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By John C. Smock

The rich deposits of magnetic iron-ore in the Highlands of northern New Jersey attracted the attention of iron-workers at the time of the earliest settlements in that region. The outcrops of the oreshoots at the Dickerson mine, at Mount Hope, and at Hibernia, in Morris county, and at Ringwood, in Passaic count,y, which were doubtless such as would lead to discovery, location and development of nearly all the large iron-mines in that part of the State, appear to have had their beginnings where the ore cropped out on the surface or where it was scarcely concealed by a thin mantle of earth. In the early history of New Jersey iron-mining, the careful explorations and surveys made by the agents of the famous London Com-

Jan 1, 1892

By Warren E. Wilson

THE transportation of solids in pipe lines is a matter of deep concern in many fields of engineering. Much experimental and theoretical work has been done in an effort to devise means of designing pipe lines that will satisfactorily transport given solid loads, but there remain many unanswered questions in this field. The present discussion will be confined to a rather narrow portion of this field and will endeavor to point out certain factors that may well be considered when comparing the relative economy of various installations. The data have been presented previously but a new interpretation was prompted by a suggestion in a paper by Professor O'Brien,1 of the University of California, that the friction work per pound of dry material should be considered in determining the relative efficiency of various installations. This method of considering relative economy in various pipe lines leads to some rather unexpected conclusions, especially with reference to the economy of large pipe sizes. A previous suggestion by the writer3 concerning the economy of a rather peculiar type of installation is strengthened. It is not believed that the considerations set forth herein apply directly in the case of dredge lines, where economy is largely a matter of a high rate of pumping in order to reduce the unit overhead charge. However, it is believed that some value may be gained from these considerations in cases involving the disposal of a fixed amount of solids per unit time with a minimum expenditure of energy and at a low cost for replacement of worn pipes. Such situations are not uncommon in the disposal of mill tailings and the disposal of solids deposited from irrigation waters. It was found that data leading to general conclusions for various pipe sizes were not available but certain definite trends are indicated and methods of analyzing available data are presented in the hope that they may be of assistance in preparing engineering estimates on designs of pipe lines of the type described above. ENERGY. REQUIREMENTS Carrying out the idea contained in Professor O'Brien's paper concerning the method of computing energy required to transport solids, the following analysis leads to some rather interesting conclusions. Let us represent: [Solids load in terms of mass per unit time by W Ratio of mass of suspended solids to total mass of mixture flowing by p Volume rate of flow of mixture by Q Length of pipe by L Slope of energy grade line by s Mass per unit volume of solids by m, Mass per unit volume of liquid by ml Mass per unit volume of mixture by m,,, We then have as an expression for the solids load: W = pQm¬] The work done per unit mass, P, on the mixture to move it along the pipe the

Jan 1, 1945

By P. W. Bridgman

Flow and fracture are admittedly complicated phenomena of which we are yet only partially masters. There is not even nni-.persal agreement as to the details of the language best adapted merely to describe the phenomena, to say nothing of any theory. Certain points of view, however, are widely held, and there are certain general expectations as to what sort of procedures will prove permissible. A complete description of any situation involving fracture would demand a complete history of all the variables in the control of the experimenter. The experimenter endeavors so to choose his independent variables that they are adequate to determine completely the situation in the sense that when an experiment is repeated on the same initial material and with the independent variables running through the same sequence, all the other measurable properties of the system will also run through the same course. It is, I think, the universal conviction that when we are dealing with phenomena of flow and fracture, the most important of the necessary variables are the external forces acting on the various parts of the body; when the force history repeats, with certain obvious restrictions such as that temperature must be constant and non-mechanical forces, such as magnetic field, must be small enough to be ineffective, then the history of all measurable properties will repeat; in particular the alteration of geometrical shape due to flow will run through the same course, and when fracture comes, the character of the fracture will be reproduced. Complete mastery of merely the descriptive aspects of flow and fracture would demand the ability to predict the entire course of flow and complete characterization of the final fracture for every possible combination of forces, varying in time in all possible ways, when applied to bodies of all possible shapes. This full situation is obviously of prohibitive complexity. The first stage in reduction to manageable simplicity is to resolve the total situation into the sum of contributions made by small elements. Our thesis is that if each of the elements is adequately characterized, the behavior of the whole system is fixed. The element is usually taken of a simple geometrical shape, suggested by the mathematics best adapted to the particular situation. The forces acting across the faces of the elements are ultimately determined by the forces acting across the free faces of the whole system. The detailed process of finding the precise forces on the faces of all the elements in terms of the external forces involves the use of a special mathematical invention, the stress, a constructional quantity consisting of six components. The stress at any point in the body is determined by both the external force system and by the physical properties of the body at all points; quite different stresses prevail at the interior of bodies of the same shape under the same external forces in the elastic and plastic ranges. The forces on the faces of any element are, however, uniquely determined by the stress system at the element. Our fundamental thesis

Jan 1, 1945

By H. R. Hanley

The characteristics of alloyed anodes and their influence on the products of electrolysis and power consumption have been noted previosly ously in the literature.' This paper presents data in continuation of the subject given in an earlier paper by the authors.2 As noted in the authors1 previous paper, the objectives of this work are the reduction in the cell voltage and the purity of the cathode product resulting from the use of alloyed lead anodes. The fundamental facts developed in the previous paper were: (I) that the presence of a small amount of calcium lowers the anode potential approximately 50 per cent. below that of pure lead; and (2) that thallium when present to the extent of 4 per cent. rendered the anode practically stable, thereby lowering the contamination of the cathode by lead to a very insignificant amount. The specific features determined in this recent work are as follows: 1. The lowest limit of calcium in the lead which will still give maximum lowering of the anode potential. 2. The characteristics of the thallium-calcium-lead anode. 3. The characteristics of the silver-calcium-lead anode. 4. The characteristics of the thallium-silver-calciurn-lead anode. It was determined that 0.1 per cent. calcium in the anode was sufficient to lower the anode potential approximately 50 per cent. Table 1 shows the characteristics of alloyed anodes tested. The anode composed of 0.1 per cent. calcium, 4 per cent. thallium, and 95.9 per cent. * Professor of Metsllurgy, Missouri School of Mines. t Professor of Metallurgy and Ore Dressing, Hea.d of Department, Missouri School of Mines. Assistant Professor of Metallurgy, Missouri School of Mines. 1 Among others, see C. G. Fink and Li Chi Pan: Insoluble .Anodes for the Electrol-ysis of Brine [Trans. Amer. Electrochem. Soc., (1926) 49, 83-1341 and other papers by these authors. U. CJ. Taintori, 8. G. Taylor arid H. P. Ehrlinger: Lead Alloys for Anodes in Electrolytic Production of Zinc of High Purity. Truns. A. I. M. E. (1929) 192-200. 2 H. R. Hanley, C. Y. Clayton, D. F. Walsh: Investigation of Anodes for Production of Electrolytic Zinc. Trans. A. I. M. E. (1930) 275

Jan 1, 1931

By LUDWIG VOGELSTEIN

WE are indebted to Mr. Barbour for his valuable contribution to the literature on copper statistics; it is to my knowledge the only intelligent attempt to throw light on a much misunderstood subject. If I should appear to criticize some of his findings and arguments, I do not want to leave the impression that I do not appreciate the article; I think Mr. Barbour has been painstaking, and even where one might not agree with his conclusions, he has opened our eyes and stimulated us in our search for the truth.' It might be well to define the term "secondary copper" and to make a few remarks about the origin and the reasons for the variation of the supply. Mr. Barbour has touched on these points, but not sufficiently to make them clear to those not in the business.

Jan 1, 1931

By AIME AIME

WITH the example of the steel open-hearth men and their round table conference before the copper men, the query naturally arose "Why cannot we do likewise?" The advantage of pooling and comparing knowledge on smelting in the copper reverberatory furnace seems particularly pertinent at this time when all metallurgical economies possible must be rigorously enforced. A great deal of data had also been obtained and filed during the period of litigation over the Carson patent, and it would naturally be available with the cessation of further suits. With these ideas in mind, H. Foster Bain took up the advisability of holding such a conference directly with the heads of all the companies in the United States operating copper reverberatories, and found a nearly unanimous response. The mining companies appointed representatives directly, or indicated to the heads of various metallurgical operations what members of their staffs should be sent to such a conference.

Jan 1, 1930

By Robert K. Linn

The New ldria Mining District is in the southern part of the Diablo mountains of the California Coast Range, 140 miles southeast of San Francisco. The district, noted primarily for quicksilver, also has become important recently as a producer of short-fiber chrysotile asbestos. Between 1853 and 1966, the New Idria district produced 568,092 flasks of quicksilver valued at about $55,600,000, 99 per cent of which was recovered from one deposit, the New Idria mine. In 1944, the district was ranked third in all-time production of North American quicksilver districts, and, since that time, the New Idria mine produced an additional 129,045 flasks, placing the district and the New Idria mine second in all-time production. The major structure of the region is the northwest-trending Coalinga anticline consisting of an asymmetric dome of sedimentary beds ranging in age from Jurassic to Quaternary and marked at its northwest end by an oval body of sheared serpentine 14 miles long by 4 miles wide. The serpentine core, rimmed by Franciscan sandstone of probable Jurassic age, was uplifted in stages between Jurassic and Quaternary time and was intruded along a ring of faults into beds of the Panoche Formation of upper Cretaceous age. The core of serpentine and Franciscan rocks is the locus of about 20 quicksilver mines that rim the faultbounded core and lie within the serpentine mass. The host rock of the most productive deposits is altered Panoche shale and sandstone that lies intermittently along the perimeter of the core. Deposits of the New Idria group of mines and those of a few other small mines lie along the northeast contact in the footwall of the New ldria thrust fault, and a few others occur on steep normal faults around the south and southwest. The chief ore mineral in all quicksilver mines is cinnabar, but minor amounts of metacinnabar and native mercury are found in some of the mines. Ore shoots were deposited in fracture zones and stockworks in altered Panoche shale and sandstone and in definite fissure veins in Franciscan sandstone. Rocks made highly amenable to fracturing by hydrothermal alteration were fractured extensively by late faults. The resulting fracture zones, located along the late faults and at changes in strike or dip of the hanging wall or footwall, are the principal controls of most ore shoots. The largest and richest ore shoots are those of the New Idria mine. The major ore bodies occur in fractured shale and sandstone beneath the New ldria thrust fault at its junction with major tear faults.

Jan 1, 1968

By C. M. Young

THE following paper has been prepared with the object of placing on record in the Transactions some facts concerning the present condition and future prospects of the coal industry of Illinois. In presenting it, the writer wishes to say that a considerable amount of the material contained is taken from the publications and records of the Illinois Coal Mining Investigations, the annual Coal Report of the State Mining Board, and the work of the State Geological Survey. Coal Beds and Mining Methods According to the latest maps of the State Geological Survey, there are only 19 of the 102 counties of the State some portion of whose territory is not within the borders of the coal measures. If outlying areas in Calhoun and Whiteside Counties are considered, the number is reduced to 17. This does not mean that all of the 85 counties that are partly or wholly underlain by coal measures will become producers, as there are some portions of the State in which the coal does not occur in beds of such thickness as to warrant the hope that it can be mined. The mining of coal is widespread, however, for in 1916 there was production from 51 of the 102 counties of the State. There seem to be no cases in which operations will be limited by depth, as none of the coal measures lie at depths much greater than those at which it has been proved that coal may be profitably mined in this field. In fact, the deepest shaft reaching a bed of bituminous coal in the United States is located in this State at Assumption, where coal only 3 ½ ft. (1.07 m.) thick is worked at a depth of 1004 ft.. (306 m.) The coal beds occur in the form of a basin which is deepest along a line extending through the central part of the State and bearing a, little west of north. The northern, western and southern borders of this basin lie within the boundaries of the State, but on the eastern side the Illinois field is continuous with the Indiana field. The glacial drift covers all except the extreme southern end of the State and the visible outcropping

Jan 9, 1917

By Walter E. Duncan

The ores treated at the concentrating plant of the Mahoning Mining Co. at Rosiclare, III., come largely from the blanket replacement deposits of the northeastern part of Hardin County, Illinois, and consist of complex mixtures of galena, sphalerite and fluorspar in a gangue of quartz, limestone and sandstone. The several minerals are so intimately inter-grown that they are not liberated at the sizes usually treated by gravity concentration in the usual fluorspar plant. For this reason, an all-flotation method of concentration was developed in cooperation with the station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines at Rolla, Mo.1 This flotation separation made possible the commercial production of four concentrates: (I) lead, (2) zinc, (3) acid-grade fluorspar and (4) metallurgical-grade fluorspar.2,3 Although fluorspar had been floated in Canada in 1921 and a plant at Rosiclare had been floating fluorspar since March 1929, fluorspar flotation was given considerable impetus by the Mahoning developments, since some features of the separation were quickly adopted by other fluorspar companies. The Bureau of Mines6 reports that in the 10 years preceding 1938 only 50,552 tons of fluorspar flotation concentrates were produced in the United States. The rise from this almost nominal figure to 153,750 tons (largely acid grade) in one year (1944)6 is indicative of the activity in fluorspar flotation occasioned by the war. The industry thus proved to be in a position to expand and keep up reasonably well with the requirements imposed upon it by such developments as occurred in high octane aviation gasoline alkylation, in the use of Freon as a refrigerant and as carrier in the Aerosol "bug bomb," and in the atomic bomb project as well as in the expansion of other activities requiring hydrofluoric acid; for example, the aluminum industry. Despite the fact that the greater portion of acid-grade fluorspar produced in the last few years went directly into war uses, the future of the acid-grade field still appears bright. As a result of the activity in fluorine chemistry during the war, it seems likely that in the relatively near future almost every phase of human endeavor will find some fluorine compound involved. The other three concentrates produced deserve some attention in these introductory remarks. The lead concentrates first produced contained both zinc and fluorspar but these did not interfere with their marketing. As will be pointed out later, the quality has steadily improved until today it is a relatively high-grade product. Although some zinc smelters accept concentrates containing limited quantities of fluorspar, it is a very objectionable impurity. Since flotation methods fail in the complete removal of the fluorspar, chemical methods were developed for

Jan 1, 1947

By Walter E. Duncan

The ores treated at the concentrating plant of the Mahoning Mining Co. at Rosiclare, III., come largely from the blanket replacement deposits of the northeastern part of Hardin County, Illinois, and consist of complex mixtures of galena, sphalerite and fluorspar in a gangue of quartz, limestone and sandstone. The several minerals are so intimately inter-grown that they are not liberated at the sizes usually treated by gravity concentration in the usual fluorspar plant. For this reason, an all-flotation method of concentration was developed in cooperation with the station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines at Rolla, Mo.1 This flotation separation made possible the commercial production of four concentrates: (I) lead, (2) zinc, (3) acid-grade fluorspar and (4) metallurgical-grade fluorspar.2,3 Although fluorspar had been floated in Canada in 1921 and a plant at Rosiclare had been floating fluorspar since March 1929, fluorspar flotation was given considerable impetus by the Mahoning developments, since some features of the separation were quickly adopted by other fluorspar companies. The Bureau of Mines6 reports that in the 10 years preceding 1938 only 50,552 tons of fluorspar flotation concentrates were produced in the United States. The rise from this almost nominal figure to 153,750 tons (largely acid grade) in one year (1944)6 is indicative of the activity in fluorspar flotation occasioned by the war. The industry thus proved to be in a position to expand and keep up reasonably well with the requirements imposed upon it by such developments as occurred in high octane aviation gasoline alkylation, in the use of Freon as a refrigerant and as carrier in the Aerosol "bug bomb," and in the atomic bomb project as well as in the expansion of other activities requiring hydrofluoric acid; for example, the aluminum industry. Despite the fact that the greater portion of acid-grade fluorspar produced in the last few years went directly into war uses, the future of the acid-grade field still appears bright. As a result of the activity in fluorine chemistry during the war, it seems likely that in the relatively near future almost every phase of human endeavor will find some fluorine compound involved. The other three concentrates produced deserve some attention in these introductory remarks. The lead concentrates first produced contained both zinc and fluorspar but these did not interfere with their marketing. As will be pointed out later, the quality has steadily improved until today it is a relatively high-grade product. Although some zinc smelters accept concentrates containing limited quantities of fluorspar, it is a very objectionable impurity. Since flotation methods fail in the complete removal of the fluorspar, chemical methods were developed for

Jan 1, 1947

By Rudolph Emmel

THE mines operated by the South American Development Co. are located in the Zaruma mining district of southwestern Ecuador. They are near the old mining town of Zaruma, which is the only important city in the canton of the same name. The district is situated in the upper end of a valley lying between two spurs of the Cordillera, one of which may be considered the Coast Range and the other an intermediate range. The mining camp proper, known as Portovelo, and the plant are 2.4 km. south of Zaruma, on the north bank of the Amarillo River, a tributary of the Tumbes River, which flows southwestward through Peru to the Pacific. Portovelo is difficult of access; it is reached from Guayaquil by means of river steamers and muleback. Embarking at Guayaquil, the route is down the Guayas River, across the Jambeli Canal, and up the Santa Rosa River to Santa Rosa, a distance of 177 km. From Santa Rosa, the road or trail follows the Santa Rosa River, then across the summit of the Coast Range into Portovelo, a distance of 74 km.-a two-day trip on muleback. The mining property of the South American Development Co. comprises 297 lode claims and 142 placer claims. The combined lode claims cover an area, roughly rectangular in shape, 9000 m. long from north to south by 4000 m. wide; the northern edge of the rectangle is about 3000 m. north of the central plaza of Zaruma. Mineral lands in Ecuador are held by virtue of an annual tax per claim paid to the central government, no surface rights being included.

Jan 1, 1925

By J. B. Gayle

PRESENT flotation processes depend almost entirely on the buoyant properties of air bubbles to effect separations of mineral and gangue, but there is no convenient method for measuring aeration in flotation cells. Consequently the relation between aeration and cell performance has not been definitely established. In connection with a comparative study of kerosene and froth flotation processes, a modification of the displacement method' was developed in which air escaping from the cell surface is measured with a wet-test meter. The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is satisfactory for use with a number of cells and is not critical, except that care must be taken to use connections and tubing large enough to avoid excessive back pressures. Attempts to use smaller tubing resulted in back pressures that caused displacement of the liquid level in the receiver, so that some air was lost around the sides, an occurrence readily visible when measurements were taken with only water passing through the cell. With the arrangement shown, the manometer indicated an average reading of about 1/2-in. water pressure. No loss of air was evident. Fig. 2 presents typical data for a standard Denver sub-A 24x24-in. unit cell operated at impeller speeds from 0 to 710 rpm. Each plotted point represents the average for five readings distributed over the entire cell surface. Readings were taken with only water passing through the cell. Results of this type have been used in a study of the influence of operating variables on cell performance and in detecting inherent differences in the operating characteristics of cells of various kinds. Although the information presented in Fig. 2 resulted only with water passing through the cell, the apparatus is suitable for use during flotation of coal when various reagents are present. Possible modi- fications that might prove convenient under special circumstances include varying the size and shape of the receiver and substituting a calibrated, inverted, water-filled carboy or other gas-measuring device for the wet-test meter. If such modifications result in excessive back pressures, some form of draft should be applied at the discharge end of the measuring system.

Jan 1, 1959

By Robert H. Richards

(Pittsburg Meeting, March, 1910.) THIS is in part a review paper, indicating the various steps that have been taken in developing hindered-settling apparatus, some of the standard data that have been obtained, and some of the conclusions one is led to as to the effect of it in improving concentrating-methods and machinery, and in part it brings in some unpublished work. CAUSES OF LOSS IN ORE-CONCENTRATION. In making a study of the separation of valuable minerals from the waste gangue, particularly by water concentrators, it is necessary to define, first of all, what are the causes of-loss that are likely to interfere with the concentration. Having made this definition; we can then study to see in what way the machines make their losses, and plan remedies for them in an intelligent way. Losses may be stated to occur as included grains, as flat or long grains, as fine free mineral, and as absolute slime. We will take, these up one by one, as follows: Included Grains.-Fig. 1 shows by a set of diagrams how included grains may occur: first, where the heavy mineral grains attached to the quartz are of large size; secondly, where they are of small size ; and thirdly, where very fine particles of heavy mineral are included in the quartz. We have to decide in regard to included grains whether they are rich enough to go direct to, the furnace, or poor enough to throw away, or whether they lie between these two points and require recrushing as the only means of severing the values from the waste. This last case is the only one requiring special treatment at our hands. We will therefore consider that next. * By mutual consent, this paper has been presented also before the Colorado Scientific Society, and the Canadian Mining Institute, Montreal.

Feb 1, 1911

By C. E. McManus

MANY mechanical advances have been made on mining equipment during the year 1951. There have been a number of trends established and many modifications made on open-pit equipment to increase the efficiency and availability of all the machines necessary in the moving of overburden and iron ore. Some years ago, the trend toward larger shovels for the loading of off-highway trucks began, but in the last year, it has become general practice to use the 5 to 7 ¼ -yd quarry-type shovels in the loading of haulage units. For years these larger shovels were used in the locomotive haulage pits. As the truck capacities increased from 15 to 20 to 30 tons, the need for larger loading units became apparent. Today in most mines, large shovels are in evidence and a few 8-yd shovels will be delivered this year for loading off-highway trucks. Torque Converter-Shovel The Diesel-driven shovel with its friction bands has been modernized with the torque converter. There have been about ten shovels remodeled to take a torque converter in the drive system. The large high-torque, low-speed Diesel engine was removed and replaced by a high-horsepower, high-speed, automotive-type engine. This engine was connected directly to the torque converter. The torque converter was connected to the shovel through the standard original sprocket and chain. Dual governors controlled engine performance. One governor controlled the high idle of the engine; the other governor, which is connected through a flexible shaft to the output shaft of the converter, controlled the loading of the engine. With this dual governor hook-up, the engine anticipates load conditions and is operating at high idle and full throttle before the shovel load is transmitted back through the converter to the flywheel. It has been found that with this automotive-type engine and converter, the shovel capacity has been increased about 20 pct. Also, the wear on the friction bands, breakage of hoist cables, and other mechanical breakages has been reduced materially. Alloy-Steel in Shovels The shovel equipment manufacturers have been experimenting with low-temperature-strength, high-alloy steels to combat the excessive breakage that occurs in extremely cold weather. High-nickel alloy steel has been used in critical areas that are affected by low temperatures, the most notable being dipper sticks. Most shovels ordered today are equipped with some of this special, alloy steel. More and more manganese alloy is being used for replacement parts such as shovel pads, idlers, drive sprockets, etc. Although the initial cost of these parts is considerably higher than the standard replacement items, the life of these manganese parts is considerably longer and well worth the added expenditure. Dipper-teeth repair is still a problem. Most companies use the small replaceable inserted tooth. It has become common practice among some of the companies to "job out" their dipper-tooth repairs to outside welding companies. This necessitates an additional inventory of teeth, but it does guarantee an adequate supply of replacement teeth at all times. These contractors have set up their shops on a production basis and can do an acceptable job at a high rate of speed. Thermite welding has been used in retipping teeth. To date, the process cannot be called successful but with improvements the time required to repoint the dipper teeth will be decreased considerably. The submerged arc process has been tried in the replacement of these dipper points, but like thermite welding has not proven successful. Here again, if a method can be developed to use submerged arc, the job of teeth repair will be made much easier. New model shovels in 6 ½ and 8 cu yd sizes fea-

Jan 1, 1952

By J. Hoover Mackin

The iron ore bodies of the Iron Springs district are replacement deposits of magnetite and hematite in Jurassic limestone around the borders of three intrusions of quartz-monzonite porphyry. Production in the period 1923-1965 was about 72,000,000 tons, nearly all of which was direct-shipping ore from open pits. The intrusions are laccolithic in form; all three were emplaced at the same stratigraphic horizon, which had been a zone of decollement gliding during the Laramide orogeny. The intrusions and associated volcanic rocks are post-orogenic. There was no change in the thickness of the limestone during the metallization. Comparison of the composition of the limestone and stratigraphically equivalent replacement ore indicates that, with every million tons of iron, there were additions of 40,000 tons of silicon, 20,000 tons of magnesium, and 10,000 tons of aluminum. The ore-forming fluid was derived from the exposed porphyry. The iron was first incorporated in hydroxyl-bearing mafics, which crystallized in depth and were carried upward in the magma that formed the hypabyssal intrusions. The mafic phenocrysts decayed deuterically in the new environment, releasing iron into the interstitial fluid of a consolidating crystal mush in the interior of the intrusions. Primary tension joints, which opened in areas of late intrusive distention, served as roots through which the ore-forming fluid was drawn from the crystal mush.

Jan 1, 1968

By M. G. Driessen, H. E. Criner

Possible applications of cyclone thickeners for: (1) clarification of the washery water and, (2) recovery of fine coal from the plant bleed. The paper shows: (1) that it is possible to remove all particles including the very finest, from the circulating water, thus obtaining a closed water system and, (2) that reduction of the ash content of the solids of the plant bleed is feasible by means of cyclone thickeners. Performance data for different size cyclones is given in the form of graphs.

Jan 1, 1950

By J. L. Christie, R. H. Leach

SO much has been written recently about the use of silver to replace scarce metals that certain facts about silver and its uses should be of interest. Figures for the production and use of silver, taken from the Handy & Harman annual reviews of the silver market, are given in Table 1. It will be seen that the rate of production has remained fairly constant and has been affected in recent years by the production of base metals, of which silver is a by-product. In each of the years 1937, 1938, and 1939, the U.S. Government acquisitions alone exceeded the entire world production, the difference, of course, being made up by imports of previously accumulated stocks. In 1940 and 1941 the U. S. Government acquisitions plus the United States and Canadian uses in the arts and industries exceeded the Western Hemisphere production. The U.S. Government pays a premium price for silver newly mined in the United States, at present 71.11c. compared with the price of 35'/8c. for foreign silver, with the result that the current U. S. production is not used commercially for the arts and industries. At the time this is written (June 1942) there is much uncertainty as to the future effect of this situation.

Jan 1, 1942

Jan 1, 1886

By C. V. Millikan

THE year 1930 in the petroleum industry has been characterized by the establishment of large potential production of crude oil. This has resulted in closer cooperation between companies by proration and unit operation agreements in order to afford an equitable outlet to all, and to prevent a flood of oil being forced on the market with attendant tremendous material and economic waste. Drilling wells in proved areas and wildcat wells are fewer than in the past several years. Restricted production and low prices have caused greater effort to increase producing and recovery efficiencies. Increased refinery efficiencies have amplified the effect of overproduction. Pipe line departments have been especially busy. New oil lines have reached more refineries by new and shorter routes. Establishing greater gas reserves by new fields has justified new gas lines to industrial centers, and has brought this fuel to thousands of new domestic consumers. Two long gasoline lines, a new venture in pipe lines, are being built to obtain a lower cost of transportation and less loss between the refineries and their distribution centers. The chairmen of the various divisions have discussed the developments of their respective branches more fully in the following reviews.

Jan 1, 1931

By William P. Blake

We are so familiar with water in its liquid and its solid form, that we seldom think of it as a mineral, and still less as a mineral product of any considerable industrial importance, though in the form of ice it is mined and stored up in enormous quantities yearly. The industry is peculiarly American, and in no other country has the business of cutting and storing ice been so well systematized and perfected. The interest has grown steadily from year to year, until it has attained large proportions, the annual production being counted in millions of tons, requiring, in the aggregate, a large investment of capital in all the Northern States. It gives employment, also, to thousands of men and horses, in the depth of winter, when farming work cannot be carried on. Ice is not only a luxury, but a necessity, in our climate, and is indispensable in many manufacturing operations: and finds constantly increasing applications and uses. As the industry has grown, so the necessity for suitable implements and tools has grown with it, and it has become necessary to systematize and cheapen the methods of handling such a large amount of material with rapidity and economy. As the industry is properly a branch of mining, and as our mining literature does not, to my knowledge, contain any description of the methods and appliances used in it, it seems desirable to place a brief description on record in our Transactions, and I therefore offer to the Institute the following outline description, based partly upon observations for several years past of the methods and processes employed, and partly upon the information obtained from prominent ice-miners and from the manufacturers of ice-tools. My acknowledgments are particularly due to the firm of W. T. Wood & Co., of Arlington, Massachusetts, for much information in detail, and also to the Knickerbocker Ice Company, of Philadelphia. The wood-cut blocks used in the illustration of this paper, have been kindly lent by both of these firms. The sequence of operations in getting ice is as follows : 1. Wetting down a light snow. 2. Scraping off an excess of snow, if present. 3. Marking out the field. 4. Ploughing and cross-ploughing. 5. Cutting the channel and detaching large floes.

Jan 1, 1883