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R. F. MCELVENNY.- Over 20 years ago I went back East on a little tour of copper companies to see how copper was handled and fabricated, and I met a Mr. Bassett who took me through the Waterbury branche of the American Brass Co. I have not seen this gentleman for 20 years, but I have a letter from him that I would like to read to you. 'The American Brass Co. Waterbury, Conn. May 19, 1930. To the-Salt Lake City Conference on Reverberatory Smelting Practice: Through the courtesy of Mr. Scott Turner, Director of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, Mr. G. L. Oldright has been temporarily released from his regular duties to act as your secretary. We have asked him and Mr. McElvenny to make the necessary preliminary arrangements and to present to you at the opening session the greetings of the officers and' directors of the Institute. I am very glad that it has been possible for you to come together under the auspices of the Institute and that the acceptance of our invitation has been so very unanimous. Such an acceptance of the invitation to this meeting indicates your interest in getting together for an exchange of technical data and ideas. We anticipate that this meeting will be of real service to the smelting industry through your open discussion and exchange of ideas, and we sincerely hope that you will form an organization which will arrange for future meetings of a similar nature. While it probably may not be desirable to. distribute the minutes of this conference except to the members who take part in it, we hope that later the Institute publications may be enriched by such matter as you think it desirable to have published; and also, that some of you may be able to offer technical papers for the Institute publications. I hope that you will find a permanent organization desirable and trust that it will be possible for you to form such an organization so that conferences may be regularly called. We hope that you can make use of the Institute organization and that we can be of real service to your industry. With best wishes for your success in this undertaking, I am Most cordially yours, W. H. Bassett, President.

Jan 1, 1930

By Mehmet Guney

At the Armatcuk mine in Turkey, various modifications of sublevel methods have been tried during the last decade in an effort to eliminate gob fires, dangers from roof falls, and surface subsidence, and also to increase extraction efficiency. From the experience thus gained, it was decided that the most likely system to give maximum benefits, considering the existing geological conditions and coa1-seam characteristics, was hydraulic stowing. This paper examines trends in the working techniques of hydraulic stowing and discusses the favorable results and technical problems that the method produced at Armutcuk. The Armutcuk mine, a subsidiary of Eregli Coal Mines (EKI), produces 1300 tons of run-of-mine coal daily from thick (about 10-90 ft) and highly dipping (about 50-90°) coal seams. The coal is highly volatile with good coking properties that make it highly suitable for industrial use. Most of this coal is used in the iron and steel industry at Eregli on the Black Sea coast. Complete recovery of the coal is of vital importance to industrial development and progress. Initial coal extraction was carried out by means of a sublevel mining system modified to accommodate local geological conditions and coal seam characteristics. This method is similar to that employed in metalliferous mines. Several problems arose from the application of the method, one of them being the prevalence of gob fires which caused periodic shutdowns in some sections. To achieve maximum coal extraction with minimum dilution, to eliminate gob fires and surface subsidence, and to reduce fatal accident rates, a decision was taken to change from this method to a hydraulic stowing system. The pres- ence of large deposits of conglomerate and sandstone on the surface contributed to the decision to employ this new method. Although hydraulic stowing practices have been carried out in America and Germany, Upper Silesia may, so far as coal is concerned, be considered the birthplace of the method. Here the process was adapted to thick coal seams on a large scale to reduce dangers from gob fires and damage from surface subsidence. Today, the mining system is not only widely used in the coal mines of France, the Saar, India and Poland, but has also been successfully applied to the iron ore and potassium salt mines in Russia and Germany. LOCATION AND HISTORY The Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field, the most western outcrop of the North Anatolian coal basin, extends for five miles along the Black Sea coast (Fig. 1). The Armutcuk Mine is situated on the southern boundary of the coal field about 40 miles from Zonguldak and about 12 miles from Eregli. The history of coal mining in the North Anatolian coal basin goes back more than a century. Mining commenced on a small scale in the Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field in the late 1880's, and from this time until nationalization in 1940 the mines were operated by private Turkish and foreign interests. In 1940, Eregli Coal Mines was established to takeover the management of these enterprises. The Armutcuk Mine was developed for the first time in the mid-1940's. Since then it has been in continuous production and it now produces an annual 440,000-ton run-of-mine output from which 320.000 tons of salable coal is obtained. MINE GEOLOGY The carboniferous inlier of the Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field crops out over an area about three miles long and one mile wide. The major part of the inlier consists of the Namurian formation with only a relatively small area of Westfalian-A visible on the surface (Fig. 2). The Namurian formation, which has no exploitable coal seams in the Armutcuk Mine, consists mostly of arkose sandstones and black shales often having

Jan 1, 1969

By B. P. Nutter, M. Lebourg, J. A. McAlister

The Multi-Flow Evaluator (MFE) is a new system of tools providing an original approach in drill-stem testing. It improves control during the testing operation and gives a more accurate evaluation of the fluid recovered while providing additional pressure information for reservoir analysis. The tools are operated entirely by up and down motion of the drill stem. This up and down operation provides a positive means of control and offers easily observed surface indications of tool operating position. An unlimited number of shut-in and flow periods may be taken with this tool while in the hole. The key to the success of the MFE system of tools is the safety seal packer. Until this development, operation of the tools by up and down motion only had proven unreliable. The success ratio of the MFE now exceeds the ratio achieved by conventional tools. The equipment includes a 2,750-cc chamber in which a representative sample of the flowing formation fluid is trapped at the end of the last flow period and brought to the surface under pressure. The sample can be evaluated at the wellsite or transferred under pressure for laboratory analysis. The sampling feature of the tool allows a sample to be obtained from a reservoir which has suffered minimum influence from production. A representative sample can be obtained for laboratory or empirical analysis by employing a testing technique to minimize drawdown during flow periods. Interpretation methods to take advantage of this additional information are presented and supported by actual field examples. INTRODUCTlON The Multi-Flow Evaluator (MFE) represents the most recent technical advance in formation testing. Drill-stem testing techniques prior to the MFE have been limited in three areas—(1) operaiion, (2) recovery analysis, and (3) reservoir analysis. The tools in the MFE system allow maximum control during testing and provide test information superior to that obtainable with conventional tools. The system of tools and the operation procedures are described to illustrate the mechanical advantages over present tools. Methods of pressure build-up and fluid

Jan 1, 1966

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

There were present twelve- Directors, the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Institute, and fifteen guests. A committee of three was appointed to draft a suitable resolution of memorial of the services of Joseph Esrey Johnson, Jr. The committee consists of Joseph W. Richards, Chairman, J. V. N. Dorr and Allen H. Rogers. William R. Walker was elected a Director in place of J. E. Johnson, Jr., and Edwin Ludlow was elected a member of the Executive Committee in his stead. George C. Stone was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Membership in place of Mr. Johnson. The following resolutions were then adopted: RESOLVED, That a special business meeting of the Institute be and the same hereby is appointed to be, held at the office of the Institute, No. 29 West 39th Street, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, on the 27th day of June, 1919, it 8.30 o'clock in the P. M. to consider and take action upon the proposal to change the name of the Institute to "American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Incor-porated," and the further proposal to extend the corporate purposes of the Institute so that it shall, in addition to its other powers, be empowered to promote the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerals and metals, and the welfare of, those employed in these industries, by all lawful means.

Jan 6, 1919

Eight members of the Board, the Secretary of the Institute, and eleven guests were present. Vice-president Henry S. Drinker presided. The President was authorized to appoint delegates to a meeting, on May 16, of the League to Enforce Peace. The Joint Conference Committee reported that the American Institute of Metals had accepted the invitation to form the Institute of Metals Division of this Institute. The Committee on Publications of the Institute of Metals was added to the Committee on Publications of the A. I. M. E. Exchange of one volume of Transactions of the A. I. M. E. at reduced price to members of the British Institute of Metals was authorized, in return for the reduced price given to our Institute of Metals Division on the annual proceedings of the British Institute.

Jan 6, 1918

THE CHAIRMAN.- This meeting is under the auspices of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and I think the germ of the idea originated in the steel business. Last year there was a meeting of prominent people in the steel industry with the idea of getting together and discussing practical phases of their business, so that everybody could contribute and from that there might be benefit derived for the industry. Several months ago when Mr. Bain was in Salt Lake City, he and Mr. Oldright asked me what I, as an individual, thought of it. From that originated this idea of having the copper people come together to discuss reverberatory smelting and all its phases. In starting out, it seemed the best plan to ask members what particular subjects they wished to discuss first; that is, the ones that would be considered more important. We asked Mr. Oldright, or suggested sometime ago that the meeting be postponed until May because May is a lovely month in Salt Lake. There are a number of attractive features around the city. We have a number of smelters here and I think that probably the most of the benefit will be derived from talking in an informal way and visiting the various plants around. the valley. At any rate, speaking as a resident of Salt Lake, I am glad to see all of you gentlemen here, and hope you have an interesting and instructive time. The tentative list of subjects for discussion at this conference is as follows: Construction Walls, etc. Walls, proper design and thickness of brick for various types of charging. Bottoms, construction of. Binding steel, correct weight and arrangement, where thrust of arch should be taken. Refractory materials, feasibility of using different material in various parts of the furnace. Water jackets, where applicable. Should bricks be used inside of same. Gas space, proper design for, height of roof above bath, etc. Roof Shape of Roof, in hot zone and elsewhere, longitudinally. Construction of roof, in various zones, around openings.

Jan 1, 1930

By R. C. Earlougher

Jan 1, 1970

By AIME AIME

L H. DUSCHAK gave an interesting talk at a recent meeting of the. San Francisco Section, based -011 experimental work with a variety of ores at the laborator of the Treadwell-Yukon Co., in Berkeley, Cal. He was of the opinion that the customary "cut and try" method of flotation testing was still in evidence and that the flotation process was more of an art than an exact science. Propounded theories have enabled investigators to' classify reagents as well as to suggest new ideas both in the metallic and nonmetallic fields, but the application of theory has riot as yet been able to solve many of the unknown factors in operation.

Jan 1, 1932

Discussion of the paper of Robert H. Richards, presented at the Butte meeting, August, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 81, September, 1913, pp. 2299 to 2303. C. D. DEMOND, Anaconda, Mont. (communication to the Secretary*) :-Any one who has observed the increased efficiency of the Wilfley tables in a mill when fed from a reasonably good hydraulic classifier, as compared with tables fed from a spitzkasten., which is a very poor classifier, will agree to the advantage of ? better classification." It must be gratifying to Dr. Richards to know that, directly or indirectly, maim mill men are responding to his persistent advocacy of correct principles of ore dressing and are accepting the results of his investigations. As he says, these principles mean much for both the conservation of resources and the profit of operators. When Dr. Richards gives us accurate figures as to the maximum size of free mineral grains in the tailings of the Wilfley table and of the vanner, they will be of a good deal of practical value in delimiting the proper fields for the Wilfley, the vanner, and the round table. He has coined the terms ? free settling" and "hindered settling."' The series may be completed by adding "crowded settling," the main principle of action on both the vanner and the Wilfley table, which is the principle of separation in a mass of grains crowded as closely together as they can be and yet continue free to move between one another; and the occurrence of larger mineral particles in the Wilfley tailing than in that from the vanner is apparently caused by the more violent agitation, due chiefly to the purposely sudden reversal of the stroke. It seems likely that the agitation caused by the wash water dropping directly upon the concentrate on the vanner is more harmful than that due to the shake. For the very finest material that can be concentrated by usual methods, the round table is superior to the vanner because it does not, have even, the gentle agitation of the latter. The action on round tables is, not crowded settling," but "film sizing," 2 but agitation is harmful in the latter action. George Gates proved this harm 20 years ago : in slaking the first successful large-scale application of canvas tables in California gold mills he abandoned all shaking motion, although he had patented canvas tables to which such motion was applied.

Jan 11, 1913

By AIME AIME

AT the annual .meeting of the Minnesota Section in December, Dr. Leith characterized as a question still open the exact method of origin of Lake Superior iron ores and emphasized it as an important practical problem for the future. He welcomed the step taken last year by Dr. Gruner in presenting a new hypothesis, and asked Lake Superior geologists to meet the challenge of such multiple hypotheses by unbiased, study.

Jan 1, 1932

By F. W. Maclennan

The following is a list of members who died in 1929. It is compiled from reports to the Secretary's office. Biographical sketches published in Mining and Metallurgy are indicated in the last two columns. Issue Containing Year of Date of Biography Election Name Death 1929 Page 1922 Adams, Waldo Peck................................ June 2 September 435 1903 Argall, Joseph.................................... Nov. 1 1894 Austin, Leonard S................................. Oct. 30 December 580 1905 Bailed, Melbourne.........................Dec. 12 May* 280 1890 Barringer, Daniel M.............................. Nov. 30 February* 119 1895 Batchelleb, HENRr R.............................. Jan. 15 March 167 BINGHAM Charles E............................. 1923 Bibkett, E. H..................................... Apr. 23 August 394 1913 Bibbell, Robert W................................. Jan. 18 April 214 1926 Blackmar, Don C.................................. June 4 March* 189 1920 Bosworth, T. O.................................... Jan. 18 April 214 1894 Boucher, Arthur S..........................Jan. 6 May 257 1927 Brandenthaler, R. R.............................. Dec. 14 January* 64 1889 Bretherton, S. E............................... Oct. 4 December 581 1911 Brunton, F. K................ .. Aug. 17 1924 Brush, Charles F................................. June 15 September 436 1925 Cameron, Frank N........................May 16 July 349 1891 Chambers, Robert E.............................. May July 348 1908 Clark, J. Murray................................. Dec. 3 August* 407 1883 Clymer, edward T............................. Oct. 13 December 579 1914 Cofpey, George T................................. May 8 July 349 1901 Cooke, L. H....................................... Aug. 23 November 537 1915 Cousins, George W........................ June 30 February* 118 1886 Cowles, A. H...................................... Aug. 13 September 436 1892 Crane, Theron I............................. Nov. 2 December 579 1921 Crowell, Samuel B................................ Dec. 9 January* 64 1907 Curtis, Bracey.................................... Jan. 31 April 215 1895 de Batz, Rene........ ............... January March* 189 1928 Dines, Tyson S.................................... March May 257 1909 Dufourco, R. G............................. January November 537 1920 Ericsson, Eric A.................................. Apr. 4 April* 231 1920 Erlenborn, Willi....................... Nov. 10 March* 189 1888 Farish, John B.................................... Nov. 14 December 580 1891 Ferguson, Vincent........................... Mar. 8 May 257 1917 Finucane, T. R.................................... Mar. 22 February* 118 1921 Foch, Ferdinand................................... Mar. 20 1885 Foucar, Edouard I....................... Jan. 3 March 167 1880 Francklyn, Charles G............................. Jan. 11 April 214 1925 Friedl, Arthur J.............................. July 9 September 435 1894 Fuller, James W. Jr............................... April 4 1876 . Goodale, Charles W.............................. April 11 May 258 1912 Graybill, John..........................Dec. 11 June* 320 1887 Gritzner, F. A.................................. Mar. 26 July 394 1906 Gunther, C. Godfrey.............................. Deo. 26 February* 118 1900 Haggen, Edward A.............................. Apr. 22 October 488 1895 Hall, Benjamin M........................Nov. 19 March* 189 1913 Harper, Walter S................................. Feb. 15 August 394 1921 Hawley, William S................................ Apr. 20 June 298 1920 Herd, Walter ... . . . ..... Aug. 23 September 435 1889 Holt, Marmadtjke B............................... Dec. 26 February* 118 1928 Husk, Albert D .... ................June 9 December 580 1920 Hutchinson, S. Pemberton......................... Feb. 16 April 214 1926 Ivanoff, Constantine L............................ Mar. 7 June 298 1914 Jaeger, Frederick..... .............July 28 October 488 1891 Jennings, Robert E.......................Oct. 30 December 580 1922 Johnson, Homar L................................. Sept. 17 October 483 1927 Johnson, Homer H................................. Mar. 21 May 257 1918 Jones, Jesse L ..... ...............Jan. 22 April 214 1892 Jones, Thomas J................................... June 18 October 488 1883 JoOet, Cavalier H................................. Mar. 29 May 258 1881 Kennedy, John S . . . . ... ..........Apr. 22 August 394 1881 Kennedy,- Hugh.................................... May 23 September 435 1895 Kebvin, James H................................... September October 488 1926 Kkom, L. J........................................ Dec. 24 January* 64 1905 La Follette, Harvey M........................... Sept. 19 November 538 1920 MacDonald, Alexander............................ May August 394 1904 Marengo, Paolo................................... May 257 1925 Maxwell, Allison R............................... May 7 November 538

Jan 1, 1930

By William P. Blake

The ancient city of Guanajuato, the capital of the State of that name, has been built up and sustained chiefly by the milling industry based upon the veins of the Veta Madre and La Luz. It is distant about twelve hours, by rail, from the City of Mexico. Its elevation above the sea is about 6300 ft., and it has a salubrious climate. The population, at the date of my visit in 1891, was estimated at from 80,000 to 100,000 persons. The place is justly celebrated for the antiquity, depth and extent of the mines, the magnitude of the deep shafts, and the enormous total yield of the district in silver and gold, which is comparable with that of the Comstock Lode in the United States. Several important public institutions are located at this center. The State office for the records of claims and of the statistics of mining and production is known as the Deputacion de Mineria. The Mining College, with its fine collection of ores and minerals from the mines of the region, is highly interesting to mineralogists. A mint for the coinage of silver, but not of gold, coins from four to twelve millions of' silver dollars annually. The silver received at the mint is melted in an open-hearth furnace, and is ladled out and cast into long and thin bars, which are rolled down to the proper thickness for the blanks. The bars contain some gold which is not parted. There is an export of dore bars to Germany, amounting in value to from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 annually. There were, in 1891, upwards of forty reduction-works in and about the city where the silver ores were treated, chiefly by the ancient patio method. In these works were 65 Chilean mills, 301 arrastres of large size, and 936 of smaller dimensions. There were 36 steam engines, but mule-power was generally used at the ar-

Jan 1, 1902

By Edwin Higgins

SINCE the "Days of Forty-nine" California has been the premier gold producing state of the union. The greatest production was recorded in 1.852, during which year the state's placer and lode deposits yielded over 81 millions. This peak was followed by a steady decline to about 12 millions during the years 1888 to 189.3, a period marked by the cessation of gravel mining. After 1893, production increased to a new peak of over 22 million in 1915, thereafter decreasing steadily to something over 13 million in 1923. Today; California's gold production shows a decrease of 84 per cent. as compared with the output of 1852, and a decrease of 41 per cent, as compared with 1915. It is not a difficult matter to find the causes of this more recent decline. In 1916 there began an upward swing in the cost of labor, which represents approximately 60 per cent. of the cost of mining, and in the price of supplies, representing the remaining, 40 per cent. This rise continued until 1922 and since that year there has been no decided tendency either upward or downward. The increase in the cost of mining since 1916 is variously estimated at from 50 to 75 per cent.; the price of gold has remained fixed at $20.67 per oz. This condition resulted in wiping out the profits of the low-grade operations which, in recent years, have constituted California's main source of supply of gold ore. It is now predicted that there will be renewed activity in California- gold mining. What are chances for the materialization of this forecast? A boom or even a revival of gold mining must of necessity be brought about or accompanied by one or more of the following factors: 1. A decrease in the cost of mining. 2. An increase in the price of gold. 3. New capital for development. 4. The discovery of new deposits. 5. The revival of hydraulic mining.

Jan 1, 1925

CONTENTS PAGE Simons, Theodore.-Basic Principles of Gravity Concentration-A Mathematical Study : :.. 1 Taggart, Arthur F. and Gaudin, A. M.-Surface Tension and Adsorption Phenomena in Flotation 11 Hersam, Ernest A.-Factors Controlling the Capacity of Rock Crushers 12 Shaw, S. F.-The Ore Deposits of Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico 12 Wilson, Philip D.-The British Columbia Batholith and Related Ore Deposits 26 Greensfelder, N. S.-Shot-firing by Electricity 27 Mitke, Chas. A.-Metal Mine Ventilation in the Southwest 28 Foley, F. B. and Howell, S. P.-Neumann Bands as Evidence of Action of Explosives upon Metals 30 Schwartz, H. A., Payne, H. R., Gorton, A. F., and Austin, M. M.-Conditions of Stable Equilibrium in Iron-carbon Alloys 30

Jan 12, 1922

Organization Place Date 1919 National Drainage Congress St. Louis, Mo. Nov. 11-13 American Mining Congress St. Louis, Mo. Nov. 1.7-21 Canadian Mining Institute Vancouver, B. C. Nov.. 26-28 American Society of Mechanical Engineers:.... New York, N. Y. Dec. 2-5 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Savannah, Ga. Dec. 3-6 Geological Society of America...; Boston, Mass. Dec. 29-31. American Society of Heating and Ventilating 1920 Engineers New York, N. Y. Jan. Mining and Metallurgical Society of America ... New York, N. Y. Jan. 13. American Institute of Min. and Met. Engineers... New York, N. Y. Feb. 16-19 American Ceramic Society Philadelphia, Pa. Feb. 23-26

Jan 11, 1919

Organization Place Date 1917 American Electro-Chemical Society Detroit; Mich. May 2-5 American Waterworks Association Richmond, Va. May 7-11 American Institute of Electrical Engineers New York City May 18 America' Society of, Mechanical Engineers Cincinnati, Ohio May 22-25 American Iron and Steel Institute New York City May 25-26 ' Interstate Oil Mill Superintendents Association. Augusta, Ga. May (last wk.) Electric Power Club Hot Springs, Va. June 11-14 Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education .... Evansville, Ind. June 19-22. American Institute of Electrical Engineers Hot Springs, Va. June 25 American Society for Testing Materials Atlantic City, N. J. June 26-30

Jan 5, 1917

By Frederic P. Dewey

(New York Meeting, February, 1912.) By the old method of determining platinum in ores and bullion, the silver-alloy first obtained in the regular course of assay is parted in strong sulphuric acid and the residual metal weighed. This is re-alloyed with silver by a second cupellation and parted in nitric acid, the residual metal being again weighed. Any difference shown between the two weighings is assumed to be, and is called; platinum. Sometimes it is so, and if any considerable amount of platinum be present, there will be a decided difference between the two weighings; but a slight difference is no real evidence whatever of the presence of platinum. On the other hand, the second weight may equal or possibly exceed the first, even when traces of platinum are present. Again, other members of the platinum group may go into solution in nitric acid more or less. If present, these would be called platinum and escape detection. The method does not provide any direct tests whatever as to the presence or absence of platinum. It is often indecisive, and sometimes jives erroneous results. It is, therefore, quite unsatisfactory. Being called upon many times to determine platinum in a wide variety of materials, particularly when present in very small amounts, I have realized the disadvantages and defects of this old method. In an article on the solubility of gold in nitric acid, 1 I have briefly outlined a method of gathering a little gold out of a solution containing much silver, which furnishes the basis of

Apr 1, 1912

By R. W. Smith

It is well known that certain silicates such as the feldspars and beryl can be readily floated from quartz at a low pH value using a long chain cationic collector in the presence of a fluoride.1-3 However, the mechanism whereby the fluoride activates feldspars and beryl is not known. Indeed, only a few authors have even speculated about possible mechanisms.1,3,4 As a first approach to the problem, it is perhaps best to look closely at the interesting character of hydrofluoric acid and how it dissolves silica and silicic acid. Hydrofluoric acid, unlike hydrochloric acid, is a weak acid with a dissociation constant of about 3.53 x 10-4 at 25°C.5 The reason for the weak acidic character of HF lies in the very small size of the fluoride ion.6 The pKa value is 3.45 which means that at pH 3.45 half the HF is present in molecular form and half in ionic form. The anion present is probably HF2.-6 At pH values below the pKa value, molecular concentration increases rapidly at the expense of the HF2- anion. It is known that HF readily attacks glass, silicates, quartz and silicic acid. The equation usually cited pertaining to the first step in HF attack of silica is6-'

Jan 1, 1965

By AIME AIME

THE John Fritz Medal Board of Award, at its annual meeting on Jan. 21, 1921, awarded its gold medal and diploma to Sir Robert Hadfield for the invention of manganese steel. On June 1, announcement was made that the Board of Award had awarded its gold medal and diploma to Charles Prosper Eughe Schneider for "achievement in metallurgy of iron and steel; for development of ordnance, especially the 75-mm. gun, and for notable patriotic contribution ' to the winning of the war." The award to Sir Robert Hadfield is for the year 1921; the award to Mr. Schneider is for 1922. The latter was made at this time in order that the medal might be presented by the group of American engineers now visiting England and France.*

Jan 1, 1921