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By R. B. Strathmore Cooke, Eugene L. Talbot

The perfluoro acids and derivatives show unusual surface-active properties that qualify them as possible flotation reagents. They lower the surface tension of water from 15 to 20 dynes below that obtainable with the corresponding hydrocarbon compounds. Fluorochemicals adsorb very strongly on solid surfaces to give films that exhibit larger contact angles than films of the corresponding hydro-carbons. The large contact angles probably result from the terminal –CF3 group. The perfluoro acids are made by electrolysis of the corresponding carboxylic acid in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. From the perfluoro acids many derivatives may be obtained, such as amides, amines, alcohols, xanthates, ethers and esters and others.

Nov 1, 1955

By Charles Meyer

The year 1955 was a busy one for mining geologists, for the expanding world-wide business activity kept the demand for mining products generally high, stimulating operators to develop local ore reserves and to expand their efforts to find new deposits. The uranium rush was still on, although probably past its maximum rate of climb. Prospecting was also stimulated by the increasing demand for rare metals, and this created new and fascinating targets for exploration. On the whole, it was a boom year when the prospector's chronic optimism found few repressions.

Feb 1, 1956

By Luis Toron, Salvador Cortes-Obregon

John D. Price (Colorado Fuel and Iron Corp., Pueblo, Colo)—The paper on the coal fields of the Oaxaca district as prepared by engineers Toron and Cortes-Obregon of the staff of the Bank of Mexico bears witness to the thorough and careful way in which the men associated with this organization perform their work. There is little to be added to their paper in way of discussion other than to confirm and amplify some of their statements. Since the only extensive and well-developed field of coking coal lies in the northeastern section of the country adjacent to Sabinas in the state of Coahuila, it follows that blast furnace plants would be located in that same region. Two such plants are now operating at Monterrey and Monclova, using coke produced at the Sabinas district mines. But the nearer of these two plants is 600 miles from Mexico City and even farther from the center of population. Transportation of products from these mills to the market area is therefore expensive, both because of the distance and the difficulty of the terrain over which it must be carried. The development of an integrated steel industry closer to the center of population has therefore long been a goal toward which the Mexican technicians have been striving. While the presence of coal of some grade has been reported in many of the states, and many ideas have been advanced regarding its possible uses in iron and steel production, deposits of anthracite in Sonora and the various coals of the Oaxaca district as reported on in this paper are the only ones that have been explored in a serious manner. The coking coal from the Mix-tepec zone appears to offer promise of producing a coke which could be used in a standard blast furnace. Several problems are indicated, however: 1—The ash in the coal is high as mined, but indications are that it can be washed to an ash content of 15 pct with a recovery of 70 pct of washed coal. 2—Such washing would increase the volatile content from 17.4 pct to about 20 pct, and in a byproduct oven this should give a coke yield of close to 80 pct with an ash content of coke under 20 pct. 3—A free swelling index of 5 appears low for a good coking coal, and below that of the coals from the Sabinas district, which show between 6 and 9. But washing of the coal should result in an improvement in this regard; in the United States coals from Utah with an index even lower than 5 have made a usable coke. 4—A coal with volatile as low as 17.4 in raw coal and 20 in washed coal would come close to being classed as a low-volatile rather than medium-volatile coal, and low-volatile coals are notorious for their high expansion properties. Several plants in the United States are making coke from straight medium-volatile coal of 26 to 28 volatile content, and one at Rosita,, Mexico, from coal of 25 volatile. But no plants to my knowledge are using coal as low as 20 volatile. Since the Rosita coal appears to be a borderline coal from the angle of its expansion properties the coking of one of the straight lower volatile must be approached with caution. 5—There are few coals possessing any degree of coking properties which cannot be used in coke production by careful attention to its preparation and blending. The fact that coals of other types are available in this same region make improvement through blending very possible. 6—There are other workable methods of reducing iron ore other than the conventional coke-blast-furnace method. These will not be discussed here but it is known that their use has been considered. The technicians of not only Mexico but also of the other Latin American countries are keenly aware of their natural resources and their national needs. This paper emphasizes the fact that the Mexican technicians are working on their problem and attempting to speed the day of self-sufficiency for their country. Salvatore Cortes-Obregon (author's reply)—I wish to thank Mr. Price for his kind remarks. The Mixtepec coal as shown in Table II has 30 pct ash and a free swelling index of 5, but when the same coal is washed to 15 pct ash it has a free swelling index of 8 to 9 and the volatiles increased from 17.4 to 20.7 pct. A satisfactory coke has been produced from blends made in the Mexican laboratory using at least 40 pct of the Mixtepec coking coals with the other Oaxaca non-coking coals. Koppers in Germany report good coke obtained from the Oaxaca coal with a blend of 80 pct Mixtepec coal. Consideration is being given the possibility of using methods other than the conventional blast furnace for the reduction of iron ore near the Oaxaca area; electric furnaces appear promising. The non-coking coals could be used to produce cheap electric energy and the coking coals to make metallurgical coke.

Jan 1, 1955

Book Review MAN-TO-MAN: THE STORY OF INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY. By John Leitch, Phila¬delphia, Pa. The B. C. Forbes Publishing Co., New York, 1919, 2.19 pp., 7 1/2 X 5 in. $2.00. "Man to Man" is a short, well-written, well-printed, easy to read and very interesting hook. It is an account of a method introduced into more than twenty industrial plants to give the workers a share in managing their own troubles. It is not a panacea for labor troubles and strikes, but neither have existed where the new method has been tried. The scheme is, in a word, to organize the working force like the government, having a cabinet composed of the executives, a senate composed of foremen, and a house composed of men elected by fellow workers from all departments. This governing machinery takes up all complaints of workers, investigates, reports, and settles. The increased profits due to economy and increased production from this cooperation are divided 50-50 between the company and the men. Experience has shown that, since inattention, tardiness, irregularity, and inefficiency tend to reduce their profits, all men very quickly, after once convinced of the sincerity of the management in their scheme of cooperation, eliminate them because it is for their personal profit. Astonishing results have been attained, including higher wages, greater output, lower unit costs, great reduction in labor turnover, elimination of waste, an increased loyalty and a waiting list of employees even in periods of labor shortage. Profit sharing as such and stock ownership as a benefit to industrial relations are discussed briefly and illuminatingly, although they are not believed by the author to he the best way to bring about the human relation between those who work,for and those who work with money. The author is not against unions but does not believe the union is the best medium for improving industrial relationship. The look is nowhere dogmatic but is always forceful and convincing and, being well written, is very entertaining. It is doubtful if "Industrial Democracy" is the right expression for the solution of the problem but certainly anything that will place on the shoulders of labor some of the responsibility of industry and will increase production is tine much-to-be-desired desideratum. It is a. contribution to the solution of our biggest problem and should be read by everyone who employs men and who has been worried by the labor turnover. P. E. B.

Jan 7, 1919

By J. A. Dresser

The controlling supply of asbestos for the world is obtained from southern Quebec, 150 miles or less north of the international boundary line between Canada and the United States, and about 75 miles south of the city of Quebec.

Jan 1, 1915

By E. C. Truesdale, R. K. Waring

THE Research Division of The New Jersey Zinc Company (of Pa.) has conducted, over a period of years, numerous tests of the reducibility of various zinc ores and the reactivity of various kinds of coal, using a number of different experimental methods. Most of these tests have involved the reduction of mixtures of ore and coal. In such cases the following simultaneous reactions are believed to be mainly responsible for the production of zinc, as was shown by Bodenstein1 some years ago: ZnO + CO = Zn + CO2[I] C + CO2 = 2CO[2]. Each of these reactions is dependent upon the other for the supply of CO and C02, respectively, and the over-all rate of formation of zinc vapor will be determined by the slower of these two reactions. An analogous pair of reactions sometimes of importance is: ZnO + H2 = Zn + H2O[3] C+ H2O=CO+H2[4] While it is possible to obtain an indication of the relative reducibility of various ores, or of a fine versus a coarse ore, by testing them with a given coal, and while coal reactivities may be measured in a corresponding manner, a more direct determination of relative reaction rates is possible by carrying out the desired reactions, such as I and 2, separately and under reproducible conditions. It is one purpose of this paper to present some of the results that have been obtained by the latter method. C. G. Maier2 discusses the relative rates of reactions I and 2 and concludes that while at relatively low temperatures reaction I is faster than reaction 2, this difference becomes less with increasing temperatures, although at smelting temperatures reaction I is still the faster. He also says (p. 48), "At temperatures . . . between 1100° and 1300°C the zinc oxide reduction reaction is intrinsically more rapid than its physical limitations; that is, it is limited by gas diffusion rates." In the course of numerous reactivity tests involving the separate use of reactions and I and 2, we have obtained data that show by direct experiment, we believe for the first time, the correctness of Maier's statements concerning these reactions. We also include data on the relative rate of reaction 3, involving reduction by hydrogen. Finally, some interesting results obtained by carrying out the reduction of a zinc ore-coal briquet in streaming atmospheres of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, respectively, are presented.*

Jan 1, 1941

By Robert Yerkes

THE following is a brief account of the methods of measuring intelligence especially prepared for use in the U. S. Army, of typical results, and of some of their immediately practical applications. It has been prepared for the assistance of army examiners and for the information of all who are interested in the relations of scientific placement to military efficiency. PURPOSE OF THE INTELLIGENCE TESTS Under the direction of the Division of Psychology, Medical Department, and in accordance with provisions of War Department General Order No. 74, mental tests are given recruits during the 2-wk. detention period. These tests provide an immediate and reasonably dependable classification of the men according to general intelligence. Their specific purposes are to aid: 1. In the discovery of men whose superior intelligence suggests their consideration for advancement; 2. In the prompt selection and assignment to development battalions of men who are so inferior mentally that they are suited only for selected assignments; 3. In forming organizations of uniform mental strength where such uniformity is desired; 4. In forming organizations of superior mental strength where such superiority is demanded by the nature of the work to be performed; 5. In selecting suitable men for various army duties or for special training in colleges or technical schools; 6. In the early formation of training groups within regiment or battery in order that each man may receive instruction and drill according to his ability to profit thereby;

Jan 2, 1919

South Dakota produced very little coal in the period discussed, and little prior to 1883. The first record of the use of coal mined in the state was in 1874, and the tonnages in Table 74 are estimated. [ ]

Jan 1, 1942

Reports from the Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, indicate that although considerable drilling has been clone in the state of Utah, no oil has been produced in commercial quantities. Sandstone saturated with asphalt and other hydrocarbon compounds and small showings of oil in wells at several places suggest that oil may be found, in commercial quantities where the rocks are favorable for oil accumulation. In some places the structure appears to be very favorable for the storage of oil which may probably be reached by drilling to a depth of 3000 to 4000 ft. It is admitted that this will be wildcat drilling for it is not known whether the unexposed rocks carry oil and there are no surface indications of oil. This entire subject is discussed in United States Geological Survey Bulletin No. 711-A, and most of the report will be found to be contrary to the claims that have recently been advanced for oil properties in Utah.

Jan 9, 1919

By S. Frederick Ravitz

FOUR liquids are ordinarily present in the lead blast furnace during lead smelting. At the bottom is the lead bullion, which is metallic lead containing about one per cent of impurities, including gold, silver, copper, bismuth, arsenic and antimony. Above this is the speiss, which consists essentially of arsenides and antimonides of iron and copper. The speiss is followed by the matte, which consists principally of sulfides of iron, copper and lead1. The top layer is the slag, of which the major constit-uents are silica, lime, alumina, zinc oxide and iron oxide. Similar products are obtained from the dross furnace, which treats the dross obtained in decopperizing lead bullion. The distribution of gold and silver among these various products is of considerable importance in the smelting of lead. In general, the matte and speiss cannot be treated in the lead smelter, and usually are sent to a copper smelter. It is usually desirable, therefore, to keep their gold and silver contents as low as possible, and to collect the precious metals in the bullion. If the bullion, speiss, matte and slag exist together in equilibrium, the gold and silver should distribute themselves among these four liquids in a definite manner, which, other conditions being equal, should depend only on the amounts of gold and silver in the charge to the furnace. It is thus apparent that a knowledge of whether such equi-librium exists is necessary before attempting to study the effects of various compositions of matte and speiss on the distribution of gold and silver among the furnace products2. Moreover, systems consisting of four liquids in equilibrium are very rare, and are of considerable scientific interest.

Jan 1, 1936

Very few data are available about production in this county. The amount mined was used locally, or shipped by river, until 1839 when the canal was completed to Dunnsburg. Only partial records for four years remain of canal shipments. Considerable coal was used locally by the iron works at Farrandsville for some years. Rail shipments started in 1861 and those shown are the estimated shipments of these mines as compared with the mines in other counties served by the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad, the total tonnages being given in the annual reports to the Auditor General. It is not likely that any coal used by the railroad is included in these figures. (Table 40.)

Jan 1, 1942

By E. A. Holbrook

AT the meeting of the Committee on Engineering A Education of the Institute at the New York meeting last February, it was brought out that the number of men graduating in mining engineering from our colleges at the present time is not sufficient to meet the ordinary needs of the mineral industries. Following the meeting, Samuel S. Wyer, consulting engineer of the Fuel-Power Transportation Educational Foundation of Columbus, Ohio, prepared a pamphlet called "Mining Engineering's Appeal to High School Seniors." Under the auspices of this Foundation the pamphlet is being sent to every high school in the United States. The pamphlet does not in any way paint glowing word pictures of the profession; rather it is a statement of the importance of mining engineering in our present-day civilization, together with the requirements in young men who are looking forward to an engineering career.

Jan 1, 1930

By Thomas S. Carnahan

UNION MINIERE D HAUT-KATAIGA operates a group of mines and metallurgical works in the Katanga province of the Belgian Congo. It is especially prominent as a copper producer, but its output of accessory metals, such as cobalt, radium, silver, tin and gold have been considerable. The Belgian Congo covers 920,000 sq. mi. of central Africa, with a native population of about 8,500,000. In addition, Belgium controls by mandate the districts of Ruanda-Urundi (formerly a part of German East Africa) with an area of some 20,000 sq. mi. and a population of about 3,500,000 natives. Most of the native population of the Belgian Congo is found on the wide fertile plains of the great rivers, living under primitive conditions in a tropical climate, where it has survived throughout the centuries in spite of tropical diseases and intertribal wars. In more recent times, especially during the last two centuries, 'the natives have been subjected to frequent raids by the slave traders, which made their existence even more precarious, and if continued much longer would probably have resulted in their complete extermination.

Jan 1, 1932

By Sultan Amerie

PERSIA looms up more prominently each year as one of the richest oilfields in the world. The actual production in the south and the possibilities in both the north and the south are very great. The output in the south, where the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. operates a wide concession, is steadily increasing, the returns for the fiscal year 1922-23 being 2,957,028 tons. The estimated production for. 1923-24 is 3,775,000 tons. The figures for the past few years have been as follows: 1918-19 1,106,415 tons 1920-21 1,743,557 tons 1919-20 1,385,301 tons 1921-22 2,327,221 tons According to the company's last annual report, the production from the -Persian fields operated by its subsidiaries has been well maintained and is now being increased to deal with the expanding off-take of the company's refineries at Abadan, Persia, and Dandarcy, Wales. Test drilling in an entirely different area in Persia indicates the existence of a new oilfield, which it is intended for the time being to hold as a reserve.

Jan 3, 1924

In May 1952, a total grant of $750 was made for the establishment of a scholar- ship in petroleum engineering for the academic year of 1952-1953, to be ad- ministered by AIME and to be known as the AIME-Socony-Vacuum Scholarship in Petroleum Engineering It will be given In the general field of petroleum engineering The scholar selected must be an undergraduate who is expected to complete academic work during the period of the award In other words, upon completion of the award period, the recipient is expected to be ready to enter industry The establishment of this Scholarship and the selection of the Scholar there under will Impose no ob1igation upon the Scholar or upon Socony- Vacuum with respect to employment The Scholarship is being administered by the Mineral Industry Education Division of the AIME

Jan 1, 1952

By AIME AIME

REVIVAL of mining in Yavapai County, Arizona, was the topic of a meeting held at Prescott, on Aug. 24 and 25, sponsored by the Mining Committee of the Yavapai County Chamber of Commerce, with the active cooperation of the Arizona Industrial Congress, the Arizona Section of the A. r. M. E., and the Arizona chapter of the American Mining Congress. Three hundred prospectors, small operators, and mining men from all parts of the State were in attendance. All sorts of mining problems were included in the discussion and all the research facilities of the large companies were offered to aid the prospectors and small operators. The meeting was considered one of the most successful held in the Southwest.

Jan 1, 1929

In the mile-high city of Denver. Colo., the mining industry's political adjunct, The American Mining Congress, held its annual meeting, September 27-30. The Honorable Maurice H. Stans, in what became the keynote address of the meeting, spoke of a "common interest in a basic reality of 1970, a reality involving ecology, energy, raw materials and natural resources.”

Jan 1, 1970

By L. G. Huntley

THE only oil produced in Colombia during the past year has been that from the Tropical Oil Co. concession, operated by the International Petroleum Co. This has been about the same in amount as that of 1923, or approximately half a-million barrels gross, which has been used to supply the domestic requirements of the republic and for the company's own use, in about equal proportions. The Tropical Oil Co.'s field at Infantas has 17 producing wells, for the most part shut in. The company claims an average initial production of about 1000 bbl. each for these wells, which would represent a total potential production of 10,000 bbl. However, the area already outlined by this work is considerable, as drilling has apparently been carried on with the idea in mind of blocking out the field, rather than developing the greatest possible production. Therefore, whether or not the pipeline of the Andian National Corpn. is being built to take care of the amount of crude production admitted by the Tropical Oil Co., or a greater prospective amount, it is certain that this production could be quickly increased if desired.

Jan 3, 1925

By R. S. Shoemaker, F. W. McQuiston

MAGMA COPPER COMPANY San Manuel Division The San Manuel Division of Magma Copper Company is located about 40 miles north of Tucson. Tons of ore milled in 1973 .were approximately 19 million at a rate of 63,000 tons per day. From this, about 42,600 tons of copper concentrate was produced as saying approximately 1.070 MoS2 and 28.5% Cu. As with many copper ores, the San Manuel ore contains a small amount of gold, but in this particular case, much of the gold follows the molybdenite. Separation of the molybdenite from the bulk sulfide concentrate by flotation produces a moly concentrate containing 9170 MoS2, just under 1.070 Cu, and 0.44 oz Au per ton. Cyanidation of this material for gold recovery is the only practice of its kind known to the authors of this Monograph. After thickening, the final moly concentrate is filtered for subsequent repulping with cyanide and lime. Gold dissolution takes place in three agitators in series with the pulp from the agitators being filtered in two stages in disc filters. Between filtration stages, the cake is repulped with barren solution. Filtrate from both filters is the pregnant solution. The Merrill-Crowe recovery unit is comprised of two solution tanks and the usual clarifying filter, vacuum tower, zinc dust feeder and Merrill precipitate press. Because of the presence of finely divided sooty chalcocite in the molybdenum concentrate, the cyanide consumption of 55 pounds per ton is extremely high. A compensating factor, however, is the low copper, moly concentrate produced. Precipitation of the gold from the highly copper-contaminated solution requires 0.56 pounds of zinc dust and 0.28 pounds of lead acetate per ton, high figures when compared to normal cyanidation practice. The Merrill- Crowe precipitate assays approximately 28.5% Cu, 8% Zn, 156 oz Au and 197 oz Ag per ton. The San Manuel cyanidation plant is an outstanding and innovative development.

Jan 1, 1975

THE wave of nationalism co-mingled with communism which is sweeping from the Philippines across the Asiatic continent into the Middle East has climaxed in a tragedy in Iran which is shaking the foundations of the United Nations. Iran, who a few short years ago stood before the UN as a supplicant for protection against the occupation of the province of Azerbaijan by the Soviet, today defies its jurisdiction in the oil dispute with Great Britain.

Jan 11, 1951