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By Charles S. Larkey

Numerous papers have been published on the use of graphic methods for determining the best curve for estimating the production decline of oil wells but, as far as the writer has been able to ascertain, nothing has been published showing how curves may be worked out mathematically that will conform most closely to the production data under consideration in any given instance; hence the writer has endeavored to show just how such application can be made. Among the valuation engineers, two types of curves are in current use for the representation of the decline in production of oil wells. One may be represented by the equation, y = krx; this is sometimes known as a percentage curve, for the production for any period is multiplied by a constant rate or percentage to obtain the production for the succeeding period. It appears as a straight line on semilogarithmic cross-section paper. The other curve may be represented by the equation, y = kxn, and is shown as a straight line on logarithmic cross-section paper. In each equation, y represents the number of barrels produced in a given period of time, and x the successive periods of time. The other letters are constants to be determined for each well, or group of wells considered in arriving at the most probable curve to represent the rate of production for a given property. From this the underground reserves may be estimated by extrapolation, or by extending the curve beyond the last known period of production to show the most probable production values for the future. Application to the Burbank Pool Fig. 1 relates to a property in the Burbank Pool, Osage County, Okla. The production is shown as an average per well per month, is plotted to the vertical scale of barrels on the left-hand margin and to the horizontal scale of months at the bottom of the chart. In column y, the number of barrels is listed beginning with May, 1922, as the first month on which to base a decline curve. The type of curve used is of the form, y = krx, or, expressed in logarithms, log y = log k + x log r, in which log k and log r are constants to be determined so that the curve will most closely approximate the production data given.

Jan 1, 1925

By K. P. Gupta, P. A. Beck, N. S. Rajan

By determining the a phase boundaries in the following ternary systems: V-Fe-Si (at 1175oC), V-Co-Si (at 1175°C), V-Ni-Si (at 1175oC), Cr-Mn-Si (at 1000°C), Cr-Co-Si (at 1175°C), Cr-Ni-Si (at 1175°C), V-Fe-A1 (at 1175°C) and Cr-Co-A1 (at 1175°C), it was found that Si exerts a stabilizing effect on these a phases, while A1 tends to destabilize them. Si atoms in solid solution occupy sites D in the a structure, The co/ao ratio increases with increasing Si-, Mn- or Fe-content. The volume of the unit cell decreases with increasing Si-content. THE stabilization of certain metal silicides (the Nowotny phases) by the addition of relatively small

Jan 1, 1961

By S. E. Bretherton

MOST metallurgists appreciate the great need of a process for the extraction and recovery of valuable metals from complex ore, where the presence of one metal increases the cost of extracting the other metals to such an extent that not any of the metals can be extracted at a profit. We need only refer to some of the mines in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, where oxidation has taken place and the sulphur, zinc, copper, and some of the iron and other metals have been leached out, large bodies of oxidized ore remaining, rich in lead, silver, and sometimes gold. These metals have been concentrated by the removal of the other metals, leaving a very desirable ore for treatment in the blast-furnace for the production of lead bullion, and recovery of the silver and gold. If lead is not present, the gold and silver are usually recovered by some method of milling, or the ore is shipped to a smelter, where it is mixed with lead ore or copper-iron sulphide ore from some other mine. In these same mines, when developed to greater depth below the leached or oxidized zone, the ore is found to contain the original mixture of sulphur, zinc, copper, etc., added to, or I should say left with, the lead, silver, and gold values; but instead of adding to the value of the ore, the presence of these elements, especially zinc, makes the copper, silver, and gold of less value, and often worthless. Such was the experience of the oldest mines in Leadville, Colo., until methods of mechanical separation of the lead from the zinc were developed sufficiently to allow of some profit by the making of a concentrate rich in zinc to be shipped to the zinc smelter, and sometimes a lead concentrate which could be shipped to the lead smelter; but even in these cases the waste of the different metals is a very serious matter. In the very best concentrating plants some zinc will be left in the lead concentrate, to be lost and to give considerable trouble in the lead-smelting furnace. On the other hand, some of the lead, with a large percentage of the copper and silver, will follow the zinc into the zinc concentrate, to be, perhaps, recovered y smelting the cinder or clinker left in the re-

Jan 7, 1914

By S. E. Bretherton

Most metallurgists appreciate the great need of a process for the extraction and recovery of valuable metals from complex ore, where the presence of one metal increases the cost of extracting the other rnetals to such an extent that not any of the metals can be extracted at a profit. We need only refer to some of the mines in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, where oxidation has taken place and the sulphur, zinc, copper, and some of the iron and other metals have been leached out, large bodies of oxidized ore remaining, rich in lead, silver, and sometimes gold. These metals have been concentrated by the removal of the other metals, leaving a very desirable ore for treatment in the blast-furnace for the production of lead bullion, and recovery of the silver and gold. If lead is not present, the gold and silver metals are usually recovered by some method of milling, or the ore is shipped to a smelter, where it is mixed with lead ore or copper-iron sulphide ore from some other mine. In these same mines, when developed to greater depth below the leached or oxidized zone, the ore is found to contain the original mixture of sulphur, zinc, copper, etc., added to, or I should say left with, the lead, silver, and gold values; but instead of adding to the value of the ore, the presence of these elements, especially zinc, makes the copper, silver, and gold of less value, and often worthlees. Such was the experience of the oldest mines in Leadville,.Colo., until methods of mechanical separation of the lead from the zinc were developed sufficiently to allow of some profit by the making of a concentrate rich in zinc to be shipped to the zinc smelter, and sometimes a lead concentrate which could be shipped to the lead smelter; but even in these cases the waste of the different metals is a very serious matter. In the very best concentrating plants some zinc will be left in the lead concentrate, to be lost and to give considerable trouble in the lead-smelting furnace. On the other hand, some of the lead, with a large percentage of the copper and silver, will follow the zinc into the zinc concentrate, to be, perhaps, recovered by smelting the cinder or clinker left in the re-

Jan 1, 1915

By A. R. Ledoux

I WAS wondering whether we were going to adhere to our text. It seems to me that we are having a very remarkable meeting of mining engineers this year, because no matter what the texts may be that are assigned to us, we get back toward something higher; we turn to the consideration of questions of ethics, and of applied Christianity. Yesterday we listened to the most eloquent and remarkable address by Mr. Rickard in memory of Dr. Raymond, and it was told us that he was to speak about Raymond's achievements as an engineer. He did say considerable on that subject, but he was himself carried away with the spirit of the man and moved us all by his portrayal of Dr. Raymond's continued and fruitful labors for the betterment of mankind-that is to say his religion. Our President asked me if I would say something this afternoon and I find in the bulletin that the text of the discourses which we are to have here this afternoon is "International Cooperation in Mining in North America." But again I find that the eloquent speaker who has just preceded me has dwelt largely on ethical and spiritual cooperation rather than upon cooperation in mining. That is, cooperation as men, rather .than solely as engineers. The imaginary line dividing Canada from the United States, unmarked by fort or military post, was mentioned by a previous speaker. There are going to be in the future, I am sure, fewer entanglements of the barbed wire of tariff discrimination along our border-to that end let us cooperate. But there has always been a reciprocity in men. A Canadian conceived and created our great transcontinental line, the Great Northern Railway; an American made the Canadian Pacific what it is. In mining and metallurgy, American engineers, backed by American capital, have built up great Canadian industries while Canadian experts have developed some of the resources on this side of the line. They have done much more than develop our resources: some of them have been our leaders in sympathy for labor. It is therefore not a question of creating a spirit of cooperation, but of giving it freer scope and a fuller realization of fraternity-or, to use the .word now more common and of deeper significance-brotherhood.

Jan 4, 1919

By R. S. Archer

In the microscopic examination of aircraft-engine parts made of heat-treated alloy steels, the writer has been forcibly impressed by the failure of the usual etching processes to disclose any but gross defects in heat treatment. It seemed particularly desirable to bring out the grain size of the steel, which is indicated in the ordinary etching processes chiefly by the change in orientation of structure from grain to grain. After various attempts, a fairly successful method has been found, which is here presented in the hope that it may be of use to those who have occasion to examine these steels in the hcat-treated condition. The specimens worked with have been mostly chrome-nickel steels heat treated (that is, hardened and tempered) to a Brinell hardness of around 300. A few experiments with other specimens will be referred to later. Briefly, the method employed consists in etching the steel about 10 min. in a fresh solution of picric acid in ethyl alcohol, and then rubbing off the smudge of carbonaceous matter on moist broadcloth. Different samples of almost identical analysis, heat treatment, and physical properties (including resistance to impact) respond quite differently to this treatment. In some, the grain boundaries are developed quite readily, while in others, especially in those whose grain is unusually fine or in which the final hardening heat has not quite obliterated the previous crystallization, the results are more obscure. The exact time of etching to secure the best results also differs for various samples, and the greatest success is usually attained by a process of "tinkering." Such a process is illustrated in a series of micrographs, the first six of which were taken at a magnification of 300 diameters. The properties of the steel are as follows: Carbon, per cent............... 0.42 Brinell hardness.............. 293 Nickel, per cent................ 1.35 Yield point, pounds per square Chromium, per cent............. 0.90 inch........................ 131,000 Copper, per cent................ 0.025 Maximum strength, pounds per Manganese, per cent............ 0.74 square inch................. 144,500 Phosphorus, per cent............ 0.024 Elongation in 1 in., per cent... 28 Sulfur, per cent................ 0.036 Lod impact, foot-pounds...... 51 Reduction of area, per cent...... 57.3

Jan 1, 1920

By M. C. Udy, C. H. Lorig

THROUGH the years much interest has been centered in attempting to develop a direct method of iron-ore reduction, to replace or supplement the present indirect blast-furnace process. It would not be difficult to produce a list of more than 500 patents dealing with the direct production of iron and steel, but the few of this type of process that have proved successful do not produce in competition with the blast furnace; they produce special products. A survey of the literature reveals that the equilibrium conditions for the reduction reactions (iron oxides with carbon monoxide and with hydrogen) have been fairly well established but that data on the rate of reaction are discordant, although the general effects of the variables are known. This dissertation deals with the rate of reduction of a magnetite concentrate with hydrogen. The following variables have been studied: bed depth, gas velocity, particle size and temperature. The behavior of a single particle was also studied. LITERATURE Two general factors should be considered in a study of reduction of iron oxide: (I) equilibrium relations, and (2) rate of reaction. The first factor, equilibrium, has received the attention of many investigators and the equilibria Fe304-FeO-H2-H20, Fe3O4-FeO-CO-CO2, FeO-Fe-H2-H20, FeO¬Fe-CO-C02 are fairly well established. Of the second factor, the rate of reaction, much less is known. Data are comparatively scarce and there is very little concordance. The discordance probably results from the large number of variables influencing the reactions. However, the general effect of the variables is known. Among these variables are temperature, gas velocity, particle size, porosity, gas composition (distance from equilibrium), presence of impurities, greater or less prevalence of side reactions, and even design of the apparatus itself. Wetherill and Furnas1 published an excellent paper in 1934. They point out that any one or more of five processes (the chemical reaction, diffusion of the reactant through the gas film, diffusion of the reactant through the solid phase, diffusion of the reaction product through the solid phase, or diffusion of the reaction product through the gas film) may be the slow process, and thus the rate-controlling process. It is regretted that the work of these authors was limited to experiments at one temperature, and that the range of gas compositions was limited. Langmuir2 has shown that heterogeneous reactions take place at phase boundaries.

Jan 1, 1942

By G. S. Brooks

DURING the past few years, the Mineral Point Zinc Co. has had under consideration the improvement of various types of gas-filtering apparatus used in the removal of dust from crushing and milling plants, in the manufacture of oxide, and on blast-furnace fume and sintering furnaces. The original equipment of the various plants of the company was, of course, along lines of the standard stationary bag house. These houses required large surfaces, hand shaking, and varied only in the manner of the collection of solids and in the distribution of the gas. Early in 1908, the first trial of a mechanical bag house was made at Nassau Plant at Depue, Ill. The duty of this installation was on dust-laden gas from a fine-crushing mill. The Printz and Rau bag machine was finally adopted and put into operation. This ingenious machine embodied what were then to us two novel features in bag-house practice: 1. An intermittent crinkling and snapping of the filtering fabric to free the meshes of solids. i 2. A reversal of gas flow for a short period by a temporary connection w th the suction trunk. This equipment worked fairly well except in cold weather, when we ran into condensation troubles. Had we at that time understood more fully some of the limitations of fabric filtering work, these might well have been remedied. We were impressed by this experience, however, with the efficiency of sudden tension on the fabric under suction. After a study had been made of some of the Western blast-furnace houses using the reversal-of-flow feature, experiments were started early in 1914 with a view to developing an automatic equipment along the best lines of our past experience. The objects sought were: 1. Keeping labor out of the houses for hygienic reasons. 2. Reduction of labor costs. 3. Reduction in -size of hag houses. 4. Accessibility. 5. Ability to handle relatively hot gases where required.

Jan 11, 1917

By D. C. Porterfield

ProUuction of crude oil in Venezuela increased from 186,134,000 bbl. in 1940 to 2~8,131,ooo bbl. in 1941, or 22.6 per cent, to establish a new all-time high for the country. While the average production for the year was 625,000 bbl. per day, production during the month of December 1941 averaged 751,000 bbl. per day, and during the last week of the year, 766,000 bbl. per day. Production from the Lake Maracaibo basin averaged 454,000 bbl. per day during the year, or 72 per cent of the total for the country, compared with 73 per cent of the total produced in 1940. Drilling during the year was approximately on the same scale as in 1940, with 438 wells completed in 1941 as compared with 429 the year before. Exploratory completions decreased from 18 in 1940 to 6 in 1941. Of the drilling operations in 1941, 56 per cent was concentrated in the Lake Maracaibo basin and 44 per cent in eastern Venezuela, success being 98 per cent in the Lake basin and 83 per cent in the east. Successful completions for the country as a whole amounted to 92 per cent of the total wells drilled. Exploratory drilling in 1941 resulted in the discovery of three new fields, all in eastern Venezuela; viz., Guara, about II km. to the northeast of the Oficina field but on a separate structure; Santa Rosa, which is east of El Roble field on a structure forming a part of the major Santa -Ana- San Joaquin-El Roble uplift; and Santa Barbara, which is southwest of the Jusepin field on an extension of the main Jusepin anticline. At the close of the year three wildcats were drilling, all of which showed prospects of obtaining production; that is, Mercedes No, 2 in central Guarico, Las Ollas No. I on the Anzoategui-Guarico border near the town of Zaraza, and Quiamare No. I in Anzoategui northeast of the town of San Mateo. In spite of heavy withdrawals and the resultant natural decline in the potentials of older producing areas, new drilling during the year increased the potential production of the country from an estimated 780,000 bbl. per day at the end of 1940 to an estimated 810,000 bbl. per day at the end of 1941, or approximately 4 per cent. Since domestic consumption of petroleum products is insignificant compared with total production, exports of crude and products during the year increased in line with production. Crude exports totaled 196,800,000 bbl., compared with 158,400,-000 bbl. in 1940, and exports of products were 26,100,000 bbl., compared with 21,900,000 bbl. the year before. Exports of crude from Venezuela to the United States amounted to 36,500,000 bbl. In addition, about 2,200,000 bbl. was imported in bond into the United States for transfer to Canada. Total refining capacity of the country in 1941 was approximately 125,000 bbl. per day, including a crude-conversion plant with a capacity of 32,000 bbl. per day, capable of making fuel oil only. Three plants with a capacity of 121,000 bbl. Per

Jan 1, 1945

By Gordon M. Yocom

A PROPER consideration of the subject of this paper should include economic aspects as well as the technical phases of the metallurgy, production, and properties of the product. The metallurgical phases of the processing and properties of the product will be considered only from practical aspects and within the scope of the writer's experience with tonnage production. The Bessemer process was invented 85 years ago and became important because it put steel manufacture upon a larger and less costly basis. In America the Bessemer production has declined for many years and has not maintained its proportionate place with the rapid advances of the open hearth. The achievements in the open-hearth field were attained by the greater number of technical people attracted to that branch of the industry. The antipathy of technical students for the older and less popular Bessemer field gradually weakened the forces defending it and retarded the development of new and better methods. In Europe the economic advantage of the basic Bessemer process has not been overlooked and the tonnage usually is greater than that of the open hearth. The acid process has been the subject of renewed attention in America during the past few years and those who are more familiar with it are striving to show that the method is too valuable to abandon. A considerable tonnage of Bessemer-blown metal, in both molten and ingot forms, used in connection with the open-hearth practice makes it an important auxiliary unit to the industry. This practice aids in modifying the price level of heavy remelting scrap in addition to speeding up the open-hearth operation. The use of Bessemer steel has continued not only because of periodic economic advantages but also because of certain inherent qualities of machinability, weldability and stiffness, which are valuable for many applications. The properties of stiffness and rather high reaction to cold-work require some modification in order to meet the demands of modern methods of processing, which involve cold-reduction and cold-forming. At least one factor contributing to the stiffness of this steel is the relatively high phosphorus content of the acid product. The phosphorus content of the Thomas or basic Bessemer steel of Europe is considerably lower than the normal acid product in America. The American industry has continued the use of the acid process chiefly for the reason that the available ores are more easily adapted to this process from both metallurgical and economic standpoints. In European practice the basic process is necessary with the highly phosphoric ores available and it is sustained to some degree by the sale of the rich phosphate slag as a by-product. The basic process was used in this country at several plants many years ago, but was abandoned for economic reasons. A part of the past history of these trials is given here because the author believes it has not been published and it has some bearing on the subject of this paper. The information is authentic to the extent that

Jan 1, 1941

By R. R. Sayers

TWO serious hazards from coal dust confront the bituminous-coal miner- -a physical or safety hazard and a physiological or health hazard. The first threatens the miner with loss of life from coal-dint explosions, and the second with loss of health and earning capacity from inhaling large quantities of the dust. Studies by the Bureau of Mines have shown that coal dust, except some grades of anthracite dust, is capable of initiating an explosion when no explosive gas is present and that its property of extending or propagating an explosion has been responsible for nearly all the widespread explosions that have occurred in bituminous mines in the United States in the present century. For years many mining people believed that low-volatile coal dust was not explosive but not only is it explosive but if the source of ignition is intense, it is as explosive as the dust of many high-volatile coals because the war is creating increased pressure for greater coal production and because of the trend toward greater mechanization in mines, explosion and health hazards from coal dust are likely !n increase considerably.

Jan 1, 1943

By Charles Clayton

IN connection with certain coöperative work carried on between the Ordnance Department of the U. S. Army, the U. S. Bureau of Mines, and the U. S. Geological Survey during the year 1918, it was the writers' privilege to make metallographic examinations of a great many test bars and other pieces of nickel-steel gun forgings. The material studied came from many different steel plants throughout the country and consisted both of forgings that had been accepted by the Ordnance Department and those that had failed to pass the specified physical tests. In general, these tests require a minimum tensile strength of 95,000 lb. (42,091 kg.), an elastic limit of 65,000 lb. (29,483 kg.), an 18 per cent. elongation, and a 30 per cent. reduction in area. An average chemical composition of the steel studied is 0.38 per cent. carbon and 2.9 per cent. nickel. The steel was of both basic electric and basic open-hearth manufacture. The object of the metallographic work was two-fold: to assist in detecting defects in the steel and, if possible, to suggest remedies for the same; and to obtain as much information as possible in regard to the relation of the microstructure of the metal to its physical properties. The greater part of the investigation was devoted to defective metal that failed to pass the ordnance specifications. Many types and kinds of more or less serious defects thus came under observation, but most of these were due to the attempts by the manufacturer to meet the enormous demand for ordnance steel with more or less inadequate equipment, and were soon remedied. Two defects, the so-called "flakes" or "snowflakes" and a certain "fibrous" or "woody" fracture, were encountered so frequently and were so disastrous to the steel that the greater part of the study was devoted to them. As a result much information as to their nature and their effects

Jan 2, 1919

By CLYDE M. EYE

THE Sub-province of Benguet is in the North Central part of the Island of Luzon. Baguio, the capital, is situated on a piateau 5000 ft. above sea level, and is the main health resort of the Philippines. It is rapidly becoming the favorite resort for the China Coast as well, and has many miles of beautiful, curving drives with nearly every pine-covered knoll surmounted by a summer home. The United States Army has a recreation post here, known as Camp John Hay, with a well-equipped hospital, and there is a Country Club with a good golf course adjacent. The weather during the winter months and until late spring is ideal. The business center consists mainly of Chinese and Japanese stores, several hotels, and a large public market, in which are displayed all of the vegetables of the temperate zone, which are flown near Baguio, and many tropical and other products brought up from below. This district is reached from the Coastal Plain either by the old Benguet road built in 1904 by the United States Government, or by the Naguilian road, built some years later. The former is now a toll road, with a line of stages operating over it to and from Des Mortes in connection with the government-owned rail- road. Auto travel from Manila is also along this road, the trip from Manila to Baguio requiring about seven hours, following up the great valley north of Manila for nearly 150 miles to the lower end of the Benguet road, and thence to Baguio, 25 miles. This is an interesting, scenic trip; the road is especially famous for the zig zags where it climbs out of the canyon of the Bued River to the plateau. In the September number of the National Geographic Magazine, a fine aerial picture of this road, as well as of other interesting points in various parts of the Philippines, appears. Freight for the district is taken in mainly over the Naguilian road connecting with the railroad at Bauang. This route follows the ridges of the mountain slope with broad vistas and views of the coast.

Jan 1, 1930

By C. S. Sivil

To modern civilization the platinum metals are of inestimable value. Their distinctive properties, both physical and chemical, render them indispensable in an age in which the processes of the laboratory are becoming an essential part of the daily life of the world. Generally, their function, though vital to particular processes, is not spectacular, and so remains unknown to all except the operators. Early Methods of Manufacture The properties of platinum were recognized as of prime importance for scientific work at a very early date, probably between 1750 and 1760. The difficulty of making articles from it seemed almost insurmountable, because no means of attaining the temperature necessary to melt it were known at that time. It is true that solid platinum could be obtained by fusing the metal with a more volatile metal such as arsenic, which was subsequently driven off by baking, but such a method, at its best, would give only a very brittle product, which was totally unsuitable for the purposes for which it was intended. Little, if any, progress could be made until it was discovered that platinum sponge, heated to white heat and hammered in an iron or clay mold, would metallize and retain the shape of the mold. This was a process that could not be wholly satisfactory but from it developed the method of pressing the sponge in a mold and forging it at white heat into wire or sheet. At present a somewhat similar process must be used for fabricating articles of tungsten, molybdenum and other metals of high fusing point, as with these metals we face today the same problems that the scientists of the eighteenth century encountered with platinum, but possibly the next significant advance in the metallurgy of these metals will be the devising of means to melt and cast them. TO some extent this method of preparing platinum has survived, particularly in Europe. There are one or two objections to it, but they are not serious, as they can be surmounted with proper precautions. In the first place, the material is spongy and its millions of cavities contain entrapped air. Unless this is removed by thorough forging above 1000" C. the resultant sheet shows blisters. To give such a thorough forging,

Jan 1, 1931

By C. S. Smith

The partial persistence of grain size and grain shape on melting and resolidifying crystalline substances, as well as the general effects of pre-solidifi-cation and of superheating on nuclea-tion rate, have been attributed to the presence in the liquid of crystalline impurities bearing some structural relation to the principal solid and hence capable of serving as nuclei for its crystallization. That such lattice matching does sometimes occur is well established, but it is surely improbable that a compound possessing both high-temperature stability and the requisite structural similarity should be naturally available in almost every system. It is now suggested that a mechanism for producing appropriate nuclei exists in the crystallization of all but absolutely pure substances. Impurities can he of many kinds. Some will give rise to compounds that are less soluble in the solid crystal than in the liquid. A . crystal forming from a melt or solution containing these will be supersaturated in some degree, and the foreign atoms will commence to segregate during or after solidification. They do not necessarily form pure, unstrained, crystals of the precipitating compound with its normal composition and structure. Generally—at least in the metallurgical examples that have been most studied —the first recognizable nuclei have lattice coherency with the surrounding matrix and have practically the same crystal structure and lattice spacing as the material in which they form, differ- ing only in composition. An extremely thin oxide layer formed under appropriate conditions on or in a solid metal will tend to be coherent with the metal lattice, and the first few atom layers of the oxide in contact with the metal will differ in both composition and structure from massive crystalliue oxide. It will resemble the metal more closely than the oxide. If it did not subsequently change on melting, such an oxide film would constitute an almost perfect "template" or two-dimensional matrix to hold a few atoms of the primary metal in the exact array needed to form a nucleus for solidification. Any precipitating material will adopt the correct spacing over a few atom diameters, and with appropriate substitution of other atoms of the correct sizes a precipitate can match the parent lattice over large areas of cohererlce without excessive strain. In metals, the componentsof a host of oxides, silicides, borides, nitrides, carbides, sulphides, and other compounds are always present in minute amounts. Some of these will be eliminated because of extreme insolubility in the liquid, while others will remain soluble in the solid; occasionally, however, particles will be formed in the solid by coherent precipitation—not of pure substances, but of whatever assortment of atoms best satisfies the joint requirements of availability, affinity, and appropriate average atom size. Of these, many will disappear on melting, but a few will persist unmelted as little rafts of complex composition, maintaining in the liquid a surface of the exact geometry needed to nucleate the solid on subsequent cooling. Their number and size distribution will determine the resulting grain size; the dimensions of the largest will determine the degree of undercooling that can occur before solidification commences. A similar process may operate in the case of phase transformations in solids. The coherent precipitation of supersaturated minor constituents in a low-temperature phase should facilitate the nucleation of this phase on subsequent cooling after transforming into another phase at higher temperatures. At first sight this hypothesis may seem little different from the older ones. It should therefore be emphasized that it does not depend on chance to provide the right compound to form a nucleus, but postulates that every crystal, containing minute amourlts of any of a wide range of impurities, automatically engenders particles having the correct surface structure to serve as nuclei for subsequent solidification. It could operate in any system, metallic, organic, or inorganic. The suggested mechanism is closely analogous to the production of antibodies from antigens in living organisms—indeed, it was a description of the matrix theory of this process that suggested to the writer its crystalline analogue.

Jan 1, 1950

By G. R. Fritterer

INVESTIGATORS in the field of temperature measurement have long sought a thermoelectric couple fulfilling the following requirements: 1. It should be useful up to and including high industrial tempera-tures; i. e., 1000° to 1800° C. 2. Its thermoelectric variation with temperature should be linear and be maintained after heating to high temperatures for long periods of time. 3. It should be reproducible; i. e., different couples of the same elements should have similar calibration curves. 4. Its thermoelectric power should be large so as to allow the industrial use of rugged recording instruments. 5. Chemical reactions with, and physical changes within the elements of the couple should not alter its calibration. No thermocouple proposed to date exhibits simultaneously all of these characteristics, whereas the couple about to be described fulfills all requirements to a satisfactory degree.

Jan 1, 1933

By S. J. Sindeband

Prior to discussing the metallurgy of sintered chromium borides, it is pertinent to outline some of the reasoning behind this investigation and the purposes underlying the work. This study was initiated as an aproach to the ubiquitous problem of a material for service at high temperatures under oxidizing atmospheres, and it was undertaken with a view to raising the 1500°F (816°C) ceiling to 2000°F (1093°C) or better. For the reason that no small, but rather a major, lifting of the high temperature working limit was being attempted, it was felt appropriate that a completely new approach be taken to this problem. A summary of the thinking behind this approach was published recently by Schwarzkopf.' In briefest terms, it was postulated that the following requirements could be set up for a material which would have high strength at high temperatures. 1. The individual crystals of the material must exhibit high strength interatomic bonds. This automatically leads to consideration of highly refractory materials, since their high energy requirements for melting are related to the strength of their atom-to-atom bonds. 2. On the polycrystalline basis, high boundary strength, superimposed on the above consideration, would also be a necessity. Since this implies control of boundary conditions, the powder metallurgy approach would hold considerable promise. Such materials actually had been fabricated for a number of years, and the cemented carbide is the best example of these. Here a highly refractory crystal was carefully bonded and resulted in a material of extremely high strength. That this strength was maintained at high temperature is exhibited by the ability of the cemented carbide tool to hold an edge for extended periods of heavy service. Nowick and Machlin2,3 have analytically approached the problem of creep and stress-rupture properties at high temperature and developed procedures whereby these properties can be approximately predicted from the room temperature physical constants of a material. The most important single constant in the provision of high temperature strength and creep resistance is shown to be the Modulus of Rigidity. On this basis, they proposed that a fertile field for investigation would be that of materials similar to cemented carbides, which have Moduli of Rigidity that are among the highest recorded. The cemented carbide, however, does not have good corrosion resistance in oxidizing atmospheres and without protection could not be used in gas turbines and similar pieces of equipment. It would be necessary then to attempt the fabrication of an allied material based upon a hard crystal which had good corrosion resistance as well. It was upon these premises that the subject study was undertaken and at an early stage it was sponsored by the U.S. Navy, Office of Naval Research. Since then, it has been carried on under contract with this agency. Chromium boride provided a logical starting point for such research, since it was relatively hard, exhibited good corrosion resistance, and, in addition, was commercially available, since it had found application in hard-surfacing alloys with iron and nickel. That chromium boride did not provide a material that met the ultimate aim of the study results from factors which are subsequently discussed. This, however, does not detract from the basis on which the study was conceived, nor from the value of reporting the results which follow. Chromium Boride While work on chromium boride proper dates back to Moissan,4 there has been a dearth of literature on borides since 1906. Subsequent to Moissan, principal investigators of chromium boride were Tucker and Moody,5 Wede-kind and Fetzer,6 du Jassoneix,7,8,9 and Andrieux." These investigators were generally limited to studies of methods of producing chromium boride and detennining its properties. Some study, however, was devoted to the chromium-boron system by du Jassoneix,7 who did this chemically and metal-lographically. This system is not amenable to normal methods of analysis by virtue of the refractory nature of the alloys involved, and the difficulties of measurement and control of temperature conditions in their range. Dilatometric apparatus is nonexistent for operation at these temperatures. Du Jassoneix made use of apparent chemical differences between two phases observed under the microscope and reported the existence of two definite compounds, namely: Cr3B2 and CrB. These two compounds, he reported, had quite similar chemical characteristics, but were sufficiently different to enable him to separate them. The easiest method for producing chromium boride is apparently the thermite process, first applied by Wede-

Jan 1, 1950

By C. Schlumberger

LAST year the authors presented a paper that discussed the various electrical measurements they perform in drill holes, which they name "electrical coring."' The object of the present paper is to give a brief account of the points of scientific interest that have been elucidated by further field work and laboratory research, as well as the economic, results that have been attained recently. The practical examples given in this paper are drawn, for the most part, from the field work performed in Russian oil fields during the years 1931 and 1932. This is due to the fact that, thanks to the comprehensive cooperation of the Russian geologists and scientists, the authors are allowed to make public a large amount of recent information. In other countries in which the authors are engaged in similar work, the competi¬tion between private companies makes it imperative, for a considerable lapse of time, to avoid publication of the results obtained. The following points will be discussed successively, under sepa-rate headings: 1. Electrochemical phenomena in drill holes. 2. Stratigraphic correlations and tectonic studies. 3. Relations between the productivity of oil horizons and their electrical resistivity. 4. Location of coal seams. 5. Summary and conclusions.

Jan 1, 1933

By Granville S. Borden

MANY complaints have been filed by mine prospectors, explorers and producers about inequities in mining taxation. They have insisted upon improvement, and in the past 35 years there has been some progress. Many of the best taxation provisions made to date are those contained in the Revenue Act of 1951. Mining economics presents special problems, a fact even recognized by many textbooks. Certain provisions have been made to take care of mining taxation rights, but these have been made by Congressional act and do not represent basic, constitutional, guarantees. Despite special provision, in the form of depletion allowances, there remain injustices. The industry faces the problem of gaining adequate income tax allowances for exploration and development expenditures, operating losses, and bonus and subsidy payments. Problems in mine taxation arose soon after the adoption of the 16th Amendment. This amendment gave Congress the power to impose income taxes. Supreme Court decisions against a number of mining companies held that Congress, under its power to tax income, could tax net operating revenue before depletion allowance was deducted. The court also ruled that the right to deduct depletion is a matter of Congressional permission. There is no statute provision permitting mining stockholders to recover their investment out of dividends while the mine is being operated. The Supreme Court did not recognize that part of mining proceeds are actually amortization of the cost of mineral rights. Both these omissions stem from failure to recognize that by its very nature mining consumes its mineral rights and therefore that a part of gross proceeds are not income but recovery of capital. Suppose a Congress unfriendly to mining interests repeals the provisions that allow deductions for depletion. Under such a situation assume that a corporation buys a mineral deposit for $300,000. They mine the deposit and earn an operating profit of $500,000. At the current rates they would pay a Federal Income tax of in excess of $250,000. This venture results in a loss of $50,000 as shown in the table below. For the example given the absence of depletion provisions in income tax law would turn ore into waste rock, because the word "ore" connotes commercially mineable rock. [ ] In retrospect the conclusion is clear: If the Supreme Court had recognized that a part of mining proceeds represent in reality sales proceeds of mineral rights, then profits derived from such sales would have been taxed at the favorable long-term capital rates, instead of being taxed at the high normal, surtax and excess profits rates. It is a question whether percentage depletion allowances offset this tax situation. History The history of depletion allowances has been one of general improvement. The original act did not include depletion, but an allowance at the rate of 5 pct of gross proceeds was provided in 1913. The Acts of 1916 and 1917 allowed depletion upon cost of property, and in 1918 the law was further changed to permit depletion upon cost, or market value as of date of discovery. In 1932 metal, coal and sulphur properties were permitted to elect depletion in percentages of gross income, limited to 50 pct of net income, in lieu of cost depletion. Shortly thereafter the rule was changed and percentage depletion is now allowable in any case where it is higher than cost depletion. Since 1942 percentage depletion allowances have been extended to cover many nonmetals, and in 1951 the rate for coal mines was increased from 5 to 10 pct of gross income. It is interesting to note that these allowances have been retained, and even

Jan 1, 1952

By C. A. Schempp

STUDY of the adaptability of Tintic Standard ores to concentration dates back to somewhat before January, 1921, when the chloridizing mill at Harold, Utah, was put into operation. The operation of this mill has been fully covered in the TRANSACTIONS (Vol. 73). The process consisted essentially of a chloridizing roast followed by a percolating leach with a nearly saturated solution of common salt, acidified with sulfuric acid; precipitation of silver on sponge copper, and of copper and lead on tin-plate cuttings. This mill was built to treat the low grade siliceous ores having an average content of

Jan 1, 1933