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By B. J. Guarnera

There have been major changes in the makeup and nature of the uranium exploration industry in recent years. Significant price increases precipitated an increase in exploration activity-according to the Department of Energy, exploratory drilling in 1977, by 140 companies, was almost 8 million m (26 million ft). This represents a 37% increase over the prior year's drilling. Projections for 1978 indicate at least 9 million m (30 million ft) of exploratory holes will be drilled in the US. Exploration expenditures in 1979, including land acquisition, drilling, and other costs, were estimated by DOE at over $236 million. Domestic expenditures for 1978 are estimated at over $250 million.

Jan 10, 1978

By H. K. Shearer

Drilling for oil and gas in Arkansas in 1934 showed more activity than in any year since 1929; with a total of 96 completions, including 36 oil wells, 1 gas well and 59 dry holes. Of the producers, the lone gas well and 35 oil wells were in old fields, and one wildcat producer opened a new pool. Of the dry holes, 16 were in or near fields and 43 were wildcats. The total reported initial daily production of the oil wells was 9013 bbl., averaging 252 bbl. per well. Active drilling operations numbered 65 at the close of the year, compared with 26 at the beginning.

Jan 1, 1935

Albin. B . R Billings. Mont . '28 Amnter . Nathan L 26 Broad St.. New York . N . Y . '28 Bache . Jules S 42 Broadway. New York. N . Y . '28 Borrett . C . P . 5338 Harper Ave .. Chicago. I11 '28 Baum . Frank G. . Cons . Hydro-Electric Engr Camel'. Shasta Co. . Cal. '23 Baylean, William S Russ Bldg .. San Francisco. Cal . '28 Bean, Louis H .. V.P.. Dwight P . Robinson & Co.. lnc 126 E . 46th St New York. N . Y . '28 Beatty . Roes J . 1106 First National Bank' Bldg .. Chicago . Ill . '28 Benwell . Oswald F . 110 Gilpin St .. Denver. 1310 . '28 Beymer. Albert 9.. V.P .. Keystone. National Bank Pittsburgh. Pa . '28

Jan 1, 1929

By S. S. Hsieh, J. R. Lehr

Bench scale beneficiation studies were made on Idaho dolomitic phosphate rock using the TVA carbonate flotation process. The process used diphosphonic acid as a phosphate mineral depressant and fatty acid as a carbonate mineral collector. Silica was subsequently rejected as float using an amine collector, with phosphate product recovered as the sink fraction. Two samples of prepared flotation feed from commercial operation were used. One contained 21% P205 and 3.2% MgO. The other contained 26% P205 and 1.8% MgO. The results indicate that concentrates containing 31% to 33% P205 and 1% or less MgO can be obtained, with about 80% P205 recovery.

Jan 1, 1986

By Joseph R. Hatch

When compared to average shale composition, average coal is enriched in sulfur and selenium, has similar amounts of arsenic, beryllium, lead, antimony and molybdenum, and is depleted in at least 26 other elements. Within a coalfield, or region, some coals are enriched (10X average shale) in silver, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, germanium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, selenium, uranium, and zinc. Important factors controlling element distributions in coal include geochemical conditions (primarily pH) in the peat swamp, composition and depositional environment of coal roof rocks, thermal maturity (rank), nature and intensity of any epigenetic mineralization, composition of ground waters that come in contact with the coal, and degree of weathering.

Jan 1, 1983

By L. E. Young

GERMANY'S recent collapse and the occupation by the Allies of the coal fields of the Ruhr, the Saar, Silesia, Poland, and Czechoslovakia have focused attention on the postwar coal problems of Europe. American coal operators are interested deeply in what is happening in Britain, particularly in the discussion of plans to rehabilitate and reorganize the entire British coal mining industry, as such reorganization will probably determine the place Britain will occupy in the European coal markets for the next few decades. The continuing decline of British out-ut per man-shift, particularly during wartime, has resulted in a most serious effort to determine whether this unfortunate trend is due to the physical condition of the coal seams, poor management, poor engineering and planning, inadequate use of power and machinery, or failure of labor to co-operate with management.

Jan 1, 1945

By AIME AIME

THE 130th Meeting of the Institute was held in Birmingham on Oct. 13 to 15, with visits to other mines and districts before and after. The last visit of the Institute to Birmingham was made in 1888, thirty-six years ago, and vast development has been made in' the district since then. With proverbial southern hospitality compounding over this period of years the welcome given to the Institute was such that .it is difficult to express properly the gratification and appreciation of the visiting members and the officers of the Institute. The Birmingham News in an editorial said: Birmingham is duly appreciative of the presence of these gentlemen, not because they are all distinguished in their great services in the mining and metallurgical world, but for the further reason that our interests are very largely wrapped up in their deliberations. Birmingham is one of the great industrial centers of America. Their discussions are of vital concern to all of us.

Jan 1, 1924

By Heinrich 0. Hofman

A T THE meeting of the Board of Directors on June 24, Prof. Heinrich O. Hofman was elected an honorary member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. Professor Hofman is best known to the world at large for his publications, and in this respect he is to this generation what Schnabel was to the previous one. The first edition of Professor Hofman's "Metallurgy of Lead and Desilverization of Base Bullion"; was published in 1893; the fifth edition in 1898. In 1913, he published his work on "General Metallurgy;" this was followed by "Metallurgy of Copper" in 1914, and a revised and enlarged edition of the "Metallurgy of Lead" in 1918. "Metallurgy of Zinc and Cadmium" is now in press. He also published, through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "An Outline of the Metallurgy of Iron and Steel" for students' use. Since the founding of "Mineral Industry" in 1892, he has been continuously the annual contributor on the metallurgy of lead, and all Institute members know that his contributions to the TRANSACTIONS have been liberal in the extreme. It is through this medium that the results of the extensive research work, which he has always carried on in connection with his work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have been published. Of the greatest importance are his papers dealing with the formation temperatures of slags, but many other metallurgical subjects have been covered.

Jan 1, 1921

By Evan Just

DIRECT subsidies for mine production in this country began as an outgrowth of wartime 'price regulation. The price-fixing authorities realized that the volume of production to be required from domestic copper, lead, and zinc mines would invoke costs of production considerably higher than the established ceiling prices. Accordingly, beginning Feb. 1, 1942 the Premium Price Plan was set up, which undertook to pay premiums to mines for production in excess of quota, of 5¢ per lb of copper and 2Y4¢ per lb of zinc or lead. Quotas, except for small mines, were initially established at the average rate of production in 1941, but were later reduced arbitrarily on an individual basis. Subsequently, additional "B" premiums were set for lead and zinc of 2Y40 per lb and a further "C" zinc premium of 2%¢. Additional copper premiums were negotiated on an individual basis, mainly with small mines. Quotas under each of these successive categories were the production obtained at the next lower premium level. In other words, under ceiling prices of 12¢ for copper, 6,14¢ for lead, and 83¢ for zinc, it was possible for high-cost operations to receive prices plus premiums of 17¢ or more for copper, 12¢ for lead, and 16% 0 for zinc on a portion of their production. On the other hand, some of the larger operators received only slight premiums and in at least one instance none at all. The average price plus premium for copper was 12.25¢ in 1942 and rose to 13.65¢ in 1945. That for lead was 6.99¢ in 1942 and 8.73¢ in 1945, and for zinc it was 9.06¢ in 1942 and 11.200 in 1945.

Jan 1, 1948

F. E. Thompson, Pottstown, Pa.: If Mr. Webster's endeavor to open up the subject of cast-iron should prove as prolific of results as did the discussion on " The Physics of Steel," he must certainly feel richly repaid. His remarks concerning the secretiveness and conservatism of the average foundry-man recall to my mind an instance of a blast-furnace which, for the last year, has been producing much foundry-iron. The manager, believing that much more of his product could be used in the foundry than the foundry-men were will-

Jan 1, 1896

By Thomas V. Falkie, Robert Stefanko

Recently The Wall Street Journal featured a series of articles titled "The Dirty Work-Brutal, Mindless Labor Remains a Daily Reality for Millions in The US.-Mining Coal, Shoveling Slag, Gutting Hogs Pays Bills But Can Drain Spirit, Hope." The article was devoted to describing how tough and dangerous is mining (and some other jobs) and how rough life is for miners and their families. Similarly during the past few years some psychiatrists and sociologists have devoted increased attention to the attitudes and life styles of miners. Unfortunately most of their approaches have been neither scientific nor objective, and very little good clinical research has been done on the subject.

Jan 1, 1971

Aamot, Olav Crone, (M'29) Chem. Engr., Elektro¬kcmisk, Raadhusgt. 32, Oslo. Norway. . Aase. Glenn D., (J'40) Jr. Met., American Smelt. & Refin. Co., Selby, Calif. Abadie, Henry G., (J'43) Petr. Engrg., Avenal, Calif. Abadilla, Quirico A., (M'38) Min. Engr., Dir., Bureau of Mines, Manila, P. I. Abbott, Agatin Townsend, (J'40) Jr. Engr., Phelps Dodge Corp., Morenci Branch. Morenci. Ariz. Abbott, Clarence E., (M'04) Civ. Engr. V.P., Tennessee Coal Iron & R.R. Co., 1542. Brown Mars Bldg. Birmingham. Ala. Abel, Raymond L.. (M'23) Chem. Engr., Com¬manding Officer, Pittsburgh Chem. Warfare urement Dist., American Bank Bldg.. Pittsburgh. Pa. Abel, Walter D., (M'32) Min. Engr., Supvr. Engr.. R.F.C., Los Angeles, Calif. Abele, Louis T., (M'31) 423 3rd Ave., Decatur. Ga. Abell, Leo M.: (M'31) Mill Supt. & Met.. Em¬ peror Gold Min. Co., Ltd., Vatukoula. Fiji Islands. Abernathy, G. E., (M'38) Geol., Kansas State Geol. Survey, Pittsburg, Fan. Abernathy, Jack H., (M'40) Cons. Petr. Engr., First National Bldg.. Oklahoma City, Okla.

Jan 1, 1943

By AIME AIME

THE best meeting ever held, was the opinion expressed by a number of those who attended the annual meeting of the Institute in New York, Feb. 18 to 21, and there was an atmosphere of friendliness and good fellowship about it that fully justified the feeling. In numbers it was not quite so large as last year and unless the Engineering Societies should build for themselves a new building it is probable that no meeting can be larger, in respect to numbers, than that held in 1928, which was only made possible by the circumstance that the eighth floor of the building happened to be, temporarily vacant at the time. The number of rooms available for -sessions that were provided when the building was built long ago proved inadequate, and it is only by the expedient of obtaining the temporary use of the board and committee rooms of other societies that it is possible to arrange for the over 40 sessions that must be spread over the four days of the meeting. The-fifth floor, where. a buffet lunch is served each-day, has reached its full capacity and it seems quite evident that any future development of Institute meetings must be along the lines of quality, not size.

Jan 1, 1929

By Paul W. Zimmer, Carl E. Dutton

Iron ore in the Menominee district is mined from two iron-formations of middle Precambrian age. The older formation is present in the northeastern part; is composed mainly of hematite, magnetite, quartz, and minor silicates; and contains about 34 per cent iron. The rock has been so coarsened by meta- morphism that concentration of magnetite and hematite is feasib!e, and pellets containing more than 60 per cent iron are being produced. The older formation is also present in the southeastern part where it has 1:een only slightly metamorphosed. Ore containing more than 50 per cent iron was formerly mined from local residual concentrations of iron oxides from which silica had been sufficiently leached, or replaced by iron oxide, or affected by combinations of these processes. The younger iron-formation occurs in the western part of the district and, if unaltered, is interlayered siderite and chert. The ore in this area also contains more than 50 per cent iron and formed as local residual concentrations but in two stages. The siderite was converted to iron oxides (hematite and "limonite"), and silica was contemporaneously or subsequently removed by leaching, or replacement, or combinations of these processes.

Jan 1, 1968

By A. Keith Brewer

RECENT advances in the fields of chemistry, biology, and metallurgy have confronted the analytical chemist with an entirely new set of problems. Development of plastics and synthetics has brought about a need, not only for adequate methods for their analysis but also for the various raw materials entering into their manufacture. The remarkable advance made in biochemical and agricultural research resulting from the use of isotopes as tracers or "tagged atoms" has established the necessity for the development of methods for the concentration of natural isotopes and for a means for their analysis. Similarly the advent of new and complex alloys calls for accurate analytical methods. Fortunately the analytical chemist has been able to meet some of these new demands by adapting to his purposes an instrument which has long been the most exclusive toy of the physicists. Solubility and the chemical properties of the atoms, which have always served as the basis for chemical analysis, do not enter into this new technique. Instead, momentum, defined as mass times velocity, is utilized as the means for the separation of atoms or mass groups.

Jan 1, 1946

By Paul F. Kerr

The insufficiencies of our mineral resources are becoming well known, and the national political conscience seems to be troubled at last by our dependence upon mineral commodities which must come from other lands. This realization places increased responsibility upon the industrial, educational, and governmental groups whose task it will be to solve the problems of mineral supply. As we all know, from the time that man first sought mineral deposits until recent years, prospectors have been largely responsible for mineral discoveries. Today the era of the prospector is almost over. The human ants that have literally examined all accessible outcrops and have tested the gravels of nearly all stream beds in the United States have left undiscovered few worthwhile mineral deposits within the scope of their recognition. The pages in the history of mineral exploration are now being turned from the era of the surface prospect to the era of the hidden de- posit.

Jan 1, 1949

By AIME AIME

INSTITUTE members attending the Annual Meeting in New York who want to see one of the mining engineers' newest aids, photoelastic stress analysis, are due for an interesting afternoon on Thursday, Feb. 15, when open house: will be held at the Columbia University mining laboratory. Information as to the direction and distribution off stresses in mine structures, which has been developed by Professor Bucky, associate professor at the Columbia School of Mines, and David Sinclair, research assistant, is useful in the design of pillars and in the placing of openings relative to working places such as gangways and haulage levels.: This work has been sponsored during the last ten years by the Engineering Foundation.. It is fully reported in T. P. No. 1140.

Jan 1, 1940

By C. R. King

Most of the acid volcanic glasses such as obsidian, perlite, pitchstone, pumice, and pumicite (volcanic ash) are susceptible to some expansion if suddenly subjected to a suitably high temperature in a properly designed furnace, and subsequently suddenly cooled. Expansion results from the action of chemically combined or dissolved water expanding as a vapor within the softened heated rock particles. This expansion forms countless minute bubbles within the pasty mass of the natural glass particles. If the particles are cooled before these bubbles can escape, the resulting products are cellular, more or less spherulitized glass froths or hollow glass spheres of many types. Chemically, they are essentially aluminum silicates containing about 70 to 75 pct silica, 10 to 16 pct alumina, and 2 to 7 pct sodium plus potassium oxides. They are relatively resistant to attack by acids or alkalies, are resistant to heat up to over 1000°F, and are completely inert to insect or fungus attack.

Jan 1, 1949

By Charles R. Keyes

A COMPLETE transformation has taken place in the boras industry during the year 1908. A most remarkable factor in this radical change in method of producing the crude borates has been its removal from the realm of industrial chemistry to the field of mining. With the development of extensive deposits of borate-minerals interstratified in thick sequences of Tertiary clays and sands, their winning becomes a strictly mining-enterprise, of the same kind and of the same certainty as the digging of coal or iron-ore. The major supply of the world's production of commercial borax now comes from the United States. While formerly all of the boric salts of commerce were laboriously extracted from the waters of saline lakes of the arid regions, or from the bottom-salts of desiccated ponds, it later was largely slowly leached from ancient desert shales and clays. During these periods the borax industry was a very hazardous and expensive vocation.

Oct 1, 1909

By B. D. Thomas

When the origin and early plans, of Battelle Memorial Institute were described in this journal in October 1929 by R. W. Gillett the first director, the doors of the laboratory had just been opened and the hope of the founder that the institution serve the world by research for industry still existed only as an ideal in the minds of the thirty or so employees who then constituted the staff. Since that time the country has experienced troublous times. A devastating depression plunged the entire world into an unprecedented period of financial and industrial inactivity; and the slow recovery of the late thirties was soon to be overtaken and overwhelmed in the violence of war. Through this time of stress Battelle has continued to grow. The staff has increased to almost 600; buildings and equipment have been added, until now it stands in a place of pre-eminence in the metallurgical and engineering world.

Jan 1, 1944