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By J. Hunter

LouisiaNa ranks fifth among the oil-producing states. In 1941 the state-wide production was slightly in excess of 118,000,000 bbl. of crude oil and conden-sate—an increase of 15,000,000 bbl. over the total production for the year 1940. During 1941, south Louisiana produced approximately 90,900,000 bbl. of oil, while north Louisiana produced approximately 27,000,000. South Louisiana, therefore, produced about 3¼ times more oil than north Louisiana. During the past year, 574,800,000 M cu. ft. of natural and casinghead gas were produced in Louisiana; thus 1941 gas production exceeded the 1940 production by 104,900,000 M cu. feet. Completion records for the year 1941 show that 1512 wells were completed in or adjoining producing fields. These wells, which were drilled to extend known producing areas or were located within producing areas, are not considered as wildcat wells. Of the total number of field wells drilled, 1152 wells found production; the remaining 360 were junked or dry and abandoned. This means that 76 per cent of the wells drilled were successful. Considering the precarious nature of oil-field development, this percentage of new producing wells is exceedingly satisfactory. Of the total number of field welis com-pleted as producers, approximately 86 wells found new and distinct producing sands. During the past year, 30 new fields were found. Four parishes—namely, Caldwell, Catahoula, Orleans, and Natchitoches— entered the ranks of oil-and-gas-producing parishes in the state during that period. This brings the total number of oil-and-gas-producing parishes in the state up to 48. Thus, 75 per cent of the parishes in Louisiana now contain one or more oil and/or gas fields. Although sufficient data are not available to list the addition reserves found in Louisiana during 1941, it is felt that such reserves undoubtedly exceed twice the total production for that year, or at least 200 million barrels. In reserves, therefore, Louisiana ranks third among the various oil-producing states. South Louisiana Although 16 new fields were found in south Louisiana, the outstanding developments in that part of the state were not limited to new discoveries. In fact, most of the increase in reserve in that area has been most consistently accumulated through extensions of known producing sands and through the finding of new sands in already productive fields, especially at depths below the presently producing sands. Since data concerning most of the new extensions and sands are too extensive for discussion here, the more important developments arc briefly outlined below: Abbeville, Vermilion Parish.—Production extended ½ mile to the west. Anse La Butte, St. Martin Parish.—New oil sand discovered at 9400 ft., thus extending production to east flank. West flank defined by dry holes. Barataria, Jefferson Parish.—New oil sand discovered on east side of field at 7620 ft. New

Jan 1, 1942

By C. L. Mantell

When considered from the viewpoint of world annual output, tin is one of the rarest metals. Its annual production is exceeded by that of iron, copper, lead, zinc. aluminum, magnesium; probably by that of the ferroalloys of manganese, chromium, and silicon, and possibly by the world production of sodium; while it exceeds only the output of such common metals as nickel, antimony, mercury, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold and the precious metals. Cassiterite, or tinstone, until the second World War was the only mineral that was an important source of tin. This mineral is frequently called "tin ore." The use of the term should be restricted to the ore containing the mineral, and not, in addition, to the concentrates of the mineral obtained from the ore or from stanniferous alluvial deposits. There is a general misuse of the term "tin ore" in the Malay Peninsula and adjacent localities, particularly where most of the mineral is obtained from secondary stanniferous deposits. The term "cassit-erite" is exclusively used in mineralogical, geological, and other scientific writings; it is unfortunate that it is not mole frequently used when referring to the occurrence of the mineral on an economic scale. Ores "Tinstone" js a very convenient old English term deserving a more frequent use. Tinstone is a dioxide of tin, or stannic oxide. When chemically Pure, as in the very rare transparent variety, it has a metallic content of 78.6 per cent tin. Frequently, however, the crystals and grains contain appreciable amounts of impurities, chiefly iron and tantalum. The impurities here referred to are those actually in the mineral itself. Tinstone usually has a deep brown or black color with an adamantine luster. Several other colored varieties are known, among them red ruby tin, yellow rosin tin, and yellow wax tin. the names jn each case being descriptive of the mineral's appearance. Ainalite is a variety of cassiterite con-taining almost g per cent of tantalum pentoxide. Sparable tin, tooth tin, and needle tin, as a result of their acute dite-tragonal pyramidal crystalline form, re-ceive their names from their crystallo-graphic appearance. Wood tin is a compact variety of cassiterite composed of radiating fibers resembling dry wood. Toad's-eye tin is a similar variety on a smaller scale in which the fibers appear to resemble the eye of a toad. Stream tin is water-worn tin-stone. Float tin is sometimes employed to describe the cassiterite occurring in soil derived from the weathered surface of a mineralized area. Stannite is an ore of tin of lesser impor-tance than cassiterite. It is a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron, sometimes known as tin pyrites or bell-metal ore. Its chemical com-position is sometimes expressed by the for-mula Cu,S.FeS.SnSz with zinc usually present in varying quantities. The tin con-tent varies from 22 to 27 per cent and there is about 29 per cent of copper, 13 per cent of iron, and 30 Per cent of sulphur.

Jan 1, 1944

By B. G. Reisdorf

This paper describes the microstructural changes that occur when quenched ultrahigh-strength steels containing OA pet C and various amounts of nickel, silicon, and cobalt are tempered. The changes that occur in hardness, yield strength, and martensite diffraction-peak widths when these steels are tempered are related to the precipitation of the carbide phases. An unea$ectedly high silicon content (about 30 pct) was found in the E -carbide phase in a steel containing only 1.5 pct Si. TEMPERED martensitic steels have such wide-spread utility that they have been the subject of numerous investigations, and a sizable amount of literature has developed on this subject.M This investigation, which is a part of a larger program to correlate microstructure with mechanical properties at a variety of strength levels, is limited to the microstructural changes that occur when a quenched 0.40 pct carbon steel (USS Airsteel X-200 steel) is tempered, and to the effects of the alloying elements—nickel, cobalt, and silicon—on these microstructures. Used in this investigation were electron microscopy, electron-diffraction identification of the carbide phases, electron-probe micro-analysis of the carbides, X-ray determinations of retained austenite, and measurements of martensite X-ray diffract ion-peak widths. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chemical analyses of the eight heats examined eats No. 30 through 37) are shown in Table L Heat No. 30 has the chemical com~osition of Airsteel X-200, and the remaining seven heats contain various amounts of nickel, chromium, cobalt, and silicon. The heats were air-melted in an induction furnace and cast into 8 by 8 in. ingots that were subsequently heated to 2300 and rolled to 1-in.-thick plate. Oversize 0.505-in.-diam tensile specimens were rough-machined from the plates and austenitized in air at 1700° F for half an hour and oil-quenched. The specimens were then tempered in air at temperatures of 400° to 1000 for tempering times of 1, 4, and 16 hr, and finish-machined to 0.505-in.-diam tensile specimens. Electron micrographs were prepared from Formvar replicas of the midthickness of tensile-specimen shanks that had been electrolytically polished and etched in nital. Electron-diffraction patterns were obtained from carbon-extraction replicas. The replicas were prepared by etching the sample surface in the same manner as for microscopy, evaporating carbon on the etched surface, and re-etching the sample to free the carbon film and the precipitate particles. Electron-probe microanalysis was performed on some of the extraction replicas. To obtain adequate fluorescent X-ray intensities, several thicknesses of replica were exposed to the electron beam so that the results represent an average composition of the extracted particles rather than an analysis of single precipitate particles. The retained austenite contents of the specimens were determined by an empirical X-ray diffraction

Jan 1, 1963

By H. H. Reamer, B. H. Sage

The formation volume and the relative volume of the liquid Phase of mixtures of Condensate and gas from five different parts of a field in the Louisiana area have been established experimentally. These studies included gas-condensate ratios as high as 25.000 cu ft/bbl at pressures up to 5,000 psi. The gravities of the tank condensates were between 53.9° and 63.9° API. The compositions of the condensate and gas samples inves-ligated are presented in tabular form. The formation volume. the relative volume of the liquid phase. and the specific volume of the mixtures are available. A rough correlation of the formation volume as a function of pressure. temperature, and gas-condensate ratio has been presented. This correlation i-considered applicable only to the range of conditions covered in this investigation for systems of similar nature and com-position. INTRODUCTION Often a knowledge of the influence of temperature. Pres sure, and relative quantities of condensate and gas upon the volumetric behavior of fluid*. from a given field has been employed in estimating the Conditions existing in the reservoir. The early work of Beecher and Parkhurst' and the more rrcent Studies of the Dominguez' and San Joaqnin Valley Field;: are examples of experimental studies of this character. Correlation of the volumetric behavior of naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures has Proved To be feasible' . at low gas-conden-sate ratios-; for fluids*. from a single geographic area. Progres 5 is being made in the Prediction of the volumetric behavior of distillate systems at high gas-condensate ratios and pressure.. However. the estimation of the retrograde". ' dew-point pressure still remains uncertain and probably can best be established by experiment. For this reason it appears of interest to make available experimental information about the volumetric behavior of mixtures of condensate and gas from five different part.; of a single field. This material shows a rough similarity to data for mixtures of condensate and gas from San Joaqnin ' Valley Fields. In the present paper. 110 attempt has been made to coordinate the available information on tbe volumetric behavior of fluids from condensate fields. It appears hopeful that progress can be realized by the utilization of recently developed equa-tions of state.!' However. the primary problem in any such correlation is the proper identification of the components and constituents of naturally occuring systems. Additional experimental information may be required to permit the determination of the values of the constants of the equation of state for References given at end of paper. Manuscriptt received in the office of the Petroleum Branch June 11. 1951. *For present purposes low gas- condensate ratios will he considered as those below 3,000 cu ft/bbl, and the region of high gas-condensate ratio will be limited to compositions containing more than 5,000 cu ft of pas per bbl of condensate. Mixtures Containing between 3,000 and 5.000 CII ft OF gas per bbl will be considered of intermediate gas-condensate ratio.

Jan 1, 1952

By H. M. Beatty, T. L. Joseph, Gust Bitsianes

SUCCESSFUL blast-furnace operation depends upon securing an optimum balance between a number of important variables. This balance will vary somewhat from furnace to furnace in the same plant and with raw materials available in different plants. It is difficult to isolate the effect of any one variable unless it has a rather pronounced effect upon the efficiency of operation. The physical properties of iron ore and coke are known to affect the process, yet it is difficult to set up any definite yardstick by which these differences can be appraised. In recent years, whenever practicable, operators have taken steps to obtain better control over the absolute size and uniformity of size of the ore and coke. The size and physical character of the stone, however, have received comparatively little attention, emphasis being placed upon chemical composition, fluxing efficiency, and action as a desulphurizing agent. Since the stone occupies only about 10 per cent of the volume of the stock column, its influence upon permeability is less than that of the ore and the coke. The large pieces now used have a tendency to roll to the center and thus increase the permeability of this part of the stock column. Smaller pieces would be more effective in promoting the permeability of denser portions of the stock. The size and physical properties of blast- furnace stone are important also for reasons best understood by considering the results obtained by the crushing and the sizing of iron ore. Crushing ore to about 2 in. at Provo, Utah, and to about I in. in Alabama produced material somewhat less permeable to gases, even though sized. In spite of some sacrifice in permeability, the efficiency of the process was improved by crushing and sizing the ore, as indicated by a substantial saving in fuel and increased output. This saving in fuel is due in large measure to more thorough reduction of ore in the upper part of the furnace and to a corresponding decrease in the amount of carbon consumed prematurely above the tuyeres by the reaction CO2 + C = 2CO ? 70,080 B.t.u. [I] The physical properties of stone, its size and rate of calcination are important because they influence the rate at which C02 is released and the completeness of calcination before reaching a level in the furnace where the temperature does not exceed 1050°C. (1920°F.). Briefly, carbon dioxide from the limestone or from the reduction of ore may cause premature com- bustion of carbon above the tuyeres. Assuming that 1000 lb. of limestone is used per ton of pig iron, about 435 lb. of C02 will be liberated during calcination of a good grade of stone. If all this CO2 from the stone were to oxidize carbon prematurely, about 120 lb. would be consumed above the tuyeres in a heat-absorbing reaction. The amount of carbon thus consumed when a

Jan 1, 1942

By Warren B. Weeks

The year 1940 saw an increase of 20 per cent in oil production over the previous year—compared with a 16 per cent increase the previous year. In all, 25,790,380 bbl. were produced, an increase of 4,414,150 bbl, over 1939 and the largest production figure for south Arkansas since 1928. The older settled production continued to decline. Magnolia accounted for most of the increase, with aid from the other recent deep fields. During the year, 169 wells were drilled, 79 fewer than in the previous year. Of 131 wells drilled in proven fields, 18 were dry. Three of the 38 wildcats were pool openers. The drilling depth record was increased from 9028 to 9550 feet. Trend of Prospecting For the first time since 1936, the search for oil in the deep Smackover limestone slackened perceptibly; g dry wildcats ended in Smackover, 2 in. the underlying Eagle Mills; 7 penetrated Paleozoic beds, while 9 ended in Hosston, 2 in Glen Rose, 2 in Paluxy and 4 in Gulf. Geology The wells listed in Table 2 either resulted in the discovery of new oil pools or, because of their depth or location, afforded impor-tant stratigraphic or structural informa-tion. Fig. I is a general columnar and stratigraphic section showing the relation-ship of the strata within the Comanche series. The nomenclature shown was ac-cepted by the Shreveport Geological Society. It was subsequently published by Imlay,l who indicated probable correlations with other areas and presented evidence for the possible Jurassic age of the under-lying Cotton Valley and Smackover formations. New Fields Pouke.—On June 10, 1940, the Louark Producing Co. completed its No. I Sturgis, sec. I, T. 17 S., R. 27 W., in central Miller County, producing between 3583 and 3607 ft. in the upper part of the Paluxy forma-tion. The well flowed I00 bbl. of 3r.4' gravity oil per day through Ns-in. tubing choke. This discovery resulted from seismograph work. Six other wells were drilled in the area, none of which found production in the original sand. One of these wells is producing from a sand 50 ft. deeper in the section. The others were abandoned. No further development is in prospect. Production is from lenticular sands of the upper Paluxy; 45,556 bbl. had been pro-duced by the end of 1940. There is structural closure against a fault to the northwest. McKanzie.—The Atlantic Refining Com-pany's No. I Bodcaw Lumber Co., sec. 29, T. 17 S., R. 23 W., eastern central La-fayette County, was completed June 8, 1940, as the eighth and farthest west of the Smackover (Reynolds o6lite) limestone pools. The well flowed 10 bbl. an hour of 58.6' gravity distillate through an 1 1/64 Ma-in. tubing choke, with a gas-oil ratio of 8400:I.

Jan 1, 1941

By Warren B. Weeks

The year 1940 saw an increase of 20 per cent in oil production over the previous year—compared with a 16 per cent increase the previous year. In all, 25,790,380 bbl. were produced, an increase of 4,414,150 bbl, over 1939 and the largest production figure for south Arkansas since 1928. The older settled production continued to decline. Magnolia accounted for most of the increase, with aid from the other recent deep fields. During the year, 169 wells were drilled, 79 fewer than in the previous year. Of 131 wells drilled in proven fields, 18 were dry. Three of the 38 wildcats were pool openers. The drilling depth record was increased from 9028 to 9550 feet. Trend of Prospecting For the first time since 1936, the search for oil in the deep Smackover limestone slackened perceptibly; g dry wildcats ended in Smackover, 2 in. the underlying Eagle Mills; 7 penetrated Paleozoic beds, while 9 ended in Hosston, 2 in Glen Rose, 2 in Paluxy and 4 in Gulf. Geology The wells listed in Table 2 either resulted in the discovery of new oil pools or, because of their depth or location, afforded impor-tant stratigraphic or structural informa-tion. Fig. I is a general columnar and stratigraphic section showing the relation-ship of the strata within the Comanche series. The nomenclature shown was ac-cepted by the Shreveport Geological Society. It was subsequently published by Imlay,l who indicated probable correlations with other areas and presented evidence for the possible Jurassic age of the under-lying Cotton Valley and Smackover formations. New Fields Pouke.—On June 10, 1940, the Louark Producing Co. completed its No. I Sturgis, sec. I, T. 17 S., R. 27 W., in central Miller County, producing between 3583 and 3607 ft. in the upper part of the Paluxy forma-tion. The well flowed I00 bbl. of 3r.4' gravity oil per day through Ns-in. tubing choke. This discovery resulted from seismograph work. Six other wells were drilled in the area, none of which found production in the original sand. One of these wells is producing from a sand 50 ft. deeper in the section. The others were abandoned. No further development is in prospect. Production is from lenticular sands of the upper Paluxy; 45,556 bbl. had been pro-duced by the end of 1940. There is structural closure against a fault to the northwest. McKanzie.—The Atlantic Refining Com-pany's No. I Bodcaw Lumber Co., sec. 29, T. 17 S., R. 23 W., eastern central La-fayette County, was completed June 8, 1940, as the eighth and farthest west of the Smackover (Reynolds o6lite) limestone pools. The well flowed 10 bbl. an hour of 58.6' gravity distillate through an 1 1/64 Ma-in. tubing choke, with a gas-oil ratio of 8400:I.

Jan 1, 1941

By W. L. Crentz, E. E. Donath, D. Doherty

IN 1948, the United States used nearly six million barrels of petroleum products every day. Although substitution of synthetic fuels for the natural petroleum product is not here yet, large quantities of special-purpose coal will be required in ever-increasing volume as the domestic production of oil from other sources fails to meet demand and the production of synthetic fuels begins. Petroleum economists do not agree as to when the shortages of domestic oil will appear; but the increasing per capita consumption of oil, coupled with a constantly growing population drawing on a potential domestic oil supply estimated to be 85 billion barrels, sooner or later will result in demand exceeding domestic supply. When this situation comes about, the excess demand will be either eliminated by curtailment of consumption or the demand met by increasing importation of foreign oil or by the production of synthetic fuels. The first recourse would definitely retard the heretofore unbroken rise in American living standards, while dependence upon a foreign oil supply during a war or other emergency would be dangerous. On the other hand, the enormous coal reserves in the United States, plus sizable deposits of oil shale, indicate adequate means of augmenting a diminishing domestic oil supply. Some idea of the impact of an expanding synthetic liquid fuels program on the coal-mining industry may be gathered when it is considered that to supply just half of our present-day petroleum needs synthetically from coal would increase the coal output by about 500 million tons annually, using an 11,900 Btu bituminous coal as the plant feed. If either a subbituminous coal or lignite were used, the quantity required would be materially increased. Synthetic Fuel Processes: The principal synthetic fuel processes using coal as a raw material are the Bergius, or coal-hydrogenation process, and the Fischer-Tropsch, or gas-synthesis process. These two processes not only produce different end products, but the preparation of the coal used in each presents its own individual problem to the coal-preparation engineer. The hydrogenation process brings together a mixture of dry, finely powdered coal, catalyst, and heavy oil to form a paste. Addition of hydrogen under rather high pressure and temperature conditions brings about transformation of the coal to a liquid product, from which a high-grade gasoline and other motor fuels may be obtained. The Fischer-Tropsch process requires the production of synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. At the Bureau of Mines Louisiana, Mo., demonstration plant, this gas is being made by reacting dried pulverized coal with carefully controlled volumes of oxygen and superheated steam. After purification and in the presence of the proper catalyst and suitable conditions of pressure and temperature, the hydrogen and carbon monoxide components of the synthesis gas react to form motor fuel. The two processes are not competitive but rather com-

Jan 1, 1951

By E. E. Donath, W. L. Crentz, D. Doherty

IN 1948, the United States used nearly six million barrels of petroleum products every day. Although substitution of synthetic fuels for the natural petroleum product is not here yet, large quantities of special-purpose coal will be required in ever-increasing volume as the domestic production of oil from other sources fails to meet demand and the production of synthetic fuels begins. Petroleum economists do not agree as to when the shortages of domestic oil will appear; but the increasing per capita consumption of oil, coupled with a constantly growing population drawing on a potential domestic oil supply estimated to be 85 billion barrels, sooner or later will result in demand exceeding domestic supply. When this situation comes about, the excess demand will be either eliminated by curtailment of consumption or the demand met by increasing importation of foreign oil or by the production of synthetic fuels. The first recourse would definitely retard the heretofore unbroken rise in American living standards, while dependence upon a foreign oil supply during a war or other emergency would be dangerous. On the other hand, the enormous coal reserves in the United States, plus sizable deposits of oil shale, indicate adequate means of augmenting a diminishing domestic oil supply. Some idea of the impact of an expanding synthetic liquid fuels program on the coal-mining industry may be gathered when it is considered that to supply just half of our present-day petroleum needs synthetically from coal would increase the coal output by about 500 million tons annually, using an 11,900 Btu bituminous coal as the plant feed. If either a subbituminous coal or lignite were used, the quantity required would be materially increased. Synthetic Fuel Processes: The principal synthetic fuel processes using coal as a raw material are the Bergius, or coal-hydrogenation process, and the Fischer-Tropsch, or gas-synthesis process. These two processes not only produce different end products, but the preparation of the coal used in each presents its own individual problem to the coal-preparation engineer. The hydrogenation process brings together a mixture of dry, finely powdered coal, catalyst, and heavy oil to form a paste. Addition of hydrogen under rather high pressure and temperature conditions brings about transformation of the coal to a liquid product, from which a high-grade gasoline and other motor fuels may be obtained. The Fischer-Tropsch process requires the production of synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. At the Bureau of Mines Louisiana, Mo., demonstration plant, this gas is being made by reacting dried pulverized coal with carefully controlled volumes of oxygen and superheated steam. After purification and in the presence of the proper catalyst and suitable conditions of pressure and temperature, the hydrogen and carbon monoxide components of the synthesis gas react to form motor fuel. The two processes are not competitive but rather com-

Jan 1, 1951

AUGUST began with a reminder that warfare was still in progress in the world, in that the Greeks, still at war with Turkey, threatened Constantinople in spite of the small British and French forces of occupation and opened a vista of international dangers. There was in this, moreover, a recollection that religious questions in India had prevented the British from permitting a real settlement of the Turkish question, wherein the absence of Russia as a great power is missed. Civil warfare also continued in Ireland and China. Even in the military way the world is far from being at peace. Bloody fighting between the Fascisti (anti-communists) and the com-munists in Italy led to several provinces being put under martial law, but after a while these disturbances were quelled. In the latter part of the month the assassination of Michael Collins in Ireland produced a great shock. From China, however, there came rather favorable news, indicating the early reintegration of that country, which sooner or later ought to play an important part in world affairs. Economically, instead of there being any improve-ment, there grew a clearer perception of how bad things really are. Italian politics were in chaos through inability to find anyone to accept the premiership and assume the all but hopeless task of averting national bankruptcy. The French, too, began to see their own position in true colors, and especially to see how in reconstruction they had incurred debts on the strength of what they hoped to collect from Germany, with at last the understanding that the Germans could not pay and that France herself was thereby put in a desper-ate economic position. As for the Germans, them-selves their Reichsbank defaulted on ordinary bills early in August. As the month wore on the value of marks fell more and more and at the end it appeared that Germany was on the verge of economic collapse. On Aug. 7, another international conference (with America again absent) was assembled in London, this being the thirteenth since the war, and there was a general feeling that it would be the last. The prime question was what is to be done about the German reparations, but underlying was the whole subject of the entente. The conference opened like a meeting of importunate creditors, doubtful whether the debtor had any tangible assets. On Aug. 14 this conference broke up without coming to any useful conclusion. Indeed, the acrimony among the premiers was so sharp that even the entente between Great Britain and France was endangered. The international situation was saved only by the Reparations Commission excusing the Germans from the payment of 50,000,000 gold marks that come due on Aug. 15 But although the entente was nominally preserved there is no longer any illusion about the interests of Great Britain and France being different and that henceforth they will play their own hands. The London conference was really an effort to maintain the partnership, and it failed.

Jan 9, 1922

By E. C. Bitzer

The primary object of the work described in the following pages was to simplify the equipment in the separating circuit of the heavy-media process by substituting a spiral classifier for the separatory cone. Mechanical considerations were the leading attraction and the best that was hoped for on metallurgical performance was that the new vessel would give results equal to those obtained by conventional equipment. Tests have demonstrated in commercial operation on iron ore that the mechanical advantages of the spiral separator are about as predicted; also, the metallurgical performance is superior to the cone on the ores treated. Treatment of iron ore involves the separation of two products: a concentrate that sinks and a float product that contains true float material plus a controlled division of interfering middling. The middling material is heavier than the average specific gravity of the separating medium. Recent work with the spiral separator on Tri-State zinc ore showed that the middling material had to be recovered as concentrate because this fraction contained the bulk of the zinc in the ore. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to make three products with the new separator on an ore such as this: a float tailing, a float middling, and a high- grade heavy sink product. It appears from this last work that the new separator has definite mechanical and metalluigical advantages over any type of separating cone for treating feed that contains large amounts of material of a specific gravity close to that of the separating medium. However, either type of separator should perform equally well, metallurgically, on feed that is free of middlings. Each series of experiments with the spiral separator has required additional work to fully develop the possibilities of the machine. For this reason the paper is divided into chronological parts. History of Development A drag-type classifier was first proposed as a substitute for the cone separator by Butler Brothers technicians during the initial tests with galena medium at Crosby, Minn., in 1937. The desire for finding a substitute for the cone arose from trouble with interfering middlings and certain operating disadvantages of the cone. The possibility of using a spiral classifier was also suggested at this time by Emmett Butler and C. J. Abrams. However, inability to satisfactorily recover fine galena, which was used as a medium, terminated all development work at Crosby. During the winter of 1937--1938 investigation started on magnetic medium with concurrent development of the inverted or closed-top cone, which was found necessary to eliminate iron-ore middlings with the float product. About

Jan 1, 1949

By G. A. Crowe, W. T. Bishop

WHILE the literature in the United States on general polarographic technique is extensive, very little appears to be directly applicable to the analysis of flotation tailings. For this reason, it seemed worth while to present a few polarographic methods of ore analysis that have been in constant use in the laboratories of the Hercules Experiment Station for the past few years. At the time of our initial investigation of the polarographic method, there was little or no mention of its specific application to flotation tailings. It was therefore necessary for us to establish suitable conditions for the analysis of our flotation tailings and to consider possible interfering constituents. The polarograph, or dropping mercury electrode, method was discovered in 1925 by J. Heyrovsky and M. Shikata,1 of the Charles University, Prague. This method has since received extensive development and the literature contains many articles on the use of the polarograph for the quantitative determination of metals as well as anions, oxygen in solution, and reducible organic compounds. Kolthoff and Lingane,2 by the publication of their book, "Polarography," in 1941 did much to advance the knowledge and use of the polarograph. In chapter 25 of that book, methods for the polarographic analysis of brass, steel and iron products, alloys, and zinc ore are given. Aluminum,3 cadmium,3.4 cobalt,4 copper,3-9 gold,10 iron,3,11 lead, 3,12,13 molybdenum," nickel,4.8,9 tin,15 and zinc3,4,5,7 in ores have been analyzed by the polarograph. However, most of the work on tailing samples has been published in Russian journals and translations are not yet readily available. In this paper we will describe the method that was developed and used in our laboratory for the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in flotation tailings. PRINCIPLE OF THE METHOD The polarograph is an instrument for applying a potential to a mercury pool and a dropping mercury electrode separated by a solution, and for measuring the resultant electrical current. The procedure is essentially a small-scale electrolysis, in which the voltage required to reduce or oxidize the material identifies it qualitatively and the current measures the concentration quantitatively. Different constituents in a sample may often be determined simultaneously provided they reduce at sufficiently different voltages. An example is the determination of copper and zinc in the same solution. The reduction potentials are quite far apart, as shown in Fig. I. The polarographic method is particularly useful in the range of concentration between those normally determined by spectographic and chemical methods. In

Jan 1, 1946

By E. C. Bitzer

THE primary object of the work described in the following pages was to simplify the equipment in the separating circuit of the heavy-media process by substituting a spiral classifier for the separatory cone. Mechanical considerations were the leading attraction and the best that was hoped for on metallurgical performance was that the new vessel would give results equal to those obtained by conventional equipment. Tests have demonstrated in commercial operation on iron ore that the mechanical advantages of the spiral separator are about as predicted; also, the metallurgical performance is superior to the cone on the ores treated. Treatment of iron ore involves the separation of two products: a concentrate that sinks and a float product that contains true float material plus a controlled division of interfering middling. The middling material is heavier than the average specific gravity of the separating medium. Recent work with the spiral separator on Tri-State zinc ore showed that the middling material had to be recovered as concentrate because this fraction contained the bulk of the-zinc in the ore. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to make three products with the new separator on an ore such as this: a float tailing, a float middling, and a high grade heavy sink product. It appears from this last work that the new separator has definite mechanica1 and metallurgical advantages over any type of separating cone for treating feed that contains large amounts of material of a specific gravity close to that of the separating medium. However, either type of separator should perform equally well, metallurgically, on feed that is free of middlings. Each series of experiments with the spiral separator as required additional work to fully develop the possibilities of the machine. For this reason the paper is divided into chronological parts. History of Development A drag-type classifier was first proposed as a substitute for the cone separator by Butler Brothers technicians during the initial tests with galena medium at Crosby, Minn., in 1937. The desire for finding a substitute for the cone arose from trouble with interfering middlings and certain operating disadvantages of the cone. The possibility of using a spiral classifier was also suggested at this time by Emmett Butler and C. J. Abrams. However, inability to satisfactorily recover fine galena, which was used as a medium, terminated all development work at Crosby. During the winter of 1937--1938 investigation started on magnetic medium with concurrent s development of the inverted or closed- top cone, which was found necessary to eliminate iron-ore middlings with the float product. About

Jan 1, 1947

By J. E. Pavlick, W. W. Mullins, H. W. Paxton

The growth of nitrogen-austenite during nitriding of large-gvained ferrite between 650" and 800°C has been studied as a functimz oJ time and nitrogen potential of the atmosphere for a variety of alloying elements dissolved in the ferrite. Whereas no preferential grain boundary penetration by aistenite takes place in zone-refined iron, the addition of aboit I zot pct oj' V, Ti, Cr. Si, or A1 produces significant protrusion of austenite down former 0-0 boundaries. This group of elernents also produces ragged y-0 interfaces in the a grains which advance more slozuly than those in zone-refined iron. 1 zut pct of Ni, Co, Mn, or Mo dissolved in ferrite leads to essentially smooth 7-a interfaces, which advance at rates very sinzilar to those in zone-refined iron. The reasons for this effect are not clear. Two possible limiting hypotheses, not necessarily exclusive, are discussed. One involves p.referentia1 grain bozindary diffusion of nitrogen. the other the production of a zone of ferrite, stpersatcirated with respect to nitrogen, from which austenite precipitates helerogeneozisly on the a-a gyain boundaries. In many phase transformations which occur by nu-cleation and diffusion-controlled growth, information on the parameters which control the rates of nuclea-tion and of growth is frequently not quantititative. The present work describes a continuation of efforts to obtain quantitative data on growth rates in systems where thermodynamic and kinetic factors are known independently, and thus where comparison with models of the growth process is possible. The work has been conducted on iron-base systems for two reasons. Firstly, there are several interesting transformations in this system, many of which are of practical importance. Secondly, the information on phase diagrams, activities, and diffusion coefficients is more complete in this system than in any other. These data are still inadequate to check all the effects of alloying elements, but at worst it is possible to make estimates and thus examine order-of-magni-tude agreement with proposed models. It will be necessary to do this in the present work. The problem studied was the growth of nitrogen-austenite in from the surface of large-grained columnar crystals of alloyed ferrite exposed to an NHs/Hz atmosphere. Earlier work by Grozier et al.' had suggested that growth of austenite may occur preferentially along grain boundaries of alloyed ferrite, whereas zone-refined (ZR) iron shows no such effect, Fig. 1. Growth of nitrogen-austenite into single crystals of zone-refined ferrite is planar provided sufficient nu-cleation sites for austenite are present, and is controlled by volume diffusion of nitrogen through the

Jan 1, 1967

By W. T. Bishop, G. A. Crowe

While the literature in the United States on general polarographic technique is extensive, very little appears to be directly applicable to the analysis of flotation tailings. For this reason, it seemed worth while to present a few polarographic methods of ore analysis that have been in constant use in the laboratories of the Hercules Experiment Station for the past few years. At the time of our initial investigation of the polarographic method, there was little or no mention of its specific application to flotation tailings. It was therefore necessary for us to establish suitable conditions for the analysis of our flotation tailings and to consider possible interfering constituents. The polarograph, or dropping mercury electrode, method was discovered in 1925 by J. Heyrovsky and M. Shikata,1 of the Charles University, Prague. This method has since received extensive development and the literature contains many articles on the use of the polarograph for the quantitative determination of metals as well as anions, oxygen in solution, and reducible organic compounds. Kolthoff and Lingane,² by the publication of their book, "Polarography," in 1941 did much to advance the knowledge and use of the polarograph. In chapter 25 of that book, methods for the polarographic analysis of brass, steel and iron products, alloys, and zinc ore are given. Aluminum,³ cadmium,³,4 cobalt,4 cop-per,³-9 gold,10 iron,3,11 lead,³,l2,l³ molybdenum,14 nickel,4,8,9 tin," and zinc³,4,5,7 in ores have been analyzed by the polarograph. However, most of the work on tailing samples has been published in Russian journals and translations are not yet readily available. In this paper we will describe the method that was developed and used in our laboratory for the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in flotation tailings. Principle OF the Method The polarograph is an instrument for applying a potential to a mercury pool and a dropping mercury electrode separated by a solution, and for measuring the resultant electrical current. The procedure is essentially a small-scale electrolysis, in which the voltage required to reduce or oxidize the material identifies it qualitatively and the current measures the concentration quantitatively. Different constituents in a sample may often be determined simultaneously provided they reduce at sufficiently different voltages. An example is the determination of copper and zinc in the same solution. The reduction potentials are quite far apart, as shown in Fig. I. The polarographic method is particularly useful in the range of concentration between those normally determined by spectographic and chemical methods. In

Jan 1, 1947

By G. A. Crowe, W. T. Bishop

While the literature in the United States on general polarographic technique is extensive, very little appears to be directly applicable to the analysis of flotation tailings. For this reason, it seemed worth while to present a few polarographic methods of ore analysis that have been in constant use in the laboratories of the Hercules Experiment Station for the past few years. At the time of our initial investigation of the polarographic method, there was little or no mention of its specific application to flotation tailings. It was therefore necessary for us to establish suitable conditions for the analysis of our flotation tailings and to consider possible interfering constituents. The polarograph, or dropping mercury electrode, method was discovered in 1925 by J. Heyrovsky and M. Shikata,1 of the Charles University, Prague. This method has since received extensive development and the literature contains many articles on the use of the polarograph for the quantitative determination of metals as well as anions, oxygen in solution, and reducible organic compounds. Kolthoff and Lingane,² by the publication of their book, "Polarography," in 1941 did much to advance the knowledge and use of the polarograph. In chapter 25 of that book, methods for the polarographic analysis of brass, steel and iron products, alloys, and zinc ore are given. Aluminum,³ cadmium,³,4 cobalt,4 cop-per,³-9 gold,10 iron,3,11 lead,³,l2,l³ molybdenum,14 nickel,4,8,9 tin," and zinc³,4,5,7 in ores have been analyzed by the polarograph. However, most of the work on tailing samples has been published in Russian journals and translations are not yet readily available. In this paper we will describe the method that was developed and used in our laboratory for the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in flotation tailings. Principle OF the Method The polarograph is an instrument for applying a potential to a mercury pool and a dropping mercury electrode separated by a solution, and for measuring the resultant electrical current. The procedure is essentially a small-scale electrolysis, in which the voltage required to reduce or oxidize the material identifies it qualitatively and the current measures the concentration quantitatively. Different constituents in a sample may often be determined simultaneously provided they reduce at sufficiently different voltages. An example is the determination of copper and zinc in the same solution. The reduction potentials are quite far apart, as shown in Fig. I. The polarographic method is particularly useful in the range of concentration between those normally determined by spectographic and chemical methods. In

Jan 1, 1947

By Edward H. Robie

In late November and early December a considerable portion of our time was devoted to obtaining a business manager for Institute headquarters. The advisability of creating such a position was suggested in 1949 in the report of the Johnson committee. In that year, however, the Institute had a deficit of $72,000 so every effort was made to minimize expense. At that time most of the duties that normally would be assumed by a business manager were given to Newell Appleton who became office manager, convention manager, purchasing agent, and assistant to the secretary. So many responsibilities were his that he could not devote the necessary time to all of the many things that needed attention. H. H. Vasoll, representing a firm that made a study of Institute head office procedures early last fall, made a recommendation that "a business manager and controller from outside the present organization" be obtained, who would supervise the work of accounting, addressograph, purchasing, book and journal orders, filing, and mailing depts. He further recommended that Mr. Appleton be made administrative secretary, in which position he would act as head of an "Institute Activities Dept." He would devote his time to convention planning, meeting arrangements, travel accommodations, membership control and promotion, and public relations, and would assist the Secretary on special problems. Thus, Mr. Appleton retains some of his former responsibilities and will take more of the load off our shoulders in the conduct of affairs at Institute headquarters. The rest of his former work will be in the province of the newly created "Business Office Dept." Peter J. Apol is the man finally selected for the post of business manager. He is a young man of 32, a native Michigander and a graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a B.S. degree in business administration in 1940. He then spent three years in the Navy and has the rank of Lieutenant in the U. S. Naval Reserve. Three more years were spent in the U. S. Maritime Service as chief purser, and another year as chief paymaster for the Pope & Talbot Steamship Co. The past four years have been spent as head of the Greenland Construction Co., Greenland, N. H., chiefly engaged in building construction. Mr. Apol will endeavor to increase the efficiency of Institute headquarters operations and remove all possible causes for complaints of individual members. He will coordinate as seems advisable the work of various departments and install such modern business office machinery as seems applicable to our needs.

Jan 1, 1952

By Rush Greenslade

The oil and gas lease is the basic contract of the oil and gas industry; it is the foundation stone upon which the producing industry, particularly, is based. As the industry is precarious and highly speculative, the foundation contract should be of the utmost integrity and certainty. But right there an anomaly exists; the oil and gas lease is the most obscure, most uncertain, doubtful contract in the realm of law today. That is a condition that must be considered when taking oil and gas leases, and when buying, selling, and holding them. It may fairly be asked why should this industry rest upon so insecure a foundation. Why should not the oil industry rest upon the contract that is the basis of all industry, the warranty deed? There are many contributing reasons, but the principal one is business expediency. The Anglo-Saxon idea of ownership of land is that every land owner owns from the center of the earth to the sky—all that is above and all that is below—consequently the oil and gas are owned by the person who owns the surface. That idea is not exactly true with reference to oil and gas, for many states have adopted the doctrine that oil and gas are like wild animals; they are fugacious and migratory and belong to the man that traps them. But, except for that doctrine, we believe that oil and gas are owned by the owner of the surface, wherein we differ from the Latin-American countries where the mineral rights are owned by the government. The United States was settled largely by homesteading. The owners of land were, in the main, farmers, who did not have the means or the faith to drill for oil or gas. The operators or speculators did not want to buy the land on the mere possibility of finding oil; hence a compromise resulted by which the land owner gave the speculator or the operator what he called an oil and gas lease, or a right to go upon his land and drill for oil and gas. What is supposed to be the first oil lease placed on record reads as follows: Agreed this 4th day of July, a.d. 1853, with J. D. Angier of Cherrytree township in the county of Venango Pennsylvania that he shall repair up and keep in order the old oil springs on land in said Cherrytree township, or dig and make new springs, and the expense to be deducted out of the proceeds of the oil, and the balance, if any, to be

Jan 1, 1924

By Charles H. Jacoby

In 1774 a Swedish chemist, C. W. Schule, first recognized manganese as an element. That same year Schule's associate, J. G. Gahn, isolated the element manganese for the first time. In 1856 the Bessemer process of steelmaking gave birth to the economic importance of manganese. Later, in 1882, Robert Hadfield discovered high manganese steels. Although the primary use of manganese is in the ferroalloy industry, two additional important uses for manganese are making chemicals and dry cell batteries. Manganese is also vital to plant and animal life. Various chemical compounds of manganese are used in fertilizers, feeds, glass manufacture, paints, varnishes, and for numerous medicinal and chemical purposes. For the study of industrial minerals and rocks, only the chemical and battery grade material is of concern, but for the sake of comparison, metallurgical aspects are included in this presentation. Although currently the world's largest consumer of manganese, the United States is producing only minor amounts of ore at the present time. This is due primarily to the fact that although huge deposits of manganese occur within our borders, all are of such low grade as to be economically unfeasible to mine. For many years various government agencies and segments of private industry have devoted sizable sums of money and time in an attempt to upgrade ores from the various deposits, and also in an attempt to recover manganese from blast furnace slags. In view of current world prices, and the quantity of high grade material available, there is little likelihood that any of these approaches will be found to be economically feasible in the near future. Geology and Mineralogy Mineralogy There are over one hundred minerals that contain manganese. These minerals vary from those with compositions that are predominantly manganese to those having only minor percentages. [ ] Geology From a geological standpoint most manga¬nese deposits are complex. In general, it can be said that all primary deposits of manganese are carbonates or silicates. The most productive and profitable have been those of sedimentary origin and residual concentrations. Examples of these residual types of deposits are associated with the metamorphosed lodes of Madhya, Pradesh, India, and the lateritic deposits of Orissa and Bihar, India; nodules in the residual clays of the Philippine Islands, U.S. southern Appalachians and Arkansas, Ghana, and Brazil. Sedimentary manganese deposits are best exemplified by the Nikopol district of Russia and the Tchiatouri area of Georgia, USSR. Hydrothermal replacements are characterized by the rhodochrosite deposits of Butte and Phillipsburg, Mont. In general, the hydrothermal type deposit has not resulted in any large tonnages being produced, but may have given

Jan 1, 1975

By T. Sterry Hunt

This remarkable mine, to which attention has lately been drawn, is situated not far from the New River, in Ashe County, North Carolina, on a spur of the Blue Ridge which lies between the main crest of this name and the so-called Iron Mountain, a part of the Unaka or Smoky Mountain range. It is on a true fissure-lode, which cuts the strata of gneiss and mica-schist of the region. These, which have the lithological characters of what I have called the Montalban or White Mountain series, have here a dip of about forty-five degrees to the southeast, while the lode is vertical, with a course north 60' east. Both the country-rock and the lode, as is usual in this region, are decomposed to considerable depths; and the latter exhibits a cap of hydrous peroxide of iron or gossan, blocks of which, left by the denudation of the softer inclosing rock, are scattered over the surface, and first called attention to the locality as a source of iron ore. In sinking upon this lode, it was found that the porous gossan at a certain depth became charged with carbonate and red oxide of copper, and lower down was replaced by sulphuretted ores of this metal of remarkable richness. This deposit was worked for copper, in an irregular manner, before the late civil war, but was afterwards abandoned, and only reopened during the present year, by Messrs. S. S. & J. E. Clayton, of Baltimore. The outcrop has been traced for 1900 feet, and the sulphuretted copper ores have been met with in five shafts in a distance of 661 feet, a drift having moreover been carried for the above distance through the solid ore. The breadth of the lode, so far as opened, varies from six to eight feet to fourteen feet in places, and that of the outcrop of gossan is, in some parts, twenty feet. After comparing this deposit with the copper mines of Ducktown, Polk County, Tennessee, and those of Carroll County, Virginia, it is evident that we have, at Ore Knob, to do with the same kind of black ores as were met with in these mines, and will be noticed further on, Beneath the gossan, at Ore Knob, is found, in some parts, an iron-black, friable, drusy, crystalline, sulphuretted ore, inclosing grains of quartz, garnet, and magnetite, besides a black non-magnetic mineral, not attacked by nitric acid. This ore contains about 36 per cent. of copper, and portions have the mineralogical charac-