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The problems confronting the development of Latin America's mineral resources have hinged largely on the political and economic climates-in short, the investment climate--existing and often changing in each nation. .The attractions and risks confronting today's investors in such mineral developments have been described and debated to considerable length during the past two decades, the arguments pro and con colored by the previous experiences incurred by the would-be investor, whether company or individual. In an effort to shed light on the investment climates existing today throughout Central and South America, the Council of Economics brought four experts together at the AIME Annual Meeting last March to give their views on this subject.

Jan 7, 1966

By Ira B. Joralernon

THREATS of a coming metal famine in the United States have filled many columns in magazines and newspapers in the past three years. This asserted menace has diverted attention from the actual results of recent exploration. Because no one had bothered to look into the facts, the statistical experts assumed that little ore was being found. They often subtracted the staggering tonnage of metals produced during the war from earlier published reserves, and assumed that the difference was all we had left. Naturally, they shuddered, with all possible publicity. For their figures showed an imminent lack of nearly all the metals needed for an industrial civilization, as well as for mechanized war. They concluded that only wholesale imports and development and production of metals by Federal agencies could avert the famine.

Jan 1, 1948

By W. S. Holt, E. T. Tkac, R. A. Grange

QUANTITATIVE knowledge of the time element involved in austenite transformation in a particular steel provides a sound basis for understanding and planning heat-treatment. Such knowledge is conveniently obtained by measurement of austenite transformation as it occurs at each of a series of temperature levels. The results of these measurements usually are summarized in the form of the now familiar isothermal transformation diagram (I-T diagram, TTT diagram, or S-curve). Although a considerable number of such diagrams already have appeared in the literature, there remain many compositions of commercial importance for which no I-T diagram is available. The diagram for many such steels may be predicted from published data with sufficient accuracy for most practical purposes, but for others no satisfactory prediction can be made because the effect on austenite transformation of one or more of the important alloying elements present is not well enough known. Such a steel is Nitralloy, Type 135-Modified, which, containing about 1.25 per cent aluminum, differs from any whose I-T diagram has been published. This paper presents results of a study of the isothermal transformation behavior of a sample from a commercial heat of this aluminum-chromium-molybdenum steel, together with pertinent supplementary data including the equilibrium transformation temperatures (Ae3 and Ae1), the temperature range of martensite formation, and the end-quench hardenability. These data are directly applicable to the heat-treatment of this type of steel and are of interest in revealing some of the fundamental effects of aluminum as an alloying element in steel. MATERIAL All specimens were prepared from a 13-in. diam bar forged from a 5 by 5-in. billet from a commercial heat made in an electric arc furnace. The composition of the bar was; C, 0.41 per cent: Mn, 0.57: P, 0.016: S, 0.005: Si, 0.24: Ni, 0.17: Cr, i.57: MO, 0.36: Al, 1.26. The forged bar was normalized from 1750°F (955°C) and then tempered for one hour at 1200°F (650°C), this tempering treatment having been given to facilitate the machining of specimens. EQUILIBRIUM TRANSFORMATION TEMPERATURES In hypoeutectoid steel the minimum temperature at which austenite is completely stable, Ae3, and the maximum temperature at which austenite is completely unstable, Ae1, are of great significance in heat-treatment. Since these temperatures are dependent upon com-

Jan 1, 1946

By K. A. Grange, W. S. Holt, E. T. Tkac

Quantitative knowledge of the time clement involved in austenite transformation in a particular steel provides a sound basis for understanding and planning heat-treatment. Such knowledge is conveniently obtained by measurement of austenite transformation as it occurs at each of a series of temperature levels. The results of these measurements usually are summarized in the form of the now familiar isothermal transformation diagram (I-T diagram, TTT diagram, or S-curve). Although a considerable number of such diagrams already have appeared in the literature, there remain many compositions of commercial importance for which no I-T diagram is available. The diagram for many such steels may be predicted from published data with sufficient accuracy for most practical purposes, but for others no satisfactory prediction can be made because the effect on austenite transformation of one or more of the important alloying elements present is not well enough known. Such a steel is Nitralloy, Type 13s-Modified, which, containing about 1.25 per cent aluminum, differs from any whose I-T diagram has been published. This paper presents results of a study of the isothermal transformation behavior of a sample from a commercial heat of this aluminum-chromium-molybdenum steel, together with pertinent supplementary data including the equilibrium transformation temperatures (Aeaand Ae,), the temperature range of martensite formation, and the end-quench harden-ability. These data are directly applicable to the hcat-treatment of this type of steel and are of interest in revealing some of the fundamental effects of aluminum as an alloying element in steel. Material All specimens were prepared from a 1 1/4 i-in. diam bar forged from a 5 by 5-in. billet from a commercial heat made in an electric arc furnace. The composition of the bar was; C, 0.41 per cent: AIn, 0.57: P, 0.016: S, 0.005: Si, 0.24: Ni, 0.17: Cr, I.j7: Mo, 0.36: All 1.26. The forged bar was normalized from r750°F (95s°C) and then tempered for one hour at rzoo°F (650°C), this tempering treatment having been given to facilitate the machining of specimens. Equilibrium Transformation Temperatures In hypoeutectoid steel the minimum temperature at which austenite is completely stable, Aep, and the maximum temperature at which austenite is completely unstable, Ael, are of great significance in heat-treatment. Since these temperatures are dependent upon com-

Jan 1, 1948

By W. S. Holt, K. A. Grange, E. T. Tkac

Quantitative knowledge of the time clement involved in austenite transformation in a particular steel provides a sound basis for understanding and planning heat-treatment. Such knowledge is conveniently obtained by measurement of austenite transformation as it occurs at each of a series of temperature levels. The results of these measurements usually are summarized in the form of the now familiar isothermal transformation diagram (I-T diagram, TTT diagram, or S-curve). Although a considerable number of such diagrams already have appeared in the literature, there remain many compositions of commercial importance for which no I-T diagram is available. The diagram for many such steels may be predicted from published data with sufficient accuracy for most practical purposes, but for others no satisfactory prediction can be made because the effect on austenite transformation of one or more of the important alloying elements present is not well enough known. Such a steel is Nitralloy, Type 13s-Modified, which, containing about 1.25 per cent aluminum, differs from any whose I-T diagram has been published. This paper presents results of a study of the isothermal transformation behavior of a sample from a commercial heat of this aluminum-chromium-molybdenum steel, together with pertinent supplementary data including the equilibrium transformation temperatures (Aeaand Ae,), the temperature range of martensite formation, and the end-quench harden-ability. These data are directly applicable to the hcat-treatment of this type of steel and are of interest in revealing some of the fundamental effects of aluminum as an alloying element in steel. Material All specimens were prepared from a 1 1/4 i-in. diam bar forged from a 5 by 5-in. billet from a commercial heat made in an electric arc furnace. The composition of the bar was; C, 0.41 per cent: AIn, 0.57: P, 0.016: S, 0.005: Si, 0.24: Ni, 0.17: Cr, I.j7: Mo, 0.36: All 1.26. The forged bar was normalized from r750°F (95s°C) and then tempered for one hour at rzoo°F (650°C), this tempering treatment having been given to facilitate the machining of specimens. Equilibrium Transformation Temperatures In hypoeutectoid steel the minimum temperature at which austenite is completely stable, Aep, and the maximum temperature at which austenite is completely unstable, Ael, are of great significance in heat-treatment. Since these temperatures are dependent upon com-

Jan 1, 1948

By William B. Plank

A NEW record-a quarter million students in the engineering schools of the United States and Canada-has resulted from the great demand for engineers following World War II. The figures released by the American Society for Engineering Education and which appeared in detail in the Journal of Engineering Education for January 1948, show that, on Nov. 1, 1947, 252,250 students were studying engineering in 149 engineering schools of both countries. There are 244,390 in the 143 schools canvassed in the United States, and 7860 in six schools in Canada. These figures include both undergraduate and graduate students and are therefore comparable with the figures in previous presentations on this subject. This unprecedented engineering student body

Jan 1, 1948

By George E. Roberts

THE gains of society from the state of primitive conditions in the past to the standard of living which prevails in the advanced countries today have been accomplished mainly by the increasing productive capacity of the population under the leadership and services of the engineer. Without improvements in the arts and industries the growth of population tends to place succeeding generations always at a disadvantage. In this country we have been exploiting with reckless prodigality a wealth of soil and minerals and timber that has been in preparation for thousands of years. We know that the prices of all national products have been advancing, and were on a rising scale even before the phenomenal increases resulting from the war. Over against this depletion of natural wealth we have the influence of improvements made in the methods of production and distribution-and the accumulation of wealth in the form of productive equipment. The net result of these opposing influences determines whether society moves forward or backward.

Jan 1, 1926

By William E. Ford, Edward Salisbury Dana

URANINITE. Cleveite. Broggerite. Nivenite. Pitchblende. Isometric. In octahedrons (o), also with dodecahedra1 faces (d) ; less often in cubes with o and d. Crystals rare. Usually massive and botryoidal; also in grains; structure sometimes columnar, or curved lamellar. Fracture conchoidal to uneven. Brittle. H. = 5'5. G. = 9'0 to 9'7 of crystals; of massive altered forms from 6'4 upwards. Luster submetallic, to greasy or pitch-like, and dull. Color grayish, greenish, brownish, velvet- black. Streak brownish black, grayish, olive-green, a little shining. Opaque. Comp. -A uranate of uranyl, lead, usually thorium (or zirconium), often the metals of the lanthanum and yttrium groups; also containing the gases nitrogen, helium and argon, in varying amounts up to 2'6 p. c. Calcium and water (essential?) are present in small quantities; iron also, but only as an impurity. The relation between the bases varies widely and no definite for- mula can be given. Radium was first discovered in this mineral and it has been shown that it and the helium present are products of the breaking down of the uranium.

Jan 1, 1922

By John F. Wiggert

DURING the early years of Homestake operations, shaft signaling from the cage tenders to the hoisting engineers was done by mechanical means. Small steel cables or jointed steel rods were suspended in the shaft compartments and counterbalanced with weights or springs. These cables or rod strings were connected to the mechanically operated gongs at the engineers' stations by means of bell cranks and steel wires. The system was simple and economical and served the purpose well until the mine reached a depth of 1000 ft., then the system became slow and cumbersome and required a considerable amount of muscular effort to operate it with much speed, because of the inertia of the heavy moving parts. The mechanical signaling was superseded by a simple electrical system consisting of a single pair of wires in steel conduit for each shaft compartment. In the shaft at each station a pull switch was connected to the wires. The switches were operated by means of bell cords, which extended from station to station. This electrical system was a great improvement over the mechanical one, but it had one serious drawback, which also applied to the older system; namely, the engineer did not know where a signal originated. Later on this signaling was improved to overcome this drawback, and to give the engineer a positive indication of a signal's origin. In this system a separate return wire from each pull switch is carried to an annunciator at the engineer's station, where it indicates the signal's origin. While the annunciator system used by Homestake is very safe and reliable, it has the inherent drawback of all wire-connected systems in that it is impossible to send a signal from a moving cage. A number of years ago Homestake became interested in the possibility of using some sort of radio transmission for shaft signaling. The company did much experimental work with purely radio signal transmission, but no practical way was discovered to use radio transmission in a mine shaft for signaling to or from a cage. Therefore, all efforts were directed to devising a practical way of using the hoisting rope as part of the circuit. It was realized that the return circuit from the rope would need to be through electrostatic coupling between the cage and the earth or ground sides of the shaft, because the guides would not always be wet enough to make possible good electrical contact between the cage and earth, therefore relatively high-frequency alternating current was chosen as the medium of transmission. Soon a practical system was developed for transmitting an electric current from a moving cage over an electric circuit of which the hoisting rope was a part. A high-frequency electric current is used as a carrier to transmit the signals or mes-

Jan 1, 1941

By C. C. Herrick

The vapor pressure of indium has been measured by the torque-effusion technique, as a function of temperature between 1102o and 1422oK. For liquid indium, the vapor pressure (in atmospheres) can be represented by the equation -R In P = 5.782 x104/T - 25.29from 1000o to 1422oK. Extrapolation yields a calculated normal boiling point of 2329°K and a heat of vaporization at 298 oK of 58.09 kcal per mole by the third-law method and of 58.39 kcal per mole by the second-law method. Calculations indicate that the free-energy functions of Hultgren are to be preferred to those of Guruich. BECAUSE of the potential uses of liquid metals, it is important that convenient experimental methods be developed which will lead to a sufficient body of thermodynamic data so that reasonable estimates of properties of liquid metals can be made. Indium is particularly well-suited to investigation, since it remains liquid over a long temperature interval, it alloys readily, suitable containers for it are easily procured, and relatively few investigations of its thermodynamic properties in the region above 1000°K have been made. PREVIOUS RESEARCH The first determination of the vapor pressure of indium was made by Anderson,' using the Knudsen method and silica-lines stainless-steel cells. Kohlmeyer and spandau2 determined the normal boiling point, and a mass-spectroscopic investigation has been made by Lyubimov and Lyubitov.3 (Unfortunately, only an equation representing the data of the latter investigators has been available to us.) Hultgren et al.4 and Gurvich5 have published discordant tables of the free-energy functions for indium. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD The torsion-effusion principle has been described amply in the literature.8,7 With this method, one observes the angular deflection induced by effusion of vapor from a multihole effusion cell which is suspended from a filament producing a small rotational restoring force. The pressure within the effusion cell can be computed from the relation ziaifiai where k is the torsion constant of the filament, 6 is the observed angular deflection, and ai, fi, and qi are the area, force factor, and moment arm of the ith effusion orifice. The force factor f is analogous to the Clausing factor,' and corrects for the reduction in effusive force attributable to the finite geometry of the effusion orifice. Schultz and Searcy' have tabulated the force factors for various tube geometries. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS The physical arrangement employed in this study is shown in Fig. 1. The furnace elements are six Globar heat rods with 15-in. hot zones. Temperature is maintained to * 1°K by a Beck mechanism driving two 26-amp Powerstats in parallel. A Pt (Pt, Rh 10 pct) thermocouple serves as the sensing element. Four inner tubes act as vibration isolators; the air pressure required for maximum isolation was determined empirically, and is maintained by a solenoid valve. The tungsten fiber, 9 by 0.002 in., is joined to an 0.008-in. tungsten wire or graphite rod via a machined lightweight chuck.

Jan 1, 1964

By S. R. Dunbas, D. C. Jillson, E. A. Anderson

THE present work was undertaken to furnish information, lacking in the literature, on the deformation mechanisms active in pure titanium at room temperature. Since it was started, Rosi, Dube, and Alexander' have indicated that slip can occur in coarse-grained (2 to 6 mm diameter) titanium on the {1010} and {1011} planes and twinning can take place on the {1072}, (1122) and (1151) planes. Liu and Steinberg,' working with titanium flakes produced by fused salt electrolysis, found evidence of twinning on the {1032$, {1121), {1122}, (1123}, and (1154) planes. The crystals used in the present work were substantially longer (up to nearly 2 in. in length) and possibly purer. Production of Large Crystals It was the purpose of this part of the work to provide single crystal or large grain specimens for use in the deformation studies rather than to study the mechanism of crystal growth. Accordingly, all further exploratory studies on methods were abandoned when it was found that cold-rolled bars sealed in vacuo in individual Vycor tubes and given three or more cycles of 4 hr at 1200°C and three to five days at 850°C, gave large grains. Eighteen specimens about 0.2 in. square x 2 in. long yielded 33 useful grains, ranging from Va in. to nearly 2 in. in length, with an agreeably wide range of orientations, Fig. l. The 0.25 in. thick strip from which the starting specimens were cut had been reduced 67 pct on 18 in. diameter rolls from a scalped, hot-forged (959" to 1000°C), arc-melted, iodide titanium ingot. Thc bar was at room temperature, but the rolls were at 200°C. Reductions of about 0.03 in. per pass were used. The bar was cut into four segments, each of which was rolled in a somewhat different manner. No effect on the growth of large grains was noted. The composition of the titanium, determined on turnings from the ingot scalping operations, is given in Table I. The Rockwell A hardness of the ingot was 26. The standard starting specimens, about 1/4x1/4x2 in., were milled on all four sides, hand polished on 280 and 400 mesh emery papers, etched for 3 min in a 50 HF-50 glycerine solution, rinsed, and dried in alcohol and ether just before sealing them in Vycor tubes. The average specimen weight was 7.5 g, and the tube volume was 6.5 cc. A vacuum of less than 1 micron pressure was applied. The specimen tubes were placed in an evacuated Inconel muffle to minimize the danger of collapse of the glass tubes at temperature. In practice the specimens were first heated to 1200 °C for 4 hr and then transferred fairly quickly to an 850°C furnace where they were held for three to five days. This cycle was repeated at least three times before the specimens were cooled, removed from the tubes, lightly polished and etched on one surface for examinstion. Those in which large grains had not developed were resealed in Vycor and returned to the cycling. Satisfactory specimens (about one out of every four cycled) were polished with emery paper on all four side;, then metallographically polished using ctchinz between wheels to remove distorted metal and, finally, given a very light etch to reveal the grain boundaries. This was necessary because the surface was roughened by the sublimation of titanium under high temperature vacuum conditions. Specimens were identified by TiXl numbers using supplementary letters to designate specific grains.

Jan 1, 1954

By AIME AIME

T. E. PURCELL, general chairman . of the local committee, opened the seventh meeting of the Fuels Division A.S.M.E. and the Coal Division A.I.M.E., at the William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, Oct. 28-29, by introducing Harry M. Moses, president, H. C. Frick Coke Co., who welcomed the 500 registrants to "our town." Mr. Moses, in his brief talk, declared that in the postwar period each of the new centers must have a reason for existence. Pittsburgh, he said, has no iron ore, or bauxite, and limestone is scattered and not near by; but Pittsburgh does have low-cost fuel within reasonable distance. Its problem is the economical utilization of the low-cost fuels that remain, as the high-quality fuels are gone. Mr. Moses expressed confidence in this group in the solution of the problem and looked forward to what they would do. Harold V. Coes, the first A.S.M.E. president to attend one of these conferences, responded. He thoroughly believed in these joint meetings - in the cross-fertilization of ideas. Each Division learns from the other. Mr. Purcell then turned the meeting over to J. E. Tobey who presided over the coal research session that followed.

Jan 1, 1943

By W. J. Millard

VAGUE rumors and stories have been heard, from time to time, about the diamond and gold deposits of southern Venezuela. It is perhaps appropriate, at this time of revived interest in gold mining, to publish a few facts in regard to this country, which has been undergoing exploration since the fifteenth century. Gold and diamonds are found principally in the State of Bolivar which lies in southeastern Venezuela and is bounded by British Guiana on the east and Brazil on the south (see Fig. 1). The famous Mt. Roraima is situated at a point where these three countries meet in a common point (see Fig. 2). Some gold is also found in the southern part of the territory of Amacuro. Good oil prospects exist in the northern part of this same territory. Diamonds are found on the Caroni river from Rio Paragua to the village of Guri. Another small district is on the headwaters of the Cuyuni river. Quartz veins containing gold are chiefly exploited in

Jan 1, 1931

Jan 1, 1969

By C. R. Wohrman

A MELT of pure electrolytic iron with about 0.4 per cent. sulfur and 7 per cent. manganese was prepared in connection with a study of inclusions in iron. The alloy darkened rapidly when etched with a 10 per cent. alcoholic solution of nitric acid, and microscopic examination revealed the presence of a semimartensitic, semi-Widmanstättian structure (Figs. 1 and 2) closely resembling the structures found by Benedicks in his artificially prepared "meteoric iron." 1 The structures found by Benedicks were readily explained by the presence in his alloy of the two well known iron-nickel solid solutions, taenite and kamacite, and of their eutectoid (?) aggregate, plessite. By analogy, one would infer the existence of similar phases in the iron-manganese alloy just described, such as inference being strengthened by the similarity displayed in many ways by nickel and manganese in their effects on iron. IRON-MANGANESE ALLOTS ARE REGARDED AS HOMOGENEOUS Heterogeneity of iron-manganese alloys has not been recognized heretofore, judging from the data of standard metallographic books and those of original papers. In fact, iron and manganese are quite generally regarded as completely miscible in the solid state. Dr. Rosenhain,2 for example, writes: Alloys of group (a), of which those of gold-silver, iron-manganese, and copper-nickel are examples, when allowed to crystallize sufficiently slowly to attain their condition of final equilibrium, present a microstructure exactly similar to that of a pure metal-the homogeneous character of the molten solution is in that case so completely maintained that the microscope cannot detect the presence of any second constituent.

Jan 1, 1927

By AIME AIME

THE Federated American Engineering Societies through its Executive Board has endorsed House Bill 5230, introduced April 26, 1921, which provides for- the completion of the topographical survey of the United States. Before this bill can be reported out it will be necessary for the House Committee on -interstate and foreign commerce to hold hearings. This will not be done unless the engineers of the country show interest -and demand action which should be taken immediately after the recess ends and Congress reconvenes this fall. Surveys and maps have been made in this country ever since Captain John Smith mapped Chesapeake Bay about. 300 years ago, but it is only in comparatively recent years that the need for accurate maps has been keenly felt by those engaged in the industrial' and commercial development of the country.

Jan 1, 1921

By E. R. MARBLE

THE introduction of a new fuel, such as natural gas, necessitates careful study where it has not been used previously. At the El Paso smelter natural gas required the installation of apparatus with which no one at the plant was familiar, either as to the type of equipment needed or as to the burning of the gas in it. Observation of existing installations of a similar character and assistance from gas engineers served as a basis to determine what was advisable to use. The gas line entering the plant goes to a metering station equipped with a duplicate system of pressure regulators, a temperature recorder and the gas company and smelter orifice meters in tandem. There are three distribution lines that can be inter-connected at a later date, if necessary, to assist in equalizing the plant load. All the larger lines are of heavy

Jan 1, 1930

JAmes E. Howard, Watertown, Mass.:—In connection with this paper, it is the desire of the Watertown laboratory to receive suggestions as to the lines of work and the particular direction along which the examination of the ingot-metal should proceed, and any suggestions so offered will be noted with care, and the tests conducted so as to embrace such features as it is thought desirable to have investigated. To me the question of structural continuity seems of para-

Jan 1, 1909

By Harold G. Moulton

IT is highly significant that engineers should seriously consider the interrelations of technology, economics, and government. It is indicative of the emergence of maladjustments and problems that perplex our thinking and frustrate our activities. Instead of a world in which scientific discoveries and their applications through engineering to the processes of wealth production are regarded as the royal road to progress, we now find science and engineering being made responsible, in no small degree, for our economic and social troubles; and the powers of government are even being invoked to stem the tidal wave of technology. Indeed, there is a deep-seated fear, manifested in the writings of some of our greatest scientists as well as in popular discussions, that science may destroy our civilization.

Jan 1, 1938