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By George S. Rice

MANY studies on ground movement and subsidence have been carried on by members of the Institute during the past year, but only a few papers have reached maturity. Two of the mining schools of this country have continued their interest in ground movement research. At Columbia University School of Mines, Philip Bucky has continued his investigations, employing photoelastic methods and the use of his centrifugal apparatus for testing what he termed "the strength and behavior of mining structures." Helmut Landsberg, of The Pennsylvania State College, has developed a convergence recorder similar in principle to that used by the

Jan 1, 1936

By Robert F. Mehl

PROGRESS in the general field of nonferrous physical metallurgy during the past .year has been uneventful but healthy. A continued increase is apparent in the number of useful alloys and in the mechanical treatment and heat- treatment of finished metals and alloys nothing can hinder the multiplication of alloys or the diversification of their treatment as knowledge of the behavior of .alloys increases; as ternary and quaternary alloys are better understood, hundreds of new metal combinations with unusual properties may well be expected. Evidence of rapid progress is already at hand.

Jan 1, 1936

By W. E. Wrather

CURTAILMENT of production was a matter of far more serious concern to the oil industry through 1933 than the search for new supplies of oil. The huge reserves of crude, built up during past years, instead of inspiring a feeling of security, were viewed apprehensively. The status of past laws and court decisions seemed to guarantee to operators the right to produce oil at will, and this entrenched privilege was so widely adhered to that the market was-in a constant state of chaos. The more modern idea of the ownership of oil in place and correlative rights gained headway slowly, since usually there were enough belligerent producers, staunch believers in the old established order, to defeat the efforts of the majority who sought to' introduce order and restraint. State regulatory commissions were unable to cope, with the rebellion among producers with the result that those who abided by proration rulings were penalized, while those who flouted the rulings and produced unrestrainedly were able to make profits on large volumes of flush oil even at low prices. This situation, known in the vernacular as the "hot 'oil" problem, became so acute that the industry was threatened with ruin. The low price for 36c A.P.I. in the Mid-Continent came in April. at 25c per barrel 'but gradually moved upward to the long-hoped for price of $1.00 per barrel in October, after the Federal Government had taken a hand in the matter and effectively allocated production among the oil producing states and materially curbed the "hot oil" runs.

Jan 1, 1934

By J. F. K. Brown

ANTHRACITE?S satisfactory showing in 1942 was accomplished in the face of adverse conditions, such as the loss of man power to the active services and to other industries, and the difficulty and delay in obtaining the necessary materials and equipment required in mining operations. Although the in- creased output was stimulated by the war, and thus does not impress one as contributing to continuing improvement in the industry, nevertheless the year witnessed several efforts ant1 consideration of others that have the appearance of permanent progress.

Jan 1, 1943

By Michael J. Callow

THE PROPERTY of Mount Isa Mines, Ltd., is located at Mount Isa, Northern Queensland, Australia, at roughly 20" south latitude. It is 600 miles from Townsville on the east coast, the port for Mount Isa, 1200 miles from Brisbane and approximately 1600 miles from Sydney in New South Wales. Living conditions in the camp, though wild and crude at the commencement of building, are now excellent and little has been left undone to provide comfort and attractiveness. The climate being warm and dry, many of the buildings are built on posts, 8 to 10 ft. off the ground, with spacious screened-in verandas. Club houses, stores, school, hospital and ice plant have all been provided by the company as well as modern conveniences, such as running water, shower baths, electric lights, septic tank arrangements, tennis courts and amusement grounds.

Jan 1, 1932

By Thomas T. Read

AT this time of the year, engineering schools are releasing a group of young men who probably are, on the average, in much the same attitude of mind as a person arriving at the terminal station of a railway journey; namely, of having a general idea of his objective, but having to make a decision as to just where he is going and how best to get there. The man leaving the train can at first follow the crowd, but it soon breaks up, as one goes one way and one another, until he has to choose his own course. The recent graduate may do the equivalent of following the crowd by accepting the first position offered, but this only postpones a decision as to where he is going and how best to get there. So many young engineers ask for advice as to what to do that the following statement has been prepared as an attempt to make a general answer to such queries. The engineer taking his first job should realize two fundamental relations. The first is that in electing to be an engineer he has elected to be a hired man. A consulting engineer has more freedom than a man on a regular pay roll, but he is also a hired man; hired for briefer periods at a relatively high rate, but under the necessity of simultaneously doing his consulting work and developing new retainers. There is nothing derogatory in being a hired man (all doctors, lawyers and clergymen are hired men), but the tardy realization that he is one seems to give many an engineer a mental jolt that can be avoided if he accepts it from the beginning.

Jan 1, 1926

By Frederick G. Clapp

SINCE oil journals commenced to feature the progress of Iraq pipe-line developments and since newspapers undertook to follow the discussions between a certain large oil company and an Asiatic nation, I have repeatedly been asked questions that are only answerable by setting forth the essential geographic and historical facts of concessions in that part of the world. In so doing effort will be made to correct erroneous statements made in various quarters: and mistakes herein are being kept as low in number as possible. Perhaps the best-known concession in the Middle East is the one of the Iraq Petroleum Co., covering the greater part of the portion of the kingdom of that name- lying east of the Tigris River. West of the stream is the concession of the British Oil Development Co., which takes in all presumed petroliferous areas in western Iraq. No other important oil concessions exist in that country, except for the lands of the Khanikin Oil Co., which operates in "Transferred Territories" on the border of Persia. East of and continuous with the Iraq fields are those of Persia where the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. holds the well-known D'Arcy concession comprising three-quarters of the country, omitting the five northern provinces. This is the only valid existing concession in Persia, so far as known, except certain old firmans that permit development at Semnan in central Persia and possibly also certain regional grants to a French banking syndicate in eastern Mazanderan Province.

Jan 1, 1933

By G. F. LOUCHLIN

A FEATURE of the International Geological Congress to be held at Pretoria, South Africa, in the summer of 1929,. will be a symposium on the gold resources of the world. In this connection the U. S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines have been asked to prepare a report, showing production in the United States, describing the geology of its principal gold- producing districts, and estimating reserves (a) assuming a continuation of presen6economic conditions, and (b) assuming lower costs. This report will not be completed before April 1, but data thus far assembled are here presented with the hope of profiting by discussion and by information from those well informed on any of the important gold-producing districts. Gold production in the United States rose to a maximum exceeding $100,000,000 in 1915 and then rapidly declined to about $52,000,000 in 1920. Since then it has fluctuated, but on the whole slightly declined. Reviews of the eight leading states afford the following tentative conclusions :

Jan 1, 1929

By Zay Jeffries

Rearmament superimposed on buying sprees by the public, caused a general shortage of metals in 1911. and the rare metals were no exception; they also shared with the more common metals the uncertainty of future demand. In general, the apparent undersupply of metals is a favorable condition for the realization of sleeping possibilities of the rare metals, especially if the supply can he made sufficient to take care of the possible new demand. Many changes in metal usage in 1941 were forced because of shortages. When such changes are in the direction of the economic trend there is a speeding up in the tempo of the inevitable change, but when the forced changes are against the economic trend they are likely to be shortlived. In any event, the latter is not a solid foundation on which to build a future business.

Jan 1, 1942

By Arthur V. Corry

GOLD was discovered in Alder Gulch, Virginia. City, Mont., on May 26, 1863. In a short time some 6000 people flocked to the new discovery, and on the banks of Alder Gulch six settlements sprang into existence, the principal one, Virginia City, alone surviving. This town today has a population of 800, and is the county seat of Madison County. It is estimated that between forty and fifty million dollars in gold was produced up to 1904. Virginia City is situated at the mouth of Alder Creek where that stream leaves the narrow canyon that cuts the steep foothills flanking Old Baldy Mountain, elevation 9572 ft., 12 mi. south. Virginia City itself is 5700 ft. above sea level.

Jan 1, 1936

By AIME AIME

THE 1944 Chairman of the Institute of Metals Division might be classed as metallurgically ambidextrous ; he is teacher of theory and practice of both nonferrous and ferrous metallurgy, and he is consultant on brass and on highspred steel. Arthur Phillips was born in Troy N.Y. and attended the New Haven Connecticut high school. Upon graduation he entered Yale, receiving a degree in metallurgy in 1913. At that time Professor Mathewson was starting his plan of '"co-operation with the metal industries in metallographic work at the Hammond Laboratory of the Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University, and Arthur Phillip, became the first co-operative graduate student, working in the laboratory of the Bridgeport Brass Co., and receiving his Masters of Science degree in 1915. A little later, when the department of metallurgy at Yale was expanded. Me. Phillips was appointed assistant professor. In 1928 he was made associate professor, and in 1934 he was promoted to full professor.

Jan 1, 1944

By AIME AIME

THE Charleston Section of the A. I. M. E. held a joint meeting with the National Coal Association and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on May 6 and 7, at which 94 members and guests were registered. Mechanical operation of coal mines was the subject discussed. First on the program was a paper entitled "Rock Dusting in the Coal Mines of West Virginia," by R. M. Lambie, chief of the Department of Mines, and Gordon MacVean. It appears in full in the current issue of MINING AND METALLURGY, p. 290. J. E. Jones of the Old Ben Coal Corp. opened this discussion by describing the method of rock dusting employed in the mines of that company, giving many interesting details, incidentally referring to the use of rock dust in fighting mine fires. He described one case where a number of troughs was brought to within 150 ft. of the fire, and rock dust had been thrown in its direction. After each trough had been thrown the party advanced a few feet, where another trough was discharged. About 10 ft. were gained on each advance, until the party found they had advanced completely over the fire.

Jan 1, 1926

By AIME AIME

OPPORTUNITY may not be knocking but it, at least, is waiting for you, your family and your friends in that amazing republic south of the Rio Grande. For the first time we are able to publish the official itinerary for the forth-coming Mexico City meeting of 1936. As shown on Page 351, the deluxe special train leaves St. Louis on Thursday. Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m., returning to St. Louis on Nov. 18 at 8:15 a. m. The schedule provides seven days and six nights in Mexico City with numerous excursions to nearby towns and resorts. The oldest surviving city in' North America is Mexico City, dating back at least to the twelfth century. It was the Aztec capital when Cortez arrived in 1519. The famous cathedral still standing was built on a foundation of sculptured Indian images and the remains of a great Aztec temple. Today it is a city of romance.

Jan 1, 1936

By Donald K. Weaver

THERE have been eight different oil zones identified and produced at Santa Fe Springs, of which three or four are in turn divided into two or three parts. These zones are, from top to bottom, the Foix, difference of opinion over this nomenclature, with reference to the different zones referred to as Clark, it has no particular bearing on the water problems. Each of these oil zones has had waters of varying salinity associated with it, either within or at the bottom of the 'zone. Table 1 is a tabulation of the zones, their maximum thicknesses, salinity and heads of various waters. Surface waters are fresh, and of high head, giving artesian flow in some instances.

Jan 1, 1930

By J. T. Ryan

WITH J. T. Ryan, of Pittsburgh, in the chair, 40 men on Monday afternoon were attracted to the first meeting of the new Health and Safety in Mines Committee. The speakers were well received and the discussion was good and virile. The field and scope of the new Health and Safety in Mines Committee was reviewed briefly, yet concisely, by Scott Turner. This committee is to cover the whole mining industry, in which much progress in reducing accidents has been made in recent years. Members of the A.I.M.E. can considerably assist in this important problem.

Jan 1, 1933

By W. D. B. Motter

DURING the early development of blasting with liquid oxygen explosives the trend of experimentation was towards increasing the effectiveness of the explosive. Its characteristic of becoming inert after evaporation of the oxygen content made a strong appeal from the standpoint of safety, especially with missed holes. It later became apparent, however, with practical use of this explosive, that LOX lacked certain other safety characteristics. As its effectiveness was increased, it became more subject to detonation by impact. The object of this paper is to show the steps taken by one operating company to achieve greater safety in the large-scale handling of liquid oxygen explosives.

Jan 1, 1933

By Arthur Notman

THE year 1937 started off most hopefully for the metal industry but the prices for nonferrous metals declined after reaching a peak in the first quarter. E. & M. J. average prices for March were: -electrolytic copper f.o.b. refinery for domestic delivery 15.775c., lead 7.19c., and zinc 7.38c. There was the usual talk of shortages and the accompanying peak in the market prices of securities of producing companies. In retrospect it now appears that this was the peak of general security prices as well and of most commodity prices. On Dec. 1 copper was back to 11c., lead to 5c., and zinc to 5.5c. At the same time metal security prices had fallen to less than 40 per cent of their March highs. This has not been a purely domestic phenomenon. Metal prices have followed a similar course in London, in spite of the fact that in all three metals a tariff wall separates the domestic market from the foreign. There is nothing in the record to suggest that planning has so far had any stabilizing effect on prices. It is doubtful whether anybody will he found to claim credit for the planning. Strong evidence supports the conclusion that domestic demand for these and the other metals has been dammed back by the uncertainties confronting those who are considering long term construction commitments. This is particularly true with the public utilities, who are the largest consumers of copper and lead. If the plans were designed to maintain employment rather than to maintain political control of the Government, it would appear that they should be discarded. The course of the steel industry has been followed so closely in the press that no comment is necessary to indicate its similarity.

Jan 1, 1938

By Thomas S. Carnahan

UNION MINIERE D HAUT-KATAIGA operates a group of mines and metallurgical works in the Katanga province of the Belgian Congo. It is especially prominent as a copper producer, but its output of accessory metals, such as cobalt, radium, silver, tin and gold have been considerable. The Belgian Congo covers 920,000 sq. mi. of central Africa, with a native population of about 8,500,000. In addition, Belgium controls by mandate the districts of Ruanda-Urundi (formerly a part of German East Africa) with an area of some 20,000 sq. mi. and a population of about 3,500,000 natives. Most of the native population of the Belgian Congo is found on the wide fertile plains of the great rivers, living under primitive conditions in a tropical climate, where it has survived throughout the centuries in spite of tropical diseases and intertribal wars. In more recent times, especially during the last two centuries, 'the natives have been subjected to frequent raids by the slave traders, which made their existence even more precarious, and if continued much longer would probably have resulted in their complete extermination.

Jan 1, 1932

By Charles Camsell

MORE than one-third of all Canada is embraced in the federal domain known as the Northwest Territories. Its most northern point, Cape Columbia, on Ellesmere Island, is only 500 mi. from the Pole. It includes parts of the main physiographic divisions of the North American continent. In the West there is a strip of 30.000 sq. mi. lying in the Cordilleran region, where peaks in the Mackenzie Mountains rise as high as 8500 ft. East of this strip and extending roughly to a line through Great Bear and Great Slave lakes to the Arctic coast is a section of the interior plains. This section, known as the Mackenzie Lowlands, contains the great artery, the most striking feature of the Northwest Territories-the Mackenzie and Slave river waterway impressive in its width, almost two miles in places, and in it's navigability for 1357 miles without obstruction to the sea. Adjoining the Mackenzie Lowlands on the East is the greater portion of the mainland of the Territories, which, as well as a large share of the island area, is in the Canadian Shield.

Jan 1, 1937

By AIME AIME

AT the meeting on Engineering Education on Mon- A day afternoon E. A. Holbrook, of the University of Pittsburgh and chairman of the Committee, presided as chairman with W. B. Plank acting as vice- chairman. About sixty members of the educational fraternity were present. Dean Holbrook, after a few introductory remarks, introduced the first speaker of the afternoon, Charles Y. Clayton, who then presented his paper, "Why Do So Few Elect Metallurgy?" in which he stressed the fact that ,one of the things the study of metallurgy ,now needs is publicity and public education on what metallurgy is and 'does. Another thing he brought out is that the study of metallurgy has been looked on for many years merely as a branch of other departments. He gave tables showing past and present enrollment in the course of metallurgy in various schools.

Jan 1, 1930