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By R. L. Marek

The number of persons fatally injured in the California petroleum industry in 1932 was 24, a decrease of 6, or 20 percent from the number killed in 1931. The decrease in the number of fatalities occurring in 1932 caused the fatality curve of the California petroleum industry to reach its lowest point in 10 years. Changing conditions in the oil industry - reduced personnel, decreased active field development, and curtailed production - have undoubtedly caused a part of this decrease, but continued accident-prevention efforts by the industry have also contributed to the reduction in the number of fatalities for 1932. The Bureau of Mines has analyzed and reported annually the fatalities in the California petroleum industry for a period of 10 years. Figure 1 shows the trend of fatal accidents during that period. Fatality statistics for 1932 show that the drilling and producing, pipe line and transportation, and refining and natural gasoline divisions of the industry had fewer accidents in 1932 than in 1931, sales and marketing being the only division that showed an increase over 1931. The number of fatalities by divisions for 1931 and 1932, percent of total, and percentages of increase and decrease are given in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1933

By Otis E. Perkins

This paper is one of a series being prepared for the United States Bureau of Mines to disseminate technical information retarding the methods used in mining nonmetallic minerals. The cost tabulations represent operating expenditures only and not total costs. It is recognized that publication of total costs might in many instances cause embarrassment to individual operators as well as to the industry as a whole. On the other hand, operating costs are essential to the technical discussion and study of the methods employed. The attention of the reader is specifically called to this differentiation in order that no misunderstanding of the scope of the cost tabulations shall ensue. This paper deals particularly with methods and costs of dredging, classifying materials, and transportation at the plant of the Ross Island Sand & Gravel Co. of Portland, Ore. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Harold Blake, general manager of the company, and of A. V. Kramer, cashier in charge of the plant office.

Jan 1, 1933

By Pierre Hines

THE. Owyhee Tunnels in eastern Oregon were started in the early part of 1930, and were completed early in 1932, with the excep-tion of the Magoffin contract. One tunnel is a large water tun-nel, and the other is a small water tunnel; each is approximately tour miles long. Modern equipment was used to full advantage, and remarkably fast time was made during the driving period. The ,J. F. Shea Co., con-tractors, of Portland, Oregon, have broken established records in the smaller tunnel. Their methods are described in detail. The time of a complete round has been reduced by intelligent handling of mechanical shoveling, and this article records some of the useful facts developed. Charles A. Shea (president of the J. F. Shea Co., and secretary of The Six Companies, Inc.) not only granted permission to publish this article, but placed the company's complete daily reports at the writer's disposal. These reports were made out to conform with previous records upon important tunnel work, and enable a comparison to be made of actual averages, rather than ideal cycles, or representative cycles. Gilbert Shea, present superintendent, has been helpful with time, criticisms, and corrections of the information presented. Morton S. Boss, superintendent during the first 15 months of the tunnel work, gave many hours of his time during two visits lasting over two weeks. The whole staff of the J. F. Shea Co. has given encouragement and assistance.

Jan 1, 1933

The American Association of Petroleum Geologists, P. 0. Box 1552, Tulsa, Okla. J. P. D. Hull, Business Manager. The official publication of this Association is the Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, issued monthly. It contains illustrated papers, maps, current notes, discussions, reviews and personals. Annual subscription is $15 ($15.40 outside the United States). Back numbers of the Bulletin, practically all of which are available, cost from $1.50 to $3 each; for several years back a uniform price of $1.50 each is charged.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. E. Gilmore

Introduction The Sydney coal-field extends for a distance of thirty miles along the northeastern coast of Cape Breton island. At a central focal point at the tip of the south arm of Sydney harbour, seven miles or so in from the Atlantic ocean, is the city of Sydney, with Port Morien to the southeast and Sydney Mines to the north . Mining centres along the ocean coast between these points include Birchgrove, Reserve, Glace Bay, and Waterford. The field is divided into three districts or 'basins', namely, Morien basin to the south, Glace Bay in the centre, and the Lingan-Sydney Mines basin to the northeast. The eastern and western portions of the latter are known as the Lingan and the Sydney Mines basins, respectively. Six distinct coal seams are described as existing in the Morien basin, nine in the Glace Bay basin, and six in both the Lingan and the Sydney Mines basin. Although known by different names in the several basins, a definite continuity of the seams has been established.

Jan 1, 1933

The sulphide ore occurring in the North Mine at Broken Hill is of a complex nature, consisting of an intimate mixture of argentiferous galena, marmatite (zinc-iron sulphide), and gangue minerals. A typical analysis of the ore is:Lead 15.2%Zinc 12.0%Iron 5.3%Manganese 0.8%Copper 0.1%Alumina 0.3%Lime 0.9%Sulphur 11.1%Insoluble 53.8%Carbon dioxide 0.3%Undetermined 0.2%Silver 9 oz. per tonTotal 100.0%The metallurgical practice for the recovery of the lead concentrate and zinc concentrate from the crude ore is briefly described in the following pages.(1) COARSE CRUSHING AND FINE GRINDING OF THE CRUDE OREThe crude ore from the mine, containing lumps to the size of, roughly, 10 in. x 8 in., is tipped over grizzlies with the bars spaced 3 in. apart; the oversize gravitating to a...

Jan 1, 1933

University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Mich. The publications of the various divisions of the University are issued by the Press A large number of scientific treatises and books are listed in the catalogue of the Press but only a few of them are of a nature to be given here. In the Scientific Series, vol 3 should be cited, The geology of the Netherland East Indies, by H A Brouwer; price, $3 plus 15 cents postage. Some of the volumes of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, also issued by the Press, contain papers on geology. Specifically:

Jan 1, 1933

By Ben E. Lindsly

The study of "bottom-hole samples follows in natural sequence the study of samples obtained under high pressures at the well heads of flowing wells. The principal object of this phase of gas-solubility research, started actively in January, 1930, was to gain a more accurate knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the oil-gas mixtures that exist in natural reservoirs.. In possession of actual data regarding the condition of the oil; the quantity of gas liberated from solution upon dimunition of pressure; and the relative volumetric proportions of gas to oil at various pressures throughout the flow string in a well, it should be possible to predict, with a fair degree of accuracy, That physical changes these mixtures would undergo throughout the life of a pool. Such information not only is important in designing flow strings in flowing Tells but is important also in solving problems relating to pumping efficiency and the power required for pumping. Although certain fundamental data were obtained in the study of samples taken at the well head, "bottom-hole" samples are more representative of subsurface mixtures of oil and gas because they are obtained at reservoir temperatures, and before the oil has had the opportunity of intermingling with extraneous gas; that is, gas which either was not in solution originally, or which was liberated from solution at higher pressure, and later became mixed with the original undissolved gas.

Jan 1, 1933

LOCATIONThe property of the Mount Isa Mines Ltd. is situated in Western Queensland, 603 miles by rail west of Townsville, the nearest seaport. All supplies and the bullion are railed between Mt. Isa and Townsville. The climate is semiarid, and operations are conducted throughout the year without difficulty.WATER SUPPLYThe mill make-up water is obtained from the mine, and also from Rifle Creek reservoir, which is situated 20 miles from Mount Isa. The domestic supply of water is obtained from a series of bores on the company's leases.POWER SUPPLYElectric power at 3300 volts, 3-phase, 50 cycles, is supplied from the company's steam power plant, consisting of two units, each unit comprising one Babcock & Wilcox boiler, supplying steam at 300 lb. pressure per sq: in. to one 5000 kW. turbo-alternator. Pulverized coal is used as fuel, and power is being generated at a cost of 0.45d. per kilowatt hour. The coal used is supplied from the State Coal Mine, Bowen, costing 42/- per ton delivered at Mt. Isa.

Jan 1, 1933

AMONG the fellow prospectors of Black Jack Newman, locator of the claims that became the Miami mine, were J. D. Coplen and Bud Woodson. Woodson was in the district when the Bloody Tanks Indian massacre occurred, near the present town of Miami. He was a prospector long before Jack Newman worked in a mine, and for years he had done assessment work on some of the claims that Coplen acquired for his Inspiration company. Woodson recalls that a Scotch geologist from Morenci once visited his claims; and that the geologist tried to get the Phelps Dodge company interested in the property, but without success. Coplen interested some people in Kansas City in his claims that lay west of Newman's. He induced them to organize the Inspiration Mining Co., and by 1908 this company controlled 23 claims, which had been prospected in desultory fashion by a series of adits. One of these, near the Keystone property, encountered some lean copper-bearing rock, but later development failed to disclose any substantial quantity of ore at this particular point. Coplen, as general manager, in September, 1908, was negotiating with several exploration companies which at the time were on the lookout for low-grade copper properties. As a matter of fact, when J. Parke Channing visited Globe, in December, 1906, F. C. Alsdorf showed him the Inspiration claims as well as Newman's. Channing evinced little interest in an option on Inspiration because he could get so much better terms from Newman. He decided to concentrate his work on the Newman claims, with the idea that if he were successful in developing ore, he could later get Inspiration on terms at least equally good. Subsequently, the United States Smelting & Refining Co., which has since added "Mining" to its corporate name, took an option on Inspiration.

Jan 1, 1933

By Andrew Stewart

The author desires to express appreciation to R. A. Cattell, C. T. Seibel, and H. S. Kennedy, of this Bureau, and to Dr. Richard Wiebe of the fixed nitrogen research laboratory, Department of Agriculture, for helpful criticism and comments in the preparation of this paper. More especially thanks are due to A A. Cattell for his many valuable constructive suggestions. INTRODUCTION From time to time, the Bureau of Mines receives inquiries from the non-technical public on the subject of helium. People ask for information concerning its properties; they want to learn Whence it is derived, how it is produced, and to what uses it may be put. In consequence, the following paper has been written to give in simple terms an account of this most remarkable of gases. It has been thought desirable for purposes of analogy to include reference to All the members of the group of elements to which helium belongs, and, incidentally, to embody in the narrative certain other information pertinent to the subject.

Jan 1, 1933

Since 1571, when the Institute was founded, many of the most important papers in the English language, on the various phases of mining and metallurgy, have appeared as Institute publications. As members of the Institute regularly receive the publications in which they are interested, this discussion is primarily for nonmembers who wish to know of them. The Institute has several means of issuing papers which have been submitted and accepted. The monthly journal, Mining and Metallurgy, is the magazine of the Institute. In it appear notices and reports of official business as well as many papers and contributions which do not appear otherwise. The annual subscription price of the magazine to nonmembers is $3 per year; Canadian and foreign postage $1 extra; single copies 50 cents; back issues $1 each. Many papers are published separately each year. They are issued in one or the other of two numbered series; namely, Technical Publications and Contributions, and of the latter there are four forms: Preprints, Mimeographs, Reprints, and Unpublished Manuscripts. A Technical Publication or Contribution (in any form) is issued by the Institute when it is listed in Mining and Metallurgy. Technical Publications are sent automatically to members who have asked in advance for papers on a given subject. All members are entitled to a copy of every paper in either series, except when a Contribution is an Unpublished Manuscript. Con¬tributions in the form of Unpublished Manuscripts are filed in the Engineering Societies Library and copies of some of these papers may be found in a few selected libraries throughout the country.

Jan 1, 1933

Iowa Geological Survey, Des Momes, Ia. George F. Kay, State Geologist A list of publications will be sent upon request Most of the papers of the Survey have been published in the Annual Reports, issued since 1892. Separates of the many papers in the Reports may be had for postage, except where they are out of print, and except for vol 1 (1892), 2 (1894) and 14 (1903), where no separates are to be had. Thirty-five Annual Reports have been issued up to and including vol 35 (1929). A charge, plus postage, is made for vols, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 28 and 33, others will be sent free upon request, plus postage on from 2 to 6 pounds Space prohibits giving more than a general picture of some of the contents; vols 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20, 27, 32, contain, among others, papers on the geology of Iowa, by counties Vol. 19 (1908), 6 lb , contains a number of papers dealing with the peats and coals of Iowa, and has bibliographies of those subjects Vol 22 (1912), 6 lb , contains an annotated bibliography of Iowa geology Vol-24 (1913), 6 lb , contains the analyses of 16 Iowa coals Vol 28 (1917, 1918), price $1 50, 4 lb , completely covers the subject of gypsum in Iowa, and has a bibliography of the sub¬ject. Each volume carries an administrative report and a review of mineral production for the period covered In addition, Technical Paper 2 (1930), Studies of Iowa coals, will be sent free upon request Also a geological map of Iowa, and maps of Iowa showing the distribution of the glacial drift sheets throughout the state, have been issued and are available

Jan 1, 1933

By S. Power Warren

Introduction It is generally conceded by flotation men that the condition at the surface of a particle of mineral or gangue is the most important factor controlling its behaviour in a flotation cell. Much research work has been devoted to the study of the forces that are active at the surface of the particle and of the effect of the surrounding solution upon these forces. Study of the relationship between mineral or gangue particles and gas bubbles indicates that, in the main at least, flotation is a physical phenomenon. The important factor, that of mineral-gas-bubble attachment, is unquestionably physical; however, modifications may be effected by chemical means, whereby the nature either of the surface of the particle or of the surrounding solution may be changed. For example, the coating of lead sulphide that forms on lead-carbonate ore particles when sodium sulphide is added greatly aids the flotation of the carbonate particles. Without going into the question as to why, under certain surface conditions, mineral particles will attach themselves to gas bubbles whereas under other conditions they will remain unaffected, it may be stated that there are three general conditions in a flotation pulp which control the attachment of the particle and the gas bubble.

Jan 1, 1933

Bakelite is fairly widely known as a suitable material for the mounting of ore specimens, concentrates and tailings for microscopical study, but has not as yet had extensive application. It is the most suitable mount for specimens which are to be held in the mechanical holder of a polishing machine, based on that described by J. W. Vanderbilt*, which is installed in the Geological Department of the Melbourne University.Bakelite products are prepared by subjecting bakelite powder to a temperature of about 1600 C. under a pressure of approximately two tons per square inch for a period of four minutes. The shape and size of the products are governed by the use of suitably constructed dies. When the concentrate or tailing is mixed with the bakelite powder, a briquette is produced which can be polished so that the opaque minerals in the sample can be examined microscopically in the same way as in a piece of solid ore. A simple machine for the construction of these briquettes has been described by Head and Slavin. It consists of a small four-pillar press in which the pressure is supplied by...

Jan 1, 1933

Engineering Experiment Station, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark. W N Gladson, Dean and Director The Engineering Experiment Station has published a number of bulletins, only a few of which are of particular interest in this directory: Bulletin 3, Arkansas coal or oil for domestic heating; 4, Road materials of Arkansas, 5, A study of Arkansas coals, 6, Portland cement materials in Arkansas; 11, Natural gas versus Arkansas coal for house heating. Circular 3, Short cuts to combustion efficiency with natural gas Address the Engineering Experiment Station for any of these publications.

Jan 1, 1933

By A. B. Parsons

When the Seeley W. Mudd Memorial Fund was established in. 1929 the donors mentioned certain types of projects to which preference might be given in selecting those to he financed by the income from the Fund. One suggestion. was that the projects "be of particular benefit to young engineers." This modest little book meets this specification most aptly. It seeks to guide the engineer-particularly the young one-with the least loss of time and effort to the most convenient source of authentic information regarding any topic in which he may at the moment be interested. Knowing the best place to find the literature on a subject is almost as valuable-and far more practicable-than maintaining a library of one's own large enough to provide the information.

Jan 1, 1933

University of Washington, Engineering Experiment Station, Seattle, Wash For bulletins and reports address the Director. Of the many Bulletins and two Reports issued by the Engineering Experiment Station the following are of most direct interest in this directory:

Jan 1, 1933

By W. P. Haynes

No wildcat operations are recorded from France during the past year, and no new discoveries have been made. In northern Africa, in Morocco, some prospecting continued in the Gharb and Tselfat regions. Only very small production or shows were found. At the close of the year one cable-tool well (depth 400 meters) was drilling in the Tselfat district, and one rotary well in the Gharb. In Tunisia one well was drilling at Sloughia. Refinery building has been active under the new petroleum law, no less than six plants now being under construction. At Pechelbronn, it is estimated 130 wells were drilled, of which 73 wells, or 56 per cent, were productive. Total drilling was 45,000 m. One new Jurassic horizon was discovered. In the mining area approximately 17,500 m. of new gallery were driven. Production at Pechelbronn for the first nine months was as follows: From wells, 233,013 bbl.; from mines, 164,815 bb1.—a total estimated production for the year of 532,000 bbl. Production at Gabian was 3780 bbl. for the year. In Algeria production from Tliouanet was small, being estimated at 6510 bbl. This production is from Helvetian sands (Miocene) around a salt plug. Italy Production for the year was 211,500 bbl., an increase of 62 per cent over that of last year. Drilling to the extent of 97,000 ft. was done mainly by the A. G. I. P., the government company in the Province of Emilia. More locations are being tested in this area, where geophysical results have shown indications of buried uplifts. Oil has been encountered on two of these structures, at Fontevivo and Podenzano, but the wells have given trouble with salt water. The chief producer is the Societa Petrolifera Italiana at Salsomaggiore and Valezza. The production is from sand lenses at relatively shallow depths. New concessions of 2000 hectares were granted at several points in the Po Valley, and geophysical work is being carried on. The A. G. I. P. is working on a five-year program of exploration to test new areas.

Jan 1, 1933

By Walter Miller

Any review of the engineering progress made in 1932 in the petroleum refining industry must necessarily be broad and general, improvements having been made in practically all major branches of this activity. Several factors contributed to an advancement on a wide front, much of it coming from those active in refining, considerable from those not, immediately in it but engaged in designing and installing equipment and maintaining large and capable staffs of experts in both engineering and development work. Another factor has been the ability of the refiner, because of less than capacity operation, to carry on experimental and development work in regular plant equipment. The movement to higher antiknock value gasoline has continued through 1932, and the average improvement of the more widely sold branded gasolines is from 3 to 4 points higher in the octane scale. A very great improvement was brought about during the year in the method of determining the octane number of gasoline. While the procedure and equipment for determining this value as developed by the Cooperative Fuel &search Steering Committee prior to 1932 had received fairly general acceptance, evidence that it did not always evaluate in a measure consistent with road performance quickly accumulated, and led to further effort to synchronize laboratory results with actual use. As the result of some really brilliant work on the part of the C.F.R. Committee and a large number of collaborators, it was found that a comparatively minor modification of the previously developed equipment and method gave surprisingly concordant results between laboratory tests and trial per-formance on the road. This method has been officially accepted by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Petroleum Institute, and will according to present plans go into general use on April 1, 1933. The American Society for Testing Materials has studied the method but at the time of writing this had not reached a final decision regarding it. Improved Volatility of Gasoline The most notable trend during the year, in addition to a very considerable increase in antiknock value referred to above, has been in the

Jan 1, 1933