Search Documents

By William L. Payne, Edward E. Ives

A unique feature of Potash Co. of America's A new potash property near Saskatoon, Sask., is the use of semi-dome-shaped buildings for product storage. Four domed structures, timber-framed and corrugated-sheet covered, are being built; each designed to handle 20,000 cu yd. The relatively small capacity units, PCA believes, give flexibility not only in storing different grades and sizes of product, but also in permitting greater ease in shipping products as market demands change. The domed buildings are 150-ft diam, comprised of a 16-ft-high concrete wall base, topped with a metal sheet-covered octagonal timber frame. The dome of each unit is designed to fit very closely the angle of repose of the contained material, which results in the maximum usable volume. The entire roof is flood coated with a bitumin to provide a complete weather seal.

Jan 9, 1959

By Harry Huntington Miller

In spite of its recognized irregularities, the cyanide-assay for copper has always been popular among volumetric methods, being easy and rapid, and reasonably accurate when the solution tested contains nothing but pure copper and ammonium salts. In order to secure this condition, however, especially in operati~ig on low-grade ores, tailings and slags of complex composition, it is the practice to precipitate the copper from the ore-solution,—usually by means of metallic zinc or aluminum. The copper thus precipitated in the metallic form must be dissolved again; and the separa tion is never, in practice, complete, since an appreciable amount of the copper remains behind in the first solution, and the second solution always contains some of the other metals of the gangue; so that the result is at best but partially satisfactory. On the other hand, if this course is not pursued, but (as is

Jan 1, 1902

By G. L. Hundley, R. E. Mussler, D. H. Yee, F. E. Block, R. S. Olsen

An anhydrous chlorination process for the recovery of copper from chalcopyrite was investigated. Pelletized concentrate was reacted continuously with gaseous chlorine in a vertical shaft reactor at 550° and 650°C. While the copper was withdrawn with the rest of the metals as molten chlorides from the bottom, 99-x% sulfur was distilled from the top of the reactor. The molten metal chlorides were pulverized and dropped continuously into an upward flowing stream of oxygen. Over 80% of the iron chlorides were converted to oxides in a vertical free-fall reactor at 800° and 900°C while the copper chlorides passed through unoxidized. Copper was recovered in powder form by electrowinning continuously from chloride solutions using a diaphragm cell. The product sloughed easily from a titanium cathode and showed no iron contamination. Current efficiencies and power consumptions averaged 77% and 1.24 kw-hr per lb.

Jan 1, 1974

By Andrew Mayer

EARLY in 1942 National Lead Co. was requested by the War Production Board to construct and operate a plant for the Government to produce magnesium by the ferrosilicon process which had been developed by Dr. L. M. Pidgeon in the laboratories of the Canadian National Research Council. A contract with the Defense Plant Corporation was concluded in May 1942 and Magnesium Reduction Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of National Lead Co., was formed to carry out this project. The capacity of the plant was rated at 10,000,000 lb. of magnesium per year, equivalent to an average production of about 14 tons per day. THE PROCESS The process, in brief, is as follows: The raw materials are dolomite and ferrosilicon, 75 per cent grade. The dolomite is calcined, the calcine and ferrosilicon are ground and mixed and the mixture is briquetted. The briquets are charged into tubular retorts of chrome-nickel steel set horizontally in a furnace with the open ends projecting outside the front wall. The retorts are then closed and evacuated. Magnesium is liberated according to the reaction 2(MgO, CaO) + Si = 2Mg + 2CaO, SiO2 It is distilled from the charge and condensed on a removable sleeve in the throat of the retort. Sodium and potassium, if present, are also liberated, distilled and condensed on a "sodium condenser" in the end of the retort. At the expiration of the distillation period the retorts are discharged and the cycle of operations is repeated. For the rated daily capacity of ±. tons of magnesium there are required approximately 170 tons of dolomite, equivalent to about 85 tons of calcine, and 16.5 tons of ferrosilicon. The retort residue, a bulky powder which at present is waste, amounts to about 87 tons. CHOOSING THE SITE The investigation to select the location of the plant was conducted by the Research Laboratories of National Lead Co. This work included geologic and economic surveys of a number of districts, examination of dolomite samples by chemical, spectrographic and petrographic methods and large-scale tests of dolomite from several of the more promising localities. In the last-named tests 2-ton samples were put through the ferrosilicon process in the pilot plant of the Canadian National Research Council, under the guidance of Dr. Pidgeon. The conclusions drawn from the investigation, in regard to the quality of dolomite to be used in the ferrosilicon process, were: First, the dolomite should contain not less than 21 per cent MgO

Jan 1, 1944

By R. V. Ramani, T. V. Falkie, T. E. Wilson

In order to increase the efficiency of underground coal operations, it is necessary to understand not only the operating system in detail, but the interrelationships between system components and the operating environment. With such an understanding comes more exact application of simulation and other operations-research techniques to plan and operate mining systems. One aspect of the coal-winning system in need of better definition, namely, the performance of continuous miners, is dealt with in this paper. Detailed discussion of this research will be found in a report by the authors. Mining Rate The performance of continuous miners-that is, the rate at which miners can deliver coal from an underground face to the outby transportation system-is dependent upon the geometric and geological conditions of mining, the characteristics of the mining machinery, and the skill of the machine operators. In order to predict mining performance, it is necessary first to identify these factors, secondly to devise a data-collection technique, and lastly, to select a method of data analysis for drawing meaningful conclusions. Factors Affecting Mining Rate: The factors that affect the mining rate can be conveniently grouped in the following four categories: Geological Factors-The natural conditions such as seam thickness, hardness, and cleavage. Geometrical Factors-The height and width of the entries and the angle of drivage with respect to the main entries. Machine Factors-The mechanical characteristics and physical dimensions of the machine, condition of the machine, condition of the bits, and related items. Other Factors-Operator efficiency, size consist of cutter product, etc. A classification such as given here is not rigid; some of the factors can be included in more than one of the categories and some can be combined as ratios. Data Collection The empirical nature of this investigation required measurements of variables under operating conditions in underground coal mines. A majority of the variables measured were continuous over a specific range of values; for example, the "width ratio" varied in practice from 0.25 to 1.00. "Dummy" values were assigned to certain operational variables in order that the variables would have numerical expression, i.e.: [ ] Data Analysis The method of analysis was to test a large model containing potentially significant variables and then reduce the model to one containing only the essential significant variables. The procedure of "scanning" a large proposed model and subsequently condensing the model consisted of two cycles of the same series of computational procedures. Correlation analysis, factor analysis, and regression analysis were the three statistical procedures that were used to derive the rate-generating equation. Correlation and Regression Analysis: Multiple linear correlation coefficients between all of the variables were calculated using the Pearson product moment formula along with the statistical significance of the correlation

Jan 1, 1975

By L. W. Holm

This study shows that in the presence of foam, gas and liquid flow separately through porous media representative of reservoir rock. These results were obtained by using tracer techniques to measure the flow of the gas and liquid comprising the foam. Foam does not flow through the porous medium as a body even when the liquid and gas are combined outside the system and injected as foam. Instead, the liquid and gas forming the foam separate as the foam films break and then re-form in the porous system. Liquid moves through the porous medium via the film network of the bubbles and gas moves progressively through the system by breaking and re-forming bubbles throughout the length of the flow path. The flow rates of the gas and liquid are a function of the number and strength of the films in the porous medium. There is no free flow of gas; i.e., no continuous gas phase. On the basis of these results, foam can be expected to improve a water flood or gas drive by decreasing the permeability of the reseruoir rock to a displacing liquid or gas. This improves the mobility ratio and thus the conformance of the flood. INTRODUCTION Foam is formed when gas and a solution of a surface active agent are injected into a porous medium either simultaneously or intermittently. During the past few years, several papers have been published on the subject of foam flow in Dorous media. Foam has been used successfully in the removal of capillary water blocks from producing formations.''2 The use of foam in gas storage reservoirs to reduce gas leaks and to increase storage capacity has been considered in recent years. Foam has also been investigated as an oil displacing agent,3-5 and as an agent to improve the mobility ratio in a waterflood.6-10 However, the mechanism by which the gas and liquid phases comprising the foam flow through a porous medium has nor been described adequately. Normally, when two immiscible phases (gas and liquid) flow concurrently through a porous medium, each phase follows separate paths or channels. At given saturations of the two phases, a certain number of channels are available to each phase, and as saturations change, the number and configuration of the channels available for each phase also change. The effective permeability of each phase is a function of the saturation of that phase only, and the flow of each phase can be described by Darcy's law. When foam is present, the effective permeability of the porous medium to each phase is greatly reduced compaced with permeabilities measured in the absence of foam.6,11-13 Based upon the observed flow of surfactant solutions and gas in capillaries, it has been concluded that the gas and liquid may flow separately or they may flow combined as foam. At least four mechanisms have been postulated to explain how fluids flow with foam present: 1. A large portion of the gas is trapped in the porous medium and a small fraction flows as free gas, following Darcy's law.9 2. The foam structure moves as a body; the rate of gas flow is the same as the rate of liquid flow. 6,13 3. Gas flows as a discontinuous phase by breaking and re-forming films. Liquid flows as a free phase.12 4. A portion of the liquid and gas move as a foam body while excess surfactant solution moves as a free phase.14 It also has been suggested that different flow mechanisms exist for high quality (dry) foams made from dilute surfactant solutions and for foams made from more concentrated solutions. Studies conducted on the flow of foam through capillaries have shown that a plug-type flow occurs and that foam flows as a body.6,15 Fried also has described the flow of foam through porous media as

Jan 1, 1969

By C. S. Smith

QUANTITATIVE methods were used to good effect in the earliest days of metallography1-3 but they mysteriously passed into virtual disuse until the important paper4 by Howard and Cohen in 1947. Various devices for the measurements of integrated linear intercepts have been constructed, primarily by petrographers. The hydraulically operated stage designed by the writer5 was satisfactory, but prolonged use caused air bubbles to become entrapped, which introduced back-lash. A new stage has been constructed which avoids this defect and provides better integration when measuring directional structures. This utilizes a circular traverse, and integration is achieved by counting electrical pulses produced by a photocell and a light chopper.* The stage is shown diagramatically in Fig. 1 and in photograph, Fig. 2. It is of simple construction. Mounted on a plate with clamps to fit the stage of a standard metallurgical microscope is a worm and 100-tooth worm gear, the latter supporting the specimen to be measured. The worm is manually actuated by a knob which contains inside it three

Jan 1, 1961

By Charles E. Johnston

By substituting photoelectric automatic car loading for mechanically induced hydraulic automatic loading and by protecting the process against operational failures, the engineering staff at International Minerals & Chemical Corp.'s Carlsbad potash mine has developed a reliable loading process that operates without an attendant. The photoelectric control, developed primarily because of frequent failures in the hydraulic control system, has not changed the basic loading operation and physical layout. Mine-run ore ranging in size from minus 200 mesh to 30-in. lumps is dumped onto a conveyor belt which discharges into a so-called "flop gate chute" which in turn, feeds the ore into six-ton capacity mine cars. Each car is filled progressively by moving the entire trip forward. When a car is filled 12 in. above its rim, the direction of flow into the car is reversed 180º and filling of the next car back is begun while the entire trip is moved forward again. Once the next car is properly spotted under the front chute, the flow is again directed to the forward position.

Jan 9, 1962

By W. A. Tiller, J. D. Harrison

HOT pressing of powder particles has gained importance recently, since it affords a method in which high densities are rapidly attained. In a recent study on hot pressing of alumina powders, Mangsen, Lam-bertson, and Best1 have shown within the limits of their experiment, the validity the rate equation for densification in hot pressing, originally proposed by Murray, Livey, and Williams.2 i.e., where D = fraction of theoretical density, t = time, P = pressure and 77 is the viscosity, all in appropriate units. This equation was derived from earlier work of Shuttleworth and Mackenzie3 which is based on the closing of spherical pores under the action of surface tension. The integrated form of this equation yields a straight-line relation between log (1 - D) and t. Such conditions were found by Felten4 to be true only after extended periods of pressing. In an endeavor to quantitatively evaluate the exactitude of this equation in the initial sintering stage, i.e., prior to sealing of the pores, spherical anti-

Jan 1, 1962

By S. K. Bradford

For years past I have traveled in quest of promising mining-properties, over almost impassable mountain-trails to remote places in the mining-regions, usually many miles from an assay-o5ce. If, upon examination, the fornlation and the ore-deposit appeared favorable, a quick determination of the value of my samples was necessary, in order that I might take intelligent action with reference to the acquisition of the property. A journey with my samples to civilized regions often meant weeks of delay, and perhaps loss of opportunity. How many, under similar circumstances, have returned with their assay-results from such a journey, only to find that some audacious speculator had optioned" the property! True, a first payment could have been made and the chances taken on the results; but experience has taught that rich-looking ore is not of necessity valuable. Personally, I would not hazard a ten-dollar bill on any property without first determining by assay the value of the ore. To carry the usual complete assay-paraphernalia over such mountain-trails was impracticable by reason of the loss of time involved, the great expense of transportation (charged -

Jan 1, 1911

By Richard M. Foose

WOULD you like to find a large new ore deposit next year? The answer is as obvious as the question is foolish. But perhaps the question does have some merit if we alter it slightly and ask: What are you doing about finding new ore? This one is more difficult to answer. Possibly you are doing nothing about finding new ore because you have proved reserves for many future years of production. Others may be investing some small percentage of time, effort, and money in mineral exploration, and reserves may be currently adequate, or inadequate, in terms of many future productive years. Still others may be engaged in large-scale mineral exploration programs involving large expenditures of time, personnel effort, and money. In whatever category you may be, a final question might well be asked. Is your current mineral exploration program, or lack of program, consistent with the long-range needs and objectives of your organization and of the mining industry as a whole, and is it designed to stimulate the growth of the industry in future years, or is it only a short-range program in response to some current situation?

Jan 3, 1958

By Robert F. Shurtz

When an ore deposit is evaluated on the basis of core sampling, questions always arise as to how much weight should be given the various sample grades and how the deposit should be divided into specific volumes assigned to corresponding grades. For a tabular deposit it is customary to use the so- called zone-of-influence. This zone is usually de- fined as the polygon in the plane of the deposit having corners halfway between a given core drill intersection and each of the nearest neighboring intersections. The volume of the ore in this polygon is assigned the analysis obtained from the drill core taken at the intersection. In massive or irregular deposits, volumes of various shapes may be defined with respect to the locations of drill core samples. These volumes may be regarded as three-dimensional zones-of-influence; the theory involved in assigning the values of the central analyses to the ore in the volumes is the same as that used in the case of a tabular deposit. The zone-of-influence method was used in evaluating one of the magnesite deposits at Gabbs, Nev.1-3

Jan 10, 1959

By Steven Cordiviola, Richard Sergeant

The Kentucky Geological Survey(KGS) was established in 1854 as the official geologic research organization in the Commonwealth. Since that time the Survey has performed basic research in a number of geologic areas such as energy, applied geology, mineral resources, geologic mapping, and hydrogeology. Because of coal's importance to Kentucky, a significant part of the geologic data collected by the KGS is coal related. Coal-related data also occur in a variety of other KGS data sets such as the petroleum and water data files. To adequately respond to coal-related inquiries, the KGS maintains an inter- active, on-line data base in which various types of geologic and hydrologic information can be easily stored, retrieved, and manipulated. The KGS will continue to expand and update this data base through ongoing research, and by cooperating with the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals, U. S. Geological Survey, and University of Kentucky Institute for Mining and Minerals Research. Data in this comprehensive system is available to State, Federal, and local governments; industry; researchers; and the general public. These data facilitate coal exploration, mine planning and permitting, coal production, and research activities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Jan 1, 1983

In accordance with the requirements of By-Law LX,- I beg leave to submit herewith the report of the Library Committee for the year 1916. The activities shown by the sale of the Institute's publications during the year are somewhat larger than last year, due principally to the increased sale of special editions on account of the larger sale of the Posepny and Emmons Volumes, owing to increased advertising and to the reduction in price of the Emmons Volume. The sales were distributed as follows: Sale of Transactions $3,237.07 Sale of Special Editions 1,722.50 Sale of Bulletins and Pamphlets 2,263.95 Total $7,223.52, The Institute library has now been merged with the libraries of the. other three Founder Societies and is known and administered as the Library of the United - Engineering Society. When this merger, was effected, a proviso was made that the books contained in the Institute library up to the date of the merger were still to be considered as the individual property of the Institute, and this arrangement applied also to the libraries of the other two Founder Societies. At the time that the American Society of Civil Engineers joined as a fourth Founder Society, they immediately turned over their entire library to the United Engineering Society, relinquishing all property rights in the books entirely.

Jan 2, 1917

T. R. HARRISON, Washington, D. C. (written discussion *).-Ad-vantage will be taken of this occasion to mention briefly a form of double potentiometer which has been used at the Bureau of Standards for about 2 1/2 yr. in calibrating thermocouples. The calibrations referred to are those made by comparison to standard couples. In order to insure equality of temperature between the couples, the junctions are fused together; consideration of fundamental principles will show that this introduces no error. Two separate potentiometers are used, one connected to each thermocouple, and each potentiometer is provided with a reflecting galvanometer. The two spots of light are reflected on to a single scale, the galvanometers being set in such a position that the spots coincide on the scale at a point marked zero when the circuits are open or when the potentiometers are balanced. By setting one potentiometer to a desired value and adjusting the other so that both spots pass across the scale together as the temperature rises or falls, simultaneous readings are obtained. By making observations first with a rising temperature and then with a falling temperature, the rates of rise and fall being approximately equal, and taking the means of the results found, several minor errors such as those clue to differences in the time lags of the two systems, etc., are eliminated or greatly reduced. The differences between the values

Jan 12, 1919

By Robert S. Williams

NO new ferrous alloys have been produced in the last five or six years that are as outstanding contributions to civilization as were the high-speed steels of the early part of the century or the stainless steels announced at the close of the World War. There have been, however, many developments of major importance having to do either with modifications of existing alloys or with new methods of treatment of older iron or steel alloys. Only a limited number of these new developments can be discussed and their selection does not necessarily imply that these are the most important but merely that they are of general interest rather than perhaps of greater importance in highly specialized fields.

Jan 1, 1939

By W. Spencer Hutchinson

It is the purpose of this paper to describe a method used to determine the corundum contents of samples of hard crystalline gneiss containing both corundum and red garnet. A chemical analysis of the rock for alumina would not fix the amount of corundum became at least three other constituent minerals of the rock, mica, feldspar, and garnet, contain alumina combined with silica. Following are the principal minerals found in the samples, together with their specific gravity and hardness as given by Dana: The corundum occurred in crystals of a gray or bluish gray color, in minute grains and coarser up to 0.5 in., and no massive or block corundum was observed. The larger crystals were commonly quite slender, well defined, and the normal hexagonal form clearly developed. They lay with the structural planes of the gneiss, and sometimes appeared prominently in relief on weathered surfaces. In some cases these crystals had suffered partial or total alteration to mica, margarite, or other soft minerals, a condition illustrated by sample D, which appeared to be studded abundantly with corundum on the flat faces. Garnet, a striking feature of nearly all the samples, was present in small rounded crystals of a pink to red color. The samples were first broken to pass a No. 4 mesh screen. This was done with a hammer on an iron plate, particular care being taken to avoid the breaking of the crystals finer than need be to pass the screen. A portion of the sample weighing 500 g. was then taken and, with a little water added, was scoured round and round in an iron bucket with a wooden block, until the coarse crystals of corundum were cleaned of adhering pieces of mica. The bucket was then re-

Jan 1, 1914

By J. J. Bodmer

In 1855, Franz Uchatius patented, in England, his process of manufacturing cast steel. The first experiments, on a practical scale, were made at the Ebbw Vale Iron Works, Monmouthshire. The charge consisted of a mixture of cast iron with about 20 per cent. of a pure iron ore, and with or without other ingredients. In order to obtain the cast iron in a subdivided condition, Uchatius granulated molten pig-metal by running it into water, which during the operation was kept well agitated, and found that "the finer the iron is granulated, the softer will be the resulting steel." The writer is not aware that granulated iron has been used practically, otherwise than in the above-named process; and until 1866 no other process of subdividing iron than by granulation was known. In April, 1866, an English patent was obtained by the writer for subdividing blast-furnace and other slags and metals in a molten condition, by passing the same through one or more pairs of rolls. In reference to iron the idea was, in following up the direction pointed out by the Uchatius process, to obtain better results in the puddling process by means of a thorough amalgamation (not simply a mixture) of the iron with the oxides and other ingredients in the charge itself. Experiments were made. A quantity of iron direct from the blastfurnace was subdivided (or laminated) by passing it through a pair of plain rolls. The rolls were hollow, and water was made to pass through them to keep them sufficiently cool. Without giving differential speed to the rolls, sheets were obtained about one-sixteenth inches thick, and from about one hundred square inches surface, downwards. With differential speed, the iron falls from the rolls in

By Norman D. Fitz Gerald

THE growth of domestic requirements for motor fuel has been phe-nomenal, rising year after year in a fashion almost unique among com-modities, resisting depressions and forging rapidly ahead in times of prosperity. Consumption advanced from 226 millions of barrels in 1925 to 522 millions of barrels in 1938; or 130 per cent. The economic influ-ences generating and sustaining this demand are of vital concern to the petroleum industry. The general factors affecting utilization of motor fuel are well known but it is the purpose of this paper to employ the recently developed technique of economic dynamics to describe them mathematically. Such problems in economic analysis are complicated by the freedom of all the variables to fluctuate, their mutual interdependence, changing incidence upon one another, and the nonquantitative character of some of them. Economic quantities and relationships, unlike those of the physical world, are continuously changing and this dynamic characteristic is both a distinguishing and confusing feature in economic research. The com-plexities of the problems require application of the analytical devices of mathematical statistics to uncover the probable relationships between factors. The procedure employed is to formulate a logical relationship linking the dependent to the independent variables, and then simul-taneously, rather than sequentially, determine their separate effects by multiple correlation. This transformation of common knowledge to quantitative terms makes it possible to measure the probable effects of changing conditions upon requirements, assisting in the sound interpreta-tion of economic policies. The utility of the results of such dynamic analysis is in sharp contrast to the sterility of the trends and other simple empiricisms of descriptive statistics. It is not intended in this study to throw light on the reasons why any motor fuel at all is consumed; but to discover relationships explaining why more was consumed at one time than at another. Specifically the prob-lem is confined to the measurement of the influences of statistically

Jan 1, 1940

By Sir Robert Hadfield

(New York Meeting, February, 1913.) THE Hadfield method of producing sound steel ingots has been the subject of a paper 1 read before the Iron and Steel Institute, so that it will be unnecessary to describe it fully here. The object of the method is to make possible the production of steel ingots in which the pipe is almost entirely obliterated, and it is applicable particularly to the production of sound ingots, from which good rails could be rolled. The method in brief consists in casting the ingots on cars, usually with the small end down. Each ingot mold is provided with a sand top, rammed up in the well-known manner. After the mold is filled to the desired height with steel, a layer of slag about 0.5 in. thick is placed upon it and the balance of the mold is then filled with charcoal. Then, through suitable piping, an air blast is directed in numerous jets upon the charcoal, which is burned thereby, the combustion supplying additional beat to the top of the ingot, which helps to keep the top fluid and to retard its solidification, while the lower parts are rapidly losing heat by its transfer to the mold. By-one plan the ingots are cast in molds placed upon bogies, movable trucks, or platforms, in the position A, Fig. 1. The ingots are cast vertically on bogies, say four or more ingots on each bogie, as may be found most convenient, and the upper surface of the steel is maintained in a molted condition during the transit of the ingots from the casting pit to the stripper. This is effected by a series of air pipes, for example, three in number, with jets or holes on the under surface of such pipes, placed preferably horizontally, arranged in such a manner as to cause jets of air to impinge on the upper surface of the ingots. These holes or jets are made throughout the entire length of the overhead pipes, the length of such pipes being

Jan 4, 1913