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By Walter Knox, J. D. Doherty

IN 1939, at the request of The Koppers Coal Co., the Koppers Company Research Department established a Stoker Coal Research Laboratory for the purpose of investigating the performance characteristics of stoker coals in typical domestic stoker installations. Fig. I is a photograph of part of the laboratory. The material in this paper deals with the performance of one coal in a single installation. Presented are details of this installation, mechanical characteristics of the stoker, and the results of a series of burning tests in which adjustments were systematically varied. SUMMARY OF RESULTS Mechanical Features I. A large percentage of the total power consumed by a domestic stoker is used to operate the gear case and motor (Fig. 3). 2. The power consumption per ton goes down with an increase in rate of coal feed (Fig. 4). 3. The automatic air control in this stoker showed advantages over manual control (Fig. 5). 4. The air velocities through the retort tuyeres were uniform around the retort, but varied between the rows of tuyere rings (Fig. 6). 5. The crushing of coal with this stoker increased the minus 1/8-in. from 1 1.6 per cent to 19.2 per cent. There was a noticeable segregation of coal as it came from the retort and distribution was not uniform (Fig. 7). 6. Measurement of air entering over the fire showed that with some not uncommon adjustments this air may he a high percentage of the total air supply (Fig. 8 and Table I). Operating Performance I. The removal of clinker was shown to give a period of poor performance characterized by a high fuel-bed resistance and a high percentage of carbon monoxide in the flue gases (Fig. 10). 2. The fuel-bed resistance was found to decrease as the fuel bed built up in a normal response to heat demand after a prolonged hold-fire (Fig. II). 3. With intermittent operation the burning rate was almost always less than the feeding rate. The wide variations were found to be greatly dependent upon the length of the On period and the length of the intervals between On periods (Fig. 12). 4. The maintenance of a low furnace draft led to less fly ash, better clinker formation, and higher efficiencies (Fig. I3). 5. The maintenance of a minimum of excess air also resulted in less fly ash, better clinker formation, and higher efficiencies (Fig. 14). GUIDING PRINCIPLES In planning the investigations, the following principles were adopted: Selection of Healing Equipment.-Use only standard models of stokers and furnaces representative of those widely used.

Jan 1, 1942

By Theron Wasson

The discovery of eight new oil fields, two of which may be of major importance, was the outstanding record in Michigan this year. These new fields have helped to support the declining production from old areas and place the total of 18,559,000 bbl. in line with the past six or seven years. Thus, it appears that Michigan is doing its part in maintaining the production of the country in the third year of the war. The new fields are in the central basin area where oil was first discovered in Michigan, thus tending to focus attention on the deeper part of the lower peninsula of the state. Through 1944 the state of Michigan has produced a total of 222,-641,580 bbl. of crude oil from 100 pools, many of which arc relatively small. Among the previous1y discovered fields Reed City is still the outstanding producer, with Fork, Headquarters, and Adams following in the order named. The Reed City pool produced a little over 5,000,00 bbl., which was more than one third of the state's total for the year. Almost two thirds of the year's total oil production came from fields discovered in the past five years. Maps A map of the oil and gas fields of Michigan in 1943, published in the A.I.M.E. report for 1944,* shows the main producing areas and should be referred to if information in regard to their location is desired. The producing zones are shown in the columnar section in the same publi- cation." The data in Tables I and 2 have been carefully ' checked and every effort has been made to show as complcte information as possible. New Discoveries and New Developments Eight new producing areas were discovered during 1944 which, in order of importance, are: Deep River Field.—The discovery well in the Deep River field was drilled by Don Rayburn and others, and should be listed as a chance discovery, as, from a geological standpoint, it was not considered favorable until oil was found at a depth of 2838 ft. in a dolomitic layer in the top of the Dundee limestone. The first well was completed in January 1944, with an initial production of 2500 bbl. By the end of the year 15 wells had been completed, proying an area 2 1/2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide. Coldttater Field.-The Coldwater field was discovered in August 1944, by the Sohio Oil Co. Production is from secondary dolomite at the top of the Dundee at a depth of 3703 ft. To the end of 1944 nine wells had been drilled on 40-acre spacing. Essexville Field.—Essexville field was discovered by United Drillers and Producers, Inc. Eight wells had been completed to the Dundee lime by the end of 1944, and prospects were good for further development during 1945. Hilliards Field.—Hilliards field was discovered by Cook and Fortney. Production is from the Traverse lime at an average depth of 1588 feet,

Jan 1, 1945

By James H. Boettcher

INTRODUCTION There are many and varied sources of finance available to the mining industry for exploration, development and/or the operation of mining projects and companies. These sources include equity from major as well as "penny" stock exchanges, precious metal mutual funds, private investor groups (from "grubstakes" to tax-oriented limited partnerships) and banks. The variety is representative of the fact that the world's capital markets are segmented and stratified according to risk-reward characteristics. This interrelationship is summarized in Exhibit I and 2 which relate (very approximately) various sources of finance to a typical mining project's life cycle and risk-return characteristics. The objective of this paper is to introduce, as it applies to the mining industry, a somewhat recent phenomenon represented by one of these capital markets segments referred to as "venture capital." Venture capital investing per se, which today is a multibillion dollars per annum investment business, goes back as far as Queen Isabela's backing of Columbus' "wild ideas." The real institutionalization of the venture capital process really began in earnest, however, after World War II. Today over 700 private venture capital sources (and more government related ones) exist providing funding to a range of industries, but typically related to the "high-tech" business. The table to the right shows industries financed by venture capital funds between 1980 and 1982. Conspicuous by its absence is, of course, mining which is not a great surprise since typical mining projects up until recently were large, required long lead times and were undertaken by established mining houses. Also, as most of you can appreciate, successful investing in the mining business requires a great deal of experience and understanding of the industry which most venture capital funds do not have. TARGETED RETURN The rate of return objective of most venture capital funds is, according to the legalized version, to realize a return which is "substantially in excess of that obtainable through conventional equity investments." One may say that a common objective of venture capital funds is to realize a 20% to 30% compound annual internal rate of return on capital over their life which is often ten years. [ ] This objective has been recently more feasible in the mining sector due to the development of smaller precious metal projects which cost less and are quicker to generate cash flow than the behemoth projects of the 1970s. In addition to precious metals, venture capitalists have invested or looked at a variety of other mining projects including ones as prosaic as a high margin "kitty litter" operation, sand-gravel and other industrial minerals operations, the leveraged buyouts of coal mines or mineral divisions of major energy or mining corporations, and even in in-situ copper or gold leaching ventures. A typical investment is in the range of $100,000 to $3,000,000 although some can go as high as 5,000,000. This implies a project size up to, say, 30,000,000 if a venture capital fund does it on its own. Larger projects can be done if the equity portion of the investment is syndicated with other investors.

Jan 1, 1985

By L. C. Aycock, J. Hunter, P. M. Lyons

In view of the unfavorable discovery trend that has set in during the past few years, it seems permissible to infer that the large, more easily found crude reserves in Louisiana are now known. Without doubt, many new producing areas will be located, but in the light of development during the past few years the majority of new areas probably will be found at greater depths and from relatively poorer sands. f Although sufficient reserves exist in Louisiana to last at the present rate of production for a considerable period, additional reserves must be found in more intensive development of the presently known structures. In order to ensure the greatest ultimate recovery from such structures, the most advanced technical methods must be employed in their exploitation. Wherever possible, cycling and repressuring plants should be installed. 'here are presently in Louisiana, especially in south Louisiana, a great many fields that contain gas-condensate reservoirs. These reservoirs cannot be produced for their liquid hydrocarbon content under present conditions without wasting an enormous quantity of gas and creating underground waste. Although some of these reservoirs are being produced, such production must be considered in the nature of a salvage operation rather than as a sound economic proposition. Such reservoirs, however, can become profitable ven- tures through the use of cycling and repressuring plants. Cycling operations now operating in Louisiana have increased the ultimate recovery from gas-condensate reservoirs anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent. Cycling operations will also provide a considerable reserve of gas, without which Louisiana cannot hope to develop any program of industrialization. During the past year, Louisiana attained the rank of third among the oil-producing states of this country. With a proper program of exploitation and development, and with emphasis on conservation, Louisiana can maintain this position for a great many years. Production On Dec. 31, 1943, oil and/or gas were being. produced in 52 parishes, or 81 per cent of all the parishes in the state. Thirty-three of the parishes produced oil and gas, 14 produced oil, and 5 produced solely gas. Tensas Parish in north Louisiana and Assumption Parish in south Louisiana formerly contained no producing fields but during 1943 joined the ranks of the producing parishes. Twenty-three new fields, including one rediscovery, were found during 1943-—a rate of discovery almost comparable to that of the preceding year. Eleven of these new discoveries were either gas or gas-condensate fields. Thus, the trend of development in finding new reserves was also comparable to that of 1942. Many reasons of considerable merit have been advanced to account for the discouraging lack of crude-oil reserves found during the past year. None are, however, completely satisfactory.

Jan 1, 1944

By J. Hunter, P. M. Lyons, L. C. Aycock

In view of the unfavorable discovery trend that has set in during the past few years, it seems permissible to infer that the large, more easily found crude reserves in Louisiana are now known. Without doubt, many new producing areas will be located, but in the light of development during the past few years the majority of new areas probably will be found at greater depths and from relatively poorer sands. f Although sufficient reserves exist in Louisiana to last at the present rate of production for a considerable period, additional reserves must be found in more intensive development of the presently known structures. In order to ensure the greatest ultimate recovery from such structures, the most advanced technical methods must be employed in their exploitation. Wherever possible, cycling and repressuring plants should be installed. 'here are presently in Louisiana, especially in south Louisiana, a great many fields that contain gas-condensate reservoirs. These reservoirs cannot be produced for their liquid hydrocarbon content under present conditions without wasting an enormous quantity of gas and creating underground waste. Although some of these reservoirs are being produced, such production must be considered in the nature of a salvage operation rather than as a sound economic proposition. Such reservoirs, however, can become profitable ven- tures through the use of cycling and repressuring plants. Cycling operations now operating in Louisiana have increased the ultimate recovery from gas-condensate reservoirs anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent. Cycling operations will also provide a considerable reserve of gas, without which Louisiana cannot hope to develop any program of industrialization. During the past year, Louisiana attained the rank of third among the oil-producing states of this country. With a proper program of exploitation and development, and with emphasis on conservation, Louisiana can maintain this position for a great many years. Production On Dec. 31, 1943, oil and/or gas were being. produced in 52 parishes, or 81 per cent of all the parishes in the state. Thirty-three of the parishes produced oil and gas, 14 produced oil, and 5 produced solely gas. Tensas Parish in north Louisiana and Assumption Parish in south Louisiana formerly contained no producing fields but during 1943 joined the ranks of the producing parishes. Twenty-three new fields, including one rediscovery, were found during 1943-—a rate of discovery almost comparable to that of the preceding year. Eleven of these new discoveries were either gas or gas-condensate fields. Thus, the trend of development in finding new reserves was also comparable to that of 1942. Many reasons of considerable merit have been advanced to account for the discouraging lack of crude-oil reserves found during the past year. None are, however, completely satisfactory.

Jan 1, 1944

By Harry H. Angst

THE history and efficiency of 40-ton capacity dump trucks for surface waste removal at the New Cornelia opencut copper mine, at Ajo, Ariz., are summed up in this paper. Tabulations of truck performance, together with detailed cost figures, prove the value of truck transportation for certain special operations at a large mine. Emphasis is given to the fact that truck transportation not only reduces the haulage costs but also reduces the breaking ground and shovel-loading costs per ton. The New Cornelia opencut copper mine is in the desert. The climate is ideal for seven months of the year, but the five summer months are uncomfortably hot. The elevation is 1820 ft. above sea level and the annual rainfall is approximately 6 inches. The ore body is a monzonite-porphyry deposit. The waste-rock capping consists of hard rhyolite, conglomerate and porphyry. All the material is hard and cannot be excavated without blasting. The rhyolite and conglomerate waste is very blocky. The weight of the rock in place is 2.16 tons per cubic yard. The average mine production per day is 22,000 tons of ore and 18,000 tons of waste rock, the latter consisting of surface rock and material within the ore body too low in grade to send to the concentrator. The rock is loaded by electric shovels with 4 ½ -cu. yd. dippers. The primary transportation of ore to the concentrator and waste to the dumps is by 30-yd. dump cars and oil-burning steam locomotives; therefore truck haulage of waste is a minor factor of the New Cornelia operation. However, as New Cornelia was one of the first mines to use large-capacity dump trucks for haulage, the results obtained are of interest. EQUIPMENT On the south side of the New Cornelia is a hill rising about 500 ft. above the normal surface elevation, roughly 1000 ft. in diameter at its base, called locally Arkansas Mountain peak. Exploratory drilling in this area developed additional ore that could be made accessible for open pit operation only by moving the mountain face a maximum distance of 400 ft. to the south. The slope of the mountain adjacent to the pit averaged 35°, and the small area involved precluded the use of train haulage for the removal of the 4,000,000 tons of waste estimated above the normal pit elevation. A study of dump-truck haulage at Boulder Dam and San Gabriel Dam led to the decision to use large-capacity end-dump trucks rather than smaller trucks, for the following reasons: 1. The truck would have to withstand the impact of hard, heavy chunks, some of them weighing as much as 10 tons, which would be dumped from the 4 ½ -cu. yd. dipper. 2. The coarse, rocky, abrasive material would soon damage a light truck body. 3. The body of a small truck could not be efficiently loaded with coarse rock.

Jan 1, 1941

By Henry H. Angst

Tim history and efficiency of 40-ton capacity dump trucks for surface waste removal at the New Cornelia opencut copper mine, at Ajo, Ariz., are summed up in this paper. Tabulations of truck performance, together with detailed cost figures, prove the value of truck transportation for certain special operations at a large mine. Emphasis is given to the fact that truck transportation not only reduces the haulage costs but also reduces the breaking ground and shovel-loading costs per ton. The New Cornelia opencut copper mine is in the desert. The climate is ideal for seven months of the year, but the five summer months are uncomfortably hot. The elevation is 1820 ft. above sea level and the annual rainfall is approximately 6 inches. The ore body is a monzonite-porphyry deposit. The waste-rock capping consists of hard rhyolite, conglomerate and porphyry. All the material is hard and cannot be excavated without blasting. The rhyolite and conglomerate waste is very blocky. The weight of the rock in place is 2.16 tons per cubic yard. The average mine production per day is 22,000 tons of ore and 18,000 tons of waste rock, the latter consisting of surface rock and material within the ore body too low in grade to send to the concentrator. The rock is loaded by electric shovels with 4 1/2-cu. yd. dippers. The primary transportation of ore to the concentrator and waste to the dumps is by 30-yd. dump cars and oil-burning steam locomotives; therefore truck haulage of waste is a minor factor of the New Cornelia operation. However, as New Cornelia was one of the first mines to use large-capacity dump trucks for haulage, the results obtained are of interest. EQUIPMENT On the south side of the New Cornelia is a hill rising about 500 ft. above the normal surface elevation, roughly 1000 ft. in diameter at its base, called locally Arkansas Mountain peak. Exploratory drilling in this area developed additional ore that could be made accessible for open pit operation only by moving the mountain face a maximum distance of 400 ft. to the south. The slope of the mountain adjacent to the pit averaged 35°, and the small area involved precluded the use of train haulage for the removal of the 4,000,000 tons of waste estimated above the normal pit elevation. A study of dump-truck haulage at Boulder Dam and San Gabriel Dam led to the decision to use large-capacity end-dump trucks rather than smaller trucks, for the following reasons: I. The truck would have to withstand the impact of hard, heavy chunks, some of them weighing as much as 10 tons, which would be dumped from the 4 ½ -cu, yd. dipper. 2. The coarse, rocky, abrasive material would soon damage a light truck body. 3. The body of a small truck could not be efficiently loaded with coarse rock.

Jan 1, 1941

Jan 1, 1939

Jan 1, 1939

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Jan 1, 1913

By Louis Ware

A leading executive finds this a bad time to "cry" about taxes. Needed reforms must cede to emergency demands.

Jan 7, 1951

MANY members of the National Societies died in service overseas during the World War. No memorial to these engineers has been set up but a unique and interesting suggestion has been made. While Edward Dean Adams, Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Associate of the Ameri-can Institute of Electrical Engineers, ,vas in Belgium last June as delegate of the National Societies, En-gineering Foundation, and Engineering Societies

Jan 12, 1927

By Robert C. Weed

Leaching in place at Cananea began in the 1920's on a limited scale. The first plants were small wooden boxes located underground in the Capote and Oversight mines, and output was low. Scrap iron was used as precipitant. Later several other small plants were started up. Leaching was limited entirely to underground areas, and production remained low. The Veta precipitating plant, the first on a larger scale, was put into operation in the late 1920's. After a period of intermittent service it was rebuilt in 1946 and has since been running continuously.

Jul 1, 1956

By Frank R. Milliken

Before the rather sudden economic downturn in recent months, shortages of materials were painfully felt throughout the US. The current recession has provided a temporary relief here and there-but energy fuels and a number of staples such as sugar are still in short supply. This is an unsolved and fundamental problem that will haunt us again as the economy turns up. There is an awareness that the nation faces a widening supply gap in many of its most basic materials-from asbestos to tungsten-as evidenced by recent studies and government reports, and by the Secretary of the Interior's annual warnings about the mounting seriousness of the problem.

Jan 3, 1975

By Bernard K. Asdell

Georgia, a state seldom considered to be an important mineral producer, has one surprising feature-it is the nation's largest producer of kaolin. Kaolin is a highly important raw material in the paper, rubber, ceramic whiteware, paint and chemical industries. In 1965, more than 2.7 million tons of kaolin were produced in this state, a 150,000-ton increase over the preceding year, and production continues to climb. Strictly defined, the term "kaolin" applies to a group of hydrous aluminum silicates in which kaolinite is the predominant mineral. Kaolinite is inherently white, non-abrasive, chemically inert, and of a very fine particle size, ranging from sub-micron to 40-microns equivalent spherical diameter. An electron-micrograph of kaolinite is shown in Fig. 1. The particles finer than about 2 microns are thin, elongated plates, hexagonal in outline. The larger particles, coarser than 2 microns, are predominantly vermicular in outline with a foliated structure. Table I shows a typical chemical analysis of commercial, wet-processed kaolin compared to pure kaolinite.

Jan 11, 1967

By J. W. Snavely

WITH all the advantages of handling bulk materials by means of belt conveyor also go some problems, one of the most persistent being that of cleaning. When sticky materials are being carried; the build-up of material on the return idler rolls results in difficulty of belt training. Much attention has been given to the problem of cleaning conveyor belts, and a great variety of cleaning devices have been developed. Even the best involve troublesome maintenance, and none can completely remove the fine particles imbedded in the belt cover, which cause rapid wear of the return idler rolls, and at the same time, of the belt cover as well.

Jan 12, 1951

By R. H. Thorpe

Longwall working in Britain developed to overcome problems arising from depth of seams causing roof and ventilation difficulties. This system became very widespread particularly in the thicker seams, where faces of up to one mile in length were not uncommon. In the thinner sections, in order to remain competitive, the longwall undercutting machine was developed. Following the development of the coal cutter, every other aspect of the face operation was examined and mechanized as it became a bottleneck to output and efficiency. The face system itself was modified and workings concentrated with the same objectives.

Jan 1, 1977

By B. K. Miller, George E. Moore

THE Missouri fire clays are here divided into plastic and semiplastic clays occurring as widespread bedded deposits in east central Missouri and flint and diaspore clays occurring as isolated "sink-hole" deposits in the north central Ozark region. Visual inspection was the first method used in clay prospecting. Thin overburden, hard sandstone "rimrocks," and the occurrence of diaspore float made this method particularly applicable in the flint and diaspore fields. The first drilling tool used was a hand auger. One man can drill 25 to 50 ft. per day at a cost of about 35 cents per foot. Holes can be drilled to a depth of 150 feet. Spud drills are often used where the over burden is hard. This drill uses a slotted earth socket bit. A two-man crew can drill about 100 ft. per day at a cost of about 35 cents per foot. Mechanically powered auger drills have been used extensively in wildcat drilling in the past few years. This type of drill furnishes a continuous set of cuttings. The practical depth limit with this drill is 50 to 60 ft. Two men can drill 300 ft. per day at a cost of about 20 cents per foot. Core drilling is used mainly to prove a known clay deposit. A two-man crew with a No. 22 Sullivan drill can drill about 30 to 40 ft. per day in soft clay, at a cost of about $1.25 per foot.

Jan 1, 1947