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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

By J. T. Norton, H. Blumenthal, S. J. Sindeband

The interstitial phases formed by the transition elements with carbon, nitrogen and boron constitute a unique class of substances which are of considerable technical interest because of their well developed metallic properties and their high hardness and melting points. They are also of interest from the point of view of structure. It was pointed out by Hagg1 some years ago that the principal factor determining these structures was the relative sizes of metal and metalloid atoms. He predicted that if the ratio of the radii of metalloid to metal atoms was less than 0.59, the metal atoms would be arranged in a close-packed fashion of relatively simple type. This prediction has been amply confirmed. It appears, however, that this specification applies most generally to those structures in which the metalloid atoms occupy isolated positions in the lattice and there is no tendency for strong binding between the metalloid atoms themselves. The series of borides of the type MeB2 formed from the transition elements of the fourth (Ti, Zr) and fifth (V, Cb, Ta) groups of the periodic table provide an opportunity to investigate this situation further. If one takes as a basis the radius of 0.87 A for the boron radius and the Goldschmidt values for the metal atoms in 12 coordination, then the radius ratio varies from 0.54 for zirconium to 0.64 for vanadium, which latter is considerably greater than Hagg's limit of 0.59. It was of interest, therefore, to see if these five elements would form borides of the MeB2 type and have simple isomorphous structures. When this investigation was initiated, relatively little information had been published on the structure of this group of borides. McKenna2 reported the preparation of ZrB2 by a carbon reduction process. Its structure was hexagonal and the approximate lattice constants were given as a = 3.15 A, c = 3.53 A. Ehrlich3 reported the structure of TiB2 as being of the C 32 type with a = 3.02, c = 3.21 and c/a = 1.06 A. Recently, Kiessling4 published the results on ZrB2, showing it to be one in which the metal atoms are arranged in a simple hexagonal lattice with the boron atoms in flat sheets, midway between the layers of metal atoms. The structure is C 32 type with a = 3.169, c = 3.530 and an axial ratio =1.11 A. He also states that CbB2 and TaB2 are isomorphous with ZrB2. Preparation of Borides The borides of titanium, zirconium, columbium and tantalum were made by the electrolysis of fused salt baths after the method described by Andrieux.5 The bath, totalling about 6500 g in each case had the following general composition: Metal Oxide + B2O3 + CaO + CaF2. The actual proportions of the ingredients were determined for each individual case. Although Andrieux reports the preparation of vanadium boride by the same electrolytic method, several attempts proved unsuccessful. However, it was possible to prepare VB2 by the carbon reduction method used by McKenna to produce ZrB2. The mixture consisted of V2O5 + 6B2O3 + 11C and the reduction was carried out in an induction heated graphite crucible. This method proved satisfactory for ZrB2 and TiB2 and undoubtedly the others could be made in the same way. The borides, which were all in the form of fine gray metallic crystals from the electrolytic bath or gray powders from the reduction process, were carefully separated from other constituents and analyzed chemically for metal and boron content. The densities of the boride powders were measured using a standard 10 cc pyenometer at 18°C and ethyl benzene proved to be the most satisfactory liquid for this purpose. X Ray Technique The boride crystals, as prepared, were too small for single crystal examination so that powder techniques were employed. Patterns of the finely ground borides were prepared, using the Norelco recording X ray spectrometer. The lines on these patterns were indexed with the aid of Hull-Davy charts and the approximate dimensions

Jan 1, 1950

By K. L. Meissner

IT is well known that the so-called pure aluminum contains noticeable amounts of impurities, chiefly iron and silicon, and many investigators have studied the forms in which these impurities exist. Hanson and Archbutt1 state that iron exists in aluminum as FeAl3 and silicon as elementary Si. The solubility of FeAl3 in solid aluminum is practically zero, or at, least so small that the smallest trace of this compound is always visible as a separate constituent. Under the microscope an untrained eye can hardly distinguish, without etching, the two constituents FeAl3 and Si, but they can be differentiated by suitable etching reagents. Anderson2 also found the same results. At the same time, Merica, Waltenberg, and Freeman3 found a constituent of unknown composition. They found a small thermal effect, at 610° C., on the cooling curves of aluminum with small amounts of iron and silicon. The intensity of this effect increased with increasing silicon content, until an effect occured at 576° C. due to the eutectic between aluminum and silicon. The authors ascribed the effect at 610° C. to a compound, which they call "X constituent." It was thought to be a ternary compound containing iron and silicon and could be observed under the microscope as dark particles. Dix4 has published unetched photomicrographs of an aluminum with 0.51 per cent. iron, 0.99 per cent. silicon, and 0.32 per cent. copper that shows three constituents: the dark Si (black in the figure), the lighter FeAl3, which appears in half tone and crystallizes in needles, and a constituent of the same color as FeAl3 but of different crystal form, often resembling Chinese script. This last constituent, Dix thought, is a compound of Fe and Si; not the compound FeSi but a compound containing a relatively small amount of silicon. Therefore an alloy of aluminum, iron, and silicon (the copper should not be regarded in the following considerations) must contain the following four constituents: Al, FeAl3,

Jan 1, 1926

By HENRY JULLUM

THE ARGONAUT' mill stands at the crest and spreads down the western slope' of a hill, which incidentally covers the' outcrop of the Argonaut vein' at this point. The collar of the main shaft of the mine is situated on the eastern slope of the same hill 120 ft. below the highest ?point. The present mill, built in 1916, was designed to treat 250 tons per 24-hr. day. This capacity has not been attained recently owing to the inability of the mine to produce enough ore while extensive development and underground construction were under way. At present, however, the mine is more than able to take care of the mill requirements.

Jan 1, 1932

By AIME AIME

The following report is published for the information of the members: Meetings. Two meetings for the reading and discussion of papers, etc., have been held during the year 1907-namely, the Ninety-second meeting, held April 16 to 20 in New York, N. Y., and the Ninety-third meeting, held July 23 to 30 in Toronto, Canada. The proceedings of these meetings, including descriptions of the entertainments and excursions connected therewith, have already been published and distributed to the members of the Institute; the New York meeting in Bi-Monthly Bulletin, No. 15, May, 1907, pp. 541 to 559, and the Toronto meeting in Bi-Monthly Bulletin., No. 17, September, 1907, pp. 847 to 875. In addition to these " Proceedings," there were also published in Bi-Monthly Bulletin, No. 15, May, 1907, an illustrated description of the United Engineering Society building (p1 vi. to xxvi.), and a record of the exercises attending its dedication, including the addresses of Andrew Carnegie, Arthur T. Hadley, Samuel Sheldon, Frederick R. Hutton, John Hays Hammond, and T. C. Martin (pp. xxxviii. to lxv.). At the New York meeting, 43 papers and- discussions were presented, and the names of 297 members and guests were registered at the Institute headquarters., this number, however, does not represent all who were present at the sessions and excursions. At the Toronto meeting, 23 papers and discussions were presented. The number of members and guests registered at the Toronto headquarters was 191, which doubtless does not include the names of all who were present at the sessions, or took part in the numerous excursions and visits around Cobalt.

Mar 1, 1908

By W. B. Boggs, J. N. Anderson

Originally, the copper produced at the Noranda smelter was shipped in the form of blister bars to the Laurel Hill refinery of the Nichols Copper CO, New York. In 1930 a refinery was built at Montreal East to refine Noranda copper and copper from the Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co., at Flin Flon, Manitoba. After investigation of the probable costs of making anodes at Noranda and at Montreal, it was decided to make them at Noranda rather than to continue to make blister bars there. Fuel is a major item of expense in making anodes, and since less fuel would be required in making them from molten copper than from blister bars, a lower anode-furnace cost could be expected at Noranda than at Montreal. Further, the expense connected -with making blister bars at Noranda would be eliminated. The cost of treating anode and wire-bar furnace slags is a serious item in a refinery, and it was found that the cheapest method would be to ship such slags back to Noranda. With the anode furnace at Noranda, much less anode-furnace slag would be made at the refinery. Against these savings effected by making anodes at Noranda must be set the high operating cost of an anode furnace at Montreal, using only tank-room scrap and the Flin Flon copper. This furnace would be handling a comparatively small tonnage and would have a high cost per ton. The usual equipment for making anodes from liquid copper consists of either a stationary reverberatory furnace or a tilting Tacoma-type furnace together with an anode wheel of the Clark or Walker type. The reverberatory type of furnace has been developed from the furnace used in the old Welsh process of smelting and refining copper, while the tilting furnace is a development of the holding furnace, which is essentially a Peirce-Smith converter without tuyeres and provided with burners. Refining as carried out in either of these furnaces is a batch process; that is, several converter charges are accumulated and then refined and cast. Colonel H. H. Stout recently developed in Arizona a so-called

Jan 1, 1934

By W. R. Hamilton

THE knowledge of the existence of petroleum in Southern California dates back to the days of the missions. The presence of asphaltum and semisolid bitumen was reported at Santa Barbara in 1792, but no serious attempt was made to develop oil until Professor Silliman's optimistic report in 1865 started California's first oil boom. Wells were drilled in many counties of the State, but the equipment was unsuitable and the drilling difficult and no production was obtained except in Ventura County. Even there the production was of little importance commercially, and not until the early '80s did it become sufficient to again attract attention. In 1888 the production for the State had reached a total of about 700,000 bbl. per year, practically all light oil produced in Ventura County, Pico Canyon, Los Angeles County and in the Puente Hills. The production of petroleum attained the dignity of an industry in 1895 when the Los Angeles City and Coalinga fields were discovered. The subsequent development has been remarkable, and in 20 years the production has increased from 1,000,000 to 100,000,000 bbl. per year. The refining industry has kept pace with the production of oil. The Pacific Coast Oil Co., the predecessor of the Standard Oil Co. of California, was the virtual pioneer refining company of the State, having built a refinery at Alameda about 1880. When purchased by the Standard, about 1902, it was dismantled and the refinery at Point Richmond was built. The Richmond refinery is now one of the largest in the world, having a capacity in excess of 60,000 bbl. per day. A small refinery was built by the Union Oil Co. at Santa Paula in the early days of the industry and later many asphalt refineries were in operation in Southern California. The Pacific Coast Oil Co. was then, as has been its successor, the Standard Oil Co. of California, the principal refiner and marketer of light products, the most valuable of which was kerosene.

Jan 6, 1916

By P. Barnes

(Read at the Amenia Meeting, October, 1877.) 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, 1878

AVING started to tell you of working potter's clay for making crucibles and shells, the wish came to me to tell you of the practice of this art also. Although it may seem at first glance to be outside the order and purpose of my writing, he who considers well will see that it is not unrelated to it but proper, since it is wholly dependent on the agency and power of fire if it is to be brought to its perfection. Moreover, the potter's glazes and colors are all substances of various metals or impure minerals and therefore belong to fire. Since it is my intention to treat of fire, minerals, and metals for you, I surely should not have omitted this, particularly because it is a necessary art which enriches and is greatly praised both for its ingenuity and its beauty. The art of the potter has two sources as its principal basis. One comes from the art of design, the other from various alchemical secrets and elemental mixtures. In regard to these, I find that, in my opinion, all this art depends in the last analysis on four things: on good judgment in general, and on the art of design so as to be able to make the vessels beautiful and of good shape, as well as to ornament them with painting; after baking them well the first and second times, the next thing is to know how to make and apply the glaze well and to paint them with varied and appropriate colors. The fourth is to see that you have good, fine clay without small stones or lumps-indeed this is to be considered as the first thing. Now this that I have called clay is what many call cretaceous earth and some call argil. It is found and dug up when the masters wish to make use of it and is put in a container to be moistened. When it is moistened, it is beaten on a bench with an iron rod and very well prepared. Mixing it carefully, every small stone, lump, or other hardness that it contains is removed and cleaned away. Then a shaft [145V] of iron is fitted as the journal in a large wheel. On the other end of the journal a small wheel is made which forms an instrument for working that is called a lathe. Having put some clay on this, it is made to rotate by pushing with one foot, and, by rotating it, vessels are worked into a pleasing shape and size. Then they are taken off and put on a board to dry. After drying artificially or naturally they are painted red,

Jan 1, 1942

By Louis B. Slichter

Prospecting is certainly the world's biggest and best gambling business. It is a game where the chips cost many thousands and where many millions, even billions, can be won. An attractive feature of this gamble is the fact that the players are free to rig the odds as favorably as possible. Only the limited bounty of nature, the restrictions of the laws of the land, the competition from other players, the limited sagacity of the player himself- only these, and other factors, restrict the possibilities for large winnings. Today probably about half the land surface of the earth remains to be searched for signs of ore visible at the surface. It is fortunate that so much land still remains for exploration by relatively economical methods. Looking to the future, it is a good guess that the costs of finding ore will increase in response to increasing technical difficulties. To continue to achieve profits from prospecting, it will become necessary to analyze the business more skillfully, in a more and more sophisticated manner. Whenever feasible, qualitative concepts must be replaced by their quantitative equivalents, improvements, and extensions.

Jan 6, 1960

By John. C. Reed

THIS paper presents briefly some of the principal results of 3 ½ months field work during the summer of 1938 in the Chichagof mining district, southeastern Alaska. The report is preliminary and presumably will be followed later by a more complete report to be published by the Geological Survey. The paper is concerned principally with the structural geology of a block of steeply dipping graywacke as revealed underground in the Hirst Chichagof and the Chichagoff mines, the two principal mines of the district. The two mines have produced about $16,000,000 worth of gold and silver. The attitude of the graywacke, which is locally cut by dikes and sills of aplite, is remarkably uniform and trends about N. 62° W. The average dip is about 67° SW. The graywacke is cut by large faults, the best known of which are the Hirst and the Chichagof, whose average trends are about N. 30° W. and average dips about 75° SW. The faults at some places split into the bedding of the graywacke and at others are deflected from their normal trends for considerable distances along the bedding. The relative movements along the faults was northwest and up at about 30° for the south-west or hanging-wall sides. The ore bodies are elongate quartz lenses in the faults. Most of the quartz is mineralized but locally large quartz masses are too low grade to be mined. The emplacement of the ore bodies appears to have been structurally controlled in large part by the intersections of the faults with the bedding surfaces. Places where the faults split or are deflected appear to have been particularly favorable places for ore deposition. There has been some post-quartz movements along the faults but it is thought that such movements have not been extensive enough to greatly modify the original positions and shapes of the ore bodies.

Jan 1, 1939

By R. P. King

Flotation plant simulation, a relatively recent methodology in mineral processing, is defined and corresponding uses are discussed. Typical simulation structures are compared. Current problem areas exist although these are not insurmountable. Following a brief state of the art discussion, the N. I. M. simulation program is reviewed. In general, digital plant simulation is expected to be of substantial benefit in the near future.

Jan 1, 1976

GENTLEMAN: The year 1928 was another in the history of the Institute which was marked by quiet growth and steady progress. The total membership as of December 31, 1928, was 8703 as compared with 8438 on December 31, in 1927. Again the main increase has been in Members and the number of Junior Associates is less. As will be seen also by the Treasurer's report, the increase is reflected in larger receipts for dues indicating that fewer have had to be dropped for non-payment. There has been a gratifying increase in the number applying for reinstatement and it seems clear that interest in and attachment to the Institute has notably increased. The year was signalized by the merging of the Rocky Mountain Club with the Institute which brought to our roll one hundred and forty who were not previously members from among the men who have made the West. It also brought to the Institute a strong tradition of good fellowship and a fund of over $100,000, the interest from which is to be expended so far as may be, for purposes beneficial to the Western states. The Endowment Committee expects to see other and similar funds entrusted to the Institute and the Board has already appointed a special committee to consider all projects for expenditure of the revenue from them. It is felt that with the organization and personnel available in the Institute even modest revenues can be made to yield large returns in the way of scientific and technical knowledge. Within the year also, a third great Division has been organized within the Institute, building on the foundation of the old Iron and Steel Committee. The new Division signalized its independence by joining the Lake Superior Mining Institute in a visit to the Menominee Range in September and by furnishing material for a special volume of 353 pages, "Iron and Steel" Technology in 1928," printed and distributed in December. The Institute of Metals Division held its fall meeting with good attendance as one feature of National Metal Week at Philadelphia in October, and published its volume of Proceedings, running to 836 pages, in August. "Petroleum Development and Technology in 1927," 844 pages, came out in June and recorded the work of the Petroleum Division. A most interesting Fall meeting was also held by the Division at Tulsa,

Jan 1, 1929

By M. Cross

The main results from a programme of theoretical work on various aspects of the pelletizing operation are presented. This paper is primarily concerned with the modelling of: (i) The balling drum operation. A model is outlined which clearly demonstrates the characteristic surging behaviour of the balling circuit. It is used first in a control analysis and, subsequently, in the design and testing of various control schemes. (ii)The grate-kiln-cooler induration process. Models describing each of the constituent processes are outlined and a composite model of the whole induration process presented. The main results from each of these models are discussed.

Jan 1, 1977

OF what use is the federation to me and why should I support it?" is a question that has been asked by many members of the constituent societies of the F. A. E. S. during the last year; a question that is asked because the speakers do not realize what the Federated is doing or what is the field of its activities. "What is it doing for the profession and for mankind?" would be a more appropriate question, the answer to which is found in the closing chapter of Prof. Cassius J. Keyser's "Mathematical Philosophy."' The chapter is entitled "Science and Engineering." Professor Keyser writes from the layman's point of view. He is looking at the profession and at engineers from the outside. We have in his thoughts the oppor-tunity that Burns sought when he wrote "Oh wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursels as ithers see us." With the permission of the author and the publisher, we quote the following paragraphs: A layman, viewing a profession from the outside, seeking thus to ascertain its proper relations to the common weal, may bring to the task a certain freedom, which, were he a member of the profession, he might have lost. "Men trained in a profession," said Prof. David Swing, "come by degrees into the profession's channel, and flow only in one direction, and always between the same banks. The master of a learned profession at last becomes its slave. He who follows faithfully any calling wears at last a soul of that call-ing's shape. You remember the death scene of the poor old schoolmaster. He had assembled the boys and girls in the winter mornings and had dismissed them winter evenings after sundown, and had done this for fifty long years. One winter morning he did not appear. Death had struck his old and feeble pulse; but, dying, his mind followed its beautiful but narrow river-bed, and his last words were: It is growing dark-the school is dismissed-let the .girls pass out first."' I shall not be so much concerned with the present status of the science as with its potency and promise. Of individual engineers the ideals may be high or low, worthy or unworthy; but of engineering itself the ideal is great and mighty. It is of that ideal that I intend to speak.

Jan 9, 1922

By James F. Kemp

(San Francisco Meeting, September, 1915) THE iron ores of southeastern Cuba present a subject of exceptional geological interest. Their relations to the inclosing rocks are varied and in some cases unusual. The problem of their geological origin is not a simple one and for this reason has occasioned some divergence of views among previous observers. Profiting, however, by. these earlier studies and by more detailed field and laboratory observations as well as by the experience of added years of mining, much more satisfactory descriptions and interpretations can now be prepared. PREVIOUS WORK In 1884, interest in the southeastern coast of Cuba became active among the consumers of iron ore along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. Active development was undertaken by the Juragua Iron Co., Ltd., a corporation affiliated with the Bethlehem Steel Co., and the Pennsylvania Steel Co. The property of the Juragua company, which is situated about 15 miles east of Santiago, was studied in June and July, 1884, by Dr. James P. Kimball, at the tine Professor of Economic Geology in Lehigh University and one of the best known of American mining geologists. Dr. Kimball published on his return two papers, the first important descriptions which we have of the local geology.1 It is

Jan 9, 1915

By F. W. Apgar

THe valuable results that have followed the application in recent years of microscopic methods of research to problems of ore genesis have been significant, but possibly the recognition of their practical importance is not as general as might be, and while, as a scientific method of investigating ores and rocks, the advantage derived through the use of the microscope is unquestioned, its utility as an aid in solving mining problems arising during actual every-day mine examination and operation may not be fully appreciated. Perhaps the most logical method of showing some of these practical applications of the microscope will be to consider first the prospect stage of a mining venture, then the uses to which the instrument may be put during the operation of a working and developed mine, arid, finally, to discuss some of the problems of a metallurgical nature that may arise during milling and smelting the ore. The valuation of mining property as a preliminary to acquiring ownership or determining the advisability of investing time and money in an enterprise is one of the most important and delicate problems that come before the mining engineer. The many and variable factors that have to be taken into account, as, for example, the geology of the district, availability of supplies, probable mining costs, transportation facilities, and the quality of ore, require a careful balancing of costs against recoverable values. Primarily, however, a study of the local geology is of first importance, since, in a prospect with little development work, the question of character and probable quantity of the ore and its value can only be approximated with any degree of accuracy by a thorough investigation of geologic conditions, and a general knowledge of ore deposits. Unless these are favorable and pay ore reasonably certain, other factors need not be considered. The character of the outcrop, evidences of mineralizing agencies in the adjacent rocks, and geological structure, are the data of chief significance.

Jan 1, 1914

By S. Floreen, R. M. Pilliar, H. W. Hayden

The fracture behavior of a 50 pct Cu-50 pct Fe mi-croduplex alloy, laminated composites of copper and iron and an extruded 50-50 Cu-Fe elemental powder composite was studied. Very low ductile-brittle transition temperatures were achieved in all cases, but for different reasons. In the microduplex alloy both the initiation and also the propagation of cleavage fractures appeared retarded by the very small in-terphase distances. In the composites, crack propagation through the sumples was prevented in most cases by delamination fractures perpendicular to the advancing cracks. These delaminations occurred at different regions and by different mechanisms in the various composites. In the extruded powder composite, de-lamination appeared to take place along preexisting flaws. In the crack arrest geometry of the laminated plates, delamination took place by localized shear fractures within the copper near the Fe-Cu interfaces. In this case delamination was enhanced by thicker laminate layers, and by having the resistance to shear failure of the copper sufficiently low compared to the toughness of the iron. BRITTLE fracture in engineering materials has long been a problem, and many different ways of preventing it have been considered. One method that has been of growing interest lately is to prevent crack propagation by the introduction of mechanical discontinuities into the structure. These discontinuities may act in several ways. They may simply act as crack stoppers. They may introduce secondary fractures such as de-laminations that deflect the initial crack into new, less damaging directions. Alternatively, they may subdivide a fairly large bulk sample that would have been loaded in plane strain, for example, into a number of subunits that are individually loaded in plane stress and thus are more resistant to fracture. Other mechanisms, or combinations of mechanisms, are also feasible. A number of methods exist for introducing mechanical discontinuities into a structure. Composites by their nature have discontinuities in structure, and numerous studies have shown that fracture propagation in materials of this type can be radically changed by suitable control of the composite parameters. Of particular significance to the present work are recent investigations of layered composites made by joining high strength steel sheets by various means.'-4 These studies have shown that through proper control of the mechanical properties of the bonds joining the sheets it was possible to introduce delamination fractures that markedly improved the overall toughness of the composites and in some cases completely prevented through-the-thickness fractures. Another technique for introducing structural discontinuities is simply to use a two-phase alloy. It has been recognized for many years that a small amount of a second phase may improve toughness either by homogenizing plastic flow and thus preventing localized stress concentrations that nucleate fracture, or by interacting with an advancing crack. In most of these studies of two-phase materials, the decreases in ductile-brittle transition temperatures produced by the second phase were relatively small. More recently, work on two-phase stainless steels having a very fine grain microduplex structure has shown that the presence of on the order of 40 to 50 pct of a tougher second phase may lower the ductile-brittle transition temperature of the brittle phase by approximately 300°F. 5-7 In these alloys delaminations were seldom observed. The tougher second phase appeared to minimize the ease of both the initiation and the propagation of cleavage fractures. These results show that both the composite approach and the microduplex alloy approach are effective methods of preventing brittle fracture. Therefore, it was of interest to compare the fracture behavior of a microduplex alloy with composites made from the two-phases that were present in the alloy. To simplify this comparison the 50 pct Cu-50 pct Fe system was selected for study. At low temperatures the equilibrium tie line phases in this system are essentially pure ferrite and pure copper. A 50-50 alloy was cast and hot worked to produce a microduplex structure. Two types of composites were studied; laminated structures prepared by roll bonding iron and copper sheets of the tie line compositions, and an extruded powder composite made from high purity elemental powders. The fracture behavior of these materials was then compared. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Alloy Preparation. The 50-50 Fe-Cu alloy and the components for the roll bonded composites were prepared by vacuum induction melting 30-lb heats using electrolytic grades of iron and copper as charge materials. A carbon boil was used to deoxidize the melts. Small additions of copper and iron were made to the iron and copper heats, respectively, to approximate

Jan 1, 1970

By John D. Price

COAL blending, in the preparation of coal before coke making, is so commonly practiced as to be almost universal. But the reasons underlying this practice, the benefits resulting from it, and the materials used in blending vary widely. This paper will outline the various phases of the subject and present information which may be correlated with work that has been done elsewhere. It will deal entirely with work done on the high-volatile coking coals of the western part of the United States, special emphasis being given to the coals of Colorado and Utah. A surveyL of the 86 coke plants in active operation in the United States during 1949 indicates that only 9 plants, or 10.5 pct of the total, charged one single rank of coal into their ovens, while the remaining 89.5 pcl made use of blending in some form. This report indicated that of these total plants 5 used straight high-volatile coal, 4 used straight medium-volatile coal, 47 used blends of high and low-vola-tile coals, 25 used blends of high, medium, and low-volatile coals, 2 used blends of high and medium-volatile coals, 3 used blends of medium and low-volatile coals. The fact that certain plants operated on a single kind of coal should not be interpreted to mean that no blending was practiced there, for invariably such plants secure their coal from more than one source and in the interest of uniformity do blend the coals as received. The general term coal blending covers two fields, the first of which is the mechanical mixing of a number of coals to secure uniformity. Often it is found necessary to secure coal for coke production from a number of different mines; these coals, though of the same general type or rank, may differ in their chemical composition or in the physical qualities they impart to coke made from them. Again, it is not unusual to find that coal from different sections of the same mine may show variations in quality. Under such conditions it may be necessary, in the interest of a uniform final product, to introduce a system of blending bins, a bedding yard, or other mechanical methods of securing a uniform mixture. Unfortunately this form of blending has received very little attention up to the present time; it has not received the consideration its value merits. The second type of blending, while also for the purpose of coke improvement, deals more particularly with the use of a blending agent differing in character from the base coal: it is this form of blending that will be discussed here. To consider only the western coals, for blending may be found necessary for other reasons with other coals, blending has been practiced experimentally or commercially under the following conditions: 1—When a single coal or mixture of coals of the same rank does not produce a satisfactory coke. For example, a high-volatile coal when used alone is likely to contract when coked so that a comparatively weak coke is formed. Or, if of very low rank, the coal may be deficient in the necessary bitumens required for good coke production. 2—When a product of some special quality is required, for example, when a plant ordinarily producing blast furnace coke must operate at slow coking rate to produce a high-grade foundry coke. Under this condition the reduced daily production of all products which accompanies slow coking time may be undesirable, and the use of some blending agent to increase the size of coke made at faster coking rates may be necessary. 3—When greater yield of coke or its coproducts is needed. Depending upon economic values of the products it may be found desirable to increase the yield of one or the other. 4—When supply of a particular coal must be used, either to protect reserves of high quality coking coal or to utilize a surplus or inferior product not otherwise usable. Many materials have been used for blending purposes, the exact agent to be used depending both upon the condition to be corrected and the nature of the base coal. No universal blending agent that can

Jan 1, 1954

AS I told you in the chapter on salts, saltpeter is a mixture composed of many substances extracted with fire- and water from arid and manurial soils, from that growth which exudes from new walls or from that loosened soil that is found in tombs or uninhabited caves where the rain cannot enter. It is my belief that it is engendered in these soils from an airy moisture that is drunk in and absorbed by the earthy dryness. Considering its effects, I do not know how to decide and say exactly what the nature of saltpeter is. The learned and very wise physicians find it salty and with a subtle sharpness both in taste and in their medical experiments. Considering its strong biting qualities, they decide to say that it is of a hot and dry nature; on the other hand when they see that it is engendered from the air and that when touched by fire it becomes inflammable and vaporous, and rises with a fearful impetus when mixed in powder for military guns, it manifestly shows itself to be of a hot and moist airy nature. And then when they see that it is shining and transparent with whiteness and is fusible in every fire in a manner corresponding to a thing of a watery nature, and since it. is heavy, it seems that it can be said to be watery in nature. To this is added the experience of touch and of the great cooling action which it has on water in summertime when wine is to be cooled, and since it crushes and breaks with but little pressure, it might be thought to be earthy in nature; especially when it is seen to change into a hard, white stone when burned with an equal amount of sulphur. Thus it seems that every one of the elemental qualities is predominant in it. Now the ancients called this, or a similar thing, nitrum. [150] Pliny, in Book XXXI of his Natural History, has said that it was a thing not much different from salt, that doctors do not seem to have yet known its nature, that it is found in various places, and that the best is found in Macedonia. But among the moderns and especially in our regions, it is not known today what it is that Pliny and other writers refer -to, since according to the aforesaid Pliny and other ancient writers it is a natural mineral. Some say that in place of, the natural kind the artificial will serve for the same medicinal purposes, since it has the same nature and is perhaps more powerful.

Jan 1, 1942