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By C. Chamberlain

The Telfer Project, Australia's newest, largest, and most remote gold mine treats 480 kt of ore grading 9.33 g/t derived from open pit mining operations. Coarse gold is recovered by gravity concentration with jigs and further upgraded wing a continuous strake launder table, and by amalgamation. Remaining gold is recovered in a cyanide circuit and incorporates flat bottom air agitators, counter current decantation (CCD) and stellar filters for clarification and precipitate removal. Overall recovery into a bullion averages 98%. The mill incorporates a number of design features that allow for maximum efficiency and security wing a minimum number of operation personnel.

Jan 1, 1983

By A. L. Jr. Pozzi, A. O. Garder, D. W. Peaceman

A new numerical method is proposed for the solution of multidimensional miscible displacement problems. Besides the usual stationary grid associated with numerical procedures, the method uses moving points for which positions and concentrations are computed each time step. Based on the method of characteristics for treating combined transport and dispersion, the method applies equally well to any number of dimensions and, in contrast with other numerical procedures, properly takes into account the physical dispersion, no matter how small. Extensive tests show that accurate solutions of one-dimensional problems can be obtained over a wide range of values of the dispersion coefficient, including zero. They also show that the moving points do not need to be uniformly spaced, and that increasing the number of moving points beyond 2/grid interval does not significantly improve the accuracy of the solution. Two-dimmsional calculations using the new method were carried out to simulate laboratory model displacements in which gravity caused overriding of solvent. Good agreement between observed and computed profiles and measured and computed concentrations of produced fluid was obtained for a viscosity ratio of 1.89; at higher viscosity ratios, fair agreement was obtained Computed results were found to be significantly affected by vertical dispersion, and negligibly affected by dispersion in the direction of flow, in agreement with conclusions based on experimental observations. INTRODUCTION Although miscible displacement processes are potentially of great economic significance, limited progress has been made in developing mathematical methods for predicting the outcome of a solvent flood. Because of the complexity of the partial differential equations which describe multidimensional miscible displacement, numerical methods are a natural approach to their solution. The task of finding suitable numerical approximations to one of the partial differential equations, which involves both dispersion and convective transport, has been particularly difficult. Dispersion in the absence of transport is described by the heat flow equation, a second-order equation of parabolic type. This equation has been very successfully treated by numerical methods. Transport in the absence of dispersion is described by a first-order equation of hyperbolic type. This equation has been treated numerically with some success in one dimension, both by Lagrangian and Eulerian techniques, 1.2 but extension to two or more dimensions has not been satisfactorily accomplished. Usually one of two things happens: either the numerical solution develops oscillations or it becomes smeared by artificial dispersion resulting from the numerical process. When transport and dispersion are considered simultaneously, this numerical dispersion may dominate the low physical dispersivicy that generally characterizes miscible displacement. Stone and Brian2 have developed a new difference equation for treating combined transport and dispersion in one dimension. By suitable choice of certain parameters, they succeeded in markedly reducing both oscillation and numerical dispersion. However, a satisfactory extension to higher dimensions has not yet been found. Peaceman and Rachford3 presented a centered-in-time and centered-in-distance difference equation combined with a 1,transfer of overshoot" procedure which was demonstrated to work well in one dimension. The technique was applied to the two-dimensional miscible displacement problem, but subsequent calculations with zero dispersivity showed little change in results compared with the calculations they presented. This indicates that their method involved a numerical dispersion of the same order as the physical dispersion. The present paper describes an alternate method for solving the combined transport-dispersion

Jan 1, 1965

By Chu-Phay Yap

This is the second of a series of theoretical papers on the iron-carbon system. The solidus lines obtained as a result of the different methods of investigation fall naturally into three classes; namely, (1) a straight solidus originally suggested by Roozeboom and supported in the main by the work of Carpenter and Keeling, Andrew and Binnie, et al., using the thermal analysis method; (2) a slightly curved solidus obtained by Honda and his associates, using the magnetic and resistance methods: and (3) Gutowsky's solidus obtained by the Heycock and Neville method of quenching at successively higher temperatures. Although the thermodynamic method as shown in the first paper indicates that the straight solidus line is correct, no explanation has ever been advanced to account adequately for the disagreement in the shape and position of the solidus lines obtained. The nature of the solute in austenit.e is theoretically discussed. On the basis of such discussions, the data obtained by Honda and Endo on the change of magnetic susceptibility of steels with respect to temperature were critically subjected to a graphical analysis, which is shown to yield a rational explanation of the curved solidus lines.

Jan 1, 1931

By T. V. Subrahmanyam, A. P. Rao

The adsorption behavior of chalcopyrite has been studied at different xanthate concentrations and flow rates in a column apparatus with potassium ethyl xanthate as the collector. Based upon the experiment results an equation of the type: 1/F = K3 + m3C + k2/t.Cm2.fm1 is proposed to account for the experimental data. Among copper minerals an early study on chalcocite by Gaudin and Schuman (Taggart, 1951) is well known for its research on the kinetics of the reaction by conventional method of mass balance between the products of reaction and xanthate consumed. The results were interpreted by the concept of ion exchange adsorption. Szeglowski (1977) conducted measurements on the adsorption of potassium ethyl xanthate on copper polarized to various potentials, the adsorption being measured by radio-tracer techniques. The adsorption in the range -1800 to 700 mv was found to be a reversible physical adsorption. The potential range in which the primary electrode process could lead to surface coverage with a minimum number of product layers was evaluated. The adsorption density of xanthate on sulfide surface was found to be related to the concentration of xanthate in solution and concentration of depressants as: [ ]

Jan 1, 1983

By Burk, Hugh A.

AT THE inception of the cyanide process and its adaptation to the practice of gold and silver metallurgy much difficulty was experienced in applying it to auro-cupriferous ores, both in economy of treatment and recovery of the gold from solution. The presence of copper in the ore effected a high chemical consumption of cyanide during treatment, and in the solvent solution, it retarded the precipitation of the gold on zinc shavings. The coating of the copper on the zinc shavings presented even worse difficulties than the increased cyanide consumption as most ores contain a small amount of copper. This interference of copper led to the use of other precipitating methods and attempts to recover the cyanide which was consumed during ore treatment. Of the other methods used, electrolytic precipitation was the most practical until a better understanding of the application of zinc shavings and zinc dust developed. In September, 1905, a patent entitled, "Method for Recovering Precious Metals from Solution," was granted to Isaac Anderson and Michael Scanton. This method is adaptable to precious metal ores containing a small percentage of copper but has never been extensively used or perfected. The process has

Jan 1, 1925

By R. J. Colony

MINING geology does not lend itself - very readily to a review embracing "improvements in methods," as perhaps do shop practices or laboratory procedures. The "methods" used in mining geology are simply the application of geology to mining; winning the ore, the handling of material, mechanical appliances, all belong strictly to mining proper, and have no place in a review of geology as applied to mining. A comprehensive review would necessarily cover a .very broad field, which could be subdivided into many -parts. Only a few of these can be discussed here. .Those that have been suggested to the chairman indude :

Jan 1, 1930

"The building stone industry of Utah has developed slowly on account of the limited market offered. The state has large and varied deposits of granite, limestones, marble and onyx.Three cement companies manufacture Portland cement in the Salt Lake valley. Brick clay, fire clay and clay for sewer pipe is found in the vicinity of Salt Lake City and Ogden.Large deposits of gypsum have been found in several localities in Utah. The gypsum deposit near Nephi has been developed to be one of the most important plaster producers in the western country. This gypsum occurs in large quantities and is exceptionally pure.Oil and Oil ShaleVast deposits of rich oil shale occur in the Green River formation of the Tertiary rocks in the Uintah Basin, northeastern Utah. It is estimated by the United States Geological Survey that the basin contains at least 92,159,000,000 tons of shale which will yield as much as 15 gallons of oil to the ton when distilled. These shale deposits indicate that ultimately Utah will be one of the leading shale oil producing states of the country. Some development work and considerable experimental work has been done, but overproduction of petroleum and general low prices afforded little incentive to the oil-shale operator, consequently no commercial production has yet been established in Utah."

Jan 1, 1925

K. T. Aust and J. W. Rutter (General Electric Research Laboratory)—We find it difficult to reconcile the activation energies determined by Gifkins with his general conclusion that "migration during both creep and grain growth can thus be treated on the basis of the same model" (that of Lucke and Detert). Gifkins finds the activation energy for grain boundary migration during creep to be 24.5 kcal per rnol and that for grain boundary migration during grain growth to be 7.5 kcal per mol. The calculation carried out by Gifkins of the activation energy for grain boundary migration during grain growth, using the Lucke and Detert model, gives a value of 20 to 24.5 kcal per mol, rather than his experimental value of 7.5 kcal per mol. The theory of Lucke and Detert was developed to account for the rates of migration of grain boundaries in the presence of impurities during grain growth. The theory does not take into account the effect on the boundary migration of another, simultaneous process such as creep deformation and would be expected, therefore, to be applicable only to migration during grain growth. The fact that Gifkins measured a different activation energy for boundary migration during grain growth (7.5 kcal per mol) from that during creep (24.5 kcal per mol), although the specimens were of the same composition, shows clearly that such an effect exists under his experimental conditions; the presence of a simultaneous creep deformation markedly affects the boundary migration process in comparison with what would be observed under the same conditions but without the creep deformation. The failure of McLean's equation (Eq. [4] of Gifkins' paper) to give a satisfactory dislocation density difference for boundary migration during creep is not surprising, since the activation energy which must be used in this equation refers only to the elementary atom transfer process of grain boundary migration. This activation energy value is approximately 6 kcal per mol for zone-refined lead, as determined in both the grain boundary migration experiments of Aust and Rutter31, 32 and the grain growth experiments of Bolling and Winegard.33 Using this activation energy value, McLean's equation gives reasonable agreement with observed migration rates for grain boundaries moving free of the influence of impurities.31, 32 The value of 24.5 kcal per mol is probably associated with the presence of impurity atoms, as Gifkins suggests. It should be noted, however, that this value was obtained using lead of only one composition and measurements at only two temperatures. The work of Aust and Rutter3"' on the effects of tin, silver, and gold on grain boundary migration in zone-refined lead in the temperature range from 320" to 200°C, as well as the work of Bolling and Winegard34 on the effect of silver and gold on grain growth in zone-refined lead, shows that the measured activation energy is markedly dependent upon the kind and amount of solute present. Gifkins' work does not permit evaluation of the effect of the 8 ppm of impurities other than oxygen present in his specimens. One incidental point: the symbols used to designate the experimental points of Fig. 6 appear to be in incorrect order in the figure caption. As the caption is printed, it would indicate that larger grain sizes were obtained after annealing at 47°C than at 100°C, which does not agree with the text (point M, p. 1019). Finally, it seems clear from Gifkins' results that any serious attempt to determine whether grain boundary migration and grain boundary sliding during creep occur with the same activation energy, as Gifkins suggests and McLean rejects, must take into account the effects of impurities on these two processes, Although the work of Weinberg35 indicated that adding small amounts of copper, iron and silicon to aluminum did not affect the grain boundary shear behavior, it should be noted that his starting material contained approximately 60 ppm of impurities. Gifkins' results indicate impurity effects at an impurity level of 8 ppm, suggesting strongly that the most significant impurity range to be investigated lies substantially below that value. R. C. Gifkins (author's reply) — As Drs. Aust and Rutter suggest, the results under discussion may have to be reinterpreted in the light of their own work on grain boundary migration, which was not available to me when the paper was written. Because of their work, Aust and Rutter attach more importance than I did to the activation energy for grain boundary migration during annealing (7.5 kcal per mol) obtained from a "direct" plot of log-rate against the reciprocal of absolute temperature. At the time it was obtained, this value seemed rather low, although it was similar to the value obtained by Bolling and Winegard.36 It was then, and still is, difficult to accept this value because of the low value of the index in the power law for grain growth, which seemed to indicate the influence of impurities. It was also concluded that the low value of the activation energy might have arisen from the manner of selecting rates of grain growth which were truly comparable at the two temperatures. There were many other indications in these experiments and those on recrystallization during creep3? that an impurity, probably oxygen, was of importance. The model for grain-boundary migration which Lucke and Detert had proposed was an obvious possibility and its use yielded an activation energy for boundary migration during annealing of 20 to 25 kcal per mol.

Jan 1, 1961

By M. D. Arnold, H. J. Gonzalez, P. B. Crawford

A method is presented for estimating the effective directional permeability ratio and the direction of maximum and minimum permeabilities in anisotropic oil reservoirs. The method is based on the principle that production from a well in an anisotropic reservoir results in elliptical isopo-tentials about the well, rather than circular. Bottom-hole pressure data from three observation wells surrounding a producing well are required to apply the method. The method involves fitting field pressure data to a set of general charts of isopotentials and making a few simple calculations until a solution is found. The method is based on a steady-state equation for homogeneorrs fluid pow. In addition to the method, a brief discussion of the theory underlying it is presented. INTRODUCTION The existence of a different permeability in one direction than another in oil reservoirs has been mentioned in several papers. Hutchinson' reported laboratory tests on 10 limestone cores and pointed out that one-half of them showed significant, preferential, directional permeability ratios, the average being about 16:1. Johnson and Hughesz reported a permeability trend in the Bradford field in the northeast-southwest direction with flow being 25 to 30 per cent greater in that direction. Barfield, Jordan and Moore -eported an effective permeability ratio of 144:1 in the Spraberry. Crawford and Landrum4 showed that sweep efficiencies could often vary by a factor of two to four, and sometimes considerably more, due to variations in flooding direction and patterns in anisotropic media. These findings indicate that the poss'bility of anisotropy may be worthy of consideration in the development of an oil field. In considering this, it should first be determined if anisotropy exists. If it does, the direction of the maximum and minimum permeabilities and the ratio of their magnitudes are quantities which can be of value in planning the most efficient well-spacing patterns. Past methods of determining these quantities have included analysis of oriented cores and analysis of flooding performance of pilot injection patterns. In recent work, Elkins and Skov5 resented an analysis of the pressure behavior in the Spraberry which accounted for anisotropic permeability. This work was based on the transient pres- sure distribution in a porous and permeable medium, with the solution expressed as an exponential integral function involving rock and fluid properties. The purpose of this study is to provide a method, based on steady-state equations, of estimating the direction and relative magnitude of permeabilities in an oil reservoir from field pressure data and well locations only. The method presented is based on work by Muskat6 which shows that Laplace's equation represents the steady-state pressure distribution for homogeneous fluid flow in homogeneous, anisotropic media if the co-ordinates of the system are shrunk or expanded by replacing x with it is desirable that data be obtained early in the history of a field because knowledge of an anisotropic condition would allow new wells to be spaced in such a manner that reservoir development and subsequent secondary recovery programs could be planned more efficiently. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS A brief discussion of the theoretical basis on which the graphical solution was developed is presented in this section. Muskat's two-dimensional6 olution for the pressure distribution in an homogeneous, anisotropic medium with an homogeneous fluid flowing can be algebraically manipulated to show that the isobaric lines are perfect ellipses. The ratio of the major axis to the minor axis, a/b, is related to the permeability ratio, k,/k,, as follows. alb = dk,/k,--...........(1) It can also be shown that the pressure varies linearly with the logarithm of the radial distance from the producing well. However, the gradient along any ray is a function of the orientation of that ray, and a ..xiable is present when anisotropy exists which cancels out for a radial (isotropic) system. For a system such as that described, a dimensionless pressure-drop ratio was developed which is completely independent of the actual magnitude of the pressures. This was done by arranging Muskat's solution in such a way that aIl variables cancelled out except k,/k, and well positions. However, this solution depends on having a co-ordinate system with axes coinciding with the major and minor axes of the elliptical isobars. Thus, it was necessary to introduce a co-ordinate system rotation factor. The two unknown variables are then k,/k. and 0, and the two measured dimensionless pressure-drop ratios are related to the unknown variables as follows.

By Henry Mackay

THE interesting paper recently submitted by Messrs. Tobelmann and Potter' shows that chemical problems have developed which are of great interest in this new and important branch of metallurgy. Those who realize what a process of this kind really involves will agree that it deserves a better name than "leaching process." The word leaching conveys the idea that the copper is simply leached out of the ore with acid and then precipitated on iron; the chemistry of such a process would be of little interest. As, however, during the first year's operation of this plant 24,400,532 lb. (11,067,837 kg.) or about two-thirds of the produce, was electrolytic copper, while 7,992,033 lb., or about one-third, was cement copper, it would seem more appropriate to term the process electrochemical. It further appears, from the particulars given, that efforts have been made to have the entire production in the form of electrolytic copper. -This could be done if the chemistry of the problem were kept in balance, so that it would not be necessary to discard any solutions that carried copper and acid of commercial value. A process, such as that under consideration, in which the copper is precipitated from solution by electrolysis, the solvent being at the same time regenerated, is one that requires special chemical and electrochemical knowledge and experience if all the -copper in solution that has been extracted from the ore is to be successfully and economically produced as electrolytic copper. The object of this paper is to discuss, from the practical and theoretical standpoints, the chemical and electrochemical problems involved in the working of a process of this kind, and' which must be solved to keep it in chemical and electrochemical equilibrium. In such a process, if the chemical balance is maintained, a solution can be used alternately as a

Jan 9, 1919

By Morris Cohen, Robert C. Ruhl

Fe-Ni-B alloys were inresligated by X-ray diffraclion after splat quenching. Although this rapid cooling did not produce a measurable supersaturation of dissol1ed boron in either binary Fe-B or Ni-B alloys, a marked increase in dissolved boron was achieved by the splal quenching of lernary Fe-Ni-B alloys. Boron additions up to 2.0 wl pcl to Fe-13Ni and Fe-24Ni alloys cause an increase in retained austenite from 0 to 59 pet and to 92 pet, respectively. The martensitic phase in the Fe-13Ni-9 at. pct B alloy is .found to conlain about 0.6 at. pet interstitial boron, as evidenced by the tetragonality of this phase, and about 3.6 at. pct substilutional boron, us deduced from the lattice paratrieler decrease, the balance of the boron being precipitated as (Fe,Ni)aR. The austenitic Fe-Ni-B plznses also contain both interstitial and substitutional boron. Iron-Boron System. The phase diagram and related information about the solid solutions and intermediate phases in the Fe-B system are given by ansen,' Elliott.2 and Pearson.1 The equilibrium solid solubility of boron in both ferrite and austenite is quite small: the maximum solid solubility of 0.02 wt pct B (0.11 at. pct B) occurs in iron at the eutectic temperature of 1150°C. while the maximum solubility in a iron is less than 0.01 wt pct.l There is disagreement in the literature as to whether these solid solutions are substitutional or interstitial. Based on the measured activation energy of boron diffusion in iron, it appears likely that boron moves interstitially in austenite. 4 However, this observation does not rule out the possibility that some of the dissolved boron may also occupy substitutional sites in this phase. Investigations of internal friction of boron in iron have suggested that boron is interstitial there.' Shevelev, 5 on the other hand, reports a decrease in the ferrite lattice parameter with dissolved boron content, thus indicating a substitutional solution. Unfortunately. Shevelev's methods and analysis are unclear. Goldhoff and spretnak6 have measured the lattice parameters of pure iron and an Fe-0.005 wt pct B (0.027 at. pct) alloy at both room temperature (ferrite) and from 920° to 1200°C (austenite). They reporte: a lattice contraction in the ferrite of 0.0003 ± 0.0002 due to boron, thus indicating a predominately substitutional solution. Appreciable (0.0010 to 0.0060) lattice contractions were found in boron-containing austenites, but these effects were much larger than could be accounted for by the substitutional solution of all the boron present. Nickel-Boron System. Elliott 2 gives a summary of thephase diagram and recent work on this system. The solubility of boron in nickel reaches a maximum of 0.03 wt pct at the eutectic temperature of 1080°C. Iron-Nickel System. ansen' presents the equilibrium diagram for this system and also discusses the metastable austenitic and martensitic phases along with the a=? transformations. The lattice parameters of Fe-Ni ferrites have been recently redetermined by Abrahamson and Lopata.7 Their data, Fig. 1, show an unusual change in slope at about 1.7 at. pct Ni. Very few measurements of the lattice parameters of Fe-Ni martensites are available in the literature. The values of Roberts and Owen8 are considerably higher than those measured in the course of the present work: they find that a, is constant at 2.874? from 8 to 30 at. pct Ni. Both the slope change in the ferrite parameters and the occurrence of a maximum plateau in the marten-sitic lattice parameters vs composition denote the

Jan 1, 1970

By John S. Brown

As a part of a symposium on the relations of structure to ore deposition, in February 1938, the writer presented some tentative opinions derived from his experience with a number of important lead-zinc replacement deposits. These ideas were set forth, as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further inquiry, in a mimeographed leaflet that read as follows Intimate acquaintance with a number of lead and zinc deposits in metamorphosed limestones seems to indicate the existence of certain common features from which can be established some general principles governing the localization of ore in this type of formation. It is suspected that these principles can be applied, with modifications, to mineralization in unmetamorphosed limestone. In metamorphosed formations, some observed rules are as follows: 1. Bands or masses of pure limestone are very resistant to replacement by ore solutions, and are likely either to contain no ore or to resist replacement until near the end of mineralization. The reason for this apparently is physical, not chemical, since microscopic data indicate that when ore is deposited by far the greater part of it substitutes for carbonate. The chief factor is believed to be a lack of porosity in massive limestone that has undergone flowage and recrystallization. 2. Masses of intensely siliceous or silicated rock are likewise unfavorable ore receptacles. This seems to be accounted for by two factors: (a) chemical unsuitability or resistance to replacement, and (b) physical resistance to small-scale brecciation, which might facilitate the opening of effective channelways for solutions. Some low-grade ore may occur, however, and also sporadic fracture fillings. 3. The optimum condition for ore reception appears to be found in bands or areas containing carbonate and silicates (or quartz) intimately mingled in something like equal proportions. In this situation movement is likely to result in mixed flowage and fracture, producing a fine-textured porosity that admits solutions freely and provides access to an abundance of replaceable carbonate. Cleavage cracks in some minerals such as diopside are believed to facilitate the penetration of solutions. 4. Certain minerals or assemblages are regarded as favorable impurities in a limestone and others as unfavorable. Original quartz, and subsequently developed diopside, and perhaps garnet, are typical favorable pre-ore gangue; in general rather equidimensional, brittle minerals. Tremolite, biotite, and probably wollastonite, are typical unfavorable pre-ore gangue; in general highly elongated and somewhat flexible minerals likely to develop under strong shearing stresses. 5. Tentative opinion is that the ratio of lime and magnesia in a limestone is of little or no importance.

Jan 1, 1940

By A. Weiss

Operations Research developments within the mining industry have evolved over the last few years through stages typical of any new technique. By 1965, most companies had passed from mere recognition of the usefulness of operations research techniques to cautious acceptance of and, in some in- stances, to confident utilization of this relatively new tool. This is reflected in the growing interest and increasing participation of mining companies in sponsoring individual papers on the subject published in mining journals or presented in full sessions at annual meetings. Chief among the sources which served, in 1965, as a barometer for measuring operations research progress within mining is the Annual Symposium on the Applications of Statistics, Operations Research, and Computers in the Mining Industry, which is now sponsored by the University of Arizona, Stanford University, Colorado School of Mines, The Pennsylvania State University, and the Society of Mining Engineers of the AIME. Two significant trends were evident in the applications of operations research techniques to problems typical of the mining industry. On the one hand, unique and imaginative O.R. applications were being developed by several companies, government agencies, and at the university level. These techniques were usually developed to solve specific existing problems. On the other hand, there was unmistakable evidence of attempts to look for problems which could be solved with those "operations research" approaches which would involve the use of the digital computer. In the latter instance, solutions may become applications or demonstrations of how the computer can be used in the reduction and interpretation of data, without the benefit of a decision model. This is a common tendency as most companies have computers, at least in their accounting sections, and many operations research solutions require the use of a digital computer. From the applications observed in 1965 and in prior years, the successful techniques have evolved.

Jan 2, 1966

By John Brown

As a part of a symposium on the relations of structure to ore deposi-tion, in February 1938, the writer presented some tentative opinions derived from his experience with a number of important lead-zinc replace-ment deposits. These ideas were set forth, as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further inquiry, in a mimeographed leaflet that read as follows: Intimate acquaintance with a number of lead and zinc deposits in metamorphosed limestones seems to indicate the existence of certain common features from which can be established some general principles governing the localization of ore in this type of formation. It is suspected that these principles can be applied, with modifica-tions, to mineralization in unmetamorphosed limestone. In metamorphosed forma-tions, some observed rules are as follows: 1. Bands or masses of pure limestone are very resistant to replacement by ore solutions, and are likely either to contain no ore or to resist replacement until near the end of mineralization. The reason for this apparently is physical, not chemical, since microscopic data indicate that when ore is deposited by far the greater part of it substitutes for carbonate. The chief factor is believed to be a lack of porosity in massive limestone that has undergone flowage and recrystallization. 2. Masses of intensely siliceous or silicated rock are likewise unfavorable ore receptacles. This seems to be accounted for by two factors: (a) chemical unsuit-ability or resistance to replacement, and (b) physical resistance to small-scale brecci-ation, which might facilitate the opening of effective channelways for solutions. Some low-grade ore may occur, however, and also sporadic fracture fillings. 3. The optimum condition for ore reception appears to be found in bands or areas containing carbonate and silicates (or quartz) intimately mingled in something like equal proportions. In this situation movement is likely to result in mixed flowage and fracture, producing a fine-textured porosity that admits solutions freely and provides access to an abundance of replaceable carbonate. Cleavage cracks in some minerals such as diopside are believed to facilitate the penetration of solutions. 4. Certain minerals or assemblages are regarded as favorable impurities in a lime-stone and others as unfavorable. Original quartz, and subsequently developed diopside, and perhaps garnet, are typical favorable pre-ore gangue; in general rather equidimensional, brittle minerals. Tremolite, biotite, and probably wollastonite, are typical unfavorable pre-ore gangue; in general highly elongated and somewhat flexible minerals likely to develop under strong shearing stresses. 5. Tentative opinion is that the ratio of lime and magnesia in a limestone-is of little or no importance.

Jan 1, 1940

By FREDERICK C. BROWN

THE practice of fine-grinding is now being so successfully - carried on in some fields, notably in West Australia, and its advisability has been so frequently pointed out' that the matter in this paper is not put forward as being new ; its chief object being to call attention to the importance of fine-grinding in the treatment of comparatively low-grade ores. I have been engaged during the last five years in the cyanide-treatment of ores in the Ohinemuri district (North Island), New Zealand, and I consider that, in the near future, extremely fine-grinding (almost sliming) will become a very important feature of the milling-methods in this field, since it seems absolutely necessary to reduce the most of ores to a very fine state of division if a high extraction is to be obtained; and, in most cases, the extra percentage of saving will leave a good margin above the increased cost of treatment due both to the fine-grinding and to the interest on the capital spent for the grinding-machinery. The average ore of the Ohinemuri field is composed of a quartz-gangue with some calcite, carrying the gold-value in the form of an alloy of gold and silver in about equal proportions, and the silver-value in the form of mixed sulphides of silver, usually associated with a considerable amount of iron pyrites. In the upper levels, the ores are decomposed and carry large quantities of black manganese oxide and some iron oxide, but, as. depth is reached, the decomposed ore gives place to sulphides and, in some mines, rhodonite, manganese silicate, is present in fairly large quantities. The average value of the

Jan 1, 1906

By John S. Brown

As a part of a symposium on the relations of structure to ore deposition, in February 1938, the writer presented some tentative opinions derived from his experience with a number of important lead-zinc replacement deposits. These ideas were set forth, as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further inquiry, in a mimeographed leaflet that read as follows: Intimate acquaintance with a number of lead and zinc deposits in metamorphosed limestones seems to indicate the existence of certain common features from which can be established some general principles governing the localization of ore in this type of formation. It is suspected that these principles can be applied, with modifications, to mineralization in unmetamorphosed limestone. In metamorphosed formations, some observed rules are as follows: 1. Bands or masses of pure limestone are very resistant to replacement by ore solutions, and are likely either to contain no ore or to resist replacement until near the end of mineralization. The reason for this apparently is physical, not chemical, since microscopic data indicate that when ore is deposited by far the greater part of it substitutes for carbonate. The chief factor is believed to be a lack of porosity in massive limestone that has undergone flowage and recrystallization. 2. Masses of intensely siliceous or silicated rock are likewise unfavorable ore receptacles. This seems to be accounted for by two factors: (a) chemical unsuit-ability or resistance to replacement, and (b) physical resistance to small-scale brecci-ation, which might faeilitate the opening of effective channelways for solutions. Some low-grade ore may occur, however, and also sporadic fracture fillings. 3. The optimum condition for ore reception appears to be found in bands or areas containing carbonate and silicates (or quartz) intimately mingled in something like equal proportions. In this situation movement is likely to result in mixed flowage and fracture, producing a finc-textured porosity that admits solutions freely and provides access to an abundance of replaceable carbonate. Cleavage cracks in some minerals such as diopside are believed to facilitate the penetration of solutions. 4. Certain minerals or assemblages are regarded as favorable impurities in a limestone and others as unfavorable. Original quartz, and subsequently developed diopside, and perhaps garnet, are typical favorable pre-ore gangue; in general rather equidimensional, brittle minerals. Tremolite, biotite, and probably wollastonite, are typical unfavorable pre-ore gangue; in general highly elongated and somewhat flexible minerals likely to develop under strong shearing stresses. 5. Tentative opinion is that the ratio of lime and magnesia in a limestone is of little or no importance.

Jan 1, 1941

By John S. Brown

As a part of a symposium on the relations of structure to ore deposition, in February 1938, the writer presented some tentative opinions derived from his experience with a number of important lead-zinc replacement deposits. These ideas were set forth, as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further inquiry, in a mimeographed leaflet that read as follows: Intimate acquaintance with a number of lead and zinc deposits in metamorphosed limestones seems to indicate the existence of certain common features from which can be established some general principles governing the localization of ore in this type of formation. It is suspected that these principles can be applied, with modifications, to mineralization in unmetamorphosed limestone. In metamorphosed formations, some observed rules are as follows: 1. Bands or masses of pure limestone are very resistant to replacement by ore solutions, and are likely either to contain no ore or to resist replacement until near the end of mineralization. The reason for this apparently is physical, not chemical, since microscopic data indicate that when ore is deposited by far the greater part of it substitutes for carbonate. The chief factor is believed to be a lack of porosity in massive limestone that has undergone flowage and recrystallization. 2. Masses of intensely siliceous or silicated rock are likewise unfavorable ore receptacles. This seems to be accounted for by two factors: (a) chemical unsuit-ability or resistance to replacement, and (b) physical resistance to small-scale brecci-ation, which might faeilitate the opening of effective channelways for solutions. Some low-grade ore may occur, however, and also sporadic fracture fillings. 3. The optimum condition for ore reception appears to be found in bands or areas containing carbonate and silicates (or quartz) intimately mingled in something like equal proportions. In this situation movement is likely to result in mixed flowage and fracture, producing a finc-textured porosity that admits solutions freely and provides access to an abundance of replaceable carbonate. Cleavage cracks in some minerals such as diopside are believed to facilitate the penetration of solutions. 4. Certain minerals or assemblages are regarded as favorable impurities in a limestone and others as unfavorable. Original quartz, and subsequently developed diopside, and perhaps garnet, are typical favorable pre-ore gangue; in general rather equidimensional, brittle minerals. Tremolite, biotite, and probably wollastonite, are typical unfavorable pre-ore gangue; in general highly elongated and somewhat flexible minerals likely to develop under strong shearing stresses. 5. Tentative opinion is that the ratio of lime and magnesia in a limestone is of little or no importance.

Jan 1, 1941

Theo. B. ComstocK, Los Angeles, Cal. (communication to the Secretary*):—Mr. Blake's recent paper upon this topic undoubtedly partly explains the rationale of a part of the known facts bearing upon discolorat'ion and encrustation of rocks. His quotation from Humboldt, with reference to certain South American examples, may be questioned in the light of further facts, which do not appear to bear out the great traveler's theory of causation. There is no available evidence that the waters of the tropical rivers referred to by Professor Blake contain dissolved organic matter in the varying proportions required to demonstrate Humboldt's guess, nor do the concomitant facts in any manner bear out the hypothesis that the blackening in one case and its absence in the other may, perhaps, be traced to differences in the chemical reactions of the respective waters. Careful consideration of Professor Blake's illustrations, in connection with numerous personal observations extending over widely-scattered areas, convinces me that elements of

Jan 1, 1905

By Elmer W. Pehrson

NINETEEN FORTY-SIX was an eventful year for the mineral industries. Perhaps the most significant development was the socialization of industry in Great Britain, initiated in 1945 but carried to fruition in the coal industry in 1946. On Jan. 1, 1947, management of the coal industry will be vested in a National Coal Board, responsible to the Ministry of Fuel and Power. A sum of £164,660,000 has been provided to compensate private owners for assets transferred to the Board. The British coal industry has been a problem for many years. Production has declined to a point where serious shortages of fuel for domestic needs have developed. Exports have dwindled to a small fraction of the previous trade. Costs have increased greatly, and quality has deteriorated. The industry's physical plant has not kept pace with the rapidly mounting wage scales in recent years. Some claim that the best and most accessible coal reserves of Britain are heavily depleted. The industry has been harassed by difficult labor problems, including bad morale among the workers and a shrinking labor force.

Jan 1, 1947

By Shiro Ban-ya, John Chipman

Using the same experimental method previously described, the activity of sulfur in a number of quaternary and more complex liquid iron alloys at 1550oC is determined. A "cross-product term zj.zk is determined for each of the quaternary alloys to take account of the mutual effects of the combinalion on the indi-vidual contributions to In 5 The interactiotl coefjicienls delermined for ternary solutions and cross-pvoducl coefficierlts from the quaternary systems are used to estimate the activity coefficient of sulfur in more complex alloys. OUR recent papers 1,2 have described new determinations of the activity of sulfur in Fe-S binary and Fe-S-j ternary solutions, but the practical applications of these data require the estimation of activity of sulfur in more complex systems. Previously, Sherman and chipman3 devised an approximate method for calculating the activity of sulfur in complex systems by summing the contributions to the logarithm of the activity coefficient of each element in the alloy. This procedure is more successful, as one of us has pointed out,4 when the concentration variable is taken as zs = ns/(nFe — nS t CLJ~ nj) rather than the conventional atom fraction x~ = nS/(nF, + nS + Enj). In the former definition, which is based on analogy to interstitial solutions, the value assigned to uj is normally +1 for metallic and -1 for nonmetallic elements." In addition, however, the effects of mutual interaction between alloying elements must be considered for the accurate estimation of the activity of sulfur in more complex systems. The purpose of this investigation has been to devise a more reliable method for estimating the activity coefficient of sulfur in nmIticomponent iron alloys. The measurements were carried out on some quaternary systems Fe-S-j-k for combinations of silicon, chromium, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten. Manganese was not included since the experimental method has been found unsatisfactory for volatile, sulfide-forming elements. The experimental method was the same in every detail as described previously. 1,2 The concentrations of sulfur, silicon, chromium, and copper in the quenched metals were determined by chemical analysis but those of nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten were calculated from charged amounts. Iron sulfide was included in the charges in amounts estimated to furnish approximately the final sulfur content. CALCULATION W2 have shown2 that when zs and zj are the concentration variables in a ternary Fe-S-j solution the logarithm of the activity coefficient S = a~/zg is a linear function of the variables as and aj defined as follows:

Jan 1, 1970