Search Documents

By Luther W. Bahney

(San Francisco Meeting, October, 1911.) LIME is the alkali that is almost universally added to the solutions in the cyanide process of gold- and silver-extraction for maintaining the so-called, protective" alkalinity. It is produced by the burning of limestone. The value of lime for this purpose depends upon the percentage of calcium oxide contained, which is determined by three factors : 1, purity of the limestone used; 2, degree of the burning-temperature and the period of burning; and 3, length of time of storage of burned material and the condition stored, and whether it has been damp or wet during the storage. These three factors render uncertain the quality of lime bought in the open market. In the United States, lime bought from reliable manufacturers, who thoroughly burn a pure limestone and deliver at once to the consumer from the kilns, may be of a fairly-high and uniform composition ; but in Mexico and Central America, where it is purchased from many small producers, who often start with a poor grade of limestone and burn it in small crude kilns with as little fuel as possible, the quality of the product is quite variable. In consideration of the foregoing, it is apparent at once that there is a great need for a rapid technical method for the valuation of the lime to be used in a cyanide-plant. The determination of calcium by the gravimetric method, with the necessity of determining also the proportion of carbon dioxide, silica, and iron, requires too much time, and is usually out of the question for an isolated plant unequipped with a skilled chemist and, the necessary apparatus. The calculating of all the calcium so found to calcium oxide, although sometimes done, is manifestly very inaccurate.

Nov 1, 1911

By M. H. Rana, W. D. Bullock

A basic requirement in any geomechanical investigation is the establishment of the state of stress in the rock mass. So far, qualitative determinations have been more readily obtained than quantitative ones. This is due to the fact that in order to define stress magnitudes in a rock mass it is necessary to make various basic assumptions about the physical properties and characteristics of the rock itself. The assumptions are generally that the rock is an isotropic, homogeneous solid which will behave elastically under various conditions of applied load. These assumptions are not valid. Due to the foregoing factors, the present investigation was confined to a consideration of stress directions only. Within recent years, two methods of determining stress orientations in geologic materials have been used and have received some publicity in the technical press. These are the techniques of photoelasticity and petrofabrics. The technique of using reflected polarized light for observing strains on the faces of rock samples has been described by Emery.1,2 With this technique it is possible to measure relative strains in relaxation. Absolute strain magnitudes are not attainable without the use of questionable assumptions. However, directions of strains (and thus, stresses) can be determined accurately on a point basis or on a statistical basis over the complete area of the strain gage being used. Petrofabrics, according to Friedman,3 an important geological discipline which can provide knowledge on the state of stress associated with naturally deformed rocks. Even though textural and structural features span at least 15 orders of magnitude, from crystal lattices

Jan 1, 1972

By T. C. Craig

During the year 1936, there were 654 oil wells drilled in the Texas Panhandle, with a total daily initial production of 256,049 bbl. Although 74 more wells were drilled than in the previous year, the total initial production lacked 109,303 bbl. to equal that of 1935. The explanation is that during 1935 most of the drilling was in the granite-wash area, which is much more prolific than the dolomite, in which the major development was done during 1936. Twenty-one oil wells were drilled deeper, increasing their potential 3683 bbl. The total daily oil potentid of the field Dec. 31, 1936, as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission, was 834,888 bbl., with a daily allowable production of 71,335 bbl. No overall field decline in production is recognized by the Texas Railroad Commission. A well is tested upon completion to determine its potential production. If the well is then shot with nitroglycerin or is treated with

Jan 1, 1937

By U. W. Lisner, V. J. Hucka

Coal, which was discovered in Utah in 1849, covers about 18% of the total area. Production in 1981 was more than 13 Mt (14 million st). However, some Utah coal mines are quite gassy. If longwall face technology is applied, then release of a large volume of methane may be expected during the mining process. Investigations on methane content have been made by use of an isothermic bubble desorbometer. A desorbable methane content of 0.5 to 16 m3/t (20 to 632 cu ft per st) of coal has been determined.

Jan 1, 1985

By AIME AIME

The following persons have been proposed for election as members or associates of the Institute during the period, March 16 to May 1, 1907. Their names are published for the information of members and associates, from whom the Committee on Membership earnestly invites confidential communications, favorable or unfavorable, concerning these candidates. A sufficient period (varying in the discretion of the Committee, according to the residence of the candidate) will be allowed for the reception of such communications, before any action upon these names by the Committee. After the lapse of this period, the Committee will recommend action by the Council, which has the power of final election. The names of candidates were formerly published in the various circulars of the Institute, issued from time to time to the members. Hereafter, they will appear regularly in the Bi-Monthly Bulletin, each number of which will contain the names received since the issue of the preceding Bulletin.

May 1, 1907

By Charles H. Moore

When lime and magnesia are used as fluxes in the smelting of titaniferous ores fluid, digestible slags low in iron oxide and high in titanium dioxide are produced. The mineral phases present in such slags are (Fe,Mg)O.2TiO2, CaTiO3, and minor amounts of silicate glass (or its devitrification products). The flux additions are added to the ore in relative amounts to crystallize a ratio of (Fe,Mg)O.2TiO2 to CaTiO2, of near the eutectic proportions of 60 pct (Fe,Mg)0.2TiO2 and 40 pct CaTiO3. FeO-Ti02 (ilmenite) remains present in the slag until the FeO content is reduced to approximately 8 pct. Op- timum slag composition is obtained by reducing the FeO content to between 2 and 6 pct. Continued reduction shifts he (Fe,Mg) 0.2Ti02 to oxygen deficient structures classified as MgTi30e and MgTi204. Further reduction yields titanium oxycarbides and freezes the melts.

Jan 1, 1949

By Frank T. Sisco

DURING the past year the iron and steel industry of the world as a whole operated on a satisfactory basis. No discoveries nor new processes of outstanding importance were announced either here or abroad, although rumors of such were persistent. In general, the efforts of operating and research men in the iron and steel industry seemed to be confined to improving quality and reducing cost, not a new aim, for the same efforts have been noted in nearly all of the annual reviews of the industry for at least fifty years. Most published papers on blast furnace or steel-making practice were of minor importance, at least when judged by the criterion of radical change in process or product. If the number of reports in the technical journals, or articles in the trade press, is used as a basis for comparison, continuous-mill sheet is still the most important single product of the industry; papers were published detailing the results of the investigation of various phases of the

Jan 1, 1938

By AIME AIME

TWO weeks ago the writer was lunching in the Engineers` Club in New York with a man who has perhaps the widest acquaintance among engineers of anyone in the country a member of another of the Founder engineering societies. "By the way," lie asked. "who have they nominated for your next president."' "Doctor Becket," I told him- "Oh. that's line," he replied, in a heartfelt tone that rang with sincerity. "I have come in contact with him occasionally and he is just the right type.' And that is the way Dr. Frederick M. Becket impresses everybody. The right type. Most Institute members of the western group of hard-rock minors do not know him, but then they meet him in his swing around the circle next year they will not require a long acquaintance to sense his kindly and outstanding personality, to realize that he is a gentleman in the bet meaning o1 that word, a man of wide sympathies and interests.

Jan 1, 1932

With a mine output as high as 5000 tpd and mill capacity of 7000 tpd, the uranium mining and milling complex owned and operated by Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corp. in the Ambrosia Lake area is the largest in the U.S. and is likely to remain so for some time. Next year, Kerr- McGee expects to have in production another mine in Section 19 of the Ambrosia area-and will begin ore production in 1976 at its new $15-million mine at Church Rock, located northeast of Gallup, N. M., where the company has already completed the shaft work and is in the early stages of project development. Ore from Church Rock will be transported to the company's facilities at Ambrosia Lake for processing. Kerr-McGee's existing eight mines in Ambrosia Lake go to depths of about 800 to 1500 ft to tap the various horizons of uranium-bearing sands in the Westwater Canyon of the Morrison formation.

Jan 8, 1974

By H. Evans, L. A. Hunt

In the pellet-producing industry it is sometimes claimed that "The pellets are made in the concentrator," or that "The key to good pellets is in the balling operation." However, one claim is generally agreed on: If you can put in, on, and through the indurating furnace a good green ball of Proper size and adequate strength to withstand the handling, load, dehydration, and thermal shock until it is properly heat-hardened, you will have the pellet product you desire-that is, a "competent" green ball. The strength requirements that enable a competent green ball to withstand the environment of the indurating furnace are usually less restrictive than those for transporting the green ball from its source of production to the furnace. Experience has shown that different types of material may have different balling characteristics which may impose limitations on the quality of the green ball that can easily be produced under normal conditions. Therefore, if a specific material will produce a green ball that meets the physical requirements for competency in the furnace, but not for handling or transportation, various practices must be instituted to overcome this deficiency. In other words, if a normal handling system is too rigorous for the green balls that can be produced under standard conditions, then "handling with care" should be tried.

Jan 5, 1967

By L. H. JEFFRIES

In the mining operations of The Canyon Corp., Deadwood. S. D., the use of mucking machines has been of definite advantage. The type used is that which depends upon the traction of the motor-driven wheels to crowd the dipper into the muck pile, while the car in which the muck is received is coupled to the mucker and moves forward or back with it. This general arrangement is entirely satisfactory on a substantially level track. The ores which occur in this district are a replacement of dolomite and the beds are now tilted to an inclination of about 7-1/20. In our operations it is necessary to drive inclines down-hill on this slope, which makes a difficult hand-mucking job even if water were not present. With these facts in mind, an attempt was made to use the mucking machine for driving down the in- cline, but as expected, the traction was insufficient to handle the machine and the necessary car. The means used to correct this condition will perhaps impress most readers as too complicated and cumbersome to effect any economy, but the idea may be of service to some who have a similar condition. After considering several s

Jan 1, 1940

By AIME AIME

I would like to ask Bob Merrill whether he considers that horizontal concave curvature of a slope has any stabilizing effect, such as Jenike 1 suggested several years ago. The stabilizing effect is due to the restraint offered to radial movement by the curvature. We found in laboratory tests that if we constrained the rock with the same stresses as those measured in the pit then it would sustain a maximum stress about two or four times greater than when the same rock type was unconstrained. We are therefore definitely of the opinion that a constrained situation in a slope is favorable towards stability.

Jan 1, 1967

By Verne D. Johnston

ALTHOUGH the stocks of Lake Superior iron ore on dock or at furnaces at the beginning of the year were about 6,000,000 tons less than at the beginning of 1938, the steel industry was operating at only 52 1/2 per cent of capacity and continued at approximately this rate to about Aug. 1. Consequently the iron mines in the Lake Superior district during the winter and spring period were almost all on a curtailed production basis, governed mostly by the needs of the communities rather than by anticipation of ore demands. Many of these properties gave extra employment by prosecuting heavy strip- ping programs, and the underground mines by shaft sinking and rock development. All underground mines re- turned to full operation in September, mostly two-shift, five days per week. A few operated the sixth day. The ship- ping schedules were increased so that the actual delivery for the year exceeded early expectations by about 20 per cent. Final Lake shipments were slightly in excess of 45,000,000 gross tons.

Jan 1, 1940

By Walter O. Roberts

A TOTAL eclipse of the sun is a brief, exciting spectacle witnessed by most men but once or twice during a lifetime. But to an astronomer an eclipse of the sun is an event of utmost scientific importance. For then, certain phenomena of the sun normally obscured by the brilliant glare of sunlight become spectacularly visible. For over seventy years prior to 1930 astronomers vainly attempted to discover a means of observing all of these eclipse features of the sun without a natural eclipse. But in 1930, through the genius of the French scientist, Bernard Lyot, astronomers met final success. Dr. Lyot invented a new kind of telescope known as a coronagraph, which made possible photography of all of the eclipse features of the sun. In 1940 Harvard University completed final testing of its Lyot-type coronagraph. the only one in the Western Hemisphere, and shipped it to Climax, where Donald H. Menzel, of Harvard College Observatory, supervised its establishment on the southeastern edge of the mining community of the Climax Molybdenum Co., with whose help and advice the modern residence and telescope dome of the observatory were constructed. Ever since that summer the station has been operated by me, first as a graduate student, and now as a staff member of Harvard College Observatory.

Jan 1, 1946

By AIME AIME

INSTITUTE members attending the Annual Meeting in New York who want to see one of the mining engineers' newest aids, photoelastic stress analysis, are due for an interesting afternoon on Thursday, Feb. 15, when open house: will be held at the Columbia University mining laboratory. Information as to the direction and distribution off stresses in mine structures, which has been developed by Professor Bucky, associate professor at the Columbia School of Mines, and David Sinclair, research assistant, is useful in the design of pillars and in the placing of openings relative to working places such as gangways and haulage levels.: This work has been sponsored during the last ten years by the Engineering Foundation.. It is fully reported in T. P. No. 1140.

Jan 1, 1940

By Franklin G. Pardee

WARTIME depletion of the reserves of iron ore in the Lake Superior region of the grade and character now being shipped down the Lakes was serious. The time has come to take stock of the resources that remain in order to plan our future program of supply for our blast furnaces and protect, as far as possible. the tremendous investment made in the Lake Superior iron mining industry. Hugh M. Roberts and William H. Crago have estimated the reserves of the Lake Superior region in the United States at two billion long tons. These reserve figures are of direct-shipping ore and those concentrates produced by methods now in commercial use or those methods that may be expected in the near future. In their estimate they have assigned 392 million long tons to the Michigan ranges (all reserves in long tons) : 112 million tons for the Gogebic. 140 million tons for the Menominee, and 140 million tons for the Marquette.

Jan 1, 1948

By Jose J. Alvarez

INTRODUCTION Three major plant processes control the operation of an uranium in-situ mining plant. The three pro- cesses can be categorized under the headings termed - loading, elution, and precipitation. All other plant processes can be subcategorized under the three. In summary, the major plant processes in an in- situ mining plant are: 1. Loading - The pregnant lixiviant from the production wells flows through anion exchange resin. The loading of the uranium on the resin is controlled by various factors, such as ionic strength, valence, functional groups, etc. 2. Elution - The uranium-loaded resin is eluted or regenerated by a high ionic strength solution. The effluent from this process is de- fined as the pregnant eluate. 3 . Precipitation - The pregnant eluate is chemically treated to attain the ideal conditions for the selective precipitation of uranium. Hydrogen peroxide is an ideal precipitating agent under URI conditions. This paper will focus on two of the major processes: Elution and Precipitation. For the most part this relatively young industry has grasped the theory of liquids in continuous flow for the operation of the plant processes. Likewise, URI initially operated the two processes of interest with the continuous flow concept. Through laboratory experiments, URI has abandoned the flow concept and operates the eluting and precipitating stages with the concept of "batch" processes, whereby only one container, filled to a specified liquid level, is chemically processed. In the proceeding sections, each of the two pro- cesses will be discussed in detail, from their original concept to the present operation. Only minor modifications were made to the existing circuits for the conversion with results revealing a greater level of efficiency. ELUTION The elution of the loaded anion exchange resin can be achieved by different high ionic strength solutions. The selection of constituents is dependent on both chemical and economic considerations (i .e., efficiency and operating/restoration factors). The regenerant presently used is a pH 9.5 solution containing 7.5% NaCl and a mixture of Na2C03/NaHC03. expressed as 2.5% NaHC03.

Jan 1, 1980

By W. J. Millard

VAGUE rumors and stories have been heard, from time to time, about the diamond and gold deposits of southern Venezuela. It is perhaps appropriate, at this time of revived interest in gold mining, to publish a few facts in regard to this country, which has been undergoing exploration since the fifteenth century. Gold and diamonds are found principally in the State of Bolivar which lies in southeastern Venezuela and is bounded by British Guiana on the east and Brazil on the south (see Fig. 1). The famous Mt. Roraima is situated at a point where these three countries meet in a common point (see Fig. 2). Some gold is also found in the southern part of the territory of Amacuro. Good oil prospects exist in the northern part of this same territory. Diamonds are found on the Caroni river from Rio Paragua to the village of Guri. Another small district is on the headwaters of the Cuyuni river. Quartz veins containing gold are chiefly exploited in

Jan 1, 1931

By Charles H. Fulton

FOR some time it has been thought that there should be > closer relationship between the members' of the Institute engaged in education in the mining schools, the mining, metallurgical, ceramic, and geological departments of universities, and the members of the Institute actually engaged in the production of mineral products and the operation and direction of works. The American Society of Chemical Engineers and the American Ceramic Society have for some years past devoted especial attention to the educational matters of their respective fields. The Engineering Foundation, representing the great engineering societies of the country, is deeply interested in technical education and maintains a Committee on Educational Research.

Jan 1, 1932

By Sheldon P. Wimpfen

EVERYWHERE in mining circles the talk is of this new development of hard faced or insert bits which hints of many changes to come in mining practice and rock drill equipment. In the past fifteen years new equipment has appeared in rapid succession which brought one change after another in rock breaking practice. Detachable bits were an innovation which met with wide success. Blasthole diamond drilling has proven itself. Only recently, fusion piercing was announced as a possible solution to the problem of breaking taconite ores. For several years this interest in new methods has been growing and various experimental usages of tungsten carbides in rotary type rock drilling bits have been partially successful. American experts in rock drilling have been concerned with the subject for ten years but actual commercial practice was begun by European manufacturers and mining companies. At this time nearly every manufacturer of rock drilling bits is working on some type of an insert bit. On the Rand, European manufacturers are testing out various types of insert bits. The problems relating to rock drilling in South Africa vary greatly from ours. The bulk of the drilling there is limited to the 31/2-ft holes that are drilled for breaking the gold bearing reef ore. Rock drilling in most mines is far more diversified. Both drifting and ore breaking call for holes varying in length from 4 ft up to as much as 50 ft and more.

Jan 1, 1947