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By John Birkinbine

The estimated product of iron-ore in 1888 throughout the world was, in round numbers, 50,000,000 gross tons, of which the United States produced about one-fourth. Great Britain leads this country in production by about 15 per cent., but the output of the United States is practically equal to that of Spain, France, Russia, Austria and Hungary combined. We produced last year nearly twice as much iron-ore as Spain, with all her exports; and we mined 20 per cent. more than Germany and Luxemburg. In addition to the domestic iron-ores consumed in this country, 587,470 gross tons of foreign ore was imported, and the amount of mill-cinder used in blast-furnaces is estimated at 450,000 gross tons. The total quantity of iron-ore required in 1888 for blast-furnaces, rolling-mills and other purposes in the United States was approximately 12,700,000 gross tons. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the principal sources of this supply, and call attention to the extent of mining operations covering many years in certain localities, which, although some of them now produce but a small proportion' of the above total, have in the aggregate added very largely to the material

Jan 1, 1889

By D. R. Mitchell

Accent is on mechanization, more preparation plants - Competition from other fuels remains biggest problem.

Jan 2, 1953

By Leonard D. Jarrard, Ernest E. Thurlow

THE Boulder batholith of western Montana may be considered a uranium province: a regional geologic environment within which uranium is found in uncommon amounts. Reconnaissance examinations indicated that the Atomic Energy Commission should undertake an evaluation of the potential of this area for uranium production. The AEC has been assisted by the U. S. Geological Survey which has given priority to selected uranium-bearing areas in overall studies of the mineral deposits of the batholith and adjacent regions. Although no out- standing uranium deposits have been discovered, uranium ore has been produced from three widely separated deposits upon which most of the exploration to date has been directed. The intrusive mass referred to as the Boulder batholith occupies a strip of mountainous country about 18 miles wide between Butte and Helena, Mont., covering an area of approximately 1000 sq miles. Elevations range from 3500 ft along Prickly Pear Creek to nearly 9000 ft near Elkhorn Peak a few miles to the east. Except for a few flat-lying valley lands, the region is wooded with lodgepole pine and fir. Though mainly dependent upon mining ventures in the past, the area now is supported, outside of the Butte district, almost wholly by agriculture and some lumbering.

Jan 7, 1954

The Colorado Society of Engineers, Cooper bldg , Denver, Colo C M Lightburn, Secretary. The official organ of the Colorado Society of Engineers is the Engineers' Bulletin, issued monthly. This magazine contains articles on a wide variety of subjects, as do most technical magazines. Several years ago the engineering societies of Colorado turned over to the Public Library of Denver their technical libraries and the Public Library now has a Technical Department serving engineers This library has been enlarged and is supported by the state as well as the engineering organizations of Colorado A bimonthly New Books List is sent out from the Technical Department to all engineers on the mailing list. Books will be lent for the cost of transportation The Technical Department endeavors to keep a file of all state and some foreign publications on mining, geology and engineering Effort will be made to borrow from other sources, any publications which are not on file. The Technical Department does research, compiles bibliographies and answers reference questions. Photostatic copies will be made, at a price, of any publications which can not be loaned Address The Public Library, The City and County of Denver, Technical Department, Denver, Colo Malcolm Glenn Wyer, Librarian.

Jan 1, 1933

Four generations ago, the Mount Morgan ore deposit sustained the hurly-burly of frantic development common to the finding of a rich discovery. In this case, it was gold discovered in gossan capping on one of the hills of the Dee Range. The bonanza ore, like the flush of youth, has been spent. Today, one recognizes in this operation the orderly manner of the senior citizen, keeping up with the times and husbanding resources. As mining towns go, Mt. Morgan has an enviable situation. The approach is from Rockhampton, Qld, a peaceful, affluent agricultural and cattle center near the sea. To reach the mine, one goes 22 miles, first across farming country, passing orange groves and occasional children on horseback. The ascent into the Dee Range is winding and rapid. In the winter, the hills are green and Bougainvillaea and flowering yellow bracken grow wild on the hillsides. Around a bend, the brown waste terraces of the mine come into view, rising above the surrounding country. The top of the mountain has been sawed off and a deep pit sunk into the core. A little further on, around a few more curves, the town of Mt. Morgan is seen nestling comfortably in the hollows, reaching up the slopes.

Jan 10, 1964

By O. C. Wheeler

There was a marked increase in the investigation of undeveloped areas in Colombia during 1936. The Shell company commenced geological and geophysical investigations on an intensive scale in the Upper Magdalena Valley and at the end of the year had several geological and geophysical parties working in that area. These investigations were supplemented by aerial photography and it is understood that negotiations are under way for having this work continued. The Shell is reported to have acquired some options and leases on private properties in the Upper Valley region and in the western part of Cundinamarca. The Socony Vacuum was making preparations to begin seismograph work on its property north of the Sogamoso River, acquired in 1934 from Sefior Luciano Restrepo. This company will probably start drilling on the property during 1937. The Richmond Petroleum Co. (Standard of California) is said to have renewed geological investigations in the Upper Magdalena Valley above Honda. Local Colombian interests took an active part in applying for concessions on nationally owned lands in the area between the Carare and Magdalena Rivers. The application of the Sociedad National del Carare for a concession in this area was granted during the year. Subsequently an agreement was reached between this

Jan 1, 1937

By N. B. Hoffman

Much of the drill steel produced in America is manufactured into hollow rods. After all forging has been finished the entire bar should be thoroughly annealed and heat treated before the point is hardened and tempered, at least where the drill has heavy duty, such as working in deep holes and hard rock. A large number of tools of like character and doing work requiring similar properties are now being made of alloy steels; for instance a steel with a carbon content of 0.75 to 0.85 per cent., manganese 0.25 to 0.35, phosphorus under 0.020, sulfur under 0.030 and vanadium 0.18 to 0.23 has proved very satisfactory for chisels. A steel of this type properly manufactured will be far superior to the ordinary carbon steels, while at the same time is one whose price range should not prove prohibitive. Much of the cutting efficiency of a drill depends on proper heat treatment. This vanadium steel has a far greater safe hardening and forging range than ordinary carbon steels, making it more nearly foolproof. It will harden nicely at 1400" I?. but will also harden well and satisfactorily at 1550" F. retaining its quality of hardness and toughness in either case.

Jan 1, 1922

By Joseph M. Dawson

Although eight new fields were discovered along the south central fault-line district of Texas during 1938, only one can be considered as of major importance. and as a whole the year was one of no very great development. Several prospects, particularly two, were condemned through drilling, which had been considered important for probable Edwards limestone production. The oil produced was approximately the same as during 1937; namely, about 9 million harrels. This, of course, does not represent potential production but that allowed under proration. The year witnessed the very rapid decline of operations and interest in Austin chalk production. It has been found that only in rare instances mill chalk production pay for itself, because the wells decline extremely rapidly and the recovery per acre, formerly estimated at 2500 bbl., is now considered to he around 1000 barrels. There was an intent interest in the drilling arid producing of edge and abandoned properties in the three Edwards lime producing fields; namely, Luling, Salt Flat and Darst Creek. Many good wells were completed on properties formerly considered below the water level or produced beyond the economic limit The Edwards is penetrated only a few inches and a very small charge of acid is used. The results have been surprisingly

Jan 1, 1939

It is desired to call the attention of young men who have had technical training and experience to the fact that their abilities can best be put at the service of the country by selecting a branch of service in which their special qualifications will be of the greatest use. The submarine force of the United States Navy requires the services, as officers on board submarines, of young men who have had technical training in mechanical and electrical engineering and who have had experience in these professions. It is intended to enroll a number of such men as provisional ensigns in the Naval Reserve Force, give then a course of instruction in deck duties at Annapolis and a course in submarine work at New London. Those who successfully pass these courses will then be sent on hoard submarines for regular duty. It is requested that any men who desire this duty and who are qualified as below outlined send their names and addresses to the Commander Submarine Force, U. S. S. Chicago, care of Postmaster, New York. Qualifications required: Desire to serve in submarines. Degree of M. E. E. E., or E. M. Two and one-half years' practical experience in profession. Not over 35 years old. Physically strong and sound.

Jan 7, 1918

By John V. Beall

What progress has been made in rapid excavation of tunnels and shafts? Where do we go from here? To get some answers to these questions was the reason that 500 tunnel men-contractors, geologists, professors, lawyers, mining engineers--came to the University of Minnesota May 15-17. The attendance of 500 astonished conference organizer Professor D. H. Yardley, who had anticipated half that number. They came from Japan, South Africa, Austria, Sweden, and Australia to name a few, and an officer of the Corps of Engineers thought all his people should have been there. The Civil and Mining Engineering Departments of the University combined for the program, which was staged by M. K. Cragun for the General Extension Division. The Saga of the Oso Tunnel The present state of the art of rapid excavation is "good." There is little controversy about where we go from here and what's more, this reporter finds that the technical know-how to automate excavation in any kind of ground is extant, even if it will take some years to achieve this state. In a nut- shell though, the present status can be seen in its various ramifications in the saga of the Oso Tunnel, as told by V. L. "Vic" Stevens of Boyles Brothers Drilling Co. :

Jan 7, 1968

Draftsman and transitman for coal mine work in Middle West. Salary $125 per month. No. 277. Men capable of taking charge and superintending the construction of plants. No. 331. Position for mining engineer in district with two large operating mines, four mines under development, and two mines temporarily closed, because of water conditions. Another assistant is desired. Excellent school facilities in model town; house available for engineer. Would consider recent graduates. No. 332. Engineer or firm of engineers competent to survey and estimate the extent and the contents of a deposit of clay in the southern -mountains of Pennsylvania, and to figure on the cost of getting the material, presumably through a tunnel running into the side of the hill on which the property is located, as this is the method by which similar properties in the vicinity are being worked. Prefer to have some one who would bid on the actual work of opening up the deposit. No. 333. Four assistant division foremen. These men must be Americans who can talk Spanish, and must be good miners and familiar with handling large stopes by the cut-and-fill, square-set and top-slice methods. Salary $200 gold per month. No. 334.

Jan 8, 1918

By Joseph M. Dawson

Although eight new fields were discovered along the south central fault-line district of Texas during 1938, only one can be considered as of major importance. and as a whole the year was one of no very great development. Several prospects, particularly two, were condemned through drilling, which had been considered important for probable Edwards limestone production. The oil produced was approximately the same as during 1937; namely, about 9 million harrels. This, of course, does not represent potential production but that allowed under proration. The year witnessed the very rapid decline of operations and interest in Austin chalk production. It has been found that only in rare instances mill chalk production pay for itself, because the wells decline extremely rapidly and the recovery per acre, formerly estimated at 2500 bbl., is now considered to he around 1000 barrels. There was an intent interest in the drilling arid producing of edge and abandoned properties in the three Edwards lime producing fields; namely, Luling, Salt Flat and Darst Creek. Many good wells were completed on properties formerly considered below the water level or produced beyond the economic limit The Edwards is penetrated only a few inches and a very small charge of acid is used. The results have been surprisingly

Jan 1, 1939

By P. Martignan

UNTIL quite recently, Alsace was the only district in France where petroleum could be found in somewhat industrial quantities. The Pechelbronn fields produce, however, only about 80,000 tons a year, which represent approximately one-eighth of the domestic consumption. Much research work has been done in Alsace to find the prolongation of the Pechelbronn fields, but instead of oil the drillings revealed the existence of large deposits of potash. This can be easily explained when one remembers that the Pechelbronn oil is of the Oligocene period, and that in the Alsatian stratification the Oligocene lies immediately on the Keuper, i. e., on the strata that originate from a period during which the largest salt and potash deposits were constituted. Before the war, and mostly at the end of the last century, some wells were drilled in. various districts of France where some analogies could be found with the Alsatian geology, the borings being mainly made in the Triassic and Tertiary beds. They led to negative results. After the war, the growing importance of oil urged the necessity of resuming the explorations. But it. is our belief that this was greatly facilitated by the enacting of new legislation, which is embodied in the Mine Act of May 16, 1922.

Jan 3, 1925

A severely technical article, however well written, can not be an agreeable form of literature. It suffers from the defects of its qualities. One defect is a congestion of language, due to a multiplicity of adjectival nouns. The sentences are packed with words of unpleasing sound, charged with complex ideas, crowding one another so closely that the phraseology moves like an ice-pack in Bering Sea or a log-drive in a river; the undercurrent of meaning may continue to move, but the surface is obstructed. This verbal congestion is made evident by ugly compoundings, many of which are adopted by the technical writer in the mistaken belief that they give directness to his statements. For example: A unanimously approved scheme "A scheme unanimously approved " The continuous temperature record "The continuous record of temperature " To stimulate interest in synthetic plant construction "To stimulate interest in the construction of synthetic plants " In smelters reverberatory-furnace firing with powdered coal has been practised for a decade. "In smelting, the firing of reverberatory furnaces with powdered coal has been practised for a decade." A tar consumption of one pound per ton "A consumption of tar at the rate of one pound per ton " A mechanical ventilating system

Jan 1, 1931

By John W. Cabot

The following series of analyses, which may, be of interest to Bessemer-steel makers, is submitted as a contribution to the muchvexed discussion of manganese in Bessemer steel. They were made by the writer in the spring of 1881, at the works of the Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Company Limited, during a' period of about eight days, part of. which time the rail-steel showed great variation in rolling qualities. During the first part of tile time in question, it rolled well; later on it began to roll wome until, finally, it cracked very badly, reaching its worst stage. After this it rapidly improved until it again rolled smoothly. During this time of transition from good rolling to bad, and hack to good again, the course of the manganese was followed quite closely. It is the striking correspondence between these varying manganese contents and the differences in rolling which is here presented as worthy of notice. The other ordinary elements were determined occasionally, but showed no. unusual variation: The steel, in question, was ordinary rail-steel of about the following compusition : C=35. P - .08. Mn - .98. Si = .08. 8 = .06. The samples for manganese determinations were taken at first from an average of two days' work, and later on, when the steel

Jan 1, 1882

By E. H. Sellards

Phosphate rock like other mineral substances is found in nature in varying degrees of purity.

Jan 1, 1915

By T. Koulomzine

The theory of the Askania magnetometer, as well as a complete discussion of all factors influencing magnetometer readings, is very ably described by J. Wallace Joyce. We will assume that the reader is thoroughly familiar with this theory and we will use whenever possible the same notations for the physical values involved in the theory. On the other hand, we believe that the principal formulas of the magnetometer can be deduced much more easily by the use of differential calculus than by the methods employed by Joyce. Consequently, we are presenting herewith a resume of the theory of the vertical magnetometer in order to determine the correct formula of the temperature coefficient which we propose to compensate.

Jan 1, 1949

Charles H. White, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass, (communication to the Secretary*):—In answer to Mr. Jar-man's questions I am able to say that constant use (during term-time) since 1901 has shown the new appliances in our laboratory to be very satisfactory. The draft in the hoods is sufficient to lift the fumes promptly from the baths and hotplates ; and the occasional application of stove-polish,—usually about three times a year, at the recess-periods,—so well protects all iron-work in the hoods that, up to the present time, there is very little evidence of the corroding action of acid fumes. Iron should never be used in the construction of hoods above

Jan 1, 1906

By Ralph H. Sweetser

AT the end of 1943 the charcoal pig iron capacity of the United States was at the lowest point in over 1110 years, with only one strictly charcoal blast furnace in operation, and all others permanently out of blast except one in Tennessee d reported to he running on part charcoal and part coke. Such a decrease in production has taken place in spite of the O.P A.'s high-premium price on charcoal pig iron of +34 per ton f.o.b. furnace in Michigan. Depletion of the hardwood supply within fifty mlles or inure of the blast furnace is the reason why; the deplorable lack of reforesting is the cause.

Jan 1, 1944

By GUY C. RIDDELL

ZINC, manganese, and aluminum received attention at the two nonferrous metallurgy sessions at the Annual Meeting. L.P. Davidson, general superintendent of the rebuilt Monsanto zinc plant, described its operation, which reflects Polish practice and is really a combination of electrolytic, Waelz, and retort procedure. Briefly, it embraces leaching of roasted concentrate with sulphuric acid, electrolysis of sulphate solution using Tainton lead-silver anodes with ?goulac? added to the electrolyte, treatment of tailing in Waelz kilns, and retorting of the recovered zinc oxide, casting furnace dross and residues. Recovery is good, equipment and maintenance costs low. Ferrate zinc that might be lost in the electrolytic process appears to be recovered as oxide in the Waelz treatment.

Jan 1, 1942