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By John R. M. Hill, Gerald Zink, Fun-Den Wang

The work described in this paper is sponsored by the Bureau of Mines for the purpose of accelerating the drilling of roof bolt holes and reducing the quantity of materials needed to fill each hole. A high-speed, small-hole drill has been fabricated and tested in the laboratory. High Priority has been given to safety, reliability, and compatibility with underground coal mining practice. The combination of drag bits and erosion jets is designed for high penetration rate, long wear life, and uniform hole size in a variety of sedimentary strata. A reliable high-pressure, high-speed swivel feeds water to the bit at about 4 L/min (1 gpm). The duplex hydraulic intensifier which drives the jets has a 40-kW (30-hp) capacity. Results of recent full-scale laboratory testing (Now. 1977) are presented.

Jan 12, 1979

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the, names of those persons who became members during the period June 10 to July 10, 1914: Members ALDRICH, HAROLD W., Supt. of Leaching Plant, Washoe Red. Wks., Anaconda Copper Co., Anaconda, Mont. AYER, FRANK ASHTON, Mine Foreman.. ..Detroit Copper Co., Morenci, Ariz. BELL, ARTHUR F. L., Chief Engr., Associated Oil Co.., 817 Sharon Bldg., San Francisco, Cal. BERGMAN, JULIUS GUSTAF, Mech. Engr., Chief Draftsman, Arizona Copper Co. Morenci, Ariz. BURT, CURTIS F., Min. Engr., Pittsburg-Dolores Mining Co., Rockland, via Yerington, Nev. CALLAWAY SCOTT DAVID, Chem La Harpe Smelter Co., La Harpe, Kan. CAMPBELL, W. C., Min. Engr 4 Princess St., Roodeport, Transvaal, So. Af. CARROLL, GEORGE A., Genl. Mgr Kildare Min. Co., Manson, B. C., Canada. CARUTHERS, JOHN LYTLE, Min. Engr., Asst. Engr., St. Louis, Rocky Mountain & Pacific Co.. Raton. N. M.

Jan 8, 1914

By E. J. Parkins, H. L. Shergold

The paper is divided into two parts. The first part describes an investigation of the effect of temperature on the conditioning and flotation of an ilmenite ore with a 1:l oleic acid-fuel oil mixture as collector. During conditioning the pulp underwent characteristic changes of flocculation, deflocculation and dispersion which were monitored by measuring the power consumption of the conditioner motor. Optimum flotation results were obtained at the end of the deflocculation period. High ilmenite recoveries were obtained at high temperatures and high concentrate grades at low temperatures. The second part of the paper describes a study of the effect of temperature on the adsorption of oleic acid at the ilmenite/water interface. At high adsorption densities it was chemical and exothermic. Contact angles showed that the hydrophobicity of the collector-coated minerals increased with an increase in temperature.

Jan 1, 1976

Although Australia is the world's second biggest producer of iron ore, the last few years have not been easy for companies in Western Australia's Pilbara region (see map) where more than 90% of the nation's iron ore is produced. For at least two years, the industry has been plagued by dwindling markets abroad, production-crippling strikes at home, skyrocketing costs (well above the official 13% annual inflation rate), an acute shortage of investment capital, increasingly ferocious competition from foreign iron ore producers-and, as if all this weren't enough, by an over-valued currency that has caused incalculable damage not only to iron ore producers but to the entire mining industry of Australia. (This last problem was mitigated less than two months ago, on November 28, 1976, when the Australian dollar was devalued by a whopping 17 1/2%.)

Jan 1, 1977

By E. S. Bardwell

Each of the three refining furnaces in use at Great Falls is provided with a waste-heat boiler. The general arrangement of furnace and boiler is as shown in Fig. 1. Two of the furnaces have hearths 45 ft. 7 in. by 14 ft. 6 in.; the third has a hearth 46 ft. 101/2 in. long and of the same width as the other two. The furnaces at present are equipped for firing with natural gas. As originally constructed two of the furnaces had hearths 36 by 14 ft., and were designed to use coal on grates, but these furnaces were lengthened and fired successively with pulverized coal and oil. The third furnace was added in 1926 and was oil-fired until 1928. Since that year natural gas has been in use on all of the furnaces. The changes that have occurred in connection with furnace design and the comparative performance of the furnaces with various fuels were described1 by the author in 1932. Two of the furnaces are provided with Stirling class A-30 boiler. rated at 400 hp. and having 4008 sq. ft. of heating surface. The thir furnace has a class A-21 Stirling waste-heat boiler rated at 300 hp. with 2805 sq. ft. of heating surface. The boilers are not baffled. The waste-heat boilers are placed on a platform 17 ft. 3 in. above the level of the furnace charge floor. The waste gases from the furnace pass by a vertical uptake flue, 4 by 3 ft. inside at the point where it enters the chamber, to a brick chamber from which the gases pass over a bridge wall and into the boiler setting. The uptake flue and chamber are constructed of silica brick. Each furnace has a steel stack 125 ft. high, measured from the boiler floor. The stacks have a 41/2-in. firebrick lining and are 5 ft. in diameter

Jan 1, 1934

William Metcalf, Pittsburg, Pa. (communication to the Secretary*): I am greatly pleased that some one has at last reached what I have long regarded as the only rational explanation yet given of the reasons why steel hardens. Mr. Field claims originality; and doubtless he is entitled to it, but not to priority, mhich must be granted to Prof. John W. Langley.' The difference between them is that Langley says " Tension, probably molecular," and Field says " Tension, probably atomic "; in either case the vital thing after solution is tension. Mr. Field's argument carries with it the idea of increase of density with hardness; if he mill study the facts farther he will observe that the case is just the reverse; that is, the greater the hardness the less the specific gravity; it was just this fact that led Langley to his conclusion, in mhich I have always concurred. Field agrees with Langley that the first requisite for perfect hardening is complete solution of the carbon, not combination; and all of the facts agree with this conclusion. The fact that increase of hardness causes reduction of density was first brought to my notice some 40 years ago, when Major William Wade was testing Jones & Laughlin's cold-rolled iron, and I mas his assistant. We found the well-known increase of tenacity, compressive strength, torsional resistance, and hardness. Specific-gravity tests showed that the cold-rolled iron was less dense than the hot-rolled bars. Major Wade was so surprised at this result that he gave me a lot of samples to weigh, saying that he was not satisfied with

Jan 1, 1904

By Edward B. Durham

At the Richmond mecting in February, 1901, I presented for discussion the proposed rail-specifications of Committee No. 1 of the American Section of the International Association for Testing Materials, with a review of their work, and other matters relating to the heat-treatment and chemical composition of steel (Trans., xxxi., 455). In order to bring out the views of our members on the important points referred to, I offered for discussion the following questions and comments (trans., xxxi., 972): " 1. The advantages to be gained by using more metal in the flanges and web of the heavier sections of rails.

Jan 1, 1903

Merritt: Karl, you are a native New Englander, having been born in St. Albans, Vermont, in 1885. How did you decide on becoming a mining engineer? Twitchell: While I was attending St. Albans High School, my uncle, who had been the American Consul in Kingston, Ontario, for many years, told me of the excellent mining school there. He also introduced me to a Canadian mining engineer who sparked my interest in mining by noting the possibility of achieving personal success without always being under salary. Well, that appealed to me, so I applied to the Kingston School of Mines at Queen's University.

Jan 9, 1965

By Charles H. Hopkins, J. M. Lohr

A commercial development requiring a suitable alloy or alloys for sealing into various grades of glass made it desirable to have a more exact knowledge of the expansion characteristics of the nickel-iron alloys than appeared in the published literature. The expansion of the more common types of glass under consideration varies from 2.7 to 10.4 X 10-6 per degree Centigrade, over the range 20" to 400' C. For reference, the t,hermal expansion curves of several types of glass used for sealing by the lamp and tube industries are given (Figs. 1 and 2). This paper covers a detailed investigation of the thermal expansion of a series of nickel-iron alloys in which the nickel content varies from 30 to 70 per cent. Particular stress is laid on the alloys that contain between 40 and 55 per cent Ni.

Jan 1, 1939

By Charles H. Hopkins, J. M. Lohr

A commercial development requiring a suitable alloy or alloys for sealing into various grades of glass made it desirable to have a more exact knowledge of the expansion characteristics of the nickel-iron alloys than appeared in the published literature. The expansion of the more common types of glass under consideration varies from 2.7 to 10.4 X 10-6 per degree Centigrade, over the range 20" to 400' C. For reference, the t,hermal expansion curves of several types of glass used for sealing by the lamp and tube industries are given (Figs. 1 and 2). This paper covers a detailed investigation of the thermal expansion of a series of nickel-iron alloys in which the nickel content varies from 30 to 70 per cent. Particular stress is laid on the alloys that contain between 40 and 55 per cent Ni.

Jan 1, 1939

Canada's newest low-grade porphyry copper mine, Gibralter Mines Ltd. (N.P.L.), has reached production. The subsidiary of Placer Development Ltd., located at Williams Lake in the Caraboo District of central British Columbia, began open pit mining in mid-June on reserves estimated at 358 million tons assaying 0.373r: Cu and 0.016C; MoS,. Each of four separate zones will be mined in a predetermined sequence, in one or more stages, and with a throughput of more than 36,000 tpd. The sequence and stages of mining the zones have been determined by computer calculation and economic analysis and are designed to maximize recovery and minimize cost. At the very least, the mine is off to a promising start. Development costs leveled off at $67 million. 9'; below the anticipated budget.

Jan 7, 1972

By George Hale

(The following extracts from Mr. Hale's paper have been made by the Editor, as being of particular interest to our members.) In an address delivered on May 28, at the kind invitation of the Engineering Foundation, I briefly sketched "The War Activities of the National Research Council. "' The wide scope of my subject forced me to touch very lightly upon engineering; I therefore beg permission to return to this phase of the subject. As shown in my earlier address, the' charter membership of the National Academy of Sciences, organized in the midst of the Civil War,

Jan 10, 1918

By M. G. Taverner

Research was conducted into cold briquetting dross arisings and metallurgical coke fines from an Imperial Smelting Furnace (I.S.F.) as an economic means of agglomerating fine materials for smelting in a blast furnace. A mechanism was postulated whereby strong bonds were developed within the briquettes; laboratory scale smelting trials and full scale plant trials are included in the paper with a description of a two tonne/hour briquetting pilot plant. Benefits from smelting briquettes in an I.S.F. were measured directly in metallurgical coke savings and, indirectly, by a significant improvement in sinter plant productivity.

Jan 1, 1977

By Earl Oliver

Page A.I.M.E. Stabilization Committee Activity................. 133 Definition of Capture Rule: Robert E. Hardwicke.......................... 134 Westmoreland Natural Gas Co. vs. DeWitt................ 135 Kelly vs. Ohio Oil Co......................... 135 Bernard vs. Monongahela Gas Co.................... 136 Definition of Ownership in Place..................... 137 Prospective Stabilization Remedies.................... 137 Dean Roscoe Pound's Four Teats of Practicability.............. 137 I. Mechanically Feasible....................... 138 Capture Rule.......................... 138 Ownership in Place....................... 140 Mechanical Separatio.7 Method................. 140 Engineering Appraisal Method................. 141 II. Economically Advisable...................... 143 Capture Rule.......................... 144 Ownership in Place....................... 144 III. Politically Wise.......................... 144 Capture Rule..........................144 Ownership in Place.......................147 IV. Legally Sound..........................148 Capture Rule..........................148 Ownership in Place.......................149 Dean Henry M. Bates' Analysis......................149 Raumé................................152 The A.I.M.E. Stabilization Committee was named in 1932 to ascertain whether some practical substitute could be devised for the Rule of Capture, which was generally credited with being the major cause of instability in the Petroleum Industry. After considerable intercommittee correspondence a letter was received from E. DeGolyer under date of Jan. 25. 1935. in which he discussed the possibility of modifying rather than discarding the Rule of Capture. He summarized his proposal as follows:

Jan 1, 1937

By F. W. Jessen, G. F. Sears

Cavities in massive salt for the purpose of storage of liquid hydrocarbons have assumed a prominent position in recent years. This paper describes a program to facilitate leaching operations for the formation of specifically shaped storage cavities. Various forms and sizes of cavities may be possible through use of the techniques developed. INTRODUCTION The creation of large under ground storage facilities for natural gas and liquified petroleum gases has been practiced for many years. Use of cavities obtained through solution of salt for this purpose is a fairly new and novel approach, but has gained increasing importance due mainly to the economics of this type of mining operation opposed to hard rock mining or surface and pit storage.1 The idea of controlling the shape of any cavity dissolved from massive salt has not been a prime consideration of companies engaged in the formation of storage space. This has been due mainly to an insufficient knowledge of the mechanics of the leaching process and a dearth of published information dealing with both the desirability and ease of control possible for this type of operation. Two distinct advantages are readily ascertainable. From a stability standpoint (i.e., the ability of the completed cavity to withstand stress imposed by overburden pressure and lateral tectonic stresses) a controlled cavity may be generated which will yield the most favorable attitude to these external forces and remain in operable use for longer periods of time.2 A second advantage is that for a given volume, a sphere (which is one controlIed shape possible) represents the minimum surface area exposed. This may become more important in the future when dealing with refrigeration and product losses in underground cavities. The basic solution mining process, without regard for controlling the final shape, is quite simple in that the equipment and materials required to dissolve a cavity in a salt dome or layered salt section are a source of fresh water, a circulating pump, several strings of tubing and a means of disposal of the return brine. To add control measures involves the use of an inert blanket material above the position at which solution proceeds. Initially the annulus of the largest wash pipe is filled with this blanket down to the top of the proposed cavity. The bottom of the proposed cavity is determined by the depth of the original drilled hole or a blanking plug. The blanket material is added incrementally in stages and displaces the water in the enlarging cavity downward. Where the blanket material has displaced the water, no further solution takes place. The rate at which to add this controlling blanket material so as to be able to form specifically shaped cavities of any particular size is of considerable importance. THE PROBLEM It is desirable to have as much information as possible as to the behavior of the mining operation since visual observation obviously is impossible. It would be advantageous, for example, to have a step-by-step program showing how much salt is to be removed, at what rate and the time required. This type of program would facilitate procurement of surface equipment and provide for proper management of manpower requirements, as well as yield a host of intangible benefits. As mentioned earlier, only rule-of-thumb estimates were available until recently and made this type of pre-planned operation haphazardous at best. Recent work3-' has done much to clear up the ambiguities and inaccuracies attendant to solution mining of salt and has helped to place the operation on a more scientific basis. This study attempts to correlate much of the information thus far developed into a complete mining program; to extend the idea of controlled solution mining to include not only spheres, but solid conic sections of the ellipsoidal variety; and to refine the computation of the rate of removal of salt during the various stages of mining. Dommers3 and IIemson4 made extensive laboratory

Jan 1, 1967

By A. P. Young, F. C. Holden

IN many of the early investigations of the aging of titanium alloys, it was observed that the retained beta phase could be aged to a high hardness without an apparent change in microstructure; moreover, in some alloys it was found that even a very rapid quench produced beta having an anomalously high hardness. What appeared to be hard beta phase was designated as "beta prime," to distinguish it from the softer normal retained beta phase. Frost and co-workers'.' demonstrated that the increased hardness is caused by the formation of a metastable phase, omega, which can be identified from its X-ray diffraction pattern. This reaction also has been studied by Brotzen, et a1.,3 and the structure of the omega phase has been published by Silcock, et al.," and by Austin and Doig.3 The X-ray diffraction analysis by Austin and Doig indicated that omega is low in alloy content, approaching the composition of the stable alpha. The aging process proceeds by the path Thus, overaging results in the formation of alpha and the ultimate disappearance of omega. This is accompanied by a decrease in hardness and a recovery of ductility. The present work represents a study of the aging process in a high-purity Ti-6.4 Mn alloy, in which optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and hardness data were correlated. The specimens, 1/8-in. sections cut from 1/4-in.-diam rod, were heated in argon to a temperature just into the beta field (810°C), held for 1 hr, and water-quenched. The aging samples were heated in air for 1 hr at 300 to 500°C. The specimens were ground and mechanically polished, finishing with alternate etching and polishing on a slow-speed wheel to remove disturbed metal from the surface. The surface finally was swab-etched, rinsed with tap water, and air-dried. The etchant used was an aqueous solution containing 1 1/2 pct HF and 3 1/2 pct HNO3. This procedure is identical with that used for preparing metallographic specimens, except that the optimum degree of final etching required for electron microscopy may vary from that used for light microscopy. Metal replicas, backed with silica, were prepared from plastic strip-pings for examination with the electron microscope. Complete details of the procedures used for preparing these replicas are available elsewhere." Fig. 1 shows a comparison between the structures revealed by the electron microscope and those obtained by conventional light microscopy. Hardness and X-ray diffraction data are listed in Table I. No evidence of a second phase is apparent in the optical micrographs for the as-quenched sample, or for the specimens aged at 300 or 400°C; fine alpha particles can be seen in the specimen aged at 500°C. In the electron micrographs, visible equiaxed pocks appear in the as-quenched specimen, and, with increasing density, in the samples aged at 300 and 400°C. After aging at 500°C, the structure becomes markedly coarser and develops an oriented appearance of a second phase, coincident with the appearance of visible alpha particles in the light micrographs. These observations are confirmed by X-ray diffraction and hardness data. In these specimens, aged for 1 hr, the intensity of the omega pattern increases to a maximum at the 400°C aging temperature, corresponding to maximum hardness and the maximum density of pocks in the electron micrographs. At this point the beta phase shows a definite enrichment in Mn. At 500°C, little or no omega re-

Jan 1, 1959

By William R. Webster

At the Richmond mecting in February, 1901, I presented for discussion the proposed rail-specifications of Committee No. 1 of the American Section of the International Association for Testing Materials, with a review of their work, and other matters relating to the heat-treatment and chemical composition of steel (Trans., xxxi., 455). In order to bring out the views of our members on the important points referred to, I offered for discussion the following questions and comments (trans., xxxi., 972): " 1. The advantages to be gained by using more metal in the flanges and web of the heavier sections of rails.

Jan 1, 1903

By G. Y. Chin, M. T. Dolan, W. L. Mammel

The least work analysis of constrained deformation, first proposed by Taylor and recently modified by Chin, Hosford, and Mendorf to include twinning, has been applied to the problem of axisynmetric flow. Calculations were made, for the case of (111}(110) slip and {111}(112) twinning applicable to fcc deformation. The solutions were obtained by linear programming techniques and with the aid of computer methods. The results show that in axisymnzetric tension the onset of twinning tends to decrease the plastic strength anisotropy as compared with the case of defortnation by slip alone. In compression, however, the strength anisotropy is increased as a result of twinning. The [100] and 11111 orientations and their vicinity are unfavorable for twinning in tension and compression, respecticely. With slight modifications, the present results may be applied to bcc metals deform ing by {110}(111j slip and (112} (111) twinning. Implications of present results to wire texture development of low stacking fault energy fcc materials arc discussed. PREVIOUSLY we' have applied linear programming techniques to obtain solutions to Taylor's least work analysis2 of constrained deformation of single crystals undergoing axisymmetric flow, such as occurs in an axially loaded polycrystalline aggregate. These solutions yielded values of the parameter M = o/.r = Y/w which relates the external stress-strain (u-c) curve to the shear stress-shear strain (7-y) curve for the crystal. The value of M is dependent on crystal orientation and hence enters significantly in texture strengthening considerations.3'4 Recently the Taylor hypothesis was modified by Chin, Hosford, and Mendorf' to include mechanical twinning. The latter has now been applied to the problem of axisymmetric flow and the results are reported in this paper. Calculations have been made for {111 )( 110) slip and {111 )(112) twinning applicable to fcc crystals. With minor changes in the indices of the slip and twin systems, the present results are also applicable to bcc crystals which slip on (110) (111) and twin on {112)(111) systems.

Jan 1, 1970

By C. B. Manula, H. Gezik

In planning modem-day mining operations, management needs to pass from the area of subjective decision-making to an area of objective decision-makirlg. Planning procedures currently being practiced by many mine managers depend primarily on common sense and trial-and-error methods which oftentimes never reach optimum solutions. For this reason, an attempt is made to provide an understanding of linear programming to solve production planning problems. More specifically, a linear programming model is proposed to solve the production scheduling problem as it was found to exist in the crushed stone industry. Optimal production scheduling is of prime concern here, since the industry has to cope with seasonal demands for its products. The solution, as determined through the application of the model, provides management not only with an optimal production schedule but also with the following information regarding the improvement of existing facilities: (I) the location of bottlenecks which limit production and profit; (2) the directions in which the company i fixed equipment should be expanded or modified; and (3) the evaluation of unused resources. Future trends in stone production will quite likely parallel those in the construction industry. Continued record expenditures for structures such as dams, highways, and buildings are the reasons for this accelerated growth. Production forecasts for the next decade are predicted to be around one billion tons with an approximate 7% annual increase. The problem of increasing production from 570 million tons in 1966 to 1 billion tons by 1976 offers no small challenge. This situation is further compounded by other problems and economic factors. Population expansion, government regulation, labor agreement, and changes in technology wd cause managers and operators to be confronted by many more complexities than characterize present-day operations. Some of these. problems and economic factors are: (1) In some metropolitan and other urban areas, easily accessible sources of stone are almost depleted. Transportation costs will be a prime concern of the industry. (2) Population growth has forced residential expansion to a point where many quarry operators must conform to urban and suburban regulations. (3) Government regulation in regard to air and water pollution, noise, and reclamation as well as zoning developments necessitate that crushed stone producers keep abreast of changing conditions and requirements. (4) The crushed stone industry operates under pressure of a highly competitive situation. Every company's objective is to retain a favorable marketing position by exercising great attention to production and marketing costs. This is rather difficult, since the crushed stone industry is one segment of modern mining which has to cope with a seasonal demand for its products. Among the problems posed here, the one of exercising great attention to production and marketing costs is of current interest to management. Under seasonal demand conditions, this problem creates further difficulties for managers who need to plan and forecast. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Various methods of Operations Research have been developed to handle a problem whose genesis is explained above. It is very seldom, however, that these quantitative means are used in practice by the mining industry. This paper describes the use of Operations Research methods to solve a production planning problem when demand is seasonal. The seasonal production planning problem is an important one because of the substantial costs associated with changing production, employment, and inventory levels to adjust to seasonal sales patterns. Most companies try to operate within reasonable levels of employment changes and hold inventories within storage capacities. In general, little or no attempts were made to develop minimum cosl schedules or to provide objective means to compare various production policies. When demand varies within a fixed time period, 11:-oduction requirements may be met by following one

Jan 1, 1970

By B. B. A. Luzzat

ALUMINUM is today the most widely used of the nonferrous metals. The technical literature on the aluminum smelting process is, nevertheless, very meager, so that anyone interested in the subject cannot rely on more than a couple of dozen publications.' The patent literature is equally scarce; most patents refer to the production of alumina from aluminum-bearing ores, while not more than a few score significant patents deal with the electrolytic reduction of alumina, which is the real core of the aluminum smelting industry. The "reduction phase" is, from a technical and a scientific point of view, much more interesting than the "alumina phase", which, in effect, is only a combination of such well-known chemical operations as dissolving, precipitating, filtering, drying, and calcining. The electrolytic reduction of alumina, on the other hand, has features which do not appear in any other metal smelting operation. Some of them are of great technical and scientific interest even for those not directly engaged in the production of aluminum. The purpose of this paper is to describe in some detail the basic facts and developments of the reduction phase of aluminum smelting. Two Aspects of the Electrolytic Process The raw material for the reduction process is alumina (Al2O3) . Its purity in general runs as high as 99.50 pct or more. Small differences in the chemical composition generally do not affect the reduction process.* Of more importance are the physical prop- erties of the alumina, since they affect not only its rate of solution in the molten bath but also its heat insulating power.† In the following pages, un- less otherwise stated, it is assumed that a standard "Bayer" alumina is used. The reduction process, by which alumina is broken down into its components, may be roughly defined as its electrolysis in molten cryolite. The oxygen separates at the anode, and the aluminum at the cathode, which forms the bottom of the electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell (or pot) where the process is carried out is a strongly reinforced steel box. The

Jan 1, 1951