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By John J. Childress, Russell L. Cook

Stringent environmental regulations, which have limited the use of sludge ponds, coupled with the economic incentive to clean more coal or to add fine coal cleaning additions to existing preparation plants have increased the use of static thickeners in preparation plants. The Lamella Gravity Settler, sometimes designated Lamella Thickener, is a shallow depth sedimentation device which has been applied in a variety of industrial process and wastewater control projects in place of the conventional raked thickeners. This paper presents the theory and design of the Lamella Thickener, as well as describing the operating results from several full scale installations in a variety of Appalachian preparation plants.

Jan 5, 1978

By Ernest M. Spokes, Martin A. Thieme

A simulation model developed to analyze scraper-pusher utilization in open pit mining systems is described. The mining simulator discussed was developed as a tool to aid management in evaluating alternative open pit haulage schemes and to reduce the risk involved in the selection of equipment.

Jan 1, 1973

The Lead-Line Update held in conjunction with the 1977 SME-AIME Fall Meeting in St. Louis provided sessions on mining, mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and economies to brief the record on the industry's activities and developments since the 1970 World Symposium on Lead and Line convened, also in St. Louis. Changes in the industry since 1970 have not been profound, notes the program committee, consisting of D. O. Rausch, F. M. Stephens, and B.C. Mariacher, cochairmen; and H. L. Clifford, S. C. Fall), and M. Snedeker. However, various environmental and conservation factors have had a direct impact on process consideration and operating practice; the result has been new mines, improved technology, and changing market opportunities. The general consensus of the participants is that the future for the Lead-zinc industry looks promising as new applications are found and new products resulting from intensive research reach the marketplace. The highlights of the HS technical papers presented at the 1977 session follows.

Jan 11, 1977

By William Sharp

DISCOVERY of new ore in the Eureka district, Nevada, as a result of bold and persistent exploration based on a geologic interpretation of structure has recently aroused wide comment in mining circles. It may therefore be of interest to the profession to have a summary of the historical background and an account of the recent program of development. The mines of Eureka, discovered in the late 1860's, were the first important silverlead mines in the United States. They have a production record of more than fifty-one million dollars.1 After the ore bodies were apparently bottomed in the 1880's, repeated attempts to find new ore were unsuccessful until 1940, when a diamond-drill hole cut a 40-ft width of sulphide ore 1409 ft below the 841-ft level of the Locan shaft. The next hole cut 30 ft, of ore and three additional holes drilled in 1943 and 1944 showed the ore body to be continuous, Shaft sinking to reach and open up the ore body has been in progress since 1945. GEOLOGY Stratigraphy The ore in the Eureka district occurs in a series of Cambrian sediments which is exposed through a thickness of over 6000 ft. The stratigraphic column is as follows:2 [THICKNESS, FI ORDOVICIAN Pogonip limestone (upper part). Thin bedded limestone with some chert. UPPER CAMBRIAN: Pogonip limestone (lower part). Thin-bedded limestone (with shaly limestone and chert).... 425+ Dunderberg shale. Shale (clay and calcareous shale) and thin bedded limestone340+ Hamburg dolomite. Dolomite and limestonegoo+ MIDDLE CAMBRIAN: Secret Canyon shale. Shale and thin-bedded limestone1,035 Geddes limestone. Carbonaceous, flaggy limestone with some shale partings 335 MIDDLE (?) AND LOWER CAMBRIAN: Eldorado dolomite. Dolomite and limestone2,000 LOWER CAMBRIAN: Prospect Mountain quartzite. Quartzite with occasional inter calated conglomerate and shale 1,660+ The Prospect Mountain quartzite has been subdivided into two formations: Upper part, Pioche shale. Shale, quartzite with some intercalated limestone (Lower Cambrian fossils)-200 ft. Lower part, Prospect Mountain quart zite proper-I,460+ft. Total thickness6,695+] Much the most productive of these formations has been the Eldorado dolomite, which yielded more than $42,000,000 at Ruby Hill and an additional amount

Jan 1, 1947

By A. S. Malicsi, I. Iwasaki

The removal of hydrophobic coatings of flotation collectors from iron ores becomes of interest when a duplex flotation process is considered for upgrading, when a pelletizing process is considered for a concentrate floated with a fatty acid or a soap collector, or when a disposal of froth products from cationic silica flotation is of environmental concern. Ozone can oxidize organic compounds rapidly, thereby removing the hydrophobic coatings of flotation collectors. Ozone is widely used for treating and purifying drinking water, waste water treatment, and for chemicals processing (Murphy and Orr, 1975; Rice et al., 1980). Its uses in metallurgical operations, however, are very sparse (Allegrini et al., 1970; Chernobrov and Rozinoyer, 1975; Ishii et al., 1970; Iwasaki and Malicsi, 1985; Matsubara et al., 1978). Yet, its high reactivity and the absence of potentially hazardous byproducts become of interest in destroying flotation reagents adsorbed on mineral surfaces or remaining in mill water for recycle or for discharge. Duplex Flotation A duplex flotation process, as applied to oxidized iron ores, would involve a fatty acid flotation of iron minerals followed by an amine flotation of the siliceous gangue from the rougher iron concentrate. Such a process has been used in the Florida phosphate fields. Fatty acid coatings cannot be removed as readily with a simple acid or alkali treatment from iron oxide surfaces as from Florida phosphates. A combination of reagents, such as lime and quebracho, lime and alkali phosphate, or sulfuric acid and oxalic acid, has therefore been proposed. In a previous article (Iwasaki et al., 1967) , the use of activated carbon was found to be effective in removing fatty acid coatings both in the duplex flotation and the pelletizing processes. The use of ozone offers another approach to the removal of fatty acid coatings from iron oxide surfaces. To investigate the possible application of the duplex flotation process, a specularite ore from Michigan analyzing 36.5% iron was used. A 600-g (1.3-1b) sample was ground in a laboratory rod mill together with 250 g/t (0.5 lb per st) of sodium silicate to -150 µm (-100 mesh). This was transferred to a Fagergren laboratory flotation cell, and deslimed four times at 20 µm (quartz equivalent). The deslimed pulp was transferred to a laboratory conditioner, diluted to 40% solids, and conditioned with 250 g/t (0.5 lb per st) of soda ash and 250 g/t (0.5 lb per st) of oleic acid. The conditioned pulp was then transferred back to the Fagergren cell, floated until barren of froth, and the rougher froth product was returned to the cell and cleaned. The results are presented in Table 1. The cleaner concentrate at this point analyzed 45.3% Fe. The cleaner concentrate coated with fatty acid was transferred to a 2-L (0.53-gal) beaker. While the pulp was agitated with a glass T-stirrer, ozone was bubbled into the agitated pulp for 15 minutes at a rate of 10 mg/min (0.00035 oz per min) ozone (250 g/t or 0.5 lb per st 03 feed). It was observed that the pulp ceased to froth after about 10 minutes. The amine flotation of siliceous gangue from the ozonated pulp was carried out first by conditioning with a dextrin, a commonly used starch depressant for iron oxides. This was followed by flotation with a stage addition of an ether amine at increments of 100 g/t (0.2 lb per st). Three stages were required to float the siliceous gangue to near completion. The three froth products were combined and cleaned twice. When the cationic flotation Rougher, Cleaner 1 and Cleaner 2 cell products were combined, an iron concentrate analyzing 64.5% iron was obtained at an overall iron recovery of 72.8%. Pelletizing Fatty acid flotation concentrates have been pelletized successfully in northern Michigan mills. But at other locations, fatty acid coatings on iron flotation concentrates proved so undesirable in agglomeration that other methods of concentration had to be sought. For example, a sinter mix containing iron ore concentrates upgraded by fatty acid flotation resulted in decreased productivity. This occurred because the micropellets of particles with the hydrophobic coating are less tolerant of moisture. Thus, the bed permeability is lost (Beebe, 1965). The agglomeration of concentrates obtained by the fatty acid flotation alone, and the hydrophobic coatings destroyed by ozonation or by the duplex flotation process, is not expected to cause any difficulty since the surfaces of the concentrates would be hydrophilic. Removal of the fatty acid coating with activated carbon, indicated by the loss of floatability, was shown to restore the decrepitation temperature of wet balls during drying cycle (Iwasaki et al., 1967). Disposal of Cationic Silica Flotation Froths Recent demands of iron blast furnaces place the silica content of the magnetic taconite pellets at about 5%. Conventional process for magnetic taconite involving fine grinding and magnetic separation often produces magnetic concentrates analyzing in excess of 5% silica. This is due to the presence of the middling grains of siliceous gangue and magnetite. Cationic silica flotation of magnetic taconite concentrates (DeVaney, 1949) may be used to reduce the silica content. But the amine coating on siliceous gangue becomes of environmental concern when the flotation tailings are discarded in tailing ponds.

Jan 1, 1986

By Fred R. Harris

INTRODUCTION MacMillan Tungsten is located in northwestern Canada on the border of Yukon and Northwest Territories at a latitude of 63º17' and altitude of 1800 m above sea level. The deposit lies within the Selwyn Mountains 10 km from the Canol Road. It is 660 km by road from Whitehorse, Yukon, and 1325 km by air from Vancouver, British Columbia. MacMil lan Tungsten is a contact metasomatic deposit in gently dipping Lower Paleozoic limestone and limestone breccia adjacent to a Cretaceous quartz monzonite stock. Four tabular tungsten skarn horizons contain total geological reserves of 30 million tons grading 0.9% WO3. DISCOVERY AND HISTORY J.F. Allan, a former AMAX geologist, located mineral claims in September, 1962, to cover the source of scheelite-bearing skarn float found in the headwaters of Cirque Lake Valley. Exploration work on the property conducted mainly between 1968 and 1973, includes geological mapping, 10,500 m of diamond drilling in 73 holes, and 735 m of underground exploration. Mil 1 tests were carried out on a 300 ton bulk sample obtained underground. Preliminary feasibility studies, collection of weather data and a variety of environment studies have been carried out since 1973. Although no production date has been set MacMillan Tungsten will undoubtedly be a major tungsten producer.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. W. Gerberich

SINCE the original formulation of fracture mechanics concepts,&apos;y2 relatively little work has related the fracture mechanics description of metal behavior on a gross, structural component scale to the behavior of its microstructural constituents. The purpose of this note is to suggest the utilization of fracture mechanics to describe material behavior on a microscopic scale. A Fracture Concept for Two-Phase Structures. A critical displacement concept considering the tough unidirectional phase in a relatively brittle matrix is first examined. It is assumed that a flaw exists at position 1 as depicted in Fig. 1. As the crack moves from position 1 to 2 the plastic zone could be of the shape described with the size approximated by the Dugdale3 model: where c is the half-crack length, OO is the applied stress, and oyS is the yield strength. Hahn and Rosen-field4 have presented a simple fracture criterion for homogeneous materials based upon the displacement at the crack tip. They also have shown the equivalence of the critical displacement, v*, to fracture toughness by Kc = (2v*oysE)1/2 [2] The displacement at the crack tip is given by and the displacement at any distance in front of the crack tip may be determined knowing the plastic zone size and utilizing the development of Goodier and Field.5 Recalling Fig. 1, the value of v* for fracture in material M1 may be calculated from Eq. [2] providing the critical stress intensity factor is known. As the material is loaded, when vc > vM1 the crack moves from position 1 to position 2 where it encounters the tough second phase. If vc2 < vm2, then the crack will be arrested providing the width of the M2 phase is sufficiently large. This condition is necessary since the displacement at position 2 has increased due to the longer crack length. Thus, the displacement at the distance X (representing the dimension of the second phase) in front of the crack may be larger than the critical displacement for failure in the brittle material. If v, > vm, then failure will proceed in the brittle material. The value of v, may be calculated as indicated above. This latter consideration is the same as predicting fracture of a brittle second phase at some distance in front of a crack located in a ductile matrix. Experimental Evidence. On a macrostructural scale, tungsten wires in a ductile Be-Cu matrix are seen to fracture well ahead of the main crack front in Fig. 2. Utilizing a Kc value of 14.2 ksi-in.1/2 obtained by Schroder et al.6 for as-received tungsten, the critical displacement 2v*, for fracture is calculated from Eq. [2] to be about 6.5 X 10-5 in. The crack tip displacement, 2vc, is calculated from Eq. [3] to be 0.0028 in. indicating that fracture would occur at a considerable distance in front of the crack tip. From the ratio of v*/vc and the plastic zone estimate of Eq. [I], the distance in front of the crack tip at which a tungsten wire should fracture is calculated to be about 0.195 in. As shown in Fig. 2, a fractured wire occurs at a distance of 0.140 in. (fractured in three places), not at 0.250

Jan 1, 1968

By T. K. Smith

The comments contained in the discussion of the paper concerning the prediction of fracture gradients are of considerable interest, since the subject is of a very controversial and timely nature. It is regrettable and Fairhurst2 contradicts the author&apos;s statement in the third paragraph of Other Applications. These references create significant doubt that Eaton&apos;s Eq. 1 predicts fracture pressure during the injection of fluid into old wells. 3. No evidence is presented in this paper to support the author&apos;s Conclusions 2 and 3. While an empirical coefficient related to back-calculated field data is correlated with depth (Eaton&apos;s Fig. 4), there is no reason to suspect that this coefficient might be the Poisson&apos;s ratio of the various formations involved. 4. Until the field data supporting the empirical approach proposed by the author are presented and evaluated, the accuracy claimed in Conclusion 5 is without substantiation. References 1. Geertsma, J.: "Problems of Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Production Engineering", Proc., First Intl. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Lisbon (1966) 585. 2. Haimson, B. and Fairhurst, C.: "Hydraulic Fracturing in Porous-Permeable Materials", I. Pet Tech. (July, 1969) 811-817. that the comments are those of a critic and do not offer an alternative and better method for the prediction of fracture gradients. Nevertheless, a reply is in order.

Jan 1, 1970

By Thomas N. Walthier

ROSPECTING for uranium in the East is hampered by the lack of bedrock exposure due to extensive overburden and residual soil. But, despite the problems of this physiographic province, it has not been ignored in the search for radioactive materials. Since 1951 both the U.S. Geological Survey and the Atomic Energy Commission have had field parties in the eastern U.S. Tempo of private prospecting is increasing, and many discoveries have resulted. AEC work so far has been concentrated in the areas of most numerous discoveries-Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Accounts of uranium mineralization in the eastern U.S. are found in the old literature and one site in the Mauch Chunk area of Pennsylvania has been known since 1874. In 1949 McKeown examined the original occurrence there and found another southeast of the town. The deposit appeared to have commercial possibilities and a short period of production began in July 1954

Jun 1, 1955

By Daniel Martin

THE dendritic pattern of steels shown by deep etching is used exten-sively as a guide in the inspection and control of the great majority of steels used in ordnance construction and for many applications in indus-try. The value of macroexamination lies in the fact that it enables a qualified observer to make deductions concerning the general quality of relatively large pieces of metal. Not the least of these general character-istics is the nature and extent of the dendritic segregation in the steel, either in the cast condition or after mechanical or thermal treatments. PREVIOUS WORK Detailed methods for macroetching were outlined by Yatsevitch1 and have been standardized by the American Society for Testing Materials. A comprehensive study of the occurrence, origin, and the chemical and crystalline nature of the dendritic structure was given by Keshian.2 The marked persistence of dendritic segregation in nickel steels is fully recognized and has been discussed by Sauveur and Reed&apos; and by others. Very little, however, has been written on the effect of the various elements on the macrostructure of steels, and the purpose of this report is to submit evidence concerning the influence of chromium, nickel and molybdenum on the macrostructure of some 4 by 4-in. ingots cast and treated under closely controlled conditions.

Jan 1, 1939

By D. J. Varnes

Rocks in mines, quarries, and many outcrops commonly show evidence of being under high stress. Saw cuts and drillholes close in, partly mined coal bursts violently, and pillars crush and rock spalls in mines even at moderate depths. Similarly, strong and massive rocks such as granite and sandstone naturally divide themselves into sheets that lie more or less parallel to their outward topographic form. The sheets may be either convex or concave. Thin plates of bare rock surfaces bow up and buckle. Such effects often cannot be explained by the obvious loads now acting on the rock, that is, by loads resulting from overburden, topographic irregularities, or stress concentration around openings. The stresses exceed those that would result from such loads. Two interpretations of such excess stresses have been made. In one, the stresses are assigned in origin to now active tectonic forces. In the other, they are regarded as leftover and locked in from some previous state at which higher pressures prevailed. These two sources may both operate and they generally cannot be distinguished easily in the field. There are other complicating sources of stress such as temperature gradients and chemical alteration. Nevertheless, some bodies of rock, by exfoliating, show evidence of high internal stress even though they are practically unweathered and so isolated topographically that the presence in them of significant stress due to exterior loads or active tectonic forces seems unlikely (Fig. 1). Moreover, completely isolated rocks are known to change density, shape, or size 1,2 to expand under constant compressive stress;3 and even to disintegrate 4,5 without the intervention of weathering processes. The stresses involved here must be truly residual in the sense long used by metallurgists; that is, residual stresses in a body are those that remain.

Jan 1, 1970

By Wilhelm Rohn

IN discussing the influence of a content of gases on metals and alloys we should probably first consider the physical and chemical conditions under which these gases may be present. By a chemical analysis, such as the total extraction of gases from the liquid metal by melting in a graphite crucible in vacuo, we find only the sum of gaseous chemical elements contained in the metal in any form and no reference is made to the special form under which they have been present previously. CONDITION OF GASES IN METALS In considering. gases in metals we may first turn our attention to gases simply dissolved. Because the solubility of almost, any gas decreases suddenly at the freezing point, most of them are released during solidification, developing rise of ingots and blowholes. If only a little gas is dissolved in the molten metal the size of such blowholes may be miscroscopical, or even submicroscopical, resulting in, a certain reduction of the notched-bar impact test values. Hydrogen is believed to become less soluble as the temperature is lowered and therefore increasing quantities of this gas may be evolved during cooling between the freezing point and room temperature, leading to unsoundness of the ingot at weak spots; i.e., at the grain boundaries. This gas at the grain boundaries probably is present at high pressure and therefore impairs the mechanical properties to a degree similar to that found in the hydrogen embrittlement of copper. Usually we may trace such gases by observing rising ingots, or at least by the formation of a characteristic pattern of small grooves upon etching. Another condition of gases present within metals is that of chemical compounds, the most common being oxides and mostly present as slag inclusions of various kinds. If such oxides are insoluble in the liquid metal and emulsify with it, we find microscopical or submicroscopical slag inclusions distributed homogeneously throughout the metal and spread through the whole mass of the crystals. This special form does little harm to the mechanical properties. Some oxides are somewhat soluble

Jan 1, 1932

By Thomas D. West

The occasional reports of progressive furnace-men, giving the results of physical tests to prove the superior qualities of their pig-irons, have encouraged the writer to believe that the time is ripe for the discussion of such work, and the inauguration of some correct system by which the furnace-man and the founder could make intelligent comparison of the elements of strength, deflection, contraction, and chill presented in pigmetal. In most cases the physical tests now made by furnace-men define but one quality in the iron, and are generally too vague to permit any true comparison. For example, one furnaceman tells us he can punch holes in his cast-iron, wishing it to be inferred that the iron is very soft and strong. Another furnace casts a long wedge, the thin end running to a knife&apos;s edge, which is supposed to prove the fluidity of the iron, for the founder&apos;s benefit. Another casts in square-cornered " chills," to define the hardness or softness of the metal. To the writer&apos;s knowledge these tests are not advocated by their originators as suitable for standards; and they are, to his mind, but evidence of unrest on the part of progressive furnace-men, who feel that something should be done in the line of physical tests. The writer knows of no furnace-men who make and keep records of the strength of their iron obtained by means of tests made on recognized standard testing-scales ; but he does know of a prominent furnace-salesman, who, not long ago, came into possession of a 1-inch square bar that stood 1400 pounds

Jan 1, 1897

By George A. Guess

THE increasing demand for greater speed and more accuracy, in making daily assays of ores and products from mills treating material containing but very small quantities of lead and copper, has caused the older analytical methods to be supplanted by new ones devised to meet the needs of modern work. For " control " work in copper analyses, I had, previous to the present equipment, introduced in my laboratory the ordinary electrolytic method, using hollow cylindrical electrodes, and with these I began a series of experiments in determining the lead-content of daily mill-samples and controls. The results, proving accurate and satisfactory, I then devised, with Mr. H. E. T. Haultain, a cheaper electrode than the ordinary jacket electrode, which costs from $15 to $20,-the expense of the older form making the installation of many units very costly. The form of cathode finally adopted as the most satisfactory, shown in Fig. 1, is cut from 0.001-in. platinum foil. It is 12.5 cm. long, and is divided into a blade 4 cm. wide and 6.25 cm. long, and a tongue 0.7 cm. wide and 6.25 long, the immersion area being 50 sq. cm. and weight 1.5 grams. The blade is first sand-blasted and then corrugated lengthwise, in order to impart the necessary rigidity. Strips of platinum foil 0.001 in. thick, 12.5 cm. long and 0.5 cm. wide, having a median corrugation, form the anodes. Three electrodes are used in each cell, one anode in the middle and one cathode oil each side of the anode. These electrodes are connected to slotted alumi¬num terminals, in which they are held by contact pressure. The terminals are -in. rods, projecting 2 in. horizontally in front of the wall of the cabinet.; at the back the middle electrode (anode) is connected with one pole of the current, and the two outer ones (cathodes) with the other pole.

Nov 1, 1905

By J. S. Kirkaldy, D. G. Fedak

The extra degree of freedonz introduced by a second independetzt concentration in a tenzary system gives rise to the possibility of unstable planar phase interfaces in semi-infinite diffision layer couples. Diffusion paths which pass continuously in and out of too-phase regions of the phase diagram but which are not coincident with tie-lines give rise to super saturated zones which may be either adjacent to or isolated from planar phase interfaces, with corresponding nonisolated or isolated precipitates. Nonisolated precipitates are equivalent to morphological development of the interface. Selected couples in the ternary systems Fe-Ni-Cr and Cu-Zn-Sn have been examined nzetallographically and ifz the latter case both isolated and uo~zisolated precipitates have been observed. The diffusion path in one of the couples showing interface morphological developtnent has been examitled using electron probe microanalysis. IGNORING the spurious effects of preferential grain boundary diffusion and anisotropic crystal growth7 it can be unequivocally stated that it is impossible for a binary isothermal diffusion couple constructed of two unsaturated phases to sustain a nonplanar phase interface. Consider for demonstrative purposes the schematic phase diagram of Fig. l(a). Given an initial flat phase interface, semi-infinite boundary conditions and the internal boundary condition fixed by the constitution diagram, xB = xB(T), the unique solution of the diffusion equation requires a persistent flat interface. No other solution is possible. If, however, we anticipate the involvement of surface tension, then the internal boundary condition must be written xB = xB (T,Y) where r is the radius of curvature of a hypothetical nonplanar interface. The introduction of a new parameter such as r can be equivalent to the release of an internal constraint, so that a stable nonplanar interface may be possible after all. Consider a perturbation to the interface as indicated in Fig. 1(b). According to the Ostwald-Freundlich equation: which is applicable to a system of this constitution, the solubility of A in the matrix ß ,xB (Y), at a point of curvature r is given by where Va is the molar volume of the a-phase, R is the gas constant, and a is the interfacial tension. Since the right hand side is positive, xB(r) >xB cm, as indicated in Figs. 1(a) and 1(c). Accordingly, the perturbation will carry the interface concentration in a direction which is opposite to that which would sustain local equilibrium. Such a perturbation is necessarily moderated and the system is returned to its initial condition. This result is general for all binary couples since we can regard an interfacial perturbation as an attempt to precipitate within un-

Jan 1, 1962

Benjamin B. Thayer was elected as representative of the Institute on the John Fritz Medal Board of Award vice Albert Sauveur, whose term expires. Robert M. Raymond was confirmed as member of the, Engineering Foundation Board for two years in accordance with the By-Laws of the United Engineering Society. The following preambles and resolutions were passed: WHEREAS, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States is taking a vote, through the Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade and other constituent members of the National Chamber situated throughout the country, on the question whether or not the primary natural resources, comprising timber, the ores and deposits of useful metals, and&apos; the deposits of minerals, which are a source of heat, light and power, should he exempt through remedial Congressional legislation from the restrictive limitations of the Anti-Trust Acts, and WHEREAS, a Committee of the National Chamber, the Chairman of which is a Past President of the American Institute of - Mining Engineers, has recommended favorable action upon this question, and

Jan 2, 1917

By J. Th. G. Overbeek, R. Schumann, P. L. De Bruyn

THE technique of concentrating valuable minerals from lean ores by flotation depends upon the creation of a finite contact angle at the three-phase contact, mineral-water-air. If the mineral is completely wetted by the water phase, contact angle zero, there is no tendency for air bubbles to attach themselves to the mineral. However, when the contact angle is finite, the surface free energy of the system, water-air bubble-mineral particle, can be diminished by contact between the bubble and the particle, and if not too heavy the mineral will be levitated in the froth. With a few exceptions, all clean minerals are completely wetted by pure water. Thus the art of flotation consists in adding substances to the water to make a finite contact angle with the mineral to be floated, but to leave the other minerals with a zero contact angle. The contact angle concept and experimental measurements of contact angles have played important roles in flotation research for several decades.1-3 Nevertheless, there remain unanswered some basic questions as to the scientific significance of the contact angle and the nature of the processes by which flotation reagents affect contact angles.

Jan 5, 1954

By T. Sterry Hunt

THE essential principle of this new process, now in operation in Chili and in North Carolina, for the extraction of copper from its ores, is the dissolving of the oxides of copper by a hot solution of protochloride of iron and common salt. In the action which takes place, the protochloride of iron is converted into peroxide, while the oxides of copper are changed into protochloride and dichloride, the latter of which, though insoluble in water, is readily soluble in a hot strong brine. From the solution thus obtained, metallic iron throws down the copper in a metallic state, regenerating the protochloride of iron; which is then ready for the treatment of a fresh portion of oxidized copper ore. In the case of slimy ores, the contact of the bath with the ore is effected by agitation in tubs ; but when the ores are granular, lixiviation in large vats is equally efficient and simpler. The hot solutions, charged with chlorides of copper, are digested in tanks with scrap-iron, or better, are made to flow through covered channels containing the scrap-iron, and in their passage lose the whole of their copper; the reaction at the same time evolving so much heat as to keep up the temperature of the liquid. In order to prevent a certain loss of chlorine, which otherwise takes place from the production of some basic ferric chloride in the reaction between the ferrous chloride and the oxides of copper (both protoxide and dinoxide being generally present in calcined ores), a portion of sulphurous fumes from the roasting is made to pass through the regenerated bath before adding it to fresh ore. This has hitherto been effected by injection, with the aid of a jet of steam.

Jan 1, 1873

Dr. James Douglas, who is memorialized on another page of this Bulletin, who held a place in the affections and regard of Institute members second to that of no other living roan, left in his will the sum of $100,000 for the maintenance of the Library of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. This is in addition to the $100,000 which Dr. Douglas gave during his lifetime. We believe that it is Dr. Douglas&apos; wish that the library, the great means by which the benefits of Institute membership may be extended to those distant from headquarters, should be maintained by the Institute at the highest possible level of efficiency and serviceability.

Jan 9, 1918

Arrangements have been completed in New York whereby the re- sources of The Engineering Foundation, under the auspices of the four principal national engineering societies, are placed at the disposal of the National Research Council, which was appointed by the National Academy of Sciences* at the request of President Wilson. The object of the Council is to coordinate the scientific research work of the country in order to secure efficiency in the solution of the problems of war and peace. The Council was without funds until The Engineering Foundation, established to further scientific and engineering research, offered to place its resources at the Council&apos;s disposal, including the services of its secretary, Dr. Cary T. Hutchinson, to act as-secretary of the Council. The offer was accepted and plans for immediate activities have been placed in the hands of an executive committee. In indicating how thoroughly, every branch bf science and engineering is represented, Dr. George E. Hale, Director of the Mt. Wilson Solar Observatory, and Chairman of the Council, when he was in New York attending to the details of the arrangement, called attention to the personnel of the body, saying that it is the purpose to enlist the cooperation, in the solution of our industrial and military problems of a scientific character, of every possible established agency. Medicine, for example, is represented on the Council by Dr. William H. Welch, President of the National Academy of Sciences, Brigadier General William C. Gorgas, , Surgeon Crenera.1 of the United States Army, Dr. Simon Flexner, Director of the Rockefeller Medical Institute, and Dr. Victor C. Vaughan, Past President of the American Medical Society; biological science by Dr. Edwin G. Conklin, Professor of Zoology, Princeton University; chemistry by Dr. A. A. Noyes of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Dr. L. H. Baekeland; physics by Dr. A. A. Michelson of the University of Chicago; and electricity by Professor M. I. Pupin, of Columbia University.

Jan 10, 1916