Search Documents

By C. A. Siebert, S. H. Bush

Isothermal temper-embrittlement studies were conducted on a 5140 steel at various temperatures for times as long as 3000 hr. Specimens from the embrittled steel were subjected to impact tests, metallographic examination, microhardness, and lattice-parameter measurements. SEVERAL of the steels in the low alloy group are subject to a pronounced decrease in impact energy if held within, or cooled slowly through, a range of temperatures below the lower critical. This phenomenon, known as temper embrittlement, is quite pronounced in the chromium steels of which AISI 5140 is typical. This study considered the response of one heat of 5140 steel when embrittled isothermally at various temperatures for times as long as 3000 hr. Excellent reviews of the work done in the field of temper embrittlement have been written by Hollomonl and Woodfine.' Both authors list the various theories which have been advanced to explain temper embrittlement. Some of the mechanisms considered were: 1—a transformation below 700°C; 2—an allotropic modification of iron; 3—precipitation from the ferrite of such compounds as carbides, nitrides, phosphides, or chromium oxides; 4—decomposition of retained austenite; 5—modification of special carbides; 6—grain-boundary segregation; and 7—selective distribution of carbides. The present study investigated the changes in hardness, Meyer's number, impact properties, micro-structure, and lattice parameter which occurred on embrittlement. Previous studies considered the influence of microstructure and of prior austenitic grain size3 on the response of 5140 steel to temper embrittlement. Equipment and Procedure All samples were taken from one heat of 5140 steel; the chemical composition of this steel was: 0.43 pct C, 0.86 pct Mn, 0.020 pct P, 0.019 pct S, 0.27 pct Si, 0.84 pct Cr, 0.10 pct Ni, 0.06 pct Mo, 0.10 pct Cu, and the remainder Fe. The material was received as % in. rounds. This stock was cut down to blanks measuring approximately 0.425~0.425~2.196 in. Heat Treatment: The rough blanks were normalized at 1600°F (870°C) for 1 hr, then austenitized at 1600°F (870°C) for 1 1/2 hr, and quenched into an agitated oil bath. The specimens were tempered at 1275°F (690°C) for 5 hr and water quenched. These tempered specimens were designated as the toughened state. Embrittling Treatments: The tempered bars were divided into sets and subjected to the various embrittling treatments listed in Table I. Temperatures from 750" to 1050°F were investigated for times of 1 to 3000 hr. Special tests to determine the effect of heating a short time at a higher temperature after long-time embrittlement at some lower temperature were also conducted. All specimens were water quenched at the end of the embrittling cycle, then ground and notched to obtain standard Charpy V-notch specimens. Impact Tests: The bars were fractured in a 260 ft-lb Charpy impact unit; specimens were fractured at temperatures ranging from —315°F to room temperature. Fixed temperatures used consisted of —315°F with liquid nitrogen, —115°F with dry ice and acetone, and 32°F with ice and water. Intermediate temperatures were obtained by suspending the bars in a jig over the liquid nitrogen, dry ice and acetone, or ice and water.

Jan 1, 1955

By Stephen Zorn

INTRODUCTION The process of financing mining projects in developing countries has changed greatly in the past 15 years. New methods of financing, notably the use of syndicated Eurocurrency project loans, have appeared, and direct equity financing by transnational mining corporations has become less significant. These changes are of particular importance to developing countries which have many mineral deposits still awaiting development, or even discovery. If major new mines are to be financed, host governments will need to obtain more sophisticated information than has hitherto been widely available as to the various sources of finance currently available and as to possibilities for innovative approaches to financing, such as the combination of several different kinds of financing in a single package. This paper reviews the major sources of mining finance potentially available to developing countries and highlights those problems in obtaining adequate financing that developing country producers have begun to experience in the last few years and that are likely to persist through the 1980s. Section I surveys the major types of mining finance; section II reviews specific financing problems, including (a) the withdrawal of the transnational corporations from developing countries, (b) inflation and the size of new projects; (c) developing country indebtedness, and (d) competition among projects in different countries. SOURCES OF DEVELOPING COUNTRY MINING CAPITAL1/ There is a wide range of financing mechanisms which are potentially available to developing countries with economically viable mining projects., Moreover, these financing mechanisms have not been fully exploited by developing countries, and more aggressive pursuit of financing by the governments of these countries may well reveal greater possibilities in respect of any particular project than may initially have appeared. However, virtually all the funds available from these sources are available only to projects which meet the standards of viability acceptable to lenders and others in the business community. If a project does not, for example, promise to generate a discounted cash flow rate of return of at least 15 per cent on total funds employed, or if it does not appear likely to generate sufficient cash flow in the early years of production to cover debt service requirements with a comfortable margin in reserve, most of the sources of financing will not be available. Only where a government has its own financial surplus (as in the case, for example, of the industrialization program of the Saudi Arabian government) can it effectively undertake projects which do not satisfy the definition of economic viability that is accepted at any given time by the worldwide financial community. Internal Sources In Developing Countries Internal financing capacity in developing countries is restricted to a relatively small number of countries - typically those large enough to support a well-rounded industrial sector, in which mining is only one of a number of dynamic industries. While there are large mining companies in certain other countries, the ability of such companies to finance new projects (or even, in some cases, to generate the cash necessary to maintain existing levels of production) is highly problematical. Within developing countries, the possible sources of internally-generated mining finance are the following: (1) state-owned enterprises; (2) private capital; (3) the banking system, and in particular those financing agencies that have a special involvement with the mining sector; and (4) direct budgetary appropriations.

Jan 1, 1985

By Paul J. Bennett, James E. Castle

The sillimanite family of minerals, including kyanite, sillimanite, and andalusite, are anhydrous aluminum silicates with the formula A12O3-SiO2. Dumortierite and topaz are also included in this group because they are closely allied in composition and thermal behavior. However, neither are mined commercially today. They are typical metamorphic minerals which are found in metamorphic rocks on every continent. Sillimanite minerals are prized chiefly for their refractoriness and are important components in a broad range of acid refractory products, especially in mortars and castables. World production of sillimanite minerals is currently about 400,000 tpy and has been increasing at the rate of 3 to 8% a year for many years (Anon., 1972). While these minerals have widespread occurrence, the consumption of sillimanite minerals is concentrated in the relatively few highly industrialized areas where refractories are manufactured, and which in turn are typically close to the major iron and steel producing regions of the world. Thus northern Europe,. England, the United States, and Japan are the principal consumers of refractories and sillimanite minerals. Of these countries only the US is a significant producer. Uses of Kyanite The following specifications are typical for the domestic kyanite industry: Raw Kyanite Concentrates Chemical Analysis 56% AI2O3 min 0.1% CaO max 42% SiO2 0.1% MgO max 1% Acid soluble 0.3% combined Fe2O3 alkali max 1.2% TiO2 max Available Sizes 35, 48, 100, 200, and 325 mesh The largest use for domestic kyanite, both raw and calcined, is in the manufacture of refractory mortars, cements, castables, and plastic ramming mixes. In these applications kyanite constitutes from 10 to 40% of the mixture, the balance being refractory clays and coarser grog materials. A certain proportion of raw kyanite is used to offset the shrinking of the clay binder, whereas the calcined kyanite is used in the coarser sizes for body. Certain high grade refractory shapes and kiln furniture are composed chiefly of graded sizes of calcined kyanite bonded with a little ball clay. In most applications, however, kyanite is used only to fortify the mix or as a minor ingredient. Some manufacturers of mullite brick use domestic calcined kyanite for the fine-grained portion of the brick, but seldom in quantities exceeding 10% by weight. Kyanite is used by ceramic manufacturers of wall tile and sanitary ware to offset shrinkage and cracking after firing. Indian kyanite has traditionally been used to make the coarse grog sizes needed for the manufacture of mullite brick, and for the grog portions of mortar, cement, and castable mixes. It has been largely replaced, however, by synthetic mullite, high fired flint, and diaspore clay or calcined bauxite for other applications. Indian kyanite has been available in lump as well as in granules and concentrates, as are sillimanite materials from India and South Africa. Andalusite is available as 8 mesh granules and as fines with chemical analyses not unlike those of domestic kyanites. From time to time and from place to place minor amounts of other aluminum silicate minerals such as dumortierite, topaz, and pyrophyllite have been made available at various prices and specifications, but have not been significant factors in the refractory industry. A mixture of kyanite and sillimanite of relatively fine grain-size and of low iron content was at one time offered to the molding sand industry by the Du Pont Co. as a byproduct from their deposits of heavy

Jan 1, 1983

DEVELOPMENT of a chemical process for the extraction of pure metals from mill concentrates or metal scrap has progressed beyond the pilot plant stage and may prove an important adjunct to present smelting and refining methods if initial commercial operations prove economically successful. Developed by the Chemical Construction Corp., the new process involves the treatment of oxide and sulphide ore concentrates by chemical methods, instead of the usual smelting and refining techniques. Several of the many applications are now scheduled for commercial use. Refiners using the new process will prepare ore concentrates by standard flotation methods, introduce the concentrate as a slurry into an autoclave along with water and an acid or ammonia. From the resulting leach solution, recovery of individual metals is made by use of suitable reducing agents. By varying conditions during treatment, different metals in the ore are produced separately as pure powders, which may be pressed into forms ready to market, or in the case of copper, extruded as rods or pipe. The reagents are generally recovered. By manipulating the variables during reduction, selective separation of nickel, and/or cobalt, and/or copper can be made simultaneously. The separation is a continuous operation. Low metal prices are not immediately in view because of the tremendous demand at this time. However, reduced metallurgical treatment costs will allow economical mining of orebodies with lower metal content, permitting increased production to meet demand. Although the practical horizon for use of the new process appears to be limitless, one factor may enter into its employment. Just how low grade a concentrate can be economically used is unknown. In addition, for present practical considerations, only metal below zinc in the electromotive series may be processed. Each commercial application requires specific technique adaptation and pilot-plant data for engineering design. A nickel-cobalt-copper process has been researched and piloted in collaboration with Sherritt Gordon Mines, Ltd., for the firm's Lynn Lake properties. In addition, processes were tailored for cobalt concentrates of Howe Sound Mining Co., and National Lead Co., in view of the urgent need for this specific metal. Major General William N. Porter, president of Chemical Construction, says of the new process, "piloting experience has shown that production cost, from ore concentrates to pure metals should be considerably below current costs." Other savings may be realized by cutting transportation and personnel costs, and by reducing the time lag between mining and pure metal from months to a matter of hours. First commercial use of the process will start sometime this summer. Chemico is slated to finish building a $2.5 million cobalt refinery for Howe Sound Mining near Salt Lake City. The plant is expected to raise world cobalt production by 40 pct. The plant will process 35 tons of 20 pct cobalt concentrates from Howe Sound's Blackbird mine near Cobalt, Idaho, daily. Yearly production is expected to reach 2000 tons of pure metal, about one half of U. S. consumption in 1950. Steps in the Howe Sound application of the process are: 1. Acid oxidation leach. 2. Filtration (residues thrown away are insoluble compounds-gangue, iron, arsenic). 3. Cementation (for Cu removal because Cu content is too low for recovery). 4. Reduction from ammoniacal solution. 5. Separation of Co and Ni as mixed metals (95 pct Co and 5 pct Ni). 6. Recovery of ammonium sulphate. Under construction at the Fredericktown, Mo., mine of National Lead is a $5 million refinery sched- [ ]

Jan 1, 1952

By J. L. Huitt, IM. L. Slusser, E. E. Glenn, M. L. Slusser

This paper is concerned with: (1) an analysis and interpretation of the filtration characteristics of drilling muds on filter paper, and (2) an interpretation of early stage "filtration" on consolidated synthetic porous media, herein referred to as the "surge loss" period. It is shown that water-loss data can be plotted so as to disclose the existence of a surge period, a non-uni-form cake thickness period, and a constant pressure filtration period. The same periods occur during exposure of consolidated porous media to muds. The data on consolidated porous media indicate that: (1) mud particles bridge pores inside porous media during the surge period, and (2) "filter cake" build-up inside porous media occurs during subsequent filtration. The data also show that the surge loss increases with sample permeability and with pressure differential. INTRODUCTION The phenomenon of mud filtrate invasion into porous sands of a drilling well has been recognized for many years.1,2,3,4 Part of API Code 29 is concerned with the filtration testing of a drilling mud to yield data on this subject. In a number of investigations "plastering properties" of muds were studied,5,6,7,8 "plastering" apparently meaning cake forming properties. In such studies the characteristics (thickness, permeability, and toughness) of the cake and the rate at which the liquid phase of the mud was separated from the solids (filtration rate through the cake, commonly referred to as water loss) were measured or at least considered. From the standpoint of its effect on well productivity, filtrate invasion into "clean" water-wet pay sands (i.e., those containing no clay minerals) may not necessarily be a serious problem. An increase in water saturation in the zone immediately around the wellbore would cause loss of oil permeability. However, in such a system, much of this water may be removed by oil production. If filtration occurs into "dirty" sands (i.e., those containing appreciable clay minerals), clay swelling or other mechanisms may cause losses in oil permeability which cannot be overcome by oil production.'.' The phenomenon of mud particle invasion into the pay sand of a drilling well was considered to be a possible serious factor in the early days of rotary drilling. Opinions varied as to whether drilling fluids "mudded up" and "sealed" oil sands. In 1932 Rubel,9 Gill,10 and Parsons," in separate papers, presented differences of opinion together with some laboratory and field data concerning loss of oil production caused by drilling fluid invasion into pay zones. These papers, and the discussions, furnish a large background on this subject and indicate the very clear thinking of many men at a time when petroleum production technology was in its infancy. Jones and Babson,6 and Silent,' experimentally found that the depth to which mud particles invaded water-saturated sand packs was small (no greater than 1/16 in). Arn-quist12 in 1937 observed loss of water permeability due to invasion of mud particles into water-saturated, consolidated, sandstone samples. Williams and Cannon5 studied the filtra-tion properties of drilling muds and mentioned "sludge" which penetrated a short distance into the water-saturated filtering medium (sand pack). Byck5 concluded that formation permeability had no effect on the plas-

Jan 1, 1958

By M. C. Smith, W. V. Green, D. M. Olsen

The creep-rupture behavior of commercial powder-metallurgy molybdenum rod is reported in the temperature range 1600" to 250O°C, at stresses up to 9000 psi and times up to 1 month. The effects of temperature, stress, and grain growth are discussed. Rupture time is fitted to the Larson-Miller parameter and compared to lower-temperature and higher-stress results reported by pugh.1 BECAUSE of its high melting point, molybdenum should retain useful strength to relatively high temperatures. Combined with its ready availability in the United States, this makes it attractive for many applications in missiles, rockets, and so forth—wherever its susceptibility to oxidation can be tolerated or overcome. The mechanical properties of molybdenum rod in the temperature range —200" to 1540°C have been reported by pugh,' Bechtold,' Parke,3 and Carriker and Guard.4 Madden and chen5 have measured the tensile properties of molybdenum single crystals in vacuum up to about 2500°C. As one further step in evaluating its mechanical usefulness, the constant-load creep-rupture properties of commercial powder-metallurgy molybdenum rod have been investigated in the range 1600" to 2500°C. MATERIAL TESTED Creep specimens were machined from 1/2-in. round commercial molybdenum rod, manufactured from powder by pressing, sintering, and swaging. Spectrochemical analysis of the rod showed "traces" (less than 0.01 pct) of silicon, aluminum, chromium, iron, and zirconium, and "faint traces" (less than 0.001 pct) of manganese, magnesium, cobalt, and nickel. Carbon content was 130 to 200 ppm, nitrogen was 110 to 180 ppm, and oxygen 30 to 35 ppm. A typical microstructure of the as-received rod is shown in Fig. 1. Room temperature tensile properties for five specimens strained at about 0.015 in. per in. per min are shown in Table I. CREEP SPECIMENS USED The specimens used for creep-rupture testing are illustrated in Fig. 2. The 1/4-in.-diam gage section was 3/4 in. long, and terminated at shoulders 5 mils high. These shoulders served as fiducial marks for optical strain measurements. Surface finish on the gage section was 16pin. r.m.s. One specimen, for a "long-time" test described below, was modified by dividing the 3/4-in. gage length into three 1/4-in. long sections with individual diameters of 0.250, 0.230, and 0.210 in., each terminating in a pair of fiducial shoulders. TESTING PROCEDURE The constant-load creep-testing machine used has been described by Smith, Olson, and Brown.6 In it the specimen is held vertically on the axis of a cylindrical tantalum or tungsten heater tube by threaded molybdenum or tungsten grips. Both specimen and grips are heated by radiation from the heater-tube, which is heated by its own electrical resistance. The bottom specimen grip is held at its lower end by a clevis pin. The testing load is applied to the specimen through the upper grip by means of hanging weights, a constant force-multiplication lever system, and a pull rod sealed to the chamber lid by a bellows. The incandescent specimen is viewed by an external optical system through slots in the heater-tube and radiation shielding, and an enlarged image of it is projected on a ground-glass screen. Gage-length measurements are made on this image with a pair of cathetometers. Thorium oxide coatings were applied to the threaded ends of most specimens, to prevent diffusion-welding of specimens to grips during testing. Without such a coating welding usually occurred, and grips were often broken by subsequent efforts to remove the tested specimens.

Jan 1, 1960

By B. E. Cornish

Most technical and statistical data published on pyrophyllite relating to production figures, uses, markets and sales, have in the past traditionally linked the mineral with talc and soapstone. This is due to several common superficial physical properties resulting in substitute uses and applications. However, these minerals are not similar in chemical composition and do not generally occur in a similar geological environment. Pyrophyllite now stands on its own in the marketplace-particularly in ceramic applications-due to the combination of excellent heat shock and creep resistance properties of the mineral. The increase in pyrophyllite use in the field of ceramics indicates the continuing realization of these marked unique properties. Several new fields of ceramic applications, previously the preserve of high-alumina materials, have been developed on the intrinsic properties of pyrophyllite. Pyrophyllite is an aluminum silicate with the molecular formula of AI2O34SiO2H2O. It would be more appropriate to group pyrophyllite with such materials as kyanite, diaspore, andalusite, and certain high-alumina clays in relation to its general applications (Stuckey, 1928). These materials all have good beat shock resistance properties at high temperatures and are widely used for the manufacture of refractories. For those reasons they are interchangeable in some applications. Pyrophyllite also has many uses in nonceramic applications, the most important to date being as a substitute for talc in fillers. The major pyrophyllite mining operations are located in the US, Japan, Korea, Canada, and Australia, where the mineral is widely used as a raw material for general ceramic, mineral filler, and dilutant applications. Commercial Applications Pyrophyllite was first used in the last century for lining stoves and fireplaces, and also in the carving and polishing of ornamental objects. The rise in industrial demand for new products and applications resulted in the introduction of pyrophyllite as an alternative, mainly for talc and soapstone. Industrial filler applications followed for paint, paper, cosmetics, rubber, pesticides, crayons and pencils, and bleaching soap. The first use of pyrophyllite in ceramic applications was prior to World War II, in the manufacture of ceramic cladding tiles in the US. This was followed by the production of kiln furniture refractories and whiteware when pyrophyllite was offered by suppliers in North Carolina as an alternative to some local clays. The largest tonnages of pyrophyllite used today are in refractory linings in steel ladles in Japan, as seen in Table 1. The consumption of pyrophyllite in Japan is second only to clay and chamotte among refractory raw materials used. Recently this technology has been adopted in Australia. Japanese and Australian practice has resulted in appreciable technical and economic benefits, particularly when pyrophyllite is used in combination with zircon. The potential growth for this application is substantial if US and European steelmakers follow. Investigation and research into the properties of pyrophyllite determined the following main advantages of pyrophyllite-based ceramics: high corrosion resistance for molten iron, steel, and slags; good heat shock resistance; good indices of deformation under load and hot creep resistance (refractories); and increase in mechanical strength of whiteware products promoted by a better distribution of mullite in finished products (also obtained at lower firing temperatures than normally required in production of triaxial ceramics). White cement

Jan 1, 1983

By L. R. Duncan, O. M. Wicken

Magnesium, the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust, is found widely distributed in a variety of minerals. Among the more commercially important ones are magnesite (MgCO3), brucite (Mg[OH]2), dolomite (CaMg[C03]2), and the salts magnesium sulfate and chloride often found in natural brines. Among other commercially important magnesium-containing minerals are olivine ([MgFe]2Si04), talc (H2Mg3[Si03]4), and serpentine (H4Mg3Si2O9). These are valuable because of desirable characteristics given them by the magnesium content and its placement in the particular crystal structure. These minerals are the raw materials for a host of products including magnesium metal and several grades of magnesia or magnesia-containing materials for refractories, fluxes, fillers, insulation, cements, decolorants, fertilizers, and chemicals. Considering only those minerals valued for their magnesia or magnesium content, over 85% of the material tonnages are processed to be used as refractories. Dolomite, which is used in enormous tonnages for its physical properties in construction, has an important use as a refractory raw material in its own right and, after calcination, as a precipitant for magnesium hydroxide, which is an intermediate for the production of magnesia or magnesium metal. Magnesia from the reaction of calcined dolomite (or limestone) with seawater or magnesium-containing brines has supplanted much of the production of magnesia from mined magnesite, particularly in the United States. The best known of the minerals directly and widely exploited for magnesia content is magnesite, one of the calcite group of rhombohedral carbonates which includes calcite (CaC03), siderite (FeCO3), and rhodochrosite (MnCO3) among others. The members of this group enter into a wide range of substitutional solid solutions when the positive ions have similar radii. The radii of magnesium and iron ions are within 6% of each other; hence, magnesite and siderite form a complete series of which breunnerite (ferroan magnesite) is a well-known end member. However, the radius of calcium ion is 36% larger than that of magnesium ion, and only limited substitution exists at each end of the MgCO3-CaCO3 series. Dolomite is not a member of the calcite group, but results when calcium and magnesium ions alternate in equal number in an ordered structure among carbonate ions. The result of these relationships is that calcite and dolomite, often found intermixed with magnesite, occur commonly as identifiable crystal entities which can often be separated to a varying degree from the magnesite by various beneficiation techniques. Magnesite, when pure, contains 47.8% MgO and 52.2% CO.. The pure mineral is sometimes, but rarely, found as transparent crystals resembling calcite, but, preponderantly, magnesite contains variable amounts of the carbonates, oxides, and silicates of iron, calcium, manganese, and aluminum. Magnesite may be either crystalline or amorphous (cryptocrystalline). The crystalline form has a hardness of 3.5 to 4.0. The color may range from white to black with shades of yellow, blue, red, or gray. The color is not a fundamentally significant indicator of purity, but in a given deposit, an experienced person can often roughly grade magnesite by assessing color and crystallinity. The crystalline form of magnesite occurs in

Jan 1, 1983

By William R. Barton

Iron and steel slag represent man's most successful attempt to date to profitably utilize a solid waste. Its consumption represents a solution to a solid waste problem and also represents tonnage of natural aggregates that will not have to be mined with concomitant disturbance of the land. Slag has been produced as long as iron has been made; but until a little more than 50 years ago, it was mostly a waste product to be disposed of with as little effort and cost as possible. Huge piles of waste slag were generated over the years of iron and steelmaking. Sporadic use was found for small amounts starting with slag (from Catalan forges) used for road bases by the Roman Empire. The first recorded sustained commercial use was, as is often the case in man's history, for making war. Some profit- conscious munitions maker in the 16th century realized that he could make cannon balls of slag instead of the more precious iron. Other small-volume uses gradually developed: cast building blocks, slag-lime mortars and cements, slag wool, ballast, road base, and, finally, in concrete. But it was not until after World War II that the true potential of blast-furnace slag as a construction aggregate was really recognized. Now nearly all blast-furnace slag produced is used, and much of the earlier stock- piles in the U. S. have been reduced or entirely consumed. Steel slag for aggregate use has been in commerce for only the past 10 years, and use has increased rapidly (10-50% per year) during the past 5 years as blast-furnace slag supplies became depleted. However, much remains to be accomplished in determining character and optimum conditions of use for various types of steel slags before such slags will realize their full use potential. Although slag represents only 2% of construction aggregate materials used in the U.S., its production involves certain features that make its production record far more important than national tonnage figures would indicate. Its source is in iron and steel production and concomitantly slag availability is restricted to those areas where iron or steel is produced. In such areas, it often represents one of the principal aggregates marketed and, because of special properties that make slag a selected aggregate for certain uses, the tonnage imbalance may be overcome by the importance of its contribution to quality or special characteristics of end products. The location and number (Fig. 1) of slag plants handling this annual production is governed by the geographic makeup of the iron producing industry. Prior to the period marked by World War 11, most blast furnaces were in the Great Lakes area-Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Gary, Buffalo, Detroit, Youngstown, and Toledo, with exceptions at Baltimore, Bethlehem, and Birmingham. Since that time, iron and steel facilities have been established in Texas, Utah, and California. Today 85 slag plants in 15 states provide employment for almost 2000 persons. The slag plants also recover almost 4 million tons of slag-encrusted iron each year for return to the blast furnaces. Much of the success in developing uses for slag can be attributed to the efforts of the National Slag Association founded in 1918. Since then, it has conducted numerous field and laboratory investigations to demonstrate the properties and uses for slag and slag products. These investigations have resulted in total recognition of blast-furnace slag as a construction material of consequence. The American Society for Testing & Materials Designation C125 recognizes blast-furnace slag as "the nonmetallic product consisting essentially of silicates and aluminosilicates of

Jan 1, 1975

By D. G. Westlake

Resistance was measured as a function of temperature, 77° to 350°K,for niobium with hydrogen concentrations up to 3.76 at. pct. Cooling curves exhibited a discontinuity in slope that was attributed to the initiation of hydride formation. A thermal hysteresis was explained in terms of diffusion and the effects of mechanical constraint on nucleation and growth. The heat of solution of hydrogen in saturated Nb-H solid solution was 2. 737 * 0.045 kcal per g-atom, including an unknown stress contribution. The critical ternperatures for hydride formation during cooling and for embrittlement are correlated but not coincident. This, too, has been explained in terms of mechanical constraint and stress-itlduced tratzsfomtation. Nb-H alloys undergo a ductile-brittle transition with decreasing temperature.'-3 Similar behavior has been noted for v-H.1,5 For the latter system, there is evi-dence6 suggesting coincidence of the temperature of minimum ductility and the critical temperature T, for initiation of metal hydride precipitation during cooling. A decrease in ductility due to the presence of brittle hydride particles is readily explainable. The fact that ductility begins to decrease at some temperature higher than T,4,5 has led us6 to suggest that precipitation may be strain-induced locally during tensile testing. Wood and Daniels' have reported that a plot of temperatures for 10 pct reduction in ductility vs hydrogen concentration in niobium is not coincident with, but parallels, the solvus.7,8 They believe this indicates a correlation of precipitation and embrittlement. Unfortunately, the two reported solvuses 7,8 to which Wood and Daniels refer are not in agreement with each other. Furthermore, neither solvus was determined experimentally: each was a plot of calculated solubilities. Thus. neither is highly dependable for determining whether embrittlement coincides with initiation of hydride precipitation. Longson 9 studied phase relations in the Nb-H system between 77° and 473°K by dilatometry. Comparison with metallographic observations convinced him that discontinuities in the slopes of his dilatometric plots were coincident with the initiation of hydride precipitation. Plotting the logarithm of the hydrogen concentration vs the reciprocal of the temperature at which precipitation was initiated during cooling, he obtained a straight line shown in Fig. 1. Walter and chandler,'' using X-ray techniques to detect the for mation of a second phase? have obtained three experimental points in the temperature range 295° to 338°K which fall within Longson's experimental error for this plot. A similar plotg of temperatures at which dissolution was completed during heating was a parallel line shifted toward higher temperatures. A straight-line plot was obtained, also, for the temperatures of the ductile-brittle transitions,9 but it was shifted toward still higher temperatures. Longson calculated an activation energy of 2.980 * 0.300 kcal per mole for the hydrogen embrittlement mechanism, compared with 3.180 * 0.400 kcal per mole for hydride formation. Despite this agreement, he concluded, "It seems unlikely that embrittlement results from hydride formation..." because hydrogen embrittlement was observed at temperatures above the solvus. It is our contention that embrittlement is correlated with precipitation of the hydride.6 Because only Longson has investigated Nb-H phase relations at sub-ambient temperatures, we deemed it advisable to re-determine the temperature dependence of the solubility using the resistometric technique already proven successful for the V-H system.6 Coincidence of our solvus with temperatures for embrittlement would

Jan 1, 1970

By Frederic L. Kadey

Diatomite is a siliceous, sedimentary rock consisting principally of the fossilized skeletal remains of the diatom, a unicellular aquatic plant related to the algae. Thus, it has been formed by the induration of diatomaceous ooze, and consists mainly of diatomaceous silica, a form or variety of opal which is first formed in the cell walls of the living diatom. Diatomaceous silica is not generally regarded as a synonym or the equivalent for diatomite, although it has been so used at various times. Accurately, diatomaceous silica is the preferred name for the principal mineral component of which the rock, diatomite, is composed. The terms diatomaceous earth and kieselguhr are used as synonymous with diatomite. The designations tripoli, tripolite, infusorial earth, etc., were used at one time but are now obsolete. With the changing nomenclature, these terms that were at one time correct when proposed and used for generations would be considered incorrect if used today in the light of current knowledge. The designation diatomite is reserved for those accumulations of diatomaceous silica that are of sufficient quality, size, and minability to be considered of potential commercial value. Processed diatomite possesses an unusual particulate structure and chemical stability that lends itself to applications not filled by any other form of silica. Foremost among these applications is its use as a filter aid, which accounts for over half of its current consumption. Its unique diatom structure, low bulk density, high absorptive capacity, high surface area, and relatively low abrasion are attributes responsible for its utility as a functional filler and as an extender in paint, paper, rubber, and in plastics; and as an anti-caking agent; thermal insulating material; catalyst carrier; and chromatographic support; polish, abrasive, and pesticide extender to name a few representative applications. The United States is the principal producing country, although diatomite is found in numerous other locations. Geology Composition and Morphology Diatomaceous silica qualifies as a. mineral of organic origin in much the same way that aragonite and collophane do. The silica of the fossilized diatom skeleton closely resembles opal or hydrous silica in composition (SiO2 • nH2O) .4, 12, 203 The silica is of acute biological significance, not only for the cell wall component, but also for the basic life process.45, 51 Without silica, cell development ceases .31 In addition to bound water, varying between 3.5 and 8%, the siliceous skeleton may also contain, in solid solution, or as part of the Si02 complex, small amounts of associated inorganic components-alumina, principally-and lesser amounts of iron, 46, 49, 55 alkaline earths, alkali metals, and other minor constituents.59, 63, 67 Boron is reported to be an essential element for diatom growth .52, 58 Since diatomaceous silica is not pure hydrous silica but contains other intimately associated elements, there is good reason to consider it a distinct type or variety.4 Associated with the diatomaceous silica, and integrated as part of the diatomite, may be variable amounts of organic matter, soluble salts, and particles of rock-forming minerals that were syngenetically deposited or precipitated with the diatom frustules. Sand, clay, carbonate, and volcanic ash are typical common contaminants. Other contaminating minerals may be present, such as feldspar, mica, amphiboles, pyroxenes, rutile, zircon-the result of weathering, then transporting, and subsequent redeposition of surrounding land masses. Commercial diatomite may also contain fragments and particles of

Jan 1, 1983

By AIME AIME

JAMES TERRY DUCE is still on the sunny side of fifty, having been born on Dec. 30, 1892 in Worcester, England. Early in life he came to the United States, however, and graduated from the University of Colorado in 1915 .as a geologist. Thereafter for a few years he was with the Colorado State Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines, also doing a bit of teaching at his alma mater and at Washington University, St. Louis. Towards the end of the World War he was with the chemical warfare section of the U. S. Army. Beginning in 1919, he spent 21 years as geologist in various capacities for The Texas Corporation, for a time

Jan 1, 1941

By AIME AIME

M R. WEIGEL'S present position as Chairman of the Institute's nonmetallics group arises from twenty years of experience in that field, from 1921 to 1926 as mineral technologist for the Bureau of Mines, in Washington, and since then for the Missouri Pacific R.R. Co., with headquarters in St. Louis. This rail- road serves an extensive region in and about the southern central states, from Omaha to the extreme southern tip of Texas, and from southern Illinois to Pueblo, Colorado, and it is Mr. Weigel's job to get as much freight for the road as possible from the mineral industry in this area. Much of the present and potential mineral production is in the non- metallic group.

Jan 1, 1940

By R. Grierson, R. N. Parkins

The m.echanica1 properties, at high lzomologous temperatures, of the intermetallic compounds InzBi and Mg17A112 were measured as a .function of temperature, applied strain rate, previous thermal and mechanical history, and composition. Mgl,Al12 was investigated ilz compression, whereas Zn,Bi was investigated in tension. A decrease inflow stress with increasing strain was observed jor both alloys. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the dislocation-multiplication processes in these materials. MANY intermetallic compounds are reported to undergo a brittle-ductile transition at high homologous temperatures.' There is evidence in the literature that some of these compounds exhibit a large yield drop when plastically deformed.'j3 Both of these forms of behavior are shown by the covalent elements germanium and silicon4,5 and also by certain ionic compounds.8 The present work is a study of the deformation, at high homologous temperatures (>2/3 Tm), of two intermetallic compounds, In2Bi and Mg17Al12. InzBi has a disordered hexagonal structure7 (c/a = 0.598) and a solubility range of 32.3 — 33.2 at. pct Bi.8 It has a melting range from 72° to 89°C. Mg17Al12 has an ordered bcc (A12 type)7 structure and exists over the range 50 to 60 at. pct Mg8 with a melting range from 437° to 462°C. We have been unable to find any reference to previous investigations of the mechanical properties of BiIn,. Novikovg has reported that cast samples of Mg17A112 show ductility, when bend-tested, at temperatures above 380°C. EXPERIMENTAL Ingots of In2Bi and Mg17Al12 were melted under an argon atmosphere and cast, in situ, in a graphite crucible. The materials used were of 99.99 pct purity. The alloys prepared contained 66.9 at. pct In in the case of In2Bi and 58.4 at. pct Mg in the case of m17A112. The ingots were homogenized and then extruded. Two-in.-diam Mg17Al12 ingots were extruded at 375°C to give 3/8-in.-diam rod. The rate of formation of this rod was 0.25 in. per min. One-in.-diam InzBi ingots were extruded at 20°C, using a rate of 1 in. per min, to give 1/8-in.-diam rod. In both cases the extruded rod had a recrystal- lized, fine-grain, structure. (For Mg17Al12, d = 11.2 µ; for BiIn2, d = 22 µ.) Mechanical-property determinations were made in a hard-beam machine, in tension in the case of In2Bi and in compression with Mgl7Al12. The tensile tests were on specimens having a gage length of 1.1/2 in. and a diameter of 1/8 in. The compression tests on Ml7A112 were on specimens of 3/8 in. diam by 3/8 in. high and the ends were coated with poly-tetrafluorethylene to minimize friction. RESULTS In2Bi. Fig. 1 shows, particularly at the higher applied strain rates, that In2Bi exhibits a marked yield drop as the deformation increases to about 2 pct, after which the material shows neither hardening nor softening up to 15 pct strain. The magnitude of the yield drop, the stress in the region of flow under constant stress (the stress plateau), and the 0.5 pct proof stress were all dependent upon the applied strain rate according to an expression of the form

Jan 1, 1965

By P. B. Mee

The secondary re crystallization behavior of two vacuum-melted, nominally 3 pct Si-Fe alloys has been studied, one alloy being produced from pure electrolytic iron and semiconductor-grade silicon and the other from commercial-purity hot band. The vacuum-melted and vacuum-remelted alloys were found to develop {110}(hhl) and {lll)(hkl), respectively, on annealing in high vacuum and {100}(0kl) and {11l}(hkl), respectively on annealing in pure hydrogen of dew point, < — 60°C. H2S doping of the hydrogen or annealing in commercial argon was found to effect a reversal for the vacuum-remelted alloy from (111) to (100) secondary recrys-tallization, while prolonged vacuum annealing at 2 x 10-6 Tow resulted in a tertiary re crystallization from (111} to (110). The growth selection of the {lll}(hkl) component was found to be governed predominantly by the {111}/planar misorientation, the maximum deviation of the resulting secondaries being 5 deg. It is considered that the driving force for {111}(hkl) secondary recrystallization arises from the preferential lowering of ?111, possibly by phosphorus or nitrogen diffusion, just as oxygen and sulfur under certain conditions have been found to preferentially lower ?100. When heavily cold-rolled metals are annealed at high temperatures, primary recrystallization usually occurs rapidly and may be followed by considerable grain growth. However, in the presence of a fine dispersion of inclusions1"3 or with a strong matrix preferred orientation4&apos;&apos; the matrix may be stabilized and a secondary recrystallization may then be effected. Also, in vacuum-melted Si-Fe it has been shown possible to develop {100}(001) and {110}(001)6 surface energy driven secondary recrystallization textures. Further, it has been found that, on annealing very pure metals, grain growth normally ceases when a grain size approximately twice the strip thickness is acquired, due to the formation of V-shaped thermal grooves which result in an equilibrium being set up between surface and grain boundary stresses. If, however, a surface energy difference ??s, exists between adjacent grains (of the order of a few percent of the grain boundary energy ?b), then according to Mullins8 a secondary recrystallization may be effected, since the grains having lowest ?s would grow at the expense of their higher-energy neighbors. For clean bee metal surfaces ?110 should be lowest; however, for 3 pct Fe-Si (100) secondary structures have frequently been developed and have been attributed by Walter and Dunn9 to an alteration of the relative surface energies due to the preferential chemisorption of oxygen on (100) planes. Kohler,10 however, indicated that this reversal may be achieved by employing minute quantities of highly polar compounds in the annealing atmosphere, i.e., sulfur compounds, in par- ticular H2S being beneficial in (100) growth. This work has been verified by Kramer" using {100)/{110} bicrystals, while Mager12 demonstrated the importance of sulfur diffusion within the strip. Detert13 has intimated that carbon may be responsible for the preferential lowering of ?110 although no direct evidence has appeared yet to support this supposition. It must , be appreciated that the above-mentioned examples of surface energy driven secondary recrystallization were obtained with very pure vacuum-melted materials with oxygen contents (which is now known to be a critical factor") less than 35 ppm. During the course of a textural study on Si-Fe it has been found that under certain conditions (111) secondary recrystallization can be obtained by what is believed to be a surface energy growth selection mechanism. The purpose of the present paper is to briefly describe this result and to try and postulate the possible causes. EXPERIMENTAL Two vacuum-induction-melted, nominally 3 pct Si-Fe alloys were produced, one from pure electrolytic iron and semiconductor-grade silicon designated A and the other from commercial-purity hot band, designated B.

Jan 1, 1969

By AIME AIME

BOB VAN PELTS boyhood days in the mining atmosphere of Colorado apparently influenced him to direct hip college education first towards geology, at. Cornell College, then to mining at Michigan College of Mines and finally to graduate work in geology at the University of Chicago. He taught geology at his alma mater. Cornell College. served as geologist for the National Park Service then was on the staff of the Illinois Geological Surrey investigating and mapping mineral resources, and in 1928 because chief of the department of geology, mining, and metallurgy in the newly organized Rosenwald Industrial Museum (now the -Museum of Science and Industry,). He was made assistant director of the Museum in 1931.

Jan 1, 1941

By N. M. Levine, W. M. Fassell

In this laboratory study the problem of aerative conditioning to separate chalcopyrite and pyrite from cobaltite was simply effected with a sulfy-drate collector and pH by proper choice of mixing variables. It was shown that for a given impeller type and geometry, selectivity is governed by a relation between the Froude number and a modified power number multiplied by impeller tank-diameter ratio wherein the power factor is expressed as power intensity or horsepower per unit volume of contained pulp. In applying this approach to other systems, other criteria would be used in place of selectivity. The purpose of this paper is to show how solutions to problems of aerative conditioning of pulps may be enhanced by development of mixing parameters in a given system through application of a fundamental approach to agitation. The term aerative conditioning refers to a combination of processes which include mechanical gas dispersion, gas solution in the liquid phase, transport of dissolved gases and other reactants to the reaction zone, physico-chemico interaction within the liquid phase and/or at the solid surface, and, finally transport of products away from the reaction zone. Important elements of these processes are: 1) Air-Liquid Contact Area: This area limits the rate at which a given gas may dissolve in a given liquid. Thus, an aerative conditioning system should be designed for optimum gas dispersion. 2) Diffusional Factors: Such factors as concentration gradient, diffusion film thickness, and diffusivity may govern the rate at which dissolved constituents are transferred to the zone of interaction at a particle surface and the rate at which reaction products are transported therefrom. Thus, such systems would be designed for maximum turbulence to effect good mixing and to minimize diffusion film thickness. 3) Solids-Turbulent Liquid Contact Time: Sufficient time should be provided for interactions to take place at solid-liquid interfaces. The region of maximum turbulence for mechanical systems being in the impeller zone, it is important that the number of passes through this zone be optimized. This means that a proper balance should be struck be- tween flow and turbulent power to achieve optimum conditioning time. Too high a flow rate and insufficient turbulence may be improper if the reactions are diffusion limited. On the other hand, too much turbulent power and too little time in the reaction zone due to insufficient flow power may also be limiting. 4) Geometry and Impeller Design: The design of the conditioning vessel and the type of impeller employed are important factors in determining the relative distribution between flow and turbulent power and the degree of gas dispersion. Maximization of power input would be to no avail if the distribution between flow and turbulent power were improper or gas dispersion insufficient. 5. Physical Chemistry: The reactions between dissolved gases and solid surfaces may be limiting if gas solubility, activation energies and/or free energies are not favorable. J. H. Rushton, E. W. Costich, and H. J. Everett&apos; have summarized the mechanical elements of the combination of processes listed in a fundamental mixing equation. This equation was derived by dimensional analysis and relates the physical variables for a single impeller, centered in a cylindrical, vertical axis, flat-bottomed tank. It is, where T is tank diameter in feet; H is liquid depth in feet; C is height of impeller off tank bottom in feet; S is pitch of impeller; L is length of impeller blades; W is width of impeller blades; R is number of baffles; D is impeller diameter in feet; Np is the power number, pg/dN3D5; P is power in foot-pounds per second; g is the gravitational constant, feet per second; J is width of baffles; B is number of im-

Jan 1, 1961

By Seymour G. Epstein

Using a modified capillary-reservoir technique, electromigration of dilute solutions of silver in liquid bismuth has been measured with relatively good precision. The effects of experiment duration, temperature. current density, and silver concentration have been investigated. Chemical diffusion coefficients of silver in liquid bismuth were also measured at temperatures ranging from 300°to 600°C. The effective valence of silver in bismuth was calculated as a function of temperature from a comparison of electric mobilities and diffusion coefficients. In an alloy containing 1 wt pct Ag, the electric mobility of silver increased from 1.65 x X sq cm per v-sec at 300°C to 2.38 x 10-4at 600°C; the diffusion coefficient in-creased from 3.0 to 17.5 x 10-5 sq cm per sec over the same temperature range. Calculated values of effective valence decreased from 0.28 at 300°C to 0.10 at 600°c. ALTHOUGH there has been considerable progress in the theoretical treatment of electron-transport properties in liquid metals, the mechanisms of mass-transport phenomena in liquid metals are still not clearly understood. This is especially true for the case of electro migration, alternatively termed elec-trotransport or electrodiffusion, which is mass transport induced by an applied electric field. A thorough knowledge of the mechanisms governing electromigration will considerably aid in understanding the electronic state of an impurity atom in a liquid metal. Electromigration has been long observed and studied in liquid metals and alloys. However, no satisfactory theory to explain the observed effects has been developed. The disparity in the present theoretical treatments, summarized by Verhoeven,1 has been attributed to the difficulty in describing the momentum transfer between electrons and ions and to the lack of precise measurements in liquid metals, especially at elevated temperatures. Prior to the last decade most of the electromigration studies were qualitative, in that only the direction of migration of alloy constituents was determined with any degree of reliability. These results have been summarized by schwarz,2 who was able to measure the electric mobility of several elements in mercury. More recently electromigration in liquid metals has been measured by a variety of techniques, with a varying degree of success. Mangelsdorf3,4 made precise measurements on dilute amalgams at room temperature, using a technique relating changes in composition to changes in alloy resistivity, but was unable to make measurements at elevated temperatures. Using a modification of this technique, Verhoeven and Hucke5 measured electromigration and resistivities in liquid Bi-Sn alloys. However, the resistivity technique is not sensitive to small composition changes and is impractical for very dilute alloys. Verhoeven and Hucke6 also measured electromigration of several solutes in liquid bismuth by adapting the capillary-reservoir method for determining diffusion coefficients in liquids. The reported precision of these measurements was poor, however, primarily due to the large uncertainties in the chemical analyses to determine concentration changes. Belashchenko7 has summarized the recent Russian investigations of electromigration, many of which, however, are of questionable accuracy. The present study was initiated to develop an experimental technique which would be both versatile and sufficiently sensitive to yield precise measurements of electromigration of solutes in dilute metal alloys at elevated temperatures. Using this technique, a comprehensive study of silver in liquid bismuth was made to determine the effects of experimental variables on the apparent electric mobilities. Chemical diffusion coefficients of silver in liquid bismuth were also measured over the same temperature range for comparison with the electromigration data. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE Electromigration Measurements. Electromigration of silver in liquid bismuth was measured by the capillary-reservoir technique, similar to that used by Verhoeven and Hucke,6 but modified to yield more

Jan 1, 1967

By B. D. Lichter

In a previous paper, Oelsen, Schuermann, and Hey-nertl pointed out the possibility of obtaining complete thermodynamic functions for alloy systems from calorimetric measurements alone. Specifically, if the heat content of a heterogeneous, multicomponent system is known as a function of temperature and composition, then it is possible to derive the heats, entropies, and free energies of formation of liquid phases and of solid intermediate phases of fixed composition. The authors present equations and graphical techniques applicable to eutectic systems and systems with intermediate phases without solid solubility at lower temperatures. eijering has considered possible extension of the treatment to systems with complete solid-state miscibility at lower temperatures; however, experimental difficulties practically restrict the method to systems with very limited miscibility in the solid state. The purpose of this note is to present an alternative derivation of the heats and entropies of formation of liquid phases and of solid intermediate phases from heat-content measurements alone. Fig. 1 shows three types of phase diagram to which the analysis may be applied. If the heat content is determined as a function of composition x, at temperature T, we have quite generally and the heat of mixing of the liquid is obtained directly from heat-content measurements. If the temperature T lies in a two-phase region (solid-liquid) then

Jan 1, 1967

By Robert W. Hunt

At the Atlanta Meeting of the Institute, October, 1895, I had the honor of presenting a paper on " Specifications for Steel Rails of Heavy Sections Manufactured West of the Alleghenies,"* in which, reasoning from the experience of Western railroads with the heavier-sectioned steel rails, I called atten-

Jan 1, 1898