Search Documents

By E. P. Mathewson

DURING the past 35 years it has been my privilege to deal with hundreds of recent graduates from engineering schools all over the world. In consequence, I, feel that I have learned something about the training of, engineering students. In the first place, I believe that too great specializa-tion is a mistake. A student should receive general training in engineering for at least three out of the four years of the course, and any specializing that may be required should come in the fourth year. Too great emphasis can not be laid upon the fact that the four years' training does not make an engineer; on the contrary, the graduate is only fitted to enter the pro-fession. He becomes an engineer in the true sense of the word only after years of practice; the college train-ing merely shows him where to look for information and develops his intellectual powers. Some of our engineering schools have lengthened the term of study to five years and talk of increasing it still further. This, in my opinion, is a mistake. A young man who spends more than four years in college is apt to become too academic and theoretical. It is better to stiffen the matriculation examinations than to prolong the years of study in college. No matter how good the faculty may be and how carefully selected the course of study, the graduate can never become an engineer unless he has some natural qualifications for the vocation. There are one or two subjects in which most recent graduates seem to be weak; these are accounting, the command of English, and training in the writing of reports. A short course in general accounting should always be included in the curriculum. To this should be added instruction in the preparation of estimates and cost statements. In making reports it should be borne in mind that these reports are to be submitted to busy men,-and not to technical men. The busy man wants the gist of the report summarized on the front page of the report. He wants to know that if he expends a certain sum of money in a certain way, he will get certain results and make so much profit. This should be put clearly before him in short statements, free from technical terms. The details of the report can follow .at greater length; it should be remembered that the employer is not going to read these details, but will confine his attention to the summary.

Jan 1, 1923

By Pei-Yung Huang, Carle R. Hayward

IN order to understand more fully the actual state of copper lost in copper reverberatory slags, a systematic study on the various reactions between certain metallurgically important copper compounds and synthetic copper reverberatory slags was undertaken by the authors in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1942 to 1945.1 This paper, being only a part of the work completed, is published first because it furnishes the first experimental evidence of the formation of copper ferrite from reactions between cuprous oxide and copper reverberatory slags. CHOICE OF SLAG COMPOSITION The choice of the composition of the synthetic reverberatory slags to be used was much deliberated. Commercial copper reverberatory slags, neglecting minor constituents, average:2.3 45 to 47 pct FeO; 38 to 42 pct Si02; 5 to 6 pct CaO; 5 to 6 pct A1203. Since the ternary system CaO-FeO-SiO2 has been much more thoroughly studied4 and is much simpler than the quaternary system CaO-FeO-Si02-A1203, it was decided to use calcium oxide only instead of calcium oxide and alumina in the synthesis of the slags. Fortunately the composition of the average copper reverberatory slag with calcium oxide substituted for alumina lies in the region of the phase diagram clarified by the investigators. A survey of the phase diagram (Fig I) suggested two compositions: (I) the com¬position near the invariant point S, which is made up of 46 pct ferrous oxide, 37 pct silica and 17 pct calcium oxide; (2) the composition near the invariant point K with 45.5 pct ferrous oxide, 43 pct silica and 11.5 pct calcium oxide. Composition S has the advantage that the percentages of ferrous oxide and of silica almost exactly coincide with those of the average reverberatory slags, and that of the lowest melting point (1093° ± 3°C) in the whole ternary system. The calcium oxide content, however, obviously is high. Since we have already substituted calcium oxide for alumina, and since calcium oxide is more basic than alumina, the resulting slag is decidedly too basic. Composition K has a slightly higher melting point (1105° ± 3°C) and a higher silica content, but this is preferred because the slag is saturated with respect to tridymite and thus should not corrode siliceous refractories. Besides, it is less basic than composition S. The final slag composition, therefore, was chosen to

Jan 1, 1947

The Naval Consulting Board is asking the aid of all the members of the Institute in its effort to help solve the submarine problem. Probably every member of the Institute has some suggestion, and while each one of these may be of only slight value in furnishing the remedy, the aggregate may be of great service. Every member of the Institute will soon receive a pamphlet known as Bulletin No. 1 of the Naval Consulting. Board of the United States in which full information and instructions will be given to all of those who are willing to assist. It is hoped when this information is received the members of the Institute will give it their prompt attention and write as soon as possible to the Secretary of the Naval Consulting Board, 13 Park Row, New York, N. Y.

Jan 9, 1917

By M. B. Standing, D. L. Katz

Equilibrium data are reported on the composition and densities of coexisting vapor and liquid phases as a function of Pressure and temperature for four hydrocarbon systems prepared from crude oil and natural gas. The data were observed over a range of pressures from 1000 to 8220 Ib. per sq. in. and at temperatures ranging from 35' to 250°F. The compositions of the hydrocarbon systems were such that the critical temperatures of the mixtures were lower than the range of the investigation. Under these conditions, it is shown that the composition of the systems has a marked effect upon both the absolute value of the equilibrium constants and the change of the constants with pressure for the several components comprising the system. From weight-balance considerations, it has been possible to construct the partial phase diagram of a mixture of a 49.9" A.P.I. crude oil and natural gas having a gas-oil ratio of 3660 cu. ft. per barrel. Descriptions of the apparatus used, the analytical procedure, the material used, and the equilibrium measurements are included. A knowledge of the physical behavior of naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures is fundamental to the treatment of many problems in the production, transportation and rehing of petroleum. The recent discoveries of pools having formation pressures up to 7500 lb. per sq. in. and higher, and the development of full-scale equipment to operate at pressures of 5000 lb. per sq. in. or more have greatly increased the need for knowledge of the composition, temperature, pressure and density relationships of coexisting vapor and liquid hydrocarbon phases. The following paper presents the results of investigations upon 22 mixtures of natural gas and crude oil of known com~o~itio~ that had been brought to equilibrium under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure. Data are presented upon the densities and compositions of the coexisting vapor and liquid phases for four different systems containing hydrocarbon material having boiling points from minus 2 5S°F. to well over I000 F. The data were observed Over a pressure range from Iooo Ib. per Sq. in to 8220 lb. Per sq. in. and a temperature range from 35' to 2 50°F. The accepted method of computing the physical relationship between two coexisting phases of a hydrocarbon mixture is by use of the "equilibrium constant" K as proposed by Souders, Selheimer, and Brown. definition,

Jan 1, 1944

By M. B. Standing, D. L. Katz

Equilibrium data are reported on the composition and densities of coexisting vapor and liquid phases as a function of Pressure and temperature for four hydrocarbon systems prepared from crude oil and natural gas. The data were observed over a range of pressures from 1000 to 8220 Ib. per sq. in. and at temperatures ranging from 35' to 250°F. The compositions of the hydrocarbon systems were such that the critical temperatures of the mixtures were lower than the range of the investigation. Under these conditions, it is shown that the composition of the systems has a marked effect upon both the absolute value of the equilibrium constants and the change of the constants with pressure for the several components comprising the system. From weight-balance considerations, it has been possible to construct the partial phase diagram of a mixture of a 49.9" A.P.I. crude oil and natural gas having a gas-oil ratio of 3660 cu. ft. per barrel. Descriptions of the apparatus used, the analytical procedure, the material used, and the equilibrium measurements are included. A knowledge of the physical behavior of naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures is fundamental to the treatment of many problems in the production, transportation and rehing of petroleum. The recent discoveries of pools having formation pressures up to 7500 lb. per sq. in. and higher, and the development of full-scale equipment to operate at pressures of 5000 lb. per sq. in. or more have greatly increased the need for knowledge of the composition, temperature, pressure and density relationships of coexisting vapor and liquid hydrocarbon phases. The following paper presents the results of investigations upon 22 mixtures of natural gas and crude oil of known com~o~itio~ that had been brought to equilibrium under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure. Data are presented upon the densities and compositions of the coexisting vapor and liquid phases for four different systems containing hydrocarbon material having boiling points from minus 2 5S°F. to well over I000 F. The data were observed Over a pressure range from Iooo Ib. per Sq. in to 8220 lb. Per sq. in. and a temperature range from 35' to 2 50°F. The accepted method of computing the physical relationship between two coexisting phases of a hydrocarbon mixture is by use of the "equilibrium constant" K as proposed by Souders, Selheimer, and Brown. definition,

Jan 1, 1944

By R. K. Dann, L. W. Roberts, R. B. Benson

The mechanical properties of 300-series stainless steels were investigated in both high-pressure hydrogen and helium environments at ambient temperatures. An auslenitic steel which is unstable with respect to formation of strain-induced a (bee) and € (hcp) mar-tensile is embrittled when plastically strained in a hydrogen environment. A stable austenitic steel is not embriltled when tested under the same conditions. The presence of hydrogen causes embrittlement at the mar-lensitic structure and a definite change in the general fracture mode from a ductile to a quasicleavage type. The embrittled martensitic facets are surrounded by a more ductile type fracture which suggests that the presence of hydrogen initiates microcracks at the martensitic structure. If a steel is unstable with respecl to fortnation of strain induced martensile, plastic deformation in a hydrogen environment will produce rapid embrittlement of a notched specimen in comparison to an unnotched one. FERRITIC and martensitic steels can be embrittled by hydrogen that has been introduced into the alloys, either by thermal or cathodic charging prior to testing.1-5 However, conflicting reports exist as to whether austenitic steels that are stable or unstable with respect to formation of strain-induced martensite can be embrittled by hydrogen.8-12 A recent investigation has shown that cathodically-charged thin foils of a stable austenitic steel can be embrittled.13 An earlier investigation of a thermally charged 18-10 stainless steel revealed a significant decrease in the ductility only at the lowest test temperature of -78°C, although strain-induced bee martensite was shown to be present in one specimen tested at ambient temperatures.' When martensitic steels are tested in a hydrogen atmosphere, they are embrittled.'4-'7 It has been observed in this Laboratory that 304L steel, which is unstable with respect to formation of strain induced martensite, forms surface cracks when plastically strained in a high-pressure hydrogen environment. Work in progress elsewhere concurrent with this investigation has also established that 304L is embrittled when tested in a high-pressure hydrogen atmosphere." The objective of this investigation was to study the effect of a high-pressure hydrogen environment on the tensile properties of a stainless steel that contained strain-induced martensite (304L) and one that did not (310). EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES Notched and unnotched cylindrical specimens were machined from 304L* and 310 rods that were heat- treated at 1000°C in argon for 1 hr followed by a water quench. The chemical analyses of these steels are given in Table I. The unnotched specimens had a reduced section diameter of 0.184 & 0.001 in., a gage length of 0.7 in., and were threaded with a 0.5-in.-diam. thread on each end. The notched specimens had a reduced section diameter of 0.260 * 0.001 in. and a 0.75-in. gage length, with a 30 pct 60 deg v-notch at the center. The notch had a maximum root radius of 0.002 in. The tensile bars were fractured in a hydrogen or helium atmosphere of 104 psi at ambient temperatures. The system used for mechanically testing the specimens is to be described in detail elsewhere.19 Several specimens of each type were tested in air using an Instron testing machine. The same yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were obtained in 104 psi helium with the above system as with the conventional testing machine. Magnetic analysis was employed to determine that there was a (bee) martensite in plastically deformed 304L and that it was not present in plastically deformed 310. The magnetic technique depended on allowing the material being studied to serve as the core between a primary and secondary coil. Thus, any change in the amount of magnetic material present between the annealed and plastically deformed steels will be indicated by corresponding changes in the induced voltage in the secondary circuit." The ratio of the output signal of a nonmagnetic stainless steel to a completely magnetic maraging steel was 2000 to I. Several unnotched 304L bars tested in hydrogen were analyzed for hydrogen by vacuum fusion analysis. There was an increase in the hydrogen content to approximately 2 ppm for the specimens tested in hydrogen, as compared to less than 1 ppm for the as-received material. Several thin sections cut from notched areas of 304L specimens tested in hydrogen and containing the fracture surface contained approximately 1.5 ppm H. The accuracy of these determinations was estimated to be ± 50 pct.

Jan 1, 1969

By Keith Leonard Sutherland

THIS paper is a study of the differential flotation of the sulphide minerals in the presence of salts of silver, lead and zinc. In practice, accidental activation due to these salts is more important than their use as reagents to replace copper sulphate. The general method of investigation has been based upon contact tests, the temperature of 35°C. being chosen in conformity with earlier work. Potassium ethyl xanthate and potassium amyl xanthate were selected as collectors and pure sulphide minerals were used. The experimental procedure has been outlined in earlier papers and all solutions were kept carbonate-free.'' Contact, or spreading of an air bubble, at a mineral surface indicates the presence of an adsorbed collector film. PURITY OF REAGENTS The xanthates were purified in the usual manner.1 Neither the cyanide nor the sodium hydroxide solutions contained sufficient carbonate to give a precipitate with barium chloride solution. The silver sulphate was prepared from pure silver nitrate by evaporation with concentrated sulphuric acid until there was no evidence of brown fumes. This solution was diluted and the difficultly soluble sulphate washed with water so that unchanged nitrate was dissolved. The resultant crystal-line powder was pure white. The lead and zinc salts were prepared by dissolving especially pure lead and zinc in C.P. nitric and sulphuric acid solution and the crystals drained. The standard solutions were checked by titration. It was felt desirable to use the sulphate radical wherever possible, but since lead sulphate was insufficiently soluble for the purpose of the experiments, it was necessary to use some other lead salt. A.R. copper sulphate was used without further purification. RESULTS The results are presented in the accompanying figures; the areas of noncontact (nonflotation) are shaded in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11; in the remainder they lie to the right of the curve. Zinc Sulphate The curves in Fig. I are to be compared with those for Fig. 2, for which zinc sulphate is absent. This comparison shows that the influence of the zinc ion is usually small. Its influence is more marked, however, for chalcopyrite in the absence of cyanide. The influence of zinc sulphate is also marked for copper-activated sphalerite, for which tests were made only in the absence of cyanide. The results are of importance in the separation of pyrite from copper-activated sphalerite when zinc sulphate is added in the lead flotation section (p. 204 of ref. I). Sphalerite does not adsorb the collector (i.e., become floatable) under the conditions chosen.

Jan 1, 1942

By M. Murakami, Y. Murakami, O. Kawano

The formation and growth of Guinier-Preston zones in Al-Zn alloys containing 4.4, 6.8, 9.7, and 12.4 at. pct zn have been studied by the X-ray small-angle scattering method. Particular attention was paid to the effects of small amounts of third elements silver, silicon, and magnesium on the formation and growth of G.P. zones. It was noticed that an appreciable number of G.P. zones were formed during the course of rapid cooling and that the size, volume fraction, and number of these G.P. zones were influenced by the existence of the third elements. During subsequent aging it was also found that the addition of both silver and silicon lowered the temperature for the growth of G.P. zones, whereas the addition of magnesium raised it. These results were explained in terms of the mutual interactions among zinc atoms, vacancies, and the third elements. A number of studies on the formation and growth of Guinier-Preston zones in Al-Zn alloys have been reported.1-4 Panseri and Federighii have found that the initial stages of zone growth take place at temperatures as low as around -100°C. For investigation of the mechanism of the initial stages of zone growth, growth studies must be carried out at low temperatures. In order to investigate the possibility of the formation of G.P. zones by the nucleation mechanism or the spinodal decomposition during quenching which was reported by Rundman and Hilliard,5 the examination of the as-quenched structure must be performed. In this paper the investigation of the early stages of the formation and growth were determined by means of the X-ray small-angle scattering method. With this technique, change of X-ray scattering intensities was measured while quenched specimens were heated slowly from liquid-nitrogen temperature to room temperature. At as-quenched state and after heated to room temperature, investigation of zone size, volume fraction, and zone number per unit volume was carried out. Measurements on these specimens yielded information on the early stages of zone formation and growth. Measurements were made also on specimens quenched to and aged at room temperature. From these measurements the previously reported model6 for the later stages of growth is confirmed; namely, the larger zones grow at the expense of smaller ones. Three elements, silver, silicon, and magnesium, were chosen as the third elements for the following reasons: Silver. In the binary A1-Ag alloy the spherical disordered 77' zones were observed immediately after quenching.7 Therefore, in the Al-Zn-Ag alloys, it is suggested that silver atoms might induce cluster formation during quenching. Also, since the migration energy of the zinc atoms was found to be raised by the addition of silver atoms,' silver atoms may have a great effect of the zinc diffusion, especially during low-temperature agings. Silicon. The effects of the addition of silicon atoms were found to be marked, especially at low-tempera-ture aging. In the binary Zn-Si system, no mutual solid solubilities between silicon and zinc9 and no in-termetallic compounds10 are reported to exist. Shashkov and Buynov11 investigated the behavior of silicon atoms in Al-Zn alloys and showed that silicon was not in the G.P. zones. The interaction between silicon atoms and vacancies is strong enough to increase the quenched-in vacancy concentration.* Magnesium. Magnesium atoms are reported to trap quenched-in vacancies and after much longer aging times these trapped vacancies will become free and act as diffusion carriers.13 Therefore at intermediate aging times, the diffusion of zinc atoms in Al-Zn-Mg alloys will be slower than in the binary Al-Zn alloys, whereas at longer times zinc diffusion will become faster. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The alloys used in this investigation had compositions of 4.4, 6.8, 9.7, and 12.4 at. pct Zn with or without 0.1 and 0.5 at. pct Ag, Si, or Mg. The alloys were prepared from high-purity aluminum, zinc, silver, silicon, and magnesium, with each metal having a purity better than 99.99 pct. The analyzed composition of the specimens is given in Table I. The measurements of the X-ray small-angle scattering were carried out with foils of 0.20 mm thick. The change of the scattering intensity was always measured at the fixed scattering angle of 20 = 2/3 deg. This angle exists nearly on the position of the intensity maximum. The value of the interparticle interference function14 which has large effect in this range of angles may not change abruptly in the case of the spherical shape of small zones. Therefore, from the above considerations, it is concluded that an increase of the intensity measured at this constant angle corresponds to an increase of the average radius and volume fraction of G.P. zones. The specimens were homogenized at 500°, 450°, and 300°C for 1 hr in an air furnace. For the study of the formation and growth at low temperatures, the foil

Jan 1, 1970

By Arthur F. Taggart, G. R. M. Del Giudice, M. Hassialis, A. M. Saddler

Flotation of sulphide minerals and native metals is no longer a practical difficulty. The underlying scientific principles of the method, although not explored in anything like complete detail, have been formulated with sufficient breadth so that the direction of attack on any specific case is clearly indicated. It has been known since the earliest days of flotation that certain of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals—e.g., sulphur and graphite—would respond to flotation by oils as sulphides do; therefore they have been grouped with sulphides in many patents. But since the development of the chemical theory of collection,1,2,3 this similarity in action has been one of the facts cited in disproof of the theory by opponents of the hypothesis.4,5,6 Air levitation† of certain oxidized minerals, both metalliferous‡ and nonmetalliferous, and separation thereby from other oxidized minerals, is a recent development in practice, although the discovery of the method dates back 17 years7 This paper presents evidence that the principles underlying the air levita-tion of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals are the same as those utilized in the flotation of the sulphides and native metals. It will be apparent immediately to anyone with knowledge of mineral concentration that separation of air-levitated minerals in water from minerals not so levitated is a simple matter of water-gravity concentration, the separating device employed depending solely upon the size of the particles treated and the buoyancy differences effected by the levita-tion. The usual separating means employed are: (1) a flotation machine for fine, slimy and for well aerated granular material; (2) shaking tables for granular less aerated material. By using large quantities of oil, it is possible to form substantially air-free oil-bound masses or granules of nonsiliceous minerals and to

Jan 1, 1939

By A. M. Saddler, G. R. M. Del Giudice, Arthur F. Taggart, M. Hassialis

Flotation of sulphide minerals and native metals is no longer a practical difficulty. The underlying scientific principles of the method, although not explored in anything like complete detail, have been formulated with sufficient breadth so that the direction of attack on any specific case is clearly indicated. It has been known since the earliest days of flotation that certain of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals—e.g., sulphur and graphite—would respond to flotation by oils as sulphides do; therefore they have been grouped with sulphides in many patents. But since the development of the chemical theory of collection,1,2,3 this similarity in action has been one of the facts cited in disproof of the theory by opponents of the hypothesis.4,5,6 Air levitation† of certain oxidized minerals, both metalliferous‡ and nonmetalliferous, and separation thereby from other oxidized minerals, is a recent development in practice, although the discovery of the method dates back 17 years7 This paper presents evidence that the principles underlying the air levita-tion of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals are the same as those utilized in the flotation of the sulphides and native metals. It will be apparent immediately to anyone with knowledge of mineral concentration that separation of air-levitated minerals in water from minerals not so levitated is a simple matter of water-gravity concentration, the separating device employed depending solely upon the size of the particles treated and the buoyancy differences effected by the levita-tion. The usual separating means employed are: (1) a flotation machine for fine, slimy and for well aerated granular material; (2) shaking tables for granular less aerated material. By using large quantities of oil, it is possible to form substantially air-free oil-bound masses or granules of nonsiliceous minerals and to

Jan 1, 1939

By E. V. Daveler

The milling plant of the Alaska-Gastineau Mining Co. is located at the town of Thane, Alaska, on Gastineau Channel, 4 mi. south of Juneau and directly across the channel from the Ready Bullion mine of the Treadwell mines on Douglas Island. Previous to the organization of the Alaska-Gastineau Mining Co., in 1912, the milling was done at the stamp mill of the Alaska Perseverance Co. located at the mine in Silver Bow Basin. But the contemplated increase in production made it necessary to locate the mill on Gastineau Channel, as not enough water was available at the mine during the winter months, nor was there room for taking care of the large tonnage of tailings that would ultimately be discarded from the mill. Character of Ore The gold and silver values occur in quartz lenses associated with pyrrhotite, galena, arsenical pyrites, and zinc blende. These lenses occur in large bodies of slate, schist, and metagabbro, which also carry some valuable metallic contents. With the essential low cost of mining, it was necessary to mine large bodies of low-grade material containing the high-grade streaks. Of the minerals, pyrrhotite, the magnetic sulfide of iron, is predominant, and galena is the next sulfide present in quantity. The gold occurs free and coarse and associated with the iron sulfide in its finer state. The silver occurs with the lead or is alloyed with the gold. A chemical analysis of the ore shows Silver............ 0.10 oz. Magnesia......... 0.4 per cent. Silica............. 59.7percent. Sulfur............ 1.2 per cent. Iron.............. 5.2 per cent. Lead............. 0.1 per cent. Alumina.......... 21.4percent. Zinc............. 0.2percent.. Lime............. 5.0 per cent. Experimental Work Investigations at the old Perseverance stamp mill had developed the following points: Roughing concentration following stamping gives a fair recovery.

Jan 1, 1920

By H. N. Kalia, J. B. Gresham

Several attempts have been made in the past 60 years to commercialize the vast oil shale deposits of the US. However, the industry has yet to become economically viable. To date, it has not been possible to produce oil from oil shales at a competitive price compared with oil produced by conventional methods. The development work, nevertheless, has been fruitful in furthering the art of thick bed mining and technology of in situ retorting. The in situ method has the potential of recovering oil from thick beds, and the resource recovery potential is much greater than that from underground mining and surface retorting. In situ methods require that the shales/marlstones be fragmented in place to induce adequate porosity and permeability to allow in situ heating of the fragmented shales. This can be accomplished by using explosives. However, it has been found that the existing blasting systems, though very efficient, have some drawbacks. The explosives become insensitive when shot in multiplevertical decks. They can also become insensitive when spaced horizontally at close proximity to other charges. Also, since the blasting is done in a very limited free face, the delay time that can be allowed between charges is also quite limited. Consequently, it is not always possible to routinely predict the performance of the blasting system. Furthermore, since it is not possible to undertake secondary blasting, it is imperative that the blast design function properly. Recent successful retorting by Occidental Petroleum Co. Of Retorts 7 and 8 suggests that some of these problems may have been overcome. This paper addresses some aspects of in situ retorting and problems that have impeded the development of a viable oil shale industry in the US.

Jan 1, 1986

By C. P. Watson

Economics has been defined as the useful application of wealth or material resources. The search of alchemists in the Middle Ages for s formula by which base metals might be transmuted into gold was no more intensive than has been the search by all branches of the oil industry for methods whereby the rnatcrial resources of West Texas in the nature of sulfur-bearing oil might be usefully applied. The purpose of this paper is to present in brief space developments that are conceded to possess economic significance. History The first discovery of oil in commercial quantities in the Permian Basin of West Texas was the Westbrook field in Mitchell County in 1920. Three years later the discovery well in the Big Lake field was cornpleted as a small pumper (70 bbl.) at a depth of 3028 ft. In 1925, discovery of the Powell or World pool in Crockett County stimulated activities in the Permian Basin, further establishing the importance of the Permian limestones as sources of production. The years 1925 and 1926 were marked by a period of extensive leasing and drilling activities. At the close of 1926 more than 7,000,000 acres had been leased and discovery wells completed in the Hurdle, Hendricksand Yates fields, definitely establishing the importance of the Permian Basin as a source of production from free-flowing wells. Review of Fields The producing fields in the Permian Basin are grouped on three distinct lines of folding. These may be separately identified as the Big Lake-Powell fold; the Yates, Hurdle, and Church-McElroy area and the Winkler County development. Production is derived from a porous limestone stratigraphically uniform, encountered at depths varying from 900 to 3100 ft. Lenticular sand bodies above the lime in Howard County have resulted in the

Jan 1, 1928

By George B. Clark

Many basic engineering principles of all four phases of mining operations, namely, prospecting, exploration, development, and exploitation, can be analyzed better in terms of quantitative geology. Geological data from both field and laboratory will also complement scientific methods now being developed. THE geological data emphasized so successfully in prospecting for new deposits, that is, structural controls, strength of solutions, and type of mineralization, are basically those required for successful exploitation. In the mining of newly discovered deposits the most economical methods should be employed as early as possible to keep the overall cost per unit produced at a minimum and to permit maximum extraction of valuable minerals. A crucial question is: How can geological data be translated into useful quantitative results which will aid in achieving this end? H. E. McKinistry' has suggested that a solution may be reached in one of two ways: 1—the usual approach, use of judgment based on experience; or 2—mathematical calculations and tests on models, both subject to certain limitations. He also suggests that in addition to better use of geology more case data and theoretical data are needed on which to base sound judgment. Further research, therefore, is necessary. Perhaps in this field the emphasis should be on more specialization in mining methods and ground movement by men with thorough training in physics, engineering, geology, and underground mining. These specialists would be equipped to point out the most economical and scientific methods of exploitation. Selection of a stoping method is governed by the amount and type of support a deposit will require in the process of being mined, or by the possibility of employing the structure of the deposit to advantage in mining the ore by a caving method. In addition to these factors there are others which almost invariably influence the choice of an economical method of mining:' 1—strength of ore and wall rocks; 2—shape, horizontal area, volume, and regularity of the boundaries of the orebody, and thickness, dip and/or pitch of the deposit and individual ore shoots; 3—grade, distribution of minerals, and continuity of the ore within the boundaries of the deposit; 4—depth below surface and nature of the capping or overburden: and 5—position of the de- posit relative to surface improvements, drainage, and other mine openings. In the final analysis it is usually necessary to disregard the less important of these factors to satisfy the requirements of the more important. Because of the variation of geological conditions throughout and surrounding the deposit, no mining method will be everywhere ideally applicable to the conditions encountered in one ore deposit. The immediate problem is to interpret the above physical characteristics of deposits in terms of geological characteristics. Very few quantitative geological data are available on the factors related to a choice of mining methods. However, there are many descriptive data in mining and geological literature which collectively show how important an effect details of geology have upon all phases of mining operations. The following categories of basic mining methods were investigated to establish the geological factors that have affected their successful application: 1— open stopes with pillars; 2—sublevel stoping; 3— shrinkage stoping; 4—cut-and-fill stoping; 5— square-set mining; 6—top slicing and sublevel caving; and 7—block caving. It should be noted that the first five of these methods are listed in the order of increasing support requirements. Mines were selected as examples only where geological descriptions were complete enough to warrant their use. A study of the geological factors involved in mining operations led to a choice of the following classifications, employed in Table I: 1—structural type of orebody; 2—dimensions (geometry); 3— country rock (type); 4—faulting, folding, and fracturing; 5—alteration of ore and rock; 6—type of mineralization; and 7—geological factors determining mining method (summary). Of these factors only one yielded results that can be defined from available data in a quantitative manner, i.e., dimensions of the deposit. These are the most reliable guides that can be used in selection of suitable mining methods. They are, in general, the properties of geologic structure most difficult to evaluate by studies of models, pho-toelastic studies, and other laboratory methods, all of which are at present more limited in their applications than the geologic method. Application of geology has proved a reliable guide in other phases

Jan 1, 1955

[Separates of all the Technical Publications published in 1928 are available at Institute headquarters. All the papers are on file in public, university and technical libraries, and when so indicated in the list, may be found either in the TRANSACTIONS or in the special volumes issued by the Institute.; METAL MINING TECH- NICAL TRANS. PUBLI- TITLE AUTHOR MEETING VOLUME CATION AND PAGE* No. 50 The Eötvös Torsion Balance D. C. Barton New York Method of Mapping Geologic Feb., 1928 Structure 52 A Cartographic Correction for the C. A. Heiland New York Eötvös Torsion Balance Feb., 1928 61 Liquid-oxygen Blasting at Chuqui- H. C. Schultz, New York camata, Chile F. K. Middleton Hunter Feb., 1928 76, 108, 123 64 Working Methods of Practical Geo- Hans Haalck New York physics Feb., 1928 65 Experiments with Eötvös Torsion P. W. George New York Balance in the Tri-State Zinc and Feb., 1928 Lead District 74 Gravity Surveying in Great Britain H. Shaw New York Feb., 1928 75 The Computation of Eötvös Gravity E. Lancaster-Jones New York Effects Feb., 1928 82 Earth-resistivity Measurements in W. O. Hotchkiss, New York the Lake Superior Copper Country W. J. Rooney, Feb., 1928 James Fisher 83 Mining Methods and Records at the Roy W. Moore New York 76, 56, 90 United Eastern Mine Feb., 1928 98 Recent Results in Electrical Pros- Hans Lundberg New York specting for Ore Feb., 1928 101 Relation between the Oxygen Bal- G. St. J. Perrott, New York ance and Propulsive Strength of N. A. Tolch, Feb., 1928 Eight Gelatin Dynamites J. E. Crawshaw 102 Effect of Oxygen Balance of Gelatin G. W. Jones, New York Dynamites on the Gaseous Prod- G. St. J. Perrott Feb., 1928 ucts of Detonation 108 The Financial Report of a Min- Henry B. Fernald New York ing Company-Its Content and Feb., 1928 Meaning 116 What Duty to Support the Surface R. G. Bosworth New York Does a Subsurface Owner Owe? Feb., 1927 136 Comparison of Branch Raise and C. A. Mitke Los Angeles 76, 93, 103 Combined Shrinkage and Caving Sept., 1928 Methods 141 A Mining Company Balance Sheet G. F. Wolff New York Feb., 1928

Jan 1, 1927

THE 143d* meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers was held in New York, Feb. 19-22, 1934. It consisted of the annual business meeting, 45 technical sessions at which 217 papers were presented (more than ever before), two sessions of the Board of Directors, two meetings of Section delegates, three formal lectures, luncheon Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for members and guests, three group dinners and five group luncheons, eight committee meetings, the annual reception and dinner dance, an informal dance, a smoke-dinner and the annual meeting of the Woman's Auxiliary. Attendance showed an improvement over the previous year, as follows: Total, 1534 in 1934, and 1475 in 1933; dinner dance, 543 and 426; smoker-dinner, 425 and 394; informal dance, 295 and 250; women's registration, 160 and 133; luncheons, 1034 and 734. The Coal Division held a general session and three sessions on Coal classification. It also met jointly with the Committee on Ground Movement and Subsidence. At the general session, John B. Dilworth presented a report of the Committtee on Methods of Valuing Coal Proper- ties and R. H. Sweetser a report of the Committee on Evaluation of Coal for Blast-furnace Coke. C. B Huntress, Executive Secretary of the National Coal Association, was the principal speaker at a luncheon on Monday, at which Eli T. Conner, Chairman of the Division, presided H. N. Eavenson, newly elected President of the Institute, and Edward W Parker, Secretary-Treasurer, of the Anthracite Institute, also spoke. The Executive Committee of the Division met Tuesday afternoon. The Sectional Committee on Classification of Coal met on Thursday morning and the Technical Committees on Scientific and Use Classification of Coal on Thursday afternoon. The Committee on Mining Methods held two general sessions, one for presentation of a half-dozen interesting papers on strictly mining subjects, the other on Aerial Transportation. It also participated jointly in a session on ground movement and subsidence with the committee of that name and the Coal Division The Institute's Standing Committee on Aviation had its inception at the session on Aerial Transportation

Jan 1, 1935

By W. W. Norton

THE gradually increasing proportion of sulphide ores which lead smelters of to-day are called upon to handle has caused the roasting problem to become one of ever greater importance. We may look back a score of years or so and recall the old hand roasters, some of which turned out a finely divided roasted product, and others fashioned with a "fuse-box" wherein the roasted ore was slagged. Then came mechanical furnaces of several types, the Brückner cylinder, the Brown-O'Harra, the Ropp, and others, all designed to cut out the cumbersome hand labor of the old reverberatories. Roasting costs were thereupon reduced and tonnages stimulated to a gratifying extent. However, it seems to have been early recognized that this very feature of a greater amount of roasted sulphide ore as compared with oxide ore brought with it a train of difficulties at the blast furnaces. The mechanically roasted ore was fine physically, the blast furnaces were choked and the troubles of the smelterman were not at an end. Then the Huntington-Heberlein pot system of roasting appeared upon the scene, and later on the Dwight-Lloyd machines were invented, and inasmuch as both of these processes were designed not only to roast the ore but to agglomerate it as well, it was apparent that distinct steps in advance has been achieved. At the Murray plant, modern up-to-date roasting practice is fully exemplified and there are now in successful operation roasting furnaces or devices of several sorts: namely, Godfrey revolving-hearth furnaces, Wedge multiple-hearth mechanical roasters, Dwight-Lloyd. sintering machines, and Huntington-Heberlein pots. Godfrey and Wedge furnaces will properly handle material high in sulphur, say ores with 25, 30, and 35 per cent. of that element; D. &.L. machines and H. & H. pots will positively not treat efficiently ores or mixtures containing anywhere near the sulphur content mentioned, but are confined to charges containing in the neighborhood of 15 or 18 per cent. In passing, it may also be explained that, so far as the knowledge of the writer goes, Godfrey and Wedge furnaces do not economically eliminate sulphur to an extent

Jan 8, 1914

By Raymond C. Johnson

GASIFICATION is important to the anthracite industry, as it is to the entire solid-fuel industry and to the nation. However, to the anthracite industry it may have particular significance in that it would increase the market value of many millions of tons of a by-product fuel, which the industry now has in storage and is currently producing, in addition to increasing the potential market for all its products. The by-product fuel is of usable quality but the ash content is higher than it can be in other products and therefore it must be converted or used at the point of production. Gasification is one method by which the product may be given increased value. The inherent characteristics of anthracite make it well suited for producing a fuel or synthesis gas. It is the most concentrated form of natural commercial carbon, noncaking and noncoking; it does not produce smoke, tar, or soot and has a low sulphur content; and the volatile matter, which ranges between 2 and 8 pct, is 80 to 85 pct hydrogen with small amounts of methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen. The ash fuses at high temperatures, which allows it to be burned at high rates without slagging. However, with the addition of small amounts of dolomite, the ash will form a slag, or glass, which is very fluid. Anthracite has long been used in the manufacture of city gas and it is extensively used in various parts of the country to make water gas to be converted to hydrogen. Buckwheat and rice anthracite are used in Galusha producers to make producer gas. Excellent synthesis gas has been made in a Galusha producer with rice and barley anthracite with oxygen in tests at the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co., Trail, British Columbia. In these tests, anthracite was shown to have advantages over competitive fuels, in that the gas had a higher hydrogen content and could be cleaned with less difficulty. The anthracite seams are steeply pitching and in mining the parting strata and some of the roof and bottom materials are taken with the coal. In preparation, these materials are separated by gravity from the commercial product and stored in refuse banks. This refuse contains a mixture of rock, slate, or shale, and high-ash anthracite with bone coal, which is low-ash coal that is interspersed with thin bands of shale. The bone coal contains between 25 and 50 pct ash with an average ash content of approximately 30 pct, with a

Jan 1, 1953

By William Hurst

Muskat's depletion performance equation is here derived considering the expansion behavior of the reservoir hydrocarbon system and a simple fractional-flow equation. This nietkod of derivation leads logically to the two extensions that follow. The first of these is concerned with gravity segregation in a depletion-drive reservoir. The second is concerned with including an empirically determined tern? for water influx in the performance equation. The more general equation for gravity segregation when there is a primary gas cap and empirically-determined water influx is stated for completeness. These equations have been found useful in reservoir performance calculations in Eastern Venezuela. A discussion on the methods of solving these equations follows, and considers firstly the effect of taking finite intervals in the numerical integration, and sec-ondly, methods of incorporating the time functions involved in segregation in with the expansion behavior. The paper concludes with a brief general discussion on further extensions to the depletion performance equation. INTRODUCTION The two fundamental sources of energy by which oil is produced from a reservoir result from pressure depletion inside the boundaries of the reservoir and fluid encroachment across the boundaries of the reservoir. The wells in either case form low pressure outlets through which oil and gas may be produced by the expansive force of the reservoir fluids and associated encroaching fluids. When the reservoir pressure is higher than the bubble-point pressure of the oil, so that there is no free gas in the reservoir, these expansive forces are the only ones available for the production of oil. However, when the reservoir pressure is less than the bubble-point pressure of the oil, free gas is vaporized as the pressure falls. With both oil and free-gas phases present, the additional forces of gravity and capillarity may operate on the gas-oil system, as they have previously operated on the oil-interstitial water system. Gravity tends to segregate the free gas from the oil due to their density difference. Capillarity opposes and eventually balances gravity as the more extreme free gas and oil saturations are reached, preventing the independent move- ment of free gas until it is above a certain saturation, and the independent movement of oil when it is below a certain saturation. The type of depletion performance equation chosen for predicting the future performance of a reservoir depends on the amount of past history available. When the reservoir is somewhere past the halfway mark in depletion, some form of decline curve is often used. With less past history, material balance equations which incorporate empirical factors based on the past performance are often used. When, however, the amount of past history is small, the Muskat depletion performance equation will usually be used. The distinguishing feature of this type of equation is that empirical factors based on the over-all or macroscopic reservoir behavior are almost or entirely absent. Each parameter affecting the reservoir performance is ascribed an independent set of values based on measurements made on laboratory samples; that is, incorporating microscopic empirical factors. In establishing Muskat-type depletion performance equations, it is necessary to consider the reservoir as consisting of a number of associated blocks, in each of which the saturations and pressures may be considered uniform, and in each of which all substances have uniform pressure-volume characteristics. Thus, a primary gas cap can usually be considered as one block and an aquifer as another. Gravity segregation may be negligible for practical purposes when the rock and oil properties are adverse and/or the dip or thickness of the reservoir is too small. In this case the whole oil leg may be considered as one block, except in very large reservoirs. In very large reservoirs the fluid and rock properties may vary enough, particularly in the dip direction, for it to be necessary to divide the oil leg into a number of blocks, in each of which the relevant quantities may be considered uniform. When gravity segregation of the oil and free gas is not negligible, it is necessary to consider the space occupied by the initial oil leg as divided into two blocks, a secondary gas cap and an effective oil leg, in each of which saturations may be considered to be uniform. The total volume of these two blocks is thus constant, but the secondary gas cap grows continuously at the expense of the oil leg. Muskat1 derived depletion performance equations for the basic case of an oil reservoir with closed boundaries and without segregation, and for the case of an oil

By E. C. Nelson

An equation is derived for calculating approximately the solubility of nitrogen in an alloy steel over a temperature range from 1200" to 1900°C using data on the effects of alloys on the activity coefficient of nitrogen in iron at 1600°C. Calculated values are compared with experimental data. STUDIES involving the solubility of nitrogen in complex iron alloys have been aided by a system devised by Lanenberg for calculating the solubility of nitrogen in ternary and higher alloys of iron at 1600C using available data on the activity coefficient of nitrogen in binary alloys. Calculated nitrogen solubilities agree well with experimental determinations on complex alloys,' and the calculation procedure is useful when experimental data on specific alloys are not required. A method for extending calculations of nitrogen solubilities in alloy steels to temperatures other than 1600°C would be useful because of the paucity of experimental data in this area. Assumptions which must be made to permit this calculation introduce an element of approximation; however, the calculation is useful in cases where a large number of alloys and temperatures are under consideration, and the precision of experimental measurements is not required. The activity coefficient can be freed from the isothermal restriction of Langenberg's calculation if it is assumed that the solution is "regular". This is a reasonably good assumption for solutions of nitrogen in iron alloys, because usually they are dilute and the heat of solution is relatively small. The presence of large amounts of certain alloying elements would make this assumption less tenable.3 One of the properties of a regular solution is: when "f" is the activity coefficient of a solute and "T" is the temperature in OK. If the activity coefficients at temperatures T and T2 are denoted by subscripts 1 and 2 respectively: The activity coefficient of nitrogen in a complex alloy then can be calculated at any temperature from the sum of the effects of the other solutes on the activity coefficient of nitrogen at 1600°C. It will be convenient to incorporate this expression into an equation which will give directly the logarithm of the solubility of nitrogen at any temperature in the presence of alloys. Two constants, the solubility of nitrogen in pure iron at 1600 "C and the partial molar heat of solution of nitrogen in iron are required. The heat of solution value of 1400 cal at 1600 °C quoted by Kubaschewski and vans will be used. The accuracy of the calculation will suffer if the heat of solution should change materially with temperature. In the absence of experimental data on the temperature dependence of this quantity, it will be expedient to restrict the application of the calcula-

Jan 1, 1963