Search Documents

By G. W. Josephson

JUDGING by the progressive atmosphere prevailing in the nonmetallic mineral industries during the past year, postwar conditions were healthful though inflationary. Demand for most industrial mineral products has been exceptionally high and many new production records were attained. Severe shortages of some commodities existed, especially building materials and fertilizers. Production costs and prices increased and profitable operation was general. Under these conditions expansion programs were the order of the day. Ample funds were available to finance the purchase of good equipment; and, as wages and other operating costs were increasing, primary emphasis was placed on attaining maximum efficiency in new installations. These efforts were hampered by shortages and slow delivery of desirable equipment, so compromises in design were often necessary. However, on the whole, production practice improved.

Jan 1, 1948

T. T. READ, Secretary of the Committee on Industrial Organization, presents the following very interesting monthly ad interim report: Reports from London are to the effect that 750 housing schemes for workers, involving the erection of 128,000 new dwellings, have been submitted to the Local Government Board. Birmingham alone needs 14,000 new houses, and the Housing and Town Planning Committee of the City Council considers that 5000 new houses must be built each year for the next 20 years. Nine hundred acres of land has been acquired, on which to build 10 to 12 houses per acre for the next two years. The town of Dudley, which built 300 modern dwellings in 1915-1916, submitted schemes for another 500 houses. There is a shortage of building materials required, specially brick. Financial assistance has been received for reopening brick yards that were closed during the war. W. E. Dickson, vice president of the Midvale Steel & Ordnance Co., is reported in the daily press as stating that his corporation is planning to spend $8,000,000 in improving its plant and assisting its employees in building their own homes. The company will advance 90 per cent. of the cost of the house and extend payments over a period of 12 years. Methods of work employed in building 256 houses at Quincy, Mass., for the workers of the Fore River shipyards are described, by Joseph Meltzer, in the Engineering News Record for May 29, 1919. The approximate cost was about $3500 per house, not including water supply, sewers, streets, and sidewalks. "Comparative Costs of Tenantry and Home-Owning;" "A Plain Talk on Helping Home-builders;" and "More Plain Talk on Home Building" are the titles of three publications of the Information and Education Service of the Department of Labor. These publications should be' of a good deal of service in convincing employees that it is to their interest to own their homes rather than to live in rented houses. The same Service has issued pamphlets discussing the cost of materials.

Jan 7, 1919

Industrial Preparedness To Cooperate with the U S War Department General Committee ARTHUR S DWIGHT, Chairman H FOSTER BAIN C K LEITH J EDWARD SPURR H. S MULLIKEN Alternate GEORGE OTIS SMITH POPE YEATMAN

Jan 1, 1923

The age of specialization has made man increasingly dependent on a larger number of different metals and minerals. Overexploitation during World War II and lavish squandering of irreplaceable mineral wealth in the past has resulted in the rapidly approaching exhaustion of some of the major domestic ore sources. History clearly points out that the United States cannot continue to be a world power on an "import to survive" policy. A constructive program of development and appraisal of the nation's mineral wealth, including the planned conservation of her resources, must be adopted. Strictly speaking, conservation of minerals must mean the orderly exploitation of our resources and the prevention of waste in use, with due regard for the future. Real concern for the future may not extend beyond a few generations. Eventually science and invention should take care of the problems arising from shortages of some minerals, and the national defense aspects of domestic deficiencies can be provided for by stock piling and other measures. Early conservationists had this viewpoint; but with a rapidly developing industry and population, a farsighted policy that would deny full realization of immediate ambitions became unpopular. Consequently, the politically minded conservationist broadened the concept to include "prudent use of resources" and brought under the conservation umbrella

Jan 1, 1950

By J. N. Houser

THE industrial relations between the Tennessee Copper Co. and its employees have developed a number of interesting things and have been most, profitable to the employees and to the company. It is noteworthy that considerable has been done without a formal organization of any kind built up through the efforts of the company. From time to time there have been discussions regarding the advisability of a formal organization and the decision has always been in favor of the present method. In the year 1919, the company was dealing with its employees through union committees and, after an understanding was reached, satisfactory results began to be obtained, but as time went on the committees did not function and it came to a question of how to reach the men. For the past two years, about once a month, but at no stated time, there has been a meeting with a committee of employees consisting of 40 or 50 men out of 700. This committee is secured by notify-ing the locals. In addition, the Service Department notifies a number of men not represented in the union, so as to have a large representative committee. The meetings are on company time and the men are rotated, so that in time every employee attends , at least one meeting. All department heads and a number of foremen also are present. The operating plans and policy of the company are set out at the meetings and the market outlook for products is discussed. Explana-tions are also given of anything that has come up since the last meeting which affects the employees, and an effort is made to inform them of what will probably happen in the next month or two. Once a week there is a meeting of department heads with the manager, for discussion of all operations as a whole and such depart-mental details as seem advisable. When the depression started, it was necessary to curtail operations and the reasons were carefully explained; before the men were laid off, the employees as a whole were advised of the coming layoffs through these meetings. They were also advised generally who would be retained and given an opportunity to express their agreement or their. disapproval. In fact, an effort was and is being made to keep the employees advised in advance of matters affecting them and to give them full opportunity to express themselves.

Jan 12, 1922

By Oscar A. Glaeser

INDUSTRIAL relations in the United States Smelting Refining and Mining Company's Western operations covers the field of personnel and labor relations, and the principal aims are to render service to the employes of the Company and to its operating departments. Accident prevention Safety is a primary function. A safety engineer is employed at each operation. The wholehearted support of Company officials, staff, and the working force has been most successful in preventing accidents. Constant vigilance has been combined with a policy of building safety into all operating activities whether these are in the construction of a new facility, the developmnt of a mining system, or the direction of the working force. That this policy has produced results is attested to by the fact that the accident frequency rate at the Company's major mining operations in Utah has been reduced approximately 75 per cent in the ten-year period ending Dec. 31. 1946.

Jan 1, 1948

By Clarence Hicks

THE labor policy, of the Standard Oil Co. (New Jersey) is founded. first of all on paying at least the prevailing scale of wages in the community; on, the eight-hour day, with time and one-half for overtime; one day's rest in seven; sanitary and up-to-date working conditions; just treatment assured each employee; payment of accident benefits beyond the amount prescribed by the State compensation law; health supervision by a competent medical staff; payment of sickness benefits after one year's service; cooperation with employee in promoting thrift and better social and housing conditions; and assurance for a generous annuity at the age of 65, guaranteed for life after 20 years of service. Most of these features have been a part of the company's policy for many years, but it is only during the past two years that the cooperation of employees in determining these matters has been definitely assured through industrial representation. Industrial representation, in the Standard Oil Co., is a principle rather than a procedure. It is built upon the belief that personal association of those interested in any problem leads to a mutual understanding and a fair decision as to what is right. Fully believing in this, principle, representatives of employees and representatives of management evolved a simple plan, the basis of which is that it gives every individual employee representation at joint conferences on problems and fundamental principles affecting all those interested in the industry. It is based on cooperation, not antagonism; its operation makes perfectly clear both to management and to employees that their interests are identical, that mutual understanding and cooperation insure progress and success for all. Furthermore, experience has definitely shown that representatives of the employees are not only alert for the employees' interests but are as keen as the representatives of the management in determining and insisting upon fairness to the employer.

Jan 3, 1920

By D. Swan

Industrial research may be defined as a critical and exhaustive investigation to create new and better ways of doing things. The results of industrial research are new and improved products, processes, and techniques. This broad definition, of course, covers investigation of all subjects by either individuals or groups of people, and this chapter aims to examine the purpose (what research tries to do), and methods (or how research is done) as applied in the mineral industries. Concepts and History The idea or concept of organized research probably originated in the universities of Europe. There, groups of scholars banded together for discussion and application of their particular specialty to a common problem. Publication of the conclusions drawn from such investigations gave scholars in other areas the opportunity to review and criticize the work of their colleagues, and one of the hallmarks of scientific research work is the publication and criticism of the results of the investigation. It was not until the late nineteenth century that the concept of organized research for the profit of industry was recognized. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a large number of industrial enterprises sponsored organizations to study the application of the physical sciences with the aim of making discoveries that would result in profit to the sponsoring organization. The tangible benefits accruing from these activities were so great that they, in turn, fostered several other methods for the support of organized research activities. For the large problems involving public interest, United States Government scientific re- search laboratories were set up. As the demand of smaller enterprises for research activities increased, research institutes and consulting laboratories were organized. In Europe the idea of common industry sponsorship of research centers grew and many large research organizations there were sponsored by associations of manufacturers. Finally, in the United States

Jan 1, 1959

By D. Swan

Industrial research may be defined as a critical and exhaustive investigation to create new and better ways of doing things. The results of industrial research are new and improved products, processes, and techniques. This broad definition, of course, covers investigation of all subjects by either individuals or groups of people, and this chapter aims to examine the purpose (what research tries to do), and methods (or how research is done) as applied in the mineral industries. Concepts and History The idea or concept of organized research probably originated in the universities of Europe. There, groups of scholars banded together for discussion and application of their particular specialty to a common problem. Publication of the conclusions drawn from such investigations gave scholars in other areas the opportunity to review and criticize the work of their colleagues, and one of the hallmarks of scientific research work is the publication and criticism of the results of the investigation. It was not until the late nineteenth century that the concept of organized research for the profit of industry was recognized. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a large number of industrial enterprises sponsored organizations to study the application of the physical sciences with the aim of making discoveries that would result in profit to the sponsoring organization. The tangible benefits accruing from these activities were so great that they, in turn, fostered several other methods for the support of organized research activities. For the large problems involving public interest, United States Government scientific research laboratories were set up. As the demand of smaller enterprises for research activities increased, research institutes and consulting laboratories were organized. In Europe the idea of common industry sponsorship of research centers grew and many large research organizations there were sponsored by associations of manufacturers. Finally, in the United States

Jan 1, 1964

By P. H. Dudley

I HAVE taken the liberty of calling the researches herein mentioned industrial, to distinguish them from those strictly scientific, where every known appliance is used to insure accuracy in determining principles. The industrial researches are made to ascertain wherein we have failed to embody, in practice, the principles which have been fully demonstrated by the more purely scientific investigations. So far the researches have been mostly confined to the conditions of combustion as used in locomotive furnaces, although we have examined, to some extent, furnaces under marine and stationary boilers. The products of complete combustion are gases, and, knowing what we should have, it is at once shown by analyzing the products whether the desired reactions are taking place. In spite of imperfect furnaces, lack of system in the arrangement of grate-bars and exhaust nozzles, the results are not altogether vitiated, because the analyses are not closer than one-tenth of one per cent., as under the present conditions it is hardly possible to collect gas exactly under the same conditions at different times. All of our industrial operations have developed in the past few years so rapidly, nearly all of them paying, that, until within the past three years, comparatively little attention has been given to their economy outside of the profession. Great corporations have not asked and considered the question in earnest, can we utilize our heat so as to produce the same effect at less cost? The applications of heat are so extensive, entering into every branch of industry, the principal power used to carry on metallurgical processes, to conduct transportation, that its economical generation becomes of universal importance; in fact, its economical generation and application is the leading industrial question of the day. It is stated by those who have given the subject much attention, that in our best steam-engines not over 10 per cent of the theoretical value of the fuel is utilized, and upon locomotives it is far less, probably not exceeding under the most favorable circumstances 5 or 6 per cent. In recent experiments made with the dynagraph, in drawing trains upon the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway from Cleveland to Erie, 95i miles, we found the force required to draw a stock train of 709 tons to be 2,498,396,320 foot-pounds, exclusive of the force to move the locomotive itself. We

Jan 1, 1876

By Wm. Terry Siemers, Frank E. Kottlowski, George S. Austin

The value of industrial rocks and minerals produced in New Mexico in 1978 exceeded $227 million. The state ranked first in the nation in production of potash and perlite and was a leader in pumice production. Other commodities with sizable production in New Mexico include barite, caliche, clay, dimension stone, fuorspar, gypsum, humate, limestone, mica, salt, sand and gravel, scoria, and silica sand. Non-metallic resources are distributed throughout the state, but development and exploitation is concentrated in western and southeastern New Mexico. The value of industrial rocks and minerals within the state grew about 9% to more than $227 million in 1978. Continued growth, however, depends on continued demand, exploration, and development.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. E. Ryan

TRONA, Calif., is a miniature urban community of some 3500 people, located on the northwest shore of dry Searles Lake in the extreme northwest corner of San Bernardino County, approximately 186 miles north and east of Los Angeles. Since it is situated on the Mojave Desert, a typically desert climate prevails with wide variations in temperature between day and night, extreme daytime summer heat, and cool to cold winters. Rainfall averages somewhat less than 4 in. per year, and dust storms are common. The rate of evaporation, however, is great, amounting to 6 to 9 ft of water per year. The extremely low humidity makes the summer heat of 110°F tolerable with only a mild, temporary discomfort.

Jan 5, 1951

Editors of engineering periodicals usually read the advertising pages. It may be hard' for some men, let alone engineers, to understand what value there is in reading "dry advertisements." Yet it is a fact that valuable suggestions have been obtained from these so-called "dry advertisements" which have been the means of securing greater efficiency in the performance of some undertaking and consequent saving of time and money. It seems to be an editorial practice to look to the advertisements for suggestions for the reading pages. It is a fact that some of the most appreciated descriptive articles were suggested by advertisements. Every undertaking is limited to that point where tools and machinery for its successful performance and completion may be purchased or manufactured. No work can he planned without having in mind such limitation, and the technical journals may be relied upon to furnish descriptions, both editorially and through the advertising pages, of methods and plant used in successfully performing various tasks. This being so, why should not the reader or subscriber to a magazine or periodical avail himself of such a fountain of knowledge? Such perusal proves of value to the up-to-date engineer or man occupying a -position. of responsibility where initiative is essential. Authorities agree that advertisements are on a par with technical articles for their educational value, and this Is as it should be. Also, most subscribers to a publication realize that a, successful advertising medium means a continuance of advertising patronage, which in turn enables the publisher to turn out a better and larger volume of reading matter.

Jan 6, 1915

Weiss Transit and Level The illustrations shown are the transits and levels manufactured by the Weiss Instrument Co. of Denver, Colo:, and they state that city and mining engineers are securing satisfactory results. It is claimed that their patented prismatic telescope gives increased illumination with an astronomical eye-piece. The prisms are set in a milled seat for this purpose, and cemented in so they can never come loose or out of adjustment. All adjustment for collimation is clone with the cross-hairs. This telescope is 8 in. long for magnifying power of 20 diameters against 12 in. for regular old style. The field is 1° 45' with a clear aperture of 1 1/8 in. The standards are 4 ¾ in. high from plate; to center of telescope axis. Weight 10 lb. Fig: 2. FIG. 1. FIG;. 3. The Light Mountain Transit of the same type, Fig. 1, has a telescope 6 ½ in. long, magnifying power 17 diameters; field 2° 15'; clear aperture 1 1/16 in.; weight 9 lb. The Mine Transit made by this ?company is interesting because it may be sighted directly down a shaft.. The principal advantage claimed for this type is the arrangement by means. of which vertical' sights can be had without an additional telescope.. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the telescope is in the position of a regular transit, and used exactly the same.

Jan 10, 1915

A New Ingersoll-Rand Turbo Blower The Ingersoll-Rand Co. has added to its Turbo Compressors and Blowers a low-pressure machine t o handle volumes from 3,000 to 35,000 cu. ft. per minute at from 1-2 ½ lb. These are particularly adapted to such service as foundry cupola blowing, atomizing oil for oil burners, supplying blast to heating and annealing furnaces of various kinds, blowing air for water-gas generators, pneumatic conveying and ventilating. They are of the single stage, double flow type and are furnished either electric motor, steam turbine or water wheel driven.

Jan 6, 1916

To the Members It has been, and is the endeavor of the A. I. M. E. to serve each and every member. One of the means of letting the membership know what is going on in the mining; metallurgical and chemical fields, and by far the most important, has been our monthly Bulletin. To publish this costs money, and to partly defray the costs, it was decided to accept such advertising as could be secured. The A. I. M. E. is the only one of the American National engineering societies whose dues are as low as $10 per year, and it actually spends more upon the Bulletin and Transactions than the sun total it receives for clues. Hence the need of advertising revenues. We are planning even greater improvements for your Bulletin-improvements that will help you in your work. It will mean a better publication, with more information than ever before. To successfully carry out our plans, we must have your co-operation. We are not asking you for financial, but for your moral support. With that we shall accomplish a great deal. What we ask of you, brother member, is to give evidence to those patronizing our advertising pages, that you not only read the editorial pages, but the advertising section as well, and that you have in mind the welfare of your Institute by consulting the advertising pages when in the market for equipment. Do you realize that if you mention your Bulletin when writing advertisers or purchasing supplies, that not only would your publication secure more advertising, but better satisfy present advertisers. We have reason to know that our advertisers secure business as a result of our publication, but they demand some evidence that you see their advertisement. Unfortunately, our members do not as a rule mention where they saw the advertisement, and as a consequence advertisers have no means of knowing whether their investment in the Bulletin is paying. The A. I. M. E. Bulletin can be made the best advertising medium in the mining, metallurgical and chemical fields, simply by each member doing his bit. It is very little to ask of you, and the returns to the mining industry will be enormous.

Jan 9, 1915

In Bulletin J 1, recently published by the Traylor Engineering and Manufacturing Co., it is stated that the largest jaw crusher ever built has a jaw opening of 66 in. by 86 in. and weighs 680,000 1b. It is said to be in successful operation and has a capacity of 490 tons per hour crushed to 12-in. size; 415 tons per hour crushed to 10-in. size; 330 tons per hour crushed to 8-in. size. The same company, in its Bulletin G 3, gives a diagram showing the percentage of a crushed product which will pass through screens of different sizes of perforation from a machine adjusted to a certain size screen. This diagram is reprinted below for the information of our members and the following notes apply to it. In order to prevent an excessive amount of fines, crushing machines are usually set so that 15 per cent. of the product will be larger than the maximum size desired, and this oversize is then recrushed by smaller

Jan 10, 1916

Preheating Feature of Leyner Oil Furnace for Heating Drill Steel The No. 3 Leyner oil-burning furnace, used for heating drill steel, is now made with a preheating chamber. By this addition it is claimed that the heating capacity and, effeciency of the furnace are increased about 50 per cent. This preheater is a section which fits between the body and cover of the furnace of the old design. It may be attached to an old furnace by simply changing a few bolts. Referring to the illustration, it will be seen that the lower chamber is used for the final heating and the upper one for preheating. The type of burner now furnished with this furnace is suitable for either high- or low-pressure air. It hats merely to be throttled for high pressures and when this is done, it, is as efficient as burners designed especially for high pressures and eliminates the noise common to such burners. This furnace burns petroleum or any of its oils, such a, gasoline, kerosene, distillate, etc. Oil heating has many advantages. The steel cannot be injured by absorbing injurious elements such as sulphur, phosphorus or other impurities which :ire present in nearly all coals, nor from unequal heating since the flame imparts a uniform temperature; further, o lie steel is in full view of the operator at all times.

Jan 3, 1916

Experiments on the Rate of Heat Transfer from a Hot Gas' to a Cooler Metallic Surface Members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers will be much interested in the subject of teat transfer from a hot gas to a cooler metallic surface, and although the book on this subject recently published by the Babcock & Wilcox Co., of New York, deals primarily with boilers, it contains a great deal of information which metallurgical engineers will find of great value. The book starts out with an introduction giving some of the current theories regarding this subject; it then describes in detail the experimental apparatus used, and the methods of conducting the experiment's and recording the data. Then follow some account of the determination of radiation losses in jackets and cooler; measurement of metal temperatures; detection and correction of errors; etc., concluding with a discussion of the results and derivation of corrective formula for heat absorption; heat pressure rate and specific heat of gas.

Jan 5, 1916

Shooting Soot from Stacks In the DuPont magazine of June, 1916, S. R. Russell describes a method of cleaning large smoke or kiln stacks which he calls "simple,. economical- slid-most efficient" and-which- he -says can- be used in either-lined or unlined stacks, brick or steel, without fear of injury to the stack or lining. He gives the following specific directions: "The gun can be made out of air old piece of shafting about 4 in. in diameter and 14 to 16 in. long. Bore a hole 1 ¾ in. in diameter and 10 in. long in the center of the piece. Then bore a small horizontal hole ¼ in. in diameter through the piece-to the bottom of the center bore. This hole serves as a touch hole for inserting the fuse. "The-whole thing can be mounted on a pedestal about 6 in. in diameter so that it will stand in an upright position. "The -method of operation is as follows: Pour some FFF Blasting Powder into the mouth of the cannon to about 2 in. from the top. Tamp to the collar with dry clay. , A short piece of fuse is inserted in the touch hole and in contact with the main powder charge. Open the flue door at the bottom of the stack, set the cannon on the bottom and in the center of the stack, light the fuse and close the flue door. "The explosion shakes and loosens the soot adhering to the sides, causing it to fall to the bottom. It can' then be removed through the flue opening.

Jan 9, 1916