Search Documents

By Robert F. Winkle

A detailed breakdown of mining costs, available to management on monthly and year-to-date bases, is mandatory for a controlled and efficient mining operation. A simple lump sum reporting of costs may indicate a profit or loss differential, but it does not allow an effective search for areas of possible cost reduction. Moreover, functional reporting is necessary on a timely basis so as to note trends of increasing costs In specific areas, which in turn allow possible preventive action by management. Definitive cost information helps to eliminate the tendency to overlook areas where cost Improvements can be made. A good cost control system points out salient operational weaknesses by: ( 1 ) allowing comparison of functional costs with similar costs of other mines and (2) pinpointing sudden increases over unit empirical costs within the organization. In general, the cost accounting structure is relatively uniform within large open pit mines, but surprisingly some systems will overlook the need for detailed breakout in comparatively high cost areas. In some other systems, unrelated costs will be lumped together, preventing careful analysis of cost accrual.

Jan 1, 1979

By Allan Gibb

The ores of copper are usually associated with minerals containing arsenic, antimony and bismuth. Whatever the means adopted for extracting the copper, these metals are usually found, to a greater or less extent, in the product. There is, however, usually some elimination in the various metallurgical operations to which the ores are subjected, and some attempt is made here to determine the degree to which this elimination is effected.

Jan 1, 1903

By C. M. Fellman

AVAILABLE data for the first nine months of the Year indicate that accident occurrence in metal mining was well on its way to an all-time low for 1939. However, the relatively rapid pickup in mining production in the fall will be likely to boost both accident occurrence and also accident rates. Results of the National Safety Competition for 1938, the fourteenth of its kind conducted by the U. S. Bureau of Mines, were published in August, 1939. W. W. Adams, statistician of the bureau, states that "with 345 mines and quarries competing, more than in any previous year except 1931, the contest revealed low accident rates at many of the enrolled plants and, which is even more remarkable, it revealed 113 mines and quarries at which no lost- time accidents occurred during the con- test year." The National Safety Competition provides a means whereby mines and quarries may engage in active competition to stimulate their safety programs. Companies in the contest can compare their records with those of similar plants operating elsewhere and thereby determine to what extent their safety programs are successful. The Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association gave over 150 awards for safety performance in the mineral industries in 1939 and a remarkable phase of these awards was the considerable number given to individual miners who had worked fifty or more years without sustaining a lost-time accident.

Jan 1, 1940

By D. W. Fuerstenau, S. Raghavan

This paper presents a brief summary of some of the thermo- dynamic aspects of flotation processes. Thermodynamic considerations that control interfacial and wetting behavior in mineral/water/air systems are discussed. Particular attention is given to the thermodynamics of collector adsorption.

Jan 1, 1976

By A. N. Winchell

In connection with law suits between mining companies at Bingham, Utah, a few years ago, the writer made petrographic studies of more than 1400 rock and mineral samples in thin sections, and also careful studies of their field relations. In petrographic studies, even when an area is studied intensively, attention is commonly centered very largely on the unusual features of special interest, so that the relative abundance of rock types (or minerals or textures) can only be determined by a study of map areas outlined largely by field methods, and cannot be based directly on microscopic work. It is very uncommon, and usually impossible, to take samples at regular short intervals along and across formations. It is precisely because such methods were used at Ringham that the work presents a rare opportunity for determining, on a microscopic basis, the relative abundance of rock types and the continuity of gradations between rock types. At the same time, a study was made of the alteration of sediments under the influence of igneous intrusions, with results that are believed to be of interest and importance. • Sandstone-limestone Gradation The sedimentary rocks of the Bingham district are chiefly sandstones, with some beds of limestone, all now lying with their strike nearly east and their dip nearly north at an angle of about 30°, near the surface. The limestone beds are remarkably irregular in thickness in some places, but usually change very slowly in composition along the strike. However, the most interesting results are obtained from a study of a section across the beds at right angles to the strike. In some places, such sections show the usual alternation of pure sandstone with nearly pure limestone, in the simple manner assumed in most geological discussions.

Jan 1, 1924

New York Meets first Wednesday after first Tuesday of each month. DAVID H. BROWNE, Chairman. PERCY E. BARBOUR, Vice-Chairman A. D. BEERS, Secretary, 55 Wall St., New York, N. Y. C. A. BOHN, Treasurer. Boston Meets first Monday of each winter month. W. E. C. EUSTIS, Chairman. R. L. AGASSIZ, Vice-Chairman. E. E. BUGBEE, Secretary-Treasurer, Mass. Inst. of Technology, Boston, Mass. ALBERT SAUVEUR, H. L. SMYTH. Columbia Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. STANLY A. EASTON, -Chairman. FREDERIC KEFFER, Vice-Chairman. LYNDON K: ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P. O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. D. C. LIVINGSTON, FRANK A. ROSS.

Jan 7, 1916

By Jerome Alexander

THE object of this paper is to show that many of the important phenomena of metals and alloys are due to the facts that, at some stage, metals and alloys, or some of their constituents, are in a colloidal state and that a portion of the metal or alloy tends to remain in this state. The so-called amorphous phase in pure metals is an isocolloid, consisting of colloidal groups of metal molecules that may be dispersed in still more finely subdivided metal; these colloidal particles are not truly amorphous, but may consist, in part, if not entirely, of ultramicroscopic crystals; as a result the expressions amorphous phase and amorphous theory might be replaced by the expressions colloidal phase and colloidal theory. Any substance is in the colloidal state when the constituent particles consist of molecular or atomic groups, whose size varies approximately from about 100µµ down to about 5µµ, that is from just below the limit of microscopic resolvability to the dimensions commonly ascribed to the larger molecules. Colloidality involves no assumption as to the shape, internal structure, or orientation of the colloidal particles; size alone is the critical factor. A colloidal system may therefore contain crystalline groups, or amorphous groups (non-crystalline, random or haphazard clusters), or a mixture of the two. All colloids consist of at least two phases, the subdivided substance, or dispersed phase, and the substance into which this is subdivided, the dispersion medium. It is not necessary that there be any chemical difference between the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium. As molecular forces are extremely powerful, their application may produce marked changes in the physical properties of metals. It is doubtful whether metal in the interior, especially of large masses, possesses the same properties as that on or near the surface, which alone is open to, inspection.

Jan 10, 1920

By K. Tangri, M. Chaturvedi

On water-quenching from within the (a + ß) phase region Zr-2.5 Nb and Zr-2.5 Nb-0.5 Cu alloys can undergo w transfirmation. This transformation has been attributed to the enrichment of ß Zr phase, at the solution-treatment temperature, by the solute atoms. The ß—w transformation is accompanied by a hardening 01 the alloys and in the optimum condition w-bearing specimens of the ternary alloy are about 14 pct harder than those bearing only a' phase. On aging crl reverls thermally to more stable phases, which results in a considerable softening of the specirnens, as follows: w quenched -waged + ß Zr (enriched) waged - a + ß Nb The high-temperature bcc ß Zr in certain zirconium alloys can transform to a metastable w phase which has a primitive hexagonal structure. In the Zr-Nb alloy system w phase has been observed in the composition range of 7 to 15 wt pct Nb by a number of investigators.'-' In this composition range w can form by water-quenching ß Zr or by aging. known as athermal and thermal w, respectively. Hatt and Roberts' have found that thermal w has a constant c/a ratio of 0.622 +0.002 regardless of the composition and tha: the lattice parameters are of the order of a = 5.02A and c = 3.0 ?. The actual lattice parameters depend upon composition and the temperature of aging. The lattice constants of athermal w. however, depend upon alloy composition.3 The presence of w phase in zirconium alloys can cause substantial strengthening which has been attributed as probably due to the coherency between w and parent ß Zr phase. Robinson et al.' found that the presence of w can raise the strength of Zr-5.0 Nb-2.0 Sn and Zr-5.0 Mo-2.0 Sn alloys to about 170.000 psi: however. the ductility is considerably reduced. With the growing use of Zr-2.5 Nb and Zr-2.5 Nb-0.5 Cu alloys in the nuclear reactors, and the significant effect of w transformation on the mechanical properties of zirconium alloys studies were undertaken to study the w transformation in Zr-2.5 Nb and Zr-2.5 Nb-0.5 Cu alloys. This paper is concerned with the formation and reversion of w phase in these alloys. 1) MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES The following two alloys were studied: 1) Zr-2.5 Nb-0.5 Cu (referred to as the ternary alloy): 2) Zr-2.5 Nb (referred to as the binary alloy). The chemical analysis of the alloys is given in Table I. The alloys, in the form of 3/8-in.-diam rods and 1/8-in.-thick sheets, were supplied by the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories of the A.E.C.L. Initial fabrication for preparation of various specimens was carried out by cold rolling and swaging with intermediate anneals at 1000°C. All the heat treatments were carried out after the specimens were wrapped in zirconium foils and encapsulated in silica tubes under a vacuum of 5 x 10-% m of Hg. For optical metallography and hardness measurements disc specimens + in. diam by + in. thick were used. After the required heat treatments the specimens were mechanically and then chemically polished in a 45 pct HNO3, 45 pct H20. and 10 pct HF solution. The hardness measurements on the chemically polished specimens were carried out on a Vickers hardness tester using a 10-kg load. For each specimen at least fifteen indentations were made in order to obtain a representative hardness value. The phase identification and structural analysis were carried out using X-rays and electron diffraction techniques. Wires of 1.5 mm diam reduced to 0.12 mm diam by chemical etching were used for making Debye-Scherrer powder patterns using copper K-a radiations in 114.6-mm-diam camera. Thin films for transmission electron microscopy were prepared by electropolishing heat-treated a by 7 by 0.005-in.-thick strips using a modified Bollmann-Window technique. The 10 pct perchloric acid-90 pct methyl alcohol electropolishing bath was kepl at -5OCC and polishing was done at 5 to 10 v. The thinned specimens were washed in ethyl alcohol at -30" to -40°C and dried between filter papers. The thin films

Jan 1, 1970

By Ben L. Seegmiller

Roof, pillar and floor stability is a most important requirement in underground coal mines because it represents the leading cause of fatalities. In future coal mine planning the geotechnical aspects must often be minimized owing to unavailability of data. It is, therefore, very important to include a geotechnical investigation as part of the coal exploration program. Data which should be collected basically include the geological discontinuity characteristics, the rock strength characteristics and the groundwater aspects. Many times the only source of such data is the exploration boreholes. Therefore, an emphasis must be made to extract the maximum information from the core and the borehole. Data collection methods can include the preparation of detailed geotechnical logs for the roof, coal and floor. Laboratory strength testing will provide estimates of the mechanical properties of the various lithologic types. Slaking and swelling tests provide an insight into the stability characteristics of the rock materials immediately enclosing the coal seam. The boreholes may be used to provide permeability and pressurization data. Having developed a suitable geotechnical data base allows various stability prediction methods to be used. These include a geotechnical appraisal of the roof and floor units, depositional environment methods, multiple overlay techniques, hazard analysis techniques and classification/rating systems for roof and floor. The basic geotechnical data and the stability prediction methods form a basis upon which preliminary rock mechanics designs may be developed. Of particular importance to future coal mining are those designs relating to longwall mining because most companies are thinking in terms of the greater safety and greater productivity offered by longwalls. Items which should be ad- dressed when considering a longwall system include the panel layout in terms of a total mining plan, strata mechanics, roof/floor bearing capacities, face support requirements, face length, entry and pillar

Jan 1, 1983

By J. Edgar Pew

As MOST of the oil production comes from leased-lands and not fee property, I shall refer to "leases" as covering the producing tracts. To produce oil, leases on land must first be obtained. Well-selected leases are all important. Not many years ago, the location for drilling for oil in wildcat territory was too frequently determined by the nearness, of adequate water and fuel supply, or with a view to cheapness of transportation. To some extent, the "creekology" theory is the result of the number of wildcat tests made near streams, to obtain water for operations. Now, an up-to-date operator will depend on his geologists for his location and, in many cases, will spend thousands of dollars to get water to it. The wisdom of following the geologist rather than the creek has been abundantly demonstrated in the past few years. In vast territories, where dry holes are spotted at intervals of a few miles or less. apart, and by reason of which these territories have been condemned for oil, the geologist is now finding many more spots that are producing large quantities of oil. No better tribute to the work of the geologist can be found than the surface and subsurface work being done in practically all parts of Oklahoma and the development had as a result of this, work. A land department is usually organized by placing in charge a man who is not only acquainted with the oil development, but who is a shrewd buyer, a first requisite for which should be unquestioned integrity. It takes a shrewd buyer to resist the persuasive lease broker, frequently backed by a geological picture from which the oil fairly drips. The geologist can help a lot by being absolutely honest when he makes these pictures; he will also thus strengthen his own cause. A geologist should interpret his own work and put his name behind his interpretation. If he does not he is liable to be misquoted and often discredited, as a result, by some overzealous lease broker giving an interpretation never intended by the geologist.

Jan 8, 1925

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Jan 1, 1938

By M. N., Short

TIE Pioneer mining district, better known as the Superior district, from its principal town, is located in Pinal County in south-central Arizona about 80 miles east of Phoenix and 22 miles west of Miami. The region embraces a confused series of mountain ranges of moderate FIG. I.----SUPERIOR, LOOKING NORTH FROM SOUTH BANK OF QUEEN CREEK. MAGMA MINE IS INDICATED BY WASTE DUMP IN GULCH TO RIGHT OF CENTER. height but precipitous slopes, between which lie irregular valleys filled with alluvial detritus. The average elevation is about 2800 ft. in the valleys and the summits of the ranges reach 2000 ft. above this. Superior is situated on the north bank of Queen Creek where it emerges from one of those ranges into a more or less basin-shaped valley. The drainage of Queen Creek is to the southwest and the flood waters spread out and lose themselves in the desert northeast of Florence, the county seat of Pinal County.

Jan 2, 1926

By M. S. Burton, J. E. Ritter

The sessile-drop technique was employed to study the effect of atmosphere and alloy additions of titanium and chromium on the surface tension and contact angle of nickel on sapphire substrates at 1500oC. Shear tests were conducted on the solidified sessile drops. The liquid-gas surface tension of pure nickel on sapphire was found to be 1747 ergs per sq cm, with a contact angle of 109.6 deg. The surface tension and contact angle were not affected significantly by the four atmospheres, vacuum, impure argon, pure argon, and pure hydrogen. Small additions of titanium and chromium decreased the contact angle and for the same alloy content, contact angles were lower in pure argon than in pure hydrogen. On the basis of shear-test results , the most probable cause for adhesion in the Ni-Al2O system is the formation of NiO:Al2O3 spinel at the interface; in the titanium alloy-Al2O3 system adhesion is thought to be due to a mechanical interlocking effect; in the chromium alloy-Al2O3 system adhesion is believed to be the result of solid-solution formation involving Cr2O3 and Al2O3 at the interface. In the last few years there has been considerable interest in reinforcing metals with ceramic whiskers. It has been postulated that, by reinforcing nickel with sapphire whiskers, high-temperature strengths su- perior to those of the best current nickel alloys can be achieved.' To fabricate a whisker-metal composite having optimum density and strength, understanding of wettability and adherence in the system is of prime importance. Although there has been some previous research in this a a need for further studies has been cited4-8 to understand better the effects of impurities, alloys additions, and atmosphere on the wetting and bonding of metals to metal oxides. The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors involved in the wetting and adherence of nickel/nickel alloys to sapphire (single-crystal a Al2O3). Sessile-drop experiments were conducted in vacuum, impure argon, pure argon, and pure hydrogen, to determine the effect of atmosphere on the contact angle of the metals on sapphire, and the liquid-gas surface tension of pure nickel. The solidified sessile drops were sheared from the sapphire substrate to measure the bond strength between the metal and ceramic. The alloy additions chosen were titanium and chromium since both enhance the wetting of nickel on sapphire.2, 3c Also, titanium is commonly used when brazing metal-to-ceramic seals to improve adherence. Since chromium forms an oxide that is completely soluble in sapphire, it was thought that the oxide could serve as a transition phase to promote bonding between the Ni-Cr alloy and sapphire. I) EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE The sessile-drop apparatus was a horizontal furnace, with an induction-heated, cylindrical molybdenum susceptor in a water-cooled Pyrex chamber. This apparatus was patterned after that of Williams and Nielsen.7 A flat Pyrex window at each end of the furnace allowed temperature measurements to be made at one

Jan 1, 1968

By E. H. Wells, A. Andreas

The oil and gas industry of New Mexico recorded notable progress ill 1935. More wells were brought in than in any previous year, and important new discoveries were made. The total number of completions was 340, of which 260 were oil wells, 8 were gas wells and 72 were dry holes. The total oil production was 20,228,947 bbl., an appreciable increase over the 1934 production of 16,636,804 barrels. Many of the wells completed in southeastern New Mexico were acidized. This treatment proved highly effective in increasing the capacity of the wells, the resulting potentials usually being two to ten times as large as before acid treatment. In the Lea County fields in which proration was entirely on an acreage basis, the tendency of many of the operators was to complete their wells according to best conservation practice rather than to obtain the largest possible potential. Much remedial work was done in the Hobbs, Cooper, Jal and Eunice fields, and with excellent results. At many of the wells high gas-oil ratios were greatly reduced and encroaching waters shut off by setting packers. Several companies carried on pretentious geophysical campaigns in the southeastern part of the state. The location of the Amerada discovery well in the Monument field was based on geophysical surveys. The New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission, established by the 1935 Legislature and consisting of the Governor, the Commissioner of Public Lands and the State Geologist, began to function in May. Production in the state thereafter was based on orders issued by the Commission. Proration in the Hobbs field, which had been provided for since July, 1930, by successive proration agreements signed by all operators in the field and approved by the State Geologist, was continued by the Commission by giving approval to the current proration agreement,. A plan of proration for the other Lea County fields that had been in offect since early ill 1934 was adopted. 111 September, 1935, the Commission approved a. proration agreement for the Artesia-Jackson-Maljarnar area in Eddy and Lea counties that had been agreed upon by

Jan 1, 1936

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period Aug. 1, 1916, to Sept. 10, 1916: ALLEN, Louis M., JR., Chief Mine Sampler, Old Dominion Min: & Smelt. Co., Globe, Ariz. ATKINSON, CHESTER, Min. Engr., Asst. Supt., Smelt. Dept., Cerro de Pasco Mining Co., La Fundicion, Peru, South America. BAKER, CLAIR LINCOLN, Genl. Mgr., Mexican Dept., Amer. Smelt. & Ref. Co., 1108 Mills Bldg., El Paso, Tex. BARROWS, WALTER A., 3d, Asst. Supt., Blast Furnaces, Thomas Iron Co., Hellertown, Pa. BARTHOLOMEW, GEORGE POMEROY, Asst. Cons. Engr., Guggenheim Bros., 120 Broadway, New York, N. Y. BILLOW, ELMER E., Pres., National Supply Co., 416 NN-rest Grand Ave., Chicago, 111. BROWN, SAMUEL ROLLINS, Mill Supt., The Plymouth Cons. Gold Mines, Ltd., Plymouth, Cal.

Jan 10, 1916

By Jose F. Agapito

This paper describes part of a geotechnical program which was instrumental in obtaining information for the design of large oil shale pillars. The work was carried out during 1971 and 1972 in the experimental mine of the Colony Development Operation. Colony is an oil shale venture formed between Atlantic Richfield Company, Operator; The Oil Shale Corporation, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, and Sohio Petroleum Company to conduct research and development in mining and retorting of oil shale. The property is located in the southern edge of the Piceance Creek Basin in northwestern Colorado, approximately 250 miles west of Denver. Mining was conducted by the room-and-pillar method in a 60-ft high portion of the Green River formation at a depth of 600 to 850 ft. Pillar dimensions are approximately 60 ft by 60 ft. The mine site is in the eastern face of the canyon containing the Middle Fork of Parachute Creek. The distance from the mine to the side of the mountain varies from 500 to 1200 ft, and its height above the stream floor is approximately 700 ft.

Jan 5, 1974

David T. Day, Washington, D. C.: The paper of Mr. Adams is chiefly valuable because it emphasizes the ease with which petroleum can migrate in the earth's crust. Concerning this migration, I have little faith in the rôle of water as a carrier of gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon, suspended or mixed in the water in any way. My lack of faith is due to observation of

Jan 1, 1903

In response to Dr. Ledoux's paper, a large number of metallurgical establishments and individual assayers expressed their willingness to co-operate in the plan he proposed. The necessary samples were prepared as follows : Matte.—A car-load of matte was put through a Blake crusher, then automatically subdivided into tenths by a Taylor and Brunton sampler, and one-tenth passed through Cornish rolls and through a 12-mesh screen. This was again subdivided by an automatic sampler into tenths, and a final tenth, representing 1 per cent. of the original lot, was finished by hand-sampling on an iron floor until 100 pounds remained. This was pulverized to pass a 40-mesh screen and then thoroughly mixed and divided in the presence of my assistant for distribution to the parties co-operating. Copper Borings.—These were taken from a lot of anodes, the dip-samples from several batches having been united, remelted and cast into a plate, which was proved by assay to be of uniform quality in its different parts. Borings from this plate were intimately mixed and divided in the presence of my assistant. Samples were sent out November 1,1894, with the following letter: New York City, November 1, 1894. Samples of matte and copper (about I pound each) carefully prepared in the presence of my assistant and sealed with his seal as below, are sent you by express for assay and report according to the plan of Dr. Ledoux. These samples are constituted about as follows: Matte. Copper. From. To. From. To. Copper, per cent.,.....50 60 ..........., Gold, oz. per ton,.....2 3 0.20 0.50 Silver, oz. per ton,.....100 150 140 180

Jan 1, 1896

By Edwin Dudley Martin

DURING the past twelve years the iron and steel industry has made a major advance through the development of the continuous wide strip rolling mill. So far-reaching have been the results that not only has a better product been sold at a lower price but this improvement in quality has permitted manufacturers of products using steel to make important savings in the cost of fabrication. The net result has been a better product at lower cost to the consumer without reduction in either employment or of wages paid within the industry. That is why the iron and steel industry is proud of its attainment. Being a basic industry of strategic importance, such an advance in technology has had its effects on our internal economy, our standard of living, and our industrial power as a nation in both peace and wartime.

Jan 1, 1939

By P. A. Tucker, C. R. Hudgens, D. E. Etter, D. L. Roesch, D. B. Martin

The equilibrium phase diagram of the Pu-Cd system is presented based on data obtained by differential thermal analysis, metallography, and electron-microprobe X-ray analysis. Liquidus temperatures range from 320° to 934°C. The system contains one congruently melting compound, PuCd, (945°C), and three incongruently melting compounds, PuCd, (800°C), PuCd, (730°C), and PuCd11 (410°C). A liquid-miscibility gap extends from 2 to 60 at. pet Cd with the monotectic reaction isotherm at 910°C. INTEREST in the potential use of plutonium alloys as reactor-fuel materials has prompted investigation of the phase equilibria in plutonium binary systems. A cursory investigation of the phase equilibria in the Pu-Cd binary system was conducted by differential thermal analysis (DTA), metallography, and electron-microprobe X-ray analysis (EMX). Extensive solid solubility of cadmium in both e and 6 plutonium was predicted1 based on atomic radii and electronegativities. Liquid immiscibility between these two elements was also predicted based on Mott's extension of Hildebrand's method. In the only previous investigation of the Pu-Cd system,2 two intermetallic compounds, PuCd11 (incon-gruent melting point 406°C) and PuCd8, were identified. EXPERIMENTAL The plutonium metal used in this work had a total impurity content of 500 ppm; the major impurities were: carbon (215 pprn), silicon (75 ppm), iron (60 ppm), nickel (40 ppm), and aluminum (25 ppm). The cadmium was reagent grade with a purity of 99.99 pet. The DTA technique for the study of plutonium alloys was previously described in detail.3 The alloys to be studied were prepared in tantalum DTA specimen capsules which were sealed by inert-gas welding. The alloys were homogenized in the liquid state in these sealed capsules which prevented the loss of cadmium by vaporization. Only the thermal arrests in the DTA heating curves were used to define the transformation temperatures of the system since supercooling affected many of the results during cooling. After the alloys were analyzed by DTA, the same alloys were used for the metallographic studies. Metallographic examinations were conducted in the manner described for plutonium alloys., No reaction was detected between the alloys and the tantalum capsules. Alloys for EMX analysis were placed in metallographic mounts together with specimens of unalloyed plutonium and cadmium which served as standards. The samples were highly polished but unetched. No protective coatings were applied to the surfaces of these radioactive specimens. Such coatings are detrimental to the excitation conditions and have been found to be unnecessary for the control of radioactive contamination. RESULTS The results of the DTA studies are presented in Table I. The phase diagram, constructed from these data plus the metallographic and EMX results, is presented in Fig. 1. The congruently melting compound, PuCd2, was identified by the occurrence of a maximum melting point (945°C) at 33.3 at. pet Pu-66.7 at. pet Cd and by the presence of a single phase in this composition.

Jan 1, 1965