Search Documents

By H. R. Barnhurst

IT would be a difficult matter to trace from the beginning the very few improvements made in the burning of fuels prior to 1860. Doubtless the crossing of the sticks of wood in building a, wood fire early appealed to our savage ancestry as a means of expediting its effectiveness for their crude culinary purposes. Stones and andirons came later in assisting the admission of air to the under part of the fuel bed, while beacons and cressets utilized metal bars as supports for the same purpose. It is probable that Tubal Cain owed his success to the use of bellows making possible the use of mixed fuel and charge upon a hearth. With the development of working in east iron, grate bars cane in, and they are still with us doing duty in every household and almost every art where heat is a factor. Little was done beyond these crude methods prior to 1860. With the advancement of knowledge came the fuel-gas producer, a. natural child of the retorts employed in supplying illuminating gas. It is only within the last 15 years that the conclusion became general that complicated systems for saving heat would not remedy deficiencies in its primary development, and within that tine there has been great advancement in the means of producing initially fire of high efficiency, so that to clay we are moving rapidly toward loth high development and high absorption, with the resultant of high efficiencies. In studying the subject of the availability of pulverized coal as a fuel, it may occur to ask, why has this not come up earlier? This question would be naturally prompted by recalling the fact that Thomas Crompton's English patents upon his methods were issued to Min nearly 40 years ago. A conclusive answer to this, however, is that Crompton at that time had very crude facilities for raking what was at best a, very imperfect pulverization of the coal, and the expense of preparation was very great. He does not seem to have been aware of the advantage of a thorough drying of the coal in the

Jan 10, 1913

By H. C. Fiedler

The development of cube-on-edge secondary re crystallization texture in Si-Fe strip depends upon the ability of inclusions, such as manganese sulfide, to restrain nomal grain gvowth. The ability of inclusions to perform this function is shown to depend upon their size and distribution. The desired uniform dispersion of many small inclusions is obtained by controlling the cooling rate from above the solution tempmature of the inclusions or, alternatively, by drastic 'quenching from above the solution temperature followed by heat treating at a lower temperature. The development of the cube-on-edge secondary recrystallization texture in Si-Fe strip depends upon both establishing the proper primary recrystallization texture and having inclusions to restrain normal grain growth. It has been suggested that the first requirement is met with a texture which, though weak, is near (110)[001]. A mechanism for secondary recrystallization originally proposed by ielsen' is consistent with the presence of this primary texture. It is visualized that a secondary grain appears where two adjacent grains happen to be sufficiently similar in orientation to be capable of behaving as a single large grain. This pair of grains will grow at the expense of its smaller neighbors as a consequence of its having lower grain boundary free energy. Other explanations of the origin of the secondary recrystallization texture have been offered,' and it can be concluded that the mechanism is not fully understood. Nevertheless, it is apparent that operationally the necessary primary recrystallization texture is obtained simply by interposing an anneal during the cold reduction to final gage. The role of inclusions in the development of the secondary recrystallization texture has been demonstrated by May and Turnbull4 in a comparison of a high-purity heat and a heat containing manganese sulfide. They showed that the driving force for secondary recrystallization is inversely proportional to the diameter of the matrix grains and that the function of the inclusions is to maintain a small matrix grain size. Other inclusions, such as various sul- fides,')' silicon nitride,8 and vanadium nitride,' titanium carbide,'' and vanadium carbide," have been shown to be effective in promoting secondary recrystallization to the cube-on-edge texture. There is also evidence that silica inclusions in Si-Fe strip made by powder-metallurgy techniques perform this function.' This report is concerned with the second of the two requirements for secondary recrystallization, namely the importance of the metallurgical control of the size and therefore number of inclusions. While the concepts involved are simple, they are fundamental to the making of this material. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A heat containing 3.27 pct Si, 0.026 pct S, 0.06 pct Mn, and 0.004 pct C was made in an air induction furnace from electrolytic iron, 98 pct ferro-silicon, electrolytic manganese, and iron sulfide. The heat was divided between graphite and baked-sand molds with a cavity 2-5/8 by 5 in. and with walls 2-3/4 in. thick. Slabs, 1 in. thick and 2-5/8 by 5 in., were cut from the ingots and hot-rolled either in the as-cast condition or after one of the heat treatments described later. After pickling, the 80- to 100-mil-thick hot-rolled band was, unless otherwise noted, heat-treated for 5 min at 900°C before being cold-rolled to 25 mils. After a heat treatment of 1 to 3 min at 860°C, the strip was cold-rolled to 12 mils, the final thickness. The percent cube-on-edge texture was determined by dividing the maximum torque as averaged from four samples by the maximum torque of a 3-1/4 pct Si-Fe single crystal having the (110) plane in the plane of the sample. The torque measurements were made in a field of 1000 oe on 1-in.-diam disks. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The importance of the thermal history of the ingot is evident in Fig. 1 from the appearance of strips heat-treated in a temperature gradient. The sample

Jan 1, 1964

By Kenneth S. Ritchie

The natural emulsion samples used in this study were shipped directly from twelve California oil fields, through the courtesy of the superintendents of the main producing companies in those fields. Representative parts of each sample were chosen for the slides. Preparation of the slides was generally made in less than two minutes, including time of exposure; in a few cases, about five minutes was required. The short time was intended to minirmize the changes in conditions. Whenever comparison was of value, standard conditions were established. Spreading by gravity was adopted instead of smearing. Cover glasses were not allowed to rest on the films. General Characteristics of Emulsions The main purpose of the general views (Figs. 1-16) is to illustrate the general characteristics of the dispersed droplets together with any other constituent or impurity that may be found in each emulsion. The magnification is given so that dimensions could be measured from the plates. The slides used for these views had spherical recesses; they gave the best light. Where crystals were intended to be shown in the picture a filter (green was the best') was usually used. Emulsions that showed a tendency to move by concentrated light were pictured without a condenser.

Jan 1, 1931

By AIME AIME

THE first meeting" of the Iron and Steel Division was held Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 17, with nearly 100 men present and C. B. Murray as chairman. This was a round table discussion of iron ore beneficiation and of its relation to blast-furnace operations, and only one paper was presented, by Clyde E. Williams. Mr. Williams discussed the future of the Lake Superior district in its relation to the iron and steel industry. He stated that although estimates had shown that the total life of the present known iron ore reserves of the Lake Superior district was 20 to 30 years and that many believed that as a result of this depletion foreign ores would be brought to the Atlantic Seaboard, thus causing a displacement of the steel industry to the East, he believed that the Lake Superior district would continue to be the important producer of iron ore used in this country for decades beyond the predicted time before the exhaustion of the present known reserves. He described the three general types of ores that required concentration and pointed out the needs for research and the proper methods to be used in processes for the beneficiation of these low-grade materials. He discussed the effects of fine concentrates and the use of agglomerated ores in the blast furnace. This general summary led to interesting and valuable discussion on the various economic, ore-dressing, and blast-furnace problems in large-scale development of beneficiation. Perry Harrison described recent developments in sintering and the properties of iron ore sinter. T. B. Counselman and W. H. Coghill discussed the merits of classification of iron ore previous to tabling. Robert Faulkner and J. E. Little described the beneficiation plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Jan 1, 1931

By George A. Hill

WE of the oil industry, devoted to freedom of initiative, free competitive enter- prise, and free American institutions, applaud, with one voice, affirmation by the President of the national will and purpose to preserve and to protect, against all aggressors, "our American way of life with our individual and national freedom." We subscribe utterly and completely to this guiding declaration and seek its further definition as applied to the oil industry. Fortunately for all, the policy of the Government, after adequate study and deliberation, has been given precise definition. The National Defense Advisory Commission, with its patriotic, highly qualified, and distinguished personnel, has unanimously agreed to and adopted twelve general principles governing national defense contracts and also fair labor standard requirements. The President of the

Jan 1, 1940

By Harry J. Evans

DURING the fury of the conflict it was believed quite generally that World War II was being fought for and would accomplish a permanent peace. Yet, before the guns were actually stilled on all fronts, the American people realized that the devastated world would continue to be dominated by suspicion and uncertainty. The misunderstandings which rapidly developed indicated that it may prove unwise to rely wholly on mutual international agreements and contracts to avoid war. Before the celebrations of V-Day died down serious thought was being given toward measures for preparedness for the next conflict. Along with a realization of the enormous loss of life caused by the destructive forces of war, the American people came to understand the seriousness of the rapid and unwarranted depletion of our natural resources. During the last half of 1945 the question of stock-piling strategic and critical raw materials for a future national emergency became an intensely live subject.

Jan 1, 1946

By SIDNEY ROLLE

ACURSORY glance through the literature on the subject reveals that the ablest minds in the land are devoting themselves to the great question of labor, of which employment is one of the fundamentals. Volumes have been written and the end is not in sight. Employment management is today about in the position that efficiency was 15 years ago. During the early days of the war, and perhaps for a year or so before, labor was plentiful. As the war progressed and Europe drew on us for munitions, employers began to compete with one another for', all, classes of labor. Labor was difficult to obtain, wages rose, the labor turnover increased, and employers began to install employment departments, welfare plans, and all sorts of schemes, but the labor efficiency dropped. As the war progressed, greater and greater production was demanded. New factors were introduced each day. The government, labor unions, industrial councils, all tended, it seemed, to make the situation almost intolerable. Wages rose to fantastic heights, the cost of living rose higher and higher, and the efficiency dropped still further.

Jan 1, 1921

By D. W. Loucks

There is plenty of evidence to indicate that at least one of man's chief interests in life is to make himself as comfortable as possible. If you doubt this, just watch the fellow next to you for the next half hour trying to find the most comfortable position that a hard chair has to offer. Comfort, however, does not always mean an easy chair. To some, it may mean a wealth of money: to another, freedom from worry. But to most of us, it means first of all a comfortable atmosphere in which to live, and to a great many of us it probably also means freedom from that annoying task of firing the furnace. Today more than ever before, automatic heat is one improvement that is placed high on everyone's list. Perhaps this is because automatic heating is becoming relatively cheaper. Perhaps it is because of a good publicity campaign on the part of the oil and gas men or maybe it is just that we are getting lazier day by day. At any rate, almost every issue of Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, or your other favorite home magazine carries an article extolling the virtues of this or that automatic heating system.

Jan 1, 1949

By Thirumalai, K.

Although the term "spalling" has long been known, Norton l first referred to its usage for the fracture or disintegration of materials subjected to rapid temperature changes. Spalling of ceramic materials at high temperatures has received attention in the past. Removal of the char formed during ablation in re-entry of space vehicles has been referred to as mechanical spalling. The first experiments to evaluate the process of rock fragmentation by thermal spalling were conducted by Stoces using a series of gasoline burners on the quartz veins of the Zinnwald deep mines in Germany. After the development of rocket-jet burners, the principles of 'thermal spalling combined with high fluid momentum found wide practical application in rocks. The well-known jet piercing process for drilling blastholes in taconite and for jet channeling in the quarrying of granite are among the more notable of these application^.

Jan 1, 1970

By Fred W. Stiefel

To open the Fisher Hill mine of the Republic Steel Corporation, it was necessary to sink an inclined shaft into the rock and excavate stations, drifts, and ore pockets. This inclined shaft, or slope, q ft. 8 in. high by 28 ft. 2 in. wide, has compartments for two 5-ft. gauge ore-skip tracks of 120-lb. rail, one 5-ft. gauge man-skip track of 60-lb. rail, a concrete stairway, and service pipes consisting of a 12-in. compressed-air line, an 8-in. pump-discharge line, and a 4-in. water-supply line. When we were requested to investigate the work, the progress being made (by another organization) amounted to only 2 ½ ft. advance in 24 hr. We reported that progress of at least 6 ft. per day could be made. As a result, the Defense Plant Corporation, through the Republic Steel [ ] Corporation, entered into a contract with us to sink the shaft. The contract contained a penalty and bonus clause predicated upon an advance of 150 ft. per month. The average advance was 7.8 ft. per day; that in the best six-day week was 60 ft. and that in the best month, 215.5 ft. in 25 working days. The drilling was performed by 3 ½ -in. wet drifter drills mounted on five 8-ft. columns (see accompanying illustration). Even though a full-face drilling and mucking operation is customarily desirable, the steep slope, with the accumulation of water and fine debris at the face, made a modified heading and bench operation preferable. The heading and bench were of equal height. The five columns, instead

Jan 1, 1945

By Augustus Locke

Two Opposed Interpretations of the Tonopuh Structure.—The important geological publications concerning the Tonopah min-ing-district are those of Spurrl aud of Burgess.² In these publications are presented fundamental differences of interpretation, which are the more interesting because both authorities have had ample opportunity for observation, and because both are geologists of proved ability. I was vastly puzzled to know which had the better of it, and in order that I might reach a conclusion in my own mind, I recently spent some time in the district going over the physical evidence. Surprising as it may seem, this evidence looks conclusive. A review of it will, I believe, be of interest to those who are familiar with the previous publications. The general geological features of Tonopah are shown in Fig. 1, and the differences of interpretation referred to are outlined in the accompanying notes. Brieflyj Burgees regards the various rocks as flows, lying in the order of their deposition. Spurr regards them in part as flows, and in part as flat-lying intrusives. The disagreement, then, concerns the rocks regarded on the one hand as intrusives, and, on the other hand, as flows. These rocks are chiefly the so-called calcitic andesitc, the upper rhyolite, and the lower rhyolite. Economic Importance of the Question of Interpretation.—The economic importance of the question of interpretation is, of course, limited to its bearing on the probable distribution of

Jan 1, 1913

By Carl M. Fellman

LABOR disputes caused considerable turbulence in the coal mining industry during 1946. As an outcome of these disputes, a definitely fundamental change in safety procedure was instituted: establishment of safety regultions for coal mines through the agency of agreements between the miners' union and the agency or agencies operating the coal mines. Although a temporary plan at present, the future will determine the. extent to which it may become permanent. Notwithstanding the turmoil in the industry extending through much of the year, the safety record for the first eleven months of 1946 was the best in the history of the industry for that period. The fatality rate for 1946 is lower than in any other year in the history of coal mining in the United States. This follows a pattern inasmuch as new low coal-mine fatality records were also made in 1945, 1944, and 1943. The five-year period 1942 to 1946 inclusive has a coal-mining fatality rate far lower than any other five-year period in the history of the industry. It is significant that this period exactly coincides with the operation of Federal coal mine inspection which got under way early in 1942.

Jan 1, 1947

By Joseph C. Kieffer

The Duquesne property of the Callahan Zinc-Lead Co. is about 20 miles east of Nogales, in southern Arizona. One mine is near the mill, but most of the mill feed is hauled in by truck from a number of small mines. The same sulphides are found in all the ores, in general, but the amounts vary considerably. All ores contain silver, copper, lead and zinc minerals but one mine ships ore high in silver and lead and low in copper and zinc; while another mine ships ore high in copper and zinc, and low in silver and lead. The common sulphides are galena, carrying most of the silver; chalcopyrite; sphalerite, carrying iron in solid solution; and pyrite, in a gangue consisting of limestone, quartz and garnet. Mineralization is fairly coarse. At the present grind of about 66 per cent minus 200 mesh most of the sulphides are liberated A small amount of chalcopyrite is locked up with the sphalerite and cannot be liberated at an economic grind, and the copper carried into the zinc concentrate with the sphalerite accounts for the comparatively poor recovery of copper in the copper-lead concentrate. Production oF Two Concentrates The milling problem, which was complicated by the extreme variation in the grade of the feed, was first attacked with the idea of producing a silver-copper-lead con- centrate and a zinc concentrate, both with satisfactory grades and recoveries. By February 1941, it was felt that these objectives had been attained, when the grades of the various products and the recoveries were as shown in Table I. A rough outline of the flowsheet and reagents used is as follows: Minus ¾-in. feed to a 7-ft. by 36-in. Hardinge ball mill working in closed circuit with a 36-in. Wemco classifier. The classifier overflow passes to the second cell of an 8-cell bank of No. 18 Special Denver Sub-A flotation machines (volume, 22.5 cu. ft. per cell). A rougher concentrate is removed from the second to the fifth cells inclusive, and returned to the first cell, which is the cleaner. A scavenger concentrate is removed from the sixth, seventh, and eighth cells, and returned to the third cell. Consump-

Jan 1, 1943

By Joseph C. Kieffer

The Duquesne property of the Callahan Zinc-Lead Co. is about 20 miles east of Nogales, in southern Arizona. One mine is near the mill, but most of the mill feed is hauled in by truck from a number of small mines. The same sulphides are found in all the ores, in general, but the amounts vary considerably. All ores contain silver, copper, lead and zinc minerals but one mine ships ore high in silver and lead and low in copper and zinc; while another mine ships ore high in copper and zinc, and low in silver and lead. The common sulphides are galena, carrying most of the silver; chalcopyrite; sphalerite, carrying iron in solid solution; and pyrite, in a gangue consisting of limestone, quartz and garnet. Mineralization is fairly coarse. At the present grind of about 66 per cent minus 200 mesh most of the sulphides are liberated A small amount of chalcopyrite is locked up with the sphalerite and cannot be liberated at an economic grind, and the copper carried into the zinc concentrate with the sphalerite accounts for the comparatively poor recovery of copper in the copper-lead concentrate. Production oF Two Concentrates The milling problem, which was complicated by the extreme variation in the grade of the feed, was first attacked with the idea of producing a silver-copper-lead con- centrate and a zinc concentrate, both with satisfactory grades and recoveries. By February 1941, it was felt that these objectives had been attained, when the grades of the various products and the recoveries were as shown in Table I. A rough outline of the flowsheet and reagents used is as follows: Minus ¾-in. feed to a 7-ft. by 36-in. Hardinge ball mill working in closed circuit with a 36-in. Wemco classifier. The classifier overflow passes to the second cell of an 8-cell bank of No. 18 Special Denver Sub-A flotation machines (volume, 22.5 cu. ft. per cell). A rougher concentrate is removed from the second to the fifth cells inclusive, and returned to the first cell, which is the cleaner. A scavenger concentrate is removed from the sixth, seventh, and eighth cells, and returned to the third cell. Consump-

Jan 1, 1943

By L. C. Campbell

THE purpose of any accident-prevention program is the curtailment or entire elimination of injuries and fatalities. It is a job that is never finished in the coal-mining industry. Day by day, on shift and off shift, men are exposed to injury and death in varying numbers. Seldom is it possible to lock up at the end of the shift and leave a mine plant in the care of a sleepy watchman, as can be done at most manufacturing plants. Even on off shifts there are maintenance and supply crews, coal cutters, pumpers and ventilation men exposed to danger. The prevention program of The Koppers Coal Co. recognizes two primary facts: First, no program can be successful without the full support of the management and complete knowledge of the job at hand on the part of every supervisor. Second, and equally important, is the full cooperation of every employee in observing the safety rules and practices set up by the management. Conscious day-to-day concern for his safety by the indi-vidual worker is the longest stride toward a good safety experience. How to accomplish the education of the individual worker and super-visor for safety is the problem of The Koppers Coal Co. as it is the problem of all coal companies.

Jan 1, 1939

By William B. Millar

IN ONTARIO development of the gold mines is being rapidly pushed, while the intensity of the search for new mines has probably not been equaled at any time in the past. Even to outline the results of recent prospecting activity in Ontario would be a big undertaking, but it would be timely and, I hope, interesting to Institute members to review some generalities regarding the work of the prospector and then to discuss in some detail the growth of Ontario's most promising prospect area, the Swayze district, where serious mining operations are already under way. Probably no one writing about prospectors and pros¬pecting can resist hoping that his article will not reach the eyes of a certain portion of the uninformed general public and cause a further influx of "prospective prospectors" into any given area. It is somewhat mystifying how so many people reach the conclusion that prospecting is in

Jan 1, 1933

By W. M. Peirce

COAL'S importance in the metallurgy of zinc may be gauged by the fact that approximately a million and a half tons is so employed annually in the United States. This brief paper will show in what way the various steps in the treatment of zinc ores utilize this fuel, either in its primary form or as coke or gas, and to what extent. The first step in zinc metallurgy that requires the use of fuel is roasting the sulphide ore, which is the type of ore in which zinc commonly occurs. Since the roasting is nearly or completely autogenous, however, this use of fuel is too minor to warrant further attention. Concentration of zinc ores is usually carried out by conventional milling methods, but a pyrometallurgical method, the Waelz process, is used to concentrate certain low-grade ores, and to recover the zinc content of certain residues in concentrate form. The Waelz process uses a continuous rotary kiln in which a mixture of coal and zinc-bearing material is heated to a

Jan 1, 1948

By Barton, Donald C.

THE elastic, earthwaves produced naturally by earthquakes -have been used for a long time as evidence from' which to draw conclusions in regard to the constitution of the interior and crust of the earth. The elastic earthwaves produced artificially by occasional explosions and recorded by seismological .observatories were used to draw conclusions regarding the-geology of the intervening area. Intentionally produced elastic earthwaves in the past five years have come to be used extensively in the investigation of very local geologic structure. The seismic method of working geologic structure, which makes use of artificially controlled explosions and the resulting earthwaves, has developed almost `clairvoyant power in handling certain geologic situations, and in the discovery of salt domes in the Gulf Coastal: Plain region of Texas and Louisiana has 'scored the, most brilliant success.

Sep 1, 1928

By Ogden Tweto

The Leadville district, on the west flank of the Mosquito Range in central Colorado, has produced silver, zinc, lead, gold, and minor metals valued at $512,000,000. The ore deposits are in a sequence of dolomites and quartzites, Cambrian through Mississippian in age and about 500 feet thick, which is extensively intruded by porphyry sills, dikes, and plugs of Tertiary age. The sedimentary rocks and sills dip about 15°E and are broken by many faults, which are predominantly of nearnorth trend and downthrown to the west. The ore deposits are principally blanket or manto replacement deposits, but in the eastern part of the district many veins occur also. The replacement deposits are largely confined to three dolomite units in the stratigraphic sequence. Of these, the uppermost or Leadville Dolomite is the most productive. Most ore bodies are on the underside of porphyry sills and, particularly, beneath sills that occupy unconformities. Many replacement bodies have vein roots or branch from veins. The veins occupy faults and are productive mainly in the section of quartzites and dolomites and included sills. The primary ores consist principally of pyrite, marmatitic sphalerite, and galena but locally contain chalcopyrite, silver minerals, bismuth minerals, and gold. Principal gangue minerals are manganosiderite and jasperoid. The ore deposits have a crude zonal pattern centered around an intrusive center at Breece Hill, which evidently influenced ore deposition thermally. The ore deposits were oxidized to depths of several hundred feet in Miocene time. Bonanza ores mined in the early days were characterized by cerussite, cerargyrite, and embolite. Later, zinc carbonate ores were identified and mined on a large scale. The Leadville district is a complexly faulted and intruded area at the intersection of major fault systems trending N20°W and N15°E in the Mosquito Range. The intensely fractured area evidently localized igneous intrusion and subsequent mineralization. Ore solutions rose on many of the faults in the area, presumably from the same source as the porphyry magmas. Movement on these faults continued into the Pleistocene, displacing ore bodies, oxidation zones, Pliocene sediments, and glacial deposits.

Jan 1, 1968

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