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By Floyd D. Everett

The J. B. fluorite deposit is in the Washington mining district, southwestern Beaver County, Utah (fig. 1). Fluorite outcrops were found during 1942, and three lode claims wore located. Little work was done on the property until October 1943, at which time the Bureau of Mines started development to determine the subsurface extent of the fluorite mineralization exposed at the surface. The most prominent rocks in the J. B. mine area are porphyries, which vary considerably in composition. Dacite porphyry appears to be the most common host rock for the fluorite-quartz-calcite lenticular masses. The dacite porphyry in the area is highly brecciated over a strike length of more than 1 mile. Fluorite deposits in the brecciated zone cover a strike length of approximately 400 foot. The fluorite lenses range in length from 40 to 200 feet and in width from 4 to 10 feet (fig. 2). The Bureau of Mines work on the J. B. property was started in October 1943 and completed in October a year later. The work consisted of surface trenching by bulldozer and hand methods, shaft sinking, drifting, and crosscutting. Eleven trenches totaling 1,800 linear feet were excavated. An inclined shaft was sunk to a depth of 105 feet, and from thin shaft 577 feet of drifts and crosscuts were driven to outline the extent of the mineral deposit (fig. 3). Two hundred ninety-seven samples were taken in the surface trenches and underground workings. The locations of the samples and analyses arc shown in accompanying figures and tables. Results of metallurgical tests comprise the concluding section of this report.

Jan 1, 1950

By Herbert Clark Hoover, Lou Henry Hoover

DIGGING of veins I have written of, and the timbering of shafts, tunnels, drifts, and other excavations, and the art of surveying. I will now speak first of all, of the iron tools with which veins and rocks are broken, then of the buckets into which the lumps of earth, rock, metal, and other excavated materials are thrown, in order that they may be drawn, conveyed, or carried out. Also, I will speak of the water vessels and drains, then of the machines of different kinds,1 and lastly of the maladies of miners. And while all these matters are being described accurately, many methods of work will be explained. There are certain iron tools which the miners designate by names of their own, and besides these, there are wedges, iron blocks, iron plates, hammers, crowbars, pikes, picks, hoes, and shovels. Of those which are especially referred to as " iron tools " there are four varieties, which are different from one another in length or thickness, but not in shape, for the upper end of all of them is broad and square, so that it can be struck by the

Jan 1, 1950

"AbstractThe Sedimentary Basin area of Western Canada, which lies between the Precambrian Shield and the Cordilleran mountain area, covers approximately 800,000 square miles. Sediments ranging in age from Cambrian to Tertiary are present and, of these, horizons in the Upper and Lower Cretaceous, Jurassic, Mississippian, and Devonian have yielded commercial oil and gas flows. Producing horizons in the Cretaceous and Jurassic are sandstone, while all those of the Palaeozoic are carbonate rocks such as red limestone or dolomite (bioherms). Shows of oil and gas have been encountered also in the Cambrian and Triassic sediments.The broad structural features of this vast expanse of sedimentary rocks are the Moose Jaw syncline, the Sweet Grass-Battle River arch, the Alberta syncline, the Foothills belt, the Rocky and Mackenzie mountains, the Great Bear-Slave Lake basin, and the Mackenzie Delta Basin area.This contribution outlines the .stratigraphy and structure of the Basin area, and gives examples of present producing oilfield structures and stratigraphic traps.Part 1.-Regional StratigraphyIntroductionThe vast expanse of relatively undisturbed sedimentary rocks of western Canada has long been recognized as prospective territory to search for oil and/ or gas. This search in western Canada dates back before the turn of the century, but, considering the size of area to be explored and tested, the effort an<l money expended upon it, which, before the recent discovery of oil at Leduc, Alberta, appeared large and fruitless, now seems almost ridiculously small. A check-up of effort and money expended prior to and since the Leduc discovery would undoubtedly reveal that more wildcatting and development has taken place during the last two and a half years than during all previous years combined. The figures would astound not only the average citizen, but many within the industry itself."

Jan 1, 1950

By Eugene Frey

The Romur is one of several properties in the Copper Mountain mining district, Fremont County, Wyo., that contain scheelite deposits. The district lies on the southern slope of the Bridger Mountains, 18 miles northeast of Shoshoni and 15 miles from the rail point at Bonneville on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (figs. 1 and 2). The tungsten deposits occur in a zone of pre-Cambrian schists and gneisses that have been cut by numerous basic dikes and granite pegmatite dikes. Scheelite occurs in lenses and pods that lie parallel to the foliation and bedding in the metamorphic rocks. The more important deposits are found in a lime-silicate rock consisting primarily of zoisite but with small quantities of quartz and carbonate. Scheelite was found in December 1941, and the area was mapped by the U. S. Geological Survey early in 1942. In November 1942 the Bureau of Mines commenced work on the Stardust-Comet group for the purpose of developing reserves for war requirements. The initial work consisted of driving an alit in the ore zone a distance of 109 feet. This zone was sampled during the progress of the work, and subsequently surface and underground exposures on adjoining properties also were sampled (figs: 5, 6, 7, and 8). One hundred twenty-four samples were obtained. Sample and assay data are shown in tables 2, 3, and 4.

Jan 1, 1950

By D. L. King

The San Francisco Chemical Co. has been actively interested in phosphate mining since 1908. It was, in fact, the first company to make claims on properties in the western phosphate belt. From the period of 1908 to 1947, the company&apos;s phosphate operations were centered at their Waterloo property, five miles east of Montpelier, Idaho. A small tonnage of phosphate rock was shipped annually from their underground mines in that area. In 1945, the company started the first western open-pit phosphate mine on the slopes of Waterloo Hill. In 1947, they obtained an option and lease on the Beckwith Hills&apos; deposits in southwestern Wyoming, some 25 miles south of Cokeville. While the operations at Montpelier and the Beckwith Hills are both open pit, there are many differences which suggest separate treatment in this paper. Structurally, the Waterloo Hill is the west slope of an anticline. The beddings dip from 20" to 35" to the west. Erosion has caused the footwall exposures (Well&apos;s formation) to appear in the upper areas as a series of apices, giving the outcrops a festooned arrangement. Dip faulting with subsequent erosion has induced gullies normal to the strike and resulted in eroded areas which separate the remnants of the

Jan 1, 1950

In gold ores, the range of value disclosed by ordinary mine sampling is very wide, and the number of &apos;samples required for a reliable average is correspondingly great. Even where a large number of samples is available the weighted mean value of the samplesalmost invariably exceeds the true gold content. In operating mines this disparity is overcome by arbitrary reduction of high assays until reconciliation is achieved, but it is frequently necessary, especIallyin exploration, to base an estimate or to reach a decision on a relatively small number of samples from underground openings or even on a few drill hole intersections. In these circumstances, a decisive influence may be exercised by the weight allowed to high assays and to low grade intersections, both of which events are, of course, dependent on the metal distribution in the ore. Where sufficient data are available, statistical analysis will measure the risk involved, but as this information is seldom to be had, the final choice becomes largely a matter of personal judgment.With this problem in mind, a study was made some years ago of the distribution of values in four Western Australian gold ores, with the primary purpose of learning from actual ore-bodies of differing types, something of the metal distribution in the smallquantities of ore involved in individual routine mine samples, and of the importance in each case of high assays. Adequate and suitable data were available in .four cases, in three of which high assays were of frequent occurrence due to the presence of free gold. The results give concrete expression to well known differences of metal distribution, and it is proposed, firstly to record the observed distribution; secondly to examine some of the consequences of the differences in the distributions limd thirdly, to comment, in the light of this data, on the vexed question of the treatment of high assays. Standard statistical procedure was employed in the compilation of the data. The assays were classified by value into groups, each group covering a range of value of 1 dwt. per ton. Assays of less than 1.0 dwt. per ton form the first group; assays equal to or greater than 1.0 dwt. and less than 2.0 dwt. comprise the second group; those equal to or greater than 2.0 dwt. and less than 3.0 dwt. appear in the third group; and so on. Where the number of samples is large, it can be assumed that the mid-value of the group is the mean value of all the samples in the group, thus the mean values of the first three groups are 0.5 dwt., 1.5 dwt. and 2.5 dwt. respectively.The number of samples in the group is the frequency of the group, but for convenience of plotting this frequency is converted into percentage of all the samples in the series. Plotting percentage frequency as ordinate against dwt./ton as abscissa results in a frequency curve-a curve showing the frequency...

Jan 1, 1950

By H. G. Doll

As a continuation of the earlier paper on the general subject of the SP log, a more complete analysis of certain features of the SP log in shaly sands is given. The pseudo-static SP in front of shaly sands is compared, on a theoretical basis, to the static SP in front of clean sands, as a function of the respective amount of shale and sand in the formation, and of the relative resistivities of the shale, of the uncontaminated part of the sand. and of the invaded zone of the sand. As a conclusion, the advantage of using reasonably conduc. tive mud in this case is shown. The discussion is illustrated by field examples. INTRODUCTION The discussion reported in the present paper is based on a theoretical analysis, and not on experiment. The field examples, joined to the text. are shown only as qualitative illustrations of the essential results of this analysis. Although the hypotheses made in the theoretical developments may perhaps be somewhat improved, it seems, nevertheless, that the results obtained account reasonably well for the actual phenomena, and give a fair approximation of their order of magnitude. The paper contains a mathematical analysis of a tri-dimen-sional distribution of potentials and current lines. due to spontaneous electromotive forces arising at the contact of shales and free electrolytes. as a function of the geometry and of the respective resistivities of the different media involved. It is assumed, although this hypothesis is not proven, that the emf&apos;s remain the same even if the shale occurs in very thin layers or in dispersed particles. It has already been pointed out 1,2,3 that, all other conditions being the same, the deflection of the SP log in front of a shaly sand is smaller than opposite a clean sand. When the thickness and the conductivity of a clean sand are large enough. the deflection of the SP log reaches a limiting value which is equal to the "static SP" of the clean sand. It is generally convenient to take the static SP of shale as the reference value or "base line." As a consequence, and for the sake of abbreviation, the expression. "static SP of a clean sand," is often used to designate the difference between the static SP of that sand and that of the shales, which difference is a measure of the total electromotive forces involved in the chain mud sand-shale. A similar limiting value is; also observed for the SP deflec-lion opposite a thick shaly sand, but it is smaller. just as if the total electromotive force involved were smaller in that case. This limiting value has been called the "Pseudo-Static SP" of the shaly sand. The static SP of a clean sand depends on the salinity of its connate water with respect to that of the mud, and, to a certain extent. on the differential pressure which controls the electro-filtration potentials, but it does not depend on the resistivity of the sand. On the contrary. the pseudo-static SP of a shaly sand depends not only on the salinity of its connate water and on the differential pressure, but also on the percentage of shale and on the resistivities of the shale, of the uncontaminated part of the sand, and of the zone invaded by the mud filtrate. If the three resistivities above were equal, the pseudo-static SP would be proportional to the percentage of sand in the shaly sand, and its departure from the static SP of a clean sand having the same connate water would simply be proportional to the percentage of shale. In that case, the pseudo-static SP of a shaly sand containing 10 per cent of shale would he 10 per cent less than the static SP of a clean sand. When. however. the sand is. on the average. substantially more resistive than the shale. the percentage of departure of the pseudo-static SP from the static SP of a clean sand is much larger than the percentage of shale. For that reason, the peaks of the SP log opposite shaly sands are systematically of smaller amplitude when the sands are oil-bearing than when they are water-bearing, all other conditions being the same. This feature is observed even when the sand beds are thick. and even when they do not contain a large percentage of shale. All this has already been described in all earlier publication", but mostly in a qualitative way. The present paper will analyze in more detail the action of the local SP currents which are generated inside of the shaly sands, and which are responsible for the abnormally low value of the pseudo-static SP. The quantitative computations have been extended to the general case of thin interbedded layers of sand and shale, where the resistivities of the shale and sand streaks do not have the same value: they are summarized in charts giving values of the pseudo-static SP of a shaly sand as a function of the different parameters involved. DEFINITIONS The static SP of a clean sand has been defined as the potential that would exist in the mud opposite that sand, were the SP current prevented from flowing. Such an ideal condition is represented on Fig. I-A. By analogy, the pseudo-static SP of a shaly sand can be defined as the potential that would exist in the hole, if the circuit shaly sand — surrounding shales — mud column were interrupted by the insulating plugs placed at the boundaries

Jan 1, 1950

A. A. CENTER*—This paper reminds me of the beginning of the work of the Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia. Early work for this Company, as some of you may know, was done at the Bully Hill Plant in California. After working there for some time Herbert Gepp, now Sir Herbert, came to the Anaconda Co. plants in Montana where I met him. He spent some months there, in fact almost a year if I remember rightly. That was when we were breaking in the new electrolytic zinc plant at Great Falls, Montana. From there he went back to Australia and started in on the plant there. I believe they had an original plant of about 20 tons per day of cathode zinc. We heard from them for some time, until they were able to go along on their own, and they have done very well ever since as you have heard. Their practice, (the flow sheet, the leaching practice), has been quite different as reported in the paper and apparently they are still following that practice to some extent. While the earliest work on selective flotation was done down in Australia, the big companies there, strange to say, were far behind the American companies in taking it up; and it is only in comparatively recent years they have gone to the alkaline circuit and dropped out thereby more of their iron and lead. The zinc plant now is up to a capacity of 100,000 tons a year and I believe that may be notched up to about 105,000. T. H. WELDON*—I would like to ask

Jan 1, 1950

By J. D. Price, W. M. Bertholf

W. J. PARTON*—I have not had the opportunity to read this paper, and I do not have a written discussion. However, I thought it might be interesting for me to relate some of the experiences we had with equipment similar to the vibrating filter as described by the&apos; authors. At the Tamaqua flotation plant of the Lebigh Navigation Coal Co. approximately 40 tons per hour of froth concentrate carrying 60 pct by weight moisture are produced. The major problem encountered at this plant is the dewatering of this coal froth so that a satisfactory product can be sent to market. In the original design of the plant a centrifuge of solid bowl type was included for de-watering this material. The centrifuge did not work out as well as we had hoped. High maintenance costs and moisture content in the cake were obtained. A Robbins dewatering screen was installed at a later date with the idea of using it in conjunction with the centrifuge. The froth concentrate from the flotation cells was fed directly to the Robbins dewatering screen. The cake from the screen carried approximately 55 pct of the feed solids. Moisture in the cake was approximately 24 pct by weight. The underflow from the screen carried 45 pct of the feed tonnage at about 80 pct moisture by weight. The underflow product was then pumped into the centrifuge with the idea of using the cen-trifuge for recovering the tonnage lost through the screen. This circuit did not operate as satisfactorily as we expected. The only benefit derived was in the reduction in the power consumed by the centrifuge. The maintenance on the centrifuge was approximately the same as previously. The next step in our experiments was to pump the underflow from the screen into a cyclone thickener which was mounted directly over the vibrating screen. This thickener increased the concentration of the solids to approximately 60 pct by weight and dropped the mate- rial back 011 the filter cake which had formed toward the discharge end of the screen. Unfortunately, the screen was not capable of handling this additional tonnage, and our experiments stopped at that point. We have been considering installing a second screen to make possible the complete mechanical dewatering of this product by the use of the dewatering screen and the cyclone thickener. Another possibility under study is to pump the underflow from this screen to a thickener which is available in the flotation plant, and to combine this thickeued underflow with the original feed going to the screen. Again, however, a second dewatering screen will be required to handle the total tonnage. 0. R. LYONS*—I had an opportunity to read this paper ahead of the meeting, and I did a little pencil engineering on it. As Mr. Bertholf said, it is very difficult to make a comparison and to carry the results of work at one plant over to what might be expected at another. What I did was to find information on filtering operations more or less comparable to the type of operation that Mr. Bertholf has with his vibrating filter. The only information that I was able to find was for drum type filters, and I found the operating characteristics of the vibrating filter and the drum type filters were very similar. The moisture contents of the cakes were almost identical. The output per square foot was about the only way that I could compare their capacities— using square foot of screen area against square foot of filter area—and I found the capacity of the vibrating filter to be slightly greater per unit area than the capacity of the drum-type filters. W. H. NEWTON†—Do I understand that the only escape for the solids is by overflowing the thickener? That is, does the filter have a chance to recover all the solids except that lost in the thickener overflow ? W. M. BERTHOLF (authors&apos; reply)— Actually, the only escapc from that part of the circuit is over the top of the thickener. There are other places the fines could be lost in the washery. but once they get into that part of the circuit, they must go over the top to escape. W. H. NEWTON—I would like to ask Mr. Lyons if, in the study of rotary filters, he has any basis for comparison of operating costs? 0. R. LYONS—No, I had no information on costs. The only information I was able to find was on screen size, moisture content, and tonnage output per unit area. W. L. McMORRIS*—Are you wasting that overflow water or re-using it? W. M. BERTHOLF—Right now, we are not re-using it. D. R. MITCHELL† —What is the approximate per capita cost of one of these units? W. M. BERTHOLF—It appears to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $200, for the screen. W. H. NEWTON—The cost would be about $2500 for the complete unit including the vibrating power unit. G. A. VISSAC‡—I do not like to come on the floor after I have been talking so long, but I thought you might be interested in our experience in dewatering, as well as drying our very fine coals. We have used both centrifuge and vibrating screens. The type of vibrating screens we have used in Canada are called the Zimmer. That is a screen of German construction, and I guess it is along the same lines as the dewatering screens you are using now. We use wedge wires, and the minimum size opening is a quarter of a millimeter. In our experience, the cheapest way is still a dewatering bin. A dewatering bin takes 48 hr to do work that takes 20 min in a dewatering screen. We use old wedge wire from our driers which we cover with brattice cloth, and

Jan 1, 1950

By Guy Borden, Michael J. Rzasa

Laboratory data on bubble point pressures and reservoir volume factors have been correlated as functions of solution gas-oil ratio, calculated gas gravity of the pentanes-and-lighter fraction of the entire fluid, differential residual oil gravity, and reservoir temperatures. INTRODUCTION Several correlations of crude oil properties have appeared in the literature. D. L. Katz4 in 1942 presented five methods of predicting oil shrinkage. these being of decreasing accuracy for decreasing amounts of information available. M. B. Standing- in 1947 published three correlations of laboratory flash vaporization data of California crudes. From values of GOR (gas-oil ratio), gas gravity, liquid gravity, and temperature, his correlations will predict bubble point pressure, formation volumes of bubble point liquids, and two-phase formation volumes. Curtis and Brinkley2 in 1949 presented several correlations. From the gas-oil ratio, an approximation of reservoir volume factor and barrels of condensate recoverable per barrel of reservoir space may be obtained; along with liquid gravity and reservoir temperature, the GOR will allow prediction of bubble point pressure. These last cor- relations seem to be more qualitative than quantitative. Generally, laboratory bottom hole sample tests furnish information on solution gas-oil ratios, residual oil gravities. bubble point pressures, viscosities of oils, liquid shrinkages, and occasionally gas gravities. Each of these data has its own applications and use in reservoir engineering calculations. The particular uses of correlated bottom hole sample data are found in (1 Providing a basis for obtaining estimates of formation crude properties in fields where bottom hole sampling is impractical or impossible. (2) Greatly reducing the time in obtaining the desired information. (3) Determining the applicability of the results from various bottom hole samples to particular field problems. (4) Avoiding, in many cases, the uncertainties of sampling by replacing it with an element over which greater control can be exercised. (5) Permitting use of preliminary field data in application of production procedures before a bottom hole sample can be obtained and analyzed in the laboratory. (6) Serving as a check on data which may appear out of line. (7) Estimating for a particular type crude the appropriate equilibrium constants by working backward from the bubble point pressure. (8) Estimating original or other past history properties of reservoirs that were not sampled in the past. PROCEDURE Application of the published correlations4,6 to Stanolind laboratory data indicated that the general scheme presented by Standing" could give dedrable results if changes were made in parameter positions and scales. The correlation curves were drawn with all the variables having consistent gradations except the temperature increments which were drawn in to best fit the data. The variables from available Stanolind laboratory data are defined below: (1) Gas-oil Ratio: Gas is liberated at reservoir temperature by differential vaporization (or rather by a series of flashes, approaching differential vaporization) and measured at atmospheric pressure and temperature, at which the compressibility factor is assumed to be unity. The oil is the residual liquid remaining after the pressure has been reduced to atmospheric. For the gas-oil ratio both volumes are corrected to standard conditions of 14.7 psia and 60°F. (2) Gas Gravity: It was decided to arbitrarily divide the hydrocarbons of the entire bottom hole sample into pentanes-and-lighter and hex-anes-and-heavier, and use a calculated gas gravity of the pentanes-and-lighter for a correlating variable. (Sample calculation is shown in Table 111.) (3) Liquid Gravity: This is the API gravity of the residual liquid from the differential vaporization. The gravity is measured at room temperature and corrected to 60°F.

Jan 1, 1950

By W. L. Ennis

Introduction This paper outlines the causes of underground fires at Noranda Mines and the precautionary measures taken to guard against such fi res. Shafts There are six shafts (Figures and lA) on the property, of which N os. 1 and 2 are abandoned. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are the present working openings from surface and No 6 is an internal shaft. No. 3 is used primarily as a service shaft, while Nos.?1 and 5 are the main hoisting shafts. Orebodies The orebodies are of two distinct types. There are the massive sulphide bodies, and the areas of mineralized rhyolite containing gold values and a silica content high enough for fluxing purposes. The massive sulphide bodies contain chalcopyl&apos;ite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and minor amounts of sphalerite and magnetite. The concentration of particular sulphides varies even within the same body. It is the areas high in pyrite, and to a lesser degree those, high in pyrrhotite, that are of particular interest.

Jan 1, 1950

The School of Mineral Industries is dedicated to education in mineral conservation and research by which the means may be found to make conservation effective. This includes diligent search for mineral truths and the energetic discovery, complete recovery, and maximum utilization of irreplaceable mineral resources. Standards of living depend upon two factors: human resources-intelligence, imagination, initiative, know-how, work; and natural resources-plants, animals, and minerals, including water, air, soil, heat and light from the sun, and all other such resources that are useful to man. Human relationships have not kept pace with scientific achievement; as a result man, in desperation, wittingly, premeditatively sacrifices freedom for security. Many natural resources, through overproduction, mismanagement, and greed, have definitely moved over into the exhausted or exhaustible category. The United States cannot maintain present standards of living on an agricultural economy alone, and serious harm can ensue if there are marked disproportions in numbers and relationships between city and rural populations. The most materialistic New Yorker must see virtue in bucolic loveliness. The United States is rated wasteful and inconsistent most of the time. It does not make sense to dole out through the keyhole what a wage earner can bring through the open door; to raise wages to lower the cost

Jan 1, 1950

It has been fairly firmly established (Fisher, N. H., 1945) that the fineness of the gold in any ore deposit varies with the depth from the surface at which the deposit was formed, and, as a corollary to this, that it is dependent upon the temperature and pressure at the time of deposition. This relationship is such that, under certain conditions, the gold fineness, taken into consideration with other recognised criteria, furnishes a very sensitive and reliable guide to the relative temperature of ore formation, at least within the epithermal and the upper part of the mesothermal range.Definition of Fineness.The fineness of gold is calculated in parts per thousand and refers to the proportion of gold present in the naturally occurring metal in the lode, which is actually a gold-silver alloy, containing usually about 10 parts per thousand of base metal and up to 500 parts perthousand of silver. A clear distinction should be made between fineness and gold-silver ratio. The latter refers to the total gold and silver in the lode as determined by assay and is usually expressed as the ratio Au:Ag. Only in deposits where other silver-bearingminerals are entirely absent, which occurs comparatively rarely, can the gold-silver ratio be used as a measure of gold fineness and, in many cases, the two have no relationship. For instance, in the Edie Creek area in New Guinea, the lodes formed under shallow epithermal conditions all carry gold 500 to 550 fine, although the gold-silver ratio ranges from 1:100 to 1:1, in places in adjacent lodes.Determination of Gold Fineness.The fineness of lode gold can be determined only after it has been separated from all other minerals. Amalgamation recovers gold fairly cleanly - unless native silver is present - and the fineness of amalgam bullion is generally a reliable indication of the correct fineness of the gold. If the use of plates is involved, the bullion may be adulterated, but the effect of any copper, or other metal, that may have been introduced can be cancelled by assuming that the gold and silver shouJrl add up to about 990 fine, or by ignoring the base metal content altogether, which varies little in naturally-occurring gold, and in calculating for comparison purposes all fineness figures to the basis Au + Ag = 1,000.The composition of bullion obtained from cyanidation is generally intermediate between the true gold fineness and the total gold-silver proportion as determined by assay of mine or mill-head samples of Cyanide solution dissolves other silver-bearing minerals and the fineness of the resulting bullion is thereby lowered. Consequently, the fineness of cyanide bullion rarely corresponds to the true gold fineness and is useless for diagnostic purposes, although it is a common fallacy to refer to the fineness of cyanide bullion as the fineness of the gold.

Jan 1, 1950

By R. R. Wells

An important activity of the Bureau of Mines is the continual search for new sources of minerals. As a part of the investigation of strategic mineral deposits in the United States, samples of mercury ores were submitted to the Ore Dressing sections of the Salt Lake City and Albany stations for metallurgical testing. This paper gives data summarizing the results obtained from laboratory beneficiation studies of mercury ore samples submitted during the period 1941 to 1947. Ores tested included three from Jackson County, Oreg., one from Valley County, Idaho, one from Storey County, Nev., and one from Sonoma County, Calif. In general, the ores from Oregon were not amenable to concentration by flotation because of intimate association of cinnabar with other minerals or because of extremely low grade. One Oregon ore was amenable to direct distillation provided lime was added to reduce corrosion of the retort.

Jan 1, 1950

By W. A. Grosh

The Bureau of Mines began a comprehensive investigation of the old lead diggings in the Wisconsin portion of the Upper Mississippi lead-zinc field in September 1947 to determine whether enough lead was present in shallow deposits to justify exploitation by modern open-pit methods. Because of the large number of areas of surface diggings, it was necessary to limit the investigation to only a few representative areas. Initial studies, therefore, included test pitting and hand auger-drill sampling at two sites n Grant County and one site in Lafayette County to determine whether further extensive sampling in that area was warranted. Results indicated that certain portions of the area contained substantial amounts of lead and, zinc; accordingly, more detailed sampling was undertaken, and the results will be described in a later report. Another phase of the general investigation was drilling and test pitting at the Nigger Jim Lafayette County. This 10 the third of the series and summarizes the work on the White property to develop the western extension of the Big Dick ere body, where four churn-drill holes totaling 679 feet were drilled. Inclusion of the White property in the study was justified because old reports indicated (1) production of ore from mines in the vicinity disclosed a high ratio of lead to zinc, (2) ore was present in the west heading of the Big Dick mine when it closed, and the attitude of the Big Dick ore body was such that a vertical hole would encounter ore that might be present.

Jan 1, 1950

By Fred V. Seibert

The Functions and the Responsibilities of the Institute The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy is unique. ln addition to the welfare of its members, it has a real interest in the welfare and promotion of one of Canada&apos;s largest and most important basic industries. It is because of this that the membership is composed of both individual and corporate members. The individual members are both technical and non-technical (Members and Associates). Both Members and Associates have the same status in the Institute and all are interested in the welfare of the mineral industry. The aims and objects of the Institute 11re twofold. The education and welfare of its individual members and the sound promotion and welfare of the mineral industry. Perhaps it might be well if we reviewed these aims and objects as stated in our Constitution: "First - To promote the arts and sciences connected with the economical production of valuable minerals and metals, by means of meetings for the reading and discu11ion of technical papers, and the subsequent distribution of such information as may be gained throo.gh the medium of publications". It cannot be denied that we have do ne a good job in this particular phase of our work. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement. It has been suggested that we might have more discussion and, on occasions, more criticism of our papers and programmes. This can best be done if the authors will have their papers prepared in sufficient time to permit of preprints being made availa1ble before the meeting at which they are to be presented.

Jan 1, 1950

By D. Weston

"IntroductionIn preserving this paper, the author would like to acknowledge the basic development work carried out by the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company of Canada, without whose initiative the development of the Aerofoll mill would not have been possible. In particular, he would like to pay tribute to the late Mr. C. T. Oughtred, Superintendent of Concentration for Cominco, whose vision and research-mindedness was the chief contributing factor in the carrying alo.ng of the original development.He would like also to acknowledge the help and co-operation of the staff of the Mines Branch, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa, without which the finalization of the un.it and its application would have been many additional years in coming to industry; and the assistance and encouragement given so freely by Mr. C. W. Dowsett, Consulting Metallurgical Engineer, Ventures Limited, and Professor A. M. Gaudin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology."

Jan 1, 1950

By H. E. Lee, P. C. Feddersen

Greenockite is the only known cadmium mineral of importance. It occurs rather universally, in minor concentrations, as a secondary mineral in sphalerite deposits. The world&apos;s cadmium output is obtained through the processing of metallurgical by-products, largely from the treatment of residues from electrolytic zinc, retort zinc and lithopone plants. These sources are supplemented by the processing of fumes from lead and copper smelting operations. The development of modern selective flotation practice in the decade 1920-1930, which permitted the economical mining of complex lead-zinc ores, resulted in significant increases in the quantities of cadmium entering lead smelting systems. Being closely related to zinc as to occurrence, properties and production, most detailed description of cadmium recovery methods are to be found recorded in connection with zinc metallurgy. Other than occasional articles pertaining to particular operational procedures, literature offers but little in the nature of a balanced survey of lead smelter cadmium recovery practices. While many of the basic operations described for the recovery of cadmium from zinc by-products are applicable to the treatment of lead plant products, the inherent problems involved differ widely. In general the cadmium content of related by-products from routine lead smelting operations is present in lower concentrations, exists in a less soluble state and is associated with both a greater quantity and a greater variety of detrimental impurities. To cope with these problems, lead smelter practices are found to follow the general outline: Preparatory Processing 1. Concentration operations 2. Sulphation operations Cadmium Plant Processing 1. Leaching operations 2. Purification operations 3. Sponge precipitation operations 4. Metal recovery operations 5. Refining and casting operations As in the case of related zinc plant operations, cadmium recovery practices at lead smelters are not standardized. They not only vary as to type, but also extent. Depending upon prevailing conditions, lead smelter cadmium operations range from simple concentration campaigns, for the purpose of sufficiently "up-grading" products for shipment elsewhere, to complete processing steps for the production of refined metal. Preparatory Processing The cadmium content of lead smelter receipts is low and, as a rule, proportionate to the zinc content; the usual range of cadmium contained being of the order of 0.01-0.05 pct. Were it not for the low boiling point of cadmium, such small concentrations would, no doubt, be lost in the large tonnages of slag, metal and other smelter end products. However, the ready volatility of cadmium and its compounds at prevailing lead smelting temperatures results in its concentration in fractional portions of fume collected. This collected fume comprises a circulating load within the smelter system. Thus, the cadmium content of blast furnace fume* increases with each successive circulation until an equilibrium value is reached when the sum of the cadmium losses, due to handling and in slag, waste gases and other end products, becomes equal to the intake as ore. With ore receipts averaging, say 0.03 pct cadmium, the concentration value obtainable, through fume circulation in a routine manner, approaches 10-12 pct. In such operations, cadmium concentrations in blast furnace fume of from 3-5 pct are readily .attainable. However, the concentration gain beyond this range, with each additional circulation, is progressively decreased as a result of mounting losses occurring through handling and in end products. Therefore, to avoid excessive cadmium loss and to enhance the ultimate concentration anttainable, it is customary practice to isolate blast furnace fume at some intermediate cadmium content for special concentration procedure. The most common type cadmium concentration "campaign" involves special smelting operations wherein a relatively high portion of blast furnace fume at 3—6 pct cadmium is incorporated into the sinter charge. This type practice is roughly illustrated by the diagram on p. 111. Cadmium fume collected from lead blast furnace operations is not amen-

Jan 1, 1950

In July 1946 President Truman approved the stock- piling act providing for the accumulation of stocks of strategic minerals in which this country is deficient. Congress also provided huge sums for the purchase of these materials to initiate the program. In order to meet anticipated stock pile goals it will be necessary for the United States to import very large quantities of 70 strategic materials, by far the largest items being minerals and metals. There are no priorities of relative importance in the list, as the lack of any single item may cause industry to fail in its part in national defense. Stock piles of material in a form as close as possible to the ultimate fabricated state represent not only the actual material physically on hand but also "canned" labor, transportation, smelting, refining, and all other steps. Central and South America, together with Canada and Newfoundland, in their normal capacity as sources of supply will be called upon to furnish a sizable pro- portion of the total requirements. No special measures should be arranged for this purpose; it will be more practical to make purchases in accordance with the availability of materials of desired quality, not by reference to geographic area. Much has been said in the past, and may be repeated in the future, concerning the desirability of hemispheric self-sufficiency-both from a resources and from a military security viewpoint. The mineral industries cannot favor the principle of eco-

Jan 1, 1950

By A. J. Kauffman Jr.

The Petrographic Section of the Bureau of Mines, Northwest Electrodevelopment Laboratory, Albany, Oreg., annually examines thousands of minerals and rocks. Samples are received from mining, engineers, prospectors, and government agencies, both State and Federal. During the past 2 years certain uncommon minerals have been identified in the samples submitted. Eleven occurrences have been selected for reporting in detail. These selections were made because in most cases a new locality is involved. The data reported are the result of application of the latest techniques, and widely disseminated references concerning each mineral have been added for completeness. Several occurrences have been described by other investigators; in those cases new data have been supplied to supplement the already published information on these occurrences. No uranium-bearing minerals have been included; they will be treated in another paper. The Bureau of Mines does not make chemical analyses or assays for individuals or firms In direct competition with private laboratories. Mineral¬ogical examinations, however, are made for prospectors and the general public. Such examinations a call surface to determine whether the sample in question has possible commercial value. If it has apparent value, the sender is so informed, and suggestions as to its .Arc, development and marketing are offered. The latest scientific apparatus is available to aid in identification. The apparatus includes microscopes, both wide-field and polarizing, a Bunsen-type spectroscope for visual observation of the Zinc and band spectra of many elements, differential thermal apparatus for the examination of hydrous material, apparatus for cutting and mounting either thin sections for study in transmitted or polished surfaces for reflected-light studies, and a high-intensity magnetic separator for concentrating minerals according to their magnetic susceptibility. Also, available, but not an integral part of the Section, are several laboratory-type Geiger counters, a grating spectrograph, and X-ray diffraction apparatus. If need be, all of these tools may be employed to identify a mineral or rock.

Jan 1, 1950