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By T. M. Morris, R. M. Edwards

Digital and analog computers are being used at an accelerated rate for the control of processes. A digital computer can store information concerning a process and when it is fed certain information concerning the material to be processed it can rapidly scan its "memory" and put out information concerning the settings on the plant controls to be used to handle the feed material. An analog computer does not ordinarily store information. It uses an electronic analog to simulate part of a process and the electronic analog can detect changes in the process, and by actuating controls, it can keep the process operating under desired conditions. In order to utilize the speed at which these computers operate it is desirable to obtain information concerning the behavior of feed material as near the head of the process as possible so that changes in operation of the process can be made before the material has passed through the processing equipment.

Jan 8, 1964

By Max Kraut

UNTIL VERY RECENTLY the flotation process has not found much application in the treatment of gold ores. No appreciable improvement has been made lately in the technology of this application; but the possibilities of flotation have been more fully appreciated. Excellent results were obtained long ago, but few operators paid much attention to them. For instance, in 1915 extensive experiments were carried out by Mr. Beauchamp and Minerals Separation on ores from the Dutch-Sweeney mine near Jimtown, Calif. The ore contained gold-bearing pyrite and laboratory tests indicated a 10c. tailing on a $6 head. In 1918 a 300-ton flotation mill using Minerals Separation machines was built based on the results obtained. However, when the mill began full-scale operation, mill heads did not come up to expectation, being only $4; also the-tonnage was considerably less than had been expected. Flotation mill tailing assayed 15c., indicating a recovery of over 96 per cent, so that excellent metallurgical results were obtained. The operation was a success but the patient died.

Jan 1, 1932

By AIME AIME

FOLLOWING careful study of the relations of the Institute to students and the younger members of the profession, the Membership Committee recommended to the Board a change of plans abolishing the Junior Associate class of membership, substituting a -Junior membership and providing for Student Associates. The Board adopted this report at its meeting on Nov. 23, and asked Counsel to draft the necessary amendments to the By-laws, and gave formal notice of intentions to amend as provided in Section I, Article XI1 of the existing By-laws. The By-laws as it is proposed to amend Article I, 11, 111, IV, X, and XI follow. The new plan requires no changes in the other Articles. The matter will come before the Board for vote on Jan. 25.

Jan 1, 1929

By George S. Ramsay

The Appalachian system contains the largest area of all known Carboniferous coal-fields. Beginning near the north line dividing Pennsylvania and New York, it extends southwest through West Virginia, southeastern Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee and terminates in Alabama—a distance of about 950 miles. The northeastern part of this field will be considered in this paper. The general dips of the measures are toward a trough about parallel to the Ohio river, from the Allegheny mountains and ridges on the west. The Potonlac field is an exception; the dip in this case being northeast, the folding to the east of the Allegheny mountains in Pennsylvania being of a greater degree and diminishing southwestward. The cause of the general dip to the west of the mountains seems to be the westward movement of the thrust east of the mountains, with the large Nittany fold including other folds to the east of the escarpment, raising the mountains high above the coal-fields to the west, making a general slope toward the Ohio river southwest, and crossing waves of anticlinals west ward. The synclinals contain the coals, while in many cases on the top of the folds or anticlinals some of the veins (or, in some cases, all) are eroded. The Coal-Measures of this field are generally divided into three principal divisions, known as the Upper, the Barren, and the Lower Coal-Measures, but there is a tendency to divide them into five groups, which is more convenient. Beginning at the bottom, the first would be the Conglomerate ; second, the Lower Coal-Measures; third, the Barren; fourth, the Upper Coal-Measures, and fifth, the Upper Barren or Permian Measures.

Jan 1, 1896

By John A. Brown

Granules are used primarily as roofing material. From the earliest times, man has been faced with the basic problem of providing protection for himself, his family, and his property against the ravages of the weather. Basically, this problem is no different today than in the past, except that today the trend is to demand shelter which is also colorful and distinctive. There has been a gradual evolution from the thatched roof to the modem ranchstyle home. In his search for a more permanent and more attractive roof, the home owner has utilized many mineral materials. All granules, whether slate or colored granules, are referred to by the asphalt roofing industry as "Slate Granules." Early Roofing Materials The development of mineral roofing in the United States followed two trends: first, the slate industry, and second, the bituminous products. The early colonists were familiar with slab slate construction from Europe and it was natural for them to continue with this type of roofing. As early as 1780, the forerunners of the present bituminous products were finding favor. Those early products consisted of saturating burlap or similar material with crude tar or pitch. This type of roofing was soon improved by dusting a variety of materials on the surface of the roofing to prevent adhesion while in rolls. Such factors as fire resistance and protection from the actinic rays of the sun soon followed. This started the general pattern which is still followed today, that is, saturating felt materials and supplying a uniform grade of crushed mineral to the surface. In commercial and public buildings, metal roofs found early favor. The attractive green color of verdigris-coated copper became a symbol of churches and institutions of learning. Aluminum roofing has become economical for large structures and is finding limited popularity in rural areas. Tile, asbestos, and cement materials, being weather resistant, found early acclaim and are still popular. Today, by far the most widely used roofing materials in the United States are asphalt products. Two important characteristics-economy and weatherability-account for their popularity. Influence of Building Trends on Roofing The postwar building boom in 1947 had many attractive features for the American people. The ranch-style one story type of home seemed well suited for suburban developments which sprang up in such profusion. As the roof in modern home construction is one of the most conspicuous aspects of its architecture, the home owner could now express his tastes not only in paint and landscaping, but could also select an attractive and harmonious roof color. Variety of Minerals Used Many naturally occurring minerals are used today in the roofing industry. Most widely used (and most noticeable to the public) is the granulated mineral surfacing applied to asphalt products. Selected natural colored granules as well as artificially colored granules are

Jan 1, 1960

By Frederic Carter

THE gold, silver, copper alloys have been the subject of several fairly complete investigations by Jänecke, Sterner-Rainer1 and others, and indeed it would seem as if almost too much labor had been expended on them when one thinks of the numerous other ternary alloys calling for more light; however, the combinations of the three metals are actually so widely used in jewelry that they merit perhaps the work done on them. There are a few properties of importance and interest not treated by the authors mentioned which the writer investigated some little time ago, and therefore he has ventured to put on record the results of some of his tests made at that time. He has chosen, as being the two series of most importance to the jeweler, only the 14 and 18-kt. golds, so the subject is by no means so inclusive as that previously treated. As stated, this paper is merely a record of tests made in a practical manner on two useful series of alloys, and is not at all a critical study of their properties. 14-KARAT ALLOYS These alloys are important because they are the most generally used in 14-kt. jewelry; by changing the proportions of silver and copper there are obtained all shades of color from the green of the alloy containing gold and silver but no copper, to the red of the alloy containing gold and copper but no silver. Many 14-kt. gold alloys are made with the addition of zinc to the three metals mentioned here; the added metal does not appreciably alter the color of the alloy nor has it, in general, much effect on the working properties; it may, however, prove useful as part of the zinc added may act as a deoxidizer and render the alloy free of gas. It is not a necessary addition because with proper precautions all the 14-kt. gold alloys containing only silver and copper in addition to the gold can be made free of gas and capable of being cold rolled without cracking. The alloys in which approximately equal quantities of silver and-copper

Jan 1, 1928

By Edward H. Robie

OF the current Adirondack iron mine development, the Benson Mines operation of the Tones and Laughlin Ore Co. (Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. wholly owned subsidiary) is the last to go into operation. Following an active construction program in 1943, the mine. concentrator and sintering plant were scheduled to enter production in the fall. This description therefore cannot include any operating data, and details of equipment and flowsheet have not as yet been released.

Jan 1, 1943

ONE of the largest hard rock operations ever undertaken on the continent is part of the Aluminum Co. of Canada's gigantic British Columbia development in the mountainous wilderness back of the north coastal port of Prince Rupert. To provide electric power for the huge aluminum smelter under construction at Kitimat, 400 miles northwest of Vancouver, Alcan is reversing the flow of a 5000 sq mile drainage area by blocking the eastward-flowing Nechako River with the largest sloping clay core dam in the world. The backed-up waters of a 110-mile chain of lakes will be tapped at their eastern end by a 10-mile tunnel piercing a mile-high mountain range. From this tunnel water will pass through penstocks to a subterranean powerhouse after a drop of 2600 ft and empty into the Kemano River almost at tide water. A projected battery of eight turbine-driven generators will produce more than a million horsepower, although, initially, three generators of 140,000 hp each will be installed. Power will travel 50 miles across another mountain range, over a glacier, and across an arm of the ocean to what will ultimately be the world's largest aluminum smelter-a plant 2 ½ miles long. Ore smelted at Kitimat will come from Jamaica, but carving the tunnel, penstocks, and powerhouses cavern out of the heart of a mountain is so vast a job that most of the problems of a major mining operation are encountered. The powerhouse cavern alone is a big hard rock job. This chamber lies 1400 ft back from the mountain face and will eventually be 1100 ft long, 80 ft wide, and an average 118 ft high. Now under construction, the roof of this cavern will take the form of a parabolic arch. The prime contractors, Morrison-Knudsen Co. of Canada, are to excavate a length of 700 ft by May 1954. This section will provide a main control room, erection bay and space for eight generating units. The roof arch is to be lined with reinforced concrete and a plan now under study provides for concrete curtain walls separated from the rock sides of the cavern to prevent moisture accumulation. Cavern Excavation Excavation of the cavern began with the driving of an 8x8-ft exploratory drift 1500 ft long. Two horseshoe-shaped access and tailrace tunnels were bored to serve excavation work. These tunnels are approximately the same length as the exploratory drift and 25 ft high. The floors of both tunnels were graveled to permit the use of rubber-tired equipment. Eventually, the tailrace tunnel will be enlarged to 40 ft height to drain water from the turbine pits below the powerhouse floor. When the tunnels reached the cavern location, a mucking tunnel, approximately 25 ft square, was driven the projected length of the powerhouse at the floor level of the cavern. Another tunnel, 10 ft square, was carried in the same direction from the exploratory drift at the level of the arch spring line, 65 ft above the cavern floor. To connect these two tunnels, seven shafts 10 ft wide and approximately 80 ft long were driven through to the lower mucking tunnel, 65 ft below. These shafts were located on 120-ft centers, the length of the powerhouse cavern. Blasting is done from this upper tunnel to the final line of the roof arch. Two bulldozers, an International TD-24 and a TD-9, doze blasted material to the shafts where it drops to floor level. From here, the rock is loaded by Eimco loaders and power shovels into rubber-tired Koehring Dumptors and Euclid end-dump trucks. The arched roof section will be completely excavated and concreted before vertical blast holes are drilled down from the level of the arch spring line to the floor of the cavern. The arched roof section with its parabolic curve will have a width of 80 ft and a rise to the crown of 47 ft.

Jan 1, 1952

BESIDES air -water, sulphur, salt, coal, and lime-stone are the key nonmetallic raw materials used by the chemical industry and each came in for attention at the AIMF, Industrial Minerals Division meeting at Morgantown. W, Va., Sept. 13 to 15. West Virginia is a growing chemical producing area with sites along the Ohio and Kanawka Rivers being favored because of power, accessibility of raw materials (many in the State), water supply, and transportation.

Jan 10, 1951

July 1-Sept. 30, Centennial of Engineering, Chicago. Aug. 28-29, Oak Ridge Summer Symposium, Oak Ridge, Tenn. Sept. 3-8, AIME, Industrial Minerals Div., annual fall regional meeting, Chicago. Sept. 3-6, AIME, fall meeting, Palmer House, Chicago. Sept. 3-13, AIME, Chicago Section, Centennial of Engineering, Chicago. Sept. 5-6, Engineers' Council for Professional Development, annual meeting, Hotel Sheraton, Chicago. Sept. 10-12, Porcelain Enamel Institute, annual shop forum, University of Illinois, Palmer House, Chicago. Sept. 11-13, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Palmer House, Chicago, ill. Sept. 18, AIME, Utah Section, Newhouse Hotel, Salt Lake City. Sept. 22-25, American Mining Congress, Metal and Nonmetallic Mining Convention and Exposition, public auditorium, Denver.

Jan 1, 1952

By L. O. Howard

WHAT was perhaps the first attempt at basic converting in the Southwest was made by the late Charles F. Shelby at Cananea early in 1907, when he removed the acid lining from one of the 8 by 12-ft. barrel-type converters then in use at the reduction works of the Cananea Consolidated Copper Co. and substituted a lining of one course of magnesite brick. In this shell, he blew 21 taps (about 180 tons) of matte to white metal before the brick gave out along the tuyère line. In every case, the white metal so made was transferred and blown to copper in other converters. The cost of the lining was $700 and Mr. Shelby gave up the experiment as impracticable. No further serious effort to bessemerize copper mattes in a vessel having a more or less permanent lining of basic brick was made by any of the large copper smelters in the Southwest until some months after Messrs. Peirce and Smith had brought the question permanently before the public, and had proved it to be a metallurgical and financial success by their work at Baltimore and Garfield. Early in 1911, the Cananea Consolidated Copper Co. had in operation at its reduction works at Cananea, Mex., several 8 by 12-ft. barrel-type converters lined with magnesite brick which had previously been operating with acid linings. In the 18 months following, these converters produced 50,000 tons of copper. In June, 1912, this company installed the first of its new equipment of six stands of electrically operated 12-ft. Great Falls type converters, and shortly afterward discontinued the use of the smaller shells. In September, 1911, the Consolidated Kansas City Smelting & Refining Co. had installed at its El Paso plant two 10 by 26-ft. Peirce-Smith converters. Later, in March, 1913, one standard Great Falls type converter was added. .About the time the Peirce-Smith converters were going in at El Paso, the Calumet & Arizona Mining Co. was experimenting with basic linings in 7-ft. by 10-ft. 6-in. barrel converters at its plant in Douglas, Ariz. These efforts were sufficiently successful to enable the plant to handle the total output of copper in these small shells until the standard. Great Falls converters were substituted in June, 1914.

Jan 9, 1916

THE Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties situated at 29 West 39th Street in New York City United Engineering Trustees, Inc. When Mr Carnegie made his gift, "for the erection of a suitable union home" for the engineering societies, United Engineering Trustees, Inc (then United Engineering Society) was chartered under Chapter 703, Laws of the State of New York, 1904, for "the advancement of the engineering arts and sciences in all their branches, and to maintain a free public engineering library" The Corporation was further empowered to acquire real and personal property and to use, maintain and occupy it, with the provision that any building erected by the Corporation shall be used perpetually as a meeting place and headquarters for the Founder Societies Thus the Carnegie gift realized the ideal of bringing the engineering societies together under one roof, and the Corporation through its members nominated in equal numbers by the four Founder Societies had the necessary authority to act for the Founder Societies in their joint interests in owning and operating for them not only Engineering Societies Building, but in the course of time, Engineering Societies Library, and

Jan 1, 1952

By Milton E. Wadsworth, Edward M. Eyring

BETTER understanding of solid surfaces and their associated adsorption products is of both academic and practical value. The study of detergents and their behavior in cleaning surfaces is fundamentally related to the nature of the products adsorbed and their ability to compete for certain surfaces. Similarly in flotation, the nature of the adsorbate before and after adsorption is basic to clear understanding of the process. The recently developed pellet technique1,2 employing infrared spectroscopy provides a powerful tool for the study of solid surfaces. Absorption bands, which are infrared-active, may be observed for adsorbed products. Also any changes in the surface substrate that occur as a result of adsorption may be detected by means of differential spectra. In applying the pellet technique to solids of large surface area, French and his coworkers3 have surveyed the adsorption of organic flocculants on clay minerals, oleic acid on fluorite, and ammonia on cracking catalysts. Recent work on application of differential infrared spectroscopy to the study of solid surfaces' has demonstrated that the difference between a sample and a reference can be obtained with double-beam instrumentation. In this way displacement of surface products, adsorption of new products, and differences in the substrate, if any, may be detected. Experimental Procedure: Potassium iodide pellets were used in this study, prepared from recrystallized analytical reagent grade KI. Grinding was carried out in a Fisher mechanical agate mortar. Two-gram plates containing the solid under study were pressed in a special evacuated die constructed in the laboratory at the University of Utah." Concentration depended on the solid in question. Zinc sulfide and willemite are sufficiently transpar- ent in the infrared region for concentrations as high as 20 mg of mineral in 2g of KI to be used. Zinc oxide is even more transparent, permitting concentrations as high as 60 mg in a 2-g plate. For non-differential operation, however, much lower concentrations (2 to 10mg/2g KI) had to be used. Spectra were obtained on a Per kin-Elmer 21 double-beam recording infrared spectrophotometer. A sodium chloride prism was used giving a spectral range of approximately 2 to 15 v wave length. For differential runs a resolution of 1000 was used and the scanning speed was controlled commensurate with instrument response. The response was checked continuously and each spectrum was repeated several times. For nondifferential runs a resolution of 927 was used. Zinc oxide used was analytical grade oxide fume. The zinc sulfide was precipitated from solution with analytical grade zinc sulfate and sodium sulfide. The precipitate was washed and centrifuged several times and dried. Before use the precipitate was washed in dilute HCl and then treated with saturated NH4Cl to remove any bulk oxides and sulfates. X-ray patterns of the precipitate were comparable to that of the natural mineral sphalerite. The precipitate was much more satisfactory than finely ground natural ZnS because of its very large surface

Jan 1, 1957

By C. Y. Chen

Public Law 95-87, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), Section 516 (b), requires the underground coal mining operator to "adopt measures consistent with known technology in order to prevent subsidence cawing material damage to the extent technologically and economically feasible, maximize mine stability, and maintain the value and reasonably foreseeable we of such surface lands, except in those instances where the mining technology wed requires planned subsidence in a predictable and controlled manner.. . ." Congress also directed the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations to implement the law. As a result, the control of subsidence from underground coal mining to minimize surface damage has become the mandate of a federal law. This paper discusses the mechanics of subsidence and the effects of subsidence on ground features. This paper also summarizes some measures used to minimize the possibility of damage to structures as a result of subsidence due to underground coal mining.

Jan 1, 1984

By Theron Wasson

No major oil-field discoveries were made County; the second in Marion township, in Michigan during the year 1940. Produc- Osceola County. Both are producing from tion for the year was maintained by the Stray sand at about 1350 ft. These discoveries made in 1938 and, as a result, is fields are on structures founci by core test-below the total for 1939. Several extensions ing through the glacial drift. The Six Lakes to old fields have been made, which have field, Montcalm County, discovered in helped to maintain production in the face 1934, is Michigan's largest gas-producing of rather rapid decline in the fields of the field. it has 195 wells producing from the southwestern part of the state. Important Michigan Stray sandstone and the Upper extensions were made in Overisel, Porter, Marshall sandstone. This field was devel-Sherman, and Adams fields. Important oil oped on a 40-acre spacing plan, and gas fields of the state are shown on the -map, Fig. I. WiI~dcat Drilling Michigan's production of 19,700,000 bbl. A test in sec. 29, Winterfield township, during 1940 was 3,800,000 bbl. less than Clare County, which is producing oil from the total for 1939, but about one million the Monroe of Devonian age at a depth of greater than 1938. This brings the total 3760 ft., and a well in sec. 31, Lincoln accumulated production for the state to a township, Osceola County, producing from little over 145,000,000 bbl. the Monroe at 3625 it., should be classed as wildcats that are sure to lead to further Active Oil Fields development in I94L The leading producer for the year was the At the end of the year the Gulf Refining Temple field, Clare County, where 29 new Company's deep test on the Kawkawlin wells were drilled. The Walker field, Kent structure in Monitor township, Bay County, was second, but drilled 183 new County, was preparing to drill deeper after wells in order to gain that position. In the having had a gas blowout from a depth of extension of the Overisel field in Allegan 7775 ft. This test is the most important one County, 115 new producers were drilled. drilling at the end of the year in Michigan, The Adams field, Arenac County, was for should it develop commercial produc- revived by several wells with initial production from deeper beds it will lead to deeper tions of over 1000 bbl. per day from the drilling on many well-known structures Dundee of Devonian age. that have been producing from shallower sands. Active Gas Fields Two important gas fields were discovered Exploration by Taggart Brothers during the year. The A small amount of reflection seismograph first was in Riverside township, Missaukee work was done in Clare, Osceola, and Glad-Win Counties during the year. Exploration Manuscript received at the office of the Institute March 28 1941 by shallow drilling for structural informa- tion on beds below the glacial drift con- 347

Jan 1, 1941

By Theron Wasson

No major oil-field discoveries were made County; the second in Marion township, in Michigan during the year 1940. Produc- Osceola County. Both are producing from tion for the year was maintained by the Stray sand at about 1350 ft. These discoveries made in 1938 and, as a result, is fields are on structures founci by core test-below the total for 1939. Several extensions ing through the glacial drift. The Six Lakes to old fields have been made, which have field, Montcalm County, discovered in helped to maintain production in the face 1934, is Michigan's largest gas-producing of rather rapid decline in the fields of the field. it has 195 wells producing from the southwestern part of the state. Important Michigan Stray sandstone and the Upper extensions were made in Overisel, Porter, Marshall sandstone. This field was devel-Sherman, and Adams fields. Important oil oped on a 40-acre spacing plan, and gas fields of the state are shown on the -map, Fig. I. WiI~dcat Drilling Michigan's production of 19,700,000 bbl. A test in sec. 29, Winterfield township, during 1940 was 3,800,000 bbl. less than Clare County, which is producing oil from the total for 1939, but about one million the Monroe of Devonian age at a depth of greater than 1938. This brings the total 3760 ft., and a well in sec. 31, Lincoln accumulated production for the state to a township, Osceola County, producing from little over 145,000,000 bbl. the Monroe at 3625 it., should be classed as wildcats that are sure to lead to further Active Oil Fields development in I94L The leading producer for the year was the At the end of the year the Gulf Refining Temple field, Clare County, where 29 new Company's deep test on the Kawkawlin wells were drilled. The Walker field, Kent structure in Monitor township, Bay County, was second, but drilled 183 new County, was preparing to drill deeper after wells in order to gain that position. In the having had a gas blowout from a depth of extension of the Overisel field in Allegan 7775 ft. This test is the most important one County, 115 new producers were drilled. drilling at the end of the year in Michigan, The Adams field, Arenac County, was for should it develop commercial produc- revived by several wells with initial production from deeper beds it will lead to deeper tions of over 1000 bbl. per day from the drilling on many well-known structures Dundee of Devonian age. that have been producing from shallower sands. Active Gas Fields Two important gas fields were discovered Exploration by Taggart Brothers during the year. The A small amount of reflection seismograph first was in Riverside township, Missaukee work was done in Clare, Osceola, and Glad-Win Counties during the year. Exploration Manuscript received at the office of the Institute March 28 1941 by shallow drilling for structural informa- tion on beds below the glacial drift con- 347

Jan 1, 1941

By D. C. Hilty, W. Crafts

Determination of the solubility of oxygen in iron containing silicon, or manganese, or both, has confirmed the earlier work on silicon, shown that manganese is more effective than expected, and has demonstrated that the combination of silicon and manganese is a much stronger deoxidizer than might have been inferred from their individual effects. SILICON and manganese are of primary impor-tance in the deoxidation of steel, and a study has been made at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc. of the solubility of oxygen in iron in the presence of silicon and manganese, singly and in combination, as a basis for more effective control of inclusion formation. The investigation was carried out with the same equipment and experimental procedure that were used in the determination of the oxygen solubility of iron containing aluminum'. The heats were melted in a rotating crucible furnace under an argon atmosphere. Bath temperatures were controlled by platinum/platinum +10 pct rhodium thermocouples to attain equilibrium at 1550°, 1600°, and 1650°C, so that oxygen solubility isotherms were determined directly without requiring calculation from a temperature coefficient. A detailed description of the furnace and procedure is given in the paper on aluminum deoxidation1. Oxygen solubility in the presence of more than 0.10 pct silicon was found to approximate earlier determinations closely, but some deviation was observed at lower silicon contents. Manganese appeared to be more effective than had been anticipated. The combination of silicon and manganese lowered the solubility for oxygen markedy as compared with either silicon or manganese alone. Although the solubility for oxygen in the presence of both silicon and manganese represents only a part of the information needed to control inclusion formation, it suggests a partial explanation of the benefits of this combination that have been observed in practice. Manganese and Oxygen in Liquid Iron: The study of oxygen in iron in the presence of manganese was carried out in magnesia crucibles of the type furnished commercially for laboratory induction furnaces. Alumina crucibles were unsatisfactory, because the work on the aluminum-oxygen equilibria in iron' had shown that merely melting iron in an alumina crucible limited the solubility of oxygen to a level considerably below that anticipated for moderate concentrations of manganese. Silica crucibles appeared unsuitable because of the dangers of excessive fluxing by the melt. Moreover, as will be shown later, melting iron in a silica crucible also limits the oxygen content below that in equilibrium with

Jan 1, 1951

By AIME AIME

NO FEATURE of the annual meeting is considered more important at Institute headquarters than the assembly of delegates from the various local sections and divisions. There the president of the Institute and other officials may learn at first hand what the members are thinking and doing in every part of the country, and the delegates, in turn, may find that head- quarters is not a group of more or less cold-blooded New Yorkers whose primary function is to send out annual bills for $15. This year, the section and division delegates required three sessions to thresh out the matters of common interest: Monday morning and afternoon and Thursday afternoon. They were also guests of the Institute at the Directors' dinner on Tuesday night, and at the Directors' meeting afterward.

Jan 1, 1932

By R. C. Patterson

In view of the circumstance that very few important changes have been made within the last 15 or 20 years in the equipment of rod and wire mills, the description of a new process introduced by Grenville Mellen, of LleweIIyn Park, N. J., to take the place of the present laborious system of producing rods of lead, zinc, brass, copper, aluminum, etc., may be interesting to members of the Institute. This new process consists in the production of cast rods at one operation in a small continuous casting machine. The hot liquid metal is transferred from the melting crucibles directly into an endless chain of mold blocks in the machine, where solidification takes place, and the rod comes out continuously in a solid form at one end as long as the molten metal is supplied. The operation of these mold blocks so as to produce a solid rod of uniform structure constitutes an important part of Mr. Mellen's invention. The machine (Figs. 1 and 2), 12 ft. in height over all, 2 by 3 ft. in horizontal cross-sectional area, and 6,000 Ib. in weight, has a framework of cast iron, holding in position two endless chains of mold blocks, which are made in sections and join in center alignment. The mold orifice is made up of these mold sections, into which the liquid metal flows. The molding chains are composed of steel blocks, grooved on one face to form the molding cavity, and linked together with flexible joints. Each block is carried on four rollers which guide the chain around the end sprockets and carry it in its course through the machine. The accuracy of alignment requisite to the production of a perfect rod in the mold groove formed by these sections is secured by careful machine work, and by building the four ways, down which the alignment takes place, so that two of the sides are fixed permanently, whiIe the opposite sides are held to their position by spring pressure. The guides carrying the molds, while in casting position, are water-cooled square tubes. The length of this machine is somewhat indeterminate. A certain amount of both time and cooling surface is required to solidify the metal jn the mold; and one may either use a long molding chain and run it fast, or a shorter chain and run it correspondingly slower. We have found,

Jan 1, 1916

By D. Hawington

HEALTH and safety in the mining and allied industries of the United States have unquestionably been progressing, particularly during the past three or four years, even though the progress has been anything but great in some branches of these industries. Statistical data to support this statement are readily available as to safety, but similar health data are unfortunately not available. In coal mining the rate of occurrence of fatal accidents per million tons of coal produced for the ten-year period 1911.20 inclusive was 4.27; this rate was 3.84 in 1930, .3.31 in 1931, 3.36 in 1932, and 2.69 (tentative) in 1933. In metal mining, the-rate of occurrence of fatal and- non-fatal injuries per .thousand 300-day workers (calculated) was 224.36 for- the same ten-year period. This fell slowly until after 1929 when it was 203.14, dropping to 170.78 in 1930, to 142.09 in 1931, to 138.46 in 1932, and to 155.13 in 1933. Here, again,-the real progress began in 1931 though the rate in 1930 was not particularly bad. For the same ten-year period, the rate of those killed and injured: in: quarrying per thousand 300-day workers (calculated)

Jan 1, 1935