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By Wei-Kao Lu, G. Bitsianes

An improved general rate equation for a one-ditnensional gas-solid system has been derived. Fov the veversihle interfacial chemical reaction, there are concentrations of gaseous reactant and product at the reacting zone to be considered. They have been calculated with the velations fuvnished by the constraints on the system, namely, quasi-steady state and equimolal counterdiffusion of the gases. The results of the diffusiori study of Evans, Watson, and ,Mason based on the "dusty gas" model have been applied here. The interfacial chemical reaction is taken as first-order with respect to the concentration of the gases involved. The equation has proper dependence on gas composition and on solid structure through the relative values of Knudsen and normal diffusivities. The existence of the total pressure gradient inside the specimen has been predicted and confirmed experimentally. In a previous communication' we introduced a general rate equation for gas-solid reactions by considering the contributions of chemical reaction at inter- phase boundaries and diffusion through the solid product layer simultaneously. These equations, for one-dimensional and spherical specimens, take care of the whole range continuously from purely diffusion control to purely chemical reaction control. In this paper we study only the one-dimensional system. The corresponding rate equation is reproduced here: Of the two terms on the right-hand side of Eq. [I], the first represents the contribution of interfacial chemical reaction and the second that of gaseous diffusion. The shortcomings of Eq. [I] are that in its derivation the interfacial chemical reaction was assumed to be irreversible and the diffusion rate of gaseous product was not considered. Any pressure effects building up within the porous media were also neglected. Evidently. these simplifying assumptions will limit the general applicability of these equations. The rate of reduction of iron oxide by hydrogen, for instance, is very sensitive to the concentration of water vapor in the main gas stream, as has been reported by cewan' and by Quets et a1.3 Furthermore, the gaseous phase at the reacting interface will contain an appreciable amount of the gaseous product of reaction. If this were not true, a sufficiently high concentration gradient for the outward diffusion of the gaseous product could not be maintained. With these shortcomings in mind, Eq. [1I cannot be rigorously ap-

Jan 1, 1967

By Ralph A. Sherman, E. R. Kaiser

The remarkable increase in the distribution of the small underfeed stoker for use in furnaces and boilers in small industrial plants, apartment houses and homes has brought producers and distributors of bituminous coal to consider the problem of which coals and which sizes are best suited to this market. Many papers have also appeared, mostly in the trade journals, discussing the problem of the combustion of various coals and various sizes of coal in small stokers. Much difference of opinion has been apparent in these articles; due often, it would appear, to a misunderstanding of the fundamentals of the process of combustion in the stoker fuel bed. During the past year and a half, a program of research has been conducted at Battelle Memorial Institute: (1) On the process of combustion in the fuel bed of the small stoker, sponsored by Battelle Memorial Institute, and (2) on the relation of the characteristics of bituminous coals to their performance on small underfeed stokers, sponsored by Bituminous Coal Research, Inc. As a result of this program of research, two publications have been made, one1 dealing with the problem of clinker formation, and the other2 with the relation of the size of the coal fed to the stoker hopper to that of the coal that reaches the retort to be burned. The experimental research on the relation of size to the performance of the coal is being actively continued. A publication of Bituminous Coal Research, Inc. presenting the data obtained on the performance of several sizes of four typical bituminous coals will appear shortly. Because of the early appearance of that publication, the present paper includes few numerical data. The purpose of this paper is to follow the coal from the hopper through the furnace with a discussion of the various actions that occur, in the hope that it will lead to a clearer understanding of the relation of the type of coal, the size of coal, and other characteristics, to the performance. The authors do not pretend to have obtained the answers to all the complex questions involved; many unanswered questions will be proposed on which future research work is planned.

Jan 1, 1938

By Nelson Severinghaus

AS far back as 40 years ago management made the initial steps toward utilizing the large amount of reject marble produced by the dimension stone quarries in sized products. In 1947 the Calcium Products Div. of the Georgia Marble Co. was organized to manufacture crushed, ground, and screened products from Georgia marble.* It became obvious early in operations that salability of any products of this type was determined by several factors: high calcium carbonate content, whiteness, dryness, and cleanness. Because no reject material could consistently meet these specifications, Calcium Products Div. now operates three underground quarries for raw material feed. In underground operations no stripping is required, surface contamination and trash are eliminated, weather causes no operational difficulties, and the raw material is maintained dry for plant processing.

Jan 12, 1957

By E. R. Kaiser, Ralph A. Sherman

The remarkable increase in the distribution of the small underfeed stoker for use in furnaces and boilers in small industrial plants, apartment houses and homes has brought producers and distributors of bituminous coal to consider the problem of which coals and which sizes are best suited to this market. Many papers have also appeared, mostly in the trade journals, discussing the problem of the combustion of various coals and various sizes of coal in small stokers. Much difference of opinion has been apparent in these articles; due often, it would appear, to a misunderstanding of the fundamentals of the process of combustion in the stoker fuel bed. During the past year and a half, a program of research has been conducted at Battelle Memorial Institute: (1) On the process of combustion in the fuel bed of the small stoker, sponsored by Battelle Memorial Institute, and (2) on the relation of the characteristics of bituminous coals to their performance on small underfeed stokers, sponsored by Bituminous Coal Research, Inc. As a result of this program of research, two publications have been made, one1 dealing with the problem of clinker formation, and the other2 with the relation of the size of the coal fed to the stoker hopper to that of the coal that reaches the retort to be burned. The experimental research on the relation of size to the performance of the coal is being actively continued. A publication of Bituminous Coal Research, Inc. presenting the data obtained on the performance of several sizes of four typical bituminous coals will appear shortly. Because of the early appearance of that publication, the present paper includes few numerical data. The purpose of this paper is to follow the coal from the hopper through the furnace with a discussion of the various actions that occur, in the hope that it will lead to a clearer understanding of the relation of the type of coal, the size of coal, and other characteristics, to the performance. The authors do not pretend to have obtained the answers to all the complex questions involved; many unanswered questions will be proposed on which future research work is planned.

Jan 1, 1938

By WILLIAM WATERS

L HISTORY. THE Pierrefitte mines, situated in the South of France, in the district of the Hautes-Pyrenees, owe their name to the fact that the first mining operations of any extent, and of comparatively recent date, were carried out in the neighborhood of the vil¬lage of Pierrefitte, which is a branch terminus of the Midi railway. The Pierrefitte mines, however, embrace a wide extent of country and several different concessions, on most of which comparatively little exploration-work has been done. The portion of the property presently to be described is a zone running roughly E-W., over a distance of about 5 miles from the valley of Cauterets to the valley of Estaing, the ridge dividing these valleys being a spur of the main chain of the Pyrenees, and running more or less at right angles to it. According to local tradition, which various indications tend to confirm, these mines are of ancient date, the first workings being attributed to the Romans, who are supposed to have sought not only the lead but also the silver which is contained in the ore. Old slags have been found in the neighborhood which might well have been produced from the cupellation of lead-ores. These old workings, while of considerable extent at times, do not seem to have extended beyond a depth of 100 ft., even this depth being somewhat exceptional. The old notarial records of the district show that mines were known to exist, and that they were even worked, in the sixteenth century, but since the mines were abandoned (by the Romans or others) considerably prior to this period, very little

Nov 1, 1908

By J. H. Fletcher

AIR has been cooled, heated, washed; humidified and dehumidified for many purposes and in many industries. At a number of metal mines air is conditioned to reduce the high humidity and unbearable heat found in deep workings, and at some mines air is washed to allay siliceous dust. Steam is introduced into the intake air at many coal mines, particularly in winter, for the purpose of keeping loose coal dust so moistened that the hazard of an explosion is lessened. This paper will describe a further successful application of air conditioning in a coal mine, where, for over three years, all intake air has been cooled to a constant temperature for the sole purpose of preventing roof falls.

Jan 1, 1931

By F. Weinberg

Measurements have been made of solute segregation during dendrilic growth by using radioactive solute elements and ,measuring the activity of den(12-ites cut from decanted specimens. This has been done for both lead awl tin based binary alloys contaitzing the following solute additions: Ag, T1204, was dependet on ko, the equilibrium distribution coefficient in the following way Fay k &apos;c 0.1, C/C 0.6; for k0 >0.1. 0.6 <c,/c,< I. Qualitative obse?-vations were madc of dendritic segregation, by using autoradiographic techniques, for the Sn + Ag110 and Sn + Tlo4 systems. The observation were found to he in general agreement with the measurements ofCA/Co. Autoradiographic were also obtained of scctiolccl delzr11-iie stalks. These indicated that the stalks had a substructure, dclileated by solute corzetlt?atio?zs nlolg the substructure walls. A new dendrite growth direction <JI2> is reported for tila. SOLUTE segregation in dilute binary alloys has been investigated by Pfann,&apos; Smith, Tiller, and Rut-ter,&apos; and others. They considered the case of a slowly advancing plane solid interface, and derived expressions for the distribution of solute in both solid and liquid during solidification. To determine these expressions, they assumed no diffusion in the solid and either complete mixing in the liquid:&apos; or diffusion controlled solute movements in the liquid without any convective mixing.&apos; The present investigation considers solute segregation during dendritic growth, in which case the solid-liquid interface is not plane, and the growth rates are rapid. Segregation under these growth conditions has not been treated mathematically, because of the relative complexity of the system. It has been suggested by Chalmer, on the basis of preliminary results, that an alternative to the diffusion and heat flow controlled conditions during growth is &apos;diffusionless" dendritic growth in which solid is formed with the same composition as the liquid. He suggests this type of growth may depend upon a solvent-solute relationship that permits some solid solubility without excessive increase in internal energy, as is the case for solutions of tin in lead. On the other hand, Montariol,4 and others, have shown experimentally that some segregation does occur during dendritic growth in metals using etching and radioactive tracer techniques to indicate the concentrations of the solute. The present investigation was undertaken to determine, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the extent of solute segregation associated with dendritic growth in a series of binary alloys, as a function of solute concentration. PROCEDURE The solvent materials used were Vulcan Electrolytic tin (99.997 pct purity) and Tadanac lead (99.998 pct purity). The solute materials were Zn, Sn, and Sb (better than 99.998 pct purity), Ag and Co (99.5 pct purity), and T1 (Fisher "purified" metal sticks). Activation of the solute metals was carried out in the reactor at Chalk River, Canada. Master alloys were prepared by induction heating from the radioactive solute metal and the pure solvent, under argon, in graphite crucibles. Pieces of these alloys were then added to the solvent to give the required solute concentration. Dendrites were grown in essentially the same manner as that described by Weinberg and Chalmer, , in which controlled orientation single crystals were grown dendritically in horizontal graphite boats, and the liquid decanted. The crystals were grown and decanted in an atmosphere of tank argon. Before decanting, a sample of the liquid was drawn up in a glass tube and allowed to solidify rapidly. The orientations of the single crystals were such that <loo> was parallel to the growth direction, and (100) in the horizontal plane for lead, and [1101 and (110) respectively for tin. With these orientations long dendrite stalks formed along the bottom of the boat in the dendrite direction (<100> for lead and [I101 for tin) from which secondary branches grew. Only these secondary branches, which grew freely in the liquid from the dendrite stalk to the liquid surface, were used in the measurements. Accordingly, effects due to substrates and oxides on the surface of the liquid need not be considered. In order to measure the solute concentration C, of the dendrites, individual dendrite stalks were cut from the decanted specimens, remelted, and formed

Jan 1, 1962

By A. G. Worthing

Black: Bodies.-In the ordinary conception, a black object is an opaque object that reflects but little of the light that is incident on it. This means naturally that such an object is a good absorber of luminous radiation. The black body; which is so closely connected with high-temperature measurements, represents the limit in blackness of all black objects. It is a body that not only absorbs all visible radiations but also all other radiations in the infra-red and the ultra-violet regions of the spectrum which are incident on it. No substance is known that is completely black; platinum black, one of the nearest if not the nearest representative of the ideal, reflects 1 per cent. or so of ordinary visible radiation. The closest approach to the ideal is a small opening in the wall of a relatively large opaque cavity. Any radiation incident on this black body will be almost completely absorbed if the relative dimensions are properly chosen no matter what the material may be. The great difference between the blackness of such a cavity and of lampblack, for instance, will be apparent to one who makes the simple test. Non-black Bodies.-The field of non-black bodies covers all real bodies. Their characteristics are extremely varied. So far as absorption of radiation-is concerned, these bodies range practically from the almost completely black, platinum-black, and lampblack, which absorb all but a fractional part of 1 per cent. or so of the incident radiation, by an infinite variety of steps to freshly polished silver, which ordinarily absorbs only a few per cent. The exact percentage absorbed depends not only on the nature of the incident radiation, but also on the temperature of the body, the condition of its surface, the angle of incidence, the nature of the surrounding medium, and on certain other less important conditions. As consequences of these varied characteristics, we have not only the differences of color of ordinary objects, but also the changes of color that any one object undergoes on heating or when lighted front various directions. This complexity of the phenomena, in a way, is responsible for the meagerness of knowledge, regarding materials at elevated temperatures. Measurement of High Temperatures.-Excepting in cases where the thermocouple or the gas thermometer are applicable, in which case the temperatures obtained are true temperatures regardless of-the material" studied, high, temperatures are almost always, if not always, determined from measurements of radiation. In fact, determinations of temperature from this latter point of view are often so much more convenient than the thermocouple and especially the gas-thermometer determinations that, in the region where all of these types of measurements may be made, the radiation measurements are often preferred. This is true even though the temperatures usually thus directly determined are not the actual temperatures, a consequence of the sources of the radiation being non-black bodies; in other words, a consequence of being concerned with iron, or glass, or tungsten instead of small openings leading to relatively large-cavities uniformly heated. Coordination of Experimental Results.-In order that data on iron, glass, tungsten, or other non-black bodies obtained in one laboratory, may be, correlated with similar data obtained elsewhere, temperatures must be expressed on a common scale. The true temperature scale is the natural scale for this purpose it is ordinarily the scale to which all other temperatures can be most directly reduced. When the measurements depend on the radiation, a knowledge of emissive powers repre-

Jan 9, 1919

By Frank T. Weems

The basic operating properties of the DorrClone are discussed and certain metallurgical applications which exploit these properties are presented. An effective method of controlling the consistency of the DorrClone underflow is described. THIS paper presents in a general manner some of the applications of the DorrClone (Dutch States Mines cyclone) in the metallurgical and heavy chemical fields. Technical or mathematical analyses of the design factors and of the mechanism whereby the cyclone effects its separation have been capably treated in a series of previous papers.&apos;-&apos; Engineering and operational aspects of a few installations and laboratory tests have been chosen to emphasize the unique classification characteristics of the DorrClone and to illustrate its utility in certain difficult situations. Its use in coal washing and heavy-media operations are not considered. Some 25 or more industrial installations and applications of the DorrClone in the metallurgical fields are operating at present, ranging from single trial units to complete batteries composed of a multiplicity of units. The data were obtained in part from some of these, and in part from operations of units at the Westport Mill, the laboratories and testing plant of the Dorr Co. at Westport, Conn. The DorrClone was developed, in principle, by the research dept. of the State Mines, Limburg, Holland, during World War 11. Its first use was to dewater a —50 micron sand used as a dense medium in coal washing. The metallurgical wet cyclone was first publicized by Driessen and Yancey and Geer.6 ince then the cyclone has been studied as a means of de-watering, heavy media concentration, and fine size classification. The DorrClone is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. pulp to be treated is pumped through the feed nozzle, A, into the feed cylinder, B. The feed nozzle is of rectangular cross-section, the outermost edge being tangent to the feed cylinder walls. Feed shims, C, may be attached to the innermost walls to adjust the open area of the feed nozzle available to entering pulp. The tangential injection of feed under pressure supports the vortex action of the pulp that has been detained in the cyclone; the centrifugal forces of this vortex throw the coarse particles to the walls of the cone, D, where they collect and pass downward and out through the adjustable apex opening, E. The fine particles contained in most of the water that entered with the feed pulp move to the inner spiral of the vortex and flow out through the vortex finder, F, contained in the orifice plate, G, which forms the top of cyclone chamber. The overflow pulp may then spray freely into a spray chamber, H, surmounting the cyclone or pass directly into a 90&apos; elbow, I, of somewhat larger diameter than the vortex finder. Installation Where more than one cyclone is to be installed, best overall efficiency and ease of control are obtained with equal distribution of both pulp volume and weight of solids among the cyclones, and with the same pressure being maintained at each cyclone feed nozzle. Fig. 3 is a suggested arrangement for feeding two or more cyclones in parallel. Feed pressure control: Under normal operating conditions it is not unusual for some surge to exist in the feed that is to be sent to the cyclone. As will be discussed later, surges in the solids content of the pulp are usually not of great operational consequence, but surges in feed volume are a problem. Several systems have been devised for absorbing surges in feed volume, each involving a surge tank. If the surges are small and fairly rhythmical, a tank of sufficient size might be installed to dampen out

Jan 1, 1952

TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERS GENTLEMEN: Submitted herewith are the report of the Treasurer for the year 1945 and reports for the same year of the following standing committees: Membership, Admissions, Papers and Publications, Mining and &apos; Metallurgy (Magazine), and Library. To these reports you are referred for additional details. Membership Membership, counting all categories other than Student Associateship, continues the upward trend of the last 10 years, reaching a total, as shown in Table 1, of 12,081. The net gain of 406 would

Jan 1, 1944

By Stephen Taber

A VEIN may be defined as an aggregation of mineral matter, more or less tabular or lenticular in form, which was deposited from solution and is of later origin than the inclosing rock. This definition differs from the one found in many text-books in that no assumption is made as to the origin of the space occupied by the vein or the manner in which the mineral matter was deposited. In the present paper the writer purposes to discuss the mechanics of vein formation, and does not wish to begin by begging the question. The origin of ore deposits has been diligently investigated in recent years, but, while much has been written concerning the chemistry of the process, the physical side of the question has received less attention. The source of the ore minerals; the chemical composition of ore-hearing solutions; the relative importance of magmatic and meteoric waters as agents of concentration; and the causes of mineral precipitation have all been discussed at length. On the other hand, little has been written concerning the mechanics of vein formation, and the theories given in text-hooks today are essentially the same as those developed by the early Cornish and Saxon miners. Early investigators often regarded both veins and dikes as igneous in origin, but today the theory that vein minerals have been deposited from solutions, either liquid or gaseous, is firmly established. The latter view is supported by the fact that many vein-forming minerals are not found in unaltered igneous rocks; by evidence obtained in the laboratory regarding the solubility of minerals; by the presence of many ore minerals in hot-spring waters; by the occurrence of some veins in regions consisting exclusively of unaltered sedimentary rocks; by evidence as to the temperature at which some minerals are formed; and by the absence of mineral segregation due to difference in specific gravity. There is still, however, much difference of opinion as to whether certain tabular-shaped &apos;masses should be classed as veins or as dikes. Some of

Jan 8, 1918

By C. C. Griggs

FROM its inception, a limestone quarry or mine should be under the direction of a capable engineer. Before it becomes a reality, he should outline the future results, plan the most economical methods for moving the materials and the most efficient equipment, and pilot the undertaking along the narrow pathway of success, avoiding the pitfalls of uneconomical production and the precipitous walls of scanty profits. Inspection of successful limestone properties shows that all have had difficult engineering problems, the solution of which have required keen engineering ability. In approaching a subject of this nature, it is logical to follow the progress of the limestone operation from its inception to the end, as reflecting the engineering required. There are four major divisions: Investigation, equipment, development, and operation.

Jan 2, 1925

By R. Bakish, M. A. Badiali, N. W. Kirshenbaum

One pound of ultra pul-e molybdenum has been produced containing both metallic and nonmetallic impuvities close to or less than the limits of detection. various purification methods were investigated; althouglz the use of move than one purification step was consideved, it was found that a single, caefully-controlled sublimation of MoCl5 yielded a highly puvified product without prior treatment or recourse to repeated sublimation. Hydrogen reduction of MoC1, to metal was attempted at atmospheric pressure; however, reduced pressure was necessary to obtain substantial yields. The tubular deposits of metal were consolidated into bulk fovm by electron beam melting undev high vacuum yielding a very low gas content. Boblems involved in monitoring the puvity of these materials and analytical results obtained are also presented. THE pronounced effect of even trace amounts of impurities upon fundamental properties of materials is well known to metallurgists and solid-state physicists. Consequently, groups interested in basic studies of metals have in recent years immensely stimulated the preparation and production of numerous ultra-pure metals. Increased demand by scientists for these high purity materials has necessitated development of facilities to prepare them in significant quantities; the procedures reported here were devised to produce significant quantities of ultra-pure molybdenum. Previous work performed in the field of vapor phase purification and hydrogen reduction of several other refractory metal chlorides had demonstrated valuable techniques applicable to molybdenum.&apos; Various purification and reduction steps were individually investigated. Those procedures which showed the most favorable results with respect both to attainment of high purity and to ease of operation were then incorporated in the process utilized to produce the metal.&apos; STARTING MATERIALS It is well known that because of differences in volatility, chlorides may be separated by fractional distillation. It was presumed that distillation of molybdenum pentachloride offered a simple and straightforward method of purification due to its relatively low boiling point. Alternatively, sublimation of the solid chloride also appeared feasible since MoC15 has both a reasonably narrow temperature range in which it exists as a liquid (a property typical of refractory metal chlorides) and a low enthalpy of sublimation. Pertinent thermochemical data of MoC15 are given in Table I. It should be noted that this compound must be handled with care as it is extremely hygroscopic. Anhydrous MoC15 was obtained from the A Metal Climax Co. METHODS OF PURIFYING MOLYBDENUM PENTACHLORIDE Distillation. It was expected that distillation methods, while affording an efficient purification, would prove simple to control and would have a higher production rate than sublimation processes. Also considered was the possibility of effecting a high degree of purification by using both these volatilization methods in conjunction—possibly a distillation followed by sublimation of the solidified condensate. Distillation of MoC15 was investigated using a single stage distillation column packed with chemically resistant glass beads. Heating coils were wound around the column and collection tube (condenser). As-received MoCl5 was charged into a flask connected with the column using a side loading arm under an argon flow. After the column and condenser were brought to about 270" and 210°C, respectively, the apparatus was lowered until the flask was fully immersed in a constant temperature fused salt bath maintained at about 285 °C. Distillation was continued for about 10 or 15 min until 50 to 70 g of distillate had been collected. Analyses of these distillations indicated that several elements, e.g., Cu, Fe, Ni, Cr, and Mg, were lowered in quantity although not all were removed to the same extent. The occurrence of Na, B, Si, and A1 in the distillates appeared to be due to contamination, possibly from corrosion of the pyrex glass. An improved distillation system of larger capacity and longer distilling column was built. Improvements were effected in lowering the amounts of such impurities as B, Mn, Ni, Na, Mg, Cr, Cu, and Fe. These studies were pursued concomitantly with efforts to purify by sublimation; it was subsequently found that although improvements in purity were obtained by distillation, sublimation processes were simpler to control and effected a high degree of purity.

Jan 1, 1963

By Ted C. Briggs

Nitrogen exists in two broad categories commonly designated as elemental nitrogen and fixed nitrogen. Elemental nitrogen is found in nature as a diatomic molecule and constitutes about 78%, by volume, of the earth&apos;s atmosphere. Fixed nitrogen is a common term used for nitrogen that is chemically bound to other elements. Although elemental nitrogen is very abundant, nonleguminous plants cannot utilize nitrogen unless it is in the chemically combined form. The content of this chapter is confined to fixed nitrogen since the uses and properties of elemental nitrogen and the fixed nitrogen compounds are different. Bacteria associated with legumes are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but not to the extent or in the locations required by modem agriculture. The need to use fertilizers containing fixed nitrogen compounds to grow food crops has been recognized for hundreds of years, and from antiquity farmers have used organic wastes such as animal manures, vegetable wastes, sewage sludge, fish scraps, etc., containing these compounds for fertilizers. The organic materials have a low nitrogen content, however, and cannot support large-scale food production. Known commercial-size deposits of natural nitrates containing much higher nitrogen content exist only in Chile, and the possibility of the discovery of other significant deposits is remote. The Chilean deposits were the major source of nitrogenous fertilizers until about 1913, when the Haber-Bosch process for the production of synthetic ammonia was developed. In the Haber-Bosch process, nitrogen reacts with hydrogen, at high temperatures and pressures and in the presence of a catalyst, to form ammonia. At present Chile is the only country in the world with a nitrate mining industry, and, although the mining of natural nitrates is an important industry in Chile, natural nitrates are relatively unimportant, worldwide, because of the adoption of fixed nitrogen processes. The relative amount of the world demand for fixed nitrogen that is derived from natural nitrates has declined in recent years and will continue to decline. Modern farmers are sophisticated in economic calculations such as cost to benefit ratios and, for the most part, they purchase plant nutrients which give the highest return on their investment. Natural nitrates cannot compete on a fixed-nitrogen cost basis with anhydrous ammonia and its derivative products. In a limited sense, the fixed nitrogen industry is mining the air. Modern plants use air, water, and, in most cases, natural gas to produce the ammonia that is now the key building block of the fixed nitrogen industry. To present an accurate picture of the industry, this chapter on nitrogen follows a format somewhat different from that of other chapters in this volume.

Jan 1, 1975

By A. J. Bartlett

ISLAND Creek conditions are generally referred to as ideal; yet, as at all other properties, there are all known hazards of coal mining. The hardest of these hazards to combat is the human element. The basic thought in the minds of the management of these properties is to produce coal with the utmost safety, and it has impressed upon its supervisory force that it does not want a ton of coal unless it can be produced safely. This company has instituted a mine inspection department, which reports direct to the general manager, and all matters pertaining to safety come under the direction of this department. Through the medium of the inspection department, the management is kept in touch with the actual conditions existing in general at all mines. Inspections are made regularly and continuously; that is, at all times while the mines are in operation some sections of some mines are being examined. These inspections cover all active and inactive workings. Miners are con-tacted in their working places and other employees at their respective work. A thorough check is made to see that the state mining laws are complied with and that company safety rules are being observed. Night shifts receive the same attention as day shifts. All violations and dangerous practices are brought to the attention of the plant supervisory force with suggestions and recommendations; major hazards of emer-gency nature are taken up immediately with the management. Peri-odical inspections are also made of all tipples, preparation plants, dumping and hoisting equipment, to see that all machinery is properly guarded, and walkways and platforms properly fenced; conditions of equipment and mechanical defects are also reported. Reports of inspection are written in letter form and in such a manner as to give the management a picture-of the existing conditions at the time of inspection. Copies of inspection reports are forwarded; to the superintendents with the general manager&apos;s comments.

Jan 1, 1937

By A. E. Gibson

A new feature in coal mining, where the coal is to be conveyed from a high to a lower elevation and the topography of the country is such as to preclude surface haulage.

Jan 1, 1915

By D. H. Yardley

GEOCHEMICAL investigation of trace elements in surface materials was begun near Ely, Minn., in 1953 along the basal contact of Duluth gabbro with Giants Range granite (Fig. 1). This article presents data on the distribution of copper and nickel in till and in stream sediments in the area and proposes an explanation for the types of distribution found. The Duluth gabbro, one of the world&apos;s largest basic intrusives, intrudes rocks which range in age from Keewatin to middle Keweenawan. Within the test area the gabbro is in contact with granite except for short sections where it is in contact with remnants of iron formation. Sulfide mineralization occurs within the gabbro, near and parallel to the basal contact for a distance of several miles. Schwartz and Davidson&apos; have described the geologic setting of the mineralization. The sulfides, believed to be syngenetic, include chalcopyrite, cubanite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, and minor amounts of bornite. They occur disseminated in the silicates and as small interstitial masses. The ratio of copper to nickel is about 3.8:1, based on 66 chemical analyses of rock samples from various outcrops (Ref. 1, p. 702, and Ref. 2). Test Procedures: With specified exceptions, all nickel and copper tests were made by the chromo-graph method,:&apos; which measures the intensity of a colored spot formed by a reaction between the metal being determined and special reagent paper. The intensity is then compared to the intensity of spots prepared from samples of known metal content. Details of the test procedure are outlined in another article (Ref. 4, pp. 77,78). All soil samples tested in this investigation to date have been weighed on an analytical balance. However, a volumetric scoop designed to provide about 0.1 g of soil adds to the speed and ease of testing and has been found to give satisfactory results (Ref. 5, p. 531, and Ref. 19). The size of the samples used for the tests was 0.1 g. Whenever such small samples are used there is some question as to whether they are representative of the several grams in the field sample. Many repeat tests of the samples used in this investigation demonstrated that results can be reproduced within the limits of accuracy of the method without formal mixing beyond that inherent in screening the soil fractions. Furthermore, the 0.1 g is probably as representative of the field sample as the field sample is of its area of influence. Hawkes and Lakin (Ref. 6, p. 291), who considered the general problem, compared ground and quartered bulk samples of 500 g with 5-g grab samples. They concluded that "there is no significant loss in accuracy of data by substituting grab samples for bulk samples." The term soil implies somewhat different things to the geologist, engineer, and soil scientist.&apos; For convenience the term as used in this article refers to unconsolidated material (the mantle) overlying bed rock. Sampling Procedure: Samples were taken at 100-ft intervals along north-south traverse lines across the gabbro-granite contact. The soil (till) samples were taken at an average depth of 1 ft, which was below the high-humus surface layer and into clean till. Samples taken at 1-ft intervals down to ledge showed as high a metal content at 1 ft below the air-surface as at greater depths and in two instances were slightly higher. The till at 1-ft depth did not appear to differ from material at greater depths. Total depth to bedrock has been tested at only a few points and where measured varied from 1 to 10 ft. Aerial Distribution Contours and Profiles: Plotting of copper, nickel, and cobalt content in contour form (Fig. 2) shows that anomalous amounts of these metal ions occur in till over and closely adjacent to mineralized areas of the gabbro. Contouring nickel content alone, or the copper content, outlines the same target area. Contours of the copper content provide a more distinct anomaly than nickel because of the higher copper concentration. The traverses are rather widely spread for interpolation; however, drilling has confirmed the target area essentially as shown.

Jan 1, 1959

By G. C. Gambs

The electric utility industry is the largest customer of the coal industry and consumes nearly 50% of the present coal production in the United States. The byproduct of the burning of coal in utilities is ash in several forms including fly ash, bottom ash and bottom slag. At present, very little of the coal ash produced is being used and must be disposed of as waste. The coal industry should look upon this waste material as a valuable by-product which, if it can be sold for $2 to $4 per ton, will have the net effect of reducing the cost of coal to the utility by 1¢ to 2¢ per million Btu. There are many ways to use coal ash and thus benefit both the coal industry and the electric utility industry by reducing the cost of coal as burned. The solutions to the problems are obvious and all we have to do is apply them. The electric utility industry is the largest customer of the United States coal industry, consuming nearly 50% of present coal production. By 1980, the electric utilities are expected to burn over 500 million tpy of coal or 75% of total coal production. When coal is burned in electric utility plants, ash is produced in one of several forms. These include fly ash, bottom ash and bottom slag. At the present time, approximately 20 million tons of these ashes are produced and must be disposed of by the utilities at a cost of 50¢ to $2 per ton. In 15 years, more than double this quantity will be produced. Only a small quantity of this ash is put to any practical use. Much remains to be done about expanding uses for fly ash and bottom slag. It is well known that fly ash, when used to replace a portion of the cement in a concrete mix, will produce highest quality concrete. The Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation have constructed dams and other concrete structures for years with fly ash as a partial replacement for cement. However, many construction firms do not use it. This can become an opportunity for the coal industry to reduce the cost of coal delivered to utilities. Any fly ash, or other ash or slag, which is sold by the utilities, reduces the cost of coal burned by the utility. As much as 1¢ to 2¢ per million Btu could be taken from the fuel cost for each ton of ash sold which otherwise must be disposed of at a cost.

Jan 1, 1967

By James C. Ray

The age classification of the mineralized veins of the Butte district, as given by Weed and Sales, was tacitly accepted for many years. Weed, whose field work was completed in 1906, divided the copper veins into groups of four ages.&apos; In 1913, Sales modified Weed&apos;s classification and assigned all mineralized veins (including the silver-zinc veins of the border or "peripheral" zones) to three periods of fracturing and mineralization. Both writers based their classifications mainly on the relative ages of the observable faulting whereby the veins of a so-called "earlier" system are intersected and offset by those of a "later" system. Nevertheless they possess structural and mineralogical characteristics in common which indicate that they are of the same age. The writer has maintained since 19143 that these vein systems were formed during one general period of mineralization along a network of intersecting fractures of approximately simultaneous origin and that the existing offsets are largely due to postmineral faulting. Leith,* takes cognizance of the accumulating mass of data relative to the simultaneous formation of intersecting fracture systems and says, referring to ~utte: "It now appears that the mineralization accompanying them (individual structure systems into which the veins have been grouped) is substantially of one period, indicating that the successive structural movements took place mainly within the period of mineralization." This paper presents the results of certain structural experiments which suggest a modified interpretation of the published data on the Butte district. The interpretation is substantiated by the writer&apos;s observations in the Butte mines and is offered with the hope that it will reconcile the structural with the mineralogical conditions existing in this most interesting district; also, that it will emphasize the importance of a

Jan 1, 1931

To THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERS GENTLEMEN: Herewith are transmitted the joint report of the Treasurer and Finance Committee for 1935 and the reports for the same year of the Chairmen of the following Committees: Admissions, Membership, Papers and Publications, Library, MINING AND METALLURGY, and Rocky Mountain Income. . To these reports you are referred for details of the year&apos;s activities. Finances. : Income continues to increase the total for the year 1935, being $141,754 compared with $134,967 in 1934, and $121,689 in 1933, which was the lowest reached during the depression. The principal increases were $2000 in Current Dues; $2400 in Dues from New Members; $2000 for Advertising in the monthly magazine MINING AND METAL¬LURGY; and $1600 in Sales of Authors&apos; Reprints and TRANSACTIONS volumes. Income from Dues in Arrears was $1000 less as a consequence of the fact that arrearages had been largely reduced during 1934, so that there were fewer from which to draw.

Jan 1, 1936