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By Edwin A. Rides

HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF THE EXPORT CREDIT AGENCIES Almost since the inception of international commerce sellers, having manufactured and/or sold and shipped goods to an overseas buyer, have been obliged to accept the risk that they will not be paid for one reason or another. There are many reasons why payment may not be forthcoming, for example, the goods may be lost at sea, or rejected by the buyer or the buyer nay simply not be creditworthy. These risks were brought into sharp relief as international trading became more sophisticated and the practice of giving credit to buyers gathered momentum. Inevitably enterprises sprang up which offered same mitigation of this exposure, accepting houses and later confirming houses and banks were prepared to assure acceptable credit risks an behalf of the seller, usually by discounting trade paper, and for many years the market ticked over reasonably satisfactorily. However, after the 1914-18 War international trade was at an extremely low ebb and its inherent risks were accentuated to a point where they were often commercially unacceptable. Yet a healthy and vigorous international market was indispensable to recovery of the world economy and a number of governments, led by the United Kingdom, perceived a need to offer their exporters a comprehensive form of insurance, particularly to facilitate the extension of credit to foreign buyers. In the United Kingdom the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) was set up to encourage trade through the provision of export credit insurance. Over the ensuing years others followed suit and now most of the developed trading nations and many developing nations have similar agencies. PRESENT DAY IDLE OF THE EXPORT CREDIT AGENCIES (ECAS ) Traditionally then the BA's role was to encourage trade through the provision to exporters of insurance against the risks of non-payment by overseas buyers of their goods and services. However, during the 1970's the manufacturing industries of most of the developed nations found themselves facing severe competition for business, particularly in the developing world. As a result the more aggressive ECA's began to introduce ancillary forms of cover designed to reduce exporters' risks outside of the credit field. For instance, most of the European agencies now have a form of cover against foreign exchange risks here contracts are denominated in currencies other than that of the exporter's country. Most of the agencies also provide cover to exporters against the risk of unfair calling of bid, advance payment, performance bonds etc and in certain countries, where high inflation rates were endemic, a form of cover against cost escalation. In certain circumstances it is also possible for an exporter to obtain cover against losses arising as a result of the involvency of a partner in a consortium or joint venture. These are all forms of insurance but, also during the 1970's, many of the national export credit programmes took a major step away from their original raison d'etre by facilitating the provision of preferential financing terns for the acquisition of capital equipment by an overseas buyer. This new line of business quickly became an important ingredient of major export financing packages and, as we shall see later, turned out to be extremely costly for the countries providing it.

Jan 1, 1985

By Heinrich Ries

The fusion-point of clay has usually been considered to be influenced chiefly by the quantity of fluxing impurities which the clay contained. Those clays which contain a high percentage of fluxes, such as ferric oxide, lirne, magnesia, and alkalies, fuse at a low temperature. Aside from the percentage of fluxing-impurities, the size of the grains exerts an important influence. Yet, while this fact has, no doubt, been recognized by many, practically no attempts have been made to prove it by actual experiment, although in the case of fire-clays, Prof. H. O. Hofman has rather disputed it. To illustrate the point more clearly, suppose a clay to be made up of a mixture of very refractory grains, such as kaolinite, and some fusible ones. If this clay be heated, the more easily fusible grains will melt first on the surface, and the softening under heat will gradually extend from the surface of the grain to its center. The larger, therefore, the size of the grain, the longer the time required for the heat to penetrate it. Now, if two samples of clay contain the same volume of flux, but of unequal size, the one containing the smaller-sized grains should fuse first, because the fluxing materials are more evenly and thoroughly distributed through the clay, so that they will more or less surround the refractory grains, which tend to act as a framework and hold up the clay-mass when heated. In order to demonstrate the effect of fineness of grain on the fusibility of clay, several mixtures were made up, consisting of white clay and other minerals. The white clay used was a very refractory type from Georgia, the fusion-point of which lay about cone 35 of the Seger series. The mixtures were formed into small bars 1* inches long, and set on a narrow surface, so that the ends were free to bend as soon as the mass softened. They were burned in a Seger gas-furnace.

Jan 1, 1904

By M. C. Flemings, P. J. Ahearn

Dendvite morphology of unidirectionally solidified Sn-12 pct Bi alloy was determined with the aid of X-ray and macroetch techniques. Columnar growth direction (growth direction of primary arms) in this alloy is [110]; secondary arms grow in the [lii], [111), and [112] directions. Interstices between [112] dendrite arms fill in during early stages of solidification so that well-defined (110) planes are seen in the final structure (parallel to the heat-flozo direction). Similarly, interslices betweex the [111] secondary arrlls fill in to form (112) planes, and interstices between [1111 ] arms fill in to form (112) planes. DENDRITE morphology in alloys is conveniently studied in unidirectionally solidified castings. In this type of solidification, heat is extracted from a single chill surface of the casting while other surfaces are insulated. Solidification progresses from the chill and results in cast grains that are columnar with the long axis of the grain perpendicular to the chill. Dendrite morphology is conveniently studied by examination of etched surfaces parallel and perpendicular to the chill, as previously described.'" Experimental studies on the growth direction for tin are in general agreement. The major growth direction is [110]:-' although this is altered somewhat by supercooling. In one study, tin dendrites pulled from a supercooled melt had a growth orientation 12 deg away from the [110] direction toward the [002] direction.' This orientation could be changed back to the [110] or close to the [110] direction by changing the tempera- ture gradient in the melt. In a study using autoradio-graphic techniques, (111) directions were shown to be directions of preferred growth in addition to the [110) direction.7 PROCEDURE The samples employed in this study were cut from 12 pct Bi-88 pct Sn castings, 1.5 in. in diam and 3.5 in. tall. The casting procedure consisted of heating the charge to 390°C and then pouring the molten alloy directly into a gypsum sleeve mounted on a massive copper chill. Specimens were cut from the ingot, mounted, polished, and etched with Taffs reagent [FeC13 .6H2O, 2 g; HC1, 5 cu cm;H20, 30 cu cm; CzHaOH (95 pct), 60 cu cm].' The dendritic pattern was clearly visible after etching. Photomicrographs at about 8 and 35 times were taken on surfaces parallel and perpendicular to the chill. Laue back-reflection patterns were obtained from three different columnar grains in a singIe polished face 2 in. from the chill. The cut face was polished and positioned in the beam of a Laue camera, so that diffraction occurred from a single dendritic grain. The resulting diffraction pattern was interpreted to determine crystal log raphic orientation in relation to the heat-flow direction and in relation to microstruc-ture of the given grain. RESULTS Fig. 1 shows a horizontal and vertical section of the columnar structure, at low magnification. Light regions are rich in tin, and darker regions tin-poor; the primary phase is tin-rich a phase. The two sections shown were taken orthogonally from the same metallographic specimen. It is readily seen from Fig. 1 that the dendrites have

Jan 1, 1968

By J. D. Livingston, H. E. Cline

The lamellar-dendritic transition in Sn-Pb alloys near the eutectic composition has been studied at high growth rates. Lamellar structures were found over a substantial range of tin-rich compositions, and this range extended to increasingly tin-rich concentrations as growth rate increased. These results are discussed in terms of stability and competitive-growth arguments. Various experimental and structural limitations to the rate of directional solidification are discussed. The rate of heat removal at the heat sink is the major experimental limitation. ReCENT interet1,2 in the use of fine composite structures produced by directional solidification of eutectic alloys makes it important to determine the range of composition and growth conditions that yield such microstructures. Because increasing growth velocities produce increasingly finer microstructures, it is particularly significant to determine the factors limiting the rate of solidification. Mollard and Flemings3 have shown that composite structures, free of primary dendrites, can be obtained in Sn-Pb alloys of off-eutectic composition. The composition range of composite structures was found to increase with increasing values of G/V, where G is the temperature gradient and V is the growth velocity. These results are in good quantitative agreement with an analysis of the stability of a planar eutectic interface.4 This analysis specifically predicts that over a small range of compositions stable lamellar structures will be obtained even for G/V = 0, hence, even at very high growth rates. The lamellar-dendritic transition in Sn-Pb alloys has also been analyzed with a model based on competitive growth between dendrites and the composite structure.576 This treatment, based on earlier work on organic eutetics,7 predicts that the composition range yielding composite structures in Sn-Pb will increase rapidly at high growth rates. An increase in the composition range of composite structures at high growth rates was recently observed in Cu-Pb alloys near the monotectic composition.8 In view of these results, and the predictions of the stability and competitivegrowth analyses, it was decided to study the lamellar-dendritic transition in Sn-Pb alloys at high growth rates. EXPERIMENTAL Using 99.999 pct pure materials, a series of Sn-Pb alloys were prepared containing 16.8 at. pct to 27.6 at. pct lead. (Eutectic composition is 26.1 at. pct Pb.) Ingots were extruded to 0.175 in. rod, and some rod was drawn to 0.070-in. wire. Directional solidification was accomplished in two different ways, Fig. 1. For growth rates up to 2 x 10-1 cm per sec, a 0.175 in. diam sample was placed in a graphite crucible 5 in. long with 0.250 in. OD and 0.035 in. walls. Samples were melted under flowing argon in a vertical, platinum-wound furnace, and solidified by driving the crucible downwards through a \ in. hole in a water-cooled copper toroid, Fig. l(a). An insulated chromel-alumel thermocouple was imbedded in the center of a representative sample, and moved with the sample during solidification. The local temperature is plotted against the distance travelled by the sample in Fig. 2. As the growth rate increased, the solid-liquid interface moved closer to the water-cooled toroid and the temperature gradient increased. At growth rates above 10-1' cm per sec, heat was not removed fast enough and the sample moved into the toroid in the liquid state. The curve for V = 2 x 10-1 cm per sec shows a plateau caused by incomplete removal of latent heat from the interface, a problem which will be discussed later. To improve the heat removal, the toroid was cooled by nitrogen gas precooled in liquid nitrogen. This allowed successful solidification at rates up to 2 x 10-1cm per sec. Higher solidification rates required still more effective heat removal. Samples 0.070 in. in diam were placed in graphite tubes 0.125 in. in diam with 0.020 in. walls. Instead of cooling by sliding contact with a cooled toroid, these thinner samples were sprayed or directly immersed into water, Fig. l(b). After solidification, samples were stored in liquid nitrogen until they could be examined metallographic-ally. The surface was prepared with a diamond-knife microtome, followed by a light etch. The presence or absence of tin dendrites, Fig. 3, or lead dendrites, Fig. 4, was noted by optical microscopy, usually of a transverse section near the center of the sample. Replicas of the surface were prepared and examined in an electron microscope to resolve the fine lamellar structures, Fig. 5. The structures observed at various compositions and growth rates are summarized in Fig. 6. Composite structures were observed at increasingly cin-rich compositions as growth rate increased. This transition from dendritic to composite structure with increasing growth rate was also demonstrated by solidifying half a sample at a slow rate and then suddenly increasing the growth rate by lifting the furnace and quenching the sample with a water spray. A longitudinal section of this sample, Fig. 7, shows that the tin dendrites, which extended ahead of the slow-moving composite interface, were bypassed by the composite when the growth rate was increased. The range of composite structures at high growth rates was limited by the appearance of primary lead dendrites on the tin-rich side of the eutectic composition. Observation of representative longitudinal

Jan 1, 1970

By Takahide Wakamatsu, Shigeru Mukai

Fundamental investigations were made on the treatment of slime and the chrysocolla flotation, both of which are urgent problems to be solved in copper oxide mineral flotation. Unfavourable effects of slime on flotation are caused by the slime adsorption at the air/liquid Interface as well as the slime coating on the mineral surface. The adsorption of slime at the air/liquid interface was measured by using various kinds of slime particles. As a consequence, goethite, bentonite and talc tended to adsorb markedly at the interface. As a desliming method, slime flotation with a polymer flocculant such as polyethylene-oxide prior to the ordinary copper oxide flotation was found to be effective. The use of both a copper-avid organic reagent and an alkyl xanthate was examined for a selective collection of chrysocolla through xanthate adsorption tests, chrysocolla float- abllity tests and flotation tests for synthetic and natural ore. The copper-avid reagents used were salicylaldoxime, 8- hydroxyquinollne and benzoin-a-oxime. As a result, the ad- sorption of higher xanthate such as amyl xanthate on chrysocolla as well as the chrysocolla-to-air bubble attachment was increased by the presence of a copper-avid reagent under suitable reagent addition and pH of pulp. Flotation tests for synthetic and natural ores confirmed that chrysocolla could be floated sufficiently and selectively with a copper- avid reagent like 8-hydroxyquinoline or salicylaldoxime with its subsequent collection by amyl xanthate.

Jan 1, 1976

By B. A. Wilcox, A. H. Clauer

DURING the course of an investigation on the high-temperature creep behavior of TD Nickel* (Ni + 2) vol pct ThO2), it was observed that the creep fractures were similar in appearance to low-temperature ductile fibrous fractures and creep ruptures by cavitation. Microfractographs of fibrous ruptures are typically characterized by a dimpled appearance, with second-phase particles frequently found near the bottom of the dimples.'-4 These somewhat resemble creep ruptures by cavitation, in that fracture occurs by void formation, with the subsequent growth and final merging of the voids to form a complete fracture.' It is the purpose of this communication to describe the creep fracture of TD nickel and suggest a mechanism for the rupturing process. The discussion is relevant to material crept to fracture in vacuo at a constant stress of 18,000 psi, over the temperature range 900" to ll00°C. The material used in this investigation was 1/2-in.-diam bar stock supplied by Du Pont, contain- ing 2.3 vol pct Tho2. The final fabrication treatment consisted of -95 pct reduction by swaging followed by a 1-hr anneal at 1000°C. Transmission and replica electron microscopy revealed that the material had a fibered structure with a transverse grain size of -1 µ and a longitudinal grain size of 10 to 15 µ. Selected-area diffraction indicated that the fiber axis was parallel to (00l), in agreement with the results of Inman et a1.6 The thoria particle size varied from 80 to 1000Å, with an average size of 400Å, and the mean particle spacing was about 1200Å. The remarkable structural stability7 was confirmed by annealing for 6 hr at 1300°C (about ' 0.9 the absolute melting point). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the only structural change was a slight decrease in dislocation density. Furthermore, recrystallization or grain growth during creep has not been observed. All specimens were annealed in vacuo at 1300°C for 3 hr prior to creep testing. The following times to rupture were obtained for vacuum creep tests at a constant stress of 18,000 psi: 900°C, 854 hr; 930°C,

Jan 1, 1965

By Edna A. Dancy, Gerhard J. Derge

Jan 1, 1963

By S. D. Brady

In Monongalia County, West Virginia, the Pittsburgh and Sewickley beds lie west of the Monongahela River and underlie practically all the western end of the county. The average thickness of the Pittsburgh bed is 8 ft., where it is being mined at present, sometimes running up to 9 ft. The Sewickley bed is 4½ to 6 ft. thick and lies 90 to 100 ft. above the Pittsburgh bed. As the Pittsburgh bed had a known value, a large part of it was bought up without consideration of the Sewickley bed. When the Monongahela Railway was built up the west side of the Monongahela River, other interests bought up the Sewickley bed, as it was found to be equal in quality to the Pittsburgh, with slight local exceptions. The two beds, therefore, were owned by different people, and naturally each owner opened his mine and ran it without regard to the working of the other bed. Consequently, considerable portions of the upper bed were seriously affected for economical mining, especially on Scotts Run. In recent years there has been a tendency, influenced by the decision of the West Virginia Supreme Court, on the part of the operators in Monongalia County to try to coordinate their projections in the layout of their mines. A typical geologic section, according to the report of the West Virginia State Geological Survey on Monongalia County, agrees with Fig. 1. It is apparent that the rock above the Sewickley bed and between the Sewickley and Pittsburgh beds is of a rather friable ~lature, therefore it is easily broken in pillaring. About the only difference between this section and the geologic section in the Lowsville district is that in the latter district the rock between the coals is a denser sandstone and contains little shale and limestone and no evidence of Redstone coal. It is a laminated sandstone, and although it makes a harder mass, it is easily broken. While working in the Lowsville district, the author had an opportunity to examine a neighboring mine in the Sewickley bed, which was over a section being pillared in the Pittsburgh bed. The two mines belong to dif-

Jan 1, 1931

By G. L. Spencer

There is no question as to the importance of the part played by the retort in modern zinc smelting. A satisfactory retort should have properties that will result in resistance to slagging action and fire cracks, and have no tendency, or at least only a small tendency, to soften and bend under furnace heat. The life and cost of a retort also are extremely important factors. The trend in zinc smelting during the past few years has been toward longer retorts and .higher charge density. This is caused by the fact that the diameter is limited to 9 or 10 in. because of heat penetration difficulties in larger sizes. Consequently, increasing the length of the retort and density of charge offers the only practical means of increasing the amount of zinc produced per retort. The stiff-ness of a retort perhaps is the most important factor, as slag accumulates in the bottom of a retort which has sagged and very quickly cuts through, often ruining the retorts below. The development of the high-silica retort is a result of the demands made by the trend toward heavy charges. Materials Used for High-silica Retorts The materials used in the manufacture of high-silica retorts at East St. Louis are fireclay, grog and silica flour. Analyses are given in Table 1. The fireclay comes from the St. Louis district. The grog consists of clean firebrick culls, and the silica flour, a very high-grade material, is purchased in the form of a flour that has been ground through 140 mesh.

Jan 1, 1931

By J. M. Sands

Production of oil in Oklahoma during 1927 amounted to 273,256,900 bbl. (Table l), an increase of nearly 100,000,000 bbl. over the previous year. All of the major fields declined with the exception of those of the Seminole district which produced 136,105,000 bbl., almost one-half of the total production of the state. Because of this large new production, most of the development in the state during the year took place in that district. The Seminole City pool located in T.-9-N., R.-6-E., was the first of these pools to be developed. The Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Co. brought in the first well in this field in March, 1926, for 1100 bbl. This well is located in Sec. 24-T.-9-N., R-6-E., and produced from the Hunton lime reached at depth of 3900 ft. The first Wilcox production was developed by the Independent Oil & Gas Co. and R. S. Garland in Sec. 26, T.-9-N, R-6-E. This well was being drilled for production in the Hunton lime but was dry in this horizon and was deepened to the Wilcox sand in July, 1926, and at the total depth of 4069 ft. developed a maximum production of 8000 bbl. daily. It held up in wonderful manner and was the cause of not only the development of this pool but the prospecting of the whole district for the Wilcox sand. This led to the discovery of the other major pools in that district. Seminole City pool reached a peak production of 264,500 bbl. on February 22, 1927, and slowly declined so that by December it had a daily average of 56,200 bbl. from 321 wells. The second pool in this district to be discovered was the Searight pool which was discovered by F. J. Searight et al. in Sec. 33, T-10, R-6, in April, 1926. The first well was drilled to the Hunton lime encountered at 4115 ft., and came in for 1300 bbl. daily. During August, 1926, the second well was drilled on the same farm through the Hunton lime to the Wilcox sand which was encountered at 4360 ft. It came in for an initial production of 4000 bbl. daily. This started active drilling in this field for the Wilcox sand. The field had a peak production of 40,621 bbl. on June 15, 1927, and declined to a daily average of 22,300 bbl. from 73 wells during December.

Jan 1, 1928

By W. S. Pellini, F. N. Rhines

IN many of the otherwise well established alloy phase diagrams the solidus curves (temperatures at which liquid first appears upon melting) have not been located accurately, chiefly because the experimental techniques that have been most popular for determining solidus temperatures have been both cumbersome and subject to large errors. C. E. Homer and H. Plummer1 have described a sensitive and at the same time a very simple technique for locating the solidus curves in a number of alloys of tin. Their method consists simply in noting the temperature at which a specimen of the alloy ruptures under the influence of a light bending force. Although this method is not new, it has been little used for this purpose in the past; nevertheless, it appears so attractive in its possibilities of speed, simplicity, and precision that the investigations presently to be described were undertaken to verify its merits. The redetermination of the solidus and eutectic temperatures of the lead-antimony system was employed as a medium 0f experimentation. New values obtained in this way are believed to be sufficiently precise to warrant a revision of the currently accepted lead-antimony phase diagram (Fig. I). Determinations of the solidus of the lead-rich lead-antimony alloy series have been published by R. S. Dean2 and by E. E. Schumacher and F. C. Nix.3 Their points are represented in Fig. I. In their work the solidus was not located at antimony concentrations greater than 2 per cent; the curve was presumed to meet the eutectic horizontal at an antimony concentration of about 2.5 per cent. In the present studies the solidus has been traced to 3.5 per cent, where the eutectic horizontal is intersected (Table I and Fig. I). Within the range investigated by Dean and by Schumacher and Nix the agreement with their values is good. H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 on the basis of activity measurements, have calculated that the intersection of the solidus and the eutectic reaction horizontal should lie at 3.86 per cent of antimony. The following determinations of the eutectic temperature have been reported: Roland-Gosselin,5 228°C.; Ewen,6 228°C.; J. E. Stead,7 247°C.; Campbell,8 228°C.; W. Gontermann,9 245° to 252°C.; R. Loebe,10 245°C.; E. Heyn and 0. Bauer,11 245°C.; H. Endo,12 250°C.; R. S. Dean,2 249° to 258°C.; E. Abel, 0. Redlich, and J. Adler,13 245°C.; W. Broniewski and L. Sliwowski,14 250° to 252°C.; H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 250°C. A temperature of 249°C- appears to have been generally accepted in recent years; it is the value most frequently obtained by the method of cooling curves. Values below 249°C. have usually been obtained by inferior cooling-curve techniques; those above 250°C., by the method of heating

Jan 1, 1942

By F. N. Rhines, W. S. Pellini

In many of the otherwise well established alloy phase diagrams the solidus curves (temperatures at which liquid first appears upon melting) have not been located accurately, chiefly because the experimental techniques that have been most popular for determining solidus temperatures have been both cumbersome and subject to large errors. C. E. Homer and H. Plummerl have described a sensitive and at the same time a very simple technique for locating the solidus curves in a number of alloys of tin. Their method consists simply in noting the temperature at which a specimen of the alloy ruptures under the influence of a light bending force. Although this method is not new, it has been little used for this purpose in the past; nevertheless, it appears so attractive in its possibilities of speed, simplicity, and precision that the investigations presently to be described were undertaken to verify its merits. The redetermination of the solidus and eutectic temperatures of the lead-antimony system was employed as a medium of experimentation. New values obtained in this way are believcd to be sufficiently precise to warrant a revision of the currently accepted lead-antimony phase diagram (Fig. I). Determinations of the solidus of the lead-rich lead-antimony alloy series have been published by X. S. Dean2 and by E. E. Schumacher and F. C. Nix. Their points are represented in Fig. I. In their work the solidus was not located at antimony collcentrations greater than 2 per cent; the curve was presumed to meet the eutectic horizontal at an antimony concentration of about 2.5 per cent. In the present studies the solidus has been traced to 3.5 per cent, where the eutectic horizontal is intersected (Table I and Fig. I). Within the range investigated by Dean and by Schumacher and Nix the agreement with their values is good. H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 on the basis of activity measurements, have calculated that the intersection of the solidus and the eutectic reaction horizontal should lie at 3.86 per cent of antimony. The following determinations of the eutectic temperature have been reported: Roland-Gosselin,5 228°C.; Ewen,6 228OC.; J. E. Stead,7 24g°C.; Campbell,8 228°C.; W. Gontermann,9 245' to 252°C.; R. Loebe,lo 245°C.; E. Heyn and 0. Bauer,ll 245°C.; H. Endo,12 250°C.; R. S. Dean,= 247' to 258°C.; E. Abel, O. Redlich, and J. Adier,13 245°C.; W. Broniewski and L. Sliwowski,14 250' to 252°C.; H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 25o°C. A temperature of 247°C. appears to have been generally accepted in recent years; it is the value most frequently obtained by the method of cooling curves. Values below 247°C. have usually been obtained by inferior cooling-curve techniques; those above 250°C., by the method of heating

Jan 1, 1943

By W. S. Pellini, F. N. Rhines

In many of the otherwise well established alloy phase diagrams the solidus curves (temperatures at which liquid first appears upon melting) have not been located accurately, chiefly because the experimental techniques that have been most popular for determining solidus temperatures have been both cumbersome and subject to large errors. C. E. Homer and H. Plummerl have described a sensitive and at the same time a very simple technique for locating the solidus curves in a number of alloys of tin. Their method consists simply in noting the temperature at which a specimen of the alloy ruptures under the influence of a light bending force. Although this method is not new, it has been little used for this purpose in the past; nevertheless, it appears so attractive in its possibilities of speed, simplicity, and precision that the investigations presently to be described were undertaken to verify its merits. The redetermination of the solidus and eutectic temperatures of the lead-antimony system was employed as a medium of experimentation. New values obtained in this way are believcd to be sufficiently precise to warrant a revision of the currently accepted lead-antimony phase diagram (Fig. I). Determinations of the solidus of the lead-rich lead-antimony alloy series have been published by X. S. Dean2 and by E. E. Schumacher and F. C. Nix. Their points are represented in Fig. I. In their work the solidus was not located at antimony collcentrations greater than 2 per cent; the curve was presumed to meet the eutectic horizontal at an antimony concentration of about 2.5 per cent. In the present studies the solidus has been traced to 3.5 per cent, where the eutectic horizontal is intersected (Table I and Fig. I). Within the range investigated by Dean and by Schumacher and Nix the agreement with their values is good. H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 on the basis of activity measurements, have calculated that the intersection of the solidus and the eutectic reaction horizontal should lie at 3.86 per cent of antimony. The following determinations of the eutectic temperature have been reported: Roland-Gosselin,5 228°C.; Ewen,6 228OC.; J. E. Stead,7 24g°C.; Campbell,8 228°C.; W. Gontermann,9 245' to 252°C.; R. Loebe,lo 245°C.; E. Heyn and 0. Bauer,ll 245°C.; H. Endo,12 250°C.; R. S. Dean,= 247' to 258°C.; E. Abel, O. Redlich, and J. Adier,13 245°C.; W. Broniewski and L. Sliwowski,14 250' to 252°C.; H. Seltz and B. De Witt,4 25o°C. A temperature of 247°C. appears to have been generally accepted in recent years; it is the value most frequently obtained by the method of cooling curves. Values below 247°C. have usually been obtained by inferior cooling-curve techniques; those above 250°C., by the method of heating

Jan 1, 1943

By J. H. Nead

OBJECT THE experiments herein described were undertaken with a view to investigating thoroughly the influence of carbon on the tensile and impact physical properties of carbon steel. The original comprehensive plan included investigation of a series of steels with varying carbon contents over a wide range of heat treatments. These were to be studied as to their static tensile qualities, and also their resistance to shock as measured by the Charpy impact bending test. A thorough metallographic examination was likewise included in the schedule. The Charpy tests and the metallographic examination have not been completed to date, and are accordingly withheld for another report. All heat treatments, however, have been made, and the static tensile tests have been completed. A description of the procedure of the experiment and the results thus far obtained are therefore reported herein. CONCLUSIONS No attempt is made to draw general conclusions from these experiments, but the curves and the data are submitted as being of general importance and wide applicability.

Jan 12, 1915

By Max Kraut

UNTIL VERY RECENTLY the flotation process has not found much application in the treatment of gold ores. No appreciable improvement has been made lately in the technology of this application; but the possibilities of flotation have been more fully appreciated. Excellent results were obtained long ago, but few operators paid much attention to them. For instance, in 1915 extensive experiments were carried out by Mr. Beauchamp and Minerals Separation on ores from the Dutch-Sweeney mine near Jimtown, Calif. The ore contained gold-bearing pyrite and laboratory tests indicated a 10c. tailing on a $6 head. In 1918 a 300-ton flotation mill using Minerals Separation machines was built based on the results obtained. However, when the mill began full-scale operation, mill heads did not come up to expectation, being only $4; also the-tonnage was considerably less than had been expected. Flotation mill tailing assayed 15c., indicating a recovery of over 96 per cent, so that excellent metallurgical results were obtained. The operation was a success but the patient died.

Jan 1, 1932

By G. W. Healy, W. Craft, D. C. Hilty

By means of a theoretical extension of the Cr-C temperature relation in molten chromium steels to low chromium contents and by a correlation of the ratios of chromium to iron in the slag and metal, a method has been developed for estimating the amount of metallic oxidation during the oxidizing period of a chromium steel heat. Application of this method has indicated that due to temperature limitations metallic oxidation may be excessive for very low carbon steels charged with more than a small amount of chromium. IN the melting and refining of chromium steels the oxidation of carbon to a low level is accompanied by the oxidation of chromium and iron in considerable amounts. For the subsequent recovery of chromium and associated iron from the slag, the amounts of metal oxidized must be known for efficient reduction and control of composition. Further, in order to arrive at an accurate understanding of the process, so that chromium-bearing scrap can be used effectively, information is required on the relation between composition of the charge and weight of metal oxidized to reach the desired carbon content. Crafts and Rassbach1 recently developed an empirical relation between chromium, iron, and manganese oxidized per ton of steel charged, and final carbon content and temperature. This relation did not show any dependence on amount of chromium charged. However, it was felt that such a dependence might be present, so a further analysis of the data was undertaken. Cr-C Relation at Low Chromium Levels Crafts and Rassbach's results were based on temperatures estimated from the Cr-C relation previously established experimentally by Hilty,2 and on a single temperature observation (immersion thermocouple) on a heat made at low temperature from a charge of carbon steel scrap containing only a small amount of residual chromium. The temperatures estimated from the Cr-C relation were for heats charged with chromium-bearing scrap and which contained substantial amounts of chromium (2 to 10 pct) at the end of the oxidizing period. No data, other than that from the low temperature heat just mentioned, were available for the low and intermediate chromium ranges. In order to extend the range in which temperature may be estimated, the Cr-C relation requires further consideration. The Cr-C relation, expressed as suggests that carbon is zero at zero chromium in the bath. This is obviously absurd, because as chromium approaches zero the carbon content must approach the limit established by the Fe-C-O equilibrium. It is evident, therefore, that the Cr-C relation as defined by Eq. 1 is not valid below some minimum chromium content that may vary with temperature. On the other hand, it is probable that any such limiting chromium content is less than 4 pct at 3200°F, since the experimental data from which the Cr-C relation was derived included several observations at that level with no deviation. In any event, it is apparent that further evaluation of the results presented by Crafts and Rassbach is dependent upon a means for estimating the Cr-C temperature relation in the low chromium region. From the observations of Chen and Chipman9 and thermodynamic data given in Basic Open Hearth Steelmaking,4 the following relation can be calculated for melts containing small amounts of chromium and carbon assuming a carbon monoxide pressure of 1 atm: % Cr -21,250 K' = (%C)2; logK1 == —t— +13.88 [2] Moreover, by plotting Eq. 2 for any given temperature on cartesian coordinates, it can be extrapolated graphically to the limiting carbon content at zero chromium for the specified temperature without serious complications. By means of Eq. 2 and its extrapolation, the Cr-C temperature relations originally established experi-

Jan 1, 1954

By Michael Perch, Charles C. Russell

Nearly 95 per cent of the total coke production in the United States in 1940 was consumed in blast furnaces. In 1939 the percentage was 69,9, and in 1938 it was 61.3, To produce a net ton of pig iron 1959 lb. of coke was required in ,1940 and 1760o lb. in 1939. These figures indicate how dependent the production of pig iron is upon the production of coke. The rate of iron production is in some measure influenced by the physical and chemical characteristics of the coke. Blast-furnace operators believe that the physical properties of coke profoundly influence the operation of the furnace. Although it is true that coke of a wide variety of physical properties is used in American blast furnaces, the periodic fluctuation of these properties is one of the causes of irregularity of blast-furnace operation. The purpose of this paper is to present a broad picture of the physical properties of by-product coke that are generally considered to be important by coke-oven and blast-furnace operators. Effects of the kind of coal used, the preparation of the coal, the rate of coking, and other factors will be considered. Of all these variables, the kind of coal used is by far the most important. In this discussion use will be made of the method of coal classification by rank1 standardized by the American Society for Testing Materials. Although this method of classification has been an American standard for several years, it has not been given the attention it deserves, especially in connection with the selection of coal for production of coke. Despite the fact that many producers of blast-furnace coke are limited to some particular source or sources of coal, a good understanding of the principles involved in setting up the standard method of classification may lead to a better appreciation of the causes of changes in coke characteristics. Furthermore, where it is necessary to select new coals as a substitute for the original supply, this method of classification can be of great assistance. The data presented have been gathered from many sources, but no attempt has been made to cover the vast literature. Instead, some of the more important data have been selected to show how coals and their carbonization affect some of the physical properties of coke. It must be emphasized that generalizations concerning the behavior of coking coals are presented and that individual coals may vary widely from the specific behavior depicted. Nevertheless, it is believed that the data illustrate certain typical behaviors. Neither was it possible to cover completely all the factors involved; for example, the macroscopic constituents of coal are believed to have important effects on the physical properties of coke, but since there is little information available for such study, and since vitrain, clarain, and durain are neither

Jan 1, 1942

By T. K. Perkins, L. R. Kern, R. E. Wyant

Many factors influence the results of hydraulic fracturing to stimulate well productivity. Most of these factors have been studied and their effects discussed in the literature. However, the movement of sand through the crack during fracturing has received little consideration. Exactly where the sand goes in the fracture, how it gets there, and how this might influence results have not been studied, judging from published reports. To get an answer to some of these questions we have studied sand movement through a simulated crack segment in the laboratory. Although the work is preliminary, we have answered some questions about sand movement in a semiquantitative sense. We are reporting our results at this time in the hope of stimulating interest and further study in this important aspect of fracturing. LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of equipment used in this study. A segment of a vertical crack 0.25-in. wide was formed between two Plexiglas plates, and movement of sand in fluid through the crack was observed under various conditions. Sand and fluid were injected into the crack at constant rates. The top and bottom of the crack were closed so that the fluid flowed horizontally. Because of gravity most of the sand settled to the bottom before moving very far through the crack. If the fluid velocity exceeded a certain critical value, then all the sand injected was washed on through the crack even though it had settled to the bottom. When the fluid velocity was less than this value when sand injection was started, most of the sand which settled in the crack remained in place until enough of the area open to fluid flow was blocked by the settled sand to increase the fluid velocity to the critical value.. At this point all injected sand moved on through the crack even though it settled to the lower portion of the moving fluid section. All sand previously settled remained in place. When fluid velocity was increased at this paint by increasing fluid injection rate (without also increasing sand injection rate), some of the previously settled sand was washed out until enough area was open to flow that the velocity dropped to the critical value. Conversely, when the fluid velocity was decreased by decreasing the fluid injection rate (without changing the rate of sand injection), additional sand would settle until the critical velocity was again attained. In short, the critical velocity is an equilibrium value which the system will automatically seek, if possible. The equilibrium (or critical) velocity was measured under several conditions. The results of these measurements are shown in Pig. 2 where the equilibrium velocity is shown as a function of the amount of sand injected per minute. The points falling in the shaded band shown in Fig. 2 were obtained with water. The higher viscosities were obtained by adding CMC (carboxymethylcellu-lose). Data indicate that the equilibrium velocity is not very sensitive to sand size or transport fluid viscosity, or to sand injection rate (except at very low rates). Points connected by the solid CUrve in Fig. 2 were obtained with water and 20- to 40-mesh steel shot. The equilibrium velocity is apparently fairly sensitive to difference in density between particle and fluid. Only one run was made with a gelled fluid and that was gelled water at zero sand injection rate as shown in Fig. 2. (Measurements of equilibrium velocity at zero sand injection rate were made by filling the crack

By C. L. Baker

The district of Catoree, San Luis Potosi, ranks among the first half-dozen silver-producing camps of Mexico. Mining has been more or less continuous there for 150 years. The large producing mines, Mapnni, Mazapil, Palomas, Musquiz, Minas Viejas, now for the most part idle or abandoned, are grouped around the head of two valleys: one, which drains to the west, falls 2000 ft. (610 m.) in 41/2 mi. (7.2 km.) between the main Catorce and the western foot of the range and is characterized by steep canon walls; the other, east of the main town of Catoree from which it is separated by a high divide, heads in a number of steep tributaries above the basin in which lies the town of Potrero and flows nearly north for 10 mi. (16 km.) to the northern base of the range; below Potrero, it has for the most part gently sloping valley walls and a broad valley floor. The Sierra Catorce is the highest range of the region, the summits reaching altitudes of over 11,000 ft. With the exception of a few cliffs of the erosion escarpment of the lower limestone and the canon walls below the main town of Catoree, which is the highest town in Mexico, the gently rounded slopes are characteristic of a maturely eroded mountain range composed of folded sedimentary rocks. As is usual in desert regions, the heavy-bedded limestones are the most resistant to crosivc forces. Folded into anticlines, they form the mountain ranges; and the intermontane valleys and basins, originally carved out of less resistant shales, clays, marls and sandstone?, are covered by debris forming a mantle with surface gradually rising upwards toward the hills. In time, the debris buries, in deposits formed from their own ruins, all but the highest summits of the original mountains: some of this region has already nearly reached this stage. Most of the debris is firmly cemented by calcium carbonate (caliche). Solution of the limestone by meteoric waters afforded the supply of lime carbonate, which has been redeposited upon evaporation of the waters as a cement binding the boulders, pebblcs, and finer detritus. According to tradition, the higher portions of the Sierra Catoree were forested with pines and cedars but none remain within the mining district, although cedar is found farther south in the range. The vegeta-

Jan 1, 1922

By Nelson Severinghaus

Following the end of hostilities of World War 11, a resurgence of industrial and home building has given impetus to the use of many products of the stone industry. Shortage and high prices of some building materials such as lumber have aided wider acceptance of materials such as concrete products which have been relatively plentiful and which have not risen so rapidly in price. Ingredients for many of these substituting materials come from the stone industries, often from by-products of stone operations. Most of the tonnage of the stone industry in the State of Georgia comes from granite and marble. There are extensive dimension stone operations in granite in the Elberton and in the Lithonia areas. Building and monumental marble from the Tate area has been used throughout the country. Cutting operations in both types of stone have their by-products in faulty blocks and in spalls. In the State there are three large crushed-stone plants utilizing granite, One near Camak, One near Lithonia and one at Stockbridge. All have had excess fines Or in in the past but this excess is largely disappearing with development of new uses. At times this "waste" has amounted to as much as 20 pct of the stone quarried. Handling Of this large tonnage from point of screening out to storage piles presented a costly problem and large areas were taken up by the piles. Crushed 'tone is generally sold with a a narrow margin Of price over cost, so any elimination of disposal cost or increase of income by marketing of by-products is highly desirable. By-products of Granite Dimension Stone It sometimes becomes difficult to differentiate between main product and byproduct. In the cutting of granite dimension stone in the Lithonia district of Georgia, a considerable quantity of remnants of Uneven shape and size is produced. The larger of these pieces have long found use as building rubble, particularly for retaining walls and building foundations (Fig I), They are broken down to one man size by plug drilling and wedging and by hammer. In recent times, demand for this former by-product has grown so that quarries have been opened for the production of rubble as a main product. Local masons have attained skill in using these irregular shapes to form economical and attractive walls. Areas such as Elberton, Georgia, which do not have a large building market nearby, tend to accumulate piles of large pieces of reject stone. When a road job or other local construction offers a quantity market for crushed stone, a portable crusher works this material down to crushed aggregate. Spalls and finer chips from granite stone-cutting operations have generally found their way into crushers and thence to the many uses for crushed aggregate. One company near Lithonia started marketing the smaller by-product crushed sizes for chicken grit about ten years ago. This use has grown to nation-wide distribution and the tonnage is now so great that they have opened a large quarry with

Jan 1, 1948