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By W. O. Philbrook, H. W. Hosking, N. B. Melcher

A simple and inexpensive mercury-tracer method has been develohed to study rates and Patterns of gas flow in blast furnaces. A Pulse of mercury is injected into the hot blast, and its arrival at the sampling Point is recorded by an electronic circuit that measures resonant absorbtion of ultraviolet light by mercury vapor in the gas aspirated .through the detecting. cell. A rapidly developing interest in blast-furnace technology in recent years has created a strong demand for precise knowledge of the rates and patterns of gas movement through the stock column. Classical fluid-flow theory cannot supply the desired information because the complexity of the blast-furnace situation precludes the accurate determination of many of the parameters required for solution of the equations. In fact some of the terms employed in fluid-flow treatments become almost meaningless under blast-furnace conditions. The void fraction of the stock column, for example, varies widely from place to place and is affected by the segregation of charge materials, attrition of lumps during descent, and channeling. Gas density varies with changes in local pressure, temperature, and composition, while viscosity varies with temperature and composition. Even if mean values for these functions were acceptable, they would be either impossible or extremely difficult to determine with a high degree of accuracy since the value of the mean for all gas properties would depend upon the flow distribution itself. Attempts to study gas movement by the pitot-tube determination of kinetic pressures have met with little acceptance. Reproducibility of results is extremely difficult to achieve in a situation where alignment of the tube orifice with respect to the flow direction in tortuous channels cannot be guaranteed. Because of these difficulties it would appear that progress can be achieved only with a direct method of measuring gas velocities and determining the shape of flow paths through the stock. The establishment of such a method is described in this paper. SELECTION OF METHOD Direct measurement suggests the use of a tracer by means of which the progress of a "parcel" of gas can be followed through the furnace. Several requirements must be met before any selected material can be considered a suitable tracer. First of all, it must be a substance not normally present in blastfurnace gas or dust; otherwise its presence in a gas sample will have little significance. It should be volatile at temperatures normally existing within the furnace, to ensure that it will travel with the gas, as a gas. It should possess special properties enabling its presence in the gas to be detected readily, and it should not undergo exchange reactions with any material normally present within the furnace, including refractories and coke as well as all components of the metal and slag. Radioactive materials naturally are considered because their radioactivity renders them susceptible to detection. However, of the many radioactive materials available, almost all are eliminated from final consideration by their unsuitability in terms of other properties. Radioactive silicon, carbon, calcium, phosphorus, and many others have been considered and discarded, either because they are not volatile over the whole range of significant temperatures, or because they could be expected to undergo exchange reactions with burden or refractory materials. Others which might be suitable in terms of these properties are eliminated because of a low activity, short half life, or the necessity for fragile counting apparatus. Of the many elements available in radioactive form, perhaps radon is the only one suitable for blast-furnace gas-flow studies. This has been used in several investigations1-4 with considerable success. The use of radiotracers has certain inherent disadvantages. One is the cost. An appreciable sum must be allowed for materials each time a test is made. Also, special methods of handling must be employed, and very often the progress of an investigation must be governed by the availability of isotopes and the delivery arrangements that can be made for them. An advantage is immediately gained if the tracer material can be a substance which can

Jan 1, 1960

By William A. Vogely

STRIKES in the steel and copper industries adversely affected production in the minerals industry in 1959. Because of an excellent first half of the year and rapid recovery of production after the steel settlement, most statistical indicators were higher than the recession-recovery year 1958. Domestic production of metals declined by 9 percent, but nonmetals (except fuels) increased by 8 percent. Ferrous-metal mine production was down 8 percent, and base-metal mine production was off 11 percent. Employment was high during the first half of the year, but averaged lower than in 1958. Stocks continued to decline as a whole, but crude metal ore stocks actually increased. The indexes of stocks at yearend were still high as compared with 1955. Prices were firm throughout the year. A new index of average unit mine value is presented for the first time in this review; it showed a very slight decline in average mine realization for 1959. The percentage share of supply from imports increased in some commodities, due in large part to the shutdown of domestic iron, steel, and copper industries.

Jan 1, 1960

By Henry H. Ginsberg

The Federal Bureau of Mines made pilot plant investigations of the process requirements necessary to produce heavy fuel oil by the liquid-phase hydrogenation of bituminous coal. The investigation was carried out in three separate series of experiments. The first series studied the effect of temperature and contact time on product distribution at 3,500 p.s.i.g. and 420° to 480° C. in the presence of 0.1 wt.-pct../ stannous sulfide plus 0.05 wt.-pct. iodoform based on gross coal. As a result of increased contact times and temperatures, the conversion-6/ and yield of hydrocarbon gas increased, the viscosity of product oil decreased, and elimination of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur from coal increased. The yield of oil did not indicate any definite trend with changes in temperature and contact time. The yield of oil ranged from 76 to 85 pct. for Pittsburgh coal and from 60 to 85 pct. for Rock Springs coal. Asphaltenes in the product oil ranged from 17 to 38 pct. of the total oil for Pittsburgh coal and from 12 to 22 pct. for Rock Springs coal. Fuel oils meeting Bunker C or American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Grade 6 specifications were produced with Rock Springs coal at 0.2- to 1.0-hr. contact time and 440° to 480° C. and with Pittsburgh coal at 0.3- to 1.0-hr. contact time and 420° to 460° C. In the second series of experiments tin, nickel, iron, and zinc were evaluated as catalysts for the hydrogenation of Rock Springs coal to heavy fuel oil at 3,500 p.s.i.g. and 460° C. Using the apparent conversion of coal as criterion of catalyst activity, at a contact time of 0.45 hr. tin was the most effective catalyst; nickel and iron were nearly as effective, but the use of zinc resulted in much lower conversion. When the contact time was increased to 0.80 hr., the apparent conversion of coal was essentially the same for each of the catalysts. When the yield of oil boiling below 3550 C. was used as criterion of catalyst activity, at 0.45 hr. the order of activity was tin, iron, nickel, and zinc; at 0.80 hr. tin was far superior and the others were essentially equal. The product oils contained from 8 to 20 pct. asphaltenes.

Jan 1, 1960

By A. H. Willis

In this paper the results of an exploratory study conducted by personnel of the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory on 18.6, 22, and 40 wt pct uranium-zirconium alloy will be presented. LARGE power output and long life or endurance from small, compact nuclear reactors require the use of enriched uranium for a fuel material. However, the ability to remove heat from the element, the tolerable fission product concentration, or some physical limitation of the system can limit the allowable fuel enrichment, or the volume of the fuel. In such an event, the fuel-element designer must find a suitable diluent for the uranium. Zirconium is an attractive material for such a purpose as it has good nuclear properties and a low absorption cross section. Because it has a good corrosion resistance in water, zirconium is a suitable cladding and the uranium-zirconium alloy makes a good core material. The alloy has a high thermal conductivity, a low elastic modulus, and a low thermal-expansion coefficient, all of which tend to minimize the thermal stresses in the core. Furthermore, the unirradiated material is reasonably ductile and has adequate strength. DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLES Two types of cylindrical samples were used in this study 1) short, 1/2-to 1-in.-long samples to test the irradiation stability of the alloy and 2) 2-ft-long samples to investigate the resistance of an element to longitudinal deformation. Composite samples having 0.060-to 0.140-in. core diameters and clad with a 0.010-in. thick zirconium jacket were fabricated by coextrusion and by hydrostatic pressure bonding of the cladding to the preformed core material. Both fabrication processes produced the uniform metallurgical core-to-cladding bond which was felt necessary to minimize the uncertainty of the central core temperature. Both consumable-arc and induction-melting techniques were used to melt the uranium-sponge zirconium core alloy. Since a graphite crucible was used in induction-melting this alloy contained more carbon impurity, which resulted in a finer grain size than the arc-melted alloy. The core to cladding interface was uniform in elements coextruded from the fine-grain, induction-melted core material, while those elements fabricated using arc-melted core material had very irregular interfaces because of the coarser grain size. Both cold-worked and heat-treated fuel materials were irradiation tested. Cold-worked alloys were swaged to about a 5 pct final reduction in area without subsequent annealing. The heat-treated alloys were heated to 800°C, held at temperature for 15 min and furnace-cooled to about room temperature. This

Jan 1, 1960

By Robert D. Thomson

The plastics industry runs into the billions, both in the dollar value of its finished, products and in the pounds of plastic raw material produced. It is, too, one of the fastest growing industries with a 300 percent increase in production in the past ten years. Informed estimates set 5.9 billions pounds as the plastic volume for 1959. Statistically, this is equivalent to a per capita consumption of 25 pounds in the United States. Plastics are man-made materials in contrast to natural materials like wood and are a family of materials -- not a single material - each member having special advantages. A generally accepted definition; for plastics is; a large and varied group of materials which consist, wholly or in part, of combinations of carbon with oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other organic and inorganic elements. This, while solid in the finished state, at some stage in its manufacture is soft enough to be formed into various shapes, most usually through the application either singly or together of heat and pressure. Many combinations and many different materials are thus possible. Therefore, for purposes of simplification, most plastics can be classified under one of 14 recognized basic family groups. These groups in turn generally can be further classified into one of two major subdivisions - thermosetting or thermoplastics. A few plastics are in between and they can be formulated to be either thermosetting or thermoplastic.

Jan 1, 1960

By J. W. Rutter, K. T. Aust

The temperature dependence of the rate of grain boundary migration was measured in bicrystals of zone-refined lead containing from 20 to less than 1 ppm by wezght of tin. The apparent activation energy in the temperature range from 320" to 200oC is markedly dependent upon the solute tin concentration and upon the orientation relationship of the grains adjacent to the grain boundavy. The quantitative experimental observat~ons are compared with the predictions of various theories of grain boundary migration. In previous work.&apos;?&apos; the mobility of individual grain boundaries was studied as a function of impurity concentration and type of boundary. Grain boundary migration occurred at the expense of dislocation arrays which were introduced into the specimen during solidification. Boundary mobility in zone-refined lead at 300°C was markedly decreased by small additions of tin. 0.004 wt pct being sufficient to decrease the rate of grain boundary migration by a factor of 1000. The mobility of grain boundaries having polar orientation relationships near 38 and 22 deg about <Ill>, and 28 deg about <100>, was much less sensitive to tin concentration in the range studied. As a result, these boundaries have relatively high mobilities. The present paper is a continuation of the above study. Data are now presented on the temperature dependence of the motion of individual grain boundaries in zone-refined lead as a function of solute tin concentration and orientation relationship of adjacent grains at the grain boundary. The experimental observations are compared with the predictions of a number of theories of grain boundary migration3-8 which, prior to the present experimental investigation, could not be critically evaluated. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The striation or lineage structure of melt-grown single crystals of zone-refined lead, containing various additions of tin, was utilized to provide a driving force for grain boundary migration, as previously described.1,2 Each grain boundary under study separated the striated single crystal from another grain which was introduced by localized plastic deformation and recrystallization of a small region of the sample. The speed of migration of grain boundaries in dilute alloys of tin in zone-refined lead was investigated as a function of 1) tin concentration from < 0.0001 to 0.002 wt pct, 2) temperature in the range of 200" to 320°C, and 3) orientation relationship of the adjacent grains at the grain boundary. The substructure driving energy available for grain boundary migration was estimated to be about 4000 ergs per cu cm, within a factor of two, from specimen to specimen.&apos; The specimen dimensions, and growth and alloying procedures for the preparation of striated single crystals of lead of known tin composition, were as described previously.&apos; Each bicrystal was carefully wrapped in aluminum foil, and annealed in a well-stirred salt bath consisting of 50 pct NaNO2 and 50 pct KNO3, for known periods of time at a series of constant temperatures (*2°C). The grain boundary positions, before and after each anneal, were determined by etching lightly in a solution of 5 pct nitric acid in methyl alcohol, in order to follow the motion of the boundary and determine its rate of migration. Thus, the rate of motion of the grain boundary in a single specimen was measured at various temperatures. The above procedure was carried out for each grain boundary in seventeen different bicrystal specimens.

Jan 1, 1960

By M. M. Fine

Normally the U. S. produces less than 10 pct of its annual manganese requirement. About 95 pct of domestic consumption is used by the steel industry.&apos; The strategic and critical nature of manganese has been recognized by its inclusion in the national stockpile and by intensified research directed toward cataloging and evaluating domestic manganiferous deposits. The USBM has participated in these activities for many years with field and laboratory studies to assess the extent and potential utilization of domestic manganese ores. One area of particular interest is in the vinicity of Batesville, Ark., where deposits have been mined since 1849 for both manganese and ferruginous manganese ores. Production is centered in Independence County, but deposits are also found in Sharp, Izard, and Stone counties in north-central Arkansas. Miser has described the geology and manganese mineralization in some detail.&apos;. * "he rocks of the area are sedimentary, consisting of sandstone, limestone, shale, and chert. The two formations of greatest importance,&apos; Fernvale limestone and Cason shale, are host rocks of the primary manganese mineralization. Through 1955 the district produced some 230,000 long tons of manganese ore (35 pct Mn or more) and 236,000 tons of ferruginous manganese (10 to 35 pct Mn).5 Most of the ore has been mined from deposits of manganese oxides in residual clays resulting from weathering of the two formations noted above. Concentration methods have been primitive, consisting for the most part of washing. hand picking, and jigging. A significant accomplishment in the district in recent years was the USBM recognition and investigation of the huge manganese potential represented by unaltered Fernvale limestone. systematic reconnaissance of manganiferous limestone and other occurrences has been in progress since 1953 to delineate the extent and tonnage of manganiferous materials. Results of that survey have appeared in two recent publications,1-5 which ascribe to the district an inferred reserve of 166 million long dry tons at a grade of 5 to 6 pct Mn. Most of this was mancaniferous limestone with an estimated content of 5 pct Mn. Specifications: Beneficiation was carried out on a group of manganiferous limestones to develop a way to recover commercial-grade concentrate from this extensive resource. The following chemical specifications were established by the GSA for metallurgical manganese ore acceptable for delivery to the national stockpile: Size specifications were not considered, as it was assumed that the concentrates could be pelletized or sintered. Manganiferous Limestones: Of the 11 samples tested to date, six were taken by cutting vertical channels across beds of limestone outcrops. Diamond drilling through overlying barren chert into unex-posed limestone provided four samples, and the last was a churn drill sample. In general, the samples were dlrk, fossiliferous limestone containing small amounts of braunite, hausmannite, rhodochrosite, massive and micaceous iron and manganese silicates, quartz, barite, and glauconite. The braunite and other manganese oxides partly to completely replaced some of the calcite and fossil material. The calcite was generously stained with mangenese and iron oxides. Phosphorus was present in all samples as collophanite grains, calcium phosphate fossil replacements. or an unidentified manganese-bearing carbonate. The difficulty in separating this complex array of minerals was further complicated by a very intimate association. Although some manganese grains as large as Ik in. were noted, grinding to subsieve sizes would have been necessary to liberate the components. Figs. 1 and 2 are micrographs, at X100, of typical polished sections in which white areas are manganese. gray is gangue, and black areas are surface depressions. By comparison with the 100 mesh opening, it is seen that some of the grains are coarse enough to respond, perhaps to tabling or flotation, but many are obviously beyond the scope of ohysical processing. Partial chemical analyses of the eight samples that were ultimately amenable to concentration are presented in Table 1. BENEFlClATlON RESEARCH Tabling: To take advantage of the presence of sand-size grains, both jigging and tabling were considered at the outset. Jigging was largely ineffective, but tabling achieved a partial recovery from most samples. As an example, the surface material from Baxter Hill was crushed to —28 mesh, hydraulically classified, and the coarsest spigot fraction was tabled to yield a concentrate, middling. and tailing. The latter two were reground to pass 48 mesh, combined with the primary fines, re-classified, and retabled. The middling and tailing were again ground, this time to pass 150 mesh, and deslimed at 20µ in a 3-in. hydraulic cyclone. The cyclone underflow was returned to the table to reclaim a small amount of high-grade manganese. An interesting facet of the gravity concentration developed on certain samples in which braunite was the principal manganese constituent. Since braunite has a Mohs hardness of 6 to 6.5, while the host rock, limestone. is only 3, a differential size reduction took place during crushing, and the

Jan 1, 1960

The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc, shall be composed of constituent parts as follows Section 1 Societies-The Institute shall be divided into three or more Societies as follows a The Metallurgical Society of AIME Society of Mining Engineers of AIME Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME Other Societies may be formed within the framework of AIME or granted member¬ship in AIME as approved by the Board of Directors Section 2 Divisions and Subdivisions-The several Societies of the Institute shall consist of Divisions as follows a The Metallurgical Society of AIME 1 Institute of Metals Division 2 Iron and Steel Division 3 Extractive Metallurgy Division Any Divisions or Subdivisions which may be formed in the future with the approval of the Board of Directors Society of Mining Engineers of AIME I Coal Division 2 Industrial Minerals Division 3 Minerals Beneficiation Division 4 Mining and Exploration Division

Jan 1, 1960

By Konrad Stern

The terms asphalt and bitumen have been applied interchangeably, although incorrectly on occasion, for centuries to various bituminous materials that were found in nature. Native bituminous materials of only the solid types, deposits of which are found on or near the surface of the ground, together with the principal asphaltic type petroleum bitumens will be considered in this chapter. The international dictionary compiled by the "Permanent International Association of Road Congresses" still gives the full name as "Asphaltic Bitumen" but of recent years the word "Bitumen" has been recognized as most appropriate and is defined by the American Society for Testing Materials as follows: "Mixtures of hydrocarbons of natural or pyrogenous origin, or combinations of both, frequently accompanied by their nonmetallic derivatives, which may be gaseous, liquid, semisolid or solid and which are completely soluble in carbon disulfide." Asphaltic pyrobitumens, as defined by Abraham,2 is a species of pyrobitumen, including dark-colored, comparatively hard and nonvolatile solids; composed of hydrocarbons, substantially free from oxygenated bodies; sometimes associated with mineral matter, the nonmineral constituents being infusible and largely insoluble in carbon disulfide. Deposits of native bituminous materials are found scattered over the entire world, but many are relatively unimportant as far as commerce is concerned. No attempt has been made to cover all of the known deposits. The principal bituminous materials of commercial interest are: 1. Native asphalts, solid or semisolid, associated with mineral matter such as Trinidad Lake asphalt, Rock asphalt and Selenitza, Boeton and Iraq asphalts. 2. Native Asphaltites, such as gilsonite, grahamite and glance pitch, conspicuous by their hardness, brittleness and comparatively high softening point. 3. Asphaltic bitumens obtained from nonasphaltic, semi-asphaltic and asphaltic crude petroleum by distillation, blowing with air and the cracking of residual oils. 4. Asphaltic pyrobitumens of which wurtzilite and elaterite are of chief interest industrially as they depolymerize upon heating, becoming fusible and soluble in contrast to their original properties in these respects.2 5. Mineral waxes, such as ozokerite, characterized by their high crystallizable paraffine content. Native Lake Asphalt At Brighton situated in the southwestern part of the Island of Trinidad is one of the largest deposits of native asphalt in the world.3 The lake is oval in shape, covering an area of 114 acres and having a depth of 285 ft at its center. The material forming this deposit is an emulsion of water and bitumen with a suspension of mineral matter consisting of impalpably fine clay dispersed by nature in the asphalt, and small quantities of silica and vegetable matter. The entire mass of asphalt is in slow but constant motion as evidenced by the migration of islands of vegetation from one place to an-

Jan 1, 1960

By Joel K. Waterland

The Homestake Mining Company at Lead, South Dakota is one of the few remaining gold properties still in operation, in this country. The mine is relatively deep, with a bottom production level of 4250 feet, and a bottom development of 6200 feet. 4, 800 tons of ore are produced daily from three rather large, but inconsistent ore bodies; the dip of which is easterly at about 72 degrees, and the plunge to the south is about 30 degrees. The ore is, for the most part, a chlorite schist with large veins of secondary quartz and cummingtonite schist The ore is not continuous in any direction, but is localized at the ridges of the very intricate system of anti clinal folds. This property has been in active production since its establishment in 1876, except for a period during World War II. The incentive, or contract pay system, has been a gradual process that has been developed by the trial-and-error method down through the years. In looking over the old records, hand-shoveling was paid on an incentive basis as far back as 1916. Since this time, the contract system has grown until it now includes almost all types of underground work - except haulage and maintenance work

Jan 1, 1960

By R. E. Tate, F. W. Schonfeld

In 1899, Lebeau1 reported the preparation of the compound Lis As through reduction of lithium arse-nate with carbon. Brauer and zint12 have described the preparation of Li3 As by combining the elements in liquefied ammonia and by melting the elements in a zirconia crucible coated with lithium fluoride. In 1953, at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, LisAs and a previously unreported compound, LiAs, were prepared by the reaction of the elements. PREPARATION OF THE COMPOUNDS Attempts to form lithium-arsenic compounds by

Jan 1, 1960

By Oscar M. Wicken

The mineral magnesite (MgCO3) if pure would consist of 47.7 pct MgO and 52.3 pct CO2. It is one of the calcite group of rhombohedral carbonates which includes calcite (CaCO3), siderite (FeCO3), rhodocrosite (MnCO3), and smithsonite (ZnCO3) among others. The members of this group enter into a wide range of substitutional solid solutions, whose range is still imperfectly known.* MgCO3 and FeCO3 appear to form a complete series of which breunnerite (ferroan magnesite) is a well known variety. Because of the considerable difference in size of the Ca and Mg ions, there is only a limited range in substitution in the MgCO3-CaCO3 series. (Dolomite, not strictly a member of the calcite group, may be regarded as an ordered structure developed when Ca: Mg is approximately 1:1.) The practical consequence of these relationships is that the lime carbonates (calcite and dolomite) are commonly present in magnesite deposits chiefly as mechanical mixtures. Magnesite may be either crystalline or "amorphous" (cryptocrystalline). The crystalline form has a hardness of 3.5 to 4.0. The color may range from white to black through shades of yellow, blue, red or gray. It is rarely found pure but generally contains variable amounts of iron, lime, and silicate minerals. Color cannot be used as an index of purity except under specific local conditions in a single quarry. In a given quarry an experienced man may be able roughly to grade magnesite by intuitively assessing such features as crystallinity and color. Crystalline magnesite occurs in larger deposits, but the cryptocrystalline variety is more common. The latter is fine-grained and compact and shows no cleavage; often it is descriptively called "bone magnesite." The fracture is usually conchoidal, and hardness is 3.5 to 5.0. It is normally white, but sometimes it is light yellow to orange or buff because of included impurities. In addition to lime and iron, which may be present in small amounts, silica may be present as inclusions of serpentine, quartz, chalcedony, or other minerals. In general, commercial deposits of "amorphous" magnesite have lesser amounts of accessory minerals than does crystalline magnesite. The specific gravity of "amorphous" magnesite is 2.90 to 3.0. Pure, crystalline magnesite has a specific gravity of 3.02, but iron carbonate, commonly present, raises the specific gravity to somewhat higher values. Magnesite dissociates, when sufficiently heated, into magnesia (MgO) and carbon dioxide. Either simultaneously or upon further heating the magnesia develops a crystalline structure identical with that of the natural mineral, periclase, which occurs sparingly in nature but not normally in workable deposits. Brucite is another magnesium mineral capable of being directly reduced to magnesia by heat alone. Brucite (Mg(OH)2) has been mined for the production of various grades of magnesia. It theoretically contains 69.1 pct MgO and 30.9 pct H2O. It may be white, but is generally blue or green with a gray cast. It has a translucent appearance. The mineral is soft (hardness, 2.5), and has a specific gravity of about 2.4. Nomenclature of Products The word "magnesite" literally refers to the natural mineral, but common usage has applied it plus a prefatory word to two other

Jan 1, 1960

As a basis for my address to you tonight I thought it might be opportune if we considered the great history of the mineral industry in Australia, and the contribution it has made to the development of the country. While it is perhaps interesting to review the achievements of the past there is also the opportunity to examine the developments of the future.The names generally given to the three periods of man&apos;s life on the earth-the Stone, the Bronze, and the Iron Ageand to which should perhaps now be added the Atomic Age, imply the vast importance of the progressive steps in &apos;man&apos;s discovery of minerals and the means of working them. They tell the story of his advance from the flint knife to the bronze celt, and then to the keen-edged iron weapon, and now to the possibilities of the peaceful application of atomic energy. Not only have the stories of gold, iron, copper and tin told a great deal of the history of the progress of mankind, but they have also traced the commercial and industrial growth of Australia over the last century.Gold in the 1850&apos;s was responsible for the most significant period of immigration Australia has ever had-when the population almost tripled in the ten years to 1860. Minerals were also responsible for opening up Australia and determining the pattern of settlement. As mineral finds were made, railways were constructed to these fields, then agricultural development followed.Then, as the industrial era started, minerals provided the raw material for Australia&apos;s rapid industrial expansion, and they have all contributed to the extent that they have made...

Jan 1, 1960

By Y. L. Yao

The solubility limit of oxygeu in a titanionn at 850°C has been determined by magnetic measurements as 12.5 + 0.5 pct (29.0—30,9 at. pct). Also in the susceptibility-co~centmtion curve, there is n distinct but not sharp maximum at 19.0 * 0.5 z~t pet (40.5--42.1 at. pct), which indicates the presence of the 6 phase. The magnetic susceptibilities of the alloys of the titanium-oxygen system were determined byEhrlich in 1939.&apos; is alloys were prepared by sintiring mixtures of titanium and its oxide at high temperatures. On the titanium-rich side, despite the fact that the alloy compositions he measured crossed two phase boundaries, the limited results obtained

Jan 1, 1960

By P. C. Good

High-purity chromium was prepared in massive form by the electrolysis of chromium trioxide solution at high temperatures. The metal thus obtained, containing 50 to 150 p.p.m. of oxygen, 20 p.p.m. of nitrogen, and traces of metallic impurities, could be hot-worked to rod and sheet and drawn to wire ductile at room temperatures. Optimum concentrations and operating conditions were established for the deposition of chromium from chromic acid baths containing sulfate, fluoride, and silicofluoride ions. Current efficiencies of 13 percent were attained with baths containing sulfate ion, and efficiencies of 40 to 44 percent with baths containing fluoride and silicofluoride ions. Cation exchange resins were used for removing metallic impurities from chromic acid solutions containing sulfate ion; solutions containing fluoride and silicofluoride ions were purified by recrystallization.

Jan 1, 1960

BUFFALO C E Moyer, Chairman (Buffalo, N Y ) R M Jordan, Vice-Chairman H A Morlock, Secretary CHICAGO M E Nickel, Chairman (Chicago, Ill) A M Kroner, Vice-Chairman W R McLain, Secretary-Treasurer

Jan 1, 1960

By J. T. Brown

AS far as could be ascertained, no one had previously investigated the creep strength of silicon poly-crystals. Literature has appeared showing evidence for plastic deformation in silicon single crystals and whiskers.*1"6 Also the fact that germanium, a material of similar crystal structure to silicon undergoes plastic deformation under stress at temperatures above about 60 pct of its melting temperature, has been known for some time.2"4&apos;7 This investigation was performed for the purpose of determining the strength and ductility of silicon polycrystals under creep conditions that would give fairly long times to rupture. PROCEDURE The silicon specimen blanks were obtained by first placing granulated transitor grade silicon (99.999 + pct pure) in a silica crucible. The crucible was surrounded by a graphite susceptor, and induction heating was used for melting the silicon in a vacuum furnace. Blank specimens were formed by freezing molten silicon onto a polycrystalline seed of silicon in a vacuum furnace. The seed was attached to a motor driven revolving rod. As silicon solidified, this rod was gradually withdrawn from the melt. A shape with a contracted center section was obtained by varying the rate of withdrawal from the melt. Specimens for the creep-rupture tests were ground from these "pulled" blanks. Creep-rupture tests were performed in spring loaded machines under constant load at 1800" and 2000° F. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A test specimen which was sectioned longitudinally is shown in the photomacrograph in Fig. 1. Very little deformation has taken place in the portion of the specimen shown, however, slip lines from several slip systems within the same grain, and deformation band formation was seen. The elongated appearance of the grains is due to the method of growing the specimens. One of the most interesting aspects of the results obtained from the creep-rupture tests was the high strength and the accompanying large amount of ductility. The data obtained is listed in Table I which shows the stress to rupture in 100 hr at 2000°F is between 8000 and 9000 psi. This indicates that silicon&apos;s strength at 2000°F is about equal to that of the best commercial super-alloys. It is important to mention that silicon has less than 1/3 the density of iron-, nickel-, and cobalt-base alloys. The usual type alloys for high-temperature applications

Jan 1, 1960

By J. H. Holden

The Federal Bureau of Mines is doing research and development work on a pressure-gasification pilot plant for producing synthesis gas directly from pulverized coal, oxygen, and steam. A pressure-gasification pilot plant has been constructed, and an investigation was made with the following basic objectives: 1. Determining the effect of varying pressure (75, 100, 150, and 300 p.s.i.g.), coal rate (400, 700, and 1,000 pounds per hour), and oxygen-to-coal ratio (8 to 11 std, c,f. per pound), on percentage of carbon gasified, oxygen and coal requirements per unit of CO + H2 produced, exit-gas temperature, and heat loss. The steam-to-coal ratio was maintained at approximately 0.3 pound per pound. 2. Development of a stabilized gasification zone or reaction space. 3. Improvement in operability of the pilot plant.

Jan 1, 1960

CARACAS PETROLEUM Established February 24, 1957 Official year begins in January Harry J Sykes, Chairman G J Clarke, Vice-Chairman Robert S Longwell, Vice-Chairman David L Stepanek, Treasurer Robert C Newman, Secretary Texas Petroleum Co Apartado 267 Caracas, Venezuela

Jan 1, 1960

By James M. Stuckey

In a search for improved methods of upgrading tar obtained by low-temperature carbonization of coal, monoethanolamine (MEA) was found to be effective in extracting tar acids from coal tar distillates derived from a subbitunwous and a lignite coal. Patch extractions showed that both yield and purity of the extracted acids improved with increasing volume ratios of monoethanolamine to tar acid, varied from 1:4 to 8:1. Yield improved, but purity decreased as the concentration of monoethanolamine was changed from 30 to 70 volume-percent, and as the concentration of tar acid in distillate was increased ad from 14 to 45 percent. In a continuous countercurrent extraction employing a double solvent (monoethanolamine and hexane) approximately 80 percent of the tar acids was extracted from 170° to 350° C. tar distillate when using 1.6:1 volume ratios of amine:tar acids. Tar acids isolated from his extract, although of improved purity, contained appreciable quantities of neutral oils and some tar bases. Aqueous monoethanolamine was not effective for extracting the last 10 to 15 percent of tar acids in 170° to 350° C. distillate oil from lignite coal. The highest yield of isolated tar acids and the best recovery of monoethanolamine were obtained by diluting the extract with water and saturating with C02. Some losses of solvent were encountered when aqueous monoethanolamine solutions were heated through decomposition of the amine with the liberation of ammonia.

Jan 1, 1960