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By Henry T. Mulryan

The philosophy, strategy and techniques of successful marketing of talc, differ sharply from those applied to most other mined products. Unlike non-ferrous metals, there are no commodity exchanges to facilitate the transfer of goods. Unlike iron ore and some non-metallics, assured markets by means of long term contracts are practically non-existent. Talc must be sold and sold and sold again. The normal channels of talc distribution are almost identical to those used, by the chemical industry. These consist of a blend of producer marketing staff, field technical service, and sales force; and independent chemical wholesalers. Like the term "chemicals", there is tremendous product diversity contained in the rather loose expression "commercial talc". Certain kinds of talc, processed in conventional ways, are regarded as commodities by the consumer. That is, that material from one source or supplier is considered to be effectively interchangeable with those available from a number of other areas and producers. Under such conditions, lowest delivered price, quickest delivery, and best, customer service, are the key factors in a successful sales effort.

Jan 1, 1965

By M D. Winning

The historical development of the elemental sulphur recovery industry in Western Canada is reviewed for the period 1952 to 1965. A brief technical description of a typical modified Claus sulphur recovery unit is presented. Some predictions are made concerning the future of the elemental sulphur recovery industry in Western Canada. THERE are evidences of sulphur or its compounds having been used for religious and medicinal purposes as far back as we have a recorded knowledge of history. As typical examples, sulphur was burned as a sort of inverse incense to drive away evil spirits at religious festivals, sulphur ointments were used by the early Egyptians to cure eye ailments, and hot sulphur-spring water was used as a cure for a variety of ailments. Thermopyle was called "Hot Gates" be-cause of its fame as a spa as well as a mountain pass. The Romans discovered the sulphur deposits in Sicily and mixed sulphur with bitumen for incendiaries; and, of course, anyone familiar with the travels of Marco Polo knows about the Chinese development of gunpowder, which contains sulphur. In some aspects things haven't changed much today. We still use sulphur-bearing ointments, and we still use the hot sulphur springs such as the one at Banff in Western

Jan 1, 1965

By M. Pope

By 1950, packaged oil and gas fired boilers were on the market for capacities up to 30,000 lbs./hr. By 1962, capacities were up to 100,000 lbs./hr. and even higher when separate heat traps (economizers and air preheaters) were attached to the boiler packages. During this period, complete packaged coal fired boilers were developed into the 10-15,000 lbs./hr. range. Oil and gas fired plant designs became very compact, "basementless", and far: less costly than the coal fired plants of any capacity. Coal fired plants remained large and expensive, required field erection of boilers and required basements. With the spectacular strides made in automation, oil and gas plants became far less costly to operate, requiring only the part-time attendance of a single operator. Some advances were made in coal fired plants, but not to the degree attained by the fluid fuel competition.

Jan 1, 1965

This paper comprises a description of on-stream analysis instrumentation, including sample handling, X-ray optics and data processing. It also includes a discussion of some typical applications of an on-stream analyzer as related to the mineral processing industry. Introduction T WO automatic X-ray spectrometers have been developed for the simultaneous analysis of as many as six elements in a given sample. These instruments, namely the On-Stream Analyzer and the new Vacuum Simultaneous Spectrometer, have been designed specifically for process control in industry where large numbers of static samples or a number of flowing sample streams must be analyzed continuously with both speed and accuracy. This paper is concerned particularly with the application of these instruments for the continuous analysis of dynamic samples. The Instruments The On-Stream Analyzer and the Vacuum Simultaneous Spectrometer are intended to serve industry by offering two basic approaches to the problem of continuous sampling of flowing sample streams. The On-stream Analyzer (Figure 1) is designed for the completely automatic and unattended analysis of flowing sample streams in a programmed cycle of operation.

Jan 1, 1965

By A. J. Kauffman

This study compiles data on the zircon resources of the Pacific Northwest States, Alaska, and California, to determine the productive capability of industrial concerns to make ductile zirconium and hafnium, and to investigate markets for the nonmetallic products of zircon. West coast zircon resources are large but mostly marginal to submarginal. Development of a stable and profitable zircon mining industry on the west coast will depend upon recovery and utilization of the other associated heavy minerals needed by regional and national markets. The west coast has the only completely integrated facility for processing zircon sand to reactor-grade zirconium and hafnium and for making fabricated products from these metals. The future of the zirconium metal industry appears to be good because of increased use of the metal for nuclear propulsion and power-generating plants.

Jan 1, 1965

By William R. Hess

Volcanic ash, although a little-used Kansas resource, is available in forty counties with estimated, reserves of more than 20 million tons. It was first produced in Kansas in the early 1900?s but not until the early 1920 is did it become an important abrasive material. Total production to date is estimated at 2 million tons, the major use being as an abrasive in scouring compounds and soaps, additional uses include ceramic glazes, an additive in cement, and a filler and stabilizer in hot mix asphalt for paving. Unrecorded tonnages have also been used in construction of black-top (macadam) roads. From 1916 through 1944, Kansas ranked first among the states in volcanic ash production; peak production was about 52, 000 tons in 1923. Since 1945, production has steadily declined, primarily because materials other than volcanic ash are now being used for abrasives; only two producers operated in 1964.

Jan 1, 1965

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two- thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

By Joseph Grumer

The range of composition of gases synthesized from solid fuels which are exchangeable with natural gas on current gas appliances was evaluated by theoretical principles. These principles consider primarily the flashback, blowoff, and yellow-tipping characteristics of air-entraining burner flames. It was found that complete identity between the synthetic and natural product is not necessary. Gases such as may be obtained by hydrogasification of coal and other solid fuels without the removal of unreacted hydrogen offer advantages in flame characteristics. Between 25 to 37 percent hydrogen can be tolerated in the sendout gas.

Jan 1, 1965

By H D. Smith

T HE production of coal in Canada was slightly higher in 1964 than in the immediate past, and the major users continue to be the electric utility and metallurgical industries. There are continuing trends toward the increased use of cokes and chars in various metallurgical applications. Geological Research During 1964, the coal drilling program of the Research Council of Alberta (RCA) was concentrated in the extreme south of the Province (notably in the Milk River area and the region immediately to the northeast of this area). Field work commenced on June 1 and was completed at the end of September, by which time a total of 376 holes, aggregating some 48,500 ft., were drilled in 132 townships. Although no new major coal occurrences were intersected, the pro-gram yielded useful data for defining the extent of the known coal deposits in the area. Detailed results will be analyzed during the winter and reported in due course. Meanwhile, a full report on the

Jan 1, 1965

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two-thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

By Frank B. Fulkerson

Three of the five primary aluminum producers in the Pacific Northwest have facilities in the region to make aluminum mill products. Only one of the three, however, produces a variety of shapes and forms. The principal reason for the lag in development of an aluminum mill products industry was found to be transportation cost. The long range outlook is for expansion, based mainly on growth of the western market for aluminum used in construction, containers and packaging, electrical applications, diesel trucks, mobile homes, and irregation pipe. Consumption of western aluminum mill products in 1985 is projected at 1.1 million tons, compared with estimated consumption of 250,000 tons in 1961.

Jan 1, 1965

By G. E. Agar

The energy required for dry grinding of phosphate rock in ball and roller mills has been analyzed by the method suggested by Charles and others. The findings are not wholly in agreement with Charles' predictions; but, nevertheless, the method of analysis is shown to be sound. Some of the deviation is probably attributable to the characteristics of a dry grinding system. Many laboratory and pilot plant scale experiments have been made to determine the energy requirements for size reduction. This topic was recently reviewed by Agar and Brown' and it was apparent that very little if any data exists in the literature which permits one to apply the Charles 2-Holmes3 analysis to industrial size systems. More recently, the idea has been put forward that the postulate of comminution by impact used by Charles and others was not sufficient to explain size-reduction throughout the grinding operation. The opportunity exists in the grinding operations of International Minerals and Chemical Corp. (IMC) to analyze the energy-size relationship for dry grinding phosphate rock in both ball and roller mills. This situation arises because the mills are used for custom grinding and make products from 50% to 85% minus 200 mesh. BACKGROUND A correlation of particle size in a comminuted material with the energy expended in size reduction was proposed by charles2 to be of the form

Jan 1, 1965

By C. H. Schack

Extractive metallurgy techniques currently employed to recover silver from primary ores and secondary scrap were reviewed and evaluated to identify and delineate metallurgical problems whose resolution would increase the supply of silver from domestic materials. The survey revealed that practically all primary silver is recovered by froth flotation concentration of various types of ores, followed by smelting and refining of the separate lead, copper, and zinc concentrates. Silver losses during the complex processing are, with rare exception, inconsequential. Furthermore, any silver production gain from base metal ores, which contribute about two-thirds of the total primary silver, is directly dependent no improvement in the market for the base metals. Statistical data on new and old silver scrap are wholly inadequate to make reliable conclusions about scrap processing problems and the possibility of increasing the recovery of silver from the many forms of secondary silver-bearing materials. The available information indicates (1) that efficient silver reclamation practices are employed by the larger users of silver, and (2) that recovery of additional secondary silver involves solution of problems of collection rather than of processing. Several possibilities exist for limited increases in silver production from primary ores by improvement in metallurgical practices. Specifically, research is needed to (1) solve the problem of recovering silver from the copper ores of the Copper Range district, Michigan; and (2) devise economically feasible methods for recovery of silver from presently marginal or submarginal ores char because of grade, location, and frequently complex nature cannot presently be exploited by conventional techniques.

Jan 1, 1965

By Barry Hunsaker

I cannot help but be reminded, as I stand here today, of my boyhood years and heritage, both of which are inextricably tied to this very valley and are, in a: bay, apropos of the theme of this Keynote Session. I remember the scarcity of people. For example, 48, 000 in Phoenix and 436, 000 in the State in 1930 and 65,000 in Phoenix and 499, 000 in the State in 1940. Today Phoenix boasts a population of over 500, 000 and the State a population of 1, 500,000. I remember the' lack of facilities, goods and services, including gas and electric power. I recall stories of my grandfather who had the freighting or teaming contract to haul all the supplies and generating equipment, by wagon mind you, up the old Apache Trail to Roosevelt Dam. . .a three day trip from the nearest railhead which, by the way, was not Phoenix, for it did not merit a railhead on those days, but the village of Maricopa approximately 25 miles south of Phoenix. I remember chopping firewood, heating wash water on an open fire in a No. 3 wash tub at the rear of the house and doing my school homework by the light of a kerosene lamp just 25 to 35 years ago within what is now a large metropolitan area

Jan 1, 1965

By Frank B. Fulkerson

Three of the five primary aluminum producers in the Pacific Northwest have facilities in the region to make aluminum mill products. Only one of the three, however, produces a variety of shapes and forms. The principal reason for the lag in development of an aluminum mill products industry was found to be transportation cost. The long range outlook is for expansion, based mainly on growth of the western market for aluminum used in construction, containers and packaging, electrical applications, diesel trucks, mobile homes, and irregation pipe. Consumption of western aluminum mill products in 1985 is projected at 1.1 million tons, compared with estimated consumption of 250,000 tons in 1961.

Jan 1, 1965

By William W. Magnus

The Eastern Magnesia Talc Company has always had the problem of adequate storage at its various mines and mills of not only crude ore and finished product but also material in process. An opportunity arose a couple of years ago with the decision to build a new mill at West Windsor, Vermont, (Figure 1) to come as close to providing adequate space for ore and the ground talc in the new plant as money and judgement would allow. Since our engineering staff did not have the time to design and engineer the new facility, an architectural firm with complete engineering staff was retained. Our original thought was to contract all phases of the construction and installation, however, and I think this is a most important point for any small firm such as ours, we found that with good supervision we, as the contractor, could do the job faster and at a lower cost than the construction firms that bid on the work. For some 50 odd years Italian talc has had a virtual monopoly in the body powder area of the cosmetic industry. Due to the purity, superior lubricity and whiteness, naturally occurring in the talc from Italy, no talc in the Western Hemisphere could capture any but a very small part of the market. When the Italian supply was cut off during World War II, the United States' largest consumer of this talc decided that it was time to develop a domestic source of a satisfactory replacement.

Jan 1, 1965

By Harold N. Miller

Lost time and services caused by electrical equipment breakdown or cable faults can often be substantially reduced by the use of direct-current high-voltage testing as a maintenance tool. This paper discusses the relative merits of alternating-current versus direct-current testing, pointing out the advantages in size and cost of equipment and more definitive results achieved through the use of D.C. General principles of direct-current high-volt-age testing, types of testing, methods of performing the actual test and interpreting the results are explained. ?The value of insulation resistance measurements and their relationship to high-voltage testing is discussed. Pinpointing the physical location of a cable defect using a fault locator or thumper is described. Reference is made to several organizations that have effected considerable savings with high-voltage test programs. Introduction T HE past decades have seen great advances in the field of electrical power distribution and application. Motor generators, power-operated equipment, cables, etc., have all gone through various stages of improvement both in efficiency and reliability. Un-fortunately, however, power failures and equipment breakdown still occur -frequently with disastrous effects in loss of time,

Jan 1, 1965

By Walter Kahn

Increasing consideration is being given to simplifying traditional methods of tracing pipelines and maintaining required temperatures of stored fluids. Because of their reduction in capital costs, virtual elimination of maintenance. ease of control and "cleanliness"; interest in electrical techniques has accelerated. 1,2 Resistance cable and other heaters have been given some attention. but less well known in the recent introduction of thermal conductive coatings. This paper is addressed to the use of thermal conductive coatings for heating fluid-transport piping and storage tanks. Emphasis will be given to the simplicity, efficiency, and versatility of design and application which their unique properties further contribute to the general economics of electrical heating.

Jan 1, 1965

By L. F. Heising

The Bureau of Mines evaluated 191 composites from the central Mesabi Range, Minn., chiefly by reductive roasting and magnetic separation. After reductive roasting and magnetic separation at minus 325 mesh, 28 composites produced concentrates that contained an average of 66.0 percent iron with less than 10 percent silica. Recovery of contained iron was over 90 percent. Natural magnetic material in excess of 5 percent was present in 142 composites. Trial flotation tests were used to evaluate three samples unresponsive to reductive roasting and magnetic separation procedures, and satisfactory concentrates having low silica contents (averaging 6.6 percent) were achieved.

Jan 1, 1965

By William H. Engelleitner

Agglomeration by balling in cylindrical or shallow pan devices dates back to the early part of this century. The first sintering tests conducted by Dwight-Lloyd on nonferrous ores included a mixing step for ore, flux and fuel carried out in a deep pan device similar to the balling pans, or discs, presently in use. Further work directed mainly toward sintering of ferrous and nonferrous ores always included a preparatory step, usually referred to as mixing, agglomerating or green-balling of the ingredients. In the late forties and early fifties two methods of particle preparation prior to firing were in general use. In Europe the balling pan was used predominantly, both as a mixer and as a pelletizer. In the United States many pilot plants and semi¬commercial plants used balling drums. When the first iron ore pelletizing plants were built in this country, the most frequently used device for green-balling was the cylindrical drum. At the same time, the pan device was used both in Europe and the United States for many other materials such as fertilizer, cement, flyash, alumina and copper concentrates, as well as to mix the feed for sinter machines. The difference between these two balling devices - -the drum and the disc - has been the subject of much discussion and is well covered by several papers included in the 1962 publication "Agglomeration' issued by AIMS, based on their 1961 International Symposium held in Philadelphia. (1)

Jan 1, 1965