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By Dale A. Augenstein, S. C. Sun

A primary concern in the solution of any solid waste disposal problem is the characterization of the material. In the past, available methodology for the determination of coal refuse characteristics has been severely limited by the inseparable combination of organic and inorganic matter of which the refuse is comprised. The recent development of an electronic, low temperature asher which removes the organic material without alteration of the inorganic constituents has opened new areas of coal and coal refuse research. This study deals with the development of methodology for the characterization of Pennsylvania anthracite refuse through utilization of the low temperature asher. Seven samples of anthracite refuse were examined for verification of the methodology developed and information concerning the characteristics of the refuse.

Jan 1, 1975

By H. B. Fuqua, B. E. Thompson

The area discussed in this paper, commonly known as the West Texas district, is easily divisible into three geologic provinces, the Midland Basin to the east, the Delaware Basin to the west and the West Texas structural platform separating these two. Production in Garza, Scurry, Mitchell, Howard, Glasscock, Irion, Reagan and central Crockett counties is associated with the east flank of the Midland Basin. That in Loving and Reeves counties is associated with the Delaware Basin. All other production and developments discussed in this paper belong to the province of the West Texas structural platform. Because of certain developments that have occurred during the past year, it has been found necessary to slightly revise one of the fields as grouped by Mr. Reith in last year's paper1. The Scarborough-Leck field has been broken down as follows (Table 1): The Leck field is shown separately because it is producing from dolomite; while the Scarborough area, producing from sand, is regrouped and designated as " Scarborough-Kermit-Halley," which includes the producing sand belt across Winkler County from Ward County to New Mexico. It is believed that this is a more logical division of Winkler County and that considerable future work will be avoided by making this change before further production figures have accumulated under the present set-up. A number of new fields are listed in Table 1, some of which may represent extensions of other produeing arras. The authors, however, are inclined to believe that they represent new fields. In either event, less work is involved ill adding two areas together, if they later prove to be one, than in attempting to separate a maze of production data into two fields after they have been erroneously carried as one for a number of years. The Howard-Glasscock field is designated in this review as the Chalk-Roberts field and the Denman production on the Howard-Mitchell County line is included in the Iatan field. Development during 1934 Development in West Texas during the year 1934 showed a marked increase over the previous year both in exploration and ill exploitation

Jan 1, 1935

By George Stone

THE method of making oxide of zinc direct from the ore was invented and developed at the works of The New Jersey Zinc Co. at Newark in the middle of the last century. The process was invented by Burrows, who had not the ability, financial or technical, to work out the details necessary to make it of commercial value. This was done by Col. Wetherill, whose name is commonly attached to this process. The, grate bars used are also frequently called Wetherill grates, which is a misnomer because they were in common use for boiler firing at the time and he never claimed their invention. The invention of the process was due to the efforts of The New Jersey Zinc Co. to find a profitable means of working the ores from Franklin and Sterling Hill, N. J. These are a mixture of franklinite, willemite and zincite, containing about 20 per cent. of zinc. The first attempts were to make spelter, which were not successful, owing to the low grade of the ore and the fusibility of the residue. Failing in this, the next attempt was to make oxide in large muffles and reverberatory furnaces. This succeeded, although the cost of operation was high, the recovery low, and the quality of the product uncertain. In 1855, the new process was patented and has been in successful operation ever since. Essentially, the process is to spread a mixture of coal and ore on a body of burning coal on a perforated grate and blow an excess of air through the grate. The zinc is reduced in contact with the coal, volatilizes and burned by the excess of air in the upper part off the furnace and in the flues. It is then carried to the hag rooms by the excess air and products of combustion which are forced through the flues by fans. In its main features, the process is the same today as at the time of its invention, but the details have been so modified that it would hardly be recognized by its originators.

Jan 9, 1917

By H. B. Pulsifer

The unprecedented high price of zinc ore prevailing through the early months of 1915 caused great activity in the Joplin district of Missouri. The Media mill is conspicuous as one of the first of the new "big mills" of the district. The mill was built over a mine previously worked but abandoned in 1912 because of the leanness of the ore and the large quantity of water encountered. The ore prices prevailing—$100 a ton in June, 1915, as against $50 in 1912-—favored the new undertaking. The mill was designed for good recovery so that it might operate in times of depression. In design and equipment, the mill is exclusively local in conception and construction. Former Exploitation The tract of land is a part of the large Guinn holdings; 70 acres are comprised in this particular lot, which is situated just a mile north of the center of Webb City on the Alba line of the Southwest Missouri Electric Railway. The ore lies 242 ft. below the surface at the top of the knoll which is surrounded by the well known properties: Black Cat, Ground Floor, Florence, Hurry-Up, Electrical, and Mercantile. Since the abandonment, in 1913, of the Yellow Dog a bit farther to the north, the Black Cat, Ground Floor, and Florence workings had been flooded. However, as there was no cut through from this side into the area it was proposed to exploit, it was thought that moderate pumping facilities would take care of the water. Three shafts had already been sunk to the ore horizon during the previous operations; the ground was connected by wide drifts and possibly 10 acres mined out, principally about the two southerly shafts which at surface are 8 and 13 ft. lower, respectively, than the collar of the shaft at which the new mill was built. The former mill on the lease was known as the Bohemian Girl. This mill, built in 1910, was removed after some 3 years' work. A head frame and hopper still existed at the middle shaft, sometimes known as the lower Hold Out shaft, but at the most northerly

Jan 1, 1918

By W. G. Woolnough

Production of oil in Australia is negligible at present. A very small quantity of crude is being recovered from lean pumpers in Victoria, and a little activity is evidenced in Queensland, where two new wells were sunk during 1934. One of these, at Warooby Creek near Roma, obtained a noteworthy gas flow, but no oil production has been recorded. Geological investigation is going on in Western Australia, but no drilling activity is apparent. The "boom" in oil prospecting came to an end when the wave of depression swept over the country, and the investing public turned its attention actively towards gold. There is great activity in gold prospecting at present. I still maintain as strongly as ever that the prospects of obtaining flow oil in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria are good, and that really scientific methods must ultimately succeed. Active and excellent geological work is being carried out in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, and it is reported that drilling is likely to be undertaken next year. Matters in Papua are at a standstill. The question of extraction of oil from the oil shales of New South Wales and Tasmania is perennially active, and attempts to exploit this source commercially are renewed from time to time. Hydrogenation of coal is also receiving a good deal of attention.

Jan 1, 1935

By Jan Wolski

Today's rapidly shrinking world requires a common language of measurements, a consistent system which could be used by everyone. The S.I. system of units is generally accepted as such and is already in use by a great majority of nations in the world. The change to S.I. units is also slowly taking place in U.S. engineering practice. The transition period is difficult and long because it takes time to get familiar with the new system, to start "feeling" values in new units. Instruments, formulas, computer programs, survey grids, etc. have to be converted or exchanged. The transition period should be used not only for substitution of units, but also for rationalization of presently used calculation methods. This paper examines the major parameters of mine ventilation from the above point of view and discusses a system which is much simpler and more consistent than the American Unit System still in use in the United States. In October 1979, the Society of Mining Engineers of AIME decided to introduce the S.I. unit system in all its publications including the periodical "Mining Engineering", and since February 1980 the system has been used consistently, not only in SME publications but in all conferences and meetings organized by this Society. The authors have no intention of explaining the details of the S.I. system in general. Any reader can find this information in many available publications and conversion tables, and in particular in the ASTM Standard for Metric Practice, E380-79. A comparison is made between various units used in mine ventilation from the past and those presently in use. This will allow an easy translation from one system to another, important when reading publications from abroad. S.I. and customary U.S. formulae are shown side by side for easier visualization of similarities and differences. Recommendations for the necessary steps in order to switch from American to S.I. units conclude the paper.

Jan 1, 1982

By Ernest Hersam

THE rate of output of a rock crusher is based upon a certain space relation, the calculation requiring that the size and position of the jaws, the principle of motion, and the speed of the machine be known. The result is a calculated maximum output. The purpose of this paper is to develop a method of calculating this maximum output, to judge the general applicability A utility of such a calculation, and, so far as possible, to record calculated values as a basis for the comparison of actual results, or for estimating the capacity of a new crusher or of a standard crusher working under new conditions. A method for calculating the capacity of crushing rolls, which has been in common use for a long time, is well presented by R. H. Richards.1 The output is conceived as a ribbon of rock, of which the breadth, thickness and length are governed respectively by the width of the rolls, the space, between them, and their peripheral velocity. The weight of the rock thus crushed in a given time can be calculated from its specific gravity, after applying a factor representing the percentage of voids in the hypothetical ribbon. The calculation of crusher capacity is made in a somewhat similar manner. While the action of rolls is simple, with few irregularities in operating conditions, in rock crushers the material advances intermittently, usually under the force of gravity alone, and is subjected to a variety of variable conditions. The effect of these variable influences upon' the calculation of capacity is now to be shown. In this paper, capacity will be discussed quite apart from any consideration of mechanical efficiency; that is, results will be stated not in terms of output per horsepower, but of output for a given machine when operated at a known speed, constructed and adjusted to receive material of a known size, and to yield a product having a definite maximum coarseness.

Jan 7, 1922

By G. S. Hume

Activity in geological exploration and drilling continued in Canada in 1945 at about the same rate as in the previous year, but with disappointing results as far as new production is .concerned. Both in the foothills and on the Plains of Alberta, however, there are wildcat wells that have either given encouraging shows or some production, which are very important in relation to future developments. The normal decline of Turner Valley, the largest producing field in Canada, has continued, and this decrease has not been offset by new discoveries. In addition, the closing of the Canol pipe line on March 31, 1945, isolated the Norman Wells field in the Mackenzie River valley, and the outlet at present. is confined to supplying the relatively small local requirements. This

Jan 1, 1946

W. R. Ingalls, since 1905 editor of the Engineering and Mining Journal, retires from that position with the issue of Mar. 22, to open offices in New York City as a consulting engineer. The severing of this connection .will not be complete, however, as Mr. Ingalls will continue as consulting editor, and will handle the metal-market quotations in the Journal which are now the accepted authority for the government settlements of ore importations and the basis of practically all the ore settlements between miners and smelters throughout' the country. No greater compliment can be paid to Mr. Ingalls than this, unless it is the recognized fact that these quotations have been made what they are by his ability and his integrity, which secured for him channels of information vital to the accurate estimating of the market, but denied to anyone else. The Journal, under the. strong hand of Mr. Ingalls, has always been the acme of ethics in technical journalism, and the best wish that can he given to his successor, not yet announced, is that the Journal may long continue to live up to the standards not originated, but so consistently maintained and strengthened by Mr. Ingalls. His spelter statistics are accepted as authoritative wherever the English language is read and zinc ore is mined. He has found time during his very arduous years on the Journal to he the author of several works on the resources and metallurgy of zinc, lead, cadmium, etc.; for 5 years was the editor of Mineral Industry; and was consulting engineer for the Bureau of Mines and joint author of their voluminous and authoritative work on mine safety rules. His retirement from the Journal is a distinct loss to every one of the Journal's readers individually and to the profession as a whole. Universal good wishes go with Mr. Ingalls to his new field, which has for a long time been offering him professional attractions that his confining editorial work has not permitted him to accept.

Jan 4, 1919

At the meeting of the Board of Directors held Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1919, there were present nineteen Directors and the Secretary of the Institute. The following officers were elected for the year: A. R. Ledoux, first vice-president; George D. Barron, treasurer; Bradley Stoughton, secretary; and the following committees: Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Library Committee, Committee on Papers and Publications, Committe on Membership. The personnel of these committees will be published in the Year Book. A vote of thanks was passed to each officer and member of the several committees that arranged the New York Meeting of the Institute. The meeting dates for the Board were arranged for the year. The report of the Treasurer was presented, also the report of the Auditing

Jan 4, 1919

By W. C. Phalen

E. G. SPILSBURY; New York, N. Y.-I would like to emphasize what Mr. Phalen says in his paper regarding the possible utilization of the waste acids in the West for the acid concentration of phosphate rock, and to call attention to the fact that this is already being done by Mr. Laist at Anaconda, who is producing concentrated phosphoric acid from these low-grade rocks. During the last year, he has not been able to carry this along to the extent he, had expected, owing to the tremendous demand which they have had for all the acid they can produce, so instead of having a. surplus of acid, as was expected, they are really short of this material for their electrolytic copper and zinc work.

Jan 4, 1917

By R. T. Hukki

This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the fundamental relationship between the net energy used and the respective product size throughout the entire range of sizes covered by crushing and grinding, and an attempt to find a sensible correlation between the existing theories. Walker, Lewis, McAdams, and Gilliland' have given the following differential equation of a general form for comminution: dE = -C§ [1] where E is the net energy required per unit weight in a certain process of comminution; x is the factor indicating the fineness of the product; n is the exponent indicating the order of the process, and C is a constant related with the material, units chosen, etc. H exponent n in the above equation is replaced by numerical figures 2, 1, and 1 1/2, the integrated form of the general equation leads to the well known fundamental theories represented by the law of von Rittinger,' law of Kick, and the third theory of comminution by Bond, respectively. The total net energies (E) from infinite feed size to a product of size x are as follows: The net energy required in a certain process of comminution is proportional to the new surface developed according to the law of von Rittinger, to the weight or size of the bodies treated according to the law of Kick, and to the length of the new cracks formed which initiate breakage according to the theory and explanation by Bond. On a logarithmic paper, where particle size is presented on the abscissa and energy consumption on the ordinate (see Fig. 21, all three relationships are represented by straight lines. The slope m of the line according to the law of von Rittinger is equal to -1.0; of Kick, 0; and of Bond, -0.5. Experimental evidence in favor of the law of Rittinger has been presented, e.g., by Gross and zimmerley5 on quartz crushed in a drop weight crusher and evaluated for surface by the method of dissolution, by Dean on magnetite crushed by a similar method and evaluated for surface by the determination of coersive force, by piret7 and co-workers on a group of minerals crushed again by a similar method as well as by compression and evaluated for surface by permeability and gas adsorption methods, and by schellinger8 on a group of minerals ground in a calorimetric ball mill and evaluated for surface by gas adsorption. Experimental evidence in favor of the law of Kick seems to be scant in the field of comminution. On the other hand, in the field of mechanical engineering Kick's law seems to be of fundamental nature in processes such as cutting, pressing, shaping, and rolling of metallic substances. Experimental evidence in favor of the third theory has been provided by Bond." To a large extent, data are based on the vast amount of grindability tests performed in the laboratories of Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. In addition to the devoted proponents of one or the other of the basic theories listed above, certain investigators have indicated that one of the theories might be applied for a certain range of sizes, while another theory might be used for other sizes. In a discussion of a paper by Bond," Dobie" presented a statement at the International Mineral Dressing Congress in London (1952) indicating that 1) for large particles, the law of Kick was approximately correct; 2) for finer particles, von Rittinger's suggestion was nearer to the truth; and 3) Bond's new

Jan 1, 1961

By Theron Wasson

Discoveries in Michigan, which at the beginning of the year 1934 indicated possible new areas, did not develop into fields of market-breaking proportions. Hart, Oceana County, developed small production from the Traverse lime. Edmore, Montcalm County, proved a small area for oil from the Traverse. West Branch, Ogemaw County, previously reported as Ogemaw, had quite a drilling campaign but was somewhat disappointing because wells were small and erratic. During the year, 30 wells were completed at West Branch, and at the end of the year 15 others in and around this field were under way. At West Branch the Traverse lime, found at 1800 ft., has thin porous streaks near the top, which make small wells; the Dundee lime at 2800 ft. produces from a porous zone of varying thickness. Over the entire field the Dundee wells average 10 to 20 bbl. per day. Acid treatment has materially increased production from some Dundee wells in this field. About 3000 acres have been proved productive from the Traverse and Dundee. At the close of the year the well in Beaverton township, Gladwin County, is probably the most discussed of any in Michigan and may be opening a new field of some proportions. It had an initial production of 70 bbl. daily from the Dundee lime at 3830, which has decreased to 25 bbl. per day. Deeper drilling into the lime may increase production. During 1935 the area around this test will probably be the most active in the state. Structural conditions in Gladwin County, as in other parts of Central Michigan, are obscured by a thick mantle of glacial drift and it will take considerable drilling to outline subsurface conditions accurately. The most important new shallow gas area of the year is around Edmore in Mecosta and Montcalm counties. Eight wells have been drilled to the Michigan stray and the upper Marshall sand, having a combined initial production of 30 million cubic feet. These gas wells are scattered over so wide an area that an estimate of proven territory cannot be made until more drilling is done. At the present time no gas is being sold from Edmore.

Jan 1, 1935

By B. Mueller

Altered concepts regarding the raw material used in conventional blast furnace plants as well as new technologies for the reduction of iron ores make it necessary to reconsider the design of pelletizing plants. The incorporation of a pelletizing plant within a conventional integrated steel mill involves considerations of the problems of using in-plant fines. A modern pelletizing plant in Mexico serves as an example of the technical solution. In recent times, pelletizing plants are also being integrated within steel mills based upon direct reduction processes. The design of such pelletizing plants must take into account special product quality requirements.

Jan 1, 1977

By R. A. Deju, R. B. Bhappu

Further information on the surface characteristics of the silicate minerals was obtained by experimentally correlating the oxygen-silicon ratio of the silicates with their electrokinetic properties. Specifically, the behavior of the minerals in an electric field was investigated using zero point of charge as a parameter. A modified electrophoresis cell was used for the determination of electrophoretic mobilities. It was shown that there is an increase in the zero point of charge with increasing oxygen-silicon ratio in the silicates. Finally, a chemical interpretation was presented to describe the surface phenomena observed in the experiments. In recent years great interest in surface chemistry has produced a number of methods to study the surfaces of minerals and to observe the phenomena occurring at their interfaces. One such method is discussed in this paper. A rather complete review of the surface characteristics of the oxide minerals has been undertaken by parks,' but, a similar study has not been made for the silicate minerals. Two previous papers by the authors2'3 attempted to remedy this situation. In these papers it was demonstrated that the reaction between the silicate mineral particles and acidic water involves mainly an exchange of metal ions for hydrogen ions on the surface of the solid, leading to an increase in pH of the aqueous phase. Also, the degree of reaction was found to depend on the oxygen-silicon ratio of the silicate structure, being least for the quartz and greatest for the olivines. A hypothesis was then set forth explaining that upon the fracturing of a silicate mineral, the oxygen-metal bond (which is almost entirely ionic in character) will break more easily than the stronger oxygen-silicon bond. This results in the exposure of unsatisfied oxygen sites on one hand and active, exchangeable cations on the other. These active sites on the fractured surfaces are then available for reaction with the hydrogen ions in acidified aqueous solution. Thus, an increase in degree of adsorption of hydrogen ions occurs as the oxygen-silicon ratio increases due to the presence of a larger number of active sites on such minerals. A correlation between oxygen-silicon ratio and electrokinetic properties will be further pursued in this paper from both the theoretical and experimental points of view. Efforts will then be made to present a chemical interpretation of surface phenomena observed in the experiments. It is believed that this study may supply pertinent information on the behavior of silicate minerals in froth flotation systems. ELECTROKINETIC STUDIES Equipment: In a previous paper,2 Deju and Bhappu described a simple method for determing the zero point of charge using a potential across a cata-phoresis cell and observing particle movement by means of a Rayoscope* optical system. This setup is simple in design and operation and extremely reliable. With care, reproducible results within 1.5% accuracy may be obtained. A new setup has been developed, based partly on the design by Zeta-Meter Corp.4 and partly on previous cells used at the New Mexico Bureau of Mines. This new, modified cell is shown in Fig. 1. Although

Jan 1, 1967

By C. F. Hardy, D. R. Mitchell

Bolts held up roofs as mining machines went on to set new records, but rising labor costs still plagued operators.

Jan 2, 1951

By A. F. Meger

Coal treatment by oil spraying receives special attention at the Georgetown plant for the dividends it pays in satisfying present customers and attracting new markets. Customer satisfaction requires care, quality control, and use of suitable oils. REPRESENTED here are the ideas and varied experiences of many people in the Hanna Coal CO. who have helped develop, over a number of years, an efficient and flexible method for spraying controlled amounts of oil on coal. Since the Georgetown preparation plant began operations early in 1951, oil treatment of coal has received special attention. It is believed that oil treating will satisfy present customers and also attract new markets. The first step in developing the new method of oil spraying was the construction of a dust cabinet for testing 50-lb samples of treated coal with the available oil sprays on the market. Tests results were tabulated for both indoor and outdoor storage. The graph, Fig. 1, shows results of the original tests made with a 700-sec residual blend and a 500-sec lubricating oil on Georgetown stoker coal of 1¼x3/8-in. size.* The advantages of better price, improperly blended can raise havoc. Some.,pale oils also, although odorless when delivered, give off a sweet sickening odor when atomized under pressure. It is recommended that all products be tested before they are used. There is a specific place for all spraying oils. For example, at a power plant a severe dust condition exists around the stockpile area and in parts of the plant. The cheapest spraying oil made, regardless of odor, will do an excellent job in this case and will save the company 3 to 5c per gal or more. Domestic trade, on the other hand, must be carefully handled to prevent complaints about odor, and the only way to do this is to stay with the proved products after the odor tests have been made. The preparation plant at Georgetown has facilities to handle either tank car or tank truck deliveries. Steam is available at the unloading point if the weather is severe, and there is an indicator at the unloading point to prevent overflowing the 20,000-gal underground storage tank. Systematic test samples are removed from each delivery and sent to the lubrication engineer to insure quality control. Fig. 3 illustrates the chutes in which smaller sizes of coal are treated. Fig. 4 shows the entire spraying system. Buried in the ground is a 20,000-gal tank with immersion heaters grouped around the feeder line to insure adequate gravity flow to the pump under all conditions of weather. Oil flows to a 500-gal preheating tank where the temperature is kept about 150°F by six 1½-kw immersion heaters thermostatically controlled. Hot oil is fed through a self-cleaning disc-type filter to the hydraulic pump. Valves and piping make it possible to transfer oil from one tank to another or to drain the lines for maintenance purposes. All this equipment is below ground level in a covered pump room,

Jan 1, 1955

By P. Rama Rao, D. H. Sastry, T. R. Anantharaman

Deformation (a) and twin (a') stacking-fault densities in cold - wor ked filings of fcc silver alloys containing 2, 4, and 6 wt pct Sb have been estimated from Debye-Scherrer peak shifts and asymmetries, respectively. Evidence has been obtained for a possible strain-induced transformation in a two-phase alloy containing 9.0 zut pct Sb. Using Fourier analysis of X-ray line profiles, the effective particle sizes and root mean square strains have been determined for the three fcc alloys in the cold-worked condition. The values of the compound fault probability 0.5a + a') evaluated from peak shifts and asymmetries are in reasonable apeement with those derived from peak broadening. COLD work of fcc metals may produce both deformation and twin (also called growth) stacking faults, which can be detected and quantitatively estimated by X-ray diffraction techniques.' In addition to peak broadening, deformation faults produce a shift in peak positions and twin faults an asymmetry of the Debye-Scherrer reflections. Besides stacking faults, a reduction in the size of coherently diffracting domains and distortion within these also broaden the powder reflections of deformed fcc metals and alloys. Fourier analysis' of peak shapes provides quantitative infor- mation about the effective domain sizes, lattice strains, and also the compound fault probability (1.5a + a'), where a and a' represent deformation-and growth-fault density, respectively. The Paterson method2 for determination of a from peak shifts, the warren3 or wagner4 method for evaluation of a' from peak asymmetries, and the Fourier analysis for quantitative estimates of all the contributory causes of peak broadening have, in the course of the last decade, been extensively applied to obtain data for a number of deformed fcc metals and alloys. One of the useful results of earlier measurements of a in several solid solutions is a correlation between a and the solute valence as well as electron concentration per atom (p) in alloy systems based on a particular solvent. The work of Smallman and westmacott5 on Cu-Zn, Cu-A1, and Cu-Sn, of Foley, Cahn, and ~aynor' on Cu-Si and Cu-Ge, and of Rama Rao and Anantharaman7 on Cu-Si and Cu-Sb has revealed a common trend in the increase of a with p and also a with valency of the solute. Cahn and Davies' and Ad-ler and wagnerg have observed similar trends for silver alloys containing cadmium, indium, and tin. Data on a for silver alloys with a pentavalent solute element are not, however, available. It is primarily to fill this need that the present investigation on Ag-Sb alloys was undertaken. Utilizing the Patersonand Warren methods, values of a and a', respectively, have been determined in three silver alloys containing 2, 4, and 6 wt pct Sb. By Fourier analysis of the broadening of Debye-Scherrer peaks, effective particle sizes, lattice strains, and the compound fault probability (1.5a +a') have also been evaluated.

Jan 1, 1967

By John M. Sharp

John M. Sharp, Jr. (Assistant Professor of Geology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.)-Geothermal gradient and surface temperature data anomalies are potentially useful tools in mineral exploration, These data, however, may reflect a number of geologic and hydrologic processes as well as the thermophysical properties of the geologic materials. The author presents a relatively simple model which may be of value in mineral exploration. The lack of consideration of other processes, however, limits its usefulness. For instance, because of erosion or sediment deposition over geologic time the land surface must be considered a moving boundary in such a model. Evaluation of this effect coupled with annual surface temperature and thermal conductivity variations can result in temperature profiles such as shown in [Figs. 4 to 7]. These effects and others, such as ground-water movement," must be considered and filtered from the data before proper interpretation is possible. Another assumption which should have been discussed is, why were the observed mean surface temperatures not used for extrapolation of the gradients in [Figs. 4, 6, and 7?] Conductive heat transport responds to the actual boundary (land surface) temperature, not to theoretical temperatures in the absence of perturbations. Benfield presents a theoretical model for calculating perturbations in the geothermal gradient for erosion and sedimentation. The temperature (T) at any time (t) and any depth below the surface (x) is given by [ ] where T is the mean surface temperature, G, the geothermal gradient, v, the rate of erosion (or sedimentation),[ ], the long-term rate of change of T0, and k is the thermal diffusivity of the rock. Using the author's values and a rate of erosion of 1.54 cm per yr for a period of 10,000 yr, a thermal profile as shown in [Fig. 10] will be generated. A thermal diffusivity of 0.0164 sq cm per sec was used, corresponding to a thermal conductivity of 0.0082 cal per cm per sec per C. In [Fig. 11], a sediment deposition rate of 3.0 cm per yr for a period of 1000 yr was used to generate the subsurface temperature profile. A surface temperature of 24.3°C was used, as specified in [Fig. 9, 7], was set equal to zero for both cases. Superposition on the generated profiles in [Figs. 10 and 11] of the annual surface temperature variation perturbation (which may be calculated in a number of ways) will yield profiles similar to those in [Figs. 4 and 7]. Similar profiles can also be produced by regional ground-water flow. Models like the author's can be of value in mineral exploration. Other processes, however, which affect surface temperatures and gradients must first be considered, calculated, and filtered from the data if anything but the crudest qualitative interpretation is to be made. Robert C. Edmiston (Author's reply)-Professor Sharp has raised three objections to my interpretation of the subsurface temperature data I collected at Silver Bell. These are: 1) No correction was made for erosion or sedimentation,

Jan 1, 1977

By Floyd Kelley

THE literature of the last decade is rich with information relating to the cause and means of control of grain growth in pure metals, but is deficient concerning the role diffusion plays in grain growth, although during this period many new products that depend on diffusion for their properties and success have been developed. Among these are cementation products, produced by calorizing, chromizing, and carbonizing, or by mixing, pressing, and sintering powdered metals such as Syke's iron-molybdenum die material, Genelite, and Elcon Metal (copper, tungsten) etc. This is a fertile field for new developments, but before it can be util-ized to the fullest extent there must be a thorough investigation of the processes by which diffusion and grain growth take place. Grain growth plays no small part in the process and certainly the physical properties of these products depend largely on the grain size and state of equilibrium produced. The field of investigation does not end here, but may be extended to the effect of diffusion on impurities, segregations and dendrites in the broad field of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. A number of years ago the author investigated several of these cases and noted, with striking regularity, the pronounced effect of diffusion in promoting recrystallization and grain growth. An example of this phenomenon is given in his paper on chromizing1 which contained photomicrographs of large radial or columnar crystals produced by diffusion of chromium in the solid state. Another manifestation of this effect was discussed by Austen,2 who showed the part hydrogen plays in the decarburization of steel and the effect of diffusion upon the grain structure.

Jan 1, 1928