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By Joseph E. Pogue

The outstanding features of 1926 in the petroleum industry included the following: 1. Stocks of all oils (crude and refined) were reduced, making the first annual decline since 1918. 2. Domestic crude oil production increased steadily during the last 11 months of the year, accelerating during the fourth quarter, and ending the year at the highest level ever attained. 3. Three new major oil fields were developed—Panhandle, Spindle-top and Seminole. 4. Important advances were registered in production technique, tending to retard the declines of old wells and to maintain the flush periods of new wells. 5. The problem of gaining greater economic control of production through unit operations and gas conservation received growing recognition by the industry and the Federal Oil Conservation Board. 6. The rate of drilling was sharply increased during the second quarter of the year and suffered only a very slight retardation during the closing months. 7. The runs of crude oil to stills were maintained above normal throughout the year and underwent acceleration during the fourth quarter. 8. The gasoline situation was marked by a continuous and substantial increase in the rate of production of cracked gasoline, and by an improvement in the statistical position of the commodity. 9. Prices of both crude petroleum and its principal derivatives were characterized by more profitable levels and greater stability than for a number of years past; and, while showing declines during the fourth quarter, prices did not recede sufficiently to slow down materially either drilling or refinery operations. Change in Stocks The keynote of 1926 was a reduction in stocks of all oils to the extent of approximately 24,000,000 bbl., or 4.4 per cent., of which roundly

Jan 1, 1927

INTERNAL The year 1976 was another outstanding year in the operation of the Institute and in the success of its varied activities. Total AIME membership reached 59,773 for a gain of. 6.4 percent. Total revenue increased to $5,111,2 10, up 22.4 percent, and balance sheet assets increased to $8,479,612, up 12.2 percent from the previous year. AIME and its constituent units conducted 30 technical meetings during the year, and attendance was up at most of them. Publications issued by the Constituent Societies continued a healthy growth. During the year 9 new local Sections were established, and at the end of the year the Institute had 150 Sections, with 19 of them overseas. Details on all of these operations are on pages 2 and 3 of this report.

Jan 4, 1977

By B. Trentini

In the spectacular development of pure oxygen steel-making, the process using the vertical lance converter LD, is at the present time the most widely employed. Proper control of slag composition during the steel-making process appears to be essential in achieving satisfactory blowing from both the metallic yield and metallurgical points of view. The paper illustrates the primary importance of the presence of a large quantity of metal droplets in the slag during the process. In the case of both phosphorus and hematite pig iron, it can be deduced from the phase diagrams and confirmed by experimentation that nonhomogeneous slags are one of the causes of slag overflowing during the blow. The problem is however a complex one and further physicochemical studies appear necessary. Finally, the new continuous steelmakingprocess developed by IRSID is described. PEOPLE who knew Henri Marion Howe have said that he took great pleasure in speculating on the future of metallurgical processes. It is therefore not inappropriate to devote, in his memory, some description and discussion to processes unknown to the world of his time, in particular oxygen steelmaking and continuous steelmaking. The first industrial application to steelmaking of tonnage oxygen produced by air liquefaction was made in Germany just before the war and consisted in enriching the air blown through the bottom of a basic Begsemer converter in order to melt a higher proportion of scrap and to produce steels with lower nitrogen content than is achieved with conventional practice. While this process was being developed after the war, mostly in Western Europe, steelmakers were becoming increasingly familiar with the technique of blowing pure oxygen from the top, first by means of consumable steel pipes, with or without refractory shielding, and later by water-cooled lances, designed for the purpose and affording longer life. The field was then open for the wide use of pure oxygen in steelmaking, either in existing processes such as open-hearth or electric furnace, or in new processes. These new processes can be broadly classified according to the category of furnace employed. In the case of the vertical converter taken as the first category, bottom-blowing of pure oxygen causes extremely rapid wear of the refractory tuyeres, and although various expedients have been tried to overcome this drawback (such as mixing oxygen with CO2 or H2O or using high pressure oxygen), they have had to be abandoned. The solution for vertical converters has been found in top-blowing with a vertical water-cooled lance; this is known as the LD process or basic oxygen converter process.

Jan 1, 1969

AT THE dinner at the Cosmos Club in Washington, tendered to Herbert Hoover on Jan. 5, on the occasion of his retirement from the presidency of the Federated American Engineering Societies, he made an informal speech in which he pointed out not only the unique position which the engineer now occu-pies by virtue of the new Federated Societies but also the opportunity that is thus presented for national service. In this connection and in pointing out some of the reasons for the present economic maladjust-ment, Mr. Hoover said in part: This body has entered upon a path of public serv-ice that is unique in the whole United States. The engineer has devoted himself all these years to the upbuilding of the material values of the United States. He has done that effectively more effectively than-has been accomplished in any other of the great countries of the world. The birth of this society marks the evolution of the engineer into an interest in public affairs. With his intelligence, his experience and training and the unique knowledge that he possesses not only of the material but the intangible values among our people, he is now organized so that his united voice may become heard outside of his profession. We have probably 175,000 engineers in our country, representing an intellectual possibility for service possessed by no other group. It is therefore an augury of real social development when the engineers of the United States join together for purposes of public service.

Jan 3, 1922

By Walter C. Lawson

The primary objective in laying track in panel sections is to reduce the number of track laborers required. This is possible because the work is mechanized. Moreover, because the work is mechanized and each of the operations needs only a few men, and each is self-contained, the work can be carried on at night as well as in daylight; therefore, the method provides a means of preparing tracks on more than one shift. The laying of tracks in open pits and quarries in panel sections is not new but new methods have been made possible by the introduction of new types of equipment. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methods that are followed in the Morenci open pit. General Mining Operations Full-scale ore production at Morenci is about 50,000 tons daily. The normal yearly output of ore and waste is 32,000,000 tons, of which 30,000,000 tons is handled by rail haulage. This requires the building of approximately 47 miles of loading and other temporary tracks during a 12 months' period (Fig I). Broken ore and waste is loaded into 90-ton capacity dump cars with 5-cu-yd full-revolving electric shovels. Shovel banks are uniformly 50 ft high. They are blasted with churn drill holes and the broken material from a blast is loaded out with two shovel cuts, the first one being called (locally) the "splatter" cut and the second one the "clean-up" or "face-up" cut. When a shovel is making its clean-up cut, the loading track is about 70 ft from the toe of the bank and, under normal conditions, a bank is blasted against it without removing the track. It is thus evident that each track is used for two shovel cuts before relocation is necessary, inasmuch as a single position serves for both the clean-up cut prior to blasting and for the splatter cut following the blast. The normal advance of a solid bench by a single blast is 40 ft (Fig 2). Preparation OF Panel Grade In preparation of panel grades bulldozers and rooters are used for the bulk of the work and an auto-patrol road grader for the final stage. At Morenci, bulldozers have always been used for track-grade preparation, but before the introduction of the other two types of equipment grades were uneven and irregular at best, and always necessitated a big gang of track laborers to hand-block under the ties with rocks after a track was laid into place. High blocking also made poor track because of instability and caused frequent derailments. Under these conditions derailments were generally bad as re-railing became difficult. Much track was torn up and many tics broken in the process. The inadequacy of the hand-blocked track, together with the inefficiency of hand blocking, constantly pointed, to the desirability of reducing the amount of labor required, so various means were tried to improve conditions, such as wood

Jan 1, 1949

By Bever M. B., Floe Carl F., Hung Liang

Data on the solubility of hydrogen in iron-silicon alloys are of practical interest, as hydrogen causes gas unsoundness and embrittlement in iron and steel and is also a factor in the metallurgy of cast iron. Zapffe and Simsl have recently demonstrated that in deoxidized iron and steel castings gassiness and bleeding are primarily functions of the hydrogen content of the liquid metal. These authors also suggested convincingly that ordinary melting and casting practice provides several sources of hydrogen for absorption by the metal. Norbury and Morgan2 and Boyles3 have shown that dissolved hydrogen affects the graphitization of cast iron. Schneble and Chipman4 included in a study of the effects of superheating on the properties of cast iron an investigation of the part played by hydrogen. Schwartz, Guiler and Barnett5 investigated the significance of hydrogen in the metallurgy of malleable cast iron. A complete interpretation of investigations of this kind calls for equilibrium values of the solubility of hydrogen in the liquid and solid phases. From the theoretical standpoint, the solubility of gases, especially hydrogen, may reveal some aspects of the nature of liquid metallic solutions. This was implied in the early work of Sieverts6 on the effect of alloying additions on the solubility of hydrogen in copper. Recent work by Bever and Floe7 has shown that in liquid copper-tin alloys the solubility of hydrogen changes abruptly at the composition of the intermetallic compound Cu3Sn. It is of considerable interest to determine whether liquid alloys of iron also have compositions at which the solubility of hydrogen exhibits a discontinuous or otherwise unique behavior. Among the various alloys of iron the iron-silicon system is important because of the presence of silicon in various structural alloy steels, transformer sheets, cast irons and special acid-resisting castings. The various grades of ferrosilicon, finally, cover almost the entire remainder of the composition range. Published information on the solubility of hydrogen in iron-silicon alloys is meager. The first values for pure liquid iron were reported in 1910-191 1 sieverts and Krumbhaar8 and by sieverts.9 They found that 100 grams of iron absorbs 28 c.c. of hydrogen at 1550°C and One atmosphere pressure, and 31 C.C. at 1650°C. In 1938 Sieverts, Zapf and Moritz10 published a value of 26.3 C.C. at 1550°C. Data on the solubility of hydrogen in liquid iron-silicon alloys and in liquid silicon are not available. Martin1' investigated

Jan 1, 1947

By Bever M. B., Floe Carl F., Hung Liang

Data on the solubility of hydrogen in iron-silicon alloys are of practical interest, as hydrogen causes gas unsoundness and embrittlement in iron and steel and is also a factor in the metallurgy of cast iron. Zapffe and Simsl have recently demonstrated that in deoxidized iron and steel castings gassiness and bleeding are primarily functions of the hydrogen content of the liquid metal. These authors also suggested convincingly that ordinary melting and casting practice provides several sources of hydrogen for absorption by the metal. Norbury and Morgan2 and Boyles3 have shown that dissolved hydrogen affects the graphitization of cast iron. Schneble and Chipman4 included in a study of the effects of superheating on the properties of cast iron an investigation of the part played by hydrogen. Schwartz, Guiler and Barnett5 investigated the significance of hydrogen in the metallurgy of malleable cast iron. A complete interpretation of investigations of this kind calls for equilibrium values of the solubility of hydrogen in the liquid and solid phases. From the theoretical standpoint, the solubility of gases, especially hydrogen, may reveal some aspects of the nature of liquid metallic solutions. This was implied in the early work of Sieverts6 on the effect of alloying additions on the solubility of hydrogen in copper. Recent work by Bever and Floe7 has shown that in liquid copper-tin alloys the solubility of hydrogen changes abruptly at the composition of the intermetallic compound Cu3Sn. It is of considerable interest to determine whether liquid alloys of iron also have compositions at which the solubility of hydrogen exhibits a discontinuous or otherwise unique behavior. Among the various alloys of iron the iron-silicon system is important because of the presence of silicon in various structural alloy steels, transformer sheets, cast irons and special acid-resisting castings. The various grades of ferrosilicon, finally, cover almost the entire remainder of the composition range. Published information on the solubility of hydrogen in iron-silicon alloys is meager. The first values for pure liquid iron were reported in 1910-191 1 sieverts and Krumbhaar8 and by sieverts.9 They found that 100 grams of iron absorbs 28 c.c. of hydrogen at 1550°C and One atmosphere pressure, and 31 C.C. at 1650°C. In 1938 Sieverts, Zapf and Moritz10 published a value of 26.3 C.C. at 1550°C. Data on the solubility of hydrogen in liquid iron-silicon alloys and in liquid silicon are not available. Martin1' investigated

Jan 1, 1947

By George R. Gardner, Kenneth B. Ray

THE application of wet cleaning processes for the beneficiation of bituminous coal has created in some localities a problem in the recovery and disposal of fine solids in the washery water. The maximum allowable concentration of these solids in the washery circuit that is consistent with satisfactory operation of the cleaning units remains a controversial point. It has, however, been generally recognized for a number of years that some degree of control should be exerted over the concentration of such material. Early methods of control involved intermittent or continuous discharge of a portion of the plant slurry into near-by streams or settling ponds, and this persisted even after the adoption of settling tanks or cones. The practice is not always economical, for two reasons: first, because of the waste of coal, and, second, because it is sometimes difficult and expensive to obtain an adequate supply of water. The latter condition often is aggravated by chemical treatment of the make-up water that is necessary to prevent excessive corrosion of plant equipment. The modern approach to this problem has been the adoption of continuous thickening devices. However, because such equipment occupies considerable plant space and is somewhat expensive to construct, the practice of loading these thickeners beyond their rated capacity is widespread, therefore often the performance of such units is not altogether satisfactory. In recent years, European washeries have increased the rate of settling of the fine coal from the slurry by the addition of specially prepared starch solutions. These reagents cause flocculation of the solid particles and thereby increase the rate of sedimentation. The first important work on the flocculation and clarification of coal slurry was done by Henry, who developed the Henry process and used it successfully in Belgian preparation plants. Soon after the initiation in Belgium, the process was introduced into England, where subsequent investigation developed similar processes, which were successfully used in

Jan 1, 1939

By B. E. Grant

There are several exceptions from the practical operating viewpoint that might be taken with the paper. The author recommends using a "curve" in plotting safety factors of ropes and suggests that the U. S. Bureau of Mines change its present "step curve" method to the "curve" method. From an engineering theoretical point of view that is possible, but from a practical standpoint it is not possible. Rope manufacturers fabricate their ropes in diameter gradients of 1/16 in. to 1/4 in. which automatically sets up a step pattern gradient. If ropes were manufactured in the diameter gradients of 1/1000 of an inch or thereabouts, the curve method could be used. Also, from a practical standpoint, if an operator is to hoist from a depth of 4000 ft, for example, he will determine the size of the rope necessary for that depth, and it is only natural that he will have safety factor to spare at lesser depths, and in plotting this excess capacity the natural end result is a curve. The U. S. Bureau of Mines tables are set up so that the operator will know what size rope at the required safety factor he will need at his maximum depth. He is not concerned with lesser depths. W. A. Boyer (author's reply)-Mr. Grant states, "Rope manufacturers fabricate their ropes in diameter gradients of 1/16" to 1/4" which automatically sets up a step pattern gradient." There is no connection or relationship between the "size" pattern gradient and the present "factor of safety" step pattern gradient. The inherent factor of safety values for any particular size of rope with a given connected load when plotted for various depths is a curve, and with modern rope material and construction the inherent factor of safety curve is quite far removed from the present recommended factor of safety step curve. This is shown quite clearly in Figs. 3 and 4 of my paper.

Jan 11, 1954

By Clarence S. Ross

INTRODUCTION THIS chapter on the rô1e of physical-chemical processes in ore deposition presents unusual difficulties because it attempts to discuss the theory of processes that are very imperfectly under- stood, but which are among the most fundamental problems now before the student of ore formation. It is generally believed that a great variety of ore deposits are in some way derived from igneous rocks; but we desire to know the mechanism of their splitting off from the parent magma, the physical and chemical character of the material that acts as a medium for transfer from magma to the point of deposition, the manner of deposition, and the methods of replacement and removal of the invaded rocks. This problem is difficult for the field geologist because it concerns forces that for the most part have long since ceased to act. It involves a complex system of which the time for completion extends from the first development of the parent magma through its intrusion, its slow cooling and crystallization, and the final escape of its last residuum, a time probably represented by millions of years. In space the processes extend from profound depths of the abyssal magma which can never be directly observed, through the horizons characterizing deep-seated igneous rocks and ore deposits; those formed at moderate depths; and ends with surficial ones and surface thermal springs. The geologist usually can study the effect at but one of these horizons: he must attempt to fit his puzzle together while seeing but a few parts at a time. Thus he must deal with many isolated phenomena, as if they were the result of many physical and chemical systems; when in fact his problem involves a single exceedingly complex system, and will only be understood when that entire complex system is understood. The geophysicist is handicapped because he must attempt to interpret an extraordinary complex system, involving physical and chemical conditions which he can never hope to duplicate fully, through the study of many exceedingly simple systems.

Jan 1, 1933

By Howard Martens, Pol Duwez

IN two papers published in 1949, alloys of chromium with the refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and columbium were investigated in view of their possible use as high temperature resisting materials. For the Cr-Ta system, a partial phase diagram was presented and the only intermediate phase was identified at Ta2Cr3. A phase of the same composition was also observed in the Cb-Cr system. The X-ray diffraction data presented in these papers, however, were insufficient for crystal structure determination. It is shown in the present study that the only intermediate phase in both the Ta-Cr and the Cb-Cr systems corresponds to the ideal stoichiometric ratio TaCr2, or CbCr2. Both structures are cubic, MgCu, type. At high temperature, however, TaCr2 has a hexagonal MgZn, type structure, which can be retained at room temperature by fast cooling. The alloys were prepared by melting in a helium arc furnace on a water-cooled plate. The design of the furnace was essentially the same as that described in ref. 3. Some alloys were also obtained by sintering compacts made of the mixed powders pressed at 80,000 psi. The sintering was carried on for 4 hr at 1375°C. The tantalum and columbium powders were supplied by Fansteel Metallurgical Corp., North Chicago, 111. The tantalum powder was the reagent grade, with a particle size smaller than 400 mesh and a total impurity content less than 0.1 pct. The columbium powder was smaller than 325 mesh and contained approximately 0.1 pct C and traces of Fe, Ti, and Zr. The electrolytic chromium powder from Charles Hardy, Inc., New York, was smaller than 300 mesh and contained about 0.1 pct Na, 0.05 pct Ca, and traces of Cu, Al, Mg, Si, and Co. Powder diffraction patterns were obtained with a 14.32 cm camera, using copper Ka radiation filtered through nickel foil. The powder pattern of the TaCr2 alloy obtained by sintering at 1375'C was different from that obtained on the same alloy rapidly cooled from the melt. Contrary to this result, the powder pattern of CbCr2 was the same, whether the alloy was made by sintering at 1375°C or by melting, and was similar to that of the TaCr, sintered. It was also found that the structure of the TaCr2 specimen obtained by melting was retained after heating for 4 hr at 1590°C, but transformed into the structure found in the sintered specimen after heating for 4 hr at 1375°C. Hence, the structural change of TaCr2, appears to be a reversible polymorphic transformation. CbCr2 and ToCr2 Structure, Low Temperature Form By using large scale Hull-Davey charts, the powder pattern of CbCr, and of the low temperature form of TaCr2 were readily interpreted on the basis of a face-centered cubic lattice with a parameter of approximately 6.95 kX. The indices of the reflections together with the values of sin' 0 are given in Tables I and 11. From this list of observed reflections, it appears that the (200), (600), (024), (046), and (028) reflections are missing. The lack of (h00) reflections for h 4n indicates a four-fold screw axis. The missing (Okl) spectra for k + 1 An indicate the existence of a diamond glide d. The combination of these symmetry elements can be found in the O— Fd3m space group, which is therefore the most probable one. After having determined the approximate density of TaCr, by the immersion method, the number of molecules per unit cell was calculated and found to be nearly eight. This information, added to the fact that the most probable space group is O leads to the consideration of a structure of the MgCu2 type, in which the atoms have the following positions: 8 magnesium in a and 16 copper in d. On the basis of this structure, intensities were computed by means of the usual formula: 1 cos'20 I a sin2 cos where F is the structure factor; 8, the Bragg angle: and p, the multiplicity factor. As shown in Tables I

Jan 1, 1953

By John Garcia

THE presence of carbon de terre along the banks of the Illinois river was noted by the members of the Joliet and Marquette expeditions in 1673, and that may be referred to as the birthday of coal in the Middle West. The march of progress in the majority of indus-tries radiating from Chicago-one of the phenomena of history-is due in no small measure to this same carbon de terre and to the development and exploita-tion of the vast coal resources, which nature in a generous mood spread so lavishly over almost the en-tire state. The geological records indicate that coal-bearing rocks underlie three-quarters of Illinois, in-cluding 85 of the 102 counties and the entire area is estimated at from 36,000 to 42,000 square miles. Not all of the coal in this great area may be mined under the conditions existing today; producers are now taking the "cream" since industry demands the best quality and the lowest cost, thereby forcing competition among operators, which, in turn, com-pels the development of mines in those areas where the coal may be most readily .won, leaving the coal that is more difficult and expensive to mine to pos-terity. This is not such a bad arrangement, since the engineers of succeeding generations will enjoy the advantage of the experience of their ancestors, where-by they should profit and know how to mine a 2-ft. seam with as much economy and dispatch as we today work coal of thrice that thickness. During the period between 1830 and 1850, Illinois coal-mining progressed from the art of scratching along the outcrop to the development of small mines, mostly slopes, drifts and shallow shafts, but the real progress in the industry was coincident with the con-struction of railroads.

Jan 2, 1927

By D. Turnbull, J. H. Hollomon

IN the most general sense, solidification refers to the formation of crystalline material from either a gas or a liquid. However, in this symposium, only the formation of crystals from liquids will be considered. Thus, in our present study the problem of solidification becomes that of determining the mechanism of the transition from a liquid to a crystalline solid, and our particular interest is in the transformation of metals from the liquid to the crystalline state. Metal liquids are seldom composed of only one kind of atom. Often solute atoms are added intentionally to make an alloy, or they may be present accidently because of incomplete purification. Furthermore, there may be small solid particles of various other crystals present in the liquid. Such small crystals may persist if their melting points are higher than any temperature to which the liquid is heated. Prior to solidification, the liquid metal usually is poured from one container to another. The second container, called the mold, usually is at a lower temperature than the container, or the crucible, in which the metal is liquified. The first solid that forms upon contact with the mold generally is of a different composition than the liquid, usually containing fewer foreign atoms or dissolved impurities. Heat is evolved upon solidification and is dissipated through the surroundings. Tree-like crystals, or dendrites, grow from the container walls and branch into the melt, enriching the remaining liquid in impurity atoms. In some alloys the remaining, relatively impure liquid continues to solidify until no liquid remains and the branches of the original crystal are cemented together. In other alloys, particles with a second type of crystal structure appear before solidification is complete. First the nature of the liquid and the solid states will be considered and then the mechanism of the initial formation of crystals from pure and alloy liquids. Later the problem of the growth of these crystals and the complexities of solidification in a mold, where the temperatures are not uniform and the composition of the melt changes continuously, will be discussed. LIQUID AND CRYSTALLINE STATES A liquid is an aggregate of atoms arranged with no apparent regularity (over distances of more than a few atom diameters). Nevertheless, any given atom generally has a definite number of nearest neighbors at definite distances, and thus order may be said to exist over a short range. In a crystal, on the other hand, a regular array of atoms continues for many hundreds or thousands of atom diameters, and a long-range order is apparent. Thus, a crystal having long-range order can be reproduced by linear translations for 10-5 cm or more of some fundamental unit possessing short-range order. A crude illustration of the difference between liquid and crystalline structures can be obtained by comparing the possible arrangements of oranges in a crate. If the oranges are simply dumped into the crate haphazardly until it is filled, the oranges will represent a static model of a liquid.

Jan 1, 1951

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES C C Long, President John Chipman, Past President J S Smart, Jr, Vice President T D Jones, Treasurer R W Shearman, Secretary AIME, 29 West 39th Street New York 18, N Y D C Johnston, Assistant Secretary

Jan 1, 1960

Member ship L P MATHEWSON, Chairman GEORGE D BARRON LOUIS D HUNTOON JOHN A CHURCH, JR H N SPICER Alternates LEWIS W FRANCIS WILBER JUDSON F T RUBIDGE Increase of Membership JOHN A CHURCH, JR, Chairman Other members to be appointed

Jan 1, 1923

By D. L. Garthwaite, F. M. Stewart, F. K. Krebill

Pressure has been maintained in the Elk Basin Ten-deep reservoir since the initiation of inert gas injection in Sept., 1949. Oil is being produced under conditions favorable for gravity drainage, including high angle of dip, appreciable structural closure, and fairly good per~neability. Results being obtained are high per cent recovery of oil-in-place, sustained field productivity, reduced operating problems, and recovery of plant products. The high recovery has been calculated by alpplication of the gravity drainage theory described in an earlier AIME paper.' It is also confirmed from field performance by comparing nil recovery to date with gas cap spuce voided. GENERAL INFORMATION The Elk Basin field lies in Park County, Wyo., and Carbon County, Mont., approximately 50 miles east of Yellowstone Park. Located at the northern end of the Big Horn Basin. the field is situated on an elongated asymmetrical anticline (Fig. 1). The pressure maintenance project covered by this paper involves the Embar-Tensleep reservoir in this multi-pay field. Discovered in Nov., 1942, it has a proved productive area of over 6,300 acres. It consists of the 210-ft thick Tensleep sandstone of Pennsylvanian Age overlain by 40 ft of Embar dolomite of Permian Age. The two formations apparently are in communication with each other and are produced as a common source of supply. As 98 per cent of the reserves are contained in the Tensleep sandFtone, in this paper the Embar-Tensleep reservoir will he called simply the Tensleep. The reservoir is found at an average depth of 4,900 it, is approximately 7 miles long and 2 miles wide, and has a maximum oil productive closure of 2,330 ft. The strata dip an average of 21" on the west flank and 45" on the east. There are presently 132 Tensleep wells in the field drilled on 40-acre spacing; of these, 17 are shut in because of high gas-oil ratio (GOR) and eight are gas injection wells. Rock characteristics and related information for the pay section follow: Porosity, avg 10.7 per cent Permeability (air) from cores, avg 118 mds Permeability from PI'S 91 mds Connate water, avg 8 per cent Initial pressure (-400 ft) 2,234 psia Pressure April 1954 (-400 ft) 1.327 psia At high structural positions much of the better sandstone has connate water content of only 2 to 5 per cent as indicated by the coring of wells with oil in nearby Tensleep fields. In special imbibition tests, samples readily imbibed oil but repelled water. In tests on crushed samples, the sand grains rapidly settled in oil and carbon tetrachloride but formed a stable unsinking floc in water. This information indicates that the Tensleep sand is preferentially oil wet. The oil produced averages 29' API gravity and has a high sulfur content. Extensive sampling and testing have established the fact that characteristics of reservoir oil in this field vary greatly with structure, see Fig. 2. Additional detail on the variation of oil characteristics with structure at Elk Basin may be found in Reference 2. At original reservoir pressure the oil was undersatu-rated with gas, the bubble point being 1,250 psi at the crest but only 500 psi at the lowest elevation sampled. As noted on Fig. 2, other fluid properties—reservoir volume factor. solution ratio, gravity, viscosity, and hydrogen sulfide content—likewise vary greatly. These variations complicate mathematical analysis, for it is necessary to average these characteristics in order to enter them into reservoir engineering expressions. To further complicate analysis, sand-face pressure also varies greatly because of the increase in fluid head down structure. As an approximation, average properties under initial conditions may be read from Fig. 2 at the -450-ft elevation.

Jan 1, 1956

By J. Szekely, Robert J. Fisher

A formulation is Presented and solutions are given for the problem of transient heat conduction in a sphere that undergoes a spatially uniform radiative heat exchange with its environment. The solutions were obtained by the numerical integration of the appropriate Partial differential equation and are Presented in a graphical form by Plotting a dimensionless average temperature against the Fourier number with the radiation number as a paranreter, for various initial sphere and environment temperatures. In addition to these numerical results asymptotic analytical solutions are also given. PROBLEMS involving the transient heating or cooling of droplets and particles frequently arise and are of importance in metallurgical operations. Spray refining, vacuum degassing, high-temperature gas-solid reaction systems, and pebble heaters are but few of the numerous examples that may be quoted. The practical interest in these problems from a design or operational point of view is to evaluate the change in the particle temperature with the time given its physical properties, initial temperature, and that of the environment. At the high temperatures encountered the principal mode of heat transfer between the particles and their environment is by thermal radiation; in case of vacuum degassing due to the very low thermal conductivity of the gas space the convec-tive components are negligible and radiation is the only heat transfer mechanism. Although much work has been done on transient heat conduction problems, the special class mentioned here, in which thermal radiation is specified at the bounding surface, received little attention to date. One contributory factor to this situation may be the nonlinearity of the radiation term in temperature, which in general precludes the use of analytical techniques and requires numerical or analog solution of the appropriate differential equations. In fact the only solutions of general nature that are available at present pertain to semi-infinite media and slabs.'-3 The work on which the paper reports forms part of a program aimed at the theoretical and experimental study of transient radiative heat exchange between particles and their environment. The purpose of the present paper is to develop a formulation and solutions to the problem of transient heat conduction in a sphere that undergoes a spatially uniform radiative heat exchange with its surroundings. The solutions, obtained by the numerical integration of the appropriate differential equations, will be presented graphically, by plotting dimensionless parame- ters covering the range of variables relevant to metallurgical interests, thus affording a ready reference for design calculations. In addition to these results, approximate analytical solutions are also given which represent asymptotes, corresponding to extreme values of the variables mentioned. FORMULATION Consider a spherical particle of radius, a, initially at uniform temperature, Ti (T measured on the absolute scale), having a thermal conductivity, k, density, , specific heat, C, and thermal diffusivity, a. At time = 0 let this particle be exposed to an environment which is at a temperature T, and subsequently let there be a purely radiative heat exchange between the particle and the environment resulting in a spatially uniform heat flux at the surface. If in addition to the above we make the assumptions that the sphere is a gray body radiator, homogeneous, isotropic, and opaque, and that the physical properties are independent of temperature, conservation of heat in the sphere may be written as follows: The boundary condition contained in Eq. [3] states that the initial temperature of the sphere is considered uniform, equalling Ti, whereas Eq. [4] is readily obtained from symmetry considerations. Eq. [5] expresses the continuity of the heat flux at the surface of the sphere, or in other words the condition that the rate of heat exchange between the sur-

Jan 1, 1969

By Frederick Laist

THE ore from the Butte mines of the Anaconda company is quite siliceous; that is, it contains considerably less iron than is needed for the fluxing of the silica. The direct smelting of this ore, therefore, requires the addition of considerable fluxing material. The only flux available in sufficient quantity at Anaconda is limestone containing no metallic minerals. This necessarily makes the direct smelting of the ore so expensive that it is more profitable to subject the ore to a preliminary treatment by concentration. However, as the losses in the concentrator were very high, compared with the losses in the blast furnaces, it was found, by calculation, more profitable to send ores containing more than a given percentage of copper to the blast furnaces, in spite of the higher costs of treatment. The dividing point was dependent on various factors, the chief of which was the prevailing market price of -copper. It was customary, therefore, to segregate the ore as mined into two classes. Ore in the first class generally contained 5 per cent. or over of copper;: this was sent directly to the blast-furnace department. Second-class ore contained less than 5 per cent. of copper, and averaged around 3 per cent.; it went to the concentrating department. With the introduction of the flotation process, it was found possible to maintain an average recovery, as concentrates, of 96 per cent. At the same time, the cost of reverberatory smelting was very materially decreased by the use of pulverized coal. These two changes in practice made the blast furnaces unable to compete with the reverberatory furnaces on a cost basis. The distinction between first-.and second-class ore was therefore abandoned, and the ore was treated by concentration. Obviously, on ores as high in iron as the Butte ores, the concentrator, produces a product that is self-fluxing; in fact, it is possible to produce a

Jan 1, 1920

By Charles A. Ashburner

VERY little is known of the economical value of the cod-bells of the State of Texas. The first authentic statement in regard to their occurrence is that contained in the reports of the United States Exploratians for the Pacific Railroad, near the 32d parallel of latitude, published in 1863-55. Professor William P. Biake reports, "that a number of seams of bituininorls coal, varying in thickness from two to four feet, have been opened along the Brazos River, in Young County, about one hundred and fifty miles west of Fort Worth." Dr: Shurunrd also states, " that the claracteristic fossil fornis of the Carbeiferaas Era have been found with this coal, and considers the age of the formation established. Foesils obtained from the carboniteroas limestone remove all doubt of the age of these deposits."† In the spring of 1879, I was called upon by some Eastern capitalisets to make an examination of the Brazos coal-field, in order to obtain the thickness, extent., and value of the coal which could be mined and be'made merchantable fir stearn, heating, and metallurgical purposes. The demand for coal in this section of the country is great, and a fuel which in our Eastern markets might be considered of inferior quality, would here find a ready sale. It must be remernbered that the market value of a coal does not depen'd upon its absoltite purity, but upon its actual value in heat units which it is capable of prodwing. A poor coal which can be cheaply milled near the consuper, is infinitely more remunerative to a mining company than a superior coal whose cost to the consumer is greatly increased by high mining charges and railroad freights. The value of the Texan coals does not depend upon their purity but upon their low first cost and nearness to a market. A glance at a geological map of the United States, will show that the Brazos coal-field is the extreme southwestern extension of what may be called the Missourian, Fourth or Western, bituminous coal

Jan 1, 1881

MINING METHODS F A WARDLAW, JR, Chairman WILLIAM J COULTER, Past Chairman PHILIP B BUCKY, Past Chairman FRANCIS CAMERON, Vice-Chairman R D LONGYEAR, Vice-Chairman J MURRAY RIDDELL, Vice-Chairman LELAND A WALKER, Vice-Chairman E D GARDNER, Secretary

Jan 1, 1952