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By Henry Fay

LAWRENCE ADDICKS, New York, N. Y., (communication to the Secretary *).-There are two points regarding gun erosion on which I want to say a few words: The first is about the analogy to hardening of wire by drawing and the second the possible role played by thermal conductivity of the metal. The ductile metals do not necessarily become brittle when cold-worked as it is possible to draw copper from 3. in. in diameter soft rod down to the finest hair wire without annealing. This results, as stated in the paper, informing a hardened core with a very hard skin. The electrical conductivity is depressed some 3 per cent. and the tensile strength nearly tripled. A soft copper wire 0.08 in. in diameter and 6 in. long may be twisted 150 or more turns before the wire will snap under torsion. A hard-drawn wire will break after perhaps a dozen twists, the skin breaking down at one spot. Just wiping the wire with a cloth clamp with dilute nitric acid has a remarkable effect in increasing the number of twists without appreciably lowering the tensile strength, showing the skin to be very thin. On the other hand, pickling the rod, from which the wire is to be drawn, in dilute nitric acid also greatly increases the number of twists which can be applied to the resulting wire. This indicates that the copper oxide scale produced when the wire bar is rolled hot is more or less rolled into the rod and may have much to do with the skin effect. We also know that if the conditions of drawing are not correct, the heat of deformation in the die may produce quite an annealing effect. The application of this analogy to what occurs in a gun to produce the effects noted offers some difficulty. The second point is that as the temperature of the surface of the gun bore has undoubtedly a great deal to do with the amount of erosion, one natural remedy would be to conduct the heat away fast enough to keep this temperature within desired limits. This brings up the question of the thermal conductivity of the metal of which the gun is made. We know that the conductivity of pure metals is greatly altered by alloying and that the alloy is usually, though not always, lower in conductivity than the metal before alloying. This is interesting when it is considered that the high-nickel and manganese-steel alloys show greater erosion as stated. Would it not be instructive to study the question from the point of view of heat conducted away from the eroded surface?

Jan 3, 1917

The Mining and Metallurgical Club of the University of Toronto held a very successful meeting at the Engineers' Club on Jan. 29, 1917. Interesting papers on the Arizona Mining Districts and on the Creighton Mine at Sudbury were read. Several members of the freshman class who have changed from other branches of engineering to mining have been taken into the Club, so that we are now booming. We are also making an attempt to have more of our members apply for junior membership in the Institute, and hope to report favorably along these lines in the near future. C. A. RICHARDSON, Secretary.

Jan 3, 1917

One session of the annual meeting of the American Society of Civil Engineers-the first since this society became a Founder society with representation on the Board of the United Engineering Society-was held on Jan. 17, 1917, in the Engineering Societies' Building. Mr. Charles F. Rand, Past-President of this Institute, and President of the United Engineering Society, welcomed the new Founder society in the following words: "As one who has looked forward very earnestly to this clay, and who has made a modest effort in favor of the new arrangements, it is a peculiar satisfaction to be the representative of the Trustees of the United Engineering Society and to welcome you on the occasion of your first meeting in this building in which you now own' a quarter interest. "'As this is your annual meeting, I cannot take your time for extended remarks, yet it seems proper that I should call attention to a few facts respecting the United Engineering Society, with which you are now identified. "The United Engineering Society exists for the purpose of holding the legal title to certain of the property of the societies of Civil, Mining, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers and to act for them in certain matters. "The value of its property, including real estate, the Library and the Reserve and Endowment funds, exceeds two million dollars, all free and clear. "The total membership of the four Founder societies is 29,000 and the membership of associate societies is 23,000, making a grand total of 52,000 engineers who now have headquarters in this building.

Jan 3, 1917

By Edwin Chance

DURING the past 10 years, the safe and efficient lighting of the coal mines of this country has received an ever-increasing amount of attention. Several States have passed laws attempting to regulate the type of lamp to be used and the nature of the fuel to be burned, and the mining departments of coal-mining States have generally shown a keen and intelligent interest in this subject. The passage of the recent Employers' Liability Act in Pennsylvania has made it necessary for many coal-mining companies to take out liability insurance, and the companies underwriting such insurance have made it desirable for the insured to permit the use of, none but illuminants of established worth. While these conditions have not obtained for a sufficient length of time to permit the statement that the illumination of coal mines by portable lamps has been standardized, still, considerable progress has been made and the direction of future practice in this branch of coal-mining technology is very evident. Under these conditions it seemed that a review of the methods now used in coal-mine illumination, together, with a brief consideration of the principles underlying these methods, might be of some interest. Miners' lamps may be divided into three classes: The open light, the electric cap lamp and the flame safety lamp. It will be desirable to consider each of these classes separately, as each has properties peculiar to itself and one class is hardly comparable with another. In this country, without question, the open light is the most generally used of all miners' lamps. This fact is explained by the relative freedom of a large proportion of our mines from gaseous conditions, and by the admirable systems of ventilation installed in those that show a tendency toward such conditions. In the metal relines, the miner's candle has had and still has considerable vogue. Because of the small amount of ventilation usually supplied in metal mines, the freedom of the candle from any tendency to produce noxious gases or offensive odors, and the small amount of air it consumes, are. valuable assets, while, because

Jan 2, 1917

By S. Norton

IN the West, capitalists have expended many millions of dollars developing the low-grade porphyry ores of copper. Half a dozen of these great enterprises have proved to be wonderful commercial successes. They have demanded improved crushing and concentrating machinery and consequently it has been .developed. Many improved methods, cheap power, superior business organization, all these have contributed to this success, but the main feature is the handling of the material in enormous quantities, on a manufacturing scale. The mining chance of "striking it rich" has been eliminated by the manufacturing certainty, of handling large quantities of material of known valise, which while of relatively low grade, is available in large tonnages, assuring a supply for .many years' run of the mill. Then the returns on the money invested are sure. The concentration of low-grade magnetic iron ores, separating the magnetite crystals from the gangue by the use of magnets, is a field of work in which the lessons taught by the development of the porphyry coppers can be studied to advantage. Large-scale operations, and the liberal expenditure of enough money at the start to insure the most economical operations, are the means of securing the desired results. The problem is to utilize millions of tons, and we may safely say billions of tons, of now worthless iron-bearing rock and to, produce from it 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 tons per year of high-grade ore carrying 60 per cent. iron or, higher;. to take the lean material as found in nature, varying widely in iron content, and bring it up to a uniform standard of shipping ore. At present these ores are mined carrying from 25 to 50 per cent. iron, and the shipping product is brought up to 60 or 65 per cent. Fe. If future economies of operation make it possible to extend this process so that 15 per cent. iron in the crude ore can be treated as a commercial success, the additional tonnage available will be enormous. A 15 per cent. Fe crude ore raised to 60 per cent. Fe concentrate with 5 per cent.

Jan 2, 1917

By J. M. Callow

THE results obtained by pneumatic flotation throughout the country on all classes of ore, and. the tonnage now being treated by this particular method, speak for themselves. Its advantages over the so-called agitation process are now established by facts and data from practice. The comparative efficiency of a rapidly revolving paddle, as a means for aerating an ore pulp, and of a cycloidal or turbine blower for the same purpose, would seem to be so obvious as to leave no room for discussion. Practitioners in this art are to be congratulated on the acquisition of the valuable literary contributions that have recently been made on the theory of. flotation by Messrs. Ralston, Van Arsdale, Taggart and Beach, and others, and the very valuable and able articles, by Messrs. Laist and Wiggin on "Flotation Concentration at Anaconda, Mont.," by, Dr. Rudolf Gahl- on the "History of Flotation at Inspiration," and by David Cole on "The Advent of Flotation in the Morenci District." It is not within the province of this article to attempt an answer to the various issues raised in regard to the theory, or to defend the one advanced by me a year ago. But since discussion usually benefits the profession, a reply will be made to some of the statements made by the last-named writers. COMPARATIVE SENSITIVENESS AND ATTENDANCE Concerning 'the article, "Flotation Concentration at Anaconda, Mont.," by Laist and Wiggin, a little explanation is in order. It should be stated that; with the exception of about 24 days at the end of the testing 'period, the Callow experimental plant at Anaconda was not run under my direction. This perhaps accounts for some of the conclusions drawn on page 562 of the descriptive paper. The conclusion that the use of acid seems to be of considerable advantage, calls, for some comment. While the tests conducted by the Anaconda Copper Co. do show acid to be, of considerable benefit, this is a consequence of using acid sludge as a flotation agent. My belief has always been that the Anaconda

Jan 2, 1917

By F. H. Willcox

IN Bessemer-steel practice, air is blow, through a bath of iron, or projected strongly upon its surface to burn out silicon, manganese, and carbon. Toward the end of the blow, when the iron is not protected. from oxidation by these elements and the excess of air becomes great, there is oxidation of the iron. In open-hearth practice, the same difficulty is experienced with dissolved gas and oxides in the product, though not to as great or severe a degree as in the Bessemer process because the oxidizing conditions grow less severe as the end of the heat is approached, and if the bath is allowed to boil for a time it undoubtedly frees itself from a large part of the gas and oxides which have been absorbed in the earlier part of the process. Basic open-hearth steel is usually assumed to contain a larger proportion of oxides than acid open-hearth steel, but it may be said that all steel, Bessemer and open-hearth, contains more or less oxide of iron dissolved in the fluid metal at the end of the "blow" or "heat." That certain metals are solvents for their respective oxides has been shown, in the case of copper, by Heyn, and, in the case of iron, by Law. It is indicated that the solubility of iron oxide in iron increases with the purity and temperature of the metal. This confirms what is observed and known by operating men, and these observations may be summarized as follows: 1. Cast irons is rarely subject to oxidation, as is logical from its composition. 2. Normal steel, unless deoxidizers are added, contains blow holes. 3. Steel known to be oxidized is full of blow holes. 4. The addition of deoxidizers prevents, to a greater or less degree, the formation of blow holes in normal steel. With these observations in mind, it is logical to deduce that the cause of blowholes lies in part in the presence of dissolved oxide of. iron in the

Jan 2, 1917

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M., except on holidays. It contains about 70,000 volumes and 90,000 pamphlets, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library, through its Library Service Bureau, can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive especial attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and photographic copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information on the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is, desired and not include collateral natter which may not be of interest. The time spent in-searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more, promptly and-in more usable shape.

Jan 2, 1917

By Alexander Field

INTRODUCTION THE Bureau of Mines is investigating the problem of slag viscosity, its variation with the temperature and with the composition of the slag, and its effect upon the distribution of the sulphur between molten iron and slag, as introductory to a series of contributions to the theory of the metallurgical processes. The method of measurement, viscosity, apparatus, furnace and other accessories mentioned in this paper have been described fully in a Bureau of Mines report.1 THE LITERATURE ON SLAG VISCOSITY The viscosity of blast-furnace slag had not been measured previous to the investigation described in this report. A number of investigators have determined the "fusibility," or softening temperature, of slags by means of the cone method or, other deformation method, but these methods supply only limited information regarding the temperature-viscosity relations.-of the slag in question. Any deformation method that may be employed indicates only the temperature at which the slag attains a more or less definite viscosity, the magnitude of the value obtained depending on the method used. For details of the various methods used by different investigators, see, the Bureau of Mines paper already referred to. An isolated measurement by Doelter on a single mixture at 1,300° C. represents the highest temperature reached in the various viscosity investigations previous to those described in this report, in which results have been referred to absolute units. Arbitrary deformation tests have of course been made at much higher temperatures.

Jan 2, 1917

The American Museum of Safety has installed a large collection of exhibits at 18 West 24th St., New York City, and extends a cordial invitation to the members of the Institute to visit this exhibition. The Museum is open daily from 9 am. until 5 p.m., and special arrangements will be made for the admission of a large party in the evening. The exhibition covers all phases of industrial and general safety, and also the important questions of sanitation and hygiene.

Jan 2, 1917

By C. Edwin Nighman

THE following is a description of the methods used in rescuing men and extinguishing the underground fire at the Pennsylvania mine, Butte, Mont. This fire, which cost the lives of 21 men, began about 9 p.m., Feb. 14, 1916, at or near a ventilating fan on the 1,200 air-shaft station. This shaft at that time was downcast, while the main hoisting shaft was upcast. Owing to the proximity of the fire to the air shaft, the air in the latter soon became heated, and as the fan on the level was not running¬the power having been cut off shortly after the outbreak' of the fire-the aim' shaft became upcast to the 300 level. At this point a blanket of cold air from the surface caused the smoke and gases to he drawn in on that level and carried down again through the workings to the 1,200. A short time after the discovery of the fire, water was turned down the air shaft through a series of pipes around the collar of the shaft, which caused the smoke to recede, below the 300, so that within 2 hr. it was possible to search that level for the missing men. From the above it will be apparent why the air shaft was upcast instead of downcast as under normal conditions, and why men were suffocated at considerable distances from the seat of the fire. The smoke and gases that came up the main hoisting shaft did not diffuse through the workings to any extent. There are doors on all levels in the connections to the main hoisting and air shafts, but-in the confusion and running around many of these doors were left open, and this undoubtedly caused the smoke and gases to spread more rapidly than they would otherwise have done. It was necessary for most of the men on the various levels to pass close to the air shaft in going to the hoisting shaft, and when they encountered the smoke and gases in that vicinity a number turned hack and climbed down with the direction of the air currents and were then suffocated, while all those who passed through the relatively short pall of smoke to the main shaft were saved.

Jan 2, 1917

Although the meeting of the Institute in St. Louis Will not occur until September, 1917, the committee in charge is already making attractive plans, and we append hereto a tentative skeleton program which will give some notion of the opportunities that will be offered: St. Louis is situated in the midst of. a district which contains not only a great many interesting examples of mining, but also all types of industrial manufacture of interest to members of the Institute, and it affords abundant opportunities to visit and see these plants. Further announcement will be made from time to time as the committee's plans take more permanent shape. .

Jan 2, 1917

Benjamin B. Thayer was elected as representative of the Institute on the John Fritz Medal Board of Award vice Albert Sauveur, whose term expires. Robert M. Raymond was confirmed as member of the, Engineering Foundation Board for two years in accordance with the By-Laws of the United Engineering Society. The following preambles and resolutions were passed: WHEREAS, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States is taking a vote, through the Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade and other constituent members of the National Chamber situated throughout the country, on the question whether or not the primary natural resources, comprising timber, the ores and deposits of useful metals, and' the deposits of minerals, which are a source of heat, light and power, should he exempt through remedial Congressional legislation from the restrictive limitations of the Anti-Trust Acts, and WHEREAS, a Committee of the National Chamber, the Chairman of which is a Past President of the American Institute of - Mining Engineers, has recommended favorable action upon this question, and

Jan 2, 1917

(Members, are urged -to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members,). Members and guests R: ho called at Institute headquarters during the period Dec: 10, 1916 to Jan. 10, 1917: F. L. Antisell, Perth Amboy, N. J. William Kelly, Vulcan, Mich. F. J Brulé, Toronto, Ont., Canada. W. H. Lanagan, San Francisco, Cal. Zar T. Crittenden, The. Pas, Mau, Canada. S. Lefevre, Forest Glen, N Y Thomas F. Donnelly, Tucson, Ariz. ' D. A. Lyle, St..David's, Pa. - John Davenport, Brighton, 14 lass. -Domingo Nugués, Buenos Aires, Argon-. E. E. Ellis, Birmingham, Ala. tine. N. H. Emmons, 3d, Copperhill, Tenn. - H. L. Scaife, Clinton, S. C. W.. E. Erdofy, New York, N. Y. Mortimer A. Sears, Washington, D. C. C. L. French, New York, N. Y. E. Spurny, New York, N. Y.' , M. H. Gannon, Butte,. Mont. R. K. Stockwell, Santiago, Chile. R. E. Hoffman, Hannibal, Mo. Benjamin F. Tibby, Salt Lake City, Utah. C. Vey Holman, Rockland, Me. Arthur P. Watt, St. Francois, Mo. Arthur P. Allen has left the employ of the Calumet &- Hecla Mine and is now with the Highland Min. Co., Ashcroft, B. C., Canada. H: C. Bellinger has been appointed. general manager of the Chuqui- - c mata mine-of the Chile Exploration Co. -

Jan 2, 1917

By John Bell

Aim of Rock-Crushing Experiments THE aim of the laboratory experiments described in this paper was twofold: 1. To measure as accurately, as possible the maximum amount of crushing that can be effected by 1 hp. acting for 24 hr., by the two proposed methods for measuring the amount of crushing, namely: (a) by Rittinger's method; (b) by Stadler's method, based on Kick's law. 2. To show, if possible, that by one of these methods, the amount of crushing produced by 1 hp. in 24 hr. is a constant amount throughout a wide range in the diameter of the piece crushed, and that by the other method, the amount of crushing is a variable quantity over the same range of diameter; or else show that neither of the proposed methods for measuring the amount of crushing indicates a fixed relation between power and crushing and consequently a new method for computing this amount will have to be found to permit the establishment of a law of crushing. Experimental Methods Testing machines, calorimetric methods and commercial. types of rock-crushing machines were considered with reference to their value for measuring power used in crushing. The following electrically driven crushing machines, installed and available in the McGill Ore-dressing Laboratory and which had been used in previous rock-crushing tests, on the whole seemed especially suited to the investigation: (1) Comet "A" crusher; (2) 7 by 9-in. Dodge crusher; (3) 10 by 16-in. rolls. In later tests a 3 ½ -ft. Huntington mill was used.

Jan 2, 1917

Receipts General Funds: Initiation fees ' 6,008.50 Arrears of dues 1,772.69 Current dues 46,576.56 Advance dues 1,820.97 Sale of binding 10,554.43 Sale of advertising 6,003.42 Sale of Transactions 3,237.07 Sale of special editions ' 1,722.50 Sale of Bulletins and. pamphlets ' 2,263.95 Miscellaneous Receipts; Interest on investments and deposits 450.06 Sale of pins and fobs 312.80 For the collection of checks 161.84 From Finance Committee, Feb., 1916, Meeting 101.02. Subscriptions to the land fund 86.14 Arizona Meeting refund from N. Y. Central Railroad.. 52.48 Local Section refund from N. Y. Central Railroad.... 31.85 Miscellaneous 425.68 Total Receipts General Funds 81,611.96 Cash balance Dec. 31, 1913 1,063.39 $82,675.35

Jan 2, 1917

By A. Patton

Introduction THE use of roll scale in the Bessemer process dates back, to the "best of our knowledge, at least 20 years. It was first used by the Ohio Steel Co.; Youngstown, Ohio (now the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Co.) under the direction of Sam, MacDonald, Superintendent of the Bessemer Department at these works. Two 10-ton vessels and one blowing engine capable of blowing one heat at a time were employed. The object of using the scale was to -shorten the length of the blow; or in other words, to increase the production with the same equipment. Various means were tried out for introducing the roll scale into the bath of molten iron: It was shoveled into the vessel before the heat was charged, so that the metal would flow over the scale; it was shoveled into the bath after the vessel was turned up; it Was dumped into the empty iron ladle by the wheelbarrow-load, and at times wars dumped on top of the molten metal in the iron ladle. But the practice of introducing the scale into the iron ladle had to be abandoned on account of danger from explosions and of skulling the -ladles. It was soon learned that the proper place to charge the scale was in the empty vessel, so that when the molten iron was poured into the vessel it flowed over the scale, causing a considerable reaction to take place before the heat was turned up. Eventually, cylindrical chutes similar to those now in use were installed. Into these chutes the scale is dumped and carried into the empty vessel. Before this convenient means of introducing the scale was adopted, the Ohio Works had satisfactorily demonstrated that roll scale would increase production, by blowing 107 heats in one 12-hr. turn (1,087 tons) with one blowing engine, blowing one heat at a time; whereas, prior to the use of scale, the best practice at these works was about 80 heats under the same conditions.

Jan 2, 1917

For. the year ending February, 1917 PRESIDENT L. D. RICKETTS,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. PAST PRESIDENTS BENJAMIN B. THAYER,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. WILLIAM L! SAUNDERS,2 NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS,1 NEW YORK, N., Y. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE,1 NEW YORK, N. Y SECRETARY EMERITUS ROSSITER W. RAYMOND, NEW YORK, N. Y. SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON, NEW-YORK, N. Y.

Jan 2, 1917

New York Meets first Wednesday after first Tuesday of each month. DAVID H. BROWNS, Chairman. PERCY E. BARBOUR, Vice-Chairman A. D. BEERS, Secretary, 55 Wall St., New York, N. Y. C. A. BOHN, Treasurer. JOHN V. N. DORR, LEWIS W. FRANCIS. Boston Meets first Monday of each winter month. W. E. C. EUSTIS, Chairman. R. L. AGASSIZ, Vice-Chairman: E. E. BUGBEE, Secretary-Treasurer, Mass. Inst. of Technology, Boston, Mass. ALBERT SAUVEUR, H. L. SMYTH. Columbia Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. W. H. LINNEY, Chairman. OSCAR LACHMUND, Vice-Chairman. LYNDON K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P. O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. STANLY A. EASTON, S. SHEDD.

Jan 2, 1917

During the year Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 1916, 962 applications for member-ship in the Institute were received, as compared to 558 during the corresponding period in 1915. The lines along which the Committee has, worked during the year, group themselves under seven principal heads. Large Companies.-Early in the year a letter was addressed to each member of the Institute who is the executive head of an organization, pointing out to him the advantages that would accrue to that organization through having as many of its subordinate members as were qualified participating in the activities of the Institute. This was followed by a second letter to those who made no reply to the first. The response to these letters was very gratifying, 12 new members having been secured at a single plant, and smaller numbers at others. This was effectively supplemented by our President, who wrote the executive heads of some of the largest mining and smelting companies, pointing out to them the advantage to be derived from sending some of the junior members of their staff to attend the Arizona Meeting. One organization sent 24 of its younger men, many of whom were not members of the Institute, but who, subsequently sent in applications for membership. It is to be hoped that the precedent thus set' will be acted 'on in -fuller measure in succeeding years.

Jan 2, 1917