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By S. Razi

Injection luminescence of single crystals of rare-earth-activated CdS was investigated. Crystals of CdS:Nd, CdS:Er, and CdS:Yb, grown by the vapor transport technique, were suitably etched and hetero-junctions of Cu2S-CdS were fabricated on one side of the CdS substrate by chemical reaction. The device was then heated to 200°C in an inert atmosphere for 5 min. Static V-I measurements show that at low voltages (V < 1 v) the current is controlled by the junction, while at higher voltages the bulk Properties of the CdS substrate effectively control the current. Because of the large thicknesses no negative resistance was found. Reverse breakdown voltage varied from 5 v, for junctions that were not heat-treated, to 100 v, for diodes that received the proper heat treatment. The rectification ratio, measured in the range of 2 to 10 v, varied from 300 to 3000. Capacitance- voltage measurements indicate a weak dependence of the junction capacity on applied voltage. The capacity was found to increase appreciably with room light illumination. The variation of capacitance with frequency is indicative of a p+-i-n structure. An open-circuit voltage of 0.4 v was measured under an illumination of 100 mw per sq cm. Under forward bias, the bluish-green edge emission characteristic of CdS was observed. No sharp rare earth emission line was observed, which is in contrast to our results using ZnS:Tb, where, under high-voltage excitation, the rare earth emission was dominat over the lattice emission. The absence of rare earth emission implies that either the nature of the rare earth ion is different at the het-erojunction than in the bulk or the probability of energy transfer to the rare earth ion is small. RARE earth elements are playing an increasingly important role in the Synthesis of materials for a variety of purposes, e.g., solid-state lasers, color television screens, and so forth. Interesting systems result when wide-band-gap photoconducting lattices are activated with rare earths. A study of the lumines-

Jan 1, 1969

By Donald C. Violetta

LIMITATIONS of the sintering process as applied to the agglomeration of fine iron-ore concentrates are related directly to the sizes and aggregating properties of the ore particles. A normal sintering mixture is composed predominantly of material which ranges in size from 5/8 in. to 100 mesh, whereas concentrate is composed of material which ranges in size from 100 mesh to less than 10µ. Unless the concentrate has high aggregating properties, it is quite impervious to a gas stream and, as such, inhibits the capacity and operability of the conventional sintering process. Material has Poor Aggregating Properties Aggregating properties, in this case, may be defined as the ability to form small agglomerated fragments or accreated masses by a normal mixing action, and the ability to maintain these shapes during drying and firing. Coarse-screened ores are a natural aggregate, and fine, slimey ores have good aggregating properties. However, specular-hematite flotation concentrate has a very low tendency to aggregate, due to its particle sizes, shapes, and surface chemistry and, as such, is readily air borne in a gas stream when dry.

Jan 3, 1958

The Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties. United Engineering Trustees, Inc. When Mr. Carnegie made. his gift which made possible a home for the engineering societies, a separate corporation was organized to act as a holding company and to manage the common property. This was long known as the United Engineering Society, but the name has now been changed to one which more nearly reflects the real function of the corporation. It holds title to the Engineering Societies Building and to various funds placed in its charge and is managed by a Board of Trustees, of which three are chosen by each of the four societies, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers, which have equal and undivided interests in the property. The land and building cost two million dollars. During the year 1934, the Constitution and Bylaws of The United Engineering Trustees, Inc., were thoroughly revised and a better organization of its functions was effected: The Engineering Foundation and the Engineering Societies Library were made "departments" of the United Engineering Trustees. The Founders Societies share in the property which it holds, and estimated at the present time, as follows: Real estate,. $1,993,793; Depreciation and Renewal Fund, $401,000. The U.E.T. has endowment funds amounting to $1,086,893. The A.I.M.E. trustees are W. D. B. Matter, Jr., A. L. Queneau and Albert Roberts.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. T. Norton, A. L. Mowry

S. J. SINDEBAND*—(1) Discussing the properties of the powders used, Mr. Rostoker mentioned a silicon powder as being between 150 and 325 mesh. We always had much difficulty in measuring particle size of silicon powder by screen analysis, because of its tendency to agglomerate. I would be interested in the method used to measure these particle sizes. (2) Mr. Rostoker maintains that the measurement of magnetic properties is more accurate in determining complete homogenization of an alloy, than is the X ray diffraction technique. I wonder whether this is really true. Even when diffusion is complete, magnetic properties will change during continuation of the heat treatment, due to change in density and pore shapes, as has been demonstrated by Mr. Rostoker himself. Which effect is faster, the diffusion of the alloy components or the attainment of final density, will, in my opinion, depend very much on initial material and sintering conditions used. For magnetic applications, of course, the magnetic measurements are most suited for determining the point at which equilibrium conditions are reached. (3) I was glad to see that Mr. Rostoker had used sample sizes which are similar to those I had used previously, and I believe that ring samples of about 2 in. od will become more or less standard samples for the determination of magnetic properties of powder metallurgy products. I should like to ask how the density was changed for the samples on which the effect of porosity was investi- gated, and, further, why the sintering temperature used for this series of experiments was so low. It is somewhat surprising that a 24-hr treatment at 850°C acts so much more to spheroidize the pores than a treatment for 1 hr at 1100°C. But the effect seems to be indisputable. I have made an investigation of the influence of sintering temperature for longer times on the maximum permeabilities of iron powder compacts which was presented at the International Powder Metallurgy Conference in Graz, in 1948, and I hope that these results will be published here within a short time. The results of this investigation are confirmed by Mr. Rostoker&apos;s findings that the change of time from 1 to 24 hr changes the permeability behavior considerably in the direction as indicated by Polder and Van Santen for spheroidiza-tion of pores. I do not quite understand Mr. Rostoker&apos;s explanation of the influ-

Jan 1, 1950

By Frank A. Wardlaw

My subject covers the effect that recent metallurgy has had on operations at the Utah-Delaware mine. This mine is the old Highland Boy mine of Bingham Canyon, Utah, one that has now been in operation for about 30 years. It was first operated by Messrs. Weir and Newhouse as a gold mine, under direction of the Highland Boy Gold Mining Co. The ore was oxidized gold ore and it was treated on the property in a cyanida-tion plant. During the process of development, sulfide ore was found assaying about 5 per cent. copper. It proved to be the discovery of what is yet the largest sulfide copper orebody in the State. The first shipment was made in December, 1896. A smelter was built in Salt Lake Valley to treat this ore and not long after the property was sold to the Utah Consolidated Mining Co. From 1900 to 1924, the mine was a large producer of direct-smelting ore which averaged for many years 4.5 per cent. copper, then later dropped to 2 per cent. copper. During the years 1912 to 1920, direet-smelting lead ore was also mined. In 1918 and 1919 ore developments at depth showed a decided increase in silica content and a porphyry sill so closely associated with the ore that it was impossible to mine the ore clean and it was found necessary to build a copper flotation concentrator at Tooele. The mill had a capacity of 1000 tons a day and made a recovery of 90 per cent., and would have been responsible for a continuance of profitable operations had it not been for a slump in the copper market and the necessary high cost of mining ore on the lower levels. Results of Selective Flotation In 1924 the mine was on the point of a shutadown which had all the earmarks of being permanent; it was being operated at a heavy loss and preparations were made to pull the pumps and salvage the machinery. The plant at Tooele was remodelled for selective flotation by the International Smelting Co. in order to treat custom ores, and incidentally to clean up a possible 10,000 tons of lead-zinc ore which it was thought possible to get in the Utah-Delaware before shutting the mine down. Results were so encouraging that an effort was made to develop more lead-

Jan 1, 1928

Your esteemed favors transmitting my discharge as your representative on the War Minerals Committee have come duly to hand and the kind words of commendation contained are greatly appreciated. Like other war committees, The War Minerals Committee&apos;s business in Washington was to meet an emergency as best it could, and as soon as the emergency had passed pressure of personal responsibilities immediately scattered the individual members. A detailed report of the Committee&apos;s work is therefore impossible. But before the matter is closed I feel it incumbent on me to ask you to report to the Directors and the Council, and through them to the members of the Institute and of the Society, the inestimable value to our Committee of the unstinted support given by both your officers and members. The instant response to all requests for funds was of the greatest assistance in getting started with office force, stationery, etc., and led later to a regular organization in the Bureau of Mines, working under a special appropriation, which is still doing good work as the War Minerals Investigation under Dr. Spurr. The voluntary work of the special sulphur and manganese committees formed by the War Minerals Committee was of great value to the Government. Copies of private reports supplied were of much assistance. But the great service of engineers and geologists as a whole was rendered in connection with the passage of the War Minerals Bill by Congress. Though every assistance possible was rendered by the Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey, by the close of 1917 our Committee had about reached the limit of its usefulness in the way of stimulating the various Government executive committees, bureaus and departments to a realization of the country&apos;s need of preparation for domestic production of "war minerals" and had found that special Congressional action was imperative if the war was to continue for anything like the time then generally feared. This was necessary not only &apos;to insure a. supply of war minerals but to make possible the appointment of some able mining administrator of large experience in the mineral industry who, with ample authority, could sit in the councils of the Government and see to it that the ever increasing autocratic powers the war was developing were used toward the mining industry so as to foster rather than crush the latter in its effort to produce sufficient raw material for war and essential civil requirements.

Jan 7, 1919

By F. R. Hewitt

The methods of mining talc are simple, and in western North Carolina are almost entirely by open cut and quarry. The larger part of the talc of this section lies in various-sized "veins&apos;&apos;. inclosed in quartzitic walls, the majority of which have by folding been thrown into a perpendicular position, or nearly so, and the exposed edges of which have been covered by debris from erosion of the mountain above. This covering of loose rocks and earth is from 5 to 25 ft. thick, and in most cases has to be removed because it is difficult to support. Sometimes the covering is heavy enough to "catch" and timber successfully, and in this case the talc can be worked out by the usual method of following the "vein," using stulls for holding up the walk until the vein is worked out, and then allowing the cut or drift to fall in. In some cases it proves more convenient to sink shafts and run drifts, following the talc "veins" until exhausted. The talc deposits of this section are badly broken and faulted both laterally and perpendicularly, and in some cases are found many feet below the level of drainage, necessitating pumping at considerable expense. My own experience in mining talc has been that the chief point is to get a reliable "vein," and that then the mining is not as difficult, or any more so at least, than that of any common ore. If the "veins" are pure talc it is simple; if the talc is admixed with foreign matter, such as tre-molite in excess, or stains of iron or manganese, as is often the case, one had better abandon the deposit. Methods of Manufacture Talc, being a soft mineral, is not difficult to reduce to the condition desired by the trade. Powdered talc is admitted under low duty from France, Italy and Austria, and some is being imported from Asiatic points. Talc is usually ground and bolted in any simple reduction mill. That mined in this section is hand-sorted and the quality that will make good powdered talc is ground for use in the manufacture of talcum powder, cosmetics, etc., while all that is hard enough and has sufficient strength is used for crayons and blanks for gas burners and electrical work, being sawed into the shapes desired. The rest that is clean and pure is ground

Jan 1, 1917

By H. M. Ziesemer, George Mieyr

Prior to 1909 that mountain of porphyry known as Sacramento Hill had hardly been touched though it had always been thought to contain ore. During that year, exploratory work was started by underground methods; drifting and raising continued until 1913. It was proved that a mineralized zone existed, the limits of which had not been determined ; so, because of the lower costs of exploratory work and the greater desirability of vertical sections, it was decided to prove the extent of the ore zone by churn drills. Drilling continued until 1917, when it seemed almost certain that the horizontal limits of the orebodies had been determined. Ore continued in depth in one direction beyond a point where it was economical to explore by churn drilling; this extension is still being developed by underground methods. The irregularities of the boundaries of the ore zones, together with the variable grades of ore encountered, made it necessary to drill on the corners of 100-ft. squares. Two ore zones were proved, known as the East and West Orebodies. The Sacramento Hill porphyry stock intruded into the Dividend fault. The fault ran roughly east and west with a dip to the south, having pre-Cambrian schists on the north against Paleozoic limestone on the south. This intrusion was accompanied by a silica breccia on the south periphery, along the limestone contact side. The ore lay in the silica breccia and in the porphyry, some distance from the breccia. NO ore was found in the heart of the porphyry mass on the north side, along the schist contact. The West Orebody is elliptic in shape, having a major axis of 1200 ft. (366 m.) and a minor axis of 800 ft. (244 m.); these diminish with depth until, at 300 ft., the axes are 500 ft. and 300 ft., respectively. The ore consists of chalcocite, some bornite, chalcopyrite, and considerable pyrite in a siliceous gangue. About 30 per cent. of the copper is caused by

Jan 1, 1923

By George Mieyr, H. M. Ziesemer

Prior to 1909 that mountain of porphyry known as Sacramento Hill had hardly been touched though it had always been thought to contain ore. During that year, exploratory work was started by underground methods; drifting and raising continued until 1913. It was proved that a mineralized zone existed, the limits of which had not been determined ; so, because of the lower costs of exploratory work and the greater desirability of vertical sections, it was decided to prove the extent of the ore zone by churn drills. Drilling continued until 1917, when it seemed almost certain that the horizontal limits of the orebodies had been determined. Ore continued in depth in one direction beyond a point where it was economical to explore by churn drilling; this extension is still being developed by underground methods. The irregularities of the boundaries of the ore zones, together with the variable grades of ore encountered, made it necessary to drill on the corners of 100-ft. squares. Two ore zones were proved, known as the East and West Orebodies. The Sacramento Hill porphyry stock intruded into the Dividend fault. The fault ran roughly east and west with a dip to the south, having pre-Cambrian schists on the north against Paleozoic limestone on the south. This intrusion was accompanied by a silica breccia on the south periphery, along the limestone contact side. The ore lay in the silica breccia and in the porphyry, some distance from the breccia. NO ore was found in the heart of the porphyry mass on the north side, along the schist contact. The West Orebody is elliptic in shape, having a major axis of 1200 ft. (366 m.) and a minor axis of 800 ft. (244 m.); these diminish with depth until, at 300 ft., the axes are 500 ft. and 300 ft., respectively. The ore consists of chalcocite, some bornite, chalcopyrite, and considerable pyrite in a siliceous gangue. About 30 per cent. of the copper is caused by

Jan 1, 1923

By Gary E. Butts, Paul R. Smith

Introduction The design of a mineral processing flowsheet involves many factors. The importance of the sample can not be overemphasized. Competent and thorough mineralogical examinations are important as an aid in designing the test program. Designing and conducting the laboratory test program is basic to the design of the flowsheets. In the project under consideration a flotation pilot plant was conducted to prove the process and to provide a realistic prediction of metallurgical results. Moreover, the pilot plant operation provides important pilot plant design data. Finally, accurate and clear reporting is essential so that the information developed can be utilized advantageously by the client and the engineering firm. The design of a minerals processing flowsheet is a team effort. Engineers from the mining company, the research organization, and the engineering firm all contribute to the effort.

Jan 1, 1978

By A. J. Lanza

The prevention of illness among the employees of the mining industry is especially important in view of the importance of the industry, the unsettled conditions of labor, which emphasize the economic necessity for conservation of labor, and for humanitarian reasons. The burden of chronic illness is altogether unwarranted and unnecessary. If the industry is to maintain its labor supply in an efficient manner and keep the standard high, it is essential that it make every effort to keep its labor in good physical condition. The basic principles underlying health conservation are the same for any industry, but they are here applied especially to the mining industry, and more particularly, perhaps, to metal mining, as it is with this phase of the industry that the writer is most familiar, and as it is conceded that metal mining presents more health hazards than coal mining. The first step in the prevention of illness lies in securing employees who are in sound health and free from organic disease. I do not mean that all men who go underground should be physically perfect, but they should be free from organic defects of the heart, lungs, and other organs, or from anatomical defects that would markedly increase their liability to accident. The number of men working underground in mines in this country whose physical condition totally unfits them for such work presents a situation that should not be allowed to continue, and which I believe is not equalled in any other industry in the country. There is but one way to secure men who come up to the required standard, and that is by a thorough physical examination before employment. I am fully aware of the objections felt toward such a procedure by many employers and employees. There is much to be said on both sides, but to any one who is at all familiar with the mining industry as it is today in this country, and who approaches the matter with an unbiased mind, there can be absolutely no doubt as to the necessity for physical examination. As a purely logical proposition this is self-evident, but there remains the further necessity of placing physical examinations on such a basis that they can be administered in a just and equitable manner free from the abuses and suspicions to which they have been subject in the past.

Jan 1, 1919

H. RIES, Ithaca, N. Y.-The part of Mr. Fiske&apos;s paper that interests me especially is that portion dealing with the raw materials, and the tests that were applied to the raw materials in order to determine their value in advance, if possible, because that, I believe, is a step in the right direction. For a number of years I have done my best to persuade different consumers of clay to develop standard methods for testing raw materials. We have in this country a large variety of clays which can be used for a great many different purposes, but in many cases the consumers either have no standard methods for determining the value of those clays in. advance, or if they have they do not publish them; consequently it often puts the clay miner at a disadvantage. If, for example, manufacturers of different types of refractory materials would state publicly just what physical tests their raw materials have to meet, it would, I believe, help them to find more easily the materials that they are looking for, and the clay producer would also be benefited. It would also encourage him to have his clays tested in advance, so that samples could be accompanied by certificates of physical tests that would be of convenience to the manufacturer. At the present time, in this country there are certain types of clay which seem to be rather scarce. There apparently are not many deposits of clay that are exactly suited for the manufacture of zinc refractories. So, too, there are not many deposits of clay that are suited for the manufacture of glass-pots, or the blocks for glass tank furnaces, or clays that can be used for graphite crucibles. Now, in many cases, no standard series of tests has been developed. I am also gratified to see that Mr. Fiske considers the tensile strength. tests of value. Some years ago the American Ceramic Society appointed a committee to draw up a series of recommendations covering standard tests. These recommendations were especially for the use of State geologists and the U., .S. Geological, Survey. Among the tests that were considered was the tensile-strength test, which Mr. Fiske has mentioned in his paper. Unfortunately, a majority of the committee turned it down, and the test was therefore not officially approved, but two of us, who formed the minority, believed in it. Since then the other members of the Committee have come to see that that is an important test to make and Mr. Fiske has emphasized it in his paper.

Jan 1, 1918

By N. V. Hansell

l. INTRODUCTION. THE last few years have shown an increasing interest in the subject of beneficiating iron-ores -in all iron-producing countries. In the United States, this movement has been slower than in certain parts of Europe, for the obvious reason that the abundance and relative cheapness of the Lake Superior iron ores has hindered the development of enterprises for the preparation of low-grade ores. Gradually, however, conditions have changed. The world&apos;s consumption of iron is increasing enormously. Being in 1900 about 40,000,000 tons, in 1910 ii was already 60,000000; and there is no reason to doubt that for the near future the increase in iron-consumption will continue at the same rapid rate, especially with, the development of China, certain parts of Africa, and other regions which have hardly been touched as yet by modern industrialism. It is. therefore, not surprising that apprehension is felt that the known available iron-ore resources of the world are gradually being depleted. Signs of this feeling are the recent investigation, under the direction of the U. S. Geological Survey, of the iron-ore resources of the United States, and the estimate presented to the last International Geological Congress, at Stockholm, Sweden, of the iron-ore resources of the world. These investigations have emphasized the fact that the known high-grade ore-deposits are limited in extent, and will, at a not distant future, be exhausted, compelling the iron industry to depend for raw material on the enormous deposits of low-grade ores which are distributed over almost all the world. The discovery of new deposits of high-grade ore, in countries not yet thoroughly explored, will not materially change this prospect. Of course, the part which such new deposits will play in the future cannot be forecast. The difficulty and cost of transportation will probably exclude many of them from use at the present centers of the iron industry.

May 1, 1912

By M. C. Manderson

Abstract-The sharp drop in world phosphate demand that took place in 1975, due to temporarily high prices, now seems to be reversing itself. And prices for both phosphate rock and phosphate fertilizers, which declined dramatically from their 1975 highs, now appear to be bottoming out. This recent price weakness has delayed new mining ventures that had previously been planned for completion by around 1980. While there is ample capacity to supply near-term rock needs, the stage seems to be emerging for a better supply-demand and price environment in the late 1970&apos;s and early 1980&apos;s.

Jan 1, 1978

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS (The Officers are the President, 6 Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and the Secretary ) President and Director LEO F REINARTZ Middletown, Ohio Past President and Director ANDREW FLETCHER New York City President-elect and Director H DeWITT SMITH New York City

Jan 1, 1954

While coal was undoubtedly seen by the Spanish explorers in Texas, no mention can be found of it in any of their available published records; it was likely noticed by the first Americans, and coal along the Rio Grande River was reported in 1834.1 The next record is that of brown coal in Bastrop County in 1837 by James Nicholson and Judge Pinckney Hill? Dr. Riddell saw brown coal along the Trinity River in 1839 and described it as follows: "In the banks of the Trinity, associated with the iron ore, and overlying the brown coal, whole trees and fragments of trees, piled sometimes one upon another, present themselves completely transformed into stone. In some logs a diversified metamorphosis is observable; one portion of the vegetable structure having been replaced with silex, another with brown oxide of iron, and a third is bitumenized or converted into coal. "In concern with Dr. F. B. Page, I took considerable pains in the exploration of the Trinity brown coal formation., As no excavations for working have yet been made, the best places for inspecting the formation are where the Trinity cuts its way through the highlands, or where its banks present themselves in bold high bluffs, as at New Cincinnati, and near the site of the projected town of Osceola. The coal lies in horizontal strata, dipping one foot in thirty to the northwest. The main stratum at the latter place, just above Bedias creek; is represented by the concurrent statement of W. C. Brookfield, surveyor, Mr. James S. Hunter, of Huntsville, Texas, Dr. Page, and some other persons whom I consulted, as between six and seven feet in thickness, the lower portion being between three and four feet above low water mark. Unfortunately, during my sojourn there, the river was unusually high and turbid for the season of year; I could not consequently verify the same by personal observation and measurements. The most considerable coal beds which I had opportunity fully to inspect, were in the Trinity bluffs, southwest side, at New Cincinnati, six miles lower down, and just below the mouth of Salt creek, near six miles above. The workable stratum of brown coal in each of these localities is about five feet thick, and situated some fifteen feet or so above low water mark. In quality it is said to be precisely similar to the coal in the seven feet bed."2 . Moore in 1840 mentioned coal in the vicinity of Great Salt Lake, through which the Brazos flows; lignite in Bastrop County; lignite in the banks of the Colorado River a few miles above Lagrange in Fayette County; a deposit of excellent coal in the bed of the Sabine River, 30 miles above the

Jan 1, 1942

By R. V. Norris

LAST October, Mr. R. V. Norris and Mr. Matthew C. Fleming were appointed to represent the Institute at the Second National Industrial Tax Conference, which was held in New York City on Oct. 22 and 23. After reading the report submitted by the Committee, Mr. Norris and Mr. Fleming addressed the following to the Tax Committee of the National Industrial Conference Board: The tentative report of the Tax Committee of the National Industrial Conference Board was received too late to make it possible to lay it before the Board of the Institute, and the undersigned themselves have not had sufficient time to digest its interesting contents and recommendations carefully. So that we desire to make it clear that the comments we make on the report are the expression of our personal opinion only. In the first place, we feel that the Committee which drew this tentative report is entitled to the commendation and thanks of the country for what has been manifestly a work of tremendous labor and for the able and conservative report which they have presented. With

Jan 1, 1921

By L. A. Walker

DURING the past twelve years the underground shaft of the United States mine at Bingham has been sunk an additional 2000 ft. with stations and pockets cut every 200 ft. without interrupting the mining of 600 tons of ore per day and the advancing of 1500 ft. of development per month. Following is a brief description of the way the joint work is conducted. The vertical underground shaft is a three-compartment shaft with outside dimensions of 6 ft. 4 in. by 15 ft. 6 in., and inside dimensions for each compartment of 4 ft. 2 in. by 4 ft. 8 in. The manway compartment of the main shaft is used as the hoisting compartment in sinking operations; it is partially lined with 2 by 12-in, lagging and a bucket is used without guides or crosshead. Preparatory work includes the placing of a bulkhead in the manway compartment, 60 ft. above the lowest station or level, the installation of a hoist, a head sheave, a fleet sheave, a-signal system, air and water lines, and a trap door for handling waste.

Jan 1, 1937

[Title 1 Contents Page . 3 Officers and Directors 5 Past and Present Officers 6 Standing Committees 9 Professional Divisions 11 Technical Committees 12 Institute Representatives on Boards 17 United Engineering Society 17 Engineering Societies Library Board 17 Engineering Foundation Board 17 Other Committees 17]

Jan 1, 1928

By William B. Stephenson

The paper describes efficient and effective methods of automatically controlling sand pump installations. Particular reference is made to liquid-level controls actuating variable speed pump-driving units. Included is a discussion of various combinations of equipment, with schematic drawings. HERETOFORE many sand pump installations in the mining and metallurgical field involved guesswork as to the size of the pump and then simply direct-connecting it to a constant speed motor which was often large enough to do twice the work required. Considerable thought was given to mill location in an effort to avoid as much pumping as possible. Hillside design of mills with gravity flow of tailing was much to be desired. Power costs were low, construction was relatively cheap, and labor in many places meant nothing in comparison to the values derived from the ores being treated. Today most of these conditions are reversed. Ores are becoming more complex with lower values per ton of ore treated. Power is more expensive, construction is higher, and labor definitely takes a very important place in the profit and loss statement. Each piece of equipment incorporated in the design of a new mill is selected to provide highest efficiency based on careful metallurgical analysis of the ore to be treated both in good and poor markets. Each is designed with its flexibility in mind and with provision for adjustments in its performance to meet actual conditions in the operation of the mill. Sand pumps have taken an important position in mill design. Operators the world over are relying more and more on the performance of a sand pump in the efficient operating of their plant. Many ordinary jobs are being done today with pumps driven through adjustable pitch diameter V belt drives in order that changes in pump speed can be made easily to meet actual operating conditions. Operating costs have long since proved the folly of operating a pump at too high a speed for the volume and head to be overcome. Metallurgical results have shown the benefits derived from a smooth flow as contrasted with a surging flow from an uncontrolled pump. Construction costs have risen to such an extent that surge bins and other means formerly employed must be omitted from today&apos;s flowsheet. Several installations of considerable size and involving the use of automatic pump speed control have proved the adaptability of such controls since they were placed in service in recent years. In the following presentation each system discussed and illustrated schematically has been installed in one or more instances and has proved itself reliable and definitely economical from the standpoint of capital investment, operation and maintenance. Variable Volume-Head Speed Control: Probably the most popular, effective and efficient automatic control setup for sand pumping installations is the one shown schematically in fig. 1. Commonly used

Jan 1, 1951