Search Documents

By Earl Oliver

Dean Roscoe Pound, of Harvard Law School, in addressing the A.I.M.E. Petroleum Division on Feb. 22, 1934, said, "When you are able to work out a program that is mechanically feasible, that is economicaIly advisable, and which seems in your judgment, which is just as good as that of anyone, to be politically wise, you will not have very much trouble in the end in inducing the courts of today to find that it is legally sound." The purpose of this paper is to show: first, legal conditions necessary to promote conservation and stabilization; and second, to suggest operating procedure when those legal conditions are established. The proposal is mechanically feasible and economically advisable. A growing public understanding should make it politically wise. The disappointing progress in the development of conservation and stabilization can be attributed to the lack of two legal concepts as integral parts of oil and gas law; i.e., (1) a practical substitute for the capture rule, (2) collective ownership control for the individual oil and gas pool. When these two concepts are established on an equitable basis, conservation and stabilization procedure will become a comparatively simple process, more or less automatic in its adaptation and operation. Establishing these concepts is the function of the law-making agencies and might well be left to them for discussion except that the mechanical processes that give them form and substance must first be developed by the engineer. A Substitute for the Capture Rule Much has been written on these subjects, but the most concrete statement that has come to the attention of this writer is the following from an article by Charles G. Haglund in the Kentucky Law Journal of May, 1934: The Oxford1 case is not only authority for the proposition that it is competent for the legislature to modify the old property law of capture with respect to oil and gas but that it may also delegate such authority to a subordinate body.

Jan 1, 1935

By Hamilton Wingate

In view of the fact that the fineness of the resultant bullion varies with the particular treatment to which the zinc-precipitate is subjected, and since there are considerable losses attributed to both methods, the following notes on the results obtained at the Waitekauri Extended mine, Maratoto, N. Z., may be of interest. The ordinary method of roasting the vacuum-dried precipitate was adopted instead of the treatment with sulphuric acid, the necessary facilities for the latter method not being available. Moreover, provided the ordinary method is carried out with the necessary care, it is questionable if it is not the most satisfactory where large quantities of precipitate have to be handled, and where (as is generally the case in this district) a considerable amount of silver is present. All the precipitate was first washed through a 40-mesh sieve. If it was necessary to recover the bullion at once from the accumulated short zinc, it was oxidized and melted separately; but, as a general rule, being heavily charged with bullion, it was placed on the bottom of the trays at, the top end of the extractor-boxes, where it acted as an excellent precipitant, the bullion being recovered at the next clean-up. After drying on a filter with the aid of a vacuum-pump, the precipitate was weighed and removed to the oxidizing furnace, which is similar to that generally in use in New Zealand, consisting essentially of an ordinary square tray of cast-iron, with 6-in. sides, built over a brick furnace. Wood is used as fuel. The tray is hooded over with sheet-iron, fitted with a sliding-door, and the fumes pass through a flue at the top into a dust-chamber, then into the open air. Oxidation of the Precipitate.—The oxidation was conducted first at a low temperature, which was gradually raised, until

Jan 1, 1903

By Martin Mayers

FIVE-SIXTHS of all the coal that is mined in the United States is burned, without previous treatment other than screening, for the produc-tion of heat and power, so that its value is fixed by its suitability for this purpose. Nevertheless, the characteristics of individual coals that determine their fitness for use in particular pieces of combustion equip-ment are not yet well known. This condition is due not only to the small extent of our knowledge concerning coal itself, but also to our compara-tive ignorance of the nature of the combustion process. The following paper is an analysis of the combustion process as it occurs in industrial furnaces, based largely on the results of laboratory research on combus-tion rates. From this analysis it is possible to determine the characteris-tics of the fuel that limit the capacity of a given piece of combustion equipment. Limitations imposed by other factors than the attainable speed of combustion will not be considered, since they are subject to a different type of analysis involving the balancing of maintenance costs against fixed charges. In order to observe the relations among the various factors that affect the speed of combustion, representative particles of fuel will be followed through two types of furnaces. A pulverized-coal furnace will be con-sidered first, because the independence of the individual particles facili-tates the analysis of the effect of furnace conditions. The second example will be a grate-fired furnace in which ignition of the fuel takes place on the underfeed principle. This includes both underfeed and chain grate stokers,(8)? but does not include hand-fired furnaces and some overfeed stokers. The furnace will be considered to be large enough, the tempera-ture high enough, and enough air provided, to burn the fuel completely, without, for the moment, specifying these quantities more completely.

Jan 1, 1934

By Burnham E. Field

The chemical industry is constantly looking for new materials which either are more resistant to corrosion than those now available or have improved physical properties to meet the requirements of higher temperatures and greater pressures. Attack by acids is one of the more important forms of corrosion and in the last few years the development of acid-resistant alloys has been quite rapid. Perhaps the most notable example is that of nitric acid, the problem of which has largely been solved by the chromium-iron and chromium-iron-nickel alloys. Sulfuric acid may be handled in lead, iron, or the iron-silicon alloys, depending on conditions. As to hydrochloric acid, no metal or alloy can be called entirely satisfactory for handling this acid under plant conditions.' The results of our investigations on the resistance of the nickel-molybdenum alloys to hydrochloric acid have been confirmed by those of Guertler, Rohn, Schulz, Jenge, and others12 but thus far only one such alloy has approached commercial production in Germany; this contains approximately 15 per cent. chromium and 7 per cent. molybdenum with the remainder chiefly nickel. Dr. S. W. Parr, as far back as 1914, developed a complex alloy known as "illium," with a nickel base and containing some molybdenum. 3 Dr. Parr was primarily interested in an alloy for lining bomb calorimeters, and while illium does show good resistance to acid it is too expensive for general use. Two United States

Jan 1, 1929

By Burnham E. Field

The chemical industry is constantly looking for new materials which either are more resistant to corrosion than those now available or have improved physical properties to meet the requirements of higher temperatures and greater pressures. Attack by acids is one of the more important forms of corrosion and in the last few years the development of acid-resistant alloys has been quite rapid. Perhaps the most notable example is that of nitric acid, the problem of which has largely been solved by the chromium-iron and chromium-iron-nickel alloys. Sulfuric acid may be handled in lead, iron, or the iron-silicon alloys, depending on conditions. As to hydrochloric acid, no metal or alloy can be called entirely satisfactory for handling this acid under plant conditions.' The results of our investigations on the resistance of the nickel-molybdenum alloys to hydrochloric acid have been confirmed by those of Guertler, Rohn, Schulz, Jenge, and others12 but thus far only one such alloy has approached commercial production in Germany; this contains approximately 15 per cent. chromium and 7 per cent. molybdenum with the remainder chiefly nickel. Dr. S. W. Parr, as far back as 1914, developed a complex alloy known as "illium," with a nickel base and containing some molybdenum. 3 Dr. Parr was primarily interested in an alloy for lining bomb calorimeters, and while illium does show good resistance to acid it is too expensive for general use. Two United States

Jan 1, 1929

By O. P. Hood

None of the methods now in use for the transportation of materials underground is entirely free from more or less serious objection.

Jan 1, 1915

By Irving M. Symonds

COMPA[N]IA Minera de Penoles, S. A., at its Avalos unit operates a lead-zinc concentrator having a capacity of about 600 short tons per day. Lead and zinc concentrates are made by flotation methods. The concentrator is at Terminal de Providencia, in the state of Zacatecas, some 70 miles south of Saltillo, Coahuila. The Pe[n]oles-Avalos railroad operating between the plant and Estacion Avalos, a distance of 6 miles, makes connections with the Coahuila and Zacatecas railroad, which in turn connects with the Nacionales de Mexico at Saltillo. The three railroads are each of different gauge, requiring the transfer of all supplies and concentrates at each junction. The mill operates on company ores, on ores from leased mines, and as a custom mill. The custom business is very small. The lead concentrates are shipped to company smelters at Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and Torréon, Coahuila. Since the European war, all zinc concentrates have been shipped to the United States. ORE TREATED The major source of ore supply is a group of four mines owned or leased by the company, some three miles south of the mill in the mountains, from which the ore is delivered to the mill by a gravity aerial tramway. Custom ore comes in by rail. The ores occur in chimneys. The upper levels contained oxidized siliceous ores of lead, copper, silver and gold, with varying amounts of zinc. These ores were direct-smelted. In the first two years of operation a good deal of the tailing loss was caused by the oxidized content of the ores milled. Much of the ore in the transition zones between the oxides and sulphides was not mined. The ores now being milled are clean, hard sulphides in a limestone gangue, with only occasional contamination of oxides. The lead and zinc sulphides are of coarse structure and are freed even above flotation sizes. The galena is usually "steel" colored, easily and quickly floated. When there is any oxidation, it is usually on the coarsest crystals. The zinc minerals vary a good deal in color; a resin sphalerite predominates but there are varying shades of brown marmatites. On an average, the zinc sulphides contain 64 per cent zinc. The only common copper mineral is chalcopyrite. Little is known of the occurrence of gold and silver. Waste minerals are mainly limestone and pyrite, both of which are barren. The ores vary from 20 to 35 per cent pyrite. Mill heads for the year 1940 and the first eight months of 1941 are given in Table I. [ ]

Jan 1, 1942

By R. Hogg, F. F. Aplan, P. B. Bradley

The mineralogy of the solids contained in the black-water effluent from coal preparation plants has been investigated. Samples were obtained from 13 locations, representing major coal seam in the Appalachian, mid-continent, and western regions of the United States. On the average, the samples were found to contain 60% carbonaceous material with the balance as mineral matter. The mineral fractions from all of the samples from the eastern half of the United States were found to be remarkably similar, consisting of over 50% illitic clays; about 10-15% each of kaolinite, calcite, and quartz; and lesser amounts of chlorite and pyrite. The western samples were somewhat different, generally containing significant quantities of montmorillonite clay. Flotation may be wed to recover additional clean coal contained in the black-water discharge.

Jan 1, 1981

By J. H. Canterford

The adsorption of uranium onto Wyoming bentonite was measured in carbonate media over the pH range 8 to 11. Uranium was removed from solution onto the solids by a rapid reaction, proposed to be adsorption of the anionic uranyl tricarbonato complex onto edges of the clay platelets, and a slow reaction that may be precipitation of a hydroxide. The changes in uranium content of the aqueous and solid phases of a uranium ore carbonate leach slurry were also measured as the slurry was progressively diluted. There was an increase in the uranium content of the solids as the pH of the suspension was lowered, as observed with the Wyoming bentonite. Results indicate the conditions that should be met with respect to pH control to prevent the problem of excessive uranium adsorption in the counter-current decantation washing circuit of a conventional leaching process, as well as in the leaching and restoration phases of carbonate solution mining.

Jan 1, 1985

By Charles Meyer

The year 1955 was a busy one for mining geologists, for the expanding world-wide business activity kept the demand for mining products generally high, stimulating operators to develop local ore reserves and to expand their efforts to find new deposits. The uranium rush was still on, although probably past its maximum rate of climb. Prospecting was also stimulated by the increasing demand for rare metals, and this created new and fascinating targets for exploration. On the whole, it was a boom year when the prospector's chronic optimism found few repressions.

Feb 1, 1956

By H. C. Otis

DURING the past year or two considerable time and money have been spent in developing equipment for tubing large-volume high-pressure oil and gas wells without loss of production. That the efforts have met with success is proved by the fact that any properly cased well, regardless of its production or regardless of its rock pressure or working pressure, can now be safely tubed with no appreciable loss of production, provided experienced crews handle the new equipment. It is conceded that a far better gas-oil ratio can be secured by flowing a well through tubing of a proper diameter-the diameter of the tubing depending, of course, upon the volume of fluid and gas and the depth of the well-than by the more usual method of installing a choke at the mouth of the well. Where possible it is becoming the practice to bring wells in through tubing, though in the majority of instances this is not feasible. In many instances it has developed, after a well has been brought in through tubing, that the tubing installed is either too large or too small for the most efficient operation or that the well had not been drilled deep enough. The equipment described in this paper, in the hands of experienced men, permits the tubing of these wells after they have been brought in, with the size of tubing then determined by actual observation to be best suited for each particular well, and with no danger of the well getting out of control, of catching fire, of drilling itself deeper, or of any loss of production. The deeper the flowing production with the consequent future higher lifting costs, the more essential it is that the size of tubing used be such as to give the best possible gas-oil ratio. The ability to bring in these deep wells through the casing and then, immediately after their completion, regardless of volume or pressure, to tube them with the size of tubing that permits the most efficient use of the gas present will doubtless save many dollars.

Jan 1, 1929

EDWARD W. PARKER,* Philadelphia, Pa. (written discussion ?).-The two papers on coal-mine costs and pride fixing that Mr. Norris has contributed to the Transactions possess as much general interest and are of as much value to the coal-mining industry as any papers that have been presented in recent years. Until recently one of the troubles with the coal business, and especially the bituminous branch of it, has been that because of the lack of a uniform system of cost accounting (many operators, I regret to say, not having had any system at all), the industry as a whole may be said not to have known where it was at. The system adopted by the Federal Trade Commission may not be absolutely perfect but it has accomplished something in that it has compelled a uniform method of reporting and tabulating costs giving results of these compilations which are comparable. The Institute and the coal-mining industry owe a vote of thanks to, and of confidence in, Mr. Norris and his two associates on the Engineers Committee of the Fuel Administration, Messrs. Garnsey and Allport, for the great work they have done in interpreting the results compiled by the Federal Trade Commission, not to speak of the personal sacrifices made by them in giving their services to the government. Those who have read Mr. Norris' paper will probably join me in wishing he had brought out a little more fully the real meaning of the charts so far as they indicate the difference between the cost of producing a ton of anthracite and the price the operators receive for their product. Mr. Norris could have done this more satisfactorily than anyone else. It seems to me that particular attention should be drawn to the fact that, according to these charts, and the tables accompanying them, not less than 25 per cent. of the total output of anthracite, whether "company" or "individual," during the period covered by Mr. Norris' paper,

Jan 4, 1919

"The largest variety of asphalt and related bitumen deposits in this country is found in Utah. Utah is one of the few places in the world where the hydrocarbon minerals, gilsonite or uintaite, wurtzilite (trade name elaterite) and ozokerite are produced. These bitumens occur in an area embracing nearly 10,000 square miles in eastern Utah near the Colorado line. This area is largely in the western part of the Uintah basin. The bitumens are in the Tertiary horizon in the various divisions of the Eocene series.Gilsonite is an asphaltite derived from petroleum, wurtzilite is an asphaltic pyrobitu¬men derived from petroleum, and ozokerite is a native mineral wax resulting from the met-amorphosis of paraffinaceous petroleum.Gilsonite is produced by the Gilson Asphaltum Company, a subsidiary of the Bar¬ber Asphalt Company, at Watson, Utah. A narrow guage railroad, seventy miles in length and with a 7 1/2 percent grade over the Book Cliffs on Baxter Pass, was constructed by the company from the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad main line in order to open up the gilsonite deposits. The veins range from narrow upward to 18 feet in width. The Rainbow vein at the present wokings is eight feet wide, vertical, and has sandstone walls. This vein has been opened up for a distance of about three miles and in some places four hundred feet deep. Forty men usually are employed with a production of eighty tons per day."

Jan 1, 1925

By F. T. Davis

The annual review of mineral dressing was the subject of considerable discussion at the MBD meeting in New York last February. Because the amount of material now being published is so imposing, it was generally agreed that reviewers should try only to cite the items of importance. In order to conserve even more space, it was agreed to omit bibliographies. In reading these reviews, and those of the past two or three years, one is impressed by the advances in materials handling, the enlargement and the advances in automation of unit process equipment. Although there has been development of a variety of new concentration principles in flotation, magnetic separation, et al., the design of these principles into new plants has not been widespread. The probable reason is that the plants being built today are so large and costly that few are able to face the risk of any significant degree of experimentation. There are exceptions to this; for example, some of the chemical processes, but these are usually because there was no conventional process available. This situation should change in time as the ores amenable to our conventional methods become depleted.

Jan 2, 1967

By J. H. Zimmerman

JET-PIERCING experiments were first conducted over ten years ago underground at the Soudan mine of the Oliver Iron Mining Co. Results were successful enough to encourage further research. The next field tests were made on the Reserve Mining Co. property at Babbitt in 1941. These tests showed that blastholes could be produced in taconite ore by the use of a flame and proper fluxing agents. The war put a stop to the experimental program shortly after these tests. Extensive field tests were resumed at Babbitt in 1946. In these tests nominal 6-in. blastholes were produced at an average rate of 10 ft per hour. Rates as high as 17 ft per hour were obtained for short periods. The experimental equipment used resembles a portable rotary-drill rig mounted on a truck. The standard steel mast has been extended to 46 ft to accommodate a blowpipe capable of producing holes over 30 ft deep. All auxiliary equipment including winch for raising and lowering the blowpipe, drive motor for the rotary table, pumps and tanks for process fluids, electric power plant, and control instruments are mounted on the truck. The jet-piercing process consists of

Jan 1, 1948

By J. M. Glass, C. D. Sholtess

We at Hughes Tool Co. are extremely proud of the quality of the hardware and techniques introduced through our efforts in tunnel-machine development and of the ready acceptance of them by manufacturers and contractors throughout the world. All of us who attended the conference and who are represented in the book, we believe, anticipate an increasing need for improved methods of underground excavation. The development of such methods will permit the further exploitation of our underground resources plus providing underground space for transportation and habitation at a rate compatible with demand. We hope that our comments, derived from the application of Hughes Tool Co.'s rotary boring experience, may provide a better understanding of the boring method as a possible avenue through which the desired improvement in underground excavation may be attained. We hope you may also become aware of some of the problems Hughes, as a pioneer developer of raise, shaft, and tunnel-boring equipment, must face prior to further major undertakings in this very interesting field. Our task is to acquaint you with the present status of the Hughes Tool Co. development program as it relates specifically to tunnel-boring machines. We feel this task can best be accomplished by a brief review of the general sequence of events leading to and constituting an equipment development program and more specifically the manner in which these events have occurred to either influence or further our boring-machine development program. The development of a machine to accomplish a certain function or series of functions is usually a very long and tedious process to which any number of individuals must contribute, perhaps over a period of centuries. Of particular irony is the fact that often those who contribute most generously do not necessarily reap the greatest immediate benefit. A marketable ma- chine will, however, result from a sequence of events such as these: 1) A problem or need is defined. 2) An idea is born to eliminate the problem.

Jan 1, 1970

By Frank Gilbreth

THE problem, of the crippled soldier in industry is not a problem of war work only; it is a problem of industrial development. As individuals, each one of you is seeking to provide our maimed heroes with such teaching as will render them, in the shortest possible amount of time, productive and satisfied members of the community. As individuals you are interested in the organizations that are preparing to receive these men, to train them and to place them at that work for which they are best fitted. As an organization, it is now your duty to take up the industrial end of the problem, to investigate existing conditions in the industries, to discover where the opportunities for employment lie, and so readjust industrial practice that the cripples may be utilized to their own and the community's good with the least shock to themselves or to the industries, and with the greatest amount of permanent benefit to all concerned. We have divided industrial opportunities suitable for cripples roughly, into three classes. First, such as already exist in the industries, which can be set aside for cripples only, present occupants being transferred to other work for which they can be fitted but which is not suitable for cripple work; second, opportunities in the industrial world that, through changes in the working equipment or tools, or through appliances attached to the cripple himself, can make the cripple a competitor of the sound worker; third, opportunities not existing at present in the industries, but which could be introduced for the good of the community, without placing the cripples into competition with any existing class of workers.

Jan 4, 1918

By E. L. Estabrook, H. H. Hill

This report summarizes the information that was obtained by the Committee on Unit Operation in Eastern United States and in the foreign countries. Letters and questionnaires were sent to all of the Eastern members of the Petroleum Division of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and to those who are living outside of the United States, asking them to advise the Committee of any unit operations that are in effect in the various countries of the world and to furnish the names of men to whom inquiries should be directed for detailed information on the different projects. The response to the Committee's request is worthy of note. Practically all of the members who had knowledge of foreign operations replied to the questionnaire and not only furnished information that was of value to the Committee, but they evidenced a real interest in the subject of unit operations and assured the Committee of their willingness to assist in every way possible in order to make the study a success. The Committee wishes, at this time, to express its appreciation of the excellent cooperation that was received from the members of the A. I. M. E. to whom questionnaires were sent. Unfortunately, the limited time that has been given to this survey did not permit the collection of detailed data on the different unit operations that are now in effect. It required several weeks to get back replies from the members located in some of the foreign countries and as a result the men who were asked to furnish information on the various projects have not had sufficient time to submit the detailed data that were requested. The Committee has been assured, however, that information relating to a number of unit operations will be furnished in the near future. Part of the delay has been due to the fact that the purpose of the study was not understood and because the terms "unit" and "near-unit" operations were not clearly defined. In the foreign countries, practically all of the operations in noncompetitive fields are on concessions or leases that have been granted to a single company and for that reason

Jan 1, 1930

By M. S. Klima, P. T. Luckie

An evaluation of the operating performance of a recently designed pneumatic centrifugal classifier is presented. This classifier has been modified from a separate air and feed input design to an entrained solids in air feed input. The evaluation first required determining the size distributions for the three streams (feed, fine, and coarse). Using size distribution data and mass flow rates, a size selectivity curve was calculated for each operating condition tested. This curve, in turn, was characterized by appropriate selectivity parameters (i.e., the equiprobable or cut size, the sharpness index, and the apparent bypass values). The variation of these parameters with classifier operating conditions was examined. From these evaluations, the "best" operating conditions for the classifier were then determined.

Jan 1, 1985

By G. D. Tranter

The importance of ladle and teeming practice and its relationship to the yield and quality of the product has focused considerable attention on this phase of open-hearth operation. Inherently bad steel cannot be perfected by manipulation during teeming, but through the proper handling of "off heats" serious losses, which in many cases arise, can be greatly minimized. Conversely, good steel can be ruined as a result of poor workmanship in the pit, and rendered unsuitable for application to orders where exacting surface and physical requirements are essential. Sufficient evidence has been secured to warrant careful investigation of pit operations when an abnormal number of basic defects develop in the semifinished product or are found on the inspection table. This paper is written from the standpoint of the problems involved in making satisfactory ingots for sheet rolling. Furthermore, since rimming steel is almost universally used for manufacture of sheet, the data presented herein refer particularly to that type of steel. Going back some 30 years in open-hearth history, the word "pit" properly described the hole into which the ladle was lowered to receive the metal tapped from the furnace. The working space was necessarily limited, and the disposal of slag and metal overflowing the ladle or lost because of breakouts presented a serious problem. The equipment, of course, was rather crude in the light of present-day development. Often no ladle stands were provided, the ladle being hung on the crane beneath the runner. When delayed taps occurred, the ladle was often held in position for many hours, thus tying up pit operations and causing delays to adjacent furnaces. Because of crowded conditions, slag thimbles were not used and a network of cast-steel triangles and old tapping bars, placed before the heat was tapped, was the means for removing slag from the hole. Furnaces of different capacities were used

Jan 1, 1935