Search Documents

By Eckhard Nembach

The phase diagram of the system Pb-In has been investigated between -27° and + 40°C, using nzainly X-ray dijfraction. In accordance with t her mo dynamic measurements by Heumann and Predel, a segregation occurs at low temperatures, though not in the form of a nziscibility gap. THE phase diagram of the system Pb-In has been the subject of extensive investigations,1&apos;1 but recently Heumann and prede13 concluded from their thermodynamic data that a new feature should occur below room temperature. These authors observed that the maximum values for the enthalpy and entropy of mixing, which occurred at a composition of 50 at. pct Pb, were +400 and —1.7 cal per g-atom deg, respectively. From this the authors estimated that a miscibility gap should occur below 30°C, centered at 50 at. pct Pb. Resistivity measurements seemed to support this view. These authors proposed the phase diagram outlined in Fig. 1. Three phases exist at 30°C: the tetragonal indium phase with c/a > 1, the tetragonal intermediate phase a, with c/a < 1, and the fcc lead phase. During an investigation of the superconducting properties of Pb-In alloys. it has been observed4 that aging a specimen with 50 at. pct Pb for 14 days at -18°C decreased the superconducting transition temperature about 0.13"K and tripled the transition width. In this paper, the results of an investigation of the Pb-In phase diagram in the temperature range from — 2T to +40°C are reported. Superconductivity and X-ray methods have been used. 1) SPECIMEN PREPARATION The materials were provided by the American Smelting and Refining Co. According to the manufacturer their purity was 99.999 pct. The weighed amounts of the constituents were sealed in quartz tubes under an atmosphere of 10 torr helium, mixed for 24 hr in a rocking furnace at 380°C, quenched in ice water, and homogenized at 20" to 30°C below the solidus line, established by Heumann and Predel. The annealing times were 144 hr for specimens containing Less than 30 at. pct Pb and 36 hr for the remainder. 2) SUPERCONDUCTIVITY EXPERIMENTS The specimens were quenched from the homogeniza-tion treatment into ice water and their superconducting transition temperatures T, measured. The procedure used has been described in Ref. 4. The transition was detected by the change of the mutual induc- tance of two coaxial coils containing the sample. T, was defined as the temperature at which 50 pct of the total change in inductance had occurred. The repro-ducibility with which T, could be measured was i0.002"K. Then the specimens with lead contents between 38 and 75 at. pct were aged for 7 days at temperatures between -30" and 40°C. If this treatment caused T, to change by more than 0.005"K or the width of the transition to increase by more than 0.002"K, it was concluded that the specimen had undergone a phase change and no longer consisted only of the fcc lead phase: as it did immediately after homogenizing. The result is shown in Fig. 2. From this one can estimate at what temperatures and concentrations phase changes occur. The X-ray measurements were based on these preliminary results. 3) X-RAY EXPERIMENTS Because of the softness of the material, relatively coarse powders. 75 p, had to be used, which were filed in a helium atmosphere from homogenized specimens. The powders were annealed at least 30 min at temperatures between 120" and 16OJC, depending on their concentration, and quenched in ice water. Then their X-ray patterns were taken at -178°C with a Picker diffractometer, model 3488K, and a cold stage. on which the specimen was in thermal contact with a liquid-nitrogen reservoir. In this way the following relation was established for the fcc lead phase: a = 4.697 + 0.00247C for 40 5 C 5 75 11 where n is the lattice constant (A) and C is the at. pct of lead. The coarseness of the powder made it impossible to use lines with 0 > 75 deg; therefore n was averaged from lines with 45 deg 5 0 5 75 deg. The results were reproducible to within i0.05 pct. Relation [I] is very similar to the one found by Heumann and Predel at room temperature. Following this, homogenized specimens with compositions between 15 and 56 at. pct Pb were aged for at least 10 days at temperatures between -27" and

Jan 1, 1970

By Smith, George Otis

ENGINEERING is in essence quantitative, and the engineer must deal with exact figures when he plans and, constructs. Engineering truths are not best expressed by adjectives, yet my wish, today, is not to attempt a quantitative measure of the dominant position of the mineral industry of the United States in the existing scheme of material things, but rather to seek a clualitative appraisal of what mining and metallurgical engineers are doing to promote and make secure our , national progress. Statistics help when we wish to gage material prosperity, but they fail when we desire to determine what share the engineers have in adding to the happiness and welfare of our people

Jan 1, 1928

By Ralph Arnold

IN OPENING the symposium under the auspices of the Petroleum and Gas Committee of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, I wish to call to your attention the following, among other subjects, which it is hoped may receive proper attention: 1. The recording of as accurate an appraisal of the oil possibilities of the various countries as is possible, with information as to the immediate availability of their supply. 2. The development of further support for the move-ment to bring about active cooperation among Ameri-can oil companies in their foreign exploration and development work. 3. The furtherance of the efforts of the industry in securing governmental assistance in foreign oil develop-ment: (a) along the lines of a modification of our domestic oil policy, so that we can go to foreign coun-tries and consistently ask fair treatment as to royalties and bonuses; (b) by a closer cooperation between the State and Commerce Departments and the oil industry. 4. The calling of attention to the unjustifiably drastic action of the price-fixing group of the oil industry during the last year or so, with the hope that it will use gentler methods in the future. None of these subjects are new, and some of them have been discussed before various organizations for years. Our justification for again bringing them forward is the hope that by everlastingly harping on them the industry, the Government, and the people who shape the destinies of this country may some time, some how, realize their importance and take effective constructive action.

Jan 6, 1922

By Clifford Frondel

THE aluminum oxide known as corundum has several varieties that have been used as gem materials since ancient times. These include the red variety called ruby, the blue variety sapphire, and the asteriated types of ruby and sapphire. Asteriated sapphire was known to the ancients under the name of astrios, and descriptions of this gem were given by Pliny and other early writers. The relation of these gem materials to each other as varieties of a single species, corundum, was first clearly established by Haüy in 1805 and J. M. Güthe&apos; in 1809. Natural gem corundum is obtained principally in Ceylon, Siam, Burma, India, and Australia. Star sapphires and rubies always have been highly prized and in recent years have become particu- larly popular in the United States. Natural star rubies of large size and fine quality are extremely rare and rank with large and fine emeralds and diamonds as the most valuable of gem stones. Interest thus attaches to the recent success in commercially synthesizing star sapphires and rubies of a size and perfection unmatched by nature. Corundum was first synthesized as crystals in 1837 by A. Gaudin, who fused alum and aluminum oxide with potassium sulphate. Numerous other syntheses have been reported in more recent years. Summaries of this work are given in Doelter&apos;s Hand-buch der Mineralchemie, Mellor&apos;s Compreheizsive Treatise of Inorganic Chemistry, and other reference works. The methods employed include the reaction in the gaseous state at high temperatures of halogen compounds of aluminum with water vapor or boric oxide; the crystallization of aluminum oxide from fusion in potassium molybdate, potassium dichrom-ate or borax; and crystallization from highly aluminous silicate melts. Red, blue, or green colored varieties can be obtained by the addition of small

Jan 1, 1955

By Cyril Stanley Smith

The following table, which is composed of data given in the author&apos;s first paper on the thermal conductivity of copper alloys1, contains tile results which have been obtained by previous workers on the thermal conductivity of the copper-tin, the copper-phosphorus and the copper-tin-phosphorus alloys (the phosphor bronzes). a Dr. Ing. Diss., Aachen, 1909. Quoted by Schenk: Ann. der Phys. (1910) 32, 261. b Beibl. Ann. der Phys. (1906) 29, 178. c Jnl. Inst. Metals (1928) 39, 375. d Jnl. Inst. Metals (192.5) 34, 43. e Ges. Abhand. Kennt. Kohle (1919) 4, 400. Experimental Methods Since the method of obtaining measurements of the thermal conductivity was identical with that described in the author&apos;s previous paper

Jan 1, 1931

(Under this heading will be published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons. ) An experienced gold and silver metallurgist specializing in cyaniding is desirous of obtaining a position in &apos;America. Speaks, Mexican Spanish fluently. A member, a. technical graduate, with four years&apos; experience in railroad work and-general construction, two years&apos; on mine examination and geological reconnaissance, and two a half years&apos; drilling exploration in placer work and petroleum, together with prospecting and geological interpolation, desires a position as a mining engineer or mining geologist. An experienced mine superintendent, manager, or field engineer, is open for engagement. He has had 12 years&apos; experience as superintendent and manager of large mines in the United States and Mexico, and experience in mine examination. A member of the Institute with several years&apos; experience in mining in the Lake Superior copper district, is open for engagement.

Jan 7, 1913

By C. H. Li, R. J. Stokes, T. L. Johnston

The phenomenon of solid-solution strengthening has previously been studied in a number of binary alloy systems.1-8 There has been, however, very little information published concerning the strengthening effects of specific solutes in magnesium alloys. Schmid and his coworkers9,10 investigated the behavior of aluminum and zinc in binary and ternary magnesium-alloy single crystals, but this work was done before high-purity materials were readily available. Workers at the Dow Chemical companyH reported increases in the critical resolved shear stress upon alloying magnesium single crystals with zinc and indium. Recently, Hardie and parkins* investigated the extent of hardening produced by the addition of various solutes to poly crystalline magnesium. The present work was undertaken to provide data on the strengthening effects of a number of solutes in high-purity magnesium, for the purpose of supplying further experimental information which might be useful in describing a general mechanism for solid-solution strengthening. To simplify interpretation of the results, the mode of deformation was limited to basal slip, through the use of single crystals. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Magnesium and magnesium binary-alloy single crystals containing indium, cadmium, thallium, aluminum, and zinc were prepared in the form of l/2-in.-diam rods, approximately 8 in. long, using a modified Bridgman technique in which the crystals were slowly cooled from the melt in a steep temperature gradient, in an atmosphere of helium. It was found that a solid-liquid interface travel speed of about 0.7 in. per hr consistently produced single crystals. The poly crystalline starting materials for the preparation of single crystals consisted of 1/2-in.-diam extruded rods, prealloyed to the desired composition. The unalloyed magnesium and magnesium-indium extrusions were furnished by the Dow Chemical Co. The other alloys were prepared at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Metallurgical Laboratories. Some preliminary studies of the strengthening effect of indium were conducted at room temperature using a constant rate of tensile loading of 1040 g per min. Stress was applied to the crystals by means of a simple 5:l lever arm. The lever was loaded by a constant rate of flow of shot into a receptacle suspended from the long arm of the lever. Plastic flow was detected by an electrical resistance strain gage cemented to the surface of the crystal normal to the minor axis of the predicted glide ellipse. The crystals were acid machined to produce tensile specimens with a reduced section between the grip ends, with an additional step in the center of the reduced section to compensate approximately for the slip-retarding effect of the strain gage. The balance of the single crystals were extended in an Instron tensile tester. This machine employs a synchronously driven screw and automatically records applied load as a function of cross-head separation. It became unnecessary therefore, to employ a strain gage to detect deformation or to acid machine a reduced section. Preparation for testing reduced merely to chemical cleaning of the surface, thus minimizing the amount of handling and probability of accidental damage to the crystals. The rate of elongation employed in all the tests was 0.002 in. per min, corresponding to a strain rate of approximately 0.0004 per min. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The investigation confirmed the finding of many workers that the yield strength of hexagonal metal crystals is strongly orientation-dependent. This is illustrated in Fig. 1, in which o, the tensile stress required to produce gross plastic flow in eleven unalloyed magnesium crystals stressed at a constant rate of loading is plotted as a function of sin X, cos Ao where X, is the angle between the

Jan 1, 1960

By Wesley G. Josephson

THE MINING PROPERTY of the Argonaut Mining Co., Jackson, Calif., is one of the oldest on the Mother Lode. A vein outcropping on a hill in this section could not long elude the eye of the forty-niner, so it was first discovered in 1850. From that time until 1893 the Pioneer mine, as it was then called, limped along under various poorly equipped and financed operators who tried tapping it by trenching and tunneling. Then the Argonaut Mining Co. took over the property and sank the present 65° inclined shaft in the hanging wall of the vein. The mine workings have now reached the 6000-ft. level, which is 5283 ft. vertically below the surface, or just 3 ft. over a mile. The total production of the mine is uncertain, because of lack of early records, but from 1893 to 1932 it is known to have produced in excess of $17,000,000.

Jan 1, 1932

By William E. Ford, Edward Salisbury Dana

262. Parallel Grouping. - Connected with the subject of twin crystals is that of the parallel position of associated crystals of the same species, or of different species. Crystals of the same species occurring together are very commonly in parallel position. In this way large crystals, as of calcite, quartz, fluorite, are sometimes built up of smaller individuals grouped together with corresponding faces parallel. This parallel grouping is often seen in crystals as they lie on the supporting rock. On glancing the eye over a surface covered with crystals a reflection from one face will often be accompanied by reflections from the corresponding face in each of the other crystals, showing that the crystals are throughout similar in their positions.

Jan 1, 1922

By Franz Wever

ACCORDING to Tammann,1 the explanation of the effect of mechanical deformation in producing changes in the properties of metals is one of the most important problems of physical metallurgy, taking rank with the study of the constitution of alloy systems; and this problem has long attracted-the attention of practitioner and scientist alike. Its solution was not advanced materially until Tammann2 set up his translation hypothesis with its crystallographic basis, while other hypotheses, such as the amorphous metal hypothesis of Beilby3 and Rosenhain,4 have been shown by more intensive studies to be less and less satisfactory. The principles of the Tammann translation hypothesis have proved to be useful even up to today and in spite of all of the recent accumulation of experimental data, while the differences of opinion which have arisen relate to the extent to which the hypothesis accounts for the observed changes in properties and to what extent further assumptions are necessary. Stimulated by the proposals of Tammann, there soon developed a lively experimental activity which aimed at the elucidation of the structural or crystallographic changes produced by the mechanical deformation of metals. Parallel movements of crystal "blocks" along definite crystal slip planes had already been observed by lowing and Rosenhain5 in 1900, in metals which had been moderately deformed but without shedding light on the crystallographic nature of the processes accompanying more severe deformation. The solution of this important problem was not advanced until a much later date, or until the methods of X-ray crystal analysis had become available. Shortly after the discovery of the diffraction of X-ray by crystals, symmetrical diffraction effects were

Jan 1, 1931

By C. K. Stoddard, R. G. Knickerbocker, E. T. Leidigh, R. R. Lloyd, K. L. Mattingly

DURING July 1941, a study was initiated at the Boulder City Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines on proposed methods for the production of magnesium metal. The major emphasis was placed upon development of a process that required minimum reliance upon the sale or utilization of by-products to meet economic competition from processes already in operation. It was felt that only through the development of such a process could the nation&apos;s vast resources of dolomite and low-grade magnesite that are contiguous to large blocks of firm power be properly utilized. During the course of exploratory tests on electrolytic and electrothermic processes, it was noted that fused magnesium chloride would dissolve appreciable quantities of magnesium oxide in the presence of small amounts of boric oxide. The use of such a solution in an electrolytic cell employing a graphite anode and a steel cathode caused the deposition of magnesium at the cathode and the evolution of carbon oxides at the anode with minimal amounts of chlorine The original results were sufficiently encouraging to justify further investigation on an enlarged scale, since the process seemed to present advantages over other proposed processes 1.2 for the direct use of magnesium oxide in a fused chloride electrolyte. When work on a larger scale was initiated it was found that the addition of boric oxide to the electrolyte resulted in dispersion of metal and constantly decreasing current efficiency. However, by this time solubility studies had shown that magnesium oxide was sufficiently soluble in magnesium chloride melts containing no boric oxide to effect the same anode reactions, and development work was continued. Over two years of development work have been carried out, and considerable work remains to be done. It is desired to emphasize the fact that many of the difficulties met require a long period of continuous operation before they become serious enough to affect operation of the cell. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper is one of many reporting on various aspects of the Bureau of Mines&apos; program initiated in August 1939 by passage of the Strategic Minerals Act the scope of which was greatly expanded by subsequent legislation. Some of these papers are published as war minerals reports. others as bulletins, technical papers, reports of investigations

Jan 1, 1945

By C. P. Parsons

During the past year considerable interest has been shown in cementing operations for shutting off bottom water, whipstocking, etc. A number of plug-back methods have been used, with various adaptations for special conditions, but those described in this paper are representative of the methods now in use. Conditioning the Well Various preliminary operations for improving the results from plug-back operations have been evolved. In one method, a nitroglycerin shot is discharged at the upper portion of the formation to be plugged off, the purpose being to make a wide place in the hole in order to give the cement a more secure anchor against thrust pressure of the water against the bottom of the cement plug after the well is again put on production. Another is intended to attain a similar result by under-reaming a wide place in the hole by means of a rotary wall scraper. In one well in which this device was used there was a water sand at the bottom of the well immediately below the cap rock above which the oil sand occurred. Before the plugging back operation, the water sand was underreamed in an attempt to get a square shoulder on the underside of the cap rock, in order to prevent the water from breaking in over the top of the cement plug after the well should be put on production, and also to get a more secure anchor for the cement plug against the thrust pressure of the water against it. As an aid in calculating the amount of cement required to fill a given amount of hole to be plugged back, a device has been developed for measuring and recording the irregularities and cavities in open holes, called an "open-hole recording caliper." If consists of a steel shell, 5 in. in diameter, which encloses a recording mechanism that receives impressions from four movable arms that make sliding contact with the wall of the hole. The arms operate a ratchet, which raises and lowers a recording stylus against a chart. Each arm registers its own radius. The device is run into a well on a steel measuring line. While the device is being lowered, the arms are folded inside the shell; they are

Jan 1, 1936

By C. P. Parsons

During the past year considerable interest has been shown in cementing operations for shutting off bottom water, whipstocking, etc. A number of plug-back methods have been used, with various adaptations for special conditions, but those described in this paper are representative of the methods now in use. Conditioning the Well Various preliminary operations for improving the results from plug-back operations have been evolved. In one method, a nitroglycerin shot is discharged at the upper portion of the formation to be plugged off, the purpose being to make a wide place in the hole in order to give the cement a more secure anchor against thrust pressure of the water against the bottom of the cement plug after the well is again put on production. Another is intended to attain a similar result by under-reaming a wide place in the hole by means of a rotary wall scraper. In one well in which this device was used there was a water sand at the bottom of the well immediately below the cap rock above which the oil sand occurred. Before the plugging back operation, the water sand was underreamed in an attempt to get a square shoulder on the underside of the cap rock, in order to prevent the water from breaking in over the top of the cement plug after the well should be put on production, and also to get a more secure anchor for the cement plug against the thrust pressure of the water against it. As an aid in calculating the amount of cement required to fill a given amount of hole to be plugged back, a device has been developed for measuring and recording the irregularities and cavities in open holes, called an "open-hole recording caliper." If consists of a steel shell, 5 in. in diameter, which encloses a recording mechanism that receives impressions from four movable arms that make sliding contact with the wall of the hole. The arms operate a ratchet, which raises and lowers a recording stylus against a chart. Each arm registers its own radius. The device is run into a well on a steel measuring line. While the device is being lowered, the arms are folded inside the shell; they are

Jan 1, 1936

By Heinrich Ries

The clay-resources of Colorado are but little known, for the reason that little has been published concerning them, and also on account of the hitherto small demand for clay products in the Rocky Mountain region. At the present day the wares manufactured from clay which are used in Colorado include common and pressed brick, terracotta, sewer-pipe, pottery and refractory articles. Most of these are brought from a considerable distance; but with an increasing demand for such goods in the West and a better knowledge of the available materials, there should be considerable expansion in the clay-working industry of Colorado in the future. The notes here presented are an abstract of those collected by the writer in October, 1896, in a reconnaissance of the clay-bearing formations of Colorado. Clay-bearing Formations. We may roughly divide the clay-bearing formations of Colorado into three groups : 1. Loess and alluvial deposits. 2. Jura-Trias and Cretaceous clays. 3. Tertiary clays. . The loess forms an extensive deposit of large area, though not very thick, extending from north to south across the State, and eastward from the foot-hills. It is generally a very sandy clay, with little plasticity, and is underlain by a gravelly stratum, which determines the workable depth. Clay similar to the loess is found underlying the river terraces in many of the broader valleys, such as those of the Arkansas, Grand River, etc. The Mesozoic formations extend along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, and also occur in some of the deeper valleys tributary to the foot-hill belt. They consist of a great series of interbedded shales, sandstones and limestones of Jura-

Jan 1, 1898

By J. W. Downey, A. E. Dwight, M. H. Mueller, H. Knott, R. A. Conner

Sixty new ternary equiatomic compounds are reported with a hexagonal crystal structure that is isostructural with or very similar to Fe2P, D3h-P62m. HoNiAl is a typical example, with a, = 6.9893 ± 0.0003Å, C, = 3.8204 ± 0.003Å, and c/a = 0.54 7. Three holmium atoms occupy (g): x,0,1/2 three aluminum atoms occupy (f): x,0,0; one nickel atom occupies (b): 0,0,1/2; and two nickel atoms occupy (c): 4, + , 0. The nonequivalent 1(b) and 2(c) sites give rise to two sets of unequal interatornic distances (i.e., Ho-Ni and Al-NL in the case above), which account for the prevalence of Fe2P-type tertmry compounds and the scarcity of binary examples. Unit-cell constants are presented for the sixty compounds and density measurements on the compounds HoNiAl and UFeGa confirm that three formula weights are present per unit cell. Neutron and X-ray powder diffraction intensity measurements were made on CeNiAl and HoNiAl, respectively. The atomic posiLiotml parameters in CeNiAl were determined from neutron data to be x = 0.580 5 0.001 for cerium and 0.219 5 0.001 for aluminum. An investigation of the quasibinary section between the binary compounds CeNi2 and CeA12 revealed a new ternary compound CeNiAl. The compound has a hexagonal structure and is isostructural with the prototype compound Fe2P. Additional examples discovered or confirmed in this investigation provide a total of sixty ternary compounds that are isostructural with or closely related to Fe2P. Previous investigators1&apos;2 reported the unit-cell constants for the hexagonal compounds UFeA1, UCoAl, UIrA1, ZrNiAl, ZrNiGa, HfNiAl, and HfNiGa and the present investigation has confirmed that the compounds are isostructural with Fe2P. Independently, Steeb and petzow3 reported the same structure type for UCoAl, UIrA1, and UNiA1. However, the present results suggest a different atomic site occupancy for the component atoms in the three compounds. A detailed investigation of the relative positions of the three kinds of atoms in the compounds CeNiAl and HoNiAl will be discussed. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The equiatomic alloys were prepared from elements of 99.9+ pct purity by arc melting under a helium-argon atmosphere. After homogenization at temperatures from 700" to 900&apos; C, a metallographic examination was performed by conventional methods, and density measurements were carried out by the immersion method in CCl4. A powder sample was prepared for diffraction studies by crushing a portion of the annealed button. X-ray diffraction patterns were obtained with a Debye-Scherrer camera, in which the annealed powder was glued to a quartz filament, and indexed with the aid of a Bunn chart. Unit-cell constants were calculated from the computer program of Mueller, Heaton, and Miller4 and d spacings were obtained by the program of Mueller, Meyer, and Simonsen.5 The intensity values were calculated from the relation I, ~ (m)(L.P.)F2 by a computer program written by Busing, Martin, and Levy.6 The absorption and temperature correction factors were neglected. An X-ray study of HoNiAl was carried out to take advantage of: large differences in atomic scattering factors for holmium and aluminum, X-ray patters free of background darkening, negligible oxidation at room temperature, and negligible weight loss in the preparation of this alloy. The neutron diffraction studies were made on a powder sample of CeNiAl contained in a -in. diam V tube and a pattern was obtained with neutrons of wavelength The neutron scattering factors employed (x 10-12 cm). In contrast to the scattering amplitude for X-rays, cesium does not have the largest cross section, however, there is a sufficient difference in the neutron scattering amplitudes to distinguish between the atomic species. The neutron transmission was high, 86 pct; therefore, absorption corrections were not necessary for the cylindrical sample. Most reflections could not be observed individually, because of the relatively large unit cell (a = 6.9756 and c = 4.0206Å) and relatively short neutron wavelength; therefore, the intensity of grouped reflections was considered. The Kennicott modification7 of the Busing-Martin-Levy program6 was employed to determine the identity of the atoms at the various lattice sites and the positional parameters. RESULTS A structure for the prototype compound Fe2P was first reported by Hendricks and Kosting;8 however, the structure was in error. The correct structure, as reported by Rundqvist and Jellinek,9 is as follows. The unit-cell constants and volumes per formula weight (V/M) are given in Table I for the sixty compounds examined in this investigation and classified as Fe2P-type compounds. The structure type was determined initially from a comparison of the unit-cell constants of HoNiAl with other known examples of this structure type1&apos; and from the density of HoNiAl, given in Table 11. The density indicated that three formula weights comprised a unit cell, as in the prototype compound Fe2P. The assignment of the three species to lattice sites was made initially on the basis of atomic size. The large holmium atoms were assigned to the 3(g) sites that have a relatively large interatomic distance to nearest neighbor positions, the small nickel

Jan 1, 1969

By George W. Pawel

OWING largely to its value as a toughener and strengthener of steel for both industrial and military purposes, nickel is playing, an important role in the current war. It is fine of the metals in which the Allies enjoy a definite edge over the Axis nations and this time there is no place to which the Germans may send another submarine "Deutsehland" and expect to pick up a cargo of nickel to replenish their exhausted supplies. Total world nickel production thanks almost entirely to the expanded operation of the International Nickel Co. of Canada at Sudbury must now be at the rate of around 175,000 tons a year scarcely more than 5 per cent of which is accounted for by Germany, Italy and Japan. This represents more than four times the world output at the end of the first World War.

Jan 1, 1943

By W. T. Thom

RegaRding the elements necessarily involved .in working out a scientific scheme of classification, Stansfield and Sutherland, (94)† quoting Grout, (34) make the following statement: All bases (for a scientific classification) should be capable of quantitative determination, or be exactly related to some property capable of such a test, so that, if no natural groups are found, arbitrary lines may be drawn to limit the classes. The best basis for classification should involve inherent and fundamental qualities of the materials considered. Allied to this is the requirement that advantage should be taken of any natural grouping. As a further help in selection, the bases or tests should be easily applied, widely known, and have a wide range of values in the material classified. In order that we may apply the philosophy thus expressed, it is necessary for us to have clearly in mind both the reasons why coals differ and the specific purposes to be served by the classification to be devised. Coals differ because, as modern science has shown, coal beds are actually neither more nor less than buried and altered peat deposits, formed in remote geologic time. And as is generally known, such peat beds consisted of masses of partly macerated and decayed trees, shrubs, plants, mosses and/or algae, deposited under swamp or semiswamp conditions. It is therefore to be expected that coals will vary: 1. Because of differences in the parent vegetation, due either to evolutionary plant changes, as from the fernlike types of the Paleozoic to the coniferous and hardwood types of the late Mesozoic and Tertiary; or due to the differences in floral assemblages (growing at the same time) induced by differences in local environmental conditions. For example, moss, sedge, woody and other peats are today accumulating simultaneously in different bogs in North America. 2. Because of differences in the stage to which bacterial decay proceeded in the peat bed. Peats laid down in stagnant waters suffer

Jan 1, 1932

By Morris Muskat

ANALYTICAL calculations have been carried out on the effect of casing perforations on the productivity of wells, and formulas have been derived for general types of perforation patterns. The numerical calculations, however, show that the resultant well productivity is essentially independent of the perforation pattern, but is determined mainly by the total perforation density. Thus, for example, for a density of three perforations per foot of casing, the well productivity will be cut to one third of that of the uncased well for a perforation radius of 1/3 in., and to approximately one half for a perforation radius of 1/4 in,, regardless of the detailed manner in which the perforations are distributed over the casing surface. The analytical theory is also extended to include wells completed with slotted liners. It is shown that the reduction in productivity due to such liners will be relatively small as compared with that due to perforated casings.

Jan 1, 1942

By R. L. Slobod, B. H. Caudle, R. A. Erickson

In predicting the sweepout pattern efficiency to be expected in a .secondary recovery operation, the reservoir engineer is often confronted with a situation in which part of the producing formation lies between the last row of wells and the reservoir boundary. To date, there has been little or no reference in the literalure to sweepout pattern efficiencies in such areas. This paper presents the results, of a laboratory study in which the area contacted around the edge of a reservoir injected in a five-spot pattern was determined. The X-ray shadowgraph technique was used in this study. It was found that surprisingly large portions of the reservoir area lying outside the well network are conracted by the injected fluid before, abndonment conditions are reached. In fact, it can he said that at least 00 per cent of the circa lying outside the last row of wells and within a distance of one well spacing of these wells will ultimately be contacted by the injected fluid in the case of most water floods. Frorn the results given in this paper, it is possible to estitilate not only the extent to which encroachment into these areas will occur but also the injection volume necessary to produce the wells to abnndonment conditions. INTRODUCTION While considerable work has hern done in recent years1.?.&apos;.&apos;&apos;.&apos; evaluating the fraction of the reservoir contacted as a function of the mobility ratio for several different well patterns, there has been practically no mention of what happens to the oil in that portion of the reservoir which lies between the last row of wells and the reservoir boundary. In fact, the assumption is generally made that little or no recovery can he expected From this area. This assumption is incorrect and in many cases will lead to seriouq errors in calculating reservoir performance. The fraction of the area outside the regular well pattern contacted in a five-spot injection system has been studied using the X-ray technique5 to follow the progress of actual floods in porous models of reservoir elemental areas. In this paper, the method for carrying out such a study and the results showing the fraction of the area in question swept as a function of mobility ratio and the produced fluids are presented. THE REPRESENTATION OF A RESERVOIR BY ITS ELEMENTAL AREAS She portion of the reservoir lying between the edge of a reservoir and a line connecting the outermost wells may be roughly designated as the part of the reservoir outside the regular well pattern. An example of such an area is shown as the shaded portion in Fig. 1. The case of a square reservoir utilizing a five-spot injection program and with one full well spacing between the outermost wells and the boundary (Fig. 1) was selected as the single example which would provide the most insight into

Jan 1, 1956

By C. K. Stoddard, R. G. Knickerbocker, E. T. Leidigh, R. R. Lloyd, K. L. Mattingly

During July 1941, a study was initiated at the Boulder City Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines on proposed methods for the production of magnesium metal. The major emphasis was placed upon development of a process that required minimum reliance upon the sale or utilization of by-products to meet economic competition from processes already in operation. It was felt that only through the development of such a process could the nation&apos;s vast resources of dolomite and low-grade magnesite that are contiguous to large blocks of firm power be properly utilized. During the course of exploratory tests on electrolytic and electrothermic processes, it was noted that fused magnesium chloride would dissolve appreciable quantities of magnesium oxide in the presence of small amounts of boric oxide. The use of such a solution in an electrolytic cell employing a graphite anode and a steel cathode caused the deposition of magnesium at the cathode and the evolution of carbon oxides at the anode with minimal amounts of chlorine The original results were sufficiently encouraging to justify further investigation on an enlarged scale, since the process seemed to present advantages over other proposed processes.1,2 for the direct use of magnesium oxide in a fused chloride electrolyte. When work oil a larger scale was initiated it was found that the addition of boric oxide to the electrolyte resulted in dispersion of metal and constantly decreasing current efficiency. However, by this time solubility studies had shown that magnesium oxide was sufficiently soluble in magnesium chloride melts containing no boric oxide to effect the same anode reactions, and development work was continued. Over two years of development work have been carried out, and considerable work remains to be done. It is desired to emphasize the fact that many of the difficulties met require a long period of continuous operation before they become serious enough to affect operation of the cell. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper is one of many reporting on various aspects of the Bureau of Mines&apos; program initiated in August 1939 by passage of the Strategic Minerals Act the scope of which was greatly expanded by subsequent legislation. Some of these papers are published as war minerals reports. others as bulletins, technical papers, reports of investigations

Jan 1, 1949