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By Henry R. Piehler

Continuous seven- and nine teen -filament close-packed silver-steel filamentary composites mere tested in tension. For purposes of comparison, the tensile behavior of the composite was predicted from the measured properties of the individual com-ponents. It was assumed that the axial strain is the same in both components and that the contribution of each component to the composite flow stress is proportional to its volume fraction. Good agreetnent was obtained between the observed and predicted tensile behavior. However, the composite elongation at fracture was about twice that observed when the individual steel wires were tested alone. Composites in which the filaments were widely spaced failed by the consecutive fracture of the filaments. In composites with closely spaced filaments, a composite instability preceded frachcre. These effects are explained in terms of a lateral restraint to the necking of the filaments which develops in the deforming composite. TWO-COMPONENT or composite materials are increasingly being developed and used as structural materials. Of all the composite geometries used, the filamentary configuration has proved to be the most successful. Polymer-bonded fiber-glas, the most common of the filamentary composites, has been investigated most extensively to date. One explanation of the behavior of fiberglas1 suggests that the load transfer between the glass fibers and the polymer matrix occurs primarily through friction. Bond separation between the fibers and the matrix is presumed to occur at very low stresses. Subsequently, only frictional bonding can provide for the transfer of load from the matrix to the fibers. The force normal to the fiber-matrix interface which gives rise to this friction is assumed to arise from the matrix shrinkage which occurs during solidification. The behavior of metallic filamentary-composite materials would be expected to differ from that of fiberglas in several significant aspects. Residual stresses resulting from differences in thermal contraction can be kept to a minimum by proper heat treatment. A strong wetted bond is formed between the two phases. In brazed joints,2 for example, the interphase bond is sufficiently strong that the weaker material will fail before separation occurs at the interface. Most metal filaments can undergo appreciable amounts of plastic deformation before failure. Failure by plastic instability or necking frequently occurs in metallic filaments, but not in glass fibers tested at room temperature. Differences between the behavior of fiberglas-polymer and metallic filamentary composites have indeed been observed in composites containing various types of metallic filaments in a silver matrix.3,4 At strains of the order of 10-2 pct, all the deformation was accommodated by the silver matrix. Hence, the strength of the composite depended only on the fiber concentration and not on the nature of the fiber. At higher strains, the strength of the composite increased when filaments with higher work-hardening rates were used. Surface slip line observations on a silver-mild steel composite that had been stretched 4 pct showed that an appreciable amount of deformation occurred in the filaments. Work on tungsten-copper filamentary composites5 has shown that the ultimate tensile strength for varying filament fractions followed a linear mixture rule. Assuming that the axial strains in both filaments and the matrix are equal, this linear mixture rule can be expressed as: The subscripts c, f, and m refer to the composite, filaments, and matrix, respectively. A and V are the area and volume fractions of each component. sc and of are the ultimate tensile strengths of the composite and the filaments. sm is the flow stress of matrix at a strain equal to the elongation at failure of the filaments. However, the tungsten filaments can undergo only a limited elongation before they fracture without an appreciable reduction in area. A composite containing more ductile filaments might indeed deviate from this linear mixture rule for the ultimate tensile strength, since filament failure by necking might be arrested by the matrix. SPECIMEN PREPARATION Specimens were prepared from 0.8 pct carbon steel piano wires of 0.015 in. initial diameter. The wires were given a thin nickel flash and a silver plate varying in thickness from 0.015 to 0.007 in., depending on the filament fraction desired. In order

Jan 1, 1965

By R. R. French

Investigations were conducted by the lndiana Geological Survey for some dry methods of bene-ficiating low-grade gypsum ore. Seventy-two batch and continuous flow tests were performed with a roller mill, rod mill, pebble mill, electronic color sorter, electrostatic separator, and an air separator. Approximately 650 size analyses and 550 chemical analyses were performed during the investigation. Batch samples were tested by the Survey, and most of the continuous flow tests were handled by com-mercial laboratories. INTRODUCTION Although many companies producing gypsum have been interested in dry beneficiation, very little information has been published in the past. One of the most comprehensive investigations was reported by the Canadian Department of Mines.5 Other reports of interest have been published by the Canadian Department of Mines,' the South Australian Department of Mines,2 and the U.S. Bureau of Mines.3 Some beneficiating practices, such as hand picking, selective mining, crushing and screening, milling, and air classifying, were already in use in the Canadian industry prior to MacPherson's investigations.5 MacPherson examined the effect of tabling, air separation, screening, flotation, electrostatic separation, calcining, washing, and various types of milling, in his efforts to eliminate dolomite, limestone, and small amounts of silica and clay from the gypsum ore. RAW MATERIAL Gypsum and anhydrite occur within the lower part of the St. Louis Limestone (Mississippian) in southwestern Indiana. Gypsum in single beds 10 or more ft thick occur at Shoals, Martin County; near Freedom, Owen County; near Bloomfield, Greene County; and in the Devonian strata of LaPorte County. Only the Shoals deposit has been exploited commercially. The western edge of the Shoals deposit is contaminated by a continuous bed of shale, about 1 1/2 to 2 ft thick, near the top of the evaporite and by thin continuous strata or irregular masses of carbonate rock. The low-grade material used in these investigations was obtained from the waste pile of the National Gypsum Co.'s plant at Shoals. The waste ore averaged about 67.4% gypsum and was contaminated by various amounts of shale, dolomite, and limestone. All the material had been previously crushed and screened to minus 1 1/4 to plus 3/8 in. X-ray analyses of powdered, sedimentated, gly-colated, and heat-treated samples of the shale showed that it was composed of slightly structurally disordered illite, Fe-rich chlorite, and very finegrained disseminated silt. The clays and silt were partly cemented with carbonate material. Light-gray argillaceous limestone and gray or brown porous dolomite made up most of the carbonate rock contamination. Crushing Characteristics: The rate unweathered gypsum, carbonate rock, and shale reduce in size was determined by crushing handpicked samples in a rod mill and screening at minus 100 mesh (.0059 in.). Fig. 1 graphically represents the data. These data indicate that carbonate rock should be relatively easy to separate from gypsum, but that shale should be difficult to separate from gypsum by differential crushing. Controlled Samples: Eight rod mill tests of hand-picked samples of mixed gypsum and shale and mixed gypsum and carbonate rock were made. Sample weight and crushing weight were standardized, but the scalping screen size was varied from 3 to 10 mesh (.265 to .0787 in.) in order to obtain the optimum purity and recovery. The data obtained from the tests (see Table I) illustrate that the relatively hard carbonate rock allows appreciable beneficiation (13.6 to 18%), but the low strength gypsum and shale allows only minimal separation (3.1 to 7.5%).* Semi control led Samples: During the investigation considerable slaking of the shale was noted when the ore was subjected to alternate wetting and drying. As demonstrated in laboratory tests, as much as 76% shale can be removed by two cycles of wetting and drying in a 48-hour period with subsequent screening at .265 in. Five ore samples, stockpiled and weathered, were screened, rod-mill crushed and rescreened at .157 or .187 in. with excellent results (Table 11).

Jan 1, 1967

[A Editor's Note: Annual Reviews of various subjects and areas are found in February issues of Mining and Metallurgy and Mining Engineering. These Annual Reviews are not listed per se in the Index. Abating Stream Pollution in Anthracite Coal Fields. ME Mar 50 Abbadia San Salvatore mine, Italy. T178, 297 Abbott, C.E.: Limestone Mine in the Birmingham District. With Discussion. T129, 62 ABC Typifies Trend to Mechanized Mining and Coal Preparation. ME Dec 50 Abel, J.F.: Statistical Analysis of Tunnel Supporting Loads. T235, 288 Sulzbach, J. F., and Walker, D.K.: Ice Tunneling in Greenland. ME Jun 59 Aberfoyle tin mines, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, stannite, as intergrowths. T214, 1147 Abnormal Behavior of Some Ore Constituents and Their Effect on Blast Furnace Operation, The. T241, 1 Abrams, C.J.: Industry's Responsibility in Postwar Economy. M&M Mar 45 and Haley, D.F.: History of Crushing and Milling at Climax. M&M Jun 46]

Jan 1, 1972

By G. A. Koenig, Moritz Stockder

Locality and Geological Occurrence. The Alpine region of Southwest Colorado, comprising the San Juan and Uncompaghre Mountains, is composed of a deeply eroded sheet of acid eruptive rocks, overlying in part gneissic sehists, and in part limestones and sandstones, including portions of the Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous systems. The section is clearly and beautifully exposed along the Uncompaghre River from its headwaters to its exit from the mountains. The river's course from the town of Ouray towards the Los Pinos agency is due north, and four miles from Ouray, in this direction, the Uncompaghre receives from the east the Red Cafion Creek. Following up the narrow caftan we find the section through white.. sandstone in strata dipping to the north and west, and belonging either to the lower or middle Devonian system. Presently the steep cafion-liko character of the ravine gives place to more gentle slopes, and we have entered crystalline rock-porphyry. The contact is well marked, for the sandstone, to a depth of from six to ten feet, resembles quartzite, i. e., is semifused. Ascending still higher, a small

Jan 1, 1881

By John E. O’Rourke, Kevin M. O’Connor, Pamela H. Rey

INTRODUCTION The resurgence of coal mining activity in the United States, brought on by the spiraling costs of fossil fw1 energy in the Seventies, has come at a time of intense public concern for the quality of the environment. Notwithstanding pressure on our economy to develop alternate sources of fue1 energy to the import of oil, the legislatures of several states have reacted to public concern over the environment by passing strict regulations aimed at con- trolling the subsidence effect s of underground mining. Agencies of the federal government charged with assistance to the mining industry, including the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Mines, have sponsored a number of instrumentation and field measurement projects aimed at the development of subsidence prediction models that can aid the mine operator's task of subsidence control. There are good empirical models developed in Europe for subsidence prediction, but they were made possible by a large body of mining-induced subsidence data collected there over a long period of time. No com- parable subsidence data base exists in the United States, and consequently empirical modeling of subsidence is not a realistic approach for our near term needs. Moreover, the geologic and topographic diversity of the several coal regions in the United States is expected to necessitate the development of several empirical models, each one expected to be relevant to its own region. Because of the time and costs that are likely to be involved in an empirical modeling approach, it is considered more expedient and cost effective to develop a general, mechanistic model for subsidence prediction purposes. In order to develop such a model, it is necessary to investigate and quantify the mechanics of the subsidence process from the mine level up to the ground surface. The series of projects discussed in this paper are designed to achieve this objective and include the following work: (1) the identification of geotechnical instrumentation that will pro- vide mine level overburden and surface subsidence data. (2) a field demonstration of selected instruments, and (3) documentation of case histories for complete subsidence mechanics, using the demonstrated and preferred instruments. An identification of feasible instrumentation and monitoring techniques was completed by Woodward-Clyde Consultants (WCC) in 1977 (O'Rourke and others). This paper discusses a demonstration of those instruments at a mine in Utah, and at two subsequent projects, currently underway at longwall mines in Colorado and West Virginia. 'he latter two projects when complete will provide documented case histories of subsidence mechanics. The process of optimizing subsidence instrumentation and monitoring techniques to the conditions encountered during installation and monitoring for these underground mines is shown to be an evolving one, and one which has had some notable successes to date. INITIAL DEMONSTRATION The initial design and demonstration of selected monitoring systems was carried out at the SUFCO No. 1 mine, near Salina, Utah. The instrumented panel was approximately 152 m wide. 640 m long. and was 290 m to 320 m deep. The mined height of coal. seam averaged 2.4 m. The mining method was room and pillar using continuous mining machines. This method allowed some monitoring of the supported condition during development, and eventually allowed monitoring of a caved system when both chain pillars and room pillars were extracted on retreat. The two instrument systems shown on Table 1 were selected from the earlier feasibility report for demonstration at SUFCO No. 1. Collectively, the two systems, one for a fully-supported mining method and the other for a fully-caved method, incorporate most of the instrumentation to be found within all five systems listed in the earlier feasibility report. The instrumentation includes surface, subsurface and mine monitoring installations. All of the SUFCO instruments selected to meet the specifications of the general instrument types listed on Table 1 were manually operated. That is, data from the installed system could only be obtained while a person was there to physically observe or operate the system readout. Automatic data recording equipment was available for some installations, but the objectives were to keep the systems as simple as possible for the demonstration project. A complete description of the surface, sub- surface and mine level instruments, and the demonstration project results are given in WCC (1982), and selected features are discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. W. Rausch

BELT-CONVEYOR 'history in this country dates back to the end of the eighteenth century. Up to 1896 they were crude in design and application. The second era, dating from 1896 to about 1920, saw special study given to belt construction and idler design. The latter part of this era saw the beginning of the present-day antifriction idler. The third era followed World War I, when industry began to expand rapidly. Mines and quarries, steel mills, and power-generating plants became larger and greater quantities of ore, stone, and coal were being handled. It became vital that belts handle larger capacities, that they be longer, and that they be dependable for 24 hours per day. In this third era a radical change in belt conveyor design and application occurred. The design has became more scientific. Studies have been made to find out what factors influenced the power required for a belt conveyor and it was found that the sag of the belt between idlers and the flattening of the load between idlers had considerable effect on power requirements. So definite initial tension was put into the belt at the loading end and idler spacing was reduced at the foot end to limit this sag. Belt manufacturers made tougher and stronger belts.

Jan 1, 1947

By Robert Bell

THE " Tar-Sands." is the name which has been given to the extensive horizontal deposit of fine Cretaceous sand, blackened by tarry petroleum, which forms the banks of the last or lowest 130 miles of the Athabasca river before it terminates in Athabasca lake. The Cretaceous strata, to which these sands belong, extend northwesterly from Dakota all the way to this lake and for 500 miles beyond it. The Athabasca river forms the uppermost section of the Athabasca-Mackenzie, one of the great rivers of the world. It rises on the Pacific side of the Rocky mountains, westward of Edmonton, and flows north of east to a point called Athabasca. Landing, 100 miles north of Edmonton, where it turns northward and runs about 280 miles before it falls into the west end of Athabasca lake. The section of this river-system which discharges the lake just named into Great Slave lake, is called Slave river, and below the latter lake it becomes the Mackenzie river. Along the section of 280 miles of the Athabasca river above mentioned, the Cretaceous strata consist of bluish-gray and drab-gray marls, on top, from Athabasca Landing to Drowned rapid, 110 miles down stream; then heavily bedded gray sandstones, 225 ft. in greatest thickness, underlying these, form the banks for about 40 miles further. The strata appear to be horizontal, but they really clip very slightly to the southward. At Drowned rapid, we see the first of the tar-sands resting on almost horizontal beds of bluish-gray limestone of Devonian age. In some places the limestone is associated with shaly or marly bands. Notwithstanding the great hiatus between the two series, the horizontal tar-sands lie conformably upon the almost level upper beds of the limestone wherever the two formations are seen together, all along the river, throughout a

Mar 1, 1908

By J. A. Bownocker

THE EXISTENCE of petroleum in the rocks of Ohio and Indiana seems to have been first shown by wells dug for salt. The fuel, however, was objectionable owing to its odor and inflammability. Not until the brake well was drilled in 1859 did the people appreciate the value of rock oil, and then they at once began plans to secure the coveted fuel.. The first successful well in these two states was near . Macksburg, in southeast .Ohio, where at a depth of 59 ft. (17 m.) :oil was found in commercial quantity (1860). A year later this fuel was secured on Cow Run, in the same county, and at about the same time in Noble, Morgan and perhaps other counties in that part of Ohio. The second great step in the production of oil in Ohio and Indiana was taken in 1884 when the reservoir of natural gas in the Trenton limestone of northwest Ohio was tapped, and where a year later oil was secured in the same formation. Petroleum in this limestone was obtained in Indiana in 1889.1 The third step in the production of oil' in Ohio and Indiana is associated with the Clinton sand of Ohio. Natural gas in large volume was discovered in that rock at Lancaster, in 1887, and the area has been extended until it has become the largest individual producer in the world. The presence of natural gas in such great volume all but demonstrated to the driller that-oil lay hidden near by. Soon the search for it was started but not until 1899 was petroleum in commercial quantity found in the Clinton sand, and a large pool was not located in it until 1907. The fourth step in the development of the industry was taken in 1913, when the pool in Sullivan County, in western Indiana, was opened. The producing rock is the Huron sandstone, which is the topmost member of the Mississippian system.2

Jan 2, 1920

By Kendall E. Born

Production of crude oil in Tennessee during 1940 was slightly more than 15,000 bbl., a decrease from 1939 of about 36,000 bbl. This sharp decline has been caused largely by curtailed activities in the shallow pools in Clay County, where approximately 3000 bbl. was marketed off the lease during the year as against more than 37,000 bbl. in 1939. The flashy production found in 1938 in the Celina area has been short-lived and the area is essentially abandoned. Failure to find steady production has been the major factor retarding developments in the northeastern Highland Rim area. The Mississippi lime production in Scott and Morgan Counties continued to show a steady decline. The Tennessee production by counties is shown in Table I. Table i.—Oil Production in Tennessee it1 1940 Production. Bbl. Number of County Wells Pumped 1939 1940 Scott............ 4 4,332 3.596 Morgan.......... I: 6,479 5,751 Fentress.......... 3 I,2XX 1,5xz Pickett........... 1 1.2XX Clay............. 8 37.200 3,XXX Developments There were 32 wells spudded in during 1940, four of which were drilling or only temporarily suspended on Dec. 31, 1940. Twenty-eight wells were completed during the year, four of which were commercial producers. The total footage drilled was 3I,214 ft. The more important wildcats are listed in Table 2; the distribution of 1940 oil and gas tests according to physiographic divisions is given in Table 3. Cumberland Platenu.—Thcre was one completion in the coal area of the state, a test that attempted to extend the Mississippi lime production in the Coon Hollow pool to the southeast in Morgan County. This test encountered only slight shows of oil in the producing horizons of the near-by Coon Hollow and Boone Camp pools. Some surface work was carried on by private interests during the year in Scott and Morgan Counties and two wells were spudded in early in 1941 The revival of interest in the Kentucky portion of the plateau will probably result in increased activity in this part of Tennessee during 1941. Several sizable blocks of acreage, some by major oil companies, are held in Scott, Morgan, and Cumberland Counties. Middle Tennessee.—The northeastern Highland Rim continued to be the most active area in the state with 20 completions, although this figure is about one third of the number drilled in 1939. Four oil wells, none with initial productions of more than I00 bbl., were completed in Clay, Fentress, and Pickett Counties. The producing horizons discovered in Pickett and Fentress Counties were in the "Sunny-brookJ' pays of Trenton age. The Clay County producer was an old test drilled deeper in which oil was found at 671 ft. in the upper part of the Stones River group of limestones, a common pay in this area. All four wells were drilled in or close to old shallow production. Deeper testing into the Knox dolomite group in this area was not particularly encouraging, although one well in Fentress County encountered some saturation at 1860 to 1869 ft. in the upper

Jan 1, 1941

By Kendall E. Born

Production of crude oil in Tennessee during 1940 was slightly more than 15,000 bbl., a decrease from 1939 of about 36,000 bbl. This sharp decline has been caused largely by curtailed activities in the shallow pools in Clay County, where approximately 3000 bbl. was marketed off the lease during the year as against more than 37,000 bbl. in 1939. The flashy production found in 1938 in the Celina area has been short-lived and the area is essentially abandoned. Failure to find steady production has been the major factor retarding developments in the northeastern Highland Rim area. The Mississippi lime production in Scott and Morgan Counties continued to show a steady decline. The Tennessee production by counties is shown in Table I. Table i.—Oil Production in Tennessee it1 1940 Production. Bbl. Number of County Wells Pumped 1939 1940 Scott............ 4 4,332 3.596 Morgan.......... I: 6,479 5,751 Fentress.......... 3 I,2XX 1,5xz Pickett........... 1 1.2XX Clay............. 8 37.200 3,XXX Developments There were 32 wells spudded in during 1940, four of which were drilling or only temporarily suspended on Dec. 31, 1940. Twenty-eight wells were completed during the year, four of which were commercial producers. The total footage drilled was 3I,214 ft. The more important wildcats are listed in Table 2; the distribution of 1940 oil and gas tests according to physiographic divisions is given in Table 3. Cumberland Platenu.—Thcre was one completion in the coal area of the state, a test that attempted to extend the Mississippi lime production in the Coon Hollow pool to the southeast in Morgan County. This test encountered only slight shows of oil in the producing horizons of the near-by Coon Hollow and Boone Camp pools. Some surface work was carried on by private interests during the year in Scott and Morgan Counties and two wells were spudded in early in 1941 The revival of interest in the Kentucky portion of the plateau will probably result in increased activity in this part of Tennessee during 1941. Several sizable blocks of acreage, some by major oil companies, are held in Scott, Morgan, and Cumberland Counties. Middle Tennessee.—The northeastern Highland Rim continued to be the most active area in the state with 20 completions, although this figure is about one third of the number drilled in 1939. Four oil wells, none with initial productions of more than I00 bbl., were completed in Clay, Fentress, and Pickett Counties. The producing horizons discovered in Pickett and Fentress Counties were in the "Sunny-brookJ' pays of Trenton age. The Clay County producer was an old test drilled deeper in which oil was found at 671 ft. in the upper part of the Stones River group of limestones, a common pay in this area. All four wells were drilled in or close to old shallow production. Deeper testing into the Knox dolomite group in this area was not particularly encouraging, although one well in Fentress County encountered some saturation at 1860 to 1869 ft. in the upper

Jan 1, 1941

By C. D. Hunter, I. B. Browning, N. W. Shiarella

The oil industry in Kentucky during the year 1937 shows some improvement over that of 1936, although not to as marked a degree as 1936 over 1935. Oil in Eastern Kentucky In eastern Kentucky more than 150 new inside wells were completed in the pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties. Also, a number of wells were completed to be used as intake wells in repressuring operations. Repressuring is proving more successful in this area than was expected, as the producing formation was the Corniferous limestone. However, when the repressuring work was started, cores taken of this formation showed that the oil in the second and third pays was from a true sand, only the first pay in the top being a sandy lime formation. In the Weir sand fields of Magoffin, Johnson and Lawrence Counties, continued repressuring operations caused an increase in the quantity of oil. These operations and the completion of 20 new wells in the Maxon sand and the Big lime (Mississippian) in Martin and Floyd Counties produced an increase in the oil production from eastern Kentucky of 100,000 bbl. over that of 1936. As an illustration of what may yet be done in the fields of eastern Kentucky, one repressuring operation involving four oil wells and one pressure well produced an increase in production, or an additional recovery of 7200 bbl. of oil during the year. This amounts to a recovery of 2000 per acre for the 3.6 acres involved. In other fields of eastern Kentucky, as in the Corniferous pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties, increases in the runs are noted as follows: In the area of the Estill County pool from which the oil passes through the Revena pumping station, the production in 1935 was 88,175 bbl.; in 1936, was 102,849 bbl.; and in 1937 was 107,704 bbl. This pool was

Jan 1, 1938

By M. M. Fidlar, Ralph E. Esarey

A marked decrease in drilling during 1937 in Indiana seemed to have no undesirable effect upon the oil and gas industry. Instead, production figures for oil showed a small increase over those for the preceding year, although not so much gas was marketed as in 1936. Drilling activity was centered in proven areas, and the proportion of dry holes to the number of wells drilled decreased somewhat. During 1937, including old wells drilled to deeper horizons, 134 wells were completed in Indiana, of which 39 were oil wells, 39 gas wells, and 56 dry holes. Nearly 75 per cent of the holes were drilled in proven areas. Of the 36 wells drilled in wildcat areas, only four found commercial production. Wildcat wells were especially numerous in Vigo, Pike, Perry and Spencer Counties. Exploratory drilling activity in Vigo County resulted in part from the drilling of the discovery well in the new Prairie Creek field. In Pike County, wildcat wells were drilled in the search for new supplies of gas to meet the demand in the southwestern portion of Indiana. Drilling in both proven and wildcat areas in Perry and Spencer Counties continued to be heavy, because of the presence of shallow Missis-sippian sands and the resulting low cost of drilling and equipping. At the end of the year, 42 of the wells started in 1937 were not completed. Only a few locations were drilled in the old Trenton field, but the wells, many of them 40 years old, continued to furnish a small supply of gas for domestic consumption. Oil production in the Jay County portion of the Trenton area was nearly twice that of 1936, owing in part to a vacuum system installed on several leases. The Harrison County (Laconia) gas field is being developed northward to offset water encroaching from the south. This water in the black shale threatens to put an end to the steady production that this field has furnished for many years. During 1937, the Oaktown gas field again furnished more gas than any other field, but production in that area showed a marked decrease over the marketed gas for 1936. During the early months of the year, seven wells were completed in the Oaktown field to bring the total number of producing wells to over 40. At present, all the operators in the area are

Jan 1, 1938

By John Guillermo Bartram

The oil industry continued relatively quiet in Wyoming in 1935, although production increased about 8 per cent over the previous year; 55 oil wells were completed in 1935, compared to 34 in 1934, and at the end of the year 44 wells were drilling, 33 in proven fields and 11 in wildcat locations. The total drilling a year ago was only 30. In the year 1935 Wyoming produced a total of 13,451,000 bbl. of oil, a gain of 912,000 bbl. over the 1934 figure of 12,539,000 bbl. Approxi-mately two-thirds of the increase, or 630,000 bbl., was from black oil fields and one-third, or 285,000 bbl., from light oil pools. Salt Creek, with production of 6,357,000 bbl., is still many times the largest field in Wyoming but in 1935 it made less than 50 per cent of the state's total, after producing more than all other fields in the state for 24 years; however, its decline was only 3.8 per cent from the previous year. Oregon Basin, a black oil field, held second place again with production of 1,163,-000 bbl., a good increase over 1934. Grass Creek, with increases in both its light and black oil, jumped into third place; and Lance Creek, with its new Sundance light oil production, was in fourth place in the amount of production. Frannie, which was in third place in 1934, dropped far back on the list because of lack of market. Byron and Garland, two other black oil fields in the Big Horn Basin, increased considerably. Big Muddy, a prominent light-oil field, was down with a natural decline; and Elk Basin, also light oil, produced less because of market conditions. During 1934 only three gas wells were drilled in Wyoming and 29 dry holes, 13 in proven fields and 16 at wildcat locations. Of the latter, 5 were on wildcat structures of considerable interest. Of the 55 wells completed during the year, 53 were in proven fields and of these 17 were small ones in the shallow Osage field and 10 were light-oil wells good for 1500 to 3000 bbl. each in the Lance Creek field. Discoveries Two of the oil wells were discoveries at Medicine Bow and Sheep Creek. Medicine Bow is a very large anticline with more than 3500 ft. of closure and is located in Carbon County in the south-central part of the state. In 1923 it showed some oil in the Upper Cretaceous Frontier

Jan 1, 1936

By John Guillermo Bartram

The oil industry continued relatively quiet in Wyoming in 1935, although production increased about 8 per cent over the previous year; 55 oil wells were completed in 1935, compared to 34 in 1934, and at the end of the year 44 wells were drilling, 33 in proven fields and 11 in wildcat locations. The total drilling a year ago was only 30. In the year 1935 Wyoming produced a total of 13,451,000 bbl. of oil, a gain of 912,000 bbl. over the 1934 figure of 12,539,000 bbl. Approxi-mately two-thirds of the increase, or 630,000 bbl., was from black oil fields and one-third, or 285,000 bbl., from light oil pools. Salt Creek, with production of 6,357,000 bbl., is still many times the largest field in Wyoming but in 1935 it made less than 50 per cent of the state's total, after producing more than all other fields in the state for 24 years; however, its decline was only 3.8 per cent from the previous year. Oregon Basin, a black oil field, held second place again with production of 1,163,-000 bbl., a good increase over 1934. Grass Creek, with increases in both its light and black oil, jumped into third place; and Lance Creek, with its new Sundance light oil production, was in fourth place in the amount of production. Frannie, which was in third place in 1934, dropped far back on the list because of lack of market. Byron and Garland, two other black oil fields in the Big Horn Basin, increased considerably. Big Muddy, a prominent light-oil field, was down with a natural decline; and Elk Basin, also light oil, produced less because of market conditions. During 1934 only three gas wells were drilled in Wyoming and 29 dry holes, 13 in proven fields and 16 at wildcat locations. Of the latter, 5 were on wildcat structures of considerable interest. Of the 55 wells completed during the year, 53 were in proven fields and of these 17 were small ones in the shallow Osage field and 10 were light-oil wells good for 1500 to 3000 bbl. each in the Lance Creek field. Discoveries Two of the oil wells were discoveries at Medicine Bow and Sheep Creek. Medicine Bow is a very large anticline with more than 3500 ft. of closure and is located in Carbon County in the south-central part of the state. In 1923 it showed some oil in the Upper Cretaceous Frontier

Jan 1, 1936

By Warren B. Weeks

Continued development in the deeper fields discovered during 1937 and 1938 was largely responsible for the 16 per cent (2,913,400-bbl.) increase in production, bringing the 1939 output to 21,376,230 bbl., the largest for South Arkansas since 1929. The older settled fields continued to decline and Rodessa was added to this classification. Magnolia field accounted for much of the increase, with Schuler field showing only a slight increase. There were 248 wells drilled during 1939, five more than during the previous year. Of 198 wells drilled in proven fields, 21 were dry; 46 of the 50 wildcats drilled were dry. The old depth record of 8332 ft. was increased to the present record of 9028. Trend of Prospecting Production from the porous " Reynolds " oolite zone of the Smackover limestone continued to be the objective of prospecting. During the year 20 seismograph, 3 gravity meter, 1 magnetometer, 1 soil analysis and 1 electromagnetic crews were reported in the state. The geophysical work was largely concentrated in three southern counties: Columbia, Lafayette and Union. As indicated in Table 2, the same three counties received most of the important drilling tests. At the end of the year only three seismograph crews remained in the areas. The area for prospecting Smackover limestone was greatly narrowed during the year by the failure of two "fault zone" wells to find satisfactory permeability in the oolite zone, and by the relatively thin sections of porosity found in wells drilled in townships 18 and 19 South. Geology Most of the wells listed in Table 2 afforded additional control on structure of the lower beds, but gave little new information on stratigraphy. Of the 248 wells drilled, 3 ended in Tertiary, 34 in Gulf, 1 in Paluxy, 29 in Glen Rose, 15 in Travis Peak, 15 in Cotton Valley, 139 in Smackover, 2 in Eagle Mills and 10 in Carboniferous. The age of the beds between the Travis Peak formation and Carboniferous is still questionable. Most

Jan 1, 1940

By Warren B. Weeks

Continued development in the deeper fields discovered during 1937 and 1938 was largely responsible for the 16 per cent (2,913,400-bbl.) increase in production, bringing the 1939 output to 21,376,230 bbl., the largest for South Arkansas since 1929. The older settled fields continued to decline and Rodessa was added to this classification. Magnolia field accounted for much of the increase, with Schuler field showing only a slight increase. There were 248 wells drilled during 1939, five more than during the previous year. Of 198 wells drilled in proven fields, 21 were dry; 46 of the 50 wildcats drilled were dry. The old depth record of 8332 ft. was increased to the present record of 9028. Trend of Prospecting Production from the porous " Reynolds " oolite zone of the Smackover limestone continued to be the objective of prospecting. During the year 20 seismograph, 3 gravity meter, 1 magnetometer, 1 soil analysis and 1 electromagnetic crews were reported in the state. The geophysical work was largely concentrated in three southern counties: Columbia, Lafayette and Union. As indicated in Table 2, the same three counties received most of the important drilling tests. At the end of the year only three seismograph crews remained in the areas. The area for prospecting Smackover limestone was greatly narrowed during the year by the failure of two "fault zone" wells to find satisfactory permeability in the oolite zone, and by the relatively thin sections of porosity found in wells drilled in townships 18 and 19 South. Geology Most of the wells listed in Table 2 afforded additional control on structure of the lower beds, but gave little new information on stratigraphy. Of the 248 wells drilled, 3 ended in Tertiary, 34 in Gulf, 1 in Paluxy, 29 in Glen Rose, 15 in Travis Peak, 15 in Cotton Valley, 139 in Smackover, 2 in Eagle Mills and 10 in Carboniferous. The age of the beds between the Travis Peak formation and Carboniferous is still questionable. Most

Jan 1, 1940

By John G. Bartram

The oil business has been relatively quiet in Wyoming during 1934. Only 34 producing wells were completed, 54 dry holes were drilled, and at the end of the year only 30 wells are listed as drilling. Wyoming still has a large reserve of production shut in, mostly in black oil or asphaltic base fields in the northwestern part of the state. The total oil production increased from 11,171,500 bbl. in 1933 to 12,539,470 in 1934, but light oil production continued to decline, and the increase was made by black oil fields. This is partly due to natural decline of light oil fields, especially Salt Creek, Big Muddy and Lost Soldier, but largely because of increased demands for road oil. The Rocky Mountain states spent much money to build and improve roads and a greater amount of road oil was used. The refining of black oil to manufacture road oil produced gasoline as a byproduct that slightly decreased the demand for light oil. The Oregon Basin and Frannie fields, in the Big Horn Basin, moved into second and third places in the list of producing fields in Wyoming because of their increased black oil production, and Big Muddy and Lost Soldier, light oil fields, dropped back. Wyoming stayed close to its allowed production, which was based on the needs of the refiners and purchasers. This activity in black oil resulted in a few more wells in the fields of the Big Horn Basin, but the greatest amount of drilling was in the shallow Osage field in eastern Wyoming. Osage supplies many little topping plants and at the close of 1934 there was not enough oil available there to supply all of them. In the Lost Soldier field and Salt Creek, one major company was rather active in a campaign to deepen, clean out and repair old wells to increase production, and the figures of that work are not included here. Of the light oil fields, Lance Creek promises to be most active during 1935, since the two wells in the recently discovered Sundance sand pool are producing and more wells will he drilled. With wildcatting almost at a standstill, two new oil fields were discovered in Wyoming in 1934. In Albany County, a 75-bbl. oil well was completed on Quealey dome in the Muddy sand (Upper Cretaceous)

Jan 1, 1935

By H. K. Shearer

Oil production in north Louisianat in 1939 was 25,249,640 bbl., a decrease of 11.2 per cent from 1938. The only important increases in production were in the Cotton Valley and Shreveport fields, but Caddo, Homer, Sligo and Zwolle also made slight gains. Greatest decreases were in the Lisbon and Rodessa fields. Xatural gas production of 313,333 million cu. ft. was an increase of 5.6 per cent over 1938. The increase was accounted for in the Monroe field, while all other fields showed only minor variations from the production of the previous year. Well completions in 1939, as compared with 1938, were as follows: The decline in number of completions was due entirely to lack of proved areas for drilling, and would have been greater except for a revival of interest in the old Caddo shallow field. A majority of the wells completed during the year were in various old, shallow fields, so the average depth of drilling was much less than in several preceding years, notwithstanding a few very deep tests. No new fields were discovered, the only wildcat well reported as a producer being a very small oil well in northwestern De Soto Parish, which is of no apparent commercial importance. Deep gas-distillate production in the Cotton Valley formation was opened at Lake Bistineau and Lisbon, and oil at Shongaloo, but all these wells were too small to encourage additional drilling. Extensions and Developments Caddo Field.—More active drilling was donc in the 36-year old Caddo field in 1939 than in any of the newer fields, with completion of 133 oil

Jan 1, 1940

By H. K. Shearer

Oil production in north Louisianat in 1939 was 25,249,640 bbl., a decrease of 11.2 per cent from 1938. The only important increases in production were in the Cotton Valley and Shreveport fields, but Caddo, Homer, Sligo and Zwolle also made slight gains. Greatest decreases were in the Lisbon and Rodessa fields. Xatural gas production of 313,333 million cu. ft. was an increase of 5.6 per cent over 1938. The increase was accounted for in the Monroe field, while all other fields showed only minor variations from the production of the previous year. Well completions in 1939, as compared with 1938, were as follows: The decline in number of completions was due entirely to lack of proved areas for drilling, and would have been greater except for a revival of interest in the old Caddo shallow field. A majority of the wells completed during the year were in various old, shallow fields, so the average depth of drilling was much less than in several preceding years, notwithstanding a few very deep tests. No new fields were discovered, the only wildcat well reported as a producer being a very small oil well in northwestern De Soto Parish, which is of no apparent commercial importance. Deep gas-distillate production in the Cotton Valley formation was opened at Lake Bistineau and Lisbon, and oil at Shongaloo, but all these wells were too small to encourage additional drilling. Extensions and Developments Caddo Field.—More active drilling was donc in the 36-year old Caddo field in 1939 than in any of the newer fields, with completion of 133 oil

Jan 1, 1940

By W. M. Mobley

THE coal industry in Alabama, centered in Birmingham, has pioneered coal-beneficiation practice in the United States. The nature of the coal seams and mining methods employed have necessitated use of equipment and methods best adapted to the local conditions. Although all of the 30 or more coal seams now being mined in the state receive beneficiation, only the three most important producers of coking coals, the Pratt, Mary Lee and Black Creek, are discussed in detail. Nature of the seams, washability characteristics and equipment used are given as examples of the extent of work and progress in this field. The coal seams in Alabama are relatively thin and pitching, making mining difficult and expensive. Most of them are characterized by thin partings of rock or shale in the seam itself, as well as laminations of bone and rash. Mechanical mining methods have increased the occlusions from roof and floor to such an extent that nearly all the coal mined in the state must receive some treatment before it can be put on the market. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1943,1 18,129,792 tons of coal were mined in the state and 14,364,177 tons, or 79.2 per cent, received treatment. Excluding from the total the 1,223,014 tons produced by small wagon mines and the hand-picked lump coal, the amount receiving beneficiation would be more than 90.00 per cent. This is, by far, greater than in any other coal-producing state. The earliest record of coal beneficiation in Alabama was the installation in 1890 of an experimental Lung washer by Alexander Cunningham, for the Sloss Iron and Steel Co. at its blast furnace in Birmingham .2 In 1894 the Jeffrey Manufacturing Co. introduced the English Robinson washer, a combination of a hydraulic classifier and centrifugal machine. Erskine Ramsay, who has contributed so much to the coal industry, saw its possibilities as well as its mechanical defects and soon had his inventive mind at work. He added a sludge tank of his own design, and many Robinson-Ramsay washers were installed in Alabama and other states. The Stewart jig appeared in 1900, followed by the Montgomery jig in 1910 and both have found extensive use. Increased interest in this field led to new designs, such as the American, Elmore; Burke and Faust. The first Baum-type Norton jig was operated in 1930 and within the last five years six large installations of this type have been made by the McNally-Pittsburg, Jeffrey and Link-Belt Companies. Wet-washing tables were introduced in 1922 but not extensively used until recently. The two most popular types are the Deister-Overstrom and Deister Plat-O. The coal-cleaning equipment used in Alabama has been relatively simple, yet efficient, but as the amount of impurities in the raw coal has been increased by mechanical mining and labor costs have become higher, much interest has been shown in sand cones, froth flotation and

Jan 1, 1945