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By A. J. Erickson, W. J. Garmoe

In mid-1970, Park City Ventures, a Utah partnership of Asarco and the Anaconda Company, initiated a six-phase exploration and development program in the Park City District, Utah. Geologic studies had delineated a number of exploration targets in several areas of the district. Discovery of ore in any of the target areas and continued favorable downdip development below then productive ore bodies would allow for reserve expansion and mill construction. The targets were: replacement mineralization in the Mississippian Humbug formation below productive ore bodies on the east flank of the Park City anticline; replacement mineralization in the Humbug formation in an unexplored fault block in the footwall of the Hawkeye structure on the east flank of the anticline; vein and replacement mineralization along the Silver Fissure; potentially higher grade replacement mineralization in the Humbug formation in a theorized structural block on the west flank of the anticline beneath the Ontario vein; replacement mineralization in the Permian Park City formation in the West End shaft area of the Silver King mine; vein mineralization along the Back vein in the Judge mine. In 1971 the Judge and Silver King Projects were suspended, due to a 30% cutback in the exploration budget. In spite of the cutback additional reserves were developed below the Humbug East Flank ore bodies; a major zone of ore grade mineralization was discovered along the Silver Fissure, five new ore bodies were found in the Humbug and Doughnut formations on the west flank of the anticline beneath the Ontario vein. First concentrates were shipped from a new mill in May 1975.

Jan 1, 1979

By E. J. Roberts

F. C. Bond (Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Corp., Milwaukee) —This paper considers comminution as a first order process, with the reduction rate depending directly upon the amount of oversize material present. The data show that other factors should be taken into account, and it is possible that in time these may be evaluated as simultaneous or consecutive reactions: Development of the theory of comminution has been retarded for many years by the assumption that surface area measurements constitute the sine qua non of the work done in crushing and grinding, and it is encouraging to note the belated growth of other ideas. In the Abstract the term "net power" should be changed to "net energy." Throughout the paper the term "hp per ton" should be changed to "hp hrs per ton", or "hp hr t." The term "Probability Theory" in the title does not seem appropriate, since it is not clear how the probability theory is used in developing the ideas in the paper. There seems to be a contradiction between the large calculated advantages of closed circuit operation and the statement following that the closed circuit test results showed no significant change in grinding behavior, when compared with the batch grind curves. Tables I and II show that between 75 pct and 50 pct solids the energy input required decreases with increasing moisture content and may indicate the advisability of grinding at higher dilutions in certain cases. The calculation of the hp-hr per ton factor indicates an input in the laboratory mill of only 7.32 gross hp per ton of balls; this casts some doubt upon the accuracy of the factor used, since the power input in commercial mills at 80 pct critical speed is customarily much higher. The tests show that within fairly wide limits the amount of ore in the laboratory mill may be varied and a product of constant fineness obtained, provided that the grinding time is varied in the same proportion. This has often been assumed, and confirmation by actual testing is of value. The Cavg corrections for differences between the plant and laboratory size distributions do not seem very satisfactory, since in many cases the plant/laboratory ratio is farther from unity after correction than before. The following equation has been derived from the data in Table VI: Relative Energy (log new ball diam in in. + 0.410) Input = --------------—--------------- from which the relative energy inputs for balls of different sizes can be calculated and compared. The relative energy input is unity for balls of 2.715 in. diam. The equation indicates that the work accomplished by a ton of grinding balls per unit of energy input is roughly proportional to the square root of the total ball surface area; provided, of course, that the balls are sufficiently large to break the material. The data in support of this statement are admittedly meager, but are fairly consistent when plotted. The relative grindability values listed in Table VI for 200 mesh multiplied by 4/5 apparently correspond approximately to the A-C grindability at 200 mesh.' It would seem that for open circuit tests comparable accuracy could be obtained much more simply by the old method' of plotting the test grind, extending the mesh grinds to the left of zero time if necessary, and determining from the plot the equivalent time required to grind from the plant feed size to the plant product size, using the average of several mesh sizes. The en- ergy input value of one time interval could be determined by tests on materials of known grinding resistance, and this multiplied by the interval required should give the desired energy input value. The relative grindabilities would be the relative time intervals required for a specified feed and product size. When the plotted mesh size lines of a homogeneous material are extended to the left beyond zero time they meet at one point at zero pct passing. The horizontal distance of this point from zero time indicates the equivalent energy input required to prepare the mill feed. The author's results show that the closed circuit grinding tests give about the same K values as open circuit tests, from which he concludes that open circuit tests are satisfactory in many cases. The value of the closed circuit test is its ability accurately to predict energy requirements in closed circuit grinding for both homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. If the material is homogeneous, the open circuit test gives satisfactory results; but if the material contains appreciable fractions of hard and soft grinding ore, the open circuit tests will not be accurate because of the accumulation of hard grinding material in the circulating load. Since in most cases it is not possible to determine a priori whether the material contains hard and soft fractions, the closed circuit tests are preferable and more reliable. B. S. Crocker (Lake Shore Mines, Ontario)—Dr. Roberts probability theory of grinding is very similar to our log pct reduced vs. log tonnage method of plotting and evaluating grinding tests at Lake Shore. However, although we both seem to start at the same point we finish with different end results. Shortly after publishing our grinding paper (referred to by Dr. Roberts) in 1939, we did pursue the subject of the "constant pct reduction in the pct +28 micron material for each constant interval of time. We ran innumerable tonnage tests on the plant ball mills, rod mills, tube mills with 11/4 and 3/4 balls, and lastly pebble mills, with tonnage variations from 180 tons per day to 950 tons per day. We found that when we plotted the log of the tonnage against the log of the pct reduced of any reliable mesh, we had a straight line up until 90 pct of the mesh is reduced. We have also tested this in our 12-in. laboratory mill with the same results. We have used this method of evaluating grinds for the past 8 years and developed the recent four stage pebble plant on this basis. By pct reduced we mean the percentage of any given mesh that is reduced in one pass through a mill at a given tonnage (or time). For example, if the feed to a rod mill is 90 pct +35 mesh and the discharge at 500 tons per day is 54 pct +35, the pct reduced is 90 — 54/90 = 40 pct. If the feed had been 80 pct +35 the discharge would have been 48 pct +35 or pct re- duced 80-48/80 = 40 pct as long as the tonnage re- mained constant at 500 tons per day. Thus we can easily correct for normal variation of mill feeds. This log — log relationship derived from the tonnage tests of all our operating mills has proved of tremendous help in checking laboratory work and in designing alternate layouts or new plants. The difference between the log — log and the semi-log plot is only shown up when the extremes in tonnages are plotted. When the relationship between the pct reduced and the tonnage was first investigated, we used semilog

Jan 1, 1952

By Jr. Ensign C. O., J. W. Trammell

The two principal methods of room-and-pillar mining practiced at White Pine make it important to predict variations in the thickness and rock types of a stratum called the upper sandstone. In full column mining, the nearly barren upper sandstone occurs between two ore horizons (called upper shale and parting shale, respectively), and is mined as a part of the ore column. In general, full column mining is not practiced where excessive upper sandstone thickness causes full column ore grade to be substantially lower than parting shale ore. In parting shale mining, the upper sandstone forms the mine roof. Difficulty in predicting upper sandstone character arose because the extent and directions of its variations were not apparent in the property's diamond drilling, in which holes are spaced on 1000-ft centers. A study of sedimentary features, undertaken to improve the predictability of trends in the upper sandstone, led to an interpretation of the sedimentary environment in which the sandstone was deposited. Ripple marks, mud cracks, and cross-bedding, as well as other, less well known features, such as channel casts, flute casts, and current crescent casts, were mapped or recorded. These data, coupled with the knowledge of regional facies changes gained from studying drill core, show that the upper sandstone was deposited by a series of streams flowing northeastward over the underlying parting shale. Deposition of the lowermost bed of the upper sandstone, near the ancient shoreline, was locally preceded by erosion of the parting shale, and the greatest thicknesses of sandstone are found in channels scoured out of the parting shale. Awareness of the rather strong linear trends in the upper sandstone makes it possible to project continuous areas of thick upper sandstone through apparently isolated "highs" in the upper sandstone thickness contour map, which is based on drill-hole information. Since local exceptions to general stratigraphic trends exist, a method was also needed for esti- mating, in detail, the thickness and degree of shali-ness of upper sandstone forming the roof in active parting shale mining areas. Because locally the parting shale was thinned by erosion during the deposition of upper sandstone, parting shale thickness is inversely proportional to upper sandstone thickness. Utilizing information taken from short drill holes into the roof, curves were constructed for the correlation of parting shale thickness (measurable in the mine) with the upper sandstone total thickness, as well as the thickness of its basal member. The White Pine mine is situated in Ontonagon County, approximately 6 miles south of Lake Superior, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Fig. 1). The orebody mined by White Pine Copper Co. occurs in the lowermost 20 to 25 ft of the Nonesuch formation, a series of middle- to upper-Keweenawan shales, siltstones, and sandstones. This paper discusses the solution of problems in ore grade control and mine planning arising from the presence of an essentially barren sandstone stratum within the orebody. THE OREBODY AND MINING TYPES A brief description of the orebody and mining methods is necessary to show how the upper sandstone affects mine planning and grade control. In the mine, the cupriferous zone of the Nonesuch shale is divided into three major portions, as shown in Fig. 2. Lying conformably on top of the Copper Harbor formation (or "lower sandstone") is the lower part of the orebody, the parting shale. The parting shale is overlain by the upper sandstone. On top of the upper sandstone, the basal portion (8 ft) of the upper shale is quite similar to the parting shale. Both the upper shale and parting shale are divided into a number of smaller stratigraphic units, each having a characteristic copper content, as shown by the histogram of Fig. 2. Other authors1'3 have dealt in detail with the stratigraphy and mineralogy of the orebody. However, in this article, we are concerned with the major subdivisions only, and it will suffice to note the low copper content of the upper sandstone, shown in Fig. 2. At present, two types of room-and-pillar openings are created in the orebody. In one type, called parting

Jan 1, 1964

By B. B. Rath, Hsun Hu

In wedge-shaped bicrystals of zone-refined aluminum it is observed that (111) pure tilt boundaries migrate under the driving force of their own inter-facial free energy. The boundary velocity is a power function of the driving force. The driving force exponent decreases with decreasing angle of misorien-tation. For example, at 64O°C, the exponent decreased from 4.0 for a 40 deg to 3.2 for a 16 deg tilt boundary. An evaluation of the driving force acting on the boundaries during their motion indicates that for low driv-forces, up to about 2 x l03 ergs per cu cm, the velocity is relatively independent of misorientation, whereas at higher driving forces a 40 deg tilt boundary exhibits the highest velocity. The measured activation energy for boundary migration approaches that for bulk self-diffusion at low driving forces, decreasing from 33 to 27 kcal per mole as the driving force is increased from 1 x l0 to 5 x l03 ergs per cu cm. These results are compared with current theories of grain-boundary migration. In previous experimental studies of grain boundary migration the driving force has been limited to a difference in stored energy across the boundary. This stored energy has been introduced into the crystal either by prior deformation1-3 or by grown-in lineage structure. A part of the energy stored in the deformed crystal is released by recovery either prior to or concurrently with grain boundary migration, thus introducing an uncertainty as to the magnitude of the driving force responsible for grain boundary migration. The grown-in lineage structure, though thermally stable during annealing, neither provides conditions under which different levels of energy may be stored in the imperfect crystal nor provides a control of orientation difference across the migrating boundary of a growing grain. Furthermore, because of variation in the lineage structure, it is difficult to determine accurately the energy stored in the imperfect crystal. Several investigations of grain boundary migration during normal grain growth have also suffered from difficulties in estimating the driving force because of uncertainties in the principal radii of curvature.~ In the present investigation the velocity of pure tilt boundaries in zone-refined aluminum bicrystals of selected orientation (40, 30, and 16 deg around the [Ill] tilt axis) has been measured in the absence of a dislocation density difference across the moving boundary, thus eliminating the previous experimental difficulties. The driving force for boundary migration is derived from a gradient of the total interfacial free energy of the migrating boundary in wedge-shaped bicrystals. A similar method was attempted by Bron and Machlin in a study of grain boundary migration in silver. However, they found that one of the crystals was deformed and consequently the motion of the boundary was partly due to a difference of stored energy across the boundary. The observed behavior of boundary velocities as affected by the driving force is examined in the light of the predictions of the current theories of grain boundary migration.7"10 The effect of boundary misorientation on velocity is compared with the theory of " which is based on a dislocation core model for high-angle boundaries. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD Seed-oriented bicrystals of zone-refined aluminum, 2.5 cm wide, 0.5 cm thick, and 12 cm long, containing tilt boundaries with a common (111) axis, were grown from the melt in the direction of this axis. Spectro-graphic analysis, reported earlier,'' indicated the purity of the crystals to be 99.999+pct. Three such bicrystals containing 16, 30, and 40 deg tilt boundaries were used. Wedge-shaped specimens were prepared from these bicrystals by spark cutting followed by electrolytic polishing. The angle of the wedge was usually 40 deg and the specimens were usually 0.25 cm thick. The intercrystalline boundary was located within 0.2 to 0.5 cm from the tip of the wedge. Fig. 1 shows a section of an oriented bicrystal containing an outline of a wedge-shaped specimen. The crystallographic directions shown in Fig. 1 represent the orientation of one of the crystals (the larger section of the bicrys-tal); the orientation of the other crystal differs only by rotation around the common [lil] axis. The parallel faces of the wedge always corresponded to the common (171) planes in both crystals, whereas the orientation of the side faces varied, depending on the misorientation angle. The bicrystal orientations were determined

Jan 1, 1970

By George W. King

The yield strength of a dispersion-hardened W-3.8 vol pct Tho,alloy, in both the recovered and recrys-tallized condition, was investigated and cornpared with that ofrecrystallized pure tungsten over the temperature range of 325" to 2400°C. It is deduced that the Orowan mechanism is obeyed in the recrystallized alloy. In the recovered alloy, a further enhancement of the yield strength results from the retained substructure which is stable up to temperatures in excess of 2700°C. Temperature and strain rate cycling tests were also performed, and the apparent activation energy for the deformation process was derived. This activation energy, - 3 ev, for the recovered and also the recrystallized alloy was about the same as that for re crystallized pure tungsten. However, the activation volume of the recovered alloy, -10-2 cu cm, was about an order of magnitude lower than that of the recrystallized alloy or pure tungsten. This fact accounts for an enhancement oj- the temperature dependence of the yield stress of the recovered alloy. A dislocation velocity exponent of about 4 to 13 was deduced frorn the strain rate cycling tests , which is in good agreement with values reported for tungsten single crystals. VARIOUS theories have been developed to explain the enhanced yield strength of a metal containing a dispersed second phase of small hard particles. These theories are thoroughly reviewed by Kelly and Nicholson.' The theoretical models can be separated into two types. The first type assumes direct interactions between moving dislocations and dispersoids. One of the most widely investigated models for this mechanism is the bowing out of dislocations between the dis-persoids and their subsequent pinching off in order to bypass the obstacles. This is the well-known Orowan mechanism.' The second type is an indirect effect of the dispersion because of its ability to stabilize to high temperatures the substructure introduced by cold working. In this instance, the increment in the yield strength is expected to be inversely proportional to the square root of the subgrain diameter. In the present work, a quantitative study was made of the strengthening effect caused by a thoria dispersion in a recrystallized W-3.8 vol pct Thoz alloy over the temperature range 325" to 2400°C. The results are compared with the increment predicted for the Orowan mechanism based on the calculations by ~shb~.~ In addition, the alloy was tested in the recovered state so that any additional strengthening resulting from the substructure produced during fabrication could be measured. The respective contributions can be separated in this manner, provided that the particle size distribution of the dispersion remains the same in both the work-hardened and the recrystallized state. Particle size distribution measurements showed that this condition was met in the present work. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES A) Material Production and Fabrication. The alloy investigated is essentially the same as that reported much earlier by ~effries,~ who also found the strength of tungsten to be improved by the thoria dispersion. The procedure for producing the alloy consisted of mechanically blending a thorium nitrate solution in proper concentration with tungsten oxide (WO3) powder, followed by hydrogen reduction to metal powder. After reduction, the dispersed second phase is present as thoria (Thoz). The pure tungsten powder used for comparison was produced in the same manner except that the thoria doping step was omitted. The powders were consolidated by cold pressing and self-resistance sintering in hydrogen. The resulting ingot had a cross section about 0.6 sq in. and a density about 93 pct of theoretical. The ingot was swaged to 0.174-in.-diam rod at temperatures varying from 1650°C initially to -1200°C near final rod sizes. Two intermediate recrystallization anneals were employed during fabrication. Analysis of the swaged rods is reported in Table I. B) Electron Microscopy Techniques. Carbon extraction rrPxcas prepared by a technique reported by ~00' were used to quantitatively evaluate the thoria particle size and distribution. Electron nlicrographs of extraction replicas were taken at 20,000 times but were then enlarged two to three times in printing. The areas photographed were randomly selected. A Zeiss Particle Size Analyzer (Model TGZ3) was used to count and measure the sizes of all particles present on the print. About three thousand particles were counted in determining a distribution curve. Electron transmission microscopy was used to determine the effect of annealing on the substructures of the materials. Thin foils were produced by a two-stage thinning process. The rods were first ground on emery paper to ribbons about 10 mils thick and then a jet of 5 pct KOH was used to electrolytically reduce a portion of the cross section of the ribbon. Final perforation was achieved by immersing the specimen in a 5 pct KOH solution and electrolytically polishing at a current density of about 0.3 amp cm-'. The foils were examined with a Hitachi HU-11A electron microscope. C) Tensile Testing. Tensile testing was performed in an Instron Testing Machine equipped with a radiation-type vacuum furnace which operates at about 1O"S torr at temperatures as high as 2400 °C. The same furnace was used for annealing the tensile specimens.

Jan 1, 1970

By O. L. Culberson, J. J. McKetta

INTRODUCTION The equilibrium constants for methane and for water, and for ethane and water have been calculated from experimental data for the two binary systems.2,3,11,12 These constants are for the two-phase systems for the temperature range of 100" to 340°F and the pressure range of 200 to 10,000 psia. The constants for ethane are greater than those for methane. Equilibrium constants for a natural gas from a natural gas-water system6 are about the same as those for methane. Equilibrium constants for water in all three systems are very nearly the same over the greater part of the range of temperatures and pressures studied. In ideal solutions, the vapor-liquid equilibrium constants for a component should be the same in all such solutions at a given temperature and pressure.5 Few solutions are ideal, and consequently the use of generalized constants often leads to error in situations where they do not actually apply. In decidedly non-ideal systems, it is desirable to have equilibrium constant data for the specific system. Vaporization equilibrium constants may be calculated either by thermodynamic methods or from experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data. In the thermodynamic calculation. the equilibrium constant K may be shown to be" K = fP,/fl'..........(1) where fPi is the fugacity of the pure component i at the given temperature and at the vapor pressure of the pure component, and fp is the fugacity of pure i in the gaseous state at the temperature and total pressure of the system. At best the thermodynamic calculation results in a K applicable to ideal solutions. Equilibrium constants calculated from Equation (1) have been found to have only limited agreement with experimental values, even though the solutions for which they were calculated approached ideality."'" If the more volatile component is at a temperature above its critical, the accuracy of the equilibrium constant for the component is made more doubtful by the use of the vapor pressure term under such conditions. In order to make the thermodynamic calculation on a component above its critical temperature, one must resort to one of the empirical methods of extrapolation of the vapor pressure to conditions above its critical point.13 Application of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant then to the methane-water or the ethane-water systems would be risky since the systems are non-ideal, and the methane and ethane are above their critical in most petroleum operations. ETHANE-WATER SYSTEM In the temperature range of from 100° to 340°F and for pressures up to 10,000 psia, the vapor-liquid equilibrium data 'References given at end of paper. Manuscript received in the office of the Petroleum Branch March 16, 1951.

Jan 1, 1951

By J. J. McKetta, O. L. Culberson

INTRODUCTION The equilibrium constants for methane and for water, and for ethane and water have been calculated from experimental data for the two binary systems.2,3,11,12 These constants are for the two-phase systems for the temperature range of 100" to 340°F and the pressure range of 200 to 10,000 psia. The constants for ethane are greater than those for methane. Equilibrium constants for a natural gas from a natural gas-water system6 are about the same as those for methane. Equilibrium constants for water in all three systems are very nearly the same over the greater part of the range of temperatures and pressures studied. In ideal solutions, the vapor-liquid equilibrium constants for a component should be the same in all such solutions at a given temperature and pressure.5 Few solutions are ideal, and consequently the use of generalized constants often leads to error in situations where they do not actually apply. In decidedly non-ideal systems, it is desirable to have equilibrium constant data for the specific system. Vaporization equilibrium constants may be calculated either by thermodynamic methods or from experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data. In the thermodynamic calculation. the equilibrium constant K may be shown to be" K = fP,/fl'..........(1) where fPi is the fugacity of the pure component i at the given temperature and at the vapor pressure of the pure component, and fp is the fugacity of pure i in the gaseous state at the temperature and total pressure of the system. At best the thermodynamic calculation results in a K applicable to ideal solutions. Equilibrium constants calculated from Equation (1) have been found to have only limited agreement with experimental values, even though the solutions for which they were calculated approached ideality."'" If the more volatile component is at a temperature above its critical, the accuracy of the equilibrium constant for the component is made more doubtful by the use of the vapor pressure term under such conditions. In order to make the thermodynamic calculation on a component above its critical temperature, one must resort to one of the empirical methods of extrapolation of the vapor pressure to conditions above its critical point.13 Application of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant then to the methane-water or the ethane-water systems would be risky since the systems are non-ideal, and the methane and ethane are above their critical in most petroleum operations. ETHANE-WATER SYSTEM In the temperature range of from 100° to 340°F and for pressures up to 10,000 psia, the vapor-liquid equilibrium data 'References given at end of paper. Manuscript received in the office of the Petroleum Branch March 16, 1951.

Jan 1, 1951

By R. W. Heckel

The growth and shrinkage rates of second-phase particles of various size distributions are analyzed in terms of five mathematical models. These models apply to various forms of diffusion-controlled growth (one model) and interjace-controlled growth (four models). The expression for diffusion-controlled growth assumes local equilibrium at the interface between the second Phase and the matrix and through the choice of the proper flux area perrnits the definition of minimum diffusion-controlled growth kinetics. The interface-controlled kinetics models consider the situations where the rate-controlling step occurs at either the interlace undergoing solution or the interface undergoing deposition. In addition, each of these interface-controlled kinetics models is analyzed for interface reaction rates which are independent of the thermodynamic activity gradient across the interface or proportional to the gradient. THE variation of the size distribution of second-phase particles in a solute-saturated matrix has been a stimulating topic for many years. Research has been carried out in this area for situations where the matrix was either liquid or solid. It is well-understood that the over-all process results in an increase in the average particle size, a decrease in the total number of particles per unit volume, and a net decrease in surface area. Greenwood1 has presented a mathematical model based upon the mass balance existing between growing and shrinking particles. His analysis is stated in terms of Fick's First Law using concentration gradients set up between particles of different size as a result of the effect of surface curvature on solubility. Greenwood's analysis indicates that the mean particle size should increase approximately as the cube root of time. Asimow2 has shown that several of the simplifying assumptions employed by Greenwood may be eliminated from this diffusion-controlled model with little increase in complexity. Lifshits and Slyozov3-5 have also considered the growth-shrinkage problem involving diffusion-controlled kinetics. Their analysis was extended to include the effects of interacting particles ("kinetic approximation"), particle shape, and elastic strains. These authors also show that the mean particle size varies as the cube root of the reaction time. wagner6 has formulated expressions for both diffusion-controlled kinetics and interface-controlled kinetics in the growth-shrinkage problem. Wagner's diffusion-controlled kinetics is based upon the same form of mass balance using Fick's First Law as used by others and is shown to be applicable to situations where kr >> D (k is the interface reaction constant, r is the particle radius, and D is the diffusion coefficient). This analysis also yields a mean particle size which varies as the cube root of time, in agreement with other workers. Wagner also developed interface-controlled kinetics to handle kr « D. This model was based upon the fact that the interface reaction rate is proportional to the interface area. Wagner assumed that the rate was also proportional to the thermodynamic activity difference, ?a, existing across the interface. Thus, the specific reaction rate at the surface of radius r was defined as k • 4nr2 . ?a. It is the purpose of the present paper to reconsider the processes of diffusion-controlled growth and interface-controlled growth in the variation of particle-size distributions as a function of time at constant second-phase volume. The analyses are formulated in a manner which permits data obtained

Jan 1, 1965

By Thomas M. Drown

In the course of some experiments on the analysis of pig iron, I heated, in a platinum crucible, some borings of a graphitic pig iron with sodium carbonate. When the crucible was at a full red heat and the carbonate was thoroughly fused, I noticed a lively ebullition of the mass, and an escape of gas, which burned on the surface. On investigation this gas proved to be carbonic oxide, and on examining the borings in the bottom of the crucible after an hour or two, they were found to be perfectly malleable, although unchanged in general form and appearance. Analysis showed that the carbon was completely removed. I then repeated the experiment, to ascertain whether the silicon and phosphorus were affected, and found that these elements too were largely removed, and could be .found in the fused mass as alkaline silicates and phosphates. In order to ascertain whether the removal of the silicon and phosphorus was merely a surface action or whether the reaction really extended into the mass of the iron, I tried the following experiments : A number of bars of pig iron were cast about one foot long and planed down 'accurately to one inch section. These were immersed in a large wrought-iron pot full of molteu sodium carbonate made by fusiug the commercial bicarbonate of soda. Through the kindness of Mr. Frank Firmstone, Superintendent of the Glendon Iron Works, Easton, I was enabled to keep this pot at a reasonably constant high temperature for a long time in one of the hot-blast ovens. One of the bars was removed from the pot every twenty-four or forty-eight hours, according to the rapidity of the action, and after cooling mas broken and the fracture examined. The change from pig iron to malleable iron was progressively inwards and always sharp and easily recognized, the rate of progression being in a decreasing ratio with the time. The temperature of the oven had evidently

Jan 1, 1879

By H. Cecil Spicer

The results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods APril-May, 1939, and MaY-JulY, 1940. The United States Potash CO. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation mas completed under a cooperative arrangemerit made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an l was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friedell and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the disrovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3 described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlum-berger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies 0" salt deposits in which the sing[e-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performetl with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to 800 ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,ll through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining CO.

Jan 1, 1942

By H. Cecil Spicer

The results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods APril-May, 1939, and MaY-JulY, 1940. The United States Potash CO. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation mas completed under a cooperative arrangemerit made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an l was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friedell and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the disrovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3 described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlum-berger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies 0" salt deposits in which the sing[e-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performetl with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to 800 ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,ll through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining CO.

Jan 1, 1942

By T. H. Alden

T. H. Alden (General Electric Research Laboratory)—This paper as well as earlier ones of Dr. Wood represent an important contribution to the experimental description of fatigue fracture. The mechanism of fracture proposed by the authors, however, is not established by this data nor supported by other data existing in the literature. Although taper section metallography provides a rather detailed picture of fatigue crack geometry, photographs so obtained must be interpreted with care. The narrow bands revealed by etching, frequently associated with surface notches, are labeled by the authors "fissures". Measurement shows, taking into account the 20 to 1 taper magnification, that the depth of these structures is at most 2 to 3 times the width. This distinction is important in the conception of a mechanism of crack formation. It is difficult, for example, to imagine a deep, narrow fissure arising from a "ratchet slip" model. A surface notch, on the other hand, may form easily by this mechanism. The notches observed in the present work are the subsurface evidence of the surface slip bands or striations in which fatigue cracks are known to originate.4-6 It is clear that an understanding of the structure of these slip bands is of key importance in understanding the mechanism of fracture. The evidence presented shows that these regions etch preferentially, possibly because they contain a high density of lattice defects, or as the authors state equivalently, because they are "abnormally distorted." However, it is not possible to conclude that the distortion consists of a high density of vacant lattice sites. The fact of a high total shear strain in itself does not assure a predominance of point defects as opposed to other defects, for example, dislocations. Other evidence in the literature which suggests unusual densities of point defects formed by fatigue7-' refers not to the striations or fissures, but to the material between fissures (the "matrix"). If a choice must be made, the preferential etching would seem to be evidence for a high dislocation density, since dislocations are known to encourage chemical attack in copper;g no such effect is known for the case of point defects. A third alternative is that the slip bands are actually cracked, but that near its tip the crack is too narrow to be detected by the authors' metal-lographic technique. In this case the rapid etching can be readily understood in terms of the increased chemical activity of surface atoms. Unless a vacancy mechanism is operative, the motion of dislocations to-and-fro on single slip planes will not lead to crack growth. Point defect or dislocation loop generation are the principal non-reversible effects predicted by this model. In any case, the nonuniform roughening of the surface in a slip band6 requires a flexibility of dislocation motion which is not a part of the to-and-fro fine slip idea. The same is probably true of crack growth by a shear mechanism. Either some dislocations must change their slip planes near the end of the band and return on different planes,'0 or dislocations of opposite sign annihilate." The mechanism by which these processes occur in copper at room temperature or below is that of cross slip. Thus cross slip appears to be essential to fatigue crack growth.6'10"12 The fact that a tensile stress opens the slip bands into broad cracks does not indicate the structure of the bands or the mechanism by which cracks form. The charactersitic concentration of slip into bands during fatigue shows a low resistance to shear strain in these regions. (This fact in itself may be inconsistent with a high concentration of vacancies.) The authors contend also that continuing shear produces an additional mechanical weakening so that the bands fracture easily (are pulled apart) under the influence of the superimposed tensile stress. It is equally possible that the only weakness is a weakness in shear, that the crack propagates by a shear mechanism, and that subsequently the tensile stress pulls the crack apart. Even the direct observation of bands opened by a tensile stress would not be conclusive since, as argued above, they may be fine cracks. The same argument applies to internal cracks, their existence in the presence of a tensile stress not indicating the mechanism of formation. Internal cracks originating in regions of heavy shear have also been seen following tensile deformation of OFHC copper,13 so that this mode of fracture is not unique to combined tensile and fatigue straining. The authors point out in their companion report14 that 90 pct of the cracks formed during pure tor-sional strain were within 8 deg of the normal to the specimen axis. If the tensile stress were an important factor in crack propagation, it is surprising that the cracks cluster about the plane in which the normal stress vanishes. Similarly, a study of zinc single crystals showed that for various orientations the life correlated well with the resolved shear stress on the basal plane,'= and was not dependent on the normal stress across this plane. W. A. Wood and H. M. Bendler (Authors' reply) -Dr. Alden's discussion emphasizes the essential point in the relation of slip band structure to

Jan 1, 1963

By Robert G. Nisle

In conducting a pressure build-up test on an oil well, it is often necessary to shut-in the well for a short time prior to initiation of the test. The effect of such a short tern shut-in on the resulting pressure build-up curve is derived. The derivation is based on the Kelvin point-source solution and is a straight forward extension of the fundarnental theory. The magnitude of the effect is evaluatecl and illustrated by an example. It is shown that if the production subsequent to the short term shut-in is at least 10 times the duration of the shrct-in, the effect will he less than 10 per cent. INTRODUCTION It often happens that before a pressure build-up test can be made an additional valve must be mounted on the wellhead, or on arrival at the well, it might be learned that the well had been shut-in several hours the previous day because of a shortage of tankage. In such cases the question is How will such an interruption of production affect the results of a pressure buildup test This work explains how to take account of such a short term shut-in in order that the test can proceed without further delay. The solution presented here makes use of the Kelvin point-source solution used by Horne1 in his treatment of the pressure build-up in wells. Use is also made of the super-position theorem. MATHEMATICAL DERIVATION The well is assumed to have been in production at a constant rate for a relatively long time (several days or more). It is then shut-in for a short time, after which it is again placed in production at the previous constant rate. It continues to produce at this rate until shut-in for a pressure build-up test. The Kelvin point-source solution is expressed by Eq. 1. The sequence of production rates is listed in Table I. TABLE 1 — SEQUENCE OF PRODUCTION RATES Time interval Production Rate At time AT the pressure will be the resultant of the sequence of production rates shown in Table 1. An expression for the super-posed effects may be derived from this table. (Effect of + q for T + ? T) + (Effect of - q for T + ?T-t,) + (Effect of + q for T + ? T - t,) + (Effect of - q for ? T) = Resultant........(2) The desired result is obtained by substituting the effect defined by Eq. 1 for the terms in Eq. 2. The result is Eq. 3. When the logarithmic approximation is made for the exponential integrals and the terms collected the result is Eq. 4. Let T — t2 = T = flowing time following short term shut-in t2 — t1 = 6 = duration of short term shut-in Then T - t1 = r + 6 Substitution of these quantities in Eq. 4 gives p(rw ?T) = P,, -When d<<t - AT then d—&apos;-, T— approaches 1. r + AT In this case the effect of the short term shut-in may be ignored. In order to get some idea of the numerical magnitudes involved take the worst possible case, when AT = 0, that is at shut-in. If the error is made less than some maximum acceptable value at this time, it will be less than the maximum for all subsequent times. d + r Let the difference between the value of y-— and 1 be less than 0.1. Then —6+r — 1 < 0.1 S < O.l T Therefore, if the flowing time following a short term shut-in is at least 10 times the duration of the short term shut-in, the error introduced by ignoring the short term shut-in will not exceed 10 per cent of T+AT A T

Jan 1, 1957

By Frank R. Hunter

Introduction Scope of Work This paper represents the results of an investigation of the presence, amounts, and degree of concentration of heavy minerals found in the pulp of the phosphate flotation plant at Peace Valley, Fla., which is operated by the International Minerals and chemical Corporation of Chicago. In this paper, heavy minerals are those, excepting collophane, that sink in acetylene tetrabromide with a specific gravity of 2.95. Percentages of heavy minerals at several points of the flowsheet and the species of minerals have been determined. Some information as to the screen size of the minerals has been acquired. Previous Work All previous published reports or investigations of the deposits of heavy minerals in Florida have been limited to present beach sands. The mining operations conducted by the Humphreys Gold Corp. about seven miles east of Jacksonville along an ancient shore line have been described in trade journals, but descriptions of the minerals have been lacking. Commercial grades of ilmenite, zircon, and rutile are produced on a large scale. Papers have been published on heavy minerals found on the Florida beaches.1-6 Location "International&apos;s" Peace Valley flotation plant is in south-central Polk County, Fla. about eight miles south of Bartow and along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The mine surrounds the plant and includes about 1500 acres of the phosphatic lands in this area. Geology General Setting All of the rock underlying the area is almost horizontal. The oldest bed exposed is part of the Hawthorn phosphatic limestone of Miocene age. This outcrops in the stream bed of the Peace River about one mile east of the plant. Elsewhere the Hawthorn is covered except where it has been exposed by mining operations. The Bone Valley formation of Pliocene age, which is the phosphatic stratum extensively mined in this area, unconforma-bly overlies the Hawthorn. Resting unconformably upon the Bone Valley formation are Pleistocene (?) terrace deposits of unconsolidated quartz sand which comprise the overburden of the phosphate ore. Stratigraphy Hawthorn formation: "Bedrock" of the pebble phosphate deposits is a cream to white colored, sandy, dense limestone containing varying amounts of small grains and nodules of collophane. The upper surface of the formation is undulating and irregular showing evidence of former

Jan 1, 1949

By Fred C. Bond

There is acute need for a method that will measure the size distribution of finely divided materials, particularly when the particle sizes are smaller than the openings of the finest screen cloth regularly available for testing. Several methods and types of apparatus are in common use, but none are entirely satisfactory for all purposes. The commonest methods are microscopic grain counts, elutriation by liquids or air, and sedimentation. Valuable results have been secured by air elutriating devices, typified by the Haultain Infra-Sizer and the Pearson Air Analyzer. These are especially useful in obtaining sized fractions that can be examined and analyzed separately. They are particularly advantageous because the sizes of the samples produced are adequate for a considerable amount of subsequent manipulation and testing. The sedimentation methods, such as the Wagner and Klein turbidimeters, and the sedimentation balance, do not deliver sized fractions, but they do provide a means for reasonably rapid comparative determina-tions of fineness and surface area, which are important in many industries. The sedimentation balance consists essentially of a balance pan suspended in a liquid that contains falling particles. These are weighed as they settle onto the pan, and the time rate of settling is determined. The size distribution is computed from the settling rate. The balance appears to be inherently more accurate than any of the other methods, and it has served a useful purpose in the study of numerous problems, but there have been limitations which have restricted its scope of application. Because of the essential simplicity of the method, it was felt that intensive investigation might lead to modifications that would make it a valuable tool [or the operators in industries that require precise information regarding the results secured from grinding equipment. A large number of size-distribution determinations below 200 mesh were required in connection with a particular research problem in fine grinding. The sedimentation balance was used in this investigation, and a technique was gradually developed that ultimately gave good results. A serious difficulty appeared early in the work. It was discovered that less material always settled on the sedimentation pan and more on the bottom of the containing jar than could be accounted for by calculation, and also that the material that settled to the bottom of the jar outside the edges of the pan was considerably finer than that on the pan. This segregation was so great that the distribution obtained for the finer sizes was obviously very much in error; material ground to about the degree of comminution of cement might have only 60 per cent of the calculated weight actually settling on the pan, and the error increased with the fine-

Jan 1, 1943

By Fred C. Bond

There is acute need for a method that will measure the size distribution of finely divided materials, particularly when the particle sizes are smaller than the openings of the finest screen cloth regularly available for testing. Several methods and types of apparatus are in common use, but none are entirely satisfactory for all purposes. The commonest methods are microscopic grain counts, elutriation by liquids or air, and sedimentation. Valuable results have been secured by air elutriating devices, typified by the Haultain Infra-Sizer and the Pearson Air Analyzer. These are especially useful in obtaining sized fractions that can be examined and analyzed separately. They are particularly advantageous because the sizes of the samples produced are adequate for a considerable amount of subsequent manipulation and testing. The sedimentation methods, such as the Wagner and Klein turbidimeters, and the sedimentation balance, do not deliver sized fractions, but they do provide a means for reasonably rapid comparative determina-tions of fineness and surface area, which are important in many industries. The sedimentation balance consists essentially of a balance pan suspended in a liquid that contains falling particles. These are weighed as they settle onto the pan, and the time rate of settling is determined. The size distribution is computed from the settling rate. The balance appears to be inherently more accurate than any of the other methods, and it has served a useful purpose in the study of numerous problems, but there have been limitations which have restricted its scope of application. Because of the essential simplicity of the method, it was felt that intensive investigation might lead to modifications that would make it a valuable tool [or the operators in industries that require precise information regarding the results secured from grinding equipment. A large number of size-distribution determinations below 200 mesh were required in connection with a particular research problem in fine grinding. The sedimentation balance was used in this investigation, and a technique was gradually developed that ultimately gave good results. A serious difficulty appeared early in the work. It was discovered that less material always settled on the sedimentation pan and more on the bottom of the containing jar than could be accounted for by calculation, and also that the material that settled to the bottom of the jar outside the edges of the pan was considerably finer than that on the pan. This segregation was so great that the distribution obtained for the finer sizes was obviously very much in error; material ground to about the degree of comminution of cement might have only 60 per cent of the calculated weight actually settling on the pan, and the error increased with the fine-

Jan 1, 1943

By F. C. von der Weid

The mining district of Sao Fidelis, in the northern part of the State of Rio de Janeiro, is situated on the Paraiba River, where it crosses the Serra do Mar (Mountain of the Sea), in the center of a mountainous country having numerous graphitic outcrops. For a long time, these outcrops were irregularly explored by local people, who had little means and no technical advice. A few years ago, the Cia. Brasileira de Minerasgo de Grafite took over the control of some of the more important outcrops and entrusted to me the task of studying the ores and establishing a flowsheet for a pilot plant to be situated in São Fidelis—the ore to be concentrated being mostly of a very high grade. Mineralization and Ores The rocks of the district are mostly gneiss and crystalline schists, with occasional interstratification of dolomitic limestone belonging to the Archean Brazilian Fundamental Complex. The general direction of the beds is roughly between 60" and 80°E., with variable dip, generally nearly vertical. Mostly, direction and dip of the graphitic outcrops is concordant with the embanking gneisses or schists. These outcrops seem to be aligned in two or three parallel zones (Pádua, São Fidelis, Mac- abu), the Sao Fidelis zone being the best known and the most important to date. Two outcrops of the São Fidelis zone, Saudade and Sao Benedito, are now being exploited. Mining has been carried out, so far, on a small scale. The mineralization consists of a vein of nearly massive graphite in a very compact, partially granitized gneiss, with vertical dip. The vein is most irregular, with nests and lenses irregularly distributed along the fracture plane. The ore consists chiefly (particularly in Sao Benedito) of massive graphite appearing and disappearing along the main direction of the vein, forming a succession of irregular lenses in a sort of rosary design. The average width is more or less one foot, with variations from zero to 6 feet. The lode minerals are quartz, a little feldspar and garnet (the latter having its origin perhaps in the embedding gneisses), with rare ferruginous clays on the outcrops. In Saudade a little pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is found occasionally, as well as a carbonaceous mineral, very light, black and shiny, with conchoidal fracture, looking like a sort of jet. The composition of this mineral has not yet been established, but it seems to be very complex. The mineralization seems to be hydro-thermal at a rather low temperature, perhaps mesothermal. The paragenesis, according to samples from Saudade, seems to be as follows, the earlier minerals being listed first: pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, with quartz concomitant to the three and graphite formed later. Age of the mineralization is still uncertain, owing to the very in-

Jan 1, 1948

By F. C. von der Weid

The mining district of Sao Fidelis, in the northern part of the State of Rio de Janeiro, is situated on the Paraiba River, where it crosses the Serra do Mar (Mountain of the Sea), in the center of a mountainous country having numerous graphitic outcrops. For a long time, these outcrops were irregularly explored by local people, who had little means and no technical advice. A few years ago, the Cia. Brasileira de Mineracao de Grafite took over the control of some of the more important outcrops and entrusted to me the task of studying the ores and establishing a flowsheet for a pilot plant to be situated in Sao Fidelis—the ore to be concentrated being mostly of a very high grade. Mineralization and Ores The rocks of the district are mostly gneiss and crystalline schists, with occasional interstratification of dolomitic limestone belonging to the Archean Brazilian Fundamental Complex. The general direction of the beds is roughly between 60&apos; and 80°E., with variable dip, generally nearly vertical. Mostly, direction and dip of the graphitic outcrops is concordant with the embanking gneisses or schists. These outcrops seem to be aligned in two or three parallel zones (Padua, Sao Fidelis, Mac- abu), the Sao Fidelis zone being the best known and the most important to date. Two outcrops of the Silo Fidelis zone, Saudade and Sao Benedito, are now being exploited. Mining has beer] carried out, so far, on a small scale. The mineralization consists of a vein of nearly massive graphite in a very compact, partially granitized gneiss, with vertical dip. The vein is most irregular, nith nests and lenses irregularly distributed along the fracture plane. The ore consists chiefly (particularly in Sao Benedito) of massive graphite appearing and disappearing along the main direction of the vein, forming a succession of irregular lenses in a sort of rosary design. The average width is more or less one foot, with variations from zero to 6 feet. The lode minerals are quartz, a little feldspar and garnet (the latter having its origin perhaps in the embedding gneisses), with rare ferruginous clays on the outcrops. In Saudade a little pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is found occasionally, as well as a carbonaceous mineral, very light, black and shiny, with conchoidal fracture, looking like a sort of jet. The composition of this mineral has not yet been established, but it seems to be very complex. The mineralization seems to be hydro-thermal at a rather low temperature, perhaps mesothermal. The paragenesis, according to samples from Saudade, seems to be as follows, the earlier minerals being listed first: pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, with quartz concomitant to the three and graphite formed later. Age of the mineralization is still uncertain, owing to the very in-

Jan 1, 1947

By F. C. von der Weid

The mining district of Sao Fidelis, in the northern part of the State of Rio de Janeiro, is situated on the Paraiba River, where it crosses the Serra do Mar (Mountain of the Sea), in the center of a mountainous country having numerous graphitic outcrops. For a long time, these outcrops were irregularly explored by local people, who had little means and no technical advice. A few years ago, the Cia. Brasileira de Mineracao de Grafite took over the control of some of the more important outcrops and entrusted to me the task of studying the ores and establishing a flowsheet for a pilot plant to be situated in Sao Fidelis—the ore to be concentrated being mostly of a very high grade. Mineralization and Ores The rocks of the district are mostly gneiss and crystalline schists, with occasional interstratification of dolomitic limestone belonging to the Archean Brazilian Fundamental Complex. The general direction of the beds is roughly between 60&apos; and 80°E., with variable dip, generally nearly vertical. Mostly, direction and dip of the graphitic outcrops is concordant with the embanking gneisses or schists. These outcrops seem to be aligned in two or three parallel zones (Padua, Sao Fidelis, Mac- abu), the Sao Fidelis zone being the best known and the most important to date. Two outcrops of the Silo Fidelis zone, Saudade and Sao Benedito, are now being exploited. Mining has beer] carried out, so far, on a small scale. The mineralization consists of a vein of nearly massive graphite in a very compact, partially granitized gneiss, with vertical dip. The vein is most irregular, nith nests and lenses irregularly distributed along the fracture plane. The ore consists chiefly (particularly in Sao Benedito) of massive graphite appearing and disappearing along the main direction of the vein, forming a succession of irregular lenses in a sort of rosary design. The average width is more or less one foot, with variations from zero to 6 feet. The lode minerals are quartz, a little feldspar and garnet (the latter having its origin perhaps in the embedding gneisses), with rare ferruginous clays on the outcrops. In Saudade a little pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is found occasionally, as well as a carbonaceous mineral, very light, black and shiny, with conchoidal fracture, looking like a sort of jet. The composition of this mineral has not yet been established, but it seems to be very complex. The mineralization seems to be hydro-thermal at a rather low temperature, perhaps mesothermal. The paragenesis, according to samples from Saudade, seems to be as follows, the earlier minerals being listed first: pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, with quartz concomitant to the three and graphite formed later. Age of the mineralization is still uncertain, owing to the very in-

Jan 1, 1947

By F. C. von der Weid

The mining district of Sao Fidelis, in the northern part of the State of Rio de Janeiro, is situated on the Paraiba River, where it crosses the Serra do Mar (Mountain of the Sea), in the center of a mountainous country having numerous graphitic outcrops. For a long time, these outcrops were irregularly explored by local people, who had little means and no technical advice. A few years ago, the Cia. Brasileira de Minerasgo de Grafite took over the control of some of the more important outcrops and entrusted to me the task of studying the ores and establishing a flowsheet for a pilot plant to be situated in São Fidelis—the ore to be concentrated being mostly of a very high grade. Mineralization and Ores The rocks of the district are mostly gneiss and crystalline schists, with occasional interstratification of dolomitic limestone belonging to the Archean Brazilian Fundamental Complex. The general direction of the beds is roughly between 60" and 80°E., with variable dip, generally nearly vertical. Mostly, direction and dip of the graphitic outcrops is concordant with the embanking gneisses or schists. These outcrops seem to be aligned in two or three parallel zones (Pádua, São Fidelis, Mac- abu), the Sao Fidelis zone being the best known and the most important to date. Two outcrops of the São Fidelis zone, Saudade and Sao Benedito, are now being exploited. Mining has been carried out, so far, on a small scale. The mineralization consists of a vein of nearly massive graphite in a very compact, partially granitized gneiss, with vertical dip. The vein is most irregular, with nests and lenses irregularly distributed along the fracture plane. The ore consists chiefly (particularly in Sao Benedito) of massive graphite appearing and disappearing along the main direction of the vein, forming a succession of irregular lenses in a sort of rosary design. The average width is more or less one foot, with variations from zero to 6 feet. The lode minerals are quartz, a little feldspar and garnet (the latter having its origin perhaps in the embedding gneisses), with rare ferruginous clays on the outcrops. In Saudade a little pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is found occasionally, as well as a carbonaceous mineral, very light, black and shiny, with conchoidal fracture, looking like a sort of jet. The composition of this mineral has not yet been established, but it seems to be very complex. The mineralization seems to be hydro-thermal at a rather low temperature, perhaps mesothermal. The paragenesis, according to samples from Saudade, seems to be as follows, the earlier minerals being listed first: pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, with quartz concomitant to the three and graphite formed later. Age of the mineralization is still uncertain, owing to the very in-

Jan 1, 1948