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By P. G. Thornhill

EARLY in 1951, Falconbridge undertook a research program aimed at the development of a sulphate roasting process for the recovery of the non-ferrous rnetals from the nickeliferous pyrrhotite fraction of Falconbridge ore, in order to reduce the tonnage of iron entering the srnelter. Such a method, it was hoped, would permit a high recovery of the nickel from pyrrhotite otherwise entering the smelter feed, thus not only raising the grade of the latter and reducing its iron content, but also providing an iron oxide residue useful as a source of by-product iron ore. At an early stage in the exploratory laboratory test work it was found that the degree to which the nickel could be solubilized by the sulphating roasting treatment was limited by particle size and the ex-tent to which the pyrrhotite concentrates were freed of the nickel occurring as physically separable pentlandite, a mineral relatively difficult to roast. ( 1) Thus the program

Jan 1, 1961

By Charles Camsell

THE Northwest Territories covers a very large area-more than one-third of all Canada-and its most northern point, Cape Columbia in Ellesmere island, is distant only 500 miles from the Pole. Our first knowledge of the Arctic Archipelago, of which Ellesmere island forms a part, resulted from a gold-mining venture in Queen Elizabeth's reign. The English navigators of that time were eager to find a north-westerly and shorter and Jess hazardous route to the riches of China and Japan than that which Magellan had discovered, but they were unaware that the continent then known to bar a direct route extended in great width far to the north. Frobisher was one of these navigators. He reached in 1576 the bay in Baffin island now named after him, convinced that he had found a passage connecting the Atlantic with Asiatic seas. Forced to re-turn after ordeals in which ice, wind, and Eskimos flayed formidable parts, he brought back, among other novelties, a piece o black stone which had been picked up casually by one of his officers, and gave a little of it to the wife of one of the venturers, or financial backers of the enterprise. To quote now from Hakluyt: ? 'She by chance threw and burned it in the fire so long that , at length being taken forth and quenched in a little vinegar, it glistered with a bright marquesset of gold. Whereupon the matter being called in sorne question, it was brought to certain goldminers in London to make assay thereof, who indeed found it to hold gold and that very richly for the quantity." On the strength of this, the venturers, anticipating much profit, launched a second expedition to secure more of this stone, and 143 persons, including 14 miners and finers, set forth in 1577 and returned the same year, with, however, 200 tons of another mineral. Influenced by glowing accounts of veritable mountains of this mineral and by assays made after "additaments"-that is how "salting" in those days was described-the venturers, including Elizabeth, supplied funds for erecting a smelter and refinery at Dartford and outfitting a stilllarger expedition. And so, in 1578, fifteen ships departed with the Queen's blessing, for the same remote shores. After many mishaps, they returned with over 1,000 tons of the mineral, but when it yielded very little of value at the works in Dartford, the? Company of Venturers was forced into liquidation. Though our first prospector and miner was rather inconsiderate of the investors, he proved the existence of an archipelago, hitherto unknown, and secured much information about the new land and its dwellers.

Jan 1, 1938

By E. R. Hughes

Introduction Situated 182 miles east of Vancouver, on the Kettle Valley branch of the Canadian Pacific railway, the Princeton coal field is readily accessible to the Coast markets. The area covers approximately forty square miles and present indications are that the deposits should contain at least 300,000,000 tons of coal. Comparatively little development has yet taken place in this coal field. Since the commencement of recorded output, the collieries operating in this area have produced 1,640,518 tons of coal. The coal field proper includes only the Tertiary deposits adjacent to the town of Princeton and does not include the Coalmont or Nicola deposits. Production has never been on a large scale. The largest annual output from any property was 81, 780 long tons mined at the Granby colliery in 1940. Coal output was first recorded in 1909 and since that time fifteen properties are reported to have either mined coal or to have done prospecting or development work; of these, only two are presently active. However, none of the properties now inactive were closed because their coal resources were exhausted. The accompanying key map shows the extent of the Princeton coal field, and the location of the coal mines and prospects in this field General Geology The Princeton field is underlain by rocks of Oligocene age and is one of the series of more or less isolated Tertiary lake basins in which coal, or lignite, has been found in the interior of British Columbia. Resting on the Nicola group rocks of Triassic age, the Princeton sedimentaries consist of sandstones, conglomerates, shales, bentonite, bentonitic clays, and several seams of coal. Tertiary volcanics occur both above and below the stratified rocks and in places they have been thrust through the overlying measures. In some areas, the coal has been burned to a red ash as the result of vulcanism, while in other parts some of the moisture has been driven from the coal, thus improving the grade. The field can best be described by dividing it into two areas: the Southern area, lying to the south of the town of Princeton, where most of the mining has been done; and the Northern area, to the north of Princeton, where very little development has taken place.

Jan 1, 1947

By C. R. Whittemore

PROGRESSIVE industrial organizations have recognized the importance of maintaining an adequate reference library of volumes covering all phases of their particular branch of industry, but it has been the experience of the writer that few engineers know how to use to the best advantage this store of extremely -valuable information which has been accumulated for their service. Nor does the average engineer appreciate the fact that it is only through the current technical literature that he can keep abreast of the rapidly developing fields of engineering. The present-day ramifications of the engineering field are of such wide scope that the human mind is not capable of storing away more than a small fraction of the information available on any particular topie; yet, from time ? to time, such information would prove invaluable. An engineer can know intimately only a small part of his own branch of engineering; but he cannot afford to neglect to take the fullest possible advantage of all that is already known in his own particular field. Technical information may be obtained by one or more of the following methods: (1) by enquiring of the individual who knows; (2) by performing the experimental investigations necessary to ascertain the facts; (3) by consulting the technical literature, where a record may be found of the work of others. This last method is the one we wish to examine. Our main consideration is the question of how to use the library, but first it is necessary to give some attention to the kind of enquiries one takes to the library, and to the nature of the sources of information available.

Jan 1, 1938

By D. Cronin, A. Plumtree, A. Hosseini

"Crack in corrosion (CIC) linepipe defects are hybrid defects not directly addressed by existing assessment methods. To investigate the collapse pressure of these defects, CIC defects were formed in 508 mm (20 in) diameter, 5.7 mm thick API X52 linepipe. These defects were 200mm long and varied in depth from 3.0 to 3.8 mm. The respective failure pressures decreased from 14.3 MPa for the plain pipe to 7.9 and 6.2 MPa respectively. A standard FAD method was applied to evaluate these defects as equivalent length and depth cracks, predicting the rupture pressure conservatively by 18% on average. However, when assessed as equivalent cracks with a reduced wall thickness corresponding to the corrosion depth, the predicted collapse pressures were more accurate, approximately 14% conservative on average.INTRODUCTIONPipelines are a safe and efficient method for transporting high volumes of oil and gas. However, aging pipelines may experience defects, such as cracks or corrosion. Present approaches include detection, assessment and repair of defects before they may become critical to the integrity of the line. There are different codes and standards for assessing pipeline defects, depending on the type of defect, with API 579 (API, 2000) being the most common code for the assessment of cracks in oil and gas pipelines . Corrosion is commonly assessed using RSTRENG (Kiefner & Vieth, 1989). Other methods such as the Finite Element method and the CPS method (Cronin & Pick, 2002) may be used for crack and corrosion, respectively.At present, there is no specific method or procedure for assessing crack in corrosion (CIC) defects, and as a consequence there is a need to provide an assessment and evaluation of the integrity of these defects in order to determine the requirements for defect repair or hydro line testing. Hence, the goal of this study was to provide guidance for the assessment of CIC defects for linepipe.CRACK IN CORROSION DEFECTS (CIC)Significant amounts of corrosion and cracking are not generally found together (Hosseini, 2010). However, a new hybrid defect including cracking within corrosion (CIC) has been identified in operating pipelines. In this case, cracking coincident with corrosion (schematic shown in Figure 1) provides the motivation for the current study."

Jan 1, 2012

By Claudio Acuña, Sergio Romo, Gerardo Fuentes

The leaching kinetics of a zinc concentrate in autoclave reactors were studied. A sample of concentrate from Bolivia, with typical mineralogical characteristics of the Andes region, was used. A concentrate containing 49% zinc and 145 ppm of silver from Minera Viacha was characterized chemically and mineralogically (atomic absorption, X-ray diffraction, and SEM microscopy) and tested in bench scale reactors. Two types of autoclave batch reactors were used at 40 bars of oxygen pressure and three levels of temperature (150°C, 200°C and 250°C). The solid to solution leaching ratio was 1:10 (10% sulphuric acid concentration). The effect of the particle size of the concentrate on the leaching kinetics was studied (P80: 145 and 45 µm). Iron from the leaching solution was removed by precipitation by increasing the pH in order to generate a clean solution for zinc electrowinning. The zinc solution was used to evaluate the feasibility of cathode production at the laboratory scale. Zinc extractions with higher liberation (P80 = 45 µm) reached up to 98%. Ground concentrate with finer sizes resulted in agglomeration and the use of dispersing agents did not improve slurry mixing. The leaching solution contained 55 g/L zinc and 7 g/L iron; it was purified by precipitating iron. The precipitation was evaluated using sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide. In the first case, a colloidal suspension of ferric salts was formed while in the second case, different iron compounds were precipitated. The precipitate obtained with ammonium hydroxide had better filtering properties. Electrowinning was carried out using two types of cathodes (stainless steel and aluminium) and solutions purified with ammonium hydroxide. Zinc cathodes formed on stainless steel presented a better physical quality than those formed on aluminium.

Jan 1, 2015

By Mansoor Barati, Xue Yin, Yanhui Sun, Alex McLean, Yindong Yang

The formation and evolution of inclusions in Ti-Stabilized, 17Cr Austenitic Stainless Steel produced by the ingot casting process were investigated through systematic sampling of liquid steel and rolled products. Analysis methods included total oxygen and nitrogen contents, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicate that the composition of inclusions was strongly dependent on the types of added alloying agents. During the AOD refining process, after the addition of ferrosilicon alloy and electrolytic manganese, followed by aluminum, the composition of inclusions changed from manganese silicate-rich inclusions to Al2O3-rich inclusions. After tapping and titanium wire feeding, pure TiN particles and complex inclusions with Al2O3-MgO-TiOx cores coated with TiN were found to be the dominant inclusions when [%Ti] was 0.307 in the molten steel. These findings were confirmed by thermodynamic calculations which indicated that TiN inclusions could be formed in the liquid phase due to the high contents of [Ti] and [N] in the molten steel. From the start of casting to the rolled bar, there was no obvious change in the composition of inclusions compared to the titanium addition stage. Stringer-shaped TiN inclusions elongated along the rolling direction with lengths varying from 17 to 84µm were observed in the rolled bar, which could detrimentally impact the mechanical properties of the stainless steels.

Jan 1, 2015

By T. S. Smith

INTRODUCTION IN PREPARING this paper for the District 4 Meeting, three factors had to be considered. First, the paper must fit the time alloted; second, it must give a general picture of the geology for those unfamiliar with the property; and third, it must contain some new material in order to be of interest to local delegates. The most comprehensive extant discussion of the geology of the property of McKenzie Red Lake Gold Mines, Limited, is contained in Horwood's report on the general Red Lake area ( 1). This report is the 'bible' of the area, and a general paper on the geology of this particular mine would almost certainly appear to be a condensation of it. It was thought, therefore, that the most suitable procedure would be to base the general outline on Horwood' s report, to extend that outline where possible from information gained since its publication, and finally to leave dangling for the contemplative geologist some of the ideas and problems which ?are currently under consideration. LOCATION AND HISTORY The property of McKenzie Red Lake Gold Mines, Limited, is in Dome township, in the Red Lake mining division of northwestern Ontario. The mine is on McKenzie Island, about four miles north, by water, of the Hasaga mine and old Howey mine.

Jan 1, 1951

By V. C. Pandolfelli, L. Paulino, C. E. Zangiacomi

The continuous improvement in aluminum industry over the last years has increased metal output at lower cost. The potlining plays an important role in this regard due to high cost involved and more recently in its environmental aspects. In order to increase potlife and thus minimize the aluminum cash cost, a systemic approach is needed, through investigating the main cathode failure mechanisms by using a pot autopsy as a powerful tool, and then making the necessary chances to achieve extended potlife. In addition, preheating and pot start-up may also damage the cathode if not performed with an appropriate technique or even if the lining materials are not specified correctly, among other factors. All these aspects will be presented and discussed in this paper. Increased potlife, especially now that the current is reaching values up to 300kA, will allow aluminum plants to match their goals more efficiently at lower costs.

Jan 1, 2006

By W. Noel O?Brien

Introduction Since 1930 numerous improvements have been made in equipment designed for the mechanical removal of broken ore in underground mining operations. New applications of mechanical equipment, as? well as improvements and adaptations of well established systems, are being made continually. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss present-day equipment for the removal or transfer of broken ore by means of a powered hoist and scraper arrangement. The terms used throughout the paper are those commonly employed in the trade literature and by mining men. The terms slusher hoist, hoist, and scraper hoist are used inter-changeably to mean a machine, powered by compressed air or electricity, with drums for the winding of wire rope. The tail rope, also known as the pull-back rope or return rope, drags the empty scraper toward the tail-sheave, that is, back to the loading point. No attempt is made to cover the entire field of application of scraping methods. Rather it is the? writer's desire to emphasize the fundamental principles of scraping practice and design and to relate them to some modern applications. The available literature on scraping practice has been freely used. together with personal observation and information and advice of practising engineers and representatives of companies manufacturing slushing equipment.

Jan 1, 1951

By A. M. Salomon de Friedberg

With respect to impurities, HBM&S' copper smelter, located in Flin Flon, Manitoba, is in an unusual position. In addition to the usual concerns, the fact that copper and zinc production at Flin Flon is closely integrated results in the unique situation where feed to the copper smelter typically contains 7% to 8% zinc. This paper discusses the ramifications to copper smelter operations resulting from the marriage of HBM&S' metallurgical plants. Distributions of impurities (specifically Zn, Pb, Ni, As, Bi, Sb, and Cd) are presented and operating practices designed to reduce the impact of impurities on anode copper quality are detailed.

Jun 1, 1993

By Jr. Watts, B. K. Cantrell, K. L. Bickel, J. F. McDonald

"A field trial was conducted at an underground gold mine to evaluate diesel fuel derived from soybean oil (soy-methyl-esters or “biodiesel”) as an alternative to commercial, low-sulphur, number 2 diesel fuel (D2). A 2.7 m3, 18-ton load-haul-dump (LHD) unit, powered by a naturally aspirated, indirect injection (pre-chamber), 100 kW diesel engine was used as the test vehicle. The LHD was equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst. The LHD operated satisfactorily on the biodiesel fuel. Operators observed a slight decrease in power and an absence of black smoke.Diesel particulate matter (DPM) concentrations were monitored for a six-week period while the LHD was operated with either the biodiesel fuel or the D2 fuel. DPM concentrations were measured in the mining section’s clean air intake, exhaust and on the LHD. Reduction in DPM emissions was determined from the measured difference in DPM concentrations between the clean air intake and the exhaust. The biodiesel fuel reduced energyspecific DPM emissions approximately 75%, from 3.6 ± 1.8 g/kW-hr to 0.86 ± 0.27 g/kWhr. Time-weighted average DPM exposure, measured near the LHD operator, was reduced from 0.67 ± 0.13 mg/sm3 to 0.28 ± 0.12 mg/sm3, or approximately 58%, when the biodiesel fuel was used. IntroductionDiesel exhaust consists of noxious gases and diesel particulate matter (DPM). Recent attention has focussed on the potential carcinogenicity of DPM and the potential health impact on miners. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that whole diesel exhaust be regarded as a “potential occupational carcinogen”, and that reductions in workplace exposure would reduce cancer risks (NIOSH, 1988). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared that “diesel engine exhaust is probably carcinogenic to humans” (IARC, 1989)."

Jan 1, 1997

By T. Koulomzine, R P. Jaeggin

The claims now held by Mount Wright Iron Mines Co. Limited were acquired by staking in 1956, 1957 and 1958, i.e., some time after the major deposits of the Quebec Cartier Mining and Normanvi!le Mining Co. (formerly Quebec Cobalt & Exploration Ltd.) were already discovered and partly outlined. The choice of the location of the Mount Wright hold-ings was governed simply by the -availability of ground still open to staking and by its proximity to properties held by major iron companies. Mount Wright Iron Mines had no previous knowledge of the geology and no aeromagnetic results were available to it to guide the choice of areas to be staked. In order to explore the newly ac-quired claims it was decided to make a grid of widely spaced magnetic profiles on the ground rather than use aeromagnetics. This afforded the possibility of making some geological observations simultaneously with the geophysical measurements.

Jan 1, 1961

ABSTRACT It is critical that historical processes and concomitant exposures to specific nickel substances be understood because some diseases linked to inhalation of certain nickel-containing substances have a long latency between first exposure and disease onset, and because nickel substances vary significantly in their toxicological properties. A discussion of the smelting history and related processes at Vale Canada’s (Inco’s) Copper Cliff, Ontario, smelter is integral to the understanding of these processes. The post-1950 processing history, equipment, propensity for aerosol formation, operational procedures, and ventilation controls used by Vale Canada in roasting, smelting, converting, and copper-nickel separation is discussed.

Jan 1, 2013

By C. E. White

History The Con-Rycon mine is situated in the Yellowknife mining district, North West Territories, 608 air miles north of Edmonton, Alberta. The earliest reported discovery of gold in the area was made in 1898 but no extensive exploration occurred until 1928. The birth of Yellowknife as a mining community took place in 1934 with the staking of the Rich group and subsequent shipping of 16 tons of high grade ore. The Giant group was also among the claims staked in 1934, and later staking showed a tendency to close the gap between these two properties. In the fall of 1935, the A.Y.E. claims, situated south of the Giant group, were staked to cover a discovery of the Geological Survey of Canada and, after general release of the Survey's information, the adjoining ground was staked. These claims included the Con, Negus, Meg, and Kam groups. In 1936 four lapsed claims were re-staked as the P and G group and later acquired by Rycon Mines, Limited, controlled by the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited. The Con and various adjacent groups owned by Cominco are now operated with the Rycon under one management. Surface trenching on the Con property started in 1936 and, during the fall and winter of 1936-37, a 60- foot 5 ft. by 9 ft. inclined prospect shaft was sunk. The encouragement provided by the shaft and diamond drilling in 1937 led to the decision to establish a mining plant, and in August, 1938, the 100-ton cyanide mill produced its first brick- the first gold brick poured in the history of the North West Territories. In November, 1938, the mill was enlarged to a 175-ton capacity and operated at this rate until 1941, when refractory ore was encountered. This situation was met by the installation of flotation and roasting units and, at the same time, the milling capacity was increased to 300 tons daily. Labour shortages and Government restrictions forced a reduction of output and in 1943 milling was suspended while mine development continued on a reduced scale throughout the war years. The present full-scale of operations was resumed in 1946 and the total production to the end of 1948 amounted to 288,853 oz. gold and 72,347 oz. silver.

Jan 1, 1949

By James D. Bamburak

Total mineral production in Manitoba has averaged C$1 billion over the past ten years. Industrial mineral production has comprised almost 10% of the total, with more than half coming from the aggregate sector. In southeastern Manitoba, tantalum, spodumene and amblygonite concentrates, cesium and rubidium ores, cesium formate, dimension stone and sphagnum peat moss are produced. Gypsum, high-calcium limestone and lime are produced in the Interlake area. Early industrial mineral production consisted of tools and implements, salt and pottery. Historical production has included: salt, building stone, aggregate, lime and dolime, lignite coal, gypsum, natural and Portland cement, calcium bentonite, brick, light-weight aggregate, caustic soda and soda ash, and silica sand. Future industrial mineral production may come from reactivated quarries, pits and wells or from new producers of current commodities. Newproducts may include: stainless steel master alloy, silicon metal, titanium and magnetite, lithium carbonate, float-plate glass and ferrosilicon, "marble" dimension stone, magnesium metal, potash and kaolin.

Jan 1, 2001

By J. E. Nesset, F. Rosenblum, J. A. Finch, R. Payant

ABSTRACT Under certain conditions of moisture and oxygen, sulphides can spontaneously self-heat. We tested a hypothesis that galvanic interaction between some sulphides can promote self-heating. Galvanic interaction is controlled by the rest potential difference between sulphides and particle size. A series of binary sulphide mixtures was tested. Individual sulphides and mixtures with low rest potential difference did not self-heat, but mixtures of high rest potential difference did. When testing pyrite-sphalerite mixtures, self-heating increased inversely with particle size, with the fineness of the pyrite governing self-heating, indicating the rate-limiting step is the reduction reaction. The results support the hypothesis that galvanic interaction contributes to sulphide self-heating. A possible mechanism based on hydrogen sulphide as an intermediate product is proposed. The understanding gained will be of interest to those involved in storage, shipping, and disposal of sulphides.

Jan 1, 2012

By A. M. Glendinning

"IntroductionLocationTHE PROPERTY of Aunor Gold Mines, Limited is in Deloro township, Ontario, about three miles southeast of the town of Timmins. It consists of a group of eleven claims located between those of Buffalo-Ankerite Gold Mines, Limited, and Delnite Gold Mines, Limited.GeologyThe ore zone at the Aunor mine consists of a narrow band of fine grained pillowed andesite, irregular bands of 'brown to green carbonated andesite, and lenticular bodies of quartz feldspar porphyry. The zone strikes N.80°E., dips 60 North, and has been traced for 5,000 feet across the property. It varies in width from 0 to 250 feet and is bounded on the north and south by masses of dark bluish-grey tale chlorite schist. These schist bands have widths up to 500 feet.The ore occurs in a series of parallel and branching veins confined to the limits of the zone. These veins tend to terminate and die out on the footwall schist contact, striking generally parallel with the ore zone. In wide sections of the zone, 150 to 250 feet, the veins range in width up •to 3.5 feet and may occur in two or three horizons across the width of the zone, each mineable independent of the other. They tend to dip a little flatter than the general dip of the zone. Where the zone is narrow, the veins are so closely spaced and numerous they can be mined together and in some places the complete zone has been mined from schist to schist."

Jan 1, 1953

By M. Lindgren

"Hydrometallurgical processing involves process stages, like leaching, that create harsh environment for stainless steels. High acidity, the presence of chlorides and oxidizing ions combined with relatively high temperature create risk for both uniform and localized corrosion. Advanced electrochemical techniques were employed to study uniform and pitting corrosion of two stainless steel grades 316L and 2205. Results obtained with the linear polarization resistance technique combined with the harmonics distortion analysis, electrochemical noise and coupled multielectrode array systems are compared to the results of conventional electrochemical techniques and immersion tests.INTRODUCTIONHydrometallurgical processing has become favoured in metals production in recent years due to energy costs, leaner ore bodies and environmental factors. Because the hydrometallurgical processing route is flexible, various types of secondary raw materials, like flotation tailings, dusts, sludges and slimes can also be treated in addition to conventional mineral concentrates (Sarveswara Rao & Acharya, 2008).Hydrometallurgical processing relies on aqueous chemistry, usually acids, at temperatures around 100°C for the recovery of metals from ores, concentrates, recycled or residual materials. The processing route can typically be divided into three stages: leaching, solution concentration/purification and metal recovery. The processing environment is aggressive, especially in leaching. High acidity, relatively high temperature together with impurities, like chloride ions, place high demands on the corrosion resistance of construction materials. The dominant corrosion mechanism may be uniform corrosion or localized corrosion depending on the process conditions (Ekman & Torsner, 2010). This complicates the prediction of corrosion rates and, consequently, cost effective material selection.Traditional means to evaluate uniform corrosion resistance of stainless steels are immersion tests and the results are published in the form of iso-corrosion diagrams (Outokumpu Stainless, 2010). For the localized corrosion, namely pitting and crevice corrosion, immersion tests can be used but the duration of the test is rather long because an incubation period takes place prior to the occurrence of the actual localized corrosion damage. Electrochemical techniques, traditionally in the form of cyclic polarization scans, have been employed to assess the susceptibility of a material to pitting corrosion (Papavinasam, 2008). They cannot, however, give any indication of the pitting corrosion rate and lack potential for on-line measurements."

Jan 1, 2012

By G. R. Elliott

Foreword The office of the Supervisory Mining Engineer, a branch of the l. Federal Government, is financially interested in no oil company and has no stock to sell. This office, however, is deeply interested in the proper and efficient development of Canada's natural resources. The people of Canada are interested in the petroleum development in Turner Valley for two principal reasons: As represented by the Department of the Interior, they are the largest owners of petroleum and natural-gas rights in the field; As a nation, they are vitally interested in the development of petroleum and natural gas as a national asset, and therefore, also, in all productive property, no matter who directly controls the leases. As has been stated by Mr. Charles C. Ross, Supervisory Mining Engineer, "The Department, being responsible for the administration of these public resources, necessarily requires regulations to protect them from abuse by lessees. Our portion of this responsibility is to record a complete history of all drilling operations and to see that proper drilling methods are adopted to prevent damage and wanton waste of the valuable natural resources under discussion." Not only does our position necessitate an impartial and a judicial viewpoint, but, being day by day in touch with all operations in the western provinces, we are uniquely situated to comprehend both individual and general problems.

Jan 1, 1930