Search Documents

By W. L. Dumoulin

A RATHER detailed description of the entire plant and leaching process was given in a paper recently presented to the Institute,1 so this paper will cover briefly only the crushing practice of the New Cornelia Copper Co. for the year, 1918. The ore, which is mined by steam shovels and loaded in side-dump cars, passes through two crushing plants. These crushing plants were constructed to crush the ore required by a leaching plant of 5000 tons daily, capacity, during a crushing period of 16 hours. The primary plant reduces to less than 3 in. (76 mm.) and the secondary plant, to ¼ in. (6.35 mm.), which is sufficiently fine for satisfactory percolation of solution through the ore in the leaching tanks, and to give good extraction. The ore is then conveyed to the leaching tanks by a system of 28-in.. (71-cm.) belt conveyors. On the way to the leaching tanks, it passes through an automatic sampling plant, where a 1-per cent. sample is taken. From the primary crushing plant, the ore is conveyed by two 36-in. (91-cm.) belt conveyors to a 10,000-ton steel storage bin, with a reinforced-concrete flat bottom. The ore discharges from the bottom of this bin onto four 20-in. belt conveyors, which deliver it to the four units of crushers in the secondary crushing plant. There is no storage bin between the mine and the primary crushing plant. The ore breaks very coarse, is very hard, and contains a great many boulders, some as large as 4 ½ by 4 1/2 by 10 ft. (1.3 by 1.3 by 3 m.). Jams form in the bowl of the coarse crusher in the primary crushing plant, as a consequence, and are freed by means of an immense steel hook operated from a 40-ton electric traveling crane.

Jan 8, 1919

The movement for Federal endowment of engineering and industrial research was revived early in the present Congress by the introduction of two bills into the Senate. The first bill, introduced by Senator Smith of Georgia, provides for the establishment of an engineering experiment station in each state under the direction of and in connection with some university, engineering school, or land-grant college. The state legislature of each state is authorized to designate the institution best equipped to conduct the work but wherever the land-grant college has facilities approximately equal to those of the other institutions of the state, it shall be designated. All designations of institutions are made subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to secure practical uniformity of methods, and efficiency and economical expenditure of funds by indicating such lines of work as shall seem to him important from a military; naval, industrial or national standpoint, but the responsibility for the initiation and conduct of research shall rest with the individual engineering experiment stations. Uniform standards of research are further provided for by making each experiment station a depository of the Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Standards, and the work of each station shall conform to the standards established by the U. S. Government through said bureau, which may whenever practicable utilize the facilities of the station for the prosecution of research.

Jan 8, 1919

A national budget system, which engineers have long regarded as essential to the proper conduct of our fiscal affairs is at last being seriously considered by. Congress and seems likely to be adopted in some form. Several, bills and joint resolutions have already- been introduced but the measure that seems how to attract the 'most attention is H. R. 1201 introduced by. Representative Good, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. This ,bill provides for the creation of a Bureau of the Budget in the office of the President, to which full information shall be furnished by all Departments and other Governmental agencies concerning powers, duties, financial transactions, business method's, etc. A change, is made in the fiscal regulations in that the Departments shall hereafter submit their fiscal estimates to the President instead of to the Secretary of the Treasury, while the latter official shall submit estimates of the public revenues and the condition of the Treasury. Two budgets are, provided for:, The first, or regular, budget shall contain a balanced statement of the resources and liabilities of the Government and the revenues and expenditures, actual or estimated as the case may be, for the preceding, current, and ensuing fiscal years. The President is further, authorized to submit his recommendations as' to how the heeds of the Government should be met, and such further data regarding the financial affairs of the, Government as he deems proper. The second or alternative budget shall make known the essential facts regarding the condition of the Treasury and what, in the opinion of the President. are the revenue, and expenditure needs for the ensuing fiscal year, to be prepared in such form as the President shall deem most appropriate. The bill' abolishes-the offices. of Comptroller of the Treasury and all -the Auditors for the several Departments, and substitutes therefore an Accounting Department, an establishment independent of the Executive Departments, under the direction of newly created officer to be known as the "Comptroller General of the United States" whose powers shall comprise all those now conferred on the Comptroller of the Treasury and the several Auditors and, in addition thereto, the investigation at the seat of Government or elsewhere of all matters relating to the receipt or disbursement of public funds, concerning which report shall be made to Congress at the beginning of each regular session, containing recommendations concerning the legislation deemed necessary to the accurate rendition and settlement of accounts.

Jan 8, 1919

The following is an incomplete list of members and guests who called at Institute headquarters during the period June 10, 1919, to July 10, 1919. Anvil A. Anderson, Rapid City, S. D. Roy N. McBride, U. S. Army. R. Hay Anderson, Mexico City, Mex. R. S. McIntyre, Berkeley, Calif. W. A. Barnes, San Francisco, Calif. H. R. Maier, Brooklyn, N. Y. Bennett R. Bates, Denver, Colo. Wm. D. Mainwaring, Philadelphia, Pa. Harlan H. Bradt, Duluth, Minn. Wm. E. Milligan, Chrome, N. J. H. Brings, San Francisco, Calif. Willard S. Morse, Tacoma, Wash. Robert S. Burg, Ocean Park, Calif. Arthur Notman, Bisbee, Ariz. D. W. Butner, Congo Belge, Africa. P. Nugue, Chalon Sr. Saone, France. George A. Camphuis, El Paso, Tex. George A. Packard, Boston, Mass. Fred Canan, Denver, Colo. C. L. Petzel, New York City. Walter H. Coleman, Prescott, Ariz. V. Porreaud, Paris, France. Fred Crabtree, Pittsburgh, Pa. Fred S. Porter, Seattle, Wash. Ross E. Douglas, Rancagua, Chile. R. W. Prouty, Morenci, Ariz. F. A. Downes, Golden, Colo. Charles E. Prior, Brooklyn, N. Y. W. G. Eberhardt, Tucson, Ariz. Louis Ravicz, Minneapolis, Minn. Charles H. Fulton, Cleveland, Ohio. Wm. Reed, El Oro, Mexico. Wm. R. Grunow, New York City. E. J. Ristedt, Globe, Ariz. Orr R. Hamilton, Lansing, Mich. A. M. Rodgers, Middletown, N. Y. T. N. Havlin, St. Louis, Mo. J. C. Scoles, Salt Lake City, Utah. G. M. Henderson, Weston, Mass. C. E. Siebenthal, Washington, D. C.

Jan 8, 1919

The Reconstruction and Research Division of the United States Council of National Defense has, up to date, prepared two reviews on the above subjects: one covers foreign countries and the other covers the activities in the States. These reviews contain information appearing in various Governmental and public periodicals. While the information on foreign countries is necessarily incomplete and fragmentary, its summation is perhaps the most complete work of this kind so far accomplished. The information from the states consists mainly of bills and ordinances introduced in the state legislature, municipal councils, legislature committee reports, programs suggested by governors, and other state and local officials and local organizations It is realized that a good deal of this information will be useful to engineers studying conditions in the various states, and especially to those who want an insight into the general condition in all the states. For instance, the reconstruction problem in each state involving highway, reclamation, buildings, etc., are covered in detail.

Jan 8, 1919

By F. G. Smith

A FEW years ago, the writer encountered a, problem that, at first, seemed to be due to peculiar conditions affecting grain growth. Large cups made from heavy metal failed in the first drawing operation in the process of making seamless tubes. The metal, as cast, appeared to be sound and strong; it rolled successfully and withstood the first cupping operation, but on the first draw it failed, with a crystalline fracture. The failure appeared in the slightly worked part of the bottom of the cup, and microscopic examination revealed exceptionally large grains. Knowing the general conditions governing recrystallization of brass, which were later published by Matthewson and Phillips, an investigation was outlined with the idea of including various conditions under which new grains might form, and which would include the effect that a previous anneal might have upon the anneal following. These conditions were produced by annealing specimens of brass at five different temperatures, indenting them with a 10-inn. ball under four different pressures, and then reannealing at each of the five temperatures five specimens each of which had been annealed at one of the five temperatures.

Jan 8, 1919

By J. R. Cain

ROLE OF GASES IN FERROUS -METALLURGICAL PROCESSES IN every process for making steel there are one or more stages where the metal is exposed to gas of one kind or another. Thus, in the open-hearth furnace, the carbon dioxide and water vapor in the products of combustion are oxidizing toward the ferrous and manganous oxides in the slag, tending to convert these to higher oxides; the higher oxides then oxidize the steel, so that indirectly the products of combustion are oxidizing toward the steel. In the Bessemer process, there is direct contact of air and steel; also, the water vapor in the air blown into the converter is continually decomposed by the molten steel, yielding hydrogen and ferrous oxide, both of which are in part taken up by the metal. In the electric-furnace processes, there is always more or less air in contact with the slag covering the metal, and this air and the gaseous reaction products from it are dissolved in the slag to some extent and thus transmitted in part to the steel. In the crucible processes, there is always entrapped air in the charges and the crucibles are more or less permeable to the gaseous products of combustion from the furnace. In all the processes of manufacture, the molten metal is exposed to air while tapping into ladles and ingot molds and has an opportunity to saturate itself with air or with gaseous or solid products generated by chemical reactions between air and steel. Sieverts1 has shown that molten metals require but a few seconds to saturate themselves with a surrounding gas. No one familiar with the operations at a steel plant needs to be reminded of the important role that gases play at all stages. The familiar "boil" of open-hearth furnaces, due to evolution of carbon monoxide when iron ore is added to the molten steel; the spectacular operation of the Bessemer converter brought about entirely by a gaseous reagent; the almost magic effect of small quantities of silicon manganese or

Jan 8, 1919

By A. S. Learoyd

THE Anthracite Division, Bureau of Distribution, of the United States Fuel Administration, came into existence about Oct. 20, 1917. There had been no definite policy determined upon and the distribution had been carried out by the producers and distributors of this fuel as under normal conditions. The domestic sizes had been shipped from the beginning of the coal year on Apr. 1 in about their usual proportions to the various sections of the anthracite consuming territory of this country, which, in a general way, extended as far west as Nebraska and Montana, and in the south along the Atlantic seaboard to Florida. With the advent of cold weather, about the middle of November, acute shortages commenced to develop all over the northeastern section of the country, due to largely increased demand by the public in general, to enormously increased population in centers where industrial war activity was concentrated, and by the needs of the war industries themselves. Commencing with the early part of December, this demand was aggravated by extreme low temperatures and heavy snow; and the production decreased for the same reasons. From that date until the change in the weather, about the latter part of February, it was simply a question of getting coal into communities as emergencies occurred, to take care of individual cases. No definite plan of distribution could be followed. The coal mined between Apr. 1 and Nov. 1 had been distributed as mined and, therefore, only current production was available for distribution. The Anthracite Division, during this period, consisted of a Director, two assistants, together with an office force of seven or eight clerks and stenographers.

Jan 8, 1919

By E. D. Williamson

DURING the wartime rush to prepare the glass necessary for the needs of our army and navy, the problem of the temperature control of the annealing kilns became most serious. The narrow limits of strain allowable (all the specifications called for less internal strain than the average of the previously used German glass) made necessary a very exact procedure and the methods had to be used on a much larger scale than theretofore. At the Charleroi plant of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., the members of the staff of the Geophysical Laboratory, which was cooperating with the company, had occasion to study the methods available, and reached a number of conclusions (many of them by no means new except in their application) that may interest and assist those who have to meet similar problems in other fields. The following is a short account of the essential features of the system of temperature control evolved, along with a rather abridged statement of the reasons that led to the adoption or rejection of various schemes.

Jan 8, 1919

Works Manager or General Superintendent.-Technical graduate, for position with a company whose works consist of a large machine shop and foundry. This company manufactures well-known power plant equipment. Location, Pennsylvania. Salary, $5000-$8000 per year. R-871. Motion Study Engineer with extensive experience in shop operation and motion study. Must have sufficient technical experience to recognize inefficiency and waste in plant. Salary, $175-$200 per month. Location, New Jersey. R-876. Metallurgical Engineer.-Technical graduate with at least 2 or 3 years' practical experience in the operation of zinc smelters. Duties will be to take charge, under the guidance of -the superintendent of the smelter, of the operating end of the furnaces, and the roasting kilns, as well as the mix room and ore crusher. Man desired should not be over 30 years of age and should be progressive and able to handle men. Salary, $250 per month. Location, Oklahoma. R-877. Private Secretary to Vice-president in charge of development department and laboratories of large manufacturing plant; must be technical man of good personality, and A-1 in every respect, as position is an important and responsible one. Location, Ohio. R-896. Sales. Engineer familiar with his local territory, particularly with the fanning trade. Should have had at least 2 years' experience in selling tractors; and in any event, must have had at least 5 years' experience in selling machinery. High grade, energetic, and capable; man who is not satisfied with less than $3000 per year and who can earn up to $7000. Location, Iowa. R-897.

Jan 8, 1919

By Paul Foote

The temperature of a material may be ascertained by measurement of the intensity of the radiant energy it emits. This measurement may refer to the radiation of all wave lengths emitted by the material, or, if the material is glowing, the measurement may refer to the visible light emitted, or to the radiation in n very restricted portion of the visible spectrum. In general, the intensity of radiation depends not alone upon the temperature of the source, but, also upon its nature. Thus, glowing carbon appears to the eye about three times as bright as glowing platinum, at the same temperature. This is technically expressed by saying that the emissive power or emissivity of carbon is about three times that of platinum. A material having the highest theoretically possible emissivity is known as a "black body;" it is customary to assign a numerical value of 1 to the emissivity of a black body. A black body is experimentally realized by uniformly heating a hollow enclosure and observing the radiation coming from a small opening in the wall. The intensity of radiation emitted from this opening depends only on the temperature of the walls, and not on the material of which they are constructed. If E is the emissivity of any non-transparent material and R is its reflection coefficient, it can be shown that E + R, = 1. If a material having an emissivity of, say, 0.40, and hence a reflection coefficient of 0.60, is placed inside a black body it becomes indistinguishable from its Surroundings, because the total intensity of radiation leaving the material is the same as that emitted by the black body. While the material actually emits only 40 per cent of the intensity of a black body at the same temperature, 60 per cent. of the radiation falling upon it from the walls of the enclosure is reflected. However, if the material is removed from the black body and placed in the open air, the reflected intensity is no longer present and the object appears but 40 per cent. as bright as a black body at the same temperature.

Jan 8, 1919

The National Labor Board, on June 25, ended its activities preparatory to final, dissolution by the President. No new cases will be heard nor new applications received. Controversies, jointly submitted, that could not be concluded prior to June 30, were assigned to the joint chairmen or a section of the board for disposition. The conclusion of the board's activities marks the passing of. one of the governmental agencies created during the war to further production of war materials. The board was organized under a Presidential proclamation with former President Taft and Frank P. Walsh of Kansas City as joint Chairmen, and with five members representing labor, five employers' representatives, and two members acting for the public. Mr. Walsh resigned soon after the signing of the armistice and was succeeded by Basil M. Manly of Washington. During the year that ended May 31, the hoard received 1245 cases, made awards in 462 cases, dismissed 391 for various cases, referred 315 to specified agencies, and suspended one case. Fifty-three cases remained on the docket because the hoard could not agree, and 23 cases were pending.

Jan 8, 1919

For the benefit of those of our members who are considerable holder; of securities, but owing to their isolated situations are not in close touch with the metropolitan market and current quotations, we are publishing two very interesting graphs, showing the course of the bond and stock markets in New York over a long period. These graphs are-fui?riished through the courtesy of the financial department of the New York Tribune.

Jan 8, 1919

CARNEGIE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY On May 27, twenty-five of the leading representatives of the coal mining industry of Western Pennsylvania met with President A. A. Hamerschlag, of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, with a view to bringing about closer relations between the Institute and the mining interests. It was felt that the advice of the men in the field was necessary for the proper training of young men for mining work. A resolution adopted at this conference, among other things, called for a board of mine operators and engineers to serve in an advisory capacity with the Carnegie Institute of Technology. As a result of the counsel and recommendations of the Advisory Board, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, in cooperation with the U. S. Bureau of Mines, has recast its four year course in Mining Engineering and has also established a two-year course in Coal Mining. To carry out this new program, there has been organized the "Cooperative Department of Mining Engineering" in the Division of Science and Engineering of the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

Jan 8, 1919

By Rogers Wade

THE Pilares mine of the Moctezuma Copper Co. is situated at Los Pilares de Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico, about 75 mi. (120.7 km.) South of the international boundary and about 7 mi. (11.26 kin.) east of the town of Nacozari de Garcia. It is situated at an elevation of 5000 ft. (1524 m.) in one of the northward trending ridges that form part of the mountain mass that culminates in the Sierra Madre de Mexico. To the east, south, and west, the topography is rugged and diversified; to the north less diversity exists, ranges of mountains rise sharply out of almost level ground and give the basin range structure characteristic of the southwest. The climate is dry, the average rainfall of 15 in. (38 cm.) being confined almost entirely to the months of June, July, and August. The

Jan 8, 1919

By John Shelton

ONE of the heaviest burdens uselessly cast by our mineral land laws upon the holder of the title conveyed by a patent from the United States is due to the provision excepting known veins from land patented as placer. In many instances the expense of defending such titles from the assaults of the owners of lode locations made upon the theory that the veins so located were known to exist at the date of the placer application for patent has exceeded many times the value of the land in question. Neither the lapse of time, however long after the issuance of the patent nor repeated adjudications by the courts serve to quiet such titles or to prevent them from being questioned. In the passage of laws providing for the acquisition of title to the mineral lands of the United States, Congress provided that the title to known veins should not pass from the United States by a patent based upon a placer location. As construed by the courts, the law (Sec. 2333 R.S.U.S.) provides that the applicant for a patent upon a placer claim may, if any vein of sufficient value to justify the expenditure of money in its development is known by him to exist within the boundaries thereof, include in his patent application an application for patent upon the vein as a lode claim; and failure to do so is to be deemed a conclusive declaration that the applicant makes no claim to the vein nor to an area of surface ground extending for 25 ft. (7.6 m.) on each side of its middle or center. As to such vein and, such area of enclosing surface ground under the circumstances stated, the title remains in, the United States notwithstanding the issuance of a patent that purports to convey the entire surface of a described area and everything beneath it, excepting only the segments of veins the apices of which lie outside of such area. Such known veins with such area of enclosing surface ground are, of course, at any time, so long as they remain unlocated, subject to location and appropriation in the same manner as other veins upon the public domain. The history of the operation of this law in one district will serve to illustrate its effect generally throughout the mining regions of the United States. In the Butte district, the mineral that first attracted the atten-

Jan 8, 1919

This brief resume of the events transpiring in Mexico, culled from the daily New York newspapers since the last Bulletin went to press, does not show any degree of improvement in the situation. U. S. WITHDRAWS ARMY FROM MEXICO The American invasion of Mexico lasted less than 24 hours. The troops which crossed the Rio Grande June 15 to put a stop to the firing that was causing death and injury in El Paso were back in their billets on the American side of the border the next night. They had broken up the battle between Villa rebels and the Carranza garrison and driven the rebel forces headlong out of Juarez and into the hills. The Carranza Consul, Garcia, and Gen. Francisco Gonzales are reported by American officials to be pessimistic, if not indignant, at the swift reprisals made by the Americans against the stray shots which were falling in El Paso during the Villa attack on Juarez. In announcing his action in ordering Americans into Mexico Brigadier General Erwin in a formal statement said he had done-so to prevent the indiscriminate firing into El Paso by rebel soldiers, endangering the lives of Americans. "But on no account were they to undertake an invasion into Mexico," continued the statement. Americans with interests in the vicinity of Chihuahua are alarmed lest Villa, smarting under the defeat administered his troops by the American forces, should make a campaign of destruction. General Candido Aguilar, President Carranza's confidential ambassador to the United States, issued to the press, on June 17, a formal statement that "the government and people of Mexico consider as a violation of Mexican sovereignty the crossing of United States soldiers into Mexican territory" and expressing the hope ?that the situation created by the latest occurrences in Juarez will be satisfactorily adjusted between the two countries." Discussion of Mexican affairs was evoked in both houses of Congress by the crossing of the Rio Grande by American troops.

Jan 8, 1919

MINING ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA At a meeting of the Mining Association of the University of California, held May 22, .the .following officers were elected for the fall, semester: President, Sam Grinsfelder; vice-president, Marcus. Peterson; secretary, Ferdinand Trescher; treasurer, Carlton Hulin. F. G. TRESCHER, Secretary.

Jan 8, 1919

One of our members, in Colombia, has written the following interesting account of his experience in trying to remit his dues to the Institute. "Last year I was away at the end of the year and on my return I was unable to obtain a draft in Honda until April, I believe. To avoid delay this year I remitted cash, early in January, to a friend in Bogota who I imagined could sell or procure for me various small drafts to cover my annual subscriptions. After many weeks' delay, I was informed that he could not get them for me and was remitting the cash to Honda where they were obtainable. After another long delay, I was informed that no one in Honda would sell drafts or checks for small amounts. Eventually I found a friend who was willing to oblige me in the matter and at once forwarded the amount."

Jan 8, 1919

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA Our activities for the year 1918-19 have closed with the coming of summer. It has been a most successful year in many respects, especially in the reorganization necessary after the war conditions had passed. An INITIATION SCENE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY. "old-days" initiation was held on the Stanford campus by the Society a few weeks ago. The accompanying picture explains some of what took place when the following men were taken into the membership: W. P. Winham, Salinas, Calif. ; T. L. Wark, Long Beach, Calif.; P. L. Henderson, Greeley, Colo.; T. E. Bassett, Palo Alto, Calif.; and R. G. Wheelton, Long Beach, Calif. CHAS. A. DOBBEL, Secretary.

Jan 8, 1919