Search Documents

By Frederic Carter

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

Jan 1, 1928

By R. G. Bowman

DISCUSSIONS of processes for the manufacture of white lead generally open with the statement that white lead is the oldest chemical pigment known to man. This fact is of more than historical interest; in the light of the present extensive use of white lead, ii indicates that the .compound possesses characteristics that make it unique among white pigments, and superior to all ;in its particular field. A greater variety of processes have been proposed for manufacturing white lead than for any other one chemical compound. Only a few of these processes have come into commercial use, however, and a large part of the present production here and abroad is made by the process used in ancient times. The outstanding disadvantages of the old process are that it is slow and laborious, affords no control of the product, and yields at best an impure material lacking in uniformity. Improved processes, sometimes classed all together as "quick processes," have had as their main object the shortening of the time required. Most of them accomplish this and some have yielded a superior product as well, but only two or three are now in use commercially. For centuries the manufacture and mixing of paints has been treated as an art, and the practice has been much influenced by tradition and precedent. There is a reluctance to abandon old materials for this purpose, and as few new uses for white lead have been developed, the adoption of the quick processes has been slow. The electrolytic production of white lead is not-new, a large number of processes and forms of apparatus have been proposed and patented within the past 25 years, all directed toward the, production of white lead, wholly or in part, by electrolysis. One or two of these processes were tried commercially but proved unsuccessful.

Jan 9, 1925

By C. D. Thompson, D. C. Violetta, C. A. Czako

The mechanics of the continuous sintering process are briefly reviewed and the application of this process for the beneficiation of principal minerals used in making cement is shown. Pilot plant tests using pyrobeneficiation techniques were conducted with mixtures of limestone and shale in various ratios. Results are illustrated and show the percentage removal of carbon, carbonates, sulfur, alkalies, and volatiles as a function of the limestone-shale ratio. Tests with varying quantities of solid fwls, added to mixtures containing limestone and shale in a 4 to 1 ratio, were made to attain optimum elimination of the volatile constituents. Experimental results show that 90 pct of these constituents were removed during the calcination sintem'ng process. The advantages of using the beneficiated material for making cement are discussed with regard to prepam'ng, handling, and clinkering operations. A sintering process for treating raw materials or kiln waste products which contain high amounts of alkaline materials is described. Tests were performed with a high alkaline waste dust mixed in a 1 to 1 ratio with raw cement meal. The data from these tests and others using different halides for aiding alkali removal are evaluated by the alkali content of the cement clinker. Test results showed that the Dwight-Lloyd process could be applied with facility in beneficiating raw materials for cement making. Substantial quantities of deleterious volutile constituents were removed by calcining and sintering techniques. The continuous sintering process has been applied for a number of years as a means of beneficiating minerals for subsequent conversion to merchantable products. The process was developed and first used for nonferrous metallurgical applicatfons. However, it has risen to prominence for ferrous metallurgical applications where last year in the U.S. and Canada nearly 40 million tons of iron ore were treated by grate firing processes. Through the years of process development many investigators have realized the versatility of the sintering process and have directed experiments toward the use of it for applications with nonmetallic minerals. These have included calcining limestone, carbonizing coal, expanding shale, and burning cement raw meal. Today commercial sintering plants produce cement clinker from mixtures of limestone and shale, lightweight aggregate from shale or clay, and calcined products from phosphate shale. The mechanics of the downdraft sintering process have been presented by many authors. In general practice the materials to be agglomated are mixed as moistened fines with a solid fuel and this mixture is spread uniformly on the grates of the sintering machine. The charge is then momentarily directed under an ignition furnace. After ignition a continuous downdraft of air promotes combustion of the fuel and through heat transfer particles become partially fused into a coherent mass. This is cooled from continued draft induced after combustion. Many investigators have shown that distinct zones are formed during the process of sintering iron ores. At the midway point of the sintering process these are prominent and are, respectively, from the top of the bed to the bottom, comprised of a cooling zone of sintered material, a combustion zone of sinter formation, a calcination zone, a drying zone, and a zone of unreacted materials. Completion of sintering occurs near the discharge end of the machine where the firing zone approaches either the grates or grate dressing material called hearth layer. Here the peak draft temperature usually can be noted in the windboxes. The zonal pattern has been illustrated with the use of graphs which show thermal gradients as they progress through the bed of materials during sintering. Fig. 1 shows, in simplified form, thermal gradients existing when clinkering cement on a sintering machine. The thermal gradients illustrated are for periods of initiation, midway and completion of the clinkering process. The occurrence of these zones has importance for the beneficiation of cement raw materials. A research program was performed at the Dwight-

Jan 1, 1961

By Harry L. Washburn, Robert L. Llewellyn, W. J. Halvorsen

Many of the problems that occur in the preparation plant originate from practices in the mine. Impurities in raw coal can be in the seam itself or from extraneous material taken in mining from the roof or bottom. In the case of underground mines, the choice of mining equipment will affect the size consist and the amount of extraneous material included with the coal. Also, governmental regulations concerning the degree of rock dusting, gobbing underground, and cleanup have increased the dirt in raw coal. Sulfur dioxide emission standards, on the other hand, are pressuring the coal industry to clean coal more thoroughly. Coal supplied for coking purposes is nearly all upgraded by washing, while for the largest market, electric power generation, a high proportion is shipped as a raw product with processing, in whole or in part, only necessary when excess impurities are mined with the coal. This chapter will deal primarily with plants that process or wash coal to some extent (Fig. 1) and only incidentally with mines shipping raw run-of-mine coal crushed to a top size of, usually, 51 to 102 mm (2 to 4 in.), with little, if any, other treatment. JUSTIFICATION FOR COAL PREPARATION During the past decade, major changes have occurred affecting the market, profit, and long-range planning of the coal industry. Mining companies have become "partners" with consumers at many new and some old mines, both for steam and metallurgical coals. Coal properties have become "assigned" tonnages at mutually agreed upon conditions and prices. Lower unit-train tariffs have been instrumental in helping coal markets to compete against oil and nuclear energy. Coal prices for power plants are still on a Btu (British thermal unit)

Jan 1, 1981

By Å. Sterten, R. Tunold, J. Brun, K. Dalatun

c axis compression behavior of beryllium single crystals at three purity levels under hydrostatic pressures up to 27 kbars was determined. Extensive non-basal slip, observed by two-surface trace analysis and transmission electron microscopy, occurred under a hydrostatic pressure of about 12 kbars (175 ksi) for the high-purity (twelve-zone pass) material and at about 19 kbar (275 ksi) for the lower-purity (zone-leveled) material. Prismatic loops with a (c + a) Burgers vector were observed in association with second-phase parti- A principal factor limiting the use of beryllium is its brittle behavior when tested at the usual strain rates (E = 10-4 sec- 1) at temperatures below about 200°C and under impact conditions at temperatures in excess of 200°C. It has been proposed' that the brittle-ness of beryllium is associated with the lack of a sufficient number of independent slip modes and the absence of a slip mode with a Burgers vector out of the basal plane [presumably (c + a) pyramidal slip mode] and to the ease with which beryllium cleaves on the basal and second-order prism planes. The absence of pyramidal slip has been attributed to a high Peierls-Nabarro stress associated with the motion of dislocations with a (c + a) vector and the ease with which cleavage occurs on the basal and second-order prism planes. The experimental evidence in support of the proposed explanation for the brittleness of beryllium is far from complete; for example, that the ductile-to-brittle transition in polycrystalline beryllium is associated with the operation of profuse (C + a) slip has not been unequivocally established. The occurrence of (c + a) slip ({1122}(1123)) has been experimentally established2-5 under conditions where basal and prism cleavage are restricted in a c axis compression test. In these investigations (C +a) slip was found in high-purity beryllium single crystals tested in c axis compression* at 200°C and in Be-4.4 pct Cu and Be-5.2 pct cles in the lower-purity materials tested. The loops were related to surface "extrusions" observed on many of these same specimens. Nonbasal dislocations operating on (1122) planes with a (c + a) Burgers vector were observed. The presence of c and a dislocations together with (c + a) dislocations suggests that the (c + a) dislocations dissociate presumably on unloading or after failure of the test crystals to c and a dislocations. terial, (c + a) slip has only been observed near the the fracture4 surface in room-temperature c axis compression tests. Fracture in these tests occurs without measurable plastic flow, as determined with a strain sensitivity of 10"6. Since it has been shown for many metals that the application of hydrostatic pressure suppresses fracture,?-' it was felt that studying the behavior of unalloyed beryllium single crystals stressed in c axis compression under a hydrostatic pressure would reveal whether (c + a) can occur if fracture was prevented, and that it might elucidate the role of (c + a) slip in the ductile to brittle transition. Evidence that (C + a) slip is associated with increased ductility in a high-pressure environment has been found in stress-strain tests on poly crystalline beryllium.10 The present paper describes a study on the influence of a hydrostatic pressure environment on the occurrence of (c + a) slip in beryllium single crystals. Material of two purity levels was tested in c axis compression over the pressure range ambient to about 27.5 kbars.* 1) MATERIAL PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION Two lots of low-purity single-crystal beryllium were used. The first lot was "ingot secondary refined grade" and designated lot A. The second lot (lot B) was produced by a two floating zone pass zone-leveling operation in an argon-filled sealed quartz apparatus on a 1-in.-diam by 12-in.-long bar of Pechiney secondary refined-grade vacuum-cast and hot-extruded material. The high-purity material (lot C) was made by traversing twelve floating zone passes through a similar bar of Pechiney secondary refined-grade vacuum-cast and hot-extruded material. In a series of spark cutting and lapping procedures,11 single-. crystal specimens some 0.12 in. sq by 0.30 in. high were made with the sides Parallel to the first- and second-order prism planes and the basal plane within 3' of arc of the top and bottom surfaces of the specimen. Such an accurate orientation is necessary because of the large difference in resolved shear stress

Jan 1, 1970

Ninetecn papers and a round table. as follows: The Future of the American Iron and Steel Industry (Howe memorial Lecture), by Zay Jeffries; Rote of Carbon Elimination and Degree of Oxidation of metal Hath in Isasic Open-hearth Practice. 11, by ,Alexander L. Feild; A New Method for determining lron Oxide in Liquid Steel, by C. H. Herty. Jr., J. M. Gaines. Jr., H. Freeman and M. W. Lightner; I'racticsl Obarrvntions on Manufacture of basic Open-hearth, High-carbon Killed Steel, by W. J. Itcagan; Production of Gray lron from steel Scrap in the Electric Furnace, by T. F. Baily; reclaim ing Steel-foundry Sanda, by A. H. Dierker; Influence of Rate of Cooling on Dendritic Structure and Microstructure of Some Hypocutectoid Steel, by Albert Sauveur and C. H. Chou; Transformation of Austcnite at Constant Subcritiral Temprratures, by I?. S. Dnvenport and E. C. Bain; Progress Notes on the Iron-silicon Equilibrium Diagram, by Bradley stoughton and S. Greiner; Influence of Nitrogen on Special Steels and Some Experiments on Case-hardening with Nitrogen; by Shun-ichi Satoh; Production and Some properties of Large Iron Crystals, by N. A. Ziegler: Tensile Properties of Rail and Other Steels at Elevated Temperatures, by John R. Freeman, Jr. and G. Willard Quick; Endurance Properties of Steel in Steam, by T. S. Fullcr; Development of Casing for Deep Wells; a Study of Structural Alloy Steels, by F. W. Bremmer; Electrolytic Iron from Sulfide Ores. by Robert D. Pike, George H. West, L. V. Steek, Ross Cummings and B. P. Littlc; Sintering Limonitic Iron Ores at Ironton, Minnesota, by Perry G. Harrison; Concentration of the mesabi Ilematites, by E. W. Davia; Resistance of Iron Ores to Decrepitation and Mechanical Work, by T. L. Joseph and E. P. Barrett; Experiments Demonstrate Method of Producing Artificial Manganese Ore, by T. L. Joseph, E. P. Barrett and C. E. Wood; Iron Ore Round Table.

Jan 1, 1930

H. H. Bleakney (Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa, Canada)— The work of Dr. Machlin and his colleagues at Columbia University is so scholarly that one hesitates to take issue with them. Nevertheless the writer feels compelled to enter a demurrer to the mechanism of intercrystalline cracking proposed in this paper. The principal obstacle to its acceptance is found in its preoccupation with purely mechanical influences and its disregard for the chemical effect of impurities. The writer believes that the destruction of metallic cohesion by concentration of impurities at the grain boundaries is a necessary and sufficient condition for the development of intercrystalline cracking; and he believes that discussion of the numerous mechanical explanations proposed should wait until some valid objection to the chemical hypothesis has been advanced. It is nearly twenty years since Gillett" drew attention to the possibility that the chemical influence of precipitation might be the cause of intercrystalline cracking. As early as 1935, Greenwood'" remarked that grain-boundary precipitation of impurities in lead appeared to promote intercrystalline cracking. Again in 1939, Scott commented as follows on a paper by Thielemann and Parker:'" "There are at least two familiar phenomena that can influence grain-boundary cohesion: 1) intergranular oxidation; and 2) grain boundary precipitation. An important consideration in this work, therefore, is to determine which, if either, of these factors is responsible for the low values of cohesive strength observed." In 1952. the writer presented evidence," some original and some abstracted, which indicated that in copper, silver, aluminum, lead and iron, intergranular cohesion was a function of the purity of the metal. In 1954 Glen, discussing a paper by Ridley and Tapsell14 indicated his belief in a precipitation mechanism for the intercrystalline embrit-tlement of molybdenum steel and suggested that with an absolutely pure metal it would be almost impossible to obtain an intercrystalline crack. This suggestion has

Jan 1, 1959

By V. R. Garfias

INTRODUCTION FOR a number of years the senior author has been interested in the various geologic and engineering problems involved in the development of the petroliferous districts of northeastern Mexico, having in a previous paper 1 endeavored to present a summarized statement of the information relating to the geology and soil resources of this region. Of the many interesting geologic phenomena, perhaps those which have been the object of more speculation relate to the igneous intrusions which, in places, have a controlling influence on the accumulation of oil in commercial quantities, a relationship which has been tentatively explained by various observers with as many interestingly different views. The authors of the present paper aim to record, in the course of a general discussion of the various viewpoints, some additional data, and present further tentative conclusions with a view to rounding out an up-to-date summary of the subject. The greater part of the area in question lies in the State of Vera Cruz, only a northwest fraction being in the State of San Luis Potosi. Vera Cruz is bounded on the north by the State of Tamaulipas, the northernmost of the Mexican States along the Gulf. The topography of the States of Tamaulipas and Vera Cruz and of Texas and Louisiana to the north, is controlled by the Gulf coastal plain which in northern Vera Cruz has an average width of about 60 miles, the transitional topography between that of the rugged flanks of the Sierra and the lowlands of the coast being made up of a series of terraces and irregular hills and valleys.

Jan 8, 1917

By L. B. Slichter

After statement of the principles of similitude which apply to electromagnetic modeling, charts showing the inductive response of conducting spheres as dependent upon frequency, conductivity, and size are exhibited in this paper. The shape of the curve which relates intensity of response to frequency is significant in indicating the advisability of low frequencies in the exploration for conducting bodies, when consistent with the securing of a large percentage of the ideally possible response. Comparisons of theoretical response and that observed with models are shown, and relationships with the subject of applied electromagnetic prospecting are indicated. Maxwell Field Equations The Maxwell field equations summarize the physical laws that govern electrical field phenomena; they are the basis for the solution of electromagnetic problems. These concise equations, with adequately formulated boundary conditions, specify the complete electrical condition of continuous media, and the development of their solution amounts merely to a more convenient re-expression of phenomena already completely described. Thus, the immediate content of the field equations themselves is sufficient and sometimes convenient for the treating of certain questions (such as those relating to electromagnetic models) which are independent of the special factors of geometry, or the nature of an impressed field. The four Maxwell field equations are written below, in c.g.s. gaussian units: curl E = -B/c [21 div eE = 4pp [31 div B = 0 [41

Jan 1, 1932

Correlation between Metallography and Mechanical Testing By H F MOORE (Henry Marion Howe Memorial Lecture Trans, vol 120 11,000 words ) The lack of effective correlation between metallography and mechanical testing from the days of Reaumur to the present is noted, and two general problems of such cor¬relation are stated (1) the correlation of qualitative test results with quantitative, and (2) the correlation of average results with maximum or minimum results Some correlation has been achieved, notably in the field of heat-treatment and in the study of elastic strength of metals Correlation is in the process of being developed in several other fields, including the quantitative study of the effect of grain size of metal on mechanical properties, of grain size and type of crystalline structure on the sensitivity of metals to weakening at holes, notches and other "stress raisers," and in the study of the starting phases of spreading, "fatigue" cracks Correlation of mechanical test results and metallographic study is needed in the study of such problems as the various theories of failure of metals, the meaning of and tests for service ductility of metals, and the relative damaging effect of defects inherent in metals, such as minute cracks and segregation, as compared with the damaging effect of "imposed" stress raisers, such as screw threads, sharp shoulders, etc The neces¬sity for more correlation of metallography and mechanical testing during student days is emphasized, and also the need of a better understanding on the part of engi¬neers of the significance and limitations of metallographic apparatus and results and of X-ray diffraction This should be matched by a better understanding on the part of metallurgists of the significance and limitations of mechanical tests of metals, of testing machines and strain-measuring apparatus

Jan 1, 1937

By H. M. Chance

In recent years an important function of the mining engineer has been the appraisal of the value of mining-properties required by those planning consolidations of a number of' individual operations. In no field of productive industry have the economic results attainable by consolidation been more clearly shown than in the mining-regions of the United States. In many important mining-centers unification of ownership of the most valuable properties has already partially or completely been attained, and, in other districts, projected absorptions and consolidations await only favorable financial conditions for their consummation. The iron-ore districts of the Lake Superior region, the coal-mines of Colorado, of Wyoming and of Utah, the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania, the Connellsville coking-coal mines, and large areas of bituminous coal-land in Pennsylvania, in Ohio, in the Indian Territory and in other portions of the United States, are now largely controlled by a few corporations operating on a large scale, or by a number of corporations working in harmony because of an affiliation and interleaving of interests. The tact of keen financiers and the diplomacy of men of great administrative ability are the chief operative forces in conceiving and accomplishing such consolidations, but in formulating and maturing them, the services of the mining engineer are often required to supply the facts upon which they must be based. For this purpose the expert is expected to furnish full and complete reports covering the quantity of ore, coal or other mineral available, its value per ton, cost of mining and treatment, etc. In reporting upon gold-, silver-, lead-, zinc-, copper- or iron-

Jan 1, 1905

By Eugene McAuliffe

The term "mechanical mining" carries an ambiguity which justifies a preliminary word of explanation. . All mining activity conducted in this day is more or less mechanical; that is to say, power expressed in the form of electricity, steam or compressed air is used in some portion of practically every mining activity of consequence. "Mechanical loading" is more nearly correct than "mechanical mining" in reference to present practice. The first substantial effort made in the direction of mechanical mining, subsequent to the application of steam for hoisting and underground pumping purposes, was that of substituting for hand labor undercutting and shearing by power-driven machines. The undercutting of coal by hand represented at one time the most arduous task confronting the miner. Occupying a kneeling position in the thicker beds, or lying on his side in the thinner coal, the task was tedious and exhausting. The first attempt to substitute crude air-driven, and later electrically driven, "punchers," as the percussion type of machine was called, met with much the same opposition on the part of the workers as was expressed by workers in the other industries when any innovation, whether labor-saving or otherwise, was introduced. We should not be too critical of this attitude of mind shown by the mine workers. The peculiarly isolated character of the work carried on in semidarkness by a class of men who to a large extent lived and held themselves aloof from the other branches of society led long ago to the development of a craft consciousness which they have found difficult to surrender. It was not until 1891 that a definite record of the results obtained by the use of undercutting machines of all types was made available, the quantity undercut in that year totaling 6,211,732 tons of bituminous coal from all American mines. The volume of bituminous coal undercut by machines in 1928 totaled 369,687,007 tons, or 73.8 per cent. of the nation's production. In the light of this experience, we can properly feel that the work of introducing the coal-loading machine as a substitute for hand shoveling is making substantial progress.

Jan 1, 1931

By Frederick Laist

THE object of the construction and operation of the 80-ton leaching plant was to test out the leaching of sand tailings on a large scale and, if possible, determine a definite method of operation, and the best construction for the larger unit which is now being built. It was also of importance to obtain some practical data as regards cost items. The 80-ton plant was not expected to be a commercial success. A leaching process on such low-grade material necessitates the treatment of a very large tonnage.. Such a cost item as labor, for instance, is entirely out of proportion in such a small plant. The amounts of acid, salt, scrap iron, and fuel for roasting, however, are the same per ton in an 80-ton plant as in a 2,000-ton plant. These costs were definitely established. Also the percentages of extraction and grade of tailings were definitely determined for a large-sized unit. Following will be found the description of the plant, the method of operation and the results obtained. A -general view of the plant is given in Fig. 1. The bins consisted of one coal bin with a capacity of 30 tons, one salt bin with a capacity of 20 tons, and a "mill tailings" or feed bin which held 70 tons. The coal and salt bins were placed with their floor level even with the firing floor of the roasting furnace. The feed bin, to give it greater capacity, discharged about 12 ft. below this point, to a 12-in. conveyor belt, which, in turn discharged into a pug mill. This fed another conveyor belt, which discharged into the top hearth of the furnace. The furnace was an ordinary six-hearth MacDougall roaster, .20-ft. in diameter. It was equipped with two fire boxes, on opposite sides, the flames entering on the third hearth. An induced draft was obtained with a Buffalo blower, worked as an exhaust fan. Just above the top hearth was an annular flue around the whole circumference of the furnace. Slots at intervals of about 18 in. led from this flue down into the top hearth. The slots were 2 in. wide by 6 in. long. This annular flue proved rather unsatisfactory, as it tended to fill up with flue dust and choke the slots, thus cutting down the draft. The volume of gas through

Jan 8, 1914

By R. H. Brown, F. Keller

Because of the extensive use of Alclad 24s alloy sheet in aircraft construction, there is much interest in the metallurgical changes caused by heat-treatment of this product.1, 2 One of these changes is the result of the diffusion of soluble elements from the core into the coating during treatment. This paper deals with the thermal treatments that may influence diffusion and with the practical effects of diffusion on the serviceability of the product. As is well known, Alclad 24s-T sheet has a core of high-strength alloy combined with surface layers of relatively pure aluminum. The microstructure of a cross section of this product is shown by Fig. I. Not only does the relatively high-purity coating have a high resistance to corrosion, and hence serves as a mechanical barrier between the core metal and the corroding environment, but in addition this coating exerts electrochemical protection over areas where the core may be exposed, such as cut edges. In addition, the coating affords electrochemical protection to projecting heads of A17s-T, 17s-T and 24s-T rivets, or attached members made from these alloys. Under some conditions of heat-treatment, however, diffusion of copper into the coating will alter the electrochemical relationship between the coating and the core to the extent that only partial protection will be obtained under some corrosive conditions. The reason for the electrochemical protection lies in the fact that the coating layers of pure aluminum are anodic to the alloy core. The addition of copper to aluminum produces alloys in which the potential is lower than that of the pure metal. Moreover, as the amount of copper in solid solution in 24s alloy is increased, the potential of the alloy becomes more cathodic. When heat-treated at 920°F. and quenched in cold water, 24s-T is about 0.16 volt cathodic to pure aluminum. However, copper will diffuse from the core into the coating, and if it reaches the surface the potential will be altered in a cathodic direction. Thus the potential difference between the core and coating may be less than 0.16 volt, depending uponIthe thickness of the coating, and the time and temperature of heat-treatment. Of the methods available for determining the extent of diffusion of copper from the core into the coating of Alclad 24s-T, two are generally used; namely, the metallo-graphic and the solution potential methods.3 Metallographic Methods Metallographic methods will reveal the progress of diffusion of copper into the coating. For instance, the diffusion zone in the coating intermediate between the coating surface and the core is shown in Fig. I. This photomicrograph is of a polished and etched cross section of 0.040-in. Alclad 24s-T sheet. Diffusion proceeds into the coating more rapidly along the grain boundaries than through the body of the grains. Consequently, the diffusion zone is not of uniform width

Jan 1, 1944

By J. W. Spretnak, R. Speiser

IT has been suggested that boron in steel may form a film entirely around the austenite grain and that this film is responsible for the boron hardenability effect. In this connection, it is of interest to examine some of the ramifications of the concentration range of boron usually employed in hardenable steels, namely 0.0005 to 0.003 pct in a grain size range of ASTM grain size No. 1 through No. 10. The ratio of the iron to boron atoms and the number of unit cells of y iron per boron atom are listed in Table I. Even at the highest concentration considered, there are 1600 unit cells of y iron per boron atom, assuming a uniform distribution of boron. To investigate the possibility of the boron film formation, the number of boron atoms required to cover the grain surface completely must be calculated. With some transition elements, boron crystallizes in sheets composed of equilateral hexagons very much like graphite.' The selected value for the length of a side is 1.80Å. A simple calculation shows that two boron atoms cover an area of 8.4x l0 -16 sq cm. Table II lists the number of atoms of boron required for the formation of the monatomic film and Table III lists the number of boron atoms per grain. The hypothetical cases of 100 pct and 10 pct adsorption are calculated (all boron atoms in a grain and 10 pct of all boron atoms in a grain are located at the grain surface respectively). In Table 111, all combinations of grain size and composition below and to the left of the solid line (100 pct adsorption) and the dashed line (10 pct adsorption) are excluded as to the possibility of covering the grain surface with a continuous boron film. Thus, even for 100 pct adsorption, the smaller grains can form the film only at the higher concentrations. For the best case, grain size No. 1 and 0.0030 pct B, the required degree of adsorption is 3.9 pct. The above calculations deal only with the number of boron atoms required to form a monatomic film and do not take into account the mechanism of concentration of boron at the grain surface and the possible limitations to the extent of this concentration at a constant temperature, as for example in the austenitizing process. The question next arises as to how this surface concentration can occur during an isothermal treatment. Such surface enrichment of boron must occur through the phenomenon of surface adsorption, i.e., the concentration of solute atoms in solid solution in the vicinity of the surface without precipitation. A solute atom will tend to concentrate at the grain boundary if it reduces the interfacial tension. The possibility of adsorption effects involving both boron and carbon in iron has been discussed.' In general, the tendency for a sol-

Jan 1, 1954

By F. M. Lewis, J. F. Myers

The selection of the proper type of flotation machine involves the consideration of a wide variety of factors. Under any condition, all types of machines will promote some kind of separation. Obviously, the correct way of deciding which type of machine is best suited for a particular problem would be to set up all types of machines and test them out in a competitive manner, but the vast number of small concentrating plants are unable to make such complete and exhaustive tests. The experience of the authors of this paper indicates that if all the factors involved in any particular problem can be determined, and if all the flotation-machine characteristics are understood, some basis for selection could be arrived at other than actual comparison. This paper is presented to show how the process factors and machine characteristics have been combined at the mills of the Tennessee Copper Co. from studies of several types of flotation machines. At the two mills of the Tennessee Copper Co. in the Ducktown Basin of Tennessee, four distinct flotation separations are made on the complex sulphide ore. Three different concentrates are produced from the ore—in the order of their importance: iron concentrate, copper concentrate, and zinc concentrate. Four different types of flotation machines are used. The selection of these four machines, for the plant operation, was based upon the study and operating experience of the machine units shown in the following list: Fagergren machine; square cell, size 56 inches Fagergren machine; level type, size 56 inches Denver machine; conical disk impeller, size 24 inches Denver machine; receded disk impeller, size 24 inches Minerals Separation Sub-A, size 24 inches Munro-Pearse deep cell, pneumatic Southwestern air machine, Hunt principle To date the study of flotation machines has been confined almost entirely to the rougher circuits. The various cleaning operations, being relatively a much simpler matter, have not been investigated so thoroughly. Table I shows a typical analysis of the two ores as well as of the mineral content.

Jan 1, 1947

By F. Keller, R. H. Brown

Because of the extensive use of Alclad 24s alloy sheet in aircraft construction, there is much interest in the metallurgical changes caused by heat-treatment of this product.1, 2 One of these changes is the result of the diffusion of soluble elements from the core into the coating during treatment. This paper deals with the thermal treatments that may influence diffusion and with the practical effects of diffusion on the serviceability of the product. As is well known, Alclad 24s-T sheet has a core of high-strength alloy combined with surface layers of relatively pure aluminum. The microstructure of a cross section of this product is shown by Fig. I. Not only does the relatively high-purity coating have a high resistance to corrosion, and hence serves as a mechanical barrier between the core metal and the corroding environment, but in addition this coating exerts electrochemical protection over areas where the core may be exposed, such as cut edges. In addition, the coating affords electrochemical protection to projecting heads of A17s-T, 17s-T and 24s-T rivets, or attached members made from these alloys. Under some conditions of heat-treatment, however, diffusion of copper into the coating will alter the electrochemical relationship between the coating and the core to the extent that only partial protection will be obtained under some corrosive conditions. The reason for the electrochemical protection lies in the fact that the coating layers of pure aluminum are anodic to the alloy core. The addition of copper to aluminum produces alloys in which the potential is lower than that of the pure metal. Moreover, as the amount of copper in solid solution in 24s alloy is increased, the potential of the alloy becomes more cathodic. When heat-treated at 920°F. and quenched in cold water, 24s-T is about 0.16 volt cathodic to pure aluminum. However, copper will diffuse from the core into the coating, and if it reaches the surface the potential will be altered in a cathodic direction. Thus the potential difference between the core and coating may be less than 0.16 volt, depending uponIthe thickness of the coating, and the time and temperature of heat-treatment. Of the methods available for determining the extent of diffusion of copper from the core into the coating of Alclad 24s-T, two are generally used; namely, the metallo-graphic and the solution potential methods.3 Metallographic Methods Metallographic methods will reveal the progress of diffusion of copper into the coating. For instance, the diffusion zone in the coating intermediate between the coating surface and the core is shown in Fig. I. This photomicrograph is of a polished and etched cross section of 0.040-in. Alclad 24s-T sheet. Diffusion proceeds into the coating more rapidly along the grain boundaries than through the body of the grains. Consequently, the diffusion zone is not of uniform width

Jan 1, 1944

By J. D. Rice, P. L. Wearden, W. L. Hensou

Solutions to the unsteady-state partial water-drive reservoir performance problem can be obtained through the use of analogue computers or high-speed electronic digital computers. The solutions that have previously been resolved for use on digital computers, however, demand a knowledge of the aquifer parameters. Generally, the analogue computers now in use do not require this knowledge. A solution is presented herein where the aquifer performance, expressed in terms of difference equations, is related to the reservoir performance as expressed by the modified Scbiltbuis material-balance equation. A numerical procedure for a medium-sized digital computer also is presented in which a solution to the set of equations defining the aquifer and reservoir performance is obtained and the aquifer parameters (permeability and sand thickness) are automatically optimized while simultaneously matching the known pressure behavior. Predicted pressure behavior can be calculated using rates from any assumed future production practice. The procedure provides an output format which presents the cumulative, incremental and average rate of natural water influx, the per cent gas-cap expansion, the calculated reservoir pressure, the measured reservoir pressure, and the difference between the measured and calculated pressures. Results of a test problem are presented in comparison with results obtained by the Bruce Analyzer, Ohio Oil Co. 's Pace General Purpose Analogue Computer, and Sun Oil Co.'s Single-Pool Electronic Reservoir Analyzer. These results indicate that unsteady-state reservoir perlormance for a single-pool system can be adequately simulated by a numerical method employing a digital computer and that the special-purpose analogue computer can be supplanted by this method. INTRODUCTION The numerical approach to the unsteady-state partial water-drive reservoir performance problem heretofore has been limited in that solutions have been resolved only for certain fixed parameters. Also, prior to the advent of high-speed electronic digital computers in the last few years, calculations were so tedious and time-consuming that they ordinarily were neglected, or some other means of obtaining the solutions were used. The analogue approach had been used for obtaining solutions to the transmission-of-heat problem and, consequently, means were developed for applying the electrical analogue to the unsteady-state reservoir performance problem. Bruce submitted a paper for AIME publication in Sept. 1942, in which he described an electronic device (now called the Bruce Analyzer) for analyzing the water-drive performance of any reservoir, based on either steady or unsteady-state flow characteristics. 1 Sun Oil Co. adopted the analogue approach in 1949 and now has two special-purpose high-speed electronic reservoir analyzers in use.2,3 Two main features of Sun's analyzers are (1) the high repetitive rate of reproducing the entire history of reservoir performance cyclically a number of times per second, and (2) the elimination of the necessity of knowing the properties of the associated aquifer. Since the advent of larger and faster digital computers, the possibility of incorporating this second feature into a numerical approach appeared feasible. Previous work has been done and material published covering the application of numerical methods to the behavior of the pressure with respect to time at any point in an associated aquifer? However, the aquifer parameters must be known from some source. The material presented in Ref. 4 has been used to a great degree in developing the numerical method described herein. DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS The problem of simulating the performance of a reservoir and the associated aquifer is to determine the characteristics of the aquifer such that the

By T. E. Leontis

The importance of magnesium alloys in the manufacture of aircraft engines has been realized for many years. A concentrated effort has been exerted in the laboratories of the Dow Chemical Co. to develop magnesium-base alloys with improved properties at elevated temperatures whereby greater advantage can be taken of the inherent lightness of these materials. In an earlier publication, attention was called to the superior tensile properties and resistance to creep of cerium-containing magnesium alloys at temperatures up to 700°F. More recently, additional data on magnesium-cerium alloys have been furnished by Murphy and Payne. The present paper deals with the mechanical properties of sand-cast magnesium alloys containing zinc, at temperatures up to 500°F. The study includes binary Mg-Znt alloys containing up to 10 pct zinc and several ternary and some polynary alloys based on the Mg-~Zn,f Mg-jZn, Mg-4.4211, Mg-6Zn, and Mg-roZn binaries. The compositional variation in the tensile properties, hardness, and creep at room and elevated temperatures, and in the electrical conductivity at room temperature has been determined. The results of these tests show that many zinc-containing magnesium alloys exhibit resistance to creep at elevated temperatures significantly higher than that of present commercial magnesium alloys, but lower than that of alloys of the magnesium-cerium type. In addition, they have high tensile properties at room and elevated temperatures and high conductivity. This combination of mechanical properties and conductivity indicates that these alloys should be given serious consideration for commercial applications involving exposure to temperatures higher than those to which present commercial magnesium alloys can be taken safely. Literature The properties of sand-cast magnesium alloys containing zinc as a principal alloying element have not been investigated very extensively, especially at elevated temperatures. The following remarks, which are confined to sand-cast alloys, will serve as a summary of the most important references on this phase of magnesium metallurgy. The first recorded determination of the tensile strength of binary Mg-Zn alloys as a function of zinc content was reported by Aitchison. Similar studies, including the measurement of elongation and hardness, have been performed by Gann and Winston,' Dumas and Rockaert, Haugh-ton and Prytherch,6 and by Spitaler, the last being reported by Beck.' A slight superiority in the tensile strength of chill-cent Mg + 8 es alloy Over the sand-cast alloy was noted by Maybrey.8 That alloys of magnesium containing 5 to 12 pct zinc

Jan 1, 1949

By J. F. Myers, F. M. Lewis

The selection of the proper type of flotation machine involves the consideration of a wide variety of factors. Under any condition, all types of machines will promote some kind of separation. Obviously, the correct way of deciding which type of machine is best suited for a particular problem would be to set up all types of machines and test them out in a competitive manner, but the vast number of small concentrating plants are unable to make such complete and exhaustive tests. The experience of the authors of this paper indicates that if all the factors involved in any particular problem can be determined, and if all the flotation-machine characteristics are understood, some basis for selection could be arrived at other than actual comparison. This paper is presented to show how the process factors and machine characteristics have been combined at the mills of the Tennessee Copper Co. from studies of several types of flotation machines. At the two mills of the Tennessee Copper Co. in the Ducktown Basin of Tennessee, four distinct flotation separations are made on the complex sulphide ore. Three different concentrates are produced from the ore—in the order of their importance: iron concentrate, copper concentrate, and zinc concentrate. Four different types of flotation machines are used. The selection of these four machines, for the plant operation, was based upon the study and operating experience of the machine units shown in the following list: Fagergren machine; square cell, size 56 inches Fagergren machine; level type, size 56 inches Denver machine; conical disk impeller, size 24 inches Denver machine; receded disk impeller, size 24 inches Minerals Separation Sub-A, size 24 inches Munro-Pearse deep cell, pneumatic Southwestern air machine, Hunt principle To date the study of flotation machines has been confined almost entirely to the rougher circuits. The various cleaning operations, being relatively a much simpler matter, have not been investigated so thoroughly. Table I shows a typical analysis of the two ores as well as of the mineral content.

Jan 1, 1947