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By Jonas Svensson

A new method is described for the production of cold-bonded pellets using a hydraulic binder, such as portland cement. Large-scale pilot-plant tests have proved that self-fluxing pellets of high reducibility and good handling strength can be made by the method. Blast-furnace trials have shown that the pellets are an acceptable burden material, comparable with self-fluxing sinter or heat-hardened pellets. Economic factors of commercial-scale production are discussed. The Grangcold Pellet Process—for which patents have been applied or already granted in a number of coun-tries—uses a hydraulic adhesive such as portland cement, slag cements, pozzolanic cements, etc., for the production of cold-bonded pellets. The idea of using a hydraulic binder for the agglomeration of iron-ore fines is not new. Portland cement was proposed as an adhesive for cold-bonded iron-ore briquettes in patents granted more than 50 years ago.' In a report on the briquetting of iron-ore fines, published in Stahl und Eisen in 1959; it is stated that briquettes bonded with portland cement are used on a small scale at an ironwork in Germany. According to the report, the briquettes showed excellent strength in the blast furnace although their general use was made impossible because they required a long hardening time, during which they are sticky, soft, and difficult to store and handle. The Grangcold Pellet Process has overcome this particular disadvantage by mixing the balls with a suitable amount of the balling concentrate before storing them. The pellets are embedded in the concentrated during storing in such a way that they are isolated from each other and thus prevented from sticking together to form clusters. Thanks to the embedding concentrate, the pellets are subjected to a more or less uniform pressure from all sides which does not deform them. Thus, the mixture can be stored in a stockpile or in a bin until the pellets have hardened sufficiently. The concentrate is separated from the pellets by means of screening. The concentrate is returned to the balling operation and the pellets are either shipped to the blast furnace or stored for final hardening. The binder preferred for the Grangcold Pellett Process is portland-cement clinker, ground without the admixture of gypsum in order to avoid sulfur in the pellets as far as possible. Usually a 10% binder content is used. Two-thirds of the portland-cement clinker consist of lime and the rest is silica, alumina, and ferric oxide. Thus, self-fluxing or overbasic pellets are produced with this binder if the amount of silica in the concentrate used does not exceed 4%. The Grangcold Pellet Process was developed by the mineral Processing Laboratory of the Granges Co. Work started in 1963 with batch-scale tests. In 1966, a small pilot plant was put into operation in which 1800 tons of pellets were produced using 10% of rapid-hardening portland cement as a binder. Favorable results from a blast-furnace test with this batch led to the decision to erect a larger pilot plant which went into production in the summer of 1967. Since then, approximately 100,000 tons of cold-bonded pellets have been produced, mostly with 10% gypsum-free portland cement as a binder. Several full-scale blast-furnace trials have been performed with the pellets. The results of the trials indicate that the Grangcold pellets constitute a satisfactory blast-furnace feed. An industrial plant for the production of Grangcold pellets with a rated capacity of 1.5 million tpy is now under construction at the Granges Co.'s mine at Grangesberg. The plant will come into operation in the summer of 1970. Results from Laboratory Work Pellets made from iron-ore concentrate bonded with portland cement harden slowly and their handling is very critical until they have hardened enough to loose their stickiness. It is therefore especially important to study the progress of the hardening action and the factors influencing it. This is best achieved by investigating the relationship between the compressive strength of the cement-bonded pellets and the curing time under varied conditions. The general course of this relation-

Jan 1, 1971

By W. E. Brigham, P. W. Reed, J. N. Dew

By T. A. Rickard

Technology has no recognized rank in what is called polite literature; the subject-matter of engineering is not supposed to lend itself to artistic treatment; we are the hewers of wood and drawers of water to the high-priests of learning that live on the cold summit above our humbler dwellings. Therefore the hierophants smile at the notion of 'style1-" that curiously personal thingy-in technical writing. The "great art" of Pater, the "inevitable phrase" of Raleigh, the "note of distinction" that Arnold demanded are said to be beyond the scope, as they are supposed to be beside the need, of a writer on geology or engineering. This is a narrow view. Science, no less than belles lettres, calls for the best exercise of the human intelligence; the art of writing should be employed as skilfully and as earnestly in a description of the structure of the Sierra Nevada, or of the construction of a tunnel through the range, as in a rhapsody welcoming the rosy fingers of the dawn. The idea still lingers that fine writing does not befit technology, even though the masters of the Victorian period-Huxley, Tyndall, Ruskin-proved that science is worthy to be arrayed in the best robes that the looms of thought can weave. At the beginning of these lectures I quoted Barrie's remark touching the inability of the scientific man to express himself. That imputation has been passed to the technologist, whose utilitarian pursuits are supposed to make him too clumsy for the refinements of human speech. We may not have acquired the self-consciousness of those writers on Art whose "power of expression is so cultivated that their sensual caterwauling may be almost mistaken for the music of the spheres"; nor can we imitate the politicians, who have the ability to speak far beyond anything that they may have to say; but we too have a litera-

Jan 1, 1931

By Russell G. Wayland

THIS paper gives the author's personal idea of the general viewpoint of the world's largest mica consumer, the U. S. Army, toward the supply, uses, and conservation of mica. However, to cover so broad a subject in a brief paper will require the dismissal of many phases with little or no mention. For example, it will be necessary to omit further reference to phlogopite or amber mica, even though amber block and splittings for certain spark plugs and commutator segments present some supply problems. This paper will deal entirely with muscovite, or white mica. MUSCOVITE MICA Muscovite mica is available commercially in four general forms; namely, as block mica, as splittings, as washer punch, and as scrap mica.1 No strategic importance is attached to washer punch and scrap mica, even though scrap has found some use in military construction and in electrical ceramics. The use of washer punch as such has fallen off with the non-manufacture of household electrical appliances. Some qualities of block mica are also of little or no interest, but other qualities of block mica and all splittings are considered of vital importance. Army equipment requires large amounts of muscovite mica splittings in the form of built-up mica commutator segments and coil insulation in motors and generators. Other military items using significant amounts of muscovite splittings are transformers, switchboards, and blasting apparatus. Flexible mica tape, made from bookform or loose-dusted splittings cemented to paper, linen, glass cloth, and other backing, is widely used in coil insulation in heavy electrical equipment and in aircraft generators. All muscovite mica splittings come from India, principally because of the enormous amount of hand labor required in their preparation. In this emergency, the need for them was anticipated and large industry and government stocks were on hand, while shipments have continued to come by sea in spite of wartime hazards. With the possible exception of certain bookform splittings, no trouble is anticipated in supply. Accordingly, the remainder of this paper is devoted to block (or sheet) muscovite mica, including condenser film that is split from block. THE MICA PROBLEM Block muscovite mica is commercially classified into the following general qualities, beginning with the best quality: I. Clear and Slightly Stained (C & SS). 2. Fair Stained (FS). 3. Good Stained (GS). 4. Stained (S). 5. Heavy Stained (HS). 6. Black Spotted. The ratio of relative commercial abundance in the present new supply of these micas is approximately I C & SS to 4 FS to 10 GS to 14 S to whatever the

Jan 1, 1944

By Russell G. Wayland

This paper gives the author's personal idea of the general viewpoint of the world's largest mica consumer, the U. S. Army, toward the supply, uses, and conservation of mica. However, to cover so broad a subject in a brief paper will require the dismissal of many phases with little or no mention. For example, it will be necessary to omit further reference to phlogopite or amber mica, even though amber block and splittings for certain spark plugs and commutator segments present some supply problems. This paper will deal entirely with muscovite, or white mica. Muscovite Mica Muscovite mica is available commercially in four general forms; namely, as block mica, as splittings, as washer punch, and as scrap mica.1 No strategic importance is attached to washer punch and scrap mica, even though scrap has found some use in military construction and in electrical ceramics. The use of washer punch as such has fallen off with the non-manufacture of household electrical appliances. Some qualities of block mica are also of little or no interest, but other qualities of block mica and all splittings are considered of vital importance. Army equipment requires large amounts of muscovite mica splittings in the form of built-up mica commutator segments and coil insulation in motors and generators. Other military items using significant amounts of muscovite splittings are transformers, switchboards, and blasting apparatus. Flexible mica tape, made from bookform or loose-dusted splittings cemented to paper, linen, glass cloth, and other backing, is widely used in coil insulation in heavy electrical equipment and in aircraft generators. All muscovite mica splittings come from India, principally because of the enormous amount of hand labor required in their preparation. In this emergency, the need for them was anticipated and large industry and government stocks were on hand, while shipments have continued to come by sea in spite of wartime hazards. With the possible exception of certain bookform splittings, no trouble is anticipated in supply. Accordingly, the remainder of this paper is devoted to block (or sheet) muscovite mica, including condenser film that is split from block. The Mica Problem Block muscovite mica is commercially classified into the following general qualitie3, beginning with the best quality: 1. Clear and Slightly Stained (C & SS). 2. Fair stained (FS). 3. Good stained (GS). 4. stained (s). 5. Heavy Stained (HS). 6. Black spotted. The ratio of relative commercial abundance in the present new supply of these micas is approximately 1 C & SS to 4 FS to ro GS to 14 S to whatever the

Jan 1, 1948

By Russell G. Wayland

This paper gives the author's personal idea of the general viewpoint of the world's largest mica consumer, the U. S. Army, toward the supply, uses, and conservation of mica. However, to cover so broad a subject in a brief paper will require the dismissal of many phases with little or no mention. For example, it will be necessary to omit further reference to phlogopite or amber mica, even though amber block and splittings for certain spark plugs and commutator segments present some supply problems. This paper will deal entirely with muscovite, or white mica. Muscovite Mica Muscovite mica is available commercially in four general forms; namely, as block mica, as splittings, as washer punch, and as scrap mica.1 No strategic importance is attached to washer punch and scrap mica, even though scrap has found some use in military construction and in electrical ceramics. The use of washer punch as such has fallen off with the non-manufacture of household electrical appliances. Some qualities of block mica are also of little or no interest, but other qualities of block mica and all splittings are considered of vital importance. Army equipment requires large amounts of muscovite mica splittings in the form of built-up mica commutator segments and coil insulation in motors and generators. Other military items using significant amounts of muscovite splittings are transformers, switchboards, and blasting apparatus. Flexible mica tape, made from bookform or loose-dusted splittings cemented to paper, linen, glass cloth, and other backing, is widely used in coil insulation in heavy electrical equipment and in aircraft generators. All muscovite mica splittings come from India, principally because of the enormous amount of hand labor required in their preparation. In this emergency, the need for them was anticipated and large industry and government stocks were on hand, while shipments have continued to come by sea in spite of wartime hazards. With the possible exception of certain bookform splittings, no trouble is anticipated in supply. Accordingly, the remainder of this paper is devoted to block (or sheet) muscovite mica, including condenser film that is split from block. The Mica Problem Block muscovite mica is commercially classified into the following general qualitie3, beginning with the best quality: 1. Clear and Slightly Stained (C & SS). 2. Fair stained (FS). 3. Good stained (GS). 4. stained (s). 5. Heavy Stained (HS). 6. Black spotted. The ratio of relative commercial abundance in the present new supply of these micas is approximately 1 C & SS to 4 FS to ro GS to 14 S to whatever the

Jan 1, 1948

By AIME AIME

LOCAL COMMITTEES. EXECUTIVE.-W. A. Lathrop, Chairman; R. V. Norris, Secretary; S. D. Warriner, Treasurer; Irving A.. Stearns, W. J. Richards, H. S. Drinker, C. D. Simpson. GENERAL RECEPTION.-Irving A. Stearns, Chairman. Archibald, James, Jr., Pottsville. Lawall, E. H., Wilkes-Barre. Ashley, H. H., Wilkes-Barre. Lentz, W. 0., Mauch Chunk. Ayres, WV. S., Hazleton. Lewis, Albert, Bear Creek. Beard, J. T., Scranton. Loomis, W. H., Jeddo. Bridgman, J. C., Wilkes-Barre. Markle, Alvan, Hazleton. Bunting, Douglas, Wilkes-Barre. Markle, John, Jeddo. Chase, F. M., Wilkes-Barre. Neale, J. B., Minersville. Coroner, Eli T., Scranton. Norris, R. V., Wilkes-Barre. Cote, E. B., Jr., Drifton. Oliver, Paul A., Oliver's Mills. Davies, W. H., Hazleton. Owens, W. D., Pittston. Davis, H. G., Dorranceton. Pardee, 1. P., Hazleton. Dodge, W. F., Wilkes-Barre. Quin, R. A., Wilkes-Barre.

Jul 1, 1911

By Wells A. Hutchins

Water laws important to the mining industry are those which govern or affect the right to use water, to dispose of water after using it in mining or milling, and to discharge waste material into water-courses. They include statutes and court decisions having general applicability, as well as others that pertain specifically to mining. THE INDUSTRY'S CONTRIBUTION TO WESTERN WATER LAW Despite sharp differences of opinion, the water law the Spaniards brought to the Southwest appears to have included some form of appropriation of water. The Mormons, who settled in Utah in the mid-nineteenth century, also developed a system of appropriative water titles. But by far the most profound impact on western water law was made by the gold- seekers who flocked to the Sierra Nevada foothills of California after the discovery of gold in 1848. Much of the gold was extracted from the ground by hydraulic or placer mining, and so the-miners' rights to the use of water became fundamentally important. Since there was no organized government in the foothills and no laws other than those made by the miners, they helped themselves to the land, the gold, and the water needed to work their claims.' They established and enforced regulations governing the acquirement and holding of mining claims and their rights to the water they needed.'In 1879 Justice Field, former Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, spoke for the U. S. Supreme Court in saying that the miners were "emphatically the law-makers, as respects mining, upon the public lands in the State.""

Jan 2, 1960

By M. F. Goudge, R. V. Tomkins

Sodium sulfate is an important chemical raw material that is being used in ever increasing quantities in modem industry. It comes on the market mainly in three forms: (1) Salt cake (Na2SO4), a relatively crude form of the anhydrous salt containing up to 3 pct impurities, and comprising about three-quarters of the North American production; (2) anhydrous sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), a refined form containing less than 0.3 pct impurities; (3) Glauber's salt, the decahydrate (Na2SO4.10H2O) containing 55.9 pct water of crystallization. Competing with salt cake from natural sources is byproduct salt cake from a number of industrial operations. For instance there is Mannheim cake resulting from the manufacture of hydrochloric acid by the reaction of salt (NaCl) and sulfuric acid in Mannheim furnaces; rayon cake, a high-quality product, resulting from the process of making rayon by the viscose process; chrome cake from the processing of sodium chromate to dichromate; phenol cake from the manufacture of phenol; also byproduct sodium sulfate resulting from the conversion of lithium sulfate to lithium carbonate; from the processing of sodium tetraborate to boric acid; from converting sodium formate to formic acid; and in the manufacture of cellophane. Sodium sulfate is also obtained as a byproduct in the manufacture of isosebasic acid. In addition strong competition has resulted from imports of byproduct salt cake from the chemical industries of a number of highly industrialized European countries. However in recent years due to technological changes the output of byproduct salt cake is rapidly diminishing and the natural deposits are becoming the most important source of sodium sulfate used in North America. For instance, the production of hydrochloric acid in Mannheim plants has become obsolete and thus the greatest single source of byproduct salt cake will disappear. Also viscose rayon is meeting strong competition from nylon and other synthetic fibers and production of byproduct salt cake from this source may do little more than remain at the present level. These factors together with increasing demand for sodium sulfate point to increased production from natural sources. In 1958, 36 pct of the total United States production was derived from natural sources and in addition 97,000 short tons was imported so that over 40 pct of the total consumption was supplied by natural sources whereas in 1953 the proportion was only 24 pct. The rapid growth in production is shown in Table 1. Principal Sodium Sulfate Minerals There are many minerals in which sodium sulfate is a constituent but those of commercial importance at the present time, and consisting wholly of sodium sulfate in either the hydrous or anhydrous states, are mirabilite and thenardite. Minerals of potential importance but consisting in part of compounds other than sodium sulfate are glauberite in which sodium sulfate is combined with calcium sulfate, and blödite in which sodium sulfate is combined with magnesium sulfate. Mirabilite (Na2SO4.10H2O) the decahydrate, consists of 24.8 pct SO3, 19.3 pct Na2O, and 55.9 pct H20. It is a colorless to opaque, soft, water-soluble mineral with a slightly bitter taste. It has a hardness of less than 2 and a specific gravity of 1.48. It forms long needle-

Jan 1, 1960

By J. B. Knaebel, M. W. Von Bernewitz

OUTSTANDING FACTORS that have largely induced the current great interest in the reopening of old mines and the search for new deposits are the increased relative value of gold, the certainty of a market for it, and the decreased activity and poor profits in other lines of endeavor. It is easy to understand why a miner out of a job and unable to find any other means of livelihood would naturally take to the hills with his pan, pick, and shovel; but never before have inexperienced, would-be prospectors and placer miners materialized from the factories and farms, the haberdasheries, and the oil and gasoline supply stations, in such numbers as the last couple of years have witnessed, except when rich strikes of the proportions of a Klondike have been made. What, may one ask, has occasioned this condition? Unemployment has put these men in a receptive frame of mind, and newspaper and magazine articles have done the rest-- The Gold Miner of Los Angeles (a new weekly), The Mid- Week Pictorial (New York) for Sept. 3, 1932, and Popular Science Monthly for August, 1932, for instance. Even the Saturday Evening Post had an article on a promising part of Colorado. Stories that good wages may be had for the panning in nearly every western state have been featured by daily papers, popular "scientific" magazines, and quasi- technical journals. These tales have been eagerly grasped by thousands of people whose ignorance of mining has only served to increase their enthusiasm.

Jan 1, 1932

The Goodman Mfg. Co., Chicago, builders of underground electric mining machinery, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on April 23rd. The company has a complete line of cutting machines, loaders, conveyors, locomotives, and shuttle cars for service in both coal and metal mines. The Joy Mfg. Co. has received, under the provisions of the Economic Cooperation Administration, an initial order in excess of $1,000,000 for equipment to be used in the mechanization of iron ore mines in France. While the equipment will be used in various privately owned mines, the order was placed through the French Society for the Development of Mechanical Mining. Included in the equipment are the company's recently developed hard rock loaders and shuttle cars. American Brake Shoe Co. has consolidated all operations of its Canadian subsidiaries into one corporation, the Dominion Brake Shoe Co. Ltd., Montreal, Canada. The products of Dominion Brake Shoe include brake shoes, track equipment, manganese steel castings, automotive brake lining, air compressors, and paint spray equipment. Exhibits of more than 2000 electrical products, processes, and techniques, ranging from precise aircraft instruments to complex working models of steel mill, textile and other industry equipment, will be displayed in the "More Power To America Special" when it makes its nationwide tour this spring. C. H. Lang, Vice-President in charge of sales for General Electric's apparatus department, said that the train will visit the country's key industrial centers for inspection by utility and industrial executives and municipal leaders. The train will be hauled by an Alco¬G-E two-unit, 4000-hp., Diesel-electric locomotive which in itself will be part of the unusual series of displays. Sizing of Excavators and Hauling Equipment. The Power Crane and Shovel Association has released a 24-page bulletin dealing with the proper sizing of excavators and hauling equipment, Technical Bulletin No. 3. Rubber Conveyor Belting. "Installation, Care and Maintenance of Rubber Conveyor Belting" is the title of a booklet just published by the Carlyle Rubber Co., New York. Power Transformers. The manufacturing procedure of Allis-Chalmers small power transformers is described in a new 28-page bulletin, 61B6094A, covering the core and coil unit, no-load tap changer, tank construction, cooling methods, oil preserving systems, bushings, terminal compartments, indicators and testing of transformers. Safety Equipment. General Scientific Equipment Co., Philadelphia, has released a 46-page, fully illustrated catalog on personal protective equipment and industrial safety devices. This new catalog covers respiratory devices, eye protection, hats, gloves, carboy pumps, drum pumps, and miscellaneous safety equipment for use in mines, industries, etc. Osmosalts. The Osmose Wood Preserving Co., Buffalo, N. Y., has issued a bulletin on Osmosalts, the wood preservative which, say the manufacturers, makes timber last three to five times longer, slashes maintenace costs, stops rot, and resists wood-destroying insects. Jigs. The Dorr Co. has acquired the Pan American jigs and they are now known as the Dorrco-Pan American jigs. Originally developed as a gold-saving device for dredges, the simplicity, ease of operation. efficiency, and negligible maintenance of these jigs have resulted in wide adoption on all types of placer operations, in the closed grinding circuits of gold mills, and on many applications where a coarse bed concentrate is separated from the ore gangue.

Jan 5, 1950

By W. Hume-Rothery

RECENT interest has been shown in utilizing solid-state techniques for obtaining large oriented grains in the Alnico Alloys.1-4 Unfortunately, due to the inherent brittleness of these materials it is difficult to introduce sufficient imperfections by deformation to support the nucleation and growth of new, recrystallized grains. As a result, recrystal-lization methods for obtaining large grains, such as the strain-anneal technique, do not appear to be feasible. Steinort et a1.2 used a combination of a thermal gradient and internal strains to obtain large single crystals of Alnico 5 from a poly crystalline casting by annealing at temperatures above 1200°C. It was suggested that the strains were the result of the precipitation of the y phase which exists between -850° and 1200°C. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the grain size of the cast Alnico alloys can be markedly increased by solid state techniques involv-

Jan 1, 1963

By Fred T. Agthe, Fred C. Bond

When some materials are ground dry in a ball mill, a stage of comminution is reached at which the finely divided particles begin to adhere to the balls and to the mill lining. As grinding progresses, a coating accumulates upon the grinding media, which tends to cushion the impacts and thus retard reduction of the material. and finally becomes so thick that all grinding ceases. At this stage, the characteristic noise produced by the grinding media during normal mill operation changes to a dull, muffled sound. In most instances, the formation of the coating marks the practical limit of size reduction. Industrial requirements for fine grinding frequently meet with this obstacle, and the tendency in many commercial operations to grind materials to a higher degree of fineness than formerly makes the solution of this problem an important one. The phenomenon is of far greater importance, therefore, than the limited amount of research and technical discussion devoted to it implies. In order to learn more about the coating of different materials when ground dry to a high degree of fineness, certain laboratory tests were made from which it was found that different materials form coatings at widely different size distributions. It is probable that most materials will coat if they are ground fine enough; the exceptions have inherent lubricating qualities, like coal and graphite. In general, the softer materials tend to coat at coarser sizes than the harder or more brittle materials. Limestone, as an example, will coat more readily than quartz, even though limestones of different- texture and composition exhibit great differences in coating potentialities. Various materials were tested in the laboratory to show the variation in coating qualities. It was found that in most tests quartz must be ground to a fineness that would permit it to pass through 325 mesh before coating became markedly detrimental to the grinding operation. Siliceous rocks, however, tend to coat more readily than quartz. Granite, which is composed essentially of feldspar, quartz and mica, has been found to start coating at about 92 per cent through 200 mesh, and feld-spathic minerals alone usually show a tendency to coat at the same fineness. Barite has been ground in the laboratory to a fineness of 99 per cent through 325 mesh without showing serious coating of the grinding media. Gypsum coats readily. Apatite and phosphate rock usually tend to coat. Hematite usually coats, although when mixed with charcoal it does not do so. In testing the carbonate rocks and minerals, it has been found that burned magnesite, dolomite, and dolomitic limestone coat, whereas calcite and calcined calcite do not coat so readily. It has been found that commercial glass, slate, talc, steatite and coke have little tendency to coat. The relative tendencies toward coating during grinding operations, exemplified by

Jan 1, 1943

By Fred C. Bond, Fred T. Agthe

When some materials are ground dry in a ball mill, a stage of comminution is reached at which the finely divided particles begin to adhere to the balls and to the mill lining. As grinding progresses, a coating accumulates upon the grinding media, which tends to cushion the impacts and thus retard reduction of the material. and finally becomes so thick that all grinding ceases. At this stage, the characteristic noise produced by the grinding media during normal mill operation changes to a dull, muffled sound. In most instances, the formation of the coating marks the practical limit of size reduction. Industrial requirements for fine grinding frequently meet with this obstacle, and the tendency in many commercial operations to grind materials to a higher degree of fineness than formerly makes the solution of this problem an important one. The phenomenon is of far greater importance, therefore, than the limited amount of research and technical discussion devoted to it implies. In order to learn more about the coating of different materials when ground dry to a high degree of fineness, certain laboratory tests were made from which it was found that different materials form coatings at widely different size distributions. It is probable that most materials will coat if they are ground fine enough; the exceptions have inherent lubricating qualities, like coal and graphite. In general, the softer materials tend to coat at coarser sizes than the harder or more brittle materials. Limestone, as an example, will coat more readily than quartz, even though limestones of different- texture and composition exhibit great differences in coating potentialities. Various materials were tested in the laboratory to show the variation in coating qualities. It was found that in most tests quartz must be ground to a fineness that would permit it to pass through 325 mesh before coating became markedly detrimental to the grinding operation. Siliceous rocks, however, tend to coat more readily than quartz. Granite, which is composed essentially of feldspar, quartz and mica, has been found to start coating at about 92 per cent through 200 mesh, and feld-spathic minerals alone usually show a tendency to coat at the same fineness. Barite has been ground in the laboratory to a fineness of 99 per cent through 325 mesh without showing serious coating of the grinding media. Gypsum coats readily. Apatite and phosphate rock usually tend to coat. Hematite usually coats, although when mixed with charcoal it does not do so. In testing the carbonate rocks and minerals, it has been found that burned magnesite, dolomite, and dolomitic limestone coat, whereas calcite and calcined calcite do not coat so readily. It has been found that commercial glass, slate, talc, steatite and coke have little tendency to coat. The relative tendencies toward coating during grinding operations, exemplified by

Jan 1, 1943

By R. A. Walker, R. G. Bradburn, B. C. Flintoff

The events which led to computer control of the grinding circuit at Brenda Mines are described, beginning with mill operating philosophy. High production rates are encouraged so that, despite severe upstream disturbances, a manual control method to meet this philosophy had developed. Unfortunately, due to the time interval between manual control adjustments, losses in production resulted. An analog control method was devised and, although superior to manual control in some situations, was found to suffer from several practical limitations. The data logging capabilities of a control computer seemed warranted. Circuit testwork combined with an analysis of operating data showed that (1) metallurgical personnel at times could increase production rates by as much as 10% over that achieved by grinding operators; (2) the chosen data base required an increase of 2% or more to be statistically significant; and (3) for a 2% increase there would be a significant rate of return of investment in computer installation. Consequently one grinding circuit was fully instrumented, and a rented computer was installed by Brenda personnel. Prior to installation, Brenda metallurgical and instrumentation personnel were trained in the use of the computer. An experimental program was devised with short and long-term objectives. The short-term objective was to develop a practical control strategy which would yield immediate production improvement. This goal has been successfully met as described in this paper. Statistically significant increases in excess of 2% have been established. Work is being completed for the permanent installation of computer control on all four grinding circuits at the present time. Long-term objectives are (1) off-line analysis of the circuit using mathematical models of process units; (2) on-line experiments to study alternative control tactics; and (3) possible expansion of computer facilities to the crushing plant.

Jan 1, 1978

By George W. Powel

IN the nation's effort to raise its magnesium metal supply to meet the ever increasing demand, the Government is relying not only on standard established practice but has extended its support to developments not so well proved-at least, not commercially proved. Within the past few months considerable progress has been made, not only in the definite output of metal but in the exploitation of new processes, the successful adaptation of which should, in a reasonably short time, assure an adequate supply of magnesium. Recent months have also witnessed a reshuffling of the favored methods as well as of the likely raw materials, with the mineral dolomite gaining in interest over its richer but less abundant competitor, magnesite, while the lowly sea water appears to be losing ground to the higher magnesian brines of Michigan and western Texas. Every month sees a new alignment and there are signs that still newer methods or raw materials will be in use before the industry finally stabilizes itself.

Jan 1, 1942

By P. D. Rao, H. B. Charmbury, D. R. Mitchell

As a result of a changing market pattern for anthracite, there is now an increasing demand for steam size and a decreasing demand for domestic sizes. To help the producer meet this new demand, the authors present the technical aspects of the problem of crushing domestic sizes to steam fineness and size. The market pattern for anthracite coal has changed considerably in recent years. The demand for domestic sizes has been gradually decreasing and the demand for the steam sizes has been increasing. The companies however aim for a maximum production of domestic sizes, since these sizes command premium prices. To meet the market demands, particularly in certain periods of the year, further size reduction of the coarse clean coal is necessary. The present practice of multistage crushing in toothed rolls leads to complicated flow arrangements and is high in cost. Data presented herein indicate that crushers with high reduction ratios could be used with a resulting simplification of crushing flows and an appreciable reduction of capital and operating costs. The different types of crushing equipment investigated included the rotary-type breaker, the jaw crusher, the impactor-type crusher, and the Aerofall mill. CURRENT PRACTICE The standard sizes of anthracite are presented in Table I and market specifications require that any given size be maintained with only a limited amount of oversize and undersize material. The 1958 prices of the various sizes also are presented, so it may be seen that size reduction is only performed when dictated by market demands. At the present time the general practice of crushing anthracite consists of removing the top size and crushing it in a toothed double roll crusher to the next largest size. Consequently, to reduce the domestic egg, stove, and nut sizes to steam sizes of pea, buck, rice, and barley, the original material must be screened to produce the three top sizes and each size must be crushed in three separate rolls to the next largest size. Each crushed product must then be rescreened to remove the oversize for re crush ing. Thus a typical operation would consist of scalping the egg size from a mixture, crushing it to stove size, and rescreening the product. This same cycle would be repeated for the stove and nut sizes requiring three screens and three crushers as well as conveying equipment to handle the crushed products. This results in an expensive series of operations to make a product which sells for a lower price. If the three top sizes are crushed in one operation to the smaller sizes then the yield of steam sizes is low and the production of Nos. 4 and 5 sizes is large. These sizes sell for lower prices than the steam sizes. A typical operation is presented in Fig. 1. From the figure it may be seen that the original cleaned anthracite contains 67.4 pet domestic sizes, 26.4 pct steam sizes, and 6.2 pct fines. After multistage crushing of the domestic to steam sizes the composition of the product is 0.6 pct domestic sizes, 89.6 pct steam sizes, and 9.8 pct fines. From a technical standpoint these results are reasonable but the handling and crushing costs are

Jan 1, 1961

By Kenneth R. Hancock

Iron oxides are unique in that they are the only significant colored mineral found in a natural state suitable for use as a pigment after being pulverized to pigmentary size. The current world production of iron oxide pigments is estimated by the author to be between 499 and 590 kt (550,000 and 650,000 st) based on 1979 data. The fact that highly colored natural deposits of iron ore are found throughout the world accounts for its use in prehistoric man's artistic cave paintings. These early artists did not realize that they had established man's first paint test fence which now has some 20,000 years of exposure. In addition to abundance, constituting about 7 % of the earth's crust, iron oxides have the advantages of low cost, permanency, and are not toxic. Through the centuries, succeeding civilizations have utilized iron oxides as a major source for decoration and protection when coloring was desired. In the last century the chemical industry has improved on nature by developing a complete range of synthetic iron oxide pigments which surpass the pigments produced from natural iron ores in uniformity, color quality, and chemical purity. In the United States alone, the combined production of natural and synthetic iron oxides produced sales of over $28,000,000 in 1970 (Stipp, 1970) and increasing to $97 million by 1980 (Spinrad, 1980). Nomenclature With the increasing importance of the synthetic iron oxides it is necessary to make a distinction between the natural or mineral pigments and the synthetic pigments. Natural pigments are those products which are derived from selected ores and should not be confused with iron ores mined for steel production. Iron ores that are mined for steel must be capable of being mined and reduced to iron on a commercial basis. These ores are selected on the basis of iron content and processing economics. It is therefore unusual when iron ores for steel production are suitable for use as mineral pigments. Natural pigment ore sources are selected for their special physical-chemical properties and can command a premium price. Synthetic pigments, and in this instance iron oxides, are those pigments produced from basic chemicals. Through chemical synthesis pigmentary sized particles are produced as opposed to comminution, the major procedure common to all natural iron oxide pigments. Classification An important characteristic of a pigment is its color and, therefore, a logical separation can be made on this basis. A. Yellow Iron Oxide Pigments 1. Natural mineral origin a) Goethite b) Lepidocrocite c) Ochres d) Siennas e) Limonite 2. Synthetic pigments a) Goethite B. Red Iron Oxide Pigments 1. Natural mineral origin a) Hematite b) Siderite (calcined) c) Pyrites (calcined) 2. Synthetic pigments a) Hematite C. Brown Iron Oxide Pigments 1. Natural mineral origin a) Umbers b) Limonite (calcined) c) Siderite (calcined) d) Goethite (bog ore or sulfur mud) 2. Synthetic pigments a) Blends of hematite, goethite, and magnetite

Jan 1, 1983

By R. E. Hudrlik, G. W. Preckshot

The diffusion coefficients of silver from solid silver in molten lead were measured to within ± 0.8 pet in a columnar type diffusion cell ower, the temperature range of 326° to 530°C. Fick's law describes the process up to 530°C where the laminar mechanism appareltly breaks down. These is negligible resistance at the interface as shown by mathematical analyses. The diffusion coefficients are found concentration independent. IT would seem that diffusion in liquid metals would be free of such effects as molecular structure, dissociation. polarization. and compound formation. This view was taken by Gorman and preckshot in their study of diffusion of copper from solid copper into molten lead. They reported diffusion coefficients which were independent of the concentration over the range of 478° to 750°C. They found that the Stokes-Einstein equation with constant radius of the diffusing specie represented the diffusion data better than Eyring's rate theory equation and Sheibel's correlation. The radius of diffusion was found to be that of the doubly charged copper. There appeared to be no resistance across the solid-liquid boundary. In the present work the diffusion coefficients for silver in liquid lead were measured over a range of temperatures of 350° to 505°C. The solubility of silver in lead over the range of 303° to 630°C was also obtained. These results are compared with calculated or correlated values or with data in the literature. EXPERIMENTAL Procedure—The experimental equipment techniques and procedures were those reported in detail by Gorman and preckshot9 and will not be repeated here. Measured values of WT, Co, A. L were obtained for various diffusion times and the diffusion coefficient was computed for the case of no resistance at the interface9, 11 by: WT/CoAL = 1- 8/p2 n=1 1/(2n - 1)2 exp[-(2n - 1)2p2 Dt/4L2] [1] or where there was resistance at the interface by: WT = 1- ?n=1 2h2/ap2L [sxp [-Dan2t]/[(h2 + an2) L + h] The roots an are those of the transcendental equation3 tan (an L) = Iz/cun. The diffusion coefficient is that defined by Hartley and Crank.7 The total silver in the lead cylinder and equilibrium slug was determined by a cupellation technique' with proper correction for losses. Analysis of known samples showed that this method is surprisingly accurate. The amount of silver in the lead adhering to the silver cylinder was obtained in the same fashion as shown by Gorman and preckshot.9 The small errors involved in this determination are not critical since the silver in this adhering lead layer is only 3 to 15 pet of the total diffused. Materials—Electrolytic silver containing 99.9+ pet Ag obtained from General Refineries of Minneapolis, Minn. was used for all but runs 7 and 8. For the balance of the runs this silver was reduced with hydrogen at 1100°C and its oxygen content was found to be about 0.017 pet. For the runs. 7 and 8, phosphorous-reduced silver of the same purity was obtained from Handy and Harman Co. of Chicago, Ill. The densities of the phosphorus-reduced silver and the hydrogen-reduced electrolytic silver were 10.484 and 10.487 g per cm3, respectively. These values agree with those reported for pure silver. Silver which was reduced at 900 C had an average density of 9.998 g per cm3, indicating porosity. This silver was used for a number of runs which were not tabulated in Table I. These are indicated by crosses on Fig. 2. The 99.999 pet Pb was obtained from the National Lead Co. Research Laboratory of Brooklyn, New York. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS The diffusion and solubility results are reported in Table I for eleven runs using either phosphorus-reduced electrolytic silver or hydrogen-reduced silver at 1100° C. The solubility data shown in Fig. 1 show the excellent agreement with that reported by Heycock and Neville.8 The data of Friedrichs5 apparently are in error. The experimental solubility data of this work are reported to 0.3 pet. The experimental diffusion coefficients computed from Eq. [1] are reported within 1.2 pet of the mean and are plotted in Fig. 2. These are expressed within +0.8 pet of the experimental values over the entire temperature range by: D= 8.26 x 10 -5 e-1925/RT . [3] There appears to be little difference due to the

Jan 1, 1961

By V. H. Whihelm

Since 1935 California has enjoyed a remarkable cycle of discovery, which has placed the state in a very satisfactory position in regard to oil reserves. Most ol the geophysical plays have been drilled and it is possible that new discoveries must be made by the application of careful geologic and stratigraphic studies. During 1940 only one new field was discovered, which, although not of major importance, may lead to additional discoveries. During the year, 113 wildcats were drilled. New discoveries, extensions and a reappraisal of discoveries made in 1939 will not approximate over 50,000,000 bbl., as against an estimated withdrawal during the year of 224,000,000 barrels. Demand in terms of crude for 1940 was 632,000 bbl. per day as against 626,000 bbl. per day for 1939. Demand for gasoline was the same as in 1939, but the demand lor fuel oil increased 3.8 per cent. Compared with 1939, Japanese shipments decreased from 75,786 bbl, per day to 61,000 bbl. per day, but the balance of Pacific foreign shipments increased from 59,409 bbl. per day to 61,304. Total with-drawals from storage during the year will approximate 7,000,000 bbl., almost all of which is fuel oil. Drilling activity was slightly greater than in 1939 and accounted for 890 new producing wells as against 851 for 1939 (Table 3). Production averaged 611,900 bbl. per day as compared with 614.,842 bbl. per day for 1939. The productive acreage figure of the state was increased by 4000 through discoveries and extensions. New Discoveries Los Angeles Basin District Del Vdle Field.—Northwest of Newhall, where the first oil well in California was drilled, R. E. Havenstrite completed his Lincoln No. I well, flowing 390 bbl. of 50" gravity oil together with 7000 M CU. ft. of gas. Later the well was recompleted, after cutting off the gas, for 950 bbl. of 34" gravity oil. The type of structure from which this production is coming is a plunging anticline, complicated by faulting. The Lincoln No. I well uncovered approximately 180 ft. of net sand. This field contains a gas cap and its indicated productive area approximates 500 acres. An intensive wildcat drilling campaign is expected during this coming year in the district in the vicinity of the Del Valle field. Extensions and Deeper Sand Developments Los Ange1es Basin District Athens Field.—On the northwest plunge of the Athens structure, the Thorley Oil Co. completed its No. 12-1 well, flowing 250 bbl. of 3 2" gravity oil from a depth of 8097 ft. The area in which the well is located is complicated by faulting and it is impossible at this date to determine the importance of this deep-zone discovery.

Jan 1, 1941