Search Documents

By Charles Colcock Jones

In any discussion of this very large subject we are confronted at the outset with so many obstacles that at best only a fragmentary and rather disconnected presentation can be made of it, and my hope is that building from the few facts I have to offer a more complete knowledge may be secured. In the whole intermountain and Pacific Coast region, west of Pueblo, Col., and from Canada to Mexico, there is no production of pig iron, and steel production is confined to the manufacture of a small amount of open-hearth steel from scrap. When we consider the area, the resources, and the several centers of population, this condition seems anomalous, even in the face of every counter argument as to cheap water transportation, or other means of transport from the Atlantic Seaboard or from the iron and steel centers of the Middle West. This comatose condition, if such a term may be applied, is certainly not due to a lack of all the essential materials and factors for success in iron and steel smelting, but is rather, I think, due largely to the general fact that it is only within a comparatively few years that the centers of population on the Pacific Coast have attained a size that would entitle them to the position of distributing or freight centers, or that the "back country" has been enough built up to make it sufficiently interesting to the railroads to foster trade from the local centers to the interior points rather than seek to supply such local centers and the interior by a transcontinental haul. "Ore Supply Edwin C. Eckel, in his monumental work on Iron Ores, has but little to say concerning the Pacific Coast deposits. He mentions (p. 269) those of Minaret, Madera County, and the Eagle Mountains, Riverside County, Cal., "perhaps 50 to 100 million tons each;" the deposits in Shasta County, worked for the electric furnace on Pitt River; and

Jan 1, 1916

By F. N. Lathe

In 1882, The Arizona Copper Co., Ltd., acquired producing copper mines at Metcalf and Morenci (locally called Longfellow). Metcalf is situated a distance of 7 miles, and Morenci a distance of 6 miles from the general office of the company at Clifton, Ariz. A reduction works with five blast furnaces was built in the center of the town of Clifton in 1884 and operated until January, 1914. Concentration of oxidized ores was begun in 1890-1891, in a mill built adjoining the smelter, and id October, 1893, a leaching process was started for treating tailings from the oxide mill. A sulphide concentrator with 300 tons capacity was built at Clifton and started treating chalcocite ores in July, 1896. This was the first mill to treat low-grade copper-siilphide ores successfully. Another concentration mill for sulphide ores was erected at Morenci in 1900. The sulphide mills are now being remodeled to treat ores by concentration and flotation, with a capacity of 4,000 tons at Morenci and 500 tons at Clifton. The leaching plant has not been running since September, 1914. The average yearly production from this company's mines and reduction works from 1885 to date has been: Pounds 10 years ended 1894................................... 6,864,902 10 years ended 1904................................... 20,439,614 10 years ended 1914................................... 32,665,905 Part of year 1915, to Sept. 12........................... 30,206,106 4 months of 1916, to June.............................. 15,964,840 June, 1916........................................... 4,900,000 Construction on a new smelting plant was started in February, 1912, and finished in February, 1914. In the Transactions, vol. 49, E. Horton Jones published "Unit Construction Costs from the New Smelter of the Arizona Copper Co., Ltd.," which fully describes the construction of this plant, with details of costs.

Jan 1, 1917

By K. P. Wang

Under the Communist regime marked industrial progress has been achieved on the China mainland. Within a decade, the country has been transformed from an economy primarily agricultural to one bristling with industrial possibilities. The industrial capacity of Communist China is beginning to approach that of Japan and will probably surpass it by 1962, the last year of the Second Five-Year Plan. The slogan already is Beat the United Kingdom by 1972, a goal which most observers feel will be achieved ahead of schedule. During the early years of the industrialization program in Communist China, emphasis has been placed on basic goods; hence additional time will be needed to make large quantities of the more complicated products. However, regardless of the current stage of industrial development, it is apparent that the necessary forward momentum has been created. The many capital construction projects being brought into production and the additional projects being initiated confirm this observation. The accuracy of Communist China's industrial statistics can be questioned, but their order of magnitude is clear. To properly evaluate the industrial capability of the country, differentiation must be made between the absolute quantities that reflect overall strength and the per capita quantities that reflect living standards. While Communist China is well on the road to becoming a world power, its living standards will remain below European levels for many years to come.

Jan 8, 1960

By Ernest Klepetko

A NOTABLE amount of fossil resin exists in many of the bituminous coal beds of Utah. The upper part of these show a marked concentration of resin, which occurs primarily in the fracture seams. In general, these seams are less than 1/8 in. thick, but it is not uncommon to find coal with areas as thick as 3/8inches. The resin is of the hard kauri variety, with coloration varying from deep blood red to lemon yellow and almost colorless. There is also an almost black variety, which is not readily soluble in the same solvents as the lighter colored resins. These resins are valuable for many industrial purposes. When refined, they are suitable for uses similar to those for which lac resins are usually employed. They are particularly desirable for preparing dielectric varnishes. They are also desirable in preparing printing inks, waterproofing agents, special synthetic rubbers and rubber cements. They are especially suitable as an admixture in synthetic rubbers and cements, as they supply the essential tackiness the synthetics lack. The following chemical trade characteristics have been found by Inter-Chemical Co. research chemists in the refined resins: [Specific gravity (melted) 1.03 -1. o6 Acid number6-8 Softening point, mercury method 160 -165°C Iodine value (Wijs)140-1.50 Refractive index1.544 Color (Hellige, 25 pct toluol) ...14 Molecular weight, average732 Purity, 99 + pct pure hydrocar Bon] "Unaffected by alkalies and resistant to one hour fusion with solid potassium hydroxide. Completely soluble in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Insoluble in alcohols, ethyl acetate and other commonly used alcohols and esters. Compatible with natural and synthetic rubbers, chlorinated and cyclized rubbers, waxes, vegetable oils, mineral oils, rosin, ester gum, phenolic and modified phenolic resins and other natural and synthetic resins of like solvent solubility. The recovery and refining of these fossil resins has been the subject of much research work and has intrigued many investigators. Broadly speaking, the problem involves separation of the resin from the coal into a very high-grade concentrate, and subsequent treatment of this concentrate to produce an acceptable refined resin for its various usages. Obviously it is also desirable to recover the residual coal without excessive size degradation. The late W. D. Green, concentration engineer for Combined Metals Reduction Co., obtained U. S. Patent No. 1773997 for the recovery of resin from coal through

Jan 1, 1947

By A. A. Jr. Smith, J. S. Smart

Numerous investigations of the effects of the various impurities common to commercial coppers have been published, and the data have found wide use in industry. Naturally, emphasis has been placed on the oxygen-bearing coppers of the tough-pitch variety, but need is now evident for data covering the oxygen-free condition as well. Furthermore, relatively few of the important reactions between oxygen and the various impurities are well understood, and often the data at hand are not applicable to the low concentrations encountered in commercial coppers. This paper presents the changes in conductivity and softening temperature derived from individual additions of the group VIII triad, iron, cobalt and nickel, to high-purity copper, and constitutes a portion of the copper-research program being conducted at the Central Research Laboratory of the American Smelting and Refining Co. The method of preparation of high-purity copper and its alloys in either the oxygen-free or oxygen-bearing form has been described previous1y.l The purity of this material, and the methods developed to produce it, provide the means for direct investigation of the very low concentration range in which the various impurities generally exist in commercial coppers. The usual necessity for extrapolation to this range using the results obtained from higher concentrations, and the interfering effects of extraneous impurities, are thus simultaneously circumvented. Since previously published data have adequately presented the effects of higher concentrations of iron, cobalt and nickel, the present investigation has been confined to the composition range o to 0.05 per cent. All alloys were initially prepared in the form of oxygen-free continuous cast rod, the weighed alloying additions in suitable form being charged with the pure copper to the continuous casting crucible. The best of the available high-purity alloying materials were used, and spectrographic analyses confirmed the absence of interfering elements from the alloys formed. Each series was compounded in the direction of increasing concentration, starting with pure copper in a new crucible and finishing with the 0.05 per cent alloy. Composition was closely controlled by adding the alloying element in the form of a carefully compounded and analyzed master alloy rendered uniform by continuous casting. The accuracy of this method of synihesis was proved by chemical analysis of the more concentrated alloys, and, accordingly, there is every reason to credit the stated composition of the very dilute alloys in the range where chemical analysis becomes highly uncertain. Oxygen-free samples for measurements of conductivity and softening temperature Were obtained by drawing the continuous cast rod to wire of 0.08I-in. diameter. employing a number of intermediate anneals to refine the grain structure. The

Jan 1, 1942

By J. V. Richards

The Altar district, State of Sonora, Mexico, is for the most part a desert with but little rain-fall and few running streams. On account of this scarcity of water it is necessary for the natives to " dry-wash" the placer-gravel, and the object of the present gaper is to describe some of the more commoil Mexican dry-mashing devices. My observations were confined to a property known as Las Palomas placers, 15 miles from the Gulf of California and about 150 miles south of the United States border; a brief description of which property may be of interest as illustrating what is, perhaps, a typical Sonora dry placer. It is said that as long as a century ago the Yaqui Indians discovered rich cement-gravel, known as argo masa, at Las Palomas, and that there has been a more or less steady production of gold from the property ever since. The argo masa, is a fairly-coarse gravel, the pebbles being quite firmly held together with a lime cement. Gold is scattered through this cement in particles ranging from fine specks to pieces several grams in weight, and occasional large nuggets are encountered. The contents vary so widely that it is difficult to estimate the average value, but returns of from $10 to $50 per cubic yard are common, and it is doubtful if the Indians considered anything less than from $4 to $5 a yard as "pay dirt.'' This ar-90 masa, occurs in channels varying in thickness from a few inches to several feet, and in width up to 300 ft. These channels are continuous and are probably ancient stream-beds. They are for the most part covered with an over-burden of a more recent gravel, varying from 30 to 50 ft. thick, and the fact that this over-burden contains values as high as $1.50 per cubic yard, and yet was not worked by the Indians, shows that their idea of what constituted mas high.

Jan 1, 1911

By M. L. Fuller

DURING the last several years many papers have appeared dealing with the structure of highly polished metal surfaces The awakening of interest in this subject is due to the applicability of the electron diffraction technique to the study of surfaces The original theory of Beilby1 considered the surface of polished metals as of the nature of a super-cooled liquid or a vitreous, amorphous solid The electron diffraction effects from polished metals have been interpreted by many to be a direct experimental proof of the correctness of the Beilby theory This interpretation has been strongly opposed by others, so that at the present time the subject is in an uncertain and controversial state In the present paper new, and hitherto unpublished, electron diffraction effects from polished zinc are described These observations indicate that the polished surface of zinc is crystalline PUBLISHED WORK Many papers2-10 have interpreted the electron diffraction evidence as proof of the Beilby amorphous theory All investigators agree that highly polished metals give rise to two diffuse diffraction haloes, similar to those obtained by the diffraction of X-rays in liquids and vitreous solids It is this similarity that leads to the amorphous-layer interpretation of polished metals Strangely, the interatomic distances calculated from these haloes are very similar for the various metals investigated, in spite of a rather wide range of such distances in the crystalline and liquid states The calculated atomic sizes are, furthermore, smaller than are experienced in the normal states of the metals In spite of these anomalies, the amorphous-layer interpretation has been adhered to by many One investigator, S Dobmski,11 differs from the others in his experimental results By polishing under benzene in order to avoid the possibility of oxidation, Dobinski obtains diffuse haloes of [radire] different from those previously obtained He thus obtains a more rational quantitative correlation of-the diffuse haloes with the amorphous-layer theory

Jan 1, 1938

By Joseph P. Hodgson

In 1880, mining operations were commenced at the Copper Queen mine. The famous Queen ore body, which extended to the surface, was first quarried from a large open cut in the outcrop. The ore body was followed down to the 300 level with the Queen incline, and stoped. This, we believe, marks the introduction of square setting in the Bisbee district, which is still the method most generally used. Orebodies The orebodies in the Copper Queen mine occur in the limestones, and the main portion of the ore has been mined from the Abrigo, Martin, and Escabrosa limestones. mile the orebodies outcrop in the extreme western end of the mine, the general dip is to the east and south, at an angle of about 20°, although this dip is not by any means regular, being, in fact, very irregular locally. The ore is remarkable for its variableness in character, some of it being very soft, requiring a large amount of timber, and other portions consisting of extremely hard sulphides. The orebodies, in general, while remarkable for their continuity, are very irregular, both as to shape and size. The mine having been in operation so many years, and mining having been prosecuted over such a large area, the operations have caused the shrinkage of the overburden, and there is a constant movement, which is shown by large cracks and interstices in the surface rocks, which largely contribute to the very high deadwork or maintenance cost of the mine. It is surprising that for year 1913 it cost almost $400,000 just for the one item of repairs and dead work in this property. Haulage and Hoisting The underground openings have been extended in the neighborhood of 200 miles. The ore hoisting is performed at a centrally located shaft, the Sacramento, to which all the ores from different parts of the mine are conveyed by electric haulage, of which there was slightly over 9 miles in operation in 1913. The hoisting levels at the Sacramento shaft are placed 200 ft. apart, commencing at the 400 level and continuing down to the 1,600 level, the average hoisting distance being 1,000 ft. The

Jan 1, 1915

By Dorsey Lyon

I. INTRODUCTION THE utilization of hydro-electric power in electro-metallurgical indus¬tries, aside from purely mechanical operations, may he of two kinds. The electric energy may be used to supply the heat necessary for the per¬formance of the chemical reactions of a metallurgical process, or the elec¬trolytic action of a direct current may be employed for extraction of metals, either in a reduction process or a refining process. In discussing this subject, it is well to distinguish between established industries, which are producing metals and alloys at a profit by use of the electric current, and the many processes which are either still in the experimental stage or have not even passed the paper stage of development of a patent. That is, we consider electro-metallurgical industries as commercial operations which are now consuming large blocks of electric energy, while processes which are not in commercial operation are only prospective consumers. Also, owing to the difficulty and risk of any attempt to foresee the effect of the European war upon electro-metallurgical industries, we have felt obliged to disregard the war entirely, and state our opinions regardless of its existence.

Jan 8, 1915

By Alan F. Stewart, Douglas R. Piteau, Dennis C. Martin

Three examples of open pits where toppling failure controls the stability and design of the slopes are described. Two examples involve the design of overall slopes in base metal mines. The third example concerns the analysis and design of remedial measures to prevent toppling failure from occurring in a critical slope in a coal mine. The analytical techniques for assessing toppling failure on a rational basis are discussed for the three examples. This includes an assessment of the important parameters which govern the stability for the toppling failure mode. The geological setting and input data for each example are described, as are the important external or limiting factors pertinent to the sites in question. A statistical cumulative technique was used to assess one of the most important input parameters in the two examples involving overall slope design. Both deep-seated toppling failures, involving the entire slope, and shallow bench failures are considered. Results of the stability analyses and their related engineering significance with regard to slope stability and design are discussed. A sensitivity analysis of various parameters is effectively utilized. Design charts are developed and evaluated accordingly. In the example where toppling failure was unavoidable, the rationale for design of stabilization techniques to prevent toppling is discussed.

Jan 1, 1983

By B. Ladanyi

The problem of rock behavior under concentrated loadings has been the subject of a number of studies in the past and has been receiving increasing attention by rock mechanics investigators in recent years. Its application covers various fields, but main interest in its solution has arisen in connection with the problems of drilling, bearing capacity, and rock testing. These widely different purposes and fields of interest probably have been one of the reasons why, in spite of the large amount of published experimental data and several theoretical studies, there are still many points which need further clarification. Another reason for this situation undoubtedly is due to the fact that the rock behavior in indentation is complicated by a great number of influencing factors. Experimental evidence shows that, depending on the rock type (mechanical properties, porosity), environment (ambient effective pressure, pore fluid, temperature), and the type of loading (indenter shape, initial embedment, load level, loading rate), the rock response to indentation may vary within very large limits. The widely different rock behavior has made it impossible up to now to treat the problem with a consistent single mathematical theory, but has required instead a series of simplified models covering only certain most important events in the failure sequence. As far as the theory of rock indentation is concerned, this chapter does not add much new information. Its main purpose is, however, to state the indentation problem in a general manner and to indicate which points need to be studied in more detail before its definite solution is attempted. Also, since excellent reviews of the state-of-art of rock indentation in drilling have recently been given,1-4 this will not be repeated here, and only references pertinent to the points of the problem under study will be quoted. The theoretical part of this study attempts to give a quantitative evalu-

Jan 1, 1972

By G. C. Stone

The method of making oxide of zinc direct from the ore was invented and developed at the works of The New Jersey Zinc Co. at Newark in the middle of the last century. The process was invented by Burrows, who had not the ability, financial or technical, to work out the details necessary to make it of commercial value. This was done by Col. Wetherill, whose name is commonly attached to this process. The grate bars used are also frequently called Wetherill grates, which is a misnomer because they were in common use for boiler firing at the time, and he never claimed their invention. The invention of the process was due to the efforts of The New Jersey Zinc Co. to find a profitable means of working the ores from Franklin and Sterling Hill, N. J. These are a mixture of franklinite, willemite, and zincite, containing about 20 per cent. of zinc. The first attempts were to make spelter, which were not successful, owing to the low grade of the ore and the fusibility of the residue. Failing in this, the next attempt was to make oxide in large muffles and reverberatory furnaces. This succeeded, although the cost of operation was high, the recovery low, and the quality of the product uncertain. In 1855, the new process was patented and has been in successful operation ever since. Essentially, the process is to spread a mixture of coal and ore on a body of burning coal on a perforated grate, and blow an excess of air through the grate. The zinc is reduced in contact with the coal, volatilized and burned by the excess of air in the upper part of the furnace and in the flues. It is then carried to the bag rooms by the excess air and products of combustion which are foreed through the flues by fans. In its main features, the process is the same today as at the time of its invention, but the details have been so modified that it would hardly be recognized by its originators. OrEs The process is applicable to all the oxidized ores of zinc and to roasted sulphides, provided the gangue is not so fusible as to leave a residue that is impervious to the blast. In many cases the ores contain impurities that make it impossible to produce an oxide of a good enough color to be

Jan 1, 1918

By Evan Just

Government aid, regulation, and participation in the mineral industry are not new; they date back to the time when man first adopted communal living. Even in primitive tribal life, the obtaining of arrowhead or ceramic materials, washing of gold, or mining of copper were specialized activities, under tribal sponsorship. Later, when kingdoms, dynasties, and hierarchies developed, titles to mining properties were held by the sovereign or the state, work usually being done by slaves. Title acquisition through denouncement developed in Europe in the late Middle Ages and spread to the Western Hemisphere with the Spanish and Portuguese empires. Denouncements still recognized the rights of the sovereign in the requirement to pay royalties, which practice continues in many places today. Thus, anyone who views government participation in mineral activity as "encroachment" has no historical perspective. Only in a few countries and for a few generations have private interests enjoyed the right to exploit mineral deposits without the specific consent of the sovereign or without payment-of-royalty. Governments and the mineral industry have been linked together by other factors. Governments have had special interest in metals and minerals as stores of value and for armaments. Spanish conquests in the New World were energized by the lure of gold and silver. Pursuit of gold led to the American seizure of California in the days of the Forty-niners. The strategic importance of minerals in our own times has called for special steps to stimulate production in national emergencies and to prevent the enemy from acquiring mineral supplies. Our export controls to deny certain minerals to unfriendly countries, purchases for Government stockpile, and subsidies for domestic production are examples. Production regulation by state governments of oil and gas has become a well established routine. In brief, the mineral industry has never lacked aid, regulation, and participation by governments. The entrepreneur who wishes to explore for or develop minerals must deal with governments in most areas before he can begin, because mineral rights are reserved by them. He can proceed through discovery and de-

Jan 1, 1959

By G. M. Webster, G. E. Dawsongrove

The use of percussion-type side-wall cores as an aid in detection and evaluation of hydrocarbon shows and in examination of rock properties has become increasingly popular in recent years. Sidewall coring has an advantage over normal bottom-hole coring methods in that the zones may be surveyed with the electric log prior to selection of sample depths. This allows an efficient sampling of all zones of interest, a procedure not possible with bottom-hole coring techniques unless the costly procedure of continuous coring is utilized. Percussion sidewall coring presently provides the most rapid and lowest cost method of obtaining sidewall cores. It has been recognized for some time that certain discrepancies exist between core analysis data obtained from percussion cores and data obtained from other types of core Samples. This paper presents existing field and laboratory data that were available to the authors. Several examples of comparative core analysis data obtained from various fields are presented along with photomicrographs of thin sections of conventional and percussion cores. The results of this investigation are presented to throw more light on the possible disturbed condition of percussion sidewall cores. SAMPLE DISTURBANCE AND FRACTURING The principal cause of discrepancy between conventional core analysis data and percussion sidewall core analysis data is believed to be the shattering and re-adjustment of the grains due to the large impact shearing forces produced by mechanics of percussion coring. Figs. 1 through 5 are photomicrographs of thin section slides of formation samples obtained by means of diamond cores, conventional cores, and percussion sidewall cores. Figs. 1 and 2 show samples of the

By Shawn T. Sorrell, Carl Hrovatic

Land is a precious resource and should be treated as such by all members of our society. The soil covering this earth is only a very thin outer layer, varying in thickness from a few inches to a few feet and covering the rocks and minerals lying beneath the surface. The wise use of this valuable commodity is the responsibility of everyone. Many everyday activities disturb the earth's surface. Examples are highway construction, housing and commercial developments, agriculture, and surface mining. This chapter discusses the relationships of the environment to land as it applies to surface operations ill the coal industry. Mining by surface methods disturbs, for a brief period of time, thousands of acres of land annually. In addition, refuse piles, slurry ponds. abandoned mine structures, unprotected mine openings, and unsightly cleaning plants can also adversely affect land unless properly handled. ACTIVE SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS Mining by surface methods includes rock quarries; sand and gravel pits; huge open pits to extract iron, copper, phosphate, and other ores: and coal mining. Production of coal by surface methods is now approaching 300 million tons annually, amounting to almost 50% of the total coal output. Surface coal mining can be classified into the following four broad categories: Open pit mining is practised where the coal beds are extremely thick, as in some western states, or where the coal beds are sharply pitching, as in the anthracite region of the eastern United States. A typical open pit mine, with coal beds of 10 to 100 ft or more thickness and a relatively small ratio of overburden, generally employs large scraper-loaders to re-

Jan 1, 1973

By H. L. James

This paper presents the results and analysis of field trials of various magnetic instruments over anomalies ranging from 20 to 5000 gammas of vertical intensity. The following instruments were used: Askania vertical magnetometer, Wolfson vertical magnetometer (model M-I), Hotchkiss Superdips (used both parallel to and normal to the magnetic meridian, with several settings of the "sigma" angle), Lake Superior dip needle, and the dipping circle for measurements of inclination. The change in inclination over the measured anomalies ranged up to 4"; this caused pronounced changes in sensitivity of the Hotchkiss Superdip oriented parallel to the magnetic meridian. The variable sensitivity not only gives apparent displacement of crests of anomalies, particularly at high sensitivities, but also makes the data difficult or impossible to use in preparation of iso-anomaly maps. This weakness in field performance of the Superdip is shown to be eliminated by orienting the instrument normal to the magnetic meridian and measuring vertical intensity only, which in the latitude of upper Michigan is equal to 97 pct of the total intensity. The dip needle is seen to be relatively ineffectual for location of anomalies of less than 400 gammas. Introduction The U.S- Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Geological Survey Division of Michigan Department of Conservation, has for the past three years been engaged in a restudy of the Iron River-Crystal Falls iron mining district of upper Michigan. The bedrock in a large part of this area is covered with glacial deposits as much as 500-ft thick, and, inasmuch as some of the rocks have moderate to high magnetic permeability, extensive magnetic mapping has been done to assist in unraveling the complicated structure of the area. Several types of instruments have been used, and the major purpose of this paper is to present comparative data on the field performances of some of these instruments so as to aid others who face similar problems elsewhere to evaluate and choose the instruments best suited for the work. The paper is directed primarily to geologists and engineers rather than to geophysicists, although some familiarity with the instruments is presumed. The geology of the area consists of a complexly folded series of weakly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, including the iron formation, which rests on older greenstones. Although the iron formation itself is only locally magnetic, some of the beds stratigraphically above the iron formation are rather strongly so. By tracing these hanging wall magnetic anomalies valuable information is obtained from which the structure and distribution of the iron formation can be inferred. Critical anomalies range from 25 to 6000 gammas of vertical intensity. Many anomalies can be traced in part with the common dip needle, but detection of others requires more sensitive instruments.

Jan 1, 1949

By D. B. Williams

For the first time in the history of the Venezuelan petroleum industry production exceeded 200 million barrels. The total production for all fields amounted to 205,430,869 bbl., which is more than 9 per cent of the world's 1939 total. This is an increase of over 15 million barrels or 8.0 per cent above the 1938 figure, which, compared with the slightly less than 2 per cent increase of the 1938 figure over 1937, shows the marked activity in Venezuela during the past year. The Maracaibo Lake fields are still the predominating factor in Venezuelan production, showing an increase of approximately 9½ million barrels over last year's figure and accounting for 71.8 per cent of Venezuela's total. Lagunillas continues to hold precedence as a single field, having yielded 47.1 per cent of the accumulative total and 39.4 per cent of 1939's total. This field showed an increase of slightly more than 3½ million barrels over 1938. Tia Juana, the second largest field, attained a record production, increasing its percentage of the Venezuelan total from 23.4 in 1938 to 23.7 in 1939. The La Rosa field, which includes Punta Benitez and Ambrosio, declined from 13.7 to 12.0 per cent; Bachaquero, the southernmost Lake field, which came into regular production at the end of 1938, contributed over 31/3 million barrels. Quiriquire, in eastern Venezuela, ousted La Rosa as the third largest producing field, and, although production increased by 11/3 milliorl barrels, percentage of the total declined from 13.2 to 12.9. Mene Grande, the oldest field, declined from 6.6 per cent in 1938 to 5.9 in 1939. Tem-blador produced for a whole year for the first time and yielded 3,647,867 bbl. The Colon district, in the Maracaibo Lake area, comprising the Tarra-Los Manueles fields, showed slight increases, as also did Cumarebo and Pedernales. Construction of the 16-in. pipe line from Oficina to Puerto La Cruz (Guanta), the longest line of this size in the world, was completed toward the end of the year and this new field in eastern Venezuela started shipping oil in December. This field is operated by the Mene Grande Oil Co. and was credited with a production of 2,347,625 bbl. in 1939. Jusepin field, some 25 miles southwest of Quiriquire in eastern Venezuela,

Jan 1, 1940

By Jack Parker

There are some simple theoretical approaches to pillar design but they leave much to be desired. There are also more complex theoretical approaches, but at this time the most realistic approach is to go into the mines and observe and measure how real pillars are performing under real conditions; to allow the information thus gathered to ferment in our minds - then to project the behaviour of those pillars into our new designs and mining techniques, probably with no formulas at all. Examples, from half-a-dozen different mines, show how a simple- minded approach, through observation and measurement, led to changes in pillar design which often contradicted the textbook but made very significant contributions to mining safety, efficiency and costs. The good news is that we know a lot more about pillar design than we realize. We have, between us, looked at millions of pillars of all kinds, under all conditions, but we have overlooked what they are trying to tell us. We can take problem situations and turn them into opportunities and, in that way, become better stewards of the resources which have been given to us.

Jan 1, 1983

By Louis V. Bender, R. E. H. Pomeroy, David H. Browne

E. P. Mathewson, Anaconda, Mont.—After hearing about the success of D. H. Browne with his furnaces, we in Anaconda decided we might venture into the field of pulverized coal for reverberatory smelting. We sent a delegation of investigators to see Mr. Browne and his work, and they returned, filled with enthusiasm, and said they would recommend it strongly.. We thereupon asked for an appropriation, and after some delay obtained the same and fitted up one furnace to use pulverized coal. We copied Mr. Browne's practice and his selection of machinery for drying and pulverizing coal; and we also copied the burner he used, which was a standard article on the market. We got an expert coal-dust machinery man to design our plant, and were very glad we did so as we avoided some of the unpleasantness that had been experienced at other plants through fires and minor explosions. I want to say, before describing our apparatus a little in detail, that we were quite familiar with the work of Mr. SÖrensen, the pioneer in the use of pulverized coal for copper smelting. Our attention had been called to it by Mr. Klepetko early in the game. And afterward we were familiar with the work done at Cananea by Mr. Shelby. We sent an expert to investigate the question 10 years ago. He examined the work of Mr. SÖrensen; and then went to the cement men and examined their work, and reported at great length that coal dust was the ideal fuel for them, as they took the ash from the coal and sold it as cement. He reported that coal-dust firing could not be made economical in reverberatory copper smelting, and his reasons were that a blanket of nonconducting material would cover the charge in a short time and insufficient heat would reach the charge proper, and we would have floaters over all our furnaces. The flues would be stopped by the dust that did not settle on the charge. We accepted that until our Irish friend got busy and showed us how to do it. Then we built a furnace which we thought was a slight improvement over Mr. Browne's. We put railroad tracks over our furnaces to draw the charge to the furnace. We had

Jan 1, 1915

By Fred Hale

OWING to the large area included in the Yellow Pine mining district, and the-varied nature of its mineral deposits, a detailed geological description of the district could be covered only in an extensive monograph. This paper is intended as a description of the most prominent geologic features only with special reference to those of economic importance. The first mention of the district was in 1903 by J. E. Spurr,1 who briefly describes the structural geology of the Spring Mountain range. In 1906, H. F. Bain2 briefly described the Potosi mine. James J. Hill,3 of the United States Geological Survey, visited the district for a brief period in 1912, the result of which is an excellent reconnaissance report, covering the district in some detail but necessarily with brevity. Since that time, articles covering special features of the district have appeared in the technical press, including some by the writer, and a notable description of the Boss mine, by Adolph Knopf,4 appeared in 1915. Development of the district during the past few years has progressed so rapidly and with so many notable discoveries, particularly with reference to the rare metals, that a further description at this time may prove of interest. The writer's acquaintance with the district is based on 7 years' continuous residence in the vicinity, beginning with the spring of 1910.

Jan 2, 1918