Search Documents

By J. J. Frawley, W. J. Childs

Experiments were carried out to induce grain refinement during solidification by applying vibrational energy (freq 20 kc) to small specimens of bismuth, tin, and bismuth-tin alloys. The results show that if the intensity of the applied sound -field is not great enough to fragment the growing dendrites of a pure metal, no grain refinement is observed and the pain size of the dynamically nucleated specimens is the same as the grain size of a specimen statically supercooled the same amount. Bismuth specimens did not show any grain refinement; whereas, the tin specimens did show grain refinement. This phenomenon is the result of the difference in growth habit between the bismuth and tin dendrites. The bismuth-tin alloys showed grain refinement and, in addition, the segregation pattern was changed. THE solidification process is a change in phase requiring the nucleation of the solid phase from the liquid and the growth of this solid phase at the expense of the liquid phase. Since many physical properties and also the integrity of a casting are dependent on the solidification process, understanding and controlling this process are very important.' A good example in the controlling of a cast structure using heterogeneous nucleation theory is the reduction of grain size in aluminum castings by nucleation catalysis.2 This mechanism of nucleation catalysis has been explained by Turnbull.3 Another technique for grain refinement, which has received much attention but the mechanism has not been fully understood, is to vibrate the solidifying melt. Vibrations can be applied to the melt either by vibrating the mold directly or by introducing a vibrating rod into the melt.4-13 Three mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon: 1) The mechanical fragmentation of the original dendrites that grew into the melt. These crystals or fragmented dendrites act as new growth sites. 2) The nucleation of new grains in the liquid by the generation of very high pressure pulses caused by cavitation in the liquid. 3) The remelting of the dendrite arms during the solidification process. This mechanism is operative only in alloy systems and would be enhanced by stirring or mechanical vibration. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the mechanism that will increase the number of grains when mechanical energy is introduced into a solidifying melt. APPARATUS The unit used to generate the ultrasonic vibrations was manufactured by the Redford Co., and is similar to the one used in ultrasonic soldering. Fig. 1 is a sketch of the major components used for generating ultrasonic vibrations. The crystal transducer assembly consisted of four lead zirconate ti-tanate piezoelectric crystals in an aluminum holder. An acoustical horn, which was fabricated from stainless steel, was attached to the holder by a set screw. The resonant frequency of this unit was 20,000 cycles per sec. A Pyrex crucible, 4 in. in diam and 4 in. high, was contained in a hole in the top of the horn. The piezoelectric crystals changed volume when excited by an electric signal, thereby generating a sound signal which passed through the horn. The crucible was coupled to the horn by a liquid silicone oil. The purpose of the couplant was to transmit the soundwaves from the horn to the crucible. Without the couplant, much of the sound energy would be lost. The energy transmitted was sufficient at the resonant frequency used, so that acoustical cavitation always occurred in the molten metal. The presence of acoustical cavitation was detected by the characteristic hissing sound emitted from the liquid. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The influence of ultrasonic vibration on the grain refinement of bismuth, tin, and bismuth-tin alloys was studied. These metals were chosen because of their low melting temperature and the relative ease with which they can be thermally supercooled. The following procedure was used for obtaining large amounts of supercooling. Pure bismuth (99.999+), which was received in bar form, was mechanically broken into pieces small enough to be accommodated in a 50 ml beaker. About 200 to 300 g of bismuth and a few grams of SnCl2 as a flux were placed in the 50 ml beaker and melted by induction heating. The melt was held for 20 min at

Jan 1, 1970

By Edward B. Walker, Michel Grosmangin

The geological and economic conditions peculiar to the Greater Oficina area are presented to demonstrate the necessity of a low-cost, well-site method of distinguishing gas-bearing formations. The method of gas detection with the neutron log is briefly discussed and its limitations are explained. A new method is described which consists in running a second neutron log with a larger source-to-detector spacing. Field data indicate that under favorable conditions the larger spacing response is proportionately more influenced by the virgin gas zone than is the shorter spacing response. One important condition is that the gas sands be invaded, with a diameter of invasion equal to about two to three times the hole diameter. The calibration of the longer spacing log is made so that the two logs read the same deflection in shale and in a known water or oil sand. Under such conditions, gas is indicated by a positive separation, i.e., the curve for the longer device is displaced to the right of the curve for the shorter device. Because of the non-linearity of the long spacing response, low porosity formations also show positive separations. In sands with large porosity variations, the gas sands can no longer he located visually. They can be detected on a plot of shorter spacing vs longer spac-ing deflections. INTRODUCTION In the Greater Oficina area of Eastern Venezuela, the rapid and accurate detection of gas from well logs is of primary importance because of a combination of economic, geologic, and operational conditions. Briefly, these conditions are: economic—there is no market for gas at the present time; geologic—a single well may contain as many as 30 or more oil or gas sands for which intervals -to be tested must be selected; opera-tional—first, once opened to the casing through perforations, gas sands are extremely difficult and expensive to squeeze off, and second, gas detection must be rapid because the geologist must decide immediately, at the well, which sand to perforate. During the early period of exploitation in Greater Ofi-cina, when clay base muds were used, sidewall samples, together with electric logs, gave fairly good distinction between oil and gas sands. When exploitation became concentrated on deep fields of poorer sidewall sample recovery, and after the advent of oil emulsion muds, now the standard drilling fluid in Greater Oficina, the regular neutron log became the most reliable indicator of gas. In 1953, R. Norelius devised the dual-spacing neutron technique for gas detection. The dual-spacing neutron log has proved to be highly successful in detecting gas and has been adopted as a regular survey by all of the oil companies of the area. Several hundred dual-spacing neutron logs have been run in Eastern Venezuela and several tests per well are available for positive evaluation of the logs. The findings outlined below are based upon this extensive field experience. GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE GREATER OFICINA AREA The Greater Oficina area lies on the south flank of the Eastern Venezuela Basin (Fig. 1). Nearly all accumulations of oil and gas in the area are trapped, in whole or in part, against normal faults. All known oil and gas reservoirs in Greater Oficina occur in the Ofi-cina formation (Miocene-Oligocene) or in the "U" sands. The U sands are the lithologic equivalent of the Merecure group (Otigocene-Eocene), which contains oil in many fields north of Greater Oficina. Most of the petroleum produced in Eastern Venezuela is from the Oficina formation.

Jan 1, 1958

By V. Steve Reed, Ed L. Reed

The in situ leach mining process generates a waste stream that is high in sulfates, total dissolved solids, and radium 226. During the mining phase, the volume of the waste stream is relatively low and consists primarily of the bleed stream. During the restoration phase, larger volumes of waste water are generated. These waste streams require environrnentally sound disposal. The low net evaporation rate in the Coastal Bend area precludes pond evaporation as a feasible disposal alternative. Reverse osmosis is a practical method of reducing the volume of the waste water handled, but the concentrated waste stream from the reverse osmosis unit must be disposed properly. Deep well injection into highly saline reservoirs is considered a sound method of disposing of the liquid waste generated by in situ mining in the Gulf Coast uranium district. Thirteen injection wells have been permitted to serve the disposal needs of the leach mining industry in Texas. Of these 13, 11 have actually been drilled. Seven applications are pending. The injection zones for the permitted wells range from depths of 3050 to 6200 feet. Pressure limitations imposed on these wells range from 500 psi to 1350 psi. The following criteria are used to determine the desirability of a disposal well site: 1. A minimal number of nearby, improperly plugged borings which penetrate the disposal zone; 2. Minimal crustal disturbance; 3. Sufficient salinity of the water contained in the disposal zone; 4. Protection of oil and gas producing zones; and 5. Sand of sufficient permeability and areal extent to handle the desired volume without fracturing the reservoir. 1. Improperly plugged borings: During the early part of the century, oil wells, gas wells and test holes were drilled using cable tool equipment, often with a minimum amount of surface casing. Production casing, when it was set, was often partly removed when the holes were abandoned. Thus, wells drilled prior to 1940 frequently have less than 100 feet of surface casing and either no production casing or the upper part of the production casing removed. Additionally, these holes are often plugged only with mud. The close proximity of these holes to an injection well location are a concern in that they can provide an avenue for injection-depth fluids to migrate up the bore hole and jeopardize shallower fresh water reservoirs. Usually, where there are more than 6 or 8 poorly plugged borings in a 2 1/2 mile radius of the well site, it is preferable to examine deeper zones for disposal well potential. The deeper zones are especially attractive where the borings are not in a cluster, which renders monitoring more difficult. Often, even the deeper disposal zones are penetrated by a few improperly plugged borings. When this condition arises, the potential for leakage through the borings can be addressed in the following ways. a. Demonstration that the static head in the boring is higher than the anticipated increase in bottom hole pressure generated at the boring by the disposal well. A 100 psi differential between these two pressures is recommended. The calculated increased pressure at a boring caused by injection should be refined using annual bottom hole pressure measurements in the disposal well. Figure 1 illustrates an injection pressure map which can be overlain on the oil well map to determine the anticipated increase in pressure expected at each oil, gas or abandoned hole. b. Shallow ground water monitoring. A shallow monitor well is drilled next to the boring and both pressure and quality measurements are made periodically in the shallow well. c. Disposal zone monitoring. Recently there has been a tendency for regulators to require disposal depth monitor wells instead of shallow well monitoring. We consider disposal depth monitoring to be a less effective method of monitoring because it provides only indirect evidence of potential problems. Assumptions have to be made for the unplugged borings, such as mud weight, that are not addressed by the disposal zone monitoring program. There is little improvement with this system to that discussed in "a" above. A shallow zone monitoring program, however, yields direct evidence of a developing problem with an unplugged boring. Leakage by the boring will be detected quickly by an abnormal increase in pressure in the shallow well. Quality monitoring will detect upward migration of poor quality fluids. The pressure data provide an early warning of impending leakage; the quality monitoring will detect actual fluid migration.

Jan 1, 1980

By E. C. Rien

When the electrical system for a surface or open pit mine is designed, four major considerations should be satisfied in the following order: safety, reliability, flexibility, and cost. Careful planning initially will make expansion for future growth economical as well as possible without extended shutdown of operations. Electrical requirements in surface and open pit mining can be divided into three categories: main substation, plant power, and pit distribution. These systems are integral to each other, but will be dealt with separately here. 11.2-1. Main Substation. A main substation for a mining operation may vary from a 500 kva transformer supplying 480-v power to motor-driven pumps and conveyors, to a 50,000 kva substation serving a large beneficiation plant or a large strip mining operation. Regardless of size, it should be designed with the realization that a failure of the main substation will totally shut down the operation (Fig. 11.2-1.). Location of a main substation usually is a compromise between expense of running the incoming high-voltage transmission lines and the voltage drop of long secondary runs. Based on a geological survey for immediate and future areas of excavation, the main substation should be located as near to the center of load as possible. The site should be out of the blasting area, readily accessible to authorized personnel, and situated where prevailing winds will keep it free from dust or snow. DISCONNECTS AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION. The main substation should have a primary disconnecting device-either a pole top gang-operated switch and fuses of adequate interrupting capacity or, preferably, an oil circuit breaker with properly coordinated relay protection.

Jan 1, 1968

By Robert L. Akre

When Marco Polo visited China in the 13th century, no one knew what black powder was except the Chinese; they knew enough to make dazzling fireworks with it. But the realization that black powder could also do useful work came much later and, like all important discoveries, it altered the course of history. It was in the 14th century that black powder was first used to break rock in a very crude way; there were no drills and the powder was simply poured into cracks and exploded by setting it afire. Because its energy value was pretty low, the need for something more powerful was felt when the industrial revolution began. In the 1850s, miners began experimenting with liquid nitroglycerine on a limited scale. This was a very sensitive and dangerous explosive. Fortunately in the 1860s, Alfred Nobel succeeded in stabilizing nitroglycerine by absorbing it in kieselguhr-and a new product, dynamite, was born. With it, miners were able to unleash the great energy of nitroglycerine for blasting purposes. But dynamite was still a very sensitive explosive. In subsequent years, other explosives of various strengths and characteristics were developed, such as blasting gelatin, gelatin dynamite, ammonia dynamites, (all containing some nitroglycerine or nitrostarch), and liquid oxygen explosives. These products and their variations supplied the blasting trade for many years. A grained ammonium nitrate product containing some carbonaceous material entered the market in the 1930s. This explosive had below-zero sensitivity-meaning: a No. 6 blasting cap imbedded in it would not detonate it. A more sensitive initiator, called a primer, was needed to detonate this mixture. From Rags to Primacord to Solid-State The first initiator for an explosive charge was probably a rag slowly burning its way to the charge; this method was quite unreliable. Then came the burning fuse, which was an improvement. Next was the nonelectric blasting cap initiated by a fuse. With these initiators, a miner needed quick reflexes and good legs; upon lighting the fuse, he had to run immediately for cover. Development of the electric blasting cap that allowed for accurate timing eliminated this hazard; the electric cap, however, introduced other safety problems because of its susceptibility to extraneous electricity, e.g., ground currents, lightning, and static electricity. These caps also became available in millisecond delays. Development in the mid-1930s of Primacord, a detonating fuse insensitive to electrical currents or impact, further reduced blasting hazards, and is generally acknowledged as the safest known means of initiation. Eventually, Primacord millisecond connectors also became available for delay patterns in blasting. In the mid-1960s, the Primadet delay was introduced; it is a practical nonelectric detonator system that offers the precise timing of electric blasting caps-and is immune to the hazards or effects of extraneous electricity. Recently, Research Energy of Ohio, Inc. introduced a new type of solid-state blasting machine that combines a sequential timer and delay caps. It enables the efficient breakage of rock with a minimum amount of shock, ground vibration, and noise. Improvements in Blast-Hole Drilling World War II created an enormous demand for coal and other minerals in the U.S. and elsewhere. Great efforts and large amounts of capital were spent to find new mineral deposits and develop better mining methods. But while mechanization in mining proceeded at a rapid pace particularly in open-cut work, there was a definite lag in developing new or improved machines for drilling blast holes. The industry continued to depend largely on horizontal, churn, and pneumatic drills. No better machine was available for large scale production. The need for improvement in this phase of mining became more acute in the post-war years. Despite efforts toward further mechanization, mining costs rose rapidly because of mounting inflation and increasingly high wages. In most operations, drilling and blasting the overburden became the principal item of cost. Therefore, whatever size holes were being drilled, the holes had to be spaced so that any foot of the bore hole could be loaded with the maximum load required for the number of cubic yards of material that each foot of the hole was carrying. With the smaller holes that were being drilled, the proportion of drilling cost to the total drilling and shooting cost was much higher than it would have been with larger holes (because of the closer spacing required by smal-

Jan 1, 1977

By G. S. Tint, M. Herman, V. V. Damiano

Dislocation arrays and substructures were studied in cadmium doped zinc crystals using a newly devised etching technique. Cadmium precipitates delineating the dislocations were revealed by etching a surface closely parallel to the (0001) slip plane. Cinephotomicrography of the continuous etching process revealed the three-dimensional aspects of dislocations in the bulk crystal. Dislocation etch patterns were studied in both deformed and annealed crystals after suitable aging at room temperature. The effect of annealing was evidenced by a rearrangement of the dislocations into low-angle boundaries and hexagonal networks. ETCH pit techniques have been used extensively to study dislocations in both deformed and annealed bulk metal crystals. Ideally one hopes to obtain a one-to-one correspondence between the etch pits and the points of emergence of the dislocations at the surface. One then attempts to deduce the way in which dislocations are arranged in the bulk crystal from the arrangement of etch pits on the surface. It is clear that one can obtain only limited information of the dislocation configurations inside the crystal from etch pit studies of single surfaces. Considerably more information is obtained if one is able to follow the course of the dislocations through the crystal using progressive etching technique. Techniques of this sort were used by Gilmanl to study dislocations on the slip planes of NaCl crystals and by Damiano and Tint2 to study dislocation arrangement in zinc crystals grown from the melt. The present paper makes use of a technique first described by Tint and Damiano3 to observe and continuously record the dislocation structures which appear while a crystal surface was being progressively etched. Studies were made on cleaved (0001) surfaces to reveal the dislocations along their length on the surface closely parallel to the slip plane. The technique for revealing segments of dislocations along their length by etching is well known. Wilsdorf and Kuhlmann-wilsdorf4 revealed disloca- tions along their length in aluminum containing a few percent copper, when precipitates segregated along the dislocations. The technique was used by Low and Guard5 to study dislocation configurations on the slip plane in Fe-Si alloys containing carbon. In the present work the technique was applied to zinc containing cadmium since it was shown by Gil-man6 that a cadmium-rich phase could be made to precipitate from supersaturated solutions along dislocations in zinc. Segments of dislocations delineated by the precipitates were revealed by etching a surface prepared by cleaving the crystal. The three-dimensional nature of dislocations and substructures was thus studied from the cinephotomicro-graphic record of the continuous etching process. EXPERIMENTAL Single crystals of zinc containing the order of 0.1 pct Cd were prepared by slowly lowering a graphite crucible containing the melt through a temperature gradient of 15°C per cm at a rate of 1.5 X 10-3 cm per sec. "As grown" crystals were aged for periods of 1 month at room temperature, then cleaved in liquid nitrogen, and etched according to the procedure used by Gilman.' The etchant containing 32 g of CrO3, 6 g of hydrated Na2SO3 in 100 ml of water behaved as a chemical polish for zinc and etch pits were produced at the site of precipitates or inclusions. After the precipitates or inclusions were removed from the surface, the etch pits left behind were eventually polished smooth. This behavior enabled one to continuously observe the surface while the specimen was immersed in the etchant. Best results were obtained when the specimen surface was vertical and the reaction products of polishing were continuously removed by gravitational convection. Some crystals were heavily deformed in excess of 25 pct strain, others were lightly deformed the order of a few pct by compression such that the deformation occurred essentially by basal glide. Some crystals were etched immediately after deformation, others were allowed to age at room temperature for several weeks prior to etching. Heavily deformed crystals were annealed at various temperatures and etched on the cleavage plane immediately after annealing, others were allowed to age at room temperature for several weeks prior to etching. The etched structures of deformed and annealed structures were studied. Similar experiments were conducted on 99.9999 pct pure zone refined Tadanac zinc crystals which

Jan 1, 1963

By R. H. Hiltz

Three titanium alloys, known to provide a mechanically unstable p structure after quenching, were selected as material for a study of the Origin and nature of stress-induced transformation. Data from hardness and tensile tests were used to study the initiation of marten site and the effect of the transfornation and transformation products on the mechanical properties of B titanium, particularly the stress-strain relationships. With the exception that the materials investigated showed a natural aging reaction in the P condition, their behavior is analogous to that of' stress-transforming stainless steels. The transformation starts after initial yielding and is essentially complete just prior to .maximum loading. Once initiated, the martensite itself is capable of propagating the transformation. The deforn-ing materials show low strength, high ductility, and a high strain-hardening exponent. In metallic systems which undergo a diffusionless transformation on cooling, it is possible to produce a similar transformatiorl by plastic deformation under special conditions. Dewez' in delineating Ms temperatures for the titanium-rich end of most titanium binary systems:, established the point of intersection of Ms with room temperature for those particular alloys. Alloy compositions which would quench to mechanically unstable p were established from these data. The first investigation into the possibility of stress-induced transformation occurring in titanium met with little success. It was concluded that such a transformation in titanium was possible only under very special conditions. Continued effort in this direction, however, showed certain Ti-Mo binaries to be highly susceptible to this phenomenon. This fact was utilized by Liu to study the habit planes of martensite and by Machlin and wenig5 to study the effects of stress and plastic deformation on the P to a prime transformation in titanium alloys. The first investigation of the mechanical properties of these alloys was conducted by Holden and his coworkers at Battelle Memorial Institute.' The potentiality of the alloys i3s sheet-forming material was recognized, and the data reappeared in a survey of this type of titanium material.? The initial optimism was tempered by the difficulties in obtaining homogeneous 2i-Mo alloys in commercial-size ingots. The increasing need for good sheet-forming material kept investigation in this direction active, resulting in the development of a commercial alloy of this type.' This study was undertaken to obtain a clearer picture of the mechanism of stress-induced transformation in titanium. MATERIALS AND TEST PROCEDURE Three alloys were selected for this investigation: one a Ti-Mo alloy; another a Ti-Cr-Mo alloy, known to deform martensitically; and the third, a Ti-V alloy with an Ms below room temperature and an Md above room temperature, but known to contain w phase in the quenched condition. The compositions of these alloys are given in Table I. These alloys were cast as 5-lb experimental ingots, employing skull melting. The ingots were hot-forged into 1-in.-round bars. Two 72-in.-thick slices were cut from each bar for hardness testing; the remainder was cut into 0.252-in. tensile blanks. The tensile blanks and one hardness disc from each bar were heated in salt to a temperature 100°F above the 0 transus, held 2/2 hr, and brine quenched. X-ray analysis showed the pieces to be 100 pct 8.* *Omega cannot be distinguished from p by the technique employed. Tensile blanks were machined to size after this treatment. TO prevent transformation due to machining stresses, the shoulders and gage length were ground. True stress-true strain curves were

Jan 1, 1960

By AIME AIME

REPUBLIC STEEL'S new iron blast furnace in Alabama, shown on the cover of this issue, is the first to be completed of those authorized by the Government last year when a shortage of scrap became acute. In addition to the furnace, the new equipment includes a new battery of by-product coke ovens, a boiler plant, a generating unit, a 3-mile-long 60-in. water line, a huge gas washer, and precipitators in which the dust from the furnace is washed, separated from the water, and fed back into the furnace as raw material. The new unit is a cylindrical steel giant reaching 130 ft. into the air above the ground level. Because of the high humidity in the deep South, the furnace has been air-conditioned to avoid blowing eighteen tons of water into the furnace daily. Designed by Republic engineers who also had charge of the actual construction, the new furnace incorporates the best in modern blastfurnace practice. Orders to proceed with the construction of the furnace were received Sept. 22, 1941. The engineering crew, which was immediately organized, made more than 1500 drawings. Excavation started the next day, and simultaneously work was begun on demolishing existing buildings and preparing the site. The first concrete was poured Oct. 7 and the first piece of steel swung into place by a giant derrick on Jan. 30, 1942. It began operating May 28. A total of 70,000 cu. yd. of earth was moved and 30,000 cu. yd. of concrete poured.

Jan 1, 1942

By B. W. Howlett, M. B. Bever, Somnath Misra

The heats oj- formation at 0°C of the compounds AuSn,, AuSn2, AuSn, and the £ phase were measured in a metal -solution calorimeter with liquid tin or a liquid Sn-Bi alloy as solvent. The melting point, heat of fusion, and heat capacities near the melting point of- the compound AuSn in the solid and liquid state were measured in a constant temperature gradient calorimeter. The free energy and entropy of formation of the compound AuSn at its melting point and at 298 °K were calculated from the experimental results and published data. The heats of formation are discussed in relation to the nature of the compounds. The heat capacity below the melting point, heat of fusion, and entropy of fusion of AuSn are interpreted in terms of processes oc-curring before melting. The atomic arrangement in liquid Au-Sn alloys and the bonding in the intermediate phases of. the Au-Sn system are discussed in the light of the measured thermodynamic properties. THE available thermodynamic information on the intermediate phases in the Au-Sn system consists of the heats of formation of the compounds AuSn4, AuSn2, and AuSnly2 and of one composition of the < phase2 besides values of the heat content of the compound AuSn from 0" to 635".&apos; However, the heats of formation refer to different temperatures ringing from 90" to 450°C. Also, the reported error limits of some of the values are large and several inconsistencies are apparent. In the investigation reported here the heats of formation of the compounds AuS-, AuSnz, and AuSn and of three compositions of the < phase were determined for a single reference temperature of 0°C by liquid metal-solution calorimetry. The compound AuSn, which is the only congruently melting intermediate phase in this system, was further investigated in a constant temperature gradient calorimeter by measuring its heat of fusion, melting point, and heat capacity in the solid and liquid states near the melting point. From these data and published free energies of the liquid of composition Au~n,&apos; the free energies of formation of the compound AuSn at the melting point and at 298°K were calculated. The results shed light on the solid-liquid transition of AuSn and on the atomic bonding and state of association of gold and tin in the solid and liquid phases. 1) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 1.1) Preparation of Samples. Stoichiometric amounts of gold and tin, each 99.99+ pct pure, were melted in evacuated Vycor capsules (12 mm ID). The melts were maintained approximately 150°C above the liquidus for about 12 hr and shaken repeatedly. Samples of the compound AuSn were cooled slowly to room temperature. Melts of the other phases, all of which solidify by peritectic reactions, were transferred to the narrow end (5 mm ID) of the capsule, which was then quenched into iced brine. The solidified samples were annealed in the unopened capsules for 10 days at 30" to 50° C below the respective solidus temperatures. The absence of microsegregation and second phases was confirmed by metallographic examination. At least two batches of each composition were prepared. 1.2) Solution Calorimetry. The heats of formation were determined by liquid metal-solution calorimetry. In this technique, the difference between the heat effects on dissolution in a liquid metal, or alloy bath, of the compound and a mechanical mixture of its annealed components, adjusted for changes in composition of the bath, is the heat of formation of the compound at the temperature from which the samples are added. Details of the equipment and technique have been described."&apos; A tin bath at 300" or 350°C was used with the compounds AuSn,, AuSnz, and AuSn. The high gold content of the £ phase would have caused it to dissolve with an appreciable exothermic heat effect. In order to achieve thermal compensation, the samples were added from 0°C to a bath at 350°C consisting of 66.2 wt pct Bi (99.999+ pct pure), balance Sn (99.99+ pct pure). This solvent gives thermal compensation because gold dissolves exothermically in tin and endothermically in bismuth. The calorimeter was calibrated by adding from 0°C approximately 0.015 g-atom of the solvent.

Jan 1, 1965

By Boyd Guthrie, J. D. Lankford

A progress report on the oil-shale and shale-oil processing research program at the U. s. Bureau of Mines Oil-Shale Demonstration Plant. Legislation providing for the program and aims are briefly noted. The remoteness and rugged nature of the terrain at the plant site are important factors in construction and operations. Large-scale units now in operation are the crushing plant and two 40-ton N-T-U retorts. These are described in detail. Under construction are several retorting pilot plants and a 200 bbl per day refinery. The refineiy incorporates several types of thermal operation, three-stage low-temperature acid treating, doctor sweetening and rerunning. Data are presented on typical N-T-U retort runs. Yields of 90 to loo pct of assay are realized on 30 gal to the ton shale with a retort cycle time of 18 hr. Data also are presented showing a comparison of a Mid-Continent petroleum and N-T-U shale oil. This comparison indicates that shale oil has a high pour point, low API gravity, and contains about 0.8 pct sulphur and 2 pct nitrogen. The naphtha fraction contains 3 pct tar acids, 9 pct tar bases and jo pct olefins. The problems involved in refining shale oil into usable products are discussed in detail. Introduction The Bureau of Mines oil-shale program now under way at Rifle, Colo., was begun in July 1944 under the provisions of the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act, which was passed in the spring of that year under the sponsorship of Senator Joseph C. O&apos;Ma-honey of Wyoming and Congressman Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, aided by Michael W. Straus, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and others. The oil-shale plant is only a part of the Office of Synthetic Liquid Fuels, Bureau of Mines, which has under way projects to develop synthetic liquid fuels from coal and other solid materials at Pittsburgh and Bruceton, Pa., Morgantown, W. Va., Louisiana, Mo., as well as the Petroleum and Oil-Shale Experiment Station at Laramie, Wyo., and the oil-shale demonstration plant at Rifle. The oil-shale program is entirely experimental. It is not intended that oil will be produced in great quantities. Production will be limited to the volume obtained from plant-scale experimental operations, which will be kept to the minimum size needed to develop techniques and processes and to demonstrate costs. After the passage of the enabling act in the summer of 1944 a survey of the oil-shale resources of the Nation was made to determine the most suitable general area in which to establish the demonstration plant. The most suitable area was found to be in the Rifle-De Bequearea in Garfield County, western Colorado. Bureau of Mines field parties covered this entire area thoroughly

Jan 1, 1949

By R. J. Sullivan

DURING the past twelve months the Loudon pool of the Eastern Interior Coal Basin has become established as one of the two largest discoveries since the revival of exploitation in the Illinois region and now occupies a position among the important pools of the United States. On Aug. 1, 1939, production averaged 54,000 bbl. per day from 990 wells, having accumulated a total of 10,305,000 bbl. Its very active develop-ment promises to continue for fully another year. It is the site of one of the industry&apos;s most singular large-scale gas-injection programs. LOCATION AND RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS At present the pool embraces an area 15 miles long by 3 ½ miles wide in eastern Fayette County, along the western rim of the now well-known Illinois Basin&apos;s deeper part, through townships 6, 7 and 8 north and ranges 2 and 3 east of the Third Meridian. It is the northernmost, and most prominent, productive structure of a group extending over a 50-mile trend southward to the Dix pool of Jefferson County. Three horizons have been proved to carry production-namely, the Weiler sandstone at 1390 ft., the Paint Creek sand at 1460 ft. and the Benoist or Bethel, at 1500 ft. Geologically, they fall in the Chester series of the upper Mississippian system, where much of Illinois&apos; early-day oil was found, having been laid down in shallow off-shore waters as a part of the vast delta deposit underlying central Illinois and parts of Indiana and Kentucky. As a result of this type of sedimentation, followed by repeated uplifts and warping along an anticlinal axis, differ-ential deposition of sands and shales contributing to great irregularity took place. This is further reflected by wide variations in permeability, porosity and thickness of all the sands and, accordingly, in the producing characteristics of wells. Permeabilities range as high as 550 millidarcies, with the average commonly lying between 60 and 100. For the three pay horizons the mean porosity is 18 per cent, at a calculated water saturation of roughly 30 per cent. The Weiler sand has an average thickness of 25 ft., the Benoist of about 23 ft. and the Paint Creek of approximately 18 ft. Of these three productive formations the Benoist

Jan 1, 1940

By Louis E. Toth, Alan W. Searcy

A modification of Le Claire&apos;s microscopic model for self-diffusion is developed in a form suitable for prediction of activation energies for diffusion in disordered substitutional solutions as well as in pure metals Bonding is considered as a localized interaction, and the energy of bonding between atoms of different types is taken as the arithmetic mean of the energies in the pure elements. The activation energies for vacancy formation and migration in substitutional alloys are shown to depend on the empirical constants developed for self-diffusion when the equations are adjusted for the mole fractions of the two elements. The differences in activation energies between alloys and pure metals are calculated and compared with the experimental differences. MaNY different correlations have been proposed for use in predicting activation energies for self-diffusion or diffusion in dilute alloys. Usually theories for self-diffusion cannot be applied to alloys nor can theories for dilute alloys be satisfactorily adapted to self-diffusion. We present here a correlation scheme which can approximate activation energies for diffusion, vacancy formation, and atom migration in substitutional-alloy systems of any concentration. The activation energy for self-diffusion QD has been correlated to the melting temperature Tm,1, 2 the sublimation energy L,,l the heat of fusion Lf,3 crystal structure, and valence.4 Working with mechanical parameters Le claire5 proposed that the activation energy for vacancy migration Qm could be related to appropriate shear moduli. He also proposed that the activation energy for vacancy formation 62, is proportional to Ls. THEORY We consider that Le Claire&apos;s expression for 4, is satisfactory. But an alternate expression for Qm in terms of the bulk modulus is just as satisfactory from a theoretical point of view for the prediction of the energy of vacancy migration in pure metals and can more easily be used for alloys. In order for Qm to be a minimum, not only the moving atom but also adjacent and nearby atoms must undergo distortions. These distortions are neither isotropic as is implied by a correlation with the bulk modulus nor unidirectional as implied by a correlation with a shear modulus, but are complex and multidirectional. A complete analysis in terms of the bulk modulus and all the shear moduli is not yet available. In a first approximation in which only one parameter is used, there is no obvious theoretical reason to prefer the shear modulus over the bulk modulus. The bulk modulus is a much more convenient parameter for use in predicting Qm. Shear moduli are known for less than half of the metallic elements while bulk moduli are usually available. Furthermore, because of the directional dependence of shear moduli, their estimation for alloys appears inherently more difficult than is the estimation of bulk moduli. We assume that the bulk modulus Bs reflects an average value of the shear moduli such that the strain energy at the point of maximum distortion of the lattice during vacancy migration can be expressed as

Jan 1, 1964

By Robert R. Turner, Arthur R. MacPherson

This chapter reviews the steps which should be taken from the time it is decided to consider autogenous grinding in the development of a new ore deposit or the expansion of an existing plant up until the purchase of the new autogenous mills. In this case the term autogenous includes semi -autogenous, secondary pebble mills, and lump milling as well as fully autogenous grinding systems. Also, both wet and dry grinding alternatives have been included. Before the test program it must be decided how many bulk samples are required to properly assess the autogenous grinding possibilities of the deposit. Also, a decision must be made on where and how the samples are to be ground i.e. pilot mill at site or in established location, wet and or dry grinding, etc. In the test program itself, certain fundamental data must be obtained. The testing should include enough work to determine whether fully autogenous or semi-autogenous grinding should be used and what type produces best power efficiency. Also, all the other pertinent data should be collected such as power; tonnages; feed, charge, and product sizing; circulating loads, etc. If a secondary mill is required to produce a final grind the decision on whether a pebble or ball mill should be used may require additional test work. Finally, the concentration of the mineral may play an important part in selection of the circuit and should become a part of the final testing once the grinding has been established.

Jan 1, 1978

By D. Swan

Industrial research may be defined as a critical and exhaustive investigation to create new and better ways of doing things. The results of industrial research are new and improved products, processes, and techniques. This broad definition, of course, covers investigation of all subjects by either individuals or groups of people, and this chapter aims to examine the purpose (what research tries to do), and methods (or how research is done) as applied in the mineral industries. Concepts and History The idea or concept of organized research probably originated in the universities of Europe. There, groups of scholars banded together for discussion and application of their particular specialty to a common problem. Publication of the conclusions drawn from such investigations gave scholars in other areas the opportunity to review and criticize the work of their colleagues, and one of the hallmarks of scientific research work is the publication and criticism of the results of the investigation. It was not until the late nineteenth century that the concept of organized research for the profit of industry was recognized. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a large number of industrial enterprises sponsored organizations to study the application of the physical sciences with the aim of making discoveries that would result in profit to the sponsoring organization. The tangible benefits accruing from these activities were so great that they, in turn, fostered several other methods for the support of organized research activities. For the large problems involving public interest, United States Government scientific re- search laboratories were set up. As the demand of smaller enterprises for research activities increased, research institutes and consulting laboratories were organized. In Europe the idea of common industry sponsorship of research centers grew and many large research organizations there were sponsored by associations of manufacturers. Finally, in the United States

Jan 1, 1959

LIBERIAN ore has been called the richest iron ore mined in the world, and thus far, the output from the Liberian Mining Co.&apos;s Bomi Hills mine has lived up to its reputation. Iron content has been variously given as 68.47 pct to 68.825 pct. A recent United Nations survey gave it first place, surplanting the previously top-rated Swedish product. The first shipment of Liberian ore to the United States reached Baltimore in June, 1952 and went into blast furnaces at Republic Steel&apos;s Cleveland plant, where excellent results were reported. The physical make-up of the ore was hard, dense lumps, free of fines and with ideal size distribution. The Bomi hills mines were scheduled to be in full operation by the end of 1952. At the close of 1951, 200,000 tons of ore had been delivered to Baltimore. Liberian Mining Co. states that production is about 90,000 tons of ore per month at present. Between 1200 and 1500 men are employed at the mine site, with about 25 pct of them Americans. The Bomi Hill project was financed with the aid of the Export Import bank, which loaned Liberia Mining part of the sum needed to initiate and put the development into production. No definite expansion plans are in the making but extensive diamond drilling is being pursued. Original estimates of annual production for Bomi Hills ran in the neighborhood of 1.5 million tons, but the figure is no longer applicable. Liberia&apos;s potential as an iron producing country has been known for a long time, but the physical obstacles in the way of large scale production were such as to prohibit even contemplation of the project. Until recent years, the only route from the mine site to Monrovia was a foot trail. Once to the coast, over swamps and unbridged rivers, the ore was still useless because of the lack of loading facilities. Transportation Solved One problem was solved with the completion of the artificial harbor at Monrovia. Harbor construction was well under way when the mine project began in 1948. The island location of Monrovia also made the building of a bridge across the St. Paul River necessary. The 980 ft reinforced concrete structure, accommodating railroad and vehicular traffic, was opened in 1949. Meanwhile, preliminary work on railroad construction started. Grading was completed quickly. In April, 1951, the first train made the trip from Monrovia to the Bomi Hills. About half of the cost of the entire project went into railroad construction. More than 2200 men, often forced to resort to primitive methods, were engaged in clearing a path through the heavy forests between the mine and port. Swamps were drained and filled, and bridges, including the William V. S. Tubman, named for the Liberian President, were constructed. At the port, a Robbins Conveyor Belt Co., orehandling plant was installed. Ships can be loaded from the stockpile at the rate of 3000 tons per hr and vessels need spend only one day in port. Liberian Mining is operating under an 80 year lease, giving the company exclusive mining rights to all minerals, except gold, platinum, and diamonds, within a 40 mile radius of Bomi Hills. The contract provides a fixed royalty to the Liberian Government of five cents per ton of ore extracted, and a premium -based on the New York market price for Bessemer-grade pig iron. The entire project started because an American,

Jan 1, 1952

By P. K. Chatterjee

The overall success of many strip coal mining operations depends primarily upon the efficient use of draglines to remove overburden. These machines require enormous capital investment and unless used efficiently the profitability of a venture is adversely affected. It is important that the dragline works continuously and it is imperative that the walking path and other facets of its operation be predetermined exactly so that the desired production rate is achieved with a minimum of non-productive time. Details of dragline operations which are of particular interest are walking path, prediction of best cut and positioning to maximize production, the angle of swing which produces the swiftest operation, optimum fill factor allowable for the type of material and conditions of ground, the maximum depth from which it can excavate and operating level with respect to the elevation of the high wall. The aims of the present paper are: 1. To establish a cut-off point in the cost-depth ratio. 2. Predict the most economic method of stripping in a given area using graphical plots of walking path implemented with information necessary to ensure optimum production. The optimum operating efficiency of the dragline in relation to the terrain and other conditions imposed on its operation will be evaluated. The model is based upon operating data which has been collected from site observations of a large strip coal mining operation in Central Queensland, Australia.

Jan 1, 1977

By H. Cecil Spicer

THE results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods April-May, 1939, and May-July, 1940. The United States Potash Co. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation was completed under a cooperative arrangement made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an effort was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. EARLIER STUDIES Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friedel1 and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the discovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlumberger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies on salt deposits in which the single-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performed with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to 8oo ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,11 through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining Co.

Jan 1, 1941

By A. H. Tousley, C. L. Vickers

The author presents a history of the development of the Port of Long Beach from its beginning in 1905 to the present construction of a new bulk loading facility. In describing this new facility, emphasis is placed on such aspects as rail car and truck handling, gravity yard, rotary car dumping, bottom dumping, car dumping equipment, feeding and conveying, ship-loader-stockpiler, stockpiling and reclaim, dust control, and construction problems. Development of the Port of Long Beach, Calif. (see Fig. I), began in 1905. In that year private Long Beach interests acquired 800 acres of marshland in the Inner Harbor area and initiated a program of channel dredging and land reclamation. Efforts to establish a municipal port began a short time later and culminated in the opening of Pier 1 in 1911. An event of even greater significance to the port future also occurred in 1911. This was the tideland grant enactment by the state legislature that conveyed to the city of Long Beach all of the state&apos;s rights in the tidelands located within the city boundaries. The grant stipulated that all revenue produced from the tidelands be used for the development of navigation, commerce, and fisheries. During the next 15 years up to 1926, the port&apos;s commercial growth was steady, although relatively slow. During this period, several fundamental steps in the development of a major harbor were accomplished. These included the creation of the Board of Harbor Commissioners in 1917, the dredging of the Inner Harbor and entrance channel to accommodate deep draft vessels, and the correction of a serious silting problem through construction of the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel. These efforts bore fruit during the ensuing 10 years in the establishment of more than $30,000,000 worth of industrial plants and private marine terminals in the Inner Harbor. Commerce over municipal wharves also increased more rapidly, and it became necessary to start the development of the harbor in a seaward direction. In 1936, oil was discovered in the harbor area, and the first Harbor Dept. well was brought in 2 years later. It soon became evident that the city of Long Beach would receive substantial revenue that, under the terms of the state grant of 1911, must be used in the development of the port. It was further realized that to properly guide and coordinate such development, a long range comprehensive plan was essential. The Board of Harbor Commissions contracted with G. F. Nicholson and J. F. Collins, consulting engineers, for the preparation of such a report that was completed in 1940. The Nicholson-Collins report proposed the development of an East Basin, between the entrance channel and the Los Angeles River, and a West Basin in the area now occupied by the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Twenty full-size berths were to be provided in the East Basin and more than fifty berths in the West Basin. The report recommended extensive modern terminal facilities for handling waterborne cargo. Attention was given to improvement of the street and highway system to give better vehicular access and to avoid congestion within the port. To a large extent the recommendations of the Nicholson-Collins report were followed in the subsequent development of the East Basin. This development was greatly accelerated by World War 11, with its need for increased oil production and additional shipping facilities. The wartime and immediate postwar construction was largely concentrated on Pier A, with the development of Piers B, C and D following in more recent years. An important factor in the planning of these piers was their dual function as oil drilling sites and cargo piers. The Navy&apos;s acquisition of the West Basin area made it necessary to depart from the Nicholson-Collins plan and find other areas for future expansion. At the present time only one Inner Harbor Port-owned area having protected deep water frontage remains undeveloped. This is the property fronting on Channel 2 in the Inner Harbor acquired in December 1957, from Pacific Dock and Terminal Co. The growth of the port has been in a southerly direction since the construction of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in the West Basin area. Recent extension of Piers F, G and J into the ocean follows typical port construction methods developed during the expansion of the Middle Harbor during the last 20 years.

Jan 1, 1963

By Frederick Laist

IT IS obviously impossible to design a copper smelting plant which could be considered, ideal under all conditions. For example, a plant properly designed to smelt the concentrates resulting from the treatment of porphyry ores by flotation would not be the kind of plant that one would design for the treatment of a coarse pyritous copper ore. The smelting of flotation or other fine concentrates is generally accomplished in a reverberatory plant, although occasionally the concentrates are sintered and then smelted in blast furnaces. On the other hand, coarse self-fluxing ores, whether pyritic or semi-pyritic, are generally smelted in a blast-furnace plant. Even this statement is only- approximately true, since the choice will be influenced by many factors; for example, the kind of fuel available (coal, oil or coke), the value of power (electric or steam), the uses to which waste steam may be put (heating, drying, etc.), the cost of refractories (silica and fire brick), the permanence and continuity of the ore supply and the relative first costs of the two types of plant (the reverberatory plant is generally more expensive to construct and to shut down), the contour of the site on which the plant is to be built (rugged, rolling or flat), the intelligence and character of the labor avail-able, and many other factors. From these remarks, it is evident that no copper smelter can be ideal for all conditions of ore and locality, and inasmuch as most of the copper now being pro-duced comes from fine or flotation concentrates and these are generally smelted in reverberatory furnaces, I shall confine my remarks to this type of smelt-ing plant.

Jan 5, 1923

By Claude P. Heiner

mountain region to M tht Coast points for domestic consumption and for export are shown in Table 11. There is considerable disparity in rates from both Rock Springs, Wyo., and Castle Gate, Utah, to the four coast cities where the slack coal is to be used for purposes other than export. The rate on coal to be exported is the same from either starting point to any of the four coast cities even though there is a difference of as much as 341 miles in the shipping distance. It is interesting to note that the freight rate between Sunnyside, Utah, and Fontana, Calif., on coking coal is $5.05 per ton and that coal up to 8 in. can be moved on this rate if it is suitable for coking. This rate was published late in 1942 on a contemplated annual movement of more than 500,000 tons. There have been decreases in freight rates since 1923 on movements of slack coal from Utah into Seattle and Portland due to pressure on the railroads and to greater. quantity of coal shipped. It is the author,&apos;, opinion that a movement of slack coal in excess of 3 million tons of coal per year from Utah to any point in central California would justify a freight rate equal to that puhlished for Fontana, Calif.. or $5.05 per ton. The movement of 3 1/2 million tons of coal per year on the basis of 240 mine working days per year would require that 14,600 tons be handled each mine working day. If it is assumed that shipments could be arranged for a 6-day week, the average railway movement would he 11,200 tons, or approximately 3 trains containing fifty-five 70-ton coal cars per day. Such movements of coal would require railroad equipment represented by the investment amounts stated in Table 12 and entail the services of 250 men. Table 12 ... Railroad Equipment and Investment Required To Move 11,200 Tons of Coal a Day from Utah to California Railroad Equipment Cost 2800. 70-ton coal cara at $6.000 each $16,800.000 32 locomotives at $310.000 each. 9.920.000 Miscellaneous eauiument:.......... .5;000:000 Total........................ $31,720,000 It therefore appears that, under presently known mining methods, the lowest price at which coal could be sold f.0.b. the mine in amounts of 3 1/2 million tons per year for generation of power in central California would be $4.60. It also appears that the lowest freight rate that could be expecled between intermountain points and the central California area would be $5.05 per ton, making a total cost of coal delivered at a plant site of $9.65 per ton. Conelusions The following are the author&apos;s conclusions: 1. Coal mines in Utah and in the Kemmerer and Rock Springs districts of Wyoming could increase annual production by 6 1/2 million tons per year. 2. Under present conditions coal could probably be delivered to any steam electric plant in central California at a price not to exceed $9.65 per ton. 3. The use of coal at such a price, while higher than the equivalent present price of fuel oil, is entirely feasible. 4. There are adequate railroad facilities for movements of large quantities of coal from the intermountain region to the Rest Coast. 5. In a national emergency it probably would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain sufficient oil to meet requirements of the greatly expanded West Coast steam electric generatsing capacity. 6. The intermountain region contains ample coal reserves to supply all conceivable demands for West Coast power generation for a number of generations. 7. Increasing demands of labor threaten to lessen, if not eliminate, savings in cost of coal production through the use of new mining machinery. 8. Continuation of experiments in socialism by the Federal Government through construction of hydroelectric generating plants, particularly those unrelated to land-use reclamation, defies justification. Rates under this concept of a governmental function are subsidized through greater taxation of its people. Private capital is available to construct steam plants, or hydro plants where feasible, and should be permitted to continue in order to preserve the principles of our free enterprise system. DISCUSSION (L. C. McCabe and Robert P. Koenig, presiding) C. C;. BALl*—I was asked to lead off the discussion, but it is not with the thought that I might be able to add anything to the paper. The thoroughness with which it was prepared rather forestalls the asking of many questions. Your treatment, Mr. Heiner, is a very valuable contribution. I do want to suggest—that although you have limited your study to this specific question, with certain geographic limitations, many of the things in your paper apply just as well to the eastern coals. I want to agree 100 pct with your final conclusion concerning government-subsidized construction. Id. C. McCabe*—It is certainly worthwhile to take stock occasionally to see where we are going in problems of this nature. I agree with Mr. Heiner that ultimately the only reliable source of fuel that the West Coast has is coal hut the time factor is the difficult element to evaluate. Just before I came here I discussed this subject with N. B. Hinson, Vice President and Executixe Engineer of the Southern California Edison Company, and Chairman of the West Coast Inter-Power Exchange Committee. He has given much thought to utilities&apos; fuel supply and it was very helpful to me in preparing a discussion of the paper to talk with him beforehand. Stock taking and forecasting of future development are essential to the continuing success of any enterprise. Mr. Heiner has called attention to the unprecedented growth of central and southern California and to the increased demands for fuel and power which have accompanied it. He discusses the increased fuel oil and natural gas requirements and the probable limits on the future use of these fuels and of hydroelectric power. In contrast to the calculable limits of these sources of electric energy, the author points to the availability of enormous reserves of coal in the Rocky Mountain States adjacent to the Pacific Coast which can be utilized for power generation. That there will be increased use of coal for power generation in the area under discussion is generally accepted hut it is in the timetable of such development that there is not complete agreement. In a recent report, Mr. Hinson reviewed the future power outlook for the Pacific southwest area. He pointed out that the use of steam plants in connection with water power plants in this region has made the maximum use of hydroelectric energy possible, and that the correct balance between hydro and steam generating plants produces the most economical overall system. Steam plants in the area which had been installed to protect against deficiency in hydro energy in dry years were used to carry war loads. Fortunately, no dry

Jan 1, 1950