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BECAUSE of the impetus given to placer mining since the price of gold was advanced to $35, several types of small dredges have made their appearance, especially in the Lincoln and Oroville areas of California. Some of these are known as "doodle bugs," and have been given considerable publicity, though many believe their performance has been overrated and that complete costs of construction and operation, if known would not put them in so favorable a light. Fig. 1 is a doodle bug owned by E. M. Clark and operated near Lincoln, Calif. It is understood that it was abandoned because of inability to handle deep ground. A similar machine that has been operated-profitably by Comstock Placers is shown in Fig. 2.

Jan 1, 1938

By Ralph H. Sweetser

AT the end of 1943 the charcoal pig iron capacity of the United States was at the lowest point in over 1110 years, with only one strictly charcoal blast furnace in operation, and all others permanently out of blast except one in Tennessee d reported to he running on part charcoal and part coke. Such a decrease in production has taken place in spite of the O.P A.'s high-premium price on charcoal pig iron of +34 per ton f.o.b. furnace in Michigan. Depletion of the hardwood supply within fifty mlles or inure of the blast furnace is the reason why; the deplorable lack of reforesting is the cause.

Jan 1, 1944

"The reduction works of the Boston & Montana Reduction department, near the north end of this dam is one of the reduction plants belonging to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, the other being at Anaconda. These works employ about 1,100 men and have a capacity of about 3,800 tons of crude ore per day. This plant is now being remodeled to embody results of experiments and investigations which have been made with a view to more economic.al treatment of ores. A brief description of the plant as it will be after the remodelling is as follows:Concentrator Department: Consists of six units or sections, each section treating from 550 to 600 tons of crude ore per day. This department is not being. remodelled at the present time. A concentrating process, however, has been developed and partially installed in the old mill, and an experimental section embodying this concentration process has also been installed at the concentrator at Anaconda."

Jan 1, 1913

By AIME AIME

I would like to ask Bob Merrill whether he considers that horizontal concave curvature of a slope has any stabilizing effect, such as Jenike 1 suggested several years ago. The stabilizing effect is due to the restraint offered to radial movement by the curvature. We found in laboratory tests that if we constrained the rock with the same stresses as those measured in the pit then it would sustain a maximum stress about two or four times greater than when the same rock type was unconstrained. We are therefore definitely of the opinion that a constrained situation in a slope is favorable towards stability.

Jan 1, 1967

Jan 1, 1927

By AIME AIME

SCANDINAVIAN countries seem somehow to furnish an amount of talent and leadership far be- yond their population and among them Sweden is possibly at the top. The United States has many eminent citizens born in the latter, country or who are of Swedish descent and the engineers may claim their full share. In fact, the number is so large that a flourishing Swedish-American Engineering Society has been formed, including a number of A. I. M. E. members. Dr. Waldemar Lindgren is more scientist than engineer, though his work in economic geology has contributed directly to the development of many mines, and he is the valued- adviser of a number of our larger companies. Probably he, himself, values most highly the contributions he has been able to make to scientific theories of the occurrence and genesis of ore deposits. His fellow scientists have placed upon these the high mark of approval by electing him to the National Academy of Sciences, and Princeton University in 1916 recognized his position by conferring on him the degree of Doctor of Science.

Jan 1, 1931

By Reno H. Sales

Since leaving school my efforts have been geared to the task of making geology useful to the mining industry. The responsibility of the economic geologist or mining geologist of today has grown to be more, than that of merely finding a faulted segment of a vein. The very life of our mining industry is at stake. The tremendous progress in every branch of our modern civilization has been made possible through the developments in the use of metals. Many of our great industries, including that amazing field of aircraft production live and thrive only because of metals.

Jan 1, 1942

By Sales, Reno

Since leaving school my efforts have been geared to the task of making geology useful to the mining industry. The responsibility of the economic geologist or mining geologist of today has grown to be more, than that of merely finding a faulted segment of a vein. The very life of our mining industry is at stake. The tremendous progress in every branch of our modern civilization has been made possible through the developments in the use of metals. Many of our great industries, including that amazing field of aircraft production live and thrive only because of metals.

Jan 1, 1942

FREderick H. Davis, Electrical Engineer of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., in charge of the plant at Bodie, Cal. (communication to the Secretary): I beg to offer, to complete the information conveyed in Mr. Leggett's paper, the following report of tests of the electrical efficiency of the power-transmission he has described:

Jan 1, 1895

Jan 1, 1903

By LEE H. CORNELL

Drilling activity in Kansas during 1945 continued at an accelerated pace to meet the demands of war; 1810 tests were drilled as compared with 1856 tests the previous year, 1771 tests in 1943, and 1516 tests in 1942. During the year 31 new oil pools and 10 new gas pools were discovered. Of a total of 364 wildcats drilled, 323 were dry; and of 1446 tests drilled in pools, 825 were oil wells, 197 gas wells, and 425 dry holes.

Jan 1, 1946

Edward Halse, Puerto Berrio, Colombia, So. Amer. (communication to the Secretary*): The Taviche mining-district is generally known as " Taviches," being named from the two villages called respectively San Pedro Taviche and San Jero-nimo Taviche. It is so called by Jose G. Aguilera, in his paper on the Geographical and Geological Distribution of the Mineral Deposits of Mexico;' and in published reports by the late N. W. Rudston Read ;2 and by Juan de Dios Villarello3 The region is a large one, measuring about 24 miles long and 7 miles wide. Dr. Chance, in his interesting paper, tells us very little about the nature of the ores, and, with regard to the geology of the district, contents himself with observing that " the country, as a rule, consists of eruptive rocks; and no evidences of sedimentary strata appear near the mines." The latter part of the above statement is hardly correct. The formation is mainly

Jan 1, 1906

By T. V. Moore

DURING 1910, crude-oil production in the United States reached a record level averaging about 3.700,000 barrels daily. Export declined sharply while imports increased with the result that large quantities of crude oil were run to storage during the year. Imports consisted largely of residual fuel oil brought in from South America bit because of a shortage of that product in this country and of Mexican crude. The price of petroleum products followed the declining trend of the last three year resulting in serious disparity between crude and product prices. This condition was aggravated in some areas by the increasing production of distillate by recycling operations and by the high tanker rates prevalent in the last two months of the year. As a result two small purchasers found it necessary to reduce crude-oil price in the Corpus Christie area of Texas.

Jan 1, 1941

By ALEXANDER L Hay, Alexander L.

THE Sydney coal field, the largest and most valuable in Nova Scotia, is on the northeastern coast of the Island of Cape Breton, extending from Mira Bay on the south to Cape Dauphin on the north, a distance of 30 miles, and has a general dip northeast under the sea. The field embraces the mining villages of Morien, Birch- grove and Reserve and the towns of Dominion, Glace Bay, Waterford and Sydney Mines. The city of Sydney is about midway between the northern and southern extremities of the field and on the western fringe of the productive coal measures. Sydney harbor crosses the coal field, cutting off direct rail connection between Sydney Mines and the greater part of the field to the southeast.

Jan 1, 1928

A self-appointed, committee consisting of J. Waldo Smith, Chairman, Richard S. Buck, J. J. Carty, J. Parke Channing, E. L. Corthell, Alfred Craven, Thomas Crimmins, Gano Dunn, George Gibbs, Alex. C. Humphreys, F. L. Hutchinson, Charles Warren Hunt, D. S. Jacobus, John W. Lieb, William Barclay Parsons, George H. Pegram, Charles F. Rand, Calvin W. Rice, Robert Ridgway, William L. Saunders, Merritt H. Smith, Bradley Stoughton, and William H. Wiley, organized a course of seven free lectures on military engineering, which were given by Captains Thomas M. Robins, Richard T. Coiner, Edward D. Ardery, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, and which was under direction of Major General Leonard Wood. The United Engineering Society presented, without charge, the use of the auditorium for the purpose of these lectures, but the interest proved to be more than three times as much as had been expected, and it was therefore necessary to divide the courses into three parts, one of which was given in the afternoon in the auditorium of the United Engineering Societies Building, one in the evening in the same place, and another in the evening in the auditorium of, the American Society of Civil Engineers. These lectures occurred on Mondays, from Feb. 14 to Mar. 27, 1916. The subjects and speakers were as follows: Feb. 14, 1916: Organization and Duties of Engineers in War, and what Engineers in Civil Life will be called upon to do in the Defence Of the United States. Captain Thomas M. Robins, Corps of Engineers. Feb. 21, 1916: The Service of Reconnaissance Including Surveying, Mapping and Sketching, Photography and Map Reproduction. Captain Richard T. Coiner.

Jan 5, 1916

By Fred W. Stiefel

To open the Fisher Hill mine of the Republic Steel Corporation, it was necessary to sink an inclined shaft into the rock and excavate stations, drifts, and ore pockets. This inclined shaft, or slope, q ft. 8 in. high by 28 ft. 2 in. wide, has compartments for two 5-ft. gauge ore-skip tracks of 120-lb. rail, one 5-ft. gauge man-skip track of 60-lb. rail, a concrete stairway, and service pipes consisting of a 12-in. compressed-air line, an 8-in. pump-discharge line, and a 4-in. water-supply line. When we were requested to investigate the work, the progress being made (by another organization) amounted to only 2 ½ ft. advance in 24 hr. We reported that progress of at least 6 ft. per day could be made. As a result, the Defense Plant Corporation, through the Republic Steel [ ] Corporation, entered into a contract with us to sink the shaft. The contract contained a penalty and bonus clause predicated upon an advance of 150 ft. per month. The average advance was 7.8 ft. per day; that in the best six-day week was 60 ft. and that in the best month, 215.5 ft. in 25 working days. The drilling was performed by 3 ½ -in. wet drifter drills mounted on five 8-ft. columns (see accompanying illustration). Even though a full-face drilling and mucking operation is customarily desirable, the steep slope, with the accumulation of water and fine debris at the face, made a modified heading and bench operation preferable. The heading and bench were of equal height. The five columns, instead

Jan 1, 1945

By William P. Blake

The salt-beds at Salton, on the line of the Southern Pacific railway, in San Diego county, California, have been successfully worked for many years by the corporation known as the East Liverpool Salt Co., and the salt has been largely used upon the Pacific coast generally and in the interior. But the industry has lately been destroyed by the overflow from the Colorado river. The salt is dissolved, and the waves of the Salton sea now roll 50 ft. above the site of this once thriving and growing business. The salt-bed was evidently the residual accumulation from the waters of an ancient lake, which I have named Cahuilla, from the name by which a large part of the valley—the home of the Cahuilla tribe of Indians—is known. The deposit covered a comparatively small area in the lowest part of the valley, 280 R. or more below the sea-level. This depressed area is now generally known as the Colorado desert, but has a soil of wonderful fertility wherever water can be had on its surface. The deserted beaches, and the water-lines, only a few feet above tide-level, upon the rocks of the bordering mountains, as well as a great abundance of shells in the soil, all bear decisive testimony to the former occupation of the valley by water. The depression is topographically the northern end of the Gulf of California, from which it is now separated by the delta of the Colorado river, extending practically from the mouth of the Gila river across the valley to the coast mountains on the

Jan 1, 1908

First Session BRASS Wednesday, A.M., Nov. 29 Co-Chairmen: CARTER S. COLE, Staff Engineer, A.S.T.M. E. A. ANDERSON, Chief of Metals Section, Research Div., New Jersey Zinc Co. (of Pa.) Second Session BRASS Wednesday, P.M., Nov. 29 Co-Chairmen: D. K. CRAMPTON, Director of Research, Chase Brass and Copper Co., Inc. A. W. TRACY, Metallurgist, The American Brass Co. Dinner and Technical Session Wednesday Evening, Nov. 29 Toastmaster: N. L. MOCHEL, Manager Metallurgical Engineering, Westinghouse Electric Corp. Talk on "How Do Things Look Today and For the Future" RALPH KELLY, President, Baldwin Locomotive Works Technical Paper on Stress-Corrosion Cracking E. H. Dix, JR., Assistant Director of Research and Chief Metallurgist, Aluminum Company of America Third Session BRASS Thursday, A.M., Nov. 30 Co-Chairmen: W. B. PRICE, Director of Research, Scovill Manufacturing Co. A. L. JAMIESON, Associate Metallurgist, Frankford Arsenal First Session LIGHT METALS Thursday, P.M., Nov. 30 Co-Chairmen: L. L. WYMAN, Metallurgist, General Electric Co. M. A. HUNTER, Professor of Metallurgical Engineering and Head, Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Second Session LIGHT METALS Thursday Evening, Nov. 30 Co-Chairmen: R. T. WOOD, Chief Metallurgist, American Magnesium Corp. J. D. HANAWALT, Director, Metallurgical Dept., Dow Chemical Co. First Session STEEL Friday A.M., Dec. I Co-Chairmen: H. S. RAWDON, Chief, Division of Metallurgy, National Bureau of Standards A. L. FEILD, Director of Research, Rustless Iron and Steel Corp. First Session MISCELLANEOUS METALS Friday P.M., Dec. I Co-Chairmen: E. A. ANDERSON, Chief of Metals Section, Research Div., New Jersey Zinc Co. (of Pa.) CARTER S. COLE, Staff Engineer, A.S.T.M.

Jan 1, 1945

By Walter Renton Ingalls

In addition to the localities in which tin-ores have been found in Mexico, mentioned in my paper on the a Tin-Deposits of Durango," presented to the Institute in March, 1895,* the following should be recorded. I am indebted to Captain Henry Freeman, of Durango, for the notes as to these occurrences. In the Sierra de la Candela, west of the Sierra de Sail Frailcisco and El Promontorio (the Llano de Guatimape intervening between the two ranges), cassiterite is found in veins and stream-beds. The veins are narrow, and the ores have the same characteristics as those of Potrillos. They were exploited by miners from Coneto in 1882-86, the more extensive work having been done on the northern side of the mountains. In the Sierra de las Palomas, on the western edge of the Otinapa, ranch, about 25 miles W.N.W. from the Diablo mine in the Cacaria district, there are several small veins, of which the ore, gangue and country-rock are similar to those of the Cerro de los Remedios, near the city of Durango. The latter are essentially the same as the Potrillos veins. In the Cerritos del Olote, in the Murphy grant, about 50 miles W.S.W. from Durango, there are old mines, now partially filled. The veins are narrow and poor; the ore is highly ferruginous; the country-rock is rhyolite, with some granite; immense quantities of chalcedonic rubbish are strewn along the course of the veins. In the Cerro Blanco, overlooking the pueblo of Mezquital, 48 miles south of Durango, tin-ore is mined by the natives.

Jan 1, 1898

Graham Macfarlane, Louisville, Ky. (communication to the Secretary*):—In the paper by S. Whinery under the above caption mention is made of the occurrence of Clinton iron-ore in Kentucky and Tennessee. I believe that this is really a ferruginous limestone in what the Tennessee Geological Survey calls the Fernvale formation. In Davidson and Sumner counties, Tennessee, this occurs at about the horizon stated by Mr. Whinery. The maximum thickness of the deposit is from 10 to 12 ft., but it averages between 6 and 8 ft., lying practically horizontal. The Red River Furnace Co., under my direction, opened a mine in the Fernvale " red rock" near Goodlettsville, Tenn., several years ago. When it was first found we assumed it to be Clinton ore, but the absence of the characteristic Clinton fossiliferous structure and other evidence satisfied us that it is really limestone saturated with iron oxide. I think the very low ratio of SiO2 and Al2o3 to iron content as compared with the usual ratio in the Clinton ore is also evidence in favor of its being the Fernvale. The Tennessee Geological Survey states that at outcrops where this ore has been leached it carries about 44 per cent. of iron; under cover, from 20 to 25 per cent. of iron and from 3 to 6 per cent. of silica, the remainder being chiefly calcium carbonate. Its phosphorus content is irregular and generally rather high for a foundry-iron mixture. Since it is more than self-fluxing, we have at times operated with a mixture of brown hematite and red ore with no limestone.

Jan 1, 1913