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By Michel David

One of the most important questions that arises in ore estimation can be stated as follows: What is the error when one extends the grade of a sample to a certain volume? The theory of regionalized variables, with the concept of extension variance, provides a response to that crucial question for any kind of sample extended to any volume. For the usual "extensions" encountered in current mining practice, some simple results can be derived from that theory which was initiated by Dr. G. Matheron. These results have been applied to a stratiform lead-zinc deposit for which several estimations of grade, tonnage and related precision have been made for a series of grid sizes such as might be used in a progressive exploration program.

Jan 1, 1969

By J. Chipman, N. J. Grant, J. H. Walsh, T. B. King

WITH the development of adequate sampling and analysis techniques, much information has been obtained concerning the behavior of hydrogen in the steel bath during the course of steelmak-ing operations. From studies of this type it has become clear that the slag has an important role to play in determining the hydrogen content found in commercial products. A knowledge of the behavior of hydrogen in slags is necessary to round out our knowledge of hydrogen in steelmaking practice; with this information we are better able to assess practical methods of control. In this paper a method developed for analyzing slags for hydrogen content, studies of the solubility of hydrogen in synthetic slags, and studies of the variation of hydrogen content in slag and steel in industrial heats will be described. Previous Work—While very little has been done in the past to determine the hydrogen content of metallurgical slags, measurements have been made on such slag-like materials as geologic magmas and glasses. Goranson as made extensive studies of the solubility of water in natural and synthetic granites. Many workers have investigated the solubility of gases in synthetic and commercial glasses, but the recent work of Russell" is the most extensive. Russell found that the solubility of water in glass was proportional to the square root of the water vapor pressure in water vapor-oxygen mixtures. It was found that the solubility could either increase or decrease with temperature depending on the glass composition. Wentrup, Fucke, and Rief,' and Piper, Hagedorn, and Backes' have extracted hydrogen by holding a slag at 1300" and 800°C respectively in vacuum. Wentrup et al. reported hydrogen and water vapor as evolved together while Piper et al. passed the evolved gases from the hot extraction treatment over hot ferromanganese to reduce the evolved water vapor to hydrogen and, therefore, reported the analyses in terms of total dissolved hydrogen. Yavoiskii has reported hydrogen and nitrogen analyses on steelmaking slags. Dobrokhotov, Povol-skii, and Khan have studied the hydrogen content of basic open hearth steel under slags of varying viscosity. These authors reported that the hydrogen content of the steel bath increased as the fluidity of the slag was increased by the addition of bauxite. They recommended that a viscous slag be used and the steel tapped without deoxidation in the furnace to ensure a low final hydrogen content. Analysis of Slags for Hydrogen Development of Apparatus—The vacuum fusion analysis equipment described by Shields, Chipman, and Grant" was modified for the analysis of slags." This method depends upon the reduction of water in the slag to hydrogen, which is readily determined by the method used for hydrogen in steel. Preliminary experiments were made with a eu-tectic ferrosilicon melt as the reducing agent. Other experiments included the use of graphite and molybdenum crucibles. The ferrosilicon alloy bath was found to produce a thick coating on the furnace tube which could adsorb hydrogen. Graphite produced CO by the reduction of FeO, MnO, and SiO2 in such quantities that analysis for hydrogen was virtually impossible. Molybdenum, while giving a low blank value, could reduce the slag sufficiently to produce a volatile oxide which again was found to adsorb hydrogen. The arrangement finally adopted is shown in Fig. 1. The molybdenum sheet served as the induction-heated susceptor, and was separated from the escaping gases by alumina guide tubes. An outer jacket of alumina protected the quartz furnace tube, and alumina and quartz stools completed the assembly. The falling sample is shown wrapped in aluminum foil, 0.002 in. thickness, which acted as the reducing agent' This foil was careful'~ washed in acetone and an d and then dried in hot air before wrapping the weighed slag sample for charging into the apparatus. Investigation of the hydrogen content of the aluminum foil itself showed that a small quantity of hydrogen was released in vacuum, but had no relation to the weight of the aluminum charged. This quantity of hydrogen was

Jan 1, 1957

By Richard R. Zupp, David A. Stevenson

An experimental method to determine the carbon activity in various solid solutions was developed. Samples of the solid solutions and an Fe-C reference sample were equilibrated with respect to carbon content by annealing them in a Hz-CHI gas mixture in a closed cell. The carbon content of each sample was determined, and the carbon activity was obtained from the carbon content of' the reference sample and well-established data for the dependence of the carbon activity on the carbon content in Fe-C alloys. The influence of vanadium on the activity of carbon in austenitic Fe-C-V alloys at 1000°C was determined by this technique. A general semiempirical correlation was developed to describe the dependence of the activity coefficient of- carbon on the composition of ternary austenitic iron-base alloys containing interstitial carbon and a substitutional solute. The correlation is particularly useful in predicting the partitioning of- carbon between various alloys. THE influence of substitutional solutes on the activity of interstitial solutes in metallic solid solutions is important in the theory of alloy phases. Solid solutions of particular interest are the fcc austenite phases of ternary Fe-C-Z systems, in which carbon is the interstitial solute and Z represents any substitutional solute. Carbon-activity data are also needed in these solid solutions to solve practical problems; the quantitative treatment of diffusion-controlled transformations' is an examvle. Experimental information is available for ternary austenitic solid solutions containing Mn,2 Si,2 and A16 as the substitutional solute. Because qualitative preliminary studies indicated that vanadium appreciably decreases the carbon activity,14 the present investigation was undertaken to determine the influence of vanadium on the activity of carbon in austenite. Although Flender and ever" measured carbon activity over a range of compositions in the Fe-C-V system, they were primarily interested in determining phase boundaries in the ternary system, so most of their measurements were outside the composition range for stability of single-phase austenite. Petrova and Shvartsman' also made limited measurements of the carbon activity in Fe-C-V alloys. The dependence of the carbon activity on the carbon content of an alloy may be determined by passing COCOz or H2-CH4 gas mixtures of carefully measured composition over the alloys, determining their equilibrium carbon content, and utilizing the relevant equilibrium relationships. smith16 used this technique with both CO-COZ and HZ-CH4 gas mixtures to determine the dependence of carbon activity on carbon content in pure Fe-C alloys. His data, which are in good agreement with those of some previous and subsequent investigators,6'17 but not with those of others,lfl'ao are usually considered to be the most reliable. Although the same method can be applied to Fe-C-Z alloys, it is difficult experimentally, because the appropriate gas mixtures are almost pure CO or Hz. A simpler technique is to simultaneously equilibrate the Fe-C-Z alloys and pure Fe-C alloys with the gas mixtures, and then use Smith's data to determine the carbon activity in the pure Fe-C alloy. A number of investigators have employed this technique. others Have used the partitioning of carbon at the interface of a diffusion couple prepared from an Fe-C alloy and a Fe-C-Z alloy. In the present study, a closed-cell method was developed by which carbon was selectively transferred via a gas medium between pure Fe-C alloys and Fe-C-V alloys which were not in physical contact. A similar method was developed independently by Heckler and winchel14 and used to study the Fe-C-Ni system. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD A schematic diagram of the experimental arrangement is shown in Fig. 1. In a typical experiment, a 5-g Fe-C sample was placed in one compartment of a quartz cell, and a 5-g Fe-V sample was placed in each of the other compartments. The cell was evacuated, outgassed, backfilled with approximately 125 Torr of hydrogen, and sealed. After being placed in a fur-

Jan 1, 1967

By Cornelius F. Kelley

AT the Annual Meeting of the A.1.M.E. last February, Cornelius F. Kelley, chairman of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., was presented with the Charles F. Rand Memorial Medal for "conspicuous success as administrative head of great enter- prises engaged in the production of nonferrous metals at home and abroad; for inspiring leadership of an organization that has trained able engineers for service wherever ores are mined and metals are recovered; and for enhancing the prestige of metal mining in the financial and industrial world." Mr. Kelley's acceptance speech follows: I am not unmindful of the fact that the distinction is not to be considered a personal one, but that by the language of the citation itself it is rather a recognition of the service that has been performed by the many trained men of an industrial organization that in the arts of mining and metallurgy and in the fabrication of metal products has performed a distinct service to the industry and to mankind. In that spirit, the award is accepted, and on behalf of the organization I represent and myself, I thank you and assure you that the honor is deeply appreciated.

Jan 1, 1944

By C. H. Chou, A. Sauveur

The senior author of this paper has expressed the belief that when gamma iron transforms into alpha iron on reaching the A3 point, each gamma grain does not change bodily into one or more alpha grains but that the alpha phase forms first at the boundaries and along the crystallo-graphic planes of the austenite grains.1 To quote: On cooling through the point As, at about 900° C, iron passes from the gamma condition to a new allotropic form generally designated as alpha. This transformation, however, is not instantaneous. There are good reasons for believing that it begins at the grain boundaries and along the octahedral planes of the crystals and that it progresses until each grain of gamma iron is changed into a grain of alpha iron, the resulting structure being similar to that of gamma iron. Were it possible to retain

Jan 1, 1929

By H. B. FERNALD

THE interesting and carefully developed formula which Professor Bucky presents for answering the question of whether proposed new equipment will give a net return on investment equal to or greater than that on present equipment starts with an assumption that the management may make this relative return a determining factor in its decision whether or not the new equipment should be provided. I do not question that in some cases the management may take this position, but I would point out the error involved in so doing. The proper test is not a comparison of the return on new as compared with the return on old investment, but is rather a comparison of the return on a particular new investment as compared with the return which would be obtainable from some other new investment which now might be made. Then I would point out that I believe Professor Bucky is in error in using as a factor in his computations the item of unamortized cost of old investment. The financial advantage to be derived from a new investment does not depend on the extent to which we may in the past have written off the cost of old equipment, nor does it even depend upon what was the original cost of that old equipment. Even the salvage or resale value of the old equipment will only enter into the picture to the extent that the present salvage or resale value differs from the ultimate salvage or resale value otherwise to be obtained, after due allowance for the interest factor.

Jan 1, 1930

By E. Gybbon Spilsbury

From time to time, for the last quarter of a century, considerable attention has been called to the gold deposits of North Carolina and Georgia, and much capital has been expended in their development; but the existence of large areas of gold-bearing rocks in the State

Jan 1, 1884

By R. A. Wattenbarger, H. J. Ramey

A systematic study has been made of the application of the real gas pseudo-pressure m(p) to short-time gas well testing. The m(p) function can be used in real gas flow problems to account for the variation of viscosity and z-factor with pressure. A mathematical model was solved numerically to generate solutions of various real gas flow problems. The effects of turbulence, formation damage and wellbore storage were included in the model. The analysis of simulated well tests showed that the interpretation methods normally used for liquid flow are generally accurate when the m(p) is used. For practical rates without turbulence, the solutions are not rate-sensifive, and the flow capacity.. kh and skin effect can be determined accurately from either a buildup or a drawdown test. However, the kh calculated from a drawdown test can be significantly low when turbulence is present. A case was simulated in which this error wa.s 36 percent. Turbulence does not affect the determination of kh from buildup tests. The proper determination of kh from p and pa buildup and drawdown plots is developed by analyzing their relationship to the m(p) method. A simple equation is given that can be used for long-range gas well performance forecasting. This expression is compared with a method pre-sended by Russell et al." Introduction The formation flow capacity and wellbore damage condition can be determined for liquid-producing tests by means of buildup and drawdown tests. These tests make use of short-time pressure transient data rather than stabilized flow tests that are often used for gas well testing. Tracy' presented a method of gas well testing that was based on ideal gas equations and utilized p2 buildup plots. This method was shown to be good for low pressure wells. MatthewsZ suggested plotting p and using an average slope and average gas properties. This method was more successful on high pressure wells. Al-Hussainy, Ramey and Crawfordh howed that variation in gas properties could be simplified by using the real gas pseu do-pressure m(p). Some cases showed that the use of the m(p) function Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers office Aug. 8. 1967. Revised manuscript received June 11, 1968. Paper (SPE 1835) was presented at SPE 42nd Annual Fall Meeting held in Houston Tex., Oct. 1-4. 1967, and at SPE 4th Annual Eastern Regional ~eetin$ held in Pittsburgh. Pa., Nov. 2-3. 1967. 0 Copyright 1968 American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. 'References given at end of paper. provided an accurate method of interpreting buildup and drawdown tests. Because the work of Al-Hussainy et al. included only a few actual cases, there was a need to explore the use of the m(p) method for a greater variety of flow conditions. The occurrence of turbulent flow around the wellbore often is an important factor in gas well testing. Swift and Kiel,' and Carter et a1.' treated turbulence in gas well testing, but did not consider the variation of viscosity and z-factor with pressure. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the application of the m(p) method to buildup and drawdown testing. Vhe investigation included the effects of turbulence, formation damage and wellbore storage. Gas Flow Equations To formulate the mathematical model, many of the assumptions usually used in well testing theory are applied. The system has radial geometry with a closed outer boundary and is composed of a horizontal porous formation that has uniform and isotropic rock properties and uniform thickness. Allowance is made, however, for a radial region of reduced permeability near the wellbore. This region represents formation damage. The geometry of the system is shown in Fig. 1. Darcy's law does not always apply to gas flow. A more general expression is needed for non-Darcy, or "turbulent" REGION OF DAMAGED PERMEABILITY SEALED BOUNDARIES ClRCULAR WELL BORE Fig. 1—Radial flow model. AUGUST, BT7

Jan 1, 1969

By W. E. Quist, R. Taggart, D. H. Polonis, C. J. van der Wekken

An intermediate compound that has been identified as Niab is observed to form as a decomposition product from supersaturaled Ni-Nb solid solutions during aging at temperatures between approximately 300" and 500°C. On the basis of data from electron microscopy and selected-area diffraction, the structure of this compound has been determined as fct with a = b - 3a0 and c = a, wlzere a,, is the lattice parameter of the parent solid solution. The compound consists of close-packed layers with triangular ordering, where the niobiutrl atoms are separated by two nickel atoms ([long- close?-packed directions. A nine layer stacking sequence is required to describe the proposed structure. STUDIES of the Ni-Nb binary system have been limited primarily to phase diagram determinations,'-4 investigations of high-temperature equilibrium phases,5"1 and the determination of the influence of deformation on the structure of the equilibrium compound.8 The nickel-rich portion of the binary system is reported to be of the simple eutectic type in which the maximum solubility of 12.7 at. pct Nb occurs at 1282"c.' The two-phase field below the eutectic temperature is bounded by the a fcc solid solution and an orthorhombic Ni3Nb compound. No metastable phases have been reported in previous investigations. In transformation studies of certain nickel-base commercial alloys that contain niobium, two ordered metastable compounds containing niobium have been shown to precipitate from the solid solution, both of which have been identified as y' and have the composition NisNb or Ni,Nb. One compound has been reported to have the bct DOz2 type Al3Ti structure" and the other the cubic LI2 type Cu3Au structure.9,11 In the present work on Ni-Nb binary alloys a metastable y' compound has not been detected after conventional quenching and aging treatments. An anomalous behavior was noted in electrical resistivity measurements. in alloys containing between 7 to 12 at. pct Nb when aging treatments were performed below 500°C after fast quenching from 1250°C. Transmission electron microscopy has shown that this behavior is caused by the formation of a low-temperature precipitate of unreported structure type and composition. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Several Ni-Nb alloys, containing up to 11.5 at. pct Nb. were prepared by either levitation melting and casting in copper molds or by induction melting in alumina crucibles; both techniques employed purified helium gas as a protective atmosphere. The purity of the nickel and niobium used to make the alloys was 99.98 wt pct Ni and 99.9 wt pct Nb. The composition and homogeneity of the alloys were checked by weight measurements and by electron microprobe analysis. The induction-melted alloys were homogenized for 100 hr at 1100°C. The resistivity specimens were prepared from rods swaged to 2.5 mm and the electron microscopy specimens were cut from sheet that was rolled to 0.4 mm and thinned using a modified Bollmann technique." The elevated-temperature solution treatments were carried out in a purified helium atmosphere followed by direct quenching into a 10 pct NaCl solution at 23°C. Additional protection against oxidation of the samples during solution treatment was accomplished by using tantalum foil as a "getter" in the furnace. The specimens were aged at various temperatures in salt baths controlled to +2oC. A Leeds and Northrup K5 potentiometer was used to make electrical resistivity measurements on specimens immersed in liquid nitrogen. Electron microscopy and diffraction studies were carried out with JEM-7 and Philips EM-200 microscopes operating at 100 kv. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Ni-Nb alloys containing between 7 and 11.5 at. pct Nb that have been solution-treated in the range 1220" to 1280°C and quenched to 23°C undergo a precipitation reaction when aged in the temperature range 300" to 500°C. Precipitation was detected by selected-area electron diffraction after aging a specimen for as little as 30 sec at 350°C) whereas the reaction was well-advanced after aging for 150 hr at 475°C. Electrical resistivity measurements were used to monitor the progress of the precipitation reaction. In the present experiments the nucleation process for precipitation required a high solution temperature and a rapid quench into brine. The presence of aluminum, iron? and carbon in amounts totaling less than 1 wt pct was found by electron diffraction to completely suppress the formation of the low-temperature precipitate that has been detected in the binary alloy. Electron diffraction techniques were used to determine the structure of the precipitates that formed during the decomposition of the Ni-Nb supersaturated solid solutions. Figs. l(a) through l(d) show electron diffraction patterns oriented to the [loo], [110], [lll], and [I031 zone axes of the matrix. Areas of reciprocal space between these sections were investigated by slowly varying the orientations of the crystal under study; this procedure revealed no reflections other than those depicted in Fig. 1. The presence of super-lattice reflections at points coincident with the matrix reflections was confirmed by the examination of an almost completely transformed structure. On the basis of the accumulated diffraction data, the reciprocal lat-

Jan 1, 1970

By A. A. Archer

Marine mining is here defined as the commercial recovery of minerals other than oil and natural gas from the surface of, or below, the seabed by operations connected only indirectly with the land. The number of operations falling within this definition and the number of countries involved are remarkably limited in view of the widespread interest shown in marine mining prospects during the last few years. Marine mining is still restricted to continental shelves, where the only superficial minerals currently being mined are sand and gravel, calcium carbonate in different forms, and tin and iron sands.

Jan 12, 1973

By H. H. Kellogg

Available high-fernperatzwe equilibrium measurements and other thermochernical data have been critically reciewed for sulfation reactions of the type: Recommended values for log K and ?Fo as junctions of temperature are given for thirty-six suck reactions involving twenty-six different metals. Methods of calculation and choice between conflict-ing data are discussed. SELECTIVE sulfation now enjoys a considerable renaissance as a metallurgical unit process due, in large part, to the available of the fluid-bed re- actor—a device capable of the close control of temperature and gas composition necessary for a successful sulfation process. An additional need, however, if sulfation chemistry is to be approached in a scientific manner, is a reliable body of data on the equilibrium and kinetics of sulfation reactions in simple and complex systems. This paper offers a critical review and compilation of equilibrium data on pure sulfates (simple systems). The last such review, by K. K. Kelley in 1935:30 has proven itself most useful, but the existence of many new data makes necessary a re-evaluation of the available information. METHODS OF CALCULATION For a simple sulfation reaction such as MS04(c) = MO(c) + SO3 [1] there are two approaches one may take toward establishing the value of ?Fo or K as a function of

Jan 1, 1964

By Richard M. Foose

The year 1950 has been a fascinating and unusual one as far as industrial minerals are concerned because of the sudden development of a critical international situation in late June. The first half of the year was marked by thriving peacetime conditions.

Jan 2, 1951

By B. H. Sage, W. N. Lacey

The results of an extensive experimental program relating to the effectiveness of gravel screens have been correlated. The factors considered in some detail include gravel size and condition of packing, sand size and size distribution, fluid velocity, fluid viscosity, and thickness and arrangement of grave! screens. Good agreement between calculated values based upon probability considerations and experimental results relating to the influence of the thickness of the gravel screen was obtained. All of these factors are treated in the correlation in order that their influence may be taken into account in ascertaining the characteristics of an effective gravel screen for a particular set of conditions. The details of the experimental program are not given in the present paper but a description of generalized behavior and typical experimental results are recorded in graphic form. Introduction Gravel screens have been placed in water and oil wells for a number of yearsl,2,3 with the dual objective of increasing the productivity and decreasing the entrance of sand into the well bore. An understanding of the factors controlling the effectiveness of gravel screens in this connection is of industrial interest because it will lead to the proper selection of gravel. Some of the fundamental considerations involved in the migration of sand through a coarser body of porous materials were investigated by Coberly and Wagner4 and further experimental work has been carried out by Gumpertz.5 Apparently the pertinent phenomena are somewhat complex and are influenced by many variables. The present paper deals with the prediction of the behavior of gravel screens under the conditions encountered in practice but does not attempt to discuss the experimental methods or results that were obtained as a background and upon which the prediction is based. Influence OF Gravel Screens upon Productivity The use of a gravel screen may increase the productivity of a well by increasing its effective diameter, and this constitutes one of the objectives of its use. The permeability of most gravels and coarse sands that are employed in practice is so large compared to that of the sand in place that relatively little loss in production rate will arise from the use of material fine enough to cause the desired resistance to sand migration. For example, in Fig. I is depicted the approximate variation in the permeability of closely sized spherical gravels under the conditions of packing likely to be encountered in screens. The dotted lines indicate the variation that might be found because of differences in packing. It should be realized that the permeability is not a single-valued function of the average grain diameter but is related to a large number of factors, including the size, the size distribution and the shapes of the particles. However, Fig. I does permit a rough estimation of the permeability of closely sized spherical gravels and shows that the permeability with even the smaller particles is very large compared to that of most petroleum production horizons.

Jan 1, 1942

By M. C. Leverett, S. E. Buckley

The production of oil is accomplished as a result of its displacement from the reservoir by either gas or water, and the amount of oil recovery is limited by the extent to which the displacing gas or water accumulates. This paper describes the mechanism by which the displacement is effected and the advantages of water over gas as a displacing agent. In the light of the results of experimental observations of the flow of mixtures of oil and/or gas and/or water through sands, certain conclusions are drawn relative to the changing character of the displacement as depletion proceeds, and on the effects of the properties of the fluids and of producing conditions on the ultimate oil recovery. Introduction Crude oil has no inherent ability to expel itself from the pores of the reservoir rocks in which it is found; rather, it must be forcibly ejected or displaced by the accumulation of other fluids. Accordingly, a knowledge of the mechanism by which one fluid is displaced by another is essential to an understanding of the fundamental process by which oil is recovered. The displacing fluids normally available are gas and water, either or both of which may exist originally associated with the oil in a potentially usable form or may be supplied to the reservoir from external sources. Gas is present in most oil reservoirs. If the quantity is relatively small, it may exist originally completely dissolved in the oil, but if the quantity exceeds that which may be held in solution by the oil at the prevailing pressure, the excess will be found in the free state. Most reservoir sands appear to contain some water,l and in the majority of fields the oil is trapped in the structure and held over water. In certain conditions the entrapping water may advance into the oil zone and displace the oil therefrom. This paper describes in a qualitative manner some of the characteristics of the displacement of oil by either gas or water, with an attempt to elucidate somewhat the mechanism by which such displacement is effected. Role of Dissolved Gas When the pressure on an oil containing dissolved gas is reduced to the saturation or bubble-point pressure, gas escapes from solution and expands, imparting to the oil-gas mixture a high degree of expansibility and causing it to flow in the direction of reduced pressure. This expansibility has frequently been attributed to the oil; closer analysis, however, reveals that as gas escapes from solution the oil phase actually. contracts. Hence, it is the accumulation and expansion of the liberated gas that supplies the propelling force for the oil. It has been shown experimentally2-5 that within certain limits a sand containing oil, gas and water will permit the simultaneous flow of all three; the readiness with which they may flow depends upon the characteristics of the sand, of each of the fluids, and upon the relative amounts of the fluids in the sand. Thus, in the initial stages of production by the mechanism of dissolved gas drive, the liberated gas is present in the sand in low concentration and is unable to

Jan 1, 1942

By C.R. Taylor, John Chipman

The study of chemical reactions of liquid steel and basic open-hearth slag involves a complex slag system of at least eight important components, and often a number of others. In initiating an experimental program on the equilibrium relationship of slag and metal, it became evident that but little progress could be expected in the interpretation of the complex slags until an understanding had been gained of the simpler liquid systems composed of a limited number of slag constituents. The simplest system that in any way resembles open-hearth slag must contain lime, silica and iron oxide. Attempts to produce in an induction furnace slags containing only these constituents have met with serious limitations because of the solubility of refractories in the slag. Thus in acid-lined furnaces the slag is always saturated with silica and consequently contains between 48 and 63 per cent of this component. In basic-lined furnaces an undesired additional component, magnesia, is introduced to the extent of some 3 to 15 per cent, depending upon the acidity, sometimes with disastrous results to the furnace. Thus in a magnesia-lined furnace, Fetters and Chipman1 found it impossible to prepare slags in which the ratio (CaO + MgO)/SiO2 was less than that corresponding to the metasilicate (approximately 0.8:I). Between this composition and that of the true acid slags lies a field of composition about which very little is known and which cannot be explored by any ordinary means. This circumstance, as well as the desire to study the more basic slags in the absence of magnesia, calls for the development of a method by which slags may be brought into equilibrium with molten metal without coming in contact with refractory. Such a technic has been provided by the rotating induction furnace developed by Barrett, Holbrook and Wood.2 Three modifications of the rotating furnace were described by these authors. The first was essentially a rotating refractory cylinder containing the magnesia crucible, which was itself heated by a graphite crucible. In the second, only the magnesia crucible rotated, the cylindrical graphite heater being stationary. In the third, the coil and crucible revolved, and the metal was heated directly by induction. Experimental Method Furnace The furnace used in this investigation differed from previous designs and may be Sci- a fourth modification of the original rotating furnace. Its essential fea tures are shown in Fig. I' The Outer case A is a fire-clay flue liner for control of the atmosphere. The top B and base 6 are alberene stone. The coil supports D are of ""Formica," a material formed from phe-

Jan 1, 1943

By E. P. Shoub, J. P. Riott, R. C. Buehl

Pilot-plant tests have demonstrated that it is possible to produce low-sulphur sponge iron (0.03 to 0.0; per cent sulphur) as a continuous process in an internally fired rotary kiln from iron ore or mill scale; a solid carbonaceous reducing agent; and dolomite to control the sulphur content. The proportion of dolomite employed is small, so that it does not add materially to the cost of the sponge iron. The entire operation is carried out at temperatures well below the melting point of iron, so that the product is discharged in granular form. Compared with other methods for the production of sponge iron, the rotary-kiln method has the advantage of simplicity and low cost of equipment and, in addition, requires little labor for the operation of the process. The pilot-plant equipment used for this work was sufficiently large to demonstrate that the production of low-sulphur sponge iron in rotary kilns is feasible and that the costs are not excessive for applications in which sponge iron has distinct advantages over competing materials. This report constitutes a part of a program by the Bureau of Mines under a special Congressional appropriation for studying gaseous and solid fuel reduction of iron ores. Numerous articles on various phases of these investigations have appeared in Bureau of Mines publications or technical journals. Other articles are being prepared and will be published in the near future. The present program, which is under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Mines, was initiated in 1942. However, a considerable portion of the work was a continuation of previous research performed by the Bureau. Previous investigators1-4 utilizing the rotary kiln for the production of sponge iron did not develop a suitable method for controlling the sulphur content. A review of the literature shows that the sulphur content in the product usually exceeded 0.1 per cent unless reducing agents with very low sulphur contents were employed. This high sulphur value made the product generally undesirable for use as melting stock in electric or open-hearth furnaces. The production of sponge iron in an internally fired rotary kiln has been described in detail in Bureau of Mines Bullelin 2702; consequently, this article will be confined mostly to new features of the process—that is, means for controlling the sulphur content of the sponge iron. Suitable raw materials include iron ores or mill scale; coal or coke for reducing them, and sized dolomite ( — poi-100-mesh) as the sulphur-controlling agent. A mixture of the raw materials in granular form is fed into the elevated end of the kiln, which is fired axially from the lower or discharge end. In the reducing zone, which is approximately one third the length of the kiln measured from the dis-

Jan 1, 1948

A Discussion at a meeting of the New York Section, Dec. 2, 1914 D. H. BROWNE.-If 35 years ago we had met to discuss the subject that is before us to-night, the criticism that we must all be mad or we would not be here at all would have been perfectly applicable. No group of men would have come together a generation ago to discuss the subject of smelting ores without extraneous fuel, or largely by the oxidation of their own impurities, without incurring the imputation of being crazy. But metallurgy, like all other branches of human industry, progresses by idealism. In every generation there are old men who see visions and young men who dream dreams. Thirty-five years ago John Hollway conceived the idea that in the Rio Tinto ore the sulphur and iron, if properly oxidized, could be made to produce heat enough to carry on the smelting of the ores. He saw the vision. Twenty-five years ago Mr. Austin, of Montana, took out a patent on a furnace in which to carry out Hollway's ideas. He dreamed the dream. Twenty years ago a man working in Montana grasped the possibilities of this idea. To him has been given that inexpressible pleasure which comes from realizing the idea and making the concept concrete. Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the man who made the ideal real, Robert Sticht, of Tasmania. ROBERT C. STICHT, Queenstown, Tasmania.-I find it extremely difficult to act up, in the smallest degree, to the enconium passed upon me by Mr. Browne. It is true it has been my good fortune to be able to put some sort of method into the "madness" of 25 years ago; but I am not the originator of the idea, nor the only one who has carried it out. Mr. Browne mentioned the originator, who undoubtedly is Mr. Hollway. He also mentioned Mr. Austin, who gave the first instigation to pyrite smelting as now practiced. As against both of these men I was fortunate enough to be able to command the necessary natural resources to carry out the idea continuously in a practical way, so as to make it permanently possible.

Jan 4, 1915

By W. N. Lacey, B. H. Sage

The results of an extensive experimental program relating to the effectiveness of gravel screens have been correlated. The factors considered in some detail include gravel size and condition of packing, sand size and size distribution, fluid velocity, fluid viscosity, and thickness and arrangement of grave! screens. Good agreement between calculated values based upon probability considerations and experimental results relating to the influence of the thickness of the gravel screen was obtained. All of these factors are treated in the correlation in order that their influence may be taken into account in ascertaining the characteristics of an effective gravel screen for a particular set of conditions. The details of the experimental program are not given in the present paper but a description of generalized behavior and typical experimental results are recorded in graphic form. Introduction Gravel screens have been placed in water and oil wells for a number of yearsl,2,3 with the dual objective of increasing the productivity and decreasing the entrance of sand into the well bore. An understanding of the factors controlling the effectiveness of gravel screens in this connection is of industrial interest because it will lead to the proper selection of gravel. Some of the fundamental considerations involved in the migration of sand through a coarser body of porous materials were investigated by Coberly and Wagner4 and further experimental work has been carried out by Gumpertz.5 Apparently the pertinent phenomena are somewhat complex and are influenced by many variables. The present paper deals with the prediction of the behavior of gravel screens under the conditions encountered in practice but does not attempt to discuss the experimental methods or results that were obtained as a background and upon which the prediction is based. Influence OF Gravel Screens upon Productivity The use of a gravel screen may increase the productivity of a well by increasing its effective diameter, and this constitutes one of the objectives of its use. The permeability of most gravels and coarse sands that are employed in practice is so large compared to that of the sand in place that relatively little loss in production rate will arise from the use of material fine enough to cause the desired resistance to sand migration. For example, in Fig. I is depicted the approximate variation in the permeability of closely sized spherical gravels under the conditions of packing likely to be encountered in screens. The dotted lines indicate the variation that might be found because of differences in packing. It should be realized that the permeability is not a single-valued function of the average grain diameter but is related to a large number of factors, including the size, the size distribution and the shapes of the particles. However, Fig. I does permit a rough estimation of the permeability of closely sized spherical gravels and shows that the permeability with even the smaller particles is very large compared to that of most petroleum production horizons.

Jan 1, 1942

By R. A. Cunningham, A. S. Murray

If a dense fluid such as mud or water is used for circulation, the formation drilled is influenced by a hydrostatic pressure. This pressure depends on hole depth arid drilling fluid density. Laboratory tests indicute that drilling rates in many forri~ations are decreased with increased pressure,—in some cases as much as 90 per cent. A comparison between laboratory and field tests indicates that drilling fluid head affects drilling rates in the field approximately the, same as in the laboratory. Drillirrg rates of many formations are increased by reducing drilling fluid head. INTRODUCTION For many years it has been noted that field and laboratory drilling rate tests did not agree even when the formations tested were the same. For instance, tests of some shales by the Hughes Tool Co. laboratory indicated drilling rates approximately 20 to 30 ft/hour, whereas in the ground this shale would drill only 3 to 5 ft/hour. A possible reason for this discrepancy is the effect of the high pressure which the drilling fluid exerts against the formation at the bottom of the hole. Consider a small element of rock (Fig. II that is to be removed by a rock bit. If the hole is filled with mud or water. the upper surface of the rock element is subjected to a pressure which depends on hole depth and fluid density. The mass of earth around this rock element presses against the circumferential surface and the lower surface. Because of the probability of shearing stresses between the rock element and the surrounding rock, this element is not under true hydrostatic stress. However, as a first approximation for test purposes the rock element was assumed to he under hydrostatic stress. The effect of hydrostatic pressure on some physical properties of rock has been studied.1,2,3 These tests show that the "differential" compres-sive stress:': necessary to cause rup- ture in rock cylinders is greater when tested under high hydrostatic pressure than when tested under atmospheric conditions. These tests were made with pressures greater than 20,000 psi which is in excess of those normally encountered in oil well drilling. Similar tests were made by the Bureau of Reclamation' using pressures equivalent to those encountered in oil well drilling. Again the "differential" compressive stress necessary to produce failure increased with increasing hydrostatic pressure. These tests indicated that drilling rates would probably decrease. Correlation between these tests and drilling tests was not practical. The purpose of this work is to study the effect of mud column pressure on drilling rate, assuming that the material drilled is in a state of hydrostatic strcss. This problem was initially investigated in the laboratory using variable bit loads and confining pressure;. Confirmation of laboratory results was obtained in the field from a series of carefully controlled drilling tests. Because of the necessity of testing many different types of formations. only results from representative formations will be presented here.

Jan 1, 1956

By R. C. Buehl, J. P. Riott, E. P. Shoub

Pilot-plant tests have demonstrated that it is possible to produce low-sulphur sponge iron (0.03 to 0.0; per cent sulphur) as a continuous process in an internally fired rotary kiln from iron ore or mill scale; a solid carbonaceous reducing agent; and dolomite to control the sulphur content. The proportion of dolomite employed is small, so that it does not add materially to the cost of the sponge iron. The entire operation is carried out at temperatures well below the melting point of iron, so that the product is discharged in granular form. Compared with other methods for the production of sponge iron, the rotary-kiln method has the advantage of simplicity and low cost of equipment and, in addition, requires little labor for the operation of the process. The pilot-plant equipment used for this work was sufficiently large to demonstrate that the production of low-sulphur sponge iron in rotary kilns is feasible and that the costs are not excessive for applications in which sponge iron has distinct advantages over competing materials. This report constitutes a part of a program by the Bureau of Mines under a special Congressional appropriation for studying gaseous and solid fuel reduction of iron ores. Numerous articles on various phases of these investigations have appeared in Bureau of Mines publications or technical journals. Other articles are being prepared and will be published in the near future. The present program, which is under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Mines, was initiated in 1942. However, a considerable portion of the work was a continuation of previous research performed by the Bureau. Previous investigators1-4 utilizing the rotary kiln for the production of sponge iron did not develop a suitable method for controlling the sulphur content. A review of the literature shows that the sulphur content in the product usually exceeded 0.1 per cent unless reducing agents with very low sulphur contents were employed. This high sulphur value made the product generally undesirable for use as melting stock in electric or open-hearth furnaces. The production of sponge iron in an internally fired rotary kiln has been described in detail in Bureau of Mines Bullelin 2702; consequently, this article will be confined mostly to new features of the process—that is, means for controlling the sulphur content of the sponge iron. Suitable raw materials include iron ores or mill scale; coal or coke for reducing them, and sized dolomite ( — poi-100-mesh) as the sulphur-controlling agent. A mixture of the raw materials in granular form is fed into the elevated end of the kiln, which is fired axially from the lower or discharge end. In the reducing zone, which is approximately one third the length of the kiln measured from the dis-

Jan 1, 1948