Search Documents

By M. C. Chang, J. Dasher

The Crucible mine in Pennsylvania, operating on Pittsburgh seam coal, is rated at 5000 tpd. The washing plant, built in 1943, is rated at about 400 tph, using hydroseparator boxes to wash the coarse coal (4 x 5/16 in.) and hydrotator units for the fine coal (5/16 x 0). It is generally acknowledged that gravity concentration equipment cannot be used efficiently to bene-ficiate coal finer than about 65 mesh. Before the present flotation circuit was installed, Crucible recovered its fine coal slurry, predominantly —24 mesh material, by passing it through a battery of five 14-in. and one hundred and ten 3-in. Hey1 & Patterson cyclones in parallel with a 75-ft Dorr thickener. About two thirds went to the cyclones and one third to the thickener. Underflows from cyclones and thickener were filtered, respectively, in one 12-disk Eimco and two 4-disk Oliver filters fitted with stainless steel cloth. The resulting cakes were added to the coarse metallurgical coal. The filtrates, overflow from the 3-in. cyclones, and thickener overflow were recycled to the coarse coal plant. The three major problems encountered in this system became acute when the mine switched from track-mounted machinery to the more economical off-track equipment. The quality and uniformity of product declined, too much slime accumulated in the circuit, and waste pond disposal became highly impracticable. Lowering of Quality and Uniformity: Since the filter cake was not beneficiated in any way, addition of this material, which contained about 18 pct ash. would certainly lower the quality of metallurgical coal. Difficulties of handling the high-ash, high-moisture cake were compounded by the lack of adequate blending facilities at the mine, making it impossible to maintain uniform feed for the coke ovens. For a two-month test period, to verify the source of trouble, all filter cake was excluded from the metallurgical coal. The excluded filter cake was stocked in the yard. Slime Buildup: The moisture retained in the coarse coal products and the filter cake provided daily the only means of slime bleed from the circuit. As this bleed was not enough to offset the incoming fines in the raw coal feed, there was excessive buildup of slimes. To operate at all, it was necessary to purge the system each weekend by pumping all the solids from the thickener to a waste pond. The slimes built up during the week progressively increased the apparent viscosity and density of the circulating plant water, so that hydroseparators and hydrotator units had to be constantly adjusted. Uniformity, yield, and quality of the metallurgical coal suffered in consequence, and the filter cake ash and moisture contents increased from Monday to Friday. Limited Waste Disposal: Location of the plant does not permit unlimited waste pond area. Maintenance of a waste pond for the purpose of emptying the thickener during weekends became a costly burden that could not be tolerated. HOW THE PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED The flowsheet (Fig. 1) chosen to overcome these difficulties is considered the one most economical to install and operate. In a preliminary change made before the flotation circuit was installed, the cyclones and thickener were first operated in series, the overflow from the 3-in. cyclones, after flocculation, being discharged into the thickener and the thick-

Jan 1, 1960

By William Glenn

The taking of proper samples of crude ores seems to he less thoroughly understood, or less carefully practiced, than its impor tance requires. We all know how often we encounter the reports of very accurate assays and analyses, the weight of which as evidence wholly depends on the method of obtaining the sample, and is very probably nil, because there has been no proper sampling. Pissages might be cited from technical books, and from current technical literature (all the work of writers whom we delight to honor) to show that even among high scientific authorities there is too little acquaintance with the practical art of the sampler. There is no metallurgical or chemical establishment which does not frequently receive samples truly representing nothing. They consist usually of bits of ore, or what not, selected because they are worse or better than the average of what they are meant to represent. And they are worthless, no matter who made the selection. Where conscious choice is permitted to enter into the operation, a fair sample will not result, unless by a miracle. The work of sampling is often looked upon as within the realm of boys and of pensioners only. At least, though the manual labor be left to subordinates, the principles on which it is conducted and the safeguards with which it is surrounded are not unworthy of the study of experts; and experts should he ready to teach these principles and enforce them in practice. For exact sampling is the indispensable first step towards learning the value of any boxful, carload or shipload of ore. I propose to give a simple account of the method of sampling by hand, such as I have always pursued. There is nothing new about it. So far as I know, it is the immemorial old method, as old at least as Cornish copper-mining. Perhaps my fellow-members in the Institute may suggest improvements in it. If not, it will constitute a record in our Transactions to which laymen and beginners may be referred.

Jan 1, 1892

By Jesse O. Betterton, Y. E. Lebedeff

AS a matter of the most widespread interest to lead-refining metallurgists, the process of desilverizing lead originated by Parkes is the most fundamental step in lead refining. While this basic operation, in addition to effecting a practically complete recovery of gold and silver, is also a great purifying operation and a governor on the purity and uniformity of the final refined lead, it has the important deficiency that no bismuth is removed in the operation. The problem of finding a satisfactory, inexpensive method for removal of bismuth that would fit in with the basic desilverization step has been one of enticing interest for lead-refinery metallurgists for many years. Of late it has become one of imperative interest, and while many attempts and much progress have been made, it is probably fair to say that metallurgical progress thus far is only catching up with commercial requirements. The Pattinson process, an original competitor of the Parkes process for desilverization, has received much attention for its possibilities for bismuth removal. Bismuth concentrations in the Pattinson process fall far short of the silver concentrations and as a result too many operations are required and a crawl in grade in the kettle units is experienced which requires periodic correction. Altogether, it has proved too expensive a remedy, from the cost standpoint of both installation and operation. The Betts electrolytic process is a fully satisfactory remedy but its present status in the field of lead refining is more a matter of bismuth removal than preference as a refining system, except, of course, in instances particularly favorable to the basic requirements of the process. The Betts process, of course, is essentially different from the Parkes process, and very difficult to associate therewith to any economy except in minor ways. Accordingly, where economy dictates the Parkes process, and this is true of far the greater portion of the world's tonnage, the adoption of the Betts process primarily for bismuth removal is apt to prove an expensive remedy on account of its normally higher cost of operation, inelasticity of the equipment for variable tonnages, and high per ton cost of installation.

Jan 1, 1937

By Ivan E. Goodner, Charles H. Fulton

The subject of the constitution of copper-iron mattes has received considerable attention in recent years by Keller,' Belles,2 Hofman,3 and Gibb and Philp.4 Still more recently Friedrich, Röntgen, Wiedmann, Heyn and Bauer, and Leroux have published, in some instances, elaborate researches on the various systems of the sulphides, and the snlphides and their respective metals, which enter into the constitution of mattes, and have added very greatly to the knowledge of the subject. The work of Friedrich has been especially fruitful. But to' date no effort has been made to correlate the data obtained in the latter researches and apply them to the study of the product called " matte," which is made in such large quantities by copper- and lead-smelters. In this paper we propose to determine, by metallographic and chemical means, the constitution of copper-iron and copper-lead-iron mattes in the light of the recent data above mentioned. We do not discuss copper-nickel mattes or speisses (artificial arsenides). The paper is divided into three sections: I. A review and discussion of the various binary systems of the metallic sulphides, and the binary systems of various metals and their respective sulphides entering into the constitution of mattes; also a discussion of the physical properties of these sulphides. II. A description of the results obtained from the chemical and microscopic examinations of the samples of copper-iron and copper-lead-iron matte obtained from various plants.

Jan 1, 1909

By T. S. Hutchinson, C. E. Kemp

The bottom water drive analysis presented by Muskat has been extended to include fields with wider well spacings. Curves are presented from which volumetric sweepout, water-oil ratio, and rate relations may be calculated. The effects of non-unity ratios on sweepout eficiency and productivity decline have been studied by an approximate method. Also, the effect of gravity on volumetric sweepout has been approximated for a particurlar geometry. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this paper is to report work done in applying the analysis of bottom water drive reservoirs given by Muskat1 to a larger class of reservoirs, to extend this analysis to include the effects of gravity and non-unity mobility ratios in an approximate manner, and to investigate the rate of decline of productive capacity. The bottom water drive type reservoir is one where the oil is underlain by a water zone of sufficient thickness that water movement is essentially vertical. This system is defined in more detail in the appendix and a one well element is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. Muskat obtained solutions to the equations describing the volumetric displacement efficiency of idealized bottom water drive systems by assuming that gravity effects due to differences in density betwecn oil and water were negligible and that the mobilities of oil and water were the same. If either of these assumptions is not made, the complexity of the system makes an analytical solution well nigh impossible at the present stage of mathematical development. Coles and Stade' developed an approximation to consider these factors. The authors have refined approximations, starting with the same basic assumption, which should give a somewhat quantitative picture of bottom water drive performance when mobilities are not equal and the effects of gravity are not negligible. The results of these approximate calculations can then be used to obtain the decline in well productivity as the field is depleted.

Jan 1, 1957

By H. Y. Yancey, B. M. Bird

During the past four years the experimental work in coal washing carried on by the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the University of Washington has been devoted mainly to the development of special methods for the tabling of fine sizes of coals that are difficult to wash. One important outgrowth of this investigation has been the application of hindered-settling classification to coal tabling. Although used for many years in ore dressing, the term "classification" as used here may be new to many readers. It may be defined as the separation obtained when a bed of particles is held in a uniform state of suspension in an upward current of water, either continuous or pulsating, just sufficiently strong to keep the bed in a mobile condition. A common example of this type of separation is a jig in which there is no suction stroke. When the hindered-settling classifier is used with the coal-washing table, the fine-size raw coal, instead of being fed direct to tables, as is the prevailing practice, is first fed to the classifier and grouped, according to the rate of settling against the upward current of water, into perhaps six separate products. After dewatering, each of these except the sixth, a refuse product, is elevated to a seperate feed bin arid washed on a separate table. This paper gives a brief discussion of the basis for the use of hindered-settling classification of a table feed; a description of the experimental work; a comparison of the results obtained with and without classification; and a discussion of the application of the classifier in commercial coal washing. Basis for Use oF Hindered-settling Classification of Table Feed Although theoretical reasoning might be used to justify treating a table feed by hindered-settling classification,l the simplest method of demonstrating the need of such a step before tabling is to show the

Jan 1, 1930

P. W. SHIMER, Easton, Pa. (written discussion*).-When lump calcium cyanamid is immersed in the melt of mixed chlorides of the alkalies and alkaline earths in the manner described in the paper, the amount of sodium cyanide formed in the melt, as shown by numerous analyses, is but a small fraction of that formed by the reaction referred to by Mr. Johnson. The case-hardening effects in my process are, however, at least as good as when the common cyanide baths are used. Moreover, when compared with the cyanide baths, the gases evolved in the new process are harmless, consisting of nitrogen, carbon monoxide (which burns to carbon dioxide on the surface of the melt), and occasionally a little carbon dioxide. These gases are not irritating or poisonous, whereas the vapors arising from cyanide baths are both irritating and poisonous. The complex chemical reactions that take place in and on the surface of the melt are being investigated by the writer, who hopes, in due time, to communicate the results of his work.

Jan 7, 1919

By G. L. Oldright

NEARLY all of the present schemes for treating complex (i. e. lead¬silver-zinc-copper) ores are based on the idea that lead holds, and will hold for some time, the strongest economic place from the viewpoint of supply and demand of all the non-ferrous metals. Copper, it is thought, will come back to its own when European affairs are stabilized, although at that time competition from Chile, Peru, and Katanga, in particular, will be more severe than in pre-war days. The future for silver and for zinc is uncertain. New uses are developing for zinc, and the market has remained better than many expected, but the stabilization of world markets will bring in foreign competition instead of relief. The cost of producing zinc from simple zinc ores, by the retort process, will, from the nature of the labor required and the increasing cost of fuel, increase steadily. As a result, the small producers of purely zinc ores around Joplin are shutting down their mines, even with a good market price for zinc; on the other hand, the producer of lead from complex ores, in the Rocky Mountain states, is confident of a profit from the sale of his lead, and is seeking means to make the zinc in his ore pay some part of the cost of treatment. However, the tonnage costs for mining and ore dressing are much higher in the Rocky Mountain states, as may be seen by comparing tax-return statements from the various states. Even before the recent drop in the price of silver, many mines were operating on a very slender margin of profit; labor and supplies cost more. Mining at greater depth has shown most orebodies to grow increasingly more complex, so that improvements in mining and ore-dressing practice have not been sufficient too compensate for the additional expense involved in beneficiating these ores. The smelters have had to meet the same general economic situation, so they can only give

Jan 3, 1924

Executive Committee. ROBERT H. RICHARDS, Chairman. ALBERT SAUVEUR, Vice-Chairman. TIMOTHY W. SPRAGUE. HENRY A. WENTWORTH. AUGUSTUS H. EUSTIS, Secretary, 131 State St., Boston, Mass. The twelfth meeting of the Boston Section was held at the Engineers' Club, 2 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, on Monday evening, May 5, 1913, fifteen members and three guests being present. The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairman Albert Sauveur, who introduced the speaker of the evening, Utley Wedge, of Ardmore, Pa. Mr. Wedge read his paper on the chloridizing roasting of copper ores, which he illustrated with a stereopticon, and which will be published in full by the Institute. After Mr. Wedge had closed his paper, which was received with great interest by all the members, the following discussion took place: Professor Hofman said that iron was formerly thought to ho essential to the Henderson process, but that it is not absolutely essential. Mr.Wedge said that, as far as he. knew, the presence of some sulphates was an abso¬lute necessity, and that line ores can be worked satisfactorily, although lime has an effect on the subsequent leaching. He added that the low fuel consumption of the latest Wedge furnace is a result of direct application of the combustion gases to the ore. Ten per cent. of fuel was needed with the muffle furnace. By direct firing he has been able to reduce the fuel needed to from 2 to 4 per cent. In the latest types of furnaces the gases from the upper hearth are not used. There is doubtless some temperature at which the loss. from copper chloride volatilization becomes serious, but in practice on Rio Tinto ores troublesome losses are not experienced. The copper apparently does not become volatile at. the temperatures where we would expect that it would. There are doubtless ores in which there would be serious danger from losses from this source. The latest furnaces do not use the high temperatures that were needed in the former single-hearth Wedge furnaces.

Jan 7, 1913

By A. N. Winchell

Petrographic studies of over 1400 rock and mineral samples, and studies of their field relations, show that there is a complete gradation between sandstone and limestone; the lime-silicate rocks were produced by recrystallization of limestone; mineralization and silicification occurred after silication and at considerably lower temperature; carbonation occurred at still lower temperatures. IN CONNECTION with law suits between mining companies at Bingham, Utah, a few years ago, the writer made petrographic studies of more than 1400 rock and mineral samples in thin sections, and also careful studies of their field relations. In petrographic studies, even when an area is studied intensively, attention is commonly centered very largely on the unusual features of special interest, so that the relative abundance of rock types (or minerals or textures) can only be determined by a study of map areas outlined largely by field methods, and cannot be based directly on microscopic work. It is very uncommon, and usually impossible, to take samples at regular short intervals along and across formations. It is precisely because such methods were used at Bingham that the work presents a rare opportunity for determining, on a microscopic basis, the relative abundance of rock types and the continuity of gradations between rock types. At the same time, a study was made of the alteration of sediments under the influence of igneous intrusions, with results that are believed to be of interest and importance.

Jan 3, 1924

By Robert Hunt

ONE of the most serious and important economic administrative problems facing American railway authorities to-day is that of their rails, and it is one to which much thought, is being given, not only by the executive officers of the railways and the manufacturers of the steel rails, but also by State and National commissions. It is realized by many and admitted by some that the present situation is one which cannot continue. The roadways of railways must be made more secure, or the weight of rolling stock and the speed of trains must be lessened; and the desired result must be attained with the minimum outlay of money, both in expenditure on plant and in cost of operation. If the investment per mile is too large, or through the lessening of tonnage and efficiency of equipment the cost of operation is too great, the desired and demanded cheap service cannot he rendered to the public. Therefore, the weight of equipment cannot be greatly reduced, and lessening the rapidity of service would be far from satisfactory; consequently, the safety of the roadway must be secured with the least practical outlay. It is imperative that the roadbed should be properly graded, with the fewest practically possible curves; that it should have good ballast, be well drained, have good ties properly spaced, and be laid with sound rails of suitable weight, efficiently joined together, and that the whole property be carefully and intelligently cared for. My province is to treat of the sound rails. During the last few years there has been renewed interest in and discussion of that question, and I know that many rail makers not only have been and are desirous of maintaining the highest standards of manufacture which they may have attained, but have been and are seeking to better their product, in several instances devoting much time and money to that end. At the same time, they realize that the cost of any improvement in quality which they may accomplish must be kept within certain commercial bounds; and that fact is as fully understood by their patrons as by themselves, and it should be kept in mind by all who discuss the question.

Jan 2, 1914

By R. T. Southin

Cast ingots of 99.99 pct purity A1 and aluminum/copper alloys containing up to 2 pct Cu have been found to contain four zones rather than the three previously accepted, i.e., chill, colummar, and equiaxed zones. The fourth zone consists of a coarse dendritic layer across the top surface of the ingot which is open to the atmosphere. It is also found that the grains in the equiaxed region have a "cornet" shape, with a head which is coarsely dendritic and a tail which grew with the same structure as the columnar grains. Experiments using mechanical barriers, and others involving the elimination of the surface dendrile layer, have indicated that nucleation of the equiaxed zone is caused by the showering of dendritic particles from this surface dendrite layer. These particles are the dendritic heads found in the comet grains. A mechanism of nucleation and growth of these comet grains is put forward. Experiments with a number of other metals and alloys suggests that these conclusions may apply generally to ingots cast without the addition of nucleating agents, and solidified under normal conditions. THE macrostructure of cast ingots may contain the following three zones: i) a peripheral zone of fine equiaxed grains, commonly called the chill zone; ii) a zone of columnar grains extending inwards from the chill zone; iii) a central zone of equiaxed grains; these are normally larger than the chill grains. All three zones are not necessarily present in any particular ingot since their existence and magnitude depend upon the casting conditions and composition of the cast material. The mode of formation of zones i and ii is fairly well understood. However, the cause of the central equiaxed zone remains a matter of conjecture. Previous theories put forward to explain the mechanism of nucleation in the equiaxed zone have been examined by Chalmers1 and Winegard.2 At the time when the present work was carried out the most re -cent hypothesis was that due to Chalmers,1 who recognized more fully than previous workers that conditions in this zone during solidification were not conducive to nucleation. In his hypothesis, he suggested that nuclei were formed near the mould wall during the very early stages of solidification, and that they can drift into the central zone by convective motion. This was supported by evidence from experiments using mechanical barriers to stop the drift of nuclei. A similar hypothesis had previously been put forward by Genders.3 More recently, Jackson et al. 4 have observed that dendrite arms in organic compounds can melt off during solidification. They have postulated that this occurs in metals and alloys, and that the dendrite arms which have been freed from the main dendrite act as nuclei for the equiaxed zone. In the present work, critical metallographic examination has shown that there is a fourth zone in the macrostructure of cast ingots which is a dendritic layer over the top surface of the ingot. It is also shown that there is a relationship between this zone and nucleation of the equiaxed zone. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS The alloys examined were prepared from super -purity aluminum of 99.99 pct min purity (spectro-graphically detected impurities of Cu, Fe, Si, and Mg) and copper of 99.98 pct min purity (spectrographically detected impurities of Si, Zn, As, Fe, Pb, Bi, Ni, Sn, Mn, Ag, Cr, and Al). Three compositions of ingots were examined, containing 0.0, 0.1, and 2 pct Cu, respectively. The alloys were melted in an alumina-lined salamander crucible using a medium-frequency electric induction furnace; when the appropriate casting temperature was reached, the alloys were cast without degassing or fluxing treatment. The mould used was made of electrode graphite and had the following dimensions: external diameter 6 in., height 9 in., with a mould cavity 8 in. deep and a diameter tapering from 5 in. at the top to 4 in. at the bottom. Casting temperatures used were generally in the order of 70" to 90°C above the liquidus and the mould was at room temperature before casting. Inserts kere placed in the mould cavity in some experiments. These consisted of either an 18-g stainless-steel tube of 2 in. diam held axially in the mould i in. off the bottom and extending 1 in. out of the top of the mould or a "trap-door" barrier of stainless-steel gauze of 24-mesh held horizontally in the mould 31/2 in. down from the top. The construction of this insert is shown in Fig. 1. All inserts were preheated prior to casting to prevent chilling. RESULTS The macrostructures of ingots of the three compositions are described, in terms of the three generally recognized zones, in Table I, and illustrated in Figs. 2(a) to (c). The most interesting observation in this table is that relating to the shape of the equiaxed grains, which were not in fact equiaxed but of almost tear-drop shape. Closer examination of these grains showed that each consisted of a head which had a coarse dendritic structure and a tail which always grew in the opposite direction to heat flow, and which had the same structure as that of the columnar material of the ingot concerned; i.e., in the pure aluminum and 0.1 pct Cu alloy it was cellular and in the 2 pct Cu alloy it was cellular-dendritic. Identification of original cast grains was greatly hampered in the super-purity aluminum ingots, and to a lesser degree in the 0.1 pct Cu alloy,

Jan 1, 1968

By S. Senderoff, D. E. Couch

A PROCESS for the electrolytic preparation of molybdenum from molten salts has been described previously. This previous work centered on electrowinning and electroplating characteristics of the process. In this paper the properties of the process as a refining medium are discussed. In producing metals from ores, it frequently has proven most economical to obtain a comparatively impure metal by smelting, and to purify the product by electro refining. Direct electrowinning from molten salts is rather difficult when a porous diaphragm is required in the process, as in the case of molybdenum, since satisfactory refractory materials for such a diaphragm in molten salts have not yet been developed. In electrorefining, however, a soluble anode is used. By suitable control of anode and cathode current densities, the lower-valent molybdenum compound used in the electrolyte is not oxidized, and a diaphragm is not needed, thus avoiding difficulties which are encountered with other electrowinning processes. Electrorefining may result from two different processes in the cell: Dissolution of the molybdenum and the less noble impurities with a separation of the more noble impurities as an anode sludge; the electrodeposition of molybdenum and the more noble metals at the cathode, leaving the less noble metals in the electrolyte. The amount of separation which occurs in each process is determined by the potential of the operating electrode and the relative concentration of the various species at (or in) that electrode. Since molybdenum has a comparatively noble position in the EMF series in molten alkali halides,2 most refining would be expected to occur at the cathode. In this work only the cathodic process was studied. The objective was to determine to what extent various metallic ions, if they dissolve from the anode or are otherwise introduced, were concentrated in the electrolyte. The necessary conditions for the separation of each and the limiting concentration which may be tolerated in the electrolyte for effective refining were studied. The deposits were chipped from the cathode and analyzed spectrochemically for metallic impurities. Besides determining the major contaminant, a general qualitative analysis was obtained to be sure that other metallic ions were kept at a very low level during each series of runs and to be sure that the baths were not being contaminated accidentally. Samples of the bath, for analysis, were taken at the temperature of operation so there was no chance of selective crystallization during cooling. In this way the ratio of molybdenum in the bath to the other metal could be determined readily. These data permitted a check on the anode efficiency and any volatilization that took place during the electrolysis. Experimental Apparatus—The apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 was used to determine the effect of the various foreign ions upon electrodeposited molybdenum. The entry chamber A allowed the cathodes to be removed without cooling the bath and without allowing oxygen or moisture to enter." The cathodes were made Prom 0.25-in. tungsten rods and were rotated during the electrolysis. The balloon in the lower arm B was inflated with helium after the cathode was drawn up into the upper section for removal. A new cathode was then placed into the entrance chamber A after which the chamber was flushed

Jan 1, 1959

By G. R. Mansfield

THE third year of Government exploration f or potash by the U. S. Geological Survey and-the U. S. Bureau of Mines under the authorization of the act approved June 25, 1926 (Public 424-69th Cong.) is drawing to a close. The results thus far obtained are thought to be sufficiently interesting and satisfactory to justify the presentation of a brief preliminary account of the work. REVIEW OF EARLIER EXPLORATION The general geologic similarity of the Permian basin of Texas and New Mexico to the potash field of Germany had long ago suggested the possibility of the presence of potash salts somewhere in that basin, but petroleum exploration was then making little headway there and the necessary data could not be obtained. The discovery by Udden in 1912 of potash in brine from the Spur well in Dickens County, Texas, was the first direct evidence of its presence. In 1915-17 the U. S. Geological Survey drilled a test well with standard tools at Cliff side near Amarillo, but failed to find potash. Nevertheless, an observer has been kept in the field, at first in cooperation with the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology but since 1922 by the Survey alone, to `secure data and samples from oil and gas tests. Since the discovery of oil in Reagan County in 1923 exploration by drilling has been rapidly extended to many parts of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The identification of the potash-bearing mineral polyhalite was first announced by the Geological Survey in June, 1921, the material having come from cuttings from the Bryant well in Midland County and the Burns well in Dawson County, Texas. Successive discoveries and announcements of similar purport aroused widespread interest in potash exploration, which culminated in the action by Congress already noted.

Jan 1, 1929

By H. Y. Yancey, B. M. Bird

One of the problems studied by the U. S. Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the University of Washington has been the re-treatment of table middlings. Hydraulic classification has given the best results. Instead of using the classifier to prepare the feed to the tables, as has been the practice for many years in ore dressing, it is used to separate part of a middling product that cannot be re-treated successfully on the table. Middlings are desirable in a table plant because the separation according to specific gravity is incomplete; that is, in the products of the table there is always an overlapping of free particles of coal and refuse that can be distinguished with heavy liquids such as are used in the float-and-sink test. The causes of this overlapping may be divided into two groups, those outside the table separation itself and those inherent in the table separation. The first of these groups includes, among other causes, the following: (1) poor adjustments of the table, (2) overloading or underloading the table, (3) irregularities in the quantity and quality of the feed, (4) irregularities in the power and water supply, and (5) a vertical dancing motion of the table deck due to weak foundations. These causes of overlapping are largely unnecessary in a properly designed and constructed plant; but whenever they are present they materially affect the character of the middling product, and hence the problem of re-treatment. The other group includes three additional causes: (6) small differences in specific gravity between coal and impurities, (7) a size-specific-gravity relationship of the coal and refuse particles in the table feed such that the sizing action of the table opposes the separation according to the specific gravity, and (8) shapes of particles that prevent a separation. The sixth, small differences in specific gravity, may be a very important reason for an incomplete separation. The change in specific gravity from coal to shale is always gradual and the designation of one part as coal and another part as refuse is arbitrary. If some specific gravity, such as 1.45, is chosen as the dividing point between washed coal and refuse,

Jan 1, 1930

By George Sachs

THE process of recrystallization has not as yet been explained satis-factorily. Some definite conclusions could be drawn from recent investi-gations, such as, for example, that recrystallization is a process of nucleus formation and crystal growth 1and that the orientations of the nuclei correspond to some fragments of the original crystals, which have been considerably distorted during deformation.2 There are, however, a number of metals and alloys crystallizing in the face-centered cubic system, which form a particularly simple orientation if recrystallized as a sheet.3 Such a sheet is almost a single crystal with the cubic axes parallel to the rolling, transverse, and normal directions of the sheet. This preferred cubic or (100) orientation of the recrystallized sheet has been considered to be very different from the rolling structure of the same metals,4 but there are two reasons why this last supposition remains open to controversial discussion. The first reason is academic: In practically all cases except the one mentioned above, close correlations and similarities between rolling and annealing orientations have been observed; for instance, in iron and steel sheet.6 Secondly, no deformed metal actually forms a-simple orientation. In any thoroughly investigated case a number of different orientations and considerable scattering or deviations from the ideal orientations have been found., It is generally true that investigations on single crystals have shown that a definite orientation is approached in stretching or in compression of an originally undisturbed crystal.7 In the special cases, however, where the initial orientation was close to an important crystallographic direction that differed from the final "ideal" orientation, the resulting orientation changed very little by deformation, staying somewhere in the vicinity of the initial orientation." Such deviations

Jan 1, 1940

By Joseph E. Pogue

The writer visited the Muzo emerald mines in July, 1915, and spent six days in their study. This paper embodies the results of his observations, plus information personally communicated by Robert Scheibe, Professor of Geology in the Mining Academy of Berlin, who at the time of the visit was completing a detailed field investigation of nearly a year's duration of the emerald deposits of Colombia. An elaborate account of this valuable work may be expected at a future date from the pen of Professor Scheibe.

Jan 1, 1917

By J. H. Hollomon, L. D. Jaffe

The hardenability concept has become widely used during the last few years for the choice and substitution of steels. Before the work of Grossmann,1 the systems for predicting hardenability from chemical composition could be used only over a narrow range of composition. Grossmann introduced a comprehensive system, which has been effective in calculating the hardenability of most types of moderate or low-alloy steels. However, occasions often arise that require the calculation of the hardenability of high-alloy steels from their chemical compositions. Experimental determinations of the hardenabilities of such steels indicate that the Grossmann system predicts much greater hardenabilities than are realized. The fact that cases do arise in which the Grossmann method does not apply indicates that the fundamental hypothesis of the system may not be generally applicable. It seems advisable to re-examine not only Grossmann's system but also the concept of hardenability itself. Hardenability If steel parts are to possess a martensitic structure after quenching, they must first be austenitized and then cooled through the pearlite and bainite transformation ranges sufficiently rapidly to avoid the formation of pearlite, bainite, and pro-eutectoid products.* If, on cooling, these transformations are avoided, the resulting structure can consist only of martensite (and retained austenite). The hardenability of a steel is measured in terms of the severity of the cooling conditions necessary to avoid the pearlite and bainite transformations. The less rapid is the cooling necessary to prevent the formation of bainite and pearlite, the higher is the hardenability. The pearlite and bainite reactions appear to be differently affected by the alloying elements. Not only is this indicated by the published isothermal transformation data, but recent work by Zener2 affords a rational interpretation of the differing effects of the alloying elements. Manganese,3 for example, appears to decrease the rates of the pearlite and bainite transformations by equal percentages, while molybdenum45 is approximately 10,000 times more effective in retarding the pearlite than in retarding the bainite transformation, on the basis of isothermal measurements. In some steels, the formation of bainite restricts the formation of martensite while

Jan 1, 1947

By L. D. Jaffe, J. H. Hollomon

The hardenability concept has become widely used during the last few years for the choice and substitution of steels. Before the work of Grossmann,1 the systems for predicting hardenability from chemical composition could be used only over a narrow range of composition. Grossmann introduced a comprehensive system, which has been effective in calculating the hardenability of most types of moderate or low-alloy steels. However, occasions often arise that require the calculation of the hardenability of high-alloy steels from their chemical compositions. Experimental determinations of the hardenabilities of such steels indicate that the Grossmann system predicts much greater hardenabilities than are realized. The fact that cases do arise in which the Grossmann method does not apply indicates that the fundamental hypothesis of the system may not be generally applicable. It seems advisable to re-examine not only Grossmann's system but also the concept of hardenability itself. Hardenability If steel parts are to possess a martensitic structure after quenching, they must first be austenitized and then cooled through the pearlite and bainite transformation ranges sufficiently rapidly to avoid the formation of pearlite, bainite, and pro-eutectoid products.* If, on cooling, these transformations are avoided, the resulting structure can consist only of martensite (and retained austenite). The hardenability of a steel is measured in terms of the severity of the cooling conditions necessary to avoid the pearlite and bainite transformations. The less rapid is the cooling necessary to prevent the formation of bainite and pearlite, the higher is the hardenability. The pearlite and bainite reactions appear to be differently affected by the alloying elements. Not only is this indicated by the published isothermal transformation data, but recent work by Zener2 affords a rational interpretation of the differing effects of the alloying elements. Manganese,3 for example, appears to decrease the rates of the pearlite and bainite transformations by equal percentages, while molybdenum45 is approximately 10,000 times more effective in retarding the pearlite than in retarding the bainite transformation, on the basis of isothermal measurements. In some steels, the formation of bainite restricts the formation of martensite while

Jan 1, 1947

By D. F. Hewett

ALTHOUGH most persons will agree that an individual or a nation can profit from the experience of other individuals or nations, there is always room for debate over the degree of similarity of their past and present conditions and of their future problems. Noting the increasing interest that Americans are showing in our mineral problems, I have felt that we could profit from reviews of the experiences in mineral exploitation acquired by the industrial nations of Europe. Whether we can learn much from Europe's experience in exploiting such minerals as petroleum may be debatable, but certainly, with a record of metal production extending back nearly 3000 years, Europe should hold much of value for America. A trip to Europe in 1926 permitted me to visit 28 mining districts, of which about half are now or have been in times past outstanding sources of several metals. The districts range from England to Greece and from Spain to Poland. To summarize briefly my impressions of these mining districts, as well as such reactions to the thought and life of Europe as so short a visit permits, I shall only venture the opinion that Americans can review with great profit the ideas and actions of Europeans, with regard not only to the production of metals but to many expressions of life. I believe that America has made and is making new contributions to the art of living, as well as to the arts of mining and metallurgy, but in so far as Europe is and has been a laboratory of economic, social and political experiments, the results she has attained deserve the thoughtful attention of America. I have come to believe that many of the problems that harass Europe lie in our path not far ahead. I have therefore hoped that a review of metal production in Europe in the light of its geologic, economic and political background may -serve to clear our vision with regard to our own metal production.

Jan 1, 1929