Search Documents

(The following list contains the names of those members of the Institute of whose connection with military service. we have only recently become acquainted; it also includes the names of a few who have recently been promoted or transferred. A complete list was published in the Year Book, issued as a supplement of the Bulletin for March, 1918.) ADAMS, HENRY, Major, Assistant to Department Engineer, North-eastern Dept. ALINE, P. A., Co. C, 316th Supply Trains. * Low-cost cottage construction in America; a study based on the housing collection in the Harvard Social Museum, by Winthrop A. Hamlin. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University, 1917. (Publications of the Department of Social Ethics, No. 7.) 30 pp., 4 charts. Illus.

Jan 5, 1918

By R. M. Schuller, J. J. Suloway, W. F. Childers, R. A. Griffin, S. J. Russell

Seven solid wastes from coal conversion processes were characterized chemically and mineralogically. The wastes included three Lurgi gasification ashes, two liquefaction residues (SRC and H-coal), a fly ash, and a water-quenched slag. Leachates generated from the solid wastes at various pH levels over the range 2.5 to 11.0 were analyzed for over 40 constituents. Results of the leachate analyses demonstrate the wide variation in constituent solubility for the solid wastes. To help assess the environmental impact of the disposal of these wastes, the leachates were also employed in soil attenuation studies and acute 96-hr static bioassays using young fathead minnows.

Jan 1, 1981

CLEAR sunny skies that prevailed all through the 175th General Meeting of AIME were not the 1east of the details that resulted from the many months and man-hours of p1anning by the Southern California Local Section. Some 2600 persons left the 1953 Annual Meeting technically enlightened, having had a choice of over 300 papers presented by 400 authors to listen to, learn from, and criticize. During the meeting, Mike Haider turned over the Presidency of AIME for 1953 to Andrew (Drew) Fletcher.

Jan 4, 1953

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who registered at Institute headquarters during the first half of March: James C. H. Ferguson, San Francisco, Cal. Capt. A. F. Lucas, Washington, D.C. Henry Adams, Stamford, Conn. Dexter P. Cooper, New York, N. Y. H. A. Wheeler, St. Louis, Mo. L. D. Moore, Chatham, N. J. John M. Sherrerd, Easton, Pa. Hennen Jennings, Washington, D. C. R. T. White, formerly General Manager of the Braden Copper Co., Chile, is to take charge of a copper company in Caucasus, South Russia.

Jan 4, 1914

By R. A. Blake

Measurements of the quantity of xanthate abstracted from mineral surfaces and put into solution by an increase in the hydroxyl ion concentration were made. A residual xanthate concentration of 59.6 ppm was found in one case at a pH of 11.8. The abstracted xanthate is capable of acting as a collector on fresh mineral surfaces under proper conditions. It was learned that as the hydroxyl ion increased and the xanthate abstracted, the coarse particles lose their floatability first. A volume weight relationship based on percentage coverage was established and seems to offer a reasonable explanation of the cause of observed results.

Jan 1, 1973

By K. W. Grubaugh, L. W. Saperstein

The recently enacted federal surface mine law (P. L. 95-87) increases further the complexity of securing a reclamation permit This law intensifies the need to present the required reclamation plan in a thorough and comprehensive manner. One plan format, that used in construction performance contracts, offers promise of filling this need. Reasons for using the format of expressed, bilateral, negotiated contracts common to the construction industry, and the salient aspects of an application which uses this format are reviewed. Advantages of this procedure are seen to be improved mine planning, awareness of the total design job, potential for improved speed of permit acceptance, and improved cost control.

Jan 1, 1981

By H. J. R. Way

THE work to be described was undertaken at various periods from 1937 to 1939 on the Busia gold field, in the eastern province of Uganda. It was decided to examine the possibility of reef prospection by the resistivity method, for it was not known how far the usually disintegrated nature of most reefs in the ubiquitous laterite near the surface would obscure indications obtained by resistivity traverses. The work at the commencement was therefore largely experimental, but the results obtained thereby were satisfactory, and a survey was started at the Government closed area at Amonikakine. With the limited time and resources at the writer's disposal, it was not possible to complete the survey to his satisfaction or to follow up exhaustively all the geophysical indications, but some of the results of the experimental work and the survey were of sufficient interest to be worth recording; in particular the relation between the width of reef, electrode separation and shape of the curve, and the interference effect of constant separation curves over zones of float are significant and useful. Three new veins were located, but only one contained sufficient gold to warrant detailed prospection. This was called the Geophysical reef, and was uncovered over a strike distance of 1140 ft., and there are indications that it extends over a distance of 1990 ft. These results and the recommendations consequent therefrom were embodied in a special report to the Uganda Geological Survey. HISTORY OF THE FIELD The Busia field is in the southeastern corner of Uganda near the Kenya-Uganda border, and is about 17 miles north of the northeastern corner of Lake Victoria. Gold was first discovered in the area in the stream beds by Davies1,2 in 1932. Subsequently numerous small alluvial claims were worked by prospectors and the area was prospected for reef by a company for periods varying from three to nine months, but was finally abandoned, as the results were considered unfavorable. Further prospecting by the Geological Survey in 1935-1936 under Davies3 and later under the writer4 uncovered three reefs with sufficient gold values to be of economic interest. These were finally taken over by a company known as Borderland Syndicate, which still owns the area, and from September 1937 to the end of 1941 about 13,000 oz. of gold was extracted from reefs of the area proved by the Geological Survey. Opencast mining operations are still proceeding (February 1943). The Amonikakine area lies to the immediate north of that of Borderland Syndicate. A certain amount of prospecting had been done when the writer started work there. As a result of his report, this area was taken over by another syndicate, but little further work was accomplished before it ceased operating because of difficulties of wartime working.

Jan 1, 1944

By GUY C. RIDDELL

ZINC, manganese, and aluminum received attention at the two nonferrous metallurgy sessions at the Annual Meeting. L.P. Davidson, general superintendent of the rebuilt Monsanto zinc plant, described its operation, which reflects Polish practice and is really a combination of electrolytic, Waelz, and retort procedure. Briefly, it embraces leaching of roasted concentrate with sulphuric acid, electrolysis of sulphate solution using Tainton lead-silver anodes with ?goulac? added to the electrolyte, treatment of tailing in Waelz kilns, and retorting of the recovered zinc oxide, casting furnace dross and residues. Recovery is good, equipment and maintenance costs low. Ferrate zinc that might be lost in the electrolytic process appears to be recovered as oxide in the Waelz treatment.

Jan 1, 1942

By S. Acar, P. Somasundaran

The results obtained for the selective flocculation of natural ores do not usually agree with the corresponding properties of the constituent minerals when present alone. This is mainly due to the presence of dissolved mineral species which can interact in many ways with other components in the system and alter their behavior. In this paper, the effect of dissolved species on the flocculation and electrokinetic properties of sulfide minerals is discussed. Dissolved iron, copper, and nickel (Fe, Cu, and Ni) species are found to affect the properties of natural chalcopyrite and pentlandite in certain pH range. These effects are interpreted in terms of species adsorption leading to activation or depression of reagents, surface precipitation, and complexation of species

Jan 1, 1986

By M. J. McPherson, R. Venkataramani

R. Venkataramani (Assistant Professor of Mining Engineering, Dept. of Mining, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.)-Y. J. Wang and L. W. Saperstein are to be congratulated for their paper on the computer solution of ventilation problems. The limitations on the problem size to be solved by the program (Appendix II) has been outlined in the paper. I would like to add the following additional limitations of this computer program: The dimensions of the variable J1and J2 should be changed to J, (550) and J2 (550) to handle problems containing more than 400 branches, and up to 550 branches. If there are a large number of branches common to the various meshes, another limitation on the problem size will be the dimension of the variable NA. While a higher-order polynomial fitting for the fan characteristic data points is more rigorous, a quadratic relation, if linear interpolation between the points is inadequate, will result in saving computing time without much loss of accuracy. Of course, this can be handled by minor modifications to the existing polynomial fitting routine in the program. M. J. McPherson (Dept. of Mining Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England)-The

Jan 1, 1972

By H. H. Stoek, G. W. Harries

The term " Anthracite Coal-Field " is generally used to refer to a comparatively small territory lying in the eastern-central part of Pennsylvania. This territory includes about 3,300 sq. miles of area, located chiefly in five counties in which anthracite-mining is the dominant industry. Although an area of 3,300 sq. miles is embraced in the region, less than one-fifth of this area, or only 484 sq. miles, is underlain by workable coal-seams. Moreover, this prorluctive portion is not a continuous area, but consists of a number of detached basins. These are known as the Northern, containing 176 sq. miles; Eastern-Middle, containing 133 sq. miles; Southern, containing 181 sq. miles; and western-Middle,containing 194 sq. miles. From the standpoint of business and trade, the region is divided into three districts, known as (1) the Wyoming, which includes the Northern field and the small Bernice basin; (2) the Lehigh region, which includes all of the Eastern Middle field and that part of the Southern field east of Tamaqua; and (3) the Schuylkill region, which includes the WesL ern-Middle field and that part of the Southern field west of Tamaqua. The relative commercial importance of these districts at the present time is shown by the coal-shipments as given in the following table :

Jan 1, 1904

By M. Cohen, D. J. Blickwede

Quantitative observations concerning the carbide phases in high speed steel are of importance for two general reasons: (1) the carbides, being inevitable constituents of the final structure, exert a direct influence on the properties of the steel; and (2) a substantial proportion of the total alloy content is tied-up in the carbides, and hence the extent of their solution on austenitizing governs the composition of the steel matrix. The latter relationship has a vital bearing on the response of the steel to tempering as well as on its performance in subsequent service. Accordingly, in the course of a long-term study of the behavior of high speed steels, the authors were confronted with the problem of securing quantitative data on the carbide phases. The obvious method for acquiring such information is to isolate the car-bides from the steel and subject them to chemical, X ray diffraction and other measurements. There are well-known extraction techniques which involve the chemical or electrolytic solution of the less noble matrix (ferrite, marten-site or austenite), thus leaving a residue of the carbide phases. However, the results obtained must be scrutinized carefully1,2 since the carbides may be affected by the chemical or electrolytic action. It is the purpose of the present paper to describe the experiments leading to an electrolytic-extraction technique for quantitatively isolating the carbides from both I and hardened high speed steel. Particular attention is paid to the amount, as well as the composition, of the carbides so that the matrix analysis becomes ascertainable by subtraction from the overall steel composition. Illustrative results are given for the M-2 grade of tungsten-molybdenum steel. Review of the Literature The chemical method of dissolving the matrix selectively with respect to the carbides makes use of dilute non- oxidizing reagents such as hydrochloric or sulphuric acid. Although this simple procedure has led to the determination of the cementite composition,3,4 it achieved only limited success because of the interaction between the acid and the carbide residue. Some of the carbides may not only be destroyed in this way, but the hydrogen released is likely to remove part of their carbon as hydrocarbon gases. The electrolytic technique of isolating carbides has the advantage of rapidly dissolving the specimen (anode) in the presence of less reactive solutions than are practicable with the chemical method. This reduces the possibility of chemical attack on the carbides, and furthermore, the hydrogen evolved during the electrolysis is released at the cathode which is not in close proximity to the carbides. The common electrolytes adopted for this purpose are hydrochloric and sulphuric acids.5-l1 Aqueous solutions of ferrous salts have also been used.12,13 A considerable advance in experimental technique was introduced by Treje and Benedicks14 who developed a double-compartment cell for electrolytic extraction, the anode and cathode chambers being separated by a porous diaphragm. A solution of 15 pct sodium citrate, 2 pct potassium bromide and 1 pct potassium iodide was selected for the anolyte, while the catholyte consisted of a 10 pct solution of copper sulphate, with copper serving as the cathode. This type of cell has a number of desirable characteristics: 1. The anolyte has a pH value close to 7, at least at the beginning of the run. 2. The iron that dissolves from the anode-specimen forms a water-soluble complex ion with the citrate, thereby preventing the precipitation of iron hydroxide (which would contaminate the carbide residue) despite the neutrality of the solution. 3. Copper deposition instead of hydrogen evolution occurs at the cathode, and this avoids an increasing concentration of hy-droxyl ions which (in an otherwise neutral solution) might cause the precipitation of insoluble hydroxides. 4. Contamination of the anode chamber by copper sulphate is inhibited by the porous diaphragm. Houdremont and coworkers15 applied the above method (with the further refinement of excluding oxygen during the electrolysis, washing and drying) to the extraction of carbides from a series of plain carbon steels after various heat treatments. They had quantitative success only with specimens in the annealed condition, and concluded that the size and shape of the carbide particles play an important role in the isolation process, with large spheroids exhibiting the least tendency to decompose during the electrolysis. Up to the present time, the citrate double-cell has not been used to any extent for isolating the carbides of high alloy steels, apparently on the grounds that the complex carbides are more resistant than cementite to attack in the simpler acid electrolytes. In particular, Bain and Grossmann7 and Gulyaev10.10a have employed the hydrochloric acid cell for their investigations of the carbides in high speed steel.* It will be demonstrated here that this type of cell is capable of yielding quantitative results in the case of high speed steel, and actually has certain advantages over the more complicated double cell. However, in order to provide a rigorous test of the quanti-tativeness of electrolytic procedures for the problem at hand, both methods were studied in considerable detail.

Jan 1, 1950

By Fred Bond

THE process of comminution by grinding is properly classified as an art, rather than as a science. Like most other operations concerned in ore dressing, or in the treat-ment of nonmetallic minerals, the mathe-matical relationships of rock breaking are still obscure, and much disputed. If some basic formula exists, comparable for in-stance to E = RI in electricity, it has not yet been placed in common use. The absence of such a comprehensive mathe-matical background undoubtedly is the cause of many inefficient designs and installations, as well as of much poorly oriented experimental work. On the other hand, the mathematical immaturity of the process constitutes an opportunity for a real contribution on the part of those who enjoy mental pioneering. Some of the statements made in any such exploratory work may be little more than opinions, and it is to be expected that some will later be proved untrue; but such an evolutionary development is necessary if we are ever to arrive at the fundamental laws, the discovery of which can change the empirical art into a mathematically exact science. The most significant principle of com-minution that we possess is probably Rittinger's law, which states that the work done in crushing or grinding is proportional to the area of the new surface produced. There is an alternative theory, known as Kick's law, which formerly was preferred to Rittinger's but which now is rather dis-credited. According to Kick, the work done in comminution is proportional to the volume, or weight, of the pieces broken, or to the cube of their diameters, while accord-ing to Rittinger it is proportional to the square of the diameters.

Jan 1, 1940

By G. A. Beiswenger

The application of the law of supply and demand to the sale of crude oil is generally conceded, but the motives underlying the buyer's (refiner's) demands are not always obvious to the seller (producer). In some cases this obscurity has led to the conclusion that the refiner may be unnecessarily particular when he selects one crude and rejects another. This preference, however, is very largely the reflection of the refiner's product demands and the quality of the stocks obtainable from the selected crude. The purpose of this paper is to point out critical characteristies of the major classes of refined products and to show how crudes vary in their suitability for such products. With relatively few exceptions, available processing methods and addition agents make it theoretically possible to produce any type of refined product from any crude source, although it may not be economically sound to do so. The widespread application of thermal cracking for converting higher boiling stocks into gasoline is well known. More recently cracking and refining in the presence of catalysts9 have been developed, as well as various processes for polymerizing lighter hydrocarbons into gasolines having desirable characteristics.6 For several years, selective solvents have been applied commercially to refining inferior quality kerosene, Diesel fuel and lubricating oil distillates.3 Improved methods for refining lubricating oils from crude residual4 formerly suitable only for fuel, are now in use and a number of special solvent processes are available for dewaxing lubricating oils to low pour point.5 These improved refining methods have been developed not only to meet the demand for improved product quality but also to enable the refiner to obtain quality products from crude sources that would not yield such products by the older refining methods. In many cases, the utilization of these modern refining tools necessitates an appreciable expenditure for equipment as well as added manufacturing costs, and their application therefore must be justified economically. Despite the availability of such tools, the added processing costs involved and yields obtainable may render their application entirely impractical. To illustrate this point, inspections of typical cuts from various crudes

Jan 1, 1940

By B. A. Wilcox, A. H. Clauer

The steady-state creep of TD Nickel NL + 2 001 pct TltOz) has been studied orer the telirperatve range 325&apos; to 1100O and the stress range 15,000 to 36,000 psi. At high temperatures (aboue 0.5 T& gran-boundary slzding is the )nost znportant )node of creep deformation, and the steady-state creep rate, is, can be related to stress and temperature by: where Q = 190 kcal pev mole and n has an unusually high value of 40. A creep mechanism based on cross slip of dislocations around The O2 particles can satisfactovily explain the low-temperature (T < 0.5 T,) cveep behavior, and the follo wing relation is applicable: Q, (a) is found to decrease from 57 to 46 kcal per mole as the stress is increased from 32,000 to 36,000 psi. THERE have been a variety of theories proposed to explain the influence of dispersed second-phase particles on the yield strength and flow stress of metals, and these have been reviewed recently by Kelly and icholson.&apos; However, only several attempts2"4 have been made to develop mechanistic treatments which characterize the creep behavior of dispersion-strengthened metals, and to date these have not been fully evaluated experimentally. weertman2 and Ansell and weertman3 proposed a quantitative creep theory for coarse-grairzed dispersion-strengthened metals, based on the concept that the rate-controlling process for steady-state creep was the climb of dislocations over second-phase particles, as suggested by choeck. The theory predicted that the steady-state creep rate, <,, was proportional to the applied stress, a, for low stresses and that is a4 o for high stresses. The activation energy for creep, Q,, was equivalent to that for self-diffusion, Qs.d., in the matrix. Some limited experimental evidence in support of this theory was obtained on a recrystallized Al-Alz03 S.A.P.-type alloy by Ansell and Lenel.6 Ansell and weertman3 also developed a semiquanti-tative theory for high-temperature creep of lineg-rained dispersion-strengthened metals in order to explain their results on an extruded S:A.P.-type alloy, which had a fine-grained fibrous structure. They suggested that the rate of dislocation generation from grain boundaries was the rate-controlling process, and fitted their results to the equation: where Q, was found to be 150 kcal per mole, i.e., QC- 4Q,.d. in aluminum. Similar high activation energies for creep7-&apos;&apos; and tensile deformation" of dispersion-strengthened alloys have been observed by other investigators for S.A.P.,&apos;" indium-glass bead omosites, and Ni + A1203 alls.&apos; There is no general agreement regarding the mechanisms involved in the creep of dispersion-strengthened metals, and this is due in part to the lack of detailed studies relating the structures of crept specimens to the mechanical behavior. The present investigation on thoriated nickel was undertaken with the aim of studying the structural changes which occur during creep of a dispersion-strengthened alloy and rationalizing the observed mechanical behavior in terms of the creep structures. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS The material used in this investigation was 1/2-in.-diam TD Nickel bar, which contained 2.3 vol pct Tho,. Obtained from E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Inc. The final fabrication treatment by DuPont consisted of -95 pct reduction by swaging followed by a 1-hr anneal at 1000°C. Transmission and replica electron microscopy revealed that the material had a fine-grained fibered structure with an average transverse grain size of -1 p and a longitudinal grain size of 10 to 15 p. Selected-area diffraction indicated that the fiber axis was parallel to (OOl), in agreement with the results of Inman eta1." All creep specimens were vacuum-annealed at 1300°C for 3 hr prior to testing. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the only structural change due to annealing was a slight decrease in dislocation density, confirming the reported high degree of structural stability.13 Furthermore, recrys-tallization or grain growth during creep was never observed. The structure typical of uncrept material (after the 1300 C, 3-hr anneal) is shown in Fig. 1. The grain boundaries are predominantly high angle and. although some areas show a tangled cell structure, the grain interiors are relatively dislocation-free. Individual dislocations are strongly pinned by the Tho2 particles; i.e., very rarely did dislocations move within a thin foil. The grey "halos" around some of the larger particles which protrude out of the foil surface arise from contamination in the electron microscoge. The Tho, particle size ranged from -100 to IOOOA, and the distribution is shown in Fig. 2. The technique used to obtain the data in Fig. 2 consisted of dissolving the nickel matrix in acid, collecting the Tho2 particles on cellulose acetate, and measuring about 1000 particle diameters in the electron microscope. Similar results were obtained by measuring about 600 particles in thin foils, an; the average particle size was found to be 2r, = 370A. Using the data in Fig. 2 (annealed structure), the mean planar center-to-center particle

Jan 1, 1967

By H.E. Brauer

Among the zinc base alloys used for casting in metal moulds, pnrticularly die casting, those alloys containing aluminum usually together with copper, are probably the most widely used. The reason lies in their desirable mechanical properties and the fluidity and absence of hot shortncss which facilitate ca,sting. Objection to the use of these alloys may be raised on account of the rather frequent instances of failure of a type variously described as disintegration, exfoliation and intererystalline corrosion. In all cases which have come to our kno~vlcdge where the conditionsof service were known, failure has occurred upon cxposurc to moisture and heat varying from a hot moist atmosphere to lligh pressure steam. RIoreover, the alloys described in all such roses contain impurities or alloying metals which the present authors have found to have enormous accelerating effects on intererystalline oxid:~t&apos;ion in zinc-aluminurn alloys. Thus Williams1 experimented with an alloy containing a large percentage of tin exposed in Cuba. Baucr2 reports failure of a boiler plug containing over 1 per cent. of impurities, doubtless lead for the must part, and Rawdon&apos;s3 examinations were madc on an alloy containing 0.1 per cent. lead also exyosctl to thc Tropics. No thorough investigation of the nature and cause of this type of failure has been made heretofore, so far as the authors are aware, although Rawdon correctly classified it as internal oxidation. We have, therefore, carried out this investigation in order to det&apos;ermine the exact nature of this phenonienon and the effect of other metals present as impurities or intentional additions in accelerating or retarding it. In the appendix we include a considerable amount of data which may be valuable in selecting an alloy combining good physical properties with high resistance to oxidation. At the time this work was undertaken the best available equilibrium *Investigator, Metal Section, Research Division, The New Jersey Zinc Company. &apos;H. W. Williams—Jour. Am. Inst. of AIet,als, Vol. 11, p. 221 (1917). 2o. Bauer—ZeiL, fiir i&apos;vletall Kunde, Vol. 12, .No. 7, pp. 129-31 (1920). 3H. S. Rawdon—Trans. Am. Elcctrochcmic.al Society (1921).

Jan 1, 1923

By H. E. Brauer

Among the zinc base alloys used for casting in metal moulds, pnrticularly die casting, those alloys containing aluminum usually together with copper, are probably the most widely used. The reason lies in their desirable mechanical properties and the fluidity and absence of hot shortncss which facilitate ca,sting. Objection to the use of these alloys may be raised on account of the rather frequent instances of failure of a type variously described as disintegration, exfoliation and intererystalline corrosion. In all cases which have come to our kno~vlcdge where the conditionsof service were known, failure has occurred upon cxposurc to moisture and heat varying from a hot moist atmosphere to lligh pressure steam. RIoreover, the alloys described in all such roses contain impurities or alloying metals which the present authors have found to have enormous accelerating effects on intererystalline oxid:~t&apos;ion in zinc-aluminurn alloys. Thus Williams1 experimented with an alloy containing a large percentage of tin exposed in Cuba. Baucr2 reports failure of a boiler plug containing over 1 per cent. of impurities, doubtless lead for the must part, and Rawdon&apos;s3 examinations were madc on an alloy containing 0.1 per cent. lead also exyosctl to thc Tropics. No thorough investigation of the nature and cause of this type of failure has been made heretofore, so far as the authors are aware, although Rawdon correctly classified it as internal oxidation. We have, therefore, carried out this investigation in order to det&apos;ermine the exact nature of this phenonienon and the effect of other metals present as impurities or intentional additions in accelerating or retarding it. In the appendix we include a considerable amount of data which may be valuable in selecting an alloy combining good physical properties with high resistance to oxidation. At the time this work was undertaken the best available equilibrium *Investigator, Metal Section, Research Division, The New Jersey Zinc Company. &apos;H. W. Williams—Jour. Am. Inst. of AIet,als, Vol. 11, p. 221 (1917). 2o. Bauer—ZeiL, fiir i&apos;vletall Kunde, Vol. 12, .No. 7, pp. 129-31 (1920). 3H. S. Rawdon—Trans. Am. Elcctrochcmic.al Society (1921).

Jan 1, 1923

By Frederic E. Carter

THERE have been many attempts to prove that platinum was known to the ancients, but since no traces of the metal have been found in the relics of early times, it must be concluded that it was not known to them. As far as records go, it was actually first discovered in the 16th century in a Spanish mine on the Pinto River in South America; from which source it received its name of Platina del Pinto (little silver from the Pinto). It was more or less of a rarity and was a subject of interest to a few chemists only, until the year 1822 when the metal was first discovered in Russia. In 1819 there were noticed in the washings of the gold sands of the southern part of the Ural Mountains, grains of a heavy white substance, but it was not until three years later that this substance was found to contain platinum. While at first the amounts of platinum brought from the Urals were meager, prospecting soon disclosed rich deposits extending over a considerable area, and nuggets from 10 to 20 lb. were by no means rare. This discovery assured to chemists an ample supply of platinum for their crucibles, etc. The ore is now found in various parts of the world but the richest deposits are still found in the Ural Mountains. The platinum of commerce is obtained entirely from alluvial deposits at depths varying from 6 to 40 ft. The sand and gravel of former river beds are subjected to a series of screenings and washings to effect the separation of the ore. Actually, probably all gold-bearing gravel beds of the world contain platinum, and it is more than likely that large quantities of platinum ore have been thrown away with the black sand washings from gold placer deposits. This is especially true of the alluvial deposits of the Pacific Coast in California and Oregon. Platinum ore is usually found in the form of rounded or flattened grains of "sand," and occasionally in irregular lumps of the size of peas. Large nuggets are very rare. The ore has a metallic luster and is distinguished by its steel gray color, but shows light gray streak when rubbed on a hard white surface; it has a high specific gravity, 16 to 19; is infusible in the hottest blast furnaces, and insoluble in any single acid. Platinum ore is a complex body consisting of the metal in combination with varying proportions of the other members of the platinum group; iridium,

Jan 1, 1928

By C. G., Fink

The dissolution of gold by cyanide solutions was studied by determining the time required for the solvents to dissolve gold leaf. Minute traces, even 0.5 ppm, of sulphide ion retard the dissolution of gold, and this behavior cannot be accounted for by the presently accepted hypotheses involving oxygen-depletion or thiocyanate formation. On the other hand, traces of the salts of lead, bismuth, mercury, and thallium considerably accelerate the dissolution. The beneficial effect of lead is dependent upon the pH and cyanide ion concentration of the solution.

Jan 1, 1950

By Arthur Coffinberry

EVE have studied the gold-aluminum system by X-ray diffraction and by the microscope over the entire range of composition for temperatures between 300° and 500° C. Results obtained are shown in Fig. 1, com-bined with the work of Heycock and Neville1 at higher temperatures. The diagram differs in important details from that given by Hansen2 in his critical compilation of the literature of binary alloy systems. This work was, undertaken both because of the intrinsic value of a knowledge of the phase diagram of this system and because of the need of theoretical metallurgy for precise and accurate data, particularly X-ray diffraction data. Systematic studies of equilibrium diagrams, particularly by Hume-Rothery,3 have shown regularities that yield a certain insight into the nature of alloying forces. It has been shown, for example, that solid solubility depends on the concentration of free electrons in the alloy, on the relative radii of solvent and solute atones, on the forces of attraction between atoms, and on the relative stability of intermediate phases. The well-known Hume-Rothery rule states that the crystal structures and compositions of many intermediate phases depend on the electron-to-atom ratio. This has been confirmed and extended by wave mechanical calculations.4 A knowledge of the forces between atoms in alloys, even an imperfectly developed empirical one, should be a valuable guide in the preparation of technological alloys of desirable properties. Furthermore, such informa-tion is basic in such problems as rate of diffusion, age-hardening, phase transformations, and others. The most valuable data for this purpose are furnished by X-ray diffraction studies. Unfortunately, work has been

Jan 1, 1938