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By S. I. Liu

THE effects of strain histories, consisting of several prestrains in opposite directions, on the flow and fracturing characteristics of metals determined in a final test have been investigated previously.'" Such strain histories vary from a single prestrain in tension or compression to the number of strain cycles leading to fatigue failure.' Between these two limits, various strain histories could be visualized and some can be attained readily. One such example is a strain history consisting of a first prestrain in tension of various magnitudes and a second prestrain in compression also of various mag-nitude. In this investigation the strain history was extended to the combination of these two limits, i.e., a single prestrain in tension or compression followed by balanced strain cycles of a selected magnitude e, = k0.12. It was found in this case that only compressive initial prestrains could be investigated with sufficient accuracy.* Such strain histories can be considered also as (low cycle) fatigue tests of a metal subjected to various amounts of cold working. It appears from previous publications that cold working within a wide range of reductions usually raises the un-notched fatigue strength of many metals.'-' This effect, however, has been found to be inconsistent and sometimes reversed for other metals?.7 Furthermore, Ludwik reports that the yield strength of cold-worked specimens may be reduced by cyclic strains, while that of materials without cold work is generally increased in the initial cycles." " In addition to the above tests, a study was made of the effect of intermediate re-solution heat treatment on low cycle fatigue behavior. Such anneals should eliminate the strain hardening induced by the cyclic strains. As far as their effect on the fracture characteristics is concerned, a few previous tests seemed to indicate that the damage resulting from cyclic strains is retained only partially after heat treatment." A further investigation was made in which one specimen was subjected to repeated unbalanced tension cycles in which the strain interval was approximately $ 0.013. This repetition of plastic tension damages the material slightly. This result appears to confirm Ludwik's observations." " Commercial 3/4-in. rod of the aluminum alloy 24ST4 was selected for this investigation. The material was subjected to the following treatments before machining: 1—Re-solution treatment at 920" ± 10°F for 45 min, 2—water quench at room temperature, and 3—aging for four days at room tem-perature.? The treated material then was machined to desired specimen contour and tested. A coolant was used during machining to minimize any artificial aging effects of heating during machining. In some cases the 24ST4 specimens were reheat treated after having been strained. In these cases, the heat treatment was the same as the re-solution heat treatment described above. Procedure As shown in Fig. 1, threaded end specimens with a minimum diameter of 0.266 in. and a contour radius of 2 in. were used for prestraining to an axial compressive strain ranging from 6, = —0.10 to E, = —0.48. For large prestrains, two consecutive corn-

Jan 1, 1952

By Shiou-Chuan Sun

THE presence of an excessive amount of tough froth in the flotation of minerals, particularly coals, may create trouble in dewatering, filtering, and handling. Froth is also a nuisance in many chemical industries.' This paper presents a study on the destruction of extremely tough froths with intense high-frequency sound. The data indicate that sound waves can be employed for continuous atandsoundwavescan instantaneous defrothing. A powerful high-frequency siren was used in obtaining the data. Also tested was an ultrasonorator of the crystal type with a frequency range of 400, 700, 1000, and 1500 kc per sec and a maximum power output from its amplifier of 198 w. The results, not presented, indicate that as now designed this machine is not suitable for defrothing. Although the sound generators of the magnetostriction type2,3 and of the electromagnetic type'.' were not available, it is beelectromagneticlieved they are capable of producing the required sound intensity for defrothing. The use of ultrasonics for defrothing was suggested by Ross and McBain1 in 1944. Ramsey8 reported in 1948 that E. H. Rose mentioned a supersonic device that broke down flotation froth but with low capacity. The writer has not been able to find any published literature containing practical experiments. Theoretical Considerations The mechanism of defrothing by sound is attributed to the periodically collapsing force of the propagated sound waves and the induced resonant vibration of the bubbles. The collapse of froth is further facilitated by the sonic wind and the heat of the siren. Sound waves can exert a radiation pressure'," against any obstacle upon which they impinge. When a froth surface is subjected to the periodic puncturing of sound waves, the bubbles are broken. According to Rayleigh9 and Bergmann,12 the radiation pressure of sound, P, in dynes per sq cm is given as: P = 1/2 (r+1)i/v where r is the ratio of the specific heats of the medium through which sound is traveling and is equal to 1 on the basis of Boyle's law; i is the sound intensity in ergs per sec per sq cm, and v is the sound velocity in cm per sec. In this case, the accuracy of the formula is only approximate, because a perfect reflection can hardly result from a column of froth. In addition to the radiation pressure, the propagated sound waves cause the bubbles of the froth to have a resonant vibration.'" he vibratory motion of the bubbles causes collision and coalescence, thereby weakening if not breaking the bubble walls. Sonic wind and heat were also generated." The sonic wind can exert pressure on the froth surface, and the heat can evaporate the moisture content of the bubble walls as well as expand the enclosed air. Apparatus The defrothing apparatus, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a powerful high-frequency siren, a glass or stainless steel beaker of 2-liter capacity with 12.4 cm diam and 17.1 cm height, and a metal reflector. The beaker was placed 2 in. above the top point of the siren. The metal reflector was adjusted to reflect and focus the generated sound waves into the central part of the beaker. Fig. 2 shows the crystal probe microphone used to measure the acoustic intensity and the mandler bacteriological filter employed to introduce compressed air into the beaker for frothing. The apparatus was enclosed in a soundproof cabinet equipped with a glass window. The siren, shown in Fig. 3, consists of a rotor that interrupts the flow of air through the orifices in a stator. The rotor, a 6-in. diam disk with 100 equally spaced slots, is driven by a 2/3 hp, Dumore W2 motor at 133 rps. The frequency of the siren can be varied from 3 to 34 kc. The maximum chamber pressure is about 2 atm, yielding acoustic outputs of approximately 2 kw at an efficiency of about 20 pct. The siren itself is relatively small and can be operated in any orientation. A detailed description of the siren has been given by Allen and Rudnick.11 Collapse of Froth To study the sequence of the collapse of froth, the glass beaker was partially filled with 920 cc water, 100 g of —150 mesh bituminous coal, 0.3 cc petroleum light oil, 0.2 cc pine oil and 1.54 cc Pyrene foam compound. This mineral pulp was agitated for 5 min and then aerated through a mandler filter until the empty space of the beaker, approximately 9 cm high, was filled completely with min-

Jan 1, 1952

By J. H. Scaff, H. C. Theuerer

Germanium may be reversibly converted from n to p type by heat treatment. Data for the conversion and the associated changes in resistreatment.tivity are given and the results are interpreted in terms of changes in the donor-acceptor balance. MEANS for controlling the electrical properties of germanium in a predictable manner are of interest because of the increasing utilization of this element as the semiconducting material in electrical devices. Since both the mechanism and the magnitude of the electrical conductivity depend upon the kind and quantity of impurities present, the conductivity usually is adjusted by first carefully purifying the germanium, and then, by standard alloying procedures, adding the elements desired. The elements usually added are from the third or fifth periodic groups depending upon whether p- or n-type germanium is desired. However, in the development of germanium rectifiers during the war, it was found that it was possible also to modify reversibly the conductivity of germanium and even to produce conversion from n to p type by heat treatment.1,5 Since then a detailed study of this effect has been made. The data are presented in this paper and an explanation is offered for the effects observed. Preparation and Experimental Procedure The method used in preparing the germanium ingots for this investigation has been previously described.' The method consists essentially of (1) reduction of GeO2* and (2) preparation of a 50-g ingot from the reduced material. Graphite containers are used in both steps. In the first step the GeO2 is reduced in hydrogen at 650 °C to form a sponge germanium which, to assure complete reduction and to obtain massive materials, is fused subsequently in the reduction furnace by gradually raising the temperature to 1000°C. The button of germanium thus obtained corresponds to a yield of 99.8 pct. The final ingot is prepared by fusion of the germanium button in a helium atmosphere. A cylindrical crucible in a vertical silica tube furnace is employed and the crucible is heated by an external induction coil. The ingot is solidified from the bottom upward by raising the induction coil at a constant rate with power to the coil kept at a fixed value. In such ingots, segregation is normal and most of the impurities are concentrated in the last region of the ingot to freeze. It follows then that the major portion of the ingot is purer than it would have been if freezing had occurred in a random fashion. Moreover the orderly advance of the freezing surface during solidification establishes in the ingot a succession of surfaces of constant composition, if it is assumed that the liquid is homogeneous and that diffusion in the solid is negligible. Therefore, some information on the distribution of impurities in the ingot may be acquired by determining the shape of the solid-liquid interface at different stages of solidification. This is of importance because the concentration of impurities will be seen to affect the response of germanium to heat treatment. Such information is difficult to acquire by direct means, for the impurities responsible for the electrical properties of germanium prepared in this way are present

Jan 1, 1952

By Robert Glass Cleland

Anson G. Phelps 1834-1853 Anson G. Phelps, Jr. 1839-1858 Charles C. Dodge 1864-1878 Daniel James 1834-1878 [ ]

Jan 1, 1952

By C. E. Turner, J. R. Elenbaas, R. D. Grimm, J. A. Vary, D. L. Katz

A technique is presented by which well samples and core plugs of dolomite formations are classified by microscopic examination into seven different porosity grades. Quantitative values of porosity and permeability are determined for each grade by a statistical correlation of the core plug test data with the porosity grading system. These quantitative values are applied directly to the grades exhibited in the well samples for the purpose of estimating the reservoir void space for wells that were not cored. The procedure is described for estimating the gas reserves per unit area lor the South Hugoton gas field. but a reserve estimate for the field is not given. INTRODUCTION The miscroscopic examination of well sample; and the graphic recording of their lithologic qualities and other distinguishing characteristics of various geologic formations drilled is both a science and an art of long standing and wide application. Usually the primary objective of a geologist who "sits on the well" and examines the samples are: to identify the formation being drilled, determine the total depth, casing point. and completion interval. In most cases the porosity is described. if done at all, in general terms. such as: trace, scattered, fine, poor, fair, medium. good, excellent, or in some other relative terms. In fields where various geologists have examined samples and recorded observations on many wells considerable variations in lithologic terms and porosity descriptions occur unless there is primary effort to establish uniformity of logging observations and standards of recording observable porosity. When an estimate of the pore volume of a reservoir is made a geologic concept of the processes that control the magnitudes of porosity and permeability is developed by microscopic examination of well samples. The characeristics and appearances are then mentally related to rather general quantitative units of porosity based on physical core data from the same reservoir or on such data or experience in other reservoirs that have similar qualities. The reliability of such estimates depends largely on the variations of the lithology of the formations, the geometric properties of its void system. the extent of comparisons of sample appearances with porosity data, as well as the uniform recording of all relevant characteristics. This statement is particularly significant for dolo-mitized limestone formations of substantial thicknesses and heterogeneity such as the Permian Dolomites of the Hugoton gas field. Jn this field, as well as in most of the Permian Dolomite fields, the producing formations are of relatively great thicknesses in which the porosity and permeability of the reservoir varies substantially in all directions, depending on the crystalline structure. degree and kind of impurities, kind of fossils anti cementation thereof, degree of dissolution. and fracturing. The variations of the lithologic texture of the dolomites and post deposition alterations have resulted in porosities and permeabilities of such magnitudes that only a part of the gross thickness can be counted as "pay." At the time of this study insufficient gas production had been experienced to apply the pressure decline production method in the South Hugoton Field and the electric logs are not definitive enough. The problem of estimating gas reserves in the south part of the Hugoton Field is primarily one of determining the pay thickness and porosity from well samples and core data. The area studied embraced all that part of the field lying south of an east-west line through Guvmon, Okla., anti containing approximately 1.000,000 acres. This paper describes a technique of correlation of physical core data with well samples so that quantitative values of pay thickness, porosity. Permeability, and connate water may be assigned to well samples that are representative of a given interval, and thereby permitting the estimation of gas reserves lor a given unit area. The procedure was developed by a uniform microscopic qualitative porosity grading of the dolo. mite core plugs.. and relating these grades to the respective physical core data on a statistical basis The well sample-were also graded in a Similar manner in order that the quantitative values established lor the core plugs could be applied to the well Sample for wells that were not cored. GRADING OF DOLOMITE A group of experienced geologists was given the assignment of examining the samples on all wells in South Hugoton in order that they could log their observations in a uniform and standardized manner and grade the observed porosity so that it could be related quantitatively to the core data. The group initiated the study 011 chips from cores which bad been tested for porosity and permeability. This study continued until all of the geologists developed a common knowledge of lithologic terms and of the characteristic appearances of the samples and their relations to measured porosity. The characteristic appearances of the dolomite samples under twelve-power magnification as related to their qualitative porosities afforded a classification of the dolomite into :even grades of porosity, ranging from dolomite of no-visible porosity under twelve-power magnification to dolomite of excellent porosity. The assigned grade for a specific 10-ft interval is a weighted average of all visible grades of porosity exhibited by the cuttings representing that interval. The porosity characteristics were recorded by a color graph adjacent to the lithology column in conjunction with a numerical system for further definition of relative porosity as shown in Fig. 1. The three vertical lines to the right of the lithology column each represent 33 1/3 per cent. which lines were used to record the percentage of the samples, for any particular interval. that showed porosity under the microscope. The colors were used to denote actual pore size. i.e., orange. blue and I-ed for pore diameter of one-fourth or less. one-fourth to one-Ilalf. and greater than one-half millimeter, respectively. The area colored 1)). one or more colors represents the percentages of the samples exhibiting pores of the respective size or sizes. The numerals from one to six inclusive shown on the log in

Jan 1, 1952

By L. F. Mondolfo, F. A. Crossley

The mechanism of grain refinement by the addition of small amounts of titanium, molybdenum, zirconium, tungsten, and chromium to aluminum was investigated. The results indicate that the grain refinement is caused by the peritectic reaction which, by transforming the intermetallic compound into crystals of aluminum solid solution, seeds the melt with nuclei above the freezing point of aluminum. THE feasibility of reducing the grain size of aluminum alloy castings by the addition of small amounts of titanium, zirconium, molybdenum, tungsten, columbium, boron, and chromium has been known for a long time, and the use of some of these elements as grain refiners is common practice in the aluminum foundry industry. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the mechanism by which these additions produce the grain refinement. Asato et al., on the basis of extensive work on copper, antimony, and silver alloys, presented a theory of grain refinement based on the occurrence of the peritectic reaction. Briefly, this theory states that during cooling of the melt crystals of the primary phase form, which react peritectically with the liquid upon further cooling. The peritectic reaction transforms at least partially the primary crystals into crystals of the secondary phase, which then act as nuclei for solidification of the remaining melt. As the peritectic reaction takes place the primary crys- tals break in pieces, and each piece acts as a nucleus. Fine dendritic crystals which can easily break are the most effective for grain refinement. Sicha and Boehm," in investigating the refining effect of titanium on an AI-Cu alloy, concluded that TiA1, crystals serve as nuclei to initiate crystallization, but did not offer further information on the mechanism of refinement. Bonsack in the discussion of their paper suggested that refinement was due to clouds of some solid in the melt, probably TiO² which hindered grain growth. Eborall,' after studying the effect of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tungsten, columbium, chromium, and boron on some alloys, concluded that the peritectic reaction was not an essential feature of grain refinement. Her conclusion was based mainly upon the observation that under her experimental conditions (sand casting) the Al-Cr alloys, which undergo a peritectic reaction, did not show appreciable refinement. Cibula" investigated the mechanism of grain refinement and reported that two types of grain refinement exist: 1—Grain refinement produced by restriction of grain growth by the concentration gradient mechanism proposed by Northcott.' 2— Grain refinement produced by the presence of particles in the melt, upon which the melt crystallizes easily. He further concluded that very marked grain refinement results from a combination of the two mechanisms. Since Tic was found present in aluminum alloys refined by the addition of titanium, it was identified as the nucleating agent. In the case

Jan 1, 1952

By Carl A. Zapffee

FOR a number of years a puzzling phenomenon of brittleness in Class II ferritic stainless steels, developing in the temperature range near 475C, has received increasing attention, but its nature remains essentially unknown. During an investigation of the fractographic structures in stainless steels, conducted in the author's laboratory the past several years, principally under sponsorship of the Office of Naval Research, some observations of a new kind were found for "475 °C embrittlement." While the details of the study cannot be given here,' three fractographs will suffice to carry the

Jan 1, 1952

By C. M. Signer, W. P. Hewitt

THIS is a story of a mine discovered in the days of the Conquistadores but that remained unimportant until the second decade of this century. Without the usual legendary history of romance and fabulous riches it has become famous for the development of unexpected metals and unusual problems. These developments and experiences, exciting and interesting as any legend, are the substance of the San Antonio mine of the Santa Eulalia district in northern Mexico. Originally opened for its silver-lead content, it developed a tin deposit of singular economic importance and unique geologic interest, a vanadium orebody that for a few years placed it among the leading vanadium producers of the world, and now lead and zinc sulphide ores. It has been the seem of a disastrous flood that brought deep-sea divers into Mexico's desert mountains and raised important problems regarding ground water, demanding unusual measures. Geology and operating questions relating to the above matters will be discussed and much of it is recent history which has become a part of Mexican mining lore. History Dates Back to 1325 Santa Eulalia is the oldest of American cities, founded in 1325 by the Aztecs under the name of Tenochtitlan and devastated in 1521 by Cortes and his rapacious band of iron-willed adventurers. Their lust for gold burned through the Aztec empire and onward into most of North America. Santa Eulalia was in the path of conquest. In 1591 the district's first ore discovery was made near what is now the San Antonio mine. The ores carried no gold and the silver-lead content was unattractive to the early pioneers. Not until 1700 was real mining activity undertaken.

Jan 1, 1952

By W. J. Bennett

"I AM very happy to have this opportunity of speaking to the Montreal Branch of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.I have selected as the subject of my remarks transportation in that area which is at present our only source of uranium -Northwest Canada. Considering the widespread interest in atomic energy, the end-product of uranium, it may be wondered why I have not chosen to speak of a more spectacular aspect of the development. I hope it will be evident from what I have to say that transportation plays a very dominant role in our effort to maintain a continuing supply from Eldorado's producing property at Port Radium on Great Bear lake and from its coming producer at Beaver lodge Lake in Northwest Saskatchewan. Moreover, transportation has such a bearing on the entire mineral development of the Northwest that it cannot help but be of concern to an organization of this kind. Finally, the transportation problem, of which I shall try to tell you something, is quite unique and the story of its solution or partial solution is, I believe, an interesting one.Transportation experience on this continent indicates that the cheapest method of moving freight is still by water -with •rail, highway, and air transportation following, and in that order •of economic significance. Excluding rail transportation, since the area has as yet no railway lines, this order also applies in the Northwest. I shall direct my remarks to the two kinds of transportation which serve our uranium producers -water and air."

Jan 1, 1952

By John S. Brown

IN 1925 the writer undertook a detailed statistical study of all producing areas in the Joplin district as a basis for evaluating programs and measuring objectives. For this purpose, the published figures in the yearly volumes of Mineral Resources were used, supplemented for earlier years by publications of the Missouri Geological Survey and other local and less official sources. When all else failed, the available data were projected backward to hazard a reasonable guess as to the unrecorded early output of important areas. Fortunately, the proportion of such prehistory production is not a large factor in any of the totals. These results were used during the next few years to measure the relative importance of various producing areas and to predict the peak period of development of the all-important Picher field. For the purpose of this review, the charts have been completed to the end of 1950. During World War 11, the U. S. Bureau of Mines became interested in a similar study and issued comprehensive statistical tabulations of data up to 1945 ( Info. Circular 7383), which have been checked against the figures used herein. This tabulation, however, does not include all the earlier data used by the writer nor does it offer any estimates of the wholly unrecorded era in the beginnings of the earlier camps. The area covered in this study is shown in Fig. 1 on which are indicated the relative location and approximate outlines of the principal producing camps. This also shows the approximate yield to date of each major camp in terms of combined lead and zinc concentrates. The output of zinc concentrates is roughly seven times that of lead. Hence, the economy of the district has depended primarily on the price of zinc, with lead as an important byproduct. Over much of the productive period, lead concentrates averaged about twice the value of zinc concentrates per ton, and in certain mines or areas the proportion of lead to zinc was substantially above average. The Joplin district is largely flat prairie but is partly moderately dissected, partially wooded land with a relief generally less than 100 ft. The rocks are almost flat-lying, nearly parallel to the surface, and the chief ore formation is the Mississippian Boone limestone, including its cherty phases. This formation either outcrops in the producing areas or is covered by a thin veneer of Pennsylvanian shales. Virtually all the ore occurs within 400 ft of the surface, and a large part at less than 300 ft in depth. Most of the land was divided into small farms or town lots before mineral development; tracts seldom exceeded 160 acres, and averaged considerably less. Mineral rights followed the surface ownership, segregation was rare, and a system of leasing for mineral development became well established early in the region's history, many landowners deriving small to sizable fortunes from royalties. Because of the shal-lowness of the ore and other factors, prospecting and mining was cheaper than in almost any comparable mining district in the United States. This situation, coupled with the widely divided land ownership, offered a fertile field for promoters and speculators and led to the rise of many small mining concerns. Only in its later history, under stern economic compulsion, has control tended to centralize in a few companies. Under these conditions, any important new discovery or successful development had much the effect of a gold rush or an oil boom. Every property in the area was leased quickly, promptly drilled, and, if ore was found, it was soon on the market. Many companies and individuals participated, and the average producing lease-hold probably was about 40 acres in extent. Any important field thus was attacked by anywhere from 10 to 100 or more producers. Production zoomed, eventually steadied or wavered, and ultimately subsided, leaving a desolation of tailings mountains, cave-ins, empty housing, and wreckage. The object of this paper is to depict the pattern of this process, so far as metal production is concerned, and to note the way in which it reacted to economic and political pressures. Production Charts In Fig. 2 is charted the production record, in tons of lead and zinc concentrates combined, of eight of the principal camps, which together account for approximately 99 pct of the total district production, over the years from 1870 to 1950. This period covers all but the very minor beginning of mining history. Two important camps are divided by state lines; hence, it has been necessary to combine production records for the two portions, based on estimates that may be slightly in error. Certain camps are sub-dividable into important units for which separate figures are available in whole or in part and have been charted as fractions of the major unit. The corresponding price of zinc is shown above all the charts. Three camps, Aurora, Neck City, and Galena, show a remarkably symmetrical graphic pattern, which is interpreted as the norm. The curves rise steeply to a peak, level off for an irregular interval, and then drop sharply to zero on a slope corresponding roughly to that covered by the initial rise. The three portions of these charts seem appropriately characterized by the designations of youth, maturity, and decline. On the whole, with some irregularities, the production in each of the three periods seems to be almost equal. A fourth camp, Granby, fails to conform to the normal pattern. It exhibits a very long period of reasonably uniform, stabilized production corresponding to maturity, followed by a rather precipitate decline. Its youth is hidden in the era of prehistory. This habit of steady, long-continued production at an even keel is attributable to the fact that this camp, more than any other, was controlled largely by a single principal owner at any given period over most of its history and this permitted the imposition

Jan 1, 1952

By A. B. Cummins

THE past year has been of unusual interest for industrial minerals. It is increasingly evident that requirements for these raw materials move with general economic trends. Thus, with a peak year in the construction, chemical and petroleum industries, the nonmetallic mineral industries have been brought into the complex maze of an economy in which military spending is in the billions and in which the national income and wholesale commodity prices reached new levels. Many industrial minerals are of first rank essentiality in the defense effort and its supporting industries, and since some of these are of limited supply and others dependent on imports, the problems of procurement, distribution and conservation of available supplies make a complicated pattern. Despite some drawbacks and weak spots, the industrial mineral industries have, in general, met the national situation with great credit and many new production records have been set. The general accomplishment in 1951 should be one of satisfaction with confidence for the future. Difficulties, unsolved problems and uncertainties should not obscure the general trend which many consider optimistic. Prices in the main have been upward, in line with the inflation spiral, but nonmetallics appear with some exceptions to be behind the general increases. Labor difficulties have not been serious throughout the year. Retarding influences in expansions and planning have been the uncertainty of the Korean and international situations and a lack of confidence by many in the government economic program and its ultimate impact on the economic structure. It must also be kept in mind that stockpiling, unless all-out war develops, reaches a level and then ceases to be a major sustaining factor in the mineral markets. In accordance with the Defense Production Act of 1950 various control agencies have been set up to establish the desired rate of stockpile acquisitions. The objectives are subject to change depending on availabilities and needs-military, industrial, and civilian. In some minerals there has been disagreement on actual stockpile requirements, and there is some feeling that the needs of defense might be better met if more funds went into the development of new sources of supply of scarce raw materials and more materials were released to industry at this time. Nonmetallic minerals on the strategic and critical list of the Munitions Board as of July 1951 were: Group I; asbestos, some types; bauxite, refractory grade; beryl; celestite; chromite, chemical and refractory grades; columbite; corundum; diamonds, industrial; fluorspar, acid grade; graphite, some types; kyanite; manganese ore, battery and chemical grades; mica, some types; quartz crystals; rare earths; sapphire and ruby; talc, steatite, block; and Group II; bauxite, abrasive; cryolite, natural; diamond dies; graphite, crystalline fines; iodine; mica, muscovite block, stained and lower; rutile; selenium; talc, steatite, ground; zirconium ore, zircon. Details on the current status of stockpiling inventories are not available. The Defense Minerals Exploration Administration has, since April, executed 39 contracts for the exploration of nonmetallic minerals, including twenty for mica, seven for beryl-mica, six for asbestos, three for sulphur and one each for monazite, steatite talc and fluorspar. Total value of these contracts came to $892,059, of which the Government's participation amounts to $689,247. There were on hand at year's end another 97 applications for exploration aid on nonmetallic minerals in twenty different

Jan 1, 1952

By A. D. Mutch

IT has long been known that there are wide variations in the thermo-electric potential of pyrite. In the last few years a study of this variation and other properties of pyrite was carried out at the University of Toronto by F. G. Smith on specimens of pyrite from many localities.1-3 As a result of these studies the pyrite geothermometer was developed by Professor Smith. The calibration of the pyrite geothermometer is based on the assumption that "crystals of any one electronically conducting mineral species deposited at a high temperature have a more positive thermo-electric potential than crystals deposited at a low temperature, and the thermo-electric potential varies continuously between any given limits of the temperature of deposition." The cause of the variation was postulated to be crystal discontinuities, such as lineage boundaries. As yet this postulated relationship has not been established as fact. On theoretical grounds it is indicated that the thermo-electric potential of pyrite or any other partial conductor is dependent upon a number of factors as well as the temperature of formation. For this and other reasons there is ground for doubt as to the validity of the relationship postulated above. To date a large number of readings have been made with the pyrite geothermometer which have been recorded in terms of the calibration of the instrument in degrees centigrade. So far most of the pyrite tested by this technique has been in association with gold ore. The values for the temperature of formation obtained in these tests appear to be reasonable and, in relation to geological problems, to vary in the right sense. Determinations on some specimens not in association with gold ore have given readings that appear to be much too high, taking into account the probable maximum temperature of the host rock. To sum up, although many determinations made with the. pyrite geothermometer appear to give reasonable values for the temperature of formation of the pyrite, there are at the same time other readings which seem anomalous. On the basis of an examination of available results of work with the pyrite geothermometer, two problems must be considered: 1-the validity of the calibration of the pyrite geothermometer; and 2-the nature of the distribution of the thermo-electric potentials of pyrite in relation to the specific problems that have been examined. In this paper the academic problem relating to the validity of the calibration of the pyrite geothermometer will not be discussed. Instead, the variations of thermo-electric potential of pyrite in association with gold veins will be discussed with regard to specific examinations. The first of these two examinations deals with the distribution of thermo-electric potentials of pyrite in association with a gold vein and was carried out in the McIntyre Porcupine Mine, Schumacher, Ont., in the summer of 1949 as part of a study with this technique. The second problem deals with variations of thermo-electric potential of pyrite in gold ore specimens from all over the world. The specimens used in this study were part of the private collection of Frank Ebbutt, geologist for Howe Sound Exploration Co. Results of Detailed and Reconnaissance Studies In discussion of the results of determinations made in these two studies the values of thermo-electric potential in millivolts will be used. It will be noted that in some of the diagrams the determinations are recorded in terms of pyrite geothermometer temperatures. Fig. 1 is a calibration chart relating, pyrite geothermometer temperatures and thermo-electric potentials. A full discussion of the technique is given in the original paper by F. G. Smith.' Briefly, the determinations are made by placing two stainless steel probes, one hot and the other cold, against the surface of the pyrite crystal being tested. The thermo-electric potential that is developed is read with a null-point potentiometer that is calibrated in what

Jan 1, 1952

By Louis A. Panek

An improved centrifugal-testing apparatus has been designed and built in the Bureau of Mines laboratory at College Park, Md., which is unique in that it incorporates the use of resistance gages to measure directly the strains in a rotating model without testing it to failure. Owing to this feature, a more rapid testing method can be used; furthermore, model materials need not be restricted to those of the prototype. The behavior of any structure in which strains of significant magnitude are produced by its own weight may be studied in a small model subjected to simulated gravity loading. The model is rotated in a centrifuge to induce in it centrifugal forces, which, like the gravitational forces in the full-size structure, act on the volume elements and are proportional to the masses thereof. Centrifugal testing is, therefore, applicable to the design of mine openings and to the study of similar ground-control problems. It constitutes an experimental method for determining the state of strain in a structure for which analytical methods are excessively laborious or even impossible. In previous applications of centrifugal testing by other investigators, the models usually were tested to failure, and the analysis was made from-the type of break produced. The models were made of the same materials as the proto-type, and the test results were applied only to the particular prototype represented by the model. Beam deflections were measured from photographs of the rotating model, but no means was employed either to determine the actual distribution of stress in the model or to determine quantitatively the degree of restraint imposed on the ends of the loaded model beam, that is, to determine whether the loaded model behaved as a beam with rigidly fixed ends or as some other type of beam. With the apparatus described, it is possible to determine the state of strain, and thus the boundary conditions, in a rotating test model weighing up to 90 lb., which can be subjected to centrifugal forces up to about 2,600 times the force of gravity. The load-strain relationship, applicable directly to the prototype, can be determined from a Single model test. The test results can be presented as quantitative relations between the loads, strains, and dimensions and mechanical proper-ties of the structural members and can be applied to any prototype, whatever its component materials, that satisfies the similarity requirements.

Jan 1, 1952

By Ernst A. Hauser

IN a paper published three years ago,' the term "silicic chemistry" was used for the first time to emphasize the increasing importance of the chemistry of silicon in science and technology. The development through which the colloid chemistry of siliceous matter has gone since then is in itself ample proof that the coining of this new term for this branch of colloid science was not presumptuous. Until quite recently, however, silicic chemistry concerned itself only with the composition and colloidal properties of natural and synthetic siliceous matter, but had not paid much attention to the genesis of this matter, particularly to that of the clay minerals. What is even more disturbing, particularly from an educational point of view, is the fact that neither mineralogy, geology, nor metallurgy has fully realized the important role colloidal phenomena must have played in the genesis of our planet and the formation of minerals generally speaking. Considering the importance of colloid chemistry today in the fields just mentioned, it is not surprising that the theories most agreed upon by geologists and mineralogists for the origin of clay minerals are not acceptable from a strictly colloid chemical point of view for the genesis of these most important and most abundant components of the earth. Of all the theories pertaining to the origin of clay minerals, those still most accepted by geologists and mineralogists are the "residual clay" and the "transported clay" theories.15 The former is based primarily on the assumption that the formation of clay minerals is the result of surface weathering of fresh rocks, or is due to the action of solutions. Taking the action of water on orthoclase as an example, the most recent ideas have been summarized by H. Jenny13 as follows:

Jan 1, 1952

By John B. Gayle

The Bureau of Mines has designed and constructed an experimental coke oven, using a commercial oven as a model where practicable. Because the rate of carbonization is important in determining the quality of the coke produced and may affect the "mount of pressure developed during carbonization, particular attention was given to those elements of the design that govern the heat transfer to the charge. The new oven deviates in design from most existing test ovens in that the charge is full width (17 inches), the heating walls ore constructed of 4-1/2-inch silica brick, and zoned, heat-input arrangements compensate for heat losses at the ends, top, and bottom of the charge. This report describes the oven, which was designed by H. S. Auvil and installed under his direction, at the Southern Experiment Station, Tuscaloosa, Ala., while he was supervising, engineer, Coke Section. It gives the results of a limited number of carbonizing tests. These results indicate that the main objective in designing and building this oven, that off duplicating commerical, slot-oven carbonizing conditions, has been accomplished; if coke-discharge conditions simulate commercial-oven conditions, the cokes from the experimental oven arc very similar to oven coke, in soma tests being fully as close is duplicate tests from a Angle batch of coke.

Jan 1, 1952

By Victor Phillips, J. P. Blair

Jan 1, 1952

THE Pacific Northwest's joint meeting of the Industrial Minerals and Metals Branch in Spokane, Wash., drew 260 members, 72 students, and 30 ladies. Theme of the meeting was to acquaint men in the industry with students and younger men. The special appeal to the students was coupled with an attempt to attract young technical men from the companies located in the northwestern area. The activities of the meeting were available without charge to students. Contributions were made by the industries in the area to assist student attendance. Following the special student and faculty trip to the Trentwood rolling mills and research laboratory on Friday afternoon everyone enjoyed a complimentary dinner. A. Y. Bethune of the Sullivan Mining Co., spoke to the group on the operations of Kellogg, Idaho electrolytic zinc plant. The Industrial Minerals Div. session was opened on Saturday morning by R. G. Vervaeke, Conference Chairman who introduced A. O. Bartell of the Raw Materials Survey, Portland, Ore. Mr. Bartell in turn introduced C. W. Sweetwood who discussed Open-Pit Phosphate Mining.

Jan 1, 1952

By M. R. Geer, H. F. Yancey

THE performance of coal-washing equipment, that is, the effectiveness with which coal and impurity are separated, is a subject of undisputed interest to all concerned with the preparation of coal. Through the years much has been written in both American and European literature on the performance of coal-washing equipment and its interpretation, but until recently no effort has been made to consolidate this wealth of information into a single, comprehensive treatment of the subject. A splendid effort in this direction was made at the First International Conference on Coal Preparation held in Paris in June 1950 in which representatives from virtually every coal-producing country participated. Although the scope of the conference covered the entire field of coal preparation, many of the sixty-odd papers and a great deal of the discussion dealt with the subject of evaluating washery performance. Prominence was given this subject by the Centre d'Etudes et Re-cherches, des Charbonnages de France, which sponsored the conference. This research organization, generally referred to as Cerchar, was formed in 1948 following the nationalization of the French coal industry. Since that date it has conducted an intensive study of coal preparation. Perhaps because of a fresh viewpoint, Cerchar realized immediately that complete information on the performance of French washeries and a thorough understanding of the mechanism of gravity separation were the fundamental prerequisites in a program to improve preparation practice. For this reason Cerchar concentrated on obtaining performance data and on a comprehensive study of methods of evaluating such information. Some idea of the magnitude of this work will be appreciated from the fact that 175 performance tests were made in 44 plants. The work performed by Cerchar emphasized a condition that is recognized by many of those concerned with coal preparation, namely that the lack of uniformity in presenting data on washery performance, the diversity of methods used in evaluating such information, and the frequent confusion of the terms related to performance have been prime factors militating against the progress from art to science. Thus, Cerchar feels that standardization of the methods employed for evaluating washery performance, not only in France but in the entire world, is essential to progress, and the prime objective of the Paris conference was to seek international standardization of the evaluation methods advocated by Cerchar. At the conclusion of the conference the question of standardization was referred to the International Standards Organization. A careful study of the dozen papers on the subject of evaluating washery performance presented at the conference reveals that none of the methods is new; most of them date back over a decade. Nevertheless, the intensive scrutiny of these methods brought about by the conference unquestionably has resulted in a valuable exchange of ideas and a clarification of thought that could scarcely be achieved in any other way. The object of the present report is to make available to the American coal industry the ideas developed at the conference which seem most important from an American viewpoint and to provide a critical analysis of some of the evaluation methods advocated by Cerchar. The various methods of evaluating washery performance are illustrated partly with data that have been published in American literature, and some new data have been obtained as the result of experimental work undertaken since the conference to provide information on certain controversial points. An English translation of the proceedings of the conference, including the discussion as well as the papers, will be available,' and previous to the conference Coal Age2 published a very brief description of some of the principal evaluation methods used by Cerchar. Americans will appreciate as well as do the French the desirability of standardizing both the termi-

Jan 1, 1952

By Will Mitchell, T. G. Kirkland, C. L. Sollenberger

BENEFICIATION of a Korean scheelite ore has been studied during the past year in the Basic Industries Laboratory at Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. A flowsheet has been recommended including flotation, gravity separation, and a final cleaning by a magnetic separator. The investigation was continued in the field of flotation in order to establish the effect of certain variables on recovery and grade of rougher concentrates. The results of this investigation are recorded here. Mineralogy The scheelite ore was obtained from Korea and was mined from the Sang Dong deposit. This deposit is described as lying in gently dipping metamorphosed sedimentary beds of Cambrian age.' The metamorphism was probably either metasomatic replacement or recrystallization, or both, with subsequent hydrothermal deposition. Igneous bodies in the form of granite porphyry have been found within 7 km of the main shaft and are considered to be a possible source of the mineralizing solutions. The Myobong formation, the host for the Sang Dong deposit, was laid down in middle Cambrian times and consists of series of mudstone, siltstone, shale, and marl, with local stratification of mica schists, hornfels, and tactites. The scheelite is found in quartz bands in the tactites. Although there are six of these bands, only one, the "main bed" averaging 1.75 pct WOs, has been mined to any extent. The ore sample as received in the laboratory was the product of a cone crusher and was all —2 in. The rock appeared to be even textured, medium to fine grained, and gray green in color. No scheelite could be recognized by the unaided eye. However, under ultraviolet light of 2537 A, the scheelite fluoresced and could be distinguished from the gangue. Under the black light, the scheelite showed no definite vein structure but was disseminated throughout the specimen. The raw ore had a specific gravity of 2.96 and weighed about 125 lb per cu ft at —20-mesh Tyler. The —2-in. material was stage crushed through 20-mesh, and samples were cut for mineralogical, chemical, and spectrochemical analyses. Several polished sections were cut from hand specimens. Figs. 1 and 2 show quartz to be the matrix for scheelite. It was reported by Kim2 that the greatest scheelite concentration in the mine is found with a high concentration of quartz and a decrease in the abundance of garnet. Diameters of scheelite particles ranged from 1.2 mm down to less than 50 microns. Spectrochemical analysis showed the ore to be high in aluminum, bismuth, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tungsten, and with lesser amounts of beryllium, chromium, lithium, sodium, and titanium. Chemical assays showed the —20-

Jan 1, 1952

By H. R. Banks

"AbstractThe rod mill introduced into the Sullivan Concentrator flow in September, 1948, replaced two sets of 74 in. by 20 in. rolls and their accompanying screens. In addition to the work formerly done by the rolls, the rod mill is producing a finer product and one which provides more suitable feed for the primary ball mills. The object of the finer discharge from the •primary mills is to make possible a feed directly from the mills to a series of flotation machines where a large portion of the galena can be withdrawn from the circuit while the galena is still coarsely granular. The interposing of classifiers between grinding and flotation means the selective grinding of the galena.The author summarizes the work of •the rod mill through the first 5,000,000 tons and shows that the wear of lifters, liners, and rods is definitely below normal for the type and size of rock being handled. The rod mill, driven through a fluid coupling, has been subject to a range of speeds from 13.5 to 19. A pinion in the speed reducer was changed to allow the extending of the normal speed range of the fluid drive of approximately 4 r.p.m.Since the critical speed inside the liners •is 23.4, the range •in per cent of criticial is 57.7 to 81.2 per cent.The capacity of the mill increases with increasing speed but the character of the product remains approximately the same except when the feed rate is too high.Consumption of steel, power, and other operating data are presented.The author introduces certain fundamental observations on the principles involved •in comminution in order to support the special design and operation of the rod mill."

Jan 1, 1952