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By R. A. Matuszak

Abstract-Throughout the history of power excavating machines, engineers have continuously tried to shape the main drive speed-torque characteristics to provide an optimum performance from each main motion. Selection of prime mover for the various motions has been the subject of many engineering studies and most forms of energy conversion have been tried. A new form of electrical power conversion looms on the horizon as the most optimum yet. Controlled frequency operation of a squirrel cage induction motor increases the reliability of the most reliable form of energy conversion (electrical) found thus far, and improves the performance characteristics.

Jan 2, 1978

By H. R. Shidel

This paper summarizes the results obtained from the preliminary cementing of wells in an effort to cut off the bottom water. The object of this work was two-fold: (1) To prevent the oil sand from becoming flooded. (2) To plug off bottom water, thereby preserving the individual well and reclaiming production. Valuable suggestions and help have been given by the following named: Messrs. Kyle and La Velle, of the U. 8. Bureau of Mines; Magnolia Petroleum -Co.; Freed Oil and Gas Co. The cementing work was carried out under the personal supervision of L. J. Snyder. In an unpublished paper on the "Water Problem in the Augusta Field," 5. K. Clark reaches the following conclusions: (1) That the great amount of water present is bottom water, occurring in the Varner sand, the main producing or the 2500-ft. horizon, (2) That the only striking connection between structure and water is in .the area of the marked fault on the Ralston, E. C. Varner, and F. Varner leases in sections 8, 9, 16 and 17. (3) That the oil occurs in porous streaks, generally separated by finegrained, well cemented sand, which is barren. Possibly two or three such pay streaks may be found. That under a pay, fine-grained sand occurs, which is presumably barren at the time of drilling, but soon reveals water. The writer takes partial exception to the last point, because well defined shale, slate, lime, or hard sand breaks have been encountered in a great many cases, separating the pay streaks under which water is often found. This is not an invariable occurrence, as cases have been noted when the oil has been followed immediately by water in the same stratum. In an effort to overcome the water menace, the following methods of plugging were tried: (1) Plugging with wood, lead, and limit plugs. (2) Plugging with sand pumpings.

Jan 1, 1920

By L. C. Noakes

Despite a long history of mining. Australia had no Commonwealth organization dealing specifically with the mineral industry until 1946, when the Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics was established. Once formed, this new organization quickly expanded to include a Mineral Economics Section, which was established in 1947. Australia's slowness to develop a Federal bureau for the mineral industry can best be explained in the light of her political history. From a group of British crown colonies, Australia evolved into six sovereign states which had no unified federal government until they formed the present Commonwealth in 1901.

Jan 1, 1970

By Eugene S. Perry

The most notable development in oil and gas operations in Montana during 1938 were extensions to the Kevin-Sunburst and Cut Bank fields. No new fields were discovered, although about 20 widely scattered wildcat wells were operated. Within or adjacent to proved fields about 100 wells were drilled, resulting in 81 oil wells and 14 gas wells. In general, production activities were below those of 1937, largely because of market conditions. Markets for crude were improved late in the year by construction of refinerirs at Pocatello, Idaho, Spokane, Washington and Cut Bank; and also by price concessions. However, demand was much

Jan 1, 1939

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who registered at Institute headquarters during the period Mar. 10 to Apr. 10, 1915: Oscar Lachmund, Greenwood, B. C. Harvey B. Small, Mangaugue, Colombia. S. W. Ough, Pachuca, Mexico. M. F. Sayre, Schenectady, N. Y. B. W. Vallat, Detroit, Mich. James W. Hambleton, Parral, Mexico. Charles Mentzel, New York, N. I . Philip L. Gill, Woodmere, L. I., N. 1. M. K. Rodgers, San Francisco, Cal. John T. Fuller is President of the F. Shepherd Mining Co., operating at Rush Mountain, Ark.

Jan 5, 1915

By Eugene S. Perry

The most notable development in oil and gas operations in Montana during 1938 were extensions to the Kevin-Sunburst and Cut Bank fields. No new fields were discovered, although about 20 widely scattered wildcat wells were operated. Within or adjacent to proved fields about 100 wells were drilled, resulting in 81 oil wells and 14 gas wells. In general, production activities were below those of 1937, largely because of market conditions. Markets for crude were improved late in the year by construction of refinerirs at Pocatello, Idaho, Spokane, Washington and Cut Bank; and also by price concessions. However, demand was much

Jan 1, 1939

By Theodore M. Barry

Work measurement is the most common of many titles given to determining the amount of human work required to do any job. A new technique-like most modern management tools-it still needs years of constructive research. Yet despite known imperfections, it is probably the most enthusiastically used tool of cost control developed in the last hundred years. Over 85 pct of all companies employing more than 100 workers in one of the major industrial areas use work measurement. For a good reason, however, this has not been true in the mining industry until very recently. The facts make an interesting story.

Nov 1, 1955

By Eugene B. Wilson

The development of coal-mines has kept pace with the facilities at command for ventilating and lighting. In fact, it was formerly • customary to leave unworked those mines, or portions of mines, in which naked lights could not be used without danger. Attention was then turned to the ventilation; but even with improved ventilation, the naked light was often unsafe. The new era in coal-mining dates, we may say, as far back as 1815, when Sir H. Davy and Mr. George Stephenson discovered the principle of the safety-lamp. Since then many improvements have been added to their lamps, but

Jan 1, 1885

By R. A. Matuszak

Throughout the history of power excavating machines, engineers have continuously tried to shape the main drive speed- torque characteristics to provide an optimum from each main motion. Selection of prime mover for the various motions has been the subject of many engineering studies and most forms of energy conversion have been tried. A new form of electrical power conversion looms on the horizon as the most optimum yet. Controlled frequency operation of a squirrel cage induction motor increases the reliability of the most reliable form of energy conversion (electrical) found thus far, and improves the performance characteristics.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. B. Newsom

IN the September 1936 issue of MINING AND METALLURGY the pioneer work of boring a 5-ft. shaft to a depth of 1125 ft. at the Idaho Maryland mine in California was described. Later, a Bureau of Mines Information Circular (No. 6923) gave additional data. In re¬cent months still further progress has been made in this technique through the sinking of a 5 1/2-ft. shaft for Pickands, Mather & Co. at their Zenith mine, Ely, Minn. The present work was done with new carefully designed equipment and several experienced men so that progress, as shown below has been much better:

Jan 1, 1938

By R. G. Hite, R. G. Rowe

The Crandon deposit, located in northern Wisconsin, is a 65.8 million ton Precambrian volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit which averages 1.4% copper and 5.8% zinc. The deposit is classic in origin, mineralogy and shape. Comprehensive understanding of the geology of both the deposit and the project site has been fundamental to the credibility and success of project feasibility studies and regulatory permit preparation. Mine development in the current investment and regulatory climate requires thorough and timely application of geologic tools. From 1977-1980 geologic activities were focused on the typical objectives of orebody delineation, reserve estimation, depositional geology, and general site investigation. Results from these programs formed the basis for the project's preliminary feasibility studies. Since 1981 further geologic investigations have provided criteria for project design, site management, and operational permitting. Activities have included mine entry position definition drilling, developing geostatistical reserve modeling, large diameter (150 mm) core drilling for mill pilot samples, rock mechanics testing, and evaluation of the glacial overburden/deposit geohydrology for computer simulation.

Jan 1, 1984

By Welton Crook

UNLESS present in considerable proportion, metals of the precious-metal group-other than gold and silver-are not readily detected by the methods of fire assaying usually applied to ores and metallurgical products. Platinum, when present in small quantity, will ordinarily be reported as silver unless special methods of parting are used. Other elements occurring in the gold itself are all fluxed and slagged in the assay operation and if analyses are made on bullions the melting and slagging operations to which the bullion has been subjected may eliminate most of the associated elements. On the other hand, the analysis of precipi-tate from the cyanide treatment of gold ores may reveal the presence of many unexpected elements, such as tungsten and molybdenum. It is uncertain, however, whether many of the elements present in the pre-cipitate are derived from the ore gangue or from the gold itself. No very general survey of the distribution of metallic elements in gold seems to have been made. Rose and Newman,1 in connection with the composition of native gold, say in part as follows: Gold is occasionally found alloyed with copper and sometimes also with iron, bis-muth, lead, mercury, tin, antimony, palladium or rhodium. Rhodium gold from Mexico was found to be of the specific gravity 15.5 to 16.8 and contained 34 to 43 per cent of rhodium. The native alloy of palladium, gold, and silver from Porpez con-tains 85.98 per cent of gold, 9.85 per cent palladium and 4.17 per cent silver. Mal-donite, from Victoria, contains gold 64.5 per cent, bismuth 35.5 per cent (Louis). Dana' says that native gold is usually alloyed with silver in varying amounts, and that sometimes it also contains traces of copper and iron. Rare varieties contain palladium, rhodium and bismuth. Other authors, for instance Zeigler3 and Clark,4 give similar information. Most refer-ences on the subject agree that ordinary native golds contain, in common, the elements silver, copper and iron. After completion of the work of which this paper is a record, the conclusion is reached that all ordinary native gold probably does contain these elements and, although in certain cases other elements may be found to be present, that it is difficult to

Jan 1, 1939

By F. N. Rhines

Sintering may be defined as the process by which powders bond themselves into coherent bodies, usually, although not necessarily, under the influence of pressure and elevated temperature. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, the present survey will exclude from consideration the sintering of mixed or alloyed powders, with attendant complications, but at the risk of overlooking information of general applicability. Sintering in the presence of a liquid phase is thus automatically eliminated. The sintering of alloys involves much additional subject matter and deserves separate consideration. Since the literature of the subject is extensive and widely scattered, it will not be feasible to consider the contributions individually. Instead, the subject matter will be classified according to experimental observations and theory, and will be presented in summary form. It should be noted that the appended list of references does not constitute a complete bibliography; it includes only those works quoted below. More extensive bibliographies are included in several of the references; see particularly references 7, 9, 28, 34, 38, 50, 52, 54, a "Bibliography on Powder Metallurgy" published by the Library of Congress and a pamphlet published by the Metals Disintegrating Co. entitled "The Field of Powder Metallurgy and Bibliography." 11. Summary of Experimental Observations The following classified list is composed of general statements of established fact derived from the experimental results reported in the published literature. A few contested observations are included, because of their potential importance; these are labeled as such. Any satisfactory and complete theory must be capable of explaining all of the uncontested facts. Obviously, some important facts may be missing from this list and these may hold the key to the correct explanation of the sintering process, but the possible lack of such material should not deter attempts to understand the subject on the basis of what is available here. A, The Initial Bond at Room Temperature a. To a limited extent uncompressed powders and massive metals adhere at room temperature. Clean tin powder forms a weak "cake" on standing at room temperature, the strength increasing with time. Clean gold surfaces adhere on light con-tact, as do those of many other substances, including nickel.27 b. Upon compression the strength of the bond- is increased progres-ivelv. There is a limit of pressure

Jan 1, 1946

By F. N. Rhines

Sintering may be defined as the process by which powders bond themselves into coherent bodies, usually, although not necessarily, under the influence of pressure and elevated temperature. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, the present survey will exclude from consideration the sintering of mixed or alloyed powders, with attendant complications, but at the risk of overlooking information of general applicability. Sintering in the presence of a liquid phase is thus automatically eliminated. The sintering of alloys involves much additional subject matter and deserves separate consideration. Since the literature of the subject is extensive and widely scattered, it will not be feasible to consider the contributions individually. Instead, the subject matter will be classified according to experimental observations and theory, and will be presented in summary form. It should be noted that the appended list of references does not constitute a complete bibliography; it includes only those works quoted below. More extensive bibliographies are included in several of the references; see particularly references 7, 9, 28, 34, 38, 50, 52, 54, a "Bibliography on Powder Metallurgy" published by the Library of Congress and a pamphlet published by the Metals Disintegrating Co. entitled "The Field of Powder Metallurgy and Bibliography." 11. Summary of Experimental Observations The following classified list is composed of general statements of established fact derived from the experimental results reported in the published literature. A few contested observations are included, because of their potential importance; these are labeled as such. Any satisfactory and complete theory must be capable of explaining all of the uncontested facts. Obviously, some important facts may be missing from this list and these may hold the key to the correct explanation of the sintering process, but the possible lack of such material should not deter attempts to understand the subject on the basis of what is available here. A, The Initial Bond at Room Temperature a. To a limited extent uncompressed powders and massive metals adhere at room temperature. Clean tin powder forms a weak "cake" on standing at room temperature, the strength increasing with time. Clean gold surfaces adhere on light con-tact, as do those of many other substances, including nickel.27 b. Upon compression the strength of the bond- is increased progres-ivelv. There is a limit of pressure

Jan 1, 1946

By AIME AIME

A new Index of the Transactions, Volumes I. to XXXV., is now being prepared, and will probably be ready for distribution during the coming summer. The Index will be about the size of the average volume of the Transactions, and will be bound in cloth and in half morocco. The price of the cloth-bound copy is $5, expressage prepaid. Half morocco binding will cost $1 extra. It is very desirable that all who wish to purchase this Index will notify the Secretary's office promptly, sending a check, money-order or draft, made payable to the American Institute of Mining Engineers.

May 1, 1907

By James F. Kemp

Discussion of the paper of D. Foster Hewett, Bulletin To. 27, March, 1909, pp. 291 to 310. JAMES F. KEMP, New York, N. Y.:-Mr. Hewett's paper is one of exceptional interest, because it not only adds an important contribution regarding one of the rarer, valuable elements, but also because it introduces compounds hitherto unknown and in associations no less novel. While we have occasionally dis¬covered and recorded asphaltite in metalliferous deposits, for example in the Joplin and Granby districts, we have not seen a metallic ore in a deposit essentially asphaltite. The source and method of introduction afford a subject well worth serious reflection. Vanadium was first discovered and recognized as a distinct element in the slags obtained in smelting the titaniferous magnetites at Taberg, Sweden. For a long time, therefore, we looked upon the titaniferous magnetites as its hone. Analyses proved, years ago, that it was present in the ores of this type in New Jersey and in the Adirondacks. It was quite rarely determined, but when looked for it was, I think, invariably found, although the Amount seldom exceeded 0.5 per cent. of V,05., In just what combination it exists in the titaniferous ores is uncertain. One might imagine V2O3 replacing some of the Fe2O3 of magnetite; or, since in the lead series vanadates and phosphates are closely akin, one might wonder if a lime-vanadate could take the place of apatite. Yet no lime-vanadate has been found in nature, and apatite itself is usually rare in the titaniferous ores. When percentage-curves are plotted for a series of analyses of the ores, the line of vanadic oxide shows a curious sympathetic behavior with the line of chromic oxide;' but the data are somewhat limited, and no compound has sug¬gested itself which throws light on the matter. Dr. W. F. Hillebrand has discussed the occurrence and dis-

Oct 1, 1909

By W. A. Backofen

THE preferred orientations, or textures, resulting from many of the various methods for testing and forming metals have been the subject of numerous investigations.1,2* Despite this large amount of work, however, only a few limited studies have been made of the texture that is developed by torsional deformation. Ono3 found that in severely twisted wires of copper and aluminum a [Ill] direction lies parallel and a [1101 direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wire. Sachs and Schiebold4 have reported that a double-fiber texture exists in a twisted aluminum wire with both the [Ill] and [loo] directions parallel to the axis of the wire. Twisted iron wires have also been examined by Ono.8 Both the [1101 and [1121 directions were reported as parallel to the axis of the wire. Goss5 concluded from a study of twisted rods of a low-carbon steel that the preferred orientation existing at fracture is quite complex, but that many grains have a [1101 direction parallel to the axis of the wire. In addition to the earlier experimental work, some suggestions have been made about the possible nature of the torsion texture. These suggestions are based on the results of many experiments which indicate that the cold-working texture of a particular metal is largely determined by the geometrical change in shape that the metal undergoes during plastic deformation.1,6 Hibbard and Yen7 have considered the problem of deformation textures and have presented an analysis which is able to explain why equivalent changes in shape should yield similar textures. Therefore, a knowledge of the principal strains associated with torsional deformation would seem helpful in the interpretation of the torsion texture. The necessary analysis has been made of the state of strain in an element of metal lying in the surface of a cylindrical rod or tube that has been subjected to pure torsion.8,9 This analysis shows that the directions of the principal normal strains rotate continuously within a torsion specimen while it is being twisted. After the first infinitesimal amount of twisting, these directions make angles of 45" with the longitudinal axis of the bar. They rotate from this position as twisting proceeds, and after an infinite amount of twisting, the direction of the principal tensile strain is perpendicular, and the direction

Jan 1, 1951

By William L. Fink, Kent R. Van Horn

Zinc is one of the effective elements introduced to enhance the strength of aluminum. This strengthening is principally attributable to the high solid solubility of zinc in aluminum and the pronounced variation of solubility with temperature. Consequently an accurate determination of the solid solubility curve is desirable. The solid solubility relations have been studied by numerous investigators. Shepherd1 first established the existence of a solid solution region at the aluminum end of the diagram (-v phase) by specific volume and microscopic determinations. Bauer and Voge12 published a constitutional diagram which showed the limits of solid solubility as determined by thermal and microscopic methods. Hanson and Gayler3 presented the aluminum-zinc diagram which is now most generally accepted (Fig. 1). Chill-cast samples were given thermal treatments designed to obtain equilibrium conditions, quenched, and microscopically examined. The solubility was placed between 15 to 20 per cent at 60" C., 20 to 22 per cent at 140" C. and 36 to 38 per cent at 270" C. Sander and Meissner decidedly modified the limits of the -y phase field of Hanson and Gayler's diagram by using similar methods on chill-cast specimens annealed for a shorter period of time. Tanabe,s utilizing dynamic hard-ness, electrical conductivity and dilatometric measurements of specimens at temperature, obtained values comparable to Hanson and Gayler's at room temperature, but appreciably lower at higher temperatures. Nishimura6 concluded from age-hardening results of aluminum-zinc alloy chill castings, which had been quenched from 400" to 500" C., that the solubility of zinc in aluminum at room temperature is less than 5 * Metallurgical Division, Aluminum Research Laboratories. 1 E. S. Shepherd: Aluminum-Zinc Alloys, Jnl, phys. Chem. (1905) 9, 504. 2 0. Bauer and 0. Vogel: Aluminum-Zinc Alloys, Int. Jn1. Melallog. (1916) 8, 101. 3 D. Hanson and M. V. L. Gayler: A Further Study of the Alloys of Aluminum and Zinc. Jnl. Inst. Met. (1922) 27, 267. 4 W. Sander and K. L. Meissner: ZII~ Kenntnis der Konstitution der Aluminium-Zinklegierungen. Ztsch. f. Metallkunde (1922) 14, 385. 4 T. Tanabe: Studies in the Aluminum-Zinc System, Jnl. Inst. Met. (1924) 32, 415 6 H. Nishimura: On the Age-Hardening of Aluminum-Rich Al-Zn Alloys. Mem. Kyoto Imp. Univ. (1924) 3, 133.

Jan 1, 1932

By A. Sutulov

The segregation process, an alternative to benefi-ciation of oxidized and mixed sulfide-oxide copper ores, is studied here with particular emphasis placed on time, temperature, and coke and salt percentage factors. The results show that in a segregated charge, the copper assay of the coarsest fractions normally is of the same order as the copper assay of the tails obtained from grinding and flotation of the same charge. This observation suggests the possibility of limiting or even eliminating the grinding step from the flowsheet of a segregation plant. The segregation process, which offers an alternative to beneficiation of oxidized and mixed sulfide-oxide copper ores, was discovered in 1923 by Moulden and Taplin1,2 who were attempting to apply the Perkins process3'4 to a Chilean ore from the Sagasca mine. After a number of investigations and pilot plant tests,'-' the segregation process became a successful industrial operation.'r9 The process aroused considerable interest in Chile because of the existance of large reserves of oxidized copper minerals which could not be treated by conventional hydrometallurgical methods because of the high consumption and prohibitive cost of sulfuric acid. During the last two years, the Mineral Dressing Dept. of the Institute de Investigaciones Tecnology cas of University of concepci6n (Chile) has carried out a test program on 23 different ore samples representative of the national territory. These tests were carried out on a semi-continuous and batch scale with a rotary, automatically controlled and gas-fired furnace (supplied by Bartlett and Snow, Fig. 1). The results of these tests indicate that out of the 23 samples 20 can be successfully treated by this process with recoveries of copper ranging from 85 to 95%.10,11 The purpose of this paper is to treat some specific problems related to the segregation process. TIME AND TEMPERATURE FACTORS Time and temperature of calcination play an important role in the segregation process. When moderate salt and coke conditions were maintained (each of reagents was added in the quantity of 1 — % wt), systematic testing easily demonstrated the influence of these two factors on segregation and flotation recovery. The pertinent results are summarized in Fig. 2. To determine what specific changes the segregation process made on the ore, the samples, segregated at 700°C for different periods of time and under standard conditions, were granulometrically analysed and

Jan 1, 1963

By Henry M. Howe

THIS paper gives the composition of the iron and slag at different stages in the "air-furnace" process of preparing "hard metal," or white cast-iron, for conversion into malleable cast-iron by annealing. The details of the process are given in an appendix. One of us had been trying for years to work some chemist of some of our malleable-iron works up to a degree of enthusiasm which would lead him to make such au investigation. It would have had the advantage of the greater familiarity with the conditions which one habitually on the spot must have. Failing in this, he made use of an opportunity which presented itself of taking samples here represented, with such fairness as the conditions permitted, holding firmly that a rough approximation to the truth is better than the complete lack of data, or that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. We hope that this attempt may stimulate others effectively to duplicate this work, and thus correct or confirm it. Our results are shown in Table I. and graphically in Figs. 1 and 2. Discussion.-At the time when the first two samples were taken, the metal and slag were still too sluggish to permit fair sampling, and not until sample 6 were the conditions really favorable, because at the time of the fourth sample the metal was not fully melted, and even at the time of sample 5 it was still sluggish. Indeed, the slag was probably very heterogeneous throughout, because it took up silica and alumina rapidly from the bottom, and because it was so siliceous as to be sluggish at this relatively low temperature. This hetero-geneousness is exaggerated in the two samples of slag 8, apparently by the great viscosity due to its extraordinary acidity. Note that the manganous oxide of one sample is about two and

Mar 1, 1909