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By C. M. Nickerson

The possibility of deeper production in the Buena Vista Hills was first considered in 1933. At that time, however, the heavy state curtailment program served to deter any operator from drilling test wells, which, if successful, might upset the proration schedules. Because most of the acreage was held by several major operators and the remainder by substantial independents, the adoption of a plan of cooperative development was considered desirable. Such a plan was formulated for the development of any deeper oil and gas horizons that may be found to exist. This plan, which was signed by the Secretaries of the Navy and of the Interior on behalf of the United States on July 9,1936, is now effective for the development of lands within the area shown on Fig. 1. Unlike most unit plans, the present cooperative development plan permits each operator to drill and produce his own wells. For the purpose of this plan the Buena Vista Hills field is divided into two pools. The present production is classed as the " old pool,"' while any future production below a certain marker which roughly coincides with the bottom of the Santa Margarita formation is included in the "pool" to which the provisions particularly apply. Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 2 lies within the area and constitutes the major portion of the Federal leases subject to the plan. There are 39,040 acres and 27 operators within the area. Twenty-six operators controlling 99.5 per cent of the acreage have signed the agreement. Geology oF the Buena Vista Hills The Buena Vista Hills consist of a low range in the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley, and are roughly parallel to the adjacent Temblor range to the south. The Elk Hills oil field parallels the Buena Vista Hills a few miles to the north. The subsurface structure is a re-entrant anticline upon the major Midway-Sunset monocline. This anticline is divided into two minor

Jan 1, 1937

By P. D. I. Honeyman

CHANGING trends in concentration, involving regrinding with the subsequent production of a finely divided, high-grade flotation product, presents a real problem to the modern copper smelter. In the treatment of such a material, handling difficulties are numerous and potential possible losses may be very great. In many plants, of course, preliminary roasting of the furnace charge remains an economical necessity. Under such circumstances, the operator has no alternative except to follow orthodox roaster reverberatory practice, though taking all possible precautions to avoid excessive dust losses and bad working conditions. In other plants, roasting is not only unnecessary but would be highly undesirable, and at best the charge would be merely dried before entering the reverberatory furnace. In the latter case the possibilities of raw charging loom large. The Miami plant of the International Smelting Co. handles the entire output of concentrates of the several mining companies operating in the Globe-Miami district. All of these companies produce a flotation concentrate which, at the Miami Copper Co. particularly, is all reground and is high in grade. In addition, the Inspiration Copper Co. ships a substantial tonnage of high-grade cement copper to the smelter from its leaching plant. Following the flow sheet of the original plant, all such material received was bedded, dried in Wedge furnaces and smelted in reverberatory furnaces. At times during the history of the plant it has been necessary to carry the drying operation further, to a partial roast, before reverberatory smelting. Since the charge contained over 80 per cent flotation concentrates, the handling of which in a dried condition was at best a dusty job, unusual precautions were taken to cut down dust losses. The Wedge furnace plant was equipped with a Cottrell treater and all hoppers and calcine cars were carefully designed to cut down dust loss in transferring the so-called calcine from hoppers to car and from car to furnace. In the furnace itself the dusting problem was a severe one. Arch erosion was very rapid and flues and waste-heat boilers rapidly filled up with a partly smelted flue dust.

Jan 1, 1932

By Floyd C. Kelly

There is an ever-increasing demand for furnaces with controlled atmosphere, due to the large quantities of steel being used in the automotive industry, such as the high-chromium stainless irons, the 18 Cr, 8 Ni stainless iron and low-carbon steel sheets. The difficulties involved in the annealing of such materials, if they are to be kept absolutely free from oxidation, are many. It is possible to bright-anneal these steels in small laboratory hydrogen furnaces, using specially purified hydrogen and taking some additional precautions. In the first place, the insulation, usually of alumina or magnesia, holds small amounts of water vapor, which it is almost impossible to remove completely. Secondly, there is always condensataion of water vapor in the cooling chambers of such furnaces, and with the continuous circulation of the hydrogen gas in the furnace, the water vapor is carried from the cooling chamber back into the heating chamber. This water vapor oxidizes the charge. Lastly, the supply of moisture is made sure by the diffusion of small amounts of air from the atmosphere into the furnace against the pressure of the hydrogen. The oxygen combines with the hydrogen and forms more water. Under such conditions there is little gained by using specially purified gas, because it becomes contaminated after reaching the furnace. Low-carbon Steel If a sheet of low-carbon steel is annealed in such a furnace at 750" C. and allowed to cool with the furnace, an adequate flow of purified hydrogen being maintained all of the time, the steel will come out with a very thin coating of blue oxide. If a similar sheet is annealed at the same temperature and quickly pushed into the cooling chamber, it will come out nearly bright, or perhaps with only the edges slightly discolored. It is difficult to get a piece of steel through a furnace of this type with an absolutely bright surface. This is due to the fact that there are always traces of oxygen or water vapor in the furnace. When the steel is allowed to cool with the furnace, it reaches a critical temperature where the affinity of iron for oxygen is greater than that of hydrogen for oxygen, and the steel comes out discolored. If the steel is pushed from the hot zone

Jan 1, 1931

By P. F. MINISTER

AT Lime Spur, Mont., the East Butte Copper Mining Co. has been quarrying limestone for twenty years. The quarry is beside the Northern Pacific R. R. in the Jefferson River canyon, 4 ½ miles east of Cardwell, at Lime Spur, Montana. HISTORY This quarry was opened early in 1900 by Dan Morrison of Whitehall, the discoverer of the Morrison cave, to supply a demand for smelter flux. Limestone was sold to the Pittsmont smelter of The East Butte Copper Mining Co. and to the Butte Reduction Works. As no particular effort was made at the quarry to select the rock that delivered to the smelters was unduly high in magnesia and impurities. The East Butte com¬pany, therefore. Bought the quarry. in 1909 and confined operations to the high-grade beds in order to supply rock of the desired purity for its own smelter and the Butte Reduction Works until the latter shut down. It also developed a market for some of its rock with the sugar factories. The latter market increased until in later years all rock, larger than 4 in. in size over a bar grizzly, was being shipped to the sugar factories, and the rock smaller than 4 in. was being used as a flux in the blast furnaces at the Pittsmont smelter. In 1924, the East Butte concluded a contract with the Anaconda company for the treatment of its ores, and the Pittsmont -smelter -was shut down: which made the minus 4-in. rock a useless by-product. Since there was not enough revenue in the sugar rock alone and also because of limited waste room it became necessary, if Lime Spur was to continue to operate, to increase- the proportion of plus 4-in. rock and to develop a market for the minus 4-in.

Jan 1, 1930

By A. L. Barnes

Residual oil in watered-out reservoirs is a tremendous reserve which has been unrecoverable by established production methods. A study of the new recovery methods indicated that the forward combustion urocess might- recover oil from such reservoirs; however, no thermal recovery operating experience in a watered-out system was available. The Delaware-Childers pilot thermal test was undertaken to test the feasibility of thermal recovery in this watered-out reservoir. The pilot test consisted of a 2.22-acre, inverted five-spot in the 600-ft deep Bartlesville sand. The reservoir in the pilot area had a porosity of 20.6 per cent, a permeability of 118 md and an average sand thickness of 45 ft. The reservoir contains a 33' API, 6-cp oil. Combustion was started Nov. 22, 1960. The initial air injection capacity was 750 Mscf/D, but it was eventually increased to 2,000 Mscf/D. The test was surrounded by an active water flood; therefore, water production was initially high, but decreased as the heat wave moved toward the producing wells. Oil-bank arrival at an individual well was indicated by a drop in GOR and WOR, and an increase in oil production. Combustion-front arrival was evident at three of the pilot producers, and they were plugged. Cumulative oil production from pilot area wells war over 12,000 bbl. Operational difficulties were negligible and only conventional equipment was necessary. The combustion efficiency of this test averaged over 80 per cent. Results from coring showed that the leading edge of the combustion front tended to be wedge-shaped but a nearly complete sweep of the reservoir was eventually obtained. An isopach map based on evidence from 10 core holes and the existing wells showed that 126 acre-ft had been swept by the heat wave. Using this swept volume, an air requirement of 15.7 MMscf/acre-ft was calculated. It was calculated that 275 ,STB/acre-ft was consumed bv the heat wave. INTRODUCTION There is a large amount of oil remaining in reservoirs that have been water flooded. A study of ways to recover this oil showed that the forward combustion process might be applicable. Results from a number of forward combustion tests have been reported in the literature, but none of these tests were conducted in a watered-out system. The Delaware-Childers pilot thermal test was initiated in 1960 to define the operating characteristics of underground combustion in this watered-out Bartlesville sand reservoir, The purpose of this paper is to present the pilot test results in detail. FORWARD COMBUSTION PROCESS The forward combustion process consists of initiating combustion in the formation surrounding an injection well and driving this heat wave through the formation toward offset producing wells. As the combustion front progresses through the reservoir, oil and formation water are vaporized, driven forward in the gaseous phase, and recon-densed in the cooler part of the formation. These distilled liquids, water of combustion and gaseous combustion products, form a bank or three-phase region ahead of the burning front. This bank pushes mobile reservoir fluids toward the production wells. The rate of movement of the combustion front is controlled by the rate at which the nondistill able residue which serves as process fuel can be completely burned off the sand. The production performance from a heat wave conducted in a watered-out oil reservoir will differ from one conducted in a dissolved gas-depleted reservoir because of the difference in fluid saturations. The primary depleted reservoir contains connate water saturation, relatively high oil saturation and some gas saturation. The watered-out reservoir contains a highly mobile water saturation, residual oil saturation and little gas saturation. As the combustion front moves forward in either type of depleted reservoir, it drives the distillable oil, the water in place and the water of combustion ahead, and burns the nondistillable portion of the oil. The heat-wave process in a watered-out reservoir differs from the process in a

Jan 1, 1966

By G. W. P. Rengstorff

In an effort to find an oxidation-resistant alloy of molybdenum, binary and ternary alloys containing aluminum, chromium, cobalt, iron, nickel, silicon, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium were screened. Fourteen other alloying additions were also tested. Many of the alloys were more oxidation-resistant than molybdenum, but none were entirely satisfactory. MOLYBDENUM oxidizes extremely rapidly above 1450°F in air. At 1800°F, a loss of metal at the rate of 0.1 in. in 4 hr is typical. The high speed of this oxidation may be judged by comparison with the oxidation rate of 0.1 in. per year (0.00005 in. in 4 hr), sometimes taken as the maximum permissible oxidation rate at 1800°F for a satisfactory Fe-Cr-Ni alloy. Great strides have been made in the development of coatings and cladding to protect molybdenum from oxidizing atmospheres. These developments in surface protection will undoubtedly make it possible to take advantage of the excellent hot strength of molybdellum and its alloys in many new applications. Still, even the best coating can protect molybdenum only as long as the surface layer is unbroken. Research was undertaken to determine whether an alloy of molybdenum could be found which would resist oxidation. Such an alloy would not deteriorate suddenly when the protective surface layer was destroyed in a small area. In seeking an alloy of molybdenum to resist oxidation, the physical properties of molybdenum could not be sacrificed entirely. The development of an alloy with the desired resistance to oxidation was not achieved. The information obtained on the effect of a large number of elements on the oxidation of molybdenum is, however, of value in the development of coatings. Indeed, many of the alloys tested for oxidation resistance were already known to have poor mechanical properties but were tested to aid in the development of coatings. Oxidation of Molybdenum The rapid oxidation of molybdenum is usually attributed to the volatility of Moo,,. Gulbransen and Wysong have shown that molybdenum oxidizes very slowly up to 850°F, the temperature at which the oxide film begins to evaporate. Melting as well as evaporation of molybdenum oxides promotes the oxidation of molybdenum. MoO melts at 1465°F. MOO, the oxide which is believed to form at the metal-oxide interface, combines with MoO, to form a eutectic having a melting point of 1432°F.' The liquid oxide, even if nonvolatile, could cause poor resistance to oxidation by allowing easy transport of molybdenum and oxygen ions through the oxide. Actually, a sudden increase in the rate of oxidation of molybdenum at 1460°F has been observed to coincide with the appearance of a liquid phase. The formation of a volatile oxide is not unique with molybdenum. The problem is also encountered with vanadium, tungsten, and some of the Pt-Pd group of metals. Vanadium not only forms the volatile V2O3 but, like molybdenum, forms a liquid oxide coating. Few attempts have been made, however, to prevent the rapid oxidation of these metals by alloying. Oxidation of Molybdenum Alloys At the beginning of this work, very little was known of the oxidation resistance of molybdenum alloys. It was known that molybdenum disilicide (with 37 pct Si) has extremely good oxidation resistance,' but this compound is so brittle that it has few uses. It is an effective protective coating for molybdenum when allowance can be made for its brittleness. Chromium was known to retard the oxidation of molybdenum,' but at least 50 pct Cr was necessary to have an appreciable effect. Other, unpublished, reports show that a few other alloys have been given preliminary tests, but the results have not been promising." Choice of Alloys to be Investigated An alloying element might be expected to protect molybdenum in either of two ways: Its oxide might combine with molybdenum oxide to form a stable, nonvolatile complex oxide (a molybdate); or the oxide of the alloying element might form in preference to molybdenum oxide, developing an impervious layer which would prevent the formation of a volatile molybdenum oxide. The knowledge available about the formation of molybdates was meager. Therefore, the initial study was made on alloys of molybdenum with elements having especially stable oxides. On this basis, binary and ternary alloys containing the following six elements were investigated: aluminum, chromium, titanium, zirconium, silicon, and vanadium. Nickel was also added as an alloying element. Although it does not form a more stable oxide than molybdenum, it does impart some oxidation resistance to copper and iron. Its inclusion in the study was fortunate because its alloys proved to be the most promising of those first tested. Apparently nickel formed a stable molybdate. Because nickel was effective in reducing the oxidation rate of molybdenum, the elements iron, cobalt, and tungsten were added to the list. The ten alloying elements mentioned form ten binary and 45 ternary alloying systems with molybdenum. A series of alloys was tested in each of these systems. In addition, at least one test was made on the effect of each of the following alloying elements:

Jan 1, 1957

By A. H. Geisler, F. Keller

Although the subject of precipitation from solid solution appears to be one of the more profitable fields in metallurgy for study with the electron Microscope, few comprehensive studies have yet been made. Occasionally electron micrographs have been published that illustrated alleged precipitation in various alloys, but frequently the apparent size, shape and distribution of the particles do not fully agree with those expected from theory or from observations of the Precipitate when the particles have grown to a size resolvable with the light microscope. The presence of a Widmanstatten pattern for submicroscopic precipitate particles has been demonstrated for only a few aged a1loys.l The initial problem has been the development of suitable techniques for applying the transmission-type instrument to a field that has been inherently associated with reflection-type microscopes. The various techniques have been the subjects of numerous publications, and instead of describing them individually here it will sufficc to say that the oxide film method has proved to be the most satisfactory method yet found for studying the microstructure of aluminum alloys with the electron microscope. This method has the definite characteristic advantage that the actual surface layer of the specimen is examined and not a plastic or silica replica. Doubtless suitable methods for forming and removing the oxide film could be developed for alloys of other metals. The purpose of this report is to point out the characteristics of the oxide film method that have been observed during the studies of numerous aged aluminum alloys and to present the results of these studies. Preparation OF Specimens The oxide film method for preparing specimens of aluminum alloys for examination in the electron microscope has been described in detail previously,¹,² Briefly, the procedure consists of preparing the metallographic specimen, forming the film by anodic oxidation and removing the film from the prepared surface of the oxidized specimen, The specimen is polished accordillg to the usual procedure for microscopic examination.³ he specimen may then be etched to remove flowed metal but etching to attack the alloy constituents or to leave them in relief as in the replica processes is not necessary. Electrolytic polishing is not generally recommended, Deep-etched specimens are used frequently, however, since they provide information that is not revealed by polished specimens and frequently present the same information more clearly than do the polished specimens, The surface preparation of specimens to be deep-etched is not important, since specimens that have been subjected to the first wet PoliShing operation are generally used, but frequently the as-rolled surface is Suitable. These specimens are then etched using a suitable macroetching reagent.

Jan 1, 1947

By F. Keller, A. H. Geisler

Although the subject of precipitation from solid solution appears to be one of the more profitable fields in metallurgy for study with the electron Microscope, few comprehensive studies have yet been made. Occasionally electron micrographs have been published that illustrated alleged precipitation in various alloys, but frequently the apparent size, shape and distribution of the particles do not fully agree with those expected from theory or from observations of the Precipitate when the particles have grown to a size resolvable with the light microscope. The presence of a Widmanstatten pattern for submicroscopic precipitate particles has been demonstrated for only a few aged a1loys.l The initial problem has been the development of suitable techniques for applying the transmission-type instrument to a field that has been inherently associated with reflection-type microscopes. The various techniques have been the subjects of numerous publications, and instead of describing them individually here it will sufficc to say that the oxide film method has proved to be the most satisfactory method yet found for studying the microstructure of aluminum alloys with the electron microscope. This method has the definite characteristic advantage that the actual surface layer of the specimen is examined and not a plastic or silica replica. Doubtless suitable methods for forming and removing the oxide film could be developed for alloys of other metals. The purpose of this report is to point out the characteristics of the oxide film method that have been observed during the studies of numerous aged aluminum alloys and to present the results of these studies. Preparation OF Specimens The oxide film method for preparing specimens of aluminum alloys for examination in the electron microscope has been described in detail previously,¹,² Briefly, the procedure consists of preparing the metallographic specimen, forming the film by anodic oxidation and removing the film from the prepared surface of the oxidized specimen, The specimen is polished accordillg to the usual procedure for microscopic examination.³ he specimen may then be etched to remove flowed metal but etching to attack the alloy constituents or to leave them in relief as in the replica processes is not necessary. Electrolytic polishing is not generally recommended, Deep-etched specimens are used frequently, however, since they provide information that is not revealed by polished specimens and frequently present the same information more clearly than do the polished specimens, The surface preparation of specimens to be deep-etched is not important, since specimens that have been subjected to the first wet PoliShing operation are generally used, but frequently the as-rolled surface is Suitable. These specimens are then etched using a suitable macroetching reagent.

Jan 1, 1947

By W. M. Weigel

LESS advances in the technology of non-metallic minerals than for several years past mark 1931, and the cause is easily found. The universal depression and decreased markets for non-metallic as well as other mineral commodities has forced the producers to cut out all unnecessary expense and reduce operating costs to a minimum in order to keep going, even on a reduced output, and to prevent insolvency. The result. has been that but 'little research has been carried on, and such as has been completed has in but few cases been put into commercial practice on account of the expense involved in new equipment and plant changes. The trend in the industry has been more economic than technologic, and the greatest effort put on market studies and sales attempts to expand markets and scrutiny of present operating 'practice leading to reduction of cost of production. This tendency has been increased by highly competitive conditions and the buyer's market which has prevailed and to the fact that price has been a greater factor than quality in placing orders. Only in cases where improvements in technology would immediately and effectively reduce costs or where in special cases there was but little competition with almost a monopoly control has actual technical development taken place.

Jan 1, 1932

By Brandon H. Grove

The Zistersdorf field, near Vienna, continues to be Austria's only producing area. During the year the field was slightly extended by Rohol Gewinnungs A.G. in its Rag 2, which in April came in for an initial 120 tons daily through an 8-mm. (0.315-in.) bean, from the twelfth Sarmat sand at 1447 m. (4747 ft.). The amount of fluid produced by this well has remained essentially constant, but after the first several months water appeared and increased to some 50 per cent of the total. TWO subsequent extension wells, Rag 3 and Rag 5, northeast and west of Rag 2, found only water-bearing sands, and drilled through the main fault and into the Flysch at 1683 and 1401 m. (5522 and 4596 ft.), respectively. At the close of the year preparations were under way to deviate both wells away from the fault to test still deeper sands. Within the previously proven area of the field Erdolproduction's Gosting VII came in flowing a maximum of 440 tons daily, the highest individual production yet recorded. This company's Gosting VIII also yielded an initial production of 20 tons daily, and its Gosting XI, drilling

Jan 1, 1938

By N. H. Mannakee

[Secretary's Note.—At the Spokane meeting of the Institute, in discussion of President Brunton's address on "Modern Progress in Mining and Metallurgy in the Western United States," and at the request of members present, Mr. Ayres gave an oral account of his new separator, which is here published as an independent paper, partly because of its inherent importance and partly because it describes an improvement which did not originate in the Western United States, and therefore does not fall, strictly speaking, under the title of President Urunton's address.—R. W. R.] A brief history of the growth of the anthracite-coal preparation will give a better view-point from which to judge the present problem of separating slate from coal. At the beginning of the commercial value of anthracite, 70 years ago, only the pure portions, or " splits," of the veins were mined and shipped to market, and without any preparation or screening other than the selection, while loading, of the glassy lumps, and the rejection of the fine material and the slate that had strayed accidentally into the coal. The next step was the crushing or breaking of the coal (hence the name "breaker" as applied to the preparation-building), and the sizing of it by means of bars or revolving screens. This stage of its development marked the advent of the " breaker-boy " as a slate-picker, with his ever-increasing capriciousness. As the richer veins or a splits " became exhausted and the market demanded a still greater output, the less-pure " splits " and the thinner veins were utilized to produce the coal. Carrying as they do a far greater percentage of impurities, particularly when removing the pillars, it became necessary to build new and better equipped preparation-plants. Finally, we are now at the highest stage of complicatioii yet known to the art of coal-preparation. We are dealing with varying specific gravities, frictional difference, hardness, structure, and form in the pieces of coal and slate coming from many different veins, and

Jan 1, 1910

By M. D. Arnold, P. B. Crawford, P. C. Hall

An experimental study has been made to determine the optimum flooding pressures for four different oils. The oil formation volume factors ranged from 1.08 to 2.13, and solution gas-oil ratios ranged from about 200 cu ft/bbl to 2,250 cu ft/bbl. Viscosities ranged from 0.38 to 0.95 cp at the respective bubble points of the fluids and from 0.7 to 20 cp at atmospheric pressure. Water floods were conducted at various pressure levels from run to run. The recovery as a function of flooding pressure was found to be different for each fluid, with optimum gas saturations ranging from 7 up to 35 per cent. The data indicate that substantially higher recoveries may be obtained if water floods are conducted at an optimum pressure and that this optimum pressure is a function of fluid properties. The same core was used for all tests, and the reproduction of saturations for various runs indicates that wettability in the predominantly water-wet core did not change. INTRODUCTION A paper was presented by Bass and Crawford' which described an experimental study of the effects of flooding pressure and rate on oil recovery by water flooding. This work was conducted using high-pressure models operated in a manner similar to that of an actual reservoir, with gas saturations being obtained by a solution-gas-drive mechanism. They found that the greatest oil recovery was obtained for the system studied by flooding in the presence of a 5 to 7 per cent gas saturation. Another experimental study simulating field conditions was presented by Richardson and Perkins.' They used an unconsolidated sand pack containing kerosene-natural gas fluid and interstitial water. They flooded at various pressures and flooding rates. For their system it was found that the recovery was independent of the pressure level at which the water flood was performed. Kyte, et al," found that oil recovery by water flooding was increased as the free gas saturation at waterflood initiation was increased. However, after the initial gas saturation was increased above 15 per cent, the increase in oil recovery tended to level off. All of their runs were made at the same pressure using a light oil saturated with helium. The desired gas saturation was obtained by injecting helium into the core. Dyes' made calculations which showed that an optimum gas saturation of 12 to 14 per cent may result in an increase in oil recovery of 7 to 12 per cent over that obtained by flooding at the bubble-point pressure. Others have also found that the presence of a free gas saturation may increase the waterflood oil recovery. In each case shrinkage was small and changes in fluid properties with respect to pressure were small. A careful review of the literature reveals that at the present time there is a wide difference of opinion on the factors affecting waterflood recoveries. This diversity of opinion is probably due to the fact that very little research has been done which has taken into account the many variables existing in an actual field being water flooded. Since the literature contains little information on high-pressure waterflooding studies using various types of reservoir fluids, it was believed appropriate that such a study should be made. EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURE All tests were made using the same consolidated sandstone core. Torpedo sandstone was used to turn a cylindrical core 13.5-in. long and with a 2.92-in. average diameter. The core had a porosity of 28 per cent and a permeability to brine of 146 md. This brine was made up by adding 20,000-ppm sodium chloride and 30,000-ppm sodium nitrite to distilled water. This was used as connate water and flooding water. No fresh water was ever brought in contact with the core, as tests showed the sandstone contained argillaceous material which swelled in the presence of fresh water and plugged the stone. The core was sealed in a section of 6-in. N-80 tubing with Woods metal filling the annulus. The core was mounted horizontally; an injection well was placed in the center of one end and a production well in the center of the other. Pressure control was maintained by placing a back-pressure regulator (upstream control) on the producing well. The "live" oil was stored in a separate bottle and water was injected into this bottle to displace the oil for saturating the core using a two-cylinder standard-proportioning pump. This same pump was used for water flooding the core at a constant rate. This system was enclosed in water jackets and the temperature was automatically main-

By H. D. Outmans

The paper presents a theoretical approach to the drilling problem based on rock mechanics and drilling fluid hydraulics at the bottom of the hole. The volume of the fractured rock around the vevtically penetrating bit tooth is expressed as a function of the tooth pressure, included tooth angle, drilling fluid pressure and formation characteristics on the assumption that fracturing is preceded by plastic flow. This assumption is verified by comparing the stress-strain state in the rock around the tooth to that in equivalent tri-axial compression tests described in the literature. An expression similar to the above is derived for the tooth penetration in the cuttings which have been retrained at the bottom. Combination of these two expressions leads to a relation between depth of tooth penetration in the virgin rock, the amount of cuttings retained and the other variables. By relating the cutting volume to the drilling rate, the hydraulic bit horsepower and the drilling fluid pressure, it is possible to arrive at formulas which express the drilling rate for viscous or turbulent flow at the cutting surface, for instant clearance, for retained cuttings, or for false tooth foundering as functions of such variables as the drilling fluid pressure, hydraulic horsepower at the bit, rotary speed and bit weight. Plotting the results as drilling curves and comparing them to published field and laboratory data justify the conclusion that the drilling model presented in this paper approximates the actual mechanism. The drilling curves serve to explain some characteristic features of the rotary drilling operation, and the equations may be used for numerical evaluation of the effect of changes in the magnitude of some of the variables on the drilling rate. INTRODUCTION Published laboratory data have established that consistent and relatively simple relations exist between the drilling rate and any one of the important variables. For instance, the drilling rate usually increases at an increasing rate with the bit weight. It increases at a decreasing rate with the rotary speed, decreases at a decreasing rate with increased drilling fluid pressure and plots as an S-shaped curve against the hydraulic horsepower at the bit. This relative simplicity seems difficult to understand considering that the drilling mechanism is a continuous process of generation and removal of innumerable individual cuttings, under different conditions for each. On the other hand, the drilling rate (although determined by this complicated process) only expresses the average rate at which cuttings are produced and cleared away. Ignorance of the drilling mechanism as far as individual cuttings are concerned, therefore, does not exclude the possibility of arriving at a concept of the drilling rate provided the mechanism is properly evaluated for the average cutting. It then may be concluded from the first sentence that this concept also should be rather simple in its final form, although not necessarily in its derivation. Two aspects of the drilling mechanism are difficult to evaluate — (1) the effect a penetrating drilling fluid has on the stresses around a bit tooth entering the formation and (2) the volume of rock fractured by a penetrating tooth which moves both vertically and horizontally. Thus, the scope of this paper has been limited to an evaluation of the drilling mechanism in formations which have a low permeability and are drilled with hard-formation bits. In the following sections, the drilling mechanism is analyzed in three steps. First, the effect of tooth pressure on the volume of fractured rock around the tooth is evaluated, assuming initially that the bottom of the hole is free of cuttings and, then, determining the effect of a layer of these cuttings. In the second section, the thickness of this layer is related to the drilling rate and the chip clearance time, and the latter to the hydraulic horsepower at the bit under conditions of laminar and viscous flow at the cutting surface. In the third section. the previous results are combined with the rotary speed into drilling equations which are then plotted and compared to experimental drilling curves. This section also contains some numerical examples of drilling rate computations. Some mathematical details are given in the appendixes. Finally, it should be mentioned that, although some drilling equations are already available, these equations (with the exception of one' which attempts to relate drilling rate to drilling fluid pressure) are all mathematical expressions for observed laboratory data; none considers the effect of delayed drill-cutting removal, an essential feature of the drilling mechanism.

By F. M. Hamilton, H. F. Ameen

Results of a laboratory investigation of some sintering variables are presented. The effect on physical properties of mix component variation and rate of cooling of the sinter is illustrated by crush and tumbler test results and data of reducibility tests and microscopic examination of sinters are shown. The results of using solid additions in the mix to improve bed permeability are given. SOME of the variables encountered in the sintering of iron ores and their effect on sinter properties have been investigated at the Jones and Laughlin Ore Research Laboratory in Michigan. Ores requiring agglomeration before blast furnace utilization may be classed as coarse, intermediate or fine. Coarse iron ore is considered similar to a — 1/4-in. Mesabi wash ore containing some 95 pct of its particles between 94 in. and 100-mesh. Intermediate iron ore is considered similar to our New York State magnetic concentrates in which all the particles are — 20-mesh and about 60 pct are +100-mesh. Fine ores are considered as being at least 100 pct —100-mesh. This paper will deal only with the two coarser classifications. Most of the work has been done in a small experimental batch unit previously described in an AIME1 paper. Results being obtained form a basis for present and future trials in production sinter plants. It is expected that new production units that may be added in the future will benefit from laboratory studies. In general, the results reported here are obtained by laboratory study, but it is Experimental Sinter Machine: The laboratory sinter machine employed in the work consists of a chamber with 1 sq ft of grate area. It is mounted on

Jan 1, 1951

By Donald W. Scott

GENERALLY speaking, there is nothing very difficult about taking good micrographs of photogenic thin sections or grains with a petrographic micro-scopecamera setup. However, sometimes it is desired to show some detail that cannot be illustrated satisfactorily by the usual micrographs taken with parallel polarized light, with crossed nicols, or even with two micrographs. A simple procedure giving good results has been used at Battelle Memorial Institute for subjects falling into this classification, and it is believed to be of interest, especially to research people who must sell a point to executives through the medium of well-illustrated reports. The following problem illustrates a typical application: It is desired to photograph a thin section of an iron ore to illustrate the character and association of the iron oxides and the individual quartz crystals. A magnification of 75 dia. is acceptable. A micrograph of the field in question (Fig. I[a]) was taken with parallel polarized light. Due precaution was taken to provide critical illumination, correct exposure, a sharp focus, a good darkroom technique, and other essential conditions. It illustrates correctly the iron oxides, but it fails to show the individual quartz crystals. A micrograph of the identical field (Fig. I[b]) was taken under the same precise conditions, but with crossed nicols. It gives a better idea of the character of the individual quartz crystals but is likely to be misinterpreted unless accompanied by a lengthy descriptive note. This micrograph suggests that the centrally located, large black area is composed entirely of iron oxides. That this is an incorrect interpretation is evident by reexamining the micrograph of Fig. I[a]. The correct interpretation is that the dark area contains quartz crystals oriented with their optical directions parallel to, or nearly parallel to, the vibration directions of the polarizer and analyzer of the microscope. Thus, the executive, or anyone who had not done the work personally, would get no more than a fair interpretation, even if two micrographs were included; and in the interests of both brevity and clarity, one micrograph usually is more desirable. Exactly how many quartz crystals occur in this region cannot be told from the two micrographs, and a printing of the two negatives in register would likewise not show the detail desired. Thus, it is evident that some subjects cannot be satisfactorily illustrated by the usual procedures. In photographing Fig. is the light was subdued and, during the entire exposure of 75 sec., the analyzer nicol was rotated uniformly in its mounting from a crossed position to 45° uncrossed position to introduce the desired amount of contrast in the various individual quartz crystals. The true reproduction of the character and association of the iron oxides, and the additional structure and detail in the quartz areas, is apparent. It might be

Jan 1, 1946

By John P. Bryant

Plant nutrients are obtained by plants from both the air and the soil. Carbon dioxide, a gaseous form of carbon and oxygen, supplies the carbon which usually makes up 50% or more of plant structure. Plants are capable of absorbing carbon dioxide directly from the air. Most of this nutrient comes from the air, although some carbon dioxide is absorbed by soil water and taken into the plant as liquid. Growing plants use more water than any other substance. Plant nutrients in the soil dissolve in soil water; soil water entering the plant carries nutrients into the plant structure. Water is then given off into the air as the plant breathes or transpires. The inorganic or mineral portion of the nutrients which plants require comes from the soil. Inorganic or mineral composition of plants is usually less than 5% of their weight, and this mineral requirement, usually lacking in the soil, must be provided by fertilizers. Proper fertilization of a soil to improve its mineral level and productivity is the basis for the fertilizer industry (Thomas, 1960). There are 13 essential plant nutrients which often must be added to soils or plants and are generally considered as fertilizer minerals. These nutrients are divided into the categories: primary minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium); secondary minerals (calcium, magnesium, sulfur); and micro or trace minerals (boron, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, chlorine). Further, cobalt is often added to fertilizers. Although it is not considered to be an essential plant nutrient, it is essential to animal health and is often applied to forages as a fertilizer constituent. One point of major significance to the fertilizer industry is that not all nutrient carriers supply that nutrient in a chemical form which will be available to the plant. Thus, a product which may be considered a fertilizer mineral may require substantial processing or treatment before it becomes useful as a nutrient carrier. Fertilizer Industry Scope Until about 1900 demands for higher crop yields were met simply by bringing new agricultural lands into cultivation. Since that time great progress has been made in increasing yields through fertilization and improved varieties and cultural practices. The importance of the fertilizer industry to the economy and welfare of the U.S. is widely recognized. [Fig. 1] illustrates the relationship of lime and fertilizers to crop yields. In terms of tons of fertilizer products, the growth of the industry has been phenomenal, particularly between 1950 and 1970. Table 1 shows the increase in fertilizer usage. Primary Plant Nutrients in Fertilizers Primary minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) are designated as such because of their significance to plant growth. Practically all soils are deficient in both nitrogen and phosphorus, and most of them are also deficient in potassium. Consequently, these nutrients

Jan 1, 1975

By R. S. Archibald

The subject of this paper is particularly appropriate, since Daniel C. Jackling was active in early exploitation of taconites on the Mesabi Range and contributed greatly to their later economic development. After his success in developing the low grade porphyries in the West he looked for more worlds to conquer, and so undertook the concentration of low grade taconites, from which he hoped to produce commercial ore. Mesabi Iron Co., organized in 1919, actually did produce merchantable sinter from taconites in 1922. The enterprise did not prove commercial at the time, as cost of production was high and the surplus of iron ore in the Lake Superior District already contributed to a low market price, but this same property has since been developed by Reserve Mining Co. The work done by Jackling had much to do with the success of this later venture. Iron ore was first discovered on the Marquette Range in Michigan in 1845. The first ore from this range came from the old Jackson mine in Negaunee in 1848. During these early years this property and others on the Marquette produced limited tonnages for transportation to Lower Lakes and for consumption by charcoal furnaces in the area, where a plentiful supply of hardwoods furnished the charcoal for iron smelting. The Marquette and other ranges tributary to Lake Superior did not produce much ore for transportation to Lower Lakes until the locks at Sault Ste. Marie were constructed, but from the time the first lock at the "Soo" was completed in 1855 these ores were transported through the locks to consumer centers in the East. The Marquette Range has a history of continuous production from 1848 to the present day. In 1877 the Menominee Range was discovered at the location of the old Penn Mines near Vulcan, Mich. There were further discoveries of ore on the old Menominee Range and at Florence, Wis., in 1880 and at Iron River and Crystal Falls, Mich., in 1882. Penn Mines continued in operation from the date of their discovery until they were finally exhausted by Pickands-Mather in 1945, but operations still continue on the Menominee in the Crystal Falls and Iron River districts. Ore is shipped to a lake port at Escanaba, Mich.

Jan 1, 1960

By James Gayley

The lining of the hearth and bosh of a blast-furnace has naturally come to be considered its weakest part, being subject not only to abrasion, but also to intense chemical action. In order to provide against rapidity of wear, it was formerly customary to build the lining from the mantle to the top first, and to put in afterwards the hearth and bosh, drawing the latter into a recess that had been reserved for it in the upper lining. At some works this practice still prevails ; but through the progressive development of cooling-devices, it has become possible to protect the bosh so well as to make it the most durable part of the furnace. The main question now is, by which one out of several methods the best economy results can be obtained. The plain bosh-jacket, made of wrought-iron or steel, and frequently called the air-cooled jacket, was a great improvement over the crinoline-construction formerly in vogue; but it was difficult in many cases to persuade furnace-managers, that in order to secure its best effects, they must discard the thick bosh-walls and put in comparatively thin ones. Mr John M. Hartman, who did more perhaps than any one to extend the use of these jackets, invariably contended for a 13-inch wall, the thin wall being an essential part of this construction. Later, a coil of pipe was placed just inside the jacket, through which water, circulating freely, contributed further to the proper maintenance of the walls. Undoubtedly much better results have been obtained in practice where the iron jacket has been supplemented by a coil in this way. It is safe to say that this combination of water-coil and jacket is much better than external sprays on the jacket; but it does not prevent the brick-work from cutting entirely away, which enlarges the bosh to that extent and interferes with the economy and output of the furnace. In case of leakage or stopping-up of the pipes, they cannot be replaced. A leading blast-furnace manager who is now using this construction

Jan 1, 1893

By M. D. Hassialis, Arthur F. Taggart

WARK1 observed some years ago that collector-coating reactions with xanthates and with fatty acids clearly follow paths parallel to those prescribed by the familiar mass-action law for reactions in dilute solutions. He proposed, therefore, the logical hypothesis that they are governed by the solubility=product principle. However, he went astray in the application of his proposal to collector coating by overlooking the fact that coating involves a heterogeneous reaction. A mistaken concept of the meaning of the word adsorption also entered. Wark thought that the concentration of metallic ion that must be used in setting up the solubility-product equation for the coating reaction was that which could be obtained by solution of the mineral. Since this is very low for sulphide ores, and since the amount of the collector ion necessary for coating produces an extremely low concentration, the resulting ion-concentration product, under conditions when coating occurs, is much lower than that which would indicate a saturated solution of the collector-coating compound. Hence he was forced to the position that the solubility product governing the coating is much smaller than the standard solubility product. To justify this position it was necessary to postulate a coating mechanism that did not obey the ordinary laws of chemical reaction. This Wark did by adopting the concept that adsorption is a property of matter, rather than merely a more or less ephemeral local concentration thereof. Thus he says (p. 142 of ref. I): "Adsorption is not a purely physical property of the solid surface, for the specific nature of the adsorbed molecule or ion is important." The result was that he destroyed the great potential utility of his postulate by tying it to this erroneous concept in the words (pp. 142, 143): "It will be obvious that the adsorption solubility product is less than the normal solubility product." The writers have found quantitatively in the case of galena and potassium ethyl xanthate, and semiquantitatively in the case of covellite and the same collector, that the coating reaction does follow the mass-action law to the extent that coating occurs when the ordinary solubility product of the coating compound is exceeded, and that coating does not take place under the reverse conditions. In the course of the investigation leading to the establishment of this fact it was necessary to work with xanthate concentrations so low (down to 0.0004 mg. per liter), that very long conditioning times, and bubble-contact times of as much as 16 hr. were necessary sometimes to follow the reactions. The results have led to some illuminating conclusions as to necessary collector concentrations in normal flotation operations, and the action of the frothing agent in connection therewith. The experimental work comprised. accurate determination of the standard solubility product of lead ethyl xanthate, development of a much less laborious

Jan 1, 1946

By George Rice

A PROBLEM of possible subsidence of the surface from mining opera-tions, which might have had disastrous results, arose in 1913 at the Brier Hill mine, of the Penn Iron Mining Co., near Norway, Mich., now managed by Pickands, Mather & Co. for the Bethlehem Steel Co. A double track and sidings of the Chicago & North Western Railroad passed over part of the mine, and if subsidence had reached the surface it might have affected the stability of the tracks. The chief purpose of this paper is to record the facts disclosed by investigations of underground movement from 1913 to 1919, when the tracks were moved, and subsequently at intervals, as engineering data of value from mining carried on below the tracks in the steeply pitch-ing lenses. A secondary purpose of this paper is to describe a novel method for determining the rate of speed of upward breaking above the mine excava-tions. This method was found effective and might be used elsewhere under similar conditions. The mine workings under consideration were developed from the Brier Hill shaft, which was circular, concrete-lined, 14 ft. in diameter, and about 900 ft. deep. They extended about 800 ft. westward from the shaft, and nearly parallel to a corresponding length of the railroad tracks. The highest part of these workings was at a depth of 400 ft. below the tracks (Figs. 1-12). The mining company had the right to remove the ore, the railroad assuming that the surface would be sup-ported. Finally, without legal controversy, an amicable adjustment was reached as to what should be done to lessen or obviate the hazard of subsidence.

Jan 1, 1934