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By P. Nicholls

THOUGH the burning of fuels extends far back into antiquity, and though fuel beds are the most common and widely distributed example of chemical actions and engineering practice, there has been little attempt to group fuel beds by types or to define the principles associated with them. This paper does not profess to cover completely the subject of fuel beds. It suggests some of the over-all principles of the two more com-mon types. No new investigational data are included, but the deduc-tions are largely based on a recent publication of the U.S. Bureau of Mines1. DEFINITION OF TYPES There are three primary types of fuel beds: (1) Underfeed, in which the fuel and the air move in the same direction; (2) overfeed, in which the fuel and the air move in opposite directions; (3) crossfeed, in .which the fuel and the air move at right angles to each other. The principle that fixes the type is the relation between directions of the flow of fuel and of air. Fig. 1 shows the three types diagrammatically. All other types are compounded of these three in a simple or more or less complex manner. It does not follow that these three type designations are limited to the methods used in representing them in Fig. 1; they may be turned in any direction, and as long as the relative directions of the fuel and air are the same the type is not changed. For example, A as shown resembles a pot-type stoker, but the air and fuel can move downward as in the so-called smokeless heating boiler furnace. Also, C can be placed hori-zontal, as in chain-grate stokers. For this reason, the terms used to designate the three types are not all that could be desired; more logical ones could be coined, but those used probably are satisfactory until the discussion of fuel-bed types becomes more common.

Jan 1, 1935

By Alicia O'Reardon

DIFFIDENTLY, because don'ts are rarely greeted with cheers; humbly, because I, myself, have never lined up with the irreproachables, I venture on the subject of manners for the mining camp matron. Mining camps can be divided roughly into two types-the large, opulent settlement that blooms like the rose about a strong mine in full operation; and the puny group of adobe huts, or calamina shacks, or even canvas tents flung down in the wilderness to shelter the gay pioneers of a shining prospect or the shattered survivors of a lost hope. Of the first, I know nothing; but in the second, I have spent some of my best years, and from its curious code of morals and manners, its comic hates and its unreasoning loves, its high impatience and its engulfing kindness, I have charted the narrow .and pitted path which must be trod by the woman who would success¬fully live therein.

Jan 1, 1936

By TSUYEE PEI

I FEEL greatly honored and appreciate this opportunity to be able to say a few words about that rather perplexing subject, silver. The constant decline in the price of this metal has now reached the stage where it is of much concern and the cause of serious discussion among the leading financiers, economists, and statesmen of the world. Further- more, it is significant that this subject is so important that almost every day one can read articles pertaining to it in the newspapers and trade publications. Being essentially a banker, and not an economist, I do not claim to be an authority on the silver question. These remarks are merely some of my observations in, regard to the many puzzles which-I came across in my recent studies of this very important question.

Jan 1, 1931

By D. K. MACKAY

The production of oil and gas in Arkansas is confined to two distinct and widely separated regions of the state; namely: (1) South Arkansas in the Gulf coastal plain, where 49 fields-many containing two or more reservoirs or pools-yield oil, condensate and gas from beds in the Cretaceous and Jurassic, and (2) Northwest Arkansas, a part of the Arkansas Valley, where only dry gas is produced in 21 fields from sandstones of Pennsylvanian age. Exploration during the year 1945 centered largely in these two producing regions, but some of the geophysical surveys were made and wildcat drilling was done a considerable distance outside these regions.

Jan 1, 1946

By AIME AIME

THE American Engineering Council, which is the working body of The Federated American Engineering Societies, held its first meeting in Washington, Nov. 18 and 19, 1920. The Federated American Engineering Societies was formed in Washington in June and is composed of engineering and technical societies, national, state, local and regional. These Member Societies elect delegates to the American Engineering Council, which is the administrative body of the Federated. The meeting was called to order by Richard L. Humphrey, Chairman of the Joint Conference Com¬mittee, and the program (which is printed below) was carried out without substantial change by E. S. Carman, who was elected temporary chairman. Under the Constitution, the Council appoints an Executive Board, the members of which are chosen according to the proportional membership of the vari¬ous Member Societies in their respective districts. Under this plan, with the present membership, 'the national societies will have 14 members and the local societies 6 members on the Executive Board.

Jan 1, 1920

By GEO M. FOWLER

AN appraisal of the activities of the mining geologists during 1936 clearly indicates the ever in- creasing utilization of geology in the search for ore. Few men with geo- logic training are idle at present; this is particularly true regarding recent graduates. Many have accepted employment in distant fields, such as the Philippines and South America, and greatly increased mineral production from these places reflects their activities. In North America, regions of intense mineralization formerly important are being restudied in greater de- tail and with better understanding; as a result, new mineral wealth is being found in many such districts. Much is being done by private companies and individuals, and it is to be hoped that mining companies will increasingly make available the purely scientific results of such studies by permitting their geologists to publish. On such generosity to a large extent will future advances in ore finding depend.

Jan 1, 1937

By Louis D. Huntoon

AFTER the completion, in 1905, of the Hammond Mining and Metallurgical Laboratory of the Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University, it became necessary to secure and assay a large assortment of ore-samples, and to arrange the results in such a manner as to admit of use with the least amount of work on the part of the instructor. At first, pulp-samples, together with their respective assays, were secured from the mines, smelters, and public assayers, but this practice did not prove satisfactory. It was not only difficult to secure a sufficiently large supply of material, but it was also impossible to secure the proper assortment required for instructing students. It involved considerable work for the donors to select the samples and furnish a record of the assays, and also for the instructors to examine each pulp and determine its character. Some of the samples did not contain a sufficient quantity of pulp for the student to check his work in case his first assay did not correspond to the record. In order to increase the number of samples and to vary the character of the material, pulp-samples were later mixed with barren rock and with sulphides, but this method also was unsatisfactory and has been discontinued. At present., small lots of ore are secured by gift or purchase from engineers, public assayers, and the managers of mines, mills, and smelters. These lots weigh from 10 to 100 lb. each, and are rarely finer than 0.25 in. in size. The larger samples permit of a careful study by the instructor in order to determine the best method of assaying to be followed. In universities in which assaying is taught the record of the samples should fulfill the following requirements

Nov 1, 1909

By Reginald S., Dean

The commercial availability of electrolytic manganese has greatly changed the position of manganese as a nonferrous alloying metal. Manganese metal commercially available up to about ten years ago was reduced with either silicon or aluminum and contained substantial amounts of the oxides of these metals and other impurities. Manganese was accordingly not available as an alloy base and its addition to copper-base and nickel-base alloys was generally limited to a manganese content of a few per cent. Several special alloys like manganin contained up to 12 pct of manganese.

Jan 1, 1953

A record $19.7 billion in minerals was produced by United States industries in 1963. This was some $800 million above the previous high established in 1962. Preliminary statistics compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Mines show that most metals, nonmetals, and fuels gained both in value and volume of production. The 1963 total represents the largest value increase since 1956 and continues an upward trend begun in 1959. Product.ion and value of all mineral fuels rose, with anthracite registering a remarkable 20% value increase. Nonmetals advanced 591 in value, gains exceeding losses by 213 to 1 among individual commodities. Heavier industrial demand and the settling of labor difficulties were among the factors contributing to increased output of such materials as iron ore, bauxite, molybdenum, lead, and zinc, which accounted for most in€ the growth in metal output. Silver prices continued to rise and, as a result, production value of that metal gained 132,.

Jan 2, 1964

[JAMES A. BARR Consulting Engineer Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee Washington) D.C. BEHRE DOLBEAR & COMPANY Consulting Mining Engineers and Geologists 11 Broadway New York 4, N. Y. BLANDFORD C. BURGESS Registered Professional Engineer Mining Consultant Monticello, Georgia GLENVILLE A. COLLINS Mining Engineer Uranium examinations Cable "Coins" 210 La Arcada Bldg. Santa Barbara, Calif. COWIN & CO. Mining Engineers and Contractors Consulting Shaft & Slope Sinking Appraisal Mine Development Reports Mine Plant Construction I- 18th St. S. W. B'ham, Ala., Phone 56-5566]

Jan 1, 1952

By Harvey T. Gracely, Mark J. Woodhull

DURING the past few years a marked refinement has taken place in the design of electric power shovels for the mining industry, increasing their digging ability and speed of operation without adding to their total weight. The increase in pay load has been accomplished by a more rigid engineering analysis of shovel design, involving the adoption of new special alloy steels, new sections, and new welding methods. Emphasis has been placed on lightness with increased strength, which is most clearly shown in the front-end equipment where dipper, handle and boom are new in design, material, and construction.

Jan 1, 1938

By P. B. Leavenworth

Development in the Upper Texas Gulf Coast during 1945 resulted in the discovery of 23 new fields; one Miocene, eight Frio, three Cockfield-Yegua and eleven along the Wilcox trend. The Wilcox trend appears to he the most active at this time. Producing depths of the new Wilcox discoveries range from 2050 to 10,050 ft. Drilling along the Frio trend has been, for the greater part, projected to the deeper downdip sands. Eighteen of the new discoveries are classified as oil or condensate and five are gas discoveries.

Jan 1, 1946

By G. C. McLachlan

Two papers dealing with Noranda's milling operations have already been presented. The first1 of these covered the initial metallurgical problems connected with the treatment of the ore, while the second2 described the development of the mill from a 500-ton unit in 1928 to one with a daily capacity of 3000 tons less than six years later. At the time the second paper was written the equipment whirh had been installed to bring the mill capacity up to 3000 tons was being tuned into production and for this reason, though each step had previously been tested by a large-scale pilot operation, it was thought advisable to withhold metallurgical data until any starting-up difficulties had been overcome and anticipated requirements fulfilled. These requirements called for an improvement in gold recovery without any lowering of the previous ratio of concentration, and the pages that follow deal with the methods by which this result was obtained. An idea of the character of Noranda concentrating ore will be gained from an inspection of the following mineralogical analysis of the ore treated by the mill during 1933: MineRal Content Mineral ConteNt Chalcopyrite, per cent..... 6.8 Silica and silicates, per cent............ 18.3 Pyrite, per cent........... 22.1 Gold, native and as telluride, oz. per ton 0.15 Pyrrhotite, per cent....... 51.5 Silver, probably as argentite, oz. per tou 0.35 Magnetite, per cent....... 0.5 Thesr figures, which are typical, show that over 73 per cent of the ore treated consists of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Determirnation of the proportion of unrecovered gold associated with each of these minerals was therefore of primary importance in developing a suitable method for improving gold recovery. As pyrrhotite is magnetic, this information was obtained by making magnetic sorting tests on samples of the mill tailing and screening the material thus segregated. This showed that the magnebtic material finer

Jan 1, 1935

By AIME AIME

The first Diesel-electric locomotives for the Mesabi iron range of the Lake Superior district were put into service last summer by the Oliver Iron Mining Co., U. S. Steel subsidiary. There were ten of these locomotives, rated 1000 hp. and weighing 125 tons each. They are designed for service from 16 to 24 hours per day to haul trains of loaded ore cars from open-pit mines, 200 to 400 ft. deep, on a two to eight-mile haul to the top of the pit. The locomotives push or pull the trains over switchbacks and up heavy grades with 5 per cent maximum against the load. High tractive effort, less smoke, and ability to negotiate sharp curves were among the reasons for the selection of Diesel-electric locomotives.

Jan 1, 1941

By AIME AIME

It is with the deepest personal sorrow, and with the regrets of the Steel Company of Canada, that I report to you the death of one of our most valued associates, the late Frank B. McKune, superintendent of the Open-Hearth Department of our company. Many of you will remember Mr. McKune for his long attendance at these meetings, for the intelligent interest he took ill them, as well as for his innovations in steel-production practices.

Jan 1, 1940

[RALPH ADAIR Ore Dressing Consultant Bull Mtn. Rd., Asheville, N. C. Phone 4-1893 JAMES A. BARR Consulting Engineer Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee Washington, D.C. BEHRE DOLBEAR & COMPANY Consulting Mining Engineers and Geologists 11 Broadway New York 4, N. Y. I. R. BERENT Engineering Consultants and Contractors Mineral Exploration, Mine Evaluation, Mine Designs and Mine Management ` 188, Ataturk Bulvari-Ankara, Turkey BLANDFORD C. BURGESS Registered Professional Engineer Mining Consultant Monticello, Georgia GLENVILLE A. COLLINS Mining Engineer Uranium examinations Cable "Coins" 8 Haward-Canfleld Bldg. Santa Barbara, Calif.]

Jan 1, 1952

[RALPH ADAIR Ore Dressing Consultant Bull Mtn. Rd., Asheville, N. C. Phone 4-1693 JAMES A. BARR Consulting Engineer Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee Washington, D.C. BEHRE DOLBEAR & COMPANY Consulting Mining Engineers and Geologists 11 Broadway New York 4, N. Y. I. R. BERENT Engineering Consultants and Contractors Mineral Exploration, Mine Evaluation, Mine Designs, and Mine Management 156, Ataturk Bulvari-Ankara, Turkey BLANDFORD C. BURGESS Registered Professional Engineer Mining Consultant Monticello, Georgia GLENVILLE A. COLLINS Mining Engineer Uranium examinations Cable "Coins" 210 La Arcada Bldg. Santa Barbara, Calif.]

Jan 1, 1952

[RALPH ADAIR Ore Dressing Consultant Bull Mtn. Rd., Asheville, N. C. Phone 4-1693 JAMES A. BARR Consulting Engineer Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee Washington, D.C. BEHRE DOLBEAR & COMPANY Consulting Mining Engineers and Geologists 11 Broadway New York 4. N. Y. I. R. BERENT Engineering Consultants and Contractors Mineral Exploration, Mine Evaluation, Mine Designs and Mine Management 156, Ataturk Bulvarl-Ankara, Turkey BLANDFORD C. BURGESS Registered Professional Engineer Mining Consultant Monticello, Georgia GLENVILLE A. COLLINS Mining Engineer Uranium examinations Cable "Coins" 210 La Arcade Bids. Santa Barbara, Calif.]

Jan 1, 1952

By Thomas Lane Carter

THE history of mining in South Africa differs somewhat from that of other countries in the part taken by the aborigines in the development ?of the mineral deposits. The Spaniards in America, and the fortune-seekers of Australia and New Zealand, found large numbers of natives in these new countries, but the inhabitants did not become willing or efficient workers ill the mines which the white men started. The Kaffirs of South. Africa have not shown the same antipathy to labor, nor do they show any signs of dying out in the presence of the white man's civilization. They are a virile race, and so far the vices of civilization have not killed. them. While it is true that the brain and skill necessary for the exploitation of the mineral resources of this sub-continent-have been supplied by the white race, it is also a fact that most of the rough labor in the development of the mining industry of South Africa has been done by the Kaffirs. The Kaffir tribes differ greatly in their mental and physical capabilities. Compare, for instance, a Zulu of Natal with a Bechuana, or a Xosa of Cape Colony with some of the degenerate tribes of Central or East Africa, and you will find that they have little in common, save that their skin is black and that they do not believe in clothes. As a general rule, the tribe's in the milder, healthier climates are far superior, both in mind and body, to the Kaffirs brought up in the hot malarial sections of Central Africa; and it naturally follows that the black men from the temperate zones of the country, are much finer workmen than the degenerates from less favorable sections: It is universal in South Africa to speak. of the .Kaffirs as " boys." No matter if he is 90 years old, the Kaffir is always a " boy," and in this paper the word " boy " is synonymous with Kaffir.

Nov 1, 1908

By Harry T. Hamilton

THE genial assistant to the president of the New York Trust Co. is the latest addition to the Institute's board of directors, having been elected at the March meeting of the hoard to fill the unexpired term of the late E. E. Ellis. Usually when a banker is appointed to the board of a company the reason is obvious; the difference in this case is that the New York Trust Co. has some of the Institute's money, instead of vice versa. But Harry Hamilton is not really a banker-at least not primarily. Frefluently big financial institutions have a good mining engineer on their staffs to keep them from financing too many "cats and dogs." At any rate Mr. Hamilton gave up his consulting practice in San Francisco back in 1927, to accept his present position in New York. Until then, from the time he graduated from Yale in 1904, lie was constantly engaged in mining operations of one kind or another in the West and in Mexico. His first job was at Christmas, Ariz., where lie did "sampling and miscellaneous work" for the Saddle Mountain Mining Co. The writer tramped up to, all over, and through that property one hog day many years later, when it was run by the Christmas Mining Co., and carp assure the reader that without doubt the young Yale graduate got some good experience and was well broken in. From there Mr. Hamilton went to Cananea for a time, and then to the Copper Queen, at Bisbee, where he was a valued member of the rigging gang. An assignment of assaying and sampling for the Shan¬non Copper Co. at Metcalf lasted for a few months and then he accepted a job for a year with the geological department

Jan 1, 1936