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By E. R. Gilliand

KNOWLEDGE of a large number of the physical properties of the hydro-carbons is needed in the calculations and studies of the production engi-neer. Since experimental data on these properties of the individual hydrocarbons and their mixtures are available in only a relatively few cases, the use of generalized correlations has developed rapidly in the last decade. The generalized correlations of pressure, volume and tem-perature,1 enthalpy,2 and vapor-liquid equilibria,3 on the basis of reduced temperatures and pressures, are outstanding examples of this develop-ment. These correlations are of particular value to the production engineer interested in the flow of oil and gas, since they can be used to estimate the conditions under which segregation of phase occurs as well as the composition, density, and relative amounts of the phases. The technique of using the correlations for such estimations has been pub-lished by several authors¢ and will not be considered in this paper. A considerable number of data have been obtained to check the generalized pressure-volume-temperature correlations, and these data indicate that such relations hold for the hydrocarbons from methane to heptane. The accuracy is in general sufficient for most engineering pressure-volume-temperature calculations. However, the generalized correlations of enthalpy and vapor-liquid equilibria have in general been developed from the pressure-volume-temperature correlations by thermodynamic calculations and only a relatively few experimental data are available to check these calculated values. The calculations from pressure, volume and temperature are likely to lead to large errors in the calculated enthalpy and vapor-liquid equilibria. Thus, in the calculations of enthalpies, slopes of the pressure-volume-temperature data are employed, and determining these slopes can greatly amplify small errors in the original data. In the vapor-liquid equilibria calculations it is necessary to have the pressure-volume-temperature relations of the mixture, and the latter properties are much more questionable than those of pure components, particularly in the critical region. A considerable number of experimental data are

Jan 1, 1939

By P. Duwez, H. Martens

Dimensional changes generally occur during the sintering of metal powder compacts. These changes may have several causes and their magnitude depends upon the numerous variables involved in the process, such as the nature of the powder, size and shape of the grains, compacting pressure, rate of heating, maximum temperature, length of time at temperature, and furnace atmosphere. Among all the variables, time, temperature, and compacting pressure are probably the most important ones, and the effect of each one of the other variables can be studied separately once the effect of these is well understood. The most precise method of studying the phenomenon of dimensional changes in a compact consists of heat treating the compacts at various temperatures for different lengths of time. In this method, only very small specimens can be used, in order to achieve rapid rates of heating and cooling. The technique involved in these measurements is very simple, but is time consuming. Another experimental approach to the problem consists of measuring the change in length of a compact as it is being heated at a constant rate. Although the two variables, time and temperature, are combined into a single one (rate of heating), the results obtained by this technique may be of great interest from both practical and theoretical points of view. The purpose of this paper is to describe a systematic investigation of the change in length during sintering of compacts made of one or several metal powders. Experimental Procedure The change in lenght of compacts during sintering was measured with an automatic recording dilatometer. In this instrument the change in length and the temperature are recorded as functions of time on two separate charts and the rates of heating and cooling may be varied from 1 to 20°F per min. The temperature may be kept constant at any value up to 2200°F during any predetermined length of time and the change in length recorded as a function of time. Provision is made for atmosphere control inside the fused silica tube containing the specimen. Three different magnifications are provided, so that 1 in. on the chart corresponds to 0.002, 0.005, or 0.010 in. change in length. The mechanism following the change

Jan 1, 1950

By Louis Jordan

THIS paper presents in an abbreviated form the chief points of interest in an investigation of the tarnish-resistant qualities of silver alloys, an investigation which has been carried out as a joint research by the Bureau of Mines and the Bureau of Standards and will later be reported in detail in an official publication from these bureaus. In 1923 a Commission of Gold and Silver Inquiry was created by a Resolution of the U. S. Senate to study the causes of the depressed condi¬tion of the gold and silver industry. In cooperation with this commission the Bureau of Mines made a preliminary survey to determine in what ways, if any, it might be possible to increase the uses of silver. One of the possibilities indicated by this survey was the development of silver alloys which should be non-tarnishing, or at least less-tarnishing, than the usual sterling silver (copper-silver). The preparation of a rather wide variety of silver alloys and the determination of their behavior under accelerated tarnish tests in the laboratory was therefore undertaken by the bureaus, of Mines and Standards as a joint investigation. PREVIOUS WORK ON TARNISH RESISTING SILVERS At about the time this work was undertaken interest in tarnish-resisting silvers was rather keen due to announcements from England that there had been developed a new silver alloy, "Silanca," which was resistant to tarnish. It was even frequently described in the popular press as "non-tarnishing." A few samples and several analyses of "Silanca" which were available indicated that it was an alloy of sterling fineness, that is, it contained about 93 per cent. of silver, with approximately 4.5 per cent. of antimony and either cadmium or zinc, or both, to make the remaining 2.5 per cent.

Jan 1, 1927

By M. Muskat, H. G. Botset

Any information that will increase the accuracy of our knowledge of the conditions prevailing in petroleum reservoirs should be of direct value in the determination of the proper operating technique as well as in the estimation of reserves and of ultimate production. The obvious method of obtaining this information is by studying a sample of the reservoir rock and its contents. In any such study, the problem of primary importance and maximum difficulty is that of getting the core to the surface in such a manner that its original fluid content is undisturbed, which has so far proved to be an impossible task. Though it might be rash to say this will never be done, it is certainly safe to assume that a, method for the recovery of a core at the surface in its undisturbed original state may not be developed in the immediate future, and certainly will not be forthcoming without a great deal of costly experimentation. Therefore any information that may be obtained that will help to correlate the state of a core (its fluid saturation) at the surface with its condition at the time it was drilled should be of value to the petroleum industry. The experiments described in this paper were undertaken with the purpose of determining, if possible, any relationship that might exist between the saturation of a core at the surface and its original fluid content. No consideration has been given to the question of contamination by penetration of drilling water, since this problem has been extensively studied by other investigators.1-3 Furthermore, it was regarded as outside the scope of these experiments, which were concerned only with the effect of pressure reduction upon the liquid content of cores. In an experimental study of this sort involving a large number of variables, accurate control of all factors is very important. The essential and obvious procedure is to vary systematically one factor or condition while keeping all the others constant, which necessarily involves a rather protracted and sometimes tedious experimental program. The procedure adopted was essentially very simple, and consisted merely in filling a given core with fluid (gas and oil, gas and water, or

Jan 1, 1939

By Elmer R. Kaiser

COMBUSTION of coal and transfer of heat from flames and gases to boiler surfaces continue to be of great interest to engineers here and abroad. Numerous investigations have been in progress to improve furnace and boiler performance and economy. The importance of better understanding of the processes and opportunities for improvement is apparent when it is remembered that heat from at least 500 million tons of coal a year the world over is being transferred to boiler water at efficiencies ranging mostly between 50 and 90 pct. Even slight gains in efficiency, economy, and labor saving become very significant when multiplied by the enormous quantity of fuel consumed. Also the competitive position of the large coal, oil, and gas industries in satisfying the fuel consumers is greatly affected by the achievements made through technical progress with each fuel. This paper is part of a continuing activity of Bituminous Coal Research, Inc., to extend the knowledge of coal utilization for steam generation and to seek promising directions for future research and development in cooperation with others. Particularly in the latter regard, numerous interviews were held during the last three years to seek the experience and advice of boiler and combustion- equipment manufacturers, electric-utility executives, and fuel engineers. A wealth of published information was also reviewed, which together with the interviews pointed to the advisability of further work on ash and sulphur control.

Jan 3, 1954

By Donald E. Cummings

Certain dusts are dangerous when inhaled, but most hazardous of all dusts are quartz or other forms of pure crystalline silica. The inhalation of dusts containing silica in combination with other elements gives rise to changes in the lung which differ from those produced by pure silica. As a generality, silicates are less dangerous than pure crystalline silica and vary greatly among themselves in harmfulness. Repeated analyses have shown that approximately 70 per cent of the total number of particles involved in any dust-producing operation are below 1 to 2 microns in diameter. (A micron is approximately 1/25,000 in.) Similar studies of dusts recovered from silicotic lungs post mortem have demonstrated essentially the same size frequency distribution, except that the upper limit of size retained in the air sacs is approximately 10 microns. Experiments carried on by Gardner and the author have further demonstrated that greater changes were produced by a fixed weight of very fine quartz particles (2 to 3 microns and smaller) than by the same weight of slightly larger particles (8 to 10 microns). Any attempt to control a dust hazard should therefore be directed toward the removal from the working atmosphere of particles less than 10 microns in size, and particularly those below 3 microns. All industrial hygienists agree on this matter, but there remains considerable dispute as to the lower limit of particle size capable of causing injury. It has been generally conceded, however, that particles of harmful dusts smaller than 1/4 to 1/2, micron are not essentially concerned in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. This opinion is partly substantiated by the existence of large numbers of these small particles in practically all atmospheres that are not associated with any known hazard. Such particles are so small that they have very little mass, fail to settle even in quiet air, and probably are not easily retained in the lung. Until further research proves that they are involved in the dangers provoked by the inhalation of certain dusts, engineers will generally agree that it is better to disregard them.

Jan 1, 1937

By Anthony Anable, J. V. N. Dorr

When separate treatment of sand and slime by cyanidation was the rule rather than the exception, as now, and when gravity concentration, rather than flotation, was the accepted method of dressing copper, lead, zinc and other base ores, classification was a separate step in ore treatment. Today, however, the picture is much different. The trend toward all-slime treatment in cyanidation and flotation has made fine closed-circuit grinding essential, and the mechanical classifier is of equal importance with the mill in the preparation of an ore for its treatment. Actually, a mill and classifier are a unit, a variation in either affecting the desired results. In developing this thesis—the mutual interdependence of the rotary mill and the classifier in modern fine-grinding practice—it would be well to consider first the different types of classifiers and mills in use today, their scope and limitations and the factors governing their selection. From such a basis as this a logical approach may be made to modern closed-circuit fine grinding, the evolution of multiple-stage grinding practice, the relation of the classifier to the mill and, finally, the trend to higher and higher circulating sand loads in the mill-classifier circuit. Such data as are germane to the subject will be given to support the thesis advanced. Mechanical Classifiers Theory.—Stokes' law, applicable to the uniform slow motion of a rigid sphere in a viscous fluid of infinite extent, states that the velocity of a particle settling under the influence of gravity is a function of the square of its radius: _ 2 g(ds - de)?2 v =9 S Where V = velocity of particle in cm. per see. g8, acceleration due to gravity d8, density of particle de, density of fluid ? = radius of particle S = viscosity of fluid

Jan 1, 1935

By E. W. Steele

In the copper-casting department of a modern electrolytic copper refinery there are two kinds of casting furnaces: the anode, for casting crude copper into anodes for electrolysis; the refined-copper, for casting the cathodes resulting from electrolysis into market shapes, such as ingots, wire bars, and cakes. Both furnaces are reverberatories of practically the same general design and are operated intermittently, putting through a charge normally in 24 hr. The treatment of the copper in the two furnaces is similar, in that oxidation followed by skimming and reduction (poling) is carried on in both; but in the refined-copper furnace, the work must be done with greater care and it is of extreme importance that not the slightest trace of impurity be introduced into the copper. The furnaces usually hold from 150 to 300 tons of molten copper, which constitutes the daily charge. Except in the case of furnaces in the Lake district, where the concentrates from native-copper ores are charged through the roof, the furnaces are charged through the side doors by charging machines similar to those used in open-hearth steel practice. In 1916, at the Perth Amboy plant, of the American Smelting & Refining Co., located at Maurer, N. J., a study was made of the possibility of firing the copper refinery furnaces with pulverized coal instead of by hand. The proposed method possessed obvious advantages over hand firing and coal was a much cheaper fuel than oil at that time. However, there were several objections to its use, the principal ones being the possibility of increasing the sulfur content of the refined copper and the additional slag that might be produced from the ash. The increase of the sulfur content of the refined copper was the more serious, as more than 0.002 per cent. sulfur is objectionable. Any increase of the slag would be expensive as the copper in this slag would have to pass again through the entire smelting and refining process. It was thought that certain modifications in operations and furnace conditions, which will be described later, would overcome these objections SO the proposition was discussed with a manufacturer of coal-pulverizing equipment. He was uncertain concerning the use of pulverized coal

Jan 1, 1925

By David R. Mitchell, R. B. Hewes

MANY processes for cleaning coal that are in use depend primarily on physical properties of coal and refuse other than specific gravity and surface conditions relating to froth flotation. These properties are shape, coefficient of sliding friction, resilience, friability, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity. In many of these processes specific gravity does have some effect and many separators are designed to utilize more than one of the physical properties cited. Although the processes described herein do not have a widespread application, yet for specific coals and specific conditions, they are economically important. A problem confronting many coal-mining districts is the marketing of the slacks or screenings and dust passing the final sizing screens. Processes in commercial use installed primarily to increase the form value, and hence the market value, of these slacks and dusts include briquetting, packaging, and low-temperature carborization. MECHANICAL PICKERS Machines utilizing shape, fictional resistance, and differences in resilience of coal and impurities are usually called mechanical pickers. They require a closely sized feed, therefore their use is confined to the pea, nut, and egg sizes. Various types of these devices are described by Berrisford, 1, 2 Taggart, 3 and Peele. 4 Shape In general, coal differs in shape from its accompanying dirt throughout the range of commercial sizes. Coal, breaking into roughly, cubical particles, contains a greater number of axes that are approximately the same length than does the dirt. The latter, consisting of pieces of slate and shale and lenses of pyrite, is flatter in nature. Further, flat coal often has a dirty, slaty appearance, even though of high quality. Mechanical pickers known as flat pickers, or "flatters," are widely used in the Pennsylvania anthracite region to remove flat coal from the final clean coal. This practice greatly improves the appearance of the final market product.

Jan 1, 1943

By Kalman N. Isaacs

BY minimizing time that must be spent in the field, intelligent application of photogeology offers tremendous savings in exploration programs. In areas so remote and hazardous that ground exploration must be deferred, photogeology assumes its most important role, often in conjunction with airborne geophysics. There is still another advantage. Aerial photography may give the geologist a relatively quick understanding of large-scale structures and relationships that are difficult to interpret on the ground.

Jan 4, 1958

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period of May 10, 1917, to June 10, 1917. ANDERSON, JAMES P.,-Mgr. of the Mines of the Ringwood Co., 50 Church St:, New York, N. Y. BAKER; THOMAS C., Mine Supt., Cia. Santa Gertrudis, S. A. Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. - BARCUS, W. J.. E., Min. Engr., Mining and Metallurgical Dept., General Chemical Co., 25 Broad St., New York,. N. Y. . BENNETT, GEORGE N.,.Min. Engr., Butte & Superior Mining Co., 616 West Gold St., Butte, Mont. BROCKMANN, GUILLERMO, Banker, Gmo. Brockmann & Co., Room 3115, 120 Broadway, New York, N. Y. BROWN, CLYDE L Mining, Box 703, Goldfield, Nev. BRUNSKOG, CARL W., Draftsman, Consolidated Arizona Smelting Co., Humboldt, Ariz. BURRELL,. OSSIAN C Mgr., American Zinc Co. of Tenn., Mascot, Tenn.

Jan 7, 1917

By William Hutton Blauvelt

Coke is the product of dry distillation of bituminous coal, by which the volatile matter is driven off, producing a hard body of cellular structure. Not all bituminous coals will coke, and there has been much discussion regarding the substance which is present in coking-coals to distinguish them from dry coals. Professor Lewes says that the bituminous matter in coal is largely derived from the spores of fossil mosses. Resins are present in all soft coals, and contribute largely to the cementing of the coke. The resinates and hydrocarbons begin to distil out at moderate temperatures and leave the pitchy residual, which at 500' C. forms a mass already well caked together, if the proportion of humus residual is not too great. This coke is soft, but if the heat be raised to 1,000° C. the pitch decomposes further, leaving carbon, and Professor Lewes is convinced that the coking bond is due to these liquid products which distil off, leaving pitch, which then carbonizes and binds the mass into coke. Professor Parr concludes that the structures of the organic compouilds of the coal Which furnish the cemeding-material for coke, and which are apparently attacked by oxygen, have not been determined and seen] to vary somesvhat in different types of coal. However, they yield, on oxidation, humic acids of varying composition which decompose into powdery residues. Because of the complex nature of these substances and the difficulty experienced in isolating and identifying them, the theory of coking is still an open problem and the explanations advanced are largely hypothetical. In the coking process the volatile matter driven off in the oven consists mainly of tar, ammonia, and gas, familiarly known as by-products. Both the quality and quantity of coke and by-products vary greatly With the composition of the coal.

Jan 1, 1913

By P. H. Brace

THE study of the relations between gases and metals is one of perennial interest to all who are connected with the production of high-grade metallurgical products. The data reported here are the outcome of work of which the object is to determine the effects of dissolved gases upon the properties of metals and to gain a more detailed knowledge of the reactions between gases and molten metals, particularly; iron, under definitely controlled conditions. We have attempted to reduce our margin of error by dealing with relatively large quantities of metal, from 4 to 13 lb. (2 to 6 kg.), and keeping the ratio of refractories to metal as small as practicable. The ingots produced are large enough to provide adequate material for making determinations of magnetic and other physical properties. In choosing the bell-jar type of furnace we were influenced by the results of considerable experimentation along the same general line which indicated that, for the scale or which we were to work, it was important to have the furnace structure independent of the vacuum enclosure. The use of a bell-jar surrounding the entire furnace accomplishes this and also gives great freedom of observation during operation and ready accessibility for the replacements which are necessary after each run. Our choice of analytical method was made in the light of the results secured by H. M. Ryder, who used a method similar in principle for the analysis of very small quantities of gas extracted from strips of metal heated electrically in high vacuum. We have presented some selected preliminary experimental data as being illustrative of the quantity and nature of the gases which occur in iron of different origins, but do not urge any hypothesis at this time.

Jan 1, 1928

By Morris Cohen

WITHIN the past two years, a number of publications have called attention to the double peaks, or stages, that appear in the hardness and strength curves of certain aging alloys. The author has shown the existence of double hardness peaks during the aging of a high-purity silver-copper alloy;' and on the basis of electrical resistance, microscopic, dilation and lattice-parameter measurements, he concluded that the initial hardness peak occurs prior to precipitation while the secondary hardening is due to precipitation. It was suggested that the general mechanism of age-hardening involves two consecutive processes, the first consisting of nucleus or knot' formation, and the second consisting of actual precipitation and particle growth. It was further held that the two stages are interdependent, but because of nonuniform precipitation they may overlap each other to an extent that increases as the aging temperature is raised. At high aging temperatures, the effect of the first stage cannot be detected because of the rapid occurrence of precipitation. . The general theory of age-hardening recently presented by Dr. M. L. V. Gayler3 is in close agreement with the picture outlined above. With reference to work done on duralumin, copper-beryllium and copper-silver alloys, Dr. Gayler also concluded that age-hardening takes place in two consecutive steps: first, diffusion (in which the solute atoms migrate to certain crystallographic planes), and then precipitation. However, W. L. Fink and D. W. Smith4 have shown that the double aging peaks that appear in the strength curves of high-purity aluminum-copper alloys may be explained without recourse to pre-precipitation phenomena. By means of very careful metallographic technique, Fink and Smith demonstrated that during aging the precipitation takes place at an accelerated rate along the grain boundaries and slip planes as a result of the plastic deformation caused by the drastic quench from the solution heat-treatment temperature. † The general precipitation occurs at a

Jan 1, 1938

By William E. Brewster

Dating back some five years ago, various foundries made inquiries as to the probable total carbon content in a given specification and grade of pig iron. Up to that time we had no data, and except for a few occasional determinations of total carbon, no attempt had ever been made to set up routine determinations of total carbon. In fact, at that time, a cast analysis was considered sufficient, without examining at further length into possible variations of analysis between ladles of the same cast. In view of the various inquiries as to total carbon, we sampled all piles of all grades of pig iron, making complete analyses. Finding some variation in carbon content, we secured more samples and plotted the carbon content with respect to silicon in each grade of iron except for the higher phosphorus foundry iron, where it was necessary to divide the group into twenty-point phosphorus ranges. This is easily understood, owing to the falling off of carbon content with the increase in phosphorus content, silicon in each case being the same. In addition, these curves clearly demonstrate the lowering of the carbon content as the silicon is increased. In order to insure accuracy and reliable determinations the following method of sampling and analysis was employed: Two pigs selected from each end of the car, each car containing iron from one 50-ton ladle, are drilled with a 5/6-in. drill all the way through from top to bottom in the center of one section of the pig. The drillings are collected and transferred to an 80-mesh sieve; the portion passing through and the portion retained are placed in separate envelopes and labeled accordingly. The amount of sample in each envelope is weighed to obtain the proportionate amount of coarse and fine drillings, then a 1/2 factor weight of sample (1.3636 grams) made up of proportionate

Jan 1, 1936

By J. C. Sullivan, W. A. Knoll

The sinking of a new shaft at the Newport mine, Ironwood, Mich., was started in May 1931 and completed on Aug. 3, 1932. During this period, 2665 ft. of shaft in granite was completed, at an average advance of 6 ft. per 24 hr. In Novernber of 1930, experimental work was conducted on 65 ft. of shaft through 22 ft. of overburden where ledge was encountered, and this work convinced the operators that all drilling could be done with vertical holes with the blasting relief to a 4½-in. hole drilled vertically in the center of the cut. The reason for not adopting the conventional V-cut was to get away from damaging the shaft steel. The blasting in a V-cut naturally tends to throw the broken material upward, but with the cut as adopted the relief was in a horizontal direction to a large extent. The scheme of mucking employed made it necessary to keep the steel shaft sets within 50 ft. of the bottom at all times. This could not be done without serious damage with a V-cut when blasting in granite. The cut as drilled also broke 10.83 ft. per round of drilling, which was considerably more than the experience with a V-cut in the same material. The extended cut reduced proportionately the delays for charging, blowing smoke and handling drilling equipment in the shaft. Another advantage was the ease in drilling vertical over inclined holes, and the preservation of the proper spacing of the drill holes at the bottom of the cut. Drilling Air was carried down the shaft in an 8-in. flanged pipe line at a pressure ranging from 95 to 100 Ib. This line was extended to within 100 ft. of the bottom, where a valve and a 4 by 4 by 6-ft. tee was connected to it. To each side of the tee was connected a nipple and elbow, the resulting span of the two elbows being about 4 ft. Lengths of short 3-in. hoses

Jan 1, 1940

By Benjamin N. Webber

Many of the auriferous placers of the arid Southwest differ widely from the standard types of stream and eluvial deposits of more humid regions, although exhibiting some of the features of each. This divergence in characteristics is of geological and economic importance and appears sufficient to warrant the consideration of these placers as a class distinct from both stream and eluvial deposits. It is hoped that the consideration of these auriferous gravels as a distinct type of deposit will facilitate recognition of morphological and economic features that might remain obscure if these deposits were viewed in the light of stream or eluvial placers whose type locality is a more humid environment. "Bajada placer" is proposed as the designation for this type of placer deposit. Bajada is the Spanish term for slope and is used locally in the Southwest to indicate the lower slope of a mountain range, the portion consisting of rock debris and standing at a much lower angle than the rock slope of the range proper. It has been used in a geologic sense by Schraderl and others. The type locality of bajada placers is the Sonoran Desert,2 where they occur on the bajada or rock debris slope of desert ranges. Stream placers are represented in the Southwest, but most of them lie within the mountain topographic province, the Mexican Highlands2 section of the Basin and Range physiographic province. Eluvial placers may occur in the mountainous semiarid Mexican Highlands but are almost unknown in the extremely arid Sonoran Desert, as mountain slopes are generally too steep to permit the accumulation of any considerable mantle of residual debris. Since their salient distinctions are almost wholly the result of formation under conditions of extreme aridity, bajada placers are largely confined to the Sonoran Desert, although a few occur in the adjacent Mexican Highlands. They may be modified by the action of ephemeral streams, in which case the placer gravels of these arroyos approach stream placers in type and habit of occurrence, but their relation to an arid environment and the bajada type is usually apparent.

Jan 1, 1935

By A. E. Harnsberger

I is obvious that details such as the physical and chemical properties and methods of heat-treating of the materials mentioned must be omitted in a paper on the subject of materials used in oil-refinery pumps1. Only sufficient identification is given to enable the reader to find additional information from already published data. Also, the subject covers many operating conditions, but only the most important services can be discussed here. To the oil refiner, the pumping equipment is of vital interest. Practically every refinery operation, from the charging of crude oil to a distillation unit to the shipping of refined products, involves some form of pumping machinery. Intermediate refining stages involve a great variety of pumping machinery to carry out successfully the aims of the refinery technologist. Temperatures at which oils are handled vary from — 50" F. to 900" F. Pressure may vary from subatmospheric to 2000 1b. per sq. inch. The selection of the proper materials involves a careful consideration of the conditions under which the particular pump must operate. The four most important considerations are temperature, pressure, corrosion, and abrasion or wear. Consideration of temperature may be divided into three parts: (1) extremely low temperatures of the order of —50" F.; (2) temperatures at atmospheric or slightly above; (3) temperatures from 200" to 900" F. Pressures fall into two groups: (1) pressures reached by ordinary trade pumps of the order of 200 lb. per sq. in., (2) extreme pressure conditions involving pressures as high as 2000 lb. Noncorrosive and corrosive oils can be treated differently. Under the latter falls corrosion in the presence of water, which will occur up to 250" F. The second type of corrosion occurs in high-temperature pumping equipment, with temperatures from 450" to 900" F., largely caused by sulfur compounds. There are also other corrosive conditions met with in refinery operations, particularly in the handling of acids, acid sludges and other specialized processes. These problems, although difficult to

Jan 1, 1935

By C. W. Vaupell

The Huitzuco mines lie in north central Guerrero, Mexico; production has been about 90,000 flasks of quicksilver since 1873. Near-surface ores fill extinct mud geysers and the deep deposits are chambered veins, stock-works in brecciated blocks, and replacements in limestone. The epigenetic minerals livingstonite, stibnite and sulphur occur in limestone, gypsum and dolomite through a developed vertical range of 260 meters. The deepest workings expose an increased amount of stibnite, which probably indicates that the lower limit of mercury mineralization is being approached. A resurgence of heat and water formed geysers over an extended area after the period of mercury mineralization. Mud geysers, which are situated, in the outcrops, contain the secondary mercury minerals, cinnabar and barccnite in the gravel and mud filling the vents. A 150-ton flotation plant is in operation concentrating stope fills that assay 3.0 kg. of mercury per ton. In one open stope, which is more than one hectare in area and 60 m. high, 150,000 tons are available. Introduction The Huitzuco mercury mines are of interest because of the unusual occurrence of ore in extinct geyser vents and the presence of several rare mercury minerals. Some of the deposits have typical characteristics of the telethermal zone and there is a gradation towards typical epithermal mineralization in depth. Halse,1 Villarel1o,2 Mactear3 and Merri114 have described the geology and the early operations in the district, and Bar-cena5 and Mallet6 have described the rare mercury minerals, livingstonite and barcenite, found at Huitzuco. Location The village of Huitzuco lies in the north central part of the State of (Guerrero, Mexico, 27 km. (16.7 miles) east of Iguala, which is the largest and most important town in the area. Iguala is served by the Mexican National Railways and also by the Mexico City-Acapulco highway. The highway is surfaced from Mexico City to Iguala, a distance of 200 km. (124 miles) by road, and there is a fairly good, level, dirt road from Iguala to Huitzuco. The elevation above sea level is about 1000 m. (3280 ft.). The climate is warm and very dry except during the rainy season, from June to

Jan 1, 1941

By W. Edeburn, H. R. Fife

An extended study of dustproofing Freeport-seam coal has emphasized several fundamental features in the successful treating of bituminous coals. The extent of the exposed surface area and its absorption propcrties for the dust-retaining film were found to be the most critical factors affecting the efficiency of fly-dust prevention. From recently published screen data and specific surface-area measurements on United Kingdom coals, an approximation of the surface exposed by mine-run coal and by 1-in. slack was made. The total surface area exposed by an average tori of this mine-run coal was estimated at 3768 sq. yd., while a ton of 1-in. slack represents a total surface area of 8779 sq. yd. with no additions for porosity. It is important in coal treating to consider that in mine-run coal the fraction above 1/4 in. in size represents 79.5 per cent of the total weight, but only 4 per cent of the total surface, while the fraction below 150 mesh contains 47 per cent of the total surface and only 1.2 per cent of the total weight. Also, one should appreciate that, in a 1-in. slack, the domestic stoker fraction (1 in. to 8 mesh) contains 76.3 per cent of the weight and 8.2 per cent of the surface, while the fraction below 150 mesh represents 3.3 per cent by weight and 54.8 per cent by surface area. Wax extraction data on 1-in. to 0 slack from mine-run treated Freeport-searn coal showed that the coating was distributed uniformly as a function of exposed surface; hence, nonuniformly on a weight basis. This distribution of the coating on mine-run coal therefore limits the extent of treating that is desirable on bituminous coal at this point in the preparation. The treatment of Freeport mine-run coal before it reached the tipple gave a 70 to 80 per cent reduction of fly-dust in the tipple, a satisfactory treated commercial slack coal, and an indicated change in the trend of tipple degradation. The premium-treated domestic sizes required a supplemental treatment for complete dustproofness. The actual cost of the pretipple and supplemental treatments was very low per ton of coal treated, while the net or true cost was sufficiently

Jan 1, 1938