Search Documents

By Charles Becker

THE practice of drying phosphate in Florida is as old as the industry, which began a little more than half a century ago. The methods, however, have changed considerably. At first, the natural process of exposure to the sun and air was used, later supplemented by wood fires beneath open-air stationary dry kilns and drying towers of various designs. It was not until the early nineties that rotary driers came into use, and at first they were of very small design and fired with wood. As the industry grew and tonnage increased, so likewise grew the number and size of rotary driers, until today the largest installations are 6 ft. up to 7 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and 55 to 60 ft. long, fired with crude oil. The reasons for drying phosphate rock are: (1) to eliminate freight on water in the shipment and (2) to facilitate the good grinding qualities required by the buyers in their acidulation. Phosphate pebbles vary materially in natural characteristics and each property has a direct bearing on the processing. In making comparisons of cost and operating conditions, the following are usually taken into consideration: 1. The hard dense pebbles, which contain very little interior moisture and 6 to 8 per cent total moisture, usually produced from the low-grade deposits. 2. The lighter, porous pebbles, which contain 4 to 5 per cent interior moisture and a total moisture ranging from 9 to 15 per cent. 3. The product of recovery operations using oily reagents, containing from 15 to 25 per cent moisture. 4. The size of the pebbles. Usually the plus 5-mesh material is considered as "coarse rock"; the minus 5-mesh plus 24-mesh is "fine rock," and the minute particles below 24 mesh are called "concentrate." 5. The amount of moisture allowed in the dried product. The practice is generally to dry down to 1.5 to 2 per cent moisture. There is, however, an actual range in guarantee of from 1 per cent maximum to 3 per cent maximum.

Jan 1, 1936

Jan 1, 1918

By H. J. McQueen, G. C. Kuczynski

ThE useful properties of k6-Alfenol and the thermenol alloys (summarized by J. E. Nachman and W. J. Buehler') have encouraged research into those alloys which, having compositions near 25 at. pct Al, 75 at. pct Fe, undergo an ordering transformation between 500° and 550°C. The equilibrium diagram of the iron-rich iron-aluminum alloys was first determined by Bradley and Jay.2,3 They distinguished three structures: the disordered, which is bcc; FeAl, which is simple cubic with one Fe atom and one Al atom per lattice site; and Fe3Al, which is fcc with three Fe atoms and one Al atom per lattice site. This last structure may be conceived as eight body-centered cubes with Al atoms at the centers of alternate ones, so that Al atoms have only Fe as first and second nearest neighbors. Later, Osawa and Murata4 determined the boundaries of the different superlattice regions in the iron-rich Fe-Al solid solution by dilatometric and X-ray methods. Two of the six phases, which they found between 0 and 50 at. pct Al, were never identified by other workers. A. Taylor and R. M. ones,' concurrently with and independently of this research, redetermined this diagram by measuring lattice parameters at temperature. Further reference will be made to their results. EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM A) Experimental Procedure—The alloys were prepared from NRC gas-free iron (99.9 pct Fe) and 99.99 pct Al. They were melted in alumina' crucubles under vacuum in an induction furnace. If the ingots were unsound or showed more than a 3 pct weight loss, they were rejected. The ingots were homogenized at 1100°C for 24 hr before hot-rolling at 700" to 900°C from 1 in. to 0.25 in. thick. It is interesting to note that alloys containing more than 28 at. pct Al were able to take an 80 pct reduction of area in the ordered FeAl region. The dilatometer specimens and specimens for chemical analysis were cut from these plates. A Leitz dilatometer was used to measure the coefficient of linear expansion as a function of temperature. The specimens were slowly cooled from 900" to 300°C where they were annealed for 10 hr before slowly cooling to room temperature. The expansion was recorded photographically as the alloys were heated and cooled at 1.5oC per min between 100" and 1000°C. The magnetic measurements determining the Curie points were performed on the dilatometer specimens in the dilatometer, by using direct current in the furnace windings both to heat the specimen at 1.5°C per min and to serve as the primary coil. The regular specimen holder was replaced by a thin alundum tube on which was wound, as a secondary, a closely spaced coil of fine copper wire. A reversal of current in the furnace windings produced, in the secondary, an emf which was proportional to the induction in the specimen, and which could be detected on a galvanometer. In this way, it was possible to determine the Curie points of alloys to within * 5°C. B) Results and Discussion—The coefficients of linear expansion, as obtained from the dilatometer curves, are plotted as a function of temperature and composition in Fig. 1. Since in many cases the heating and cooling curves were superimposed, it was decided to measure slopes of heating curves only. Definite high peaks, due to the transformations, were observed on each curve between 400" and 520°C, and, for alloys containing more than 23 at. pct Al, a second set of smaller peaks at temperatures above 660°C. The sharpness of the peaks indicates that ordering to Fe3Al is a first-order reaction. The compositions and the temperatures of these peaks are listed in Table I. When these temperatures are plotted as a function of the composition, the result is the constitution diagram presented in

Jan 1, 1960

By Arthur F. Colombo, Donald W. Frommer

With the opening of the Tilden mine near Ishpeming, MI, a new era in iron ore beneficiation was begun. A description of a U. S. Bureau of Mines investigation is summarized to illustrate the selective flocculation-deslime-flotation process developed by the Bureau and used at the Tilden concentrator, which is also briefly described. The operating parameters for the selective flocculation-cationic flotation of an oxidized taconite from the Mesabi range are discussed. A water reclamation system using lime and a cationic flocculant was applied to reclaim the effluents from a 900-pound-per-hour flotation pilot plant. About 80 percent of water requirements were recovered, and the calcium content of the reclaimed water was found to be more important than clarity in influencing the selective flocculation and flotation processes. Although reclaimed waters with about 10 ppm calcium registered turbidities of approximately 5,000 ppm SiO2 equivalents, the concentrates produced using these waters contained 64 percent Fe and 55.0 percent SiO2 and had accompanying iron recoveries of 75 percent. Lower grade concentrates resulted from using reclaimed water with higher calcium contents and lower turbidities.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. C. Winegard, C. Elbaum, T. Ojala

NONOCTAHEDRAL slip was observed in poly- crystalline aggregates of aluminum by Boas and Ogilvie.&apos; These authors indicate that the non-octahedral slip takes place on (100) or (110) planes. Ogilvie2 studied the continuity of slip lines across grain boundaries in polycrystalline aluminum. Non-octahedral slip was observed by him, but it was not reported to occur in the continuous slip lines across the grain boundaries, which were identified as octahedral slip in all cases. The present note reports the observation of non-octahedral slip in the grain boundary region of an aluminum bicrystal and tricrystal, both deformed in tension at room temperature. An analysis is made, which leads to a probable identification of the non-octahedral slip planes as (110) and (331). The specimens used were of rectangular cross section, approximately 5x10x200 mm. They were prepared by growth from the melt, using aluminum reported by the manufacturer to be 99.994 pct pure. The grain boundaries were in a plane perpendicular to the wider face and parallel to the long dimension of the specimens. The axis of tension was also parallel to the long dimension of the specimen. The orientations of the specimens studied were determined by the Laue back-reflection method and are given in Fig. 1. The nonoctahedral slip was first observed after about 6 pct extension in the bicrystal, and after about 2 pct extension in the tricrystal. The micrograph, Fig. 2, of the grain boundary region of the bicrystal shows two active slip planes throughout each of the two crystals, with a third plane active at the grain boundary in each crystal. Two major sets of slip traces observed in grain No. 1 are consistent with the operation of the slip systems (ill) [oil] and (111) [011]. The nonoctahedral slip takes place on a plane belonging to a <111> zone, as determined by drawing trace normals. Assuming that slip will take place only in the <110> direction, the planes in the <111> zone, which do not contain that direction, need not be considered. Among the remaining prominent planes of that zone, the (011) plane has a common slip direction—the [011]—with the (111) plane, which acts as one of the octahedral slip planes. In grain No. 2, a similar situation to that in grain No. 1 is observed. As indicated previously, the (oil) plane in the <111> zone, to which the nonoctahedral slip plane belongs, has a common [Oil] slip direction with the acting (ill) slip plane. Also, the orientation of the (oil) plane in grain No. 2 almost coincides with the orientation of the acting (111) slip plane in grain No. 1. Similarly, the orientation of the (oil) plane in grain No. 1 almost coincides with the orientation of the acting (111) slip plane in grain No. 2. It is, therefore, possible that the nonoctahedral slip was induced, in both cases, by octahedral slip in the neighboring grain. It is important

Jan 1, 1957

The Canadian Mining Institute has accepted the proffered arrangement as to price of the Bulletin to members and will furnish its Bulletin to members of the A. I. M. E. at $1 per year.

Jan 5, 1919

By Frank L. Nason

During the months of June and July of the present year, the writer made a special geological survey of the mining property of Messrs. Cooper and Hewitt, at Ringwood, New Jersey. Some of the results of this survey are presented to the society through the courtesy of Hon. Abram 8. Hewitt.

Jan 1, 1895

By W. C. McClain

The amount of vertical subsidence occurring over a longwall operation is a function of the thickness of material removed, the quantity and quality of any fill material, the width of the extraction, and the depth. The relationship between these variables is empirically determined, and subsidence can be predicted using only a few easily established constants which are subject to local conditions, such as the angle of draw. Associated with the vertical subsidence are both tensional and compressional horizontal strains. The component of strain in the direction of face advance is temporary, while the component perpendicular to the direction of working is permanently retained by the ground. It is these horizontal strains and the vertical strain (tilt) which result in damage to surface structures. It is possible to ameliorate the consequences of mining subsidence by utilizing the well-proved techniques described in this paper in the underground operations and on the surface. INTRODUCTION In the past, American mining practice in stratified deposits has been mostly restricted to production by the room-and-pillar system where a sizable percentage of the salable product is left in place as pillars. These pillars are usually regularly spaced and provide a permanent support for the roof of the mine and the surface above. The longwall system employs an advancing face which may be as much as several hundred yards long and some sort of breaking and loading machine which moves back and forth along the length of the face. The roof is supported behind the face only to a distance required to provide working space for the production machine. The supports are then withdrawn and the roof is allowed to cave. The longwall system therefore possesses the various advantages of complete extraction, thus effectively increasing reserves, while at the same time eliminating the necessity and cost of installing artificial supports such as roof bolts and heavy steel girders over large areas. Longwall mining has long been practiced in Europe, where it has undergone an involved development, culminating in the recent perfection of powered-loading machines and automatic self-propelled supports, offering high productivity. With ever-in creasing

Jan 1, 1967

By Subhash C. Malhotra

This paper discusses the historical background on major sources of obsolete electronic scrap and spent catalytic converter scrap. The paper discusses the principal changes taking place that will affect the future supply of these scraps. The author projects from this background the future opportunities for reclaimers and refiners in these two important segments of the precious metals scrap reclamation industry.

Jan 1, 1984

By Robert W. Hunt

The American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers was the first American technical organization to consider steel-rail specifications and sections. If I am not mistaken, the first contribution on those subjects to the Proceedings of the Institute was presented by Prof. Thomas Egleston, in 1874, and was entitled "Investigations on Iron and Steel Rails made in Europe in the Year 1873.1" The next contribution was Dr. C. B. Dudley&apos;s report of his investigation for the Pennsylvania Railroad of the wear of steel rails in their tracks, in 1878, which contribution led to a very memorable discussion that extended through several meetings.2 In 1880, Mr. C. P. Sandberg3 presented an article on rail specifications and inspection and rail sections. This was followed, in 1881, by A. L. Holley,4 in his exhaustive report on the then used American rail sections. The next contribution, I believe, was made by myself5 at the Buffalo meeting, in 1888, on steel-rail specifications, which I followed,6 in 1889, by a paper on steel-rail sections. Since that time there have been numerous contributions to the Transactions of the Institute in relation to the manufacture of steel rails. The American Society of Civil Engineers officially took up the investigation of the relation of rail sections to the wear of car wheels in 1888. In the prosecution of this work, the Society appointed a special committee, whose labors extended through several years and resulted in an exhaustive report to the Society in 1893.7 Later, another committee was appointed to consider specifications for the manufacture of steel rails; the labors of this committee extended over a period of several years, a final reporta being made in 1910. It was my fortune to be the secretary of both of those committees. The American Society for Testing Materials, organized in 1899, took up the consideration of rail specifications and is still giving attention to that subject through its established procedure of investigations by committees. In 1900, the American Maintenance of. Way Association was organ-

Jan 1, 1920

By D. H. Thompson, A. W. Tracy

Season-cracking is a type of failure of brass that results from the simultaneous effect of stress and certain corrodants. The object of this paper is to present data that will aid in a more complete understanding of the mechanism of season-cracking and related phenomena. Results presented show that certain high copper alloys are susceptible to season-cracking or stress-corrosion cracking, and possible explanations are discussed. Starting at least as far back as 1906, many papers have been devoted to this subject but the symposium1 held in Philadelphia in 1944 is the richest source of information. In order to study season-cracking, several of the many variables were held constant so as to learn the effects of others. Season-cracking is generally understood to refer to the corrosion cracking of brass having internal stresses;²,³ it is a special case of the general stress-corrosion cracking. Inasmuch as applied stresses are more readily produced and controlled, they were used exclusively in this research and the resulting phenomenon must he called stress-corrosion cracking.²,³ Only constant tensile stresses were used. The agents believed to be most frequently responsible for season-cracking are ammonia. amines and compounds containing then]. Both moisture and oxygen also appear to he necessary. Therefore, an atmosphere containing ammonia, water-vapor and air was selected for these tests. Briefly, the work consisted of exposing sheet metal specimens, having a reduced section ¼ by 0.050 in., of copper-base alloys to the effect of static tensile stresses between 5,000 and 20,000 psi and simultaneous contact with a. continuously renewed atmosphere containing 80 pct air, 16 pct ammonia and 4 pct water vapor at 35°C. The gas mixture and the speci- mens were maintained above the dew-point. The time-to-failure in minutes was the primary measure of results. In order to limit the experiment to finite time, it was considered that a specimen which had neither failed nor undergone microscopically detectable cracking in 40,000 min. (4 weeks) while under a stress of 10,000 psi or more could be considered immune to cracking. This is merely a convenient limit and is not to be considered proof of immunity. Supplementary tests in the absence of stress using weight loss or microscopical appearance as measures of attack were made. Apparatus The apparatus used in this research is shown in Fig 1. To facilitate the description it may conveniently be divided into six parts: stress-producing units, test chamber, gas train, electrical controls, timers and gas analysis device. A stress-producing unit is shown in an exploded view at the left in Fig 2. At the right is an assembled unit with a specimen in place in the lower portion; it is this part that remains in the ammonia atmosphere during a test. The upper part contains a spring, a central threaded rod, a large nut and necessary washers, pins, and so forth. Stress is produced in the specimen by screwing down the top nut against the spring, thus putting a tensile load on the central rod and so on the specimen. The wrench that turns the nut by extending through the upper cap, is seen at the upper right of the figure. The magnitude of the load is gauged by measuring from the pin that extends through the side of the tube, to a fixed point on the large flange. Measurement is made with a vernier beam caliper, shown at the right of the figure. The necessary spring compression to give a desired stress is calculated from the calibration curve of the spring and the dimensions of the specimen. The test chamber, center Fig 1, consists of a thermally insulated steel box 32 in. long by 10 in. high by 7 in. wide. A horizontal baffle reaching nearly to each end divides the chamber equally. Below this baffle are inlets for air and ammonia, a heating coil and a fan. Thus the gases are warmed and mixed in the lower level and flow past the specimens in the upper level. A thermo-regulator and thermometer project into the upper space. The top is pierced by 12 ports flanked by 3/8 in. threaded studs. A test starts when a port is opened and a unit containing a stressed specimen is thrust through it and bolted down against a neoprene gasket. The test chamber is held at 35°C. The gas train, right rear Fig 1, carries ammonia and air continuously to the test chamber. Tank ammonia passes through two reducing valves, a needle valve, a flow meter and into the test chamber. The air from either the plant compressor or a small laboratory compressor passes through wool towers and flow controls to the flow-meter. It then bubbles through water at 34°C and through a heated line to the test chamber. Electrical controls, left rear, Fig 1, provide rectifiers and mercury relays for the test-chamber and humidifier-heating-control circuits and outlets for

Jan 1, 1950

By George Watkin Evans

The need for mechanization in coal mining wherever it can be successfully introduced is evident when we take into account the fact that during recent years the coal-mine employee&apos;s wages have increased and his hours have been shortened. Coal is no longer King, and a brief study of statistics covering the production of coal, petroleum and natural gas and the development of water power will convince anyone that coal has had very powerful competitors during the past 10 years. Petroleum production in the United States between 1918 and 1936 increased from 100 per cent to 309 per cent. Water power increased from 100 per cent in 1918 to 270 per cent in 1936. Bituminous coal slipped from 100 per cent in 1918 to 75 per cent in 1936. The anthracite industry slipped from 100 per cent in 1918 to 50 per cent in 1932, but climbed to 55 per cent in 1936. In 1918, the State of Washington produced a little over four million tons of coal and the production of California oil, at that time, was a little less than one hundred million barrels per year. By 1929 the production of California oil had increased to a little over 292,000,000 bbl. or nearly 300 per cent as compared with 1918. By 1934 the production of coal in the state of Washington had dropped to about 1 1/3 millions of tons per year. Our neighbors in British Columbia had their coal production reduced from a little over 2 1/2 million tons in 1920 to less than 1 1/3 million in 1933. The North western Improvement Co., a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific Railroad Co., owns coal properties in various parts of Washington and Montana. The Northern Pacific is one of the very few railroads using any considerable quantity of coal in its operations. Practically all of the American railroads in the Pacific Northwest, except the Northern Pacific, are using cheap California fuel oil or electricity. This problem, of course, is not a new one in coal mining, and all of the progressive coal companies in the country have tried to meet competition from an overproduction of petroleum and an overproduction of natural gas as well as enlarged developments of hydroelectric plants.

Jan 1, 1938

The Round Table on Qualities of Pig Iron, under the auspices of the Joint Committee on Qualities of Pig Iron, which is made up of members of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, the American Foundrymen&apos;s Association, the American Society for Testing Materials, the Gray Iron Institute, and the Malleable Iron Institute, was held at the Palmer House, Chicago, III., on Oct. 1, 1935. Prcoeedings R. H. SwEEtseR,* New York, N. Y.—Seven years ago last June, in Chicago, we had a round table on qualities of pig iron1, and at that time the foundrymen were out with their battle-axes for the blast-furnace men, and the open-hearth men were doing the same thing. After that meeting there was really a determined effort to find out about the qualities of pig iron, and great progress has been made all along the line. This afternoon we want to have a frank discussion of the qualities of pig iron, whether it is the molten pig iron going into the steel plant, or cold pigs going to the different foundries. We ought to hear something from Dr. J. T. MacKenzie, who is chairman of the Joint Committee, and from Mr. R. E. Kennedy, the Technical Secretary of the American Foundrymen&apos;s Association. J. T. MacKEnzie,† Birmingham, A1a.—As a result of that meeting in Chicago, there was considerable agitation in the Foundrymen&apos;s Association to develop a set of tests for pig iron. One of the difficulties was that nobody talked the same language on shrinkage, draws, live iron, dead iron, and so forth, which were the main complaints against pig iron. By request of a committee of the Foundrymen&apos;s Association, the Bureau of Standards ran a comprehensive set of tests that did develop the principles governing the optical pyrometer as applied to cast iron and pig iron. Then the Bureau went on further with the fluidity test, and developed a method for the absolute changes of volume at the freezing point. There is one serious gap in the yardstick, which has never been developed, and that is the tendency to draws from heavy sections to light. Everyone who has worried about the differences of section, and sponginess in changes of section, realizes that the

Jan 1, 1936

Plans are now being made for the formation of the American Meteorological Society, which has for its object the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of meteorology and climatology said the broadening of their applications in public health, agriculture engineering, industry and commerce. Information regarding the society may be obtained from Charles F. Brooks, Weather Bureau, Washington, D. C.

Jan 12, 1919

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period of Oct. 10, 1917, to Nov. 10, 1917. ABEY, HIROSHI Min. & Met. Engr.. Mitsubishi Co., Tokio, Japan. BARNETT, WALTER W., Assayer & Chem., Seoul Min. Co., Tul Mi Chung, Chosen, Korea. BATES, WILLIAM S Min. Engr., Anaconda Copper Min. Co., Butte, Mont. BENDELARI, ARTHUR E Mgr. of Mines, Eagle Picher Lead Co., Picher, Okla. BERKEFELD, PAUL C Mining Engr., 2901 Piedmont Ave., Berkeley, Cal. BILLINGS, It. S Mgr., Sheep Trail Pyramid Mines Co., Kingman, Ariz. BILLWILLER, C. J., JR Mgr. Nitrate Agencies, Ltd., Iquique, Chile. BLUM, EDWARD H., Engr., Asst., to Pres., The Atlantic Refining Co., 3144 Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. BORDEN, GAIL, Vice-Pres. & Treas., American Safety Explosive Co., 50 East 42d St., New York, N. Y. BRESLIN, THOMAS F Min. Engr., Cebu, Cebu, P. I. BURKE, JAMES M., Efficiency Engr., Calumet & Hecla Mining Co., Calumet, Mich. CANTON, WILLIAM R Met., Nevada Consolidated Copper Co., McGill, Nev.

Jan 12, 1917

By J. E. Pogue

That the domestic consumption of gasoline displays a marked seasonal variation, with a low in the winter and a high in the summer, is well known. It is logical to expect that the nature of the variation has itself been undergoing a change as a result of improvement in roads, general employment of closed cars, and growth of mass haulage; but so far as I am aware the change in seasonal variation has never been investigated and measured. It is the purpose of this paper to present the method and results of such an investigation, undertaken as a contribution to the technique of planning operating schedules now so prominent in connection with the functioning of the industry under a Federal quota system. For the method employed I am indebted to the suggestions and help of Frederick R. Macaulay,1 who kindly looked over the work sheets; and

Jan 1, 1934

By John Garcia

IN some districts of the bituminous coal field the problem of construct-ing bulkheads to seal off water under pressure is becoming increasingly important. Recently this matter has been brought very much to the front by the loss of a large. Illinois mine due to failure of a bulkhead that separated it from several old, flooded mines. As this great misfortune has provoked much inquiry about proper bulkhead design, it is felt that a description of the successful and extensive water-sealing practice at three mines that have different natural conditions will be of considerable interest to those connected with properties having a present or future water problem and to engineers that may have to design safe bulkheads of economical construction. These three mines are the Saxton acid Dresser, near Terre Haute, Ind., and the Hegeler, near Danville, 111. All three have water conditions that make it necessary to regularly seal off till worked-out sections of the mine, and there are considerably over a hundred bulkheads in each. As far as the writers know, these three mines are the only ones in the bitu-minous coal fields of the United States with anything like so large a number of water seals and experience, although a number of other mines are known to have a few bulkheads. More detail will he included herein on the Saxton mine than on the others, as the writers are more familiar with it.

Jan 1, 1937

By M. N. Dastur

In this paper, the current situation in iron ore pelletization in developing countries is reviewed. The main reasons leading to the development of pelletizing in these countries, alternative pelletizing methods and feed materials utilised, are illustrated with typical examples. The major factors which may influence the future growth are discussed and trends of development in the immediate future, till 1978, examined. The probable pelletizing capacity by 1985 is projected.

Jan 1, 1977

Congress has authorized the President to control the supply and distribution of the following: Antimony, arsenic, ball clay, bismuth, bromine, cerium, chalk, chromium, cobalt, corundum, emery, fluorspar, ferrosilicon, fullers&apos; earth, graphite, grinding pebbles, iridium, kaolin, magnesite, manganese, mercury, mica, molybdenum, osmium, sodium, platinum, palladium, paper clay, phosphorus, potassium, pyrites, radium,

Jan 12, 1918

By H. S. Rankin, E. C. Houston

Olivine is considered a valuable potential source of metallic magnesium in the chloride electrolytic process. Treatment of olivine with hydrochloric acid can be carried out under conditions that prevent the formation of gelatinous silicic acid, which would inhibit the reaction by forming a covering around the ore particles. It is our hypothesis that the formation of gelatinous silicic acid is avoided by the dehydrating action of the magnesium chloride, which takes up water to form a series of hydrates and leaves the silicic acid in granular condition. Leaching serves to separate the magnesium chloride from the silicic acid and unattacked ore, which can be treated with fresh acid in successive steps until extraction is essentially complete. The leach solution can be i purified by the addition of caustic magnesia and the precipitated impurities removed by decantation or filtration. The resulting magnesium chloride contains: Fe, less than 0.001 Per cent; Mn, 0.012 ; per cent; Ni, none. Chlorination† of olivine has two major defects: (1) a large part of the chlorine goes to form silicon and iron chlorides, (2) the anhydrous magnesium chloride is held by absorption in the finely divided silica. SupplY It is well known that olivine, a silicate of magnesium and iron, is present in large amounts in several localities in the United States. The largest deposits occur in the southeast and on the Pacific Coast.&apos; The southeastern deposits were surveyed by Lewis2 in 1896 and by Hunter3 in the period 1933-1940 It is estimated that high-grade olivine, conveniently located with regard to transportation and power, is present in excess of 230 million tons above local drainage level in western North Carolina and north Georgia. Previous Technical Work In the past few years, olivine has attracted considerable attention in the refractory field. In the chemical processing industry, however, it has long been thought axiomatic that the cost of processing silicates is an economic barrier to their utilization, especially where more reactive minerals, such as carbonates, oxides or salts, are available. This attitude is not entirely justified in connection with olivine. unlike most silicates, olivine is readily attacked by acids, chlorine and other reagents without resorting to fusion to break down the silicate structure. Olivine has been suggested as a raw material for making epsom salt by roasting with pyrites.4 Other processes include acid treatment6 and digestion with calcium chloride.6 Recently a small plant was built near Webster, N. C., for making epsom salt from olivine by treatment with sulphuric acid. This plant is now in commercial operation, producing approximately two tons per day. Olivine is also receiving attention from the fertilizer industry as an inexpensive source of soluble magnesium.

Jan 1, 1942