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By H. G. Moulton

H G. MOULTON should not be confused with the famous economist of the same name. Our H. G. stands for Herbert George, whereas the chief of the Brookings Institution is Harold Glenn. Like most so- called New York members of the Institute's hoard, Mr. Moulton came from the West, in this case from Idaho where he was born, and Oregon, where he was educated at the University of Oregon. His early work included such jobs as mucker, assayer, smelter, chemist, mine surveyor, draftsman, engineer on surveys and construction, and assistant on mine examinations. In 1909 he was engaged as mining engineer by the firm of Eugene Meyer, Jr. S' Co., continuing with them for the next eight years.

Jan 1, 1937

By Arthur F. Taggart

Tins paper proposes two units (believed to be new) for designating, respectively, capacity and efficiency for primary and intermediate crushers. CAPACITY Operators know that the tonnage of rock that can be put through a particular crusher in a give time depends primarily upon the crusher setting (open setting for jaw and primary gyratory types; closed setting for cones and rolls), and secondarily on the lithological character of the feed, its maximum size, the amount of fines that it carries, its moisture content, and the method of feeding. The proposed capacity formula states a relationship between all of these factors in one empirical equation, as follows: TR = TR80KK'K" [I] in which Ts, called "reduction tons per hour" is the new capacity unit; T = tons of feed per hour requiring crushing; R80 = "80-per cent reduction ratio"; and K, K', and K" are constants that approximate quantitatively lithological character, moisture content and method of feeding, respectively. T is the hourly weight of material in the feed that is coarser than the coarsest discharge of the crusher. (For marked departures from the normal specific gravity range - 2.5 to 2.7 - T should. be adjusted to corresponding volumes.) In the crushers under consideration, discharge from the crushing zone is limited by the minimum dimension of a particle. Passage of the particle through a square-mesh screen is limited by its intermediate dimension. Sheppard1 has shown that the ratio of maximum: intermediate: minimum average dimensions of broken rock fragments may be taken as about 1.5 : 1 : 0.6 for nonslabby rocks such as are normally crushed, while for slabby rocks, such as thin-bedded sedimentaries, foliated schists and gneisses, and the blocky metamorphics, the ratio is of the average order I.3:I:0.3, with the possibility of an even smaller relative value for the thickness. Gaudin2 finds the corresponding ratio for 150 + 200-mesh pyrite to be 1.4: 1 : 0.6. The hourly tonnage of crusher-plant feed, therefore, should be diminished by the amount thereof that would pass a square-mesh screen of which the aperture is S times the crusher setting, where S is a shape factor with the value 1.7 for rocks that break exceptionally cubic; 2 for ores and rocks that exhibit no appreciable tendency to slabbiness; and 2.5 to 3, or, in exceptional cases, even larger, when the tendency to slabbiness is marked. R80 is the quotient of the theoretical square-mesh aperture that would pass 80 per cent of the feed, divided by the aperture that would pass 80 per cent of the product. It is best determined from screen tests.

Jan 1, 1941

By Walter H. Bucher

This symposium is designed to lay the basis for a general discussion of the place of geophysics in the training of geologists. As there is danger that in the ensuing debate individual interests may be given emphasis out of proportion to their place, we shall do well to view the whole field of geological inquiry in order to see the problem in true perspective. The Nature of Geological Inquiry "Basic" and "Complex" Sciences It is convenient to divide all science into two major divisions, the basic and the complex sciences. The basic sciences separate out from reality such entities as "substances" and "movements," describe their behavior in terms of arbitrary units of measurement and derive from them by progressive abstractions concepts and patterns of behavior that exist between them, so-called general "laws" and "properties" of nature. The complex sciences, on the other hand, deal, with little or no abstraction, with those objects of reality that are accessible to man in the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere and the biosphere. Their work comprises two types of inquiry. One is concerned with abstractions to the extent of dealing with types rather than individuals—that is, with such things as plants, animals, protoplasm; clouds, streams, gla- ciers; volcanoes and mountain ranges. It comprises the search for general properties and patterns of behavior or "laws" that characterize the objects and their reactions to each other. These properties and laws apply always, everywhere. They are independent of the stream of time. We may call the results of this sort of inquiry timeless knowledge. The other type of inquiry is concerned with the objects themselves—that is, with this animal and that plant; this river system and that mountain chain; this glacier and that valley. Like all concrete objects in nature, they are subject to change with the passage of time, especially when it is measured in years, centuries, eons. The characteristics by which we recognize them —indeed, their very existence—are dependent on their position at this point in the stream of time. This we may call time-bound kntowledge. The so-called descriptive sciences are all bound to the past of which the objects of their study are the product and through which alone their present properties call be understood. They are historical sciences. This obvious fact is easily overlooked, which leads to serious misunderstanding, as we shall see later. Dynamic Geology With this broad picture in mind, let us now examine the nature of geological inquiry, defining, for the purposes of this discussion, geology as the science of rocks. Air is not a rock; water is. Meteorology and climatology are, correspondingly, gen-

Jan 1, 1946

By Walter H. Bucher

This symposium is designed to lay the basis for a general discussion of the place of geophysics in the training of geologists. As there is danger that in the ensuing debate individual interests may be given emphasis out of proportion to their place, we shall do well to view the whole field of geological inquiry in order to see the problem in true perspective. The Nature of Geological Inquiry "Basic" and "Complex" Sciences It is convenient to divide all science into two major divisions, the basic and the complex sciences. The basic sciences separate out from reality such entities as "substances" and "movements," describe their behavior in terms of arbitrary units of measurement and derive from them by progressive abstractions concepts and patterns of behavior that exist between them, so-called general "laws" and "properties" of nature. The complex sciences, on the other hand, deal, with little or no abstraction, with those objects of reality that are accessible to man in the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere and the biosphere. Their work comprises two types of inquiry. One is concerned with abstractions to the extent of dealing with types rather than individuals—that is, with such things as plants, animals, protoplasm; clouds, streams, gla- ciers; volcanoes and mountain ranges. It comprises the search for general properties and patterns of behavior or "laws" that characterize the objects and their reactions to each other. These properties and laws apply always, everywhere. They are independent of the stream of time. We may call the results of this sort of inquiry timeless knowledge. The other type of inquiry is concerned with the objects themselves—that is, with this animal and that plant; this river system and that mountain chain; this glacier and that valley. Like all concrete objects in nature, they are subject to change with the passage of time, especially when it is measured in years, centuries, eons. The characteristics by which we recognize them —indeed, their very existence—are dependent on their position at this point in the stream of time. This we may call time-bound kntowledge. The so-called descriptive sciences are all bound to the past of which the objects of their study are the product and through which alone their present properties call be understood. They are historical sciences. This obvious fact is easily overlooked, which leads to serious misunderstanding, as we shall see later. Dynamic Geology With this broad picture in mind, let us now examine the nature of geological inquiry, defining, for the purposes of this discussion, geology as the science of rocks. Air is not a rock; water is. Meteorology and climatology are, correspondingly, gen-

Jan 1, 1946

By P. E. Baker

The commercial neutron-gamma log measures the intensity of gamma-rays produced by the interaction of neutrons with nuclei in the formation and in the bore hole. This measurement gives information concerning the distribution of neutrons around the neutron source, and in particular gives information on porosity or fluid content. Another type of information is contained in the frequency or energy spectrum of the neutron capture gamma-rays. The capture gamma-rays of each element, in fact of each isotope, have only those energies characteristic of that isotope.'" The neutron capture gamma-ray spectrum, if obtainable, would permit the identification of the elements producing the spectrum. Such information would have considerable value in oilfield exploration work if it could be applied practically in well logging. Experiments have been carried out at the La Habra Laboratory of California Research Cop. to determine the feasibility of a method of well logging in which neutron capture gamma-ray spectra are measured down hole. In these experiments, spectra were obtained for artificial formations under simulated borehole conditions, using actual borehole geometry. This paper will describe the experimental apparatus and methods and will present the spectrum curves for several formations. THEORY Basic Formulas The neutron capture cross section of an element is a measure of its tendency to capture neutrons. The macroscopic cross section, or cross section per cubic centimeter, of a material composed of several elements is the sum of the cross sections of the nuclei making up 1 cc of the material. This is expressed in the equation SB = Sn1s2, ..........(1) where SB is the macroscopic cross section, s, is the cross section of a nucleus of type i, and ni is the number of nuclei of type i/cu cm. If N is the number of neutrons absorbed per second by the composite material, then the number captured by element j is Ni = N nisi/SB = N nisi/Si ni si ......(2) When the nucleus captures a neutron, a new nucleus is formed, which is usually in an excited state and falls to its ground or unexcited state by emitting one or more gamma-ray quanta.* The emission spectrum has been measured for many elements (see Table 1). The intensity of gamma-rays produced by an element is proportional to the number of neutrons captured per unit time by the element, which in turn depends on the capture cross section of that element and the capture cross sections of the other elements present which are competing with the first element for thermal neutrons. In a small sample of material the number of neutrons, N, captured per second is N = ?SB, ..........(3) where $ is the thermal neutron flux and SB is the macro-scopic cross section defined above. The number of neutrons captured by element j is N1 = ?ni si = N ni si/SB . ......(4) The number of gamma-ray quanta of energy, E, pro-duced per unit time by element, j, is I(E)=Nni si/SB P(E) .......(5) where P(E) is the emission probability of element, j, for this gamma-ray energy. Borehole Effects The capture gamma-ray spectra of many elements have been measured accurately in academic and government laboratories. These measurements are made on small samples, and from these measurements the emission spectra of the elements are obtained.

Jan 1, 1958

By Adrian C. Dorenfeld, John T. Oleksy

Fuel problems of two lesser developed countries (LDC 's) are presented. In particular, the paper reviews cement technology and the fuel-intensive cement industries of the Philippines and South Korea. Based on current financial and cost data, analyses are presented of the proposed substitution of high-sulfur and slow-sulfur American coal in place of fuel oil. The analyses show that economic substitution of coal for oil is not only based on relative prices for coal and oil, as expected, but also to be an inverse function of degree of intensity of energy use, and a direct function of financial incentives such as accelerated depreciation, taxes on the savings made by the use of coal, and cost of capital.

Jan 4, 1979

Abbey, Robert Graham, District Mgr.. The W. W. Sly Mfg. Co., 50 Church St.. New York, N. Y. '21 Abbott, A. N., Mines Supt., Mazapil Copper Co., LtdConcepcion del Oro, Zac., Mexico. '28 *Abbott, Argyle Campbell, Dev. Dept., E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Del. '29 Abbott, Clarence E., V.P., Charge of Raw Materials, Tenn. Coal, Iron & R. R. Co., 1242 Brown-Marx Bldg.. Birmingham, Ala. '04 Abbott, Louis Benjamin, Chief Engr., Elkhorn Div., Consolidation Coal Co., Jenkins, Ky. '16 Abeel, George H., Jr., Cons. Min. Engr Box 427, Santa Monica, Cal. '18 Abel, Albert E., Asst. to Pres., Valley Mould & Iron Corp Hubbard, Ohio. '19 Abel, Raymond L., Asst. Prof., Dept. of Pet. Refin., Univ. of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh. Pa. '28 Abeel, Leo M., Research Engr., Sullivan Concentrator Chapman Camp, B. C., Canada. '31

Jan 1, 1929

Most of the production of germanium in the U. S. is from byproducts of smelting Tri-state zinc ore. Only in England has commercial manufacture been reported from coal.

Jan 1, 1953

By V. H. Wilhelm

WITH rapidly diminishing oil reserves: a great percentage of which are uneconomical at present prices, some of the existing methods of development and production will have to undergo radical re- visions to meet the changes continually taking place in the petroleum industry. Imagination in an engineer is a great asset. The fancy of today is found to be the realization of tomorrow, and with this thought in mind, there is here presented a more or less imaginative picture which, to my mind, has a meritorious basis. Directed drilling has reached a stage of accuracy sufficient to allow the prediction that this art will be used in the future development of oil structures, especially those \\,it11 thin sand bodies 'and steep dips. Directional drilling in a number of fields in California has gratifying results. Wells which practically laid pipe lines through the oil sands have enjoyed a greater drainage radius with a consequent greater initial and cumulative production. In one field where the vertical thickness of sands was approximately 550 ft., wells drifting at an angle as great as 55 deg. fro111 vertical had over 1100 ft. of perforated pipe in contact with these sands. These wells were, and are, remarkable for their great initial pro-

Jan 1, 1936

By R. W. M. Lai

INTRODUCTION Manganese nodules were first discovered by the H.M.S. CHALLENGER expedition of 1873-76 and have engaged the interest of oceanographers and natural resources engineers ever since (1-4). Manganese nodules, some of them as large as grapefruit, cover vast stretches of the ocean floor throughout many parts of the world. In some areas the ocean floor is literally paved with nodules. The Pacific Ocean alone is estimated to contain 1.5 trillion tons of nodules which are forming at the rate of about 10 million tons per year (2). An analysis of the principal metal values for Pacific Ocean nodules is shown in Table I (5). [ ] The principal ingredients of the nodules are manganese and iron, but they also contain other important associated metal values such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and molybdenum. These associated metal values,

Jan 1, 1980

By K. G. Davis, P. Fryzuk

The diffusivity of silver in liquid tin has been determined, using the capillavy-reservoir technique, over the temperature range 250° to 500°C. The new value, D = 2.5 x 10'* exp(-2480/ RT) sq cm per sec, differs from that obtained by other workers in an earlier investigation. The analysis of data from the capillary-reservoir technique is discussed. In a recent investigation of the solidification of dilute alloys, values for the diffusion constant of silver in liquid tin were required in the analysis of the formation of impurity substructures. AS a result, measurements were made of the diffusion constants in the temperature range 250° to 500°C (melting point of tin 232°C), for the alloy concentrations used in the solidification experiments and at higher concentrations, to verify previous determinations.I)2 The capillary-reservoir method was adopted, using experimental procedures similar to those followed by Ma and Swalin,1 with the main exception that radioactive silver was used in the present investigation to facilitate solute-concentration measurements. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE a) 100 ppm Samples. Glass capillary tubes of 2 mm inside diameter and approximately 5 cm- long were sealed at one end, evacuated, and filled with tin of 99.999 pct purity. The region of shrinkage near the mouth was cut off, and the tubes were then placed in a graphite holder and immersed, with the open end up, in an unstirred bath of alloy containing 100 ppm Ag 110, where they remained for periods of up to 30 hr. On removal from the bath they were cooled by an air blower. The bath was kept under a small positive pressure of argon, and the temperature controlled to within +1°C. A 10-hr diffusion period was used in the majority of the tests, scatter on runs of less than 5 hr being rather large. The procedure outlined above was chosen in preference to putting alloy in the capillary and pure tin in the bath, in order to avoid segregation when the tubes filled with alloy were first solidified. To minimize segregation when the diffusion period was complete and the capillaries again solidified, the earlier samples were held in thin-walled silica tubes which could be cooled very rapidly. Later tests were made in precision-bore Pyrex tubes, to eliminate effects caused by variations in the capillary diameter. No consistent differences in diffusivity as measured in the two types of tube were detected. After removal from the glass tubing, the samples were sectioned into 2.5 mm lengths and counted for y activity, using a scintillation counter with fixed geometry. Samples were also drawn directly from the bath and counted, so that values for C/C,, the ratio of the weight of Ag 110 in the sample to that in the bath, could be obtained. b) 5000 ppm Alloy. To check for possible effects of concentration, the silver content of the bath was increased to 5000 ppm. Complete mixing was found to have taken place in the capillary after a 10-hr period at 300°C. It appears that the greater density of the alloy was sufficient for buoyancy forces to cause instability in the alloy-tin interface, leading to rapid convective mixing. For the 5000 ppm alloy, therefore, the bath was of pure tin and the capillary tube was filled with alloy. With this arrangement, values of D consistent with those for the 100 ppm alloy were obtained, Fig. 1. CALCULATIONS OF DIFFUSIVITY The terminology used applies to a capillary of pure tin immersed in a bath of alloy. 1) Error-Function Method. under the present experimental conditions, the rod of liquid tin into which silver is penetrating may be considered semi-infinite. Assuming the concentration at the mouth of the tube to remain constant at Co, the concentration C at distance x from the mouth of the tube at time / is given by3 Plots of the inverse error function of (1 -C/Co) vs .v gave straight lines passing through the origin with slope 1/2-, x being corrected for shrinkage both on solidification and while cooling to the melting point (total correction about 6 pct at 500°C). Values for log D obtained in this manner are shown in Fig. 1. A least-squares fit to the relation D = Do exp(-Q/RT)

Jan 1, 1965

Rep. William S. Hill (R.- Colo.) will preside over a Congressional hearing investigating the problems of the mining industry to be conducted in Phoenix, Ariz., late in April. Rep. Hill has expressed the desire to hear from the industry itself all possible testimony on the needs of domestic mining and how Congress can help. Rep. John J. Rhodes of Arizona is also expected to attend the hearing. Two new features are incorporated into an SO2 process for treatment of low grade manganese ores disclosed by Chemical Construction Corp. The new approach includes a high temperature autoclaving step and a sintering operation. Data was given for work performed on Cuyuna Range ores.

Jan 4, 1953

By W. L. Falke, A. A. Cochran

Vast deposits of low-grade manganese ore exist in the United States, yet domestic production is insignificant compared to the more than 2 million tons of ore imported yearly into this country.1 A basic problem in connection with manganese is to find economical ways to utilize domestic resources.2 As a part of its program to conserve domestic mineral resources and to reduce dependence on foreign sources, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has conducted extensive research to broaden manganese technology and to find economical processes for recovering manganese from these low-grade resources. Although a great many processes have been proposed for treating domestic manganese resources, a failing of many of them is that too many steps are involved for economical operation.2 Some of the major processes that have been proposed were reviewed by Norman and Kirby.3,4

Jan 3, 1967

By David R. Mitchell

THE mineral pyrite (or marcasite) occurs in coal beds as balls, lenses, veinlets and bands. Several million tons are wasted annually on the refuse dumps from coal mining and coal-preparation activities. Sporadic attempts have been made in the United States to recover this pyrite for manufacture of sulphuric acid but only a few plants have succeeded in recovering it on a commercial scale. Several chemical companies in the East became concerned about supplies of pyrite early in 1943, but by late summer of that year the situation had eased. If for no other reason than national security and self-sufficiency during war-time, methods of recovering pyrite from coal-mine refuse should be worked out and made available to coal-mine operators who are potential producers of pyrite. Eastern sulphuric-acid plants are particularly likely to have their sources of raw material blocked by war conditions, so that special studies to determine where supplies of pyrite can be obtained for these plants from inland sources are desirable. Davis's1 summarization of conditions during World War I gives the following facts: During those years, the shortage of pyrite became acute. Shipments of hand-picked pyrite were made from a number of coal mines in Illinois, Indiana, western Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. A mechanical concentrating plant for separating pyrite from picking-table refuse was built at Danville, Ill., and operated for several years, and a small pyrite-concentrating plant treating washery refuse near Gillespie, Ill., operated for several months in 1918. The Consolidation Coal Co. of Fairmont, W. Va., constructed and operated a sulphuric-acid plant using pyrite recovered from coal-mine refuse. The U. S. Bureau of Mines during 1917-1919 made a comprehensive survey of pyrite-production possibilities from coal mines and estimated that there was a potential yearly production of 435,000 tons from Ohio and Pennsylvania and 928,000 tons from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana mines. This estimate included only mines that could produce one per cent or more of their coal production as pyrite containing a minimum of 40 per cent sulphur. PYRITE PRODUCTION According to the Minerals Yearbook,2 approximately 660,000 long tons of pyrite was produced in the United States in 1941, with an average sulphur content of 42 per cent. The average value f.o.b. mines was $3.09 per long ton. Spanish pyrite, 48 per cent sulphur minimum, was quoted at 12 cents a unit c.i.f. U. S. ports, equal to $5.76 a ton for shipments of minimum sulphur content. Most of the pyrite produced in the United States is obtained as a by-product in the dressing of copper and zinc ores. Metal mines in the East making pyrite concentrate for the market or use in company-operated sulphuric-acid plants

Jan 1, 1944

By A. L. Jamieson, H. Rosenthal

The action of mercury on stressed brass to produce cracks was known before Moore, Beckinsale and Mallinson1 showed that actual season cracking did not occur spontaneously but could be induced by ammonia. These investigators studied other substances, including diphenylamine, without finding that anything other than ammonia could cause season cracking Grimston2 reported season cracking in cartridge cases stored in wooden boxes wetted with dilute sulphuric acid pickling solution. Season cracking associated with sulphur dioxide, water vapor and air has been reported by Johnston,3 although he reported that trimethylamine and pyridine did not cause cracking. Jevons4 has ascribed season cracking of brass in certain instances to trimethylamine, "aldehyde amine," "ketone amine" and pyridine, but no experimental work was done evidently to prove this definitely. Pyridine was investigated by Morris,5 who found it to have considerable cracking power. In the present investigation, the object was a qualitative evaluation of a number of representative amines with respect to their ability to cause season cracking. Thus it was desired only that an appreciable vapor pressure of each amine be obtained in order to make the test as severe as possible, without attempting to test equivalent concentrations for comparative purposes. MEthods Specimens TWO types of specimen were used: 1. Unannealed 70-30 brass CUPs formed from 0.040-in. thick sheet. Height of cup Was 13/8 in. and diameter was 17/8 inches. 2. First draw pieces of caliber .50 cartridge cases in the unannealed condition (70-30 brass)- The cups were representative of a thin wall and thin base specimen, whereas the draw pieces have a thick base (1/4 in.) and a thick wall (approximately 3/32 in.). Both types of specimens contained high residual stress and cracked in less than one minute in a solution of I per cent mercurous nitrate and I per cent nitric acid provided that this was receded by a 30-sec. pickle in 40 per cent nitric acid. Specimens were prepared as follows: (1) degreased in trichlorethylene, (2) rinsed in H2O, (3) pickled 5 min. in 10 per cent by volume H2SO4 (1.84 SP. gr.), (4) rinsed in H2O, and (5) dried. Amirtes Tested In selecting the amines, representatives of the three series of amines, and one series of substituted amines were chosen. The aliphatic series was represented by the methyl and ethyl primary, secondary and tertiary amines. These are the simplest aliphatic amines. For the aromatic series, the phenyl primary, secondary and tertiary amines were selected as being the simplest. The heterocyclic series was represented by pyridine, which is a simple heterocyclic base (tertiary amine).

Jan 1, 1944

By Immo H. Redeker

The Asheville Minerals Research Laboratory at North Carolina State University is engaged mainly in applied nonmetallic mineral processing research to assist the North Carolina mining industry. The laboratory helped to bring the flotation process to North Carolina feldspar. spodumene, mica and phosphate producers and it maintains a versatile batch and pilot plant. The conservation of mineral resources through improved processing methods has been the object of most of the laboratory's projects. Current laboratory work is sponsored by three feldspar companies, the State of North Carolina, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines. This work is aimed at reducing the amounts of feldspar tailings in the Spruce Pine area. Mineral dressing techniques are applied to these tails to reclaim salable mineral products such as feldspar, mica, quartz, and to make a more uniform material for possible ceramic and other applications.

Jan 1, 1970

By H. Rumfelt

Strip mining in the domestic coal industry is contributing a greater proportion bf overall production than at any time in the past. U.S. Bureau of Mines statistics show that the percentage of total production mined in 1958 by stripping methods increased to more than 30 pct, up from 22 pct in 1951. The tendency to favor strip and open pit mining exists in other mining activities, but such trends are not as clearly outlined as in the coal industry. Significantly, the depth of overburden in coal properties considered suitable for stripping is also increasing. A depth of 50 to 60 ft of overburden was once considered to be about the maximum amount that could be handled economically. Today, a depth of 80 to 100 ft is frequently taken into consideration for simple overcasting operations (i.e., excavating overburden and dumping it in the spoil position where it remains indefinitely).

Jan 5, 1961

By R. E. Hummel, J. W. Koger

SINCE the first report about a diffusionless transformation of bcc p1 brass to tetragonal p" in 1936 by Kaminski and Kurdjumov,' a series of papers have been published about this transformation, mainly dealing with the temperature range of the martensitic-start temperature (M,) and with the crystallographic structures of the parent and product phases .s In the

Jan 1, 1969

By K. A. Natarajan, I. Iwasaki

Platinum electrodes are not inert as often thought to be. The reactivity of platinum electrodes can explain their erratic behavior in many electrochemical measurements of metallurgical interest, e.g, in flotation systems, streaming potential measurements, contact-angle measurements, and in leaching systems. The anomalous behavior of platinum electrodes in redox potential measurements in aqueous systems was studied through Eh and pH measure ments in water-oxygen, iron-water-oxygen, and manganese-water-oxygen systems. Stability relations between Fe++ and Fe (OH), and between Fe (OH), and Fe (OH), were studied to judge the correspondence between experimental and theoretical equilibrium lines. The practicality of redox potential measurements in estimating ferric-ferrous ratios in aqueous systems was investigated along with their suitability as indicators in leaching operations, e.g., the removal of iron by aeration from manganese leach solutions. Platinum electrodes have often been used in the measurement of dissolved oxygen concentrations and of redox potentials (Eh) in a variety of fields, e.g., analytical chemistry,' corrosion," geology and mineralogy,,'' biology,"' sewage treatment,' * hydrometallurgy,"I" and flotation."la The effectiveness of Eh-pH diagrams, first reported by Pourbaix' in 1949, has contributed much towards the theoretical understanding of numerous problems encountered in the metallurgical industry. Not many references are available in the literature, however, wherein attempts have been made to confirm Eh-pH diagrams from experimental measurements. One reason might be that, in spite of the apparent simplicity of the electrochemical technique, the direct measurement of Eh involves complex practical problems.' Factors such as the purity of the solution, the type of electrodes used, the history of the indicator electrode, and the type of atmosphere (namely, oxidizing, reducing, or inert) do have effects on the measured Eh values. The influence of mixed potentials cannot be underestimated. The poisoning of platinum electrodes by organic and inorganic impurities present in the solution may lead to erratic results. Platinum, commonly thought to be an inert electrode material, is not really so, as attested by a number of previous investigators who advised caution concerning the anomalous behavior of platinum electrodes in various electrochemical measurements.'" In the present article, a few pertinent experiments related to Eh-pH measurements in systems of interest in the metallurgical and water pollution fields are described in an attempt to correlate such information with what is already known, especially in the electrochemical literature. Iron-water and manganese-water systems were selected with a view of studying the correspondence between experimentally observed and theoretically established equilibrium lines. The work included an investigation of the behavior of platinum electrodes with respect to pretreatment and adsorption characteristics, the measurement of dissolved oxygen concentrations and their relation to Eh, the determination of the electrode potential of the ferric-ferrous couple at different pH, and the measurement of oxidation potentials in iron-manganese leaching systems. Experimental Procedure A rotating platinum electrode was used in many of the measurements to study the effect of rotation on measured Eh values. The electrode made by the Pine Instrument Co. consisted of a stainless steel rod with a platinum disk soldered to the end. It was covered with a Teflon insulation along the sides, so that only the circular tip of the electrode was exposed to the solution. Prior to its use, the platinum surface was brightened on a metallurgical polishing wheel with alumina as an abrasive, unless specified otherwise. The electrode was rotated with a Sargent cone-drive motor at 350 rpm. The contact of the electrode with the external circuit was made by filling a notch at the top of the stainless steel shaft with mercury and by dipping a copper wire into the mercury pool. The performance of the rotating platinum electrode was compared with the performances of a Beckman platinum button electrode and a platinum wire electrode. All the potentials were measured with respect to a saturated calomel electrode. A saturated KC1-agar bridge was used to minimize the liquid junction potential. A Beckman Zeromatic pH meter together with a Beck-man electrode switch was used to measure both the Eh and pH. A double-walled, all-Pyrex jar with a capacity of about 1 liter and themostated by circulating water of constant temperature was used for a reaction cell. Four equally spaced ports in the cover provided access for a glass electrode, a salt bridge connecting the saturated calomel electrode, a dispersion tube for bubbling gases into the cell solution, inlet and outlet tubes for passing the desired gases over the solution, and a graduated burette for introducing reagents from outside. The rotating platinum electrode was inserted through an opening in the top-center of the cover, and a positive gas pressure was maintained inside the cell to prevent air from entering into the cell compartment. A magnetic stirrer was used to mix the solution inside. For the determination of dissolved oxygen in the test solutions, the polarographic techniquex was used.

Jan 1, 1971

By Russell G. Haworth

Three companies, United States Potash Company, Potash Company of America, and International Minerals and Chemical Corporation, are now operating potash mines and refineries in the Carlsbad, New Mexico, area. The three mines are located approximately twenty miles east of Carlsbad. The deposits have been found ideal for mechanized mining methods. This summary has been compiled from information made available by the three operating companies.

Jan 1, 1949