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By J. D. Hanawalt, C. E. Nelson, J. A. Peloubet

The subject of the salt-water corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys is somewhat like that of the pitting of stainless steels, in that it involves a relatively small. percentage of the applications but receives a much greater proportion of the publicity. Actually magnesium alloys are in use in many exterior applications as well as interior, with no trouble from corrosion. Magnesium and its alloys have a striking stability against atmospheric attack, being far superior to iron. Specimens exposed unprotected to atmospheric weathering for Io Years show only a superficial surface-film formation. The basic nature of magnesium and of its important alloys is that they are also resistant to the attack of salt water even in an unprotected state, giving substantially no loss in weight after one year of alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution (Fig. 1). This basic behavior is often masked because of the extreme sensitivity of these alloys to certain impurities and combinations of impurities. It is known, and the subject of increasing emphasis, that higher purity leads generally to greater stability for many materials, non-metallic as well as metallic. However, a review of the literature on the corrosion factors in magnesium alloys shows that almost all researchers worked with base metal in which metallic impurities varied in uncontrolled amounts. The major factor, that of metallic impurities, Probably greatly overshadowed the effects of minor ones such as flux inclusions, nonmetallic impurities, porosity, metallographic state, which these researchers presumed to study. In the present investigation the first observation of interest is that whereas magnesium of commercial purity (99.9 per cent pure) has a corrosion rate in alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution at room temperature of anywhere from 5 to Ioo mg. per sq. cm. per day, the corrosion rate of high.purity magnesium is 0.15 ± 0.05 mg, per sq. cm. per day. The principle followed in the experiments was to add to such base magnesium other elements, singly and in inin in controlled and known amounts and to observe the corrosion behavior of the resulting alloy. These experiments show the existence of what may be called tolerance limits" of magnesium and some of its alloys for certain impurities. The extremely small percentages of impurities involved and the sharpness of the corrosion discontinuities appear to be quite unpredictable, In order to carry on this work, it was necessary to develop an analysis technique suitable to the problem. In some cases it was necessary quantitatively to analyze impurities to less than 0,001 per cent. The experimental data to be presented are based on observation of about 5000 alloy specimens and on more than 50,000 quantitative analyses. while the primary purpose of this paper is to present the experimentally obtained data on corrosion rates as a function of composition, and particularly to demon-

Jan 1, 1942

By J. D. Hanawalt, C. E. Nelson, J. A. Peloubet

The subject of the salt-water corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys is somewhat like that of the pitting of stainless steels, in that it involves a relatively small. percentage of the applications but receives a much greater proportion of the publicity. Actually magnesium alloys are in use in many exterior applications as well as interior, with no trouble from corrosion. Magnesium and its alloys have a striking stability against atmospheric attack, being far superior to iron. Specimens exposed unprotected to atmospheric weathering for Io Years show only a superficial surface-film formation. The basic nature of magnesium and of its important alloys is that they are also resistant to the attack of salt water even in an unprotected state, giving substantially no loss in weight after one year of alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution (Fig. 1). This basic behavior is often masked because of the extreme sensitivity of these alloys to certain impurities and combinations of impurities. It is known, and the subject of increasing emphasis, that higher purity leads generally to greater stability for many materials, non-metallic as well as metallic. However, a review of the literature on the corrosion factors in magnesium alloys shows that almost all researchers worked with base metal in which metallic impurities varied in uncontrolled amounts. The major factor, that of metallic impurities, Probably greatly overshadowed the effects of minor ones such as flux inclusions, nonmetallic impurities, porosity, metallographic state, which these researchers presumed to study. In the present investigation the first observation of interest is that whereas magnesium of commercial purity (99.9 per cent pure) has a corrosion rate in alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution at room temperature of anywhere from 5 to Ioo mg. per sq. cm. per day, the corrosion rate of high.purity magnesium is 0.15 ± 0.05 mg, per sq. cm. per day. The principle followed in the experiments was to add to such base magnesium other elements, singly and in inin in controlled and known amounts and to observe the corrosion behavior of the resulting alloy. These experiments show the existence of what may be called tolerance limits" of magnesium and some of its alloys for certain impurities. The extremely small percentages of impurities involved and the sharpness of the corrosion discontinuities appear to be quite unpredictable, In order to carry on this work, it was necessary to develop an analysis technique suitable to the problem. In some cases it was necessary quantitatively to analyze impurities to less than 0,001 per cent. The experimental data to be presented are based on observation of about 5000 alloy specimens and on more than 50,000 quantitative analyses. while the primary purpose of this paper is to present the experimentally obtained data on corrosion rates as a function of composition, and particularly to demon-

Jan 1, 1942

By Roshan B. Bhappu, George M. Potter

The chemistry involved in the recovery of gold and silver from natural resources through hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes is reviewed. Process metallurgy for the cyanidation, activated carbon adsorption, carbon stripping, and electrowinning of gold and silver is discussed. The application of zinc sodium sulfide use for silver recovery from cyanide solutions is covered. Electrooxidation, other oxidation methods and roasting processes for problem ores and concentrates containing organic carbon and impurities such as arsenic, antimony, and tellurides are summarized. The smelting of cathodes, precipitates, and other products, and the various wet and furnace steps in separating dore metal are also reviewed.

Jan 1, 1981

By H. W. Graham

THE young metallurgist of today who thinks casually of the technical literature of the steel industry might conclude that little has been published concerning the Bessemer process. This conclusion is true as relating to the last decade or two, but there is a fairly voluminous Bessemer literature in the period of 1860 to 1910, Since that time, however, an entirely new level of metal-lurgical knowledge of steelmaking has been reached; and the present paper is simply an effort to look broadly from this new level and to bring the recorded history of the process up to date, It is an effort to appraise the acid Bessemer method of steelmaking in the light of today's technical knowledge thereof. In this paper matters of history will be dealt with only insofar as they contribute to an understanding of today's situation. Attention will be directed to the apparent causes of past developments in seeking to perceive the true direction of trends now in existence and effective as bearing upon future developments. The paper will discuss the economics of the Bessemer process, but only to the extent that will bear upon the metallurgist's understanding of his respon-sibility. The problem of the quality of Bes-semer steel will be reviewed and examples will be given of the technical data upon which the reasoning of the paper is based, Matters of engineering design, mechanical maintenance, operation and metallurgical investigation will be surveyed. Compari-sons will be made between the Bessemer and open-hearth processes for the sake of clear and ready understanding,

Jan 1, 1940

By J. D. Hanawalt, C. E. Nelson, J. A. Peloubet

THE subject of the salt-water corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys is somewhat like that of the pitting of stainless steels, in that it involves a relatively small percentage of the applications but receives a much greater proportion of the publicity. Actually magnesium alloys are in use in many exterior applications as well as interior, with no trouble from corrosion. Magnesium and its alloys have a striking stability against atmospheric attack, being far superior to iron. Specimens exposed unprotected to atmospheric weathering for 10 years show only a superficial surface-film formation. The basic nature of magnesium and of its important alloys is that they are also resistant to the attack of salt water even in an unprotected state, giving substantially no loss in weight after one year of alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution (Fig. I). This basic behavior is often masked because of the extreme sensitivity of these alloys to certain impurities and combinations of impurities. It is known, and the subject of increasing emphasis, that higher purity leads generally to greater stability for many materials, nonmetallic as well as metallic. However, a review of the literature on the corrosion factors in magnesium alloys shows that almost all researchers worked with base metal in which metallic impurities varied in uncontrolled amounts. The major factor, that of metallic impurities, probably greatly overshadowed the effects of minor ones such as flux inclusions, nonmetallic impurities, porosity, metallographic state, which these researchers presumed to study. In the present investigation the first observation of interest is that whereas magnesium of commercial purity (99.9 per cent pure) has a corrosion rate in alternate immersion in 3 per cent NaCl solution at room temperature of anywhere from 5 to 100 mg. per sq. cm. per day, the corrosion rate of high-purity magnesium is 0.15 ± 0.05 mg. per sq. cm. per day. The principle followed in the experiments was to add to such base magnesium other elements, singly and in combination, in controlled and known amounts and to observe the corrosion behavior of the resulting alloy. These experiments show the existence of what may be called "tolerance limits" of magnesium and some of its alloys for certain impurities. The extremely small percentages of impurities involved and the sharpness of the corrosion discontinuities appear to be quite unpredictable. In order to carry on this work, it was necessary to develop an analysis technique suitable to the problem. In some cases it was necessary quantitatively to analyze impurities to less than 0.001 per cent. The experimental data to be presented are based on observation of about 5000 alloy specimens and on more than 50,000 quantitative analyses. While the primary purpose of this paper is to present the experimentally obtained data on corrosion rates as a function of composition, and particularly to demon-

Jan 1, 1941

By George W. Mitchell

THE property of Eureka Corp. Ltd. is located in the approximate geographic center of Nevada, 2 miles from Eureka, the county seat. The great sources of power, the Colorado, Snake, and Salmon Rivers and the rivers of northern California, are 300 to 500 miles distant, and no lines serve areas closer than 150 miles. Fuel for diesel and steam generation is available in Utah, 300 to 400 miles to the east. Eureka's railhead is 80 miles north where two trunk lines cross the county. A spur line serves Ely, 77 miles east. Good highways connect Eureka to the railheads.

Jan 8, 1953

By Alfred Weiss

The business world of tomorrow will experience a major change in its data communication systems, with the mineral industry being among those to feel the greatest impact of this change. This development can be expected to occur over the next two decades at a steadily increasing tempo. One major factor prompting this transformation is the fact that technological knowledge is doubling approximately every five years. Moreover, industry is becoming more and more dependent upon the flow and processing of information in its long-range planning, while government requirements and regulations demand increasingly detailed and precise information on plant operations.

Jan 1, 1971

By John D. Weibmer

A remarkably simple construction system that derives its internal stability from metal straps buried in backfill is finding diverse mine applications, ranging from rock crusher headwalls to massive slot coal storage facilities. Reinforced Earth (Re/Earth), the system trade name of Reinforced Earth Co., is proving itself 20-50% less expensive than alternative earth embankment structures, and in the case of cast-in-place concrete walls, six to seven times faster to erect. While the majority of applications are in the realm of civil engineering-projects such as retaining walls, bridge abutments, slide buttresses, and containment dikes-a growing proportion is mine related. Of the estimated 120 Reinforced Earth projects that will be completed this year, company president David P. McKittrick expects mining to account for about 20% of the business volume.

Jan 8, 1978

By Harrison R. Cooper

Safety considerations apply from two perspectives in conducting shaft inspections for production and service hoists. The first is to conduct the task more effectively while minimizing the possibility that shaft deterioration may go undetected. The second is to increase security and efficiency of the inspection team in fulfilling its duties.

Jan 11, 1979

By Jan M. Mutmansky, Gordon H. Walrod, Y. J. Wang

The selection of a shaft size for ventilation purposes is a classic problem of concern to mining engineers. This presentation is concerned with the sizing of conventionally-sunk circular shafts with concrete or shotcrete linings. Costs of sinking shafts of three different depths, from 150 m to 300 m (500 ft to l000ft), and six different diameters, from 4.27 m to 7.32 m (14 ft to 24 ft), were obtained through questionnaires to shaft contractors. The primary objective of the economic model presented is the balancing of detailed annual capital and operating costs to achieve the minimum overall cost of the shaft installation over its life. The economic model is similar to previous analyses but treats several of the individual cost categories in an updated fashion. Included in the paper is a detailed analysis of the effects of varying power costs on optimal shaft size. Also included are a statistical analysis of current shaft costs and comments on the choice between shotcrete and concrete linings.

Jan 1, 1980

By W. E. Hall

The Darwin mining district of California, 160 miles north of Los Angeles, has yielded an estimated $45 million in lead, silver, zinc, and copper since 1875. The deposits are in silicated limestone of Penn-sylvanian and Permian age close to a stock of horn-blende-biotite-quartz monzonite. Steep left-lateral strike-slip faults that strike N 50o 70o E served as feeder channels for the ore solutions, and minor folds, favorable beds, and faults close to the feeder channels localized the orebodies. The orebodies are irregular, steep, pipe-like replacements that cut across bedding, bedding replacements, and fissure fillings in a calc-silicate country rock consisting mainly of wollastonite, grossularite-andradite garnet, idocrase, and diop-side. Near surface the ore consists of a soft, crumbly mass of cerussite, hemimorphite, jarosite, limonite, and some secondary copper minerals. The primary ore consists of galena, sphalerite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite with smaller amounts of andorite, matildite, scheelite, tetrahedrite, and a high silver-lead-bismuth-selenium-bearing galena. Preliminary X-ray fluorescence study of the primary ore has indicated unusually high concentrations of bismuth, selenium, and silver in galena from certain parts of the mine. One phase of this study concerns the distribution of these elements. Twenty-two samples of galena and thirty of sphal- erite have been purified and analyzed or are being analyzed. The selenium in 21 samples of galena ranges from 0.0045 to 2.11 pct; four contain more than 1 pct. These four samples were collected from the Essex orebody, where most of the selenium is concentrated. Three are from high-grade, near-surface ore, and one is from the 700 level. Four of the seven analyzed galena samples from the Thompson workings immediately north of the Essex orebody contain 0.29 to 0.74 pct Se; the others show less than 0.05 pct. Galena from the Defiance workings about 2000 ft south of the Essex has less than 0.03 pct Se. The selenium-bearing galena also contains concentrations of bismuth and silver. Preliminary spectographic analyses indicate as much as 3 pct Bi and more than 1 pct Ag in galena with high selenium content. Antimony is the only other minor element present in galena in amounts greater than 0.02 pct; most galena contains between 0.1 and 0.2 pct and the maximum is 0.72 pct. A second phase of the study is an attempt to determine the temperature range of the formation of the ore. The iron content of sphalerite deposited in equilibrium with pyrrhotite is being used as a geologic thermometer as it is a function of the temperature of deposition of the ore.' Preliminary results indicate temperature range from 430°C in replacement orebodies in the Defiance workings to 180°C in shallow fissure fillings.

Jan 1, 1960

By Kenneth E. Mathews, Ross D. Hammett, S. Byron Stewart

Theoretical models have been important throughout the history of engineering as a means of understanding past experiences and predicting future performance. Most modelling involves assumptions and a degree of idealization, and it is shown that it is important that the effects of these be recognized when making use of models. One of the principal concerns in underground mining is the effect of the excavations on the states of stress in the rock adjacent to these excavations. As mining proceeds to depth, stress concentrations may be sufficiently high to cause inelastic behaviour of the rock and yielding along joint surfaces. At this stage, attention must be given to the sequencing of the mining process to ensure that the ground control techniques applied are optimized. Increasing use is being made of computer modelling techniques to assist with design. Three case studies are presented to illustrate the application of computer models in mine planning and ground control. In all cases, the data available for design was limited, but the mines were fully developed and openings could be inspected. The mining methods studied are cut and fill stoping, room and pillar stoping, and longhole stoping.

Jan 1, 1983

By S. J. Hubbard, S. D. Michaelson, A. W. Last, B. H. Ensign

Of the seventeen western states, five-Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, and Nevada-produce about 90 pct of this country's primary copper. All seventeen of these states occupy 60 pct of the nation's land area but receive only 25 pct of the country's total precipitation. Seventy percent of this precipitation returns directly to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration, leaving very little for ground reservoir recharge or immediate domestic, agricultural, or industrial use. With so limited a supply available for all, competition for water rights among users is severe. The result does not always permit using the limited supply to produce the most valuable end product. Most of industry and much of agriculture can shop around for suitable operating locations. Where water is critical to their purposes, they can and do locate in areas where the needed amounts are available. Such is not the ordinary lot of the mining industry, which must locate in the area of the deposit it is planning to mine and concentrate. In the case of copper this happens to be, for the most part, right in the heart of the semi-arid regions of the West.

Jan 7, 1960

By W. L. Zeigler

THE Galena mill of the Callahan Zinc-Lead Co. is of 150 tons daily [ ] capacity and is situated at Lake Gulch, 2 miles west of Wallace, Idaho. (Fig. 1. It was constructed during the summer of 1926, work having been started late in June and the plant placed in operation Oct. 15, following.

Jan 1, 1928

By N. E. Norman, R. Stier

The mining industry is continually seeking out new and better underground mining techniques. One of the most recent-also, perhaps, the most significant-of the new concepts in underground mining is the use of mechanical rock-boring machines. And one of the problems that concerns us all in this matter is the cost of mechanical rock tunneling. To help answer the oft-quoted question "What will it cost me?" the following pages deal with the operating costs of so-called "medium to medium hard rock" boring machines-i.e., those designed to meet the drilling requirements in 8000 psi to 25,000 psi rock. A few machines are capable of drilling hard rock above 25,000 psi, but the economics of mechanical tunneling in rock that hard is limited at the present time. [ ] For mechanical rock tunneling, there are five main cost factors influencing the expense: Capital Investment, Cutters, Labor, Power Requirements, and Maintenance. These factors give us a good basic picture of the cost of excavation, although muck handling, erecting supports, and other costs directly related to conventional tunneling and mechanical boring enter into the final picture.

Jan 6, 1967

By J. Kitagawa

INTRGDUCTION The Paragsha concentrator is the largest of Cerro de Pasco Corporation's base metal beneficiation plants operating in Peru. At present, this plant is treating an average of [ ]

Jan 1, 1970

By F. Newton Parks

SOUND management organization is as essential to a mining operation as sound mining practices, exploration methods, concentration processes, or marketing methods. In fact, if a mining company is well organized, with the right people in the right management positions, it can be reasonably assured of the adequacy of its operating practices. Management problems in mining are unique, but certain principles of organization are universal. These principles should be used as ground rules in mining as they are in other industries.

Jan 5, 1958

By Christine Alexander

Twenty years ago, the northern Oquirrh Mountains overlooking Salt Lake City were bare. Heavy logging and overgrazing combined with erosion and uncontrolled forest fires had severely denuded the mountains by the turn of the century. As a final coup de grace, a copper smelter was built there in 1906, and for the next 50 years its sulfurous fumes killed off what little vegetation remained. In 1956, Paul Rokich, a biology student at the Univer¬sity of Utah, started to surreptitiously restore the mountains. For the next 17 years, Rokich devoted his spare time and money to replanting the Oquirrhs, with the result that several thousand acres of the mountains are green again, and animals have returned: deer, elk, and rabbits thrive among olive, maple, and fruit trees, wheat grass, and sunflowers.

Jan 10, 1975

INTERNAL The year 1976 was another outstanding year in the operation of the Institute and in the success of its varied activities. Total AIME membership reached 59,773 for a gain of. 6.4 percent. Total revenue increased to $5,111,2 10, up 22.4 percent, and balance sheet assets increased to $8,479,612, up 12.2 percent from the previous year. AIME and its constituent units conducted 30 technical meetings during the year, and attendance was up at most of them. Publications issued by the Constituent Societies continued a healthy growth. During the year 9 new local Sections were established, and at the end of the year the Institute had 150 Sections, with 19 of them overseas. Details on all of these operations are on pages 2 and 3 of this report.

Jan 4, 1977

By J. A. Herbst, J. L. Sepulveda, J. D. Miller

Effective bismuth removal from flue dust residues has been accomplished for flue dusts from both zinc and copper smelters. Selective dissolution of bismuth, with respect to silver and lead, can be achieved by the proper manipulation of temperature, sulfuric acid addition and sodium chloride addition. Optimum levels of these variables were determined using a response surface technique to maximize the objective function: Y = %Bi/(1 + %Ag). In the case of the flue dust residue from a zinc smelter, which contains bismuth as an impurity (0.05%), 86% bismuth removal can be realized with less than 1% combined silver and lead dissolution. Similarly, in the case of flue dust from a copper smelter, which contains bismuth as a primary constituent (3.3%), 93% bismuth removal was obtained with little dissolution of silver and lead values.

Jan 1, 1977