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By H. B. Fuqua, B. E. Thompson

For a very brief description of the North Texas area, and the general geological features with which it is associated, the reader is referred to the opening paragraph of last year's summary1. A more complete discussion of the structure of the area, together with other interesting data concerning it, has been published recently by the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas2. It has been impossible for the authors to isolate the statistics for production for each of the many small pools of this district, as such statistics are not kept by operators except by counties or arbitrary divisions of counties. The total number of wells drilled in Archer, Wichita and Clay counties also has been subject to some estimate, as many of the shallower holes are not reported. While both routine development in proven or semiproven areas and exploratory drilling during 1935 showed an increase over the year 1934, the discovery of new producing areas of importance did not show improvement over that period. Several extremely local productive spots within semiproven areas were found in Archer, Cooke and Wilbarger counties; and extensions to older producing areas were developed in Archer, Baylor, Cooke, Montague, Wichita and Wilbarger counties. In Archer County, the Grace and Woods No. 1 Archer County (Fee), 4 miles northwest of Archer City, in the Thomas Glass survey, encountered a sand from 2836 to 2845 ft. of Pennsylvanian (lower Canyon) age, which showed an initial yield of 75 bbl. daily. While its production is of negligible importance, it is given special mention in this review because of the fact that it is producing from a new and deeper horizon than has been previously exploited in the county. Little deep development occurred in the district during the year. The Walter Gant No. 2 C. M. Worsham in J. M. Swisher survey, about 14 miles east of Henrietta, in Clay County, was abandoned at 5127 ft. in

Jan 1, 1936

On August 4, 1844, J. C. Fremont made the first record found of coal in Wyoming. On the North Fork of the Platte River, beyond Medicine Butte, in Carbon County, he noted: "in the precipitous bluffs were displayed a succession of strata containing fossil, vegetable remains, and several beds of coal. In some of the beds, the coal did not appear to be perfectly mineralized; and in some of the seams, it was compact and remarkably lustrous." A little later he noted, "longitude 111°, latitude 4 1/2°-Muddy R.--coal."1 In 1848, Clayton reported coal on Sulphur Creek near the site of old Bear River City, in Uinta County.2 Maj. Osborne Cross in his journal, on July 1, 1849, records seeing coal on Deer Creek and in one of the hills near Crooked Muddy Creek, in Converse County; on July 7, he records that the country from Deer Creek to the Sweetwater River abounds in coal, probably in Natrona and Carbon Counties.3 A letter from Asst. Quartermaster Van Vliet to General Jessup dated July 25, 1850, asked an appropriation for building shops at Fort Laramie for making repairs for the emigrants, and mentions "coal and timber," but undoubtedly meant charcoal, as no other mention of stone coal is made in the records of the fort.4 Stansbury, in 1852, placed on his map of this section the words: "Great Coal Basin," extending from the west bank of Bear River, near the present Evanston, to Point of Rocks in Sweetwater County. In 1859, a military coal reservation was established near here, but the coal was never worked to any great extent, although probably some was hauled to Fort Bridger for smithing purposes. When the fort was abandoned this reservation returned to the public lands .2 In the same year (1859), Hayden traced the lignite formation uninterruptedly from the upper Missouri Valley to a point on the North Platte River, about 80 miles northwest of Fort Laramie.5 On August 25, 1865,

Jan 1, 1942

By D. W. Mitchell

J. H. Schlobohm (Joy Manufacturing Co., New York) —This paper has been read with a good deal of interest; however, there are several salient features which Mr. Mitchell has overlooked. The initial emphasis on selection should be placed on type of material to be loaded and method of mining involved. There is no possible connection in the comparison of scraper or Joy Lohite loaders with loaders of any other type. Neither can an operating comparison be made between "Rocker type" loaders and those equipped with loading head and gathering arms. Each unit has its application, but the application depends on material and the mining system involved. Mr. Mitchell's compilation of data on various loaders, while it represents a great many facts, does not represent true operational data, i.e. Table I, column heading "Max. Rated Capacity for 7 hr;" these figures are meaningless inasmuch as little or no time at all is allowed for tramming or switching or moving the loader from place to place. Table I, column heading, "Best Reported Field Shift," would be a better source of operational data, assuming of course that conditions, applicable to each class of loaders, were average to avoid enthusiastic performance figures. Table I, column heading, "Repair Parts Cost per Ton," is still another item which will not stand up under comparison unless the loaders involved are put into type classes, i.e., there are simply no means possible to show the repair costs of scraper loading versus a caterpillar mounted loader in abrasive material. The source of information here is also important. Actual field tests have proved that these costs are of a constant nature. Manufacturers are striving to hold them to a minimum and many interesting studies have been made. A fairly recent example of this in a large United States gold producer has proved that Joy HL-3 loaders can be consistently average, less than $0.025 per ton mucked. This cost represents repair labor and parts over a two year

Jan 1, 1952

By J. S. Kasper, R. M. Waterstrat, B. F. Decker

THE large difference in the X-ray scattering factors for molybdenum and manganese makes the o- phase in the Mn-Mo system an interesting one to study with respect to ordering of the atoms. Such a study has been carried out using data obtained from a powder sample, and the resulting evidence for ordering in this compound is presented here. It is not possible, of course, to obtain all the details of structure for a u phase from powder data only. Most difficult of all would be the determination of precise atomic parameters. There is reason to believe, however, that the atomic parameters do not vary greatly in the different s'S and that the precise values obtained from one s structure would then allow decisions as to the ordering of atoms to be made when there is a large difference in scattering factors. In particular, the powder intensities for Mn-Mo s are for the most part in good agreement with those observed for Co-Cr, for which single crystal studies have been made by the authors.' There are a few marked discrepancies in the intensity comparison of the two s's, and these cannot be removed by adjustment of the parameters. They are interpreted as resulting from a more pronounced effect of ordering of the atoms. Accordingly, the parameters of Co-Cr s' have been used for the calculations of the Mn-Mo intensities. For Co-Cr, the space group is D4h14-P4/mnm with atoms in the following positions: 1—2 in (b); 11—4 in (f), with x=0.1031; 111—8 in (i), with x= 0.3713 and y=0.0370; IV—8 in (i), with x=0.5662 and y=0.2396; and V—8 in (j), with x=0.3160Y and y — -0.250. The unit cell is tetragonal, with an==9.10A and cn=4.74A for the Mn-Mo u phase studied here.

Jan 1, 1955

D. J. DEMOREST,* Washington, D. C. (written discussion ?).-This paper is a real contribution to technical science; it will make it' easier to think accurately about the inner workings of a blast furnace. I was rather surprised to read that the authors regarded as a new discovery the idea that a molten mixture of CaO, A1203, and Si02 is a molten solution of the compounds of these oxides rather than of the oxides in each other. Surely no. chemist with an active respect for the known facts of chemical affinity could believe that these oxides could be melted together without forming compounds, and that these compounds would then dissolve in one another. This work does, however, help to establish what it was supposed must be true. I think it is worth while, in the light of the work of the Geophysics Laboratory, this work of the Bureau of Mines, and that of previous investigators, to visualize what happens as a charge passes down through a blast furnace, thinking especially of the slag-forming materials. These are chiefly kaolin (Al203.2SiO2.2H2O), quartz, and limestone. These substances do not undergo much change until the limestone decomposes at about the middle of the furnace, whereupon the chemical affinities of CaO and SiO2 must begin to he active; especially if there is any amorphous Si02 present. This forms CaSiO3, and the SiO2, CaSi02 and Al2-032SiO2 then come together to form the binary and ternary eutectics so well located by the work of the Geophysics Laboratory. No matter how much lime has been charged into the furnace, the formation of this eutectic will start it about the same height in the furnace and the gangue will start to get pasty at the same height. If the charge is such that the

Jan 4, 1918

By George Ross Green

[In discussion of the paper of Mr. J. C. Bayles, read at the New York meeting of September, 1890, Trans., xix., p. 18.1 It is often so difficult to locate the causes of failures of machinery and apparatus which can be examined and studied at leisure, that it is not surprising that the causes of explosions should escape detection. Usually the explosion is the first evidence that anything is amiss, and the time for observing the conditions is necessarily brief. An incident in a welding-works near Essen, Germany, might be cited as exemplifying what trifling causes may lead to disaster, and how difficult, under the most favorable conditions, it may be to discover them. A blowing-engine was arranged with two suction-pipes at each end of the blowing-cylinder—one leading to the air, and the other to the gas-holder. Each pipe was provided with a valve, and all were so adjusted that the cylinder drew in gas and air in the proportions found most advantageous. The gases from the cylinder were carried directly to the furnace through suitable pipes, and while the cylinder was provided with relief-valves, every effort was made to prevent explosions, principally by compressing the gases to a point where the rate of efflux of the mixture was greater than the velocity of combustion, if the expression is here allowable. It was found that the apparatus would work satisfactorily for some time, and then the relative proportions of the mixture would change, and an explosion might have been the result. Experiments consuming days were made to discover a method of averting this danger, but they were unsuccessful, until it was observed that the change in the composition of the mixture of gas and air took place when the gasometer began to rise or fall—the back-pressure due to friction when the holder was rising or its absence when falling being sufficient to change the conditions. As soon as this was discovered,

Jan 1, 1892

R. MOLDENKE, Watchung, N. J. (written discussion*).-It is some-what difficult to discuss the paper of Mr. Stork, when the description of the cupola melting occurrences indicates that his practice is open to question. The evident burning of much of the steel charged,. coupled with the remarkably low silicon content of the mixture as shown by the resulting product, throws the entire melting practice into that of making cupola malleable. If anything is wanted here, it is a. high bed to melt upon, and yet Mr. Stork in the very beginning of his paper speaks of the evils of oxidation due to a "high" bed, etc. The experienced foundry-mall would judge at the outset that Mr. Stork has kept his bed in the cupola too low, and naturally got a lot of oxidation from the blast. The oxidation of steel when used in large quantities in cupola mixtures is a well-known phenomenon, and is readily understood. One has but to. put a file into the forge fire and watch it burn when heated high enough. The melting point of steel being higher than cast iron, heavy pieces may dig way into the bed before being completely melted away, the last por-tions being directly exposed to free oxygen from the blast. Another situation not to be forgotten is the oxidizing effect of carbon dioxide at high temperatures. A serious oxidation of the steel is quite conceivable if in the zone of maximum carbon dioxide and minimum carbon monoxide-free oxygen being entirely absent. Hence the well understood practice of never melting a mixture with much steel unless the bed is kept exceed-ingly high; or again the above-mentioned malleable practice. Mr. Stork mentions the impossibility of deoxidizing a heat. after the steel contained has been oxidized. This is true to a great extent with the ordinary deoxidizers, such as silicon and manganese, but can be brought about by vanadium, titanium, magnesium, etc. Proper melting, however, makes this unnecessary.

Jan 10, 1919

By Joseph Singewald

THE problem of the utilization of the low-grade red iron-ores has peen before the iron-mining industry of the South for several decades. the experiments by W. H. Coghill1 of the U. S. Bureau of Mines to determine the degree of liberation of minerals in the Alabama low-grade red iron-ores after grinding interest the writer very much because 10 fears ago, while a member of the U. S. Bureau of, Mines, he experimented similarly on the same ores using a heavy solution .2 Extensive experiments were made in the nineties by W. B. Phillips3 in association with H. A. J. Wilkens and H. B. C. Nitze. The ores were rushed to pass 15 mesh and were separated by magnetic machines into concentrates, middlings and tails. The experiments were made with carload lots in an experimental mill. Most of the ores tested, however, were soft, whereas the main problem is the utilization of the low-grade hard ores. Phillips gives the results of only four tests of hard ores; two of these are of self-fluxing ores of the grade now utilized and two of ower grade and less amenable to concentration than the average low-grade ore that underlies the self-fluxing ore of the Big Seam. The average of these least favorable samples shows the production, from an ore analyzing 32.30 per cent. Fe, 10.34 per cent. CaO, 33.40 per cent. insoluble, of a concentrate with 43.82 per cent. Fe, 8.90 per cent. CaO, 18.48 per Sent. insoluble with a ratio of concentration of 2 and an iron recovery of 39.2 per. cent. The grade of this concentrate compares favorably with the average grade of washed brown ores of the district which is given by Burchard4 as 45 per cent. Fe, 14.6 per cent. Si02. The slightly lower iron

Jan 2, 1927

By Charles Bohdanowicz

The accompanying tables' show that in 1936 production of crude oil in Poland decreased very slightly (Tables 1 and 5), by about 1 per cent, and that gas production increased by about 11 per cent. As in preceding years, drilling (Tables 1, 2 and 3) was devoted principally to extension of oil fields in the Jaslo district (fields 1, 5 and 7) and, in a lesser degree, of those in the Stanislaw6w district (field 27). Production of crude oil is being sustained in a large measure by the deepening of old wells; besides a total number of 183 new wells completed (Table 3) about 152 wells were deepened, and in a general way the results of deepening were better than those of new wells drilled. Reserves of "proved land" have not increased as far as crude oil is concerned, but a notable extension of gas fieldsZ was attained in Daszawa (field 25) and in the Roztoki area (field 5). In the sub-carpathian zone gas fields have been proved in the vicinity of Kalusz, Kos6wJ and in the northwestern sector of that zone, between Tarnow and Lezajsk. The gas horizons of Daszawa occur in the Upper Tortonian, those of Kos6w in the Lower Tortonian (Middle Miocene). Exploratory drilling has been performed near Kalusz, and has been commenced near Kos6w and in the Tarn6w area. The Kos6w gas approaches the "wet" type. A possible gas reserve with a volume of 4,000,000,000 cu. m. (141,000,-000,000 cu. ft.) has been calculated, for an area of about 5 sq. km. of the Daszawa field, on the basis of production obtained and of decreases in pressure and their distribution. The fields of Roztoki and Strachocina (No. 12) have not yet supplied sufficient data for a calculation of reserves, which might possibly be estimated at 2,000,000,000 cu, m. (70,000,-000,000 cu. ft.).

Jan 1, 1937

By Newell G. Alford

The data in this paper were collected to show both the volume and speed with which bituminous mines have indefinitely suspended operation while economic advantage in the industry has so gravely declined. The study was limited to the bituminous coal-mining states east of the Mississippi River, wherein conditions affecting production and demand are more common respectively to all of the mining districts included and represent about 95 per cent of the nation's coal mining. Data for the compilation of these statistics and for the construction of these graphs have been obtained in all cases from state mine department reports, except from those of Ohio and Virginia. In Virginia essential individual mine data were secured from an authentic source, but no individual Ohio mine information is obtainable, because all Ohio fact-gathering agencies are prohibited by law from revealing such data. In other states the facts were tabulated and later checked with the cooperation of Chief Mine Inspectors. In all, excluding Ohio, over 17,000 individual annual mine returns were examined. Special information was secured from each state mine department about suspensions in 1932. Accurate information was not available from all states about nine abandonment due to exhaustion of coal reserves, and while these were completed for several states, it has not been shown because it was not perfected for all states. However, the total observed sample mas comprehensive enough to show that exhaustion accounts for a very limited part of the suspended production. Wherever mention is made of '(suspended productionJ' the largest annual output of the mine in the five years prior to suspension has been taken as the measure of its probable production had it continued to operate. A mine is not regarded in this category, as having suspended, when it merely ceases to produce. The word "suspension" is used only where there is a complete abandonment of activity for an indefinite period, as evidenced by the fact that both ventilation and pumping are discontinued.

Jan 1, 1934

By Charles L. Mantell, P. P. Napolitano

High-purity tellurium oJ semiconductor grade may be prepared by a combination of electrowinning from tellurium oxide, electrorefining and controlled atmosphere melting, as detailed in the paper. SEMICONDUCTOR devices such as transistors and rectifiers depend upon extremely pure forms of silicon, germanium, and selenium. Although tellurium is chemically related to these elements, it has not been studied as a semiconductor because commercial forms are too impure. Highly purified tellurium would be an interesting starting point for a study of its solid-state characteristics. Tellurium shows a greater electrical conductivity in the direction of the helices or chains forming the crystals than at right angles to the chains, and thus is a semiconductor. Unlike selenium, the conductivity is only slightly increased by exposure to light. Impurities such as Ag, Cu, Au, Fe, Sn, As, Sb, Bi, Br, and I provide accepters and make extrinsic tellurium of the P type. So far, however, no elements have been found which, when introduced, would act as donors. Small amounts of tellurium dioxide enormously increase the thermoelectric power. Many extremely pure metals have been made by electrolytic refining or electrowinning procedures. Tellurium forms compounds in a number of valences, as indicated in Table I. The physical properties given in Table II do not show any unusual conditions which would interfere with the formation of elec- trodes, or the deposition of the metal on a cathode. Tellurium dioxide could be obtained in relatively high purities of 98 pct TeO2 or better at reasonable prices. Tellurium dioxide is soluble in caustic to form tellurites, which are conductive, ionizable, and from which tellurium metal may be deposited at a cathode. Preliminary solubility tests to saturation of tellurium dioxide in approximately 10 pct sodium hydroxide gave the results of Table III. The temperature range is a practical one for electroplating. Electrochemical test facilities were set up and these met the operating conditions of Table IV. For a determination of purity of deposits, there was available a Jarrell Ash Co. quantitative emission

Jan 1, 1964

By Richard B. Moore

The successful commercial production of helium during the last few years has added greatly to its scientific interest. When the quantity of an element available for experimental purposes increases within a few years by 200,000 per cent., both public and scientific interest in the element are greatly stimulated. Before the war, probably, there was not more than 10 or 15 cu. ft. of helium in existence. The larger part of this was owned by Prof. Kam-merlingh Onnes, and was used by him in connection with his low-temperature work at Leiden. By experimental work during the war and immediately afterwards, the Canadians, under Prof. J. C. McLennan, produced about 60,000 cu. ft. of helium of various grades of purity. Up to Dee. 1, 1921, when the plant at Fort Worth was shut down because of lack of funds, there had been produced during the experimental work by the U. S. Government, during the war and afterwards. 2,300,000 cu ft. of helium averaging between 92 and 95 per cent. purity. After the new appropriation was made in 1922, the production plant was again started and at the time of writing was making about 15,000 cu. ft. of helium a day. Only three of the five units were being operated because of the inability to get sufficient gas to run at full capacity. The gas supply is owned by two companies and on account of a disagreement between them, it has been possible for some time to get gas from only one. It is expected that when all five units are running steadily, the daily production will be between 30,000 and 40,000 cu. ft. of gas averaging from 93 to 95 per cent. purity. All three experimental plants used during the war have been shut down. The Air Reduction plant, using the Claude system, and the Linde

Jan 1, 1923

By Richard B. Moore

The successful commercial production of helium during the last few years has added greatly to its scientific interest. When the quantity of an element available for experimental purposes increases within a few years by 200,000 per cent., both public and scientific interest in the element are greatly stimulated. Before the war, probably, there was not more than 10 or 15 cu. ft. of helium in existence. The larger part of this was owned by Prof. Kam-merlingh Onnes, and was used by him in connection with his low-temperature work at Leiden. By experimental work during the war and immediately afterwards, the Canadians, under Prof. J. C. McLennan, produced about 60,000 cu. ft. of helium of various grades of purity. Up to Dee. 1, 1921, when the plant at Fort Worth was shut down because of lack of funds, there had been produced during the experimental work by the U. S. Government, during the war and afterwards. 2,300,000 cu ft. of helium averaging between 92 and 95 per cent. purity. After the new appropriation was made in 1922, the production plant was again started and at the time of writing was making about 15,000 cu. ft. of helium a day. Only three of the five units were being operated because of the inability to get sufficient gas to run at full capacity. The gas supply is owned by two companies and on account of a disagreement between them, it has been possible for some time to get gas from only one. It is expected that when all five units are running steadily, the daily production will be between 30,000 and 40,000 cu. ft. of gas averaging from 93 to 95 per cent. purity. All three experimental plants used during the war have been shut down. The Air Reduction plant, using the Claude system, and the Linde

Jan 1, 1923

By John Fulton

Early in the year 1875, some difficulty was experienced in the " Old blast-furnaces " of the Cambria Iron Company, at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, arising from the increased use of native coke, prepared in Belgian ovens near the furnaces, in mixture with Connellsville coke, in the production of Bessemer pig-iron. This was the more surprising at that time, because a very caulplete coal-crushing and washing apparatus, after the Bradford plan, had just been put into successful operation, affording a pure coal for coke-making. It was confidently expected that this thorough cleansing of the coal would improve the quality of the coke and fit it for the increasing manufacture of Bessemer pig-iron. But the trouble with the native coke continued. Experiments in fuel charges-increasing and reducing them—failed to correct the irregular working of these furnaces. Increasing the charge of native coke produced abnormal heat at the top of the furnace, reducing it cooled the furnace below. At this stage of affairs, the Hon. Daniel J. Morrell, general manager of the Cambria Iron Company, requested the writer to make the requisite investigation to determine the nature of this coke-difficulty, and to ascertain why the Johnstown coke could not be used in blastfurnace work as well as Connellsville. This task at first did not appear to present any special difficulties, but subsequently it expanded into proportions that caused no little anxiety. The first effort was directed to procuring average samples of Johnstown and Connellsville coke. At this period of the investigation, it was assumed that the whole matter could be intelligently solved by comparing the chemical analyses of the two cokes: Johnstown Coke. Connellsville Coke. Moisture,.......... 0.30 Volatile matter,......... 0.46 Fixed carbon,.90.48 89.57 Ash,.8.96 9.11 Sulphur,.0.56 0.82 Phosphorus,..... 0.014 100.00 100.274 Analysts, T. T. Morrell. A. S. McCreath.

Jan 1, 1884

By James D. Sisler

Among the various studies made by the Coal Fact Finding Commission, appointed by President Warren G. Harding in 1922 to investigate all phases of the coal-mining industry in the United States and to report to Congress, was one concerning the amount and nature of losses in mining bituminous coal in the eastern part of the United States. This study was carried on under the direction of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. The writer was appointed field engineer to investigate the problem in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Some 400 mines were studied in these three states and conclusions were drawn from many sources of data. The summary report written by George S. Rice and J. W. Paul states that "the field reports indicate that the recovery in Ohio will remain about as at present, except in the Belmont district; whereas in Pennsylvania it will gradually improve, and in West Virginia it will improve rapidly." Since 1922, the writer has been interested in gathering material to substantiate or contradict these prophecies. Nature of Coal Losses There are six general causes of losses of coal in mining: (1) coal left on the roof and bottom; (2) coal lost in room, entry and panel pillars; (3) coal lost in oil-well or gas-well pillars; (4) coal lost under buildings, railroads and boundaries; (5) coal lost in handling and prepayation, underground and surface; (6) coal lost by rolls, thin or dirty areas and under streams. Local economic aspects that dominate the type of mining conditions determine to some extent whether certain losses are avoidable or unavoidable. In general, however, unavoidable losses include coal lost in the protection of buildings, streams, railroads, restricted properties and around oil and gas wells. Barrier pillars and other safety pillars are unavoidable losses as long as their size does not exceed the minimum for adequate safety. Natural physical conditions beyond human control, such as rock faults, clay veins, partings and binders, bad top and bottom, rolls and horsebacks, cause unavoidable losses. Unavoidable losses

Jan 1, 1931

By James P. Kimball

THE object of the present memoir is to put on record some practical experiments by the writer in smelting a silicious native magnetite with no other flux than the silicates of its own gangue: This work was undertaken in the spring of 1878 for Messrs. Naylor & Co., of Boston, to whom I am indebted for the privilege of here communicating its results, these having hitherto only been simply announced.* So far as I am aware these are the first instances of the kind in this country that non-calcareous; or rather non-carbonated, magnetites have successfully been used strictly alone as self-fluxing ores in the blast furnace; that is, without the addition of calcareous flux in the form either of limestone, quicklime, calcareous ore, or basic (calcareous). slag. Previous to the spring of 1878, when the Chateaugay magnetic ore was first brought to my notice, its use had been limited to Catalan forges, after "separation" at the ore bed. The blooms and billets made from it in the several forges of Messrs. Weed & Williams, and of Mr. Williams, were well known in the trade as among the best in the market. The Chateaugay ore beds proving of great magnitude, and the ore exceptionally low in phosphoric acid, it commended itself for blast-furnace purposes to Messrs. Naylor & Co., who employed nee to blow-in the charcoal furnace at Pittsford, Vt., on this ore in the spring of 1878., a previous trial of this ore in the same furnace in the fall of 1877 having proved abortive. This was therefore the first time that Chateaugay ore was successfully smelted in a blast furnace, although since well known as a blast-furnace ore possessing superior and exceptional qualities. The Pittsford furnace, although rebuilt in 1844, and subsequently improved by the former owner, the late J. Prichard, is one of the few furnaces of the old type with open breast (Sumpfofen) still active in this country. Its improvements on furnaces of the period, * Bulletin American Iron and Steel Association, XII, 1878, 132, 156.

Jan 1, 1881

By Frank Feuille, Edward Schuster

As the time allotted is short, we can present only a general idea of the oil laws in the Latin-American republics, as a supplement to Bulletin 206 of the Department of the Interior compiled under the direction of J. W. Thompson of the Bureau of Mines and entitled "Petroleum Laws of All America." We shall not discuss the European colonies in Latin-America nor the island republics. As to the countries discussed, we shall attempt to give the main features of such special petroleum legislation as has been adopted prior to the early part of this year; where no special petroleum laws exist, we must look to the mining codes for light on the petroleum policy. As the laws and regulations for the extraction of the metals are often difficult of application to, and are lacking in many essentials for, the petroleum industry, it is best for persons or companies desiring to enter, on a large scale, into the petroleum exploration and development of countries not having special petroleum legislation, to obtain a concession contract from the executive of the country under consideration, and to have the concession approved by the congress. If this concession, which would then be a special law, contains nothing contrary to the constitution of that country and does not infringe on vested rights of third parties, it should be reasonably safe. If in such country there is some doubt as to whether the petroleum subsoil is owned by the nation or the private surface owner, only public lands should be covered with the concession. Guatemala is the only republic in the group that discriminates directly against foreigners. Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela require waivers of diplomatic protection.' Colombia requires foreigners to agree to be bound by its alien law. In addition,Mexico makes it unlawful for foreigners to acquire direct ownership of real estate, including mines, within a zone of 50 km. along the coasts and one of 100 km. alongitsland

Jan 1, 1923

By Edward Schuster, Frank Feuille

As the time allotted is short, we can present only a general idea of the oil laws in the Latin-American republics, as a supplement to Bulletin 206 of the Department of the Interior compiled under the direction of J. W. Thompson of the Bureau of Mines and entitled "Petroleum Laws of All America." We shall not discuss the European colonies in Latin-America nor the island republics. As to the countries discussed, we shall attempt to give the main features of such special petroleum legislation as has been adopted prior to the early part of this year; where no special petroleum laws exist, we must look to the mining codes for light on the petroleum policy. As the laws and regulations for the extraction of the metals are often difficult of application to, and are lacking in many essentials for, the petroleum industry, it is best for persons or companies desiring to enter, on a large scale, into the petroleum exploration and development of countries not having special petroleum legislation, to obtain a concession contract from the executive of the country under consideration, and to have the concession approved by the congress. If this concession, which would then be a special law, contains nothing contrary to the constitution of that country and does not infringe on vested rights of third parties, it should be reasonably safe. If in such country there is some doubt as to whether the petroleum subsoil is owned by the nation or the private surface owner, only public lands should be covered with the concession. Guatemala is the only republic in the group that discriminates directly against foreigners. Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela require waivers of diplomatic protection.' Colombia requires foreigners to agree to be bound by its alien law. In addition,Mexico makes it unlawful for foreigners to acquire direct ownership of real estate, including mines, within a zone of 50 km. along the coasts and one of 100 km. alongitsland

Jan 1, 1923

By J. E. Johnson

Discussion of the paper of Mark A. Amnion, presented at the Cleveland meeting October, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 70, October, 1913, pp. 1167 to 1 79. J. E. JOHNSON, JR., Ashland, Wis.:-Mr. Amnion's paper is of great value and it is not with any desire to reflect. on it that I wish to make some comments on the use of the scleroscope. We obtained one on trial some months ago and made very extensive tests with it, but without getting very satisfactory results. The readings on good car-wheels and bad ones were just about the same, but the factor in its use most likely to produce erroneous results is a variation in the thickness of the specimen being tested. In order to find out something on this subject we cut a thin disk, about -1,: in. thick, off a brass rod; then one 0.25 in. thick, and another about 1 in. thick, put the surfaces of all in about the same condition and tested them with the scleroscope. The readings varied widely; the resilience of the anvil evidently entered to a very high degree on thin pieces. By putting a soft cushion between such a thin specimen and the anvil, and forcing it up against the tube, the softness of the cushion cut off the resilience of the anvil and the results were more like those of the thick specimens. After a thickness of 1 in. was passed, the specimen seemed to have mass enough so that the resilience of the anvil no longer played an important part, and above that thickness results on different materials would be comparable, even though the thicknesses differed. But in order to get comparable results on thin specimens the thickness of those being tested should be the same. I should like to ask how the variations introduced in this way were overcome, so as to get strictly comparable results. Mr. AMMON :-.I have not had much experience in that, but the scleroscope is simply an indication of the surface harden-

Dec 1, 1912

By J. Th. Erb

The total crude oil production of these islands, which in 1928 amounted to nearly 5,000,000 metric tons—about 36,500,000 bb1.—has again increased in 1929. The figures for 1929 are as follows: Metric ToNs† North Sumatra........................................ 369,930 South Sumatra........................................ 1,236,510 Java and Ceram....................................... 678,787 Dutch Borneo (including Tarakan)....................... 2,793,326 Sarawak.............................................. 759,700 Total............................................... 5,838.253 †1 metric tor1 = 7.36 bbl. on the average. This production, as far as the Dutch Islands are concerned, is owned partly by the Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij, the producing subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Concern, and partly by the Kolon-isle Petroleum Maatschappij (Standard Oil Co. of N. J.), while that of the British Protectorate Sarawak belongs to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co., Ltd., of London. The increase in 1929 is due partly to more intensive drilling; the rotary system, which enables drilling to be done more quickly and to greater depths than was possible with the percussion system, has come into more general use. Further, considerable extensions have been made to some of the existing fields and several new pools have been discovered, which contributed in no small degree to the increase in production. Of particular interest is the fact that the ('Niam" (Nederlandsche Indische Aardolie Maatschappij), in which the Dutch Government has a large share and which company in 1928 was producing from only two fields in South Sumatra, has discovered a pool in North Sumatra and, moreover, has struck oil on the island of Poeloe Boenjoe near Tarakan (Eastern Borneo). The deepest well still drilling is in one of the fields of the "Niam" and has reached a depth of 2269 meters (7445 feet). Notwithstanding the tropical c1imate and the dense jungle in which most of the fields are situated, the most modern scientific methods are applied in exploration, in drilling, producing and refining.

Jan 1, 1930