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By V. Castranova

"A pneumoconiosis is best defined as the accumulation of dust in the lungs and the tissue's reaction to iu presence. Thus, silicosis is the name given to the fibrotic disease of the lungs caused by inhalation of dust containing silicon dioxide, primarily in the free crystalline form. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), which was originally thought to be a variant of silicosis, results from inhalation of coal mine dust that usually contains relatively small amounts of free crystalline silica.HISTORYSilicosis is the older and more well known of these mineral pneumoconiosis. In contrast, CWP was not recognized as different from silicosis until the pivotal work of Collis and Gilchrist. 26 They noted that coal trimmers, i.e., special stevedores who leveled coal in the holds of ships at the Cardiff and Swansea docks in Wales, developed identical nodules on the chest radiograph to those of underground miners. The difference was that these men had never worked underground and that the coal was washed before it was loaded into ships; thus, it was unlikely that these men were exposed to silica. Gough54 examined the lungs of coal trimmers who died and found that the histologic appearance of the pulmonary lesions was distinctly different from the whorled nodules seen in silicosis. Gough,"" and subsequently Heppleston,"" then showed that the lung lesions in coal trimmers were similar to those in underground coal miners and different from those of classical silicosis. Nagelschmidt 78 analyzed the mineral content of miners' lungs that became available at autopsy. These studies caused him to propose a scheme in which the relative proportions of silica, other minerals, and/or coal deposited in the lungs determined the type of pulmonary response which develops, i.e., classical silicosis, mixed-dust disease, or CWP."

Nov 1, 1995

By ALBERT F. J. BOARDEAUX

(Canal Zone Meeting, November. 191(j.) I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 1. Historical. ALLUVIAL gold was first discovered in Guiana in 1852, in the sands of the Arataye river; by Paulino, a Brazilian convict. During the following years, gold was found also in the rivers Orapu, Cirubé, etc. In 1873 the famous placers of the Sinnamary system were opened: Saint-Elie, Dieu-Merci, Adieu-Tat, and Couriége. This group of mines has produced nearly $10,000,000, according to official records, not including the gold that escaped the taxes. The discoverer was a mulatto named Vitalo. Except in a few rich spots, the gold was rather evenly distributed along the creeks. In one instance, gold was found in the red dirt from the slope of a hill, which, after transport to the creek, gave an amount of 150 kilograms. The placers of the Mana system, Enfin, Elysée, Pas-Trop-Tot, date from 1878, and their production has been about $5,000,000. In 1888, the Awa placers, along the boundary between the French and Dutch Guianas, on the Maroni and its tributaries, were discovered. They have yielded $12,000,000. The only industrial company,, the Dutch Guiana French Mining Co., produced in 15 years about 2,500 kg. of gold, worth $1,500,000. From 1893 dates the famous Carsewene discovery, in territory then in dispute between France and Brazil. A settlement was made recently in favor of Brazil, by arbitration of the Switzerland State Council. Carsewene is said to have pro-duced about $18,000,000 in six years (1894-1900), but not even one-fourth of the production went through French Guiana and

Nov 1, 1910

By Zdenek D. Hora

British Columbia is an important producer of a variety of industrial minerals for both domestic and export markets. Some commodities such as limestone, dolomite, gypsum, calcium carbonate, silica, barite and magnetite are raw materials for well-established industries located in British Columbia, Alberta and northwestern USA. Others, like magnesite, sulphur, jade, asbestos, dimension stone and clay products, are mainly exported in processed form to overseas customers. Companies are developing markets for relatively new mineral products, including pumice, volcanic cinder and zeolites. A number of attractive geological targets have been identified by industry while research by government geologists has outlined the potential for refractory minerals, gemstones, garnet, nepheline syenite, carbonatites, residual kaolin, igneous apatite and peat.

Jan 1, 2001

By W. E. Stiles

A method is presented for predicting the performance of water flooding operations in depleted, or nearly depleted, petroleum reservoirs. The method makes use of permeability variations and the vertical distribution of productive capacity. From these two parameters can be calculated the produced water cut versus the oil recovery. Derivations of the mathematical analogy is shown and sample calculations and curves of prediction are presented. Comparison is made of the predicted and actual performance of a typical 5-spot in an Illinois water flood. INTRODUCTION The use of water as a flooding medium in both depleted and "flush" oil reservoirs is gaining greater recognition and acceptance. Many of the shallower fields, depleted by primary production, have been and are being subjected to water injection in order to obtain some part of the large volume of oil remaining after primary production. Some of the earlier water flood installation proved highly discouraging and the value of water flooding was often questioned. Many of these earlier floods were haphazardly selected and developed as little was known of the physical characteristics and contents of the producing formations. The prior evaluation of the flood performance was impossible. During the past decade the development of the required reservoir engineering tools-—core analysis, reservoir fluid analysis, electric logs, fluid flow formulae, etc.—has allowed the engineer to construct and apply the methods which are presently being used to evaluate the economic and mechanical susceptibility of a reservoir to flooding. This discussion will present a method for taking into account the effect of permeability variations in predicting the performance of water floods in depleted reservoirs. PERMEABILITY AND CAPACITY DISTRIBUTION It is generally agreed by most investigators that in a single phase system fluid will flow in a porous and permeable medium in proportion to the permeability of the medium. Producing formations are usually highly irregular in permeability, both vertically and horizontally. However, zones of higher or lower permeability are often found to exhibit lateral continuity. Thus, while structurally comparable stringers in adjacent wells may differ several fold in permeability values, they usually bear resemblance as being part of a general continuous higher or lower permeability section. It is generally agreed that where such stratification of permeability exists, injected water sweeps first the zones of higher permeability, and it is in these zones that "break-through" first occurs in the producing well. It is a basic assurnption of the presently described method that penetration of a water front follows the individual permeability variations as if such variations were continuous from input to producing well. This is admittedly not rigorously true, but can be justified as making possible a simplifying mathematical approach to an otherwise extremely complicated three dimensional flow problem. As a basis for study of the lateral flow of fluids in formations of irregular permeability, the irregularities may be conveniently represented by a permeability distribution curve and a capacity distribution curve. In obtaining these curves, the permeability values, regardless of their structural position in the formation, are rearranged in order of decreasing permeability. If these permeability values so arranged are plotted against the cumulative thickness, a permeability distribu- tion curve is obtained. This curve may then be likened to a "smoothed" permeability profile of the formation. In making comparison between different distribution curves it is convenient to state the permeabilities in terms of the ratio of the actual permeability values to the average permeability of the formation. These ratios termed "dimensionless permeabilities", are used in this paper rather than the permeabilities in terms of millidarcys. The capacity distribution curve is a lot of the cumulative capacity (starting with the highest permeabilities) versus the cumulative thickness. The capacity and thickness are given as fractions of the total capacity and thickness. Mathematically, the capacity distribution is the intergration of the permeability distribution curve. In practice it is convenient to first obtain the capacity distribution curve and derive from it a smoothed dimen-sionaless permeability curve. The method of obtaining the capacity distribution curve is illustrated in the successive column of Table 1, in which capacity and thickness are derived as fractions of their respective totals. If only a small number of permeability values are available, it is generally desirable to smooth the resultant curve. This has been done to give the capacity distribution curve shown in Figure 1. The differentiation of the capacity distribution curve to obtain the permeability distribution curve is shown in Table 2. Here, the capacity values are read from the smoothed curve at intervals of cumulative thickness, and the increments of capacity are divided by the increments of thickness to obtain the dimensionless permeability, K. Due to this stepwise procedure of calculation these premeability values must be plotted at the midpoints of the successive increments of thickness. The curve so obtained from these data is shown in Figure 1. The total area under the K' curve is equal to unity.

Jan 1, 1949

By W. E. Stiles

A method is presented for predicting the performance of water flooding operations in depleted, or nearly depleted, petroleum reservoirs. The method makes use of permeability variations and the vertical distribution of productive capacity. From these two parameters can be calculated the produced water cut versus the oil recovery. Derivations of the mathematical analogy is shown and sample calculations and curves of prediction are presented. Comparison is made of the predicted and actual performance of a typical 5-spot in an Illinois water flood. INTRODUCTION The use of water as a flooding medium in both depleted and "flush" oil reservoirs is gaining greater recognition and acceptance. Many of the shallower fields, depleted by primary production, have been and are being subjected to water injection in order to obtain some part of the large volume of oil remaining after primary production. Some of the earlier water flood installation proved highly discouraging and the value of water flooding was often questioned. Many of these earlier floods were haphazardly selected and developed as little was known of the physical characteristics and contents of the producing formations. The prior evaluation of the flood performance was impossible. During the past decade the development of the required reservoir engineering tools-—core analysis, reservoir fluid analysis, electric logs, fluid flow formulae, etc.—has allowed the engineer to construct and apply the methods which are presently being used to evaluate the economic and mechanical susceptibility of a reservoir to flooding. This discussion will present a method for taking into account the effect of permeability variations in predicting the performance of water floods in depleted reservoirs. PERMEABILITY AND CAPACITY DISTRIBUTION It is generally agreed by most investigators that in a single phase system fluid will flow in a porous and permeable medium in proportion to the permeability of the medium. Producing formations are usually highly irregular in permeability, both vertically and horizontally. However, zones of higher or lower permeability are often found to exhibit lateral continuity. Thus, while structurally comparable stringers in adjacent wells may differ several fold in permeability values, they usually bear resemblance as being part of a general continuous higher or lower permeability section. It is generally agreed that where such stratification of permeability exists, injected water sweeps first the zones of higher permeability, and it is in these zones that "break-through" first occurs in the producing well. It is a basic assurnption of the presently described method that penetration of a water front follows the individual permeability variations as if such variations were continuous from input to producing well. This is admittedly not rigorously true, but can be justified as making possible a simplifying mathematical approach to an otherwise extremely complicated three dimensional flow problem. As a basis for study of the lateral flow of fluids in formations of irregular permeability, the irregularities may be conveniently represented by a permeability distribution curve and a capacity distribution curve. In obtaining these curves, the permeability values, regardless of their structural position in the formation, are rearranged in order of decreasing permeability. If these permeability values so arranged are plotted against the cumulative thickness, a permeability distribu- tion curve is obtained. This curve may then be likened to a "smoothed" permeability profile of the formation. In making comparison between different distribution curves it is convenient to state the permeabilities in terms of the ratio of the actual permeability values to the average permeability of the formation. These ratios termed "dimensionless permeabilities", are used in this paper rather than the permeabilities in terms of millidarcys. The capacity distribution curve is a lot of the cumulative capacity (starting with the highest permeabilities) versus the cumulative thickness. The capacity and thickness are given as fractions of the total capacity and thickness. Mathematically, the capacity distribution is the intergration of the permeability distribution curve. In practice it is convenient to first obtain the capacity distribution curve and derive from it a smoothed dimen-sionaless permeability curve. The method of obtaining the capacity distribution curve is illustrated in the successive column of Table 1, in which capacity and thickness are derived as fractions of their respective totals. If only a small number of permeability values are available, it is generally desirable to smooth the resultant curve. This has been done to give the capacity distribution curve shown in Figure 1. The differentiation of the capacity distribution curve to obtain the permeability distribution curve is shown in Table 2. Here, the capacity values are read from the smoothed curve at intervals of cumulative thickness, and the increments of capacity are divided by the increments of thickness to obtain the dimensionless permeability, K. Due to this stepwise procedure of calculation these premeability values must be plotted at the midpoints of the successive increments of thickness. The curve so obtained from these data is shown in Figure 1. The total area under the K' curve is equal to unity.

Jan 1, 1949

By Morris Cohen, Robert C. Ruhl

The phases in Fe-C alloys over a wide composition range have been studied after splal quenching from the liquid state. Binary alloys containing 0 to 5.1 wt pel C as /cell as a large number of ternary Fe-C-Si alloys with 2.5 to 5.0 wt pct C and 0.3 to 5.1 wt pct Si were attlong those sludied. Olher Fe-C-X alloys, zcilh X being Co, Cr, ,Wn, Ni, and Ru , were also inrestigated after splat quenching. At high carbon contents, a new hcp phase (designaled 6 phase, but different from e carbide) is retained upon splat quenching. The .fraction of this phase varies up lo 97 pcl for a Fe-4.K-1.9% alloy. The composition of the E phase ranges from about 3.8 10 4.8 wt pet C, and the corresponding laltice parameters increase linearly ulith carbon content, while the c/a ratio remains essentially conslc~nl. The E phrtse appears to he a solulion of carbon in E iron, the latler being nornially found only at high pressures. It is deduced that the unit cell of the E phase corresponds to the formula Fe12C3, and llzal il is relaled to tlie ordered slruclures 0.f 6 iron carbide and c iron nilride. The E phase is compared and contrasted to the olher known carbides and nitrides of iron and nickel. An exlrapolaTion of the atomic volume 1,s carhon conlent of /he E pllase lzcts giz.en a neu7 estitnale jor /he alomic volume of E iron, 11.30 cu A, a1 atmospheric pressure and temperature. Other alomic volume relalionships lead to /he co~zpositioti Fe2.iC tor E iron carbide, /he unit cell fortr~ula being -Fe2rClo The E phase undergoes a lulo-slage decomposition upon healing, .forrning firsl rnarlensile plus E carhide, a/ler 1 hr at 140" lo 200°C, slid then ferr ite Plus cementile, after 1 lir a1 330" to 460°C. A1 carbo,l contents between 1.5 and 3.0 LC/ pcl, (he predo.wirzar/t plzase alley quenching is fcc austenite. The retained carbon content of this phase increases with itlcreasing silicon in certain concentration ranges, reaching a maximum of 2.37 wt pct C itz a Fe-2.6C-4.OSi alloy. This is the highest carbon conten1 reLaitled in austenite to date. These high-carbon aus-tenites can be partially tm?zsforttled lo tnartensile hy severe deformation in the temperature range of — 190 to -50°C. TECHNIQUES for splat quenching from the liquid state have been utilized in numerous recent investigations to produce metastable phases in a variety of alloy systems. Among the several ways of splat quenching, the shock-tube method appears to yield the highest cooling rates1-3, 7, 8 and was adopted here. Estimated cooling rates attained in the present experiments ranged from 10' to 10 80Cper sec.' As a part of a research program on interstitial al- loy phases, the Fe-C system was selected for splat-quenching studies. It was hoped that splat quenching would allow high metastable supersaturations of carbon to be retained in solution. Also of considerable interest were the conditions governing the occurrence of the various intermediate phases upon solidification. The alloys investigated included both binary Fe-C compositions as well as six ternary Fe-C-X alloy systems. The known phases in the Fe-C system are summarized in Table I.* Only the ferrite and graphite are ent investigation.14 and is described in detail herein Table II summarizes corresponding data on Fe-N phases, which are also of interest here because of their similarity to the Fe-C phases. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES Alloys were prepared by melting the elements. 99.9 pct purity, in an inert gas nonconsumable electrode arc furnace. The buttons. weighing about 5 g. were remelted twice. were then fragmented. and their interior surfaces were examined for uniformity: if any doubt existed. they were remelted again. Chemical analyses were performed on all the alloys. the accuracy being about k0.05 wt pct. At high temperatures, carbon-containing alloys react with alumina crucibles as follows: If the atmosphere in the splat-quenching furnace does not contain sufficient carbon monoxide the alloy can be depleted of carbon and contaminated with aluminum. Calculations and experimental observations showed that 50 to 100 torr CO partial pressure effectively blocked the above reaction in all the alloys investigated. The splat-quenching equipment in Figs. 1 and 2 provides for evacuation and back-filling with CO-Ar mixtures. The furnace is capable of operation up to 1650°C. and the gettering action of the graphite heating element reduces the oxygen partial pressure in the furnace atmosphere to below 10-5 torr, thus preventing oxidation of the specimens.

Jan 1, 1970

By C. G. Dunn

According to a recently suggested effect of silicon on the re recrystallization textures of high-purity Fe-Si alloys with (111)[112] type rolling textures, the recrystallization texture for a rolled (110)[001] oriented iron crystal probably should be entirely different from that of a (110)[001] oriented 3 pct Si-Fe crystal. Comparative studies of iron and 3 pct Si-Fe crystals, however, show that both have (110)[Ool] recrystallization textures when the rolling textures are the (111)[112] type after reductions in thickness of about 70 pct. Qualitatively the results from the iron crystal are like those of polycrystalline high-purity 3 pct Si-Fe and not like polycrys-talline high-purity iron. The large effect previously noted probably involves unknown impurities or processing variables rather than silicon itself. Some problems on experimental and analytical procedure for a spherical X-ray specimen, which was machined from a laminated composite of sheet specimens, are treated in the Appendix. A possible strong effect of silicon on the textures produced in cold-rolled high-purity Fe-Si (HPFe-Si) alloys during primary recrystallization and normal grain growth was suggested in a recent paper.' All the textures were far from the random-orientation type, but that of iron, or of Fe-Si alloys of low silicon composition, was entirely different from the texture of 3 pct Si-Fe. The same effect was noted for the textures obtained prior to normal grain growth, i.e., for primary recrystallization.2 It is the main purpose of the present paper to provide some clarification of this silicon effect. All the HPFe-Si alloys from zero to 3 pct Si, which were rolled by two or more stages separated by anneals, developed (111)[112] type rolling textures.2 Thus, there was no effect of silicon on the rolling textures. Earlier, Gensamer and Mehl3 also found no effect of silicon on the rolling textures of Fe-Si alloys; they obtained the Kurdjum.ow and Sachs (K-S) rolling texture for iron,4 which is characterized as the three ideal components: (100)[011], (112)[li0], and (111)[112]. There is a difference between the HPFe-Si multiple-stage rolling texture and the K-S single-stage rolling texture, but this is a variable processing effect. Of interest here is the fact that the recrystallization textures from (111) [llZ] type rolling textures were different depending on the amount of silicon in the alloy. There was a relatively strong (110) [001] component in the recrystallization texture of HP 3 pct Si-Fe5,8,2 but no such component in HP 0.6 pct Si-Fe, for example; the recrystallization texture for the latter was two (111) [110] type components and a (111) fiber component 1,2 Several publications have shown that a strong (110) [001] recrystallization texture is derivable from a (111) [112] type rolling texture for 3 pct Si-Fe crystals reduced in thickness by about 70 pct.7-10 Furthermore it appears that the strongest of these (110) [001] recrystallization textures occurred when the orientation of the crystal prior to rolling was (110) [001].7 Barrett and evensoon11 found that the rolling texture of a (110)[001] oriented iron crystal was (111) [llj]. Accordingly, it seemed desirable to determine whether a (110) [001] oriented iron crystal, upon rolling and annealing, would behave like the 3 pct Si-Fe crystal (or the polycrystalline HP 3 pct Si-Fe) and thus produce a (110) [001] recrystallization texture contrary to the suggested silicon effect, or would behave like the polycry stalline HP iron or HP 0.6 pct Si-Fe and thus produce (lll) [110] type components in agreement with a silicon effect. Briefly, the idea here involves the use of more precisely defined textures to obtain if possible better control of important variables that affect the recrystallization process. PROCEDURE A (110) oriented crystal of Ferrovac "E" iron (99.9 pct pure) was prepared in sheet form 0.080 in. thick with the [001] direction parallel to the long dimension of the specimen.'' This crystal was etched to 0.073 in. thickness (to remove some small included grains) and then was cold rolled in a 6-in.-diam mill to a final thickness of 0.022 in. The rolling was unidirectional except for an inadvertent reversal at 0.061 in. thickness. At this thickness, and also at 0.040 in., the rolling was interrupted for transmission Laue photographs. Molybdenum Ka-radiation filtered with zirconium was used in a transmission method1' to obtain the cold-rolled (110) pole figure. The sample was a 0.002-in.-thick section taken from the central region of the 0.022-in.-thick cold-rolled crystal. For the primary recrystallization study, cold-rolled samples were etched from 0.022 to 0.021 in. thick and annealed in hydrogen at 850°C. Primary recrystallization to a fine-grained structure, Fig. 1, was obtained in a 5-min anneal. Eleven sheets after

Jan 1, 1963

By John Batchelder

The Copper Canyon Cu-Au-Ag deposits include two geologically distinct hypogene ore bodies developed primarily in late Paleozoic rocks adjacent to a 38-m.y.-old potassic-altered granodiorite, whose emplacement seems to have been controlled largely by the Virgin fault, a north-striking normal fault. Widespread but subeconomic concentrations of sulfides as fracture and cavity fillings in skarn apparently preceded the final intrusion of the granodiorite. In the west ore body, metals reached ore-grade concentrations through the massive replacement of andradite by chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite mineral assemblages. The east ore body probably formed after the granodiorite reached its present level. Calculated 6dD values of water in equilibrium with primary and secondary biotites range from -76 to -99 per mil at temperatures indicated by d180 values from coexisting quartz and biotite. The lightest values are in secondary biotite from the east ore body. These data suggest that fluids associated with potassic alteration here were most likely composed of magmatic water mixed with some meteoric water.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. T. Robson

ONE of the problems encountered in any mine is the effect of increasing pressure manifested by increasing depth. Although the depth at which excessive pressure assumes serious proportion, and the manner in which it appears in underground workings, are influenced by a variety of factors, nevertheless the difficulty is present in all mines and its gravity increases with increasing depth. In the Kirkland Lake camp, as far back as seven years ago, mining had proceeded to depths sufficient to result in the formation of pressure great enough to cause violent disruption of masses of rock. It is proposed in this paper to deal with the effect of pressure caused by mining as observed at Lake Shore Mines, and to describe some of the methods which have been adopted to counteract it. There are many contributing factors in a study of the problem, and results vary widely in individual mines and in different localities. One feature common to all, however, is that there is ground subsidence, evidenced either by a gradual settling accompanied by crushing and shearing of the ore and wall-rocks, or the disruption of the ground surrounding the periphery of an excavation may take place suddenly, attended by more or less violent shattering of the rocks. Such violent failure of a mass of rock has been designated by the term rock-burst. The history of rock-bursts extends over a great number of years. They have occurred in some form or other in practically ali places where mining operations, at all but very shallow depths, have been carried out. Since the theoretical aspects of the subject have been dealt 'with at great length by capable and experienced writers (1), the present paper will give only a brief résumé of the theories propounded by those engaged in deep mining operations in various parts of the world.

Jan 1, 1940

By W. C. Streib

A wide variety of materials have satisfactory to superior insulating properties and can be used to control the flow of heat, provide energy savings, improve personal comfort and contribute to personal safety. Such materials range from completely organic products--both of natural origin and synthetics--to completely inorganic. In many cases, thermal protective systems are actually combinations of both. Obviously, those insulating materials which are principally inorganic have the inherent advantages of low to minimal combustibility as well as utility at vastly elevated temperatures. Both of these properties are highly desirable in providing not only thermal energy conservation, but also personal safety in residential and commercial applications. As the thermal insulation needs of man and industry have developed, there has been an ever-increasing demand on the minerals industry to provide the resources required to fill these needs. On a global scale, industrial minerals have become the fundamental base upon which today's thermal insulation industry has been built. The use of minerals to control heat flow range from the most unsophisticated applications to those requiring the ultimate in scientific technology. In many cases the minerals are themselves converted in- to the major insulating media; for example, fiber glass, rock wool or refractory fiber. In other cases, minerals are used as the chemical reactants to form the binder matrix which in turn provides the product strength required for adequate handling and installation; for example, calcium silicate bonded products wherein the binder is the reaction product of lime and silica. In still other cases, low density mineral products are added to a high density binder System to provide lower weight and better insulating properties; for example, the use of expanded perlite in concrete.

Jan 1, 1976

By E. Petrakis, K. Komnitsas

The main objective of batch grinding modeling is the estimation of the product particle size distribution over time or specific energy input to the mill. So far, the developed analytical methods require often complicated calculations which are timeconsuming. Thus, more simple approaches that allow the reliable prediction of the complete product size distribution need to be developed. In the present paper, an approach, based on the population balance model (PBM), that reliably predicts the product size distribution is proposed. In order to enable this, the simplified form of the fundamental batch grinding equation was transformed into the well-known Rosin–Rammler (R-R) distribution, thus allowing the determination of the breakage rate for each grinding period. A time-dependent breakage rate framework was developed where the traditional linear theory of the PBM is considered a partial case. This approach allows the deviations from the linear theory to be categorized and the degree of the acceleration-deceleration of the breakage rate to be predicted. Modeling results were validated by laboratory grinding studies using two homogeneous materials, quartz and marble, and one heterogeneous, a limonitic laterite. The experimental data revealed that grinding exhibits non-first-order behavior and the degree of deviation from the linear theory depends on the tested material. The reliability of the proposed model was validated with the use of the distribution modulus n, the a value of the breakage rate parameter, and the optimum n values that minimize the sum of the differences between the experimental and estimated particle size distributions.

Feb 8, 2021

By E. H. Bentzen

The purpose of this paper is to explain the production of sand for glass manufacturing and the reasoning behind the sand specifications set by the glass industry. In order to discuss the production of glass sand, there is a need to understand what glass is and how it is made. Therefore this paper discusses glass, as well as sand beneficiation.

Jan 1, 1977

By G. W. Jones

In the course of experiments on the stabilization of acetylene gas by addition of other gases, notably hydrocarbons such as methane, propane, and butane, it was observed that large quantities of carbon black are produced during the explosion of acetylene or mixtures of acetylene with the, above hydrocarbons, the added hydrocarbon being essentially decomposed into hydrogen and carbon. It is known that in the complete absence of air acetylene explodes upon application of an intense ignition source at pressure above 5.9 p.s.i. gage. The same is true of mixtures of hydrocarbons and acetylene. However, the pressures necessary for explosion are considerably higher in the case of these mixtures and depend on the amount of added hydrocarbon. The present report contains data on gaseous products and the physical characteristics of the carbon black formed by explosion at elevated pressures of various mixtures of acetylene and hydrocarbons as well as other gases, such as hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Jan 1, 1950

By Floyd D. Everett

The Cougar Spar property is in southwestern Beaver County, Utah, approximately 35 miles by road northwest of Lund, a station on the mainline of the Union Pacific Railroad (fig. 1). Original fluorspar discoveries on the property were made a. short time before 1941. During 1941 lessees produced approximately 600 tons of ores averaging 40 percent CaF2. Bureau of Mines engineers examined the property in 1942 and recommended development. Work was begun in December 1942 and completed in October 1943. The area was mapped by members of the Federal Geological Survey during the project period. Development included surface trenching; drifting, and crosscutting, a short distance below the outcrop. The surface work comprised a total of 440 linear feet of bulldozer and hand trenches. A total of 550 feet of workings was driven on the 100-foot level. Samples were taken for assay from the trench exposures and from the underground workings as work progressed. Pocks in the area of the Cougar Spar property are igneous and consist mainly of fine-grained tuff and quartz monzonite porphyry. The fluorspar mineralization occurs in a northwest fault zone.

Jan 1, 1951

By E. W. Williams

THE Ontario Research Foundation has developed a process for producing low-density steel shapes by direct reduction of iron oxide powders. The process is a combination of reduction, sintering (without compaction), and carburizing, and has been described by Cavanagh (1). Iron oxide powder, in the form of mill scale or highly concentrated iron ore, carefully sized, is poured into a porous mould. A reducing agent, generally coke breeze, is placed around this mould in a heat resistant sagger which is sealed off and heated to 2,000°F. for a number of hours. The coke/ ore ratio, the particle size distribution, the temperature and time of soaking, and the size and shape of the reduced product, determine the densities and carbon contents attained. The Defence Research Board sponsored a programme of research into some of the mechanical properties of the material (which was named Controlled Density Steel) and this paper is an account of various factors which govern the tensile strength of the steel. The ?practically attainable range of density is from 1.5 to 5.5 gm./ cc. but higher densities are obtained on hot working. This paper, however, is restricted to discussion of results for moulded products.

Jan 1, 1957

By R. A. Guidotti

The Federal Bureau of Mines studied the thermal decomposition of the nitrides of the Group V A metals (CbN, Ta3N5, and VN) with the goal of preparing high-purity metals. Solid-state purification and arc and electron-beam melting were examined. Electron-beam melting proved to be the most efficient means of nitrogen and oxygen removal. Columbium and tantalum of 99.9-pct purity were prepared by this technique; in the case of vanadium, however, nitrogen could not be reduced below the solid-solution level.

Jan 1, 1976

By F. K. McKean

Introduction The present paper may be considered as a sequel to a paper, A Process for Cleaning Molybdenite .Concentrate, which was presented by the author at the annual meeting of the Institute last year. In that paper, a description was given of the laboratory work leading up to the adoption of a new process for treating complex molybdenite ores of the Molybdenite Corporation of Canada. A bare outline of mill performance with the new flow-sheet was included. With this writing, the purpose is to describe the highly interesting work of translating laboratory experience into mill practice, to show what changes were required in design to put the scheme on an operational basis, and to point out the gratifying improvements in mill products which resulted from the new procedure. The process has been placed in operation at the La Corne mine of the Molybdenite Corporation of Canada. This mine was operated during the war by Wartime Metals Corporation, and, earlier, by the Molybdenite Reduction Company, which installed a small plant. The property is situated on the highway from Amos to Val d'Or, Quebec. The claims held by the Company are at the boundary between La Corne and Vassan townships.

Jan 1, 1947

By M. du Plessis, D. F. Malan

"Crush pillars are designed to be in a crushed state whilst being formed at the mining face. The residual stress state of these failed pillars provides a local support function in mining stopes and is used in the majority of the intermediate depth South African platinum mines. On mines utilising crush pillars, the pillar dimensions are selected to achieve a width to height ratio of approximately two. This is not achieved in most cases as a result of practical mining problems and poor pillar-cutting discipline. Furthermore, pillar dimensions are seldom adjusted to compensate for the various factors governing crush pillar behaviour. The pillars should, however, be in a crushed state whilst being formed or whilst still in close proximity to the mining face to prevent potential damaging seismicity.An underground investigation was conducted into the behaviour of the crush pillars in a trial site on the Merensky Reef at Lonmin Plc. The aim of this investigation was to examine the mechanism of pillar crushing and the related rock mass behaviour. The underground test results and pillar behaviour are compared to a limit equilibrium model to investigate if the model provides a useful approximation of the behaviour of the crush pillars. This paper details some of the preliminary findings.INTRODUCTIONOn most mining operations, the design of crush pillars is based on trial and error. As the pillar strength is unknown, the pillar sizes are adjusted to obtain the correct behaviour. Crush pillar dimensions are generally selected to give a width to height ratio (w:h) of approximately 2:1, (Ryder and Jager, 2002). Several factors affect the behaviour of the crush pillars and in many cases satisfactory pillar crushing is not achieved. This results in a seismic hazard in many of the mines using crush pillars. If pillar crushing is not initiated whilst the pillar is being formed at the mining face, as the mining face advances and the pillars move to the back area of a stope, some pillars may burst while oversized pillars may punch into the footwall. If pillars are designed in such a way that they are fractured during cutting by the face abutment stresses so that the pillars will already have yielded and reached their residual strength, further compression of the pillars will be associated with an increase in load and stability will be ensured, (Ozbay and Roberts, 1988). The stiffness of the strata must therefore be greater than the post-peak stiffness of the pillar (Figure 1) or violent pillar failure and hanging wall instability will occur. The pillar design should be aimed at determining pillar dimensions for which the post-peak curve of the pillar is as flat as possible."

Jan 1, 2015

By R Wynn, R A. Pax, S Mann, B Cornish

The semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill at the MMG Century operation has failing load cells that are essential to the control strategy used to stabilise the mill. Currently, mill-bearing pressure is used as a proxy for the load cells, but it has been found to be a noisy signal and lacking in useful sensitivity. It is also prone to variations and drift due to temperature. After consideration of a number of options, a non-contact acoustic array has been installed around the SAG mill to provide a more stable proxy load signal as well as other information about the internal operation of the?mill.The installation consists of 12 microphones to provide some detail into the operational differences that occur during normal operations at the MMG Century SAG mill. This acoustic approach acknowledges that operational grinding mills emit significant acoustic emissions that are a consequence of the dynamic environment prevailing inside them.Previous studies have attributed the acoustic noise to a range of events that occur inside these mills (Pax, 2011; 2012). Consequently, non-contact acoustic determinations of in-mill behaviour can provide powerful insights into the operation of the primary comminution tumbling mills. By measuring key microphone signal attributes at different positions around a mill, a holistic picture of mill internal operation can be developed.This paper will describe the installation of the 12 microphones and discuss the use of the acoustic load signals as a proxy for failing load cells. It will also present data from new observations of internal mill dynamics and the results of implementation of control using these acoustic signals. Key to the control approach has been the development of a logically coherent picture of the processes inside the mill.CITATION:Pax, R A, Wynn, R, Mann, S and Cornish, B, 2014. Implementation of acoustic arrays for semi-autogenous grinding mill?operation, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 273–282 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 1, 2014

By I. L. Feld

This report describes an attrition-grinding process and equipment for grinding coarse kaolins to the 2-micron particle-size range. The research was undertaken by the Bureau of Mines to devise an acceptable method for converting coarse kaolins, such as paper-filler-grade clays, to paper-coating-grade clays, thereby increasing the value and extending the life of the southeastern paper-clay deposits. The attrition-grinding process is basically the intense agitation of a slurry composed of the material to be ground, a granular grinding medium, and a suspending fluid. This process gave better particle-size reduction than that obtained by several other grinding methods. Results of batch tests in 5-and 10-inch-diameter attrition grinders demonstrated that a coarse kaolin containing about 13 percent minus 2-micron, equivalent spherical diameter (e.s.d.) particles was readily ground to give a product with 88 percent minus 2-micron e.s.d. material. Power consumption was reasonable in view of the increased value of the ground material. Comparison of particle-size reduction with power-consumption data for the two units indicated that better performance was obtained with the larger machine.

Jan 1, 1960