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By G. Austin Schroter

ALTHOUGH there is now an extensive literature on the bleaching clays, not a great deal of material is to be found concerning the geological fea-tures of these deposits and their bearing on problems of exploration and development. At the same time, chemical and crystallographic research on the clay minerals during the past few years has laid a suitable founda-tion upon which to base conclusions of economic value drawn from field observations. All of the criteria and deductions herein presented are based upon extensive field work by the senior author, both in the United States and Canada, and when subjected to the ultimate tests of development and exploitation they have held up remarkably well, despite the fact that many of these conclusions apparently have not been reviewed in the litera-ture heretofore. The nomenclature of the bleaching clays is rather confusing in the light of present-day commercial standards and has even led to litigation." The old term "fuller's earth" is largely based upon trade usage and the definition of the term therefore is dependent upon the changing standards of commerce. For statistical purposes the Bureau of Mines81 classes as "fuller's earth" all natural bleaching or filtering claylike materials that possess high adsorptive capacity without previous chemical treat-ment or activation. Conversely, the so-called activated or acid activated clays are now generally recognized as any clay mineral or mixture of the clay minerals whose adsorptive capacity has been developed to commercial standards by chemical or physical treatment. Therefore, without attempting to propose any additions to the nomen-clature of bleaching clays, this paper will refer to naturally adsorptive clays and activable clays, respectively, for the two types indicated.

Jan 1, 1940

By G. Austin Schroter

ALTHOUGH there is now an extensive literature on the bleaching clays, not a great deal of material is to be found concerning the geological fea-tures of these deposits and their bearing on problems of exploration and development. At the same time, chemical and crystallographic research on the clay minerals during the past few years has laid a suitable founda-tion upon which to base conclusions of economic value drawn from field observations. All of the criteria and deductions herein presented are based upon extensive field work by the senior author, both in the United States and Canada, and when subjected to the ultimate tests of development and exploitation they have held up remarkably well, despite the fact that many of these conclusions apparently have not been reviewed in the litera-ture heretofore. The nomenclature of the bleaching clays is rather confusing in the light of present-day commercial standards and has even led to litigation.76 The old term "fuller's earth" is largely based upon trade usage and the definition of the term therefore is dependent upon the changing standards of commerce. For statistical purposes the Bureau of Mines81 classes as "fuller's earth" all natural bleaching or filtering claylike materials that possess high adsorptive capacity without previous chemical treat-ment or activation. Conversely, the so-called activated or acid activated clays are now generally recognized as any clay mineral or mixture of the clay minerals whose adsorptive capacity has been developed to commercial standards by chemical or physical treatment. Therefore, without attempting to propose any additions to the nomen-clature of bleaching clays, this paper will refer to naturally adsorptive clays and activable clays, respectively, for the two types indicated.

Jan 1, 1940

By J. J. Van Nouhuys

THE economics of aerial survey and the technical processes by the aid of which vertical and oblique aerial photographs are turned into line maps showing the most profuse topographical detail such as contours, rivers, roads, plantations, habitations and cultivated lands do not concern us here. They have been ably and exhaustively described in the publications of the British War Office, handbooks on surveying methods and on photogrammetry and in the South African mining, engineering and geological press. Suffice it to mention that for geological interpretation vertical photographs are used on such scales as 1/5000 to 1/10,000, overlapping each other by 55 to 60 per cent in the direction of flight and some 10 to 20 per cent sideways on to the next sequence or strip. Through this duplication in the overlap the stereoscopic examination becomes possible. The standards by which monochrome aerial photographs are interpreted can be grouped under the following headings: 1. Continuity.-The continuity of topographic relief not obtainable on the ground owing to the smallness of man relative to that relief. Here lies the greatest value of aerial survey with relation to geology. An immediate alignment can often be made of drainages running in different directions on each side of a hill; saddles and gorges in the mountainsides; abrupt termination of outcrop or indubitable signs of faulting. Most conclusive evidence is thus often obtained about faults which may be perfectly visible at one place on the ground but cannot elsewhere be identified because of decreased throw. Similarly, dikes can often be followed notwithstanding frequent interruption and disappearance under the soil. Scattered outcrop in scrub-covered or bush-covered country can be compared with field work. The same applies to geological contacts. Once these have been 3stablished at a few points on the ground, the intervening stretches can be drawn in.

Jan 1, 1937

By William E. Ford, Edward Salisbury Dana

General Principles of Optics Optical Instruments and Methods General Optical Characters of Minerals 1. Diaphaneity 2. Color 3. Luster Special Optical Characters of Minerals belonging to the different Systems A. Isometric Crystals B. Uniaxial Crystals General Optical Relations Optical Examination of Uniaxial Crystals C. Biaxial Crystals General Optical Relations Optical Examination of Biaxial Crystals 306. Before considering the optical characters of minerals in general, and more particularly those that belong to the crystals of the different systems, it is desirable to review briefly some of the more important principles of optics upon which the phenomena in question depend. For a fuller discussion of the o tics of crystals, special reference is made to the works of Groth (translation by Jackson), Liebisch, Mallard, Duparc and Pearce, Rosenbusch (translation by Iddings), Iddings, Johannsen, Winchell, mentioned on p. 3 also to the various advanced text-goks of Physics. 307. The Nature of Light. - Light is now considered to be an electro- magnetic phenomenon due to a periodic/variation in the energy given off by vibrating electrons. This energy is transmitted by a series of periodic changes that show all the characters of ordinary wave phenomena. The light waves, as they are commonly called, possess certain short wave-lengths that are of the correct magnitude to affect the optic nerves. Other similar waves with longer or shorter wave-lengths belong to the same class of phenomena. Immediately beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum come the so-called "ultra- violet" waves with still shorter wave-lengths and on beyond these we have the X-rays and the "gamma" rays produced by radium. Of the waves having greater lengths than those of light waves we have the waves that give

Jan 1, 1922

By W. R. Crane

THE effect of mining in the red-ore mines of the Birmingham district has been observed for some time, but, except in a few localities, little difficulty has been experienced from disturbance of cover. Cave-ins near the outcrop and fracturing of the surface at greater distances are the most pronounced manifestations of disturbance, while limited areas at points distant from the outcrop and under greater depth of cover have actually subsided. There is no doubt but that in time, because of failure of pillars, extensive fracturing and widespread settlement of the surface will result, particularly along the slope of Red Mountain, where mining has been under way for many years. Were it not that the orebed is overlain by one or more water-bearing formations, the fracturing or settlement of the surface would not be serious; but because of these formations, fracturing of the top rock may in itself be of sufficient importance to warrant the adoption of protective measures. Until development openings and surface plants are transferred to Shades Valley, protection of the surface will probably not be considered imperative, as the area involved is not of particular value for agricultural or building purposes. Further, the collapse of pillars over a wide area may develop squeezes that, if not controlled, may jeopardize the integrity of the mines and necessitate a change in development, from slopes to vertical shafts, at a much earlier period than is now contemplated. The occurrence of heavy beds of strong tough materials at varying distances above the orebed make it doubtful whether any serious disturbance of the surface will be experienced at any considerable distance from the outcrop, although some settlement will probably take place. It is certain, however, that no great volume of water will enter the mines from fracturing of the Fort Payne chert bed, as this is known to be a compact and practically impervious formation beyond the leached zone. Not so much can be said, however, regarding other possible sources of water, as pervious beds and through faults that may be encountered in future mining operations.

Jan 8, 1925

By R. B. Woodworth

In the sinking of bore holes, there are but two fundamental operations —drilling and hoisting—which determine in the main the character of drilling mechanism and structures. There are endless ramifications, however, in the execution of these fundamental operations, according to the purposes for which the bore holes are drilled, their maintenance after completion, the protection and convenience of workmen, etc. The three main lines of use for bore holes are in mineral exploration, the sinking of water and salt wells, and the exploitation of pqtroleum and natural gas. This paper has to do more especially with the last. Here again there are many divergences. Wells may be drilled by either the percussive, the hydraulic, or the abrasive method. Finally, each of these methods, as applied by drillers of diverse nationalities, has followed somewhat different lines of development. The American system of cable-tool drilling has perhaps had the widest application; the hydraulic rotary is also in extensive use; but the Canadian system, the Galician system, and the Russian free-fall system all have their points of recognized merit and are preferred by operators accustomed to their use. These differences in drilling procedure, which rest ultimately on essential variations in geological conditions, are reflected in the drilling structures as well as in the drilling mechanism. The purpose of the present paper is to record those stages in the development of the application of steel to the construction of drilling mechanism and structures with which the writer has been intimately associated, and to contribute to the history of the art of drilling other data acquired in the course of his personal investigations. It is necessarily limited by reason of space to American practice, with especial reference, therefore, to the cable-tool system and the hydraulic rotary method of drilling wells for oil and gas.

Jan 1, 1916

By C. H. Mathewson

MICROSCOPIC rnetallography has been exploited quite well enough to bring about a very general understanding that the typical metal or alloy is composed of minute crystalline particles blended into a coherent microstructural mosaic. One does not have to be a specialist in metallography to realize that the properties of such an aggregate are essentially a summation in appropriate form of individual effects derived from the shape, size, placement or orientation and cohesive characteristics of the component particles. It is clearly of great importance to consider the various forms of discontinuity which may occur at the boundaries between these crystalline particles. When a number of particles each possessing the same orderly arrangement of atoms are brought together into a close-fitting system of purely haphazard contacts, not unlike a handful of snowflakes compacted into a snowball, the particles are said to possess random orientation. There are no generally accepted views concerning the arrangement of the atomis or the constitutional reaction between atoms where one crystal meets another, but these contact regions are characterized by strength rather than weakness and it is customary to require the presence of many rather than few boundaries in preparing metal for useful service. Under certain circumstances all of the particles in a metal may be nearly alike in orientation. Other general tendencies of orientation may be associated with particular forms of mechanical and thermal treatment. In contrast with these cases of fortuitous or statistical diversity of orientation, we often find adjacent particles united along a plane which possesses a grouping of atoms belonging equally well to both structures. This, of course, determines a fixed relationship between the two orientations and it is always possible to derive one from the other by some form of rotation or reflection prescribed by the symmetry of the crystal structure under consideration. Particles united in this manner are known as twin crystals although the term refers to the form of association rather than the number of individuals concerned.

By Charles S. Barrett

THERE is a road into the microscopic realm that has remained untraveled through all these years of intense activity with high-power optical and electron microscopy. The road is worthy of careful scouting by metallurgists and other investigators, for it leads into relatively new country and it makes some areas accessible that heretofore could be reached only by very indirect paths or by the use of imagination. And when the road passes through familiar territory it frequently permits a new view of commonplace things that should prove of value from time to time. An accepted way to interest people in new sights such as this is to present an illustrated travelogue. This I propose to do, using many pictures taken in my recent exploration of this road. In the manner of travelogues, I shall touch briefly upon a large number of different subjects in physical metallurgy and shall, attempt to give an exhaustive treatment of none, for the objective is to provide a means for further research, to interest others in it, and to indicate what appears at the moment to be profitable directions for it to take. The method I shall present involves X-rays, but does not make use of the usual accompaniments of X-ray research such as reciprocal lattices, Fourier series, or the stereographic projection. The method is so simple in its fundamentals that it could have been developed 20 years ago, or perhaps even 30 years ago. It is well to have a destination for our travels, so that when we are through we shall have explored some region of importance, despite our preoccupation with the novel means of transportation and our interest in the sights to be seen along the way. So let us name the Cold Worked State as our destination, and make side trips into the territories known as Recovery, Recrystallization, and Precipitation-hardening. A great many investigations have been made of the nature of cold-worked metal, and a great variety of methods used, many of which are indirect, such as X-ray line intensities, X-ray line widths, calorimetric measurements, and magnetic measurements. Since comprehensive reviews of these investigations have been published in recent years, they need not be discussed here. The investigations that were the direct forerunners of the present work should be first mentioned. In 1931 I became interested in the structure of individual spots in X-ray diffraction patterns.1 When a crystal is placed in the narrow pencil of X-rays in a Laue camera, the spots recorded on the film are not always uniformly black, but may have an internal structure. The meaning of this may be understood from Fig. 1, which represents a narrow beam containing X-rays of many wave lengths ("general radiation") penetrating a crystal in the direction of the arrow and forming a pattern on the vertical film at the right.

Jan 1, 1945

By A. Perry Thompson

I. GENERAL DISTRIBUTIONS APPEARANCE, AND RELATIONS MINING in Butte has seldom encountered covellite in commercial quantities. The notable occurrences, extending vertically and laterally perhaps several hundred feet, presented scattered, bladed lenses of this mineral in a matrix of quartz, pyrite, enargite, bornite, and chalcocite. But under the microscope covellite is seen to be widespread in the Butte ores, though in such small quantity that megascopic examination will not discover it. In early mining operations covellite was found in the Gray Rock vein, a member of the Blue vein system. As described by Sales,1 it persisted as an occasional ore mineral, associated with quartz, pyrite, tetrahedrite, bornite, chalcocite, and minor amounts of sphalerite, from the 700-ft. to the 1,200-ft. level of the East Gray Rock and Diamond mines. Crushed quartz-monzonite and later quartz completed the vein filling between

Jan 4, 1915

By Alex Hay

THE Sydney coal field, the largest and most valuable in Nova Scotia, is situated on the northeastern coast of the Island of Cape Breton, extending from Mira Bay on the south to Cape Dauphin on the north, a distance of 30 miles, and has a general dip northeast under the sea. (Fig. 1.) The field embraces the mining villages of Morien, Birchgrove and Reserve and the towns of Dominion, Glace Bay, Waterford and Sydney Mines. The city of Sydney is situated about midway between the northern and southern extremities of the field and on the western fringe of the productive coal measures. Sydney harbor crosses the coal field, cutting off direct rail connection between Sydney Mines and the greater part of the field to the southeast. (Fig. 2.) The coal measures are exposed in the cliffs on the coast line, which rise to an average height of 30 ft., and are almost continuous throughout the length of the field. The portion of the coal field under land forms a small segment of a circle, the greatest distance from the coast landwards is 9 miles, and it occupies an area of 200 sq. miles. The greatest distance developed seawards from the shore by mining operations is 2 ¼ miles. The strata maintain a regularity of dip at this distance, proving a submarine area of about 70 sq. miles. How much further the coal field extends seawards is unknown, but the indications are that it extends far beyond the present economical working limit and in all probability there is a vast submarine coal field. The productive coal measures are of Carboniferous age, these being underlaid by beds of sandstone, locally classed as millstone grit, which define the southern limit of the field,, while a spur of syenitic hills cuts off the coal-bearing strata on the north. Two main anticlinal folds having a general course easterly divide the field into three basins named from north to south: Sydney Mines-Lingan, Glace Bay and Morien.

Jan 1, 1929

By E. V. Crane

A TREMENDOUS volume of the metal rolled annually into sheets, strips and coil stock finds its way to a host of stamping and manufacturing plants which are the quantity production units of the country. Considerable in volume, too, are the rolled and extruded rods which go into forging and manufacturing plants for conversion into the same general line: those widely sold metallic necessities and luxuries of the household, the office, transportation, farming and building construction. Yet, in spite of its age and its importance, the stamping trade has been doing its "engineering" largely by trial and error. Its distinctive method is shearing out and plastically working metal to finished shape in a few quick strokes with high loads and expensive tools which are warranted only by large quantities to be produced. The principal operations have many features in common with rolling and wire-drawing methods. Combinations of stresses are different, however, and details of operations are infinite in variety. An engineering study of the subject begins with stress analysis, but must go back to metallurgy for its foundation. A grouping of pressed-metal working operations according to whether the metal is (1) sheared, (2) bent, (3) drawn or (4) squeezed has proved useful. All of these groups include instances of both hot and cold operations. For discussions of metal working properties, the division between hot and cold working is taken as the recrystallization range of temperature. This, of course, brings tin, lead and often zinc into the hot-work range at or near room temperature. The outstanding hot-working press field is in forging: particularly of brass; all of which is included in the squeezing group.

Jan 1, 1931

By J. S. Diller

In 1827, chromite was discovered near Baltimore by Isaac. Tyson, Jr., who initiated the mining of chrome ore and later (1845) the manufacture of chromium compounds in this country. From 1828 to about 1560 the United States, supplanting Russia, supplied chromite for most of the world. Chrome deposits were found also in California, and the Tyson Company shipped ore to Philadelphia by way of Cape Horn. In 1848, J. Lawrence Smith, an American in the employ of the Porte, discovered large bodies of chromite in Asia Minor. They were developed in 1865 and became the chief source of the world's supply for a number of gears. The discovery of the large high-grade bodies in New Caledonia., and later in Rhodesia, with other foreign sources, gives at present an abundant supply for all demands. For a number of years before the great war. the United States produced only a few hundred tons of chromite annually, for local use, but during the war the demand for domestic ore resulted in a production of more than 82,000 long tons of crude ore in 1918, and it was demonstrated that the United States has reserve deposits equal to a war demand of several years' duration. Now that the war is over, the country is con-serving its domestic supplies by employing higher-grade but cheaper ore from foreign countries.

Jan 9, 1919

By W. R. Shimer

In his valuable report on Finishing Temperatures and Properties of Rails,l Dr. G. X. Burgess, Chief of the Division of Metallurgy, U. S. Bureau of Standards, has begun a line of investigation which should be continued by those interested in the subject, and who have proper facilities for carrying out the work. For the past year or more the Bethlehem Steel Co. has been conducting experiments to learn the effect of rail finishing temperatures on their physical properties and microstructure and the results are here given for the consideration of those interested in the rail situation. Considerable differences of opinion have been expressed by various authorities, in the past, as to the effect of large or small grain size and high or low finishing temperatures of steel rails on their physical properties and wearing qualities. Low finishing temperatures and, therefore, low shrinkage, have been advocated on the theory that the wearing qualities would be improved. Others have recommended high finishing temperatures. The generally accepted cause for rail failures, due to the development of transverse fissures, is excessive wheel pressure on hard rails. One of the causes advanced for hard rails has been that they contain too high percentages of carbon and manganese; another that the rails were finished at too low a temperature, i.e., at or near the critical point. In the experiments herein described the rails were rolled from reheated blooms. All the rail blooms were charged hot in a reheating furnace and brought up to about the original ingot-rolling temperature before rolling into rails. These rails gave better results in deflection, withstood a greater number of drops before breaking, and showed greater ductility than rails of identically the same composition and section which were rolled direct from the ingot. Rails rolled from reheated blooms, finished at somewhat higher temperatures than when rolled direct from the ingot, have a different microstructure, which the writer does not believe is due so much to the difference in finishing temperatures, as to the difference in

Jan 1, 1915

[A AALSETH Earl P (M 51) Consult Geol Engr 2019 Eldorado Dr, Billings, Mont ABADIE Henry G (M 43) Asst to. Supt of Oper Long Beach Oil Dev Co 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach 2, Calif. ABBET Waldo (A 56) Asst Diet Oper Supt Sun Oil Co P 0 Box 66, Stowelt, Tex ABBOTT Clifton T (A 60) Apartado 677, Maracaibo, Venezuela ABBOTT Fred E Jr (M 59) Abqaiq Diet Mgr Arabian American Oil Co Dhahran, Saudi Arabia ABBOTT J L (M 56) Partner Pritchard & Abbott 1010 Ft Worth Natl Bk Bldg, Fort Worth 2, Tex ABBOTT Richard H (J 51) Partner Abbott & Howard 422 W Hermosa, San Antonio 12, Tex ABBOTT William G (M 50) Div Mgr Rice Engrg &. Operating Inc Box 1142, Hobbs, N. M. ABDERHALDEN Ronald R (J 59) Prod Engr Continental Oil Co Box 100, Carml, 111]

Jan 1, 1961

By P. L. Allsman

A method of analyzing blasting action indicates that major cost savings are possible by revising practice and bringing the classical blasting formulas up to date; difficult problems such as taconite and throw-breakup can be attacked by engineering Denonation pressure — the peak pressure developed by the explosive reaction; "shatter blasting." Average detonation pressure — the average pressure over the time the reaction continues; "heave blasting." Radial presswe — the stress in a radially expanding sphere about the detonation. Corresponds to the diminishing peak pressure. Lateral stress - the stress in a circumferential direction, induced by outward movement of the rock away from the detonation. Limiting stress or Slim— the rock property at which failure will occur in the case at hand; may be tensile or compressive strength, or combinations. Recent developments in explosives technology, following the advent of nuclear explosions, have led to a rather complete understanding of their action. A survey was made for the purpose of uncovering any knowledge which might be applicable in the mining and quarrying industries, the principal users of explosives. Although no revolutionary techniques have become apparent, much basic data pertaining to blasting — fortunately not classified — have been developed by recent research, from which a good general understanding of the process can be derived. It is hoped this explanation of the scientific principles governing explosive action, together with a proposed analysis of blasting practice, will further the development of mining engineering. NATURE OF THE REACTION: The phenomenon of explosion, termed detonation, is in reality a rather complex chemical reaction, and as such is completely explainable by physical and chemical laws. Detonation is characterized by high temperature and pressure, extreme rapidity — often being complete within one microsecond — and most importantly by formation of a shock pulse which accompanies the reaction zone. As with any chemical reaction, there is a critical value of temperature and pressure below which detonation can not occur; this is termed the "critical point". Whereas an explosive substance will decompose slowly at ordinary temperature, with the formation of gases which readily dissipate; at elevated temperature the reaction is considerably speeded. If pressure is suddenly applied at some point in an explosive medium, adiabatic compression results, and the temperature is locally raised. When the temperature becomes high enough the decomposition will be so rapid that the gaseous products do not have time to dissipate, but contribute to a further build-up of pressure. This, in turn, furthers adiabatic temperature rise over a widening area, and with any heat generated by an exothermic reaction, causes a rapid increase in temperature. Both temperature and pressure are spontaneously built up in this manner until the critical point is reached, resulting in detonation. The values of pressure and temperature necessary to create detonation are established by the unusual nature of the process. If temperature alone is raised above the critical point, without sufficient increase in pressure, deflagration or "low-order detonation" occurs. In the true, or "high-order detonation", the shock pulse resulting from the violent decomposition becomes an integral part of the reaction, and itself aids in increasing the detonation

Jan 1, 1961

By Archer Wheeler

The Boston & Montana Reduction Works at Great Falls, Mont., was formerly the reduction works of the Boston & Montana Consolidated Copper & Silver Mining Co., and continued as the reduction plant for the independent company until .June 1., 1910, when the consolidation of a large number of the operating companies of Butte was effected. It then became merged in the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. as the Boston Montana Reduction Department of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. The history of copper converting at this plant, while not covering the entire period of the commercial use of the process in this country, does cover by far the larger part of it, and as the operations and appliances of the process have undergone many changes during the time, it may, perhaps, be of some interest to put the record of these changes into permanent form. The plan followed in the preparation of this paper has been to give first a brief chronological record of the principal events and changes and then, even at the risk of some repetitions, to give more detailed account, of some of these changes under separate headings. The headings for the complete paper are as follows: 1. General Chronological Review. 10. Development of Different Classes 2. Mechanical Manipulation of Converters After Class I. 3. Casting of Finished Copper. 11. Basic Lining. 4. Tamping of Linings. 12. Number and Size of Tuyeres. 5. Early Acid Linings. 13. Cast Copper Tuyeres. 6. Acid Linings With the Use of Ore. 14. Efficiency of Air. 7. Introduction of Flux Through the 15. Size of Converter Mouth. Tuyeres 16. Height of Converter. 8. Bottom Blast. 17. Summary. 9. Disposal of Converter Slag.

Jan 8, 1913

By Arthur Forsyth

A SEARCH through the available literature shows that the cobalt-nickel-silicon system has not been systematically studied. This seems rather odd because all three elements are fairly abundant and have better than average corrosion resistance; however, they have high melting points, which makes experimental work difficult. Cobalt and nickel form a continuous series of solid solutions and each metal dissolves about 7.5 per cent silicon. Many ternary alloys have been studied and the results have been published in a great many different ways, but to present such data in a short but clear and understandable manner is still a problem. The following pages describe the results of the study of 76 alloys from which the partial ternary diagram (Fig. 1) of the cobalt-nickel-silicon system has been drawn. The alloys were chosen according to the plan in Fig. la by taking definite ratios of cobalt and nickel, such as 70 Ni, 30 Co or 40 Ni, 60 Co, and adding silicon in various percentages. Each section was studied in detail by means of thermal analysis and microscopic examination, but only two of these detailed sections were thought necessary in the point perspective drawing to give a comprehensive picture of the liquidus, solidus and solid transformations that take place over the temperature ranges studied. Complete thermal analyses and microscopic data are given in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1940

By Robert Mehl

A STUDY of the structures arising from the decomposition of the a solid solutions in the Cu-Zn and the Cu-Al systems is of peculiar interest in the study of the mechanism of precipitation from solid solutions. It is possible in these alloys, by varying the composition within the ß field, to precipitate from the same basic lattice phases having different lattice structures. It has been rather generally assumed heretofore that the type of structure originating from the decomposition of a solid solution-the Widmanstätten structure-is determined by the lattice structure of the parent solid solution alone. In the first paper of this series1 evidence was advanced which threw doubt upon this hypothesis; but definite proof of the correctness or incorrectness of the hypothesis should be forthcoming from a study of these alloys, for if the structures originating, for example, from the precipitation of the a phase from ß and of the -y phase from the ß in the Cu-Zn system should be shown to be crystallographically different, the hypothesis would necessarily be held as definitely disproved. Furthermore, the newer proposal enunciated in the first paper of this series-that the origin of the Widmanstätten structure lies in a cooperation between the lattice of the parent solid solution and that of the precipitate-which at present seems the only alternative hypothesis, would in such an event be given added weight. The work here reported shows that the Widmanstätten structures originating in the precipitation of the a phase from the a and in the precipitation of the -y phase from the ß in the Cu-Zn system are indeed crystallographically different; and incidentally presents some new descriptive information on the Widmanstätten structure from a more general point of view.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. W. Mossman

Three aspects of magnetite smelting are discussed. The first is the working out of equilibrium conditions for eliminating sulfur. The second is the influence of magnetite solubility on the difficulty of tapping the reverb matte. The third is an approximation of the equilibrium conditions in the reverb gases which govern whether magnetite is mode or reduced in the reverb slag by these gases and by any iron sulfide in the slag. MAGNETITE has had a varied history in the Hurley Smelter since its start in 1939. Magnetite determinations on the smelter products are made regularly only on the monthly composite samples. Variations on the monthly averages are shown in Table I. Magnetite which drops from the slag and matte in the reverb has some slight bottom buildup which comes and goes, but no substantial accumulation from this source has been found at the end of a normal nine months' furnace campaign. However, there has been some low grade magnetite bearing material mixed with considerable A1,0,, which has slid down from the bottom of the sloping flue between the reverberatory furnace and the waste heat boilers. This accretion has required drilling and blasting near the skimming end of the furnace. The magnetite has interfered with tapping at times. When the smelter was first started, tapping trouble from magnetite was extremely severe. Increasing the reverberatory furnace temperature by putting in an air preheater and a Dutch oven has helped greatly, although there still is occasional tapping trouble. When the present series of physical chemistry articles on copper smelting started coming out in 1950, they were read with interest, but no immediate application was seen for them. Results of some laboratory work in 1952 aroused a much stronger interest in this physical chemistry. A series of melts was made on some converter slags, which had magnetite in very large grain sizes, with the object of reducing the grain sizes in the slag, as it was known that it was easier to handle in the reverb in that condition. Anything done in the tests greatly reduced the grain sizes—even in the controls, where nothing was done except melt the slag and cast it. There was more magnetite in the slags after the tests than before, and with wide variations. There were no obvious reasons lor much of what happened in these tests. Much of the base material published in English in this field was made available for study. Recalculations were made on many of the type problems, and part of the data was reduced to local temperatures and compositions. Explanations were found for what happened in the 1952 series of tests on converter slags, and the same principles turned out to be a description of much of what magnetite does in the reverb. This article is to present the results of that study, from the viewpoint of applying the technical material in definite numerical form to the operating conditions in both the converters and the reverberatory furnaces at the Hurley smelter. Table I. Magnetite Variations on Monthly Averages, 1939 to 1955 Pet Magnetite Lowest Highest Average Converter slag 13.6 43.3 25.4 Roverb slaa 2.7 20.9 8.7 Matte 28 15.9 98 In general it was found that magnetite is made or reduced in both the converters and the rever-beratory furnace, depending on variations of temperature, matte composition, and reverb gas composition occurring in ordinary plant operation. Within reasonable limits, the field conditions for formation or reduction can be predicted, and probably can be set up and maintained. Converter conditions affecting magnetite formation can be put into numerical values better than for the reverb from purely technical calculations. The converter can be operated so as to keep the magnetite in the slag down to between 12 and 14 pct and still give satisfactory life for the converter brick. This depends upon having converter flux available which will make a slag with a good separation without raising the temperature too high. In the Hurley reverb and others with similar conditions, it is likely that a compromise of conditions will give a reasonably good control of combustion and still keep the magnetite from building up on the bottom. This discussion consists of three main parts. The first is the working out of the equilibrium conditions in the converter for determining in which direction the reaction 3 Fe,,O, (s) + FeS (1) F? 10 FeO (1) + SO, will go under actual converter operating conditions. The second deals with the influence of the solubility of magnetite in the slag and matte in the reverb on the difficulty of tapping matte. The third is an approximation of the equilibrium conditions in the

Jan 1, 1957

By Samuel L. Hoyt

Cemented tungsten carbide, a product of a branch of metallurgy which has never possessed more than a relatively minor interest and importance, has recently commanded the attention of engineers, industrialists, financiers and men of business. New methods, new opportunities, new goals, never before considered, have suddenly been brought within the scope of practical realization. It is these results that attract the interest of the world, but we, as engineers and metallurgists, will have equal interest in the product itself and in that branch of metallurgy from which it comes. It seems appropriate, therefore, to speak today on Hard Metal Carbides and Cemented Tungsten Carbide, as the latter represents one of the outstanding developments of recent date in non-ferrous metallurgy. We are interested in the hard metal carbides as a group of related metallic substances and in cemented tungsten carbide as the leading representative of the metallurgy of this group. The literature of this general field is limited, and, bearing this in mind, it seems advisable to attempt to cover the field broadly and to correlate the subject matter, rather than to present a detailed account of any one of its phases. Our annual lecture lends itself admirably to this plan. The quickened interest in cemented tungsten carbide, once its potentialities were recognized, the many sides to the problem of developing the manufacture and use of this new product, and the desire to economize as much as possible in the time of development, have brought many into this work, both in this country and abroad, notably the Osram Lamp Co. and Friedrich Krupp in Germany and the General Electric Co. in this country. It would be presuming too much to attempt to speak too broadly of the present state of the art and science of the hard metal carbides and my remarks arc guided largely by the work done in the General Electric Co., and by our associates in the Carboloy Co. Even here the activities of many in these two groups have centered around the utilization of cemented tungsten carbide, which is outside the scope of this talk. To those whose work is represented in this lecture, it is my pleasant duty to acknowledge their assistance and advice. To Dr. Zay

Jan 1, 1930