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By Frederic Benard

RECOVERY of selenium and tellurium at Copper Cliff by the Ontario Refining Co. has been previously described by the writer.1 During 1935 a new building was erected to house this operation and description of the new plant and process form the subject of this paper. The building, of modern steel and tile construction, covers an area of 5900 sq. ft. with a volume of approximately 165,000 cu. ft. The large monitored center bay is flanked by two smaller outside bays, one of which is devoted to the tellurium section. All equipment, ceilings and upper walls, are treated with aluminum paint, giving good illumination and facilitating good housekeeping, essential from a health standpoint in handling material of this nature. EQUIPMENT Layout and type of equipment conforms to the requirements of the process as described below. In the selenium section, storage tanks, neutralizing tanks and precipitators are of steel construction, lead-lined and. arranged for gravity flow (Fig. 1). The neutralizing tanks are equipped with water-cooled lead coils for controlling solution temperature, agitation being accomplished with compressed air. The precipitators are provided with mechanical agitators, and sulphur dioxide is introduced into the solution through 3-in. lead pipes leading from a manifold attached to the cover of the precipitator. Each precipitator has internal cooling coils and an air-jet exhauster to carry off fumes. Neutralized solutions are filtered in a 29-plate wooden filter press using heavy cotton duck as a filter medium, forced feed being maintained by a Welmet centrifugal pump. Dilute solutions are concentrated by evaporation in a vacuum evaporator, constructed of cast hard lead. Heat is supplied by an outside steam chest operating under 15 lb. steam pressure. The solution is circulated through the steam chest by a pump of antimonial lead at a rate approximating 400 cu. ft. per min. The evaporator is evacuated by a water-jet condenser that creates a vacuum of 26 in. of mercury under normal operating conditions. The capacity of the vessel is 60 cu. ft. and the rate of evaporation 25 cu. ft. per hour.

Jan 1, 1938

By H. M. Day

THE constitution of the system silver-mercury has attracted the attention of many investigators during the last two decades, but since their results are for the most part in poor agreement, there is little need for a review of their individual contributions. It remained for the very careful thermal and microscopic investigation of Murphy1 in 1931 to give the constitutional diagram in its present and unquestioned form, which is shown in Fig. 1. He devised methods for taking cooling curves on alloys under high pressures and for the microscopic observation of alloys which contained liquid mercury as a structural constituent at ordinary temperatures. The compositions of the intermediate phases were con-firmed and supplemented through X-ray analyses by Preston and Stenbeck.3 According to Murphy, at 276° C. silver is able to dissolve 44 to 45 weight per cent of mercury, which may increase at lower tempera-tures to about 50 per cent. Preston concluded that the saturation boundary occurred at 46 ± 2 per cent at 100° C. From the values reported in the literature, these are the only ones that may be accepted as lying even in the right region.

Jan 1, 1938

By C. E. Shoenfelt

Wildcat drilling operations in Utah in 1937 added nothing of importance to the commercial oil and gas possibilities of the state, and such operations consisted largely of efforts to reach objectives in wells started in former years. The Standard Oil Company of California, jointly with the Continental Oil Co., completed a wildcat well in sec. 22, 23 S., 11 E., on the San Rafael swell in Emery County, which was abandoned in metamorphic rocks at 4900 ft.; it tested the Pennsylvanian and Mississippian sections and probably ended in Devonian or older rocks. The Utah Southern Oil Company's test of the Cisco structure in sec. 33, 22 S., 22 E., was abandoned at 6715 ft.; it may have been through the Pennsylvanian section at this depth. The Mountain Fuel Supply Co. continued the development of its Clay Basin gas field, and with the completion of two wells in 1937 added 35,571,000 cu. ft. initial daily gas capacity to its reserves. This company constructed 21 miles of 10-in. gas pipe line from the Clay Basin field to its South Baxter Basin terminal in Wyoming, and during the closing months of 1937 delivered 2,225,000,000 cu. ft. of gas through the Salt Lake trunk line.

Jan 1, 1938

By Ralph Smith

DEVELOPMENT of the lime industry in Ste, Genevieve County began in a crude way in 1840. According to information furnished by the Missouri Bureau of Geology, in the early days small vertical kilns built of stone were used, and wood was the fuel. Modern development began in 1904 when one company introduced steel shells lined with firebrick. Within a few years two more companies erected similar plants, and in 1925 a fourth company began operations. Thus there are today four lime companies at Ste. Genevieve, all operating at high capacity and with a gradually increasing production. GEOLOGY The limestone of Ste. Genevieve County, which has the chemical composition and purity required for lime burning, is the upper 80 or 90 ft. of Spergen formation. The Missouri Bureau of Geology, in its geological map of Ste. Genevieve County, gives the Spergen formation a total thickness of 160 ft., but only the upper portion is pure enough for lime burning, with an average raw-stone analysis of 98.7 per cent CaCO3; 0,35 Si02; 0,3 R203; 0.35 MgCO3; 0.3 SO3. The Spergen, one member of the Meramac group, Iowa series, of the Mississippian system, underlies an area approximately 12 miles long north and south, by 5 miles wide east and west (Fig. 1) in Ste. Genevieve County. The entire eastern two-thirds of Ste. Genevieve County is sedimentary, the formations dipping gently toward the east on an average grade of about 4 per cent, or 2 ½ °. Thus the outcrops of the various sedimentaries run approxi-mately north and south. A line running west from Ste. Genevieve crosses the outcrops of the sedimentaries, ranging from the top of the Mississippian to the Ozarkian geological system in a space of 12 miles. Thus with the gentle dip of 2 1/2° the 160-ft. thickness of the Spergen formation stretches out in its outcrop so that it is approximately one mile

Jan 1, 1938

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Jan 1, 1938

By B. B. Cox

The Iraq Petroleum Company, Ltd. continued its systematic exploration and exploitation of the Kirkuk field on a unitized basis. Pressures, gas-oil ratios, oil-water level and oil-gas level remained satisfactory. All wells were produced by flowing and more than two-thirds of the crude was stabilized. The only exports from Iraq during 1937 were from the Kirkuk field. Mosul Oilfields, Ltd., through its operating subsidiary, the British Oil Development Company, Ltd., inaugurated an exploratory program to find lighter oil than the heavy, black, sulphurous reserve proved in the Qaiyarah-Najmah-Jawan-Qasab field. Deeper drilling in this field found a small reserve of 17" to 19" A.P.I. black sulphurous oil in the Pilsner (Upper Cretaceous). Ten structures outside the proved field were tested or were under test at the end of the year. In spite of this intensive program no reserve of lighter oil was discovered. The reserve at Qaiyarah-Najmah-Jawan-Qasab averages 16" A.P.I. with 6+ per cent sulphur from the "continuous limestone" (Lower Miocene, Oligocene, Middle Eocene) and from the Pilsner (Upper Cretaceous). The Khanaqin Oil Company, Ltd., a subsidiary of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Ltd., conducted the normal exploitation of its Naft Khaneh oil field and supplied the local Iraq market requirements. Slightly more than 31,600,000 bbl. of crude was produced in Iraq during 1937. The following table gives the total crude produced by the I.P.C. for export during the last four years. Year 42-gallon BarreL Increase over Preceding Year 1934 7,096,669 1935 27,014,904 19,918,235 1936 29,521,053 2,506,149 1937 31,171,476 1,650,423 " Converted at an average of 7.6 bbl. per ton. Published by permission of the Near East Development Corporation. Manuscript received at the office of the Institute March 11, 1938. * Geologist, Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York, N. Y.

Jan 1, 1938

Abramovits, Charles, Student, Case School of Applied Science Cleveland, Ohio. '37 Abreu, Ovidio M., Student, Stanford Univ Stanford University. Calif. '38 Adams, Albert, Student, New Mexico School of Mines Socorro, N. M. '38 Adams, Benjamin C., Jr Address Wanted. '36 Adams, George H 44S2 4th St., Riverside, Calif. '36 Adams, Robert E., Student, Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, Wis. '38 Adkisson, J. F., Jr., Student, Agricultural & Mech. College of Texas, Box 2044, College Station, Tex. '38 Afshar, Hodji khan A., Amiranian Oil Co 10 Khiahan-i-Nusrat, Teheran, Iran. '35 Agvas, Cesar G., Student, Adamson School of Industrial Chem. & EngrgManila, P. I. '38 Ahlen, Louis S., Student, Univ. of North Dakota Univ. Sta., Grand Forks, N. D. '37 Albers, Francis C., Student, Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, Wis. '38 Alden, George P., Student, Univ. of Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. '38 Alexander, Donald B... Student. Univ. of Oklahoma, Sigma Nu House Norman, Okla. '37Alexander, Joe M., Student, Agricultural & Mech. College of Texas. Box 954. College Station. Tex. '38

Jan 1, 1938

LIST OF THE MEETINGS OF THE INSTITUTE AND THEIR LOCALITIES FROM ITS ORGANIZATION Transactions Number Place Date Vol Page 1 Wilkes-Barre, Pa May, ?71 1 3 2 Bethlehem, Pa August, ?71 1 10 3 Troy, N Y November, ?71 1 13 4 Philadelphia, Pa February, ?72 1 17 5 New York, N Y May, ?72 1 20 6 Pittsburg, Pa October, ?72 1 25 7 Boston, Mass February, ?73 1 28 8 Philadelphia, Pa May, ?73 2 3 9 Easton, Pa October, ?73 2 7 10 New York, N Y February, ?74 211 11 St Louis, Mo May, ?74 3 3 12 Hazleton, Pa October, ?74 3 8 13 New Haven, Conn February, ?75 3 15 14 Dover, N J May, ?75 4 3 15 Cleveland, 0 October, ?75 4 9 16 Washington, D C February, ?76 4 18 17 Philadelphia, Pat June, ?76, 5 3 18 Philadelphia, Pa October, ?76 5 9 19 New York, N Y February, ?77 5 27 20 Wilkes-Barre, Pa May, ?77 6 3 21 Amenia, N Y October, ?77 6 10 22 Philadelphia, Pa. May, ?78 6 18 23 Chattanooga, Tenn May ?78 7 3 24 Lake George, N.Y. Oct. ?78 7 25 Baltimore, Md. Feb. ?79 7 26 Pittsburgh Pa, May ?79 8 27 Montreal, Canada Sept, ?79 8 28 New York, N.Y. Feb, ?80 9 29 Lake Superior, Mich Aug, ?80 9 30 Philadelphia, Pa. Feb, 81 9 31 Staunton, Va May, 81 10 32 Harrisburg, Pa Feb, 81 10

Jan 1, 1938

By R. F. Mehl, M. Gensamer

THE stresses which initiate deformation processes in metals are fundamentally important in the study of the mechanical properties of metals. A point of inflection in the load-elongation curves obtained for single crystals1 has been rather too readily interpreted as a true yield point, and the critical resolved shearing stress on the plane of slip taken as a material constant. Even early work showed that the stress at this point varies with rate of loading, but it has not been generally appreciated that creep tests under static loads alone are suited for determining the existence or nonexistence of a yield point.2 It has now been shown by Miller that single crystals of zinc3 when loaded statically begin to yield at loads too small to measure; as a result there is no case now known, apart from that cited in the present paper, in which a true critical stress for yielding has been demonstrated for single crystals of metals. The case of iron has especial interest: the existence of an upper and lower yield point and of an elongation at the yield point in ordinary iron and steel marks this substance as unusual, though the effects have been found to a very minor degree in other metals and alloys. ‡ Most alloys do not show such marked phenomena when appreciable yielding begins, and accordingly modern practice is to speak of the yield strength of such materials, a stress read from the load-elongation curve after elongation has begun, rather than yield point. The special behavior of iron suggests that it is more likely that single crystals of iron should have a true yield point than other metals. The study of the mechanical properties of metals and alloys requires a determination of the crystallographic mechanism of deformation, whether deformation proceeds by slip, twinning, or cleavage, or a combination of these, and a determination of the stresses that induce these modes of

Jan 1, 1938

By Philip M. McKenna

WHEN a new material becomes available to industry, it is useful to describe its properties as a guide to its most effective application; and when the new material may be produced in compositions having a series of graded properties, tests to select the combination of properties best adapted for various uses are helpful. The class of materials to be considered in this paper are hard tool materials produced by processes of powder metallurgy from hard carbide constituents and various matrices of iron, nickel or cobalt, or alloys of them with tungsten, or tungsten and carbon. The customary use of carbide hard alloys is for metal-cutting tools; although wire-drawing dies, lathe centers, follow rests, grinding rests, burnishers, rolls, extrusion dies, measuring gauges and micrometers, and a number of other tools are also made with these hard alloys as the essential wear-resisting parts. The properties and tests to be considered are those affecting these uses. In the development of tool materials since the industrial revolution we have had carbon tool steels, Mushet steel, high-speed steels, stellites, and now cemented carbide compositions. For an understanding of the latter category of materials their properties and uses relative to the older and more familiar tool materials will be considered. Hardness has been the property of greatest practical interest in tool materials. The word "hardness" is a generalized term lacking definite¬ness unless the specific test used is described. However, efforts to explain physical properties as a consequence of chemical bond, and distance between atoms in chemical compounds have been illuminating. This seems the most generalized attack on the problem, and is based upon the idea that atoms in a lattice are held together as the square of the valence and inversely as the square of the distance between the atoms. The compounds compared must all be of the same crystalline arrangement. It is interesting to note the values of the figure [V ] a number of

Jan 1, 1938

By Henry Rogatz

During the year 1937, there were 663 oil wells drilled in the Texas Panhandle, making a daily initial production of 322,332 bb1.—that is, 191 more oil wells drilled than in the previous year, with an increase in the total daily initial production of 66,283 bbl. The total daily potential of the field as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission in its Schedule of Dec. 17, 1937, was 1,039,982 bbl., or an increase of 205,094 bbl. over the previous year. On Dec. 17, 1937, the daily allowable of 68,578 bbl. was assigned to the entire field. The total amount

Jan 1, 1938

By H. M. Thorne

The Petroleum Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines at Laramie, Wyo., in cooperation with the University of Wyoming, has in progress chemical and refining studies of Wyoming black oils. In general, these crude oils are characterized by their high sulphur, high asphalt, and low gasoline content and are called black oils because of these properties and their color. Characteristics of the various Wyoming black crude oils, as determined by the Bureau of Mines Hempel method of analysis, have been pubished.4/

Jan 1, 1938

By John B. Umhau

[' is ann.tal surve:' gives sta.tistical data regC:ll~dirg rims.ry and feCOA-dUTY or ~cra:p tin used in thL United States by industries anc. includcc dc..ta l' is ann.tal surve:' gives sta.tistical data regC:ll~dirg rims.ry and feCOA-dUTY or ~cra:p tin used in thL United States by industries anc. includcc dc..ta ]

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederic Benard

THE treatment of Balbach-Thum slimes at Copper Cliff by the Ontario Refining. Co. is of interest because it differs considerably from methods usually employed for the recovery of fine gold from parting-plant slimes. Owing to the comparatively high percentages of pal-ladium and platinum, wet methods are used to remove the greater proportion f these metals before electrolytic refining in the Wohlwill cells. THE PLANT The platinum-metals department, Wohlwill room, and gold-melting room extend along the north side f the silver refinery and are separated from the parting plant by a glass partition (Figs. 1 and 2). The platinum-metals department resembles a laboratory built on a large scale, with the various pieces of equipment laid out on terraces to facilitate handling. Because of the corrosive nature of the solutions, chemical stoneware is used throughout. Elevation of acids is accom-plished by means of Mariotte bottles. On the top level are three steam-jacketed stoneware kettles of 50-gal. capacity, also a packed tower. One kettle is used for digesting the slimes while the remaining kettles are used for precipitating the gold. The dissolver is equipped with a treated concrete hood, which is connected to the flue system. Gases are drawn off through the packed tower by means of a 6-in. stoneware exhaust fan. A 15 per cent solution of sodium carbonate is continually circulated through the tower. On the intermediate level are two suction filters, one for removing silver chloride and the other for the gold sand. The filter medium consists of an asbestos pad covered with a filter paper on which is a layer of twill.

Jan 1, 1938

By Walter Kauenhowen

Germany's crude-oil production during 1937 totaled 3,174,157 bbl., an increase of 1.9 per cent over the 3,112,494 bbl. produced in 1936. According to official published data, and using a conversion factor of 1 metric ton = 7 bbl., the oil production of Germany in 1937 by fields was as follows:

Jan 1, 1938

By A. U. Miller

Since the organization of the Federal Bureau of Mines, part of the duties of the field men of the Safety Division has been to teach those connected with the minerals industries how to render the proper assistance to an injured worker between the time of the accident and the time when the injured receives medical attention--in other words, "first aid to the injured." For a number of years after the training was introduced, the response of mine officials and workers was very slow. Many times Bureau instructors devoted at least a week to training 5 to 15 or a few more men. However, in recent years since the companies and the Bureau of Mines have had an opportunity to study the results of first aid training, it has been found that in addition to taking care of an injured worker after an accident and thereby greatly reducing the severity rate, the tendency is for the majority of those who take the training to be more careful in their work, or to be more "safety conscious."

Jan 1, 1938

By R. E. Heithecker

The principle of determining volumes of liquid by alternately drawing in and discharging given quantities of the fluid from a confined space or compartment of known volume and mechanically counting the number of displacements is well established. This is true particularly in water measurement. For several years, oil meters employing the same basic principle have beer used for gaging oil production from individual wells, groups of wells, and in some areas for metering the entire production from a property. Especially in areas where there is town-lot drilling and space for tankage is at a premium, oil meters have been used successfully to gale the oil. This facility has obviated the necessity of installing gage tanks. Oil meters also have been used in pipe-line and refinery operations and in loading tankers. Present knowledge e of the subject shows that positive-displacement oil meters can be used for measuring crude oil in the field and elsewhere, provided the meter-counter mechanism is in proper adjustment and the oil has been studied sufficiently to determine the pro-per factor to be applied to the volume as registered by tae meter, possible the adjustment for the shrinkage of the oil caused by liberation of gas from solution.

Jan 1, 1938

By Norman B. Davis

THE ceramic group of industries is comprised of those engaged in the manufacture of cement, glass, artificial abrasives, whiteware, including earthenware, stoneware, porcelain tableware, porcelain sanitary ware, electrical porcelain, floor and wall tile, porcelain enamel on metals, refractories of all kinds, sewer-pipe and structural clay products, such as terra cotta, brick, and hollow tile. The various sub-divisions of the industry produce a wide range of articles on which we depend for our creature comforts from day to day, perhaps to a greater extent than we generally realize. The industry, in turn, depends on a great number of minerals, and chemical products derived from minerals, and it is the object of this brief paper to present a list of these with notes indicating the particular applications. In order to bring home the importance of the industry to your daily life, stop and consider the many things around you accepted as a matter of course. Cement provides the smooth surfaces of many of our highways, city streets, and sidewalks. It enters into nearly all types of construction, alone or in combination with other clay products. Glass we hardly appreciate because we can see through it so easily, but it is there to serve us in windows, doors, and other light-transmitting structures. Glass is the universal means of transporting liquids and beverages, our beverages are usually served in it, and, with the recent development in fine spun glass textiles, there is a possibility of glass clothing in the future. Chinaware, a general term for table dishes, may be earthenware (not vitrified), semi-porcelain, or bone china, but it is before us three or more times a day ?and we seldom think of the minerals that have made these products possible. Floor tile, wall tile, and other ceramic specialties for interior and exterior use and decoration please the eye and provide sanitary surroundings.

Jan 1, 1938

By Fred W. Johnson

The first section of this circular has been prepared with a view to answering inquiries frequently received by the Bureau regarding laws governing the staking of claims and regulations covering requirements for holding them and obtaining title in fee to placer ground. These laws and regulations were summarized briefly in Information Circular 6796, "Placer Mining in the Western United States." These laws, however, are administered by the General Land Office, Department of the Interior, and it has been considered advisable to combine an authoritative résumé thereof by the Commissioner of that Bureau with information on small-scale placer mining previously published by the Bureau of Mines. The second section of this circular is largely a revised reprint of Information Circular 6611, "Small-Scale Placer Mining Methods", first published in April 1932 for the purpose of answering the many daily inquiries then being received on this subject. This circular has been reprinted repeatedly, and about 30,000 copies have been distributed, most of them in response to applications therefor. At present (June 1937) requests for this publication continue to be received daily.

Jan 1, 1938

By M. R. Geer

THE importance of the size composition of coal is reflected in the differ-ence in price of the various sizes of the same coal and in the large number of primary sizes and mixtures of sizes produced by the modern preparation plant to meet the demands of a market that in late years has grown increasingly conscious of coal size. The importance of size in the indus-trial and domestic uses of coal has its counterpart in the role played by size composition in the laboratory examination of coal. Investigation of many of the physical properties of coal in their relation to its uses requires an evaluation of size composition. In fact, the Standards on Coal and Coke issued by the American Society for Testing Materials in 1936 contains 12 standard methods of testing that involve some use of size composition. The screen analysis is, of course, the standard method of determining size composition, whether the material is coarse run-of-mine coal or fine pulverized fuel. Customarily, the analysis is reported as the weight percentages retained on or passing each of a series of testing screens, the number of which may range from only two or three to as many as 20. When more than two or three sieves are used, which is usual, the number of weight percentages obtained is so great as to make the analysis difficult to comprehend. Direct comparison of analyses made on the same sieves is hard, and comparison of analyses covering the same range of sizes but made oil different sieves is next to impossible. Consequently, a frequent purpose of sizing tests-correlation of size with properties and charac-teristics related to size-is rendered difficult.

Jan 1, 1938