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By Alfred W. Gauger, George A. Burrell

The senior author of this paper, while in Colorado on other official business, made a trip to the Cripple Creek gold-mining district to get more data than are at present available regarding the composition of the gas that issues from the rock into the mines of the district. This was done at the suggestion of George S. Rice, Chief Mining Engineer of the Bureau of Mines. There are -many questions of interest and importance in connection with the ventilation of the mines in the Cripple Creek district, such as the menace to life and mining of a suffocating gas entering the mines from the rock, the danger due to powder smoke (from blasting operations), and danger of continued inhalation of rock dust by the miners. This report confines itself to the first problem, the gas from the rock, and principally to one phase of this question, the composition of the gas and its effects on men and lights. A more thorough study of this and other ventilation problems is planned. That the rock gas is a real menace is shown by the fact that miners (variously estimated from 25 to 50 by different persons interviewed) have been killed by it in the 25 years that mining has been vigorously carried on at Cripple Creek. Many men have had narrow escapes from death, some of them having been incapacitated for days. In addition, much loss of time results because at certain periods of the year or on certain days it is impossible to enter some workings. At a few mines, fans force air into the workings, thus supplementing the natural ventilation and much improving conditions, but the improvement is not entirely adequate at all times. Origin of the Gas Lindgren and Ransome1 think that the gas found in the rocks of the Cripple Creek mining district represents the last exhalations of the ex-

Jan 1, 1917

By L. W. Fagg

The purpose of this paper is to present in a convenient form data and examples necessary in making dynamometer card analyses; also to outline a procedure of well weighing. Many articles and papers have been written delving into the mathematical considerations relative to the shape and characteristics of dynamometer cards. However. it is recognized that there are too many unknown factors involved in such calculations to assure a workable degree of accuracy. For this reason the accepted procedure is to take dynamometer cards on wells in question rather than try to calculate the load curve. The polished rod dynamometer is now recognized as a necessary tool for measuring loads, torque, and horsepower. It is also used to determine pump action and trouble-shoot for any seemingly abnormal pumping condition. The apparently infinite variety of a = maximum load (height x scale constant) b = minimum load. Range of load is difference between maximum and minimum load speed—taken with stop watch stroke —measured at polished rod c = beginning of down stroke in direction of arrow. (End of up stroke) d = beginning of up stroke. (End of down stroke). Polished Rod Horsepower = (Area of card) x Scale const. x Stroke x Length x spm (Length of card) 33000x 12 1.35 1.35------x5300x 24 x 12 2.53 --------------------------= 2.06 23000x12 Appraximate Peak Torque: Upstroke = (2390) (12) (1) = 28,700 in. Ib Downstroke = (1 860) (12) (.866) = 19,300 in. Ib Counterbalance should be increased to make up stroke and down stroke peak torque equal. FIG. 1 dynamometer cards that can be obtained is one reason for the general lack of usage of the dynamometer as a control instrument rather than a means for making routine measurements of leads and horsepower. When it is considered that the dynamometer card is a record of the resultant of all forces acting on the polished rod at any particular instant during the pumping stroke. the problem is then one of breaking down this resultant into its various components. As a means of a quick review we shall consider the examples shown in Figs. 1 to 9: and Tables I and II and then proceed to the interpretation of variously shaped cards caused by some abnormal operating condition. In Table 11, when we were considering the factors involved in calculating the peak polished rod load, it can be seen that the factors involved greatly oversimplify the problem. Certain assumptions are made which may or may not he even close to the actual field conditions, such as the specific gravity of the fluid generally considered as one; that the crank has constant angular velocity; that the down-hole friction is zero; and that the fluid lift is from the pump. In the following examples we shall see what a variation in fluid weight and friction can do to the general shape and magnitude of the dynamometer card. (Figs. 10 to 22.) MAKING THE WELL STUDY It is obvious that it would be impractical to consider in detail all of these factors each time a well study is made, inasmuch as each well study job could conceivably be extended into a research project rather than serve the practical requirements of finding the answer to a specific problem. For this reason it is important that some objective be established previous to the time the well study is made. Load at TU = 3070 Ib Crank angle when polished rod is at position TU = ? ? = 30° Maximum counterbalance effect at polished rod = 2760 Ib Torque at TU = (Load at TU — Max. counterbalance effect-lbs) sin 0 x Length of Stroke 2 = (3070-2760) .5 x 24 = 1860 in. 15 2 Torque at TD = (Load at TD — Max. counterbalance effect-lbs) sin ? x Length of Stroke 2 = (530 - 2760) sin 330' x 24 = 13,400 in. Ib 2 Note: sin 0 from c to d on UPSTROKE will be positive value. sin 0 from c to d on DOWNSTROKE will be negative value Torque at c and d is zero because 0 is zero. FIG. 2 —APPROXIMATE METHOD FOR CALCUlATlNG TORQUE

Jan 1, 1950

By W. P. Haynes

No wildcat operations are recorded from France during the past year, and no new discoveries have been made. In northern Africa, in Morocco, some prospecting continued in the Gharb and Tselfat regions. Only very small production or shows were found. At the close of the year one cable-tool well (depth 400 meters) was drilling in the Tselfat district, and one rotary well in the Gharb. In Tunisia one well was drilling at Sloughia. Refinery building has been active under the new petroleum law, no less than six plants now being under construction. At Pechelbronn, it is estimated 130 wells were drilled, of which 73 wells, or 56 per cent, were productive. Total drilling was 45,000 m. One new Jurassic horizon was discovered. In the mining area approximately 17,500 m. of new gallery were driven. Production at Pechelbronn for the first nine months was as follows: From wells, 233,013 bbl.; from mines, 164,815 bb1.—a total estimated production for the year of 532,000 bbl. Production at Gabian was 3780 bbl. for the year. In Algeria production from Tliouanet was small, being estimated at 6510 bbl. This production is from Helvetian sands (Miocene) around a salt plug. Italy Production for the year was 211,500 bbl., an increase of 62 per cent over that of last year. Drilling to the extent of 97,000 ft. was done mainly by the A. G. I. P., the government company in the Province of Emilia. More locations are being tested in this area, where geophysical results have shown indications of buried uplifts. Oil has been encountered on two of these structures, at Fontevivo and Podenzano, but the wells have given trouble with salt water. The chief producer is the Societa Petrolifera Italiana at Salsomaggiore and Valezza. The production is from sand lenses at relatively shallow depths. New concessions of 2000 hectares were granted at several points in the Po Valley, and geophysical work is being carried on. The A. G. I. P. is working on a five-year program of exploration to test new areas.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. J. McNally

THERE are three primary plant nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—expressed in any fertilizer compound as percent N, percent P 2 O 5, and percent K 2 O, in that order. This article will be concerned with the first two. The chief source of P 2 O 5 is phosphate rock. As found in the western states phosphate rock is essentially tricalcium phosphate-calcium fluoride (fluor-patite). As such, it is quite water insoluble.

Jan 1, 1957

By Leslie F. Tedsen, Alan E. Flanigan, John E. Dorn

IT is necessary occasionally to use aluminum-alloy sheet where moderately elevated temperatures are encountered. Considerable attention has been directed toward determining the influence of "artificial aging" on the room-temperature properties of the precipitation-hardenable alloys, as testified by numerous company reports and by references 1 to 4. Investigations on the properties at elevated temperatures are few, however,5-7 and have not always covered the range of times and temperatures of greatest interest. The present investigation was instituted to overcome this deficiency. The work was done for the Office of Production Research and Development of the War Production Board, under the supervision of the War Metallurgy Committee, as a part of the "restricted" Project NRC-548. It has been released for publication by the Office of Production Research and Development. As is well known, the high-strength aluminum alloys achieve their remarkable properties as a result of precipitation-hardening. In production they are subjected to a solution heat-treatment followed by quenching, to retain the supersaturated solid solution. The solution treatment is followed by "aging" (precipitation-hardening) either at room temperature or at a suitable elevated temperature. A considerable increase in tensile and compressive yield stresses results from precipitation at room temperature ("natural aging"). Through the elevated-temperature process ("artificial aging") it is possible to obtain values of yield stress considerably higher than those attainable by natural aging. The increase in yield stress is accompanied by a smaller gain in ultimate tensile stress and by a decrease in elongation. During [TABLE I.-Sources of Materials Used in the Testing Program MATERIAL ORIGIN AND TREATMENT 24S-T Alclad.... From Lockheed stock. 24S-RT Alclad... Direct from mill. 24S-T80 Alclad.. 24S-O Alclad from Lockheed stock, solution-heat-treated (925°F., water quench) and aged at 375°F. for t0 t % hour. 24S-T8I Alclad.. 24S-T Alclad from Lockheed stock, plant stretched up t0 I per cent and aged t0 ± % hr. at 375°F. 24S-T86 Alclad.. 24S-RT Alclad from Lockheed stock aged 534 ± 34 hr. at 375°F. 6IS-W (bare).... From Lockheed stock. 6IS-T (bare) 6IS-W (bare) from Lockheed stock aged 8 hr. at 350°F. XB7SS-T Alclad. From Lockheed stock.] the first stages of artificial aging the yield stress increases steadily until it reaches a maximum value. In this condition the material is said to be "fully aged." Further exposure results in "overaging," attended by a steady decrease in yield stress. In the production of the artificially aged materials, temperatures and times are selected to achieve full aging. The following important characteristics are associated with the process: I. The higher the temperature, the more rapidly is the fully aged condition attained.

Jan 1, 1945

By T. E. Brower

SHORTLY after our previous paper on this subject was printed,1 we located a source of uncertainty in the results arising from the unexpected fact that hydrogen slowly reduces silica at 1100° C. in presence of iron, even when the iron nowhere touches the silica, although in absence of iron it does not do so. This difficulty has been completely obviated by the use of a small high-frequency furnace, which enables us to heat the specimen for analysis without raising the temperature of the silica vessel to a point at which any appreciable reduction of the silica glass occurs. We now describe this modification of procedure, and present some typical results obtained with it. For any given specimen of steel, the results are entirely definite and. reproducible, but their precise significance is still open to some question, as indeed is true of all methods of oxygen determination so far developed. Further elucidation of this question is to be expected from the cooperative comparison of the several methods now under way under the auspices of the Bureau of Standards at the instance of the Iron and Steel Division of the A.I.M.E.

Jan 1, 1934

By T. M. Gurr

The United States is the world's leading producer of phosphate rock. In 1975 according to the US Bureau of Mines' statistics, 44.3 million tonnes (48.8 million st) of phosphate rock were produced in the United States, 1 which is 40.6% of the world's production.2 The major phosphate producing areas of the United States are located in Fig. 1 and the production for 1975 is listed as follows:

Jan 6, 1979

By J. O. Betterton, W. M. Spicer

The solubilities of antimony in the a and ß-forms of zirconium were determined between 750" and 1300°C. The a-phase forms by a peritectoid reaction, and the a/(a + ß) and ß/(a + ß) phase boundaries rise in temperature with in- ' creasing antimony. Impurities in the 99.95 pct zirconium were sufficient to influence the phase boundaries and the variation reported is approximate. The restricted solid solubility of the terminal zirconium phases, which is especially characteristic of this system, is thought to result from the low free energy of the Zr2Sb phase. ZIRCONIUM-antimony alloys are important in zirconium alloying studies since antimony is one of the highest valent elements which can be used to make zirconium alloys. The dilute alloys are of further interest as they have somewhat better corrosion resistance' than pure zirconium. The first investigation of the phase diagram was made by Russi and wilhelm2 who found a eutectic reaction, liquid (- 17.5 at. pct Sb) = ß zirconium (- 11 at. pct Sb) + Zr2Sb, at 1430°C'. The Zr2Sb phase was of complicated hexagonal structure, and by thermal analyses of the relatively impure alloys then available, Russi and Wilhelm found evidence for the peritectoid formation of the a-phase. EXPERIMENTAL In the present work, the phase diagram was re-investigated in the region 0 to 5 at. pct Sb and 750" to 1300°C using iodide-zirconium alloys. Details of the procedure have been described earlier. Essentially the alloys were prepared by arc casting and were then examined by the annealing and quenching method. The times of annealing varied from 1 hr at 1300°C to 30 days at 760°C. As in other zirconium phase-diagram studies1"5 the impurities in the zirconium were still sufficient to affect the results, and the experiments will therefore be described in 3 parts. The results from the first 2 parts of the work are shown in Fig. 1. Here the ß/(ß + Zr2Sb) and a/(a + ZrzSb) phase boundaries were determined with alloys made from 99.9 pct zirconium,* and cast under such conditions that the Vickers hardness of a alloys extrapolated to 95 to 110 VPN at 0 at. pct Sb. Such alloys were not suitable for investigations of the (a + ß) region, and the results shown in Fig. 1 near the (a+ ß) and (a +ß + Zr2Sb) regions were determined with purer alloys. These alloys had an extrapolated hardness range of 75 to 85 VPN and were made from 99.95 pct zirconium. A deviation from binary equilibrium occurs in Fig. 1 as indicated by the (a + ß) region of pure

Jan 1, 1959

By C. M. Weld

(Cleveland Meeting, October, 1912.) IN the course of my professional work in China during the fall of 1907, I had an opportunity to visit the iron-ore mines at Ta-yeh in Hu-pei province (long. 114° 50' E., lat. 30° 20' N.). It occurs to me that a rescript and discussion of my notes taken at that time should be of interest, particularly as supplementing the exceedingly interesting recent paper-of Thomas T: Read on The Mineral Production and Resources of China.1 Ta-yeh is situated near the right bank of the Yangtze river. The mines are at an average distance of about 16 miles from the river-port Shi-hui-yao, which in turn is some 70 miles S-E. of Hankow. The ores are shipped to the works of the Han-Yeh-P'ing Iron & Coal Co. at Hanyang, as also very largely to the Japanese government iron- and steel-works at Wakamatsu, Japan. Smaller quantities have been exported to the Pacific coast of the United States. These ore-deposits have been briefly noticed in a number of publications, but, so far as I know, Mr. Read's description, in his chapter on the iron-ores of the Chinese Empire,2 contains the first attempt to define their geological character. In his more recent paper Mr. Read follows very closely the text of his earlier description. To quote briefly from the recent paper, he says : " The iron-ores at Ta-yeh . . . . lie along the contact between a marble and an intrusive body of a dark-gray syenitic rock." He refers to a figure which exhibits in plan, but not in section, the relative positions of the syenite, ore-bodies, and limestone. The contact is seen to trend approximately E-W., with the syenite on the north and the limestone on the south. " The syenite lies to the north of the marble, and a few miles farther north the marble again' appears, iron-ore again being present along the contact." No litho- 1 Bulletin Bulletin No. 63, March, 1912, pp. 293 to 343. 2 The Iron Ore Resources of the World', vol. ii., p. 913 (Stockholm 1910).

Oct 1, 1912

By Philip D. Anderson, Ralph Hultgren

Heat contents of extremely pure iron were measured over the range 300"to 1433"K, using a diphenyl ether calorimeter. Results from three samples containing widely differing impurities agreed with one another and with Previously reported results at higher temperatures (1184 ° to 1809°K) by Olette and Ferrier. From these data a table of heat contents of iron has been Prepared which is believed to be more accurate than those previously available. CP values have been derived which are consistent with these heat contents, with the best experimental Cp data, and with the thermodynamic conditions of equilibrium between bcc and fcc iron. The opinion is expressed that low-temperature extrapolations of presently known Cp values for y-Fe are not reliable. It would seem that the thermodynamic properties of iron, which is by far our most important metal, should have been well established long ago. This is not the case, however. As discussed by Olette and Ferrier,' there is objection to every earlier heat content measurement. While the best true Cp determinations agree well at temperatures below the Curie point, there is wide divergence at higher temperatures. Several investigators have examined available data and attempted to calculate thermodynamic functions for iron that are consistent with the two equilibrium temperatures of bcc and fcc iron. The two primary efforts were those of Austin' in 1930 and Darken and smith3 in 1948. The recommended values differ considerably; integration of Austin's Cp values leads to a heat content at 1100°K which is 300 cal per g-atom higher than the value recommended by Darken and Smith. The compilation of Fisher4 in 1949 was based on the selection of Austin. In 1956, Weiss and Tauer obtained yet another set of values by resolving Cp values into components due to dilation, lattice vibration, electronic excitation, and magnetism. The magnitude of contribution by each component and its dependence on temperature was estimated by semiempirical means. Their values are not self-consistent in that they do not form smooth curves when plotted vs temperature; moreover, their calculations cannot easily be repeated since they do not give the values of some of the parameters used. Clearly, experimental values for iron were in a most unsatisfactory state. The presently described measurements of the heat content of iron were therefore undertaken, covering temperatures as high as 1433°K. While the work was in progress, the high-temperature (1193" to 1789"K) heat content measurements of Olette and Ferrier' were published; in the region of temperature overlap the present results agree with Olette and Ferrier well within experimental accuracy. It is believed that the present results, combined with those of Olette and Ferrier, provide for the first time a reliable set of heat contents of iron from room temperature to the melting point. From these data, guided by available Cp measurements, it proved possible to derive Cp, entropy, and free energy function values for @-iron from room temperature to the melting point, and for y- iron in the temperature region of its stability. Exhaustive study led to the conclusion that extrapolations of y-iron functions to room temperature were not reliable enough to be useful; hence these have been omitted from the tables. EXPERIMENTAL Materials. Three samples of extremely high purity iron from different sources, containing widely different impurities, were measured. The first of these, designated "Chipman", was kindly supplied by Dr. K. K. Kelley of the U. S. Bureau of Mines from a lot which was made many years ago by Dr. John Chipman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The second, designated6'Teddington", was supplied by the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, England, from a lot zone-refined by them. The third sample, designated "Irsid", was supplied by the Institute de Recherches de la

Jan 1, 1962

By H. S. Munroe

THE native copper of Lake Superior occurs in the form of fine grains and scales, disseminated in small percentage through the copper-bearing rock ; and in large and small masses, from a few pounds to several hundred tons in weight. Formerly the bulk of the copper came from the mines of Ontonagon and Keweenaw counties, producing mass copper. At present these mines furnish less than one-tenth of the total product, and fully one-half of this is from a single mine. The masses are usually found irregularly distributed in nearly vertical fissure veins, and require much dead work in sinking, drifting, and stoping for their development. The risk and expense attending the working of these mines have made them, with few exceptions, anything but profitable. * Read at the Montreal meeting, September, 1880.

Jan 1, 1880

By Bert S. Sandell

Much has been said and written about the various uses of die castings, their applications in the various industries and their advantages and disadvantages. Examination of this literature, however, fails to disclose any data concerning the effect of temperature upon any of the physical properties of die-casting alloys. The uses and applications of die castings are so numerous, and of such a varied nature, that far too lengthy a manuscript would be required to list all of them. Brief mention of some specific cases will suffice to illustrate the temperature ranges in which certain die castings function. Automobile hardware, such as hub caps, door handles, radiator caps, etc., can be used as one example. Castings of this type are constantly exposed to varying climatic conditions, temperatures ranging from below zero to upwards of 100" F. Refrigerator parts, such as ice-cube trays, etc., form another example. Approaching the other temperature extreme, we encounter conditions such as are found in kitchens in which oven-heat indicator parts, cooking utensils, waffle grids, etc., embody use of die castings, where temperatures as high as 500" F. are often met with. Because of this variation in service temperatures, it was felt necessary to ascertain the effect of these temperatures upon the physical properties of die-casting alloys. The Charpy impact test was chosen first because of its simplicity, and because of the fact that brittleness is more likely to be objectionable in die castings than hardness or other physical properties. Alloys Investigated Two types of alloys were used in this investigation—zinc-base and aluminum-base alloys. Two alloys of each group were included. Those most generally employed in the industry at present were selected. Alloys A and B are of the same nominal composition, and correspond to A. S. T. M. alloy XXI, containing 4 per cent aluminum, 3 per cent copper, 0.1 per cent magnesium, and the balance zinc of 99.99 per cent

Jan 1, 1932

By Edward W. Parker, Marius R. Campbell

According to the estimates prepared by the U. S. Geological Survey, the area underlain by workable coal-beds in the United States is 496,776 sq. miles. Of this total area, 480 sq. miles contain the entire anthracite coal-fields of Pennsylvania. The bituminous coal-fields are estimated to be contained in areas, aggregating 250,051 sq. miles. The grade of coal between bituminous and lignite, and which is designated by the Geological Survey as " sub-bituminous," is estimated to be contained within areas aggregating 97,636 sq. miles, while the areas containing lignite aggregate 148,609 sq. miles. The coal-fields are divided, for the sake of convenience in classification, into six main provinces, as follows: 1. The Eastern. Province, containing the anthracite coal-fields of Pennsylvania and the bituminous coal-fields of the Appalachian region—namely, those of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Ala bama, and small outlying areas in North Carolina. 2. The Interior Province, containing the bituminous coal-producing regions of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, western Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. 3. The Gulf Province, containing the lignite-areas of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. 4. The Northern or Great Plains Province, containing the lignite and sub-bituminous areas of North and South Dakota, eastern Montana, and northeastern Wyoming. 5. The Rocky Mountain Province, containing the bituminous and sub-bituminous areas of western Montana and western Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. 6. The Pacific Coast Province, containing the areas of Washington, Oregon, and California.

Jan 1, 1910

By A. J. Hendron, D. U. Deere, F. D. Patton, E. J. Cording

In the design of structures founded in the near-surface rock, a distinction may be made between those problems that are related to the strength of the rock mass, and those that are related primarily to the compressibility of the rock mass. The mining engineer deals almost exclusively with problems involving strength in the design of open-pit slopes and underground openings. The civil engineer is similarly concerned with strength problems in the design of vehicular and water tunnels; underground power plants; cut slopes in rock for highways, canals, and spillways; and in the study of the sliding resistance of the foundations of gravity dams and the abutments of arch dams. Moreover, the civil engineer encounters problems in which the compressibility of the rock becomes the key element in the design. These problems include settlement of heavy structures supported on rock, deformation of the abutments of arch dams, and deflection of pressure tunnel linings. The design problems listed above are still solved largely on the basis of experience and rule-of-thumb. However, recent developments in rock mechanics give promise of providing more realistic approaches to certain aspects of the design. This paper, presents some of the more important recent developments which contribute to an understanding of rock behavior and which aid in design of rock structures. Typically, four steps are involved in the design of a structure, whether it be a machine element, a structural member of a building, or a structure in rock. These steps are listed below:

Jan 1, 1967

By S. F. Ravitz, S. R. Zimmerley

High-grade cobalt concentrates were produced from the complex Blackbird ore with very good recovery in continuous pilot-plant operations in which a low-grade bulk cobaltite-pyrite flotation concentrate was roasted in a multiple-hearth furnace to oxidize the pyrite selectively. The cobaltite was floated from the resulting calcine. THE existence of the cobalt-copper deposits in the Blackbird district, Lemhi County, Idaho, has been known for many years. However, these deposits have not yet been exploited successfully because of the low grade of the ore, absence of information on ore reserves, and lack of feasible methods for concentrating and recovering cobalt from the ore. In 1941, when it appeared that World War II might interfere seriously with imports of cobalt from overseas, the U. S. Bureau of Mines started an extensive mining and metallurgical investigation of the Blackbird deposits. Exploration by trenching and drilling1 indicated that ore reserves were adequate to warrant consideration of large-scale exploitation. A process for producing high-grade cobalt concentrates from the ore was developed at the Salt Lake City Station of the Bureau,2 and hydrometallurgical procedures for producing cobalt metal or oxide from the concentrates were developed at the Boulder City Station.3 The Howe Sound Co., through a subsidiary, the Calera Mining Co., carried out further exploratory work, which increased probable ore reserves to a tonnage commensurate with a large investment in mine, mill, transportation facilities, and refinery. Simultaneously, the metallurgical staff of the company, working in cooperation with the Bureau of Mines, further investigated the metallurgical problems. It was the opinion of both groups that pilot-plant testing was required to translate laboratory results into plant operation. In general, the Blackbird ore has a high content of pyrite and some pyrrhotite and contains 0.5 to 1 pet cobalt and 1 to 2 pet copper, which are present essentially as cobaltite and chalcopyrite. The copper can be recovered readily as a high-grade concentrate by selective notation. The cobalt then can be recovered as a bulk sulphide concentrate assaying 4 to 5 pct cobalt, but no satisfactory procedure for separating the cobalt from the pyrite and pyrrhotite directly by flotation had been found. The method developed by the Bureau for producing a high-grade cobalt concentrate is essentially an application of the old Horwood process of selective roasting.4 The bulk sulphide concentrate is roasted to form an oxide coating on the iron mineral particles, and the calcine is then treated by flotation. The oxide coating prevents the iron minerals from floating so that it is possible to obtain a high recovery of cobalt in concentrates assaying more than 20 pct cobalt. Laboratory tests by metallurgists of both the Bureau and the Howe Sound Co. had indicated the optimum roasting temperature to be 425° to 450°C. At lower temperatures the rate of oxidation of the iron minerals is too low, whereas at higher temperatures substantial quantities of cobalt are rendered water-soluble. Because of its high sulphur content (35 to 40 pct), the bulk concentrate tends to continue to burn after it has reached the optimum roasting temperature. Although excessive temperatures could be avoided in the small-scale laboratory furnaces, there was considerable doubt that the temperature could be controlled properly in industrial equipment. To provide material for the pilot-plant tests, the Calera Mining Co. installed a small, temporary flotation mill at the Blackbird property and treated

Jan 1, 1951

By S. R. Zimmerley, S. F. Ravitz

High-grade cobalt concentrates were produced from the complex Blackbird ore with very good recovery in continuous pilot-plant operations in which a low-grade bulk cobaltite-pyrite flotation concentrate was roasted in a multiple-hearth furnace to oxidize the pyrite selectively. The cobaltite was floated from the resulting calcine. THE existence of the cobalt-copper deposits in the Blackbird district, Lemhi County, Idaho, has been known for many years. However, these deposits have not yet been exploited successfully because of the low grade of the ore, absence of information on ore reserves, and lack of feasible methods for concentrating and recovering cobalt from the ore. In 1941, when it appeared that World War II might interfere seriously with imports of cobalt from overseas, the U. S. Bureau of Mines started an extensive mining and metallurgical investigation of the Blackbird deposits. Exploration by trenching and drilling1 indicated that ore reserves were adequate to warrant consideration of large-scale exploitation. A process for producing high-grade cobalt concentrates from the ore was developed at the Salt Lake City Station of the Bureau,2 and hydrometallurgical procedures for producing cobalt metal or oxide from the concentrates were developed at the Boulder City Station.3 The Howe Sound Co., through a subsidiary, the Calera Mining Co., carried out further exploratory work, which increased probable ore reserves to a tonnage commensurate with a large investment in mine, mill, transportation facilities, and refinery. Simultaneously, the metallurgical staff of the company, working in cooperation with the Bureau of Mines, further investigated the metallurgical problems. It was the opinion of both groups that pilot-plant testing was required to translate laboratory results into plant operation. In general, the Blackbird ore has a high content of pyrite and some pyrrhotite and contains 0.5 to 1 pet cobalt and 1 to 2 pet copper, which are present essentially as cobaltite and chalcopyrite. The copper can be recovered readily as a high-grade concentrate by selective notation. The cobalt then can be recovered as a bulk sulphide concentrate assaying 4 to 5 pct cobalt, but no satisfactory procedure for separating the cobalt from the pyrite and pyrrhotite directly by flotation had been found. The method developed by the Bureau for producing a high-grade cobalt concentrate is essentially an application of the old Horwood process of selective roasting.4 The bulk sulphide concentrate is roasted to form an oxide coating on the iron mineral particles, and the calcine is then treated by flotation. The oxide coating prevents the iron minerals from floating so that it is possible to obtain a high recovery of cobalt in concentrates assaying more than 20 pct cobalt. Laboratory tests by metallurgists of both the Bureau and the Howe Sound Co. had indicated the optimum roasting temperature to be 425° to 450°C. At lower temperatures the rate of oxidation of the iron minerals is too low, whereas at higher temperatures substantial quantities of cobalt are rendered water-soluble. Because of its high sulphur content (35 to 40 pct), the bulk concentrate tends to continue to burn after it has reached the optimum roasting temperature. Although excessive temperatures could be avoided in the small-scale laboratory furnaces, there was considerable doubt that the temperature could be controlled properly in industrial equipment. To provide material for the pilot-plant tests, the Calera Mining Co. installed a small, temporary flotation mill at the Blackbird property and treated

Jan 1, 1951

By P. R. Swann, R. M. Fisher, W. R. Duff

Observations by transmission electron microscoPy of the microstructures in quenched Fe-A1 alloys provide the basis for revision of the Fe-A1 phase diagram. The diagram is characterized by first-order transitions between the disordered ferromagnetic a! solid solution and the two ordered phases FeAl and Fe3Al. However, second-order transitions showing corre-luted fluctuations in the degree of order near the critical temperature occur between the paramagnetic a! and FeAl and the FeAl and FeAl phases. ELUCIDATION of the true nature of the Fe-A1 equilibrium diagram has proven to be an extremely challenging problem as evidenced by the fact that six quite different versions of the iron-rich portions have been published since 1958.&apos;-6 The most recent diagram shown in Fig. 1 was proposed by Rimlinger6 based on X-ray diffraction analysis and dilatometry. He shows the single-phase fields of the ordered phases of the types FeAl(L20) and Fe3A1(D03) and the disordered bcc Fe-A1 solid solution, a, separated from one another in every case by large two-phase regions. Thus, he implies that in Fe-A1 alloys ordering always occurs via a classical phase transition. In contrast to this view, theoretical studies3&apos;" have concluded that the transitions a — FeAl and FeAl — Fe3A1 should be second- or higher-order in character. A further revision of the Fe-A1 diagram of state is presented in Fig. 2 based on our previous8,9 and current observations by transmission electron microscopy of the microstructures found in quenched specimens. The average quenching rate was 50,000°C per sec and although this was sufficiently rapid to prevent Fe3A1-type ordering below -550°C it was not sufficient to suppress ordering of the type FeAl in the temperature range -650" to 800°C. However, ordering during the quench is easily recognized since the FeAl phase formed during holding at temperature rapidly develops large antiphase domains whereas FeAl formed during quenching has a very fine domain size, -50Å diam. Each symbol in Fig. 2 indicates the result of a micro-structural examination of specimens heat-treated (-1 hr) until equilibrium was established. The results will be discussed in the order of the points, A - Dl marked on both diagrams with reference to the phase fields, critical temperature, and "transition" ranges, respectively. The dark-field micrograph corresponding to point A is shown in Fig. 3 and was obtained using a 111 reflection of the Fe3A1 structure which reveals both a&apos;/4<111> and a&apos;/2<100> antiphase domain boundaries.10 The structure observed in this specimen is typical of single-phase Fe3A1 and shows no evidence for FeAl or any other additional phase. The dark-field micrograph shown in Fig. 4 corresponds to point B on the two diagrams. It was taken with a 100 FeAl reflection which reveals a/2(111) domains and exhibits the typical structure of single-

Jan 1, 1970

By Ta M. Li

Recent start-up of the Pinto Valley mine and mill is expected to add to domestic copper mine capacity by some 62,500 tpy. Owned and operated by Cities Service Co.&apos;s Miami Operations, the complex lies approximately 5% miles west of Miami, Ariz. The estimated $100- million project, the largest single construction project ever undertaken by Cities Service, includes the Pinto Valley open pit mine, a 40,000-tpd concentrator, and a 10-mile slurry pipeline that will transport a 28% copper concentrate slurry to a new filter plant located in Miami. Concentrate will be treated nearby at Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co.&apos;s new smelter complex. The current pit design contains reserves of approximately 350 million tons of ore averaging 0.44% Cu. Based on an initial production target of 40,000 tpd ore and 60,000 tpd waste, mine life is estimated at 24 years. The current stripping ratio is 1.5: 1, requiring the ultimate removal of more than 500 million tons of waste and leach-grade material.

Jan 6, 1975

By E. E. White

I DISAGREE with Mr. Brinsmade on several points, and I will discuss his remarks under the same six topics which he has used. 1. Rate of Interest Earned by Sinking-Fund.-I believe Mr. Brinsmade is confused in his ideas as to the effect of new gold on the interest earned on money. The flood of gold which he mentions certainly should not operate, to increase interest rates, but since it replaces and adds to liquid capital should reduce interest rates and counteract the destruction of liquid capital which he mentions. Furthermore, it is doubtful if the destruction of capital since 1897 by wars and catastrophes has been any greater in proportion than in similar periods before 1897. With regard to savings banks, I would say that only 3 per cent. is allowed on deposits through a large part of the West. As to bonds, they can be bought to yield any rate. of interest desired up to 6 per cent., but, a 5 per. cent. bond is not as safe as a 4 per cent. bond, nor a 4 per cent. bond as safe as a 3 per cent. government security. I do not understand why Mr. Brinsmade says that Mr. Denny&apos;s quoted opinion of a 3 per cent. rate is evidently based on English conditions before the Boer War. Certainly there is no reference to the Boer war or to English conditions in Mr. Denny&apos;s article. M. Howard Burnham, in his admirable work on mine valuation, says&apos;: ". For instance, redemption is taken at 3 per cent., because even 4 per cent. represents a greater risk, as is indicated by the purchase of Government paper to bear only 3 per cent., the great desideratum of the .latter being security." . Again, Mr. Burnham says:2 "The tables are calculated on the assumption that the dividends shall accumulate at 3 per cent. only, as in accordance with the general idea set out elsewhere, a rate greater than 3 per cent. involves appreciable risk with which it were inaccurate to saddle the sinking-fund if risks are to be segregated, this being the basis of all the writer&apos;s calculations."

Jan 6, 1914

By L. W. Eastwood

The structure of eutectics has been studied by a number of investigators, and the complexity of the structural relationship of the components has been agreed upon, especially that of the "eutectic colony," type III of Portevin&apos;s1 classification. This paper does not attempt to alter the present classifications of eutectics; rather, it discusses the relationship between the macrostructure and the microstructure of the copper-cuprous oxide eutectic, and describes in detail the mechanism of the formation and the structure of the eutectic. Further, throughout the entire discussion it attempts to point out certain misconceptions in regard to the interpretation of the observed structure of the copper-cuprous oxide eutectic, one of the so-called "eutectic colony" types, and to correlate as much as possible the work done by the writer with that done by other investigators. Of the three types of eutectics listed by Portevin,2 the eutectic colony type has presented the greatest difficulty in interpretation. Although the copper-cuprous oxide eutectic is typical of the eutectic colony type in appearance, it may not be truly representative because the copper forms about 96 per cent of the eutectic and the cuprous oxide about 4 per cent. The interpretation of the origin and structure of the "eutectic colony" given here is strictly limited, therefore, to the copper-cuprous oxide eutectic. Macrostructure Fig. 1 shows the macrostructure of the eutectic at 3 diameters, the melt having been chill-cast into an iron mold, the resulting specimen sawed into two parts and the section polished and etched with the usual mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide. This specimen contains 0.48 per cent oxygen and is only slightly hypereutectic. If such a melt is allowed to cool slowly, large macrograins will form without the columnar structure of Fig. 1 and the well-known phenomenon of liquation will occur, forming copper oxide dendrites at the top and copper

Jan 1, 1934