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By W. D. Robson

THE prevention of silicosis by metallic aluminium has been reported by Denny, Robson, and Irwin in two papers. The first (1) was published in 1937; the second (2), in 1939. The results definitely established that silicosis was prevented in animals by the inhalation of small quantities of aluminium. The present communication records subsequent progress in this field of research. HARMLESSNESS OF ALUMINIUM Animal experiments having served their purpose, it became necessary to consider means to test the discovery on humans. A question for immediate consideration was: Is aluminium harmful to man when inhaled as a fine powder? While the animal experiments were reassuring, since they conclusively showed the powder to be innocuous when breathed by animals, it was, nevertheless, desirable to have additional reassurance with regard to its effect upon human beings. Through the courtesy of the Aluminum Company of America and especially the valued interest in this problem displayed by that Company's Director of Research, Dr. Francis C. Frary, a study was made of the records pertaining to the health of a group of 125 employees who had for many years been engaged in the manufacture of finely powdered, metallic aluminium for the paint and ink industries. The conditions were such that these employees had inhaled varying and oft-times very dense concentrations of this powder daily over periods ranging from 6 to 23 years, the average for the group being 12 years. X-ray pictures of their chests showed no abnormalities attributable to aluminium. Their general health seemed better than that of the 3,000 workers in other sections of the plant. In fact, the early films of three employees in this group of 125 showed shadows suggestive of minimal tuberculosis, which shadows were not discernible in films taken after considerable periods of exposure to aluminium powder. The harmlessness of aluminium was, by this study, reasonably well established at the outset, a finding subsequently verified by Ontario research on humans.

Jan 1, 1944

By W. D. Robbson

DR. G. W. RAMSEY (l): A study of our non-treatment silicosis autopsy material for the years 1940-43 inclusive, in addition to the common findings of fibrosis, nodules, and emphysema, shows marked thickening of the alveolar walls. This change is due to one or more of the following factors: congestion, edema, accumulation of both small and large monocuclear cells within the interstitial tissues and large monocuclear cells attached to the lining membrane of the alveolar sacs. This alteration in the alveolar walls, we believe, is one of the most important factors in producing impaired pulmonary function. Comparison of our first autopsy material of a case receiving twenty aluminium treatments beginning June, 1943, shows a striking change in the alveolar walls. In all areas free of silocotic nodules and fibrous tissue, the alveolar walls approach normal thickness and are free of cellular deposits. No change was noted in the old processes and none was expected. We believe that these changes in the alveolar walls were brought about by the aluminium therapy and that they constitute a major factor in the improved pulmonary ventilation noted in treatment cases.

Jan 1, 1945

By Sam Tour

OF the new alloys achieving commercial prominence during the year, an aluminum-silicon magnesium casting alloy, which is similar in many respects to the 4 per cent copper alloy, developed about 1921, which has attained such a wide field of service, may be mentioned. The new alloy, like the old, is a heat-treatable type and develops about the same physical properties. The alloy casts easily and is relatively insensitive to high pouring temperatures. Its ability to produce substantially leak- proof castings is noteworthy. A second casting alloy development is the new Aluminum Co. of America No. 132, "Lo-Ex" piston alloy, a result of nearly eight years of research. The alloy contains about 14 per cent silicon and varying amounts of nickel, copper, and magnesium. It exhibits a low coefficient of expansion and thus permits small piston clearances. Its lower specific gravity is a further advantage.

Jan 1, 1932

The prevention of silicosis by metallic aluminium has been reported by Denny, Robson, and Irwin in two papers. The first was published in 1937; the second, in 1939. The results definitely established that silicosis was prevented in animals by the inhalation of small quantities of aluminium. The present communication records subsequent progress in this field of research.

Jan 1, 1944

The prevention of silicosis by metallic aluminium has been reported by Denny, Robson, and Irwin in two papers. The first was published in 1937; the second in 1939. The results definitely established that silicosis was prevented in animals by the inhalation of small quantities of aluminium. The present communication records subsequent progress in this field of research.HARMLESSNESS OF ALUMINIUMAnimal experiments having served their purpose, it became necessary to consider means to test the discovery on humans. A question for immediate consideration was: Is aluminium harmful to man when inhaled as a fine powder? While the animal experiments were reassuring, since they conclusively showed the powder to be innocuous when breathed by animals, it was, nevertheless, desirable to have additional reassurance with regard to its effect upon human beings.Through the courtesy of the Aluminium Company of America and especially the valued interest in this problem displayed by that Company's Director of Research, Dr. Francis C. Frary, a study was made of the records pertaining to the health of a group of 125 employees who had for many years been engaged in the manufacture of finely powdered, metallic aluminium for the paint and ink industries. The conditions were such that these employees had inhaled varying and oft-times very dense concentrations of this powder daily over periods ranging from 6 to 23 years, the average 101 the group being 12 years. X-ray pictures of their chests showed no abnormalities attributable to aluminium. Their general health seemed better than that of the 3,000 workers in other sections of the plant. In fact, the early films of three employees in this group of 125 showed shadows suggestive of minimal tuberculosis, which shadows were not discernible in films taken after considerable periods of exposure to aluminium powder.The harmlessness of aluminium was; by this study, reasonably well established at the outset, a finding subsequently verified by Ontario research on humans.PROPOSAL TO TREAT HUMAN SILICOSISBased upon these findings, a proposal to treat silicotics with aluminium was discussed by officials of the Mclntyre Mine and the Banting Institute.

Jan 1, 1945

By W. D. B. Motter

DURING the early development of blasting with liquid oxygen explosives the trend of experimentation was towards increasing the effectiveness of the explosive. Its characteristic of becoming inert after evaporation of the oxygen content made a strong appeal from the standpoint of safety, especially with missed holes. It later became apparent, however, with practical use of this explosive, that LOX lacked certain other safety characteristics. As its effectiveness was increased, it became more subject to detonation by impact. The object of this paper is to show the steps taken by one operating company to achieve greater safety in the large-scale handling of liquid oxygen explosives.

Jan 1, 1933

By L. C. Skinner

THE Coal Hydrogenation Demonstration Plant at Louisiana, Missouri, was completed early in the year 1949. It has operated more or less continuously since completion except for the time required for making necessary inspections, repairs, and alterations between runs. Operations have included a short vapor-phase run on North Dakota lignite-tar distillate oil in 1949, followed in 1950 by four comparatively short exploratory liquid-phase runs and one vapor-phase run on Rock Springs [ ]

Jan 1, 1953

By A. Ignatieff

This is the first in a series of Coal Technology Reviews being prepared in accordance with a recommendation voted by the Coal Division in session at the Jubilee Meeting, Vancouver, April, 1948, that the Department of Mines and Resources be requested to arrange for publication by the proper Government authority of a Quarterly Review' of Coal Technology, for distribution among those concerned in the production and use of coal in Canada. This recommendation was subsequently endorsed both by the Council of the Institute and by the Dominion Coal Board. Further reviews (or digests) will appear at intervals in the Bulletin, or will be published and distributed by the Board which, meanwhile, has undertaken to distribute reprints of Mr. Ignatieff's review.-En. * * * The fields in coal mining technology which are considered to demand most attention and study at the present time are reviewed under the headings appearing below. Mechanization In the light of the growing shortage of skilled miners and the necessity of mitigating constantly increasing mining costs, interest continues to centre in mining methods and applications of mechanization chat will produce the maximum reduction of man power. The growth of strip or open-cut mining, also, is a consequence of this trend. Mechanization at the face attracts most attention and the trend is toward developing and adopting machines capable of cutting and loading the coal in one operation instead of having the separate operations of cutting, drilling, blasting, and loading. In Great Britain, where longwall mining is? the general practice, the A.B. Meco-Moore machine still receives much attention, and accounts describing its performance over reasonably long periods have appeared in the technical press.

Jan 1, 1948

By A. Ignatieff

This is the second review of developments in coal mining engineering (see C.I.M .M. Transactions, Vol. LI, 1948, pp. 262- 264) and covers the period from October, 1948, to January, 1950. Mechanization The period under review was characterized by the intensive development of appliances providing for complete mechanization of coal-face operations. A variety of machines are being evolved or have already been placed on the market which embody the principle of 'continuous mining'. This trend can be observed in all coal producing countries. In the United States, two continuous mining machines have been developed for entry and room application and by the end of 1 949 were being used in a number of mines. These are the Joy Continuous Miner in which the coal is ripped from the face by means of multiple cutter chains, and the Jeffrey Colmol employing cutters on rotating arms for chipping the coal from the face. The Joy machine is made in tw6l models, 34-in. and 48-in. high and designed for a range of seam thicknesses from 3-ft. -t-in. to 4-ft. 6-in. and from 4-ft. 6-in. to 8ft., respectively. Some experience has been gained with this machine and accounts of its performance are already appearing in the technical literature. The Jeffrey-Colmol has a more limited range of working height. The first model, 38-in. high, was designed for seams about 4 feet in thick11ess but more recently the 28-in. low model has been placed on the market for seams 2-ft. 6-in, to 3-ft. 4-in. in thickness. Conventional mobile loading machines of the gathering-arm type are continuing to yield high production under suitable conditions, and improvements or modifications of the basic principle are embodied in new machines as, for example, the Jeffrey mobile (conveyor) loader with extensible (gathering-arm) head developed for conveyor mining.

Jan 1, 1950

By C. E. Baltzer

This is the fourth in a series of coal technology reviews being prepared. in accordance with a recommendation voted by the Coal Division C.I.M. in session at the Jubilee Meeting, Vancouver, 1948, that the Department of Mines and Resources be requested to arrange for publication by the proper Government authority of a Quarterly Review of Coal Technology for distribution among those concerned in the production and use of coal in Canada. Copies of the first review, which appeared in the November, 1948, BULLETIN, pp. 612-614, of the second review in the June, 1949, BULLETIN, pp. 272-275, and of the third review in April, 1950, BUL-LETIN, pp. 1,9?3-196 (also, respectively, in Transactions, Vol. LI, 1948, pp. 262-264 Vol. LU, 1949, pp. 117-120, and Vol: LIU, 1950, pp. 133-136), were distributed by the Dominion Coal Board and are still available on request. In this review, the first in the series in the field of combustion, development and trends during the period approximately from World War II to the present time are described and therefore the presentation is general. Later reviews will particularize developments in relation to the range of coals available in Canada.-ED. INTRODUCTION THE utilization of coal in heat and power producing equipment has become of paramount importance to the coal industry in maintaining stable and profitable markets. In the past, the chief concern was with mining, transportation, and overall supply problems, but modern conditions demand interest in and knowledge of all phases of the product, from coal in situ to its ultimate disappearance in the form of products of combustion. Even the last mentoined factor has caused complications, as is shown by current widespread activity in the field of smoke abatement

Jan 1, 1951

By W. A. Lang

"IntroductionCARBONIZATION, gasification, and chemical utilization of coal are interrelated topics, which makes it difficult to review one without indicating its connection with the others. Hence, in Progress in Coal Technology, Series No. 5: Carbonization, reference was made to gaseous products recovered in the carbonization of coal, and .to a number of chemicals made from the tars, light oils, and ammoniacal liquors which are by-products of coal carbonization.In this, the sixth paper in the review series, prime consideration will be given to the complete gasification of coal to give a fuel for domestic industrial, or power purposes and a synthesis gas suitable for the manufacture of gasoline, Diesel oil, and chemicals. The hydrogenation of coal, an alternative source of liquid fuels and of chemicals, will be reviewed, as will be a number of processes for •the recovery of chemical products from coal by extraction and chemical treatment."

Jan 1, 1952

By W. A. Lang

Introduction In this review, which is the fifth of the series on the Progress in Coal Technology, an attempt has been made to outline some of the more important developments that have taken place in coal carbonization during the last decade. Research into both high-and low-temperature carbonization has been active for three principal reasons: (1) the growing shortages in most countries of high-quality coking coals; (2) the demand for smokeless fuels for domestic purposes; (3) the need for metallurgical coke for the increased output of steel in the post-war years. The growing importance of coal tars as a source of chemicals for the preparation of synthetic products and of coal gases for the recovery of sulphur is evident. Many of the researches initiated because of wartime necessity have been continued .and even expanded in the post-war years. High-temperature carbonization with a suitable coal yields a strong coke which is used primarily for metallurgical purposes, a tar with good marketable value, and a large yield of gas of medium calorific value. Low-temperature carbonization gives a more free-burning solid product suitable for a domestic fuel, a high yield of a tar which is generally regarded as superior to high-temperature tar for chemical purposes, and a smaller yield of a higher-heat-value gas.

Jan 1, 1951

By E. Swartzman

"IntroductionGENERALLY, the necessity for mining coals of higher impurity content, the drive for lower costs by intensive mine mechanization, changing market requirements, and the increasing competition of oil and natural gas, have continued to result in an upward rise in coal preparation, and have necessitated a more intensive study of coal preparation problems.Increasing adoption of •continuous mining equipment, for example, is introducing new problems in coal preparation. Limited experimental work in the United States (1) shows that the effect of the continuous miner on size distribution varies with the characteristics of the seam. In some seams, the fines problem is lessened, in others it is greatly aggravated. Generally there is a decrease in the relative amount of the top sizes (plus 2 in.) and a substantial increase in the intermediate sizes (down to about 1/8 in.). Contrary to expected results•, where continuous miners with vertical-moving cutting heads are used, an increase in impurities in the slack sizes does not necessarily occur where draw-slate is taken. This is because the draw-slate tends to be kicked out in lump form. However, if a seam contains bands •and lenses of impurities they are bound to be in the mined product."

Jan 1, 1952

By R. R. Sayers

SILICOSIS is a term known to almost everyone today. Yet, in spite of a great deal of study, much is still to be learned regarding the disease. Government organizations are still continuing their investigations, begun near Joplin, Mo., 25 years ago. Work is also being done in several universities, as Harvard, Pennsylvania, Rochester, and Toronto, and at least two private organizations, the Air Hygiene Foundation of America, Inc., and the Saranac Laboratories for the Study of Tuberculosis, devote most of their time to this subject. Similar studies have been and are being made in many other countries.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. A. Singmaster

IT will perhaps be wise to define my terms in begin-ning to talk about my subject, especially so where the popular and commercial terminology are as con-fused as they are in the case of zinc. While our French friends know zinc by its true name, and we find Balzac, Daudet, and other literary celebrities using it correctly in their novels, it is quite the contrary in English, particularly here in America. The quotation of a definition for zinc recently appearing in one of our leading technical magazines, "zinc is the place where they wash the dishes," will emphasize the difference. Zinc suffered in the first place by becoming an article of commerce long after its alloys with copper were in common use under the name of brass. Then again, when the art of zinc coating iron and steel objects was commercialized, we called it galvanizing, which is really a meaningless term. The French and Germans use the obvious terms-zinguerie and verzinken-for the opera-tion. Since these two uses of zinc, brass making and galvanizing, have been by far the largest consumers of zinc, is it any wonder that the popular knowledge of zinc is as vague as it is? In fact, since the disappear-ance of the sheet of zinc along with the parlor stove, the zinc-lined bath tub and refrigerator, there has been little popular contact in this country with the undis-guised metal zinc. On the Continent, where zinc has been used for over a hundred years under its real name, particularly for roofing and building purposes, the situ-ation is quite different. It is quite refreshing to turn for a moment to the contrast offered by my friend, Dr. Merica's specialty, nickel. They put 2 or 3 per cent of it into steel, and we have nickel-steel, or a larger amount into an alloy, and we have nickel-silver. To be sure there is no silver there, but what need that matter, nickel is used in the alloy and is first in the name. They plate with nickel and call it nickel-plating, no galvanizing about that. And, finally, they take that noble coin which admits us daily to underground New York, composed of three parts of copper and one part nickel, and get away with nickel as its popular name.

Jan 6, 1927

By H. R. Cooper

Refinements and increased sophistication in modeling and simulation, and introduction of advanced techniques in automatic control made feasible with digital processor handling of data, represent the most significant fields of advancement during the past ten years. Extensions in capability to predict performance of beneficiation and other mineral extraction techniques now provide powerful assistance to developers and and designers of minerals processing unit operations and complete plant flowsheets. Computer aided advances are categorized by work in the following fields: - Steady state modeling and simulation of processes - Dynamic modeling and simulation of processes - Optimization methodology in crushing, grinding, and flotation - Optimal process control methods - Expert systems in process control

Jan 1, 1989

By C. A. Schempp

STUDY of the adaptability of Tintic Standard ores to concentration dates back to somewhat before January, 1921, when the chloridizing mill at Harold, Utah, was put into operation. The operation of this mill has been fully covered in the TRANSACTIONS (Vol. 73). The process consisted essentially of a chloridizing roast followed by a percolating leach with a nearly saturated solution of common salt, acidified with sulfuric acid; precipitation of silver on sponge copper, and of copper and lead on tin-plate cuttings. This mill was built to treat the low grade siliceous ores having an average content of

Jan 1, 1933

By Theo Lehner

Turning matte into anodes continues to be an area to watch: for visitors to see pyrometallurgy in action; for metallurgists to keep up with modern smelting furnaces and ever increasing production rates; for management to remain profitable using more tools than taught in school; and for environmentalists to detect the last small clouds from the ever cleaner smelter. Current converting practices have been screened and analyzed, and today, converting and casting is a modern industry. An impressive, though typical learning curve of converter productivity may be detected. Local conditions such as availability and type of raw materials, products extracted, cost factors, etc., have stimulated the development of add-ons or even alternatives to the still dominant method of converting by Peirce-Smith technology. Turning blister copper into anodes follows a similar path, namely increased productivity and improved quality. We dare to predict that development will continue.

Jan 1, 2005

By T Napier-Munn, D J. Bradshaw, M Chauhan, L Keeney

An important aspect of geometallurgy is quantifying mineral processing attributes, which leads to improved orebody understanding. One of these attributes is flotation performance. Several methods have been developed as indicators for flotation performance, including batch testing leading to kinetic information and the standard grade-recovery curve. This paper makes a preliminary statistical comparison between a newly proposed geometallurgical batch flotation procedure and the æstandardÆ batch flotation test commonly used to measure flotation performance in the laboratory. The new test uses much less material than the standard test, and is much faster. It is concluded that the new method follows the final recovery of the standard method well, suggesting that it will be effective in reflecting ore variability for geometallurgical purposes. Comparison of the methods based on the full grade-recovery curve shows less agreement, but this may be due to the fact that the curve is sensitive to the particular experimental set-up and conditions, which make such comparisons quantitatively challenging. Further development work is therefore planned.CITATION:Chauhan, M, Napier-Munn, T, Keeney, L and Bradshaw, D J, 2013. Progress in developing a geometallurgy flotation indicator, in Proceedings The Second AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference (GeoMet) 2013 , pp 201-206 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 29, 2013

By Clifford S. Gibson

A year ago a paper (1) was presented at the Annual Western Meeting of the Institute regarding silicosis in Ontario mines. It described the whole problem as we see it and discussed the means of prevention. The work and aims of the Technical Silicosis Research Committee of the Ontario Mining Association, and of the Committee's field engineer, were fully described also and it is suggested that reference be made to this paper in order to have a better understanding of the observations which are presented now. These observations enlarge upon parts of the dust control measures already discussed and tell of general progress in the past year. They concern fifty properties, the majority of the operating mines, which vary in size from the hopeful prospect to established producers yielding 11,000 tons of ore daily. Most of these are gold mines; a few copper-nickel. The ores range from heavy sulphides to siliceous materials and they are mined by many methods from varying types of deposits. The majority of the latter are steeply dipping and all are found in Precambrian host-rocks. Up to the present, die greatest depth to which mining has penetrated is 6,400 feet.

Jan 1, 1939