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to B00 ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,11 through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining Co.

Jan 1, 1941

By Meimei Zhang

In the overall open pit mine planning process, mining phase design is a strategic driver in guiding and constructing the block extraction sequence and determining the annual net cash flow distribution. Mining phase design should obey some practical constraints, such as ?minimum mining width? and ?flat mining phase bottom?, to allow space for haul road development and truck and shovel access on each bench. However, these practical mining phase design requirements are not taken into account in all first-cut mining phase design methods and post-processing is always required to convert an impractical design to a practical one, resulting in a potentially significant loss of Net Present Value (NPV) relative to the first-cut impractical designs. In this paper, we present a method using a meta-heuristic algorithm ? Simulated Annealing ? to enforce those practical constraints in determining a mineable phase design whilst ensuring minimum NPV loss.

Oct 1, 2009

By De Carvalho J

The average installed refrigeration capacity on South African gold mines has increased by about eighteen per cent annually for the past 15 years; both the number of installations and their duties have increased. One consequence of these large refrigeration installations is that careful attention must be paid to the system for distributing cold water. In these distribution systems, devices which minimize the temperature rise of the water delivered to the underground workings and which also reduce the pumping requirements for returning the water back to surface are used. In this paper the suitability of these various devices are examined and with the aid of a specially developed computer program their optimum operating conditions are determined. In addition the optimum combination of surface and underground refrigeration plants is examined for a hypothetical mine at various depths and the importance of pump efficiency on total distribution costs is discussed.

Jan 1, 1988

By Andrew S. M’Creath

THE treatment which a steel receives, and the uses to which it may be applied, are frequently determined by the percentage of carbon which it contains; and especially is this the case in the different steel works in this country. The part which this element plays in the composition of steel is such an important one that a process for its accurate determination becomes an absolute necessity.

Jan 1, 1877

By Jacques Steininger, Robert E. England

Single crystals of ZnTe and ZnTe1-,Sex with x up to 0.13 have been grown from the elements by temperature gradient solution zoning using excess tellurium as a solvent. Best results have been obtained with charges with the compositions 45/55 at. pct Zn, Te, for ZnTe and increasing amounts of selenium for ZnTe1-xSex. The temperature in the molten zone was maintained at about 1070°C with a gradient of about 10°C per cm. Chemical analyses of quenched ZnTe ingots show tellurium concentrations in the molten zone as high as 70 pct with concentration differences across the zone of 1 to 2 at. pct Dark dots which are observed by transmitted light microscopy in as-grown crystals can be removed by annealing in zinc vapor at 900 C. INTEREST in wide band gap semiconductors has led to a new study of ZnTe and ZnTel-xSex crystal growth. ZnTe is the only II-VI compound with a wide band gap (2.3 ev) that can be made p type with low resistivity. Attempts to make it n type with low enough resistivity to be useful for p-n junctions have so far been unsuccessful.1 ZnSe has a band gap of 2.65 ev but can be made n type only. However, ZnTel-xSex solid solutions with x as low as 0.36 have been made both highly n and p type2 with a minimum band gap around 2.12 ev3 at room temperature and appear to hold the best promise for efficient injection electroluminescence in the visible. ZnTe has the lowest melting point of the zinc chal-cogenides (1295°C) and consequently attempts have been made to grow crystals from both the liquid and the vapor phase.4 Complicated apparatus is required for growth from stoichiometric melts because of the high vapor pressures of the elements at the melting point of ZnTe and because of the problem of quartz devitrification. Small crystals have thus been grown in high-pressure equipment by Fischer5 and by Narita et a1.6 with pressures of the order of 50 atm of argon to prevent excessive evaporation from the melt. Large crystals of ZnTe can be obtained by growth from the vapor phase4 but they often present numerous dislocations and inclusions. An improvement in the quality of vapor- grown ZnTe crystals was reported by Albers and Aten7 by equilibration of mixtures of small crystals with compositions lying on either side of the solid single-phase field at fixed temperature. The same technique was later applied by Aten8 to the growth of ZnTe1-xSex crystals with less than 1 pct inhomo-geneity. Because of the higher liquidus temperatures of the solid solutions and the high vapor pressure of selenium, previous attempts to grow ZnTel-xSex from the melt have been limited and unsuccessful.9 The phase diagram of the Zn- Te system is reproduced in Fig. 1, based on data from Kobayashi10 and Kulwicki.11 Carides and Fishher12 have reported lower liquidus temperatures on the tellurium-rich side, but their data would require confirmation. The liquidus temperature on the tellurium-rich side decreases rapidly with increasing tellurium concentration and the Te2 vapor pressure over the liquidus also decreases accordingly.&apos;3 The decrease in liquidus temperature and vapor pressure therefore makes it possible to use conventional apparatus if there is a sufficient excess of tellurium in the melt. Single crystals of ZnTe have thus been grown by Kucza,14 in a modified Bridgman technique, from solutions containing up to 60 at. pct of Te by lowering unsupported quartz ampoules through a temperature gradient at about 1200°C. Under these conditions, the phase diagram indicates that the entire charge is initially molten. Crystal growth can therefore proceed by normal freezing and rejection of excess tellurium into the melt. The modified Bridgman technique has several major limitations. Because of the rejection of excess tellurium into the melt during freezing, the melt composition and the temperature at the growth interface vary continuously. They tend to follow the liquidus until the eutectic which is very close to pure tellurium (447°C, >99 pct Te). Since the solidus composition also varies with temperature,15 crystals grown by this method are inhomogeneous. They present small variations from stoichiometry which may affect their structure and physical properties. The simultaneous increase in tellurium content and decrease in melt temperature also combine to reduce the rate of diffusion of tellurium away from the growth interface, thereby causing constitutional supercooling and possibly dendritic growth. To minimize these effects, the initial melt composition is in practice kept relatively close to stoichiometry (less than 60 pct Te). This however limits the possibilities of operating at low temperatures and pressures. This paper describes a modified method of crystal growth by temperature gradient solution zoning (TGSZ) which is an adaptation of the temperature gradient zone-melting technique developed by pfann16 and of the traveling solvent method of Mlavsky and weinstein.I7 The TGSZ method now applied to the growth of ZnTe and ZnTel-xSex crystals is characterized by its very simple experimental arrangement and sample preparation technique. Unlike the modified Bridgman technique, there is no increase in the tellurium concentration in the melt and therefore it is possible to operate at lower temperatures and pressures. This method is also suitable for maintaining a constant temperature at the growth interface.

Jan 1, 1969

By He Guangyi

During rock blasting in extending deep cutting from Jiu Li Mountain to Dong Zhuang Village in Jiao Zhi Railway line, we have drilled deep hole with large scale diving drilling machine and successfully carried on controlled blasting. This has provided new experiences for rock blasting in extending existing cutting. The aim of this article is to provide an introduction to bench height, blast holes arrangement, powder charge calculation, and detonating technique during blasting.

Jan 1, 1997

By L. van Dyk

The project was aimed at evaluating the double-header trains implemented at Great Noligwa mine, looking at the changes from the old conventional trains to the new trains, and identifying possible improvements to obtain an even better and more productive tramming system. The methods used to evaluate the double-header trains at the mine included personal observations, time studies, personal interviews, technical research, safety analysis, cost analysis, production analysis, breakdown analysis, break test analysis, comparisons and working closely with engineering department and manufacturers. Issues that were evaluated are the improvements in safety, cost reductions, tramming congestion reductions, better efficiencies, labour optimization, enhanced driver safety and maintenance. Shortcomings of the double-header trains were identified and recommendations made to improve on the shortcomings. Findings of the evaluation study indicated the following: ?Drastic improvement on safety ?Extreme cost reductions ?Reduction in tramming congestions and bottlenecks ?Better tramming efficiencies ?Optimized labour placement ?Enhanced driver safety ?More effective maintenance. Although there is room for improvements, the double-header trains were implemented with great success at Great Noligwa mine. It is currently the preferred tramming methodology at Great Noligwa mine, and is also implemented at other Anglo Gold Ashanti?South Africa shafts. This tramming system has huge potential for growth, not only in Anglo Gold Ashanti, but in all other older mines that experience major tramming problems.

Jan 1, 2008

By W. J. Reagan

A survey of the literature on bottom-cast practice gives but Scant information as to some of the real facts concerning this most int&apos;eresting method of steel manufacture, and some of the information available is very misleading. An exceptionally good description of this met,hod of pouring or teeming is to be found in an English publication2 on the heterogeneity of steel ingots. Quoting from this paper: (a) With bottom teeming, the metal rises steadily and progressively in the mold with the minimum possible agitation, the main force of the stream coming from the ladle being broken down or retarded by the down gate or runner. Further, the stream of metal from the ladle, under these conditions of casting, is invariably maintained at a much more continuous rate and is steadier than with top teeming. (b) In view of the facts referred to in (a) it follows that with bottom teeming the metal is not exposed to atmospheric oxidation to anything like the same degree as with top teeming. In this paper it is intended to detail briefly some of the advantages of bottom-cast practice and to discuss the possibilities of iron-oxide control in the basic open-hearth furnace. A description of the type of charge, ingot rnold set-up, etc., is found in detail in an earlier paper.3 Design of Ingot Molds In any kind of steel manufacture, ingot-mold design is important. L. H. Nelson4 lists in the order of their probable importance the following factors as influencing most the solidification of the ingot:

Jan 1, 1934