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Upon the recommendation of its Technical Committee, The Com-pressed Air Society has adopted the following definitions of, certain terms. Displacement.-The displacement of an air compressor is the volume displaced by the net area of the compressor piston. Capacity.-The capacity should be expressed in cubic feet per minute, and is the actual amount of air compressed and delivered, expressed in terms of free air at intake temperature and at the pressure of dry air at the suction. Volumetric Efficiency.-Volumetric efficiency is the ratio of the capacity to the displacement of the compressor, all as defined above. Compression Efficiency.-Compression efficiency is the ratio of the work required to compress isothermally all the air delivered by an air compressor to the work actually clone within the compressor cylinder, as shown by indicator cards, and may he expressed is the product of the volumetric efficiency (the intake pressure and the hyperbolic logarithm of the ratio of compression), all divided by the indicated mean effective pressure within the air cylinder or cylinders.

Jan 8, 1918

By M. L. Fuller

IN connection with an investigation in this laboratory on the high-zinc side of the copper-zinc system, it was observed that well developed segre-gate structures of the Widmanstätten type were formed when a secondary phase precipitated from the solid solution of copper in zinc. This paper presents an analysis of the crystallographic relationship between the segregate and the solid solution matrix. The data to be presented are an interesting addition to the literature on segregate structures in that the plane of segregation is one of the less densely populated planes. In agreement with the generalization of C. H. Mathewson and D. W. Smith1 the plane of segregation in the matrix con-tains the direction of closest atomic packing of the lattice. Furthermore, the matrix and the segregate are both hexagonal close-packed, which has not been reported hitherto in the literature.2 The increasing com-mercial importance of zinc alloys containing copper makes this funda-mental study of value to the metallography of zinc alloys.

Jan 1, 1933

By E. W. Davis

DURING late years, the proportion of beileficiated iron ore shipped from the Lake Superior District has increased very rapidly. By benefication is meant washing, screening, drying, sintering or any process by which the grade or structure of the crude ore is improved before shipment. In 1915, only 3,000,- 000 tons, or 9 per cent, of t6e total Minnesota shipment was beneficiated ore, compared with 13,500,000 tons, or 35 per cent, of the total Minnesota shipment in 1925. This increase is, of course, due to the fact that iron and steel can be made more cheaply after beneficiating these ores than they could have been had these ores not been so treated. Fundamentally, however, several causes contribute to the necessity for beneficiating iron ores, such as depletion of the reserves of high-grade ores, the iron ore leasing systems and taxation methods and, at the smelting plants, a better understanding of blast-furnace operations, increased operating costs and increased sulfur content of blast-furnace coke. As economic conditions change, it is by no means certain that the proportion of beneficiated ore shipped each year is going to continue to increase. Undoubtedly some of the beneficiation operations are not economically sound at the present time and what the future has in store for the iron ore industry is problematical. Generally speaking, the cost of fuel for blast-furnace operations will increase as time goes on and in order to continue to produce cheap iron and steel, some of the other costs must be lowered. Freight and labor rates probably can- not be reduced. The cost of producing iron ore cannot be reduced much below the present price. It therefore appears that the best opportunity for maintaining iron and steel prices at their present level in spite of in- creased costs of labor and raw materials is to use. less or cheaper raw materials. This, of course, contemplates an improvement in metallurgical processes all along the line and, as a matter of fact, we can confidently expect these improvements because scientific investigations will undoubtedly be even more productive in the future than they have been in the past.

Jan 1, 1926

Edward Keller, Baltimore, Md. (communication to the Secretary): When, at the New Pork meeting, February, 1899, Mr. Douglas gave an abstract of his highly interesting paper on the Copper Queen mine, he invited the members of the Institute, in his usual progressive spirit, to make a full scientific investigation of the region of that mine during the prospective excursion to Bisbee, Arizona. I volunteered to examine some of the metallurgical processes and products of the works, and obtained from Mr. Douglas a valuable series of samples. Upon the issue of his paper, however, I found that he had already a considerable volume of analyses of those products, and that little was left for me to do in that respect, except to duplicate his results, the importance of which work would not have been commensurate to the time and labor involved. I selected, therefore, only some points which he had not made entirely clear, or concerning which I was skeptical. The details of most of my work will appear in a future paper. From Mr. Douglas's figures I have calculated the values for the elimination of impurities in the so-called Leghorn converter, introduced by him at the Copper Queen works, and have found them to be as follows: Percentage of Elimination of Impurities in Pour Blows of a Converter. No of ' Selenium Sulph'r Iron. Zinc. I Nickel. Lead. Antimony Arsenic. and Blow- ! Tellurium .. 1.......... 99.4 99.6 88.0 92.6 94.4 81.6 83.8 40.3 2.......... 99.0 99.6 98.1 92.5 96.8 71.9 76.6 38.1 3.......... 98.8 99.5 93.5 91.4 96.3 63.8 80.6 25.3 4.......... 99.8 99.5 95.8 95.8 97.5 65.3 76.9 36.3 Average 99.2 99.6 93.8 93.1 . 96.2 70.6 ! 79.5 35.0

Jan 1, 1900

By J. H. Brophy

Experimental evidence in recent years shows that nickel coated hydrogen reduced tungsten powder can be sintered to 98 pct of theoretical density at 1100°C. New data indicate that the sintering rate is the same for nickel contents ranging from 0.125 wt pct (mon-atomic layer) to 5.0 wt pct Ni coated on 0.561. tungsten powder. Nickel tungsten made by coreduction from oxides sinters in a kinetically similar way, but the rate tends to increase with higher nickel contents. The activation of sintering can be accomplished with a minimum amount of nickel if coated powder is used. Transverse rmpture strength was found to increase in specimens containing 0.25 pct Ni as density increased during the initial stage of the carrier-phase sintering process. Upon the onset of grain growth in the final stage, strength was found to decrease. With increasing nickel contents up to 4 pct, strength increased. Maximum strengths in three-point loading were observed at 73,000 psi for 0.25 pct Ni and 93,000 psi for 5 pct Ni. These were comparable to that of massive tungsten recrystal-lized in the presence of nickel and tested in the same way. The results were sensitive to the mode of powder treatment and ductility was negligible in all cases. The study and application of sintered bodies of nickel and tungsten is not new; however, the analysis of the mechanism by which small additions of nickel increase the sintering rate of tungsten promises to Contribute new information regarding sintering theory in general. Initial experimental evidence was presented by the authors showing that nickel-coated hydrogen-reduced tungsten powder may be sintered to 98 pct of theoretical density at 1100°C in 16 hr.' Simultaneously, a kinetic analysis of the process showed that it took place in two distinct stages. In the first stage, nickel evidently served as a carrier phase through which tungsten atoms could move. This stage was kinetically similar to the 'solution-precipitationo step postulated when the carrier phase is liquid3 although in the nickel tungsten case, there is no evidence of the existence of a liquid phase either in equilibrium phase relationships or in mi-crostructures at the temperatures under consideration. In the present work, new data for nickel-coated tungsten powder are offered in support of the proposed mechanism, and a more explicit study of the second stage of densification is presented. Concurrently, the sintering kinetics of these coated powders are compared to Ni-W powder made by coreduction of oxides. In this way the present work can be compared to earlier results in nickel activated sintering of tungsten in which the coreduction process was emplyed. The ultimate utility of such an activated sintering process will be determined to some extent by the mechanical and physical properties of the final prod-

Jan 1, 1962

Dec. 2, American Mining Congress, annual membership meeting, University Club, New York. Dec. 2, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Socony-Vacuum Training Center, New York City. Dec. 4-6, AIME, Electric Steel Furnace Conference, Hotel William Penn, Pittsburgh. Dee. 5, Atlanta Meeting of Southeast Section, AIME, Ansley Hotel, Atlanta. Dec. 7-10, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, annual meeting, Hotels Cleveland and Carter, Cleveland. Dec. 8, AIME, Arizona Section, all-day meeting, Tucson. Jan. 6, 1953, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Socony-Vacuum Training Center, New- York City. Jan. 14, 1953, AIME Connecticut Section, Hammond Metallurgical Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. Jan. 14-16, 19th Annual Meeting of Society of Photogrammetry, Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D. C.

Jan 1, 1952

By S. A Weigand, J. W. Bolton

Production of sound bronze castings is a matter of great practical interest to users and manufacturers of high-grade non-ferrous engineering specialties. Although there has been much excellent research in this field, there still remains some confusion regarding the fundamental principles underlying production of really sound bronze. The literature of the past 20 years on this subject indicates that the prevailing opinion of metallurgists and foundrymen has been that unsoundness in bronze is due generally to oxidation. The following references are typical. Review of Literature Carpenter and Edwards1 state that when gun metal is melted the alloy dissolves gas, the amount increasing with rise in temperature and duration of the melting. The solubility of the gas diminishes during the fall in temperature and it escapes through the liquid metal. At the moment of incipient solidification there is an evolution of gas. Sperry2 says that by using charcoal a reducing atmosphere is supplied whereby oxidation is prevented, and this also prevents gases from coming in contact with the metal. Logan3 says that many of the troubles that occur in non-ferrous castings are the direct result of one thing—oxidized material. He mentions how readily copper absorbs oxygen when molten, but does not mention the harmful effects of reducing conditions as observed in overpoled copper. Guillemin and Delachana14 investigated the gases occluded in bronze and found that the better bronzes contained mostly hydrogen while the poorer ones had a larger proportion of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

Jan 1, 1929

By J. W. Bolton, S. A. Weigand

Production of sound bronze castings is a matter of great practical interest to users and manufacturers of high-grade non-ferrous engineering specialties. Although there has been much excellent research in this field, there still remains some confusion regarding the fundamental principles underlying production of really sound bronze. The literature of the past 20 years on this subject indicates that the prevailing opinion of metallurgists and foundrymen has been that unsoundness in bronze is due generally to oxidation. The following references are typical. Review of Literature Carpenter and Edwards1 state that when gun metal is melted the alloy dissolves gas, the amount increasing with rise in temperature and duration of the melting. The solubility of the gas diminishes during the fall in temperature and it escapes through the liquid metal. At the moment of incipient solidification there is an evolution of gas. Sperry2 says that by using charcoal a reducing atmosphere is supplied whereby oxidation is prevented, and this also prevents gases from coming in contact with the metal. Logan3 says that many of the troubles that occur in non-ferrous castings are the direct result of one thing—oxidized material. He mentions how readily copper absorbs oxygen when molten, but does not mention the harmful effects of reducing conditions as observed in overpoled copper. Guillemin and Delachana14 investigated the gases occluded in bronze and found that the better bronzes contained mostly hydrogen while the poorer ones had a larger proportion of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

Jan 1, 1929

By NILS DANIELSEN

THE name of Swedish charcoal iron will probably bring to the memory of many old consumers an extremely tough and ductile iron which was formerly used in considerable quantities for common blacksmith purposes. To-day very little of this iron goes to such kind of work. Swedish charcoal iron is merely a speciality which is chosen whenever its remark¬able properties can be utilized. By giving a rough sketch of the manufacturing process of Swedish charcoal iron, the character of the iron, its weak as well as its strong points will more easily be understood. Swedish charcoal iron is a wrought iron also known in the United States under the name of Norway iron and Swedish Lancashire iron. The name Norway iron seems to have been attached to the product for the reason that in the earlier days it was generally brought into the States by Norwegian ships. However no iron of this kind is now made in Norway. The reason for the name Swedish Lancashire iron is that the manufac¬turing process emanated from Lancashier in England, the method being generally adopted in Sweden in the years 1831-1850. Today this iron is, with the exception of one plant in the United States, made in no place in the world outside of Sweden.

Jan 1, 1924

By AIME AIME

IT IS impossible in this short sketch to give a detailed description of each part of the plant at Bethlehem, therefore, only such facts will be touched on as are necessary to give a general idea of the works. The extent of the plant, and the fact that the units making up the various departments are located in different parts of the works, make it impracticable to mention the departments in any regular order with regard to their location. They are, therefore, mentioned approximately in the order of their relation to each other with reference to their functions in the making of the various products.

Jan 1, 1924

By John M. Kelly

New Mexico produced 38,882,342 bbl. of oil in 1943, and regained seventh place among the oil-producing states. This production was an increase of 6,968,526 bbl., or 21.8 per cent, over the figure for 1942. The maximum per-well allowable on Jan. I, 1943, was 38 bbl. daily and at the end of the year this figure had been increased to 48 bbl. Allocations as set by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission closely followed recommendations by the Petroleum Administrator for War and the average daily pipe-line runs were 106,476 bbl., being within 2.2 per cent of these allocations. Production for Lea County was 33,043,925 bbl.; Eddy County, 5,405,-967 bbl.; northwestern New Mexico, 432,070 bbl., and Chaves County, 380 barrels. Drilling activity for New Mexico in 1943 was only 75 per cent of that in 1942, with 255 completions. Of these completions 180 were oil wells, 10 gas wells and 65 dry holes. The ratio of dry holes to producers, more than I to 3, was the greatest in recent years. Of these dry holes, 46 were drilled within the boundaries of proven . areas while 19 were wildcats. Wildcat drilling during 1943 was responsible for the discovery of four new oil fields and one new gas field, as well as three extensions to existing proration areas. At the close of the year the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission had designated 64 areas as proven for oil and/or gas. The Monument area was again New Mexico's largest producing oil field, with an annual production of 7,228,855 bbl. Next was Eunice, with 6,461,044 bbl., followed by Vacuum with 4,946,110 bbl. IIobbs, ranking fourth, with 3,799,114 bbl., was the leader in total recovery with an accumulated production of 104,180,53I bbl., or more than 10,000 bbl. per acre to date. Drilling activity in Lea County accounted for completion of 67 oil wells, 2 gas wells and 24 dry holes. One of these oil wells was the discovery well of a new area and three extended proven areas. The most active drilling campaign in the county was again in the Maljamar area, where 18 oil wells were completed. The Maljamar Cooperative Repressuring Agreement affected 141 producing wells, and operations were a decided success, more than 85 per cent of the gas produced being returned to formation. The new oil field for Lea County was designated as the San Simon area although boundaries have not been established to date. Discovery well for this area was the Skelly Oil Company's State U. No. I, in theNE. NE. K of sec. 5, T.22 S.,R.ssE. This well was drilled to a total depth of 4183 ft. and plugged back to 4138 ft. after encountering bottom-hole water. Initial production was 124 bbl. per day on the pump. This oil is 37.4' gravity and has a sulphur content of I per cent. Productian is from Yates sand of Permian age. The Lynn area of southern Lea cbunty was extended 145 miles to the northwest

Jan 1, 1944

By John M. Kelly

New Mexico produced 38,882,342 bbl. of oil in 1943, and regained seventh place among the oil-producing states. This production was an increase of 6,968,526 bbl., or 21.8 per cent, over the figure for 1942. The maximum per-well allowable on Jan. I, 1943, was 38 bbl. daily and at the end of the year this figure had been increased to 48 bbl. Allocations as set by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission closely followed recommendations by the Petroleum Administrator for War and the average daily pipe-line runs were 106,476 bbl., being within 2.2 per cent of these allocations. Production for Lea County was 33,043,925 bbl.; Eddy County, 5,405,-967 bbl.; northwestern New Mexico, 432,070 bbl., and Chaves County, 380 barrels. Drilling activity for New Mexico in 1943 was only 75 per cent of that in 1942, with 255 completions. Of these completions 180 were oil wells, 10 gas wells and 65 dry holes. The ratio of dry holes to producers, more than I to 3, was the greatest in recent years. Of these dry holes, 46 were drilled within the boundaries of proven . areas while 19 were wildcats. Wildcat drilling during 1943 was responsible for the discovery of four new oil fields and one new gas field, as well as three extensions to existing proration areas. At the close of the year the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission had designated 64 areas as proven for oil and/or gas. The Monument area was again New Mexico's largest producing oil field, with an annual production of 7,228,855 bbl. Next was Eunice, with 6,461,044 bbl., followed by Vacuum with 4,946,110 bbl. IIobbs, ranking fourth, with 3,799,114 bbl., was the leader in total recovery with an accumulated production of 104,180,53I bbl., or more than 10,000 bbl. per acre to date. Drilling activity in Lea County accounted for completion of 67 oil wells, 2 gas wells and 24 dry holes. One of these oil wells was the discovery well of a new area and three extended proven areas. The most active drilling campaign in the county was again in the Maljamar area, where 18 oil wells were completed. The Maljamar Cooperative Repressuring Agreement affected 141 producing wells, and operations were a decided success, more than 85 per cent of the gas produced being returned to formation. The new oil field for Lea County was designated as the San Simon area although boundaries have not been established to date. Discovery well for this area was the Skelly Oil Company's State U. No. I, in theNE. NE. K of sec. 5, T.22 S.,R.ssE. This well was drilled to a total depth of 4183 ft. and plugged back to 4138 ft. after encountering bottom-hole water. Initial production was 124 bbl. per day on the pump. This oil is 37.4' gravity and has a sulphur content of I per cent. Productian is from Yates sand of Permian age. The Lynn area of southern Lea cbunty was extended 145 miles to the northwest

Jan 1, 1944

By Frank Alfred Fahrenwald

MetallURgical research has discovered many an alloy possessing properties not combined in any single metal, and progress still consists chiefly in the investigation and utilization of alloys. In the case of iron, the demands of automobiles, high-speed machines and high-duty engines have led to the production of special iron alloys which will meet any reasonable specifications in that field. In like manner, the bronzes, brasses and other alloys of copper have been brought to remarkable perfection, and for nearly every industrial purpose some alloy has been , found more suitable than the pure metal. Less complete success has attended the attempt to find substitutes for gold, platinum, and the other precious metals. Indeed, it is not likeiy that a material can be produced which, will possess all the properties of any one of them; yet it is reasonable to hope that, for any given use, the properties required may be found in some less expensive material. Thus, in incandescent electric lamps, the wire passing through the thick glass neck of the bulb was, until recently, almost universally made of platinum, for the single reason that no other known material, suitable as a conductor, had the same coefficient of expansion as glass. But a comparatively recent investigation of the iron-nickel series1 has shown that alloys of those metals maybe produced, the coefficient of expansion of which can be accurately controlled between that of iron or nickel and zero. Thus, in that particular industry, a substitute for platinum has been found. According to statistical reports, not only considerable quantities of gold and iridium, but also more than one-third of the annual supply of platinum, are used (and, in the nature of the case, irrevocably lost) by dentists. Platinum is thus employed in several forms. As a thin foil, it serves various purposes for which its high melting point, pliability, chemical resistance, and other properties—including the ease with which it may be soldered—are invaluable. But it is most extensively used in

Jan 1, 1916

By Lester C. Uren

Petroleum occurs, in nature, as a fluid saturating the pore spaces between the grains of porous rocks or aggregations of rock particles such as sand, sandstone, conglomerate, shale, limestone, etc. The oil, under the influence of gas pressure, hydrostatic pressure, gravity, earth pressure, and, perhaps, other natural forces, is caused to flow through the porous "reservoir rock1' into wells penetrating the stratum in which the oil occurs. The principal moving force is the pressure of dissolved or occluded natural gas within the oil, though this force is assisted by gravity and by the hydrostatic or buoyant pressure of ground water about the edges of the "pool." The wells, providing outlets to the surface, are centers of reduced pressure and the flow of rock fluids into a particular well is usually an expression of the difference in pressure existing between the space within the well and that of the stored oil within the reservoir rock. The greater this differential pressure, the more rapidly will oil flow from the source rock into the well. Opposing movement of the oil from the reservoir rock into the well are certain natural forces related to the rock structure, such as pore friction and capillarity, and certain others related to the physical properties of the oil, such as viscosity and adhesion. The differential pressure between the well and the boundaries of the area drained by it must be sufficient to overcome the forces opposing flow if there is to be movement of oil into the well. If by any device the resistance to movement of the oil may be reduced, the oil will flow into the well at a more rapid rate and the effective area of drainage will be increased.

Jan 1, 1925

By Russell C., Fleming

FOK, many years the officials of the Magma Copper Co. mine at Superior, Ariz., have had to contend with adverse conditions underground in the form of high rock temperatures, hot water, and high relative humidity. These conditions in the mine have been such that working the mine would have been impossible were it not for the constantly expanding and improved sys- tem of ventilation to produce bearable conditions in the working places. Results that have already been achieved make an interesting study of what can be done along those lines. From the time the mine was first opened in 1910 it has been hot. An idea of the conditions that have persistently been encountered can be obtained from parts of the mine that are not being worked at present or that do not yet have sufficient ventilation. Virgin rock temperatures as determined in drill holes at the faces range from 104° to 116°*. An observation made at the face of No. 5 West footwall drift on the 2800-ft. level.

Jan 1, 1930

By R. H. McLean

Velocity, kinetic energy and shear in crossflow beneath three-cone jet bits may influence cleaning of the bottom of the borehole and the teeth of the bit. Laboratory investigation shows that each of these parameters is a function of the diameter of the borehole and the product of the volume rate of flow and velocity through the nozzles (QVn). Increasing QV, or decreasing the diameter of the borehole increases each parameter. These functions provide means of predicting the magnitude of each parameter and of scaling the cleaning forces. INTRODUCTION In drilling operations using conventional jet-type rock bits, the impinging jels create an important flow mechanism. Called crossflow, this flow mechanism originates in the impact area of the jets, spreads across the bottom of the hole and supplies the principal source of energy to clean the teeth of the bit and most of the bottom.' Besides providing the means of cleaning cuttings from the bit and the hole bottom, crossflow may also have other, less direct, effects on the rate of penetration. The shear stress generated on the bottom by crossflow will inIluence the thickness and permeability of any filter cake of mud solids or crushed material which forms on the bottom.' These factors may affect the rate of penetration. A previous pulblication introduced some fundamental concepts of crossflow.' Crossllow was shown to occur in a thin layer adjacent to the bottom, and to cover the bottom completely. The maximum velocity in the crossflow above any position on the bottom was found to be directly proporlional to the square root of the product of the volume rate of flow and velocity through the nozzles—the jct QV,,—and inversely proportional to the diameter of the borehole. This information indicated that the effectiveness of crossllow in scavenging the bottom can be improved by maximizing the jet QV. The investigation reported herein amplifies the definition of crossflow. Complete velocity profile data above a representative position on the bottom are analyzed. These data better illustrate control of the capacity of crossflow to scavenge the bottom, and also relate shear stress on the bottom to known, controllable parameters. The conclusion reached in the previous publication that maximization of the jet QV. produces the maximunl cleaning beneath current jet bits is unchanged by these new data; rather, it is strcngthened. Data presented here show that the kinetic energy flux above a representative position on the bottom is maximized by maximizing the jet QV. The shear stress on the bottom will also be shown to be maximized in the same manner. Since the functions relating the jet QV. to velocity, shear stress and kinetic energy also involve the diameter of the borehole, means of equating, or scaling, these quantities in different sizes of boreholes will be illustrated. EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUE JET BIT MODEL Data were recorded from the same laboratory model as used in the aforementioned investigation of the flow around a jet bit.' The model consisted of a 43/4-in. three-cone, jet-type rock bit in a smooth, flat-bottomed borehole constructed of lucite. The bit had a shape and nozzle placement closely resembling larger three-cone jet bits commonly used in field operations. Fig. 1 illustrates the impact area on the bottom of a jet from this bit. Details of the orientation of the jets may be found in the previous publication. TECHNIOU'E OF MEASUREMENT Measurements of the crossflow were made by inserting a very small Pitot tube through the bottom of the simulatetl boreholc. Extreme thinness of the layer of crossflow necessitated accurate measurements of the height of the Pitot tube above the bottom to achieve close definition of the velocity profile. A cathetometer, which could be read to the nearest 0.005 cm, was used to make this measurement.

Jan 1, 1966

By Walter P. Jenny

I. The Reducing Action of Carbon and of Hydrocarbons,. .. 445 11. Protective Action of Carbon and of Hydrocarbons,. 451 111. Contributory Action of Carbonic Acid Gas,..452 IV. The Stability of Carbonic Acid and of Water,..453 V. Occurrence of Carbon and the Carbon-Compounds,. 455 VI. The Occurrence of Carbon, Alone,.... VII. The Occurrence of Carbon Combined with Hydrogen,. .. 460 VIII. The Relative Reducing Power of Minerals,..487 I. The Reducing Action of Carbon and of Hydrocarbons. Carbon has long been recognized as one of the most powerful reducing agents in the deposition of ores. Investigations, made by myself, of the zinc- and lead-deposits in Southwest Missouri, in the region centering about Joplin, where the formation of the metallic sulphides has been due to the action of bitumen, carbonaceous shales and bituminous coal, have afforded abundant evidence that the solid oxygenated hydrocarbons, particularly when in fine powder and in suspension in the waters circulating through the ore-bodies, are the most energetic and powerful reducing agents known. Bitumen, liberated by the decomposition of the ore-bearing limestone, is found in the Joplin mines in all degrees of fluidity and hardness, dependent on the amount of oxidation it has undergone. From semi-fluid maltha it grades into partly oxidized mineral-pitch, which, by further oxidation, changes to hard asphalt, finally breaking up, from continued absorption of oxygen, into a fine powder resembling in appearance powdered coal. In this condition oxidized bitumen, from its light gravity, is transported readily in suspension in the underground circulating-waters. Bituminous coal and black carbonaceous clays and shales occur as surface formations, often in intimate association with

Jan 1, 1903

By E. P. Haqyes, J. K. Butler

011, and gas development has continued unabated on the Texas Gulf Coast during 1937. Although the number of important new discoveries has not been great, the extensions in older fields, owing to discovery of new sands and the lateral extension of known sands, has been extensive. Twenty-four new producing fields were added during the year, and many of these areas give promise of developing into important producing districts in the future. Alta Mesa, Amelia, Aransas, Clara Driscoll, Five Corners, Hamman, Heyser, Old Ocean, Premont, Seabreeae, Segno and West Columbia have all had major extensions during 1937. The 1937 production for the Texas Gulf Coast was 120,141,429 bbl., or 32f per cent increase over the 1936 production of 90,865,293 bb1. t The total number of producing wells has increased from 6727 to 8968. Well abandonments have becn few and indications are that they will continue to be so. Rigid proration has been and continues to be in effect, and, as a result, wells in the Gulf Coast will have prolonged life. New Fields Tables 1 and 2 contain general information on all fields in this district. The following named fields were discovered in 1937: Aransas County.—Barnsdall Oil Company's No. 1-A Edwards was the discovery well for the Lamar field. It was drilled to a total depth of 9785 ft., plugged back and completed at 7530 ft. in the Frio as a gas and distillate well. Present indications are not very promising for a major field. Bee County.—The McMurray (Strauch) field was discovered by Dirks Bros. No. 1 Strauch at a total depth of 4577 ft. This is a Yegua producer, and had an initial production of 230 bbl. on a 3/16-in. choke. Brazoria County.—The Sandy Point field was discovered by Henry DeArmanls No. 1 Fite, which was completed as a producer at 6501 ft. in the Marginulina-Frio series. Galveston County.—Although the Hitchcock field was discovered in 1936, the first commercial oil producer was completed in 1937 when

Jan 1, 1938

For the year ending February, 1920 PRESIDENT HORACE V. WINCHELL.. . MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. PAST PRESIDENTS PHILIP N. MOORE ST. Louis, Mo. SIDNEY J. JENNINGS NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT A. R. LEDOUX NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE D. BARRON NEW YORK, N. Y SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON NEW YORK, N. Y VICE-PRESIDENTS CHARLES W. GOODALE,1 . . . . District 5 BUTTE, MONT. MARK L. REQUA,1 District 6 SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. HENRY S. DRINKER, District 2 So. BETHLEHEM, PA. ROBERT M. RAYMOND,2 . . . . District 0 NEW YORK, N. Y. EDWIN LUDLOW,3 District 2 LANSFORD, PA. A. R. LEDOUX,3 District.0 NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 11, 1919

By Edward W. Parker

At the Seventy-sixth meeting of the Institute, held in New York, N. Y., February, 1899,I presented a paper on this subject entitled, Coal-Cutting Machinery,' which has become somewhat out of date, in view of the decade's development in this feature of the coal-mining industry. It should be explained that the present paper is limited to the use of mining-machines in bituminous mines. Practically all of the anthracite mined is "shot from the solid," no undercutting being done. Anthracite-mining is therefore not considered in the statistics or other references. The statistical record as compiled by the U. S. Geological Survey shows that in 1898, the year preceding the presentation of my former paper, there were 32,413,144 short tons of coal undercut by the use of machines. In 1907 the machine-mined coal-product amounted to 138,547,823 short tons. In sympathy with the general decrease in coal-production during 1908, the output of machine-mined coal decreased to 123,183,334 short tons, but the proportion of machine-mined coal to the total output, nevertheless, showed an increase, from 35.1 per cent. in 1907 to 37 per cent. in 1908. In 1898 only 19.5 per cent. of the total product was unclercut.by the use of machines. The number of in use in the bituminous mines of the United States has increased from 2,622 in 1898 to 11,144 in 1907, and to 11,569 in 1908. The total production of bituminous coal in the United States in 1908 mas almost exactly double that of 1898, while the machine-

Jan 1, 1911