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By W. M. Corse

W. M. CORSE,?Mansfield, Ohio.-The conservation of tin, in view of the shipping situation; is one of great importance. Several methods of conservation can be employed: 1. Reduction of the amount of tin in an alloy or compound. 2. Substitution of an entirely different metal or compound for tin. 3. A combination of the first and second methods. The second method is the one that I wish to discuss. Metallic aluminum has been known for a long time, and its use in copper alloys was discovered about 1855 by Lord Percy. The high cost of production of metallic aluminum retarded its commercial development, and it was not until the discovery of the electrochemical processes for its production that it came to be known as a common metal. I have been particularly interested, for the past few years, in working with the alloy known as aluminum bronze, which is usually composed of approximately 90 parts of copper and 10 parts of aluminum, by weight.

Jan 12, 1918

FROM north to south activity is picking up through- out the Labrador Trough-already shown to be one of the world's great iron ore provinces. Center of current activity and interest lies in the mid-southern part of the trough as drills, equipment, and . . . money start to pour into the area near Mt. Wright and Wabush Lake. First major announcement in the area came early this spring when J&L and CCI outlined an estimated billion-ton deposit for "future" operations. Later impetus came from rumored railway for US Steel's Quebec Cartier projects in the Mt. Reed area slightly to the south. As this issue went to press US Steel's request for bids on railway and hydroelectric construction, plus IOCC's decision to step up the time- table on its program in the Wabush Lake area east of Mt. Wright, triggered a flurry of other announcements involving many of the top U. S. and Canadian iron ore firms. Do not look for most of these place names in the average atlas . . . they aren't there yet, but they soon will be.

Jan 6, 1958

By P. Barnes

The subdivisions of this account are numbered 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33, in the general series of construction accounts, and give the details of cost of the various items of the work, as noted below: Accounts 32 and 33 relate to hand-tools and to heaters, and, being quite small in total amount, are omitted in this statement.

Jan 1, 1879

By Dr. Hans Von Höfer

APART from the hypothesis of a .cosmic origin (which failed of acceptance because it was not adequately supported by facts), the only important controversy concerning the origin of petroleum has been, for a long time, between the advocates of inorganic and of organic origin respectively. Each of these theories has had a long history of development, and is still being perfected, under the influence of two causes: (1) the increasingly extensive and thorough study of the oil-fields (of which new examples are periodically discovered and opened); and (2) the progress of synthetic experiments devoted to this question. Moreover, the advance in our physical and chemical knowledge of the properties of this peculiar natural product has necessarily modified all criticism of conflicting views. I. THE HYPOTHESIS OF INORGANIC ORIGIN That the notion of an inorganic origin of petroleum, first set forth by Berthelot in 1866, and afterward ingeniously developed and formulated by Mendelejeff, should thus have proceeded chiefly from chemists, is quite natural; for the question was one of possible chemical processes in the earth's interior, and of imagined chemical reactions to be, verified by experiment. Hypotheses of this kind were suggested by many chemists, of whom two, P. Sabatier and J. H. Senderens, may be specially named by reason of their highly interesting chemical experiments. Among geologists, Mendelejeff's hypothesis was received at first with much interest and favor; for it rested on the assumption of a central terrestrial mass of iron carbide, and the geologists had good reasons for adopting that assumption. Yet comparatively few of them attempted to furnish geological proofs of the hypothesis: the majority either silently believed in it, or for one or another reason rejected it altogether.

Jan 5, 1914

By E. R. Borcherdt

IT is notable that the first large-scale mine operation equipped entirely with detachable bits was the Badger State mine of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. in Butte, Montana, just 30 years ago. This mine in 1922 was producing approximately 1200 tons of ore per day. Much of the data presented in C. L. Berrien's article' describing the development and installation of the Hawkesworth detachable drill bit were obtained from these operations. As in any pioneering effort, no precedent existed and many difficult problems required solution, so that the changeover to detachable bits at all Butte hill mines was not completed for 6 years. There was widespread disbelief as to the probable efficiency of the new installation. Some attempts were made in 1931 by the owners of the Hawkesworth patents to interest Ontario gold mine operators in the bit. These efforts were not successful, but they undoubtedly stimulated thinking which resulted in the invention and patenting of several well-known Canadian detachable bits, one of which is now a widely used throwaway bit. The success of the Butte installation also led to the development of the threaded type of bit connections by several well-known manufacturers, and in 1935 these bits were introduced to the mining industry on a national scale. The original Hawkesworth bit was not provided with a water hole but, depended upon water passing through the clearance opening between the tongue in the bit and the groove in the rod to flush cuttings from the drill hole, see Fig. 1. In December 1935 it was found that this method of introducing drilling water to the bit face resulted in high dust counts. To correct this a water hole was drilled on the central axis of the bit, passing through the tongue. Unfortunately, quenching water would rise through the small water hole, spot-hardening the tongue to cause breakage, never completely eliminated. In the fall of 1936 large-scale tests indicated that savings would be effected by use of a threaded type of bit, which was therefore adopted as standard for all Butte mines. This type of bit was used until 1947, when it was superseded by a one-use slip-on type. Since the first use of the Hawkesworth bit every detachable bit of importance has been investigated, and where advantages which might reduce costs or increase efficiency were indicated, substantial tests of the bit were carried on in the Butte mines. When tests demonstrated the advisability of changing from one kind of detachable bit to another the change was made at one level or in one area each day until the new rod and bit equipment was used throughout the mine. This involved a minimum of cost and disruption of drilling. Intelligent selection of a detachable bit to obtain optimum results requires careful consideration to achieve a balance between the three principal types of equipment used in the drilling process: 1—drill bits, 2—drill steel, and 3—drilling machines. Optimum results imply maximum output and minimum cost per unit of output. Since every rock type differs in drillability and it is generally impractical to provide equipment for more than one or two types of rock which may occur in one operation, selection of equipment must encompass average drilling conditions. However, on exceptional occasions several widely differing conditions may make it mandatory to provide equipment best suited to each condition. The choice of rock-drilling equipment is a most controversial subject and one that is further complicated by unreliable and frequently misleading performance claims. Small operators without the means for making accurate evaluations of equipment frequently suffer from these over-enthusiastic claims. It is apparent from experience in rock drilling throughout the world that rock drillability is not alike in any two places, and that selection of proper equipment can only be made after conducting thorough trials of various types of equipment. Some recent drilling tests in tactite and hornstone at the Darwin, California mine of the Anaconda Co. present some interesting clues on rock drillability. Microscopic examination of thin sections of these rocks reveals that mineral composition and rock texture are equally important in governing drillability. The Darwin hornstone is at times so abrasive that the carbide bit cutting edges become flattened to 3/32 in. in 2 to 4 ft of drilling, and some carbide bits were dulled to this point after 9 to 10 in. of drilling. This wear was determined to be the proper point for resharpening to eliminate carbide insert breakage or breakage of the steel rod when drilling with 1½ to 1?-in. bits, with a drifter of 2 3/4-in. diam and 90 to 100 psi air pressure, see Supplement A. Before considering the merits of various bit designs it may be well to review the mechanics of drilling rock with percussion drills. A sharp bit cuts by penetration and chipping. The amount of penetration governs the amount of chipping and depends upon the contact area of the cutting edge, the foot-

Jan 1, 1954

By A. B. Parsons

NOT every organization on reaching the relatively ripe age of three score and fifteen can say with truth that its purpose and objects remain precisely the same as prescribed by its founding fathers. Of course, constancy of purpose may be something else than unalloyed virtue. It could merely reflect slavish worship of tradition, intellectual stagnation, or sheer inertia. On the other hand, it could establish the fact that the founders were men possessed of broad outlook, of prophetic vision, and of an acute sense of direction. In addition to charting the course with precision, the founders of the A.I.M.E. surely showed a flair for expressing clearly in a few words what others might say obscurely in many words. To quote verbatim from the "call" for the meeting, in 1871, the proposed organization was to have: "two great objectives: "First, the more economical production of the useful minerals and metals. "Second, the greater safety and welfare of those employed in these industries." This text underwent some refining on several subsequent occasions but today the ultimate product, as set forth in the Constitution reads: "to promote the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerals and metals and the welfare of those employed in these industries by all lawful means." The original call was dated "Wilkes-Barre, Pa., April, 1871," and was signed by Eckley B. Coxe, of Jeddo, and by R. P. Rothwell and Martin Coryell, both of Wilkes-Barre, each of the three subscribing himself as "mining engineer." The authors proceeded to explain briefly just how it was proposed to achieve these objectives: "In European countries, where the arts of mining and metallurgy have long been the subject of the most careful study, no means have been found so effectual in attaining the end above proposed, as the free interchange of experience among those actually engaged in these industries; and this object has been accomplished mainly through the medium of `Institutes,' `Associations,' or `Societies,' composed of those engaged in these occupations, and by the periodical publication of `essays' or `papers' communicated to such societies by their members. "It must be evident to all practical men that the interchange of the varied experience

Jan 1, 1947

Engineers who are in charge of industrial operations, and their number is legion, sense as much as anyone the present feeling of unrest in the' country and more than anyone else realize the present inefficiency of labor. Undoubtedly the two phenomena are closely correlated and no doubt are due to a multitude of causes which it will be impossible to enumerate. From my experience in mining I estimate that the present efficiency of labor is only about two-thirds of what it was under pre-war conditions. In the mining industry, at least, we have not a large surplus of men looking for work and usually under these conditions men are rather more independent and will not work as efficiently and faithfully as if they felt there were plenty of men ready to take their places. Wages in metal mining have advanced more than the increased cost of normal and sane living. The result is that the men often work fewer days in a month and do not seem to have very much interest in their work while actually engaged in it. Then again, they have been listening to the more or less vague propaganda of the I. W. W. and the radical wing of the socialists, who are harping on the fact that the distribution of newly created wealth is unfair and that the laborer really is not working for himself or his fellow laborers but is carrying on his exertions for the benefit of a small and lim-ited class of exploiters. A continued harping on this view is bound to influence the judgment of even a conservative workman who is not a student of economics and who hears little or nothing upon the other side. I am a great believer in the common sense of the American people and in the long run I do not think that they will be carried away by unsafe doctrines. The trouble with so many of these propagandists of industrial in-equality is that they do not differentiate between production and dis-tribution. Even if we admit that distribution is unfair, unless goods are produced there will be nothing to distribute. A great many unthinking people seem to feel that wages are paid out of a pot which is inexhaustible and do not realize that eventually what comes out of the pot can never exceed what is put into it. The workman is not paid in money but is paid in goods, money as we all know being used simply as a measure of value and a medium of exchange, and that all that can be used to pay the laborer is what he produces.

Jan 11, 1919

By Richard Moldenke

ONE of the little-known characteristics of cast' iron, which neverthe-less has an important bearing on results where accuracy in machining-is essential, is the ability of this material to ease up internal strains when. .allowed to remain quiescent for a more or less extended period of time. At seems as if the molecules in such a casting, by virtue of their "mobility,? can adjust their relative positions to an extent sufficient to overcome some of the existing stresses. The following instance will perhaps give a fair idea of the condition a casting may he in when just shaken out of the sand. A very large sheave-wheel, after shaking out, was taken' outdoors to be, cleaned and made ready for turning up. It was leaned against the side of the building, but before much could be done an arm tore apart with a loud report. Investigation showed that the sun had been shining on the upper rim, this adding a slight strain to those already existing within the arm and thus overbalancing the strength of the metal in tension. Had this sheave been kept under cover for a while, or at least until machined, the-strains., would have eased off sufficiently to allow the sun to look upon it without disaster. It will not be necessary to multiply examples. Every engineer knows the danger of water-hammer in pipe lines, particularly if the latter are of cast iron. Every mechanic knows, or should know, that it is not good to strike a fitting that is under steam pressure. It will be necessary to say a few words on the "internal- strains" in castings-the so-called "casting strains" we hear so much about. We all know that to get a casting reasonably true to the dimensions wanted requires a slightly larger pattern. The usual allowance for gray iron is 1/8 in. to the foot (1 cm. per meter) and ¼ in. to the foot (2 cm. per meter) for white iron (all dimensions). This reduction in length, breadth and thickness in a casting is erroneously called "shrinkage." It should be called "contraction," as for practical purposes. it is simply the difference .in dimensions of the casting red-hot and cold.

Jan 2, 1917

An extended investigation by the chief engineer of the Bureau of Mines shows that North Dakota has immense beds of lignite. War conditions have stimulated the use of North Dakota lignite until it is now being used at the rate of 1,000,000 tons annually. This North Dakota lignite is coming into extensive local use and considerable of it is being shipped to various parts of the state. The great problem at the present time is to find a market for the gas, which is the principal-by-product of lignite preparation. Bureau of Mines specialists will complete their reports of the studies of lignite in this country and will then make a recommendation as to the lignite field which is best suited for the establishment of the proposed Government's experimental plant. "Broken eggs cannot be mended."-(Lincoln.) Neither can "cashed in" War Saving Stamps grow to their maturity value.

Jan 8, 1919

By Harrison Schmitt

THE definitions of the terms commonly used in connection with metamorphism at elevated temperature near igneous contacts are re-examined. As the study of tactite zones associated with igneous contacts progresses, more and more emphasis is put on the localization of the ore by structural forms. The generally early age of the silicates and late age of the sulphides is well established. Postsilicate structural deformation is likely to localize ore bodies. The silicates are often replaced by the ore minerals. We may not be far from proving that the elements involved in the formation of silicate aureoles are merely normal "volcanic" emanations, that silica, lime, magnesia, and alumina and probably soda and potash are likely to undergo local transfers only. The work of Newhouse suggests the agents of the formation of sulphides in deposits of various classifications are the volcanic emanations.

Jan 1, 1947

By C. Gregory Knight

The Pennsylvania Coal Model is a research activity of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences of the Pennsylvania State University, in association with the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission. In this project, sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Pennsylvania Science and Engineering Foundation, data banks and models have been developed to simulate potential coal production and utilization systems in Pennsylvania. Building from a coal system data base for 1974 and mining simulation models, computer optimization models predict potential coal production and transportation for alternative future demand scenarios. The model allows derivation of costs of various coal supply systems under specific economic, transportation, and environmental constraints. The model also provides insight into such impacts of coal production as employment, land use, and environmental quality.

Jan 1, 1977

Discussion of the paper of F. E. Lucas, presented at the Cleveland meeting, October, 1912, and printed in Bulletin No. 71, November, 1912, pp. 1315 to 1326. F. Louis GRAMMER, Leesburg, Va. (communication to the Secretary *):--Mr. Lucas's paper reminds us of our extravagance in coking, and our tardiness in the adoption of by-product ovens, as compared to Germany. We are, however, so rich in coal-having mined, so far, less than 1 per cent. of our known national resources-that the argument of conservation is not very pressing. It is true that our so-called coking-coal beds are not inexhaustible; but by-product ovens coke coal that bee-hive ovens cannot handle, and so really enlarge our reserves of coking coal. " Conservation of Resources " is a phrase in great vogue. It is overworked and abused at times; being used by those who desire to be the exclusive custodians of resources or the sole purveyors of commodities. It does not carry great weight as regards coal. There are, however, aside from the attractive considerations of profit set forth by Mr. Lucas, several other important reasons why by-product ovens should be introduced more widely. One is that coal-tar pitch is the keynote to the extension of the coal-briquette industry. The more coal-tar pitch is available, the more briquetting will be carried on; and this will utilize much coal which is either waste or a drug in the market. Heretofore, in several instances coking and steel-making plants have been built, primarily, to market bituminous slack.

Jan 5, 1913

By Robert A. Lothrop, Richard B. Porter, Robert P. Porter

Changes became necessary in dredging methods employed in Idaho through passage of the Dredge Mining Protective Act (1954). Among other provisions, the law requires dredge operators to construct settling ponds of sufficient capacity and character to reasonably clarify the water used in the mining process before such water is discharged into the stream. Porter Bros. Corp., a placer mining company with many years operating experience in Oregon and Montana, became interested in strategic mineral placers in Idaho in 1950 when it was learned that prospectors had discovered a radioactive mineral deposit in Bear Valley Creek, 95 miles northeast of Boise. The company acquired mining leases and proceeded with exploration and development work on the property. After extensive research had resulted in the determination of successful separation processes, contracts were negotiated with the federal government and deliveries of columbium-tantalum and uranium concentrates commenced in 1956.

Jan 5, 1960

By M. R. J. Wyllie

Eight laboratory-prepared aqueous base drilling muds representing common mud types, and 15 aqueous base drilling muds sampled in the field, have been used in an experimental investigation of the relationship between the streaming potential developed across a mud filter cake and the differential pressure causing filtrate flow. It has been established that the relationship is of the form, ES = kPy, where Es is the streaming potential, P the differential pressure and k and y are constants for any particular mud system at constant temperature. Beyond a certain minimum thickness this relationship is independent of filter cake thickness. Experiment has shown that both k and y are temperature dependent parameters and that in certain mud systems there is a critical value of P above which the simple relationship Es = kPY ceases to hold. The constant k tends to be a function of the mud resistivity at 77ºF, but the exponent y has not been found to be related to any commonly measured mud property. Certain field experiments are described which serve to demonstrate that the total SP (self potential) developed opposite a formation may be quantitatively accounted for as the algebraic sum of an electrochemical potential and an electrokinetic potential. A chart to permit the simple use of mean solution activities in the interpretation of electrochemical SP data is given and its use described. Various field methods for computing the electrokinetic SP component of the total SP are considered and rejected as being unduly complicated and inaccurate. It is shown that the employment of low resistivity drilling muds is essential if optimum accuracy is desired in the use of the S.P. curve for the purpose of computing connate water salinities by the electrochemical SP method. The use of such low resistivity drilling muds is accordingly recommended. INTRODUCTION In a previous paper' a quantitative analysis of the electrochemical compovent of the SP (self potential) curve was made and it was shown that the electrochemical* emf, E, could be expressed as E = ZtRT/F In a,/a,, where t is the transference number of the chloride ion, R is the gas constant, T the absolute temperature of the formation water and mud, a, the mean activity of the connate water (assumed to be sodium chloride) and a, the mean activity of the mud (as sodium chloride). The essential accuracy of this expression was confirmed by an investigation 2 of the SP kicks opposite sands of known water salinity. The logs examined had been routine runs in oil wells in a number of Mid-Continent states. Further confirmation of the original analysis of the electrochemical SP is implicit in the paper by Tixier3 wherein a relationship between the SP and the ratio of connate water and mud resistivities, based only on field data, is given. Allowing for the fact that mud and connate water resistivities were used instead of activities, and that electrokinetic effects were ignored, the constant reported by Tixier is essentially 2tRT/F. The error involved in the universal substitution of resistivities for activities will receive further reference below. Possible reasons for the fact that the electrochemical properties of shales do not appear to be significantly dependent upon either the nature or the quantity of cation exchange materials, such as clays, they contain has been considered at some length by Wyllie and Patnode.4 In the same paper, the probable effects of shale thickness and compaction on electrochemical efficiency, and hence the inherent difficulty of obtaining reliable laboratory-scale data, were also pointed out. However, it is

Jan 1, 1951

By M. R. J. Wyllie

Eight laboratory-prepared aqueous base drilling muds representing common mud types, and 15 aqueous base drilling muds sampled in the field, have been used in an experimental investigation of the relationship between the streaming potential developed across a mud filter cake and the differential pressure causing filtrate flow. It has been established that the relationship is of the form, ES = kPy, where Es is the streaming potential, P the differential pressure and k and y are constants for any particular mud system at constant temperature. Beyond a certain minimum thickness this relationship is independent of filter cake thickness. Experiment has shown that both k and y are temperature dependent parameters and that in certain mud systems there is a critical value of P above which the simple relationship Es = kPY ceases to hold. The constant k tends to be a function of the mud resistivity at 77ºF, but the exponent y has not been found to be related to any commonly measured mud property. Certain field experiments are described which serve to demonstrate that the total SP (self potential) developed opposite a formation may be quantitatively accounted for as the algebraic sum of an electrochemical potential and an electrokinetic potential. A chart to permit the simple use of mean solution activities in the interpretation of electrochemical SP data is given and its use described. Various field methods for computing the electrokinetic SP component of the total SP are considered and rejected as being unduly complicated and inaccurate. It is shown that the employment of low resistivity drilling muds is essential if optimum accuracy is desired in the use of the S.P. curve for the purpose of computing connate water salinities by the electrochemical SP method. The use of such low resistivity drilling muds is accordingly recommended. INTRODUCTION In a previous paper' a quantitative analysis of the electrochemical compovent of the SP (self potential) curve was made and it was shown that the electrochemical* emf, E, could be expressed as E = ZtRT/F In a,/a,, where t is the transference number of the chloride ion, R is the gas constant, T the absolute temperature of the formation water and mud, a, the mean activity of the connate water (assumed to be sodium chloride) and a, the mean activity of the mud (as sodium chloride). The essential accuracy of this expression was confirmed by an investigation 2 of the SP kicks opposite sands of known water salinity. The logs examined had been routine runs in oil wells in a number of Mid-Continent states. Further confirmation of the original analysis of the electrochemical SP is implicit in the paper by Tixier3 wherein a relationship between the SP and the ratio of connate water and mud resistivities, based only on field data, is given. Allowing for the fact that mud and connate water resistivities were used instead of activities, and that electrokinetic effects were ignored, the constant reported by Tixier is essentially 2tRT/F. The error involved in the universal substitution of resistivities for activities will receive further reference below. Possible reasons for the fact that the electrochemical properties of shales do not appear to be significantly dependent upon either the nature or the quantity of cation exchange materials, such as clays, they contain has been considered at some length by Wyllie and Patnode.4 In the same paper, the probable effects of shale thickness and compaction on electrochemical efficiency, and hence the inherent difficulty of obtaining reliable laboratory-scale data, were also pointed out. However, it is

Jan 1, 1951

By Albert Sauveur

To understand this paper properly, the reader must have a clear conception of what is meant by the " critical points " of iron and steel; * and in order to avoid the necessity of tedious references to previous publications on the part of those unfamiliar with the subject, it is here briefly recapitulated. Critictl Points.—If a piece of steel containing, say, 0.50 per cent. or more of carbon, be heated to a high temperature and then allowed to cool slowly, the cooling proceeds at first at a uniformly retarded rate until a temperature of about 700° C. is reached, when there is a sudden " retardation " in the fall of

Jan 1, 1897

By John Lovejoy

As the Seminole area, Seminole and Pottawatomie Counties, Okla., appears to be the chief danger zone of overproduction in the United States, it may be of interest to review the production records of the various pools which make up this area; also to dis-cuss the future prospects of these pools, together with the structurally "high" points which may develop into new pools. It is also of interest to appraise the effect of the curtailment program in this general area, which was agreed to in principle by the various Seminole op-erators at a meeting held on May 23 at the offices of W. C. Teagle in New York. There are four large pools in the greater Seminole area. They are, in the order of their importance Seminole City, Bowlegs, Earlsboro, and Searight pools. A glance at the accompanying general map of the area will show their relative situation. The detail maps show the extent and area of these prolific spots. Seminole production comes from the Wilcox sand of Ordovician age, found at a depth of 3900 to 4300 feet. Semninole City Pool:-This pool was discovered in Wilcox sand in July, 1926. By Jan., 1927, there were 123 wells completed, making 146,000 bbl. per day. The field reached its peak of 253,000 bbl. per day the last week of Feb., 1927, with 211 completions and a per well average of 1200 bbl. On July 4 there were 304 wells completed, producing 102,000 bbl., with a per well aver-age of 336 bbl. per day. This pool will cover an area of approximately 3500 acres. It has produced approxi-mately 38,000,000 bbl. to. July 1. Estimates of total ultimate production are around 55,000,000 bbl. or somewhat better than 15,000 bbl. per acre. Some of the individual leases have already yielded 30,000 and 40,000 bbl. to the acre. Bowlegs Pool:-This pool shows 175 drilling wells and 131 completions making 180,000 bbl. per day, with an average per well production of 1380 bbl. It appears that this pool will develop into nearly as large an area as Seminole City. The wells, however, do not give up

Jan 8, 1927

BEING at the crossroads, metaphorically speaking, seldom has the advantages of the literal sense of the words. One seldom has precise knowledge of the existence of the metaphorical crossroads or forks in the road of life. A case in point is the Committee on Education of the Engineers' Council for Professional Development, which for twenty years has been accrediting the engineering curricula in the educational institutions of the United States. The committee is now at odds with itself and with the National Council of State Boards of Engineering Examiners over the accrediting of courses which in the opinion of many engineers are not strictly speaking engineering curricula at all. Such courses include: fire protection engineering, crystal engineering, nuclear engineering, and geological engineering. The crossroads might be placed arbitrarily somewhere between 1936 and 1938 when the committee first started accrediting curricula and included the first course in industrial engineering. Purists might argue that the committee first wandered from the straight and narrow when it recognized subdivision of engineering into the major branches of mining, metallurgical, civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering. Accrediting is certainly an important function because it provides a standard for engineering education and it should be done on a national basis by an unbiased group like the Education Committee of ECPD. Students, educational institutions, and industry derive great benefit from proper standards. The autonomous State Boards of Engineering Examiners have long accepted ECPD accreditation as evidence of the required academic training of engineers aspiring to licensing. But the State Boards today question the wisdom of applying the name engineer to graduates of some of the so-called fringe curricula. The Education Committee, having gone so far in accrediting some of them, has numerous applications pending for accreditation of similar curricula and even new courses never before accredited. Arguments against recognizing highly specialized engineering curricula are numerous. The Salary Stabilization Board has disallowed industrial engineering from classification as engineering for its purposes. A graduate of a specialized course in geological engineering at a school in the Southwest slanted heavily for practice in the petroleum industry might not be interchangeable with a graduate of a similarly designated curricula at one of the institutions in the North Central states where the emphasis might be on metallic. mineral deposits. Industry in general should not expect the universities to supply a degree in each of the specialized engineering classifications it might set up for purposes of salary or job designation. Having gone so far, it is easy to understand the difficulty of the Education Committee. ECPD might well call a moratorium for the purpose of taking stock of its position. If the present trend is allowed to continue, it is apparent that an engineering institution could be subdivided into a multiplicity of departments teaching specialized curricula resulting in a subordination of the basic concepts of engineering. Although the parallel of the medical profession is trite, it should be pointed out that degrees in medicine are not labelled by the numerous specialities practiced by doctors. For practical purposes the ECPD would do well to accept the fact that the crossroads have been overreached "and protect the engineering profession by coming up with minimum standards for an engineering curriculum.

Jan 1, 1952

TENTATIVE -reservations for the cruise to Vene-zuela and the West Indies have been coming in nicely, but there is plenty of room yet for mem-bers and their friends. The exact schedule is even yet not entirely fixed. Owing to difficulty in securing the release. as, early as had been hoped, of the Lapland, which is so particularly well adapted to this cruise, the time has been shortened. The steamer is now scheduled to sail at midnight on Jan. 30 or 31, the exact date still to be determined, and to return on Feb. 20. This change will so shorten the time as to permit many more to attend as they need not be so long. away from their business. It .will necessitate cutting out the pro-posed day at Kingston in Jamaica, and, if the steamer is -not available until Jan. 31, may also necessitate passing Bermuda without a stop. The time remaining will, however, allow a stop of one and a half days at Havana, a full day, on the Canal, Zone with opportunity to go through the locks, the Culebra Cut, and to see Panama, and the five days, planned in Venezuela: Just how many can be taken into Lake Maracaibo and the oil fields will depend on the local transportation that can be made available. It may be necessary to restrict this shore party as to numbers, but if so, something interesting will be provided to fill the time of the others. At other points accommodations will be ample for all Members of the excursion will get back in time to register and attend the smoker on the opening day of the meeting as also possibly the Monday after-noon sessions if any be held. The usual Institute rules for excursions will be fol-lowed assigning space in the order of application with members first. Guests vouched for by members will be heartily welcomed. The steamer rate varies accord-ing to the accommodations chosen. There are a limited number of one and two berth rooms at the minimum of $250 per passenger with plenty of room at $300 to $500, according to space and location. At prices from $750 up per passenger rooms with private bath are to be had. Plans are on the-basis of two people in a three-berth room. The steamer, which is especially fitted for crusing, has ample deck-space and numerous large

Jan 11, 1927

By Harlowe Hardinge

The sound made by ball, pebble and rod mills has long been used by the operator as the "telltale" of their operation. The nature of this sound depends upon local conditions and the type of mill used. By experience an operator can tell whether the mill is running properly or not. Some operators are able to detect the difference in sound much better than others and get better results running the same mill under the same conditions. The automatic operation of a mill using sound as the fundamental means for maintaining control presents many problems. The satisfactory solution of these problems requires, for given operating conditions, a greater average output, with improved product for subsequent processing, than can be obtained by manual control. Relation of Sound to Useful Grinding Energy Experience has taught us that there is a difference in character as well as in intensity of sound between a mill grinding wet and one grinding dry, in open or closed circuit, to obtain a coarse or fine product, on the same material, to say nothing of the effect with a variety of different materials. Broadly speaking, a wet-grinding mill operates best at a lower sound level than the same mill grinding dry, with other conditions the same. Several reasons for this variation in sound intensity under these conditions can be advanced, but the important point is that there is a difference, based upon practical results. Since these reasons may be more or less involved, and may be subject, to much discussion, only one will be considered here. It is apparent that two balls hitting together or a ball striking the lining, if there is no intervening material, will produce the maximum sound. If a complete cushion of material is placed between the balls or ball and liner, so that the energy is dissipated without doing useful work, the balls will be unable to create enough pressure or force to fracture the particles, and the sound will be at a minimum. At some point in between—that is, where there is sufficient material between the balls or ball and liner so that the ball will fracture the particles without mashing them unduly—the sound

Jan 1, 1939