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By K. Osseo-Asare

The presence of carbonaceous matter in gold ores presents a two-fold problem: (1) The poor release of gold from the carbonaceous matrix and (2) the uptake of dissolved gold by the carbonaceous leach residues. A critical review is presented of the published information from various parts of the world pertaining to the nature of the carbon-containing components of these ores and their different roles in the gold extraction process. Included in this paper are new results based on the authors' research on carbonaceous ores from the Prestea goldfields of Ghana. Methods for isolating and characterizing the carbon-containing materials are given and a discussion is presented of the interaction of the carbonaceous ores as well as the fractionated components with aurocyanide solutions. Emphasis is on basic physico-chemical phenomena, investigated with the aid of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, adsorption, and electrophoretic mobility studies.

Jan 1, 1984

By O. I. Deschon, Ralph Arnold

Deep drilling was the keynote of the more important developments in the North Rocky Mountain region during 1929, with Montana recording the most important achievement through discovery of three new oil fields. Alberta produced 1,000,000 bbl. of 74 gravity naphtha, showing a considerable gain over 1928, developed a commercial oil pool in Turner Valley and extended that field 8 miles southward. Wyoming's discovery field was deepened to a second producing horizon, giving impetus to deeper drilling, and practically every Wyoming oil field will have a deep test either this year or in the near future. Whereas Montana prospecting has been confined to the shallow plains structures, since the discovery of Kevin-Sunburst field, the coming year will see an active search for new oil and gas pools in sharp-dip structures, following the success of prospecting in the Sweetgrass Hills during 1929. A dozen or more structures have been mapped in North Central Montana, several of these straddling the Alberta border. Four structures tested thus far have all shown commercial oil or gas or both. Sweetgrass Hills The first important development in the Hills area was the Rogers-Imperial gasser, which had an initial of 51,000,000 cu. ft. of dry gas per day, with a rock pressure of 1080 lb. This well is located on a sharp nose running north from the hills into Alberta. Several wells drilled by independent operators on the American side, on the west flank of reserve structure, have developed a total open flow capacity of 30,000,000 cubic feet. The third structure tested in the Hills area is known as Bears Den, where commercial oil was found at the base of the Cretaceous at 2470 ft. The existence of oil in three lower sands has been established by two wells on the top of the structure, these two wells finding gas flows of 10,000,000 and 15,000,000 cu. ft., respectively, in the horizon where

Jan 1, 1930

By Curtis L. Graversen, J. H. Hamilton, John C. Nixon, John R. Lewis

RECENTLY there has been much speculation concerning the advantages of using oxygen enriched air or pure oxygen in pyrometallurgical processes. The advantage of using oxygen in the iron blast furnace and elsewhere in ferrous production metallurgy has been given careful consideration and, as a result, several experiments have been tried and a number of papers have recently appeared on this subject.1.2 The use of oxygen in nonferrous smelting likewise poses interesting problems, therefore any experimental data obtained in this area should likewise be of general interest.3 Ashcroft4 in 1933 claimed to have obtained improved results when copper concentrates were roasted in pure oxygen. However, his' paper gives neither data nor experimental details. A few years ago a research program was started in this laboratory which had for its objective the determination of the mechanism of oxidation of metallic sulfides under varying conditions. To date we have studied the oxidation of galena, 5 sphalerite, and chalcocite. It is a well known fact that copper sulfide minerals are oxidized slowly by weathering agents, so that the sulfides of copper which find their way into a tailing pond are gradually changed into watersoluble and acid-soluble compounds. Commercially, the oxidation of copper sulfide minerals is accomplished by roasting them at elevated temperatures in air using a suitable (usually multiple-hearth) roaster. Most copper smelters are equipped with such roasters. In this phase of the study we were especially interested in determining the effect of temperature on: (I) the air oxidation of chalcocite and (2) the oxidation of chalcocite using commercial oxygen. The amount of sulphur removed as sulphur dioxide, the percentages of water-soluble copper, and of acid-soluble copper were determined for the air oxidation tests. In the tests using commercial oxygen, the percentages of sulphur dioxide, water-soluble copper, acid-soluble copper, water-soluble sulphur and acid-soluble sulphur were determined. For these experiments the temperature was varied from 250 to 700°°C. EXPERIMENTAL Preparation of Chalcocite (Cu2S) Natural chalcocite is not pure. Minerals such as bornite, covellite, and chalcopyrite may be present. It was decided, therefore, to prepare some chalcocite in our own laboratory. An intimate mixture of sulphur and finely divided metallic copper in the ratio of 4 g of copper to I g of sulphur was prepared. To this was added a slight excess of

Jan 1, 1948

By C. H. Jr. Herty

DURING the past few years frequent reference has been made to a certain type of iron known generally as "bad iron," "dirty iron," etc., both by steelmakers and producers of iron castings.1 Open-hearth operators have claimed that such iron was entirely within the specified limits as to ordinary analysis but it was difficult to make good steel from it. It has been suggested that unreduced material in the iron is responsible, also that most trouble is experienced with the iron when the blast furnace is delivering a product whose analysis is more or less variable. Other reasons suggested are the use of scrap or borings, unsintered flue dust in the burden, a cold hearth, too high a proportion of unsuitable grade of ore, or the form of the carbon in the iron. Accordingly, a subcommittee was appointed at the fall meeting of the Open-hearth Committee of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers held in Pittsburgh in October, 1926, to investigate the reasons for the occurrence of this bad iron and suggest methods for preventing its appearance. This committee enlisted the cooperation of the U. S: Bureau of Mines Experiment Station at Pittsburgh in undertaking a study of pig-iron quality as affecting the open hearth. The following is a report of the findings to date:

Jan 1, 1929

By Edwin B. Johnson

The success of self-fluxed sinter in enhancing the operation of the blast furnace during the past few years has reasonably led to the assumption that the use of self-fluxed pellets might result in even greater furnace efficiencies. A great share of development work in agglomeration has been directed towards techniques related to the production of self-fluxed pellets, but no appreciable tonnage of self-fluxed pellets had been produced on a commercial scale until this past year when The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. produced 35,000 tons of such pellets by the grate kiln system at the Republic mine during the period May 21-June 5, 1962.

Jan 3, 1963

By Ingvar Janelid

DURING the last ten years, in the effort to save manpower and costs, methods of drilling and blasting in Sweden have changed and developed in a revolutionary manner. These developments have been accompanied by extensive alterations in methods of tunneling and in mining technique. Since the end of the 1940's there has been a 100 pct change-over in Sweden to the use of tungsten carbide tipped drill steel. Both investigations and practical results have shown clearly that a tungsten carbide chisel bit fastened directly on the drill steel is the most economical for Swedish conditions. This applies to drill steel up to the longest size it is practical to handle. In terms of drilling footage, durability of the drill steel and the tungsten carbide bit is generally the same. In this respect, therefore, a detachable bit offers no advantage over integral steel. Transportation of integral steel to the grinding plant, instead of detachable bits only, involves heavier work, but this is counteracted by placing grinding plants closer together or by grinding at the working place itself. The drilling rate with integral steel is higher, the trouble of changing bits is avoided, and the difficulties which always arise with joints are eliminated.

Jan 6, 1954

By Z. T. Bieniawski

Tunneling in coal mines includes driving the main haulageways or roadways which serve as the development entries. Although constituting the lifelines of these mines, little attention has been paid to development entries in the United States in terms of systematic pre-construction planning and design. Coal mine tunnels, as the terminology is used in Europe and elsewhere, are understood in the United States to be the main development entries, either in room-and-pillar mining or in longwall mining. These development entries are not tunnels in the traditional sense since they usually are of a multi-entry type involving entries and cross-cuts, and their intersections. Thus, the design of coal mine tunnels is intertwined with the design of coal pillars. This paper summarizes the results of a three-year research project aimed at improving the design of development entries in U.S. coal mining. A design approach has been developed for this purpose and design procedures for roof support in main entries and for pillar sizing are proposed.

Jan 1, 1984

By F. F. Aplan

Pollution control will be of utmost importance in the 1970's. In this area, the mineral process engineer has a special competence to understand and remedy many pollution situations. There is an old adage that goes, "Build a better mouse- trap and the world will beat a path to your door." Would that it were so, but the reality of the situation is such that, just as a supplier must sell his machine, a professional man must sell his competence. It is a sad but true fact that mineral processing engineers have not done a very good job in selling their extensive competence in the control of a broad range of pollution problems. Recently one of our students visited a paper pulp mill where he was shown a foam fractionator used to remove paper pulp fibers from plant discharge waters. "Foam fractionator hell, that's a flotation cell!'' was his comment. Ah so, it would appear that large numbers of technical people consider themselves experts on "foam fractionation" Or is it that we have been very remiss in demonstrating the usefulness of our equipment and processes and our professional competence to solve, these pollution problems?

Jan 1, 1970

By V. H. Wilhelm

The trend initiated in January 1936, of stabilized gasoline prices, increased demand and extraordinary drilling activity, continued in California during the year 1937. Crude prices were maintained during the year at the highest level since September 1930. Wildcat activity with resultant new discoveries and development of proven acreage were greater than in any year since 1928. Many fields in California in former years have been produced at full capacity, with consequent loss of reservoir energy, but at the present time continued activity is maintained to develop adequate reserves, so that production in these fields can be taken at a rate to correspond with good operating practice. Naturally, this good operating practice will be influenced to some degree by gas outlets and, in certain instances perhaps, by oil outlets. In any event, these last two controlling features will result in favorable rather than detrimental operation. In fields producing from great depths, ultimate production will be practically limited to the flowing and compressor life of the well, since there is as yet no economical method for pumping wells below depths of approximately 7000 ft. Experience has shown, however, that such pumping difficulties will be overcome and that production secured by pumping will add some to reserves established on the flowing life of the wells. California continued to operate under voluntary curtailment, but with unlimited transfers of allowable between various fields. Even though there was at all times considerable production above the Umpire's established quota, a constantly increasing demand reduced storage during the year. This increasing demand was due mainly to the rapid rise in Pacific foreign shipments from May to September. It is questionable, however, whether this favorable condition will be maintained over a prolonged period. (See Fig. 1.) Field Discoveries The great drilling activity during the year resulted in the discovery of three new fields in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as many extensions

Jan 1, 1938

By Thomas M. Drown

The process for determining phosphorus in iron now in most general use in the laboratories of iron and steel works, is, I think, the one proposed bv Mr. Emmerton." In this process the solution of the iron for precipitation by ammonium molybdate is effected by treating the iron with nitric acid, evaporating to hard dryness in a dish, taking up with hydrochloric acid and driving off the greater portion of the hydrochloric by nitric acid. This procedure accomplishes, first, the destruction of all the carbonaceous matters; and, second; it renders all the silica insoluble. Experience has proved the former—the complete oxidation of the carbon—to be absolutely essential; but the explanation usually given, namely, that unless the carbon compounds are destroyed they will have a solvent action on the yellow precipitate, I am inclined to

Jan 1, 1890

By Wayne C. Hazen, James K. Kindig

As the complexity of hydrometallurgical systems increases, it offers new opportunity for applications of solvent extraction. However, the high capital cost of mixer-settlers for large flow rates is a drawback to wide application in base metal recovery. This paper presents information on the use of cyclone separators in place of settlers with attendant significant reduction in capital cost. Various flowsheet possibilities for this development are discussed.

Jan 1, 1972

By H. Ries

THE stabilization of a gravel road with soil is a method of treatment developed in recent years by the United States Bureau of Public Roads for the purpose of binding the constituents together better, and maintain-ing a more durable surface. The process consists in adding to the gravel or crushed stone and sand, a soil mortar, so-called, of fine sand, silt and clay, mixed in the proper proportions. The coarse gravel and sand supply structural strength and hardness; the fine sand adds embedment support to the coarse sand; the silt acts as a filler to prevent the granular particles from rocking; while the clay serves not only as a binder but also provides pores minute enough to cause connecting moisture films which are supposed to have high cohesive properties1. It will be recognized that the clay is an important ingredient both when wet and dry, and should not show excessive expansion when wet, nor correspondingly high shrinkage in drying, as otherwise there is danger of unseating the nonplastic particles. Such a stabilized road, although an improvement on one with a floating surface, will in course of time be subject to wear, and become dusty when the clay dries out and breaks up. It has been found that if some salts are added to the road mixture they tend to maintain the soil moisture and prevent dustiness of the road or raveling of the road surface. In addition to this, it is claimed that these dissolved salts cause a thinning of the moisture films on the particles, thus permitting greater compaction of the road mixture, and thereby increasing its density. This fact can be proved by noting the increased compaction which a road mixture shows when certain salts are added to the soil water. Since certain chemical substances such as sodium chloride are electro-lytes, the question arises whether they cannot have some effect on. the qualities of the clay in the soil mortar, and perhaps improve them. In view of the fact that certain salts seem to exert a favorable effect on the road mixture it is desirable that they be held in the road soil as long a time as possible.

Jan 1, 1936

By Yang Tsang Woo

The method of making coke that has been adopted at the Kaiping and other collieries in northern China resembles, to some extent, the familiar bee-hive oven process of the United States, except that a kiln with permanent sides is used instead of a closed oven, and the products of combustion are drawn off at the bottom. In building coke-kilns in China, two circular holes, 8 ft. 6 in. in diameter at the bottom and 13 ft. in diameter at the top, are excavated in the ground, and connected at the bottom by a flue, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The sides and bottom of the kiln are lined with fire-bricks, and covered with a lager of fireclay, and a rectangular opening, 6 in. by 8 in., connects the bottom of each kiln with the main flue. Around the edge of the hole, and overlapping the lining, is a wall of fire-brick extending 2 ft. 6 in. above the level of the ground. An open space 5 ft. wide is left in this wall, through which the coal is carried into the kiln and the resultant coke removed. This space, of course, is bricked up during the time that the coking-operation is being carried on. The wall is pierced with nine flue-openings uniformly placed around the circumference, each interverliilg space in the wall being strengthened with a brick buttress, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The floor of the kiln, as well as the main flue, is lined with fire-brick. Before charging the coal, it is first placed in shallow bamboo sieves, 2 ft. in diameter, and immersed in a trough 10 ft. long, and 3 ft. wide, fed with pit-water, in which it is washed by hand. Fig. 3 shows the manner in which the washing is done. From 25 tons of good "dust" coal, 22.5 tons of washed coal are obtained. When ready to charge the coal into the kiln, a temporary cone-shaped flue of fire-wood and lump coal is first built to a

Jan 1, 1906

By B. F. Tillson

There is a dearth of information on the economic threat of silicosis. Even the insurance companies and rating bureaus are in a quandary, and the majority of them avoid any action that will stir up an awakened public consciousness of the serious nature of this industrial hazard. Individual claims for $100,000 are now common in silicosis lawsuits. Because of ('hidden costs," in lowered plant efficiency, the total cost of this disease to industry is probably four times its apparent direct cost. The direct costs vary with the labor policies of the employer and with the labor legislation in force. Direct costs may originate in three ways: (1) voluntary assumption by the employer of medical expenses and loss of earning power of stricken employees; (2) state enforcement of industrial disease compensation acts; and (3) awards or settlements after suits in common law. Examples are offered in the last two classifications. In the Rand, South Africa, compensation laws are in effect and in approximately 20 years prior to 1932 about $65,000,000 has been awarded for silicosis and an additional liability of $34,000,000 incurred, or an average of about t5,000,000 per year. During 1932 silicosis compensation on the Rand was about $6,000,000. No figures are available for the direct capital or operating costs for preventive measures there, nor for the additional "hidden costs." It might be reasonable to assume that silicosis has cost the gold-mining industry of South Africa twenty to twenty-five millions of dollars per year. It is estimated that common-law silicosis claims have, in the last few years, aggregated $50,000,000 in New York State alone and have exceeded $300,000,000 in the United States. Attention is called to the involved nature of the insurance situation for industrial diseases in contrast to accidents. The indeterminant, insidious nature of silicosis makes it particularly difficult to predict necessary insurance premiums and reserves. The serious hazard of this disease was not properly appreciated by either insurance companies or industrialists, so sufficient study has not been given its causation, prevention, detection, treatment, and compensation. Therefore legal difficul-

Jan 1, 1934

By S. S. Clarke

THE opening of sheet-ground mines in which the ore beds are only from 7 to 9 ft. thick led the Commerce Mining and Royalty Co. to con-sider mechanical loading, in order to avoid the high cost of hand shovel-ing in such mines. Scraper loaders were chosen because the capital investment would be comparatively low; because they are small enough to be used in low working faces, and because they can be mounted on a mobile carrier.

Jan 1, 1939

By E. Cortese

Phosphate occurs in many places in Egypt, in two main zones: one in Upper Egypt, along the Nile Valley, principally on the right side, and one near the Red Sea coast. In the Nile zone, the principal layers of phosphate rock are to be found: in the mountains east of Mahamid (right side of the valley); in the hills near Sibaiya, also called Sebaieh (both sides); in the hills of Agula, Hagaza and Gurn (right side); and further on, along the camel road leading from Kena to Kosseir, a few miles east of Legheita's Oasis. Following that track, after having crossed the watershed, underlain by rocks like granite, serpentine, porphyry, and diabase, one comes again to the Cretaceous formation containing considerable quantities of phosphate, at Gebel Duwi, Gebel Nakheil, and Gebel Kosseir El Kadim, not far from the coast. More to the north, in the hills near Safaga Bay (Um El Uettat El Wasif) is another rich bed of the same formation. There are reports of phosphate existing near Suez and in the Sinai peninsula, and possibly some other zones can be traced or discovered in the future. The mines are well developed on the right bank of the Nile at Sharawna (near Sebaieh Station) and along the Red Sea coast, at Safaga and near Kosseir. Prospecting work has been done at Gebel Duwi, Gebel Gurn, Agula, Hagaza, and near Mahamid. The phosphatic formation in Egypt is quite variable, not only from place to place, but even within small areas. The phosphate is all of Cretaceous age, as is proved by the fossils found in it. It is considered to belong to the Campanian or, more appropriately, to the Maestrichtian series. The principal fossils are: Alectryonia Villei Coq. sp.; Roudereia Aures-sensis Coq. sp. = R. Drui Mun. Chalm.; Trigonoarca multidentata, Newton.; Cardita libyca, Zittel; Libycoceras Ismaely, Zittel; Nautilus sp.; Ancystrodon libycum Dam.; Corax pristodontus Ag.; Lamma biauriculata Zittel sp. Above the Maestrichtian beds, we have the Danian series, unconform-ably covered by Lower Eocene beds. Under the phosphate is a grayish marly clay, and beneath this, bluish-gray scaly shales resting on the Nubian sandstone (Santonian).

Jan 1, 1918

By Joseph Kaye Wood

A metal is said to be overstrained when it is deformed beyond the elastic limit at a temperature well below the critical range, as in cold working. Quantitatively, overstrain might be considered as that part of the total elastic deformation of the piece of metal, left over after the external load is removed, that added to the permanent deformation due to plastic action will give the total permanent deformation. Ordinarily the effects of this phenomenon, which vary with the internal residual stress probably in accordance with Hooke's law, are more noticeable when the yield point of the metal is exceeded, but they probably also exist to a smaller degree when the load is just large enough to cause the least amount of permanent set. These effects, which we recognize as the result of overstrain, are as follows: 1. An apparent increase of the elastic limit in tension and a decrease of the elastic limit in compression, provided the external load is tensile. The reverse is true when the load is compressive. 2. An elastic after-effeet in which time and temperature are important factors. 3. A state of imperfect elasticity in which Hooke's straight line becomes slightly curved, giving rise to an hysteresis loop. 4. In addition to the apparent increase in the elastic limit, such properties as the hardness, ultimate strength, and resistance to fatigue failure are increased, provided the overstraining has not been carried far enough to make the metal brittle. 5. Correspondingly the ultimate elongation, reduction in area, magnetic quality, ratio of endurance limit (fatigue breaking stress) to elastic limit, and resistance to season cracking (in certain copper alloys) are decreased. The question naturally arises: how do these changes in the properties of a metal resulting from overstrain influence our method of design? The fact that most of the desirable qualities are increased makes overstraining a favorable process, from an engineering standpoint; but on the other hand, the loss of such qualities as perfect elasticity and complete

Jan 1, 1924

By C. H. Burgess

ON June 5, 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall in a speech at Harvard University outlined a plan for the economic recovery of Europe. The plan contemplated that the United States should provide assistance which would enable the European nations better to help themselves and to help each other to reconstitute from their war-torn lands conditions which would make possible decent standards of living. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1948 was passed in April of that year, and established the Eco-

Jan 10, 1950

By Sidney Cornell

THE technical- advantages of adding oxygen to air and producer gas, or using it as a reactive agent, producing 400 B.t.u. gas instead of. the present 150 B.t.u., with higher flame temperatures and a reducing flame possible, with a smaller volume of gases passing through a furnace, will result in quicker melting, sharp working, and the production of a higher quality steel. Probably electric-furnace quality steel can be produced in an open-hearth furnace using oxygen. A modern, standard, 100-ton open-hearth furnace, with all equipment, costs from $350,000 to $500,000; there are about 1000 open-hearth furnaces in this country. When considering the use of oxygen in the open-hearth furnace, it is necessary to study: (1) The use of oxygen in the present furnaces, such that modification of existing furnaces and equipment cost the minimum, although the full advantages of oxygen are not thus obtainable. (2) The use of oxygen in a furnace designed for its use, producing quality and quantity steel at the lowest possible cost. This entails the junking of approximately one-half the value in existing equipment-writing off $250,000,000. The basis of such an estimate is the present cost of manufacturing open-hearth steel. Objection may be taken to some of the unit prices here given, but while some companies obtain their ores for much less, the prices quoted are -market price. They are used to show the maximum economy obtained by oxygen at that point.

Jan 11, 1924

By Roberto Fernandez

Want of knowledge on the part of experts from abroad respecting the amalgamation-system, known as the Mexican or patio process, has been the cause in this country of trouble to many foreign mining companies. This process has not been looked upon by their managers as a satisfactory method of treating silver-ores, and they prefer to employ others, which, although more modern, and often more profitable in other countries, have not proved to be so under the exceptional conditions of this country, where labor is cheap and paid in silver, while fuel is very dear. The cause of this error of judgment is probably the inexact information which has been furnished by several authors respecting the economical results of the patio process. This treatment is not suitable for silver-ores of every kind. Simple sulphides of silver are best adapted to it, and, next to these, the combinations of complex sulphides, viz., pyrargyrite, polybasite, stephanite, proustite, etc. Chlorides, bromides and iodides of silver are considered rebellious ; argentiferous galena, blende, bournonite, as also argentiferous arsenical pyrites of iron and copper, are absolutelg unsuited to this treatment. Experience has proved that high-grade ores do not give as satisfactory results as those of mediurn grades, as, for instance, carrying from 1 to 2 kilos of silver per metrical ton. The patio process, as actually practiced in this district, comprises the following operations: 1. The ore is crushed in a dry state in a roller-mill, reducing it to pea-size, from which uniform samples, and, in consequence, correct assays, can be obtained. 2. It is then thrown into the arrastra, and pulverized with water, so fine that it will pass through an 80-mesh screen.

Jan 1, 1900