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By H. I. Smith

CONTENTS [PAGE Problems of Mining and Processing Mineral Aggregates (TP 1649, by NATHAN C. ROCKWOOD, Min. Tech., Nov. 1943. Discussion by H. I. SMITH, IRVING WARNER and the author) t Mica in War (TP 1749, by RUSSELL G. WAYLAND, Min. Tech., July 1944. Discussion by H. S. SPENCE) 3 Three Roofing-granule Plants in Pennsylvania (TP 1787, by RICHARD M. FOOSE, Min. Tech., Jan. 1945. Discussion by H. I. SMITH)5 Methods of Prospecting and Mining Optical Calcite in Montana (TP 1896, by E. W. NEWMAN, Min. Tech., Nov. 1945. Discussion by W. C. STOLL and FRANK C. ARMSTRONG, and the Glass Sand and a Glass Industry in Puerto Rico (TP 1939, by HOWARD A. MEYERHOFF and J. EARL FRAZIER, Min. Tech., Nov. 1945. Discussion by A. M. SHORT, the author and PHILIP The "Bonanza" Mica Operation of Purdy Mica Mines, Limited, Mattawsn Township, Ontario (TP 2154, by HUGH S. SPENCE, Min. Tech., March 1947. Author's supplement and discussion by JOHN A. BAKER, E. J. LINTNER, and the author) 7 Process for Manufacture of Dead-burned Magnesite and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate from Dolomite (TP 2155, by ROBERT D. PIKE, Min. Tech., March 1947. Discussion by 0. C. RALSTON and the author) 9] Problems of Mining and Processing Mineral Aggregates H. I. SMITH*-Mr. Rockwood has presented a very interesting paper on problems of the mineral aggregate industry in meeting specification requirements, which apparently are ever decreasing in tolerance. May I call attention to a method of mineral separation that may be of value in separating the flat aggregate particles from the more angular ones and possibly the soft particles from the hard. The method is the old Pardee spiral coal separator, extensively used many years ago in the anthracite region for separating rock and bone from anthracite coal.1 The success of the process depends on the relative coefficient of friction of the aggregate particles to be separated rather than on their relative specific gravity. The flat and the soft particles normally will slide more slowly and stay on the inner spiral until they reach the delivery spout at the bottom whereas the round and the angular pieces will work to the outer edge and fall off into a spiral of larger diameter. The capacity of the separator is increased materially by having three inner spirals, with a separate feed for each, on which the particles travel more slowly, and one outer spiral from which the more rapidly traveling pieces slide to the bottom. IRVING WARNER*-I have long been convinced that much of the equipment and methods developed for mineral dressing might be advantageously employed in the mineral aggregates industry, and more particularly in the production of sand and gravel. The two industries are not well acquainted with each other or their problems. They have separate trade publications. The difficulty with the situation is that there are few large sand and gravel plants and few provided with technical services in their own organization or by retainer. This does not refer to engineering organizations but rather to improvement of plant technic in processing.

Jan 1, 1947

By N. Christensen, B. Augland, T. H. Johansen

Samples of an Fe-Nb alloy were brought to equilibriurtr with hydrogen-methane mixtures in the temperature range from 950° to 1050°C, and subsequently analyzed on their carbon contents. The solubility pvoduct L = [%Nb] [%C] may be represented by the equation Approximate solubilities indirectly assessed through hardness measurements have been included from a previous report. These data are shown to be in a fair agreement with the present solubility measurements. IN an investigation based on hardness measurements by de Kazinczy, Ms, and pachleitnerl the molal heat of solution of NbC was estimated to 11.5 kcal per mole. This value was considered rather small, and an investigation using a similar technique was carried out. The results indicated a heat of solution about 35 kcal per mole.2 At this stage it was decided to determine the solubility under conditions of true equilibrium . During the course of this work a similar investigation was published by Smith. 3 His heat of solution, 41.6 kcal per mole, is not very different from the value resulting from the present work (42.5 kcal per mole). Our solubility product, on the other hand, is at considerable variance with that reported by Smith. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed below. Mori, Tokizane, and saheki 7 have studied the behavior of niobium in commercial steels, with special attention to the formation of niobium carbide, nitride, and sulfide. Assuming a carbide composition Nbco.87 based on X-ray diffraction and chemical analysis of residues extracted from Fe-Nb-C-S alloys, the molal heat of solution of niobium carbide was estimated to 35.2 kcal per mole. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT The chemical analysis of the materials is given in Table I. Electrolytic iron* was used in the preparation of

Jan 1, 1968

By R. Adair, W. R. Hudspeth, W. T. McDaniel

ANEW method for concentrating the flake mica either from present washing plant tailings or from new feed has been developed. In this paper, flake mica refers to that which occurs in weathered granites, alaskites, pegmatites, and schists in a form too fine to be considered sheet mica. It ranges in size from 1 in. or more down to 200-mesh or finer and occurs with kaolin, quartz, and partially kaolinized feldspar. Scrap mica, a term often used indiscriminately to describe everything other than sheet mica, will be used to denote the waste product from sheet mica mines and fabricating plants. Both flake and scrap mica are used in the mica grinding plants to produce wet-ground or dry-ground mica, although some flake mica recovered from clay mining operations is fine enough to be marketed without grinding. Until 1930, ground mica was made almost entirely from scrap. From 1930 until 1935 a gradually increasing amount of flake mica was mined, and most of this was sold without grinding. A large percentage of this mica was recovered from clay washing plants. In this type of operation the recovery of any sheet mica was .of secondary importance and was considered a byproduct. North Carolina produces more flake mica than any other state, accounting for 73 pct of the total domestic production.' In the following review of current practice in jig plants, there is no intention to disparage these operations. Within the limitations under which they were built, they are examples of mechanical ingenuity. The term jig plant is a carryover from early practice since there are no jigs in operation at the present time. Current practice, as shown in Fig. 1, is based on successive stages of differential crushing with rolls followed by trommel screens to remove the more easily crushed gangue minerals. The oversize mica product then is usually dried, and passed through another set of dry rolls and a final screen to remove the remainder of the grit. This process is effective in recovering up to 50 pct of the mica in the original ore, the balance being lost in the screen undersize, usually —% in. Jigs and tables were at one time used to treat this screen undersize and were capable of recovering a part of the mica larger than about 60-mesh.V ine mica lost in these plants is normally washed away in streams and can be considered irrecoverable. There are ten or more washing plants in the North Carolina area that are losing approximately 50 pct of the mica in the feed. Since the three cooperating agencies, the Asheville Minerals Research Laboratory of North Carolina State College, the North Carolina Dept. of Conservation and Development, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, are concerned with conservation of minerals, they have investigated means for improving the efficiency of these mica plants. The mica industry has been cooperating fully with the laboratory to establish a more efficient method of recovery for flake mica. Choice of Methods The initial investigation was concentrated on finding a means of reducing the losses from plants now using the conventional flowsheet shown in Fig. 1. To accomplish this it would be necessary to collect the screen undersize products through the plant and remove from them the mica from Vs in. down to

Jan 1, 1952

By H. W. Graham

AS these annual occasions in honor of Henry Marion Howe continue through the years: there is progressively less likelihood that the lecturer will have had personal knowledge of Dr. Howe. The present speaker is one of those who unfortunately had no opportunity to come under the inspiring presence of this great metallurgist. A review of Howe's work shows it to cover a comprehensive range of interests and to evidence an impressive richness of detail. Not only was Howe at home in the laboratory, but he was familiar with the processes of iron and steel making and had a real understanding of them. His writings include much that is descriptive of processes with a wealth of material that is becoming of increasing historical value. He recorded his studies of the theoretical aspects of processes and published at least two process classifications, one in 1890 that was lengthy and somewhat theoretical, and a second in 1906 that was more of a practical listing. Wide as Howe's field of interest was, it is significant of the circumstances of his time that he gave- little consideration to raw materials or to their effect on iron and steel making processes. In 1933, Waterhouse, Howe lecturer for that year, presented a descriptive summary of the major steel making processes, and in 1946 Joseph discussed the blast furnace process. Otherwise Howe lectures have not dealt with processes as major subjects. In today's lecture, with no effort to describe the mechanical arrangements of iron and steel making facilities, it is proposed to examine the essential technological elements of the processes, to explore the inter-relation of these elements, and particularly to seek recognition and understanding of those factors which determine why certain processes are or are not used. The discussion of this lecture will deal with the major well-known large tonnage processes, with only such attention to processes of minor tonnage and special character as may be warranted for explanation by contrast. Subject to the errors of generalization and the shortcomings of condensation involved in presentation limited to a single hour, it is proposed to examine broadly but intensively those operations which convert raw materials into steel. It is an innovation for a Howe lecturer to discuss the raw materials of the iron and steel industry, but the changing circumstances of passing years intensify the influence of raw materials on processes and require the metallurgist to be alert for the process adjustments that may become advisable or mandatory. For a half century the metallurgical processing of iron and steel has followed a surprisingly straight path, but this does not necessarily mean that there are no curves in the road ahead. Ages ago primitive man came to know iron in its metallic form, not only by the

Jan 1, 1948

By John P. Dolan, Charles A. Einarsen, GiIman A. Hill

his paper discusses how the following formation characteristics can be determined mathematically from drill-stem test pressure charts: true formation pressures, effective permeability of the entire section tested, well productivities, wellbore damage, and possible detection of barriers (faults, pinchouts, etc.). This paper also presents a practical method for im-mediate determination of eflective permeability and well-bore damage from successful double shut-in pressure tests. A list of recommendations for improving the reliability of drill-stem rest pressures is also presented. INTRODUCTION A drill-stem test is a temporary completion designed to sample the formation fluid and to establish the possibility of commercial production. Early pressure recording devices were used merely to verify proper operation of the testing tool. Until recently the accuracy of the pressure gauges has been insufficient for any reliable quantitative use of the recorded pressures. In view of the need for more reliable formation evaluation and as a result of the recent interest in exploration work employing the concept of hydrodynamic en-trapment,1,2,3,4 better pressure recording gauges are now in use. These devices can record pressure within 1 per cent above 1,000 psig and can detect differential pressures as low as 1/2 psig. In addition to formation pressure, several other reservoir characteristics can be determined from DST charts; namely, well productivity, formation permeability, wellbore damage, and the possible existence of bar- riers (faults, pinchouts, changes in permeability, etc.). This paper presents a practical method to interpret DST pressure charts for formation pressures and many other reservoir properties, a method that has been developed in analyzing approximately 4,000 DST charts during the last five years. The techniques used are a composite of published articles on drill-stem testing5,6, together with well-known pressure build-up analysis methods. THEORY It has been shown7,8 that the following equation may be used for analysis of pressure build-up curves: Po - Pw = 162.6 qu/kh log ( to + ?/?) .....(1) When this equation is applied to the curves obtained in drill-stem testing, the assumptions and boundary con-ditions are more nearly realized than in conventional flow and build-up tests on producing wells. Zak and Griffen9 have recently discussed in detail the use of this equation in analyzing DST charts. One of the problems with DST curves is the lack of reservoir data for precise analysis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop empirical rules and field methods for analyzing DST charts in quantity. For this reason, the empirical methods presented in this paper have been developed, and their derivation is found in Appendices A and B. METHOD USED FOR ACCURATE READING OF DRILL-STEM TEST CHARTS In order to apply the pressure build-up theory to DST charts, it is necessary to obtain a digitized expression for the pressure and time data recorded by the pressure gauge. These data may be either provided by the service company or interpolated by projecting a

Jan 1, 1958

By Howard R. Keil

Prior to World War 11, approximately 500 tons per day, or one-third of the ore being shipped to the Golden Cycle Mill at Colorado Springs, Colo., from the Cripple Creek district, was being treated in the flotation plant. The remaining 1000 tons, along with the flotation concentrates, received the usual roasting and cyanide treatment. Since it was not possible to make a disposable tailing on the general run of Cripple Creek ores by flotation alone, it was necessary to treat the flotation tailings by cyanidation, along with the roasted ore. By this treatment, an overall economical tailing could be made. The gold ores from the cripple creek district are the highly siliceous sulphotel-lurides with approximately 3 pet total sulphides. In the lower grade ores most of the values are found in very finely disseminated pyrite. In some of the higher grade ores the tellurides, calaverite and sylvanite, can be recognized. After several years of floating cripple Creek gold ores, having a very low mineral content, it was concluded that this type of ore required a type of flotation machine that would give a rather violent aeration and agitation. This action produced a fairly deep froth column which contained not only the free mineral, principally pyrite, but also most of the middling product; this was most essential in producing a low grade tailing by flotation alone that could be discarded to waste. After investigating most of the current types of flotation machines, it was decided to convert to the Fagergren type. During World War 11, the flotation plant was modified to handle lead and zinc ores. The treatment of these ores was carried on until April 1946. At this time the flotation plant was again reconverted to handle the Cripple Creek ores. Selecting Ores for Flotation During the period of reconversion a considerable amount of experimental work was carried on in the laboratory to determine if a disposable tailing could be made by flotation alone, on certain selected Ores from the Cripple Creek district. It was found that most of the dump Ores and a few of the low grade mine ores could be treated by this method with very satisfactory results. After the preliminary test work in the laboratory, it was decided to carry on further work On a plant-size scale to see if similar results could be obtained. On April 15, 1946, a part of the plant was put into operation as a pilot plant. The various ores that had been found suitable for treatment by this method in the laboratory, were run through the pilot plant at the rate of 200 tons per day for a period of several months. Results were so encouraging that it was decided to put the plant in full-scale operation. Since that time plant capacity has been the from 500 to 1000 tons per day. This has been done not by the installation of more machinery but by (I) crush-

Jan 1, 1949

By T. A. Klinefelter

Lightweight concrete aggregates are materials weighing less than the usual aggregates of sand, gravel, and crushed rock. Concretes made with sand and gravel or crushed rock weigh 145 to 150 lb per cu ft, compared with 50 to 90 lb per cu ft for concretes made with lightweight aggregate. The ultra-lightweight concretes weigh much less than 50 lb per cu ft. Lightweight aggregates may be natural or manufactured materials, or byproducts from other commercial operations. Natural materials include pumice and pumicite, tuffs, breccia, scoria, diatomite, and vegetable products, such as peat, straw, and sawdust. Manufactured materials include expanded perlite, vermiculite, slag, clay, shale, and slate. Byproducts include cinders, aircooled slags, and coke breeze. Concretes made with lightweight aggregate were used first in construction of commercial buildings, later in homes. Present usage is general in multistory and other building construction, such as bridge decks, barges, jet-plane runways, piers and other structures. The industry has grown remarkably in the last decade. General Considerations The particular use to which the concrete may be put determines the importance of the various properties of the aggregates employed. Any given type of aggregate, however, should be reasonably uniform in composition and properties. It should be suitably graded and maintain proper weights, insulation values, and adequate strength to prevent breakdowns in mixing. It should bond properly with the cement, be inert to chemical reactions with cement and steel, and resist weathering, moisture, insects, and fungi. Some properties of any given type of lightweight aggregate from different suppliers may vary considerably because of differences in the source of raw material and the method of treatment. This statement applies particularly to expanded clays, shales and slates. All lightweight concretes have higher absorption of moisture and lower thermal conductivity, lower compressive strength, as well as lower unit weight as compared with standard concretes made with sand, gravel or crushed rock. Excepting cinders, the cost of lightweight aggregates is usually higher. Grading and unit weight requirements are given in ASTM standards: C 330-53T, Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete; C 331-53T, Lightweight Aggregates for Concrete Masonry Units; C 332-54T, Lightweight Aggregates for Insulating Concrete. The production of masonry units shows the growth of the use and types of lightweight aggregates. In 1947 the total number of lightweight block was 460,000,000 units in 8 by 8 by 16-in. equivalents. By 1954 this had increased to 950,000,000 units. Of the 1954 production, 27 pct was of manufactured types, 43 pct of cinders, and 30 pct of remaining types. Raw Materials Used as Lightweight Aggregates It was stated above that a variety of products both natural and manufactured are used as lightweight aggregates. It is easy to understand that a bulky material of low unit value cannot be transported far and still remain a low cost product. Hence the product used in a particular market depends upon the availability of the possible raw materials. Thus it is

Jan 1, 1960

By Howland Bancroft, Louis S. Cates

WE have come a long way since the order of the day was the chance discovery of mineral deposits, breaking rock with fire and water, melting metals in open fires in holes in the ground or in primitive furnaces, digging pits to collect. oil seepages, burning eroded coal outcrops to develop heat, and so on. During the past 5500 years, gradual improvements in methods and equipment have come about, explosives have been developed and used, steel has been used in increasing quantities and effectiveness as its physical and chemical characteristics, and composition have been altered and made to serve specific ends, hand equipment has given way to almost completely mechanized operation Thus, by the aid of mechanical equipment, one person is now able to move several thousand times as much material as one person was able to move a relatively few years ago. When this Institute was formed 75 years ago, the Suez Canal had been open to traffic but three years. It had taken ten years to complete and was built under the direction of French engineers by workers of whom many were girls. During the first four years of construction, these workers dug up the sand with their fingers, threw it into rush baskets, carried the load a hundred feet or so and dumped it 2 (With the termination of forced labor, dredgers completed the digging of the channel.) At the present time there is in use in the United

Jan 1, 1947

By A. W. Schlechten, R. P. Abendroth

Equilibrium H2S/4 ratios were determined as functions of temperatunz and composition in a hydrogen recirculation apparatus. A high-temperature solid solution exists in the range two-phase regionfrom TiS 1.96, to TiS1.30, Various thermodynamic quantities were calculated from the data. COMPOUNDS in the titanium -sulfur system have not receiyed much attention in the past, probably because they do not occur naturally in the earth's crust. However, titanium-sulfur compounds have been used in various metallurgical processes. The U.S. Bureau of klines' studied the formation of ti- tanium-sulfide mattes from charges composed of rutile, pyrite, and carbon, with the resulting sulfide matte being chlorinated to form titanium tetrachlo-ride. Fishel, Roe, and Ellis' investigated the de-sulfurizing action of titanium in steels, and Schwarz and Koster studied the preparation of metallic titanium from the sulfide using aluminum and magnesium reduction. The thermodynamic properties of some of the compounds present in the titanium-sulfur system may prove to be of some use in the consideration of future processes using these sulfides, and would

Jan 1, 1960

By G. B. Craig, J. Rezek

The critical resolved shear stress of zone-refined zinc single crystals deformed in tension is found to increase with increasing amount of striation substructure. The increase in strength with numbers of striations can be accounted for by a dislocation pile-up mechanism. A somewhat different means of plotting stress-strain data is introduced which allows a more unambiguous choice of yield stress to be made. FEW systematic studies of the role played by mac-romosaic or striation-type substructure in the de- formation of high-purity metal single crystals grown from the melt have been reported. McGrath and Craig' found that striations increased the critical resolved shear stress of zone-refined aluminum crystals, postulating a dislocation blockage by the striations as the strengthening mechanism. Lauri-ente and Pond2 found that, as the etch pit density increased in aluminum crystals grown from the melt, the critical resolved shear stress also increased. Fleischer and Chalmers3 also found changes in the critical resolved shear stress of aluminum crystals grown from the melt at varying rates, but could not be certain whether an increase of strength with rate was due to a higher concentration of impurity in the gage length or to an increase in the number of small-angled boundaries. An early work by Hibbard4 indicated that copper crystals containing lineage boundaries were stronger than those free from this type of imperfection.

Jan 1, 1962

By John M. Bostwick, James C. Bradbury

Bitumen is a general term for a group of materials composed of mixtures of hydrocarbons that are fusible and soluble in carbon disulfide. Included in the group are petroleum, asphalts, asphaltites, and mineral waxes. Asphalt is a dark-colored, cementitious solid or semisolid, which generally softens on heating and resumes a more viscous or solid state when cooled. It is found in native form in fissures and pore spaces in rocks and as lakes. It is also obtained from the residues produced in petroleum refining. Asphaltites are black, naturally occurring solid bitumens. They are generally shiny and break with a conchoidal fracture. Common asphaltites are gilsonite (uintahite), grahamite, and glance pitch. Mineral waxes are solid or semisolid, relatively nonvolatile bitumens of various colors, having an unctuous feel and waxy luster, Of the native waxes, ozokerite is the best known. Montan wax is also classed as a natural wax, although it never occurs in the pure state and must be extracted from lignite or cannel coal (Ladoo, 1920). Mineral waxes may also be obtained by pyroprocessing of petroleum, lignite, and peat. Pyrobitumens are dark-colored, solid hydrocarbons that are infusible and relatively insoluble in carbon disulfide. They are so-called because they will yield liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons only when heated. Asphaltic pyrobitumens are defined as "substantially free of oxygenated bodies" and include wurtzilite (elaterite), albertite, and impsonite (Thrush, 1968). Nonasphaltic pyrobitumens contain oxygenated bodies; examples are coal and peat. The nonasphaltic type will not be discussed further. Petroleum Asphalts Asphalts refined from crude petroleum have almost completely replaced the native types. Refineries can produce asphalts in every desirable grade more economically and in greater quantity than the native types and with a variety of properties that meet the requirements of the various manufacturers using them. For all practical purposes, it is estimated that more than 95% of the asphalts consumed in the United States are refined from crude petroleum (private communication). Native Asphalts Native asphalts are dark brown or black, semisolid or solid substances that, in theory, formed by slow, natural fractionation of crude petroleum at or near the surface of the earth (Goulston, 1938). They are colloidal systems of high molecular weight components dispersed in a medium consisting of low molecular weight components (Pracy, 1954). Native asphalts may occur as lakes, as impregnations of rock (rock asphalt) or as deposits consisting of mixtures of natural asphalt and mineral matter in various proportions (Stern, 1960). Practical use of native asphalt dates to about 3000 B.C. It was mined from surface pits or lakes and used, then as now, for masonry mortar, waterproofing aqueducts and tunnels, binders for road construction, and as an article of commerce (Miller, 1938). Generally the native asphalts find little commercial use today except where they are geographically abundant, easily mined and transported, or have specific or special application. Petroleum-refined asphalt is produced by unusually economical techniques and is much less costly to use. The largest and best known of the lake deposits is that on the Island of Trinidad, where the lake covers an area of 114 acres and is 285 ft deep at its center (Stem, 1960). The lake asphalt is refined by heating to evaporate in-

Jan 1, 1983

Discussion of the paper of HOWARD N. EAVENSON, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 94, October,' 1914, pp. 2637 to 2660. GEORGE S. RICE, Pittsburgh, Pa.-I think it is very wise to point out the greater liability to explosions in certain parts of the year, if there be such difference, with the caution, however, that vigilance be not relaxed at other times. In comparing the figures for the United States with those of Europe, I think we should separate them as far as possible according to cause of origin and means of propagation. That is to say, it would appear to me that the majority of our explosions are due more directly to the ignition of coal dust directly from the flame of explosives, whereas, judging from my inquiries and observations in some of the mines of Europe, the majority of their explosions have been caused by the ignition of fire damp. Now, in the case of fire damp, I do not think that anybody has yet attempted or has been able to find any connection between the seasons and the issuance of methane into mines. One thing must be borne in mind, that if you get a strong explosion of fire damp, dust of a character that might not ignite readily by itself might assist in the extension of an explosion of fire damp through a considerable area in the mine, if not throughout the mine. While it is true we have many lesser explosions in this country attributable to fire damp, it would appear that the majority of all the mine explosions of the country, in considering the means of propagation beyond the locality of the origin, are due to coal dust; and it is the liability to coal-dust explosions that appears to be affected by seasonal changes. Hence the desirability of separating statistically (if it could be done by the inspectors) fire-damp explosions from coal-dust explosions, in order to obtain the true value of the seasonal effect. Nevertheless, in spite of the inclusion of fire-damp explosions with coal-dust explosions, the preponderance of the evidence, as indicated in Mr. Eavenson's figures for American mines, has shown that' in this country there were more explosions in the winter and spring months, when the mines are drier; that is, when the mines are apt to be drier. Whereas, according to the European figures that he has gathered, it seems to be very clearly demonstrated that in France, England, and Belgium, the time when explosions occur has no connection with any particular season. That, I think, is partly due to the point just mentioned, that a majority of their explosions have originated from fire damp. The European mining men have been more careful, generally speaking, with the use of explosives than we have, so that the cause of ignition from that source has been less. Only comparatively few of the mines in foreign

Jan 4, 1915

By Franz Fohr

On July 27, 1919, there passed away a simple, unassuming gentle-man, who, throughout his life, allowed his intense modesty to keep him-self in the background and during his later years effaced himself so thoroughly that but few of his acquaintances knew aught of him. Yet he was one of our accomplished metallurgists, who did good work in the practice of his profession and lived an upright life. Now that he is no longer with us Franz Fohr cannot plead to be overlooked, and those who fondly remember him will be gratified by his receiving his due. Franz Fohr was born, Sept. 7, 1838, in Mannheim, Germany. Of his ancestry, education, and early career we know scarcely anything. We do not even know just when he came to America, or. what led him hither. The first record of his professional work in this country, found among his papers, shows that from July, 1870, to Jan. 1, 1872, he was superin-tendent of the Newark Smelting & Refining Works, then owned by Ed-ward Balbach & Son. At that time the Balbach works at Newark, established in 1850, and the Selby works at San Francisco, established about 1866, were the only important silver-lead refineries in the United States. Mr. Fohr may have been associated with the Balbachs for some time before he became superintendent of their plant or he may have come from Germany but a short time previously. At all events, it is certain that he was at that time an experienced and accomplished metallurgist. After leaving Newark and going to San Francisco, he soon formed a connection with Thomas H. Selby & Co. Early in 1874-this firm sent him to New York to procure information respecting the manufacture of white lead. His engagement in New York terminated on-Jan. 31, 1875. During 1875, Mr Fohr spent some time at Silver Islet and in the Lake Superior copper region, but of his work there no record remains. In the latter part of 1875, or early in 1876, he associated himself as metallur-gist with the Boston Silver Co., operating at Saint John's, Summit County, in which William L. Candler, of Boston, was the moving spirit. That company was developing its mine in 1875. At the end of that year it "had about 800 tons of ore on hand, about three-fourths of which is dress-ing ore, to be concentrated in its very systematic establishment and to be smelted into pig lead." Evidently Mr. Fohr was engaged for the latter purpose. Henry A. Vezin, erudite and painstaking, was the mechanical engineer for the company. In the fall of 1876, Anton Eilers took his family for the first time so far West as Denver and Mr. Fohr went with them. I do not think that Mr. Eilers had any connection with the Boston Silver Co., save possibly in a consulting capacity, but he visited Saint John's and the enduring friendship among Eilers, Fohr, and Vezin, which terminated only with their deaths, dated from that time.

Jan 12, 1919

By AIME

A NATIVE son of Salt Lake City. David Douglas Moffat has contributed greatly to both the mineral industries and civic progress in the State of Utah. He was born in 1880 and his whole life bas been intimately associated with mining and milling. His father, one of Utah's pioneer mining men, was superintendent of a mill at Park City. When Moffat was only 18 years of age he went to Philipsburg Mont., where he spent several years as a machinist, and later as master mechanic for the Granite Bi-Metallic Mining Co. He returned to Park City in 1903 as master mechanic and night mill foreman for the Ontario Silver Mining Co. After a few years of varied experience he became, in 1910. general foreman of the Boston Consolidated Will at Garfield, Utah.

Jan 1, 1947

By Karl J. Benecke

Though the first patent on a bucket wheel excavator (BWE) was granted in 1881 in the US, this technology was developed in Germany to the high standards of today. However, this development was only possible in parallel with development of shiftable belt conveyors and boom stackers. The combination of these three types of equipment in the open pits of the Federal Republic of Germany has made lignite the cheapest energy source for power generation, despite the low heating value of German lignite on the order of 8500 kJ/kg (3600 Btu/lb) only. Comparing the costs for fuels used in power generating on the basis of their heating value, the relation between lignite, high quality black coal, and imported crude oil is on the order of 1 to 1.5 to 2.5, hence highly in favour of lignite. These cost advantages for lignite in Germany are due mainly to the concentration of lignite mining in a few high-output mines. The largest one, Fortuna mine in the Cologne district, produced a total of 45 million tons of lignite in 1976. That equals the annual fuel need of a 5750 MW power plant running 7000 hours per year at full capacity. Altogether 95.2 million bank m3 equal to 200 million tons of overburden had to be removed to accomplish this lignite output. The largest BWE ever built is working in the Fortuna mine [(Fig. 1)]. At a digging height of 51 m above crawler level, the total vertical reach in relation to the face conveyor level is 98 m by means of its conveying bridge and loading unit. The hourly output is 10 400 bank m3. Its weight in operation is 13 000 tons and its wheel diameter 21.6 m, as high as a seven-story building. Major reasons for the development of BWE technology in Germany were: ? Lignite deposits with moderately consolidated, alluvial-type overburden (gravel, sand, loam, marl, clay, etc.) ? Great overall depth of the deposits, ranging far beyond 100 m, requiring a wide opening of the mine, hence not permitting direct overcasting of overburden. ? Multiple-seam deposits of poor-quality coal divided by reject partings, which demand a perfectly selective digging tool for clean separation. In general, these conditions are almost identical to those prevailing in the lignite deposits of Texas and neighbouring states: The type of overburden suitable for BWE digging, the overall deposit depth ranges down to around 100 m, and finally, the multi-seam occurrence with partings between seams, the latter ranging from just 1 m to a few meters in thickness. Technique As the Texas-type lignite deposits come into focus more and more as a possible fuel source in power plants to replace natural gas and crude oil, the following will deal with the BWE technology for mining a typical Texas lignite deposit under the aspect of producing enough fuel for a 500-MW power plant located at the mine mouth.

Jan 1, 1980

WE the undersigned, being all persons of full age and citizens of the united States, and a majority residents of the State of New York, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Membership Corporations Law for the purpose of incorporating, as provided in Section 5 of Article I. of said law, the existing unincorporated association known as American Institute of Mining Engineers, do hereby make, acknowledge and file this Certificate for that purpose, and do Certify as follows: I. That the American Institute of Mining Engineers is an unincorporated association organized and existing with the object of promoting the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerab and metals and the welfare of those employed in these industries by means of meetings for social intercourse and the reading and discussion of professional papers, and to circulate by means of publications among its members and associates the information thus obtained. II. That the persons duly appointed or designated to manage the affairs of said association are designated by the rules thereof Members of its Council; that the undersigned are all members of said Council as the same was constituted on the 20th day of December, 1904. III. That on said last-mentioned date a regularly called meeting of said association was held at its office in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New Pork; that thirty days before such meeting notice of the intention to incorporate said association was given by mail to each member thereof whose residence or post-office address is known; that at said meeting the following resolutions were offered, seconded and duly adopted by the unanimous vote of all its members then present, to wit: "Resolved, That it is the sense of the members and associates of the American Institute of Mining Engineers in general meeting assembled that it is desirable and necessary for the well being of said association and its members and for the furtherance of the objects for which the same has been formed, that said association lncorporate under the Membership Corporations Law of the State of New york; "And Further Resolved, That the Members of the Council of this Association, or a majority thereof, be and they hereby are authorized, in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of Article I. of the Membership Corporations Law, to incorporate this association for the same purposes for which it has been organized and conducted, in the manner provided in Article 11. of said law; "and Further Resolved, That the name of said corporation as hereby adopted by this meeting shall be American Institute of Mining Engineers; "And Further Resolved, That the said incorporators shall be named in the Certificate of Incorporation as directors of such corporation until its first annual meeting, and that such directors and their successors in office shall be and they hereby are authorized to enact and adopt a Constitution and By-Laws for the government of said corporation." IV. That the name of the proposed corporation is American Institute of Mining Engineers. V. That the purposes for which this corporation is to be formed arc: To promote the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerals and metals, and the welfare of those employed in these industries by all lawful means; to hold meetings for social intercourse and the reading and discussion of professional papers, and to circulate by means of publications among its members the information thus obtained, and to establish and maintain a place for meeting of its members, and

Jan 1, 1929

By Thomas L. Watson

MY thanks are due to Mr. Frank Firmstone, Easton, Pa., who has called my attention to the statement in my papers that " Barite, fluorite and quartz, though not observed in the Tennessee area," . . . as possibly misleading to the reader, if construed to mean that such a discovery had never been made. Mr. Firmstone is correct in assuming that this statement referred only to the study of the worked areas of the metallic ores, especially zinc, made in the course of the survey upon which my paper was based. The occurrence of barite and fluorite with lead-ores in Tennessee was reported by Prof. Safford,2 in 1869, and by Safford and Killebrew,3 in 1887, with the further statement that about 1,000,000 lb. of barite were annually mined in Greene, Washington and Jefferson counties, Tenn., and that considerable deposits occur also in McMinn, Smith and other counties. It is also noted that the barite ".usually occurs in veins, associated with galena." The present worked areas of barite are, however, distinct barite propositions, without workable quantities of either lead or zinc, so far as mining operations have gone, and the areas are more or less removed from the present areas of zinc-ores. Mr. Firmstone informs me also that, in 1892, he observed, in the magnesian limestone at Watauga Point, in Carter county, on the left bank of the Watauga river, a little below the mouth of Buffalo creek, small quantities of galena and some fluorite.

Jan 1, 1907

By AIME AIME

THE name of Dr. Henry Sturgis Drinker has been added to the short list of Honorary Members of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, a signal honor rightfully bestowed. To quote the Philadelphia Inquirer, "It is essentially a recognition of the highest achievements, the greatest benefits, and most deserving personalities among engineers themselves." The regard in which Doctor Drinker is held by his friends and associates is reflected in the following comments of the press: Doctor Drinker is distinguished far beyond the confines of Bethlehem and of Lehigh University, to the development of

Jan 1, 1921

By AIME

ALTHOUGH Thomas Savier Washburn, known always to his friends and associates as "Tom," entered this world in Minneapolis, the Flour Capital of America, and the tradition of flour milling was associated with his family name, he decided early to turn his back on such dusty pursuits and to court the Goddess of Fortune in the more romantic fields of mining and the metallurgy of iron and steel. Born in March 1901, his early education was gained successively in the Minneapolis public schools and the Blake School until 1918, and then in Phillips Andover Academy until 1920.

Jan 1, 1947

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

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

Jan 1, 1942