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By J. E. Johnson

The subject of blast-furnace slag is one which has had much consideration, particularly from the scientific standpoint, and several years ago technical literature contained many learned discussions on the oxygen-ratio of the acids and the bases, all on the assumption that acids and bases must be present in a ratio depending on molecular weight and chemical valency. Much work has also been don.e, sometimes in conjunction with the former, on the total heat and the temperature of initial fusion or softening of various slags. A wider knowledge of the blast-furnace now enables us to say that for practical purposes this work has been of almost no value. It is now generally admitted that on,the physical side the important point of a given slag is neither its total heat of fusion nor its softening-point, but its free-running temperature, since this is the critical temperature of the furnace. This temperature bears no definite relation to the softening-temperature, as determined by Seger cones, for instance, because some slags melt relatively like ice, with a very short viscous-range, while others melt relatively like tar, with a very long viscous-range. In one the difference between the softening- and the free-running temperature may be very small, as little as 100° F., while in another this difference may easily be 200' or 300°. The importance of this difference is so great in practice as to destroy completely the value of exhaustive investigations, even such as those of 0. Boudouard, published a few years ago.'

Jan 1, 1913

By Peter G. Tregelles, Derek K. Barham

Introduction A successful step towards mechanisation of the collier's work was taken in 1954 when the first Anderton shearer loader was commissioned in Lancashire, and progress was reinforced in 1956 when the first powered supports were installed in Nottinghamshire. By 1970, virtually 100% of the coalfaces in the United Kingdom were mechanised and the industry's productivity had doubled. In 1961 the National Coal Board recognised that the next move towards greater productivity and improved safety would be to automate the longwall system. What was not well enough understood, however, was that the basic prerequisites of automation - reliability and measurement - had not yet been achieved. Consequently, the schemes for automatic longwall faces and for an entirely automated colliery were abandoned at the close of the decade. A review of mining research and development policy, commissioned by the Board in 1974, confirmed that the system of longwall mining had great potential for investment and that the short-term policy of automation must once again be pursued. Since then, aided by advances in computer technology, systems for automating the transport of coal from the face to the coal preparation plant have been successfully instituted. Applications of sub-systems dealing with the conveyor, coal preparation plant, and various items of fixed plant are now at the exploitation stage. In the medium term, a number of key problems have been identified, which will arise once the productivity from the coalfaces has doubled, as it is now expected to do in the next five years. One of the most important of these problems is machine guidance, and considerable research and development work is now being carried out in this area. This paper reviews the work on machine guidance prior to 1974 and explains the programme on which the National Coal Board's Mining Research and Development Establishment is currently working.

Jan 1, 1981

By S. F. Emmons

THE first paper which appears in the published Transactions of our Institute is that read by our respected Secretary at its first meeting in Wilkes-Barre, in May, 1871. It is entitled The Geological Distribution of Mining Districts in the United States, and presents a brief but masterly review of what was known of the distribution of our deposits of useful minerals, particularly the metals, not only from a geographical but from .a geological stand-point. At the request of Dr. Raymond, I agreed, somewhat hastily, perhaps, to write for this occasion a brief sketch of the geological distribution of the deposits of the useful metals in this country, in the light of the increased knowledge of the present day. In the time given no personal investigation was possible, and as it was therefore out of the question to attempt to make anything that could be considered an original contribution to the history of our ore-deposits, I have been obliged to limit myself to an examination of such published data within my reach as bore upon this subject, and could be consulted in the brief time I have been able to give to it. Had the geological investigations undertaken by the Tenth Census been continued systematically by the United States Geological Survey or by the Eleventh Census, it might have been possible to make a fairly-complete review of the subject. As it is, the principal result of my examination 1 has been to show how very unequal

Jan 1, 1913

By C. D. Rubert, W. J. Parton

Large quantities of fine anthracite with associated impurities are discharged with the waste water from the coal-cleaning plants in the Pennsylvania anthracite region. Furthermore, for many years this fine material has accumulated and formed silt banks. The difficulty of removing the impurities from the fine material and the lack of adequate markets are responsible for the waste of this material. In view of a larger demand for fine coal, mainly for pulverized fuel, the Lehigh Navigation Coal Co. Inc. decided to investigate the froth flotation process for recovery of fine coal from these waste solids. A test plant was constructed and operated for six months during 1942 in order to determine the practicability of recover ing coal from the waste water of a a plant (breaker) by froth cleaning and to obtain operating data for designing a commercial plant if the results were favorable. Preliminary Investigation Before the pilot plant was constructed information was obtained by field and small-scale laboratory tests to serve as a guide in the design and operation of the pilot plant. Size and ash analyses of a representative sample of the material discharged in the wash water from a cleaning plant are given in Table. The refuse content increases progressively as the size of the particles decreases The larger particles (+35 m.) are low in ash content and could be marketed without cleaning. Since these solids are discharged from the breakers with 90 to 95 per cent water by weight, the first step in the recovery of the coal was that of reducing the quantity of water so that water in excess will not have to be handled. Furthermore, it was found that the removal of most of the minus 200 mesh high-ash material was desirable to permit the most efficient flotation of the cod. Classification tests were run and showed that a hydroseparator overflow rate of 12 ft. per hour* was sufficient to elimi-,late much of the minus 200-mesh material while allowing the coarser material to settle and be thickened,

Jan 1, 1944

By D. O. Noel, E. B. Gebert, J. D. Shaw

IT. is, of course, expected that manufacture of the various metal powders should involve numerous methods adapted to the specific characteristics of the metals themselves. Several methods for powdering a particular metal may be available, but the physical characteristics of the powder as produced by the several methods may be quite different. In the final analysis, the application of the metal powder dictates the physical properties that the metal powder must possess, and this, to a very large extent, will determine which of several possible methods of. manufacture is adopted. Sometimes powder of the same metal is produced by more than one method, each powder having specific characteristics .that make it particularly suitable for its application. For purposes of classification, the various methods of powdering metals can be grouped as follows: 1. Machining. 2. Milling (by ball mills, stamps, attrition mills, etc.). 3. Shotting (pouring molten metal into water, air, etc.). 4. Granulation (by stirring molten metal while solidifying). 5. Atomizing (disintegrating by steam, compressed air, etc.). 6. Condensation of metal vapor. 7. Reduction of oxide powders. 8. Chemical precipitation. 9. Electrolytic deposition. 10. Sintering (for producing alloy powders). 11. Formation of an alloy followed by dissolving or otherwise removing one of the alloying constituents. MACHINING Turnings, cuttings, filings, etc., are, of course, produced as by-products in machine work of various kinds, and find certain applications as metal powders. For example, iron powder so produced is used extensively as a reducing or precipitating agent and as a constituent in certain hard-finish cements.

Jan 1, 1938

By A. H. Hand

When considering the question of future demand for crude petroleum in California, one must first decide whether it is to be approached in the light of the definition of "demand" when used in economics; i.e., "The quantity of any commodity required or sought in the market," or in the light of markets developed to dispose of total supply. Therefore, is the California demand of future years to be predicated on a continuation of supplying markets developed following the surplus production commencing in 1922, or predicated on supplying what would be termed economic markets ? If the latter, what are economic markets ? Obviously, the Pacific Coast States and Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and probably the Pacific side of Central and South America, can be considered as normal markets for California petroleum products. While there have been small quantities of gasoline shipped into the PacSc Coast from East Texas, transportation costs, plus import taxes in the case of foreign oil, are a sufficient barrier to justify considering that these markets will be retained. But how about our participation in Atlantic and Pacific foreign and intercoastal markets? During the five years preceding 1931 California shipped substantial quantities of gasoline to the United Kingdom and to France, Germany and Italy. During recent years our business in European markets has been restricted to occasional shipments of gasoline and Kettleman crude. This loss of business is occasioned by the development of production in the Mid-Continent, principally East Texas, and in Iraq, Rumania, Venezuela and other closer producing areas, which makes it impossible at the prevailing crude-oil prices for California to be competitive in supplying any substantial portion of these markets. It is therefore apparent that under a stabilized price structure that will return the California producer a reasonable price for his oil, future Atlantic foreign -business will be restricted to occasional spot cargo sales. As to Pacific foreign shipments which, in addition to Central and South America, consist principally of shipments to Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand: A considerable portion of the business we had with Australia and New Zealand until four or five years ago is now being

Jan 1, 1937

By John Furness Park

The mining district is located in the northeasterly part of Nevada, between the Jarbidge River on the west and the East Fork of the Jarbidge on the east. The northern boundary of the district is but a few miles south of the Idaho state line—the gold-bearing area extending from this point south, for 5 or 6 miles. • The Jarbidge Mountains, in which the ore deposits occur, range from 5000 to 11,000 ft. in elevation, the most important mines being situated about 7000 ft. or higher. The town of Jarbidge lies along the Jarbidge River and is reached by stage from Rogerson, Ida., the nearest railroad point. During the summer months, the camp may be entered from the south by way of Deeth, Nev., but no regular transportation facilities are available over this route. History The mineral deposits were not discovered until 1909, when D. A. Bourne, panning along the river bank, found gold in. the gravel at the mouth of a small stream flowing into the Jarbidge. He prospected in the vicinity of this stream, later known as Bourne Gulch, and shortly after located the North Star claims. During the following spring and summer (1910), the camp of Jarbidge grew from nothing to a town of 2000 people and the hills surrounding it were practically all taken up by mining claims. Most of the work done during the first year or two consisted of trenching and open-cut prospecting. Tunneling was started on a number of claims and many veins were uncovered. Mills were built and operated on a few properties, notably the Pavlak and the North Star. These ran only a few months, however, when they were closed down because of extraction and financial difficulties. A period of development followed in which the majority of the present producing mines were opened. The Elkoro Mines Co. acquired a number of claims in 1915 and started work on the present mill in 1917. Since that time other properties have been taken over until this company is by far the largest operator in the district. Only one other company is now actively engaged in mining, the Bluster Mining & Milling Co., which has

Jan 1, 1925

By H. J. Rose

Graphic methods have long been used to advantage in dealing with diverse phases of fuel technology and research. Not only are graphs convenient for presenting data and making calculations, but they are invaluable for deriving generalizations from a mass of data. This is particularly true when relationships are obscure and numerical correlation is poor. This paper describes a new form of graph, the Multibasic Coal Chart, which has been developed to facilitate the study and comparison of coals of all ranks from peat to anthracite on any moisture and purity basis. This type of chart is of unique value for coal classification purposes, since it permits a direct visual comparison of the results obtained when coals are classified by the various systems which have been proposed. Coals are highly variable in character as a result of wide differenees in original vegetal ingredients, degree of metamorphism, and nature and amount of associated impurities. For nearly 100 years, attempts have been made to devise a satisfactory method of classification, and many tables, formulas, ratios and graphs have been suggested. Many of the suggested systems possess considerable merit and have found a limited use, thus promoting a better understanding of coal. However, objections have been raised against each system, and none has received general adoption. When the various systems of classification are compared, it is found that there is an apparently almost hopeless confusion due to: 1. Serious lack of agreement as to the proper moisture and purity basis on which to classify coal. More than ten different bases have been proposed, each of which requires complete recalculat.ion of the analysis data used. 2. Lack of agreement as to what chemical and physical properties are most important and best to use for classification purposes. There is too little knowledge of the degree to which these properties can be correlated.

Jan 1, 1930

By Louis A. Panek

Caving of previously undisturbed ground was conducted for a period of about 20 months at two locations about 600 m (2000 ft) apart in an Arizona porphyry copper deposit. When mining was suspended the width of the mined zone at both sites was on the order of one-half the depth and the thickness of ore extracted was only a fraction of the rock column. Thus the results have potential application to predicting the subsidence above a cavern-type excavation. Break cables were used to detect the upward progress of caving. Analytical aerotriangulation was used to determine the vertical and horizontal displacements of 400-plus surface targets covering a 1585 m (5200 ft) square area. The measurements are summarized and interpreted with a view to predicting the rate of rise of a caving brow, detecting the initial surface subsidence, and characterizing the extent, the location, and the varying degrees of expected damage to surface facilities.

Jan 1, 1984

By Frederick Laist

(Butte Meeting, August; 1913.) WHILE remodeling No. 1 section of the concentrator at the Washoe Reduction Works of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. during the summer of 1912, for the purpose of ascertaining what additional metal recoveries could be made by improvements in concentration practice which had been developed by the staff of the Boston & Montana Reduction Department, at Great Falls, it was deemed advisable to carry on some experiments on the -treatment of the regular mill tailings by roasting and leaching, to see whether the losses of metal values might not be still further decreased. In the course of these experiments about 5,000 tons of tailings were roasted, and of the resulting calcine about 200 tons were leached. The results were so satisfactory that it was, decided to continue the work on a larger scale, particularly as regards the leaching end of the process, and construction work on an 80-ton roasting and leaching plant was accordingly commenced during the latter part of February, 1913, and is being pushed as rapidly as possible. 80-Ton Leaching Plant. This plant will consist of one 20-ft. roasting furnace of the MacDougall type, specially adapted to the work of roasting for leaching; two leaching tanks, 32 ft. in diameter by 12 ft. deep, together with the necessary solution tanks, air lifts, precipitating launders, etc. It has been decided to precipitate the copper from solution on scrap iron, so as not to hamper the roasting and leaching departments by any weakness that might develop in the precipitating department. It is, however, the intention to experiment with a number of different methods of precipitation; for example, by electrolysis and by hydrogen sulphide.

Jan 7, 1913

By N. T. Burdine

Formulas for calculating relative permeability from pore size distribution data are derived from basic laws of fluid flow ill porous media. The tortuosity factors that appear in the equation5 are described in. terms of the physical properties of tile medium and the saturations of the contained fluids. Procedures for calculating and methods for measuring the tortuosity factors are discussed. Values of relative permeability calculated by the formulas art: compared with results obtained by experimental measurements I INTRODUCTION Recently, several investigators have derived relative permeability equations from Darey's and Poisenille's Laws in which some, physical factor or factors describing the porous system appear. The factor that has caused the greatest amount of comment, and which is probably least understood, is the tortuosity of the fluid {lath ill the porous sample. Values of the tortuosity factors appearing in the equations range from a constant for all condition- of the fluid flow system to an inverse function of the pore radii. It is the purpose of this paper to compare wine experi~i~cntslly determined relative permeability curves with those calculated by a method which utilized capillary pressure infortmation. The capillary pressure data were obtained prefer.. ably from pore size distribution information as determined by mercury injection but. in some cases, in the absence of suitable mercury injection information. data were taken from measurements made by the porous semi-permeable diaphragm method. The physical significance of certain tortuosity concepts is inferred and the determinations of the tortuosity factors from pore size distribution data and by electrical measurements are discussed. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND In previously reported studies on pore size distribution in petroleum reservoir rocks. by the author and co-workers ail equation was derived relating specific permeability. k, to pore entry radii, R, porosity. . tortuosity factor. .,, and incremental pore volume. V. The equation is where being the "effective" length of the flow path in the porous sample. and L the length of the porous sample., The constant. 0.126. is a units conversion factor. (This definition of tortuosity factor X, = L L does not conform to all such definitions found in the literature. Fly similarity, in a two-phase system. the effective permeability of the wetting-phase.

Jan 1, 1953

By Campbell M. Hunter

Petroleum is found in almost every province in Persia. On the northern frontier, along the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, it is found near Enzelli and Shakhtesar and gas at Khoremabad. Oil is also found at Gumish Tepe, northwest of Astrabad, on the southeastern shore of the Caspian Sea. Further inland, to the south of Astrabad, oil is found at Dehahkuh-i-balae, also on the margin of the Khorasan desert at Semnan, 115 mi. (35 m.) east of Teheran. Along the western frontier, from northwest to southeast, oil is encountered at Ouschachi, north of Lake Urumieh; in the province of Azerbaijan, at Zohab, Khanikin, and other places in. the district of Kormanshah in the province of Ardelan. Further south, in the province of Luristan, oil is found east of Mendeli and in the Pusht-i-kuh districts. Considerable quantities of oil are also obtained from Schuster, Maidan-i-Naphtun, Ram-Hormuz, Beheban, which are almost on a straight line, running northwest and southeast along the foothills of the Bakhtiari Mountains. At Ahwaz, in the province of Arabistan, oil has been found along another range of hills whose axis also lies in a northwest-southeast direction. In the Fars province, boring for oil has taken place at Daliki, and indications of oil are found at Kheri, Fasa, Darab, and other places. A gas show is also recorded at Kuhi-Sung-Atush in this province, 30 mi. (48 km.) east of Darab. In the south of Persia, oil is encountered on Qishm Island, also at Ahmedi and other places north of Bunder Abbas. On the southeastern frontier, oil is found on the Sarhad range of hills. Thus, oil indications have been noted over a distance of approximately 1100 mi. along the western and 700 mi. along the northern frontiers of Persia. History The first working of oil in Persia of which there is any record took place at Kir-ab-US, Susiana, now known as Kiab, about 57 mi. northwest of Schuster. Herodotus (about B. C. 450) reported a well near Ardericca that produced three different substances; namely, asphalt, salt, and oil. The oil, which was black and had a strong smell, was called Rhadamance by the Persians.

Jan 1, 1921

By Oliver C. Ralston, James E. Norman

Separation of minerals by froth flotation is rightly called an art. It can truthfully be said that no two ores separate in the same way. The difference in results obtained when natural and synthetic mixtures of minerals are separated is so great that such tests frequently have been worthless in attempting to select conditions in which a natural mixture will separate. With a few rare exceptions, the natural mixture is much more difficult to treat than a synthetic mixture, and a much poorer separation is obtained. Perhaps several experimenters have wondered why 10 or 20 per cent of a mineral being floated from an ore does not float and is different from the 90 or 80 per cent that is recovered. In experimental tests on pure sphalerite, observers' have noted that varying amounts of sphalerite may be froth-floated with pine oil alone, the amount recovered in the froth depending apparently upon the source of the sulphide. The only explanation of results such as these, barring insufficiency of frother or time of flotation, is that the surface of the mineral floated is different from that of the mineral depressed. This difference often has been found to be caused by natural contamination of mineral surfaces, apparently brought about by weathering and exposure to natural solutions. There is virtually no rock that is absolutely unweathered. One of the writers had an exceedingly instructive experience in 1931 while working with United Verde copper-zinc iron sulphide ore in Arizona. Nonselective flotation of chalcopyrite and sphalerite away from some of the pyrite was all that could be accomplished. All known depressants produced only slight effect. Sodium cyanide showed some effect, but so much had to be used that only a small amount of chalcopyrite could be

Jan 1, 1939

By R. C. Allen

ABOUT four years ago the writer proposed a revision of the correlation of the Huronian formations in Michigan, and noted the bearing of the question on the correlations of the Huronian rocks in Wisconsin and Minnesota.1 Dr. C. K. Leith opposed this revision and argued for the retention of the correlations of the United States Geological Survey, published in 1911,2 for which he and Dr. Van Hise were mainly responsible. As late as June, 1917, Harder and Johnson, following Leith, thought it "premature to change radically a correlation based on years of careful field work."3 The work of Wolff on the Mesabi and Cuyuna Ranges, of Hotchkiss on the Gogebic Range (unpublished), and of the writer and assistants on the Michigan ranges, together with data developed by exploratory and mining operations, has introduced so many pew facts not recognized in the scheme of the U. S. Geological Survey that the correlations of 1911 must be considered, in some important respects, obsolete. Indeed new data are accumulating so rapidly that any classification, which for the moment may seem best to explain the facts, is almost immediately modified or refined by further observations. The problem of Huronian correlations is difficult, but interesting and important. With the aid of fossils, stratigraphers of the post-Algonkian formations have been able to show that slight disconformities may separate strata of vastly different ages, and that within physically conformable strata may be concealed a hiatus of great magnitude. In the non-fossiliferous Huronian group, minor physical breaks in the strata are

Jan 9, 1919

By Francis A. Pocock

The writer is continually asked, if this electricity:is all you claim for it, why do not the mines put it in and use it? The best answer was given by Mr. John Fox Tallis, in his paper read before the South Wales Institute of Engineers in 1888, namely, that the reasons are similar to those which have prevented the more general employment of other systems of haulage. Managers, as a rule, are " not experienced mechanical engineers; neither are they all versed in electrical engineering." It may be said that there are a number of " able and practical electrical engineers who could do the work; but those electrical engineers are not conversant with the practical routine of colliery work and are, therefore, placed at a disadvantage by not knowing the actual requirements of mining engineers, and the many little difficulties to be met and contended with in underground workings; and, until mining engineers have acquired the necessary knowledge and a confidence in electricity, it is only natural that they will continue to follow the beaten path." In the above remarks, Mr. Tallis has hit the nail on the head. In the face of the partial failure, financially, of the haulage-plant which the Union Electric Company of Philadelphia had set to work at Lykens Valley, Pa., an electric haulage-plant was installed near Scranton, Pa. The question was not whether electricity could do the work, but whether any electrical company knew enough about the practical difficulties to attack and overcome them. That point being settled, the remainder was easy. The contract for the Erie Colliery haulage-plant was signed in January, 1889. This colliery is owned by the Hillside Coal and Iron Company, Mr. Samuel Hines, President, and Captain W. A. May, Superintendent. The company has been using arc-lamps in its breakers for three years. It is the only company in the Lackawanna Valley which has had enterprise enough to do so. Consequently, it was acquainted

Jan 1, 1890

By Harry Seltz

SEVERAL investigators have measured the heat capacity of cementite, using different methods of attack, but the agreement between the values obtained cannot be considered good. Naeser1 has made measurements of "average heat capacities" of iron carbide between 1026° and 85° K., using a water calorimeter. His computed true specific heat at 78.1° K. is 11.22 cal. per gram-formula mass, which, if correct, is much too high for any reasonably accurate extrapolation to 0° K. The cementite used by Naeser was obtained from a steel containing 0.9 per cent carbon, by electrolytically dissolving out the iron in a neutral bath of ferrous chloride. The cementite remained as a coarse, crystalline, gray powder. Andes" has measured the specific heat of iron carbide, from 102° to 323° K., as it exists in steel. The specific heats of several slugs of steel of known iron carbide content were determined, and the specific heat of the iron carbide (Fe3C) calculated by plotting specific heat versus percentage of carbon, and extrapolating to pure Fe3C (6.7 per cent C). The heat-capacity values for temperatures below 100° K. were obtained by comparing the temperature-specific heat curve for Fe3C to that of Fe. Since the two were very similar in the range examined experimentally and approach more closely at low temperatures, it was assumed that near the absolute zero the form of the curve for Fe3C would be similar to that of Fe. Andes calculates for the entropy of Fe3C, S298 = 23.55 e.u. The heat of formation of Fe3C has been studied by several workers. Kelley' has reviewed these measurements and calculations, and selects those of Roth4 and Naeser5 as worthy of most consideration. Roth has given ?H = 5400 cal. ± 30 per cent as a result of his own and other work. Naeser has determined the heat of formation from Fe and different forms of carbon, and for graphite (ß) he finds OH = 5600 cal. Kelley accepts the rounded figure ?H = 5500 as the heat of formation at 298.1° K., but this value is quite uncertain.

Jan 1, 1939

By P. B. Scotland

THE mines of the Arizona Copper Co. are situated in the Morenci-Metcalf copper district in southeastern Arizona. This copper-bearing district covers a triangular mountainous area of about 3 square miles, rising abruptly from the gravel plateau of the surrounding country. In this area, an immense intrusion of porphyry has displaced, shattered, and engulfed the shales, limestones, and quartzites formerly bedded on the basal granite. Outcrops of oxide ore were discovered in 1873, and these surface ores were found to connect in depth with large bodies of high-grade oxide ores in the limestones and shales. The smelting of these ores in blast furnaces continued until about 1893, when the rapid exhaustion of the high-grade ore led to the discovery and exploitation of the low-grade sulphide ores in the adjoining porphyry. Methods of concentration were then devised and the low-grade ores finally rendered profitable. The Arizona Copper Co. and the Detroit Copper Mining Co., operating in the same district, were the pioneers in the successful development of the low-grade "porphyry" properties of to-day. The largest mines of the Arizona Copper Co. are the Humboldt and Clay at Morenci, and the Coronado, Metcalf, and King at Metcalf. These mines produce about 4,000 tons daily of concentrating ore containing from 2.5 to 2.8 per cent. copper. The topography of the country is very rugged and mining operations are conducted principally through adit levels. A few of the mines are opened by shafts, the deepest being 1,100 ft., in the Coronado mine. ORE OCCURRENCE The low-grade sulphide ore occurs as: (1) disseminated deposits in the main stock of quartz porphyry; (2) lode deposits in fault fissures in granite. The high-grade oxide ores were found as tabular deposits in limestone and shale close to contacts with porphyry. Low-grade oxide ore formed the outcrop of some-' the sulphide orebodies; the majority of the outcrops, however, were barren.

Jan 2, 1915

By Richard Moldenke

One of the gravest problems of the iron foundry today is the accumulation of sulfur in commercial scrap and its effect on the castings made therewith. The ordinary jobbing castings today show a sulfur content of 0.18 per cent;, and occasionally as high as 0.22 per cent. The product of the foundry during the war is undoubtedly to blame for this rapid increase and conditions will become worse as the millions of tons of gray-iron castings of the war period return to the foundry in the form of commercial scrap. In the ordinary cupola remelting of pig and scrap, at least 0.02 per cent. sulfur is taken up; often double that amount. The high cost and difficulty of obtaining pig iron during the war period compelled the use of considerable scrap in the mixtures; frequently charges containing 90 per cent. of bought scrap were melted. Naturally the sulfur content of the castings increased. Until the advent of the basic-hearth electric furnace, the only method of holding the sulfur within reasonable limits was to use high percentages of pig in the foundry mixtures. Pig iron seldom contains over 0.05 per cent. sulfur, if well made. With pig iron forming 60 per cent. of the charge and the gates, runners, rejections, and bought scrap the other 40 per cent., the sulfur content of the castings can easily be held down to 0.10 per cent. Pig iron, however, costs more than scrap even when melting loss differences are considered, hence as small a percentage as possible will be used. The recent advance in knowledge of rational melting and the consequent reduction in losses directly due to oxidation of the metal and cold iron, has permitted the acceptance of castings with a much higher sulfur content than formerly. The steel industry also is seeking to determine how high sulfur may go with safety. In the iron foundry, however, there is the danger of a low cupola bed or an unduly retarded air-furnace heat, with the consequent raising of the freezing point of the metal and segregation effects resulting from high sulfur with insufficient manganese. The iron foundryman must, therefore, have a means of correcting his

Jan 1, 1922

PRESENTATION of the 1922 Washington Award to Capt. Robert W. Hunt, honorary member and twice president of the Institute, was made at the annual dinner of the Western Society of Engineers, in Chicago, on June 18, 1923, in the presence of 250 mem-bers and guests. W. L. Abbott, Chairman of the Award Commission, when delivering the presentation address, said The life of the Govern-ment of this country, as the lives of governments are usually measured, is short, barely 150 years, but meas-ured by what it has accom-plished, this country has reached a venerable age. The first 75 years of our country's existence were necessarily preparatory to the greater developments which came in the second, and that last half of our country's existence is ex-ceeded, by ten years, by the span of life of our honored guest. "Very little iron and steel were produced in this coun-try until after the birth of Robert W. Hunt. And it was not until after 1860, when as a boy of 21 he joined his fortunes with those of the Cambria Iron Works, that the iron and steel business of the country really took root. After a year or two with the Cambria Works, he left a promising position to go into the army, where he served for four years. After the close of the war he returned to the iron works and qualified himself as a metallurgical chemist.

Jan 7, 1923

By Andrews Allen

THE large increase in the wages of mine workers makes it imperative that all factors tending to limit production per miner be eliminated, if possible. The trolley and storage-battery locomotive, mining machine, hoisting engine, mining system, etc. have increased the possible output per man. But this output is still limited by the capacity of the hoisting engine and cable and by the size of the mine car. The superiority of skip hoisting in metal mining is shown by its almost universal adoption. By varying the size of skip and the rope speed, any desired hoisting tonnage can be secured and, since only one kind of material is handled and breakage is unimportant, the loading of the skips can be easily and cheaply effected from bins into which the cars are dumped. The cars may then be designed to fit the conditions in the mine instead of being a compromise between hoisting and mining conditions, very likely suiting neither. In coal mines, the usual practice has been to hoist the car to the surface, either on platform or self-dumping cages. Of late years the number of skip-hoisting plants in coal mines has been rapidly increasing, but there is more or less inertia to overcome in establishing so radical a change in practice; also the earlier skip operations were not uniformly successful. As a result, it became evident that metal-mining practice would require radical modification before skip hoisting could be successfully used in coal mining.

Jan 2, 1921