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By Robert A. Colten, Frederick C. Hull, Robert F. Mehl

It is known that pearlite forms from austenite by a process of nucleation and growth, and that the rate of formation of pearlite may be described by a rate of nucleation and a rate of growth.l,2 The manner in which these two quantities operate to produce the observed isothermal reaction curve has been analyzed in a paper published in I939.3 Two types of process were described: (I) that in which nucleation occurs at the grain boundaries of the parent phase, with the nodules growing toward the centers of the grains, initially as hemispheres and then after impingement as roughly radial-columnar structures; and (2) that in which nucleation occurs generally, with the nodules growing to full spheres until impingement with other growing nodules restricts growth. Both cases are met in the formation of pearlite from austenite (Fig. I);2,4 the former, occurring near the knee of the S-curve, has been named "grain-boundary transformation," and the latter, occurring at temperatures near Ael, has been named "group-nodule transformation." In developing our knowledge of the factors that determine the rate of formation of pearlite from austenite, it is important1,2 to obtain data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite. Such data, when obtained near the knee of the S-curve, will furnish information of use in understanding the factors that affect hardenabil-ity; when obtained at higher temperatures, such data will be useful in understanding the behavior of steels that during heat-treatment react to pearlite.2 It is the purpose of this paper to present data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite in dependence upon composition, grain size, temperature, and the degree of homogeneity of the parent austenite. The studies are restricted chiefly to plain carbon commercial steels." Previous Data on Rate of nucleation and rate of Growth Data on the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite have been published by Scheil and Lange-Weise,5 by Mirkin and Blanter,6,7 by Meh1,l and by Dorn, De Garmo and Flanigan.2, It is difficult to interpret the data, for in most cases too little information is given on austenitizing temperatures and times, the state of homogeneity of the austenite (presence or absence of carbide, etc.), austenite grain size, and mode of formation of pearlite at the temperatures given. Except for the approximations of Mehl and the work of Dorn, austenite grain size was disregarded, though it is well known

Jan 1, 1942

By Homer S. Frankhouser

Materials may be dredged, processed, stored and loaded for shipment at a single site in water depths ranging from 250 to 1200 ft. Solution mining may also be accomplished in deep sea situations. And, open air subsea mines with direct surface access may be developed and worked under the ocean floor. These concepts for deep sea mining are the results of extensive testing of individual components of the proposed systems by Dravo Ocean Structures, Inc., a subsidiary of Dravo Corp. A basic structure in these systems is the articulated platform. The platform consists of a gravity- type base and a buoyant cylindrical column which is constructed at an onshore location, towed to the offshore site and installed in a matter of days without use of heavy equipment. The base is also buoyant for towing purposes. This allows for gradual flooding to the point of negative buoyancy for positioning and anchoring to the ocean floor.

Jan 1, 1971

By Robert E. Palmer

The Hawkesworth detachable drill steel shank and bit were invented by A. L. Hawkesworth, while he was a mechanical foreman for the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., at Butte, Mont. Mr. Hawkesworth died on June 16, 1925, at the time that his invention was practically a proved success. The first application for patents was made by him in November, 1918, and the bit is now being manufactured under patents issued in 1922 and 1923. The credit for its development in the early stages belongs to A. L. Hawkesworth, Roy S. Alley, Harry A. Gallwey, E. J. Bowman and various officials of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. Later improvements, manufacturing problems and the direct usage in the mines were originated and perfected by the mechanical department under C. D. Woodward, E. R. Borcherdt, head of the Rock Drill Equipment Department, Robert E. Kelly of the Mechanical Department, and various operating department heads of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of these officials in the preparation of this paper. Comparison of Costs Using Regular Drill Steel and Detachable Drill Steel In 1922 production was satisfactory and sufficient enough to warrant a complete installation in an operating mine. The study and tests were made at the Badger State mine, the production of which averaged 1200 tons of ore per day. E. R. Borcherdt, head of the rock drill equipment department, was in direct charge of the trials, installation, operating problems and records during the entire .period, arid still continues in that position. This mine is a typical Butte mine, operated through a standard four-compartment shaft, served by a double drum hoist and an auxiliary hoist. The texture of the ground and ore has all the variations from soft to very hard granite and sulfide ore with production from levels between the

Jan 1, 1930

By Charles Jones

(San Francisco Meeting, September, 1915) IN any discussion of this very large subject we are confronted at the outset with so many obstacles that at best only a fragmentary and rather disconnected presentation can be made of it, and my hope is that building from the few facts I have to offer a more complete knowledge may be secured. In the whole intermountain and Pacific. Coast region, west of Pueblo, Col., and from Canada to Mexico, there is no production of pig iron, and steel production is confined to the manufacture of a small amount of open-hearth steel from scrap. When we consider the area, the resources, and the several centers of population, this condition seems anomalous, even in. the face of every counter argument as to cheap water transportation, or other means of transport from the Atlantic Seaboard or from the iron and steel centers of the Middle West. This comatose condition, if such a term may be applied, is certainly riot due to a lack of all the essential materials and factors for success in iron and steel smelting, but is rather, I think, due largely to the general fact that it is only within a comparatively few years that the centers of population on the Pacific Coast have attained a size that would entitle them to the position of distributing or freight centers, or that the "back country" has been enough built up to make it sufficiently interesting to the railroads to foster trade from the local centers to the interior points rather than seek to supply such local centers and the interior by a transcontinental haul.

Jan 9, 1915

By Frank Firmstone

. In the early decades of the past century the method of starting iron blast-furnaces by " scatlolding-down" seems to have been in universal use for coke-furnaces and, at least in this country, for charcoal-furnaces also. It was likewise used at some of the early anthracite-furnaces, as is stated in the important " Reminiscences" printed by the late Samuel Thomas.' It had been generally superseded in Great Britain as early as 1850, by some variations of the plan now used, and was rarely used when Percy wrote.2 On the Continent it was still followed ill the 60's; and was elaborately described by Valerius in 1852. I have never read any statement as to when and by whom " scaffolding " was first dispensed with, but the following extracts from journals of my father seem to fix an authentic date for an instance in this country: " [Pittsburg] July 12, 1838.—Went with Major Wade to his foundry,etc., and he gave me a letter to D. Tyler, Esq., Farrandsville, Agent Boston Coke & Iron Co." " [Lockhaven, Pa.] July 18, 1838.—Heard there was a flat-boat going to take some gentlemen up to Farrandsville. Got on boat and to Farrandsville, 5 or 6 miles, in 1 hr. 30 min. Dined, and then delivered my letter to Ma Tyler, who showed me much attention, and everything belonging to the furnace, and had the water turned on the wheel that I might see the blowing-cylinders at work. There are two cylinders, 6-ft. stroke, -56 in. in diameter, but they find that one makes more than enough blast for the furnace. The furnace has 16-ft. boshes, 7-ft. tunnel-head, and is 47 ft. high, 3 tuyeres, and 3 heating-ovens [hot blast-ovens]. A

Jan 1, 1908

By Jack Parker, Gonzalo Barrientos

The most realistic mine pillar design is based on observations and measurements in situ. Low-cost reliable instrumentation has made this approach possible. At the White Pine mine, with its thousands of pillars of all shapes and sizes under all kinds of loading conditions, practical pillar design criteria have been developed. The pressure arch theory is explained and work in two test panels o f the mine is described. The pressure arch mechanism, which relies on lateral stress for support, can be applied to puzzling roof and pillar conditions in other mines.

Jan 1, 1975

By P. R. Hines

Diphenyl guanidine is used as an accelerator in vulcanizing rubber. Other rubber accelerators are also flotation collectors, e.g., dithiocarbamate, thiazole, and the xanthates. Urea and its derivatives are good flotation collectors,' and guanidine is the nitrogen analog of urea. These two characteristics suggested testing diphenyl guanidine as a flotation collector. Diphenyl guanidine has been tried in flotation work previously, but references give no details.'.' Bunker Hill Co. of Kellogg, Idaho, supplied the ore sample used in these tests. The sample was typical of the ore milled in 1949 and contained 4.52 pct Pb and 1.08 pct Zn. A flotation test made by the author with potassium ethyl xanthate as a collector, the same flotation reagents, and the same grind employed in regular Bunker Hill mill practice was the standard for comparing results with the compounds and derivatives of guanidine. The compounds and derivatives of guanidine are only fair collectors of galena. However, if potassium ethyl xanthate were used in the galena float, its presence later in the sphalerite float would make it impossible to introduce another type of collector and be certain which collector contributed the result, so the compound or derivative of guanidine under test was used in both the galena and sphalerite floats in Table I. On both the galena and the sphalerite in the Bunker Hill ore, the depressing action of sodium cyanide and zinc sulfate is much greater with collectors of the guanidine type than with the xanthates. If the depressing agents are left out when a guanidine type of collector is used, but a pH of 8.6 is maintained with either lime or sodium carbonate, the depressing action is approximately the same as in the standard xanthate test. Consequently the depressing agents, sodium cyanide and zinc, were not used in the galena floats of tests 1226, 1228, and 1286, Table I, so the galena floats would be on a comparable basis with the standard xanthate test. As shown by the tests in Table I, the loss in the tail when diphenyl guanidine is used is 8.3 to 9.3 pct, as compared to 17.6 pct with potassium ethyl xanthate, or a recovery of 2.3 to 2.0 lb more zinc. Concentrate grade is 13.7 pct with potassium ethyl xanthate and increases to 22.9 and 31.8 pct with diphenyl guanidine, showing a much higher selectivity. Unless the Barrett's No. 4 coal tar creosote is considered to be a collector, no collector other than diphenyl guanidine is present in the tests, Nos. 1226, 1228, and 1286. Tests 1218, 1253, and 1263 in Table I1 were run to check the effect of the depressing agents used in flotation of the galena (sodium cyanide and zinc sulfate) upon subsequent flotation of sphalerite by diphenyl guanidine. Urea was substituted for potassium ethyl xanthate in tests 1253 and 1263 because it is a good collector for galena and a poor one for sphalerite, and the effect of the depressing agents is more marked with urea than with potassium ethyl xanthate. Test 1205 checks the effect of urea alone without any depressing agents when used for the flotation of galena. Table I1 shows that diphenyl guanidine as a collector for sphalerite is compatible with other flotation reagents used in floating galena. When the depressing agents sodium cyanide and zinc sulfate are used in the galena flotation step, the amount of lime in the sphalerite flotation must be increased (compare 1253 and 1263). Table I11 gives some of the compounds of guanidine which were tested and compared. Some of the compounds and derivatives of guanidine* are solu- * Diphenyl guanidine is in commercial production and is available on the market. ble in water and others are not. Those tested were fed dry. When an organic collector is promising, its compounds and derivatives should be tested and their comparative collecting power recorded. Eventually, in this way, it may be possible to discover some of the essential chemical characteristics of a good collector. For example, it is interesting to compare the diphenyl and dibutyl derivatives in Table IV with those of urea in Table 111, Example 3, U. S. Patent 2,664,198. All are good collectors. Table I shows some of the effects of lime on recovery of sphalerite by diphenyl guanidine. Table V

Jan 1, 1960

By John V. Beall

Let's start at the beginning, Mr. Turner. Where and when were you born? In Lansing, Mich., on July 31, 1880. And what was your education? I went to the University of Michigan, where I got an A.B. degree in 1902; then to the Michigan College of Mines at Houghton, graduating from there in 1904 with a B.S. and an E.M. What was your first job in the mining industry, Mr. Turner, and what were you paid? In the summer of 1902, 1 was a field assistant for the U. S. Geological Survey in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, working under Israel C. Russell, professor of geology at the University of Michigan, who incidentally, had just returned from an expedition to study the effects of the eruption of Mt. Pelee, on Martinique. I was paid $60 a month and found; in addition to doing geologic and hydrographic work, I cooked many of the meals for a party of four, and wrangled four horses. I slept for four months under the stars, without a tent.

Jan 1, 1949

By Dudley L. Davis, E. C. Peterson

INTRODUCTION THE Darwin District is 30 miles east of Olancha which is 220 miles north from Los Angeles via U. S. Highway No. 6. The ore deposits occur in the Darwin hills that have been elevated above the Darwin Plateau by typical basin and range-type faults. Some of these faults have been active quite recently as shown by the displacement of Quaternary (?) basalt flows and the rejuvenation of erosion in Darwin wash. The ore bodies occur as fissure fillings and replacement of favorable beddings in a thick series of Paleozoic limestones, dolomites, shales and quartzites. Rich oxidized lead-silver ores were discovered in the early seventies. By 1875, Darwin had a population of about 5000, and by 1880 several small mills and smelters had been built. Early exhaustion of surface ores, the isolated location of the district, and fluctuation of metal prices caused intermittent operations until World War II. The district production is estimated at about $3,000,000 prior to 1900 and perhaps $4,000,000 between 1900 and 1945 when Anaconda purchased the major producing mines. For the past two years, daily production has averaged 75 tons of direct shipping and 150 tons of milling-grade ore. At present, 300 tons of mixed oxide and sulphide ore are treated by flotation, the oxidized lead minerals being activated by addition of sodium sulphide after galena and sphalerite have been recovered from the circuit. Extraction averages 85 pct of the lead, 80 pct of the silver, and about 33 pct of the zinc in a bulk concentrate. The mill is designed so that minor changes permit selective flotation of pyritic lead-zinc ores encountered at depth. GENERAL GEOLOGY The oldest rocks in the Darwin hills are a series of Paleozoic limestones, dolomites, shales and quartzites probably Pennsylvanian in age. These rocks have been intruded on the west by the Coso granite batholith and on the east by a granodiorite stock. Numerous sills and dikes grading from orthoclase granite to gabbro are exposed in the underground workings. The sedimentary rocks have been considerably folded and faulted, the most prominent structure being a northwest pitching anticlinal fold, the crest of which lies just west of the ridge line of the Darwin hills. The east limb of this fold has been intruded by the granodiorite stock and east of the stock the sediments show several closely spaced anticlines and synclines. The minor flexures on the west flank of the major fold are structurally important in localizing the ore in the Defiance and Essex mines of the Darwin group. There are three principal systems of faulting and fissuring, most of which are post-intrusive and premineral in age, with minor amounts of postmineral movement. The Darwin tear fault is the largest, most persistent fault in the district. It strikes N 60 to 95°W, dips steeply south and is traceable for about 1o miles. It is a normal

Jan 1, 1947

By Alex G. McKenna, Thomas M. Drown

The unsatisfactory character of most, if not all, of the processes for the direct determination of alumina in the presence of iron and phosphoric acid, and the sharpness with which both the iron and phosphoric acid can be determined, have led chemists to rely mainly

Jan 1, 1892

By S. F. Shaw

The principles involved in lifting oil in wells flowing naturally are identical with those underlying the flowing of wells by means of the air-gas lift, and information of a dependable nature obtained in the study of the air-lift can be applied to wells with natural flow. A well flowing naturally is one in which the lifting is done by means of the gas-lift, for which the gas is supplied entirely by the formation from which the oil is derived. In air-gas lift operations, there is insufficient gas supplied by the formation to lift the oil to the surface in an efficient manner, therefore additional gas for this purpose must be furnished from an outside source. There may, at times, be conditions obtaining in natural flowing wells different from those in wells flowed by gas-lift, but these differences do not at all conflict with the main principles of gas-lift work. One such condition is met with in wells in which the gas supplied by the formation is in considerable excess of that required to lift the oil to surface; this excess may be so great as to reduce the quantity of oil that can be lifted through the particular diameter of casing or tubing that has been lowered into the well. This same condition can be brought about, however, by supplying a large excess of gas from an outside source to an artificial gas-lift well, and a study of the effects obtained from injecting a large excess into the well can be applied directly to handling wells flowing naturally which have a large excess of gas supplied by the underground reservoir. Conditions for Lifting Oil The main factors to be considered in flowing wells are as follows: 1. Submergence, or pressure at the bottom of the tubing or casing. 2. Lift; the height to which the liquid must be raised. 3. Diameter of the flow tubing or casing. 4. Quantity of liquid to be lifted. 5. Pressure at the discharge end of the flow tubing, or back-pressure, as it is sometimes called.

Jan 1, 1930

By L. D. Keller

The application of hydraulic concentration to large scale operations has been effectively accomplished by the use of the SiphonSizer. Operation has been simple, automatic and essentially trouble free. The use of the primary desliming SiphonSizer on magnetic taconites has shown an improvement in grade of concentrate and an increase in recovery over conventional hydroseparators. Magnetic concentrates have been further deslimed and upgraded in SiphonSizers by floating a coarse middling product away from the heavier concentrate. The application of the Siphon-sizer to closed circuit grinding has met with only partial success to date. Hydraulic concentration of minerals has been practiced for a good many years. Until recently, however, the practice has been limited to equipment using a multiplicity of small pockets and relatively low tonnages and flows. The adaptation of the SiphonSizer to the concentration and classification of magnetite has changed this concept. Some fifty commercial units varying in size from a 16-ft diam circular unit to a 25x100-ft rectangular unit are currently in operation on magnetic taconites. Additional units up to 38 ft diam are under construction. Depending upon the application in the flowsheet, upgrading varies from 0.75% to 14% Fe in a single stage. To those not familiar with taconite processing, the importance of the struggle to remove economically as much silica as possible may not be fully appreciated. Perhaps some figures pertaining to transportation costs will underscore this important process. If the silica content of the concentrate from a 10,000,000 ton per year plant could be reduced by I%, a savings in boat freight, at $2.00 per ton, would amount to $200,000 annually! THE SlPHONSlZER The SiphonSizer, as illustrated in Figs. lA, 1B and 2, is a hydraulic classifier in which the hydraulic water is distributed uniformly across the bottom of the vessel by means of a system of headers (1 and 2), jet pipes (3), and nozzles (4). The depth of the teeter bed is automatically maintained by the siphon-float assembly. The feed is introduced through a feed well (5) and separated into two fractions by the effects of rising water and the density of the teetered bed. The magnetite fraction is discharged by the siphon (12) while the fine slime and light middling overflow a peripheral weir (9) to the overflow launder (6). The bed depth is controlled automatically by float valves (7), which are responsive to changes in the height of clear water supported in the superelevation tubes (8) by the density of the teetered bed. On top of the float (7) is a needle valve (10) which permits

Jan 1, 1963

By J. H. Swisher

ALUMINUM deoxidation equilibrium in liquid iron has been the subject of many investigations. Sawamura and Sano1 have written a critical survey of the literature on this subject and consider the data of Gokcen and chipman2 and of d'Entremont, Guernsey, and Chip-man3 to be most reliable. The present study was undertaken to check these data and extend the range of the experiments to lower temperature. The experiments consisted of equilibrating 5-lb Fe-Al melts with recrystallized alumina crucibles at 1580o + 10oC, and analyzing the solidified ingots for aluminum and oxygen. The electrolytic iron stock contained 100 ppm C, 20 ppm 0, and trace amounts of other elements.* The stock was induction-melted in an atmosphere of 5 pet H2 in argon to attain equilibrium between the melt and the crucible. The temperature was measured with a W, 3 pet Re/W, 26 pet Re thermocouple, and the equilibration time was about 4 hr. The results are plotted in Fig. 1 along with curves obtained from the data of d'Entremont et al.,3 for temperatures of 1740o and 1910°C. The present results can be seen to be consistent with the previously reported high-temperature data. The reaction under study is AI2O3 (s) = 2 Al (l) +3O [1] for which the deoxidation product is Kl =[% Al]2 [%O]3 [2] (Under the experimental conditions, Fe A12O4 is not expected to form.4) In Fig. 2, values of log Ki evaluated at 0.01 pet A1 are plotted against 1/T, using data obtained from all the investigations under consideration. The deoxidation product is plotted in Fig. 2 in lieu of the equilibrium constant (normally obtained by evaluating Ki as pet A1 — 0) because of the uncertainty involved in extrapolating to zero concentration. The difficulty in extrapolating the present data for 1580°C is apparent curvature in the log Ki vs pet Al plot. This curvature is perhaps due to the uncertainty in oxygen analysis for concentrations of 5 ppm and below. For the data of Gokeen and chipman,' the extrapolation is also difficult because of experimental scatter. The line drawn through the points plotted in Fig. 2 may be represented by the equation:

Jan 1, 1968

By John Mitchell, C. C. Hanninen, L. D. Clark

INTRODUCTION Certain rock types can be fractured thermally by spallation and thermal cracking. Spalling occurs in the regions subjected to thermal shock temperatures and cracking takes place in the adjacent cooler regions. The analysis of the heat-affected zones requires that heat transfer calculations be made where the thermal conductivity of the rock is a function of temperature and direction. Generally, accurate thermal conductivity data is not available for the high temperatures and rise rates associated with most thermal rock breaking methods. This paper describes a method for determining the thermal conductivity of an orthotropic material whose conductivity is a linear function of temperature. The necessary data is obtained from one test which makes it especially useful for in situ applications. The properties data are determined through an iterative process of comparing theoretically computed values of temperature for assumed conductivity parameters with data measured in the laboratory. The conductivity of the rock is determined when the results of the assumed parameters yield computed temperatures which agree with those obtained experimentally. Transient temperatures are computed using the explicit numerical method at given points in a three-dimensional semi-infinite solid whose surface is symmetrically heated on a circular spot. The thermal conductivity is assumed to be a linear function K = [a] + Bt; however, if necessary, any reasonable linear or non-linear function might just as well be used. The stability, convergence, node size,

Jan 1, 1971

By T. M. Broderick

InveStIgations into the possibilities of economically mining and concentrating low-grade iron ores of the Lake Superior region are attracting increasing attention. Among the organizations that are carrying on the work are the United States Bureau of Mines, the State of Minnesota (which spends about $80,000 annually on problems of the iron and ferroalloy ores of Minnesota), and the State of Michigan (which spends about $10,000 annually of its iron-ore research). Several of the mining companies are also financing research. Of the states in the Lake Superior district, Minnesota has done most in iron-ore concentration. In 1930, thirty-seven concentrating plants were in operation on the Mesabi Range, beneficiating about one-third of the total ore shipped. About one-half of these plants reduced silica; the others reduced moisture or improved the structure of the ore.' Research into the possibilities of magnetic concentration of the Eastern Mesabi magnetite ores indicates that vast tonnages of that ore may be utilized at a profit in the not distant future. Magnetic concentration has also been tried at Sellwood, Ontario, on the Moose Mountain deposit, and at the Berkshire mine in Wisconsin on the magnetic ores of the Western Gogebic Range. There have been few attempts to concentrate Michigan iron ores. In order to determine the possibilities of such concentration, iron-ore research has been carried on at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology for the past few years. After a general survey of the iron ores of the state, a program of more detailed experimentation was outlined, starting with work on the Ironwood formation of the Gogebic Range. The results of this research led to the belief that gravity methods will produce fairly satisfactory concentrates from the parts of the iron formation that are made up of comparatively thick alternating beds of rather high-grade ore and lean chert. About 85 per cent of the iron and steel produced in the United States comes from ores of the Lake Superior district. The reserves of direct

Jan 1, 1935

By T. M. Broderick

InveStIgations into the possibilities of economically mining and concentrating low-grade iron ores of the Lake Superior region are attracting increasing attention. Among the organizations that are carrying on the work are the United States Bureau of Mines, the State of Minnesota (which spends about $80,000 annually on problems of the iron and ferroalloy ores of Minnesota), and the State of Michigan (which spends about $10,000 annually of its iron-ore research). Several of the mining companies are also financing research. Of the states in the Lake Superior district, Minnesota has done most in iron-ore concentration. In 1930, thirty-seven concentrating plants were in operation on the Mesabi Range, beneficiating about one-third of the total ore shipped. About one-half of these plants reduced silica; the others reduced moisture or improved the structure of the ore.' Research into the possibilities of magnetic concentration of the Eastern Mesabi magnetite ores indicates that vast tonnages of that ore may be utilized at a profit in the not distant future. Magnetic concentration has also been tried at Sellwood, Ontario, on the Moose Mountain deposit, and at the Berkshire mine in Wisconsin on the magnetic ores of the Western Gogebic Range. There have been few attempts to concentrate Michigan iron ores. In order to determine the possibilities of such concentration, iron-ore research has been carried on at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology for the past few years. After a general survey of the iron ores of the state, a program of more detailed experimentation was outlined, starting with work on the Ironwood formation of the Gogebic Range. The results of this research led to the belief that gravity methods will produce fairly satisfactory concentrates from the parts of the iron formation that are made up of comparatively thick alternating beds of rather high-grade ore and lean chert. About 85 per cent of the iron and steel produced in the United States comes from ores of the Lake Superior district. The reserves of direct

Jan 1, 1935

By J. D. Exner

With the introduction of rotary drilling in the Gulf Coast area, some thirty-two years ago, and its subsequent spread to other producing localities in the United States, there has been a constant change in the design of equipment. Only the general features remain, namely the rotating drill stem and the circulating mud. Only recently have the properties of mud and their behavior received attention from petroleum engineers, but circulating problems in present deep drilling demand further study and understanding. It is the purpose of this investigation to determine the relative changes in the apparent viscosity of muds with changes in temperature and to discover other physical effects due to heat. Very little information has been published regarding the effects of temperature on the viscosity of drilling muds. Maustl states: "The viscosity of most muds is decreased on heating, but the interesting thing is that the degree of flocculation is also increased on heating. There will be a greater tendency to seal off formations at high temperatures than at low temperatures." With regard to the effect of temperature on viscosity and yield point, Herrick2 states: "The variation of yield point and viscosity of mud with temperature.....is not very clearly brought out by the data available. Both appear to decrease slightly with increasing temperature up to 200' F." The experimental results presented in this paper further emphasize this point. Two types of viscosimeters are available for measuring the apparent viscosities of drilling muds: the efflux tube type as used by Herrick3 and Marsh, and the torsional type such as the McMichael or the Stormer viscosimeters. Because of its extensive use in measuring the apparent

Jan 1, 1933

By E. Martinez, M. L. Hollander

Sulfurization of copper oxides was investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). When mixtures of cuprous oxide and sulfur were heated, the surface of the cuprous oxide was converted to cupric sulfide at the melting point of sulfur (119°C); additional sulfuriza-tion took place when the sulfur vaporized above 200°C. Cupric oxide also reacted with sulfur to form cupric sulfide but the starting temperature was approximtely 225°C. When the cupric oxide and sulfur were physically separated, sulfurization still occurred indicating a reaction with the vapor phase of sulfur. Sulfurization was obtained in runs with cuprite, chrysocolla and basic copper carbonate. Further decomposition of cupric to cuprous sulfide was noted at somewhat higher temperatures. The DTA-TGA data made it possible to set up postulated reactions in each system. These techniques were found to be well suited for studies of this type. Because of the difficulty encountered in flotation of many metallic oxide minerals, efforts have been made to find suitable reagent combinations to sulfi-dize these minerals in the flotation circuit. Recently Bautista and Sollenberger,1 using a different approach, showed that the surfaces of many oxide minerals can be converted to sulfides by heating them with sulfur to temperatures between 150° and 225°C. This technique was effective even with chrysocolla, a mineral which is very difficult to sulfidize. The primary objective of the present study was to obtain information on the reactions between the oxide minerals and suIfur. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved might prove useful in pointing the way to improvements in the process. A secondary objective was to demonstrate the value of thermo-analysis in investigations of this type. Bollin and Kerr2 have reported the use of a modification of differential thermal analysis to study the thermal reactions which occur on heating elemental constituents in a closed system to synthesize copper sulfides and iron sulfides. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was used to detect enthalpic changes as mixtures of minerals and sulfur were heated. The DTA indicated the temperatures at which reactions started and whether they were exothermic or endothermic. Weight change data were obtained by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). These data could often be used to support postulated reactions and to eliminate consideration of other possible reactions. EQUlPMENT Differential thermal analysis (DTA) involves measuring the temperature difference between the sample being tested and a thermally inert reference, generally aluminum oxide, as both are heated at a uniform rate. Series connected thermocouples in the sample and reference are used to detect the temperature differences that occur as the sample undergoes enthalpic changes.3 Crystalline transitions, fusions, vaporizations, dehydrations, decompositions and many solid state reactions can be detected. A DTA unit manufactured by the Robert L. Stone Co., Austin, Tex., was used in this investigation with a temperature rate increase of 10°C per min. The samples and reference were placed in Inconel cups with wells in the bottom into which the differential thermocouples fit, and run in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) measures the changes in weight that a sample undergoes as it is heated. A Chevenard thermobalance converted electronically for graphic recording was used with a heating rate of 5°C per minute. An X-Y recorder plotted temperature on the X axis and weight changes on the Y axis. A flow of 250 ml per min of nitrogen was streamed through the furnace. Samples were placed in a porcelain crucible open at the top, unless otherwise noted. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Sulfur: Two sulfur samples from different sources were tested. The DTA of a high purity sulfur and a reagent grade sublimed sulfur are shown in Fig. 1. Nearly all the tests were run with the sublimed sulfur due to the difficulty in grinding and high electrostatic charge encountered with the high purity sample. Sulfur undergoes three endothermal reactions below 200°C. The first is a solid-solid crystalline transi-

Jan 1, 1964

By W. F. Netezband, E. H. Crabtree

The productive area of asphalt-bearing sandstone in Missouri is near the Missouri-Kansas state line near Nevada, the county seat of Vernon County about 100 miles south of Kansas City. While production thus far has been confined to Vernon and Barton counties, there are known deposits in adjacent counties. The area is served by four railroads: the Missouri Pacific, the Kansas City Southern, the Missouri-Kansas & Texas, and the St. Louis & San Francisco. The plant of the Reliance Rock Asphalt Corporation is in Vernon County, about 5 miles west of Nevada, at Ellis, a flag station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. A siding has been built to the plant SO that the finished product can be loaded directly into railroad cars. The property consists of a lease of 240 acres in one block. All portions of the property not required for quarrying or processing the asphalt-bearing sandstone are used for farming by the fee owner. The entire tract is very flat so that there are no transportation difficulties from quarry to plant. Geology The commercial asphalt-bearing sandstones are all of Pennsylvanian age, the major portion of the production coming from the Cherokee formation, the basal member of the Des Moines group. The Cherokee formation includes all beds between the base of the overlying Fort Scott limestone and the Mississippian limestones below. It underlies most of the area, but in the west and northwest townships of Vernon County, and elsewhere in local outliers, the Henrietta limestone, forming mounds, escarpments and high ridges, covers the Cherokee, and is in turn covered by the Pleasanton shale. In the eastern portion of the counties, the Mississippian limestones are exposed. The thickness of the Cherokee varies according to the amount that has been removed by surface erosion. Where fully present under the Henrietta; it is approximately 375 ft. thick, but over most of the county it ranges from 100 to 200 ft. thick.

Jan 1, 1938

By E. H. Crabtree, W. F. Netezband

The productive area of asphalt-bearing sandstone in Missouri is near the Missouri-Kansas state line near Nevada, the county seat of Vernon County about 100 miles south of Kansas City. While production thus far has been confined to Vernon and Barton counties, there are known deposits in adjacent counties. The area is served by four railroads: the Missouri Pacific, the Kansas City Southern, the Missouri-Kansas & Texas, and the St. Louis & San Francisco. The plant of the Reliance Rock Asphalt Corporation is in Vernon County, about 5 miles west of Nevada, at Ellis, a flag station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. A siding has been built to the plant SO that the finished product can be loaded directly into railroad cars. The property consists of a lease of 240 acres in one block. All portions of the property not required for quarrying or processing the asphalt-bearing sandstone are used for farming by the fee owner. The entire tract is very flat so that there are no transportation difficulties from quarry to plant. Geology The commercial asphalt-bearing sandstones are all of Pennsylvanian age, the major portion of the production coming from the Cherokee formation, the basal member of the Des Moines group. The Cherokee formation includes all beds between the base of the overlying Fort Scott limestone and the Mississippian limestones below. It underlies most of the area, but in the west and northwest townships of Vernon County, and elsewhere in local outliers, the Henrietta limestone, forming mounds, escarpments and high ridges, covers the Cherokee, and is in turn covered by the Pleasanton shale. In the eastern portion of the counties, the Mississippian limestones are exposed. The thickness of the Cherokee varies according to the amount that has been removed by surface erosion. Where fully present under the Henrietta; it is approximately 375 ft. thick, but over most of the county it ranges from 100 to 200 ft. thick.

Jan 1, 1938