Search Documents

By Forbes Rickard

Gilpin County, the cradle of mining in Colorado and the Cornwall of North America, is too well known to need much introduction; get, for the benefit of those not familiar with the district, it may be well to premise that it comprises a tract of country of about 122 square miles, lying between the counties of Jefferson, Boulder and Clear Creek, and hounded on the west by the main range of the Colorado Rockies. It is located centrally in the State, 40 miles west from the city of Denver. During the 38 years since the first gold-discovery, Gilpin county has contributed about eighty million dollars in gold and silver to the world's supply of these metals. Many mining districts have had their rise and decline in half this time; but, very far from being exhausted, this mining district is still in the ascendant; its output is increasing (it was $3,600,000 for the year just closed), and it was never more prosperous nor productive than to-day. Taken generally, there does not exist anywhere in the world so great a number of permanent veins within so small an area as in this district. Gilpin is practically a " poor man's camp." Its veins, with few exceptions, outcrop at the surface. In the oarlier---days of the camp these outcrops were worked in many instances by sluice-mining; particularly is this the case with regard to the veins of the Russell gulch. Discoveries are still made in the heart of this district, and the productive area is every year extending its limits. The districts of Yankee Hill, Hawkeye and Pine Creek, which used to be isolated, are now part and portion of the one gold-field of Gilpin county. Within the last year sensationally rich gold-discoveries have

Jan 1, 1899

By Paul M. Tyler

The term "milling" as applied to nonmetallic minerals often refers merely to pulverizing without preliminary beneficiation. As applied to dimension stone, it embraces all the gteps involved in shaping and giving the desired finish to blocks. Processes such as sawing, planing, rubbing and polishing seem far removed from milling as the term is used in ore dressing, nevertheless they involve the element of concentration, for only 25 to 50 per cent of the gross quarry output may leave the mill as finished products after imperfect stone has been culled and the rough blocks trimmed. On the other hand, numerous nonmetallic minerals have to be concentrated in much the same manner as low-grade ores. Engineers and machinery manufacturers have begun to recognize more clearly the opportunities awaiting them in the nonmetallic field and have brought with them the methods and equipment developed in metal-mining camps, occasionally with little modification. General Economic Considerations Approximately one-half of the total value of the mineral production of the United States represents mineral fuels, and the other half is about equally divided between metals and nonmetals, the nonmetals recently having become relatively more important. In terms of volume the domestic output of nonmetallic minerals other than fuels is more than 10 times the annual output of metals. Considered on the basis of industrial utility and general commercial and military significance, moreover, the flow of nonmetallic mineral products is quite as needful to our national integrity and well-being as is that of metals, fuels, or other basic materials. Despite their importance individually and as a group, the nonmetallic mineral industries differ so widely in essential characters and economic environment that producers thereof have been slow to develop a community of interest among themselves or with the metal-mining fraternity. A spirit of change is in the air, rule-of-thumb methods soon may be relegated to limbo, and new methods—especially time-tested ideas borrowed from ore-dressing practice—are being introduced. A faithful record of plant practice in certain of these fields, however, must register

Jan 1, 1935

By Thomas Leonard Watson

Introduction,...... Historical Statement,....644 Geology of the District,....645 The Weisner Quartzite,....647 Topography,. .....653 Rock-Weathering,..... The OcheR-Deposits,.....655 Petrography of the Quartzite,..655 Associated Ore-Deposits,....657 Chemical Composition of the Ocher,. 658 Mode of Occurrence of the Ocher,..659 In the Fresh Rock,....660 In the Residual Clays,...661 Origin of the Ocher,....662 Economic Features,..... Methods of Mining,..... Preparation of the Ocher,...664 Uses,........ Introduction. Knowledge of the existence of yellow-ocher deposits in Bartow county, Georgia, dates back to the early mining of manganese- and iron-ores in the vicinity of Cartersville. Systematic mining of the ocher in this area really began, however, probably not longer than a decade back, although the date of its first working is as early as the year 1877. The district has been, for a number of years, one of the principal producers of yellow ocher in the United States; and at no period of its development have mining activities been greater and more successful than at present. Systematic field-study of the ocher- and manganese-deposits of Georgia was begun by me while I was a member of the

Jan 1, 1904

Thomas Haight Leggett, London, Eng. (communication to the Secretary): Mr. Hammond has given us a concise yet complete description of the Witwatersrand gold-fields, and the character of the operations which have resulted in their remarkable development.

Jan 1, 1902

By B. M. Larsen, L. S. Darken

SOME years ago we collated all laboratory data then available to us on the distribution at equilibrium of manganese and of sulphur between metal and simple slags, and used the results in setting up an equation, which proved to be in accord with determinations of the distribution ratio of manganese and of sulphur between liquid steel and open-hearth slag, over a wide range of operating conditions. We now present an outline of our calculations and inferences on these two closely related questions, which are of especial importance because of the advisability of conserving manganese wherever possible. In general, our results show that in the open-hearth furnace equilibrium between metal and slag, with respect to both manganese and sulphur, is substantially attained during the finishing period of the heat, or in about a half hour to an hour after any additions were made. This implies that the end result will be identical whether manganese is added as alloy or metal to the liquid steel or as oxide to the slag. The proportion of total manganese retained by the steel is favored: (I) by use of the minimum amount of lime, consistent with other operating limitations, required to give a lime-silica ratio of about 2.4, which usually corresponds to a minimum practical slag volume; (2) by a high concentration in the slag of MnO relative to FeO; (3) by high operating temperature. Absorption of sulphur by the slag from the liquid metal is favored: (I) by large slag volume; (2 by a high concentration of active (or "free") lime and of manganese oxide dis) solved in the slag; (3) by low concentration of silica, iron oxide, and phosphate dissolved in the slag. DISTRIBUTION OF MANGANESE BETWEEN SLAG AND METAL AT EQUILIBRIUM On the basis that the distribution of manganese between liquid steel and slag is controlled by the reaction [FeO + Mn = MnO + Fe [A]slag metal slag metal] the distribution at equilibrium, at a given temperature, is expressed by the equilibrium constant for this reaction, which is defined as [K" aMoO aFeI1 dFec) aMn] where a is the activity of the molecular species denoted by the subscript. The activity of each of the several components, although it is not known precisely, is approximately equal to the concentration of each component expressed as its mol fraction; that is, as the ratio of the number of mols of the given component to the total number of mols of all the molecular species present in the metal or slag, as the case may be. Moreover, since the activity, or concentration, of iron in the liquid metal is in fact substantially constant, the term [afe] may be combined with K" to give a new constant K'. Making these changes,

Jan 1, 1942

By R. Dawson Hall

LONG regarded as nearly worked out, the anthracite region still shows promise of a hundred years of life, for means are being found to get bottom, top, pillar, and other coal that earlier generations disregarded as too expensive to mine. Rock drivages and, still more, machinery are making it possible to get such coal. Mechanical methods enable the owner of thin beds to mine these with profit, and the miner recognizes that he must permit the use of machinery or the inexorable laws of economics will deny him opportunity to work. E. L. Dana, Jr., well outlines this situation, which in the past year became definitely established. Stripping also is recovering, safely and inexpensively, coal that past generations regarded as too hazardous and costly for mining.

Jan 1, 1935

By S. C. Jones, J. A. Davis

This paper describes displacement mechanisms of micel-lur solution slugs, displuced by a thickened water "mobility buffer", in a glass micromodel and in consolidated Berea sandstone cores. Colored motion pictures, taken through a microscope, recorded interactions on a pore-to-pore bash in the micromodel. Production and differential pressure data from consolidated cores previously waterflooded to residua1 oil saturation revealed displacement mechani.sm.s macroscopically. Oil is displaced miscibly, while interstitia1 water is displaced immiscibly by the injected micellar. solution slug. Part of this water is dispersed and carried near the lead ing edge of the .slug, and some may remain as a residual saturation. Thickened water displaces any residual water. It also emulsifies with the. slug material, thereby displacing it. The displacement sequence forms banks of oil and water with relatively constant fractional flows, saturations, and mobilities. The mobility of oil and water flowing ahead of the .slug defines .slug viscosity required for stable displacement. Equations are presented that describe. several aspecis of the displacement flow behavior: oil breakthrough, oil cut during production of the stabilized bank, breakthrough of banked water and the resulting decreased fractional flow of oil, fluid mobilities, etc. Breakthroughs, calculated from the equations, are compared with experimental data. Slugs of micellar sollution, ranging from 1 to 5 percent PV, produced unusually high oil recoveries (up to 100 percent) in previously waterflooded consolidated cores. Investigation of the effect of mobility buffer size on oil recovery indicated that recovery is reduced in 3-in. X 4-ft cores for mobility buffer sizes .smaller than 50 percent of the pore volume. Introduction A new oil recovery process,* conceived in 1962, utilizes a slug of micellar solution' that has sufficient viscosity to avoid an unfavorable mobility ratio with respect to the oil and water it displaces. These micellar solutions are composed of hydrocarbons, water, and surfactants, and may contain electrolytes and co-surfactants. The micellar solution is displaced by a "mobility buffer". The mobility buffer is a bank of reduced-mobility fluid, preferably an aqueous polymer solution. The entire system is displaced by unthickened water. This paper describes some of the microscopic and macroscopic displacement mechanisms observed during laboratory development of the fluids for a potential field test. Microscopic phenomena were observed photographically in a specially constructed glass flow model and macroscopic data were taken from constant rate, tertiary displacements conducted in Berea sandstone cores. Qualitative Description of Micellar Solution Flooding This section qualitatively describes displacement mechanisms that occur when a slug of micellar solution is injected into a previously waterflooded core. The slug completely removes oil from the portion of core it contacts, and banks oil in the process. The oil saturation in this bank and the flowing WOR reach definite, fixed values that are determined by water and oil mobilities and slug characteristics. This zone of constant WOR and oil saturation will be called "stabilized oil bank" in the following discussion. When this stabilized bank reaches the outlet end of the core, the oil cut jumps from zero to a constant value equal to the fractional flow of oil. Saline water has little or no solubility in the slug. Because of this. the slug displaces in-place brine immiscibly. During slug injection, most of the brine is displaced ahead of the slug, some is carried along in the leading portion of the slug, and part of the brine may become immobile. The immobile, residual brine is later miscibly displaced by thickened water. Displacement of all the oil and only part of the water during slug injection results in a higher fractional flow of oil ahead of the slug than occurs when all the water is displaced after injection of thickened water is begun. The slug spontaneously emulsifies fresh (low-salt content) water. By emulsification, the slug can become infinitely diluted, and hence totally displaced, by thickened water. Fluid saturations in the core are shown schematically in Fig. 1. Parts A and B show conditions before and after the start of the thickened-water injection, respectively. Since thickened water displaces any residual brine by-

Jan 1, 1969

By M. Cohen, D. J. Blickwede

Quantitative observations concerning the carbide phases in high speed steel are of importance for two general reasons: (1) the carbides, being inevitable constituents of the final structure, exert a direct influence on the properties of the steel; and (2) a substantial proportion of the total alloy content is tied-up in the carbides, and hence the extent of their solution on austenitizing governs the composition of the steel matrix. The latter relationship has a vital bearing on the response of the steel to tempering as well as on its performance in subsequent service. Accordingly, in the course of a long-term study of the behavior of high speed steels, the authors were confronted with the problem of securing quantitative data on the carbide phases. The obvious method for acquiring such information is to isolate the car-bides from the steel and subject them to chemical, X ray diffraction and other measurements. There are well-known extraction techniques which involve the chemical or electrolytic solution of the less noble matrix (ferrite, marten-site or austenite), thus leaving a residue of the carbide phases. However, the results obtained must be scrutinized carefully1,2 since the carbides may be affected by the chemical or electrolytic action. It is the purpose of the present paper to describe the experiments leading to an electrolytic-extraction technique for quantitatively isolating the carbides from both I and hardened high speed steel. Particular attention is paid to the amount, as well as the composition, of the carbides so that the matrix analysis becomes ascertainable by subtraction from the overall steel composition. Illustrative results are given for the M-2 grade of tungsten-molybdenum steel. Review of the Literature The chemical method of dissolving the matrix selectively with respect to the carbides makes use of dilute non- oxidizing reagents such as hydrochloric or sulphuric acid. Although this simple procedure has led to the determination of the cementite composition,3,4 it achieved only limited success because of the interaction between the acid and the carbide residue. Some of the carbides may not only be destroyed in this way, but the hydrogen released is likely to remove part of their carbon as hydrocarbon gases. The electrolytic technique of isolating carbides has the advantage of rapidly dissolving the specimen (anode) in the presence of less reactive solutions than are practicable with the chemical method. This reduces the possibility of chemical attack on the carbides, and furthermore, the hydrogen evolved during the electrolysis is released at the cathode which is not in close proximity to the carbides. The common electrolytes adopted for this purpose are hydrochloric and sulphuric acids.5-l1 Aqueous solutions of ferrous salts have also been used.12,13 A considerable advance in experimental technique was introduced by Treje and Benedicks14 who developed a double-compartment cell for electrolytic extraction, the anode and cathode chambers being separated by a porous diaphragm. A solution of 15 pct sodium citrate, 2 pct potassium bromide and 1 pct potassium iodide was selected for the anolyte, while the catholyte consisted of a 10 pct solution of copper sulphate, with copper serving as the cathode. This type of cell has a number of desirable characteristics: 1. The anolyte has a pH value close to 7, at least at the beginning of the run. 2. The iron that dissolves from the anode-specimen forms a water-soluble complex ion with the citrate, thereby preventing the precipitation of iron hydroxide (which would contaminate the carbide residue) despite the neutrality of the solution. 3. Copper deposition instead of hydrogen evolution occurs at the cathode, and this avoids an increasing concentration of hy-droxyl ions which (in an otherwise neutral solution) might cause the precipitation of insoluble hydroxides. 4. Contamination of the anode chamber by copper sulphate is inhibited by the porous diaphragm. Houdremont and coworkers15 applied the above method (with the further refinement of excluding oxygen during the electrolysis, washing and drying) to the extraction of carbides from a series of plain carbon steels after various heat treatments. They had quantitative success only with specimens in the annealed condition, and concluded that the size and shape of the carbide particles play an important role in the isolation process, with large spheroids exhibiting the least tendency to decompose during the electrolysis. Up to the present time, the citrate double-cell has not been used to any extent for isolating the carbides of high alloy steels, apparently on the grounds that the complex carbides are more resistant than cementite to attack in the simpler acid electrolytes. In particular, Bain and Grossmann7 and Gulyaev10.10a have employed the hydrochloric acid cell for their investigations of the carbides in high speed steel.* It will be demonstrated here that this type of cell is capable of yielding quantitative results in the case of high speed steel, and actually has certain advantages over the more complicated double cell. However, in order to provide a rigorous test of the quanti-tativeness of electrolytic procedures for the problem at hand, both methods were studied in considerable detail.

Jan 1, 1950

PRESIDENT BENJAMIN B. THAYER,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. PAST PRESIDENTS JAMES F. KEMP,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. CHARLES F. RAND,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 11, 1914

By J. T. Mackenzie

HENRY MARION HOWE, in whose memory we are gathered together, was one of the great thinkers who develop from time to time to whom is given the rare gift of synthesis. Analysis is given to few, but synthesis, the ability to show the relation of all parts to each other and thus to give a clear picture of the whole, is reserved for the very few. Analysis can be achieved by honesty, intelligence, and industry, but synthesis is only given to genius Professor Howe's crowning achievement is the picture of the whole iron-carbon series shown in Fig. I, which places steel, malleable, gray iron, mottled and chilled irons in their proper relation to each other and shows the essential unity of the series. Perhaps his best statement of the case is found on page go of the Metallography of Steel and Cast Iron in these words: "Each member of the gray cast-iron series consists of the metallic matrix approximately equivalent to that member of the steel-white-cast-iron series to which it corresponds in percentage of combined carbon with its continuity broken up-by masses of graphite . . . " Apparently he had taken considerable interest in this idea around the turn of the century, for he refers to a discussion at the Franklin Institute in 1900 in which he said: "Though many others had probably conceived this relation between the steels and cast irons, it was here enunciated for the first time, so far as I know. It was received with great incredulity." The concept was explained in some detail in a paper on 'The Constitution of Cast Iron" presented before the A.S.T.M. in 1902 when Professor Howe was retiring president of that young society. In the discussion Dr. Sauveur stated that he was "very well acquainted with Professor Howe's theory of the constitution of cast iron," and went on to say that while he "shared it to the fullest extent, some foundrymen . . . claim cast iron is a metal entirely different from steel . . . that steel and cast iron have very little in common, and that therefore the knowledge gained in the study of steel is of little or no value in the study of cast iron." Dr. Moldenke, in discussing the same paper, said he had been working on the same theory for 12 years but he laid no claim to publication. Discussing the difference in the micro- structure of the metallic matrix, Professor Howe pointed out that "such minor struc- tural differences are indeed to be expected, because of the difference in the conditions under which these constituents are generated. "One difference in these conditions is that the steel of most micrographs has been either forged or at least treated thermally in such a way as to give a new structure radically different from that which formed during the initial solidification, whereas the cast irons have not. Hence what we see in the steels is a transformation structure, but in the cast irons a solidification structure. By giving the cast

Jan 1, 1944

By W. Wanjokow, H. O. Hofman

In the metallurgical treatment of most metallic sulphides it is usually necessary to carry on a roasting-operation. In some cases the raw ore will have to be roasted; in others the intermediary product, matte, produced in smelting the ore; again, both ore and matte may have to be subjected to oxidation at elevated temperatures. Most metallic sulphides, when given an oxidizing-roast, pass through the state of sulphate before they are converted into oxides. All metallic sulphates are completely decomposed by heat, with the exception of those of lead and bismuth, but the temperatures at which decompositions take place vary with the metals. Some metallic sulphates are converted directly into oxides, others first form basic salts. Alkali-earth sulphates show a behavior similar to that of metallic sulphates, while alkali sulphates do not part with their sulphur trioxide even at elevated roasting-temperatures. The older data on the decomposition of metallic sulphates by heat are only approximations. Thus Kerl' gives the order in which metallic sulphates are decomposed with increasing temperatures as (Ag2, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn, Pb) SO,. More recent statenlents give definite temperatures and modify the formerly accepted order of decomposition. But the temperatures given by various observers do not agree. The reasons for this are to be found mainly in the method and manner of carrying out experiments. Four methods have been used: 1. Heating in an evacuated tube; 2, heating in a tube closed at one end, without air-cur-

Jan 1, 1913

By W. R. Clark, W. W. Cotter

Jan 1, 1946

By W. W. Cotter, W. R. Clark

Jan 1, 1946

By A. Eilers

THE telluride of gold and silver, the " Tellurgold-silver" of Hausmann, and " Petzite" of other mineralogists, has been found in so few localities, that a late discovery of the mineral in a new locality may not be uninteresbing. So far this mineral has been found in Europe only in a few mines in Transylvania, and in Hungary; and in the United States in the Stanislaus Mine, in Calaveras County, California, in the Golden Rule Mine, Tuolumne County, California, and in a mine in Montana, the precise locality of which I have forgot, ten. The new locality referred to is at the Red Cloud Mine, Gold Hill District, Boulder County, Colorado.

By H. A. Kuhn

THE Pittsburg coal field in western Pennsylvania, is conceded to be the most important in the world. To measure its importance it is necessary to understand the extent of its service in the various industries of the country. Probably 90 per cent. of the pig iron manufactured in the United States up to the present time has been made by using coke manufactured from the Pittsburg coal seam in western Pennsylvania. This coal field is the foundation on which the city of Pittsburg rests and is the reason for the great growth of the iron industry in the Pittsburg district. Iron ore is brought to this district, not because Pittsburgh is a. natural location, over other locations, for the iron and steel industry-as its position places the manufacturer at the mercy of the railroads-but the ore is brought 1,100 miles to meet the fuel. It can be said that the illuminating-gas industry in the United States has used this coal exclusively to the same extent that the pig-iron maker has used it. It may be also said that 20 to 25 per cent. of the fuel used on railroads in the United States conies from this coal field. The Pittsburg coal field is unquestionably the center of the industrial population of the United States, for in addition to the industries of the district and those closely adjoining, it has tributary to it all the cities and industries along the Great Lakes and practically all of Canada with the exception of the extreme western and eastern ends. It supplies the industries and population west of Duluth and Superior many hundreds of miles. This coal is floated down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, supplying the towns en route, and is delivered in New Orleans, a distance of 2,200 miles, for approximately SO to 90 c. per ton transportation cost. It is delivered on the docks of Superior and Duluth at a cost of transportation 50 c. a ton less than the cost of transporting the same coal from Pittsburg to a local consumer in Philadelphia. With other Appalachian coals it has large markets east and along the seaboard, especially for byproduct-coke making and the illuminating-gas industry. It is considered the premier railroad fuel of the world on account of the fact that this coal in a given-sized locomotive will probably haul more cars than any other coal in the

Jan 10, 1914

By R. W. Hyde, B. S. Old, S. E. Eaton

INTRODUCTION ONE of the most important problems facing the steel industry at the present time is that of maintaining at a minimum the sulphur content of many grades of steel where sulphur is known to have harmful effects on both quality and yield. The present outlook in this struggle to reduce the amount of sulphur in steel is rather gloomy since the sulphur content of the raw materials available in the United States is gradually rising, with little relief in sight. A flow sheet of sulphur in the steel process is shown in Fig I. The values used here were obtained by averaging coke oven and blast furnace data at No. 5 furnace in Cleveland and are considered typical for high top pressure practice. The sulphur evolved in the blast furnace top gas was obtained by difference and since the amount is relatively small, little significance should be attached to this particular value. From Fig I it is apparent, however, that coals used in the production of metallurgical coke represent by far the largest single source of sulphur in steelmaking. As an indication of the decrease in quality of these coals as regards sulphur content the weighed average annual sulphur analysis of the coals supplied to two different steel plants, since 1925, is plotted in Fig 2.1 The sharp rise since 1940 is strikingly apparent. Another indication of this trend is found in estimates of coking coal reserves. Thus in the case of Pittsburgh seam coals available in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pa. as of Jan. 1937 only 25 pct of the coal reserves would contain less than 1.50 pct sulphur after washing.2,3 Many of these lower sulphur reserves have been seriously depleted in recent years because of accelerated war demands. Still another demonstration of the increasing sulphur content of coals on a country-wide basis is found in a report by the Bureau of Mines4 which shows a steady increase in the sulphur content of coke made in the United States, It should be noted that this increase continues in spite of the wider use of coal washing in recent years. Sulphur occurs in coal in three forms, pyritic (FeS2), organic sulphur, and a small amount of sulphate sulphur (CaSO4), The sulphur is subsequently found in the coke in combination with carbonaceous material of unknown composition and as calcium and iron sulphides: In considering the general problem of sulphur elimination, the Republic Steel Corp. was interested in determining which, if either, of the two major forms of sulphur in coal contributes the greater portion of sulphur to the coke, Since the ratio of pyritic to organic sulphur varies widely in different coals, it was thought that if it could be shown definitely that the major part of the sulphur occurring in coke originates from one of the two major forms of sulphur in the coal, it would then be possible to select with confidence coal which, although high in total sulphur, would yield coke of fairly low sulphur content, Using the new

Jan 1, 1948

By Joseph Daniels

The Fritz Engineering Laboratory was built under the direction of John Fritz, and presented by him to the University. A view of the building, looking east, is shown in Fig. 1. The building was started in 1909, and completed in 1910, although all of the equipment was not placed until later. Mr. Fritz gave his personal attention to the details of construction and equipment, and it was his custom to drive over every day to the University from his home in Bethlehem and spend some hours watching the work, offering suggestions, making changes, and planning new work. The result is a building and an equipment which embody his practical ideas. The laboratory structure is of the steel mill-building type, of light-colored brick, 91 by 114 ft., of which a section is shown in Fig. 2 and the floor-plan in Fig. 3. The steel frame carries the roof and traveling crane-way. Ample light has been provided by numerous windows in the side and end walls, in the clerestory, and by a skylight 84 ft. long and 9 ft. wide in the north roof. The main aisle of the building is 49 ft. 2 in. between centers of crane-columns, and has a clear height of 40 ft. The remainder of the width is taken up by two side aisles, 18 ft. high. The laboratory consists of four sections: (1) A general testing-section containing the testing-machinery, a small machine shop, and an office; (2) a cement-testing room; (3) a room for making and storing concrete test-specimens; (4) a hydraulic section.

Jan 1, 1912

By H. Rush Spedden, A. M. Gaudin

IN the belief that a critical study of its operating problems might be a sound investment, the Cuban American Manganese Corporation initiated an ore-treatment research in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology One of the early objectives of this research naturally became the relationship of the microscopy of the Cuban ores of the Corporation to their flotation treatment The operations in Cuba have already been described by F S Norcross, Jr 7 and the laboratory study of manganese oxide flotation goes back a number of years 4 Broadly speaking, the difficulties encountered in the flotation of manganese ores are that the consumption of reagents is extremely high, the concentrate contains more silica than is desirable and the tailing losses are relatively high An appreciable betterment on any of these scores would achieve a definite betterment in costs, quantity of minable ores, and quality of product The microscope study discussed in this paper was made on samples from the Quinto mine, from the Ponupo mine, and from mill products at various stages of passage of the ore through the mill The writers have had access to Company records and in particular to the petrographic studies made on thin sections of ore by the late Professors R J Colony and Philip Krieger, of Columbia University They acknowledge their debt to both of these men for the help derived from the reports Manganese oxides are black, friable, smudging It is therefore, very difficult to judge operations by inspection The mineralogy of manganese compounds seems to be confused, and the authors believe that many more minerals have been described than actually exist Much of this difficulty is due to the prevalence of the structural conditions that will be discussed further in this paper, namely, the porosity and the friability of the ores, and the extremely intimate association of minute manganifeous mineral crystals with impurities of various sorts By all odds the most important manganese mineral in Cuba is the one that in this paper is called "psilomelane " The name "psilomelane" has been used in so many different ways that the choice of it for this ore may not be approved by all However, it seems to be the best under the circumstances This mineral accounts for about 97 per cent of the manganese in the ores of the Quinto and Ponupo mines and in the mill feed The remaining odd 3 per cent consists mostly of pyrolusite together with minor amounts of other manganese oxide minerals DESCRIPTION OF PSILOMELANE Aggregate Structure In grains or lumps, psilomelane has a characteristic fibrous appearance and seems

Jan 1, 1942

By E. L. Kinsella, F. S. White

Solids fluidization utilized in two ways for the commercial production of lime is described. Crushed —6 mesh limestone is dried and dedusted in a single bed reactor, then calcined in a 5-stage reactor. Construction, operation, and results obtained with both processes are given. THE solids fluidization process brought out by the Standard Oil Development Co. in the early forties for catalytic cracking of petroleum enabled rapid transfer of large quantities of heat from gases to solids under closely controlled temperature conditions. As the technique developed, it was natural that applications for the process outside the petroleum industry would be sought. The calcination of limestone to quicklime requires the transfer of a large quantity of heat at high and closely controlled temperatures. For these reasons, this possible application was one of the first to be investigated. Laboratory work conducted by the Dorr Co. indicated that lime produced by solids fluidization would be of exceptional quality. Calculation of theoretical heat balances showed that savings in fuel could be expected. Accordingly, a pilot plant of 10 tons per day capacity was erected by the New England Lime Co. at Adams, Mass., to substantiate the process. Operation of the pilot plant, previously described,' showed that excellent lime could be produced with a saving in fuel. The work also indicated the necessity of preparing feed to remove the finer fractions if dust losses were to be held to a tolerable level. A single-stage fluidized solids drier-stripper was developed to accomplish this sizing.' Subsequently a commercial lime reactor was erected at Adams, beginning operation in June 1949, followed by air sizer facilities completed in November 1951. This paper will describe these two applications of solids fluidization. The raw material for preparation of lime by the fluidizing process is a high calcium crystalline lime- stone having the approximate chemical composition shown in Table I. The stone is first prepared by crushing and grinding in conventional equipment to pass a 6-mesh sieve. After crushing, the material is sent to the FluoDry unit for drying and dedusting. Fluidized Drying and Sizing As shown in Fig. 1, the FluoDry unit consists of a -in. cylindrical steel shell, 9-ft ID by 22-ft 6-in. overall height. Attached horizontallv at the bottom is a 6-ft diam combustion chamber, approximately 7 ft 6 in. long. A refractory constriction dome, consisting of first-quality fire brick shapes, partitions the inside into two sections. The lower section is called the windbox and the upper the bed compartment. The vertical wall of the shell is lined with 6-in. first-quality rotary kiln blocks. In the bottom of the windbox a hoppered section is formed with castable refractory to permit the windbox to be readily cleaned via a 6-in. screw conveyor. The combustion chamber is similarly lined with refractory shapes. On the 6-in. diam section, 4 in. of insulating brick, HW-26, are used. The inner combustion chamber is lined with 4-in. Korundal brick to withstand the high flame temperatures encountered. An 8-in. steel feed pipe, entering vertically through the top and fitted with an air-operated cone valve,

Jan 1, 1953

By F. S. White, E. L. Kinsella

Solids fluidization utilized in two ways for the commercial production of lime is described. Crushed —6 mesh limestone is dried and dedusted in a single bed reactor, then calcined in a 5-stage reactor. Construction, operation, and results obtained with both processes are given. THE solids fluidization process brought out by the Standard Oil Development Co. in the early forties for catalytic cracking of petroleum enabled rapid transfer of large quantities of heat from gases to solids under closely controlled temperature conditions. As the technique developed, it was natural that applications for the process outside the petroleum industry would be sought. The calcination of limestone to quicklime requires the transfer of a large quantity of heat at high and closely controlled temperatures. For these reasons, this possible application was one of the first to be investigated. Laboratory work conducted by the Dorr Co. indicated that lime produced by solids fluidization would be of exceptional quality. Calculation of theoretical heat balances showed that savings in fuel could be expected. Accordingly, a pilot plant of 10 tons per day capacity was erected by the New England Lime Co. at Adams, Mass., to substantiate the process. Operation of the pilot plant, previously described,' showed that excellent lime could be produced with a saving in fuel. The work also indicated the necessity of preparing feed to remove the finer fractions if dust losses were to be held to a tolerable level. A single-stage fluidized solids drier-stripper was developed to accomplish this sizing.' Subsequently a commercial lime reactor was erected at Adams, beginning operation in June 1949, followed by air sizer facilities completed in November 1951. This paper will describe these two applications of solids fluidization. The raw material for preparation of lime by the fluidizing process is a high calcium crystalline lime- stone having the approximate chemical composition shown in Table I. The stone is first prepared by crushing and grinding in conventional equipment to pass a 6-mesh sieve. After crushing, the material is sent to the FluoDry unit for drying and dedusting. Fluidized Drying and Sizing As shown in Fig. 1, the FluoDry unit consists of a -in. cylindrical steel shell, 9-ft ID by 22-ft 6-in. overall height. Attached horizontallv at the bottom is a 6-ft diam combustion chamber, approximately 7 ft 6 in. long. A refractory constriction dome, consisting of first-quality fire brick shapes, partitions the inside into two sections. The lower section is called the windbox and the upper the bed compartment. The vertical wall of the shell is lined with 6-in. first-quality rotary kiln blocks. In the bottom of the windbox a hoppered section is formed with castable refractory to permit the windbox to be readily cleaned via a 6-in. screw conveyor. The combustion chamber is similarly lined with refractory shapes. On the 6-in. diam section, 4 in. of insulating brick, HW-26, are used. The inner combustion chamber is lined with 4-in. Korundal brick to withstand the high flame temperatures encountered. An 8-in. steel feed pipe, entering vertically through the top and fitted with an air-operated cone valve,

Jan 1, 1953