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By A. G. Suydam

Ancient as is the art of producing copper, so ancient is one of its eternal problems: refractories. Looking backward, in the light of present knowledge, clouded though it be, one cannot avoid a sense of profound respect for the patience, acumen and courage of those who have wrought so successfully despite difficulties, a more accurate understanding of which seems merely to accentuate. The problem of refractories arises from the necessity for constructing containers in which to bring natural ores into thermal solution in order to effect reduction and separation of the valuable metal content and free it of undesirable contamination while producing a waste slag. The very forces known to produce thermal solution of sufficient liquidity are necessarily destructive of exposed refractory linings in proportions varying inversely with thermal conductivity, directly with the porosity and ease of fluxing of the refractories used, and directly with the temperatures employed. Beyond this, mechanical forces are set up within the refractory lining incident to rapid heating or cooling, shrinkage at high temperatures, and unequal or excessive loading, that frequently pass the elastic limit, causing spalling or distortion. The effects of these forces are often accentuated by the necessity of providing at the same time as hot a bath and as cool a container as are consistent with fuel economy. Evolution in the Use of Refractories Clay Brick.—Fireclay and clay refractories had to yield wherever they were in contact with slags rich in basic oxides, first because of the combining power of those oxides with free silica and secondly because of the tendency of alumina to form either aluminates or alumina-silicates of varying complexity. Of no less importance, the incipient fusion point was low as compared with good clay brick of today, while the brick lacked strength at high temperatures. Expansion was slight, therefore it was difficult to make and maintain tight walls, roof, or bottom. However, the spalling tendency was low because of some of these properties and clay brick have retained their place in roasting furnaces, boiler furnace linings, and in the upper walls of some of the reverberatory types such as some refining, anode and wire-bar furnaces. They have served often and most efficiently for hot patching.

Jan 1, 1934

By Laurence C. Hicks

Consideration of the past work on the subject of the diffusion of chromium into iron suggested that additional information might be given by the use of X-ray spectroscopy in following the concentration changes through the diffusion zone. Grube and Fleischbeinl packed rods of electrolytic iron in a mixture of alumina and chromium. These specimens were heated in an atmosphere of purified hydrogen for varying lengths of time. After treatment the specimens were examined metallographically and showed the usual structure, consisting of a border of radially oriented columnar grains ending in a sharp boundary line. Reference is made to the fact that etching with certain reagents will attack only the material inside the border of columnar growth and also to the fact that polishing seems to develop a ridge at the position of the boundary between the etched and unetched areas. By chemical analysis of thin layers turned off on a precision lathe, the authors were able to obtain depth-concentration curves. These curves, reproduced in Fig. 1, show that in most cases a pronounced change of slope occurs, corresponding to the position of the boundary of the columnar grains. In a laler paper Grube extends his work to other systems which show the same characteristics.~ He concludes that the reason for the break in the curve is that a hindrance of diffusion occurs at the place where the regularly oriented grains of the diffusion zone meet the random grains of the interior portion, on the assumption that the diffusion velocity in one direction in a grain may be greater than in another direction, and that the grains in the diffusion zone orient themselves so as to give the maximum diffusion rate. Kel1ey" points out that Grube has failed to note that the boundary line does not consistently cross all grains and

Jan 1, 1934

Jan 1, 1934

By W. B. Boggs, J. N. Anderson

An account of the operation of the Noranda smelter covering the period from December, 1927, when the smelter started, until December, 1929, was given in a paper published by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy early in 1930.' The object of the present paper is to review matters of interest in the original paper and to describe the present construction and operation of the smelter, with particular reference to the reverberatory-furnace practice. The Noranda smelter was built by Noranda Mines, Ltd., from the designs of A. E. Wheeler, consulting metallurgist of New York, for the reduction of ores and concentrates from the Horne mine and to treat, on a custom basis, ores and concentrates from other mines in the Rouyn district. The smelter is at Noranda, about 330 miles directly north of Toronto. Construction work was started in June, 1926, and copper was first produced in December, 1927. The smelter was built throughout as two duplicate units, each with a rated capacity of 500 tons of ore per day. Operations were started with one unit and after several months it was found that one unit alone could smelt 1000 tons of ore a day. At that time there was only one hoisting shaft, No. 3, and its hoisting capacity and the capacity of the original crushing plant were insufficient to supply ore for the two units at the increased tonnage. Accordingly No. 4 shaft was sunk and a new crushing plant provided to handle the ore hoisted there. Operating two units at capacity also required the installation of two more converters to treat the additional quantity of matte produced. This work was completed in the latter part of November, 1929, and since then both smelter units have been operating continuously. In 1928, a mill to treat 500 tons a day of concentrating ore was completed. Since then the concentrator capacity has been increased twice, and at present 2000 tons a day of ore are being concentrated. The layout of the surface plant of the mine, concentrator and smelter is shown in Fig. 1 and the general plan in Fig. 2. The smelter is shown in more detail in Fig. 3. The original hoisting shaft, No. 3, is now used only for handling men, supplies and waste rock, and the original crushing

Jan 1, 1934

Jan 1, 1934

By K. Heindlhofer

ESTIMATES of the "plasticity" of a metal are commonly deduced from three types of test-tensile, torsion and impact. The several results have been more or less at variance, though this disparity has attracted little notice, largely perhaps because they have been expressed in different terms. The discrepancy between the results of the three tests becomes obvious when each is made at a series of low temperatures, for the temperature range within which the "plasticity" of iron largely disappears proves to be very different in the three types of test. The rather abrupt disappearance of "plasticity" of iron within a narrow temperature range cannot be due to any physicochemical change (such as a precipitation) taking place in the material at that time, because the original plasticity is immediately regained when the temperature of the material is brought above the sensitive range. Accordingly this differ-ence in behavior shows that the "plasticity" of a metal depends upon the mode of action of the stresses which produce the deformation, and there-fore upon the method of test. Analysis of the stresses leads to the conclusion that the observed plasticity of a metal is determined by the relation between its resistance to rupture by separation and its resistance to shear (slip), on the one hand, and between the effective normal and shearing stresses on the other; and that the relation between the two resistances does not in general remain constant with change of temperature, and may somehow be altered to some extent by the previous treatment of the specimen. This suggests the view that the results of none of the usual mechanical tests are directly comparable even for a single metal tested at a series of tem-peratures, or for a series of metals at one temperature, because the propor-tion of the total resistance of the metal to the test contributed by the

Jan 1, 1934

By H. A. Pearse

Introduction This paper may be regarded as another instalment of the story of the Britannia milling operation. From time to time in the past, articles (1) have been prepared by various members of the staff, giving details of crushing, grinding, and flotation treatment for the normal Britannia ore. It is not, therefore, the purpose of the present paper further to discuss what may be termed the standard milling operation, but rather to describe a flotation practice which has been evolved directly as a result of the general depression. The normal Britannia ore mixture contains chalcopyrite and pyrite as the main sulphide minerals, together with minor gold and silver values. The standard milling practice, evolved during several years of experimentation, provided for bulk flotation of the two sulphides after primary grinding to only approximately 35-mesh, followed by regrinding of the bulk concentrate, with subsequent separation of the chalcopyrite and pyrite to make a marketable concentrate of each mineral. However, in the face of a constantly increasing surplus of copper on the world markets and a steadily falling price during 1930 and 1931, it was obviously undesirable to continue producing large quantities of this metal at a loss. On the other hand, Company officials were very reluctant to add to unemployment by closing down entirely, provided operations could be continued without excessive losses. Fortunately, the existence was known of a fair sized body of ore, quite low in copper and relatively high in zinc content, with also a very considerably higher gold value than that prevailing in other sections of the mine.

Jan 1, 1934

Jan 1, 1934

By Otto Henry

THE purpose of this investigation was to determine the equilibrium diagram of the lithium-magnesium pair as a first step in studying the possible usefulness of these alloys as ultra-light structural materials. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The behavior of lithium towards magnesium was first investigated by Masing and Tammann.(I)? In order to prevent oxidation the alloys were made in iron tubes under an atmosphere of hydrogen; temperatures were measured with a glass-protected thermocouple. These investigators found that lithium and magnesium form two series of solid solutions separated by a miscibility gap between 85 and 95 per cent magnesium; that the alloys with 81 and 95 per cent magnesium showed a homogeneous structure under microscopic examination, while the alloy with 89 per cent magnesium contained two distinguishable crystallites; that the curve indicating the beginning of crystallization rises from the melting point of lithium to that of magnesium; and that no compounds of lithium and magnesium are formed. The equilibrium diagram was not plotted because no definite data were obtained for determining the solidus and the posi-tion of the miscibility gap in the solid state. The difficulties encountered in this investigation were: (1) that it was necessary to heat them as high as the melting point of magnesium in order to obtain homogeneous melts; at such temperatures the alloys attacked the glass protecting the thermo-couple; and (2) that at temperatures above 400° C. the lithium united

Jan 1, 1934

At its meeting on February 21, 1933, the Board of Directors passed the following resolution defining and expressing the policy of the Institute with respect to official participation or action in controversial matters: WHEREAS, the Board of Directors at its last meeting passed the following resolution : "The Board of Directors, having been appealed to by several Local Sections for advice concerning the attitude and policy of the Institute relating to the endorsement of candidates for public office, the following statement of policy is formulated;

Jan 1, 1934

By R. A. Wagstaff

The method of charging a reverberatory furnace has changed many times since smelting was introduced in this country from the old smelters of Swansea, England. The cause of the latest change at the Garfield plant has been the excessive fineness of the charge due to fine grinding in the concentration of the crude copper ores. The many desirable features of deep-bath smelting as now used at Garfield have been proved. The old method of dropping the charge through holes in the arch (known as center-feed method) causes excessive dusting which makes heavy slag and flue-dust losses, also rapid deterioration of the silica brickwork of the furnace through fusion with the iron oxides from the dust. The purpose of this paper is to describe a gun feeder that was designed to overcome the disadvantages of the older methods of center feeding and still maintain the good features of deep-bath smelting with the hot finer charge. A gun feeder was designed to introduce the finely divided hot calcines under the moving gas stream of the combustion zone and still have them spread in a uniform blanket over the highly heated matte bath. The temperature of the furnace was so great that it was impossible to maintain a stationary feeder, so a movable feeder was designed that could be introduced into the highly heated zone and be withdrawn after the charge had been dropped. It was necessary to protect the nozzle of the gun with a water-cooled coil. Many different types of protected nozzles were tried, such as air jackets, water jackets and heat-resisting steel alloys, but none proved satisfactory. The angle of inclination of the feeder was found to be an important factor in spreading the charge evenly over the surface of the bath. An angle of 34" to 37" was found to be the most advantageous. To allow a continuous flow of ore from the charge car to the point of discharge inside the furnace, the feeder was made with telescopic connections. The pipe leading from the car is stationary and forms the inside part of the telescope. The outside section of the telescope is movable, and is

Jan 1, 1934

By T. W. Harris

This paper was written in conjunction with the work being undertaken by the Technical Committees on Classification of Coal, and an effort has been made to compile information relative to the use of coal for stationary steam generation in order to use this information to assist the Committee on Classification of Coal for the ultimate purpose of elimination of losses both by the reduction of individual effort and waste in the consumption of material. Under the auspices of the National Association of Purchasing Agents, a questionnaire was drawn up to develop this information from stationary steam plants throughout the United States in order to consolidate the information developed from the many hundreds of boiler tests on coals consumed by various coal-burning equipment. These questionnaires covered: 1. The company reporting, location and method of delivery to the plant. 2. Complete coal data, including description of coals used (with sufficient space to include first, second and third preference) on source of coal used, complete analysis and factors affecting choice of coal used. 3. Plant data, divided into: (a,) hand-fired, (b) overfeed stokers, (c) underfeed stokers, (d) traveling grate stokers, (e) pulverized coal; and included complete description of furnace data, draft data, coal-burning rate, type of stoker, type of pulverizer, efficiency data and remarks. The questionnaire was drawn up by consultation with various combllstion engineers, including B. J. Cross, Test Engineer of the Combustion Engineering Co., W. H. Fulweiler, of the United Gas Improvement Co. and the U. S. Bureau of Mines. In all, 11,538 copies of the questionnaire have been distributed, of which 4369 were sent in duplicate. Our estimate of the total volume of bituminous coal consumed in stationary steam boilers over the 12 months of 1930 is approximately

Jan 1, 1934

By August J. Breitenstein, W. Spencer Hutchinson

The outstanding engineering accomplishment of the last three decades has been the development and application of more and cheaper power and its use instead of the labor of men and animals. Substitution of power for manual labor has taken effect on every hand in the United States. With the aid of energy mechanically available to his hand, one man does the work that only a few years ago required two, three or even a greater number of laborers. The results in respect to the favorable economic effects are well known; namely, increased production, higher wages and lower costs. On the other hand, the vast social effects, both good and bad, have been none the less important, even if less understood and only casually regarded. The chief sources of energy today are the mineral fuels, coal and petroleum. In the United States they yield more than 90 per cent of the total energy demand. Thirty years ago the proportion of energy supplied by the mineral fuels was likewise above 90 per cent, but the division according to origin was very different. These relations are shown for the years 1900, 1930 and 1950 in Table 1. Method or Preparation and Interpretation of Statistical Data The fuels comprised in this study are: (1) the coal group including both bituminous and anthracite coal; (2) the petroleum group, taking in not only petroleum but natural gas and natural-gas gasoline. Natural gas for many years has been used in localities relatively near the wells but statistics were found no earlier than 1910. Demand has rapidly

Jan 1, 1934

By T. L. McCall

THE late Walter Herd1 in 1929 gave a full description of past and present conditions in No. 2 mine, Springhill, Nova Scotia, developed theories regarding the cause of these bumps and made certain suggestions regarding possible methods of future development. Recapitulating briefly from Mr. Herd's paper, the seam is bituminous coal, averages 9 ft. in thickness and has a well defined parting containing fusain about 14 in. from the roof. This roof coal is somewhat stronger than the rest of the seam and has a tendency to cling to the roof. The pitch of the seam where it is now being worked is about 20°. The first manifestations of bumps began when the room and pillar workings had reached a depth of cover of 1900 ft. and under continuously increasing depth of cover these bumps increased to such an extent, both in number and severity, that in the year 1924 it became apparent that some change in the system of extraction was necessary. After closely studying all the factors involved and benefiting largely by valuable out-side advice obtained by the Provincial Department of Mines of Nova Scotia,2 the system of working was changed from room and pillar to longwall retreating. Mr. Herd's paper described in detail three remarkable bumps in the year 1928 in April, July and October that affected the 5700-ft. and 5900-ft. East levels, the last bump being so severe both in intensity and in extent of damage done that this district was abandoned. The longwall workings to the west of the slope had been stopped in the year 1926 owing to an inbreak of water, coming from the flooded waste of No. 3 seam lying some 400 ft. vertically overhead. This inflow was not excessive, but a large quantity of water being impounded in the old workings it was considered advisable to take the prudent course and not incur the risk of possibly increasing the flow by further working. This district has remained idle ever since.

Jan 1, 1934

By C. R. Austin

IN a recent paper1 the authors presented information on a refinement of the Rohn type of creep test with data on pure iron that exemplified the behavior of the apparatus. The present paper extends that work to nickel and cobalt and to the examination of the comparative high-temperature properties of two widely used commercial alloys. Careful attention has been given to the effect of plastic deformation in decreas-ing creep rate, using the elementary metals iron, nickel and cobalt for purposes of analysis. In any, endeavor to develop new materials for high-temperature service one soon encounters a real problem as to the sort of test to be employed in evaluating the commercial possibilities of the alloys. At one time it was considered satisfactory to determine the tensile strengths at elevated temperatures and to use these values as a criterion for the commercial application of the alloys. More recently the proportional limit has been used as a means of classification. Data obtained from a form of bend test has also shown promise as providing a "merit index" of high-temperature serviceability.2 Koerber and Pomp3 state that since the influence of testing time is small, the high-temperature yield point of steel furnishes sufficiently reliable and concordant values up to about 350° C. (and a maximum of

Jan 1, 1934

By O. B. Hopkins

There was no noteworthy development in the oil industry in Peru during 1933 and all activities were restricted to the producing fields. The output of the country increased above that of previous years but there still remained a substantial shut-in production at the close of the year. The total production during 1933 is estimated at 13,259,891 bbl., of which the International Petroleum Co., Ltd. contributed 11,205,-362 bbl. A relatively small amount of new drilling was undertaken during the year. The International completed only one new well although a number of the old producers were reworked and deepened. Comments on Tables There are four oil districts in Peru, as shown in Table 1, although only three of these are now being operated. The exhausted Pirin field was abandoned eight years ago. La Brea-Parinus.—The La Brett-Parinas fields are on the property of the International Petruleum Co., Ltd. in the westernmost part of Peru. These fields include a number of producing districts that are defined by complex fault blocks associated with anticlinal folds. Data covering all the items listed in the table are not available on these fields but can perhaps be supplied in part in the future. Lobitos and Restin.—These two fields belong to the Lobitos Oilfields Limited and are near the coast, 10 to 20 miles north of the La Brea-Parinas fields. According to the Department of Mines and Petroleum of Peru, 311 wells at Lobitos and 197 at Restin had been drilled to the end of 1927. Since that date there has been enough drilling to increase moderately these figures. The depth of wells is not available but it is believed that their average depth is slightly greater than in the La Brea-Parinas area. The productive horizons are of Eocene age. zorritos.—The Zorritos field is the northernmost in Peru and is operated by the Establecimiento Industrial de Petroleo de Zorritos. The field is on the coast about 70 miles north of Lobitos. The number of wells drilled in this field to the end of 1927 was 343, according to the Department of Mines and Petroleum of Peru. The depths of these wells are reported to range from 300 to 700 ft. The largest wells do not produce

Jan 1, 1934

By P. D. I. Honeyman, P. A. Faust

At the Miami plant of the International Smelting Co., Inspiration, Ariz., there are four reverberatory furnaces, all 120 ft. long. At present only one of these furnaces is in operation. It is operated as a wet-charge furnace, the charge being distributed for about 65 ft. down the furnace length. Usually this charge contains about 12 per cent moisture and runs 25 per cent sulfur, of which there is eliminated in the furnace from 25 to 30 per cent. The furnace is oil-fired, the fuel being burned in a battery of Cananea-type, low-pressure burners. The flame is kept short and conditions so adjusted as to obtain complete combustion within the furnace. The average furnace draft, taken through the verb arch, amounts to only 0.02 in. of H2O. Draft is purposely kept low to cut down infiltration through the flues and boiler settings, and control dampers are regulated to maintain this uniform condition throughout the charging as well as the smelting period. Hot gases discharge from the furnace uptake through a common header flue to the waste-heat boilers. The general layout and dimensions of the plant are shown in Fig. 1. Four Stirling boilers, two of class M-26 (713 hp.) and two class M-31 (850 hp.), serve the furnace. Three usually are sufficient to take care of normal operation, the fourth boiler being used as a spare when necessary. The distribution of hot gases to the various boilers is regulated by the dampers in the boiler exit flues. Normally the boilers closest to the furnace uptake would evaporate more water than do those farther away, but dampers are regulated so as to distribute fairly well the load between the several boilers. Steam from the waste-heat plant is delivered to the adjoining power house of the Inspiration company, where it is used both in the Nordberg blowing engines and for electrical generation. Steam pressures and temperatures recorded are those in the main power-plant header and are thus inclusive of all losses in about 500 ft. of 10-in. line. Steam for smelter heating and auxiliary use is taken from the main waste-heat header, is reduced to 125 lb. and distributed through separate lines. Boiler feed water is supplied by the power plant and consists of returned condensate, augmented to a large extent by make-up water

Jan 1, 1934

By F. C. Greene

Development work in western Missouri was continuous during 1933, owing to the shallow depths at which production is obtained and the low operating costs. Unfortunately, no statistics covering the total production of oil and gas during the year are available. No new oil-producing pools were opened in 1933, but the Knoche area in 1.46 N., R.33 W., Cass County, was extended. There are probably less than 100 producing oil wells, all in Cass and Jackson counties, with a combined production of possibly around 150 bbl. daily. Several new gas areas were developed and there were several extensions of old areas, in 1933. Production was extended north by an entirely new pool—the Hammond pool, north of Plattsburg in Clinton Co. (sec. 18, T.55 N., R.31 W., and sec. 13, T.55 N., R.32 W.) where 13 wells were completed, the largest producing 2,332,000 cubic feet. In the Bartle and Marshall pool in secs. 3-4-9-10, T.47 N., R.33 W., Jackson County, four wells opened a new area. The largest well was 1,000,000 cubic feet. There were some small extensions near Independence, Jackson County. Two wells of about 300,000 cu. ft. were completed at a depth of 700 ft. in Kansas City and in a deeper sand than is usually productive. The Shaler area, in secs. 27-34, T.44 N., R.33 W. in Cass County, was extended with several wells, the largest of which was 300,000 cubic feet. The production in the pools mentioned is obtained chiefly from the Henrietta and Cherokee formations of the Pennsylvanian age.

Jan 1, 1934

Herewith are transmitted the joint report of the Treasurer and Finance Committee for 1934 and the reports for the same year of the Chairmen of the following Committees: Admissions, Membership, Papers and Publications, Library, and MINING AND METALLURGY. TO these reports you are referred for details of the year's activities. Finances.-Income for 1934 from all sources totalled $134,967 com- pared with $121,689 in 1933. The increase is accounted for principally by four items: $6000 increase in initiation fees and dues of new members; $1800 in current dues; $4000 in "back" dues; and $2800 in the sale of publications, including TRANSACTIONS volumes and technical papers in the form of "separates." In passing, it may be remarked that income from back dues during 1935 will be less than in 1934, for the obvious reason that the total amount of dues in arrears has shrunk and consequently there is less to draw from. Income from

Jan 1, 1934

The Subcommittee on Manganese, of the A.I.M.E. Committee on Industrial Preparedness, prepared under date of Jan. 24, 1924, for and at the request of the War Department, a confidential report on manganese as an element in the problem of national defense. This report was later released and published, in slightly modified form, as a separate pamphlet. After the lapse of eight years, in view of the vital position of manganese in the problem of industrial preparedness agenist a war emergency, the War Department made a request to have the onclusions of 1924 reviewed and brought up to date. To comply wi' this request the manganese subcommittee was reconvened and ex' tive studies were once more made of the entire subject of mang? . A new report, with specific recommendations, was submitted + War Department in February, 1932. This second report, with 4. L specific conclusions and recomrnendations expressed to the War Department omitted, has now been released and is hereby published. Following a rather brief discussion of uses of manganese and classification of manganese ores, requirements and sources are dealt with at some length. Domestic ferro-grade reserves are estimated on the basis of price and are shown by means of a curve where tons of metallic manganese are plotted cumulatively against prices ranging from 50¢ to $1.00 per unit; thereby indicating at a glance the tonnage which the Committee believes would become commercially available at any particular price per unit. Foreign sources of ore are described and foreign prices which the domestic producer must meet are considered. The question of a war-emergency reserve is then analyzed, requirements are balanced against apparent resources, and the principal conclusion that emerges is that a war reserve or stockpile is still vital to national defense.

Jan 1, 1934