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By James F. Kemp

The iron ores of southeastern Cuba present a subject of exceptional geological interest. Their relations to the inclosing rocks are varied and in some cases unusual. The problem of their geological origin is not a simple one and for this reason has occasioned some divergence of views among previous observers. Profiting, however, by these earlier studies and by more detailed field and laboratory observations as well as by the experience of added years of mining, much more satisfactory descriptions and interpretations can now be prepared. Previous Work In 1884, interest in the southeastern coast of Cuba became active among the consumers of iron ore along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. Active development was undertaken by the Juragua Iron Co., Ltd., a corporation affiliated with the Bethlehem Steel Co., and the Pennsylvania Steel Co. The property of the Juragua company, which is situated about 15 miles east of Santiago, was studied in June and July, 1884, by Dr. James P. Kimball, at the time Professor of Economic Geology in Lehigh University and one of the best known of American mining geologists. Dr. Kimball published on his return two papers, the first important descriptions which we have of the local geology.1 It is

Jan 1, 1916

By Roy McLellan

THE slags derived from the smelting of lead and copper ores are composed essentially of silicates. The problems arising from the smelting of these ores consequently involve the study of silicate fusions. In the absence of specific knowledge concerning the compounds occurring in slags, it has been the practice of metallurgists to treat them in terms of their total chemical composition. Slags have been classified as monosilicates, bisilicates, sesquisilicates, and subsilicates according to the relative amounts of oxygen in the acid and basic radicles of the hypothetical salt produced. While this has been a useful guide to metallurgists in computing the furnace charges, it falls far short of a basis for the scientific investigation of slags. In order to understand the nature of a slag as a whole it is necessary to learn the physical and chemical properties of the mineral compounds which go to make up that slag. The efficiency with which an ore is smelted in a furnace depends primarily on the physical properties of the compounds formed during the operation. When the melting points and fields of stability of each of the mineral compounds in slags have been established, it will be possible to determine the properties of any given slag by examining the nature and amounts of its mineral constituents.

Jan 1, 1930

By James F. Kemp

(San Francisco Meeting, September, 1915) THE iron ores of southeastern Cuba present a subject of exceptional geological interest. Their relations to the inclosing rocks are varied and in some cases unusual. The problem of their geological origin is not a simple one and for this reason has occasioned some divergence of views among previous observers. Profiting, however, by. these earlier studies and by more detailed field and laboratory observations as well as by the experience of added years of mining, much more satisfactory descriptions and interpretations can now be prepared. PREVIOUS WORK In 1884, interest in the southeastern coast of Cuba became active among the consumers of iron ore along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. Active development was undertaken by the Juragua Iron Co., Ltd., a corporation affiliated with the Bethlehem Steel Co., and the Pennsylvania Steel Co. The property of the Juragua company, which is situated about 15 miles east of Santiago, was studied in June and July, 1884, by Dr. James P. Kimball, at the tine Professor of Economic Geology in Lehigh University and one of the best known of American mining geologists. Dr. Kimball published on his return two papers, the first important descriptions which we have of the local geology.1 It is

Jan 9, 1915

By Paul Foote

SEEBECK discovered, in 1821, that if, in a closed circuit of two metals the two junctions are at different temperatures, an electric current will flow in the circuit. In the case of an iron and a copper wire, for example, current will flow from copper to iron at the hot junction, or from iron to copper at the cold junction. Two factors combine to cause the current. An electromotive force exists between the two metals, the magnitude of which, depends upon the temperature and upon the metals; this is called the Peltier e.m.f. If a single wire of homogeneous material is heated at one end, an electromotive force is developed between the ends of the wire, the magnitude of which depends upon the metal and upon the difference in temperature; this is known as the Thomson e.m.f: The total e.m.f. acting in the circuit is the sum of the Peltier e.m.f. at the two junctions and the Thomson e.m.f. in each wire, consideration being given, of course, to the algebraic signs of the four e.m.f.'s. The total electromotive force thus depends upon the difference in temperature of the two

Jan 9, 1919

The term "timbered stope" is here meant to denote stopes in which timbering is the predominant feature of the mining method. Stopes with stull sets, as in the Hecla mine, are types of timbered stopes; these types are probably the best-known. Timbering stopes by means of square sets is not as common as formerly, as the system is not often necessary, yet there are good examples and large tonnages are being mined by the method. The square set may be utilized in ordinary overhand stopes if the orebody is suitable. At some mines, square sets have been abandoned in favor of top-slicing; and at others, the square set has superseded horizontal cut and backfilling. A drift, either in the wall or orebody, is necessary before opening the sill floor. In wide deposits, there may be a grillage of drifts and crosscuts, and at least one raise to the level above is needed in each stope for ventilation and handling timbers and filling. The square sets are filled with waste rock from the hanging wall, sorted from the ore, from development work, or from the level above. As a rule, little timber is recovered. The examples include the Butte district, Mother Lode of California, Bunker Hill & Sullivan, Hecla, and Morning mines.

Jan 1, 1925

By Herbert Clark Hoover, Lou Henry Hoover

SINCE I have written of the varied work of pre- paring the ores, I will now write of the various methods of smelting them. Although those who bum, roast and calcinea the ore, take from it something which is mixed or combined with the metals ; and those who crush it with stamps take away much ; and those who wash, screen and sort it, take away still more; yet they cannot remove all which conceals the metal from the eye and renders it crude and unformed. Wherefore smelting is necessary, for by this means earths, solidified juices, and stones are separated from the metals so that they obtain their proper colour and become pure, and may be of great use to mankind in many ways. When the ore is smelted, those things which were mixed with the metal before it was melted are driven forth, because the metal is perfected by fire in this manner. Since metalliferous ores differ greatly amongst themselves, first as to the metals which they contain, then as to the quantity of the metal which is in them, and then by the fact that some are rapidly melted by fire and others slowly, there are, therefore, many methods of smelting. Constant practice has taught the

Jan 1, 1950

By H. A. J. Wilkens, H. B. C. Nitze

From time to time papers treating of specific cases of Southern gold-mines and mining have appeared in the Transactions of this Institute, as well as in other journals and publications. Mr. George I?. Becker, of the United States Geological Survey, made a reconnaissance of the Southern Appalachian gold-belt during the fall of 1894; the results of his investigations are published under the title of "A Reconnoissance of the GoldFields of the Southern Appalachians," in the Sixteenth Annual Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 1894-95 : Part III., " Mineral Resources of the United States." Mr. Becker has treated the subject mainly in a scientific geological manner. We present this paper to the members of the Institute as requested by the Secretary last May, with the object of covering the ground from a more practical and technical standpoint. The notes for this paper were made in a large measure from personal observations, gained chiefly during the past summer on a trip through the field. In connection with this trip we collected a suite of typical hand-specimens, representing the gold-ores and wall-rock from the more important localities. This collection forms a part of the exhibit

Jan 1, 1896

By Francis Clark

WHEN 60:40 brass is heated to 825° C., given a drastic quench to obtain the beta solid solution, and reheated, various changes take place in the structure. Reheating at 200° C. causes a fine, granular, sorbitic structure to appear which has been considered alpha solid solution. These particles coalesce at higher temperatures of reheating, and at 470° C., the alpha forms twins. A further study of these transformations was considered worth investigating. EXPERIMENTAL WORK The object of the experimental work was to study the effect of mechanical work on rolled 60:40 brass, quenched and reheated, and the mechanism of twinning in the alpha reeds of a furnace-cooled specimen. It was desired to determine the effect of mechanical work on the transformations taking place on reheating the quenched material, both at 200 and at 470° C. A study of the nature of the structure resulting from the breakdown of the beta at 200° C. and a study of the mechanism of twinning above 470° C. were considered problems for investigation. The question of the twinning of the alpha reeds was also an important phase of the work. With high-power magnifications, there was hope of following these processes.

Jan 1, 1927

By John D. Morgan, Sylvain J. Pirson

An instantaneous and continuous analysis of a mineral suspension should be of great value in controlling various mineral preparation processes. Described herein is a method of analysis based on the use of high-frequency alternating current, which, under certain restrictive conditions, could be of use. Theoretical Considerations In a suspension of conductive minerals, the electrical effect primarily responsible for the variations in electric conductivity is the capacitance. In Fig Ia, let an alternating voltage E be applied across two electrodes F and F', between which are two rows (S and T) of mineral particles, all of approximately the same size, immersed in a fluid. Let the number of rows of particles between the electrodes be R and the number of particles in each row be N. If A is the area of a particle, D is the distance separating two particles, and k is a constant depending on the fluid, the capacity, CO, of the particle system will be given by: KRA C°= ND Referring now to Fig Ib, let R, the number of rows, be held constant, but let N, the number of particles in each row (S and T), be increased X-fold. The capacity, C1, of

Jan 1, 1949

By T. K. Smith

The comments contained in the discussion of the paper concerning the prediction of fracture gradients are of considerable interest, since the subject is of a very controversial and timely nature. It is regrettable and Fairhurst2 contradicts the author's statement in the third paragraph of Other Applications. These references create significant doubt that Eaton's Eq. 1 predicts fracture pressure during the injection of fluid into old wells. 3. No evidence is presented in this paper to support the author's Conclusions 2 and 3. While an empirical coefficient related to back-calculated field data is correlated with depth (Eaton's Fig. 4), there is no reason to suspect that this coefficient might be the Poisson's ratio of the various formations involved. 4. Until the field data supporting the empirical approach proposed by the author are presented and evaluated, the accuracy claimed in Conclusion 5 is without substantiation. References 1. Geertsma, J.: "Problems of Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Production Engineering", Proc., First Intl. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Lisbon (1966) 585. 2. Haimson, B. and Fairhurst, C.: "Hydraulic Fracturing in Porous-Permeable Materials", I. Pet Tech. (July, 1969) 811-817. that the comments are those of a critic and do not offer an alternative and better method for the prediction of fracture gradients. Nevertheless, a reply is in order.

Jan 1, 1970

By G. Donald Emigh

WESTERN phosphate resources which lie in Ida- ho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, have seen great expansion of activity in recent years. Growth has been two-pronged: expansion in fertilizer use, and since 1949, into the elemental phosphorous industry. Elemental phosphorous, produced in the electric furnace, goes largely into chemical making. Phosphate ore was first recognized in the West about 1889. Production started in 1906, and for many years consisted of underground operations by small companies operating sporadically. In 1920 Anaconda Copper Mining Co. opened the underground Conda mine near Soda Springs in southeastern Idaho, and has maintained and increased its operations since then. About 1930 Montana Phosphate Products Co. began underground mining in Montana and has remained a steady producer. In 1945 San Francisco Chemical Co., one of the oldest companies in the western field, initiated strip mining at the Waterloo mine near Montpelier, Idaho, and later at Leefe mine near Sage Junction, Wyo. In1946 J. R. Simplot Co. began open pit mining at Gay mine near Fort Hall, Idaho. In 1950 Victor Chemical Works began underground development work in the area of Maiden Rock, south of Butte, Mont.: and has since mined there. Monsanto Chemical Co. began open pit mining near Soda Springs, Idaho, in 1951.

Jan 11, 1954

By K. C. Ko, D. A. Pifer

The theory of probability with respect to the failure of structures is discussed. It is shown that the probability of safety, probability of failure, and factor of safety are directly related to each other and that as standard deviation approaches zero, the probability curves approach a unit step function which can be interpreted as the conventional factor of safety. The factor of safety is numerically the ratio of the load to the strength of the material at a particular point or plane in an engineering structure. Mathematically, it can be illustrated as a unit step function undefined at the point where the factor of safety is one (Fig. 1). The uncertainty of variation of soil and rock strengths require factors of safety much higher than those used in other engineering structures. The factors of safety used are generally determined from past experiences with similar structures. However, the factors thus determined do not have any theoretical meaning or do not indicate any relationship to actual safety.' It seems, therefore, logical to develop a system with a sound theoretical basis to obtain a more suitable factor of safety for structures. An application of elementary theory of probability indicates that it is possible to relate this number to theoretical and practical engineering facts.

Jan 1, 1971

By William Y. Holland, Roger H. Cook

Dexter H. Reynolds (Chapman and Wood, Mining Engineers and Consulting Geologists, Albuquerque, N. M.)—A number of questions are raised by conclusions and inferences made in the above-mentioned paper. The more troublesome of these concern use of the various pozzolans to combat the deleterious effects of the alkali-aggregate reaction. The most alkali-reactive materials listed are opal and rocks containing opaline silica. The pozzolans mentioned specifically for use as amelioratives are opaline shales and cherts. These are stated to retard the expansion caused by the alkali-aggregate reaction. Another well-recognized pozzolan is diatomaceous earth, which consists principally of opaline silica. A pozzolan presumably owes its effectiveness to its high reactivity with the alkaline liquid phase of the concrete mix. It appears reasonable to expect that finely divided opaline silica added as a pozzolan would be more susceptible to reaction with the alkalies present than would larger particles of the same material. The authors report that work with high and low alkali cements indicates that in the presence of alkali-reactive materials, deleterious expansion depends upon the alkali content of the cement. The total effect, therefore, should be more or less independent of the amount of reactive aggregate present, and still more independent of its state of subdivision. The deleterious effects should, if anything, be aggravated by the addition of a finely divided, highly reactive pozzolan. Further, if the alkali-aggregate reaction is of great importance in the long-term soundness of concrete structures, the addition of a pozzolan to a concrete made with aggregate free from known deleterious materials would be a questionable procedure. The benefits reportedly accruing from such use of pozzolans are greater ultimate strength for a given cement content, increased resistance to deterioration by exposure to sulphate solutions and other mineral waters, and greater resistance to damage by wetting and drying and freezing and thawing. In view of the deleterious effects of highly reactive materials are these benefits ephemeral? The same considerations apply to another alkali-reactive material, chalcedony, which appears to consist of ultrafine-grained quartz, with opal absent in detectable amounts. Quartz flour is notably reactive chemically and physiologically (cf. Ref. 11 of Holland and Cook's paper), a fact borne out by its effectiveness as a pozzolan, which presumably might be expected to offset the deleterious effects of the presence of chalcedony in the aggregate. A second question of some importance concerns the reportedly highly deleterious reactivity of acidic and intermediate volcanic glasses, such as rhyolite, perlite, and pumice. Air entrainment is listed as one of the ameliorative measures to combat the deleterious effects of the alkali-aggregate reaction. The alkalic-silica gel formed by the reaction may expand into air bubbles and thus not cause appreciable expansion of the concrete mass. It would appear then that pumice and perlite, particularly perlites of the pumiceous types and other types after expansion, would also tend to counteract the expansion, since these materials consist largely of voids and air bubbles. Certainly this would be expected of structural concrete in which pumice or perlite is used as total aggregate. Finely ground pumice, perlite, and volcanic ash have been demonstrated to be active pozzolans (cf. Pumice as Aggregate for Lightweight Structural Concrete by Wagner, Gay, and Reynolds, Univ. of New Mexico Publications in Engineering No. 5, Albuquerque, 1950). In fact, the term pozzolan was first associated with finely divided pumice or volcanic ash. Such materials were used with hydrated lime as the sole cementitious agent in constructing public buildings, roads, and aqueducts by the ancient Romans. The deleterious alkali reactivity of the volcanic glass, itself containing several percent of the alkalies, apparently did not contribute to the remarkable state of preservation of those ancient structures, as exemplified by the Appian Way and the Pantheon Dome. Still a third question involves .the reactivity of constituents of concrete when exposed to various salt solutions. Resistance to. deleterious expansion and cracking as a result of contact with mineral waters and its relationship to the mineral content of the aggregate are not mentioned by the authors. Yet the phenomena pictured in Fig. 1, and especially in Fig. 2, appear very much like those caused by exposure to mineral waters. The deterioration of concretes exposed to sulphate waters is generally considered related to the chemical constituency of the cement itself, particularly to the relative amount of tricalcium alum-inate contained. Could not many of the ill effects presently blamed on alkali-aggregate reaction really have been caused by contact with sulphate or other salt-containing mineral waters? Or perhaps their use as mixing waters? May not the deleterious expansion be as much a function of the chemical makeup of the cement as it is of the mineral constituency of the aggregate? Would it not be just as important to use alkali-free mixing water as it is to use a low-alkali cement? It appears obvious that resistance of cements and concretes to sulphate and other salt solutions cannot be left out of account in discussion of deterioration of concrete structures with time. This factor may be of equal or even greater importance than the alkali-aggregate reaction, particularly for concrete subjected to wetting and drying cycles, such as airstrip paving, water-retaining dams, and highway structures. Another very important factor is called to attention on page 1022 of the article in Mining Engineering, October 1953, in that failure of concrete structures may result from poor construction practices and use of too high water-cement ratios. Both of these can contribute remarkably to decreased resistance to attack by sulphate waters, and presumably could have an equally remarkable effect upon extent of damage resulting from the alkali-aggregate reaction. From the above remarks it appears that while alkali-aggregate reaction may be an important factor in decreasing the useful. life of a concrete structure, it is not the only factor involved, and it may not be even a controlling factor. Likewise, many of the phenomena apparently associated with the alkali-aggregate reaction may have resulted from cond'itions which had little relationship to the alkali-reactivity of a constituent of the aggregate. Certainly if alkali-aggregate reactivity is a major factor in bringing about early failure, one cannot help feeling anxiety concerning the future of the many concrete structures in this country and abroad in which pumice and perlite were used as total or partial aggregates. This anxiety can only be dispelled by calling to mind that among the best-preserved relics coming down to us from ancient times are structures made with mortars containing highly alkali-reactive aggregates.

Jan 1, 1955

By George Simkovich

It was hypothesized that solid-state point defects should alter the flotation properties of solids. Tests conducted on pure AgCl and AgCl doped with CdC12 show that atomic point defects exhibit an important role in the floatability of AgC1. Tests conducted on PbS doped with Ag2s or Bi2S3, also show that the defect structures resulting from these dope additions, i.e., a combination of electronic and atomic point defects, contribute significantly to the flotation of PbS. IT has been established that flotation occurs only when a finite contact angle exists between a solid and a gaseous bubble.' This angle, measured through the liquid phase, is expressed by the equation where the are inter facial free energies and the subscripts S, G, and L represent solid, gas, and liquid phases, respectively. As is seen in Eq. [I] three interface free energies, sG, sl, and GL, enter into the contact angle equation. Therefore, any variation in these energies which sufficiently varies the contact angle will, in turn, vary flotation processes. Changes made in any of the phases concerned, i.e., gas, liquid, or solid phase, are reflected through the changes occurring in two of the surface energy terms. Thus, a change in the liquid composition would be noted in sL and GL, and it is this phase, the liquid, which is most frequently altered in flotation studies., Changes in the solid phase must be reflected through the changes occurring in the sG and sL terms. In particular, it is hypothesized that changes in the surface concentrations of point defects in the solid-phase will alter the sG and sL terms which, in turn, will be reflected by flotation results. As an illustration of this hypothesis one may consider the defect structure and the flotation of AgC1. The bulk defect structure of AgCl is essentially one involving equal number of cation vacancies and interstitial cations.3 Upon adding CdC1, to AgC1, a greater number of silver ion vacancies are created in the bulk of the crystal.4 On the surface of the crystal the smaller binding forces and the free space accomodations may also allow for the creation of "surface interstitial anions", which will be designated as ad-anions. Thus, the point defect structure of the surface of AgCl doped with CdCl, will consist of cation vacancies and/or adanions. If the molecular forces responsible for the surface energies, ?SG and ?sL, are significantly altered by the presence of these surface point defects, then differences in flotation results will be noted as the concentration of these defects is varied. The defects present in AgCl are predominantly atomic in nature. In the case of PbS both electronic and atomic defects are present.5 This compound conducts electrically by either electrons or electron holes depending upon whether excess lead or excess sulfur is present. Upon disolving BiS3 in stoichio-metric PbS, one increases the concentration of cation vacancies and the number of electron carriers in the bulk of the crystal.5" At the surface, the possibility of ad-anions must also be considered. Conversely, upon dissolving AgS in stoichiometric PbS one increases the concentration of interstitial cations and the number of electronhole carriers in the bulk of the crystal.5,6' At the surface the interstitial cations will be designated as ad-cations. Thus, the point defect structure of the surface of a PbS crystal doped with Bi2S3 will consist of a number of cation vacancies and/or ad-anions and an excess of electrons. Conversely the point defects on the surface of a PbS crystal doped with Ag2S will consist of a number of ad-cations and an excess of electron holes. Again, as in the case of AgC1, should the molecular forces responsible for the magnitude of the interface free energies, ?sG and ?sL, be significantly altered by the presence of these surface defects then significant differences in flotation results will be noted as the concentration of these defects is varied. EXPERIMENTAL To test this hypothesis flotation tests were conducted on pure and doped AgCl and on PbS doped with either Bi2S3 or Ag2S. Preparation of the AgCl samples was performed as follows: AgCl and weighed amounts of CdC1, were melted in a porcelain crucible. The melt was then forced through a capillary tube and the particles emitted solidified in air as they fell about 1.5 meters. Spherical particles, -0.50 + 0.25 mm, were separated from the remaining solidified material

Jan 1, 1963

By Milton Glicken

THE airborne geophysicist is a busy man these days. In his plane he may have the airborne magnetometer, the airborne scintillation counter, and the airborne electromagnetic surveying system. Each of these is an independent tool, but all require additional auxiliary equipment for locating the aircraft in space: recording altimeters and Shoran or aerial cameras. Now there is still another piece of equipment, the airborne magnetic gradiometer, an accessory to the magnetometer. To understand its uses, consider the function of the magnetometer itself. Aside from detecting magnetic ore, the airborne magnetometer finds greatest use in spotting intrusions of igneous material. Where there is enough contrast in magnetic susceptibility of igneous rock and adjacent formations, it outlines the intrusion. Certain minerals also influence the magnetometer directly, but with the exception of magnetite and possibly one or two others, their effect is weak and can be detected only when there is sufficient ore and the magnetometer flight passes very close to it. An igneous intrusion of infinite depth with vertical sides is represented on a magnetometer record by an anomaly, as in Fig. 1. Amplitude of the high depends on susceptibility contrast of the igneous rock. Generally speaking, the edge of the intrusion lies below the point of inflection of the curve, and this point, where the curvature changes from positive to negative on the magnetometer profile, would be near A in Fig. 1, with a counterpart, of course, on the other side. Location of the contact is one of the principal objects of the survey, but finding the precise point is not always easy, as inspection of the curve near A will show. Mineralization is often found at the contact zones, as at B. Magnetic effects, if detected, may be small, as in B', and when superimposed on the anomaly due to the instrusion they are very difficult to discern and analyze. Furthermore, if these small fluctuations are to be perceived by the magnetometer the vertical scale should be large. This increases the slopes of the anomaly and makes detection of small deviations and inflection points even more difficult. The airborne magnetic gradiometer was designed to help overcome these difficulties. What it presents is the first derivative of the magnetometer record with respect to time, that is to say, the slope at any point. Fig. 2 represents an actual magnetometer record (solid line) with the corresponding gradiometer record (dashed line) superimposed. Both records read from right to left. Vertical lines on the original magnetometer record are automatic steps designed to keep the pen from going off scale. The slope of any curve is greatest at the point of inflection or point where the curvature changes sign, and this point is a maximum (or minimum) on the gradi- ometer. The chief advantage of the gradiometer is that maxima or minima are much easier to see and to locate precisely; hence an accurate location for the point of inflection can easily be found. Note that points C and D are more sharply defined than C and D'. Similarly the small fluctuations of the original record, so important to the interpreter, are far more clearly shown at E, F, and G, than on the original record at E', F', and G'. Though not necessarily highs and lows on the gradiometer, they do show up clearly what would take a painstaking analysis to detect on the original magnetometer record. Will the gradiometer have a particular configuration which indicates an orebody? Not necessarily. The total intensity curve, or original magnetometer record, can display an orebody in various ways, depending on dimensions, orientation, latitude, and composition, as well as on direction, flight height, and instrumental sensitivity of the traverse. Where the total intensity can take on so many different shapes the gradiometer must vary too. It is generally recognized that interpretation of total intensity magnetometer records requires an expert analysis; the gradiometer can be of considerable assistance to the expert but it does not replace him. Mechanism of the gradiometer is simple. A Leeds & Northrup recorder in the aircraft records the magnetic gradient simultaneously with the total intensity, which is on another recorder. Fiducial marks are put on both records simultaneously and the speed of the paper through the recorders is kept the same on both. This makes it possible to place one record over the other for direct comparison. In the laboratory the flights are positioned on a map. Maximum and minimum points on the gradiometer, which can then be posted on the map at their proper locations, may be expected to fall along a trend crossing the direction of flight. Trends should indicate the edge of an intrusion, or some other important features, and when superimposed on the total intensity contour map help greatly to locate the points of inflection, or line of zero curvature.

Jan 1, 1956

By L. C. Brown, S. K. Behera

The diffusion rate in Ag-Sb couples is sensitive to con~pressive load with the width of Ag3Sb, the only phase present in the diffusion zone, increasing with stress up to 800 psi and remaining constant above this. Kirkendall marker experiments show silver to diffuse much faster than antimony in Ag3Sb and incipient porosity may therefore develop at the Ag/Ag3Sb interfnce restricting the transfer of atoms from the silver into the diflusion zone. Application of compressive stress reduces the tendency for porosity to develop and so increases the growth rate. In a recent paper Brown et al.1 observed a significant increase in the thickness of Cu2Te in Cu-Te diffusion couples on application of a compressive stress as low as 20 psi. Similar stress effects have also been observed in the Fe-A1,2 Al-u,3 arid cu-sb4,5 systems. It has been suggested that the increase in growth rates of intermetallic phases in these systems is due to a decrease in the amount of Kirkendall porosity with applied stress. In the present paper, results are presented of the effect of compressive stress on diffusion in Ag-Sb, together with a detailed examination of the Kirkendall effect. The Ag-Sb phase diagram6 shows that antimony has a moderate degree of solid solubility in silver, 5.7 at. pct at 350°C, but that there is essentially no solubility of silver in antimony. There are two intermediate phases— (hcp7) from 8.8 to 15.7 at. pct Sb and Ag3Sb (orthorhombic8) from 21.8 to 25.9 at. pct Sb. EXPERIMENTAL Diffusion couples were prepared from fine silver of 99.95 pct purity and from antimony of 99.7 pct purity. Both the silver and antimony were produced in the form of discs 1/2 in. in diam by approximately $ in. thick, with surfaces ground flat to 3/0 emery paper. Diffusion anneals were carried out in the apparatus previously described.1 A compressive load was applied to the diffusion couple through a lever arm system, with a reproducibility estimated to be ±10 psi. All runs were carried out in a protective hydrogen atmosphere. Following the diffusion anneal specimens were sectioned and polished and the width of the diffusion zone was measured metallographically. Composition profiles were measured using an electrostatically focused electron probe with a spot size of 10 , counting on Sb L radiation. Corrections for matrix absorptiori and fluorescent enhancement9 were not required. S. K. BEHERA, formerly Graducate Student, Department of Metallurgy, University of British Columbia, is now Postdoctoral Fellow, Whiteshell Nuclear Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba. L. C. BROWN, Junior Member AIME, is Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Manuscript submitted June 14, 1968. IMD RESULTS Fig. 1 shows an electron probe traverse of a typical diffusion zone. In all couples examined only one intermediate phase was observed and the composition of this phase, 23 wt pct Sb, was in good agreement with the composition of Ag3Sb, 23 to 28 wt pct Sb. The presence of this phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction of filings taken from the diffusion zone. The probe traverses showed no detectable solid solubility in either the silver or the antimony although the phase diagram indicates that some antimony, up to 6.5 wt pct pct Sb, should be in solid solution in the silver. However the width of this portion of the diffusion zone would be expected to be very small in view of the low diffusion coefficient in the silver, 4 x 10-l6 sq cm per sec at 350°C, 10 compared with that in the Ag,Sb, estimated as 3 x 10-8 sq cm per sec in the present work, and this region would therefore not be expected to be seen in the probe traverse. Application of stress resulted in a significant increase in the width of the diffusion zone, Fig. 2. At 350°C, the thickness of Ag3Sb increased from 250 at 0 psi to 400 p at the limiting stress of 800 psi, indicating an apparent 150 pct increase in the diffusion coefficient. Similar behavior was also observed at 400°C, indicating that the stress effect is not characteristic of just one temperature. The growth of Ag3Sb at 350°C and at various stresses is shown in Fig. 3. In every case the growth rate was parabolic indicating diffusion control. The kinetic curves all passed through the origin showing that delayed nucleation of Ag3Sb was not responsible for the stress effect and that it was a real growth effect. A series of tests were carried out in which diffusion was allowed to take place at a lower stress following an initial high stress diffusion anneal. Speci-

Jan 1, 1969

By C. L. Prokop

A laboratory investigation has been made of the effects of mud hydraulics upon the formation and erosion of mud filter cakes. The tests were conducted to simulate drilling conditions as nearly as possible. The formation of mud filter cake in a drilling well does not proceed at a uniform and unbroken rate. Instead, the rate of cake accumulation depends upon whether or not the mud is being circulated. If the mud column is quiescent, filter cake formation is a smooth function of the filtration characteristics of the system. If the mud is being circulated filter cake formation depends not only upon the filtration characteristics of the mud but also upon the erosive action of the flowing mud column Filter cakes formed during continuous mud circulation were observed to reach an equilibrium thickness after several hours' circulation. Mud circulation was maintained at a constant volumetric rate throughout each experiment. The fluid velocity at equilibrium cake thickness was dependent upon the thickness of the filter cake. Muds having exceptionally high water loss deposited thick filter cakes in spite of very high eroding velocities. The muds having good filtration characteristics deposited thin filter cakes at equilibrium circulating velocities well within tile range of those in a drilling well. It was observed that filter cakes deposited during stagnant filtration were quite difficult to erode by mud circulation. The - rate of crosion computed from the rate of filtrate accumulation after equilibrium cake thickness had been reached was in reasonable agreement with the rate of erosion obtained by direct observation. Continuous mud circulation usually caused the permeability of the filter cake to decrease with time. INTRODUCTION Many of the difficulties encountered during tile drilling of a well have been attributed to the loss of water from the mud and the attendant deposition of solids upon the walls of the hole. Past experience has shown that a reduction of the filtration rate of the drilling fluid eliminates or greatly reduces these difficulties. Definite filtration requirements, however, are hard to establish for a given set of conditions. This is due. in part, to the fact that the usual filtration test performed upon mud doe? not simulate well conditions as closely as desirable. The filtration characteristics of a mud are customarily determined by means of the standard low-pressure API wall-building tester.' In this instrument a filter cake is deposited upon a horizontal bed under a pressure differential of 100 psi. The rnud is quiescent during the filtration period. In actual practice. mud filtration occurs within a well under quite different conditions. One of the major differences is that mud flows upward across the filter bed as the filter cake forms. This undoubtedly produces a change in the filter cake which cannot be reflected in the results of the API test. The laboratory work described in this paper had as its primary objective a better understanding of the influence of mud circulation upon the thickness and ,characteristics of the filter cakes deposited under conditions similar to those existing in a drilling well. ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM Once a permeable formation is penetrated by the bit, filtrate from the mud flows into the formation. 'he mud solids plaster against the walls of the hole, forming a filter cake. If the mud column is stagnant, that is, if it is not being circulated. the filter cake will increase in thickness until the hole is filled. Prior to the time that the hole is filled, the thickness of filter cake existing at any given time will be a function of the filtration characteristics of the mud, the temperature, and the pressure differential. The effects of these variables have been investigated in the past for both flat bed filtration2'3 and for radial filtration.' When the mud is circulated in a hole in which a filter cake i. being deposited. some of the solids that would ordinarily deposit in the filter cake will be carried away by the eroding action of the mud. This will limit. filter cake thickness. Some work has been done to determine the effect of flow upon the filtration rate in a circulating mud system' but little work has been done upon the factors which determine the filter cake thickness existing in a circulating system. On first sight it would appear that the major factors controlling filter cake formation in a circulating system should be: 1. The rate of deposition of solids from the mud. 2. The erosive force that the flowing mud exerts upon the filter cake. 'A. The erodabilitv of the filter cake. 4. Any change in filter cake characteristics attributable to the scouring action of the mud. The rate at which solids are deposited from the mud will be controlled to a large degree by the filtration characteristics of the mud, the pressure differential. the temperature under

Jan 1, 1952

By A. R. Krause, C. Laird

In order to establish whether or not there is a real temperature effect in fatigue (independent of environment) , poly crystalline copper and Cu- 7.9 A1 alloy have been cycled at 298° and 7° K in vacuo and the fatigue lives compared with those in air and in liquid nitrogen. The lives of both copper and the alloy were found to be highly temperature-dependent in the absence of environment. This result casts serious doubt on the validity of the cell structure hypothesis for stage I crack propagation as presently formulated, because it predicts that there should be no such tempevnture dependence. On the other hand, the plastic blunling process is consistent with the result. Effects of environment aside, the homogenization of slip which accompanies testing at low temperature, and at low strains, seems to be the main cause for increased fatigue life. At high strain amplitudes, the fatigue lives of wavy slip materials, typically copper, are independent of temperature.' It is well-known, however, that low-strain lives greatly as as the temperature of testing is decreased. By contrast, the lives of planar slip materials, such as Cu-7.9 pct A1 alloy, increase to an even greater extent with decreasing temperature throughout both the high and low strain ranges.1'2'5 The mechanism of this temperature effect is associated with the earliest stages of fatigue failure,'" crack nucleation, and stage I growth,"' which is slow propagation along slip bands to the depth of a few grain diameters. Such life behavior has been interpreted on at least two different bases. On the one hand, those interested in the temperature effect at high strain amplitudes1 believe that stage I growth occurs by the plastic blunting process of crack propagation.7'9 They explain the effect in planar slip materials by the homogenization of slip* which accompanies fatigue testing at low temper- atures and serves both to delay crack nucleation and to decrease the rate of stage I propagation. On the other hand, Holt and Backofen,2 who have studied the effect in low strain fatigue, believe that stage I growth can be interpreted by a cell structure hypothesis.10-12 They have challenged2 the conclusion that there is a real temperature effect in this regime of fatigue testing and have interpreted the increased fatigue lives almost entirely in terms of the "environmental-protective'' effect of the liquid nitrogen and helium baths used to obtain low temperatures. This interpretation by Holt and Backofen2 may offer a means of discriminating between these two mechanisms as currently formulated and used to explain stage I growth. On the basis of the plastic blunting process applied to stage I crack propagation,7* the low strain fatigue lives of both wavy and planar slip materials should be increased with decreasing temperature. This follows because both materials show increased slip homogenization in this strain regime."13 Consequently, crack nucleation in intensified bands will be delayed and the linking of such small cracks into larger stage I cracks will be difficult. In addition, the blunting process required to lengthen a stage I crack from the order of 2 to 10 (where the strain concentration of the crack begins to overcome the slip homogenization property of the material) will also be retarded. These delays will give rise to longer lives in both kinds of material. In contrast to the blunting hypothesis, no temperature dependence has been predicted on the basis of the cell structure hypothesis, because it is well-known that materials cycled at low temperature show no differences in type of dislocation structure for a given strain amplitude.18"20 If the lives of wavy and planar slip materials do show a temperature dependence when the environment is eliminated as a variable, then it is questionable whether cell structures per se have a fundamental role in fatigue fracture. Accordingly, specimens of copper and Cu-7.9 wt pct A1 have been cycled at 298° and 77°K in vacuo and the fatigue lives compared with those in air and in liquid nitrogen, in order to establish whether or not there is a real temperature effect in low strain fatigue. Since it is difficult to measure the strains in specimens when cycled in vacuo, S-N curves have been used as the basis of comparison. In studying the influence of temperature on fatigue life in ordinary environment, Holt and Backofen2 used the superior basis of E-N curves. However, they also published S-N curves and thus established the relationship between E-N and S-N curves. This relationship is used to support the S-N comparison reported in the present investigation. EXPERIMENTAL Materials. The copper employed in this investigation was of 99.99 pct purity and the cu-7.9 pct A1 was prepared from metals of the same purity. The stock, of 3 in. initial diam, was reduced in size by rolling

Jan 1, 1969

By H. M. Fisher, R. E. Snow, S. C. Sun

SEVERAL constructive and fundamental studies have been made in the analysis of data obtained from experiments carried on with batch ball and rod mills. The operating characteristics of ball milling in small continuous circuits have also been appraised. It is from these analyses that some of the theories of comminution have been developed. Relatively few studies of continuous rod milling have added significantly to the fundamental concepts, because seldom have they yielded sufficiently consistent results. Perhaps they have been too limited in their scope. Careful control of the variables in batch grinding is simple compared with that encountered in a continuous operation. This factor alone has discouraged many investigators. Occasionally results of systematic changes made in industrial rod mill circuits have been published, but usually the data are sketchy and are restricted because of the unwieldiness of the equipment used. The work, in general, has not been comprehensive; nevertheless it has provided empirical relationships that have bridged the gap between postulate and practice so that by proper manipulation of formulae, a mill designer can anticipate mill size and power requirements.14 Although operating variables of a small continuous mill are not so easy to control as with the batch mill, with present day devices, and with careful experimental work, consistent results can be obtained. Nearly four years ago, in the Process Laboratory, Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. began a systematic study of the effects of several variables upon the performance of the pilot rod mill. A mill was built in the laboratory to provide the versatility required for the proposed study. It was constructed in sections so that it could be operated, with a few modifications, as a rod mill 30 in. x 8 ft or 30 in. x 4 ft. The discharge end of the shell was flanged so that either an end peripheral discharge or an overflow discharge could be installed. Thus the performance of at least four types of mills could be studied merely by changing the type of discharge or the length of the mill shell. The grinding experiments were designed so that a study could be made of the way in which the mill speed, feed rate, and pulp density influenced the performance of both overflow and end peripheral discharge rod mills. Four sets of experimental data were collected from the four mill arrangements. The mill in each set of experiments was fed at four rates of feed depending on the length of the mill, at four pulp densities, and at five percentages of critical speed. Electrical and mechanical controls were in- stalled to regulate all these independent variables, and auxiliary devices were used to verify the precision of the controls at each point. The dependent variables used to quantify the experiments were the reduction ratio and the hew surface area produced as calculated from sieve analyses. These were incorporated with the energy factor by the calculation of both the new surface produced per unit of energy and the Bond work index.' Rod wear, as a dependent variable, was not studied because of the short period of operation for each run. Exclusive of repeat runs, each set of experiments yielded 80 products, and the total study at least 320 products, all of which were quantified. With the operating information collected, these data presented a bewildering accumulation. Statistical analysis has been invaluable in unraveling the confusion and in presenting a means of establishing the nature and the magnitude of the significant variables. Data presented in this paper are those from the 30 in. x 4 ft end peripheral discharge rod mill, Fig. 1, when limestone was ground at feed rates of 1000, 2000, 4000, and 5000 lb per hr, at pulp densities of 50, 60, 70, and 80 pct solids, and at mill speeds of 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 pct of the critical speed. These 80 tests have all been run at least twice, and occasionally a third time, to prove that the data obtained were reproducible. The techniques of operation and the methods of quantification of results are described in the following pages and the results analyzed statistically to show the significant variables. The variables are plotted to show the relationships that exist. A massive dolomitic limestone from Waukesha Lime and Stone Co. was used for feed during these experiments because of its availability and its tex-tural uniformity. This limestone analyzed 28.7 pct CaO, 21.0 pct MgO, 6.0 pct SiO2, 0.4 pct A1²O³, and 0.3 pct Fe²O³ and had a loss on ignition of 44.1 pct. It had a rod mill grindability at 14 mesh of 9.6 grams per revolution from which a work index of 13.9 was calculated. The ball mill grindability at

Jan 1, 1955

By Rudolph G. Wuerker

Charles T. Holland (Head, Dept. of Mining Engineeri*, Virginia Polytechnical Inst., Blacksburg, Va.) Mr. Wuerker has presented a very interesting discussion of the use of triaxial test methods for investigating the strength properties of rocks. Such methods, no doubt, eventually will develop considerable information of interest to those concerned with the design of mine layouts, particularly in the field of pillar design. From his discussion of my recent article, "Cause and Occurrence of Coal Mine Bumps" (Holland Mining Engineering 1958, p. 933-1002), it is evident that in one place at least I did not make my meaning clear to him and perhaps others. To clear the matter up I think it best to quote from the article, somewhat more fully than did Mr. Wuerker, as follows: "4) In actual operations — because rocksare not perfectly elastic, homogeneous, nor isotropic and because local yield does occur — the maximum stress as demonstrated by Phillips (Ref. 22, pp. 64, 65) and indicated by much experience in mining, does not occur at the walls of the opening but at a short distance inside the pillar. Furthermore, the maximum stress does not reach as great a value as theoretical considerations and laboratory experimental methods indicate.* Actual distance inside the pillar, measured from the wall, at which the maximum stress exists, has not been determined. Observations in many mines, however, indicate that this distance could have a mini-value of one to six or eight times the bed thickness and that it is probably affected by width and height of the opening, depth of cover, and relative values of the elasticity and plasticity of materials comprising the roof, floor, and coal seam. The actual value of the stress produced probably lies between the theoretical maximum and the average stress concentration that would be produced if the weight of the strata above the unsupported opening were evenly distributed over the pillars for a distance equal to the opening width." The footnote reference in the above quotation referred to the following: "*For example, the Pocahontas No. 4 coal bed in southern West Virginia is mined under cover up to 1800 ft thick. Development openings are driven 18 to 20 ft wide, and the bed is about 6 ft thick. According to the work of Panek, the tangential wall stress at mid-bed height under these conditions would reach values between 4000 and 5000 psi. Actual tests of 3-in. cubes of this coal show its compressive strength would be much less than this, perhaps as low as 400 psi. Yet the pillars usually show no evidence of failure in these headings. In this same bed at a depth of 800 ft, the author has seen an opening 225 ft between supports lying between two old groves approximately 1100 ft apart. According to the theoretical considerations, the stress in the pillar walls would have been about 18,000 psi, yet the pillar showed little or no evidence of weight. In view of these observations, it is clear that the wall stress does not attain the maximum values indicated by theory." (Underlining added to original wording.) By referring to Fig. 2A of my paper it will be noted that theoretically the maximum pillar stress would occur at the pillar wall, i.e., at the passageway surface of the pillar. Obviously this cannot be correct in the cases of stress ranging from 4000 to 18000 psi since the coal at the surface of the pillar is under no constraint and cannot have a strength much greater than 400 or 500 psi. Hence, my conclusion that the maximum stress does not occur at the wall but back in the pillar some distance from the wall. Since these stresses are pushed back in the pillar from the wall, it is also obvious that the loads transferred to the pillar from the opening will be spread over a greater area and hence Pillar stresses will not rise to the values postulated by theory and photoelastic experiment. Further since to visual inspection the coal along the pillar wall did not appear to be failed the conclusion was reached that the stress shift was caused by local elastic or plastic yield and by difference in the elastic modulus of the rocks composing the mine floor, mine roof, and coal bed. Later on under the heading "Strength of Mine Pillars" (pages 1000-1002) the effects of constraint is briefly described. Also a formula taking into account constraint is developed relating pillar strength to the uniaxial strength of coal and the L/T ratio of the pillar. Since my paper was written, reports of experiments conducted in South Africa (Denkhaus, et. al., 1959), in Sweden (Hast 19581, and in Canada (McInnes, et.al., 1959) reveal that the conclusion expressed relative to the existence of a low stress area existing around the edges of pillars and solid faces as described above is generally correct. But it seems possible that where the wall stress developed is less than the unconfined strength of the rock composing the pillar and where the roof, floor, and pillar

Jan 1, 1961