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By Jun-Yan Chen, Stefan H. Boshkov

Metal mining in the People's Republic of China has shown great growth during the last three decades. Over 150 new iron ore mines and nonferrous base metal mines have been opened since 1949, althouc.11 most of them of medium and small size. Concurrently, many old mines were enlarged and reconstructed. The production of iron ore has grown from less than 1.5 million tons per year in 1949 to almost 76 million tons in 1978. A corresponding increase in the total annual output in the nonferrous metal mineral industry has also been noted. It is well known that the PRC is very rich in metal mineral resources. The reserves of tungsten, tin, antimony, molybdenum and iron ore are ranked in the top three in the world. Recently, some copper porphyry ore deposits were discovered in Jianxi and Anhui provinces. Some large nickel-copper sulfide deposits were discovered and have been developed in North- West China. Huge iron ore deposits have been found in Liaoning, Hebei and Szechwan provinces. However, the bulk of the iron ores are low grade. The growing metal mineral production has met basic domestic needs since 1949; it has also proven China's big resource potential. Mining methods have also undergone development in the past 30 years. About 80% of the annual output of iron ore comes from open pits, whereas about 58% of nonferrous metal ores come from underground mines. Blasthole open stoping, sublevel caving and induced block caving are widely used in Chinese underground metal mines (table 1). This paper summarizes in detail the planning for and application of these three bulk mining methods in the nonferrous and iron ore mines in China. CLASSIFICATION OF UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS The main principle of the classification of underground mining methods in PRC is ground support in the stoping cycles of the mining blocks or stopes. Table 2 lists this classification. It is essentially the same as that given in the SME Mining Engineering Handbook. Be- cause pillar removal is a secondary mining operation, using a variety of methods, they are not included in this classification. As is the case with most classifications in science and technology, there is no precise division between the classes of mining methods. Because of the rapid development of consolidated filling techniques in the past twenty years, some types of open stoping methods use fill in order to improve the ground conditions for the secondary recovery stage. Thus, these mining methods have features of both methods using no artificial support and those using artificial support. In this classification, this type of mining method is placed in the latter category. The shrinkage stoping method has been employed extensively to mine steeply dipping narrow veins of tungsten and tin in the Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Shrink- age stoping is placed under the class of mining methods without artificial support be- cause this reflects the nature of the Chinese experience. The function of the broken ore serving to support the footwall and/or hanging wall is limited, because the expectation is for the host rocks to remain unsupported until the stope is drawn empty. APPLICATION OF BULK MINING METHODS Bulk mining methods consist of blasthole open stoping, sublevel caving and block caving. These stoping methods have much in common, such as: bulk ore materials blasted by long holes; higher production rates of stopes or blocks and higher production efficiencies of the whole mining systems.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. W. Lawrence

Sulphide is an effective reagent in the precipitation of base metals for both metal winning and environmental control. BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc. has successfully demonstrated in industrial plants that biogenic sulphide reagent can be generated cost effectively and used to win metals such as copper, zinc and nickel from low-grade leach solutions and wastewater. Commercial plants in which sulphide reagent is used to produce high quality treated effluents for discharge directly to the environment are also in operation. Operations utilizing biogenic sulphide reagent for copper recovery from acid drainage and low grade leach solutions are discussed, including those at Bisbee, Arizona, commissioned in 2004 and at the Dexing mine in China, scheduled for commissioning in 2007. In addition, a new application of BioteQ's technology for the recovery of copper from gold-cyanide solutions, and the regeneration of cyanide, utilizing biogenic sulphide in place of chemical sulphide reagents in the SART process is described.

Jan 1, 2007

By Sukumar Bandopadhyay

The escalation in micro-computer power during the past ten years has been instrumental in the realization of operations research and other mine planning tools as a practical mine design tool. Present day utilization of computer techniques varies across a wide spectrum of activities: from operations research to aid mine management through payroll processing to mine design, monitoring and control. With the advances in computers, increasing automation and robotization in mining, operations research techniques are being used in modeling and evaluation. The trend discernable in mine planning is increasing use of operations research models. In the next ten to fifteen years, nanotechnology will enter in our lives in a big way. There are several methods being pursued for information processing at the nanoscale. The mineral industry management in the 21st century will be faced with several new challenges and opportunities from these advances in the mineral industry applications, data and information acquisition and transmission technology

Aug 25, 2002

By FREDERICK C. BROWN

THE practice of fine-grinding is now being so successfully - carried on in some fields, notably in West Australia, and its advisability has been so frequently pointed out' that the matter in this paper is not put forward as being new ; its chief object being to call attention to the importance of fine-grinding in the treatment of comparatively low-grade ores. I have been engaged during the last five years in the cyanide-treatment of ores in the Ohinemuri district (North Island), New Zealand, and I consider that, in the near future, extremely fine-grinding (almost sliming) will become a very important feature of the milling-methods in this field, since it seems absolutely necessary to reduce the most of ores to a very fine state of division if a high extraction is to be obtained; and, in most cases, the extra percentage of saving will leave a good margin above the increased cost of treatment due both to the fine-grinding and to the interest on the capital spent for the grinding-machinery. The average ore of the Ohinemuri field is composed of a quartz-gangue with some calcite, carrying the gold-value in the form of an alloy of gold and silver in about equal proportions, and the silver-value in the form of mixed sulphides of silver, usually associated with a considerable amount of iron pyrites. In the upper levels, the ores are decomposed and carry large quantities of black manganese oxide and some iron oxide, but, as. depth is reached, the decomposed ore gives place to sulphides and, in some mines, rhodonite, manganese silicate, is present in fairly large quantities. The average value of the

Jan 1, 1906

By David A. Sterling

Approximately 50 percent of the uranium resource of the Free World is in deposits of Precambrian age, principally in lower Proterozoic conglomerates in Canada and South Africa (Uranium Resources, Joint Report, ENEA and IAEA, 1967). Most of the uranium resource of the United States is in Mesozoic and Cenozoic continental clastic sedimentary rocks that fill intracratonic basins. The Atomic Energy Commission is investigating the distribution of uranium and thorium in the Precambrian of the Western United States and the relationship of, time-space-facies patterns of uranium and thorium enrichment in the Precambrian to the major resources of uranium in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic host sedimentary rocks. This paper summarizes the results of preliminary studies of the Precambrian in the Southwestern United States including New Mexico, Arizona, southern Nevada, and southern California (Fig. 1). The host rock provenances for the major uranium resources in epigenetic deposits of Mesozoic and Cenozoic age in the Western United States were in areas of extensive Precambrian exposure along the eastern margin of the Phanerozoic geosynclinal belt (Fig. 2). Mesozoic continental clastic sediments in the Colorado Plateau contain about two-thirds of the uranium resource of the United States. These sediments formed from detritus derived from the Mogollon highland in the Southwestern United States where the Precambrian was extensively exposed (Stewart, et al., 19593 McKee, et al., 1959; McKee, et al., 1956; Craig, et al., 1955) (Fig. 2). A genetic relationship may exist between this provenance and the major uranium deposits of the Colorado Plateau. The Precambrian might be equally important in the genesis of uranium deposits whether the most important process in the formation of these deposits was the leaching of low-order intrinsic amounts of uranium from Precambrian granite or from Mesozoic pyroclastics derived from syntexis of the Precambrian basement rocks (Malan, 1968).

Jan 1, 1969

By C. M. Nickerson

In times of overproduction such as the operators have been struggling against for the past several years it is the practice of the oil industry to shut in certain wells in order to reduce the flood of oil. The purpose of this paper is to present certain variations in production of oil wells when the offset wells are shut in. The scope of the study has been confined to California fields, and more especially to those of the San Joaquin Valley. The accepted definition of a shut-in well is a well where production has been suspended by closing in the casinghead arid tubing or by cessation of pumping. The immediate effect of such a procedure, of course, is to reduce the oil production from the lease, which is the result desired. However, it appears that certain types of wells vary widely in production of oil, gas and gasoline after adjacent wells have been shut in, which variation has a very material effect on the ultimate recovery of oil from the property. The increase or decrease in the oil production itself may not be of sufficient volume to occasion comment, but wide fluctuations in the gas and gasoline recovery under the changed conditions arc of the utmost importance in the future recovery of oil. The scope of this paper includes: (I) the effect on producing oil wells of shutting in offset wells, the wells being studied in three groups arranged according to their relative stages of depletion; (2) probable source of excess gas and the effect on the ultimate recovery of oil; (3) suggested procedure when wells are shut in; (4) methods that could be employed to prevent undue migration of gas from the shut-in area; and (5) the need for future studies of the situation. Three Classes of Producing Oil Wells For the purposes of this paper producing wells in California have been arranged in three groups according to the age of the well, or to the relative stage of depletion of the producing zones. The first group consists of those wells with a high fluid level, or in other words those wells whose fluid levels are a considerable distance above the top of the perforations. This type of well is in the flush period of its life and ordinarily produces

Jan 1, 1929

By Gary P. Sames

The Bureau of Mines recently initiated a study of geologic features that contribute to roof instability in western U.S. underground coal mines. The purpose of the study is to provide information for use in ground control planning and safety hazard reduction in that region, where mining activity has been increasing. Hazardous geologic conditions were surveyed in selected underground coal mines in Utah and Colorado, and both depositional and structural features were identified as potential ground hazards. Although the conditions found do not differ in kind from hazardous geologic conditions in the Eastern United States, they do differ in intensity of occurrence and relative importance. Three depositional features dominate where unstable roof occurs in western underground coal mines: paleochannel deposits, crevasse splay deposits, and flood basin deposits. Three structural features identified as hazardous, but not so widespread or common as the depositional hazards, are faulting, jointing, and igneous intrusions. This survey establishes a foundation for future studies aimed at reducing and preventing ground control accidents in western coal mines.

Jan 1, 1988

By William Hamilton Merritt

Since 1880 the occurrence of gold-ore has been known in the Lake of the Woods district. In 1879 the writer examined a so-called silver-location in the lake. More recent developments have extended, south and east, to the Rainy lake and along the Seine river, which flows from the northeast into the Rainy lake. The gold occurs in quartz-veins in the Huronian series. These Huronian rocks occur in belts in the Laurentian; the latter being the predominant formation in the eastern part of Ontario.

Jan 1, 1897

By M. J. Marcinkowski, A. S. Sastri

A detailed compressive stress-strain analysis and transmission electron microscopy investigation has been made of the deformation behavior occurring in a 50 at. pct Ni-Ti (hypoeutectoid) alloy and a 54.5 at. pct Ni-Ti (hypereutectoid) alloy. In the case of the hypoeutectoid alloy, three stages of work hardening are observed. Stage I occurs at a very low stress and is associated with plastic deformation via martensite formation. Stage 11 is characterized by very rapid work hardening and is due to difficulties in causing further deformation in the fine martensite aggregate produced in Stage I. Stage III which occurs at very high stress levels is characterized by smaller work hardening rates and is due to the plastic deformation arising from alternate reconversions of the original martensites to martensites of varying orientation. Rapid quenching of the hypereutectoid alloy leads to very high yield strengths and is related to a fine precipitate dispersion that such treatment brings about. The present investigation represents the final phase of a three-part study directed toward an understanding of the solid-state transformations in near equi-atomic Ni-Ti alloys as well as the deformation mechanisms associated with these alloys. In the first part,"2 to be henceforth referred to as I, it was found that alternate simple shears on {112} planes and in (111) directions convert the parent B2 structure in the equiatomic NiTi alloy into two distinct close-packed monoclinic martensites. All of the marten-sites were of this type, whether they were formed by cooling or by plastic deformation, whether induced to form in bulk samples or in thin foils, or whether examined in the electron microscope at room temperature or below. On the other hand, in the second part of this investigation,3 to be reffered to as 11, it was shown that upon slow cooling to about 640°C. alloys in the neighborhood of NiTi which possess the B2 structure transform eutectoidally into their equilibrium phases Ti2Ni and TiNi3. However, preceding the formation of these equilibrium phases a series of metastable intermediate phases are formed. This paper will set as its goal the elucidation of the remarkable deformation behavior exhibited by NiTi. In particular, Buehler and Wiley4 have found equiatomic NiTi to be surprisingly soft, while Buehler et al.5 have shown this alloy to possess a memory effect: i.e., upon bending at room temperature it will revert to its original shape when heated to above about 50°C. In I it was shown that NiTi was soft in the sense that the yield stress was low; nevertheless, the alloy work-hardened at an extremely rapid rate to very high stress levels. On the other hand, the hypereutectoid alloys with somewhat higher nickel, say 54.5 at. pct (60 wt pct) have enormously increased yield strengths compared to those of the equiatomic alloys. In order to determine the atomistic processes giving rise to the above behavior, it was decided to examine samples that were wafered from bulk specimens deformed in compression to various strains using the techniques of transmission electron microscopy. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE All of the alloys used in the present investigation contained either 50 at. pct Ni (55.06 wt pct) or 54.5 at. pct Ni (60 wt pct) and were arc-melted in the form of a finger using the same techniques described in I and II. The finger was capsulated in a stainless-steel jacket and swaged at 850°C into rods. Compression specimens 0.300 in, long and 0.200 in. in diam were machined from these rods. In order to completely re-crystallize the samples and remove residual stresses, all of them were capsulated in evacuated quartz, annealed for 1/2 at 1050°C. and then furnace-cooled. Compression tests were carried out in an Instron tensile testing machine covering a range of temperatures from —196° to 200°C using procedures described previously.6'7 In all cases crosshead speed was 0.02 in. per min. Wafers 0.015 in. thick were spark-cut from the cylindrical samples at 45 deg to the compression axes after they had been deformed to the desired strain. These specimens were then spark-planed to about 0.005 in. and then electrochemically thinned for examination by transmission electron microscopy as described in I.

Jan 1, 1969

The primary arsenic minerals in the uranium ore processed at the McClean Lake Operation are rammelsbergite, niccolite and gersdorffite. During processing, a large fraction (80 - 95%) of these reduced minerals is oxidized and dissolves primarily as As5+ in the leachate solution. In the tailings preparation circuit the dissolved As5+ is precipitated as a poorly crystalline form of the mineral scorodite. Following subaqueous deposition in the tailings management facility, a temporal rise and fall in arsenic pore water concentrations has been observed. This is due to the oxidation of the residual quantities of reduced arsenic minerals initially present in the tailings sediment. The XANES (x-ray absorption near edge spectrometry) technique has shown that the As1- is gradually oxidized to As3+ and then finally As5+ in the tailings sediment. This oxidation process results in a temporary accumulation of As3+ in solution and is the source of the rise and fall in arsenic concentration observed.

Aug 1, 2010

By V. Koump, T. F. Perzak, R. G. Olsson

The rate of dissolution of recrystallized alumina in molten iron oxide in equilibrium with iron at 1450°C was studied by rotating alumina disks in the melt. The samples were rotated from 1 to 12 min at speeds from 54 to 3270 rpm. It is concluded from the experimental results that the process is limited by diffusion in the liquid boundary layer. The interdiffusion coefficient for the dissolution of alumina disks in pure molten iron oxide was estimated to be about 3 xl0-5= sq cm per sec. THE erosion of refractory materials is of considerable importance in iron- and steelmaking processes. Since many refractories contain alumina, this investigation was undertaken to develop a further understanding of the erosion mechanism. Shurygin et al.1-3 have investigated the rate of dissolution of alumina in molten silicates and molten fluorides by rotating alumina disks in various melts. The rates were reported to be limited by diffusion in the liquid boundary layer. In the present investigation the rate of dissolution of alumina in molten iron oxide in equilibrium with iron was studied in a similar manner; alumina disks were rotated at different speeds in molten iron oxide at 1450°C. The relationship between the rate of dissolution of the flat surface of the disk and the speed of rotation was used to determine whether the process is limited by diffusion in the liquid boundary layer or by some chemical reaction mechanism. APPARATUS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A schematic diagram of the experimental apparatus is shown in Fig. 1. The iron oxide melts were contained in 2-in.-diam high-purity iron crucibles that were centered in a cylindrical graphite susceptor. Prior to each sequence of experiments, sufficient reagent-grade ferric oxide was added to a crucible to form approximately 350 g of molten iron oxide; the depth of the melt was about 11/2 in. To prevent excessive erosion of the crucible, about 70 pct of the required iron was added to the crucible in the form of iron powder. The mixture was melted in an atmosphere of purified argon by induction heating with a 250-kc generator. After the oxide was molten, a Pt/Pt-10 pct Rh thermocouple at the exterior of the crucible was calibrated against an iron-sheathed thermocouple immersed in the melt and was thereafter used to regulate the melt temperature. All experiments were conducted at 1450°C with a probable error of 10°C. The alumina disks were constructed from pure re-crystallized alumina having a density of 3.7 g per cu cm (porosity approximately 6 pct). For each disk sample a 1-cm-diam alumina cylinder of known length (0.9 to 1.0 cm) was cemented into a ground seat at the end of a 1.27-cm-OD centerless ground alumina tube. The ends of the tube and cylinder were flush and served as the disk surface. When mounted in the apparatus the alumina tube was guided by tungsten carbide bearings and rotated by a variable-speed motor. The bearing and drive assembly could be raised and lowered in order to allow the sample to be quickly moved in and out of the melt. At the start of an experiment, a sample was preheated for several minutes directly above the melt, and then immersed in the middle of the melt to a depth of a in. and rotated for 1 to 12 min at speeds of 64 to 3270 rpm. The speed of rotation was measured by a hand tachometer. At the start and completion of each experiment, a melt sample was withdrawn with a cold copper rod and the alumina content was determined by chemical analysis. During individual experiments the alumina concentration of the melt changed by the order of 0.25 wt pct. Average melt compositions for individual experiments were used in the subsequent computations and were in the range between 0.12 and 4.3 wt pct alumina. The extent of dissolution was determined by sectioning the end of the sample and measuring the final length of the alumina cylinder with a microscope. Since the exposed end of the cylinder, i.e., the disk surface, was etched in a manner characteristic of this geometry, a number of measurements were made on

Jan 1, 1969

By James D. Sisler

Among the various studies made by the Coal Fact Finding Commission, appointed by President Warren G. Harding in 1922 to investigate all phases of the coal-mining industry in the United States and to report to Congress, was one concerning the amount and nature of losses in mining bituminous coal in the eastern part of the United States. This study was carried on under the direction of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. The writer was appointed field engineer to investigate the problem in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Some 400 mines were studied in these three states and conclusions were drawn from many sources of data. The summary report written by George S. Rice and J. W. Paul states that "the field reports indicate that the recovery in Ohio will remain about as at present, except in the Belmont district; whereas in Pennsylvania it will gradually improve, and in West Virginia it will improve rapidly." Since 1922, the writer has been interested in gathering material to substantiate or contradict these prophecies. Nature of Coal Losses There are six general causes of losses of coal in mining: (1) coal left on the roof and bottom; (2) coal lost in room, entry and panel pillars; (3) coal lost in oil-well or gas-well pillars; (4) coal lost under buildings, railroads and boundaries; (5) coal lost in handling and prepayation, underground and surface; (6) coal lost by rolls, thin or dirty areas and under streams. Local economic aspects that dominate the type of mining conditions determine to some extent whether certain losses are avoidable or unavoidable. In general, however, unavoidable losses include coal lost in the protection of buildings, streams, railroads, restricted properties and around oil and gas wells. Barrier pillars and other safety pillars are unavoidable losses as long as their size does not exceed the minimum for adequate safety. Natural physical conditions beyond human control, such as rock faults, clay veins, partings and binders, bad top and bottom, rolls and horsebacks, cause unavoidable losses. Unavoidable losses

Jan 1, 1931

By Ursula E. Wolff

Il.lechanica1 twins have been observed in brigsten single crystals of a variety of axial orientations defornzed at room temperature in tension or bending. The twins formed near the final fracture and were up to 3 p thick. The twinning plane was always of the type (113). Twinning at room ternperature occurred only after considerable prior slip. Twins usually preceded fracture and nucleated cracks. The crack surfaces often alternated between a (001) plane and the twin interfaces. Secondary twins could also nucleate from cracks. In the absence of twinning tensile samples failed by shear; twinned samples failed by cleavage. On the assumption that observed sudden load drops in the stress-strain curves are associated with twinning, a critical resolved stress for twinning of 60, 000 to 65, 000 psi was calculated. MeCHANICAL twinning has been observed in iron and iron alloys at low temperature by a number of investigators.'-7 Similarly, for high-purity tungsten, twinning has been reported for deformation temperatures below 211°K.8-10 In W-Re and Mo-Re alloys, 20 pct Re was determined as the lower limit for twin formation at room temperature." Since the twins are generally very narrow, they are usually identified only by etching techniques. The expected (112) habit plane has always been confirmed by angular analysis of the surface traces. Recently, however, a complete identification by X-ray analysis has been performed on twins in a Mo-35 pct Re alloy.12 During an investigation of the deformation charac- teristics of tungsten single crystals, twins were revealed in tensile and bend samples deformed at room temperature. This paper deals with the conditions for such twinning and the relation of twinning to fracture. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Tungsten single crystals, 1/8 in. in diam, of a variety of axial orientations were grown from un-doped material by four-pass electron-beam zone melting. A representative analysis is given in the following table: From these crqstals, tensile samples with 1 in. gage lengths were made by surface grinding, leaving shoulders for gripping. The diameter after grinding was 0.082 in. The distorted surface layer was then removed by ele1:trolytic polishing which reduced the diameter of the gage length to 0.080 in. Tensile tests were carried out at room temperature in an Instron machine under two different sets of conditions: a) Rigid mounting; strain rate 0.02 in. per in. per min. b) Gimbal mounting; strain rate 0.002 in. per in. per min up to a total strain of approximately 0.2 pct, then 0.01 in. per in. per min to fracture. Stress axis and growth direction coincided in all samples and are subsequently called orientation.

Jan 1, 1962

By Edward Keller

In a paper, " A Study of the Elimination of Impurities from Copper-Mattes, etc.," presented to the Institute at the Atlantic City meeting, February, 1898, I gave certain figures which I called the relative slaggability in refining copper. In that paper* will be found the following pertaining to this subject: Relative Slaggability in Refining Converter-Copper. Cu. Pb. Bi. Sb. As. Se, Te. 1 129.5 1.13 7.30 5.22 0.81 and Relative Slaggability in Refining Electrolytic Copper. Cu. Pb. Sb. As. 1 41 9.97 7.13 Since there is a, possibility of misinterpretation of the above values, the following supplementary information may seem justified in explanation. As the contents of impurities in the unrefined or crude copper were unknown, the contents of the refined copper were substituted therefor, merely in order to obtain the two series of figures for comparison. These figures are higher than they would be had I been able to take the correct ones for the unrefined copper. The high figure, 129.5, for lead, in the case of converter-copper, means simply that more lead was slagged from the crude copper than remained in the refined copper; or, in definite values, that to 1 per cent. of copper slagged, the ratio of the lead gone into the slag and the lead remaining in the refined copper is 129.5 : 100. It is possible to approximate the true slaggability much more closely by adding the quantities of impurities in the refined copper to those in the slag, thus obtaining values for the crude copper in which the amounts volatilized are ignored (the latter

Jan 1, 1901

By E. M. SEELEY, F. S. LOTT

Expansion in total capacity of the natural-gasoline industry.to produce light products continued in 1944 and 1945. The average rate of gain, however, was reduced to about 6 percent annually from over 9 percent in the preceding 4-year period. New facilities at cycle plants again accounted for most of the increase in productive capacity. Between January 1, 1944, and January 1, 1946, the number of cycle plants increased from 32 to 37 and their total capacity from 3,278 thousand gallons daily to 4,848 thousand (48 percent). Capacity of all other plants in the industry increased in the same period from 12,735 thousand gallons daily to 13,080 thousand, or only 3 percent. The capacity of the average plant increased to 28,600 gallons a day from 24,400 gallons on January 1, 1944, continuing the established trend. The average capacity of cycle plants increased to 131,000 gallons a day from 102,400 gallons, and the average capacity of all other natural-gasoline plants increased to 22,200 gallons a day from 20,400 gallons. Although the number of plants increased in only three States in the 2-year period (Texas, Okla- homa, and Arkansas), the total capacity of plants increased in eight States. A further decline of 29 reduced the total number of plants to 626 on January 1, 1946. Compared with 10 years earlier, gasoline plants were more numerous in only 4 States: Texas (48 more), New Mexico (7 more), Arkansas (2 more), and Louisiana (1 more). The largest declines, in order, were in Oklahoma, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and California. The number of plants with fractionating equipment for separating the liquefied gases from heavier fractions was 202 on January 1, 1946 and 182 2 years earlier. The principal changes in number and capacity of shut-down plants were an increase in Texas and a decrease in California. Shut-down natural-gaso- line plants are usually among the smallest units in their vicinity.

Apr 1, 1947

By Bernard MacDonald

THE writing of this paper was prompted by the discussion by H. M. Chance, in the April Bulletin, of the paper written by Thomas M. Chance which appeared in the February Bulletin., and by the remarks of the Editor in which lie stated that while the matter contained in discussion did not refer to the original paper it "was presented as of interest to the operators of cyanide and other lixiviation processes dealing with fluid mixtures of varying specific gravity." For some years past the principle enunciated in the discussion referred to has been known to the writer and demonstrated by him to be an efficient and economical way of separating water or solution from solids in the cyanidation, lixiviation or acid leaching of ore pulps: In utilizing this principle in commercial practice he has invented a method whereby not only the separation of solution from solids may be effected in any given tank, but also the counter migration of the solids and solution may be effected continuously through a series of tanks in which the hydro-metallurgical treatment of ore pulps is being carried on. In effect this method is analogous to the counter-current system, but is different physically in that it is carried on throughout a series of tanks on practically the sane level, continuously and automatically, by hydrostatic pressure and gravity-flow, without the aid of intervening pumps or elevators, at the same time that agitation is being carried on in the same tanks. In the Parral system, agitation is effected in tanks by a number of air lifts of comparatively small diameter through which the pulp is continuously transferred from the bottom of the tank and spouted horizontally on top of the charge. The spouting force of the several streams thus discharged maintains a rotary flow in the pulp charge which extends from top to bottom of the tank. This continuous transfer of pulp and the spiral flow from top to bottom of the tank maintains the pulp constituents in uniform proportions and meets the requirements of efficient treatment in a most economical manner. The quantity of. compressed air required is very small, as the pulp is not lifted but simply trans-

Jan 7, 1918

By I. N. Knapp

Introduction.—The spccial object of these notes is to describe the mixing, testing, and use of mud-ladened water for rotary drilling in such a way as to make them helpful to the driller, the operator, or the engineer in solving his own special drilling problems. The structures, apparatus and tools used are indicated in a general way. No attempt is made to describe the art of rotary drilling; only such descriptions as are necessary to make plain the use of mud are given. The information is the result of actual experience in drilling in Coastal Plain formations. The materials encountered in the wells drilled were unconsolidated sands, gravels, and clays, in which thin layers of sandstones, shell conglomerates, and shales began to appear at about 1,200 ft, in depth, although one well was drilled to 3,018 ft. without encountering any cemented or indurated materials. Unusual Conditions.—-The general surface of the ground where the drilling was done being hardly a foot above mean tide, and the daily tidal variation being about 15 in., it was found necessary to plank over the sod surface with 3-in. plank to work from. A 30 by 30 ft. planked area was sufficient to carry the derrick with equipment and 2,500 ft. of 4-in. drill pipe stacked in it. The derrick was set up 3 ft. on cribbed blocking arranged to spread the load over the planking. The engine, bailers, and pipe yard were also carried on 3-in. planking. Drilling 0utfit.—This consisted of a derrick, 20 by 20 ft. and 84 ft. high, two 35-h.p., "oil country" boilers, one double 8 1/4 by 10 in. reversible engine, two 10 by 6 by 12 in. duplex mud pumps, one 15-in. rotary, "hoisting works" with chain drive, hoisting block with line, crown block with pulleys, rotary jetting swivels, hose, complement of tools, pipes and connections, and a mud mixer, with engine. Hydraulic Rotary Drilling Method.—This method of drilling is an adaptation of Fauvelle'sl invention made in France in 1833 for drilling

Jan 1, 1915

By Andrzej Warczok

Liquid slags produced in smelting of copper concentrates contain copper in a dissolved form as well as mechanically entrained inclusions of copper matte. Coalescence and sedimentation of inclusions during slag cleaning plays a key role in copper recovery. Liquid matte inclusion in a molten slag presents a system of metallic conductor in an ionic solution. Constant electric field induces migration of the matte droplet along the current lines. Additional phenomena occur in a system under crossed electric and magnetic fields. Electromagnetic buoyancy force acting on the inclusion affects its settling rate. Electromagnetic buoyancy force of insulating and metal spheres has been measured in a liquid synthetic slag. It was found that depolarisation of the metal sphere, related to the electrode reactions occurring in the surface, plays an important role in the determination of the direction and magnitude of the electromagnetic force. On the basis of the existing theories and results of measurements a mathematical model describing the behaviour of metallic inclusions in the liquid slag under the influence of crossed electric and magnetic fields was developed. Simulation of behaviour of copper matte inclusions under crossed fields showed trajectory of motion in a liquid slag as a function of the slag properties and the inclusion size.

Jan 1, 2003

By Mai Yuanjian

The stabilization effect in large excavation slope with vacuum wellpoints system during construction of a dry dock located in Guangzhou is introduced in this paper. In-situ observations indicate that the effect of wellpoints for decreasing seepage in slope is remarkable even though the muddy sitty clay in it has poor permeability and the slope can remain its stability well. Meanwhile, a non-linear partial defferential equation has been set up to the whole unsteady seepage process as water level in the foundation pit excavated under water goes down to the bottom and so does the seepage in slope due to dewater by vacuum wellpoints system at the same time. And the finite-defference method has been used to solve the equation mentioned above, which differes from conventional wqy where the equation will be linearized firstly. Since the water heads in slope with wellpoints dewatering are more variable, it is necessary to keep non-linear. The calculation results are in good accordance with observation. Vacuum wellpoinnts for slope stabilization in this work is successful.

Jan 1, 1991

By D. Sediako

Excessive residual stress in Al engine blocks may result in cylinder distortion which reduces engine operating efficiency. As such, neutron diffraction was used to measure residual strain along the Fe liners and Al, in the hoop, radial and axial orientations with respect to the cylinder axis, at the cylinder interbore region. Residual stresses were subsequently calculated using generalized Hooke's law and related to the microstructure along the cylinder bridge. The results suggest that the residual stresses in the Al interbore region are tensile and increased with depth in the axial direction of the cylinder. The increase in residual stress at the bottom of the cylinder coincides with a finer and more uniform microstructure in this region of the cylinder. The refinement in microstructure at the bottom of the cylinder likely increased alloy strength, thereby decreasing this section's susceptibility to distortion. This study successfully quantified the residual stress profiles in a heat treated engine block and related the stress profiles to an as-cast engine block.

Jan 1, 2011