Search Documents

By Georges Millot

USUALLY the search for clays is left to chance in unexplored areas. A local working by the inhabitants or an outcrop is often the only guide. If the conditions of genesis of clays were always known, a set of general rules could be drawn up that would apply to this search. For example, a certain type of clay might be found wherever the sediment indicated a favorable environment. This paper sums up the considerable amount of knowledge that has been accumulated about the genesis of sedimentary days and offers some rules to be observed in prospecting for new clays. ANALYTICAL STUDY OF SEDIMENTARY CLAYS Clays may be found in many formations, both recent and ancient. All the intermediums exist between the deep-sea deposit and the mud deposited by a stream. In order to find out whether the nature of clay deposits depends on the environments in which they were formed, the samples used in the investigation described herein were very carefully chosen from: (1) ancient sedimentary series (a few from recent ones), (2) zones where conditions of genesis are typical. Ancient Formations Ancient formations were chosen because they are less difficult to sample than the bottom sediments of present-day lakes and seas. Moreover, a geo- logical section makes it possible to define the conditions of genesis of a deposit based on its facies, fossils, stratigraphic relations, and paleography. A present-day deposit is defined only by its aspect at the moment. Its previous history may have caused mixtures, alterations, and changes of environment, which escape detection. Typical Conditions of Genesis Samples from ancient deposits were taken from zones where typical conditions of genesis prevailed. Only clays from marine, lagoonal, and lacustrine environs are concerned in this study because the nature of the original en- vironments could be affirmed. In this way an inventory of the nature of sedimentary clays has been made for rocks formed in typical and individual environments; therefore the extent of the results that may be drawn from such a study will need discussion.

Jan 1, 1952

By Lyndon L. Foley

The proper spacing of oil wells is a problem of vital importance to the oil industry. Conservation demands a maximum recovery, while economic considerations attach primary importance to profitable extraction of oil. Formulas have been evolved,1-4 which attempt to solve the spacing problem mathematically, using reservoir characteristics as factors. Comparisons have been made of fields producing from supposedly similar sands, which have been drilled to varying densitiesl5,6 and also of different leases in the same field. 5-8 Intermediate wells have been drilled in old, depleted fields to test the efficiency of drainage by the original operation.9-11 Intermediate wells have been drilled also to obtain cores of the depleted sand for analysis, from which to learn the degree of efficiency of extraction. The problem is being attacked by many students, and along several different lines. Unfortunately, the fields now depleted were produced generally without restriction, and conclusions drawn from them may not apply to fields operated under restricted production. Reservoir conditions in a restricted field, especially reservoir pressures and pressure gradients within the reservoir, are quite different from those in a field produced to capacity. Many people have held the idea that the closer the spacing, the greater the recovery. This general statement is not always true, as other factors than well spacing enter into the recovery problem. Cutler,5 who has been quoted frequently by advocates of close spacing, limited his conclusions to gas-drive fields, and to the particular fields and spac-ings that he investigated. Hill and Sutton7 analyzed four tracts in the Powell field; the tract most closely drilled had the third largest recovery per acre-foot, and the tract with the widest spacing had the second largest recovery per acre-foot. A search of the references to well spacing in the publications of the U. S. Bureau of Mines5,13-19 discloses repeated condemnations of the wastefulness of the practice of town-lot drilling.

Jan 1, 1938

By Edward Keller

GOLD MOVEMENT ON SURFACE OF AURIFEROUS COPPER WHEN LATTER IS SUBJECTED TO OXIDATION SOME years ago the writer's attention was called to the fact that rolling-mill scales from auriferous copper do not have the gold content proportional to the gold contained in the copper from which they are derived. I So, later, he made a few simple experiments, which are described herewith. In: order to test the gold movement on the changing surface of a copper plate under the influence of oxidation, plates 6 in. by 8 in. by I in. (15.2 cm. by 20.3 cm. by 2.5 cm.) of converter copper, refined, of 99.29 per cent. purity, and leaded copper with a content of 95.65 per cent. copper, were obtained. Ten cuts were made through the thickness of the plates along the longitudinal center and the silver and gold content ascertained in each of the 10 samples in both plates, as shown in the accompanying illustration. The assay results, recorded in Tables 1 and 2, show that the gold distribution is relatively uniform in both plates, while silver has greater variations, especially in the leaded plate. The plates subjected to oxidation were placed in a red-hot muffle for about 2 hr., two small scorifiers being used as supports. Arranged alongside each other, they nearly filled the width of the muffle, and so were practically under equal conditions of heat and draft. The accurate observance of the time was not possible, however, because of other work, but the time of the exposure of each plate in a pair was identical. At the end of each period, each plate was plunged into water and completely freed of scale, which was carefully collected, dried, weighed, and analyzed. Samples of the plates had also been taken of the molten metal and duly analyzed. Table 3 contains the analytical data for the two plates and their several sheets, or layers, of oxide scales. These figures show that in the oxidations of the converter copper the silver is fairly uniform, while

Jan 1, 1919

By W. D. Smith

It has been 5 years since the writer left the Philippine Islands and while in that country his chief work did not lie in this field, though he has visited all but one of the localities mentioned in this article. The principal field studies relating to oil were M de by his colleague, Mr. Wallace E. Pratt. The writer's investigations ealt with the general stratigraphy and paleontology of the Philippines. with the exception of the investigations made by Mr. Pratt and the writer very little information on this subject is available. A number of geologists in the employ of large oil companies have visited the Islands from time to time but, following the general rule, the public has scarcely ever been permitted to learn anything of the results. The writer is indebted to the Bureau of Insular Affairs, Washington, for late information regarding recent legislation in the Islands relating to petroleum. All the known oil seeps, petroleum residues, such as ozocerite, and natural-gas emanations are associated with Tertiary sediments. The chief seeps and most promising prospects are located as follows: 1. Bondoc Peninsula (lower end), Tayabas Province, Southeast Luzon. 2. The west coast of the island of Cebü from Alegria north to, and perhaps beyond, Toledo. 3. Central Mindanao not far from Lake Lanao. 4. The ozocerite veins on the Island of Leyte in the northwestern part in the vicinity of the town of Villaba. 5. Natural gas from some deep wells in Tertiary shale formations on the eastern flank of the Cordillera and extending out under the plain on the island of Panay. The first mention in geological literature, to the writer's knowledge, of gas or petroleum in the Philippines is found in the description of the Island of Panay by the Spanish geologist, Abella, in the year 1890. In 1898, an oil well was being dug on the estate of Smith Bell & Co., an English concern, near the town of Toledo on the west coast of Cebu. In

Jan 1, 1921

By R. Janes, F. Everard

Pilot plant studies have been conducted on a variety of iron ores of differing composition and grain size to test their amenability to dry autogeneous grinding and dry magnetic concentration. A general description of the pilot plant and its equipment is given with particular reference to the Aerofall mill and the dry magnetic separators developed by the Ontario Research Foundation. Test results are reviewed in detail with emphasis on power consumption, mill speed, the use of ball charges, types of ores, moisture content, separator speeds, and design. In 1957 the Ontario Research Foundation installed a pilot plant (Fig. 1) for the study of dry autogenous grinding and dry magnetic concentration of iron ores. A 61/2-ft Aerofall mill was installed as the dry autogenous crushing and grinding medium. The Cavanagh fast drum and the Double Helix, two dry magnetic separators developed at Ontario Research Foundation, were also installed. Iron ore samples of 10 to 150 tons have been investigated. These ores varied widely in mineralogy and grain size. Taconite (-325 mesh), fine-grained magnetite (200 to 325 mesh), and medium-grained magnetites (65 to 150 mesh) have been treated with varying degrees of success. Lately, considerable research has also been conducted on the metamorphosed magnetite-hematite complexes of the Labrador Trough. Operational and metallurgical data have been compiled from these tests. The effects of ore type, air flow, mill speed, and ball charge on mill operation are discussed. Metallurgical data are also presented to illustrate the operation of the dry magnetic separators. PILOT PLANT DESCRIPTION Fig. 2 depicts the normal flowsheet used. Minus 6-in. ore from a vibrating feeder is fed to the 6%-ft Aerofall mill powered by a 50-hp 550-v induction motor. The main blower, a 25-hp 550-v fan rated at 7000 cfm, draws air through the mill. Finely ground ore is conveyed by the air stream to a horizontal classifier, where expansion and a change in direction cause the +I50 mesh fraction to fall onto a vibrating

Jan 1, 1962

By Kenneth J. Kurry

12.2-1. Introduction. Successful management constantly strives to improve its methods and equipment in order to produce a better product at reduced cost. It is not enough that managers be cost conscious and industrious in these days of rapid, dramatic technological development. They must keep abreast of these developments-new or improved methods, machines, and equipment. Most of the machines and equipment have been carefully designed and perfected by reliable companies. However, improvements and progress often evolve from a definite need and are most successful in a particular operation. What may be the "answer" to the requirements of one company may be totally useless or inefficient to those of another. The manager of today must continuously evaluate the myriad proposals for change that result from modern technology-in terms of the particular needs and objectives of his company-to determine correctly which will best satisfy those needs and reach those objectives. Each new method or piece of equipment must receive careful study to make certain it is compatible with the entire operation. It may solve a problem in one department only to create a new problem in another. There are many pitfalls to be avoided in obtaining the necessary facts, and often these problems are unrelated to the actual use of the equipment or method being studied. All facets of the operation being considered must be thoroughly studied to determine if the method is compatible to the entire operation. For example, in considering a possible recommendation that a certain method and type of equipment be used to transport ore, some of the factors that should receive close scrutiny are: blasting procedure, maintenance, turning radius, percent grades, weather extremes, dumping problems, tire problems, length of haul, operator acceptance, or mismatched equipment. Failure to consider every factor-large and small, present and future-in evaluating a proposed change can mean a large investment in a new method or machine that will have to be continued for years at higher-than-antici-

Jan 1, 1968

By D. M. Collingwood

The year 1928 has been marked by scattered but considerable wildcat drilling considering the overproduction prevalent in the oil industry. This wildcatting has resulted in the discovery of oil in one interior salt dome, several small fields producing from serpentine, Taylor marl, and Austin chalk, and two new fields producing from the Edwards limestone, one of which in the Bruner or Salt Flat area of Caldwell County promises to be of major importance if not quite as large as the Luling field. Fig. 1 shows production by fields for 1928, compared in the case of the older fields, with that for 1927. New Production From Salt Domes Boggy Creek Dome This salt dome was discovered in 1927 by core drilling and deep tests recommended on the evidence of surface geology. A large block of acreage controlled by the Humble Oil & Refining Co. covers the dome. Since the discovery of the deep-lying salt plug and oil on the flank of this dome in 1927, development has proceeded slowly. Since most of the acreage is controlled in a large block by one company there has been no intensive competitive drilling. Approximately 8 producers and 16 dry holes have been drilled. Production is from the eastern equivalent of the Woodbine and Eagleford horizons of the Mexia district, and has been found extending in a northeast-southnlest direction across the River Neches on the southeast flank of the dome. One of the best wells, the T. H. Jones No. 2, had an initial production of 90 bbl. per hr., and others have made from 100 bbl. per day to 50 bbl. per hr., but production of the better wells has either been shut in or choked down to less than 2000 bbl. per day. At the end of the year the daily average, production was about 2500 bbl. from 8 wells. Considerable gas pressure is present and one well, the Elliot Clark No. 2, drilled in 1927, was shut in with an estimated wet gas production of over 5,000,000 cubic feet.

Jan 1, 1929

By Anthony Anable

The definite trend to stricter specifications with respect to hydraulic concrete has become increasingly manifest in the last six years or so; but it remained for the vast reclamation projects of the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior of the last few years to focus attention on this trend, and to demonstrate how thousands of tons of concrete-making aggregates can be produced continuously and automatically with a control of fineness comparable with that obtained with small samples in well equipped private and governmental laboratories. Pioneer work in this direction was done, to be sure, by private companies, notably the Kaiser Paving Co. of San Francisco, prior to the present vast public works program. Then in 1931 came the first great aggregates-preparation plant of the Six Companies, Inc. to supply construction materials for Boulder Darn1 in Nevada, and now, in 1936, the aggregates plant of the Mason-Walsh-Atkinson-Kier Co., general contractors on the Grand Coulee darn in Washington. At Boulder dam and to an even greater degree at Grand Coulee dam, sand production is recognized as probably the most important single element affecting the physical characteristics of the concrete. For in the construction of dams accurate grading of the fine aggregate has considerable bearing on the attainment of a uniform and homogeneous concrete of a high degree of workability and placeability and, at the same time, combining high density and low cement content. Low cement content is of value not only from the standpoint of ceonomy but also because the use of an unnecessarily rich concrete causes certain undesirable characteristics to develop. This paper will relate how at Grand Coulee dam methods that are more advanced than ever before are producing four sizes of gravel and a sand having a fineness modulus of 2.5-3.0. The design capacity is 1000 tons an hour. Significantly, the methods and equipment employed arc broadly those that have been used for a generation in metallurgical mills for accurately sizing and grading both precious

Jan 1, 1938

By Anthony Anable

The definite trend to stricter specifications with respect to hydraulic concrete has become increasingly manifest in the last six years or so; but it remained for the vast reclamation projects of the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior of the last few years to focus attention on this trend, and to demonstrate how thousands of tons of concrete-making aggregates can be produced continuously and automatically with a control of fineness comparable with that obtained with small samples in well equipped private and governmental laboratories. Pioneer work in this direction was done, to be sure, by private companies, notably the Kaiser Paving Co. of San Francisco, prior to the present vast public works program. Then in 1931 came the first great aggregates-preparation plant of the Six Companies, Inc. to supply construction materials for Boulder Darn1 in Nevada, and now, in 1936, the aggregates plant of the Mason-Walsh-Atkinson-Kier Co., general contractors on the Grand Coulee darn in Washington. At Boulder dam and to an even greater degree at Grand Coulee dam, sand production is recognized as probably the most important single element affecting the physical characteristics of the concrete. For in the construction of dams accurate grading of the fine aggregate has considerable bearing on the attainment of a uniform and homogeneous concrete of a high degree of workability and placeability and, at the same time, combining high density and low cement content. Low cement content is of value not only from the standpoint of ceonomy but also because the use of an unnecessarily rich concrete causes certain undesirable characteristics to develop. This paper will relate how at Grand Coulee dam methods that are more advanced than ever before are producing four sizes of gravel and a sand having a fineness modulus of 2.5-3.0. The design capacity is 1000 tons an hour. Significantly, the methods and equipment employed arc broadly those that have been used for a generation in metallurgical mills for accurately sizing and grading both precious

Jan 1, 1938

By Charles H. Behre

UNDER the caption "fault," geologists intend to include all mass movements of solid rocks over adjacent rock masses. When these are studied long after their origin, however, circumstances make it possible to recognize as "fault" only formations showing clear evidence of actual movement of one side with respect to the other. Necessarily the chief evidence consists of the offset of a vein, bed, or other key structure. Planes of movement parallel to the bedding, or nearly so, are recognized with difficulty or are overlooked and hence many important faults are wholly unrecorded. Indeed, among standard American references on structural geology, one alone emphasizes the importance of bedding-plane movements and that one only briefly1. For some time the writer, cognizant of this difficulty, has paid special attention to such movements, both as observed in the field and as recorded in the literature. It is believed that enough data are now at hand to justify a short discussion. Its purposes are fivefold. It is desired first to briefly classify and describe at least the more common kinds of bedding-plane faults, and second, to examine the causes and manner of their formation, at least in instances where the subject has not yet been well covered by other investigators. Third, certain by-products of bedding- lane movements are of such conspicuous importance to the economic geologist and mining engineer as to merit mention. Fourth, concrete illustrations should be placed before the reader in order to lend reality and to furnish a basis of comparison with his experience; such illustrations will necessarily be scattered through the text of this paper. They are only in part from the writer's own field observations. The fifth and prime objective of this paper is to direct attention to the great importance of movements on the bedding planes, in the hope that the recognition of such movements and their significance may simplify mining problems.

Jan 1, 1937

By A. R. T. Denues

LIQUID-OXYGEN explosives commonly consist of a carbonaceous absorbent enclosed in a canvas wrapper and soaked with a liquid containing more than 90 mol per cent of oxygen. Investigation of these explosives in this country was initiated in 1917 by George S. Rice, then Chief Mining Engineer of the Bureau of Mines. The early development is summarized in two papers.1,2 Their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages were considered in a recent bulletin of the Bureau of Mines.,3 Other publications of this Bureau4, 5 treat the technology of these explosives and contain adequate references to pertinent literature. These investigations defined the properties of liquid-oxygen explosives and improved them greatly; however, an outstanding disadvantage is their high inflammability, a property of critical practical importance. These explosives as hitherto prepared are easily inflamed; the combustion resulting from an accidental ignition is particularly dangerous because of the ease with which it passes into detonation. For this reason the Bureau of Mines undertook a cooperative investigation, which has resulted in the development of fire-retardant treatment for the minimization or elimination of this hazard without materially impairing the explosive properties, including the ease of detonation. This presentation will offer a general description of the investigation and the outstanding results. Further phases will appear in subsequent short papers, and the entire investigation including the results of detailed experiments will be available in a forthcoming bulletin of the Bureau of Mines (Bull. 429). The effects produced by fire-retardant treatments of the carbonaceous absorbent and of the canvas wrappers were investigated separately, and the efficacy of combinations of these treatments with particular reference to the possibility of inflammation and to the development of detonation from inflammation was studied. The experimental explosive was pre¬pared from a granular carbonaceous absorbent and. the results described maybe more or less unique for such a material. An extensive preliminary

Jan 1, 1940

By O’Brian. Daniel T.

Ore reserve determinations supporting property appraisals and economic analyses leading to investment decisions typically require many repetitive calculations. Computers have become well-accepted tools for accomplishing these computations, and are partly responsible for the development of new evaluation methods during the last decade. Excellent descriptions of manual ore reserve may be compared with current computer reserve methods1,2 in North America2 and South Africa3. A comparison indicates that computers are used in two cases: a) when a cost savings can be achieved by the simple conversion of a manual method to a computer processed equivalent, and b) when the quantity of data and ore reserve estimation purpose justifies adoption of a complex ore reserve computational method not feasible on a manual basis. Ore reserve computations essentially consist of using sample data and a mathematical method to arrive at an estimated geometry, tonnage, and grade for a mineral deposit. The mineral deposit is then subdivided, if necessary, into ore and waste components. This separation is based on economic factors which may be explicitly introduced in the computation or incorporated in a numerical cutoff grade4. Computer methods for accomplishing these tasks are presented in three papers. "The Use of Contour Surfaces as Predictive Models for Ore Values" discusses the requirements for a satisfactory value prediction model and the importance of considering auto -covariance. A weighted moving average method is described and compared to other mathematical surface development methods. In the second paper, "The Applications and Limitations of Computer Techniques in the Evaluation of Hypothermal Tin Lodes," particular problems encountered in estimating geometrically erratic economic deposits with a low valuable mineral content are documented. Economics and probabilistic concepts are introduced, allowing a comparison of risk and speculative value for a deposit. Economic considerations are integrated with ore estimation techniques in the third paper, "Method of Calculation of the Iron Ore Reserves in the Lorraine Deposit." The prediction model

Jan 1, 1969

By Kendall E. Born

PRoduction of crude oil in Tennessee during 1938 was slightly more than 41,000 bbl., an increase of about 5000 bbl. over 1937. The production by counties and by fields is shown in Table 1. The increased production has resulted from continued activity in the Upper Cumberland district, especially in Clay County. The "Mississippi lime" production in Scott and Morgan Counties continued to show a further decline with a 1938 production of 12,379 bbl. as against 14,644 bbl. during 1937. Small scattered production from some half dozen wells in Clay, Pickett, and Fentress Counties, on which there are no accurate figures, is estimated at 500 bbl. during the year. The only natural gas marketed off the lease in Tennessee during 1938 was in Morgan County, where a small amount was furnished for the town of Sunbright and immediate vicinity. The gas occurs with the oil in the Boone Camp field and small amounts were put on the line from the near-by Coon Hollow and Seabolt pools. Developments There were 88 wells spudded in during 1938, of which 10 were drilling or only temporarily shut down on Dec. 31, 1938. Eighty wells were completed during the year; 16 produced oil and 3 were gas wells of undetermined quantity. The total footage drilled on 1938 completions was 63,385 ft. Flush production during the year totaled 850 bbl. per day. The more important wildcats are listed in Table 2; the distribution of oil and gas tests drilled during the year, according to physiographic divisions, is given in Table 3. Cumberland Plateau There were no completions in the producing pools in Scott and Morgan Counties. The decline in production in these areas has been steady for the past several years. In an effort to revive production, present plans include a repressuring program in the Boone Camp field in Morgan County early in 1939. There was one completion in Morgan

Jan 1, 1939

By Karl Sundberg

DURING the past few years Swedish geo-electrical prospecting methods have been described in several papers; namely, by us in a paper en-titled "Electrical Prospecting in Sweden," published by the Geological Survey of Sweden, 1925, and in a paper, "Electrical and Electro-Magnetic Prospecting," read by Hans Lundberg at the 1926 annual meeting of the A.I.M.E. In a written discussion on the latter paper, Theodore Zuschlag has made some observations, pub-lished in the Trans. Vol. LXXIV, which has just ap-peared. In this discussion the theories of the Swedish geo-electrical methods are criticized. The statements of Mr. Zuschlag are the reason for, our submitting the following information.1 In developing an art, such as electrical prospecting, the first thing to do, of course, is to make clear the fun-damental principles of electrical prospecting and then apply them to practice. This application cannot, in this case, be made by theoretical calculations only, because Nature is far too complicated to permit of exact theo-retical calculations on the phenomena involved in prac-tical electrical prospecting. Therefore, it is necessary to start with simplified cases, then turn to more and more complicated ones, and, finally, to test the applica-tion of results found, first in the laboratory and then in the field under known conditions.. Only in this way can results of practical value be obtained. This pro-cedure comprises three important parts: theory, the work in the laboratory, and the work in the field. In the papers mentioned above, we have briefly out-lined the work done in developing the Swedish geo-electrical methods, mainly giving some practical results, because these are most important and most likely to interest mining people. Possibly, because the discus-sion of theoretical considerations in our papers has been brief and sketchy, Mr. Zuschlag feels justified in in-ferring that the theories used as the foundation in Swedish electrical prospecting methods are not free from fundamental objections. His fundamental ob-jections are:

Jan 3, 1927

By W. T. Jr. Thom

IN PREVIOUS classifications of coal, it has been customary to regard moisture eliminated from coal samples between 20° and 100° C. as extraneous matter, rather than as a constituent part of the coal. It seems, however, that the physical character and use properties of the low-rank coals are directly related to the amount of such moisture present, and recent chemical work has shown1 that such coals contain unstable groupings which decompose between 20° C. and temperatures somewhat above 100° C., with the splitting off of moisture. According to this view, the moisture eliminated from air-dried coal below boiling point is similar in all essential respects to moisture eliminated above 100° C., and is produced by analogous reactions; and inasmuch as the moisture given off above 100° C. has always been treated as a constituent of the volatile matter of coal, it would seem that consistent usage would include as a part of the volatile matter all moisture present as an essential component of the coal as it occurs in nature. As a matter of experience, it seems clear that the general physical and chemical characteristics of the low-rank coals are largely determined by or related to the moisture, whether chemically or physically combined, present in air-dried coal; it is also demonstrable by trial that the low-rank coals cannot be satisfactorily classified on a purely chemical basis by using the moisture free form of analysis. The low-rank coals of the western United States include numerous well-defined types, many of which were referred to in a classification proposed by Ashley,2 in which the physical and use properties of the coals were made the primary basis for their systematic grouping. When testing this classification by replotting analyses of these type coals according to the Seyler scheme of classification,3 a satisfactory parallelism between use properties and chemical constitution of the dry coal was found among

Jan 5, 1925

By Kendall E. Born

PRoduction of crude oil in Tennessee during 1938 was slightly more than 41,000 bbl., an increase of about 5000 bbl. over 1937. The production by counties and by fields is shown in Table 1. The increased production has resulted from continued activity in the Upper Cumberland district, especially in Clay County. The "Mississippi lime" production in Scott and Morgan Counties continued to show a further decline with a 1938 production of 12,379 bbl. as against 14,644 bbl. during 1937. Small scattered production from some half dozen wells in Clay, Pickett, and Fentress Counties, on which there are no accurate figures, is estimated at 500 bbl. during the year. The only natural gas marketed off the lease in Tennessee during 1938 was in Morgan County, where a small amount was furnished for the town of Sunbright and immediate vicinity. The gas occurs with the oil in the Boone Camp field and small amounts were put on the line from the near-by Coon Hollow and Seabolt pools. Developments There were 88 wells spudded in during 1938, of which 10 were drilling or only temporarily shut down on Dec. 31, 1938. Eighty wells were completed during the year; 16 produced oil and 3 were gas wells of undetermined quantity. The total footage drilled on 1938 completions was 63,385 ft. Flush production during the year totaled 850 bbl. per day. The more important wildcats are listed in Table 2; the distribution of oil and gas tests drilled during the year, according to physiographic divisions, is given in Table 3. Cumberland Plateau There were no completions in the producing pools in Scott and Morgan Counties. The decline in production in these areas has been steady for the past several years. In an effort to revive production, present plans include a repressuring program in the Boone Camp field in Morgan County early in 1939. There was one completion in Morgan

Jan 1, 1939

By Philip Wilson

THE genesis of some orebodies has been explained by the mingling and chemical interaction of water solutions of different compositions and the consequent precipitation of the mineral load of one or both solutions at their confluence. While this process can be proved in the laboratory, rarely can a positive demonstration be found in nature, for the conditions at the time an ore deposit is being worked are usually entirely different from those that existed when the orebody was formed. For this reason, the present deposition of copper carbonate in the southern end of the Briggs Mine of the Calumet and Arizona Mining Co. near Bisbee, Ariz., is of great interest. The developed orebodies in the Calumet and Arizona mines are roughly confined to two broad parallel zones separated at the north by a wedge of. Copper Queen ground and at the south by an undeveloped block of Calumet and Arizona ground about 2000 ft. (610 m.) wide. The more westerly zone includes the Irish Mag, Oliver, P. and D., and Cole mines, none of which have been operated since 1919. Much of the water from this division is carried from the 1400-ft., or bottom, level at the southern end of the Cole mine in a long water drift through the undeveloped block to the 1300-ft. level of the Briggs mine at the southern end of the more easterly zone.. Most of this water comes originally from outlying areas in the P. and D., mine, passing through parts of the lower levels of the Cole mine, which are heavily mineralized with iron and copper sulfides. This sulfide zone has been opened up and slowly oxidizing for years. Originally a pure, potable water, the analyses of which are shown under A in Tables 1 and 2, on its way through the mineralized area in the Cole mine it gathers copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum sulfates, a load of dissolved mineral salts almost four times as great as that which it formerly carried; analyses B

Jan 7, 1922

Discussion of the paper of N. V. Hansell, presented at the Cleveland meeting, October, 1912, and published in Bulletin. No. 72, December, 1912, pp. 1497 to 1,517. F. L. GRAMMER, Leesburg, Va. (communication to the Secretary*).:-Mr. Hansell conies from a country where charcoal is the fuel, and fuel is therefore costly. The Swedes appreciate more than most Americans the value of ore-concentration, not only in fuel-economy, but also in its influence on the quality of metal produced. Neither in these particulars nor in our knowledge of the dressing of iron-ore do I think. we can claim to be their equals. A 60 per cent. ore is not merely- twice, but more than four times, as valuable as an ore carrying 30 per cent,. Failure to appreciate this fact explains many idle American stacks, erected in defiance of it. Next to the rule that the equipment-cost of a blast-furnace increases approximately as the square of the hearth-diameter, I know of no mathematical relations involved in smelting iron which are less appreciated than the disadvantages of lean ores. Mr. Orn told me, when I was in Stockholm, that 2,500 patents on magnetic concentration had been taken out. He may have been joking as to the exact figure, but his remark indicated the great activity of inventors in this field. The magnetic separators seem to represent two main ideas, namely, wet and dry separation. The wet separators, such as the Gröndal, are applicable to ores requiring the greatest comminution by reason of the small particles of associated minerals or because of the occurrence of magnetite with a soft mineral likely to cake, as in those of Cornwall, Pa. Of the dry magnetic separators some are well suited for large-grained ores, such as those of Mineville, N. Y. We have also magnetic separators, like the Wetherill, for ores not usually classed as magnetic.

Jan 5, 1913

By David White

The submission of carefully prepared estimates of the oil reserves of the United States calls for no apology or explanation. In this country, petroleum is a rapidly wasting asset and an occasional appraisal of the amount remaining in the ground is a simple business procedure to safeguard the general welfare and the prosperity of the republic. The rumored danger of failure, in the near future, of the foreign supply on which we depend in constantly increasing amounts makes the immcdiatc review of our available reserves the more imperative. The Director of the U. S. Geological Survey, in March, 1921, requested the American Association of Petroleum Geologists to cooperate in the preparation of new estimates of the oil remaining in the graund. With the members of this cooperative committee, state geologists, regional geologists, oonsulting specialists, and geologists and engineers attached to many companies worked both independently and through subcommittees. The reports for districts, counties, fields, etc., after review by local or state committees, were discussed by the joint cooperative committee in conferences that, in some instances, were attended by the original compilers of estimates for the states or smaller areas. Finally the data were reviewed and the figures revised by the joint cooperative committee, so that the totals given in Table 1 represent the opinion of the committee, which was composed of F. W. DeWolf, W. E. Wrather, Roswell H. Johnsont Wallace A. Pratt, Alexander W. McCoy, Carl H. Beal, C. T. Lupton, G. C. Matson, K. C. Heald, W. T. Thom, Jr., A. E. Fath, Kirtley F. Mather, R. C. Moore, and David White, chairman. Oil geologists and engineers understand well the speculative nature and the chances of error that must attend estimates of the petroleum in the ground when they cover not merely prospective territory, but possible territory. Neither the character nor the magnitude of the factors of uncertainty is to be disguised. Further, the inevitable differences of opinion between geologists of equal rank and experience must also bc

Jan 1, 1923

By David White

The submission of carefully prepared estimates of the oil reserves of the United States calls for no apology or explanation. In this country, petroleum is a rapidly wasting asset and an occasional appraisal of the amount remaining in the ground is a simple business procedure to safeguard the general welfare and the prosperity of the republic. The rumored danger of failure, in the near future, of the foreign supply on which we depend in constantly increasing amounts makes the immcdiatc review of our available reserves the more imperative. The Director of the U. S. Geological Survey, in March, 1921, requested the American Association of Petroleum Geologists to cooperate in the preparation of new estimates of the oil remaining in the graund. With the members of this cooperative committee, state geologists, regional geologists, oonsulting specialists, and geologists and engineers attached to many companies worked both independently and through subcommittees. The reports for districts, counties, fields, etc., after review by local or state committees, were discussed by the joint cooperative committee in conferences that, in some instances, were attended by the original compilers of estimates for the states or smaller areas. Finally the data were reviewed and the figures revised by the joint cooperative committee, so that the totals given in Table 1 represent the opinion of the committee, which was composed of F. W. DeWolf, W. E. Wrather, Roswell H. Johnsont Wallace A. Pratt, Alexander W. McCoy, Carl H. Beal, C. T. Lupton, G. C. Matson, K. C. Heald, W. T. Thom, Jr., A. E. Fath, Kirtley F. Mather, R. C. Moore, and David White, chairman. Oil geologists and engineers understand well the speculative nature and the chances of error that must attend estimates of the petroleum in the ground when they cover not merely prospective territory, but possible territory. Neither the character nor the magnitude of the factors of uncertainty is to be disguised. Further, the inevitable differences of opinion between geologists of equal rank and experience must also bc

Jan 1, 1923