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By S. P. Rothwell

ABOUT thirty miles north of, the city of Belleville (which is situated on a branch of Lake Ontario), and in the township of Marmora, Ontario,: there is found a. belt of gold-bearing quartz veins, which present geological, mineralogical, and economic features of great interest to the profession. The district in which these veins are found is characterized as a rolling country, with low rounded bills of syenitic granite, overlain on the flanks of the hills by Silurian limestones, which lie in nearly horizontal beds, and in some places are so fine in texture as to afford lithographic stone of a fair quality. The gold-bearing veins run north and south through this belt of syenitic granite, and are quartz-filled true fissures, with micaccous or talcoid slates forming the walls of and horses in the veins. This

Jan 1, 1881

By George Sachs

I deeply appreciate the honor of being selected to deliver the twentieth Annual Lecture of the Institute of Metals Division. The subject of my paper is extremely involved and voluminous, therefore I shall discuss only some more recent experimental material and speculate somewhat on the physical and mechanical fundamentals of these changes. The flow and the rupture of a solid material are rather different phenomena. It is therefore surprising that up to a rather advanced stage in metallurgical science these two fundamental phenomena have been simultaneously treated and forced into the general conception of the "failure" of solid material. Only in this century, and particularly during the last 20 years, have the very different physical meanings of flow and rupture been clearly recognized. Several hundred of the more recent publications deal with these subjects.1 LAW OF SIMILARITY The basic values commonly considered responsible for the mechanical behavior of any material are the stresses. From this standpoint both a large and a small article made from the same homogeneous metal and of geometrically similar shapes should behave identically, i.e., they should deform geometrically in a similar manner, if subjected to the same stress values at corresponding points. This "law of similarity" was introduced about 60 years ago simultaneously by Barba2 and Kick3 and was derived from the classical theory of elasticity. As far as the plastic behavior of a metal is concerned, this rule appears to be valid. The conventional properties of large and small tension or compression test bars, machined from larger sections, are identical; while the force required to deform a section is proportional to its cross-sectional area and the work consumed in deforming geometrically similar articles in a geometrically similar manner is proportional to its volume. The general trend of the stress-strain diagram of a metal is independent of the section size (Fig. I). No exceptions from this rule are known. However, if the deformation of a metal is continued until rupture occurs, and the breaking stress or the work consumed is measured, a test bar of large cross section appears to fail before or at lower stresses than does one having a small cross section. Thus, the specific impact energy has been often found to decrease with increasing size of the test specimen, particularly for materials with a limited ductility.4 Another exception from the rule of similarity is offered by fatigue-strength values, which usually decrease with increasing section size. 5,6 The conclusion must be drawn from these experimental facts that the ductility of a homogeneous metal decreases with increas¬ing section size (Fig. x). This effect has been actually confirmed by Docherty,7 who observed that in static notch bending tests large specimens failed earlier and in a more brittle fashion than small specimens ma-

Jan 1, 1941

At the end of June, 1938, a new oil field was opened in Egypt, the Ras Gharib. Five wells were completed during the year and gave a total production of 512,988 barrels.' In the Hurghada field production was as follows: Hurghada Field Age of field to end of 1938, years..................... 25 Producing area for gas and oil, acres................ 1,050 Barrels1 Total oil production to end of 1938............... 31,207,754 Total oil production during 1937................ 1,141,356 Total oil production during 1938.................. 1,019,520 Average oil production per acre to end of 1938... 29,719 Average oil production per acre-foot to end of 1938. . . 243.6 Daily average: production in December 1938.......... 2,603.54 Daily average production per well in December 1938. . 34.90 Millions Cu. Ft. Total gas production (Aug. 1925 to end of 1938)... 4,356.7 Total gas production during 1937.................. 222.5 Total gas production during 1938....... . 167.6 Maximum gas daily average of 1938 (ill May 1..... 0.6 Wells Number of producing wells completed to end of 1938 . . 100 Number of producing wells completed during 1938..... 3 Number of wells abandoned during 1938.............. 2 Producing wells at end of 1938 (all pumping)......... 78 Abandoned wells at end of 1938...................... 22 Dry wells at end of 1938......................... 21 Feet Average depth of bottom of producing horizon........ 1,720 Average depth of top of producing horizonlt 1,598 Character of oil, approximate average ill 1938: specific gravity at 60" F'., 0.900; base, mixed. Character of gas, approximate average for 1938: gallons gasoline per 1000 cu. ft. of gas, 6.4. Main producing formation: Nubian sandstone, Cretaceous (PI; sand rock and sandstone.

Jan 1, 1939

At the end of June, 1938, a new oil field was opened in Egypt, the Ras Gharib. Five wells were completed during the year and gave a total production of 512,988 barrels.' In the Hurghada field production was as follows: Hurghada Field Age of field to end of 1938, years..................... 25 Producing area for gas and oil, acres................ 1,050 Barrels1 Total oil production to end of 1938............... 31,207,754 Total oil production during 1937................ 1,141,356 Total oil production during 1938.................. 1,019,520 Average oil production per acre to end of 1938... 29,719 Average oil production per acre-foot to end of 1938. . . 243.6 Daily average: production in December 1938.......... 2,603.54 Daily average production per well in December 1938. . 34.90 Millions Cu. Ft. Total gas production (Aug. 1925 to end of 1938)... 4,356.7 Total gas production during 1937.................. 222.5 Total gas production during 1938....... . 167.6 Maximum gas daily average of 1938 (ill May 1..... 0.6 Wells Number of producing wells completed to end of 1938 . . 100 Number of producing wells completed during 1938..... 3 Number of wells abandoned during 1938.............. 2 Producing wells at end of 1938 (all pumping)......... 78 Abandoned wells at end of 1938...................... 22 Dry wells at end of 1938......................... 21 Feet Average depth of bottom of producing horizon........ 1,720 Average depth of top of producing horizonlt 1,598 Character of oil, approximate average ill 1938: specific gravity at 60" F'., 0.900; base, mixed. Character of gas, approximate average for 1938: gallons gasoline per 1000 cu. ft. of gas, 6.4. Main producing formation: Nubian sandstone, Cretaceous (PI; sand rock and sandstone.

Jan 1, 1939

By Prakash C. Kapur

Many balling and gradation system6 generate self- similar size distributions of the agglomerates. Inspection of the experimental data shows that this is also true of the steady state distributions resulting from the granulation of coarse, partially wet powders, for example, the fertilizer feeds. This result is exploited in the derivations of a number of simple and useful relationships that are pertinent to the analysis of these agglomeration systems. The bonding liquid demand of the granulating charge is a third order polynomial function of the dimensionless ratio of feed particle size to median granule diameter in the weight-fraction distribution. The median size, in turn, is the scale factor or characteristic size parameter in the similarity distribution. The granule size distribution, therefore, is completely specified by the liquid content and the similarity function, and so are the process efficiency and the ungranulated component In the product at steady state.

Jan 1, 1977

By Jack A. Kanz, Samuel R. Shortes, E. C. Wurst

Zinc diffusion into GaAs from the vapor phase through reactively sputtered SiO, films Izas been inrestigated for various zinc pressures at 1000"C. Diffusions were carried out in evacuated quartz ampules with elemental zinc and with various Zn-Ga alloys. Sputtered films have proved effective in lowering surface concentrations and preventing surface deterioration during diffusion. Approxin.ate complenzentary error-function impurity distributions were found when surface concentrations were reduced to approximately 3 -—4 x 10" atoms cm'3 or less with dilute zinc sources or by diffusion through SiO, films. Zinc difhsions in GaAs tlzrough SiO, films produced more planar diffusion fronts than were observed with uncoated zuafers under identical conditions. A) Surface Deterioration During Diffusion. Device technolorn-- in compound semiconductors has been hampered by several difficult problems not normally encountered with silicon and germanium. 111-V and 11-VI compound semiconductors generally have volatile constituents at temperatures used for diffusion. To achieve specific junction depths in reasonable lengths of time, or to obtain particular impurity distributions and doping levels, it is often necessary to use temperatures which cause surface deterioration and erosion of the wafer. The resultant surfaces are generally unsuitable for devices. The type and extent of surface damage depends to varying degrees on the particular environment of diffusion and on the particular impurity in question. The most common type of deterioration results from simple dissociation of the gallium and the arsenic during diffusin.' The deterioration process is significantly enhanced by thermal gradients in the diffusion zone, usually resulting in vapor transport and condensation at the cooler portion of the system. The resulting damage sometimes appears as a general haziness over the surface or an array of pyramidal etch pits characteristic of the particular orientation. Occasionally, erosion of the surface occurs uniformly over the wafer so that surface loss is not readily apparent. Workers in GaAs usually resort to the sealed-ampule type of diffusion system3"5 rather than the more conventional open system used for silicon and germanium. Another type of deterioration results from direct interaction of the impurity with the surface. The form of deterioration may vary from surface alloying, as in the case of zinc, to direct chemical attack and vapor transport of the reaction products, as in the case of sulfur. Surface alloying with zinc occurs at higher temperatures and source vapor pressures.4 The process is largely controlled by the amount of free gallium on the surface of the wafer in equilibrium with the arsenic lost to the system. The group-VI elements, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium, are commonly used donor impurities for gallium arsenide. These elements are characterized by high vapor pressures and high chemical

Jan 1, 1964

By H. O. Hofman

The object of refining copper in the reverberatory furnace is to obtain a metal which will have the highest attainable degree of malleability, ductility and electric conductivity, and present at the same time a level surface when it solidifies in the mold after casting. These desirable physical properties are governed by the character of the impurities and the forms in which they are present, by the amount of cuprous oxide retained by the copper, by the quantity of gas held in solid solution, by the casting-temperature, and by the thickness of the casting. The effects of impurities, of cuprous oxide and of gases upon the mechanical properties of copper have been studied by Hampe1 in his classical paper " Colitributions to the Metallurgy of Copper." The most recent research into the effect of metals upon the electrical conductivity of copper is that of Addicks. 2 The influence of cuprous oxide upon the electrical conductivity has been investigated by Walker3 and Addick. 4 The absorption of gases has received attention by Hampe: Stah16 and Heyn 7 The effects of casting-temperature have been noted by Stahl.8

Jan 1, 1908

While the production of this state has not realized the early hopes that this coal would replace eastern coal on the Pacific Coast, it has been steady though small. Nearly all of the tonnages given are from Goodyear's, The Coal Mines of the Western Coast of the U. s., a carefully com- piled and accurate account of the development of the industry along the Pacific. [ ]

Jan 1, 1942

By Robert Lewis

THE Utah coal field to which the name Book Cliffs is applied runs in a northeast direction from Mt. Hilgarde, in Sevier county, along the escarpment of the Wasatch Plateau to the vicinity of Castle Gate, thence southeast along the Book cliffs, which lie to the north of and generally within sight of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad,. to the Colorado line. The Book cliffs form the southern escarpment of the West and East Travaputs Plateaus, and vary in height from 2,000 to 6,000 ft. At the base of the Wasatch and Book Cliffs escarpments is a broad plain known as Castle valley. The coal beds outcropping in the escarpments along this valley are worked on the largest scale of any in the State, and this particular area is known locally as the Castle Valley coal field. Geology The Book cliffs are capped by the Tertiary-Eocene-formation, consisting of varicolored shales; buff sandstone, conglomerate, and subordinate thin beds of limestone. Different sections show diverse stratigraphy. This is mainly the Wasatch formation, and lies unconformably upon the rocks of the Upper Cretaceous. Fig. 1 is a generalized section of the rocks of the. Book Cliffs field. The Mesaverde formation contains the cliff-making rocks of the Book cliffs, and is composed of massive sandstone interbedded with sandy shales and beds of coal and carbonaceous shale. The sandstone has greater resistance to erosion and the formation is characterized by escarpment ledges and cliffs. The shale is commonly sandy and is drab in color, but where it is associated with the coal it is usually carbonaceous. The sandstone is generally buff, though occasionally it is white, and in places red. The bedding ranges from thin to massive. In the lower part. of the formation the sandstone is red in

Jan 7, 1914

By J. T. Burwell

The crystal orientation in silicon iron that has been given a particular treatment described by Goss,l has been studied by Goss, by Bozorth2 and by Sixtus,3 but their results do not agree and are almost entirely qualitative. The following pages give a description of the orientation of the crystals in the material as determined by means of X-rays and expressed graphically in a pole figure. The treatment consists of hot-rolling the material into strip and then giving it two cycles of cold reduction followed by recrystallization. This produces remarkably good properties in the rolling direction, the product having a maximum permeability in this direction of more than 25,000 and a permeability at 16,000 Gauss of more than 2200. It is now generally agreed that Goss's original conclusion1 that the crystals in the final product are randomly oriented was incorrect, since Bozorth2 and Sixtus,3 using different methods, have shown that there is a decided preference in orientation. Those writers, however, expressed their results only in terms of one or more ideal orientations with deviations therefrom. X-ray Data A strip of the material containing 3.1 per cent Si, prepared by Goss,† 1.2 by 0.0125 in., was etched rapidly in warm dilute hydrochloric acid until it was 0.005 in. thick, in order to eliminate the effect of the two surface layers. The specimen was then mounted in an integrating camera similar to one described in the literature.4 The purpose of this camera is to translate the specimen during exposure, so that a statistically large number of grains contribute to the pattern photographed. The camera also allows the plane of the specimen to make various angles with the X-ray beam. An area 5 by 1.2 in. was scanned by a beam of unfiltered radiation from a molybdenum target tube operating at 37 kv., and the measurements were made principally on the peak of the white radiation. X-ray photographs were taken at intervals of 15" in a plane

Jan 1, 1940

By J. T. Burwell

The crystal orientation in silicon iron that has been given a particular treatment described by Goss,l has been studied by Goss, by Bozorth2 and by Sixtus,3 but their results do not agree and are almost entirely qualitative. The following pages give a description of the orientation of the crystals in the material as determined by means of X-rays and expressed graphically in a pole figure. The treatment consists of hot-rolling the material into strip and then giving it two cycles of cold reduction followed by recrystallization. This produces remarkably good properties in the rolling direction, the product having a maximum permeability in this direction of more than 25,000 and a permeability at 16,000 Gauss of more than 2200. It is now generally agreed that Goss's original conclusion1 that the crystals in the final product are randomly oriented was incorrect, since Bozorth2 and Sixtus,3 using different methods, have shown that there is a decided preference in orientation. Those writers, however, expressed their results only in terms of one or more ideal orientations with deviations therefrom. X-ray Data A strip of the material containing 3.1 per cent Si, prepared by Goss,† 1.2 by 0.0125 in., was etched rapidly in warm dilute hydrochloric acid until it was 0.005 in. thick, in order to eliminate the effect of the two surface layers. The specimen was then mounted in an integrating camera similar to one described in the literature.4 The purpose of this camera is to translate the specimen during exposure, so that a statistically large number of grains contribute to the pattern photographed. The camera also allows the plane of the specimen to make various angles with the X-ray beam. An area 5 by 1.2 in. was scanned by a beam of unfiltered radiation from a molybdenum target tube operating at 37 kv., and the measurements were made principally on the peak of the white radiation. X-ray photographs were taken at intervals of 15" in a plane

Jan 1, 1940

By S. R. Gilbert, B. W. Burdett, L. B. Hales

INTRODUCTION Grinding control is currently the most publicized control subject in the minerals industry. Flotation control and crushing control have not as yet received the widespread attention that grinding control has. The primary reasons for this center around the high capital costs of grinding equipment and the fact that grinding mills are extremely energy inefficient. In a typical copper concentrator the energy requirements to produce refined copper are: (1) [Total Energy Distribution (Kw-hr/yr)% Mining4.93 x 10817.3 Mineral Processing9.63 x 10833.8 Smelting and Refining13.9 x 10848.9] One-third of the total energy used for copper production is for mineral processing. A breakdown of this energy into process steps yields the following: [Total Energy Distribution (Kw-hr/yr)% Crushing and Grinding 7.16 x 108 73.8 Flotation 0.76 x 108 7.8 Materials Handling1.78 x 10818.4] It is apparent that comminution operations consume the largest proportion of the energy for processing and as such become major targets for improvements in efficiency. Unfortunately, size reduction operations are extremely inefficient. Efficiency calculations for grinding range from less than 0.1% to about 5% depending on the evaluation criteria. Because of these facts, grinding control has been and will continue to be the focus of major process control efforts. OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS All benefits achieved as the result of grinding control are derived from modifying physical parameters which improve the efficiency of the grinding mill. These parameters include:

Jan 1, 1982

By E. J. Hall

(Butte Meeting, August, 1913.) THE iron-nail method of assaying has been used for a number of years, but has not met with the approval of all assayers. The method possesses advantages which may be given as follows : (1) no preliminary treatment is required ; (2) a lead button of proper size can be obtained (3) it is economical. On, the other hand, it has its disadvantages, which may be summed up as follows: (1) it is not applicable to ores containing large amounts of impurities other than sulphur, as practically all the base metals will contaminate the lead button ; (2) the slag is unsatisfactory in the larger number of fusions; (3) the method was known to give low silver results under certain conditions and the gold results were questionable. It was with the idea of determining the extent of this latter disadvantage that the following investigation was undertaken. It is well known that the fusion obtained in the lend assay is far more satisfactory than that in the " nails method " for gold and silver. The principal difference in the charges as a class is the presence of considerable reducing agent in the lead charge, and a limited oxidizing action in the nails charge, due to PbO. The possibility of improving the nails fusion by simulating the lead charge was the reason for using argol in some tests, even though there were reasons for expecting this would have -au objectionable effect on the results.

Jan 6, 1913

By David Cornell, Yusuf K. Sukkar

The fundamental differential equation for fluid flow has been rearranged, integrated numerically for natural gases, and the results presented in tabular and graphical form suitable for the direct calculation of vertical gas flow problems. The integration is rigorous except for the use of a constant average temperature. Both static and flowing bottom-hole pressures may be calculated by (his method without resort to trial and error procedures. INTRODUCTION Bottom-hole pressures can be determined either by direct measurement with a bottom-hole pressure gauge or by calculation. Since measurement with a bottom-hole pressure gauge is costly, calculation of bottom-hole pressures is to be preferred when possible. Calculation involves knowledge of the wellhead pressure, the properties of the gas, the depth of the well, the flow rate, the temperature of the gas, and the size of the flow line. These quantities must be combined in a suitable equation for vertical flow. Several equations have been developed for the purpose of calculating gas flow through both horizontal and vertical pipes1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9 These equations all have the basic differential equation for flow as their starting point. They differ only in the assumptions which are made in order to simplify the integration step. The bottom-hole pressures calculated using any of the better known equations are in good agreement with bottom-hole pressures calculated by a more rigorous but considerably more tedious stepwise integration method. All of these methods, however. require a trial and error solution for the calculation of flowing bottom-hole pressures. The purpose of this paper is to present a method which provides a direct solution of static and flowing bottom-hole pressures without use of a trial and error solution. At the same time the method involves fewer simplifying assumptions than any of the previous methods used, except lor the lengthy stepwise method. The derivation of any practical flow equation begins with the basic differential equation which is rigorous for almost all flow problems. The five terms in Equation 1 represent the potential energy, the potential energy of position, the kinetic energy, the shaft work done, and the energy losses due to motion of the fluid respectively. Equation 1 reduces to Bernoulli's theorem for the case of horizontal flow of an incompressible fluid, no work done, and no energy losses due to friction. In the present case, the term (v) (dv)/(g,.) can be shown to be quite negligible compared to the other terms, and is therefore neglected in the derivation. The term — dws includes work done by a pump or turbine in the system and is zero in this case. The frictional losses in the pipe are included in the term — d(lw) which is expressed in terms of the Moody friction factor as in Equation 2. (f) (v2) (dL) d(lW) = (f)(V2) (dl)/(2) (g) (d) The specific volume of a gas can be expressed in terms of the temperature, pressure, molecular weight, and compressibility factor. The velocity of the gas can be expressed in terms of the weight rate of flow, the specific volume, and the dimensions of the pipe.The reduced pressure Pr is to be used because z can be expressed as a function of Pr and Tr alone for most natural gases:

Jan 1, 1956

By Caudle B. H., Cooper H. E. Jr., O. K. Kimbler

The results of studies of areal sweepout behavior in nine-spot injection patterns are presented in this paper. The ratio of the production rates of the two types of producing wells in a nine-spot pattern is considered in its effect on breakthrough. A model study was used to develop a method to predict the production histories of both side and corner wells and to develop the production history of the pattern or the field. INTRODUCTION The importance of areal sweepout behavior in injection operations has been recognized for a number of years. We now know that the fraction of a reservoir which will be reached by an injected fluid is a function of the geometric arrangement of the production and injection wells and of the mobility ratio of the fluids. Of these two, the mobility ratio (which is a measure of the relative ease with which the oil and the injected fluid can move through the reservoir) appears to have the greatest effect on recovery. The effect of mobility ratio on production history has been reported for most of the dispersed injection patterns (i. e., five-spot, staggered and straight-line drives).4-6 ere has been very little published on the nine-spot injection pattern. This may be because the two types of producing wells in the nine-spot pattern can—and sometimes should —be produced at different rates. This adds a second variable (the fist being mobility ratio) to be covered in a study of the nine-spot flooding network. Muskat1 has reported the sweep pattern efficiency at breakthrough for a mobility ratio of one at various ratios of producing rates for the two types of wells. For these conditions he found maximum oil production at breakthrough to occur when the corner well (the producing well farthest from the injection well) is produced 10.7 times as fast as the side well. Other investigatorsa2,3 have studied a few of the many possible operating conditions possible with this injection pattern. This paper presents the results of studies which are strictly applicable to a nine-spot injection pattern surrounded by other nine-spots in a homogeneous reservoir and which has no flowable gas present (no oil bank is formed). Although the full ranges of the variables mentioned above have not been covered, the results reported here should allow reasonable estimates of field operations to be made. EXPERIMENTAL The well spacing geometry of the nine-spot pattern is shown in Fig. 1. Here we see that each injection well is surrounded by eight production wells arranged in a square. Four of these producing wells are located at the corners of the square; the other four are in the midpoints of the four sides. These two types of producing wells are called "comer wells" and "side wells" respectively. It is the ratio of the producing rates of these two types of wells that affects the breakthrough recovery, as calculated by Muskat.' This ratio is defined as the total producing rate of a corner well divided by the total producing rate of a side well. The model used in this study represented one-eighth of a nine-spot pattern, as shown in Fig. 1. It contained the equivalent of one-fourth of a side well, one-eighth of a comer well, and one-eighth of an injection well. Because of these proportions, the actual producing rate ratios in the model were one-half of the ratios of producing rates as

Jan 1, 1965

By G. R. Kotler, W. A. Tiller, W. C. Johnston

Experiments carried out on 100 g samples of molten tin and Sn-Pb alloys showed that the magnitude of the field strength, H, does not effect the supercooling, aTn, at which the initial nucleus of solid forms. However, the nuwlber of nuclei forming per cc, n, is found to increase greatly with H for fixed ATN and to increase with ATN for fixed H. The value of n increases greatly with the presence of solute and is found to he indefiendent of the cooling rate of the simples. Further, the most effective time for stirring to enhance n is immediately following the initiation of recalescence. The effect of inducing nucleation with the aid of a mechanical impact both in the presence and absence of stirring has also been studied. All proposed mechanisms for the enhancement of n by physical means seem to be inadequate in accounting for these results. IN any real nucleation experiment there are two effects influencing the results that would not be predieted from classical homogeneous nucleation theory. These may be separated into chemical and mechanical effects. The chemical effects are twofold. 1) Nucleation catalysts are present which enhance the nucleation frequency of new grains over that predicted by classical homogeneous nucleation theory.' 2) Solute will restrain the growth of nuclei so that many others may form.2,3 The mechanical effects are also two-fold. 1) Vibration (sonic or ultrasonic) of the freezing liquid enhances the nucleation frequency of new grains over that given by the chemical effects alone.4-6 2) Macroscopic fluid-flow effects produce the same effect as l).'7' It is also possible to influence the nucleation experiment by certain physical effects such as the application of electric and magnetic fields.9 From classical homogeneous nucleation theory one would predict the following relationship between the nucleation rate, N1 (number of nuclei formed per unit volume per unit time), and bath supercooling, AT, for an isothermal experiment.

Jan 1, 1963

Washington has been the largest coal producing state of the Pacific Coast, and the only one producing coke commercially. With the exception of the few estimated figures, the tonnages in Table 71 are from Goodyear and other sources as shown. [ ]

Jan 1, 1942

By John Birkinbine

Awakened public interest in efforts to conserve natural resources will certainly be appreciated by the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, and a discussion upon conservation may well form a part of one of the Institute meetings, for the records of papers and discussions which appear in the 38 volumes of its Transactions are replete with evidence of efforts in this direction. Every process which reduces the fuel consumed or the power applied per unit of product; every utilization of waste material, or employment of that formerly rejected, to obtain something of value; every feature of construction or operation which lessens the labor required or increases the output per employee, is an advance in the direction of true conservation. This may not appear from the records of late conferences or from published articles, in which the effort seems to be concen-

Jan 1, 1910

By Andrew Mayer

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

Jan 1, 1944

By H. Firmstone

DEPOSITS of cadmia, or impure oxide of zinc, are of common occurrence in the upper parts of blast furnaces using ores containing zinc, and were very common in the charcoal furnaces of Virginia working the brown hematite ores found near the Cadent black slate. These deposits were known to the old charcoal founders as "sulphur rings," and the characteristic green flame of burning zinc frequently to be seen at the tymp of furnaces working ores containing zinc, was held by them to indicate the presence of a "sulphur fall." When zinc is burning in considerable quantities at the tymp, the

Jan 1, 1879