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By Malcolm McColl, C. A. Mead

Thin films (of mica have unique attributes that are exceptionally good for studies of high-field conduction mechamisms in thin-film insulators and the quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons from metal to metal. The principal advantages of using mica films are that the films are crystalline and the cleavage planes occur every 10Å. This property results in films whose thicknesses are integral multiples of 10Å and whose surfaces are uniformly parallel over sizable areas. Hence, very well-defined metal -mica-metal structures are possible. Furthermore, the fact that the insulator is split fro??! a bulk sample allows the index of refraction, dielectric constant, forbidden energy gap, and trapping levels and their density- to be obtained directly from measurements performed on thick samples Of mica rather than requiring that these properties be interred from the conduction characterrsties alone. In the work to he described, all the cleaving was done in a high vacuum just prior to the evaporation of metal elertrodes so as to avoid air contamination at the interfaces. Results of these studies indicate that the current through the 30 and 40Å films exhibited quantitative agreement with the theoretical voltage and temperature dependence derived by Strallon for the tunneling of electrons directly from metal to metal. Thicker films at room temperature exhibited volt-ampere curves suggesting Schottky emission of electrons from the cathode into the conduction band of mica. However, the thermal activation energy was smaller than that found from other measurements, and the experimsntal Schottky dielectric constant was larger than the square of the index of refraction. These facts would indicate that the electrons were being injected into polaron stales ill the iusulator. At low temperatures and high fields, the current through the thicker films did not exhibit the Fowler -Nordheim dependence as would be predicted by a simple extention of the theory of field emission into a vacuum. THE mechanism of electrons tunneling through insulating films has received considerable attention in the last few years due to the devices possible utilizing tunneling'-4 and the success of tunneling in the study of superconductivity.5,6 Until the recent paper by Hartman and chivian7 on the study of aluminum oxide, there had been no reported successful quantitative experimental fit to the theory. Their method of fabrication necessarily results in a polycrystalline insulator, the stoichiometry of which is nonuniform from one side to the other. This structure also introduces complications to the shape of the barrier which is set up by the insulator since the insulator possesses a spatially nonuniform band structure and dielectric constant. Due to these facts an analysis of the data in terms of a pviori barrier shape is of questionable validity. The use of muscovite mica not only overcomes these disadvantages but, as an insulating thin film, provides physical properties (dielectric constant. trapping levels and their densities, forbidden energy gap, and so forth) that are identical to the easily measured values of the bulk sample. Furthermore, it is a single-crystal insulator whose cleavage planes (10Å apart8,9) provide uniformly parallel surfaces of well-known separation. This material is therefore ideally suited to the study of electron-transport phenomena. Von Hippel10 using a 6.5-µ-thick sample was the first to observe the high-field conductivity (=5 x l06 v per cm) of mica. No attempt was made to develop an empirical formula, but Von Hippel concluded from intuitive arguments that the current was being space-charge limited by trapped electrons. Mal'tsev11 in a more recent investigation at high fields observed a dependence of the conductivity a on the field F of the form exp(ßF1/2). This dependence was attributed to the Frenkel effect,12,13 a Schottky type of emission from filled traps. No mention in the English abstract was made of the thicknesses of his samples or, and more important, of how well the value of ß fit Frenkel's theory. In 1962 Foote and Kazan14 developed a technique for splitting mica to a thickness of less than 100Å and observed a dependence of the current density j on the field of the form j = jo exp(ßF1/2) on a thin sample thought to be 40Å thick. Assuming that this was a Schottky emission process and that the appropriate dielectric constant for such a mechanism would be closer to a low-frequency value of 7.6, Foote and Kazan calculated from ß an independent thickness of the mica of 36Å. No further investigation was made of the phenomenon. However, the work reported in this paper indicates that the film measured by Foote and Kazan was probably 60Å thick, the error arising from the measurement of the very small metal-insulator-metal diode areas that were used, along with the diode capacitance and dielectric constant, to calculate the thickness. In the research reported in this paper, Foote and Kazan's technique was modified to cleave muscovite in a vacuum of 10-6 Torr, immediately after which metal electrodes were evaporated creating Au-mica-A1 diodes. Aluminum was chosen because of its strong adhesion to mica, as necessitated by the

Jan 1, 1965

By W. N. Poundstone, P. C. Thakur

Introduction Horizontal drilling in coal mines is a relatively new technology. The earliest recorded drilling in the United States was done in 1958 at the Humphrey mine of Consolidation Coal Co. for degasification of coal seams. Spindler and Poundstone experimented with vertical and horizontal holes for several years. They concluded in 1960 that horizontal drilling in advance of underground mining appeared to offer the most promising prospect (for degasification) but effective and extensive application would be dependent upon the ability to drill long holes, possibly 300 to 600 m, with reasonably precise directional control and within practical cost limits (Spindler and Poundstone, 1960). Mining Research Division of Conoco Inc., the parent company of Consolidation Coal Co., began a research program in the early 1970s to achieve the above objective. The technology needed to drill nearly 300 m in advance of working faces was developed by 1975 and experiments on advance degasification with such deep holes began in 1976. Preliminary results of this research have already been published (Thakur and Davis, 1977). To date nearly 4.5 km of horizontal holes have been drilled for advance degasification and earlier results were reconfirmed. In summary, these are: • The greatest impact of these boreholes was felt in the face area where methane concentrations were reduced to nearly 0.3% in course of two to three months from original values of nearly 0.95%. • The methane concentration in the section return reduced to 50% of its original value immediately after the boreholes were completed, indicating a capture ratio of 50%. • The total methane emission in the section (rib and face emission plus the borehole production) did not increase but rather gradually declined with time. • Initial production from 300 m deep boreholes in the Pittsburgh seam varied from 3 m3/min to 6 m3/min but then slowly declined as workings advanced inby of the drill site (well head) exposing a larger surface area parallel to the borehole. Encouraged by these results, it was decided to design a horizontal drilling system that would be mobile and compatible with other face equipment. A mobile horizontal drill can be divided into three subsystems: the drill rig, the drill bit guidance system, and borehole surveying instruments. The drill rig provides the thrust and torque necessary to drill 75- to 100-mm diam holes up to 600 m deep and contains the mud circulation and gas cuttings separation systems. The drill bit guidance system guides the bit up, down, left, or right as desired. Borehole surveying instruments measure the pitch, roll, and azimuth of the borehole assembly. Additionally, it also indicates the thickness of coal between the borehole and the roof or floor of the coal seam. Thus, it becomes a powerful tool for locating the presence of faults, clay veins, sand channels, and the thickness of coal seam in advance of mining. In recent years, many other potential uses of horizontal boreholes have come to light, such as in situ gasification, longwall blasting, improved auger mining, and oil and gas production from shallow deposits. The purpose of this paper is to describe the hardware and procedure for drilling deep horizontal holes. The Drilling Rig [Figures 1 and 2] show the two components of the mobile drilling rig: the drill unit and the auxiliary unit. The equipment (except for the chassis) was designed by Conoco Inc. and fabricated by J. H. Fletcher and Co. of Huntington, WV. The drill unit. It is mounted on a four-wheel drive chassis driven by two Staffa hydraulic motors with chains. The tires are 369 X 457 mm in size and provide a ground clearance of 305 mm. The prime mover is a 30-kw explosion-proof electric motor which is used only for tramming. Once the unit is Crammed to the drill site, electric power is disconnected and hydraulic power from the auxiliary unit is turned on. Four floor jacks are used to level the machine and raise the drill head to the desired level. Two 5-t telescopic hydraulic props, one on each side, anchor the drill unit to the roof. The drill unit houses the feed carriage, the drilling console, 300 m of 3-m-long NQ, drill rods, and the electric cable reel for instruments. The feed carriage is mounted more or less centrally, has a feed of 3.3 m, and can swing laterally by ± 17°. It can also sump forward by 1.2 m. The drill head has a "through" chuck such that drill pipes can be fed from the side or back end. General specifications of the feed carriage are: [ ] The auxiliary unit. The chassis for the auxiliary unit is identical to the drill unit but the prime movers are two 30-kW explosion proof electric motors. It is equipped with a methane detector- activated switch so that power will be cut off at a preset methane concentration in the air. No anchoring props are needed for this unit. The auxiliary unit houses the hydraulic power pack, the water (mud) circulating pump, control boxes for electric motors, a trailing cable spool, and a steel tank which serves for water storage and closed-loop separation of drill cuttings and gas.

Jan 1, 1981

By S. K. Asunmaa, W. D. English, N. A. Tiner, W. A. Cannon

This paper discusses the reaction of metal surfaces with fluorine. Fluorination reactions result in the formation of metal fluoride films which are "passive" toward further reaction of the metal with fluorine. These films are very adherent, and do not easily detach from the substrate metal by mechanical flexing or thermal shock. Exposure of passive films to a humid atmosphere produces hydrated metal fluorides which cause secondary fluorination reactions upon reexpo-sure of the metal surface to fluorine. The surface films formed range from 10 to 30A in thickness and they pow at the expense of surface oxide films. The apparent film formation is completed rapidly in 15 to 30 min on stainless steel and nickel surfaces. On copper and on Monel surfaces, the film at first grows rapidly, then increases slowly over an extended period of time. Passive films are formed at all fluorine pressures in the range from 0.1 to 1.4 atm at room temperature. ALL metals react when exposed to fluorine. These reactions generally produce surface films which consist of metal fluorides. The rate of reaction is largely determined by the extent to which these films are protective. Although there is an extensive literature concerning reactions of oxygen with metals, there are very few investigations reported concerning fluorine-metal reactions. Brown, Crabtree, and ~uncan' investigated the kinetics of the reaction of gaseous fluorine with copper metal which had been freshly reduced in hydrogen. The reaction rate was independent of pressure over the range from 6 to 60 torr. A logarithmic rate law was obeyed in the temperature range from 25" to 300" ~. There was some deviation at higher temperatures which could have been the onset of a parabolic law. The calculated film thicknesses ranged from about two molecular layers, 10A, for 5 hr exposure at room temperature to thirty-five molecular layers for 5 hr exposure at 200" . The authors concluded that no single mechanism could explain all the observations. O7Donnell and spatkowski2 studied the reaction of fluorine with copper at 450°C at pressures from lo to 133 torr. The reaction was found to be pressure -dependent and followed a logarithmic rate law. It was not entirely diffusion-controlled, and fluorine was thought to be the migrating species in the reaction. Miscellaneous metal-fluorine reactions were investigated by Haendler et ~1.~ Reaction products were identified but no rate data were determined. Air Prod- ucts and Chemicals, Inc., have conducted an investigation of reactions between fluorine and various metal powders at room temperature and 85° C. Fluoride film thickness as a function of time of exposure was reported on the assumption that the reaction takes place between fluorine and metal to form the normal metal fluoride. Surface areas of the powders were only estimated so the relative film thicknesses may not be exact. The data showed reaction rates which were generally logarithmic in character, the rate of film growth virtually ceasing after a few hours exposure time for some alloy powders. The effect of moisture on fluoride films was also investigated by measuring additional reaction with fluorine after exposure of passivated powders to atmosperic moisture. The fluorination of iron was studied by 0'~onnell~ at temperatures from 225" to 525" ~ and at pressures ranging from 20 to 200 torr. In all ranges, the reaction followed a logarithmic rate law and was dependent on the square root of the gas pressure. The author concluded that fluorine gas passes through pores in the film. As the film grows, the blocking of pores leads to a rapid decrease in reaction rate; hence a logarithmic rate law is observed. Jarry, Fischer, and Gunther' investigated the mechanism of the reaction of fluorine with nickel at about 600" to 700°C. On the basis of the metallographic examination of fluoride scales growing on the nickel and from separate radioautographic data, it was claimed that fluorine is the migrating species in the reaction. This is in sharp contrast to the growth of oxide films on nickel where it has been shown that nickel ions migrate through the scale to the gas-solid interface to react with oxygen. Few investigations have been reported of the reaction of fluorine with metal oxides. Such investigations should be of great significance for a better understanding of passivation in view of the ubiquitous oxide films on technical alloys. Haendler et al.3 studied the reaction of fluorine with oxides of copper, tin, titanium, zirconium, and vanadium. Copper (I) oxide reacted as follows in the temperature range 150" to 300"~: temperature above 300" ~ was required for the CuO to react to form additional copper fluoride. Ritter and smith7 also investigated the reaction of fluorine with copper (11) oxide. An oxide powder comprised of spherical particles with a fairly high surface area was reacted with fluorine, starting at room temperature and increasing to 100° C over a period of 3 or 4 hr. The initial reaction was slow until the fluoride film thickness reached about to or 15R at which time the reaction rate accelerated, then decreased again. Most of the kinetic data was obtained during this final phase of reaction. The authors conclude that the film grows slowly at first until the stresses developed in the distorted lattice are sufficient to rupture the initial

Jan 1, 1969

By F. M. Doyle, J. P. Dwyer

Introduction The mining industry has a poor public image. It is often perceived as a despoiler of the landscape and a polluter of the environment, and there is little recognition of societal needs for the raw materials and fuels that this industry produces. There are many reasons for this poor image, but an important one is that a substantial number of mining operations have caused significant damage to the environment. Many of these operations, particularly those that now are abandoned, continue to have an adverse impact, principally in the form of water pollution.1 In some cases, the damage caused by this pollution extends well beyond the immediate region around the mine. Chemical contamination of ground and surface waters can, and does, occur in nature when these waters flow through or over undisturbed, mineralized rock masses. However, the problem is greatly exacerbated by mining because the mining activities increase, by several orders of magnitude, the permeability and the surface area of rock that can be contacted by percolating water. Water flowing through either the mine workings or the waste rock dumps becomes contaminated. Pollution can also arise if leachate from tailings ponds enters either groundwater or surface waters. This leachate may contain chemicals used in processing the ore. The magnitude of the threat posed by mining wastes depends on the type of minerals in the deposit, and on the chemicals used to process the ore. The magnitude of the threat also depends on two other, site-specific factors. One is the volume of water flowing into the mine and through the dumps, which depends on rainfall patterns, topography, and whether the mine workings are surface or underground. The other is the proximity of the pollution source to groundwater or surface waters, which depends on both the climate and geology. These factors influence the concentration and the quantity of polluted water forming and reaching the receiving water. Mining activities present a potential problem of enormous scale. Vast amounts of rock are mined each year2 and, as noted above, substantial problems have arisen at some mine sites. These problems are usually exceedingly costly to address, and it is imperative that these mistakes not be repeated. There are indications that we can accomplish this goal; we now better understand the processes that cause pollution and have methods to prevent or contain it. In addition, in the past few decades society has started to recognize the need for all industries to operate in a manner that maximizes the health and safety of workers and the public and minimizes adverse environmental impacts. A variety of recently enacted federal and state laws regulating public health and environmental hazards reflect the increasing concern over these issues. Many statutes, such as the federal Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, encompass activities undertaken by the mining industry. Other laws, such as the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, have been written to regulate specific hazards posed by this industry. At the present time, the federal government. through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and several state governments, are preparing new regulations specifically tailored to control the disposal of mining wastes. Given the magnitude of the potential environmental and health risks posed by disposal of mining wastes and the regulatory costs to the mining industry (both of which are due to the tremendous volume of waste generated), it is especially important that regulators have a good understanding of the different types of mining wastes and the risks they are likely to pose in various geographic and climatic circumstances. Only then can a regulatory program be designed with suitable procedures and substantive criteria to protect the environment and ensure compliance, while avoiding unnecessary or wasteful expenditures. California has long enjoyed a large, active mining industry. Today it produces a wide range of mineral commodities. The revenue from production of non-fuel minerals in California ($2.85 billion in 1988) greatly exceeds that of any other state. About a third of this revenue is from the production of inert sand, gravel and crushed stone. However, the remainder is from the production of a wide range of materials. These include boron minerals, rare earths, asbestos, talc and pyrophyllite, and gold. In earlier decades, an even broader range of minerals was produced, including mercury, copper, lead, zinc, and barite. There are acute environmental problems at some of these early mine sites. Because in 1987 the state of California was engaged in a revision of its regulations for mining waste disposal, the legislature commissioned a study by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley to investigate and review: the magnitude of the problem posed by these wastes, • the best feasible control measures available for waste management and disposal, • the problems of abatement and cleanup at so-called "problem" mine sites, • the current regulations imposed on mining waste disposal by various federal, state, and local agencies and the effectiveness of these regulations. This paper summarizes the principal findings from this study (Mining Waste Study, 1988). The lessons from this investigation are likely to be of general interest because of the diversity of mineral products produced, and the wide range of geographic and climatic conditions encountered. The acute problems seen at some of the older mines are typical of the western United States, and teach useful lessons on strategies that should be implemented at new mines to prevent recurrences of these problems.

Jan 1, 1992

By Otto W. Nuttli

THE magnetic method of prospecting is well suited to determination of faulting in the basement rock. In addition to establishing the horizontal position of the fault, it often furnishes valuable information concerning the depth and amount of faulting. Consider a simple case of a vertical fault, represented in cross-section in Fig. 1. Let A A' represent the plane of observation (ordinarily the surface of the earth), and BB'B"B"' the upper surface of the basement. Assume that the sedimentary rocks are nonmagnetic, so that the magnetic susceptibility of the material above the basement is zero. Let k indicate the susceptibility of the basement rock, c the density contrast between it and the neighboring sedimentary rocks, and the amount of vertical displacement. Fig. 1 shows the material, indicated by cross- hatching, which gives rise to the magnetic anomaly. In most cases it can be assumed that is small compared to the thickness of the sedimentary rocks. The semi-infinite, rectangular slab of rock of susceptibility k, density contrast , and thickness t may then be replaced by a semi-infinite sheet CC' of mass t per unit area at depth 2 (the mean depth of the slab). Nettleton 1 states that this approximation results in an error of less than 2 pct for the computed gravitational field intensity when t is as great as 2/2 and decreases rapidly for smaller values of t. By a theorem of Poisson, the magnetic field intensity can be determined readily from the gravitational field. The theorem states that W = (I/) • (U/i) i1 [1] where W is the magnetic potential associated with the structure, I is the intensity of magnetization which is assumed to have the direction of the inducing field, ? is the constant of gravitation, the density contrast, U the gravitational potential associated with the structure, i the direction of the inducing magnetic field, and i1 a unit vector in that direction. The multiplication indicated in Eq. 1 is

Jan 1, 1956

By A. F. Banks

INTRODUCTION Selective flocculation-flotation as a method of desliming potash flotation feed has been practiced in the Cominco Ltd. potash plant since November. 1974 when it was installed to replace a less efficient mechanical desliming process. The plant was designed for a consistent feed containing 4.5% insolubles. In practice the quantity and quality of the insoluble material is quite variable. This variability led to serious problems in the deslime circuit and consequently had an adverse effect on sylvite flotation performance. A costly mechanical solution to the problem was being seriously considered when it was drawn to our attention that a selective flocculation-flotation process had been developed. The process was tried first in the laboratory on the Cominco Ltd. ore, then on a pilot basis on 25% of the mill feed and finally full scale. The time from being informed of the process to full scale operation was 18 months. It has since been incorporated into a tailings regrind circuit. The original mine design called for the mining of an 11 foot height up to the top of the three clay seams. These had to be taken as they were a zone of structural weakness. It also assumed that the beds would be uniform with only a few disturbances. Very soon after the initial start up it was found that permanent openings had to take in the layers right up to the upper clay seams and because of the mining process that this material would have to be milled when encountered. The number of disturbed areas in the mine is greater than the design anticipated. In operation the insoluble content of the mill feed varies from 4.5% to 8% plus with the peaks being very short- term to relatively long, from hours to day. In terms of quality, the insolubles in the mining horizon are relatively soft and easily liberated, whereas those above are hard and liberate slowly.

Jan 1, 1979

By Charles M. Cooley

In these troubled times free enterprise is maintaining vital molybdenum output, while expanding plant, and bringing in new low grade ore reserves, at Climax, the world's largest known molybdenum deposit. Climax Molybdenum Co. is putting $25 million into additional surface plant facilities and other millions into underground development. The expansion program to be operating by 1954 includes a new mining level, crushing plant, 4000-ft conveyor, milling units, by-products plant, and housing for 198 families. Completion of this program and low grade plant will add 10,000 tons per day to present capacity and several million tons to ore reserves.

Jan 1, 1953

By Subhas G. Malghan

Feldspathic deposits occur widely throughout the United States, but North Carolina, California, Connecticut, and South Carolina accounted for over 80% of the total domestic feldspar output for the year 1973.1 Pegmatites and granites constitute the major feldspar reserves of the United States, 2 and in addition, feldspar is produced as a byproduct by firms whose major products are spodumene and mica. 3 Feldspar flotation is practiced in the United States, Mexico, Finland, Norway, West Germany, Japan, and the USSR. According to the US Bureau of Mines estimates, the production of feldspar in the United States and rest of the world were 704,000 and 2,514,000 t, respectively. Feldspar is principally used as a flux in making glass, pottery, porcelain, enamel, tile, and other ceramic products. In recent years, the domestic feldspar industry is faced with a number of problems. As a result of increased cost of energy and the introduction in 1972 of new legislative programs relating to air, water, and noise pollution, land-use restrictions, and mined-land rehabilitation, the production costs have increased. Apart from the increased cost of operation, an operational problem exists with the feldspar producers in North Carolina, especially those in the Spruce Pine area. This problem is concerned with the use of hydrofluoric acid in the feldspar flotation. Feldspar producers in Spruce Pine, NC, have been discharging process waste water into the North Toe River. The mill waste water contains active fluoride ions. Fluoride in excessive concentrations is undesirable in waters used for drinking. It is stated that water containing 0.9-1.0 ppm fluoride will seldom cause mottled enamel on children's teeth; and for adults, concentrations less than 3-4 are not likely to cause endemic cumulative fluorosis and skeletal effect. Although the literature on this subject is rather confusing and inconclusive, the inference that concentrations over 4 ppm may affect bone structure is clear. According to the recent Federal Register,4 maximum fluoride level of 1.4 ppm at 79°-98°F is considered to be adequate and safe for the protection of health of the consumers. The EPA and state environmental agencies have accelerated their drive to reduce water pollution on a faster schedule. By 1977, the EPA specifications for maximum contaminant level of fluoride ions in the discharge waters of feldspar milling operatins is expected to be reduced to 2.0 ppm. The other problems of using hydrofluoric acid are the following: toxicity, hazards of handling and storage, and high cost as compared to other inorganic acids (almost 16 times the cost of sulfuric acid). In order to reduce fluoride levels in mill discharge waters, mining companies have taken the following steps: I) Recirculating a part of their mill water. Even though recirculation of mill water seems to be a novel method of reducing fluoride contamination of the discharge water, there are certain operational and handling problems. 2) Conducting research on the treatment of fluorides in mill waste water. The technology of treatment of fluoride ions has received considerable interest in the recent years. A recent research report5 estimates that the cost of fluoride ion removal to meet the present specifications in the feldspar industry is approximately $0.25/t of ore processed, and about $0.50/t of feldspar produced. At the request of the feldspar producing industries in North Carolina, the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Minerals Research Laboratory has taken up a research program directed towards overcoming the fluoride ion pollution problem. After a close study of the operational, technical, and economic aspects of feldspar flotation, it was decided to attempt to replace the conventional hydrofluoric acid process. Conventional Feldspar Flotatin Using Hydrofluoric Acid Since the inception of the feldspar flotation process using hydrofluoric acid by O'Meara2,6 the process has achieved a great commercial success. In the conventional flotation separation of feldspar-quartz, hydrofluoric acid is used to suppress quartz and activate feldspar, and a long chain amine salt (acetate or chloride) is used as a collector. The bulk of amine collectors used in current feldspar operations are applied as the water-soluble acetates of the free-base amines. These products are pastes or waxy solids which are available in a range of acetic acid neutralization levels generally 50 to 100% neutralized. In spite of the problems mentioned in connection with the use of hydrofluoric acid, this process is extremely stable with respect to changes in the process variables. With the exception of a few operations, alaskite and pegmatite are the major sources of feldspar.7 In the flotation treatment of a pegmatite that contains iron-bearing minerals (heavy minerals), mica, feldspar, and silica, a logical order of removal presents itself considering the following:8 1) Mica is readily floated by an amine collector in a pulp pH 3.5. Some iron-bearing minerals will usually respond to amine collector in acid circuit with the mica concentrate. 2) Since iron minerals tend to occur invariably in the feldspar concentrate, it is desirable to remove most of these prior to feldspar flotation. A fatty acid or a petroleum sulfonate collector used in this flotation step in acid circuit will float iron-bearing minerals. 3) Using hydrofluoric acid to maintain pH of 2.5, an amine collector employed in a final step will float feldspar away from silica, usually leaving the latter in the tailing as a high-grade silica concentrate. The problems connected with the flotation separation of feldspar-quartz arise due to the similarities in their chemical structure. Therefore, any reagent system that is likely to succeed in feldspar-quartz separation should have adsorption affinity towards one of the minerals and depression effect towards the other mineral.

Jan 1, 1979

By H. H. Podgurski, J. C. M. Li, Y. T. Chou, F. N. Davis, R. A. Oriani

When an Fe-2 pct A1 alloy is nitrogemted at 500ºC with a gus tnixture (NH3-H2) in which the nitrogen activity has been kept Lou] enough to avoid the formation of iron nitride, a two-phase alloy is generuled which consists of AlN particles and a ferrite phase cotaining a heavy network of dislocations. The amount of nitrogen contained in such an alloy, when equilibrated with the nitrogenating atmosphere, far exceeds both that needed to satisfy the normal solution requirements of a Fe and that needed to convert all of the aluninuwi to AlN. This excess nitrogen is accounted for as being trapped on dislocations, adsorbed at the ferrite -AlN interface, and as an en-Iuznced lattice solubility in strained ferrite. This excessive uptake of nitrogen had previously been attribuled by other investigators to the formation of a nonstoichiornetric aluminum nitride. Isotope exchange experiments revealed various amomts of exchargeable N14 present in the originally nitrided samples that could not be removed by reduction with HS at 500ºC. This exchangeable nitrogen has been identified us that bound to the AlN -ferrite interface. Estimates of inter facial areas in alloys containing -3 pct by weight of A1N are as high as 10 sq m per g of alloy. ThE first1 of this series of papers described the experiments forming the basis for the elucidation of the mechanism of the formation of aluminum nitride particles within an Fe-A1 alloy. It was found that not only are dislocations necessary for the nucleation of the AlN particles but also the nitriding reaction in turn produces a dense network of dislocations in the ferrite matrix. It was also observed that nitrogen in excess of that needed for the formation of stoichiometric AIN is taken up by the alloy without the formation of an iron nitride. The present paper is an analysis of the excess nitrogen sorbed by the nitrided Fe-A1 alloy which considers the structure generated by the formation of the aluminum nitride particles. Because of the high density of dislocations, this system has proved to be quite useful in studying nitrogen-dislocation interactions. Wriedt and Darken2 have already reported such studies in a cold-worked ferritic steel. EXPERIMENTAL Nitrogen Sorption. The specimens of this alloy were cold worked (50 pct reduction) to 0.011 in. thickness and chemically cleaned in a 2:1 concentrated phosphoric acid-50 pct hydrogen peroxide solution before nitrogenation. The flowing nitrogenating atmosphere (11 pct NH3-89 pct H2) was established before the ni- trogenating temperature was reached. The same gravimetric and gas-flow equipment described in an earlier paper1 was also used in this investigation. Changes in nitrogen concentration were followed gravimetrically when establishing the isotherms. In the isotope exchange experiments, concentration changes were followed volumetrically. In some instances chemical analyses (Kjeldahl method) were used to check for material balances in both the gravimetric and volumetric procedures. Our objective was to obtain reversible nitrogen sorption isotherms for alloys equilibrated with NH3-H2 gas mixtures over a large range of nitrogen activity* and temperature. The *Defined as equal to PN H /P3/2 ,where P corresponds to partial pressure in atmospheres. Actually the nitrogen activity, aN, in the alloy equals K PNH3 /p3/2H2, where K is the equilibrium constant for the reaction NH3 = N + 3/2H2. upper limit for nitrogen activity was below that which would produce iron nitride; for reasons which will become apparent later, most of the sorption studies were made in the temperature range between 400" and 500'C. The alloy sample studied most extensively in this investigation was given a series of successive reductions (100 pct H2) and nitrogenating treatments at 500°C to attain a stabilized structure. Presumably some dislocations were lost during these treatments. Throughout most of the sorption studies, temperature was held at ± 1°C and the gas-phase composition was held to k0.2 pet NH3. Based upon the results of numerous diffusion experiments with this alloy* the 'Results to be published in a third paper of this series. times chosen for equilibration were considered more than adequate, Nitrogen Isotope Exchange. The first exchange experiments were carried out by circulating a measured quantity of H2 and NH3* (with a predetermined isotopic *The NH3 was synthesized over a synthetic ammonia iron catalyst using H2, and N2, enriched with N15. AS the NH3 was formed it was removed continuously from the gas phase by circulating the mixture through a refrigerated (78ºK) trap. When most of the nitrogen had been converted to NH3, it was distilled from the trap into a glass storage vessel. composition, N15/N14) over a nitrided specimen at 450°C in a closed glass system. Attempts to reach the exchange limit isothermally, i.e., an isotopic ratio (N15/N14) in the gas phase identical with the extractable nitrogen in the nitrided alloy, were futile. The exchange rate between the gas phase and the alloy was too slow, involving many days. To circumvent the slow exchange with the gas phase, measured amounts of N15 and N14 were introduced into the alloy by nitrogenating with an NH3-H2, mixture at 500°C containing an N15/N14 ratio of 7.76; the charged specimens were then sealed by allowing an oxide film to form over them in air, and in this final condition the specimens were subjected to 500°C in vacuum for various times during which isotope exchange was allowed to proceed within the specimen. It was estab-

Jan 1, 1970

By Lynn C. Jacobsen

Among the unforeseen consequences of the 1973 Arab oil embargo has been a considerable array of new or increased taxes on the so-called energy minerals. These taxes will be the subject of this report. Both Federal and State taxes have been enacted, but I will be concerned mostly with state severance taxes and particularly those on uranium. Severance taxes are considered to include all taxes having the distinctive feature of being applied on a natural resource at the stage of extraction. The tax may be based on units of production or on value, and if on values it may be on gross value or on gross value less either arbitrary or cost-related deductions. The tax has a number of aliases - resource excise tax, conservation tax, privilege tax, mining excise tax, ad valorem production tax, and more - and this makes comparison of tax burdens among states difficult. The windfall profit tax on oil is an example of a severance tax at the Federal level. Severance taxes are an established feature of state tax systems, but they continue to be a controversial issue, and proposals to raise or modify existing severance taxes are regularly submitted to the legislatures of the Western energy producing states. No concensus exists as to what is a reason- able and proper level of severance taxation or to the form it should take. The taxes which have been adopted by the various states reflect the interaction of a variety of interests and the specific circum- stances in each state. What follows is a summary of theoretical, practical, and emotional viewpoints and arguments that surface in any statehouse in which a severance tax bill has been introduced. The New Mexico experience will be heavily relied upon. THE ECONOMISTS Marginal effects. A severance tax which is based on a gross percentage of revenue or on units of production is a constant addition to variable costs, and to the mine operator has the same effect as any other increase in operating costs. The direction of these effects is straightforward: the tax will cause the property to have a lowered present value, to be mined at a lower rate than without the tax, raise the minimum grade that will be mined, lead to lower total recovery, make marginal properties sub-marginal and discriminate in favor of richer, more profitable operations (Lockner, 1965; Steele, 1967). In the short run, production facilities are fixed and imposition of a severance tax will have little effect on production levels. In the longer term, capital is mobile and investment and exploration expenditures will shift from minerals and jurisdictions with high taxes to those with low taxes. Over a considerable range of taxation the effect will be to change the relative position of the taxing state, but an overly optimistic evaluation of the capacity of mineral producers to absorb a tax can bring an industry to a halt. It is generally acknowledged that imposition of high severance taxes on taconite in Minnesota stopped development completely, and that only the adoption of a constitutional amendment limiting the amount of taxes that could be imposed in the future brought the firms back and encouraged them to make the huge investments required (Weaton, 1969). A tax which is a percentage of the net operating income (gross revenue less cash operating costs) does not influence the cut-off grade for recovery nor change the time preference for extraction, and hence, is free of the negative features of the tax applied to gross revenues or units of production. In theory it is a more efficient tax but relative administrative complexity and inherent difficulty in predicting revenue have discouraged its use. The Wyoming severance tax on uranium, which uses grade of ore as well as price in establishing taxable value, is the most cost related, and hence, the most neutral and efficient of the various state severance taxes on uranium. Economic rent. Despite the discrimination and the anti-conservation aspect inherent in most severance taxes, economists generally endorse their use because they are seen as a vehicle to appropriate rents - that is, returns greater than the long-run competitive supply price. Conspicuous examples of supposed economic rents are the returns to oil producers because of the OPEC cartel, the returns of the uranium producers under AEC buying contracts in the 19501s, and the high prices obtained by the uranium producers for contracts entered into in the 1976-1979 period. Mining of coal in the Western states is believed by some to generate huge economic rents because of the OPEC caused increase in price of a competitive fuel (McLure, 1978, p. 261), and possibly because of clean air regulations favoring the burning of low-sulfur coal. In theory, such surplus returns could be taxed completely away without affecting supply. In practice, the situation is more complex (Steele, 1967, pp. 234-236); economic rent of mineral production is an elusive quantity involving as it does replacement costs, and technical and market risk, and it, like beauty or pornography, probably exists mostly in the eye of the beholder. Rent may also be perceived to be present in the upper portion of a cyclic market which also has a downside. Where rent exists, it is almost certain to be short-lived - cartels self- destruct, government subsidies end, competitive adjustments occur - but the taxes imposed to capture it tend to be immortal. There is little doubt that the perception of un- usual and undeserved (obscene) profits in the mid- and late 1970's was a major factor in the adoption of energy mineral taxes strikingly higher than had been previously considered. At the New Mexico legislature of 1977 supporters of a moderate tax were repeatedly confronted with some variant of the statement, "You can't expect me to believe that a

Jan 1, 1982

By Nicholas J. Grant, John S. Benjamin

A series of composite alloys containing a high volume of NiAl, Ni3Ah or CoAl, bonded with 0 to 40 vol pct of a ductile metal phase, were prepared by powder blending and hot extrusion. The binder metals were of four types: pure nickel or cobalt, near saturated solid solutions of aluminum in nickel and cobalt, type 316 stainless steel, and niobium. Sound extrusions were obtained in almost all instances. Studied or measured were the following: interaction between the alunzinides and the binders, room-temperature modulus of rupture values, 1500° and 1800°F stress rupture properties, hardness, structure, and oxidation resistance. Stable structures can be produced for 1800°F exposure, with interesting high-temperature strength and good high-temperature ductility. Oxidation resistance was excellent. A large number of experimental investigations have been made of the role of structure on the properties of cermets and composite materials. Gurland,1 Kreimer et al.,2 and Gurland and Bardzil3 have indicated the preferred particle size in carbide base cermets to be about 1 µ, with a hard phase content of 60 to 80 vol pct. The optimum ductile binder thickness was noted to be 0.3 to 0.6 µ.1 Complete separation of the hard phase particles by the binder is important in reducing the severity of brittle fracture.' The purpose of the present study was to produce structures comparable to the conventional cermets, using a series of relatively close-packed intermetal-lic compounds rather than carbides as the refractory hard phase, and to study the effects of binder content and composition on both high- and low-temperature properties. The selected intermetallic compounds were particularly of interest because of the potential they offered in yielding room-temperature ductility. The highly symmetrical structures are known to possess high-temperature ductility and room-temperature toughness. Based on a ductile binder, the alloys were prepared by the powder-metallurgy route to avoid melting and subsequent alloying of the matrix, and were extruded at relatively low temperatures. It was expected that the composite alloy would retain useful ductility. In contrast, infiltration and high-temperature sintering led to alloying of the matrix and to decreased ductility. The systems Ni-A1 and Co-A1 were selected for this study. In the Ni-A1 system the compounds NiA1, having an ordered bcc B2 structure, and Ni3Al(?1), having an ordered fcc L12 structure, were chosen. In the system Co-A1 the intermetallic compound CoAl with an ordered bcc B2 structure was used. ALLOY PREPARATION The intermetallic compounds, see Table I, were prepared by using master alloys of Ni-A1 and CO-A1, with additions of either cobalt or nickel to achieve the desired compositions. The master alloy in crushed, homogenized form, was melted with pure nickel or cobalt in an inert atmosphere, cold copper crucible, nonconsumable tungsten arc furnace. The resultant intermetallic compounds were homogenized at 2192°C in argon, crushed, and dry ball-milled in a stainless mill to -100 and -325 mesh for the Ni-A1 compounds and to -325 mesh for the CoAl compound. Finer fractions were separated for some of the composite alloys. Several ductile binders were utilized. These included Inco B nickel, 5µ ; pure cobalt, 5 µ, from Sher-ritt Gordon Mines, Ltd.; fine (-325 mesh) niobium hydride powder; fine (15 µ) type 316 stainless-steel powder; and near-saturated Ni-A1 and Co-A1 solid-solution alloys, also in fine powder form. The niobium hydride was decomposed above about 700°C in processing of the compacts in vacuum to produce niobium powder. The Ni-7.1 pct A1 and the Co-5.3 pct A1 solid-solution alloys were prepared from pure nickel or cobalt and pure aluminum by nonconsumable tungsten arc melting under an inert atmosphere. The ingots were homogenized, lathe-turned to fine chips, and dry ball-milled in air to -325 mesh powder. These solid-solution alloys are designated NiSS and CoSS; see Table I. Subsequently the hard and ductile phases were dry ball-milled as a blend. Experiments clearly established the need to coat the hard particles with the ductile binder to optimize subsequent hot compaction by extrusion. Ordinary dry mixing usually resulted in nonhomogeneous alloys which were quite brittle. Conventional cermets are consolidated by liquid phase sinteiing or infiltration, which resulis in undesirable and uncontrolled alloying of the binder phase. For this study, a loose (unsintered) powder-extrusion process was emploved, minimizing reactions between binder and hard particle, thereby permitting much greater control of composition and structure. The constituent powders were first mixed in the desired

Jan 1, 1967

By H. W. Hitzrot

*Original Pages Missing From Book

Jan 5, 1954

By Axel Hultgren

IN ingots of silicon-killed carbon steel made without addition of - aluminum, transparent spherical or nearly spherical inclusions, up to about 0.15-mm diameter, are generally present. They may be glassy or crystallized, wholly or partially. In steels of high carbon contents they consist of silica,4,12 in steels of lower carbon contents arid, in consequence, higher oxygen contents, of iron-manganese-silicate with higher iron and manganese contents the lower the carbon content. Small silicate inclusions, about 0.01 mm or smaller, may occur, just as sulphide inclusions do, in portions that have been the last or nearly the last to freeze,10,12,17 this location being verified by primary etching.10 Hence, it may be concluded that they have separated from liquid steel that has become enriched in oxygen through segregation during freezing. Silicate inclusions with a diameter larger than about 0.02 mm appear, at least in ingots of moderate size, to be distributed at random in relation to the primary structure and therefore may be assumed to have existed as droplets in the liquid steel before freezing started at the point in question. The average size of such large inclusions has been found to increase toward the axis17 and their amount to increase from the top downward in the axial region .2,10 It has been assumed that this accumulation is a result of the droplets being brought down by the slowly settling metal crystals.2 It has been suggested that large silicate inclusions generally form,6 or may form," by coagulation of smaller ones, or by small drops being caught by larger ones during the rising of the latter.9 The occasional occurrence of a large inclusion surrounded by a swarm of small ones has been taken as a proof of this mechanism but, as suggested later, may be explained in another way. It has been pointed out that an inclusion droplet in the liquid steel may grow at the expense of an adjacent one, which implies diffusion of soluble inclusion-forming elements in the liquid steel.15 Further, it has been pointed out that, on cooling in ladle or mold, the metal-silicate equilibrium is displaced in the direction of separation of silicate. Thus inclusions may grow in size and amount.2,3,8,12,13,17,19,20 The exposure of the liquid steel to the oxygen of the air during tapping and pouring, and the consequent reaction, has been mentioned as a source of the formation of inclusions19,20 but this possibility has not received particular attention. Further, the admixture of furnace slag during tapping' or of refractory material from various sources1,20 has been considered. The inclusions due to the latter may be recognized, however, through their resistance to hydrofluoric acid, imparted by the alumina content. Silicate inclusions, are often referred to as. the natural and inevitable product of reaction on adding silicon or silicon

Jan 1, 1948

By Everett M. (Original by) White

Numerous articles have been written about the coal mine ; he has been compared with brave men who have gone out to conquer some unknown hazard throughout the ages. Now, however, modern mining is no longer something to be avoided, but a vocation that anyone can be proud of, with remuneration equal to or above that of almost any industry. A concerted effort is being made each day by both the operators of most mines as well as the state and federal inspectors to see that coal mines are as safe or safer than work places in any other industry. How- ever, it is true that mine fires and explosions have occurred in the mining industry since its inception. One of the earliest accurate references to such an occurrence is found in the transactions of the Royal Society of London. In the Colliery Managers' Handbook, 1898, Caleb Pamely writes of an explosion that occurred at Fatfield, England in August 1708, resulting in the deaths of 69 persons. He states: "Three of them, viz, two men and a woman, were blown quite up from the bottom of the shaft, fifty-seven fathoms deep, into the air, to a considerable distance from the mouth of the pit." It is interesting to note that women were employed as miners in England during that period. In the United States, the first record of coal mined was in 1702 by the Jamestown colonists. In 1786, about 20 years after Pittsburgh, PA was first settled, a charter was granted by William Penn to mine coal on the banks of the Monongahela River. Then in 1803, the first important coal company, the Lehigh Coal Co., was established. From this beginning, the mining industry continued to grow in importance and the first state mining law was formulated in 1870. The Pennsylvania state mining law was followed in 1873 by Ohio's, and in 1876 by Maryland's. A mine explosion at Avondale, PA in 1869 stimulated state legislatures to formulate these early laws. In 1907 near the town of Fairmont, WV, there were, within three days, two explosions resulting in a total of 597 deaths. Because of this, the federal government took action and by 1910, the US Bureau of Mines had been established. This was perhaps the most significant change in health and safety for miners during the first half of the 20th century as the USBM concentrated its entire efforts in the study, research, and testing of methods totally directed towards improvement of the health and safety of the miner. After a mine disaster in Illinois, a federal law was passed in 1940 calling for federal coal mine inspectors. Then in 1969, Congress enacted the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act following a mine explosion near Farmington, WV. In 1977, the law was revised and included noncoal mining operations.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. K. Snelgrove

This symposium is designed to marshal a state-of-the-art account of approaches and solutions to problems arising out of waterlogging and salinization in the world's largest irrigation system which was dismembered by legal beheading of the Eastern Rivers under the lndus Waters Treaty of 1960. In this introduction, the geological and historical backgrounds of surface waters and groundwaters in the Indus Basin are presented with a summary of remedial measures undertaken and proposed to combat waterlogging and salinization. At a time when water-resource planning is proceeding on a continental scale, a study devoted solely to the Indus River Basin may seem to require an apologia. None is offered, however, for three major reasons: (1) Although the Indus is a single river basin, it is one of great magnitude and importance. The Indus River, which comes from Himalayan sources to form part of the great Indo-Gangetic Plain drainage system, is vital to agriculture and hydroelectric power in the thickly populated northern subcontinent of Indo-Pakistan. (2) The Indus has become a plexus of extraordinary problems since the dismemberment of the world's largest irrigation system of which it was a part. The break-up of this system occurred with the legal beheading of the Eastern Waters under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. (3) Th River Basin has been the target of a Herculean effort to contain the twin encroachments of waterlogging and salinization that now threaten it with a shortage of fresh water. The British irrigation system of barrages and canal on the Indus was a venture admirable in conception. Unfortunately, it is now a legacy burdened with unwanted consequences due to interference with the hydrological regimen, particularly the rise of water table occasioned by leakage. To cope with this situation, there has been a possibly unprecedented concentration of domestic and international engineering and scientific talent on the Indus and its problems (about a score of organizations by recent count). To marshal a state-of-the-art account of their approaches and solutions is the purpose of this Symposium. The coordinated effort now being made on a variety of fronts under the general supervision of West Pakistan Water and Power Authority (WAPDA) is directed toward the modification and control of interactions and relationships between geological materials — soils, water and its salt balance, and air —in what has been termed a huge "underground lake" in an alluvial basin. The problem is an intriguing one in that a highly complicated case history of river-course changes visible in the present surface must be projected downwards through Recent and Pleistocene sediments in order to decipher the environmental controls of deposition in terms of vertical and lateral variations in lithology and patterns. Such studies must be extended to compaction, deformation, and fabrics of the alluvium. Geohydrology is often defined as groundwater hydrology. As employed herein, it includes the distribution, quality, and behavior of surface and subsurface waters, including their evolution, vagaries, and geological, climatological, and botanical milieux." GEOGRAPHY The Indus (Sanskrit, Sindhu = river) rises at nearly 17,000 ft above the sea in the glaciers on the northern slopes of Kailas Parbat, Tibet. It is about 1800 miles long and has a total drainage area estimated at 372,000 sq miles. The average discharge is 196,000 cfs at mouth. Leaving the Plateau of Tibet, the river flows at a level which is miles above the sea, and in places miles below Himalayan peaks, in a structurally controlled northwestward course. Joined in this course by six tributaries and swollen by the melt waters of giant glaciers, it swirls about the base of the famous

Jan 1, 1970

By J. B. Cheatham, C. E. Murphey

Presently, computer control of Borobolic direction cannot be obtained during drilling, and most straight-holc drilling methods attempt to resist hole deviation rather than control direction. Many of the theories advanced as possible explanations of the cause of hole deviation are Summarized berein. A new correlation of physical partables is introduced to indicate bow factors such iis drill collar stiffness clearance and hit weight influence borehole deviation, .A methord is proposed for predicting the rate of change of hole angle when drilling conditions are changed. INTRODUCTION Control of borehole direction during drilling can be difficult and costly. Unintentional crooked holes are often lrilleti in dipping formations and many times directional drilling is required when the surface location is not directly above the target area —- for example, at offshore and mountainous locations. Prilllng progress can be greatly hindered in either air or liquid drilling when it be comes necessary to use low bit weight to prevent excessive hole angle build-up. If hole inclination becomes too great, drill pipe drag becomes excessive and fishing risks are increased, logging is more difficult and problems of differential sticking, key seating and fatigue failures may be encountered. Dog-legs and key seats are more serious problems than steep inclination angles: therefore, reducing rate of direction change is preferred to attempting to maintain absolutely vertical holes. Consequently, a straight inclineti hole is preferable to a nearly vertical crooked hole containing numerous dog-legs. In this paper, theories of the cause of hole deviation and analyses of drill string behavior under down-hole conclitions are summarized. Methods for computing hole deviation are presented und systems for resisting deviation as well as neans for provic!ing control of holt- direction are iliscusseI. A new correlation of physical variables is introduced tu indicate how factors such as drill collar stiffness, clearance and bit weight influence borehole deviation. A method is oroposeti for predicting the rate of change of hole anFrle when drilling conditions are clianged. IIEVIEU' OF PREVIOUS WORK ON HOIaE DEVIATION Significant progress in the theoretical analysis of hole deviation problems has been made in the past 1 5 years. The pioneering work has been primarily a result of the efforts of Lubinski and Woods.l-5 In 1950, Lubinski 1 considered the buckling of a drill string in a straig:rt vertical hole, a problem also considered by Willers6 in 1941. It wns concluded that very low bit weights must be used to prevent hole deviation resulting from drill collar buckling. The use of conventional stabilizers was proposed2 in 1951 by Mac Donald and Lubinski as a method for permitting greater Sit weights to he carried without drill collar buckling. These authors pointed out that a 2° nearly vertical spiral hole can cause severe key seatinp, and drill pine near, wilereas n 3 straight inclined hole with deviation all in one direction, while not vertical, will not result in serious drillirig or producing problems. Studies were continued with an investigation of straight inclined holes by Lubinski and Woods3 in 1953. In this paper they concluded that perfectlv vertical holes cannot be drilled even in isotropic forriations unless extremely low bit P-eights are used. .l'l~ey postulated that constant drilling conditions produce holes of constant inclination angle and varying conditions cause the hole to drill at a neiv equilibrium angle. This analysis was not concerned with drill string buckling since it was based on an equilibrium solution in which the ~irill string Was presumed to lie along the lower side of the hole abcrve the point of tangency. Weight of the drill collars below the point of tangency tends to force the hole toyard the vertical, whereas the weight on hit tends to force the hole aurav from the vertica l. The concept of an anisotropic formation Lvas introduced as an empirical method for explaining actual drilling data and as a means for extrapolating known deviation data to otiier conditions of hit

Jan 1, 1967

By Michael D. Fenton

The very modest-sized mineral industry of Afghanistan was burdened for another year with problems of internal strife occassioned by the presence of Soviet armed forces. Despite this, production of the few traditional commodities continued, and the mineral industry moved to develop additional mines and plants for both traditional and new products with considerable technical and construction assistance from the U.S.S.R. Among the limited range of mineral commodities for which production was reported, there were no startling changes between 1984 and 1985. Production of both coal and natural gas advanced only slightly, despite substantially higher 5-year plan goals, and cement output was down marginally. Probably the most significant development in 1985 was the Possibility that mine and/or smelter production of copper was initiated during the year.

Jan 1, 1987

By William I. Gardner

Optimum design of a structure obviously requires a thorough knowledge of the materials to be utilized in its construction. When the structure is a tunnel, a most important element in its design and construction is the geology. As a tunnel may be many miles in length and at depths of hundreds or thousands of feet, we face a real problem to meet the needs of the designer and builder. How can we determine the properties of our construction materials in this situation? Engineering geology has had a formidable challenge to meet the requirements of conventional excavation methods; the advent of machine methods for rapid excavation compounds the requirements for more detailed and more precise geological knowledge of the tunnel site. This chapter will discuss the means now at our disposal to meet the challenge to produce the required data on the tunnel site in the preconstruction stage. Our considerations will be directed towards construction of a free-flow tunnel, primarily in fractured rock formations, without any requirements for the rock mechanics type of in-situ tests that might be made for a pressure tunnel or for a large opening for an underground power plant. In essence the investigation must determine: (1) The geologic conditions affecting the type of construction equipment and excavation method of the rock to be broken and removed. (2) The quantities of water and gas to be encountered. (3) The strength and stability of the material surrounding the bore and its need for support and lining. GEOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING TUNNEL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The engineer or contractor may classify the rock as either competent or incompetent or more pointedly as "good" or "bad" ground. The geologist may bestow a precise petrographic name upon the rock, such as granodiorite or indurated tuff breccia or name the formation, as Mancos shale, for

Jan 1, 1970

By M. E. Fine, A. A. Henderson

Investigation of the tensile properties of silver based aluminum alloy crystals was undertaken because it appeared attractive for studying strengthening effects due to Suzuki locking with minimum complication. Yield drops were observed in all alloy crystals (1, 2. 3. 4, and 6 at. pct Al) after strain aging at room temperature. No yield drops were found in similarly grown and tested silver crystals. The yield effects are attributed to Suzuki locking but the major portion of the solid solution strengthening to other mechanisms. INVESTIGATION of the tensile properties of single crystds of silver alloyed with aluminum was undertaken because it appeared to be a system in which segregation at stacking faults associated with partial dislocations1 would be the dominant factor in anchoring dislocations. First, silver and aluminum have closely similar atomic sizes and thus solute atom locking of a dislocation due to elastic interactions should be unimportant. Second, while both X-ray2 and thermodynamic3 investigations show short-range ordering in silver-based aluminum alloys, the degree of local order is quite small (X-ray measurements give v = EAB - 1/2(EAA + EBB) = - 0.025 ev and thermodynamic measurements give v r -0.007 ev) and should not be important in strengthening dilute alloys. Third, the stacking fault energy of silver is probably low (as indicated by the profusity of annealing twins) and is very likely diminished further and quite rapidly by aluminum additions since the A1-Ag phase diagram shows a stable hexagonal phase at only 25 at. pct Al. Also, a careful investigation in this laboratory4 has shown that the ratio of twin to normal grain boundaries in recrystallized alloys increases with aluminum content. Thus, with minimum complication from other factors, Ag-A1 alloys seem attractive for studying strengthening effects due to segregation at stacking faults of extended dislocations. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD Single crystals measuring 250 by 5 by 1.5 mm of pure Ag (99.99 pct) and Ag-A1 alloys (A1 of 99.999 pct purity) of nominal compositions* 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 at. pct were grown in high-purity graphite molds from the melt under a dynamic vacuum (1 x l0-5 mm Hg). The technique consisted of moving a furnace having a hot zone (which melted about 0.5 cm of alloy) over a horizontal, evacuated quartz tube con- taining the mold and alloy at a rate of 3/8 in. per hr. Chemical analysis showed roughly the first inch of the crystal to be solute poor, the last inch solute rich; and the center section uniform in composition within the sensitivity of the analytical method (± 0.2 at. pct Al). The center section of the crystal was cut into five specimens. Gage lengths of reduced cross section, measuring from 1.5 to 2 cm in length, were mechanically introduced by means of jeweler&apos;s files and fine abrasive cloth with the crystal firmly held in polished steel guides. One-third of the cross section was then removed by etching and electro-polishing, the crystals were all subsequently annealed for several days at 850°C in a dynamic vacuum (<1 x 10-5 mm Hg) and furnace cooled to 200°C. The crystal orientations were determined using the usual back-reflection Laue technique. The Laue spots were sharp and of the same size as the incident beam. However, microscopic examination showed the crystals to contain substructures with subgrains of the order of a micron in diameter. The details of this substructure are presently under investigation. Tensile testing was done with a table model Instron using a cross-head speed of 0.002 in. per min. For testing at various temperatures the following media were used: 1) 415oK, hot ethylene glycol; 2) 296ºK, air, acetone, water; 3) 273ºK, ice water; 4) 258ºK, ethylene glycol "ice" in ethylene glycol; 5) 200°K, dry ice in acetone; 6) 77ºK, liquid nitrogen. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS A) Yield Behavior—A portion of an interrupted stress-strain curve for a 6 at. pct A1 crystal of the indicated orientation tested at room temperature is shown in Fig. 1. Initially, at (a), there is a small, gradual yield drop of about 10 mg per sq mm2. However, on stopping the test, and aging for a few minutes at (b), a sharp yield drop is found. Aging for longer times at (c) and (dl results in larger yield drops (and larger AT&apos;S). At, defined in Fig. 1, is usually larger than the yield drop by about 20 pct; however, this increase in the lower yield is transient since extrapolations of the flow stress curves join as may be seen from Fig. 1. (Both Laue and low-angle scattering photographs revealed no evidence of precipitation in a strain-aged 6 at. pct A1 crystal.)

Jan 1, 1962

By David A. Monaghan, Kenneth R. Maser, Adi R. Gurdar, D. Randolph Berry

SUMMARY The objective of this program was to develop a system to extinguish coal mine fires by remote sealing of the underground passageways. The system developed had to be versatile enough to function under a wide range of operating conditions, including large variations in passageway geometry, depth of mine, water conditions, both in the mine and at the surface, and rubble in the mine passage. The system developed had to include instrumentation for the remote probing of the passageway prior to sealing, a system for sealing the mine passages, and instrumentation for remote monitoring of the quality of the seal during and after construction. These objectives were successfully achieved during this program. The remote mine sealing capability of the system was satisfactc rely demonstrated in a field test conducted at the Eastern Associated Coal Corporation Federal No. 1 Mine in Grant Town, West Virginia. The remote sealing consists of: (1) A sonar initial probing system which can operate satisfactorily even in the presence of dense smoke. The system is capable of determining both the local passageway geometry, identifying the presence of cribs and other obstructions, and the position of the borehole in the mine passage. (2) A mine sealing material system which utilizes fly ash for making the complete seal or as a bulk filler in conjunction with a urethane, froth foam, seal topping system. The choice of using fly ash alone or fly ash with foam topping depends on a number of factors, such as quality of seal desired, time available per seal, depth of borehole, passageway geometry, and water holding require¬ment. The fly ash-foam seal is a better seal, capable of sealing against a higher water head than fly ash alone. The fly ash sealing

Jan 1, 1973