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By John L. Schroder, D. L. McElroy

ALTHOUGH the earliest use of rubber-tired haulage was in Illinois in 1936, the first unit of this type of equipment used in West Virginia was shipped into the state in 1938. All units placed in West Virginia mines have been of the shuttle-car type. The Katherine Coal Mining Co., at Lumberport, W. Va., was the second company in the United States to install shuttle cars and the Gay Coal and' Coke Co., at [ ] Mt. Gay, W. Va., was the first company in the country to install the thin-bed type of shuttle car. On Oct. 8, 1940, nine companies in the state were using 41 shuttle cars, of which 10 cars at three mines were of the thin-bed type. All shuttle cars of the low type were in the southern fields and all of the high type were in northern West Virginia. At that time several units were in the process of delivery. The data in this paper were collected in the field by Mr. Schroder in connection with graduate work on mechanical loading of coal in West Virginia by mobile loaders. In the course of his field work he visited five mines in the state that were using shuttle cars. All of these mines were in high-volatile coal beds of strong structure. [ ] The more pertinent data obtained at the mines visited are given in Table I. The maximum distance of shuttle-car haul is the distance between the transfer station and the farthermost place. Tonnage per loading unit per foot of bed thickness is to some degree a measure of relative efficiency, especially if the different operations are working the same bed or have somewhat similar conditions. The thin-bed operation is well up in the higher bracket of the afore-mentioned column, which is as

Jan 1, 1941

By Frank W. Harris

THE strength of hard drawn copper wire is a question of considerable importance to both manufacturer and consumer. Unlike steel and alloy wires, in which strength is governed by both chemical and physical considerations, the high conductivity required for copper wire in the electrical industry generally precludes the possibility of obtaining tensile strength through the use of alloys. Consequently, this strength is largely a matter of the physical structure, and all factors known to affect this structure, such as rolling temperature, die contours, lubricants, drawing speeds, etc., are matters of prime importance. The experiments described here have been carried out during the past year at the Baltimore plant of the American Smelting & Refining Co., in connection with a general investigation of some of the questions mentioned above, with the object of studying the physical structure of hard drawn copper wire and the influence of certain factors on that structure. The work has been of an exploratory nature, rather than comprehensive, but it was thought that the results might prove of sufficient general interest to warrant their publication. The bulk of the hard drawn copper wire used in places where strength is an important factor is manufactured to strict specification, based usually in the United States on that of the American Society for Testing Materials (B-1-23). This specification calls for almost as high a value of tensile strength, consistent with elongation, as it is possible practically to obtain, and only physically perfect material can be relied on to meet such a specification. Obvious defects, such as laminations produced through fins in the original rods or brittleness due to overdrawing, are usually recognized and need only passing reference. Laminations can be detected by twisting and untwisting the wire several times; they will show up on the surface in the form of fins. Fig. 1 shows a very bad example of this defect. The wire may be perfectly smooth before twisting but when such laminations are present they will readily show up under this treatment. This trouble is caused by similar defects in the original rod produced by overfills in rolling. Fig. 2 shows the cross-section of the rod from which the wire in Fig. 1 was drawn.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. Parke Channing

THESE days of great industrial and social problems in America produce many suggested solutions and great changes. The practical engineer and employer of labor views these problems differently from the labor leader or the social reformer, but as never before he is sincerely interested in solving them in a way that will be just to all. The inevitable tendency of the day is toward "industrial betterment," "safety," "industrial education," "efficiency," and the many other things' which have become so familiar to progressive employers. There is no longer any question that these things are worth while from both the hu¬man and economic standpoints. They "pay" in dollars and cents. The very center of final success in improving conditions and increasing the efficiency of workingmen must be the spirit of fairness and a knowledge on the part of the employer of how to deal sympathetically and intelligently with his employees. Every progressive employer knows how greatly he desires foremen, superintendents, managers and others who possess these qualities. On the other hand, we are all familiar with serious mistakes made by young graduates of engineering schools who have had no opportunity to develop these qualities, and who have no real appreciation of the worth of the workers. Indeed, one wonders whether much ill-feeling, labor difficulties, and many strikes could not be avoided if such men had the right attitude. Is there any way of remedying this condition? If this particular difficulty can be solved, if these young engineers, many of whom are our coming leaders of industry, can be given the right perspective and the right understanding of these other problems in addition to fair, sympathetic methods of handling men, many of our other problems will be solved-not at once, but gradually and permanently, as these men make good and become influential in paths of industrial righteousness and industrial peace. Many progressive employers of to-day have enlarged their own perspective and realize the great importance of enlarging the perspective of those who shall follow them.

Jan 3, 1915

By Madan M. Singh

Mining under bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and other impoundments, is not a new technique. However, in the United States it has been fairly restricted to date. In order to recover the maximum amount of the nation's reserves, in the future, it is important that further mining under such bodies of water be planned. However, it is imperative that this is not done at the expense of danger to the nation's miners or appreciable property damage. If all the bodies of water are considered large, and it is assumed that these constitute a hazard when mining in their vicinity irrespective of their size and geometry, a significant percentage of the coal reserves are likely to be sterilized. How- ever, by adopting special mining plans and procedures, it may be possible to release reserves for exploitation that would otherwise be unmineable since the surface of bodies of water below which they lie are relatively small in size. In 1977, the Bureau of Mines issued Information Circular (IC) 8741, entitled "Results of Research to Develop Guidelines for Mining Near Surface and Underground Bodies of Water". This document was based on the work done by Skelly and Loy (under Contract No. H0252083) and K. Wardell and Partners (under Contract No. H0252021). How ever, these guidelines have limited application, because these did not (1) define the bodies of water of concern, and (2) take into account the nature of the strata being encountered. These guidelines assumed that all bodies of water which would be undermined were large. For the purposes of this discussion, water bodies may be divided into three categories, depending upon their potential to cause damage to the underlying mining activity: ? catastrophic ? major ? limited Bodies of water which pose the threat of catastrophic destruction in the mine, should there be an inrush, include oceans, large lakes, big inland reservoirs, and rivers that could flood the mine complete- ly in a short period. Those with major potential for damage would include lakes and streams which might present a danger to both life and property if not considered in the mining plans. Finite bodies of water which have a volume considerably smaller than the mine volume offer a limited potential for damage in the case of an inrush. These include flowing streams which have a relatively small rate of replenishment and which can be dealt with by pumping or isolation in the event of a breakthrough into the mine. Such bodies of water may be inconvenient and cause a temporary disruption of production, and could even cause some damage to equipment, but only in rare instances would personal injuries occur. The scope of this paper is limited to the exploitation of stratified mineral deposits with overlying -face bodies of water. Vein and dessiminate ore deposits are not discussed, nor are breakthroughs into adjacent mines in the same horizon. Overlying, water-logged strata also pose a serious threat to mining, but are not treated in this discussion. Pending further investigation these strata may be considered as bodies of water with catastrophic potential for damage, with the base of the strata being considered the bottom of the water body. When the body of water is large, so that it may cause catastrophic damage to the mine in the event of an inrush, the guidelines suggested in IC 8741 are applicable. In order to develop criteria and procedures for mining under smaller bodies of water, however, it is necessary that the nature of the strata disturbance due to underground mining be examined.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. Erçin Ersundu

In the present work, three different domestic iron ores; Sivas Divrigi B Head high grade hematite lump ore, Malatya-Hekimhan-Hasançelebi medium and low grade magnetite lump ores reduced with Soma-Kisrakdere lignite coal to investigate their suitability for sponge iron production. A laboratory scale box furnace was used to carry out the reduction experiments. In the experimental studies different operation parameters were selected being Cfix/Fetot. ratio, temperature in the range of 1100 - 1250 oC and time, to determine their effects on metallization. Metallization degree up to 90 % was found in the reduction experiments realized by using Sivas Divrigi B Head high grade hematite lump ore, whereas for Malatya-Hekimhan-Hasançelebi medium and low grade magnetite lump ores 60 - 65 % metallization degrees were obtained.

Jan 1, 2008

By L. T. Lloyd, H. H. Chiswik

The operative deformation elements in a-uranium single crystals under compression at room temperature have been determined as a function of the compression directions. The deformation mechanisms noted may be arranged with respect to their frequency of occurrence and ease of operation in the following order: 1 — (010)-[I001 slip, 2—{130} twinning, 3—{~172} twinning, and 4bunder special conditions of stress application, kinking, cross-slip, {.-176) twinning, and (011) slip. The composition planes of the (172) and (176) systems were found to be irrational. Cross-slip was shown to be associated with the major (010) slip system, coupled with localized interaction of slip on the (001) planes. The mechanism of kinking was found to be similar to that observed in other metals in that it occurred chiefly when the compression direction was, nearly parallel to the principal slip direction [loo] and was associated with a lattice rotation about an axis contained in the slip plane and normal to the slip direction: the [001] in the uranium lattice. The resolved critical shear stress for slip on the (010)-[100] system was found to be 0.34 kg per mm2 In a single test it was shown that under compression in suitable directions twinning on the (130) also occurs at 600°C. DEFORMATION mechanisms of large grained polycrystalline orthorhombic a-uranium have been studied by Cahn.1 A major slip system identified as the (010) with a probable [loo] slip direction and a minor slip system on the (110) planes were reported; the slip direction of the minor system was not determined. The twinning systems that were identified experimentally included the (130) and the irrational (172) composition planes; observations of other traces which were not as frequent and which did not lend themselves to positive experimental identification led Cahn to postulate on the basis of indirect evidence that twinning also occurred on (112) and (121) planes. In addition to the foregoing slip and twinning mechanisms, Cahn also observed kinking and cross-slip in conjunction with the major (010) system; the cooperative cross-slip plane was not identified. The availability of single crystals to the present authors has enabled them to check these results, particularly with reference to the doubtful mechanisms and the preference of operation of any one mechanism in relation to the direction of stress application. The tests were confined to compression only, primarily because of experimental limitations imposed by the size and shape of the available crystals. The tests were performed at room temperature except for one crystal compressed at 600°C. The compression directions were chosen to obtain a representative coverage of one quadrant of the stereo-graphic projection. To test the existence of some of the deformation elements that were reported by Cahn, but were not found in the present study, several additional crystals were compressed in specifically chosen directions considered most ideal for their operation. Experimental Techniques The single crystals were obtained by the grain coarsening technique described by Fisher? They grinding and polishing on rotating laps, with final surface preparation performed in a H3PO4-HNO3 electropolishing bath. A typical crystal readied for compression is shown in Fig. 1; their dimensions were rather small and depended upon the testing direction. Crystals isolated for compression in a direction close to the [010] axis, which lay roughly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the polycrystalline rod, were about 3 to 4 mm long and 5 mm2 in cross-section, while those prepared for compression in other directions were smaller. Most of the crystals were free from twin markings and showed no evidence of Laue asterism. Several crystals, however, contained twin traces prior to compression; these were identified prior to compression so as to clearly distinguish them from those initiated during deformation. The origin of the twin markings prior to deformation may be ascribed to two sources: thermal stresses and specimen handling during isolation and preparation. Two other types of imperfections in the crystals should be mentioned: inclusions, which were probably oxides or carbides. and three of the crystals contained a small number of spherical included grains (<0.01 mm diam), which were remnants of unabsorbed grains from the coarsening treatment. The volume represented by these imperfections was small, and their presence presented no difficulties in the interpretation of the macrodeformation processes during subsequent compression. Two compression fixtures were employed: crystals A, B, C, E, and G were compressed in a hand-operated screw-driven jig whose compression platens were designed to minimize axial rotation;

Jan 1, 1956

By S. J. Ma

With the very effective depressant and collector developed by China Bluestar Lehigh Engineering Corp (hereinafter referred to as LEHIGH), satisfied results are obtained from laboratorial beneficiation tests on phosphate samples from Karatau, Republic of Kazakhstan by the direct flotation process. In this paper the effect of single factors on performance of flotation is studied and their applicable ranges are proposed. The final test results are described as follows: As the feed contains 23.20 % P2O5, and 3.96% MgO, a phosphate concentrate assaying 29.77%P2O5 and 1.54% MgO is produced, and the P2O5 recovery in concentrate is 88.28%. The beneficiation tests make it possible to simplify existing technology with fine grinding-desliming, followed by reverse & direct flotation system and consequently improve the concentrate grade and recovery for the future beneficiation plant

Jan 1, 2014

By Keys NJ

The so-called COMAT process provides a method for leaching low grade sulphide mattes in an acidic ferric sulphate medium in such a way that non ferrous base metals such as Ni,Cu and Co are substantially all dissolved; the concentration of residual acid and dissolved iron remaining in the leaching solution is low, and a large portion of the sulphide sulphur is converted to elemental sulphur. Thus the quantity of neutralising agents required to remove residual acid and dissolved iron from the leach solution prior to subsequent recovery of the dissolved base metals is greatly reduced. The leach residue and iron precip- itate report in a readily filterable form. In this paper results obtained on a pilot plant scale are presented for the leaching of a typical low grade matte in the manner describ- ed above; for the solvent extraction and elec- trowinning of copper, and for the removal of residual acid, copper and iron from the copper solvent extraction raffinate. Processes tested on a laboratory scale for the further recovery of cobalt and nickel by solvent extraction and electrowinning, and for the recovery of sulphuric acid and ammonium hydr- oxide from the dissolved ammonium sulphate salt contained in the final plant effluent, are also briefly described.

Jan 1, 1986

By Feria Bengoa

El creciente interés del público sobre los problemas ambientales, la satisfacción de los clientes y la seguridad minera, ha generado un alza de leyes en el sector minero e industrial, nuevas ONG y la búsqueda de productos, materiales y procesos compatibles con la preservación de los recursos naturales y cada vez más seguros. En ese sentido, el presente trabajo muestra la estructura del SIG basada en el ciclo conocido de Shewhart (PDCA), y que constituye la espiral de mejora continua de las normas internacionales ISO 9001, ISO 14001 y OHSAS 18001. La base comprende 17 procesos que conforman el SIG según la filosofía del PDCA, los que han sido agrupados como: Política, Planificación, Implementación, Evaluación, Mejora y Revisión de la Alta Dirección. La implementación del SIG que se está realizando en la Fundición de Cobre, asegura la calidad del proceso productivo, estandarizar las mejores prácticas operativas a través de instrucciones de trabajo y procedimientos, motiva y forma a todo el personal de la empresa, cumple con la legislación y mejora la seguridad y salud ocupacional de todo el personal.

Sep 12, 2005

By Qingming Feng, Bo Huang, Dongbo An, Jinhong Zhang

A study of the application of mine tailings as precast construction materials through alkali activation was carried out, focusing on efficiently activating mine tailings, reducing alkali consumption, decreasing curing time and improving compressive strength. Test results showed that unconfined compressive strength of 40 MPa was achieved. In addition, to elucidate the geopolymerization mechanism of mine tailings, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques including scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy were used to investigate the microstructures and elemental and phase compositions of the reaction products. The findings of the present work provide a practical method for applying mine tailings as precast construction materials through alkali activation.

By N. A. C. Smith

One of the most important considerations in any manufacturing industry is the production of stable material, that is, material which will not change in quality before it reaches the consumer. The manufacturer of gasoline, the refiner of crude petroleum, is handicapped in this respect by the varying nature of his raw material, but as far as it is commercially practicable, he has endeavored to improve his product, and in most cases he has been eminently successful. It sometimes happens, however, that a gasoline that is apparently normal when first made, will In time deposit small quantities of a gummy substance. The present Investigation was undertaken in the hope that it would throw some light on these gums and indicate how their formation might be prevented.

Jan 1, 1922

By Fabiana da Silva Santos

Neste trabalho foram estudados os efeitos da laminação a frio com baixo percentual de redução e a cinética de recristalização em um aço médio carbono e alto manganês. O aço em estudo foi laminado a frio com percentual de redução de 10%, seguido de um tratamento térmico de recozimento nas temperaturas de 650 e 700°C, em tempos de 10, 15, 20, 25 e 30 minutos. A caracterização microestrutural e avaliação da fração recristalizada foram avaliadas por microscopia óptica e a dureza Vickers (avaliada em um macrodurômetro e um microdurômetro). De acordo com os resultados pode-se observar um efeito combinado de recristalização e crescimento de grão em função da microestrutura parcialmente encruada pelo baixo percentual de redução imposto, que se acentua com aumento do tempo e da temperatura de encharque.

Aug 16, 2017

By S. Rajendran

Much advance has been made in offshore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation in India. But the same amount of success could not be achieved in the case of other offshore minerals which are amenable for mining. However, employing present technology, there should not be any difficulty in successful exploitation with minimum environmental hazards. A demonstration is provided by considering the conditions prevailing in the Kerala offshore (southwest coast of India) scenario of monazite, ilmenite, phosphatic mud and calcareous deposits. Mud banks are unique phenomenon of the Kerala coast during monsoon season. Acting as barriers to waves, mud banks protect portions of the beaches from being eroded and trap sediments from either side facilitating growth of adjacent beach. The easy minable possibilities of the phosphatic mud during non-monsoon season with less pollution hazards and dumping back the waste material after processing for phosphate at the breaker zones to reduce the erosional effects on the coast make the exploitation economic and ecofriendly unlike the benefication of the lowgrade phosphate ores on land on a comparatively larger area and subsequent crushing, transport and resulting pollution.

Jan 1, 1993

By H. S. Gieser

THE flotation of oxidized silver, ores offers an interesting problem to the operating metallurgist, who has to treat this material. The advances made in the art of selective flotation by the use of newer collectors with accelerating and inhibiting reagents suggests that there should be something to help to decrease tailing losses. For many years there was no working hypothesis, so the subject was approached more or less in the dark, but with the publication of a paper by Taggart, Taylor and Ince1 giving results of flotation tests with many organic compounds and presenting a tentative theory, a better foundation has been laid and henceforth progress should be more rapid. Over a period of one and one-half years there was much experimentation with flotation of oxidized silver ores at El Tigre, Sonora, Mexico. The material coming to the mill was straight sulfide ore in a silicified rhyolite gangue, the ore minerals being sphalerite, galena, pyrite and tetrahedrite. This came largely from the lower levels of the mine. With the approaching exhaustion of these orebodies, attention was turned to oxidized ores left behind during higher prices of silver. Of late oxidized ore has been at times 25 per cent. of mill tonnage. Aerofloat 25, in considerable quantity, together with ethyl xanthate, has been used in the mill. The former raises large quantities of "insoluble" or gangue, which is difficult to reject when the density of the tailing pulp approaches 33 per cent. solids, as it did during periods of water scarcity. The mill tailing at times contained as much as 5 oz. of silver on a 32-oz. mill head.

Jan 1, 1931

Jarrah Decline is currently the only underground operation at the Boddington Gold Mine, (BGM). The mine is located 120 km SE from Perth in WA, with mineralisation hosted within deeply weathered felsic and intermediate intrusions and volcanic rocks of the Saddleback Greenstone Belt (Morley and McBride,1995). Open cut operations commenced in April 1987 with a mill throughout of 3.OMtpa. A number of upgrades have since taken place, with the oxide material throughput currently milled at a rate of 7Mtpa. In 1992 a separate circuit, the supergene mill, was commissioned to treat copper material from the open cut and now ore from the Jarrah Decline. Current throughput in the supergene plant is 30,000 tonne per month, with a varied blend according to mill requirements. Total gold production from the Jarrah Decline in 1994 was 60,000 ounces from 90,000 tonne of ore.

Jan 1, 1990

ON JUNE 7 the German Government handed to the French and Belgians a new proposal for reparations, which offered 1,200,000,000 gold marks annually, to be guaranteed as to 500,000,000 by a mortgage on the national railways, as to another 500,000,000 by a mortgage on industry, commerce, land and factories, and as to 200,000,000 by a luxury tax. The number of years for which this payment should run to be left to settlement by an international conference. This offer was taken under consideration by the French and Belgians, who instituted conversa-tions with the British in the hope of arriving, at some joint action with respect to the Germans. Up to the end of June nothing had been determined. In the meanwhile, the continued French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr seemed to develop a condition of guerilla warfare, considerable bloodshed occurring throughout the region. The second Lausanne Conference dragged on, the Allies being apparently unable to take any firm, joint stand, while the Turks increased their importunities and managed to get concession after concession. Early in June a revolution occurred in Bulgaria, the previous Government under Premier Stambulisky, based on the agrarian party, being forcibly thrown out by a bourgeois and military combination. This pro-duced considerable disorder in Bulgaria, outside of which country the nature and purpose of the revolution does not appear to be well understood. Stambulisky&apos;s partisans offered feeble, isolated resistance to the revolu-tion; in connection with which there was some blood-shed and Stambulisky himself was reported killed, although this was later contradicted. Professor Zan-kof, the new Premier, issued a statement, that the change of the Government was the result of discontent, that the foreign policy of the new Government would be peaceful, and that Bulgaria would continue to fulfill her international obligations, particularly the treaty of Neuilly. It was the opinion of London that the immu-nity from taxation enjoyed by the farmers under the agrarian regime is likely to he superseded by more equi-table taxation, and in general that the bourgeoisie will be better administrators of the public affairs In domestic affairs industrial activity continued at a high rate, but there was distinct relaxation in the demand for raw materials, and also in some manufac-tured goods. During June there were reductions of prices by many of the automobile tire manufacturers. There seemed to be also further contraction in the demand for automobiles.

Jan 6, 1923

By A. W. Khair, S. J. Jung

"A fundamental study of fragment size distribution and characteristics of fracture pattern is presented for the dynamic penetration of a conical bit into coal block. In this paper, damaged zones during crater formation and fragment size distribution were studied. Bit with a sharper tip angle and a smooth body configuration performed better penetration. Results suggest that in coal cutting the trend should be toward the face cleat direction using a sharper angled tip bits which consumes less energy for an optimum range of penetration depths, thus attaining maximum cutting efficiency and reducing fine fragments.1. INTRODUCTIONMuch research in the past has been done on energy requirements and mechanism of energy dissipation for ideal rock fragmentation in cutting process. However the mechanisms of energy dissipation or failure criteria for rocks in cutting process in order to evaluate the efficiency of energy requirements in specific rock fragmentation is not well understood. The formation of a crater in rock under the impact blow of a bit has been observed experimentally (Hartman, 1959). It is known that directly beneath the edge of the bit the rock is crushed into fine powder, toward the sides of the crater it chips out into relatively large fragments. (Sikarskie & Cheatham, 1973). Singh et al. (1967) investigated the cratering process under the two different conditions of static and dynamic loading. They found that the amount of energy consumed per unit volume of crater is unequal for the two different loading conditions. A complex network of fractures often extends downward and laterally into the rock below the bit. The surface of the specimens showed that the dynamic loading damaged larger area then the static loading."

Jan 1, 1989

By M. Friedman

Applications of rock mechanics to the design of engineering structures in rock involve the assumption that the stresses are due entirely to the present applied loads. For instance, it is assumed that the vertical normal stress in undisturbed rock free of topographic effects is equal to the weight per unit area of the overburden. In fact, vertical dilatational strains associated with stresses of more than 100 times the present overburden pressure have been measured by strain-relief methods on outcrops. 1,2 The notion of residual strain (stress) or latent stress3 seems unassailable; and indeed this has long been recognized by metallurgists. It is difficult, however, to assess the residual component of the in-situ state of elastic strain with conventional strain relief methods employed in mines or down boreholes. That is, in principle, the in-situ state results from the superposition of present applied loads (natural or man- induced) and potentially recoverable elastic strains (stresses) that exist in a given volume of material even though there are no external forces across the boundaries of the body (Voight,4 and Fig, 1). Accordingly, only in unloaded blocks can the true residual strains be measured by strain relief methods. Using X-rays, the elastic strains locked within the quartz grains or crystals of a rock can be measured. These strains are known to persist even when the rock is reduced to small chips but to vanish when the rock is disaggregated and the grains are powdered. Although we have just begun to investigate the mechanisms by which the strains are stored (see Preliminary Results), we believe that "pressure solution&apos;&apos; at grain boundaries, secondary cementation under load, permanent ("plastic") deformation, and temperature changes are possible processes. In any event, in our study of naturally deformed rocks, it is significant that we are work-

Jan 1, 1972

[A session of the Institute of Metals held during the February, 1926, meeting of the Institute, was devoted to a symposium on &apos;&apos;gas" in copper. S. Skowronski, Perth Amboy, N. J., was chairman. On the program were papers by T. S. Fuller; W. H. Bassett and J. C. Bradley; Susan B. Leiter, and W. H. Bassett and H. A. Redworth. These papers follow the chairman&apos;s introductory discussion.] S. Skowronski, Perth Amboy, N. J.—There are today two groups of metallurgists, one group who believe in oxygen-free copper and another group who believe that oxygen is absolutely essential in copper; not that the two groups disagree, but that a certain grade of work calls for oxygen-free copper, while another grade of work does not. I can sum up the problem by reading the abstract of an article by Frederick Johnson of Great Britain in The Metal Industry of Sept. 4, 1925. Few, who have watched the trend of things during the last two decades, can have failed to notice the steady growth of opposition to the prevalent use of copper in the "tough-pitch" condition, which for many ages enjoyed an unchallenged supremacy. Broadly speaking, there are two schools of thought in the metallurgical world, one holding the view that copper containing a small proportion of oxygen is an eminently suitable material for users, the other expressing its preference, in no hesitating or uncertain manner, for copper from which oxygen has been removed by means of a deoxidizer. In the old days, before the advent of the converter and the electrolytic refining process, the copper of commerce was so impure that the presence of oxygen was imperative in order to neutralize the influence of impurities which militated against the hot-working properties of the metal. For electrical purposes, oxygen must be present, because sound bars and billets cannot be produced without it, except at the expense of electrical conductivity. For most engineering purposes, however, electro-deposited copper may be used either by itself or with the addition of alloying elements, e. g., arsenic and nickel, which experience has proved to be beneficial, such copper being freed from oxygen by the aid of a deoxidizer, e. g., phosphorus. Such material has positive advantages over "tough-pitch" copper as at present produced from refinery furnaces. It has greater toughness and malleability, and is immune from the action of reducing gases at high temperatures, the destructive action of which, in the case of "tough-pitch" copper, is well known. The reasons why there has been no wholesale replacement of "tough-pitch" copper by deoxidized copper are commercial in nature; copper can be more economically melted in large-capacity furnaces which lend themselves to the poling process and are not so suitable for control of uniformity of action of deoxidizers as the smaller electric or crucible furnaces, whilst they are also more convenient for the production of very large castings. Moreover, the equipment of most large copper manufacturing plants is designed for casting "tough-pitch " copper in open moulds, e. g., wire bars and cakes, and these could not be used for deoxidized copper, which must be cast in vertical moulds as in brass-shop practice. Further, there are still certain impure brands and

Jan 1, 1926

By Alvin Kaufrnan

This chapter will deal with the policy issues relating to mineral land disposal. The first portion of the chapter will discuss in general terms the legal systems utilized in disposing of mineral rights and the major problems encountered; the second section will comprise an analysis of the policy alternatives with emphasis on the pricing aspects. In this section, we are not attempting to provide a legal text, but simply to outline very briefly and sketchily the details of the systems. More detailed information can be obtained by contacting the appropriate governmental agency for specific information. Mining laws throughout the world are based on two major legal groupings: English Common Law and the Civil Law. These basic systems are often modified by Islamic Law and by negotiated -mixtures of these. Under English Common Law, which is embraced by the United States, Canada, and many of the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, individuals can hold property and can extract minerals from it. The owner can dispose of minerals as he sees fit, either through contract, deed, or whatever other system is appropriate. CIVIL LAW Under Civil Law (also known as Regalian Law), mineral ownership is normally placed in the state, regardless of who owns the surface. This legal system applies in most European countries and their former colonies. It is derived from Roman law. The mineral deposits, thus, are worked under concessions. Most countries use a negotiated concession system and sometimes a combination of negotiation and competitive leasing. The negotiated system has advantages as well as disadvantages for both government and industry. In a system where the government administratively determines who is to get what, the concessions are normally large. Frequently they range up to several millions of acres and involve a considerable investment on the part of the concessionaire. There is no duplication of effort on the part of producers to obtain information, since a single concessionaire controls a given area. Consequently, less money is spent in toto because several prospective operators are not required to seek the same information. The system also has the advantage to the industry of permitting the concessionaire to select and retain the best producting area. Thus, major developmental expenditures are made on the production unit only, with a resulting reduction in the risk factor. The large initial size of the concession also minimizes the possibility of expending a large bonus payment for a barren property. The major governmental advantage of a concession is its flexibility in accomplishing other national objectives. For example, a lease could be negotiated at less than fair market value, but requiring substantial de-

Jan 1, 1976