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Jan 1, 1949

Jan 1, 1947

By Charles Wright

AT most mines where large tonnages are handled, "bulldozing" or secondary blasting is an important and costly operation. To reduce the large blocks from primary blasting operations or stoping so that they will be small enough to pass through the chutes into the cars at the haulage level, and not too large for the crushing plant, requires blasting. Often this is done by placing a few sticks of dynamite on top of a block with or without a capping of mud, but to consume less dynamite and to promote safety, most secondary blasting is now done by blockholing, or the drilling of holes 6 to 12 in. long in the blocks, using only a part of a stick of dynamite per hole. Regardless of the method of blasting, however, the term "bulldozing chamber" is applied to the room where this work is done. Bulldozing chambers permit secondary blasting at all times in a safe place without disturbance to the other mining operations. The chambers are usually high above the haulage level and well below the stope level or open-pit floor. In most instances the material is passed through a grizzly in the bulldozing chamber, but sometimes no grizzlies are used. One to four raises extend from the chamber to the stope floor and one or two from the haulage level to the chamber floor. Occasionally large slabs of ore or rock choke the raises above the bull-dozing chamber, and these have to be blasted by attaching a bundle of dynamite sticks on the end of a long pole and placing them up in the raise between the pieces causing the choke. This is called "chute-blasting." To give a picture of the progressive developments in the use of the bulldozing chamber, a few typical mines that show the application of this method to both metal and limestone mines have been selected for description here. Limestone mines have been included because many metal miners do not realize to what extent the nonmetallic, or rock, miners are now applying metal-mining methods successfully in their operations. The bulldozing chamber is the "neck of the bottle" for some mines.

Jan 1, 1935

By Benjamin N. Webber

During World War II the Pocos de Caldas bauxite deposits of Minas Gerais in Brazil yielded some 60,000 tons. Since then they have maintained a small but almost continuous production. Known for many years, the deposits have been reconnoitered by a number of geologists,1-4 but no dimensional study has been possible because there have not been enough exposures to show clearly the depth, bedrock, and habit of occurrence. The deposits are somewhat unorthodox in their occurrence mainly on steep slopes of mountainous terrain. Although the parent rocks are a sequence of alkalic intrusions that bauxitize readily under the proper conditions, bauxitization has not been the dominant weathering process in the area. It is limited to certain localities where important volumes of bauxite have formed by laterization of several rock types, each yielding a distinctive type of bauxite. Bauxitization may be observed in several stages and in both direct and indirect cycles of formation. The deposits are unique in being of demonstrably recent age, so that the conditions under which the bauxite formed are essentially those of the present time. The bauxitization sequence is postulated in Fig. 1.

Jan 8, 1959

By K. A. Kiselev, V. I. Zelentsov, V. P. Nebera

INTRODUCTION Most works on flotation of ions and precipitates from solutions have been summarized recently (1-3). Flotation is more desirable than thickening or centrifuging because of higher recovery, productivity, simplicity of apparatus and better economics in general. Electrolytic flotation that utilizes gases is more favorable than other flotation processes because of the following: higher dispersity of gas bubbles, low coalescence of the bubbles, possibility of gradual regulation of the dispersity and other parameters of flotation (4-5). Flotation from solutions is mostly based on the use of alkaline reagents as precipitants (5). Flotation from acid solutions is less common. We used multicomponent solutions with more than 2-3 components, unlike previous research methods. Acidic flotation allows recirculation of solutions to previous operations such as leaching, etc. REAGENTS FOR PRECIPITATION Electroflotation was studied over a wide range of pH with the addition of ferrocyanide, oxyquinoline, hydroxide and carbonate precipitants. In recent works (1,2,6,7) on flotation of Ni, Cu, Zn from alkaline solutions, mostly ferrocyanides were applied. Our choice was oxyquinoline because of the following: 8-oxyquinoline is a nonspecific reagent for many metals, it is readily soluble in acids and alkalis, oxyquinolates of the studied metals are in soluble compounds, the reagent works over a wide range of pH, it is widely available, oxyquinolate precipitates are stable when exposed to air, are readily floatable, and are easily converted to oxides of the metals by sintering.

Jan 1, 1980

By D. W. Fuerstenau

Locked-cycle grinding experiments on mineral mixtures provide a means to study circuit performance in simulated continuous grinding systems. Such experiments with calcite/quartz mixtures revealed that approximately twenty-five 2-minute cycles are required before the composition of the circuit product and the recycle material attain steady state. The circulating load, after steadily increasing during the first 15 cycles, continued to fluctuate over a narrow range. Previous batch ball mill grinding of mineral mixtures has shown that breakage rate functions of minerals are time- independent but composition-dependent. In the closed-circuit grinding of ores with constituents having different grindabilities, the grinding rate parameters for the components also would therefore change during the transient period. With fluctuations in feed composition occurring randomly every half to one hour in processing plants, it is quite likely that the grinding circuit can be in unsteady state perpetually. The significance of these observations is discussed in this paper in the con- text of the models used in control schemes for the grinding circuits

Jan 1, 1984

Jan 1, 1891

By David J. Dunn, Richard G. Martin

Of many physical parameters critical to design of grinding processes, impact of grinding media is among the most difficult to measure or predict. Yet impact of falling grinding balls, pebbles, or rods accomplishes the fine grinding essential to metallurgical recovery of most important minerals. Unfortunately, the same impacts that break ore fragments deform or crack grinding mill liners. A project was undertaken at Climax Molybdenum Company to measure impact forces in operating ball mills so that they might be used to calculate stresses in liner materials and be correlated with service performance of mill liner alloys. Towards that end, a method of measuring impact forces on ball mill liners using an instrumented grinding ball has been developed. Preliminary tests show that impact forces and contact stresses imposed on bare mill liners are quite high but are greatly reduced by cushioning when coarse ore particles are crushed between balls and liners.

Jan 4, 1978

By R. L. Curfman

In May 1960, six months after conversion of one- half of the Uranium Reduction Co. mill from acid to alkaline leach, severe corrosion was encountered in the 112 stainless steel wash baskets in the resin- in-pulp portion of the uranium circuit. Fortunately the corrosion was limited to the stainless steel screen cloth and bolts. The frames were not affected. Each resin-in-pulp wash basket serves as a container and a vehicle for approximately 40 cu ft of ion-exchange resin. Four baskets are installed in each tank through which uranium-rich solution flows as the baskets move up and down mechanically in the tank. The ion-exchange resin has an affinity for the uranium in the solution which causes it to be deposited on the resin in solid form. By reverse action with different chemical solutions, the uranium may be stripped from the resin for further processing and purifying. This section is the first step in the actual recovery of the uranium.

Jan 9, 1962

Jan 1, 1896

By Sinha D. K.

As the main source of indigineous energy, coal has a big role to play in the development of national economy of India. Nationalization of the coal mining has brought the entire industry under the unit control of the Central Government following which an ambitious plan for increasing the coal production in the next few five year plans has been undertaken. In order to achieve best all round results, economy-mathematical models of Planning the total system, right from the highest to lowest hierarchial levels of decision making, have been proposed through a Global Model which is detailed in Local Models in stages right up to a mine. Optimum obtained by computer solution of the models would provide basis for objective decision making in the fields of selection of optimum plan for developing the industry, the coal fields and the mines with construction and/or reconstruction of mines, capacity optimization of enterprises and mines therein. Different types of Models and the optimization processes are presented.

Jan 1, 1977

By Erkki Laurila

INVESTIGATION of the methods of analyses for magnetite and ilmenite in the Otanmäki iron-titanium ore and respective mill products has resulted in certain improvements in the methods conventionally employed. The outcome of the investigations is summarized as follows: 1-Development of a diamond-drill core analyser for the determination of magnetic susceptibility of drill cores containing magnetic minerals. 2-Development of a magnetite-ilmenite analyser for pulverized products. 3-Development of a potentiometric method of chemical analysis for the determination of iron, vanadium, and titanium in succeeding steps from one test sample. 4-Proposal for a continuous and automatic magnetite assay method.

Jan 9, 1951

In 1934 the Southern Experiment Station of the U.S. Bureau of Mines in. cooperation with the University of Alabama began an investiga-tion of the availability of kyanite ores as a source of raw material for the manufacture of refractories. Under this program, gravity concentration and flotation tests have been made on two varieties of Georgia kyanite ore, mica schist and massive. Most of the attention has been directed to the mica schist ores, as they are more widely distributed and seem to offer greater economic possibilities than the massive ores. It is evident that the preparation of kyanite for use as a refractory material involves other considerations than the mere elimination of impurities. A concentration process that eliminates impurities satisfactorily may have to be followed by some additional treatment, since the final product must be of a coarse-ness and size ratio that will make it suitable for refractories manufacture. So far in the investigation at the Southern Experiment Station of the U.S. Bureau of Mines only the concentration problem has been considered, and this paper is intended as an interim report.

Jan 1, 1936

R. W. NEWCOMB, New York, N. Y. (written discussion*).-0n page 1712, the middle paragraph states that, in industrial equipment, only the single-step method of automatic regulation has been applied. Quite recently, there has been developed an automatic temperature regulator, operating in conjunction with a pyrometer of the thermoelectric type, in which the control is a slow regulation, with a range capable of regulat-ing valves, dampers, rheostats, or any other rotatable member, through one or more complete revolutions. It can control two valves at the same time, with a fixed definite ratio between them. Aside from those conditions in which it is. necessary to control two valves with a definite ratio one to the other, the greatest advantage that this slow, even control will have over those controls that are either all on or all off, will be for use in connection with processes where a large temperature variation is required, extended over a considerable period of time; that is, where the temperature must be regulated along an in-creasing or decreasing time-temperature curve.

Jan 12, 1919

By Dennis H. Laubscher

INTRODUCTION The selection of mass mining methods is the situation facing not only planners of new operations, but also those involved with cur- rent operations, including the eventual change from open-pit to underground. Increasing ground control problems on many mines, plus a better understanding of dilution and ore loss problems have meant a review of current mining methods and support techniques. Experiments are only successful if conducted in the right mining environment and on the right scale. Mining personnel have been known for their conservatism and will tend to persevere with an established method rather than change; often, hidden costs will obscure the correct economic assessment. An established mining sequence is not necessarily correct in the long term. However, recommendations to change are usually met with opposition because of inconvenience, temporary production problems and the desire for a trouble-free guarantee. In any planning exercise, care must be taken that time and money are not wasted in trying to achieve the unattainable. During the decision-making period, production personnel must be involved, and, if possible, they should visit similar omrations to that proposed. Co-operative production personnel will help ensure success. Descriptions of mining methods are available in technical papers and books, and it is not intended to discuss this aspect, but, rather, the various factors which must be recognised before arriving at a final selection. In another paper presented at this Conference (Heslop and Laubscher, 1981) factors affecting ore recovery and dilution are discussed in greater detail for various cave mining methods. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS Comprehensive Geological Data. Geological information is available during the exploration stage, but, often, core from exploration drilling is not analysed with the selection of a mining method in mind. Drilling costs are high, therefore the maximum benefits must be derived from this operation. Holes which have not intersected ore may provide data on possible shaft sites, and 35 mm colour slides of core, sound logging and geomechanics classification, will provide a record which can be used with confidence at a later date. Intersections of the various rock types should be kept for future study; for example, is weathering likely to be a problem, bearing in mind that this can be accelerated in the warm, humid atmosphere of an underground mine. The accumulation of data required to select a mining method starts with initial geological work in the target area, whether this be surface mapping or a diamond drill hole. Publications. As technical papers, reports and books are used in the selection of mining methods, an appeal is made to authors to describe the geological environment so that readers can relate to their own conditions. Not enough emphasis is given to the problems experienced and the techniques employed to overcome them. Follow-up papers are seldom written and we should be prepared to discuss our failures. Diagrams are often misleading, as the ideal and not actual situations are depicted. The caved ore/waste interface is not a straight line, and whereas this may not be significant in a diagram of a 200-117 draw height, it certainly is in sub-level caving with draw zones only 1 - 2 m width but up to 20 m high. SUMMARY OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE SELECTION OF UNDERGROUND MASS MINING METHODS (a) Regional rock stresses and mining geometry. (b) The geomechanics rock mass classification of the orebody and surrounding rock mass. (c) Ratio of the surface area of the ore/unpay interface to the contained ore which determines ore losses and dilution. (d) The cavability and fragmentation data of the ore and hangingwall. (e) The mineral distribution in the orebody and its dilution zone.

Jan 1, 1981

By J. B. Cheatham, C. E. Murphey

Presently, computer control of Borobolic direction cannot be obtained during drilling, and most straight-holc drilling methods attempt to resist hole deviation rather than control direction. Many of the theories advanced as possible explanations of the cause of hole deviation are Summarized berein. A new correlation of physical partables is introduced to indicate bow factors such iis drill collar stiffness clearance and hit weight influence borehole deviation, .A methord is proposed for predicting the rate of change of hole angle when drilling conditions are changed. INTRODUCTION Control of borehole direction during drilling can be difficult and costly. Unintentional crooked holes are often lrilleti in dipping formations and many times directional drilling is required when the surface location is not directly above the target area —- for example, at offshore and mountainous locations. Prilllng progress can be greatly hindered in either air or liquid drilling when it be comes necessary to use low bit weight to prevent excessive hole angle build-up. If hole inclination becomes too great, drill pipe drag becomes excessive and fishing risks are increased, logging is more difficult and problems of differential sticking, key seating and fatigue failures may be encountered. Dog-legs and key seats are more serious problems than steep inclination angles: therefore, reducing rate of direction change is preferred to attempting to maintain absolutely vertical holes. Consequently, a straight inclineti hole is preferable to a nearly vertical crooked hole containing numerous dog-legs. In this paper, theories of the cause of hole deviation and analyses of drill string behavior under down-hole conclitions are summarized. Methods for computing hole deviation are presented und systems for resisting deviation as well as neans for provic!ing control of holt- direction are iliscusseI. A new correlation of physical variables is introduced tu indicate how factors such as drill collar stiffness, clearance and bit weight influence borehole deviation. A method is oroposeti for predicting the rate of change of hole anFrle when drilling conditions are clianged. IIEVIEU' OF PREVIOUS WORK ON HOIaE DEVIATION Significant progress in the theoretical analysis of hole deviation problems has been made in the past 1 5 years. The pioneering work has been primarily a result of the efforts of Lubinski and Woods.l-5 In 1950, Lubinski 1 considered the buckling of a drill string in a straig:rt vertical hole, a problem also considered by Willers6 in 1941. It wns concluded that very low bit weights must be used to prevent hole deviation resulting from drill collar buckling. The use of conventional stabilizers was proposed2 in 1951 by Mac Donald and Lubinski as a method for permitting greater Sit weights to he carried without drill collar buckling. These authors pointed out that a 2° nearly vertical spiral hole can cause severe key seatinp, and drill pine near, wilereas n 3 straight inclined hole with deviation all in one direction, while not vertical, will not result in serious drillirig or producing problems. Studies were continued with an investigation of straight inclined holes by Lubinski and Woods3 in 1953. In this paper they concluded that perfectlv vertical holes cannot be drilled even in isotropic forriations unless extremely low bit P-eights are used. .l'l~ey postulated that constant drilling conditions produce holes of constant inclination angle and varying conditions cause the hole to drill at a neiv equilibrium angle. This analysis was not concerned with drill string buckling since it was based on an equilibrium solution in which the ~irill string Was presumed to lie along the lower side of the hole abcrve the point of tangency. Weight of the drill collars below the point of tangency tends to force the hole toyard the vertical, whereas the weight on hit tends to force the hole aurav from the vertica l. The concept of an anisotropic formation Lvas introduced as an empirical method for explaining actual drilling data and as a means for extrapolating known deviation data to otiier conditions of hit

Jan 1, 1967

By M. van Swaay, C. E. Birchenall

A. S. lBrling (Johnson, Matthey & Co. Ltd., Laboratories)— Because of its initial emphasis upon the production of membranes by powder metallurgy and by normal casting and rolling techniques, this paper is of considerable interest to those concerned with the design and application of industrial diffusion units. As the subsequent performances of the three grades of palladium were not compared in detail, it can perhaps be concluded that specific permeabilities were very similar. A short table in which the absolute diffusion rates obtained by the Authors with their three grades of palladium were compared with those of other investigators18-25 would, however, have been of particular value in view of the very variable results obtained with this membrane material. The Authors state early in the paper that the permeability of the thoriated samples decreased in much the same way as that of the nonthoriated samples. Later, they emphasize that sintered palladium without thoria was very susceptible to poisoning and did not respond as well as the other materials to the decontamination treatment. These results, which suggest that sintered membranes are less effective than those produced by normal methods, have considerable industrial implications, and amplified experimental details would be very welcome. The results of the Authors differ in one important respect from those of other investigators. Thus, no "bleeding" was required to maintain a constant rate of diffusion, although Davis, Darling, and De Rosset found this to be necessary. Davisz3 found that "bleeding" was necessary even when the hydrogen had already been purified by diffusion through a palladium tube, and it would be of value to know the purity of the gas stream emerging from the purification train shown on Fig. 1 of the Authors' paper. The Authors show that diffusion rates varied according to the square root of the pressure difference providing that the palladium membrane was not contaminated in any way. This finding is in agreement with the results of those workers2,18,19,23,24 who diffused their hydrogen through the membrane into a partly or completely evacuated system.Those workers who did not find this square-root law dependence did not have a partial vacuum on the downstream-side of the membrane.'' The difference between the two experimental con- ditions appears to be significant, as the absolute diffusion rates per sq cm of diffusion area are lower when the square-root law dependence is not observed. While the effect could be attributable to poisoning of the membrane it is conceivable that a positive pressure on the downstream side of the membrane might influence the mechanism of diffusion. In view of the capricious behavior of palladium, factors of this type, which are likely to influence its industrial significance, should be carefully considered. M. van Swaay and C. E. Birchenall (authors' 9-eply) — Our Eq. 191 may be compared with several others for hydrogen diffusion in palladium: D = 5.95 x exp (-5770/1)' D = 3.55 x 10"3 exp (-5550/)' D = 4.3 x 10"3 exp (-5620/1')' Other values are given in the literature, but in many cases surface poisoning may have affected the results. No analysis was performed on the hydrogen gas stream after purification. It should be noted that the presence of liquid nitrogen traps near the heated membranes may have set up convection currents and provided the equivalent of "bleeding." The question of whether a partial vacuum existed on the downstream side of the membrane is not clear. Does it imply that there is something unique about the permeability measured near one atmosphere pressure? We do not believe that there is. When square root pressure dependence is not observed, diffusion rates are not measured. Is "absolute diffusion rate per sq. cm. of diffusion area" equivalent to permeability? The terminology is new to us. In any case we doubt very much that pressures of the order of several atmospheres can affect the mechanism of diffusion.

Jan 1, 1962

By W. F. Hosford

A series of aluminum single crystals was subjected to axially symmetric flow by drawing through dies. The orientation dependence of the drawing stress, which indicates the resistance to this type of flow, compares reasonably with predictions of Taylor and of Bishop and Hill. Measured lattice rotations likewise are generally consistent with theory. The most successful analyses of the plastic behavior of polycrystalline metal and its relationship to single crystal behavior are those of Taylor1-3 and of Bishop and Hill.4-6 The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical test of some of the basic assumptions involved in these theories. Both treatments apply to fcc metals and assume the shape change of each grain in a polycrystal to be the same as that of the polycrystal as a whole. Thus for a randomly oriented polycrystal extended under uni-axial tension each grain is assumed to undergo axially symmetric flow. dey = dez = -1/2dex, deyZ = dezx = dexy = 0 [l] where x, y, and z are a set of orthogonal axes, x being the tensile axis. Although [011.] oriented grains in bcc and fcc metals may depart markedly from this ideal behavior,7,8 the assumption is probably quite reasonable for most grains. Under a uniaxial tensile stress, ox, the work dW per unit volume expended in producing an increment of axial strain dex is, dW=oxdex [21 Since this work is expended in slip, dw =STi dyi 131 where Ti and yi are the shear stress and shear strain on the active slip systems. In both analyses Ti is taken to be the same on all slip systems, and dependent only on the total prior shear strain on all systems, so dw = Tdy [41 where t is the shear stress required for slip and y is the sum of the shear strain yi on all slip systems. Combining 121 and [4] and defining M = oX/T The ratio M is a generalized Schmid factor. It relates the tensile stress required for axially symmetric flow, ox, to the basic shear stress, 7, and it also expresses the ratio of crystallographic strain, y, to the tensile strain, Ex It depends only on the orientation of the crystal. Taylor evaluated M for various orientations by finding the least value of dy/dEx which could satisfy the shape change. Bishop and Hill, on the other hand, found M by considering the relative work (1/T)dW/dEx expended by stress states which could activate enough slip systems to produce the shape changes. The results of both methods appear to be equivalent, although certain omissions were made in Taylor's original work. The orientation dependence of M, calculated by the second method,9 is shown in Fig. 1. Taylor used the average 2= 3.06 for all possible orientations to predict the tensile stress-strain curve (oxvs Ex) for a random polycrystal from the shear stress-strain curve (t vs y) of a single crystal. Changes in M from lattice rotation were neglected so points on the ox vs ex curve were simply taken at ox = 3.06t and e = y/3.06 from corresponding points on the t vs y curve. Recent extension of the analyses of Taylor and of Bishop and Hill to crystallographically textured metals has been used to relate plastic anisotropy to textures, and to predict the potential texture hardening that could result from texture control.9 Unfortunately there have been relatively few experimental tests of the underlying theory. Taylor found that the tensile stress-strain curve of polycrystalline aluminum did agree reasonably well with that predicted from a single-crystal T-y curve. Had the single crystal undergone easy glide, how-

Jan 1, 1965

By E. G. Leonardon

THE object of this paper is to describe briefly the practical results obtained in several problems of civil engineering by resistivity measurements of the underground. It is intended for the mining engineer, as well as for the construction engineer; the stratigraphical problems discussed are general and frequently are encountered in mining exploration. Resistivity measurements have been used in mining and oil exploration for a number of years.1 Their introduction in the field of civil engineering, on the contrary, is rather recent. It was applied for the first time in the spring of 1928 near Littleton, N. H., in the survey of two dam sites for the New England Power Assn .2 Since then, the geophysical firm with which the author is connected has had an opportunity to develop this field of activity, and more than 20 investigations at dam and tunnel sites have been carried out in the United States and Canada. A part of this work has been verified by underground or drilling exploration. This paper deals with but a few of the results, which we are permitted to make public now. The theoretical and technical sides of the processes employed will not be discussed; they have already been described in various technical. .publications. A few general points will be mentioned, to make clear the practical examples given.

Jan 1, 1931

By C. R. Clark, G. Swift, D. S. Roberts

The purpose of this investigation was to measure PVT behavior of various types and combinations of heavy hydrocarbon components from the paraffinic, naphthenic and aromatic classes where the relative proportions Of the various components were selected to approximate those of natural gas or gas condensate systems. Synthetic mixtures were used so that the compositions Of the various components could be measured accurately. n-Heptane, methylcyclohexane and methylbenzene were used to represent the paraffinic, naphthenic and aromatic components of the heavy fraction. In the mixtures studied, the heavy fraction composition was held constant at O. O5-mole lraction, the balance being methane except for one mixture where 0.10-mo1e fraction of an intermediate component, propane, was added. The PVT data for the mixtures were determined in a variable-volume, constant-mass apparatus at psuedo-reducedtemperatures from 1.84 to 2.00, over a pseudo-reduced pressure range from 2.3 to 12.0. The experimental results showed that, regardless of the type of heavy material (paraffinic, naphthenic, aromatic, or combinations thereof) mixed with methane or methane and propane, the compressibility factors at equal values of pseudo-reduced temperature and pressure varied by less than 2.2 percent. INTRODUCTION PVT data is used for natural gas and gas condensate fluids in determining reserves of reservoirs and performance of wells, in metering produced fluids, and in recombining samples for laboratory studies. While there are vast amounts of PVT data reported for natural gas and gas condensate systems from which useful correlations have been developed, ' the compositional analyses for these systems and the resultant correlations typically were made with components analyzed through some arbitrary carbon number, usually C6, with the residue reported as a lumped "heavy" fraction. The heavy fraction was stoichiometrically recombined on the basis of an apparent molecular weight to give the final compositional analysis. It is virtually impossible to make a systematic analysis of the effect that variation of the relative amounts of paraffinic, naphthenic and aromatic constituents of the heavy fraction of natural systems might have on PVT behavior. Because there is considerable latitude in the relative amounts of these constituents, one speaks of crudes or condensate liquids as being "paraffin base", etc. It is of interest to determine if changes in the relative amounts of these three types of hydrocarbons in the heavy fraction cause significant changes in PVT behavior. If so, steps should be taken to describe better the nature of the heavy fraction in PVT correlations. If not, more confidence can be placed in the correlations presently employed. DESIGN OF THE EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION We attempted to determine if changes in the base of the heavy fraction would cause significant changes in the PVT behavior of gas or gas condensate fluids. Synthetic mixtures were used to enable us to systematically vary the base of the heavy fraction and to analyze accurately the fluids. We found that the heavy fraction of naturally occurring condensate systems seldom exceeds 0.05-mole fraction. Thus, the mole fraction of the heavy fraction in the synthetic systems studied was set arbitrarily at 0.05, to maximize whatever deviations in PVT behavior that might occur. Further, we judged that since the C7 hydrocarbons normally are present in greater quantities than higher carbon number hydrocarbons in naturally occurring systems, the use of n-heptane, methyl cyclohexane, and methylbenzene to represent the paraffinic, naphthenic, and aromatic species in the heavy fraction would be most appropriate. Finally, to enable us to compare our

Jan 1, 1970