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By Lawrence K. Jetter, Robert F. Mehl

Some advances have been made recently in the theory of the kinetics of precipitation from metallic solid solution despite the complexities of the problem, but there is surprisingly little quantitative information available on rates of precipitation with which to test present theory or upon which to build new theory. Attempts to measure rates of precipitation have been beset with difficulties which originate both in the anomalies that attend the changes in the properties selectcd for measurement, as, for example, in electrical conductivity or mechanical properties, and also in the complexities in the structural changes in some systems, as in the aluminum-copper system. If the functional relationship between the quantity of precipitate and the value of the selected property is uncertain, measurements of that property are obviously of uncertain utility in determining absolute rates of precipitation. If the precipitating system passes through one or more transition stages, the interpretation of measured rates lacks definiteness; in such cases, it is necessary to measure the rate of reaction in each separate stage, if the rate measurements are to have any significance from the kinetic point of view.* These difficulties cannot be wholly avoided, for at least in some measure they are characteristic of the process of precipitation from solid solution, but they can be minimized both by the selection of a simple system and by the use of a method of measurement relatively free from anomalous behavior. The present paper reports dilatome tric measurements on the rate of precipitation of silicon from the aluminum-rich solid solution in the aluminum-silicon system—a study that approaches the desiderata of simplicity. The aluminum-silicon system offers advantages from these points of view: there are no known anomalies in the property changes accompanying precipitation; there are no known transition stages; the precipitate is an element, not a compound, and both matrix and precipitate are cubic, and while the structures are not identical (the solid solution is face-centered cubic and the precipitate is diamond cubic), the system at least approaches the ideal case of a crystal precipitating from a matrix of the same crystal type—the ideal case which Becker6 assumed in treating the precipitation process theoretically. The dilatometric method, while not free from disturbing effects, as the subsequent dis-

Jan 1, 1943

By F. McIntosh Galbraith

This paper describes the use of the magnetometer, under geological direction, in exploration of the Sudbury nickel district. The writer's experience at Falconbridge has led him to the belief that only through detailed work, and by careful correlation of both geological and geophysical results, can geophysical prospecting methods be applied successfully to mining exploration problems. It is hoped that the basic technique described in the paper will be found to have general application. Introduction Within the past 20 years, geophysical methods of prospecting have become solidly established in the field of petroleum exploration. They have not, however, been similarly adopted by the mining industry, although mining is a far older craft and should be the more advanced in its technique. While, therefore, it is almost a routine matter to have geophysical surveys performed in a new area being tested for oil, a new metal-mining district is usually teeming with prospectors and promoters long before the technical man appears on the scene. Even then, only the more primitive engineering methods are customary in the early stages of exploration. Three factors are chiefly responsible for this situation, The first is the difference between oil pools and ore deposits in their geological modes of occurrence. While most of the known metallic ore bodies have been found outcropping at the surface, petroleum deposits are characteristically buried. This does not mean that all ore deposits outcrop, but neither does it mean that we should rely on "wildcatting" to discover blind ore bodies. The second factor is the relative scale of metallic lodes and accumulations of petroleum. In areal extent, a metal-bearing vein deposit is typically a much smaller geological feature than an oil pool. Presenting a narrower target, it requires closer shooting to score a direct hit. And finally, there is the need, in mining work, for close correlation of the known local geology with geophysical observations. This becomes of increasing importance as the size of the objective diminishes. A geophysical disturbance on a large enough scale will be detected under almost any circumstances and by almost any technique; without benefit of geology, however, the significance of a local anomaly may easily be misread. Campaign at Sudbury In the Sudbury nickel district of Canada, new deposits of nickel and copper have been discovered recently by magnetic methods, under geological supervision. A campaign of exploration, designed to encompass the district eventually, was set in motion in the spring of 1935. After six years, a new and important Ore body has been discovered and its continuity established to 1000 ft. in depth; several areas have been eliminated; and a number of possibilities remain to be tested. This has been accomplished with the expenditure of less than $$I50,000-—including the cost of all diamond drilling. The responsibility for carrying out this campaign was entrusted by the company to its Geological Department, and the under

Jan 1, 1946

By E. Brunner, E. S. Mardock

A method of measuring oil saturations in cores or sand packs by neutron scattering is described. This method permits local SatUrations to be measured in a core enclosed in a steel pressure vessel without interrupting the flow. calibration data and a saturation distribution measurement obtained with the apparatus are included by way of illustration. Introduction In laboratory flow experiments designed to study the mechanism of oil production it is frequently necessary to measure the oil saturation in a core or sand pack containing Oil, gas, and perhaps brine. It is sometimes desirable that the saturation measurement refer to a relatively small portion of the core, so as to eliminate end effects; that it be made without interrupting the flow, and that it be applicable to a core enclosed in a steel Pressure vessel capable Of withstanding the Pressures encountered in petroleum reservoirs. None of the usual methods of measuring saturation meets all Of these requirements. To measure the gas saturation by observing the apparent compressibility of the gaseous Phase1 would require the interruption of the flow and would give an average saturation for the whole core. An electrical conductivity method is available for measuring brine saturations,2,3 but it is not applicable to oil. A radioactive tracer might be used if a suitable substance could be found that would dissolve in the oil, emit gamma radiation, and not be adsorbed on the sand, the steel core holder, or in an aqueous- phase. The large gamma-ray background from the mass of radioactive oil in other parts of the apparatus might, however, be undesirable. There remain for the saturation measurement methods involving the absorption or scattering of some penetrating radiation produced outside the apparatus. It might be possible to use X-rays or gamma rays; but these radiations would be so much less strongly absorbed and scattered by the oil than by the steel walls of the core holder and by the sand that it seems doubtful that much precision could be attained. In a beam of neutrons, however, there is a radiation that is very penetrating and, moreover, its scattering by substances containing hydrogen, such as oil, is qualitatively different from that occasioned by other materials. It would seem possible, and has proved to be quite practicable, to measure oil saturations accurately under the required conditions by means of neutron scattering. The first, to our knowledge, to suggest neutron scattering as a means of measuring oil saturation were F. Brans and ,. A. Bottema,4 of the Amsterdam laboratories of the Bataafache Petroleum Maatschappij, who made a few preliminary experiments to test the method while they were engaged in exploring the possibilities of neutrons for well-logging purposes. A comprehensive account of neutrons and their behavior will be found, together

Jan 1, 1946

By H. M. Rutherford

THE reflection method in seismic prospecting has aroused much interest in the past few years. The purpose of the present paper is .to present the method of reflections in the mapping of geologic structure and also to give some indication of its limitations. The reflection method is well adapted to the mapping of geologic structure in the Mid-Continent fields, and has been found most useful there. The refraction method is ideally suited to the finding of structures, such as domes, where the amount of relief is very large. This explains the brilliant success of the refraction method in the Gulf Coastal region of Texas and Louisiana. The additional fact that salt has a much higher velocity than the sur-rounding sediments made their discovery much easier. By the use of the reflection method, differences of relief of 25 to 50 ft. to the mile may be detected at a depth of 5000 ft., and the depth points accurately plotted on a map. This is hardly possible by the use of the refraction method. The reflection method has been in almost continuous use in the Mid-Continent area since 1926, but very little, if anything, has been published until recently(7) ? regarding either the method or the results. The dis-covery of several oil fields is now attributed to the use of the reflec-tion method. Reflection methods have been used by the Germans to find the thick-ness of the ice of several glaciers. (2,8) The depths there considered were of the order of only a few hundred feet. For the method to be of any practical value in this country, it must be able to work to depths of several thousand feet. As was indicated above, this is now possible, though there are many problems connected with the reflection method yet to be solved. The refraction method requires that the shooting be done over long ranges. It was necessary, for example, to take distances out to several miles in order to penetrate some five thousand feet. Naturally this uses a good deal of dynamite. In the reflection method the distances are much shorter and the amounts of dynamite are much smaller, within limits which will be noted below. The chief distinction between refrac-tion and reflection methods is to be found in the analysis of the seismo-gram. Refraction shooting makes use of only the first arrival of energy

Jan 1, 1932

By C. P. Mangelsdorf

The roof truss as a means of secondary or supplemental mine roof support has enjoyed increasing acceptance in recent years, particularly in bituminous coal mines. In those entries where long life is required or doubtful performance from other forms of support seems likely, trusses in many cases have provided the necessary protection for continuing operations. Although relatively expensive and time-consuming in their installation, trusses, particularly with the new resin point anchor system, appear to be justifying their higher premium. It seems inevitable that techniques and equipment for installing them within the cycle will soon be developed. The actual mechanism by which trusses contribute to the stability of a roof is, as yet, poorly understood, and it may be that more than a single mechanism is involved. There are, however, a number of useful observations which can be made concerning the structural behavior of the truss itself, based solely on the mechanics of rigid and deformable bodies. The purpose of this article is to present some of these observations, particularly relating to friction in the system. A few speculations concerning the roof must, of course, be made. From a knowledge of the structural behavior, some insight into the truss-roof interaction may be gained. The concept of the truss is quite simple. As shown in [Fig. 1], it consists of two inclined chords (usually at 45') anchored in holes drilled in the roof over the ribs. A horizontal chord is formed connecting the exposed ends of the inclined chords, either with a third piece or by bending extensions of the inclined chords until they meet in the middle. A distinction can be made between active and passive chords of a truss depending upon the manner of installation. If the inclined chords are fully grouted and the horizontal chord is merely attached to them, it may reasonably be assumed that no significant forces exist in the truss until the roof begins to work. Such would be a completely passive system. On the other hand, if the inclined chords are anchored only at their upper extremities and the horizontal chord is formed in such a way that all three chords can be pretensioned to a significant portion of their tensile strengths then the truss may be regarded as fully active. Combinations of active and passive chords are also possible. * The discussion here is confined to the fully active truss such as the Birmingham steel rod system or the Galis wire rope truss. In both cases, pretensioning is accomplished by tightening of the horizontal chord, some of which tension is transferred to the in-

Jan 1, 1981

By M. R. Pickus, C. H. Mathewson

The study of the plastic deformation and recrystallization of metals has been the subject of many investigations. In regard to the simple deformational processes, such as tension and compression, the early knowledge gained from studies of polycrystalline material has been supplemented by many significant researches on the behavior of single crystals. Unfortunately, this has not been true for more complicated deformational processes. As far back as 1927, G. I. Taylor1 wrote: It is impossible in the present state of knowledge to do more than give a possible reason why (face-centered cubic) crystals set themselves with a (110) direction in the plane of rolling, and at right angles to the direction of rolling. The explanation of why the orientation of the crystal axes round the transverse direction is what it is, must be left till the distortion of metals, and particularly single crystals of metals in the process of rolling, has been studied in greater detail. That this gap in the systematic study of deformation and recrystallization has not yet been filled was indicated by C. H. Samans, who wrote in 1934 that "only four investigations upon cold-rolled single crystals of any of the face-centered cubic metals have been reported in the literature." Of these four studies, only those of S. Tanaka3 and T. Sakaoj4 both of whom worked with aluminum crystals, had quantitative significance. The other two, carried out by F. Wever5 and W. G. Burgers16 were of a qualitative nature. It is our hope that the present investigation may contribute something to the knowledge necessary for a rationalization of the origin of rolling textures in terms of the known behavior of single crystals, and may add pertinent information concerning the recrystallization characteristics of deformed single crystals.

Jan 1, 1939

By A. D. Dorenfeld

Factorial design is a mathematical method of drawing valid conclusions from a series of tests made in a predetermined pattern. It is applied to flotation ore testing using, in this case, five variables, each varied twice, requiring a total of 32 tests. Representative conclusions are checked by repeat testing. THE factorial design method of testing is particu-J- larly applicable to mill-scale plant tests because 1—the conclusions take into consideration all variabilities of the plant, 2—there are no subjective guesses as to the conclusions, 3—the number of tests necessary to check large numbers of variables are at a minimum, and 4—interactions between variables can be discerned. It is equally applicable to laboratory testing because once the variables to be investigated have been decided upon, as well as the number of levels for each variable, a well-trained assistant can run the tests, since the test work follows a predetermined mathematical pattern, leaving the conclusions to be found by the person in charge. The conclusion takes into consideration all errors of the tests. To illustrate the use of factorial design, a sample of copper porphyry ore was tested, the copper content of the batches not being uniform. Five variables were investigated, each at two levels, requiring only 32 tests. After suitable arithmetical analysis, conclusions for copper recovery and concentrate grade are arrived at. Four cases of these conclusions are checked by repeat testing. Testing Methods Reproducibility of flotation tests varies widely, depending on the experimenter, the process, the equipment, and probably a host of unknown and perhaps interacting variables. If the reproducibility of tests is good, let us say to 0.2 pct recovery of a certain metal, and the minimum difference between tests upon the variation of the interested variables is, say 1 pct, then simple averaging and inspection is ample in interpreting results. However, often such a happy situation is not the case. This is particularly true in mill-scale operations where the ores are variable, and a host of minor operating fluctuations common to most milling, and familiar to all mill operators, is the normal state of affairs. Yet, mill scale tests are run, the results averaged, and conclusions drawn therefrom. The trustworthiness of such results should be measured by comparison to the experimental error—the measure of the degree of reproducibility of the results. This comparison is a test of significance. Thus, if daily results of recoveries average 80.0 pct, and a spread of 78.0 pct to 82.0 pct, is recorded, then, clearly, on changing mill operations, an 81 pct recovery cannot be construed as significant by using averages, since it is well within the previous test limits. By using rigorous statistical tests of significance, conclusions arrived at by inspection or simple averaging may be shown to be based on inadequate evidence or even wrong. In any event, a plant super-

Jan 1, 1952

By H. N. Herrick

The flow characteristics of drilling muds, as described in this paper, and the method given for solving problems relating to the flow of these muds through pipe and accessory equipment, are based on a conception that drilling muds are plastic solids like paints or greases; not liquids. The data presented in this report have been obtained from studies of California muds, chiefly those used in the Kettleman Hills field, by the Producing Department of the Standard Oil Company of California. Although no claim of scientific exactness is made for the formulas and diagrams, since the data upon which they are based are not complete even for California muds, the method has proved to be a convenient means for estimating, closely enough for practical purposes, the pressures required to force muds at various rates through pipe systems in which-they are handled. Certain approximations have been made to simplify the procedures so that they can be used easily in the field. Viscosity and Shearing Strength of Mud For the purpose of this discussion a plastic solid is defined as a material in which no deformation or flow takes place when the material is subjected to shearing forces, until the shearing force reaches a value called the "yield point." With liquids, the smallest force will produce continuous deformation; that is, the yield point of liquids is zero. The difference between true liquids and muds is illustrated in Fig. 1, which shows rates of flow through a small tube under different pressures. The flow rate of the liquids is directly proportional to the pressure and that of the muds is not. The behavior of drilling mud does not conform in every detail with the definition of a plastic solid as given, because mud actually flows slightly at pressures below its yield point. However, for practical purposes the definition describes the condition adequately and has the advantage of simplicity. In order to make mud-flow calculations based on the theory that mud is a plastic solid, it is necessary to know the "yield point" of the mud, which hereinafter is defined by equation 1 under the caption "Viscosity

Jan 1, 1932

By C. M. Nickerson

In times of overproduction such as the operators have been struggling against for the past several years it is the practice of the oil industry to shut in certain wells in order to reduce the flood of oil. The purpose of this paper is to present certain variations in production of oil wells when the offset wells are shut in. The scope of the study has been confined to California fields, and more especially to those of the San Joaquin Valley. The accepted definition of a shut-in well is a well where production has been suspended by closing in the casinghead arid tubing or by cessation of pumping. The immediate effect of such a procedure, of course, is to reduce the oil production from the lease, which is the result desired. However, it appears that certain types of wells vary widely in production of oil, gas and gasoline after adjacent wells have been shut in, which variation has a very material effect on the ultimate recovery of oil from the property. The increase or decrease in the oil production itself may not be of sufficient volume to occasion comment, but wide fluctuations in the gas and gasoline recovery under the changed conditions arc of the utmost importance in the future recovery of oil. The scope of this paper includes: (I) the effect on producing oil wells of shutting in offset wells, the wells being studied in three groups arranged according to their relative stages of depletion; (2) probable source of excess gas and the effect on the ultimate recovery of oil; (3) suggested procedure when wells are shut in; (4) methods that could be employed to prevent undue migration of gas from the shut-in area; and (5) the need for future studies of the situation. Three Classes of Producing Oil Wells For the purposes of this paper producing wells in California have been arranged in three groups according to the age of the well, or to the relative stage of depletion of the producing zones. The first group consists of those wells with a high fluid level, or in other words those wells whose fluid levels are a considerable distance above the top of the perforations. This type of well is in the flush period of its life and ordinarily produces

Jan 1, 1929

By Maxwell Gensamer, Vsevolod N. Krivobok

It is generally recognized that "low temperatures" have a definite effect on the properties of metals and alloys. Furthermore, it is also generally understood that the effect is decidedly adverse. The possibility that the same low-temperature treatment might be employed for the purpose of improving certain properties of the alloys has received less attention until recently, and the experimental and theoretical knowledge consequently is meager. The effect of low temperatures may be studied in two ways: by studying such properties as tensile strength, hardpess, impact resistance, etc., at low temperature, and by studying the properties of alloys at room temperature after these alloys have been subjected to a low-temperature treatment. Even in the latter case, certain properties will differ materially from the same properties obtained on identical material but without cold treatment. In other words, subjecting alloys to cold treatment results in an irreversible change in mechanical properties. Changes of this character are usually indications of the appearance of a new phase or phases, and would be likely to occur in alloys which, either by virtue of their composition or by heat treatment, are retained at room temperature in a metastable condition. Consequently, studies of the effect of low temperatures logically should be conducted from the physicochemical point of view, since the results of such studies not only would furnish metallurgists with interesting theoretical data but would clearly indicate the classes of alloys that would hold promise of improvement, and, possibly, of new applications. As the present investmigation deals with chromium and chromium-nickel alloys of iron of the stainless variety, it has been thought desirable to present the data concerning low-temperature properties of these alloys, available from the most recent and most comprehensive work of H. S. Russell.l A summary of these data is given in Table 1. The data are confined to a limited number of alloys of the type dealt with in the present

Jan 1, 1931

By Parke A. Dickey, R. Fettke

Drilling activity during 1944 increased considerably in the oil fields and slightly in the shallow gas fields of western Pennsylvania. The number of deep tests (middle Devonian or deeper) completed during 1944 was the same as in 1943 and did not result in discoveries of additional reserves of natural gas or oil. Thus far no commercial oil production has been obtained from sands below the Upper Devonian in Pennsylvania. As a result of the lack of new discoveries, oil production in nearly all of the producing areas in the entire Pennsylvania grade region declined 10 to 11 per cent. Stocks of Pennsylvania Oil The Peilnsylvania grade crude-oil stocks in storage on January 1943 were 2,479,000 bbl. In January 1944 crude stocks totaled 1,846,000 bbl., and during 1944 the stocks of Pennsylvania grade crude declined to a year-ending balance of 1,617,000 bbl. Nearly all of this oil is "unavailable for use," representing pipe-line fill, tank bottoms and limited working inventories at the refineries. The storage of Pennsylvania oil has declined to a point where little or no available crude oil is currently in storage. Prices The posted price of Pennsylvania oil remained constant during 1944; however, on Rug. I, 1944, the wartime Government subsidy was instituted at a rate of 75¢ per barrel. The average price in the Bradford area, including the subsidy, was $3.31 per barrel. New Technical Developments The Pennsylvania Grade Crude Oil Association started a rather ambitious program of research in production fundamentals and technology during 1944. Several well-qualified engineers have been employed and a laboratory is to be equipped at Bradford. The group will investigate, in cooperation with the American Petroleum Institute, the possibilities of bacteria as agents in oil recovery, and undertake other studies of both a fundamental and an applied nature. In cooperation with the Pennsylvania State College, the Research Group worked out a method of measuring water-intake rates in different strata. The method involves injecting salt water down a string of tubing and fresh water down the annulus, determining the location of the interface electrically, and measuring the input rates above and below the interface. The United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with oil companies of the Venango district, developed a simple gas-lift tubing string, which is operating successfully in some 20 wells. This device uses the air-gas mixture produced with the oil to lift it by the usual gas-lift principles. The Northern Ordnance Co. is experimenting with a chamber lift device that expels the oil in an unbroken column. These devices hold considerable promise

Jan 1, 1945

By Richard Franchot

From an efficiency viewpoint, the greatest loss of energy to the blast furnace is in its failure to convert more than about a third of the coke carbon from carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. This result has usually been ascribed to a necessity of a 2:1 excess of CO in order to reduce iron. It has, however, been proved that iron is completely reduced by equal volumes of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Hence there is room for the hypothesis that vaporization, as cyanid, of accumulated alkalis is a serious primary factor limiting the ratio of ore to coke. Observed cyanid vapor concentrations and those measured by the variations of the nitrogen-oxygen ratio in the hearth gases form the basis for a quantitative explanation of the furnace action. As EVERYBODY knows, the blast furnace is a gas producer. As to the reason for this, people are not so well agreed. The significance of the fact is obvious, for the extent to which the fuel leaves the furnace as combustible gas measures poor economy in iron smelting; while good efficiency in this respect means poor gas. The furnace thus works at cross purposes. The present trend of the steel industry is toward. a primary use of the blast furnace as a gas producer with pig iron as a byproduct. Needless to say, this trend is away from improvement in iron making. The production of more and better iron in a given furnace consuming a given amount of coke would seem, at least, to involve a decrease in the relative proportion of the combustible gas. The possibility at the same time, however, of making more and better gas need not necessarily be excluded. (The more the furnace acts as gas producer, the bigger is the sulfur problem.) Whatever the object, it would seem desirable to have a, clear, comprehensive, mathematically exact estimate of why and how the blast furnace functions, to the large degree that it now does, as a gas producer. The literature does not give a definite answer to the question. That for which explanation is sought is the fact that only a minor part, usually not more than a third, of the coke carbon burned is oxidized to carbon dioxide; that the development in the furnace of the fuel energy is thus limited usually to little more than 50 per cent.; that it requires about twice as much fuel coke to make a ton of iron as is indicated by the rela-

Jan 7, 1925

By C. G. Black

The purpose of this paper is to present data obtained from an investigation conducted on the grindability of coal by the American Society for Testing Materials Tentative Standard ball-mill method. This investigation has been conducted over a period of a year, during which time several hundred tests were run on a wide selection of different coals coming from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. The data herewith presented tend to show that the tentative standard ball-mill method might give results that are misleading and that a volume measure might be more indicative of the true grindability of materials of varying specific gravity. A means whereby the time element might be reduced has been studied and other phases of this work such as preparation of samples, mechanical screening, reporting results and duplicating tests have been investigated. It is hoped that all criticism offered in this paper will be taken as constructive, with the purpose ill mind of perfecting the method now tentative to show the true conditions 2nd of making optional the manner in which certain parts of the test might be conducted to meet diversified laboratory conditions. Weight and Volume The results of grindability on extraneous material from the coal scam obtained with the present tentative standard ball mill method indicate easier grinding of these materials as compared to most coals. Varying amounts of these impurities in the coal therefore may cause a raising of the grindability index and may lead to the erroneous conclusion that coals containing large amounts of these foreign materials are easier to grind. For a true comparison of grindability, it would seem necessary to grind to the same particle weight. If material were sized in a commercial mill by means of an air current set at a velocity to remove 1.60 sp. gr. float coal ground to 80 per cent minus 200 mesh, any 1.60 sink particles would be left behind, and in order to remove this 1.60 sink material by the same current it would be necessary to grind finer and produce a

Jan 1, 1936

By Otto H. Henry

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the equilibrium diagram of the lithium-magnesium pair as a first step in studying the possible usefulness of these alloys as ultra-light structural materials. Review of the Literature The behavior of lithium towards magnesium was first investigated by Masing and Tammann.(1)† In order to prevent oxidation the alloys were made in iron tubes under an atmosphere of hydrogen; temperatures were measured with a glass-protected thermocouple. These investigators found that lithium and magnesium form two series of solid solutions separated by a miscibility gap between 85 and 95 per cent magnesium; that the alloys with 81 and 95 per cent magnesium showed a homogeneous structure under microscopic examination, while the alloy with 89 per cent magnesium contained two distinguishable crystallites; that the curve indicating the beginning of crystallization rises from the melting point of lithium to that of magnesium; and that no compounds of lithium and magnesium are formed. The equilibrium diagram was not plotted because no definite data were obtained for determining the solidus and the position of the miscibility gap in the solid state. The difficulties encountered in this investigation were: (1) that it was necessary to heat them as high as the melting point of magnesium in order to obtain homogeneous melts; at such temperatures the alloys attacked the glass protecting the thermocouple; and (2) that at temperatures above 400" C. the lithium united with the hydrogen to form lithium hydride, thus contaminating the alloys. By applying the same methods as those used in the lithium-magnesium system, Masing and Tammann determined the equilibrium diagram of the

Jan 1, 1934

By T. E. Wayland

The general geology and mineralogy of bentonite, including pertinent technological details of clay minerals in the montmorillonite group, are summarized. Worldwide occurrences of bentonite deposits are reviewed, with emphasis on geologic methods and economic principles of evaluation. Active mining districts are described and areas with potential for current and future development are assessed. The production history of bentonite, principal producers, major consumers, and indicated trends are noted; also attention is directed to the hundreds of minor industrial uses of this versatile material, ranging from the manufacture of (A)cid neutralizers to (Z)eolite water softeners. Recent significant results of both basic and applied research are reported, with suggested lines of investigation for current and near-future consideration.

Jan 1, 1972

By Edward Wichers

THE purpose of this paper is to set forth the matters of principal interest in connection with work done in the past few years on the purification of the metals of the platinum group, including the study and modification of methods already in the literature and the development of new procedures. For the most part, the results will be given in summary form, reserving the publication of detailed data and directions for a forthcoming paper to be issued by the Bureau of Standards. In recent years increasing interest has been shown in the preparation of the pure platinum metals, both by those concerned with the manufacture of the metals and their alloys for scientific and industrial purposes and those who are engaged in the study of the chemical or physical properties of the elements. The purification of the metals usually has been regarded as a matter so involved and difficult as to require the attention of specialists. It is hoped that this paper will show that any of the metals can be prepared in any desired degree of purity by relatively simple straightforward chemical methods. For the most part, it is thought that the methods given are suitable for small-scale refineries as well as for the laboratory; also, that they will bring the time required for the purification of any of the metals within reasonable limits. The new procedure suggested for purifying platinum should prove to be much shorter than any methods described in the literature.

Jan 1, 1928

By Cecil H. Desch

The progress of metallurgical practice and the demands made by the engineering industry on our foundries and mills have made the crystalline structure of metals a subject of far more than academic interest. Metals and alloys are made up of crystals. Even if we accept the view, so ably maintained by some metallurgists, that the crystals are separated from one another by an amorphous layer, it remains true that all but a very minute fraction of any metallic mass is crystalline. The conditions which affect the growth of crystals are therefore of importance in metallurgy. It is not only castings whose properties depend on the arrangement of their crystals, for the more we learn of the behavior of forged, rolled and drawn metals, the more certain it becomes that it is profoundly influenced by the size and arrangement of the crystals in the original ingot, determining a structure which may persist in a modified form through a long series of mechanical operations and annealings. This is mainly due to the concentration of much of the impurities in the last portions of the liquid to freeze, so that the boundaries between single crystals or groups of crystals are marked out by a zone of segregated material, differing in properties from the mass, and offering a barrier to diffusion and equalization of composition throughout the whole. The importance of this fact has been fully recognized by steel manufacturers, who have to deal with ingots which are sometimes very large, and are cast at a high temperature, containing impurities which have a marked effect on the properties even when present in very small quantity. For this reason the Iron and Steel Institute has set up a committee to examine the whole question of the heterogeneity of steel ingots,(1)† and a report has been issued, containing an account of the structure of 16 ingots, ranging in weight from 15 cwt. to 172 tons, each of which was sectioned and examined by chemical analysis and by etching. A valuable body of data concerning segregation has thus been collected. The work of the committee is being prosecuted with great activity, and at the same time researches are in progress to determine the physical

Jan 1, 1927

By J. R. Thoenen, M. C. Malamphy, G. K. Dale

THE beginning of the war and the events leading up to it precipitated a near crisis in the aluminum industry. Demands for the metal reached proportions far beyond the prewar production capacities and, in addition, the submarine menace seriously curtailed the importation of bauxite from South America, hitherto a chief source of high-grade ore. The situation required an intensive search for domestic ore to augment the reserves and in October 1941 Congress directed the Department of the Interior to investigate the extent, mode of occurrence, and quality of bauxite in the United States. In December of that year the Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey began the search for bauxite in Arkansas, where more than 90 per cent of the domestic ore had been produced and where the greatest amount of bauxite was known to occur. The program involves the geophysical and geological investigation of the Arkansas bauxite region and the core drilling of areas considered favorable for the occurrence of bauxite deposits. Cores taken from the bauxite-kaolin zone are sampled and analyzed in the Bureau of Mines laboratory in Little Rock. The information from each of the deposits discovered is then assembled, the bauxite is graded with respect to its possible utility, tonnage estimates are made, and the whole is presented in the form of a war minerals report. Thirty-eight new bauxite deposits had been discovered and investigated at the end of the calendar year 1944, and the presence of several others had been indicated by the drilling. More than 5000 holes had been drilled throughout the bauxite region, and more than 60,000 chemical analyses had been made of samples taken from the bauxite-kaolin zone. A study of the chemical analyses led to certain general conclusions not only with regard to the chemical composition of Arkansas bauxite, but also with regard to its component minerals. Charts and diagrams based on these conclusions have been developed for practical use by the Bureau of Mines: (I) to serve as a check against laboratory analyses, (2) to present tonnage estimates of ore bodies based on mineral composition, (3) to illustrate the relationship of tonnages of bauxite to the alumina, silica, and iron content, and (4) to serve as a control for mining operations by providing a means for quick estimates of the value of the ore from a partial analysis of its chemical constituents. The use of charts and diagrams similar to those discussed in this paper is not new. The use of the trilinear diagram for studying the ultimate analyses of coals as originally proposed by Ralston in Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 93 (1915) showed that the various ranks of coal fell in different areas on the diagram and that volatile matter, calorific value and other properties could also be plotted by the use of contours. A considerable subsequent literature, largely on classification of coals, has accumulated since then, showing the utility

Jan 1, 1945

By R. F. Mehl, R. W. Parcel

THE rate of the decomposition of austenite in eutectoid steels, forming only pearlite, may be expressed fundamentally in terms of the rate of nucleation and the rate of growth of pearlite nodules. This matter has received much attention in recent years. (The basic references are listed in ref. 1; references of particular import to the present work will be given separately.) Systematic data have been developed for plain carbon eutectoid steels.:! Although the physical factors affecting the rate of nucleation, N, in case of plain carbon steels have presumably been identified, they cannot as yet be evaluated quantitatively.' Several somewhat successful attempts, however, have been made to calculate the rate of growth, G. In the latter case the important factors determining the edgewise growth of pearlite have been assumed to be: 1—the interlamellar spacing; 2—the concentration extremes and concentration contours of carbon in austenite in front of the growing pearlite interface; and 3—the rate of diffusion of carbon in austenite.* The only systematic data on N and G for pearlite in alloy eutectoid steels are those for Co-steels;6 there are no data on alloy eutectoid steels in which the alloying element is known to decrease the rate of formation of pearlite, apart from a few scattering data reported earlier' for steels containing manganese. This paper reports a systematic study of N and G for eutectoid alloy steels containing molybdenum and nickel, respectively. In order to provide information of help in understanding the results, new data are presented on the effect of molybdenum on the interlamellar spacing of pearlite, So; data on the effect of nickel on So have already been published.' The alloys used were in five groups: 1—Pure Fe-C-Mo alloys (Table I) were supplied by the Climax Molybdenum Company of Michigan, Detroit. They were made from Armco ingot iron of standard analysis, Acheson graphite, and ferro-molybdenum, melted in silica-lined crucibles in a high frequency induction furnace. The ferromolyb-denum was added to the melted steel, followed in 5 min by 0.08 pct Al. The ingot as-cast measured 23/4x 31/4x10 in.; it was hot-forged at 1150°C to a bar 1 in. sq.

Jan 1, 1953

By William Hume-Rothery

I need not say how much I appreciate the honor of being asked to lecture to you, and how much I would thank you for your kind invitation. It is encouraging to feel that the abnormal restrictions of the war have been relaxed sufficiently to allow a free exchange of scientists between our two countries, and I hope that some of you will be persuaded to go to England, and to visit us at Oxford, so that I may repay a little of the kindness I have received from you. As this is one of the first lectures since the end of the war, I have thought it well to describe some of the advances in the theory of alloys which were made in the years between the two World Wars. From the point of view of theoretical science, these years have been of outstanding interest in the history of metallurgy. They have been years in which the development of new and more accurate experimental methods has led to the revelation of many new facts. At the same time, the theoretical developments have enabled some of these facts to be viewed as parts of a general scheme, and we may say that some of the foundations of metallurgical science have been laid. This work was naturally stopped by the Second World War, and it can therefore be reviewed as one definite stage in the development of our Science. To illustrate the new advances, I shall deal mainly with the alloys of copper and silver, since these have revealed many of the general principles. taken, and copper had been found to crystallize in the face-centered cubic structure (Fig I). The determination of this structure naturally was of immense importance in the understanding of our subject, because it meant that we were at last in a position to appreciate the underlying structure out of which the crystal of copper was built. The earlier science of metallography had shown that in many alloys of copper the addition of a second metal in not too large proportions resulted in the formation of a homogeneous alloy which was regarded as a solid solution of the one metal in copper. Fig 2, for example, shows the so-called equilibrium diagram of the copper-zinc alloys, and here you will see that there is a solid solution of zinc in copper extending to something of the order 35 to 40 at. pct zinc.

Jan 1, 1947