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By D. M. McFarland

A FEW years ago a novel electric detonator known as the split-second or millisecond delay electric blasting cap was introduced for use in quarry blasting. Regular electric blasting caps fired in series may be depended upon to fire within a millisecond or so from the first to the last in a series. Regular delay electric blasting caps are provided that fire one period after the other period in intervals of 1/2 to possibly 11/2 sec. Most split-second or millisecond delays are designed to fire one period after the other period in possibly 25 to 50 millisecond intervals. The ear is not capable of detecting time intervals of this magnitude. The primary thought at the time millisecond delays were introduced was to investigate the results on rock breakage by firing a line of holes in a quarry face so that charges in adjacent holes would not be detonated simultaneously. This could not be accomplished satisfactorily with regular delays. The time interval between successive periods of 1/2 to 1 sec was sufficient to permit considerable movement of the burden. If the burden of one hole was reduced to a great extent by the firing of an adjacent hole, the firing of the hole with the reduced burden would likely reveal this lack of confinement by a terrific report and wild throw of rock. In the early blasts with millisecond delays it was observed that instead of the usual sharp report, the blast had a muffled sound and vibration was not as perceptible as when simultaneous firing was used. Because many quarry operators were being threatened with injunctions or suits for damages by neighbors who claimed structural damage to their buildings, millisecond delays were tried extensively in quarries. In the majority of these trials, the results were very satisfactory. The seismologists recorded the ground movement created by many blasts and verified the initial observations that millisecond delays could be used to reduce vibrations appreciably. In the past few years the advantages of this principle of nonsimultaneous firing of the charges in blasts has become generally accepted. Today the quarry operator who has vibration troubles, inadequate breakage, and excessive backbreak and has not investigated the possibilities of millisecond delay blasting is ignoring a remedy that has proved satisfactory for many. His complacency may be costing him money. Because of the results attained in quarry blasting, it was logical that millisecond delays should be tried in construction work such as in road cuts. As formations in this type of work are likely to change rapidly with advance of the cut, it is more difficult to evaluate results than in quarry blasting. However, this improved control over timing has been beneficial in limiting throw, promoting fragmentation, and reducing overbreak. In blasting near buildings the reduction in vibration and in throw has been especially helpful. As blasters employed in construction work learn what may be accomplished by closer control over the time of firing of explosives charges, more and more millisecond delays are being used to supplant instantaneous electric blasting caps. Improved Fragmentation Underground With this background of promising results, it was not surprising that millisecond delays should go underground. In limestone mining use of millisecond delays as compared with use of cap and fuse or electric blasting caps showed improved fragmentation in stopes and in slabbing operations. Then an opportunity developed to use millisecond delays in some tunnels being driven in a limestone mine (fig. 1). Using the normal charge employed and merely substituting three millisecond delay periods for three regular delay periods, there was a noticeable difference in the appearance and the position of the pile of rock after a blast. A greater portion of the face was exposed, the crest of the pile was farther from the face, and the pile was heaped high along the center line of the tunnel leaving room to walk along the ribs to the face. Fragmentation was appreciably increased. It gave the impression that the slabs had been thrown against each other with tremendous force, promoting the movement of the broken rock along the center line of the tunnel away from the face. Because the drilling and the charge weights were unchanged, the evidence was convincing that the difference in timing was responsible for the difference in results. Probably a greater portion of the energy from the explosives had been expended in doing useful work on the rock. Zeros followed by two periods of millisecond delays were used in the V cut and in two slabs to either side of the cut in this simple round. When millisecond delays, substituted period for period for regular delays, are first tried in a drift round in a mine, and the usual charge of explosives

Jan 1, 1951

By W. T. Olsen, R. Ulcer

WHEN a liquid alloy freezes, the solid first formed usually differs widely in chemical composition from that last formed, so that there is segregation in the alloy as cast. For example in the copper-nickel system (fig. 1) the first solid formed from a liquid containing 55 atomic pct Cu may contain as little as 38 pct Cu, while the last must contain well over 55 pct. Three factors may act to decrease segregation from the maximum possible. 1. Diffusion in the cooling solid tends to make the phase homogeneous, decreasing segregation. This may be important at slow rates of cooling. 2. Segregation is impossible without diffusion in the liquid. At extremely rapid rates of cooling there may not be enough time to allow maximum segregation. 3. Supercooling delays nucleation to temperatures well below the liquidus thereby decreasing segregation. Hence the first nucleus in the copper-nickel system may contain well over 38 pct Cu. At sufficient supercooling the first nucleus may form below the solidus, in which case there is no reason to expect any segregation whatever. From these considerations, we could predict that at sufficiently low rates of cooling the alloy would be unsegregated because of factor 1 and at sufficiently high rates of cooling there should also be no segregation because of factors 2 and 3. Considerable segregation should occur only at intermediate rates of cooling. We have demonstrated experimentally that segregation can be completely suppressed by rapid rates of cooling. For the alloys studied, however, these rates are too great to be attained in any commercial practice. An alloy of 55 atomic pct Cu, 45 atomic pct Ni was frozen by cooling at varying rates. The degree of segregation in the solid was determined by X-ray diffraction photographs. Slow rates were obtained by slowly cooling the furnace containing the liquid alloy; fast rates by pouring or ejecting droplets of the alloy into water or iced sodium hydroxide solutions. The cooling rate of the droplets can be cal-culated from their dimensions by assuming reason- able values of thermal conductivity.' The experi-ments were repeated with an alloy of 16.5 pct Cu and 83.5 pct Au. A single experiment also showed a 50 atomic pct Bi-Sb alloy had no segregation at the most rapid quench. The position of back-reflection X-ray diffraction lines is a highly sensitive function of the lattice constant, which in turn depends on the chemical composition of the phase. A phase of varying composition will give broad diffraction lines. By measuring the edges of these lines and making suitable corrections for intrinsic line width, it is possible to determine the range of lattice constants represented. These can be converted to chemical compositions from a lattice constant vs. composition curve. Results are shown in table I. In the copper-nickel system the greatest segregation is found at the slowest cooling rates, where the lowest percentage of copper theoretically possible is found. In the copper-gold system, on the other hand, the degree of segregation is decidedly less at the slowest rates of cooling, being greatest at 11,100°C per sec. At no rate is the theoretically lowest percentage of copper (12 pct) found. At the rates of cooling found in sand and die castings the degree of segregation is large and depends little on the rate of cooling. Acknowledgment Most of the material in this paper is abstracted from a thesis presented by William T. Olsen, Jr. in 1948 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at the University of California.

Jan 1, 1951

By H. W. Little

INTRODUCTION MINERAL deposits of Salmo map-area (Figure 1) have aroused the interest of prospectors for more than a half-century. Properties within the map-area have produced lead, zinc, silver, tungsten, and gold. Sheep Creek mining camp ranks fifth in the Province in the total production of gold, but during recent years interest has been concentrated upon base metals, and meticulous prospecting and exploration have resulted in the discovery of many large zinc-lead orebodies. PREVIOUS WORK Geological investigations of the region were begun long ago, and it is interesting to trace the development of ideas with our increasing knowledge of the geology of this complex area. The first geological examination of the rocks of Salmo map-area was made in 1859-60 by H. Bauerman (1), who was employed as geologist accompanying the first international Boundary Survey. Bauerman examined the rocks exposed along Pend d'Oreille river and published a section indicating that the sedimentary rocks are probably of Palaeozoic age, and are intruded by granite of unknown age. McConnell and Brock(2), in 1894 - 1900, carried out the reconnaissance mapping of the West Kootenay Sheet, on which they outlined the Mesozoic rocks of the Rossland Beaver Mountain volcanic groups that they believed rested unconformably upon the sedimentary rocks to the southeast, which they regarded as of Palaeozoic age.

Jan 1, 1951

By W. D. Roberts

INTERGRANULAR corrosion of metals and alloys has been extensively investigated and the current conclusions are summarized in the Symposium on Stress-Corrosion Cracking of Metals.' It appears, however, that the relative importance of the various factors involved in the mechanism is still obscure. Several recent, independent studies, in combination with available X ray data op preferred orientation, indicate that there may be a direct correlation between relative orientation of contiguous grains and susceptibility to intergranular corrosion. The object of the present note is to show the nature

Jan 1, 1951

By R. L. Bolmer

Rapid depletion of our known mineral resources has stimulated exploration for new mineral deposit. Abandoned mines or prospects may prove to be commercial in today's economy. Often it is necessary to revaluate such properties. Some of these may be inaccessible because of caving of flooding. Many, however, remain in good condition, except that over the years the air in the workings has become depleted of oxygen. Each year the Bureau of Mines receives numerous requests for aid in entering old mines, the air in which is incapable of supporting life. Requests of many individuals who wish to examine or explore-such places with the help, of the Bureau's self-contained oxygen breathing apparatus have been denied because of the hazards involved in the use of this equipment for such purposes. The distance to be traveled in irrespirable gases may be too great for safety; under favorable conditions, a round trip of 2,000 feet from fresh air is the maximum distance that may be traveled.3/ The use of such equipment is hazardous unless a team of at least 5 men thoroughly experienced in its use is provided; and when extensive traveling from. a fresh-air base is required, a reserve team should be provided.3/ Usually, the apparatus is requested for use in exploring workings having only one surface connection, as mines having more than one opening usually are more easily ventilated;,and in some natural ventilation is sufficient or can be made so by cleaning out obstructed openings.

Jan 1, 1951

By C. J. Osborn

The temperature dependence of the free energies of formation of metallurgically important oxides, sulphides, chlorides, carbonates and sulphates is presented graphically, whereby the task of deriving practical metallurgical information is greatly simplified. The diagrams have been revised according to the latest available thermodynamic data. WHILE it is true that much careful investiga-tional work remains to be done, there are already available in the literature sufficient thermo-dynamic data to enable the metallurgist to predict with reasonable confidence the equilibrium conditions to be expected in most important, and potentially important, metallurgical reactions. In this connection, the careful, critical compilations of K. K. Kelley and his collaborators in numerous U. S. Bureau of Mines Bulletins are particularly valuable. However, the translation of reliable thermo-dynamic data into metallurgical language unfortunately involves lengthy manipulations of the cumbersome formulas which can be set up from heat of formation, entropy, and heat capacity data. Many years ago, Kelley20 predicted that thermo-dynamic calculations would be made in the future "with the aid of free energy, heat content, and entropy tables, rather than by means of the algebraic methods employed at present", and where such tables are available they greatly simplify the task of deriving practical metallurgical information. However, in addition to these tables, there are also available one or two reliable graphical presentations, particularly of free energy data, which may be used in the same way as the tables, but which have the added advantages that interpolation is never necessary, and that the behavior of different metals or compounds may be compared at a glance. Some years ago Professor Robert Lepsoe, Head of the Department of Metallurgy at Norways Institute of Technology (N.T.H.), began a compilation of curves showing the temperature dependence of the heat contents of the elements, and the heat contents and heats and free energies of formation of the common metallurgical compounds. With such a compilation, the thermal and free energy requirements of a reaction may be read from curves in a matter of seconds; and this statement applies not only to the formation of compounds from their elements, and to the reverse dissociation, but to any reaction involving substances whose thermodynamic properties are available. This follows from the fact that heats and free energies of formation are completely additive. For example, the free energy change associated with the chlorination of a metallic oxide at any temperature, T, is given by the free energy of formation of the chloride at temperature T minus that of the oxide also at T; both of these quantities may be read directly from curves of the type suggested above. Since this early, unpublished work of Lepsoe, both Ellingham7 and Richardson and Jeffes46 have

Jan 1, 1951

By M. D. Cooper

UNDERGRADUATES in mining engineering may be prepared for work by giving them sound instruction in the courses generally considered essential to the profession. The industry is not deeply concerned about the details of those courses. The average man in the coal industry does not wish to insist upon a rigid program. Therefore, he differs little from those in the teaching profession who evidently are not unanimous in their opinions, or all college catalogs would be alike. For the good of the profession, it is just as well that there should be differences in regard to details. It appears that students graduating in mining engineering from the accredited institutions receive similar instruction. It is taken for granted that the graduate will have a good understanding of English, mathematics, mechanics, electricity, chemistry, physics, geology, and surveying, in addition to his major courses in mining. Somewhat belatedly, industry hopes he will have had at least an introduction to the subject of labor relations, the importance of which is only too clear at present. The coal industry expects, of course, that students in mining engineering will be taught the strictly mining subjects by men who have had practical experience in the mines and who keep themselves well informed in regard to current methods. While the undergraduate is subject to the control of members of the teaching profession, industry expects him to be trained in certain ways that are not a part of his textbooks, but can be made an inseparable part of his development by the skillful supervision of his teachers. Of the desired characteristics, dependability is of the utmost importance. Probably most employers would overlook certain short-comings if the young graduate demonstrated that he was thoroughly dependable. If he always appeared at the right place at the right time with the proper equipment, he would soon be well established as a welcome member of his organization. The graduate who gets a reputation for being undependable will have little opportunity for advancement. Closely allied to dependability is loyalty. Athletic teams and social groups in college tend to develop loyalty which may well be carried over into industry. This does not mean that the graduate has to be satisfied with customary practices. The average manager is glad to see the graduate make constructive criticism as long as he demonstrates his loyalty at the same time. It is important that his loyalty keeps him alert arid ready to take helpful action for the benefit of his organization, and especially to stand with it during times of stress. With or without an introduction to labor relations in college, the graduate is expected to develop ability in this most important field. Beginning with himself, he will find it essential to deal agreeably with his immediate associates. Getting along in friendly fashion with his own small group will be a great help as his responsibilities increase and he is required to deal with larger numbers of persons. On a higher scale, his interest in his community may grow at the same time by voluntary work in any one of a great number of useful activities. Industry expects the graduate engineer to be a mature man at the time he gets his first job. Supposing that he has better than average intelligence, industry expects him to continue to grow intellectually and to fit himself for responsible jobs when they are offered to him. For this reason, employers are apt to look over his college record to see what he did that would indicate his fitness for leadership. There is interest in knowing what he did beyond the requirements. As evidence of his mental growth, it is expected that the graduate will do independent thinking; that he will not take too much for granted. When he reads a report, he should develop the ability to see whether the subject is new or whether it is just a description of an old method that has been superseded by something better. For the same reason, the graduate should be able to accept conditions that have been arrived at by sound experience rather than cling to something else that seems better in theory. In this connection, it may be remarked that the ability to operate successfully a personal budget will be noteworthy, as it may be assumed that a man who knows how to conduct his own affairs will be prepared to assume the larger responsibilities of industry. Membership in AIME will indicate to the employer that the graduate is interested in the mining industry as a whole. Therefore, it is good evidence of something more than a local outlook. Quite apart from college training and mental ability, the newly employed graduate will be expected to be willing to do hard manual labor for a time. This will give him an understanding of the actual conditions of work done by those he supervises later. He will gain their confidence and be able to see that the work is carried on in a safe and efficient manner. Part of this experience may be acquired in his summer vacations during his undergraduate career. Such work would make a favorable impression on a prospective employer, especially if the graduate showed a willingness to continue it until he was prepared for something better. To summarize, the man in authority in the coal industry will not quarrel with the professor of mining engineering over details of curriculum. He will be pleased if the school sends him graduates who possess a good foundation in the courses studied, and who may be depended upon to do their work faithfully and intelligently. Such men will be ready when the time comes to assume their places as leaders of an essential industry.

Jan 1, 1951

By John Soule

The Torpedo copper mine in the Organ Mining, District, Dona Ana County, N. Mex., was discovered in 1899, and production of copper from oxidized-ore deposits was begun in 1900. Production continued through 1907, but operations were only intermittent frown 1907 through 1921. The production of copper during these periods amounted to about 3,500,000 pounds. Reserves primary sulfide copper ore were believed to occur below the old workings, and after a detailed examination of accessible workings and a study of drilling records of several private companies by an engineer of the Bureau of Mines, a development program of diamond core drilling was initiated. This investigation was started October 3, 1949; and completed April 30, 1950. Four holes totaling 2,122.3 feet wore diamond-drilled, and 70 samples were analyzed. All drilling was done with a Government-owned hydraulic-feet drill having special rods and core barrels to increase the recovery of core in critical zones. This report describes the location, history, ore deposits, and factual data obtained by the Bureau of Mines from the drilling.

Jan 1, 1951

By A. L. Engel

Simple treatment methods, employing the least possible equipment, can sometimes be established for marginal ores and economical results achieved. In continuation of a long-established part of the hydrometallurgical and ore-dressing program of the Reno Station of the Bureau of Mines, typical ores from newly discovered or recently explored mining districts have been investigated. The purpose of such investigations is to encourage the search for and development of mineral resources and particularly to assist in the economical exploitation of low-grade and marginal ores, as well as the conservation and recovery of values in products from former operations that were discarded because of past inability to treat them economically. Several of these investigations have been limited to preliminary tests of samples from prospecting operations, whereas some involved samples of old dumps or tailings piles. The test, work in these cases was not extensive enough to warrant publication as individual reports, but is of considerable interest inasmuch as it indicates the possibilities as well as the limitations of treating the respective materials; and because, inasmuch as the samples were representative of the districts from which they were obtained, this in-formation should be helpful in the future development of these districts. The present report is a compilation of results of brief preliminary tests on oxide ores only, which contained gold and silver and in some cases base metals. The methods of treatment used include gravity concentration, amalgamation, flotation, and cyanidation. For the most part, only standard laboratory procedures were employed. No attempts were made to develop new methods for the low-grade refractory ores in this group of samples if simple treatment was not successful, as the stage of development of the properties did not warrant extensive experimentation on the samples submitted.

Jan 1, 1951

By Stanley M. Walker

Safety consciousness is not a constant for which a specific value can be assigned, but is a variable, which is frequently intangible. Its evaluation is not simple. We all know that safety consciousness is the most potent factor in the prevention of accidents. Safety consciousness may be defined as awareness of hazard and alertness to danger, which controls every action of an individual through his desire to remain alive and uninjured.

Jan 1, 1951

By J. D. Davis

THE CARBONIZING properties of Chilton-bed coal from Lorado No. 5 mine, HE Logan County, W. Va., were determined by Bureau of Mines-American Gas Association tests at 600°, 700°, 800°, 900°, and 1,000° C. and by expansion tests. Chemical analyses, agglutinating and plasticity tests, and low- and high-temperature assays also were included in the investigation. Blends with low-volatile Pocahontas No. 3 coal were carbonized at. 900° C. The Chilton coal bed lies in the Kanawha, or Upper Pottsville formation of the Pennsylvanian system; the estimated original reserves are nearly 3.2 billion tons. The bed was 39/1 to 57 inches thick in the Lorado No. 5 mine, and the coal was 38 to 57 inches thick. The carbonization sample contained 62.6 percent fixed carbon on the dry, mineral-matter-free, basis, and the heating value on the moist, mineral-matter-free basis was 15,190 B. t. u. per pound; it therefore ranks as high-volatile A bituminous. It contained 1.8 percent moisture, 35.2 percent volatile matter, 57.9 percent fixed carbon, 5.1 percent ash, and 0.7 percent sulfur, as carbonized. The sulfur was largely organic, and the ash softened at 2,630° F. The agglutinating value determined on a silicon carbide-coal mixture of 15:1 was 6.8. In the Gieseler test the coal softened at 327° C., fused at 407° C., attained a maximum fluidity of 5,730 dial divisions per minute at 435° C., and solidified at 487° C. Maximum resistance in the Davis plastometer was 45.5 pound-inches.

Jan 1, 1951

By C. S. Barrett, D. F. Clifton

THE transformation that occurs in lithium and its solid solutions containing magnesium1,2 is similar in many respects to other diffusionless transformations of the martensitic type. This general similarity makes it desirable to investigate the transformation curves in detail. The current interest in the phenomenon of stabilization in martensitic transformations has created a need for a careful appraisal of possible stabilization effects in both cooling and heating transformations in lithium alloys. The effect of prior heat treatment on the temperature at which transformation begins and the effect of various temperature cycles in partially transformed alloys also merit attention. Limited data on some of these features were presented previously,' but the present studies have been made with improved apparatus, in which erratic fluctuations were smaller than in the earlier work, and include many independent determinations of certain critical observations. Material and Methods Geiger counter X-ray spectrometers were used: a Norelco instrument, original model, and a General Electric XRD-3. The low-temperature specimen holder has been described elsewhere." Specimens 10 mm in diam and 1.5 mm thick were held in firm contact with a copper block which was attached to the lower end of a stainless steel tube that extended up to a reservoir of liquid nitrogen. A heating coil on the tube permitted a controlled temperature gradient along the tube, so that desired temperatures and rates of heating and cooling could be obtained by controlling the heating current. The specimen was surrounded by an atmosphere of evaporated nitrogen in an insulated chamber having double cellophane windows. The temperature of the specimen was read by a thermocouple imbedded in it close to the irradiated area; the specimen could be held at constant temperature within 1°C for long periods. The body-centered cubic 200 reflection near 8 = 26" was used as the index of the amount of b.c.c. material present; occasional checks were made using the most suitable line of the low-temperature phase, the close-packed hexagonal 110 line near 8 = 29". Copper radiation was used throughout. A continuous record was made of the reflected intensities on a strip chart recorder, both when the peak intensity of a line was being followed and when the lines were being scanned at constant temperature. On the continuous recordings of peak intensity, periodic checks were made on the background intensity between the lines, and on the setting of the spectrometer for maximum intensity. The lithium-base solid solution containing 12.4 atomic pct Mg (33.3 wt pct) that had been used previously' was chosen, as it had a transformation range at relatively high temperatures, so as to permit wide temperature cycling within the range. Just prior to use a pellet was cut from the ingot,

Jan 1, 1951

IN the early period of steelmaking, ingot structure and segregation were of no practical importance. Crucible melting required very small ingots that gave little segregation, and a small inserted hot top prevented pipe. As larger ingots were poured from bessemer converters and open-hearth furnaces, segrega- [ ] tion, piping, and gas evolution became increasingly important. The techniques of making semikilled and rimmed ingots were developed with little knowledge of the actual mechanism of the process. The first studies of solidification were made by the Brearleysl and Gathmann,2 who used stearine to show the effects of shrinkage and mold shape. Fig 11-1 is a picture of a series of stearine ingots at various stages of solidification. These studies showed that the liquid solidifies at a nearly uniform rate from the sides and bottom of the mold and demonstrated the formation of

Jan 1, 1951

The first difficulty encount.ered in preparing this paper was to find a definition of the word "special" as applied to steel. The first thought is "obviously any grade not mild steel" but this is an over-simplification, because the term "mild steel" covers a series of carbon ranges, each found from experience to be especially suited to the production of a particular rolled section.Even if the Australian structural mild steels are excluded it is found that no part of the plant here is independent of special steel.The face-man on Iron Monarch makes his bench safe by barring down with a 0.6% carbon steel bar. He bores a hole into the ironstone with a 0.75-0.8% carbon steel drill, driven by a jackhammer which is built of a variety of special steels. After it is shot down, the stone is lifted by an electric shovel, very few of whose steel components fall into the general category of structural grades of mild steel.Further special steels are met with in the truck into which the stone is loaded, the hauling electric locomotive, and the rails on which these .run. Even the permanent way uses more than one grade, e.g., the crossings experiencing heavy service have their frogs built with austenitic manganese steel inserts.Special steels play their part in the overhead crane which tips these trucks, and in the crushers into which they discharge, and so they can be followed right through the production line, and they are still there at the seaward end of the ship loading boom at the head of the WhyalIa ore jetty.

Jan 1, 1951

By R. L. Slobod, W. L. Prehn, Adele Chambers

The centrifuge has been found to be an extremely useful tool for determining capillary pressure curves and for establishing connate water and residual oil in small core plugs. The use of the centrifuge for determining the properties of small core plugs has been discussed in the literature,',' but practically no experimental evidence has been presented justifying the use of this method in preference to other methods (mainly disc method) now in use. Data have been accumulated and are now presented demonstrating the advantages of the centrifugal method, some of which are: (1) rapid establishment of equilibrium, (2) excellent precision yielding very reproducible results, (3) availability of high pressure differences between phases, (4) simple operational procedure, and (5) ability to establish connate water, residual oil, or to obtain complete capillary pressure curve in one day or less. A commercially available centrifuge capable of speeds up to 3,800 rpm, and a high speed attachment providing a maximum rate of rotation of 18,000 rpm were used in this work in conjunction with core holding tubes designed specifically for this application. In view of the outstanding advantages associated with the use of the centrifuge the conclusion has been drawn that this method should be used in place of the more tedious, slower, and less reliable disc method for determining capillary pressure curves and for establishing connate water and residual oil in small core plugs. INTRODUCTION The need for accurate values of connate water, residual oil, and capillary pressure curves in reservoir engineering has been recognized for many years, and the extent of the effort devoted toward solving these problems is reflected in the large number of papers3-" which have appeared in the literature during the past decade. Most of the methods discussed in the recent literature employ a porous disc as a semi-permeable membrane to separate two immiscible phases and make pos-ible the application of an explicit difference in pressure between two phases in the core. Thus, in the determination of the capillary pressure curve the wetting phase (water) is displaced by the non-wetting phase (air or oil). Several investigators1,2 have used centrifugal forces to develop pressure differences between phases. As a result of the first work' in this field the conclusion was reached that "the more rapid centrifugal method for measuring irreducible saturation may have equal value, (compared to use of discs) but more work is required to establish this point." This work was followed in 1945 by a more detailed study2 in which the concepts of this experimental work were more clearly enunciated. A method for calculating saturation for any given speed of rotation based on the observed volume of water displaced was developed and a wider application of the method was suggested. The absence of any subsequent pertinent literature on this subject is interpreted as indicating that no additional work has been completed to substantiate or deny the earlier claims and suggestions of promise contained in the original papers on this subject. One purpose of this report is to provide evidence designed to establish the practical value of centrifugal methods in determining core properties such as connate water and capillary pressure curves. It is also our purpose to suggest a broadening of the scope of this tool to include determinations of residual oil by gas or water drives. THEORY AND PRACTICE IN USE OF CENTRIFUGE Hassler and Brunner2 have clearly presented the basic concepts involved in the use of the centrifuge by relating the performance of a small core in a field of high acceleration to the

Jan 1, 1951

Jan 1, 1951

By Henry A. Stiff

The classification and correlation of water analysis data presents many problems which can be solved by graphic methocis. The pattern system, a new type of graphic procedure described in this communication, is believed to have several advantages over older methods. Examples of the application, of the pattern system to the solution of problems encountered in petroleum production are given. INTRODUCTION Several graphic methods for presenting analytical water data have been developed and are now in use.1,2,3,4 It is believed, however, that a recently developed type of graph called the "pattern" offers several advantages over other methods. This system presents a better picture of the total salt concentration than is usual in such graphs. The effect of dilution or concentration has been reduced to a minimum, and at the same time distinction between various types of water has been improved. The system is extremely versatile, yet so simple it can be plotted on ordinary graph paper and adapted to almost any type of filing system. DISCUSSION The essential feature of the pattern system is the graph shown in Fig. 1. Horizontal lines extending right and left from a vertical line at zero form the graph. Positive ions are plotted to the left while negative ions are plotted to the right. The figure immediately beneath each ion gives the scale. Most oil field waters can be plotted on a scale where 100 milli-equivalents of sodium and chloride and 10 milliequivalents of each of the other ions are represented by one scale unit. For highly concentrated brines, 1,000 milliequivalents of sodium and chloride and 100 milliequivalents of each of the

Jan 1, 1951

By M. J. Ankeny

Coal-mine haulage ranks second as a cause of coal-mine fatalities, and the prevention of such accidents will materially improve progress in safety in the coal-mining industry. Beginning March 1950, Federal coal-mine inspectors were made responsible for completely investigating all fatal accidents in and around coal mines. During these 10 months, Federal coal-mine inspectors investigated 447 fatal accidents. This is a study of 121 of the fatal haulage accidents investigated, which constituted 27 percent of fatalities from all causes. Haulage employees represent only 12 to 15 percent of mine personnel, but, on the basis of accident frequency, their work is the most hazardous in coal mines. Fatal haulage accidents occurred in 53 bituminous coal-producing counties representing 14 States and Alaska. The physical conditions represent a cross section of' producing coal beds. Mining and transportation methods vary, from those of small hand-loading mines to those of modern mechanized mines.

Jan 1, 1951

By Fred C. Bond, Jen-Tung Wang

Comminution energy is principally energy of deformation before breakage, which appears as heat An empirical equation is presented which covers the entire comminution range. The new strain-energy theory considers comminution from the known principles of mechanics and the reduction ratio. Energy requirements according to the different theories the romnnred. THE present status of the theory of comminution is extremely unsatisfactory. The amount of various ores and rock products crushed and ground annually approaches the staggering sum of perhaps one half billion tons. Yet the basic concepts underlying an operation of such magnitude are unknown, and actual knowledge of what takes place in comminution is almost entirely empirical. The responsibility for this situation cannot be charged to apathy or lack of appreciation of the importance of the problem. Many attempts have been made to evolve a workable hypothesis, but none has been completely successful. General Considerations In order to break rock, it must be subjected to a stress which strains the rock beyond its critical breaking point. The stress imparts energy to the rock, most of which is released in the form of heat when the stress and resulting strain are removed. If the strain induced exceeds the critical strain, the energy is released by breaking; if the induced strain does not reach the critical point, the energy is released with removal of the stress as energy of resilience. Rock is a brittle material and it is assumed that it breaks approximately at its yield point, so that no permanent deformation results from strains below the critical. When rock is broken the total energy input is accounted for by the heat liberated, and by the surface energy of the new surface produced. A small and probably negligible amount is released as noise. Rock is commonly broken under compression and the applied stress is ordinarily compressive. However, for breakage to occur, it is only necessary that the induced strain exceed the critical value, and this strain may represent the resultant of compressive, shearing, and tensile forces. The stress-strain diagram of rocks under compression, and the modulus of elasticity as determined therefrom, should be fundamental considerations in the development of any theories of rock breakage. Crushing in jaw or gyratory crushers results primarily from a squeezing action, and reduction in a hammer mill is the result of impact. The action in rod and ball mills is a combination of impacting, squeezing, and wearing away by attrition, or rubbing. In ordinary crushing and grinding, the forces are applied at protruding points and are not distributed evenly throughout the rock. This is one of the features of comminution which theoretical considerations have not covered adequately. Another feature is the effect of impact velocities, which may greatly influence the total energy required for breakage. Impact velocities may vary from 1 or 2 fps in crushers to 10 or 20 fps for ball mills, and as high as 100 or more for hammer mills. However, according to the findings of geophysicists, the velocity of sound and of compression waves in stone is many times greater; the primary longitudinal compression waves travel at perhaps 15,000 fps, and the secondary transverse waves, which may reach the surface and cause cracks to form thereon, travel at perhaps 5000 fps. When a crack tip forms, the total surrounding stresses are concentrated in this tip, which rapidly extends throughout the rock particle.1 It would seem that the energy required to deform the rock beyond its critical strain, resulting in the formation of a crack tip, represents practically all of the energy required. Most of the primary crack tips presumably form on the surface. A simple method of designating feed and product size is necessary for the evaluation of crushing and grinding results. Taggart's suggestion2 that the 80 pet passing size be used has been found very practical. In this paper, the square opening screen size which 80 pct of the feed passes is designated as the feed size F, and the size which 80 pct of the product passes, or the product size, is designated as P. The reduction ratio at the 80 pet passing size, or F/P is designated as n. The feed and prod-

Jan 1, 1951

By Elliot P. Rexford

IN the early days of concrete construction, the question of quality of sand or gravel to be used as aggregate in concrete was given little or no consideration. If the construction engineer had sufficient quantity for his structure within a reasonable distance, he was contented and gave no thought to the possibility that the material might have adverse physical, chemical, or thermal properties which could cause future deterioration of his concrete and possible failure of his structure. Today a very different situation exists. With the building of larger and larger concrete structures, with a longer and longer life expectancy, the quality of the aggregate material has become of major importance. Even in small concrete structures aggregate quality cannot be passed off lightly and the quality of the aggregate must be such as to give the anticipated life without costly maintenance. The first question to arise in the selection of an aggregate is what makes a sand or gravel suitable or unsuitable for use in concrete, and how can its quality be judged. No one rock type can be depended upon to furnish sound durable material in all instances. Granitic rocks, for example, make very satisfactory aggregates in some cases, but they are among the most unsuitable of materials when they are fractured, weathered, or highly micaceous. Limestones make excellent concrete aggregates on the one hand, and on the other they may be unsound and lack durability if they contain appreciable clay, they may have a harmful chemical reaction with the cement if they contain amorphous silica, or they may have thermal characteristics which make them highly unsuitable for use in concrete. Each rock, gravel, or sand must be proved on its own merits for the particular job under consideration. The selection of suitable aggregate materials may be divided into two major phases, the geological phase which is carried on largely in the field, and the testing phase which of course is a laboratory problem; both are important. Very often the geological phase alone is sufficient for the selection of satisfactory aggregates for minor structures but for major structures both phases must be thoroughly investigated. Geological Phase In the southwest part of the country nearly every major rock type, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, may be found with all imaginable intermediate phases and in all imaginable stages of alteration. Frequently very different rock types, different as to geological age, composition, and condition occur very close together. Alluvium and stream-bed sands and gravels will consist of many different rock types and even ledge rocks may vary radically as to texture and composition within the area of a quarry site. Some of the rocks make suitable aggregate materials whereas others are highly deleterious in concrete. Too often the good and the bad occur together and more than ordinary caution is required in aggregate selection. Aggregate Sources: Concrete aggregates are usually obtained from stream-bed sands and gravels or from ledge rocks. Each has certain favorable and unfavorable characteristics and it is sometimes necessary to investigate both types to determine the most suitable source for a specific structure. Stream Beds: The predominant sources of aggregate materials in southern California and Arizona are stream beds. Vast quantities of sands and gravels are brought from the mountain ranges by the rivers during times of flood but most of these streams are dry a large part of the time and hence these deposits make easily accessible sources of aggregate materials. From many standpoints stream-bed materials make very acceptable aggregates. The gravel pebbles and the sand grains are

Jan 1, 1951