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By Barry S. Siegal

Spectral reflectance data in the wavelength region of 0.45 to 2.4 µm have been obtained for various rock types and different forms of natural vegetation by means of JPL's portable field reflectance spectrometer. Computer analysis of these data has demonstrated the importance of obtaining remotely sensed spectral data beyond the wave- length region sensed by Landsat. Computer processing techniques have been developed and used for the analysis of these data and their application to a variety of geologic problems.

Jan 1, 1977

By B. W. Gonser, C. M. Heath

The importance of grain size and its control in wrought brass needs no lengthy discussion, since specifications so often make exact control imperative. Aids to this control are therefore of interest. The effect of a number of different elements on the grain growth of brass under various conditions of annealing has been reported in the technical literature. In particular, a paper by Cook and Miller1 a few years ago, with the discussion that followed, gave valuable information on the effects of iron, phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, aluminum plus nickel, and aluminum plus silicon. Price12 in his discussion of that paper, added a description of some commercial brasses that exhibited a grain-refining effect owing to the presence of 2 per cent A1 and 1 per cent Ni. Gibson and Doss3 have recently given data on the effect of iron on annealing high brass. No comprehensive study, however, has been given to the effect of additions of chromium. It has been the purpose of this investigation to determine the effect of adding various amounts of chromium to a plain cartridge brass, particularly in regard to the effect on grain growth in various annealing treatments after cold-working. Prepakation of Alloys Alloys of high-purity brass of 68.5 Cu, 31.5 Zn composition were made containing from 0 to 0.17 per cent Cr. These were produced in induction furnaces, using unlined graphite crucibles to hold the charge. The melts were cast into rectangular chill molds giving ingots about % by 3 by 10 in. in size.

Jan 1, 1938

By C. M. Heath, B. W. Gonser

The importance of grain size and its control in wrought brass needs no lengthy discussion, since specifications so often make exact control imperative. Aids to this control are therefore of interest. The effect of a number of different elements on the grain growth of brass under various conditions of annealing has been reported in the technical literature. In particular, a paper by Cook and Miller1 a few years ago, with the discussion that followed, gave valuable information on the effects of iron, phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, aluminum plus nickel, and aluminum plus silicon. Price12 in his discussion of that paper, added a description of some commercial brasses that exhibited a grain-refining effect owing to the presence of 2 per cent A1 and 1 per cent Ni. Gibson and Doss3 have recently given data on the effect of iron on annealing high brass. No comprehensive study, however, has been given to the effect of additions of chromium. It has been the purpose of this investigation to determine the effect of adding various amounts of chromium to a plain cartridge brass, particularly in regard to the effect on grain growth in various annealing treatments after cold-working. Prepakation of Alloys Alloys of high-purity brass of 68.5 Cu, 31.5 Zn composition were made containing from 0 to 0.17 per cent Cr. These were produced in induction furnaces, using unlined graphite crucibles to hold the charge. The melts were cast into rectangular chill molds giving ingots about % by 3 by 10 in. in size.

Jan 1, 1938

By R. V. Norris

In a former paper on this subject,' I summarized Murgue's theory and experiments, and presented a large number of tests of mine-fans, stating some conclusions, " more or less warranted by the evidence," as to design, capacity and efficiency. Since that time the very valuable report of Mr. M. Walton Brown: Committee on Mechanical Ventikators, Institution of Mining Engineers, has appeared, and I have made additional experiments which tend to clear up some points in connection with this subject. Design and Tests of the Luke-Fidlbr Colliery Fan. The Luke-Fidler fan (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3), built to replace an old wooden fan at a very fiery colliery, presents some pecu-

Jan 1, 1905

By John V. Beall

On January 1, 1948, we boarded the cage at 7 a.m. and were dropped to the 900 level of the Brunswick shaft. The previous evening, we had attended the New Year's party at the Miners' Guild Hall and as this soireée had not disbanded until the small hours of the morning, we had only had about two to three hours sleep. At the 900 level station, we fell in beside our mining partner, a Cousin Jack, who was known by all as Porky. Porky didn't say anything as we plodded down the drift, we didn't say anything either-in fact there was little conversation by anybody.

Jan 1, 1971

(Under. this heading will he published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons introduced by members.) Member; age 31, technical graduate, 8 years' experience in copper and nickel mining, desires to make a change. No. 480. Member, age 34, married, 16 years' experience as railroad construction engineer and as superintendent of iron, chrome and manganese mines. Especially successful in rush construction work and development of new mining properties. No straight salary proposition will be considered. No. 481. Member desires change of position. Four years experience in flotation, cyaniding, and mill design and construction. Married, technical graduate. No. 482. Member, age 33, married, graduate Columbia School of Mines. Nine years' experience as engineer and mining and oil geologist; experience in Mexico, Peru and Siberia. Speaks Spanish and Russian. No. 483.

Jan 9, 1918

By John Batchelder, David W. Blake, Ted. G. Theodore

The Copper Canyon CIL-Au-Ag deposits include two geologically distinct hypogene ore bodies developed primarily in late Paleozoic rocks adjacent to a 38-m.y.old potassic-altered granodiorite, whose emplacement seems to have been controlled largely by the Virgin fault, a north-striking normal fault. Widespread but subeconomic concentrations of sulfides as fracture and cavity fillings in skarn apparently preceded the final intrusion of the granodiorite. In the west ore body, metals reached ore-grade concentrations through the massive replacement of andradite by chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite mineral assemblages. The east ore body probably formed after the granodiorite reached its present level. Data suggest that fluids associated with potassic alteration here were most likely composed of magmatic water mixed with some meteoric water.

Jan 1, 1977

By Larry J. Tucker

INTRODUCTION The orebody at Pea Ridge strikes NE-SW and dips at about 800 to the SE. The ore and surrounding rocks are Pre-Cambrian in age. These rocks are usually very competent. Locally strong jointing has caused problems and toward the hangingwall dikes have caused particular problems during or after the open stoping phase of production. About 396 m of sediments lie over the ore. The shape and mineral content of the orebody has been fairly consistent so far with production areas lying from the 1375 to the 2475 levels. The deeper limits of the ore- body haven't been found yet. The ore is high grade magnetite with a strike length of over 600 m and a maximum width of over 180 m on some levels at the center of the orebody. Production at Pea Ridge for the first three years of operation came from two types of open stopes. The original stopes were recovered with horizontal production rings being drilled and blasted from vertical raises. Later a more typical sublevel stoping method using vertical production rings from one or more drilling sub- levels was used. There were a number of reasons for the selection of open stoping as the initial production method at Pea Ridge. First, it was judged that the ore was not of a block cave quality. After fifteen years of production, this assumption can be verified. There was some concern during the planning days for the potential for high flow rates of water into the mine from aquifers in the sediments lying over the orebody. Dewatering wells from surface and underground were put in as a precaution and nothing came of this potential problem. Open stoping and its resulting pillar structure put off this problem by supporting the sediments a few years longer. For a moderate investment in level development some production from open stoping was quickly realized. The first open stopes were brought in on what was then the bottom mine production level (2275), near the shaft pillar and situated on the footwall. This production practice of stoping on the heels of development from shaft pillar westward and from footwall to hangingwall continued through the open stope phases of production at Pea Ridge for many years. From the standpoint of mine efficiency and pillar stability, this would not seem to be a recommended mining practice. 74 570 w electric slushers, using 1.37 m dippers, pulled the open stope ore out into 18 ton bottom dump cars. Ordinarily five of these cars made up a train, which was pulled to the dump area by a trolley powered electric locomotive. Open stoping had the disadvantage that 100% of the recoverable portions of the orebody had to be developed in order to recover 33% of the ore. 67% of the ore was left behind in a large pillar system. For many years we had no planned method for recovery of these pillars. Mining methods are of course, limited by the existing technology. Advancing technology, coupled with the limited production capabilities of open stoping, low efficiencies and high relative cost early in the history of the operation recommended that other mining methods be looked at. In Sweden, considerable practical experience, coupled with a large amount of theoretical work had become available on sublevel caving. To Pea Ridge it offered the apparent benefits of: 1) The flexibility of diesel powered trackless haulage. 2) The efficiency of two machines to one operator on longhole drilling. 3) A multilevel production picture with a large number of drawpoints for ore recovery. 4) 100% recovery of the mineable portion of the orebody in one production pass, with no pillar recovery problems left behind. This paper outlines the experiments and experiences which Pea Ridge has gone through with sublevel caving from 1967 to this date.

Jan 1, 1981

By C. H. Mathewson

Discussion of the paper of C. H. MATHEWSON and ARTHUR PHILLIPS, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1916, and printed in Bulletin No. 109, January, 1916, pp. 1 to 50. ZAY JEFFRIES, Cleveland, Ohio (communication to the Secretary*).¬The authors are to be congratulated for this interesting and valuable contribution. The paper as a whole shows very careful experimentation coupled with rare judgment in drawing conclusions. I have been working along similar lines for the last two years with other metals and alloys. In a short conversation with Dr. Mathewson about July 1, 1915, he mentioned the fact that different degrees of cold work greatly affect the temperature of recrystallization on annealing, Later I determined the recrystallization temperatures of iron, mild steel, and copper, with different degrees of cold work and found that the greater the degree of cold work, the lower the temperature of recrystallization on annealing. In the course of these experiments, I conceived practically the same ideas regarding the reasons for recrystallization as those advanced in the article under discussion. After a metal has been reduced by cold work to about one-fourth of its original area, the differences in orientation of different parts of a given grain can be seen plainly at a magnification of about 1,000 diameters. It is interesting to note that in Fig. A, Plate I, the lines of deformation are not parallel. For example,. in the large grain at the lower left corner of the micrograph, if the lines of deformation about 3g in. from the left edge are continued in a straight line, this line will intersect a straight line drawn as a continuation of the lines of deformation on the extreme right of the grain, at an angle of about 20°. Similarly, if the lines of deformation at the extremities of the large grain in the right central portion of the micrograph are extended, the lines intersect at an angle of about 35°. The individual lines of deformation are not straight. In some of these the parts of the broken lines intersect at angles as great as 15°.

Jan 5, 1916

By L. A. Morley, W. T. Parry

Laboratory prepared clay-quartz sand samples and fault gouge from an open pit slope undergoing plane-type failure were tested in the laboratory to determine potential mining applications of electroosmotic stabilization and to provide a better understanding of electrochemical hardening. Experiments with very low current densities and free access of electrolytes to both anode and cathode showed an increase in cohesion. Cohesion in a fault gouge increased by 9.3 to 113%, depending on location with respect to the electrodes. For this, power consumption was equivalent to 0.727 watt-hr per cu ft (25.69 watt-hr per cu m). Regions of electrochemical hardening were determined by pH and the anolyte used. Electroosmotic stabilization appears as a reasonable solution to some types of mining problems.

Jan 1, 1975

By V. J. Berry, J. D. Pendergrass

Well pressure transient tests provide a means for directly obtaining information about formation pressure and reservoir flow capacity. Such tests have also been proposed for determining presence and location of faults or other reservoir closures and for measuring oil in place. For mathematical convenience, most theoretical studies have considered the reservoirs to be homogeneous. Definitive information is not yet available to show whether the actual presence of nonuniformities will make pressure transient behavior different from that of a uniform reservoir. The conclusions reached from actual transient tests are questionable, therefore, insofar as they rely on the original assumption of homogeneity. One type of nonuniformity commonly assumed to exist is that of stratification. In most reservoirs the strata are thought to be in vertical communication. Equations for the transient flow of a single-phase, compressible fluid in a one-well, bounded, circular reservoir have been solved for several situations involving crossflow between multiple strata of various thicknesses and permeabilities. The results show that except for the very early flow period, which usually is too short to be analyzed, the transient performance observed at the well is substantially identical with that of a homogeneous reservoir having the same dimensions and having the same steady-state flow capacity. Thus, stratification does not adversely affect interpretation of well transient tests. This conclusion holds for all commonly encountered combinations of reservoir thickness and external radius. Deviations are observed for unusually thick reservoirs whose outer radii are relatively small. The results of these studies also show that the presence and the amount of stratification cannot be simply diagnosed from reservoir pressure transient data when there is crossflow between strata. INTRODUCTION The last decade has brought wide acceptance of the transient well pressure test for determining reservoir parameters. Following the original work of Hurst and van Everdingen,1 the mathematical theory was thoroughly explored. Numerous authors have suggested how to determine static reservoir pressure, permeability-thickness product, original oil in place and reservoir limits for different reservoir geometry. The same mathematical techniques have been used to predict the transient performance of a reservoir over a long period of time. Most of the theoretical work has been for homogeneous, isotropic systems. Some results have also been presented for a homogeneous, anisotropic reservoir.2 Petroleum reservoirs are not homogeneous. The deposition process seems to favor creation of a stratified formation. This concept is sufficiently well accepted so that the most natural extension of the transient flow theory beyond the homogeneous case is to a stratified formation. Results for a stratified reservoir with no vertical communication between layers can be obtained from the results for a homogeneous reservoir. Lefkovitz, et a1,3 have given a thorough treatment of the two-layer case. Two recent papers4,5 have treated the case of a two-layered reservoir with vertical communication or crossflow, between layers. Russell and Prats4 find that, after a relatively short time, the two-layered reservoir with crossflow exhibits a simple exponential pressure decline. From this time forward, the behavior is not distinguishable from the behavior of a homogeneous reservoir having the same steady-state flow capacity. The results of Katz and Tek 5 are equivalent. Russell and Prats4 also speculate that a multi-layered reservoir with crossflow will behave as a homogeneous system after long enough production time "... providing the contrast in kh between layers is not too great". They also suggest that, at intermediate times, "... the relative positions of the layers with respect to each other will have a great influence on the production behavior and on the time at which the previously mentioned large-time approximation might be valid". Katz and Tek5 remark upon the mathematical difficulty of treating a reservoir having many layers or strata. If relative position of the layers is also

By B. W. Gandrud

WET-PROCESS coal-washing tables as we know them today have been in use in this country for approximately 25 years. The literature records only a few table installations worthy of note prior to adoption of the present-day differential-motion table. According to Phillips,' six Campbell bumping tables were being operated by the St. Bernard Coal Co., Earlington, Ky., in 11893. As late as 1923, according to Richardson, 2 72 such tables were in operation in the Rosedale washery of the Cambria Steel Co., at Johnstown, Pa. Bumping tables probably were not used to any considerable extent except in the plant at Earlington, and at two or three plants in Pennsylvania, but they may be considered as forerunners of the present-day coal-washing table. The transition from bumping tables to the type of tables now in use signalized a revolutionary change in table design. The advantages of the new design over the old were so outstanding as to make its adoption inevitable. BUMPING TABLES Bumping tables, as the name implies, utilized a bumping action for conveying the refuse and discharging it over the refuse end. The tables were hung from rods attached to overhead supporting beams. A shaft and cam arrangement at one end of the table served as the actuating mechanism and imparted to the table an endwise, back-and-forth, swinging motion. A bumping block was fixed in the proper position at the shaft end, so that the table would strike against it at the end of each backward swing. The hanger rods or stirrups were so adjusted as to give the table a slight uphill slope toward the refuse end; that is, the end next to the driving mechanism. The feed box was near the upper end, of the table and designed to spread the mixture of coal and water over the width of the table. Wash water was added a short distance below the feed box with the table in motion and coal mixed with water being fed to it through the feed box, a certain amount of stratification took place, depositing heavy refuse at the bottom of the bed in contact with the surface of the table. Constant bumping and a certain amount of

Jan 1, 1943

By J. E. Cannaday, R. J. Austin, R. K. Saxer

PREVIOUS investigators have determined activation energies and have postulated various controlling mechanisms for creep.'-' Recently Barrett et 01.I5 have suggested, as the result of their work with cadmium, that the apparent activation energies for creep (AHc) above 0.5 T, could be correlated by means of activation energies for self-diffusion (AHSD) and modulus of elasticity functions: AHC = AHSD - (5RT/E) dE/dT. The wide disparity of apparent activation energies previously obtained with nickel compared to those reported for other fcc metals and the desire to test the postulate of Barrett el al. prompted this study. The as-received 17.5-mil nickel wire used during this work assayed 99.87 pct pure, Table I. X-ray analysis indicated that the wire was in a stress-re- lieved state and metallographic examination revealed an equiaxed grain size of approximately 0.01 mm. Specimens degreased in acetone and cut to 1-1/2 in. lengths were tested in a cam-mechanized constant-stress creep machine. A vacuum of at least lo-5 mm Hg was maintained during all tests. Stresses were applied when thermal equilibrium was established. When a measurable (at least 0.5 pct) secondary creep was observed, the temperature was pulsed to a higher temperature. Pulsing time varied from 30 sec at 480°C to 2 min at 1300'C and above. Slopes of creep curves were determined after the initial acceleration in the strain rate had subsided and steady-state creep was achieved. To confirm the results obtained, additional tests were performed incorporating a temperature pulsing method suggested by sherby. In this method the load was removed during temperature pulsing and reapplied after thermal expansion had occurred. No appreciable differences in results were obtained. Tests were performed over a wide range of temperature (470" to 1310°C) and stresses (250 to 17,000 psi). The expression was used to calculate activation energies. In this expression T1 and T2 are the initial and final temperatures, and el and i2 are the creep rates at T, and T2. The variation of the apparent activation energies with the mean test temperature calculated by means of Eq. [I] are shown in Fig. 1. The mean test temperature (Tmean) was calculated from the relationship

Jan 1, 1967

By Adam L. Wesner, A. C. Richardson

DURING World War II the demand for electrode carbon was greater than could be met by the supply of petroleum coke available for this use. It was believed that coke made from an extremely low-ash coal might be a suitable substitute for petroleum coke. Requirements for electrode carbon to be used for the production of aluminum are that the silicon plus iron content shall be not more than 0.14 pct of the coke. However, during the period when petroleum coke was in short supply, it appeared that relaxations of the specifications might be allowed to permit 0.4 pet iron plus silicon in the coke. For this work, the specifications were that the coal should contain less than 1 pet of ash, and the combined iron and silicon content of the coal should not exceed 0.28 pct. Heavy-liquid separations made on a number of coals showed that if certain size fractions of some coals were separated at low specific gravities the resulting float products would meet the required specifications. The objective of this work was to develop a continuous, commercially feasible process for producing low-ash coal. After consideration of various processes, the method chosen was a float-and-sink separation using a solution of calcium chloride as the separating medium. Eagle Seam coal was used for the experiments. The -10 +35 mesh fraction was found to be the most promising feed for producing the low-ash [ ] content coal. A batch of 30 tons of -3/8-in. coal was screened at 10 and 35 mesh; the yield of -10 +35 mesh was 20 pct of the feed. This fraction comprised the feed for the separation tests. In spite of the fact that this portion was screened a second time at 35 mesh, the coal still contained 16 pct that was finer than 35 mesh. Three-fourths of the undersize was in the -35 +48 mesh range. A representative portion of the -10 +35 mesh fraction was subjected to batch float-and-sink separations to determine the best gravity to be used in the continuous tests to obtain a high recovery of low-ash content coal. The heavy liquid used was a mixture of carbon tetrachloride and benzene which assured complete wetting of all of the particles. As usual in batch separations, adequate time was allowed for each separation so that even the near gravity particles had ample time to separate. The separations were made at increments of 0.01 sp gr from 1.25 to 1.28 and also at 1.32 and 1.59. Each specific-gravity increment was assayed for ash content. From these data it was concluded that 1.27 sp gr was best for the continuous separation of the coal. The products from the batch separation were composited into float 1.27 and sink 1.27 sp-gr fractions; these were assayed for ash, iron, and silicon. Table I shows the results of the batch separations. The composite float 1.27 fraction contained 66.04 pct of the total weight, and had an analysis of 0.79 pet ash, 0.073 pct iron, and 0.112 pct silicon, or 0.185 pct iron and silicon combined. These data are indicative of the results possible if a perfect separation is made at 1.27 sp gr under static conditions. Inasmuch as the method under investigation is a dynamic system these results could not be obtained. It remained to be determined, however, just how close to the theoretical results the actual continuous separation would be.

Jan 1, 1952

BOSTON SECTION ALFRED C. LANE, Chairman, GEORGE A. PACKARD, Vice-chairman, H. M. BOYLSTON, Secretary-Treasurer, R. L. AGASSIZ, FRED W. DENTON. The forty-ninth meeting of the Boston Section was held at the Boston City Club on Monday evening, Dec. 23, 1918. The meeting was preceded by an informal dinner at which 29 members and guests were present; three or four others came in later. The reading of the minutes of the previous meeting was dispensed with by consent.

Jan 2, 1919

By Thomas Harris

This paper. was written in conjunction with the work being undertaken by the Technical Committees on Classification of Coal, and an effort has been made to compile information relative to the use of coal for stationary steam generation in order to use this information to assist the Committee on Classification of Coal for the ultimate purpose of elimination of losses both by the' reduction of indivi-dual effort and waste in the consumption of material. Under the auspices of the National Association of Purchasing Agents, a questionnaire was drawn up to develop this information from stationary steam plants throughout the United States. in order to consolidate the information de-veloped from the many hundreds of boiler tests on coals consumed by various coal¬burning equipment. These questionnaires covered: 1. The company reporting, location and method of delivery to the plant. 2. Complete coal date, including description of coals used (with. sufficient space to- include first, second and third, preference) on--source of coal used,- complete-analysis and factors affecting choice of, coal used. 3. Plant data, divided into - A. Hand fired, B. Overfeed stokers,. . C. Underfeed stokers, D. Traveling grate stokers, E. Pulverized coal, and included complete description of furnace data, draft data, coal-burning rate, type of stoker, type of pulverizer, efficiency date and remarks.

Jan 1, 1933

By Theodore Simons

(Butte Meeting, August, 1913.) DURING the last half century a great amount of ingenuity and energy has been devoted to the invention of appliances for the recovery of valuable minerals from very fine sands and slimes. The reason for this is that in almost every dressing plant the greatest losses of values, considered relatively as well as absolutely, occur in the treatment of slimes. The natural aim of mill operators to minimize these losses has in recent years received another impetus, from the fact that the gradually diminishing occurrence of high-grade ores makes a more intense recovery of values from existing resources absolutely necessary for profitable operation. The results of such attempts are found in the appearance of a great number of machines and appliances which make it profitable to-clay to rework old dumps, containing the tailings of older processes. A constantly growing difficulty of obtaining skilled labor and the increase in wages made it prohibitory to employ those types of machines which required much attention, and in the middle of the nineteenth century the various concentrating tables of the percussion type, which automatically discharge their products, began to take the place of the intermittent tables, on which, when the bed had reached a certain thickness, operation had to be stopped in order to allow the skimming by hand of the separate layers formed on the table. In the course of years, two general types of machines evolved for the treatment of fine sands and slimes : The so-called concentrators and vanners, on the one hand, and the buddies and round tables on the other.1 For the profitable treatment of the very finest slimes, round tables have as a last resort proved more satisfactory and economical than other machines.

Jan 7, 1913

By Theodore Simons

(Butte Meeting, August, 1913.) DURING the last half century a great amount, of ingenuity and energy has been devoted to the invention of appliances for the recovery of valuable minerals from very fine sands and-slimes. The reason for this is that in almost every, dressing plant the greatest losses of values, considered relatively as well as absolutely, occur in the treatment of slimes. The natural aim of mill operators to minimize these losses has in recent years received another impetus,, from the fact that the gradually diminishing occurrence of high-grade ores makes a more intense recovery of values from existing resources absolutely necessary for profitable operation. The results of such attempts are found in the appearance of a great number of machines and appliances which make it profitable to-day to rework old dumps, containing the tailings of older processes. A constantly growing difficulty of obtaining skilled labor and the increase in wages made it prohibitory to employ those types of machines which required much attention, and in the middle of the nineteenth century the various concentrating tables of the percussion type, which automatically discharge their products, began to take the .place of the intermittent tables, on which, when the bed had reached a certain thickness, operation had to be stopped in order to allow the skimming by hand of the separate layers formed on the table. In the course of. years, two general types of machines evolved for the treatment of fine sands and slimes :- The so-called concentrators and vanners, on the one hand, and the huddles and round tables on . the other.1 For the profitable treatment of the very finest slimes, round tables have as a last resort proved more satisfactory and economical than other machines.

Jan 7, 1913

By John L. Schroder

INTRODUCTION-SYSTEM DESIGN The design of an underground mining operation requires the integration of transportation, ventilation, ground control, and mining methods to form a system which provides the highest possible degree of safety for mine personnel; the lowest cost per ton of product ; the most suitable quality of final product, considering its intended use; the maximum percent recovery of the reserve, consistent with cost and subsidence rights ; and the minimum disturbance to the environment. The selection of mining method is generally the controlling factor in overall mine design. Some important considerations in the choice of mining method are: 1) Depth of cover over the coal seam. 2) Strength and thickness of rock strata in the overburden. 3) Characteristics of the coal seam, including thickness, nature and location of impurities or irregularities, dip (or pitch), nature and direction of cleavage, hardness, and structural strength of the coal. 4) Nature and strength of the immediate roof (top) over the coal seam. 5) Nature and strength of the floor (bottom) under the coal seam. 6) Presence and amount of explosive gas (methane). 7) Quantity of water likely to be encountered in the mining operation. 8) Any previous or concurrent mining in seams above or below the coal seam to be worked. 9) Any restrictions on recovery required for subsidence control. Topographical and geological reports and maps of the area are usually available from state and federal geological surveys, and contain excellent general information to guide more detailed investigations. Exploratory drilling, and the plotting and analysis of the information thus obtained, are essential steps in any development program, and aid in the correlation and evaluation of information gained by other means. Other good sources of information are operating coal mines that may be in the same

Jan 1, 1981

By T. Egleston

I HAVE to announce with great regret that our distinguished honorary member, Louis Gruner, died in Paris in March last. The Institute, in his death, has lost one of the first as well as one of the greatest of its honorary members. I speak with great feeling, as he was both my instructor and my friend ; and I am sure that if he could hear what I am about to say of him, lie would object to it. Mr. Gruner's modesty was such as even to prevent, except in his own Corps, the thorough appreciation of his work in his own country. I think be mas better appreciated by those who are familiar with his labor in almost any other country than his own. A just man, a thorough scholar, a great investigator, he was so unselfish that almost the last act of his life, and the last letter he signed, only a few hours before his death, had for its ohject to render a service to one of his former pupils. I think no one who mas ever associated with him could forget, in the greatness of his learning, the sincere and earnest friend, mho was always ready to render a service, where such service could be rendered even at great inconvenience to limself. His own motto, "Sein, nieht schein;" that is, "Be, not appear to be," was singularly descriptive of his character; and, what is more than all, he was one of the most earnest Christian men with whom it has ever been mv. good fortune to be thrown in contact. There are few such men. He was one of the greatest metallurgists that Europe has ever produced; a man the more remarkable because, though known to most of us as a metallnrgist, some of the best work of his life was in the domain of geology to which he contributed very important researches and memoirs, which will remain permanently among the valuable additions to the geology of his own country. He was, at the same time that he was the greatest metallurgist in Europe, a brilliant chemist, a thorough geologist, a distinguished professor, and an expert, practical miner, whose advice and methods had only only to be known to be followed. Mr. Gruner was born in Smitzerland in 1809, and graduated from the Polytechnic School of Paris in 1530 and entered the School of Mines, from which he graduated with distinction in the Corps of Government Engineers of Mines at an early age, and was immedi-

Jan 1, 1884