Search Documents

By A. E. Hunt, G. P. Clapp

This paper constitutes in substance a part of a more elaborate chapter, accompanied with extended tables of analyses, prepared for the book of Mr. Fred. H. Whipple on " Water-Supply." In advanee of that use of the material, however, it seemed appropriate to lay a portion of it before the Institute; and this opinion of the authors, the Council, by accepting the paper, has ratified. It may seem at first glance, nevertheless, that a paper dealing chiefly with this subject in its sanitary aspects, and only treating in a subordinate way of the one subject (boiler-scale) usually deemed to concern our professions, is somewhat out of place in our Transactions. But reflection will, we trust, correct this impression. In recent periods, and in continually increasing degree, the managers

Jan 1, 1889

By S. J. Noesen, J. R. Hughes

Several four-inch-diameter tungsten ingots were arc melted in vacuum or in hydrogen atmospheres. Melting pressures, melt-off rates, effect of atmospheres, and other pertinent factors were examined. Two of these ingots were extruded at 1650°C. Subsequently, forging and rolling were carried out at lower temperatures. For a 60 per cent area reduction by rolling, a one-hour recrystallization temperature of 1250°C was obtained. This temperature is considerably lower than those reported in previously published work, and can probably be attributed to the extreme purity of the as-cast ingots (N, H, 0 all less than 1 ppm). EVER since W. D. Coolidge, in 1909, described his process for producing tungsten metal of high density and good workability via the powder metallurgy tech-

Jan 1, 1961

By Archer E. Wheeler, Milo W. Krejci

There are two general methods in use for the production of metallic copper from matte which are worthy of consideration : (1) the Welsh blister process, and (2) the converter process.' As practically all of the copper produced to-day is made in converters, we will give a brief outline of that process before proceeding with the special subject of this paper. Matte may be roughly defined as a mixture of the sulphides of copper, iron, nickel, silver, etc. In the converter process this is blown up to metallic copper in a modified type of Bessemer converter. The conversion of matte consists mainly in, (1) the removal of sulphur in the form of SO2, and (2) the slagging of the iron. With this brief statement we come to the two subdivisions of the process of converting mattes: Converting with acid linings. Converting with basic linings. Converting with Acid Lininys, This is carried out by lining the converter with siliceous rock or ore, which performs two functions: It protects the iron shell of the converter from the molten charge, and it furnishes the silica for combining with the iron as it is oxidized from the matte, to form a ferrous silicate. It follows from the second of these functions that this siliceous lining must be replaced from time to time, and in practice it has been necessary to reline converters every 8 to 40 hr., this time varying in different plants and even with different linings in the same plant, the life of a lining depending upon the grade of the matte treated, and upon the composition, the thickness, the tamping, and the drying of the lining.

Jan 1, 1914

By Roussey Roussev

The use of chemical additives on grinding is of significant importance considering the high energy consumption of grinding processes. My research indicates that the dispersant approach explains the effects, in this particular case of wet grinding. Further, the dispersant approach combined with torque measurements give the possibility of clarifying the mechanisms involved when using grinding aids. I find the conclusions derived from the data obtained to be correct and useful for grinding. In general, I agree with the explanations. However, I would like to discuss several additional points that I consider to be important, and in the same time to mention some of my own results from investigations similar to those presented in the study under discussion. The "bed volume concept" and the change of slurry viscosity explain adequately the data plotted on [fig. 3], in conjunction with [Figs. 1 and 2]. However, the significant increase of the average torque in the case of 83% solid with XFS-4272 introduces the necessity of establishing the optimum of percent solid when dispersant is used. For example, the optimum percent of solid for different materials varies. One of the reasons is the material's mass density. On the other hand, it is necessary to determine the concentration of the chemical used. Because of this, it would be interesting to know how the cited concentration was selected.

Jan 1, 1983

By N. A. Ziegler

A CERTAIN amount of interest has been indicated recently in the resistance to oxidation at high temperatures of iron-aluminum alloys (rich in iron). Hautman1 published a paper in which some interesting results are given. According to his paper, only alloys containing at least 8 per cent aluminum indicate a marked improvement in their resistance to oxidation. At about this aluminum content, however, alloys become brittle, which considerably reduces their commercial value. About two years ago the author performed a series of experiments, the results of which are presented here. A series of iron-aluminum-carbon alloys was prepared by melting electrolytic iron, aluminum and high-carbon iron alloy in an induction vacuum furnace.2 The list of these alloys is given in Table 1. Each alloy was forged in the ordinary way to

Jan 1, 1932

By L. M. Clarebrough, A. K. Head, G. W. West, M. E. Hargreaves

RECENTLY Welber and Webelerl reported that during the annealing of fatigued copper no energy was released, but that energy was absorbed in the range of temperature 250" to 400°C. In view of the fact that strain hardening occurs during the fatigue of copper, this result was surprising and it seemed desirable to check the measurements. This note describes measurements made by a different technique which indicates that energy is stored during the fatigue of copper. Two test bars with gage length ¾ in. in diameter and 6 in. long were machined from OFHC copper and annealed in vacuum for 1 hr at 600°C. These were fatigued to fracture in an Avery pulsator at a frequency of 2000 cycles per min. The first specimen fractured after 0.25x10 cycles under a push-pull

Jan 1, 1956

By N. A. Ziegler

A CERTAIN amount of interest has been indicated recently in the resistance to oxidation at high temperatures of iron-aluminum alloys (rich in iron). Hautman1 published a paper in. which some interesting results are given. According to his paper, only alloys containing at least 8 per cent aluminum indicate a marked improvement in their resistance to oxidation. At about this aluminum content, however, alloys become brittle, which considerably reduces their commercial value. About two years ago the author, performed a series of experiments, the results of which are presented here. A series of iron-aluminum-carbon alloys was prepared by melting electrolytic iron, aluminum and high-carbon iron alloy in an induction vacuum furnace.2 The list of these alloys is given in Table 1. Each alloy was forged in the ordinary way to

Jan 1, 1932

By H. S. Martin

The Phosphate Recovery Corporation operates three flotation plants, NOS. 1 and 2 concentrators about three miles northeast of Mulberry, Florida, and No. 3 plant at Wales, Tennessee. These plants represent the first commercial phosphate flotation operation and are also believed to be the largest nonmetallic flotation operation in the world at the present time. The details of this paper will be confined to plant No. 2, this being the newest and largest concentrator in Florida, and the flow sheet being practically the same as at plant No. 1. The No. 3 plant has been operated but a short time and has been shut down since December, 1932, on account of the decrease in phosphate rock production. The phosphate washers usually are located centrally on a known deposit so that about two hundred acres of ground can be mined economically to each washer location. The washers are moved to new areas when the distance becomes too great for economical pumping. The flotation plants are built either adjacent to a washer, so that current debris may be utilized, or on the site of a former washer where there is sufficient accumulated debris available for mining, and the flotation plants must also be moved from time to time. Most of the water used in the Florida flotation plants is recovered after passing through a circulating system where most of the fine SUSpended matter is settled out, but some make-up water is obtained from deep wells near the plant. Power is obtained from the Tampa Electric Co. through the distribution facilities of the International Agricultural Corporation. Flotation concentrate is hauled from the plant by trolley over the International Agricultural Corporation's trolley system, to the drying plant at Prairie, one mile northwest of Mulberry. Ore Treated In the pebble phosphate district of Florida, the phosphate mineral, or collophane, is usually found in horizontal beds of varying thickness

Jan 1, 1934

By T. Prof. Ph. D. Egleston

(Read at the Amenia Meeting, October, 1877.) THE copper-bearing rocks of Lake Superior are composed of a series of metamorphic rocks, comprised under the names of amygdaloid and conglomerate, in which the copper and silver found with them are pseudomorphs. These rocks, generally, have well-defined walls which cause them to separate easily. Generally, the country rock is sterile, but it occasionally rises into the copper-bearing rock, and then carries copper. Usually, the amygdaloids carry copper, and the greenstones or melaphyres which encase them do not. There is a very generally received opinion that the copper in these beds occurs in shoots. This does not appear to be proved, though the opinion seems to have some foundation from the experience of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, where a body of poor rock has been left, which, on the mine map, shows a general direction. The theory may be true of that individual mine, but too little work has been done in the other mines to draw any decided conclusion. The copper is very unequally disseminated in the rock, if any given piece be taken as an example, but, if the whole copper-bearing series be considered, its distribution is uniform. It may prove that there are certain directions in which the copper has been deposited more abundantly than in others, and these may be found to correspond with certain geological causes, but up to the present time the knowledge gained is not sufficient to warrant any general conclusion. These rocks are supplemented by a series of true fissure veins, of which there are several systems, making the amount of native copper very large. Unfortunately, except in the fissure veins, known as "mass-mines," the copper is so scattered through the rock, and is in such a fine state of division, that, although it is not always difficult to mine, it is always difficult to dress it sufficiently too make it pay. The metal is so uniformly distributed through these copper-bearing rocks that detached pieces, called " float," are found in digging on almost any land in the country. These pieces vary from very small fragments, weighing not more than a few ounces,, up to many pounds. III one instance, in making an excavation for a cellar of a

Jan 1, 1878

FOR the benefit of those of our members who may be asked what they know about Mr. Hoover's connec-tion with the Kaiping coal mines in China and who will naturally wish to appear thoroughly well informed on the subject, we reprint below an authoritative state-ment, recently made to the Japan Advertiser, by Tang Shao-yi, former premier of China, now retired to his country home at Tang Chia. "Information has reached me at my retreat that persons in America and China insinuate that Herbert Hoover acted dishonorably in dealings involving the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company a quarter of a century ago. I be-lieve myself the only Chinese living who was closely iden-tified with that company during Mr. Hoover's connection. My uncle founded the company and my family always has been a large shareholder and, therefore, I possess direct knowledge of its history. "I am actuated in this statement by a sense of justice and also gratitude for Mr. Hoover's acts in rescuing my family during the Boxer uprising. Mr. Hoover's record in China is clean and honorable, highly creditable and in many ways remarkable. Legal action brought in London in 1905 occurred after Mr. Hoover left the company. There were not any charges against Mr. Hoover and he was not a de-fendant in the lawsuit, but an important witness whose testimony helped the Chinese shareholders to save their property.

Jan 5, 1928

By Arthur W. Sheafer

MR. ECKLEY B. COXE, in his able and interesting paper on " The Preparation of Small Sizes of Anthracite,"* read and discussed at the Glen Summit Meeting, October, 1891, refers to the reputed immense amount of coal contained in the culm-banks, which are the unsightly accompaniment of every mining operation in the anthracite coal-regions. Mr. Coxe thinks the available amount and value greatly exaggerated, giving among his reasons (1) the spoiling of the culm by mixing with other refuse; (2) its deterioration; (3) its destruction by fire ; and (4) frequent failures to realize expectations as to the size of the banks. These points are undoubtedly important factors in determining the advisability of working any individual bank, but they have a varying influence in the several regions, some prevailing more in one than in another. Although the amount of fuel lying waste in these banks is still an uncertain and undetermined quantity, yet no one can visit the Schuylkill region without being impressed with the fact that a considerable amount of culm, too valuable to be left merely to the mercy of the elements, surrounds and encumbers each site of an old or present colliery operation. The rapid increase in the number of washeries, and the demand for leases on old culm-banks, shows that, in the Schuylkill region at least, the question of deterioration doès not play an important part. The proportion of coal to refuse, the relative percentage of the sev-

Jan 1, 1895

By Thomas Cox

This paper makes no claim to any new idea; it simply reviews the Treasury Department Regulations pertaining to the practical application of depreciation and depletion and other allowances governing taxation of oil and gas properties. Other methods may be existent, but as they may not conform to the legal status they must be discarded. In complying with the present laws governing the industry with regard to taxation and the allowable deductions therefrom, the following considerations are essential: Depletion, depreciation, amortization, other allowances, and items not, deductible. It is definitely understood that depletion is the loss or exhaustion sustained in the continuous operating of an oil and gas property, and that each unit of oil or gas taken out reduces the value of the property until its final exhaustion. Depletion applies only to the natural deposits of oil and gas due to their removal in the course of exploitation of any property. Depreciation is defined to cover the waste of assets due to exhaustion, wear and tear, and obsolescence of the physical property, and is separate and distinct from depletion; its allowance is that amount which should be set aside for the taxable year in such sums as for the useful life of the property will suffice to repay its original cost—or its value as of Mar. 1, 1913, if acquired by the taxpayer before that date—less the salvage value at the end of such useful life. Amortization is allowed for such facilities as were built or acquired on or after Apr. 6, 1917, for the production of articles contributing to the prosecution of the war and, in the case of vessels, those built and acquired after that date. The amount to be extinguished, in general, is the excess of the unextinguished or unrecovered cost of the property over its maximum value under stable post-war conditions. Claims for amortization must be unmistakably differentiated in the returns from all other claims of depreciation. The taxpayer is also required to furnish full information with the claims for amortization to the full satisfaction of the Commissioner. Further reference is directed to the specific rules and regulations for making these claims.

Jan 1, 1921

By F. C. Holman

It is desired in these notes to record a vein-phenomenon certainly unique in the writer's limited experience, and, as it seems to him, sufficiently rare to be worthy of mention. In the little mining camp of Forbestown, situated in the Sierra Nevada of California, it was announced one day, when the miners of the Cold Banks mine came off shift, that "washed gravel" had been struck on the 265-foot level. To those acquainted with that section and the character of the mine (a gold-bearing quartz-vein) this was a somewhat startling announcement; for, prolific as the State is, we are not in the habit of mixing up promiscuously our vein- and placer-deposits. However, the statement proved to have some foundation. The mine is located at an altitude of about 2700 feet, on the brink of one of the great canyons of erosion characteristic of the drainage of this range. A lateral ravine cuts the vein at right angles, thus making its general strike approximately parallel to the canyon at this point, and with a variable dip of from 20 to 40 degrees towards the canyon. The strong, well-defined vein, often 20 feet wide and more, presents nothing to distinguish it particularly from scores of others in the State, unless if be considered peculiar in the highly crystalline character of its quartz and the nature of the enclosing country-rock, which is metamorphic in the extreme, very hard, devoid of lamination, and in bedding so obscure that it might easily pass—at least on superficial examination—for one of the basic eruptives. Near by in the district can be found a series of slates common to the gold-belt of this range, and within the limit of the company's property is an intrusion of an acid eruptive. On an adjoining claim a granite shows itself. The mine is opened through an inclined shaft sunk on the vein. The ore carries both free gold and sulphurets, the greater part of its value

Jan 1, 1896

By Paul Billingsley

The Georgetown mining district is located in Deerlodge county, Mont., about 20 miles west of Anaconda. It lies along the divide between the headwaters of Warm Springs creek, draining eastward, and Flint creek, flowing west and north through the Philipsburg valley. The actual divide is formed by Cable mountain, a narrow ridge running north and south, terminating to the south in low hills overlooking Georgetown lake, and to the north in a high, rugged plateau that falls off to the west to the wide valley of Flint creek. On the eastern, or Warm Springs, slope of Cable mountain is the Cable mine, with the Hidden Lake mine a few miles north. On the western slope is the Southern Cross group, with smaller mines, the Twilight, Cincinnati, Red Lion, and Big Bill, at intervals to the northward. The Georgetown mines lie in the hills south of Cable mountain; the Philipsburg mines, of which the Granite Mountain, Bimetallic, Hope, and Trout are the chief, form a separate group to the north, overlooking Flint Creek valley and Philipsburg. (See Fig. 1.) The region ranges in elevation from 5,000 to 9,000 ft. It is, with the exception of the lower valleys, well timbered with small fir and pine, although Cable mountain and the higher summits to the northward rise slightly above timber line. The main valleys have the smooth contours of glaciation, and their mouths are frequently choked with morainal deposits. General Geology. In a very general way the valley of Flint creek coincides in this region with the boundary between the pre-Cambrian slates of western Montana and the folded Palaeozoic rocks of the Rocky Mountain system. The great limestone formations of the Carboniferous and Devonian, lying at flat dips, extend from Anaconda well toward the head of Warm Springs creek, but on the divide the Cambrian appears, closely folded and intruded

Jan 1, 1914

G. SHERBURNE ROGERS,* Washington, D. C. (written discussion?).- We are indebted to Captain Lucas for an interesting contribution to the literature of the salt-dome oil fields, and especially for his suggestion that a more aggressive method -of prospecting be adopted. The occasional discovery of new fields on, the Gulf Coast is in itself sufficient to show that the oil possibilities of the region are by no means exhausted, and those who have studied the area most thoroughly are the most optimistic regarding its future. Nevertheless, the search for new fields, according to present methods, involves the expenditure of great sums of money annually, for the proportion of dry holes to producing wells drilled yearly in the Gulf Coast region is much' greater than in most areas, even if all the wells drilled in what is commonly regarded as proved territory are included. Not only are the present methods of locating new domes very uncertain, but when a dome is discovered there is no assurance that it will be oil-bearing; or, if so, whether the oil occurs in the cap-rock, in the sands above it, or in some small isolated lens of sand far down on the flanks of the salt mass. As Captain Lucas points out, about all we positively know is that the domes are there and that some of them are oil-bearing; their origin is a matter of controversy and the original source of the oil is conjectural. Under these conditions, it is not surprising that the search for oil is conducted more or less blindly and that dry holes are common. Many wells are drilled each year in an endeavor to find oil at depths of 2000 or 3000 ft. (609 to 914 m.) or less, in locations which most geologists would condemn without hesitation. As Captain Lucas suggests, the money spent in this way might be used to far better advantage in, drilling one deep well in a carefully selected locality. Opinions may differ as to whether such a, well would find oil, and many geologists will probably believe that the chances are against it, yet all will agree that the boring, whether it finds oil or not, will probably throw light on the origin of the domes and on the source and mode of accumulation of the oil, and will therefore be of great interest, not only to the scientist, but to the oil operator.

Jan 10, 1918

By Richard H. Rein, John Chipman

Liquid slags of the system SiO2-Ca0-MgO-A1~03 were equilibrated with liquid Fe-Si-C alloys in graphite or Sic crucibles at 1600°C in pure CO gas at atmospheric pressure, and the silicon content of both phases determined. Ternary slugs of the systern SiO2-CaO-A12O3 were also studied at 1550°C. The silicon content of the metal phase saturated with both graphite and SIC is 22.0pct at 1550°C and In the iron blast furnace, as in nearly all carbon-reduction processes, some silicon is transferred from slag to metal. The importance of this reaction is enhanced by its indirect effect on the transfer of sulfur from metal to slag, and this has stimulated a comprehensive research program on the equilibrium distribution of silicon between slag and metal. Earlier studies'-3 of this same problem provided data for calculation of the thermodynamic activities4 of the components in SiO,-CaO-A1,O3 slags. 22.4 pct at 1600°C. The temperature at which the phases cristobalite, gvaphite, $ SiC, liquid slag, Fe-Si-C alloy, and CO gas at 1 atm pressure can coexist in equilibrium was found to be 1533°C. The results agree well with earlier studies. They are shown graphically as lines of constant silicon cmtent in the metal which also are lines of constant SiO, activity in the slag.

Jan 1, 1963

In July 1946 President Truman approved the stock- piling act providing for the accumulation of stocks of strategic minerals in which this country is deficient. Congress also provided huge sums for the purchase of these materials to initiate the program. In order to meet anticipated stock pile goals it will be necessary for the United States to import very large quantities of 70 strategic materials, by far the largest items being minerals and metals. There are no priorities of relative importance in the list, as the lack of any single item may cause industry to fail in its part in national defense. Stock piles of material in a form as close as possible to the ultimate fabricated state represent not only the actual material physically on hand but also "canned" labor, transportation, smelting, refining, and all other steps. Central and South America, together with Canada and Newfoundland, in their normal capacity as sources of supply will be called upon to furnish a sizable pro- portion of the total requirements. No special measures should be arranged for this purpose; it will be more practical to make purchases in accordance with the availability of materials of desired quality, not by reference to geographic area. Much has been said in the past, and may be repeated in the future, concerning the desirability of hemispheric self-sufficiency-both from a resources and from a military security viewpoint. The mineral industries cannot favor the principle of eco-

Jan 1, 1950

By W. O Hotchkiss

An essential mental equipment for planning exploration is the fullest possible knowledge of the way in which the orebodies occur in the region to be explored, also the realization that in no mining district is this knowledge complete, and that new facts of importance will be revealed to the explorer in every exploration if he is in the proper frame of mind to grasp them. The geology of the ore deposits of the Gogebic Range for a long time was thought to be relatively simple, but work in recent years, by several men, has proved that this is not the case. We now realize that we are far from knowing all the factors that have resulted in the localization of ore deposits. For example, we have long known that the intersections of the dikes and the foot wall were favorable places to look for ore, but only within the last few years have we learned that there are several horizons in the various members, well north of the foot wall, that are likely to carry ore. The influence of the numerous cross faults on orebodies is not known or appreciated beyond a general realization that they are important. Just how they may be favorable or unfavorable to the localization of ore is not known. Such elementary information as the positions of these faults is just beginning to appear on the mine maps. Such being the condition, one can hardly overestimate the importance to the various operators and fee owners of careful studies of conditions in their properties for the purpose of assuring themselves that they are not missing valuable ore—that they are doing all the exploration that their situation demands in order to secure maximum returns. Valuable ores have been missed in the past and will be missed in the future. Only with a complete knowledge of all the factors that have united to produce ore could anything else be expected. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to these facts briefly and to suggest a few of the principles that should guide effective exploration. The foremost principle is that the man who starts out with the idea that he knows all about the mine geology of the Gogebic Range is starting with a heavy handicap.

Jan 1, 1923

By W. O. Hotchkiss

An essential mental equipment for planning exploration is the fullest possible knowledge of the way in which the orebodies occur in the region to be explored, also the realization that in no mining district is this knowledge complete, and that new facts of importance will be revealed to the explorer in every exploration if he is in the proper frame of mind to grasp them. The geology of the ore deposits of the Gogebic Range for a long time was thought to be relatively simple, but work in recent years, by several men, has proved that this is not the case. We now realize that we are far from knowing all the factors that have resulted in the localization of ore deposits. For example, we have long known that the intersections of the dikes and the foot wall were favorable places to look for ore, but only within the last few years have we learned that there are several horizons in the various members, well north of the foot wall, that are likely to carry ore. The influence of the numerous cross faults on orebodies is not known or appreciated beyond a general realization that they are important. Just how they may be favorable or unfavorable to the localization of ore is not known. Such elementary information as the positions of these faults is just beginning to appear on the mine maps. Such being the condition, one can hardly overestimate the importance to the various operators and fee owners of careful studies of conditions in their properties for the purpose of assuring themselves that they are not missing valuable ore—that they are doing all the exploration that their situation demands in order to secure maximum returns. Valuable ores have been missed in the past and will be missed in the future. Only with a complete knowledge of all the factors that have united to produce ore could anything else be expected. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to these facts briefly and to suggest a few of the principles that should guide effective exploration. The foremost principle is that the man who starts out with the idea that he knows all about the mine geology of the Gogebic Range is starting with a heavy handicap.

Jan 1, 1923

By J. Douglas Gibson

In Canada, the economic climate for mining is still warm, but a noticeable chill set in last November when the Government published a White Paper on tax reform known as the Carter Report. Moreover, this chill could drop to a freeze injurious to the whole Canadian economy if two of the proposals in the Carter Report are adopted. The offending suggestions call for an end to (1) the depletion allowance and (2) the three-year tax holiday for new mines. Both of these tax incentives have played a major role in the postwar development of the Canadian economy and will, if undisturbed, play an even more important role in the future. The fact that they have worked and worked well is evident from the record. Fruits of an Industrial Beanstalk Excluding fuels, the value of Canadian mineral production was just under $3 billion in 1968-almost nine times as much as in 1946. With fuels included, the figure is $4.25 billion, or almost ten times as much as in 1946. Proportionately, this growth far exceeds that of Canada's manufacturers or of her economy as a whole. Table I traces the overall mineral production growth by principal products. Of particular interest here are petroleum, iron ore, natural gas, sulfur and potash, the combined production of which has grown from little or nil to a point where it now accounts for more than 40% of Canada's mineral output.

Jan 1, 1970