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By Frank C. Appleyard

Southwest of the town of Saltville in western Virginia is Plasterco, a small village that has been a source of gypsum production since 1815. Boasting the deepest underground gypsum mine in the world, Plasterco has been the site of mining operations by United States Gypsum Co. for more than half a century. And although its own ore supply is dwindling, Plasterco's position as a source of gypsum and gypsum products has been ensured by the recent opening of the nearby Locust Cove mine, one of U.S. Gypsum's newest projects. In the early days, production of gypsum at Plasterco was very small, the primary use of the mineral limited to that of "land plaster"-ground gypsum spread on the land to sweeten the soil. Initial mining was confined to surface outcrops containing gypsum, but the construction of a local plaster-producing calcining plant in the late 1800's coupled with al- most total depletion of the surface rock spurred the start-up of underground operations.

Jan 3, 1965

By W. M. Robertson

The formation of grain boundary grooves on surfaces of poly crystalline samples of cobalt and iron immersed in liquid lead has been studied. The grooves form by volume diffusion of the solutes cobalt and iron in the liquid. The diffusion coefficients of the solutes in liquid lead are derived from the measured rate of grooving. The diffusion coefficients are described by the relation D = Do exp (-Q/RT), with, for cobalt, Do = 4.6 x 10-4 sq cm per sec and Q = 5300 ± 800 cal per mole, and for iron, DO = 4.9 x 10-3 sq cm per sec and Q = 10,500 ± 1500 cal per mole. LIQUID metal-solid metal interactions occur at solid-liquid interfaces. Interfacial energy provides a driving force to change the morphology of the interface. Mullins1,2 has derived expressions for the kinetics of interface morphology changes driven by capillarity. These expressions can be applied to an isothermal system of a solid in equilibrium with a liquid saturated with the solid. Surface profile changes can occur by volume diffusion of the solute in the liquid, by volume self-diffusion in the solid, and by interfacial diffusion at the liquid-solid interface. A groove will form at the intersection of a grain boundary with a solid-liquid interface, reducing the total interfacial free energy of the system. The solid-liquid interfacial energy ? must be greater than half the grain boundary energy of the solid ?6 for Mullins' calculations to apply. If ? is less than ?b/2, then the liquid penetrates the boundaries, separating the grains rather than forming grooves. Boundary penetration did not occur in the work described here. where CO is the equilibrium volume concentration of the solid in the liquid, Dv the volume diffusion coefficient of the solid in the liquid, ? the interfacial free energy of the solid-liquid interface, O the atomic volume of the solid crystal, k Boltzmann's constant and T the absolute temperature. Eqs. [1] and [2 ] also apply to grooving by volume self-diffusion in the solid,1 with CoODv = D Self, where DSelf is the volume self-diffusion coefficient of the solid. For a grooving mechanism of interfacial diffusion at the solid-liquid interface, the groove width is given by2 where CS is the interfacial concentration of the diffusing species, and DS is the interfacial diffusion coefficient. Eqs. [1] and [3] can be used to determine the mechanism of groove growth. A t1/3 dependence of the growth indicates volume diffusion and t1/4 indicates interfacial diffusion. In some cases, volume diffusion and interfacial diffusion both can contribute substantially to the grooving process, causing the time dependence to be intermediate between t 1/3 and t1/4.3 For these cases, the relative contributions of the two processes can be separated.4 However, in many cases, one process will be dominant, and the data can be analyzed on the basis of Eq. [1] or Eq. [3] alone. The time dependences for volume diffusion in a liquid and volume self-diffusion in a solid are the same. However, the self-diffusion contribution of the solid is usually negligible compared to volume diffusion in the liquid. After the grooving mechanism has been determined, Eq. [1] or Eq. [3 ] yields the kinetic parameter A or B. The kinetic parameter can be used to calculate values for the unknown quantities in the product CD?. Usually C is known or can be estimated. If ? is known, then D can be calculated. In a measurement of grain boundary grooving of copper in liquid lead,' the time dependence indicated volume diffusion in the liquid. The quantities Co, Dv, and ? were obtained from the literature, giving excellent agreement between the observed values of A and the values calculated from Eq. [2 ].5 In a study of the grooving of several refractory metals in liquid tin and liquid silver, A1len6 educed that grooves formed by volume diffusion in the liquid. In a study of nickel in a nickel sulfide melt, Steidel, Li, and spencer7 found volume diffusion grooving kinetics. Both Dv and ? were unknown, so they could not obtain either one separately, though they did obtain a reasonable value for the temperature dependence of the product Dv ?. Several methods have been used to obtain surface profiles. It can be done by sectioning through the interface7 or by chemically removing the liquid from the solid surface after solidification of the liquid.6 However, if the liquid dewets the solid on removing the solid from the melt, then the interface can be observed directly. This method was used previously' and was utilized also in the present study. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Lead of 99.999 pct purity was obtained from American Smelting and Refining Co. Cobalt sheet was obtained from Sherritt-Gordon Mines, Ltd., with a nominal purity of 99.9 pct, the principal impurities being nickel, iron, copper, carbon, and sulfur. The sheet was

Jan 1, 1969

A new $18-million hydrometallurgical ore treatment facility for the recovery of molybdenum oxide was dedicated at Climax, Colo., on November 19 by Climax Molybdenum Co., division of AMAX. The Company has been producing molybdenum from molybdenite (MoS2) ores since 1918. Now oxide values, formerly lost in the sulfide flotation plant tailing are to be processed to yield about 3 million Ib per year of metal. In 1965, Climax produced about 50% of world molybdenum from sulfide ore. This ore is mined at the rate of 42,000 tpd. The annual production of concentrate is 100 million lb containing 90% to 92% MoS2, or about 50 million lb of metal. As only a relatively small portion of the total Climax production is sufficiently enriched in oxide molybdenum to process through the new plant, 5700 tpd of selected ore containing 1.5 lb of Mo per ton is now treated by the new process.

Jan 12, 1966

The history of surface mining is essentially that of mining coal, copper, and iron ores and the non- metallic minerals, i.e. clays, gypsum, phosphate rock, sand, gravel and stone. The accompanying table comparing world production with that of the U. S. indicates that two thirds of the 8.8 billion tons of ores mined throughout the world come from surface operation. Assuming that the stripping ratio for surface mining in the U. S. applies equally to world production, then over 21 billion tons of waste, or a total of nearly 27 billion short tons of material are mined annually in the world by surface methods. Several factors are significant indicators of economic and technologic trends in surface mining. Among these are increasing production, a shift in emphasis from underground to surface mining, a decline in the grade and quality of some crude materials and, with few exceptions, an increase in the productivity of labor.

Jan 10, 1967

NEW YORK LOCAL SECTION Executive Committee Louis D. HUNTOON, Chairman ARTHUR S. DWIGHT, Vice-Chairman THOMAS T. READ, Secretary, Woolworth Bldg., New York, N. Y. E. MALTBY SHIPP, Treasurer GEORGE F. KUNZ W. DE L. BENEDICT Meeting, Jan. 16, .1914 A meeting of the New York Local Section of the American Institute of Mining Engineers was held at the Engineering Societies Building, 29 West 39th Street, New York City, Jan 16 1914 the Chairman, -L. D. Huntoon, presiding. Forty members weld present. In the absence of the Secretary, C. A. Bohn was appointed Secretary pro teen. N. H. Darton, Geologist of the U. S. Geological Survey, delivered an address on. The Occurrence of Gas in Coal, illustrated by lantern slides of charts, curves, and tables showing various features of gas occurrences. J. W. Richards, J. T. Beard, W. L. Saunders, L. D. Huntoon, and Mr. Darton participated in the discussion which followed the address. THOMAS T. READ; Secretary.

Jan 3, 1914

By P. E. Cavanagh

SINCE the 1930's' the production of iron ore in Canada has increased from zero to about 15 million tons per year. In the same short period of about 25 years, the steel industry has doubled in output, while the consumption of steel has also doubled. In the 1930's all Canadian steel was made from imported iron ore, whereas today, Canada is exporting considerably more iron ore than she imports. It appears certain that the production of iron ore in Canada will at least double in the near future, and should be over 45 million tons per year at the end of the next 25 years, in 1980. It also appears certain that most of this iron ore will be exported to the United States, with some proportion going to Europe. In this situation, it is logical and proper at the present time for Canadians to consider means of converting some of all of this Canadian iron ore into semi-finished or finished products in Canada.

Jan 6, 1958

By Frank Van Horn

INTRODUCTION IN June, 1911, the writer spent a few days in studying the economic geology of the vicinity of Park City. During this rather hurried visit a number of specimens of ore were collected, which have since been examined. The results of these investigations show that bournonite (PbCuSbS3) is present in the ores in greater or less quantity. This fact has never before been reported, as far as can be learned. The failure to recognize this mineral is due to its similarity to tetrahedrite, with which it has probably been confused during a long period of years. Jamesonite (Pb2Sb2S5) has been reported from the region in a rather doubtful manner, but the writer has seen it in notable amounts from several mines, and can offer the first analysis of this mineral from the district. Calamine (H2Zn2SiO6) was found at one mine and has never been recognized and reported from the district.

Jan 8, 1914

By Scott Turner

IT has been considered that the training of an engineer is too often vocational training; that it is a pity all engineers cannot have had a period of liberal training before taking up' pure engineering. Offhand, the so-called liberal courses should bring more ready adaptability to deal with the unexpected, to face with assurance situations which have had no parallel in one's experience, and to move without hesitation under conditions which were heretofore unknown to one, than the specialized course in mining engineering. We hear increasing talk as to the necessity of making the engineer articulate and bringing him into public life. The social implications, and responsibilities of engineering are pointed out, as of equal importance with the prodigious marvels of engineering ingenuity. You often read of this as the logical result of the in¬creasing consciousness of the engineer as to his rela¬tive position in our modern industrial civilization. , Some wag has noted that man is the noblest work of God, but that man is the only one who has said so. Perhaps engineers are the only claimants as to the necessity of their going in for public life and service; at any rate, some liberal educators' still maintain that a well-rounded general education is the better training.

Jan 1, 1930

By H. Herbert Hughes

In the years following World War II, L. de Roll S.A., Zurich, Switzerland, perfected its vertical kiln. De Roll first became interested in cement-manufacturing equipment in 1947, not only kilns but also the crushing, grinding, and handling equipment required for a complete cement plant. The parent company, Louis de Roll Iron Works, S.A., Gerlafingen, Switzerland, was founded in 1804. In its six plants, and with its associated companies, de Roll manufactures and installs equipment for a wide variety of industries-chemical and metallurgical operations, fats and oils plants, and municipal refuse incinerators and sewage disposal installations. Vertical shaft kilns, of course, are as old as Portland cement itself. Their fuel economy has long been recognized, particularly in Europe where fuel costs are high. But the disadvantages of old-type shaft kilns have been the lack of consistent quality of the clinker, the small capacity, and the relatively high labor costs.

Dec 1, 1956

By E. A. Sondreal, P. H. Tufte

Flue gas desulfurization when burning western U.S. coals can be expected to be easier to achieve and less costly than when burning higher sulfur eastern and central coals. However, western coals cannot generally be burned in compliance with federal and state new source emission standards without some degree of control. Western coals and lignite represent about 20% of total U.S. recoverable reserves with 90% of that strip minable, and their production is predicted to increase from the 60 million tons mined in 1973 to 300 million tons in 1985. Most will be used for electric power generation, where low sulfur content is a paramount concern. Western coals are predominantly below 1% sulfur; low compared with typical values of 2 and 3% for eastern and central coals. Coal cleaning for removal of sulfur is not commercially practiced on Western coals, which typically contain half organic and half pyritic sulfur. A fraction of the pyrite sulfur could possibly be removed, but the

Jan 1, 1976

By Ingemar Marklund

This presentation deals with the conditions at IKAB’s mine in Malmberget but also pertains to underground mining in general. GEOLOGY The Malnberget iron ore field is of pre-cambrian age. The wallrock consists of leptites, gneisses and granites, most of them being recrystallized acid and inter- mediate volcanics. The ore-field is strongly folded, with the folding axes plunging to the south. The original orebed is divided into about 20 different orebodies with a strong variation in dip and form. The ore is mainly magnetite. About 1046 of the ore area consists of hematite ore. The phosphorous content is in average 0,8% and the ore is rather course grained. Fig 1. BACKGROUND At LKAB1s mine in Malmberget the sub- level caving method is the main method of mining. Experiments with vein-mining and sub-level stoping are also underway. The present system of mining is already strictly tied up in investments and infrastructure involved in the mining. Fig 2.

Jan 1, 1981

By Toshio Kurikami, Charles A. Brockmiller, John E. FitzSimmons

In the manufacture of sulfuric acid from SO2 bearing gases, the presence of mercury vapor in the gases may lead to unacceptably high mercury levels in product acid. Anticipating inception of regulations requiring low mercury acid, St. Joe Minerals Corporation and Toho Zinc Company, Ltd. independently developed new mercury removal technology. The processes may be used individually or in combination, depending upon the mercury content of the SO2 gases and the required mercury level in acid, for efficient control of maximum mercury levels in sulfuric acid. The St. Joe B Process removes mercury from roaster off-gas streams, while Toho’s NAK Process precipitates Hg from concentrated sulfuric acid. The combined process is commercially operated at St. Joe's zinc smelter in Monaca, Pennsylvania, and the NAK Process at Toho’s Chigirishima lead smelter and Onahama zinc roasting plant in Japan. Product acid mercury levels of 0.5 mg/kg are economically achieved.

Jan 1, 1976

By Charles M. Brown, Russell Franks, W. O. Binder

Occasionally in the application of the austenitic chromium-nickel steels to corrosive conditions, failures have occurred by cracking without serious general over-all attack of the metal. As pointed out by Foyt and Scheil(1),2 and by Scheil, et al.(2) as well as by Hodge and Miller(3), the stress-corrosion failures that have occurred have been limited in number, and have taken place only when the steels were exposed to certain corrodents. These investigators have stated that while stress- corrosion cracking can be intergranular in nature and originate at the grain boundaries of the austenitic chromium-nickel steels, it can also take place in trans- granular fashion. They have shown that the cracking may be either initiated at the grain boundaries and may propagate along grain boundaries for some distance and then suddenly extend across grains, or it may begin in a transgranular fashion and suddenly proceed along grain boundaries until the cracking stops. Their data further show that when austenitic stainless steel is subject to intergranular attack, stress will concentrate and cause cracking in service. These investigators have studied the effect of the metals titanium and columbium which are added to the steels to impart immunity to intergranular attack, and molybdenum which is added to improve resistance to general corrosion.

Jan 1, 1945

By C. E. MacQuigg

In this paper it is impossible to more than touch on many of the commercial alloys of iron, chromium, and carbon, therefore the discussion is confined to the properties of some of the less well-known alloys with upwards of 20-per cent. chromium. The discussion has been based largely on the strictly engineering aspects of the alloys. Chromium has well-defined effects when added to the iron-carbon system. These effects depend on the amount of chromium added and on the composition of the iron-carbon alloy to which the addition is made, i.e. whether low- or high-carbon steel, cast iron, etc. In the case of the low-carbon steels, the chromium addition, when not in excess of several per cent., appears to exert an influence on the properties by its influence on the critical range. In the higher chromium alloys, the physical properties are influenced chiefly by the formation of new complexes, such as iron-chromium solid solutions and, with higher carbon contents, iron-chromium carbides of great hardness. Examination of the published data1 on the critical range phenomena of chromium-bearing steels up to several per cent. chromium indicates an agreement on the following points:

Jan 1, 1923

By C. E. MacQuigg

In this paper it is impossible to more than touch on many of the commercial alloys of iron, chromium, and carbon, therefore the discussion is confined to the properties of some of the less well-known alloys with upwards of 20-per cent. chromium. The discussion has been based largely on the strictly engineering aspects of the alloys. Chromium has well-defined effects when added to the iron-carbon system. These effects depend on the amount of chromium added and on the composition of the iron-carbon alloy to which the addition is made, i.e. whether low- or high-carbon steel, cast iron, etc. In the case of the low-carbon steels, the chromium addition, when not in excess of several per cent., appears to exert an influence on the properties by its influence on the critical range. In the higher chromium alloys, the physical properties are influenced chiefly by the formation of new complexes, such as iron-chromium solid solutions and, with higher carbon contents, iron-chromium carbides of great hardness. Examination of the published data1 on the critical range phenomena of chromium-bearing steels up to several per cent. chromium indicates an agreement on the following points:

Jan 1, 1923

By R. W. Borio, T. S. Spicer

Inflammability and crossing point apparatus were used to study the influence of increasing amounts oi such inerts as ash, fly-ash, pyrite, limestone and Portland cement with several pulverized bituminous coals. The results indicate that it requires large proportions of inerts to substantially suppress the ease of ignition. The ignition phase of the combustion of solid fuels has been under study periodically since 1900. With the advent of pulverized coal firing some 60 years ago, a technique now dominating the coal utilization field, the ignitibility characteristics have become increasingly important. Much of the early work was directed toward the prevention of coal dust explosions and improved mine safety rather than combustion. Many factors affecting ignitibility have been studied and numerous methods devised in an effort to measure the ignition temperature and these have been reviewed by other authors. A recent survey was made by Finney and Spicerl in 1959, so a discussion of previous work will be omitted. Despite these efforts, the initial stage of combustion, termed ignitibility, is still a little understood phenomenon. In fact, no ASTM method has been adopted for the calibration of this illusive property. However, a D-5 Subcommittee XVI on Ignitibility of Coal and Coke of ASTM (now inactive) defined ignitibility:' "The ignitibility of a fuel is that char-

Jan 1, 1963

By Gerald Edmunds

Although the phenomenon of season cracking is still imperfectly understood, there seems to be ample evidence that season cracks are propagated by the combined action of corrosion and a stress of either internal (residual) origin or external origin. The factors that influence season cracking may therefore be grouped according to corrosive media, nature of stress, and character of the material. Thus the important mass of evidence pointing to ammonia as the most frequently active corroding agent causing season - - cracking of brass has naturally led to the development of laboratory tests of a moderately accelerated character based upon ammonia together with auxiliary agents such as air, water vapor, and carbon dioxide as the corroding agent. Similarly, the knowledge that stress must be present has led to the use of externally applied and therefore accurately measurable stresses in laboratory testing. A companion paper(^)^ to the present one discusses the development of these test methods in our laboratories. The present paper discusses data bearing on factors concerning the nature of stress such as its magnitude and direction of application. It also deals extensively with the character of the brass, particularly in regard to the copper-zinc ratio and the structure as developed by mechanical work-

Jan 1, 1945

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who registered at Institute headquarters during the period Nov. 10 to Dec. 10, 1915: F. Lynwood Garrison, Philadelphia, Pa. E. Fleming l'engle, Costa Rico, C. A. William J. Lakeland, Burma, India. Fred Maccoy, El Oro, Mexico. Dwight E. Woodbridge, Duluth, Minn. 0. N. Scott, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Chester A. Fulton, Yonkers, N. Y. K. P. Swenson, Tokyo, Japan. Willet G. Miller, Toronto, Canada. - H. L. Mead, New York, N. Y. L. G. Huntley, Pittsburgh, Pa. E. DeGolyer, Norman, Okla. L. E. Howard, Lockport, N. Y. J. S. Lane, New York, N. Y. H. W. DuBois, Philadelphia, Pa. T. V. Nonactre, Argentina. Howard R. Stewart, London, England. N. H. Darton, of the U. S. Geological Survey, has returned to Washington after a long season of field work in New Mexico investigating the prospects of finding potash deposits in the Red beds.

Jan 1, 1916

By W. N. Best

(San Francisco Meeting, September, 1915) INTRODUCTION CRUDE oil attracted attention because of its excellence as a fuel for open-hearth furnaces; for making crucible steel and brass; for melting copper, lead, tin, zinc, nickel, silver, malleable iron, gray iron; and for the production of steam in all sizes and types of boilers. For heating furnaces, mold-drying ovens, core ovens, ore roasters, calciners, hot-air furnaces, sand drying, asphalt road work, etc., its superiority over other fuels is due to the fact that the heat is at all times under perfect control, so that a constant temperature may be attained and maintained at the will of the operator. This means a maximum amount and uniform quality of work. Crude oil is of two kinds, paraffine base and asphaltum base, and varies from 11 to 46 gravity Baumé. The light-gravity oil does not require heating before use; but oil of less than 20 gravity Baumé should be heated to just below its vaporizing point, in order to reduce its viscosity and to obtain the highest efficiency of combustion. Heavy California oil vaporizes at 230°'F., Mexican crude oil at from 175° to 210° F., and Beaumont, Texas, oil at 142° F. Fuel oil vaporizes at 130° F.

Jan 8, 1915

By M. L. Pearce

A comparison of the isotope-dilution, vacuum-fusion, and chemical methods of analysis for nitrogen in Si-Fe is made with particular emphasis on the effect of sample history. The superiority of the isotope-dilution method from the point of view of 1 HE analytical techniques used to determine nitrogen in Si-Fe have been subjected to close scrutiny in recent years primarily because of the marked influence of the element on the properties of the alloy. These investigations have led to a diversity of opin- both precision and accuracy is demonstrated. The solubility of nitrogen in 3.06 pct Si-Fe is investigated and the effect of silicon content on the activity coefficient of nitrogen is derived. ion regarding the reliability of the vacuum-fusion and chemical methods of nitrogen analysis when applied to si- Fe.'-' A majority of workers appear to favor the vacuum-fusion method over chemical methods particularly in those cases where part of the nitrogen may exist as silicon nitride or the total nitrogen content is very low. Contrary views have been expressed, however,' and it has been demonstrated that for some Si-Fe alloys both methods yield results which are significantly lower than those

Jan 1, 1963