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By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel colltent is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dorè furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfartory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. . It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1943

By Frederic Benard

THIS paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordi-nary, nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the doré furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investi-gation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may he mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte pre-sents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed sepa-rately below.

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel colltent is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dorè furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfartory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. . It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1943

By Frederic Benard

THIS paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the doré furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederic Benard

This paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the dore furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefork was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1944

By T. F. Witherbee

Success in this operation is much promoted by adhering to a definite plan. Random work is of little account. In general, anything done that will enable the blast to pass through the obstruction, providing the melted products can be got away from the tuyeres, is all that is necessary. Hence the utility of high explosives in breaking up the chilled mass in the hearth. (This, by the way, should be done with the wind on, so as to prevent the filling of the tuyeres with the usual rush of cinder following the explosion.) If from any cause it is not expedient to use explosives, the simple but very effective instrument known as the kerosene or hydro-carbon blow-pipe can be depended upon to perforate the contents of a blastfurnace hearth to any extent required. It consists, as used in the Champlain district (first by Mr. Charles H. Foote), of several pieces of gas-pipe, liberally supplied with elbows (five in number) so as to be flexible; one end being connected to a tuyere-stock and the other brought to bear upon the place to be melted out. A 1/4-inch pipe leads from the last length, or blow-pipe proper, to a reservoir of kerosene or crude oil, set high enough to overcome the blast-pressure, This 1/4-inch pipe should have a valve conveniently located to regulate the flow of oil, and also another next to the reservoir. With a good hot blast and a surprisingly small quantity of oil, this apparatus will melt, burn or mechanically dislodge anything around a blast-furnace hearth excepting firebrick and water-cooled castings or plates. It may be helped by vigorous prodding with a suitable steel bar, to detach the fused but sometimes sticky material. A very good way to operate on a chilled hearth with it, is to open up a hole from a cinder- or iron-notch to the nose of the most convenient tuyere and then make a blow-pipe of the tuyere by turning

Jan 1, 1885

By J. Brian Eby

The Gulf Coast area of Louisiana enjoyed a particularly active and profitable year in 1939. Fifteen new producing structures were located and approximately sixty new producing sand horizons in old fields were opened in that period of time. The most important new discoveries are the Eola field, Avoyelles Parish, and the Paradis, St. Charles Parish. The Eola strike was indicated during December 1938, but the well was not placed on production until January 1939. Eola is particularly important because it was the first discovery of oil in a commercial quantity in the Wilcox formation in that area. Sid Richardson, of Ft. Worth, Texas, drilled the first well on the Haas Investment Company's property, which encountered the producing sand at a little below 8500 ft. Within the year 48 wells were drilled, 42 being commercial producers and 6 dry holes. The second most favorable discovery was the Paradis field, which was discovered by The Texas Company's Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's Paradis No. 1 well, in St. Charles Parish, just west of New Orleans. Detailed information concerning this field has not yet been made available but it is reported that the oil sand is as much as 175 ft. thick. The initial production indicated was 1750 bbl. daily and reports suggest a very large structure. In Calcasieu Parish the Humble Oil and Refining Company's Edge-wood Land No. 1 discovered gas in the Oligocene at a total depth of 7042 ft., in the Perkins area. Although two additional dry holes have been drilled in this prospect, it is still believed to have some merit. A new discovery is credited to Cameron Parish with the finding of Miocene oil in the Superior Oil Company's State No. 1 well in Grand Lake. The Chalkley field, Cameron Parish, is credited as a 1938 discovery but was largely developed in 1939 into one of the more important new fields. During the year 13 wells were drilled, 8 being oil wells and 5 dry holes. The oil is found in the Oligocene at depths of approximately 9000 feet.

Jan 1, 1940

By J. Brian Eby

The Gulf Coast area of Louisiana enjoyed a particularly active and profitable year in 1939. Fifteen new producing structures were located and approximately sixty new producing sand horizons in old fields were opened in that period of time. The most important new discoveries are the Eola field, Avoyelles Parish, and the Paradis, St. Charles Parish. The Eola strike was indicated during December 1938, but the well was not placed on production until January 1939. Eola is particularly important because it was the first discovery of oil in a commercial quantity in the Wilcox formation in that area. Sid Richardson, of Ft. Worth, Texas, drilled the first well on the Haas Investment Company's property, which encountered the producing sand at a little below 8500 ft. Within the year 48 wells were drilled, 42 being commercial producers and 6 dry holes. The second most favorable discovery was the Paradis field, which was discovered by The Texas Company's Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's Paradis No. 1 well, in St. Charles Parish, just west of New Orleans. Detailed information concerning this field has not yet been made available but it is reported that the oil sand is as much as 175 ft. thick. The initial production indicated was 1750 bbl. daily and reports suggest a very large structure. In Calcasieu Parish the Humble Oil and Refining Company's Edge-wood Land No. 1 discovered gas in the Oligocene at a total depth of 7042 ft., in the Perkins area. Although two additional dry holes have been drilled in this prospect, it is still believed to have some merit. A new discovery is credited to Cameron Parish with the finding of Miocene oil in the Superior Oil Company's State No. 1 well in Grand Lake. The Chalkley field, Cameron Parish, is credited as a 1938 discovery but was largely developed in 1939 into one of the more important new fields. During the year 13 wells were drilled, 8 being oil wells and 5 dry holes. The oil is found in the Oligocene at depths of approximately 9000 feet.

Jan 1, 1940

By W. H. Newhouse

DURING the past few years the writer has been impressed by the close relation of many epigenetic orebodies with anticlinal structures. In the literature on ore deposits there is occasional mention that an oreshoot or district is on an anticline, but in most of the descriptions no weight or significance is attached to the relation, and usually the fact is concealed in a mass of structural detail. A few writers have stressed the relationship in a few districts or on a certain type of deposit. Church, Spurr, Butler, Stahl and Schuette have called attention to certain features, but the general extent of such a correlation has not been made known in any publication that the author has seen. A recent article1 on the localization of ore deposits, by well-known geologists, does not consider this common association. The author has seen in the field a number of the structural features described, and in addition has made a fairly complete review of the literature. This paper presents enough of the examples found to show the frequency of the relation to anticlines, and since only a few deposits on synclines are known, all of these of any importance of which the writer knows are mentioned. With certain qualifications which are discussed later, epigenetic ore deposits of replacement or vein type are mostly found where local upwarps of the earth's crust have taken place. Where formations antedating the ore deposits are present in the proper attitude to demonstrate vertical warping (i. e., more or less horizontal beds) the structural feature on which a mineral district, or mineralized area is located is almost always anticlinal, or domelike in nature. Some or even most of the ore deposits in a given district may be on the flanks of the upwarp, but few major districts are located definitely on downwarped areas. Synclinal basins within certain limits of size appear to be unfavorable to the type of fracturing that admits ore-bearing solutions.

Jan 1, 1931

By C. O. Burgess, W. D. Forgeng

DESPITE the increasing interest in and the technical importance of iron-chromium-manganese alloys, very little published information is available regarding their constitution. F. M. Becket's paper1 in 1930 represents the first correlated effort in the field of these alloys. The paper served particularly to draw attention to the commercial possibilities of iron-rich alloys containing chromium and manganese in balanced proportions. The duplex structure of alloys within the commercial range was briefly discussed, but exposition of their structural constitution was necessarily limited because the physical properties and corrosion resistance of the alloys were the main subjects of the paper. Both prior to and following the publication of F. M. Becket's paper, and at his instigation, an extensive investigation of the constitution of iron-chromium-manganese alloys of commercial purity was in progress at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc. The present paper is based on the results of that investigation. In the last few years, investigations covering various portions of this alloy system have also been made in Europe. W. Koester briefly mentioned the effect of annealing on chromium-manganese steel2 and later3 constructed approximate sections of the iron-chromium-manganese equilibrium diagram. M. Schmidt and H. Legat14 even more recently studied this system, and their article and conclusions are of interest as representing an entirely independent study of a number of iron-chromium-manganese alloys. Koester's sections are shown in Fig. 1. The figures summarize the effect of manganese additions to iron alloys containing 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent Cr as well as the effect of increasing chromium content on iron alloys containing 3, 8, 20 and 30 per cent Mn. These diagrams, within their composition limits, substantiated in some measure the results of our investigation. However, in our work some differences as regards the position of the mixed alpha-gamma fields were found as compared to Koester's work, and we were able to detect the presence of

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederick Laist

ABOUT six years ago the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. decided to investigate the possibility of extracting zinc from the ores of certain mines in the Butte district. These ores are of a complex character and contain so much iron and lead that the concentrate contains only 33 to 35 per cent. zinc. Investigations showed that while a high-grade concentrate could not be obtained by ordinary methods, such as tabling and magnetic treatment, a fair grade could be made by the Horwood process. In this method, the concentrate resulting from the flotation of all of the sulfides is given a light roast and this calcine is subjected to flotation in the presence of a large amount of sulfuric acid; the resulting concentrate contains most of the zinc and a residue contains most of the iron. The fact that the lead, copper, and silver are divided approximately equally between the zinc concentrate and the iron residue and the large consumption of acid, which ranged from 50 to 100 lb. (22 to 45 kg.) per ton of concentrates, were serious objections to this plan. The zinc recovery, moreover, was low, as a considerable percentage invariably accompanied the iron. While a profit might be made on the ores by the use of this process, it was thought that other and more promising methods might be devised. After carefully studying the field and doing some laboratory work on various processes that had been suggested, it was decided that the electrolysis of sulfate solutions was the most promising. We soon found, as have other investigators, that the only way to obtain a good zinc deposit is to have the electrolyte free from all metals more electro-negative than zinc, such as copper, cadmium, lead, arsenic, antimony, etc. Arsenic and antimony are particularly injurious, causing very poor current efficiency and small yield per horsepower when present in amounts so small as almost to defy detection-1 mg. or less per liter.

Jan 10, 1920

By C. G. Southmayd

Anyone who has been confronted with the problem of predicting the performance of a sand-pump installation is vitally aware of the dearth of precise information that has been published on this important subject. Such data as have been collected are not readily available in a concise and readily usable form, so that many operators would find it a considerable chore to find the pertinent information required to undertake a detailed study. The purpose of this paper is to assemble such established data, correlate them with field experience and outline the factors that must be appraised in the determination of a satisfactory pump installation. The transportation of solids in solution is of vital interest to every mill superintendent and operator, and many of the factors that are involved in this hydraulic problem vary widely from installation to installation, and in some cases even from time to time on any one installation. These include: type of solids (including shape of particles), size of solids (grind), percentages of fines (slimes), dilution of pulp, contour of pipe line, type of pipe, age of pipe line, effect that diameter of pipe has on characteristic flow conditions, and other factors. Some of these have been fairly well determined by experimental work but many still must be established through interpolating or extrapolating between values that have been derived from known field conditions. Most problems primarily concern the transportation of a definite weight of dry solids from one specific location to another. The type of material, shape of particles, grind and percentages of fines are established and very often the dilution at which the solids must be handled as well. The problem then evolves into a determination of the size, type and contour of the pipe line and the net effective head against which the pump must operate. Before discussing the determination of the head, it might be well to review the interrelationship between the pump discharge (capacity), the head developed by the pump and the pump speed, which will apply to any centrifugal pump installation. Effect of Pump Speed Basically, the head developed by a centrifugal pump varies as the square of the pump speed and the discharge as the first power of the speed. However, even at constant speed a centrifugal pump will operate over a wide range of capacities, depending upon the head that must be developed to deliver the liquid or pulp to the end of the pipe line. This is shown graphically in Fig. I. If the pump in question is being driven at a constant speed of goo r.p.m. it will deliver 500 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 56 ft., 800 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 50 ft., and so on. In other words, at this speed the capacity of the pump will be determined and limited by

Jan 1, 1947

By C. G. Southmayd

Anyone who has been confronted with the problem of predicting the performance of a sand-pump installation is vitally aware of the dearth of precise information that has been published on this important subject. Such data as have been collected are not readily available in a concise and readily usable form, so that many operators would find it a considerable chore to find the pertinent information required to undertake a detailed study. The purpose of this paper is to assemble such established data, correlate them with field experience and outline the factors that must be appraised in the determination of a satisfactory pump installation. The transportation of solids in solution is of vital interest to every mill superintendent and operator, and many of the factors that are involved in this hydraulic problem vary widely from installation to installation, and in some cases even from time to time on any one installation. These include: type of solids (including shape of particles), size of solids (grind), percentages of fines (slimes), dilution of pulp, contour of pipe line, type of pipe, age of pipe line, effect that diameter of pipe has on characteristic flow conditions, and other factors. Some of these have been fairly well determined by experimental work but many still must be established through interpolating or extrapolating between values that have been derived from known field conditions. Most problems primarily concern the transportation of a definite weight of dry solids from one specific location to another. The type of material, shape of particles, grind and percentages of fines are established and very often the dilution at which the solids must be handled as well. The problem then evolves into a determination of the size, type and contour of the pipe line and the net effective head against which the pump must operate. Before discussing the determination of the head, it might be well to review the interrelationship between the pump discharge (capacity), the head developed by the pump and the pump speed, which will apply to any centrifugal pump installation. Effect of Pump Speed Basically, the head developed by a centrifugal pump varies as the square of the pump speed and the discharge as the first power of the speed. However, even at constant speed a centrifugal pump will operate over a wide range of capacities, depending upon the head that must be developed to deliver the liquid or pulp to the end of the pipe line. This is shown graphically in Fig. I. If the pump in question is being driven at a constant speed of goo r.p.m. it will deliver 500 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 56 ft., 800 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 50 ft., and so on. In other words, at this speed the capacity of the pump will be determined and limited by

Jan 1, 1947

By C. G. Southmayd

ANYONE who has been confronted with the problem of predicting the performance of a sand-pump installation is vitally aware of the dearth of precise information that has been published on this important subject. Such data as have been collected are not readily available in a concise and readily usable form, so that many operators would find it a considerable chore to find the pertinent information required to undertake a detailed study. The purpose of this paper is to assemble such established data, correlate them with field experience and outline the factors that must be appraised in the determination of a satisfactory pump installation. The transportation of solids in solution is of vital interest to every mill superintendent and operator, and many of the factors that are involved in this hydraulic problem vary widely from installation to installation, and in some cases even from time to time on any one installation.. These include: type of solids (including shape of particles), size of solids (grind), percentages of fines (slimes), dilution of pulp, contour of pipe line, type of pipe, age of pipe line, effect that diameter of pipe has on characteristic flow conditions, and other factors. Some of these have been fairly well determined by experimental work but many still must be established through interpolating or extrapolating between values that have been derived from known field conditions. Most problems primarily concern the transportation of a definite weight of dry solids from one specific location to another. The type of material, shape of particles, grind and percentages of fines are established and very often the dilution at which the solids must be handled as well. The problem then evolves into a determination of the size, type and contour of the pipe line and the net effective head against which the pump must operate. Before discussing the determination of the head, it might be well to review the interrelationship between the pump discharge (capacity), the head developed by the pump and the pump speed, which will apply to any centrifugal pump installation. EFFECT OF PUMP SPEED Basically, the head developed by a centrifugal pump varies as the square of the pump speed and the discharge as the first power of the speed. However, even at constant speed a centrifugal pump will operate over a wide range of capacities, depending upon the head that must be developed to deliver the liquid or pulp to the end of the pipe line. This is shown graphically in Fig. I. If the pump in question is being driven at a constant speed of 900 r.p.m. it will deliver 500 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 56 ft., 800 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 50 ft., and so on. In other words, at this speed the capacity of the pump will be determined and limited by

Jan 1, 1946

By L. A. Panek

When rock is subjected to a load it is deformed. Ordinarily this is observed in a mine as the displacement of one point with respect to another-the deflection of the roof, which may be observed as a convergence between roof and floor; or the extrusion of material from the rib, which may be observed as a decrease of the distance between the rib and the post of a timber set. The effect of excessive pressure may be a rockburst if the rock is strong, or it may be "squeezing" ground if the rock is "soft". Some desirable effects of high stress (high in relation to strength) are the caving of roof in a longwall mining operation, the caving of ore in block caving, and the decrease in mechanical energy required to break down the mineral seam in a retreating pillar-robbing operation. In any case, whether the observable effect of rock load is desirable or undesirable, it is a displacement, and depends on the following four factors:

Jan 3, 1961

By Robert Glass Cleland

WITH the acquisition of the Nichols Copper Company ' and the development of the large Copper Products manufacturing and selling organization, the Phelps Dodge Corporation had attained two of its important goals. But at that particular time both its immediate and long-range prospects were giving the company serious concern. The financial panic that began late in 1929 was growing worse instead of better. Neither raw materials nor finished products could find a market. In 1932 the price of copper fell to the almost unprecedented figure of four and eight tenths cents a pound. Domestic production of copper in the United States was further threatened by a large low-cost output from the mines of Africa and the Andes. Canadian copper mines, with their large yield of other valuable metals from the same ores, added to the difficulties of the American companies. After a hard-fought campaign, however, the producers of domestic copper finally induced Congress to levy a duty of four cents a pound on copper imported into the

Jan 1, 1952

By Earl Oliver

Some two years ago the Petroleum Division of the A. I. M. E. organized a special study of unit operation. That method of handling oil pools had been urged as the remedy that would save the United States petroleum industry from the crisis that even then loomed as more than a small cloud on the horizon. Today it is only one of several remedies vigorously advocated. Proration, regulation of imports, unit operation, constructive marketing and interstate compacts all have their earnest proponents, but the advocates of each have been disposed to look with indifference on the other respective proposals, with the result that none has had united support. Meanwhile the industry has drifted rapidly toward a serious crisis, the imminence of which in itself may bring the solution. The gravity of the situation tends to force study of the merits of proposals that a short time previously were brushed aside as impractical; and to the surprise of most of us we now find merit where previously we thought none existed. Irrespective of what might have been the result had any single proposal being adopted years ago, it is now apparent that under present conditions no one of the remedies—unit operation, proration, regulation of imports or constructive marketing—standing alone would be of much benefit. On the other hand, it is becoming evident that a well balanced program comprising all four of these remedies might save the United States petroleum industry; also that some such comprehensive program might be necessary to save it. It is even becoming evident that the despised interstate compact might be an appropriate type of machinery in which to group and coordinate all these remedies. We have progressed beyond the belief that either the industry or the government working alone can correct the situation, and have arrived at the more healthy realization that the task will require most sympathetic cooperation between government and industry, backed by an equally sympathetic public understanding. If we were functioning under a Mussolini or a Stalin, stabilizing the petroleum industry would be a much simpler task. However, in the

Jan 1, 1931

By Rossiter W. Raymond

I DESIRE to call the attention of the Institute to a novel system of dredging, which, it seems to me, may prove applicable, not only to river and harbor improvements, but also to certain varieties at least of alluvial and diluvial gold mining; that is, river-mining, barmining, coast-mining, and any other similar operations now carried on by means of coffer-dams or dredging machines. The simple and effective method to which I refer is the invention of General Roy Stone, formerly an officer of volunteers, and at present a civil engineer, engaged under General Newton, of the United States Engineer Corps, upon the government works in New York harbor. General Stone has been, since September, 1878, in charge of operations upon Diamond Reef. This reef, lying between Governor's Island and the Battery, is one of the most dangerous in the harbor. Its position in the highway of navigation, and the fact that it is dangerous only to vessels of considerable draught and at certain stages of the tide, combine to increase the serious nature of the disasters which it has caused. The reef consists partly of rock in place, and partly of deposits of glacial clay, boulders, and pebbles, over all of which lies, or did lie until it was removed, the ordinary silt and rubbish of the harbor. As the purpose of the present paper has nothing to do with the special dimensions and other circumstances of this particular work, I describe those features only which are connected with General Stone's ingenious device. Various attempts have been made to remove the upper portion of Diamond Reef and secure a navigable depth at low tide. Some years ago Maillefert undertook to accomplish this by firing charges of high explosives, simply laid upon the surface. He accomplished some good in the removal of projecting points and ridges ; but as soon as the surface of the reef had become approximately level, his method was no longer effective. After the work had been taken up by the Engineer Corps, the well-known drilling-scow invented by General Newton was brought into action ; and, so long as holes could be bored and fired in solid rock, this process was effective enough. In the mixture of hard-pan

Jan 1, 1880

By V. F. Hollister, M. Bernstein

The Copaquire porphyry copper deposit lies in an island of pre-Upper Tertiary rocks surrounded by Quaternary and Upper Tertiary formations. The pre-Upper Tertiary appears to be a horst block in a typical basin-range setting. Major right lateral faults have been mapped within the range from Chuquicamata north to Copaquire. All of the major porphyry copper deposits known in the block (e.g., Quebrada Blanca, El Abra, Chuquicamata, and Copaquire) are on or are very close to one of these major right lateral shears. In the Copaquire district, an epizonal igneous complex with diorite, quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, and intrusive dacite (in that intrusive order) invade folded Jurassic shale. Mineralization appears spatially and temporally associated with the quartz monzonite porphyry and dacite. Alteration zoning shows two separate core phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite) zones within one large argillic (clay-pyrite) zone. A propylitic (chlorite) zone is peripheral to the argillic zone. No potassic zone has been recognized yet at the surface. The intrusive petrology together with the phyllic, argilic, and propylitic alteration zoning as well as the chalcopyrite-molybdenite ore mineralogy characterize this deposit as being typical of the Lowell and Guilbert model. Copper and molybdenum minerals appear to be most strongly developed in the phyllic zone, in either a breccia or a zone of veinlets and stockwork which trend dominantly northeast, conjugate to the district's largest fault, the Sulfato fault. The setting is basically similar to that found in some other porphyry copper deposits in this block, in that the ore body is a zone of veinlets which appear to be genetically related to movement on a major north-south trending right lateral fault. The presence of the major fault in each deposit, and the speculative hypothesis that paleo-subduction zone operated at the time of mineralization, suggest the possibility that mineralization took place when a major fault permitted escape to the surface of cal-calkalic magma generated in a subduction zone as proposed by Ericksen. A hypothesis such as that proposed by Ericksen explains the near linearity of porphyry copper deposits in Chile, since the source of calc-alkalic magma would exist at about the same distance from a paleo-trench throughout the length of the paleo-subduction zone.

Jan 1, 1976

By E. H. Griswold, W. J. Wilkins

Pressure control of oil wells may be defined as the adjustment of pressures within a well to obtain the most efficient and economic utilization of the natural gas energy with a minimum of sand troubles or irregular water encroachment. The purpose of this paper is to present the methods used by the writers in applying pressure control and a discussion of the various effects occurring within the wells affected. The benefits to be derived from the conservation of natural gas energy have been so adequately discussed and demonstrated in prior papers by various engineers that the effects on ultimate production will not be discussed other than to mention a few representative cases. The detrimental effects of irregular edge-water encroachment and of sanding up arc of general knowledge to the industry. Effect on Ultimate Production One of the strongest objections voiced against pressure control is that of the danger or inadvisability of deferring oil production by cutting the rate of production. It has been our experience that such deferred product'ion is returned within a few weeks or months rather than years and that an increased cumulative oil production is obtained in the early life of the well by conserving the natural energy. In many cases the rate of production is increased rather than decreased by the adjustment of pressures to obtain the minimum gas factor. Fig. 1 shows the history of a Wilcox sand well in northern Oklahoma, which was pressure-controlled from completion. It is noted that during the early months while flowing naturally through the casing the gas factor was decreased rather than allowed to follow its natural tendency to increase. A string of 21/2-in. tubing was run to restrict the flow and resulted in a decreased gas factor with a more sustained rate of production. When first placed on gas-lift the gas factor again tended to increase, but after the proper pressure adjustments were made, remained approximately steady. It was necessary to defer 100 bbl. per day of oil production in order to maintain this low gas factor. In March serious

Jan 1, 1929