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By Hollis L. Caswell

The present status of integrated circuits utilizing. superconductive switching. elements is reviewed with special attention given to fabrication techniques, methods for interconnecting completed circuits, and refrigeration requirements. Cryoelectronics has been largely an "inte- grated-circuit" technology since its conception because the switching speed of superconductive devices is attractive only when these devices are fabricated with thin-film techniques. It is true that cryotron circuits can be constructed from wires of appropriate materials (as indeed was done by Dudley Buck 1 in his early investigations) but these circuits will switch in times characteristic of milliseconds whereas similar circuits fabricated by thin-film methods have potential switching times of nanoseconds. Furthermore, cryo-electronic devices such as the cryotron lend themselves readily to fabrication by thin-film techniques since these components may be made from polycrys-talline thin films and are relatively insensitive to the presence of impurities (as measured by semiconductor standards). Therefore, during the past decade considerable effort has been devoted to developing techniques for batch fabricating circuit arrays containing superconductive switching elements. Technology had developed to the point several years ago that fabrication of cryoelectronic arrays containing up to one hundred devices was rather straightforward. However, larger arrays containing between lo4 and 106 components which are required for commercial development of cryoelectronics still pose very severe yield problems. Thus in a sense cryoelectronics found itself in 1962 at the point semiconductor technology finds itself today; namely, individual devices and small groups of integrated devices could be fabricated with acceptable yield and the outlook for building larger integrated-circuit arrays was bright. Unfortunately, problems associated largely with yield have made fabrication of these larger arrays difficult. Unlike semiconductor technology, cryoelectronics had to solve the problems of large-scale integration before it could become economically attractive. This has proven to be a sizable burden to bear. Since several reviews exist on superconductivity,2 superconductive devices,3 and cryoelectronic technology, no attempt will be made in this paper to summarize these areas. Instead a few specific topics will be dealt with in more detail. First, a brief description is given of selected superconducting switching and storage devices with special attention to several metallurgical techniques which improve the performance of these devices. Second, techniques used to fabricate cryoelectronic devices are described with emphasis on problems affecting yield. Third, techniques for interconnecting a number of cryoelectronic planes are described. And last, refrigeration of cryoelectronic components is discussed briefly since the low operating temperature of superconductive devices is an important consideration in this technology. SUPERCONDUCTING STORAGE AND SWITCHING DEVICES The basic superconductive switching device is the thin-film cryotron. The geometry of this device is attractively simple, since it involves only the intersection of two lines that are electrically insulated from each other. The switching element (gate) and control element (control) of a crossed-film cryotron are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1. The material for the gate is selected to permit the gate to be switched from the superconducting to the normal (resistive) state by the application of a control current. Tin, which has a critical temperature (T,) of 3.7°K, is commonly used for the gate and the cryotron is operated at a temperature just below T, (for example, 3.5°K). The control material (normally lead, with T, = 7.2°K) is chosen so that the control is never driven normal during circuit operation. To improve cryotron operation, a ground plane, also of lead, is placed under all of the circuitry to act as a diamagnetic shield and improve the current-density uniformity across the width of various thin-film elements. Normally, line widths vary from 0.005 to ^ 0.020 in. and film thicknesses from 300 to 10,000A, although new fabrication techniques make narrower lines feasible. In fabricating cryotrons it is important that the edges of the gate elements be geometrically sharp to avoid undesirable switching characteristics associated with a thinner edge region, Fig. 2. One technique which has been used extensively to form patterns consists of placing a physical mask containing the film pattern between the evaporation source and the substrate and depositing through the mask. Film strips formed in this manner possess a penumbra at the film edges due to shadowing of the evapor-ant under the mask. Several techniques have been proposed for minimizing effects due to this penumbra. One of the more promising metallurgical techniques

Jan 1, 1967

By F. F. Sharpless

IT IS to be. read in Western newspapers that Hon. S. S. Arentz who introduced H. R. 7736, 'has repudiated it, that certain mining men in Utah and Nevada say that they will fight it "until hell freezes over." It is to be read in more temperate expressions that "the eminent engineers who drafted the bill exhibited a woeful misunderstanding of Western sentiment and opinion." Furthermore, it is averred that there is no need for revising the mining laws, that we have got along pretty well under the existing laws, etc. Such statements are so surprising in view of, the facts of record that it is hard to believe that the oppon-ents of the bill, who make them, are well informed, or that they represent general opinion. It will be useful therefore to review the record of the case. Our GOOD OLD MINING LAWS We have indeed got on well in our mining industry, but that has not been by virtue; of our good old mining laws. Rather has it been in spite of them. Ever since the Richmond-Eureka case in the '70s there has been litigation arising from them. Early in the '80s the apex law was discarded by common consent in Leadville, and it has been ignored in every district of flat-lying ore deposits ever since. The great mines of the present time are the porphyry copper deposits. At Bingham, Ely, Ray, Chino, Miami, Clifton and Ajo the apex law is simply inapplicable. A law that is inapplicable to the modern conditions of mining may be an old law, but it can not properly be characterized as a "good" law. For such reasons, and many others of weight, there has been a demand for revision of the mining laws; dat-ing ,back at least three decades. President Roosevelt appointed a commission to advise respecting the question, said commission comprising. Dr. James Douglas (chairman), John Hays Hammond, D: M. Barringer, Walter B: Devereux, and William B. Mather. This committee was unanimous on the following points:

Jan 1, 1922

By F. P. Dewey

Bone-ash cupels have been used from time immemorial to absorb litharge, and accompanying oxides, in assaying. Doubtless, also, from the earliest days cupels have been most unjustly blamed for much poor assaying. It has long been known that the precious metals go with the litharge into the cupel. This occasions a loss of precious metals and reduces the results of the assay. There have been many investigations of cupels and the most diverse views have been expressed, the extremes being the statements of Lodge1 that every cupel has some effect upon the loss in assaying telluride ores and of the Campredons2 that coarse and fine and hard and soft cupels all give the same loss of silver when cupelling the same weights. The truth lies between these statements and much nearer the latter. In a vast majority of cases the influence of the cupel is not dominant and is outweighed by other conditions, particularly the temperature of the cupelling bead. At the Spokane meeting of the Institute I presented a paper on the Assay and Valuation of Gold Bullion,3 which recorded the results of many hundreds of assays made in the Mint service under everyday commercial conditions, which of necessity differ from scientific conditions. In following this matter up, for the purpose of increasing the accuracy of our commercial methods of bullion assays, the question of the absorption of gold by the cupel was found to be a most important one and was taken up for investigation. In a lesser degree, the silver absorption is important and interesting, but at resent it appears to be far more complicated and, while many figures showing silver absorption may be found through this paper, much further investigation is required to put the subject upon a satisfactory basis.

Jan 1, 1918

By William A. Kapp

INTRODUCTION Coal is being mined from beneath residential areas, structures, bodies of water and other surface features in the coalfields to the north, south and west of Sydney. The particular problems faced by mine operators in these areas vary considerably due to differences in the overlying strata, the variation in the depths of cover and also depend on the number of seams being mined. Detailed subsidence work first commenced in the Southern Coalfield in 1965 and is now being carried out over areas of extraction at roost collieries. The analysis of the results of the early investigations and of the work which continues in other areas has shown that there is a consistent relationship between subsidence and mine geometry and has led to a reliable empirical method for the prediction of subsidence. In addition, particular aspects of each of the studies in the Southern Coalfield results in a clearer understanding of strata movements and of the resulting subsidence. The features of a subsidence trough apply generally to all areas but the magnitudes of specific features vary according to the stratigraphy of the particular coalfield. The aim of the subsidence work is to quantify the effects of subsidence for a range of mining geometries and mining conditions to enable the maximum safe recovery of coal from beneath surface features. The importance of local subsidence investigations is becoming more evident to mine operators and to authorities or organisations with surface interests. The subsidence work also provides important information on the stabilities of pillars of coal which remain unmined between panels of extracted coal. These pillars are not extracted either because of poor mining or geological conditions, or because pillar extraction is not part of the particular mining operation. Subsidence studies over these coal pillars clearly establish whether the pillars have remained stable or have failed to support the overlying strata. With subsidence studies continuing over several years, it is possible to assess the stabilities of these pillars on a long term basis. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF SUBSIDENCE Geographical setting Most of the black coal production in Australia comes from the Sydney Basin. The coal seams extend for approximately 350 km along the coast of New South Wales and inland for distances up to 150 km. The City of Sydney is located near the centre of the coastal extent of the Basin where coal has been mined at a depth of 900 m. The Sydney Basin is part of the Main Coal Province of NSW and is divided into several coal- fields. The Southern Coalfield to the south of Sydney contained 15 operating mines and produced 12.7 million tonnes of raw coal during the 12 months to June 1981. The collieries discussed later are shown in Fig. 1. The prominent topographical feature of the area is the Illawarra Escarpment which rises to 400 m above sea level, or 300 m above the coastal strip along the South Pacific Ocean. The escarpment is mainly sand- stone and the weathering of the cliff line has resulted in a covering of talus material at its base. Several collieries are located near the seams which outcrop along the escarpment. The city of Wollongong is located in a scenically attractive area on the coastal plain. The suburbs of Wollongong extend north along the coastline, south to beyond Lake Illawarra and west to the lower slopes of the escarpment. The Illawarra Escarpment forms the eastern boundary of the Woronora Plateau. On a regional scale the surface dips gently to the west and thus forms a watershed for the rivers, most of which flow in a general north westerly direction, sometimes forming steep gorges in the sandstone. These rivers join the Nepean and Hawkesbury River system and flow into the Pacific Ocean north of Sydney. Seven dam have been constructed over the Southern Coalfield (Fig. 1) and with one large dam further to the west, their stored waters provide the needs of the Cities of Sydney and Wollongong and the surrounding districts. A large part of the area affected by mining is the undeveloped bushland of the associated catchment areas. In general no special precautions have been required with respect to subsidence with the exception of the dam structures and stored waters. With the increase in coal mining activities and the expanding residential development south of the City of Campbelltown in the outer Sydney Metropolitan area, subsidence is becoming an increasingly important area of research. Structures which have been affected or considered are townships and extensive residential areas, buildings of historical importance, major tollways, and a high pressure natural gas pipeline. The subsidence effects of mining beneath natural features within national parks is coming under study as mining approaches these areas. Geological setting The coal seams of the Southern Coalfield lie within the Illawarra Coal Measures. They contain high rank coking coal used in the local steel industry and for export. The Bulli Seam is mined extensively through- out the Southern Coalfield with the lower Wongawilli Seam being second in importance with regard to coal production. The top of the Bulli Seam is taken to be the marker horizon between the Permian Coal Measures

Jan 1, 1982

By J. J. Rutledge

THE first method of working coal mines in the middle western states, more particularly in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, was by means of the so-called single-entry method. In this method a single main passageway, or entry, was driven in the coal seam. with no parallel passageways, and from this pas-sageway or entry there were turned at intervals sim-ilar cross-passageways or entries, and from these cross-passageways, if the coal seam worked lay fairly horizontal, rooms were turned right and left. These crude methods of working were followed when the com-panies opening the mines were small and of very limited capital, and when the demand for coal was small and irregular. The principal desire was to produce coal in the short-est possible time and at the cheapest price. The chief evil resulting from such method of working was de-fective ventilation, although there were other serious drawbacks. There were then few or no good mining laws and no restrictions on those operating the coal mines. The hours of labor were long, the wages low, and the miners accordingly worked hard. All the coal was either sheared or undercut with a pick by hand. Very little solid shooting and no machine mining was done. What little air entered the mine, openings was introduced through the entries or. headings and thence conducted through the rooms by means of curtains; in many cases, as the workings became more exten-sive, the number of curtains added so materially to the mine resistance that ventilation was extremely in-efficient. Shots were fired by the miners at any time during the working shift and consequently there was more or less powder smoke or fumes in the mine work-ings all day long. Moreover, the working days were much longer than at present. The fine, dry coal-dust falling from the miners' picks while they were shear-ing or undercutting the coal filled the mine atmosphere and was taken into the lungs of the mine employees.

Jan 2, 1927

By J. R. Low, M. Gensamer

During the course of an investigation into the drawability of automobile-body sheet steel, it became apparent that certain advantages would be possessed by a deep-drawing steel with a very low yield strength, but almost normal tensile strength, provided a reduction in yield strength could be accomplished without sacrifice of ductility and fine grain size. It would also be desirable to have this steel free from strain-aging; that is, free from the tendency for the yield point to return after it had been eliminated by straining. It was known that, wet hydrogen treatment acted to eliminate aging, but as carried out by other investigators, at relatively high temperatures, this treatment resulted in grain coarsening. It has been established by some of the experiments reported in this paper that all of these objectives can be accomplished by treatment in wet hydrogen at a low temperature, in the neighborhood of 72o°C. The time of treatment is relatively short (about 3 hr, to completion with 20-gauge sheet) if the water content of the hydrogen atmosphere is made fairly high, say aimost 30 per cent by volume. At this temperature. the grain size remains fine in the time required. After this treatment sheet reduced the usual amount by cold-rolling has a grain size of about A.S.T.M. No. 7. The yield point is completely eliminated, and the yield strength is reduced to a very low value, in the neighborhood of 15,000 lb. per sq. in. The stress-strain curve departs gradually from the straight-line elastic part after the fashion of nonferrous deep-drawing alloys. This elimination of the yield point is accompanied by a verv low indentation hardness; for example, 32 Rockwell B or even lower. There is no aging as measured by increase in the yield strength upon aging at room temperature or for 3 hr. at 200°C., after stretching about 10 per cent in tension. Tensile strength is only slightly less than the box-annealed sheet, seldom dropping much below 40,-ooo lb. per sq. in. Elongation is practically unchanged, or increased slightly. The term yield point, as here used, refers to the phenomenon of heterogeneous deformation occurring at a substantiallv constant load, observed principally in annealed low-carbon steels. If such a steel is loaded in tension, the load increases steadily with elastic strain, suddenly falls, fluctuates slightly about some constant value for a time and then begins to rise again as deformation proceeds. The maximum initial load before the sudden drop is generally called the "upper yield point"; the value of the load where deformation proceeds at a

Jan 1, 1944

By J. R. Low, M. Gensamer

During the course of an investigation into the drawability of automobile-body sheet steel, it became apparent that certain advantages would be possessed by a deep-drawing steel with a very low yield strength, but almost normal tensile strength, provided a reduction in yield strength could be accomplished without sacrifice of ductility and fine grain size. It would also be desirable to have this steel free from strain-aging; that is, free from the tendency for the yield point to return after it had been eliminated by straining. It was known that, wet hydrogen treatment acted to eliminate aging, but as carried out by other investigators, at relatively high temperatures, this treatment resulted in grain coarsening. It has been established by some of the experiments reported in this paper that all of these objectives can be accomplished by treatment in wet hydrogen at a low temperature, in the neighborhood of 72o°C. The time of treatment is relatively short (about 3 hr, to completion with 20-gauge sheet) if the water content of the hydrogen atmosphere is made fairly high, say aimost 30 per cent by volume. At this temperature. the grain size remains fine in the time required. After this treatment sheet reduced the usual amount by cold-rolling has a grain size of about A.S.T.M. No. 7. The yield point is completely eliminated, and the yield strength is reduced to a very low value, in the neighborhood of 15,000 lb. per sq. in. The stress-strain curve departs gradually from the straight-line elastic part after the fashion of nonferrous deep-drawing alloys. This elimination of the yield point is accompanied by a verv low indentation hardness; for example, 32 Rockwell B or even lower. There is no aging as measured by increase in the yield strength upon aging at room temperature or for 3 hr. at 200°C., after stretching about 10 per cent in tension. Tensile strength is only slightly less than the box-annealed sheet, seldom dropping much below 40,-ooo lb. per sq. in. Elongation is practically unchanged, or increased slightly. The term yield point, as here used, refers to the phenomenon of heterogeneous deformation occurring at a substantiallv constant load, observed principally in annealed low-carbon steels. If such a steel is loaded in tension, the load increases steadily with elastic strain, suddenly falls, fluctuates slightly about some constant value for a time and then begins to rise again as deformation proceeds. The maximum initial load before the sudden drop is generally called the "upper yield point"; the value of the load where deformation proceeds at a

Jan 1, 1944

By C. H. Curtis

The Esperanza mine of the Copper Division of Duval Sulphur & Potash Co. is located in the Twin Buttes District, 32 miles southwest of Tucson, Ariz. Records of mining activity in this vicinity date back to the 1850's. The New Year's Eve mine, which was last active briefly during the years of World War II, made the first actual penetration into what is now Duval's Esperanza property. Duval's exploration department became interested in the Esperanza in the fall of 1954. The first test hole was started on May 8, 1955. Two years of intensive exploration work together with metallurgical studies developed the basis for the decision to establish an operation.

Jan 11, 1961

By Eugene Stebinger

INTRODUCTION. A LARGE number of papers and reports dealing with the coalfields of Montana have been published + during the last 30 years, but the information is much scattered, appearing in many technical and scientific journals and in government reports, in many cases inaccessible to those most interested. In recent years, especially since 1905, ,our knowledge of the geology and coal contents of the important fields of the State has been much increased. Fairly specific and detailed information is. at hand on all of the principal coal-bearing areas. The fields for which data are not at hand are small and inaccessible, and their omission will not materially affect an estimate of the coal resources of the State, viewed as a whole. The paper here presented is a summary of existing information, all sources having been freely utilized in its preparation. The viewpoint adopted is that of the geologist, rather than that of the engineer or colliery operator, because by far the greater portion of the coal areas present have had only the most meager development, making information that, will aid in prospecting and opening the at present little used coal lands of paramount importance to those interested in the coal fields of the State.

Jan 9, 1913

By J. M. Pilcher

The application of oil to coal for-the reduction of dust has greatly increased the consumers' satisfaction with solid fuels, especially those for domestic use. The combination of oil-treated coal and automatic firing by a small stoker has made possible clean, automatic heating with bituminous coal. This, with the added pressure of competition by other fuels, has caused a rapid development of oil treating practice. A variety of materials derived" from petroleum oils is available from which one may choose for treating a par-ticular coal. Until recently, however, little information had been published to guide the choice. It is most im-portant that the proper type and amount of oil be used in order that all coals marketed as "dustless" will be reason-ably dustless, and thereby maintain a good reputation for oil-treatment. During the past two and one-half years, an investigation of a number of the problems related to the treatment of coal with oil has been conducted at Battelle Memorial Institute. This project was jointly sponsored by Bituminous Coal Research. Inc., Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, Sun Oil Company, and Viking Manufacturing Company. A progress report giving the principal results of the work of the first year was presented before the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in December 1937.1 The present paper is a summary of the entire inves-tigation.

Jan 1, 1939

By L. H. Dushak

DURING the war period of quicksilver activity there were a number of departures from what may be termed the classical quicksilver metallurgy. Attempts were made to beneficiate low-grade ores by gravity concentration and flotation; mechanical furnaces began to replace the Scott furnace and the vertical coarse-ore furnaces, and condensers of sewer tile and redwood tanks were used in place of the older brick and stone condensing chambers. Other developments that have occurred during the current period of quicksilver, activity are mainly in the nature of improvement and further refinement of those started during the war period. Each period of quicksilver activity has been accompanied by the proposal of various new processes, including wet methods for the treatment of quicksilver ores and innovations in furnaces, retorts and condenser equipment. As far as the author knows, nothing of economic significance in the way of "new processes" has been developed. There is in fact no real need for any essentially new process for the treatment of quicksilver ores; the direct furnace treatment is simple and inexpensive. Moreover, with fare exceptions, the quicksilver industry has no complex or refractory ore problems corresponding to those which are receiving more and more attention from metallurgists in other branches of the nonferrous field. Under these conditions improvements in quicksilver metallurgy must be looked for through the adaptation of current developments in engineering and metallurgy generally to the particular needs of quicksilver practice rather than through the invention of new processes.

Jan 1, 1930

By J. L. Huiatt, R. B. Tippin

Introduction Great Salt Lake Minerals & Chemicals Corp. (GSL), a subsidiary of Gulf Resources & Chemical Corp., is located on the east side of the Great Salt Lake, approximately 20 miles from Ogden, UT. GSL processes brine from the north arm of the lake to produce potash, salt cake, salt, and magnesium chloride brine. Potash fertilizer, in the form of K2SO4 is GSL's primary product. The CSL Sulfate of Potash Complex: The GSL potash complex (depicted in [Fig. 1]) is divided into a solar evaporation pond system and the process plants. The solar evaporation system consists of a 17,000-acre (68.8 km2) ponding operation where the various salts deposit during the summer evaporation season and a harvesting operation which recovers the deposits during the remainder of the year. The harvest is either preconcentrated in the flotation plant or processed directly in the chemical plant where sulfate of potash (SOP) is produced. The chemistry of the lake brine results in a solar deposit containing primarily kainite (KC1 . MgSO4 . 3H20), schoenite (K2SO4 . MgS04 . 6H20), and halite (NaCI), with some carnallite (KC1 . MgC12 . 6H20) and epsomite (MgSOq . 7H20). Other minerals may be deposited, depending upon the weather during the evaporation season. Each year, the solar deposit in the evaporation ponds will greatly depend upon the summer weather conditions, which have in the past proven to be quite unpredictable. Weather may alter both the quantity of the solar deposit and the composition of this deposit. During a "short" evaporation season, the tonnage deposited decreases, but depending upon the short-term weather, the potash mineral content can vary greatly. During an "erratic" evaporation season, with intermittent summer rains or

Jan 1, 1980

By A Andersen

DURING an investigation of the copper-rich portion of the copper-silicon-iron system as part of an extensive research program on P.M.G. alloys, which was begun in 1937 in the research laboratory of the Phelps Dodge Corporation, it became apparent that the binary copper-silicon system below 7 per cent Si needed revision, therefore an investiga-tion was undertaken. Both X-ray methods and microscopic technique were employed. Despite the many investigations that have the clarification of this sys-tem as their object, no two successive reports on the system have agreed in placement of the alpha-phase solubility limit, and uncertainty about the secondary phase first to appear has been voiced several times.3,4,5 It was therefore not surprising, when T. Isawa's6 and M. Okamoto's7 works were reported at the time we were finishing up our experimental work, to find essential disagreement between their results and ours. But when C. S. Smith's latest work on the copper-silicon system8 was published just as we were finishing our laboratory report, it was indeed gratifying to find that the latter's diagram and ours checked in all essen-tial features, except the temperature of the peritectic line above 830° C. Many attempts were made to retain the beta phase during the present investigation, but none was successful. Isawa,6 however, reports that he has been able to obtain X-ray photograms of the beta phase. The structure, he states, is body-centered cubic with a lattice constant of 2.848 A.. at 7.2 per cent Si. Okamoto7 and Smith8 both use the designation Kappa for the hexag-onal phase, and to avoid confusion this designation will be adhered to in the present paper.

Jan 1, 1939

I HAVE previously shown you in the Fifth Book the process of making guns and gun carriages, together with other preparations and methods of moving them. If I now failed to show you more about them, it would be as if I had pointed out only the useless shadow of a thing, for I did not show the kinds and arrangement of their supplies or how the effects for which they are made are achieved. For these reasons I now wish to tell you, in addition to what I have already said, how saltpeter is made and the methods of refining it well; what it is and how without it guns and many effects of violent and artificial fires would have been discovered in vain. After this, I also wish to tell you the methods of compounding the powders for large and small guns, and finally how these are loaded and discharged. I also wish to tell you how mines are made, and fire tubes, [149v] fire pots, squibs, fireballs, rockets, shells, grapeshot, and other similar devices for shooting fire in order to bum ships, supplies, bridges, and ramparts, or, in offense, for firing on batteries. I also wish to teach you to make certain bronze balls for shooting, which carry fire and break in many pieces when they hit. For surely, besides being terrifying to the sight, they would be harmful to armies lined up in battle when they are fighting. Likewise, I wish, to enlighten you as to how artificial fires are made that last long and are difficult to extinguish. Since these are fine and useful things in wars, every captain and soldier should give them consideration and know how to use them when necessary. You will be pleased to have this information if for no other reason than that you can teach it to those who take delight in celebrating holidays with festivities and with fires.

Jan 1, 1942

By R. Van A. Mills

ONE of the most important problems facing the petroleum industry is the profitable recovery of oil that is left underground by the ordinary methods of production. It is true that vast quantities of oil are being recovered from fields previously considered depleted by the pressure restoration method, the most widely applicable -and most successful means of obtaining greater recoveries that has thus far been, developed. But notwithstanding the progress that is being made in the field applica¬tion of this method there is urgent need for a better understanding of the fundamental principles that are involved. To meet this need the Petro¬leum Experiment Station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines at Bartlesville, Okla., during the past two years has conducted a series of intensive laboratory and field investigations. The larger part of the work has been carried on in the laboratory to supply the much needed information upon fundamental principles, information which few if any of the oil companies are in a position to supply for themselves. In all of this work the Bureau is endeavoring to correlate the results of laboratory investigations with those in the field, using the results of one to guide or check the other. This paper is primarily a progress report, briefly outlining the Bureau's methods of study, the laboratory and equipment in use, the preliminary problems that had to be solved in order to attack the major problems at hand, the methods of attacking some of the major problems, and some of the results of the investigations to date.

Jan 1, 1928

By Axel Hultgren

IN ingots of silicon-killed carbon steel made without addition of - aluminum, transparent spherical or nearly spherical inclusions, up to about 0.15-mm diameter, are generally present. They may be glassy or crystallized, wholly or partially. In steels of high carbon contents they consist of silica,4,12 in steels of lower carbon contents arid, in consequence, higher oxygen contents, of iron-manganese-silicate with higher iron and manganese contents the lower the carbon content. Small silicate inclusions, about 0.01 mm or smaller, may occur, just as sulphide inclusions do, in portions that have been the last or nearly the last to freeze,10,12,17 this location being verified by primary etching.10 Hence, it may be concluded that they have separated from liquid steel that has become enriched in oxygen through segregation during freezing. Silicate inclusions with a diameter larger than about 0.02 mm appear, at least in ingots of moderate size, to be distributed at random in relation to the primary structure and therefore may be assumed to have existed as droplets in the liquid steel before freezing started at the point in question. The average size of such large inclusions has been found to increase toward the axis17 and their amount to increase from the top downward in the axial region .2,10 It has been assumed that this accumulation is a result of the droplets being brought down by the slowly settling metal crystals.2 It has been suggested that large silicate inclusions generally form,6 or may form," by coagulation of smaller ones, or by small drops being caught by larger ones during the rising of the latter.9 The occasional occurrence of a large inclusion surrounded by a swarm of small ones has been taken as a proof of this mechanism but, as suggested later, may be explained in another way. It has been pointed out that an inclusion droplet in the liquid steel may grow at the expense of an adjacent one, which implies diffusion of soluble inclusion-forming elements in the liquid steel.15 Further, it has been pointed out that, on cooling in ladle or mold, the metal-silicate equilibrium is displaced in the direction of separation of silicate. Thus inclusions may grow in size and amount.2,3,8,12,13,17,19,20 The exposure of the liquid steel to the oxygen of the air during tapping and pouring, and the consequent reaction, has been mentioned as a source of the formation of inclusions19,20 but this possibility has not received particular attention. Further, the admixture of furnace slag during tapping' or of refractory material from various sources1,20 has been considered. The inclusions due to the latter may be recognized, however, through their resistance to hydrofluoric acid, imparted by the alumina content. Silicate inclusions, are often referred to as. the natural and inevitable product of reaction on adding silicon or silicon

Jan 1, 1948

By Joseph T. Singewald

AMONG the genetically interesting iron ores of the United States are those of the St. Francis Mountains near Ironton and Iron Mountain, Missouri. They are specular hematite in porphyry. The Iron Mountain and Shepherd Mountain deposits are generally spoken of as veins and those of Pilot Knob, Cedar Hill, and Russell Mountain as bedded deposits. Iron Mountain has produced nearly 4,000,000 tons of ore and Pilot Knob about 1,500,000 tons. The output of the other three localities has been insignificant. Pilot Knob is no longer worked as an iron mine, but the rock is now being crushed for use as road metal. Iron Mountain has continued as an active producer. In 1927, the property was acquired by the M. A. Hanna Co. and an extensive prospecting and exploration campaign was undertaken, so that the ultimate production of Iron Mountain will doubtless greatly exceed the figures mentioned. Previous Theories of Origin Descriptions of the deposits and theories of their origin have been concerned mainly with Iron Mountain and Pilot Knob, which represent the two contrasting types of occurrence. The Iron Mountain deposits have been considered of close magmatic origin by Whitney' in 18.54, Geijer2 in 1915, and Spurr3 in 1927. Whitney referred to them as of eruptive origin. Geijer considered them fissure fillings at magmatic temperatures. Spurr called them vein dikes formed from ore magma which was essentially fluid iron oxide. Schmidt4 in 1872 ascribed them to fissure filling by thermal chalybeate waters of meteoric origin. Nason5 in 1892 advanced essentially the same explanation. One of the best

Jan 1, 1929

By R.J. Anderson

Roughly, a crack in a casting may be considered, for the moment, to be due to fracture of the alloy resulting from the stress set up by the contraction in volume on passing from the liquid to the solid state. Cracks may be external or surface, internal or deep-seated, or incipient or so-called strain cracks. Draws may appear as depressions, unevenness, and "pinching in" of the surface of a casting. Roughly, draws are due to contraction in volume and are governed largely by the same factors as cracks. A casting may be cracked, however, without being drawn. Shrinkage is a foundry term and refers to the contractio~l in volume of a metal or alloy on passing from the liquid to the solid state. Patternmaker's shrinkage is the total contraction in volume (including liquid, solidification, and solid shrinkage) that occurs when an alloy is poured into a mold. The contraction in volume of aluminum is one of the principal factors affecting the occurrence of cracks, as will be shown later, and the question of shrinkage and its control requires careful study in any treatment of cracking in castings. In the case of sand and die castings, cracks have been attributed to a number of causes, but in the case of most light aluminum alloys, they are due to the large contraction in volume on freezing and the lack of its regulation or control. The most important factors are: (1) Contraction in volume; (2) composition of alloy; (3) quality of melting charge; (4) design of casting; (5) method of molding; (6) hardness of ramming; (7) method of gating; (8) hardness and characteristics of cores; (9) chills; (10) risers; (11) melting temperatures; (12) furnace used for melting; (13) pouring temperatures; (14) inclusions in alloys; (15) hot shortness of alloys; and (16) physical properties of alloys at high temperatures. Of these, the first, second, third, and eleventh to sixteenth involve ascertainable metallurgical facts; the remainder are largely matters of opinion, judgment, and technical knowledge of men experienced in the production of castings.

Jan 1, 1923

By R. J. Anderson

Roughly, a crack in a casting may be considered, for the moment, to be due to fracture of the alloy resulting from the stress set up by the contraction in volume on passing from the liquid to the solid state. Cracks may be external or surface, internal or deep-seated, or incipient or so-called strain cracks. Draws may appear as depressions, unevenness, and "pinching in" of the surface of a casting. Roughly, draws are due to contraction in volume and are governed largely by the same factors as cracks. A casting may be cracked, however, without being drawn. Shrinkage is a foundry term and refers to the contractio~l in volume of a metal or alloy on passing from the liquid to the solid state. Patternmaker's shrinkage is the total contraction in volume (including liquid, solidification, and solid shrinkage) that occurs when an alloy is poured into a mold. The contraction in volume of aluminum is one of the principal factors affecting the occurrence of cracks, as will be shown later, and the question of shrinkage and its control requires careful study in any treatment of cracking in castings. In the case of sand and die castings, cracks have been attributed to a number of causes, but in the case of most light aluminum alloys, they are due to the large contraction in volume on freezing and the lack of its regulation or control. The most important factors are: (1) Contraction in volume; (2) composition of alloy; (3) quality of melting charge; (4) design of casting; (5) method of molding; (6) hardness of ramming; (7) method of gating; (8) hardness and characteristics of cores; (9) chills; (10) risers; (11) melting temperatures; (12) furnace used for melting; (13) pouring temperatures; (14) inclusions in alloys; (15) hot shortness of alloys; and (16) physical properties of alloys at high temperatures. Of these, the first, second, third, and eleventh to sixteenth involve ascertainable metallurgical facts; the remainder are largely matters of opinion, judgment, and technical knowledge of men experienced in the production of castings.

Jan 1, 1923

By Earl Hunner

IT is common knowledge that the iron orebodies of the Mesabi range lie nearly horizontal and are of trough or blanket-like types. These orebodies are from a few feet to several hundred feet thick and vary from a few acres in extent to the size of the largest one, at Hibbing, Minn., which is over 1 mile wide and 3 miles long. They are covered with sand, boulder and clay overburden and occasionally, shallow depths of ledge material, varying in total depth from about 20 to 200 ft. Large areas are not capped with overlying ledge material; the top of the ore lies directly underneath the surface material. Because of the comparatively great tonnage of ore, open-pit mining has made tremendous strides since the first open-pit ore was shipped from this range by the Merritt brothers, from the Mountain iron mine in October, 1892, and along with the great development of open-pit mining on the Mesabi range has gone a tremendous change in the character of equipment used.

Jan 1, 1930