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By Alfred Weiss

The Daniel C. Jackling Award, established in 1953, is presented for significant contributions to technical programs in mining, geology, and geophysics. This year's recipient, Alfred Weiss, was cited "For his pioneering achievements in applying systems analysis, operations research, and computer methods in exploration, mining, and environmental control; and in disseminating the new technology to the worldwide mining community; and for his lecture, “New Concepts and Tools in Decision-Making.”

Jan 1, 1979

By D. P. Koistinen, K. E. Beu

THE application of the integrated intensity X-ray diffraction method to the measurement of retained austenite concentrations in hardened steels has been fully described.'-' In developing this particular method, the assumption was made that the samples used would have flat surfaces which were free from voids and in which austenite was homogeneously distributed. The original calculation procedure' was modified to include the constant factor G which relates the intensity of a given diffraction line to the concentration of the component giving rise to that line. In order to include A (0) in the constant factor G, it was further assumed that the geometrical conditions relating the X-ray beam, camera cylinder, and sample surface were precisely met.V has been demonstrated that these geometrical conditions can be met experimentally without difficulty in many cases;' however, for those samples which have irregular surfaces or where it is impossible to locate the sample in the proper position with respect to the X-ray beam and film cylinder, it is desirable to evaluate experimentally what effect these nonideal conditions have on the reliability of the austenite determination. This note decribes the results of such experiments. SAE 1095 bar stock was used throughout and all samples were heat-treated as follows: 1600°F for 1 hr in a neutral atmosphere, brine quench, and 300°F temper for 30 min. To control heat-treatment conditions as closely as possible, all samples were plated with 0.002 in. copper to protect the immediate surface from the heat-treating atmosphere. After heat treating, the samples were deplated electroly-tically so that only the copper was removed. The heat-treated surfaces thus obtained were nearly as bright and polished as the original surfaces before copper plating although no mechanical work was done on the samples after heat treating.

Jan 1, 1954

By Bruce A. Kennedy

Lufthansa flight 497 roared down the runway and climbed rapidly through the early morning mist hanging over Pudahuel airport and the city of Santiago, Chile, into the brilliant sunlight above the clouds. As the plane banked onto course for Lima, Peru, we got what was possibly our last look at the beautiful snowclad mountains that ring Santiago. To the northeast was the massive hump of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere, wreathed in clouds and virtually looming over Rio Blanco, the new mine put into production by Cerro de Pasco just one short year before. Almost a thousand miles to the north lay the massive open pits of Chuquicamata and Exotica, and a little closer to Santiago the El Salvador mine. Behind to the southeast, clinging to the steep slopes of the Andes, was the large and awe-inspiring El Teniente mine at Braden. These mines, once the bastions of such companies as Anaconda and Kennecott, had a new owner-the Government of Chile. On the plane were a number of people who had spent a large part of their lives in Chile operating these mines and plants, and who now were suddenly faced with the necessity of starting new lives somewhere else. To them, this was their last look at the country which not too long ago was their home, a bittersweet moment of reminiscence and a time for questioning what the future held.

Jan 1, 1971

October 16th, 1872. THE Institute assembled on Wednesday evening at the Western University, and was called to order by President Raymond. Mr. James Park, Jr., of Pittsburgh, made the address of welcome, which was responded to by President Raymond. The Council reported the following names, with approval, for election Ashburner, William, - San Francisco, Cal. Asmus, George, - New York. Baillie, Nathaniel, - Uniontown, Pa. Bowie, A. J., Jr. - San Francisco, Cal. Brown, A. J., - Treasure City, Nev. Butler, J. G., Jr., - Youngstown, Ohio. Chamberlin, J. G., - Leetonia, Ohio. Clark, R. Neilson, - Canyon City, Colorado. Cornell, A. B., - Youngstown, Ohio. De Crano, E. G., - San Francisco, Cal. Engelmann, H., - Salt Lake City, Utah. Faber du Faur, A., - New York. Janin, Louis, Jr., - San Francisco, Cal. Johnson, George J., - Salt Lake City, Utah.. Kent, Joseph C., - Phillipsburgh, N. J. Kent, William St. G., - Phillipsburgh, N. J. Liebenau, Charles von, - Silver City, Idaho. McClintock, A. H., - Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Miller, Thomas N., - Pittsburgh, Pa. Millholland, James A., - Mount Savage, Md. Peters, Ed. D., Jr., - Dudley, Colorado. Reese, Jacob, - Pittsburgh; Pa. Schirmer, J. F. L., - Denver, Colorado. Smith, W. S., - Fairplay, Colorado. Stoelting, Hermann, - Georgetown, Colorado. Sweet, W. A., - Syracuse, N. Y. Tripple, Alexander, - New York. Van Arsdale, W. H., - Swansea, Cal. Willard, Dwight D., - Bordentown, N. J. The following resolution was then offered and passed Resolved, That gentlemen present, not members, be invited to take part in the discussions of the Institute at the various sessions of the present meeting.

Jan 1, 1873

By Behram H. Wadia, Robert S. Lehto

A new metallurgical treatment for capturing as much of the values as possible from zinc refinery feed has been devised by personnel in Cerro de Pasco's Peruvian operation at La Oroya. Results from a pilot test illustrate that 50 metric tons of throughput can be maintained whereby substantially all the silver and copper report in the sponge iron while zinc and lead with indium and cadmium volatilize in the fume. This new technique named the Zileret (zinc leach residue treatment) process complements the electrolytic system used in the refinery so that all values in a zinc concentrate are economically recovered. In the system, dried zinc leach residue is pelletized with soluble zinc sulfate which already exists in the leach residue and a finely divided reducing agent such as anthracite coal. Upon heat addition, the loose anthracite in the charge maintains a reducing atmosphere while the free space above the charge has an oxidizing nature. When the charge reaches the reaction zone at about 1100°C, metals such as zinc, lead, cadmium and indium volatilize from the pellets, are oxidized in the upper kiln atmosphere, and are then carried in suspension as an oxide fume to the cooler and baghouse. The copper and silver content in their reduced forms, along with the iron, discharge from the kiln as a calcined product which is then cooled to below 130°C before being exposed to the air.

Jan 9, 1969

FOR the benefit of those of our members who may be asked what they know about Mr. Hoover's connec-tion with the Kaiping coal mines in China and who will naturally wish to appear thoroughly well informed on the subject, we reprint below an authoritative state-ment, recently made to the Japan Advertiser, by Tang Shao-yi, former premier of China, now retired to his country home at Tang Chia. "Information has reached me at my retreat that persons in America and China insinuate that Herbert Hoover acted dishonorably in dealings involving the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company a quarter of a century ago. I be-lieve myself the only Chinese living who was closely iden-tified with that company during Mr. Hoover's connection. My uncle founded the company and my family always has been a large shareholder and, therefore, I possess direct knowledge of its history. "I am actuated in this statement by a sense of justice and also gratitude for Mr. Hoover's acts in rescuing my family during the Boxer uprising. Mr. Hoover's record in China is clean and honorable, highly creditable and in many ways remarkable. Legal action brought in London in 1905 occurred after Mr. Hoover left the company. There were not any charges against Mr. Hoover and he was not a de-fendant in the lawsuit, but an important witness whose testimony helped the Chinese shareholders to save their property.

Jan 5, 1928

By Orville R. Lyons, A. C. Richardson

THE Coal Division of Battelle Memorial Institute, during the course of an investigation conducted for a coal producer, carried out extensive sampling of the fine-coal section of a preparation plant. The information obtained during the testing period was used to evaluate the overall plant operation and provided the basis for. recommended changes in the plant flowsheet. Included in the information were data for the results obtained when using a Bird centrifuge to dewater the particular coal being treated. At the completion of the investigation, the coal producer gave Battelle permission to publish the operating data for the Bird centrifuge in order to make this information available to the coal industry. The authors wish to take this opportunity to express their appreciation to this company and its officials for their willing cooperation in the matter of publication. Description of Preparation Plant: The preparation plant on which the data were obtained is primarily a jig plant. The coal being washed is a low inherent moisture, friable, Pocahontus-type. The washed coal from the jig is dewatered and sized at 1/4 in. by a Parrish-type dewatering and sizing screen. The minus 1/4-in. coal and the underflow water from the shaker screen flow to a sludge tank where, after the coal settles, the coal is conveyed by a flight conveyor into a pump sump. The pump, a 300-gpm sand pump, delivers a mixture of fine coal and water to a Bird centrifuge which produces a dewatered cake and an effluent. At the time when the investigation was made, the centrifuge effluent was returned to the sludge tank and the cake product was mixed with a coarser size of coal prior to loading into railroad cars. The semiclarified water from the sludge tank overflowed into a pump sump from which it was pumped to the jig. As originally designed, the preparation plant was intended to operate with a closed water system but it was found, soon after operations started, that for various reasons this could not be done. In order to provide for removal of excess water from the system and to aid in maintaining the desired minimum percentage of solids in the circulating water, the plant was operated to provide from the sludge tank a continuous overflow of water and fine solids that was sent to waste. The centrifuge feed represents approximately 35 tons per hour of minus 1/4-in. coal in the form of a pulp averaging 38 pct solids. Sampling Procedure: In order to obtain basic data for determining the relationships existing in the fine-coal section of the preparation plant, samples were obtained for: (1) the centrifuge feed, (2) the centrifuge cake, (3) the centrifuge effluent, and (4) the circulating water. The sampling was arranged to start on a Monday, in order to begin operations with a sludge tank full of fresh water, and was continued long enough to allow sufficient time for fine solids to build up within the water system or for a two-day, four-shift operating period. All samples were taken at half-hour intervals except when plant stoppages occurred. After a stoppage the plant was

Jan 1, 1951

By Orville R. Lyons, A. C. Richardson

THE Coal Division of Battelle Memorial Institute, during the course of an investigation conducted for a coal producer, carried out extensive sampling of the fine-coal section of a preparation plant. The information obtained during the testing period was used to evaluate the overall plant operation and provided the basis for. recommended changes in the plant flowsheet. Included in the information were data for the results obtained when using a Bird centrifuge to dewater the particular coal being treated. At the completion of the investigation, the coal producer gave Battelle permission to publish the operating data for the Bird centrifuge in order to make this information available to the coal industry. The authors wish to take this opportunity to express their appreciation to this company and its officials for their willing cooperation in the matter of publication. Description of Preparation Plant: The preparation plant on which the data were obtained is primarily a jig plant. The coal being washed is a low inherent moisture, friable, Pocahontus-type. The washed coal from the jig is dewatered and sized at 1/4 in. by a Parrish-type dewatering and sizing screen. The minus 1/4-in. coal and the underflow water from the shaker screen flow to a sludge tank where, after the coal settles, the coal is conveyed by a flight conveyor into a pump sump. The pump, a 300-gpm sand pump, delivers a mixture of fine coal and water to a Bird centrifuge which produces a dewatered cake and an effluent. At the time when the investigation was made, the centrifuge effluent was returned to the sludge tank and the cake product was mixed with a coarser size of coal prior to loading into railroad cars. The semiclarified water from the sludge tank overflowed into a pump sump from which it was pumped to the jig. As originally designed, the preparation plant was intended to operate with a closed water system but it was found, soon after operations started, that for various reasons this could not be done. In order to provide for removal of excess water from the system and to aid in maintaining the desired minimum percentage of solids in the circulating water, the plant was operated to provide from the sludge tank a continuous overflow of water and fine solids that was sent to waste. The centrifuge feed represents approximately 35 tons per hour of minus 1/4-in. coal in the form of a pulp averaging 38 pct solids. Sampling Procedure: In order to obtain basic data for determining the relationships existing in the fine-coal section of the preparation plant, samples were obtained for: (1) the centrifuge feed, (2) the centrifuge cake, (3) the centrifuge effluent, and (4) the circulating water. The sampling was arranged to start on a Monday, in order to begin operations with a sludge tank full of fresh water, and was continued long enough to allow sufficient time for fine solids to build up within the water system or for a two-day, four-shift operating period. All samples were taken at half-hour intervals except when plant stoppages occurred. After a stoppage the plant was

Jan 1, 1951

By Jed H. Mosgrave

One of the most interesting of all the subjects required of persons studying the different facets of coal mining is coal mine gases. Some mine gases have been a real problem since the very beginning of underground mining and in the early days there was insufficient knowledge to really cope with them. The history of mining shows that until the last 50 years, work was done primarily by the hand methods which are primitive by today's standards. Miners had to contend with gases without the aid of enclosed lighting, permissible mine machinery, sophisticated testing devices, and high pressure ventilating fans. In early days the miners were not educated as to the different mine gases nor did they have the technical equipment to determine the actual composition of the deadly atmospheres they encountered. They simply applied a descriptive term to each gas or mixture of gases depending on its effect on a person or the surrounding atmosphere. The gases or mixtures of gases were then referred to as "damps" which was probably derived from the German word "dampf," meaning vapors or gases. The more common damps encountered were as follows: Blackdamp A condition of the atmosphere where a miner's light would be extinguished and in which breathing would be difficult, sometimes even resulting in suffocation. An atmosphere deficient in oxygen and which could contain a combination of any of the mine gases. Firedamp Flammable mixtures of methane and air which would either burn or explode when ignited. White Damp A mixture of gases containing carbon monoxide.

Jan 1, 1973

By R. H. Wightman, G. H. ADAM

In order to secure good results in the prevention of accidents, it is generally recognized that the desire for such accomplishment, as well as the aggressive and constructive action to achieve it, must emanate from the Top Management and permeate successively down through the "Chart of Authority" to the workmen. Several years ago, with the above as a basis and with full support of the Top Management, the Mining Department started a program of selling the foremen and bosses the idea that safety could be achieved and that it was desired and required. Using psychology, persistence and numerous other methods, the foremen and bosses were finally impressed with the idea that "It can be done" and "It will be done." With this in mind, new ideas were brought forth by the foremen and bosses regarding the caving operation and the specific jobs in the operation. These new ideas were taken up in round-table discussions and resulted in certain changes in the undercutting method and the actual drawing of the blocks. These changes resulted in increasing fragmentation of the blocks which prevented the usual hang-up areas in the blocks. With the rock smaller in size and within reasonable reach from the tapping drifts, accidents were prevented in the tapping section. At the same time, an enforced campaign of housekeeping throughout the mine was undertaken with very beneficial results. The foremen and bosses then, in turn, educated and trained the workers themselves to become safely conscious. In so doing, a constant re- minder was given on all jobs assigned that the job was to be done safely as well as efficiently. No man is assigned a job who is not qualified for the type of work required. Efficiency and safety go hand in hand.

Jan 1, 1949

By R. P. Killmeyer, B. S. Gottfried, J. T. Wizzard

The US Department of Energy's Coal Preparation Branch has developed a computer program to calculate the performance characteristics of coal washing devices. This program uses specific gravity analyses of the clean coal and refuse streams as input, and generates dependent and independent performance criteria for the washer. Partition curves are internally represented in a functional form by a Weibull function. Comparisons are made between performance criteria calculated by hand and the performance criteria calculated by the program for 120 different dense medium cyclone tests. Results show that the computer program gives results in close agreement with hand-calculated values while greatly reducing the amount of time involved in performing the analyses.

Jan 1, 1984

The Du Pont Magazine for August and September gives the following interesting information regarding recent progress in the use' of explosives. Blasting -Clay.-"The place where I tried blasting down clay for a brick yard had been worked for some years by old-time pick and shovel method. There was a large shallow pit, irregular in shape, with a perpendicular face at one end. I put down a line of holes 3 ft. deep and 6 ft. back from this face, loading each hole with one and one-half car-tridges of Red Cross Extra 40 per cent. dynamite. The charges were connected up to a blasting machine circuit and fired electrically. "Two of these shots kept the brick yard men very busy for two days taking out the loose clay. "I am convinced that if any brick yard man will try this method he will always have a blasting machine and dynamite on hand thereafter, because it cuts labor cost almost in two to get down the clay in. this way." In some clay pits the practice is to blast a large amount of clay in the fall, allowing it to freeze and thaw through the winter. Such clay is much easier to puddle in the spring than freshly dug or blasted clay. When the clay contains stones, the blasting loosens them and makes their separation-easy. Well-Drill Holes in Quarrying.-The well drill or cable drill method of working a quarry face is now in quite common use. The use of large drills is constantly increasing among quarrymen. In fact the growing tendency is for large machinery of all kinds such as mammoth crushers, steam shovels, etc. Volume is what is wanted nowadays. The advantages of the big drill over the piston driven drill are numerous. By carrying the holes the full depth of the face the stone is loaded and treated on one working floor. It eliminates the cost of bench cleaning. Loading operations are less frequent, thus lessening the danger. Stone can be shot down in greater volume and in better shape, making it economical to use a steam shovel. No bench cleaning makes it safer for the men. It is cheaper and can be used in outlying and temporary operations where the cost of installing a power plant would be out of the question. It permits a greater spacing of bore holes and eliminates the necessity of "squibbing" or springing. In this method usually holes from 4 in. to 6 in. in diameter are drilled the full depth of the face from 15 ft. to 2,0 ft. apart, and as far back and the whole face shot down at one time. The cost of well drilling may vary all the way from 20 cents to 75 cents: per foot, and in extremely hard rocks up to $1.50 per foot.

Jan 10, 1916

By Thomas E. Howard

Recipient of the 1975 D. C. Jackling Award - "For his vision and initiative in defining, planning, directing, and accomplishing mining research programs; for his leadership in focusing worldwide attention on the need for research to improve underground excavation for mining and civil applications; and for his lecture. . ."

Jan 1, 1976

By James Ruddy

THE medical program of the Climax Molybdenum Co. is under the supervision of the department of industrial medicine of the University of Colorado, of which James J. Waring, professor of medicine at the University Medical School, is director. Dr. Waring is consultant and direct supervisor of both the hospital and industrial medical department at Climax. At Climax the program is in charge of the medical director and the associate physician, Dr. Galen M. Hover. The hospital at Climax is completely equipped with all that is necessary for the practice of scientific medicine and surgery. Only graduate registered nurses with experience in industrial medicine are employed. Being only a few hundred yards from the portal of the mine. acci-

Jan 1, 1946

Meeting of Dec. 18, 1914. Charles F. Rand, Karl Eilers, and William L. Saunders were appointed a Committee to audit the accounts of the Institute. The matter of the Committee to investigate the relative merits in metallurgical work of turbo-blowers and the reciprocating blowing engine was laid on the table. Benjamin B. Thayer was elected representative on the Board of Trustees of the United Engineering Society to succeed James F. Kemp. Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Membership, 32 Members, 8 Associates, 3 Juniors were elected, and the status of one Associate was changed to that of Member. Twenty-six members owing dues for from three to six years were dropped from the rolls in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Jan 2, 1915

By D. A. Sangrey, D. Marcus, S. A. Miller

A methodology was developed wherein the increase in compressive strength, mineralogical changes, and pore water composition were studied simultaneously as a function of moisturized spent shale curing time. From these results the relationship between the nature of cementation process and the composition of pore water was established. Heavy metals were entrapped in the cementing constituents and the pore water became mainly a solution of alkaline sulfates. The specific data are applicable only to the material studied. But the methodology and general conclusions are useful for evaluating the environmental factors in spent shale disposal and expected leachates composition.

Jan 1, 1986

By A. M. Hall

SULPHUR, even in small amounts, may often be harmful to nickel and high-nickel alloys, causing impairment of mechanical strength and destruction of malleability and ductility, as shown by Merica and Waltenberg.1,2 It may act. either in the form of nonmetallic inclusions produced in the liquid state during furnacing or as reaction products resulting from its diffusion into the solid metal. In recognizing the action of this element, ability to identify its various forms by means of the microscope is often of considerable importance, especially when direct quantitative methods are inapplicable. [ ] Of the sulphur compounds associated with nickel and high-nickel alloys, the sulphides that may be found in malleable nickel, Monel? and Inconel? are an important group. These sulphides were investigated by metallographic methods in order to provide descriptive data by which to identify them. The nominal compositions of malleable nickel, Monet and Inconel are given in Table I. The term "sulphide" is employed here in a very general sense, to designate a substance in which sulphur and one or more metallic elements are combined. The term includes any combinations of compounds and solid solutions. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION Three groups of small laboratory melts were made, one group to represent each of the three types of alloy under investigation. Within each group, a number of ingots with a sufficient variety of chemical analyses were prepared so that the effect of each of the elements entering the complete commercial alloy could be isolated and observed. In most cases, to facilitate metallographic study by exaggerating the number and size of the resulting sulphides, somewhat greater amounts of the minor elements were added than are present in the commercial alloys. Likewise, considerably more sulphur was added than is normal, but not enough to complicate the system. Transverse sections were cut at a point one third of the distance from the butt to the head of each ingot, polished and examined with an inverted stage metallograph equipped with a combination polarizing-analyzing vertical illuminator. The light source was a tungsten-mercury vapor arc lamp.

Jan 1, 1943

R,. P. JaRvis,* El Oro, Estado de México, México.—The practical problem raised by Mr. Wisser—that is, the determination of the lower limit of ore deposition, below which it is useless to look for ore shoots—is one of the most important in economic geology. He asks: "Can we learn to determine the position of such a line?" For individual districts, yes; but its determination has always been by empirical methods; that is by actually exploring the veins to such depths that the values drop below the economic limits. Usually the signs are plain enough that values have been bottomed without confirmation by the chemist or assayer. Most veins, when approaching their limit, begin to split into branches or stringers; the vein matter itself undergoes a change from "lively looking" rock to one that is dull and unpromising, the quartz, instead of having segregated into clean vein matter, has simply spread itself into the country rock, rendering this more siliceous but no richer—these, together with inclusions of the country rock in the vein, are all positive indications of the limit. Mr. Wisser seems disposed not to accept the law of cause and effect, which he calls "empiricism." He says: "Empiricism embodies an assumption perhaps not evident at first glance. It is this: that like effects spring from like causes and therefore necessarily have a common meaning." There can be no doubt as to the validity of this law, since it is the foundation stone upon which are built all inductive sciences, including economic geology. When demonstrable, proved facts become confused with inferences, as they seem to be generally in the paper under examination, no sound conclusions can be reached. Mr. Wisser has failed to give sufficient data covering the two vein systems which he cites as examples. Presumably they are situated in the Pachuca District of Mexico, but not everybody is familiar with the vein systems there in spite of the fact that it is world famous as a silver producer. Are these two systems separated some distance horizontally from one another and how far? He has given no estimate of the amount and kind of rock that has been eroded from over the present veins. His description of the two systems appears on page 100, beginning: "1. East-west veins," and ends on page 101, "they would lack spaces there in which to deposit." On page 101, with the paragraph beginning "On the other hand," he gives a picture of what he believes takes place in class 2 veins. The sum of this seems to be, according to Mr. Wisser's observations, that, in the east-west veins, class 1, there has been an invasion of an "altering solution," which I judge has been responsible for the formation of extensive "alteration haloes"; that these alteration solutions have followed along pre-existing fractures or fissures; and that after these alteration solutions finished their work the mineralizing solutions deposited the vein matter and metallic values. Mr. Wisser does not specify clearly what the "alteration haloes" consist of; in other words, what change the original rock has suffered, whether oxidizing, carbonating, or sulphidizing. If they came from depth they could not be oxidizing or carbonating, and in this case it is a bit

Jan 1, 1941

R,. P. JaRvis,* El Oro, Estado de México, México.—The practical problem raised by Mr. Wisser—that is, the determination of the lower limit of ore deposition, below which it is useless to look for ore shoots—is one of the most important in economic geology. He asks: "Can we learn to determine the position of such a line?" For individual districts, yes; but its determination has always been by empirical methods; that is by actually exploring the veins to such depths that the values drop below the economic limits. Usually the signs are plain enough that values have been bottomed without confirmation by the chemist or assayer. Most veins, when approaching their limit, begin to split into branches or stringers; the vein matter itself undergoes a change from "lively looking" rock to one that is dull and unpromising, the quartz, instead of having segregated into clean vein matter, has simply spread itself into the country rock, rendering this more siliceous but no richer—these, together with inclusions of the country rock in the vein, are all positive indications of the limit. Mr. Wisser seems disposed not to accept the law of cause and effect, which he calls "empiricism." He says: "Empiricism embodies an assumption perhaps not evident at first glance. It is this: that like effects spring from like causes and therefore necessarily have a common meaning." There can be no doubt as to the validity of this law, since it is the foundation stone upon which are built all inductive sciences, including economic geology. When demonstrable, proved facts become confused with inferences, as they seem to be generally in the paper under examination, no sound conclusions can be reached. Mr. Wisser has failed to give sufficient data covering the two vein systems which he cites as examples. Presumably they are situated in the Pachuca District of Mexico, but not everybody is familiar with the vein systems there in spite of the fact that it is world famous as a silver producer. Are these two systems separated some distance horizontally from one another and how far? He has given no estimate of the amount and kind of rock that has been eroded from over the present veins. His description of the two systems appears on page 100, beginning: "1. East-west veins," and ends on page 101, "they would lack spaces there in which to deposit." On page 101, with the paragraph beginning "On the other hand," he gives a picture of what he believes takes place in class 2 veins. The sum of this seems to be, according to Mr. Wisser's observations, that, in the east-west veins, class 1, there has been an invasion of an "altering solution," which I judge has been responsible for the formation of extensive "alteration haloes"; that these alteration solutions have followed along pre-existing fractures or fissures; and that after these alteration solutions finished their work the mineralizing solutions deposited the vein matter and metallic values. Mr. Wisser does not specify clearly what the "alteration haloes" consist of; in other words, what change the original rock has suffered, whether oxidizing, carbonating, or sulphidizing. If they came from depth they could not be oxidizing or carbonating, and in this case it is a bit

Jan 1, 1941

By R. Jr. Schuhmann

PROBLEMS in expressing, interpreting, and using size-distribution data recur in many phases of mineral dressing; therefore it is desirable that size analyses be ex-pressed in such a form, either numerically or graphically, that comparisons can be made readily. The size distribution of comminuted material is a result of a specific physical operation on the material and therefore should be governed by some definite physical principle, or cause-effect relation. Although this principle has not been dis-covered, it has been found that the size distribution of comminuted, homogeneous solids may be expressed by relatively simple mathematical equations. Two equa-tions in particular, proposed by Gaudin1 and by Rosin and Rammler,2 respectively, have stood out, both having wide demon-strated ranges of application. The form and the method of application of the two appear almost irreconcilably different on the surface, but, as will be shown, they are asymptotic in the fine sizes when expressed in the same units. This paper gives the results of a further study of the Gaudin and Rosin-Rammler relations, made with the object of develop-ing a form of size-distribution equation that will be more usable and more signifi-cant-particularly in comminution studies, both for interpreting the nature of size distribution and for evaluating surface. The work is summarized in the following:

Jan 1, 1940