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By James J. Olson, Richard A. Dick

Blasting practices have shown a recent trend toward larger blastholes and larger burdens and spacings, although some operators, after reconsidering the situation have gone back to smaller blasthole sizes. The greater pull-down capabilities of larger drill rigs and the greater bearing strength of large diameter drill bits give penetration rates for large diameter blastholes approaching, and sometimes exceeding, penetration rates for smaller holes. In practically all cases, large diameter holes can be drilled more quickly and cheaply, based on volume of hole, than small diameter holes. The industry's shift to dry blasting agents and slurries, products which perform more dependably and efficiently in larger diameters, gives an additional advantage to larger boreholes.

Jan 3, 1972

By N. I. Fisher, J. Shepherd

Statistical studies have been carried out on structural geological data collected across a large zone of roof failure 600 m (1968 ft) wide and at least 800 m (2642 ft) long in the Greta coal seam at Aberdare East Colliery. Two swarms of hundreds of minor, normal faults with throws commonly between 3 and 300 mm in the room and pillar workings are broadly coincident with roof failure. The faults have been classified into dip slip and oblique and strike slip types. Roof conditions have been classified into good; troublesome with subclasses scaly, heavy, gutter falls and wide, flat-roofed falls; and severely failed with subclasses very heavy roof, gutter falls and dome falls. Troublesome conditions are defined as those in which the height of the fall is less than or equal to 0.3 m, and severely failed conditions as those in which the fall height is greater than 0.3 m. Comparison of faults, roof condition and mining rate on a shift basis indicates that faults and roof failure are much more important than machine breakdowns in reducing mining rate. The effect of faults on roof conditions has been quantified using a concept called the "zone of influence," a rectangular area around a fault in which the fault has potentially deleterious effects. The spatial comparison of fault "zones of influence" with areas of roof failure wing Spearman's rank correlation coefficient shows that, while normal dip slip faults do not appear to be associated with roof failure, oblique slip and strike slip faults appear to be associated with roof classed as severely failed. The "zone of influence" of an oblique slip fault may extend up to 3 m on each side of it in the headings and up to 1.14 m in the cut-throughs. The fault "zone of influence" has geomechanical implications for the design of mine openings and Possibly represents the maximum length of a cantilevered roof beam likely to fail during mining, owing to a fault. Roof conditions could Possibly be predicted in blocks of &gin coal if the type of fault could be identified in oriented drill cores.

Jan 1, 1979

By R. J. Linney

Reserve Mining Co. produces 5 million tons of iron ore pellets per year. The finished product runs about 65.50 pct Fe, with 7.75 to 8.00 pct SiO2. Less than 12 pct arrives at the blast furnaces smaller than % in. This plant was originally designed to produce 3.75 tons annually—not 5 million. To handle the increased tonnage a fifth fine crushing line was added, and some very minor changes were made. When production can be stepped up 33 1/3 pct without extensive additions or changes—within the short period of a year—basic engineering has been sound. Operators of the plant consider it the best design job they have seen or heard of, and competent authorities have said that start-up was quicker and easier than for any previous large-scale minerals beneficiation plant. One big advantage is the elbow room allowed. Generally speaking, there is an eternal conflict between operator and designer over space. The designer has his costs per cubic foot, and he is keenly aware that if he permits the number of cubic feet to rise unnecessarily, total costs will be too high. But this was a new operation, and on a large scale. There were no proven standards to go by. Realizing this, Reserve's engineers provided ample and efficient access to machinery, allowing extra space for unanticipated situations. In three years of production this planning has paid off handsomely. Gravity Flow Saves Time and Money: This plant is on a rocky hillside, the car dumper about 270 ft above Lake Superior. In locating buildings and placing machinery the designers mad= good use of gravity flow, at considerable financial savings. In the concentrator building from rod mills to filters, gravity carries the material between all stages of the operation except one—the closed circuit pumping of concentrate between cone classifiers and ball mills. Since no machine is located directly above any other, an observer can stand on the truck ramp adjacent to the offices and laboratory and see practically every phase of activity in the huge building. The first mill section started in August 1955. After a day's run several modifications were made on auxiliary chutes and launders where spillage had occurred. This procedure was followed for the first

Jan 1, 1960

By J. H. Swisher

In measuvements of the solubility of nitrogen in fer-rilic Fe-P alloys, tile nitrogen solubility is found to be Less in pIrospliorus-bearing alloys than in pure iron. The reduction in solubility is about 20 pct in a 1.0 wt pct P alloy at 1300°C and about 30 pct in a 0.23 wt pct P alloy at 440°C. Diffusion coefficient measurements at 1150 and 585°C show that phosphorus also decreases the nitrogen diffusivity in iron. In previous work on the Fe-P-N system, phosphorus was found to reduce the nitrogen solubility in liquid iron slightly.&apos; Indirect evidence for similar behavior in a Fe at low temperature was obtained by Dickenscheid and Brauner.&apos; These authors found that phosphorus reduces the height of the internal-friction peak due to dissolved nitrogen. The results of Dickenscheid and Brauner were confirmed by J. C. Swartz of this Laboratory in a single internal-friction experiment using the same specimen stock as in the solubility measurements described below. In the present investigation, the solubility of nitrogen in a fer rite-stabilized Fe-1.0 wt pct P alloy was measured in the temperature range from 800" to 1300°C. Additional experiments were performed in the temperature range from 440° to 585°C, using an Fe-0.23 wt pct P alloy and NH3-H2 gas mixtures. EXPERIMENTAL The experiments were performed in a vertical tube furnace wound with platinum wire. For experimental temperatures of 800°C and above, a mixture of 5 pct Hz in N2 was used as the reacting gas. The gas mixture was prepurified from oxygen by passage over platinized asbestos at 450°C, and subsequently over anhydrone to remove water. Flow rates of the gases were measured with capillary flow meters. The temperature was measured before and after each experiment with a Pt/Pt-10 pct Rh thermocouple. The specimens used for the high-temperature solubility measurements were in the form of rectangular plates, 0.534 by 1.6 by 3.8 cm. The specimens were cleaned in trichloroethylene and annealed for 2 hr in hydrogen at the beginning of each experiment. In measuring the nitrogen solubility, the specimens were held in the reacting gas until equilibrated, then cooled in a water-cooled copper block at the bottom of the furnace. The time needed for equilibration at 1150°C was determined by measuring the average nitrogen content of the 1.0 pct P alloy as a function of reaction time. As will be described, the nitrogen diffusivity in the alloy at 1150°C is only slightly less than its calculated diffusivity in pure iron. At temperatures other than 1150°C, the reaction time used in measuring the nitrogen solubility was about twice the calculated equilibration time for pure iron at the same temperature. With a few exceptions, the procedure for the low-temperature solubility measurements was the same as that described above. The compositions of the NH3-H2 gas mixtures were determined by collecting gas samples from the gas train and analyzing them for NH3 by titration with HC1. The specimen thicknesses were less than those used for the high-temperature experiments, eg., 0.124 and 0.051 cm for measurements at 585° and 440°C, respectively. Nitrogen concentrations were obtained by chemical analysis, using the Kjeldahl method. The Fe-P alloys were made by adding ferrophos-phorus to electrolytic Plastiron (Type 104 A). Commercial ferrophosphorus, containing 3 pct Mn and 0.35 pct Si as the major impurities, was first purified by melting under an FeO slag. In a separate heat, the electrolytic iron was melted and vacuum-carbon-deoxidized prior to making the ferrophosphorus addition. The principal impurities and their concentrations in weight percent in the 1.0 pct P alloy are as follows: Mn, 0.01; Si, <0.01; C, 0.01; 0, 0.003; and N, 0.0012. The impurity levels in the 0.23 pct P alloy are con-

Jan 1, 1968

IN CIRCLES where mining men are wont to fraternize, a statement often heard is: "Yes, I spent six (or two, or ten, or thirty) years down at &apos;Chuqui.&apos; " This means Chuquicamata, the site in Chile of what in all probability is the world&apos;s largest deposit of copper ore. One hears similar remarks regarding Braden and Andes, and, in fact, regarding a score of other big mines in South America, Africa, and elsewhere, but Chuqui seems to lead the others as the locale of engineers who have done a stint in foreign countries. One reason probably is that it is the Anaconda Company&apos;s premier foreign operation. Because of its unusual size and the diversity of its operations a great many men are needed. It is a sort of training school for young engineers; but, also, Anaconda has sent down a great many mature members of its big organization for special assignments like metallurgical research or plant construction. Chuquicamata is about 150 miles northeast of Antofagasta, at an elevation of 9,500 ft. It is in an almost rainless desert country where the wind (it is alleged by some) blows most of the time. However, the copper mining entrepreneurs have done their best to make up for what nature has neglected to do in creating a pleasant environment for the people who operate the mines. These include about 160 "foreigners" of whom 86 are from the United States, most of them accompanied by their families. There are 165 Chileans on the staff. Comforts, conveniences, and many luxuries are provided to offset in some measure the disagreeable features of the climate. Nevertheless, as I have implied, engineers at Chuqui generally jump at the chance to become "alumni" when opportunity offers. At the same time, they appear to take pride in their alma mater.

Jan 1, 1957

By D. W. Akins

The case history of a combination gas and water flood instituted early in the life of a field is described. It was recognized from the beginning that recovery would be low, under normal production methods, from the several separate, thin beds of porous limestone which had such poor native permeability that the wells would not produce without acidizing. It is thought that the combination flood gives excellent recovery efficiencies for this type of reservoir. The chief function of the gas flood now is to maintain bottom hole pressure in that part of the reservoir which will not be affected by the water injection program until later. Present estimates are that ultimate recovery will be approximately double the recovery expected under the original solution gas drive mechanism. Wide (80-acre) spacing has enhanced the economics of the over-all field program by the elimination of more than $5,000,000 worth of unnecessary wells. INTRODUCTION The Haynesville Pettit Field was discovered in November, 1941, with the completion of T. L. James Co.&apos;s Callie Akin No. 1, located in the W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Section 27-23N-8W, Claiborne Parish, La., at an approximate depth of 5,300 ft. The center of the field is about two miles north and a mile west of the town of Haynesville, La. A total of 189 producing wells have been drilled on 14,500 acres. An additional nine dry holes were drilled. The Louisiana-Arkansas state line divides the field so that 34 wells are in Arkansas and 155 are in Louisiana. Governmental sections are divided equally to contain eight production units making 80-acre spacing where the sections are regular. Along the state line in Louisiana there is an irregular tier of sections, each of which contains approximately 456 acres. When divided equally into eight production units the spacing is 57 acres per well for these three and a fraction productive sections. All Haynesville Pettit wells are identified by their section number followed by their position in the section as determined by numbering the production units counterclockwise beginning in the upper right corner of the section. All of the producing wells in the field except two are unit-ized and operated by the Haynesville Operators Committee. These two wells are located in the extreme northern part of the field in Arkansas. Efforts to bring them into the Unit are being continued. The Pettit operators organized the Haynesville Operators Committee and the field became a unit operation May 1: 1944. GEOLOGY The Pettit is Lower Cretaceous in age and is defined as the uppermost porosity in the Sligo formation. The unitized area known as the Haynesville Pettit Field is composed of two separate zones of porosity approximately 40 ft apart and without connection between the two, except in wells. These zones are known as the Upper Pettit and the Lower Pettit. The Upper Pettit is separated into two sections throughout most of its area by a relatively thin but quite impervious shale streak. These are called the "A" and "B" sections of the Upper Pettit. All of these lenticular zones are composed of coquina limestone and a small percentage of normal oolites. The large

Jan 1, 1951

By D. W. Akins

The case history of a combination gas and water flood instituted early in the life of a field is described. It was recognized from the beginning that recovery would be low, under normal production methods, from the several separate, thin beds of porous limestone which had such poor native permeability that the wells would not produce without acidizing. It is thought that the combination flood gives excellent recovery efficiencies for this type of reservoir. The chief function of the gas flood now is to maintain bottom hole pressure in that part of the reservoir which will not be affected by the water injection program until later. Present estimates are that ultimate recovery will be approximately double the recovery expected under the original solution gas drive mechanism. Wide (80-acre) spacing has enhanced the economics of the over-all field program by the elimination of more than $5,000,000 worth of unnecessary wells. INTRODUCTION The Haynesville Pettit Field was discovered in November, 1941, with the completion of T. L. James Co.&apos;s Callie Akin No. 1, located in the W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Section 27-23N-8W, Claiborne Parish, La., at an approximate depth of 5,300 ft. The center of the field is about two miles north and a mile west of the town of Haynesville, La. A total of 189 producing wells have been drilled on 14,500 acres. An additional nine dry holes were drilled. The Louisiana-Arkansas state line divides the field so that 34 wells are in Arkansas and 155 are in Louisiana. Governmental sections are divided equally to contain eight production units making 80-acre spacing where the sections are regular. Along the state line in Louisiana there is an irregular tier of sections, each of which contains approximately 456 acres. When divided equally into eight production units the spacing is 57 acres per well for these three and a fraction productive sections. All Haynesville Pettit wells are identified by their section number followed by their position in the section as determined by numbering the production units counterclockwise beginning in the upper right corner of the section. All of the producing wells in the field except two are unit-ized and operated by the Haynesville Operators Committee. These two wells are located in the extreme northern part of the field in Arkansas. Efforts to bring them into the Unit are being continued. The Pettit operators organized the Haynesville Operators Committee and the field became a unit operation May 1: 1944. GEOLOGY The Pettit is Lower Cretaceous in age and is defined as the uppermost porosity in the Sligo formation. The unitized area known as the Haynesville Pettit Field is composed of two separate zones of porosity approximately 40 ft apart and without connection between the two, except in wells. These zones are known as the Upper Pettit and the Lower Pettit. The Upper Pettit is separated into two sections throughout most of its area by a relatively thin but quite impervious shale streak. These are called the "A" and "B" sections of the Upper Pettit. All of these lenticular zones are composed of coquina limestone and a small percentage of normal oolites. The large

Jan 1, 1951

By P. P. Reichert, L. S. Gournay, N. T. Burdine

An investigation of equivalent pore entry radii in typical samples of petroleum reservoir rock and the pore volume associated with each value of pore entry radius has been made. Theoretical discussions together with experimental procedures for obtaining pore entry radii and the distribution of pore volume with pore entry radii are presented. Experimental results on a number of core samples, along with typical distribution curves, are shown. Data on the per cent of the pore volume filled by mercury at a pressure of 1500 psi are included. The results of re-runs of samples, made possible by regenerative apparatus, show the repeatability of the data and indicate the amount of physical change in the samples by mercury penetration. Theoretical equations for calculating permeability from pore size distribution data were derived and the results of such calculations are compared with measured gas permeability data. The effect of the shape, surface area, and weight of the sample on the pore size distribution of reservoir rocks was investigated experimentally. Mercury capillary pressure curves are compared with those obtained by the porous diaphragm method using pas to displace water. Standard core analysis techniques, in general, lead to quantities which are statistical averages of the varying properties of the samples under examination. Although such statistical information has real value in predicting the gross performance of porous bodies. it fails to provide fundamental information concerning the properties of the porous medium itself or any processes which may be occurring in it. For example, a gas permeability measurement on a core sample is an indirect way of determining an average pore radius for that particular sample. Since there are many combinations of pore radii that will give the same radius. and, hence, the same permeability, no information is obtained on the pore size distribution. Furthermore, similar values in permeability do not imply similarity in other properties of a porous medium. For instance, it is possible to have two core samples with identical permeability which would have different residual oil contents at the end of an air-oil drive, or even different amounts of interstitial water. It has been recognized for some time by the petroleum industry that a determination of pore size distribution for porous reservoir rocks offered promise of increased understanding of fundamental flow processes in the porous matrix. and therefore of petroleum res- ervoir performance in general. There have recently been published several methods for determination of pore size distribution in porous materials. A report is given here of the modifications in equipment and technique required to adapt one of these methods to measurements on petroleum reservoir core samples. Although only a few correlations or applications of the method are available for presentation at this time, the technique is brought to the attention of the industry so that the opinions and experience of others with this or similar techniques may be exchanged. It seems possible that the method will have wide application in the future. METHOD There are three general methods which may be employed to measure the pore size distribution in naturally occurring rock formations. One method1 is based on experimentally determined adsorption isotherms for calculating the surface area of the porous medium. Knowing the surface area and the pore volume, a rough estimate of the pore radius can be made. Since this method depends on the thickness and uniformity of the adsorbed layer, the validity of the results would be highly questionable. A second method utilizes capillary pressure data obtained by static dis-

Jan 1, 1950

By K. H. Adams, T. Vreeland

The basal stress-strain behavior, dislocation density, and strain vale sensitivity of the flow stress uqere measured at room temperature on single crystals oj-zone-refined zinc , 99.999 pct Zn, and zinc containing 0.0025 and 0.02 wt pct Al. No significant change in the stvain rate sensitivity of the flow stress occurs with the addition of aluminum. Changes in dislocation substructure and nonbasal dislocation density were obserrled with the addition of aluminum. The effect of aluminum on the basal slress-strain behavior is explained in terms of changes in nonbasal dislocation density which determines the separation distance of junctions between basal and nonbasal dislocations. The onset of basal slip is associated with the breaking of attractive junctions. The chunge in basal dislocation density was found to be proportional to the one-third power of the plastic shear strain, indepedent of purity. THE effect of impurities in solid solution on the stress-strain behavior of single crystals has been the subject of many theoretical studies. These studies have generally concentrated on the interactions between impurities and dislocations to explain the hardening effeet of impurity additions. The theories that have been proposed include those of yott and Nabarro,&apos;l&apos; Cott-re11; Suzuki; and Fisher. In practice, it is generally difficult to predict the relative importance of the vari- ous effects due to impurities. In addition, secondary effects of impurity additions such as induced changes in dislocation density and substructure in the as-grown crystals have received little attention. Many experimental investigations have been conducted on the effect of impurities on the stress-strain behavior of fcc crystals. Hcp crystals have not received much attention except for the extensive work of Levine et a1.= on magnesium alloy crystals. Stuwe~&apos;&apos; has studied the effect of copper impurity on the critical shear stress of zinc crystals and has interpreted the results in terms of the impurity atmosphere model of Cottrell and Jaswon. This report presents the results of an experimental study of the effect of aluminum additions to zinc on the basal stress-strain curve and the strain rate sensitivity of the flow stress. Etch pit techniques were used to measure and characterize the dislocation density and substructure in the zinc alloy crystals. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Specimen Preparation. Compression test specimens of four different purities of zinc were prepared from CP grade zinc of 99.999 pct purity obtained from the New Jersey Zinc Co. An analysis of this material furnished by the supplier indicated the following impurities in wt ~ct: Pb = 0.0002; Fe = 0.0002; Cd = 0.00005; other <0.60011. A quantity of material of this grade was further purified by zone refining. Zone refining was carried out under a helium atmosphere by passing a double &apos;One furnace Over a 6-ft-10ng charge at the rate of 2 in. Per hr. * total of ten double zone passes were made before the charge was removed from the furnace. The first one third of each charge was used to grow single crystals. Quantities of two

Jan 1, 1969

By A. Thies, A. Mezcer

The Haile mine is situated in Lancaster county, South Carolina, twenty miles south of Lancaster. The topography of the country is characterized by low hills rising generally less than two hundred feet above the many small creeks which traverse the surface. The road from Kershaw, the nearest railroad station, 3 1/2 miles from the mines, leads through woods with sandy soil and cottonfields. In many places it lies on the bare rock and shows that the adjacent covering of soil and earth is usually not more than one foot thick, and often less. This covering is to a great extent sand. Close by a bridge, about one mile from the mine, large round boulders of diabase may be observed. The country-rock seems to be exclusively talcose slate, with a general strike varying from N. 45&apos; E. to N. 70&apos; E. These variations may be seen in the immediate neighborhood of the mines, the large open cuts of which present exposures favorable to such ob-

Jan 1, 1891

By C. Laird, C. E. Feltner

May different kinds of dislocation structures have been observed in strain-cycled metals and alloys. In order to understand their pattern and causes, an experimental program has been carried out to determine the influence on the dislocation structures of the three variables: 1) slip character of the material, 2) test temperature, and 3) strain amplitude. The results show that at high strain amplitudes cell structures me formed when the slip character is wavy, and that these are progressively replaced by uniform distributions of dislocations as the stacking fault energy is decreased. At lower strains, dislocation debris is formed which consists primarily of dipoles in wavy slip mode materials and multipoles in planar slip mode materials. Temperature merely acts to change the scale of the structure, smaller cells, and clumps of dislocation debris being associated with lower temperatures. It is shown that the results for many metals fit this pattern, which Parallels that occurring in unidirectional deformation. DISLOCATION structures produced by cyclic strain (fatigue) have been examined in a number of metals by transmission electron microscopy. These studies have produced a variety of interesting and often seemingly conflicting results. For example, different investigators have reported such structural features as cells.le4 bands of tangled dislocations,4&apos;5 dense patches or clusters of prismatic dislocation loops, planar arrays,4&apos;10 and various combinations or mixtures of these different structures. Most of these observations have been made on materials which were initially annealed and cyclically strained at low amplitudes resulting in long lives. Recently we have reported observations of the dislocation structures produced in copper and Cu-7.5 pct Al cycled at large amplitudes, resulting in lives of less than 104 cycles.4 These results, examined in combination with those in the literature, have suggested that a common or consistent structural pattern exists. Variations in this pattern appear to be determined chiefly by the three variables, namely, the slip character of the material,4,11 test temperature. and the strain amplitude. To verify this interpretation, we have studied [he influence of the above three variables (in different combinations) on the resultant structures in cyclically strained metals. Copper, fatigued at room temperature, was chosen as a reference state to which all other observations can be compared. The effect of slip character has been investigated by employing fcc metals of different stacking fault energy. Thus aluminum which has a more wavy slip character than copper, and Cu-2.5 pct A1 having a more planar slip char- acter, have been examined. The aluminum samples were fatigued at 210°K thus making their homologous temperature equal to that of copper at room temperature. The influence of temperature has been evaluated by examining the structures in copper at room temperature and 78°K. Finally the effect of strain amplitude was studied by looking at the structures at amplitudes giving lives ranging from 104 to 107 cycles. All of the specimens were examined at the 50 pct life level at which stage the structures have reached a stable configuration.12 I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Strip specimens, 0.006 in. in thickness, were prepared from base elements of 99.99 pct purity or greater. Specimens were fatigued by cementing the strips to a lucite substrate which was subjected to reverse plane bending. This method of testing has been described e1sewhere.7 After fatiguing, specimens were thinned and examined in a Philips EM 200 which was equipped with a goniometer stage capable of ±30-deg tilt and 330-deg rotation of the specimen. On the basis of separate calibrations,13 allowances were made for the relative rotation and inversions between the bright-field images and the diffraction patterns. II) RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The life behavior of the materials under different test conditions is shown in Fig. 1 in the form of plots of total strain range vs cycles to failure. Comparisons of structures produced in the different materials were made at amplitudes which produced equal numbers of cycles to failure. The influence of strain amplitude on the structures produced in the reference state material (copper tested at room temperature) is shown in Fig. 2. At the 104 life level the structure produced comprises cells similar to those previously observed.3,4 They are approximately 0.5 p in diam and the cell walls are generally more regular or sharper than those produced by unidirectional deformation.14 At the 10&apos; life level the

Jan 1, 1969

By O&apos, M. M. Fine, K. G. Meara

One of the principal activities of the Bureau of Mines connected with the recent war was to help to increase the supply of strategic and critical minerals. Fluorite was one of the most critical of the nonmetallic minerals because of the increased demand for it as a flux in basic open-hearth and electric steel furnaces and as a raw material for the production of artificial cryolite used in the aluminum industry. Wartime developments in the technology of hydrofluoric acid, such as the use of the anhydrous acid as a catalyst in production of high-octane gasoline and the use of organic fluorides as carriers for insecticides, also increased the demand for acid-grade fluorite.f In 1943 the consumption of acid-grade fluorite was advancing at a more rapid rate than production, and was only slightly less than production during the latter half of the year.&apos; The outlook for the postwar market for fluorite is encouraging. Steel production is expected to remain high until the domestic demand for commodities not manufactured during the war is satisfied. The uses for hydrofluoric acid are expected to increase under the impetus of war-initiated research. In considerbtion of these and other factors some authorities predict a postwar demand for fluorite equal to about 60 to 75 per cent of the wartime production.1,2 Others believe that the postwar fluorite industry will be permanently expanded over its prewar status.3 Acknowledgment This paper is one of many reporting on various aspects of the Bureau of Mines program directed toward the more effective utilization of our mineral resources. The program has been under the general supervision of R. S. Dean, Assistant Director, since July 1942. The scope of the paper falls in the province of the Metallurgical Branch, whose activities embrace the separation of difficultly beneficiated ores, the production of pure metals from domestic deposits, the exploitation of marginal orc reserves, the recovery of secondary metals, and the improvement of present industrial metallurgical practice. The investigation was initiated at the request of Mr. J. H. Steinmesch, vice-president and general manager, Minerva Oil Co., Eldorado, Ill. His hearty cooperation and helpful suggestions, and those of Mr. 0. E. Anderson, mill superintendent,

Jan 1, 1948

By K. G. Meara, M. M. Fine, O&apos

One of the principal activities of the Bureau of Mines connected with the recent war was to help to increase the supply of strategic and critical minerals. Fluorite was one of the most critical of the nonmetallic minerals because of the increased demand for it as a flux in basic open-hearth and electric steel furnaces and as a raw material for the production of artificial cryolite used in the aluminum industry. Wartime developments in the technology of hydrofluoric acid, such as the use of the anhydrous acid as a catalyst in production of high-octane gasoline and the use of organic fluorides as carriers for insecticides, also increased the demand for acid-grade fluorite.f In 1943 the consumption of acid-grade fluorite was advancing at a more rapid rate than production, and was only slightly less than production during the latter half of the year.&apos; The outlook for the postwar market for fluorite is encouraging. Steel production is expected to remain high until the domestic demand for commodities not manufactured during the war is satisfied. The uses for hydrofluoric acid are expected to increase under the impetus of war-initiated research. In considerbtion of these and other factors some authorities predict a postwar demand for fluorite equal to about 60 to 75 per cent of the wartime production.1,2 Others believe that the postwar fluorite industry will be permanently expanded over its prewar status.3 Acknowledgment This paper is one of many reporting on various aspects of the Bureau of Mines program directed toward the more effective utilization of our mineral resources. The program has been under the general supervision of R. S. Dean, Assistant Director, since July 1942. The scope of the paper falls in the province of the Metallurgical Branch, whose activities embrace the separation of difficultly beneficiated ores, the production of pure metals from domestic deposits, the exploitation of marginal orc reserves, the recovery of secondary metals, and the improvement of present industrial metallurgical practice. The investigation was initiated at the request of Mr. J. H. Steinmesch, vice-president and general manager, Minerva Oil Co., Eldorado, Ill. His hearty cooperation and helpful suggestions, and those of Mr. 0. E. Anderson, mill superintendent,

Jan 1, 1948

By AIME AIME

PRIZES totaling $450 were awarded at the Annual Meeting luncheon on Monday, Feb. 9, to the winners of the third national student prize paper contest. The undergraduate prizewinners, each of whom received a check for $100, were as follows: Mayo W. Lanning, Lafayette College, for his paper entitled ?Some Aspects of the Mining Methods Employed at the Scrub Oak Mines of the Alan Wood Steel Company,? (entered by the Lehigh Valley Section). Charles F. Parent, Montana School of Mines, for his paper entitled ?Relationships of Manganese Minerals in the Butte District,? (entered by the Montana Section). Harry Czyzewski, University of Illinois, for his paper entitled ?A Metallurgical Study of Cast Irons Used for Glass Molds,? (entered by the Chicago Section).

Jan 1, 1942

By Harvey P. Knudsen, Young C. Kim, Edward Mueller

Abstract-This paper describes the results of a comparative study of the geostatistical ore reserve estimation method over three conventional methods; the polygon method, the inverse of the distance squared (IDS) method, and ELIP which is similar to IDS. Each method was evaluated on its ability to accurately predict individual block grades for one bench of the Pima mine, located near Tucson, Ariz. Results at the Pima mine indicate that the geostatistical method is no better or worse in predicting block grades and total tonnage than the ELIP or IDS methods. In contrast, the polygon method is clearly inferior. All of the methods would have given better results if geology had been included in the block model. At already producing mines ELIP or IDS may be good choices since they involve substantially less cost in computer time. For prospective or new properties the geostatistical model is more attractive due to its ability to construct confidence limits on the estimates.

Jan 1, 1978

A week-long educational program and two-day symposium on applying the fluidizing reactor to the minerals industry drew more than 100 engineers to the University of Arizona at Tucson several weeks ago. The educational program, intended for engineers who will work closely with the reactor, attracted registrants from all sections of the U. S. and Canada. Meeting at the College of Mines on February 23 for a full week of intensive classwork, the engineers ploughed in with enthusiasm. Eight hours daily of lectures and laboratory work were followed by a generous helping of homework supplied by Professor Sigmund L. Smith, who directed the course. The study program was completed on Friday and the following Monday marked the start of a symposium of technical papers covering a wide variety of operations and new ideas.

Jan 4, 1959

By J. P. Hirth, G. M. Pound

The flux of evaporation J from {loo) , {111), and (110) planes of silver single crystals and from poly crystalline specimens was measured at 744°C under a high vacuum using a time average weight loss method. The evaporation coefficient a was computed from the measured flux and vapor pressure data through the relationship J = aPe/21rmkT. The evaporation coefficients for the close packed planes and the poly crystalline specimens were found to be about 0.4 providing tentative confirmation of the theoretical limiting law for evaporation of metal crystals, a = 73(P/Pe) + % . The (110) planes faceted to form (111) planes, resulting in a greater evaporating area and larger a . The evaporation morphology of the plane surfaces and the surfaces of spherical single crystals is described in some detail. RECENTLY a detailed theoretical analysis of the mechanism and kinetics of metal crystal evaporation was made.1&apos;2 A mechanism for vaporization involving the recession of monatomic ledges across a metal surface was deduced, and evaporation rate equations were derived by considering the dynamics of these ledges. In most metals, the process of evaporation is one of dissociation of atoms from ledges, surface diffusion, and desorption. The gross vaporization rate is controlled by the surface diffusion and desorption rates. It was shown that the monatomic ledges, under the action of surface diffusion gradients, tend to assume a terminal velocity and spacing. Further, it was shown that crystal edges and grain boundaries are a ready source for monatomic ledges. In the case of evaporation of large, perfect crystals with clean, low-index surfaces, the kinetic treatment1 leads to a limiting law for crystal evaporation: where J is the gross flux of vaporization, a is the evaporation coefficient, Pe the equilibrium vapor pressure, m the atomic mass, k Boltzmann&apos;s constant, T the absolute temperature, and P the actual pressure of vapor over the crystal surface. Imperfections such as grain boundaries, pores, cracks, and macroscopic steps should have the effect of causing positive departures from this limiting law. Such an imperfection is a source for monatomic ledges, which, near their origin, are closely spaced and thus give rise to higher evaporation rates there. However, under many experimental conditions,&apos; this effect should be negligible due to the relatively low concentration of imperfections. In general, a more important cause of positive departure should be screw dislocations, and the effect of these has been considered in some detai1.2,3 Monatomic ledges emanate from points where the surface is intersected by a dislocation with a screw component normal to the surface. The dynamics of ledges arising from a screw dislocation are similar to those of ledges arising from a crystal edge. There is a perturbed region near the origin where the monatomic ledges are, under certain experimental conditions, closely spaced and the

Jan 1, 1960

By Konrad Stern

The terms asphalt and bitumen have been applied interchangeably, although incorrectly on occasion, for centuries to various bituminous materials that were found in nature. Native bituminous materials of only the solid types, deposits of which are found on or near the surface of the ground, together with the principal asphaltic type petroleum bitumens will be considered in this chapter. The international dictionary compiled by the "Permanent International Association of Road Congresses" still gives the full name as "Asphaltic Bitumen" but of recent years the word "Bitumen" has been recognized as most appropriate and is defined by the American Society for Testing Materials as follows: "Mixtures of hydrocarbons of natural or pyrogenous origin, or combinations of both, frequently accompanied by their nonmetallic derivatives, which may be gaseous, liquid, semisolid or solid and which are completely soluble in carbon disulfide." Asphaltic pyrobitumens, as defined by Abraham,2 is a species of pyrobitumen, including dark-colored, comparatively hard and nonvolatile solids; composed of hydrocarbons, substantially free from oxygenated bodies; sometimes associated with mineral matter, the nonmineral constituents being infusible and largely insoluble in carbon disulfide. Deposits of native bituminous materials are found scattered over the entire world, but many are relatively unimportant as far as commerce is concerned. No attempt has been made to cover all of the known deposits. The principal bituminous materials of commercial interest are: 1. Native asphalts, solid or semisolid, associated with mineral matter such as Trinidad Lake asphalt, Rock asphalt and Selenitza, Boeton and Iraq asphalts. 2. Native Asphaltites, such as gilsonite, grahamite and glance pitch, conspicuous by their hardness, brittleness and comparatively high softening point. 3. Asphaltic bitumens obtained from nonasphaltic, semi-asphaltic and asphaltic crude petroleum by distillation, blowing with air and the cracking of residual oils. 4. Asphaltic pyrobitumens of which wurtzilite and elaterite are of chief interest industrially as they depolymerize upon heating, becoming fusible and soluble in contrast to their original properties in these respects.2 5. Mineral waxes, such as ozokerite, characterized by their high crystallizable paraffine content. Native Lake Asphalt At Brighton situated in the southwestern part of the Island of Trinidad is one of the largest deposits of native asphalt in the world.3 The lake is oval in shape, covering an area of 114 acres and having a depth of 285 ft at its center. The material forming this deposit is an emulsion of water and bitumen with a suspension of mineral matter consisting of impalpably fine clay dispersed by nature in the asphalt, and small quantities of silica and vegetable matter. The entire mass of asphalt is in slow but constant motion as evidenced by the migration of islands of vegetation from one place to an-

Jan 1, 1960

By R. H. Tien

This paper presents an analytical solution of the problem of freezing of a semi-infinite slab with constant surface temperature; in this analysis accoz~nt is taken of the heat evolution during the solid-state transformations in the frozen skin. The regions where transformations occur are treated as plane isothermal heat sources; i.e., the rates of transformations are assumed to be infinite. In the model considered, three plane heat sources are assumed to be present in the frozen solid. The solution yields the temperature distribution in the solid, the rates of movement of the heat sources , and the rate of movement of the solidification front. It is shown that, although the sum of the heats of transformations in the solid is about 20 or 43 pct of the heat of fusion of iron or manganese, respectively, the effect of the heat evolution in solid-state transformations on the rate of solidification is insignzficant. IN several recent mathematical studies of solidification of liquid metals&apos;-3 no account was taken of the heat evolution accompanying the solid-state transformations. In the case of, for example, steel, there are several phase transformations 6 -y, y -a, and the magnetic transformation. Whether or not a significant error is introduced into the mathematical simulation of solidification processes by the omission of the heat effects associated with these phase transformations is not known. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of these phase transformations on the temperature distribution and the rate of solidification based solely on the heat transfer point of view. That is, for the sake of simplicity, freezing of a pure metal with solid-state transformations will be considered. The mathematical model which represents the present problem includes four moving heat sources representing freezing and phase transformations, 6— y — a — ferromagnetic. The thermal properties such as conductivity and specific heat, and so forth, are different from one phase to the other. But they are considered to be uniform over any particular phase. The usual Fourier heat flow law is employed. The concept of conservation of energy is applied at every heat source in order to estimate their rate of movement. The temperature distribution in the solid and the positions where transformations occur are expressed analytically in terms of error function solutions and four coefficients which are determined from four nonlinear algebraic equations. These coefficients can be calculated either by trial and error or by any numerical method. MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the zones of different phases 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the solidified portion of a semi-infinite pure liquid metal. The heat is subtracted from the system at x = 0 which is maintained

Jan 1, 1968

By Margaret Dienes, Karl L. Fetters

It is recognized that ingot structure is important in determining the quality of finished steel. Such elements of ingot structure as the size, shape and distribution of primary crystals; the size, shape and distribution of shrinkage cavities; the degree and kind of segregation (both macro and micro); the distribution of nonmetallic impurities and gas cavities are each the result of solidification phenomena. &apos;These structural features vary with variations in ingot practice. Their control requires a knowledge of their correlation with the variables of ingot practice. The structures of full-sized commercial steel ingots have been studied extensively by the Steel Ingots Committee of the Iron and Steel Institute.l This work has contributed much to our knowledge of ingot structure and the factors that control it. These investigations of necessity have been limited in scope because of their costliness and the great amount of time required. Studies of the structure of small steel ingots have not been very satisfactory because of the rapid rate of freezing of the ingots. Their structures are thus difficult to resolve and to interpret. Medium sizes of steel ingots in the ranges of 150 to 500 lb. do offer opportunity for study, but their cost also becomes greater and their use less expeditious. Experimental models for the study of steel-ingot structure have been made of nonferrous metals. Gathmann2 used lead-tin alloys and reported that they were satisfactory for determination of the location of the major shrinkage cavities and the Liplanes of weaknessv resulting from the pattern of crystallization. Certain features of mold design have been illustrated by these results. Bezdenezhnihk3 has used copper and aluminum ingots similarly and has shown the effect of mold-wall thickness on the depth of columnar grains. These studies of nonferrous models have been useful, but their results have been limited because the analogy with steel ingots obviously is not a close one. Model wax ingots have also been useful in pointing out important features of mold design. Gathmann4 watched the solidification of wax ingots, through a glass-walled mold, and has reported the effects of mold type on the location of the shrinkage cavities. Segregation was simulated by using a mixture of paraffin and stearine and adding a red dye that on freezing segregated preferentially to the stearine. Brearley5 also used wax models to determine the effects of some of the principal features of mold design. Carlsson and Hultgren6 dsed stearic acid to show that the columnar crystals of ingots tend to slope upward progressively from the mold wall toward the center of the ingot. As with the nonferrous ingots, the wax ingots have

Jan 1, 1943