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By Richard J. Gonzalez

The petroleum industry includes varied and extensive operations required to supply increasing quantities of refined petroleum products and natural gas that are essential for the economic progress of an expanding population Petroleum has provided the power for the transformation from the "horse and buggy days" to the age of jets and space exploration, and for the remarkable improvement in productivity per worker in agriculture and manufacturing. Without increasing quantities of oil and gas, the world would face painful readjustments to more expensive forms of energy and lower standards of living Petroleum operations start with exploration, development, and production activities that supply the basic crude oil and natural gas Pipelines, ships, barges, and trucks first transport the raw materials to processing centers and then move the finished products to the ultimate consumers. Processing plants extract liquids from natural gas and refineries convert crude oil into a wide range of products These products include transportation fuels, feedstocks for conversion into numerous products (such as fabrics, rubber, and plastics), light fuels for heating, lubricants, and heavy residual materials (industrial fuel oil, asphalt, and coke) The final activity of wholesale distribution and retail marketing moves products into millions of homes, farms, industrial plants, and motor vehicles The use of coal exceeded that of oil and gas until 1946 in the United States and until 1968 in the rest of the world. However, oil and gas have proved to be such convenient and attractively priced fuels that they now supply three-fourths of the total commercial energy (including coal, hydroelectric, and nuclear power) used in North America and more than one-half in the rest of the world. LARGE SCALE OF OPERATIONS By the beginning of 1970, world crude oil production exceeded 43 million bbl daily, -equivalent to more than 2200 million tpy In addition, natural gas and the liquids recovered from processing natural gas supply about 40% as much energy as crude oil Production of oil and gas provide by far the highest value of all mining operations. In the United States, the value of oil and gas production in 1969 of $13 8 billion exceeded the $13 0 billion value for all other minerals The rate of expansion in use of petroleum has been extremely rapid since World War II World crude oil production doubled from 7,500,000 bbl daily in 1946 to more than 15,000,000 bbl daily by 1955 It doubled again to 30,000,000 by 1965, and will double again by 1975 The use of natural gas has increased greatly in the United States and also in Europe, as important discoveries in the Netherlands and the North Sea and technology for moving liquefied natural gas from Africa provided attractively priced supplies

Jan 1, 1976

By Elwood G. Haney, R. N. Parkins

Stress corrosion cracking of two heats of 18 pct Ni maraging steel in rod form immersed in an aqueous solution of 0.6N NaCl at pH 2.2 has been studied on un-notched specimens stressed in a hard tensilf machite. Austenitizing temperature in the range 1830 to 1400 F has been shown to have a marked influence on the propensity to crack, the loulest austenitizing- temperature producing the greatest resistance to failure. In the nzosl susceptible conditions, the cracks followed the original austenile grain boundaries; but when tlze steels zcere heal treated to inproze their resistance to stress corrosion, the cracks becatne appreciably less branched and slzouqed significant tendencies to become trans granular. Electron metallography of the steels indicated the presence of snzall particles, possibly of titanium carbide, along- the prior austenite grain boundaries and these particles u:ere more readily detectable in the structures that were most susceptible to cracking. Crack propagation rates, which appeared to be dependent upon applied stress and structure, were usually in tlze reg-ion of 0.5 mm per hr and may, therefore, be e.xplained on tlze basis of a purely electrochetnical ,nechanism. However, there is some ezliderzce from fractography that crack extension may be assisted by ttlechanical processes. Anodic stit)zulation reduced the tiwe to fracture, although cathodic currents of small magnitudes delayed cracking-; further increase in cathodic current resulted in a sharp drop i,n fracture litne, possibly due to the onset of hydrogen ewbrittlement. THE use of the high strength maraging steels, with their attractive fracture toughness characteristics, is restricted because of their susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking in chloride solutions. Although this limitation has resulted in investigations of the stress corrosion susceptibilities of these steels, there have been few systematic studies aimed at defining the various parameters that determine the level of susceptibility. It is the case that the usual tests have been performed with the object of defining some stress or time limit, on unnotched or precracked specimens, within which failure was not observed,' but while such results may be of some use in design considerations, they are necessarily concerned only with the steels as they currently exist and not with their improvement to render them more resistant to stress corrosion failure. This omission may be considered unfortunate because the indications are that stress corrosion in maraging steels shows dependence on structure in following an intergranular path, and since experience with other systems of intergranular stress corrosion crack- ing is that susceptibility may be varied by modifying heat treatments, a similar effect may be expected with maraging steels. It is sometimes from such observations that a fuller understanding of the mechanism of stress corrosion crack propagation begins to emerge, leading in time to the development of more resistant grades of material. The present work was undertaken to study only one aspect of the influence of heat treatment upon the cracking propensities of the 18 pct Ni maraging steel, namely the effect of austenitizing temperature, although certain ancillary measurements and experiments have been undertaken. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES Most of the measurements were made on a steel, A, having the analysis shown below, although a few results were obtained on a steel, B, having a slightly different composition. Both steels were supplied in the austenitized condition, A as 3/8-in-diam rod and B as 1/2-in.-diam rod. Cylindrical tensile test pieces were machined from the rods: the overal length was 2 1/2 in., the gage length 1 in. and the diameter 0.128 to 0.136 in. The stress corrosion tests were carried out with the specimens strained in tension in a hard beam testing machine, the necessary total strain being applied to the specimen over a period of about 30 sec, after which the moving crosshead was locked in position and the load allowed to relax as crack propagation proceeded; the load relaxation was recorded. The load was applied after the specimen had been brought into contact with the corrosive solution, the latter being contained in a polyethylene dish having a central hole through which the specimen passed, leakage being prevented by the application of a film of rubber cement. The specimen was in contact with the solution for over half of its gage length and the solution was exposed to the air during testing. The solution was prepared from distilled and deionized water to which NaCl was added, 0.6N, and the pH adjusted to 2.2 by HCl additions. The composition of the solution

Jan 1, 1969

By NEWTON B. KNOX

PERU, lying south of Ecuador and having common frontiers with Brazil, Chile, and Bolivia, includes over a thousand miles of the Andean mountains. The coastal plain is arid and narrow and the Amazonian jungle region is of interest only on account of its oil and gold placer possibilities. The mountain zone, however, here forms one of the world's most highly mineralized regions. The Peruvian Andes, like their Bolivian and Ecuadorian counterparts, form two distinct chains separated by the great Apurimac and Maralion valleys; but these rivers cut through the Eastern range to join the Amazon drainage, and the central valley is missing north of the passes thus formed by these rivers; the localities where the ranges are joined are aptly called knots. In addition, in central Peru, there exists a third range lying to the east of the first two and separated from them by the Urubamba and Huallaga Rivers. The Eastern range, however, is of little importance to the miner for few metal deposits are to be found therein except for the gold mineralization in the South. In general, deposition of metals in the Peruvian Andes accompanied igneous intrusions which invaded the folded Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks during the Tertiary; thus the ore bodies are all typical of shallow or moderate depths.

Jan 1, 1945

By Richard L. Gordon

Minerals long have been important commodities in international trade. As an inevitable result, the governments of the world have employed a wide variety of programs that affect the flow of trade. Roughly speaking, we may distinguish between the desire of more developed countries (MDCs) like the United States, western Europe, and Japan to control imports of minerals and the concern of less developed countries (LDCs), like India, about exploiting and exporting their minerals. The terminology used to describe different countries and the classification of specific countries into groups is unsettled and often changing. The poorest countries have been characterized as backward, undeveloped, underdeveloped, and developing. The problem seems to be in selecting a term that is both accurate and polite. Less developed seems, for reasons outlined by Hagen [pp. 51-57], the most convenient term. The borderline between an LDC and an MDC is always open to dispute. Objective measures are difficult to develop because of deficiencies in basic data, and enormous conceptual problems arise in making valid comparisons from even good data [see Hagen, pp. 7-28]. Thus, policies of the MDCs can be evaluated chiefly by using a few basic arguments for protectionist attitudes towards international trade. In dealing with the LDCs, a more far-ranging evaluation that covers general economic policy goals, the role of foreign investment, and the indirect effects of trade is required. This duality breaks down when trying to deal with the depressed areas in an MDC; here the issues are more akin to those associated with problems in an LDC. Similarly, variants of arguments used in LDCs appear in debates about foreign investments in MDCs. The whole discussion of minerals in LDCs, moreover, has obvious implications for MDCs like Canada and Australia. They, too, must face problems about the best utilization of their resources. THE RESTRICTION OF MINERAL TRADE BY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES[a] At least to some extent, the world's leading industrial nations have intervened to control the inflow of minerals. Such regulation is particularly pronounced for energy. Both the United States and western Europe employ

Jan 1, 1976

By E. A. Devuyst, M. A. Mosoiu, V. A. Ettel

Nickelic hydroxide is an important metallurgical reagent used for precipitating cobalt from nickel sulfate solutions. Existing methods of preparation of nickelic hydroxide involve electrolytic oxidation of Ni(OH)2 or the use of strong oxidizing agents such as chlorine, ozone and persulfate. Although the oxidizing properties of the SO2 + O2 system have been known for some time, e.g., detection of SO2 and oxidation on iron in acidic solution, the application of this system for the preparation of nickelic hydroxide as a process was not considered in the past. The present paper describes a new method for chemical preparation of nickelic hydroxide which has been developed in INCO laboratories. The technique consists of reacting nickelous hydroxide suspensions with a slurry of calcium sulfite in the presence of air or oxygen. The main advantage of the process is the cost of reagents and an absence of soluble by-products (e.g., C1-). The chemistry of this process is unusual since the redox potential obtained during the reaction exceeds that of the oxygen electrode. Therefore, the effect of CaS03 is not just a catalytic acceleration of the reaction NI(OH)~ + 02. The so3= must be involved in the stoichiometry of the overall reaction producing in the initla1 phase some strongly oxidizing intermediate species.

Jan 1, 1981

By W. M. Weigel

The first successful use of the wire saw in slate quarrying in the United States was late in 1926, at the quarry of the Colonial Slate Co. near Wind Gap, Pa. This installation was sponsored and supervised by the United States Bureau of Mines in collaboration with the National Slate Association.' The success of this trial resulted in other installations of wire saws, so that 27 were in operation at Pennsylvania slate quarries2 by October, 1928. Marble Quarrying with a Wire Saw Until recently, little or no attempt has been made to use the wire saw in the quarrying of other stone, but it is believed that its successful use in slate will be followed by attempts to take advantage of its possibilities in other quarrying operations. An example of such a trial is the recent installation of a wire saw at the marble quarry of the Saint Clair Marble Co. near Guion, in the Ozark region of northern Arkansas. This quarry is in a comparatively new district and the decision to open and develop it had to be made in the face of many unknown factors. For this reason, it was essential that the development costs be held at a minimum, and as a wire saw could be installed more cheaply than standard channeling equipment, it was decided to try it out. One factor Largely controlling the decision was that the location was peculiarly adapted to this method. The point of development selected was on the rather abrupt end of a ridge formed on the south by an almost perpendicular bluff along the White River and on the north by a rather steep slope with little or no overburden. By taking advantage of this topography it was possible to place the supporting standards for the sheaves at both the outer and driving end without the necessity of drilling or excavating openings to receive them, and to locate the motive power in line with these standards, which made it unnecessary to deflect the sheaves.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. F. Yancey, M. R. Geer

The importance of the size composition of coal is reflected in the difference in price of the various sizes of the same coal and in the large number of primary sizes and mixtures of sizes produced by the modern preparation plant to meet the demands of a market that in late years has grown increasingly conscious of coal size. The importance of size in the industrial and domestic uses of coal has its counterpart in the role played by size composition in the laboratory examination of coal. Investigation of many of the physical properties of coal in their relation to its uses requires an evaluation of size composition. In fact, the Standards on Coal and Coke issued by the American Socaiety for Testing Materials in 1936 contains 12 standard methods of testing that involve some use of size composition. The screen analysis is, of course, the standard method of determining size composition, whether the material is coarse run-of-mine coal or fine pulverized fuel. Custorriarily, the analysis is reported as the weight percentages retained on or passing each of a series of testing screens, the number of which may range from only two or three to as many as 20. When more than two or three sieves are used, which is usual, the number of weight percentages obtained is so great as to make the analysis difficult to comprehend. Direct comparison of analyses made 011 the same sieves is hard, and comparison of analyses covering the same range of sizes but made on different sieves is next to impossible. Consequently, a frequent purpose of sizing tests-—-correlation of size with properties and charactcristics related to size-—is rendered difficult. Less cumbersome means of expressing size composition have been attempted with various degrees of success. An average particle size, calculated by any of several formulas, is useful for some purposes, also the weight percentage retained on a single sieve finds some application as a

Jan 1, 1938

By M. R. Geer, H. F. Yancey

The importance of the size composition of coal is reflected in the difference in price of the various sizes of the same coal and in the large number of primary sizes and mixtures of sizes produced by the modern preparation plant to meet the demands of a market that in late years has grown increasingly conscious of coal size. The importance of size in the industrial and domestic uses of coal has its counterpart in the role played by size composition in the laboratory examination of coal. Investigation of many of the physical properties of coal in their relation to its uses requires an evaluation of size composition. In fact, the Standards on Coal and Coke issued by the American Socaiety for Testing Materials in 1936 contains 12 standard methods of testing that involve some use of size composition. The screen analysis is, of course, the standard method of determining size composition, whether the material is coarse run-of-mine coal or fine pulverized fuel. Custorriarily, the analysis is reported as the weight percentages retained on or passing each of a series of testing screens, the number of which may range from only two or three to as many as 20. When more than two or three sieves are used, which is usual, the number of weight percentages obtained is so great as to make the analysis difficult to comprehend. Direct comparison of analyses made 011 the same sieves is hard, and comparison of analyses covering the same range of sizes but made on different sieves is next to impossible. Consequently, a frequent purpose of sizing tests-—-correlation of size with properties and charactcristics related to size-—is rendered difficult. Less cumbersome means of expressing size composition have been attempted with various degrees of success. An average particle size, calculated by any of several formulas, is useful for some purposes, also the weight percentage retained on a single sieve finds some application as a

Jan 1, 1938

By M. F. Trice

PYROPHYLLITE is a hydrous aluminum silicate (A12Si4010(OH)2)1 that occurs in both the foliated and the massive forms. The foliated variety resembles talc in that it has a greasy feel, a pearly luster, perfect basal cleavage, and usually is white, although in some deposits apple green, gray, brown, russet, and nearly black specimens may be found. The massive deposits of pyrophyllite yield pearl gray to light tan aggregates, some of which are so friable that they may be crushed with the hands into a fine gritty powder. Frequently specimens of the massive variety are studded with crystals of radial structure. The mineral has a specific gravity of about 2.7 and a hardness of 1 on Mobs' scale.1 The chemical composition of commercial pyrophyllite reflects the mineralogy of the deposits, which, according to Stuckey,2 contain pyro-phyllite and quartz, together with chloritoid, sericite, and a few other minerals of negligible importance. The latter, he says, "are noticed in but small quantities to the extent they might occur as accessory constitu-ents of an igneous rock or as products of regional metamorphism or weathering. . . . Quartz is abundant everywhere except in the very best grades of pyrophyllite." Analyses of specimens from several deposits are listed in Table 1, showing that the silica content varies from 57 to 73 percent and the alumina from 22 to 33 percent. Oxides of iron and the alkaline metals are collectively present, with one exception, to an extent of about 1 to 1.5 per cent.

Jan 1, 1940

By W. C. Knopf, G. Samsel

For several years International Minerals & Chem-ical Corp. has used a radiation method to assay potassium content of products from potash and feldspar beneficiation. The procedure is rapid, accurate, and inexpensive and is easily handled, if necessary, by nontechnical personnel. Data are presented to show the accuracies that may be expected if the technique is used for control of pilot plants or large-scale plants. Natural potassium is composed of three isotopes —K, K and K. Five other isotopes, artificially produced, have been detected. In natural potassium only the K isotope, with a half life of 1.4x10 years, is radioactive. Its modes of decay are beta and gamma rays, positrons, and x-rays. Only the more abundant beta rays, however, are important in radiation measurements using geiger tubes. Barnes and Salley' measured radiation of potassium salts in solution in 1943. Gaudin and Parnell2 first reported the use of solid salts arranged in a vessel surrounding the ß counter in 1948. Later, Scheel used the method to assay potassium content of various crude and finished potash salts. Experimental: Dip-type Geiger-Muller tubes (TGC-5) supplied by Tracerlab Co. were used in all radiation counting measurements. The tube was encompassed by a glass container about M in. larger in diameter than the tube. This container, which served as a sample holder, was closed at the bottom with a rubber stopper to facilitate removing the samples. Samples were not weighed, but about 40 g of sample were needed for each test. Electrical impulses from the tube were counted on either a Tracerlab scaler or a rate meter. To obviate the need for constant attendance, preset features were incorporated into the scalers, so that at a predetermined time or count the units were automatically deactivated. When rate meters were used, counting rates were read directly from instrument or from a recorder used in conjunction with the rate meter. Each tube was calibrated, according to the manufacturer's instructions, to determine the correct operating voltage to insure reproducible results. A linear calibration plot of percent K2O vs counting rate was also obtained for each tube by recording the counting rate plus background count of several standards of different K2O content chemically analyzed by the chloroplatinate method.' These standards were of approximately the same particle size distribution as samples to be assayed. Specific background count caused by cosmic rays and other surrounding radiation was checked periodically by counting a sample of pure NaCl. Fig. 1 is a representative calibration plot. Assays were determined directly from the standard plot or calculated by subtracting the background count from the counting rate, then multiplying by the slope of the line. Chemical assays of the test samples were made by the Sherril method," a flame photometric technique, or the chloroplatinate method. Data: The radiation assay method has been used for three years by International Minerals & Chemical Corp. in the laboratory and in pilot plants processing ores containing potassium. These dry concentration plants process sylvinite and langbeinite ores at Carlsbad, N. M., and feldspar ores at Top-sham, Maine. Sylvinite ore is predominantly a mixture of syl-vite (impure KCl) and halite (impure NaCl). Contaminants include sulfates, such as langbeinite (2MgSO - K2SO4), kieserite (MgSO H2O), poly-halite (MgSO4.K2SO, 2CaSO, . 2H2O), and slimes. Langbeinite ore is predominantly langbeinite and halite with small amounts of sylvite, sulfates other than langbeinite, and slimes. Several variables, in addition to correct calibration and standardization of tubes, were found to be important in obtaining reproducible results. Particle size distribution of standard samples should be

Jan 1, 1959

By Robert Schorr

A Discussion of the Paper by Robert Schorr, read at the Atlantic City meeting, February, 1904. (Washington Meeting, May, 1905.) E. T. DUMBLE, Houston, Texas (communication to the Secretary*) :-In addition to the list of publications mentioned by Mr. Schorr and those by Prof. Hofman, I call attention to the following references : Studi sulle Lignite, by Capacci. Turin (1890). (An excellent work.) Report of Brown Coal Industry in Germany. J. Cosmo Newberry. Department of Mines, Victoria (1892). Second Report of the Royal Commission. on Coal Supply. Vol. II. London (1904). Peat Fuel: Its Manufacture and Use. Report of the Bureau of Mines of Ontario, 1903. Mr. Schorr says : " Brown coal and peat are briquetted as a rule without binder," but this statement is entirely true only so far as raw peat is concerned, and it is but partly true of brown coal. With regard to raw peat, briquetting without bond is carried on successfully both in Europe and America, and the development of the industry in Canada is fully described in the Bureau of Mines report for 1903, mentioned above. While there is still room for improvement in the efficiency of some of the arrangements for drying the peat previous to briquetting, a very satisfactory fuel is made at a price which enables it to compete with coal. During the late strike in the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania, the manufacture of peat: briquettes received a considerable impetus, and possibly the attention directed to it on this account may result in a. considerable increase in the output. In Canada. the peat when it is first excavated from the ground

Mar 1, 1905

By G. J. Dickman, W. N. Thomas

The factors involved in selecting, a drive system for a grinding mill, including gearing arrangement, motor selection, and electric-supply system limitations are reviewed. Equipment costs are evaluated on a dollar per horsepower basis and starting performance is analyzed, the latter making use of a recently developed computer program. The present interest in large-diameter grinding mills and the rapidly rising cost of the drive in proportion to the cost of the mill establishes a need to explore the drive system in detail. The drive for a 7 to 8,000 hp mill will cost from $350 to $600,000 which represents nearly half the total cost of the mill package, and requires as much building space as the mill proper. Some of the drive components require a longer time to manufacture and the installation time and costs are equal to those for the mill. It is apparent that the drive has become a dominant factor in the overall mill design consideration. A new plant requires a tremendous investment in both time and money. With the high degree of competition in the mining industry, low capital cost is an exceedingly important factor in the development of a project. It is just as important, however, to insure that the equipment is going to perform satisfactorily for the anticipated life of the project without adding unplanned operating, maintenance, and replacement costs. This is the position in which the engineer or designer usually finds himself and is really one of his primary functionsestablishing a realistic compromise between cost and performance. Large primary grinding mills can represent a major portion of the cost of a plant and the drive system accounts for a substantial part of this cost. These facts justify a careful analysis of the drive requirements and all of the factors involved in ultimately arriving at the best system for the lowest cost. A number of excellent papers have been published on various aspects of mill drives. The authors have used information from these papers in making a study of a drive for a 7600-hp, 32 x 12-ft autogenous mill. This was a broad investigation, including mechanical and electrical design, layout, performance, and maintenance considerations, and overall economics leading to the selection of the optimum system for that mill. This paper was developed from the study and includes information applicable to large mills in general. For a successful and economical application, the drive must be considered as a system and all of the components analyzed to determine their effect on the system. This requires the participation of the mill designer, gear, and other mechanical component manufacturers, motor manufacturer, plant designer, and operator. A careful analysis of the mill torque requirements is first necessary to provide a basis for selection of the mechanical and electrical drive components. Because of manufacturing limitations on the size and capacity of gearing available for these low-speed applications, an evaluation of costs for various gear ratios and configurations in conjunction with motor speeds is required. Consultation with the power-supply company is necessary to determine limitations on motor-starting disturbances and to analyze operating costs on the basis of existing rate structures and low characteristics. Finally, consideration must be given to the drive arrangement and its affect on plant layout, space requirements, and location of auxiliary equipment for the selected process. There are presently three basic schemes for driving a mill. The first is a direct drive by a motor operating at mill speed with no gearing. The second is by a higher-speed motor through a trunnion-connected gear drive. The third is by a motor through the more conventional pinion and ring-gear with the option of an interposing gear box to permit greater motor speed than pinion shaft speed. [(Fig. 1.)] Several manufacturers have or are presently developing motors which drive the mill directly without the use of gears. One arrangement has the motor armature intimately surrounding the mill shell-discharge spout or extension of the trunnion journal. The motor stator is then supported independently and surrounds the shell or trunnion-mounted rotor. Another variation utilizes an independent mill-speed motor connected to the trunnion by a drive shaft and flexible couplings.

Jan 1, 1972

By M. G. Fowler

A GENERAL decline in copper production for most American producers occurred during the past year as a result of shortage in available labor. Few noteworthy technical developments have been reported; undoubtedly, many changes and improvements have been made but have not been reported because of lack of time. During the war years through 1944 the pressure for sustained high production has been of prime importance and during 1945, with slackening of production, many operators were faced with the problem of catching up on repairs and maintenance of plants, with inadequate labor supply. In hydrometallurgy there were some important developments that undoubtedly will be reported during 1946. Several operators in the Southwest have instituted experimental leaching programs to exploit low-grade oxidized and mixed ore bodies. The Bureau of Mines is conducting pilot-plant experimental work to determine the possibility of producing a satisfactory sponge iron at an attractive cost from deposits of iron ore and coal in Arizona. The sponge iron would be used for the production of cement cop¬per. The cell house of the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. at Inspiration,

Jan 1, 1946

By H. Landsberg

Biological as well as geological research has made very successful use of the qualities that the physicists have detected in radioactive substances. Outstanding examples for the vast new fields opened in this part of the border-land between the disciplines of geology and physics are the "radio thermal geology" [July, 1909, see 1 of "References" at end of paper] and all that is connected with the use of the radioactive disintegration clock for the age-determination of rocks and minerals [2]. In structural geology, not unlike to recent bi-ological uses of radioactive material, their "tracer" properties were helpful. Changes in Radon concentra-tion in soil-air, especially accumulations, led to hidden crevices and fault-zones. High contents of Radon in spring-water gave clues as to the types of rocks they had flowed through [3, 4). One specific application of the small admixtures of radioactive material, however, has only lately found some atten-tion and that is their use in linking beds of sedi-mentary strata otherwise only poorly identified be-cause of the lack of fossils or other characteristic properties. To be useful for this purpose, two con-ditions have to be fulfilled: (1) The amount of radioactive material per unit-weight of rock in a given horizon should be uniform over a large area; (2) this same amount should change fairly rapidly in the vertical succession of layers.

Jan 1, 1940

By S. E. Bronisz, Dana L. Douglass

a Uranium was deformed by cold rolling, and the effects of this plustic deformation on the microstruc-ture of the metal were observed by the technique of transmission elecbon microscopy. The recrystalli-zation of selected cold-wmked samples was also studied by this method. The samples were prepared for examination by electrolytic thinning in a standard metallographic electrolyte which has not been previously reported as being used in producing thin foils of uranium. The microstructural changes observed in the a uranium were generally similar to those seen by optical microscopy. The changes in the microstructure of a uranium following cold work and recrystallization treatments have been the subjects of several studies employing optical and X-ray techniques.12-19 These studies indicated that twinning was the redominant mode of deformation at room temperature20 and that the regions of high energy associated with the deformation twins were preferred sites for the initiation of recrystallization.15,18, Recently several workers have prepared thin foils of uranium suitable for examination by transmission electron microscopy.'-lo The foils thus prepared have been used to study fission fragment damage; a particular dislocation reaction,' and gas precipitation." At this laboratory the microstructural changes occurring during the cold working and recrystallizing of a uranium samples have been studied by using transmission electron-microscopy techniques. The foils used in this work were electrolytically thinned in a polishing bath not reported previously in the literature as being used for this purpose. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The uranium used in this investigation was depleted a uranium sheet 4 mils thick. The results of a spectrochemical analysis of this material are shown in Table I. The as-received uranium was cut into strips, 1 in. wide by 5 in. long, and annealed in vacuo at 600°C for 2-1/2 hr. The resulting microstructure consisted of relatively uniform, equiaxed grains having diameters of 10 to 50 p. Cold Working. The cold-worked samples were prepared by rolling several of the annealed uranium strips to various thicknesses. The strips were reduced 3.5 ± 0.5, 6.0 ± 0.6, 10.0 ± 0.5, 19.5 ± 1.0, and 28.5 ± 2.0 pct in thickness. It was not possible to achieve these reductions with a single pass through the rolling mill, so the strips were turned end for end during the rolling procedure. The cold-rolled strips were stored in dry ice until samples from them could be thinned and examined (within 24 hr after rolling). Annealing. The samples used in studying the re-crystallization behavior of a uranium were obtained by annealing sections of the strips which had been reduced 10.0 and 28.5 pct. These samples were sealed in evacuated Pyrex capsules and were annealed in a tube furnace at temperatures from 200" to 600°C and for times from 1/2 to 2 hr, see Table l. Thinning: The samples from the rolling and heat treatments were prepared for examination in the electron microscope by electropolishing in a bath composed of 25 g chromic acid, 133 ml glacial acetic acid, and 25 ml water. This electrolyte has been used and recommended for preparing specimens for optical metallography It was necessary to mask the edges of the sample with a stop-off paint in order to prevent preferential attack in these areas. The paint used was made by dissolving polystyrene in benzene. The electrolytic cell consisted of a cylindrical stainless-steel cathode placed in a beaker containing the electrolyte, with the sample as the anode positioned at the cell axis. The temperature of the electrolyte was held below 15°C by cooling with liquid

Jan 1, 1963

By C. G. Dunn, W. W. Martin

Various X ray diffraction techniques have been developed for determining orientations of crystals. Transmission and back-reflection Laue methods1,2,3 in particular have been found to be very useful. In many applications, however, a need still exists for a simplification of the details of analysis so that orientations can be determined more rapidly, and operators with little or no training in crystallography can be easily instructed in the necessary procedures. Filling this need in part is a system of analysis that has been in use for several years in the Metals Section of the Laboratory, General Electric Co., Pittsfield, Mass. This method is an extension of the one of Majima and Togino,4 which uses fifty-five indexed standard transmission Lauemams to cover the entire range of crystal orientations. Greater rapidity in determining the orientation of a crystal is achieved by using a slightly larger set of standard Lauegrams and by systematizing the steps followed. This system of analysis in its present form constitutes the subject matter of the present paper. Although the method uses transmission X ray Laue patterns, many of the operations are applicable to the analysis of back-reflection Lauegrams. Very briefly the method is based on the fact that Bragg and azimuthal angles for two or more identified Laue diffraction spots completely determine the orientation of a crystal, and standard Laue photographs of the Majima and Togino type provide a ready means for identifying Laue spots. After a preliminary analysis, which consists of identifying the pattern in terms of one of the standard patterns, a correctly marked Lauegram is selected to carry out the final analysis. From measured Bragg and azimuthal angles, the normals (poles) of the reflecting planes for the selected Laue spots are located on a stereographic projection and the orient.at.ion of the crystal determined (in terms of the positions of cube poles for example) by a few additional operations on a \I1ulff net. The actual procedure followed will be illustrated in detail after a brief treatment or X ray problems connected with orientation determinations and a discussion of useful principles and techniques. X Ray and Plotting Problems RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF BACK-REFLECTION AND TRANSMISSION LAUE DIFFRACTION METHODS In the back-reflection Laue method it is easy to make a direct measurement of the tilt of a zone of Laue spots. Specimen thickness also is generally no problem. In the case of thin specimens, however, the time of exposure is less for the transmission Laue method. For example, with silicon ferrite this advantage holds up to a thickness of 0.6 mm if tungsten radiation at 40 kv peak voltage is used. Furthermore, the transmission photograph represents the entire thickness of the crystal whereas the back-reflection picture represents only a surface layer (a thickness of less than 0.05 mm for silicon ferrite), the deeper layers supplying a negligible amount to the diffraction pattern. If a crystal is distorted, the transmission Laue pattern gives more information particularly with regard to the orientation of the crystal and the overall amount of spread in orientation. Finally a 3 1/4 X 4 in. film suffices for transmission photograms; a 4 X 5 in. or 5 X 7 in. film with a central hole is needed for back-reflection patterns Not only is the manipulation of film easier because of the size of film, but

Jan 1, 1950

PERSONAL (Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who registered at Institute headquarters during. the period May 10 to June 10, 1915: Robert M. Keeney, Somersville, Conn. C. A. Moffett, Birmingham, Ala. Emilio Mosonyi, San Salvador, C. A: A. W. G. Wilson, Ottawa, Canada. Junjiro Nagazumi, Fukuoka, Japan. G. H. Glover, Jr., Short Hills, N. J. Francis R. Pyne, Elizabeth, N. J. R. W. Brock, Vancouver, B. C. F. C. Alsdorf, Los Angeles, Cal. J. L. W. Birkinbine, Philadelphia, Pa. W. J. Loring, London, England. Roy H. Allen, Jamesburg, N. J. R. A. Bull, Granite City; 111. Francis Andrew Thomson received the degree of Master of Science from the Colorado School of Mines at the recent commencement exercises. The subject of his thesis was Stamp Milling and Cyaniding.

Jan 7, 1915

By M. L. Holzworth, Philip R. Sperry, Paul A. Beck

INTRODUCTION THE basic work of Z. Jeffries1,2,3 has long ago established the main features of grain growth in the presence of a dispersed second phase. Working with sintered specimens of initially fine grained tungsten, to which various amounts of thoria have been added, Jeffries found that grain growth was inhabited, that is, practically prevented, up to a certain annealing temperature. When this temperature, which increased with the thoria content, was exceeded, extremely large grains developed abruptly from the fine grained matrix. Such a "coarsening temperature" was later found by Gross mann13,14 in certain types of steel, while Bain showed" that in other steels grain growth was gradual, without inhibition and abrupt coarsening. Later work16,17,18,19,21 demonstrated the connection between coarsening and aluminum additions. The viewpoint that the direct cause of inhibition and coarsening in aluminum killed steels is a fine dispersion of aluminum oxide21 appears to be held quite generally, although some doubts have been voiced even very recently.20 In steels with Ti additions the titanium carbide phase is considered responsible for the inhibition effects found.20 The coarsening temperature increases, with the titanium content. That coarsening may occur, as a result of certain heat treatments, even in low carbon rimmed sheet steel, was shown by Samuels,22 He also detected coarsening in a steel ingot of similar composition, after giving it the same heat treatment as that used by him for the sheet material, In this instance the identity of the inhibiting phase has not been determined, However, Tangerding found 23 that even the few small carbide particles, which occur in carbonyl iron, have a very marked inhibitive effect. As a result of an oxidizing anneal at 850°C, large grains begin to form at the surface of the carbonyl iron specimen, and gradually grow inward as the subsurface oxidation of the carbide particles progresses and eliminates the obstruction, The carbide particles can be removed also by annealing in hydrogen, with similar results. But if the oxidizing anneal of 10 hr at 850°C in air, is followed by annealing in hydrogen for 75 hr at the same temperature, grain growth is more spectacular; usually the whole specimen is transformed into a single crystal (approx. 1,5 cm X 5 cm). The reversed procedure, that is, hydrogen annealing followed by oxidizing annealing leads to smaller grains. Tangerding arrived at the logical conclusion that there must have been in his specimens some additional obstruction to grain growth resulting from a minor impurity, other than carbon. It seems likely that this obstruction was caused by an oxide formed during the oxidizing anneal and gradually reduced during the subsequent hydrogen-annealing. Other instances of grain growth inhibition of varying severity, associated with a dispersed second phase, have been described by several authors. Notable examples: lead with 0.06 pct Cu or Ni,24 cartridge brass with 0.12 pct Cr,25 or with up to 0.15

Jan 1, 1948

By J. A. SINGMASTERN

THE New Jersey Zinc Co.'s vertical retort plants are believed to have been in continuous operation through the whole year. At Palmerton metal purer than that made from the same ore in the old plant has been produced and has been able to compete successfully with very pure electrolytic metal in die castings and other special uses where extreme purity is worth money. A new plant using this process was put in production by the Grasselli Chemical Co. at Meadowbrook, W. Va., early in the summer. It is said to be working very satisfactorily. It is understood that this plant will not produce high-grade metal. Two patents issued to Bunce and Mahler (Nos. 1,749,126 and 1,749,127) describe a method of operating the vertical retort so that practically lead-free metal can be obtained from ores containing consider- able lead. The zinc vapors and other gases leaving the reaction zone are filtered through a column of material maintained at a temperature high enough to prevent much zinc from condensing. The filtering medium is either periodically or continuously changed.

Jan 1, 1931

By Rollyn P. Jacobson

THE town of Pacific, in Jefferson County, Mo., is 127 miles west of St. Louis. Since the area lies entirely on the flood plain of a cutoff meander of the Meramac River, it was considered a likely environment for accumulation of commercial quantities of sand and gravel. Excellent transportation facilities are afforded by two major railways to St. Louis, and ample water supply for washing and separation is assured by the proximity of the river. As a large washing and separation plant was planned, the property was evaluated in detail to justify the high initial expenditure. An intensive testing program using both geophysical and drilling methods was designed and carried out. The prospect was surveyed topographically and a 200-ft grid staked on which electrical resistivity depth profiles were observed at 130 points. The Wenner 4-electrode configuration and earth resistivity apparatus" were used. In all but a few cases, the electrode spacing, A, was increased in increments of 11/2 ft to a spread of 30 ft and in increments of 3 ft thereafter. Initial drilling was done with a rig designated as the California Earth Boring Machine, which uses a bucket-shaped bit and produces a hole 3 ft in diam. Because of excessive water conditions and lack of consolidation in the gravel there was considerable loss of hole with this type of equipment. A standard churn drill was employed, therefore, to penetrate to bedrock. Eighteen bucket-drill holes and eight churn-drill holes were drilled at widely scattered locations on the grill. The depth to bedrock and the configuration will not be discussed, as this parameter is not the primary concern. Thickness of overburden overlying the gravel beds or lenses became the important economic criterion of the prospect.** The wide variety and gradational character of the geologic conditions prevailing in this area are illustrated by sample sections on Fig. 2. Depth profiles at stations E-3 and J-7 are very similar in shape and numerical range, but as shown by drilling, they are measures of very different geologic sequences. At 5-7 the gravel is overlain by 15 ft of overburden, but at E-3 bedrock is overlain by about 5 ft of soil and mantle. Stations L-8 and H-18 are representative of areas where gravel lies within 10 ft of surface. In most profiles of this type it was very difficult to locate the resistivity breaks denoting the overburden-gravel interface. In a number of cases, as shown by stations M-4 and H-18, the anomaly produced by the water table or the moisture line often obscured the anomaly due to gravel or was mistaken for it. In any case, the precise determination of depth to gravel was prevented by the gradual transition from sand to sandy gravel to gravel. In spite of these difficulties, errors involved in the interpretation were not greatly out of order. However, results indicated that the prospect was very nearly marginal from an economic point of view, and to justify expenditures for plant facilities a more precise evaluation was undertaken. The most favorable sections of the property were tested with hand augers. The original grid was followed. In all, 46 hand auger holes were drilled to gravel or refusal and the results made available to the writer for further analysis and interpretation. When data for this survey was studied, it immediately became apparent that a very definite correlation existed between the numerical value of the apparent resistivity at some constant depth and the thickness of the overburden. Such a correlation is seldom regarded in interpretation in more than a very qualitative way, except in the various theoretical methods developed by Hummel, Tagg (Ref. 1, pp. 136-139), Roman (Ref. 2, pp. 6-12), Rosenzweig (Ref. 3, pp. 408-417), and Wilcox (Ref. 4, pp. 36-46). Various statistical procedures were used to place this relationship on a quantitative basis. The large amount of drilling information available made such an approach feasible. The thickness of overburden was plotted against the apparent resistivity at a constant depth less than the depth of bedrock for the 65 stations where drilling information was available. A curve of best fit was drawn through these points and the equation of the curve determined. For this relationship the curve was found to be of the form p = b D where p is the apparent resistivity, D the thickness of overburden, and b a constant. The equation is of the power type and plots as a straight line on log-log paper. The statistical validity of this equation was analyzed by computation of a parameter called Pearson's correlation coefficient for several different depths of measurements, see Ref. 5, pp. 196-241. In all but those measurements taken at relatively shallow depths, the correlation as given by this general equation was found to have a high order of validity on the basis of statistical theory.

Jan 1, 1956