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By P. M. Aziz, I. Markson, C. S. Barrett

The abnormal after-effect in twisted wires that occurs when untwisting is interrupted by etching con be brought under control and used to study the mechanical properties of thin surface films and how they are effected by reagents and heat treatment. Results are given of studies of oxide films on high purity aluminum. IF a wire is subjected to plastic deformation by torsion and then released, it untwists in the normal after-effect, but under certain circumstances the untwisting is abruptly lessened or reversed by the application of an etchant to the wire.1,2 This abnormal after-effect may occur, for example, if there is a coherent oxide film on the surface of the wire which is removed by the etchant. Following a suggestion of A. H. Cottrell that predicted this effect, it is attributed to dislocations that had piled up beneath the oxide layer and represents the rapid release of residual stresses caused by these dislocations. When the layer is removed, the stress relief may be by escape of piled-up dislocations from the metal, or by an activation of latent sources of dislocations located at the surface, together with rebalancing of elastic stresses to compensate for the loss of stressed material, as in a residual stress analysis determination, these mechanisms acting singly or in combination.' The slower the attack of the reagent, the more gradual is the stress relief and the smaller the change in strain rate when the reagent is applied. A study has been made of the factors that influence the magnitude of the normal and abnormal after-effects with the object of developing techniques suitable for a quantitative investigation of the influence of various surface films on dislocations in wires, and of the rate and extent of the attack on the films by different reagents. It was found that reasonable sensitivity and reproducibility could be achieved if a suitable choice of variables was made and if these variables were held constant through a series of experiments. The method was then applied to a study of oxide films produced and treated in different ways on the surface of high purity aluminum wires, and to a study of the damage to these films caused by various reagents. Experimental Procedure The material used throughout this work was prepared from 99.9968 pct Al. This high purity aluminum was melted, cast into 1/2 in. diameter ingots, and then swaged and drawn without intermediate annealing to 0.040 in. diameter wire. A sketch of the apparatus employed for twisting is shown in Fig. 1. The test wires were mounted into the apparatus by cementing one end of the wire to the beaker and the other to the tube with laboratory wax of high melting point. The length of the wire between the waxed joints was 4.2 & 0.2 cm. Extreme care was taken during mounting to avoid cold-working the wire. The wire was twisted through 335" in 2 to 4 sec by rotating the pinion on the gear box until the vertical post on the rotating table, which was initially touching the horizontal stop, was arrested by the stop. All the tests were conducted with apparatus and reagents at the same temperature (about 25°C). In all tests, except those where the duration of the initial torque was investigated, the torque was applied for a period of 2 min. At the end of this time the table was rotated back a few degrees away from contact with the stop and the wire allowed to untwist. The after-effects were measured by reflecting a beam of light from the mirror shown on the apparatus. After the wire had untwisted for 6 min, a reagent was carefully poured into the beaker and thereby applied to the surface of the wire.. In some tests the liquid in the beaker was removed after a few minutes and replaced by an-

Jan 1, 1954

By R. T. DeHoff

A general method for determining the geometric properties of structures composed of particles which are all the same shape and size is presented. The application of the method requires a knowledge of' the qualitative shape of the particles in the structure, ad a maximum of three simple counting measurenzents, which are made on a representative plane section taken through the structure. It is also shown that the number of different kinds of measurements necessary JOY the complete description of the structure can be decreased if some independent information about individual particles is available. The geometric properties that can be determined quantitatiz~ely from counting measurements for susch structures are size, shape, number, surface area, vlolume, ad such extensive properties as volume Mction and surface area per unit volume. THE simplest kinds of measurements that may be made on a metallographic section are counting measurements. There are three such simple counting measurements, which are determined by sampling the microstructure with a point, a line, and an area. The first of these, the point count, is probably the most familiar among metallographers. The second count, the number of intersections a test line makes with particle outline, is somewhat more recent in its origin and application. The third counting measurement, the number of particle sections observed in unit area of the plane of polish, has long been used in the estimation of grain sizes. The real utility of these three counting measurements lies in the fact that they are rigorously and unambiguously related to certain extensive geometric properties of the three-dimensional structure of which the metallographic section is a sample. These relationships will be reviewed briefly below. Of somewhat secondary importance to the fundamental relationships is the observation that, if some simplifying assumptions about the geometry of the three-dimensional structure are introduced, manipulation of the counting measurements gives a more complete description of the structure. Specifically, in addition to the extensive properties which these measurements rigorously estimate, the number of particles, their size, and their shape may be determined. The purpose of the present paper is to explore the consequences of introducing the assumption of constant size and shape. A later paper will deal with the estimation of geometric properties of structures which may be characterized by a two-parameter size distribution. It should be mentioned that the introduction of this simplest of assumptions, while clearly not generally justified in metallurgical structures, is not without precedent. For example, many estimates of the number of particles per unit volume of structure, based upon a single counting measurement, are scattered throughout the literature.13 Virtually all of these developments assume a constant particle shape, e.g., spherical or polyhydral, and constant size. That such an assumption is necessary is evident from the fact that, for more general structures, more than a single parameter is required to describe the three-dimensional structure, so that the determination of a single parameter on a section would be insufficient to specify the structure. Similar developments for the estimation of particle size from a single counting measurement, e.g., routine grain-size determinations, make the same very limiting assumption,435 but have nonetheless proven of practical value. The present paper embodies a generalized approach to the development of relationships among the two-dimensional counting measurements and the three-dimensional geometry of the structure, subject to the assumption of constant particle size and shape. It is the hope of the author that by presenting the relationships and the assumptions involved in dealing with this approximation, in a single, unified treatment, the reader may be impressed with the usefulness of the counting measurements, may be guided in their application to the estimation of details of the geometry in specific structures in which he may be interested, and may be moved to apply the results, with understanding, to new structural problems. Several authors6, 7 have demonstrated independently that it is possible to obtain unbiased estimates

Jan 1, 1964

By T. D. Thomas

In this paper, major attention is given to misfires in mines where electric multiple shot-firing is the system used. Misfires are sometimes caused by one action or condition and at other times by a combination of two or more. They may be divided into two classes: (1) those caused by workers in the mines, (2) mechanical or manufacturer's causes. The second cause will be discussed first. Misfires Caused by Faulty Detonators The important part of an electric blasting cap, to the user where multiple shot-firing is done, as in the steep-pitch, thiek-vein, anthracite mines, is the bridge wire. In single shot-firing this factor is not apparent, but in mines where multiple firing is done any variation in the resistance of the bridge wire, where full or even rated battery capacity is required, will most likely cause a misfire. The reason for this is obvious. If the resistance in the bridge wires is not the same, some of the detonators will fire because of their greater comparative resistance. Variance in resistance of bridge wires is caused by a slight difference in the diameter of the bridge wire, also by a difference in the composition of the bridge wires. Again, where the bridge wires have become rusted, there will be a variance in resistance. About the year 1922, one of the large coal companies was greatly alarmed by the number of serious and fatal accidents caused by misfires. The general manager issued an order that these accidents must be greatly reduced, and if possible, entirely prevented. The officials at the mines had to determine the various causes of misfires and have them corrected. The rock contractors who use large quantities of 60 to 80 per cent. explosives and do all firing electrically were thoroughly instructed as to the proper methods of doing their work, and closer supervision was given to their work. The manufacturer's representatives stressed the importance of the use of galvanometers; accordingly these were purchased and used. Larger firing lines were installed under the supervision of a demonstrator of the company manufacturing the caps and explosives. However, misfires again occurred and it was evident that the source of the trouble was not wholly

Jan 1, 1930

By L. Alan Weakly

Abstract-The Bureau of Mines has pursued a program of research on mine illumination that has defined the coal miner's illumination needs. St. Joe Minerals Corporation, recognizing the need for improving the illumination of the working places in their mines, entered into a cooperative research agreement with the Bureau of Mines to utilize the Bureau's expertise in this field. Some similarity in the environment, in which coal and hard rock miners work, has allowed the application of developed coal mine illumination technology and equipment to be utilized in hard rock, room and pillar mines.

Jan 6, 1978

By D. R. Miller

The use of fully grouted cables for ground reinforcement in underground mining is becoming widespread. Reinforcement design for this application has tended to be empirical although some two- dimensional design techniques have been developed. This paper describes a technique based on a model of the behaviour of cables placed across planes moving in shear. The model is three- dimensional and includes a simple model of the 'dowel' effect which arises from the bending of the cables. The model determines the shear resistance developed at a particular shear displacement assuming joint friction and cable parameters. Using data for twin 15.2mm dim. steel strand cables, and a concept of reinforcement efficiency, the application of the model to design wall support in open stopes is demonstrated. The examples consider the cases where major planar structures are known in location and orientation and where, as is more common is open stope development, mapping has indicated that a distribution of potential shear failure structures may be present. The actual location and orientation of potential shear planes is not known. These two cases highlight the underdesign of reinforcement that may arise if the distribution of orientation of potential shear planes is not considered.

Jan 1, 1984

By T. C. Craig

For the year 1934, there were 382 oi1 wells completed for a total initial of 146,965 bbl. Fifty-three wells were deepened for a total increase of 8363 bbl., bringing the total volume of new oil to 155,328 bbl. As of Jan. 1, 1934, the daily potential of the field as determined by the Texas Railroad Commission was 159,740 bbl. Of this amount 26,429 bbl. is "marginal oil," and 2682 bbl. is exempt on account of water. In December, 1934, the daily potential was established by the Railroad Commission as being 297,501 bbl. with a daily allowable of 56,800 bbl. Of this amount 31,993 bbl. is "marginal oil," and 2183 bbl. is exempt on account of water. There has been no field-wide test made during the year, and as a result the rated potential of the field is in all probability much higher than the actual potential. As each new well comes in, a five-day test is made under the supervision of the Railroad Commission. The potential thus established is added to the field potential and shares its pro rata part of the market outlet, which is the allowable production, no allowance

Jan 1, 1935

By Stanley C. Herold

TWENTY-FIVE years ago no distinction was made between water wells and oil wells except in the nature of the fluid produced. Water wells usually showed no decline in their rate of production; when oil wells showed decline something in the manner of handling them was considered wrong. Both water and oil were believed to be subject to the same physical laws in their underground movement toward the wells. Today a sharp distinction is made between them. Whereas water exists alone in the porous formations at depth, oil is usually accompanied by gas. This mixture does not behave as a liquid alone. It is a frothy, seething mass of foam which approaches and enters the wells. Different physical laws come into play. Twenty-five years ago attention was directed entirely to the well itself; today the well is accepted as a mere hole in the ground, a hole to be equipped properly for efficient service, yet without any value whatever unless it is backed up by a sufficiently prolific reservoir. Then, we were concerned with wells alone, 3000 ft. in depth; now commercial wells and their reservoirs are 10.000 ft. deep. Petroleum engineering concepts have necessarily therefore undergone a change in this last quarter century. What are they today?

Jan 1, 1937

By W. H. Adams

I doubt if many of our engineers know of the existence of coalfields extending over hundreds of miles of territory bordering on and lying contiguous to the Rio Grande River in Mexico. Essential as these facts are to those contemplating the starting of industrial works along our frontier, 1 have not been able to learn that any surveys or examinations have been made of these deposits, arid I trust the preliminary and unofficial investigations lately made by myself may be found of interest, especially to those of our members whose experience has been with poor fuel, or in districts remote from railway facilities. While it is true that Northern Mexico is generally bare of charcoal-making timber, yet no greater mistake can be made than to condemn the light, quick-growing woods found in profusion, and which cannot be excelled in flame or heat-pruducing qualities for boilers, reverberatory furnaces, or hearths. No country could be surer of a full supply of wood if wise legislation in regard to irrigation and preservation of young timber were adopted and enforced, but the beneficiation of the low-grade ores of Mexico demands a more dense fuel for furnace work, and, fortunately for metallurgists, who will hereafter make this frontier a base of operations, there have been disclosed, near the surface, seemingly inexhaustible beds of semi-anthracite and bituminous coals. No extensive openings have as yet been made, and my own workings at the Cedral mines are all that can yet be said to prove the quantity and quality of the coal, other openings furnishing only corroborative evidence. Our location (one hundred and ten miles west of the Rio Grande River) is on the western line of the depository basin, as it has existed since the period of activity along the volcanic line. The region farther inland I have not examined, but the elevations, as a rule, are much greater, though from the nature of the formation, they are not necessarily barren ground. Beginning at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains (location of the Cedral mines), we find very interesting breaks in the foot-hills, disclosing the stratified rocks from the volcanic centres to the valleys.

Jan 1, 1882

By L. Alan Weakly

The Bureau of Mines has pursued a program of research on mine illumination that has defined the coal miner's illumination needs. St. Joe Minerals Corporation, recognizing the need for improving the illumination of the working place in their mines, entered into a cooperative research agreement with the Bureau of Mines to utilize the Bureau’s expertise in this field. Some similarity in the environment, in which coal and hard rock miners work, has allowed the application of developed coal mine illumination technology and equipment to be utilized in hard rock, room and pillar mines.

Jan 1, 1979

Jan 1, 1935

C. W. GOODALE, * Butte, Mont.-In regard to the employment manager, the North Butte Mining Co. has undertaken that line of work and the rest of the companies are watching the experiment. If it is proved to be the proper thing, the system will be introduced into other mines. We have to combat the opposition to the use of the "rustling card. It is nothing more nor less than asking the nationality, where the plan formerly worked, and whether he is married or single. ROBERT RHEA GOODRICH, Anaconda, Mont. (written discussion?).¬Since the efficiency of the different phases of personnel work employed by industrial concerns, which are bringing about greater efficiency and lessening the labor turnover, the latter being intimately connected with "contentment of mind," depends on the individual workman, it is highly desirable, as far as industry is concerned, to keep the workman's mind and body in trim in order to lessen accidents and produce a higher grade of work. Prevention being better than cure, health supervision of the workmen during employment should be maintained by the employers in order that mental alertness and physical well-being may be obtained. I have long believed, from observation in many plants, that when any problem is dependent on the individual workman, what he believes and what he does is vitally dependent on his health. I will follow with much interest what is to be clone in the future in relation to the subject of health supervision during employment (as well as medical examinations at the time of employment), and I hope this idea will be generally instituted in personnel work. A workman with good health and a contented mind should be an ideal component of a progressive industrial concern. The contentment of the workman is fostered by a number of admirable phases of welfare work which are being still further developed. The mental and physical well-being of labor should be the issue in Labor vs. Capital in the new period of the industrial promotion of the United States into which we are now entering.

Jan 4, 1919

By Arthur C. Spencer

IN extension of a suggestion already made to account for certain features observed in the Juneau gold-belt in southeastern Alaska,' it is the object of the present paper to indicate in detail certain conditions in which deformation of rocks under their own weight might lead to the production of fractures in which veins could be deposited. A direct, uniformly-distributed pressure of sufficient intensity applied to an elastic brittle mass offering strong resistance to deformation produces rupture. In a material of ideal properties the surfaces of rupture under such pressure would be shearing planes inclined at 45° to the line of force, unless there be preliminary deformation, in which case this angle would be greater than 45°. This general conclusion, resting upon ana¬lytical mechanics, is completely supported by the results obtained by Daubrée in experiments upon the deformation of wax and resin prisms under compression. Let us then first con¬sider one of Daubrée's diagrams. In the case illustrated in Fig. 1, four sets of fractures in two appproximately right-angled pairs (that is to say, in conjugate sets) were produced by end-wise compression of the square cross-sectioned prisms. These fractures cut the axis of compression at approximately equal angles, not varying greatly from 45°. The location of the four sets of fractures is obviously determined by the shape of the prism, since the material in each corner acts in a way as a buttress, permitting the bulging to take place most readily on the sides. By limiting the directions in which bulging may take place, results of a more simple nature could be obtained. Take, for instance, a square prism and place it between two fixed and

Nov 1, 1905

By AIME AIME

IN ORDER to carry on its work most effectively, the Committee on Industrial Organization (now known as the Committee on Industrial Relations) consists, of .a number of sub-committees, each composed of a chairman and members who are especially fitted to carry out the work designated by its title. With only one or two exceptions, all of these committees made reports at the New York meeting of the Institute, in February of this year, abstracts of which follow.

Jan 1, 1920

By Henry F. Collins

The following notes on the cheap milling of a soft lowgrade ore-body in the State of Chiapas, Mexico, may be of interest. The ore-body in question was worked, not by itself, but incidentally in connection with a large extraction of concentrating-ore; and one 10-stamp battery of a 30-stamp mill used for re-crushing tailings, and provided with copper-plates, was set aside for the treatment of this particular ore, of which, during a period of 17 months, 10,274 tons, of 2240 lbs. each, were handled. Description.—The ore-body collsisted of that portion of a mass of decomposed garnet-rock of igneous origin, which, near its contact with another igneous mass, composed chiefly of the mineral wollastonite in a nearly pure state, had been permeated by solutions, depositing irregularly, throughout it, quartz, chal-

Jan 1, 1902

By A. H. Taitt

The original basis for the search for oil in Great Britain was described last year.t During 1937 the exploratory drilling by the D'Arcy Exploration Company, Ltd. has been continued. Three wells have been completed in the south of England and a fourth is nearing completion. In addition, test wells are now being drilled in Scotland and East Yorkshire. Southern England The test well on the Portsdown structure, which at the end of 1936 was drilling in the Lower Lias at 5792 ft., entered the Triassic at 6540 ft. and was completed in that formation at a depth of 6556 ft., without encountering further indications of petroleum. The Henfield well encountered the Lias at a depth of approximately 4090 ft., and after drilling 800 ft. of an argillaceous development of that formation entered a series of marls, breccias and conglomeratic limestones of the Carboniferous. Drilling was suspended at a depth of 5105 ft., in the latter formation. The consistently impermeable nature of the strata encountered in the Portsdown and Henfield test wells focused attention on the desirability of obtaining shore-line conditions of the Jurassic. With this end in view the Kingsclere anticline, a few miles south of Newbury in Berkshire, was selected for a next test. The Kingsclere well has now reached a depth of 5032 ft. in the Lower Lias and has encountered a full development of the Jurassic. With the exception of the Portland sand, which has a slightly greater porosity, and the Corallian, in which relatively great thicknesses of impervious limestone were met, conditions of sedimentation have been found to be comparable with those of the earlier wells. Small traces of petroleum have been found in cuttings and cores, but formation tests carried out at frequent intervals have yielded no flow of oil. In order to test the Corallian, from which series an outcropping oil sand had been found, a test well was drilled in a near-by anticline at Poxwell in Dorset. The Poxwell well started in the Portland beds and entered the Corallian at 995 ft. The sands at the horizon of the out-

Jan 1, 1938

By Walter Lee Brown

One of the characteristic steps in the march of modern scientific progress is the substitution of improved time-saving and labor-saving appliances for the antiquated and, in most cases, inconvenient forms of chemical and physical apparatus used by the earlier experimenters. This fact is strongly impressed upon us when we consider the question of the employment of illuminating-gas as a source of light, heat and power. Concerning its value as a light-producer, let the record of the past three-quarters of a century speak for itself. As a factor for power, we have evidence of its efficiency in the shape of the gas-engine. But its adaptability as a medium of heat, is the feature to which I wish to call attention, and in a special direction, viz., the assaying of ores. Gas assay-furnaces have been known and used for some years, but not to any very great extent, in this country at least. Therefore no apology on my part is required for the description I now give of a complete gas assaying-plant. The illustration accompanying this paper is a faithful representation of the group, as it was designed by, and arranged for myself, and appears in actual running order in my laboratory to-day. Its duty is to do roasting, crucible-fusion, scorification and cupellation. The furnace at the left is for roasting sulphurets or other ores for experimentation or actual work. It is what is known as a Fletcher No. 163, and consists of a fire-clay body strapped with sheet-iron bands, and a burner (No. 16, Fletcher). The opening at the top

Jan 1, 1885

By A. C. Dorenfeld

CHANGES in circuits are often made in milling operations. At the same time that these changes are being evaluated the ores are changing. Even from the same mine, the ore is usually variable as to amount and type of mineral content, degree of association of valuable and gangue minerals, amount and types of soluble salts, hardness, etc. The question then arises whether any small differences in results, after changes have been made in the various circuits, are really due to these changes or whether the variability of the ore can account for those differences. Statistical evaluation provides one method of answering the question that arises so often in beneficiation studies: Did changed results come about because of changed process, or did ore variation cause the change? In this case, data were available for statistical analysis from an operating period of 42 months, representing treatment of approximately 1 million tons of ore. During this period there had been two flowsheet changes: 1) regrind of the zinc circuit middlings was introduced, and 2) alcohol- pine oil frother mixture was substituted for cresylic acid-pine oil frother mixture. Findings are in Table I.

Jan 10, 1954

By K. C. Sclater

GAS as a factor in the efficiency of oil production, might be a better title for this paper as it deals in general with the significance of the gas-oil ratio as an index of the efficiency of oil production and briefly discusses oil production methods with reference to the gas-oil ratio in wells, particularly during the early life of a field. In the recent hearings held at Washington before the Federal Oil Conservation Board the fuller utilization of the energy contained in the gas occluded in or associated with the oil underground was stressed by some of the speakers when referring to greater ultimate recovery of oil. One speaker commenting on this point said in part, "There is ample evidence indicative that if the gas associated with the petroleum in our fields were conserved and elevated gas pressure maintained in the oil sands during their productive life, the ultimate production of oil could be greatly increased."

Jan 1, 1926

By Orson Cutler Shepard

RECENT research work in the flotation concentration of minerals has been concerned mainly with flotation reagents and the mechanism by which collecting reagents are held to the surface of certain mineral particles. The fundamental question of why air bubbles cling to properly prepared mineral surfaces is usually dismissed with the statement that the surface is air-avid or water-repellent. In my article in MINING AND METALLURGY for June, 1932, I showed theoretically that surface tension relationships govern bubble attachment in Rotation. This explanation has not been accepted by many; probably be¬cause the difficulty of measuring solid-solution surface tensions prevented obtaining experimental evidence. If the surface tensions involved in the system [solution, mineral, air bubble] are responsible for attachment of the air bubble to the mineral, any change in the surface tensions should cause a corresponding change in the attachment of the air bubble. An example in which the mineral-solution surface tension could be varied was found with mercury. When mercury is in contact with solutions of certain electrolytes the surface tension at the contact of mercury and solution can be altered by electrical polarization of the mercury. The surface tension rises to a maximum as the mercury is given an increasing negative potential and then decreases with further increase in potential. The theoretical relation between the surface tensions and the attachment of an air bubble is given by the following equation:

Jan 1, 1936

By Gregg A. Scott

Upper Stillwater Dam is to be a roller-compacted concrete gravity structure, founded on nearly horizontally bedded sandstone and argillite rock. An overview of the testing and analyses used to evaluate the adequacy of the foundation relative to deformation, seepage, and stability is presented.

Jan 1, 1984