Search Documents

By Wm. B. Daly, C. L. Berrier

Jan 1, 1923

By Arthur Knapp

The practical application of mud-laden fluids in wells has been the subject of many papers.' However, there seems to have been little investigation of what actually happens when mud-laden fluids are applied to a loose porous sand. The assumption is that the fluids penetrate the sands and that there is some plastering action. The degree of penetration and the relation of plastering action to wall stability is not generally known. This paper describes a series of experiments made in an attempt to observe, in laboratory apparatus, the action of mud-laden fluids under conditions simulating those to be found in a well. For the purposes of this discussion all fluids containing solid matter in suspension are mud-laden fluids. Series I: Penetration of the Pores of Uncemented Sands The subject of the penetration of porous formations by water is discussed in detail in Water-Supply Paper No. 67 of the U. S. Geological Survey. No attempt was made to repeat the experiments described therein. The results of the first experiment of this series are given simply to show the capacity of the apparatus used. The conditions in this first experiment were maintained throughout the remainder of this and the second series, except where noted. The experiments of Mills, McCoy, and others on subsurface flows, adjustments, migrations, etc., deal with the oil, water or gas within the porous beds.V he experiments described herein deal with the conditions immediately surrounding the bore hole.

Jan 1, 1923

Executive ARTHUR S DWIGHT, Chairman B THAYER CHARLES F RAND P MATHEWSON J V W REYNDERS Membership WILLIAM H BASSETT, Chairman W Y WESTERVELT Vice-chairman P MATHEWSON H G MOULTON F T RUBIDGE Finance WALTER H ALDRIDGE, Chairman GEORGE D BARRON GALEN H CLEVENGER

Jan 1, 1923

By B. Woyski

Many writers, in discussing defects caused by oxidation and gassing of bronzes and red brasses advocate substantially the same cure for both. But from its nature, oxidation cannot take place if there is an excess of fuel in the furnace, while the gases absorbed by some alloys are products of incomplete combustion of the fuel. Hence the metal can be either oxidized or gassed, but it is doubtful whether these actions can take place simultaneously. Oxidation can be easily overcome by the use of deosidizers or it may be avoided by protecting the molten metal with suitable fluxes. Absorption of gascs is more difficult to overcome: the regulation of the air and fuel, so as to produce complete combustion, and the protection of the bath by mineral fluxes arc the most important factors. Gas expulsion, resulting in gas holes, porosity, unsoundness, and swollen or cauliflower-headed risers, is said to have several causes. One writer1 lists the most common causes in the order of their importance, as follows: Superheated metal, dirty or slaggy furnace conditions, using metals low in quality or those previously subjected to bad melting practice, poor grade of fuel, use of newly lined or damp ladles, indiscriminate mixing of scrap or illogical combinations of metal. Superheating the metal usually occurs when the heat is ready to be poured but for some reason must be held in the furnace. In this case, a careful furnace tender tries to avoid overheating the metal by keeping a mild fire; that is, a reducing fire which, unfortunately, results in gassing the metal. A dirty, slaggy furnace may result in gassing the metal by retarding the heating and prolonging the time necessary to bring the metal to the proper temperature, thereby increasing the chances of gassing in uncertain furnace atmosphere. It is doubtful whether rnetals of low quality have anything to do with gassing molten metal, except, possibly in the case of metals containing

Jan 1, 1923

By Robert Davis Longyear

In diamond-drill work, a true sample consists of all the material cut by the bit—both core and cuttings. As the recovery of this sample is the object of diamond drilling, the utmost care should be taken to secure it. Speed of drilling and low costs are of little value if an inaccurate sample is obtained. The engineer in charge must study his material and lay out the plan of sampling, and then see that the drill runner follows his instructions; for the runner may be more interested in obtaining a large footage than in developing accurate methods of sampling. When the core has been removed from the core barrel, it should be placed in a core box in the exact order in which it is taken from the ground. This box, Fig. 1, is usually a shallow tray 4 or 5 ft. (1.2 or 1.5 m.) long, with partitions running lengthwise between which the core

Jan 1, 1923

THE object of this note is to set forth some particulars of the effect of light on cinnabar occurring in a deposit of this mineral at Puhipubi, in the North Auckland peninsula of New Zealand. This deposit is contained within a gently-inclined sheet of siliceous sinter forminga hillock called Mount Mitchell, and is particularly notable in that it is an instance of the simultaneous deposition of cinnabar and silica on a large scale. The mercury-bearing material varies in character from semi-porous sinter to dense translucent cbalcedony, of which the former is stained to various shades of pink, the latter to brilliant reds and vermilion. On exposure to daylight-and particularly to sunlight - these colours change to corresponding shades of translucent bluish-grey. As a direct result of this change the Mount Mitchell deposit remained unknown until some ten years ago, for, while prospectors early discovered cinnabar in the adjacent city and in a neighbouring stream bed, none of them recognized this mineral in the bluish chalcedony strewing portions of the surface of the Mount. The writer has carried out a series of experiments designed to indicate the cause and nature of this change, and to form a basis for the elaboration of more delicate experiments which would yield positive information. Circumstances, however, have so far combined to prevent the continuation of the research, and, as there seems little prospect of the writer being able to do more work on the subject, it seems well to publish the data so far obtained. Prior to describing this colour change, the writer would point out the desirability of restricting the meaning of the term cinnabar to the naturally occurring red sulphide of mercury; this would eliminate the ambiguities which arise from its indiscriminate application, in chemical literature, to both natural and artificial sulphides. Further the term cinnabarite having long since fallen into disuse, there appears to be no good reason for retaining the companionterm "metacinnabarite" when reduction to "metacinnabar" would preserve the meaning in a less clumsy word.

Jan 1, 1923

By Charles E. Stuart

A paper on this subject can cover but a limited range. A thorough visualization of the subject would contemplate a comparative analysis of haulage machines and batteries of various types; the relationship of the storage-battery locomotive to other types of mine haulage should be considered and limiting factors in each case should be carefully developed. This paper will deal briefly with these factors. So far as the writer has been able to determine, the first storage-battery locomotives for mine haulage were manufactured in 1897 or 1898 and were tried out in the Pocahontas coal field, but they were not sufficiently satisfactory to justify their continued use. Battery explosions were frequent and caused serious damage to the wiring, electrical equipment, and the clothing and bodies of the motormen. Sulfuric acid was used as the electrolyte. Experiments were then conducted with locomotives bearing reels of flexible cable through which connection between the motors of the locomotive and the trolley wire was maintained. At first, these reels were turned by hand. Later, the reels were revolved by contact with the wheels of the locomotive, being raised out of contact with the wheels, by a lever, when necessary. About 1902, the plan of operating the reel, by chain and sprocket wheels, from one of the locomotive axles, as is still the practice, was devised. The popular floating motor-driven reel had its inception in the Pocahontas fields prior to 1906. The maximum radius of operation of the reel-type locomotive is about 500 ft. (150 m.) from point of connection with trolley wire. This is ample for room work and certain entry work, but the need for a machine that would operate entirely independently of the trolley wire was so great that, with the development of the storage battery, renewed efforts were made to manufacture a successful storage-battery locomotive. About 1908, the gasoline locomotive was introduced. In spite of many objections to this type of machine for such work, the fact that hundreds of these machines were purchased was proof of the need for a machine operating independently of the trolley.

Jan 1, 1923

By Edgar C. Bain

Of the important phenomenon of the hardening of steel, Professor Sauveurl says: It would seem as if the methods used to date for the elucidation of this complex problem have yielded all they are capable of yielding and that further straining of these methods will only serve to confuse the issue, the point having been reached when this juggling, no matter how skilfully done, with allotropy, solid solutions, and strains is causing weariness without advancing the solution of the problem. The tendency of late has been to abandon the safer road of experimental facts and to enter the maze of excessive speculations, in which there is great danger of some becoming hopelessly lost. The conclusion seems warranted that new avenues of approach must be found if we are to obtain a correct answer to this apparent enigma. With some degree of fitness we may say this of other problems. It seems likely that one of the new avenues of approach to many metallo-graphic problems is the study of crystal structure, or more accurately, the atomic arrangement, by means of the x-ray spectrometer. The crystal structure of some materials has been carefully worked out by the mineralogist, but his methods are, in general, unsuited to commercial metals and a method that yields even better information is at hand as the result of work on the diffraction of x-rays by Laue and the Braggs2 and later by HullI3 St. John, and others. It should be understood that the contour of free crystals, which is the subject of measurements by the crystallographer, is the result of the atomic structure and, in general, bears a simple and obvious relation to it. The use of the x-ray spectrometer4 has been described frequently, so the procedure will not be given here.

Jan 1, 1923

By R. Moldenke

The presence of nickel-chromium in pig iron made fro111 Cuban oles is so well known that the word "Mayari" is unconsciously associated with it. Since 1904, when exploration of the Mayari deposits of iron ore in northeastern Cuba was undertaken, there llas been increasing interest in these ores. Tlie Transactions contain numerous references to t1ieln.l This iron ore, which is shipped to the Tinited States in the nodulizecl state, has been thoroughly tested and found very valuable; the deposit covers over 25,000 acres and there is in sight over 500,000,000 tons of ore that, by systematic mining, runs practically constant in composition. With nickel and chromium present, also titanium in sufficient quantities to attract attention, as well as extremely low phosphorus and sulfur contents, the iron founder is naturally interested in the utilization of RInpari ore for pig iron for the better grades of finishrtl iron products. The present point of coilsn~iil)tion ol ILlapri ore is at Sparrow's Poi111, where hlayari pig iron of ally desiretl coml>osition is made. The composition of the dried ore is about as follows: Iron -29 per cent., silica 3 pc.r cent., nickel 1 per cciit., chroiniun~ 1.5 per cent., alumina 11 per cent., ant1 coinbined water 13 per cent. When nodulized, the iron runs up to nearly 56 per cent., the silic:~, :tlumi~i:i, nickel, and c~llromiurn are slightly highr than the arno~l~its just given. Practically all the, combined wntcr is driven off aild the iiodulizccl ore carries only a few- tenths per cent. of 1 C. M. Weld: Residual Rrolvn Iron Ores of Cuba. Tmns, (1909) 40, 299. C. K. Leitll nnd If'. J. Mcncl: Origin of Iron Ores of Central and Northeostr~n rlbn. Trans (1911) 42, 00. C. W. Hayes: May:~ri and Mos Iron-ore Deposits in Cuba. Idem, 109. J. E. Little: Maynri lron Mincs, as Developed by the Spanish-American Iron ('0. Idem, 152. J. F. Iie~np: M'ryari Iron-ore Dcposi(s. Trans. (1915) 61, 3. C. K. Leith 2nd N. J. Mead: Additional Data on Origin of Lateritic Iron 01cs or Eastern Cubn. Tmns. (1916) 63, 75.

Jan 1, 1923

By R. E. Bedworth, N. B. Pilling

The corrosion of metals is one problem on which time and thought have been expended for many years. In the effort to avert the destructive action of a hostile environment, attention has been directed almost entirely to the conditions under which most metallic structures are called upon to perform, and the extensive and complicated phenomena attending the corrosive action of atmospheric agencies, acting at the ordinary atmospheric temperatures, have been studied, but there is unanimity of opinion regarding many fundamental facts. One neglected phase is the corrosive action of various gases upon metals exposed to temperatures considerably higher than the atmospheric range, and more especially the attack of atmospheric oxygen upon exposed metallic surfaces. That the problem is difficult is connoted by the practical dominance of industrial electric heating by alloys of one type (nickel-chromium). Proprietary interest may account, in part, for the paucity of information available upon even the most general factors determining the behavior of metals and alloys when exposed to such exacting conditions. The present paper gives some conclusions reached as the result of experimental work, extending over several years, on the mechanism and contributory factors of the high-temperature oxidation of a number of simple unalloyed metals; it is free from experimental detail and proof. High-temperature metallic oxidation may be considered as a phase of metallic corrosion. The scheme outlined below, in which corrosive agent and environment are the principal criteria, is one way of analyzing the several groups of corrosion phenomena. Erosion.—Disintegrating or destructive action by physical causes. Corrosion.—Disintegrating or destructive action by chemical causes. Low-temperature Corrosion.—Solid participating phases essentially immobile: (a) Gaseous agent; (b) liquid agent: action electrolytic and action non-electrolytic. High-temperature Corrosion.—Solid participating phases possess diffusive mobility: (a) Liquid agent; (b) gaseous agent: reducing gases, oxidizing gases. (1) Water; (2) miscellaneous elemental and combined oxygen.

Jan 1, 1923

By C. A. Mitke

In the Southwest, mcchanical ventilation of metal mines has been receiving consideration for many years. The United Verde Copper Co., in Jerome, has used large mine fans for ventilation and fire-fighting purposes for at lcast 15 years, while the Copper Qucen Branch of the Phelps Dodge Corpn. commenced installing mechanical ventilation in its various divisions 10 years ago.' Since then, with few exceptions, every large mine in this part of the country has installed and put in operation a mechanical ventilating system. The properties of some of these companies consist of from two to six divisions, or separate mines, each of which requires an independent ventilating system. In other words, thirteen copper mining companies, with an aggregate tonnage, when operating at capacity, of approximately 50,000 tons a day, have installed mechanical ventilating systems in their mines. All these mines are within a radius of approximately 200 miles, which constitutes the largest copper-producing area in the world. The capacities of mechanical ventilating installations in these mines range from 100,000 to 300,000 cu. ft. of air per minute, depending on the size of the mine, character of the workings, tonnage produced, etc. The latter varies from 300 to 20,000 tons per day. The mines include both high- and low-grade deposits, the greatest depth of the former, at present, being approximately 2500 ft.; and of the latter, 1200 ft. The volumes of air at present being coursed through the mines are from 60,000 up to 225,000 cu. ft. of air per minute,which, in their relation to the undcrground working force, range from 200 to 800 cu. ft. of air per man, per minute. While not to be taken as criteria, these figures are indicative of the character of the ventilation furnished.

Jan 1, 1923

By Norman B. Pilling

Practical limitations to the usefulness of silicon steels are the hardness and brittleness silicon imparts to iron, making iron-silicon alloys of more than 8 per cent. silicon content unusable except where castings can be employed. In the use of commercial silicon steel, in thin rolled sheets, as in transformer construction, when the silicon content exceeds 4.2 per cent. the sheet is too brittle for satisfactory shaping by punching or similar operations. When such a brittle steel is sheared, it frequently breaks along a haphazard path in advance of the cutting tool. In Fig. 1 is shown a slightly enlarged view of the sheared edge of a 14-mil enameled sheet of nominally 4 per cent. silicon steel. In 5 in. along the sheared edge, only 44 per cent. was actually cut; the rest was torn, with the path of fracture varying widely from the path of travel between the shears. This is probably an extreme case of such brittle-ness, but a shearing or punching test is not necessary to reveal brittle-ness of this order; narrow strips will break when bent between the fingers. In Fig. 2, the proportion of actual cut edge is greater, but secondary fractures branch off at about 30" from the line of shearing in advance of the cut. Deprived of the support of adjacent parts of the sheet, the tips of the angles are bent out of the plane of the sheet by the shears, leaving a peculiar flared effect, like the set of the teeth on a saw. An end-on

Jan 1, 1923

By J. Parke Channing

THE production and use of copper in the world, like that of other metals, has been of slow growth. In 1880, production in the United States, was only about 60,000,000 lb. and the world's production 325,000,000 lb. Up to 1913 there was a gradual and regular increase in production; in 1912 the production was 1,250,000,000 lb. for the United States and 2,200,-000,000 lb. for the world. At the outbreak of the war there was a slight falling off, both in the United States and elsewhere, but when it was realized that the war was not to be a short one and that copper was one of the most important things for carrying it on, there was a tremendous increase in production every-where. Roughly speaking, the average production for the years 1916, 1917 and 1918 was very close to two billion pounds in the United States and three billion pounds in the world. WAR DEMANDS STIMULATED PRODUCTION Not only did the production of copper in the United States increase, but the same may be said of .all the base metals, particularly of zinc. Much of the zinc used by the Allies came from Australia, but had been smelted in Belgium and Germany, now closed to them. We were called upon to make good this lost supply and in feverish haste built new zinc smelteries and opened new mines. The armistice found the United States with a large surplus of copper on hand, variously estimated at from 800,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 lb. In addition to this surplus in the United States, there were considerable stocks in the hands of the Allies and also immense quantities of unused brass. To. complicate the situa-tion still further, the reclamation of old brass shell cases and other used material was instituted, still further curtailing the demand for new material. This situation was- not appreciated at the time and it was assumed, that the Central Powers would immediately come into the market ? replenish their exhausted stock of copper. During the war Germany had torn down copper trolley wires and roofs, and melted up bronze bells, doors, statues and other copper-bearing material to reclaim this metal for military purposes. But Germany-was unable or at least unwilling immediately to replace her copper substitutes.

Jan 1, 1923

By Kenneth Cottingham

The area described herein is situated on what is known as the Arches Fork anticline in Roane and Calhoun Counties, W. Va. When the area was first mapped, it was felt that well records would give a more intimate idea of conditions, both structural and lithologic, than could be expected from surface horizons. The surface formations are chiefly members of the Monongahela series, though northward the hilltop outcrops are those of the Dunkard. Neither series offen a key horizon sufficiently definite to be satisfactory, although the structure as determined from well records was later checked against two of the more persistent surface sandstones. In mapping the subsurface structure, the top of the Big Lime (Green-brier) was employed as the key horizon. The average depth to the top of the Big Lime varies from 1600 to 2000 ft. (487 to 609 m.), while the average thickness as indicated by well records is 113 ft. (34 m.). The oil-producing formation is the Big Injun, lying just below the Big Lime. In two instances, well records show the Lime and Injun separated by a few feet of "break." The Big Injun is recorded as having a variable thickness. Seven logs report it as missing and one gives it the maximum thickness of 105 ft. (32 m.), while the entire average for thickness is 19 ft. (6 m.). Relation of Structure to Thickness of Big Injun The seven wells reporting the Big Injun as absent were located near the anticlinal axis. Moreover, the general tendency is a thickening of the Injun on the flanks of the anticline, increasing with distance from the axis. Manifestly, this apparent anomaly has no stratigraphic basis, as the actual thickness of the Big Injun and the overlying Big Lime was determined by original deposition which no amount of subsequent folding could appreciably alter. Fig. 1 is a skeleton map of structure based on the top of the Big Lime; Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing the thickness of the Big Injun.

Jan 1, 1923

By Stirling Huntley

With the threatened falling off in production of the lighter oil pools of the Tampico embayment in Mexico, a general search of that country for oil-producing regions has resulted in renewed activity in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, one of the first districts exploited in Mexico. Since the drilling of the first well in the San Cristobal section by the Pearson interests in 1902, drilling has been continuous, except during 1917-1921, when practically all development was stopped by the revolutionary activity. Early in 1921, a drilling campaign was inaugurated for the purpose of testing out the known salt-dome poolfi on the flanks of the salt masses, rather than on their tops where previous tests had been located. On Dec. 7, 1921, the Aguila Co., with which are consolidated the Pearson interests and which has been the only company active in developing this region, unexpectedly drilled into a sand horizon at 3015 ft. with its Conception well No. 18. The hole was unable to handle the production, as a 1400-ft. string of 121/2-in. casing was hanging in the hole, a salt-water horizon drilled through at about 800 ft., was not cemented off, and 3000 ft. of 4-in. drill stem with rotary bit was in the hole. This well's potential capacity was never determined, but it made 7000 bbl. of 25" Bé. oil through the bit and Pin. drill stem, in one of its sporadic flows before sanding up, and thus proved itself capable of the largest potential production of any well on the Isthmus. The well showed salt water before caving and sanding up with the drill stem still in the hole, and will probably never be used for production. Wells Nos. 22 and 23, drilled nearby, have proved disappointments after making good showings of oil. In the spring of 1922, Ixhuatlan wells Nos. 28 and 29, deep tests supposedly on the flank of the known salt cores in that field, went into solid salt; No. 28 at 2250 ft. and No. 29 at 2400 ft. No. 28 was continued in the salt for 1000 ft. before operations were stopped. Later comple-

Jan 1, 1923

By John Carter Anderson

The theory of a zonal deposition of ores from ascending solutions which were differentiation products of a cooling magma, first propounded by Spurr,l in a measure explained by Lindgren,2 and recently re-emphasized by kemp,3 while perhaps accepted in principle by many mining geologists, so far has not been accepted as capable of practical application in the study and development of ore deposits. From his observations, the writer is convinced that there are laws governing the primary deposition of ores which, when properly worked out, will be of greatest economic value; and that the application of this knowledge to the development of new mines will mark an advance in the mining industry similar to that following the working out and application of the theory of secondary enriehiment. That there has been a tendency to a zonal distribution in the formation of ore deposits, by which the ores of one metal have been precipitated from tile mincralizing solutiolis at a greater distance from the source than those of another, cannot be disputed; and the nature of this zoning in a given deposit or district has been frequently described.4 But that a selection precipitation of the ores of two or more metals, other than lead and zinc, in successive zones may have taken place in a single deposit within limits economically possible of exploration is not generally recognized or admitted.

Jan 1, 1923

By A. F. Taggart, A. M. Gaudin

Flotation of ores is a practical utilization of the energy that resides in the surfaces of solids and liquids. The best known manifestation of this energy is called surface tension; an equally important, though less apparent, phenomenon is adsorption. This paper reviews some of the recent investigations of these phenomena, and gives the results of certain experiments performed by the authors. Surface tension is a manifestation of energy having its seat at the bounding surface between the adjacent phases of a multiphase system. Thus, at the interface between a liquid and a gas, or between two immiscible liquids, or between a solid and a gas or a liquid, there are forces capable of doing work, their magnitude depending on the nature of the adjacent phases and the extent of the bounding area. These surface forces are inappreciable when the ratio of surface to volume of the adjacent phases is small, but they become powerful when this ratio becomes large, as it does when one of the phases is highly dispersed. Froth flotation, which consists in buoying solids heavier than water to the surface of water by means of gas bubbles, utilizes the force of surface tension to attach the solid particles to the gas bubbles and again to maintain the floating mass of bubbles as a more or less persistent froth at the surface of a pulp for a sufficiently long time to allow its removal. It follows from the second law of thermodynamics that the potential energy of a system in equilibrium is a minimum. Therefore a multiphase system, tending toward equilibrium, will arrange itself in such a way that the total energy of the interfaces will be the least possible. This end can be accomplished in two ways: by a change in shape that will reduce the interfacial area; by a change in the nature of the surface layer in

Jan 1, 1923

Arthur Yates, lecturer in the mining department of the Royal School of Mines, London, died at Blackpool, on Feb. 14, 1923, at the age of 47 years. My first acquaintance with him was made in 1902, when taking over the management of the Redjang Lebong gold mines in Sumatra, of which he was the responsible metallurgical officer. For that position he was well qualified by reason of his previous experience with the Rand Central Ore Reduction Co., in South Africa, and particularly by his early training with the Cassel Gold Extracting Co., owners of the MacArthur-Forrest patents, and the first commercial company formed to work the then recently discovered cyanide process; in this connection, Mr. Yates had the advantage of working under J. S. MacArthur himself. Our association in Sumatra was maintained for six years, when I left. Mr. Yates remained and was eventually promoted to the management of the neighboring Soelit mine. During those six years and in the close association inseparable from life in an isolated mining camp, the sterling qualities which made him so good a man were unmistakable: industry and interest in his work, patience with everybody, a quiet and unassuming demeanor. On the exhaustion of the mine to which he had been promoted, he returned to England in 1913. In 1914, the Mining Department of the Imperial College was fortunate in securing his services. Hardly, however, had he settled down when the war broke out and he spent some years in the Cleveland District promoting the efforts of the Government toward greater output. Returning to college in 1919, Mr. Yates met the full flood of Service students. The qualities which made him a man amongst men in the world made him a man among students in the college; a senior student if you like. But, unsuspected, a dread disease had fastened itself upon him, making itself felt for the first time during the summer course he was conducting in the South Wales coal field, in 1922. Against its relentless onset he opposed the bravest optimism, and when at last he realized that he was going under, and was in fact dying, his pronounced regret was that he was leaving the boys. In his death, at the age of forty-seven, staff and students in the Mining Department have experienced a great loss, that of a reliable friend, and their deepest sympathy goes out to the young widow and son in their irreparable loss. S. J. TRuBcott.

Jan 1, 1923

By Victor Lenher

The interest shown recently in selenium and tellurium has brought many requests for an assembling of the analytical chemistry of these two elements. The intention of this paper is to discuss all of the chemical principles utilized in the detection and quantitative determination of these elements, as well as to describe the works methods actually followed by producers of tellurium and selenium in the United States. These methods have been furnished by S. Skowronski of the Raritan Copper Works, H. D. Greenwood of the United States Metals Refining Co., F. F. Colcord of the U. S. S. Lead Refinery, and E. W. Rouse and A. E. Hall of the American Smelting and Refining Company. Occurrence Selenium is found associated with sulfur, to which in many respects it is quite similar. Occasionally deposits of native sulfur, notably those in the Lipari Islands, Kilauea, and Japan, show a red-brown coloration, I which is readily distinguished from that of other sulfur; this red-brown * sulfur contains a small amount of selenium. Not infrequently, the , sulfides of the heavy metals are accompanied by selenium and tellurium, • presumably as selenides and tellurides. The Scandinavian pyrite, which is one of the large sources of European sulfuric acid, when roasted has fur- - nished a large part of the selenium that has come to the United States; it I was in flue dust from the roasting of Scandinavian pyrites that the element was discovered by Berzelius in 1817. Greek and Spanish pyrites also

Jan 1, 1923

PRESIDENT WHITESIDE: If the chair may be pardoned, he would like to say he knows something of the work of this committee, and I assure you that they have all worked faithfully and hard, holding meetings at least every other day, and sometimes oftener, hustling money and going through all the different work necessary to bring about and to make a successful occasion of this kind, and I-who really acted as an outsider and viewed their work-was certainly appreciative of their efforts, and I know you would have been had you been able to see how hard they all worked. One of the sad things in life always is when one becomes a "has-been." I have been more or less active in the work of the Institute ever since its in¬ception. Just why the high honor of President was conferred upon me I have never been able to fathom, but my time is about over and I am about to join the "has-beens," and while the position naturally has entailed a certain amount of work, it has been very pleasant work, and when one has the hearty co-operation of his fellow workers, such work is always a pleasure. It is, therefore, with a certain amount of regret that I lay down the gavel and take it up again to present to my successor; but in doing so, I wish to thank you, one and all, for your very hearty help and co-operation, and to wish my successor, Mr. George B. Pryde, all the possible success that can be his. Mr. Pryde. (Applause.) MR. PRYDE: I will make no extended speech at this time. I think possibly the next year I will have enough opportunity to do that; but I had a letter from my friend, Murphy, before this meeting, and he thought we were going to have a very good meeting; but I don't know the motive behind his letter. (Laughter.) I remember the story about the Scotchman who went to see the doctor, and the doctor said: "Sandy, you drink any?" "Oh, yes." "Well," he says, "you have got to cut that out. Do you smoke?" "Oh, yes; I smoke a great deal." "Well, you will have to cut that out also." And Sandy picked up his hat and started for the door. "Wait a minute, Sandy; you haven't paid me for my advice." "Yes, but I am not going to take your advice." (Laughter.) But I am deeply appreciative of the honor you have conferred upon me, electing me to be head of this Institute for the next year. I have belonged to this Institute, I should say, ever since it has been organized. This present session especially has been a very good session. As I look back over the different meetings, I think this one stands out among all the others in the papers presented and the spirit of co-operation that prevailed among the members here, and I am not going to ask your co-operation during the year; I am sure I will get it from all of you. I want to thank you for the honor conferred upon me. (Applause.) MR. WHITESIDE: The retiring President did not quite follow the reading of the by-laws, I think, in which it says that immediately after the election of a new President, the new President shall assume office, and I got so busy I forgot all about that. The committee which the chair decided to appoint is as follows. This is to formulate safety rules: For Utah, John Crawford, William Littlejohn; for Wyoming, Peter Patterson, Glen Knox; for New Mexico, William Risdon, Allan French; for Colorado, James Dalrymple, J. C. Roberts; and last and surely not least, as chairman of the committee, Mr. George B. Pryde. (Mr. Pryde later appointed D. Harrington as a member-at-large.) C. M. GODDARD: Mr. Chairman, we all realize that in a gaseous mine the application of, safety measures transcends everything else. Machinery is installed 100 per cent safe, as they might say, to take care of any condition

Jan 1, 1923