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By E. W. Mountjoy

THE Exshaw formation is a thin but very persistent black shale unit generally well exposed along the easterly scarp faces of the fault blocks comprising tl1e front ranges of the Rocky mountains. It is over lain by the Mississippian Banff shales and silty shales and underlain by the massive Palliser Limestone formation of late Devonian age. The Exshaw continues eastward under the plains of Alberta and on into Saskatchewan, with little change until it reaches the surface of the Palaeozoic-Mesozoic unconformity. During the summer of 1953, the writer was working- with a field party under Dr. J. L. Usher in the front ranges of the Alberta Rocky mountains. This party, sent out by the Mobiloil Company, conducted a geological survey of Devonian rocks between the towns of Banff and Jasper. The writer helped to describe and map these Devonian rocks and obtained first-hand information concerning the Exshaw shale and its relationship to the underlying and overlying sediments. Additional information was obtained from reference material and from a number of geologists whom the writer has consulted. Grateful acknowledgment is offered to them, to the Mobiloil Company for releasing field information, and to F. W. Beales and W. P. Hancock who helped edit the original paper for publication. Information from areas north and smith of that studied and from bore holes on the prairies is referred to. Localities mentioned may be found in Figure 1.

Jan 1, 1956

By G. Derge, R. E. Grace

Diffusivity of bismuth in liquid Pb-Bi alloys has been measured by the capillary reservoir method as a function of temperature and composition. Fair agreement between theory and experiment is found for the measured diffusion coefficients and activation energies of diffusivity and viscosity in dilute lead alloys. The measured diffusion coefficients in the high bismuth alloys describe mass transport in special concentration gradients. THE study of diffusion in liquid metals has been restricted largely to the amalgams over small ranges of temperature and composition. In contrast to this, diffusion and transport of ions and molecules in aqueous and organic solvents have been studied extensively for the past 50 years. The general difficulty of measuring diffusion coefficients in both gases and liquids at high temperatures has been that of eliminating convection currents. Measuring techniques based on freezing and sectioning after the diffusion period1 are not particularly satisfactory because of the volume changes and segregation which occur during freezing. The most promising technique which is currently being developed for liquid metals is the capillary reservoir method. This eliminates convection currents from the diffusion zone and requires measurements only of the length and initial and final compositions of the alloy within the capillary. Anderson and Saddington' have measured the diffusion coefficient of tungstate anions in aqueous Na,W04; Wane4' and Hoffman- ave studied structure and self-diffusion in water and self-diffusion in mercury, respectively, by similar techniques. Selection of the Pb-Bi system for initial study was made for several reasons: I—It afforded a low temperature system for development of techniques which would be suitable for high temperature measurements in liquid iron. This research on diffusion in liquid iron is now in progress as a part of a general program on the rates and mechanisms of slag-metal reactions. 2—Activity data on liquid Pb-Bi alloys of all compositions are available from the emf meas- urements of Strickler and Seltz.9 3—Some data are available on the diffusion of bismuth into solid lead. The measurements on solid alloys were made by von Hevesy and Seith7 for the concentration range of 0 to 2 pct Bi. An appropriate solution to Fick's law (unsteady state) for the capillary reservoir has been found by considering the mass flow which passes through a unit area of surface on a slab of infinite thickness as a function of time. This is the first application of this solution to diffusion measurements, although a similar solution is available for identical boundary conditions.' By analogy with heat conduction, the problem reduces to a perfectly insulated infinite slab at temperature C,, one surface of which is quenched to C, for all times, t. Heat is permitted to flow from quenched surface of the slab to an infinite supply of coolant at C.' (see Appendix). For the corresponding solution for diffusion in liquids, these terms become Where Cu is the initial concentration of component A" in entire capillary at t - 0, C, is the final con- In this case. component A is bismuth, and C, = 0. centration of component A in entire capillary at t = t, C, is the concentration of component A in bath for all t, 1 is the length of the capillary in centimeters, t is the time of diffusion period in seconds, and D is the diffusion coefficient in square centimeters per second. By comparison with solutions to Fick's law used in the solid state, this solution for liquids is similar to the Grube solution for solids, where the change in D with chemical composition is not taken into consideration. Difficulty is to be expected if large concentration gradients are employed and if the concentration gradients extend over an appreciable length of the capillary.

Jan 1, 1956

By J. D. Lindner, Gene E. Roark

Waterflooding operations in the Langston-Kleiner field. Young County, Tex., are described. Widespread application of formation fracturing has been practiced in both producing and injection wells. Field performance data arc cited which indicate than no detrimental effect on sweep efficiencies and that probable benefits in imectivily have resulted from the fracture treatments. I N T R O D U C I O N This paper is a report on a waterflood operation which is being carried out in the Lanpston-Kleiner field located in Young County, Tex. The oil reservoir aflected by this flood operation occurs in a Strawn sand member at an approximate depth of 3.550 ft subsurl'ace. The operators of' the project are Kleiner Estate. Turncr. Fiske. and West who are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Operators. Although the operation is unusual in several respects, the distinctive feature of this flood has been the widespread application of hydraulic formation fracturing treatments as a means to improve productivity and injectivity of the wells. It shall he the purpose of this paper to present basic information regarding the reservoir characteristics. op- craling practices, and waterflood behavior so that conclusions may be drawn concerning the effects which the fracture treatments have had on the performance of this water flood to datc. DEVELOP MENT Development of the 3,550 ft Strawn sand reservoir occurred during 1951 and 1952. The early development occurred on the Langston and Davis leases which arc in the northern region of the Operators' holdings and the wells were drilled on 20-acre proration units according to the field rules. However, studies of the economics of this program. coupled with the decision to proceed with pressure maintenance by water injection. resulted in the adoption of wider spacing in the later stages of development. This variation in spacing is apparent upon inspection of Fig. I upon which only the 3,550-ft Strawn sand producing and injection wells have been located on the Operators' properties. The development to the north of the operators leases is Ihe Garvey Strawn field and that to the south is the Taylor Strawn field. It wits determined that unitization of the leases to he involved in the waterflood program was not feasihle. Consequently. a system of offset injection wells, or lease line injection wells, was adopted from place to place as required to protect correlative rights in the program. This resulted in a dispersed array of injection and producing wells with relatively close proximity of wells along lease line areas and wider spacing toward

Jan 1, 1956

By G. W. Tracy

The material balance equation has been used for many years by engineers to determine reservoir performance. The use of this equation in general has been twofold: first, to determine the oil-in-place in a reservoir; and second, to predict the future performance. The Schilthuis form of the material balance equation, or one equivalent to it, has been used by many of the engineers. The use of the Schilthuis form in predicting future performance has proved to be laborious in that one generally must make several estimates at each step of the trial and error calculation before arriving at a check of the oil-in-place. A method is presented for expediting the calculations. The Schilthuis form of the material balance has been rearranged into a more useable form. In using the material balance to predict the future performance of a reservoir, it has become common practice to estimate the incremental oil production for each step of the calculation which corresponds to a given pressure reduction. Instead of estimating the incremental oil production, the method outlined in this paper better lends itself to estimating the instantaneous gas-oil ratio. A check of oil-in-place is more easily accomplished by estimating gas-oil ratio since it is less sensitive to small inaccuracies. This method incorporates the same self-checking feature inherent in the Schilthius form. DEVELOPMENT OF SIMPLIFlED EQUATION In the development of the simplified equation, the Schilthuis form of the material balance equation will he used. Substituting in Equation 1 for and rearranging terms In Equation 2, the cumulative oil production (n) is multiplied by a factor which is uniquely a function of pressure. Also, the cumulative gas production (G) and net water influx are also multiplied by factors which are a function of pressure alone. These factors are called and are defined as follows: Using these factors, Equation 2 becomes The equation in this form is easier to manipulate mathematically than any of the previous forms which, have been used. Sources of data for the pressure factors are a bottom-hole fluid analysis and the ratio of initial gas cap volume to oil volume in the reservoir. AID IN DETERMlNING THE ORIGINAL OIL-IN-PLACE Each of the curves and +, have a similar shape. Each is infinite at the bubble point pressure. As lhe pressure is reduced below the bubble point, the

Jan 1, 1956

By Otto W. Nuttli

THE magnetic method of prospecting is well suited to determination of faulting in the basement rock. In addition to establishing the horizontal position of the fault, it often furnishes valuable information concerning the depth and amount of faulting. Consider a simple case of a vertical fault, represented in cross-section in Fig. 1. Let A A' represent the plane of observation (ordinarily the surface of the earth), and BB'B"B"' the upper surface of the basement. Assume that the sedimentary rocks are nonmagnetic, so that the magnetic susceptibility of the material above the basement is zero. Let k indicate the susceptibility of the basement rock, c the density contrast between it and the neighboring sedimentary rocks, and the amount of vertical displacement. Fig. 1 shows the material, indicated by cross- hatching, which gives rise to the magnetic anomaly. In most cases it can be assumed that is small compared to the thickness of the sedimentary rocks. The semi-infinite, rectangular slab of rock of susceptibility k, density contrast , and thickness t may then be replaced by a semi-infinite sheet CC' of mass t per unit area at depth 2 (the mean depth of the slab). Nettleton 1 states that this approximation results in an error of less than 2 pct for the computed gravitational field intensity when t is as great as 2/2 and decreases rapidly for smaller values of t. By a theorem of Poisson, the magnetic field intensity can be determined readily from the gravitational field. The theorem states that W = (I/) • (U/i) i1 [1] where W is the magnetic potential associated with the structure, I is the intensity of magnetization which is assumed to have the direction of the inducing field, ? is the constant of gravitation, the density contrast, U the gravitational potential associated with the structure, i the direction of the inducing magnetic field, and i1 a unit vector in that direction. The multiplication indicated in Eq. 1 is

Jan 1, 1956

By Gordon E. Frantti

Under the auspices of the Geophysical Committee of Michigan College of Mining and Technology, an investigation was made in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to obtain geophysical data related to the regional subsurface geology in the area covered by Paleozoic sediments. The area surveyed includes that portion of the Upper Peninsula which lies between R18W to R26W and T41N and T49N, covering approximately 1300 square miles. On the index map, Fig. 1, it is represented by the cross-hatched zone west of Munising. Four of the five sites of detailed investigation are indicated by the letters A, B, C, and D. A detailed gravity and magnetic survey had previously been conducted by J. G. Wilson near Perkins, 8 miles north of Rapid River, on a local anomalous area. Results of his work, which showed a large positive magnetic anomaly associated with a gravity anomaly, aroused interest in the possible economic significance of the formations underlying the Paleozoic sediments in this part of the Upper Peninsula.

Jan 1, 1956

By W. T. Benson

Peacetime production of mercury in the United States is controlled by world mercury prices, with significant lags to be expected between price increases or decreases and resultant increased or decreased production. Twenty-four mercury-bearing mines and prospects in widely separated districts in western and central Nevada and one property on the Nevada-Oregon border were examined and sampled. The purpose of the project was to determine if some of the properties warranted more extensive exploration work to obtain information on possible reserves of commercial-and sub-commercial-grade ores. The investigation of mercury deposits in Nevada was sufficiently widespread and indicated several areas of interest in the State that merit further exploration work.

Jan 1, 1956

By R. I. Jaffee, F. C. Holden, H. R. Ogden

Alpha solutes increase the strengths of Ti-Mn alloys through solid-solution strengthening. The substitutional a addition, aluminum, decreases, and the interstitial solutes, carbon and nitrogen, increase the rate of nucleation and growth of a from ß. The best combinations of properties of a-ß alloys are obtained when there is a sufficient quantity of a phase in the structure to dissolve the a solutes. OF the many different titanium-base alloy systems, the predominant alloy type is the a-ß alloy. The properties of the a-ß alloys are dependent on solid-solution strengthening and heat-treatment effects involving the a-ß ratio and transformation reactions. Another variable which influences the mechanical properties of a-ß alloys is the a-stabilizer content of the alloy. An a solute may be present as an intentional addition, such as aluminum, or as an impurity element, such as carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen. It is known that these a stabilizers, when added to titanium, form single-phase alloys which are not heat treatable but which obtain their strength from solid-solution strengthening. Thus, it would be expected that a additions to a-ß alloys would increase the strength of the alloys by solid-solution strengthening of the a phase. In addition, they would affect the transformation kinetics of the ß-to-a reactions and other processes based on the instability of the ß phase. The effects of heat treatment and structure on the mechanical properties of Ti-Mn alloys have been shown in a previous paper.6 This system offers a good base to demonstrate the effects of typical a solutes on the properties of a-ß alloys. The three a solutes described in this work are aluminum, representative of a substitutional a solute, nitrogen, representative of an interstitial a solute, and carbon, representative of an interstitial compound-forming element. The effects of heat treatment and microstructure on the properties of a alloys containing these three elements are described in concurrent publications. Some of these data are used for base-line points in several of the curves used for illustration herein. Experimental Procedures Iodide titanium was used as the base for all of the alloys studied in this work. The alloys were prepared as ½ lb ingots by double arc melting in an argon atmosphere. The ingots were forged to ¾ in. rounds, vacuum annealed for 6 hr at 900°C at a pressure of 10 ' to 10-5 mm of Hg to remove hydrogen, and hot swaged to 1/4 in. diam rod. After me- chanical descaling, test specimens were prepared for heat treatment. The alloys used in this study together with the fabrication temperatures are given in Table I. Heat treatments were done in argon. For the most part, the specimens were sealed in Vyeor capsules under a partial pressure of argon. Quenching was accomplished by breaking the capsule under water. Other cooling methods used included oil quench, argon cool (simulated air cool in an argon atmosphere), and furnace cool. The times for the various heat-treating temperatures are given in Table 11. The tests performed on the alloys consisted of tensile tests on ? in. diam specimens, hardness tests, and microimpact tests. Specimen sizes have been adequately described in a previous publication.' The micrographs presented in this paper were taken from specimens cut from the shoulders of broken tensile specimens. Final polishing was done with Linde B on a slow-speed wheel, and the specimens were etched with a 1½ HF — 3½ HNO, solution. Ti-N-Mn Alloys The transformation diagram and microstructures of the Ti-0.1 pct N-Mn alloys used in this investigation are given in Fig. 1. The effect of small nitrogen additions on the binary Ti-Mn diagram is to raise the ß-transus temperature with little effect on the a solubility of manganese. Also, as has been noted previously,' high manganese-content alloys containing nitrogen, when quenched from temperatures high in the ß field, contain a subgrain boundary phase which appears to be nitrogen-rich a. Marten-site is formed when alloys containing less than about

Jan 1, 1956

By R. F. Mehl, G. T. Horne

Diffusion coefficients and mobilities were determined as functions of concentration in the a phase of the Cu-Zn system. Use was mode of incremental diffusion couples to determine the Kirkendall effect at various concentrations. Darken's analysis was used to calculate the individual diffusion coefficients and mobilities from these data. The general diffusion coefficient is a single-valued function of the concentration in this system to within the limits of accuracy of the experimental methods used. The form of the various functions (diffusion coefficients and mobilities) of concentration is the same in every case: it is essentially the same as the usual D vs c curve. AS Darken' has pointed out, the knowledge that the movements of different atoms diffusing in the same lattice need not proceed at the same rate is old. Ionic lattices are the classical examples; application of the generalization to lattices with metallic bonding was much more slowly accepted. It remained for Kirkendall'' to show clearly that metallic diffusion need not be symmetrical with respect to both species. Several investigators" have confirmed the initial observation of a "Kirkendall effect:" marker movement accompanying diffusion. They have extended it to other systems and conditions. The theoretical interpretations have been many; ne of the first and simplest of these is that of Darken"' which is essentially mechanism independent. Darken has shown that the Kirkendall experiment permlts a calculation of the individual diffusion coefficients and, coupled with activity data, offers a means of measuring the mobilities of the separateatoms in a binary diffusion process. There is no published information on the effects of concentration and temperature on the individual diffusion coefficients or on the mobility values in binary solid solution; this paper provides such information for zinc and copper in a brass. For purposes of clarity, the overall D value obtained, for example, from the Boltzmann-Matano solution to Fick's law, will be designated as the "general diffusion coefficient;" and the diffusion co- efficients for the separate diffusing species will be designated as the "individual diffusion coefficients." Experimental Procedure The authors have accepted Darken's analysis and have measured mobilities on this basis. The findings of da Silva and Mehl are accepted: that the Matano interface, defined as the origin of coordinates for the Boltzmann-Matano solution to Fick's law, coincides with the original weld interface; that the "shift" of a marker is the distance between the Matano interface and the marker; that the observed porosity is too small sensibly to affect this result; and that the shift is a linear function of the Matano area, the area defined as the absolute magnitude of the area on either side of the Matano interface. Alloys: The a-phase of the Cu-Zn system was chosen for investigation. The measurements were made on incremental couples for two separate reasons: l—it has been questioned whether D, the general diffusion coefficient, is a single-valued function of concentration (a comparison of the D-values for couples with small concentration range, e.g., 10 vs 20 pct Zn, against those from a wide concentration range, e.g., 0 vs 30 pct Zn, will answer that question); and 2—on the Darken analysis, the mobility can be determined only at the concentration at which the marker is observed to lie (this is but one concentration in a single couple) but choosing a series of incremental couples in the range between 0 and 30 pct Zn provides mobility values at several concentrations, thus giving mobility as a function of concentration. Four alloys were chosen; nominally, pure copper, copper with 10 pct Zn, copper with 20 pct Zn, and copper with 30 pct Zn. This allowed six different types of diffusion couples to be prepared, promising mobility determinations at six different concentrations, but having a minimum range of 10 pct Zn. The copper was an especially prepared pure copper supplied through the courtesy of the Ameri-

Jan 1, 1956

By Holly J

The period following World War II has seen many changes in stoping techniques at The Great Boulder Gold Mine. The new methods resulted in improved unit production figures, and have given some relief from the rising worldwide cost spiral in the post war years.Significant production figures are shown graphically in...

Jan 1, 1956

By O. C. Blade

This report on the properties of motor fuels sold through service stations in the United States was made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the American Petroleum Institute and the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior. By agreement with the American Petroleum Institute, identification of the items is confidential. It presents analytical data for 4,954 samples, representing the products of 93 companies. The samples were collected during December 1955, January and February 1956. As in previous surveys, the gasolines covered by this survey include those from both large and small suppliers. The data were obtained by laboratories of various refiners, motor manufacturers, and chemical companies and submitted to the Bureau of Mines for compilation. A list of the National Motor Gasoline Survey reports published during the post 10 years is given on page 5.

Jan 1, 1956

By R. J. Hundhausen

This report describes the exploration and recent utilization studies the Bureau of Mines conducted on the Iron King, Chambers, and Dry Camp chromite deposits in the John Day district, Grant County, Oreg. The field investigations were undertaken during parts of 1939 and 1942 to determine the tonnage and grade of chromite in the district that could be utilized as a war reserve for the steel industry. As a result of the Bureau's field work, which included construction of 9 miles of access road, 6,204 feet of diamond drilling, 195 channel samples, and 1,020 linear feet of trenching, an ore reserve of 208,000 tons of 22-percent chromic oxide was indicated in the 3 deposits. Less than 1,000 tons of this ore has been mined since the field work was completed because the 2 largest deposits are submarginal in grade and there is as yet no incentive to develop and mine the ore. Since the war, however, the Bureau has been seeking means of utilizing the ore. Two methods of utilization that show promise are direct smelting of the ore in an electric furnace and use of the chromite for making refractory brick.

Jan 1, 1956

By A. F. Matheson

The St. John Del Rey Mining Company, Limited, is an English company owning 150 square miles -of mining lands near Belo Horizonte, Minas Geraes, Brazil. The area is 2,300 to 5,000 feet above sea level, with a pleasant and healthy climate. Bedrock is Precambrian. The Nova Lima series of metamorphosed sediments and some volcanics is overlain uncomfortably by the Minas series of quartzites, itabirites. etc. Batholithic granite and gneiss cut both series and basic dykes cut all these rocks. There are important deposits of gold, iron, and manganese on the Company's holdings, as well as occurrences of arsenic, antimony, cobalt, nickel, dolomite, day, quartz, -ochre, bauxite, kyanite, and asbestos. Except for gold and consequent recovery of arsenic, all the other materials are relatively unexploited. The Company operates the Morro Velho gold mine and the Espirito Santo and Raposos gold mine. The Morro Velho mine was purchased in 1834 for £56,000. To the end of 1952 it had produced 7,000,000 troy ounces of gold from 15,000,000 short tons of ore. The ore z?ones are replacement deposits in a sinuous siliceous dolomitic rock locally termed "lapa seca," and plunge east, near surface at 45 °, at 8,000 feet at 15°. The ore minerals are pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Gold is finely distributed and almost nowhere visible. Ore reserves at the end of 1952 were estimated at 5.5 million short tons grading 0.39 oz. gold per ton. Chances exist for new ore within the mine area. The Espirito Santo and Reposos mine, in folded banded iron formation, has mineralization similar to Morro Velho but sulphides are less abundant. The mine to a depth of 2,500 feet has estimated ore reserves of 1.5 million tons of an average grade of 0.28 oz. gold per ton. New ore may be expected both laterally and at depth. To the end -of 1952, the ?Company had paid dividends of almost £4,- 600,000, largely earned from the operation of the gold mines.

Jan 1, 1956

By James Westfield

Bureau of Mines activities for safety and health in the mineral industries were reorganized during the fiscal year to provide direct supervision by the Assistant Director -Health and Safety. On December 19, 1954, the field offices conducting these activities were designated as district health and safety offices reporting to the Assistant Director. The functions of determining the causes of accidents and injuries in the mineral industries and recommending measures to eliminate them were continued, with satisfactory results in improved safety records. The inspection of coal mines and enforcement of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952 were conducted as directed by the Congress, and safety conditions in the mines were notably improved. One coal-mine explosion classed as a major disaster occurred during the year. The causes of that explosion and means for preventing a recurrence were still under investigation because of the extreme difficulty in recovering several portions of the mine. Basic research on the nature of certain hazards and ways of eliminating them is continued. Training of individual workmen and supervisors in this knowledge is a major part of the work.

Jan 1, 1956

By W. A. Vine

WHEN a hole is made in a stressed solid, such as rock pierced by mine openings, equilibrium of the solid is destroyed. To re-establish that equilibrium the stress condition in the rock surrounding the opening becomes rearranged. This rearrangement may or may not develop local stresses in the vicinity of the opening which exceed the elastic strength of the rock. Since stability of the opening depends, therefore, on the strength of the naturally occurring rock surrounding the opening, this rock is an engineering material of construction, and all rock affected by the associated opening or system of open- ings may be considered a structure. The term invert is chosen to describe the formation of the structure —built from the inside, as it were, and a consequence of mining rather than an entity built for a purpose. By definition, an invert structure is formed when openings are made underground and is composed of that material on the solid side of a rock-air interface wherein the stress condition is affected by the associated opening or system of openings. The shape of an invert structure is never clearly defined; the skin of the structure may be mapped, and even described, but the boundary of the structure within the solid rock mass must be arbitrarily set. The name geomechanics is proposed to describe a branch of scientific knowledge which will encompass principles and working hypotheses for behavior and design of invert structures. It is foreseen that study

Jan 1, 1956

By J. Sibakin, R. D. Hindson

In order to devise a practicable soaking pit schedule for use at The Steel Co. of Canada Ltd.'s Hamilton Works, soaking pit heating temperatures, sooking times, pit capacity, and safe maximum mill drafts were correlated with fluctuations in the current or load of the bloom mill driving motor. Other variables such as total delays in the pit, rolling schedules, mill delays, and track times were also investigated. IN order to show an easily applied and accurate means of establishing soaking pit heating temperatures, soaking times, pit capacity, and safe maximum mill drafts, these various factors are correlated herein with fluctuations in the current or load of the bloom mill driving motor. Rolling practices have a considerable influence on the production capacity of a blooming mill. The maximum values of the torque, in particular, are of importance, since even instantaneous current peaks lead to the tripping of the motor by the overload relay and result in loss of mill time. The establishment of safe maximum drafts and accelerations for ingots of different sizes and of a soaking pit practice which would ensure a consistent and satisfactory plasticity of the metal is of considerable importance for increasing the efficiency of both the blooming mill and the soaking pits. The Bloom Mill Dept. of the Hamilton Works, The Steel Co. of Canada Ltd., is equipped with one 44 in. mill driven by a 7000 hp motor with the setting of the overload relay at 22.0 ka. The speed of rotation of the motor is regulated after the Ward-Leonard system. There are three basic speeds of 9.5, 28, and 47 rpm and a further possibility of increasing the speed by weakening the field. This last possibility is hardly ever used during practical operations. The rolling program of the blooming mill is varied, both in the size of the ingots to be handled and in the steel grades. The total tonnage handled by the mill is about 2,000,000 ingot tons per year. At the time of the investigation, the Bloom Mill Dept. was equipped with 22 soaking pits (6 regenerative, 14 bottom-fired, and 2 one-way top-fired pits) with a total bottom area of 2770 sq ft. The pits are fired with a blast furnace-coke oven gas mixture having a calorific value of 155 Btu per cu ft. The foregoing figures show that the production program was such as to impose the necessity of a most efficient usage of the available equipment. For this purpose, the operations of the 44 in. mill and of the soaking pits were investigated, and the results of the investigation were used as a basis for a revised soaking pit schedule and drafting practice. The plasticity of an ingot of a certain chemical composition when being rolled is determined mainly by the following factors: I—the ingot size, both thickness and width; 2—the length of the gas soak; and 3—the surface temperature. The first two factors determine the uniformity of the temperature distribution over the cross-section of an ingot. The third factor introduces the level of the heating of an ingot. The torque produced by an ingot being rolled is determined by the area of the metal displaced, its plasticity, and acceleration values. On the other hand, with shunt motors the torque is determined by the current. This can be assumed to be correct with only a small degree of error for compound motors with a relatively small effect of the series windings as long as the velocity is not regulated by weakening the field. Since the spread is relatively unimportant when compared to the width of an ingot and since it is also reduced several times during rolling by edging passes, the draft alone and not the area of the metal displaced may be taken into consideration with ingots of a similar size. It is therefore possible to determine the main features of the heating and drafting of an ingot by measuring the current and acceleration of the mill motor. After the acceleration has been taken into account, the amount of current will be an indication of how the motor responds to a heating and/or drafting practice and these practices can be adjusted in order to get the desired result. As peak currents are more likely when heavier ingots are rolled, the rolling of plate and slab ingots was investigated. Conditions prevailing when smaller ingots are rolled can be deduced from the results obtained on heavier ingots. All measurements were made when plain carbon grades under 0.15 pct C were rolled. The motor current, the voltage across the armature, and the rpm were recorded simultaneously on synchronized charts, Fig. 1, which moved with the speed of 6 in. per min. Each draft was recorded by a special observer. The rpm curve made it possible to establish the acceleration at any given moment. For purposes of correlation, the maximum current during a pass and the corresponding acceleration were used. The charts made it possible to establish the position of the roller's lever at any given moment as well as the total time of a pass. The slab ingots were divided into three groups (28x35, 28x45, and 27Mx53 in. ingots) and each group was investigated separately. Since they account for most of the current peaks, only flat passes were used for purposes of correlation, a total of 1373 having been investigated.

Jan 1, 1956

By R. Ellerman

The hydrometallurgical processing of an impure zinc oxide fume is described. Flowsheet includes roasting for fluorine elimination and countercurrent leaching to produce a neutral sulphate solution. This solution is combined with zinc sulphide leach solution for subsequent purification and electrolysis. Novel to the neutral leach step is the use of automatic pH control. THE electrolytic zinc plant of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. was erected in 1929-1930 to process zinc sulphide concentrates produced from ore mined at Flin Flon, Manitoba. Since 1930, production of high purity slab zinc has been continuous. In May 1951, construction of a fuming plant was completed and operations were started to recover zinc from copper smelter reverberatory slag. A second zinc-bearing material in the form of an impure zinc oxide fume was then made available for treatment. Coincident with the construction of the fuming plant, additions were made to the electrolytic zinc plant to recover the zinc in the fume as slab metal. The original plant capacity of 70 tons of slab zinc per day was steadily increased up to May 1951, at which time the daily production averaged 130 tons. With the advent of the fuming plant and the processing of zinc oxide fume, production was stepped up to the present capacity of 190 tons per day. Of this, approximately 48 pct is contributed by the processing of zinc oxide fume. This additional source of raw material has allowed a 20 pct cutback in mining and milling operations, thereby adding considerably to the life of the Flin Flon mine. Zinc sulphide concentrates are treated by the usual hydrometallurgical method. Details of this operation and plant were described by Carr and Reikie in 1935' and Kent in 1951.8 The impure fume is treated in two operations. First, it is roasted to eliminate fluorine. Next, it is subjected to a countercurrent leach with spent electrolyte to extract the zinc as a neutral zinc sulphate solution. During this leaching step, soluble impur-

Jan 1, 1956

By D. H. Polonis, J. G. Parr

IN a recent paper on titanium-rich Ti-Fe alloys,' the hardness of quenched powder specimens was given, together with the amounts of martensitic a they contained. The values disagreed in two respects with previous determinations that Worner² made on lump specimens: 1—Some martensitic a' is formed in powder specimens of alloys containing up to 12 atomic pct Fe. On the other hand, Worner reports that, although his results on quenched lumps are not conclusive, alloys containing more than about 4 pct Fe "appear to consist of retained ß'' although they "may not be strictly unaltered solid solutions." 2—According to Worner, quenched lump specimens show a maximum hardness at a composition about 3.5 pct Fe. Earlier -experiments by the authors showed a maximum hardness of martensitic alloys in powder form at 10 pct Fe. Accordingly, more experiments have been conducted in order to confirm these differences and to determine with more accuracy the minimum composition of quenched lump specimens that consist entirely of retained ß. Lump samples?x?x1/20 in. were quenched from 1000°C in helium and, on the whole, showed similar hardness values to the specimens that Worner water-quenched from 950°C. The hardness curve the authors obtained shows a more pronounced peak, but in other respects it is very similar to Worner's curve (Fig. 1). While it was possible to make fairly reliable measurements of the percentage of martensitic a in quenched powders (by Geiger spectrometer), the solid samples allowed only approximate estimates to be made from visual observation of line intensities on film. Retained ? begins to appear in quenched lumps containing 0.2 pct Fe; at 2.2 pct Fe there are approximately equal quantities of ß and a'; in a 4.7 pct Fe alloy only a trace of a' appears. These results are represented as a curve on Fig. 1. The hardness and constitution of powder samples were verified by repeating both types of quenching experiment described in the earlier paper.' Identical results were obtained by the two methods, and they agreed with the figures published previously (Fig. 1). The appearance of the martensitic structure under the microscope is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The mar-tensite needles are coarser in the lump; otherwise the structures are similar. Three conclusions are made at this juncture: 1— The properties of quenched lumps reported by Worner are confirmed, on the whole. The differences between them and the properties of powders are probably due to an effect of specimen size. Differences of behavior in various sizes of specimen have been observed previously in martensite reactions in Fe-Mn alloys3 and in Cu-A1 alloys. 2—The maximum hardness of both quenched lumps and quenched powders appears at a composition where martensite formation has all but ceased. In this respect, powders and lumps behave similarly. 3—Martensitic a' has essentially the same microscopic appearance both in powders and lumps. Acknowledgment This work is part of a program sponsored by the Defegce Research Board of Canada, Project No. 425.

Jan 1, 1956

By C. W. Owings

Available literature published or abstracted in 1953 and 1954 relating to dust prevention and suppression has been summarized and reviewed in this report, and un-published information also is included to outline current practice for those interested in dust control in and around mines, tunnels, and quarries. More and more companies are realizing the value of controlling dust by incorporating suitable methods and devices in the planning stage. In preparation and crushing plants preliminary tests have been made of the fine materials to determine the best type of dust-control equipment to use, and the details of the quantities of air, the number of sprays, the dust-allaying fluids, and the location of hoods or enclosures have been determined in advance. Such planning has paid for itself in more effective control. Similar planning in a tunnel resulted in healthful conditions and low dust concentrations.

Jan 1, 1956

By A. H. Daane, A. S. Wilson

The U-Cr system is of the simple eutectic type with some solid solubility of chromium in r and ß uranium. The eutectic occurs at 20 atomic pet Cr and melts at 859°C. The maximum solubility of chromium in y uranium is 4 atomic pet at the eutectic temperature, and in ß uranium the solubility is estimated to be 1 atomic pet. y-ß and ß-a transformations were found to occur at 737°estimatedt° and 612°C respectively. DURING 1944 and 1945, the U-Cr constitution diagram was studied in this laboratory as a part of a research program on uranium metallurgy in the Manhattan Project, and the work was described in a Manhattan Project report issued in December 1945. This paper is based on that report, which has been declassified. Prior to this study, it had been shown by other Manhattan Project workers that the low Cr-U alloys could be quenched to retain the form of uranium. Experimental The uranium used in this work was massive metal prepared in this laboratory and contained less than 0.1 pct of other elements. The chromium was 200 mesh powder obtained from the A. D. McKay Co. and was found on analysis to be 99.5 pct Cr with 0.3 pct Fe the major impurity. Alloys, weighing 400 to 600 g, were prepared by induction heating the components to 1700°C in slip-cast ZrO, crucibles in a vacuum of 3x103 mm Hg. TO prevent too violent agitation of the melt by the induction field with subsequent crucible breakage and sample loss, the ZrO2 crucible was placed in a graphite crucible, which was surrounded by a layer of powdered carbon insulation 2 to 3 cm thick. Polished vertical sections of the alloys were examined microscopically to confirm their homogeneity. Heating and cooling curves were taken on the alloys by reheating them in ZrO, crucibles to 1200°C and inserting a mullite-protected chromel-alumel thermocouple into the melt by means of a slip seal in the vacuum head of the furnace. A recording potentiometer traced the curves which had a slope of from 3" to 6" per min. Samples of the alloys were prepared for metallo-graphic examination by conventional mechanical polishing techniques followed by an electrolytic polish in an ethylene glycol-phosphoric acid-ethyl alcohol bath. The structure of the alloys was brought out clearly by this procedure so that no further etching was required. Samples for chemical analysis were taken from drillings from the top, center, and bottom sections of the alloys. The uranium was determined by titra-tion with Ce(SO1)2, while the chromium was titrated with FeSO,; the uranium and chromium totaled at least 99.6 pct in all of the alloys prepared. X-ray samples were prepared by filing bulk specimens in a helium-filled glove box and annealing the resulting powder in a zirconium-gettered helium atmosphere. A 114.6 mm diam Debye-Scherrer camera and a Weyland nonsymmetrical self-focusing camera were used with filtered copper radiation to obtain the powder X-ray diffraction data. Results The data obtained in this study have been combined to construct the constitution diagram of the U-Cr system shown in Fig. 1 where the arrests observed in cooling curves are indicated by dots. The liquidus arrest was quite distinct in thermal data taken on alloys in the range 0 to 20 atomic pct Cr. The eutectic arrest was not observed in studies on the 2.5 and 4.5 pct Cr samples but appeared in the 7.5 pct samples, which suggested some solubility of chromium in y uranium. On quenching from 859 °C, the 2.5 pct sample showed but one phase while the 4.5 pct sample contained a small amount of the eutectic along the grain boundaries; see Figs. 2 and 3. From this the maximum solubility of chromium in r uranium has been set at 4 pct. X-ray studies on these samples showed that the r phase was not retained at room temperature by quenching, but in each case a pattern was observed .which has been identified with the ß phase of uranium. Thermal data show the y-ß transformation of uranium lowered to 737°C as a consequence of this solubility. On quenching from the ß range (660°C), precipitation of chromium in the primary uranium is observed in the 2.5 and 4.5 pct Cr samples (see Figs. 4 and 5),

Jan 1, 1956