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By R. R. Sayers

Ventilation may be defined as the process by which vitiated air of an enclosed or partly enclosed space is continuously replaced by fresh air. Fresh air has been defined as invigorating pure air. Pure dry air at sea level contains the following gases:1 Analysis of Air at Sea Level Per Cent. Oxygen.................................................. 20.94 Nitrogen................................................. 78.09 Carbon dioxide........................................... 0.03 Argon................................................... 0.94 Helium, krypton, neon, xenon, hydrogen, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, ozone........................................ traces Carbon Dioxide Limit For many years carbon dioxide was used as an index of the purity of the air vitiated by the metabolism of people. It was, however, well known that the untoward effects produced on those exposed to such air was not due to the concentration of the carbon dioxide. It has been found that the untoward effects on the comfort and efficiency of those so exposed are due to the increased temperature and humidity. It has been found that men can breathe air containing many times the amount of carbon dioxide found in our worst ventilated theaters and assembly halls, which, according to Rosenau, do not contain above 0.5 per cent, carbon dioxide. Nevertheless, in mines it sometimes occurs in sufficient quantities to cause symptoms in men or even unconsciousness and death. One-half of 1 per cent. of carbon dioxide in normal air causes a slight and unnotice-able increase in the ventilation of the lungs, that is, a man exposed to one-ha,lf of 1 per cent. of carbon dioxide will breathe a little deeper and a little faster than when in pure air. If 2 per cent. of carbon dioxide is in the air, the lung ventilation will be increased about 50 per cent.; if there

Jan 1, 1927

By S. Maemura

Miike Colliery of Mitsui Coal Mining Company, the biggest and oldest coal mine in Japan, is producing a quarter of the national coal production, about 5.2 million tons of clean coal annually and almost a half of which is now being mined under the "slicing Mining System". The slicing system is a mining method to mine a thick coal seam dividing it into two faces, upper and lower. Its history started nearly 20 years ago. However, the all-around modernization of this system has made little progress up to recent years, while mining methods for single longwall faces has made a remarkable progress together with the improvements in mining machineries, self advancing supports and so on. The reason was that the tremendous difference in adaptabilities of mechanized face equipments existing between the upper and lower faces has made it very difficult to increase the total production capacity of slicing system. After our persistent study for seventeen years, we have recently realized successfully the quite satisfactory slicing system, applying the combination of shield type self advancing supports and double ranging drum cutter at both faces. We are now fully convinced of that the high efficient, quite safe and improved slicing system has been basically established for the present. This paper intends to brief the transition on the combination of self advancing supports and mining machines, its results and further to detail the development of shield type self advancing support for upper face and artificial roof material which shall be the key point to be successful in full mechanization of slicing faces.

Jan 1, 1976

By Peter J. Conroy, Julianne H. Gyarmaty

INTRODUCTION The current study is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) on-going subsidence research program. The long-term objective of the DOE program is to develop analytical methods of subsidence prediction applicable over a broad range of geologic and mining conditions encountered in the United States. The DOE currently has several contracts in progress to develop a sound data base that can be used in the development of predictive models. Dames & Moore is currently under contract to DOE to collect and analyze detailed subsidence and hydrologic data from a coal mine employing longwall mining methods in the Eastern Coal Province. Work under Contract No. DE-AC22-80PC 30335 began in October of 1980 and will continue through September of 1984. The contract includes monitoring of two adjacent longwall panels. This paper summarizes the surface monitoring work that was performed through February of 1982. Mining of the first of the two panels (3 off 3 north) was completed on February 3, 1982. Results of the surface monitoring through completion of this panel are presented and discussed. SITE DESCRIPTION The mine being studied is located in eastern Ohio. The site is west of the Ohio River, approximately 56 km (35 miles) south of Wheeling, West Virginia. The topography of the unglaciated region

Jan 1, 1982

By Max Mason

In 1923 a Western mining company was experimenting with the device of an inventor designed to locate buried ores by radio. Because the progress was slow and the results were confusing, the company began to doubt the usefulness of the method and invited me to review the whole question of the application of physics to ore detection. I was fortunate in securing the cooperation of several physicists who had worked with me during the war on the problem of submarine detection. This group has been increased and has been studying the problem of physical exploration for ores since that time. It was evident that the problem is a big one, with many angles of approach. Its general features may be set down, in rough outline, as follows: The soils, rocks and ores hidden beneath the surface differ one from another in many respects. These differences may be made to furnish a clew for the physicists working from the surface. To bring these differences into action the physicist creates some kind of an effect which penetrates into the ground and is distorted and reflected when it meets boundaries between different sorts of underground structure. In other words, he sends a message down, and the rocks and ore send back signals in reply. In picturing this process, we should not regard the ground as dense and impenetrable. The kind of messages used pass through the earth about as readily as a sound wave travels the air. If, then, the fundamental procedure is to shout down questions in the hope that an orebody will hear and answer back to us, it is clear that a large part of the expert's study must relate to the kind of questions best suited to the temperament and intelligence of orebodies. It will be easier for the ore to reply to some of our questions than to others, and it is for us to find the right questions. In certain cases, we are spared the necessity of using a messenger, because nature has already provided one. For example, we already have a terrestrial magnetic field which automatically and continually conveys messages from underneath. We also have available the earth's gravitational field which furnishes us

Jan 1, 1929

By H. H. Kellogg

A model of the slag-fuming process for recovery of zinc oxide fume from lead blast furnace slags, adapted to solution by a digital computer, is presented. The model incorporates the variaticm with time of the following: the fuming of zinc and lead, the change in the ferrous-ferric ratio in the slag, the transfer of sulfur to and from the slag, the temperature of the liquid slag, the temperature of the gases and fume which exit to the flue, the heat losses to the water jackets, and the amount of frozen slag on the water jackets. The assumptions which underlie the model-some of which are but crude approximations—are discussed. Despite some obvious shortcomings, the model simulates faithfully many of the important features of practical slag-fuming operations. The behavior of the model is compared with the operation of the American Smelting and Refining Co. fumzace at El Paso, Tex. The model is used to predict the effects on performance of changes in the coal rate, the temperature of the secondary air, and the composition of the coal. THE fuming of lead blast furnace slag for recovery of zinc oxide is standard practice today, and it has been the subject of several previous attempts at mathematical process analysis.'-' The mathematical process model described in this paper incorporates many of the features from the earlier studies, but it is a far more complete and realistic representation of the commercial process in that the following additional features have been included: the fuming of lead as well as zinc; the transfer of sulfur between slag and gas; the addition of slag feed in batches, over a period of time; tapping of the final slag over a period of time; the change of slag temperature with time. The additional features of the present model add greatly to the mathematical complexity, but this difficulty has been obviated by programming the model for solution by a digital computer. The IBM 7094 computer solves the model for one operating cycle of the fuming furnace in less than 1 min. It is doubtful if the same calculations could be completed with the aid of a desk calculator in less than a month. The computer program, written in the Fortran IV language, is too lengthy for presentation here.* Instead, this paper As shown in the sections which follow, it does simulate with remarkable faithfulness most of the known behavior of the industrial process. On the other hand, the model contains several gross simplifications of both the chemistry and heat balance, necessitated by the lack of more exact knowledge. In addition to these known weaknesses, it is not unlikely that those more intimately acquainted with industrial practice than the author will find other additions to or modifications of the model which will improve its utility and reliability. CHEMISTRY In brief outline, the present model treats the fuming furnace as two units, A and B, in series. In A the batch of slag reacts with the continuous stream of air (primary and secondary) and fuel injected at the tuyeres, to produce a stream of hot, reduced gases containing zinc vapor. The zinc content of both the slag and the product gas changes with time because of the batch nature of the process. Unit A is called the "lower furnace" in this paper; physically, it is considered to be that part of the fuming furnace which lies below the charge port. In B, the "upper furnace", the product gas from A is burned with the stream of "tertiary" air, to produce zinc oxide fume. The performance of B also depends on time because of the time dependence inherited from the product gas of A. The rate behavior in the lower furnace determines the important features of the process—the rate of elimination of zinc and lead from the slag, and the amount of fuel required for this purpose. Bell, Turner, and peters' published the first useful model of the lower furnace. They employed the assumption that, at any instant of time, the slag and reduced gas reach a state of equilibrium, according to the reactions: They cited only indirect evidence in support of their assumption of slag-gas equilibrium, yet several more recent laboratory studies of the activity of zinc oxide in slags4-8 have produced evidence which supports their view. On first acquaintance it seems unlikely that a high-output "rate" process like slag fuming would even approach an equilibrium state. The author, in an earlier study,' established, however, that the gas-slag interface in a fuming furnace was capable of such high mass-transfer rates that a close approach to equilibrium between gas and slag was quite probable. In devising the present model it was decided to assume a state of equilibrium between slag and gas at the outset, and then to modify this assumption as necessary in order to make the model agree with the be -havior of the actual process. Up to this time the assumption remains a part of the model, since no behavior

Jan 1, 1968

By J. T. Norton

As cold working is an important feature in a great many of the fabricating processes now applied, this paper presents some ideas of the nature and results of the plastic deformation produced in this operation. The art of manufacturing metal for practical uses is very old and has undergone very great development. The science of metals has also developed very rapidly recently and the various processes to which ,metals are submitted are much better understood now than they were even a short time ago. All the knowledge that can be obtained on this subject is useful because it promotes efficiency in converting metal into finished articles. ATOMIC ARRANGEMENT IN CRYSTALS In the solid state all metals are crystalline. The atoms are arranged in, a definite symmetrical configuration, which is repeated at regular intervals, and thereby defines what we may term a lattice. Presumably . the atoms exist as positive ions. The dissociated electrons place themselves between groups of positive ions, and thus define a second lattice, an "electron lattice." From such a point of view, the crystalline forces which hold a metal together are the electrostatic attractions between positive ions and negative electrons. The particular type of lattice into which a metal crystallizes depends on the number of these lattice electrons given up by each atom, and is thus connected very closely with the chemical valence of the metal.

Jan 12, 1926

By William H. Shockley

There was an extensive mining and industrial exploitation of Russia, about 20 years ago, by Belgian, French and British capitalists; but the results were discouraging. It is said that the Belgian and French public together lost approximately $400,000,000, chiefly in the coal and iron industry of southern Russia. This loss is largely accounted for by the fact that most of the companies were formed, as usual in " boom" times, to sell stock; and that thorough investigations were not made. I11 1906, renewed interest was taken in Russian mines, especially in those of gold and copper, and a considerable literature is growing on this subject; but as yet I have seen no account of one of the large Russian mining estates. The following notes on such property, where the conditions are so different from those in the mining regions of the United States, should be of interest: This inadequate and probably somewhat inaccurate account is made up, partly from my own notes made on the ground, in the summers of 1904 and 1905, and partly from a volume on the geology and resources of the estate issued several years ago, containing surface- and mine-maps, and from a pamphlet published in 1904, giving a general account of the condition and prospects of the property. This pamphlet includes a report made in 1899 by Arthur L. Pearse, a member of this Institute. Both these books are in Russian, and were prepared by the Bogoslovsk Mining Co., which owns and operates the property. Articles in many other languages have appeared dealing with various matters connected with the estate; but I know of no other general account of it. In numerous books and articles on the Urals and Siberia, however, localities are described in which somewhat similar conditions prevail. Recent papers by

Jan 1, 1909

By Charles Fettke

IN THE present day manufacture of glass nearly pure quartz sands are used almost exclusively as the source of the silica, which is the major constituent of all common varieties of glass. Ordinary soda-lime, such as bottle, common tableware, plate, and window glasses, contain from 65 to 75 per cent. of silica. OCCURRENCE Glass sands occur in nature either in the form of loose, unconsolidated sediments or in deposits in which the individual grains have been more or less thoroughly bound together by some cementing agent so as to form sandstones. While deposits of sand and sandstones occur both widely and abundantly distributed, deposits that are sufficiently free from other constituents than quartz grains, so that they can be employed in the manufacture of the better grades of glass, are, comparatively speaking, of rare occurrence. The major portion of the glass sand produced in the United States comes from sandstones. In order to be suitable for glass sand, they should be rather friable. The rock should break down readily along the cementing material between the grains and should not break across the grains rather than along the bond. Some of the sandstones used are so friable that only light shots of slow-burning dynamite are necessary to disintegrate them sufficiently for hydraulic mining, while others have to be passed through crushers in order to disintegrate the rock into its individual grains.

Jan 2, 1926

By Albert J. Phillips

IT is a privilege and a pleasure to deliver this, the Twenty-sixth Annual Institute of Metals Division Lecture. Eleven years ago C. A. Edwards addressed this audience on the subject "Gases in Metals." In spite of this relatively recent presentation, I propose to, present to you some quantitative considerations of industrial significance on the separation of gases from molten metals because recent observations and measurements, presented in the literature, have made it possible to evaluate mathematically the gases or gas-forming elements and to develop an understanding of the mechanism of gas separation that should permit, in many cases, the control of this baffling phenomenon. DEFINITIONS Before becoming involved in the subject it seems desirable, for the sake of clarity, to state certain definitions and axioms: I. We are dealing only with gases that separate from the molten metal either during cooling or in the transition from liquid to solid. Gases injected by the liquid stream and trapped in the solidified metal, or those forced into the solidifying metal from the mold due to either thermal or cher4ical effects are not considered. Neither are we concerned with the separation of gases within the metal after solidification is complete for the data on this subject are at least complete enough to permit the practicing metallurgist to satisfactorily control the phenomenon. 2. Only where there is a decrease in solubility or a change in equilibrium of either a gaseous element or an element that reacts to form a gaseous compound, can there be a separation of a gaseous phase from the liquid or solidifying metal. 3. The amount of gas separating from the liquid during solidification can be computed directly from the amount of the element contained in the liquid when freezing commences less the amount of the element found in the solid either as a separate solid phase or in solid solution. 4. There can be no separation of gas bubbles unless the told pressure of the gases in the liquid meld exceeds atmospheric pressure plus the hydrostatic pressure of ' the liquid metal head. (In addition, pres- sure resulting from surface tension in- creases the total pressure requirement for initial gas separation. Probably the remarkable differences in appearance caused by different gases in the same host metal are influenced greatly by the rate of diffusion of the gas in the liquid metal balancing the decrease in pressure as the gas bubble size increases and the surface tension effect decreases. Thus hydrogen with its high diffusion rate in liquid copper separates in the form of relatively coarse cavities for a given rate of heat extraction.) 5. Gas separation can take place at less than atmospheric pressure in the voids created by the shrinkage from liquid to solid, but since the voids are not caused by the gas the presence of gas in the voids is of importance only where it

Jan 1, 1947

By Lawrence Henderson

TO increase tonnage in the early days of coal mining it was necessary only to hire more men. The job now is to increase the tons per man, but other troubles arise because this has been accomplished. With the introduction of continuous miners, newer and faster loading machines, and faster belt conveyors the safety engineer has been faced with new difficulties. Use of larger equipment created roof control problems, which were thoroughly studied by the safety engineers of various companies. With the assistance of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, safety engineers in Alabama conducted roof bolting experiments wherever they appeared to be applicable. Accident records before and after the method was adopted showed results more than justifying the efforts and funds expended. The larger mining companies responded enthusiastically to the program because roof bolting not only prevented accidents but also increased production efficiency, in many cases rep- resenting the margin between profit and loss. In Alabama today there are miles of roof supported by bolts.

Jan 8, 1957

By Charles T. Malcomson

In the United States, improvements in methods of combustion have made possible the use of the smaller sizes of anthracite. This coal is now being reclaimed from the culm banks accumulated by the miners in the more prodigal years. To-day the freshly mined "slush" is segrega,ted and stored against the time when, through briquetting or some other means, it may be utilized as a commercial fuel. For many years Europe has achieved enviable results in the conservation of her small coal by briquetting. This profitable industry, first placed on a commercial basis in France in 1842, has grown to such magnitude that the production during 1913 exceeded 36,000,000 short tons. Briquets produced in Great Britain are used principally for steam purposes and the greater part of the output is either exported or taken by the Admiralty. On the Continent the briquets are sold in all branches of the coal trade. The French railways consume from 16 to 40 per cent. of their fuel in briquet form, and in Germany the lignite briquets (of which 20,000,000 tons were produced in 1913) are as familiar and interesting to the American traveler as the huge porcelain stoves in which they are burned. It is not strange, therefore, that aggressive and far-sighted promoters heralded this means of converting our ubiquitous coal waste into revenue. To the superficial student the briquetting process seemed so simple as to make success easy. It is for this reason principally that the path of the industry in America has been strewn with failures. The rash enthusiast had either not worked out the mechanical problems involved or had failed to grasp the local conditions under which the briquets must be made and sold. It may be confidently stated, however, that in spite of the many vicissitudes through which it has passed, coal briquetting is now an accomplished economic success in this country, and as a profitable adjunct to the coal industry it has come to stay. Several valuable contributions relating to coal briquetting are found in the Transactions. Charles Dorrance, Jr., has sketched briefly the history of the anthracite briquetting plants from the time of Loiseau's pioneer plant down to that of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. at Lans-ford. Since then this phase of the industry has remained practically at

Jan 1, 1915

By E. Hoek

INTRODUCTION Rock slope stability research has been in progress for the past four years at the Royal School of Mines in London under the sponsorship of a consortium of 23 companies* with interests in open pit mining. This paper reviews the principal aims and achievements of this research project. In order to assist the reader in following these details, the basic philosophy underlying the formulation and direction of this research project is discussed. DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY In open pit mining, the economic necessity of keeping waste rock removal to a minimum generally means that the mine slopes have to be excavated to the steepest possible slope angle. On the other hand, excessive steepening of these slopes can induce failures, which may negate the economic benefits that have been aimed at and which may also result in loss of life and damage to equipment. Consequently, where slope failures are likely to prove to be a problem, an evaluation of the stability of the slopes to be created should be included as part of the overall pit design. How is the stability of a rock slope evaluated? When this question was examined, during discussions on the research policy to be followed at the Royal School of Mines, it was clear that relatively few satisfactory techniques were available in a form that would be comprehensible and therefore useful to the practical mining engineer. It was recognised that the research project must be directed towards two distinct aims: a) The evaluation of existing techniques for rock slope stability analysis and the provision of new techniques where these existing methods were found to be inadequate and b) The presentation of the results of this evaluation and research in a form that would be useful to engineers without specialist training in rock mechanics. It was soon realized that a university based research team, however large and efficient, could not achieve these aims without the co-operation and assistance of mining engineers,

Jan 1, 1972

By Ralph A. Sherman, J. M. Pilcher

BY surface treatment of coal is meant the application of a material, either solid or liquid, to the surface of pieces of coal. The purposes of surface treatment are varied. They may be to identify or "trade-mark" the coal, to modify the burning characteristics, the coking tendencies, or the behavior of the ash, to prevent the freezing of wet coal, or to control the dust. The control of dust is the usual purpose of surface treatment. TRADE-MARKING COAL The application of color to the surface of coal for the purpose of identification and registration of the trade-mark has been practiced to some extent. In 1928, the Glen Alden Coal Co. began to color its coal and adopted the trade-mark, "Blue Coal." The Old Ben Coal Co. later followed a similar practice with "Green Coal." A commoner means of identification of coal has been the stenciling of designs or pasting labels on large lumps or in the distribution of small cardboard tags through the smaller sizes. The details of the method used to color coal have not been revealed. Usually all of the coal is not treated, because of the expense. Only enough pieces are colored to show clearly when distributed through the coal. The patent literature gives information on some of the methods proposed. Esselen and Weiss 1 have patented the deposition of a coloring material in the valleys of the surface of the coal. Sperr2 covers the quenching of coke with water containing a pigment or dye that will deposit on the coke. He also suggests electroplating with copper or nickel. Glinsmann 3 subjects the freshly fractured coal surface to the action of an alkali or alkali earth ferricyanide and a ferric salt. Barsky and Hanson4 specify a method for the application of the same chemicals covered by Glinsmann.

Jan 1, 1943

By A. I. Blank, S. E. Maddigan

Many experimental and theoretical investigations have been made on the processes involved in annealing and recrystallization of metals. Most of these, however, have treated the time element as constant and heat-treatments used have been for relatively short times. Aside from the early work by Carpenter and Elam,' the few that have investigated the effect of time on the processes have usually done so for fairly short time periods. During recent years the growing interest in long-time creep properties of metals and alloys under stress has made increasingly important a better knowledge of the recrystallization during prolonged heating. The recrystallization temperature of 70-30 brass given by Clark and White" in 1932 was somewhat above 400°F. (204°C.) but under 500" (260°C.), whereas in our laboratory recrystallization has been observed in creep specimens at 204°C., the lowest temperature of Clark and White's range. Since the creep properties are quite different above and below the recrystallization temperature, erroneous conclusions can readily be drawn by the application of short-time recrystallization data to creep problems. It was thus considered of both practical and theoretical value to make long-time annealing studies near the minimum recrystallization temperature. In this way useful additions could be made to data on recrystallization temperatures and, since the reactions in this range are relatively slow, additional insight could be obtained into the factors involved in annealing. Several comprehensive reviews of recrystallization processes have been written,3-6 therefore only a brief review of the generally accepted facts will be given here. Though the effects of heat-treatment usually are expressed as related to observations with varying temperatures, it is logical to assume that the same order of occurrence will exist with time as a variable. Thus, we may postulate that with increasing time we mill observe the following

Jan 1, 1940

By S. E. Maddigan, A. I. Blank

Many experimental and theoretical investigations have been made on the processes involved in annealing and recrystallization of metals. Most of these, however, have treated the time element as constant and heat-treatments used have been for relatively short times. Aside from the early work by Carpenter and Elam,' the few that have investigated the effect of time on the processes have usually done so for fairly short time periods. During recent years the growing interest in long-time creep properties of metals and alloys under stress has made increasingly important a better knowledge of the recrystallization during prolonged heating. The recrystallization temperature of 70-30 brass given by Clark and White" in 1932 was somewhat above 400°F. (204°C.) but under 500" (260°C.), whereas in our laboratory recrystallization has been observed in creep specimens at 204°C., the lowest temperature of Clark and White's range. Since the creep properties are quite different above and below the recrystallization temperature, erroneous conclusions can readily be drawn by the application of short-time recrystallization data to creep problems. It was thus considered of both practical and theoretical value to make long-time annealing studies near the minimum recrystallization temperature. In this way useful additions could be made to data on recrystallization temperatures and, since the reactions in this range are relatively slow, additional insight could be obtained into the factors involved in annealing. Several comprehensive reviews of recrystallization processes have been written,3-6 therefore only a brief review of the generally accepted facts will be given here. Though the effects of heat-treatment usually are expressed as related to observations with varying temperatures, it is logical to assume that the same order of occurrence will exist with time as a variable. Thus, we may postulate that with increasing time we mill observe the following

Jan 1, 1940

By Howard J. Smith

At the meeting of this Institute in February 1933,I presented a paper on potash development in southeastern New Mexico1, which contained a brief review of the Geological Survey's 20-year search for commercial sources of soluble potash minerals and of the events that led to the discovery, exploration, and first development of the deposits in that state. AS a more comprehensive review of the subject was published in December2, the present paper is intended only to discuss recent developments in the domestic potash industry, particularly in New Mexico. A summary of the findings of potash in the Permian Basin, by G. R. Mansfield and W. B. Lang, geologists of the United States Geological Survey, is now in process of publication by the University of Texas and will be omitted from this paper. In New Mexico prospecting for potassium salts during the past two years has increased materially the known area of commercial deposits; development has resulted in an increase from one to three in the number of shafts and the starting of a fourth; an increase of annual productive capacity to 1,000,000 tons of crude salts, or 250,000 tons of K2O; and an increase in annual refining capacity to 140,000 tons of muriate of 62.5 per cent grade. Construction has been completed to increase still further the production of high-grade salts. In California the American Potash & Chemical Co., operating on Searles Lake brines, has increased its plant capacity from about 100,000 tons to 180,000 tons of muriate a year and is now producing soda ash and salt cake in addition to potash and borax. Potash production from cement-plant and industrial-alcohol wastes remains unimportant.

Jan 1, 1938

By Howard J. Smith

At the meeting of this Institute in February 1933,I presented a paper on potash development in southeastern New Mexico1, which contained a brief review of the Geological Survey's 20-year search for commercial sources of soluble potash minerals and of the events that led to the discovery, exploration, and first development of the deposits in that state. AS a more comprehensive review of the subject was published in December2, the present paper is intended only to discuss recent developments in the domestic potash industry, particularly in New Mexico. A summary of the findings of potash in the Permian Basin, by G. R. Mansfield and W. B. Lang, geologists of the United States Geological Survey, is now in process of publication by the University of Texas and will be omitted from this paper. In New Mexico prospecting for potassium salts during the past two years has increased materially the known area of commercial deposits; development has resulted in an increase from one to three in the number of shafts and the starting of a fourth; an increase of annual productive capacity to 1,000,000 tons of crude salts, or 250,000 tons of K2O; and an increase in annual refining capacity to 140,000 tons of muriate of 62.5 per cent grade. Construction has been completed to increase still further the production of high-grade salts. In California the American Potash & Chemical Co., operating on Searles Lake brines, has increased its plant capacity from about 100,000 tons to 180,000 tons of muriate a year and is now producing soda ash and salt cake in addition to potash and borax. Potash production from cement-plant and industrial-alcohol wastes remains unimportant.

Jan 1, 1938

By R. L. Templin

The increasing use of aluminum and its alloys in commercial fields tias demanded a better understanding of their machining properties. This fact is exemplified by problems that have arisen in the automotive and airplane industries, but many in other fields might be cited. As pure alunlinum and its alloys in their various commercial conditions show appreciable differences in their machining properties, it is not surprising that quite divergent solutions have been offered for the machining problems encountered. However, if the fundamental requirements of the most suitable cutting tools for these metals are understood, these machining problems lend themselves more readily to satisfactory solutions. Since the machining of free cutting brass and mild steel is understood by most persons accustomed to working these metals, it may serve our purpose better to first make a general comparison of the tools more commonly used in machining these metals with the tools most suitable for machining aluminum, then proceed to a more specific discussion of the individual tools. Comparison oF Cutting Tools Cutting tools commonly used for machining free cutting brass usually have little, if any, top and side rake; they are ground on a medium to coarse abrasive wheel and used without any cutting compound or with a cutting compound that has a paraffin base. Those ordinarily used for steel have some top and side rake, are usually ground on a medium to fine abrasive wheel, and are often used with soluble-oil cutting compounds. The proper tools for aluminum and its alloys should have appreciably more side and top rake than the tools for cutting steel; should have very keen edges obtained by grinding with fine or very fine abrasive wheels supplemented in many cases by hand stoning with an oil-stone; and should be used with suitable cutting compounds whenever possible. In many cases, tools suitable for machining aluminum and its alloys are not appreciably different from tools commonly used for cutting hardwoods. The front clearance of a tool most suitable for machining aluminum and its alloys should be about 6°, the top rake from 30" to 50°, making the total angle of the cutting edge of the tool from 35' to 55". A side

By T. E. Wayland

The general geology and mineralogy of bentonite, including pertinent technological details of clay minerals in the montmorillonite group, are summarized. Worldwide occurrences of bentonite deposits are reviewed, with emphasis on geologic methods and economic principles of evaluation. Active mining districts are described and areas with potential for current and future development are assessed. The production history of bentonite, principal producers, major consumers, and indicated trends are noted; also attention is directed to the hundreds of minor industrial uses of this versatile material, ranging from the manufacture of (A)cid neutralizers to (Z)eolite water softeners. Recent significant results of both basic and applied research are reported, with suggested lines of investigation for current and near-future consideration.

Jan 1, 1972

By D. W. Levinson, L. F. Mondolfo, N. A. Gjostein

MANY investigations are reported in the literature on the age hardening of Al-Mg-Zn alloys but most of them are concerned mainly with mechanical property changes. The present investigation was started to determine the structural changes in an AlMgZn alloy. The alloy composition was chosen in the existing phase diagram" so as to lie on the quasi-binary section Al-(AlZn)Mg Actually, it was found that the diagram as published was inexact at the lower temperatures and that the phase in equilibrium with aluminum at the lower temperatures is not the ternary compound. Technique The alloy used for the investigation was prepared from high purity materials and the resulting composition as determined by chemical and spectro-graphic analysis was: Zn, 6.17 pct; Mg, 2.13 pct; CU, 0.03 pct; Si, 0.009 pct; Fe, 0.005 pct; and the remainder, aluminum. An ingot -in. thick was cast, homogenized, hot and cold-rolled to strip 0.064-in. thick for dilato-metric and powder work, and to foil 0.005-in. thick for single crystal work. Solution treatment temperature for all specimens was 475°±5°C for periods of at least 1 hr, either in air furnaces or lead baths. Aging was done in oil or Pb-Bi baths controlled to within ±3°C. The aging was investigated at the following temperatures: room (30°), 130°, ZOO0, 260°, and 300°C. For the dilatometric study, the length changes were measured continuously, at temperature, using strips of alloy 10 in. long, shaped as channels to eliminate undesirable deflection due to bending. To compensate for thermal expansion and contraction due to the variations in the temperature of the aging baths, the dilatometers were built of the same alloy as the one being tested, with the same shape and size, but with material fully annealed. Gages on which 0.0005 in. could be read and 0.0001 in. estimated were used to measure the dilation. Length changes were also measured at room temperature. Strips approximately 10 in. long were solution-treated, quenched, and measured in a supermicrome-ter in which 0.0001 in. could be read and 0.00001 in. estimated. The specimens were immediately aged for a given time, remeasured, and then the cycle was repeated, including the solution treatment. The error of measurement with this technique was somewhat larger, but the results confirmed those obtained by continuous measurements. The sheet used for the dilatometric work was checked to determine grain orientation. Both X-rays and etching methods revealed a rather coarse grain size but only a negligible amount of preferred orientation. Thus, volume changes calculated from length changes are not invalidated by preferential orientation effects. Pieces of the sheet used for the dilatometric work were also used for the metal -lographic work. Filings for the powder X-ray study were produced from a homogenized piece of sheet. These filings were magnetically purged of iron, screened to 200 mesh, sealed in a Pyrex tube containing an argon atmosphere, and solution-treated. When quenching, the glass tube was broken, so that the powder dropped directly into cold water. After drying with alcohol, the powder was sealed into capillary tubes containing an argon atmosphere and then aged for the required times. In spite of all these precautions the three strongest lines of a( Al2o) appeared in all patterns, and were used as internal standards. By the use of these standards, accurate corrections for film shrinkage were obtained. For the back reflection patterns, annealed nickel powder was mixed with the specimen to act as internal standard. A preliminary investigation was made in small (57.3 mm diam) powder cameras. From these patterns the changes which took place in the solid-

Jan 1, 1957