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THE CHAIRMAN (J. W. MALCOLMSON, Kansas City, Mo.).-Gentlemen, Dr. P. J. O'Gara, Director of the Department of Agricultural and Smelter By-Products Investigations, of the American Smelting & Refining Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, is here; he has given attention to this very important problem and I will call on him for a few remarks. P. J. O'GARA, Salt Lake City, Utah.-I have had charge of the investigations of the smoke problem for the American Smelting and Refining Co. during the past four years. One of the worst burns we ever experienced occurred shortly after we began putting all our gases through the baghouse. This occurred in 1914 after the roaster gases had been put through the baghouse; previous to that time, the greater portion of the roaster gases was not put through the baghouse. Everyone knows why a hot-air balloon goes up. The hotter the air in the balloon, the higher it will go. In other words, hot gases will rise higher than cold gases. When gases are handled in any way that will tend to lower their temperatures, these gases are going to travel less high in the atmosphere and will therefore tend to reach the ground sooner than if they are turned out very hot. So far as injury to vegetable life is concerned, sulphur dioxide is the only element in smelter smoke that need be considered. The solution of the problem will be either to take out the excess of sulphur dioxide or to diffuse it high enough, up in the atmosphere so that the concentra-

Jan 1, 1918

By Heinrich Ries

In another place,* the writer has called attention to the modern methods of the laboratory investigation of clay, and it is desired here simply to discuss one branch of the subject, which, though of considerable importance, has heretofore received little attention in this country, viz., the rational analysis of clay. In order, however, the better to point out the bearings and advantages of this procedure, it is necessary to refer briefly to the ultimate analysis as well. The remarks in this paper refer only to the use of clay for the manufacture of clay-products. Pure clay or kaolin-f is extremely refractory, possesses little plasticity, and usually shrinks aud warps considerably in burning. Even the smallest proportion of impurities changes these properties, so that the kaolin exhibits variations in shrinkage, plasticity, tensile strength, fusibility, and often color when burned. The majority of nearly pure kaolins consist of kaolinite (A1,O2 2SiO,, 2H20), undecomposed feldspar, and quartz. The kaolinite generally forms the finest particles of the clay and is known as the clay-substance, while the rest of the clay-particles are collectively spoken of as sand. In the ordinary or ultimate analysis, the substances generally determined are silica, alumina, ferric oxide, lime, magnesia, alkalies and water. An analysis of this type simply regards the clay as a mixture of elements or oxides, but gives no clue as to the actual condition in which these substances exist, i.e., whether as silicates, oxides or carbonates, etc., a point which it is of the highest importance to know; for the individual components of the clay influence its properties not only according

Jan 1, 1899

By Jerome Strauss, Carl L. Shapiro

THIS is a critical examination of the theory that the amount of carbon necessary to form the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid is lowered by the addition of any carbide-forming element. Although this theory has been built up over a long period of years,, it appears, in the light of recent published investigations upon the ternary constitutional diagrams of iron with carbon and other alloying elements, to be no longer tenable. A survey of these new results, summarized below, shows that (as is known) some metals lower the carbon content of the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid, whereas others raise it, but (as not heretofore clearly set forth) some first move the eutectoid in one direction and then, at higher concentrations, shift it in the opposite direction. Moreover, these differences in behavior exist even among the common alloying metals classed as carbide formers. PART I INFLUENCE OF BODY-CENTERED CUBIC ELEMENTS The effects of the various body-centered cubic metals (chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, columbium and tantalum) are reviewed individually. Iron-carbon-chromium System.-In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Chromium, Kinzel and Crafts' concluded that the carbon content of the eutectoid is lowered by increasing the chromium content. The quantitative influence of chromium on the eutectoid point of iron-carbon alloys was shown by Monypenny2 (Fig. I) and no data have been forthcoming to refute his findings. Iron-carbon-tungsten System.-Gregg,3 in the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Tungsten, accepted the data showing that tungsten decreases the amount of carbon required to form the eutectoid. The influence of tungsten on the eutectoid percentage of carbon as determined by Oberhoffer and Daeves4 is shown in Fig. a; these results have received general approval. Iron-carbon-molybdenum System.-In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Molybdenum, Gregg5 reviewed the work of Guillet,6 Swinden,7 and Reed,8 all showing that molybdenum lowered the carbon content of the eutectoid, whereas Takei9 contradicted this conclusion. Svetchnikoff and Alferova,10 a little later, showed that large additions of molybdenum shift the eutectoid to the right. These last-named investigators found that molybdenum, up to 1.2 per cent, shifts the pearlite point and the point of maximum solubility of cementite in the gamma phase only slightly in the direction of lower carbon content; on the other hand, increasing amounts of molyb-

Jan 1, 1943

By Dilip K. Paul, Charles H. Jacoby

The economic importance of salt domes has been recognized throughout the world, primarily because of oil and gas accumulations on their flanks, and to a lesser degree, for the value of their salt and potash. Recently they have become of value as hosts for cavities used to store hydrocarbons. In the near future we believe that their main value will be a source of geothermal energy. Although tremendous effort has been expended on the understanding of the geology and physical characteristics of the strata intruded by salt domes, relatively little energy has been exerted in the comprehension of the salt dome itself. Salt domes have long been recognized as a geological heat anomaly. With respect to other sedimentary rocks, salt is a good conductor of heat. Expressing values in 10-3cgs units, sedimentary rocks vary from 1.0 to 8.0; metamorphic rocks from 5.2 to 8.4 and igneous rocks from 3.1 to 9.8. Rock salt in its pure form has a thermal conductivity of 17. Thus a salt dome can be expected to act as a conduit bringing heat vertically from deep within the earth's crust.

Jan 5, 1974

I. THE ENERGY CRISIS STILL EXISTS A. ALTHOUGH IMMEDIATE SHORTAGE IS NOW ALLEVIATED BY: 1. Increased imports through lifting of Arabian embargo; a. Imports were 6.5 million bpd during the week ended January 17, or 1.3 million bpd higher than last year. b. 1.7 million bpd higher than March '74. 2. Decreased demand resulting from higher prices and conservation. a. January 1975 demand was 17.9 million bpd, 0.1 million bpd lower than January 1973 and … b. 2.0 million bpd, or 10% under originally projected demands for January 1975. c. Gasoline (excluding tax) went up 59% from 27d/gal in August 1973 to 43c/gal in September 1974. d. Gasoline demand for January 1975 was 6.3 million bpd, 0.1 million bpd higher than 1973 but 0.7 million bpd ( 10% ) under projected demand. 3. Increased crude and major product inventories. a. January 17, 1975 crude and major product inventory was 794 million bbl, 99 million bbl higher than the same date in 1973. b. 105 million bbl increase since April 12, compared to only 38 million bbl increase during the same period in 1973.

Jan 5, 1975

By Horace Pops, J. F. Libsch

THE discovery of SAP alloys (sintered aluminum powders) by lrmannl has stimulated investigations in other alloy systems.23 Not only do such alloys have good room-temperature properties, but they maintain high strength after prolonged service at elevated temperatures. In addition, they show high structural stability, including unusually high recrystallization temperatures. These characteristics are secured by dispersion hardening. For this investigation, Zn-ZnO alloys were selected. Practically, the fact that commercially pure zinc recrystallizes near room temperature prohibits strengthening and hardening by cold deformation and therefore limits the application of zinc where mechanical strength is important. Similarly, the poor

Jan 1, 1961

By Carl L. Shapiro, Jerome and Strauss

This is a critical examination of the theory that the amount of carbon necessary to form the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid is lowered by the addition of any carbide-forming element. Although this theory has been built up over a long period of years, it appears, in the light of recent published investigations upon the ternary constitutional diagrams of iron with carbon and other alloying elements, to be no longer tenable. A survey of these new results, summarized below, shows that (as is known) some metals lower the carbon content of the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid, whereas others raise it, but (as not heretofore clearly set forth) some first move the eutectoid in one direction and then, at higher concentrations, shift it in the opposite direction. Moreover, these differences in behavior exist even among the common alloying metals classed as carbide formers. PART I Influence of Body-centered Cubic Elements The effects of the various body-centered cubic metals (chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, columbium and tan. talum) are reviewed individually. Iron-carbon-chromium System.—In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Chromium, Kinzel and Crafts1 concluded that the carbon content of the eutectoid is lowered by increasing the chromium content. The quantitative influence of chromium on the eutectoid point of iron-carbon alloys was shown by Monypenny2 (Fig. I) and no data have been forthcoming to refute his findings. Iron-carbon-tungsten System.—Gregg,3 in the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Tungsten, accepted the data showing that tungsten decreases the amount of carbon required to form the eutectoid. The influence of tungsten on the eutectoid percentage of carbon as determined by Oberhoffer and Daeves4 is shown in Fig. 2; these results have received general approval. , I ron-carbon-molybdenum System.—In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Molybdenum, Gregg5 reviewed the work of Guillet,6 Swinden,7 and ReedI8 all showing that molybdenum lowered the carbon content of the eutectoid, whereas Takei9 contradicted this conclusion. Svetchnikoff and Alferova,10 a little later, showed that large additions of molybdenum shift the eutectoid to the right. These last-named investigators found that molybdenum, up to 1.2 per cent, shifts the pearlite point and the point of maximum solubility of cementite in the gamma phase only slightly in the direction of lower carbon content; on the other hand, increasing amounts of molyb-S

Jan 1, 1944

By Jerome and Strauss, Carl L. Shapiro

This is a critical examination of the theory that the amount of carbon necessary to form the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid is lowered by the addition of any carbide-forming element. Although this theory has been built up over a long period of years, it appears, in the light of recent published investigations upon the ternary constitutional diagrams of iron with carbon and other alloying elements, to be no longer tenable. A survey of these new results, summarized below, shows that (as is known) some metals lower the carbon content of the iron-carbon (carbide) eutectoid, whereas others raise it, but (as not heretofore clearly set forth) some first move the eutectoid in one direction and then, at higher concentrations, shift it in the opposite direction. Moreover, these differences in behavior exist even among the common alloying metals classed as carbide formers. PART I Influence of Body-centered Cubic Elements The effects of the various body-centered cubic metals (chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, columbium and tan. talum) are reviewed individually. Iron-carbon-chromium System.—In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Chromium, Kinzel and Crafts1 concluded that the carbon content of the eutectoid is lowered by increasing the chromium content. The quantitative influence of chromium on the eutectoid point of iron-carbon alloys was shown by Monypenny2 (Fig. I) and no data have been forthcoming to refute his findings. Iron-carbon-tungsten System.—Gregg,3 in the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Tungsten, accepted the data showing that tungsten decreases the amount of carbon required to form the eutectoid. The influence of tungsten on the eutectoid percentage of carbon as determined by Oberhoffer and Daeves4 is shown in Fig. 2; these results have received general approval. , I ron-carbon-molybdenum System.—In the monograph on Alloys of Iron and Molybdenum, Gregg5 reviewed the work of Guillet,6 Swinden,7 and ReedI8 all showing that molybdenum lowered the carbon content of the eutectoid, whereas Takei9 contradicted this conclusion. Svetchnikoff and Alferova,10 a little later, showed that large additions of molybdenum shift the eutectoid to the right. These last-named investigators found that molybdenum, up to 1.2 per cent, shifts the pearlite point and the point of maximum solubility of cementite in the gamma phase only slightly in the direction of lower carbon content; on the other hand, increasing amounts of molyb-S

Jan 1, 1944

By Hugh J. Leach, J. C. Van de Water

In open pit mining, as in other industries, it has I become necessary to improve operating efficiency in order to combat higher labor and supply costs. Moreover, orebodies are becoming leaner, pits are getting deeper, stripping ratios are increasing, and hauls are getting longer. There has been a steady increase in size, speed of operation, and reliability of the various machines involved in breaking, loading, and hauling ore. Changes have seldom been radical but are rather the result of steady improvement. Drilling: Notable advances have been made in the use of rotary drills and air powered percussion drills for blasthole drilling. Several hundred of these machines are now in use as replacements for churn drills in softer rocks such as limestone and shale. Their application to hard rocks such as iron ore and taconite is under current investigation, but in the Lake Superior iron mining district, open pit blast-hole drilling in ore has been accomplished almost exclusively by standard churn drilling. The only recent advance has been the use of larger machines drilling 9-in. holes. This has increased drilling speed somewhat and allowed wider hole spacing, with consequent cost reduction.

Feb 1, 1956

By A. U. Seybolt

In part 111' of this series it was shown that during the selective oxidation of a 3 1/4 pct Si-Fe alloy in damp hydrogen, only silica, (observed at room temperature) as low cristobalite or low tridy-mite or both, was formed as an oxidation product. In some in- „ stances where the film was fairly thin (probably well under 100A) there was some suggestion of an amorphous form of SiO2. The present investigation of oxidation rate showed that the selective oxidation of silicon-iron can be rather complicated, and apparently impossible to rationalize in an unequivocal manner. In some temperature regions, notably near 800" and 1000°C, the data seem to obey the familiar parabolic rate law. However, at intermediate temperatures complications were noted, some of which are possibly due to the order-disorder reaction in the silicon-iron solid solution. IN an earlier report' it was shown that during the oxidation of 3 1/4 pct Si-Fe alloys in H2O-H2 atmospheres only silica films were formed in the temperature range from 400° to 1000°C in hydrogen nearly saturated with water at room temperatures, or at dew points as low as -45°C. In the work to be reported here, some observations are made on the rate of oxide film formation. As in the earlier investigation, electron diffraction patterns generally showed either low tridymite or low cristobalite or both, except for some very thin films. These sometimes showed diffuse rings, presumably due to a very small crystallite size, or in a few cases, diffuse bands probably caused by an amorphous film. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Vacuum-melted silicon iron made of high-purity materials was rolled into strips 0.014 in. thick, and cut into samples 1/2 in. wide by 1 in. long. Chemical analysis showed 3.2 pct Si and 0.002 pct C. All samples were surface abraded with 600-grit paper, were solvent cleaned, and then placed in an paper,apparatus containing a "Gulbransen type"2 micro-balance. Here the gain in weight of the samples of about 5 sq cm area could be followed as a function of time during the oxidation caused by the water in atmospheres of various controlled water-hydrogen ratios. The water-hydrogen ratios can most easily be described as varying from a dew point of 0°C (PH2O-p^2 = 6.2 x 10-3 , to K (P j -40°C (PH2O/PH^= 1.3 X 10-* Most of the experiments were conducted at the 0°C dew-point atmosphere because drier atmospheres caused so little gain in weight that the accuracy of measurement was poor. Because of this, only the data obtained at PH2O,/P,,,= 6.2 x X3 will be reported. The temperature range extended from 800" to 1000°C; and most of the oxidation runs lasted for about 24 hr. The reproducibility of any reading was about ± 1 ?, but the sensitivity of the balance was about 0.2 ?. The atmosphere, flowing at 200 cm per-min, was preheated to the furnace temperature before contacting the specimen. While the gas flow caused a measurable lift on the sample, it was ordinarily sufficiently constant so that it was not an appreciable source of error. X-ray and electron diffraction checks of the samples before and after oxidation showed no evidence of preferred orientation, either on the metal samples or on the silica films formed. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The data obtained are summarized in Table I, and some are given in detail in Figs. 1 to 4. In the fourth column of Table I, kp refers to the parabolic rate constant in the expression (?/cm2)2 = kpt + c [1] where ? = micrograms gain in weight kp = parabolic rate constant in units r2 /cm4 t = time in minutes c = constant It will be noted that in many cases no value for kp is given; this is because in these instances the data did not obey the parabolic rate law. The silica film thicknesses given in the last columns are values calculated from the weight gain, an average tridy-mite-crystobalite density, and by assuming a perfectly plane surface. Fig. 1 shows the data plotted in the form of Eq. [I], hence a linear plot indicates parabolic behavior. It has been frequently observed in the literature that

Jan 1, 1960

For the year ending February, 1920 PRESIDENT HORACE V. WINCHELL.. . MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. PAST PRESIDENTS PHILIP N. MOORE ST. Louis, Mo. SIDNEY J. JENNINGS NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT A. R. LEDOUX NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE D. BARRON NEW YORK, N. Y SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON NEW YORK, N. Y VICE-PRESIDENTS CHARLES W. GOODALE,1 . . . . District 5 BUTTE, MONT. MARK L. REQUA,1 District 6 SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. HENRY S. DRINKER, District 2 So. BETHLEHEM, PA. ROBERT M. RAYMOND,2 . . . . District 0 NEW YORK, N. Y. EDWIN LUDLOW,3 District 2 LANSFORD, PA. A. R. LEDOUX,3 District.0 NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 11, 1919

By S. H. Ash

With statistics still incomplete, it appears that the safety record of the mineral industry for 1955 will do well to hold its own in comparison with 1954. On the one hand, metal mining shows an improvement in its record, due in part to intensive campaigns for preventing ground fall accidents. Coal mining, on the other hand, is showing a poorer record in 1955 than for the preceding year. While no major disasters occurred during the year, increased fatalities resulted from ground fall, haulage, and machinery accidents. It seems probable that increased job training may serve to improve the situation. Health: Utilization of diesel equipment continues to increase in noncoal mines, in spite of existing prejudice. In 1955 two types of diesel-driven tractors and one shuttle car were approved by the USBM. Where diesel engines are used controlled ventilation is mandatory in order to keep the CO content under 20 ppm, but such ventilation is not difficult to achieve with normal equipment.

Feb 1, 1956

By AIME AIME

THE MODEL LAW previously referred to', in these columns several times, prepared by Engineering Council, to be o ered in any state where legislation is introduced for licensing engineers, is given in abstract below. , Mining engineers throughout the country should watch legislation of this sort and see that the draft prepared by Engineering Council is in the hands of any state legislative committee which proposes to frame a licensing law. So far as this office is informed, the mining engineers are a unit against licensing, but if we must be licensed the most innocuous law that has been submitted is the draft prepared by Engineering Council. ABSTRACT OF MODEL LAW -FOR REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, AND LAND SURVEYORS

Jan 1, 1920

By F. D. DeVaney

IT is of great interest that the various organizations engaged in the search for a cheap and efficient agglomeration process for fine magnetite concentrates-essential if the taconites are to be utilized-have ended up with processes that are basically different. This paper describes the development and the present status of the shaft-type furnace as now utilized by the Erie Mining Co., which is managed by Pickands Mather & Co. The shaft furnace has always had an appeal to metallurgists because of the simplicity of the design and the possible low fuel consumption. Work done on pelletizing at the University of Minnesota Mines Experiment Station by E. W. Davis and his associates determined that it was possible to roll up fine magnetite concentrates in a balling drum, and that, if such balls were fired at a sufficiently high temperature, a hard, indurated pellet, well adapted for use in a blast furnace, could be made. Early furnaces had no heat recuperation and the heat consumption was in the order of 2 million BTU's per long ton.

Jan 3, 1958

By Jeffrey L. Thompson, Kenneth A. Gutschick, Robert C. Freas, Robert S. Boynton

Lime, the "versatile chemical," is, generally speaking, a calcined or burned form of limestone commonly known as quicklime, calcium oxide or calcia, or, when water is added, calcium hydroxide or slaked lime. Almost 40 different lime products are available, a fact which has contributed to the rather loose use of the term lime as well as to much confusion and misunderstanding. The term is frequently, albeit erroneously, used to denote almost any kind of calcareous material or finely ground form of limestone or dolomite. Lime is usually made from high-calcium or high-magnesium limestone, generally having a minimum of 97% combined carbonate content. Normally, high-calcium limes contain less than 5% MgO. When the lime is produced from a high-magnesium limestone, the product is referred to as dolomitic lime. Calcination, or the production of lime, has its origins in the earliest days of alchemy, with the general reaction class having been identified in an Arabic text printed in 1000 A.D. It was much later, however, in the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s before this basic reaction became understood from a scientific perspective. The production of lime has been so basic and simple that its underlying scientific principles have over the years received only intermittent investigation. Rather, much of the thought and inquiry has been directed toward the development of kilns. Thus, it has only been in the last 15 to 20 years that lime has received any concentrated scientific investigation relative to the thermodynamics and kinetics of the calcination and hydration reactions. Calcination refers to a broad class of reactions, of which the lime/limestone reaction is just one, wherein a substance is heated to less than its melting point, resulting in a weight gain or weight loss. In the calcination of limestone to produce lime, the basic chemical reaction is as follows: [CaCO3 (limestone) + heat (1000° to 1300°C)= 100 CaO (quicklime) + CO2 T 5644 or CaCO3 • MgCO3 (limestone) 10084 + heat (900°C to 1200°C) CaO • MgO (quicklime) + 2CO2 T 56 4088] While there is nearly universal agreement about the equilibrium conditions related to the limestone/lime reaction above, there have been numerous and varied calcination models developed for the reaction. Recent investigations have resulted in the development of the model shown in Fig. 1. From this model it can be seen that calcination is a function of both temperature and CO2 pressure. It does not, however, provide any indication of the rate at which the reaction takes place. Calcination is strongly time variant with different limestones. In a very broad sense this relates to the fact that the calcination reaction starts on the exterior surface of the limestone and then proceeds toward the center. As the calcination reaction takes place, the CO2 released at the reaction interface must make its way through the lime to the exterior surface. Therefore, because calcination is limited by gas diffusion to the surface of the partially calcined limestone, natural impurities in the stone, differences in crystallinity, grain boundary chemistry, density variations, and imperfections in the atomic lattice all play a significant role in

Jan 1, 1983

By P. R. Hanes

A description of the methods used in driving two tunnels, 2 miles long each, one a 9-ft. and the other a 19-ft. diameter section, for the Owyhee Irrigation Project, Oregon. One heading of the smaller tunnel was driven 1315 ft. in 73 shifts in one month and 10,966 ft. of this section completed in ll½ months using two shifts for eight months and three shifts the rest of the time. This is a good illustration of the proper use of a mechanical shovel and the importance of careful selection of supplernentary equipment to secure best results. Large cars, speedier and heavier locomotives, 36-in. gage track of 45-lb. rail, and a good switching method increased actual shoveling time and cut down muck removal period about 45 minutes from average. The larger tunnel, after trying out standard electric revolving shovels of both the rail mounting and caterpillar tread types, was excavated with a mechanical mucker. This is the first time that a tunnel of so large a section has been handled this way. This record work was accomplished without drill carriages.

Jan 1, 1934

By M. E. Wadsworth, P. H. Yu, C. K. Hansen

A study of the rate of dissc5lution of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) in acidic solutions under oxygen overpressures was carried out by measuring the rate of formation of cupric ions in solution. Effects of temperature, oxygen partial pressure, surface area, and concentration of sulfuric acid were evaluated. A sized batch of chalcopyrite was leached in the temperature range of 125° to 175°C and in the pressure range of 75 to 400 psi of oxygen. In 0.5 N H2SO4 all products of reaction went into solution except for trace amounts of elemental sulfur. The dissolution of chalcopyrite followed linear kinetics and was essentially independent of hydrogen ion concentration for H2S04 concentrations between 0.2 and 0.5 N. The oxygen dependence indicated adsorption approaching limiting values with increasing oxygen pressure. The linear mechanism was explained in terms of steady-state adsorption of oxygen at the chalcopyrite surface followed by a surface reaction. The enthalpy of activation for adsorption of oxygen was found to be approximately 33 kcal per mole. An activation enthalpy of approximately 9 kcal per mole was observed for the surface reaction. Charge transfer reactions are not rate controlling in the process.

Jan 1, 1973

By J. B. Conway

RECENT studies of first-stage creep data have led to a special least-squares procedure for use in calculating the Andrade creep-equation constants. This procedure is easy to apply, uses only experimental data, and yields results which do not vary with the individual making the analysis. Taking logarithms of the Andrade equation I = lo(1 +ßl1/3)ekt leads to In l = In lo + In(1 + ßl1/3) + kt A residual can then be defined as the difference between the logarithm of an experimental length value and the logarithm of a calculated length value. Following the usual least-squares approach differentiation with respect to 10 and k of the expression for the sum of the squares of the residuals leads to two equations which cannot be solved directly for the three constants involved. However, values of ß can be assumed and corresponding values of lo and k can then be calculated. Then the sum of the squares of the residuals can be calculated. For a certain value of ß this sum will exhibit a minimum value to identify the least-squares values for ß, lo, and k. An illustration of the application of the above least-squares approach is obtained by employing the creep data for lead originally presented by Andrade' in the development of the one-third creep law. A plot of the sum of the squares of the residuals as a function of ß is shown in Fig. 1 along with the corresponding lo and k values. The minimum is seen to occur at ß = 0.0143 from which lo = 39.149 and k = 7.27 x 10-5. Based on these results the Andrade equation for these lead data is 1 = 39.149(1 + 0.0143 t1/3)e7.27 x 10-5t compared to the equation I = 39.13(1 + 0.01457/l/3)e6.95 X 10-5t developed by Andrade (calculation procedure not given but was probably a graphical solution). Calculating length values using the above equations and comparing with the experimental length values, residuals corresponding to the difference between experimental and calculated length values can be obtained. The sum of the squares of the residuals can then be calculated. For the case of the least-squares approach a value for this sum was found to be 2.37 x 10-3 compared to a value of 3.47 x 10" for the equation originally proposed by Andrade. In other words, while the constants proposed by Andrade provide an excellent fit for the lead data, a still better representation is afforded by applying the least-squares approach discussed above. A similar result was obtained for the lead data at 162oc.l The least-squares approach led to 1 = 9.866(1 + 0.0497 t1/3)el.011 x 10-2t compared to the equation I = 9.94(1 + 0.0433 l1/3)e1.06 X 10-2t given by Andrade. In this case, too, the sum of the squares of the residuals is slightly smaller for the equation based on the least-squares approach. It should be pointed out that a double trial and er-

Jan 1, 1965

By Louis A. Panek

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY With respect to the geomechanics aspects, the primary technical objectives in mining by an undercut-cave method are to achieve a controlled, sustained caving of the mineral body and to remove the fragmented ore with a minimum of dilution from surrounding unmineralized rock, while maintaining stability or control of the rock structure around the access openings. The structurally ideal ore body probably does not exist. If the rock mass is so weak as to cave on a short span, it may tend to be too sticky for easy drawing and handling, or create special problems in regard to support of the access openings. If the ore is strong, caving may be difficult and the caved fragments may be of such a large size as to require special equipment for transferring the ore from the caved zone. Given enough time and money to generate data and conduct trials, engineering and ingenuity can devise an appropriate combination of mine layout, sequence of extraction, and mechanical equipment to achieve a technically successful caving extraction operation to meet the foregoing requirements in many types of deposits. The large capital investment involved, however, reduces the freedom to make major changes once the mine development is well under- way, and the penalties for failure to accurately anticipate operating conditions militate against selecting any but the most obvious candidates for mining by an undercut-cave method. The demonstrated capability to extract large, deep, economically marginal deposits by this low-cost, high-volume method of mining provides an incentive to develop a rationale for predicting the cavability and stability characteristics of a deposit prior to mining, so that the undercut-cave method may be extended to a much wider range of mineral deposit characteristics. The ultimate goal is to establish as explicitly as possible the quantitative interrelationships between the measured rock-mass characteristics, the caving span, the size distribution of caved ore fragments, and the sizes and locations of stable access openings. Lacking an understanding of these relation- ships, a designer may readily change some factor in the wrong direction (e.g., excessively reduce the distance between the extraction level and the undercut to increase the convenience of operations for the undercutting crew, increasing the frequency of repairs to the extraction-level support system) or create unnecessary problems elsewhere in the system by introducing a design change that can achieve only minimal improvement in the factor of direct interest (e.g., unnecessarily complicate the ore-transfer system by changing the orientations of the openings, with- out succeeding in the objective of improving the ground support conditions). Although successful predesign is the prime objective, subsequent modifications in mine lay- out and sequence of extraction operations are inevitable. In developing the modified solution, systematic experimentation based on an understanding of the underlying structural relationships, coupled with monitoring measurements of selected diagnostic structural-behavior parameters, can achieve an acceptable solution in a minimum number of steps, which is far superior to the typical operational trial-and-error approach, in view of the cost of implementing each successive change. Since a drill-core sample of ore rock from a successful undercut-cave operation may exhibit a uniaxial crushing strength in excess of 100 MPa, the caving of such a rock mass is now commonly believed to be ascribable to the presence of discontinuities such as joints or fractures throughout the ore body. An essential part of the present investigation was therefore to characterize the natural discontinuities at each of the test sites by measuring their attitudes and spacings. The term "fracture" is used herein in a general sense to include any planar discontinuity without implication as to its suggested mode of origin. Most, but not all, of the fractures are properly termed joints. As a point of departure we may consider the possibility that the rock mass is transected by three families of joints, each family possessing a distinct orientation, such that parallelepipeds of intact rock are delineated by the jointing. Even if cementation is absent between adjoining parallelepipeds, the undercutting of the rock mass will not necessarily initiate sustained caving--owing to the all-around confinement, an arch may tend to stabilize over the undercut unless prevented from doing so by the failures of key blocks of intact rock. Thus, although the jointing can be assumed to weaken the rock mass, creating preferred directions of

Jan 1, 1981

By Charles Morgan

AN increased demand for brown iron ore in the Birmingham district during the past 18 months has caused renewed activity both in prospecting and mining these ores. In recent years the production in Alabama has ranged from 41,559 tons in 1932 to 639,351 tons in 1928. During the last 9 years about 83 per cent of the total brown ore produced in the United States has come from Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). PROSPECTING Two methods of prospecting are used in this district: (1) test pits, (2) churn-drilling. Usually there is certain quite definite information on an area to be prospected; some of the indications are float ore such as small gravel or small and large boulders known as "dornicks" scattered over the surface, and ore exposed by erosion in gulleys and ravines, which have cut or eroded through the overburden. Often these natural erosions furnish an indication of the thickness of the ore and to some extent of the area of the ore body.

Jan 1, 1937