Search Documents

By Chung Yu Wang, Guy C. Riddle

There are found in nature upward of II2 minerals containing antimony, but only a few of them, listed in Table I, can be considered as antimony ore-forming minerals. Stibnite (Sb2S3), antimony sulphide or glance, is the principal ore of antimony. The oxide ores—cervantite, kermesite, valentinite, sernarmontite—occur sparingly in nature. Dry methods are generally adopted for the extraction of the metal. Electrometal-lurgical methods have had much attention in America and Germany and have not yet found, on economic grounds, practical or extended application, except in a few places. During recent years, treatment of the poor grades of the ore, especially sulphide, by ore-dressing methods, has commanded some attention and been adopted at a few plants. The impure sulphide of antimony, resulting from the liquation process, is called lLneedle," "liquated" or "crude" anti- mony, and the refined metal itself is called antimony "regulus." The different processes for the treatment of antimony ores are shown in the diagram of Fig. I. Liquation of Crude Antimony The first step in the smelting of antimony is a simple one, the process of LLliquation," which produces crude or needle antimony. Ores containing $ 50 per cent Sb are used in the liquation process for the production of crude. The temperature required for liquation is between 550' and 600°C. Ores to be liquated are broken to about walnut size. If the pieces are larger than this, the low heat used will not penetrate' effectively, and if they are smaller the ore tends to pack too closely for adequate penetration. A packed charge also prevents the free escape of the fused sulphide. Intermittent Liquation in Crucibles The unique type of furnace that is in use in China for smelting is not highly efficient but is simple in construction and operation. The furnace is generally built

Jan 1, 1944

By W. H. Emmons

In 1922 Morey made a series of experiments in which he observed the cooling of a molten system containing H2O, 9.1 per cent; K2O, 17.3 per cent and SiO2, 73.6 per cent. This system was confined in a bomb; it was fluid at 500° C. and exerted no vapor pressure. In cooling to 420° C. a large part of it crystallized and at that temperature much of the water had separated from the crystals and remained as steam, which built up a pressure of 4998 lb. per sq. in., a force sufficient to lift nearly one mile of granite.' If granite, cooling at 600°, expels vapor in the process of crystallization it is reasonable to suppose that a considerably greater vapor pressure would result, and it is thought that the vapor expelled from crystallizing granitic batholiths probably has a pressure sufficient to lift two or three miles of granite. This vapor, collecting near the tops of cupolas of batholiths, is believed to exert sufficient pressure to fracture the hoods and roofs of batholiths above the cupolas. If that is true, one would expect to find that the fracture systems above cupolas are arranged in patterns that depend in part on the shapes of the cupolas. The mechanics of the situation seem to require that conical cupolas should have radial fracture patterns, that bluntly rounded cupolas should have fracture systems that are either irregular or rudely conjugated in plan, and that elongated stocks or cupolas should have fracture systems in which the fractu'res lie nearly parallel to the direction of the elongation of the cupolas. Study of essentially all the cupolas of the earth that have associated important vein-filled fractures shows that this is generally true. This

Jan 1, 1935

By W. H. Emmons

In 1922 Morey made a series of experiments in which he observed the cooling of a molten system containing H2O, 9.1 per cent; K2O, 17.3 per cent and SiO2, 73.6 per cent. This system was confined in a bomb; it was fluid at 500° C. and exerted no vapor pressure. In cooling to 420° C. a large part of it crystallized and at that temperature much of the water had separated from the crystals and remained as steam, which built up a pressure of 4998 lb. per sq. in., a force sufficient to lift nearly one mile of granite.' If granite, cooling at 600°, expels vapor in the process of crystallization it is reasonable to suppose that a considerably greater vapor pressure would result, and it is thought that the vapor expelled from crystallizing granitic batholiths probably has a pressure sufficient to lift two or three miles of granite. This vapor, collecting near the tops of cupolas of batholiths, is believed to exert sufficient pressure to fracture the hoods and roofs of batholiths above the cupolas. If that is true, one would expect to find that the fracture systems above cupolas are arranged in patterns that depend in part on the shapes of the cupolas. The mechanics of the situation seem to require that conical cupolas should have radial fracture patterns, that bluntly rounded cupolas should have fracture systems that are either irregular or rudely conjugated in plan, and that elongated stocks or cupolas should have fracture systems in which the fractu'res lie nearly parallel to the direction of the elongation of the cupolas. Study of essentially all the cupolas of the earth that have associated important vein-filled fractures shows that this is generally true. This

Jan 1, 1935

In 1922 Morey made a series of experiments in which he observed the cooling of a molten system containing H2O, 9.1 per cent; K2O, 17.3 per cent and SiO2, 73.6 per cent. This system was confined in a bomb; it was fluid at 500° C. and exerted no vapor pressure. In cooling to 420° C. a large part of it crystallized and at that temperature much of the water had separated from the crystals and remained as steam, which built up a pressure of 4998 lb. per sq. in., a force sufficient to lift nearly one mile of granite.' If granite, cooling at 600°, expels vapor in the process of crystallization it is reasonable to suppose that a considerably greater vapor pressure would result, and it is thought that the vapor expelled from crystallizing granitic batholiths probably has a pressure sufficient to lift two or three miles of granite. This vapor, collecting near the tops of cupolas of batholiths, is believed to exert sufficient pressure to fracture the hoods and roofs of batholiths above the cupolas. If that is true, one would expect to find that the fracture systems above cupolas are arranged in patterns that depend in part on the shapes of the cupolas. The mechanics of the situation seem to require that conical cupolas should have radial fracture patterns, that bluntly rounded cupolas should have fracture systems that are either irregular or rudely conjugated in plan, and that elongated stocks or cupolas should have fracture systems in which the fractu'res lie nearly parallel to the direction of the elongation of the cupolas. Study of essentially all the cupolas of the earth that have associated important vein-filled fractures shows that this is generally true. This

Jan 1, 1935

By W. H. Emmons

In 1922 Morey made a series of experiments in which he observed the cooling of a molten system containing H2O, 9.1 per cent; K2O, 17.3 per cent and SiO2, 73.6 per cent. This system was confined in a bomb; it was fluid at 500° C. and exerted no vapor pressure. In cooling to 420° C. a large part of it crystallized and at that temperature much of the water had separated from the crystals and remained as steam, which built up a pressure of 4998 lb. per sq. in., a force sufficient to lift nearly one mile of granite.' If granite, cooling at 600°, expels vapor in the process of crystallization it is reasonable to suppose that a considerably greater vapor pressure would result, and it is thought that the vapor expelled from crystallizing granitic batholiths probably has a pressure sufficient to lift two or three miles of granite. This vapor, collecting near the tops of cupolas of batholiths, is believed to exert sufficient pressure to fracture the hoods and roofs of batholiths above the cupolas. If that is true, one would expect to find that the fracture systems above cupolas are arranged in patterns that depend in part on the shapes of the cupolas. The mechanics of the situation seem to require that conical cupolas should have radial fracture patterns, that bluntly rounded cupolas should have fracture systems that are either irregular or rudely conjugated in plan, and that elongated stocks or cupolas should have fracture systems in which the fractu'res lie nearly parallel to the direction of the elongation of the cupolas. Study of essentially all the cupolas of the earth that have associated important vein-filled fractures shows that this is generally true. This

Jan 1, 1935

By W. H. Emmons

In 1922 Morey made a series of experiments in which he observed the cooling of a molten system containing H2O, 9.1 per cent; K2O, 17.3 per cent and SiO2, 73.6 per cent. This system was confined in a bomb; it was fluid at 500° C. and exerted no vapor pressure. In cooling to 420° C. a large part of it crystallized and at that temperature much of the water had separated from the crystals and remained as steam, which built up a pressure of 4998 lb. per sq. in., a force sufficient to lift nearly one mile of granite.' If granite, cooling at 600°, expels vapor in the process of crystallization it is reasonable to suppose that a considerably greater vapor pressure would result, and it is thought that the vapor expelled from crystallizing granitic batholiths probably has a pressure sufficient to lift two or three miles of granite. This vapor, collecting near the tops of cupolas of batholiths, is believed to exert sufficient pressure to fracture the hoods and roofs of batholiths above the cupolas. If that is true, one would expect to find that the fracture systems above cupolas are arranged in patterns that depend in part on the shapes of the cupolas. The mechanics of the situation seem to require that conical cupolas should have radial fracture patterns, that bluntly rounded cupolas should have fracture systems that are either irregular or rudely conjugated in plan, and that elongated stocks or cupolas should have fracture systems in which the fractu'res lie nearly parallel to the direction of the elongation of the cupolas. Study of essentially all the cupolas of the earth that have associated important vein-filled fractures shows that this is generally true. This

Jan 1, 1935

By R. C. Temps, G. E. Aiken

Compania de Acero del Pacifico, S.A., the sole Chilean steel producer, is adding to the expanding Chilean economy with development of the El Algarrobo mine. Expected to go on stream early in 1962, Algarrobo is a conventional open pit mine that will include facilities for ore extraction, crushing and screening, rail transport to the harbor at Huasco, modern ship-loading equipment and maintenance shops. CAP anticipates producing 1.38 mil- lion tons annually of high-grade ore for national and world market consumption. Chilean and North American management and engineering teams combined more than a decade ago in the financing and building of CAP'S Huachipato integrated steel plant. A similar performance is being achieved in northern Chile near the town of Vallenar with the opening of a 50-year supply of iron ore from the Algarrobo deposit. This successful intra-American undertaking deserves special mention in these times when some U.S. foreign assistance programs must be defended, particularly with respect to Latin America. North American financial participation in Algarrobo, through the Export-Import Bank of Washington, represents the greatest portion of the $24 million being invested.

Jan 3, 1962

By Alan Morris

BRASS rod for use in automatic screw machines is one of the major products of the brass mills. A large tonnage is consumed each year in the manufacture of an endless variety of finished articles and parts for assembly into other products. The machines that do this work have been developed to a high degree of efficiency, and their manufacturers are still striving for higher production speeds. This development has brought with it a demand for brass rod to meet the increasingly difficult machining conditions. This paper is a report of the results of tests undertaken in an effort to obtain a measure of the effects of such variables as lead content, microstructure and cold work on the machinability of brass rod. It is realized that the term "machinability" has never been well defined. Power, finish and tool life all should have a place in such a. definition. In practice it is sometimes found necessary to sacrifice some of these in order to obtain a rod that will not tend to throw up a burr, or will give a burr which is easily tumbled off. Again a specially stiff rod may be necessary because of long overhang from the chuck or a rod of special characteristics is needed to take a given broaching operation without chattering. It is only through an understanding of the effect of basic mill operations on the machinability of the rod that such problems as these may be solved most economically. It is hoped that this paper, together with the discussion it may evoke, will prove to be a basis for such an understanding.

Jan 1, 1932

SPEAKING generally, it may be said that leaching is the simplest method of recovering copper from its ores. Likewise it is perhaps the oldest method of treatment used by copper metallurgists of the modern era. Reliable records indicate that as early as 1752 cupriferous pyrite was leached in the famous Rio Tinto region in Spain. Though the manipulation was quite different from that in use today at Chuquicamata, New Cornelia, Inspiration, and Andes, it resembled that employed by Phelps Dodge at Bisbee, as described in Chapter XIV. Leaching consists of subjecting ore to the action of a liquid solvent or menstruum (usually an aqueous solution) which dissolves the major part of the soluble copper minerals. The resulting pregnant solution is drained off or otherwise separated from the residual ore; and the copper in the solution is then recovered by some appropriate means of precipitation. When sulphuric acid is the lixiviant, as is usual, the simplest procedure is to pass the copper-bearing solution through large troughs containing scrap iron. The iron displaces the copper in the solution, precipitating it as a slime coating the iron and varying in color -from bright copper to a dull black. This may be washed off at intervals, collected as a sludge, dried, and melted with a little fluxing material to produce reasonably pure copper. Usually, of course, the mud is sent to a smelter where most often its destination is the converter or reverberatory furnace. Modern practice uses precipitation on iron only as a complemental process to electrolytic precipitation or deposition, wherein the pregnant copper-bearing solution, acting as the electrolyte in a cell having insoluble anodes and copper cathodes, is depleted of the copper it contains. Cathode copper, 99.5 per cent pure, is produced ready for the market as refined copper, or for a simple process of melting, fire-refining, and casting in

Jan 1, 1933

By Charles Y. Clayton

The shank, to give good service, should not upset nor should it cause excessive wear on the various parts of the machine. To fulfill these requirements, the steel must have a certain hardness—that is, resistance to deformation. The hardness is expressed in conventional terms, as Brinell or scleroscope number. Before deciding on the hardness that is proper, several factors should be considered; the most important are: type of drill steel used (whether hollow or solid), length of steel, nature of ground, air pressure, and hardness of hammer or anvil block (usually 600 Brinell). These are not all, but they are the most cogent ones. Without doubt, it would be better to use a shank that is too soft than one that is too hard. Most satisfactory service will be obtained from shanks that are just hard enough to resist any tendency to upset. To express the proper hardness in terms of Brinell numbers would mean a great many tests over a long period of time, or a study of drill steels that are being used successfully in the various districts. To obtain some information along this line, the persons making this investigation requested, a number of companies to send to them drill shanks that had been given the usual treatment at that mine. The results of the hardness tests are given in Table 1. The hardness values given in Table 2 are those of shanks known to have been quenched in water and drawn. These results show that where water quenching and drawing are in vogue the hardness is rarely under 400 Brinell.

Jan 1, 1923

By Charles Y. Clayton

The shank, to give good service, should not upset nor should it cause excessive wear on the various parts of the machine. To fulfill these requirements, the steel must have a certain hardness—that is, resistance to deformation. The hardness is expressed in conventional terms, as Brinell or scleroscope number. Before deciding on the hardness that is proper, several factors should be considered; the most important are: type of drill steel used (whether hollow or solid), length of steel, nature of ground, air pressure, and hardness of hammer or anvil block (usually 600 Brinell). These are not all, but they are the most cogent ones. Without doubt, it would be better to use a shank that is too soft than one that is too hard. Most satisfactory service will be obtained from shanks that are just hard enough to resist any tendency to upset. To express the proper hardness in terms of Brinell numbers would mean a great many tests over a long period of time, or a study of drill steels that are being used successfully in the various districts. To obtain some information along this line, the persons making this investigation requested, a number of companies to send to them drill shanks that had been given the usual treatment at that mine. The results of the hardness tests are given in Table 1. The hardness values given in Table 2 are those of shanks known to have been quenched in water and drawn. These results show that where water quenching and drawing are in vogue the hardness is rarely under 400 Brinell.

Jan 1, 1923

By R. Wachtell

IN order to study better the phenomena at work in various phases of diffusion of the Fe/Si system when compounded and alloyed by powder metallurgy methods, several attacks have been planned. Electrical, hardness and other measurements have been discussed e1sewhere.l,2 The metallographic phenomena will be considered here. Concerning the metallography of the ferrosilicon alloys, some initial discussion is in order. As this laboratory discovered to its chagrin, there are many traps that lie in wait for even the experienced metal-lographer when he deals with alloys of high silicon content. Chief of these is probably the anomalous behavior of these materials under conventional etching techniques. We have before us, for instance, Corson's paper" of 1928, wherein is mentioned and illustrated (probably for the first time) the peculiar "barley shell" structure sometimes found in these alloys. Again in 19412 he same author reports the structure in 5-14 pct silicon irons. Houghton and Becker mention its presence' but make only tentative effort to explain it. In 1943, Hurst and Riley6 discussed the "barley shell" and declared it to be a false structure, resulting from the peculiar and characteristic film-forming propensities of the alloy. At about the same time, Wrazej7 proved correct the contentions of Hurst and Riley, establishing pretty well the mechanisms of formation and identifying the constituents involved. Hurst and Riley6 a1so describe in their paper (1943) a "cracked film" structure, also a pseudo-morph, the precise nature of which they do not suggest. Careful examination of such a film reveals that it not only cracks but begins to curl away from the surface of the metal and peel, much in the manner of flaking paint. The careful microscopist will be able to focus on the topmost edge of the flake, and, by optical sectioning, follow it down to the metal surface. We have been able, by oblique illumination of such specimens, to observe the raised segment of the film, the shadow that it casts, and the mating segment on the metal into which it fits. As late as 1946, Hurst and Riley8 found occasion to correct misinterpretation of this "cracked film" structure in a work by others on a 12 pct Si/Fe alloy. The "barley shell" and "cracked film" pseudo-morphs are not the only ones encountered in studies of these materials. A third pseudomorph, which may, however, have some structural significance is a fine striation of the surface. Closely spaced and parallel striae extend entirely across single grains. Each grain shows a different direction for the striae, and different closeness of the spacing. The regularity of this structure, and the fact that the striae do not cross from one grain to another, suggest that the structure is a film cracking controlled in some way by the crystal plane orientation of the surface being etched. In general it is wise for the metallographer dealing with these alloys to cultivate a feeling of uncertainty not only of the more complex questions of interpretation, but also of the basic question of whether that which he sees is indeed a true representation of the structure. We have taken, as a first test of the validity of a structure, its reproducibility "in situ" after repolishing and re-etching of the samples. Thus we knew the "barley shell" to be false (fig. 1) even before encountering the definitive works on the subject. The Metallography of Silicon Diffusion in Laminate Bars: As a first step in the study of the metallography of the diffusion process, we have pressed a series of laminate bars. These bars, or "sandwiches" as we have termed them, were pressed with covering layers of iron powder, and a "filler" of the Fe/Si master alloy under study. Bar dimensions were approximately %, x 3 x 1/4 in. The total

Jan 1, 1951

"The reduction works of the Boston & Montana Reduction department, near the north end of this dam is one of the reduction plants belonging to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, the other being at Anaconda. These works employ about 1,100 men and have a capacity of about 3,800 tons of crude ore per day. This plant is now being remodeled to embody results of experiments and investigations which have been made with a view to more economic.al treatment of ores. A brief description of the plant as it will be after the remodelling is as follows:Concentrator Department: Consists of six units or sections, each section treating from 550 to 600 tons of crude ore per day. This department is not being. remodelled at the present time. A concentrating process, however, has been developed and partially installed in the old mill, and an experimental section embodying this concentration process has also been installed at the concentrator at Anaconda."

Jan 1, 1913

• "This country eventually may have to rely on foreign sources for some metals, not because it does not have them here but because it may have difficulty getting the labor to mine them. Few people realize the extent to which the 'old timers' are still the backlog of the important districts." --Fred Searls, Jr. • A new filter has been developed by Arthur D. Little, Inc., for the ABC which will remove all dust from the air. Submicroscopic asbestos fibers are used as filter media and are claimed to stop all dust and pollen while passing suitable quantities of air. •Out in front public relationswise is the Peabody Coal Co. which has launched a 15-min television news program on WNBQ at 10:30 C.S.T., Tuesday and Thursday nights. Clifton Utley, news commentator, will tell how coal is mined today and indicate, with pictures, the improvement in efficiency and safety which has resulted from today's mechanized operations. •Two hundred coal mining companies are using roof bolts as a means of supporting about 14 million sq ft of roof surface, Edward Thomas of the Bureau of Mines reported. Various types of metal and wooden pins can be used. The method was first used by the St. Joseph Lead Co. over 20 years ago, but is now being studied and adopted widely in metal, nonmetallic, and coal mines. * The first ten technical graduates have reported at Hanford Works in the state of Washington, to begin the newly installed General Electric rotational training program, believed to be the first of its kind at any U.S. atomic energy plant. The program is to provide suitably trained personnel for the nation's atomic energy program. •The need for top-notch scientists and engineers to stimulate mining programs in British colonies is acute. About 60 American experts are being sought for the ECA sponsored program. Positions for mining engineers, geologists, assayers, topographers, and petrologists are open. •Production of primary aluminum for the first quarter of 1950 was 322,4250008 lb which is 6 1/2 million lb more than was produced in the first quarter of 1949. Shipments of aluminum sheet, plate, and strip amounted to 259.772,1571b for the first quarter. •Policy on manganese procurement for the stockpile is being studied by a House Armed Services Subcommittee with the possibility of lowering specifications. The U. S. Bureau of Mines is drafting a bill to encourage domestic production for stockpiling through producer subsidies. 'It will have to be cleared by the Bureau of the Budget and other agencies before going to Congress. •Oil men consider dry holes a necessary evil in their search for oil. Last year 34 out of every 100 wells drilled were dry holes. Yet Texas Technological College is attempting to drill a dry hole on its campus at Lubbock, taking every precaution to make sure it is a "duster" so its petroleum engineering students can play around with experiments without being bothered by any messy crude oil. --Natural Resources Notes. •A portable alertness indicator which signals lethargy in persons doing monotonous jobs has been developed for the Navy's Special Devices Center. A possible application to hoistmen is indicated but broaching the matter to them would be tricky.

Jan 6, 1950

By O. B. Buchlen, J. W. Smith

The Coal Research Bureau of the School of Mines at West Virginia University, using an experimental flotation cell designated an airlift-cyclone was able to obtain a clean coal product containing 7.64% ash with 94% yield and 97% coal recovery. This favorable performance was obtained with the experimental flotation cell operating as a simulated three-stage unit on slurry taken from the fine coal circuit of a coal preparation plant. This experimental device, consisting of a sheet metal cyclone-like unit mounted on a U-shaped uplift pipe, uses a combined flotation and cyclone action to beneficiate the minus 14 mesh partially cleaned feed product. In addition to providing comparable analytical results, the airlift-cyclone possesses other attractive features among them being a low capital expenditure, utilization of moderate plant floor space, efficient operation on high density feed slurry, and absence of moving parts. The primary shortcoming of the experimental cell is its limited capacity. The Coal Research Bureau presently has under construction a larger unit which, it is hoped, will provide the capacity and quality to establish the airlift-cyclone as a commercially feasible unit. Froth flotation of fine coal is a practice which has only recently gained wide acceptance in this country. Various explanations can be put forth for this delayed acceptance of a very selective and efficient system of coal preparation. Among these reasons would be the advent of continuous mining machines resulting in the increased production of coal fines, the change in market patterns from domestic and rail consumers who did not want fines to a predominantly utility market which normally consumes fines, and also the imposition of legal restrictions in regard to stream pollution. However, the major detriment is probably the high cost involved both in installation and operation of the flo- tation unit and auxiliary systems. These facts assume greater emphasis when considering that froth flotation installations normally process a low quality feed product. A recent estimate' of installation costs including dryers, filters, and other auxiliary equipment for a flotation system was $5000 to $7000 per ton of capacity while the operating costs, exclusive of auxiliary equipment, were estimated at 10 to 306 per ton of feed. The Coal Research Bureau of the School of Mines at West Virginia University is currently developing a simplified froth flotation cell, designated an airlift-cyclone, which may provide considerable savings in capital and operating costs without sacrificing product quality or recovery. This experimental cell consists of three primary components: 1) a vertically mounted U-shaped pipe; 2) an air injector device; and 3) an integrally mounted cyclone-like unit (Fig. 1). A feed slurry is introduced at the top of one leg of the U-pipe while compressed air is injected near the base of the other leg. The air serves both to aerate the pulp and to cause it to flow upward into the base of the cyclone unit where the floated clean coal is separated from the reject material and unfloated coal which remains in slurry. The Coal Research Bureau's experimental airlift-cyclone is somewhat similar in principle to a flotation device developed by Russian engineers in the late 1950's. In tests upon a two-stage pilot-size device, the Russians obtained very favorable cleaning efficiencies.' However, later experience with production models demonstrated that rated capacities and acceptable product quality could not always be maintained.3 Because of these limitations, Russian engineers subsequently recommended that conventional, mechanical cells be used when cleaning difficult to float slurries. Engineers at the Coal Research Bureau felt that such a device utilizing the combined actions of a cyclone and a froth flotation machine offered numerous attractive features and merited investigation. Accordingly, a small capacity experimental airlift-cyclone was designed and, with the permission of the Christopher Coal Company Div. of Consolidation Coal Co., installed in Christopher's Humphrey preparation plant near Morgantown, West Virginia.

Jan 1, 1964

By W. O. Borcherdt

THE 650-ton underground mill of The Empire Zinc Company of Colorado (a subsidiary of The New Jersey Zinc Co.) serves the Eagle mine at Gilman in the Battle Mountain mining district of Colorado. The topography is rough, the mine and mill being under Battle Mountain and the alit entrance in the north wall of the canyon of the Eagle River, which is here a steel) gorge. The town of Gilman stands on a shoulder of the mountain at altitude 8975 ft., above sea level, along the Pike's Peak ocean to ocean highway and contains the company office and the usual facilities of a modern mining town. The railway contact is at Belden, altitude 8370 ft., at the bottom of the gorge directly below Gilman, where the westbound track of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad is cut along the north bank and the eastbound track along the south bank of the river. A general description of the mine, mill and service facilities, with an account of the geology, character of the ore and methods of mining and milling having previously been published in a series of articles1, this paper will discuss with as little repetition as practicable the reasons for building the mill underground rather than as a conventional structure, the methods of construction employed and the experiences gained in what is apparently the pioneer plant of this type and extent.

Jan 1, 1937

By Thomas C. Wilder, Walter E. Galin

Measurements of the electromotive force of the cell at 995°C have shown that the cell may be used to detennine the zinc content of molten Cu-Zn alloys to the nearest 0.05 wt pct. The cell is used for brass melts to which no ZnO is added intentionally, because essentially all oxygen in the Cu-Zn-O system is present in the form of ZnO. The cell is also used to detev,nine the thernodynamic activity of zinc for Cu-Zn al1oys of the brass composition range, from which the equilibrium partial pressure of zinc for such alloy may also be calculated. The electrochemical measurement of the concentration of the most active metal in other engneering- alloy systems by a similar technique is also considered. IN recent years there have been many studies concerning the direct electrochemical measurement of oxygen content in molten engineering metals.' These investigations employ galvanic cells in which the electrolytes are various solid mixed-oxides which conduct current by movement of oxide ion vacancies under the influence of an oxygen potential gradient. Similar cells have also been used to measure the thermodynamic properties of mixing of solid alloys,' one component of which has a much greater affinity for oxygen than the other component(s). One alloy system of obvious engineering importance comprised of two metals of greatly differing affinity for oxygen is copper-zinc. At the casting temperature of molten brasses, the zinc concentration is very difficult to control not only because its vapor pressure is very high, but also because of its high affinity for oxygen to form ZnO. Inasmuch as brass castings may be required to have a zinc concentration within very narrow limits, it would be advantageous for the brass industry to have a means for quickly measuring the zinc content in the molten alloy just prior to pouring. A calculation based on earlier thermodynamic studies of oxygen and zinc in dilute solution in binary Cu-O and CU-Z' alloys indicates that the oxygen concentration of molten 70 wt pct Cu-30 wt pct Zn brass must be much less than 1 ppm for the separate phase ZnO not to exist in the ternary Cu-Zn-O system. Thus it can be assumed that all molten brasses, both in the laboratory and in the foundry, are sufficiently saturated with oxygen for the separate phase ZnO to be present. In view of the foregoing reasons, the cell investigated at 995°C for the purpose of measuring the zinc concentration in molten copper-zinc alloys, particularly those of brass compositions. In this cell the left hand electrode is a reference electrode comprised of a mixture of the pure powders of nickel and nickel oxide, to which a platinum contact is made. The electrode of interest is a molten Cu-Zn alloy of unknown zinc concentration with a tantalum wire contact. The electrolyte is the commercially available (Zircoa) calcia stabilized zirconia. The ZnO in the Cu-Zn electrode compartment is not intentionally added, but is naturally present as a result of the infinitesimal amount of oxygen required for its formation in this alloy system. In cell [A] nickel oxide is reduced at the cathode where O= represents the electrolyte. At the anode dissolved zinc of the Cu-Zn alloy is oxidized to form ZnO(s) in its standard state Thus the overall reaction is for which the molar free energy change is where 5 is the Faraday equivalent (23,063 cal per v equivalent), is the electromotive force of the cell in volts after correction for the Pt-Ta thermocouple, FOf (ZO) and AFF (NO) are the standard molar free energies of formation of the respective oxides, and a2n is the thermodynamic activity of zinc in the molten Cu-Zn alloy. The reference state of zinc in this case is taken to be the pure liquid. At constant temperature all the terms of Eq. [I] are constant except and azn Thus since all other participants in the electrochemical reaction are in their standard states, the change in the electromotive force of Cell [A] is represented only by a change of the thermodynamic activity of zinc at constant temperature. The zinc concentration is related to the activity by sampling the alloy for chemical analysis after cell measurements are taken. EXPERIMENTAL A typical cell construction is shown in Fig. 1. This and other experimental details were similar to that described earlier with the exception of some minor modifications which are detailed below.

Jan 1, 1970

By G. B. Craig, B. Ramaswami

The temperature and strain rate dependence of the flow stress ratio and the stvain rate dependence qi the flow stress of annealed polycrystalline a zirconiur were determined over the temperature range 30 0" to 1000°K. Some evidence was found for strain aging and discontinuous flow in the temperature ranges 520" to 650°Kand650" to 760°K, respectively. The Cottvell-Stokes relationship was obtained when deformation occurred by twinning as well as slip. The flow stress ratio showed a strong dependence on temperature and strain rate above 800°K. The expevirnental evidence indicated that the rate-controllitzg mechanism for the deformation of a zirconium above 800°K was dislocation climb, and that the deformation was not thermally activated in the range 520" to 800°K. The stacking-fault energy of a zirconium was estimated to be about 250 ergs per sq cm. A knowledge of the temperature and strain rate dependence of the applied stress necessary to deform a crystalline solid is essential for understanding the thermally activated processes occurring during deformation.' Several experimental techniques have been developed for studying these processes.273 One of the techniques is the deter mi nation of the strain rate dependence of the flow stress at constant temperature. In close-packed crystals, it has often been observed that the change in stress due to a change in the strain rate varies linearly with the flow stress, (~1,' This relationship, known as the Cottre ll-Stokes law, is obeyed when deformation occurs by glide alone. However, when deformation occurs by twinning as well as glide, there is disagreement among different investigators on whether the Cottrell-Stokes law is observed. Whereas Thornton et ~1.~find departures from Cottrell-Stokes law when twinning occurs in copper, ~avis~ and sasinski? find that Cottrell-Stokes law is obeyed when deformation occurs by twinning as well as slip in cadmium and magnesium, respectively. One of the main objectives of this study is to determine whether the Cottrell-Stokes law is obeyed when deformation occurs by twinning as well as slip. The second technique that has been used extensively to study the thermally activated deformation of crystals is the determination of the ratio of the flow stresses, at identical dislocation structures and con-

Jan 1, 1968

By Henry F. Adams, Guy H. Ruggles

IN this paper the authors aim to chronicle the experience and salient points brought out in changing flotation reagents at a concentrator which had probably been using a mininium amount of oil at a minimum cost per ton, to a more complicated system requiring a partial chemical control. The original oils were coal tar and pine oil. The new reagents are lime, xanthate and pine oil. It was found that there were no insurmountable difficulties and eventually the cost of the new reagents per ton of ore proved to be very little more than that of the old. LIME PLANT When the question of handling lime came up there were two propositions open: (1) to handle the lime dry; (2) to handle it wet in the form of an emulsion. Granting that a dry lime feeder would function properly, delivering lime uniformly, the chief objection was the dust that would be raised when these feeders were being charged or operated, as the only possible location was on a gallery beneath which men were working. With this objection the handling of lime as an emulsion seemed to be the better scheme. The lime plant which was first installed was for experimental work on one section. This was gradually changed and developed until it was of sufficient size to accommodate 20 sections. The various changes will not be discussed and the following description deals only with the fully developed plant. Crude as it is, and perhaps somewhat expensive to operate, the lime-handling plant has been quite successful. Much has been learned which will pave the way for a better installation in the future. Burnt lime is received loose in standard gage box cars. This is the product of the kilns and has had no screening or sorting. A grab sample is taken from each car as it is unloaded. An average of the analyses of samples from 44 cars gave the following: [ ]

Jan 1, 1928

By H. M. Faust

THERE are a number of different types of power plants. Some use coal to generate steam, others use oil or gas either in the form of steam or internal combustion equipment, while still others avail themselves of water power as a source of energy. A general comparison of the relative power production with different sources of energy in the United States, for several different years is set up in Table 1. This table shows that coal was used to generate 85.6 per cent of the total heat power requirements of 1909, and only 59.2 per cent of the 1930 requirements. The increasing proportion of modern heat energy generated by the use of fuel other than coal is apparent. If coal is to maintain its importance as a source of heat energy, the necessity for its improved perform-ance, in which preparation plays an -important part, cannot be stressed too strongly.

Jan 1, 1933