Search Documents

By Harold W. Aldrich, Walter G. Scott

The leaching process of the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. is based upon the solubility of oxidized copper in sulfuric acid and the solubility of sulfide copper, largely in the form of chalcocite, in ferric sulfate solution. This necessitates the carrying of a rather large amount of iron in solution. The ferric sulfate is regenerated from ferrous sulfate by the oxygen given off at the anode during electrolytic precipitation of the copper. In September, 1924, excavation was started at Inspiration, Arizona, for the construction of a plant to treat 7500 tons of ore per day. When the plant was begun, the fact developed that by a minor change in the height of the overflow on the leaching tanks, 9000 tons could be charged into each tank and treated satisfactorily. This determined the maximum capacity of the plant as 9000 tons per day. The first ore was charged in October, 1926, and there are now available the records of five complete years of operation; namely, 1927 to 1931, inclusive. The original estimate of copper content of the ore to be mined for this plant was 1.19 per cent, of which 0.77 per cent was as oxide and 0.42 per cent as sulfide. From the metallurgical results obtained at the 35-ton pilot plant, it was estimated that a 90.0 per cent extraction of the oxide copper and a 75.0 per cent extraction of the sulfide copper could be made. It was estimated that the tailing would carry 0.182 per cent total copper, resulting in a

Jan 1, 1934

By D. A. Dahlstrom

WITHIN the past decade, certain economic, legal, and technological changes have intensified the necessity for an efficient classifier or deslimer of particles at and below the 200-mesh point. First, mechanization of mining has increased the percentage of clays, silts, refuse, and high-ash material in the run-of-mine coal. Second, many washing plants must rely on smaller percentages of fresh make-up water because of shortages, economic factors, or legal restrictions on waste water disposal. Finally, the crushing of middlings and coarse refuse plus the trends toward the finer sizes in sales has further increased the amount of fines produced per ton of mine-run coal. A joint consequence of these circumstances has been the augmented percentage and build-up of —200-mesh material in the finer coal fractions and tipple circulating water. This results in the following disadvantages to the operator: (1) Higher ash percentages in the fine coal caused in large measure by the greater ash content of the —200-mesh material, (2) more difficult or expensive recovery of the fine coal from plant slurries, (3) lower filtration, drainage, and drying rates caused chiefly by lower permeability and the greater surface exposed per unit mass of the finer particles, (4) greater difficulty of beneficiatiing the fine coal because of lowered equipment efficiency and the partial "coating-out" of the —200-mesh fraction on the coarser coal particles. Obviously some cheap but effective fine-size classifier must be developed to aid in solving the above problems. To eliminate the generally unwanted —200-mesh fraction from coal slurries, several methods are in use. Probably the most popular with coal operators is the settling cone wherein the larger particles settle downward to the apex of an inverted cone while the slimes and fines are carried upward by vertical fluid currents caused by the overflow of the bulk of the water at the outer rim. The main advantage of the unit is the low initial and operating cost since no moving parts are involved. Disadvantages are primarily low capacity per square foot or floor space and the loss of good coal in the overflow above the 100-mesh size due to localized, high-velocity gradients and nonuniform, fluid-flow patterns, especially at high loadings. Also, when high slime concentrations are present, desliming efficiency is severely injured.', ' Other methods employed are the drag and spiral classifiers and the hydroseparator.' These involve mechanical separations achieved by moving parts and naturally result in higher initial costs. As they are all based on the settling velocity of the particles at the mesh of separation under operating conditions, area requirements are again large per gallon of throughput if they are to classify at the 200-mesh point. Usually the selection is made to operate at a higher throughput and thus sacrifice some coarser coal in the slime overflow. Cyclone Possibilities in Desliming To overcome the disadvantages of present deslirning methods, it is necessary to use a device that exhibits a very stable and uniform flow pattern while greatly increasing the settling velocity of

Jan 1, 1952

By G. J. Ballmer

Drilling and blasting 12-in. blastholes started about the middle of 1946 and has worked out so well that about one half of the blasting, formerly done with 9-in. holes, is now done with 12-in. holes. In most of this work the harder benches were chosen for the 12-in. size because these were the areas where the greatest difficulty was encountered in thorough fragmentation. At the start of this experimental work a 42-T Bucyrus- Erie churn drill was available whereas all other blasthole drilling was being done with 29-T rigs. The large drill was first equipped with a standard 9-in. string of tools but it could not drill quite as fast as the 29-T drills. How- ever, when the weight of the string was increased about 700 lb, or to a total weight of about 3500 lb, it was found that the 42-T exceeded the drilling speed of the 29-T by about 25 per cent. When a 12-in. bit was substituted for the 9-in. bit the 42-T rig again dropped behind the drill- ing rate of the 29-T rigs. At this stage of the experiment the 42-T was using a 12-in. bit with detachable points and the total weight of the string of tools was about 3800 lb. It took longer to change the drill points than it did the regulation bit and this accounted for some of the slower drilling rate. When a heavier stem and standard construction 12-in. bits were used it was found that the 42-T could drill a 12-in. hole slightly faster than a 29-T could drill a 9-in. hole even in the hardest rock in the pit.

Jan 1, 1949

By F. D. Patchen

Changes in the properties of partland cement upon the addition of fine-ground silica are discussed. Data were collected from formulations cured for periods up to 60 days at temperatures varying from 180" to 350°F. Compressive strengths, permeabilities and thickening times are compared. It is demonstrated that addition of find-ground silica in proper proportion results in a hydrated cement with superior properties above 230°F; i.e., early compressive strengths are higher and increase with additional curing, permeabilities are significantly lnrver and thickening times are increased. X-ray analysis of hydrated cement samples have been used to determine more fully the complex chemistry of these systems. Dicalcium silicate alpha-hydrate was found in all neat cements cured above 260°F. A 10 weight per cent silica addition produced a maximum amount of this phase. Xonotlite and tobermorite have been identified as hydration products at 320°F in systems containing 35 or more weight per cent silica. Formation of these components appears to be primarily responsible for the gain in strength and reduction of permeability observed after the addition of silica. INTRODUCTION For several years it has been recognized that loss of compressive strength occurs when portland cement is cured at a temperature above 250°F. This phenomenon has been called "strength retrogression". More recently it has been recognized that increased permeability usually is associated with decreased compressive strength at these temperatures. At curing temperatures above 300°F, these factors reach serious proportions. A compressive strength loss of 50 per cent between curing times of 24 hours and 14 days has been reported,' and permeabilities as high as 10 md have been measured in neat cements cured at 320°F for seven days.' Earlier investigators,' although unsuccessful in eliminating strength retrogression, stated ". . . .it appears possible that by the proper selection of additives for cement, strength loss with age at high temperatures can be either eliminated or considerably lessened". One solution suggested was the use of a pozzolanic material, hydrated lime, and a retarder. Menze15 in 1934 discovered that portland cement containing finely divided silica possessed high compressive strengths when the curing temperature was 350°F. The use of such a composition is now an established practice in the manufacture of steam-cured cement blocks. It is reasonable to assume that the same beneficial effect can be used advantageously in high-temperature oilwell cementing operations. Ludwig first mentioned the use of sand for this purpose. Later, a portland cement containing moderate additions of silica flour and retarded with CMHEC, a cellulose derivative. was recommended for high-temperature application." These formulations have been successfully employed in the field."'" This paper presents the results of a research program to test the efficacy of finely ground silica in increasing the compressive strength and reducing the permeability of oilwell cement compositions containing portland cement. Included also are X-ray diffraction patterns of powdered samples which have been used to determine some of the important chemical reactions occurring in these systems. LABORATORY PROCEDURES AND MATERIALS All compressive-strength test specimens were prepared and cured from a slurry in accordance with API RP 10B, with two modifications. A final curing pressure of 5,000 psi was maintained for a one- or three-day period; but, for further curing, pressures were reduced to the vapor pressure of water at the curing temperature. Also, the water content was varied in samples containing silica to maintain the slurry viscosity within a range of 5 to 15 poise as measured on a consistometer. Test specimens at 180°T were cured in a water bath at atmospheric pressure. At higher temperatures the specimens were cured in a steam-jacketed high-pressure curing vessel at 5,000 psi for a one- or three-day period. cubes cured for longer periods were removed from the pressure-curing vessel after 24 hours, sealed in small bombs containing water and placed in an aging oven.

By H. W. Reinhardt, J. W. Dally

A dynamic photoelastic analysis of stress waves interacting with a free surface is described. The free surface is that of a bench with a fixed bottom so common in quarry applications. The stress waves are generated by line charges of lead azide (Pb N,). Four models of identical geometry are investigated with the direction of detonation of the line charge varied between the four models. Dynamic photoelastic patterns are recorded and analyzed to indicate which method of detonating the line charge produced the largest magnitude of tension at the free surface. The mechanics of rock breakage by means of explosives has received considerable treatment by many investigators including Duvall, Obert, Broberg, Rinehart, and Langefors1-11 over the past two decades. Indeed in more recent years several texts12-15 have been written on the topic, treating a wide variety of subjects which are logically related to the modern technique of rock blasting. In rock blasting the chemical energy of a concentrated explosive contained in a relatively small diameter borehole is utilized to fragment the rock. The explosive is transformed into a gas with enormous pressures which exceed 10-5 bars18 This high pressure shatters the rock in the area adjacent to the borehole and produces dilatational and distortional stress waves which propagate radially away from the borehole. The state of stress associated with these outgoing waves produces a system of cracks which extend for a few feet from the borehole. The breakage produced in this manner is limited as the dynamic stress in the pulse attenuates markedly with distance. In the absence of a free surface, the stress wave propagates away from the source without further fracture. With a free face of rock near the drill hole, another mode of breakage occurs which is due to scabbing failure of the layer of rock adjacent to the free face. These scabbing failures are produced by the reflection of the incident waves and the conversion of compressive stresses into tensile stresses sufficiently large to fracture the rock. The detailed nature of the interaction of the stress waves with the free surface is complex and difficult to treat analytically. However, dynamic photoelasticity offers an experimental approach which gives a fullfield visual display of propagating stress waves and the reflection process. Applications of static photoelasticity to solution of problems related to mining technology have become relatively common (see, for instance, Refs. 17 and 18) with a plastic model loaded to produce a state of stress representative of that occurring in the workings of a mine. The application of dynamic photoelasticity is ex tremely limited. Tandanand and Hartman19 have used a multiple spark camera to study fracture in glass and plastic plates impacted by a chisel-shaped tool. This paper describes a dynamic photoelastic analysis of stress waves interacting with a free surface. The free surface is that of a bench with a fixed bottom so common in quarry applications. The stress waves are generated by line charges of lead azide (Pb-N6). Four models of identical geometry are investigated with the direction of detonation of the line charge varied between the four models. Dynamic photoelastic patterns are recorded and analyzed to indicate which method of detonating the line charge produced the largest magnitude of tension at the free surface. Experimental Procedure The model illustrated in [Fig. 1] was fabricated from a sheet of Columbia Resin CR-39 to represent a bench with a fixed bottom. Properties of the CR-39 pertaining to these dynamic experiments are listed in [Table 1]. Scribe lines on 1-in. centers are used to identify locations along the bench face. The bench height was 8 in., the burden was 3 in., and the overall dimensions of the sheet, 16 and 18 in., were large enough to eliminate reflections from nonessential boundaries during the period of observation of the dynamic event. To simulate a charge in a borehole, a groove 0.062 in. wide and 0.080 in. deep groove was cut into the sheet from one side. The lower end of the groove was 1 in. or 1/3 the burden distance below the bottom of the bench. The upper end of the groove was 3 in. or one times the burden distance below the upper level of the bench. The groove was packed with 60 mg of Pb No per in. of length, and ignited with a bridge wire detonator. Four different ignition procedures were used to examine the effects of detonation direction on the stress wave interaction with the free face of the bench. In Test 1 the line charge was ignited at the top and the line charge detonated downward. In Test 2 the line charge was ignited at the bottom and the charge burned upward. In Test 3 the charge was ignited in the center with the top half burning upward and the bottom half burning downward. Finally in Test 4 the line charge was ignited at both ends simultaneously. Sixteen high-speed photographs of the photoelastic fringe patterns representing the stress wave propagation were recorded for each of the tests. A Cranz-Schardin multiple spark gap camera 20,21 was operated at framing rates which were systematically varied from 110,000 to 250,000 frames per sec during each test.

Jan 1, 1972

By AIME

ENGINEERS have long pondered the answer to the question of "How am I doing?" and in large measure the answer from the economics angle is provided by the 1946 survey of the engineering profession now being published by the Engineers Joint Council as an eighty-page bulletin entitled "The Engineering Profession in Transition." The survey, based upon a completely precoded mail questionnaire, aimed at three major objectives: (1) to determine the general impact of World War II upon the profession in the period 1939 through 1946; (2) to obtain re- R liable data from which valid findings could be derived to predict how active the profession would be after 1946; and (3) to determine if the war's upheaval had changed materially the pattern of professional activities, education, background, and earnings from those which existed prior to 1939. Abundant data on the economic status of the engineer based upon years of experience in his particular field, the specific branch of the industry in which he served, and his educational background are presented. Relationships between years of experience

Jan 1, 1947

By T. G. Fulmor, William Wraith

What impelled The Anaconda Company to dismantle and move a concentrator 25 miles that was already operating at a rate of 35,000 ton per day? The answer to that question takes in almost exactly 49 years and perhaps 10 complete cycles of the metallurgical wheel in the Anaconda, Mont., mill. One could say with truth that the move is a logical next-step in the development of metallurgy in The Anaconda Co. In the old concentrator at Anaconda, the background story is unfolded: - Gravity separation by jigs, later supplemented with gravity tables, 1905. - Separate sand and slime froth flotation, 1915. - Acid bulk froth flotation, 1917. - Bulk alkaline flotation, 1926. - Alkaline flotation of total ore without sand- slime separation due to change in ore type. 1939.

Jan 5, 1964

By John C. Loretta

INTRODUCTION Organizations that regularly use project management services will almost certainly have their own views on the preferred systems and procedures. This chapter, therefore, describes Project Management for the personnel of groups not familiar on a regular basis with project management and deals with the basic questions that these groups can be expected to ask, such as: - What is project management? - Why is it needed? Project Management is the planning, implementation and monitoring of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction activities that are necessary to complete the project in the most economic manner. In the case of a crushing and grinding plant, completing the project would mean bringing it into full operat ion. Engineering is the design work for the purpose of producing drawings and technical specifications for Construction together with technical specifications and quantities for Procurement. Procurement is the arranging of con- tracts so that equipment, material and labour are brought as required to the construction site. Construction covers the on-site activities that bring together the components of Engineering and Procurement so as to arrive at a finished plant. Need & Cost Benefits Project Management systems are needed to allow progress and expenditures to be monitored so that any significant deviations from the plan can be identified and the appropriate corrective action taken. In this way, Project Management is able to give continual updated answers to the Owners broad questions. - What am I getting? - What will it cost? - When will it be ready? The need for Project Management is not always immediately apparent, a common belief being that the existence of the three components -Mining Company - Equipment Supplier - Construction Company - is sufficient to get the job done without a formal project management group. This trio

Jan 1, 1982

By J. F. Kemp

Introduction The Bulletin of the Institute for March, 1911, is chiefly devoted to papers upon the iron ores of northeastern Cuba. At that time information about the new developments in the peculiar brown hematites of the region was becoming widely circulated and interest was especially keen. For some years exploration had been conducted with pits and trenches and so great an area had been shown to contain ore in the Mayari, Moa, and Cubitas or San Felipe districts, that the reserves conveniently situated for the consumption of American furnaces were estimated as quite two billions of tons. In the subjoined footnote will be found a list of the principal papers of special interest which have already been published.1 The further remark may, however, be made that the

Jan 2, 1915

By J. S. Diller

In 1827, chromite was discovered near Baltimore by Isaac Tyson, Jr., who initiated the mining of chrome ore an:! later (1845) .the manufacture of chromium compounds in this country. From 1828 to about 1860 the United States, supplanting Russia, supplied chromite for most of the world. Chrome deposits were found also in California, and the Tyson Company shipped ore to Philadelphia by way of Cape Horn. In 1848, J. Lawrence Smith, an American in the employ of the Porte, discovered large bodies of chromite in Asia Minor. They were developed in 1865 and became the chief source of the world's supply for a number of years. The discovery of the large high-grade bodies in New Caledonia, and later in Rhodesia, with other foreign sources, gives at present an abundant supply for all demands. For a number of years before the great war, the United States produced only a few hundred tons of chromite annually, for local use, but during the war the demand for domestic ore resulted in a production of more than 82,000 long tons of crude ore in 1918, and it was demonstrated that the United States has reserve deposits equal to a war demand of several years' duration. Now that the war is over, the country is conserving its domestic supplies by employing higher-grade but cheaper ore from foreign countries. ChromiUm-bearing Minerals Oxides: Chromite-—chromic iron ore................ FeO.Cr2O3 Picotite—chromic iron ore................. (MgFe)O.(Al,Cr) Chromates: Crocoite—lead chromate................... PbCrO4 Phoenicochroite—basic lead ohromite........ 3PbO.2CrO3 Vauquelinite—phospho-chromate of lead..... 2(PbCu)CrOd.(PbCu)3P2O8 Sulfates: Redingtonite—hydrous chromium sulfate.... Knoxvillitel—hydrous basic sulfate of chromium.............................. Daubreelite-—iron-chromium sulfide (known in meteorites only)...................... FeS.Cr2S3

Jan 1, 1920

By H. F. Silliman, Daniel R. Hull, John R. Freeman

In the normal operation of a brass-rolling mill, sheet and strip has, for the most part, been finished in comparatively thin gauges, involving a substantial amount of cold-work and a considerable number of anneals. This condition has been disturbed by the preponderance of cartridge brass, which is not rolled to thin gauges, and particularly by brass for artillery cartridge cases, on which the mill may finish its work at a thickness between 0.400 and 0.900 in. Obviously, the amount of rolling and the number of anneals to which such a product can be subjected are small compared with strip that is carried to a thickness of a few hundredths of an inch. As a result, critical examination into the internal condition of metal has been made on an extensive scale at a stage of manufacture that would not, in normal times, have been chosen for complete inspection. Under these conditions, a type of defect has been recognized that is not seen at thinner gauges. It might be more accurate to call it the appearance of a defect, since it refers to an apparently laminated, discontinuous structure, which, in fact, does not exist as such, and disappears after suitable treatment. For this reason it has been called a phantom lamination, which the authors consider an appropriate term. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the phenomenon and the conditions of its occurrence and, at least tentatively, to discuss its nature and cause. Great numbers of phantoms may be found in 2:r brass, either hot-rolled or cold-rolled. They are also found in 70-30 brass, sometimes when hot-rolled and generally when cold-rolled. It is not believed that phantoms are confined to these alloys but this paper is limited to them for the purpose of description. Hot-rolled 2:1 Brass For illustration, therefore, a typical cake of hot-rolled 2:I brass has been chosen. This was rolled to a slab 36 in. thick, from a casting 5 in. thick by 24 in. wide by 18 in. high, which was believed to have been sound. After hot-rolling and cooling, the slab was sheared and a portion of such a shear cut is shown in Fig. I. It would be difficult to convince anyone viewing this specimen that the metal was not unsound. The impression would be confirmed by the appearance of a tensile break, as shown in Fig. 2. This is an ordinary tensile-test piece from metal just described. Although there was nothing in its tensile strength or elongation that suggested unsoundness, it appeared run through with pipes and laminations. To question the reality of such a condition would imply questioning the obvious. But, considering the history of the metal, it would be difficult to believe that it could be so bad as it appeared. It seemed reasonable, though, that if the defects were what they appeared to be, they could be traced back from the sheared or broken face.

Jan 1, 1945

By L. A. Wright, H. L. McKinley

PINE Creek mine of Union Carbide Nuclear Co. is some 23 miles northwest of Bishop, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada Mts. Office and mill are 7800 ft above sea level, the 1500 level portal is at 9300 ft, the A level portal at 10,800 ft, and the 3050 portal at 11,500 ft. Original claims were located in 1916, and the mine worked intermittently until 1936, when it was purchased by Union Carbide Corp. Since then the property has been operated continuously, except for two brief periods when operations were suspended because of manpower shortages. Mine production through 1956 amounted to 2,792,425 dry tons of ore.

Jan 10, 1957

By Frederick M. Becket

DoctoR Albert Sauveur, distinguished scientist and Honorary Member of this Institute, predicted in the first Howe Memorial Lecture that the privilege of delivering' this annual address would be considered a highly significant honor. The intervening years have well borne out Sauveur's prophecy. I wish to assure the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers that I also deeply appreciate this honor, recognizing at the same time the present and even more the future responsibilities with which it is accompanicd. Several of the previous lecturers had the good fortune to attend the classes of Professor Howc and to work in his laboratories. I was similarly favored, although in my instance and to my great regret the period was all too short. However, Howe's book, published in 1903, "Iron, Steel and Other Alloys," afforded me abundant opportunity to continue these studies. How well I remember the inspiration I derived from this famous book by Howe, the metallurgical master, pioneer, and educator! Remembering that Professor Howe contributed numerous papers to The Metallographist, a magazine supported from a technical point of view by the world's pioneers in metallography, I was curious a few days ago to learn the nature of Howe's early contributions to this magazine. The first paper by Howe in the first year of The Metallographist (1898) dealt with the allotropic theory; the second also treated of allotropy, and I quote the first sentence of that paper: The allotropic theory of the hardening of steel may, like so many other important theories, have to be accepted or rejected not on direct proof or disproof, but on the accumulation of circumstantial evidence for or against it. Howe's ability to stimulate others by his deep understanding and clarity of expression was truly remarkable; but just as striking was his intuitive judgment concerning the implications of metallurgical data in the arts and scienees. It therefore seems fitting that this lecture comprise a broad treatment of the subject chosen, rather than a closely documented thesis on any one phase of the problem; that in it attention be focused

Jan 1, 1938

By Frederick M. Becket

DoctoR Albert Sauveur, distinguished scientist and Honorary Member of this Institute, predicted in the first Howe Memorial Lecture that the privilege of delivering' this annual address would be considered a highly significant honor. The intervening years have well borne out Sauveur's prophecy. I wish to assure the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers that I also deeply appreciate this honor, recognizing at the same time the present and even more the future responsibilities with which it is accompanicd. Several of the previous lecturers had the good fortune to attend the classes of Professor Howc and to work in his laboratories. I was similarly favored, although in my instance and to my great regret the period was all too short. However, Howe's book, published in 1903, "Iron, Steel and Other Alloys," afforded me abundant opportunity to continue these studies. How well I remember the inspiration I derived from this famous book by Howe, the metallurgical master, pioneer, and educator! Remembering that Professor Howe contributed numerous papers to The Metallographist, a magazine supported from a technical point of view by the world's pioneers in metallography, I was curious a few days ago to learn the nature of Howe's early contributions to this magazine. The first paper by Howe in the first year of The Metallographist (1898) dealt with the allotropic theory; the second also treated of allotropy, and I quote the first sentence of that paper: The allotropic theory of the hardening of steel may, like so many other important theories, have to be accepted or rejected not on direct proof or disproof, but on the accumulation of circumstantial evidence for or against it. Howe's ability to stimulate others by his deep understanding and clarity of expression was truly remarkable; but just as striking was his intuitive judgment concerning the implications of metallurgical data in the arts and scienees. It therefore seems fitting that this lecture comprise a broad treatment of the subject chosen, rather than a closely documented thesis on any one phase of the problem; that in it attention be focused

Jan 1, 1938

By Carl Zapffe

The manganese ore reserves of Lake Superior, because of their location and nature, have recently achieved a rnarked degree of importance as compared with the world's manganese reserves. To appreciate fully the significance and the adequacy of this reserve, one should understand how such ores are used, where obtainable, the quantity used, possible avenues for increasing use or application, and the chemical and physical characteristics of the available ores. Only with those data at hand, is it possible to arrive at a convincing answer to the question whether the reserves of manganiferous iron ores are adequate to satisfy the annual demand of the presently known iron ores for the full life of the latter. That they should last is vital; and to ascertain whether they will last was the purpose of the present investigation, which marks the first attempt to study these Lake Superior reserves. The Lake Superior region possesses and supplies the full assortment of iron ores needed for the conversion of ore into pig iron and steel ingots and castings. These ores are named bessemer, low-phosphorus and high-phosphorus non-bessemer, manganiferous and siliceous; and to include the term aluminiferous would be in keeping with the most recent nomenclature adopted by some dealers. About 35 or 40 years ago, perhaps less, most of the Lake Superior ore which is being used today was the material then considered either useless or too poor for immediate use; perhaps it was considered no more than a future reserve. An examination of the analyses of ores and the guarantees in the sales of those older times convince one that the opinions of those days must have been governed by only small differences in analyses. Some grades of ores used today in substantial amounts were used most sparingly only one or two decades ago. The relative quantities of the different ores used are ever changing; and, bit by bit, the metallurgy and the opinions are ever changing and the prejudices against certain ores and practices decrease. This is unquestionably more pronounced for the manganiferous ores than for any other kind. If, when using the present data for manganiferous ores, we will only be content to make allowances for the same experiences other kinds of ores

Jan 1, 1927

By Lewis Reeve

As. part of a program of investigation of the properties of electric arc welds carried out in the laboratories of the A. 0. Smith Corporation, considerable work has been done on the determination of the oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen content of different types of weld metal, employing for this purpose the so-called "vacuum fusion method." It is the purpose of this paper to describe certain improvements that have been introduced in this method of determining the gas content of metals, with particular references to the steel specimens examined in this investigation. The method and apparatus used at the beginning of the investigation were essentially those of the Bureau of Standards as described by Vacher and Jordan.1 Later a number of changes were introduced which resulted in. more rapid evacuation of the graphite crucibles employed and which enabled larger volumes of gas to be dealt with than could be handled conveniently in the Bureau of Standards equipment. In addition, the analyzing of the gases evolved from a melt in the same apparatus as collected was abandoned in favor of analysis outside the equipment using standard methods of gas analysis. The time required for gas analysis in the apparatus itself, as described by the Bureau of Standards, was found to be considerable, and during this time the rest of the equip-ment was tied up, preventing its use for the analysis of further steel sam-ples. As a result of the modifications introduced, the time required for the analysis of a steel sample for gas content was reduced from about 8 hours to less than 3 hours. Subsequently, the whole procedure of melting the sample and collect-ing the gases evolved was modified so as to enable a distinction to be drawn between the easily reducible oxides such as iron oxide and the more stable oxides such as silica and alumina. At the same time evidence was obtained indicating the probable existence in the steels of other nitrides than those of iron alone and making possible their quantitative determination.

Jan 1, 1933

By H. M. Stewart, R. A. Grange

MANY steel parts may crack if quenched directly into a bath near room temperature, but not if quenched at a temperature just above the range where martensite forms and then allowed to cool slowly to room temperature. This latter procedure, which is the basis for such modern hardening techniques as "martempering " and "isothermal quenching," may entail some sacrifice in depth of hardening but very little, if any, in intensity of hardening. In planning such treatments, it is necessary to know the upper limit of the martensite range, and often desirable to know the proportion of martensite that would form on cooling to any lower temperature; furthermore, the tendency of a particular steel to crack when quenched is unquestionably associated with the temperature range of martensite formation, and consequently knowledge of this range aids in selecting the optimum composition for a given application. Certain puzzling phenomena associated with the properties of quenched and tempered steel may be at least partly clarified as the manner in which martensite forms is more fully under- stood. Information on the temperature range of martensite formation, particularly with respect to how much martensite results from quenching to a given temperature, is lacking for most commercial types of carbon and low-alloy steel. These considerations led us to study martensite formation in 14 carbon and low-alloy steels. The resultant data may be directly used in the following ways: (I) for selecting the lowest quenching temperature at which no martensite will form; (2) for selecting the highest quenching temperature at which virtually dl marten- site will form, thereby avoiding quenching to an unnecessarily lower temperature with attendant danger of cracking; and (3) in producing a mixture of tempered marten- site and bainite, which in high-carbon steels has been found to possess somewhat better ductility than tempered martensite, yet does not require the full transformation time necessary for a completely bainitic (austempered) structure. PART I. OBSERVATIONS OF MARTEN- SITE FORMATION IN FOURTEEN CARBON AND LOW-ALLOY STEELS Transformation of austenite to pearlite or bainite can be conveniently studied by observing the change that occurs over a period of time at constant temperature; such studies are the basis of the isothermal transformation diagram (S-curve). This isothermal technique is not applicable to martensite formation, which occurs within a time interval too small to measure, at least by any ordinary means. For all practical purposes, therefore, martensite may be regarded as forming only during cooling and not during a period of time at constant temperature. As austenite is cooled below

Jan 1, 1946

By F. V. Lenel

INTRODUCTION Two years ago in Chicago a seminar was held on the theory of sintering of pure metal powders As an introduction to this seminar Dr Rhines1 gave an excellent survey of the literature on this subject His method of presentation was to summarize the experimental observations on sintering and from them to develop a composite theory of sintering in which he combined all the important contributions to the theory into one organic whole In contrast to the mechanism of sintering of pure metal powders, which, of course, always takes place in the solid phase, sintering in the presence of a liquid phase, cannot be treated as one unified mechanism, such as the sintering mechanism of pure metals The reason is that there are really several mechanisms depending upon the type of alloy system which is sintered and the field of its constitutional diagram in which the sintering takes place Two mechanisms have been investigated and will be reviewed in this paper In the first mechanism the liquid is present during the entire time while the compacts are at the sintering temperature In other words they are sintered between the liquidus and the solidus of the alloy System and are heterogeneous during the entire sintering cycle The second mechanism applies to alloys in which the liquid phase is formed during the sintering process, but disappears before the sintering process is completed through diffusion and formation of a solid solution These alloys are therefore homogeneous at the end of the sintering cycle This second mechanism is more complicated because of the two stages of sintering, the liquid and the solid, as they may be called It is therefore not surprising that the few detailed investigations of sintering in the presence of a liquid phase have been concerned with heterogeneous sintered alloys, namely the tungsten-nickel-copper alloys, which is the so-called "heavy alloy," and the cemented carbides The mechanism of sintering of these systems is characterized by the fact that theoretical or near theoretical density is attained during sintering, while simultaneously a distinct grain growth takes place through solution of the smallest grains of the solid phase in the liquid phase and reprecipitation on the larger grains In the first part of the survey this sintering mechanism which is called for short the heavy alloy mechanism is treated in detail In the second part of the survey experimental observations for the sintering of homogeneous sintered alloys where the liquid phase disappears before the completion of sintering are discussed Much less systematic work has been done on these alloys to which the commercially important porous bronzes and the iron-nickel-aluminum permanent magnet alloys belong Emphasis will be laid throughout this survey upon the microstructural and density changes during sintering because the sintering mechanism can usually be described directly by these changes Other

Jan 1, 1948

By G. S. Cole, G. F. Bolling

Recent experitnents on crystal growth have indicated that thermal convection in the liquid influences the conditions of solidification and subsequent crystal characteristics. However, the important columnar-equiaxed transition in castings has not been examined as a function of this free convection. An experiment is presented here to demonstrate a change in the transition as convection is suppressed. Lead- and tin-based alloys were cast in stainless-steel molds either without special procedures or with thin grids placed horizontally across the tnold diameter in portions of the castings. While the grids allowed some diffusion of heat and mass transport to occur during solidification, massive fluid flow was hindered in the vegiotz of the grids. A larger percentage of columnar grains appeared in the grid region than in other parts of the special castings or than in all regions of normal castings. This structural difference can be explained in terms of thermal convection. THERE is little information about the possible effects of natural convection which may occur during the solidification of a casting. Ruddlel-3 has stated that the movement of liquid metal produced by convection might assist in the transfer of heat, but in the absence of confirmatory evidence he suggested that this idea be treated with caution. chalmers4 considers, but does not assess, the importance of fluid motion in casting, while Tiller5 suggests that, in liquid metals which have extremely high thermal diffusivities, the effects of thermal convection may be negligible. In addition, throughout the literature, there are statements indicating the possible presence of thermal convection but without proofs or evaluations of its influence. Natural convection may be divided into two categories: thermal convection, where liquid flow is due to density differences caused by temperature gradients in the liquid (e.g., liquid near a cold wall falling with respect to hotter liquid further away from the wall); and solute convection, where flow is due to density differences as a result of concentration gradients, see Wagner.6 In most instances thermal convection predominates over solute convection. Nevertheless, even thermal convection has not been studied in any detail and is difficult to handle, since it can vary quantitatively from one experiment to another depending upon the exact positions of heat sources and sinks or the attitude of the container with respect to gravity. In spite of these difficulties it is possible to realize that a higher rate of heat transfer must result with convection than in any situation where conduction acts alone. Thus, the degree of increased heat transfer is the important undecided question in considerations of casting. It will be demonstrated here that a reduction in convective flow leads to a suppression of the columnar-equiaxed transition in a casting and that this suppression is related to a decrease in the degree of heat transfer. Fortunately it is possible to do this by comparative rather than quantitative measures. The insertion of horizontal plates or grids into a simple mold does not appreciably influence heat transfer per se, but in reducing the allowable height through which colder liquid may fall freely it reduces natural thermal convection. This leads to a reduced fluid velocity, a different flow pattern, and an altered heat transfer which can be measured. EXPERIMENTS The alloys were prepared from elements of 99.9 pct nominal purity and cast into an uncoated 2-in.-diameter stainless-steel mold insulated at the bottom with a suitable refractory so as to ensure predominantly radial heat flow during freezing. Casting was performed either in empty molds or in molds containing grids or plates in various configurations . The grids were constructed of aluminum screen (1/32 in. thick) which was cut to the desired shape, cleaned in aqua regia, and coated with a mixture of 2 parts aqua dag graphite -1 part Sauereisen cement mixture, thus supplying a hard, protective, and insulating layer approximately 0.006 in. thick. The

Jan 1, 1965

By E. von Maltitz

In his highly interesting paper, Piping and Segregation in Steel Ingots,' Prof. Howe emphasizes the effect of successive phases of internal pressure in the ingot in the evolution of gas, and the consequent formation of blow-holes. From his statements in other places, it may be inferred that he does not here intend to ignore the other variable factor, temperature, but rather to discuss this one more particularly. At all events, it is my purpose not to engage in controversy with Prof. Howe, but, rather to contribute, towards the complete elucidation of this important subject which we all desire, my own views and experience. If, in doing so, I specially emphasize other factors than pressure, I need not be understood as denying what I do not think it necessary to discuss fully. Nor, in presenting my own original conclusions, need I be understood as claiming to be the first who ever reached or announced them. Many things are asserted or suggested upon inconclusive evidence; and to confirm such tentative propositions may be as valuable a service as to overthrow them. In the following passage, Prof. Howe adduces analogies, based upon the behavior of charcoal and of water, respectively, which seem to me questionable : "In general, the solvent power falls as the pressure falls ; and in general it rises as the temperature falls. Thus, to heat a solid, for instance charcoal, may expel part of its dissolved gas ; and a tumbler of water drawn cold from the faucet gradually evolves gas, as it stands and warms up on the sideboard." (p. 72.) Charcoal is a solid body, which has the property not only of absorbing gases in large quantities, but also of expelling the thus absorbed gases upon heating. A comparison between charcoal and iron as to the absorption of gases is scientifically not possible; the gas-content of charcoal is partly due to the

Jan 1, 1908