Search Documents

By Thomas L. Watson

A part of the field-seasons of 1900, 1901 and 1902 mas devoted by the writer to a study of the manganese ore-deposits of Georgia. A report embodying the results of this study is rapidly nearing completion, and when finished it will be published as a bulletin of the Geological Survey of Georgia. I believe, however, the importance of these deposits warrants a separate and earlier publication than that made possible by the Survey, in which the more important results of the study are briefly set forth. It is principally for this reason that the present paper has been prepared. Previous Work.—Some of the more important deposits of manganese occurring in the Paleozoic area of Georgia were studied to some extent previous to 1890 by Dr. Penrose;t and again in the early nineties by former State Geologist, J. W. Spencer. In a recent paper published in the Transactions, on the " Geological Relations of the Iron-Ores in the Cartersville District, Georgia," Dr. Hayes briefly mentions the manganeseores of the same district. Distribution of the Manganese-Ores.—Georgia is divisible into three geologically-distinct areas which, named in order from southeast to northwest, are (a), the Coastal Plain; (b), the Crys-

Jan 1, 1904

By Benjamin Smith Lyman

[Secretary's Note.—For lack of room this abstract, giving only an outline of Prof. Lesley's scientific work, is published here, instead of the full text of Mr. Lyman's account of his life, labors and character, already sent to members and associates in a separate pamphlet. Mr. Lyman's sympathetic and discriminating analysis, accompanied with abundant illustrative details of Prof. Lesley's remarkably versatile and fruitful career, completes the picture imperfectly sketched in the present abstract. Copies of the pamphlet may be obtained at the office of the Institute.] The subject of this sketch was born in Philadelphia, September 17,1819, and graduated in 1838 from the University of Pennsylvania. His purpose of pursuing theological studies being hindered by the condition of his health, he took a subordinate position in the geological survey of Pennsylvania under Henry D. Rogers. His work there began in the sphere of topographical and geological map-making in which he was afterwards so eminent; and a map which he made of one field in 1840, before he was 21 years old, received high praise from Prof. Rogers in his official report of that year.

Jan 1, 1904

It is now five years since the advent of gold-dredging in Australia, the State of New South 'Wales, or colony as it was, being the first to adopt this system of gold-getting, and the credit of its introduction rests with a member of this Institute, Mr. Chas. L. Garland, who commenced operations with his dredge on the Macquarie River, at the junction of the Muckerawa Creek, in the month of March, 1899. In this paper it is intended to give a brief history of the career of the gold dredge in New South Wales from that relate up to the present time, during which period the writer, as a designer of many dredges, has been constantly in touch with the subject in all its phases in this State; the points noted are the outcome of his observation in a general way, and to a great extent are apart from the design proper.Gold-dredging in New South Wales up to the present moment can hardly be designated an unqualified success...

Jan 1, 1904

By Albert R. Ledoux

With the improvements in design and efficiency of machinery the element of danger in its use is becoming less, but it is a question whether the strain involved in operating modern plants is not increasing somewhat the danger of accident due to human fallibility. I propose to describe a somewhat uncommon casualty resulting from a not infrequent incident in the use of air-compressors. It is not necessary to state the location of the mine in which the accident occurred nor the makers of the compreseor, and the object of this brief paper is more to draw out suggestions from members more familiar than am I with the practical handling of mining machinery, than to point a moral. The compressor in question was a three-drill machine of standard make. At the time of the accident it was furnishing air to a single drill working in an upraise from a well-ventilated tunnel, and giving ventilation to a winze below the tnnnel where two men were hand-drilling. The compressor also furnished power to a small hoist in the winze, but the hoist was only operated occasionally, and never while the drills were working. The drills were located about 1200 ft. from the compressor. The engineer testified that he never had been short of air, and that there had been no complaillts that the

Jan 1, 1904

Jan 1, 1904

Mark R. Lamb, Torres, Sonora, Mexico (communication to the Secretary*): I have read Mr. Merrill's paper with much interest, and cannot but accept his challenge as regards the cost of the clean-up at the Homestake mill. If I understand him correctly, the two men take the precipitates from the presses in about six hours, and do nothing towards refining them. If that is so, it would correspond to the work four men do here in about eight hours—that is, to clean the box and to place the precipitates in the driers. In order to make a fair comparison, the bullion in each case should be stated in ounces, since it is as diflicult to precipitate silver as gold, and our bullion is mostly silver. Bullion to the value of $50,000 is equivalent to a weight of about 2,500 oz. At our last clean-up eight standard bars, each 1,100 oz. in weight, were made, which equals a total weight of 8,800 oz'. Four men had the precipitates drying by 8 p.m. This plant, the Minas Prietas works of Charles Butters & Co., at Minas Prietas, has square-bottomed electrolytic vats, an arrangement which necessitates the handling of all the precipitates in buckets. The Butters plant at Virginia City, Nev., is equipped with conical vats, and probably could make a still better showing under similar conditions. Another point is that common labor only is required. (Ordinary laborer's wages at Minas Prietas are $0.70 gold.) I may say also that, except for the convenience of the refinery, the box could be cleaned monthly, instead of bi-monthly, at only a slight additional expense. The comparison, if made a few months ago, would have been much more in favor of the electrolytic process, as the tailings handled at that time contained a large quantity of copper, and the amount of zinc-dust required would have been enormous.

Jan 1, 1904

AlfreD H. Cowles, Cleveland, Ohio (commuaication to the Secretary*):—Mr.Gillette's paper and his deductions seem to me of the very greatest importance, if the validity of his conclusions and figures can be confirmed. His work seems to solve an unfinished problem that I attempted to solve on the same lines about two years ago, at a time when I was preparing a paper' on another subject for the American Electrochemical Society. The following paragraph is quoted from the paper referred to: "I feel convinced that a further study of the heats of combination now known for so many compounds, which merely express in other terms their voltages of disruption, will show us the allowance that must be made as a departure from unity in the case of each element, for the intrinsic charge of its elementary molecule, and thereby render possible the creation of a table of apparent relative atomic capacities for electricity, similar to the table of atomic weights. With the numerals of this table known, thermal reaction or energy-transformations will be read with the same ease that we now read and trace the shifting of mass

Jan 1, 1904

H. 0. Hofman, Boston, Mass. (communication to the Secretary*) :—The experimental demonstration by Professor H. Ries, of the fact that a mixture of clay and finely-ground flux will melt more readily than one in which the flux is less fine and therefore less intimately mixed, is very striking, and will be appreciated especially by those who have to discuss, before classes of students, fusions on a small or a large scale. The statement, that I " rather disputed" the influence of size of flux-particles on the ease with which fire-clay mixtures fused, is an erroneous inference from the paper written by Mr. B. Stoughton and myself in 1898.' We did not undertake to study the influence upon fusibility of the sizes of the particles, either of clay or flux. What we did try to find out was, whether the common practice of finely grinding raw or burnt clay, or a mixture of the two, before testing with Seger cones for resistance to heat and to fluxes, xould give the same results as if the materials were tested just as they were going to be

Jan 1, 1904

H. W. Turner, San Francisco, Cal. (communication to the Secretary*): This excellent paper apparently represents the results of extensive observation and experience among the mines of the Mother-Lode, but I strongly question its relegation of the dioritic intrusions to the period of fissuring and ore-deposition. The dioritic rocks referred to are evidently those areas represented by Ransome in the Mother-Lode folio1 as meta-diorites, and, as he says, are merely basic facies of the great granodiorite batholite of the Sierra Nevada. If followed downward I venture to predict that these meta-diorite areas would be found to connect with the great batholite, and to be in fact mere apophyses of it. I see no reason for supposing that these apophyses were intruded into the Mother-Lode slates at a period later than the intrusion of the granodiorite in general. The period of fissuring was subsequent to this intrusion; the basic granodiorite or quartz-diorite areas of the foot-hill region are themselves fissured extensively; and the fissures were filled with quartz, apparently during the same general period of the formation of the Mother-Lode veins. Prichard and Ransome2 both refer to the deposition of quartz in the same lode at different periods resulting from a reopening of the fissures. Some time since, I saw in the stopes of the

Jan 1, 1904

Frank Firmstone, Easton, Pa. (communication to the Secretary*) : It may not be amiss to point out that the top-pressure in iron blast-furnaces is largely affected by variations in the temperature of the gas. I find in my note-books, cases in which the pressure was from 9.25 to 9.5 in. of water when the material in the furnace was low (after dinner-hour), which fell to from 8 to 8.5 in., when the furnace was again full, and the gas consequently cooled. The chief cause for this effect is, that, at the higher temperature, there is a decrease in the weight of the gas in the descending-leg of the siphon formed by the down-comer and the chimneys. It does not seem probable that there is any direct relation between top-pressure and quantity of flue-dirt. Top-pressure, at any given moment, measures the " head " necessary to discharge the gas then passing, against the resistances of pipes, valves, etc., in the gas-conduits between the top of the furnace and the mouths of the chimneys, and can be increased at will by closing, more or less, the valves, or dampers, at the stoves and the boilers. The question of relation between top-pressure and flue-dirt can be settled very easily by direct experiment, working alternately with gas-valves open, and partly closed, and noting the top-pressures and the respective quantities of fluedirt collected. The quantities of fine ore blown away, as shown by Mr. Grammer's tables, are astonishing to one who has had no actual experience with Mesabi ore and hard driving. Flue-dirt, in the sense in which he uses the term, was unknown at anthracite furnaces so long as the working was normal; when it did occur, it was always an incident of scaffolding and bad work, and was no doubt caused by an increase in the velocity

Jan 1, 1904

Edwin A. SpeRry, Denver, Colo. (communication to the Secretary*) :—Since writing my former paper on this subject I have had several discussions concerning some of the statements contained therein, with men who have had a large experience with the old form of buddle, both in this country and in Cornwall. The present paper gives a brief statement of some of the points debated, together with the arguments and proofs in their substantiation. The first point is the question of the capacity. In my origi-

Jan 1, 1904

Charles Catlett, Staunton, Virginia (communication to the Secretary*): I have had occasion to examine a few of the irondeposits in the immediate section of which Mr. Watson speaks, but have not had an opportunity to visit any of the well-known manganese-deposits. I find the former can be very safely read in light of the information which it is possible to get from the same measnres farther. north, where they are less completely decomposed. In the same way all of his conclusions in regard to the geology of the manganese-deposits bear out their occurrence in Virginia, when we allow for the far more complete decomposition in the section he has so carefully studied. Judging from the same measures farther north, I think he will be safe in agreeing even further with Penrose as to the origin of these ores. Some years ago I carried on prospecting work in these measures in Virginia, in which the iron-ore and manganese-ore were followed down to undecomposed material, and in which their occurrence along a definite line of stratification, and apparently a part of the original bedding, was plainly shown. This is unusual, however, even in the section of which I speak. At Crimora, Virginia, the decomposition is quite complete; at the same time the results of some hydraulic work, which has been done there, disclosed, at the time of my last visit, the manganese interbedded in the residual clay along a definite and distinct plane parallel to the bedding of the underlying quartzite, and which, as is shown at other points, corresponds with the plane of the original material. In view of the phosphorus reported by Mr. Watson as existing in the Cartersville ores, and the not uncommonly prohibitive amount in southern ores, I am interested to know whether

Jan 1, 1904

Allan Gibb, Mount Perry, Queensland, Australia (communication to the Secretary):—In drawing conclusions from his observations, Mr. Van Liew has apparently overlooked the reduction in weight that takes place in the content of the converter. The percentage-compositions of the matte, etc., are not directly comparable for determining the rate of elimination of the impurities; and, in the absence of exact weights (which in such an operation could not be obtained), it is necessary to determine the relation between the impurities and the copper with which they are combined at various stages, in order to get data that are comparable. Owing to a portion of the copper being removed in the slag, etc., the weight of copper in the converter is not a fixed quantity, but.it is sufficiently approximate to permit very reasonable comparison. The analytical data given by Mr. Van Liew, reduced to this basis (a ratio between the impurities and the copper with which they are combined), are shown in the table on page 958. From this table it will be evident that Mr. Van Liea's conclusions as to the source of heat at digerent stages are not quite correct. During the first 10 minutes, no iron is scorified, the heat being derived from the oxidation of the sulphur, of which 7 per cent. of the total is removed in this time. Prom

Jan 1, 1904

William Metcalf, Pittsburg, Pa. (communication to the Secretary*): I am greatly pleased that some one has at last reached what I have long regarded as the only rational explanation yet given of the reasons why steel hardens. Mr. Field claims originality; and doubtless he is entitled to it, but not to priority, mhich must be granted to Prof. John W. Langley.' The difference between them is that Langley says " Tension, probably molecular," and Field says " Tension, probably atomic "; in either case the vital thing after solution is tension. Mr. Field's argument carries with it the idea of increase of density with hardness; if he mill study the facts farther he will observe that the case is just the reverse; that is, the greater the hardness the less the specific gravity; it was just this fact that led Langley to his conclusion, in mhich I have always concurred. Field agrees with Langley that the first requisite for perfect hardening is complete solution of the carbon, not combination; and all of the facts agree with this conclusion. The fact that increase of hardness causes reduction of density was first brought to my notice some 40 years ago, when Major William Wade was testing Jones & Laughlin's cold-rolled iron, and I mas his assistant. We found the well-known increase of tenacity, compressive strength, torsional resistance, and hardness. Specific-gravity tests showed that the cold-rolled iron was less dense than the hot-rolled bars. Major Wade was so surprised at this result that he gave me a lot of samples to weigh, saying that he was not satisfied with

Jan 1, 1904

Lawrence Addicks, Perth Amboy, N. J. (communication to the Secretary*): The excellent series of photo-micrographs given in this paper shows clearly the relation between micro-structure and cuprous oxide in refined copper. The authors suggest that this method of examillation might be substituted for the " button " method now used to control the refining of cop

Jan 1, 1904

W. L. SaundeRs, New York City (communication to the Secretary*):—Notwithstanding the sweeping statements made by Mr. Clarke in this paper, the friends of compressed air are not dismayed. There is no war between electricity and compressed air. Each one has its field of usefulness, and in that field each is supreme. In spite of commercial interests, in spite of prejudices and the enthusiasm of the inventor, the thing that is best will survive and flourish. At least ten years ago, our engineering papers contained large advertisements and pages of reading-matter about the application of electricity to mines, recording the introduction of numerous rock-drilling plants, and claiming that the problem had been solved, greatly to the advantage of the miner and with promise of large profits to the manufacturers of electrical apparatus. Edison and Thomson labored to apply electricity to mines, and each believed that the probabilities of success were great. This was the period of the solelloid rock-drill, which mas admirably suited, theoretically, to the percussive principle and in the development of which hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent without satisfactory result. I have searched in vain for a standard mining equipment where electric rock-drills are in constant, commercial operation. During a recent trip made from New York to California, I visited most of the important mines of the West and failed to discover a single electric equipment, so far as this class of mining-work is concerned. If any one will inform me where there exists today an electric-drilling equipment in constant service in mines in the United States, I shall be glad to receive the information. Mr. Clarke has been for some years an active and intelligent writer on the subject of electricity for mining. Whenever his

Jan 1, 1904

E. Hill, South Norwalk, Conn. (communication to the Secretary*) :—The phenomenon described by Dr. Ledoux, involving an apparently abnormal high temperature in the air-cylinders of compressors, has not been, so far as I know, discussed in technical literature. The common formula for the adiabatic compression of dry air does not account for heat suficient to flash ordinarily decent cylinder-oils, nor do the text-books include in their theoretical statements any quantitative consideration of the effect of leaks in the ideal machines which they contemplate. This lack I have endeavored to supply by preparing, in the form of a circular, for the use of the customers and correspondents of the Norwalk Iron-Works, a brief mathematical

Jan 1, 1904

Charles H. Fulton, Rapid City, So. Dak. (communication to the Secretary*): Professor Lodge takes issue with Mr. Crawford and myself on results obtained by the scorification-method of assay on " zinc-box precipitates," which we published in a paper on the subject in the publication named below.' In our work we found that the normal seorification-method, employing only test-lead and a very little borax-glass as a flux, gave results on cyanide precipitates which mere invariably very low, loss having taken place by slag-absorption and volatilization, as repeated slag-assays failed to bring up results similar to those obtained by other methods. Professor Lodge anil his students made a large number of what he terms " scorification-assays," but which, I would like to point out, have claim to that name only in that they are made in a scorifier, for the charge consists of test-lead, a very considerable quantity of borax-glass (10 grams), at times also of litharge and even charcoal, so that the assays are in reality crucible assays. A scorification-slag proper is an oxide-slag to all intents and purposes, while the slags made by Professor Lodge are borates, certainly acid-slags. It has been our experience since our paper, The Assay of Cyanide Precipitates, was published, that the nature of the assay slag in the crucible assay has a great influence on the result. A " basic " or oxide-slag invariably causes high slag-losses, while an " acid " slag gives very fair results on material containing much zinc. This has also been the experience of a mellknown cyanide chemist with whom I have corresponded on the subject, who found that acid crucible-slags gave good results on zinciferous material, but that the scorification-method, as ordinarily employed, gave high slag-losses. I believe that if the conditions are such that the zinc can be

Jan 1, 1904

G. A. Burr, Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico (communication to the Secretaryt): I regret that Mr. Norris did not give more attention to the hoisting of water in inclined shafts or slopes: the only slope mentioned being Hickory Ridge Slope, No. 4, of the Union Coal Co. The surface arrangement, illustrated in Fig. 12 of his paper, if not unpractical, is at least unscientific and cumbersome. It is my opinion that the back- and sideguides shown in Fig. 12 are not only unnecessary where rails are used as a track, but are unsafe, excepting in the case of a very firm hanging-wall, or roof, and sides of vein-matter, having absolutely no tendency, either to settle from the back, or to squeeze from the sides, an effect which would inevitably force the guides out of alignment. The accompanying illustration, Fig. 1, shows what I consider a better method of hoisting water than that described by Mr. Norris. This method is based on the general practice in metalliferous mines of the West, where skips are used in slopes; and, while it is not original with me, I have frequently used it with very satisfactory results for dumping both ore and water.

Jan 1, 1904

K. W. Turner, Sail Francisco, Cal. (communication to the Secretary*): The recent papers in the Transactions by Vogt,' Lindgren2 and Weed: on ore-deposits that have formed as a direct result of igneous intrusions, show that deposits of this class are widely distributed over the world, and are occasionally of commercial value. This is especially true if we consider under this head all deposits in the zone of contactrnletamorphism, the origin of which may be ascribed to the gases and vapors generated by the heat of the intrusive rock. Mr. Smith's description of the Chillagoe garnet-formations containing copper, leads one to regard these depoaits as of contactrmetamorphic origin, although he gives certain reaeons for supposing them to be of igneous origin.

Jan 1, 1904