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By E. Martinez

The effect of ultrasonic energy transmitted through a liquid on chrysotile asbestos was investigated. Ultrasonic energy was effective in fiberization of chrysotile crudes as well as standard grades of milled asbestos fibers. Treated samples of several grades of milled fibers had increased wet bulk volumes and decreased settling and filtration rates compared to untreated fibers. Ultrasonics may be a method for fiberization of chrysotile without decreasing length or use of chemical additives that alter surface properties. Cavitation of the liquid on the surface of fiber bundles is believed to be the cause of the fiberization. It was found that ultrasonic energy greatly increased the rate of precipitation of latex on asbestos. When chrysotile asbestos fibers require additional opening or fiberization, the usual method employed is some type of high speed impact or grinding to open the fibers and produce a larger surface area. These methods always cause some degradation in length due to breaking of fibers. In addition, the efficiency of mechanical methods decreases as the diameter of fiber bundles decreases. Chemical methods have been proposed and it is claimed that fiberization down to individual fibers of 200-300 A diam is possible with some wetting agents. However, large amounts of reagent are required, approximately EDWARD MARTINEZ is with Central Research Laboratories, American Smelting and Refining Co., South Plain-field, N.J. TP 63H226. Manuscript, Aug. 12, 1963. Discussion of this paper, submitted in duplicate prior to Mar. 15, 1964, will appear in SME Transactions, September 1964, and AIME Transactions, 1964, vol. 229. 50 pct of the weight of fiber treated, and some of the wetting agent remains on the surface of the chrysotile and cannot be removed by any solvent which does not destroy the asbestos.' This investigation was directed at determining whether ultrasonic energy transmitted through a liquid would be effective in fiberizing chrysotile asbestos. Samples of asbestos crudes and commercially milled fibers were treated; settling and filtration rates of treated and untreated milled fibers were obtained. EQUIPMENT A Westinghouse Corp. ultrasonic cleaning system WEHH was used in this investigation. See Table I for a breakdown of this ultrasonic unit. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Fiberization of Chrysotile Crudes: Samples of chrysotile crudes were pulled apart with tweezers so that coarse bundles of fiber approximately 1/16 in. in diam were obtained. The bundles were put into a bottle with 200 ml of methanol and the mixture placed into the ultrasonic tank for 30 min at a power output of 1200 w. The test was repeated using water instead of methanol. During the irradiation it was noted that the surfaces of the bundles were being fiberized. The liquid eventually became cloudy with dispersed solids. Fig. 1 is an electron micrograph of the fibers, some reduced to unit dimensions, and a fine material released by the ultrasonic energy. The platy particles in Fig. 1 were identified by electron diffraction and differential thermal analysis as brucite, Mg(OH)2, which must have been intergrown in the chrysotile crudes. Electron micrographs of bulk specimens of chrysotile have shown a fine material filling the interstices between tubular fibers.2,3 Electron diffraction patterns of the fine material collected after ultrasonic treatment indicate that it is amorphous. After decanting the solution, bundles of chrysotile remained somewhat decreased in diameter. Continuing the ultrasonic irradiation of the remaining material resulted in additional fiberization. The opening of the fibers occurred in both methanol and water. Cavitation of the liquid by the ultrasonic energy is undoubtedly responsible for the fiberization. When sound waves are transmitted through a liquid at a

Jan 1, 1963

By K. C. Heald

THE places where, yesterday, oil was unknown contain tomorrow's fields. Unquestionably, some states that now yield little or no oil have great potentialities, and developments in these states, although perhaps of less immediate interest than those in regions where great pools now exist, may easily be of greater ultimate importance than the results of exploration closer to known fields. Not long ago, Montana had only a quarter of an oil pool, and that was regarded by many as an accident that had strayed from Wyoming. More recently, the northern line of Louisiana was a dead line that would not be crossed by any Louisiana operator who valued his reputation for sanity. Within the past few months, Colorado has shown that it is far from being a negligible factor in the oil supply of the Rocky Mountain states, and it is now known that western Kansas, long shunned by many reputable geologists and operators, should be reckoned with. There may be a vast difference between what a wildcat well yields and what the well signifies. The fact that no commercial production is encountered may be lamentable and may well be disastrous to an individual or a company, but the same well that spells ruin to one may convey to another the information that will result in opening a new field. In presenting the conclusions, in this paper, the writer recognizes fully the possibility of erroneous deductions, particularly since he has had contact with only a few of the wells that are mentioned. Information comes principally from the scout. maps and files maintained at the Geological Survey by M. E. Latimer and G. K. Drach, without whose cooperation this summary would not be possible, supplemented by some personal contact and second-hand information gained by. conversation and correspondence. However, it is felt that the data contain few errors, and that the conclusions are at least reasonable.

Jan 3, 1924

William M. Courtis, Detroit, Mich. (communication to the Secretary*):—I have a few items to add to the history of the Lake Valley mines. In December, 1879, I was sent to the Bassic mine of Colorado and then to Lone mountain, near Silver City, N. M., and to various copper-camps in Arizona. I staged from Glorietta, N. M., to Tucson, Ariz., stopping at Silver City to see the Cosette mine. This mine led to the opening of the Lake Valley mines, and is a deposit of similar formation. New Year's day, 1880, found me crossing the Rio Grande above the Jornado del Muerto. At Aleman, Victorio's band crossecl four hours ahead of us. We picked up four wounded soldiers to take to Fort Bayard, for during the day the colored troops under General Hatch had been driving the Indians back through the San Andreas mountains. The traveler of to-day little realizes the dangers of these trips, when over very rough roads we made about 100 miles in a day and a night. I subsequently made this trip six times, up to 1882, and each time I missed an Indian attack by from one to four days. The day I arrived at Silver City news had come of the massacre of 75 women and children at the San Francisco ranch. The fighting-men of' Silver City had gone to rescue others. I was the only passenger from Socorro, N. M., until we picked up the soldiers. The next day we came suddenly on 5 of Victorio's band, but we had picked up several miners, so our stage bristled with guns, and we mere let alone. At or near my stone quarry, 6 miles from Socorro, 9 men, were killed by the band that, a day or two after, killed George. Daly, Lieutenant White, and all their men. During this raid, our miners and women at the mine slept in the tunnel. At the Cosette mine I had 35 men at work. These Indian raids had

Jan 1, 1910

By Valentin R. Garfias, C. O. Isakson

The production of oil in Mexico during 1929 was approximately 45,000,000 bbl., or 5,000,000 bbl. less than in 1928. The production of the fields near Tampico showed a decline of over 10,000,000 bbl. for both the light and heavy crudes, which was partly offset by an increase of over 5,000,000 bbl. in the production of the fields in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. During 1929 the retrenchment policy followed by practically all the companies was continued and no material improvement should be expected until the unsatisfactory conditions that brought about this situation are remedied. A new administration has just assumed control in Mexico; it should remain in power for 6 years, and the progress of the oil industry during that time will depend primarily on the policy pursued by the new government with respect to oil development. Development During 1929, there were drilled 214 wells as compared with 371 in 1928 and 583 in 1927. The percentage of producers in 1929 was 47.2 as against 34 per cent. in 1928. The new wells did not show water as quickly as in 1928, particularly in the Cacalilao field, where the greatest number of producers was brought in, their average initial daily production being 380 bbl. The flush daily production per well in the Southern fields was 1730 bbl., while the wells in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec came in with an average of 770 bbl. Development is summarized in Table 1. In the Southern fields 63 wells were drilled in 1929, of which 23 were producers, the best being drilled in Paso Real. This development tends to show that the southern extension of Dos Bocas-Alamo fault from Alamo to San Isidro terminates at San Isidro. The two wildcat wells completed in 1929, one in Magiscatzin and the other in Xicotencatl, were failures, and at the end of the year there were eight wildcat wells drilling and material was being hauled for two more.

Jan 1, 1930

By Charles E. Weaver

Discussion of the paper of CHARLES E. WEAVER, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 103, July, 1915, pp. 1419 to 1427. MILNOR ROBERT, Seattle, Wash.-A year ago at this time, 12 wells were being drilled for oil in western Washington. Some excitement attended the operations; many thousand acres of land were leased to oil companies and stock was widely advertised. The location of the wells may be described by referring to the conclusions in Dr. Weaver's paper, in which the State is divided into four areas. In the area described first, which includes the Cascade Mountains and eastern Washington, where conditions are decidedly against the existence of commercial oil fields, no new drilling was reported. In the second area, the Puget Sound Basin, where conditions are unfavorable, but to a less degree, five wells were being drilled. The third region, covering certain parts of southwestern Washington, contained four drilling wells and several others projected or beginning operations, in spite of the absence of petroleum seepages. None of the wells mentioned is fully active today. On the western side of the Olympic Peninsula, along the Pacific Ocean, are three wells which have been the scene of operations for the past two to three years. The region they are prospecting contains seepages of light oils and is the fourth area described in the paper. The difficulties of transporting both men and supplies to the well sites have delayed operations and brought the costs up to high figures. The drilling of these three wells is interesting on account of the presence of oil in nearby seepages and its occasional appearances in the material penetrated. A. C. McLAUGHLIN, San Francisco, Cal.-The most important part of Washington is on the Olympic Peninsula. The geological conditions on the Peninsula are not similar to the conditions in California, and it would not prove to be a continuous belt of oil-bearing territory from there to here if oil should be found at either end.

Jan 12, 1915

E. A. H. Tays, San Blas, Sinaloa, Mex. (communication to the Secretary*):—The results obtained by Messrs. Hofman and Hayward in their experiments, proving that a low percentage of copper sulphate with a variable percentage of salt, depending on the ore, gives the best results, confirm practical mill-work which I did in 1895. I have none of my notes, taken at the time, to refer to, so have to rely solely on memory, which precludes the conciseness that is alway desirable. In 1894 I took charge of the plant of the San Rafael Company, near Chinipas, Chihuahua, Mex., which at that time was treating a very refractory ore carrying about $15 in gold and from 20 to 25 oz. of silver per ton, the bullion being about 300 fine in gold. The silver in the ore was in the form of a sulphide. Although carrying an average of 0.75 oz. of gold per ton, free gold could rarely be seen by panning, but upon roasting a sample of the ore the gold became visible at once—a result which was discovered by chance and used to advantage later. In order to utilize the old mill to the best advantage, it was decided to use pan-amalgamation after roasting. The roasting, done in a lime-kiln, was similar to the ordinary " burning " operation. The roasted ore was trammed to the mill-bins and crushed by 10 stamps to pass a 30-mesh screen. The pulp was de-watered and fed to four 1-ton pans. My recollection is that upon starting the mill-work, the charge contained 1.5 lb. of copper sulphate and 5 per cent. of salt per ton. From the start the extraction was unsatisfactory and the loss of quicksilver was very large. Experiments were then carried out on a working scale. First, the quantity of copper sulphate was increased 4 oz. at a time; then it was reduced

Jan 1, 1910

By W. H. Triplett

THE purpose of this paper is to record a few field observations and accumulated office data concerning outcrops, relation of ore occurrences to intrusive and host rock, and mineral zoning. Reasons for some of the phenomena are not clear to the author so the facts are given with the hope that other investigators may be able to furnish the explanations. The Avalos unit of the Compania Minera de Penoles, S. A., operates the Alicante, Bonanza, Providencia, Albarradon, San Eligio, Nazareno, Leona, Salaverna, and Santiago mines situated between Avalos railroad station and Concepcion del Oro on the Coahuila and Zacatecas railroad in the State of Zacatecas, Mexico. Some of these mines are within Penoles property while others are on mining claims leased from the Compania Nazareno, y Catasillas, S. A., Mazapil Copper Co., and the American Smelting and Refining Co. The main office and camp are at Providencia, about 170 km southwest of Monterrey, N. L., so the silver-lead-zinc mines of the district are usually referred to as the Providencia mines. The Aranzazu, Catarroyo, and Cabrestante copper-gold. mines are situated a few kilometers to the southeast on the same mountain range near Concepcion del Oro, the name by which the camp is known. It is operated by the Mazapil Copper Co. The main theme in the following pages is a description of the silver-lead-zinc ore occurrences of the district. Rock Formations Sedimentary Rocks: Many competent geologists have contributed generously to an ample fund of information concerning the sedimentary columns of northern Mexico. Among them are Carlos Burckhardt, E. Böse, L. B. Kellum, .and R. W. Imlay. Carlos Burckhardt who covered a number of extensive areas in many parts of the Mexican Republic, devoted years to mapping the geology of the Caja, Zuloaga, and Santa Rosa mountain ranges around Mazapil, Concepcion del Oro, and San Pedro de Ocampo, Zacatecas. He did most of the original mapping which has been used as a basis and amplified by others. C. E. Burbridge and, more recently, John

Jan 1, 1952

By P. Crowther, G. J. Lamprecht

The solubilities of silver, zinc, and cerium in liquid sodium, in the temperature ranges 100 to 270°C, 190° to 550°C, and 120" to 460°C, respectively, have been determined. From the solubility data the heat the entropy the partial molal enthalpy of mixing the excess entropy and the partial molal free energy of solution for the systems Nu-Ag and Na-Zn have been calculated. For the system Na-Ce the observed negative is discussed in terms of the solubility of the oxide Ce2O3. In an earlier publication the results obtained in the study of the solubility of tin' in liquid sodium are presented, as well as the detailed analytical procedures used. 1) REAGENTS Spectroscopically pure metals as supplied by Johnson Matthey and Co, were used to produce the following tracers: 253-day Ag110, 245-day zn65, and 325-day ce141. The tracers were prepared by irradiation in a thermal neutron flux of 4 x 10 13 neutrons cm-2 sek-1. To obtain a uniform amount of the required specific activity, needed for each solubility experiment, the radioactive metal was diluted with the corresponding inactive metal, by melting them together in an inert atmosphere. The liquid sodium used contained 11 ±2 ppm of O,1 determined by the vacuum distillation method.' The oxygen was assumed to be present as the oxide NaD. 2) THE SYSTEMS: SODIUM-SILVER AND SODIUM-ZINC Plots were made of the log of the mole fraction of silver, Fig. 1, and of zinc, Fig. 2, dissolved in the liquid sodium vs reciprocal absolute temperature. The equations for the solubilities, based on the least-squares fit to each plot, are: where Xi is the mole fraction metal dissolved in sodium, T is the absolute temperature, and s is the standard deviation in the value of log Xi. The heats and the entropies lution were calculated from the solubility data by In neither of the two cases was any intermetallic compound formed between sodium and the solute metal as was the case for tin.' Thus, for the silver and zinc systems the pure metal was taken as the reference phase. Since the solids in equilibrium with the liquid sodium were the pure metals, one can calculate the partial molal enthalpy of mixing and

Jan 1, 1969

By R. I. Jaffee, F. C. Holden, H. R. Ogden

The mechanical properties of Ti-C and Ti-C-0 alloys can be altered by heat treatments to dissolve or reject carbon from solid solutions. The maximum strength is obtained by annealing just below the peritectoid temperature. Quenching from the ß-carbide field results in softening. Impact behavior is influenced by the extent of solution of interstitials CARBON is not as important in titanium alloys as it was in earlier years when graphite induction melting was more prevalent. With induction melting, carbon pickup is about 0.5 to 0.8 pct. Cold-mold arc melting with graphite electrodes, which is among the more current methods, results in carbon pickup of 0.1 to 0.2 pct. The titanium-sponge melting stock itself contains about 0.02 to 0.07 pct C, picked up from the magnesium used in the reduction process. Thus, carbon is still one of the more important contaminants in titanium and needs careful study and evaluation in order to understand titanium and titanium alloys. Moreover, it is equally proper to consider carbon as an alloying addition because, in controlled amounts in titanium alloys, it may serve a most useful function. This is particularly the case where the ultimate in toughness is not required. The addition of carbon to titanium results in a peritectoid-type system as illustrated in Fig. 1. The solubility of carbon is seen to be higher in the a phase than in the ß phase in the temperature range of interest. Below the peritectoid temperature, the solubility of carbon in a titanium decreases with decreasing temperature. This type of system permits many microstructural and heat-treatment variations which may influence the properties of the alloys. The study of how the microstructure variations affect mechanical properties is described in this paper. Experimental Procedures The experimental techniques and testing methods used in this work were the same as those described in detail in a previous paper.' No further descriptions will be given except where changes have been made. High purity iodide titanium, produced by the New Jersey Zinc Co., was used in all of the alloys. Carbon additions were made using high purity spectro-graphic carbon electrodes in order to obtain the highest purity carbon available. The alloys were prepared by double arc melting to reduce the possibility of segregation. The alloys were forged at 875°C to ¾ in. round, descaled, vacuum annealed for 5 hr at 900°C to remove the residual hydrogen, and swaged to ¼ in. round at 750°C. All heat treatments were made on material in this initial condition. Two of the early Ti-C ingots were found to have been contaminated in melting. Vacuum-fusion analyses showed that the two contaminated alloys had picked up oxygen, so the test results on these two alloys permitted an evaluation of ternary Ti-C-0 alloys. A list of the alloys and their compositions are given in Table I. Properties of Ti-C Alloys In a peritectoid-type system, such as the Ti-C system, the chief microstructural variable which influences the properties is solid-solution strengthening. For a given composition, it is possible to control the disposition of carbon, either in solid solution or as the compound Tic, by suitable heat treatments. When in solid solution, the carbon present in the alloy makes a definite contribution to the strength of the alloy. However, when present as Tic, it has very little effect on the strength. Other microstructural variables considered in this investigation were transformation structures and grain size. As discussed in subsequent sections, these variables have only a minor effect on properties as compared to the solid-solution effect. Solid-Solution Strengthening: The principal strengthening mechanism for Ti-C alloys has been found to be solid-solution strengthening. Carbon in interstitial solid solution strengthens titanium, but has very little strengthening effect if present as the compound. Since carbon has a higher solubility in

Jan 1, 1956

By Courtenay de Kalb

THE Exposed Treasure gold-mine has, for the past four years, been one of the largest producing mines of Southern California, its annual output having constituted 1 per cent of the total gold and silver production of the entire State. At the present moment the property is idle, owing to the large quantity of water encountered oil the lower levels, which will require the installation of a powerful pumping-plant before operations can be recommenced. Moreover, a prompt change in the character of the ore has occurred at water-level, which makes imperative an extensive campaign of development in the region of the unoxidized ores before a plant adapted to their treatment can be definitely decided upon. The character of the changes encountered in these deeper ores makes the geology of this deposit a matter of importance, not only for the immediate district, but for the desert region of Southern California in general, where many mines exist having in the oxidized belt conditions that, in many respects, resemble those in the Exposed Treasure mine. The deposit is situated in an apparently isolated butte about 2.5 miles south from the town of Mojave, on the Mojave desert; The butte, though apparently isolated, is in fact geologically part of an extinct volcano, known as Soledad butte, which rises out of the plain 1,5 miles SW. of the mine, to an altitude of 4,650 ft. above sea-level. Other buttes also rise from the desert plain toward the south and east, and again to the westward, all being closely related geologically to Soledad butte,-the whole constituting a single system as to origin and time. Since the end of the period of active volcanism in this region, there has been extensive denudation, the ancient plateau having been dissected during an epoch of apparently exces-

Jan 1, 1907

By Ed Van Eeckhout

As part of a U.S. Bureau of Mines-sponsored project on the utilization of "stiff" backfill to minimize potential rock burst hazards, a finite element study was undertaken to predict stresses and displacements around a stope mined up from the 5400 level of the Sunshine mine, Kellogg, Idaho. This stope was to be backfilled using a high-modulus fill. In preparation for that configuration, certain instrumentation was installed near the 5400 level to monitor stress changes. Due to untenable economics, only 2 cuts of the stope were ever made. This paper presents the results of the instrument readings taken during the first cut and compares them with the numerical predictions, as well as presents the modeling results of closure and fill stresses in the stope if it had been mined.

Jan 1, 1984

By J. E. Stukel, J. Cocubinsky

A CONSIDERABLE amount of information is available on the equilibrium distribution of manganese between slag and metal under oxidizing conditions. These data have increased our knowledge of the manganese reactions in the open hearth, ladle, and ingot mold. In contrast, there is a paucity of data on the slag-metal distribution of manganese under reducing conditions. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the equilibrium distribution of manganese between blast-furnace type slags and iron saturated with carbon. Experimental Method Furnace: The induction furnace used for the experiments is shown in Fig. 1. A 1 in. pipe, attached to the transite cover, was fitted with a window through which the charge could be observed. Material could be introduced into the furnace through a tee and plug without removing the cover. A graph-it cylinder (3 in. ID and 10'/2 in. long), centered within the induction coil, was used as a heating element. During a test, a zircon plug kept the top of the furnace from becoming too hot from heat radiation. At the bottom, a graphite block on the vertical center line of the furnace and extending 1 1/2 in. into the coil, was used as a support for the graphite crucibles containing the melt. The graphite crucibles, machined from regular carbon electrode stock, had a 2% in. OD with 3/16 in. walls and were 5% in. long. The fumes present in the furnace during the early part of a run made optical readings uncertain. A noble metal thermocouple was, therefore, adopted to measure the temperatures. The arrangement used, shown in Fig. 1, allowed the silmanite protection tube to be replaced with a minimum effort. The thermocouple was calibrated against a standard Pt-Pt-Rh thermocouple in a fused quartz protection tube. The latter was inserted in the molten iron by removing the glass window on the cover. The lower couple was found to be very sensitive to temperature changes. To insure accurate temperature readings, the graphite crucibles were made to fit tightly against the silmanite protection tube. Further, to avoid contamination of the thermocouple by carbon, the silmanite tube was changed and the calibration procedure was repeated at frequent intervals. By using this temperature measuring technique, the furnace was easily held within *1O°C of the desired temperature. Because of the small free space in the furnace, no attempt was made to control the atmosphere. It

Jan 1, 1955

By L. C. Glenn

The account of oil and gas production in Tennessee, and of the geological factors related to such production, as given by the writer' a few years ago needs to be supplemented by brief statements as to production and development to bring it up to date. Activity in searching for favorable geological structures or in drilling given areas has never been comparable to the intensive work done in states of large production. It is not possible, therefore, to prepare a statement giving the details that may be readily available in such states, but instead one must be content with more general statements. In the past 10 or 12 years there has been a moderate amount of drilling for both oil and gas widely scattered over the state. Of much of this there is no available record. Morgan, Clay, Scott and Pickett counties have had more oil-drilling activity than any other counties, and likewise they have had almost all of the oil production. In Scott and Morgan counties production centers about Sunbright and Glenmary, the oil coming from the St. Louis limestone at a depth of 1200 to 1500 ft. Wells usually are small but generally hold up well. In Clay, Pickett, Fentress, Overton, Macon and Sumner counties there is a large area in which there are many small structural domes, some of which have been drilled. Wells vary from a few barrels to several hundred flush production and last for some years. The oil comes from porous weathered zones, mostly in the Trenton division of the Ordovician, though some comes from lower horizons beneath one or more bentonite beds that serve as horizon markers and are known as the "pencil cave." Wells recently drilled in the Central Basin and in the Western Highland Rim have been dry or have had only shows of oil. The horizons tested are also usually Ordovician in the Central Basin and usually either Ordovician or Mississippian; occasionally also Devonian on the Highland Rim. In the Gulf Embayment area of West Tennessee there has been but little activity. A well near Ridgely said to be over 2200 ft. deep is supposed to have entered Upper Cretaceous sands and clays in the lower

Jan 1, 1934

By J. E. Schaefer

A summary of oil and gas development in Ohio for 1936 is necessarily brief and, in some details incomplete, owing to the lack of a central state agency for the collection of data and statistics on well drilling and production. The information used in this report was compiled from the records of the several companies operating in the state. Drilling activity in Ohio increased during 1936 as compared to the two preceding years. During the year 1157 wells were completed, as compared to 1022 wells in 1935 and 1055 wells in 1934. However, in spite of this increase in drilling activity, both oil and gas production declined for the year. Activity by Fields Trenton Sand Field.—The Trenton sand field is located in 15 counties of northwestern Ohio, trending from Toledo on the north, south and west through Findlay into Indiana. About 40 years ago the Trenton field was one of the most important oil-producing fields in the United States, but it has declined to a position of minor importance. During the year 1936 there were 52 completions in this field—29 gas wells, 19 oil wells and 4 dry holes. Clinton Sand Field.—The Clinton sand is by far the most important gas-producing field in the state. Production is located in small pools separated by nonproducing areas, on a band of varying width reaching from Cleveland on the north to Lawrence County on the Ohio River on the south. During 1936 a small pool of patchy character was developed in Butler township, Knox County. Seventeen wells were completed in the Clinton sand, of which 13 were gas wells and 4 were dry holes. The average initial production secured per well drilled, including dry holes, was 1,288,000 cu. ft. The average depth of the Clinton sand was 3000 feet. A gas well was completed in lot 9 of Franklin township, Tuscarawas County. Production was found in the first Clinton sand at a depth of 4354 ft. The initial open flow after shot was 828,000 cu. ft. and the rock

Jan 1, 1937

By Kendall E. Born

Production of crude oil in Tennessee during 1937 was slightly over 37,000 bbl., an 85 per cent increase over the preceding year and the highest since 1928. Closer cooperation between the operators and the State Division of Geology has resulted in more accurate data than have been possible for the past few years. Such cooperation is most desirable, especially in this state, which has no law requiring the filling of drilling permits, logs, and production figures. The increased production for the year has resulted from discoveries of four small pools in the shallow district of Clay and near-by counties. The most promising of these began production late in 1937 and consequently has had little effect on the 1937 total. These discoveries, along with renewed activities in some of the older areas, have increased the production for Clay and adjoining counties from less than 5000 bbl. during 1936 to over 21,000 bbl. in 1937. The Mississippi lime production in Scott and Morgan Counties declined from 16,335 bbl. in 1936 to 14,644 bbl. during 1937. While the decline curve on this production has been gradual, some of the wells are over 20 years old, and it becomes necessary to look for other favorable structures in this general region if increased production is to be obtained or past production maintained. The only natural gas marketed off the lease in Tennessee during 1937 was in Morgan County, where a small amount was furnished for the town of Sunbright and its immediate vicinity. The gas occurs with the oil in the Boone Camp field and small amounts were put on the line from the near-by Coon Hollow and Seabolt pools. Development There were 59 wells spudded in during 1937, of which 18 were drilling or only temporarily shut down on Dec. 31, 1937. Of the 41 completions, 17 produced oil, 5 were gas wells of undetermined quantity, and 19 were dry or near-dry holes. The flush production on the new wells totaled about 1300 bbl. per day. The more important wildcats are listed in

Jan 1, 1938

By C. R. Boyd

The sulphuretted ores of Carroll and Grayson Counties, Va., Ore Knob, Ashe County, N. C., and Ducktown, Tenn., in their general position, are in the prolongation of the same massive deposits. The existence of the extensive ore-bodies has been well-established, not only in a practical way, but by the careful research of a number of men of science, including Dr. T. S. Hunt, Professor Kerr, Dr. Genth, Rogers, Safford, Professor Egleston, Dr. H. E. Colton, the writer, and others, and described in one or more of the volumes of our Transactions, as well as in other publications. The greater quantity of' these ores being pyrrhotite, although much of them carry nonmagnetic disulphide, their reduction on the gronnd will probably lead to better results than an attempt to mine and ship them to distant places; and their use as sulphuric acid producers, to be employed in the cheap manufacture of valuable fertilizers, will be chiefly the subject of this paper. The great deposits of Carroll County, Va., are now nearer to railway transportation than any of the others, being six to eight miles from the Cripple Creek extension of the Norfolk and Western Railway, now being constructed, the grading of which is in an advanced state of completion. I am not able to state what are the present prospects of an early completion of the contemplated line of railway to Ducktown. For a long while, during the time those deposits were mined and reduced for their copper, the works were forty miles from any railway ; and the same may be said of Ore Knob, N. C. The deposits in Carroll and Grayson Counties, Va., being now the most accessible to cheap transportation, will naturally claim the greater part of our attention ; though it may be pertinent to remark, just here, that the ores of Ducktown, like those of Carroll and Grayson, Va., exist in the undecomposed levels as iron and copper sulphurets, much of which is a non-magnetic disulphide, as stated, with occasional exhibits of sulphides, such as covellite, erubescite, etc. There are, now and then, small quantities of silver, lead, and zinc,

Jan 1, 1886

By J. M. Vetter, W. F. Bowman

The Gulf Coast area of Texas and Louisiana produced a total of 47,070,650 bbl. of oil during 1928, a decrease of 7,401,173 bbl. from the previous year. Of this amount Texas produced 39,353,950 bbl., or a decrease of 9,689,296 bbl. from the 1927 output. The Louisiana Gulf Coast produced 7,716,700 bbl., which is an increase of 2,288,123 bbl. over 1927. The decrease in the Texas Coastal area is due principally to the decline at Spindletop. Production at the beginning of the year in this field averaged 53,400 bbl. daily. At the end it had declined to 35,850 bbl. The increase in Louisiana was due to development in new fields at Kelso Bayou (East Hackberry), Sulphur, Sweet Lake, Bayou Boullion and Sorrento. This production was maintained by the drilling of 984 wells. Of this number 736 were located in Texas and 248 in Louisiana. Of the 984 wells drilled, 571 were reported as producers. Distribution of the various completions is listed in the accompanying tables compiled by Oil Weekly. New Developments New developments of particular importance in Texas were the finding of a 5000-bbl. well in formations of Cook Mountain age in the Clay Creek field located in northern Washington County by the Sun Oil Co. ; the discovery of oil at Dewalt in Fort Bend County by the Humble Oil & Refining Co.; the development of commercial production at Raccoon Bend in Austin County by the same company; and the finding of oil in formations of Oligocene age in the Refugio gas field of Refugio County. The most important development in Louisiana was the finding of oil at Sorrento, east of the Mississippi River, by the Gulf Production Co. The importance connected with these finds is not so great in that they opened up new fields, but in the new territories which they open as possibly productive of oil. Eastern Louisiana has been looked upon with considerable doubt on account of the theory which has prevailed among most geologists that the nature of the formations was not such as to produce oil. The actual finding of oil in that area upsets this theory and

Jan 1, 1929

By J. French Robinson

A review of production in the Eastern District for 1930 is necessarily brief. Drilling operations were curtailed, due to economic conditions, which in turn reduced production. However, in spite of these conditions, there have been a few outstanding developments which surpass any of recent years. The development of a field in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, New York, has been rapid and probably reached its peak of production in 1930. The gas in this field comes from the White Medina Sand (Silurian), at an average depth of 2600 ft. Some of the wells had an open flow of 20,000,000 cu. ft. of gas per day,' with an original rock pressure of 965 pounds2 per square inch. Another area developed during 1930 was the Tyrone field, in Tyrone Township, Schuyler County, New York. This field was discovered 2nd is practically controlled by the Belmont Quadrangle Drilling Corpn. of New York. The production is from the Oriskany Sand (Devonian), which is found at an average depth of 2100 ft. The field covers approximately 2000 acres, and to date has 14 producing gas wells. The largest well had an open flow of 15,000,000 cu. ft. and an original rock pressure of 740 Ib. The gas from this field is impregnated with sulfur, and requires washing before it is marketed. Because little is known of the Oriskany Sand, a brief description may be of interest. This sand outcrops at Oriskany Falls, New York, and has a thickness of 10 to 12 ft. Its texture is coarse grained, it is composed mostly of quartz and is a regularly bedded sandstone. At Yauger's Wood, in Cayuga County, New York, it is exposed and shows a thickness of 26 feet. The discovery of the Tyrone field led to much prospecting in the New York and the northern part of Pennsylvania, and as a result of this search, the Allegany Gas Co. struck a large gas well in Farmington Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, which created considerable excitement through the Eastern District. The gas was encountered at a depth of 4010 ft., and tested 20,000,000 cu. ft. open flow, with a shut-in pressure

Jan 1, 1931

By L. C. Glenn

In the preparation of this paper the writer has drawn freely upon the writings of Orton, Munn, Shaw, Mather, Miller, Hoeing, St. Clair, Jillson, and others, as well as upon his own personal knowledge of the fields of both states. It is to be regretted that certain data gathered by him and his assistants last fall are not available for publication. Oil in Tennessee A few wells drilled for brine for salt making in Tennessee between 1820 and 1840 obtained oil, but no definite search was made for oil until just after the close of the Civil War. Active drilling was then begun in Overton and counties southwest of it on the eastern half of the Highland Rim. A number of strikes were made at shallow depths in the basal part of the Mississippian but the wells were soon exhausted and abandoned. Drilling was revived, about 1892, when the Spurrier district in Pickett County was developed and was followed by the Riverton district in the same county in 1896. A pipe line was laid from the Wayne County, Ky., fields and about 60,000 bbl. of oil were run before a very heavy slump in the production, a failure to find an extension of the field, and excessive local taxation caused the removal of the pipe line in 1906. There was then no production in Tennessee until the discovery, in 1915, of oil near Oneida, Scott Co., at about 950 ft. (289 m.) in fissures in the Newman or St. Louis limestone. This field, however, soon failed and was abandoned. In 1916, oil was found at Glen Mary, Scott Co., in the Newman limestone at a depth of 1232 ft. (375 m.) A number of wells have since been drilled there, some of which were dry while others, close by, were produccrs. The largest one yielded, at first, about 340 bbl. per day and produced for several months, when it suddenly went dry. Several of the first wells began at 6 or 8 bbl. per day and are still maintaining that output. Production is from a fissured part of the limestone and varies greatly in accordance with the size and extent of the ramification of the

Jan 1, 1921

By Frederick Prime

THE Great or Cumberland Valley, which (under a variety of names) extends from Canada, through Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and East Tennessee, to Alabama, is composed in part of limestones lying immediately above the Potsdam sandstone. Geologically, they belong to the era between the Potsdam and Trenton, and are commonly termed Calciferous. A peculiarity of these limestones is their great richness in limonite or brown hematite ores, which form a large part of the charges of the many blast-furnaces situated on their outcrops. The mines from which the ores are obtained are (properly speaking) only pits or quarries, from which the ore is extracted by means of picks or shovels, powder being rarely employed. The ore does not occur casually at any point in the limestone, but forms regular lines, following apparently the 'outcrops of certain beds. In Lehigh County, Penn., where I have been engaged on the Geological Survey of' the State, during the past season, there are three or four of these lines. During the progress of the survey I was much struck by the fact that the two most important and promising lines of outcrop were, one at the base of the crystalline schists (forming the South or Lehigh Mountain), and overlying the Potsdam sandstone conformably; the other, near the line of junction of the calciferous limestone with the slates of the Cincinnati epoch. The mines along these two lines, following the topography of the country, were in place, richer and more permanent than those of the belts between, which were generally leaner. A peculiarity of these two lines of outcrop, and one to which I particularly desire to draw attention, is the occurrence of what I at first mistook for a highly altered slaty limestone, but which subsequent analysis proved to consist in great part of damourite (hydrated potash mica). The following are analyses of this damourite slate I. From Fogelsville, Lehigh County, within a few hundred feet of the contact of limestone and slate, by Dr. F. A. Genth. II. From Hensingerville, Lehigh County, within 300 feet of gneiss, by Mr. Sydney Castle, of the University of Pennsylvania. III. From Allentown, Lehigh County, within 150 feet of con-

Jan 1, 1875