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By R. R. Webster, H. T. Clark

The side-blown converter has been investigated as a possible commercial process for the production of low nitrogen steel. During this work, two converters of 3-ton and 22-ton capacity were operated on a pilot plant basis for a total of 214 heats. The steel made in these converters was low in nitrogen and possessed good cold working properties. Some problems of converter operation remain to be solved. IN plants operating with a high iron capacity, sev-eral different refining methods are used in the conversion of the molten pig iron to steel. These include various ore practices in stationary and tilting open-hearths, the duplex process employing the Bessemer converter and open-hearth, and the Bessemer process. At J&L, a considerable part of the iron produced is handled by the Bessemer process, either alone or in conjunction with duplexing, and therefore an appreciable portion of the steelmaking research effort has centered about the method. This paper covers research work on the development of the side-blow converter for the commercial production of low nitrogen ingots and includes descriptions of the operation of a 3-ton and a 22-ton experimental converter at the Aliquippa Works. The refining of iron to produce steel requires the removal of a large portion of the carbon and silicon and the control of manganese, phosphorus and sulphur which are present in the iron in varying amounts. The first large-scale means of refining iron was the acid Bessemer process which was brought into use almost 100 yr ago. This method, using compressed air as the refining medium, accomplishes substantially complete removal of carbon, manganese and silicon. Phosphorus and sulphur are not affected but, by choice of an iron composition sufficiently low in these elements, a commercial product can be produced. Since the process will handle large tonnages rapidly, operates without external fuel and with a minimum of additional equipment, it quickly became the major tool in the early expansion of the steel industry. Later, the basic open-hearth process, by affording control of phosphorus and sulphur and by consuming the large quantities of steel scrap that were becoming available, forced the acid Bessemer process into a secondary position in the industry. During the past two decades the demand for steel to be used in cold forming and drawing operations has gradually increased. Bessemer steel, because of its work hardening and aging characteristics, is not as suitable for these applications as basic open-hearth steel, consequently the decline of the process was accelerated. More recently, because of changing economic conditions, this long range trend appears to have been arrested or perhaps reversed. Ingot production data for recent years furnishes only an incomplete picture of the importance of the converter in the American steel industry; open-hearth furnaces utilize large tonnages of blown metal for which no published statistics are available. Metallurgical Aspects The fundamental difference between Bessemer and open-hearth steels apparently lies not in the method of manufacture but, rather, in the differences in chemical composition of the two steels. It is further believed that the principal features distinguishing Bessemer from open-hearth steel are the higher nitrogen and phosphorus contents of the former. Evidence supporting this position is supplied by tests on laboratory induction furnace heats that were made to contain varying amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen but were otherwise similar to normal low carbon silicon-killed steels. Fig. 1, 2 and 3, summarizing the test results, are taken from G. H. Enzian's paper titled, "Some Effects of Phosphorus and Nitrogen on the Properties of Low Carbon Steels."' Fig. l indicates that phosphorus has a marked effect on the cold work embrittlement of steel as shown by the work brittleness test of Graham and Work.' In the low nitrogen steels, which as a group have the better cold working properties, the effect of phosphorus variations is the more pronounced.

Jan 1, 1951

By D. D. Pollock

Many constitution diagrams do not indicate the limits oJ solid solubility of the silver-rich solid solutions below 200°C. Thermoelectric measurements were employed to determine this limit in the nieighborhood of room temperature. The appearance of a second phase causes a discontinuity to occur in the tkevtrroelectric power as a function of cornposition at constant temperature and pressure. This discontinuity was employed to determine the limits of the silver-rich terzinal solid solutions of the Ag-A l, Ag-As, Ag- Bi, Ag--Ge, Ag-In, Ag-Pb, Ag-Sb, and Ag-Sn systenls at 30°C. CONSIDERABLE work has been done on the constitution of binary alloys of silver. The available data have been compiled by Hansen1 and Elliott.2 However, many of the binary diagrams do not show the limits of solid solubility of the silver-rich solutions below about 200° C. This work was undertaken in an attempt to extend these limits to the neighborhood of room temperature . PREPARATION OF ALLOYS All of the alloys were made with silver containing less than 0.014 pct (by weight) of impurities. The materials were weighed out into 225-g heats and melted in a high-frequency induction furnace. The indium, tin, and antimony alloys were melted in A1203 crucibles, under a boric anhydride cover, and were poured into split graphite finger molds. The aluminum, germanium, arsenic, lead, and bismuth alloys were melted in machined graphite crucibles; they were also covered with boric anhydride and poured into split graphite finger molds. The $-in.-diam ingots were heated to 750°C and were forged and hot-rolled down to 0.1 by 0.1 in. The wires were pickled in a 25 pct HNO3-75 pct H2O solution to remove any oxygen-rich surfaces. The wires were then annealed at 550°C for 2 hr in a dissociated ammonia atmosphere. They were then furnace-cooled for 20 hr to room temperature in this atmosphere. The wires were cold-drawn to 0.0808 in. diam. The finished wires were again annealed at 550°C in the same manner as in the first anneal. Thermoelectric Power. The thermoelectric power of a single specimen of each alloy was determined against pure silver which contained a maximum impurity content of 0.014 pct by weight. The wire specimens were straightened and then cleaned with ethyl alcohol. They were then reannealed in the same way as the finished wires to assure that any residual stress would be at a minimum level. Previous work has shown that the presence of small amounts of stress has the effect of decreasing the thermoelectric power. The alloy specimen was soldered to the pure silver wire to form the measuring junction. A standard set of copper leads was then soldered to the reference junctions of the thermocouple. These junctions were maintained in separate dewar flasks which contained finely shaved melting ice during the test. The thermal electromotive forces of the thermocouples were measured at four temperatures between 15° and 45°C. A known source of electromotive force was balanced against the output of the thermocouple until a null balance was reached. The data were then expressed in terms of the thermoelectric power at 30°C. The results were then converted to absolute thermoelectric power, s303.3 These data have an average error of less than ±0.2 pct. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION All of the experimental data are given in Table 11. Since the electromotive forces of the binary alloys of silver were determined against the pure silver from which they were made, the resultant thermoelectric powers are only a function of the intentionally added binary elements at the constant test temperatures. This provides a direct measure of the effects of the alloying elements. The absolute thermoelectric power of an alloy of silver is given4 by:

Jan 1, 1968

By Lawrence A. Roe

Talc, when it can be isolated as a pure mineral, has a composition of 63.36% SiO2, 31.89% MgO, and 4.75% H2O. However, as an industrial commodity, talc rarely approaches theoretical purity. Nevertheless, the impure talc products of commerce find a multitude of uses and few substitutes in many industrial applications. Minerals commonly associated with and sold together in talcose mixtures are tremolite, chlorite, dolomite, mica, and magnesite. Steatite was originally a mineralogical name applied to pure talc. In today's commerce steatite generally refers to the massive variety of talc suitable for electrical insulator manufacture. Block steatite ore can be machined into various shapes. Impure varieties of massive or block talc are still commonly referred to as soapstone. Soft massive talc, suitable for crayon manufacture, has been referred to as French chalk. It has been common practice to discuss talc, soapstone, and pyrophyllite under the same general heading. In the case of soapstone and talc, this is a natural thing since many different types of platy, soft minerals exhibiting a high degree of lubricity (commonly referred to as "slip") have been grouped together and called soapstone or talc. Further, there is a mineralogical relationship of pyrophyllite to montmorillonite and talc to hectorite. Thus, talc and pyrophyllite are sometimes referred to as clay minerals. When finely divided talc or pyrophyllite are combined with water in proportions to make a slurry, the end product does have the appearance of a clay-water mixture. Soapstone for utensils and ornaments was mined by prehistoric Indians on Santa Catalina Island, Calif. In the mid-1800s, soapstone from deposits along the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains was used by white settlers for building and ornamental stone and in the linings and foundations of furnaces (Anon. 1956). Previous to 1916, the annual recorded production in California did not exceed 2000 tons. In the period 1912 to 1918, output rose sharply when the Talc City, Western, and Silver Lake mines were put into operation. From 1916 to 1935, the state's annual output of talc was in the range of 9,000 to 20,000 tons. In the mid-1930s, the use of talc in wall tile grew rapidly. In California, the production of talc grew to 63,000 tpy in 1943. The post-war building boom helped California production to grow to 120,000 tons in 1951. In 1968, production was 165,000 tons, 1969 was 145,000 tons, 1970 was 185,000 tons, and 1972 was 155,000 tons. Talc mining in New York state dates to about 1878 when a Colonel Palmer and associates opened the first commercial talc mine on the Nelson Freeman farm near Talcville, New York. In 1893, this operation was sold to the International Pulp Co. which changed its name to the International Talc Co. in 1944. Total production from seven New York mines, in 1948, was 130,000 tons. A new talc operation, the Gouverneur Talc Co. owned by the R.T. Vanderbilt Co., began operations near Balmat, N.Y., in 1948. The initial capacity of the processing plant was 200 tpd (Gillingham, 1950). Subsequent expansions have increased capacity to over 600 tpd. The Vermont talc industry began just after the start of the 20th century. Talc was discovered in the area of the present Johnson, Vt., talc mine in 1902. The American Min¬erals Co. initiated plant operations at Johnson in 1904. The Magnesia Talc Co. opened a plant at Waterbury, Vt., in 1913 (Burmeister, 1963; Trauffer, 1964) and acquired American Minerals Co. in 1923. The Waterbury mine has a long history as a producer of talc crayons. The Eastern Magnesia Talc Co. was formed in 1924 by a merger of the Eastern Talc Co.

Jan 1, 1975

By J. Nutting, D. H. Kirkwood

The oxidation of lead sulfide in air between 200° and 350°C has been investigated by electron diffraction from thick sulfide films and from galena surfnces. It has been demonstrated that sulfate is the stable reaction product up to 570°C. Sulfate is HAGIHARA has investigated' single crystals of galena roasted in air by the reflection electron-diffraction technique, which owing to the very limited penetration of the beam into the crystal gives information of the nature of the surface only. He has shown that up to 280°C the first oxidation product is lead sulfate, followed by lead mono-oxysulfate (PbO . PbS04). At longer times and higher temperatures more complex patterns appeared which could not be analyzed. All of these patterns were of streaks or spots arising from crystals oriented on the galena surface, and it is probable that these crystals are lead compounds whose structures have not been determined, such as the other oxysulfates (2Pb0 • PbS04 and 4Pb0 . PbS04) or a number of oxides. Certain lead sulfide films, formed chemically, give ring patterns in transmission electron diffraction2 because they are polycrystalline, and should also give ring patterns of the products after oxidation. It was thought that a diffraction study would reveal the sequence of phases produced in the reactions at different temperatures, since X-ray powder patterns are available for many lead compounds. PREPARATION OF FILMS The films were prepared by passing H2S over a saturated solution of lead nitrate in water. Once a silvery film had formed on the solution surface, no further thickening was apparent. The films were transferred by a gauze to a bath of distilled water for washing and pieces of film were caught on small discs on which they were dried. The discs were formed initially on galena up to temperatures of 300°C, followed by oxide and oxysulfates in turn at longer times. The appearance of- these phases is believed to result from an inadequate rate of supply of sulfur to the top surface 01. the crystal. standard Siemens mounts, made of platinum alloy, and had seven 20-p apertures drilled through them. The parts of the film which had dried onto the disc surface were light blue in color, which is the interference color of a film about 600A in thickness. A strong pattern of lead sulfide was obtained in transmission electron diffraction through the apertures but slight broadening indicated a crystallite size of around 200A. Tilting a sulfide film in the beam produced arcing of the rings, increasing the intensities of the (Ill), (3111, and (222) rings and reducing (200) and (220). This arises from preferred orientation in the film, a [loo] direction of the crystallites being normal to the plane of the film. These specimens were oxidized in an oven maintained at the required temperature. The reported times include that taken to heat the film to the reaction temperature. STABLE PHASES FORMED IN OXIDATION The conditions in which various oxidation products of lead sulfide are stable have been considered by the authors in a previous paper.3 It was shown that in a normal atmosphere, taken as containing lo-' atm of SOs, lead sulfate would be stable up lo about 570°C. This was confirmed by oxidizing thin films of sulfide for several days, and the analysis of the transmission-diffraction pattern is given in Table 1. The fit with the patt$rn from X-rays is good, except for the missing 3.62A ring. Some disagreement in intensities of reflections given by X-rays and electrons is to be expected. Up to 570°C a spotty pattern of sulfate was still obtained, indicating grain growth, but above this temperature the film disintegrated. Probably this is associated with the decomposition to PbO . PbS04. It needs to be emphasized that the atmosphere

Jan 1, 1965

By F. W. Jessen, N. Lamont

The effect of an existing fracture or joint plane, which may exist in a rock, on the extension of a hydraulically induced fracture through the rock has been investigated in the laboratory. By use of a series of models made from various outcrop rocks, the width and orientation of existing fractures do not alter the extension or direction of the hydraulic fracture. The results, which conform quite well with the Grifith theory of failure, are illustrated by a series of photographs of the various models. INTRODUCTION The process of hydraulic fracturing has been widely used in the oil industry since its introduction in 1948 and has made possible the production of many reservoirs which would have been uneconomical prior to this process. Numerous studies of the mechanics of the process2-h nd of the effects of oriented fractures on recovery'.' have appeared in the literature. The increased recoveries led to attempts to predict the orientation of hydraulic fractures at the wellbore and to the development of methods to control this orientation. Field tests have been devised"." which indicate the validity of theoretical predictions of fracture orientation at the borehole. The direction of extension of hydraulic fractures from the borehole has not received much attention since most studies have predicted, at least implicitly, that a fracture will continue in the same plane unless a change of state of stress in the rock occurs. Since such predictions are based on the assumption of rock homogeneity, the effects of rock heterogeneities are left unknown. Most sedimentary rocks are composed of layers which reflect the changing depositional conditions of geological time. In addition, the more competent rocks frequently are fractured and jointed as the result of structural deformations or tectonic movements. Evidence of such joint systems exists in many surface outcrops, and it can be assumed that similar systems occur in many subsurface rocks, although the individual joints may be rather tightly closed due to overburden forces. This paper investigates the effect that an existing fracture in a rock would have on the direction or orientation of an extending or advancing hydraulic fracture when it intersects the existing fracture. The study was conducted on small rock models under triaxial stress conditions. The results indicate that an existing fracture will have little effect on the hydraulic fracture. THE MODEL STUDY The rock model represents an elemental portion of the earth containing an existing fracture which is located at some distance from a borehole from which hydraulic fracture is being extended. A generalized view of a model is presented in Fig. 1. The models were constructed from cement blocks and natural rocks. The various materials tested and some of the physical properties are listed in Table 1. The rocks were cut into rectangular blocks with dimensions of 11/2 X3Y2 X4 to 8 in. An initial slot was cut into the end face of each block along the longitudinal axis normal to the top face. The slot was filled with plastic aluminum along its outer edge to a depth of 1/16 in. A hole of 3/8-in. diameter was drilled into the sealed slot at the center of the end face to serve as an entry port for the fracturing fluid. Existing fractures of various types were simulated in the models. A "hairline" fracture with essentially zero width was created by cutting the model into two parts with a diamond saw and replacing the two parts together along the cut. A finite-width fracture was created by placing a layer of sand grains between the two faces of the cut just described (see Fig. 12). A large open fracture (similar, perhaps, to a vug) was created by cutting the model in two parts and removing a portion of the downstream block to a depth of % in. See Fig. 13. For a fourth

By C. G. Dunn

This note describes a method for revealing micro-structures in tantalum through an {hkl} effect which was found during a study involving amorphous and crystalline tantalum oxides. Three steps are involved. First, an amorphous film of Ta2O5 is formed anodically1 on the surfaces of the tantalum. The amount needed depents on the thickness of the substrate tantalum; 1600Å of oxide, however, is generally satisfactory in the 1/2 -mil (12 µ) to 3-mil thickness range. The film at this point is uniform in color. Second, the anodized specimen is heated to 800°C in. vacuo during a period of a few minutes and held at temperature for 5 min. During such a treatment some oxygen leaves the oxide through dissolution into the substrate tantalum (e.g., at 10-8 Torr oxide films thinner than about 800 completely disappear on 5-mil strip). Considerable crystallization of the amorphous oxide also occurs adjacent to the metal/oxide interface but not throughout the oxide thickness. The thickness of oxide needed as a residue is not too critical; values between 500 and 1000Å (optical estimate') may be most useful. (The presence of a residual oxide layer after the heat treatment usually is not apparent; in fact, in most instances the surfaces have a metallic appearance. This can be the case also for thicker residual films needed in the detection of a crystalline oxide phase by surface X-ray diffraction—e.g., if the initial oxide film is 3000Å thick, enough crystalline oxide is formed for X-ray detection.) The third step eliminates the metallic appearance at the surface and reveals (or produces) a varied colored film of tantalum oxide. Two methods can be used and both will be illustrated. If the specimen is dipped in 48 pct HF for a few seconds, the tantalum is found to be covered with a multicolored oxide. Moreover the colors correlate with the grain structure of the substrate tantalum through an orientation dependence of the type illustrated in Fig. 1, where results of an orientation analysis by the Laue X-ray method have been plotted. Other film conditions would have provided a different set of colors for the same orientations. Any such correlation, however, provides a basis for a qualitative assessment of the distribution of orientations in a large sample. The cold-rolled structure of tantalum foil produced by a recrystallization anneal and a cold-rolling reduction of 95 pct is not easily obtained by usual metal-lographic methods.' The structure, however, is easily revealed by the present technique, Fig. 2. The alternative third step is to reanodize the specimen. The optical nature of the final anodic film depends on the presence of the crystalline oxide phase; color variations indicate optical thickness variations in the film. As the reanodization voltage is increased from zero, straw and light brown colors appear (as usual), followed now by variations in color from grain to grain depending on {hkl} orientation. Suitable end points, which are determined by voltage and time, are easily established. Fig. 3, for example, shows the grain structure developed in 5-mil tantalum strip during a 30-min re-crystallization and grap-growth anneal at 1800°C. An anodic film of 1600Å thickness was added prior to the special 800°C anneal. Reanodization was done at constant current density (near 0.2 ma per sq cm) in an aqueous solution of H3PO4 (0.01 pct) and was terminated after the initial brown colors were replaced by a deep blue at approximately 30 v. Although good grain contrast can be obtained with bright field illumination, even greater contrast for black and white micrographs may be obtained with polarized light, as in Fig. 3.

Jan 1, 1967

By H. Kurushima, S. Tsunoda

An investigation of the hydrometallurgy of Cu-Zn concentrates by The Dowa Mining Co. of Japan is described and a detailed flowsheet of the Kosaka hydro-metallurgical plant is given. Sufficient operating experience has shown that the Dorrco FluoSolids system has proven successful for recovery of both zinc and copper by roasting in a fluidized bed. At present, 2400 metric tons of concentrates per month are being treated and recoveries of 93 pct Cu and 65 pct Zn are being effected. A SURVEY of the Japanese chemical industry in 1949 revealed, among other things, that sulphur-bearing blast furnace gas from the Kosaka smelter of The Dowa Mining Co. Ltd., Kosaka, Japan, was being exhausted to the atmosphere as waste. In addition, it was costing that company an average of ten million yen ($28,000) annually for damages to the surrounding property caused by the sulphur dioxide in the gas. It was recommended by this survey that the gas be utilized for the production of sulphuric acid by the contact process. Mr. Kurushima visited the United States in May 1950 to investigate the engineering, construction, and operation of a contact acid plant. Any acid produced at Kosaka would necessarily have to be 98 pct H,SO, to prevent corrosion in railroad tank cars transporting it to the point of use. However, the production of 98 pct acid requires constant volume and SO, content of the gas. As the converter gas at Kosaka fluctuates in both volume and quality, it was decided to evaluate the smelting process with relation to other methods of recovery. This evaluation revealed a relatively new type of roaster, the Dorrco FluoSolids reactor, which was reported to be capable of roasting the copper sulphide concentrate in an excess of air with the production of an SO1 gas strong enough for acid production and a water-soluble copper sulphate calcine. The copper sulphate then could be leached from the roasted ore and electrolytic copper recovered from the leach solution in much the same manner as practiced by the Chile Exploration CO. for treating naturally occuring copper sulphate ores. Use of a reactor of this type would eliminate the need for a blast furnace and converter and, in addition, would effect savings in labor and fuel. The Kosaka ore is a microscopically fine mixture of copper, zinc, and lead sulphides. The lead and a small amount of the barite present can be separated by flotation, but any separation of copper and zinc proved extremely difficult. In blast furnace operation at Kosaka, zinc had been slagged off until a stockpile of about 12,000,000 tons containing 5 pct Zn had been accumulated. Mr. Kurushima felt that if any of the zinc in the concentrate was sulphat-ized and leached with the copper, it also could be recovered electrolytically. The Dorr Co., sponsors of fluidization technique in the metallurgical field, suggested that sulphate roasting be tested out on a laboratory scale and that, if successful, a commercial Dorrco FluoSolids system be constructed. They indicated that the results from such laboratory tests could be transposed to a commercial scale without pilot planting the roasting operation. It was therefore decided to send samples of flotation concentrate to the West-port Mill, laboratories of The Dorr Co., for testing. The objective of Mr. Kurushima's visit to the United States thus had changed from investigation of sulphuric acid plants to a fundamental examination of the hydrometallurgy of copper and zinc. Testing Program In February 1951, Mr. Tsunoda went to the United States to witness the application of the FluoSolids system to sulphate roasting at The Dorr

Jan 1, 1956

By Wallace W. Wilson

This DaoerAA calls to attention for the first time, to the writer's knowledge, a purported recovery of oil by substantially horizontal gas cycling that is considerably in excess of 50 per cent of the oil originally in place. The average angle of dip along the path of travel of the gas is less than one degree of arc. The best recovery by gas cycling previously brought to the writer's attention1 occurred in the case of the Mile Six Field in Peru, where about 68 per cent of the original oil in place has so far been recovered. In this case, however. the recovery was greatly aided 1)y the high dip angle of about 17.5". An approximate estimate of recovery was made by the method developed by the writer' for the case of the Cook Ranch Field, using an average relative permeability ratio function dictated by past experience with a number of good quality sandstones. A result of about 40 per cent recovery of the original oil in place wa* obtained after the 8.5 pore volumes of cumulative gas cycling undergone by the Cook Ranch Field. Tile writer desires to emphasize what appears to him as the sound engineering practiced at Cook Ranch, and also the care attending the taking of data and the high quality of the calculations made. It is impossible to take issue on factual grounds with any of the conclusions drawn in the paper. It is, however, desired to point out the difficulty of explaining the unexpectedly favorable oil recovery on ordinary theoretical grounds. It would be of interest to know whether relative permeability ratios have been measured on the Cook sand. The operator is inclined to attribute some of the excess benefit to settling of the oil across the bedding planes into the lower part of the sand. It is difficult for the writer to appreciate the importance of such an effect, inasmuch as the concomitant opening of excessive vacated pore space in the upper part of the sand would he expected to cause excessive bypassing of the gas. REFERENCE 1. Welge. H. J.: "A Simplified Method for Computing Oil Recovery by (Gas or Water Drive." Trans. AIME, (1952), 195, 91. AUTHOR'S REPLY TO MR. WELGE Welge has poined out clearly the difficulty of applying material-balance procedures in calculating the Performance of low-pressure, dispersed gas injection operations. There can be no argument that even with the most favorable assumptions of K,/K,, and with cumulative gas cycling in excess of normal expectations, the calculated oil recovery will be considerably less than the 72.5 per cent recovery realized from this project to Jan. 1, 1951. There probably are at least two reasons for the unusually high recovery from this reservoir, the effects of which would be difficult or impossible to calculate by known methods: 1. The operator did not use the same injection wells for the entire operation, and exercised considerable control over producing GOR by changing the locations of injection wells whenever well performance indicated excessive bypassing. Fifty-six wells were used for injection, not over 29 of which were in use simultaneously. This procedure resulted in frequent shifting of the fluid movement patterns in the reservoir and undoubtedly increased the ultimate recovery. The writer knows of no satisfactory procedure for calculating the effect of this practice. 2. Vertical movement of oil across the bedding planes of the reservoir rock hy gravity drainage tended to maintain a relatively high oil saturation, and hence a favorable K,/K, ratio, in the lower sections of the reservoir. As pointed out by Welge, this condition has aggravated the tendency for high producing GOR, but at the same time it has resulted in increased oil recovery. As may be seen from the performance charts for the various battery areas, operating (GOR'S have been quite high for the last several years of reported history.

Jan 1, 1952

By S. C. Miller, R. D. Carter, H. G. Riley

A merhod based on theoretical considerations is presented for estimating srabilized performance of gas wells from data obtained from short-term flow tests. Calculated results are presented for II gas wells evaluated with four-to five-hour flow tests. For seven wells on which comparison war available, satisfactory agreement between measured and calculated performance was obfained. Although the final results are favorable, diflerences in flow capacity k,h obtained from flow tests conducted at different rates were observed. This inconsistency did not seriously affect the calculated results in the test wells. INTRODUCTION In order to negotiate the sale of gas from newly drilled gas wells and to plan otherwise for the orderly exploitation of gas reserves, it is necessary to predict the long-term withdrawal rates physically possible for each well. Since low permeability gas wells do not stabilize except after a lengthy period of flow, the operator is unable, without wasting large amounts of gas, to measure directly the stabilized performance prior to contracting for sale of the gas and connecting the well to a pipeline. This problem is not new, but is one which has recently received considerable attention because of the rising importance of natural gas in the economy and new emphasis on the development of gas reserves. Thus, a method is needed for estimating stabilized performance from information obtained from short-flow tests in which stabilized flow is not attained. Such short tests would be suitable for wells not connected to a pipeline since the tests require only small amounts of time, labor and production of gas. Other requirements of such a method are short calculation time and use of a model of the gas well and its reservoir drainage area which is as consistent as possible with present theoretical, experimental and field knowledge. The method presented herein was developed in an effort to meet these requirements. It has been named the "two-Row method". In addition to the section on the evelopment and description of the method, a description of field application of the method and a discussion of well test results are in- cluded. Finally, there is a section on an additional consideration prompted by some of the test results. The Appendix contains certain details of the derivation of the two-flow method and a sample calculation for Test Well 1. MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT AND DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD The method is based upon the following assumptions: (1) The system can be described as a finite cylindrical gas reservoir produced by a single cylindrical well located at the center of the reservoir. Flow is strictly radial. (2) Flow obeys Darcy's law except very near the well where a quadratic flow law is assumed. (3) The system is also characterized by a laminar flow skin factor. The use of a quadratic or turbulent flow term is more fully justified in Refs. 1 and 2. When such a system is opened at the wellbore to constant rate flow from an initial condition of uniform pressure distribution, the radius or drainage quickly passes through the non-Darcy flow and "skin effect" region imrnediately surrounding the well. After the drainage radius or "transient" has passed beyond this region and before it reaches the external boundary, drawdown can be expressed by'." After the drainage radius reaches the external boundary, stabilized flow exists and drawdown is given by'," Eqs. 1 and 2 form the basis for the method. The validity of these equations will now be examined in the light of some well test data previously available. It has been found by actual measurements on gas wells that the relationship between drawdown and flow rate, that is the performance curve, is closely approximated by' Eq. 3 is a straight line on log-log graph paper. Eq. 2 and, for any lixed value of time, Eq. 1 plot as a curve which is slightly concave upward on log-log graph

By F. J. Fayers, J. W. Sheldon

A theoretical discussion is presented of the behavior of the interface between two fluids of different physical properties when displacement is occurring along a thin tilted bed. An approximate equation of motion is deduced for the motion of the interface, suitable boundary conditions are derived and the conditions necessary for the approximation to be valid are determined. Steady-state behavior and the circumstances under which a steady-state interface can develop are discussed. Finite-difference solutions of the equation of motion for two characteristic water-drive problems are presenled. The theory of displacement in a thin bed may be regarded as being the porous-medium-equivalent of the classical "shallow-water wave" theory of hydrodynamics. INTRODUCTION The solution of moving interface problems are important in predicting the behavior of oil reservoirs under various conditions of production. Kidder4,5 has obtained analytic solutions for the fingering problem and for another particular case of the motion of the interface between two immiscible fluids of unequal density in a porous medium. In the present analysis, we analyze the problem of the motion of an interface along a slightly dipping bed whose length is long compared with its thickness. The requirement of a thin bed is necessary in order to give a simple differential equation for the motion. The two fluids are of unequal density and mobility. In the derivation of the equation of motion, it is assumed that the lighter fluid is being injected at constant rate at the high end of the porous layer, while heavy fluid is produced at the low end of the layer. The analysis applies equally well, however, to the reverse procedure in which the heavier fluid is injected at the low end of the tilted layer. It will be shown that the behavior of the system is critically dependent on which fluid has the higher mobility and that the interface can in certain circumstances achieve a simple progressive steady-state shape. The fluids may be considered to be immiscible or miscible. It is assumed, however, that the thickness of the interface region is negligible in comparison with other dimensions of the system, and that the strength of the saturation or concentration discontinuity remains constant during the motion. In conjunction with Buckley-Leverett theory and areal sweep-out calculations, the tilted interface problem is one of the fundamental problems of reservoir engineering; it defines the very important underpassing and overpassing phenomena associated with water-drives, gas-drives and secondary recovery operations. The tilted interface problem has been dealt with previously by Dietz.2 In the present paper, we endeavor to derive the pertinent mathematical results more rigorously, and in doing so we obtain modifications in both the differential equation and boundary conditions for those given by Dietz. We also attempt to show the connection between these results and some of the recent work on the stability of interfaces. Finally, we attempt to demonstrate the practical importance of the thin bed theory by showing the difference in behavior of two characteristic waterflood problems. In the favorable mobility case recovery is improved by increasing production rate, while in the unfavorable case undercutting or overcutting is minimized by reducing the displacement rate. PROPERTIES OF THE EQUATION OF MOTION Fig. 1 illustrates a porous layer of constant thickness H and tilt 8 with Fluid 1 of mobility ?l and density pl below Fluid 2 of mobility ?2 and density p2. The fluids are incompressible and flowing with volumetric flux q along the layer. Both the slope a of the interface with respect to the bed and the curvature of the interface are assumed to be small. What is meant by "small" is indicated in the derivation given in Appendix A of an approximate equation of motion for the interface. Other symbols are defined in the "Nomen-

By M. P. Tixier, A. Poupon, M. E. Loy

Simple qualitative methods are explained for identifying those shaly sands in a well that are most likely to contain oil. A need for more precise measurement of the variables that enter shaly sand analysis is indicated. Field examples are given to illustrate the methods. A theoretical discussion of the quantitative interpretation of shaly sands is given as a basis for discussion and as a guide for the future. While not generally capable of practical application at the present time because of the lack of sufficient accuracy of the electric log data, these methods may become more feasible in the future as the result of the improved logging methods now being introduced. INTRODUCTION Experience has shown that for porous formations containing only a negligible amount of clayey material, reliable information on the fluid saturation and porosity of the reservoir rocks can usually be derived from the electrical logs. The interpretation is based on empirical formulae relating the true resistivity of a porous formation to its lithologic character, to the resistivity of the interstitial water, and to the proportions of water and hydrocarbons in the pores.' If the resistivity of the interstitial water is not known, its approximate value can be derived from the SP curve.2,3 The porosity can usually be determined to a good approximation from a MicroLog, or a MicroLaterolog.4,5 When the reservoir rocks contain an appreciable percentage of clayey material, an additional factor is introduced into the analysis. In a clean formation, the matrix is an electrical insulator, so that the ability of the formation to conduct current is due only to the conductivity of the electrolytes in the pores; in a shaly formation, the shale constitutes a part of the rock matrix able to conduct current, and influences the resistivity of the formation. On the other hand, the spontaneous emf's and the circulation of the SP currents are also responsive to the presence of the shaly material. All other factors being the same, the deflection of the SP curve opposite a shaly permeable formation is smaller than the deflection which would be observed if the formation were clean. The effects of the presence of shale on the resistivity and on the SP curves in a shaly formation are functions of the amount, of the specific resistivity, and of the geometrical distribution of the shaly material within the formation. The presence of shale therefore constitutes an important complication in electrical log interpretation. It is easy to realize, for example, that the presence of a large amount of clayey material in a sand may have such a predominant effect that the resistivity of the sand will not change very much, whether the pores are entirely filled with connate water, or contain a high saturation of hydrocarbons. Important research projects have been undertaken to investigate the influence of shales and to find a way to allow for this influence in the interpretation of a log. The problem of the SP in shaly sands was analyzed mathematically by H. G. Doll"' for the case of sands with shale laminations. Formulae expressing the resistivity of shaly formations were proposed by Patnode and Wyllie8 and de Witte.9 Other quite interesting theoretical and experimental results have been published by various authors.l0,ll,12,l3,14 The purpose of the present paper is to discuss an approach to electrical log interpretation in shaly sands. This approach is based partly on some of the theoretical and experimental data available in the literature and partly on observations made on actual field logs. Comparatively simple methods for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis are described. These methods depend principally upon information provided by the electrical logs.

Jan 1, 1955

By E. E. Thurlow

The Geology Div. of Northern Pacific Railway Co. has adapted to its exploration efforts field procedures for geochemical sampling and semi-quantitative analysis which have been developed through research by the U. S. Geological Survey. The sampling is done in conjunction with reconnaissance geologic mapping on aerial photographs or during field checking of maps which have been prepared largely by photo-geologic interpretation. Stream sediment or soil samples are taken and readily soluble combined heavy metals are extracted with ammonium citrate followed by colorimetric titration with dithizone at the sample site. The effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated both in positive and negative results, thereby assisting in the elimination of large areas of land from further immediate attention and in providing targets for followup exploration. An occa sional sample is submitted for spectrographic analysis as a check on the possible presence of other elements of economic significance. Field laboratory procedures are also being implemented for determining molybdenum, mercury, and other metals which may be valuable in themselves or useful as pathfinder elements in outlining mineralized areas. A lead-zinc occurrence in Oregon and a copper deposit in Montana were readily detected and outlined by stream sediment and soil sampling and a heavy metal anomaly that lacks obvious interpretation has been found in northwestern Montana. Detailed mapping and additional sampling are followed by other exploration techniques if warranted. Northern Pacific's program of reconnaissance mineral evaluation of company-owned lands and adjoining areas was outlined in a paper presented at the American Mining Congress meeting in Las Vegas four years ago. That report included policies and procedures with respect to mineral development on Railway Co. lands and may be referred to for information on these matters.1 In a sense this paper is a progress report on the use of geochemical prospecting in Northern Pacific's continuing mineral evaluation program. At this time there are positive results but as yet there is no real success story in the form of a minable ore body. GEOCHEMICAL PROSPECTING PROCEDURES The decision to use geochemistry as a reconnaissance exploration tool must be followed by research into sampling and analytical methods and into the interpretation of results. Various analytical methods were tried and evaluated by the Geology Div., including hot and cold acid extraction with and without fusion of the sample, panning and magnetic separation followed by dithizone testing of the magnetite, and cold aqueous extraction of metallic ions followed by indicator tests. Samples were first sent to the laboratory for analysis; later field laboratories were established and now virtually all testing is done at the sample site. It was concluded that, where applicable, the quickest dependable methods for reconnaissance use are the dithizone field tests for readily extractable heavy metals. This involves the simultaneous treatment of a sample, usually of soil or stream sediment, with two immiscible liquids; one a cold aqueous extractant (ammonium citrate) and the other a solution of dithizone in toluene or xylene.2 Dithizone is a colorimetric indicator that reacts quantitatively with copper, lead, zinc, and several other metals to form colored complexes in organic solvents. Results may be expressed in ml of 0.001 pct dithizone that are required to reach the blue end point, or calibration of the test results can be carried out with standard solutions of zinc; conversion factors would then be expressed in ppm, zinc equivalent. Calibration of dithizone solution with zinc standards indicates that 1 ml of 0.001 pct dithizone is equivalent to approximately 0.25 ppm of zinc. An authoritative report on dithizone field tests authored by H. E. Hawkes in the June-July 1963 issue of Economic Geology* states "The appeal of these techniques has been the simplicity and speed of the determinations as compared with more tedious laboratory determinations of trace metals in weathered rocks, soils, or plant materials. This obvious appeal, however, has often been more than matched by misuse of the method in such a manner that the results are

Jan 1, 1964

By H. E. Elliott, R. S. Busk, A. T. Peters

ONE of the problems of the fabricator of metals and alloys is the propensity of some composition ranges toward abnormal grain growth during certain stages of fabrication. In this respect magnesium alloys are no exception among alloys. Fortunately, convenient foundry control methods have been developed by which the abnormal grain growth possible in certain magnesium-alloy castings can be suppressed. An unusual characteristic of magnesium alloys, however, is that castings of some composition ranges are subject to local grain growth during heat-treatment without the necessity of intentional mechanical stressing of the part prior to heat-treatment. This effect occurs only under certain critical casting conditions, and only in certain alloys of greater than about 8.5 per cent aluminum content, such as C alloy (Mg, o per cent Al, 2 per cent Zn, 0.2 per cent Mn) and G alloy (Mg, i0 per cent Al, 0.2 per cent Mn). The first observation of this phenomenon in cast magnesium alloys occasioned much surprise, since it is not observed in other metals. Jeffries and Archer' have stated that "the grain size of cast metals, provided they have not been plastically deformed, cannot be changed by heating below the melting point." The study of the conditions leading to abnormal grain growth in cast magnesium alloys, and of the mechanism of this phenomenon, has led to some very interesting observations. Perhaps the most significant of these was the observation that stresses originating from cooling contraction in magnesium-alloy castings are the only stresses necessary, under certain conditions, to cause local recrystallization and subsequent grain growth in the casting during heat-treatment. of abnormal local grain growth was a definite problem in the production foundry on C alloy sand castings. Illustrated (Fig. r) is a picture of a casting scrapped because of this defect. A mottled effect is produced in coarse-grained areas by suitable etching solutions. The properties of metal in the affected area are much impaired by such grain coarsening. Ultimate tensile strengths of half the normal value have been measured in metal of this nature. In this paper are described the techniques that have been developed by The Dow Chemical Co. for studying, and in large measure solving, this production problem. Also discussed are studies of the mechanism by which excessive grain coarsening occurs, and the fundamental conditions that produce this effect. The abnormal grain growth discussed in this paper will be referred to as "germination," since this term has been defined' as any process leading to an abnormally coarse grain size. This paper deals only with abnormal local grain growth that may occur during the solution heat-treatment of certain magnesium-alloy castings, as dis-

Jan 1, 1945

By V. E. Elliott, C. L. Meyette

THE conditioning of semifinished steel products such as billets, blooms, and slabs to remove surface defects before further processing to finished products is a necessary accompaniment to steel mill rolling operations. A knowledge of the kinds of defects which occur and of the conditions in melting, teeming, and rolling that may lead to their occurrence is favorable to the production of quality products. Surface defects may be classed as either of mechanical origin such as those that occur in the heating and rolling operations and include breaks, tears, guide marks, mechanical laps and the like, or they may have been in the ingot before heating and rolling. Examples of the latter are ingot cracks, blow-holes, scabs, and inclusions which lead to the numerous known types of seams -and surface flaws. Most of the common types of surface defects and methods for their identification by visual examination or by the aid of macro-etch tests are well known. The conditions which caused their formation are also appreciably understood and this knowledge has been instrumental in the establishment of methods for metallurgical control. There are, however, defects of doubtful origin. In any endeavor to trace the causes for their occurrence, the question of first concern is: I. Whether they were formed in the rolling procedure. 2. Whether they existed in the ingot prior to rolling. In the case of semifinished products which are rerolled to finished products there is also the question of whether they were formed in the primary or in the secondary rolling. In metallurgical laboratories where numerous or routine examinations of the quality of rolled products are made over the course of time, there will doubtless be many puzzling cases of defect origin. Microscopic examination of the defects may, however, reveal a characterizing condition that can be used to classify them broadly with respect to their origin. Such a condition has been observed and, after detailed investigation, is described here with the thought that it may offer a useable and relatively simple solution to a bothersome problem. BASIS FOR CLASSIFYING In this discussion the term "mechanical type defects" will be used to designate those that have occurred as a result of the rolling operations such as in rolling from the ingot to billets, blooms, or slabs or in rerolling to finished products. The term "steel type defects" will he used to designate those that were present in the ingot prior to primary rolling or that were in the semifinished product prior to secondary rolling to finished product. The basis for distinguishing between the two types of defects lies in the relative degree of subscale formation surrounding them. Subscale is defined' as a zone of

Jan 1, 1948

By A. S. Richardson

AIR conditioning, or air cooling, for the improvement of ventilation in the Butte mines has come into increasing use during the past 10 years. In part, the methods practiced have been described in previous publications of the Institute, but some improvements on earlier methods have been made and a number of new features have been developed. This paper is presented as a record of progress made, and for the sake of completeness describes all general features of the work. The need for air conditioning in the ventilation of mines in the district arises from the fact that the temperature of the ground and mine water has shown a very great increase with increase in mining depth, and has now reached a maximum of slightly over 130ºF. The most difficult part of the ventilation problem is the maintenance of temperature and humidity of a satisfactory standard in the working places, especially on the lower levels. Although ordinary ventilation is adequate to maintain good conditions in most of the working places it is subject to a number of limitations at great depth. Most important among these limitations is that with increase in depth the air becomes heated before it reaches the working places, both by compression from increase in atmospheric pressure and by heat transferred to it from rock at high temperature, so that its capacity for lowering temperatures is greatly reduced before it reaches the operating zone. Increasing depth of mining also increases the distance traveled by the air in its passage through the mine, and this causes a corresponding increase in resistance to air flow, so that there is greater difficulty in maintaining even the same volume in circulation. Thus, in the face of a demand that the ventilating system have a very much greater capacity to remove heat from the mine, the tendency is for that capacity to diminish. The only evident alternatives were (I) the opening of additional air shafts to increase the volume of air in circulation, (2) an extension of the existing system that would be subject to the same limitations, or (3) the adoption of an entirely different method such as air cooling. Fortunately for an economic solution of the problem, the mean annual temperature of the surface atmosphere at Butte is about 40°F., with very low relative humidity in summer, so that there is unlimited natural cooling power at a temperature range adaptable to air-conditioning methods. METHODS Two similar methods of air conditioning are used, as necessitated by service requirements and dependent upon the equipment available. In one, which is the more important and has the greater cooling capacity, water is circulated in a closed circuit, and, alternately, first absorbs heat from warm mine air and then dissipates it in the surface atmosphere by cooling at a cooling tower. The second

Jan 1, 1941

By W. D. Robertson, E. G. Grenier, V. F. Nole

The electrical, mechanical, and corrosion cracking properties of an age-hardenable Cu-Ni-Si alloy have been studied over a range of time, temperature, and deformation states for the purpose of determining the relationship between the properties and the structural state. The precifitate has been identi3ed as and the sites of preferred precipitation have been located by electron microscope studies of the structures developed by various combinations of heat treatment and plastic deformation. An extreme form of deformation banding has been observed in the aged alloy that results in high strain concentration in bands lying parallel to {111} planes. These bands are the structural paths along which transcrys-talline cracks propagate in the deformed alloy. The observations provide a basis for a general mechanism of transgranu-lar corrosion cracking of face-centered cubic alloys in terms of stacking fault probability. AMONG the age-hardening copper alloys the copper-nickel-silicon (Silnic Bronze) type is outstanding in exhibiting a high strength combined with a considerable capacity for cold working, a relatively high conductivity, and a low to negligible susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking. It is not a new alloy and it has been the subject of a number of investigations,1-5 which were made primarily to establish practical composition and heat treatment limits. The structural characteristics of the aging processes in this alloy have not previously been studied in detail. This particular investigation was undertaken to explore, in detail, and over a wide range of conditions, the properties obtainable by various combinations of working and heat treatment and to correlate structural changes with the observed mechanical, electrical and corrosion properties. MATERIAL AND PROCESSING Eight different commercial heats of the alloy were made and used in the investigation. The range of composition among the eight heats is shown in Table I. Billets, 8 by 24 in., were cast into water-cooled molds, extruded to 1.687-in. rod, and quenched in water after extrusion. Extruded material was rod rolled to 0.750 in., annealed at 1450° F for 2.5 hr, and quenched in water. Subsequent working operations were performed by tandem rolling to various sizes depending on the degree of reduction required. Final cold-working operations were performed by drawing to a uniform size of 0.187 in. diam and straightening by a roller straightening machine (Lewis). The combinations of heat treatment, working and aging that were investigated are summarized in Table 11; the various treatments were performed in the order given in each row of the table, and they will be subsequently identified by the symbols shown in the first column. SOLUTION TREATMENT All material investigated in the cold-worked condition, or cold worked prior to aging, was solution

Jan 1, 1962

By R. C. Earlougher, F. G. Miller, T. D. Mueller, H. J. Ramey

There are many studies of flow in radial systems that can be used to interpret unsteady rerervoir flow problems. Although solutions for systems of infinite extent can be used to generate solutions fur finite ow systems by superposition, application is tedious. In this paper a step is made toward simplifying calcu1ations of such solutions for finite flow systems. Superposition is used to produce a tabulu-lion of the dimension1e.s.s pressure drop function at several locations within a bounded square that has a well at its center. The square system provides a useful building block that may be used to generate flow behavior for any rectangular shape whose sides are in integral ratios. Values of the tabulated dimensionless pressure drop function are simply added to obtain the dimensionless pressure drop function for the desired rectangulm system. The rectangular system may contain any number of wells producing at any rates. Furthermore, the outer boundaries of the rectangular system may be closed (no-flow) or they may he at constant pressure. Mixed conditions also may be conyidered. Tables of the dimensionless pressure drop function for the square system are presented and various applications of the technique are illustrated. Introduction In 1945, van Everdingen and Hurst' published solutions for the problem of water influx into a cylindrical reservoir. Since this problem is mathematically identical with the depletion of a cylindrical reservoir with a well at the origin, the van Everdingen-Hurst solution may be used to study the depletion problem. In their analysis, they assumed that the fluid had a small, constant compressibility such that flow was governed by the diffusivity equation For a constant production rate q starting at time zero, van Everdingen and Hurst showed that the unsteady pressurc distribution for both finite and infinite systems could be expressed in terms of a dimensionless pressure 'Sabulations of the dimensionless pressure drop for a unit value of r, were provided by van Everdingen and Hurst,' and later by Chatas.' Others also presented values in graphical or tabular form." If the radius of the well becomes vanishingly small, r,+ O, the line source solution may be used for Eq. 2 when infinite systems are considered. Eqs. 5 and 6 are excellent approximations for Eq. 2 under certain conditions: In 1954, Matthews, Brons and HazebroekV emonstrated that solutions such as Eq. 5 can be superposed to generate the behavior of bounded geometric shapes; i.e., the behavior of a bounded single-well system can be calculated by adding together the pressure disturbances caused by the appropriate array of an infinite number of wells producing from an infinite system. These wells are referred to as image wells. Matthews, Brons and Hazebroek considered systems containing a single well producing at a constant rate. This superposition can be represented analytically as

Jan 1, 1969

By N. A. Stockett

Southeast Missouri is the largest and oldest lead-producing district in the United States. For the year 1941, the statistical picture of pig-lead production, stated in short tons (partly estimated by the Engineering and Mining Journal) is as follows. Tons World production................. 2,000,000 United States Production .........- 460,000 Southeast Missouri production..... 142,000 The consumption of primary lead in the United States in 1941 was approximately 900,000 tons, or almost double the country's production. The largest previous year's in in the United States was 718,000 tons, in 1926. The largest quantities of lead are used for cable sheathing, storage batteries and white lead. During 1941 tetraethyl lead for auto and aviation gasoline consumed 50,000 tons of lead. The entire lead production of Southeast Missouri is now mined by the St. Joseph Lead Co., whose dominant position as the largest producer in the United States of lead directly from ores is best shown by the fact that in 1941 it produced approximately 31 per cent of the lead production of the United States from its mines in southeast Missouri, where 22,000 tons of ore, averaging over 3.00 per cent lead, is mined per working day. It is known that lead was mined at Mine La Motte, Madison County, Missouri, by Renault in 1723. Other white men and Indians probably did some mining prior to that time. Since 1865, the recorded production to Jan. I, 1942, shows that the St. Joseph Lead Co. and the various other companies that have operated in St. Francois County mined lead ore, which, after milling and smelting losses produced 5,980,000 short tons of pig lead. • About 95 per cent of the present lead production of Southeast Missouri is mined in St. Francois County. The northern part of this area is 60 miles south of st. Louis. The remainder of the lead is obtained at Mine La Motte, about 25 miles southeast from the center of the producing area in st.Francois county, Prospecting In this district, most of the ore is discovered by surface and underground diamond drills and by prospect drilling underground with rock drills. Each 2-ft. length of the cuttings from these Jack-hamer prospect holes is assayed for lead. These holes are marked and the records are entered on maps. It has been found that close drilling—100-ft. centers of holes, and sometimes less—is necessary in order to locate most of the smaller commercial ore bodies, many of which previously had been missed by drilling the areas with holes spaced 200-ft. centers or more. To date, geophysical and other methods of prospecting, apart from diamond and Mining Practices of the St. Joseph Lead Company in Southeast Missouri

Jan 1, 1943

By N. A. Stockett

Southeast Missouri is the largest and oldest lead-producing district in the United States. For the year 1941, the statistical picture of pig-lead production, stated in short tons (partly estimated by the Engineering and Mining Journal) is as follows. Tons World production................. 2,000,000 United States Production .........- 460,000 Southeast Missouri production..... 142,000 The consumption of primary lead in the United States in 1941 was approximately 900,000 tons, or almost double the country's production. The largest previous year's in in the United States was 718,000 tons, in 1926. The largest quantities of lead are used for cable sheathing, storage batteries and white lead. During 1941 tetraethyl lead for auto and aviation gasoline consumed 50,000 tons of lead. The entire lead production of Southeast Missouri is now mined by the St. Joseph Lead Co., whose dominant position as the largest producer in the United States of lead directly from ores is best shown by the fact that in 1941 it produced approximately 31 per cent of the lead production of the United States from its mines in southeast Missouri, where 22,000 tons of ore, averaging over 3.00 per cent lead, is mined per working day. It is known that lead was mined at Mine La Motte, Madison County, Missouri, by Renault in 1723. Other white men and Indians probably did some mining prior to that time. Since 1865, the recorded production to Jan. I, 1942, shows that the St. Joseph Lead Co. and the various other companies that have operated in St. Francois County mined lead ore, which, after milling and smelting losses produced 5,980,000 short tons of pig lead. • About 95 per cent of the present lead production of Southeast Missouri is mined in St. Francois County. The northern part of this area is 60 miles south of st. Louis. The remainder of the lead is obtained at Mine La Motte, about 25 miles southeast from the center of the producing area in st.Francois county, Prospecting In this district, most of the ore is discovered by surface and underground diamond drills and by prospect drilling underground with rock drills. Each 2-ft. length of the cuttings from these Jack-hamer prospect holes is assayed for lead. These holes are marked and the records are entered on maps. It has been found that close drilling—100-ft. centers of holes, and sometimes less—is necessary in order to locate most of the smaller commercial ore bodies, many of which previously had been missed by drilling the areas with holes spaced 200-ft. centers or more. To date, geophysical and other methods of prospecting, apart from diamond and Mining Practices of the St. Joseph Lead Company in Southeast Missouri

Jan 1, 1943

By Robert V. Pierce

In the last few years, much study has been devoted to increasing stoping efficiency. The reasons for this are shortage of manpower, shorter working hours, operating regulations, and shortages of essential materials. More efficiency in mining methods is needed to offset these adverse factors. In the past, attention has been centered upon haulage, hoisting equipment, mill flowsheets, etc., but recently the spotlight has been focused on the cost of stoping and the cost of handling materia,ls. Scrapers and scraper hoists have thus assumed greater importance. In order to make it possible for certain ore bodies to be mined at a profit, it has been necessary to apply assembly-line practices to the streamlining of mining methods. All cycles of the mining operation must balance, and the sooner broken ore is removed from the working face, the sooner another round can be started. Since the introduction of scraper hoists in metal mines more than thirty years ago, much progress has been made in their design and application. Alert operators are now constantly watching for methods in which to apply scrapers. The saving of: manpower in development work and the changing of mining methods that once employed manual handling of materials are increasing vital wartime tonnages. Essential ores from newly discovered ore bodies are moving rapidly from stopes to reduction plants—because it is now possible to develop an ore body and place it in production with a minimum of manpower and development work. Today, speed is one of the prime essentials of mining. Everywhere, there is a concentrated effort to use experienced miners in breaking rock, in timbering, and in carrying out the various phases of mining that require many months of training. Much effort is being made to mechanize the working places because experienced men naturally prefer to work where the majority of materials are handled mechanically. In line with this policy, many new men are being taught the details of scraper work, because even green men can quickly become acquainted with scrapers and thereby release older heads to perform the more skilled phases of mining. In some places it has been found economical to change from .one system of stoping to another that more readily allows the application of mechanical muck-handling equipment. Where blocks are worked faster, the cost of materials, time, and labor is cut drastically. This favorable situation allows more manpower to remain on straight breaking and timbering—or straight production mining. Moreover, when blocks are mined faster, more floors can often be mined vertically before the mucking or wheel floor is moved. This results in several direct savings. There are cases where it has been proved that by working a given block faster more area, longitudinally or vertically, could be mined at one time, thus permitting the reduction of development cost. (Fig. I.)

Jan 1, 1943