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IlAbad, Leopoldo F , Min Engr , Div of Mines, Bureau of Science, Manda, P I '23 ||Abadilla, Quince, A , Cia Minera de Petrolco El Aguila, S A Box 86, Puerto Mexico, Ver , Mexico '20 ||Abarquez, Ramon F , Met , Bureau of Science Manila, P I '24 ||Abbey, Robert Graham, Student, Case School of Applied Science Cleveland, Ohio '21 Abbott, A N , Mines Supt, Mazapil Copper Co , Ltd Concepcion del Oro, Zac , Mexico '23 Abbott, Clarence E , Gen'l Supt , Iron Mines Div , Tenn Coal, Iron & R R Co , 1405 Minnesota Ave , Bessemer, Ala '04 Abbott, Louis Benjamin, Chief Engr , Consolidation Coal Co , Elkhorn Div Jenkins, Ky '15 Abbott, Robert R , Met Engr , Peerless Motor Car Co Cle veland, Ohio '12 ||Abbott, Wells Osborn, Ray Consolidated Copper Co Hayden, Ariz '23 Abeel, George H , Jr, Cons Min Engr 4612 W 17th St, Los Angeles, Cal '18 Abel, Albert E, Asst to Pres, Valley Mould & Iron Corpn Sharpsville, Pa '19 Abernathy, George Elmer, Prof Geol & Min , Kansas State Teachers College Pittsburg, Kans '20 Abey, Hiroshi, Min & Met Engr, Takata & Co , 2 Yeirakucho, Nichome, ICojimachi-ku, - Tokyo, Japan '17 ||Aborn, Robert H 24 Groveland St , Auburndale, Mass '19 Abouchar, Sylvain Sley, Min Engr & Geol , Care of S H Sekaly, 13 Rue El Nimr, Cairo, Egypt '17 ?Abraham, Arthur W 1626 N Alexandria Ave, Los Angeles, Cal '21 Abrahams, Alexander I, Gen'l Mgr, Ricon Electrical Co Slough, London, England '13 ||Abrahamson, C Walter, Min Engr, Brule Min Co Stambaugh, Mich '21 Abrams, Charles Jackson, Mill Supt, Utah Apex Min Co Bingham Canyon, Utah '21 Abrams, David H, Cons Min Engr 182 Worth St, Johnstown, Pa '20 ?Acker, E O'C , Met 128 East Washington Lane, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa '86

Jan 1, 1923

By S. Andrew Kulin, L. Kaufman

A general treatment of the broadening of X-ray double-crystal spectrometer rocking curves due to distributions of tilts and strains has been carried out. The results of this treatment have been applied to the case where dislocations in a crystal give rise to both tilts and strains. On this basis it is found that the rocking-curve halfwidth due to imperfections in the crystal, ßC , increases with increasing Bragg angle, 8. These considerations predict linear relationships between & and tan2 , and ßCand tan 8, for Gaussian and Cauchy distributions of dislocations, respectively. The zero intercept of the ßC us 8 curve, which is a measure of the degree of imperfection of the crystal, is found to depend directly on the distribution rather than the number of dislocations. In addition, the slope-intercept ratio for the ßc - ? curve has been calculated for both the Gaussian and Cauchy distributions. Experimental determination of the - 8 curves for a series of copper single crystals prepared by the Bridgeman and Czochralski methods yields results in agreement with the calculated slope-intercept ratio for a Cauchy distribution of dislocations. CERTAIN X-ray techniques have been used to study the perfection of single crystals. Gay, Hirsch, and Kelly have considered the spreading of spots into arcs on Debye-Sherrer rings due to imperfections. The Double-Crystal Spectrometer has also been applied to this problem.2 The characteristics of Double-Crystal Spectrometer Rocking Curves have been described in the literature by various workers.2-4 By assuming a random spacing of dislocations which give rise to a Gaussian distribution of misorientations relative to some mean orientation in a crystal Gay, et al.,1 arrive at the conclu- sion that the most probable misorientation is given by where h is the spacing between dislocations, and 8 and are the relative misorientations of neighboring regions. If ßC is the halfwidth of the rocking curve (the width at one-half the peak intensity) due to dislocations in the crystal then5

Jan 1, 1960

By N. S. Wagner

The production of lightweight aggregates in Oregon is a new industry, and, like all new enterprises, it is suffering from growing pains characterized by numerous, small operations some of which flourish for a short time and then cease altogether. Normally all industrial mineral products are produced in a highly competitive atmosphere. At the present time this condition does not exist to a very marked degree in the state because as yet producers have not saturated the constantly expanding market. This paper has been prepared with the intention of outlining very briefly the current status of the various products now being used as lightweight aggregates in Oregon. The present picture will surely change, perhaps quite radically within even a short space of time.

Jan 1, 1949

By A. P. Watts

FOREWORD THE problem of concentrating the disseminated lead ore of southeast Missouri is extremely simple. The economic mineral is galena and the gangue is dolomite. The ore assays from 4 to .6 per cent. lead, 80 per cent. of which is recovered in a 70 per cent. concentrate.. The ore is crushed through 10 mm. and sized on 2 mm.; the oversize is jigged, while the undersize is tabled, and the slime treated by flotation. The district is the largest lead producer in the world, the output of metallic lead for the year 1915 being 183,906 tons. Over 20,000 tons of ore a day is being treated. The management of the different properties is progressive and always open to suggestion. The fact; however, must not be lost sight of, that the problem in the district is peculiar, as the average ore contains but 80 to 120 lb. of a metal normally selling at about 4c. per lb. The low price of the metal limits the treatment system to one of low cost. An elaborate treatment is neither logical nor advisable. An engineer first visiting the district may consider that the method of treatment could be improved

Jan 10, 1917

By Orville R. Lyons

THE removal of moisture from coal has been a coal-preparation problem ever since the first wet-washing preparation plant was placed in operation. Today, when most of the coal produced in the United States is wetted at the working face when mined, or is cleaned by wet methods, the removal of moisture is a necessity for any one or a combination of the following reasons; (1) to avoid freezing difficulties during shipment, (2) to increase the B.t.u. content, (3) to effect savings in freight costs, and (4) to so improve the coal that it may be used for specific purposes-for instance, in the production of briquettes or the production of metallurgical coke-or so that it can be treated by dry cleaning methods. In general, the amount of water retained by coal particles varies with the size-consist of the coal. Fine coal has a larger surface area per unit weight than does coarse coal, so its capacity for retaining moisture is proportionately greater. The removal of moisture from coarse coal is relatively easy, while the removal of water from minus 10-mesh coal or finer is a major problem, usually requiring an individual solution at each preparation plant. As a result, a multitude of methods and a variety of equipment have been designed to solve both general and specific moisture-removal problems. Definitions In order that misunderstanding may be eliminated insofar as possible, it is necessary to define the terms to be used. The moisture content of any given increment of wet, washed coal is made up of two parts, inherent and surface moisture. Inherent moisture has been defined in various ways and as yet no standard definition has been agreed upon. However, in general, it is considered as the moisture that is present in the coal in the bed. The important point to remember is that coal with any amount of inherent moisture, whether 2 or 20 per cent, will appear dry if there is no surface moisture. Also important is the fact that inherent moisture can be removed, in part, by air drying at atmospheric temperatures. Surface moisture is that attached to the surface of the coal particles or that retained in cracks and fissures other than capillary openings in the coal substance. Essentially, insofar as the bituminous coal and anthracite indus-

Jan 1, 1950

By C. M. Haight

The mines of the New Jersey Zinc Co. in New Jersey, are situated in the northern part of Sussex County, at Franklin, formerly Franklin Furnace, and also at Ogdensburg. The mine at Ogdensburg is still in the development stage, but the, mine at Franklin, with which this paper deals chiefly, has been a steady producer of high-grade zinc ores for many years. The town is about 50 miles from New York City, among the foothills -of the Kittatinny Mountains. It is equipped with water supply (filtered and chemically treated), good roads, electric lights, efficient police protection and excellent schools, including a new vocational high school. For a mining community, the conditions and location are far above the average. Franklin Furnace Folio, No. 161 of the U. S. Geological Survey, describes the geology and mineralogy of the district in detail, so that merely an, outline of the main characteristics of the orebody need be given. The

Jan 10, 1917

By Forbes Rickard

Gilpin County, the cradle of mining in Colorado and the Cornwall of North America, is too well known to need much introduction; get, for the benefit of those not familiar with the district, it may be well to premise that it comprises a tract of country of about 122 square miles, lying between the counties of Jefferson, Boulder and Clear Creek, and hounded on the west by the main range of the Colorado Rockies. It is located centrally in the State, 40 miles west from the city of Denver. During the 38 years since the first gold-discovery, Gilpin county has contributed about eighty million dollars in gold and silver to the world's supply of these metals. Many mining districts have had their rise and decline in half this time; but, very far from being exhausted, this mining district is still in the ascendant; its output is increasing (it was $3,600,000 for the year just closed), and it was never more prosperous nor productive than to-day. Taken generally, there does not exist anywhere in the world so great a number of permanent veins within so small an area as in this district. Gilpin is practically a " poor man's camp." Its veins, with few exceptions, outcrop at the surface. In the oarlier---days of the camp these outcrops were worked in many instances by sluice-mining; particularly is this the case with regard to the veins of the Russell gulch. Discoveries are still made in the heart of this district, and the productive area is every year extending its limits. The districts of Yankee Hill, Hawkeye and Pine Creek, which used to be isolated, are now part and portion of the one gold-field of Gilpin county. Within the last year sensationally rich gold-discoveries have

Jan 1, 1899

By T. I. Moore, L. A. Painter

THE electrolytic zinc plant of the American Zinc Co. of Illinois was described by Davidson' in 1944. Since then, improvements as well as expansion of the plant facilities have been made. In order to increase the production of high grade zinc which was needed for war purposes, an expansion program designed to double the slab zinc capacity was started in 1942 and completed in March 1943. This expansion was propagated by a contract between the American Zinc Co. of Ill. and the Defense Plant Corp. The contract included the facilities of the Fairmont City, Ill., property of the American Zinc Co., where a suspension-type roaster with contact acid plant, cadmium distillation furnace, Waelz oxide and densifying plant, and horizontal retort furnaces were installed. The expanded Monsanto, Ill., plant and the additional facilities of' the Fairmont plant were designed to integrate the metallurgical treatment of zinc concentrates for the production of special high grade zinc at Monsanto with the production of acid, cadmium, high grade zinc from furnace skimmings and the Waelz treatment of leach residue at Fairmont. In general, the original flowsheet was not changed, except for the addition of the filtering, drying and reclaiming of leach residue, and the treatment of purification cake for the recovery of copper, cadmium sponge, and zinc. Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of present operations. The original plant facilities, desi-gned for 50 tons daily production of slab zinc, had some units which were more than adequate. Therefore, in expanding the facilities to 100 tons per day, it was not necessary to double all operating components. Table I gives the comparison of the changes made in the unit operating components for the original facilities, 1941, the 1943 expansion, and the 1951 facilities. During the past 11 years a number of improvenients have been made resulting in: 1—an increase in slab production, 2—higher recoveries on the calcine treated, 3—better quality of slab zinc produced, 4—higher current efficiencies, and 5—less man hours Table I. Changes in Operating Facilities Operating Unit 1941 1943 1951 Calcine unloading (pneumatic), 10 tons per hr 12 calcine unloading track hpr. and elev., 60 tons per hr 1 Calcine storage, tons 1,000 2,000 2,000 Leach tanks, 35 vol. tons. No. 3 5 6 slurry mixing 6x6 ft stainless tank, No. 1 Ball mill. 4.5 rt x 16 in. conical. No. 1 CLassifier duplex, No. 1 1 Thickeners. 50 it diam. No. 2 9 2 Filter thickeners, sq ft '-- Moore filters, sq ft 5.760 11,520 Drum filters, 10 ft diam x 16 ft, No. 3 3 Rotary arlers, No. 1 2 1st stage Cu-As purificatlon tank. 90 vol. tons, No. 3 Solution heaters, No. 3 Filter press, 30x30 bronze, No. 4 Zinc dust purification tanks, 45 vol tons. No. 3 5 4 Filter press, 36x36 bronze, No. 3 5 3 Cadmium recovery plant: Process tank. No. 5 2 Cake roaster, 20 ft diam x 4 hearth. No. 1 Filter press, 24x24, No. 4 1 Sponge wash box, 4x6 ft, No. 1 Evaporative cooling unit (vacuum), No. 1 Purified storage tank, vol. tons 400 400 400 Cell acid storage, vol. tons 400 400 400 Electrolytic cells, No. 180 372 372 Cell room ventilation, cu ft per min 35,000 125,000 125,000 Cell cooling water. gal per min 1,500 2,300 2,300 Deep well 16 in. x 95 ft, 1500 gal per min, No. 2 3 3 Melting and casting furnace, 130 ton. No. I Furnace fume scrubber unit, No. 1 Dross drums, No. 2 Dross roaster, 8 ft diam x 8 hearth, No. 1 Electrolysis power conversion, kw 6,250 23,750 23,750 Power transformers, 13,800/440, kva 1,000 1,500 2,000 Steam boilers fire tube, 15 psi, lb per hr 12,000 18,000 18,000 Steam boilers water tube. 125 psi, Ib per hr 30,000 Air compressor, 2 stage. 300 cu ft per min. 100 psi, No. 1 2 Air compressor, 1 stage, 300 cu ft per min, 20 psi, No. 1 Vacuum pumps, 18x7, 720 cu ft per day, No. - - . Vacuum pumps, 24x11, 1.633 cu ft per day, No. 3 3 Building area, sq ft 60,854 113,568 115,000 per ton of metal produced. In the summer of 1944, the "reverse" leaching process was placed in operation and since it has been described,' no further description will be given. Other facilities and changes which have contributed to the process improvements were the scrubbing of fume from the melting and

Jan 1, 1953

By Oliver M. W. Sprague

THIS gold problem is full of complications and can hardly be handled adequately or comprehensively in any short period of time. Perhaps I might begin by mentioning a few aspects of the subject about which I suppose there will be no disagreement. The first of these is that we already have a stock of monetary gold in the United States far in excess of what is needed to support any desirable increase in the present volume of currency and credit. The second is that this already superabundant gold stock is certain to be considerably enlarged during the course of the war, and presumably during the months of readjustment following its conclusion. Some billions of additional gold, we may reasonably presume, will come into the country during these next few years, thus increasing the aggregate monetary gold stock from the present eighteen billions to perhaps twenty- two or even twenty-five billion dollars.

Jan 1, 1940

By Frederic E. Carter

THERE have been many attempts to prove that platinum was known to the ancients, but since no traces of the metal have been found in the relics of early times, it must be concluded that it was not known to them. As far as records go, it was actually first discovered in the 16th century in a Spanish mine on the Pinto River in South America; from which source it received its name of Platina del Pinto (little silver from the Pinto). It was more or less of a rarity and was a subject of interest to a few chemists only, until the year 1822 when the metal was first discovered in Russia. In 1819 there were noticed in the washings of the gold sands of the southern part of the Ural Mountains, grains of a heavy white substance, but it was not until three years later that this substance was found to contain platinum. While at first the amounts of platinum brought from the Urals were meager, prospecting soon disclosed rich deposits extending over a considerable area, and nuggets from 10 to 20 lb. were by no means rare. This discovery assured to chemists an ample supply of platinum for their crucibles, etc. The ore is now found in various parts of the world but the richest deposits are still found in the Ural Mountains. The platinum of commerce is obtained entirely from alluvial deposits at depths varying from 6 to 40 ft. The sand and gravel of former river beds are subjected to a series of screenings and washings to effect the separation of the ore. Actually, probably all gold-bearing gravel beds of the world contain platinum, and it is more than likely that large quantities of platinum ore have been thrown away with the black sand washings from gold placer deposits. This is especially true of the alluvial deposits of the Pacific Coast in California and Oregon. Platinum ore is usually found in the form of rounded or flattened grains of "sand," and occasionally in irregular lumps of the size of peas. Large nuggets are very rare. The ore has a metallic luster and is distinguished by its steel gray color, but shows light gray streak when rubbed on a hard white surface; it has a high specific gravity, 16 to 19; is infusible in the hottest blast furnaces, and insoluble in any single acid. Platinum ore is a complex body consisting of the metal in combination with varying proportions of the other members of the platinum group; iridium,

Jan 1, 1928

By T. D. Yensen

It is safe to say that of all the different materials that go to make up electrical machinery, iron is the most important. Upon its magnetic and electrical quality depends not only the efficiency of the machine but, to a very large extent, the cost. Aside from the mechanical strength, there are three characteristics of iron that are of importance in this connection, viz., magnetic hysteresis, electrical resistance, and magnetic permeability. In the homopolar machine, where the magnetic flux is unidirectional, permeability is the only important factor, but in all other machines the flux is reversed in one or more parts and causes losses due to hysteresis and eddy currents. The eddy-current loss depends largely upon the electrical resistance of the iron; the higher the resistance the lower the loss, under otherwise identical conditions. These hysteresis and eddy-current losses cause heating of the machine, and as they depend upon the magnetic density in the iron, this density must be regulated so that the heating shall not be excessive. If the hysteresis and eddy-current losses and the permeability of the magnetic circuit will permit an increase in the magnetic density, or, in other words, a decrease in the amount of iron, this in turn will mean a decrease in the amount of copper needed, with a consequent decrease in the copper loss. It is thus seen that, indirectly as well as directly, the above characteristics have an important bearing on both the efficiency and the cost of electrical machinery. In general, it may be said that iron for electrical machinery should have the following characteristics: (1) low hysteresis loss, (2) high electrical resistance, and (3) high permeability. These are the characteristics that investigators have been striving to attain since electrical machinery first came into use. Until the beginning of the present century, Swedish charcoal iron was regarded as the best grade of iron for magnetic purposes, and even now it ranks high among the various grades used. About that time Sir Robert Hadfield1 produced a number of iron alloys that revolution-

Jan 1, 1916

By AIME AIME

T HE Mining Methods Committee held its initial meeting* on Tuesday afternoon, with F. W. Bradley in the chair and W. Y. Westervelt as vice- chairman. The first paper to be presented was "A Plea for a U. S. Court of Patent Appeals," for which Kenneth W. Greenawalt ably pleaded. The paper (which was published in full in last month's issue) is so carefully prepared that no synopsis can do it justice. It discusses the opposed views of some patent lawyers and other lawyers and members of the judiciary as, for example, Chief Justice Taft who is quoted as saying in 1921: "I think it is a great deal better to take a first class lawyer and a first-class judge and make him a good patent expert than it is to take a patent expert and try to make him a first-class lawyer and a good judge." Mr. Greenawalt argued the need for specialized scientific and engineering interest and understanding to enable a lawyer or judge to prepare or interpret patent specifications and decide the originality necessary for a valid invention. He proposed the special U. S. Court of Patent Appeals to also counteract the costly confusion and injustice now ruling where a patent may be declared valid in the courts of certain States and invalid by the courts of other States.

Jan 1, 1930

George A. Packard, Boston, Mass. (communication to the Secretary†):—The very interesting results obtained by Prof. Hofman and his assistants came to my attention when I had temporarily assumed charge of the metallurgical department of the Missouri School of Mines, and had found it, pending the completion of a new building, lacking a furnace in which to roast ore preparatory to the customary lead blast-furnace run. An attempt at lime-roasting had been already determined upon, but the use of a charge which would make a slag of definite composition was a new idea. The results following were obtained by Messrs. Aubrey Fellows, J. C. Long, E. R. Wash, and Dr. T. C. Tseung, under my supervision. It is regretted that the data are not more complete; but the work was done simply incidentally to securing the desired ore for the blast-

Jan 1, 1908

By H. Rush Spedden, A. M. Gaudin

IN the belief that a critical study of its operating problems might be a sound investment, the Cuban American Manganese Corporation initiated an ore-treatment research in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology One of the early objectives of this research naturally became the relationship of the microscopy of the Cuban ores of the Corporation to their flotation treatment The operations in Cuba have already been described by F S Norcross, Jr 7 and the laboratory study of manganese oxide flotation goes back a number of years 4 Broadly speaking, the difficulties encountered in the flotation of manganese ores are that the consumption of reagents is extremely high, the concentrate contains more silica than is desirable and the tailing losses are relatively high An appreciable betterment on any of these scores would achieve a definite betterment in costs, quantity of minable ores, and quality of product The microscope study discussed in this paper was made on samples from the Quinto mine, from the Ponupo mine, and from mill products at various stages of passage of the ore through the mill The writers have had access to Company records and in particular to the petrographic studies made on thin sections of ore by the late Professors R J Colony and Philip Krieger, of Columbia University They acknowledge their debt to both of these men for the help derived from the reports Manganese oxides are black, friable, smudging It is therefore, very difficult to judge operations by inspection The mineralogy of manganese compounds seems to be confused, and the authors believe that many more minerals have been described than actually exist Much of this difficulty is due to the prevalence of the structural conditions that will be discussed further in this paper, namely, the porosity and the friability of the ores, and the extremely intimate association of minute manganifeous mineral crystals with impurities of various sorts By all odds the most important manganese mineral in Cuba is the one that in this paper is called "psilomelane " The name "psilomelane" has been used in so many different ways that the choice of it for this ore may not be approved by all However, it seems to be the best under the circumstances This mineral accounts for about 97 per cent of the manganese in the ores of the Quinto and Ponupo mines and in the mill feed The remaining odd 3 per cent consists mostly of pyrolusite together with minor amounts of other manganese oxide minerals DESCRIPTION OF PSILOMELANE Aggregate Structure In grains or lumps, psilomelane has a characteristic fibrous appearance and seems

Jan 1, 1942

By H. H. Stoek, G. W. Harries

The term " Anthracite Coal-Field " is generally used to refer to a comparatively small territory lying in the eastern-central part of Pennsylvania. This territory includes about 3,300 sq. miles of area, located chiefly in five counties in which anthracite-mining is the dominant industry. Although an area of 3,300 sq. miles is embraced in the region, less than one-fifth of this area, or only 484 sq. miles, is underlain by workable coal-seams. Moreover, this prorluctive portion is not a continuous area, but consists of a number of detached basins. These are known as the Northern, containing 176 sq. miles; Eastern-Middle, containing 133 sq. miles; Southern, containing 181 sq. miles; and western-Middle,containing 194 sq. miles. From the standpoint of business and trade, the region is divided into three districts, known as (1) the Wyoming, which includes the Northern field and the small Bernice basin; (2) the Lehigh region, which includes all of the Eastern Middle field and that part of the Southern field east of Tamaqua; and (3) the Schuylkill region, which includes the WesL ern-Middle field and that part of the Southern field west of Tamaqua. The relative commercial importance of these districts at the present time is shown by the coal-shipments as given in the following table :

Jan 1, 1904

By Francis P. Sinn

LOW prices have made 1938 a difficult year for the zinc industry of the world. Particularly in the United States, output had to be radically curtailed to bring production into line with consumption. Despite these unfavorable conditions, some additional plant construction is contemplated. In Jugoslavia, through co-operation with the Government, Trepca Mines is lo build a zinc plant to produce 10,000 metric tons annually, the plant to be ready for operation in July, 1941). Cerro de Pasco is proceeding with its plans for an electrolytic plant in Peru. A pilot plant, to be ready next summer, is under construction. In eastern Canada an electrolytic plant is planned in Quebec to treat concentrates from Yoranda and other mines but no defi-

Jan 1, 1939

By W. Geo. Waring

THE growing need of better methods for the recovery of zinc and other elements from complex sulfide ores has suggested an inquiry respecting a possible group separation of the elements by the aid of volatilization at more or less elevated temperatures. It 'is evident that if the zinc content of such ores can be completely separated, for instance, as pure oxide, by a volatilization 'method, there should be no difficulty in recovering the other elements by smelting and refining. Zinc burning" as applied to zinkiferous ores has advanced but little in practice since the invention of the wetherill grate-furnace process in 1852, as may be seen by reference to papers on the subject.' In other words the thermochemical reaction employed in effecting the volatilization of the zinc is essentially one of reduction by means of carbon, whether the ores treated contain their zinc in an oxidized form, or as the sulfide. The zinc vapors, liberated from the ores at a temperature above that required for the reduction of ZnO by C (about ,1100° C.) or for the volatilization of ZnS per se, (about' 1300°-1400° C.) are subsequently burned to ZnO or to ZnO + SOz, by contact with' atmospheric ,oxygen in the upper or posterior parts of the furnace chamber, or in a so-called "combustion chamber" after leaving the .furnace proper.

Jan 1, 1925

MINING ENGINEERING presents the annual membership report of the Society of Mining Engineers; see page 147.

Jan 7, 1964

By J. M. Hassler

NOWHERE can there be found a more misleading statement than the old one that "Iron can be manufactured cheaper in the South." During the past decade ironmakers and users of iron have heard varied and sundry stories of the wonderful resources of the Birmingham district, including abundant ore and coal fields, cheap labor, a wonderful climate and similar industrial Utopian statements. Birmingham represents the major portion of the iron business in the South, acid as Birmingham fares so goes the iron business of the South. The intent of this paper is to shed some light on the actual conditions surrounding ironmaking in the South, especially in the Birmingham, or North Alabama, district. By a presentation of facts it is desired to point out that the "cheap iron" of the industrial South is a thing of the past, primarily because of increased labor cost and because labor is radically different in performance to what it was years ago. Also, because most of the raw materials needed in ironmaking that would be classed better than inferior are gone.

Jan 1, 1937

By W. Gundaker, F. C. Schwerer

Natural chromium-bearing spinels (chromites), which are used as refractory materials in basic steelmaking, are the only commercially important chromium ore and are also encountered as difficult-to-separate contaminants in ore deposits of potential economic value. Techniques for characterization and separation of ore materials frequently are dependent on the magnetic properties of the constituent minerals. An experimental program was initiated to explore the effects of temperature and of simple mechanical and thermal treatments on the static magnetic properties of several ore-grade natural chromites. Studies of the temperature dependence of the magnetic properties showed that the natural chromites, which are dilute in the magnetic ions Fe and Cr, order magnetically only at cryogenic temperatures. However, mechanical treatment in the form of crushing produces a magnetic component that is ordered at room temperature and that is of sufficient strength to alter magnetic-separation characteristics. The additional magnetic component apparently is associated with surface structures which develop during crushing and disappear after heating to above about 500°C. Preliminary studies indicate that this surface structure enhances the susceptibility of the chromite grain surfaces to gas reactions at moderate temperatures.

Jan 1, 1976