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By William F. Boericke

RESEARCH in the modern refractories laboratory has two practical ends in view-to develop refractory materials for the metallurgist that will meet particular operating difficulties more effectively and to ?manufacture these refractories at a cost sufficiently low to make their use economical to the metallurgist. At the research laboratories of E. J: Lavino and Co., at Plymouth Meeting, Pa., the technical staff, under Dr. Gilbert E. Seil, is giving principal attention. to an. exhaustive investigation of the following factors in refractories:

Jan 1, 1931

By W. E. Curran

For years the geographical isolation of the Southern iron-ore district from the great producing centers in the North and East enabled it to meet its conditions and solve its own problems without regard to the practices and policies of other districts, but during the past few years distances have been shortened, practices and wages are being standardized, .and these changing conditions have brought new problems to the South.

Jan 1, 1937

The Mexican Government is building a mill at Churunibave in Sonora to handle lead, zinc, and copper ores. This development was sparked by increased mining activity in Mexico and Arizona caused by the Korean war. Pickands Mather, acting for a group of iron ore producers, is negotiating an agreement with Steep Rock Iron Mines, Ltd. to explore and perhaps lease iron ore property covering more than 1000 acres in the Steep Rock Lake area in Western Ontario. Plans call for the early commencement of an exploratory program. Other members of the group by Pickands Mather are Bethlehem Steel, Youngstown Sheet & Tube, the Steel Co. of Canada, and Interlake Iron Corp.

Jan 3, 1951

A Report Of Current Activity In The Industry

Jan 7, 1951

OLIVIA'S recent revolution, by hindsight, seems to have been inevitable. The misery of the majority of the people, coupled with the economic crisis engendered by the refusal of the United States to meet Bolivian demands for a higher tin price, gave the National Revolutionary Movement party all the excuse it needed for overthrowing the government. Most of the mines in Bolivia are owned by three families. Precisely what it will mean to the United States is still a moot question. Argentina, with a mixture of Marxism, Fascism, and few twists created by the Perons, is in a position to grab off much of the tin we need. Because of the contingencies of geographical location, language and a natural simpatico, Argentina may be able to continue its efforts to oust the United States from its South American markets. Point Four aid was supposed to be given to Bolivia, but only for agriculture. Even this was entirely too slow. Mining, Bolivia's other major source of income was forgotten by the Washington planners. Primary aim of the new power will be to diminish its dependence on the world tin market. At a time when the free world is fighting a battle for control of metal, it stands a chance of losing an important source of supply. With the accent placed on agriculture and other industries, mining in Bolivia is certain to suffer. Argentina will be in a position to get the available supply of tin, make a strong ally in the world order of things, and add to its power play against the United States in South America. Ten labor groups have formed the Bolivian Central Workers Union. The first item on their list for immediate action is the nationalization of the mining and railroad industries. They also came out for agrarian revolution and diversification of industry. President Victor Paz Estenssoro has promised to appoint a committee for the investigation of nationalization of the mines. At least, this is indicative of a feeling for the need for caution.

Jan 1, 1952

BESIDES air -water, sulphur, salt, coal, and lime-stone are the key nonmetallic raw materials used by the chemical industry and each came in for attention at the AIMF, Industrial Minerals Division meeting at Morgantown. W, Va., Sept. 13 to 15. West Virginia is a growing chemical producing area with sites along the Ohio and Kanawka Rivers being favored because of power, accessibility of raw materials (many in the State), water supply, and transportation.

Jan 10, 1951

FROM newspaper reports circulated in Indonesia, it seems quite obvious that many people, even the left-wingers, have serious doubts concerning the wisdom of the Indonesian Government in nationalizing the Bangka Island tin mines, formerly operated by the Dutch Billiton Co. Chief source of American dollars for Indonesia has been the 34,000 ton tin production of its mines. Right now, both left and right are concerned with whether the Government will be able to maintain and increase current production. The right wing Moslem party newspaper, Mimbar Indonesia, stated: "It will no longer be possible any more for radical labor leaders to find foreign scapegoats and tell the workers they are working only for foreign interests and foreign managements. It is up to labor now to increase its labors for the national good. It will be a new experience, and the problem is whether we are capable enough to manage these important mines."

Jan 4, 1953

GERMANIUM, once the metals industries' unwanted step-child, has suddenly blossomed into importance. As late as 1951 textbooks failed to mention it and the metal was considered no more than a nuisance that interfered with the electrolysis of zinc. Eagle-Pitcher is the only producer of Germanium, used in power rectifiers and the new transistors. Its basic quality is that its ability to carry current can be changed, and a current flowing through it can be controlled. Germanium is sold by Eagle-Pitcher for about $340 a lb, not bad for a metal that only a few years ago was totally ignored. Eagle-Pitcher gets germanium, cadmium and gallium by roasting the zinc concentrate to convert the sulphides to oxides, then adding coal and salt to the crude zinc oxide and sintering at a high temperature. The oxides of germanium, cadmium and gallium are converted to chlorides. Cadmium and germanium chlorides volatilize, and are gathered for additional processing. The important step is the distillation of germanium tetrachloride.

Jan 1, 1952

Jan 11, 1951

"IRON for iron" may soon be the primary concept of Mexico's mining industry. If reports that President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines intends to extend federal control over mining are true, Mexico will export iron ore to the U. S. only in return for machinery. Actual exporter will be the Federal Government, with negotiations through the Bank of Mexico. Shipments of iron ore, under this kind of arrangement, can be tightly controlled, assuring that machinery and heavy equipment instead of dollars are the means of payment. Expansion of this policy in the next few years can be expected according to reports.

Jan 6, 1953

A Report Of Current Activity In The Industry

Jan 6, 1951

MIXED emotions were produced by the announcement that the buildup of weapons will be stretched out till mid-1954 instead of the previous 1953 deadline. Reason: government assistance programs will be tougher to get but there will be easement in materials allocations. Earlier in February, DPA had announced that tightening up on regulations governing rapid tax -amortization would become effective March 1. In the future, DPA will have to certify amortization contracts for all construction and permanent installations costing more than $100,000. This action was necessary according to DPA's James F. King, so that new industrial expansions already approved could be assessed in the light of the changing critical mineral picture. When DMPA inherited the backlog of government assistance, requests from DMA, it moved in fast. The results of DMPA's work is described in the article on p. 351 by James K. Richardson; The speed with which these requests were approved and the lengthening of the military program have made a reappraisal of the critical mineral list necessary. It looks as though the consumer industries will be getting more metal soon and, led by steel, there is an industry push toward the abandonment of CMP. Relaxing of materials controls appears imminent but discontinuing CMP is in the "let's talk this thing over" stage.

Jan 1, 1952

DESPITE strikes, domestic production of copper and zinc in 1951 rose about 3 pct and 10 pct, respectively. Lead output fell only about 7 pct. Primary refined, including processed scrap and imported concentrates, was somewhat higher for zinc, and slightly lower for copper and lead. Prospects are for moderately larger mine and refined production in 1952 according to Standard & Poor's analysis of nonferrous metals. The survey goes on to report domestic copper prices averaged 14 pct higher in 1951, lead prices 30 pct higher, and zinc prices 32 pct higher. The 2¢ rise in zinc and lead ceilings in October will lift the average price in 1952 over 8 pet, assuming no further price change. Currently, OPS appears opposed to raising the 24 ½ ¢ copper ceiling to the 24 ½ ¢ maximum on imported metal. The steep premiums in world markets are likely to be reduced in 1952. Sales in 1951 were at new peaks. A further moderate rise is indicated for 1952. Earnings of the industry were at a new high in 1951. The increase for companies covered in the survey was perhaps 25 pet, despite a tax rate of about 53 pet, against about 40 pct. in 1950. Relatively maintained to moderately higher earnings are currently indicated for 1952. About two thirds of the companies covered in the survey raised dividends, including extras, in 1951. In general, maintained payments appear probable in 1952.

Jan 1, 1952

TENDENCIES toward nationalization grew noticeably stronger in some areas. Late last fall Bolivia took over the tin mines of four foreign operators and handed them a bill for a fabulous amount claimed for damages. In the same breath, the price Bolivia offered to pay for the mines appeared to many to be slightly ridiculous. Many engineers felt that the country would not be able to run the mines successfully. Even if they could, some thought that the Bolivian Government would gut the orebodies in an attempt to get at rich deposits for high profits, leaving the lean ores in unmineable condition.

Jan 2, 1953

DEFENSE Materials Procurement Agency has been moving rapidly to encourage copper industry expansion programs. Although copper production is at a high level, a shortage exists on a world-wide basis as well as on the domestic scene. Projected expansion programs will not ease this current demand for most of them are 2 to 5 years off. Refining facilities are adequate but there is a shortage of ore and scrap, and it is for this reason that the expansion programs are directed at developing more sources of supply. The domestic expansion programmed thus far and understood to have been arranged with price escalation should the domestic price go to 271/20, were summarized by American Metal Markets as follows (dates of announcement are given in parenthesis: .1-Copper Cities Mining Co.'s, $15,000,000 expansion near Miami, Ariz., to be operating about 1954. DMPA will buy 22,500 tons of copper a year up to a given amount on an agreed price of 23¢ per pound, with some exceptions and depending upon salability at a higher price to other purchasers in the U. S. (September 25th). 2-An RFC loan of $60,000 to North Butte Mining Co. to be paid off on the basis of deliveries at a purchase price of 241/20 per pound (September 25th). 3-A $25,000,000 expansion program by Phelps Dodge to provide 38,000 tons per year by late 1954. DMPA would purchase it at a price of 22¢ per pound up to 112,500 tons providing other purchasers in the U. S. will not pay a higher price (September 26th). 4-Anaconda Copper Mining Co. $40,000,000 expansion in Nevada to provide more than 30,000 (might be increased to 45,000) tons per year. DMPA would purchase the copper at 250 per pound for a limited period of time if it is not salable to industrial users at above this price. Production would start around 1953 (November 14th).

Jan 1, 1952

WITH the present mobilization program in full swing and the enrollment in engineering colleges dropping off, many solutions are offered to relieve the shortage of trained men in the engineering profession. Industry can absorb about 30,000 engineers annually, according to the Engineers Joint Council, and forecasts indicate that the number graduating will have dropped from 38,000 in 1951 to about 12,000 in 1954. If this condition were to continue there would probably not be enough people with technical training to run industry in four or five years.

Jan 12, 1951

AN economist at MIT provided Americans with myth destroying information which should prove effective against the gentlemen of the extreme left. For a number of years they have charged that a small number of companies in each industry has been grabbing more and more of the industry's business. M. A. Adelman has shown that the concentration of business in the hands of big corporations has not shown any sign of growth during the last 50 years. Quite the contrary, there has been a slight decline in this concentration, according to Adelman. There are more small companies per thousand population than ever before. Bearing this out is the fact that International Harvester is now doing 41 pct of the possible market against a former 85 pct; American Can Co. has dropped from 90 pct to 50 pct; American Smelting is down to 31 pct compared with 90 pct; and lastly, U. S. Steel which has plummeted from 65 pct to slightly more than 30 pct of the steel market. Declines of the same proportions have hit big companies in other industries. Price cuts on Detroit's 1953 automobiles indicate that even among the biggest competition is still one of the most important household gods. Big business is still slugging it out for the attention of the American consumer. It's a battle which can only have one result-benefit to the man who buys.

Jan 1, 1953

[ ] ST. JOSEPH Lead Co., is entering the oil business. Andrew Fletcher, St. Joseph president, stated that plans call for a contract with the Continental Oil Co., to drill 11 exploratory wells. Six will be in Texas, one in southern Louisiana, one in northern Louisiana, and one each in California, Oklahoma, and Montana. St. Joseph is also negotiating a contract with the Zephyr Drilling Co., for wells in Wyoming and Colorado. St. Joseph is planning to drill another well on a 6000 acre plot in southern Illinois. Proxies issued before a special meeting of the board, said the new venture is not intended to change the general character of the company's business, or to involve a significant part of its resources. If gas, oil, or minerals are discovered in paying quantities, the company will develop and operate the deposits and dispose of the products for the joint account of Continental Oil and St. Joseph Lead. The mining company will contribute a proportionate share of the cost, but will have definite limitation of its obligation. The amendment to St. Joseph's certificate of corporation, passed by the board meeting, also extended the power of the company to include mining operations of all kinds.

Jan 1, 1952

THERE is at least one concrete indication that Soviet Russia's two most important iron ore producing centers are seriously depleted. While keeping in mind Russia's penchant for reverse propaganda, one piece of evidence indicates that Magnitugorsk in the southern Urals and Krivoi Rog in the Ukraine have been mined to a point where lower grade ores are being recovered. An article in Pravda, Soviet newspaper, by I. P. Bardin. a Russian metallurgist, says that ore presently mined must undergo an expensive enriching cycle before it can be used in blast furnaces. Com- pounding Russian metallurgical troubles is the low quality of coking coals. High ash and sulphur content typifies the coal Badin talks about. Coal from the Ukraine, Eastern Siberia, Kazakhstan, and the Far East requires extensive treatment before it can be used, according to the article in Pravda.

Jan 7, 1953

THE late steel strike resulted in an unusual reversal of field when Brazilian interests shipped steel to the United States to assure completion of a blast furnace under construction in Cleveland for the national Volta Redonda mill. The furnace is one of the key factors in an expansion program scheduled to raise Brazilian steel production by 280,000 tons, bringing annual output to 1 million tons. The first consignment shipped to Cleveland included 500 tons of slab and plate steel, and was followed later by another 300 tons. Brazil wants to blow in the furnace by July 1, 1953, and the restricted allocation system brought about by the steel shortage offered a real threat to the deadline. Volta Redonda, established during World War II by Brazilian and American financing, accounts for more than half of Brazil's steel production.

Jan 1, 1952