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By Thomas A. Wright

No symposium on die-casting could be complete without consideration of the methods of formula and impurity control. No corisideration of control would be complete without discussion of that new tool of the analytical chemist and inspector, the quartz spectrograph. Just as there is an increased appreciation of the possible applications of the die-casting process and of die castings, so too is there, slowly but surely, of the spectrograph. At present the role of the instrument might well be compared with that of brass or magnesium die castings. Neither is as widely understood or known as they will be. Product specifications are increasing and are getting more explicit and often more rigid. The designer, metallurgist and production engineer or superintendent will be forced to depend more and more on the chemical laboratory. Sampling, as well as analyses, testing and inspection problems will grow. The chemical laboratory must meet its increased responsibility and use of the spectrograph will become more common. Advantages of increased precision, greater speed, lessened labor and often lower costs cannot be ignored. It will be the purpose of this paper in part to outline the respective fields of chemical and spectrographic analyses and to indicate where one may overlap the other and in part to indicate certain possible sources of contamination of zinc-base die-cast alloys in particular. Composition Aluminum.-Aluminum die die castings are expected to conform to the specifications of the Amcrican Society for Testing Materialslt and the Society of Automotive Engineers2. The A.S.T.M. has recognized seven aluminum alloys in Tentative Specification B85-33-T. TWO are straight silicon and the remainder are of the copper-silicon type of which alloys VIII and IX have in addition respectively 2 and 4 per cent of nickel, but unlike the others are not covered by S.A.E. as well. All seven call for rigid control of certain impurities. With the exception of alloy XII,

Jan 1, 1935

By Thomas A. Wright

No symposium on die-casting could be complete without consideration of the methods of formula and impurity control. No corisideration of control would be complete without discussion of that new tool of the analytical chemist and inspector, the quartz spectrograph. Just as there is an increased appreciation of the possible applications of the die-casting process and of die castings, so too is there, slowly but surely, of the spectrograph. At present the role of the instrument might well be compared with that of brass or magnesium die castings. Neither is as widely understood or known as they will be. Product specifications are increasing and are getting more explicit and often more rigid. The designer, metallurgist and production engineer or superintendent will be forced to depend more and more on the chemical laboratory. Sampling, as well as analyses, testing and inspection problems will grow. The chemical laboratory must meet its increased responsibility and use of the spectrograph will become more common. Advantages of increased precision, greater speed, lessened labor and often lower costs cannot be ignored. It will be the purpose of this paper in part to outline the respective fields of chemical and spectrographic analyses and to indicate where one may overlap the other and in part to indicate certain possible sources of contamination of zinc-base die-cast alloys in particular. Composition Aluminum.-Aluminum die die castings are expected to conform to the specifications of the Amcrican Society for Testing Materialslt and the Society of Automotive Engineers2. The A.S.T.M. has recognized seven aluminum alloys in Tentative Specification B85-33-T. TWO are straight silicon and the remainder are of the copper-silicon type of which alloys VIII and IX have in addition respectively 2 and 4 per cent of nickel, but unlike the others are not covered by S.A.E. as well. All seven call for rigid control of certain impurities. With the exception of alloy XII,

Jan 1, 1935

By Mark A. Ammon

The two most widely used methods of measuring hardness are the Brinell and the scleroscope. In the Brinell method a hardened steel ball is pressed into the steel under a definite load and the area of the resulting depression is measured. The load in kg. per sq. mm. of the area of the depression is taken as a measure of the hardness. Within certain limits the hardness number so determined is independent of the load or the size of the ball. In the scleroscope method a small weight carrying a diamond point is dropped through a glass tube upon the steel and the amount of rebound is taken as proportional to the hard-' ness. In both methods the scale of hardness is an arbitrary one; however, they agree in a comparative may, that is, a steel showing 50 per cent. increase in hardness by the Brinell test mill show approximately 50 per cent. increase in hardness by the scleroscope test. Yet upon consideration of the two methods it appears that, upon a steel which has been carbonized, this should not be the case ; for the scleroscope method gives almost exclusively the surface-hardness, and the condition of the material below the surface has but a slight bearing upon the hardness number. The results given by the Brinell method should, however, be the exact opposite; for the depth of penetration 'of a ball pressed into the steel would be dependent to a large extent upon the condition of the material below the surface. This is particularly obvious when it is considered that the size of the ball ordinarily used in the Brinell method is 1 cm. (about 8 in.) in diameter under a load of 3,000 kg., while the diamond point of the scleroscope is in the neighborhood of 0.01 in. across, fitted in a hammer of about 0.5 oz. weight and dropping from a height of 10 inches.

Jan 1, 1913

By T. A. Rickard

The presentation to the Institute, eight years ago, of the paper of Pogepny on " The Geilesis of Ore-Deposits " has borne fruit in much fresh investigation, as is evidenced, for example, by the group of very valuable papers, by distirlguished members of the United States Geological Survey, read at the Washing-

Jan 1, 1902

By James E. Chapman

The observations here presented are not those of an expert accountant, but of one who, while he has seen considerable service in the accounting departments of large companies, has spent more time in engineering and operating. This paper is intended to cover, in a measure, mine accounting for small mines, as distinguished from the elaborate systems, requiring many persons in the accounting department. I shall attempt to outline a system embracing the essentials of accounting, and simple enough in form to permit one or two persons to carry it on from month to month, in sufficient detail to be able to tell quickly the grade of ore, the prices received for metals, costs per ton for mining and milling, costs per foot for development, upward or downward tendencies in costs, ore settled or in transit, cash on hand, stocks of supplies on hand, efficiency of labor, etc. As in all accounting, there are two main divisions: that of revenue received for what is sold, and that of disbursements made for what is bought, so in mine accounting we have to consider chiefly the income derived from sales of ore or concentrates, and the expenses incurred in producing the said ore or concentrates in a marketable condition. I. Income The revenue of a mining company from the sale of ore or concentrates comes in the form of remittances, accompanied by settlement sheets made out by the buyer of the mine product, such as a smelting company. It is the duty of the mine accountant (or the person to whom this is assigned in connection with other work) to check these settlement sheets, against both the mine weights and assays, and the schedules of prices arranged between the mine and the smelter. As a rule, quotations for silver, lead, zinc, copper and other metals enter into the settlements, and require checking, as do also bills of lading. Each step of the arithmetical calculation is also checked.

Jan 1, 1917

By William D. Klopp, Joseph R. Stephens

ThE phenomenon of high ductility associated with a phase transformation, termed super plasticity, has been reported for a number of alloy systems. Abnormally high ductility has been observed during tensile testing of cast eutectic alloys of Pb-Sn and Mg-cu.1 Brasses of Cu-37 at. pct Zn and Cu-40 at. pct Zn elongate up to 180 pct when tested near their transformation temperature.' Enhanced ductility was also observed in Cu-47 at. pct Zn tested near the order-disorder transformation temperature. The most remarkable super-plastic effect reported to date is for the eutectoid alloy A1-60 at. pct Zn, where elongations up to 1000 pct have been reported.3 underwood4 has recently summarized the conditions that normally accompany the superplastic effect which are: 1) a phase transformation or allotropic change or order-disorder transformation; 2) an externally applied stress; 3) presence of an interface between two phases; and 4) a metastable structural condition. In addition, higher ductility is observed when the specimen is tested at slow deformation rates rather than under impact. The purpose of this note is to present evidence of the superplastic effect in a Cr-30 at. pct Co alloy. In addition, low-temperature bend ductility data are given for the alloy in the quenched, metastable, single-phased condition and in the slow-cooled, two-phased, near-equilibrium condition. Sixty-gram alloy ingots were prepared by noncon-sumable arc melting of iodide chromium and electron-beam-melted cobalt. These were cast into rectangular ingots and fabricated to 0.035-in. sheet by rolling at 2300°F. Attempts to roll at slightly lower temperatures invariably resulted in severe cracking, apparently due to presence of the brittle a phase below the transformation temperature of 2230°F. Tensile specimens with a 0.25 by 1.0 in. reduced section were cut from the sheet by electrical discharge machining. The specimens were heated at 2400°F for 1/2 hr to obtain a recrystallized, bcc, single-phased structure. Temperature of the specimens was subsequently raised or lowered to the desired test temperature and held for 10 min prior to testing at a crosshead speed of 0.01 in. per min. Fig. 1 shows the chromium-rich side of the Cr-Co phase diagram.6 The alloy composition investigated is near the point of maximum solubility of cobalt in chromium, and the alloy is two-phased when in equilibrium at temperatures below 2230°F. The results of tensile tests conducted at temperatures indicated by X's in Fig. 1 are summarized in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Tensile elongations shown in Fig. 2 increase from 11 pct at 1900°F to a maximum of 160 pct at 2250°F. The elongation then decreases to 44 pct as the test temperature is further increased to 2600°F. The proximity of the temperature of highest elongation and the solvus temperature suggests that a superplastic effect is present in Cr + 30 at. pct Co similar to that observed for other alloys that show anomalous ductility. The variation of upper yield stress with temperature is shown in Fig. 3. A small peak in yield stress occurs at 2250"F, coincident with the maximum in

Jan 1, 1967

By Lucien Eaton

THE use of filling in mines is less common in the United States than it is in Europe, where in some places it is required by law. In most cases the filling is placed by hand, and the material used for this purpose is the waste from development and that sorted from the ore in the stopes. When these sources provide an insufficient supply, additional rock must be quarried on surface or mined underground, or some other material :st be used. In different parts of the world sand, clay, gravel, culm, nulated slag, mill tailings, and even ashes, have been used as filling material in place of or in conjunction with rock. Of all the materials used for filling the best is probably clean sand. Gravel, finely crushed rock, granulated slag and coarse mill tailings are almost as good, and the methods used for placing and confining sand will apply equally well to any of these. The advantages of sand are its comparatively slight compressibility and the ease, economy and convenience with which it may be placed. On account of the voids, which necessarily occur in fills made of coarse waste, such fills will compress 10 to 25 per cent before they develop their full strength, whereas clean sand seldom compresses more than 5 per cent. Sand is especially desirable when practically complete filling is required, and sand derived from mill tailings, especially when not thoroughly cleaned, has been remarkably effective in sealing off and extinguishing mine fires. When natural sand is available on surface, or when it can be obtained from the mill tailings or tailings dump, the cost of using this material for fill will probably be considerably less than that of rock. In this paper it is not proposed to discuss all methods of filling, butt to describe some of the methods used for placing sand fill and to make a brief comparison of their merits.

Jan 1, 1932

By J. E. Burke, C. S. Barrett

The fine lines shown in Fig I are typical of markings that ma): be detected after polishing and etching deformed specimens of alpha brass and other alloys. Although they have long been the subject of discussion by metallurgists their nature is still uncertain and the names that have been applied: to them, such as deformation line4 or strain markinas, indicate this uncertainky. In this paper which repotts the results of a furthcr investigatinn of their nature, they will be called strain mxrkings. Introduction Mathewson and Phillips1 described strain markinps in 1 916 and concluded that they appear only after 20 pet deformation. They objected to the markings being called slip tines believing this term should be sewrved for surface markings protluced by plastic deformntion. In 1921. vogel² described similar striations which appeared after polishing and etching the roughly ground surface of numerous alloys. He reported that the markings were crystallo-graphic in nature, and since they resemble Seumann hands in iron, at least superficially, he assumed them to be mechanical twins. In 1928, Matherwson reported work by Phillips which indicated that the lines were more readily produced by impact than by slow deformation and that in many cases the twins inside recrystallized grains were parallel to strain markings in the original deformed grains. This was taken as cvirlence that the markings coalesce into anncaling twins. and hence that they themselves are mechanical twins. Many attempts have been made to demonstrate directly that the markings are mechanical twins. In 1934, Samans described the results of X ray studies of two defomed crystals of alpha brass. Evidence was obtained which could be interpreted to indicate that the strain markings arc mechanical twins, and this remains the only direct evidence to this effect. Several other attempts to obtain similar evidence by X ray diffraction have failed5.8.7 although in no Ease was the original method of Samans employed. An

Jan 1, 1949

By C. S. Barrett, J. E. Burke

The fine lines shown in Fig I are typical of markings that ma): be detected after polishing and etching deformed specimens of alpha brass and other alloys. Although they have long been the subject of discussion by metallurgists their nature is still uncertain and the names that have been applied: to them, such as deformation line4 or strain markinas, indicate this uncertainky. In this paper which repotts the results of a furthcr investigatinn of their nature, they will be called strain mxrkings. Introduction Mathewson and Phillips1 described strain markinps in 1 916 and concluded that they appear only after 20 pet deformation. They objected to the markings being called slip tines believing this term should be sewrved for surface markings protluced by plastic deformntion. In 1921. vogel² described similar striations which appeared after polishing and etching the roughly ground surface of numerous alloys. He reported that the markings were crystallo-graphic in nature, and since they resemble Seumann hands in iron, at least superficially, he assumed them to be mechanical twins. In 1928, Matherwson reported work by Phillips which indicated that the lines were more readily produced by impact than by slow deformation and that in many cases the twins inside recrystallized grains were parallel to strain markings in the original deformed grains. This was taken as cvirlence that the markings coalesce into anncaling twins. and hence that they themselves are mechanical twins. Many attempts have been made to demonstrate directly that the markings are mechanical twins. In 1934, Samans described the results of X ray studies of two defomed crystals of alpha brass. Evidence was obtained which could be interpreted to indicate that the strain markings arc mechanical twins, and this remains the only direct evidence to this effect. Several other attempts to obtain similar evidence by X ray diffraction have failed5.8.7 although in no Ease was the original method of Samans employed. An

Jan 1, 1949

By C. A. Hartnagel, D. H. Newland

Detailed production statistics listing the operations according to producing sands, districts, etc., are not available for New York State and are scarcely obtainable without extraordinary effort and expense, hardly warranted by the current rate of developments. The oil industry is practically stabilized, so far as exploration for new sources of supply are concerned; no new pools have been tapped in the last 25 or 30 years. There is little prospect of extending the boundary of the oil fields beyond their present limits, though possibly some additional reserves may be found below the present productive sands. Natural gas, on the other hand, is not restricted to such confined areas. Drilling for gas has been fairly active, under the stimulation of some important finds in formations that previously were overlooked. The year's field operations will be covered somewhat fully. Oil production, which has been steadily advancing for a number of years, showed a further moderate gain in 1936. The output for 11 months (figures for December are not yet available) was 4,217,000 bbl., indicating a total for the year of around 4,600,000 bbl. The increase was about 10 per cent, a rate maintained for some time. Prices were more satisfactory than in the preceding five years, with an advance to $2.57 a barrel before the year's close. New York State yield is all paraffin-base, in the same class with high-grade Pennsylvania oil. Most of the output is now obtained by the water drive, which has given a new lease of life to the fields and promises to bring the total to about 200,000,000 bbl. before the known acreage has been exhausted by this method. Before its introduction the annual production was under 1,000,000 bbl. a year. The fields cover an aggrcgate area of 55,000 acres, with some 17,000 wells in operation. Development Exploring for natural gas in New York in 1936 outside of the old established pools continued actively, as in the previous year. There was an increase in total initial production. Operations were conducted in nine counties of the central and western parts of the state, and 43 wells

Jan 1, 1937

By D. N. Witman

One of the special uses to which the electric furnace has been put recently is the melting of an alloy of nickel and cast iron for the production of electrical-resistance grids. The metal sections of these grids, Fig. 1, are quite uniform for each pattern, but there is, among the various patterns, a variety of thicknesses. The cross-sections vary from 1/2 by 3/16 in. to as small as 1/8 by 1/8 in. The electrical resistance of a perfect casting lies within 10 per cent. above or below the fixed listed resistance for each pattern. Good molding is essential to success in the making of these grids, for with absolutely correct metal, a variation of 0.01 in. in width and thickness of section on some of the patterns may mean as much as 12 or 14 per cent. variation in resistance. The service for which these castings are intended demands that the metal, even in the smallest castings, be very soft, showing an open, gray, highly graphitic structure, in order that they may be resistant to shock, and stand up well under rough usage. The metal used for this purpose is a gray iron alloyed with 4 to 5 per cent. of nickel, which element, when the composition of the alloy is correct, imparts toughness and pliability to the metal and helps to overcome the tendency of metal to run white and become brittle because of the rapid cooling action of the sand mold. When cold, these castings can be twisted into various shapes, taking a permanent set without breaking. The alloy has approximately double the e1etrical resistance of ordinary cast iron. The metal specification is as follows: Per Cent. Silicon............................................. 2.40 to 2.60 Sulfur............................................. Under 0.05 Phosphorus......................................... Under 0.08 Manganese......................................... Under 0.40 Total carbon....................................... 3.60 to 4.00 Nickel............................................. 4.00 to 5.00 Copper............................................ 0.50 to 0.70

Jan 1, 1922

By D. N. Witman

One of the special uses to which the electric furnace has been put recently is the melting of an alloy of nickel and cast iron for the production of electrical-resistance grids. The metal sections of these grids, Fig. 1, are quite uniform for each pattern, but there is, among the various patterns, a variety of thicknesses. The cross-sections vary from 1/2 by 3/16 in. to as small as 1/8 by 1/8 in. The electrical resistance of a perfect casting lies within 10 per cent. above or below the fixed listed resistance for each pattern. Good molding is essential to success in the making of these grids, for with absolutely correct metal, a variation of 0.01 in. in width and thickness of section on some of the patterns may mean as much as 12 or 14 per cent. variation in resistance. The service for which these castings are intended demands that the metal, even in the smallest castings, be very soft, showing an open, gray, highly graphitic structure, in order that they may be resistant to shock, and stand up well under rough usage. The metal used for this purpose is a gray iron alloyed with 4 to 5 per cent. of nickel, which element, when the composition of the alloy is correct, imparts toughness and pliability to the metal and helps to overcome the tendency of metal to run white and become brittle because of the rapid cooling action of the sand mold. When cold, these castings can be twisted into various shapes, taking a permanent set without breaking. The alloy has approximately double the e1etrical resistance of ordinary cast iron. The metal specification is as follows: Per Cent. Silicon............................................. 2.40 to 2.60 Sulfur............................................. Under 0.05 Phosphorus......................................... Under 0.08 Manganese......................................... Under 0.40 Total carbon....................................... 3.60 to 4.00 Nickel............................................. 4.00 to 5.00 Copper............................................ 0.50 to 0.70

Jan 1, 1922

By E. J. Bonet, P. B. Crawford

It is fairly common practice to reinject water into the aquifer near the oil-water interface in water-drive reservoirs. There have been many studies of aquifer behavior without reinjection,l-5 but apparently no analytical studies have been made to indicate performance when injection wells are present in the aquifer. The diffusivity equation may be used to describe the pressure behavior in an aquifer. When sources are present it can be written as A general solution of Eq. 1 may be obtained as the sum of two solutions. One is a general solution of the homogeneous equation, obtained by dropping the source term in Eq. 1 and still satisfying the required boundary conditions. Another is a general solution of Eq. 1 satisfying homogeneous boundary conditions.1° The first solution, which corresponds to the aquifer without reinjection, has been given quantitative and qualitative treatment in the literature.l-5,8,9 The latter solution will be treated here. Solutions with variable injection rates are obtained by superimposing solutions with constant rates, so we have considered only the latter. Five cases have been treated here: 1. A linear aquifer of finite width and extent. Water is injected into the aquifer at point xo, yo at constant rate. The pressure along the line x = 0 is maintained at zero pressure. (See Fig. 1.) Equations showing the pressure distribution, rates, velocity and cumulative influx have been developed. Certain numerical results are shown. 2. A linear aquifer of finite width and extent. Water is injected into the aquifer at point xo, yo at constant rate. The rate of production along the oil-water water contact is maintained constant. Equations showing the pressure distribution inside the aquifer are presented. 3. A linear aquifer of finite width and extent. Constant pressures are maintained at opposite ends of the aquifer. Water is injected at constant rates at point xo, yo. Equations showing the pressure distribution are shown. 4. A linear aquifer of finite width and infinite extent. The pressure is maintained constant at the oil-water contact. Water is injected at a constant rate at point xo, YO. 5. A linear aquifer of finite width and finite extent. The pressure at the oil-water contact is maintained constant. Water is injected at constant rate per unit length along a line x,. The Linear Aquifer The linear closed aquifer, performing at constant terminal pressure was selected as the first case to be analyzed. The development of the equations is based on uniform injection per unit of thickness, and gravity effects are neglected. In practical application this condition is probably most closely achieved when the

Jan 1, 1970

By A. G. Paithankar, G. B. Misra

Although certain physical mechanical properties of rocks have been claimed to give an estimate of penetration rate in percussive drilling, the authors' work shows that the correlation of penetration rate with individual rock properties is Poor. The authors have developed a good correlation between penetration rate and a set of rock properties but the relation is complex. Energy per unit volume has been used as a measure of penetration rate in percussive drilling by Hustrulid and Fairhurst; however, their test setup is large wing a full size drill bit. The authors determined the minimum energy for unit volume Ev min for any rock at the optimum index angle in a simple laboratory drop tester wing a sharp microbit with a tip angle of ll0°. This Ev min has been found to correlate well with penetration rate obtained in controlled laboratory drilling in different rocks for different stages of bit wear. A comprehensive relation has been developed between penetration rate and Ev min.

Jan 1, 1981

By William F. Boericke

CONSIDERABLE waste of oil and grease in lubricating motors and other machinery results from the use of bearings that are not totally enclosed. There is also the likelihood of damage to the bearing through the accidental introduction of grit or dust both in the oiling process and after, unless the cover is entirely dustproof. With the ordinary sleeve bearing that is only partly enclosed, it is generally easier for a careless attendant to cause trouble through neglect than with the ball bearing type, which from its design, must be totally enclosed to give effective service, and needs a minimum of attention. At one of the large mining companies which has taken a leading part in reducing unit costs and pioneering new developments in mining machinery, ball bearings have been gradually supplanting the conventional type of sleeve bearings on many of their motors, centrifugal pumps, and other machines in the mines. This innovation is not recent, as substitution of ball bearings on mine motors was first tried out by this company in 1909. Since then an increasing number of such bearings have been put in. They are now favored because of increased operating efficiency and reduction in lubrication costs.

Jan 1, 1926

By M. Prats

Most of the information available on the heat efficiency of hot fluid injection processes, both water and steam, has been obtained from calculated temperature distributions in the pay zone and adjacent formations. The usual approach has been to write the heat balance equations in terms of the temperatures, and then to introduce whatever simplifications are necessary to help obtain an analytical or a numerical solution. In either case, the assumption has often been made that the vertical thermal conductivity in the flooded interval is infinite, so that the temperatures within the flooded interval are then independent of vertical position. Because it was first made by Lauwerier,l and has been used extensively since, this assumption will be referred to as the Lauwerier assumption. Excellent reviews of the literature on the heat efficiency of hot fluid injection processes have been given by Spillette,2 Flock et al.,3 and Ramney.4 Of course, the most significant contributions take into account the effect of a finite vertical thermal conductivity on the vertical temperature profile. The most general analytic expression for the heat efficiency of a hot fluid injection process is that of Antimirov5 who considers injection of a heated incompressible fluid into a reservoir through an arbitrary number of wells. The rate of heat injection into the reservoir, as well as the injection temperature, is an arbitrary function of time. The geometry of the horizontal flow is arbitrary, although the reservoir is considered to be of uniform thickness and properties and to be of infinite areal extent. Heat transfer within the reservoir is by horizontal convection and conduc- tion, and by vertical conduction. In the formations adjacent to the flooded interval, heat transfer is by conduction in any direction. Thus, the available expression for the heat efficiency due to hot water injection has been developed for rather general conditions. This degree of applicability has not been obtained for other thermal recovery processes. By making the Lauwerier assumption we have been able to obtain expressions for the heat efficiency that are essentially independent of the thermal recovery process, be it steam, hot-water, or underground combustion. Clearly, then, the approach followed here is more restrictive than that of Antimirov5 in that it uses the Lauwerier assumption. At the same time less restrictive assumptions are made about the horizontal heat transfer mechanisms, either in the flooded interval or in the formations adjacent to it. The main difference between our approach and that of other investigators is that the heat balance in the pay zone is expressed for the pay zone as a whole rather than for a volume element within it. The Lauwerier assumption is introduced after the problem is developed along these lines as far as possible. The details of the development of the heat efficiency are given in the Appendix, while the main features of the model are discussed in the next section. Results and their implications are discussed later in a separate section. The Model Certain assumptions have been made to determine

Jan 1, 1970

By J. A. Herbst, J. L. Sepulveda, J. D. Miller

Lead cake, a zinc smelter flue dust residue, consists primarily of lead sulfate. Characteristic properties of lead cake were determined in order to aid the understanding of reaction mechanisms involved in bismuth removal from lead cake by sulfuric acid digestion. Sp gr (specific gravity) measurements, surface area measurements, and photomicrographs revealed that the particles of lead cake are quite porous and seem to consist of an agglomeration of submicron grains (0.4 pm) fused together in a manner similar to cement clinker. Analysis of experimental rate data, which was independent of particle size, indicates that the dissolution reaction involves two distinct, rate limiting steps. The initial stage of reaction appears to be limited mainly by intergranular diffusion of the reactant, hydrogen ion, while the latter stage of reaction appears to be controlled by diffusion of soluble reaction products through the reaction product layer of the individual grains.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. B. Dyess

TARNISH films on some of the common metals (particularly on copper and silver) have been of much scientific and commercial concern for a long time, but before the development of the electrical method1 of measuring film thicknesses there was no satisfactory quantitative approach by which to study the separate parts of these complex films. This method has been adapted to the measurement of duplex (cuprous-cupric) oxide films on copper .2 In the present work it has been used to measure tarnish films on copper when they were mixtures of cuprous oxide and cuprous sulphide, and also when they contained cuprous oxide, cupric oxide and cuprous sulphide, each component part being measured at a different potential value. Oxide-coated copper specimens, prepared by heating copper in air at chosen temperatures for given periods, were exposed to moist hydrogen. sulphide in air to form the various oxide-sulphide films studied. The comparative resistances afforded by (1) different thicknesses of oxide films, and also (2) equal thicknesses of oxide and sulphide films, against severe attacks of hydrogen sulphide were measured. The electrical method requires that the time be observed for the cathodic reduction of each part of the film substance, and these respective time values multiplied by the constant current give the corresponding quantities of electricity expended. Then each millicoulomb per square centimeter represents a film thickness of T= MX10 8 2D X 96,494 X 103 (a) where M is weight of oxide (or sulphide) giving one gram-atom of oxygen (or sulphur) for cathodic reduction, D is density of the oxide (or sulphide) and t is the thickness in Angström units per millicoulomb per square centimeter. The value of t for cuprous sulphide (cubical) is 14.27, and is obtained by substituting 5.78 for D and 159.20 for M in equation a. Previous values2 of t for cuprous and cupric oxides (12.36 and 6.39, respectively) were used in the present work.

Jan 1, 1939

IN the extra-mural service being built up by the Engineer-ing Societies Library as its finances permit, an occasional large total charge is incurred for exceptionally protracted services. A western steel company, for example; was charged the unusual fee of $500. They wanted complete informa-tion on transverse tests of steel, and asked the library to compile copies of all accessible records. Weeks -of search-ing and photoprinting produced three volumes of data. Two years afterward the company's chief engineer told the director of the library that the cost seemed high when the bill was paid but that the volumes had been in constant use. The information had been worth thousands of dollars. A client who wishes to pay no more than a moderate fee for services can state to what limit he is willing to go. Thus he may specify that he would like searches made on a particular subject but that he does not wish to exceed $5 or $30- for the information. The library is as willing to perform a small service as a large one.

Jan 3, 1928

By Richard D. Mills

Throughout the mining industry, many companies perform sophisticated business and financial analyses of proposed capital investments. However, once the project is approved, it is never reevaluated. At best, there is an attempt to control capital costs and minimize overruns. The post-installation appraisal, a formalized review of investment performance, may prove helpful. Typical Project Review A typical capital investment is approved after business and financial benefits have been reviewed with management.* The financial data shown to management often include a net income statement, cash flow analysis and summary economic data similar to those shown in Table 1 overleaf. These financials report the expected impact of the project on the corporation financial statements. This project is a rudimentary example of a capital investment decision. An actual project would undergo a more sophisticated analysis incorporating depletion benefits, deferred taxes and a detailed cost breakdown. The example project has several financial benefits that could result in management approval. For example, it provides an immediate net income benefit to the company, generates positive cash flows every year of the project life and has a discounted cash flow rate of return of 25 percent. However, it also has the disadvantage of a long payback period. A sensitivity analysis would show which areas of the analysis have the greatest impacts on profitability. Post-Installation Program Objectives The post-installation appraisal goes beyond the analysis shown in Table 1 by comparing actual results to those projected in the original economic analysis. The post-installation program has three primary objectives: 1. To provide a periodic performance review of major spending programs. 2. To review decision-making and evaluation procedures. 3. To provide a means of controlling individual project investments. The first major function of the post-installation program is the periodic review of actual performance of projects and investment programs, identifying those factors which proved critical to the health of investments. This review will serve to keep management abreast of progress, provide a comparison of actual performance against expectations, and provide valuable information that can be used for improving future economics. The second major function of the program is to perform a continuous review of the decision-making process. This includes testing of evaluation procedures, forecasting techniques, and logic used in making decisions. An information system should be set up whereby original evaluations and historical performance data gathered under the appraisal program are documented for use by evaluators and management when assessing past and future investment proposals. Such data should be particularly useful in evaluating new and developing types of operations and in activities where companies repeatedly reinvest. The primary purpose of this feedback system is to sharpen estimates to assure that they are realistic and attainable. The appraisal program also provides assurance that consistent evaluation procedures are being used throughout a company, leading to improved procedures

Jan 1, 1985