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By Harmon E. Keyes

Harmon E. Keyes (Chemical & Metallurgical Engineer, Eagar, Ariz.)-Chemical dissolution of chalcocite by acidic ferric sulfate is well known. Resulting elemental sulfur may be oxidized to sulfuric acid by heated ferric sulfate. Laboratory tests at Southwest Experiment Station, USBM, Tucson, generally confirmed stoichiometric relations of 1 part Cu dissolved to 1.750 parts ferric iron reduced, using CP chemicals, dried ore samples, and apparatus cleaned with potable water. Recirculation with open-drainage percolation to increase copper in leaching solvent was followed successfully when appropriate, both in laboratory and Pinto Valley pilot tests. Before 1924 attempts to produce ferric sulfate by aerating ferrous sulfate solution were known. Initial oxidation was satisfactory, but rate slowed below practicality as oxidation progressed and acidity increased. Also, due to hydrolysis of ferric sulfate, a ferric precipitate of hydroxide and basic sulfate resulted. Both laboratory and pilot plant tests gave similar results, regardless of whether CP ferrous sulfate or scrap iron cementation discard solution was used. Rapid oxidation of ferrous hydroxide by air alone is well known to analytical chemists. I demonstrated a process to produce acidic ferric sulfate solutions by precipitating ferrous hydroxide with milk of lime, aerat-

Jan 1, 1973

By H. W. Imholz

Active interest in the North Central Texas area centered in the development of the Palo Pinto limestone-producing zone, near the town of Avoca, in the northeast part of Jones County. This producing horizon was discovered in 1937, in the Iron Mountain Oil Company's well No. 1 Olander, in sec. 196, B.B.B. & C. survey, at 3238 to 3250 ft. During the development of this pool, it was generally referred to as the Avoca pool. As a second pool has been discovered in the same producing zone, also near the town of Avoca, the writer has taken the liberty of changing the name of the original Avoca pool to Avoca-Olander pool. Forty producers had been drilled in the Avoca-Olander pool by the end of 1938; their initial ranged from 28 to 300 bbl. per hour. Stimulus was given to the interest in the development of the Palo Pinto limestone when the Ungren-Frazier No. 1 Griffin, in sec. 199, B.B.B. & C. survey, Jones County, found the limestone from 3225 to 3250 ft., with an initial production of 931 bbl. per day. (This new pool has been given the name of Avoca-Griffin pool, by the writer.) The best well to be completed, up to the present time, is the Bert Fields No. 1 Taylor in sec. 199, B.B.B. & C. survey, which had an initial production of 748 bbl. in 3 hours. The Owen-Snebold No. 1 McKeever in sec. 158, B.B.B. & C. survey, in northwest Shackelford County, added to the interest in the Palo Pinto limestone when it extended the Ivy pool with a well in the Palo Pinto limestone from 3145 to 3183 ft., and was estimated good for 6,000,000 cu. ft. of gas and 6000 bbl. of oil per day. During 1938, Stonewall County obtained its first commercial producer when the Stonewall Oil Co. in No. 1 Parriott discovered the Palo Pinto limestone saturated from 5169 to 5176 ft. and tested 371 bbl. per day. Two new producing horizons were discovered about 2 miles east of the old Noddle Creek pool, Jones County; the first, the Humble Oil & Refining Co. No. 1 Irvin, in sec. 48, block 18, T. & P. R. R. Co. survey, which had saturated limestone from 2550 to 2567 ft. and was good for 100 bbl. per day; the second, in the Humble No. 1 Horton, sec. 40, which

Jan 1, 1939

By H. W. Imholz

Active interest in the North Central Texas area centered in the development of the Palo Pinto limestone-producing zone, near the town of Avoca, in the northeast part of Jones County. This producing horizon was discovered in 1937, in the Iron Mountain Oil Company's well No. 1 Olander, in sec. 196, B.B.B. & C. survey, at 3238 to 3250 ft. During the development of this pool, it was generally referred to as the Avoca pool. As a second pool has been discovered in the same producing zone, also near the town of Avoca, the writer has taken the liberty of changing the name of the original Avoca pool to Avoca-Olander pool. Forty producers had been drilled in the Avoca-Olander pool by the end of 1938; their initial ranged from 28 to 300 bbl. per hour. Stimulus was given to the interest in the development of the Palo Pinto limestone when the Ungren-Frazier No. 1 Griffin, in sec. 199, B.B.B. & C. survey, Jones County, found the limestone from 3225 to 3250 ft., with an initial production of 931 bbl. per day. (This new pool has been given the name of Avoca-Griffin pool, by the writer.) The best well to be completed, up to the present time, is the Bert Fields No. 1 Taylor in sec. 199, B.B.B. & C. survey, which had an initial production of 748 bbl. in 3 hours. The Owen-Snebold No. 1 McKeever in sec. 158, B.B.B. & C. survey, in northwest Shackelford County, added to the interest in the Palo Pinto limestone when it extended the Ivy pool with a well in the Palo Pinto limestone from 3145 to 3183 ft., and was estimated good for 6,000,000 cu. ft. of gas and 6000 bbl. of oil per day. During 1938, Stonewall County obtained its first commercial producer when the Stonewall Oil Co. in No. 1 Parriott discovered the Palo Pinto limestone saturated from 5169 to 5176 ft. and tested 371 bbl. per day. Two new producing horizons were discovered about 2 miles east of the old Noddle Creek pool, Jones County; the first, the Humble Oil & Refining Co. No. 1 Irvin, in sec. 48, block 18, T. & P. R. R. Co. survey, which had saturated limestone from 2550 to 2567 ft. and was good for 100 bbl. per day; the second, in the Humble No. 1 Horton, sec. 40, which

Jan 1, 1939

By L. C. Morganroth

Discussion of the paper of L. C. MORGANROTH, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1916, and printed in Bulletin No. 110, February, 1916, pp. 475 to 481. DAVID B. REGER, Morgantown, W. Va.-I notice in the third paragraph of the first page of the paper, that in mentioning the clays of the Pottsville series, the author says: "The bed of clay found in the latter formation is unique in that flint clay is practically restricted to it. (A variety of flint clay is occasionally found in these upper deposits but this is in such small amounts as to be negligible."). If the author wishes to confine himself to the fire clays of Pennsylvania, as the title seems to indicate, I have nothing to say, but if he wishes to include a discussion on fire clays of the adjoining States which the. subsequent paragraphs of his paper seem to indicate, then I wish to call attention to the fact that there are large and extensive deposits of fire clay in the Allegheny series, immediately overlying the Pottsville in the northern counties of West Virginia. These fire clays have been studied carefully, and described in several reports of the West Virginia Geological Survey, first in the report on Ohio, Brooke, and Hancock Counties, in the northern part of the State; described later ,in the report on Monongalia, Marion, and Taylor Counties, and in the report on Preston County, which followed. In these latter counties (Monongalia, Marion, Taylor, and Preston) there are some beds of fine fire clay, varying in thickness from 6 to 10 or 12 ft., with a content of only 2 or 3 per cent. of fluxing ingredients, and these are of the typical Savage Mountain appearance and also have the typical Savage Mountain fracture. They have been prospected, but not mined a great deal. Several of them have been tested in blast furnaces and furnaces for other purposes, in glass-manufacturing plants, also for firebrick, arid have been found to be very good. They are simply awaiting development, and I merely want to call attention to the fact that there are plenty of them in the Allegheny series still above the Pottsville in West Virginia. There are two or three valuable seams which I have seen in person and have had analyzed in our laboratory.

Jan 5, 1916

By T. Wasson

Midland and Isabella counties have been the centers of activities for the year 1932. The major part of the 6,967,000 bbl. produced during the year was obtained from the old Mt. Pleasant field and the Eastern Extension field. The total production to the end of 1932 for Michigan, from all fields since discovery, is 20,679,600 bbl. Production in the Eastern Extension field was obtained from Dundee limestone of Devonian age, at a depth of about 3600 ft. As a result of the year's activity in this area, the limits of the Eastern Extension have been defined. No new fields have been discovered. A number of prospective areas have been drilled and condemned by dry holes. Probably the most outstanding development of the year was the discovery of oil on the Yost farm, in sec. 35 of Greendale Township, Midland County, by the Pure Oil Co., in the early part of December. Production is from the Dundee limestone similar to that in the Eastern Extension but is 4 miles south of that area. The first well has averaged about 500 bbl. per day since completion. It is near the center of a solid block held by the Pure Oil Co., so that rapid development due to competitive drilling is not expected. During the early part of the year the Midland-Isabella area was under proration, but on May 17 proration restrictions were discontinued and remained so until the end of the year. While the Eastern Extension saw the principal activity, some work was done in other fields of Midland and Isabella counties, but very little new production was added. The Vernon field on the north showed a slight increase in production over 1931. The Leaton field decreased. The well in Porter Township, Midland County, is still kept in the production ranks but very little drilling was done in that area. The old Saginaw field, Saginaw County, still remains the only spot in the state where commercial production is obtained from the Berea sand. It showed a slight decline over 1931 with no new producers for the year. The Muskegon field on the west side of the state showed a considerable decline over 1931, but owing to the rejuvenation of some wells by the use of acid this drop was not as great as might have been expected. Only two new producers were drilled in that area.

Jan 1, 1933

By C. W. Reith

The development of production in West Texas during the year 1933 was largely confined to the expansion of proven areas, especially Ward County, Iatan and North Winkler. Wildcat activity was at a comparatively low ebb and resulted only in discoveries of probable minor importance in Ector County. The interest shown in deep wildcatting to test beds of pre-Permian age was a new development, which should soon throw light on the possibilities of deeper production from the present producing fields. The important pre-Permian tests of the year were: 1. Stanolind Oil and Gas Co., Todd No. 1, a unitized test, in north central Crockett County on a probable continuation of the Big Lake trend. The well encountered several showings of oil and penetrated an Ordovician section very similar to the productive zones at Big Lake, but was abandoned when sulfur water was encountered at 8041 feet. 2. Gulf Production Co., McElroy No. 103, in the McElroy Field, Upton County. The well was drilling at 8553 ft. at the close of the year in beds of probable pre-Permian age. The test is an important one because it should prove or disprove deep production in the Church-Fields-McElroy pools and also throw geologic light on the deep possibilities of other fields in the western part of the Permian Basin. 3. Humble Oil and Refining Co., White and Baker No. 1, in Pecos County, about 11 miles west of the Yates field. The well is on a nonproductive Permian high and should indicate the deep possibilities of the Yates field. At the end of the year, drilling had progressed to 7200 ft., where beds of pre-Permian age are believed to have been penetrated. The major fields in West Texas, in which present-day proration had its inception, were produced under increased restrictions. A date of importance in the proration history of the area was $ept. 8, 1933, when the Railroad Commission issued an order placing all producing wells under proration. The severe reductions in total outlet made during 1933 were well compensated for by a more than threefold increase in the price of crude oil. Acid treatment was one of the general engineering developments of interest. The work had not progressed sufficie~ltly at the close of 1933

Jan 1, 1934

By B. C. Craft

Oil and gas development in Mississippi during the year 1933 was rather active and a number of important wildcat wells were drilled throughout the state. Mississippi showed an increase in drilling operations during 1933. There were 58 completions from 22 counties during this period, compared with 53 completions in 10 counties during 1932. The Jackson gas field in Hinds and Rankin counties continued to be the most active area with 26 completions, resulting in 17 gas wells, 2 oil wells, and 7 dry holes, compared with 38 gas wells, 1 oil well and 5 dry holes during 1932. A further attempt to extend the producing limits of the Amory gas field resulted in a dry hole. Extensive exploration in south Mississippi has proved the existence of ample source beds and presence of an extensive sandbody near the top of Cockfield. Core tests, supplemented by extensive geophysical work, have been carried on in Jackson, George, Harrison, Pearl River and Stone counties. Exploration will be continued in 1934. The most important deep test drilled in 1933, and the deepest well ever drilled in a southeastern state, was the Eastman Gardner et al., Bank of Seminary No. 1, sec. 26-8N.-15W., Covington County. This well went through about 1300 ft. of Selma chalk, and was abandoned in the Eutaw at 8004 ft. Another interesting operation during the past year was the Foster Creek Oil Corporation's Foster Creek Lumber Co. No. 1, sec. 14-2N.-2W., in the "Eastern Conroe Trend." This test is shut down at 3687 ft. in the Catahoula sandstone and has not encountered any important shows of oil or gas. A total of 107 of the 117 gas wells completed in the Jackson gas field since its discovery in 1930 are still producing, and have a combined open flow of approximately 3,724,896,000 cu. ft. It is reasonable to assume that this area will be rather inactive during 1934 as the maximum daily production during 1933 was 3,476,000 cu. ft. The 10 wells that have gone dead were edge wells. The water level is now between the sub-sea depths of 2190 and 2195 ft. The Gulf Refining Company's Rainey No. 1, sec. 13-5N.-lE., one of the early wells in the field, had gas and water at —2225 ft. That the field is under hydraulic control is

Jan 1, 1934

By AIME AIME

THE CHAIRMAN of the fast growing Petroleum Division is not only a graduate of the University of California, but a third generation native son. After a few years spent in hard-rock geology, his professional efforts were transferred to the sedimentaries and to petroleum investigations, as a consulting geologist. For ten years these investigations covered the Rocky Mountain, Oklahoma, Texas, and eastern districts. After the war he returned to Casper, Wyo., as chief geologist for the Consolidated Royalty Oil and Western Exploration Companies. This employment afforded him the opportunity to study particularly the economic relationship between the lessor-lessee interests in development and production, a somewhat unusual type of petroleum specialization.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. E. Crawshaw, Francis B. Foley

In the first report1 disks of steel of known composition and history were exposed, under carefully prescribed conditions, to impacts of explosion products resulting from the explosion of 50-gm. charges of explosives having well-determined rates of detonation, or to impacts of a weight of known mass, falling through measured distances. There were available at the Bureau of Mines Experiment Station five explosives, having rates of detonation of 5716, 4470, 3190, 2296, and 1523 meters per second. It being desired to continue this exposure downward, and no explosives with a lesser rate of detonation being at hand, resort was had to the impact of a falling weight, the differences in the velocity of impact being attained by varying the height from which the weight was allowed to fall. It was expected by this means to demonstrate experimentally that the development of Neumann bands was determined by the suddenness of the deformation of the metal in which they were produced. But while progressive deformations were obtained with the explosive charges, the falling-weight method failed because the tup was progressively deformed, also the disks were so flattened as to be unfit for metallographic examination. A return, therefore, has been made to the use of explosives as the source of energy, an air-gap being interposed between the charge of explosive and the disk, as the effect diminishes as the function of the distance between the charge and the object on which the products of its explosion, or the shock wave from its detonation, impinge. The details of the arrangement of the tests by the air-gap method were the same as those described by Foley and Howell,2 except that after the system had been set up and the desired apparent specific gravity for the explosive attained by tamping it, the small lead block, with the steel disk adhering

Jan 1, 1926

By Francis Foley

IN THE first report1 disks of steel of- known composition and history were exposed, under carefully prescribed conditions, to impacts of explosion products resulting from the explosion of 50-gm. charges of explosives having well-determined rates of detonation, or to, impacts of a weight of known mass, falling through measured distances. There were available at the Bureau of Mines Experiment Station five explosives, having rates of detonation of 5716, 4470, 3190, 2296, and 1523 meters per second. It being desired to continue this exposure downward, and no explosives with a lesser rate of detonation being at hand, resort was had to the impact of a falling weight, the differences in the velocity of impact being attained by varying the height from which the weight was allowed to fall. It was expected by this means to demonstrate experimentally that the development of Neumann bands was determined by the suddenness of the deformation of the metal in which they were produced. But while progressive deformations were obtained with the explosive charges, the falling-weight method failed because the tup was progressively deformed, also the disks were so flattened as to be unfit for metallographic examination. A return, therefore, has been made to the use of explosives as the source of energy, an air-gap being interposed between the charge of explosive and the disk, as the effect diminishes as the function of the distance between the charge and the object on which the products of its explosion, or the shock wave from its detonation, impinge. The details of the arrangement of the tests by the air-gap method were the same as those described by Foley and Howell,2 except that after the system had been set up and the desired apparent specific gravity for the explosive

Jan 2, 1926

By T. M. Morris

G. L. Simard and D. J. Salley—The authors and ourselves" independently came to similar conclusions both as to the value of tracer methods for the study of flotation and the general nature of collector-mineral interaction. The dodecylamine-quartz system appears to be simpler than the dithiophosphate-galena one, and the results therefore appear clearer. It is evident from a comparison of the two papers, however, that care must be used in extending the results to other more complicated systems. In the case of dodecylamine-quartz, the possible influence of micelle formation is of interest. There is no a priori reason why complete monolayer formation should necessarily occur at the concentration for micelle formation, since sorption depends on the nature of the substrate as well as on the properties of the solute in solution which alone determine micelle formation. Indeed, the fact that the onset of increased adsorption, point B in fig. 2, occurs at a concentration one tenth the critical value for micelles might imply that micelle formation does not have an influence. Interestingly enough, the data may be handled by the methods used for multilayer adsorption of gases on surfaces. Thus, if the amount adsorbed is plotted versus concentration, a sigmoid type curve is obtained, similar in form to a so-called Type I1 isotherm13 generally attributed to multimolecular adsorption. A monolayer value of about 0.12 mg per g may be estimated from the knee of this isotherm. On the other hand, if a plot is made according to the multilayer gas equation for adsorption to an unrestricted number of layers, eq 38,13 assuming the critical micelle concentration as the saturation concentration, the data above 120 mg per liter fall on a straight line from which a monolayer adsorption of 0.3 mg per g results. These considerations suggest that the monolayer may occupy an area somewhat less than the geometric value of 0.4 mg per g, and that micelle formation may indeed be a factor in the adsorption. the angle between the solid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces, measured through the liquid. The value of the equilibrium contact-angle is uniquely determined by the value of the interfacial energies of the three intersecting interfaces and is independent of other forces in the system. When the liquid-gas interface intersects the solid at an edge—as was the case for all the experiments reported in this paper—the orientation of the solid-liquid interface is indeterminate or varies through 90" for a right-angle edge. Mr. Morris has called the angle between the horizontal and the liquid-gas interface for this edge condition a "static contact-angle." I feel that this term is unnecessarily misleading. In the first place, "static contact-angle" sounds too much like "equilibrium contact-angle." In the second place, the magnitude of the "static contact-angle," which I would prefer to call the "supporting angle," is determined by the forces in the system other than those derived from the interfacial energies, hence "contact angle" is misleading. If Mr. Morris had said that the "supporting-angle" is variable and depends on the weight of the particle and size of the bubble and that it has a maximum possible value equal to the equilibrium contact-angle, his discussion would have been more accurate. T. M. Morris (author's reply)—Mr. Kellogg puts forth a reasonable criticism of some of the terminology used in the paper. I agree that the term "static contact angle" may be misleading. Substitution of the term "supporting angle" or "vector angle" may be more suitable. F. X. Tartaron—In this paper the author presents a very interesting mathematical development of the forces present when a mineral particle adheres to an air bubble. Excellent concordance is obtained between mathematical formulation and experimental results. It is the writer's understanding that when the mineral surface presented to an air bubble is greater than the area of contact, the maximum contact angle is obtained. However, this contact angle represents distortion of the bubble, the normal shape of which is spherical or in cross-section, circular. This distortion produces a force that acts in opposition to the force of adhesion between the bubble and particle. Hence, at maximum contact angle, the force of adhesion between bubble and particle is at a minimum for static conditions. However, when the size of bubble is increased, the size of particle remaining the same (and all other conditions remaining the same), the contact angle decreases, the distortion of the bubble decreases and the force in opposition to adherence of bubble and particle also decreases. Thus, there is stronger attachment between bubble and particle. When this situation is applied to actual flotation conditions, it is doubtful that it has any significance. The reason is that the bubbles are normally so much larger than the particles, that in substantially all cases, it is probable that negligible distortion of the bubble takes place. In table IV, the author makes computations for bubbles from 0.50 to 2 mm diam. This is from 0.02 in. to 0.08 in. Certainly the bubbles generated in a flotation machine are far larger than this. The surfaces of the author's bubbles range from 0.79 to 12.6 sq mm. The area of contact of the glass rod (0.15 mm diam) is 0.017 sq mm. Thus, ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact ranges from 47 to 741 in round numbers. If we take a %-in. diam bubble and a 65-mesh (0.208 mm) particle of cubical shape, the ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact is 2931. Mineral particles do not readily become attached to air bubbles. Taggart has shown that in pneumatic flotation machines collector-coated particles are only temporarily attached to bubbles. They keep falling off and down in the froth but at a delayed rate as compared with gangue. Spedden and Hannan's motion pictures confirm the difficulty of attaching particles to air bubbles. In the agitation froth process, according to Taggart, air is precipitated from the water selectively on to the collector-coated particles and these

Jan 1, 1951

By T. M. Morris

G. L. Simard and D. J. Salley—The authors and ourselves" independently came to similar conclusions both as to the value of tracer methods for the study of flotation and the general nature of collector-mineral interaction. The dodecylamine-quartz system appears to be simpler than the dithiophosphate-galena one, and the results therefore appear clearer. It is evident from a comparison of the two papers, however, that care must be used in extending the results to other more complicated systems. In the case of dodecylamine-quartz, the possible influence of micelle formation is of interest. There is no a priori reason why complete monolayer formation should necessarily occur at the concentration for micelle formation, since sorption depends on the nature of the substrate as well as on the properties of the solute in solution which alone determine micelle formation. Indeed, the fact that the onset of increased adsorption, point B in fig. 2, occurs at a concentration one tenth the critical value for micelles might imply that micelle formation does not have an influence. Interestingly enough, the data may be handled by the methods used for multilayer adsorption of gases on surfaces. Thus, if the amount adsorbed is plotted versus concentration, a sigmoid type curve is obtained, similar in form to a so-called Type I1 isotherm13 generally attributed to multimolecular adsorption. A monolayer value of about 0.12 mg per g may be estimated from the knee of this isotherm. On the other hand, if a plot is made according to the multilayer gas equation for adsorption to an unrestricted number of layers, eq 38,13 assuming the critical micelle concentration as the saturation concentration, the data above 120 mg per liter fall on a straight line from which a monolayer adsorption of 0.3 mg per g results. These considerations suggest that the monolayer may occupy an area somewhat less than the geometric value of 0.4 mg per g, and that micelle formation may indeed be a factor in the adsorption. the angle between the solid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces, measured through the liquid. The value of the equilibrium contact-angle is uniquely determined by the value of the interfacial energies of the three intersecting interfaces and is independent of other forces in the system. When the liquid-gas interface intersects the solid at an edge—as was the case for all the experiments reported in this paper—the orientation of the solid-liquid interface is indeterminate or varies through 90" for a right-angle edge. Mr. Morris has called the angle between the horizontal and the liquid-gas interface for this edge condition a "static contact-angle." I feel that this term is unnecessarily misleading. In the first place, "static contact-angle" sounds too much like "equilibrium contact-angle." In the second place, the magnitude of the "static contact-angle," which I would prefer to call the "supporting angle," is determined by the forces in the system other than those derived from the interfacial energies, hence "contact angle" is misleading. If Mr. Morris had said that the "supporting-angle" is variable and depends on the weight of the particle and size of the bubble and that it has a maximum possible value equal to the equilibrium contact-angle, his discussion would have been more accurate. T. M. Morris (author's reply)—Mr. Kellogg puts forth a reasonable criticism of some of the terminology used in the paper. I agree that the term "static contact angle" may be misleading. Substitution of the term "supporting angle" or "vector angle" may be more suitable. F. X. Tartaron—In this paper the author presents a very interesting mathematical development of the forces present when a mineral particle adheres to an air bubble. Excellent concordance is obtained between mathematical formulation and experimental results. It is the writer's understanding that when the mineral surface presented to an air bubble is greater than the area of contact, the maximum contact angle is obtained. However, this contact angle represents distortion of the bubble, the normal shape of which is spherical or in cross-section, circular. This distortion produces a force that acts in opposition to the force of adhesion between the bubble and particle. Hence, at maximum contact angle, the force of adhesion between bubble and particle is at a minimum for static conditions. However, when the size of bubble is increased, the size of particle remaining the same (and all other conditions remaining the same), the contact angle decreases, the distortion of the bubble decreases and the force in opposition to adherence of bubble and particle also decreases. Thus, there is stronger attachment between bubble and particle. When this situation is applied to actual flotation conditions, it is doubtful that it has any significance. The reason is that the bubbles are normally so much larger than the particles, that in substantially all cases, it is probable that negligible distortion of the bubble takes place. In table IV, the author makes computations for bubbles from 0.50 to 2 mm diam. This is from 0.02 in. to 0.08 in. Certainly the bubbles generated in a flotation machine are far larger than this. The surfaces of the author's bubbles range from 0.79 to 12.6 sq mm. The area of contact of the glass rod (0.15 mm diam) is 0.017 sq mm. Thus, ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact ranges from 47 to 741 in round numbers. If we take a %-in. diam bubble and a 65-mesh (0.208 mm) particle of cubical shape, the ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact is 2931. Mineral particles do not readily become attached to air bubbles. Taggart has shown that in pneumatic flotation machines collector-coated particles are only temporarily attached to bubbles. They keep falling off and down in the froth but at a delayed rate as compared with gangue. Spedden and Hannan's motion pictures confirm the difficulty of attaching particles to air bubbles. In the agitation froth process, according to Taggart, air is precipitated from the water selectively on to the collector-coated particles and these

Jan 1, 1951

By K. A. ACKLEY

The petroleum industry experienced a year of satisfactory accomplishment in Oklahoma during 1945. Crude oil production was increased, a new record for recent years was established in well completions, and refinery operations were maintained at a maximum level. Daily average crude oil production increased to 382,000 bbl., reflecting a 13.5 per cent gain compared with production during the previous pear. Total wells drilled during 1945 amounted to 2556, a gain of 28.7 per cent over 1944 Refinery throughout averaged 187,500 bbl. daily, an increase of approximately 4 percent over the preceding year.

Jan 1, 1946

By T. MacDONALD

ATHOUGH flotation has been a commercial process for over twenty years, the last two years have witnessed a sudden and phenomenal increase in our knowledge of how to separate minerals heretofore not considered amenable to flotation at all. As remarked by Professor Locke in the January issue. "Either commercial or laboratory flotation is reported on zircon, ilmenite, carnotite, kyanite, scheelite, chromite, fluorite, feldspar, cassiterite, wolframite, barite, and clay. Attractive patents on soap flotation are U. S. Nos. 2,000,656 and 2,040.187. A survey by Ralston in the February E. & M. J. adds many other minerals to this impressive list. The simple but pregnant fact is that any mineral can be coated, directly or indirectly, with a water-repellent coating, and since this is true, it follows that any mineral can be floated. Fundamentally, this is no new discovery, where, for instance, is the mineral that cannot he washed from a pair of dirty hands by means of soap and water, given the absence of refractory greases or oils which would have no proper place in flotation ?

Jan 1, 1937

By WILFRED SYKES

IT is with particular pleasure that I welcome the members of the Open-hearth Conference of the I American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers to this meeting, as I feel this is one of the most useful activities of the Institute in the field of ferrous metallurgy. For the information of our other members I might say the Open-hearth Conference was organized by Mr. Reynders when he was president, and is made up of open-hearth superintendents and metallurgists. All the plants are invited to send representatives, and practically all do, with the exception of the U. S. Steel Corporation. It meets twice a year to discuss various problems in connection with the manufacture of steel, and its minutes are published for the benefit of those attending, the expense being defrayed by the participating companies. This conference, .1 believe, should be a model for activities in the other branches of the work covered by this Institute. It works, not by reading formal papers, which we all know is not a very satisfactory method to bring out the experience of others, but rather by a round-table method of discussion. The spirit of the meetings is such that each member feels perfectly free to state his experience, and he gets as much as he gives. A series of topics for, discussion is brought to the attention of the chairman and after one is exhausted the next point is taken up. In this way there is a real interchange of ideas and experiences which cannot fail l to be of the greatest benefit to those attending. That these meetings are beneficial is evidenced by the "continued growing attendance and lively discussions at these half-yearly meetings.

Jan 1, 1930

By John F. Myers

Since the art of comminution has lain practically dormant for many years, it is very interesting that R. T. Hukki approaches the subject with a new concept. One is reminded of the research carried on by A. W. Fahrenwald of Moscow, Idaho, a few years ago. Fahrenwald mounted a steel bowl on a vertical shaft. The balls and ore placed in the bowl were rotated at fast speeds, thus simulating the supercritical speeds used by Hukki. The rolling action of the balls against the smooth shell liner has pretty much the same effect. The action is horizontal in one case and vertical in the other. Both researchers report good grinding activity.

Jan 8, 1958

US 4,185,193-Method of assaying the vicinity of a borehole for uranium ore or thorium ore. A pulsed neutron source IS operated to irradiate the earth formations with fast neutrons. A detector responds to the delayed fission neutrons emitted by the ore as a measure of ore concentration and to the delayed neutrons from oxygen-17 as a measure of the neutron output of the source. The measurement of ore concentration is corrected In accordance with the measured changes in the neutron output of the source. R L. Caldwell, assigned to Mobil Oil Corp. Jan. 22, 1980 4 pp (250-269). Filed: 5-18-78 (906,907).

Jan 1, 1982

By ROBERT R. ABUOTT

(Cleveland Meeting, October, 1912.) THE practice of carbonizing steel for the purpose of case-hardening has assumed great commercial importance within the past, 10 years. Formerly, case-hardened steel was held in more or less contempt, since it. was considered a cheap substitute for tool-steel. This is no longer the case. The development of the motor-car industry, and coincidentally that of modern alloy-steels, has resulted in overcoming many difficulties formerly experienced in case-hardening. This result has been accomplished by increased knowledge regarding the analysis of the steel which would respond most readily to case-hardening, and by more careful methods of treatment of the carbonized steel. The ordinary method of carbonizing consists in packing the steel with the carbonizing-material in cast-iron boxes and placing them in a furnace at a temperature of from 1,500° to 1,900° F. for a time sufficient to give the required depth of cc case." The steel is then either quenched directly from the box, or is allowed to cool without unpacking, and finally given a single hardening-heat., or, for special work, two or three heats. During the year 1911, more than 100,000 tons of carbonizing-material was sold in the United States, at an average price of probably $55 per ton. More than 85 per cent. of this material consisted of granulated bone. Within the past four years, many manufactured compounds have been placed on the market, consisting largely of some form of carbon or carbonaceous material, with or without the addition of chemicals. Steel will absorb carbon placed in contact with it at the temperature of the atmosphere. The reaction is exceedingly slow, but. increases rapidly with increasing temperature. Below * Metallurgical Engineer, The Peerless Motor Car Co.

Dec 1, 1912

By Jerome Strauss

IN his review of developments in 1943, Gilbert Seil, Chairman of this Committee on Reduction of the Ferroalloy Ores, tabulated the consumption of the alloying metals in relation to the steel production of that year. In the year just closed the approximate tonnage was of the same order, differing only to a minor degree or suffering some correction with more precise figuses available, as indicated in the following estimates: Consumption Metals in Tons Steel 92,000,000* Manganese 700,000 Silicon 200,000 Chromium 200,000 Nickel 75,000 Molybdenum 20,000 Tungsten 8,000 Vanadium 1,700 Titanium 1.600 Boron 10 `Production figure. The technologic studies instituted during 1942 and carried forward with such great vigor during 1943 continued into 1944 although in some instances were brought to a close either by completion of the specific development

Jan 1, 1945

By Kenneth A. Gutschick, Robert S. Boynton

Lime has become a general and loosely used term to denote almost any kind of calcareous material or finely divided form of limestone or dolomite, as well as burned forms of lime. However, according to Webster, lime is only calcined limestone (known as quicklime, unslaked lime, or calcium oxide). It also embraces the secondary product of quicklime, i.e., hydrated lime or slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). There are two basic types of limestone used for lime manufacture-high calcium and high magnesium (dolomitic). The dolomitic quicklimes and hydrated limes correspond to their "high calcium" counterparts. The only difference is that the dolomitic types are a combination of the elements calcium and magnesium, in varying percents, whereas high calicum limes contain less than 5% MgO down to 1/2%. In either case a pure form of limestone of at least 97% combined carbonate content is needed to make salable lime, barring a few exceptions. The calcination of both types is diagrammed chemically as follows: [ ] In the foregoing reversible reactions the limestone is burned (calcined) in lime kilns, with the carbon dioxide content of the stone expelled as a gas. The weight loss during calcination of pure high calcium limestone is 44%; with equimolecular dolomitic limestone, the weight loss is 48%. Since lime has a strong affinity for CO_, particularly if moisture is present, it will readily revert to its original carbonate form. This occurs when quicklime "air-slakes" and adsorbs CO.. from the air. Thus, quicklime is perishable and should be stored in dry, water-tight areas. Depending upon the type of kiln used and the physical structure of the stone, the size of the quicklime may range from sandlike granules to 8 in. lumps. However, pebble sizes ranging from 1/4 in. to 2 in. are the most common. Screened quicklime fines are also com¬pressed (pelletized) into 1 in. pellets. For some purposes ground or pulverized forms of quicklime are used, ranging from No. 10 mesh to dust. Generally a pebble of quicklime is about the same size as the pebble of limestone before calcination (perhaps shrinking slightly). A more stable form of lime is hydrated lime. This is obtained by adding water to quicklime, slaking it into a dry, fine, subsieve size white powder. Because its affinity for moisture has been satisfied, it is not vulnerable to further moisture like quicklime. However, it has the same strong affinity for CO_. The following reversible chemical reactions illustrate how hydrated lime when heated (or dehydrated) can revert to the original oxide form:

Jan 1, 1975