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By Craig S. Hartley

Expressions are obtained for the energy changes associated with the reaction of (a& (111) slip dislocations on intersecting (110)planes in anisotropic bcc metals. An energy criterion for assessing the likelihood of dissociation of the products of such reactions is also presented. It is found that the "burrier reactions" which form a(100) dislocations at the intersection of two active {110) slip planes are more energetically favorable in metals which exhibit a high value of Zener's anisotropy factor, A, than those which have a low value. The results are presented in a form which permits the stacking fault energy to be obtained from a measurement of the separation between par-tials in a dissociated configuration. However, until accurate calculations or measurements of the stacking fault energies involved are available, it is not possible to assess the physical importance of dissociated dislocations. In a recent paper,' the energy changes associated with several types of reactions between two slip dislocations, (a/2)(111){110), in bcc structures were calculated.* Isotropic elasticity and the approxima- tion v = -3- were employed. The purpose of this work is to present calculations of the energy changes for many of the same reactions using anisotropic elasticity. The problem of dissociation of a(100) and a(110) dislocations is also considered, and maximum fault energies for which dissociation will be energetically favorable are calculated for several bcc metals. Two general types of reactions are considered; those for which the reactant (a/2)(111) dislocations have long-range attractive forces and those for which the reverse is true. An example of the former is: (a/2)[lll] + (a/2)[lll]-a[l00] while the latter are typified by: (a/2)[lll] + (a/2)[111] -a[011] Only reactants lying in different slip planes are considered; therefore, the products must lie along (111) or (100) directions, which are the intersection of two {llO} planes. It will be assumed that the reactants and products are infinitely long parallel dislocations, since in this case the energy change associated with the reactions is a maximum.' THEORY The self-energy per unit length of a straight mixed dislocation in an anisotropic medium can be written? where b is the Burgers vector, K is an appropriate combination of the single-crystal elastic constants, and R and ro are, respectively, outer and inner cut-off radii of the elastic solution. The energy given by Eq. [I] does not account for any variation of the core energy with orientation. This could be manifested by an orientation dependence of the core radius or, equivalently, the Peierls width, of the dislocation. However, the energy contribution due to this source is expected to be small, and current models of the dislocation core are not sufficiently accurate to justify such a refinement. It has already been shown that for the isotropic case the energy contributions due to nonzero tractions across the cores of the reactants and products exactly cancel one another in the reaction.' Accordingly, it will be assumed that this contribution to the total energy change in the anisotropic case is small. In the subsequent discussion it is also assumed that the core radii of the reactant and product dislocation are the same and that, where stacking faults are formed, the faulted region is bounded by the centers of the partials. Consequently only changes in elastic energy due to the reactions will be considered. When the dislocation is parallel to either the (111) or the (100) directions, K may be written:375 K = (Ke sin2 a + Ks cos2 a) [2] where K, and Ks are the combination of elastic constants corresponding to an edge and screw dislocation lying along the same direction as the mixed dislocation, and a is the angle between the direction tangent to the dislocation line and the Burgers vector. Eq. [2] should not be confused with the isotropic approximation to the variation in energy with line Orientation.6 It should be noted that the essentially isotropic expression for K is a result of the characteristic symmetry of the (111) and (100) directions and is not, in general, valid for other dislocation directions in anisotropic cubic metals. The energy* change for a reaction in which the re- actant and product dislocations are parallel perfect dislocations can be written: where Ep and E, refer to the self-energies of the products and reactants, respectively. For dislocations parallel to (100) and (111) directions, Eq. [3] becomes:

Jan 1, 1969

By Nicholas J. Grant, Henry Epstein, John Chipman

FOR many years steel producers have been concerned with the presence of hydrogen in steel. Hydrogen dissolved in excess of its solid solubility at the melting point may cause bleeding and gross unsoundness in ingots and castings. In fully-killed steels the hydrogen content which results in these difficulties varies with the alloy content1 and may range from 6 to 12 ppm.* It is also recognized that of heat treatment diminishes rapidly as the size of the part to be treated increases. The time required to remove a specified fraction of the hydrogen present increases as the square of the diameter of the section, making the treatment of large- sizes impractical. In order to prevent bleeding and gross unsound-ness due to hydrogen, and in view of the inadequacy of corrective heat treatment alone to provide optimum properties when hydrogen is present in large sections, efforts to limit the hydrogen content must be taken while the steel is still liquid. The main subject of this paper is a discussion of the factors affecting the hydrogen content of liquid steel in acid and basic open hearth, and basic electric two-slag furnace processing. Literature Survey Because many of the results and observations reported in the literature have a direct bearing on the results obtained in the present research and form part of the basis for conclusions reached, a brief summary of the findings is necessary. Methods for experimental investigation of hydrogen in liquid steel are comparatively new. The first attempts to estimate the hydrogen content of the open hearth bath were by Kalling and Rudberg,6 who devised a method for collecting gases evolved from the boiling bath of a basic open hearth furnace. They found that the gas during the boil generally contained 2 to 3 pct H2. From this and Sieverts'

Jan 1, 1958

By George C. Stone

The stack gases from regenerative furnaces lare very seldom utilized for the production of steam. If the temperature of the gases is not higher than 300" C. (572" F.) there is no economy in their use for this purpose, as the amount of available heat is very small and the temperature is so little above that of the steam that the interchange is too slow. With higher temperatures of the waste gases, however, good results can be obtained. At the plant of the New Jersey Zinc Co. (of Pa.) at Palmerton there are a number of return tubular boilers, each 6 ft. in diameter and 20 ft. long, with 96 3.5-in. tubes, which are heated by the waste gases from the spelter furnaces. These furnaces have continuous regenerators heating the air only and the stack gases reach the boilers at a temperature of about 450". The gas producers for one of these furnaces require 14 tons of anthracite (a mixture of Nos. 2 and 3 buckwheat), and the waste heat from the furnace gives a little more than 42 h.p. in steam. The boilers are not well adapted for the purpose, as they are much too large for the amount of heat going to them and the area of the tubes is not sufficient to take the gas from two furnaces without causing an objectionable amount of back pressure. The plant was built without any idea of using waste-heat boilers, and it was impossible to place the latter as close to the furnaces as they should be. Furnace and boiler are connected by an underground brick flue in which the temperature of the gas drops about 100°, losing 40 per cent. of its available heat. If the boilers were close to the furnaces the horse power of each would be 70 instead of 42. Even under these unfavorable conditions the boilers have been very advantageous, as one boiler easily supplies the steam necessary for two batteries of producers. With such low gas temperatures the heating surface of the boilers is, of course, not as efficient and the flue areas need to be considerably larger than for coal firing.

Jan 1, 1914

By Edmund C. Pechin

THE iron trade of America seems on the point of a new departure. After years of struggling against heavy odds, patient endurance in periods of depression and loss, fears and hopes alternating as failure or success seemed to be the penalty or reward ; wanting in sufficient capital, embarrassed by reason of imperfect knowledge and lack of skilled labor, confronted by a powerful foe-every doubt has at last vanished, physical and mechanical difficulties have been largely over-come, capital has become more abundant and remunerative, the excellence of our product has been everywhere established, and the peculiarities of American character-pluck, energy, and perseverance -have at last placed the trade upon a foundation so broad and stable that upon it we begin to erect the structure of a world-wide business. Concerning the future of the iron trade in the United States there can be but little doubt. The growing scarcity and constantly increasing cost of raw material in Great Britain, their loss of labor by emigration, the social disturbances among the working-classes, assuming a more threatening attitude on each new outbreak ; the rapidly decreasing value of money, in consequence of the enormous production of gold and silver, combine to forbid any return to former prices, and indicate that a point has been reached beyond which any marked increase of production is improbable. The same causes are operating to a greater or lesser extent upon the Continent. In the meanwhile the growing wants of humanity are rapidly outstripping these sources of supply. In addition to the steadily increasing foreign and home demand, we find, the world over, the most intense activity everywhere displayed in enterprises requiring

Jan 1, 1873

By Charles E. Wait

The old laboratory at the School of Mines was among the notoriously bad ones, being situated in apartments of the main collegebuildings not originally intended, and conspicuously unfit, for the use to which they were put; while, as in many of our schools and colleges, the assaying was done in the basement of the college. Prominent among the disadvantages of such an arrangement are insufficient light, poor ventilation, and little or no provision to carry off offensive gases. It is not my intention now to present a complete description of this building. I wish merely to call attention to a few points in its construction and equipment, which may prove of interest to those who contemplate erecting buildings for snch work, and who may be, as we were in this instance, limited as to funds. In this laboratory every room is well lighted; all rooms used by students are well ventilated, and are provided with closed hoods for

Jan 1, 1887

By C. R. Boyd

THE region to which I have the pleasure of calling your attention, though limited in area, is remarkable for the quantity and purity of its mineral deposits, and in these respects it would be difficult to find its equal anywhere. IRON ORES. The red and brown hematites, pipe ore, and semi-magnetites, from which is made in charcoal furnaces the highest quality of iron for car-wheels, extend through the counties of Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth, Washington, Bland, Tazewell, Russell, Scott, Lee, Floyd, Carroll, and Grayson, Virginia, and run over into Ashe County, North Carolina. One locality of semi-magnetite, in the centre of the great Giles County basin, has in sight, by actual measurement, 50,000 tons of ore, which, according to Prof. Fesquet, contains 69.74 per cent. of iron and no phosphorus. In the great brown-ore belt, which passes through the counties of Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth, and Washington, there is an extraordinary deposit of more than a million tons. A small section of this very long vein, on Cripple Creek, in the County of Wythe, yields an ore which, analyzed by Mr. James Aumann, gave the following results: Metallic iron, - 58.15 Water, - 12 96 Alumina, - 2.32 Silica, - 1.09 Phosphorus, - none. At one point towards the western end of Red Land Mountain, in Pulaski County, New River section, I measured a body of ore in this belt which will yield, to a depth of 150 feet, over 8,000,000 tons, and the deposit extends far below the 150 feet measured at the upper part. Again, at Rich Hill, near the mouth of Reed Island Creek, these veins show extraordinary surface development, giving an ore of very great purity. At numerous places, also, in the counties of Giles, Bland, Tazewell, Russell, Scott, Wise, and Lee, these brown and red iron ores are exposed in such vast quantities as to baffle both description and measurement. That of Chestnut Flat, in Giles County, back or west of the Angel's Rest Mountain, is an easily reducible ore, blood-red when crushed, of which there are fully 300,000 tons in sight. Its analysis is as follows

Jan 1, 1880

By H. W. Dow

Quite early in the beginning of the present century, hoisting equipment underwent a radical change, when electric motors were applied to furnish the power in place of steam engines. Naturally, in the beginning, motors were not employed for large hoists: most of them were small single-drum hoists for which the motor ran continuously and the drum was clutched in for hoisting by various methods, and the down-going trips were made on the brake. In 1911 the Nordberg Manufacturing Co. of Milwaukee built for the first time a double-drum hoist powered with a first-motion direct-current motor (Fig. I). This hoist embodied many of the features that are used on larger hoists today. In the early development of motor-driven hoists a more or less natural mis- take was generally made, which only recently is being corrected. Because the electric motor has a higher speed than the steam engine, mining people in general accepted, without question, the use of small-diameter drums and the resultant finding of the rope in multiple layers, which was not at that time, the general practice on first-motion steam hoists. Small-diameter drums can usually be driven by a motor through a single reduction of gears even with relatively high motor speed, therefore the complete equipment could be obtained with a lower first cost.

Jan 1, 1946

"The Great Falls of the Missouri are situated about 12 miles below the City of Great Falls and development work for the utilization of the power which they afford is now in progress. The natural fall is about 77 feet.The development will consist of a concrete dam 1,000 feet long on the crest line, and 73 feet high. The power house will be set below the present falls near the north end and the tailrace will be cut below an island which is situated just below the falls. The maximum head will be 153 feet. The power house will contain six units of 15,000 horse power each. The construction as contemplated will comprise about 180,000 cubic yards of concrete work, using 200,000 barrels of cement."

Jan 1, 1913

By A. L. Mular

Several capital cost estimation procedures are reviewed briefly, although the factored estimate method is discussed in preference. A table of cost versus equipment parameter data is provided, where the cost may be updated from the current value of the M&S cost index for mining and milling. Cost equations are useful to prepare computer programs which perform capital cost calculations. The use of the factored estimate method is illustrated.

Jan 1, 1978

By Harold W. Scott

Geological Engineering is now a recognized curriculum in most of the mining schools in United States. Graduates of these schools are scattered over the face of the earth, participating in exploration and mining enterprises of diverse character. They are engaged in the mapping of new mineral deposits, in the extension of old deposits, the estimation of reserves, microscopic analysis, and in the direction of exploitation and conservation of man's natural resources. The training of men qualified to carry out these technical phases of modern industry has fallen essentially to the mining schools. For the most part they have met the demand for technically trained men in the mineral industries. Schools Offering Geological Engineering Degree The mining schools have passed through the early stages of their development and at the present offer varied curricula covering the fields of geological engineering, mining engineering, and metallurgical engineering. Usually a B.S. degree is offered in any of these three fields. However, .there has been some tendency of recent date on the part of the Engineers Council for Professional Development to question the validity of a B.S. degree in Geological Engineering. The of this paper is to examine the curricula as offered in the mining schools, to evaluate their engineering content, and to propose minimum requirements for the degree of Geological Engineering in the mining industry. The curricula of eight institutions that offer the degree of B.S. in Geological Engineering or Mining Geology have been studied (Table 1). All except one of these schools are in or near mining districts and occur west of the Mississippi River. They are all state-supported institutions that have come into existence because of the state's need for technically trained men. A graduate from .a mining school is called upon to perform many duties of a technical nature. His initial task may be to make a geological map of a mine or the surface above, but before the map is finished he may be asked to take over the responsibility of getting the ore "on top." And finally, he might find it essential to know how to mill the ore. Certainly this requires technically trained men and the mining schools are essentially the organizations to do the job. The departments of geology in these schools are training geological engineers. Field Of Geology If we were to accept the opinions of some writers, we would be forced to conclude that all geology departments offer only a "dilettante" variety of subjects.

Jan 1, 1944

By H. E. Elliott, R. S. Busk, A. T. Peters

ONE of the problems of the fabricator of metals and alloys is the propensity of some composition ranges toward abnormal grain growth during certain stages of fabrication. In this respect magnesium alloys are no exception among alloys. Fortunately, convenient foundry control methods have been developed by which the abnormal grain growth possible in certain magnesium-alloy castings can be suppressed. An unusual characteristic of magnesium alloys, however, is that castings of some composition ranges are subject to local grain growth during heat-treatment without the necessity of intentional mechanical stressing of the part prior to heat-treatment. This effect occurs only under certain critical casting conditions, and only in certain alloys of greater than about 8.5 per cent aluminum content, such as C alloy (Mg, o per cent Al, 2 per cent Zn, 0.2 per cent Mn) and G alloy (Mg, i0 per cent Al, 0.2 per cent Mn). The first observation of this phenomenon in cast magnesium alloys occasioned much surprise, since it is not observed in other metals. Jeffries and Archer' have stated that "the grain size of cast metals, provided they have not been plastically deformed, cannot be changed by heating below the melting point." The study of the conditions leading to abnormal grain growth in cast magnesium alloys, and of the mechanism of this phenomenon, has led to some very interesting observations. Perhaps the most significant of these was the observation that stresses originating from cooling contraction in magnesium-alloy castings are the only stresses necessary, under certain conditions, to cause local recrystallization and subsequent grain growth in the casting during heat-treatment. of abnormal local grain growth was a definite problem in the production foundry on C alloy sand castings. Illustrated (Fig. r) is a picture of a casting scrapped because of this defect. A mottled effect is produced in coarse-grained areas by suitable etching solutions. The properties of metal in the affected area are much impaired by such grain coarsening. Ultimate tensile strengths of half the normal value have been measured in metal of this nature. In this paper are described the techniques that have been developed by The Dow Chemical Co. for studying, and in large measure solving, this production problem. Also discussed are studies of the mechanism by which excessive grain coarsening occurs, and the fundamental conditions that produce this effect. The abnormal grain growth discussed in this paper will be referred to as "germination," since this term has been defined' as any process leading to an abnormally coarse grain size. This paper deals only with abnormal local grain growth that may occur during the solution heat-treatment of certain magnesium-alloy castings, as dis-

Jan 1, 1945

By A. D. Hodges

The great mining region of Peru is a mountainous belt of country, running nearly the whole length of the republic, and comprising the two grand ranges of the Andes with the elevated table-lands between them. On the east of this belt are the extensive plains and fertile valleys of the Amazon and its tributaries. On the west is a narrow strip of coast 20 to 50 miles wide, for the most part a sandy desert, but producing abundant crops where irrigated ; and here are found petroleum (Department of Piura), salt (at Huacho and elsewhere), nitrate of soda in enormous amounts at the south, silver in a few localities (Province of Tarapaca), copper and other mineral products. The Western Cordillera, running nearly parallel with the shoreline, rises like a wall on the eastern side of the coast-belt, with passes from 15,000 to 18,000 feet high and peaks attaining 18,000 to 20,000 feet. Further east, at a varying distance, is the Eastern Cordillera, composed of broken mountain ranges which, considered as one group, have a general parallelism with the western chain, but individually vary greatly in direction, sometimes running nearly east and west, in places projecting out into the Amazonian lands, or here and there curving around to unite with the western ridge, and with this enclosing immense inter-alpine plains. These general features are indicated in Fig. 1. The surface of these plains is uneven and traversed by lower ranges of hills which surround large lakes, or rolling pampas, or fertile valleys; and through many of these last run rivers of considerable size. The whole country has a high altitude (averaging up to 15,000 or 16,000 feet), and slopes gradually north and east towards the Amazon, into which drain all its waters. Its bounding mountain chains are scored on all sides by narrow, picturesque and pre-

Jan 1, 1888

By A. J. Miller, G. R. Brophy

THE Grossmann principle1 for the calculation of hardenability of steel from composition is attractive because of its simplicity. It postulates that the hardenability of a steel for any particular grain size may be expressed in terms of an ideal critical diameter, which is the product of an ideal critical diameter for a "pure" iron-carbon base multiplied by a succession of factors for each element of composition contained, including the incidentals. It infers that the multiplying factor for a given quantity of an element is constant for all combinations of composition. Grossmann has stated that in the great majority of cases the experimental values of hardenability are found to be well within 10 per cent of the calculated values. The validity of the scheme has been confirmed in principle by Crafts and Lamont2,3 and by Kramer et al .4 Their results differ from the original in the magnitude of the effect of some elements but, since they accepted the product concept and followed its direction, it is to be expected that similar results would be obtained. Crafts and Lamont, in their second paper, recognized that the factor relations for manganese and nickel were not continuously linear, but beyond certain critical amounts increase sharply. Austin, Van Note and Prater5 demonstrated nonlinear relations between hardenability and alloy contents. Their curves for chromium, silicon, manganese and nickel were all convex upward to show decreasing incremental effects. They concluded that Grossmann's factors underevaluate the hardening effect of low percentage additions of these elements, and overevaluate the larger additions. [ ] More recently W. Steven6 has found that the factor method fails when applied to complex steels containing two or three principal alloying elements other than carbon. Multiplying factors derived from his results bear a complex relation to composition and are not constant for a given amount of an element as the base composition varies. C. A. Liedholm7 found that, using either the Grossmann or the Crafts-Lamont multiplying factor values, not only were

Jan 1, 1945

By W. A. Vine

When a hole is made in a stressed solid, such as rock pierced by mine openings, equilibrium of the solid is destroyed. To restablish that equilibrium the stress condition in the rock surrounding the opening becomes rearranged. This rearrangement may or may not develop local stresses in the vicinity of the opening which exceed the elastic strength of the rock. Since stability of the opening depends, therefore, on the strength of the naturally occurring rock surrounding the opening, this rock is an engineering material of construction, and all rock affected by the associated opening or system of openings may be considered a structure. The term invert is chosen to describe the formation of the structure built from the inside, as it were, and a consequence of mining rather than an entity built for a purpose. By definition, an invert structure is formed when openings are made underground and is com- posed of that material on the solid side of a rock-air interface wherein the stress condition is affected by the associated opening or system of openings. The shape of an invert structure is never clearly defined; the skin of the structure may be mapped, and even described, but the boundary of the structure within the solid rock mass must be arbitrarily set.

Nov 1, 1955

By Albert Sauveur

It is delightful to read a technical paper like that of J. E. Johnson, The Effect of High Carbon on the Quality of Charcoal-Iron, presented in October, 1912, at the Cleveland meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers.' The clear, simple, and straightforward manner in which he describes his experiments and results makes you feel as if you had been, so to speak, at his elbow during the course of his investigations, while his method of procedure is so rational that you can fairly anticipate each step in the logical sequence of the tests performed. The following notes suggested by Mr. Johnson's paper are presented here in the hope that they may help, if only a mite, towards the final solution of a problem of considerable scientific and industrial importance. Physical Properties of Cast-Iron us. Its Ultimate Composition. Mr. Johnson writes that " an investigation along the lines of consumption showed that different irons have different characters totally independent of their analyses," and he declares that " the presence or absence of these elements [meaning carbon, phosphorus, silicon, and manganese] alone will not account for all, scarcely for a half, of the facts which have long been known." He further tells us that some foundries have " proved, by the most irrefutable tests, that they could take a certain iron of a given analysis and produce certain results," while with " another iron of the same analysis they could not produce these results at all." I feel confident that every experienced and thinking metallurgist will readily believe Mr. Johnson's statements and will share his views in regard to the hopelessness of inferring the

Jan 1, 1914

By William Braden

In view of the current discussion of a proposed change in the United States mining law, abolishing the feature known as the extralateral right of a lode-location, it is an interesting circumstance that in the neighboring Province of British Columbia this feature was tried for eight years and then abandoned. The results of that abandonment have been such as to disprove the proposition, so confidently advanced by many

Jan 1, 1899

By K. S. Lane

As the initial chapter in this section entitled "Role of Fluid Pressure in Rock," this attempts to fulfill an assignment for (1) summarizing the state-of-the-art and (2) illustrating engineering problems resulting from rock pore pressure. Hence, the chapter is presented in two parts: 1) Basic Concepts, and 2) Examples of Engineering Problems, including failures. Neither of these objectives has necessarily been completely met: partly from limitation of space and partly as the case histories have been restricted to the author's own field in civil engineering, and there deemphasizing those applications which will be covered in more detail by subsequent papers in this section. As with any state-of-the-art attempt, contributions of some have undoubtedly been overlooked (or omitted for brevity). Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations, it is hoped that this summary of the situation will at least: 1) Outline current concepts on effects of fluid pressure in rock-both as a pore pressure in interconnected void spaces of the intact rock and as a cleft pressure or hydraulic force acting in the joints or other discontinuities of the rock mass. 2) Indicate the often fragmentary nature of evidence presently available to support these concepts and thus encourage further research. 3) Illustrate the major significance of fluid pressure in several types of engineering problems and thus stimulate its consideration as designers encounter related situations.

Jan 1, 1970

By V. D. Perry

Mineralized breccia pipes, because of their wide-spread occurrence and close structural relations to some of the world's great ore bodies, are objects of unusual interest for mining engineers and geologists. The literature contains many references to them, but it is questionable whether their genetic significance and economic importance have been sufficiently emphasized. The purpose here is to stress these features, relating them to the field facts, for the particular benefit of younger generations of geologists who, confronted with and sometimes confused by the growing flood of geochemical, geophysical, and other specialized research approaches, may be reassured that mappable field relations remain a foremost guide to a better understanding of ore deposits. A mineralized breccia pipe is a pre-mineral, breccia structure which has controlled the circulation and deposition of subsequently introduced mineralization. It is composed of relatively rotated angular or rounded rock fragments, set in a mineralized matrix. A pipe in plan outline may be circular, oval or approach polygonal form, with a steep to vertical axis proportionately much greater than its horizontal dimensions. The pipe is a steeply plunging, chimney-like mass of brecciated rock cemented with later minerals.

Jan 4, 1961

By Waldemar Lindgren

Introduction To the miner, as well as to the geologist, the eastern part of Cuba is a most interesting region. Here we find, in contrast to the moderate relief predominating elsewhere in the island, an imposing mountain range, the Sierra Maestra, extending east and west parallel to the coast, its precipitous front facing the blue Caribbean Sea.. In a geological sense this range is largely an unknown land, the only well-explored region being that in the vicinity of Santiago. The range also contains the most important mineral deposits of the island. They comprise, first, a series of iron deposits yielding a partly hematitized magnetite with low content of phosphorus; second, a remarkable copper-bearing vein at El Cobre; and third, various manganese deposits. Probably more deposits will be found, for the larger and western part of the range is as yet little explored and its slopes are covered by a thick tropical jungle. The following notes are based on a short visit by the senior author in January and February of 1914 to the mines at Daiquiri, El Cobre, and Mayari. For many courtesies and great assistance he is deeply obliged to Charles F. Rand, President of the Spanish-American Iron Co.; to George W. Pfeiffer, General Manager, and to the several members of his staff.

Jan 10, 1915

By R. A. F. Penrose

I. INTRODUCTION. THE superficial alteration of ore-deposits is a recognized principle of geology, in the same way as is the superficial alteration of any of the common rocks. Its importance in some classes of ore-deposits is also well understood, as in many precious-metal deposits; while in other classes, its importance has been proved in individual cases, as in the Lake Superior iron-deposits. The causes and effects of superficial alteration in many classes of deposits, however, are not so generally understood; and it is the object of the present paper to show that such changes almost invariably give rise to exceedingly important chemical and physical phenomena, while in many deposits, the question as to whether they can or cannot be profitably worked depends largely on the extent and character of this alteration. The various treatises on ore-deposits published in the United States and Europe make frequent mention of superficial alteration, but have not treated the subject fully. As early as 1554, however, before which time but little accurate information was had on the geologic nature of ore-deposits, Prof. J. D. Whitney in his classic volume, The Metallic Wealth of the United States, describes the alteration-products, or gossans, in certain deposits and mentions others. On the more purely chemical side of the question, the work of Bischof, Daubrée, Roth, Rose, Hunt, Breithaupt, Blum, Julien, Deville, Debray, Volger, Moissan, Fremy, Lévy, Fouqué, and others has afforded much valuable information and many useful suggestions. The chemical principles brought out by these various authors have been applied, to a certain extent, to the solution of the phenomena of

Jan 1, 1913