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By N. J. Grant, D. S. Bloom

P. Coheur and L. Habraken—We read this paper with great interest and are glad to congratulate the authors for their valuable work, supplying an important contribution to the mechanism of tempering on the carbides in vanadium steels. We are in a good position to appreciate this work since we have been studying, for more than a year, Cr-Mo steels of a composition similar, but less highly alloyed (namely 0.1 pct C, 3 pct Cr, 1 pct Mo). Our results are quite in concordance with the authors', however, we wish to point out that it is very interesting to use equally the electron microscope in order to observe the variations of microstructure in steels. We have studied simultaneously the evolution of the carbides in situ with the electron microscope, and, after extraction, again with the electron microscope, and then with X-rays. The first results which we have obtained have been communicated at the Congress of Delft (July 1949) and at the "Journees de la Metallurgie" in Paris (October 1949). These may be summarized as follows: After tempering with varying either the tempering temperatures or the tempering times, the carbides show two evolutions. The first one is connected to the carbides existing in the steels, principally in the boundaries of the grains. For some groups of steels these carbides may coalesce and for other groups they may

Jan 1, 1951

By R. M. Brick

EDUCATIONAL benefits for veterans of World War II have largely removed one of the two former barriers to a college education for everyone, namely financial means and intellectual capacity. This latter limita¬tion has not kept privately endowed institutions from increasing 50 to 100 percent in size of student body, even after applying moderately rigid entrance standards. Growth of some land-grant universities, which cannot well exercise such restrictive judgements, has been even greater. After a weary board of admissions, subject to student, alumni, faculty, and even political pressures, has admitted double the former number of freshmen, the university's worries really begin: to find laboratory, classroom, and instructional facilities. If this were a one- or two-year problem, the answer would be simple: double up, hold night classes, particularly of laboratories, rent space, and have instructors work 24 class or contact hours a week instead of twelve (it takes usually two to three hours of outside work by the instructor for one hour in class). However, most engineering school faculty men are worn out now from four to five years of "accelerated" (frequently downward!) programs and they couldn't continue teaching in a way satisfactory to their own consciences on

Jan 1, 1947

By M. S. Burton, J. E. Ritter

The sessile-drop technique was employed to study the effect of atmosphere and alloy additions of titanium and chromium on the surface tension and contact angle of nickel on sapphire substrates at 1500oC. Shear tests were conducted on the solidified sessile drops. The liquid-gas surface tension of pure nickel on sapphire was found to be 1747 ergs per sq cm, with a contact angle of 109.6 deg. The surface tension and contact angle were not affected significantly by the four atmospheres, vacuum, impure argon, pure argon, and pure hydrogen. Small additions of titanium and chromium decreased the contact angle and for the same alloy content, contact angles were lower in pure argon than in pure hydrogen. On the basis of shear-test results , the most probable cause for adhesion in the Ni-Al2O system is the formation of NiO:Al2O3 spinel at the interface; in the titanium alloy-Al2O3 system adhesion is thought to be due to a mechanical interlocking effect; in the chromium alloy-Al2O3 system adhesion is believed to be the result of solid-solution formation involving Cr2O3 and Al2O3 at the interface. In the last few years there has been considerable interest in reinforcing metals with ceramic whiskers. It has been postulated that, by reinforcing nickel with sapphire whiskers, high-temperature strengths su- perior to those of the best current nickel alloys can be achieved.' To fabricate a whisker-metal composite having optimum density and strength, understanding of wettability and adherence in the system is of prime importance. Although there has been some previous research in this a a need for further studies has been cited4-8 to understand better the effects of impurities, alloys additions, and atmosphere on the wetting and bonding of metals to metal oxides. The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors involved in the wetting and adherence of nickel/nickel alloys to sapphire (single-crystal a Al2O3). Sessile-drop experiments were conducted in vacuum, impure argon, pure argon, and pure hydrogen, to determine the effect of atmosphere on the contact angle of the metals on sapphire, and the liquid-gas surface tension of pure nickel. The solidified sessile drops were sheared from the sapphire substrate to measure the bond strength between the metal and ceramic. The alloy additions chosen were titanium and chromium since both enhance the wetting of nickel on sapphire.2, 3c Also, titanium is commonly used when brazing metal-to-ceramic seals to improve adherence. Since chromium forms an oxide that is completely soluble in sapphire, it was thought that the oxide could serve as a transition phase to promote bonding between the Ni-Cr alloy and sapphire. I) EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE The sessile-drop apparatus was a horizontal furnace, with an induction-heated, cylindrical molybdenum susceptor in a water-cooled Pyrex chamber. This apparatus was patterned after that of Williams and Nielsen.7 A flat Pyrex window at each end of the furnace allowed temperature measurements to be made at one

Jan 1, 1968

By Halbert Powers Gillette

FROM the known laws of physical chemistry I believe it can be shown that progressive mass movement of water solutions in channels has seldom been the means of ore-concentration in veins. It is my purpose in this paper to show that the force known as “osmosis” has been the principal factor in ore-formation. Convection-currents have doubtless supplemented osmosis, and the two working together have been the agencies that have gathered the scattered particles of rare minerals into the larger masses which are called ore. Osmosis is commonly thought of as a vague, feeble force that causes slow diffusion of dissolving matter through the solvent. That it is a measurable force, often of great intensity, few know, except those who are familiar with the laws of modern physical chemistry. Therefore, I may be pardoned for going briefly into the elementary mathematics of osmotic pressure and of convection-currents. The velocity of water moving through any channel is given by the Chézy formula: (1) v = c [/rs], in which r is the hydraulic mean radius; s, the slope of the channel in which gravity is the sole propulsive force; and c, the coefficient of roughness of the sides of the channel. From this formula it is evident that the smaller the channel, the smaller the velocity of water under a constant head. In rock-crevices, therefore, where the head is constant, water moves much more slowly than in large fissures, and in moving through sand or porous rock it is to an even greater degree retarded. Hence, if a mass of water-saturated sand be heated, the finer the sand-grains, the more slowly will the temperature rise at parts remote from the source of heat. Conversely, cooling is retarded the smaller the interstices or channels through which the convection-currents move. The importance of this

Jan 1, 1913

By V. R. Garfias, H. J. Hawley

FoR a number of years the senior author has been interested in the various geologic and engineering problems involved in the development of the petroliferous districts of northeastern Mexico, having in a previous paper* endeavored to present a summarized statement of the information relating to the geology and soil resources of this region. Of the many interesting geologic phenomena, perhaps those which have been the object of most speculation relate to the igneous intrusions which, in places, have a controlling influence on the accumulation of oil in commercial quantibies, a relationship which has been tentatively explained by various observers with as many interestingly different views. The authors of the present paper aim to record, in the course of a general discussion of the various viewpoints, some additional data, and present further tentative conclusions with a view to rounding out an up-to-date summary of the subject. The greater part of the area in question lies in the State of Vera Cruz, only a northwest fraction being in the State of San Luis Potosi. Vera Cruz is bounded on the north by the State of Tamaulipas, the northernmost of the Mexican States along the Gulf. The topography of the States of Tamaulipas and Vera Cruz and of Texas and Louisiana to the north, is controlled by the Gulf coastal plain which in northern Vera Cruz has an average width of about, 60 miles, the transitional topography between that of the rugged Banks of the Sierra and the lowlands of the coast being made up of a series of terraces and irregular hills and valleys. Geology and StRucture The greater part of the mainland of Mexico is made up of Tertiary and later effusive rocks and of sedimentaries of Cretaceous age. The igneous rocks form a belt from 150 to 300 miles wide, spurs of which shirt

Jan 1, 1918

By J. R. Campbell

In order to discuss the subject intelligently, it will be necessary to touch briefly on the forms in which sulphur is supposed to exist in coking coal to be carbonized in beehive or byproduct ovens. Sulphur is known to exist in coal as sulphides and sulphates, as can be determined experimentally. Then there is the so-called organic sulphur, i.e., sulphur in combination with the carbon, 'hydrogen, and oxygen of the coal, about which much has been written, but nothing definitely proven in an experimental way. In fact, so far. as we know, there never has been developed a satisfactory and conclusive method in the laboratory for the direct determination of organic sulphur. For most coking coals, it can be safely assumed that the preponderance of sulphur is in the form of pyrite (FeSz). When exposed to comparatively low temperatures during the coking process, it loses its sulphur according to the following chemical reaction: 7FeS2 = Fe7Ss + 6S. It will be seen, therefore, that six out of the 14 atoms of sulphur (or 42.8 per cent.) are expelled, or volatilized. FelSa remains in the coke as pyrrhotite, or magnetic sulphide of iron; this accounts for the highly magnetic properties of the powdered coke. A more commonly accepted reaction is FeS2 = FeS f S, in which the straight sulphide of iron is produced with 50 per cent. volatilization of sulphur. In the beehive methods of coke making, air is introduced in sufficient amounts to carry on the distilling and the coking processes, and the sulphur is oxidized along with the other volatile products: First, into sulphur dioxide (SO2), known by the pungent andsuffocating odoremitted from the trunnel head; second, into sulphuric anhydride (SOa); and, finally, into sulphuric acid, as it comes into contact with the air and moisture. In a properly regulated draft on a beehive oven, there is never complete combustion of the gases. In other words, the coking process should be carried on in a reducing atmosphere, and a low-grade producer gas kept issuing from the trunnel head. For coals of about 30 per cent. volatile matter, the ratio of air to gas is 3½ to 1. In complete combustion, the ratio is 6 to 1, producing an extremely high temperature

Jan 1, 1916

By C. K. Leith

Conservation, narrowly and strictly considered, means the preservation in unimpaired efficiency of the resources of the earth; or in a condition so nearly unimpaired as the nature of the case, or wise exhaustion, admits. And broadly considered, it means more than the word itself implies, for it naturally includes an examination of methods whereby the natural inheritance of the human race may be improved; and still more broadly considered. and as used in popular discussion, it includes a treatment of the effects of productive conservation methods upon distribution. "Conservation means a sacrifice of the present generation to the future generations whenever it is carried too far. There is a sharp limit to the economic sacrifice that we may reasonably ask the private person to make for even the present welfare, and the limit is still sharper when we come to consider the interests of future generations." In a paper on the iron ores of America, presented to the Pan-American Scientific Congress at Washington, I have emphasized the fact that the reserves of iron ores in the two Americas are enormously in excess of the requirements of the present generation, in fact, so large that no shortage is to be anticipated for many generations in the future; that a large part of the value of iron ores is put into them by man's efforts to make them available. This fact is fundamental for the intelligent consideration of policies of conservation as applied to iron ore. As I interpret it, this fact makes it practically unnecessary that the present generation should make any especial sacrifice for future generations in the way of conservation of its iron-ore resources. Even if we were disposed to look forward to a period of 100 or 200 years, with a view to insuring the welfare of the people living at that time, it is doubtful whether any procedure we could now formulate would materially help them in the matter of iron ores, so large are the reserves available. In order that an appeal for conservation may be effective it must obviously favor the welfare of the present or immediately following generations; it must promise benefits to general and individual welfare during a period within the range of comprehension of the average man.

Jan 1, 1916

By Arthur O. Gates

RittingeR's law of the energy expended in crushing is, as roughly stated by Profcssor Richards,' that the work of crushing is proportional to the reduction in diameter; or, as I have more fully expressed it: "The work done in crushing is proportional to the surface exposed by the operation; or, better expressed for this purpose, the work done on a given mass of rock is proportional to the reciprocal of the diameter of the final product—assuming that all the mass has been reduced to one exact sine, which is only theoretically possible."² Kick's law is stated by H. Stadler as follows :3 "The energy required for producing analogous changes of configuration of geometrically similar bodies of equal technological state varies as the volumes or weights of these bodies." In other words, the energy expended is proportional to the volume reduction, instead of the diameter reduction. That these two laws would give widely different results may be shown by a simple imaginary case. A ton of 16-in. cubes is broken to 1-in. cubes at the first operation, and these are broken to 1/16. cubes at a second operation. Since the first operation produces only one-sixteenth as much new surface as the second, the ratio of energy expended in the two operations would be by Rittinger's law as 1 to 16. By Kick's law, since the volume-reduction ratio is the same in both cases, the ratio of energy would be 1 to 1. This discrepancy is great enough to challenge a test by actual experiment, of which there has been, hitherto, but little compared with the amount of argument. The present paper is the record

Jan 1, 1916

By Richard W. Lodge

Several methods, both wet and dry, for the assay of zinc-box residues from the cyanide process, have been described in recent years, and each of them has been claimed to be superior to all others. In the year 1901, a paper, entitled "Assay of Zincy Precipitates," was published ill the School of Mines Quarterly to the purport that the scorification method for the assay of zinc-box residues was absolutely unreliable. In order to shed light on this matter, the following experiments were undertaken by Messrs. C.B. Hollis and F. D. Kehew, undergraduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The zine-box residues used were obtained through the courtesy of Mr. H. R. Batcheller. The samples were very rich and varied greatly in the fineness of their condition. SCORIFICATION-ASSAYS. In the preliminary tests, the charge, which was weighed on a chemical balance, consisted of 0.1 Assay Ton of residues mixed with from 30 to 35 grammes of test-lead and placed in a 3-in. scorifier, over this an additional quantity of test-lead (from 30 to. 35 grammes) was placed for a cover, and borax-glass, varying in quantity from 3 to 15 grammes, was sprinkled over the top of each charge of the various assays for a cover. The charges were scarified in a muffle-furnace heated to the ordinary temperature which is used in scorification; in some cases the door of the muffle was left open, while in others it remained closed. Generally, the charges spit badly, especially in the assays that were made with door of the muffle left open, or in those in which the door was opened too quickly. The results of the preliminary assays showed: 1. That in order to obtain approxi-

Jan 1, 1904

By E. M. Furness, A. S. Henderson

ORIGINALLY the Babbitt experimental plant grinding circuit consisted of one rod mill 101/2 ft diam by 12 ft long in open circuit followed by two ball mills 101/2 ft diam* 12 ft long in parallel cir- the slow-speed ball mills. The next step was to improve rod mill operation by changing the speed of this mill. Such an attack would affect only one mill and would allow slower speed on the ball mills. The rod mill, as originally purchased, operated at 15.45 rpm. Additional pinions were purchased to test this mill at 16.45, 17.45, and 18.45 rpm. When the mill speed was increased by the use of these pinions, rod breakage with this short mill increased out of all proportion to the improved grinding, until at 18.45 rpm breakage became as high as 7 lb per

Jan 1, 1958

By W. R. Crane

THE support of roof in mines is dependent largely on the character of the top rock and its occurrence. The formations overlying the orebed in the Birmingham district are sandstone and slate. The sandstone occurs in beds of sufficient thickness to constitute important elements in the system of support; the slate is relatively strong but is thinly stratified. The alternating beds of sandstone and slate furnish an excellent combination in that the former are strong and the latter are impervious; however, their continuity is broken by jointing or slip planes. The thickness, and consequent weight of the overlying formations, is important in so far as the size and arrangement of pillars are concerned but may be relatively unimportant, temporarily at least, as a factor in the support of the roof. The position of the respective beds of sandstone and slate, their relative thickness, and their inherent weakness because of the occurrence of faults and folds, may exert a predominating influence on their support in place, which is affected only in part by the weight of the cover. The only mine in this district that operates under a cover of approximately 2000 ft. (1900 ft.) is the Shannon so-called "twin slope," situated 14,000 ft. southeast of the portal of the No. 7 mine of the Tennessee Coal, Iron, & Railroad Co. The conditions in this mine indicate what may be expected in other mines when the same depth is attained; in fact the effect of pressure is shown in several mines that have not reached two-thirds of that depth. It is evident then that conditions affecting the support of roof will not improve but rather will become more difficult with the extension of the mines into the valley under a constantly increasing weight of cover. Further, the difficulties will probably be augmented by the occurrence of faults and other disturbed ground, the presence and position of which at present are largely unknown.

Jan 9, 1924

The total number of applications brought before the Committee during the year 1916 was 962; the total number, of persons who were elected, and became members of the Institute during the wane period was 750. The total membership of the Institute on. Dec. 31, 1916, was. 5,781, consisting of 19 Honorary Members, 5,246 Members, 215 Associate Members, and 301 Junior Members. The changes in membership during the year are shown on the accompanying schedule:

Jan 2, 1917

By Michael R. Lewis, Dennis P. Moore

Untensioned, fully grouted, steel bars (dowels) up to 30 m long and 45 mm in diameter were used to reinforce rock slopes several hundred metres high, excavated for a hydroelectric project near Revelstoke, British Columbia. These dowels were successfully used to prevent surface rock from loosening, to prevent sliding on interconnected discontinuities and to prevent sliding of relatively intact rock on a thin shear zone. Because the interaction between rock slopes and dowels is not well understood, critical slopes were extensively monitored. Based on the experience from Revelstoke and elsewhere, it appears to be worthwhile, in most circumstances, to reconsider the need for tensioning rock anchors.

Jan 1, 1982

By Gunnar Thaning, Goran Mathisson

The iron ores mined by LKAB in the north of Sweden have excellent beneficiation properties. This gives LKAB a favorable position as regards the production of low silica pellets for direct reduction. LKAB has concentrated on developing and marketing grades of pellets for the Midrex-Purofer-HyL process group, i. e., such direct reduction processes carried out in a shaft furnace or a static bed using reformed natural gas as a reducing agent. The paper deals with properties and quality demands of iron ore pellets for such processes. Matters such as the effect of the residual magnetite in the fired pellets on the degree of metallization, the amount and composition of the slag phase in the pellets, the mechanism of the disintegration during reduction, the state of swelling of the pellets during the conditions prevailing in these processes, the importance of the porosity, the improvement of the reducibility and lowering of the sticking tendency of the pellets by small additions of suitable additives, and the influence of the pellet size are discussed. A special test procedure for direct reduction pellets has been elaborated by LKAB. Thus, three metallurgical properties are routinely determined separately, namely reducibility, reduction strength, and sticking. The test methods are described. Finally the present and future LKAB pellets for direct reduction are presented with respect to chemical analyses and metallurgical properties.

Jan 1, 1980

By Lawrence A. Soltis

Senior engineering or executive management positions are filled by engineers who are evaluated on their performance, knowledge, skill, and maturity. Not only is technical expertise required but a knowledge of sales and marketing, finance, law, industrial relations, and public affairs is necessary. The University of Wisconsin-Extension offers an innovative post-baccalaureate degree program blending technical and professional subjects the Professional Development Degree in engineering (PDD)-designed to bring various opportunities for learn-

Jan 4, 1978

By Arthur Notman

DURING the past fifteen years there has been a great change in the methods of treating employ-ment and discharge throughout industry. Perhaps nowhere has this change come more abruptly than in the metal mining districts of the West. In 1909, when I went to work for the Phelps Dodge Corporation in Bisbee, their operations were roughly arranged accord-ing to shafts in seven divisions, each employing from 100 to 250 men underground, and the mechanical department employing some 250 men, mostly on the surface. The underground divisions were each in charge of a foreman who had under him a night foreman and from two to four shift bosses on' each of two shifts. These foremen reported to the underground superinten-dent and he in turn to the superintendent of the mine department. The mechanical department was in charge of the master mechanic who reported to the superintendent of the mine department. RUSTLING A JOB IN THE OLD DAYS It was customary for men seeking employment to "rustle" the division foreman at the shaft during the lunch hour or at the close of the day shift and the master mechanic at the shops. There was no real attempt at interviewing the applicants for underground work. They simply filed in and out of the foremen's office-50 to 150 strong-in ten or fifteen minutes. If the foreman needed men, and he generally did; to replace those that he and the shift bosses had removed during the morning, he picked out those he knew or strangers who took his' fancy. The former in many cases were chosen for negative reasons rather than positive. In selecting the latter, the foreman felt that if they failed to show ability promptly, he could replace them the next day, and often did so. Even if these foremen had been skilful and well trained in the art of selecting men, it would have been impossible under the pressure of other duties to exercise that skill and experience in so doing. The conditions in the mechani-cal department were little better. About all that can be said in favor of such a method was that with a sur-plus of labor it "got by." The labor shortage brought about by the war disclosed its fundamental weakness.

Jan 6, 1923

By A. Boltax

H. Herman and M. E. Fine (Northzcesteriz University)—The author is to be complimented on the quality and completeness of his work. Of special interest to us was the exponent of time in the exponential rate equation, n = 0.28 ± 0.03, since it is consistent with results for the early stage of quench-aging in A1-2 at. pct Cu, n = 1/3, first determined in this laboratory."' In that work we attributed the early kinetics to attraction of vacancy - solute atom complexes to the plate-shaped zone due to the strain field about the zone and the lowering in free energy. To our knowledge, Hirano et 1.' were the first to

Jan 1, 1962

By Allan J. Clark, W. J. Sharwood

When the cyanide process came into general use, late in the nineteenth century, chlorination was quickly supplanted, but amalgamation yielded place more slowly, being still the major process at many plants, where it is followed by cyanidation of the tailings. The research work of the Denny brothers in South Africa' was probably the most important contribution of its time to the metallurgy of gold. By grading analyses of mill products, they pointed to the necessity of fine grinding to accomplish maximum extraction by cyanide. The work here described is merely an extension of the Dennys' method. Developing the fine-grinding principle, the steps of "crushing in solution" and of "all-sliming" were logical sequels, though both had been attempted early in the history of the cyanide process. Crushing in solution introduced certain complications in amalgamation; when "all-sliming " was adopted it was observed that the omission of amalgamation did not materially affect the total recovery. Thus the field of the older process has become much restricted, being at present confined to ores which, yielding freely to amalgamation, either are too low in grade to show an economic advantage in "all-sliming," or present chemical or other difficulties making the use of cyanide solution unadvisable during the crushing and preparation of the ore. South African ores are typical of the former class; Homestake ores are of both classes, but even in these instances the amalgamation work is being curtailed and greater burdens thrown on the cyanide plants. It is obvious that the time required for the dissolution of gold depends on the size of its particles. In an effort to determine the critical size, the following laboratory method was evolved. A standard amalgamation test2 had already been established, which involves the agitation of about 100 gm. of ore with 20 gm. of pure mercury, the latter then being separated and its gold contents determined. This method was applied directly to certain mill products with interesting results, a few of which may be noted here. The column "Free Gold" gives the value per ton thus amalgamated, as against the " Total Gold " determined by fire assay.

Jan 1, 1923

By Allan J. Clark, W. J. Sharwood

When the cyanide process came into general use, late in the nineteenth century, chlorination was quickly supplanted, but amalgamation yielded place more slowly, being still the major process at many plants, where it is followed by cyanidation of the tailings. The research work of the Denny brothers in South Africa' was probably the most important contribution of its time to the metallurgy of gold. By grading analyses of mill products, they pointed to the necessity of fine grinding to accomplish maximum extraction by cyanide. The work here described is merely an extension of the Dennys' method. Developing the fine-grinding principle, the steps of "crushing in solution" and of "all-sliming" were logical sequels, though both had been attempted early in the history of the cyanide process. Crushing in solution introduced certain complications in amalgamation; when "all-sliming " was adopted it was observed that the omission of amalgamation did not materially affect the total recovery. Thus the field of the older process has become much restricted, being at present confined to ores which, yielding freely to amalgamation, either are too low in grade to show an economic advantage in "all-sliming," or present chemical or other difficulties making the use of cyanide solution unadvisable during the crushing and preparation of the ore. South African ores are typical of the former class; Homestake ores are of both classes, but even in these instances the amalgamation work is being curtailed and greater burdens thrown on the cyanide plants. It is obvious that the time required for the dissolution of gold depends on the size of its particles. In an effort to determine the critical size, the following laboratory method was evolved. A standard amalgamation test2 had already been established, which involves the agitation of about 100 gm. of ore with 20 gm. of pure mercury, the latter then being separated and its gold contents determined. This method was applied directly to certain mill products with interesting results, a few of which may be noted here. The column "Free Gold" gives the value per ton thus amalgamated, as against the " Total Gold " determined by fire assay.

Jan 1, 1923

By A. D. Bryant

APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 million tons of silica sand and ground silica with a value of $7.25 million is produced annually from the Ottawa, Illinois, district. These silica products come from the well known St. Peter sandstone formation which covers part of the Mississippi Basin extending from St. Paul on the north to the central part of Arkansas on the south and from Muncie, Ind., on the east to Kansas City on the west. Practically the whole state of Illinois is underlain by this formation except where removed by erosion. Sand produced from the St. Peter sandstone in the Ottawa district is noted for its purity, uniformity, and quality. In addition to various screened grades for industry about 10 pct of the total production of the Ottawa district is ground into silica flour for use in glass, abrasives, enamel, porcelain, tile, for foundry and filter sand, and other uses.

Jan 3, 1953