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By Jeffrey D.S.H. Oke, Craig J. Archibald, Anna P. Perry

Late-stage sill pillar extraction in an orebody experiencing large ground movement relative to the deposit’s footwall/hangingwall presents significant geotechnical challenges that are not well documented in literature. This paper presents a case study of sill pillar extraction in the A154 North kimberlite pipe at the Diavik Diamond Mine, Canada, where progressive, then accelerating vertical displacement occurred during the final stages of underground mining. The A154N orebody was mined using longhole open stoping with cemented and uncemented rockfill and consisted of multiple mining blocks separated by sill pillars. As mining advanced, downward migration of the kimberlite pipe relative to the surrounding granite was observed, with displacement rates increasing during sill pillar extraction. This paper documents the extraction of the A/B and B/C sill pillars, with a primary focus on the B/C Sill Pillar, where geotechnical interaction was most pronounced. Observed ground behaviour, monitoring data, ground control strategies, and operational responses are presented. The development and evolution of sill-pillar-specific TARP is described, highlighting the requirement for an observational, context-driven approach that integrates displacement rates, spatial relevance, and geotechnical inspections. The case study demonstrates that safe sill pillar extraction is achievable when displacement mechanisms are well understood and managed through adaptive monitoring and flexible TARPs. The lessons learned from A154N provide practical guidance for underground operations encountering moving orebodies and emphasize the importance of treating sill pillar behaviour as a distinct geotechnical problem.

May 2, 2026

By D. Harrington

Educational campaigns conducted by the manufacturers of explosives, the Bureau of Mines, mining companies, and safety organizations have contributed greatly in reducing accidents caused by explosives arid blasting. Despite these campaigns and the dissemination of information, accidents from explosives and blasting continue to be the direct cause of scores of fatalities and hundreds of nonfatal accidents annually, not only in the mineral industry but essentially wherever explosives are used. The experience of many mining companies and other users of explosives has proved that accidents from explosives can be prevented or averted by the proper training of employees in the handling and using of explosives and by the enforcement of definite rules and instructions for their use. Unfortunately, throughout the years numerous false impressions and ideas have grown up and around the use of explosives. Many of these can be traced back to the manner in which the users of explosives were originally taught, if instructed at all; and as with many types of misinformation in nearly all walks of life, those false ideas are decidedly persistent and being so cause much damage. Many if not most of the users of explosives gained their knowledge of explosives and blasting by watching others and more or less "absorbing" the procedures and thrones of the other fellow, who acted unconsciously as teacher or instructor. A study of explosives accidents reveals the results of such "teachings" when the causes of the accidents are determined, and as might be expected the results very often are far from good. One of the most persistently erroneous impressions or ideas is concerned with the burning rate of safety fuse. Many men with

Jan 1, 1944

By A. Norholm

For grinding Portland Cement, the power consumption accounts for some 35 % of the total consumption of electrical energy for producing cement, counting right from the quarry to the packing plant. It is therefore for very good reason that great efforts during the past years have been put into making cement grinding more efficient, thereby saving power. In this paper three ways of reducing the consumption of electrical energy will be described, namely precrushing in the high pressure FLS-Köppern roller press, the introduction of a new design of COMBIDAN diaphragm in ball mills and the separation of mill discharge in the newly developed high efficient; separator SEPAX from F. L. Smidth.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. Winterton

Estimating the residual metal inventory of large heap leaching operations is desirable for many reasons. Several methods have been tried with limited success. Drilling data from the Valley Leach Facility at AngloGold Ashanti's Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine has been used to develop a robust inventory estimation technique. The technique is presented along with discussion of the particular inventory components and evaluation methodologies.

Feb 27, 2013

By S. R. Titley

Carbonate-hosted massive sulfide (60%) ores of the western Cordillera compose a distinct class of deposits although they vary widely in detail and perhaps genesis. They have been important sources of lead, zinc, copper, silver, gold, and more rarely, molybdenum, tin, and tungsten in complex mineral assemblages usually dominated by pyrite. They occur as concordant stratiform bodies, as discordant mantos, and as chimneys crossing tens of meters of section; many are associated with faults and breccia bodies. Environments of formation of carbonate hosts range from craton basin to shelf with ages from Proterozoic to Cretaceous; in many instances, dating has shown mineralization to be significantly younger than hosts. Temperatures of formation determined for many deposits are high (200°-400°) and many districts are centers of igneous activity manifested by dikes, sills, and stocks. However, direct cause and effect relationships have been difficult to establish. Many important problems attend the renewed interest and study of these deposits and include questions of metal-sulfur sources, metallization processes and histories, geological controls at all scales, and relationships to broader patterns of metallogeny.

Jan 1, 1985

By Theophile S. Yameogo

Les ressources naturelles ont en général été le moteur du développement économique et social des nations. Les pays aujourd?hui développés sont pour la plupart d?anciens eldorado, charbonniers ou pétroliers. D?autres le sont toujours. L?Afrique fait cependant figure d?exception : même en étant comblé de ressources naturelles exceptionnelles, les pays de ce continent croulent sous le poids de la pauvreté et de ses acabits que sont les maladies, la famine, la guerre et l?insurrection sociale. On reconnaît néanmoins qu?il y a des cas particuliers comme le Botswana, la Namibie, l?Afrique du Sud. Face à cette situation, beaucoup de scénarii ont été proposés sans pour autant porté les fruits espérés. Le rapport Brundtland suggère que le développement durable est la clé du succès car elle veille à la prospérité économique, à l?équité dans la société et à la pérennité dans l?environnement. Pour l?Afrique, beaucoup de facteurs doivent être considérés et les solutions se doivent d?être pratiques et éthiques. Le futur ingénieur des mines qui a écrit ce rapport, apporte sa vision de la situation non sans avoir auparavant analysé les faits. Cette démarche, qui se veut avant tout éthique, inclut les aspects sociaux, économiques et politiques. Introduction In the 40s, 50s and the 60s, many economists, among which Harold Hotelling from South Carolina University, thought that developing countries could reach socio-economical success by extracting their natural resources such as oil and minerals. The current economical disaster seems to have contradicted that belief and critics like Davis Graham (Colorado School of Mines) and Michael Ross (University of California at Los Angeles) even suggested that extractive activities stop in Africa. But the experts of the World Bank (Mining Department) and some mining and oil companies are committed to reverse the tendency by implementing a new approach. Considering the principles of sustainable development defined in the Brundtland report (1987), we decided to analyze the possibility of giving the extractive industry a catalytic role in creating a socially, economically and environmentally development in Africa. In other words, can we continue to mine and extract oil in Africa for its blossoming future under the ruling of the sustainable development? In the following, we start by explaining the African socio-economic and political context. After a brief definition of the sustainable development, we explain why, for Africa, some believe in the extractive industry and some don?t. In the end, we draw out conciliatory arguments.

Apr 1, 2005

By Fernanda Santos da Luz

Desde o período Neolítico, a argila é usada na produção de materiais para construção. Posteriormente, verificou-se que queima da argila em fornos aumentava a resistência do material, permitindo seu uso na maioria das formas abrasivas. Com a melhoria das propriedades, a cerâmica vermelha encontrou várias aplicações tais como, telhas, tijolos, louças e revestimentos. Na região estudada, a noroeste do Rio de Janeiro e a área leste da zona da mata mineira, as telhas produzidas e comercializadas exibem características correspondentes à argila local e ao método de queima. Neste trabalho foi avaliada a qualidade das telhas na região, referente às características geométricas, físicas e mecânicas, padronizadas pela norma NBR 15310:2009. De acordo com a análise dos resultados, concluiu-se que a tendência da qualidade das telhas existentes no mercado não atende aos parâmetros atuais da norma brasileira. O teste geométrico apresentou o maior número de não conformidades. A planicidade da superfície e os testes de rendimento também apresentaram desvios maiores em relação ao padrão aceitável. As não conformidades encontradas nas amostras indicaram que ocorreram falhas nos controles de fabricação do produto e na aprovação do lote que liberou o material para a produção de fábrica, resultando em produtos sem padronização.

Oct 30, 2017

By G. A. Swanquist, E. M. Morales

INTRODUCTION The idea of water management and control at the Church Rock Mill operations began to take shape in February 1979. At that time, we were already investigating the feasibility of decreasing the fresh water requirements so that the solids would become the limiting factor in tailings impoundment utilization. The area for solution evaporation could be kept at a fraction of the normal requirements under the standard process of full water usage. The Church Rock Mill is an acid leach circuit followed by solids/liquid separation with thickeners in counter current decantation, and solvent extraction. Following the normal design of acid leach circuits, reuse of tailings solution was not incorporated in the original mill process design. INITIAL WATER CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS The investigations to decrease the fresh water requirements centered around modifying the grinding circuit from the present semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill in closed circuit with hydrocyclones, to open circuit grinding with a rod mill. The open circuit grinding with the SAG mill and rod mill in series had the potential of decreasing the water requirements for grinding and leach dilution by approximately 50% or 1.4 m3/min (300 gpm). The grinding pulp density would be maintained at 70 to 72% solids, and the leach dilution to 50% solids would be accomplished with acid tailings liquor recycle. In such a grinding circuit arrangement, the SAG mill would provide the primary or coarse grind, and the rod mill would be used for the fine grind. By the SAG mill and rod mill series grinding method of water control and other secondary water controls in various places downstream from the grinding circuit, the required necessary evaporation area was estimated at 120 acres of liquid surface. A second method of water control at grinding was investigated. A two-stage cyclone classification circuit appeared to have a good potential of achieving the same water reduction at a much lower capital and operating cost. However, in retrospect, this would not have been a viable method since a high slime recycle load would have been established hindering classification. The use of reagents to neutralize the acid tailings solution was not considered seriously at that time, since it would have materially increased operating costs, although it would have also allowed more tailings solution recycle and consequently, less fresh water usage. However, with the tailings solution deposition area available at that time, it was not then necessary to incur the high cost of neutralization. The control expected by the series grinding of semiautogenous and rod mills would have been sufficient to maintain a water consumption/evaporation equilibrium well in line with the available land area. IMPLEMENTATION OF NEUTRALIZATION OPERATIONS During the summer of 1979, the UNC Church Rock Mill experienced a tailings dam breach which resulted in a prolonged mill shutdown. Upon resumption of operations at the end of October 1979, tailings deposition was restricted to a small portion of the tailings impoundment area. Figure 1 shows the general tailings area and the limits of the present deposition area in the central part including the borrow pits. These borrow pits had been excavated to provide materials for tailings dam construction. Immediately after resumption of operations, it became evident that it would be necessary to control the quantity of liquid to be evaporated because of the small confined area available for tailings solution deposition and to maximize the deposition time in the tailings area. The water control required had to be exercised on a large scale, and to be in operation as quickly as possible. An obvious solution was to reuse the tailings liquor in mill process. Immediate steps were taken to install the necessary equipment for tailings neutralization on an interim basis. Anhydrous ammonia was selected as the primary neutralization reagent since it was the quickest system that could be placed in operation. Previous laboratory tests indicated fair results with ammonia neutralization. Such a system required a minimum of installed equipment and handling. INITIAL NEUTRALIZATION OPERATIONS Actual neutralization operations began on November 26, 1979. The raffinate solution which normally would have been discarded was pumped to a 3.7 m (12ft) diam by 4.3 m (14ft) tank for reagent contact, see Figure 2. At this tank, anhydrous ammonia was added directly from the tanker trailers and controlled at pH 7.0 nominally. Agitation was provided by air sparging. The neutralized product formed a highly viscous slurry in the grinding circuit which resulted in pumping and cyclone classification problems.

Jan 1, 1982

By C. Stansfield Hitchen

The paper describes the application of the logarithmic wedge sector method of quantitative spectrography to the estimation of commonly occurring minor impurities in crude and refined tin. Both arc and spark methods of emission were employed and with the former a new device was used to overcome difficulties arising from the low melting point of the metal. The impurities investigated included antimony, arsenic, bismuth, copper, iron, lead, and zinc, their concentrations lying, in general, between 0.01 and 0.50 per cent. The results obtained show that the method may be usefully employed for the estimation of bismuth, copper, iron, lead, and zinc, in amounts ranging from 0.50 per cent to well below 0.01 per cent. Arsenic and antimony, however, could not be estimated in amounts less than 0.03 and 0.07 per cent respectively. Out of a total of 116 estimations by arc and spark emission, in 96 the errors were less than 5 per cent of the total quantity of the element present, whereas in the remaining twenty, the errors lay between 5 and 25 per cent. Spectro-analytical data for the several impurities studied are given in the form of tables, and curves correlating line-intensity with concentration have also been included. DISCUSSION (R. G. Waltenberg presiding) D. M. Smith, London, England (written discussion).—I am interested in Dr Hitchen's account of his investigations on the application of spectrographic methods to the assay of tin and congratulate him on his valuable contribution to the literature on the subject of quantitative spectrum analysis. Some of the results obtained in the course of investigations carried out for the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Assn., although obtained under somewhat different experimental conditions, may be of interest in connection with this paper. Arc and spark spectra of standard samples of tin containing various known amounts of antimony, bismuth, cadmium, copper, lead, silver and arsenic have been investi-

Jan 1, 1933

By T. van Heerden

A range of supported gold catalysts was prepared by ion exchange, varying many of the preparation variables, including concentration in the precursor solution, washing procedure, as well as drying and calcination procedures. These catalysts have been characterized extensively. TEM images show essentially the same crystallite size distributions, between 2?5 nm, for almost all catalysts, the only exception being catalysts not washed in ammonia, which did not show any small crystallites. Additional characterization with SEM yielded an interesting discovery. Catalysts that appear identical on the TEM also contain some large crystallites in the range of 50?500 nm. Differences in dispersion due to the drying procedure not seen on the TEM can now be observed. Oxygen chemisorption is being investigated as an additional method to characterize gold based catalysts to complement the typically used electron microscope techniques.

Jan 1, 2012

By Heinz Hofmann

In order to drive tunnels with low overburden in town regions, it is necessary to give a quantitative prognosis for the deformation of the underground as well as of the tunnel-lining and of its stability. These problems and their solutions are illustrated by the works for a two-track-railway-tunnel in Bochum (Ruhrdistrict). In this case the most important problems consisted in passing below buildings in a vertical distance to the fundamentals of only 3.20 m and a railway earthdam with rapid train traffic in a distance of 4 m under the dam. The results of measurements from other comparable tunnels and finite-element-computations were used to prognose the settlements on the surface and in the ground, their distributions and their development in time. To obtain these values at the site, a special system of tunnel driving was executed. The tunnel was excavated with the newest type of tunneling-machine from DEMAG, cutting an inclined front, immediately followed by a special temporary support of shotcrete and inclined steel-ribs. By using theoretical and empirical methods to assess the behavior of the tunnel and underground and by executing an optimal driving system in technical as well as economical aspects, the expected behavior, expressed in quantitative values, was almost equivalent to those received by control measurements.

Jan 1, 1974

By Rob Thomas

Adequate load transfer is considered essential for optimum ground support and is increasingly important in weak roof and/or high stress environments. If adequate load transfer is achieved not only can this have a positive impact on the resulting roof behavior, but it may also allow the use of lower and hence more economic densities of roof support. A wide variety of post-groutable cable bolts are currently in use in the Australian coal mining industry, each of varying capacity, design, and grouting methodology. Though all of the cables are supplied with the appropriate steel specification, strength, and modulus data, the Australian coal mining industry does not have access to a comprehensive and comparative database on the corresponding load transfer performance, which is a critical problem. On the basis of the above, this paper describes the methodology and results of a laboratory pull testing program that aims to assess the impact of cable bolt design on load transfer, and specifically, the impact on the capacity and stiffness of the anchorage. As part of the testing program, 19 cables were tested including (1) plain-strand cables installed in holes drilled with 28 to 55 mm diameter drill bits and (2) bulbed and nutcaged cables installed in holes drilled with 42 to 64 mm diameter drill bits. Other parameters assessed included the significance of smooth and profiled wire, wire packing, and expanded geometry bulbs. The main results of the testing indicate that in comparison to plain-strand cables, if the cable is bulbed or nutcaged, the capacity of the anchor can increase by up to 400%, and the peak stiffness by between one and two orders of magnitude. The results also indicate that increasing hole diameter may have a positive impact on load transfer in the case of bulbed or nutcaged cables and a negative impact on plain-strand cables. No conclusive results were obtained with regard to the impact of grout strength on load transfer.

Jan 1, 2012

By P. J. Lloyd

Society is fully justified in its concern about the environment, but that concern may, at present, be too uncritical It is, for instance, essential to establish that there is a valid environmental impact, and that there is truly a causal link between a human activity and an observed shift in environmental conditions. In establishing these, it inessential to recognize that scientific proof offers consistency, but that it can never provide completeness. Thus, no amount of scientific endeavour can ever prove that mitigation of the effects of human activity will be perfect. Society normally expresses its concern through legislation. The existing legislation in South Africa is reviewed, and it is found that [>legislation regarding water is probably too stringent to be effective, >legislation regarding air and land use is probably too lax, >all the environmental legislation is too fragmented to be efficient, and the Department of Environmental Affairs is hamstrung by inter-departmental rivalry. ] It is accordingly concluded that, if means are to be found for ensuring adequate mitigation of environmental impact in the face of ongoing economic development, it is necessary to establish a Judicial Commission on Environmental Affairs advised by, but given greater powers than, the departments currently active in environmental maters. This Commission should be charged with creating, perhaps over a decade, a body of legislation that would guide development while protecting the environment in its widest sense.

Jan 1, 1994

By K. F. G. Hosking

I read Professor Gaudin's paper with great interest and pleasure because for some time I have held that the chemical aspect of comminution is a subject of considerable importance to the mineral dresser and deserves to be thoroughly investigated. It does seem appropriate, however, to emphasize the fact that "fresh" edges and corners produced by the grinding of solids display enhanced reactivity has been recognized and utilized in the development of certain mineral identification techniques. Some of these techniques are worth noting, not only because they might facilitate research in the aspect of mineral dressing under discussion, but also because they emphasize the fact that many mineral species commonly regarded as being very inert can display a surprising reactivity when in the freshly ground state. In 1951 Isakov published a number of tests for the components of certain mineral species which depend essentially on grinding in a mortar a mixture of the material under investigation with a solid reagent. Thus when stibnite, 4(Sb2S,), is ground with sodium or potassium hydroxide, the antimony is revealed by a momentary development of a yellow color which changes in air to orange-red. Other antimony minerals need a preliminary treatment before the test can be carried out. This consists of grinding with aluminium sulfate, ferric sulfate or potassium bisulfate, and breathing upon the resultant mixture.

Aug 1, 1956

By Bohumír Cech, Jirí Hanika, Václav Veselý

"PET bottles are separated and subsequently crushed into flakes. Except for PET, these flakes contain PE, PVC, paper, adhesives, beverages remainders and mineral impurities. PET itself usually is a glycol and terephthalic and isophthalic acid polymer.The suggested method consists in PET flakes crystallization at 255°C. In the meantime, volatile substances evaporate and PVC disintegrates. Formed crystalline PET is crushed into small particles and then is subject to the basic hydrolysis at an atmospheric pressure. In addition to lye solution, glycol is added in the hydrolysis. Water is eliminated by boiling, which gives rise to suspension of sodium salt of terephthalic acid and glycol. The suspension is skimmed and the filtered glycol is vacuum distilled. Pure glycol is then the distillation product.Crystals are dissolved in water and the solution is filtered, which eliminates PE and impurities. Electrodialysis removes pure terephthalic acid salt from the solution. Glycol solution is returned to the hydrolysis. Terephthalic acid is precipitated by a mineral acid. Subsequently, it is washed and dried. The filtrate is separated through electrodialysis to lye and acid. The lye gets back to the hydrolysis and the acid is used for precipitation. Terephthalic acid and glycol are products in a “polymer grade” quality. The waste is a part of washing waters, distillation residues after glycol regeneration and a filter cake after the terephthalate solution filtration."

Jan 1, 2008

By R. W. Raymond

The important question of the metallurgical value of the coals of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast is to be settled, of course, by practical experiment. Meanwhile, as I have had occasion to point out, the proximate analyses of these coals throws little light upon it, and is, indeed, likely to mislead the metallurgist, if he compares it with the results of similar analyses upon bituminous and semi-bituminous coals. With the view of showing how large a proportion of the material usually classed as(" volatile matters " consists of combined water, or oxygen and hydrogen presumably in chemical combination, I have collected a number of ultimate analyses from various sources, in the following tables. The numbered analyses in the first table are as follows: No. 1. Monte Diabolo coal—Analyst, H. S. Munroe, Col. School of Mines. 2. Weber Canon, Utah, " " " 3. Echo Canon, " " " " 4. Carbon Stat'n, Wyoming, " " " 5. " " " " " 6. Coos Bay, Oregon, " " " 7. Alaska, " " " 8. " " " " 9. Canon City, Colorado, " Dr. T. M. Drown, Philadelphia. 10. Baker Co., Oregon, " " " 11. Blockcoal,SandCr'k,Ind., " Prof. E. T. Cox. This table affords some suggestive comparisons, to facilitate which a remark or two, explanatory of its construction, will be useful. In the ultimate analysis of coals, the proportions are frequently calculated (as, for instance, in the report for 1872 of Prof. Cox, State

By Bruce C. Schepens

The Balsam Meadow Hydroelectric Project is currently under construction in central California. TMCI Construction, Inc. was subcontracted to perform the shaft enlargement and lining required for the elevator, surge and power shafts. Involved in the initial work was slashing the elevator and surge shaft into a previously excavated borehole. The elevator shaft then required a reinforced concrete lining and structural steel installation. Throughout the course of construction, numerous design changes occurred, necessitating a lining in both the power and surge shafts. These changes caused TMCI to design two underground hoisting systems to install these additional linings. An analysis of the construction methods used is now given. Introduction The Balsam Meadow Project consists of an underground hydroelectric powerhouse designed to provide additional capacity and energy to the Southern California Edison system during critical peak demand periods, and has the capability for pumped storage operation. The project is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 55 miles northeast of Fresno. The project will divert water presently flowing from Huntington Lake to Shaver Lake to power a single 200 megawatt turbine generator. The approach used to the shaft slashing was governed partially by the strict CAL-OSHA requirements, which became more stringent after the recent Helms' Creek accident. A scaled down sinking plant was used to minimize economic risk and to simplify the excavation and lining scheme.

Jan 1, 1987

By Paul G. Schmidt

Exxon Minerals Co. was exploring for mineral deposits in Precambrian terranes of the US portion of the Lake Superior region in the late 1960s. Exploration drilling and other activities had been concentrated on massive sulfide prospects in northeastern Minnesota, but general exploration studies and competitor scouting were conducted in other areas of the region. These activities drew attention to Wisconsin in 1969 when it became apparent that Bear Creek Mining Co. had made a discovery near Ladysmith in the northwestern part of the state. Observation of their drill hole pattern suggested that a massive sulfide deposit, since named the Flambeau deposit (Schwenk, 1977), had been found. With this background, Exxon initiated an exploration program for Precambrian massive sulfide deposits in northern Wisconsin in 1970 (Figs. 1 and 2). Northern Wisconsin is extensively mantled by Pleistocene glacial drift and bedrock outcrop is sparse. Other than iron mines in the extensive iron formations along the Wisconsin-Michigan border and Jackson County, no significant mineral deposits were known in the Wisconsin portion of the Precambrian Shield until the discovery of the Flambeau deposit. Until the mid-1970s, the only specific published literature on the Wisconsin Precambrian consisted of old outcrop locations and descriptions in journals of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (Chamberlain, 1882; [ ] Weidman, 1907; Hotchkiss, 1915) and the summary maps of Dutton and Bradley (1970).

Jan 1, 1991

By D. U. Deere, T. R. Harrell

Factors such as rock cover, rock type and rock quality can exert a dominate influence on the behavior of a concrete tunnel lining. This paper will present and discuss the investigation, evaluation and use of such factors at the Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Project in the design of the 10.67m (35 foot) diameter concrete tunnel lining. A plane strain, finite element analysis was performed on the concrete/rock system. The finite element model consisted of a concrete lining zone and three (3) rock zones; a highly destressed rock zone, a transitional rock zone and an intact rock zone. Zones were differentiated from one another by varying the modulus for each zone. Results of this study yielded a concrete lining strain from radial expansion which was used in the crack control calculations for the concrete tunnel lining. After the tunnel excavation was performed, plate jacking tests and additional seismic surveys were run on the tunnel walls. This testing served to confirm the rock modulus values used in the preliminary analysis. However, results were observed which indicated that a two zone rock model would more accurately represent in-situ rock conditions than the three-zone rock model used in the preliminary analysis. This revision to the concrete/rock model was made and a final concrete tunnel lining analysis was performed.

Jan 1, 1986

By V. N. Antaki

ELEMENTAL phosphorus (referred to as P,) is a true mineral product that has developed, in the relatively brief span of a century, from a laboratory curiosity to a heavy chemical. Annual production now exceeds 300,000 short tons. Continued rise in production has been predicted, consistent with new applications for P, derivatives and the expected population increase. In itself elemental P, is valuable chiefly as an 'intermediate chemical. The principal end uses at present are in inorganic phosphates, both simple and complex, of sodium and potassium, used in water treatment and detergent compounds, leavening agents, food supplements, and dentifrices. Organic P, compounds are important as plasticizers, oil additives, flotation agents, and more recently as gasoline additives (TCP being the outstanding example). The increasing use of high-analysis water-soluble and liquid solution fertilizers, as well as the direct application of phosphoric acid to the soil, will probably be the most significant factors in P, production growth rate. Coke oven plants now using sulfuric acid to fix byproduct ammonia values will gradually switch to phosphoric acid in order to market a fertilizer with completely available values. Recently sponsored experiments show that phosphoric acid can be directly admixed with cattle and poultry feed to produce rapid growth. Both P, compounds and modifiers for oil well drilling mud show increasingly promising significance.

Jan 3, 1957