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COUNCIL OF ECONOMICS, AIME Formerly Mineral Economics Division Established as a Division December 15, 1948 Established as a Council February 26, 1957 Sheldon P Wimpfen, Chairman John D Ridge, Vice-Chairman (Mining) A J Philips, Vice-Chairman (Metals) Warren B Davis, Vice-Chairman (Petroleum) COUNCIL OF EDUCATION, AIME Formerly Mineral Industry Education Division Established as a Division January 15, 1932 Established as a Council February 26, 1957 James D Forrester, Chairman Charles V Kirkpatrick, Vice Chairman (and Chairman-elect) Lysle E Shaffer, Past Chairman Truman H Kuhn, Secretary-Treasurer Colorado School of Mines Golden, Colorado John S Bell, Contact AIME Director

Jan 1, 1960

By George Harrington

THIS paper is a brief description of the design and equipment of a new coal mine in southern Illinois, which has many features not common practice in shaft coal mining and which is laid out and equipped for such unusually large capacity that it promises soon to become one of the largest mining operations of its kind. Shaft sinking for the mine, New Orient, was commenced in May, 1921, by the Chicago, Wilmington & Franklin Coal Co. In October, 1924, the plant was practically completed and was producing over 6000 tons of coal per day. There is good prospect that within a few years, when the mine is fully developed and manned, the output will attain a daily rate of 12,000 tons. The coal seam at New Orient lies approximately horizontal, about 500 ft. below the surface, and may be said to run from 9 to 12 ft. in thickness. The tendency in Franklin County has been toward large mining units (5000 to 6000 tons per day) with great care being given to protection against fire and explosion hazards, and usually with quite elaborate surface plants permitting careful preparation of the coal into graded sizes comparable with those made in the anthracite region. The field is unionized, with uniform conditions of wages for various classes of work, hours, etc., and the Illinois mining laws are quite specific with regard to fireproofing and safety measures. These conditions make it difficult for any but well-equipped and well-operated mines to meet the competition of the numerous fine properties of which this county can justly be proud. The coal company's property was already developed on the western side by the Orient. mine-a much visited and written about operation (with which many of you are possibly familiar through the Department of Mines' film "The Story of Coal ") which until recently held the 8-hr. production record with 8218 tons and usually ran quite consistently with production of slightly over 6000 tons per day. Experience at Orient was naturally one of the greatest influences in determining the location and character of the New Orient.

Jan 2, 1925

By A. S. Hewitt

After an interval of fourteen years, saddened for all of us by the death of David Thomas, the father of the anthracite iron-trade, first president of the Institute, and by the untimely loss of his successor, Alexander L. Holley, whose memory we are about to honor by loving services, the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers have conferred upon me for the second time the office of president, under circumstances similar to those which led to the choice in 1876. Then the whole world was represented at the great exposition of industry which was held in Philadelphia to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of our declaration of political independence. In 1890 it is our privilege to receive as guests the members of the British Iron and Steel Institute, who, with singular and graceful felicity, have appointed a meeting in the United States in the year when we pass from the second to the first place in the international column of the production of iron, and thus celebrate our industrial independence. For the honor of being chosen to extend to our distinguished guests the right hand of fellowship and a hearty welcome I return to my associates the grateful acknowledgment of one whose chief claim to your favor is to be found in his love for the professional occupation in which we are all engaged, and in his efforts, public and private, to promote its advancement into new fields of usefulness. In order to indicate the full significance of the visit of our foreign guests at this time, it will be proper to explain briefly the origin, aims and work of the Iron and Steel Institute. It unquestionably owes its birth to the International Expositions held in London in 1851 and 1862, and in Paris in 1867. These expositions served to break down the jealousies of nationality and to diffuse a better knowledge of industrial processes. Trade-secrets, which had been carefully guarded, became common property; manufacturers who had previously regarded themselves as rivals formed bonds of union and ties of friendship, as the results of an intercourse which

Jan 1, 1891

By AMY F. JENNINGS

TO give a concise history of the Woman's Auxiliary of the A. I. M. E. is a difficult task and much interesting information must needs be omitted. The organization has grown and evolved so much from its early simple beginning that it seems best to adopt the technique of some of our modern novelists and begin with the latest development. As the headquarters of the A. I. M. E. is in New York, it follows that the Woman's Auxiliary to the A. I. M. E. necessarily has also its central office and government there. The affairs of the organization are administered by a duly-elected president and five vice- presidents, a treasurer, recording secretary, and corresponding secretary and a board of directors, the personnel of which includes each chairman of a section or an elected or nominated representative who is able to attend the monthly meetings of the board and correspond with the section for which she acts, and the chairmen of the five standing national committees, i. e. Educational Fund, Library, Emergency, Membership and Hospitality. The chairmen of these committees are all responsible to the president and board of directors and their activities must be indorsed with their approval.

Jan 1, 1929

By H. C. Jennison

Two distinct types of defects occur at times in copper wire as a result of the use of dies of improper design or undesirable wire-drawing practice. The conditions under which these defects may be produced, as well as precautions to be taken in order to prevent them, have been known to The American Brass Co. for many years. The quality of the copper wire bars and rods has too often and unjustly been held responsible for these particular defects and it is to correct any such belief that this paper is presented. An extremely high quality of electrolytic copper has been supplied to the trade by all refineries for the last 20 years at least. The purity of the copper would average well above 99.900 per cent. The casting of the wire bars has been handled in a generally satisfactory manner. The bars have been cast sound, with a flat to slightly crowning set and have been free from sloppy edges, cold sets, etc. In other words, the wire bars have met A. S. T. M. specifications and have been generally satisfactory. For the most part, they have been everything that could be desired from a quality standpoint yet most of the wire mills in this country and in Europe have at times held the quality of the copper responsible for the two types of defects described in this paper. As a matter of fact, these defects are produced entirely in the wire mills. The author has visited many of the large wire mills in the United States and in Europe to investigate these defects. In some cases the trouble has been so serious that the wire mill has ceased operations. At times the wire mills are reluctant to believe that they are responsible for the defective product. The effect of die design, wire-drawing practice, etc., upon the quality of copper wire has received' little study on the part of wire mills, particularly those that have commenced operations in the last few years.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

A SIDE from the technical sessions held as noted elsewhere, the chairman of the various sub-committees of the Mining Methods Committee, together with a few other specialists, were invited to a conference with President Bradley, which was held on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 20. The general plan of a comprehensive series of comparable papers descriptive of mining practice in various parts of the country, launched by this committee some seven years ago having been adopted by the U. S. Bureau of Mines, the feeling was general that the Committee could safely 1eave.that part of its work in these capable hands and turn its attention to other matters. The plans of the Bureau were presented as below by Charles William Wright of the Bureau.

Jan 1, 1929

By Carl Scholz

During November and December, 1907, four serious mine-explosions occurred in the Appalachian coal-field, which resulted in the loss of nearly a thousand lives and caused an eliormous damage to propcrty. These accidents attracted more than the usual attention; coal-trade and engineering papers contained many comments and suggestions on the cause and prevention of accidents; the daily press in many instances condemned the coal-operators and charged these accidents to their negligence, or their anxiety to make money without adopting precautionary measures. Immediately after cach accident the respective State authorities ordered close investigations to be made, with the view of establishing the cause and suggesting remedies to prevent recurrence. Representatives of the Technologic Branch of the IT. S. Geological Survey, to whom the investigation of mine-accidents had recently been delegated by the Secretary of the Interior, visited the mines and co-operated with the local authorities in their determinations. It may be safe to say here that an investigation of a mine after an explosion has occurred discloses but little, because the causes hare been removed and conditions have been entirely changed. On Jan. 8, 1908, the coal-operators of West Virginia organized an association at qTashington for the purpose of making extensive investigations, and sufficient funds were pledged to carry out this work. At this organization meeting, the representatives of the Geological Survey present had no suggestions to offer as to the cause of these accidents. An examinatiou of the various reports concerning these accidents indicates that the explosions were caused by the ignition of gas or dust; they show the point of origin and the direction in which the force was expended, and give a detailed description of the damage done. Very little has bee11 said as to what

Jan 1, 1909

By AIME AIME

TWENTY-TWO sections and all four of the divisions sent delegates to the annual meeting. They became so interested in the wide ranging dis6ussion of old and yet ever-new problems of Institute affairs that three instead of two sessions scheduled were necessary. Monday morning the meeting assembled with President Bassett presiding in the absence of President-elect Tally, who had been called to Baltimore by the serious illness of a brother. Thursday morning Vice-president Turner presided until Mr. Tally appeared after which the latter guided the sessions. Since reports from all of the active sections save one had been mimeographed and sent in advance to the delegates, detailed reports from each were dispensed with. The discussions dealt largely with membership problems, both local and national, with financing, speakers and programs, visits from national officers, and the conduct of the annual meeting. Many interesting and constructive suggestions were made and will be reported back to the sections by the delegates.

Jan 1, 1931

By George S. Rice

STUDIES of ground movement and subsidence caused by mining necessarily chiefly deal with causes and effects of making extensive excavations underground with spans beyond the strength of the un- supported or temporarily timbered roof or hanging wall. Perhaps no other phase of engineering is so de- pendent for results upon the assemblage of what may be called "experience data." That this is the case is cot surprising when one considers the number of variables involved in any at- tempted mathematical formula to determine the angle of draw or the angle of permanent slope of the rocks in any particular case. It is not like dealing with construction materials in which, through testing of. small specimens, in conjunction with the tests of large built- up specimens, relative stresses and strains may be deter- mined and formulas closely approximated for still larger constructions.

Jan 1, 1931

By L. J. Ingvalson, Roy H. Miller

IN 1948, as part of a program to expand the copper tube mill facilities of the American Brass Co. plant at Kenosha, Wisconsin, plans were formulated to convert the 100 ton capacity anode casting furnace at the Great Falls, Montana plant of the Anaconda Co. to the production of 3 in. phosphor -ized billets. The furnace was rebuilt completely and construction was started on an addition to the building. Members of the Great Falls staff visited various billet casting plants to draw upon the experience of other producers of this type of casting. Many features of other plants were incorporated into the Great Falls plant but, in addition, many new designs were made and perfected to make the plant the most advanced of its type. Construction was begun in 1949, with the intention of having the plant in production in the early part of 1951. In January 1951, as the plant was being rushed to completion, the government placed restrictions on the production of copper tubing. As a result, work was halted and the plant lay idle for two years. Interest was reactivated in May 1953 with the lifting of restrictions on copper. Plans were laid to go into production in July and the first charge was taken out July 1, 1953. Basically the plant is designed to produce from cathode copper a 3 in. diam billet, 50 in. long. weighing 110 lb, and containing 0.013 to 0.036 pct P, at a rate of 150,000 Ib per operating day. These billets are to be pierced and drawn into tubing. Furnace The furnace is a 100 ton capacity reverberatory type, gas fired furnace; 21 ft long and 9 ft wide. Gas is introduced to the furnace through two 38 hole Mettler gas burners. These burners are of chrome nickel alloy with four jets per hole. The furnace is charged with cathodes from the Electrolytic Copper Refinery plus return scrap from the casting operation by means of a Wellman Seaver Morgan Co. 7,000 lb capacity charging machine. The charge crane has a 20 ft boom and fork peel provided with an air ram to push material off the peel. The machine travels on overhead tracks and can be moved in any direction. The boom can be raised and lowered and swung through an arc of 180". With well stacked units of 6,000 lb, an experienced operator can put the first charge into the furnace in 40 min. After charging, the steel framed silica brick charge door is put in place and sealed with clay. After melting and skimming off the slag, the copper is blown until an oxygen content of 0.40 pct is reached. The metal is then heated to 2180°F, covered with coke, and poled. Poling is continued until a 3 in. diam test billet, 8 in. long, shows a flat set. The oxygen content is usually 0.030 pct at this time. At the end of poling, a temperature of 2160" to 2180°F is desired. In the side of the furnace opposite the charging door is the taphole slot, extending 36 in. upward from the bottom of the furnace. It is 4½ in. wide at the outside face and widens to 9 in. at the inside face of the furnace. It is filled with a wet mixture of sand, fireclay, and crushed coal. Flow of metal

Jan 1, 1957

CONTENTS PAGE Rae, Colin C.-A Possible Origin of Oil. Discussed by S. Linker, Colin C. Rae... 2 Cottingham, Kenneth.-Subsurface Conditions on Portion of Arches Fork Anticline. Discussed by David B. Reger 6 Moyer, W. Irwin.-Time to Pay Out as a Basis for Valuation of Oil Properties. Discussed by H. J. Smith 9 Pogue, Joseph E.-Future Demands on Oil Industry of United States. Discussed by James O. Lewis 11 J. J. Walsh.-Coa-lmine Ventilation. Discussed by W. B. Daly, J. J. Walsh, R. R. Sayers, H. H. Stock, George S. Rice, James W. Paul, D. Harrington, T. D. Thomas 15 Longyear, Robert Davis.-Diamond-drill Sampling Methods. Discussed by Ira B. Joralemon, J. J. Rutledge, E. C. Harder 19 Joralemon, Ira B.-Sampling and Estimating Disseminated Copper Deposits. Discussed by J. Parke Channing, John E. Hodge, E.E. Hunner, B. B. Gottsberger, W. Y. Westervelt, W. O. Hotchkiss 20 Boericke, W. F.-Sampling and Estimating Zinc and Lead Orebodies in Mississippi Valley. Discussed by J. Parke Channing, Arthur Thacher 24 Daly, W. B. and Linforth, F. A.-Organization of Mine Sampling at Anaconda. Discussed by George A. Packard, W. B. Daly, B. B. Gottsberger 25 Norris, E. M. and Rahilly, H. J.-Mine Fires. Discussed by R. Dawson Hall, W. B. Daly, Frank Haas, D. Harrington, Robert E. Tally 26 Raymond, R. M.-Safety Practice for Hoisting Ropes. Discussed by B. F. Tillson, Graham Bright, Rudolph Kudlich, J. F. Howe, Robert Peele, H. G. Davis. 30 Howe, J. F.-Use of Wire Rope in Mining Operations. Discussed by Horace F. Lunt, J. F. Howe, B. F. Tillson 36 Tanner, W. N., and Jaccard, F. C.-Wire Rope and Safety in Hoisting at Butte Mines. Discussed by Horace F. Lunt, W. B. Daly, C. L. Colburn, William Kelly, Robert Peele, B. F. Tillson, Graham Bright, Charles E. Locke 38 Richardson, A. S.-Ventilation of Butte Mines of Anaconda Copper Mining Co. Discussed by D. Harrington, Chas. A. Mitke 42 Stuart, Charles E.-Storage-battery Locomotive as Applied to Mine Haulage. Discussed by Howard N. Eavenson, Charles E. Stuart, William Kelly, Arthur Thacher, W. H. Patton, Graham Bright 45 Woodward, C. D.-Electric Haulage Systems in Butte Mines. Discussed by William Kelly, Graham Bright, Howard N. Eavenson, C. E. Arnold, Gerard B. Rosenblatt, K. A. Pauly 47 Harrington, D.-Efficient Ventilation of Metal Mines. Discussed by R. E. Simpson 52 Otagawa, Masayuki.-Mining Methods at the Ashio Copper Mine. Discussed by Horace V. Winchell, D. W. Brunton 52 Stoek, H. H. and Clagett, Thomas H.-Coal Mining Methods. Discussed by P. D. Browning, G. L. Cox, Erskine Ramsay, Frank Haas, George S. Rice.

Jan 6, 1922

PERSONAL (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 period Oct. 10 to Nov. 10, 1914: Jintaro Kojima, Ashio, Japan. E. R. Hinckley, Seoul, Korea. J. Homer Stover, Trenton, N. J. S. A. Taylor, Pittsburgh, Pa. Kirby Thomas, New York, N. Y. Lawrence Addicks, Douglas, Ariz. Keijiro Nishio, Tokyo, Japan. Noel Cunningham, Bethlehem, Pa. Alexander K. Hamilton, Chicago, Ill. E. C. Vigeon, London, England. Harold N. Lawrie, Portland, Ore. S. E. Fairchild, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. C. Spence Thomas, Cardiff, Wales. W. C. Schmidt, Jr., New York, N. Y. Henry Tackmann, New York, N. Y. Kenneth C. Browne, New York, N. Y. Dr. David T. Day has resigned his position with the U. S. Geological Survey and opened an office at 1331 F Street, N. W., Washington, D. C., for practice as a consulting engineer.

Jan 12, 1914

By L. E. Young

IT has been said the British Empire was built on British Coal. In all the postwar planning for Great Britain the necessity for producing cheap coal and the prosperity of the coal industry are given first consideration. On Jan. 23, 1945, there was released in London a "Report to the Colliery Owners" which had been awaited with great interest. This was entitled "A Plan for Coal" and was the recommendation of Robert Foot, chairman of The Mining Association (Colliery Owners), prepared at their request. Presentation of the "Plan" at this time is particularly significant as it is an answer to the demand for nationalization of the coal industry by the Labour Party and at the same time is a carefully considered program for postwar reconstruction, prosperity, and stability. In the words of Mr. Foot, If the coal industry for the first ten years after this war is to find itself in a situation similar to the one it occupied for the ten years following the last war, with its record of disputes, strikes, stoppages, short-time working, unemployment, and, with it all, a completely insufficient margin of profit, and all the insecurity and instability in our basic industry that was brought with them, it is goodbye to any real prospect of full employment, social security, and high standard of living. To present an elaborate review of the conditions which have brought to a crisis the unfortunate situation in the British coal industry is here unnecessary, but certain of the salient points

Jan 1, 1945

By J. R. Thoenen

IN five years mineral wool has grown to a thirty-million-dollar industry from one whose output was valued, in 1933, at $1,700,000. Ten years ago, in 1928, there were only seven producing companies, with an annual output of but 50,000 tons. By 1936 fifty or more companies were producing half a million tons. The industry is still growing vigorously and will profit from the expected activity in building in 1339, for two-thirds of this material is used for building insulation and to assist in fire-retarding, in both new and old homes. It is as useful in the South, to protect against heat, as in the North, to keep out the cold, if one may speak nontechnically. It is a concomitant of air conditioning, that new addition to the American standard of living that began in theatres, department stores, and railroad dining cars, and is rapidly progressing down to small homes. Here, then, is an industry that is only beginning to have a present, and one with an almost certain important future; one that depends upon mining and the by-products of mining for all of its raw materials; one that every progressive mining man should know something about.

Jan 1, 1939

By George M. Fowler

DURING 1937 the subject of mining geology was probably given more attention and more mining geologists were usefully employed than at any previous time. Of the many contributing factors the most important were: (1) a higher degree of prosperity in many countries, (2) a. better understanding of geologic phenomena, and (3) the apparently diminishing reserves of several important minerals. Mining companies have come to look upon geology with a growing appreciation of its aid in the more effective exploration and exploitation of mineral deposits. Most of the larger and more active companies have one or more geologists permanently attached to their staffs and some have well organized and efficiently managed geological departments. Even the smaller companies, who feel they cannot afford to employ a geologist on a permanent basis, are seeking the advice of competent men in this field with increasing frequency. One of the most significant trends has been the growing tendency to base exploratory work on more thorough geologic studies instead of empirical "hunches,"on which so much off the work in the past has relied. Likewise, mining companies are apparently more willing to expend larger sums on the basis of geologic possibilities in a district.

Jan 1, 1938

By Thomas T. Read

REVIEWING the events of the year in mineral industry education, a certain amount of either amusement or irritation, depending upon one's viewpoint, can be derived front the section dealing with mining engineering in Walter B. Pitkin's "New Careers for Youth" which appeared during the summer. On p. 102 Prof. Pitkin says "The mining engineer is disappearing .. . because . . . the profits of mining decline rapidly with the age of the mine." In his "Are Too Many Students Taking Mining Courses?" published in the May issue of this journal, W. B. Plank presents statistics showing that there was some decline in student enrollment in mining and metallurgical courses in 1932-3 and 1933-4, compared with 1930-31, but that the decline was proportionate to that in all lines of engineering study combined. Informal reports from Institute officials that have visited tinning schools during the fall indicate that nearly all schools showed an increase in enrollment for the current school year. Pre else statistics will be made available by Prof. Plank at the Annual Meeting. His study last year provided, for the first time, accurate and complete information on the enrollment in mining schools, as well as the number of various courses and the degree granted, and it will be interesting to have comparable figures for this year. Prof. Pitkin's views on the future opportunities for mining engineers were discussed at some length - on pages 439-4.40 of the November issue of MINING AND METALLURGY.

Jan 1, 1935

By R. P. Smith

IN 1937 the employees of the Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines Ltd., at Timmins, Ont., Canada, approached organized medicine for a plan to provide themselves and their families with a complete medical service including hospitalization. This approach was made because of two conditions: (1) the necessity for some organization whereby contributions could be made in instalments to offset the sudden and large expense connected with illness for which the average employee is not prepared, and (2) the need for a more cohesive quality of service to replace a contract practice then in vogue, which did not take care of the employee's family or dependents. In different parts of the United States and Canada similar plans were in force, not only for employed groups but for numbers of people in circumscribed areas. In Europe different countries had adopted various forms of health insurance plans. It then was no surprise that these employees as a group should ask for some similar plan. With the cooperation of the management, a plan was instituted. The plan has one object only-the provision of medical services, including the accessory services such as hospitalization, X-rays, nursing, and necessary drugs and medicines. It is not concerned with cash benefits, sickness and accident payments, or any form of monetary return as the result of illness, but is simply an organization to provide medical services and pay for them from a central fund. It is a nonprofit organization and the only shareholders are the employees and their families who contribute and who in turn receive services. The Hollinger plan is limited to the employees of the Hollinger mine, who live in Timmins and the immediate vicinity. At first, the membership was voluntary. In the third year, it was made a condition of employment, with the proviso that at the end of any Association financial year an employee may withdraw if he wishes to do so. After withdrawal, he cannot again become a member until the end of the next Association year, and then only by the payment of the back dues. This step was taken to ensure continuity, and to prevent employees from withdrawing when well and reentering when faced with impending illness or operations. The employee himself is subject to medical examination on application for employment, and if accepted is subject to further examination by a specialist in chest diseases under the Workmen's Compensation Board of Ontario. Thus it is possible to exclude those who have heart disease, tuberculosis, or other disabling conditions when first employed. Wives and families of employees are not subject to medical examination but other dependents of an employee-mother, father, or other relative-who are declared by the employee to be wholly dependent upon him must be examined. The employee

Jan 1, 1944

By AIME AIME

BY the end of 1943, the United States will be able to produce aluminum at a rate of 1,150,000 tons a year. How much aluminum is 1,150,000 tons? It is sufficient to replace every railroad passenger car in this country three times a year. Or, it would put a thirty-piece aluminum cooking utensil set in every one of America's 34,000,000 homes with enough metal left over to make 5,000,000 miles of aluminum transmission cable, such as was used in the electrification of much of rural America. Expansion of aluminum production capacity for the war program has occurred in three steps: (1) expansion by private industry; (2) the letting of contracts by the Defense Plant Corp. for the construction of additional aluminum plants which may remain after the war to compete with existing facilities; and (3) the more recently announced D.P.C. program for the building of emergency plants to make aluminum, using stand-by power available in large metropolitan centers power of relatively higher cost, making it questionable whether such plants, now gravely needed, will be able to compete in a peacetime economy.

Jan 1, 1943

*J. H. Brennan, Union Carbide Metals Company, Niagara Falls, N. Y. S. B. Casey, Jr., Swindell-Dressier Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. C. M. Cosman, Vanadium Corporation of America, New York, N. Y. H. E. Dunn, Vanadium Corporation of America, New York, N. Y. C. S. Finney, Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, Boston, Mass. M. O. Holowaty, Inland Steel Company, East Chicago, Ind. John Mitchell, Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, Boston, Mass. Leo F. Reinarts, Armco Steel Corporation, Middletown, Ohio H. E. Rowan, Dwight-Lloyd Division, McDowell Company, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio R. W. Shearman, The Metallurgical Society of AIME, New York, N. Y. C. M. Squarcy, Inland Steel Company, East Chicago, Ind. F. Weston Starratt, The Metallurgical Society of AIME, New York, N. Y. A. B. Wilder, National Tube Division, United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. *Deceased

Jan 1, 1961