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Following closely Marcona Corp.'s announcement of its new Marconaflo process for transporting mineral slurries by ship (see pp. 96-97, Sept. 1969 [ ]), Midland-Ross Corp. (M-R) now heralds its metallized iron pellet process which supplements Oregon Steel Mills1 (Oregon Steel) new Portland, Ore., plant. Harry J. Bolwell, president of M-R describes the company's M-R Pellet as "the most exciting advance in steelmaking in a decade, one which will profoundly affect the industry." In fact, other knowledgeable industry spokesmen believe that with these developments the mini-steel plant era is now here and that this technical development along with the Marconaflo process will revolutionize iron ore shipments and steelmaking. The M-R president predicts that electric furnaces can account for 20% of the annual U.S. steel production by 1975, compared with 14% at the present time because of these developments.

Jan 12, 1969

By AIME AIME

BY COMBINING the sessions on reduction and refining of copper, lead and zinc it was possible to devote an entire day to nonferrous metallurgy. Four interesting papers were presented at the morning session and four more in the afternoon. In the discussion of papers on copper, F. R. Pyne acted as chairman, with H. M. Shepard as vice-chairman, whereas for those on lead and zinc, F. F. Colcord acted as chairman, with C. R. Hayward as vice-chairman. The paper by P. D. I. Honeyman on the smelting of raw concentrates in the reverberatory furnace was presented by Mr. Pyne and discussed by Messrs. Mazany and Hayward. The interesting paper by E. S. Bardwell, com- paring the use of various fuels in copper-refining furnaces at Great Fails, Mont., was presented by Mr. Shepard and discussed by Messrs. Boggs, Gronningsater and Hayward. That by R. G. Knickerhocker, describing the stationary basic copper converter at Messina, Transvaal, was presented by Mr. Pyne, together with a written discussion by c. R. Kuzell, of the United Verde Copper co. It was an interesting illustration of how well-known processes may sometimes be modified to fit into unusual conditions.

Jan 1, 1932

By Henry Knox

AMIDST the tumult and the shouting of the times, there are perceptible certain tendencies, quiet though serious, to take stock of the situation with a view to putting our house in order, and of these none is more encouraging than the awakening, interest in the higher education, and especially in technical education. Various committees of the professional organizations have cast much light on the matter and have pointed the way to progress and reform, but their scope is necessarily restricted by the requirements of precision and any excursion beyond these bounds must be undertaken by the unfettered individual who is free to rush in where responsible committees fear to tread. A discussion of the bearing of the higher education on character scarcely lends itself to objective treatment and yet, fraught as it is with imponderables and abstractions, the theme cannot be escaped in any com-prehensive scheme of education. The question is being pressed with growing insist-ence, why these United States, relatively to Europe, are deficient in intellectual output, and the ready reply, "Because America is a new country and Americans are too intent on developing their natural resources," is too facile and too false to carry conviction.

Jan 12, 1922

By R. D. Russell, R. M. Farquhar

ISOTOPIC tracers have become an important aid in following the progress of chemical processes in the laboratory. It has recently been found possible to utilize a system of naturally existing isotopic tracers to obtain information about the geo- logical history of lead ores. Common lead, such as is found in lead deposits, is a mixture of four stable isotopes having atomic weights 204, 206, 207, and 208. Of these, the last three are identical with the lead isotopes produced as stable end products of the radioactive decays of uranium and thorium: the first, lead-204, is not known to be produced on the surface of the earth by any process. Since uranium and thorium occur in the surface regions of the earth in amounts comparable with lead, and since the half-lives of uranium and thorium isotopes are of the same order as the age of the earth, they produce the radiogenic lead isotopes in amounts com- parable to the amount of nonradiogenic lead present. Every significant exposure of a sample of lead to uranium and thorium will therefore lead to the permanent alteration of the lead isotope ratios in that sample.

Jan 5, 1957

By John R. Green

ROTARY kilns, varying in construction, are used in a variety of processes. Products differ and operating conditions vary according to economic requirements. All of these variables influence the degree of instrumentation and type of control necessary or profitable to install. Products fired in rotary kilns are the results of combined temperature and time treatment and the interrelation of these two factors should be kept constantly in mind in the perusal of this paper. MEASUREMENTS OF KILN TEMPERATURE The securing of proper temperatures within the rotary kiln, either of the charge or of the kiln lining in the high fire zone, are basic objectives of kiln operation; therefore the measurement of these high-temperature conditions merits first consideration.. For these measurements, radiation pyrometers, properly designed and protected, have proved adequate, particularly where records or automatic control are desired, while optical pyrometers may serve as portable indicators. Light-sensitive devices or photoelectric cells in this service are capable of producing records as well as certain forms of automatic control. High-temperature measuring devices for rotary-kiln work should have the measuring unit protected from dust, as a continued accumulation of deposit would lower the readings. Fig. I shows a typical application of radiation equipment to a rotary kiln, mounted far enough away from the sighting hole through the kiln hood to be protected from puffs or stingouts and with a sighting tube having a series of settling chambers, to prevent dust from reaching the lens. Although dust conditions inside the kiln itself usually fluctuate considerably and have their effect upon the readings at that moment, such effects are not cumulative and show as a continuous fluctuation in the temperature indicated, provided the radiation unit and recorder are responsive to such slight and rapid temperature fluctuations. The ambient temperature to which a measuring unit is subjected fluctuates from possibly o° to over 200°F., therefore these changes should have no effect upon the final reading or upon the life of the measuring unit. A very narrow sighting angle is desirable, so that measurement of temperature may be made as far as possible into the high fire zone without. effect of the flame temperature. There should be some sighting means on the measuring unit, so that the proper field may be viewed. Measurement of wall temperature taken at a point where the charge has just left the wall is less affected by dusting conditions than when taken elsewhere. Factors Influencing Temperature Table I gives an outline of the factors that produce kiln temperatures and com¬ments on the possibility of measurement and control. Of greater number and of varied influ¬ence are the factors that control when, where and how the heat is delivered to the kiln, the type of flame and the rate of

Jan 1, 1941

By C. J. Rodgers

The present day success of gravel packs to prevent or retard the migration of unconsolidated sands into the well bore is due to: (I) the use of a saline or non-aqueous, nonsolids drill fluid, (2) proper preparation of the well bore prior to gravel packing, and (3) pressure placement of the gravel. The experience gained from the "pressure pack" method of gravel packing indicates that sand-free fluid production can be maintained for a length of time sufficient to make the operation economically attractive. Data pertaining to the first 15 wells so completed by Gulf indicate that for each dollar spent to effect the completion, there will be a return of more than $2.92. The pressure pack technique of gravel packing is essentially the placing of gravel in and adjacent to the producing formations. This is done with fluid pressure and by the use of a drill fluid that will permit partial or complete loss of returns to the formation during placement. This technique was first intentionally used by Gulf in May, 1950, and since that time has been applied in more than 90 wells. Other advantages claimed for this type of completion are that the pressure placement of the gravel has a scouring effect on the casing perforations, that additional drainage channels to the well bore are created, and that the possibility of shifting of the formations adjacent to the casing is minimized and possibly prevented. During the past few years, the use of gravel to prevent or retard the migration of unconsolidated sands into the well bore has met with a favorable degree of success. Numerous methods and techniques of "gravel packing" have been used, each having its own relative merits, and with varying results. M. L. Cashion1 in 1939 ably reviewed the history of gravel packing to that time. As stated in his paper, ". .. the idea of gravel packing wells is not new." During the period 1939 to 1949, very little if any progress or change in technique in this type of completion was made. However, it was noted in some cases that during the placement of gravel, if there was a loss of drill fluid to the formation, there was a corresponding loss of gravel to the formation. Also, it was noted that in those gravel-packed completions (opposite casing perforations) that "sanded up," there was found to be an absence of gravel in the annular space between the liner and casing, although gravel had previously been placed in this space and no gravel had been removed from the well at the surface. These findings resulted in the placement of gravel with fluid pressure and by the use of a drill fluid that would permit partial or complete loss of returns to the formation during placement. Pressure placement of gravel became an accepted practice in late 1949 and early 1950. Another fact brought to light that has contributed to the current success of gravel pack completions is that drilling fluids containing solids will to some extent cause plugging of the screening medium or blocking of the producing section. The removal of these solids by chemical action, mechanical action, or a combination of the

Jan 1, 1955

By AIME AIME

The following persons have been proposed for election as members or associates of the Institute during the period, March 16 to May 1, 1907. Their names are published for the information of members and associates, from whom the Committee on Membership earnestly invites confidential communications, favorable or unfavorable, concerning these candidates. A sufficient period (varying in the discretion of the Committee, according to the residence of the candidate) will be allowed for the reception of such communications, before any action upon these names by the Committee. After the lapse of this period, the Committee will recommend action by the Council, which has the power of final election. The names of candidates were formerly published in the various circulars of the Institute, issued from time to time to the members. Hereafter, they will appear regularly in the Bi-Monthly Bulletin, each number of which will contain the names received since the issue of the preceding Bulletin.

May 1, 1907

By William P. Prof. Blake

WHEN we consider the efforts made in Europe to promote the physical and moral well-being of the working classes, the question is suggested whether in this country, where, theoretically, every man is peculiarly the arbiter of his own destiny, we may not be too prone to expect every man to take care of himself, and neglect to make those provisions for the welfare of the employed, demanded alike by enlightened economy and humanity. In the older countries, where the disproportion between capital and labor is greater, and the working classes are more dependent, their welfare largely occupies the attention of employers. The subject is involved in the problem of the just relations of capital and labor, and we are rapidly approaching the time, if we have not already reached it, when a generous paternal interest in the welfare of the employed should be more generally manifested. It is a subject which is of special importance to mine-owners and engineers in this country, especially to those located in the coal regions. My own attention has been particularly directed to it by a visit made to the Hassard collieries, a few miles from Liege, Belgium, under the direction of M. Andrimont. This celebrated engineer has established a comfortable home for the miners near the mouth of the shaft of the mine. It has been highly successful and beneficent in its results, and may to a great degree be regarded as a, model for such undertakings. It is known as "Hotel Louise," this being the name of Madame d'Andrimont, who laid the corner-stone of the building April 4th, 1871. The structure is of brick, upon three sides of a square, and

Jan 1, 1875

By William P. Blake

When we consider the efforts made in Europe to promote the physical and moral well-being of the working classes, the question is suggested whether in this country, where, theoretically, every man is peculiarly the arbiter of his own destiny, we may not be too prone to expect every man to take care of himself, and neglect to make those provisions for the welfare of the employed, demanded alike by enlightened economy and humanity. In the older countries, where the disproportion between capital and labor is greater, and the working classes are more dependent, their welfare largely occupies the attention of employers. The subject is involved in the problem of the just relations of capital and labor, and we are rapidly approaching the time, if we have not already reached it, when a generous paternal interest in the welfare of the employed should be more generally manifested. It is a subject which is of special importance to mine-owners and engineers in this country, especially to those located in the coal regions. My own attention has been particularly directed to it by a visit made to the Hassard collieries, a few miles from Liège, Belgium, under the direction of M. Andrimont. This celebrated engineer has established a comfortable home for the miners near the mouth of the shaft of the mine. It has been highly successful and beneficent in its results, and may to a great degree be regarded as a model for such undertakings. It is known as ((Hotel Louise," this being the name of Madame d' Andrimont, who laid the corner-stone of the building April 4th, 1871. The structure is of brick, upon three sides of a square, and

By B. W. Frazier

At a recent meeting of the North of England Institute of Min ing and Mechanical Engineers, during a discussion upon the com pression of air, attention was called to an apparent anomaly in the phenomena attending the compression. At a subsequent meeting this apparent anomaly was explained by Prof. Herschel, and all the facts observed shown to be strictly in accordance with the laws of thermodynamics. Upon reading the report of the discussion in the published transactions of the society, it occurred to me that an attempt to determine mathematically the amounts of energy (whether in the form of heat or of work) expended and absorbed in compressing air, and causing it to perform work by expansion, might prove of use to some who have not access to any treatise upon the application of the laws of thermodynamics to the compression of air, and who have not the time or the inclination to make such application for themselves. The apparent anomaly noticed was this: If air be compressed, and at the same time, by the sufficient application of a cooling medium, kept at a constant temperature, the indicator diagrams in the

By AIME AIME

INDUSTRIAL Pittsburgh, the center of the coal and iron and steel industry of the world, was host to the Coal Division at its Fall Meeting held there on Oct. 21 and 22 at the William Penn Hotel. The past year has witnessed remarkable progress in new methods of mining and burning of coal and many of the papers on the program discussed these developments. Nearly 100 had registered at the time of the first session on Wednesday morning and this number increased to 168 on Thursday. Owing to the large number of papers on the program, eighteen in all, it was necessary to hold group meetings on Thursday morning, with a capacity attendance at each meeting. . Chairman McAuliffe was on hand early Wednesday morning to open the meeting. George Otis Smith, representing President Lovejoy, came over from Cleveland where he attended the meetings of the Institute of Metals Division. Secretary Parsons arrived later from Cleveland and spent the whole morning with the executive committee of the Division. Doctor Smith, Secretary Parsons, and J. T. Breunich were the official representatives from Institute headquarters.

Jan 1, 1936

By Vince Poxleitner, John Delaney

Introduction In the mining industry, comminution typically begins in the mine with a blast of explosive to break rock so that it can be handled by the avail- able equipment. Though the breaking of the rock is essential for material handling in the mine and plant, this is not the only reason for ore reduction in the mineral industry. Comminution is primarily required to liberate minerals from ore so that they can be concentrated into valuable products or to prepare minerals, such as talc, for market as mined. The size of the equipment used for comminution ranges from small to massive. Regardless of equipment size, the power required to reduce the rock is a major expense. Years ago, mineral deposits could be mined more selectively and required less grinding to produce saleable products. However, as richer deposits were depleted, it has become necessary to mine low-grade deposits, with the valuables dispersed throughout the rock. Comminution equipment evolved in physical size and capacities to meet the new mine and process requirements. A modern, modestly sized mining operation, with a capacity of 25.000 TPD may use crushers two stories high weighing over a million pounds, SAG mills 36 feet in diameter driven by dual motors putting out 10.000 horse- power, and ball mills over 16 feet in diameter . Because of the increasing size and weight of modern equipment, the builder is faced with the problems of erecting massive foundations and field assembling equipment on these foundations. As equipment costs and plant construction costs increase, builders are finding that owners are asking for more detailed progress and cost data. Comminution construction projects are generally classified as grass roots plants or expansions or modifications to existing plants. It is estimated that 60-702 of the jobs involve existing plants. Today ' s costs for construction of small, new comminution plants can reach tens of millions of dollars; larger plants can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Modifications, on the other hand, usually run from a few thousand to several million dollars. Though many problems are common to the construction of both new plants

Jan 1, 1982

By C. W. Lawr

The ores mined by the Santa Gertrudis Co. at Pachuca, Mexico, arc mainly silver-bearing; they also yield some gold and carry a little copper. Strong cyanide solutions are used to dissolve the silver and gold, and the mechanical loss of cyanide at the tailings filter has been considerable. Prior to the year 1923, the pulp, after agitation, was given a 35 to 37-min. wash with barren solution in a Butters-type leaf filter; the discharged slime cake was repulped and pumped into eight Merrill self-sluicing slime presses in which the slime was given a further wash with barren solution for 25 to 35 min., followed by a 10-min. water wash. At that time the barren solution titrated around 0.350 per cent. free KCN and 0.500 per cent. total KCN. (Aero brand cyanide is used.) It can readily be seen that a 10-min. water wash would leave considerable cyanide in the filter cake, which of course was a total loss. This averaged 0.522 kg. (1.15 Ib.) KCN per ton of solution. As the daily discharge to the dam was 1600 tons' of slime of a 2:1 ratio of liquid to solid, the value of this mechanical loss of cyanide was an important item and it's recovery held alluring possibilities. Principle of Cyanide-recovery Process As it had acquired the patent rights to theLayng (H. R.) and Halvor-sen (A. L.) processes, also those of Mills (L. D.) and Crowe (T. B.) after considerable experimental work in its own laboratory and at Tonopah, Nev., The Merrill Company of San Francisco early in 1923 notified the Mexican Corporation and compania de Santa Gertrudis of its process for the recovery of cyanide from weak wash solutions, or for the transference of cyanide from a foul mill solution to a clean alkaline solution. This method is known as the Mills-Crowe process, the principle of which is as follows: The solution from which the cyanidc is to be removed is made acid by bringing it into contact with sulfur dioxide (SO2). The acidified solution is the; transferred to a closed tank in which air and solution are brought into intimate contact. The air leaving the tank charged with HCN is then passed to another tank in which it is mixed with an alkaline solution,

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

THE petroleum economics session," held on Wednesday morning, Feb. 20, 1929, presided over by Campbell Osborn, chairman, proved to be of un- usual interest and resulted in serious and constructive discussion of the papers presented. The first paper on the program, "Gasoline Economics and Refinery Operation," was by H. J. Struth, petroleum economist of the Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, Tex. While this paper was intended to cover the re- finery situation, it also presented the author's reasons for believing that the oil producer should give cognizance to gasoline demand as a most reliable barometer by which to parallel the production of crude petroleum. The discussion which followed brought out some interesting points in connection with the immediate outlook for the industry as a whole during the present year. Some advanced the opinion that, regardless of the out- come of proration efforts, the refiner is in a position to conduct his operations on a reasonably profitable basis, provided that he exercises control over them. This would mean running less crude and resorting to wider utilization of cracking to produce the gasoline demand. Thus, if the refiner uses diligent care in scheduling his still runs, the producer will be obliged to carry over a large stock of crude this year, unless he is able to keep production below the limits prescribed by the demand for gasoline.

Jan 1, 1929

By Franklin Allison

THE influence of cobalt and nickel on the properties of steel might be readily expected to be very similar. The two elements occupy close and somewhat unusual positions in the periodic table, their chemical behavior and compounds are so completely analogous and their various physical properties, including the ferro-magnetic characteristic, show such a remarkable correspondence, that there is no doubt of a strong resemblance existing between these two metals. However, the variety of, properties that are obtained from steel is due, largely to the fact that the element iron possesses allotropic forms. Alloying elements that affect these allotropic forms, or alter the nature of the allotropic changes, exert a profound influence on the resulting steel. In the case of nickel and cobalt, although these elements are very similar chemically and physically, it is found that they differ distinctly in their individual effects on the critical points of iron. Both nickel and cobalt form a series of homogeneous solid solutions with iron at temperatures above 1800° F. The difference in their behavior does not occur until changes begin to take place in the solid state below this temperature. An inspection of the respective thermal equilibrium diagrams at the lower temperatures makes the opposite effects of nickel and cobalt clearly evident.

Jan 3, 1927

Jan 1, 1889

By Charles A. Ashburner

The existence of natural gas-springs in Pennsylvania and the adjoining States west of the crest of the Allegheny Mountains was known to the earliest settlers. Possibly the first gas obtained from a well was at Fredonia, Chautauqua County, N. Y., where a well was sunk on the bank of Canadaway Creek, near the Main Street bridge, in 1821, and sufficient gas obtained for 30 burners, the inn having been illuminated by the gas when General Lafayette passed through the village about 1821. In 1858 another well was drilled, which supplied 200 burners. A still larger one was drilled to a depth of 1200 feet in 1871. According to Mr. E. J. Crissey, Secretary of the Fredonia Natural Gas Light Company, the average monthly supply of these wells in 1880 was 110,000 cubic feet. Since 1859, when the drilling of oil-wells in Western Pennsyl-

Jan 1, 1886

By Robert T. Walker

Robert T. Walker and Woodville J. Walker (Walker Engineering Corp., Salt Lake City)-Mr. Kinkel's article embodies, in condensed form, the results of the first detailed and complete geological survey that has ever been made of the long neglected but potentially very important West Shasta Copper-Zinc district, in Shasta County, California. In view of the difficulties of the terrain and the complexity of the geological structure, this represents a notable achievement, and it is with regret, therefore, that the writers find it necessary to differ from Mr. Kinkel's conclusions on two important points. The first has to do with the interpretation of two members of the stratigraphic column of formations in the district; for purposes of comparison, the description of these two members according to Mr. Kinkel is shown parallel to the description of these members according to the writers, see Fig. 14, Mr. Kinkel's nomenclature being used

Mar 1, 1956

By E. F. Evoy

The uranium deposit of Gunnar Mines Ltd. is on south shore of Crackingstone Peninsula in the Beaverlodge area of northern Saskatchewan. The property spans St. Mary's Channel, a narrow waterway separating the mainland from a group of islands in Lake Athabasca. The mine property, consisting of 12 claims and 7 fractions, was staked in July 1952 by A. O. Zeemel and W. J. Blair. Diamond drilling commenced in the fall of that year and continued until the spring of 1954. In that interval, some 70,000 ft of drilling outlined an orebody plunging from the surface south-ward to a depth of 1000 ft below the shore of St. Mary's Channel. The last 9000 ft of drilling was through lake ice, and when this was interrupted by spring breakup, sufficient ore reserves had been established to warrant the present operation. Surface drilling was therefore terminated.

May 1, 1956

By James S. Browning

The Mineral Resources Institute and State Mine Experiment Station of the University of Alabama conducted Humphreys spiral tests on fine coal waste from nine preparation plants of Alabama strip mining operations to determine the feasibility of recovering low ash and sulfur fuel meeting steam coal specifications. The ash in the samples ranged from 9 - 5l%, and the total sulfur ranged from 0.4J- 2.39%. Continuous laboratory tests using a Humphreys spiral gave good recovery of the coal with excellent rejection of the ash and pyritic sulfur. Coal recoveries of 83.6 - 94.1% were achieved from the different samples. Ash content of the clean coal products fell within a range of 5 - 12.2%, with a total sulfur content of 0.62 and 1.10%. In quality, the products were comparable or superior to those now being shipped from the preparation plants.

Jan 1, 1980