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By Strathmore R. B. Cooke, Iwao Iwasaki, C. S. Chang

The effects of aeration on an aqueous suspension of pyrrhotite were studied and their results correlated with flotation tests using xanthates as collectors. The effects of copper activation and of pH variation were determined and possible mechanisms postulated. PYRRHOTITE has long been considered a gangue mineral to be eliminated as tailing in the treatment of various sulphide ores. However, in recent years the world-wide lack of sulphur resources has called attention to this mineral as a potential source of both sulphur and iron. Its importance as an economic mineral, however, has not been particularly emphasized. For this reason very little is known about its response to flotation, except that it can be depressed easily in alkaline circuit, by long aeration,1,2 addition of oxidizing agents,3 or by starch.' The object of this work was to study the floatabil-ity of pyrrhotite. This includes the effect of oxidation by aeration, of copper activation, and of change in pH. Preparation of the Pyrrhotite Sample: It was desirable that the highest grade of pyrrhotite obtainable be used for this experiment, since the presence of other minerals could affect the surface properties.5 However, no pyrrhotite was available as crystals, and massive deposits of hydrothermal origin commonly contain considerable amounts of chalcopyrite. Pyrrhotite concentrate was, therefore, prepared from a sulphide deposit occurring near Aitkin, Minn. The deposit is of pyrometamorphic nature consistirlg mainly of pyrrhotite and pyrite with graphite, silicates, and carbonates as gangue. The ore, already crushed through 3 mesh when received, was screened at 65 mesh and the undersize discarded. The oversize was crushed through rolls, and then stage-ground dry in an Abbe porcelain mill, the —65 mesh portion being screened out after every 15 min of grinding until all the material passed through this size. The ground product was then concentrated with a drum-type dry magnetic separator. The rougher concentrate was cleaned twice and then demagnetized. The final product was split in a Jones splitter and stored in air-tight bottles. Microscopic examination of the concentrate showed that it was relatively clean and free of pyrite, locked particles, and gangue. By means of the krypton gas adsorption method," the specific surface was determined to be 3000 cm2 per g. The chemical and screen analyses of the final concentrate are given in Tables I and II respectively. It is a well-recognized fact that the oxidation of some sulphide ores during stockpiling, grinding, and conditioning affects their flotation behavior. The problem of oxidation may become serious in the case of pyrrhotite, since this is known to be more easily oxidized than many other sulphides. To ascertain the extent of oxidation, an experiment was carried out by aerating an aqueous suspension of pyrrhotite with air, oxygen, and nitrogen as follows. A 300-g sample of pyrrhotite in 2700 ml of water was agitated and simultaneously aerated in a Fager-gren-type laboratory flotation machine. A Precision wet test meter was connected to the air inlet valve, the flow rate of the gas being kept constant at 0.3 cu ft per min throughout the experiment. Samples of approximately 30 ml each were taken from the cell at 0, 4, 10, 20, 35, 60, and 90 min. After the pH was taken, each sample was filtered and the filtrate was analyzed for total iron and sulphur. The iron was determined colorimetrically by the thioglycolate method using a green filter.' The filtrate was oxidized with bromine to convert all of the soluble sulphur compounds into sulphate and this was determined with a Parr turbidimeter." When aeration tests were made in alkaline circuit, calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide was added at regular intervals to maintain a constant pH. A similar procedure was followed in an experiment to determine the abstraction of copper. ion by pyrrhotite. In this case various quantities of cupric chloride were added. The filtrate from each sample taken was analyzed for copper, total iron, and sulphur. The carbamate method with a green filter was used for the copper analysis,' since this method could tolerate a considerable amount of iron in the solution. A pneumatic cell, made from a 350-ml fritted glass Buechner funnel, was used for this experiment. The detail of the assemblage has been described elsewhere." In the present work a stainless steel baffle was inserted in the cell. This baffle overcame the tendency for the coarse pyrrhotite particles to be swirled around the wall of the cell and thus fail to collect in the froth. A 50-g sample of pyrrhotite was added to the cell which contained 260 ml of water. When pretreat-ment of the sample was desired, reagents, such as activator and pH regulator, were then added and the pulp was conditioned for a specified conditioning time. Prior to the addition of the collector approximately 15 ml of the solution were removed for pH measurement and for iron and sulphur analyses. Copper when used as activator was also determined. Collector and frother were then added and the pulp was conditioned for an additional 2 min. Air was admitted to the cell and the froth removed. The separation required from 4 to 6 min, depending on the characteristics of the froth. The float and non-float products were filtered, dried, weighed, and assayed for iron.

Jan 1, 1955

By Mason J. Christner

Geology has become increasingly quantitative in the last 20 years. This trend has been accelerated by computer capability in the manipulation of data. The mining industry has been relatively slow to harness computer power, but the larger companies have moved in this direction in the past few years. Among the leaders in this progression is the White Pine Copper Co., and the following is a brief description of their computer system for processing, managing, and utilizing geologic data. Geology The White Pine mine is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 6 miles south of Lake Superior and 80 miles west of the Houghton-Hancock area, center of the famous Copper country. The ore body of chalcocite, native copper, and minor native silver, is a tabular body in the basal 25 ft of the flat lying Nonsuch Shale and the top part of the underlying Copper Harbor Conglomerate. Twelve or more

Jan 1, 1972

By E. W. Edson, F. W. Hertal

In some fields the problem of mud fluid is simple and easy of solution. But in the Ventura Avenue field the acquisition and disposal of good drilling mud is not the least of the problems that confront the operator. In fact, mud fluid in the Ventura Avenue field is a very important factor in the drilling of the wells. It is quite probable that many of the factors affecting mud in this field will not be found in most of the fields with which the reader is familiar. However, in the fields where the mud fluid causes no apparent problem it is probable that some of the points brought out in this paper could be used to economic advantage. In fields where caving and squeezing formations and high gas pressures are present, as in the Ventura Avenue field, it is believed that application of methods outlined will be of great assistance in drilling wells. On account of the sandy nature of the formation and the lack of suitable shale bodies in the strata drilled through in the Ventura Avenue field, the wells make practically no mud during drilling. It is necessary therefore to supply drilling mud to the wells that will carry the drill cuttings to the surface, and also will " wall up" the drill hole and prevent the sandy formations from caving. Mixing and Handling Mud Fluid The clay used to make the mud fluid is obtained from a shale stratum in the upper Pico (Plioccne) formation found about a mile on either side of the field. Since high gas pressures and caving formations were first encountered in the Ventura Avenue field and mud fluid was needed to combat them, the mixing of this mud fluid has gone through a process of evolution. First, the clay was mined and hauled to the derrick, where it was shoveled into the well and left for the churning action of the bit to mix into a mud in the hole. The next move was the construction of a mixer to mix the clay to a mud fluid which was pumped into the well. These mixing

Jan 1, 1930

By Joseph E. Pouge

For the purposes of this analysis it is assumed that the petroleum industry has undergone a basic economic change whereby the degree of competition present in its operation is reduced by the collective control of production brought about by statme-directed proration. Formerly freely competitive in all its parts, the industry is now fully competitive only in its marketing, its manufacturing and transportation, its search for new oil supplies, its drilling operations (with some qualifications), and its capital movements. The practical problem before the industry in its new status is the maintenance of equilibrium, with planned control of crude-oil production (proration) substituted for competition and price as the regulatory mechanism at one point in the supply-demand system. It is further assumed that proration has become so firmly established in the legal and operating framework of the business that it may be looked upon as an institution. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the effect of unregulated drilling upon the orderly functioning of proration. Economic Structure of Petroleum Industry The economic structure of the petroleum industry, under the current form of proration, may be visualized, in simplified form, as shown in Fig. 1. This diagram is designed to indicate the existing mechanism whereby supply and demand are equated. Demand is created largely by conditions external to the oil business, whereas supply is conditioned by a series of stages incidental to the discovery, development and production of a resource. The time elements involved in changes in demand and supply are of an entirely different order, the demand factor being much more flexible and "quicker" than the supply factors. It should be observed, also, that the position of price, formerly between "demand" and "supply," has been moved to a sidewise location where it still affects demand but influences current supply only through its bearing upon proration, drilling and search. Proration has been substituted for price as a throttle at the well head, but at this point only. The mechanism now works in this fashion: a declining price stimulates demand and the

Jan 1, 1936

By Joseph E. Pouge

For the purposes of this analysis it is assumed that the petroleum industry has undergone a basic economic change whereby the degree of competition present in its operation is reduced by the collective control of production brought about by statme-directed proration. Formerly freely competitive in all its parts, the industry is now fully competitive only in its marketing, its manufacturing and transportation, its search for new oil supplies, its drilling operations (with some qualifications), and its capital movements. The practical problem before the industry in its new status is the maintenance of equilibrium, with planned control of crude-oil production (proration) substituted for competition and price as the regulatory mechanism at one point in the supply-demand system. It is further assumed that proration has become so firmly established in the legal and operating framework of the business that it may be looked upon as an institution. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the effect of unregulated drilling upon the orderly functioning of proration. Economic Structure of Petroleum Industry The economic structure of the petroleum industry, under the current form of proration, may be visualized, in simplified form, as shown in Fig. 1. This diagram is designed to indicate the existing mechanism whereby supply and demand are equated. Demand is created largely by conditions external to the oil business, whereas supply is conditioned by a series of stages incidental to the discovery, development and production of a resource. The time elements involved in changes in demand and supply are of an entirely different order, the demand factor being much more flexible and "quicker" than the supply factors. It should be observed, also, that the position of price, formerly between "demand" and "supply," has been moved to a sidewise location where it still affects demand but influences current supply only through its bearing upon proration, drilling and search. Proration has been substituted for price as a throttle at the well head, but at this point only. The mechanism now works in this fashion: a declining price stimulates demand and the

Jan 1, 1936

The Sub-committee on Coal Mining, since its appointment, has been collecting data about subsidences in coal mines in this country, and thinks that almost all of the available data about occurrences of this sort in bituminous mines has been collected. Similar data is being compiled for the anthracite regions, which it is hoped will be ready for the 1927 meeting. As most of the bituminous seams are nearly level, the records obtained give the problem in its simplest form, without complications due to the pitch of the seam. Copies of the questionnaire, Appendix A, were mailed to all of the coal operators' associations, to most of the large operating companies and to many engineers, with the request that any data on the subject be returned to the committee, or that advice of any subsidences known be given: the replies to most of the questionnaires were general, although some specific cases were given. Many of the companies were unable to reply to all questions, as they lacked the necessary data, but in nearly every case where accuratc data was available, it was cheerfully furnished, and any additional information requested was secured. All specific cases of subsidence were followed up by correspondence, and in several cases by personal inspection. Figs. 1 to 31 were made from the information furnished. Table 1 gives measurements of elevations taken in one case at intervals from October, 1913, to May, 1918. With one exception, where the evidence cannot be released on account of a lawsuit, it is believed that the cases submitted with this report include practically all that have happened in bituminous coal mining in this country of which actual measurements were secured. Some of these have been published by Young and Stoek,l and some have been secured from other publications. In collecting these data, the subcommittee had the Engineering Societies Library extend its bibliography to date; this list is given in Appendix B. To assist in the study of the problem, all of the subsidence literature in English was examined for cases in which spccific measurements were given, and the essential data for each case are shown in Appendix C.

Jan 1, 1927

By C. N. Kravig

STANDARD raises at Homestake are 150 ft long. Raises of more than 150 ft, driven with the use of a cage and hoist, are considered long raises- some have been driven more than 900 ft. Long raises have eliminated the need for access drifts on each level when transfer and ventilation raises are driven. These timbered cage raises, 7x9 ft in cross section, include a rock compartment and a combination cage, pipe, and manway compartment. To prevent excessive weight on the timbers, 10x10-in. bearing beams are cemented into hitches cut in the rock at 150-ft intervals. The beams also hold back timber movement caused by daily drawing of rock through the rock compartment.

Jan 6, 1957

By David L. Rife

Fluid inclusions have been studied since the mid-1800s. In 1858, the famous English geologist H. C. Sorby, stated that ". . . there is no necessary connection between the size of an object and the value of a fact, and that, though the objects [inclusions] ... are minute, the conclusions to be derived from the facts are great."' This statement philosophically emphasizes why fluid inclusions should be studied. Fluid inclusions supply the economic geologist with "hard" data on the chemical environment and mechanisms of transport for ore fluids. Such studies enable geologists to understand more about their complex nature. The information that can be obtained from fluid inclusions is as follows: 1) Fluid inclusion "filling temperatures" measured with the microscope heating stage, reflect the hotness of an ore fluid at the time of its entrapment and are one of the most accurate methods of geologic thermometry. 2) Ore fluid densities indicate the extent to which ground water becomes mixed with ore fluids. Density is determined from the composition of inclusions, the ratios of gas to liquid (at room temperature), and from

Jan 1, 1973

By R. A. Oriani

The partial molal volume of hydrogen is one of the parameters that describe the elastic interaction between the solute and the stress fields about inclusions, dislocations, and cracks. As such the partial molal volume is probably of importance in the elucidation of phenomena such as hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen yield point. A knowledge of this quantity would also be helpful in thinking about the state of dissolved hydrogen in iron. However, because of the very low lattice solubility of hydrogen in iron the usual ways of determining the lattice expansion are not practicable. It is therefore of interest to apply the thermodynamics of stressed bodies to two sets of measurements of the effect of elastic stress upon the permeability of hydrogen in order to deduce a value of the partial molal volume, VH, of hydrogen dissolved in a iron. Beck ..' and previously de Kazinczy, observed that a uniaxial tensile stress increases the permeability of hydrogen in iron and in various steels. Beck et 01. employed Armco iron and A.I.S.I. 4340 steel, whereas de Kazinczy used a steel the composition of which was 0.13 C, 0.23 Si, 0.46 Mn, 0.006 P, and 0.038 S. Upon releasing the stress the permeability increment disappeared if the stress was below the elastic limit. Both investigators employed cathodic charging to introduce the hydrogen. de Kazinczy measured the permeation through a thin-walled tube by collecting the gas, whereas Beck et al. measured the permeation through sheets of various thicknesses by a very sensitive electrochemical technique. Both investigators measured the steady-state permeation at constant rate of hydrogen ion discharge, and Beck measured in addition the hydrogen diffusivity by a time-lag technique which is independent of the boundary conditions. Beck et al. and de Kazinczy found a linear relationship between log (J,/Jo) and the stress, where Ju/Jo is the ratio of the flux of hydrogen when the metal is under uniaxial tensile stress, a, to the flux under zero stress, for the same temperature and charging current. Beck et al. found in addition that the diffusivity of hydrogen is not changed by stress. Both investigators concluded that the observed change in permeability is due to an increase in hydrogen concentration, and furthermore that the increase in concentration is due directly to the thermodynamic effect of stress upon concentration. Accepting this assessment of the situation for reasons given below, one may use the equation3j4 in order to evaluate I/H, the partial molal volume of hydrogen. This equation is valid for the domain of a/E «¦ 1 (where E is the Young's modulus) and under the assumption that hydrogen expands the lattice isotrop-ically. From the data of Beck el al, one calculates V7H - 2.0 cu cm per g-atom, and from those of de Kazinczy one obtains 1.8 cu cm per g-atom. That the increase of concentration with stress is indeed of thermodynamic origin is attested to by the facts that the experimental results conform to the thermodynamic relation, Eq. [I], and that the results are the same whether a pure iron1 or each of two different steels172 is used. Neither of these facts wou1.d necessarily be expected if the effect of stress were, rather, to increase the ratio kn/k, of the kinetic factors of the following competing reactions: H(ads) — H (dissolved) Such a change of kinetics at the surface could be an alternative explanation of the effect of stress on the permeability. Although this writer does not deem this explanation to be the correct one for the reasons given above, it must be admitted that unambiguous proof that the phenomenon has a thermodynamic origin does not yet exist. Two kinds of experiments may be suggested. One is to plate a variety of metals on the input surface of the steel and repeat the stress experiment at a variety of hydrogen charging currents. The other is to employ somewhat thicker specimens in order to be able to apply uniaxial compressive stress. Eq. [I] shows that ln(c,/c,) depends on the sign of the stress, but it is difficult to see a physical basis for which k2/kl would depend on the sign of a. The present value of V^ in a iron agrees with phragmen's5 estimate, which he based on comparisons with the lattice expansion by hydrogen of titanium, zir-

Jan 1, 1967

By R. E. Ogilvie, N. L. Peterson

Intevdiffusion and intrinsic diffusiorz coefficients were determined in the uranium-niobium system from diffusion couples analyzed with an electron microbeam probe. A Previously unveported intermediate phase, designated in this report as the delta phase, was found to exist along the mobium-rich side of the miscibility gap. Its composition width was determined from the concentration gradients in the diffusion couples. The presence of this phase was also confirmed by microhardness analysis and metallographic observations. THE excellent corrosion resistant properties, high-temperature strength and reasonable nuclear properties of niobium have prompted its use as an alloying element with uranium and as a possible cladding material for reactor fuel elements. Hence the formation and growth of intermetallic phases as well as diffusion data for the uranium-niobium system are of considerable practical importance to metallurgists and nuclear engineers. Diffusion zones may exhibit varying degrees of complexity dependi.ng upon the mutual solubility of the metals involved, and the intermediate phases which may form. In the simplest case where the metals exhibit a calmplete range of solid solubility, a single phase region is produced. Generally, however, the metals may react to produce a multiphase diffusion zone containing several layers of intermetallic phases. A number of investigatorsl-6 have analyzed the concentration gradients present in diffusion couples in order to investigate phase equilibria and solu- bility limits. If diffusion is the rate-controlling process in establishing a concentration gradient, the compositions at the interfaces of the intermediate phases will represent the equilibrium values expected from the phase diagram at the temperature at which diffusion has taken place. No published information is available at this time on diffusion in the uranium-niobium system. A number of investigators7-" have contributed information to the construction of the uranium-niobium phase diagram from other than diffusion techniques. There is good agreement on the high uranium side of the phase diagram, but the high niobium side of the miscibility gap still remains somewhat in doubt. The phase diagram as determined by B. A. Rogers, et al.7 is shown in Fig. 1. The present work was aimed at obtaining fundamental information about the solubility limits of the miscibility gap and diffusion in the uranium-niobium system. A Kirkendall effect, which might be expected on the basis of the rather large difference in melting points between uranium (1132°C) and niobium (2415" C), was also investigated. The concentration gradients were measured by an electron microbeam probe technique, similar to that used by Castaing,l2 Adda and philibert,13, l4 and Macres.4

Jan 1, 1961

By G. H. Wigton

The oxidized ores of the Chief Consolidated Mining Co., in the Tintic mining district, have never yielded to metallurgical treatment by any standard method except smelting. These ores occur in comparatively small, irregular, siliceous replacements in limestone, and carry silver, lead, and gold as the principal valuable metals. But smelting methods are unsatisfactory, as the lead smelters heavily penalize the largc amount of silica in the ore, and the copper smelters do not pay for the lead in the ore; therefore, an alternative treatment method was sought. In 1916, a metallurgical research department was organized under the direction of the writer. Many standard metallurgical methods were investigated but, on oxidized ore, none yielded extraction great enough to make its use feasible. During some chloridizing-roasting experiments in 1916, made in an assay muffle, the writer noted that large proportions of the silver, lead, and gold were volatilized from certain oxidized ores. The possibility of volatilizing the metals and collecting them in the form of a concentrated fume was then studied. But, as it was shown that satisfactory chloride-volatilization would be limited to a furnace feed with a high fusing temperature of the non-volatilizable constituents, and as the results obtained in a rotary kiln with the admixture of common salt with the ground ore were inferior to muffle tests, further volatilization experiments were discontinued until 1920. During this internal, an expcrimental sulfidizing and flotation plant was operated. After the cessation of attempts to float the oxidized minerals, chloride-volatilization experiments .were resumed. The highly infusible flotation tailing from the operation of the flotation mill was used for furnace feed. The first tests made on flotation tailing mixed with 10 per cent, common salt showed nearly complete lead and gold volatilization but considerably less volatilization of silver than in muffle tests. In attempts to increase the silver extraction, the percentage salt in the furnace feed was varied, and it soon became apparent that the use of smaller percentages of salt raised the fusion temperature of the furnace charge and thus

Jan 1, 1926

By John M. Hartman

An examination as to irregularity of wear around the nose of the Witherbee tuyeres showed a section through the nose near the top as per Fig. 1, and a section only a half-inch beyond as per Fig. 2. The molten iron flowing over the nose of the tuyere had melted off the metal until the water in the tuyere prevented further melting. These tuyeres have a division in the annular water-space (see Fig. 2) to turn the current of water at the top, and the watersupply pipe is carried to within 1 inch of the nose. The constant supply of cold water in the nose of the tuyere kept it well cooled and preserved. But half an inch on the other side of the division the metal had melted off, as is shown by Fig. 1. There was no means of effecting a circulation at this point so long as the water was discharged from the butt of the tuyere. A pipe having been placed on the discharge-side of the division, the same as on the supply-side, in order to secure a circulation of the water at the nose on the discharge-side, it was found that the metal did not burn off. The nose being found to give out at the bottom, a division was placed in the annular water-space at the bottom, terminating 1 inch from the nose. This made a sharp current of circulation in the nose at the bottom, and prevented the burning of the metal there. A positive circulation at the nose, top and bottom, is a necessity with the present fast driving of furnaces, and prolongs the life of the tuyeres. The proper metallic composition of tuyeres is a question constantly agitated. A trial of ordinary yellow-metal* tuyeres was made 12 years ago. They did their work just as well

Jan 1, 1899

By Marsh S. Watson, Robert A. Howard

An electrolytic model study has been made of the relative productivity of perforated casing. The results show that the relative productivity is roughly one-half to two-thirds of that predicted from point-sink calculations. This discrepancy can he satisfactorily explained on the basis of casing interference. The relative productivity was found to he insensitive to spatial arrangement of the perforations. INTRODUCTION The relative productivity of wells with perforated casing has been treated mathematically by Muskat.' In his treatment the perforations are represented by small spheres, thus enabling him to approximate the flow by that to point sinks. By neglecting interference between the flow into the various spheres representing the perforations, one may deduce the approximate formula Qu 1/rp - 1/rw • (1) I + b/2n _________ 2n In re/rw Where Q is the flow rate into spherical sinks located in the median plane of the sand laver Qo is the open hole flow rate (uncased hole of radius rw) b is the thickness of sand layer under consideration (always one foot in this paper) n is the number of spherical sinks in the sand layer rp is the radius of a spherical sink rw is the well radius re is the drainage radius of the well. Fig. 1 is a comparison of values calculated from equation (1) with Mus-kat's values. It will be observed that the approximate values are in error by less than 21/2 per cent. The disturbing effect of the casing on the flow line; is not explicitly taken into account by Muskat, but he reasons that interference between the flow pat- terns from the various point sinks will result in a negligible flow in the region within the well radius, and that no appreciable error will result from not explicitly excluding flow from this region. This line of reasoning is open to question, however, as the flow impedance, in the immediate vicinity of the well, of a hemispherical cavity in contact with an opening in the casing is twice that of a spherical sink in a continuous sand layer. There will be a difference, moveover, between the flow into a hemispherical cavity and that into a circular hole in the casing. .This latter difference can best be appreciated by comparing the flow from a semi-infinite medium into a hemispherical cavity at the edge of the medium with the flow out of a circular opening of the same radius as the hemisphere and which is also on the edge of the medium. In this case2 ------= —2, showing that the difference in flow rates into differently shaped cavities is quite appreciable. It was the purpose of the investigation reported here to determine to what extent flow into circular perforations in casing departs from the values calculated by Muskat. For this purpose an electrolytic model was used.

Jan 1, 1950

By E. J. Fasiska, H. Wagenblast

The dilalion of a ivon by interslilial carbon was measured by two independent techniques —dilatometric mesurements at 719 c and X-ray measurments of the urlil cell parameters a1 room temperature after quenching. The relative expansion per increase in cavbon content by both methods is (2.9 + 0.3) x 10-3 pev at. pcl C nrzd is temperature- independent within experimental error. This corresponds to (6.3 5 0.6) cu cm per g-atom for the partial gram-atomic volume of carbon in a iron-only slightly smaller than the atomic volume for iron in the same temperature vange. THE only previous quantitative study of the dilational effect of carbon dissolved in a iron was performed in 1934 by Burns1 which, at the time, generated some discussion of possible sources of experimental error.2 For a system of such widespread importance, we felt that a new investigation was merited. Both X-ray diffraction and dilation measurements were used to determine the expansion of the a iron lattice by dissolved carbon, avoiding as much as possible any previous experimental problems and deficiencies. The dilation method at solution temperature offers not only measurements which are free of residual strain but also, in conjunction with the room-temperature X-ray measurements, a method to detect any large temperature dependence of the partial gram-atomic volume of carbon. To insure that quenching strains did not affect the room-temperature X-ray measurements, wire specimens of constant carbon content but different diameter were examined for such an effect. SPECIMEN PREPARATION The material used for both experimental techniques was "Ferrovac E" iron received in the form of 19-mm-diam rod and stated as having the following impurity contents: C, Cr, Cu, Mn, P, and V, each in the range of 10 to 50 ppm; Co, O, Mo, S, and Si, 60 to 100 ppm; W, 200 ppm; Ni, 230 ppm; N, 4 ppm. The stock material was cold-swaged to 0.71 mm diam for the Debye-Scherrer X-ray camera specimens and portions were cold-rolled from 6.3 mm diam to 0.79- and 0.25-mm sheet for X-ray diffractometer and dilation measurements. The wires were annealed in wet hydrogen for 6 hr at 840°C and 15 hr at 720°C, and then quenched into 0°C water. A chemical analysis for carbon after this treatment gave 0.0046 + 0.0014 at. pct C. Three portions of these wires were subsequently held at 719°C in three different hydrogen + methane mixtures and then quenched, resulting in carbon concentrations of 0.0283, 0.0598, and 0.1067 at. pct C by chemical analysis. After carburizing, the wires were swaged to 0.48 mm and electroplated with silver to prevent carbon loss during subsequent heat treatment. The final heat treatment consisted of holding the wires at 72 1°C for 5 min in a He-2 pct H mixture followed by quenching into 0°C brine. The wires were held at room temperature for a few minutes to remove the silver plating using a phosphoric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution, and then stored in liquid nitrogen until the measurements were made. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE A) Dilation Measurement. The dilatometer consisted of a gas-atmosphere vertical tube furnace modified so that length changes of a ribbon-shaped specimen could be measured externally. This was done by installing a gas-tight mercury seal at the top of the furnace as shown schematically in Fig. 1. The specimen (21.0 cm long, 1.27 cm wide, and 0.25 mm thick) was suspended in the center of the furnace by 3-mm-diam quartz rods with the upper one passing through the cap of the mercury seal. Above the cap, the upper quartz rod was coupled to a lever exerting a load of about 25 g (-12 lb per sq in.) on the specimen and having a 10 times mechanical magnification. The vertical position of a marker at the other end of the beam was read with a traveling microscope with a precision of 0.01 mm. The temperature gradient of the furnace was meas-

Jan 1, 1968

By David Scott

WHEN mining operations were first instituted in the mines of the Miami Copper Co., at Miami, Ariz., the relatively hard character of the ground in the western section of the property made it seem advisable to use a wide shrinkage stope and pillar system. The system as finally evolved was applied to the mining of 2,300,000 tons of ore by the use of stopes and pillars each 50 ft. in width. Development, mining and extraction of this reserve has been continuously in progress since 1910, and the final stages of extraction are now reached. A complete survey of all phases of this system can therefore be made. Modification in working methods was obviously necessary, and the system to be described is believed to be typical of the best features. DEVELOPMENT The preliminary work had three main objectives: The opening of a haulage level, the construction of a drawing-off level, and the driving of sublevels for use in stoping. In addition to these, some extra sublevel drifting was necessary to determine exactly the boundaries of the orebody, the general outline having been determined by churn drilling. This development was based on the requirements of stopes 50 ft. wide, with pillars 50 ft. wide between each stope. The length of these units varied from 200 to 500 ft.

Jan 6, 1916

By K. Huessener

INTRODUCTION THIS paper attempts a survey of the principles involved in the com¬bustion of blast-furnace gas in boilers and stoves. I do not expect to be able to give much information which is actually new, since the laws and methods of calculation pertaining to this problem are contained in a number of handbooks; but, so far as I am aware, they have nowhere been treated exclusively with reference to this one problem of gas economy. The road which I follow is less that of strictly scientific research than that of the practical engineer, faced by operation problems which require a. quick solution by easily accessible means without a prolonged search in scientific handbooks. For this purpose I give a number of tables and diagrams, as well as the results of many years' practical working experience as combustion engineer, which I trust will prove useful to my readers. HISTORICAL Considering the tremendous efforts made during the last 15 years to increase the efficiency of all kinds of power plants, it is highly surprising that until a comparatively very recent period, progress in the economical combustion of blast-furnace gas has been so slow. The explanation generally put forth, that fuel has been so cheap that it was hardly worth while to bother about this economy, will not hold good, for the greatest trouble was taken to improve the combustion of coal and to reduce the consumption of steam. The most plausible explanation appears to be the general impression, held as an accepted fact, that gas, especially hot, uncleaned, blast-furnace gas, was not a good boiler fuel. Many managers of high repute had tried unsuccessfully to improve the conditions of its use, and the dictum went forth that efficiencies of over 60 per cent., particularly with high loads, were impossible. This was the situation not only in the United States, with very cheap fuel, but also in Europe, where fuel prices are twice and three times as high.

Jan 2, 1916

By Jim F. Lemons

INTRODUCTION A nickel doesn't buy much anymore. That's even true in the cost of recovering nickel -- the commodity. A 5[C] per pound (11 [c] per kilogram) increase in the nickel price won't cover a 10-percent increase in fuel costs for processing laterite ores, nor will it cover a 10- percent increase in wages for recovering nickel from a sulphide ore. It won't even cover a 5- percent increase in the capital cost necessary to mine and process ocean nodules. The basis for this statement and a quantitative analysis of the variations in costs to recover nickel from different types of nickel ores will be discussed in this paper. During the early part of the 1970's, the interest in nickel and its potential development was shifting from Canada to the Pacific Basin area. Canadian growth rate was slowing and each additional increase in nickel capacity was very expensive (Argall, G.O., 1970). Laterite ores were attractive to developers since they were easy to mine at a low labor cost, and technologies were being developed that would allow the recovery of nickel in marketable forms (Mohide, T.P., Warden, C.L., Mason, J.D., 1977). During the last decade, new laterite production was achieved in the Philippines and Botswana, and a significant increase in production from Indonesia and New Caledonia occurred. However, recent reports on nickel identify numerous problems plaguing the industry, i.e., high energy costs that are forcing shutdowns (INCO, 1980), (Mohide, T.P., Warden, C.L., Mason, J.D., 1977), high Canadian sulphide mining labor costs (Anon., 1976), and rapid inflation of nickel capital costs (Anon., 1981b). No definitive study has been made to determine how sensitive the total cost of production is to rising energy, labor, or capital costs, or to identify to what extent increased byproduct revenues could be used to offset these production costs. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effects of increases in energy, labor, capital costs, and by-product credits on the future cost of production from nickel reserves and/or resources. METHODOLOGY OF ANALYSIS In order to evaluate the sensitivity of nickel production costs to changes in energy, labor, and capital costs, and in byproduct revenues, an analysis was made of existing and proposed nickel operations, their costs, and their sensitivity to change. The data for these analyses were obtained from numerous sources including international govern¬ment and university publications, professional journals, company reports, private communications, U.S. Bureau of Mines contracts, and estimates by Bureau of Mines personnel. These data were collected, in part, as an ongoing effort of the U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System (MAS) to systematically measure and classify identified mineral resources according to their respective extraction technologies, economics, and commercial availability. The MAS Program is currently evaluating the present and potential availability of nickel to the United States in relation to mining, beneficiation, smelting, refining, leaching, transportation, infrastructure, environment, land use, labor, productivity, technology efficiencies, operating capacities, deposit life, and political factors. As a summary of this data, the following briefly describes nickel ore types as each relates to energy, labor, capital, and byproducts. Sulphide Operations Nickel is currently available from sulphide deposits. Roughly 55 percent of the current world nickel production in market economy countries is from sulphide ores, although only about 20 percent of the known land-based nickel reserves and/or resources are sulphides (INCO, 1981). In 1979, the Western World sulphide reserves were estimated at about 9.2 million metric tons of nickel (Little, A.D., 1979). Sulphide ores are typically mined underground, thus resulting in high mining costs; however, these ores can often be upgraded by flotation prior to final nickel recovery and require about one-third of the energy required to recover nickel from laterites (Anon., 1981c). In addition, nickel in sulphide ores may be associated with economically recoverable byproducts, which include copper, cobalt, gold, silver, and other precious metals. Laterite Operations Forty-five percent of current nickel production is from laterite deposits. Laterite deposits account for 80 percent of the known land-based nickel reserves and/or resources (INCO, 1981). In 1979, the Western World laterite reserves were estimated at over 35 million metric tons of nickel (Little, A.D., 1979). Nickeliferrous laterites are residual soils formed by weathering, typically under tropical or near tropical conditions. They can be easily mined by open-cut methods, but generally cannot be beneficiated; thus, recovery of nickel must entail processing of the total mined ore. Usually, these ores have high moisture content (20 to 30 percent by weight) that result in additional fuel costs to dry the ore. Nickel silicates, garnierites, are, processed by pyrometallurgical methods; limonite nickel oxides are normally leached. Byproduct cobalt is not recovered from most ferronickel operations, and is only recovered to a limited extent from many leach operations.

Jan 1, 1982

By D. Harper

The National Pocahontas Mine in Wyoming County, WV, has been developed in the Pocahontas No. 3 coal. During 14 months of ventilation surveys, the locations of large rockfalls, many in areas infrequently visited by mine personnel, were mapped. Several dozen rockfalls were later studied in detail. Kettlebottoms, rider seams, root-penetrated roof strata, slicken sides, and shales that spall are common in areas with a high density of rockfalls. Large-scale crossbedding and micaceous and carbonaceous films in sandstones are less common. Density of rockfalls in any area is related to the time elapsed since mining, thickness of overburden, and orientation of entries and panels. Some linear features overlie areas where rockfalls are densest. Most rockfalls occur during summer.

Jan 1, 1983

By H. I. Kaplan, C. Laird

Pulsating contpresslon experiments have been carried out on coppev single crystals in order to test the adequacy of mechanisms which have been suggested for stage I cvack grouth when tension-compression loading is the mode of- applying stress. Although dejorrrzation continues slowly for many millions 01 cycles under Pulsating compression stresses both within slip bands formed in the first cycle and by the creation of new bands, the morphology of these bands is not typical of fatigue slip bands in general and neither initiation of cracks nor propagation of artificially induced cracks was observed. It is therefore concluded that 1) initiation and growth of cvacks in fatigue is a consequence of repeatedly reviersed, microplastic deformation rather than intermittent, unidirectional deforma-tion, 2) gvowth of- cracks in polycrystalline specimens FAILURE of a plain specimen subjected to cyclic tension-compression stresses is known to take place by two stages of cracking.1,2 The first stage is characterized by propagation along slip planes roughly at 45 deg to the stress axis, in the outermost layers of the specimen, and at a rate of the order of angstroms per cycle. The average macro orientation of a stage I crack is normally at right angles to the stress axis,3 however, except in a few cases, e.g., single crystals in suitable orientation, when both the micro and macro directions of propagation are at 45 deg to the axis. After a stage I crack has penetrated to such a depth that the stress on the remaining section of metal is significantly increased, stage II crack propagation succeeds stage I, at right angles to the stress axis both micro and macroscopically. Direct evidence of the processes occurring during a subjected to pulsating compression stresses is caused by the setting-up of local tensile stresses due to interactions between grains, and 3) both unslipping mechanisms and operation of the "plastic blunting process " within a single slip band are adequate descriptions 01- stage I growth, being fundamentally similar. The slip mode of a material, however, is considered to control whether unslipping or the plastic blunting process takes place. Thus materials of planar slip mode fauor unslipping while those hacing a wavy mode, and capable of cross slip, can fail in stage I by the plastic blunting process. Similarly, and perhaps more importantly, reversed torsion and tension-compression modes of applying stress may be expected to cause the unslipping mechanism and the plastic blunting process, respectively. single stress cycle4,5 shows that stage II crack propagation takes place by a repetitive plastic rounding and closing of the crack tip. This mechanism has come to be called the "plastic blunting process".6 On the other hand, the extreme smallness of the phenomena occurring in stage I growth prevents elucidation of its mechanism by direct observation. Many suggestions have been proposed for this mechanism,'"-" most of them involving some kind of random or systematic unslipping process. It is possible, however, that the mechanism of stage I growth is essentially the same as that of stage 11, but occurring on a much smaller scale.6 In this situation, it has been observed that cracks propagate along slip bands comprising dislocation cell structures and bounded on either side by regions of different dislocation density and distribution." Since there is evidence that such bands are softer than their matrix, * it may be expected that the plastic blunting process occurs within a single slip band during stage I growth, rather than on two gross bands as in stage 11, when the acting stress is greater.= The blunting of the crack tip allowed by coordinated

Jan 1, 1968

By R. E. Stewart

The major mining companies of the world all face the problems associated with investing in new mining ventures. In particular, investment in foreign countries - whether these are advanced or developing countries - requires careful consideration. A thorough analysis of all the possible risks must be undertaken, so that realistic decisions can be made. Some of the points to be considered are outlined in this paper.

Jan 1, 1977