Search Documents

By Edwin A. Rides

HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF THE EXPORT CREDIT AGENCIES Almost since the inception of international commerce sellers, having manufactured and/or sold and shipped goods to an overseas buyer, have been obliged to accept the risk that they will not be paid for one reason or another. There are many reasons why payment may not be forthcoming, for example, the goods may be lost at sea, or rejected by the buyer or the buyer nay simply not be creditworthy. These risks were brought into sharp relief as international trading became more sophisticated and the practice of giving credit to buyers gathered momentum. Inevitably enterprises sprang up which offered same mitigation of this exposure, accepting houses and later confirming houses and banks were prepared to assure acceptable credit risks an behalf of the seller, usually by discounting trade paper, and for many years the market ticked over reasonably satisfactorily. However, after the 1914-18 War international trade was at an extremely low ebb and its inherent risks were accentuated to a point where they were often commercially unacceptable. Yet a healthy and vigorous international market was indispensable to recovery of the world economy and a number of governments, led by the United Kingdom, perceived a need to offer their exporters a comprehensive form of insurance, particularly to facilitate the extension of credit to foreign buyers. In the United Kingdom the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) was set up to encourage trade through the provision of export credit insurance. Over the ensuing years others followed suit and now most of the developed trading nations and many developing nations have similar agencies. PRESENT DAY IDLE OF THE EXPORT CREDIT AGENCIES (ECAS ) Traditionally then the BA's role was to encourage trade through the provision to exporters of insurance against the risks of non-payment by overseas buyers of their goods and services. However, during the 1970's the manufacturing industries of most of the developed nations found themselves facing severe competition for business, particularly in the developing world. As a result the more aggressive ECA's began to introduce ancillary forms of cover designed to reduce exporters' risks outside of the credit field. For instance, most of the European agencies now have a form of cover against foreign exchange risks here contracts are denominated in currencies other than that of the exporter's country. Most of the agencies also provide cover to exporters against the risk of unfair calling of bid, advance payment, performance bonds etc and in certain countries, where high inflation rates were endemic, a form of cover against cost escalation. In certain circumstances it is also possible for an exporter to obtain cover against losses arising as a result of the involvency of a partner in a consortium or joint venture. These are all forms of insurance but, also during the 1970's, many of the national export credit programmes took a major step away from their original raison d'etre by facilitating the provision of preferential financing terns for the acquisition of capital equipment by an overseas buyer. This new line of business quickly became an important ingredient of major export financing packages and, as we shall see later, turned out to be extremely costly for the countries providing it.

Jan 1, 1985

By K. K. Kershner, W. A. Calhoun, C. W. Funk

Future resources of aluminum may require the utilization of low grade ores to provide a more permanent protection for the nation. Aluminum minerals such as cloy, shale, and high iron laterites may become important sources. An evaluation of reserves is given. New laboratory results are reported on the Vereinigte desilication process. THIS report on future resources of aluminum metal emphasizes the necessity for investigating utilization of low grade potential ores to provide more permanent protection for the nation. Partial or complete interruption of the importation of high grade aluminum ores must be given consideration. Ultimately, aluminum minerals such as clay, shale, and high iron laterites may become the principal sources of aluminum. The development of extractive processes for treating these low grade materials is a step in long-range national preparedness that should receive more attention. In formulating such processes, the application of beneficiation methods for the purpose of classifying the several types of minerals before subjecting each type to the more expensive extractive procedures should be considered, and a careful survey of the basic factors of power sources, transportation facilities, and sources of raw material should be made. Domestic Bauxite Resources Of the domestic supply of current, treatable-grade bauxite, 95 pct comes from Arkansas. The present reserve of Arkansas bauxite suitable for metal production, including abrasive-grade, Bayer-grade, and modified Bayer-grade ores, is 34,000,000 tons. The total reserve of bauxite of all grades is approximately 75,000,000 tons. Reserves are estimated on a mined and dried basis. Data available to the Bureau of Mines in 1948 to 1949 were used in preparing Table I, which shows a breakdown by grades of bauxite for about a half of the reserves of the state. The modified Bayer ore, 10,555,500 long dry tons, is based on a cutoff of 8 to 15 pct silica. The sub- marginal 10,074,700 long dry tons is assumed to contain more than 40 pct gibbsite, more than 15 pct silica, and less than 32 pct available alumina. A considerable amount of this low grade material was consumed in 1949 and 1950. Additional tonnages of bauxitic and kaolinitic clays are indicated by the Bureau of Mines drilling project.' Applying a 50 pct factor to arrive at long tons mined and dried, the results of this project are approximately 31,500,000 tons kaolinitic clay at +35 pct Al²O3 and 11,800,000 tons kaolinitic clay at 20 to 35 pct A1,0,. Total reserves of kaolinitic clays are probably quite extensive—several times the reserves shown in the Bureau's work. Total reserves of bauxitic and high iron clays from the drilling program and previously established figures are 63,980,000 tons. The mineral dressing methods,' the lime-sinter process, he lime-sinter modification of the Pederson process," the lime-soda sinter process,"-' and the Alcoa combination processa. have been described in the literature and will not be elaborated upon here. The less familiar Vereinigte Aluminium-Werke process used by the Germans during World War 11 may require some amplification. It was used to bene-ficiate boehmite ores containing 12 to 18 pct silica for a feed to the European Bayer process. Ore was

Jan 1, 1952

By A. M. Skov, L. F. Elkins

Inclusion of anisotropic permeability in mathematical analysis of pressure transients observed during development of the huge Spraberry field indicates a major fracture trend which is in good agreement with that observed by fluid-injection tests spread over a 12- by 17-mile area. Delineation of this trend is important in selecting a pattern of injection for the pending large-scale water flooding in this field. Determination of reservoir parameters yielding best agreement between calculated pressures and observed reservoir pressures in newly completed wells was made using an IBM 650 computer. INTRODUCTION The Spraberry field covering 400,000 acres is a tight sand of less than 1-md permeability cut by an extensive system of vertical fractures. Primary recovery dominated by capillary retention of oil in the fractured sand matrix blocks is less than 10 per cent of oil in place. Strong forces of capillary imbibition of water into the sand, coupled with water flow under dynamic pressure gradient, indicate considerable increase in oil recovery can be achieved through water flooding. Best results will occur if the pattern of water injection is selected to force the water flow across the grain of the major fracture system. Existence of an oriented vertical fracture system in the Spraberry, observed first in cores, was highlighted more recently by the 144-fold contrast in permeability along and at right angles to the major fracture trend required to match relative water breakthrough times in Humble Oil & Refining Co.'s waterflood test there. Spraberry operators since have conducted two gas-injection tracer tests for further areal confirmation of the fracture trend. Re-analysis of early reservoir pressure transients for evidence of anisotropic permeability has permitted many more local determinations of major fracture trend without resort to further field tests. This paper is limited to updating analysis of reservoir pressure transients to include anisotropic permeability as a test for orientation of the major fracture trend in the Spraberry. The reader is referred to Refs. 1 and 2 for information about general Spraberry reservoir performance and to Refs. 3 and 4 for information about significance of fracture orientation in selection of the injection-well pattern for water flooding the Spraberry. RESERVOIR PRESSURE DATA—DRIVER AREA During early development of the Spraberry Driver area, Sohio Petroleum Co. made the extra effort to measure the initial pressure in each of the 71 wells in a 5-mile-long area immediately after completion. Progressively greater reductions in pressure ranging up to 400 psi were observed throughout the six-month development period. Detailed data are presented in Ref. 1. Since the reservoir oil was undersaturated some 300 psi initially, early reservoir performance involving 55 new well pressures is subject to analysis as flow of a single compressible fluid in a porous media. Assumption of uniform permeability in all directions yielded good agreement between calculated pressures and observed pressures of these wells in the earlier study,' but subsequent, additional, mathematical development to include anisotropic permeability in the transient pressure considerations and present availability of electronic computers to perform the much more extensive arithmetical calculations now yield even better agreement. The previous analysis, assuming uniform permeability, consisted essentially of calculating pressure reduction expanding circularly around each producing well and summing these effects at the time and location of each newly completed well for comparison with the measured pressure reduction. Permeability, effective fluid and rock compressibility, and permeability X thickness were varied until the best match with measured pressures was obtained. The present analysis, assuming anisotropic

By B. J. Kochanowsky

TO improve blasting methods it is necessary to know how the explosive force acts and how rock resists this force. Because of the tremendous power developed within milliseconds and the great number of other factors directly affecting the technical and economic results, an analysis of the fundamentals of blasting theory is difficult. But since the rules used for layout design and for calculations of size of explosive charges are based on theoretical assumptions, complete knowledge of blasting theory has great practical importance in mining. Analysis of Blasting Theory: It is interesting to note the opinion of blasting experts with respect to contemporary blasting theories. F. Stussi; Professor of the University of Zurich, stated: "We do not have enough experience yet to change our army engineering regulations in blasting and base it on new fundamentals. It is our duty to collect more practical data and to do more research in blasting to close this gap." K. H. Fraenkel,2 editor of the Manual on Rock Blasting published in 1953 in Sweden and written by well-known Swedish, German, Swiss, and French blasting and explosive experts, said: "To the best of our knowledge no suitable formulas for civil blasting work are to be found in the American, French or German literature." Present blasting theory is based upon two assumptions. 1) The blasting force of explosive acts in concentrical and spherical form. 2) Rock resistance against the explosive force is directly proportional to the strength characteristics of the rock. The first classical formula based on theoretical fundamental in blasting theory for explosive charge calculation was introduced by Vauban, a military engineer who lived 300 years ago. It was Vauban who proposed the famous formula L = w3 q, where L is the explosive charge, w = line of least resistance, and q = specific explosive consumption proportional to the weight of rock. Later engineers used q as proportional to the strength of the rock. Since Vauban's time different suggestions concerning blasting theory have been proposed. However, the principles stated at that time so affected the thinking of later generations that his formula is still in use and practically unchanged. The first controversy concerned the form of crater. It was found that geological features of rock affected its form. The factor q was analyzed thoroughly by Lares3 and later by Ohnesorge," Weichelt,5 Bendel,6 and others, but the assumption remained that resistance against explosive force is directly proportional to the strength of the rock blasted. The greatest controversy, which has not yet been settled, concerned w. It was noted that w3 is more appropriate for long lines of resistance and w2 for lines of resistance less than 15 ft. Based on the assumption that the explosive force acts concentrically and spherically, spacings between charges were limited to distances not greater than the length of line of least resistance. Sometimes larger spacing is recommended, but this is due to the advantageous geological and physical properties of rock and not to the action of an explosive force as such. In addition to the classical formula, empirical formulas are used widely. These state that the explosive charge is directly proportional to the volume of blasted rock in cubic yards, and the amounts of explosive required are usually expressed in pounds of explosive per cubic yard of rock. Empirical and classical formulas are contradictory. In the empirical formula, but not in the classical formula, explosive charge is taken proportional to all three space axes: line of least resistance, spacing, and bench height. In spite of this contradiction, both formulas give good results. This is possible because as now practiced the explosive charge calculation for heavy burdens need not be highly accurate. Each, open pit or quarry, usually works with a certain relation between bench height and line of least resistance and between charge spacing and line of least resistance. When these relations are changed, however, the specific explosive consumption q changes greatly. This is one of the reasons why the principles on which the formulas are based appear to be incorrect. In addition to the formulas discussed, others exist and are based more or less on the same theoretical

Jan 1, 1956

By A. J. May

THE Star shaft is near the north boundary of the group of mining claims belonging to the Ground Hog Unit of the American Smelting and Refining Co., near Vanadium, N. Mex. The shaft bins and surface plant are served by a siding from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, and this factor of railroad transportation influenced the choice of site. This paper describes the shaft sinking only, and does not cover the surface plant or other parts of the mine or its equipment. A. J. MAY is Engineer in Charge of Shaft Sinking, Ground Hog Unit, American Smeling and Refining Co, Vanadium, New Mexico. El Paso Meeting, October 1948. TP 2737 A. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received Nov. 29, 1948; revision received June 22, 1949. Experience with this shaft seems of interest because of the mechanical mucking, good rate of progress, and the costs obtained at the present level of labor and material costs. The shaft has four compartments, as shown in fig. 1. Equipment: Riddell Mucker: The mucking was done by a clamshell bucket and a Riddell mucker, which, as in other shafts sunk with this machine, consisted of a carriage mounted on axles with double flanged wheels that traveled back and forth on a swinging track, parallel to the long axis of the shaft (fig. 2 to 6). Three air motors were mounted on the carriage; one hoisted the clam, one operated the bucket opening and closing device, and the third moved the carriage along the track. The carriage was designed with guide shoes and could be hoisted to the surface in either skip compartment without trouble (fig. 4). During blasting operations the clam was tied on the rails and the carriage was hoisted up a few sets to protect it from flying rock. No attempt was made to hoist the carriage and clam together lest the clam catch in the timbers. The track on which the carriage operated was built of extra heavy 6 in. pipe with 1x2 in. strap welded on top for rails. A Yzx4 in. angle was welded on the bottom of the 6 in. pipe with a 1 in. round rod welded in the angle for a filler and additional strength. The end or cross pieces of the track which kept the track to gauge, were also made of reinforced, heavy 6 in. pipe and were bolted to the long members on which the carriage traveled (fig. 2 and 3). This section of track was used, instead of heavy railroad rails, for two reasons: (1) this section would bend before it snapped and was much safer for the men in the bottom; and (2) it was a better blasting shield, and protected the timbers better, in fact, only five wall plates were broken by blasting in 1926 ft of shaft, although 150 to 225 lb of 40 pct powder was loaded per round, depending on the ground conditions. The swinging track was supported by four % in. hoisting cables anchored to the end plates. There were also four safety cables fastened two to three sets above the carriage, which would catch the carriage if one of the supporting cables should fail for any reason (fig. 7). Clamshell Buckets: Two clams were used, each of % yard capacity, both manufactured by Blaw-Knox, Nos. 662 and 663. The No. 663 clam was 4 in. wider and 5 in. shorter than the No. 662, but seemed to dig and load more satisfactorily. It was easier to hoist and lower when it came up for repair. It did not turn over as easily, had less spill

Jan 1, 1951

By A. J. May

THE Star shaft is near the north boundary of the group of mining claims belonging to the Ground Hog Unit of the American Smelting and Refining Co., near Vanadium, N. Mex. The shaft bins and surface plant are served by a siding from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, and this factor of railroad transportation influenced the choice of site. This paper describes the shaft sinking only, and does not cover the surface plant or other parts of the mine or its equipment. A. J. MAY is Engineer in Charge of Shaft Sinking, Ground Hog Unit, American Smeling and Refining Co, Vanadium, New Mexico. El Paso Meeting, October 1948. TP 2737 A. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received Nov. 29, 1948; revision received June 22, 1949. Experience with this shaft seems of interest because of the mechanical mucking, good rate of progress, and the costs obtained at the present level of labor and material costs. The shaft has four compartments, as shown in fig. 1. Equipment: Riddell Mucker: The mucking was done by a clamshell bucket and a Riddell mucker, which, as in other shafts sunk with this machine, consisted of a carriage mounted on axles with double flanged wheels that traveled back and forth on a swinging track, parallel to the long axis of the shaft (fig. 2 to 6). Three air motors were mounted on the carriage; one hoisted the clam, one operated the bucket opening and closing device, and the third moved the carriage along the track. The carriage was designed with guide shoes and could be hoisted to the surface in either skip compartment without trouble (fig. 4). During blasting operations the clam was tied on the rails and the carriage was hoisted up a few sets to protect it from flying rock. No attempt was made to hoist the carriage and clam together lest the clam catch in the timbers. The track on which the carriage operated was built of extra heavy 6 in. pipe with 1x2 in. strap welded on top for rails. A Yzx4 in. angle was welded on the bottom of the 6 in. pipe with a 1 in. round rod welded in the angle for a filler and additional strength. The end or cross pieces of the track which kept the track to gauge, were also made of reinforced, heavy 6 in. pipe and were bolted to the long members on which the carriage traveled (fig. 2 and 3). This section of track was used, instead of heavy railroad rails, for two reasons: (1) this section would bend before it snapped and was much safer for the men in the bottom; and (2) it was a better blasting shield, and protected the timbers better, in fact, only five wall plates were broken by blasting in 1926 ft of shaft, although 150 to 225 lb of 40 pct powder was loaded per round, depending on the ground conditions. The swinging track was supported by four % in. hoisting cables anchored to the end plates. There were also four safety cables fastened two to three sets above the carriage, which would catch the carriage if one of the supporting cables should fail for any reason (fig. 7). Clamshell Buckets: Two clams were used, each of % yard capacity, both manufactured by Blaw-Knox, Nos. 662 and 663. The No. 663 clam was 4 in. wider and 5 in. shorter than the No. 662, but seemed to dig and load more satisfactorily. It was easier to hoist and lower when it came up for repair. It did not turn over as easily, had less spill

Jan 1, 1951

By Olaf B. Slostad

ONE of the essential functions of any modern community is to provide a fully accredited public school system. The Climax Molybdenum Co. was cognizant of this fact and erected a modern school building in 1937 to meet this need. The building was named after the president of the Company, Max Schott, who was largely instrumental in making it a reality. The building is a two-story brick structure with fourteen rooms, eight of which are regular classrooms. The others consist of a room for industrial arts, two for home economics, one for commercial arts, one for a science laboratory with a dark-loom for photography, and one large room for a combination library, study hall, and assembly room. All these are equipped with the most up-to-date modern equipment. The school is fully accredited by the University of Colorado. Although in a mining camp, it operates as a public

Jan 1, 1946

Henry Louis, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England (communica, tion to the Secretary): I have been much interested in Mr. Schmitz's description of the copper-ore bed in the Permian formation of Texas. He compares it with the Mansfeld Kupferschiefer; but it seems to me to present closer analogies with a small deposit on the same side of the Atlantic, in Nova Scotia, which I examined in 1877. I quote entirely from my fieldnotes, made then, and from specimens still in my possession. These copper-deposits are known in several places; but I examined them at the village of New Annan, on the banks of the French river. This district has been determined by Sir J. W. Dawson as being of Permian age, and this determination seems to have been confirmed as recently as 1891 by the operations of the Canadian Geological Survey. The following is the section, very imperfectly exposed in a few shallow levels, described in ascending order: Red sandstone, moderately fissile and markedly false-bedded. Lower nodule-bed, 1 inch to 6 inches thick, of fissile mica, ceous sandstone, containing obscure plant-remains converted into anthracite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite and iron pyrites. Very coarse grit or, in places, red sandstone; thickness and character variable. Upper nodule-bed, 6 inches to 2 feet thick exceptionally, generally about 10 inches. Soft, gray, friable shaly sandstone, with nodules of copper-ore. Red sandstone. All these strata lie flat, in places quite horizontal, in places dipping towards the river at 5° to 10°.

Jan 1, 1897

By Arnold E. Lamm

The author addressed a keynote session for all divisions at last October's SME Fall Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. Discussing the competition from gas, oil, hydroelectric and atomic energy, he said that the market can only be wrested from them "by endeavoring to lower costs far beyond anything we thought possible a few years ago." He saw the rate of return for the industry as "grossly inadequate." Looking ahead, Mr. Lamm saw only a few extremely large generating plants being built. "Purchase of coal for such plants," he said, "will probably be confined to a single source on long-term contracts. Only those coal companies who are able to locate huge reserves, close to adequate cooling water, capable of being mined and transported at the lowest cost in relation to quality, will be able to compete. . . While the market for coal will be very large in terms of tons, it will be most selective and confined to a few transactions of very great magnitude. "Coal offers a proven and tried method of producing energy. The available strippable reserves of Western coal and mineable underground reserves offer the cheapest source of energy available. History will attest that coal has been a steady and stable source of energy. Up until recently, the energy market of the West has had to depend on natural gas which product has had a long and steady price escalation. Statistics show that, where coal is available, the price of gas is quite stable, but where gas is the only available fuel, it has traditionally followed a steady and upward price trend.

Jan 11, 1965

By AIME AIME

Council may deal with any matter of general interest, for which joint action of two or more of its member societies would have been appropriate, if Council had not been established. Council may initiate and carry through projects of the general character defined in the By-Laws, for which the necessary financial provision has been made. Council may take up, and in its discretion act upon, any matter of general interest referred to it by any member society or by any other society, national, state or local, or by any branch of Government, or by any individual or group of individuals.

Jan 1, 1920

By M. G. Fowler

A GENERAL decline in copper production for most American producers occurred during the past year as a result of shortage in available labor. Few noteworthy technical developments have been reported; undoubtedly, many changes and improvements have been made but have not been reported because of lack of time. During the war years through 1944 the pressure for sustained high production has been of prime importance and during 1945, with slackening of production, many operators were faced with the problem of catching up on repairs and maintenance of plants, with inadequate labor supply. In hydrometallurgy there were some important developments that undoubtedly will be reported during 1946. Several operators in the Southwest have instituted experimental leaching programs to exploit low-grade oxidized and mixed ore bodies. The Bureau of Mines is conducting pilot-plant experimental work to determine the possibility of producing a satisfactory sponge iron at an attractive cost from deposits of iron ore and coal in Arizona. The sponge iron would be used for the production of cement cop¬per. The cell house of the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. at Inspiration,

Jan 1, 1946

By Don Rose

In the USA the cost of steel ribs for tunnels approximates $100 million each year. European practice has long since abandoned heavy steel ribs for tunnel support, and tunnel coats in Europe (normalized for wages) are about half the costs incurred in the USA. A feeling has existed for some time that the USA practices of supporting tunnels with heavy steel ribs have been overly conservative. The USA practice is based on rock load coefficients by Karl Terzaghi. In 1946, Karl Terzaghi published a tunnel rock classification system (Terzaghi, 1946), with the rock loads on tunnels predicted for each class of rock. No data on real rock loads were presented by Terzaghi and his rock load coefficients may have been largely intuitive. His classification system and associated predicted rock loads have been widely used in the USA. Each rock class, taken from Terzaghi's classification system, is assumed to generate loads of loosened rock resting as dead load. The dimensions of the loosened rock are described by rock load coefficients multiplied by the tunnel diameter. The resulting rock loads are used by design engineers, contractors and agencies to size supporting steel ribs. Terzaghi clearly stated that he had conservatively assumed high rock loads for his classes 4, 5 and 6 to take a presumed effect of groundwater into account. If the tunnel was not affected by ground- water, Terzaghi stated those rock loads should be reduced by 50 percent. Twenty two years later Tor Brekke (1968) wrote a paper clearly showing that based on observation of more than 250 tunnels groundwater does not affect tunnel rock loads. In 1969, Deere, et al., published measurements made on a number of tunnels, and a well-known curve was drawn by Deere to illustrate Terzaghios coefficients graphically. Deere's text stated that Terzaghi's predicted rock loads were too high and should be reduced. Cording and Deere (1972) more recently published data indicating that very large real rock caverns and chambers were being successfully built using rock bolts, which can take only a very limited rock load, thus indicating that real rock load is much smaller than Terzaghi or even Deere predicted.

Jan 1, 1982

By Carle R. Hayward

ATHOUGH there are signs of improvement in the lead industry, conditions are still far from what we have been accustomed to call normal. There has been little to stim¬ulate research and those responsible for the finances of the companies have been inclined to discourage expenditures except where need was urgent or the prospect for immediate returns bright. In spite of this fact, improvements have been developed here and there which will be available as business conditions become adjusted. No publicity is allowed at present. The rising price of silver has had a tendency to increase the production of lead from argentiferous ores but the greatest interest continues to be in the secondary field. Practically all lead plants situated near large centers of population are treating scrap materials, particularly battery plates, the quantity of which is increasing with the improvement in automobile sales.

Jan 1, 1936

By Karl S. Hughes

ANY one of the mining engineers who spent three years under the benevolent and protective custody of the military forces of His Imperial Nipponese Majesty will admit that he has survived a most disagreeable experience, but our friends here in the States all demand that we tell them something about our thrilling adventure. Many of the younger men who were on Luzon in December 1941 joined up with the Army, either as civilian technical employees or through their reserve officer status. They served through the Bataan and Corregidor defense and had five months of thrills and hardship, if that is what constitutes adventure. Unfortunately, too many of them are not alive to tell their stories. But for most of us, our internment as alien civilians was just one long, drawn-out pain in the neck. Yes, we starved; yes, we contracted beriberi, dysentery, typhus, dengue, and for a while had no quinine to fight the ever-present malaria; but these things are not exciting, neither is the account of them interesting. Our contingent from Mindanao, 250 .in number including 25 mining men, went through one period of starvation at Davao. When the activity of the Allied fleet interfered with the importation of staple foodstuffs, and the natives stopped bringing fruit and vegetables into the market, the food situation became acute, and in December 1943, with stocks in sight and in prospect insufficient to provision their own soldiers, our custodians decided that we must be moved to Manila. The story of that ten-day voyage in an antiquated Jap freighter is too disgusting to tell, but hardly more adventurous than the account of a game of solitaire.

Jan 1, 1945

By Robert Sisselman

Central Sweden's Grängesberg underground iron ore mine, which accounts for more than three million tons of pellet product annually, is experiencing a major changeover to continuous block-caving. The newly-adopted method, complete with a total revamping of mining equipment, will be fully operational by 1975. For the past 15 years, Sweden's Grängesberg mine has been mined using two different methods. Those ore thicknesses of 117 ft or greater (they comprise about 70% of the total area) are worked by block-caving techniques with cross-cutting carried out on each 195-ft working level, and loading at the foot wall on each 58-78-ft level. Sub-level caving is carried out in all ore sections less than 117 ft thick.

Jan 1, 1974

By William A. Kapp

INTRODUCTION Coal is being mined from beneath residential areas, structures, bodies of water and other surface features in the coalfields to the north, south and west of Sydney. The particular problems faced by mine operators in these areas vary considerably due to differences in the overlying strata, the variation in the depths of cover and also depend on the number of seams being mined. Detailed subsidence work first commenced in the Southern Coalfield in 1965 and is now being carried out over areas of extraction at roost collieries. The analysis of the results of the early investigations and of the work which continues in other areas has shown that there is a consistent relationship between subsidence and mine geometry and has led to a reliable empirical method for the prediction of subsidence. In addition, particular aspects of each of the studies in the Southern Coalfield results in a clearer understanding of strata movements and of the resulting subsidence. The features of a subsidence trough apply generally to all areas but the magnitudes of specific features vary according to the stratigraphy of the particular coalfield. The aim of the subsidence work is to quantify the effects of subsidence for a range of mining geometries and mining conditions to enable the maximum safe recovery of coal from beneath surface features. The importance of local subsidence investigations is becoming more evident to mine operators and to authorities or organisations with surface interests. The subsidence work also provides important information on the stabilities of pillars of coal which remain unmined between panels of extracted coal. These pillars are not extracted either because of poor mining or geological conditions, or because pillar extraction is not part of the particular mining operation. Subsidence studies over these coal pillars clearly establish whether the pillars have remained stable or have failed to support the overlying strata. With subsidence studies continuing over several years, it is possible to assess the stabilities of these pillars on a long term basis. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF SUBSIDENCE Geographical setting Most of the black coal production in Australia comes from the Sydney Basin. The coal seams extend for approximately 350 km along the coast of New South Wales and inland for distances up to 150 km. The City of Sydney is located near the centre of the coastal extent of the Basin where coal has been mined at a depth of 900 m. The Sydney Basin is part of the Main Coal Province of NSW and is divided into several coal- fields. The Southern Coalfield to the south of Sydney contained 15 operating mines and produced 12.7 million tonnes of raw coal during the 12 months to June 1981. The collieries discussed later are shown in Fig. 1. The prominent topographical feature of the area is the Illawarra Escarpment which rises to 400 m above sea level, or 300 m above the coastal strip along the South Pacific Ocean. The escarpment is mainly sand- stone and the weathering of the cliff line has resulted in a covering of talus material at its base. Several collieries are located near the seams which outcrop along the escarpment. The city of Wollongong is located in a scenically attractive area on the coastal plain. The suburbs of Wollongong extend north along the coastline, south to beyond Lake Illawarra and west to the lower slopes of the escarpment. The Illawarra Escarpment forms the eastern boundary of the Woronora Plateau. On a regional scale the surface dips gently to the west and thus forms a watershed for the rivers, most of which flow in a general north westerly direction, sometimes forming steep gorges in the sandstone. These rivers join the Nepean and Hawkesbury River system and flow into the Pacific Ocean north of Sydney. Seven dam have been constructed over the Southern Coalfield (Fig. 1) and with one large dam further to the west, their stored waters provide the needs of the Cities of Sydney and Wollongong and the surrounding districts. A large part of the area affected by mining is the undeveloped bushland of the associated catchment areas. In general no special precautions have been required with respect to subsidence with the exception of the dam structures and stored waters. With the increase in coal mining activities and the expanding residential development south of the City of Campbelltown in the outer Sydney Metropolitan area, subsidence is becoming an increasingly important area of research. Structures which have been affected or considered are townships and extensive residential areas, buildings of historical importance, major tollways, and a high pressure natural gas pipeline. The subsidence effects of mining beneath natural features within national parks is coming under study as mining approaches these areas. Geological setting The coal seams of the Southern Coalfield lie within the Illawarra Coal Measures. They contain high rank coking coal used in the local steel industry and for export. The Bulli Seam is mined extensively through- out the Southern Coalfield with the lower Wongawilli Seam being second in importance with regard to coal production. The top of the Bulli Seam is taken to be the marker horizon between the Permian Coal Measures

Jan 1, 1982

By AIME AIME

HARVEY MUDD, mining engineer and distinguished citizen, has achieved that balance between professional and civic activities for which many of us strive but few attain. His able direction of mining operations is known to many Institute members but perhaps few know that he was in 1936 recipient of the annual award given by the City of Los Angeles to that citizen who contributed the most valuable and unselfish service to the community. Mr. Mudd was born in Leadville,

Jan 1, 1944

G. A. Burr, Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico (communication to the Secretaryt): I regret that Mr. Norris did not give more attention to the hoisting of water in inclined shafts or slopes: the only slope mentioned being Hickory Ridge Slope, No. 4, of the Union Coal Co. The surface arrangement, illustrated in Fig. 12 of his paper, if not unpractical, is at least unscientific and cumbersome. It is my opinion that the back- and sideguides shown in Fig. 12 are not only unnecessary where rails are used as a track, but are unsafe, excepting in the case of a very firm hanging-wall, or roof, and sides of vein-matter, having absolutely no tendency, either to settle from the back, or to squeeze from the sides, an effect which would inevitably force the guides out of alignment. The accompanying illustration, Fig. 1, shows what I consider a better method of hoisting water than that described by Mr. Norris. This method is based on the general practice in metalliferous mines of the West, where skips are used in slopes; and, while it is not original with me, I have frequently used it with very satisfactory results for dumping both ore and water.

Jan 1, 1904

By C. M. Smith

PILOTED by Cadwallader, Evans, Jr., as chairman, the Coal Division got under way Monday morning for the first of three consecutive sessions. N. F. Patton started the ball rolling with a paper on the economics of anthracite distribution, which was ably discussed by H. J. Rose, W. S. Blauvelt, and others. Mr. Patton pointed out many incongruities in freight rates, dealers' margins, and other factors which are disturbing the distribution of anthracite, one result being that trucks are hauling at least six million tons of anthracite annually, half of which is stolen. In the discussion of the papers the desirability of greater uniformity in the production and shipment of coal from month to month was urged; with larger summer price concessions as a means toward this end. "Performance Expectancy of Domestic Underfeed Stokers for Anthracite," by Allen J. Johnson, brought this important platter down to date by showing the range in capacities and efficiencies to be expected from well-made stokers, and by detailing other of their operating characteristics. One of his most interesting points is that the efficiency of domestic stokers is practically equal to that of handfiring for good installations and operations of both

Jan 1, 1935

By VILLIAN BRADEN

THIS paper is presented in the hope that it will be instructive in view of the future large expansion of the mining industry in the west-coast countries of South America. There is a more or less general impression that the Spanish-American workman is inferior to the American, but after some years of experience and observation I doubt the correctness of this view. Taking into consideration all the elements which make for efficiency of labor, it has been found, particularly in Chile, that under proper organization native labor yields as much, man for man, and more, dollar for dollar, than in the Western United States. If a manager is willing to accept unreservedly the c costumbres del pais, without combating intelligently and patiently the ones tending to inefficiency, he should expect no better results than he deserves. He must conscientiously insist that a " square deal " be given and exacted; that liquor be excluded from camp as far as possible; that comfortable quarters and other uplifting elements of life be provided; and that the costumbres del pais shall not be over-ridden roughshod. He should also insist upon the gradual and reasonable adjustment of these conditions to the exigencies of the work; and (by no means the least difficult of his tasks) he should select the most competent men to patiently direct and teach the natives in the several departments, and by their own example encourage self-respect and decency. While the Braden mine is by no means as yet operated on a large scale, according to modern rating, it will nevertheless be interesting to note what has actually been accomplished there. An illustrative description of the mines and mill of the\

Oct 1, 1909