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By G. R. Mansfield

THE third year of Government exploration for potash by the U. S. Geological Survey and the U. S. Bureau of Mines under the authorization of the act approved June 25, 1926 (Public 424-69th Cong.) is drawing to a close. The results thus far obtained are thought to be sufficiently interesting and satisfactory to justify the presentation of a brief pre¬liminary account of the work. REVIEW OF EARLIER EXPLORATION The general geologic similarity of the Permian basin of Texas and New Mexico to the potash field of Germany had long ago suggested the possibility of the presence of potash salts somewhere in that basin, but petroleum exploration was then making little headway there and the necessary data could not be obtained. The discovery by Udden in 1912 of potash in brine from the Spur well in Dickens County, Texas, was the first direct evidence of its presence. In 1915-17 the U. S. Geological Survey drilled a test well with standard tools at Cliffside near Amarillo, but failed to find potash. Nevertheless, an observer has been kept in the field, at first in cooperation with the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology but since 1922 by the Survey alone, to secure data and samples from oil and gas tests. Since the discovery of oil in Reagan County in 1923 exploration by drilling has been rapidly extended to many parts of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The identification of the potash-bearing mineral polyhalite was first announced by the Geological Survey in June, 1921, the material having come from cuttings from the Bryant well in Midland County and the Burns well in Dawson County, Texas. Successive discoveries and announcements of similar purport aroused widespread interest in potash exploration, which culminated in the action by Congress already noted.

Jan 1, 1929

By Henry M. Howe

In discussing the classification of iron to-day, we are to leave out of consideration the general division into non-malleable or cast iron and malleable iron, as to the adequacy of which no question has been raised; and to confine ourselves to the subdivisions of malleable iron. This has been classified, according to the extent to which the properties imparted by carbon are present (viz., resilience, hardness,strength, and, above all, the capacity for being hardened by sudden cooling from a high temperature), into (1) wrought iron which cannot be hardened, and (2) steel which can be hardened; and this classification I shall, for briefness, term the carbon classification. Until within a few years all authorities, both metallurgical and general, have concurred in explicitly recognizing the carbon-given qualities, and preeminently the capacity for being hardened, as the essential qualities of steel; this is laid down with clearness by every writer on the subject. For several years this old classification has not been sufficient to meet all our needs, since the genius of Bessemer, Siemens, and, I may add, Holley, has produced wrought iron which has been perfectly melted, and thus freed from certain mechanical adhering impurities. This causes what we call homogeneousness for want of a better word, and gives rise to many important qualities which the old wrought iron had not; qualities universally recognized, though not readily described. I shall, for briefness, style them the fusion qualities, and a classification based on them, a fusion classification. These qualities render the new product so vastly superior, for most purposes, to the wrought iron formerly known, that it is neces-

By H. A. Doerner

The process for smelting zinc developed several centuries ago is still in use. Through the experience accumulated over this long period of time, details of the process have been perfected until there is little opportunity to make any further improvement except by a radical change in method. Such a change was accomplished by the process recently developed by the New Jersey Zinc Co. The process to be herein discussed is a still more radical departure, which has been developed to large-scale laboratory operation by the Metallurgical Division of the U. 5. Bureau of Minesl. † The reduction of zinc oxide by carbon is a highly endothermic reaction, which requires temperatures in the range 1200° to 1400' C. for even a slow reaction rate. The transfer of the heat of reaction through thick fire-clay walls, the high radiation loss in the type of furnace used, and the practical impossibility of recovering or using the combustible products of the reduction (CO) cause a deplorable waste of fuel. With the one exception mentioned, all zinc smelting is done in small retorts manually charged and discharged. Attempts to mechanize these operations have been only partly successful, and there seems to be no way to avoid or improve the uncomfortable conditions in which the work is done. The reduction of zinc oxide by methane has a relatively high reaction rate at 1000' C. At this temperature most ore residues do not sinter, and it is possible to use metal retorts. These factors make gaseous reduction especially adapted to a continuous operation and compared to reduction by carbon make possible: (1) higher rate of reaction at lower temperature, (2) more nearly complete extraction of the zinc, and (3) much better utilization of fuel and reagent. Although the reaction between methane and zinc oxide requires 105,900 calories per mole, compared to 86,860 cal. in the carbon reduction, it is obvious that much less fuel will be required to supply 105,900 cal. through 36 in. of metal at 1000' C. than to transfer 86,860 cal. through 1 in. of fire clay at 1300° C. Moreover, the gaseous products of gaseous reduction (CO and H2) can supply 183,430 cal. by complete combustion.

Jan 1, 1937

By C. O. Worden, E. K. Landgraf, C. A. Zapffe

Following the discovery of Parke and Ham that deoxidation control of cast molybdenum can be predicated upon simple fractographic examination, a special study of that metal was undertaken to investigate those patterns ascribed to forge-ability and nonforgeability. An elaborately developed system of cleavage patterns immediately rewarded the study; and they are reported here as a necessarily preliminary contribution calling attention to information which is both new in type and in origin. In general, the present observations confirm those of Parke and Ham, and Wood-side; but they also disclose a wealth of detail and correlated phenomena which greatly expand the earlier information. For example, the oxide pattern of nonforgeability is found to be complex, perhaps involving as many as three distinctive patterns, And the nature of the carbide seems to be at least twofold. In addition, transgranular facets are here shown for the first time. Elaborately complex, but in a characteristic manner, these facets depict distortion in original crystal growth which provides truly extraordinary patterns. No carbide and oxide forms display themselves transgranularly, except in profile as exceedingly thin superficial films at the grain boundaries. Crys-tallographic features are also rare—a condition undoubtedly resulting from the great substructural distortion; but occasionally registrations are found of cleavage on {00I}, and faulted areas believed to be Neumann-type deformation on I I121. Introduction Parbe and Ham,' and again Woodside,2 have reported that the forgeability of molybdenum cast by their Vacuum-electric-arc Process can be predicted with great dependability by a simple fractographic observation. They state that nonforgeability is the result of a grain boundary oxide which can be readily identified on the fracture facet at high magnification; and they convert the nonforgeable condition to a forgeable one by increasing the carbon content of the melt until the oxide structures subsequently observed in the fracto-graph become replaced by a second strongly marked pattern characteristic of carbide and coincidentally indicative of forgeability. Considerable importance immediately attaches to such observations: (I) because of their direct commercial application to one of metallurgy's inviting and relatively unexplored metals; (2) because of a general scientific curiosity regarding the nature of these characteristic markings; and (3) perhaps more important, because of

Jan 1, 1949

By C. O. Worden, C. A. Zapffe, F. K. Landgraf

SUMMARY FOLLOWING the discovery of Parke and Ham that deoxidation control of cast molybdenum can be predicated upon simple fractographic examination, a special study of that metal was undertaken to investigate those patterns ascribed to forgeability and nonforgeability. An elaborately developed system of cleavage patterns immediately rewarded the study; and they are reported here as a necessarily preliminary contribution calling attention to information which is both new in type and in origin. In general, the present observations confirm those of Parke and Ham, and Woodside; but they also disclose a wealth of detail and correlated phenomena which greatly expand the earlier information. For example, the oxide pattern of nonforgeability is found to be complex, perhaps involving as many as three distinctive patterns. And the nature of the carbide seems to be at least twofold. In addition, transgranular facets are here shown for the first time. Elaborately complex, but in a characteristic manner, these facets depict distortion in original crystal growth which provides truly extraordinary patterns. No carbide and oxide forms display themselves transgranularly, except in profile as exceedingly thin superficial films at the grain boundaries. Crystallographic features are also rare-a condition undoubtedly resulting from the great substructural distortion; but occasionally registrations are found of cleavage on {001}, and faulted areas believed to be Neumann-type deformation on {112}. INTRODUCTION Parke and Ham, 1 and again Woodside, 2 have reported that the forgeability of molybdenum cast by their vacuum-electric-arc process can be predicted with great dependability by a simple fractographic observation. They state that nonforgeability is the result of a grain boundary oxide which can be readily identified on the fracture facet at high magnification; and they convert the nonforgeable condition to a forgeable one by increasing the carbon content of the melt until the oxide structures subsequently observed in the fractograph become replaced by a second strongly marked pattern characteristic of carbide and coincidentally indicative of forgeability. Considerable importance immediately attaches to such observations: (I) because of their direct commercial application to one of metallurgy's inviting and relatively unexplored metals; (2) because of a general scientific curiosity regarding the nature of these characteristic markings; and (3) perhaps more important, because of

Jan 1, 1948

The Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties. United Engineering Trustees, Inc. When Mr. Carnegie made his gift which made possible a home for the engineering societies, a separate corporation was organized to act as a holding company and to manage the common property. This was long known as the United Engineering Society, but the name has now been changed to one which more nearly reflects the real function of the corporation. It holds title to . the Engineering Societies Building and to various funds placed in its charge and is managed by a Board of Trustees, of which three are chosen by each of the four societies, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers, which have equal and undivided interests in the property. The land and building cost two million dollars. During the year 1934, the Constitution and Bylaws of The United Engineering Trustees, Inc., were thoroughly revised and a better organization of its functions was affected: The Engineering Foundation and the Engineering Societies Library were made "departments" of the United Engineering Trustees. The Founders Societies share in the property which it holds, and estimated at the present time, as follows: Real estate, $1,987,793; Depreciation and Renewal Fund, $336,992. The U.E.T. has endowment funds-' amounting to $1,107,677. The A.I.M.E. trustees are W. D. B. Motter, Jr., A. L. .Queneau and Albert Roberts.

Jan 1, 1937

By Fritz Wald, Richard W. Stormont

lHE general constitution of a number of metal-lead telluride and metal-tin telluride systems has recently been studied in an effort designed to furnish background information for the study of degradation mechanisms on junctions between thermoelectric power generation materials and metals.1"4 This paper reports further results of that effort. It was found that cobalt-lead telluride constitutes a stable pseudobinary section through the ternary Co-Pb-Te system. Materials used in the study were lead and tellurium of semiconductor-grade purity (American Smelting and Refining Corp., 99.999+ pet). Cobalt (Johnson Matthey & Co., 99.999 pet purity) was used in the form of slices cut from rods of 5 mm diam. Twenty- gram charges of the alloys were melted in evacuated quartz ampoules. Thermal analysis, as described previously,2'3 and metallographic and X-ray diffraction methods (Debye-Scherrer photographs) were used as investigative tools. Substantial difficulties were encountered in polishing, as reported previously for the lead telluride-iron system.3 A number of different etches were used, including dilute aqua regia, Murakami solution, an etch containing copper nitrate,3 and HC1-HNO3-acetic acid-water mixtures. None of these etches gave consistent results over the complete range of cobalt concentrations. On the alloys containing bulk cobalt in the form of primary

Jan 1, 1969

By R. W. Guard, W. R. Hibbard

As part of a program to determine the deformation characteristics of pure metals, the tensile creep properties of high purity aluminum (99.994 pct Al) have been determined using a constant stress loading. The effects of prior annealing temperature, stress, and temperature were studied. These data have been examined on the basis of present-day theories. None of the methods was found to give an accurate representation of the data over all conditions studied. The structures of several specimens after creep were examined by optical and X-ray metallography. Marked changes in the grain size were found and it was substantiated that the magnitude of these changes was greatly influenced by the applied stress (or creep strain). The changes in fiber texture which occur on creep deformation are shown to be consistent with those observed on deformation at lower temperatures. UNDERSTANDING the properties of new mate-*-J rials under different experimental conditions must be based on considerable knowledge of the mechanisms involved in plastic flow and how to control them. Tension and creep tests have been carried out on a number of pure metals in order to document their deformation characteristics. It is hoped that a comparison of these data with theory will indicate those areas where work on mechanisms and their relation to metallurgical variables may be most fruitful. Since aluminum has often been used for studying the qualitative aspects of creep behavior, it was chosen for detailed study. The effects of annealing temperature, stress, and test temperature on the constant stress creep behavior were studied. Although most of the tests were made above one half the absolute melting temperature, a few tests were made at lower temperatures to give qualitative comparisons. Some specimens were examined metallo-graphically and by X-ray diffraction techniques after creep. Since only a limited number of specimens could be made from the available material, no effort was made to study detailed changes in sub-grain structure or other metallographic features. Servi and Grant3 nd Dushman et al.' have previously published studies of high temperature creep of high purity aluminum. In both cases, a great deal of emphasis was placed on the minimum creep rate.

Jan 1, 1957

By Dorsey Hager

North Central Texas has recently become a center of interest for the oil men of America. The bringing in of the McClosky well at Ranger, Eastland County, and the shallow pool at Brownwood, Brown County, in 1917, has stimulated interest in this area to fever pitch. Oil men from all over the United States are now investing there. The area of present interest is shown by the accompanying map (Fig. 1). The money spent in leases runs into millions of dollars. It is no exaggeration to say that a strip of country 200 miles (321 km.) long and 125 miles (201 km.) wide, comprising some 15,000,000 acres (6,070,310 ha.), has been leased practically solid at a cost for rentals and bonuses of at least $1 per acre. The test holes contracted for will certainly number 400, at a cost of at least $5,000,000. From what has been done in the past six months, $20,000,000 at least will be spent. To pay returns on this amount of money, new production to the extent of at least 12,000,000 bbl. must be obtained. At present, the production from new fields will not average over 5000 bbl. per day; three wells at Ranger are producing 3000 bbl.; 250 wells at Brownwood produce 1000 bbl.; and the Gray well, Coleman County, is as yet an unknown factor. However, at Ranger there is every indication of developing a good pool covering from 1500 to 2000 acres (607 to 809 ha.), more or less, but the wells are deep, 3400 to 3800 ft. (1036 to 1158 m.), and cost $35,000 to $40,000 to drill. Large wells are necessary to pay for such expensive holes. As new wells are drilled, the gas pressure will be lowered rapidly, and large production need not be expected. For those oil men who expect a second Cushing or an Eldorado, Ranger holds little of promise. At Brownwood, Brown County, there are some 250 shallow wells (depths from 200 to 350 ft.) averaging 4 to 7 bbl. per day. There is a chance of an extensive producing area for these shallow sands to the southwest, and the opening of several thousand acres of shallow oil territory, and also some promise of deeper oil horizons in the Ranger horizon, but probably all under 2500 ft. At present, the lease brokers and speculators, and only a handful of oil men, have made any money. More fields must be developed, and it is more particularly with these possibilities that this paper deals. Lack of water for drilling purposes has undoubtedly held back development so far this year; this part of Texas has had a drouth for two years and there is an actual scarcity of water. Geological investigations so far undertaken cover nearly all the area outlined, and while pakt of the

Jan 1, 1920

By George Steintveit

Det Norske Zinkicompani A/S was established in 1924, on the initiative of the Compagnie Royale Asturienne des Mines. Experimental electrothermic zinc production was carried out on industrial scale for a two-year period, but the problems of electrothermic smelting were not solved. A license for the electrolytic zinc production process was then obtained from the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. A plant for electrolytic zinc production was built, near the small fjord town of Odda in Hardanger, West Norway, The production was based on zinc ore from Spain, and cheap local hydro-electric power. The plant came into operation in 1929. Annual capacity, 36,000 tons. In 1964 a long-term agreement was concluded with Boliden AB by which Det Norske Zinkkompani is secured the raw materials basis for an expansion of the annual capacity to 100,000 tons of zinc, Since World War II, the company has been pursuing extensive research and development programs. As a result, various sections have been rebuilt: nev unloading and storage facilities, a 250 ton per day Fluid Bed Roaster with contact plant, new continuous leaching system, integrating the Jarosite Residue Process, new solution purification section - upgrading the solution quality for a 600 Amp/m2 current density Tank Room operation -, installation of induction furnaces for cathode melting with casting machines and automatic stacking of slabs. Simultaneously, instrumentation, and methods of automatic control have been developed and introduced, providing conditions for optimal plant operations.

Jan 1, 1970

By R. E. Crockett

MAGNETITE mining and milling in the Eastern States was at capacity during 1940, owing to the heavy industrial, defense, and war demand, coupled temporarily with the almost total stoppage of imports of foreign ores other than those under American ownership. In New York State the active mines were those operated by the Republic Steel Corp. at Mineville and Lyon Mountain. Republic's new concentrating mill at Port Henry, handling the Mineville ores, went into production about the first of April. Other large magnetite deposits in New York are currently being prospected and studied and may be under development in the near future. In New Jersey the Mt. Hope and

Jan 1, 1941

By Robert W. Hunt

No matter how perfectly sectioned or skilfully manufactured the rails used may have been, or with what care the road-bed may he maintained, legitimate results from these important factors cannot be secured unless proper attention is bestowed upon the joint-fastenings. In this country, splice-bars of various patterns furnish the practically universal joint. Other forms have been used, and are now being experimentally tested, but the typical American rail-joint consists of angle-plates or splice-bars. At the same time, it is true that scarcely a railroad engineer is satisfied with his joint. He may consider it the best of which he has knowledge, but at the same time he is well aware of many of its weak points.

Jan 1, 1890

C. W. GOODALE, Butte, Mont. (member of the committee)- (communication to the Secretary*).-In the discussion of papers presented at the New York meeting of the Institute in February, 1915, and at the Arizona meeting of September, 1916, I referred to the activities of the Bureau of Safety of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., and I am now submitting a few thoughts by members of the staff of that Bureau. TORGUS H. OAAS, Safety Engineer, Butte, Mont.-The report of the Committee on Safety and Sanitation has described different organizations and methods of promoting safety work. The effectiveness of these methods would aid the beginner in his campaign for safety in choosing the kind of organization and methods best adapted for his field. This can he obtained only by a discussion by those who have long promoted this kind of work, and have met with successful results. As the field is new, the different organizations promoting safety work have not established a common basis of rating for their fatal, serious and slight accidents, so that it is now difficult to get a comparative basis from which to judge the merits of the different systems. C. W. GOODALE.-The U. S. Bureau of Mines adopted, at the beginning, as a basis for its yearly summaries, the number of accidents. per 1,000 men employed, and it is now (quoting from its report for 1915, Technical Paper 168) making the following "classification of injuries:" "Many of the States now have. compensation laws, and in order to conform with their classifications, the bureau's classification of serious and slight injuries for 1915 is on a 14-day (2-week) basis instead of 20 days, as in previous years. The new classification of injuries includes three types, as follows: 1. Fatal 2. Serious (time lost, more than 14 days) (a) Permanent disability Total Partial

Jan 6, 1917

By R. J. Brison, O. F. Tangel

The development of a new method of mineral separation was sponsored by the International Salt Company, which requested Battelle Institute to investigate means for improving the quality and appearance of rock salt from the Company's Detroit mine. Although developed specifically for removing impurities from rock salt, the general method may be applicable to other separation problems. The principal impurities in rock salt from the Detroit mine are dolomite and anhydrite which represent 2 to 5 pct of the weight of the mined salt. In the size range from 1/4 to M in. (the range of primary interest in this project) the impurities are only partially liberated from the halite in normal production. Further size reduction to improve the liberation of impurities is not practicable in view of the market requirements for the coarse grades of rock salt. Laboratory separations in heavy liquids showed that, to improve the quality and appearance of the rock salt substantially, it would be necessary to remove not only free gangue particles but also a large proportion of the locked-in particles. Because rock salt is an inexpensive commodity, a low-cost process was required. Gravity methods were, of course, considered. The heavy-liquid separations indicated that a split at an effective specific gravity of 2.2 to 2.3 would be required. (The specific gravity of pure halite is 2.16.) Heavy-media separation was investigated but had the disadvantages that it was necessary both to operate with saturated brine and to dry the cleaned salt, and that the cleaned salt was darkened by the magnetite medium. Air tabling was tried but did not give the desired separation. It soon became apparent that established methods would not provide a satisfactory solution and work was undertaken on the development of a new process to solve the problem. PROCESS DEVELOPMENT Preliminary Experiments: At the start of the investigation, an analysis of the problem indicated that the diathermacy of rock salt—that is, its ability to transmit radiant heat—might form the basis for an efficient separation process. Under this theory, the impurities might be selectively heated by radiant heat. The particles could then be fed over a belt coated with a heat-sensitive substance so that the warm impure particles would adhere preferentially to the coating. After the initial experiments, made by heating the rock salt with an infrared lamp and separating the product on small sheets of resin-coated rubber, proved encouraging, a small continuous separation unit was set up. This comprised 1) a simple heating unit consisting of a vibrating feeder covered with aluminum foil and an infrared lamp mounted above the feeder and 2) a separation belt 6 in. wide and 36 in. long. A sketch of the device is shown in Fig. 1. Results with this apparatus confirmed the fact that a good separation was possible. It was apparent, however, that a considerable amount of experimental work would be needed to develop the scheme to a practical and economical process. The Process: Basically, the process consists of two main steps: 1) selective heating by radiation and 2) separation of the heated particles on a heat-sensitive surface. Because neither of these steps had previously been utilized commercially in mineral processing, it was necessary to do basic research on both aspects. Factors studied in the investigation included type of heat source, design of heating unit, design of separation belt, selection of heat-sensitive coating, removal of heated particles from the belt, contact between particles and coating, and maintenance of the heat-sensitive surface. Part of the experimental work was carried out on a small-scale unit consisting of the 36x6 in. belt and auxiliary apparatus, and part on a larger unit. For simplicity, discussion of work on both of these units is grouped together. SELECTIVE HEATING Radiant-Heat Source: The essential requirements for a radiant-heat source were 1) that the radiant heat be in a wave length range which is effectively absorbed by the impurities but not absorbed appreciably by the rock salt and 2) that it be dependable, practical, and economical. Selection of a heat source of suitable wave length range was one of the first considerations. It is well known that pure halite is highly transparent to radiant energy in wave lengths from 0.3 to 13 microns. However, the available data on infrared transmission by dolomite and anhydrite, particularly in the range below two microns, were not complete enough to serve as a reliable basis for selection of a heat source. Although it may have been possible to obtain sufficient data on infrared transmission and absorption to enable one to select the best heat source, a more direct procedure was used. This consisted simply of exposing the crude rock salt to each of several types of radiant-heat source on the small continuous separation device. The heat sources investigated, approximate source temperature used, and calculated wave length of maximum radiation are tabulated in Table I. Of the two types of tungsten-filament lamps investigated, both the short wave length photoflood lamps and the longer wave length infrared lamps were satisfactory from the standpoint of selectivity

Jan 1, 1961

By K. Huessener

This paper attempts a survey of the principles involved in the combustion of blast-furnace gas in boilers and stoves. I do not expect to be able to give much information which is actually new, since the laws and methods of calculation pertaining to this problem are contained in a number of handbooks; but, so far as I am aware, they have nowhere been treated exclusively with reference to this one problem of gas economy. The road which I follow is less that of strictly scientific research than that of the practical engineer, faced by operation problems which require a quick solution by easily accessible means without a prolonged search in scientific handbooks. For this purpose I give a number of tables and diagrams, as well as the results of many years1 practical working experience as combustion engineer, which I trust will prove useful to my readers. HlSTORICAL Considering the tremendous efforts made during the last 15 years to increase the efficiency of all kinds of power plants, it is highly surprising that until a comparatively very recent period, progress in the economical combustion of blast-furnace gas has been so slow, The explanation generally put forth, that fuel has been so cheap that it was hardly worth while to bother about this economy, will not hold good, for the greatest trouble was taken to improve the combustion of coal and to reduce the consumption of steam, The most plausible explanation appears to be the general impression, held as an accepted fact, that gas, especially hot, uncleaned, blast-furnace gas, was not a good boiler fuel. Many managers of high repute had tried unsuccessfully to improve the conditions of its use, and the dictum went forth that efficiencies of over 60 per cent., particularly with high loads, were impossible. This was the situation not only in the United States, with very cheap fuel, but also in Europe, where fuel prices are twice and three times as high.

Jan 1, 1916

By W. G. Matteson

The Oklahoma legislature recently passed a bill providing for "the creation of an oil and gas department under the jurisdiction of the Corporation Commission, authorizing the Corporation Commission to appoint a chief oil and gas conservation agent, and conferring exclusive jurisdiction on the Corporation Commission in reference to the conservation of oil and gas, and the inspection of gasoline and oil, the product of crude petroleum, and repealing all acts or parts of acts in conflict therewith and declaring an emergency." Some of the functions of the new bureau include the receiving and filing of all well logs, and the direction and supervision of plugging all abandoned oil and gas wells, under rules prescribed by the Corporation Commission. The two leading petroleum-producing States of the country, Oklahoma and California, have now established oil and gas bureaus with a staff of inspectors to see that the important rules relating to the conservation of oil and gas are thoroughly enforced. The economic significance and the value of well logs in the conservation work has been recognized, and the necessary legal action taken to insure and procure them. William B. Heroy, of the Government Land Classification Board, in a personal communication to the writer, says that the drilling of wells is also regulated by public authority in the Roswell artesian basin in southeastern New Mexico, where a permit must be obtained for the drilling of any well and a certified log of the well recorded with a county official. The method is said to give fairly satisfactory results. In a recent article1 a National instead of a State Bureau was suggested for collecting and filing well logs. In discussing the paper, L. L. Hutchison characterized such a plan as impractical because the average driller or contractor will often juggle or guess at the log and will not keep the record sufficiently close or accurate, making it necessary to maintain a special man at each well for the sole purpose of obtaining

Jan 1, 1918

By A. J. de Witte

It has been observed that upon invasion of a sand containing oil or gas and connate water by mud filtrate the hydrocarbons are more rapidly flushed by the filtrate than is the connate water.' In time, it appears that the following displacement pattern emerges: oil (or gas) is being swept ahead by connate water which, in turn, is pushed by invading fluid. Eventually the connate water may have "banked up" sufficiently to form a zone of appreciable thickness leading the invading front. In the extreme case, Fig. 1 shows how the situation will develop.' Immediately adjacent to the borehole (radius r) there is a zone, the invaded zone proper, where the connate water has been flushed out completely and which contains only residual oil or gas and mud filtrate. This zone (extending out to a radius ri) grades more or less abruptly into the next (thickness A), which contains only residual hydrocarbon and connate water. Beyond it, again more or less sharply bounded, extends the virgin formation with the original interstitial water saturation Sw. The various saturations are indicated in Fig. 1. The three zones generally will be marked by resistivity contrasts owing to their different fluid contents. As the connate water is usually more saline than the invading fluid, the second zone having a high connate water saturation forms a concentric cylindrical ring or annulus of low resistivity R, around the borehole.',' It will be referred to as the "low zone." Fig. 1 shows schematically the resistivity profile. It is clear that the phenomenon of a low zone could not occur in invaded water sands. The presence of a low zone, therefore, would be a qualitative indication of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation. Granted that the phenomenon is real, if it were pronounced enough to be detected, one might thereby have a means of locating oil or gas in the ground. This is the aim of the "displacement logging" method.' In any case, the presence of a low resistivity zone will affect the reading of electric logs. Using conventional log interpretation techniques, one must be aware of this and, if necessary, correct for it. Whether correction or detection should be the goal will depend primarily on the magnitude of the effect. The type of log which is likely to be affected most is the induction log. The current pattern of an induction log is concentric with the borehole. Any concentric ring of low resistivity, therefore, will tend to become crowded by current lines. This zone of maximum current density will obscure the relative contributions to the current conduction by other portions of a bed making, for instance, the contribution of the virgin formation less significant and thus detracting from the value or the induction log as an R, reading device. The present note is intended to ascertain the maximum possible effect of a low zone in the extreme case portrayed by Fig. 1 on three commercially available types of induction logs, sc., 5 FF 27, 5 FF 40 and 3 F 60. Type 5 FF 27 or 5 PF 40 is currently run in conjunction with a 16 in. normal and SP log. This combination is gradually replacing the regular electric survey (two normals and one lateral) as a standard log in many areas. On the basis of the scheme of Fig. 1 (sharp boundaries between successive zones), the thickness of the low zone may be computed for various amounts of infiltration measured by the ratio of invaded zone diameter to hole diameter D,/d. Referring to Fig. 1, we can set up a material balance for the water displaced from the invaded zone proper and the water present in the low zone. The volume of connate water displaced from invaded zone upon flushing by mud filtrate is: V1 = e p (r2 - r2) ? Sw . where c = bed thickness ? = porosity Su, = original connate water satu-ration. The volume of water finally accu-mulated in the low zone is: Vz = e p [(r1 -?)2 - r2 4] ? Sw . where SW1 = 1 — Sor = "water" saturation in the invaded and low zones both. The volume of water originally present in the low zone is:

Jan 1, 1958

By U. C. Tainton

The paper reviews the evolution of electrolytic zinc, describing some of the major obstacles that have been encountered and overcome. The chief remaining limitations of present-day standard practice are: Difficulty of obtaining high extractions, especially from low-grade and complex ores; filtration troubles, if ores contain much soluble silica; and irregularities in electrolysis, if more than certain limited amounts of antimony, arsenic, cobalt; etc., are present in the ores. These factors dictate a relatively high-grade plant feed, thus subjecting the electroytic-zinc process to the same kind of limitations as the zinc smelter. The "high acid process," in which both acid strength and current density are raised to about four times the usual figures, is described. This system concentrates both plant and operations, allows a simple type of flow sheet, and. minimizes some of the difficulties above mentioned. The large-scale operation of the process is described. SOME time ago, at a meeting of the Institute Prof. J. W. Richards1 said, "I take exception to the statement that all the factors in the production of electrolytic zinc were known long ago. There is possible in my opinion an improvement of perhaps 50 per cent. in the new electrolytic processes." An examination of the literature of the subject will show the justness of Professor Richards' contention. The work of the earlier investigators was carried on in the shadow of difficulties that, today, are hardly more than memories. We seldom hear now of zinc sponge, that bête noir of the electrolytic-zinc pioneers. Zinc sponge, was the name given to a peculiar, soft, black, non-adherent form of zinc deposit that was utterly useless for melting into ingot form. At the big plant at Cockle Creek, New South Wales, in 1897, Edgar Ashcroft2 said that the solution in the plant would suddenly, and without ascertainable cause, go "bad" and begin to deposit spongy zinc. The most delicate, even spectroscopic, methods of analysis were unable to detect any difference between "good solution and "bad" solution; either form might change to the other on being kept for a while. When it is added that an outbreak of this insidious disease (which. appeared to

Jan 2, 1924

By Olin G. Bell

At the beginning of the year 1935 the older fields in Southwest Texas, and particularly those discovered during 1934, had been practically delimited and only normal development continued. As a result, operations in this area were somewhat slowed down. Shortly after the first of the year, however, activity in the area was greatly accelerated, due largely to the fact that the Loma Novio field, discovered during the last few days of 1934, indicated the presence of a new productive trend east of and parallel to the Government Wells field and also indicated the presence of a new productive horizon, the Loma Novio sand, approximately 100 ft. lower than the Government Wells sand zone. Other discoveries during the year greatly augmented the activity in the district. During the year there were 651 oil wells, 53 gas wells and 275 dry holes drilled in this area during the year. Most of the operations were in the Government Wells, Cole, Loma Novio, Seven Sisters and Lopez fields. New Fields Four new fields were discovered during 1935 as follows: Seven Sisters and Piedra de Lumbre in Duval County; Loma Alto in McMullen County; and Lopez in Webb County. Seven Sisters Field.—The Seven Sisters field, opened in May, was the direct result of a systematic search for new productive areas northeast of the Loma Novio field. The first producer, Harvey & Henderson NO. 1 Chernosky, survey 226, was completed in the Labbe (Chernosky) sand at 2220 ft. However, the second producer, Santa Clara Oil Co. No. 1 Welder in survey 385, drilled about one mile south of the discovery well, failed to find production in the Labbé sand and was carried on down and completed in the Government Wells sand at 2473 ft. with an initial production of 20 bbl. of oil per hour. These two discoveries, in the Labbé and Government Wells sand, started an active leasing and drilling campaign in this part of Duval County and drilling operations continued especially active throughout the remainder of the year.

Jan 1, 1936

By Olin G. Bell

At the beginning of the year 1935 the older fields in Southwest Texas, and particularly those discovered during 1934, had been practically delimited and only normal development continued. As a result, operations in this area were somewhat slowed down. Shortly after the first of the year, however, activity in the area was greatly accelerated, due largely to the fact that the Loma Novio field, discovered during the last few days of 1934, indicated the presence of a new productive trend east of and parallel to the Government Wells field and also indicated the presence of a new productive horizon, the Loma Novio sand, approximately 100 ft. lower than the Government Wells sand zone. Other discoveries during the year greatly augmented the activity in the district. During the year there were 651 oil wells, 53 gas wells and 275 dry holes drilled in this area during the year. Most of the operations were in the Government Wells, Cole, Loma Novio, Seven Sisters and Lopez fields. New Fields Four new fields were discovered during 1935 as follows: Seven Sisters and Piedra de Lumbre in Duval County; Loma Alto in McMullen County; and Lopez in Webb County. Seven Sisters Field.—The Seven Sisters field, opened in May, was the direct result of a systematic search for new productive areas northeast of the Loma Novio field. The first producer, Harvey & Henderson NO. 1 Chernosky, survey 226, was completed in the Labbe (Chernosky) sand at 2220 ft. However, the second producer, Santa Clara Oil Co. No. 1 Welder in survey 385, drilled about one mile south of the discovery well, failed to find production in the Labbé sand and was carried on down and completed in the Government Wells sand at 2473 ft. with an initial production of 20 bbl. of oil per hour. These two discoveries, in the Labbé and Government Wells sand, started an active leasing and drilling campaign in this part of Duval County and drilling operations continued especially active throughout the remainder of the year.

Jan 1, 1936