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By Jos. J. Walsh

Ventilation within a coal mine is essential to the welfare of those employed therein, from the standpoint of health, safety, and efficiency. While the saving of life and the preserving of health are the chief reasons for ventilation, efficiency and production are increased. In spite of the fact that we speak of air as having a certain composition, the proportions of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are not fixed, but vary between small limits. The different elements are not chemically united, they are merely mixed and each is free and can be separated with little energy. For this reason air in the mine workings is seldom found in a pure state. Factors that necessitate ventilation in coal mines are those that change the composition of pure air. Contamination of mine air results from the burning of oil-fed flames, the use of explosives, the oxidation of coal, and the liberation of gases by the coal. The extent to which these factors exist governs the size and general plan of the ventilating applianccs required. An efficient ventilating system is one that will furnish air at the working faces in sufficient volume to dilute and render harmless noxious gases and at the same time maintain an oxygen content closely approaching that of pure air. In a well-ventilated mine, the oxygen seldom falls more than 0.5 per cent. below normal. The carbon-dioxide content of the air in the average coal mine will vary from 0.1 to about 0.8 per cent., which amounts are not harmful. Three per cent. of carbon dioxide in air doubles the frequency and the depth of breathing; it is plainly noticeable and if breathed continuously for several hours its effect would probably be harmful. Slight reductions in the oxygen content of the air, such as occur in well-ventilated mines, have no debilitating effect on the worker. A person not exerting himself would fail to observe any unusual physical effect in an atmosphere: containing 17 per cent. of oxygen. This condition, however, or even a condition showing an oxygen content below 20 per cent., would indicate poor ventilation and that the elements which tend to reduce the efficiency of the worker are present, namely water vapor and a high wet-bulb temperature.

Jan 1, 1923

By Jos. J. Walsh

Ventilation within a coal mine is essential to the welfare of those employed therein, from the standpoint of health, safety, and efficiency. While the saving of life and the preserving of health are the chief reasons for ventilation, efficiency and production are increased. In spite of the fact that we speak of air as having a certain composition, the proportions of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are not fixed, but vary between small limits. The different elements are not chemically united, they are merely mixed and each is free and can be separated with little energy. For this reason air in the mine workings is seldom found in a pure state. Factors that necessitate ventilation in coal mines are those that change the composition of pure air. Contamination of mine air results from the burning of oil-fed flames, the use of explosives, the oxidation of coal, and the liberation of gases by the coal. The extent to which these factors exist governs the size and general plan of the ventilating applianccs required. An efficient ventilating system is one that will furnish air at the working faces in sufficient volume to dilute and render harmless noxious gases and at the same time maintain an oxygen content closely approaching that of pure air. In a well-ventilated mine, the oxygen seldom falls more than 0.5 per cent. below normal. The carbon-dioxide content of the air in the average coal mine will vary from 0.1 to about 0.8 per cent., which amounts are not harmful. Three per cent. of carbon dioxide in air doubles the frequency and the depth of breathing; it is plainly noticeable and if breathed continuously for several hours its effect would probably be harmful. Slight reductions in the oxygen content of the air, such as occur in well-ventilated mines, have no debilitating effect on the worker. A person not exerting himself would fail to observe any unusual physical effect in an atmosphere: containing 17 per cent. of oxygen. This condition, however, or even a condition showing an oxygen content below 20 per cent., would indicate poor ventilation and that the elements which tend to reduce the efficiency of the worker are present, namely water vapor and a high wet-bulb temperature.

Jan 1, 1923

By C. W. Phillips, R. S. Busk

With most cast metals the grain size may vary within wide limits, depending upon the conditions at the moment of freezing. These conditions are subject to control in magnesium-base alloys, by proper melting and superheating techniques, enabling production of quite uniform and fine-grained castings, almost independent of section thickness. However, such variations of grain size as do exist, in common with all metals, are reflected in corresponding changes in mechanical properties. It is the intent of this paper to present data giving the relationship between grain size and mechanical properties. Data are also included on the combined effects of grain size and micro-porosity. In addition, a short discussion of factors influencing the grain size of sand castings is included. Measurement OF Grain Size By grain size is meant the statistical distribution of volumes occupied by the individual crystallites in a metal section. Since this is almost always impossible of direct measurement, several methods of estimating and expressing the size have been evolved. Most exact methods make use of the microscope. This involves study of a single plane cut at random through the metal. What is seen in the microscopc are polygons, each the cross section of a grain. The diameters or areas of these polygons are then measured and the grain size is expressed as an average diameter, number of grains per unit area, average area per grain, or, rarely, average volume per grain. Rutherford, Abom, and Bain3 have discussed extensively the errors involved when using a plane section to estimate volume. They clearly point out that the tendency is to underestimate the true grain size because of the nature of the measurcment. The A.S.T.M. recommends that measurement be made by comparison with a standard chart, by means of Jeffries' planimetric method4 or Heyn's intercept method. The Society recommends that the notation be in terms of the number of grains per unit area (as is the grain-size number used for steel) or as an average diameter, expressed in inches or millimeters (as for copper and brass). The method of measurement used for this study was comparison with a standard chart, which has been described by P. F. George.5 The chart was constructed by photographing at Ioo diameters a uniform specimen with an average grain diameter of 0.003 in. The average diameter of this specimen was determined by numerous measurements, using both the Jeffries and Heyn methods. The other grain sizes were then obtained by appropriate enlargemcnt of the master sample. Careful comparison of the chart method with other methods on identical samples indicates that though the differences be-

Jan 1, 1945

By C. W. Phillips, R. S. Busk

WITH most cast metals the grain size may vary within wide limits, depending upon the conditions at the moment of freezing. These conditions are subject to control in magnesium-base alloys, by proper melting and superheating techniques, enabling production of quite uniform and fine-grained castings, almost independent of section thickness. However, such variations of grain size as do exist, in common with all metals, are reflected in corresponding changes in mechanical properties. It is the intent of this paper to present data giving the relationship between grain size and mechanical properties. Data are also included on the combined effects of grain size and microporosity. In addition, a short discussion of factors influencing the grain size of sand castings is included. MEASUREMENT OF GRAIN SIZE By grain size is meant the statistical distribution of volumes occupied by the individual crystallites in a metal section. Since this is almost always impossible of direct measurement, several methods of estimating and expressing the size have been evolved. Most exact methods make use of the microscope. This involves study of a single plane cut at random through the metal. What is seen in the microscope are polygons, each the cross section of a grain. The diameters or areas of these polygons are then measured and the grain size is expressed as an average diameter, number of grains per unit area, average area per grain, or, rarely, average volume per grain. Rutherford, Aborn, and Bain3 have discussed extensively the errors involved when using a plane section to estimate volume. They clearly point out that the tendency is to underestimate the true grain size because of the nature of the measurement. The A.S.T.M.. recommends that measurement be made by comparison with a standard chart, by means of Jeffries' planimetric method' or Heyn's intercept method. The Society recommends that the notation be in terms of the number of grains per unit area (as is the grain-size number used for steel) or as an average diameter, expressed in inches or millimeters (as for copper and brass). The method of measurement used for this study was comparison with a standard chart, which has been described by P. F. George.', The chart was constructed by photographing at i00 diameters a uniform specimen with an average grain diameter of 0.003 in. The average diameter of this specimen was determined by numerous measurements, using both the Jeffries and Heyn methods. The other grain sizes were then obtained by appropriate enlargement of the master sample. Careful comparison of the chart method with other methods on identical samples indicates that though the differences be-

Jan 1, 1945

By R. F. Mehl, J. T. Ransom

For many years the Metals Research Laboratory of Carnegie Institute of Technology has been concerned with the statistical nature of the engineering properties of steel from an experimental viewpoint, particularly those properties representing ductility.' In the past three years new work has been directed toward evaluating the statistical nature of the endurance properties. It has been shown that both the fracture curve and the endurance limit in fatigue are markedly statistical in nature. The S-N curve (and the endurance limit) of ferrous materials is often determined with specimens which number as few as ten. The common procedure is to test the first specimen at a stress well above the expected endurance hmit. Each succeeding specimen is then tested at a progressively lower stress, until, after five or six tests, a specimen runs ten million or so cycles without failing. Two or three more specimens are then used to find the highest stress at which failure will not occur; the limiting stress determined in this way is called the endurance limit. It has now been found, however, that the variability in the fracture curve and in the endurance limit in heat-treated alloy forging steels is so great that S-N curves must be drawn on the basis of distribution curves which can be appraised only by statistical methods. Two methods have been adopted in this study: (1) straightforward statistical studies of cycles to fracture of a number of specimens at each of a series of stress levels, and (2) a new abbreviated statistical method, known as "staircase testing."2 The latter corisists in testing a series of specimens, one by one, with the test stress for any given specimen automatically

Jan 1, 1950

By C. F. Nagel

THIS paper is written primarily for those who are familiar with the processes mentioned but who desire a further insight into some of the fundamental principles. It does not give a complete description of the various practices employed in the working of aluminum and its alloys, but presents a few illustrations of the essential respects in which aluminum differs from other common metals, and emphasizes the controlling factors of the processes under consideration. HEAT TREATING Certain aluminum alloys are capable of having their mechanical properties greatly altered by a heat-treatment process. The degree of this improvement may be illustrated by some typical properties of duralumin (Table 1). It is essential that the material be in the wrought condition in order to obtain maximum heat-treatment effects. [ ] In the case of duralumin, the process consists of heating the metal to a prescribed temperature and then quenching it. Immediately after quenching, the material is relatively soft though not as soft as in the annealed state. If allowed to stand at room temperature, the material changes, increasing in hardness and strength without loss of elongation, but at the expense of the plasticity. This action is very rapid at first, gradually diminishing in intensity and to all practical purposes being completed in about four days. This process of hardening is termed

Jan 1, 1928

By C. F. Nagel

This paper is written primarily for those who are familiar with the processes mentioned but who desire a further insight into some of the fundamental principles. It does not give a complete description of the various practices employed in the working of aluminum and its alloys, but presents a few illustrations of the essential respects in which aluminum differs from other common metals, and emphasizes the controlling factors of the processes under consideration. Heat Treating Certain aluminum alloys are capable of having their mechanical properties greatly altered by a heat-treatment process. The degree of this irnprovement may be illustrated by some typical properties of dura-lurnin (Table 1). It is essential that the material be in the wrought condition in order to obtain rnaximum heat-treatment effects. In the case of duralumin, the process consists of heating the metal to a prescribed temperature and then quenching it. Immediately after quenching, the material is relatively soft though not as soft as in the annealed state. If allowed to stand at room temperature, the material changes, increasing in hardness and strength without loss of elongation, but at the expense of the plasticity. This action is very rapid at first, gradually diminishing in intensity and to all practical purposes being completed in about four days. This process of hardening is termed

By Henry Rawdon

Cold-working is generally considered as a process of hardening metals. Diamet-rically opposite statements concerning the applicability of the scratch-hardness method in the testing of cold-worked metals, particularly after severe deformation, which exist in the technical literature led to the study of the results which are summarized in this paper. A series of metals, of which copper, iron and tin are used as illustrations here, were cold rolled to a definite degree without any intermediate annealing and the hardness determined by both the scratch and Brinell methods. The results indicate that the metal hardens rapidly during the initial stages of deformation; however, after a certain stage, which corresponds to a rather definite microstructure, the metal becomes softer and in its final form may be softer than the metal in its initial stage. As part of the study of the scratch-hardness method for metals and alloys in cooperation with one of the technical committees of the American Society for Testing Materials, the authors devoted considerable time to the study of the changes in hardness of metals when cold rolled. Various seemingly contradictory statements in the technical literature concerning the applicability of the scratch-hardness method to such cold-rolled materials were among the principal reasons for the investigation, the results of which are in part presented here. The effect of cold deformation, at least in moderate degrees, on the hardness as measured by the Brinell and other common methods is so well known that further reference is unnecessary. Concerning the scratch hardness of cold-worked metals, Martens and Heyn state' that hardness, whether measured by the ball-pressure method (Kugeldruck) or by the scratch method (Ritzverfahren), will be increased by cold deformation. Jeffries and Archer give a seemingly diametrically opposite view. They state,2 that "the sclerometer (indicating scratch

Jan 1, 1924

By Donald Jaffe, Michael B. Bever

The solidification of Al-Zn alloys (2 to 70 pct Zn was investigated at different rates of solidification. The resulting structures were studied; the amounts of nonequilibrium eutectic were measured and compared with the amounts calculated on the assumption of no diffusion in the solid. The compositions of the cored primary constituent were investigated by quantitative autoradiography after activation of the zinc by neutron irradiation. These compositions were also determined from microhardness values. IN a recent investigation of the soltdification of aluminum-rich AI-Cu alloys,' the amounts of non-equilibrium eutectic were measured and compared with the amounts calculated on the assumption of no diffusion in the solid. The compositions of the cored primary constituent were investigated by quantitative autoradiography. The work reported here extends the investigation of nonequilibrium solidification to the Al-Zn system in the range from 2 to 70 pct Zn. In addition to autoradiography, microhard-ness values were used to determine compositions on a micro scale. Solidification Experiments The alloys contained approximately 2. 6, 12, 20, 30, 50, and 70 wt pct Zn and the balance aluminum. According to published diagrams the eutectic reaction occurs at 382°C between the eutectic liquid (95 pct Zn), a (82.8 pet Zn), and $ 498.9 pct Zn). Solid-state reactions at lower temperatures (due to the miscibility gap between 350" and 275"C, the eutectoid at 275'C, and the precipitation from supcrsaturated a) did not affect this investigation. Even if they occurred to any appreciable extent, they did not alter the evidence pertaining to the solidification structures. The alloys had to be of high purity to avoid radioact~ve contamination during activation. The aluminum analyzed 0.015 pct Si, 0.009 pct Fe, less than 0.004 pct Cu, and less than 0.006 pct Mg with traces of sodium and titanium; the zinc was reported to be at least 99.99 pct pure with traces of iron and magnesium. The alloys were prepared under argon in an induction-heated, bottom-pouring furnace, and poured into a coated steel mold, which could be preheated to temperatures up to 700°C in order to control the rate of solidification. The pouring temperatures ranged from about 40" above the liquidus for 2 pct Zn alloys to about 130°C above the liquidus for 70 pct Zn alloys. As soon as the melt entered the mold, the readings of a thermocouple placed % in. above the bottom of the mold were recorded by a recording potentiometer. Cooling at the rate induced by the initial temperature of the mold was continued to a temperature 100°C below the liquidus; the mold with its contents was then quenched in icy brine. Quenching from a fixed interval below the liquidus was used to provide a standardized procedure, since the solidus and liquidus temperatures and the interval between them vary greatly over the composition range investigated. The temperatures from which the samples were quenched were below the equilibrium solidus, but under nonequilibrium conditions some liquid was still present. This residual liquid solidified during the quench. The samples measured 314 in. diam and 11, in. height. Drillings for chemical analysis were taken

Jan 1, 1957

By A. M. Keenan, R. H. Carpenter

Geologic faults have always been a plague to the mining industry, and have often reduced a mining venture from a profitable to a marginal operation, and even at times have forced companies to liquidation or bankruptcy. The use of geology as an economic tool in coal mining is not generally recognized, particularly in coal deposits which are horizontal or essentially flat-lying, in which faulting might not be prevalent. However in pitching coal seams, the existence of faults is considered an inherent challenge, as the inclination of the seam or seams per se, is a product of geologic disturbance. The problems of faults are a constant challenge to the management of the Thompson Creek Coal and Coke Corp. in their operations in Pitkin County, Colorado, where high grade medium volatile coking coal is mined. The background for this paper has been provided by the experiences of these operations, in overcoming the effects of faults in mining, and resolving the fault structures. The properties of the Thompson Creek Coal and Coke Corp. are located in central Colorado, 13 miles southwest of Carbondale, Colorado, a tow] on the main highway between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Fig. 1. The elevation at the mine portals is approximately 8000 feet: there is a relief of some 2.000 feet to the adjacent ridges rising away from the [nine portals. 'The entire present production of these properties totaling 180.000 tons of clean coal per year is trucked to the railhead at Carbondale, Colorado, from whence it is shipped to the Geneva Steel Plant at Provo, Utah. The properties were initially opened in September 1952. A total of 125 men are currently employed with the production conting from the Number 1 and 3 Mines, and development workings of the Number 2 and 5 Mines respectively. While the No. 2 Vine was opened in 1953 prior to No, 3 Mine, the encountering of faults without sufficient development work accomplished to sustain production, necessitated the diversion of manpower to the other [nines for economic considerations. GEOLOGY '1-he productive coal seams occur in the Mesaverde formation of Late Cretaceous age which outcrop along the eastern edge of the Piance Creek Basin from the Grand Hogback, a part of the southwestern flank of the White River Uplift north of Glenwood Springs, southward through the 'Thompson Creek area and the

Jan 1, 1961

By L. S. Darken

It has been known for sometime that in an ionic lattice, such as that of Ag,S or FeO, the migration velocity of the anion may differ markedly from that of the cation, the cation being usually the more mobile. It has been shown, for example, that during the formation of silver sulphide tarnish on silver, the tarnish layer grows principally by the motion of silver cations through an essentially stationary silver sulphide lattice. Similarly, the growth of wüstite scale on iron proceeds principally by motion of iron ions, this being accomplished with the aid of vacant iron lattice sites into which the iron may readily move. Likewise investigations of solid solutions of various salts show that there is usually considerable difference in the mobility of the different cations. Measurements of the mobility of various metals in liquid mercury indicate that the various metals move at different rates relative to the mercury. In view of the foregoing it seems reasonable to suppose that when any single phase solution is acted upon by a field, the atoms of different elements respond in different ways; in particular, that the force arising from a particular concentration gradient in a binary alloy would cause the atoms of one component to move with a drift velocity which is in general different from that of the atoms of the other component. The recent experiments of Smigelskas and Kirkendall' support this viewpoint, since they found, in essence, that during diffusion in alpha brass zinc moves appreciably faster than copper. This was evidenced by the relative motion of inert molybdenum wires. Such a phenomenon is incompatible with the place interchange theory of diffdsion proposed by several authors, most recently by Bir-chenall and Mehl.2 This theory has, however, also been questioned3v4 for other reasons, principally because of the high energy required for direct atomic interchange. The rather large difference between self-diffusivity, as determined by tracer technique, and mutual diffusivity, as determined with the aid of another element at low concentration, might also be interpreted as favoring the above idea; however. Birchenall and Mehl have pointed out that there is another possible interpretation of this difference; this is discussed later. A rather interesting and pertinent observation was made by Schwartz, who noticed that tungsten lamp filaments, heated by direct current, commonly fail by necking down in the region at the temperature gradient near the positive end, with a concomitant swelling at the corresponding position near the negative end. He introduces considerable auxiliary evidence to show that this phenomenon is occasioned by the motion of tungsten cations which migrate in the high temperature region from the positive end toward the negative end. The mechanism of this migration is not clearly understood. If, however, this experimental evidence be accepted, we are forced to conclude that alloying elements in the tungsten may migrate by the same or a Similar mechanism, whatever it may be, at a greater Or lesser rate, thus giving rise

Jan 1, 1949

By L. S. Darken

It has been known for sometime that in an ionic lattice, such as that of Ag,S or FeO, the migration velocity of the anion may differ markedly from that of the cation, the cation being usually the more mobile. It has been shown, for example, that during the formation of silver sulphide tarnish on silver, the tarnish layer grows principally by the motion of silver cations through an essentially stationary silver sulphide lattice. Similarly, the growth of wüstite scale on iron proceeds principally by motion of iron ions, this being accomplished with the aid of vacant iron lattice sites into which the iron may readily move. Likewise investigations of solid solutions of various salts show that there is usually considerable difference in the mobility of the different cations. Measurements of the mobility of various metals in liquid mercury indicate that the various metals move at different rates relative to the mercury. In view of the foregoing it seems reasonable to suppose that when any single phase solution is acted upon by a field, the atoms of different elements respond in different ways; in particular, that the force arising from a particular concentration gradient in a binary alloy would cause the atoms of one component to move with a drift velocity which is in general different from that of the atoms of the other component. The recent experiments of Smigelskas and Kirkendall' support this viewpoint, since they found, in essence, that during diffusion in alpha brass zinc moves appreciably faster than copper. This was evidenced by the relative motion of inert molybdenum wires. Such a phenomenon is incompatible with the place interchange theory of diffdsion proposed by several authors, most recently by Bir-chenall and Mehl.2 This theory has, however, also been questioned3v4 for other reasons, principally because of the high energy required for direct atomic interchange. The rather large difference between self-diffusivity, as determined by tracer technique, and mutual diffusivity, as determined with the aid of another element at low concentration, might also be interpreted as favoring the above idea; however. Birchenall and Mehl have pointed out that there is another possible interpretation of this difference; this is discussed later. A rather interesting and pertinent observation was made by Schwartz, who noticed that tungsten lamp filaments, heated by direct current, commonly fail by necking down in the region at the temperature gradient near the positive end, with a concomitant swelling at the corresponding position near the negative end. He introduces considerable auxiliary evidence to show that this phenomenon is occasioned by the motion of tungsten cations which migrate in the high temperature region from the positive end toward the negative end. The mechanism of this migration is not clearly understood. If, however, this experimental evidence be accepted, we are forced to conclude that alloying elements in the tungsten may migrate by the same or a Similar mechanism, whatever it may be, at a greater Or lesser rate, thus giving rise

Jan 1, 1949

JOHN W. BELL, *Montreal, Quebec, Canada (communication to the Secretary?). The test results in Mr. Taggart's paper will, I am sure, be recognized as a notable contribution, and of great assistance in the study of the performance of the Hardinge mill. I regret, however, being obliged to note that Mr. Taggart still retains. such confidence in the Kick-Stadler method of computing the ?relative mechanical efficiency" of crushing machines. The Rittinger-Kick graph submitted by Mr. Gates and the tests made at McGill University disclosed precisely the same fundamental defect in the Kick-Stadler theory. Consequently, I have been obliged to recalculate in terms of Rittinger surface units the results obtained in the 28 rock-crushing tests cited by Mr. Taggart, in order to find- out what the relative efficiencies really were. In order to show the large discrepancies between the Stadler and Rittinger R. M. R's, the most, efficient result disclosed by each method is represented by the number 100, and the R.. M. E.'s for the other tests have been recalculated on this basis. The results will be found in Table 1. Personally, I look forward to the time when we shall cease to talk about "relative mechanical efficiency" and merely refer to the "efficiency" of a crusher. All that is required to accomplish this is to agree on a standard method for determining the "crushing constant" of a given rock and a standard method for calculating the efficiency. The figures in the fourth column of Table 1 have been derived by assuming a constant of 2,000 for the quartzite crushed in the Yale tests. The Stadler method sometimes indicates changes in efficiency produced by, changes in operating conditions, as I pointed out in a paper describing rock-crushing tests made at McGill University. It is, however, not enough to determine that certain changes increase or decrease efficiency; surely it is equally important to determine the magnitude of these variations. By examination of Mr. Taggart's results, I have been obliged to conclude that the size of feed and amount of reduction greatly influence the Stadler R. M. E. figures, that they are positively misleading. It should be mentioned that since the majority of the tests have been made at the least efficient feed rates, and since, moreover, it is one of the evidently very important factors affecting efficiency, it is possible that different results might be obtained by a high-tonnage feed series, and that

Jan 8, 1917

By Keith Leonard Sutherland

THIS paper is a study of the differential flotation of the sulphide minerals in the presence of salts of silver, lead and zinc. In practice, accidental activation due to these salts is more important than their use as reagents to replace copper sulphate. The general method of investigation has been based upon contact tests, the temperature of 35°C. being chosen in conformity with earlier work. Potassium ethyl xanthate and potassium amyl xanthate were selected as collectors and pure sulphide minerals were used. The experimental procedure has been outlined in earlier papers and all solutions were kept carbonate -free.1,4 Contact, or spreading of an air bubble, at a mineral surface indicates the presence of an adsorbed collector film. PURITY OF REAGENTS The xanthates were purified in the usual manner.1 Neither the cyanide nor the sodium hydroxide solutions contained sufficient carbonate to give a precipitate with barium chloride solution. The silver sulphate was prepared from pure silver nitrate by evaporation with concentrated sulphuric acid until there was no evidence of brown fumes. This solution was diluted and the difficultly soluble sulphate washed with water so that unchanged nitrate was dissolved. The resultant crystalline powder was pure white. The lead and zinc salts were prepared by dissolving especially pure lead and zinc in C.P. nitric and sulphuric acid solution and the crystals drained. The standard solutions were checked by titration. It was felt desirable to use the sulphate radical wherever possible, but since lead sulphate was insufficiently soluble for the purpose of the experiments, it was necessary to use some other lead salt. A.R. copper sulphate was used without further purification. RESULTS The results are presented in the accompanying figures; the areas of noncontact (nonflotation) are shaded in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11; in the remainder they lie to the right of the curve. Zinc Sulphate The curves in Fig. I are to be compared with those for Fig. 2, for which zinc sulphate is absent. This comparison shows that the influence of the zinc ion is usually small. Its influence is more marked, however, for chalcopyrite in the absence of cyanide. The influence of zinc sulphate is also marked for copper-activated sphalerite, for which tests were made only in the absence of cyanide. The results are of importance in the separation of pyrite from copper-activated sphalerite when, zinc sulphate is added in the lead flotation section (p. 204 of ref. I). Sphalerite does not adsorb the collector (i.e., become floatable) under the conditions chosen.

Jan 1, 1942

By Hugh Rose

JAY A. CARPENTER, Tonopah, Nev: (communication to the Secretary*).-This description of the Santa Gertrudis mill is of great interest to the operators of similar silver mills in Nevada. At the San Francisco meeting last September there were two excellent papers presented on Nevada silver mills; one by A. H. Jones on The Tonopah Plant of the Belmont Milling Co., and the other by E. E. Carpenter on Cyaniding Practice of the Churchill Milling Co., Wonder, Nev. At the same meeting, I presented a paper on-Slime Agitation and Solution Replacement Methods at the West End Mill, Tonopah, Nev., covering this .particular feature of our milling practice. A comparison of the data presented in these four papers is interesting in that, while the general design and practice is much the same in all cases, there is a wide difference in the design and practice in the various departments of 'the mills. It is to be regretted that Mr. Rose did not round out. this excellent article by following Mr. Jones's and Mr. Carpenter's' lead in giving the average gold and silver content of the ore milled and the resulting tailing, with the consumption of chemicals and the? cost of milling. The practice of the Santa Gertrudis mill in the use of ?cyanide and zinc offers an interesting comparison with that of the Nevada mills, and a discussion of this point may bring out the reasons for the differences that exist.

Jan 12, 1916

By M. E. Wadsworth, T. L. MacKay

Sintered UO, samples were leached in sulfuric acid solutions of various concentrations. A pressurized system was used so that it was possible to investigate the kinetics of the reaction to 270°C with oxygen overpressures as high as 900 psi. The rate was observed to be a function of the concentration of hydrogen ions and directly proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen. Evidences are presented which indicate that a UO2 surface site reacts with a molecule of water to form a hydroxyl complex which in turn can dissociate with the characteristics of a weak acid. A rate determining step has been proposed which involves the reaction between an oxygen molecule and the hydroxyl complex on the surface of UO,. ThE 2 principal methods for uranium dissolution are carbonate and acid leaching. The sulfuric acid leach is the more popular and is used for the treatment of the majority of the ores of Africa, Canada, and the United States. Low recoveries in basic leach circuits led investigators at the University of British columbia1 to study leaching of uranium ores in pressurized vessels. Early in the study of dissolution of uranium it was found that only uranium in the hexava-lent state could be leached in acid or basic circuits. Therefore, the use of oxygen over-pressure in an autoclave offered an interesting approach to solving the low recovery problems of carbonate leaching. UO, was used in this study because it could be obtained in high purity and also because it is representative of the most refractory of the primary uranium minerals. A pressurized system was used to provide a means whereby important temperature and pressure parameters could be varied for the evaluation of the kinetic processes. The mechanism for the dissolution of UO2 should be similar for any of the uraninite type minerals. At the present all of the kinetic studies that have been conducted have been in carbonate media. Peters and Halpern2 carried out a kinetic study of the leaching of pitchblende. Their specimens were pitchblende ores selected on the basis of high grade and homogeneity. Pearson and wadsworth3 conducted a kinetic study of the dissolution of UO2 in carbonate solutions with results very similar to those obtained by Peters and Halpern. EXPERIMENTAL The UO2 as received* was found by spectroscopic *Mallinckrodt reagent, supplied by the Atomic Energy Commission. analysis to have a purity of 99.94 pct 0.03. It was ground in a mechanical agate mortar and screened through a 400-mesh sieve. Thin flat disks of UO2 were prepared by pressing the sized powder in a specially constructed die at a total pressure of approximately 25 tons per sq in. The pressed disks were approximately 0.25 cm thick, 1.6 cm diam, and 3.5 g in weight. As pressed, the samples were approximately 65 pct of theoretical density. It was essential that a binder such as poly-vinyl alcohol be added before pressing to prevent formation of cracks when fired. It was found by trial and error that pressed disks sintered close to 1870°C in a hydrogen atmosphere, reach densities between 91 and 91.5 pct of the theoretical density. At this density the samples had no measurable porosity based upon a 2-hr emersion in boiling water. An X-ray examination of these sintered UO2 disks showed them to be identical with the original UO2 received. Reaction of UO2 with the alundum furnace core was prevented by placing molybdenum between the samples and the core according to the method of Corwin and Eyerly.4 Leaching studies were carried out in a specially designed autoclave, the details of which have been presented e1sewhere.6 The main features of the equipment as applied to a kinetic study are: 1) solution samples may be removed during the course of a single run; and 2) temperature and agitation are carefully controlled. Two-ml samples removed from the autoclave during the course of a run were analyzed for U3O8 content with a Beckman model DK-2 spectrophotometer by the method of

Jan 1, 1959

By B. A. Rogers

THE etching effect which is produced on a piece of polished iron or steel when it is heated in hydrogen or in a vacuum seems to have been observed first by Osmond,1 who believed that he could distinguish four systems of grain boundaries on a piece of steel which had been heated in hydrogen. In a number of other investigations, samples of pure iron were found, after heating, to have complex networks in which two or three systems of grain boundaries could be detected. It was further noticed that samples that had been polished plane before being placed in the furnace were, after treatment, roughened and undulating over their entire surfaces. From a comparison of the temperature of heat treatment with that of the A 3 transformation, it was concluded that the changed appearance of the samples was definitely related to the latter phenomenon. Certain other deductions were made but these are not of importance here and only observations on the appearance of the samples will be reviewed. Ewen2 heated a strip of polished iron in a vacuum in such a way that one end was maintained at a temperature of 1000° C. and the other at 580° C. On the cooler end there was outlined a simple polyhedral network, and at the hotter there appeared the complex system of lines and the undulating surface characteristic of iron which has passed through the A3 transformation. He found that in going from the cooler toward the hotter end the sample maintained much the same character of surface up to the beginning of the transformed area, but that near this region double grain boundaries were of frequent occurrence. Rawdon and Scott' concluded that the simple type of network brought out by heating a sample of pure iron in a vacuum was of the same type as that developed by ordinary etching methods. They also confirmed the observations of

Jan 1, 1929

By Francis H. Crockard

DURING the past five years we have probably witnessed greater technological advances than in any similar period. Industry and science have steadily marched ahead. The makers of iron and steel products have watched with great interest the development of stream-lined trains, faster and safer airplanes, the entirely new science of air-conditioning and the widespread use of stainless steels. Since 1930, we have witnessed the erection of the world's largest suspension bridge, the largest and fastest ocean liner and the spectacular Boulder Dam, while even greater things are planned in these particular fields. Other industries, too, have been moving ahead rapidly. This advance in a few years has been caused primarily by the fierce competition of the depression. Now, more than ever, is the emphasis placed upon quality and service. Makers of southern merchant pig iron have been no exception and have been confronted with increasingly strict chemical specifications and with much greater stress on physical characteristics than ever before. For example, sulfur in the iron must be held very low, competition demanding that it be in the 0.020's and low 0.030's; silicon content must be held within a very narrow range, and definite requirements of phosphorus and manganese are an essential part of the specifications. Physical characteristics are becoming of increasingly greater importance. The introduction of triple-skimmed, slow-cooled iron several years ago was the first step in this direction. Now there are a few customers who buy iron by chemical analysis and physical appearance, having found that the analysis alone is an insufficient guide to their requirements.

Jan 1, 1935

By P. L. De Bruyn, R. J. Charles

The transfer of kinetic energy of translation into other forms of energy by impact is a fundamental process in most crushing and grinding operations. During and after the impact process the original source energy may be accounted for in any of the following possible forms: 1) Kinetic energy of translation of both the impacted and impacting objects. 2) Kinetic energy of vibration of the components of the impact system. 3) Potential energy as strain energy of the components of the system or in the form of residual stresses. 4) Heat generated by internal friction during plastic deformation or during damping of elastic waves. 5) New surface energy of fractured materials. At any instant during the impact process only the strain energy of the components of the system can contribute directly to the brittle fracture process. If fracture is the desired result, as in comminution, it would seem advantageous to choose or arrange the conditions of impact so that a maximum amount of the original kinetic energy could be converted to strain energy at some moment during a single impact. The present work deals with determination of these desirable conditions for a simple case of impact and application of the principles involved to general cases of impact.

Jan 1, 1956

By J. D. Kalasky

Continuous mining has revolutionized the coal industry but intensified the problems of earlier mechanization. From the installation of the first miner, it was recognized that face ventilation would be one of these problems. To establish an efficient work cycle for the equipment being used, conventional mechanized mining provides four or more development faces. Continuous mining, relying on a single machine, requires only one face, although more than one can be driven alternately by the same machine. In gaseous areas mined by the older methods, the intermittent rate of exposure allows time for the face to bleed off or be cleared, and the width obtained with conventional units makes it possible to hang a brattice line almost to the face. Continuous mining increases the ventilation hazards; there is no margin of time, and very limited space. For all practical purposes, continuous miners available today can be grouped into two major types, rippers and borers. The two can be further classified, respectively, as flexible and rigid. Both types have been in operation in U. S. coal mines for the past five to ten years in a number of seams, under various conditions ranging from slightly gaseous to very gaseous. Common methods of face ventilation utilizing jute or plastic brattice material for line curtains, stoppings, and checks have so far met with success. Air volumes to operating sections are greater than for conventional mining, and specific instructions have been given to section crews stressing the precautions needed in dealing with a steady rate of gas emission and the importance of maintaining reasonably air-tight brattice to direct a good steady flow toward the face at all times. Operators of continuous miners, as well as the foreman on each section, are equipped with an approved safety lamp for gas testing. When the miner is in steady operation, tests for gas at the face are made at 15 to 30-min intervals, depending on the

Jan 1, 1960