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By J. R. Linney

APPROXIMATELY 5,788,000 long tons of crude ore was produced by the Eastern magnetite industry in 1946, or a drop of 26 per cent compared -with 1945. Decrease in production -throughout the industry varied from :8 per cent for the mine with the lowest reduction to 49 per cent for the mine -with the highest reduction. At the Chateaugay mine, operated by :the Republic Steel Corp. at Lyon Mountain, N. Y., 426,900 long tons of crude ,ore was produced, yielding 129,500 long tons of concentrates or a reduction of 46 per cent compared with the previous year. Owing to a strike the mine was closed down from Jan. 21 to July 29. At the Mineville mines, also operated by Republic Steel, output was 755,000 long tons of crude ore or a reduction of 49 per cent compared with 1945. The yield from the crude ore production consisted of 51,500 long tons of lump ore and 380,000 long tons of concentrates. The Mineville plant did not operate from March 17 through July 28, on account of the strike. The Fisher Hill mine, which produced 93,000 long tons of crude ore, included in the above figures, has not operated since March 17, 1946.

Jan 1, 1947

By T. C. Craig

For the year 1934, there were 382 oi1 wells completed for a total initial of 146,965 bbl. Fifty-three wells were deepened for a total increase of 8363 bbl., bringing the total volume of new oil to 155,328 bbl. As of Jan. 1, 1934, the daily potential of the field as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission was 159,740 bbl. Of this amount 26,429 bbl. is "marginal oil," and 2682 bbl. is exempt on account of water. In December, 1934, the daily potential was established by the Railroad Commission as being 297,501 bbl. with a daily allowable of 56,800 bbl. Of this amount 31,993 bbl. is "marginal oil," and 2183 bbl. is exempt on account of water. There has been no field-wide test made during the year, and as a result the rated potential of the field is in all probability much higher than the actual potential. As each new well comes in, a five-day test is made under the supervision of the Railroad Commission. The potential thus established is added to the field potential and shares its pro rata part of the market outlet, which is the allowable production, no allowance

Jan 1, 1935

By Linn M. Farish

The estimated production of petroleum in the Dominion of Canada for 1931 was 1,582,000 bbl., an increase of 60,000 bbl. over 1930. Nearly all of the production came from Alberta, with a small quantity from Ontario, and a very minor amount reported from New Brunswick. At the beginning of 1931 it was hoped, and predicted, that a substantial increase in production would be shown for that year, but such was not the case, since Alberta did not show the anticipated gain. The production from Ontario and New Brunswick has not varied more than a few thousand barrels during the past 10 years and aggregated 124,000 bbl. in 1930, with 126,600 bbl. estimated for 1931. Unless new fields are discovered, production in 1932 will decline, with Ontario and New Brunswick showing little change and Alberta declining appreciably. Canadian production by provinces during the past 10 years is given in Table 1. Furnished by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. a Barrels of 35 Imperial gallons or 42 U. S. gallons. c Figures for Ontario and New Brunswick are estimated. The production of natural gas in Canada reached the record figure of 29,377,000,000 cu. ft. in 1930 and it is estimated at 26,874,600,000

Jan 1, 1932

JAMES DOUGLAS Dr. James Douglas, twice President of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, and one of its principal benefactors, died in New York on June 25, 1918, at the age of 81 years. After a life of extraordinary activity, failure of his health compelled him to retire about 2 or 3 years ago, and in view of his advanced years his death was not unexpected. His funeral was held at the Church of the Mediator, on June 26, and was attended by representatives of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and of the Canadian Mining Institute. His body was then taken to Quebec for burial in the family plot. An extended notice of Dr. Douglas, prepared by Dr. R. W. Raymond, will be presented in the September issue of the Bulletin. LEWIS NEWTON BAILEY Lewis Newton Bailey died of pneumonia at Camp Merritt, N. J., April 30, 1918, at. the age of 34 years. He was Master Engineer, .Senior Grade, in the Fourth Regiment, U. S. Engineers; and although he was offered a commission as First Lieutenant shortly after enlisting, he preferred not to accept it until he had reached France. By those who knew him well, this lack of eagerness for promotion will be recognized as consistent with his whole character.

Jan 8, 1918

Minute of the Board of Directors, Jan. 26, 1917 In the name of all the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, this Board extends to. Mr. Herbert C. Hoover, an honored Vice-President of the Institute, on the occasion of his present temporary return to his native land, the cordial welcome of his colleagues, and their congratulations upon the noble work splendidly done by the Commission for Relief in Belgium of which he is the head. It is understood that a leading purpose of Mr. Hoover's visit to America at this time is the collection of additional funds, to be administered by his Commission in the care of the destitute children of Belgium. To this enterprise endorsed by both the belligerent parties, as well as inspired by the purest and tenderest sentiments of humanity, contributions are solicited from engineers, especially through an organization known as the "Belgian Kiddies Limited," which this Board, heartily approving its object and method, recommends to the consideration of the members of the Institute. On motion duly seconded it was unanimously VOTED.-That this minute be spread upon the record of the Board, and published in the Bulletin, and that a copy thereof be transmitted to Mr. Hoover, and to the San Francisco Section of the Institute.

Jan 3, 1917

By E. A. Anderson

In 1918 the American Society for Testing Materials held a symposium2 on what was then known as season cracking. The sessions included six papers, all on brass. During the ensuing 26 yr., many new workers have come into the field and several other metals have been found subject to failure by stress-corrosion cracking when the right combination of stress and environment is achieved. It is not surprising, therefore, that the present symposium has brought forth 29 papers covering alloys of seven important metals. The phenomenon of stress-corrosion cracking is not necessarily confined to these seven metals. Dix3 has stated, "Indeed, it is probable that ingenious investigators can find solutions which will stress-corrosion crack any known metal or alloy." Mears, Brown, and Dix4 have indicated that stress- corrosion cracking failures are not necessarily limited to metals but may include the plastics. It is to be expected that the increase in the number of metals known to crack in service and the general emphasis on such failures at a symposium such as this will alarm many to whom the subject is un- familiar. Such alarm is not justified by the record. It is true that stress-corrosion

Jan 1, 1945

No. 264. A long established company operating steel and iron foundries, machine and forge shops, whose varied products are sold to the Government, railroads, mining and contracting industries, etc., has, openings in both manufacturing and selling departments for men with technical education and experience who are not subject to military call. State full particulars, kind of position preferred and salary expected. No. 265. Young man wanted, technical graduate preferred, to superintend construction f a small charcoal blast furnace. Man with blast-furnace experience preferred. For the right kind of man this is, not only a permanent job but an opportunity. In writing, give full particulars as to age, education, experience, salary wanted, etc. No. 26.6. An important copper mining and smelting company in Arizona needs two or three metallurgical chemists, at salaries. ranging front $150 to $175 per month. No. 267. A consulting mining engineer needs two superintendents for developing chrome deposits near Philadelphia; and another technical man for other engineering work in the same vicinity. No. 268. An iron-mining company, in New York State needs a mining engineer with knowledge of geology and acquaintance with construction work; A married man, with about 10 years' engineering experience preferred.

Jan 2, 1918

US 4,133,866-Selective recovery of the bound sodium content of red mud obtained in the production of alumina by the Bayer process The red mud is mixed with aqueous ferric sulfate, the resulting suspension stirred intensively at a temperature of 15-85°C and adjusted to a pH value of from 4.4 to 4 6, and the solids are removed. The clarified solution of sodium sulfate can be used directly for the leaching of additional bauxite T Lakatos, M Miskei, J Szolnoki, F. Toth, and L Revesz, assigned to Aluminiumipan Tervezo es Kutato Intezet, Almasfuzitoi Timfoldgyar, and MTA Geokemiai Kutatolaboratorium. Jan. 9, 1979. 3 pp (423-208). Filed: 10¬28-77 (846,588) Priority: Hungary, 10-29-76 (AU 364). US 4,145,398-Continuous digestion of bauxite with aqueous sodium hydroxide, with higher throughput in existing plants or the construction of smaller plants with equivalent capacity The ore suspension at a solids concentration of 1-6% by weight and temperature of 200-300°C is flowed through a digestion tube or nest of tubes at a velocity of preferably from 2 to 5 m/s and under a pressure of from 10 to 200 atm Heat is supplied by a fluid heat carrier flowing in countercurrent in a concentric outer tube. Preferably, some of the red mud is recycled to the digestion operation. L. Plass, assigned to Vereinigte Aluminium-Werke A.G Mar 20, 1979. 5 pp. (423-121) Filed: 2-27-76 (754,749) Same: British 1,437,548, dated May 26, 1976 Same Canadian 1,008,253, dated Apr 12, 1977. US 4,146,573-An aqueous slurry of red mud, formed in the Bayer process production of alumina from bauxite, can be solidified by treating the red mud with a described quaternary ammonium salt, continuing mixing until the red mud has set up to a rigid mass, and recovering the solidified concentrated red mud J Kane, assigned to Nalco Chemical Co Mar 27, 1979 4 pp (423-82). Filed 8-2-78 (930,251).

Jan 1, 1980

By A. L. Holley

The first session was held in the rooms of the American Philosophical Society, on Tuesday evening, February 26th. The President, Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, called the meeting to order, and after a few introductory remarks concerning the importance of theoretical and speculative science, which often involves principles of the highest economic value, and, more than all that, serves to enlarge our conceptions of the universe, and ennoble us, by the cultivation which it affords to our most exalted faculties, proceeded to discuss some points in the chemistry of the atmosphere. It is known that there is in the crust of the earth a great amount of oxidized carbon, not only in the shape of coal, but also in the graphite or plunlbago of the crystalline rocks, in the various bituminous shales or pyroschists, which are found in all succeeding rock-formations, and also in the forms of bitumen and petroleum. All the analogies of nature lead us to conclude that these various carbonaceous substances have had an organic origin, and have been generated by the deoxidation of carbonic acid, a process effected by the growing plant, and attended with the liberation of oxygen. He showed that the carbon of a layer of coal covering the whole earth's surface to the thickness of one meter, would, in its production from carbonic dioxide, liberate an amount of oxygen equal to that now present in our atmosphere. But bituminous coal contains also a large amount of hydrogen, derived from the deoxidation of water, which implies the liberation of a farther portion of oxygen. The amount from this latter source would equal, for the various coals and asphalts, from one-eighth to one-fourth, and, for the petroleums, onehalf of that set free in the deoxidation of the carbon which these hydrocarbonaceous bodies contain. From what we know of the composition of the stratified rocks, it is probable that they include an amount of deoxidized carbon and hydrogen many times greater than that contained in a layer of coal one meter in thickness, and, consequently, that the disengaged oxygen in past ages must have far exceeded that now present in our atmosphere. To this must be added

Jan 1, 1879

THE first session was held in the rooms of the American Philosophical Society, on Tuesday evening, February 26th. The President, Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, called the meeting to order, and after a few introductory remarks concerning the importance of theoretical and speculative science, which often involves principles of the highest economic value, and, more than all that, serves to enlarge our conceptions of the universe, and ennoble us, by the cultivation which it affords to our most exalted faculties, proceeded to discuss some points in the chemistry of the atmosphere. It is known that there is in the crust of the earth a great amount of oxidized carbon, not only in the shape of coal, but also in the graphite or plumbago of the crystalline rocks, in the various bituminous shales or pyroschists, which are found in all succeeding rock-formations, and also in the forms of bitumen and petroleum. All the analogies of nature lead us to conclude that these various carbonaceous substances have had an organic origin, and have been generated by the deoxidation of carbonic acid, a process effected by the growing plant, and attended with the liberation of oxygen. He showed that the carbon of a layer of coal covering the whole earth's surface to the thickness of one meter, would, in its production from carbonic dioxide, liberate an amount of oxygen equal to that now present in our atmosphere. But bituminous coal contains also a large amount of hydrogen, derived from the deoxidation of water, which implies the liberation of a farther portion of oxygen. The amount from this latter source would equal, for the various coals and asphalts, from one-eighth to one-fourth, and, for the petroleums, one-half of that set free in the deoxidation of the carbon which these hydrocarbonaceous bodies contain. From what we know of the composition of the stratified rocks, it is probable that they include an amount of deoxidized carbon and hydrogen many times greater than that contained in a layer of coal one meter in thickness, and, consequently, that the disengaged oxygen in past ages must have far exceeded that now present in our atmosphere. To this must be added

Jan 1, 1878

The first session was held in the rooms of the American Philosophical Society, on Tuesday evening, February 26th. The President, Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, called the meeting to order, and after a few introductory remarks concerning the importance of theoretical and speculative science, which often involves principles of the highest economic value, and, more than all that, serves to enlarge our conceptions of the universe, and ennoble us, by the cultivation which it affords to our most exalted faculties, proceeded to discuss some points in the chemistry of the atmosphere. It is known that there is in the crust of the earth a great amount of oxidized carbon, not only in the shape of coal, but also in the graphite or plunlbago of the crystalline rocks, in the various bituminous shales or pyroschists, which are found in all succeeding rock-formations, and also in the forms of bitumen and petroleum. All the analogies of nature lead us to conclude that these various carbonaceous substances have had an organic origin, and have been generated by the deoxidation of carbonic acid, a process effected by the growing plant, and attended with the liberation of oxygen. He showed that the carbon of a layer of coal covering the whole earth's surface to the thickness of one meter, would, in its production from carbonic dioxide, liberate an amount of oxygen equal to that now present in our atmosphere. But bituminous coal contains also a large amount of hydrogen, derived from the deoxidation of water, which implies the liberation of a farther portion of oxygen. The amount from this latter source would equal, for the various coals and asphalts, from one-eighth to one-fourth, and, for the petroleums, onehalf of that set free in the deoxidation of the carbon which these hydrocarbonaceous bodies contain. From what we know of the composition of the stratified rocks, it is probable that they include an amount of deoxidized carbon and hydrogen many times greater than that contained in a layer of coal one meter in thickness, and, consequently, that the disengaged oxygen in past ages must have far exceeded that now present in our atmosphere. To this must be added

Jan 1, 1879

By Charles M. Rolker

The Mariposa estate, a grant made by the Mexican Government to Juan 13. Alvarado, during the time when California was still under the dominion of Mexico, was purchased in 1847 by J. C. Fremont, and the United States patent issued to him in 1856. By sale, or its equivalent, money advanced, the property came into the hands of the Mariposa Company, June 25th, 1863, and through a varied existence of work and temporary inactivity, has as yet been kept as an undivided property, and rests at present with the Mariposa Land and Mining Company of California. I pass over this period of 15 years without giving the history of the ups and downs of the estate, partly because it is familiar to many, and also because I think in such a case this paper would assume too much the character of a narrative. The estate is situated in Mariposa County, California, about 170 miles southeast of San Francisco. It begins in lat. 37' 26' 38'' north, and long. 119' 55' west, and runs 6 miles north; thence 69 miles west; thence 5 miles northwesterly towards the Merced River; thence 84 miles southerly; thence 3 miles easterly; thence 1 mile southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence 2 miles southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence 1 mile southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence 1 mile northerly, and thence 2 miles easterly to the place of the beginning; embracing 44,387 acres (70 sq. miles) more or less. To describe this vast estate in detail as to its full geology, its numerous quartz veins, its many facilities to exploit them and work them by cheap methods, would lead me further than I intend to go at present, and I will content myself to describe the latest workings of the company and its immediate field of operations. As long ago as 1860 the late Dr. Adelberg advised the running of an adit from the northwestern edge of the estate at Benton Mills 011 the Mereed River. His object was to undercut the deepest workings of the then paying mines on the estate—the Pine Tree and Josephine. Following this advice, the tunnel known as "River Tunnel " was commenced. Its entrance is in S. 5, T. 4, s. R. 17 E. It is run in

Jan 1, 1879

By T. Sterry Hunt

WET processes for the extraction of copper from its ores have of late attracted much attention, especially in Europe, where the use of oupriferous iron-pyrites as a' source of sulphur prevails. These processes present an additional interest, when, as is often the case, the copper-ore's to be treated contain one or both of the precious metals, since the complete separation of these from copper, either in the dry or the moist way, is, as is well known, one of the difficult problems of metallurgy. The principal wet processes hitherto in use for the extraction of copper from its ores, may be included under three classes : I. Those in which the copper in snlphuretted ores is rendered soluble in water by calcining them, after a preliminary roasting which removes the greater part of their sulphur, with a portion of common salt, by which the copper is converted into a chloride (Long-maid and Henderson), or with sulphate of soda, by which sulphate of copper is formed (Monnier). Allied to these is the method by which a portion of the copper is got as soluble sulphate by roasting without addition, a process which is sometimes modified and rendered more complete by re-roasting the lixiviated residues with the addition of a portion of raw sulphuretted ore (Bankart). II. Those methods in which free chlorhydric or sulphuric acid is used to dissolve the copper- from oxidized or roasted ores. These, while simple and efficient, are too costly, except in certain localities where chlorhydric acid is a waste product. Related to them is the plan which consists in exposing the oxidized and moistened ores to the slow action of sulphurous acid mixed with air, by which a soluble sulphate of copper is formed. It has been proposed to decompose the solutions of sulphate or chloride of copper by sulphuretted hydrogen, thus separating the copper as sulphide, and using the liberated acid to dissolve fresh portions of oxidized copper. It is, however, the almost universal practice to throw down the copper from its solutions, however obtained, in the metallic state by the use of iron, either scrap-iron or iron-sponge; although in some instances

Jan 1, 1882

By Edward J. Felten

THE oxidation resistance of chromium and Fe-Cr alloys is increased by small additions of yttrium or other rare earth metals.1,2 In addition, the presence of the additives increases the resistance of these alloys to spalling of the external oxide above 1000°C. This ability to prevent spalling appears to be related to the formation of an internal oxide in alloys containing yttrium or the other rare earth metals. The internal oxide is found in the form of a filamentary growth concentrated in the grain boundaries of the unoxidized metal. In alloys containing yttrium this internal oxide was found to be either Y2O3 Or YCrO3.' In an earlier report,' the growth of the external oxide was found to be controlled by diffusion through the oxide layer. Thermal balance studies were used to establish the kinetics of external oxide formation. In this related study the rate of growth of the internal filamentary oxide has also been studied. The results obtained indicate that the growth of the internal oxide is also diffusion controlled. Internal oxidation appears to occur in at least two ways. Using copper alloys containing small amounts of silicon, Rhines 3 found that between 600" and 1000oC a subscale was formed which consisted of particles of silica dispersed in the metallic matrix. The conditions requisite to internal oxidation as suggested by Rhines are: 1) a solubility of oxygen in the alloy, 2) the ability of oxygen to diffuse at an appreciable rate into the alloy, 3) the possibility of the formation by the alloying element of an oxide more stable than the oxide of the host metal, and 4) a relatively low solubility of this oxide in the metal. These conditions are fulfilled for a number of other copper alloys.3-5 Furthermore, the relationship between the depth to which the internal oxide is formed and the oxidation time follows the simple parabolic law.6 The activation energy for copper containing small amounts of silicon, germanium, iron, or manganese as calculated from Rhines data6 is about 48 kcal per mole. In some cases the internal oxide is found segregated at the grain boundaries, especially near the the surface. Observations of this type of oxide formation have been reported by stead,7 Rhines,* and Lustman. Evans" cites these cases as examples of the simultaneous movement of anions and cations during oxidation. Furthermore, Evans states that the presence of a minor constituent with a high

Jan 1, 1962

By Linn M. Farish

SOVIET RUSSIA reserves must be stupendous. In 1937 I. M. Goubkin placed the reserves of all categories it approximately 48 billion barren which was about twenty billion horn Is in excel:, of all the oil produced in the world since 1857. It is not unlikely in fact it is probable, that these huge stores of petroleum may ultimately be proven to exist within the present boundaries of the U.S.S.R. The size of the country is almost beyond imagination it is 2.7 times as big as the United States. Great sedimentary basins exist in all its different geological provinces, much of which are entirely untested and barely prospected. Oil in commercial quantities is actually produced from formations in every period from the Devonian to the Pleistocene. In the Emba region alone, 300 salt domes are known with an estimate of 700 still to be found. Only 22 of the 300 have been drilled and all showed oil. Of the 22 domes drilled six are now producing. There are 400 mapped structures reported in Azerbaijan

Jan 1, 1940

By Richard L. Stowe, Donnie L. Ainsworth

The static, rapid, and shock-loading response of rock is of interest to many in the field of rock mechanics. For example, the effects of loading rates on strength and stress-strain characteristics of rock are quite important in defining input loading for use in the design of underground protective installations. Response data on rock subjected to shock loading over a wide range of pressures are also vital in the field of underground nuclear testing. In addition, material response is needed in design of shock-absorbing liners. A number of investigators have reported that ultimate compressive strength of rock increases with increased rates of loading.1-6 Wuerker3 stated that modulus of elasticity, obtained from sonic determinations, increased in some rocks by a factor as high as 4.5. It appears that only a limited amount of work has been done on comparing static modulus and modulus obtained from impact testing.6 Phillips4 showed that with increased rates of loading the deformation decreased. More recent work by Atchley and Furr5 showed that when moderate-strength concrete is stressed with increased loading rates, the axial strain at failure increased. One would expect this to occur if we think in terms of purely elastic materials. For example, if E is constant and maximum strength [amax], increases, the axial strain would also increase. However, in rock testing thus far we have worked almost exclusively with nonhomogeneous and inelastic rocks. From this fact alone the increase in axial strain with increased load application is noteworthy.

Jan 1, 1972

By Alfred Boyles

"Heredity"1 in cast iron has been a subject of much discussion. Numerous experimenters have found that the properties of gray iron may vary greatly without corresponding variations in composition or thermal treatment. The main structural difference in such cases is in the size and distribution of the graphite flakes and the explanations given usually attribute this difference to some chemical element not shown by ordinary analysis or to some physical factor, such as inclusions in the melt. It cannot be said that any of these theories is completely satisfactory. Much remains to be learned about cast iron and for this reason a study of the material was undertaken as a part of the program of fundamental research at Battelle Memorial Institute. A review of the literature indicated that very little systematic work had been done on the mechanism of freezing in cast iron. The experiments described below are largely concerned with that problem. Normal and "Dendritic" Cast Iron As examples of variation in type of structure, photomicrographs of two test bars of cast iron are shown (Figs. 1 and 2) and the composition and properties are given in Table 1. Both are common, unalloyed gray iron. Test bar No. 13 has normal graphite flakes while No. 49 has very fine, lacy graphite arranged in a dendritic pattern, the matrix in both being pearlite. These two types of cast iron are well known to foundry-men and need no detailed description.

Jan 1, 1937

By T. Kunitake, H. W. Paxton

The self-diffusion coefficient of chromium in various alloys in the iron-chromium system has been measured. A variation in Dofrom 10-4 for pure chromium to a maximum of 102 near 60 pct Cr appears with a range of activation energy from about 50 to 80 kcal per mol. The general pattern of behavior observed is not consistent with present theories of diffusion by a vacancy mechanism. Suggestions are made for further clarifying experiments. RECENT work on the self-diffusion of chromium,' ?-uranium2-4 and ß-zirconium,23, 26 has indicated that these elements have very low Do (10-3 to 10-4) compared to that conventionally expected for vacancy diffusion. Pound et al.5 have suggested that this may be due to ring diffusion being operative, and have proposed a model which gives Do of the correct order of magnitude. The essential difference between this model and Zener's earlier model6 is that whereas Zener assumes tight coupling between atoms in a ring to establish a vibrational frequency, Pound's model allows the atoms to vibrate essen- tially each in their own normal modes. The probability of each atom moving in the correct direction to cause a ring of n atoms to rotate by 2p/n must then be calculated as a "synchronal entropy" which may be -20 e.u. for a 4 atom ring. In iron, the latest determinations of self-diffusion yield Do in the range 18 to 522.7-9 The most accurate is probably that of Borg and Birchenall8 which is 118 ± 3. This value is not inconsistent with that expected for a vacancy mechanism. Since iron and chromium are very closely similar in size, are both transition metals, and their solution is thermodynamically ideal at temperatures of interest in diffusion, it appeared that a determination of self-diffusion coefficients, Do and Q as a function of composition would be of substantial interest to diffusion theory. The following measurements were made with this purpose in mind.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. V. Whetsel, Valentin R. Garfias

Mexican petroleum production for 1928 was approximately 50,000,-000 bbl., the lowest in 12 years, showing a decrease from 1927 of over 14,000,000 bbl. The steady downward trend for the past 7 years has allowed Russia to outrank Mexico by a wide margin for third position and if the expected decline continues during 1929 it should place Persia ahead of Mexico as fourth in rank. The year 1928 was characterized by a continuation of the reentrench-ment previously begun by the oil industry in Mexico in an attempt to adjust itself to the adverse conditions caused by the steady depletion of the fields, the rapidly increasing competition from Venezuela and the United States and the as yet unsettled petroleum legislation and taxation situation. With the exception of the Isthmus of Tehuantepee, drilling in proved fields was considerably curtailed and although the number of wildcats completed exceeded those of the previous year, no extensive drilling programs were undertaken. Practically without exception, the major companies reduced personnel and operations to a point where they could meet existing conditions and mark time while awaiting a more stable basis for the future testing of unexploited regions. Many terminal and transportation facilities were abandoned during the year. Development Only 371 wells were completed during 1928, as against 583 in the previous year and 808 during 1926, and although the percentage of producers in 1928 was 34 per cent., compared to 26 per cent. in 1927, the initial production of -wells was considerably lower than during the previous year, a great number of the wells showing salt water and becoming "strippers" from the time they started to flow. Development is summarized in Table 1. Drilling in the Northern fields did not prove any new pools of importance, the most successful wells being located in the old producing areas of Cacalilao, Panuco and Topila. (Fig. 1 Very few of the producers made more than 1000 bbl. daily, and a great many less than 300 bbl. a day.

Jan 1, 1929

By J. D. Price, W. M. Bertholf

In preparing a paper on coal washing in Colorado and New Mexico, it is difficult to refrain from entering into a discussion of the historical aspects of this subject, for the story of coal washing in these states goes back well into the last century. This phase of the subject could well make a complete paper in itself, and of necessity this present discussion must be limited to current operations. Therefore, we are taking into consideration only those washing plants which have operated for some period during the years of 1947 and 1948.

Jan 1, 1949