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By Benjamin S. Lindsey, James Norman

Barite (BaSO4) is the most important industrial barium mineral from the standpoint of quantity consumed. In 1938 the amount was 365,000 tons. Its uses are numerous, some of the more important being in the production of pigments, as an inert filler in a wide variety of products, as a weighting material in oil-well drilling muds, in the manufacture of some binds of glass, and in the production of barium chemicals. The barite studied in this investigation occurs as the massive variety in a shale replacement formation near Magnet Cove, Ark. It is intimately mixed with quartz and small amounts of iron oxide and residual shale. Complete liberation of barite and quartz is not obtained when the rock is ground to I00 per cent through 325 mesh. The crude rock with which all test work was done assayed 85.1 per cent BaS04, II.II. per cent SiO2, and 2.85 per cent R2O3. Its specific gravity was 4.03. It was found in the course of the investigation that the barite contained a small amount of uniformly distributed carbonaceous material, so intimately dispersed that it could not be seen with the microscope, but gave a definite gray cast to the barite concentrates. The color of the barite in polished sections of the crude rock ranged from gray to almost black, while finely ground powder was a reddish gray. The reddish hue was due to the iron oxide present. In 1939, under the supervision of Oliver C. Ralston,* the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Milwhite Company, of Houston, Texas, undertook to study the flotation of barite from Magnet Cove, Ark. Flotation of several southern barite ores had already been investigated by the Bureau of Mines.' The Magnet Cove barite was unique, however, in that it had to be ground to such an extremely small particle size for liberation. The flotation of non-metallic minerals in the presence of a large amount of slime is usually very difficult, and when done is an innovation calling for conditions different from those under which granular material is separated. Laboratory Flotation Work Preliminary investigation showed that the flotation reagents recommended by O'Meara and Coel for separating barite and siliceous material were suitable, but much larger quantities of reagents were required to separate such finely divided material. Moreover, it was found that careful control of the frothing was necessary. When oleic acid and sodium silicate were used a voluminous froth was observed at the beginning of a test, and toward the end there was not enough froth to effect complete recovery of barite. The addition of pine oil as a frother gave proper frothing for the duration of the test, and the substitution of coconut fatty acid (crude lauric acid) for oleic acid produced a more heavily burdened froth. Two different paper-mill fatty-acid products were tested

Jan 1, 1943

C. H. MATHEWSON, Chairman SAM TOUR, Past-chairman W. A. SCHEUCH, Vice-chairman T. S. FULLER, Vice-chairman W. M. CORSE, Secretary-Treasurer 810 Eighteenth St., N. W. Washington, D. C. Executive Committee J. L. CHRISTIE ARTHUR PHILLIPS E. H. Dix, JR. GUY C. RIDDELL W. M. PRIRCE J. WALTER SCOTT' A. J. PHILLIPS' H. M. WILLIAMS EL M. WISE

Jan 1, 1932

Jan 1, 1888

By S. J. Leach

The possible solution of some of the problems raised in H. L. Hartman's article "Determining Ventilation Requirements for Continuous Miners," which appeared in the March 1962 issue of MINING ENGINEERING, is offered by recent investigative work done at the Safety in Mines Research Establishment, Ministry of Power, Sheffield, England. Highlights of this research are outlined here. Accumulations and layers of methane form in a mine roadway because it is difficult to mix methane with air beneath it by turbulent diffusion. Such mixing involves work contrary to buoyancy forces. In specifying requirements for good ventilation it is not, therefore, sufficient to state that the airflow must be turbulent in the absence of methane. Fundamental work at SMRE on the behavior of methane roof layers has led to the formulation of rules for controlling methane roof layers which specify the ventilation velocity needed to ensure adequate mixing in terms of the rate of flow of methane into the layer (V = cu ft per min) and the airway width (D = ft). A "layering number" for methane and air has been defined by [U37/V/D] where U is the mean ventilation velocity in ft/min in the upper half of the airway. In a horizontal airway there is no mixing by turbulent diffusion for values of the layering number less than about 2, resulting in extensive roof layers. But with a layering number of 5, the layer is "brought under control"-i.e., a further increase in the layering number will shorten the length of the layer only slightly, and a small decrease in the layering number will cause only a small increase in the length of the layer. In a sloping roadway with uphill ventilation, higher values of the layering number are needed to achieve this "controlled" condition; the values range from about 5 at small slopes to about 8 at a slope of 1: 10. In downhill ventilation it is possible for layers to "back" against the ventilation, i.e., to flow uphill. The critical condition for preventing backing can also be expressed in terms of the layering number. Backing will be prevented if layering numbers are about 3 for small slopes and about 4.5 for large slopes; these values for downhill ventilation also give good control of the layer.

Jan 10, 1962

By Philip E. LaMoreaux

Fluoride, generally less than 0.5 ppm, is present in ground water from rocks of Paleozoic age and older, in northern and eastern Alabama. Some of the water-bearing formations in the Coastal Plain area of the State yield water with as much as 6.8 ppm fluoride.

Jan 8, 1950

By C. A. Winkler, V. Hospadaruk

PREVIOUS papers from this laboratory have discussed the effect of chloride ion on the cathode polarization during electrodeposition of copper from copper sulphate-sulphuric acid electrolytes, in the presence and absence of gelatin. The steady state polarization'" was found to decrease sharply and pass through a minimum with increasing chloride ion concentration in the presence of gelatin. The minimum shifted to higher chloride ion concentrations and to higher polarization values with increase in current density or gelatin concentration, while an increase of temperature shifted the minimum toward lower halide concentrations and lower polarizations. Since these observations were made in acid-copper sulphate electrolytes that contained no other addend than gelatin, there was obviously the possibility that they were not applicable to deposition of copper from commercial electrolytes that contain a variety of other substances in relatively small amounts. In particular, it was of interest to determine whether the presence of arsenic, antimony, or bismuth in the electrolyte would materially alter the behavior. Experiments have now been made under a variety of conditions with systems containing these cations, and the results are summarized in the present paper. Experimental Polarization measurements were made at 24.5oC in a Haring cell in the manner described previously.' Electrolytes were made with doubly-distilled water, and contained 125 g per liter of copper sulphate and 100 g per liter sulphuric acid, both of reagent grade Eimer and Amend gelatin from a single stock was used throughout. Chloride ion was introduced as reagent grade sodium chloride, and arsenic, antimony, and bismuth by dissolving the chemically pure metal in hot concentrated sulphuric acid and adding appropriate amounts of the solutions to the electrolyte. Each cathode, of 1/16-in. thick rolled copper, was first etched in 40 pct nitric acid and washed thoroughly with distilled water. The surface was then brought to a standard condition4~9 by electrodeposition from an acid-copper sulphate electrolyte containing no gelatin, at a current density of 3 amp per sq dm for 30 min, followed by deposition at a current density of 2 amp per sq dm for l hr. As in previous studies, the cathode polarization eventually attained a steady-state value (15 to 75 min) such that further change in polarization did not exceed 0.2 mv per min. The polarization values recorded are those for the steady states. "Excess weights" were determined with arsenic and antimony present in the electrolyte, as the difference between the weights of the deposits obtained in the presence of these cations and those obtained in their absence, with the two cells connected in series. When gelatin was present along with the arsenic or antimony, it was also added to the electrolyte in the cell in series. Results and Discussion The results of the study are summarized in Figs. 1 to 6. From Fig. 1, top, it is evident that the presence of arsenic or antimony alone results in an increase of polarization, while bismuth alone causes a decrease. The presence of gelatin (25 mg per liter) rather drastically modifies all three cation effects, as indicated in the lower panels of the same figure. The addition of chloride ion, when no gelatin is present, causes comparable decreases in polarization in the presence of antimony and bismuth, but a relatively larger decrease when the electrolyte contains arsenic. It is interesting to note that the decrease in polarization brought about by addition of chloride when both arsenic and antimony are present parallels the behavior with arsenic alone, while the polarization in the electrolyte containing the cation mixture, without chloride added, corresponds to that for an electrolyte containing only the antimony cation. Similarly, the polarization at zero concentration of chloride in electrolyte containing arsenic and bismuth is that corresponding to an electrolyte containing arsenic alone. From Figs. 3a, 4a and 4b, it is clear that, in the presence of gelatin at a level of 25 mg per liter, the effect of chloride in the presence of arsenic and antimony, or a mixture of the two, becomes quite analogous to that observed in the absence of added cations. When both bismuth and gelatin are present (Fig. 5), the decrease in polarization with increased chloride concentration is virtually absent. This is perhaps a reflection of the large decrease in polarization brought about by the bismuth itself in the presence of gelatin. The shifts of the minimum in the polarization-chloride concentration curves brought about by changes of temperature (Fig. 3b), gelatin concentration (Figs. 3c and 4c) and current density (Fig. 3d) when the metal cations were present are all similar to the corresponding shifts observed in their absence." The approximately linear "excess weightv-anti-mony concentration relation recorded in Fig. 6 would seem to indicate that antimony is codeposited with copper to a considerable extent. On the other hand, only very limited amounts of arsenic appear to be adsorbed or codeposited.

Jan 1, 1954

By David M. Hopstock

The performance of the most common type of low-intensity dry magnetic separator is analyzed on the basis of fundamental physical principles. Expressions are developed for estimating the optimal choice of design and operating parameters for beneficiation of magnetite ores. By proper choice of these parameters either a high-grade concentrate or a low-grade tailing can be produced from an incompletely liberated feed.

Jan 1, 1976

By K. Hanumantha Rao, A. Nayak, . K. S. Narasimhan, S. N. Mahapatra

Selective flocculation studies carried out with iron ore tailings generated at Kudremukh iron ore plant indicate that a concentrate containing 63% iron can be obtained from the tailings containing 34% iron with around 60% recovery. This opens up the possibility of recovering most of the iron lost in the tailings generated at 2 kt/h (2200 stph) while processing 22 Mt (24 million st) ore per year. This would mean that the productivity could increase by around 50%. In these studies, it has been established that caustic degraded tapioca starch is a most effective agent for selective flocculation. While potato starch after caustic degradation can also be used, neither the parent starch nor the amylopectin compound is as effective.

Jan 1, 1986

By George W. Toth

This paper describes the features of a computer cost model developed to estimate requirements and costs of individual coal mining projects. Detailed cost analysis procedures for both coal mining and preparation are incorporated into the model. This model has been developed over a period of seven years through funding provided by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The model follows a process engineering approach for the estimation of all project capital and operating costs. A discounted cash flow analysis procedure is also designed into the model to allow for the solution of cost/ton or cost/MMBtu of clean coal production. The model can be applied to most surface or underground mining deposits and can accommodate a wide variety of coal washing situations. This flexibility makes the model a particularly useful tool for preliminary project analysis, property screening, investment analysis, mining technology assessment, coal cleaning level assessment, and general property valuation.

Jan 1, 1983

By B. C. Craft, Murray F. Hawkins, John R. Rayne

A reservoir mechanism of sulfur recovery by the Frasch process is presented. Improving the economic, of recovery appears to be largely a well, rather than a reservoir problem. A most important factor is the limitation of the lateral extraction of .sulfur about the wells due to the almost vertical .flow of the injected hot water. Model studies are described which confirin the mechanism of sulfur recovery by presently used methods. Studies on a five-spot system indicate improved econo171ics regarding recovery, recovery rate, therinal efficiency, and well spacing. INTRODUCTION Sulfur mining by the Frasch process is one of the most important methods of sulfur production. Developed by Herman Frasch in 1894, it enjoyed a rapid growth and presently supplies 40 per cent of the world's sulfur and about 80 per cent of the U. S. sulfur." The Frasch process of mining the underground native sulfur deposits involves melting the sulfur in place by introducing super-heated water into the sulfur bearing formations, and producing the sulfur as a liquid. Many problems are encountered in mining these native sulfur deposits, and sulfur production depends chiefly upon the nature of the sulfur deposit and the underground thermal efficiency of the heat transfer system. THE RECOVERY MECHANISM Sulfur is typically found in salt dome cap rock as crystal aggregates occurring within the cavities, seams, and pores of limestone and gypsum formations.' Sulfur-bearing limestone is typically cavernous, vugular, and fractured. Porosity averages about 20 per cent and sulfur saturation averages approximately 25 per cent by weight.1,15 Vhe sulfur bearing formations are very heterogeneous in nature and physical characteristics vary widely within small distances. Total cap rock thickness may vary from 50 to more than 1,000 ft, and net productive thicknesses from a few feet to a few hundred feet. In most cases the upper portion of the limestone formation is barren of sulfur, varying from 5 to 200 ft in thickness.1,15,33 The immediately overlying sediments and the underlying dense anhydrite formation provide permeability barriers to the flow of water from the cap rock section.'" Sulfur wells are drilled with conventional oilfield drilling rigs. Fig. 1 illustrates the casing program of a completed sulfur well. The cap rock sections are drilled with core bits and continuous core logs are recorded. After coring, the cap rock section is underreamed to a diameter of 9 7/8 in. The bottom of the 8-in. casing is welded closed and rests on the bottom of the drill hole, which extends through the cap rock to a few feet above the bottom of the sulfur-bearing formation. The 8-in. pipe contains 5 ft of 3/4-in. perforations on 6-in. centers and 15 ft of 1-in. perforations on 1-ft centers. The 20-ft perforated section is set opposite the lower 20 ft of the sulfur-bearing formation. The 4-in. sulfur pipe is set inside the 8-in. water line on a seat ring at the top of the 5-ft section of 3/4-in. perforations. The mining water, heated to about 330°F under a pressure of 250 psi, is forced down the annulus between the 8-in. and 441-1. pipes and through the 1-in. perforations to the sulfur-bearing formation. Compressed air, at 400 psi pressure, is supplied through a 1-in. air line near the bottom of the well to provide air-lift of the liquid

Jan 1, 1957

By Fred H. Poettmann

An equation has been derived for use in calculating the sandface pressure of flowing gas wells in which the variation of the compressibility factor of the gas with pressure is taken into consideration. This variation due to compressibility has been put into both graphical and tabular form. Comparison of calculated results with field measured results were made on 20 dry gas wells from a given field and 11 distillate wells from different fields. The agreement between calculated and observed results is good. In addition to their use in the calculation of sandface pressures of flowing wells, the factors can be used in the direct calculation of the static bottom hole pressure of gas wells, the capacity of gas transmission lines, and in the calculation of the theoretical isothermal horsepower necessary to compress a natural gas. Examples demonstrating the use of various equations are given. INTRODUCTION Many of the equations used to calculate the sandface pressures of flowing gas wells from well head data do not take into consideration rigorously the deviation of the natural gas from ideal gas behavior. For low pressure wells this error is not serious. For high pressure wells flowing at high rates this error call be serious. Sandface pressures are used to determine the producing capacity of gas wells as shown in the U. S. Bureau of Mines' Monograph 7.' An equation has been derived for use in calculating the sandface pressure of flowing gas wells in which the variation of compressibility of the gas with pressure is taken into consideration. This variation due to compressibility has been put into both graphical and tabular form. In addition to their use in the calculation of sandface pressures, these "factors" can also be used to give a direct solution in the calculation of the static bottom hole pressure of gas wells, the calculation of the capacity of gas transmission lines, and the calculation of the isothermal horsepower necessary to compress a gas. CALCULATION OF SANDFACE PRESSURE OF FLOWING GAS WELLS The starting point in the derivation of any specific flow equation is an energy balance on the fluid flowing between any two points in the system. This energy balance based on one pound of flowing fluid is expressed by the well known general flow equation: jp~- vdP+ Ah + -— + wt + r. = o . . (i) P, 2 g. where V = specific volume of flowing fluid in cu ft/lb P = pressure in Ib per sq ft ah = difference in height above datum plane in, ft ------ = kinetic energy change of one lb of flowing fluid, v equals velocity in ft/sec and g. = 32.174 Ws = Work done by fluid while in flow (similar to shaft work in driving a turbine) W, = Znergy losses due to the irreversibilities of the flowing fluid This equation contains no limiting assumptions and can be made the basis of any fluid flow relationship by limitations or substitutions. The energy units are usually expressed in term* of foot-pounds of energy per pound of mass. Considering the vertical flow of gas through tubing or annu-lus, the external work W, done by the gas is zero. Let us also assume that the value of the kinetic energy function is small and can be neglected. Equation (1) is reduced to: /P: VdP + Ah+Wt = 0 .......(2) Pi The energy loszes PI can be expressed in terms of the well known Fanning equatinn: 4/Lf: rf = —— ............(3) 2g,D where L = the integrated average velocity in ft/sec of vertical flow in a uniform flow string -~h = L v = the integrated average velocity in ft/sec / = dimensionless correlating function

Jan 1, 1951

By Fred H. Poettmann

An equation has been derived for use in calculating the sandface pressure of flowing gas wells in which the variation of the compressibility factor of the gas with pressure is taken into consideration. This variation due to compressibility has been put into both graphical and tabular form. Comparison of calculated results with field measured results were made on 20 dry gas wells from a given field and 11 distillate wells from different fields. The agreement between calculated and observed results is good. In addition to their use in the calculation of sandface pressures of flowing wells, the factors can be used in the direct calculation of the static bottom hole pressure of gas wells, the capacity of gas transmission lines, and in the calculation of the theoretical isothermal horsepower necessary to compress a natural gas. Examples demonstrating the use of various equations are given. INTRODUCTION Many of the equations used to calculate the sandface pressures of flowing gas wells from well head data do not take into consideration rigorously the deviation of the natural gas from ideal gas behavior. For low pressure wells this error is not serious. For high pressure wells flowing at high rates this error call be serious. Sandface pressures are used to determine the producing capacity of gas wells as shown in the U. S. Bureau of Mines' Monograph 7.' An equation has been derived for use in calculating the sandface pressure of flowing gas wells in which the variation of compressibility of the gas with pressure is taken into consideration. This variation due to compressibility has been put into both graphical and tabular form. In addition to their use in the calculation of sandface pressures, these "factors" can also be used to give a direct solution in the calculation of the static bottom hole pressure of gas wells, the calculation of the capacity of gas transmission lines, and the calculation of the isothermal horsepower necessary to compress a gas. CALCULATION OF SANDFACE PRESSURE OF FLOWING GAS WELLS The starting point in the derivation of any specific flow equation is an energy balance on the fluid flowing between any two points in the system. This energy balance based on one pound of flowing fluid is expressed by the well known general flow equation: jp~- vdP+ Ah + -— + wt + r. = o . . (i) P, 2 g. where V = specific volume of flowing fluid in cu ft/lb P = pressure in Ib per sq ft ah = difference in height above datum plane in, ft ------ = kinetic energy change of one lb of flowing fluid, v equals velocity in ft/sec and g. = 32.174 Ws = Work done by fluid while in flow (similar to shaft work in driving a turbine) W, = Znergy losses due to the irreversibilities of the flowing fluid This equation contains no limiting assumptions and can be made the basis of any fluid flow relationship by limitations or substitutions. The energy units are usually expressed in term* of foot-pounds of energy per pound of mass. Considering the vertical flow of gas through tubing or annu-lus, the external work W, done by the gas is zero. Let us also assume that the value of the kinetic energy function is small and can be neglected. Equation (1) is reduced to: /P: VdP + Ah+Wt = 0 .......(2) Pi The energy loszes PI can be expressed in terms of the well known Fanning equatinn: 4/Lf: rf = —— ............(3) 2g,D where L = the integrated average velocity in ft/sec of vertical flow in a uniform flow string -~h = L v = the integrated average velocity in ft/sec / = dimensionless correlating function

Jan 1, 1951

By R. H. Jamison

A relatively new haulage system is described. Employed by the Delmant Fuel Co.. the "Full Dimension" system provides an uninterrupted flow of coal from a loader or continuous miner at the face to the main line transportation system. This system is said to provide a higher percentage of recovery as well as additional safety and production. Delmont Fuel Co. is employing a comparatively new system of transportation known as a Full Dimension system. Cne of these systems has been in operation for a year at the company's 10-B Mine as a part of a conventional section. A second was installed at the No. 10 mine in late 1960 to handle the production of a Colmol in a pillar section. SYSTEM COMPONENTS A Full Dimension system is a haulage system that provides an uninterrupted flow of coal from a loader or continuous miner at the face to the main line transportation system. The equipment required for this system consists of a series of interconnected chain conveyors that are mobile and articulated. They will retract or extend a sufficient distance for the development of a five-entry system; or, in the Colmol pillar section, it provides reach of 210 ft in all directions from the section belt. The components of this system are: l)One 160-ft chain line placed in tandem with the belt conveyor. It has a self-propelled drive, is 20 in. wide and 9 in. deep. Moving this conveyor requires the assistance of a loading machine or cutting machine. 2) One 40-ft piggyback that discharges along the entire length of the 160 ft chain conveyor. 3) A mobile bridge carrier, which is a self-propelled conveyor with four wheel steer and four wheel drive, twenty-eight feet long, it delivers coal to the receiving end of the piggyback. Axles steer individually making possible almost lateral movement. 4) Another 40-ft piggyback, duplicate of item 2 that delivers coal along the entire length of item 3 (mobile bridge carrier). 5) A second mobile bridge carrier, similar to the first, which deliver coal to the piggyback (item 4). 6) A third 40-ft piggyback, duplicate of items 2 and 4. This pig is attached to the loading machine and delivers its coal along the length of the second mobile bridge conveyor. Since the original preparation of this paper, the Delmot Fuel Co. has been able to eliminate the 160-ft chain conveyor. This was accomplished by connecting the outby piggyback directly to a loading machine with an extended boom. The loading machine loads directly onto the belt. This change has resulted in a substantial reduction in moving time and greatly increased flexability. A single trailing cable powers the entire string of equipment. It is attached to the side of the equipment in such a way as to keep it off the ground and afford maximum protection. The tramming rate of this equipment is 90 fpm. The conveyor capacity in a conventional section at Delmont's mines is 7.5 tpm and in the Colmol section is 5.5 tpm. This regulation is a simple function of conveyor speed. To visualize operation of this equipment, it would be well for me to touch briefly on local conditions in the Upper Freeport seam in which we mine. (Also, see the photographs of some of the equipment in use.) DELMONT'S TOPOGRAPHY The Delmont Fuel Co. operates two mines in this seam in Westmoreland County, Pa. The No. 10 mine, which was opened in about 1912, is now almost worked out. Depending on economics in the industry, it has a life of two to four years on a declining production basis. A year ago a new drift mine was opened which is called No. 10-B. It is about two miles from the cleaning plant and is connected thereto by an overland belt conveyor. The new mine is being developed at a rate calculated to take up the slack as the old mine plays out. The Upper Freeport seam averages 4.2 ft in thickness in the area of the Delmont mines. It carries 4 in. of boney coal at the top of the seam and a middle man of from 2 to 4 in. We mine just above a 1-in. slate parting which has 4 to 6 in. of highly laminated coal beneath it. This material normally makes a very firm bottom. The roof varies from dark shale to sand rock and 36-in. bolts are placed on 4-ft centers for roof support. All working places are driven 20 ft wide on development and 25 ft wide on retreat. Selection of mobile chain conveyor equipment when it became available, was a very natural move for Delmont Fuel to make, because chain conveyors and piggybacks had been in use at the company's mines for about 12 years. Grades in the new mine

Jan 1, 1961

By M. C. Van Camp, J. D. Miller

Preliminary results are reported regarding the design and development of a pilot scale air sparged hydrocyclone for cleaning fine coal 590 pm (- 28 mesh) containing 24% ash and 1.6% sulfur. The principle of separation is the flotation of hydrophobic coal particles in the centnjugal field generated by the fluid flow in the air sparged hydrocyclone as discussed in another publication. This 152-mm (6-in.) hydrocyclone has a nominal capacity of 0.9 t/h (1 tph) and experimental results suggest that separations vastly superior to a water-only cyclone are possible. In addition the separation efficiency is as good, if not better, than that achieved with conventional flotation cells. For example, typical results indicate that 75% clean coal can be recovered at 15% ash leaving a tailing product of almost 50% ash. These experimental results coupled with the high capacity of the air sparged hydrocyclone (imagine a retention time for flotation of only two seconds compared to two minutes for conventional flotation) may represent a significant breakthrough, not only in coal preparation technology, but in the flotation of fine particles in general.

Jan 1, 1983

By Joseph D. McClung, L. G. Austin

INTRODUCTION Run-of-mine (ROM) coal generally falls into two major groups, that from underground mining (continuous mining machines) and that from strip mining. Continuous miners produce a finer product and strip mining a coarser product that is crushed to produce the desired size. Further size reduction depends on the proposed use or uses for the coal. For example, for pulverized coal power plants as a rough general rule, the coal is ground or pulverized to 80% less than 200 mesh (0.075 mrn) before it is blown into the boiler furnace as a coal-air suspension. For solvent-refined coal processes, the desired size is about <30 mesh ( <0.60 mm) ; in fluidized bed uses, the coal is typically < in. ( < 1.6 mm); for Lurgi pressure gasifiers, the desired size is 1-2 1/2 in. (25-63 mm). Coal preparation plants typically work with a coarse size fraction of 6x1 1/4 in. (15Ox32mm). It seems probable that the next decades will see much wider application of coal cleaning before use and that the stages of crushing and pulverization from ROM coal to end use will be integrated with coal cleaning processes. Since different cleaning processes work better with different ranges of coal size and the degree of cleaning possible is inti-

Jan 1, 1979

A little more than a year and a half ago construction started on Canada&apos;s largest initial milling plant. Today the zinc concentrating plant 7 miles north of Barraute sits on ground that once was forest and clay flats. The plant is part of Barvue Mines Ltd. zinc-silver operation. Employees of the plant live in the model community of Barvue, built like the plant in record time. About 5000 tons of ore are handled by the plant daily, with an output of 200 tons of zinc concentrate. Management hopes to raise capacity of the $8 million plant to 6000 tons.

Jan 8, 1953

By K. Torssell, U. Lindborg

The kinetics of precipitation deoxidation is considered from a theoretical point of view. The size distribution and the total content of deoxidation products are estimated statistically as a function of time, taking into account Stokes and gradient collisions between the particles and separation at the top surface of the bath. The assumption is made that two particles coalesce into one larger particle as a result of a collision. General expressions are derived and calculations are carried out numerically for the case of silica particles in liquid iron. The analysis predicts a three-stage behavior for the removal of oxygen, an incubation stage, a stage of rapid separation, and a slow final stage where the content approaches the equilibrium value. The agreement with experimentally determined size distributions and deoxidation times is considered to be good. A quantitative estimation of such growth mechanisms as diffusion from the melt and redistribution of oxygen from small particles to large ones shows that these latter mechanisms cannot explain the experimentally observed gvowth of inclusions. This also indicates that collisions provide the important growth mechanism. OXIDE inclusions precipitate when a deoxidizer like silicon or aluminum is added to a steel bath. The inclusions grow and the large particles tend to separate from the bath. For each type of oxide the growth determines the sizes of the final inclusions as well as the total inclusion content of the steel. The mechanism of growth is controversial, however. It has been suggested that an inclusion grows principally by diffusion of atoms through the melt to the inclusion particle or principally by collisions and coalescence with other inclusions. Diffusion growth is always present to some extent but recent experiments and calculations by Torssell,&apos; Kniippel et &apos;a1.,2 Sano et al. and Miya-shita4 indicate that collisions may be more important than previously realized. A detailed analysis has so far been lacking. The present paper is a quantitative, statistical analysis of the growth and separation of inclusions and is based on a collision theory. Nuclea-tion is not considered. The numerical estimates are based on the experimental conditions of Torssell&apos;s&apos; investigation and comparisons are made with his observations. Torssell&apos; studied the growth and separation of silica particles in liquid iron. Samples were taken from a 0.6 kg iron bath at various times after the addition of silicon. By a particle-counting technique developed by Bergh and Lindber~the size distribution of the inclu- sions was determined. The number of particles at the first sampling, 10 sec after silicon addition, was of the order of 3 x lo7 to 10&apos; per cu cm, the largest particles having a radius of 2 to 4 pm. The volume fraction was 0.001 to 0.004; i.e., the dispersion was very dilute. During subsequent holding the largest particles increased their radius by a factor of 10 after about a minute, and the whole size distribution was displaced toward larger values. These results were obtained with allowance for precipitation of the equilibrium concentration of oxygen during solidification. The bath contained less than 0.01 pct of C. Figs. 1 and 2 show the typical appearance of the inclusions. Most particles are very closely spherical and appear to have been liquid or semiliquid in the melt. The observed number of inclusions, about 5x 10&apos; per cu cm, is of the same order of magnitude as found by ~er~h.&apos; This is a large value. It follows that the diffusion distances are very short and that the precipitation

Jan 1, 1969

By Y. Takahashi, I. Iwasaki, S. Tanabe

Supported by the vigorous capital investment of the heavy and chemical industries and by the ever-increasing demand for durable consumer goods in the past decade, Japan has now emerged as the world&apos;s third largest steel producer, surpassed only by the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1968, the crude steel production is expected to exceed 50 million tons; the per capita steel consumption at that time will reach 886 lb, approaching the level of Western Europe. Characteristics of the Japanese steel industry is the high dependence of raw materials on overseas sources. Before World War II the industry relied on North China and Manchuria for coking coal, and on middle China, Hainan Island, the Philippines and the Malayan Peninsula for iron ores. After the war, the major sources of iron ores were shifted to the Philippines and the Malayan Peninsula, supplemented by shipments from the United States, Canada, India and Goa. The United States, in addition, became the primary source of coking coal.

Jan 1, 1967

By L. B. Herring, Harold Decker

The South Texas area, discussed herein, represents districts 2 and 4 of the Texas Railroad Cominission and extends from Jackson, Lavaca, and Gonzales Counties on the northeast to the Rio Grande River, comprising a total of 26 counties.$ The present boundaries of this district do not coincide with those of earlier reports published in the annual volumes of Petroleum Development and Technology. The war, in its various ramifications, determined and controlled all the phases of the oil and gas industry. Priorities for material and governmental subsidies determined all new operations. New Pools In our opinion, the combine&apos; quantity of crude and distillate reserves added in &apos;943 approached Or possibly exceeded the amount produced. Thirty-five new pools were added to the area&apos; Of these, five have significant reserves and ten offer possibilities of containing consequential reserves. The largest proven reserve discovered during the year was the Slick pool, on the DeWitt-Goliad County line. This is also the most important Wilcox discovery to date in the area. The most significant extension was at Willimar, Willacy County. Other important extensions were developed at Agua Dulce, Seeligson, and Odem. Except for the Porter field, in Karnes County, the Laredo trend, which produces lrom the Jackson and Yegua, proved very disappointing, and this pool is o:C secondary importance. The Scott and Hopper pool, Brooks County, has only orie well, but offers excellent possibilities of becoming an important discovery. It represents at this time the major Frio discovery of the year. The Hobson pool, Karnes County, is not a major reserve, but can be classed as important in that it produces at a shallow depth from the Wilcox. This proves that the potential area of production for this zone occupies a broad trend. Gas and Condensate During the year construction was begun on only one recycling plant, this being in the Sejita field, Duval County. Several others were colltemplated, but no actual operations were begun. The most important development in recycling was the rebuilding of old plants to allow for the fractiona-tion of isopentane, n-butane, isobutane, and propane. Heretofore all pentanes plus have been marketed as cLdistillate,n only a minor portion of the butanes being isolated and sold for fuel purposes. All these new the except propane, are considered vital to the war effort and propane is being marketed as fuel gas. In other instances propane is being isolated and then pumped back into the gas reservoirs for storage. It is anticipated that the demands for this product will increase in the future. Drilling in the Wilcox trend during the year showed the existence of valuable gas

Jan 1, 1944

By L. B. Herring, Harold Decker

The South Texas area, discussed herein, represents districts 2 and 4 of the Texas Railroad Cominission and extends from Jackson, Lavaca, and Gonzales Counties on the northeast to the Rio Grande River, comprising a total of 26 counties.$ The present boundaries of this district do not coincide with those of earlier reports published in the annual volumes of Petroleum Development and Technology. The war, in its various ramifications, determined and controlled all the phases of the oil and gas industry. Priorities for material and governmental subsidies determined all new operations. New Pools In our opinion, the combine&apos; quantity of crude and distillate reserves added in &apos;943 approached Or possibly exceeded the amount produced. Thirty-five new pools were added to the area&apos; Of these, five have significant reserves and ten offer possibilities of containing consequential reserves. The largest proven reserve discovered during the year was the Slick pool, on the DeWitt-Goliad County line. This is also the most important Wilcox discovery to date in the area. The most significant extension was at Willimar, Willacy County. Other important extensions were developed at Agua Dulce, Seeligson, and Odem. Except for the Porter field, in Karnes County, the Laredo trend, which produces lrom the Jackson and Yegua, proved very disappointing, and this pool is o:C secondary importance. The Scott and Hopper pool, Brooks County, has only orie well, but offers excellent possibilities of becoming an important discovery. It represents at this time the major Frio discovery of the year. The Hobson pool, Karnes County, is not a major reserve, but can be classed as important in that it produces at a shallow depth from the Wilcox. This proves that the potential area of production for this zone occupies a broad trend. Gas and Condensate During the year construction was begun on only one recycling plant, this being in the Sejita field, Duval County. Several others were colltemplated, but no actual operations were begun. The most important development in recycling was the rebuilding of old plants to allow for the fractiona-tion of isopentane, n-butane, isobutane, and propane. Heretofore all pentanes plus have been marketed as cLdistillate,n only a minor portion of the butanes being isolated and sold for fuel purposes. All these new the except propane, are considered vital to the war effort and propane is being marketed as fuel gas. In other instances propane is being isolated and then pumped back into the gas reservoirs for storage. It is anticipated that the demands for this product will increase in the future. Drilling in the Wilcox trend during the year showed the existence of valuable gas

Jan 1, 1944