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By Mark Sheppard

DURING the winter of 1937, the writer visited a West Virginia stone quarry at which the overburden is stripped hydraulically. The quarry is in a bed of limestone, about 200 ft. thick, which outcrops on a hillside above a small river; the quarry face is 175 ft. high. The top of the stone is cut in all directions by erosion channels, which are filled with a tough, red clay. Some of the larger channels are 30 ft. deep and 8 ft. wide. The thickness of the clay overburden ranges from a few inches to 10 ft., the average being estimated as less than 3 feet. The topography of the district is rugged, and the hillside above the quarry face is not suited to the use of the usual mechanical methods of moving dirt. Until hydraulicking was started 10 years ago, the over- burden was dug by hand labor, dumped to the quarry floor and transported to the dump in quarry cars. Cleaning deep channels was a slow and expensive process. When hydraulicking was started, the top of the quarry face was over 200 ft. above the level of the river. The pipe line was carried in a semi- circle around the top of the quarry about 200 ft. from the face and about 50 ft. above it. As there is no adequate supply of water above the quarry, the water must be pumped from the river. As quarrying progressed the pipe line was moved until the discharge points are now over 300 ft. above the river. Water is pumped from the river by a four-stage centrifugal pump having a 5-in. intake and a 4-in. discharge. It is direct-connected to a 200-hp., 2300-volt, 1760-r.p.m. induction motor. At 1760 r.p.m. the rated capacity of the pump is 750 gal. per minute under a head of 600 ft. The pump is installed in a house of frame construction on the river bank, about 10 ft. above normal water level, which also houses the pump for the mill-water supply. Above the pumps are hoisting bays into which the motors are raised whenever the river reaches flood stage. An 8-in. suction line, equipped with a strainer and a foot valve, takes the water from a concrete sump at the edge of the river. The pipe line from the pump consists of 1750 ft. of 8-in. spiral steel flanged pipe and 800 ft. of 4-in. spiral steel flanged pipe. The connection from the pump

Jan 1, 1938

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre¬quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard. existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blasting, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treatment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country; F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By Gerhard Derge

METALLURGISTS have used borax as a fluxing agent traditionally, but until recently elemental boron has played an insignificant role as an alloying element. Neither the metal nor its compounds have been regarded as important metallurgical materials and there is a surprising lack of knowledge concerning their metallurgical behavior. The new applications to steelmaking of both boron and borates, which arose in part from wartime incentives and restrictions, have been seriously handicapped by this lack of data. For example, rasorite, a naturally occurring sodium borate, has been shown to be an effective substitute for aluminum as a ladle deoxidizer in rimming steels.1 Likewise, the effectiveness of boron as an alloying agent has been demonstrated, 2,3 giving deep hardening when used in restricted amounts. The exploitation of both of these uses has been retarded by the difficulty of attaining suitable metallurgical control. Recognizing that the most important information required was a knowledge of the equilibrium between boron and oxygen dissolved in liquid iron, Gurry4 calculated this relation from the best thermal data available. However, estimates of the entropy of melting of boron, the activity coefficient of boron in liquid iron and the activity coefficient of B203 in slag were involved, and experimental work on this problem was obviously desirable. The experiments to be described were planned to establish the boron-oxygen relations in liquid iron and to demonstrate at the same time the ferroborate slag compositions in equilibrium with various amounts of oxygen in liquid iron. Accordingly, slags containing varying proportions of iron and boron oxides were held in contact with molten iron, and samples of both slag and metal were analyzed. The limitations upon the accuracy of the data will be considered, but in a practical sense the oxygen levels that can be attained in iron by iron borate slags, and the amounts of boron in iron at these oxygen levels were established. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE No entirely suitable refractory was found for the mixtures of iron oxide and boron oxide used as slags. Crucibles of silica, magnesia, Ramix, beryllia, and zirconia were all tried unsuccessfully. The most satisfactory method discovered for handling them was the rotating-crucible technique, which creates a parabolic crucible of liquid iron 5,6 Even this was not entirely successful, for at steelmaking temperatures (1600°C.) the slags had such a low surface tension that they crept up to the refractory and slowly dissolved it. These difficulties made it impossible to maintain a constant slag composition for an unlimited period of time. However, by using the rotating

Jan 1, 1946

By O. C. Ralston

Flotation is now commonly practiced in alkaline ore pulps, yet little is known regarding the action of the alkaline solutions on the ore particles beyond the fact that films of oxidized material form. We wish to chronicle our discovery of the presence of soluble reducing agents in alkaline ore pulps of the United Verde, and present some data on lime consumption. During the grinding and flotation of a pyritic ore containing small amounts of ferrous sulfate and other soluble salts, an excess of lime was added to precipitate the salts, and filtered samples of the solution were titrated with standard permanganate solution. Even in pulps of high causticity an appreciable permanganate titration was always obtained, in spite of the fact that the solutions were shown to contain little iron. Investigation of the cause brought about the discovery of several previously unsuspected compounds in flotation pulps made from pyritic ore. Not only the reducing agents present had to be identified, but also the amount of dissolved oxygen, and a survey was finally made of the free oxygen content and reducing agents of the mill pulp in the concentrating mill at Clarkdale. A great many compounds might form, caused by oxidation of pyrite or other metal sulfides or by reaction between a lime solution and pyrite. The most probable compounds considered were calcium sulfides, polysul-fides, thiosulfates, and polythionates. Later it was discovered in the literature that in alkaline pulp polythionates do not exist and if introduced are decomposed into sulfites and thiosu1fates.l Any precipitated sulfur is changed by alkali into thiosulfate and polysulfide. Sulfites and sulfides react to form thiosulfate, so that in the end it is possible to have in an alkaline solution only thiosulfate and an excess either of sulfide or sulfite. Confirmatory tests were made and it was finally established that the alkaline mill pulps made from the United Verde ore contained

Jan 1, 1930

By Sam Harlan

At intervals during the past several years the oil industry has been confronted with the problem of forestalling crises in its affairs. These crises have been reduced to periods of depression which, fortunately, the industry has been able to survive. Under the existing competitive practices which control the producing division of the industry it apparently has been proved that the best efforts logically to curtail development and producing operations are inadequate for effecting a true production balance and the consequent stabilization of prices. The industry is awakening to the fact that the situation warrants revolutionary thought and at this time it is looking for a permanent solution of its problem in a general plan for unit development and operation such as the one first proposed by Henry L. Doherty. Mr. Doherty's proposal was designed not only as a means for stabilizing the industry as a whole, but its principles involve very definite potential benefits for the average individual operator and royalty owner as participants in pooled projects. The benefits to these individuals would be derived from maximum recovery, the maximum utilization of natural energies, the minimization of development and operating costs, enhanced values of leases and royalties through improved efficiencies and ultimate yields, improved earnings through stabilized crude oil prices, etc. This plan was revolutionary to the industry's practices and at the time was rejected, but it now appears that the development and operating policies for new properties are continually approaching the ideal of the original plan. Oil companies are constantly extending their efforts to improve all factors that have a bearing on the costs and efficiencies of their operations. These efforts may, in some degree, be a normal outgrowth of the industry's progress, but the forced consideration of market conditions, the growing appreciation of the importance of regulating operations for maximum ultimate economies and the depreciation of the old principle of maximum flush at any cost, come from a new school of thought which has been stimulated by the immediate pressure of overproduction and

Jan 1, 1930

By Eugene P. Pfleider, Jared Scofield

During the past ten years, the trend on the Mesabi Range has been toward the establishment of integrated operations which mine, concentrate, and pelletize the large reserves of magnetic taconite. However, since the supply of open-pit ores of acceptable quality is by no means inexhaustible, it has been proposed that it be supplemented by developing the magnetic taconites that extend down dip past the economic limits for open-pit methods. In Phase I of a long range study, Pfleider and Yardley1 collected information on the general character of the Mesabi iron formation at depth and proposed that an underground lane-and-pillar mining system be considered to extract those high grade layers where they might exist over a considerably areal extent. An approximate cost estimate was included initially, with the thought of later developing a feasibility study as time permitted.

Jan 9, 1967

By A. R. Denison

To those who are unfamiliar with the nomenclature in common use among operators in the Mid-Continent, the Permian Basin is a term to cover several widely separated productive areas. It includes what is designated in trade journals as the Panhandle fields, the West Texas fields and Southeastern New Mexico fields. It is bounded roughly on the east by the 100th parallel, on the west by the 104th parallel, 011 thr south by the Rio Grande River and various mountain ranges and on the north by the north line of the Texas Panhandle. The name is derived from the location of these three widely scattered areas which are all in a broad geosyncline which is chiefly filled with sediments of Perrliian age. The oil fields as now known and the approximate limits of the Permian Basin are shown in Fig. 1. The major part of the production in these areas comes from liniestonc or dolomite of Permian age. Some granite wash and sandstone production has been developed but ordinarily does not yield as large initial production as the limestone or dolorliite. Introduction During 1926, Texas, exclusive of the Gulf Coast, produced 12G1SS-1,-952 bbl. of oil,' of which 40,727,877 bbl., or 32 per cent., was produccd in the West Texas Permian Basin. During 1927 the same area in Texas produced 167,176,000 bbl. %f oil, of which 89,779,000 bbL13 or 52 per cent., was produced in the West Texas Permian Basin. The increase in the total production of Texas is about equivalent to the increase in production in the Permian Basin. Since production in the Panliandle District declined during the entire year, the increase of production in the West Texas Permian Basin, and also the increase in Texas, is due to the enormous increase from the West Texas fields. Daily average pl-oduction in the West Texas fields increased from 68,211 bbl. on ,Jan. 8 to

Jan 1, 1928

By J. B. Rather

The use of sulfuric acid in refining illuminating oils antedates the beginning of the petroleum industry in America by many years. It was used as early as 1792 by Tower in refining "coal oil" in the British Isles, and by 1860 there were 53 refineries in the United States manufacturing "coal oil," most of them using sulfuric acid as a refining agent. Following the completion of the Drake well in 1859, many of the "coal oil" refiners began to use petroleum for manufacturing illuminating oil, and their methods and equipment were adapted so far as possible to this new raw material. The value of sulfuric acid in refining L'coal oil" having been established, this reagent was immediately tried and found to be satisfactory in refining petroleum. Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in petroleum technology since that time, sulfuric acid remains today the most valuable and most widely used means for refining petroleum products. Early Methods of Disposal of Acid Sludge With the almost immediate expansion of the petrolrum industry came the problem of disposing of the acid sludge produced in the refining operations. While in 1859, the year of the discovery of the Drake well, a patent was granted for sludge separation and separated acid concrntration, most of the earlier refiners, and rnany of their successors, felt that separation and recovery of spent acid was uneconomical. Accordingly, many of then) disposed of the sludge in any way that seemed expedient nt the time. It was huricd in the refinery grounds, harged and tlurnped at sea, run into neighboring streams, or dumped into sewers. Some optimists carted it to open pits in the hope that it would eithcr sink into the ground or evaporate. Not so many years ago, the superintendent of nn eastern refinery, who was using the open-pit method of disposal, lost, a sludge cart, with horse attached, in such a pit. The horse was recovred almost immediately, but its availability for further use was reduced to zero by the loss of its hair.

Jan 1, 1928

By Waldemar Lindgren

During the last 15 years much attention has been given to the " contact-metamorphic" ore deposits which mainly occur in limestone close to intrusive contacts. In general, these deposits are characterized by the association of magnetite and simple sulphides with the so-called L'contact-metamorphic" silicates. These silicates comprise garnet, epidote, vesuvianite, tremolite, wollastonite, diopside, hedenbergite, ilvaite, and many other rarer forms. The contact-metamorphic zones contain also in places minerals with boron, fluorine, and chlorine, like axinite, tourmaline, danburite, fluorite, and scapolite. There is also more or less quartz and coarsely recrystallized calcite. The simple sulphides embrace pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena, zincblende, more rarely arsenopyrite. On the whole, sulphantimonides and sulph-arsenides are rare. Deposits of magnetite or chalcopyrite or of both are most common. The deposits have an irregular or rudely tabular form, following main contacts, dike contacts, or stratification planes; they rarely extend for more than 1,500 or 2,000 ft. from the contact; far more commonly they only reach a distance of a few hundred feet from that surface. The deposits are usually formed by replacement of limestone, or allied calcareous rock. Apparently they are found both in relatively pure and in impure carbonate rock. The deposits are geoiogical bodies of a chemical and mineralogical character differing greatly from the adjoining intrusive rock and from the unaltered limestone. They are rich in silica and iron, with more or less of lime, magnesia, alumina, sulphur, and rarer metals like copper. The so-called contact-metamorphic silicates which form the gangue usually are coextensive with the metallic minerals, though of course not necessarily with the merchantable ore. All opinions agree in holding the deposits of epigenetic origin, later than the inclosing limestone. Regarding the origin of the metals and the genesis of the ores there are several opinions. 1. There are those who see in these deposits the result of concentration of material contained in the intrusive rocks by means of hot circulating

Jan 1, 1915

By K. M. Weigert

The position of the three-phase field between the alpha and the beta phases was established. The exact location differs from previous assumptions. The extremely high strength and hardness values were found near the phase boundaries of the ternary compositions. IN 1929, UenoL investigated vertical sections of the Ag-Cu-Zn diagram at constant silver and zinc values. From the evaluation of cooling curves and microscopic studies, he concluded that there was no evidence of a three-phase field in the solid state between the a and ,8 fields. The failure to find evidence for this field was due to the fact that it exists only in a very narrow range of compositions and requires special methods of heat treatment to establish phase equilibrium. In a later publication on the same subject Keinert2 rearranged Ueno's diagrams to conform with the basic phase rules. The existence of a three-phase field was postulated in the solid state between the a phases and the homogeneous ,9 phase between the Cu-Zn and the Ag-Zn binary border systems. The approximate location was based on a few microscopic observations of the structure and it was pointed out that the exact position could be determined only by a larger number of experiments. In the twenty years following these investigations alloys of Ag-Cu-Zn have become of general interest due to various technical applications, principally for brazing. In the course of an overall investigation of the physical properties of ternary Ag-Cu-Zn alloys the author found extremely high values of hardness and strength in alloys of compositions between the a and the yS fields. The exact location of the intermediate phase fields was established by the evaluation of more than a hundred cooling curves and microscopic mountings. Experimental Procedures Preparation of Test Samples: At the beginning of the investigation samples were chillcast into Vi in. diameter iron molds to determine hardness, strength, and the mechanism of primary crystallization. These

Jan 1, 1955

By John Guillermo Bartram

The oil industry continued relatively quiet in Wyoming in 1935, although production increased about 8 per cent over the previous year; 55 oil wells were completed in 1935, compared to 34 in 1934, and at the end of the year 44 wells were drilling, 33 in proven fields and 11 in wildcat locations. The total drilling a year ago was only 30. In the year 1935 Wyoming produced a total of 13,451,000 bbl. of oil, a gain of 912,000 bbl. over the 1934 figure of 12,539,000 bbl. Approxi-mately two-thirds of the increase, or 630,000 bbl., was from black oil fields and one-third, or 285,000 bbl., from light oil pools. Salt Creek, with production of 6,357,000 bbl., is still many times the largest field in Wyoming but in 1935 it made less than 50 per cent of the state's total, after producing more than all other fields in the state for 24 years; however, its decline was only 3.8 per cent from the previous year. Oregon Basin, a black oil field, held second place again with production of 1,163,-000 bbl., a good increase over 1934. Grass Creek, with increases in both its light and black oil, jumped into third place; and Lance Creek, with its new Sundance light oil production, was in fourth place in the amount of production. Frannie, which was in third place in 1934, dropped far back on the list because of lack of market. Byron and Garland, two other black oil fields in the Big Horn Basin, increased considerably. Big Muddy, a prominent light-oil field, was down with a natural decline; and Elk Basin, also light oil, produced less because of market conditions. During 1934 only three gas wells were drilled in Wyoming and 29 dry holes, 13 in proven fields and 16 at wildcat locations. Of the latter, 5 were on wildcat structures of considerable interest. Of the 55 wells completed during the year, 53 were in proven fields and of these 17 were small ones in the shallow Osage field and 10 were light-oil wells good for 1500 to 3000 bbl. each in the Lance Creek field. Discoveries Two of the oil wells were discoveries at Medicine Bow and Sheep Creek. Medicine Bow is a very large anticline with more than 3500 ft. of closure and is located in Carbon County in the south-central part of the state. In 1923 it showed some oil in the Upper Cretaceous Frontier

Jan 1, 1936

By John Guillermo Bartram

The oil industry continued relatively quiet in Wyoming in 1935, although production increased about 8 per cent over the previous year; 55 oil wells were completed in 1935, compared to 34 in 1934, and at the end of the year 44 wells were drilling, 33 in proven fields and 11 in wildcat locations. The total drilling a year ago was only 30. In the year 1935 Wyoming produced a total of 13,451,000 bbl. of oil, a gain of 912,000 bbl. over the 1934 figure of 12,539,000 bbl. Approxi-mately two-thirds of the increase, or 630,000 bbl., was from black oil fields and one-third, or 285,000 bbl., from light oil pools. Salt Creek, with production of 6,357,000 bbl., is still many times the largest field in Wyoming but in 1935 it made less than 50 per cent of the state's total, after producing more than all other fields in the state for 24 years; however, its decline was only 3.8 per cent from the previous year. Oregon Basin, a black oil field, held second place again with production of 1,163,-000 bbl., a good increase over 1934. Grass Creek, with increases in both its light and black oil, jumped into third place; and Lance Creek, with its new Sundance light oil production, was in fourth place in the amount of production. Frannie, which was in third place in 1934, dropped far back on the list because of lack of market. Byron and Garland, two other black oil fields in the Big Horn Basin, increased considerably. Big Muddy, a prominent light-oil field, was down with a natural decline; and Elk Basin, also light oil, produced less because of market conditions. During 1934 only three gas wells were drilled in Wyoming and 29 dry holes, 13 in proven fields and 16 at wildcat locations. Of the latter, 5 were on wildcat structures of considerable interest. Of the 55 wells completed during the year, 53 were in proven fields and of these 17 were small ones in the shallow Osage field and 10 were light-oil wells good for 1500 to 3000 bbl. each in the Lance Creek field. Discoveries Two of the oil wells were discoveries at Medicine Bow and Sheep Creek. Medicine Bow is a very large anticline with more than 3500 ft. of closure and is located in Carbon County in the south-central part of the state. In 1923 it showed some oil in the Upper Cretaceous Frontier

Jan 1, 1936

By Robert Linton

IN 1898, Joseph L. Giroux and J. A. Snedaker organized the Pilot Knob Copper Co. and began developing the Pilot Knob mine at Kimberly, Nev., for high-grade copper ores, carrying good gold and silver values that the formation had disclosed. At that time the nearest railroad was over 150 mi. distant. The high-grade ores did not prove to be extensive at this point-at least to the depth. (240 ft.) to which the work was carried-but development of neighboring claims indicated extensive deposits of sulfide porphyry ore of concentrating grade lying at shallow depth, and deeper deposits of direct-smelting oxidized ores occurring in limestone near the limestone-porphyry contact. The properties passed through the hands of several organizations, with only meager development, until acquired in 1913 by Consolidated Coppermines Co., whose holdings now comprise 3480 acres of mining claims in the Robinson district. Since that time development has been prosecuted more actively; and for the purpose of determining the most efficient and economical method of treating the ores, considerable testing work has been done during the past three years, both in the laboratory and in actual mill operations. At first, the shipments were of ore high enough in grade to be profitable even with the long wagon hauls to the railroad and prevailing freight and smelting charges. In 1905, a blast furnace and a concentrator were erected at Kimberly. On account of insufficient ore supply, the blast furnace was never blown in and later was dismantled. The concentrator as originally equipped wag operated for only about two months, both because the ore supply was not sufficient and because gravity concentration did not yield satisfactory extraction. The location and arrangement of the mill further entailed high operating costs. In 1908, the Nevada Consolidated Copper Co. began to mill successfully, on a large scale, its sulfide porphyry ores, which are similar in character to the adjacent Coppermines ores. After that time, all of the ores and concentrates produced by Coppermines Company were

Jan 8, 1920

By A. W. Fahrenwald

The function of the c1assifier in modern fine-grinding practice is to remove a finished product from the grinding-mill discharge, leaving material that needs further comminution. The classifier, therefore, makes two products: (1) "finished" product, which overflows the rim of the classifier tank, sometimes referred to as "slimes" or as "classifier overflow," and (2) "unfinished" product, which settles to the sloping bottom of the classifier tank and is removed by dragging or raking. This product is generally referred to as "sands" or "oversize." One of the outstanding features of the closed-circuit classifier is its ability automatically to return the unfinished product of the ball-mill discharge to the feed end or scoop box of the ball mill. This is a distinct advantage because it avoids dilution of the ball-mill feed, and, furthermore, the particu1ar method of removing the settled sand, by raking it up the inclined bottom of the classifier, gives a classifier discharge containing a minimum of water. This leads to maximum classifier efficiency, in this type of classifier, because the maximum volume of water is displaced upward by the settling sands. The closed-circuit classifier is required to deliver a finished pulp of closely specified density requirements, therefore added hydraulic water generally is not permitted. Relation of Classifier Efficiency to Grinding Efficiency The energy of crushing, and therefore the cost, according to Rittinger's Law,l is proportional to the new surface exposed in crushing. Since the new surface produced in crushing is nearly proportional to the reciprocals of the diameters crushed to, it is obvious that the cost of crushing in the finer sizes is tremendously greater than in the coarser sizes for equal ratios of reduction. High circulating load of finished sand in the circuit of the classifier and grinding mill is therefore obviously expensive practice. It is the classifier's function to reduce this to a miniMum.

Jan 1, 1930

By J. Gordon Parr, D. H. Polonis

High purity alloys of titanium and iron, made by a technique of levitation melting, have been investigated with particular reference to martensite formation and decomposition in the hypoeutectoid range. A preliminary study has been made of the occurrence of the phase corresponding to the structure Ti2Fe. MANY of the previous investigations of Fe-Ti alloys have been made using Kroll sponge as a source of titanium; and the subsequent heat treatments to which alloys have been subjected has, on occasion, led to further contamination. Worrier,',' who suggested a part of the equilibrium diagram for the binary system, and Wallbaum and coworkers,3-5 who worked largely with iron-rich alloys, all used Kroll sponge. Van Thyne, Kessler, and Hansen,6 in their determination of the equilibrium diagram, used iodide titanium for alloys up to 30 pct Fe. Duwez,7 who measured the M. temperature of titanium binary alloys with many solute elements, used iodide titanium in all cases except in his work on Ti-Fe alloys for which he used Kroll sponge. The investigation of the supposed phase Ti2Fe by Rostoker8 nvolved the use of iodide titanium. A section of the constitutional diagram, after Van Thyne et al., is reproduced in Fig. 1. Frequently too much stress is placed on the effect of contaminants in equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems, but there is no doubt that titanium alloys are extremely susceptible to interstitial atoms. Consequently, the main purpose of the work to be described was to determine those features of phase transformations in pure Ti-Fe alloys that were considered of importance in commercial heat treatments. For, although commercial alloys may not be of high purity, the investigation of a system uncomplicated by traces of impurity is a desirable starting point. Another incidental feature, the occurrence of Ti2Fe, was also investigated. The entire study was carried out using powders obtained from alloy ingots, for diffusion reactions are often more rapid in small particles than in bulk specimens. The frequently adopted practice of ascertaining phase constitutions by X-ray analysis of powders, and relating these to the microstructures and mechanical properties of bulk specimens, is considered by the authors to be open to criticism. In the martensite reactions in the Fe-Mn system, for example, it has been shown- hat similar phase distributions in solid and powder may result in different hardness values and appearance under the microscope; and it is possible that similar anomalies might occur in the Ti-Fe system. Consequently, in order to

Jan 1, 1955

By M. Schussler, J. S. Brunhouse

Arc-melted and electron-beam melted tantalum in the cold-worked and the recrystallized conditions showed high strength, good tensile ductility, and excellent notch toughness down to 321°F. Arc-melted material, containing moderate amounts of interstitials, possessed better short-time strength than higher purity electron-beam melted material up to 2000°F. Cold-working substantially strengthened arc-melted tantalum, whereas electron-beam melted material exhibited a low work-hardening rate and possessed better formability characteristics. With identical compositions and microstructures, the mechanical properties of melted tantalum and uacuum-sintered tantalum should be similar. TANTALUM metal usage is increasing rapidly in a number of applications. The outstanding chemical corrosion resistance of tantalum accounts for its applications in chemical processing equipment for severe service conditions and for surgical uses in the medical field. The largest present requirements for tantalum are in the electronics industry, where its special properties are useful in capacitors. The high melting point (5425°F) and inherent ductility of tantalum also suggest that tantalum and tantalum-base alloys might offer an excellent combination of high strength at very high temperatures and good fabri-cability. Pure tantalum has been used in significant amounts in parts requiring high-temperature strength, such as heating elements, reflectors, and heat shields in high-vacuum high-temperature furnaces and in electronic tubes. A few very promising tantalum-base alloys have been developed and are being investigated extensively. The possibilities for tantalum as a high-temperature structural material, either unalloyed or alloyed, will become better defined when more extensive mechanical property data are known. pughl measured the tensile properties of vacuum-sintered tantalum in sheet form for the temperature range of 78" to 1500°K (-321' to 2240°F), and Bechtold reported data obtained at low temperatures.' Drennen3 determined creep and stress-rupture properties of both vacuum-sintered and arc-melted tantalum sheet at 1200 °F. Some additional data on the mechanical properties of tantalum at temperatures up to 5000 °F have been summarized elsewhere.4'5 It is probable that large structural shapes of tantalum, either unalloyed or alloyed, can most readily be produced from ingots prepared by melting. Consequently, the present investigation was undertaken to determine more extensive short-time mechanical properties of tantalum metal consolidated by melting. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Melting and Fabrication—Two tantalum ingots were utilized in this study to obtain information on the effect of interstitial elements on mechanical properties. Both ingots were melted from Union Carbide Metals Co. tantalum dendrites.

Jan 1, 1961

By W. E. Rice

The ceramic industry has to do with forming or molding articles of clay, and imparting to them their characteristic properties of permanence, strength and color by subjecting them to heat treatment in kilns. This heat treatment is commonly known as "firing" or "burning." The art of firing clay ware antedates the industrial use of coal; hence wood was the fuel first used, and the earliest kilns were built to burn wood. The majority of the clay ware produced today is fired in periodic kilns that are essentially enlarged structures similar to the earliest enclosed kilns; a kiln consists of a large chamber 16 to 32 ft. dia. (or rectangular) in which the ware is charged and fired either in direct contact with flame or hot gases from the fuel, or in saggers which shield the ware from direct contact with the gases. The fuel is burned in a number of small furnaces built in the thick wall that encloses the chamber; these furnaces are from 16 to 36 in. wide and from 3 to 5 ft. long; some of them have horizontal or sloping grates, but many have no grates; the last are called "dead-bottom" furnaces. The temperature necessary to mature the charge in the kiln varies for different clays; for some it is as low as 1800°, and for others as high as 2700" F. Wood was an ideal fuel for the low temperatures that were used in early kilns; it burns freely and produces a long, clean flame, which promotes uniform distribution of the heat in the kiln; it does not coke and so restrict the passage of air through the fuel bed; the ash does not melt in the fuel bed to form clinker; and the ash that is carried into the chamber and deposited on the charge does not contain iron and sulfur to discolor the clay. The extent of the ceramic industry now precludes the general use of wood in kilns, so that today this industry is one of the large users of bituminous coal, burning more than eight million tons annually in kilns. Manufacturing plants usually are at or near the source of clay, with deposits of coal suitable for kilns occurring near the clay. The cost of coal is the largest single item of expense in the manufacture of clay ware, and, because all coals are not equally suitable for the process, the careful selection of coal is important. In this selection the desidera-

Jan 1, 1932

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized. sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country, F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By John V. Beall

Spots Goblenski fluffed up his pork chop sideburns, checked the angle of his wide brim Stetson and ambled off the airplane. The pert Braniff hostess stood smartly at the door. "Goodbye now, take care," she said in the special airline stewardess voice superimposed on a Texas drawl. Spots smirked, "You betcha, Peaches, you too." It was a crystal clear, sunny day which New York can have at any season of the year (but rarely gets credit for) and being in high spirits Spots did not mind being captured by a cab driver. That is the cab driver brushed aside all other conversation to give a continuous colorful commentary on New York politics, revealing in the process that only the very wealthy and cab drivers share the same political views in that city. After installing himself in the fading opulence of the Hotel Roosevelt, he finished the day with a steak dinner with baked potato under sour cream and hearts of lettuce salad with Roquefort dressing at the Black Angus restaurant. The next morning he had an appointment with Hemphill, Frye and Louderdock. The offices of this prestigious firm of management consultants are high in the Pan Am Building. He was courteously received by a lacquered receptionist and was soon escorted into the presence of Mr. John Smith. "Ah, Mr. Goblenski; Spots, isn't it? Hope you had a good flight. Lovely weather we are having. Just make yourself comfortable over there, Spots." Smith seemed cordial and Spots slipped comfortably into the interview. He had always thought that management consultants were evolved from the "efficiency experts" made famous by the radio team, Amos and Andy. He associated the modern version with computers, PERT and other systems approaches. He was surprised that one of these firms was apparently acting as an employment agency. "Of course" continued Smith, "in evaluation of basic criteria of performance moduli, the human element enters, Spots, and that brings us to you." Spots sat up and focused his attention.

Jan 1, 1970

By Euclid P. Worden

In 1977, an article in World Mining1 reported a total of 2726 rotary blasthole drills in service. This figure included only those machines produced by three of the manufacturers building drills of this type. The total, therefore, is much higher. Rotary drilling in the mining industry is big business to the manufacturers and suppliers involved, and a significant cost item to mine operators. The time has come to take a hard look at rotary drilling technology with an eye to reducing costs by increasing drilling efficiency. The efficiency of any rotary drilling operation is best measured in terms of the rate of penetration achieved by the bit. In blast hole drilling, there are five factors which affect the rate of penetration. They are: (1) bit selection, (2) weight on the bit, (3) rotary speed, (4) hole cleaning, and (5) formation properties. Of these factors, all but one may be controlled by the operator. Looking at any one in detail may reveal possible improvements in the system. One of these factors -- proper hole cleaning - will be discussed in this paper. In order for a bit to perform at its maximum capability, each tooth or insert should strike fresh clean rock as it falls into its drilling position. If the tooth or insert lands on previously drilled cuttings, a major portion of the energy delivered to the bit is absorbed in redrilling this broken material. A major portion of the interest, therefore, should be directed to the proper cleaning of the bottom of the hole. In an in-depth study of the cleaning of large diameter holes, Allen2 reports that horizontal air velocities of 38.10 m/s are necessary to prevent the saltation of drilled cuttings on the bottom of the hole. The exact flow pattern on the bottom of the hole, however, is not generally known. The air leaves the bit through the jet nozzles and the mouths of the cones, but where it goes from there is uncertain. This problem should be investigated by the bit manufacturers because they can best utilize the results of such an investigation to provide a more effective product. Some work has been initiated in this area and competition will probably increase its intensity. Bailing velocity is the best criteria to measure the cleaning of the hole, including the bottom, and is the factor on which efforts toward improvement must be concentrated. The first consideration is "What should the bailing velocity really be?" In drilling deep holes for oil and gas, 15.24 m/s is the generally accepted figure. In blasthole drilling, the figures of 25.40 m/s for average rock to 35.56 m/s for iron ore were first mentioned by Capp3 in 1962. The recommendations are the same to this day. A number of questions could be asked in regard to the apparent disparity between these two sets of figures. Various investigators have derived formulas which support one or another of these criteria. A thesis on the subject was written by Alexander4 who derived a formula based on research which resulted in velocities in the lower end of the ranges quoted previously. He set out to compare this figure to laboratory tests and his tests indicated that the velocities given by the derived formula appeared to be high.1 Perhaps the best reason that the 25.40 to 35.56 m/s range has been used, is that these velocities seem to work. Below the accepted figures, low bit life and slow penetration rates occur. Above these figures, increasing amounts of abrasive wear on the drill pipe and stabilizers seem to appear. There is a fallacy to this entire approach, however. The entire velocity calculation is made using nominal bit and pipe sizes and compressor deliveries with no compensation made for losses in the system. Perhaps an examination of some of the things that are not presently considered could lead to some practical improvements in the operation.

Jan 1, 1980