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By R. F. Mehl, B. Lustman

The formation of intermediate phase layers in cementation processes has been subjected to extensive qualitative investigation though to relatively little quantitative study; this work has recently been fully summarized by F. N. Rhines.' It is necessary here only to cnumerate the general conclusions drawn concerning the kinetic laws governing the growth of intermediate layers and to state what is known concerning the structural changes accompanying the generation of phase layers. I. When the intermediate phase is protective in type—i.e., when its density is less than that of the base metal, so that a continuous coating is formed and maintained—the isothermal growth of the phase follows a simple parabolic equation: X2 = kt [i] where X is the thickness of the alloy layer, k thc reaction rate constant, and t the time. The applicability of this equation to diffusion processes is tested by plotting the square of the thickness versus time, or by plotting the thickness versus the square root of time; the resultant achievement of a straight line in such a plot has been considered sufficient proof of the validity of this equation. Exceptions have been found where liquid phases are involved in the reaction, where the diffusion layer is cracked,2 and where thin semimetallic oxide and sulphide coatings are formed on metals.$ In the first two cases the thickness increases linearly with time, and in the latter it is a logarithmic function of time. 2. The rate of thickening varics with temperature according to the Arrhenius equation: k = Ae-Q/RT [2] where k is the parabolic rate constant of Eq. I, or some other rate-descriptive function, A is the action constant, e the base of natural logarithms, Q the heat of activation, R the gas constant, and T absolute temperature. This equation has been found to be generally valid except when transformations occur during reaction in either the base metal or in the reaction layer; in such instances Eq. 2 is still applicable with different values for the constants A and Q above and below the transformation temperature. 3. Ali phases that are stable at the temperature at which diffusion occurs will appear in the interdiffusion of two components. In some cases certain of the phases may be too thin to be observed and identified easily. Nonequilibrium phases have never been noted in thick reaction layers; i.e., layers of a thickness that may be discerned microscopically. The relative thickness of each phase in a diffusion layer is proportional to the concentration gradient and to the rate of diffusion in that phase.4 The reaction layers tend to have a

Jan 1, 1942

By W. W. Stephens, W. J. Kroll, H. P. Holmes

THE only two methods for producing commercial quantities of malleable zirconium, up to now, have been using magnesium reduction of the anhydrous chloride under a neutral gas, and using purification of raw zirconium by the iodide dissociation method on a hot filament. The purity of the metal obtained by the latter process is about the same as that resulting from the chloride reduction, with the exception of the oxygen content, which may be about 0.05 pct lower in the iodide metal. Even traces of oxygen have a strong hardening effect on zirconium. Since, in the iodide process, the impurities, Si, Al, Fe, Ni, and Mg in the raw zirconium used, are carried over, it would appear uneconomical to use this method of refining solely to eliminate the traces of oxygen, unless very soft metal is desired. One important step to improve the iodide method, namely, dissociating pure iodide made from carbide and recycling the iodine, which would change this refining process into a method for extracting zirconium from the ore, has not yet been made. The Bureau of Mines, by using the chloride reduction, wanted to produce quantities of a reasonably pure and malleable metal at low cost for large-scale industrial use. This aim has been achieved, and a pilot plant permitting production of 600 lb of malleable zirconium per week will be described (fig. 1). Briefly, the Bureau of Mines process consists of reducing purified gaseous anhydrous zirconium chloride with fused magnesium under a noble-gas atmosphere. The reaction product, magnesium chloride, and any excess magnesium metal present are removed from the sponge zirconium in the next step by fusion and evaporation in a good vacuum at about 925°C. In this process, care is taken to keep air out of contact with the hot metal, which otherwise would contaminate the product with oxygen and nitrogen. Both these impurities embrittle zirconium even when present in an amount as low as 0.1 pct. A number of previous reports1-3 describe the method and the various improvements that finally led to a workable process. The major steps made were the production of large quantities of carbide, which is the raw material for producing the chloride, its chlorination with reasonable efficiencies, and the elimination of iron trichloride contained in the raw chloride, as well as that of the zirconium oxide which is always present in this product. The physical nature of the anhydrous chloride, which sublimes at 331°C at atmospheric pressure and melts at 420°C under a pressure of 25 atm, made it necessary to provide a special safety device on the purification and reduction vessels in the form of a lead-alloy seal, permitting escape of excess gases if pressure tended to build up. The main difficulties encountered in the reduction and in the following step, salt separation in a vacuum at elevated temperature, were caused by the material from which the reaction pot was constructed—iron. This metal reacts with zirconium at about 940°C with formation of a eutectic. The last step, salt separation by evaporation of the magnesium and magnesium chloride in a vacuum, is quite unconventional and has not been used before on such a scale. It is only due to the improved construction of high-vacuum pumps, especially oil-diffusion pumps, that such a method could be used. The various steps of the Bureau of Mines process, as described in the general outline above, may be summarized as follows: (1) production of the carbide, (2) chlorination of the carbide, (3) purification of the raw chloride, (4) reduction of the pure chloride with fused magnesium, (5) separation of excess magnesium and magnesium chloride in vacuum at elevated temperature, and (6) melting of the sponge obtained. Production of Carbide The arc furnace, described in a previous report,' was improved both to reduce the graphite consumption caused by the burning of the bottom plates and to concentrate the heat in order to obtain better power efficiency. This was achieved by providing the bottom with graphite plates entirely embedded in refractory bricks, the contact with the current being made with three water-cooled copper plugs. Figs. 2 and 3 show the arrangement. The crucible, made

Jan 1, 1951

By A. W. Peake, F. O. Prior

Considering the great advance in the development and application of electricity, it is not strange that eventually a big field for its use has been found in oil-field operations. So far as is known, the first electric drive in oil-field operations was in the Russian field of Baku in 1900. The first application in this country was made by the South Penn Oil Co. near Folsom, West Va. in 1903. In 1916, electric power was first used in the Burma fields of India for drilling and pumping. Between 1916 and 1922, The Empire Gas & Fuel Co. made the first large electrical installation in the Mid-Continent fields. But although the first application was made 27 years ago, it is only within the last 10 years that oil companies have begun to look upon its use with much favor. Within the last few years, there has been a steady increase in the use of electricity in the oil fields. The first application of electricity for oil-field operations in Wyoming was in the Lander field in 1919; the second was in 1924 in Salt Creek; and the third, and last to date, was made by the Continental Oil Co. in the Big Muddy field during 1926. Lander Field The electrification of oil-field operations in Wyoming was initiated by J. W. Steele, superintendent of the Producers & Refiners Oil Corpn., in the Lander field in 1919. At that time, 32 wells were being pumped from five band-wheel powers, with oil engines as the prime movers. Eight barrels of fuel oil were used for power per day and at the price of 90 c. per bbl. the fuel bill was $36 per day. It was decided to try a 15 to 35-hp. oil-field motor on one of these powers. Electric power was generated with steam at the old Wind River refinery station. This test was so successful that in 1920 all five powers were equipped with 15 to 35-hp. oil-field motors, the power being obtained from the Sinks Canyon hydroelectric station. Four of these powers pumped wells at an average depth of 1450 ft., and the fifth pumped wells at an average of 2100 ft. In 1920, the average production per day from the 32 wells was 325 bbl. The power bill on the

Jan 1, 1928

By A. R. Troiano, E. A. Steigerwald, F. W. Schaller

The kinetics of crack propagation in a hydrogenated high-strength steel at subzero temperatures indicated that cracking progressed in a discontinuous fashion. The delayed failure process thus involves a series of crack initiations rather than the continuous growth of a single crack. The incubation time required for the initiation of delayed failure was controlled by the diffusion of hydrogen. The activation energy for the process was 9120 cal per g-alom. As the test temperature was lowered the incubation time constituted a greater percentage of the total tinze to fracture, and al -50°F the incubation and fracture times were essentially coincident resulting in instantaneous, catastroplzic fracture. A unique feature of hydrogen embrittlement is the delayed failure process in which the material fails under the action of a sustained load even though it is capable of supporting a higher load for a finite period of time.')' Delayed failure of steel and titanium is characterized by an incubation time, preceding the initiation of a crack in a highly localized region, and the subsequent growth of the crack to ultimate failure.3-5 The kinetics of crack growth in hydro-genated high-strength steels have been studied through the use of resistance measurements and have an important bearing on the mechanism of delayed failure. Delayed failure is believed to be merely a facet of hydrogen embrittlement in which sufficient time is allowed during a test for hydrogen diffusion. The current theories employed to explain hydrogen em-brittlement can be grouped into two types. one6-8 explains the embrittlement on the basis of the pressure exerted by molecular hdrogen in lattice voids or defects while the other9-10 attributes the embrittlement to the influence of hydrogen in the lattice. The mechanism used to explain the nature of the crack kinetics in delayed failure is based on the stress-induced diffusion of hydrogen to the area of maximum triaxiality.3 When the hydrogen concentration in this region reaches a critical value, a crack is nucleated. This initial crack propagates instantaneously until stopped by the higher fracture stress of the adjacent material of lower hydrogen content. The continuation of cracking must then await the further diffusion of hydrogen to the new region of triaxiality near the base of the crack where another initiation will occur. From this mechanism it follows that crack propagation is nothing more or less than a series of initiations with limited fracture. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the kinetics of crack growth in an effort to determine whether or not the process was discontinuous. Studies of crack propagation were conducted at low temperatures to retard the diffusion of hydrogen which is presumed to be the rate controlling process in delayed failure. MATERIALS AND PROCEDURE Specimen Preparation—A commercial heat of air-craft quality SAE-AISI 4340 steel, designated as Heat G, was furnished by the Republic Steel Co. in the form of %-in. hot-rolled bars. The material had the following chemical analysis: Composition of 4340 Steel—G Heat C Mn Si Ni Cr Mo 0,395pct 0.82pct 0.29pct 1.76pct 0.85pct 0.25pct Notched tensile specimens with less than a 0.001 in. radius, Fig. 1, were used throughout the investigation. The specimens were heat treated to a 230,000 psi strength level according to the following sequence: a) Normalize bar stock at 1650°F for 1 hr, b) Stress relieve at 1200°F for 4 hr and furnace cool,

Jan 1, 1960

By Robert J. Ramsey, Robert D. Jeppson

Introduction The Utah Copper Division of Kennecott Copper Corporation will present its contribution to the A. M. Gaudin Flotation Symposium in four parts. The first two segments will discuss briefly the historical development of the Utah Copper Division and describe the ore body. The third segment will review the facilities and operating procedures for the Utah Copper division's newest plant, the Bonneville Concentrator. The fourth segment describes flotation process circuitry, including molybdenite recovery procedures, at the Arthur and Magna concentrators. (The Bonneville concentrator is a crushing and grinding unit and does not have its own flotation plant). I. Historical Development Progress through change has been the key to the successful operation of the Utah Copper Division for more than 70 years. As the original low-grade copper operation, the pressures to remain competitive and profitable have dictated the timing and extent of each change. Much of the change has occurred through technological and economic advancements in the area of ore concentration. The Utah Copper Division of Kennecott Copper Corporation had its origin June 4, 1903, when the Utah Copper Company was organized. The initial mill of 300 tpd (tons per day) capacity was built at Copperton a few miles below the present Bingham Canyon mine site. From 1904 to 1910, the Copperton mill was expanded to a capacity of 1,000 tpd, and all of the known apparatus for gravity concentration were evaluated.

Jan 1, 1976

By G. E. Agar, P. L. De Bruyn

Flotation is an important example of a chemical process by which one solid may be separated from other solids in a mixture. In contrast to other chemical processes such as leaching and smelting, separation of solids by flotation is characterized by the establishment of contact among three phases. In froth flotation these three phases are the solid to be floated, an aqueous electrolyte solution, and a gas, usually air. The gaseous phase may be re- placed by an organic liquid phase or this organic liquid phase may be added deliberately as a fourth phase. To gain an understanding of the flotation sys- tem, it is therefore necessary to study the chemical and physical properties of surfaces and to establish the effect of changes in composition of the bulk phases on the nature of the three interfaces, solid-gas, solid-liquid and liquid- gas. With very few exceptions inorganic solids are completely wetted by the aqueous phase so that the first step in flotation is to replace partially the solid-liquid interface by a solid-gas interface. This displacement process is accomplished by the addition of suitable reagents to the aqueous phase. The resultant surface reaction leaves the solid surface with a hydrophobic film. Although the primary objective of these reagent additions is to alter the solid surface, chemical reactions between the added chemical species and those species derived from the dissolution of the solids are unavoidable. For a quantitative description of such reactions and for the determination of the feasibility of a proposed reaction, we rely on available thermodynamic data. The application of thermodynamic principles to flotation systems has contributed much to our understanding of flotation. The changes in thermodynamic properties such as free energy and chemical potential are accessible to experimental determination, and a knowledge of their magnitude allows us to develop and predict a chemical mechanism oy which a solid becomes floatable. In this chapter it will be assumed that the reader has a working knowledge of the general principles of thermodynamics and solution chemistry. A complete discussion of the physical chemistry of flotation must include a treatment of solubility relations, complex ionic equilibria, reaction potential, and the elements of electrochemistry, especially those dealing with reversible electrical cells. The principles related to all of these features of the flotation system will not be discussed in this chapter. The discussion will be concerned with the thermodynamics and electrochemistry of surfaces and the electrical double layer model of the interface.

Jan 1, 1962

By F. Lynwood Garrison

It is not intended to make in the present paper any deduction or to formulate any theories from the results obtained by experiments. The further expenditure of considerable time and labor would be required to obtain a sufficient basis for positive assertions as to the microscopic structure of the different varieties of iron and steel, and the structural changes which take place in them. It is therefore my purpose at this time to offer simply a synopsis of the general results arrived at in a few months' work, a brief description of apparatus used, and a few hints as to the preparation and preservation of the material which it is intended to investigate. The study of the microscopic structure of iron and steel is not altogether new. Some attention has been given it in both England and Germany. But the foreign publications on the subject have thus far been confined, so far as I am aware, to two papers, one by Herr Martens, of Berlin, contributed to the Verein zur Befoerderuny des Gewerbfleisses and the other a lecture by Dr. H. C. Sorby of Sheffield. Dr. Sorby, it seems, was induced to investigate the subject as bearing on the structure of meteoric iron ; and the results he obtained are certainly very interesting. At the Boston meeting of this Institute, in February, 1883, Mr. J. C, Bayles called attention to the subject in a neat and exceedingly interesting paper, in which the work of Messrs. Martens and Sorby was summarized,* and original suggestions were added. It is at present difficult to say what will he eventually the practical value of the microscope, thus employed, in the sciences of engineering. The role which it seems most likely to play is that of' an adjunct to the testing-machine, and not (as some have supposed) a rival to the chemical laboratory. That it will be a most valuable accessory seems, to say the least, highly probable. I need hardly go at length into the details of preparing the material for examination. Mr. Bayles has described the process in such a plain and comprehensive manner that if his instructions are

Jan 1, 1886

By James Herbert Bartlett

The MANUFACTURE of Iron in the PROVINCE of Quebec. The St. Maurice Forges.—The deposits of iron-ore in the St. Maurice district, in the rear of Three Rivers, were probably known to the Indians and .Jesuits, but it is not till 1667 that any discovery is reported. The affairs of the colony were then in the control of the " West India Company," who amongst other monopolies had a right to all mines and minerals." Specimens of the iron-ore were examined in Quebec. in 1668 by the Sieur la Potardière, who reported unfavorably on them. In 1671, Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, was appointed governor of La Nouvelle France ; and in the original manuscripts relating to his administration some allusion is occasionally found to the St. Maurice iron mines.? In a letter to the Imperial Government, dated 2d November, 1672, he says: "The iron mine of which I have already spoken is of great consequence. I have visited it myself, in order that I may be enabled to give a more accurate account of its nature. I am gratified to learn that another mine has been discovered in Champlain, which is much richer than the Cap de la Madelaine mine, and the ore is in greater

Jan 1, 1886

CHARLES CATLETT, Staunton, Va.-A great many important things have been said in an interesting way but the most startling, to me, is that for 25 years, the price has been in the neighborhood of $1.00, with a minimum of 86 cents and a maximum of about $1.25. It is evident that during all that time the price was inadequate. The amount paid to be divided between the land owner, the capitalist, and the laborer was too limited or too irregular to permit of a healthy condition; yet it is evident that the enormous industrial development of this country was fostered by this very cheap coal, probably the cheapest that has been provided in quantity in any country. I entered the coal business when the price was lowest and my interest and sympathy went out to the man who spent his days in the dirt and foul air of a mine and I was filled with schemes for helping. But at the end of the year, after exercising every economy and in blissful ignorance of proper depreciation and obsolescence, there was still only a profit of 1 cent per long ton for what I think is one of the best coals in the world, the best grade of New River coal. We are now paying a great deal more than we did a few years ago and probably will continue to pay more for some time; but any one who thinks we will not have low prices again is very young or very forgetful. Yet we must have larger profits if the industry is to be healthy, if the three parties to the production are to get adequate returns and be in shape to provide the improvements which will be needed to take the place of and supplement the man-power. This will come when the men are making so much money that the operator wants to replace the man by a machine, and when the operator is making so much money as to be in a shape to make the improvements. He will not put in machinery unless the machinery will save money. We have got to pay a higher prime cost for coal, but engineering skill will teach us how to handle it better and use it more economically, and the ultimate result ought to be of advantage to the public.

Jan 3, 1920

T. L. Joseph (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.)—Mr. Killian is to be commended for his inquiry as to why a decrease of 15.3 pct in coke consumption was accompanied by a decrease of only 1.9 pct in the CO/CO, ratio of the top gas. Although I encouraged him in his efforts to find a more significant and meaningful carbon-gas ratio, the method, calculations, and conclusions originated entirely with the author. Whether we agree entirely with the assumptions underlying his corrected ratio, I think we can all agree that a better ratio is needed, and that he deserves credit for recognizing the need and for doing something about it. To be most useful, the CO/CO, ratio for the top gas should reflect the way in which the carbon is gasified in the furnace, particularly the degree of oxidation and the extent of heat release. The effect of CO, from the decomposition of the limestone and the effect of the reaction of CO and water vapor in the upper part of the furnace on the quality of top gas should be isolated from the effect of more basic reactions such as ore reduction and solution loss. The reduction of sufficient iron oxide to produce a ton of pig iron and the accompanying changes in the proportions of the carbon gases can be expressed on a mol basis as follows: 16.5FeA + 16.5CO - 33FeO + 16.5CO, [1] 33FeO + 33.0CO = 33Fe + 33CO. [2] The CO, from eq 1 normally escapes from the furnace because it does not react with coke at the temperature of its release. However, as much as 50 pct of the CO, from eq 2 may react with coke because it is released at temperatures above 1000°C: 16.5CO. + 16.5CO2 = 33CO [3] Thus we see that the gasification of 16.5 mols or about 200 lb of C in solution loss will regenerate as much CO as is required for the last stage of reduction. The pronounced effect of reaction 3 on the final proportions of CO and CO, in the gas stream is obvious. It also follows that reaction 3 materially alters the heat release but it cannot be entirely eliminated in Lake ore practice. A previous study indicates that 100 lb of solution loss may be necessary to maintain the reducing power of the gas. A reduction of 100 lb from the normal level of 200 lb would mean that over 1,-000,000 additional Btu are released in the process. The 100 lb of additional carbon which will be burned at the tuyeres will release 437,000 Btu and the absorption of 583,000 Btu by eq 3 would be prevented. One of the chief objectives of sized ore burdens and more uniform distribution of the gas stream is to minimize solution loss by completing reduction higher in the furnace and in turn to release the maximum amount of heat from the carbon charged. It was odd, indeed, to find that the use of sized ore and sinter in the careful tests reported by Dobscha had changed the CO/CO2 ratio very little. The author has stressed the close correlation between his corrected CO/CO, ratio and production. A correlation of fuel consumption and the CO/CO, might be more logical. Fuel consumption on the prepared ore burden decreased 15.3 pct whereas the corrected CO/CO2 ratio decreased 19.0 pct. Although this agreement between the reduction in fuel and the reduction in corrected CO/CO2 ratio is not as close as the correlation with tonnage, it indicates the corrected ratio is superior to the normal ratio which decreased less than 4 pct. Some adjustment should be made for the reaction: CO + H2O = CO2 + H2 —700Btu [41 because there is evidence to indicate that about one half of the hydrogen is formed in the upper 21 ft of

Jan 1, 1953

By Will L. Clark

He who enters a mining claim within an Indian reservation of the United States of America acquires no rights thereby, because of the fact that the lands within such Indian reservation are not a part of the public domain, and cannot be located or acquired as mineral land. However, where such an entry is authorized as to a particular reservation by an Act of Congress, such claims as may be ontered under such authorization are thereby segregated from the reservation, and the Indian title is oxtinguished. Under the Choctaw Constitution, any citizen of that nation, in other words any Choctaw Indian, who discovered a coal mine, acquired an exclusive right to all coal within a radius of 1 mile. The laws of the Chickasaw nation provided for the formation of corporations to develop coal and other mines, with authority to contract with others to develop and work the mines. Under these laws, leases were made; but Congress subsequently abrogated all existing leases, prohibited all persons from receiving royaltics from such mines, and provided that all coal within the nation should remain the common property of the tribes. , Such leases are now expressly prohibited by an Act of Congress (32 United States Statutes at Large, 655). All leases of mineral lands upon Indian reservations must now be made under regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior, and the royalties must' be paid into the United States Treasury for the benefit of the tribes. In Canada the Indians have no rights to the royal mines and minerals, and the government can make no stipulation with the Indians which would affect the rights of the Province in which the lands are situated. Therefore, while it is true that under our present law no rights can be acquired to a mining claim within an Indian reservation, it seems to be fully within the authority of Congress to make laws, giving such rights to mineral locators as it may deem necessary or expedient. There is a demand for a general law that will permit mining upon Indian reservations, and I am informed that most of the members of both houses of Congress from the Western States are in favor of Congress pass-

Jan 1, 1915

By James Terry Duee

No important producing developments took place in Colombia during the year 1928. This was at least partly due to the paralysis of operations by the passage, during the latter part of 1927, of a law which was regarded by the oil companies as confiscatory and unjust, and the promulgation of exceedingly stringent regulations of this law under decree No. 150, published Jan. 28, 1928. This decree, which contained 24 articles, practically prevented not only producing operations by the oil companies but even such activities as geological explorations and surveying, as severe fines were imposed for the possession of maps not registered with the Ministry of Industries. Both this regulatory decree and the law were subject to attack in the courts by several of the oil companies. The regulatory decree was suspended May 22 by Presidential proclamation, until the suits against it are decided by the Supreme Court and Council of State. Though another law was introduced into the Colombian Congress at a later date, no action was taken on it, and at the time of the writing of this paper, it would appear that no oil bill will pass the Colombian Congress during the present session. The Barco concession, which was revoked in February, 1926, still continues an unsettled matter, although there have been rumors that the government was attempting to come to some decision on this rather difficult question. A hopeful sign toward the close of the year was the settlement of negotiations with the Tropical Oil Co. over the acceptance of the payment for royalties due the government from that company. This settlement, which covered a royalty on crude oil produced from June 30, 1926 to June 30, 1928, represented a cash payment for approximately 3,000,000 barrels. It is to be hoped that during the coming year the Colombian government will see its way clear to clarify its position on petroleum legislation. A good augury for the future was the statement made by President Abadia Mendez on New Year's Day, in which he courageously admitted the errors of previous legislation and said, regarding oil, "Very soon

Jan 1, 1929

By Hon. Charles McCrea

MINING taxation is a subject which bears definitely upon-the welfare of the mining indus-try. Every government must have a revenue but that revenue should be raised in such a way as to hamper as little as possible legitimate enterprise or industry. A mining tax should be fair, and one which appeals to the natural sense of justice. Our present system is a tax on net- profits after all expenses are met. On profits in excess of $10,000 the Mining Tax Act takes three per cent., one-half of which goes to the Govern-ment and one-half to the municipality in which the mines are situated, to meet local needs for roads, schools, etc. On profits from one to five million dollars", the tax is five per cent.; over five million, six per cent., and so on. The first $10,000 profit is exempt. The result is that if a mine is worked at a loss, it pays no tax at all; if it makes a small profit, it pays a small tax; if profits are large, the tax increases accordingly. It is difficult to imagine a fairer or less onerous method of taxation, or one better adapted to meet fluctuating conditions from year to year as profits rise or fall. A just and fair tax should be levied on profits, never on capital. There is, one branch of the mining industry upon which is levied a higher tax than upon other branches, namely, the nickel industry. I see no good reason why any branch of the mining industry should be discrim-inated against on a profits tax basis. A mining tax should not discourage development. The present tax meets this requirement. In the early years of a mine, when it is all outgo and no income, the mine pays no tax. Not until it reaches a productive and. profitable stage does the tax take effect, and then the mine can afford to pay it. Further, a tax on profits does not operate against the opening up of low-grade deposits, or those in which the chance of success is to a certain extent speculative.

Jan 10, 1923

By O. C. Wheeler

In past years the exploration of the oil possibilities of Colombia has been confined to parts of three distinct physiographic provinces; namely, the coastal plains area near the Caribbean Sea, the Magdalena Valley and the upper reaches of the Maracaibo Basin near the Venezuelan border. During 1935, little exploratory work and no drilling was carried on on the coast, but there was considerable activity in the other two areas. In the Magdalena Valley, the Tropical Oil Co. continued its producing and development operations on the De Mares Concession. The Socony-Vacuum exercised the option it acquired in 1934 on Sr. Luciano Restrepo's concession adjacent to the Tropical property and north of the Sogamoso River. No wells have been started on the Socony's lands although, according to the terms of the lease, drilling must be started within the next two years. West of the Carare River and adjacent to the Tropical's southwestern boundary, the Sociedad Nacional del Carare denounced the lands formerly held by the Union Colombiana, whose lease automatically lapsed during the year owing to the company's failure to comply with its drilling obligations. In the same area, the concessions held by Callejas et al. and the Société Européene des Pétroles are also understood to have lapsed for the same reason. Holdings of other interests in the Magdalena Valley were inactive during the year. Near the upper part of the Maracaibo Basin, the Gulf, through its subsidiary the Colombian Petroleum Co., continued active exploration and development on its Barco concession. Colombian Petroleum Co.—The following information and that presented in the accompanying tables relating to the activities of the Colombian Petroleum Co. was supplied through the courtesy of Mr. E. S. Bleecker, chief geologist of that company. Four wells were completed during the year on the north Petrolea dome, where an attempt is being made to define the limits of the field. On the south end of the Petrolea anticline, one well, Petrolea No. 3, which might be classed as a wildcat, encountered a heavy flow of salt water immediately below the oil zone and had to be abandoned. A second location has been made 1 miles south of No. 3 and somewhat higher on

Jan 1, 1936

By O. C. Wheeler

In past years the exploration of the oil possibilities of Colombia has been confined to parts of three distinct physiographic provinces; namely, the coastal plains area near the Caribbean Sea, the Magdalena Valley and the upper reaches of the Maracaibo Basin near the Venezuelan border. During 1935, little exploratory work and no drilling was carried on on the coast, but there was considerable activity in the other two areas. In the Magdalena Valley, the Tropical Oil Co. continued its producing and development operations on the De Mares Concession. The Socony-Vacuum exercised the option it acquired in 1934 on Sr. Luciano Restrepo's concession adjacent to the Tropical property and north of the Sogamoso River. No wells have been started on the Socony's lands although, according to the terms of the lease, drilling must be started within the next two years. West of the Carare River and adjacent to the Tropical's southwestern boundary, the Sociedad Nacional del Carare denounced the lands formerly held by the Union Colombiana, whose lease automatically lapsed during the year owing to the company's failure to comply with its drilling obligations. In the same area, the concessions held by Callejas et al. and the Société Européene des Pétroles are also understood to have lapsed for the same reason. Holdings of other interests in the Magdalena Valley were inactive during the year. Near the upper part of the Maracaibo Basin, the Gulf, through its subsidiary the Colombian Petroleum Co., continued active exploration and development on its Barco concession. Colombian Petroleum Co.—The following information and that presented in the accompanying tables relating to the activities of the Colombian Petroleum Co. was supplied through the courtesy of Mr. E. S. Bleecker, chief geologist of that company. Four wells were completed during the year on the north Petrolea dome, where an attempt is being made to define the limits of the field. On the south end of the Petrolea anticline, one well, Petrolea No. 3, which might be classed as a wildcat, encountered a heavy flow of salt water immediately below the oil zone and had to be abandoned. A second location has been made 1 miles south of No. 3 and somewhat higher on

Jan 1, 1936

By C. W. Washburne

Continued discussion of the paper Of ROSWELL H. JOHNSON, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1015, and printed in Bulletin No. 98, February; 1915, pp. 221 to 226. See also Bulletin No. 101, May, 1915, pp. 1157 to 1162, and No. 103, July, 1915, pp. 1449 to 1450. C. W. WASHBURNE, New York, N. Y. (communication to the Secretary*).-Mr. Johnson recognizes that connate waters must be driven, outward toward the earth's surface. He considers the ascent due to the settling and packing of the underlying sediments and to the formation of gas within the rocks, supplemented by abyssal pressures. The origin of the methane in the sedimentary strata probably is not simple. There are three possible modes of origin: (1) as marsh gas formed near the surface and entrapped in the sediments; (2) from abyssal sources; (3) by the decomposition of organic matter buried in the sediments. The abyssal source is generally negligible, and in all cases doubtful. The third origin is the most important in the gas fields. A fourth mode of origin, by the dissociation of liquid hydrocarbons, frequently has been suggested, but it is improbable, because crude oils are exothermic. Therefore they have no tendency, to split or decompose at low temperatures, as do endothermic substances, such as coal, which is geologically by the loss of methane, water, and carbon dioxide. This cannot happen to a hydrocarbon until its temperature of dissociation (" cracking point") is reached, which is over 250'.C. for the most easily cracked hydrocarbons and over 400° C. for others. Engler says that the dissociation of fats and waxes into oils is an endothermic process, thereby unconsciously nullifying his own theory of the dissociation of these substances at low temperatures. However, recently I have found reason to think that heat is liberated by the disruption of the molecules of fats and waxes, as it is in the molecular decomposition of the substances of wood, coal, etc. If this tentative opinion is correct, and Engler wrong, then it seems that the Engler-Höfer hypothesis of the origin of oil becomes not only possible, but even probable.

Jan 9, 1915

By H. W. Mathews, J. D. Wheeler

AS predicted by Messrs. Fuqua and Thompson, in last year's paper on West Texas1, 1935 saw a marked increase in activity in this area over recent years. Both major and independent operators shared in the increased wildcatting operations, which resulted in the discovery of eight and probably nine new fields in this area. During 1935 there were 700 wells completed as compared with 468 in 1934 and only 236 in 1933. Of these completions 579 were producers with a total 24-hr. potential of over 700,000 bbl. It is estimated that the new fields discovered during 1935 added from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000 bbl. to the known oil reserve in West Texas. In addition to these new fields, many of the older producing areas scored marked extensions during the year. New Fields Goldsmith.—-The Goldsmith field, in west central Ector County, gives promise of being the year's outstanding discovery in this area. The discovery well was completed by the Gulf Production Co. in June at a depth of 4177 ft.; it gaged 275 bbl. of 36° gravity oil in 3 hr. through 85/8-in. casing on its first production test. The field has been extended to the east by wells drilled by Phillips and Pure on their Cowden block. Present indications are that the field may contain 10,000 productive acres, and this, together with the large flush production from only a small penetration into the pay, leads to the belief that Gulf-Goldsmith No. 1 was the outstanding Permian lime discovery of 1935. It is quite probable that production will prove to be continuous to the Landreth-Scarborough No. 1, 33/4 miles to the northwest, which was completed for a small producer late in 1934. Sand Hills (Ordovician).—From the standpoint of creating excitement, the outstanding West Texas test of the year was no doubt Gulf-Waddell No. 1, on the northwest nose of the Sand Hills structure. This test was started late in 1934 as a deep test to the Ordovician. Thc Ordovician was topped above 6000 ft,., considerably higher than expected. Oil shows in the Simpson were passed and the well was drilled down to the

Jan 1, 1936

By J. D. Wheeler, H. W. Mathews

AS predicted by Messrs. Fuqua and Thompson, in last year's paper on West Texas1, 1935 saw a marked increase in activity in this area over recent years. Both major and independent operators shared in the increased wildcatting operations, which resulted in the discovery of eight and probably nine new fields in this area. During 1935 there were 700 wells completed as compared with 468 in 1934 and only 236 in 1933. Of these completions 579 were producers with a total 24-hr. potential of over 700,000 bbl. It is estimated that the new fields discovered during 1935 added from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000 bbl. to the known oil reserve in West Texas. In addition to these new fields, many of the older producing areas scored marked extensions during the year. New Fields Goldsmith.—-The Goldsmith field, in west central Ector County, gives promise of being the year's outstanding discovery in this area. The discovery well was completed by the Gulf Production Co. in June at a depth of 4177 ft.; it gaged 275 bbl. of 36° gravity oil in 3 hr. through 85/8-in. casing on its first production test. The field has been extended to the east by wells drilled by Phillips and Pure on their Cowden block. Present indications are that the field may contain 10,000 productive acres, and this, together with the large flush production from only a small penetration into the pay, leads to the belief that Gulf-Goldsmith No. 1 was the outstanding Permian lime discovery of 1935. It is quite probable that production will prove to be continuous to the Landreth-Scarborough No. 1, 33/4 miles to the northwest, which was completed for a small producer late in 1934. Sand Hills (Ordovician).—From the standpoint of creating excitement, the outstanding West Texas test of the year was no doubt Gulf-Waddell No. 1, on the northwest nose of the Sand Hills structure. This test was started late in 1934 as a deep test to the Ordovician. Thc Ordovician was topped above 6000 ft,., considerably higher than expected. Oil shows in the Simpson were passed and the well was drilled down to the

Jan 1, 1936

Discussion of the paper of GEORGE S. RICE and H. H. CLARK, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 94, October, 1914, pp. 2563 to 2571. NORMAN V. BRETH,* Pittsburgh, Pa.-It was my privilege to visit in the last two months on behalf of the U. S. Bureau of Mines 10 mines where electric shot-firing systems controlled from outside the mine are installed. I will describe briefly what I saw in some of these mines, which are located in Utah, New. Mexico, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Kansas. At a mine in Utah, 230-volt alternating current is used to fire the shots, which is taken from a small transformer in the substation. The shot-iring circuit is independent of all other wires and is tested for grounds every day. There are no lightning arresters on the firing circuit. Porcelain insulators are used inside of the mine, and glass outside. The switches are situated as follows: One in the substation, one in, the shot-firer's cabin, two at each cross entry; where the shot-firing circuit crosses the trolley wire a switch is placed on either side of the entry in series with the shot-firing circuit. The miners are checked in and out of the mine. The coal is undercut and is shot down with permissible explosive, the shots being connected in multiple. There are 75 to 110 shots fired each day. A great many times there are no missed shots. If not more than two or three are missed they are left until next day. The fan is kept running at full speed when the shots are fired. The shot-firing switch is closed only once and the whole mine is shot at once. At another mine in Utah, power wires are used for shot-firing circuits; 500-volt, direct current is used to fire the shots. The only sizes of wire used outside of the power wires are Nos. 8 and 14 B. & S. gauge. The return is connected to the pipe lines and track. Porcelain insulators are. used inside of the mine.

Jan 4, 1915

By L. O. Howard

The practice of using acid-lined converters at the plant of the Old Dominion, Copper Mining & Smelting Co. was discontinued early in January, 1913, and replaced by basic-lined converters. The new equipment consists of one electrically operated 12-ft. upright converter stand and two basic-lined shells for same. These shells are provided with twenty-four 1 1/4-in. tuyeres. The mouths are 5 ft. in diameter. Owing to the fact that there is no bedding system or other large storage capacity between the mine and the smelter, the furnaces must handle as fast as produced ore and concentrates, which may vary considerably from day to day, both in tonnage and copper content. Consequently the converter is often crowded to its utmost capacity by the frequent fluctuations in the daily matte supply. From the foregoing, it will be seen that in no way can the 'converter be favored by running light charges or by transferring to it from other stands in operation. Neither can it regularly be allowed to cool between blows, and only occasionally can it be run at as low a temperature as might be wished. No copper precipitate or other foreign material high in copper is available to help out the tonnage. Repairs and alterations or the removal of defective tuyeres must wait until such time as a slight falling off in.the matte supply allows the converting operations to ease up. These variable conditions all combine to interfere with the systematic operating of the converter. The first 12-ft. shell was blown in on Jan. 6, 1913, and ran until June 27, 1913, when it was removed to patch the brick. A record of operations covering this period follows: Shell No. 1. First Campaign, Jan. 6,to June 27, 1913 Commenced blowing............................Jan. 6, 1913. Taken off stand for patching.....................June 27, 1913. Total blowing time..........................2,689 hr. 40 min. Total number of, blows made.............................. 664 Average time of blow............................ 4 hr. 3 min. Tons matte charged.................................. 18,157 Average copper content of matte................ 43.9 per cent. Average time blowing one ton. copper................ 22.5 min. Total copper made............................... 7,250 tons

Jan 1, 1915