Search Documents

The library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10, P.M. except on holidays. It contains about 70,000 volumes and 90,000 pamphlets, including sets of technical periodicals and publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library, through its Library Service Bureau, can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive especial attention: The Library is prepared to furnish references and photographic copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information on the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape.

Jan 9, 1918

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M., except on holidays. It contains about 70,000 volumes and 90,000 pamphlets, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library, through its Library Service Bureau, can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive especial attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and photographic copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information on the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the, information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may, not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape.

Jan 4, 1917

By Roy C. Kirkman

It is with great pleasure that I read Mr. Howard M. Wells article in the December 1978 issue of MINING ENGINEERING entitled: "Optimization of Mining Engineering Design in Mineral Valuation." Mr. Wells very adequately presents the case and point that there are a great number of variables which must be analyzed during an economic evaluation of an FUND RESOURCE, such as copper or uranium.

Jan 4, 1979

By Y. C. Liu

IN the study of the rolling recrystallization of face-centered-cubic metals, a most unusual observation is the frequent occurrence of a sharp re-crystallization texture of cube orientation. Although the general conditions under which this texture occurs are known,2,3 its origin is still not well understood. Based on the observed relationship between the {110}<112> deformation texture and the (113}<211> recrystallization texture, regardless of the effect of alloying elements2,4,5 or the symmetry of the deformation texture,&apos; there is a strong indication that a specific component of the deformation texture is related to a specific component of the recrystallization texture. Using the rotational reorien-tation relationship as a means of correlating the deformation and recrystallization textures, it was proposed that the deformation component which related the cube texture has {358)<523> indices."&apos; The investigation reported here was undertaken to seek experimental evidence for the validity of this proposition. Experimental Procedure Two copper single crystals having an initial orientation within 2" of (358) [523] indices were prepared in the manner described in Ref. 5. The purity of the copper was between 99.94 and 99.97 pct. The original dimensions of the crystals were as follows: specimen A, 0.465 in. thickness, 0.844 in. width, and 0.955 in. length; specimen B, 0.535 in. thickness, 1.120 in. width, and 1.36 in. length: Rolling was done on a laboratory rolling mill according to the following schedule: 0.010 in. per pass to 50 pct reduction in thickness, 0.005 in. per pass to 70 pct reduction inthickness, 0.002 in. per pass to 85 pct reduction in

Jan 1, 1958

By W. A. Tiller, S. O’Hara

Grain refinement in stirred melts has previously been shown to arise from dendrite segmentation. The present work discusses experiments capable of distinguishing between remelting and mechanical effects which result from fluid motion. Nucleation of still un-dercooled Sn-1 pct Pb melts with a single-crystal seed shows that the grain size of the resulting ingots decreases as the undercooling at nucleation increases up to about 1Z0C, then increases again for larger undercoolings. Pure melts exhibit little refinement as a result of nucleation at any undercooling up to 12°C. The presence of fluid motion gives rise to grain multiplication in pure melts, but the magnitude of this effect is partly obscured by solid-state pain growth. The results indicate that two grain-multiplication pvocesses can operate, one which involves dendrite remelt ing, and another associated with fluid motion. Small ingot experiments indicated that an equiaxed transition can be caused by fluid motion. THE presence of forced convection during recales-cence of undercooled Sn-1.3 pct Pb melts has been shown to give rise to extensive grain refinement during solidification of small ingots of this alloy.&apos;&apos;2 In Ref. 2, this refining was shown to result entirely from dendrite fragmentation and not from any nucleation mechanism. The purpose of the present work is to establish what processes lead to dendrite segmentation. Experiments were therefore carried out to determine the resulting structure of both pure tin and Sn-1 pct Pb melts, nucleated at various undercoolings by single-crystal seeds in the absence of forced or natural convection. By comparing the information obtained from these experiments with the results of Refs. 1 and 2, the effects of fluid motion on the ingot structure, and the details of the segmentation mechanisms, should become clear. The results of these experiments should also be helpful in understanding the solidification structures of larger ingots since natural convection, which is known to play an important role in determining ingot structure13 differs only in degree from the fluid-motion effects studied here. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 was constructed to permit controlled nucleation of stirred or unstirred supercooled melts using a seed oriented in the tin dendrite growth direction. Because the melts, in all cases, were capable of larger supercoolings than the one used in each experiment, the structure observed always resulted from a single nucleation event at the surface. The sequential procedure was as follows: Tin was melted under purified hydrogen and the oxide removed at a temperature of 450°C . Electromagnetic stirring was then used to clear the surface completely and during this time the guide tube was lowered underneath the melt surface. A pointed Czochralski-like crystal was then propagated from a specially prepared tin dendrite seed4 inside the guide tube while the temperature of the bulk melt was held just above the melting point, ensuring a perfectly clean seed which was epitaxial with the original dendrite. The dendrite and epitaxial seed, still in the guide tube, were withdrawn from the melt which, in turn, was undercooled to 2C° below the temperature at which the nucleation experiment was to be performed. The melt was held there for several minutes, both in stirred and in still-melt experiments. The temperature was next raised to the required value and the melt nucleated by the carrot seed inside the guide tube, the heater power being shut off just after nucleation. In experiments where quenching after nucleation was required, a high-density graphite crucible was used, but otherwise the procedure was as described above. The temperature gradient in the melt before nucleation was kept below 1C° per cm by carrying the experiment out just below the center of the heater shown in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1968

By G. R. St. Pierre, S. W. Gilby

The equilibrium vapors established over Fe-Cr-Ni alloys containing up to 50 pct Cr at 1600°C were determined by collecting the effusate from thoria Knud-sen cells. From these data, the activities of iron and nickel in the ternary alloys have been calculated. In a separate set of measurements, a mass spectrometer was used to determine the activities of the three components in a series of Fe-Cr-Ni alloys. In binary Ni-Cr melts, the activity coefficient of chromium referred to pure solid chromium as standard state is less than one at low chromium contents but is greater than one for melts containing more than 30 at. pct Cr. For Ni-Cr melts containing less than 10 at. pct Cr, In ?Cr = 0.15-0.92 N2. Ternary activity diagrams for Fe-Cr-Ni alloys are presented. In iron-rich alloys, the interactions between the three components are negligible; however, in nickel-rich alloys, the three principal interactions have significant positive values. THE activities of components in binary Fe-Ni alloys have been measured both in the solid solution1-3 and liquid solution4-6 temperature ranges. The determination for Fe-Ni melts have been made by three different methods: transpiration,4 Knudsen-cell effusion with analysis of an accumulated condensate,&apos; and Knudsen-cell effusion with direct measurements of relative component intensities by mass spectrometric methods.6 The results obtained by the three different methods in three different laboratories are in excellent agreement and considerable confidence is placed in the activity coefficients for Fe-Ni melts. At 1600°C, the activity coefficients in dilute solution are ?°Ni = 0.66 and ?oFe = 0.40 for the pure liquid components as standard states. Measurements made on solid solution Fe-Cr alloys7-10 indicate that the component activities are slightly greater than ideal. The measured activities in iron-rich Fe-Cr liquid alloy11-16 indicate almost ideal behavior for this system. The recommended activity coefficient of chromium in dilute solution in liquid iron at 1600o C, ?oCr, is 1.18 when referred to pure solid chromium as standard state and 1.04 when referred to pure undercooled liquid chromium as standard state." The conversion factor of 1.14 is based on a melting point of 1857°C and an enthalpy of melting of 4047 cal per g at. for chromium.21,37 The activity coefficient of iron in dilute solution in liquid chromium has not been measured. Activity measurements on solid Ni-Cr alloys have been made by several investigators.17-20 During the review of this manuscript, Fruehan12 published the results of a study on liquid Ni-Cr alloys at 1600°C. He used galvanic cells22 with ZrO2(CaO) as the electrolyte and Cr/Cr2O3 for the reference electrode. His results indicate that ?oCr in nickel at 1600°C is about 1.01 when referred to pure solid chromium and about 0.89 when referred to pure undercooled liquid chromium as standard state. The activity coefficient of nickel in liquid chromium is unknown. The compositions of vapors freely evaporating from some molten Fe-Cr-Ni alloys have been measured by Lyubimov, Granovskaya, and Berenstein.23 Their results, combined with known vapor pressures, indicate strong positive deviation for chromium in iron-rich alloys and strong negative deviation for chromium in nickel-rich alloys. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES This research was undertaken to determine the activities of components in ternary Fe-Cr-Ni melts containing up to 50 at. pct Cr. At the initiation of the research, we decided to use a Knudsen-cell method wherein a portion of the effusing vapor is condensed on a cold plate.&apos; The composition of the equilibrium vapor for each alloy composition is determined in this method by holding the system under constant conditions for a period of time sufficient to collect enough condensate on the cold plate for chemical analysis. The activities of components in ternary alloys can be calculated from such vapor composition determinations by Eq. [1].24

Jan 1, 1970

By P. Lelong, P. Lacombe, J. Herenguel

IN previous studies on the effect of orientation on the rate of anodic oxidation of A1-3 pct Mg mono-crystals of high purity, certain anomalies were observed on the cold-worked metal. These anomalies were shown to correspond to regions of changed orientation within the grains resulting from plastic deformation.&apos; In fact, they are deformation bands revealed by differences in rate of oxidation and produced by more or less continuous bending of the lattice about a [Ill] axis common to the original crystal and the band.2,3 Preliminary observations made after relatively large degrees of cold working revealed an approximate twin relationship between the bands and the surrounding crystal. Fig. 1 shows the etch figures formed on such a band and on the original monocrystal after a 67 pct rolling reduction. It is evidently not a true twinning, since there is a broad transition zone between the two systems, however the two extreme orientations are nearly in a twin relationship. It was decided to investigate these preliminary observations by progressive rolling-reductions on monocrystals of varied initial orientation. From these studies, which form the subject of the present article, it became apparent that the initial observation of an approximate twin relation between the bands and the monocrystal was simply a special case. Our experiments show that deformation in rolling proceeds by a mechanism analogous to those which have already been observed in the simpler cases of tension and compression. Micrography—in particular, the formation of etch figures—has been applied to the quantitative study of these orientations. In addition, observations have been made of slip lines, of thin oxide films yielding interference colors, of thick films in polarized light, and of etchants giving "engraving." These micrographic methods for studying orientation have established the orientation relationship without any ambiguity, whereas X-ray methods would have given only a statistical result because we were often dealing with thin bands (2 to 100 microns) and even narrower connecting zones covering a maximum of 20 microns. Specimen Preparation and Methods The Al-3 pct Mg alloy was prepared from 99.95 pct A1 and is of the type used industrially in France for brilliant anodized finishes under the name of Brillalumag. This material combines the normal commercial properties with an enduring brilliance due to the protection of a thick, but perfectly transparent, film of alumina.&apos; The monocrystals were prepared by the method of critical deformation followed by prolonged annealing. Great care was taken to insure perfect homogeneity of composition, to eliminate included crystals,6,7 and to avoid the formation of undulations during oxidation. The critical deformation for this alloy is about 1.2 pct (1-l0/10x100) and the subsequent annealing was for one week at 500 °C after gradual increase of temperature (35°C per hr). The crystals thus prepared had a section of 10x5 mm and a length of 20 to 40 mm. Each of these crystals was polished electrolytically and etched for the formation of etch-figures with the classical reagent.&apos; The orientation was then calculated from their angles, as measured with a goniometer microscope.

Jan 1, 1954

By J. A. Cahill, A. D. Kirshenbaum

Using an alumina or zirconia crucible with an alumina sinker or a molybdenum sinker coated with zirconium dioxide, the density of liquid iron was determined by the immersed-sinker method over the temperature range of 1800" to 2500°K. The density, with respect to temperature, is ex-Dressed by the equation Dg/cm = 8.523 - 8.358 X 10 T&apos;K The molar Volumes and thermal coefficients of expansion were calculated. Iron, upon me1ting, was found to expand 3.5 pct. A basic knowledge of the physical properties of materials at high temperatures is becoming increasingly important. A check of the literature shows, that in spite of the importance of iron, very few measurements have been made of its physical properties in the liquid state. Density measurements have been made by Benedicks and his collaborators1g using the method of balanced columns, by Desch and smith4 using the immersed sinker method with an alumina sinker, by Lucas using the maximum bubble method5 and by Stott and endall&apos; who used an alumina pyknometer. In the method of balanced columns, the difference in level of molten iron in two arms of a U-tube, together with the corresponding difference of pressure had to be measured. The formation of gas bubbles in one or both arms was a great source of error. These values are very erratic. They vary from 6.83 to 7.45 g per cm3 at the melting point (1805"~) and from 6.45 to 7.15 g per cm3 at 1890°K. Stott and Rendall determined the density at 1837"K, with a reproducibility of *0.2 pct. They used an alumina pyknometer fired to 1973°K. The vessel was filled in a vacuum furnace by immersion in the liquid metal. When thermal equilibrium was attained, the pyknometer was withdrawn, cooled, the ingot removed and then weighed. The chief disadvantage of the method was the difficulty of inserting the pyknometer without cracking it. The authors have been able to determine the density of liquid iron from its melting point up to 2500°K, by using the immersed-sinker method, with A1203 or ZrOz crucibles and A1203 or molybdenum sinkers coated with Zr02, Fig. 1. EXPERIMENTAL Apparatus. In these studies the source of heat was the carbon tube resistance furnace with an argon atmosphere described previously.7 Experimental runs were made using either Ala3 or ZrOz crucibles. The sinkers used were 1) pure A1a3 and 2) molybdenum coated with ZrOz. The crucible, 2 1/8 in. in diam and 3 in. high, was centered in the furnace on an Ala3 of Zr02 pedestal. The sinker, 1/2 in. in diam and 1 1/2 in. long, together with a counter weight, was suspended from an analytical balance into the melt by a molybdenum wire. Procedure. The procedure, as described previously,&apos; consisted in measuring the weight loss of the sinker in the liquid iron while determining simultaneously the liquid iron temperature by means

Jan 1, 1962

By Jean-Jacques Prompsy, J. S. Rinehart

Some time ago a study was initiated at the Colorado School of Mines in an effort to arrive at a better understanding of the stress fields developed within drill bits under dynamic loading and the influence that these stress fields could have on the failure of the bits. Particular emphasis has been given to the influence that bit shape has on the establishment of highly localized, potentially destructive stress inhomogeneities within the bit. The study has been divided into three phases involving three velocity regimes: impacts at very low velocities, 0 to 20 ft/sec, a velocity range in which dynamic effects are just beginning to be found; impacts at velocities ranging from 20 to several hundred ft/sec, a range commonly encountered in practical drilling operations; and impulsive loading through the detonation of explosives, a region in which the dynamic effects are greatly exaggerated and made more identifiable. The ultimate objective is to provide basic data which will enable the mitigation through judicious design of the frequency and severity of these transient concentrations of intense stress, thereby prolonging and increasing drill efficiency. This paper presents results of the third phase of this study — the development of a better understanding of the dynamics and mechanics of failures caused by transient stress-wave interactions. The impulsive loading or transient waves in these experiments were generated by detonating small explosive charges placed on the ends of Plexiglas cylindrical rods terminating in truncated cones. Under such intense loading, dynamic effects are greatly exaggerated and, hence, made more identifiable. The explosion generates a high-intensity transient stress disturbance which moves through the rod, reflects from surfaces which lie in its path, and establishes momentarily narrow regions of high concentrations of stress where failure of fracture may occur. The peregrinations of these waves, their interactions and their effects have already been described in the literature (see, for example, Refs. 1 and 2). The locations and extent of the regions quite apparently are strongly dependent on specimen shape, making it possible through judicious shaping of specimens to relocate the highly stressed regions, minimize their extent, or eliminate them entirely. These experiments were designed, first, to identify more clearly the vulnerable regions in geometries relevant to drill-bit design and, then, to modify these regions in a predictable way by changing specimen shape. Through this latter process, it is anticipated that better bit design might evolve. The specimens used in the experiments were cylindrical rods, 1 1/2 and 1 1/8 in. in diameter, ended by a truncated cone, with the cone angles ranging from 45° to 130°. Upper cone face diameters were 1/2, 3/4, or 1 in. A small plastic-covered electric blasting cap detonated on the axis of the specimen produced the spherical shock wave. The detonators used were Olin Mathieson No. 6, which induced into the rod a transient saw-toothed stress disturbance of about 3-microseconds duration, corresponding to a wave length of 0.3 in. in the Plexiglas. Five distinct systems of fracture were observed: (1) along the axis of the rod, a lower system of fractures, the cracks focusing around one point for specimens having cone angles of 80° and 90° and, as the cone angle was increased, spreading downward; (2) just above these fractures, an upper system of fractures composed of horizontal cracks observable in some specimens but not of any appreciable extent; (3) a third system of axial cracks still above the latter, observable in the small cone-angle specimens; (4) in the upper part of the specimen, a system of radial fractures extending from the blasting point; and (5) circular spalling due to reflection of the wave on the boundary of the cylinder. Only the first three systems, the axial fractures, are examined here. LOWER TENSILE FRACTURE SYSTEM The first, lower system of tensile fractures, shown in the photograph of Fig. 1, was observed in almost all of the specimens. It was due to the reflected tensile wave coming in from the boundary of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 2. The reflected wave was cylindrically convergent and focused

By Stanley J. Gasior, Albert J. Forney, Joseph H. Field

Most bituminous coal mined near Eastern industrial areas requiring high-Btu pipeline gas is caking and therefore unsuitable for fixed-bed pres- sure gasification by present techniques. If the caking property of such coal can be destroyed, the resulting fuel can be gasified in a fixed bed at pressure with steam and oxygen as a preliminary step in making a high-Btu gas. To find a practical way to convert strongly caking coals of granular or small lump size to noncaking fuel was the object of this study. In previous work, strongly caking coals of 1/8- to 1½ -in. size were converted to a noncaking coal char by treatment in a static bed in about 3 hours1 and coal of 18-100 Tyler mesh in a fluidized bed in about 5 min.2 An inert gas such as steam, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or a mixture of all three with a small amount of oxygen was used in both studies. In our work a strongly caking bituminous coal from the Pittsburgh seam of 4-8 Tyler mesh size was converted to a noncaking form in free-fall in about 2 sec by dropping it through a countercurrent flow of steam containing 4% to 7% oxygen at 1150º-1200°F and 300 psig. This method should also be applicable to smaller-sized material.

Jan 3, 1965

The library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A. M. to 10 P. M. except on holidays. It contains about 70,000 volumes and 90,000 pamphlets, including sets of technical periodicals and publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library, through its Library Service Bureau, can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive especial attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and photographic copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information on the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should he made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape.

Jan 11, 1918

By Arthur Notman

THE year 1937 started off most hopefully for the metal industry but the prices for nonferrous metals declined after reaching a peak in the first quarter. E. & M. J. average prices for March were: -electrolytic copper f.o.b. refinery for domestic delivery 15.775c., lead 7.19c., and zinc 7.38c. There was the usual talk of shortages and the accompanying peak in the market prices of securities of producing companies. In retrospect it now appears that this was the peak of general security prices as well and of most commodity prices. On Dec. 1 copper was back to 11c., lead to 5c., and zinc to 5.5c. At the same time metal security prices had fallen to less than 40 per cent of their March highs. This has not been a purely domestic phenomenon. Metal prices have followed a similar course in London, in spite of the fact that in all three metals a tariff wall separates the domestic market from the foreign. There is nothing in the record to suggest that planning has so far had any stabilizing effect on prices. It is doubtful whether anybody will he found to claim credit for the planning. Strong evidence supports the conclusion that domestic demand for these and the other metals has been dammed back by the uncertainties confronting those who are considering long term construction commitments. This is particularly true with the public utilities, who are the largest consumers of copper and lead. If the plans were designed to maintain employment rather than to maintain political control of the Government, it would appear that they should be discarded. The course of the steel industry has been followed so closely in the press that no comment is necessary to indicate its similarity.

Jan 1, 1938

By A. W. H. Morris, G. H. Laurie, J. N. Pratt

Using- galvanic cells of the form Sn(liq)/Sn" (LiCl-KC1-SnCl,)/Sn-Ag (alloy), measurements have been made of relative thermodynamic properties of the a, C, E, and liquid phases of the Ag-Sn alloy system. Partial heats of solution of the components in the liquid alloys lzave also been observed by direct cal-orimetric measurement in an isoperibol calorimeter. The thermodynanzic quantities are disczlssed in relation to structural and other properties and the existence of anomalous minor fluctuations in the partial heats and entropies of solution in liquid alloys is tentatively suggested. In the course of a recent electro motive-force study of the thermodynamic properties of Sn-Ag-Pd liquids,&apos; some measurements were also performed on the Ag-Sn binary system. Most previous thermodynamic studies of this system have been concerned with the liquid state. Measurements confined to the limiting heat of solution of silver in liquid tin have been made by many calorimetric workers2 while high-temperature calorimetric measurements of the heats of formation of the full range of liquid alloys are reported in the early work of Kawakami~ (1323°K) and more recently by Wittig and Gehrin~(1248°K). Electromotive-force studies on liquid alloys have been made by Yanko, Drake, and Hovorka&apos; (606" to 686°K; 86 to 99.4 at. pct Sn) and by Frantik and Mc Donald&apos; (900°K; 30 to 90 at. pct Sn). The only known measurements on the solid state are of heats of formation of the a, £, and c phases; these values were obtained using tin-solution calorimetry, at 723"K, by Kleppa,~ whose investigation also yielded heats of formation of liquid alloys containing more than 64 at. pct Sn. The present experiments on the Ag-Sn alloys include a re-examination of the liquid phase and, because of the dearth of free-energy data for the solid state, attempted measurements on the a, c, and E phases. The principal new feature of electromotive-force results obtained for the liquid phase was an indication of anomalous fluctuations in the partial heats and entropies of solution of tin at certain compositions. However, since the values for these thermodynamic quantities were determined from the temperature coefficients of cell potentials, which are commonly subject to considerable error, confirmation by calorimetric measurements was considered desirable. A detailed investigation of the partial heats of solution of the components in the binary liquids was made using a liquid metal solution calorimeter. I) GALVANIC CELL STUDIES a) Experimental Details. Measurements were made, as a function of alloy composition and temperature, of the potentials of reversible galvanic cells of the form: ~n(liq)/~n++/~n-Ag (solid or liquid alloy) Details of the apparatus and experimental techniques have been given elsewhere.&apos; so that a brief account will suffice here. Molten salt, 58 mole pct LiC1-42 mole pct KC1, containing small amounts (1 to 2 mole pct) of stannous chloride was used as the electrolyte. The salts were dehydrated by pre-electrolysis and vacuum -drying techniques. Cells were established under an argon atmosphere by immersing tin and alloy electrodes in the molten salt contained in a large silica tube, heated in a vertical resistance furnace. The tube was sealed at the top by a head plate provided with openings permitting the simultaneous insertion of six electrodes, a central thermocouple sheath, and connections to vacuum and argon lines. Temperatures were controlled to *0.2"C over prolonged periods, with maximum variation over the electrodes at any time of 0.l°C. Temperatures were measured with a standardized Pt/13 pct Rh-Pt couple. The electromotive force of this and the cell potentials were measured on a Cambridge Vernier potentiometer and short-period galvanometer. Alloys were prepared from Pass "S" tin (99.999 pct) and Johnson-Matthey high-purity silver (99.999 pct) by melting in evacuated silica capsules and quenching in cold water. For liquid phase experiments, pieces of the resulting alloys were remelted into prepared silica electrode units, while solid electrodes were prepared by remelting into 3-mm bore tubing, inserting a cleaned molybdenum lead wire, and quenching to produce uniform rods about 3 cm in length, with soundly attached leads. In all cases remelting was done under an argon atmosphere. The solid electrodes were subsequently annealed in evacu ated silica tubes for 14 days at about 20°C below the solidus and quenched. Analyses showed that these techniques produced uniform electrodes with no significant change from weighed out compositions. b) Results and Discussion. Measurements were made on about forty alloys in the solid and liquid states, over varying ranges of temperature between 550" and 1050°K. Stable, mutually consistent, and reproducible electromotive-force data were obtained with most liquid alloys and these are shown in Fig. 1. Investigations were extended below the liquidus tem-

Jan 1, 1967

Jan 1, 1908

A tough Conservation Act has been in force in Pennsylvania since January, 1964. Known as the Bituminous Coal Open Pit Mining Conservation Act, it is now under study by other coal producing states, and seems likely to serve as the blueprint for similar legislation elsewhere. It provides for the conservation and improvement of areas of land affected by open pit mining to decrease soil erosion, prevent pollution of rivers and streams, prevent combustion of unmined coal and generally improve the use and enjoyment of such lands. The cost of backfilling may go to as much as 40[c] or more per recovered ton and is cutting deeply into already reduced profit margins brought on by rising labor and equipment costs, static coal prices and less accessible coal. As a result, operators will be forced to seek greater efficiency.

Jan 7, 1965

By Charles E. Lundin

The character of the Er-D system was established by determining pressure-temperature-composition relationships. A Sieuerts&apos; apparatus was employed to make measurements in the temperature range, 473" to 1223"K, the composition range of erbium to ErD3, and the pressure range of 10~s to 760 Torr. The system is characterized by three homogeneous phase regions: the nzetal-rich, the dideuteride, and the trideuteride phases. These phases and their solubility boundaries were deduced from the family of isotherms of the system zchich relate the pressure-temperature-composition variables. The equilibrium plateau decomposition relationships in the two-phase regions were determined from can&apos;t Hoff plots to be: The differential heats of reaction in these two regions are AH = - 53.0 * 0.2 and -20.0 *0.1 kcal per mole of D2, respecticely. The differential entropies of reaction are AS = - 36.3 * 0.2 and - 31.0 * 0.2 cal per mole D2. deg, respectively. Relative partial molal and intepal thermodynamic quantities were calculated from the pure metal to the dideuteride phase. The study of the Er-D system was undertaken as a logical complement to an earlier study of the Er-H system.&apos; The primary interest was to compare the characteristics of the two systems and relate the difference to the isotopic effect. Studies of rare earth-deuterium systems by other investigators have been very limited in number and scope. Furthermore, there is even less information available wherein an investigator has systematically compared a binary rare earth-hydrogen system with the corresponding rare earth-deuterium system. The available information consists primarily of dissociation pressure measurements in the plateau pressure region of a few rare earths. Warf and Korst&apos; determined dissociation pressure relationships for the La- and Ce-D systems in the plateau region and several isotherms for each system in the dideuteride region. They compared these data with those of the corresponding hydrided systems. The study of these systems as a whole was very cursory and did not give sufficient data for a thorough comparison of the effect of the hydrogen vs the deuterium in the respective rare earths. The heat capacities and related thermodynamic functions of the intermediate phases, YH, and YD2, were determined by Flotow, Osborne, and Otto,~ and the investigation was again repeated for YH3 and YD3 by Flotow, Osborne, Otto, and Abraham.4 This investigation studied only these specific phases. Jones, Southall, and Goodhead5 surveyed the hydrides and deu-terides of a series of rare earths for thermal stability including erbium. They experimentally determined isotherms of selected hydrides and plateau dissociation pressures for deuterides. These data allowed comparison of the enthalpy and entropies of formation of the dihydrides and dideuterides. To date, no one rare earth has been selected to thoroughly establish the complete pressure-temperature-composition (PTC) relationships of binary solute additions of hydrogen and deuterium, respectively. The objective in this investigation was to provide the first comparison of a complete family of isotherms of a rare earth-deuterium system with those of a rare earth-hydrogen system. This would allow one to determine what differences exist, if any, in the various phase boundaries and the thermodynamic relationships in various regions of the systems. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A Sieverts&apos; apparatus was employed to conduct the experimental measurements. Briefly, it consisted of a source of pure deuterium, a precision gas-measuring buret, a heated reaction chamber, a mercury manometer, and two McLeod gages (a CVC, GMl00A and a CVC, GM110). Pure deuterium was obtained by passing deuterium through a heated Pd-Ag thimble. A 100-ml precision gas buret graduated to 0.1-ml divisions was used to measure and admit deuterium to the reaction chamber. The reaction unit consisted of a quartz tube surrounded by a nichrome-wound furnace. The furnace temperature was controlled by a recorder-controller to . An independent measurement of the sample temperature in the quartz tube was made by means of a chromel-alumel thermocouple situated outside, but adjacent to, the quartz tube near the specimen. Pressure in the manometer range was measured to k0.5 Torr and in the McLeod range (10~4 to 10 Torr) to *3 pct. The deuterium compositions in erbium were calculated in terms of deuterium-to-erbium atomic ratio. These compositions were estimated to be *0.01 D/Er ratio. The erbium metal was obtained from the Lunex Co. in the form of sponge. The metal was nuclear grade with a purity of 99.9+ pct. The oxygen content was reported to be 340 ppm and the nitrogen not detectable. Metallographically the structure was almost free of second phase (<i vol pct). A quantity of sponge was arc-melted for use as charge material. The solid material was compared with the sponge in the PTC relationships. They were found to be identical. Therefore, sponge material was used henceforth, so that equilibrium could be attained more rapidly. The specimen size was about 0.2 gr for each loading of the reaction chamber. The procedure employed to obtain the PTC data was to develop experimentally a family of isothermal curves of composition vs pressure. First, a specimen

Jan 1, 1969

By John P. Goheen

Considerable work has been done in developing a pyrometer to measure the temperature of molten brasses, bronzes, and aluminum in the crucible. On account of the high melting points and the amount of zinc and sulfurous fumes given off from molten brasses, the conditions are somewhat severe for a thermocouple of standard design; but satisfactory results are obtained with a portable pyrometer, 3 ft. (0.9 m.) of connecting lead wire, and a special 5-ft. nickel-nickel chromium thermocouple, composed of rods 1/4in. (6.35 mm.) in diameter. The lower 12 or 24 in., as desired, may be made detachable so that new tips may be connected at little trouble or expense. The portable instrument need not be of the extreme high-resistance type, as the movable parts of the galvanometer of a lower resistance instrument may be better constxucted to withstand the continuous handling such an instrument receives. Platinum-platinum rhodium thermocouples, protected with porcelain and graphite tubes, have been used, but the lag in registering the temperature is too great. It has been found that the range of temperature for various brasses is as follows: Red brasses...............2200-2250" F. (1205-1234" C.) Yellow brasses............2250-2400" F. (1234-1318&apos; C.) Bronzes..................2300-2550" F. (1260-1400" C.) A recent test with a portable pyrometer having a range of 2600" F. with a bare 1/4 in. heavy exposed couple 5 it. long and a handle attached at the upper end showed that the temperatures of molten aluminum under varying conditions in an oil-fired crucible furnace and one of the Simplex type were as follows: CRUCIBLE, OIL-FIRED FURNACE SIMPLEX FURNACE Temperature of metal in furnace....... 1540" F. (837" C.) 1530" F. (834" C.) Temperature in ladle after skimming at furnace......................... 1480" F. (805" C.) 1440" F. (784" C.) Temperature in ladle after skimming at floor near mold................... 1440" F. (784" C.) 1430&apos; F. (778" C.)

Jan 1, 1923

By John P. Goheen

Considerable work has been done in developing a pyrometer to measure the temperature of molten brasses, bronzes, and aluminum in the crucible. On account of the high melting points and the amount of zinc and sulfurous fumes given off from molten brasses, the conditions are somewhat severe for a thermocouple of standard design; but satisfactory results are obtained with a portable pyrometer, 3 ft. (0.9 m.) of connecting lead wire, and a special 5-ft. nickel-nickel chromium thermocouple, composed of rods 1/4in. (6.35 mm.) in diameter. The lower 12 or 24 in., as desired, may be made detachable so that new tips may be connected at little trouble or expense. The portable instrument need not be of the extreme high-resistance type, as the movable parts of the galvanometer of a lower resistance instrument may be better constxucted to withstand the continuous handling such an instrument receives. Platinum-platinum rhodium thermocouples, protected with porcelain and graphite tubes, have been used, but the lag in registering the temperature is too great. It has been found that the range of temperature for various brasses is as follows: Red brasses...............2200-2250" F. (1205-1234" C.) Yellow brasses............2250-2400" F. (1234-1318&apos; C.) Bronzes..................2300-2550" F. (1260-1400" C.) A recent test with a portable pyrometer having a range of 2600" F. with a bare 1/4 in. heavy exposed couple 5 it. long and a handle attached at the upper end showed that the temperatures of molten aluminum under varying conditions in an oil-fired crucible furnace and one of the Simplex type were as follows: CRUCIBLE, OIL-FIRED FURNACE SIMPLEX FURNACE Temperature of metal in furnace....... 1540" F. (837" C.) 1530" F. (834" C.) Temperature in ladle after skimming at furnace......................... 1480" F. (805" C.) 1440" F. (784" C.) Temperature in ladle after skimming at floor near mold................... 1440" F. (784" C.) 1430&apos; F. (778" C.)

Jan 1, 1923

By Alan U. Seybolt

UNLIKE its sister elements, columbium (niobium) and tantalum, vanadium has not been available until recently in fabricated form. While Vanadium Corporation of America has offered the metal in fairly pure form for sale for many years in small lots for research purposes, this grade of vanadium has been brittle, probably because of a high oxygen content. Hence, when in 1950 the announcement1 was made that wrought vanadium was available as a commercial material, this represented a large step forward in the metallurgy of vanadium. While vanadium is generally regarded as a rare metal, data on its occurrence in the earth&apos;s crust show it to be as abundant as copper, zinc, and lead combined. Vanadium is widely distributed, but it does not seem to occur in massive deposits except in a few localities, principally in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, where it is found in sandstone formations, and in Mina Ragra, Peru. Only in Colorado or Peru are ores mined solely for the vanadium content. Ores in the United States are principally carnotite and roscoelite; the former is of particular interest because of its uranium content. It is a uranium-potassium vanadate containing approximately 52 pct of UO2 and 18 pct of V2O5. Production in the United States during the war years averaged around 2000 tons a year, but dropped to 636 tons in 1946. In recent years, ferrovanadium has been selling for about $2.80 per pound of contained vanadium. This suggests that the price of the pure metal will never be as low as $2.80 per pound, but it could

Jan 1, 1953

By Robert Sisselman

Central Sweden&apos;s Grängesberg underground iron ore mine, which accounts for more than three million tons of pellet product annually, is experiencing a major changeover to continuous block-caving. The newly-adopted method, complete with a total revamping of mining equipment, will be fully operational by 1975. For the past 15 years, Sweden&apos;s Grängesberg mine has been mined using two different methods. Those ore thicknesses of 117 ft or greater (they comprise about 70% of the total area) are worked by block-caving techniques with cross-cutting carried out on each 195-ft working level, and loading at the foot wall on each 58-78-ft level. Sub-level caving is carried out in all ore sections less than 117 ft thick.

Jan 1, 1974