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By O. B. Buchlen, J. W. Smith

The Coal Research Bureau of the School of Mines at West Virginia University, using an experimental flotation cell designated an airlift-cyclone was able to obtain a clean coal product containing 7.64% ash with 94% yield and 97% coal recovery. This favorable performance was obtained with the experimental flotation cell operating as a simulated three-stage unit on slurry taken from the fine coal circuit of a coal preparation plant. This experimental device, consisting of a sheet metal cyclone-like unit mounted on a U-shaped uplift pipe, uses a combined flotation and cyclone action to beneficiate the minus 14 mesh partially cleaned feed product. In addition to providing comparable analytical results, the airlift-cyclone possesses other attractive features among them being a low capital expenditure, utilization of moderate plant floor space, efficient operation on high density feed slurry, and absence of moving parts. The primary shortcoming of the experimental cell is its limited capacity. The Coal Research Bureau presently has under construction a larger unit which, it is hoped, will provide the capacity and quality to establish the airlift-cyclone as a commercially feasible unit. Froth flotation of fine coal is a practice which has only recently gained wide acceptance in this country. Various explanations can be put forth for this delayed acceptance of a very selective and efficient system of coal preparation. Among these reasons would be the advent of continuous mining machines resulting in the increased production of coal fines, the change in market patterns from domestic and rail consumers who did not want fines to a predominantly utility market which normally consumes fines, and also the imposition of legal restrictions in regard to stream pollution. However, the major detriment is probably the high cost involved both in installation and operation of the flo- tation unit and auxiliary systems. These facts assume greater emphasis when considering that froth flotation installations normally process a low quality feed product. A recent estimate' of installation costs including dryers, filters, and other auxiliary equipment for a flotation system was $5000 to $7000 per ton of capacity while the operating costs, exclusive of auxiliary equipment, were estimated at 10 to 306 per ton of feed. The Coal Research Bureau of the School of Mines at West Virginia University is currently developing a simplified froth flotation cell, designated an airlift-cyclone, which may provide considerable savings in capital and operating costs without sacrificing product quality or recovery. This experimental cell consists of three primary components: 1) a vertically mounted U-shaped pipe; 2) an air injector device; and 3) an integrally mounted cyclone-like unit (Fig. 1). A feed slurry is introduced at the top of one leg of the U-pipe while compressed air is injected near the base of the other leg. The air serves both to aerate the pulp and to cause it to flow upward into the base of the cyclone unit where the floated clean coal is separated from the reject material and unfloated coal which remains in slurry. The Coal Research Bureau's experimental airlift-cyclone is somewhat similar in principle to a flotation device developed by Russian engineers in the late 1950's. In tests upon a two-stage pilot-size device, the Russians obtained very favorable cleaning efficiencies.' However, later experience with production models demonstrated that rated capacities and acceptable product quality could not always be maintained.3 Because of these limitations, Russian engineers subsequently recommended that conventional, mechanical cells be used when cleaning difficult to float slurries. Engineers at the Coal Research Bureau felt that such a device utilizing the combined actions of a cyclone and a froth flotation machine offered numerous attractive features and merited investigation. Accordingly, a small capacity experimental airlift-cyclone was designed and, with the permission of the Christopher Coal Company Div. of Consolidation Coal Co., installed in Christopher's Humphrey preparation plant near Morgantown, West Virginia.

Jan 1, 1964

IT may perhaps seem to you that I have deviated from sequence by having entered into the narration of this arrangement of the bellows, but, although they are not furnaces or vessels for containing the melts, they are essential agents for bringing to port the bark of your labors. Returning to our regular pathway, and supposing that, besides making the moulds, you have melted and cast not only statues and bells but also guns, it is true that a certain procedure is required in order to finish them. For this you should have the moulds full, and they should have come out very well, for in truth reason does not allow that they turn out otherwise for one who uses precaution. [II2V] Then you have taken your casting from the pit and have freed it of clay. Since I have told you nothing beyond this, do not be dismayed if you see the castings so rough and in a form that scarcely shows what they really are, for I wish to open up part of the way into the great labor of finishing them so that it may seem to you that you have been somewhat helped by me. Therefore, when it is a gun, first see that the iron spindle that has been placed in the middle of the core is taken out. You can do this easily by striking the heel of the core, especially if the spindle had first been covered with ashes, hemp, or a little rope. Then saw off the feeding head above the mouth, using either a dun steel saw with tiny straight teeth that has been tempered with oil or some other fat, or a hay sickle whose edge is gently hit by a little hammer. Then have the clay that is attached to the curls or other bronze parts lifted away with a chisel. Then with a scouring brush and water uncover the emblems, coats of arms, borders, and cornices that you made as ornaments. Striking it with a hammer, push inwards every superfluous bit of bronze. Finally, having cleaned the bronze by washing, scraping, and cutting away every bit of clay, strike its surfaces gently with a large hammer and thus make it very smooth. Likewise finish the mouth and all its cornices as exactly and completely as possible with files and any other instrument that serves best. Then take a long, powerful tool that has some steel on the point, made like a chisel and somewhat bent, or with three points like the iron blade

Jan 1, 1942

By Theodor Zuschlag

Electrical prospecting is the art of exploring the structure of the subsoil in regard to conductivity variations and interpreting the results of such exploration as to their geological meaning. Electrical prospecting has been applied during the last few years with outstanding success, not only to prospecting1 for ore but also to structural studies.2 Both applications have proved helpful to the geologist, and the latter application especially promises to become of still greater importance in the future. The mapping of structures is the most important function of the oil geologist. Oil is lighter than water, therefore in water-bearing beds it will migrate upward until the migration is stopped by a bed impermeable to the oil. Geologic structures such as domes, anticlines, faults and terraces, offer good prospects in the search for oil accumulations and can be traced easily by electrical prospecting, provided they are composed of a series of sedimentary layers of which at least one possesses fair electrical conductivity and follows the general trend of the structure. Conditions for Successful Mapping The first condition, fair electrical conductivity, is met in almost any oil-bearing series, because generally the electrical resistance of a sedimentary bed is identical with the resistance of the more or less saline waters, filling partly or entirely the pores of the rocks.3 Briefly, the electrical resistivity of a bed can be expressed for all practical purposes by the product R X P, where R is the specific resistance of the waters in the rock pores and P a factor depending upon the percentage of water by volume in the rock. The specific resistance of any solution can be computed from the chemical analysis, being primarily a function of the

Jan 1, 1932

By E. S. Rowland, J. Welchner, R. H Marshall

This paper presents results on an extension into the realm of high-carbon steels of some work recently published1 on the effects of time at temperature, quenching temperature and prior structure on the hardenability of one 0.20 and four 0.40 per cent carbon alloy steels. It was shown at that time that unless the conditions of time, temperature and prior structure are substantially the same in performing the hardenability test as in conducting hardening of parts in production, the correlation of hardenability information with the hardness and properties of production parts is often not of satisfactory accuracy. The general effects of these variables on the austenitic grain size, distribution of excess carbides and critical cooling rate have been known for many years and one or more have been investigated by Shepherd,2,3 Davenport and Bain,4 Digges,5,6 Digges and Jordan,' Post and associates8 and Roberts and Mehl,9 to mention only a few. There has been no systematic investigation, however, into the quantitative variations produced on the hardenability of commercial high-carbon steels by changes in these factors of time, temperature and prior structure. Procedure A plain carbon hypereutectoid steel, S.A.E. 52100 and Graph-Mo, a molybdenum-bearing high-carbon steel containing some graphite, were chosen for this investigation. The chemical analyses of these electric-furnace steels are given in Table I. The procedure used was exactly that reported previously,' hence the details will not be repeated here. Normalized (165o°F.) and spheroidized prior structures were utilized on all steels with hot-rolled and quenched (I600°F. oil) prior conditions added for the plain carbon steel. The end-quench test developed by Jominy10 was sclected for use in this investigation and, with the noted exceptions, the American Society for Testing Materials standard procedure was followed. The effect of time at temperature was examined at intervals of o, 10 and 40 min. and 4 hr., and a few 16-hr. tests were run. Salt-bath heating of the specimens was employed to control and minimize the

Jan 1, 1944

By R. H. Marshall, J. Welchner, E. S. Rowland

This paper presents results on an extension into the realm of high-carbon steels of some work recently published1 on the effects of time at temperature, quenching temperature and prior structure on the hardenability of one 0.20 and four 0.40 per cent carbon alloy steels. It was shown at that time that unless the conditions of time, temperature and prior structure are substantially the same in performing the hardenability test as in conducting hardening of parts in production, the correlation of hardenability information with the hardness and properties of production parts is often not of satisfactory accuracy. The general effects of these variables on the austenitic grain size, distribution of excess carbides and critical cooling rate have been known for many years and one or more have been investigated by Shepherd,2,3 Davenport and Bain,4 Digges,5,6 Digges and Jordan,' Post and associates8 and Roberts and Mehl,9 to mention only a few. There has been no systematic investigation, however, into the quantitative variations produced on the hardenability of commercial high-carbon steels by changes in these factors of time, temperature and prior structure. Procedure A plain carbon hypereutectoid steel, S.A.E. 52100 and Graph-Mo, a molybdenum-bearing high-carbon steel containing some graphite, were chosen for this investigation. The chemical analyses of these electric-furnace steels are given in Table I. The procedure used was exactly that reported previously,' hence the details will not be repeated here. Normalized (165o°F.) and spheroidized prior structures were utilized on all steels with hot-rolled and quenched (I600°F. oil) prior conditions added for the plain carbon steel. The end-quench test developed by Jominy10 was sclected for use in this investigation and, with the noted exceptions, the American Society for Testing Materials standard procedure was followed. The effect of time at temperature was examined at intervals of o, 10 and 40 min. and 4 hr., and a few 16-hr. tests were run. Salt-bath heating of the specimens was employed to control and minimize the

Jan 1, 1944

By C. D. Demond

In reverberatory smelting, fuel is the chief item of expense, as it commonly is in processes using large percentages of it. Hence the most suitable supply is eagerly sought; that is, the supply which, in the end, yields the greatest net profit. The better grades are not infrequently bought, even at an advanced price, because they are apt to be decidedly more economical. High price, of itself, however, is no merit, for freight is generally the largest part of the cost of fuel, and the nearby supply may yield as high efficiency as that from a greater distance. If a poorer grade is reasonably good, and if its cost is low enough to more than offset the decreased technical efficiency, it is of course the more suitable. Any smelting operation depends for both efficiency and economy on raising the furnace atmosphere considerably above the "critical" temperature; that is, above the temperature at which smelting is completed. If this temperature is not exceeded, smelting stops, no matter how much coal is burned; and the real value of a fuel depends on the number of degrees that the temperature is continuously kept above this point. For example, if one fuel maintains 2,500" F. and another only 2,100 F., while the "critical" temperature is 2,000" F., the first is worth at least five times as much as the second, although the increase above atmospheric temperature is only one-fifth more in one case than in the other. This "margin of temperature" above the smelting point is much more significant than the total number of heat units developed from the fuel. The case is parallel to that of water flowing from a pipe. The reservoir may contain a billion gallons of water; but, even though the fluid has come to the nozzle, not a drop will run out, where it can be of practical use, unless the level in the reservoir is higher than the nozzle; and the speed and volume of flow depend on how much higher the level is in the reservoir than at this point. If the temperature in a furnace is not above the critical level there will be no slag to flow over the skimming plate, even though there are enough heat units to bring an unlimited quantity of charge up to the point of slag formation; and just as the value of a water supply for the purpose of putting out a fire depends largely on the effective head, so the difficulties of furnace management

Jan 1, 1915

I HIT the ceiling when I opened my November MINING ENGINEERING and after waiting a week to cool off I' still find it necessary to express my resentment of the gross libel embodied in the editorial introduction to Norman Stines' legitimate criticism of my paper on "Russia's Mineral Potential" (p. 949). The underlying thesis of my article, and a point that I tried to make even more clearly in my oral presentation at the St. Louis meeting last February, is that we should not over estimate the present and near-future mineral production of the USSR. The words that I resent in your boxed introduction are: "Opinions range from those presented by Paul Tyler ... to those of Norman C. Stines . . ." This is not merely an understatement that can be defended by admitting that the range goes much farther to the left, beyond me. It represents the appraisal that 90 pct of your members will carry away, namely that I am not only an incompetent observer-which may be true-but always that my bias is to applaud the efficiency of the beasts in the Kremlin-which is not true. Notwithstanding my efforts to clarify the record I now find myself branded as being at the opposite pole from 'Mr. Stines among the red-eyed worshipers of Communism or at least among the timid souls that shake in their boots in the belief that the Soviet system has created an invincible as well as an evil menace to the decent peoples of the world. My ideas are somewhere in the middle ground between Mr. Stines' complaisance or contempt and the exaggerated fears of several other observers whose views have received wide acceptance. PAUL M. TYLER MINERAL TECHNOLOGIST & ECONOMIST 5005 EDGEMOOR LANE, BETHESDA, MD. The introductory paragraph to Mr. Stines' criticism of Mr. Tyler's article (Russia's Mineral Potential, June issue MINING ENGINEERING, page 494) is erroneous as pointed out in author Tyler's letter above. In his article he objectively presented an estimate of the mineral position of the Soviet based on the statistics available to him which sources are credited in the first paragraph of his article. We happen to know that, Mr. Tyler was reluctant to prepare the article for the Mineral Economics Division sessions at the 1951 Annual Meeting and did so only because of his loyalty to AIME. It was thought that this article would be a basis for discussion of this important subject at the Annual Meeting. We apologize to Mr. Tyler for any embarrassment our introduction, may have caused him. Editor

Jan 1, 1952

By J. C. Bowling

Factors governing the choice of building types, materials, and the details of construction for mineral processing plants in remote locations with cold climates are discussed. Alternative types of building insulation in common use are described and a comparison is made of their suitability under various conditions.

Jan 1, 1973

By D. H. Davis, I. Fatt

Oil bearing rocks, usually found at depths of 2,000 to 10,000 it, are elastically deformed by overburden pressure. Although the change in porosity with pressure in a number of example rock.: has been shown to be small, it was thought that overburden pressure might have a significant effect on permeability. This note presents results of an investigation to determine the magnitude of the change in permeabilty with pressure. In routine core analysis permeabilities are measured on rock samples which are not under overburden pressure. If permeablity measured in this way differs from permeabilities measured under overburden pressure, a systematic error is introduced into well productivity calculations. The experiments described in this report were made to determine the magnitude of the change and thus to give an estimate of the error introduced into the calculations. The error introduced by the neglect of the change in permeability when overburden pressure is removed may account for part of the difference between well productivity calculated from core analysis and the actual well productivity. The results obtained in this investigation have only quali-tative significance because of the difficulty in reproducing in the laboratory the stress conditions on the rock buried in the earth. The assumption which is usually made is that the rocks in the earth are under a uniform pressure equal to the weight per unit area of the vertical overburden column from the rock in question to the surface of the earth less the pressure of the liquid in the pores of the rock. For an overburden consisting of sandstones and shales (of assumed average specific gravity of 2.3) and for a liquid pressure equal to the pressure in a salt water column (of specific gravity 1.0) reaching from the rock to the surface, the resulting net pressure on the rock is approximately 0.56 psi per ft of depth. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD Clean, dry sandstone core plugs one in. in diameter and about three in. long were mounted in a copper foil jacket as shown in Fig. 3 or molded in a Lucite jacket as shown in Fig. 4. All cores except those labeled "2" in Fig. 1 and "8" in Fig. 2 were measured in the copper foil jacket. Cores "2" and "8" were measured in the Lucite jacket. The jacketed core was placed in a high pressure hydraulic bomb in which the liquid pressure outside the jacket could be raised to 15,000 psi. Flow lines from the core were brought out of the bomb through special fittings in the bomh head and connected to a laboratory type gas permeameter. Measurements were made with nitrogen gas; the maximum mean gas pressure in the core was 16.1 psia. RESULTS The specific permeability of sandstone decreases with in. crease in overburden pressure. Most of the decrease takes place over the range of zero to 3,000 psi overburden pressure. If the net pressure on the rock is assumed to be 0.56 psi per ft of depth as discussed above, 3,000 psi of overburden pressure is equivalent to about 5,000 ft of overburden. At 3,000 psi overburden pressure, the permeability of the eight sandstone core samples tested ranged from 59 to 89 per cent of the permeability without overburden pressure. Figs. 1 and 2 show the permeability reduction as a function of overburden pressure. The permeability of the eight cores without overburden pressure ranged from 4.35 md to 632 md; these permeabilities are listed in Figs. 1 and 2. REFERENCES 1. Carpenter and Spencer: "Measurements of Compressibility of Consolidated Oil Bearing Sands," U. S. Bureau of Mines, R.I. 3450, (1940). * * *

Jan 1, 1952

By R. S. Busk, R. F. Marande

The magnesium-aluminum-zinc 'system contains most of the magnesium-base alloys used commercially, although in practice the ternary alloys are usually modified by the addition of a small amount of manganese. Table I contains the magnesium-base commercial sand-casting alloys most widely used throughout the world, together with their typical tensile properties. These alloys may be regarded as a single family of varying aluminum and zinc content, disregarding manganese. A concise means of presenting data for them is by means of iso-property lines plotted on triangular coordinate paper. Constitutional, casting, and mechanical properties are presented in this manner. The data are given with the obiect of providing reference material, and to aid in the choice of a commercial alloy to serve a particular purpose. Detailed, critical analysis of the commercial alloys has been covered in a previous paper.' All alloys reported were made in rj-lb. melts, superheated to r700°F. for 15 min., cooled to r400°F. and poured in sand molds. The test bars produced had a 1/2-in. reduced section and were about 6 in. long. Except for the data represented in Figs. I and 3 the alloys used were of commercial purity and contained 0.1 to 0.2 per cent Mn in addition to the aluminum and zinc. Constitutional Data Under the heading of Constitutional Data are included all known data on con-

Jan 1, 1946

By R. F. Marande, R. S. Busk

The magnesium-aluminum-zinc 'system contains most of the magnesium-base alloys used commercially, although in practice the ternary alloys are usually modified by the addition of a small amount of manganese. Table I contains the magnesium-base commercial sand-casting alloys most widely used throughout the world, together with their typical tensile properties. These alloys may be regarded as a single family of varying aluminum and zinc content, disregarding manganese. A concise means of presenting data for them is by means of iso-property lines plotted on triangular coordinate paper. Constitutional, casting, and mechanical properties are presented in this manner. The data are given with the obiect of providing reference material, and to aid in the choice of a commercial alloy to serve a particular purpose. Detailed, critical analysis of the commercial alloys has been covered in a previous paper.' All alloys reported were made in rj-lb. melts, superheated to r700°F. for 15 min., cooled to r400°F. and poured in sand molds. The test bars produced had a 1/2-in. reduced section and were about 6 in. long. Except for the data represented in Figs. I and 3 the alloys used were of commercial purity and contained 0.1 to 0.2 per cent Mn in addition to the aluminum and zinc. Constitutional Data Under the heading of Constitutional Data are included all known data on con-

Jan 1, 1946

By J. S. Lasater

Resu1ts of experinmental measurernents of heat capacities and thermal conductivities of some typical porous rocks are presented. Measured heat capacities agree closely with va1ues calculated front known chenlical . compositions of the rocks. On the basis of this agreement, heat capacitir.7 of fluid-satttrated rocks were calc~ililted. Therrnal conductivities of the rock samples were measured under varioits conditions of fluid saturation. From these data therrnal dif-fvsivities were calculated. A significant variation of thermal diflusivity with trnlperature is indicated. Knowledge of the thermal characteristics of fluid-bearing porous rocks has become increasingly important with the development of thermal oil-recovery processes. Reliable thermal data for petroleum reservoir rocks are not available and approximate values are generally assumed for reservoir calculations. 'The effects of temperature, pressure and fluid saturation on thermal properties of porous rocks have not been carefully studied. The purpose of the present work was to measure and report the thermal characteristics of some typical porous rocks. A group of eight sedimentary rock samples, including limestone, shale, sandstone and silt-stone, was selected for the study. Properties reported include heat capacities, thermal conductivities and thermal diffusivities. The effect of fluid saturation on these properties was also considered. Determinations of thermal properties require precise measurements which are time consuming and difficult to reduce to a routine basis. Methods have not been developed for measurement of thermal proper-ties under conditions of pressure, temperature, and fluid saturation, which may be encountered in thermal recovery processes. As one approach to these problems, some preliminary work on methods of estimating thermal properties from other more readily measurable characteristics of the rock-fluid system is reported. The samples selected for the studies were oilfield cores from within, or closely associated with oil-productive zones. Descriptions of individual samples are given in Table 1. Clay minerals present in the samples were determined by differential thermal analysis (DTA). Quartz content was estimated from DTA cooling curves. For all but the thermal conductivity tests, a representative 200-gm sample of each core was disaggregated, thoroughly extracted in diox-ane and oven dried at 100°C. The cleaned and dried sample was care- fully split into appropriate portions for the several tests. Chemical analyses of the samples were obtained to permit calculations of heat capacities by methods which are outlined later. Resuits of chenlical analyses are given in Table 2. Heat contents of the test samples were measured by a Runsen-type calorimeter. The heat content of the unknown sample is measured relative to the known heat content of platinum. The apparatus is referred to as a relative error type because of the comparative measurements, and has the advantage of canceling systematic errors. Experimental results are reproducible within 0.5 per cent. A temperature base of 298.16 K is taken for heat content measurements. Measurements were made at five temperatures (260, 440, 620, 800 and 980° F). It was necessary to preheal the sample above the maximum experimental temperature to eliminate volatile constituents. Assuming the weight loss on pre-heat, ing was mostly water, a correction to the observed heat content was made to account for the water originally present in the sample. This latter procedure was followed in the determination of calculated heat contents as will be described later. The apparatus and the method of measure-

By D. B. Kibler

Pill Florida hard-rock field extends from Suwanee and Columbia Counties in northwest Florida to south of Croom, Florida, in Hernando County this area is approximately 100 miles long and varies from 2 to 30 miles 1n width Florida hard-rock phosphate was discovered at Hale Springs, about one mile northwest of the town of Dunnellon Marion County, in the year 1888, by Albertus Voight who lived within a few hundred yards of the spring Soon after this discovery there was a great influx of land speculators and wildcat operators into the vicinity of Dunnellon A few years later phosphate was found in Alachua, Levy, Citrus and Hernando Counties, and a great number of small crude plants were built from Newberry, Alachua County, all the way to Croom, Hernando County Phosphate was found in many places as "outcrops " Looking for outcrops was the first method used by the early prospectors in searching for deposits Several years passed before any systematic method of prospecting was used EARLY MINING The early method of mining hard-rock phosphate was with picks and shovels, wheelbarrows, mules and wagons The pick-and-shovel method was used altogether until about 1900, when some of the larger operators began to use railroad-type steam shovels of from 1/2 to 1-yd capacity Picks and shovels, with negro labor loading the phosphate ore (called "matrix") into wooden side-dump skip-cars, was continued until about 1907 From the discovery of hard-rock phosphate until approximately 1905, overburden was removed with mules and scrapers At some places, the overburden was loaded into side-du nip skip-cars by negro laborers and the cars were then pulled up an incline with a steam hoisting engine The maximum depth of overburden that could be economically removed by hand labor mules and scrapers was approximately 15 feet About 1905 one of the companies erected a producer-gas powerhouse near Dunnellon and generated its own electricity and about the same time the larger companies began using hydraulic methods for the removal of overburden From the year 1888 through the year 1939, approximately 75 companies were operating at one time or another in the hard-rock territory, on approximately 500 locations The hard-rock deposits are more irregular and have higher mining costs than the pebble-rock deposits, therefore they have not been competitive in the domestic market, but because of the higher grade of the hard rock it is in demand for the export trade Discovery of phosphate outside of the United States has made it increasingly difficult in recent years for the hard-rock companies to survive, so today only three companies are operating These

Jan 1, 1941

The Institute maintains a dual relationship with students: (1) an individual relationship with a Student Associate; and (2) a relationship with local organizations of students, known as Affiliated Student Societies or Student Chapters. 1. The conditions of Student Associateship are set forth in Section 9, Article I, of the Bylaws of the Institute (see page 64 and following pages). During 1934, sundry amendments were made for the purpose of improving the student relationship. Postgraduate students are now eligible; and associateship can be maintained, with the payment of the regular dues of $2 per year, for 18 months following graduation in June. With his regular dues, each Student Associate is entitled to receive during the year his choice of MINING AND METALLURGY, METALS TECHNOLOGY, MINING TECHNOLOGY, PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY, or two "classes" of Technical

Jan 1, 1943

By W. D. Kruger

Methods for analyzing flooding or cycling projects by means of two-dimensional flow calculations are presented in the literature. The use of these methods allows the determination of optimum operating conditions for such projects and provides information on pattern efficiencies, relative flow rates, pressure distributions and floodout histories. The accuracy of such analyses depends on the basic reservoir data employed, especially the absolute permeability distribution in the reservoir; however, absolute permeability data normally are determined from well flow tests and/or core measurements and are so limited in quantity and quality that they do not adequately describe the reservoir flow properties. A calculation procedure is presented for determining the areal permeability distribution in the reservoir. Use of the procedure allows verification of the basic reservoir data through the matching of past reservoir conditions, thereby providing proper data for reliable predictions of future operations. The calculation procedure is a numerical technique based on a mathematical model of the reservoir and is designed for solution by means of an electronic digital computer. Results from field application of this procedure are presented. Permeability distributions from measured data are compared to those calculated to indicate the need for the analysis. Comparisons of field-measured and calculated pressure distributions are given to establish the validity of the calculation procedure. The conclusions of this paper are (I) use of the calculation provides data that allow a match of past reservoir conditions and thus reliable prediction of future operations; and (2) the procedure should, where applicable, be used to provide adequate reservoir data for use in two-dimensional flow calculations and related reservoir analyses. INTRODUCTION One means of providing more precise engineering control over reservoir operations during all stages of depletion is to develop some type of model to simulate the reservoir, using information developed from the behavior of the prototype to predict the performance of the actual reservoir. The use of mathematical rather than physical models for this purpose has been gaining in importance recently because of the application and availability of electronic computers. Mathematical models avoid instrumentation difficulties and allow easier handling of large-scale problems. At present, analyses employing two-dimensional models are common, and thought is being given to the use of models in three dimensions. The use of multi-dimensional models is necessary to show not only what is occurring in the reservoir, but also where in the reservoir the phenomena of interest are taking place. Methods for analyzing flooding or cycling projects by means of two-dimensional numerical models are presented in the literature. The use of these methods allows the determination of optimum operating conditions for such projects and provides information on pattern efficiencies, relative flow rates, pressure distributions and floodout histories. The applicability of numerical models and the results of using such analyses have been presented through field examples. The references indicated here discuss fully the data necessary to build the mathematical reservoir model and the way the model is used to study or predict the future performance of the reservoir. The accuracy of the analysis of such projects depends on the basic reservoir data employed in the construction of. the model. In order to be sure the model represents the reservoir, it must be used to match some known set of reservoir conditions, i.e., to match past reservoir performance. The accuracy of the model is directly dependent upon the absolute permeability distribution in the reservoir; however, absolute permeability data are normally determined from well flow tests and/or core measurements, and are so limited in quantity and quality that they do not adequately describe the reservoir flow properties. There is always the need for better data and for verification of existing data. The purpose of this paper is to show the use of the mathematical model to match past performance in flooding or cycling projects, the use of numerical techniques to adjust the basic absolute permeability data if necessary so that a match is obtained, and in this way to generate the effective areal permeability distribution of the reservoir. A review of the basic concepts of the numerical model will be given, followed by a discussion of the data-adjusting technique for matching past performance. TWO field examples will be cited to show

By Donald W. Scott, Nathaniel Arbiter, A. C. Richardson

This paper describes the application of amine flotation to a specific problem—that of increasing the grade of magnetite concentrates derived from an iron ore requiring extremely fine grinding for mineral liberation. Experiments conducted on an iron ore from Wisconsin had shown that concentrates containing 60 to 62 per cent iron and 12 to 14 per cent silica could be produced by magnetic separation. The residual silica occurred as quartz and hornblende, either entrained or locked with magnetite. Most advantageous utilization of the concentrate, however, necessitated that the silica content be reduced to about 5 per cent, equivalent to an iron content of 67.5 per cent. It had been demonstrated that tabling of the magnetic concentrate removed sufficient quartz and hornblende to yield an acceptable concentrate, but disadvantages inherent in tabling dictated that flotation be investigated as a substitute. The goals set for the flotation investigation were: (I) the production of concentrates of about 68 per cent iron content from the magnetic concentrate; (2) an iron recovery of about 85 per cent of that in the feed to flotation; and (3) minimum reagent cost. Both batch and continuous flotation tests were employed; the former, to establish the procedure and the latter to verify it. Although the data were obtained on a specific ore, and with a commercial application in view, it is believed that they have a bearing on other problems where amine flotation is being used or is anticipated. Samples Two samples, designated "(minus 100-mesh magnetic concentrate" and "minus 150-mesh magnetic concentrate," were used for the batch experimental work. They differed only in the degree to which the crude ore was ground prior to magnetic separation. They were stored moist in steel drums in quantities sufficient for all the experimental work reported. This procedure had the advantage of allowing all tests to be made on common samples, but had the disadvantage that the individual flotation samples, because of the difference in storage time, were subject to various stages of surface alteration. Previous work had indicated that common samples were desirable for the batch studies, and it was decided that if these data appeared sufficiently promising the effect of surface alteration could be checked best by continuous tests. The size distributions and the assays of the samples are given in Table I. The minus 150-mesh magnetic concentrate, on which most of the flotation tests were made, assayed 60.9 per cent iron, 13.3 per cent silica, and 0.016 per cent phosphorus. The minus 325-mesh portion represented 78.I per cent of the sample by weight, and assayed 67.9 per cent iron. Thus, the insoluble, mainly silica, was concentrated

Jan 1, 1947

By Donald W. Scott, Nathaniel Arbiter, A. C. Richardson

This paper describes the application of amine flotation to a specific problem—that of increasing the grade of magnetite concentrates derived from an iron ore requiring extremely fine grinding for mineral liberation. Experiments conducted on an iron ore from Wisconsin had shown that concentrates containing 60 to 62 per cent iron and 12 to 14 per cent silica could be produced by magnetic separation. The residual silica occurred as quartz and hornblende, either entrained or locked with magnetite. Most advantageous utilization of the concentrate, however, necessitated that the silica content be reduced to about 5 per cent, equivalent to an iron content of 67.5 per cent. It had been demonstrated that tabling of the magnetic concentrate removed sufficient quartz and hornblende to yield an acceptable concentrate, but disadvantages inherent in tabling dictated that flotation be investigated as a substitute. The goals set for the flotation investigation were: (I) the production of concentrates of about 68 per cent iron content from the magnetic concentrate; (2) an iron recovery of about 85 per cent of that in the feed to flotation; and (3) minimum reagent cost. Both batch and continuous flotation tests were employed; the former, to establish the procedure and the latter to verify it. Although the data were obtained on a specific ore, and with a commercial application in view, it is believed that they have a bearing on other problems where amine flotation is being used or is anticipated. Samples Two samples, designated "(minus 100-mesh magnetic concentrate" and "minus 150-mesh magnetic concentrate," were used for the batch experimental work. They differed only in the degree to which the crude ore was ground prior to magnetic separation. They were stored moist in steel drums in quantities sufficient for all the experimental work reported. This procedure had the advantage of allowing all tests to be made on common samples, but had the disadvantage that the individual flotation samples, because of the difference in storage time, were subject to various stages of surface alteration. Previous work had indicated that common samples were desirable for the batch studies, and it was decided that if these data appeared sufficiently promising the effect of surface alteration could be checked best by continuous tests. The size distributions and the assays of the samples are given in Table I. The minus 150-mesh magnetic concentrate, on which most of the flotation tests were made, assayed 60.9 per cent iron, 13.3 per cent silica, and 0.016 per cent phosphorus. The minus 325-mesh portion represented 78.I per cent of the sample by weight, and assayed 67.9 per cent iron. Thus, the insoluble, mainly silica, was concentrated

Jan 1, 1947

By Nicholas J. Grant, Yoichi Ishida, Arthur W. Mullendore

An inert particle -marker technique was developed to provide a direct measurement of grain boundary sliding during creep in tile interior of aluminum specimens. Groin boundary sliding in the interior as measured by this technique was found to be nearly the same or slightly lower than that measured on the surface. These data disagree with those obtained by the grain-counting technique developed by W. A. Rachinger. In tests where both techniques were used, the grain-counting technique gave large and variable values of grain boundary sliding. It is shown that the grain-counting technique gines erroneozcs results because of a preferred direction of grain growth during creep. A question which has long plagued those who study grain boundary creep is whether or not surface measurements yield a true representation of the deformation in the interior of a specimen. The first attempt to measure grain boundary sliding in the interior of a creep specimen was made by Rachinger.1 His technique is based on the measurement of average grain diameters, both parallel and perpendicular to the tension axis, followed by a calculation of the grain elongation from these measurements. The difference between total elongation, Et, and the calculated grain elongation, Eg, is considered to be the result of grain boundary sliding, Egb. Surprisingly large values of Egb/ Et (90 pct) came out of creep tests of pure aluminum at temperatures above 250°C (480°F), utilizing the Rachinger technique. This value is very much larger than the values of 8 to 15 pct measured by numerous investigators on the surface of a specimen. Values obtained on the surface by Rachinger, however, were consistent with those measured by the displacement of reference scratches. Chaudhuri and Grant2 repeated the Rachinger method for A1-10 pct Zn, and found the same large values of Egb/Et inside the specimen. However, from purely geometrical considerations, grain boundaries cannot slide without grain deformation; therefore, they questioned the validity of Rachinger's grain-counting method. Several authors2,3 have suggested that grain boundary migration during high-temperature deforma- tion may tend to restore the equiaxed grain shape in order to minimize interfacial energy. Rachinger4 tested this hypothesis and found that it did not hold. Grains elongated by rapid extension retained their elongated shape during a subsequent slow creep test. It appears that some other factor was responsible for the abnormally high values of .Egb/El. McLean and Gifkins5 made a survey of the effect of grain size on the ratio Egb/ Et, and proposed that the high values were the consequence of a small grain size. They failed to explain the low value of Egb/Et which Rachinger observed on the surface of the small grain size specimens, and suggested that the surface effect on the value of Egb/Et does not always occur. Many of the disagreements arising from Rachinger' s work stem from the fact that there was only one method of estimating grain boundary sliding in the interior of a specimen, and that method was of an indirect nature. If a marker line of some sort could be introduced inside of the specimen, one could make measurements just as clearly as on the surface. In the present investigation, the technique utilizes a layer of finely dispersed oxide particles inside the specimen introduced by hot press-bonding of two pieces of aluminum. Rachinger attempted a similar technique but with the oxide distribution he obtained there was so much interference with grain boundary motion that quantitative measurements were not attempted. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A) Materials Preparation. Two pure aluminum rods (impurity content in percent: Si, 0.002; Cu, 0.004; Fe, 0.002; Mg, 0.000: Zn, 0.000; V. 0.001) 1 in. diameter by 2 in. high were jacketed end to end in a 4-in.-diam cylinder of commercial-purity aluminum, 4 in, high, which had a l-in.-diam hole. The l-in.-diam mating surfaces of the two pure aluminum rods had been electropolished initially. This interface provided the oxide-film internal -marker plane after the hot press-bonding process, see Fig. 2. The composite was annealed for 1 hr at 900 F and hot upset more than 50 pct reduction in height in one step. The resulting slab was then rolled to 1/2 in. thickness; the pure aluminum test material was cut out and annealed at 900°F for 1 hr and cold cross-rolled to 1/8 in. thickness. The sheet was machined into specimens with a 1/8-in.-square cross section and a 1/2-in. gage length. The following heat treatment was given the specimens: Specimen 5A series: annealed at 1000°F for 5 min for grain-size control and then cooled to 700°F and held for 15 hr for stabilization.

Jan 1, 1965

By Harold B. Goldman, Don Reining

The sand and gravel industry is the largest nonfuel mineral industry in the nation. In 1981, the production of sand and gravel totaled 755 million tons valued at $2.3 billion. California, which leads the nation with more than 110 million tons, together with Alaska, Texas, Michigan, and Ohio, account for 36% of the total production in the nation (Table 1). In commercial usage, sand applies to rock or mineral fragments ranging in size from particles retained on a No. 200 sieve (0.074 mm openings) to those passing a No. 4 sieve (4.76 mm openings). Gravel consists of rock or mineral fragments larger than 4.76 mm, ranging up to 88.9 mm (3 ½ -in.) maximum size. The construction industry consumes 97% of the sand and gravel produced; the remainder is sand used for specialized products such as glass (see the chapter on "Silica and Silicon"). Utilization The building industry uses sand and gravel chiefly as aggregate in portland cement concrete, mortar, and plaster; the paving industry uses sand and gravel in both asphaltic mixtures and portland cement concrete. Aggregate is commonly designated as the inert fragmental material which is bound into a conglomerate mass by a cementing material such as portland cement, asphalt, or gypsum plaster. Portland Cement Concrete Aggregates Portland cement concrete consists of sand and gravel surrounded and held together by hardened portland cement paste. Concrete mixes commonly contain 15-20% water, 7-14% cement, and 66-78% aggregate. Sand and gravel used as concrete aggregate have to meet many requirements (Goldman, 1956). Premature deterioration of concrete has been traced in many instances to the use of unsuitable aggregates. Asphaltic Aggregate Asphaltic mixtures used predominantly for paving consist of combinations of sand, gravel, and mineral filler (material finer than 0.003 in.), uniformly coated and mixed with asphalt produced in the refining of petroleum. Except for the addition of mineral filler, sand and gravel used as asphaltic aggregate must meet the same general physical requirements as materials used for portland cement concrete aggregate. General Requirements of Aggregates Construction aggregate has many requirements that are difficult to meet if only unprocessed material from natural deposits is used. Suitable material is composed of clean, uncoated, properly shaped particles which are sound and durable. Soundness and durability are terms used to denote the ability of aggre- [ ]

Jan 1, 1983

By S. W. Ross

In 1936 a description of the plant (Fig 1) and process employed by the Electrolytic Zinc Co. of Australasia Ltd. for the recovery of zinc from zinc concentrate by the electrolytic process was prepared. † During the twelve years which have elapsed since the preparation of the earlier paper, several major changes in the metallurgy of the process have been introduced. It is the purpose of the present paper to give a general description of these changes and thus to bring up to date the description of the plant and process. Summary The major changes in Risdon practice since 1936 have been: 1. Replacement of two stage roasting by a preliminary roast followed by the flotation of all the leach residue and the roasting of the flotation concentrate. 2. Screening of all calcine fed to the pachucas. 3. Continuous leaching of calcine and improved classification of pachuca discharge. 4. Close control of hydrogen ion concentration during purification for iron removal. 5. Recovery of cobalt as a good grade oxide. 6. Production of part of the zinc output in the form of "four nines" metal (99.99 pct purity). 7. Closer spacing of electrodes thus increasing the potential output of cathode zinc per cell by 50 pct. Changes which are in prospect and for which construction work is proceeding at the present time involve the starting up of: 1. Two suspension roasters. 2. A contact acid plant to produce 150 tons‡ of acid per day and replacing the existing Mills Packard chamber plant. 3. Extra power station capacity to permit greater current flow to existing cell room units. This will increase the output of cathode zinc from about 245 to 290 tons per day. Plans for the future envisage the building of an ammonium sulphate plant, the first unit of which will produce about 50,000 tons per year, and improved treatment of zinc plant residue for the recovery of zinc, lead and other metals. At the end of this paper tables of metallurgical data are presented relating to the year ending June 30, 1948. Details of Changed Practice Output In 1936 the production of cathode zinc amounted to about 200 tons per day. This has since been increased to about 245 tons per day while plant extensions are practically complete which will permit of an output of about 290 tons per day in the near future. Roasting Division ROASTING POLICY A major change has occurred in the roasting policy. Twelve years ago the method in use was to carry out a two stage roast in the first stage of which sulphide sulphur was reduced to about 6 pct. The pre-roast calcine was re-roasted in modified Leggo furnaces using coal as fuel, sulphide sulphur being reduced to about 0.8 pct. The whole procedure was described on pp. 482491 of the earlier paper. Although this roasting procedure had certain advantages it possessed some distinct disadvantages. For instance, it appeared uneconomical to heat up the entire input of pre-roast calcine to roasting temperature by the expenditure of fuel in order to oxidise a few percent of sulphide sulphur. It was argued that if the pre-roast calcine were leached and a process could be developed for the recovery of a zinc sulphide concentrate from the leach residue, this concentrate, small in weight compared with the pre-roost calcine, would probably roast autogenously, thus virtually eliminating the expenditure of fuel as well as greatly increasing the weight of sulphur oxidised per square foot of furnace hearth area. The obvious method of producing a suitable concentrate from leach residue was by flotation. It will be recalled (see p. 495 of the earlier paper) that when two-stage roasting was practised the leach residue was classified, the granular fraction was ground and floated while the slime fraction was thickened, filtered and dried ready for shipment to a lead smelter. This process worked quite successfully. However, when trials were made of leaching a calcine carrying several percent of sulphide sulphur the granular fraction still floated well, but the slime fraction carrying 8-10 pct sulphide sulphur yielded very poor results when subjected to flotation. This fact held up the application of "pre-roast" leaching for many years. However, successful flotation of the slime fraction of leach residue was finally achieved and in August 1940 the slime flotation plant began operation, while the leach-

Jan 1, 1950