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By A. Cichowicz

The objective of this work is to quantify the effect of the rock mass surrounding a stope or a tunnel on the seismic signal so that the rockburst damage on the excavation can be derived. It has been shown that the transfer function of rock mass surrounding an excavation can be modelled using a damped oscillator. The method of estimating the transfer function is extended in this paper. The parameters of a damped oscillator are estimated using inversion techniques and the transfer function is modelled as a time-varying system. The technique is tested on data acquired at three different sites in two deep gold mines. Employment of a modal model of the transfer function was suitable in two cases. Application of this technique is essential to track the time variation of the natural frequency during ground motion caused by a seismic event.

Jan 1, 1999

By Clayton J. Parr

Introduction This chapter contains brief discussions of various environmental protection requirements that relate to underground mining operations. Environmental disturbances at an underground mining operation can result from subsidence; water discharges; waste dumps; construction and operation of access roads and utility lines; construction and operation of surface facilities such as maintenance shops, bathhouses, and storage yards; and emanation of dust and noise from surface crushers. Construction and operation of a concentrator or washing plant may result in the emission of air pollutants, the discharge of water pollutants, the creation of noise, and disturbance of the surface. Tailings ponds can be the source of fugitive dust.1 This chapter is not intended to provide a detailed discussion and analysis of laws and regulations dealing with environmental protection. Rather, its purpose is to provide the engineer with a basic awareness of the existence and nature of such laws and regulations, as well as the procedural requirements that must be followed in complying with them. The body of law relating to environmental protection has grow" very rapidly and should continue to do to for some time. Because many of the laws have been enacted recently, numerous court decisions are being rendered to resolve disputes over their interpretation. Hence, the reader is cautioned to be alert for subsequent modifications of statutes and regulations, and new case law. Rules and regulations pertaining to environmental protection are implemented at all governmental levels. The most widely known laws are those enacted by the federal government that have nationwide applicability. However, separate requirements exist in each state, county, and municipality. Because of their general applicability, federal laws are discussed most extensively in this chapter. Ownership of the property is the most significant factor considered in ascertaining what rules govern the conduct of an operation thereon. If the land is held under lease, reference to the lease terms must be made in the first instance to determine what obligations must be met in order to prevent default and possible loss of the property. If the land is held under a lease from the federal government, the operator is subject not only to compliance with the lease terms, but also to a large body of laws and administrative regulations that pertain generally to the conduct of mining operations on land held under federal leases. Although operations on unpatented mining claims, the legal title to which remains in the federal government, are not subject to the same rules and regulations that are applicable to operations conducted pursuant to federal leases or permits, they soon will be governed by a special set of regulations that provide for protection of surface resource.2 Operations conducted on lands leased from a state usually are subject to numerous environmental protection requirements specified in the lease terms, in addition to rules and regulations promulgated by the state agency having jurisdiction over mining on state lands. Operations conducted on privately held lands are subject to fewer such requirements. Leases from private parties sometimes have environmental protection and reclamation requirements written into them, but generally to a far lesser extent than governmental leases. Operations conducted on properties owned by the operator are subject only to those laws and regulations that have general applicability without regard to land ownership. COAL SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 1977 Introduction On Aug. 3, 1977, the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 was signed into law.3 It governs coal-mine operations on private lands, as well as on public lands. The Act is pervasive in its scope and is extremely long and complex. The basic purpose of the Act is to control and minimize the environmental effects of surface coal mining. Surface coal-mining operations are defined as activities conducted on the surface of lands in connection with a surface coal mine and surface impacts incident to an underground coal mine.4 The Act is administered by the Secretary of the Interior through a new agency named the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.5 The Act contains detailed environmental protection standards and reclamation requirements, and it establishes a permit system for all surface coal-mining operations. Mining in certain areas and under ceri-in conditions is restricted or prohibited, and a mechanism for enforcement by the states is provided. Stiff penalties are provided in the event of noncompliance. Implementation Schedule Nonfederal Lands: As required by Section 501 of the Act, interim regulations setting mining and reclamation performance standards based on and incorporating standards set out in Section 502(c) were adopted effective Dec. 13, 1977.6 They will. be incorporated as amendments to Chapter VII of Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations. Permanent regulatory procedures for surface coal-mining and reclamation operations performance standards, which were directed to be promulgated by Aug. 3, 1978, were published in proposed form on Sept. 10, 1978. 7 They govern surface coal-mining operations in any state until a permanent state or federal program is adopted. As of Feb. 3, 1978, all new operations, and as of May 3, 1978, all existing surface coal-mining operations, on lands on which such operations are regulated by a

Jan 1, 1982

By J. Brett, S. Friedman

A study of the diffusion of nickel into both fibrous and recrystallized 0.065-in.-diam silica-alumina doped tungsten wire at 1200°C has been conducted. The diffusion profiles were determined by chemical dissolulion of successive circumferential layers and spectro-photometric determination of nickel in the etchant. It was shown that the diffusion of nickel into tungsten is markedly structure-sensitive. No significant amount of nickel could be introduced at 1200°C into tungsten which had first been recrystallized at temperatures of 2300°C, leading to an upper limit estimate for the bulk diffusivity of nickel in tungsten of 10-11 sq cm per sec at 1200°C. However, nickel did diffuse into initially fibrous wires, caused re crystallization, and was alsays present at the advancing recrystallization front. The accumulation of nickel in an initially fibrous region ceases when the recrystallization front arrives. The characteristics of the resulting diffusion profiles are explained in terms of the relation between diffusion processes and micro structural changes. WHILE it is well-known that the presence of nickel and certain other metals causes low-temperature recrystallization of the cold-worked fibrous structure of doped tungsten,''' the character of the phenomenon is not well understood. Recently it was shown that the recrystallization reaction can be induced at low temperatures by the presence of solid nickel on the surface of doped wire, but not by exposure to nickel vapors.3 Once recrystallization was initiated, a continued source of nickel was required for propagation of the recrystallization front. The phenomenon appeared to be a complicated solid-state reaction since, in addition to the change in structure of the tungsten from fibrous to equiaxed grains, diffusion of nickel from the surface into the recrystallized and fibrous structures was occurring with possible chemical reaction between nickel and tungsten at the surface and interaction of nickel with the dopants which ordinarily stabilize the fibrous structure within the wire. The objective of the present work was to study the diffusion of nickel into fibrous and recrystallized tungsten structures in order to clarify the relationship of the diffusion process to nickel-induced recrystallization. Studies of interdiffusion in the Ni-W system4"7 have been principally concerned with the mobility of tungsten in nickel. Information on diffusion of nickel in tungsten is meager, and there seem to be no studies of the mobility of nickel in tungsten which elucidate the structural aspects of the phenomenon. The present experiments were designed to determine the diffusivity of nickel at 1200°C in fibrous tungsten, in large-grained tungsten prerecrystallized at high tem- perature, and in tungsten recrystallized at 1200°C due to the presence of nickel. Although the concentration profiles were determined in these experiments, unexpected changes in boundary conditions or complex diffusion paths complicated the analysis of these profiles so that the interpretation could not be readily expressed in terms of simple diffusivities. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The experiments were conducted on Sylvania 0.065-in.-diam silica-alumina doped commercial tungsten wire, hereafter designated as ordinary doped wire. A special lot of 0.065-in.-diam silica-alumina doped low-nickel wire was also used. Impurity analyses of the wire are given in Table I. The experimental design is shown in Fig. 1. All heat treatments were conducted in vacuum. Two groups of ordinary doped wire were prepared for diffusion with nickel. One group in the as-received (fibrous) condition was elec-tropolished, nickel-plated, and annealed at 1200°C for 20 and 40 hr, or was exposed to nickel vapor at 1200°C for 20 and 40 hr. The second group was recrystallized to an equiaxed grain structure at 2300°C for 3 hr, electropolished, nickel-plated, or exposed to nickel vapor for anneals at 1200°C for 20 and 40 hr.

Jan 1, 1969

By V. C. Perini

The North Central Texas district as herein defined includes the counties of Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Hamilton, Haskell, Hood, Jones, Lampasas, Mills, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Parker, San Saba, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Summer-ville, Taylor, Throckmorton and Wise. These counties as listed are the counties of District 7B, State Railroad Commission. In the new designation of districts for the Transactions, the North Central Texas district includes most, but not all, of the counties of the previously classified West Central Texas district. This district covers the south central crest and the west flank of the Bend flexure north of the Llano uplift. The west flank of the Bend flexure is on the east boundary of the Permian Basin of West Texas. The greater part of the oil and gas produced in this district has been from Pennsylvanian strata. Some oil and gas has been produced from the lower Permian (by the latest, selection of the Pennsyl-vanian-Permian boundary) and minor amounts from the Mississippian and Ordovician sediments. Increasingly important quantities of oil and gas are to be expected from the older sediments by deeper development in proven fields and by new discoveries. Most of the oil and gas in the district has accumulated in localized, well-defined structural traps in limestone and sandstone reservoirs and in traps due to stratigraphic changes in sedimentation, mainly porosity traps in limestone and sandstone lenses, both usually associated with some structural feature. These features are found by surface and subsurface geological structural mapping, by core drilling and by geophysical surveying. Geochemical methods are also the basis for some wildcatting. The demand for sweet crude oil from this district is firm for local and national consumption, but the market price for the oil remains practically the same as in 1941. The price is not adequate to meet the requirements of the average independent operator with the continued advance in production, tievelopment and wildcatting costs. Stripper wells are being plugged daily and should be jealously saved for the future local and national reserves, especially in view of the fact that new discoveries of commercially important oil and gas reserves are not keeping pace with consumption. An expected economic disruption attendant upon the national war effort has arisen and continues in the future outlook for this district. The lack and delay of securing replacement parts for almost all oil-field equipment has handicapped and delayed operations and has decreased efficiency in wildcatting, development and production. Sufficient experienced drilling, scientific and office personnel is lacking because of inductions in the armed forces and migration to war industries during the period before manpower conservation became effective. The office personnel of the average oil and gas producer continues to be swamped by the increasing demands for reports by state and federal bureaus. An average of IQ days

Jan 1, 1944

By V. C. Perini

The North Central Texas district as herein defined includes the counties of Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Hamilton, Haskell, Hood, Jones, Lampasas, Mills, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Parker, San Saba, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Summer-ville, Taylor, Throckmorton and Wise. These counties as listed are the counties of District 7B, State Railroad Commission. In the new designation of districts for the Transactions, the North Central Texas district includes most, but not all, of the counties of the previously classified West Central Texas district. This district covers the south central crest and the west flank of the Bend flexure north of the Llano uplift. The west flank of the Bend flexure is on the east boundary of the Permian Basin of West Texas. The greater part of the oil and gas produced in this district has been from Pennsylvanian strata. Some oil and gas has been produced from the lower Permian (by the latest, selection of the Pennsyl-vanian-Permian boundary) and minor amounts from the Mississippian and Ordovician sediments. Increasingly important quantities of oil and gas are to be expected from the older sediments by deeper development in proven fields and by new discoveries. Most of the oil and gas in the district has accumulated in localized, well-defined structural traps in limestone and sandstone reservoirs and in traps due to stratigraphic changes in sedimentation, mainly porosity traps in limestone and sandstone lenses, both usually associated with some structural feature. These features are found by surface and subsurface geological structural mapping, by core drilling and by geophysical surveying. Geochemical methods are also the basis for some wildcatting. The demand for sweet crude oil from this district is firm for local and national consumption, but the market price for the oil remains practically the same as in 1941. The price is not adequate to meet the requirements of the average independent operator with the continued advance in production, tievelopment and wildcatting costs. Stripper wells are being plugged daily and should be jealously saved for the future local and national reserves, especially in view of the fact that new discoveries of commercially important oil and gas reserves are not keeping pace with consumption. An expected economic disruption attendant upon the national war effort has arisen and continues in the future outlook for this district. The lack and delay of securing replacement parts for almost all oil-field equipment has handicapped and delayed operations and has decreased efficiency in wildcatting, development and production. Sufficient experienced drilling, scientific and office personnel is lacking because of inductions in the armed forces and migration to war industries during the period before manpower conservation became effective. The office personnel of the average oil and gas producer continues to be swamped by the increasing demands for reports by state and federal bureaus. An average of IQ days

Jan 1, 1944

Gas-liquid contacting in the packed bed is a common operation in metallurgical reactors. Research has shown that, unlike wetting flow, non-wetting liquid flows in the form of discrete droplets or rivulets. Thus, modeling of the liquid phase as a continuum is in contradiction to the observations. Also, for the non-wetting case, continuum models have failed to describe liquid flow path when the liquid source is a point source. The aim of the current work is to put forward a combined Lagrangian-Eulerian approach to model the liquid and gas flow in the packed bed. Liquid is assumed discrete and modeled using a force balance approach. Gas is assumed to be interpenetrating continua and modeled using k-emodel for turbulent flow. Structured packing is assumed and x- ray imaging technique is used to visualize liquid flow lines in the bed. Simulation results for liquid flow path compared with the experiments.

Jan 1, 2006

By S. Shi, J. Y. Hwang, B. Li

Silver, copper, and zinc are commonly known elements with antibacterial and antifungal capabilities. Attempts have been made to dope silver on minerals, glass, and ceramics and the resulting materials have been investigated for their antibacterial and antifungal properties. Since silver is expensive and very reactive, silver doped materials have been found inappropriate in some applications. Copper-vermiculite is investigated as an alternative. Vermiculite has high cation exchange capacity on the magnesium ion in the crystal structure. Copper ion may have a high tendency to replace magnesium because of similar charge interference and ionic radius. Copper-vermiculite is prepared by reacting vermiculite and copper chloride solution. By impregnating copper ions into the nanometer openings between the layers of vermiculite, it is possible to render the composite with antibacterial functions if the copper ions could be released gradually from the composite. The antibacterial efficiency of Cu-vermiculite against Escherichia coli was studied using the Halo method. The results show that Cu-vermiculite is effective for preventing the reproduction of the bacteria. Heat treatment of Cu-vermiculite at up to 400°C does not show significant changes in antibacterial activities.

Jan 1, 2002

By L. C. Graton

Introduction The Porcupine district of northern Ontario has yielded over $300,000,000 in gold during its twenty-three years of mining operations. It thus ranks among the foremost gold producing areas of the world. Of this $300,000,000 already produced from the District, the Hollinger mine has furnished over 60 per cent and stands as one of the greatest gold mines of all time. In 1929, the Hollinger Directors decided to supplement the current geological and development work by an intensive investigation of the geology of the mine. This special study, begun in June of that year, was completed in October, 1932. An account of the geology of the mine in a degree of detail commensurate with the intensity of the study is in course of preparation. But the widespread interest manifested at the present day in gold occurrence generally, in Canadian gold deposits, and in the specific results of the investigation at Hollinger, appears to justify the immediate presentation of a highly abridged summary of our principal findings, insofar as they relate to the more general and scientific phases of the geological situation. Those conclusions having direct bearing on operating and exploratory policy are not dealt with here. The present preliminary paper, therefore, records chiefly the conclusions reached, with little incorporation of supporting argument or evidence. While intended to give a reasonably balanced perspective of Hollinger geology, the condensed presentation naturally emphasizes those views which are not in complete accord with accounts hitherto published regarding this district.

Jan 1, 1933

By S. F. Diehl

Weathered mine waste consists of oxidized primary minerals and chemically unstable secondary phases that can be sources of readily soluble metals and acid rock drainage. Elevated concentrations of metals such as Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn are observed in deionized water-based leachate solutions derived from complex sedex and Cu-Pb-Zn mine wastes. Leachate (USGS FLT) from the Elizabeth mine, a massive sulfide deposit, has a pH of 3.4 and high concentrations of Al (16700 ug/L), Cu (440 ug/L), and Zn (8620 ug/L). Leachate from the sedex Faro mine has a pH of 3.5 and high concentrations of Al (2040 ug/L), Cu (1930 ug/L), Pb (2080 ug/L), and Zn (52900 ug/L). In contrast, higher-pH leachates produced from tailings of polymetallic vein deposits have order of magnitude lower metal concentrations. These data indicate that highly soluble secondary mineral phases exist at the surface of waste material where the samples were collected. Sulfide minerals from all sites exhibit differential degrees of weathering, from dissolution etched grain rims, to rinds of secondary minerals, to skeletal remnants. These microscale mineral-dissolution textures enhance weathering and metal leachability of waste material. Besides the formation of secondary minerals, sulfide grains from dried tailings samples may be coated by amorphous Fe-Al-Si minerals that also adsorb metals such as Cu, Ni, and Zn.

Jan 1, 2011

By Wei Yin, Bin Xu, Qian Li, Yongbin Yang, Tao Jiang

Copper anode slime is an increasingly significant resource for precious metals such as Au, Ag and Pd. The extraction of Au, Ag and Pd from decopperized anode slime by different pretreatments and different lixiviants including cyanide, chloride, thiourea and thiosulfate have been investigated. When oxidizing roasting pretreatment was carried out under the conditions of roasting time 120min and temperature 625 ℃, the removal ratios of S and Sb could reach 82.18% and 98.52%, respectively. And the following alkaline leaching of calcine could result in the dissolution of 46.40% Cu and 98.48% Pb. The optima leaching ratios of Au, Ag and Pd reached 99.48%, 97.69%, 94.79% by cyanide leaching, and 95.01%, 79.84%, 96.59% by chloride leaching, and about 95.21%, 95.66%, 48.79% by thiourea/thiosulfate leaching.

Jan 1, 2015

By A. W. Lovett

"THE last two years have been years of recession or, perhaps, years of marking time, depending upon whether the observer is a pessimist or an optimist. There has been a slackening in the industrial tempo that has been reflected in many ways in the national economy. As one of the chief barometers of economic health, the consumption and supply of energy reflect this slowing up.These same two years have also seen significant changes in the relation between the sources of energy. In periods of declining demand, it has happened in the past that coal, as the basic or residual source of energy, has shown the effects to a greater extent than the other energies. In these two years, however, in addition to this usual effect, there has been the acceleration in the Joss of market to diesels in the railway consumption category and the continuing decline in domestic consumption. The story of these years is presented in the statistical tables that form the foundation of this paper. Statistics, particularly in the form of tables, are rather dry and are sometimes difficult to follow but the overall developments are illustrated by graphs which present a more striking picture."

Jan 1, 1959

By M. H. Salsbury

This report describes the tunneling at the Leadville drainage tunnel, which was resumed in September 1950 with funds made available in the 1950 appropriation of the Department of the Interior. It brings up to date the account of the first project, carried on from December 1943 to August 1945, published by the Bureau of Mines which supervised both the first and second projects. In this report Leadville mining history, particularly related to drainage efforts, and the possibilities for future mine drainage are discussed briefly. An account of the second project, including a description of the operating cycle, exploratory drilling done as a safety measure, surveying procedures, geology, cost data, and other pertinent information, completes the report.

Jan 1, 1956

By Anburaj C., Srinivas A.

Deep excavation with support system is required to construct various part of underground structures like shafts, stations and entry structures etc. These structures have to be constructed using permanent or temporary embedded retaining walls with support system. The selection of a suitable type of retaining wall will depend upon the geological condition present in the particular location, time, cost and available equipment etc. In Bangalore Metro Rail Project, secant pile wall is adopted as the temporary earth retaining system and depth of excavation is about 20 m. It is designed initially based on bottom up construction methodology with 3 level of struts and 3 level of anchors but at later stage due to time and other construction related issues, it is decided to change the configuration to 6 levels of strut. Generally, in deep excavations, all the underground structures should be designed and checked for the critical forces from both permanent stage and construction stages. Since, secant piles are used as temporary retaining wall, only construction stage analysis is carried out to get the governing forces and deformation. In construction stage analysis, soil layers are defined with boundary conditions and the surcharge during construction and surcharge from actual building near the secant pile are considered. This paper discusses the effect of change in the support system from anchors to struts and how these changes in the support system affect the behavior of secant pile and subsequently adjacent buildings present in the influence zone of the excavation. As a result, in changing from anchors to struts, the wall displacement, strut forces and ground movement on the adjacent ground and buildings increases. The increase in deflection, ground movements and strut forces occurs during backfilling sequence of the underground station excavation. During backfilling, struts has to be removed and this imparts higher magnitude in deflection, strut forces and ground movements.

Nov 1, 2022

By Leonardo de Oliveira Turani

A energia eólica, fonte de energia renovável e de baixo impacto ambiental, vem crescendo rapidamente na última década, em especial no Brasil. A conversão da energia cinética dos ventos em energia elétrica é realizada por aerogeradores, que são acopladas em torres, que na sua maioria são constituídas de anéis sobrepostos de aço, os quais são fabricados e montados com o emprego de várias etapas de soldagem. Em função disso, o conhecimento da soldabilidade dos aços estruturais é um fator importante para indústria eólica, dando subsídios para a elaboração de procedimentos que permitam a redução dos custos de soldagem e a seleção adequada dos aços empregados. Este trabalho objetivou a avaliação da soldabilidade do aço estrutural EN 10025-4 S355M através de ensaios mecânicos e metalográficos de juntas soldadas pelo processo de arco submerso (SAW) em duas diferentes técnicas: Single Arc e Tandem Arc. Os resultados mostraram que o aço S355M apresentou excelente soldabilidade, com destaque para o processo SAW Tandem Arc, o que possibilita a maior exploração desta técnica como uma excelente alternativa para a redução do tempo de soldagem durante a fabricação de torres eólicas.

Aug 8, 2018

By Carle R. Hayward

WHEN lead production began to recede from the peak productions of 1929 many plants took advantage of the curtailed operations to make necessary improvements and repairs about the plant. There followed a period of adjustment to synchronize production and demand, which merged in the present period of marking time. The lead smelting and refining industry has produced little that is new during the past year except in what might be called makeshifts, which have been introduced to make operation at fractional capacity profitable. This is more particularly true in refineries than in smelters. The Parkes process had become standardized during the period of normal production, with softening, desilverizing, and dezink-

Jan 1, 1935

By Jamai Rostami

Mining, perhaps more than other industries, has been under pressure to achieve higher productivity, while reducing costs and environmental impacts. This has encouraged a move toward large-scale operations and greater integration and automation of systems. Mechanization is being used increasingly to raise production and reduce labor requirements. Yet, while transportation, ventilation and other activities have benefited from this trend, mechanization of rock excavation (for development and production) has lagged. The switch to a mechanized excavation system can be complex, requiring a thorough study of operational and cost benefits to be successful. To justify the high capital cost of mechanical mining equipment, production rates and the true costs of machine mining must be accurately estimated. To evaluate the cost effectiveness of mechanical mining for a particular operation, the total production cost (capital and operating) must first be estimated. This requires a reliable estimate of the production rate of the candidate mechanical excavator. Previously, the variable nature of rock caused performance prediction of these machines to be more an art than a science. Additionally, some of these machines are highly sensitive to operator skill. They all depend on their backup systems. The effects of interaction with the overall mining operation can be difficult to forecast. And a new system must surmount psychological barriers before it can become truly operational.

Jan 1, 1994

By C. van Tonder

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of B Tech (Engineering Metallurgy) degree This investigation relates to a multi-purpose electrolytic system. Its primary purpose is to electrowin gold from high or low concentration gold cyanide solutions and/or from gold sludge, and to convert the recovered gold into a gold (alloy) electroform or electrode at the gold mine itself. These operations are carried out sequentially and in situ in the same electrolytic cell. Electrorefining of the gold recovered may also be done in the cell. The system applies to silver as well, and may be adaptable to base and platinum group metals. It could also be used in environmental applications, to remove undesirable metals present in aqueous solution at very low concentration. The work to be discussed forms part of recently filed patent applications. Subsequent and future developments of the system are briefly outlined. This paper, in part or in full, has been published by the Metallurgical Mine Managers Association (MMMA), with permission from the authors.

Jan 1, 2006

By AIME AIME

THE papers on geophysics were roughly divided into two groups*, those presented Monday morning being of a more technical and theoretical nature, whereas the afternoon session was principally taken up with discussions of a predominantly geological flavor. Thus it was made possible for those of a mathematical turn of mind to indulge their penchant for formula and differentials before lunch, leaving the field comparatively free, after lunch, for the geologists to learn of practical applications. The advantage of this classification is evident, and it is to be hoped that in some future meetings it will be possible to hold joint sessions of the geophysicists and mining geologists, to consider the overlap of the two fields.

Jan 1, 1931

By S. S. B Wang

Zirconia-based ceramic materials have potential applications in high temperature furnace insulation, hot extrusion and casting dies, pressure nozzles, cutting tools, engine parts and electronic materials. High purity and superfine powders of zirconium oxide (baddelyte) were synthesized from a solution containing zirconium oxychloride and urea under hydrothermal conditions. crystallization of the metastable tetragonal zirconia using magnesium oxide or yttrium oxide as stabilizing agents was successfully achieved. The mechanism of hydrothermal reaction to produce these powders are discussed.

Jan 1, 1989

By M. Bhandari, D. Norval

The bulk of plain carbon steel is produced through conventional Basic Oxygen or Electric Arc Furnace routes where the development of the AC Ladle Furnace has made it possible to also produce alloy steels. Smaller Ladle Furnaces have limitations such as lower efficiency; high electrode consumption and diminutive yields rendering them uneconomical to operate and making the processing of low carbon steel grades difficult due to carbon pick up. The demand for special steels and alloys with strict specifications is increasing while commodity prices remain competitive. The production of special steels and alloys have specific process control requirements and the development of the induction melting furnace (IMF) has made it possible to produce smaller batches economically. Refining and alloying of the melt in the IMF further enhance the efficiency. The INDUREF furnace offers increased productivity and flexibility through increased thermal efficiency and can be utilised for holding molten metal for further processing such as granulating, atomising, nitriding, alloy additions and desulphurisation of Ferro-alloys and steels. The system utilises a specially engineered ladle which is placed in an induction-heating assembly comprised of a stationary water-cooled copper coil and lamination packs. The addition of equipment for vacuum degassing and decarburisation of steels and alloys is also feasible. Benefits are: ? No electrode consumption or carbon pick-up ? Lower installation, operation and maintenance cost. ? No line-flicker facilitates operation on a weak power grid. ? Good power factor and balanced load ? No skull formation and reduced refractory consumption ? Higher yield of Fe-alloys ? Automatic controlled stirring

Jan 1, 2004