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By Walter Miller

Construction of new large refineries was small in 1937, but extensive modernization and expansion of existing plants were made, bearing out the observation of the Bureau of Mines that the trend is strongly toward fewer and larger refineries. Building the first large combination skimming and cracking unit of 20,000-bbl. capacity was a startling achievement four or five years ago, but it has been exceeded many times since, and at least four units with a capacity of 30,000 bbl. or more were contracted for during 1937, as well as many other units of smaller but still substantial capacity. Installation of polymerization plants for producing high-antiknock blending naphthas from refinery gases progressed at an accelerated rate in refineries affording sufficient raw gas to make the use of the process profitable. The total productive capacity of polymerization units built and contracted for in the United States is now about 25,000 bbl., equivalent to the gasoline production from approximately 55,000 bbl. of crude oil a day. Octane Fuels Also utilizing refinery gases—the butylene fractions in particular—the plants for manufacture of iso-octane increased in number to such an extent that the combined capacities will enable the air forces of the United States shortly to go entirely to the use of 100-octane fuel, indications being that the Army will reach that position in 1938, with the Navy not far behind. Commercial air-lines are expected to take advantage of the greater power of high-antiknock fuels to gain the increased power and increased pay loads possible with their use. Work done on producing fuels with octanes beyond the 100 point has recently been reported, and their production can be expected, although at high cost, when the economics of the situation justifies and engines capable of utilizing them efficiently are available. In the field of motor fuels, important work was reported to the A.P.I. at its annual meeting, on the effect of altitude on antiknock requirements

Jan 1, 1938

By John M. Gallow

Discussion of the paper of JOHN M. CALLOW, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1916, and printed in Bulletin No. 108, December, 1915, pp. 2321 to 2339. R. H. RICHARDS, Boston, Mass.-I think there is one note which would be interesting to have recorded in connection with this paper, and that is another form of flotation machine. The Minerals. Separation machine has a vortex action, with a vertical shaft and a propeller. This new frother has been developed for the Copper Queen Co. at Bisbee, Ariz. It has a horizontal shaft and a paddle wheel for a frother. It has eight cells, I think, all connected underneath in one continuous tank, and the only separation of the cells is in the upper chambers where the froth is. When this paddle wheel goes around it throws out the froth and the sand goes to the bottom and drifts over from the first to the second cell, where it is paddled again, and comes out with its froth; the sand goes to the third cell where it is again beaten. In that way the sand is continually drifting toward the last cell, while each new froth remains in its own cell. You can see in the working of this machine just the same effect that you see in Callow's machine, i.e., the earlier cell has the darker or richer froth, and the latter has the lighter or poorer froth until you get to the farthest one-which has very little froth, and is very light. JOSEPH W. RICHARDS, So. Bethlehem, Pa.-Speaking from the metallurgical standpoint, it is quite desirable, in many cases, that the oil be removed from the concentrate in order to facilitate the metallurgical work, and I think attention should be directed to the desirability of removing from zinc sulphide concentrates the oil which interferes with their subsequent roasting. The value of the oil is not large; in Mr. Callow's plant, for instance, it would be $20 a day, and it may be possible that a process might be developed which, within the limits of the value of the oil, would remove it, and thus facilitate the metallurgical treatment. LEONARD WALDO, New York, ,N. Y.-The question came up about a year ago as to why-Mexican crude was not an admirable oil for flotation. I have never heard any satisfactory answer to the question. The Mexican crude has the peculiar property of comparative freedom from dangers of fire, a very great reluctance to part with its water, and a specific gravity almost identically the same as water.

Jan 5, 1916

By R. W. Shoenberger, J. D. Clendenin, W. L. McMorris, N. Schapiro, B. R. Kuchta, A. A. Terchick, R. J. Gray, J. G. Price

INTRODUCTION * The United States is fortunate in having enormous reserves of metallurgical-grade coals. Although these coals are better in quality and more accessible than most coals found throughout the rest of the world, the best grades of these coals are being depleted. Consequently, more efficient exploration tools and techniques, such as advanced methods of core drilling and logging, correlation by palynology,** stratigraphy, paleontology and petrography are being used to help assess the extent and quality of the remaining coal reserves. Exploration and assessment of new and existing coal properties become of utmost importance in determining (1) the economic justification for mining the coal, (2) the optimum design of the preparation plant and (3) the most effective use of the coal. Fortunately, the cost of mining coal has remained stable because of better mine planning, more efficient operations and increased mechanization of mining operations. However, increased mechanization raises the amount of impurities in the coal mined, and this requires more and better coal beneficiation to meet the more stringent quality requirements set by the market. Besides, mechanical miners also produce relatively fine coal and, to ensure maximum liberation of impurities, much of the coal presently being used must be crushed to a finer size prior to preparation. The bulk of all coals presently used in this country is mechanically cleaned, much of it at a lower specific gravity than in the past. This necessitates the use of new and improved processes and equipment for coal washing and recovery, such as heavy-medium cyclones and vessels, and froth flotation cells. However, because wet-cleaning processes are pre- dominant in the United States and fine coal retains large amounts of moisture, the increased production of cleaned fine coal accentuates the need for new or improved methods and equipment for dewatering and drying this coal. The larger amounts of coal being beneficiated and the use of new and improved beneficiation processes will aid in controlling and ultimately eliminating sources of pollution. Modem coal markets demand coals that meet rigid specifications. Most coals are purchased under contracts that specify moisture, ash, and sulfur contents, or heating value, depending upon the end use. There has also been a growing trend toward specifying other properties, including particle size and coking capability. These specifications may include not only the * Editor's note: Because of the numerous and varied contributions of the associate authors of this chapter, the text does not differentiate between sections prepared by each individual as has been done in other chapters. ** Palynology is the study of plant microfossils, especially spores, pollen, and other types of fossils not usually studied by paleontologists.

Jan 1, 1968

By H. J. Maguire

Those familiar with mill-practice understand the work required of an average bucket-elevator, but I wish to call special attention to the wear on the buckets. I have been studying in what manner the life and service of the bucket might be improved, and I feel that an adjustable lip, attachable to each bucket without the aid of rivets, will be of material advantage. For illustration, consider the feed-elevator of a typical mill in the Cæur d'Alene district. The ore is carried by water in a launder from the feed-rolls and dumped in the " boot" of the elevator, directly in front of the ascending bucket. Middlings from the return-rolls are similarly handled. Under this condition the bucket not only carries the ore, but also picks it up, and this latter requirement determines the life and service of the bucket. It might be said that it would be better practice to convey the feed to the elevator and dump it directly into the bucket, but at one mill at which this plan mas tried the results were disappointing and the rubber belt was badly worn. The wear of the bucket is confined to the lip and the corners which have to pick up the material. When the lip on a corner of a '7- by 12-in. malleable cast-iron bucket is worn down about 3 in., the bucket is of no further value as a carrier and has to be replaced. The worn bucket, containing about three-quarters by weight of the metal of the original bucket, has a scrap value of about 10 per cent. of that of a new bucket. To the cost of the bucket, however, should be added the time-

Jan 1, 1913

By Raymond Wilson

GRINDING costs are an important item in cement manufacture, and the cost of power is one of the large items in grinding costs. Even where power is of secondary importance, cost items dependent on mill capacity are influenced by the efficiency with which the mill uses power. Tube mills typify the grinding mills most generally used in cement plants, though other types are in use. Tube mills have been widely criticized as being extremely inefficient, and this feeling regarding them has led to many attempts to design more efficient grinding equipment. Other types may be an improvement over tube mills, but the improvement has certainly not been revolutionary, at least as applied to clinker grinding. The very fact that there is doubt regarding the relative efficacy of various types of mills is an indication that an adequate basis for an analysis of performance is lacking. The development of methods of analyzing mill performance has been hampered by the lack of a suitable method for measuring the work actu-ally done in pulverizing. There has been no acceptable standard to which mill performance might be compared. As a consequence, it was not known whether the margin of possible improvement in pulverizing operations was large or small. Even direct comparison of different types of mills was seldom possible because most plants had only one type of mill for each type of service. Comparisons between plants were difficult because of differences in the grinding characteristics of various clinkers. Some recent developments complete a chain of circumstances that place the cement, industry in a particularly fortunate position for the study of its clinker-pulverizing operations. Modern investigators of grinding phenomena have generally agreed that the best measure of mill performance is the production of new surface. For most materials this measure of performance is largely theoretical and has a rather remote connection with the practical aims of the grinding operation. In clinker grinding, on the other hand, surface area is intimately connected with the properties conferred on the cement by grinding. Moreover, the determination of surface area is rapidly coming into routine use as a test

Jan 1, 1937

By Raymond Wilson

GRINDING costs are an important item in cement manufacture, and the cost of power is one of the large items in grinding costs. Even where power is of secondary importance, cost items dependent on mill capacity are influenced by the efficiency with which the mill uses power. Tube mills typify the grinding mills most generally used in cement plants, though other types are in use. Tube mills have been widely criticized as being extremely inefficient, and this feeling regarding them has led to many attempts to design more efficient grinding equipment. Other types may be an improvement over tube mills, but the improvement has certainly not been revolutionary, at least as applied to clinker grinding. The very fact that there is doubt regarding the relative efficacy of various types of mills is an indication that an adequate basis for an analysis of performance is lacking. The development of methods of analyzing mill performance has been hampered by the lack of a suitable method for measuring the work actually done in pulverizing. There has been no acceptable standard to which mill performance might be compared. As a consequence, it was not known whether the margin of possible improvement in pulverizing operations was large or small. Even direct comparison of different types of mills was seldom possible because most plants had only one type of mill for each type of service. Comparisons between plants were difficult because of differences in the grinding characteristics of various clinkers. Some recent developments complete a chain of circumstances that place the cement industry in a particularly fortunate position for the study of its clinker-pulverizing operations. Modern investigators of grinding phenomena have generally agreed that the best measure of mill performance is the production of new surface. For most materials this measure of performance is largely theoretical and has a rather remote connection with the practical aims of the grinding operation. In clinker grinding, on the other hand, surface area is intimately connected with the properties conferred on the cement by grinding. Moreover, the determination of surface area is rapidly coming into routine use as at test

Jan 1, 1937

By W. C. Schroeder

During the post-war period, and particularly during the past few years, coal production has been maintained at a reasonably constant level. This is in contrast to the greatly expanded demand for oil and natural gas. Certain markets for coal, such as the railroad and for home heating, have tended to decrease, but this decline has been offset by an increase in demand for other uses, particularly for electric power. Since the United States has very large reserves of coal and relatively limited reserves of natural gas and oil, from the conservation viewpoint, it would be better if the increased demand were to fall more heavily on coal. Where coal has lost certain markets, the decision has not always been made on the basis of price, and, in fact, in many instances, the markets have been lost where coal could show a price advantage. There are various reasons for this situation but it can be attributed in the main to the preference of certain consumers for the convenience offered by liquid and gaseous fuels. In the production of chemicals such as benzene, phenol, or ammonia, coal still plays an important role. As co-products from coke-oven operations, a wide variety of aromatic chemicals are available. In recent years, however, the production has not been sufficient to supply the demand, and it is not profitable to build coke ovens to make chemicals unless there is a market for the coke as well. As a result, the petroleum industry is beginning to take a stronger part in the production of aromatic chemicals. Natural gas has almost displaced the coke-oven water-gas machine for the production of hydrogen for the synthesis of ammonia, as well as for the synthesis of methyl alcohol and other oxygenated compounds. This information is not new and is given here only as a basis for the discussion of the broad significance of the development of the gasification process. It is clear that if coal is to regain some of its old fuel markets, as well as to maintain a position in the field of chemical synthesis, processes must be available for converting coal to the type of fuel the customer wants, and for a cheap method of furnishing gaseous raw material to the chemical industry. The operation of coke ovens and water-gas machines is not the answer to this problem for at least two important reasons: (1) the limited supply and relatively high price of good coking coals, and (2) the relatively high costs of the combined operations of coking and manufacture of water gas.

Jan 1, 1953

By S. M. Marshall

FOR a number of years European investigators have used laboratory methods of predicting the probable strength of coke made from coal, and recently several investigators in the United States have reported the use of various tests for this purpose. There is at present no method accepted as standard, however, nor is there even agreement as to the general type of test that should be used. Furthermore, because the details of most of the tests have not been worked out carefully, one investigator can not hope to duplicate the work of another. The extension of coke manufacture to new localities in the United States, and the increasing need for cokes of exceptional qualities made from the most economical mixtures, made it desirable to have some simple laboratory test which will determine whether given coals, alone or blended with other coals, are more satisfactory from the standpoint of coke strength than others of different cost. The work described herein has resulted in the development of a simple laboratory test which, it is believed, can be generally adopted in coal laboratories, and which will give concordant results even though performed by different investigators in different laboratories. The general method of predicting whether a coal or a mixture of coals will produce a strong coke, resistant to crushing and shattering, has been to correlate the known strengths of the cokes produced in commercial ovens with some measurable constituent or with some property of the coals, and then to use the relationship so found for forming an estimate of the coking strengths of coals unknown. Several such correlations have utilized the percentages of the various ultimate constituents of coal, such as the oxygen content and the hydrogen-oxygen ratio;(39)§ other correlations have involved the proportion of a, (3 and y compounds, (17'21,30 or of "oil and solid bitumens."(16,30) Also a relationship has been traced between the coking properties of coal and the rate of change of the resistance offered to the flow of an inert gas by fine particles of the coal while being slowly heated. (11,17b) But the most general corre-

Jan 1, 1929

By D. M. Buck

greatly restricted and every effort is being made to do away with it where possible, and to substitute a lead-base babbitt or a babbitt with 50 per cent,. tin. The amount of solder having the composition 50 lead, 50 tin, used by the Pennsylvania Lines East, during 1917, was approximately 100,000 lb., but there is reason to believe that a large portion of this can be replaced by a 60-lead, 40-tin solder with satisfactory results, and instructions have been issued to this effect. Inregard to the quantity of new tin used, it is not possible to give the amount, except approximately and from calculations based on the 1917 consumption of bearing metals by the Pennsylvania Lines East only, it is estimated that about 770,000 Ib. of new tin were required in a total of about 21,380,000 lb. of all kinds of bearing metals turned out by the foundry or purchased in the market. No change has been made in the specifications for bearing metals for some years, as the metals used have been satisfactory. A large proportion of the bearing metals are made up from old material re-melted and brought to standard composition by some addition of new metal, and every effort is being made to utilize old material to the best advantage and reduce the amount of new metal of all kinds purchased. For a number of years no tin has been used in the lining metal of either passenger or freight car journal-bearings, except such small amounts as come in from re-melting old linings. No change has been made in phosphor bronze used for rod bushings, as we should expect some trouble from bushings pounding out of shape if a phosphor bronze were used which contained less tin or more lead than the present specifications call for. In this, as well as in the case of all other bearing metals, we expect to use our utmost endeavors to economize and to substitute for tin wherever possible. The Tin-plate Industry D. M. Buck,* Pittsburg, Pa.—During the first 5 months of 1918, approximately 11,000,000 Ib. per month of pig tin were consumed in the United States. Solder, bearing metals, bronzes, etc, used about 5,500,000 lb.; collapsible tubes a little more than 250,000 lb.; tin-foil about 500,000 lb.; and the tin- and terne-plate industry somewhat less than 5,000,000 Ib. In an effort to reduce this consumption and thus conserve our tin supplies, several methods of procedure suggest themselves: 1. Salvage. The most careful and systematic collection and re-use of tin and tin-bearing materials is economically important, in that we thus

Jan 1, 1919

By John M. Kelly

This report covers the development, exploratory drilling, and production of oil and gas in New Mexico during 1945. The statistical information was gathered from state regulatory agencies and other sources believed to be reliable; it is presented here in combined form for general information only, and the author assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.

Jan 1, 1946

By R. Bakish, W. D. Robertson

IN the course of a study of stress corrosion cracking of AuCu,, it was necessary to develop new electropolishing and metallographic etching methods. The techniques are generally useful for Cu-Au alloys, including the AuCu composition in which transformation markings are well delineated. For electropolishing, the only satisfactory electrolyte and procedure that has been found1 has the composition given in Table I. The solution must be vigorously stirred while polishing and the temperature maintained in the range of 55" to 62°C. The electrolyte is very unstable and can be used only for 10 to 15 min after which its color changes and a dark-brown precipitate forms. The polishing time is between 1 and 4 min depending on the initial surface preparation. The use of a hood is recommended to avoid the danger of cyanide gas which may form at one of the electrodes even though the solution is alkaline. The optimum current and voltage conditions for vertical anode and platinum cathode are on the plateau shown in Fig. 1, in which voltage is measured across the cell terminals. At voltages below the plateau, etching of grain boundaries occurs and under some conditions, which have not been clearly defined, octahedral etch figures are observed. For general purpose grain-size determination in polycrystalline alloys, a 3 pct solution of iodine in methyl alcohol is used with excellent results. However, when it is necessary to reveal small orientation differences or concentration gradients in an alloy, the iodine etch is not satisfactory. For this purpose, a highly satisfactory etching procedure was developed during this investigation. It involves the use of the vapor given off by freshly prepared aqua regia. The solution employed is 3HC1 to lHNO, which decomposes in accordance with the reaction HNO, + 3HC1 = NOCl + 2H,O + Cl,. The polished specimen surface is held about 1 to 2 cm above an aqua regia solution for 2 to 10 sec depending on the intensity of the contrast required and the surface is not subsequently washed. The results obtained with a coarse grained cast structure are shown in Fig. 2. Subgrain boundaries in a single crystal and concentration gradients within the boundaries are developed by the same treatment with the results shown in Fig. 3. Obviously, any conclusions regarding structure-dependent properties will be modified by the pronounced heterogeneity, which is not clearly evident when more conventional methods are used. Interesting structural details are also revealed by treatment for 4 hr at 850°C in unpurified tank argon. Fig. 4 shows a pattern characteristic of orientation-dependent oxidation.

Jan 1, 1956

By V 7. 0 / 300 dpi

THE cams at present universally used in stamp mills lift the tappets with an involute form of curve, to which the surface of the tappet is always tangent; moreover, the line of contact between tappet and cam, if produced, would pass through the center of the stem. This is no doubt a desirable feature, but the writer has long believed that it would be much more desirable if the cam were to pick up the stamp without shock, and gradually increase the upward velocity of the stamp throughout its upward movement. The involute form of cam attempts to impart instantly a considerable upward velocity to the stamp, starting it from a state of rest, and the result is a destructive blow, a great deal of noise, and much wear and vibration. The writer has developed a form of cam which will lift the stamp with a motion similar to that of the piston of an engine between the end and middle of its stroke; in other words, harmonic motion, from the point. of zero to maximum velocity. The curve will give this ideal motion only when the stamp is set for the exact drop for which the cam was designed, but the improved cam will not be as bad as the involute cam until the drop is reduced one-half. In other words, if a cam is designed for a 6-in. drop, it will be some improvement over the usual form of cam until the drop is only 3 in. Any cam, whatever its form, must of course lift the stamp in the same number of degrees of revolution; therefore, with this new form, since the stamp starts more slowly on its upward course, it must end up by going faster, the average speed being the same as with the involute cam. The stamp, after it is no longer in contact with the cam, keeps on going up a certain distance, which is easily calculated. It is therefore possible to hang up a stamp without a cam stick, if the fingers are not more than 1/8 in. longer than necessary to hold the tappet above the cam.

Jan 12, 1914

By Walter Miller

BY the beginning of 1945 the output of petroleum products for war had reached a volume and a rate of growth which practically assured all requirements so long as war continued. The programs for making gasoline, lubricating oils of required quality, toluene for T.N.T., and chemicals for manufacture of synthetic rubber, as well as numerous other lesser petroleum products, were all well in hand, and unless catastrophic developments occurred there was no doubt of the ability of the industry to meet all demands. The end of the fighting found the refining industry working at top capacity on war commodities, but also in position to convert quickly into peacetime civilian production. 100-octane Aviation Gasoline Production of the vital 100-octane aviation gasoline, starting with approximately 44,000- bbl. daily capacity at our entry into the war, reached a top of 525,000 bbl. a day in the United States by the end of hostilities. With 75,- bbl. from other Allied sources, the grand total was 600,000 bbl., or 25,000,000 gal. each 24 hr. available to the armed forces had fighting continued. At times it was a close race between requirements and production, but never were any important military operations involving the use of high-octane aviation gasoline held up or delayed for lack of sufficient output of such material. The undivided effort of the entire refining industry in full cooperation with the Government made this record possible. Little diminution in output followed the German surrender on May 7. Plans called for a correspondingly greater activity for the Japanese war and possibly for well into 1946. But when the Japanese sued for peace on Aug. 10 most contracts were quickly canceled. Substantial stocks, reputed to be somewhere between 20,000,000 to 30,000,000 bbl., built up largely between V-E and V-J day pending organization of the larger Japanese war program envisaged after Germany gave up, were in the Government's hands in this country, in addition to working stocks in the war areas. Toluene and Lubricating Oil Requirements for toluene for T.N.T. increased rapidly as bombing speeded UP with increasing control of the air by the Allies in Europe and Asia. Production in excess of T.N.T. requirements which had been going into 1000-Octane aviation fuel blending during 1943 and 1944 was again drawn into explosive manufacture early in 1945. In anticipation of the war continuing into 1946, two new plants were ordered constructed, the decision being announced in April, plans calling for one of them to get into production about the end of 1945, the other in the first quarter of 1946. Both of these projects were later canceled as victory made it evident that the additional supplies would not be needed. Production was

Jan 1, 1946

By Walter Miller

BY the beginning of 1945 the output of petroleum products for war had reached a volume and a rate of growth which practically assured all requirements so long as war continued. The programs for making gasoline, lubricating oils of required quality, toluene for T.N.T., and chemicals for manufacture of synthetic rubber, as well as numerous other lesser petroleum products, were all well in hand, and unless catastrophic developments occurred there was no doubt of the ability of the industry to meet all demands. The end of the fighting found the refining industry working at top capacity on war commodities, but also in position to convert quickly into peacetime civilian production. 100-octane Aviation Gasoline Production of the vital 100-octane aviation gasoline, starting with approximately 44,000- bbl. daily capacity at our entry into the war, reached a top of 525,000 bbl. a day in the United States by the end of hostilities. With 75,- bbl. from other Allied sources, the grand total was 600,000 bbl., or 25,000,000 gal. each 24 hr. available to the armed forces had fighting continued. At times it was a close race between requirements and production, but never were any important military operations involving the use of high-octane aviation gasoline held up or delayed for lack of sufficient output of such material. The undivided effort of the entire refining industry in full cooperation with the Government made this record possible. Little diminution in output followed the German surrender on May 7. Plans called for a correspondingly greater activity for the Japanese war and possibly for well into 1946. But when the Japanese sued for peace on Aug. 10 most contracts were quickly canceled. Substantial stocks, reputed to be somewhere between 20,000,000 to 30,000,000 bbl., built up largely between V-E and V-J day pending organization of the larger Japanese war program envisaged after Germany gave up, were in the Government's hands in this country, in addition to working stocks in the war areas. Toluene and Lubricating Oil Requirements for toluene for T.N.T. increased rapidly as bombing speeded UP with increasing control of the air by the Allies in Europe and Asia. Production in excess of T.N.T. requirements which had been going into 1000-Octane aviation fuel blending during 1943 and 1944 was again drawn into explosive manufacture early in 1945. In anticipation of the war continuing into 1946, two new plants were ordered constructed, the decision being announced in April, plans calling for one of them to get into production about the end of 1945, the other in the first quarter of 1946. Both of these projects were later canceled as victory made it evident that the additional supplies would not be needed. Production was

Jan 1, 1946

By F. C. Sturges

FOR some time mining engineers have been interested in the possibility of using small diameter shafts, sunk by core drilling, as aids to ventilation and as emergency escapeways. The possibilities are interesting to contemplate, but new methods involve unknowns, and interest tends to remain passive until these unknowns are solved. Recently we have completed two 36-in. diam. core drilled shafts, and wish to make the data on these available to the industry. Both shafts were drilled for the McLain Fire Brick Co., one at its Buckeye mine and the other at its Colonial mine. Both mines are in the fireclay underlying the Lower Kittanning coal. Both mines have been in operation for a number of years [ ] and have required expensive maintenance work on return airways. It was decided that considerable savings could be effected by short-circuiting the air to the surface through small shafts. It was also realized that these holes, located near the present workings, would be of added value as emergency escapeways. Originally, 48-in. diam. shafts were considered, but actual computations showed 36-in. diam. shafts were more than ample at both mines. The shaft at the Buckeye mine is 240 ft deep, and that at the Colonial mine 258 ft deep. Both holes were started in the lower part of the Conemaugh formation and penetrated Conemaugh and Allegheny strata. The holes were started through the unconsolidated materials overlying bedrock by constructing a concrete collar with a wall thickness of 8 in. Then the shafts were drilled by the shot-core drill method. An annular groove was cut in the rock by the abrading action of chilled steel shot run under the shoe of the core barrel. The drilling was done in stages, the core barrel drilling the groove for a certain distance depending on conditions encountered, and then the cores broken off and taken out in sections. The core barrel had a 36-in. o.d. and the finished diameter of the shaft measured almost 37 in. The major questions that could not be answered until the completion of the first shaft were, (I) how much ground water would be encountered, how would it hinder the drilling, and how difficult would it be to seal off, and, (2) how would the walls of the hole stand up. The holes of course could be cased or lined, but that is considerable added expense in any shaft.

Jan 1, 1947

By Foster Fraas

INTRODUCTION THAT variations in the humidity of the air and in the moisture content of a mixture of broken solids being separated electrostatically cause trouble is not new.1 Much of the reputation for unreliability commonly ascribed to the electrostatic separation processes is probably due to this one factor alone. Some operators dry thoroughly before separating; and while this is good in many instances, there are others in which it is not the remedy for trouble. Some mixtures behave best in very dry air and with the mixtures fed to the separator while hot to reduce the adsorbed water content. On the other hand, an overdried mixture on coming to equilibrium with more humid air, has been known to take up moisture selectively on one family of particles, as of coal in the presence of slate and clay, and give sharper electrostatic separation. From these observations it is concluded that there is a permissible moisture content for a particle and also for the atmosphere surrounding it, if in equilibrium, at which the particle will have a conductivity or contact potential2-4 that is ideal for electrostatic separation. This permissible moisture content varies between a wide range of limits for the different materials that are separated and with the kind of electrostatic separating process used. Water can be present as a result of adsorption and condensation from the atmosphere, as an accumulation before or during mining, or as a residue from a previous process step. The water may exist as a liquid film or as an adsorbed layer of vapor. If the water exceeds permissible limits it must be removed. Its state determines the method. Drying by evaporation is necessary for adsorbed water, for part of the liquid-film water (that is, up to several percent of the dry weight), and for free water in the internal structure. Large water contents may be removed by drainage or filtration. At just what point mechanical removal should cease and drying by evaporation begin depends upon the method of mechanical removal and its cost. Particles can also be separated according to their differences in dielectric constant when suspended in a liquid of intermediate dielectric constant. Recovery of this liquid presents a similar problem. PERMISSIBLE MOISTURE The adsorbed moisture on the outer surface of minerals can be quickly removed or replaced. Accordingly, in speaking of adsorbed moisture contents, either that of the solid or that of the surrounding air may be considered, the two values being connected by a distribution coefficient which varies with the temperature. However, such a condition does not necessarily exist in processes where an initially dry material is suddenly introduced into an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor or where a moist material is suddenly introduced into a dry atmosphere. Here the resultant differences in the

Jan 1, 1947

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members who registered at Institute headquarters during September: William B. Phillips, Austin, Texas. Will L. Clark, Jerome, Ariz. Olof Wenstrom, Boston, Mass. Robert H. Richards, Boston, Mass. Anthony F. Lucas, Washington, D. C. Hennen Jennings, Washington, D. C. P. H. Griffin, New York, N. Y. Waldemar Lindgren, Boston, Mass. H. N. Lawrie, Portland, Ore. C. Snelling Robinson, Youngstown, 0. Clarence P. Linville, Everett, Pa. E. P. Ross, Johnson, Tenn. Members of the XII International Geological Congress who made the Institute Office their headquarters while in New York A. Bigot, Caen, France. E. Gentil, Paris, France. J. Caillebotte, Paris, France. H. Saint-Clivier, Paris, France. John Ashworth, Manchester, England. Tadasu Hiki, Kioto, Japan. T. Dahlblom, Falun, Sweden. L. Milch, Greifswald, Germany.

Jan 10, 1913

By E. E. Malouf

Rapid depletion of the world's mineral deposits combined with the expanding demand for metals places great pressure on our ability to provide technologically and economically feasible processes to recover greater amounts of metals from progressively lower grade sources. Chemical mining is one area in which expanding research and development can provide new processes or refinements to existing ones. These new techniques could result in increased production of metals from materials now considered uneconomic to process by current technology. To mine by chemicals requires the interaction of such disciplines as hydrometallurgy, microbiology, chemistry (both organic and inorganic), fluid flow, mineralogy, geology, and of course, economics. One of the least understood areas but one which may end up being an essential part of any chemical mining process is microbiology, i.e., the role of microorganisms in altering minerals and metals in solution.

Jan 1, 1971

(Members are, urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who registered at Institute headquarters during the period April 10 to May 10; I. N. Knapp, Ardmore, Pa. E. P. Mathewson, Anaconda, Mont. Herbert B. Cox, New York, N. Y. H. B. Barling, New York, N. Y. A. McLintock, Brooklyn, N. Y. M. M. Thompson, Morsemere, N. J. Heinrich Ries, Ithaca, N. Y. Howland Bancroft, Denver, Colo. R. M. Catlin, Franklin Furnace, N. J. John H. Adams, Birmingham, Ala. Percy E. Barbour, Candor, N. C. Henry D. Boddington, London, England. A. D. R. Galloway, Qruro, Bolivia. William J. Cox, Denver, Colo. M. K. Rodgers, Westgate, Cal. W. J. Morrison, Toronto, Canada. W. J. Richards has been elected President of the Reading. Coal & Iron Co., succeeding the late George F. Baer.

Jan 6, 1914

By Joseph P. Kittredge

At the time this matter first came up in 1912, the National Malleable and Steel Castings Co. had seven basic-bottom open-hearth furnaces in its plant at Sharon, Fa., using fuel oil, then costing about 2½¢ per gallon. The fuel was satisfactory but its cost fluctuated widely, therefore the use of pulverized coal, which had been successful in the cement industry and in some metallurgical furnaces, was suggested. After a thorough investigation, and an actual trial on one of the open-hearth furnaces, to be certain that the siliceous ash in the coal would not seriously affect the basic slags, the management of this company approved its adoption and a complete installation was started. The conclusion had been reached that the success of the operation depended on pulverizing the coal to greater fineness than had thus far been accomplished, and all equipment was chosen with this in mind. A coal drier was deemed essential, and one of ample capacity and efficiency was selected, which has done all that was expected of it, working without failure and with very small maintenance cost, and is still in operation. Pulverizers The company demanded a pulverization of at least 90 per cent through a 240-mesh screen, with consistent results, and a machine was chosen that was grinding other materials than coal to the fineness desired. The control of fineness was obtained through a vacuum separator, and was governed by the size of the separator and the number and construction of the valves necessary to expand and direct the air current. These valves can be set to obtain any degree of fineness desired, and the result is consistent. Two machines were installed, each capable of producing 2½ tons per hour, 95 per cent through 240 mesh. These machines have done everything expected of them, have run continuously, and are still in operation. An examination of some of our pulverized coal by elutriation and microscopic measurement disclosed that a 1-lb. lump of bituminous coal,

Jan 1, 1940