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By R. L. Marek

The number of persons fatally injured in the California petroleum industry in 1932 was 24, a decrease of 6, or 20 percent from the number killed in 1931. The decrease in the number of fatalities occurring in 1932 caused the fatality curve of the California petroleum industry to reach its lowest point in 10 years. Changing conditions in the oil industry - reduced personnel, decreased active field development, and curtailed production - have undoubtedly caused a part of this decrease, but continued accident-prevention efforts by the industry have also contributed to the reduction in the number of fatalities for 1932. The Bureau of Mines has analyzed and reported annually the fatalities in the California petroleum industry for a period of 10 years. Figure 1 shows the trend of fatal accidents during that period. Fatality statistics for 1932 show that the drilling and producing, pipe line and transportation, and refining and natural gasoline divisions of the industry had fewer accidents in 1932 than in 1931, sales and marketing being the only division that showed an increase over 1931. The number of fatalities by divisions for 1931 and 1932, percent of total, and percentages of increase and decrease are given in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. E. Gilmore

Introduction The Sydney coal-field extends for a distance of thirty miles along the northeastern coast of Cape Breton island. At a central focal point at the tip of the south arm of Sydney harbour, seven miles or so in from the Atlantic ocean, is the city of Sydney, with Port Morien to the southeast and Sydney Mines to the north . Mining centres along the ocean coast between these points include Birchgrove, Reserve, Glace Bay, and Waterford. The field is divided into three districts or 'basins', namely, Morien basin to the south, Glace Bay in the centre, and the Lingan-Sydney Mines basin to the northeast. The eastern and western portions of the latter are known as the Lingan and the Sydney Mines basins, respectively. Six distinct coal seams are described as existing in the Morien basin, nine in the Glace Bay basin, and six in both the Lingan and the Sydney Mines basin. Although known by different names in the several basins, a definite continuity of the seams has been established.

Jan 1, 1933

The sulphide ore occurring in the North Mine at Broken Hill is of a complex nature, consisting of an intimate mixture of argentiferous galena, marmatite (zinc-iron sulphide), and gangue minerals. A typical analysis of the ore is:Lead 15.2%Zinc 12.0%Iron 5.3%Manganese 0.8%Copper 0.1%Alumina 0.3%Lime 0.9%Sulphur 11.1%Insoluble 53.8%Carbon dioxide 0.3%Undetermined 0.2%Silver 9 oz. per tonTotal 100.0%The metallurgical practice for the recovery of the lead concentrate and zinc concentrate from the crude ore is briefly described in the following pages.(1) COARSE CRUSHING AND FINE GRINDING OF THE CRUDE OREThe crude ore from the mine, containing lumps to the size of, roughly, 10 in. x 8 in., is tipped over grizzlies with the bars spaced 3 in. apart; the oversize gravitating to a...

Jan 1, 1933

By Ben E. Lindsly

The study of "bottom-hole samples follows in natural sequence the study of samples obtained under high pressures at the well heads of flowing wells. The principal object of this phase of gas-solubility research, started actively in January, 1930, was to gain a more accurate knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the oil-gas mixtures that exist in natural reservoirs.. In possession of actual data regarding the condition of the oil; the quantity of gas liberated from solution upon dimunition of pressure; and the relative volumetric proportions of gas to oil at various pressures throughout the flow string in a well, it should be possible to predict, with a fair degree of accuracy, That physical changes these mixtures would undergo throughout the life of a pool. Such information not only is important in designing flow strings in flowing Tells but is important also in solving problems relating to pumping efficiency and the power required for pumping. Although certain fundamental data were obtained in the study of samples taken at the well head, "bottom-hole" samples are more representative of subsurface mixtures of oil and gas because they are obtained at reservoir temperatures, and before the oil has had the opportunity of intermingling with extraneous gas; that is, gas which either was not in solution originally, or which was liberated from solution at higher pressure, and later became mixed with the original undissolved gas.

Jan 1, 1933

AMONG the fellow prospectors of Black Jack Newman, locator of the claims that became the Miami mine, were J. D. Coplen and Bud Woodson. Woodson was in the district when the Bloody Tanks Indian massacre occurred, near the present town of Miami. He was a prospector long before Jack Newman worked in a mine, and for years he had done assessment work on some of the claims that Coplen acquired for his Inspiration company. Woodson recalls that a Scotch geologist from Morenci once visited his claims; and that the geologist tried to get the Phelps Dodge company interested in the property, but without success. Coplen interested some people in Kansas City in his claims that lay west of Newman's. He induced them to organize the Inspiration Mining Co., and by 1908 this company controlled 23 claims, which had been prospected in desultory fashion by a series of adits. One of these, near the Keystone property, encountered some lean copper-bearing rock, but later development failed to disclose any substantial quantity of ore at this particular point. Coplen, as general manager, in September, 1908, was negotiating with several exploration companies which at the time were on the lookout for low-grade copper properties. As a matter of fact, when J. Parke Channing visited Globe, in December, 1906, F. C. Alsdorf showed him the Inspiration claims as well as Newman's. Channing evinced little interest in an option on Inspiration because he could get so much better terms from Newman. He decided to concentrate his work on the Newman claims, with the idea that if he were successful in developing ore, he could later get Inspiration on terms at least equally good. Subsequently, the United States Smelting & Refining Co., which has since added "Mining" to its corporate name, took an option on Inspiration.

Jan 1, 1933

By Andrew Stewart

The author desires to express appreciation to R. A. Cattell, C. T. Seibel, and H. S. Kennedy, of this Bureau, and to Dr. Richard Wiebe of the fixed nitrogen research laboratory, Department of Agriculture, for helpful criticism and comments in the preparation of this paper. More especially thanks are due to A A. Cattell for his many valuable constructive suggestions. INTRODUCTION From time to time, the Bureau of Mines receives inquiries from the non-technical public on the subject of helium. People ask for information concerning its properties; they want to learn Whence it is derived, how it is produced, and to what uses it may be put. In consequence, the following paper has been written to give in simple terms an account of this most remarkable of gases. It has been thought desirable for purposes of analogy to include reference to All the members of the group of elements to which helium belongs, and, incidentally, to embody in the narrative certain other information pertinent to the subject.

Jan 1, 1933

Since 1571, when the Institute was founded, many of the most important papers in the English language, on the various phases of mining and metallurgy, have appeared as Institute publications. As members of the Institute regularly receive the publications in which they are interested, this discussion is primarily for nonmembers who wish to know of them. The Institute has several means of issuing papers which have been submitted and accepted. The monthly journal, Mining and Metallurgy, is the magazine of the Institute. In it appear notices and reports of official business as well as many papers and contributions which do not appear otherwise. The annual subscription price of the magazine to nonmembers is $3 per year; Canadian and foreign postage $1 extra; single copies 50 cents; back issues $1 each. Many papers are published separately each year. They are issued in one or the other of two numbered series; namely, Technical Publications and Contributions, and of the latter there are four forms: Preprints, Mimeographs, Reprints, and Unpublished Manuscripts. A Technical Publication or Contribution (in any form) is issued by the Institute when it is listed in Mining and Metallurgy. Technical Publications are sent automatically to members who have asked in advance for papers on a given subject. All members are entitled to a copy of every paper in either series, except when a Contribution is an Unpublished Manuscript. Con¬tributions in the form of Unpublished Manuscripts are filed in the Engineering Societies Library and copies of some of these papers may be found in a few selected libraries throughout the country.

Jan 1, 1933

By S. Power Warren

Introduction It is generally conceded by flotation men that the condition at the surface of a particle of mineral or gangue is the most important factor controlling its behaviour in a flotation cell. Much research work has been devoted to the study of the forces that are active at the surface of the particle and of the effect of the surrounding solution upon these forces. Study of the relationship between mineral or gangue particles and gas bubbles indicates that, in the main at least, flotation is a physical phenomenon. The important factor, that of mineral-gas-bubble attachment, is unquestionably physical; however, modifications may be effected by chemical means, whereby the nature either of the surface of the particle or of the surrounding solution may be changed. For example, the coating of lead sulphide that forms on lead-carbonate ore particles when sodium sulphide is added greatly aids the flotation of the carbonate particles. Without going into the question as to why, under certain surface conditions, mineral particles will attach themselves to gas bubbles whereas under other conditions they will remain unaffected, it may be stated that there are three general conditions in a flotation pulp which control the attachment of the particle and the gas bubble.

Jan 1, 1933

Bakelite is fairly widely known as a suitable material for the mounting of ore specimens, concentrates and tailings for microscopical study, but has not as yet had extensive application. It is the most suitable mount for specimens which are to be held in the mechanical holder of a polishing machine, based on that described by J. W. Vanderbilt*, which is installed in the Geological Department of the Melbourne University.Bakelite products are prepared by subjecting bakelite powder to a temperature of about 1600 C. under a pressure of approximately two tons per square inch for a period of four minutes. The shape and size of the products are governed by the use of suitably constructed dies. When the concentrate or tailing is mixed with the bakelite powder, a briquette is produced which can be polished so that the opaque minerals in the sample can be examined microscopically in the same way as in a piece of solid ore. A simple machine for the construction of these briquettes has been described by Head and Slavin. It consists of a small four-pillar press in which the pressure is supplied by...

Jan 1, 1933

By A. B. Parsons

When the Seeley W. Mudd Memorial Fund was established in. 1929 the donors mentioned certain types of projects to which preference might be given in selecting those to he financed by the income from the Fund. One suggestion. was that the projects "be of particular benefit to young engineers." This modest little book meets this specification most aptly. It seeks to guide the engineer-particularly the young one-with the least loss of time and effort to the most convenient source of authentic information regarding any topic in which he may at the moment be interested. Knowing the best place to find the literature on a subject is almost as valuable-and far more practicable-than maintaining a library of one's own large enough to provide the information.

Jan 1, 1933

By D. L. Cramp

The Direct-Connected Electric Hoist In the latter part of 1931 a new electric hoist was installed at the Lake Shore mine. A number of interesting features were incorporated in this machine, which is the first direct-connected, direct-current-operated hoist to be placed in service in the Kirkland Lake district. Many factors requiring care and study enter into the selection of hoisting-engine drive. In this instance, conditions warranted the selection of the generator voltage control system (Ward-Leonard), utilizing a direct-current driving motor and a separate motor generator unit. It was further deter-mined that additional economies could be secured by the selection of a motor generator unit with a flywheel, and consequently the Ilgner-Ward Leonard flywheel set was adopted. Some of the advantages of this system are: 1) Greater accuracy of control, resulting in increased flexibility in hand-ling with increased precision and safety; especially desirable in large, important installations where the rope-speed is high or where frequent shifting is necessary. (2) Reduced energy consumption. (3) Feasibility of load equalization, without which, in some cases, the power system would be unable to carry the fluctuating load imposed on it by the operation of the hoist. ( 4) Elimination of reduction gearing in the construction of the hoist. The hoist is located on the surface and is used for skip operation at the main shaft, hoisting ore from a present maximum depth of 4,200 feet.

Jan 1, 1933

RESEMBLING in some respects the enterprise at R Chuquicamata is that of the New Cornelia Copper Co. at Ajo, Arizona. Controlled from its inception by the Calumet & Arizona Mining Co., New Cornelia became a unit of the Phelps Dodge Corporation when the latter absorbed the Calumet & Arizona company in 1931. Both Ajo and Chuquicamata are situated in low mountains in extremely arid desert country. Both ore deposits consisted-the past tense is used advisedly because the oxidized ore has nearly all been mined at Ajo-of a horizon of leachable oxidized ores overlying sulphide or concentrating ore. The principal technical problem in each case was the development of a method for treating the oxidized ore. In both instances the capping of waste rock was comparatively thin and power-shovel mining in open cuts was the obvious method of exploitation. Nature had smiled on neither place in the matter of climate. Though Ajo does not have the persistent winds for which Chuquicamata is notorious, the comforts of living are largely artificial. And it is only fair to emphasize that at each place the mining companies have achieved remarkable success in providing these comforts. Of course, in point of size New Cornelia must be content with the inferior role. From May, 1917, when production was started, to the middle of June, 1930, the company leached 16,368,000 tons of oxidized ore, thereby virtually exhausting the ores of this class. Up to the same date, about 15,000,000 tons of sulphide ore had been mined, and a rough estimate gives 170,000,000 tons remaining in reserve. The total tonnage does not loom very large in comparison with Chuquicamata's billion tons; but it is exceeded by similar figures for only four of the Porphyry group.

Jan 1, 1933

By D. J. Parker

In attempting to discuss a subject of this character it should be clearly understood at the outset that the purpose is not to emphasize the mere fact of occurrence of such catastrophes, the memory of which time has largely relegated to oblivion, but rather to stress the means of their prevention, available not only subsequent to but also at the time of occurrence. A careful, conscientious, unbiased study of the causes of mine explosions leads inevitably and definitely to the conclusion that the human element is the most important factor. The human factor should however, be evaluated in terms of responsibility--responsibility on the part of the employer to recognize the existing hazards and take the necessary remedial action, and on the part of the employee to perform his duties faithfully, diligently, scrupulously, and in strict conformity with State mining laws and company rules or other regulations.

Jan 1, 1933

By E. P. Youngman

This paper is one of a series of digests of foreign minim legislation and court decisions that is being prepared in advance of a general report relative to the right of American citizens to explore for minerals and to own and operate mines in various foreign countries. This interpretation of the minim lams of Ceylon has been prey tired from the best available information in Washington and is released subject to amplification and correction, if necessary, by United States foreign-service officers. INTRODUCTION Ceylon has no basic mining law; the general rules governing the granting of mineral concessions and affecting legal titles of concessionaires are laid down in Ceylon Government ordinances or are found in the authorized forms for licenses and leases. The material available in the preparation of this digest is as follows:

Jan 1, 1933

By J. N. Geyer

During the early stages of the mining industry of the United States an apparently inexhaustible supply of high-quality, easily accessible coal made the product cheap and the attendant mining methods wasteful of recoverable coal. Because coal from advance places could be mined with less effort and a large outwit obtained as the entries advanced, much of the coal left in pillars to support the roof was lost. Squeezes often developed in these mined-over areas, or, if pillars were of sufficient size to-prevent squeeze, the roof would be so weakened by long exposure that any pillar recovery was extremely hazardous. As the value of unmined coal increased, a high recovery of the available coal became necessary. Numerous plans were tried during the period that followed, some of the methods proving successful while others were complete failures or only partly successful. As a better knowledge was pained of the roof strata and its behavior, however, pillar mining became more successful and methods suited to special roof conditions were developed.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. L. Loofbourow

The adjacent towns of Rouyn and Noranda, centers of the Rouyn mining district of western Quebec, are 360 miles by air line almost duo north of Toronto. Rouyn is reached from the main lines of the Canadian National Railways and the Canadian Pacific Railway at North Bay, Ontario, by the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway and its subsidiary, the Nipissing Central Railway. Noranda is the southwestern terminus of a branch from the Canadian National Railway between Winnipeg and Quebec. The Rouyn mining district is a part of a mineralized zone that has been traced for a distance of 140 miles from Kirkland Lake in Ontario eastward into the Province of Quebec to the Pascalis district. From Rouyn the mine is 5 miler almost duo south over a gravel rend built by the company with assistance from the Province of Quebec.

Jan 1, 1933

By W. H. Bassett, J. C. Bradley

In their paper on the directional properties in cold-rolled and annealed commercial bronze,' Phillips and Samans suggest that cupronickel, under distinctly different treatments, shows both "45" ears" and "90" ears. Fig. I shows the ears on some cupronickel cups made some 17 years ago for bullet jackets for small arms ammunition. In this case the material heated to 425° C. had "45" ears, while that annealed at 950°C. showed long "90" ears" when drawn with the same tools. The method of cupping, the shape of cupping tools, etc., were found to have very little influence on the earing tendency, but the deeper the cup was drawn, the higher the ears would be. Method of Manufacture Cupronickel cast bars were 1 in. thick. Ordinarily, they were rolled with numerous passes to a thickness of 0.4 to 0.2 in., according to conditions. They were then given a single intermediate anneal, and rolled to finish thickness, frequently 0.032 in. After a last anneal the material was cupped with a "cut and draw" operation. Progress of this is indicated in Fig. 2, illustrating five different stages at which the drawing

Jan 1, 1933

MINING, to be precise, ends when the ore is delivered to a bin outside the mine. Usually the next step is concentrating; or, as it is more often called, milling. A few elementary definitions will help make clear the discussion that is to follow. A rock is an aggregate of minerals; copper ore is rock that contains copper-bearing minerals in quantity sufficient to make it profitable to mine and recover the copper in the form of marketable metal. Manifestly, under a literal interpretation, a mass of material might be copper ore one day and merely copper-bearing waste rock a week later, if the price of copper happened to drop in the interim. Emphasis already has been placed on the expansion that took place in the ore reserves of the Porphyry companies as a consequence of the great strides made in the technique of mining and ore treatment. So, even if one inserted a qualifying phrase, "at an average price for the metal," after the word "profitable," the definition would still be open to criticism. Place is another factor. It is evident that a body of excellent ore in Arizona might cease to be ore in the economic sense if it were moved intact to the interior of China. However, it is with ore in its technical and scientific aspect that this chapter is concerned. Speaking in general terms, the ton of Porphyry ore as it arrives at the surface contains 25 to 70 lb. of copper minerals in the form of disseminated particles or thin coats along fracture planes. When subjected to appropriate treatment this ton yields 12 to 40 lb. of metallic copper. These ranges take into account conditions of today and of 25 years ago. Two procedures are available: (1) concentration, followed by smelting of the concentrate, or (2) leaching and precipitation, usually by electrolytic deposition. Smelting and leaching are metallurgic processes in that they involve chemical change; concentration

Jan 1, 1933

By E. A. Koester

Kansas produced approximately 35,434,000 bbl. of oil in 1932 compared to 37,018,000 bbl. in 1931, a decrease of 1,584,000 bbl. or 4.2 per cent. These figures do not indicate the amount of oil that could have been made available from the state for the year. Many of the fields discovered during the year and some discovered in previous years were entirely shut in. Practically all flush production discovered within the last two years has been prorated in some manner or other. Probation Kansas production is under regulation as specified in House Bill 387, passed by the legislature in 1931, which became effective when published May 28, 1931. The principal features of the law are the prohibition of waste, including gas energy, the regulation and prevention of discrimination of purchasers, the marketing of oil ratably from wells in each field when the daily production is above 15 bbl. per well. This act gives the enforcing powers to the Public Service Commission. The Commission, having many other regulatory duties, appointed an Oil Advisory Committee, which, with the aid of the State Umpire, keeps records and makes recommendation for orders as to specific regulation of fields and conditions in each field. At the time the Commission was given authority to regulate production and marketing in flush fields, several of these had already been under voluntary proration and marketing restrictions by agreement of the operators. These gradually came under the control of the Commission by mutual consent. It is the policy of the Public Service Commission to follow the will of the operators so long as they do not have ideas or plans in conflict with the law. The cost of administration of this law is assessed against the operators according to the amount of oil taken from the fields in which ratable taking is necessary. There is a feeling that the whole state should share this expense, which is small, since it is beneficial to the older fields by assuring them 100 per cent market for their output by restricting the flush fields.

Jan 1, 1933

By T. I. Weston

This is one of a series of papers being prepared for and published by the United States Bureau of Mines, describing mining and milling methods and costs at crushed-stone plants throughout the United States. These papers are designed to disseminate technical information regarding the methods used. The cost tabulations represent operating expenditures only and not total production costs. It is recognized' tat publication of total production costs might in many instances cause embarrassment to individual producers, as well as to the industry as a whole. However, operating costs are essential to the technical discussion and study of the methods employed. The attention of the reader is specifically called to this differentiation in order that no mis-understanding of the scope of the cost tabulations shall ensue. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance-of F. W. Horton, mining engineer, United States Bureau of Mines, in the preparation of this paper.

Jan 1, 1933