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By S. Parker Gay

In 1967 Southern. Peru Copper Corp. was faced with the problem of developing a water supply for their new Cuajone open-pit copper mining and milling operation, at a time when the existing water system was inadequate for a proposed expansion of the producing Toquepala mine. The most probable source for additional water was considered to be the Pasto Grande basin lying 30 km north of the terminus of the pipeline. This source of supply could be developed only at substantial cost, after construction of a dam, tunnels, pumping plants, and several miles of canals. Investigation of other possible sources was undertaken, and one of these was the Huaitire alluvial fan which had been recognized on aerial photographs in 1961. Resistivity soundings on the fan provided isopach information for estimating the volume of fan sediments. In the course of carrying out these soundings, a high-resistivity layer at depth was indicated. The favored geological interpretation of this layer at the time was a tight impermeable volcanic formation, but an alternative explanation was a ground-water aquifer of high transmissibility. Geological studies just released by the Peruvian Geological Map Commission supported the latter interpretation. A diamond drill hole sunk to a depth of 725 ft on the Huaitire Pampa in June 1967 proved the absence of the expected volcanics, the presence of the sediments, and indicated that some sedimentary horizons carried artesian water. Subsequent well drilling and hydrological and geological studies show that the aquifer occurs principally in the Upper Tertiary Capillune formation, covers an extensive area on the Peruvian altiplano, discharges enormous quantities of water to a large number of canyons dissecting it, and will adequately supply most, if not all, water needs of the Cuajone operations.

Jan 1, 1973

By Arthur West

IT is the purpose of this paper to describe briefly some recent large power stations for blast furnaces, where the blast is exclusively supplied by gas engines using furnace gas. The stations are given in the chronological order in which they were designed, in order to indicate the various improvements suggested by experience. Fig. 1 shows the blowing-engine station of the Bethlehem Steel Co. at Bethlehem. Although the picture shows only five blowing engines, the house now contains 11 engines. In the diagrammatic. plan the arrow shows the position and direction of camera. This station handles five modern blast furnaces of 450 to 500 tons capacity each. In this, as in all the other stations described in this paper, each furnace is blown by-two single tandem gas engines. Ten engines are thus required for five furnaces, leaving one single tandem spare engine. This spare capacity has been shown by several years' experience at Bethlehem to be adequate to insure continuous operation. The engines in the Bethlehem station are right hand and left hand, arranged in pairs. The outboard bearings of each pair are close together so that there is not room for passageway between them. On the right of the picture are shown the inclined drums communicating with the cold-blast lines outside of building, so that any engine may be operated on any furnace. The illustration shows four cold-blast gate valves with pipes passing through wall, but since the photograph was taken the drums have been extended to take care of a fifth valve for a fifth furnace. At the extreme back of the picture can be seen the tubs of three twin vertical-horizontal Southwark steam blowing engines, which, although of modern design and as good as new, are not operated because of the greatly reduced blowing cost shown by the gas blowing engines.

Jan 6, 1915

By W. M. Weigel

THE rapid advance, during recent years, in the manufacture of articles that have been in common use for generations and the development of new materials entering into appliances and devices unheard of fifty years ago, have created a demand for some of the more common non-metallic minerals. To supply this demand there has quietly developed a branch of the mining industry of which little is known by most mining engineers the mineral-filler industry. In this paper, and generally in the trade, the term mineral filler is applied to a mineral used, in its natural state after mechanical preparation only (such as. grinding, milling and washing), without undergoing any chemical change and without exerting any chemical action on the substance with which it is incorporated. The consumption of mineral fillers is confined chiefly to large manufacturing centers in the eastern and northern states. Where available, materials originating near the place of consumption are used, as most fillers bring a comparatively low price and, frequently, the freight may equal the cost of the finished filler at the mine. The southern states have abundant deposits of non-metallic minerals suitable for fillers, which supply the manufacturing industries in adjacent states. Many of these deposits are equal to, or superior, in quality to those mined in the north, but they can not compete with them because of the freight rates. The mineral-filler industry has felt the present depression, but it has suffered less than most mining industries for as a rule the mills are simple, the overhead expenses are low, and the labor is entirely local and can revert to farm work when the plant closes down. Many other deposits in the southern district will undoubtedly be developed when business. revives and freight rates are adjusted.

Jan 2, 1922

By Holbrook G. Botset

Experiments performed in this laboratory on the flow of gas-liquid mixtures through unconsolidated sands have been described and discussed in an earlier paper.4 In these earlier experiments a definite relationship was found between the liquid saturation of a sand and its permeability to the liquid or gas phase. Furthermore, the nature of the sand, the permeabilities of the sands over a range between 17 and 260 darcies, appeared to have a negligible effect upon the saturation-permeability relation. Likewise experiments indicated that the viscosity of the liquid, or the substitution of an immiscible liquid for the gas phase, had only a very slight effect on the permeability-saturation relation. This conclusion has since been definitely confirmed by the experiments of M. C. Leverett3 on the flow of oil and water through unconsolidated sands. The sands used by Leverett were of very low permeability (between 6.8 and 1.04 darcies), while the oil-water viscosity ratio varied between 90 and 0.057. Since the sands that constitute petroleum reservoirs are largely consolidated, although of widely varying degrees of consolidation, it was desirable to extend the experiments on gas-liquid mixtures to consolidated sand. In the study of consolidated sands additional variables are involved, but for the initial experiments the only new variable to be introduced was the cementing material. Experimental Procedure A comparatively limited assortment of sandstones was available for the selection of the experimental material. Of these, the Nichols buff sandstone appeared to be most suitable. It gives no visual evidence of any bedding planes, it has a firm structure, permitting easy handling, and its permeability is about 0.5 darcy. Its only disadvantage is the fact that it contains an appreciable amount of ferric oxide which, for experiments involving water, will hydrate and reduce the permeability. This

Jan 1, 1940

By Holbrook G. Botset

Experiments performed in this laboratory on the flow of gas-liquid mixtures through unconsolidated sands have been described and discussed in an earlier paper.4 In these earlier experiments a definite relationship was found between the liquid saturation of a sand and its permeability to the liquid or gas phase. Furthermore, the nature of the sand, the permeabilities of the sands over a range between 17 and 260 darcies, appeared to have a negligible effect upon the saturation-permeability relation. Likewise experiments indicated that the viscosity of the liquid, or the substitution of an immiscible liquid for the gas phase, had only a very slight effect on the permeability-saturation relation. This conclusion has since been definitely confirmed by the experiments of M. C. Leverett3 on the flow of oil and water through unconsolidated sands. The sands used by Leverett were of very low permeability (between 6.8 and 1.04 darcies), while the oil-water viscosity ratio varied between 90 and 0.057. Since the sands that constitute petroleum reservoirs are largely consolidated, although of widely varying degrees of consolidation, it was desirable to extend the experiments on gas-liquid mixtures to consolidated sand. In the study of consolidated sands additional variables are involved, but for the initial experiments the only new variable to be introduced was the cementing material. Experimental Procedure A comparatively limited assortment of sandstones was available for the selection of the experimental material. Of these, the Nichols buff sandstone appeared to be most suitable. It gives no visual evidence of any bedding planes, it has a firm structure, permitting easy handling, and its permeability is about 0.5 darcy. Its only disadvantage is the fact that it contains an appreciable amount of ferric oxide which, for experiments involving water, will hydrate and reduce the permeability. This

Jan 1, 1940

By W. H. Adams

Virginia, a store-house of metals, is more and more a surprise to the present generation. With her enormous available mineral wealth, worked upon steadily for over a century, exploited SUEciently to demonstrate beyond question costs and values, reported upon by our most eminent scientists, written up by thoroughly earnest correspondents, we yet find her little understood by capitalists or practical men, and until very lately overlooked by the advanceguard of pioneers in metallurgy, whose restless energy conquered the wilderness of Northern Michigan years ago, and has written a new and startling history for almost impenetrable Western territories. The world is learning through the mouths of giant furnaces lately put in blast at Lowmoor, Goshen, and Roanoke, more of this wondcrful State. It is becoming plain that nearer home, amid all the surroundings of civilization, under an equable climate and with the advantage of a minimum cost for fuel and labor, there are stores of mineral, varied in character and deposited over a wide area, which exceed all ordinary calcnlations. Principal among these minerals, iron ores have been, and will probably continue to be, the leading product and the source of greatest revenue. My attention has been called during the past year to one particular section of the iron-belt, where for forty years charcoal-furnaces were successfully operated, the ores being mined in open pits, as can so frequently be seen from the Connecticut line southward into Georgia. There is, however, a significant peculiarity in the character of these deposits of Louisa county warranting special mention, as it is thought that nowhere on the earth's surface, within so moderate a distance of tidewater, can their like be fouad. Probably half a million tons of lump and wash-material have been taken from pits

Jan 1, 1884

By Albert Williams

A large proportion of the work performed in wet-crushing silver mills is devoted to the handling and re-handling of pulp between the battery and the pans. There seems to be no generally applicable substitute for the settling-tanks, and in the present system of constructing mills the tanks involve an amount of labor which may be regarded as disproportionate and unnecessary, in view of the automatic improvements which have been introduced in other directions. This diffculty has been met, however, by Boss's continuous process, in which the pulp flows directly from the mortars to the first of a series of constantly working overflow-pans. This method has been adopted at the Noonday mill, Bodie, California; the Harshaw, Arizona; the Sierra Grande, New Mexico ; and the Prietas, Sonora. The continuous process, while giving excellent results with special ores, and under peculiar local conditions (such as a deficiency in water supply), is not, I believe, claimed to be available for all raw-amalgamating mills, notwithstanding its well-merited popularity for certain work. Some trouble has been experienced from the tendency to concentration in the pans, though this can be avoided by skilful manipulation. It has also the disadvantage inherent in combinations of distinct operations ; it requires a very nice adjustment of the water supply to obtain full battery efficiency without running the pans too thin, though the latter defect is partially compensated for by the gradual thickening of the pulp as it proceeds through the series of pans. The objection is similar to that which holds in a parallel duplex process, that of combining roasting and smelting in a single furnace, where each operation is injuriously affected by the necessity of fitting it in with another and entirely different one.

Jan 1, 1883

By W. S. Ayres

BACK in the early nineties the old Dickerson iron mine in Morris county, N. J., was operated by a vertical shaft 850 ft. deep and by a continuing slope for more than 1000 ft. more 011 an incline of 65", together making the vertical depth about 1800 ft. I was then the general superintendent there. This mine, named for a former governor of New Jersey, had been worked more or less continuously from long before the American Revolution and up to this particular time. The pumping equipment was of the old-time Cornish type, with its long pump-rods running down the vertical shaft and the slope to the sump at its bottom. It was operated by a large flywheel engine in the engine room and all angles were turned by the usual bobs. Saturday was the day fixed for lowering the "suction" into the deepened sump at the bottom of the advancing slope. The mine foreman had gone down with the morning shift to superintend this very vital and particular work, which consisted not only of lowering the "suction" into the sump immediately after the pump had been stopped, but of securing it to the rock and putting in the added sections of column-pipe and of tightening up the numerous bolts at their joints, all before the water rose to the point of working. At an appointed time during the forenoon I had agreed to go down into the mine and join the mine foreman in consultation over any difficulties that might have arisen. At the time agreed I went down by the cage to the bottom of the vertical 850-ft. shaft, and then by ladders down the slope for over 1000 ft. more.

Jan 1, 1930

THE TRANSACTIONS of the Institute for the early years display but Little interest in physical metallurgy-indeed, it is striking how thoroughly process metallurgy absorbed attention until quite recent years. The first volume carries no article that can be strictly described as physical metallurgy, unless one on the rolling and hammering of ingots be doubtfully so described. Nor does the second volume contribute more the interest then was in mining, and in production methods, both ferrous and nonferrous, with much attention to the new methods of making steel. The third volume records papers on: the condition of carbon in gray and white iron, a paper devoted to chemical rather than microscopic analysis; the annealing of spiegeleisen; phosphorus and carbon in iron and steel, similarly chemical. Much attention was given, and continued to be given for years, to the manufacture and behavior of rails. The question of the nature of steel appeared early (Vol. 11)-What is Steel, by A. L. Holley-where arguments on nomenclature were already active; and Holley also bemoans, in modern spirit, the Inadequate Union of Engineering Science and Art; Pearse wrote on cast iron for guns (reflecting again the ironic beneficence of war in metallurgy), and said that Captain Walbach was the first to insist on chemical analysis of gun irons; he quotes Major Wade's study of comparative hardness, using penetration hardness measurements (Brinell was to come later), and quotes the important Reports on the Strength and Other Properties of Metals for Cannon, by H. C. Baird, Philadelphia, 1855, in which the advanced state of tensile testing at the time is shown. Hewitt, in Vol V, comments upon the function played by technical schools and technical societies upon the growth of metal-

Jan 1, 1948

To the members of the A. I. M. E., who have given much and risked all to fight "Over There" with pick, or gun, or brain, and to the members who have chosen the sometimes more self-denying duty of remaining at home to help produce metals for fighters: Your experience in foreign lands has bred in you that spirit of internationalism which will soon be infused into every corner of our country by virile lads thrilling from a great experience in an old, yet new, land over the seas. To them the East will not seem as far from the West as it was, nor the North from the South. Sectional jealousies will seen despicable to one who has fought for a great ideal shoulder to shoulder with real men of other nations. And they who have willingly sacrificed much on the altar of service will have little patience with an egotist, be he laborer, tradesman, capitalist or engineer. The problems which peace brings to us are more difficult than those of war and their solution requires not only cool heads, tolerance, and wise judgment, but the "getting together" of sections and classes and individuals. The triumph of justice over individualism, represented by the draft law, must be repeated, for there are "slackers" in peace Is well as in war, and the spirit of self-denial expressed in response to Liberty Loans, Red Cross, and Welfare drives and Food Administration appeals must live. We have only just begun to learn how to serve. It is often claimed by our members that the engineer is not given, in the community at large, the recognition which his training should merit; that his reward is not as great nor his service as welcome as it should be. Public service is generally assumed to be a logical activity for a lawyer,

Jan 12, 1918

By C. P. Parsons

Caliper logging is a practice of measuring the variations in the diameter of the open hole in a well. This information is useful for many purposes, among which are: Determining the volumetric capacity of the portion of open hole to be cemented; the amount of gravel to be used for gravel-packing a well; the size and location of seat for a packer to be placed in a well; studying the effects of nitroglycerin shots; studying the effects of acidizing; studying the cause of drill-pipe failures; studying drilling technique; geological correlations. This is a new practice in oil fields and is eliminating considerable guesswork. Introduction Caliper logging of the open hole in oil wells, recently introduced and now showing initial results in many sections of the country, is providing information that is filling a long-felt need in oil-well cementing and in numerous other oil-field practices. Briefly, it measures the variations in diameter, of the open hole in a well. This direct physical measurement of the strati-graphic profile has considerable value for subsurface interpretations by the geologist, engineer, driller and others charged with the responsibility of properly completing and repairing oil and gas wells. The caliper shown in Fig. I is run into a well in closed position. The four arms are released when logging is to start. These arms are independent of each other. As the calipers are pulled upward through the open hole, the arms are like nimble fingers feeling the changing profile of the hole. This mechanical action is in turn converted into an electrical circuit, which is connected to a recording mechanism at the surface. a. Lowered into well in closed position. b. Arms released. Readings are made while caliper travels upward. Direct recording is made at surface, in inches. The recording of the diameter of the hole is directly in inches.

Jan 1, 1943

By C. P. Parsons

Caliper logging is a practice of measuring the variations in the diameter of the open hole in a well. This information is useful for many purposes, among which are: Determining the volumetric capacity of the portion of open hole to be cemented; the amount of gravel to be used for gravel-packing a well; the size and location of seat for a packer to be placed in a well; studying the effects of nitroglycerin shots; studying the effects of acidizing; studying the cause of drill-pipe failures; studying drilling technique; geological correlations. This is a new practice in oil fields and is eliminating considerable guesswork. Introduction Caliper logging of the open hole in oil wells, recently introduced and now showing initial results in many sections of the country, is providing information that is filling a long-felt need in oil-well cementing and in numerous other oil-field practices. Briefly, it measures the variations in diameter, of the open hole in a well. This direct physical measurement of the strati-graphic profile has considerable value for subsurface interpretations by the geologist, engineer, driller and others charged with the responsibility of properly completing and repairing oil and gas wells. The caliper shown in Fig. I is run into a well in closed position. The four arms are released when logging is to start. These arms are independent of each other. As the calipers are pulled upward through the open hole, the arms are like nimble fingers feeling the changing profile of the hole. This mechanical action is in turn converted into an electrical circuit, which is connected to a recording mechanism at the surface. a. Lowered into well in closed position. b. Arms released. Readings are made while caliper travels upward. Direct recording is made at surface, in inches. The recording of the diameter of the hole is directly in inches.

Jan 1, 1943

By A. T. Beckwith

The Lehigh Navigation Coal Company Inc. operates steep-pitch, relatively deep mines in the Panther Creek Valley, at the eastern end of the southern anthracite coal field. Commercially minable coal beds are the Mammoth,† Primrose, Orchard, and Buck Mountain;‡ their respective thicknesses average 50, 15, 10 and 12 ft. Sand slates immediately overlie and underlie these beds, though in some locations sandstone or conglomerate beds occur. Underground operations extend to a depth of 1200 ft. below the surface, and comprise a bulk of virgin work on the lower levels, and a small amount of remining on the upper levels. With increase in depth, ventilation has become a more important factor. Development In early days slopes or drifts were driven in the outcropping coal on the hillsides. Subsequent development was by water-level tunnels, with portals above high water in Panther Creek. These tunnels have been maintained because they intercept and drain much water that enters the mined-out portion of the bed and otherwise would follow down to the deep workings+ Below these tunnels, the coal was customarily developed by slopes. Muleways, which are zigzag chutes easy to travel, were also driven to connect lower openings with the water levels. When it became necessary to go still deeper, the slopes were abandoned, and vertical multicompartment shafts were sunk from the surface. Levels have been at vertical intervals of from 175 to 250 ft. Recent practice has been toward the latter spacing, splitting the total lift, however, by starting to mine from chutes extending halfway up to the level above. Chutes customarily are spaced at 50, 60 or 70-ft. centers along the gangways. At some mines, additional shafts have been sunk from the surface to the level containing the main pumping station, and these carry the discharge lines from the pumps. As the mines are ventilated by the exhausting system, both the hoisting and so-called water shafts serve as intakes. The main fan is always on the surface, and is connected with the return airways from the various levels by an air hole or a vertical shaft. For economy, when the present deepest levels were developed, and return-air shafts or air holes were not extended to the new level, but connections were made from the new level to that above by two or more holes. It is doubtful that this method will be continued, as complications in the system, increased resistance to flow, and other difficulties undoubtedly will counterbalance any economies this provision may afford. During the early years of mining, when operations were at no great depth, all development headings were driven in the coal bed. As mining progressed downward, increased ground pressures slowed develop

Jan 1, 1942

By A. T. Beckwith

The Lehigh Navigation Coal Company Inc. operates steep-pitch, relatively deep mines in the Panther Creek Valley, at the eastern end of the southern anthracite coal field. Commercially minable coal beds are the Mammoth,† Primrose, Orchard, and Buck Mountain;‡ their respective thicknesses average 50, 15, 10 and 12 ft. Sand slates immediately overlie and underlie these beds, though in some locations sandstone or conglomerate beds occur. Underground operations extend to a depth of 1200 ft. below the surface, and comprise a bulk of virgin work on the lower levels, and a small amount of remining on the upper levels. With increase in depth, ventilation has become a more important factor. Development In early days slopes or drifts were driven in the outcropping coal on the hillsides. Subsequent development was by water-level tunnels, with portals above high water in Panther Creek. These tunnels have been maintained because they intercept and drain much water that enters the mined-out portion of the bed and otherwise would follow down to the deep workings+ Below these tunnels, the coal was customarily developed by slopes. Muleways, which are zigzag chutes easy to travel, were also driven to connect lower openings with the water levels. When it became necessary to go still deeper, the slopes were abandoned, and vertical multicompartment shafts were sunk from the surface. Levels have been at vertical intervals of from 175 to 250 ft. Recent practice has been toward the latter spacing, splitting the total lift, however, by starting to mine from chutes extending halfway up to the level above. Chutes customarily are spaced at 50, 60 or 70-ft. centers along the gangways. At some mines, additional shafts have been sunk from the surface to the level containing the main pumping station, and these carry the discharge lines from the pumps. As the mines are ventilated by the exhausting system, both the hoisting and so-called water shafts serve as intakes. The main fan is always on the surface, and is connected with the return airways from the various levels by an air hole or a vertical shaft. For economy, when the present deepest levels were developed, and return-air shafts or air holes were not extended to the new level, but connections were made from the new level to that above by two or more holes. It is doubtful that this method will be continued, as complications in the system, increased resistance to flow, and other difficulties undoubtedly will counterbalance any economies this provision may afford. During the early years of mining, when operations were at no great depth, all development headings were driven in the coal bed. As mining progressed downward, increased ground pressures slowed develop

Jan 1, 1942

By L. D. Fetterolf, G. T. Mahler, W. M. Peirce, R. K. Waring

Until recently, the only commercial method of producing magnesium has been fused salt electrolysis, despite a considerable amount of experimental work on the direct reduction of magnesium oxide. In this early work, a number of investigators demonstrated that magnesium oxide would react with any one of several reducing agents to produce magnesium vapor, but that the mixture of magnesium oxide and reducing agent must be heated to a high temperature even in a vacuum. In particular, it was demonstrated that silicon and aluminum are effective reducing agents and that when either of these is used the magnesium vapor can be condensed to massive metal. In spite of this knowledge, no successful commercial reduction process was developed, at least in this country, because of the operational difficulties imposed by the requirement of high temperature and vacuum and because of the high cost of the reducing agent. The outstanding experimental work done by Pidgeon, who carefully reviewed all of the known methods of making magnesium and then selected ferrosilicon reduction, overcame some of the operational difficulties. The process developed by Pidgeon comprises briquetting a mixture of calcined dolomite and reducing agent, preheating the briquets to about 600°C. in an externally heated alloy retort, reducing the MgO with silicon in an evacuated horizontal alloy retort heated externally to about II50 C., and condensing the magnesium vapor to a solid in a cold extension of the retort projecting beyond the front of the furnace. A major advantage of Pidgeon's process is that the retort is not cooled down between charges. Earlier investigators had used apparatus that necessitated cooling and reheating of the retort between charges. Early in January 1942, when the War Production Board was considering the Pidgeon process for quickly increasing the production of magnesium, The New Jersey Zinc Co. offered to have a research investigation of the process carried on, with the hope of assisting in its further development. This offer was accepted, and a two-retort pilot plant was built at Palmerton and put in operation on Jan. 29,1942. An intensive investigation of certain phases of the process was carried out in the ensuing four months. This investigation was completed in the last part of May 1942) and the pilot plant was then shut down. Subsequently, The New Jersey Zinc Co. was requested to have further development work done on the process, and a more extensive investigation was undertaken in August 1942 under contract with the War Production Board and under the supervision of the War Metallurgy Committee. This paper describes the ,phases of the investigation that are thought to be of sufficient general interest to merit publication.

Jan 1, 1944

By M. E. Wadsworth, W. H. Dresher, W. M. Fassell

HIGH temperature-high pressure techniques have long been used to great advantage in the organic chemical industry, the petroleum industry, and the paper industry. Only recently, however, have these methods been used to extract metals from their ores on a commercial scale. The Chemical Construction Corp., together with interested producers of nickel and cobalt, has done much to develop methods of producing nickel and cobalt powders by the use of high temperature-high pressure techniques.' The Howe Sound Co. is currently operating a plant near Salt Lake City in which the new Chemical Construction Corp. technique is applied to cobalt-arsenic sulfide concentrates. In this method the concentrates are leached in a dilute solution of sulfuric acid under air pressure at a high temperature. Near Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada, the Sherritt Gordon Co. is also using the new method in conjunction with its ammoniacal leach process.' National Lead Co., at Fredricktown, Mo., is operating a process similar to that of Howe Sound. In spite of the rapid growth of high temperature-high pressure hydrometallurgical processes, there has been very little work done on fundamental principles involved in this type of process. Conse- quently the literature lacks any significant data in this field. Oxidation of pyrite,3 sphalerite,4 galena," and recently molybdenite" in alkaline solutions has been reported to some extent. This investigation was initiated, therefore, to broaden the application of high temperature-high pressure hydrometallurgy and also to contribute some insight into the basic mechanisms of oxidation in an aqueous medium under these conditions. In addition to the immediate consequences of these processes much valuable information remains to be learned about fundamental reactions when they are carried out at temperatures and pressures slightly higher than those normally encountered. Leaching of molybdenite by alkaline solutions under oxygen pressure has recently been reported in the Russian literature by E. S. Usataya,6 ho found that leaching rate increased with an increase in the pH of the solution—the strongest effects being observed at a pH of 10—and also with an increase in temperature. Usataya also has reported the formation of a protective film on the surface of the molybdenite when the leaching solution was weakly alkaline, neutral, or acidic. He believes that this oxidation process explains the migration of Mo++ in the oxidation zones of molybdenite ore deposits and the subsequent impoverishment of the ores. Equipment: The high temperature-high pressure reaction unit used in this work was especially designed for kinetic studies of this nature, emphasis being placed on accuracy of measurement and precision of control. As details of the unit's construction and operation have been discussed elsewhere,' only basic features and principles of operation will be discussed at this point.

Jan 1, 1957

By H. Q. Golder

With the development of open-pit mines of ever increasing depth, the stability of the pit slopes in soil and rock is of growing economic importance. How is it, considering the newness of the problem that we know anything at all about the stability of man-made slopes? How much do we know and how did it all begin? We can make a reasonable estimate of the stability of a slope in soil, but we know as yet woefully little about slopes in rock because the problem is much more complex. It is only with the development of the capacity of the computer to handle wearisome calculations that any but the simplest of stability problems in rock have become possible of solution. But what we do know is a guide of immense value in the design of slopes in rock. But remember that the computer is a great elevator; it takes everyone's feet off the ground! So our study began with soils and what is now known as "Soil Mechanics", which is a translation of the German term "Bodenmechanik". It is a pity that the title of Terzaghi's book "Erdbaumechanik" was not used instead. But here the task of the translator is difficult because English lacks the facility of German to string together several words and make a new one whose meaning is unequivocal. Thus, we have the three German words 'Erde' 'Bau' and 'Mechanik'. 'Erde' means "earth" in almost all the English senses including "soil". 'Bau' and 'bauen' convey the meaning of building and construction, and 'Mechanik' means "mechanics" which includes statics and dynamics and the 'mechanics of materials', etc. So that a correct translation of the German is a phrase like "the mechanics of construction with, in or on, earth or soil." However we are stuck with 'Soil Mechanics' and that is where it all began. Now this study or subject did not begin with 'Terzaghi' although his contribution to the subject is unquestionably greater than that of any other single person. Every scientific discipline has its 'classical problem' and that of soil mechanics is 'the earth pressure problem' and it began in the 17th century. In fact, it probably began before this with the introduction of gunpowder to Western Europe in about the 15th century, but the first known reference to the problem was by Vauban, a distinguished French military engineer who lived from 1633 to 1707 and who gave rules for the dimensions of retaining walls from 6 to 80 ft. in height. The soil properties were not mentioned by Vauban probably because the rules were intended to be applied to fortifications only, but Poncelet (1840) claimed that Vauban's rules were based on a theory, and not simply on military and practical

Jan 1, 1972

By AIME AIME

AN entirely new type of classifier is being put on the market by The Dorr Co., following three years of development and the experimental use of thirty machines of the improvement design in various parts of the world. It is known as the Multizone classifier. Compared with the older type the lower or overflow end has been decked over and is surmounted by one or more circular overflow columns. Feed is introduced near the middle of the machine and passes downward and under a vertical baffle, then along the underside of the deck to the base of the overflow columns. Under the baffle there is a restricted turbulent zone of high pulp velocity which holds the fine and critical size particles in suspension, preventing

Jan 1, 1937

By Roger L. Goin

Maintaining smooth haulage roads is a key to significant cost savings at Kennecott Copper Corp.'s Bing- ham Canyon copper mine, located near Salt Lake City, Utah. The truck operations section of the mine moves an estimated 300,000 tpd of waste plus some ore to maintain a balanced production cycle. A three-year truck replacement program has produced a dramatic new look in both size and capacity of the truck fleet. Currently there are 95 haulage trucks in the Bingham fleet with capacities up to 150 t. The trend towards the larger haulage units places greater importance on overall truck availability. The impact of a 150-t truck being out of service is far more critical than with the former 65 or 85-t units.

Jan 12, 1974

Although Australia is the world's second biggest producer of iron ore, the last few years have not been easy for companies in Western Australia's Pilbara region (see map) where more than 90% of the nation's iron ore is produced. For at least two years, the industry has been plagued by dwindling markets abroad, production-crippling strikes at home, skyrocketing costs (well above the official 13% annual inflation rate), an acute shortage of investment capital, increasingly ferocious competition from foreign iron ore producers-and, as if all this weren't enough, by an over-valued currency that has caused incalculable damage not only to iron ore producers but to the entire mining industry of Australia. (This last problem was mitigated less than two months ago, on November 28, 1976, when the Australian dollar was devalued by a whopping 17 1/2%.)

Jan 1, 1977