Discussion Of The Non-Metallic Minerals Papers Presented At The New York Meeting, February, 1925

CONTENTS PAGE THOENEN, J. R.-Limestone Production as a Mining Problem. Discussed by Oliver Bowles, J. T. Singewald, S. R. Russell 1 GRIGGS, C. C.-Engineering in Limestone Production. Discussed by W. C. Phalen, John Rice, Samuel M. Shallcross, Oliver Bowles, Nathan C. Rockwood, George Milliron 2 WILDER, FRANK A.-Rotary Calciners for Gypsum. Discussed by L. K. Arm-strong 9 PORTER, JOHN J.-Manufacturing Problems of Cement Industry. Discussed by Samuel M. Shallcross 9 KIRKHAM, VIRGIL R. D.-Phosphate Deposits of Idaho and Their Relation to the World Supply. Discussed by F. A. Wilder, S. L. Willis, G. R. Mansfield, R. W. Stone, L. K. Armstrong 9 Limestone Production as a Mining Problem Discussion of the paper of J. R. THOENEN, presented at the New York Meeting, February, 1925, and issued, as Paper 1417-H, with MINING AND METALLURGY, February, 1925. OLIVER BOWLES, New Brunswick, N. J.-I am so thoroughly convinced of the growing importance of underground work in the production of limestone that I had the author make a detailed study of limestone mining for the Bureau of Mines and prepare a report on the principles of limestone mining. Many limestone operators, long accustomed to open¬pit work, are being forced to mining. About 6 months ago I thought there were twenty-five or thirty underground limestone operations in the United States but the author has been finding new ones until his list now runs nearer sixty. Some of these are very extensive; one at least has 4 ½ miles of underground workings. There is an ever-expanding field for the engineer in the operation of limestone mines and quarries. Some of the larger companies realize the need of skilled engineering advice, but many of the companies regard the engineer as an unnecessary expense. Although almost every metal mine, even those handling only a few hundred tons of ore per month, employs a mining engineer, many limestone operations ten times as large employ no mining engineers. Few mining engineers are at all familiar