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By Chi-shing Wang

The late Professor P. B. Bucky of Columbia University introduced the principles and techniques of barodynamic experimentation in early 1931 by the application of centrifugal loading to achieve dynamic similitude between models and prototypes of mine structures.1 Later, he and his associates introduced the combined experimental technique of photo- elasticity and the centrifuge to determine the stress distribution in civil engineering structures and mine workings by the use of transparent bakelite models.2,3 The photostress technique, also known as the birefringent-coating method of photoelastic stress analysis, dates back to 1930, when Mesnager published its principles.4 Since then it has been widely applied to experimental stress analyses in many industries. A practical method of observing the dynamic behavior of opaque mine models, which are made of prototype materials, by means of a combination of the centrifugal and the photostress techniques is a new experimental approach under development at the Henry Krumb School of Mines, Columbia University.5 This paper summarizes the development of the barodynamic photostress technique and presents the information obtained from a recent series of experiments in the study of the behavior of rock beams loaded by their own weight. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Theory of Pure Bending In the general theory of strength of materials, the flexure stress at any point in a beam of any type of cross section which has a longitudinal

Jan 1, 1968

By G. A. Beske, P. Hilsch, J. Wulff

The effects of the growth precipitates on the su-perconduching properties of an Al- 15 al. pel Zu alloy have been studied using magneization, transition lem-perature, and residual resistivity measurements. Aging at 230C for 1/2 to 11 he produces an increase in Hfp, Ike field of first penetration, and tut increase in trapped flux. The upper critical field, Hc2 remains constant for such aging tunes. Aging at 200°C produces a decrease in Hfp and an increase in trapped flux. The transition temperature remains constant at Tc - 1.227° ± 0.02°K for aging at 220°C for tims of from 1/2 to 10 hr, and for aging at 200°C it remains constant at Tc. = 1.18° i 0.02°K for times from 1/2 hv to 26 hr. The observed behavior indicates that the superconducting matrix when aged at 220°C behaves tike a type U su-perconducior, but when aged at 200°C behares like a type I superconductor. The magnetization changes after aging can be attributed to the growth and clutnge in distribution of the precipitate in a matrix of fixed composition. IT has been realized for some time that the superconducting properties of alloys are highly structure-sensitive. This is evident in the work of Mould and Mapother1 who examined the properties of an aluminum alloy. Precipitation effects have also been briefly mentioned in other studies.2-4 Bonnin and coworkers5 have observed a sharp inc rease in trapped flux in an A1-Mg alloy when the residual resistivity reaches a value that indicates it is a type II superconductor. Recently Blanc, Goodman, and Nemoz5p have reported on precipitation effects in A1-Ag alloys. Detailed studies of precipitation in Pb-Sn and Pb-Cd alloys made by Livingston6 serve to show that the upper critical fields are enhanced by quenched-in solute. Furthermore. at various stages in the precipitation process? the upper critical field is determined largely by the remanent solute. The observed magnetic hysteresis and trapped flux in such alloys result from the interaction between precipitate and the flux filaments in the mixed state. The flux trapping appears to depend largely on the precipitate distribution and is greater if the superconductor is type II than if it is type I. To examine the effect of precipitation in another alloy system, particularly one in which the composition of the superconducting phase does not change significantly during the course of precipitation, the Al-Zn system seems interesting, especially in view of the transition temperature and resistivity studies of Chiou and seraphim.' Furthermore, the recent detailed electron-microscope studies of an Al-Zn alloy by Richards and Garwood8 provide a guide for relating superconducting properties to changes in structure. For these reasons, magnetization, transition temperature, and residual resistivity measurements for varying times of heat treatment at two temperatures were made with a -15 at. pct Al-Zn alloy. The results are reported in this paper. I) EXPERIMENTAL The alloy used was prepared by Cominco Products Inc. from 99.9999 A1 and 99.999 Zn. It was chill-cast, swaged, and drawn to 0.125-in.-diam rod. The analyzed composition was 15.6 at. pct Zn (31.1 wt pct). A jeweler's saw was used to cut the 0.125-in.-diam rod into the 0.875-in. lengths needed for magnetization measurements. The ends of the cylinders were slightly beveled to remove the sharp edges. A portion of the original 0.125-in.-diam rod was drawn into 0.010-in.-diam wire and used for transition temperature measurements. Specimens were suspended from wires within a vertical furnace during heat treatment. All were homogenized at 500°C for a minimum of 3 days and subsequently solutionized for times in excess of 6 hr. The solutionizing temperature was held constant to +3°C. Individual specimens were homogenized, quenched, and aged several times and no effects indicating loss of zinc were noted. The suspended specimens were quenched by cutting the wires and allowing the specimens to fall into a silicone oil bath held at the aging temperature. They were then isothermally transforked by aging in the same bath used for quenching. After aging for the required time (approximately 10 min aging was necessary before the upper critical field reached a fixed value), they were briefly (1 to 2 sec) dipped into an acetone bath at room temperature to remove adherent oil and then immediately transferred to liquid nitrogen where they remained until inserted into the helium bath (usually within an hour). The temperature of the aging bath was held constant to +3°C for longer aging times. The cryostat used for the measurement of superconducting properties consisted of outer and inner dewars for liquid nitrogen and liquid helium, Stokes 6-in. booster diffusion pump and Stokes Model 212 mechanical pump, temperature controller to measure and control the temperature of the helium bath, and a superconducting solenoid with inserted search coils to provide the magnetic field and measure the magnetic moment of the specimens. A schematic diagram of the cryostat is shown in Fig. 1. An ultimate temperature of 0.85°K was reached with this apparatus. The temperature controller used is similar to the one described by Blake and chase.' A 0.5 pct Allen-Bradley carbon resistor and a nichronle heater (200

Jan 1, 1968

By Thomas W. Mitcham

A program of geological research in support of mineral exploration efforts is outlined. Specific goals are stated, approaches to accomplish their attainment are described, and the type of useful results to be expected are outlined. Because mineral exploration or prospecting has intensely practical goals, research in support of it must be applied research, applied to the problem of maintaining or increasing the discovery rate of the exploration effort. To attain research goals, attention to personnel selection, group structure, and program are critically important, and in about that order. A large percentage of the professional personnel should have had experience in mining geology or mineral exploration, and they all should be prospector-oriented. Structuring in the group should be at a minimum, with wide allowance for the kind of independent research which is essential to the nurturing of on-target creativity. The program should be field-oriented, and it should include a wide representation of those subdisciplines of geology which are applicable to mineral exploration. The types of results to be anticipated include improved or new conceptual models for various types of orebodies and their settings from which new ore guides can be derived, new exploration techniques, and the development of a knowledge bank for various aspects of the exploration effort.

Jan 1, 1968

By E. J. Fasiska, H. Wagenblast

The dilalion of a ivon by interslilial carbon was measured by two independent techniques —dilatometric mesurements at 719 c and X-ray measurments of the urlil cell parameters a1 room temperature after quenching. The relative expansion per increase in cavbon content by both methods is (2.9 + 0.3) x 10-3 pev at. pcl C nrzd is temperature- independent within experimental error. This corresponds to (6.3 5 0.6) cu cm per g-atom for the partial gram-atomic volume of carbon in a iron-only slightly smaller than the atomic volume for iron in the same temperature vange. THE only previous quantitative study of the dilational effect of carbon dissolved in a iron was performed in 1934 by Burns1 which, at the time, generated some discussion of possible sources of experimental error.2 For a system of such widespread importance, we felt that a new investigation was merited. Both X-ray diffraction and dilation measurements were used to determine the expansion of the a iron lattice by dissolved carbon, avoiding as much as possible any previous experimental problems and deficiencies. The dilation method at solution temperature offers not only measurements which are free of residual strain but also, in conjunction with the room-temperature X-ray measurements, a method to detect any large temperature dependence of the partial gram-atomic volume of carbon. To insure that quenching strains did not affect the room-temperature X-ray measurements, wire specimens of constant carbon content but different diameter were examined for such an effect. SPECIMEN PREPARATION The material used for both experimental techniques was "Ferrovac E" iron received in the form of 19-mm-diam rod and stated as having the following impurity contents: C, Cr, Cu, Mn, P, and V, each in the range of 10 to 50 ppm; Co, O, Mo, S, and Si, 60 to 100 ppm; W, 200 ppm; Ni, 230 ppm; N, 4 ppm. The stock material was cold-swaged to 0.71 mm diam for the Debye-Scherrer X-ray camera specimens and portions were cold-rolled from 6.3 mm diam to 0.79- and 0.25-mm sheet for X-ray diffractometer and dilation measurements. The wires were annealed in wet hydrogen for 6 hr at 840°C and 15 hr at 720°C, and then quenched into 0°C water. A chemical analysis for carbon after this treatment gave 0.0046 + 0.0014 at. pct C. Three portions of these wires were subsequently held at 719°C in three different hydrogen + methane mixtures and then quenched, resulting in carbon concentrations of 0.0283, 0.0598, and 0.1067 at. pct C by chemical analysis. After carburizing, the wires were swaged to 0.48 mm and electroplated with silver to prevent carbon loss during subsequent heat treatment. The final heat treatment consisted of holding the wires at 72 1°C for 5 min in a He-2 pct H mixture followed by quenching into 0°C brine. The wires were held at room temperature for a few minutes to remove the silver plating using a phosphoric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution, and then stored in liquid nitrogen until the measurements were made. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE A) Dilation Measurement. The dilatometer consisted of a gas-atmosphere vertical tube furnace modified so that length changes of a ribbon-shaped specimen could be measured externally. This was done by installing a gas-tight mercury seal at the top of the furnace as shown schematically in Fig. 1. The specimen (21.0 cm long, 1.27 cm wide, and 0.25 mm thick) was suspended in the center of the furnace by 3-mm-diam quartz rods with the upper one passing through the cap of the mercury seal. Above the cap, the upper quartz rod was coupled to a lever exerting a load of about 25 g (-12 lb per sq in.) on the specimen and having a 10 times mechanical magnification. The vertical position of a marker at the other end of the beam was read with a traveling microscope with a precision of 0.01 mm. The temperature gradient of the furnace was meas-

Jan 1, 1968

By R. B. Campbell

One of the three power plants that will be in the Curecanti Unit of the Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River Storage Project is the power plant at Morrow Point Dam. Presently under construction, the Morrow Point Power Plant is between Gunnison and Montrose on the Gunnison River in west-central Colorado. (Fig. 1). Morrow Point Dam will be a thin, double-curvature, concrete-arch dam, 465 ft high and will impound 120,000 acre-ft of water. Two 60,000-kw hydroelectric generators will be housed in an underground power plant in the left abutment just down- stream from the dam. The power-plant chamber will be an unlined opening 205.5 ft long, 57 ft wide and 65 to 134 ft high. The arch-type roof with a rise-to-span ratio of 1 to 4 will be supported with rock bolts and chain link fence. A description and discussion of the design considerations for the power-plant opening and rock bolt design are given by William H. Wolf, Gilbert L. Brown, and Ernest D. Morgan in "Morrow Point Under- ground Powerplant," ASCE Power Division Specialty Conference, Denver Colorado, August 18-20, 1965. The Morrow Point site is in a moderately active region of mild earth- quakes, as evidenced by recent earthquakes in 1960 and 1962. Therefore, the Bureau of Reclamation undertook an investigation of the effects on the underground power-plant chamber when subjected to an earthquake. The art of earthquake engineering has been directed primarily at developing methods of analyzing the nature of ground surface motions and designing surface structures to resist damage from vibrations impressed on the structure by the ground motions. The mechanism of straining an underground cavity by an earthquake

Jan 1, 1968

By W. L. Sherwood

Present conventional techniques for primary steelmaking in both integrated and non-integrated plants are outlined. 'Direct reduction' alternatives are reviewed and categorized according to the nature of the product produced, with particular emphasis on the limited number designed to yield steel as the end product. A proposed new technique, referred to as the Sherwood Process, is described in some detail as a new combination of selected features from the prior technology. This process is in-tended to realize, in integrated operations, the result of continuons steelmaking directly from the ore in a single plant and, in non-integrated operations, continuons steel-making from a metallic charge of scrap, sponge iron or pig iron. Prominent features are continuons processing in elongated, horizontal, rotary furnace equipment, controlled direct heating of each process stage and, for the over-all integrated process, a size separation for removal of excess solid reductant and other waste just prior to the melting step. Material and energy balances are presented as well as exemplary cost data. Reasons for selecting this particular combination of process elements are dis-cussed.

Jan 1, 1968

By George B. Clark

7.1-1. Introduction. The fundamentals of blasting involve both the properties of explosives and of the rock being blasted. While the knowledge of property correlation between rocks and explosives for most effective blasting is far more complete, many quantitative evaluations have been made. Four of the most important explosive properties appear to be energy density, bulk density, rate of energy release, and the pressure-time history of the gases produced. Important rock properties are density and porosity strength, and energy absorption properties, including the effective moduli of elasticity. Rock structure also has a marked effect on its breaking properties, i.e., joints, bedding, fractures, alteration, etc. Several mechanisms enter into rock fragmentation by blasting. These include slabbing, radial fracturing, crushing, and bursting by the gas bubble. All of these factors are closely related to properties of both explosives and rock. Slabbing depends upon the character of the first generated stress wave, whose shape and magnitude are a result of the pressure generated by the explosive, its time history, and the resultant response of the rock, including its ability to sustain the stress wave. Actual slabbing, in turn, is a function of the magnitude and shape of the pressure pulse and the tensile strength of rock. Further fragmentation depends to a great extent upon the amount of gas in the bubble and its energy and pressure. Blasting rounds are best designed by taking the above factors into consideration. This is effectively accomplished by use of cratering curves which relate breakage- parameters to the explosive energy. Optimum depths from single charge cratering curves must be adjusted to changes in shot geometry and related to multiple hole blasting. Blasting damage may occur from either air blast or ground waves, and in the latter ease may be due to direct vibration or to settlement caused by vibration. Technical information indicates that blasting damage is often

Jan 1, 1968

By J. R. O’Connor

Stimulated emission from Nd+3 in yttrium uanadate fYVOJ is reported. Single crystals of YVO4:Nd, obtained from Linde Col-p., have improved substantially in the last several months. Pulsed thresholds of YVO, laser rods are now approximately 2 to 3 5, cowparable to tliose for YAG:Nd. Yttrium uanadate crystalli~es irz a space group similar to zircon. All rare-earth vanadates have this structure. Rare-earth ions sucll as Nd+3 which substitutes for Y+3, aye situated irz a strong tetragonal crystal field which lacks inversion symmetry. This condition increases the p'robability of the parity-forbidden f — f transitions. Yttrium anadate has strong absorption bands beyond -1000A. These are clue to Y-O, V-O charge transfer and molecular transitions. Under 2537 and 3660A irradiation pure YVO, fluroresces u bright yel-LOLO. This fli&orescence is corrzpletely quenched in YV04:Ncl crystals. This and other evidence of energy trut~sjer from the lattice is repovted. Optzcul atz 1user pvope 1-ties o! YI'U4:E[t are brieJy described. THIS paper describes some of the optical and laser properties of Nd+3- and Eu+3-doped yttrium orthovana-date (YVO4). It reports laser action for the first time in this low-symmetry host. For some time we have pursued a research program concerning laser hosts' wherein the rare-earth (RE) ion is situated at a site of low crystal symmetry so as to increase the probability of radiative transitions. Single crystals of doped and undoped YV04 are grown from iridium crucibles in an oxyhydrogen gas-fired furnace by a modified Czochralski technique.' This material crystallizes in a D4li tetragonal space group of the zircon (ZrSiO,) type.3 All RE vanadates have the same structure and form solid solutions with YVO4. Therefore, it will be possible to investigate a variety of cross-pumped laser systems, as in the case of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG).4 At present, ~d'~-doped YAG is one of the most efficient solid-state lasers.5 Accordingly, most of the material to follow will compare the properties of YV04 to those of YAG. Fig. 1 shows the relative transmission of YAG and two types of YVO4. "Pure" YVO4 has a normal absorption edge and is colorless. A second type has a broad absorption peaking near 4200A and is yellow. Rubin and Van uitert6 suggest the yellow material is slightly reduced. Samples of each type are being investigated by electron spin resonance,7 but these studies are so far inconclusive. The pulsed laser threshold is much lower in the yellow material than in the colorless. Therefore, the absorption at 3500 to 5000.4 transfers energy to the Ndi3 ions. Photons of wave length between 2000 and 4500A cause undoped YVO4 to fluoresce at 4800, 5250, 5460, 5540, and 5750A. This emission, previously reported by Brixner and Abramsom,8 is partially quenched by EU'~ and completely quenched by Ndt3 at room temperature due to energy transfer from the lattice to the RE ions. At low temperatures, some lattice fluorescence is present. This implies that the energy-transfer process is in part phonon-assisted. Although the YVO, single crystals used in this work were prepared from Y2O3 containing less than 0.01 pct rare-earth impurities, there is aopossibility that emission lines between 4800 and 5750A are due to dysprosium, terbium, and so forth. However, these lines are not observed in other compounds, prepared from Y2O3, such as YP04, Y2MoO6, and so forth. Furthermore, extensive absorption measurements on our "pure" YV04 single crystals between 0.4 and 5.0 failed to reveal any characteristic rare-earth lines. Fig. 2 compares the absorption spectra of Ndt3-doped YAG and YVO4from 0.6 to 1.0 . The Ndt3 absorptions are labeled according to free ion, R-S coupling. These term designationsQ are appropriate for YAG:Nd. They appear to be inappropriate for YV04:Nd. In YVO, neodymium must substitute for yttrium. The yttrium site is situated In a strong tetragonal field, where point symmetry is (42m) or possibly lower.1° However, the reduced splitting of the Stark components of the YV0,:Nd spectrum implies that the NdT3 ion is in a cubic site. The only plausible explanation for this discrepancy is that the Ndt3 ion is in a low-symmetry site, lacking inversion symmetry, so that a substantial admixture of 4f and 5d wave functions occurs. In this case, R-S coupling is not valid and J is no longer a good quantum number." Consistent with this view, the 4~ metastable level of YV04:Nd has an oscillator strength larger and a

Jan 1, 1968

By Philip C. Tully

These modifications to the Redlich-Kwong equations for pure hydrogen and neon were developed after an unsuccessful attempt to generalize a modification technique previously developed for helium. New coefficients of the B terms were developed by minimizing the residuals. No changes were made in the coefficients of the A terms. For normal hydrogen, B was changed to [0.08063Tc PcT] for temperatures from 980 to 423° K and pressures up to 1,050 atm. The average deviation in Z was 0.36 percent with maximum deviations less than 1 percent for all but a few low-temperature points. For neon, B was changed to [PCT 0.1025T], for temperatures from 120° to 973° K and pressures up to 1,500 atm. The average deviation in Z was 0.34 percent with maximum deviations less than 1 percent for all but a few high-pressure and low-temperature points. Efforts to attain a lower temperature range to comparable accuracy with this type of modification were unsuccessful. In the range of applicability, these equations should be used with caution when calculating derived thermodynamic functions, such as the isobaric specific heat.

Jan 1, 1968

By Thomas P. Meloy

Theoretical development of comminution models has come about in the last 10 years. These models assume that the material being broken is homogeneous and that the compression or energy wave is uniform throughout the specimen. Obviously, this is not the case because most comminuted materials are rocks with either many phases and/or definite grain size. The mathematical models deriving the size distribution of daughter fragments resulting from the comminution of brittle, single particles are of two schools. The first model, proposed by Gilvarry in 1961, was based on the concept of volume, surface, and edge flaw activation. The second, proposed by Meloy in 1960, was based on the concept that the crack density is a function of the energy in the comminution wave. The flaw theory has run into increasing theoretical problems and is now being abandoned. On the other hand, the crack density theory has been expanded and has successfully considered the case where there are inhomogeneities in the comminutive wave. However, the main constraint of a homogeneity in the solid being comminuted has hitherto never been overcome. In this paper, a very general derivation of the crack density model is made for inhomogeneous solids by replacing the assumption of homogeneity with an arbitrary function, P(y), which describes the susceptibility of the material to comminution as a function of position. The restraints on this function, P(y), are very broad and, hence, the derivation is extremely general. General use of the equation derived necessitates a detailed a priori knowledge of both the fracture process and of the physical properties of the material being fractured; this knowledge is expressed in open form as, P(y), the linear probability density that a plane of fracture intersects at point y on an arbitrarily oriented line segment of total length xo through the original particle. From these assumptions, a general expression for the cumulative mass distribution of particles resulting from fracture is then postulated. It is: [ ] where, B(x), is a cumulative mass of material finer than size x, r is the average number of crack,, (y), is defined above and xo is the initial particle size. It is shown that suitable assumptions reduce the expression to the theoretical results of Gaudin and Meloy and to special forms of the empirical equations of Rosin-Rammler, Gaudin and Schuhmann. Semi quantitative agreement is demonstrated by Grimshaw with experimental results of a very complex fracture of heterogeneous sandstone blocks. A need is expressed for more theoretical development of P(y), and a more extensive experimental study of both homogeneous and heterogeneous fracture. The full mathematical derivation is presented for the first time in this paper. The general implications of the equation and its application are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1968

By G. M. Ritcey, A. W. Ashbrook, E. G. Joe

Solvent-in-pulp extraction of uranium from acid leach slurries of flotation concentrates is described. Solvent extraction was carried out in a 10 in. diam pulsed-plate column. The extractant was a 0.1 M tertiary amine (General Mills Alamine 336) in a kerosene diluent containing isodecanol as an emulsion suppressor and third phase inhibitor. In pilot plant operation at the Beaverlodge mill of Eldorado Mining and Refining, Ltd., slurry feeds containing up to 35% solids were processed at a throughput rate of 13.5 tpd of dry feed. Uranium extraction obtained was as high as 98%. Amine losses to the raffinate were approximately 0.07 lb amine per ton of original dry feed. The Beaverlodge Mill of Eldorado Mining and Refining employs a carbonate leach for the extraction of uranium from the ore.',' Prior to carbonate leaching sulphides are removed by flotation to reduce reagent consumption. This flotation concentrate containing some uranium is then leached with sulfuric acid, filtered, and the uranium precipitated with magnesium hydroxide. The precipitate is then returned to the carbonate leach circuit. Although the tonnage of flotation concentrate treated by acid leaching is low, reagent costs are relatively high. Also maintenance costs on the acid leach filtration circuit were beginning to show significant increases. The choice of solvent extraction-in-pulp as an alternative to the present circuit was influenced by the following factors: 1) elimination of acid pulp filtration, 2) increase in overall recovery because of soluble loss elimination, 3) reduction of reagent cost (mill sodium carbonate solutions are used as strip), and 4) production of higher purity precipitate at the mill site. Because a solvent-in-pulp process would be difficult to test on a bench-scale, the Eldorado experience in the use of pulse columns,3-5 mixer-settlers,6 and solvent-in-pulp operations in particular7 was applied directly to the initial pilot plant carried out during the summer of 1965 and followed by the second pilot plant in 1966. The latter work, which is presented in this paper, determined the following factors for anticipated scale-up to plant production: 1) overall uranium recovery by this process, 2) tonnage throughput expected, and 3) solvent losses anticipated for the full-scale plant. The equipment used consisted of a 10 in. diam extraction pulse column and three mixer-settlers for scrubbing, stripping, and acid equilibration. All equipment was designed by Eldorado and much of the pilot plant was built at the mill site. PROCESS CHEMISTRY Feed to the acid leach plant consists of a sulphide flotation1,2 concentrate containing mainly pyrite, uranium and graphite, with a particle size of 90%

Jan 1, 1968

By R. Ward Stahl

This publication is a revision of Report of Investigations 5363 updated to reflect the improvement in fire protection at selected coal mines and contains suggestions on what may be considered good fire protective equipment, suggested methods of organizing the attack on fires at various locations underground, and helpful hints on testing and evaluating firefighting facilities.

Jan 1, 1968

By R. T. DeHoff

In any structural transfortnation which is driven by surface tension, the geometric variable of fimdamental importance is the local value of the mean surface curvatuve. Acting through the suvface free energy, this quantity determines the magtnitude of both the pressure and the chemical potential that develops in the neighborhood of an arbitrarily curved surface. A metallographic method which would permit the quaniitatiue estinzation of this propevty is of fundarnerztal irztevest to studies of such processes. In the present paper, it is shoun that the average value of the mean surface curvature in a structuve can be estimated from two simple counting measuretnents made upon a vepresentative metallograpIzic section. No simplifyirlg geonzetric assurmptions are necessary to this deviuation. It is further shoum that the result may be applied to parts of interfaces, e.g., interparticle welds in sintering, or the edge of growing platelets in a phase transformation, without loss of validity. In virtually every metallurgical process in which an interface is important, the local value of the mean surface curvature is the key structural property. This is true because the mean curvature determines the chemical potential of material adjacent to the surface, as well as the state of stress of that material. The theoretical description of such broadly different processes as sintering,1,2 grain growth,3 particle redistrib~tion4,5 and growth of Widmanstatten platelets8 all have as a central geometric variable the "local value of the mean surface curvature". The tools of quantitative metallography currently available permit the statistically precise estimation of the total or extensive geometric properties of a structure: the volume fraction of any distinguishable part:-' the total extent of any observable interface,10,11 and the total length of some three-dimensional lineal feature:' and, if some simplifying assumptions about particle shape are allowed, the total number of particles.'2"3 The size of particles in a structure, specified by a distribution or a mean value, can only be estimated if the particles are all the same shape, and if this shape is relatively simple.14-16 The relationships involved in converting measurements made upon a metallographic section to properties of the three dimensional structure of which the section is a sample are now well-established, and their utility amply demonstrated. In the present paper, another fundamental relationship is added to the tools of quantitative metallography. This relationship is fundamental in the sense that its validity depends only upon the observation of an appropriately representative sample of the structure, and not upon the geometric nature of the structure itself. It involves a new sampling procedure, devised by Rhines, called the "area tangent count". It will first be shown that the "area tangent count" is simply related to the average value of the curvature of particle outline in the two-dimensional section upon which the count is performed. The average curvature of such a section will then be shown to be proportional to the average value of the Mean surface curVature of the structure of which the section is a sample. The final result of the development is thus a relationship which permits the evaluation of the average value of the mean surface curvature from relatively simple counting measurements made upon a representative metallographic section. The result is quite independent of the geometric or even topological nature of the interface being studied. QUANTITATNE EVALUATION OF AVERAGE CURVATURE IN TWO DIMENSIONS The Area Tangent Count. Consider a two-dimen-sional structure composed of two different kinds of distinguishable areas (phases), Fig. l(a). If the system is composed of more than two "phases", it is possible to focus attention upon one phase, and consider the remaining structure as the other phase. The reference phase is separated from the rest of the structure by a set of linear boundaries, of arbitrary shapes and sizes. These boundaries may be totally smooth and continuous, or piecewise smooth and continuous. An element of such a boundary, dA, is shown in Fig. l(b). One may define the "angle subtended" by this arbitrarily curved element of arc, dO, as the angle between the normals erected at its ends, Fig. l(c). Now consider the following experiment. Let a line be swept across this two-dimensional structure, and let the number of tangents that this line forms with elements of arc in the structure be counted. This procedure constitutes the Rhines Area Tangent Count. Suppose that this experiment were repeated a large number of times, with the direction of traverse of the sweeping lines distributed uniformly over the semicircle of orientation.' Those test lines which ap- proach from orientations which lie in the range O to O + dO form a tangent with dA; those outside this range do not, see Fig. l(c). Since the lines are presumed to be uniformly distributed in direction of traverse, the fraction of test lines which form a tangent with dA is the fraction of the circumference of a semicircle which is contained in the orientation range, dO; i.e., vdO/nr or dB/n. If the number of test lines is N, the number forming tangents with dA is N(d0/n). Since each test line sweeps the entire area of the sample, the total area traversed by all N test lines is NL2. The number of tangents formed with dA, per unit area of structure sampled, is therefore

Jan 1, 1968

By William G. Pariseau

The flexure of geologic strata, a phenomenon of inter- est to geologists and mining engineers alike, is examined as a sheet bending problem' in Coulomb plasticity. Formulae for the distribution of stress, strain and displacement increments, volume change, change in the length of the central surface and power of dissipation, as well as for the neutral surface shift are given. Strains of any magnitude are considered. The analysis shows that deeply buried strata may bend and develop "tensile" cracks under generally compressive states of stress. It is also shown that bed separation and high capacity props are desirable in mechanized longwall mining, a result in keeping with operating experience. Although speculative at this time, the analysis provides a rational working hypothesis as regards the problem of strata flexure and control.

Jan 1, 1968

By Edward Martinez

The reactions occurring in the copper segregation process were studied by heating mixtures of chryso-colla, salt, and a reducing agent. The techniques used in this investigation were differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The initial chloridizing of the oxide copper occurs below 500°C and cupric chloride may be the compound formed. Volatilization and reduction of the copper chloride take place above 550°C, although these reactions do occur to some extent below 550°C. A difference in the distribution of the metallic copper in the reducing agent was found when sodium chloride was used compared to magnesium or calcium chloride. Segregation was obtained with mixtures of cupric oxide, salt, and charcoal with no quartz or silicate present. Preliminary tests indicate that segregation may occur even in the absence of water vapor. The DTA and TGA techniques were found to be of great value in studying these reactions. The copper segregation process is a method for treating oxide copper ores. The ore is heated, most commonly in a kiln, with a reducing agent and a halide salt, generally sodium chloride, to approximately 700°-750°C and held for 30 to 60 min. The addition of the salt results in the migration and reduction of the oxide copper to metallic copper on the surface of the reducing agent rather than in the original mineral structure. The metallic copper can then be recovered by a subsequent leaching or flotation step.1-4 Experimental work in 1923 on oxide copper ores from the Sagasca mines in Chile led to the discovery of the reduction process. It was found that during the reduction of the copper mineral with coal, at about 700°C, the copper migrated to the surface of the coal instead of remaining disseminated in the ore. The unusual behavior of the copper, which caused it to migrate from the ore particles to the coal, was traced to the presence of a small quantity of sodium chloride occurring in the ore. Further experiments with oxide copper ores proved that the presence of a halide, either occurring naturally or admixed with the ore, caused the copper to migrate from the ore particles and to segregate in the charge. The ratio of salt to reducing agent may vary somewhat, but in general 0.5% to 1.5% sodium chloride and 0.5% to 1.0% coal or coke have been mixed with the ore. Less than stoichiometric amounts of salt are required to convert all the oxide copper to a chloride, so that a cycle of reactions appears to be occurring. Several investigations reported in the literature have proposed reactions to explain the mechanism of the process.5-10 There appears to be general agreement that water is necessary for the reactions to occur; that once the sodium chloride reacts with silica or silicates in the ore, the hydrochloric acid formed will convert the cupric oxide in the mineral structure to cuprous chloride. However, there appears to be a conflict of opinion on the reactions involved in the reduction of the cuprous chloride to metallic copper on the surface of the carbon. Rey has indicated that salt, water vapor, and

Jan 1, 1968

By A. E. Back

A method is described in which particulate iron, as distinguished from high purity iron powders used in powder metallurgy, is a precipitant for copper contained in dilute solutions. A new precipitation apparatus utilizes particulate iron precipitants to recover copper more efficiently than is possible in a conventional launder precipitation plant. In the search for lower cost methods of recovering copper from mine water, the use of sponge iron or particulate iron (as distinguished from iron powder used in powder metallurgy) as precipitants in place of tin cans, detinned scrap iron, or scrap iron is an intriguing possibility. The relatively faster copper precipitation rate obtained with particulate iron as compared to scrap iron promises economic and processing advantages when, and if, particulate iron becomes competitive cost-wise with available scrap iron. Kennecott has developed a precipitation cone,' see Fig. 1, utilizing various particulate iron precipitants and has demonstrated the process successfully in a prototype at a flow rate of approximately 1000 gal of solution per min. Essentially complete precipitation of copper is obtained, the cone overflow solution is clear and contains no particulate copper, and the iron factor is more favorable than in a conventional launder plant. Initially, sponge iron produced at the Ray Mines Div. Kennecott Copper Corp. for use in a Leach-Precipitation-Flotation process was used in exploratory tests to develop a suitable apparatus to take advantage of the rapid precipitation rate and efficient iron utilization for the recovery of copper from dilute solutions. Here it was demonstrated that, when sponge iron was added to a launder, the particles of iron collected in the bottom of the launder and tended to cement together. This resulted in incomplete precipitation of the copper and inefficient utilization of the iron. Next, sponge iron was suspended in glass columns to study the dynamics of the precipitation reaction. Again it was observed that the particles tended to cement together at low solution flow rates, while at higher flow rates large amounts of the precipitant overflowed the column, resulting in loss of precipitant and an inefficient process. Next, the precipitant was suspended in an inverted cone in a rising column of solution. Dynamic suspension of the solids was maintained at relatively rapid solution flow rates with instantaneous and complete precipitation of copper and with improved iron utilization. The first tests were conducted on a batch basis and it was determined that a dynamically suspended bed of precipitant was necessary for satisfactory operation. More than 99% of the metallic iron could be converted to metallic copper by careful control of the residence time in the cone and copper precipitation was essentially complete, even when the available iron precipitant was almost depleted. Several cones were built, ranging in capacity from 1 to 200 gal of feed solution per min, and finally, a prototype cone was constructed which was 20-ft high

Jan 1, 1968

By C. H. Noren

For some years the Du Pont Company has utilized computer calculations to study the various theoretical properties of explosives. These studies have yielded valuable information on the effects of density changes or formulation changes on detonation rate, detonation pressure, explosion pressure, heat of explosion and numerous other properties, and have aided in evaluating the theoretical potential of explosives. In addition, a multitude of laboratory tests have been utilized for the evaluation of explosives. When comparing the computer data and the voluminous test data it became evident that numerous anomalies existed. Tests in rock were required to study explosives under borehole confinement. This fact was further emphasized after numerous field measurements showed that the borehole velocity of commercial explosives did not match the theoretical value but was dependent on conditions of field use. Since we are interested in the practical aspects of blasting, a program was initiated to evaluate explosives as used in commercial blasting. INSTRUMENTATION Most of you are familiar with the extensive work that has been done by the U. S. Bureau of Mines in their studies of strain measurements in rock. Early in our work we adopted procedures similar to those used by the Bureau of Mines. Strain pulses were measured by gages cemented in boreholes. Since we were primarily interested in the effect of explosives in the zone where fracture might occur, this system offered several disadvantages for Du Pont: 1. Cemented gages were expensive and not reusable. 2. When gage holes were used for several shots, there was considerable question as to the condition of the rock after the first shot.

Jan 1, 1968

By R. P. Aikman, F. G. Miller, J. M. Podgursky

As part of a larger study of the mechanism of froth flotation of coal, the rates at which coal particles of various size and specific gravity react to froth flotation were investigated. Results of this study show that in flotation: I) recovery rate increases, but selectivity decreases with a decrease in particle size down to 100 mesh, and 2) recovery rate is constant for all sizes between 100M and 325M. n response to the growing demand for low-sulfur coking coal for iron making, the coal industry is continually striving to perfect methods for cleaning coal to acceptable ash and sulfur levels while maintaining maximum product yield. By present standards the industry has adequate processes for cleaning coarse coal, i.e., + 28 mesh, at almost any desired specific gravity. However, in the case of fine coal, i.e., —28 mesh, neither of the two existing processes - froth flotation or hydrocycloning — in its present state of development yields products that are comparable in ash and/or sulfur content to products normally obtained from coarse coal processes. The work outlined in this paper is part of a larger study directed toward maximum exploitation of froth flotation for fine coal processing. The concepts and data presented are now serving as a basis for designing fine-coal circuits in which improved efficiency is obtained by optimum use of froth flotation with other fine-coal processing methods. The paper includes: 1) A discussion of the value of a detailed wash-ability study as a method of assessing the problems associated with fine coal processing, 2) A general discussion of hydrocyclone principles, included to serve as a basis for understanding the mechanism of coal flotation, and 3) A detailed discussion of the mechanism of coal flotation, as well as the research leading to the optimum use of froth flotation in combination with other fine-coal cleaning methods to provide efficient fine-coal processing. Our study of the rates at which coal particles of various size and specific gravity react to flotation shows that in flotation: 1) recovery rate increases but selectivity decreases with a decrease in particle size down to 100 mesh, 2) recovery rate is constant for all sizes between 100 mesh and 325 mesh, and 3) the flotation process effectively rejects only those extremely fine particles which do not contain surface carbon. (Because of this feature, froth flotation is an excellent method for rejecting clays - the only extreme fines in - 325-mesh coal that are always carbon free.) Washability studies of flotation products are used to assess flotation efficiency. These studies show that: 1) the increase in percent sulfur in flotation products above the theoretical sulfur content as defined by the washability study is due almost entirely to flotation of fine high-specific-gravity particles that are part coal and part pyrite, and 2) in a given size range particle floatability decreases with an increase in particle specific gravity. Error curves are explained and are used to compare the mechanisms of coal flotation and hydrocycloning. These comparisons show that hydrocyclone performance is affected primarily by particle mass, i.e., particle specific gravity and size, whereas coal flotation performance is dependent on both the particle mass and the coal surface available for bubble attachment. Since the error curve is a basic tool for rating the efficiency of any coal processing system, it will be useful to quickly review the principles of error curve construction. RATING COAL-PROCESSING EFFICIENCY BY THE ERROR CURVE The organic component of coal is of lower specific gravity than its impurities, and the most effective principle for coal concentration is therefore separation on the basis of specific gravity. However, since there is no sharp dividing line between pure coal and pure ash components, specific gravity must be closely controlled if the product is to have acceptable quality at maximum yields. In turn, the basis for close control in any coal processing system is the reference standard provided by precise laboratory washability studies. In these studies, coal is carefully separated into a series of progressively higher specific gravity fractions to establish a relationship

Jan 1, 1968

By R. B. Adamson

The fatigue behauior of irradiated copper single crystals is compared to that of unirradiated crystals. Proton or electron irradiation did not substantially change the fatigue-lzj.e, fatigue-hardening-, or slip-line characteristics, while neutron irradiation did appear to alter these parameters. Postfatigue transrrzission electron microscopy did not reveal any marked structural differazces between irradiated and unirradiated specimens. Possible dislocatio~a mechanisnzs to explain the observed behavior are discussed. A LTHOUGH considerable work has been done to ascertain the effects of radiation on the tensile properties of metals (e.g., Refs. 1 and 2), little work of a basic nature has been reported on the effect of radiation on fatigue properties. Since it is known that fatigue properties are sensitive to conditions at the surface of the metal, it was felt that charged particle irradiation, whose penetration into metals is very small, might influence the fatigue behavior. To investigate this surface effect, irradiations with 10 mev protons and 1.5 mev electrons were conducted. The range of 10 mev protons in copper is about 0.236 mm; which is very small compared with the thickness of the specimens used (1.53 mm). The range of 1.5 mev electrons is somewhat larger, on the order of 0.665 mm.4 On the other hand, irradiation with reactor neutrons produces damage throughout the entire specimen, so neutron irradiation can be used to study the effects of bulk damage. The damage introduced by proton and neutron irradiation is expected to con!ist of large interstitial dislocation loops,5 tiny (<25A) vacancy loops," and/or various vacancy-rich regions called depleted zones.&apos; In the case of electron irradiation at about -173°C the damage is expected to consist of isolated Frenkel pairs.&apos; The effect of radiation damage on the fatigue properties of some engineering materials has been reported,g,10 but the results are not clear-cut or consistent. SPECIMEN PREPARATION Zone-refined copper was used to grow single crystals by a modified Bridgeman technique in an inert helium atmosphere. Using a seeding method, single crystals were obtained as bars about 6 in. long with a cross section of 3 by $ in. Immediately upon removal from the split-mold graphite boat in which they were grown, the very soft bars were embedded in a room-temperature setting plastic. They could then be cut into specimen lengths without introducing any long-range damage. Generally, four or five specimens plus one seed were obtained from each bar. The plastic material was dissolved away in acetone and the orientation of each sample was checked by the standard Laue X-ray

Jan 1, 1968

By E. P. Sadowski, L. P. Trudeau, C. R. Cupp

The apparent high radiation resistance of two varieties of maraging steel is described and an indication is given of some phenomena that require further study. Two aspects were included in this work: a) effects of neutron irradiation on the room-ternperature tensile properties of 18 Ni (250) maraging steel; b) effects of neutron irradiation on the room-temperature tensile properties and on the impact resistance of 12 pct Ni-5pct Cr-3 pct Mo maraging steel. Subsize tensile and impact test specimens were used. The 18 pct Ni steel was irradiated to a neutron fluence of 3.3 x 10 n per sq cm (>1 mev). The 12-5-3 variety was irradiated to two neutron fluence levels: 1) 1.5 x 10 per sq CTTL (>I mev) 2) 3.1 x 10&apos;9nper sq cm (>1 mev) In all respects both varieties showed unusually high resistance to change in strength and ductility after neutron irradiation. There was no noteuorthy over-aging in fully aged specimens. The aged 18 pct Ni variety showed a 4 pct drop in yield strength upon irradiation with little or no decrease in ductility. The aged 12-5-3 variety showed a 5 pct increase in yield strength on irradiation with a very slight decrease in ductility. The impact transition of the 12-5-3 variety only increased 35 to 45 Co upon irradiation, and the shear energy fracture value for the subsized specimens decreased only half as much as expected frorn experience with conventional steels. THE development of new reactor concepts and nuclear technology now depends to a large extent on the availability of new alloys capable of operating in stringent reactor environments. One of the most important new types of metallurgical material that has been developed in recent years is the maraging steels. This type of alloy is notable for its remarkable retention of toughness at high strength levels. In the course of a research program which incorporated ambient temperature radiation effects studies to determine the mechanisms of strengthening of 18 pct nickel maraging steel,&apos; it became evident that the resistance of the alloy to neutron-induced changes in mechanical properties should be studied. This paper is to present evidence for the apparent high radiation resistance of maraging steel. The experimental program was in two parts: a) Effect of neutron irradiation on the room-temperature tensile properties of 18 Ni (250) maraging steel. b) Effect of neutron irradiation on the room-temperature tensile properties and on the impact resistance of 12 pct Ni-5 pct Cr-3 pct Mo maraging steel, a cobalt-free alloy. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE 18 Ni (250) Maraging Steel. Tensile test specimens were machined to the dimensions shown in Fig. 1 from $-in.-diam hot-rolled bar of the composition shown in Table I. All specimens were austenitized for 1 hr at 1500°F (815°C) in argon and water-quenched. Half of the specimens were then mar aged for 3 hr at 900° F (482°C) in argon. The specimens were irradiated in a fast neutron transformer rod at approximately 120°F (50°C) to a neutron fluence of 3.3 x 10 10 n per sq cm (>1 mev). The irradiation was performed in the NRX reactor of Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., at Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. In all cases, the thermal neutron flux was three times as high as the reported (> 1 mev) fluxes. The room-temperature tensile tests were performed with an Instron tensile testing machine operating at a crosshead speed of 0.05 in. per min. The loading frame of the machine, mounted in a hot cell, was remotely controlled. The specimens were tested either

Jan 1, 1968