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By M. J. Blackburn

The ordering reaction and its effect on dislocation awangements in alloys based on Mg3Cd has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Ordering occurs by the growth of ordered domains until they impinge, thus producing an antiphase domain boundary (APB) network. In the disordered alloy, slip is confined to the basal plane while in the ordered condition slip occurs on the basal, prism, and pyramidal planes. Superdislocations have been identuied on these planes and their origin and expected spacings are discussed and compared with the observations. The APBs between the dislocation pairs have been resolved and have proved useful in the identification of superdislocations. Observed slip structures are related to the changes in mechanical properties produced by ordering. At high temperatures magnesium and cadmium form a continuous series of disordered hexagonal solid solutions. At lower temperatures three ordering reactions occur; two based on the compositions Mg3Cd and MgCd3 are transformations to DO19-type superlattices while alloys based on the composition MgCd transform to a B19 lattice. The ordering process in alloys near the composition Mg3Cd has been studied by several workers'-4 and it has been shown to be a first-order type transformation. The variation of mechanical properties with the degree of order and temperature have been reported in some detail by Stoloff and Davies.5 It was shown that the disordered alloy was stronger and less ductile than the ordered alloy, the differences being attributed to changes in the number of active slip planes and to the presence of short-range order in the disordered alloy. In this investigation the ordering reaction has been qualitatively followed by transmission electron microscopy. The effect of this ordering transformation on the dislocation arrangements in deformed specimens has been studied in some detail. EXPERIMENTAL Alloys were melted in a stainless-steel crucible under a flux and chill cast; both melting and casting were performed in an argon atmosphere. The ingots were hot-rolled and tensile specimens cut from the resultant strips. Some large-grained specimens were grown by the strain-anneal method. Heat treatment was carried out in inert atmosphere furnaces and in oil baths at the lower temperatures. Thin foils for transmission electron microscopy were produced by electropolishing in a cooled solution (temp = -40°C) containing 50 cu cm of nitric acid and 180 cu cm of methanol at a potential of 10 v. The ordering reaction was followed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray, and electrical resistivity measurements but this paper will be concerned chiefly with the electron-microscopy results. Much of the work described in this paper was performed on an alloy containing 26.10 at. pct Cd although two of the micrographs are taken from work on a 25.55 at. pct Cd alloy. RESULTS i) The Quenched Solid Solution. Specimens which were quenched from above the critical temperature showed diffuse superlattice reflections. sark-field analysis on these reflections failed to reveal the presence of ordered domains and thus the superlattice reflections were assumed to arise from regions of short-range order. Quenching from temperatures of 400" to 450°C results in the formation of dislocation loops and helical dislocations. Such defects have been observed and analyzed in detail in several hexagonal metals6-' and as the crystallography and interactions of such loops appear similar in this alloy they will not be reported in detail. Fig. 1 shows a high density of loops

Jan 1, 1968

By Herbert F. Nyberg

The Black River Falls Mine is owned and operated by Jackson County Iron Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inland Steel Company. It is located in vest central Wisconsin, seven miles east of the city of Black River Falls. This is the first taconite plant in the state of Wisconsin. Iron mining started in this area in 1856 but soon failed due to the low grade ore and crude methods of mining and transportation. Inland Steel Company acquired the property in 1939. Some drilling and test work was done in 1940, but the economics of developing the property at that time were not favolable. Improved methods of concentrating and pelletizing in the 1960's made it possible to build the present plant. Due to the limited ore reserve of 45,000,000 tons with expected recovery of 33% it was necessary to limit the capacity of the operation to 750,000 TPY with a life of 20 years. There was some concern about an operation of such limited capacity. A million ton operation was considered the minimum size plant for a profitable operation.

Jan 1, 1976

By C. L. Severy

On the Pacific coast during World War II, a tremendous ship-building industry was developed, Early in the war it became impossible to obtain in- got or steel scrap for ship ballast. Magnetite, an oxide of iron, was sub- stituted as it fulfilled the requirements of weight for available space in the ships. Consequently, a new use for the western magnetite was rapidly developed.

Jan 1, 1948

By A. V. Byvaltsev

Adsorption of cyanide complexes of gold, silver, copper, mercury, nickel, cobalt, iron, zinc and cadmium has been studied. Adsorption isotherms of the mentioned metals from individual solutions for different free cyanide concentrations have been obtained. Values of the constants of Freundlich isotherm equation have been calculated. Metal cyanide complexes affinity to activated carbon was determined.

Jan 1, 2014

By P. S. Paul

Mine accidents/injuries are complex and generally characterized by several factors, from technical to social characteristics. In this paper, a sociotechnical model for work injury in mines was developed and tested through structural equation modelling with application to case study mines in India. In total 14 variables were considered in this study. Most of the variables are not directly quantifiable. Instruments were developed to quantify them through a questionnaire survey. Underground mineworkers were randomly selected for the survey. Responses of 300 participants were used for the analysis. The analysis was conducted in three parts. Firstly, high-low plots were constructed to explore the variations in responses to the questionnaires by the accident involved (AG) and non-involved (NAG) workers. Secondly, a t-test was conducted to see whether the responses were significantly different for the two groups or not. The chi-square results showed significant differences of responses among the two groups. Finally, how these difference scan cause accidents/injuries in mines was hypothesized and evaluated using structural equation modelling. The measurement model of the Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) program was used to identify the latent constructs of the sociotechnical model. The structural model of LISREL was used to estimate the interrelationships among the constructs. The case study results showed that there is a sequential interaction among the sociotechnical factors leading to accidents/injuries in mines. Work hazards induce more job stress in the workers while social support mitigates the same. Job stress and safety environment predict the workers? job involvement. A worker who is more job-involved exhibits better safety performance, which in turn reduces work injury. The safety environment is shown to have a direct mitigating effect on work-related injury. The findings of this study clearly revealed that job stress and safety environment are the two key factors influencing work-related injuries in mines that need to be addressed properly through effective safety programmes.

Jan 1, 2005

By David Colloby, Darelle T. Janse van Rensburg

Premature coating failures of new and refurbished structural steelwork of clarifiers have been a common occurrence at power generation plant in recent years. Several of these failures have ended in disputes regarding which party was actually to blame for the early degradation of the coating system, i.e. quality of the power station?s water, poor application, substandard materials, outdated corrosion protection specifications, etc. Having investigated several of these premature failures, it is clear that the corrosion protection of clarifier steelwork is a highly complicated process and that the painting work needs to be closely monitored in order to ensure long-term protection by whichever product that is applied. The need for quality control inspections during the painting of the plant is often underrated during the project planning stage, also the importance of detailed corrosion protection specifications that consider not only the practical application of the materials, but also the quality control responsibilities of the Contractor, End User and Third Party Inspectorates that may be involved. This paper considers the application constraints of coatings to clarifier structural steelwork and importance of stringent quality control procedures in order to ensure the long-term performance of the corrosion protection systems.

Jan 1, 2006

By Al Holmes

"In a recent survey of Canadian work values, 89% of the men surveyed and 97% of the women surveyed described the work in a mine as ""not at all auraetive"", Work in a mine, in fact, was rated by both sexes as the least attractive of all of the types of work surveyed. Confronted with this prevailing attitude, Canada's mining industry starts out with two strikes against it in its bid to attract and hold on to its fair share of available work force.Behavioural scientists have, for decades, been seeking answers to the questions:• ""Why do people work?""• ""Why do people choose a particular occupation?""• ""Why do people choose a particular organization?""• ""Why do people leave one organization for another?""• ""Why do some people stay in an organization?""• ""Why do some people work harder than others?""Their answers to these questions, although tentative and often contradictory, are being used by more and more organizations to solve people problems. Few industries can afford to ignore them, least of all, perhaps, the mining industry.Consider the following developments:I. General Motors and the United Auto Workers turn around the car assembly plant in Tarrytown, New York in seven years from the plant with the poorest labour relations and production record to one of the best under a program referred to as ""improving the quality of work life.""2. Shell Canada and the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers have designed a new petro-chemical processing plant in Sarnia using a set of principles that seek to optimize both the social and the technical system."

Jan 1, 1980

By H. E. Lee, P. C. Feddersen, D. R. Gittinger, G. W. Dunn, J. B. Schuettenhelm

The new Bunker Hill slag-treatment plant, designed ior, a capacity of 300 to 400 tons of hot slag per day, was "blown in" April 5, 1943. In the ensuing I5-months period, 157,530 tons of slag was processed, with an average recovery of over go per cent of the zinc and practically all of the lead contained. In addition to this high metal recovery, utilization of the waste heat in the gas and fume venting, the process has enabled the generation of 231,376 tons of steam at 250-lb, gauge. Over the first six months opcration the volume of slag treated averaged somewhat under 300 tons per day. Reclaimed dump slag made up only about 1 5 per cent of the plant feed. In October 1943, preparations for the smelting of additional tonnages of dump slag were completed and the plant capacity was increased to an average of about 420 tons of slag per day. During the nine-months interval since that date, monthly averages of 450 toils per operating day have been maintained several times. The new plant (Fig. I) is constructed in close proximity to blast-furnace operations. The fuming furnace and other necessary equipment are housed in an eastward extension of the existing blast-furnace building. Beyond this housed extension the dust-laden gas is conveyed about the perimeter of a large rectangle formed by the flues, cooling towers and baghouses. The course of a 10-ft. balloon flue, which transports the fuming furnace gas, describes the west and south perimeters. This flue connects with a set of cooling towers located at the southeast comer. The flue and cooling-tower system serving the deleading kiln constitute the north side and the two baghouses, serving the kiln and furnace operations, -border the east side. From these baghouses the several discharge gas flows are come biped and conveyed in to the rectangle, being vented to atmosphere by means of a fan through a centrally located zoo-ft. brick stack. In general, the plant design and operation follow quite closely that dictated by experience gained in years of slag-fuming practice by the Anaconda Copper Mining Go., at East Helena, Mont., and the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co. of Canada, Ltd., at Trail, B.C., and more recently by the International Smelting and Refining Co. at Toocle, Utah. : Fuming operations at the East Helena and the Tooele plants are more or less identical. Trail practice differs chiefly in the methods employed for the storage of the hot feed slag and in the methods utilized for the handling and cooling of the fuming furnace gas. The new Bunker Hill fuming plant closely follows Trail procedure in the treatment of the furnace discharge gas while East Hclcna methods have been adopted for the storage of feed slag.

Jan 1, 1944

By Forrest T. Moyer

Frequency rates of injuries per million man-hours of exposure were improved during 1965 slightly to moderately over those of 1964 at metal mines, nonferrous reduction and refining plants, nonmetal mills, stone quarries and mills, sand and gravel operations, and slag operations. However, at metal mills and nonmetal mines the rates of occurrence of work injuries were less favorable. The severity rates of injuries during 1965 were better than in 1964 at metal mines and mills, stone quarries and mills, and slag operations. Conversely, severity rates were worse at nonferrous reduction and refining plants, nonmetal mines and mills, and sand and gravel operations.

Jan 1, 1966

By Wm. J. Wright

RECORDS of crude oil in India date back for nearly 100 years, and modest attempts were made to develop the oilfields of Assam about 75 years ago. We have no record of production until 1892 when the fields near Digboi, Assam, yielded about 700 bbl. Since that time, the production of the Digboi fields has increased slowly, but steadily, and new fields have been opened at Badarpur, in Assam, and Khaur, in the Punjab, until the production in India in 1918 was about 293,700 bbl. and the possible production at the present time is approximately 300,000 bbl. per year. In the meantime, the English oil companies in India have been slowly adding to their holdings until they have taken up practically all of the promising territory that is readily accessible, and only about one-tenth of their properties has been touched by the drill. All the producing oilfields of India, and as far as we know all the prospective fields, are confined to areas underlain by rocks of Tertiary age. These rocks consist of more than 20,000 ft. of dark sandstones and shales, with the Nummulitic (Eocene) limestone at the base. In parts of Assam, the lower measures contain economic deposits of bituminous coal. In the Punjab, the upper part contains thick beds of conglomerate. Visible organic remains are rare; except in the limestone and the coal measures. In general, the hardness of the measures increases from top to bottom, but there is an alternation of relatively hard and soft beds throughout the whole series. The rocks are everywhere folded and, in some instances, severely faulted. The crests of eroded anticlines usually stand up as ranges of hills in which the individual ridges are underlain by the relatively' hard beds. Thus structural features are suggested and often clearly defined on the topographic maps.

Jan 3, 1924

By W. P. Haynes

No wildcat operations are recorded from France during the past year, and no new discoveries have been made. In northern Africa, in Morocco, some prospecting continued in the Gharb and Tselfat regions. Only very small production or shows were found. At the close of the year one cable-tool well (depth 400 meters) was drilling in the Tselfat district, and one rotary well in the Gharb. In Tunisia one well was drilling at Sloughia. Refinery building has been active under the new petroleum law, no less than six plants now being under construction. At Pechelbronn, it is estimated 130 wells were drilled, of which 73 wells, or 56 per cent, were productive. Total drilling was 45,000 m. One new Jurassic horizon was discovered. In the mining area approximately 17,500 m. of new gallery were driven. Production at Pechelbronn for the first nine months was as follows: From wells, 233,013 bbl.; from mines, 164,815 bb1.—a total estimated production for the year of 532,000 bbl. Production at Gabian was 3780 bbl. for the year. In Algeria production from Tliouanet was small, being estimated at 6510 bbl. This production is from Helvetian sands (Miocene) around a salt plug. Italy Production for the year was 211,500 bbl., an increase of 62 per cent over that of last year. Drilling to the extent of 97,000 ft. was done mainly by the A. G. I. P., the government company in the Province of Emilia. More locations are being tested in this area, where geophysical results have shown indications of buried uplifts. Oil has been encountered on two of these structures, at Fontevivo and Podenzano, but the wells have given trouble with salt water. The chief producer is the Societa Petrolifera Italiana at Salsomaggiore and Valezza. The production is from sand lenses at relatively shallow depths. New concessions of 2000 hectares were granted at several points in the Po Valley, and geophysical work is being carried on. The A. G. I. P. is working on a five-year program of exploration to test new areas.

Jan 1, 1933

Objective: To evaluate the quantity of ventilation air reaching the face of a 40-ft box cut during a 40-ft, two-pass, extended cut and to examine ways to increase this quantity of air.

May 1, 1998

By J. Härkki, R. Hiltunen

The Akanvaara intrusion (surface area 50-55 km2) in Savukoski, Northern Finland, hosts 23 distinct monocumulate layers of small euhedral chromite crystals enclosed in a silicate matrix. These chromitite layers have been divided into four groups; UC (upper chromitite), ULC (uppermost lower chromitite) LC (lower chromitite) and LLC (lowermost lower chromitite). The driving force for investigating the Akanvaara chromites and their reduction behaviour originated from their very low MgO content and relatively low Al2O3 content, giving them a unique quality which based on thermodynamics should facilitate the reduction. Another interesting feature is the high amount of V2O3 present especially in the upper chromitite. The chromites included in this study are from the UC and ULC layers (24.9 and 22.7 per cent Cr2O3 respectively). To obtain a better understanding of the reduction behaviour of Akanvaara samples in comparison to MgO-bearing chromitites, Kemi chromite from the ferrochrome works in Tornio, Finland, was included in the study as a reference sample. The reduction experiments were isothermal in a temperature range of 1000-1400°C in CO atmosphere. Experiments were also conducted with coke addition in pellets and briquettes in CO/Ar/H2 atmospheres. The results of the reduction experiments complemented with microanalytical research indicate that the Akanvaara chromites do reduce to a higher degree than the Kemi chromite. Although the aim was to characterize the mechanisms of reduction focusing on gas-solid reactions, the nature and amount of the gangue minerals was such that a considerable amount of slag phase was formed, which affected the reduction mechanisms extensively. The structural features together with low MgO and high FeO content in both Akanvaara chromites are important factors resulting in better reducibility than in the Kemi chromite.

Jan 1, 2004

By Ralph H. Sweetser

AT the joint session of Blast Furnace and Open Hearth Committees, April 7, 1937, at Birmingham, the subject of the quality of basic open-hearth pig iron was so well presented and discussed from so many different viewpoints that it was the general opinion that progress had been made and that such meetings were conducive to the advancement of the art of making pig iron of the right quality for the open-hearth man to produce the most satisfactory quality of steel. It was agreed that there is a decided differentiation between the chemical analysis of pig iron and the "quality" of pig iron. Paul J. McKim said that open-hearth furnace operators frequently make reference to certain types of iron as "bad iron," "dirty iron," "cold metal," etc., claiming that when using these irons, although they are within specified chemical analysis, it is impossible to produce quality steel. Mr. McKim gave a list of the suggested causes of those "certain types" of bad irons that have a thoroughly respectable analysis but a thoroughly disreputable character. Another open-hearth man, P. A. MacIsaac, of Nova Scotia, said that The effects of iron that is below standard in analysis or in that mysterious property called quality, are well known to all open-hearth operators. It has been shown that iron of this type results in the production of steels on which the rejections of finished product run high. What is to be done about it? I would say that the burden of producing high-quality iron should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the blast furnace man, even as that of making good steel is shouldered by the open-hearth man. It is the purpose of this paper to bring out into the open this "mysterious property called quality"; that is, in those "certain types" of basic pig iron that make it impossible to produce quality steels; and at the same time to point the way for the blast-furnace man to be able to shoulder the burden that Mr. MacIsaac and all other open-hearth men and foundry-men have placed upon him. Silicon, sulphur, phosphorus and manganese are not the guilty elements because these are known, specified and usually kept within the

Jan 1, 1938

By J. C. Cawley

This National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study was conducted to focus future research on the most significant electrical problems in the mining industry. Data from 1,926 mine electrical accidents (including 75 fatalities) that occurred between 1990 and 1999 were studied. Coal and metal-nonmetal operator- and contractor-reported data are presented. All data used in this analysis were MSHA closeout data, except 1999, which were preliminary data. Electricity was the 4th leading cause of death reported in mining despite being the 14th leading cause of injuries. Electrical shock, not electrical burns, caused 70 of the 75 electrical fatalities reported. About one-half of mine electrical accidents and fatalities occurred during electrical maintenance. Suggestions for mitigating electrical hazards are proposed.

Jan 1, 2002

By David Baughman, Steven Axen, Ray V. Huff, Donald H. Davidson

Introduction In situ leaching (ISL) is an alternative method of mining uranium from deposits that are low-grade, deeplying, and water-saturated. ISL recovers uranium by transporting fluids through rock rather than by moving rock, a concept the Chinese developed over 2000 years ago for water production. This technique eventually evolved into production systems for oil, gas, sulfur, and salt. More recently, in situ methods have been developed to produce shale oil, gasified coal, geothermal energy, uranium, and copper. ISL uranium operations began in the early 1960s with Sabine Production Co. in south Texas. About the same time, Utah Construction and Mining Co. (Anderson and Richie, 1968) started similar operations in Wyoming's Shirley Basin. During the 1970s, six commercial operations were started in south Texas, (USBM, 1978) and a number of pilot operations were in various stages of development in Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. This paper reviews some of the technical and economic aspects of the ISL process and briefly discusses key subsurface engineering functions as¬sociated with well pattern design and operation. While flow characteristics of a deposit are of prime importance, the following information is also needed: Depth, ore grade, total contained metal, ore thickness, flow conductivity (permeability), void space in rock (porosity), mineral type and distribution, natural groundwater flow, and structural features. Solvent selection, which is important to the economic success of the operation, takes these factors into account: Composition, rate of metal solubilization, interaction with gangue minerals, impact on rock permeability, impact on materials of construction, trace metal solubilization, cost, availability, and handling problems. Overview of ISL An ISL operation consists of these functions (Fig. 1): 1. Chemicals to dissolve and maintain uranium in solution are prepared at the surface extraction facility. 2. A set of injection wells forces the solvent into rock pores of fractures using pressure in excess of the deposit's hydrostatic pressure. 3. Solvent travels through the rock and reacts with uranium minerals to dissolve them. The solvent usually consists of an oxidant and a complexing agent in an acidic or alkaline medium. 4. A set of production wells creates a low-pressure sump where metal-enriched solution is collected for transport to the surface. 5. The enriched solution is processed to recover uranium and to separate the leaching solution for recycling through the system. The economic performance of an in situ operation may be estimated by integrating these related factors: (1) the flow rate of solution processed through the system, (2) rates of fluid injection and production from wells, (3) the rate of mineral solubilization in the liquid phase, and (4) the volume of rock swept by the fluid. As these factors reveal, ISL involves the technical disciplines of petroleum engineering, ore deposit geology, and hydrometallurgical processing. Wellfield Design Just as mineral engineers use drillhole information to plan a conventional mine, in situ engineers use similar information to design a well field. A thorough knowledge of deposit geology and reservoir properties is required. Early application of pressure transient testing, such as

Jan 2, 1980

By C. RAMADINI, F. NURJAMAN, A. SHOFI, B. SUHARNO

Nickel demand is increasing along with the rising need for stainless steel and other alloy steel/iron. The small addition of nickel in such materials can improve impact strength, ductility and corrosion resistance. Nickel is generally obtained from nickel sulfide ores (nickel associated with sulfur) and nickel laterite ores (nickel associated with iron and magnesium silicate). Almost 60 percent of nickel is now produced from sulfide ores, despite its existence in sulfide ores being less than in laterite ores. However, the depletion of sulfide ore reserves makes the mastery of nickel laterite ore processing of important and immediate concern. Selective reduction followed by magnetic separation has been in development in lateritic nickel ore processing to overcome the issues of high energy consumption and pollution associated with conventional pyrometallurgy methods such as blast furnace and rotary kiln electric arc furnace (RKEF).

By Connie S. Musulin

The Bureau of Mines conducted an experiment at Exxon Mineral Co.'s Buffalo Shaft Operation to determine the time required for radon concentrations to return to a base average after fan shutdowns. Shutdown times ranging from 5 min to 16 hr were evaluated. An equation was derived to calculate a ratio that determines the time required for the radon concentration to return to the average level that existed in the mine prior to shutdown. For fan shutdowns of 15 min or more, underground personnel should be evacuated to areas with natural downcast ventilation. For shutdowns of less than 1 hr, personnel should not return to the working area until the elapsed time is four times the shutdown, or until the working area is resampled and found safe. If the mine is not in production during weekends, the downcast fans can be turned off .from midnight Friday until 4 p.m. Sunday, and the radon daughter concentration should be below 1 WL throughout the mine by the start of the shift Monday. This fan shutdown would conserve energy and save the mining company an estimated $21,000 each year.

Jan 1, 1982

By F. G. Miller

In mid-1972 we determined that a fresh approach to coal mining research was needed for the industry as well as for Bethlehem. The reasons to us were obvious: Productivity was in the throes of a steady decline, and labor and maintenance costs were spiraling upward. Yet, despite this predicament, nowhere in the U.S. at that time was there a comprehensive and coordinated research and development plan in the offing. The Bureau of Mines had not yet been charged with such a responsibility, and industry was content to rely on machinery manufacturers for innovations. After studying our own mining practices, the state-of-the-art of mining research elsewhere, and development work by manufacturers, we presented a comprehensive research package to our management at the end of 1972. The ideas and experience of many operating and management personnel in our Corporation contributed to the formulation of the final plan as approved.

Jan 1, 1976

By Thomas O. Ziebold, Robert E. Ogilvie

Experimental analysis of diffusion samples covering the entire Cu-Ag-Au system at 725°C has been carried out. Experimental coefficients are computed at twenty-eight points in the lermary system. It is found that the direct coefficienl for copper is nearly independent of the silver, content for 1ow-silver alloys and that the cross coefficient for silver correlates with the ther-nzodynatnic properlies. This lalter observalion leads to the conclusion that the mobililies of copper and gold are nearly equal. Thermodynarmic actiuilies for Cu-Ag-Au were computed from binary data and adjusted to be consistent with neasured tie lines across the two-phase region which extends into the ternary diagram at 725°C. Application of these therknodynarnic calculaliorls to the dijftcsion data terifies the Onsager reciprocal relations to the extent that experimental uncertainlies will allow. It is jound that diffusion neav the critical point of the 1200-phase field in the isothermal section at 725°C causes the composition gradients for copper and silver to approach infinity while the direct and cross coeficients become equal. From the standpoint of experimental Procedures, it has been shown that microanalysis of ternary samples may be carried out using a simple expression for the conversion of X-ray zntensily to composilion. The accuracy of' this method has been demonstrated by the analysis of standard alloys and by the reproducibility of composition determinations using differed X-ray lines. DIFFUSION in a ternary alloy system is basically and significantly different from diffusion in binary alloys. When only two elements are present there is just one independent composition variable, and the diffusion profile of composition vs distance across a sample must change monotonically through all solid solutions bracketed by the terminal alloys. If two-phase regions are stable for compositions between the terminal values, these must appear as planar interfaces in the diffused sample, with the composition profile exhibiting sharp discontinuities. Adding a third element may alter this picture completely. Because of the additional degree of freedom in the composition, we may see composition profiles which do not change monotonically through solid-solution ranges, and stable, nonplanar phase interfaces. Even though two-phase regions may lie between the terminal compositions of a diffusion sample on the constitution diagram, they will not necessarily appear in the diffusion profiles. In binary diffusion only one coefficient is needed to describe the interdiffusion process. From Fick's law this coefficient relates the diffusive flux of one component to its own composition gradient. In ternary diffusion we must allow for cross interaction between the two independent species. By a linear extension of Fick's law we introduce "cross" or "off-diagonal" diffusion coefficients which relate the flux of one component to the composition gradient of the other independent constituent. Thus, we require four interdiffusion coefficients to describe the transport process in a ternary system. In its most general form,1,2 the rate equation for mass transport by isothermal diffusion in a system of s components states that the diffusive flux of component i, Ji, is a linear summation of all driving forces, Xk, each force being multiplied by an appropriate compliance coefficient:

Jan 1, 1968