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By N. V. Hansell

The last few years have shown an increasing interest in the subject of beneficiating iron-ores in all iron-producing countries. In the United States, this movement has been slower than in certain parts of Europe, for the obvious reason that the abundance and relative cheapness of the Lake Superior irou-ores has hindered the development of enterprises for the preparation of low-grade ores. Gradually, however, conditions have changed. The world's consumption of iron is increasing enormously. Being in 1900 about 40,000,000 tons, in 1910 it was already 60,000,000; and there is no reason to doubt that for the near future the increase in iron-cousumption mill continue at the same rapid rate, especially with the development of China, certain parts of Africa, and other regions which have hardly been touched as yet by modern industrialism. It is, therefore, not surprising that apprehension is felt that the known available iron-ore resources of the world are gradually being depleted. Signs of this feeling are the recent iuvestigation, under the direction of the U. S. Geological Survey, of the iron-ore resources of the United States, and the estimate presented to the last International Geological Congress, at Stockholm, Sweden, of the iron-ore resources of the world. These investigations have emphasized the fact that the known high-grade ore-deposits are limited in extent, and will, at a not distant future, be exhausted, compelling the iron industry to depend for raw material on the enormous deposits of low-gratle ores which are distributed over almost all the world. The discovery of new deposits of high-grade ore, in countries not yet thoroughly explored, will not materially change this prospect. Of course, the part which such new deposits will play in the future cannot be forecast. The difficulty and cost of transportation will probably exclude many of them from use at the present centers of the iron industry.

Jan 1, 1913

By H. P. Moore, R. W. Fenn, Harold Margolin, W. R. Hibbard

DEFORMATION lines, also called etch markings or strain markings, are noneffaceable lines developed in individual grains by etching a metal specimen which has been cold worked sufficiently to cause atomic non-conformity or slight orientation differences within the grains. Etching occurs more rapidly at these lines of high chemical reactivity to produce a result similar to that revealing grain boundaries.1 Wider etching effects forming bands have been found. They are believed to be bands of deformation lines which form areas of measurably different orientation from the crystal matrix. The crystallite rotations causing these bands have been shown by Barrette to contribute to deformation textures. Although deformation lines have been observed in many metals, the amount of deformation required for their appearance has been established only in general terms. Mathewson and Phillips3 observed the first appearance of deformation lines in cold-rolled alpha brass at about 20 pct reduction in thickness using the standard ammonium hydroxide hydrogen peroxide etchant. Price and Davidson4 noted deformation lines in common high brass after 26.5 pct reduction by cold rolling using the same etchant. Johnson' observed dark thick forklike lines in 99.99 pct pure copper reduced 31.8 pct. Adcock6 observed deformation lines in 80-20 copper-nickel alloy rolled 50 pct. Samans7 found no deformation lines in alpha brass single crystals cold rolled 9.5 pct but they did appear after 25 pct reduction using ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide etchant. Barrett and Levenson8 observed deformation bands in drawn polycrystalline iron at very small reductions in area and noted that their initial appearance perhaps depends on grain size and other conditions. They reported deformation bands in a single crystal of iron reduced 6 pct by drawing. Brick9 noted that deformation lines in 70-30 brass apparently associated with {111} planes appeared after reductions of from 20-50 pct by cold rolling. Brick and Williamson10 noted that in single crystals of 70-30 alpha brass "as in polycrystalline brass, no deformation markings appeared until reductions exceeded 20 pct." Cook and Richards11 reported that in copper cold rolled less than about 50 pct few strain markings were apparent but for higher. reductions many strain markings appeared transverse to the rolled direction. In a review article Brick and Phillips12 noted that previous studies had not shown deformation lines in cold rolled alpha brass

Jan 1, 1948

By S. Epstein

THE new low-alloy high-strength steels are obviously here to stay. With 75 per cent higher yield strength and 50 per cent higher tensile strength than plain carbon structural steel, they permit 20 to 40 per cent weight savings and 10 per cent or more increase in pay load in the con-struction of railroad cars, buses, trucks, and a great variety of material-handling equipment. Their cost is low enough so that the extra cost of the new lighter construction over that with carbon steel offers an attrac-tive self-liquidating investment; in some instances new construction with these low-alloy steels may even be as cheap as with plain carbon steel. A considerable and rapidly growing demand for the low-alloy steels has already sprung up. The many steel compositions that have appeared on the market lately 18,27,28,29,30 to meet this demand would seem to indicate that no single composition is uniquely fitted for the purpose. However, no doubt some compositions are more suitable than others. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to compare the effects of the various alloying elements that might be used in the low-alloy steels in order to choose the metallurgically most logical composition, paying due regard, of course, to the economic aspects involved.

Jan 1, 1936

By Rudolf Bernhard

STATIC soil investigations with more or less heavy loads and extensive borings do not always have efficient results; also, they are very expensive. The new geophysical method of dynamic tests described herein is simple and cheap and avoids several disadvantages of the routine investigation, thus forming a useful supplement to the older methods and even at times replacing various static tests. The fundamental principle of dynamic soil tests consists in the appli-cation of artificial vibration. The technique employed is essentially geophysical in nature and in some respects is akin to seismic studies. Artificial vibration may be excited by centrifugal forces resulting from eccentrically supported rotating masses. The reactions of soil and structures caused by these vibrations may be measured. Their dynamic constants, such as amplitudes, phase speeds, damping, reflection, and interference effects, can be investigated. This geophysical method has been used for several years with increasing success. The results of these tests, summarized at the end of the paper, indicate that this method opens a new field for the practical engineer in investigating soils (capacity and formation), foundations, dams and structures, and especially buildings that must withstand earthquakes.

Jan 1, 1938

By E. S. Grumell

The correct sampling of coal and coke is becoming important to an ever increasing number of producers and consumers. This, therefore, may be an opportune moment to examine where we stand with regard to existing and proposed methods. In this paper an attempt will be made to review, as briefly as possible, some of the considerable amount of painstaking research which has been done in the last 10 years, and which has unquestionably led to a much better understanding of the subject. In so doing we shall try, on the one hand, to make clear where substantial progress has been made, and on the other hand, to draw attention to points that require further investigation. The paper is divided into sections in order to emphasize the major divisions of the subject; further, in order to retain this emphasis, detailed consideration of some of the points has been relegated to appendixes. No attempt has been made to give a complete survey of the literature, as this has already been done by L. A. Bushell.2 The following abbreviations will be used: A.E., average error; P.E., probable error; S.W.R., size-weight ratio; B.S.I., British Standards Institution. Section 1.—Cost It has often been stated that the cost of sampling should bear some relationship to the value of the product, and since coal is a relatively cheap raw material it would be a major error to specify, for ordinary commercial purposes, elaborate and costly methods of sampling which nobody would adopt. Specifications must be of such a nature that they will be used. We believe that one of the achievements of the last 10 years has been to reduce the cost of sampling. There is, however, another point to be considered; via., that the cost of sampling should bear some relationship to the value of the investigation. Correct sampling is a cog (possibly a small one) in the wheel

Jan 1, 1940

By E. S. Grumell

The correct sampling of coal and coke is becoming important to an ever increasing number of producers and consumers. This, therefore, may be an opportune moment to examine where we stand with regard to existing and proposed methods. In this paper an attempt will be made to review, as briefly as possible, some of the considerable amount of painstaking research which has been done in the last 10 years, and which has unquestionably led to a much better understanding of the subject. In so doing we shall try, on the one hand, to make clear where substantial progress has been made, and on the other hand, to draw attention to points that require further investigation. The paper is divided into sections in order to emphasize the major divisions of the subject; further, in order to retain this emphasis, detailed consideration of some of the points has been relegated to appendixes. No attempt has been made to give a complete survey of the literature, as this has already been done by L. A. Bushell.2 The following abbreviations will be used: A.E., average error; P.E., probable error; S.W.R., size-weight ratio; B.S.I., British Standards Institution. Section 1.—Cost It has often been stated that the cost of sampling should bear some relationship to the value of the product, and since coal is a relatively cheap raw material it would be a major error to specify, for ordinary commercial purposes, elaborate and costly methods of sampling which nobody would adopt. Specifications must be of such a nature that they will be used. We believe that one of the achievements of the last 10 years has been to reduce the cost of sampling. There is, however, another point to be considered; via., that the cost of sampling should bear some relationship to the value of the investigation. Correct sampling is a cog (possibly a small one) in the wheel

Jan 1, 1940

THE purpose of this chapter is to present a general outline of the basic open-hearth process for the benefit of students, practicing open-hearth operators, and metallurgists who wish to review the subject. The discussion is limited to a description of the sequence and purpose of the operations, illustrated by data and examples. Subsequent chapters deal with more detailed and fundamental studies of the subject. The function of the basic open-hearth furnace is to convert various types of ferrous material into finished steel of given com- position and quality. In comparison with other steelmaking methods, the basic open-hearth process is one of the most versa- tile, both from the standpoint of the raw materials that can be used and the types of steel that can be produced. The process can be considered as a sequence involving melting, refining, and deoxidation. With some types of liquid-metal charges, the melting stage is not present, but refining and deoxidation in varying degrees are fundamental features of the process. GENERAL DISCUSSION OF BASIC OPEN-HEARTH PROCESS The first consideration in open-hearth practice is the type of charge on which the operation is based. This consists of three components-fluxing, oxidizing, and metallic materials. Fluxes. In the basic process the fluxing material is primarily lime, added in the form of either limestone (CaC03) or burnt lime (CaO) . This is supplemented by magnesia (MgO) and lime from the furnace bottom and banks. The function of these fluxes is to form a slag with the silica (SiO2) , manganese oxide (MnO), iron oxides (FeO and Fe203), and phosphorus oxide (P205) that are produced by the oxidation of varying amounts of the silicon, manganese, iron, and phosphorus in the charge during melting and refining. The slag, composed of the basic fluxes and the neutral and acid oxides, floats on top of the steel bath when the charge is melted. The composition of this slag depends on the amount of each slag-forming element present in the charge and on the extent of oxidation of these elements during the course

Jan 1, 1964

By D. A. Dahlstrom

WITHIN the past decade, certain economic, legal, and technological changes have intensified the necessity for an efficient classifier or deslimer of particles at and below the 200-mesh point. First, mechanization of mining has increased the percentage of clays, silts, refuse, and high-ash material in the run-of-mine coal. Second, many washing plants must rely on smaller percentages of fresh make-up water because of shortages, economic factors, or legal restrictions on waste water disposal. Finally, the crushing of middlings and coarse refuse plus the trends toward the finer sizes in sales has further increased the amount of fines produced per ton of mine-run coal. A joint consequence of these circumstances has been the augmented percentage and build-up of —200-mesh material in the finer coal fractions and tipple circulating water. This results in the following disadvantages to the operator: (1) Higher ash percentages in the fine coal caused in large measure by the greater ash content of the —200-mesh material, (2) more difficult or expensive recovery of the fine coal from plant slurries, (3) lower filtration, drainage, and drying rates caused chiefly by lower permeability and the greater surface exposed per unit mass of the finer particles, (4) greater difficulty of beneficiatiing the fine coal because of lowered equipment efficiency and the partial "coating-out" of the —200-mesh fraction on the coarser coal particles. Obviously some cheap but effective fine-size classifier must be developed to aid in solving the above problems. To eliminate the generally unwanted —200-mesh fraction from coal slurries, several methods are in use. Probably the most popular with coal operators is the settling cone wherein the larger particles settle downward to the apex of an inverted cone while the slimes and fines are carried upward by vertical fluid currents caused by the overflow of the bulk of the water at the outer rim. The main advantage of the unit is the low initial and operating cost since no moving parts are involved. Disadvantages are primarily low capacity per square foot or floor space and the loss of good coal in the overflow above the 100-mesh size due to localized, high-velocity gradients and nonuniform, fluid-flow patterns, especially at high loadings. Also, when high slime concentrations are present, desliming efficiency is severely injured.', ' Other methods employed are the drag and spiral classifiers and the hydroseparator.' These involve mechanical separations achieved by moving parts and naturally result in higher initial costs. As they are all based on the settling velocity of the particles at the mesh of separation under operating conditions, area requirements are again large per gallon of throughput if they are to classify at the 200-mesh point. Usually the selection is made to operate at a higher throughput and thus sacrifice some coarser coal in the slime overflow. Cyclone Possibilities in Desliming To overcome the disadvantages of present deslirning methods, it is necessary to use a device that exhibits a very stable and uniform flow pattern while greatly increasing the settling velocity of

Jan 1, 1952

By R. S. Handy

Does hand-sorting of mill feed pay? The fact that the practice is so general would seem to indicate that there must be good reasons for following it; yet, to my mind, the advantage in many cases is doubtful enough to invite a thorough discussion of the subject, in an effort to determine under what conditions hand-sorting does pay. A typical sorting plant in the Cœur d'Alene district handles about 800 tons of mine-run ore per day. The material is run over a grizzly with about 4-in. opening; the oversize is crushed to about 4-in. size and joins the undersize, and the whole product is washed and screened on trommels with about 11/2-in. openings. The oversize from these trommels is spread on a belt and the waste and first-class ore are sorted out by hand, the residue being further crushed, and passes, together with the trommel undersize, into the mill feed bins. About 50 tons of shipping ore and 150 tons of waste are sorted out per day, leaving about 600 tons of mill feed. To sort out this material requires 20 ore sorters and five bosses and repairmen. The normal cost of hand-sorting is about 16 c. per ton of run-of-mine ore, or 65 c. per ton of material sorted out. I believe that straight crushing and milling of the run-of-mine ore, in this case, is not only cheaper, but is metallurgi-cally more economical and efficient than hand-sorting followed by milling of the residue. At one of the Bunker Hill rock-houses, 1250 tons of run-of-mine ore are reduced to pass 30-mm., or about 11/4-in., opening in six hours, requiring five men. The equipment and the power consumed are not greatly different from that required in a sorting plant of the same capacity, and the normal cost of thus preparing the feed for milling is under 3 c. per ton of mine product. The relative cheapness of this method as against hand-sorting is thus clearly established, the saving being about 13 c. per ton. If there is any virtue in, hand-sorting, then, it must lie in the metallurgical results achieved. Possibly the favor that hand-sorting has found is due to a misconception as to what happens to the clean shipping ore if it is sent to the mill. If a mill makes, say, an 80 per cent. recovery on its feed, the hand-sorting advocate may assume that if the hand-sorted product be sent to the mill, 20 per cent. of the metals contained in it will be lost. This, I believe,

Jan 1, 1920

By J. A. Thompson, M. A. Mayers

IN recent years, the problem of damage to coke-oven walls by expanding coal charges undergoing carbonization has engaged great attention on the part of research workers in this field, and has led to the development of many devices for estimating these pressures.1-14 Only in Russell's method11 and in the Koppers ovens7 are conditions quite similar to those in commercial ovens. Tests even in these ovens are empirical because no information has been published to permit an evaluation of "scale effects." Owing to the relatively large wall area in these test ovens, the average wall pressure determined may be lower than that existing in localized areas. This factor may be compensated for in part by the testing of coal charged into the test oven at a bulk density that is as high as the highest that is believed to exist in commercial ovens. Both of these lacks might be filled by the development of an adequate gauge for the direct measurement of wall pressure exerted by the charge in commercial coke ovens in normal operation. Previous attempts to elaborate such instruments7,15 have resulted in units which, because they had to be water-cooled, probably produced changes in the conditions of carbonization, and which had to be removed from the oven before carbonization was complete, to avoid their destruction. Late in 1941 the Coal Research Laboratory undertook to develop such a gauge, in which gas pressure was balanced against the charge pressure and which thus would not require water cooling, on a suggestion made in 1937 by one of the present authors and William B. Warren, a former member of the Laboratory staff. The gauge heads themselves were to be simple and cheap enough so that they might be discarded after each run if seriously damaged. This would permit them to be left in place throughout the carbonizing period, when they could be pushed out with the coke. The basis of the design, of which the latest exemplification is shown in Fig. I, was that as the internal gas pressure within a flexible metal envelope was increased, the flexible wall would move away from a stop when the gas pressure just overbalanced the charge pressure. If the stop were an insulated electrical contact, the point of balance could be indicated by the breaking of an electric circuit. It was anticipated that, while the instrument must operate at high temperature, the presence of a strongly reducing atmosphere throughout the carbonizing period would so reduce-the danger of scaling that mild steel could be used for the gauge. This expectation has been justified. Danger of attack on silica oven walls by the steel gauge body can be eliminated by cementing asbestos paper or an alundum or silica plate to the back of the gauge body. The gauge head itself has a relatively heavy mild-steel body, A, into which standard ¼ in. pipe B is screwed to conduct gas and electrical leads. The body is closed by a single bellows C. consisting of two annuli of 0.011-in. (0.28-mm.) cold-rolled shim-steel spot-welded together at their outside edges. The lower one is

Jan 1, 1944

By Alfred E. Hunt, Geo. H. Clapp

The great advantage to he gained by a careful inspection of all materials used in construction, in regard to safety and permanency, and to accuracy of workmanship, has been longer recognized in Great Britain and on the Continent than in America. This is probably owing to the way in which great enterprises have been " rushed" in the United States. Time and cheap first cost, in too many instances, have been considered of more importance than absolute safety and durability; the structures being afterwards strengthened if this was found necessary. This has been most noticeable in railroads built through " new " country, where the object in view has been to reach the terminal point and get to work. These " loose " methods are now being very largely done away with, and a large proportion of the structures lately built are not only carefully inspected during the process of

Jan 1, 1891

By Emil Gathmann

Through wide experience at numerous mills in the United States I have found that there is a decided difference of opinion among the producers of steel as to what constitutes commercially sound steel. Some metallurgists insist upon having, for certain grades of steel, a so-called "open steel," i.e., one which contains numerous blowholes of varying sizes, and consequently but little volume of true pipe, although a central intermittent shrinkage cavity often extends well down into the ingot. Such blowholes and pipe are expected to weld up during rolling or forging, because their surfaces are not oxidized. Even if this be admitted, included slag particles and a high degree of segregation are bound to be present in the product of such ingots. Blowholes are the result of an oxidized heat, and all heats, unless made or finished in the electric furnace, are oxidized more or less. Subsequent deoxidation, or rather degasification, either in the ladle or in the mold, or in both, is necessary to reduce or prevent blowholes. As is well known, a greater yield of billets or sheets is secured from the ingot by allowing the formation of blowholes, but this is undoubtedly obtained at the expense of the quality of the product. Decided segregation of carbon, phosphorus, and sulphur, as well as small included slag particles, undoubtedly exists throughout the greater portion of all so-called open steel, and cannot be removed by cropping. The first requisite for sound, homogeneous steel ingots and blooms is therefore, in my opinion, so to treat the steel in the furnace, ladle, and mold that "piping" steel is produced. The line of demarcation between harmful and so-called "harmless" blowholes is practically impossible to define. Is it not, therefore, the better and safer practice to use means for the elimination of blowholes and correspondingly reduce the segregation and allow the formation of a well-defined shrinkage cavity or pipe at the upper end of the ingot? With the relatively cheap deoxidizers available at the present time, e.g., ferro-silicon, aluminum and titanium, there is no commercial reason why all steel should not be thoroughly degasified. A degasified steel being provided, the method of freezing or solidifying the liquid steel into an ingot, and the subsequent working into blooms and thence into various products, is of great importance in reducing the crop or scrap portion of the steel, due to segregation and pipe. How to ac-

Jan 1, 1916

By Zay Jeffries

EACH generation accepts the developments of the preceding generations without full appreciation of the difficulties that had to be overcome or of the effect of any given development on society. Today, the production of pig iron is the yardstick with which general industrial health and progress are measured. So natural and logical does this seem to us, that it is difficult to picture conditions prior to the fourteenth century when pig iron was unknown. Not only was pig iron unknown but iron or steel could not be melted and poured into castings; all iron and steel articles were forged from sponge iron. All castings, as well as many worked articles, were made of non-ferrous metals or alloys. In many parts of the world, over long periods of time, not only was the annual exchange value of non-ferrous metals greater than that of iron and steel, but their combined tonnage was greater. At present, the value of the pig iron produced in a year is of the same order of magnitude as that of all non-ferrous metals combined; the tonnage of pig iron is, however, about twenty times that of all non-ferrous metals combined. Owing to lack of records, we will probably never know the relative importance of the various metals at all periods in historic times. A certain conclusion is that the iron and steel industry, since the discovery of pig iron and the cheap methods of converting it into steel, has grown at a much more rapid rate than the non-ferrous metal industries. Notwith-standing their fundamental fitness for man's needs, iron and steel owe their importance in no small degree to the low cost of production. The low cost was a result of increased knowledge of the production appliances and of the metallurgical processes. This increased knowledge is the key to our modern industrial civilization.

Jan 5, 1924

By Robert D. Pike

IN November 1939, on behalf of the Harbison-Walker Refractories Co., the author undertook the study of the problem of utilizing the dolomite of northwestern Ohio for the manufacture of calcined magnesia suitable for use in refractories. Grateful acknowledgment is made of the unfailing assistance and encouragement throughout this work from the executive and technical staff of Harbison-Walker Refractories Company. The dolomite of the Niagara formation that is exposed or near the surface of a wide area in northwestern Ohio1 constitutes a vast supply of almost pure dolomite. It offers a virtually unlimited supply of cheap raw material of uniform dependable analysis for the manufacture of magnesia. A typical analysis of dolomite from the vicinity of Luckey, Ohio, follows: [ ] Brines containing magnesium chloride or sea water can be reacted with calcined dolomite to produce magnesia.2,3 In such reactions the MgCl2 of the brine supplies some of the magnesia and the amount of dolomite required is thereby reduced by an equivalent amount, but brines of commercial importance containing magnesium chloride are some distance away from the purest grades of the dolomite of northwestern Ohio. It was decided therefore to concentrate upon the development of a suitable process for separating the lime and magnesia of dolomite, depend¬ing upon the dolomite itself as the sole source of magnesia. This would make it possible to place a plant at the dolomite quarry, thus eliminating the cost of transporting the stone and also rendering the calcined magnesia available at a most convenient production point, considering the cost of delivery throughout the steel industry. The selection of a process depending solely upon the dolomite as a source of magnesia also necessarily entails production of the lime content of the dolomite as a by-product. It was recognized that if such a lime by-product could be produced in a suitable form, a plant location in northwestern Ohio would also be advantageous for marketing the lime. The problem, therefore, was the discovery and development of a low-cost process for separating the magnesia and lime of the dolomite of northwestern Ohio and producing each in a form relatively free from the other, and meeting the respective requirements of established markets. A satisfactory solution of this problem has been found, and it is the

Jan 1, 1947

By Stanley Arnot

THE Mother Lode district in California is probably better known as the land of Bret Harte and Mark Twain than as a gold-producing district, although in this respect it holds an important place. The history of . quartz mining on the Mother Lode dates back to the '50s, when, after the first fever of the gold rush, men began to look for something more permanent, if not more lucrative, than the placers. Since that time,: the discoveries, shutdowns, and reopenings of the many mines, together, with the varying fortunes of their numerous operators, constitute an: interesting chapter in California history, but one too long to include in a description of mining methods. The district is well situated, so far as physical conditions are concerned. The Mother Lode extends along the western slope of the Sierra . Nevada Mountains, about half way between the crest and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, the country traversed consisting of low rolling hills-typical foot-hills. The elevation varies from 1000 to 1800 ft. and the climate is most desirable. There is an abundance of water, timber is easily obtained from the higher foot-hills a few miles east, and: cheap hydro-electric power is generated practically on the Lode. These natural conditions are conducive to low costs in mining and have been the deciding factor in allowing profitable exploitation of the comparatively low-grade orebodies. Transportation facilities are, not bad. Five branch railroads, from the main trunk lines in the valley, tap the district at intervals of from 10 to 30 miles, the roads connecting these are fairly good for trucking purposes. Labor is made up of several nationalities, the principal ones being American, Spanish, Jugo-Slav, Italian, and Mexican. There were few Mexicans on the Lode prior to 1919, but the shortage of labor, experienced generally by the mining camps of the country in the years following the war, made necessary the hiring of some. The percentage of Mexican labor rapidly increased in 1920 and for a year or so thereafter, but it has now diminished until at most of the mines only a few Mexicans are working. Of the different nationalities, Americans are the most efficient and Mexicans the least.

Jan 9, 1925

By N. S. Wagner, R. S. Mason

The production of lightweight aggregates in Oregon is a new industry, and, like all new enterprises, it is suffering from growing pains characterized by numerous, small operations some of which flourish for a short time and then cease altogether. Norinally all industrial mineral products are produced in a highly competitive atmosphere. At the present time this condition does not exist to a very marked degree in the state because as yet producers have not saturated the constantly expanding market. This paper has been prepared with the intention of outlining very briefly the current status of the various products now heing used as lightweight aggregates in Oregon. The present piche will surely change, perhaps quite radically within even a short space of time. Lightweight Aggregates Used in the Northwest PUMICE Interest in Oregon pumice is not new. Deposits are abundant. Successful development, however, dates only from 1946. During 1948 a total of nine operations was engaged in full or part-time production of aggregate. The postwar building boom and increased public consciousness regarding the value of insulation are the immediate reasons behind the current development. Just how firmly this production of pumice aggregate may be established is something which cannot be foretold at the present time. Much will depend upon how successfully the pumice aggregate construction already installed stands the test of time. Some fine pumice aggregate products have been made and it seems probable that because of its unique properties a certain demand for pumice aggregate will continue in the future. Fire-proof, rodent-proof, decay-resistant properties supplement the lightness in weight and insulation properties of pumice aggregate products in rendering them particularly ideal for many types of construction. In addition there has been fabrication in the form of reinforced fence posts, street markers, and similar products of a specialized-product nature and these are not to be overlooked in terms of future production. Also pertinent to how soundlj pumice aggregate production is established will be possible future competition with other lightweight aggregates. However, this situation will be governed largely by competitive costs of production and marketing. For its present use, which is almost exclusively limited to the manufacturing of building blocks, the market for Oregon pumice aggregate has been extended from the mining area around Rend and Chemult to points as far distant as San Francisco and Seattle. Naturally enough the bulk of the production goes to the Portland and eastern Oregon consumers. Shipments are made by both rail and truck. Early in 1947 the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries made a canvass of all pumice producers in the state. The production for 1956 amounted to 26,614 cu yd and was valued at $13,649 at the plants. The United States Bureau of Mines estimates the production for 1947 as 33,240 short tons valued at $111,380. This is roughly 65,000 cu yd. No data are available for the 1948 production but it is understood to exceed that for 1947. The Oregon pumice occurrences originated largely from the eruption of Mount Mazama, the name of the formerly active volcano and the location of Crater Lake. Other lesser volcanoes throughout the area contributed to the present occurrences, however, and it has been estimated by Moore' that the pumice deposits cover an area of some 3500 square miles. This area lies east of Crater Lake between Bend and Klamath Falls and embraces the southern portion of Deschutes County, the northern part of Klamath County, and the northwest corner of Lake County. Thickness of the pumice ranges from thin skims to local thicknesses of as much as 30 to 40 ft. Fragment size also varies greatly. Any attempt to describe the situation by giving screen analyses would be confusing because of the wide variations to be found in all area of this size. The picture can best be summed up by stating that places showing great variations in fragment size can be found if a search for extremes is made. For mining purposes in connection with aggregate production, it call be stated that miles and miles of pumice exist in which the fragrnent sizes range from an inch or so downward. The usual color of the pumice is a light gray to off-white. A typical pumice analysis shows a silica content of about 69 pct, alumina 15 pct, and sodium oxide about 5 pct. Potash, lime, and water are the next three most abundant constituents, running just a little over 2 pct each. Iron oxides are fairly constant at 2.75 pct. Titanium, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus occur in amounts of less than 1 pct. All of the foregoing substances are combined as a glass exhibiting cellular structure. The weight of crushed but otherwise pit-run (undried) pumice runs around 1100 Ib per cu yd according to figures furnished by various producers. The minimum and maximum weights per cubic yard reported are 1050 and 1400 lb, respectively. The 1400 lb per cu yd pumice contrasts with the pumice from most of the other

Jan 1, 1950

By Charles Barrett

SINCE 1925, when the preferred orientations in compressed aluminum were first determined1, 2 the orientations have been described as a fiber texture in which a face diagonal, [110], of the face-centered cubic lattice is parallel to the compression axis. Subsequent experiments have seemed to confirm this texture,3-5 and a number of theories (recently summarized in references 6 and 7) have been proposed to explain it and to relate it to the behavior of single crystals during compression. 3,8-11 The experiments reported in this paper prove that the orientations are not adequately described as quoted above-i.e., as a [110] fiber texture-although this is a first approximation to the actual texture. They also show that the texture cannot be thought of as a stable orienta-tion that is reached and maintained after a sufficient amount of deforma-tion. The actual texture, when studied in detail at successive stages of compression, indicates that a hitherto unsuspected range of orientations is present, both in the polycrystalline metal as a whole and in various individual grains in its interior, and that a state of dynamic equilibrium exists within this range. The reasons for the failure of previous theories to predict the actual texture become obvious when the heterogeneous nature of the flow is considered. In addition to the deformation texture, the manner of its develop-ment, and its theory, this paper presents data on the following related subjects: the identity of strain markings in aluminum; the orientation changes in aluminum single crystals during compression and a com-parison of these with the conditions in individual grains of a polycrystal-line specimen; the origin of asterism in deformed single crystals, which heretofore has been regarded as a distortion localized at the surfaces of slip planes; and the relation of plastic strain in individual grains in an aggregate to the strain of the whole.

Jan 1, 1939

CONTENTS PAGE WARNER, ROBERT K.-Efficiency of Screening. Discussed by Robert C. Canby,Robert K. Warner, W. 0. Borcherdt, V. E. Flanagan 1 FAHRENWALD, A. W.-Surface Reactions in Flotation. Discussed by Arthur F. Taggart, A. M. Gaudin 7 Efficiency of Screening Discussion of the paper of ROBERT K. WARNER, presented at the New York Meeting, February, 1924, and issued, as Paper No. 1293-M, with MINING AND METALLURGY, January, 1924. ROBERT C. CANBY, Wallingford, Conn.-On page 2, the author speaks of the importance of using a testing sieve clothed with the same material as the screen being studied; does he regard this as essential? In practice, how does the screen efficiency calculated by the difficult-grain method compare with those computed by the usual undersize method? Is it possible by the author's method, to obtain a measure of efficiency that can safely be compared with that of another screen sizing a different ore? ROBERT K. WARNER.-The use of a testing sieve clothed like the mill screen being studied is desirable but not essential for routine work about a mill where the character of the feed varies little, as regards the shape of the grains and the sizing test. Close agreement in size of aperture between the sieve and the screen is, however, important if the data obtained are to be valuable to others working on a different feed. If the testing sieve is coarser than the mill screen, the efficiency will appear unfairly low; whereas if it is too fine one might get efficiencies greater than 100 per cent. because of the apparent oversize in the undersize. In either of these cases the usefulness of the difficult-grain method of calculation would be reduced. As screens wear, the undersize grows appreciably coarser so that it is desirable to test screens only when the cloth is new or else to provide testing sieves that are worn about the same amount. The futility of making efficiency observations on a. distorted or broken screen surface is obvious.

Jan 6, 1924

By George Cole

WHILE many parts of Canada's pre-Cambrian shield are well served by railway, it is frequently necessary for prospecting purposes to proceed farther into areas in-accessible by rail. To such areas in summer the canoe was at one time the accepted means of travel for the prospector while the dog team was much used in winter. Al-though summer travel was much improved by the development of the outboard motor, the lack of facilities for cheap transporta-tion has been a serious hindrance to the employment of capital in opening up the distant fields. The pre-Cambrian surface of Manitoba, like that of Ontario, is hummocky, with rounded hills and ridges of rock alternating with basinlike depressions and valleys oc-cupied by lakes and rivers or by many low-lying portions covered with muskeg. Routes to the mines have not usually been direct or easy and seasonal vagaries have presented problems in themselves. In summer, water transportation may be the cheapest method for the longer dis-tances but it is not every water route that will satisfy the conditions of loading freight onto a boat or scow and of conveying it without interruption to its destination. By its location, a mine may require a large program of boat transportation in summer over part of its route, to be followed by winter freighting for the remainder. In order to carry on development and produc-

Jan 1, 1940

By Francis C. Frary

OF the five metals that now show the highest figures for annual tonnage production in the world, three (iron, copper, and lead) have been known and used by man for many thousands of years. The fourth (zinc) did not come into general use until the Middle Ages. Only the fifth (aluminum) is of, ultramodern origin, as far as mankind is concerned. Discovered in 1825, and first publicly exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1855, aluminum was still so difficult to obtain that it was more expensive than silver, until the development of the dynamo provided cheap electricity and the development of the present electrolytic process for its production made it possible to make large quantities cheaply. Even today, the world production of aluminum is only about one per cent of the world production of iron, although about half that of copper by weight. The increase in production from a few tons to more than a million tons per year began with ,the development of the Hall-Héroult electrolytic process, which was first commercially operated by Mr. Hall's company, The Pittsburgh Reduction Co., in 1888. During the relatively short period of time that has elapsed since that date, it has been necessary to develop all the metallurgical and fabricating information required for the production of useful articles of the metal and its alloys, together with experience in both their production and their use, so as to be able to fit them satisfactorily into their proper places in our complex modern civilization. The fundamental properties upon which the usefulness of aluminum depends are its lightness, workability, resistance to corrosion,

Jan 1, 1953