Search Documents

By Oliver Halston

THIS paper reports the results of the use of salt in some research work carried on during the past 3 years at the Salt Lake City Station of the Bureau of Mines, which is quartered in the University of Utah, whose Metallurgical Research Department cooperates with the Bureau. Only the work involving the use of salt is described. The authors wish equal credit given to J. F. Cullen, C. L. Larson, C. Y. Proutz, C. E. Sims, H. C. Neeld, R. W. Johnson, F. G. Moses, N. C. Christensen, and G. H. Wigton, who have all in some way contributed toward the success of this work. Lead Metallturgy Popularly Supposed to be Without Problems In bead metallurgy it is difficult at first to find metallurgical problems, as the prevailing conception has been that bead is so easily concentrated in its various ores and so easily reduced to its metallic form that the only progress possible is that involved in cheapening methods of mining and of reduction. Most of the problems usually considered are of minor nature and do not involve radical metallurgical changes. During the 3 years of work of the Salt Lake Station, the following classification of problems in the metallurgy of bend has been made: Those involving Oxidized Ores. 1. Ores containing only bead. s. Ores containing bead and silver or gold. 3. Ores containing bead and zinc, with or without silver. Sulphide Ores. 1. Ores of pyrite carrying some bead. 2. Ores of complex zinc-bead-iron sulphides. 3. Complex sulphides containing in addition precious metals.

Jan 8, 1917

By J. M. Roberts, D. M. Barnett

The activation energy required to break a pinned dislocation line away from its condensed atmosphere of impurity atoms is calculated as a .function of applied stress, without neglecting line tension. Reasows are presented for not assuming the effect of line tension to be negligible when considering the problem of freeing a small segment of dislocation from an impurity atmosphere. The dislocation is considered to he pinned at each atomic size along its length and the pinning points are assumzed immobile. The development is a refinement of the origznal cottrell-bilby1 theory. The solution is compared to recent approximations developed by cottrell3 and Haasen5 in which line tension con- IN 1949 Cottrell and bilby1 considered the problem of determining the force required to pull a dislocation away from its condensed atmosphere of impurity atoms. They also examined the effect of thermal fluctuations on this force. The dislocation line was pictured as bowing out in a triangular loop under the action of an applied stress, and the activation energy necessary to free the dislocation from its atmosphere was calculated as a function of stress, line energy, and dislocation-solute atom interaction. siderations were neglected. A qualitative explanation of the yielding process in terms of the activation of Frank-Read sources is presented, but the lack of a realistic solution to the dynamic dislocation problem involved prevents an extension of the model at present. A self-consistent correlation between the present calculations and experimental data for delay time associated with yielding and the temperature dependence of the upper yield stress was made. Favorable agreement was noted. It is concluded that extension of the original Cottrell-~ilby' theory which includes line tension effects can just as well describe the yielding process as other approximations3,5 which neglect line tension. Cottrell and Bilby found the form of the activation energy vs stress curves to be almost independent of the line energy and the interaction energy (i.e., these parameters only affected the activation energy U by a scale factor). A check of the theory was accomplished by comparison with the experimental data of McAdam and Mebs2 for the lower yield stress as a function of temperature. cottrell,3 in 1957, attempted to obtain a simple closed-form solution for the activation energy as a function of stress by linearizing the quartic equation relating displacement of the dislocation line and applied stress. It was argued that since the contribution to the line energy/atomic plane of a dislocation is made by the long-range stress field of the dislocation through a term of the type (Gb3/2p)ln A/ro, where

Jan 1, 1963

By E. H. Tenney

A discussion of the probable future use of coal for power development involves the study of several basic factors, such as future demand for power, the quantity and availability of fuels in direct competition with coal, the price of coal, and a closely related factor—the efficiency and cost of fuel utilization. Predictions based on purely statistical analyses of past coal consumption have definite limitations. For example, statistics showing the relation between coal utilization and total energy consumption from all sources between the years 1890 to 1930 indicate that during that period the energy consumption per person in the United States increased five times, while the coal consumption per person increased only twice1, and there has been an actual decrease in per capita coal consumption since 1920. Figures such as these, compiled by authentic agencies, emphasize the need for caution in attempting estimates as to the future use of coal, and, incidentally, would seem to offer little basis for optimism in the coal industry. They also suggest the value of analyzing broadly the part played in the past by the related factors of power consumption, competitive fuels, coal prices and the efficiency of utilization. Proper weight must also be given in such a study to the present status and limitations of power-plant developments, arid to the question of what the coal industry itself can do to further its own interests arid influence the consumption of its product.

Jan 1, 1936

By E. H. Tenney

A discussion of the probable future use of coal for power development involves the study of several basic factors, such as future demand for power, the quantity and availability of fuels in direct competition with coal, the price of coal, and a closely related factor—the efficiency and cost of fuel utilization. Predictions based on purely statistical analyses of past coal consumption have definite limitations. For example, statistics showing the relation between coal utilization and total energy consumption from all sources between the years 1890 to 1930 indicate that during that period the energy consumption per person in the United States increased five times, while the coal consumption per person increased only twice1, and there has been an actual decrease in per capita coal consumption since 1920. Figures such as these, compiled by authentic agencies, emphasize the need for caution in attempting estimates as to the future use of coal, and, incidentally, would seem to offer little basis for optimism in the coal industry. They also suggest the value of analyzing broadly the part played in the past by the related factors of power consumption, competitive fuels, coal prices and the efficiency of utilization. Proper weight must also be given in such a study to the present status and limitations of power-plant developments, arid to the question of what the coal industry itself can do to further its own interests arid influence the consumption of its product.

Jan 1, 1936

By H. B. FERNALD

THE interesting and carefully developed formula which Professor Bucky presents for answering the question of whether proposed new equipment will give a net return on investment equal to or greater than that on present equipment starts with an assumption that the management may make this relative return a determining factor in its decision whether or not the new equipment should be provided. I do not question that in some cases the management may take this position, but I would point out the error involved in so doing. The proper test is not a comparison of the return on new as compared with the return on old investment, but is rather a comparison of the return on a particular new investment as compared with the return which would be obtainable from some other new investment which now might be made. Then I would point out that I believe Professor Bucky is in error in using as a factor in his computations the item of unamortized cost of old investment. The financial advantage to be derived from a new investment does not depend on the extent to which we may in the past have written off the cost of old equipment, nor does it even depend upon what was the original cost of that old equipment. Even the salvage or resale value of the old equipment will only enter into the picture to the extent that the present salvage or resale value differs from the ultimate salvage or resale value otherwise to be obtained, after due allowance for the interest factor.

Jan 1, 1930

By F. R. Brotzen, A. R. Troiano, E. L. Harmon

Precipitation processes leading to drastic property changes are a frequent occurrence in titanium alloys containing large amounts of the retained high temperature P phase. In order to establish the kinetics and nature of these precipitation processes, a series of Ti-V alloys was studied. Time-temperature-transformation diqgrams were obtained for 12.5 and 15 pct V-Ti alloys. These diagrams consisted of two intersecting C-shaped curves: one in the high temperature region for the euilibrium transformation P +u+P, and another at lower temperatures depicting the formation of the meta-stable transition phase, o. Presence of the transition phase retarded the precipitation of the equilibrium a phase. Deformation of retained P resulted in the formation of the o phase. Reversion and retrogression phenomena of the transition phase were observed. A negative temperature coefficient of resistance was found in quenched alloys containing from 15 to 20 pct V. CERTAIN titanium-base alloys can be heat treated to produce appreciable changes in properties. For example, remarkably high hardness values may be obtained by aging or isothermal quenching treatments. Most of the information available to date on the hardening of titanium-base alloys has been systematized recently in an article by L. D. Jaffe.' It was pointed out by that author that the hardening was the result of the decomposition of the retained j3 phase to the equilibrium constituents, a and p, and that this decomposition had many of the characteristics of an age-hardening reaction. Recent work by Frost et al.' 3 has contributed much to the fundamental understanding of the hardening mechanism in titanium-base systems. These authors established the presence of a transition phase in the transformation from j3 to a + j3, which they designated o. The transition phase, in their opinion, was at least partially responsible for the hardening and embrittling effects which accompanied low temperature aging. The present investigation of the mechanism and kinetics of the hardening reaction was carried out for the Ti-V system. Ti-V alloys were ideally suited for a study of the decomposition of j3, since age hardening was known to occur readily in this system." Moreover, no intermetallic compounds occur in this system, Fig. 1, thus simplifying the interpretation of the results. Material and Procedure Alloys containing 12.5 and 15 pct V were prepared by Battelle Memorial Institute from iodide titanium furnished by Watertown Arsenal and vanadium of 99.8 pct purity. Ingots of 8 Ib each were prepared by arc melting in an inert atmosphere with a tungsten electrode and water-cooled copper crucible. Each of the ingots was melted once, forged at 1600°, and rolled at 1400°F. Following this, the ingots were remelted, forged, and then rolled to % in. sq bars, which were subsequently grit blasted, pickled, and wire brushed. Another set of alloys containing nominally 17.5 and 20 pct V was produced by the Research Div., New York University. These alloys were arc melted in an inert atmosphere in lots of 20 g each. Heat-Treating Procedure: Whenever feasible, specimens were heat treated in high vacuum resistance furnaces at pressures below 5x10." mm of Hg. Aging and isothermal quenching treatments were generally carried out in salt baths. Specimens were not attacked by the salt, provided the tempera-

Jan 1, 1956

By Anthony Anable

HOOVER DAM, rapidly nearing completion in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River at Boulder City, Nev., taxes the superlatives of the vocabulary to describe. For by all odds, it is the largest construction project of its type ever essayed by man and the plants providing the essential materials of construction are also in a class by themselves not only in size but in advanced design, mechanization, and accurate control. Picture, if you will, the great aggregate plant, as it is called, situated about 4 mi. upstream from the site of

Jan 1, 1934

Jan 1, 1900

By H. Tabachnick, N. Hedley

The extraction of gold and silver from ores with alkaline cyanide solutions is well known. Cyanide solutions are also good solvents for many base metal minerals, particularly most of the copper minerals. Leaver and Woolf,1 who determined the solubilities of copper minerals in 0.10 pct sodium cyanide solution, showed that malachite, cuprite, chalcocite, and bornite are readily soluble in cyanide; least soluble are chalcopyrite and chrysocolla. The Mining Chemicals Laboratory of American Cyanamid Co. has studied the possibilities of using cyanide solutions for leaching base metals. In this article the authors present the results of their experiments with cyanide leaching to reduce the copper content of a zinc concentrate from 0.050 pct to the desired specification of less than 0.02 pct. Zinc Ore Sample: The sample of commercial zinc ore used in this investigation to produce zinc concentrates was ball mill feed ranging from 1/2 in. to fines. The ore was crushed to —10 mesh and riffled into 600-g charges for zinc flotation. Analysis revealed 4.54 pct Zn and 0.005 pct Cu. Examined microscopically, the ore consisted essentially of cream-colored sphalerite and carbonate gangue. It contained a small amount of pyrite, partly tarnished. The only copper mineral identified was chalcopyrite, mostly smaller than 20µ, some of which occurred as attachments on sphalerite. Flotation Procedure: Batches of zinc concentrates were made as required according to the following general procedure. A 600-g charge of —10 mesh ore was ground for 4 min at 60 pct solids in a laboratory steel rod mill. Screen sizing showed it to be all —35 mesh with 42 pct —200 mesh. The pulp was transferred to a Fagergren laboratory flotation machine, diluted to 25 pct solids and conditioned for 5 min with 0.6 lb per ton CuSO4, . -5H2O. It was then conditioned with 0.10 lb per ton Sodium Aerofloat promoter and floated for 5 min with pine oil as frother and creosote as froth stiff-ener. The pH during flotation was 8.5. A typical analysis of zinc concentrate subjected to leaching is 44.41 pct Zn and 0.051 pct Cu. The ratio of concentration was close to 10 to 1. Leaching Procedure: Aero Brand cyanide, technical calcium cyanide analyzing 49.5 pet NaCN equivalent, was used for all cyanide leaching tests. For each test three rougher concentrates floated as described were combined (total weight close to 180 g) and the water content adjusted to 150 ml. The percent solids in the pulp was thus 55. After a weighed amount of cyanide flakes had been added, the pulp was agitated on rolls for a given period, then filtered and washed. Filtrate and washed concentrate were assayed for copper content. The procedure for ammonia leaching was similar to the cyanide process. A series of tests was run in which the effects of ammonia as a solvent for copper in the zinc rougher concentrate were investigated. In each test 180 g of zinc rougher concentrate was leached with 150 ml of ammonia solution. Various strengths of ammonia and times of leaching were investigated. The results are shown in Table I. It is apparent that ammonia was a poor solvent for copper in the zinc concentrate; 60 min of agitation with a relatively strong NH:, solution extracted only 2 pct of the copper. CYANIDE LEACHING TESTS Effect of Solution Strength: The solvent effects of 0.125, 0.187, and 0.250 pct NaCN equivalent solutions were compared for leaching periods of 15 min. Residue and filtrate were assayed for copper content. The copper content of the filtrate plus wash was calculated back to the original volume of cyanide solution (150 ml). The effects of cyanide strength are given in Table II, It will be noted that 15 min leaching with 0.25 pct NaCN equivalent solution extracted 74.6 pct of the copper in the zinc concentrate. The leached product assayed 0.013 pct Cu, appreciably below the required specification of 0.020 pct. Effect of Leaching Time: Portions of zinc concentrate were leached with 0.25 pct NaCN equivalent

Jan 1, 1961

By N. B. Aughenbaugh, W. C. Patrick

The availability of a thorough, simple-to-use roof fall classification system is desirable for several reasons. First, such a system would expedite the reporting of falls for the purposes of estimating material removal costs, analyzing damage levels, and complying with federal regulations to report falls in certain areas of the mine. Second, the classification system would allow the mining engineer to record falls routinely with little time and effort expended. This would encourage him to make observations concerning what type of roof support would work best in a given situation. Third, and probably most important, an

Jan 3, 1979

By L. E. Wilsey, W. G. Bearden

This paper presents results of analysis of the effect of fracturing on initial flow rates and on ultimate recoveries from low capacity oil formations. This analysis shows that even in formations of permeability as low as 0.1 md, large fracture treatments can yield oil recoveries and production rates approaching those of high permeability formations. Field production information is shown which supports the analytical work. INTRODUCTION Often hydrocarbon bearing formations are discovered which, while they are known to contain large quantities of oil, will not produce at commercially attractive rates without special well stimulation. Attempts to solve this problem led to the development of such techniques as underreaming, shooting, acidizing, and recently hydraulic fracturing. These methods of stimulation have been highly successful in many fields. All of these treatments, however, affect only the pay section near the well bore and therefore owe their success to circumventing and overcoming local permeability reduction about the well bore. It has been the belief that in treating wells to stimulate production in which there is no permeability reduction near the well, the maximum possible production rate increase would be of the order of two or fourfold. Hence, it has been concluded that fracture treatment of uniformly low capacity (permeability times thickness) formations could meet with but limited success. It is the purpose of this paper to show that the use of fracture treatments much larger than usually used can yield commercially attractive producing rates and high recoveries even in formations of permeability less than 0.1 of a md. PROCEDURE In order to illustrate the effects of fracturing, an analytical study of some hypothetical systems was made in which one factor at a time was varied to show what is important in recovering oil from fractured wells. It was assumed that a horizontal fracture of relatively high fluid-carrying capacity extended from a well bore. The presence of such a fracture will cause a marked influence on the flow pattern and pressure distribution in the formations, with the net effect being to reduce tremendously the resistance to flow into the well bore. A diagram of the resulting flow pattern and pressure distribution is illustrated in Fig. 1. Immediately after production commences, the principal flow of fluid is vertically from the formation flanking the fracture, into the fracture, and then into the well. After sufficient oil and gas have been produced to lower the pressure in the formation adjacent the fracture, oil and gas will begin to flow in a radial manner into the fracture from the formations beyond the end of the fracture. In calculating the performance under such conditions. the material balance or conservation of matter equation and equations of flow were solved simultaneously by a stepwise method of calculation. Flow rates were found by determining the pressure distribution, as illustrated

Jan 1, 1955

By R. W. Diamond

Three mills are now operated by the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co. of Canada, Ltd.: (1) The Sullivan Concentrator, Chapman Camp, B. C. (near Kimberley, B. C.), (2) the St. Eugene Concentrator, Moyie, B. C., and (3) the Tadanac (Customs) Concentrator, Trail, B. C. Differential flotation is the only concentration method employed in all three plants. Tables are used for pilot work only. Values in all ores treated are as minerals of some or all of the metals —lead, zinc, gold or silver. Occasional customs ores contain small amounts of copper. Sulfide iron content of ores treated varies from a low figure in some ores to 38 per cent. iron in Sullivan ore. Gangue minerals vary considerably. A few customs ores are somewhat oxidized and as a result present difficulties. Flotation equipment and control are similar in the three mills, and the flow sheets at the St. Eugene and Tadanac mills, while much simpler, are modeled after that of the Sullivan Concentrator. In this paper I will not detail treatment nor equipment in any of our plants but will describe special features in, or in connection with, all of them. I will then deal with flotation reagents, describing our use of each of them, particularly where differing from general practice. I will conclude with comments on special subjects related to differential flotation.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. B. Mackintosh

In a recent paper read before the Institute on this subject, Mr. G. C. Stone advances the theory that the precipitate obtained in Williams's volumetric process,* by treating the boiling nitric acid solution of a manganese salt with potassic chlorate., is not pure MnO2, but approximates more closely to the composition 10Mn02+Mn0. As the value of the process and the accuracy of our results mould depend on whether this was the fact or not, it has seemed to me, and to my associates, Messrs. Beebe and Colly, that it would be of importance to ascertain the composition of this precipitate, and to that end the following series of experiments has been undertaken. These experiments have all been based on the considerations: 1. That potassic permanganate has an oxidizing power equivalent to five atoms of oxygen for every two of manganese : K2Mn2O8 = K2O.2MnO.O5. 2. That the same amount of manganese in the state of binoxide has an oxidizing power equivalent to two atoms of oxygen : 2MnO2 = 2MnO.O2. If, then, we take a solution of permanganate of unknown strength, and reduce it to binoxide, the oxidizing power of the binoxide formed will be equal to that of two-fifths the quantity of the permanganate solution originally taken. While, if the precipitate obtained should not be binoxide, but an indefinite or definite mixture of bin- and mon- oxides, then, from its equivalent oxidizing power, we can calculate its composition. The analyses were conducted in the following manner. The amount of permanganate taken was decomposed with hydrochloric acid, and concentrated to expel the excess of water. Sufficient excess of nitric acid was now added, and the solution was boiled until all the hydrochloric acid was destroyed. The manganese was then precipitated by potassic chlorate; and, after standing some time to cool—a pre-

Jan 1, 1884

By David H. Browne

(Pittsburg Meeting, March, 1910.) NICKEL has always been a fruitful mother of problems. Previous to the year 1906 nickel was regarded as an element replacing iron in copper-mattes, and it was believed that the same laws which governed the elimination of iron could be applied-to nickel. This conception has lately undergone a complete change, and nickel in all its stages is now regarded as an element replacing copper; in other words, copper-nickel is considered now as two elements, but as one metal. When we commenced our investigations on Monel metal we made a great many experiments on the conversion of mattes, both high copper and high nickel. We studied closely the composition of the mattes and the changes produced by the blow. We found in all cases certain agreements which we believe are due to some law. Briefly stated, our conclusions are as follows 1. Nickel is not an element replacing iron in matte. 2. Nickel-copper alloys act in the matte-blow like one metal. 3. Nickel-copper alloys follow, during the matte-blow, exactly the same laws as govern. the behavior of copper alone. This brings up the question : What are the laws governing the production of metallic copper, and what are the relations copper to sulphur and iron during the Bessemer blow ?

Apr 1, 1910

By W. L. Batt

MODERN war means mechanization, and mechanization means raw materials, especially minerals-and lots of them. Let me recall a few events of recent history-events that constitute mile- stones down the road to the war now blazing on three continents and threatening to spread still farther. In 1932, Japan took Manchuria, largely upon the excuse that she needed raw materials; in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia, largely upon the excuse that Mussolini's growing nation needed raw materials-in this case oil; from 1933 to 1935, Germany cried out for a greater share of the world's natural wealth, and since 1938 has invaded or occupied ten other countries, frequently upon the excuse that she needed-and had a right to-more raw materials.

Jan 1, 1940

Hugh M. ROBERTS,* Minneapolis, Minn. (written discussion ? ).¬The paper by Messrs. Hall and Row marks a distinct advance in the art of diamond drilling, because it records a systematic-application of a method for directing the path of the diamond bit. Their work is an admirable example of engineering development. They had a definite object to attain; i.e., the drilling of many vertical diamond-drill holes to depths of 2500 or 3000 ft. (762 or 914 m.). They availed them-selves of a method of wedging seldom used, improved the manner of making the wedges, developed a technique of survey, and put the process into practical, continuous operation. So effectively has this been done that they determine the average cost of the work. The publication of the results, in the form of detailed diagrams, makes the application general to whoever has a similar problem. The wedging of diamond-drill holes has been practised in the Lake Superior region for the purpose of making branch holes, particularly where the original hole has penetrated a great thickness of glacial drift. The uneven nature of the iron formations has caused the results to be somewhat uncertain. One operation, in 1907, near the American mine on the Marquette Range, by the firm of Longyear & Hodge, predecessors of the E. J. Longyear Co., resulted in the drilling of a hole 1828 ft. (557 m.) deep, with two branches at depths 100 ft. (30 m.) and 770 ft; (234 m.), respectively. A second hole from the same set-up went to a depth of 2497 ft. (761 in.) with a branch at 185.0 ft. (563 m.). In this instance, the wedges were forged to the desired shapes and angles with respect to each other. A drill hole, sunk in 1915,. in the township of Bates in the. Iron River district of Northern Michigan, which penetrated 385 ft.

Jan 11, 1919

By Paul A. Bailly

Around 4500 B.C., the Pharaoh of Egypt ordered a military campaign to the Sinai Peninsula and the shores of the Red Sea, to search for copper deposits which Egypt needed for jewelry, vases and weapons.5 To my knowledge, this is the first recorded expedition aimed at the discovery of minerals. The diligent Egyptian soldier-prospectors made discoveries through visual detection and manual effort, the approach which has given us the bulk of our mines to date. In the Rio Tinto District of Spain where Roman miners followed the Phoenician traders, we find the first evidence of discovery of hidden ore bodies in the absence of mineralized outcrops. This is how Joralemon 13 describes these Roman discoveries to the southwest of the Rio Tinto hills, under the flat plain of Seville:

Jan 6, 1979

By D. W. Brunton

The object of the investigations and experiments here recorded was to obtain such information and data as would make it possible to determine the fineness to which crushing must be carried, in sampling gold- and silver-ores, in order to obtain results within an allowable limit of error.

Jan 1, 1896

By R. D. Caudle, Yoginder P. Chugh, V. K. Agarwala

Longwall coal mining is a growing mining technique in the United States. However, very little premining exploration data are collected presently by coal companies to 1) select coal winning equipment, 2) select and design face supports and supports in gate and tail entries, or 3) optimize operational parameters such as length, width, and orientation of face. The authors are of the opinion that much of the data needed for mine planning and design for longwall mining can be obtained during exploration. In this paper, the authors identify the data requirements, discuss how these data can be obtained during exploration, propose an exploration program and estimate the cost to obtain the necessary data.

Jan 1, 1982

By Robert H. Leach

SILVER the whitest of all metals, has been used for thousands of years. Students of antiquity agree that silver, gold, copper, and their alloys were the first metals discovered by man and they have all played an important part throughout the advance of civilization. Native silver has been found in different parts of the world in varying form and size, such as clusters of fine wires in rock cavities, thin sheets along cleavage planes in veins of rocks, and pieces of irregular shape that vary in size from extremely small particles to masses weighing many pounds. Nearly pure silver is found in, the native state but the native metal is more likely to contain copper or gold. Some of the natural alloys closely approximate the compositions of synthetic alloys that are used in the arts at the present time. As these native silver alloys usually are malleable and ductile, it is evident that prehistoric man was provided by nature with metals that he could work, with the crude tools at his command, into simple ornaments or other articles. The relative scarcity of silver combined with its resistance to attack under ordinary atmospheric conditions have been important factors in determining the purposes for which man has used it. Its scarcity and indestructible character have made its possession particularly desirable, and from the earliest times its principal use has been as a measure of wealth and a medium of exchange. The comparatively high value of silver in relation to other commodities makes it possible to transport a large amount of wealth in small bulk, and silver has traveled back and forth over all parts of the world. Even when made into ornamental pieces, such as bracelets,

Jan 1, 1953