Search Documents

By Leo Behr

RECENT years have seen important practical advances in the construction of recording instruments for use with thermocouples. The difficulties of the problem will be appreciated when it is remembered that a 10° F. change in temperature of a base-metal couple at 1500° means a change in the electromotive force of about 0.00035 volt. In a circuit having a resistance of 350 ohms, this means a change in the current of 0.00000,1 amp.; and despite this requirement of great sensitivity the instruments must be sufficiently robust to withstand the rough usage which is so often their lot. Two methods are in common use for the measurement of the electromotive force produced by a thermocouple: 1. The milliammeter method, in which the current produced by the thermocouple in a circuit of known resistance is measured and from. this the electromotive force is deduced by Ohm's law. 2. The potentiometer method in which a known potential difference is opposed to the thermocouple electromotive force. The use of thermocouple and milliammeter for measuring temperature introduces some possible sources of error, for the reading depends on a number of factors, including the following: (1) Electromotive force set up at the hot junction, (2) electromotive force set up at the cold junction, (3) resistance of the circuit including thermocouple, lead wires, and meter, (4) field strength of magnets, (5) strength of controlling springs in meter, (6) friction at pivots, of pointer on paper, etc. It is obviously necessary to so design and maintain the installation that the reading is independent of all the factors except the first. The electromotive force set up at the cold junction can easily be taken care of provided it is constant. This has been approximately accomplished by burying the cold junction in the ground or actually secured by locating it in a container, the temperature of which is kept constant by means of a thermostat.

Jan 9, 1919

By A. O. Dady

PRODUCERS of both bituminous and anthracite coal have for many years been worrying about the gradually decreasing consumption of their product in the United States. Twenty years ago production had climbed to a peak of 569,000,000 tons of bituminous and around 90,000,000 tons of anthracite. In 1939 it was about 393,000,000 tons of bituminous and 51,000,000 tons of anthracite. This does not mean that the country is using less polver than it did twenty years ago, or that we are living in colder buildings. As a matter of fact, about three times as much electric power is now being consumed as in 1920. In general two factors are responsible for the drop in coal consumption: (1) greater efficiency in the use of coal, and (2) increased competition from hydro power, internal-combustion engines, and substitution of oil and gas for coal in conventional furnaces. As to the first factor, it took 3 Ib. of coal to generate a kilowatt-hour of electricity in central stations in 1920 and it takes 1.4 Ib. now; it took about 175 Ib. of coal in railroad locomotives to haul 1000 long tons a mile in 1920 where it talces about 120 lb. now: and marked economies have also been made in the use of coal in steel plants: in by-product coke ovens, and in other large uses. As to the second factor, three times as much electricity is produced from water power now as was produced in 1920; three times as much oil is being consumed in various ways; and likewise, the consumption of natural gas has tripled- whereas coal consumption in the same period has dropped by 40 per cent

Jan 1, 1941

By E. DeGolyer

USE of geophysical methods as an aid to prospecting for new oil pools and in the exploration of already discovered pools continued to increase and reached a new high during 1934. As in previous years, the scene of greatest activity was the Gulf coastal plain of Texas and Louisiana. Seismic crews working by the reflection method increased from some thirty crews at the first of the year to forty crews at the end. An increased demand for torsion balance work at the beginning of the year occurred and practically all available instruments were put into service. Some thirty crews with approximately eighty balances continued throughout the year. Both the pendulum and gravimeter methods of gravity surveys registered their initial successes and equipment was increased from five to seven pendulums and from one to three gravimeters during the year. Approximately five magnetometer parties continued to work throughout the year. No surface surveys by the electrical method are known to have been made. Outside of coastal Texas and Louisiana the chief geophysical work

Jan 1, 1935

By AIME AIME

THE Fall Meetings of the Institute of Metals Division and of the Iron and Steel Division were held in Cleveland from Tuesday, Oct. 20, to Thursday, Oct. 22, as a part of the National Metal Congress. The registration at the technical sessions was something over 450 and the attendance at the joint dinner of the two Divisions on Wednesday evening taxed the capacity of the dining room. The president of the British Institute of Metals, W. R. Barclay, consulting metallurgist to the Mond Nickel Co., Ltd.; of London, was in attendance at several of the technical sessions and was one of the after-dinner speakers at the banquet. He commented on the desirability of greater international amity and cooperation in these troubled times and of the role that technical societies, such as the A. I. M. E. and his own British Institute of Metals, can and indeed are playing in bringing this to pass, with their membership and contacts reaching to all parts of the world. He also referred to the new reciprocal membership arrangements in effect between the A.I.M.E. and the British Institute of Metals.

Jan 1, 1936

By Carl F. Floe, John Chipman

THE system molten copper-oxygen-sulphur is of interest from both the practical and theoretical standpoints; practically, because oxygen and sulphur play an important role in the commercial production of copper, and theoretically because it offers a chance to study the reaction between an oxide gas, SO2, and a molten metal. Reactions of this type, such as that between CO or CO2 and molten iron, are important in many metallurgical operations. Again, the determination of any gas-metal equilibrium is of theoretical interest and value insofar as it contributes to the general development of the laws for solution of gases in metals. This problem is being given an increasing amount of attention in modern metallurgy. This paper is the first of a series and presents the results of a determination of the solubility of sulphur dioxide in molten copper at temperatures from 1100° to 1500°C., and pressures from about 20 mm. of mercury to somewhat above atmospheric. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK The solubility of gases in most liquids has been found to obey Henry's law, which states that for a fixed temperature the amount of gas dissolved is directly proportional to the pressure. However this law does not hold for liquid metals. Instead, it appears that for many gases, particularly the simple diatomic ones such as 02, N2 and H2, the amount dissolved in liquid metals is directly proportional to the square root of the pressure. This is known as Sieverts' law. It may be recognized as a special case of Henry's law, which applies when the solute gas is dissociated into atoms or when it reacts with the solvent metal to form solute molecules containing single atoms of the gaseous elements, as, for example: [(MG) l 2M +G2 = 2MG K = Ma X Pa, [I]] which, if the solubility is not too high and the concentration of metal therefore nearly constant, can be simplified to: [MG = Kl Pa,[2]] Following the same reasoning, it would be expected that the solubility of SO2 in copper would be proportional to the cube root of the pressure, the reaction being as follows: [6Cu + SO2 = Cu2S + 2Cu20[3] K _ Cu2S X (Cu20)2 (Cu)6(Pso2)[4]] or, neglecting the change in metal concentration and considering that the concentrations of sulphur and oxygen are both proportional to the volume V of gas absorbed: [8 =KI = Pte, or VSO2= K2 '~/PeO, [S]]

Jan 1, 1941

By G. Gutzeit

An inner complex is a cyclic chemical structure containing an inorganic cation that is bound simultaneously to several atoms in a single organic molecule; on the one hand by means of ordinary valence bonds (electron exchange), on the other hand through the action of the electric field thus created, which satisfies the so-called secondary valences. The relative positions of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups are such that most frequently a four, five, or six-membered ring results through this double attachment of the cation.1-6 The formation of inner-complex ring systems depends not only upon the nature and suitable position of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups for ring closure, but, to a great extent, also on the nature of the metallic cation entering the reaction. This selective character of chelate-forming organic compounds is one of their most interesting and most valuable properties. As a matter of fact, the largest number of their practical applications is based upon their specificity.4,7-l3 Once a chelate compound is formed, its character is definitely "organic" in nature. In other words, its properties are conditioned to a much larger degree by the carbon chains or rings than by the metallic atom. Many inner complexes are soluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene, paraffin oil or carbon tetrachloride, while the chelate-forming reagent before closure of the metal-organic ring is water soluble. (Example: copper complex of salicyl-aldoxime') It is obvious that such particular properties as those indicated above can be utilized whenever specificity and practically complete binding of inorganic ions into an undissociable complex are required. One of the well-known applications of chelate-forming compounds has been the development of specific reagents in analytical chemistry, creation of the spot-test method,4,14-16 and the application of the same principles to the contact print method for determining minerals." Chelate-forming Compounds as Collectors In the field of flotation, where selectivity is often a quality of paramount importance for the collector, various workers have lately attempted to apply their knowledge of specific organic analytical reagents to this purpose. A. C. Vivian18 has concentrated cassiterite by using ammonium nitrosophenylhydroxyl-amine (Cupferron) C6H5NO(=NONH4). Holmanl9 has tested dimethylglyoxime for the flotation of nickel oxide minerals, while deWitt has shown in a series of systematic experiments that alpha-diox-imes were generally selective collectors for nickel ores. Taurin NH2(CH2)2S03H has been proposed for the concentration Of Oxidized lead ores.19 Diphenylthio-carbazone

Jan 1, 1947

By G. Gutzeit

An inner complex is a cyclic chemical structure containing an inorganic cation that is bound simultaneously to several atoms in a single organic molecule; on the one hand by means of ordinary valence bonds (electron exchange), on the other hand through the action of the electric field thus created, which satisfies the so-called secondary valences. The relative positions of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups are such that most frequently a four, five, or six-membered ring results through this double attachment of the cation.1-6 The formation of inner-complex ring systems depends not only upon the nature and suitable position of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups for ring closure, but, to a great extent, also on the nature of the metallic cation entering the reaction. This selective character of chelate-forming organic compounds is one of their most interesting and most valuable properties. As a matter of fact, the largest number of their practical applications is based upon their specificity.4,7-l3 Once a chelate compound is formed, its character is definitely "organic" in nature. In other words, its properties are conditioned to a much larger degree by the carbon chains or rings than by the metallic atom. Many inner complexes are soluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene, paraffin oil or carbon tetrachloride, while the chelate-forming reagent before closure of the metal-organic ring is water soluble. (Example: copper complex of salicyl-aldoxime') It is obvious that such particular properties as those indicated above can be utilized whenever specificity and practically complete binding of inorganic ions into an undissociable complex are required. One of the well-known applications of chelate-forming compounds has been the development of specific reagents in analytical chemistry, creation of the spot-test method,4,14-16 and the application of the same principles to the contact print method for determining minerals." Chelate-forming Compounds as Collectors In the field of flotation, where selectivity is often a quality of paramount importance for the collector, various workers have lately attempted to apply their knowledge of specific organic analytical reagents to this purpose. A. C. Vivian18 has concentrated cassiterite by using ammonium nitrosophenylhydroxyl-amine (Cupferron) C6H5NO(=NONH4). Holmanl9 has tested dimethylglyoxime for the flotation of nickel oxide minerals, while deWitt has shown in a series of systematic experiments that alpha-diox-imes were generally selective collectors for nickel ores. Taurin NH2(CH2)2S03H has been proposed for the concentration Of Oxidized lead ores.19 Diphenylthio-carbazone

Jan 1, 1947

By A. M. Gavdin, F. W. Bowdish

Mineral dressing is an industrial art concerned with the treatment and separation of solids suspended in fluids. Knowledge and evaluation of the area of solid-fluid interface is important in all cases except those involving only large pieces of solid. In fact, many problems relating to comminution, to flotation, to thickening and classification, could be dealt with more rationally if the interfacial area were known. A number of methods have been proposed for the measurement of the surface of certain finely divided solids. Among them are methods using rate of dissolution of the solid,? its magnetic remanence,³ the turbidity of its suspension," and the character of the size distribution of the material.9 The first two are limited to one mineralogical species per sample; the third has certain optical limitations, especially for mineral mixtures, and the fourth is based on an extrapolation of uncertain validity. The need of a better and more general method of surface determination has long been felt, therefore. The method of P. H. Emmett,4 based upon the low-temperature adsorption of vapors, appears to fulfill this need. This method consists in determining the amount of nitrogen that is adsorbed by a given sample of solid at the temperature of boiling nitrogen. The more surface there is on the solid—both internal and external—the more nitrogen is abstracted. In actual operation, the method is somewhat less simple than has been stated so far, in that the nitrogen is adsorbed in an incomplete layer, the completeness and thickness of the layer being related to the pressure of the nitrogen in contact with the sample.2 This circumstance makes it necessary to determine the nitrogen adsorption for three or more values of the nitrogen pressure. Apparatus In the Richards Mineral Dressing Laboratories an Emmett apparatus has been built and tested (Figs. I and 2). A mechanical vacuum pump B and a mercury diffusion pump A work in series to give a high vacuum. The sample, placed in bulb D, can be evacuated by this pump train by suitable operation of the stopcocks in the glass tubing that connects the various parts of the apparatus. C is a McLeod gauge, used to ascertain the order of magnitude of the vacuum obtained, and not for accurate pressure measurements. Pressure measurements are made in the mercury manometer F and gas-volume measurements in the gas burette E. Gases are stored in flasks L (nitrogen) and K (helium), arranged so that definite quantities of these gases can be introduced into

Jan 1, 1947

By A. M. Gavdin, F. W. Bowdish

Mineral dressing is an industrial art concerned with the treatment and separation of solids suspended in fluids. Knowledge and evaluation of the area of solid-fluid interface is important in all cases except those involving only large pieces of solid. In fact, many problems relating to comminution, to flotation, to thickening and classification, could be dealt with more rationally if the interfacial area were known. A number of methods have been proposed for the measurement of the surface of certain finely divided solids. Among them are methods using rate of dissolution of the solid,? its magnetic remanence,³ the turbidity of its suspension," and the character of the size distribution of the material.9 The first two are limited to one mineralogical species per sample; the third has certain optical limitations, especially for mineral mixtures, and the fourth is based on an extrapolation of uncertain validity. The need of a better and more general method of surface determination has long been felt, therefore. The method of P. H. Emmett,4 based upon the low-temperature adsorption of vapors, appears to fulfill this need. This method consists in determining the amount of nitrogen that is adsorbed by a given sample of solid at the temperature of boiling nitrogen. The more surface there is on the solid—both internal and external—the more nitrogen is abstracted. In actual operation, the method is somewhat less simple than has been stated so far, in that the nitrogen is adsorbed in an incomplete layer, the completeness and thickness of the layer being related to the pressure of the nitrogen in contact with the sample.2 This circumstance makes it necessary to determine the nitrogen adsorption for three or more values of the nitrogen pressure. Apparatus In the Richards Mineral Dressing Laboratories an Emmett apparatus has been built and tested (Figs. I and 2). A mechanical vacuum pump B and a mercury diffusion pump A work in series to give a high vacuum. The sample, placed in bulb D, can be evacuated by this pump train by suitable operation of the stopcocks in the glass tubing that connects the various parts of the apparatus. C is a McLeod gauge, used to ascertain the order of magnitude of the vacuum obtained, and not for accurate pressure measurements. Pressure measurements are made in the mercury manometer F and gas-volume measurements in the gas burette E. Gases are stored in flasks L (nitrogen) and K (helium), arranged so that definite quantities of these gases can be introduced into

Jan 1, 1947

By A. M. Gaudin, F. W. Bowdish

MINERAL dressing is an industrial art concerned with the treatment and separation of solids suspended in fluids. Knowledge and evaluation of the area of solid-fluid interface is important in all cases except those involving only large pieces of solid. In fact, many problems relating to comminution, to flotation, to thickening and classification, could be dealt with more rationally if the interfacial area were known. A number of methods have been proposed for the measurement of the surface of certain finely divided solids. Among them are methods using rate of dissolution of the solid,7 its magnetic remanence,3 the turbidity of its suspension,8 and the character of the size distribution of the material.9 The first two are limited to one mineralogical species per sample; the third has certain optical limitations, especially for mineral mixtures, and the fourth is based on an extrapolation of uncertain validity. The need of a better and more general method of surface determination has long been felt, therefore. The method of P. H. Emmett,4 based upon the low-temperature adsorption of vapors, appears to fulfill this need. This method consists in determining the amount of nitrogen that is adsorbed by a given sample of solid at the temperature of boiling nitrogen. The more surface there is on the solid-both internal and external-the more nitrogen is abstracted. In actual operation, the method is somewhat less simple than has been stated so far, in that the nitrogen is adsorbed in an incomplete layer, the completeness and thickness of the layer being related to the pressure of the nitrogen in contact with the sample .2 This circumstance makes it necessary to determine the nitrogen adsorption for three or more values of the nitrogen pressure. APPARATUS In the Richards Mineral Dressing Laboratories an Emmett apparatus has been built and tested (Figs. 1 and 2). A mechanical vacuum pump B and a mercury diffusion pump A work in series to give a high vacuum. The sample, placed in bulb D, can be evacuated by this pump train by suitable operation of the stopcocks in the glass tubing that connects the various parts of the apparatus. C is a McLeod gauge, used to ascertain the order of magnitude of the vacuum obtained, and not for accurate pressure measurements. Pressure measurements are made in the mercury manometer F and gas-volume measurements in the gas burette E. Gases are stored in flasks L (nitrogen) and K (helium), arranged so that definite quantities of these gases can be introduced into

Jan 1, 1944

By Gene D. Clayton, Robert R. Dimock

A time-consuming and expensive preshearing program to minimize the adverse effects of blasting on slope stability at Kennecott Copper Corp.'s Ruth Pit in east-central Nevada has been eliminated in favor of down-the-hole, nonelectric delayed blasting which can produce a smooth wall effect and improve blast fragmentation. The new blasting approach resulted from a Kennecott engineering investigation aimed at improving the stability of the extremely variable rock conditions found throughout the pit by reducing the vibrational energy imparted to the walls with conventional bench blasts.

Jan 4, 1977

By Nagel, Theodore

USE of oxygen in metallurgical operations was investigated by a committee of unusually able engineers more than ten years ago. A record of their work appeared under the title "The Use of Oxygen or Oxygenated Air in Metallurgical and Allied Processes," Serial 2502, Report of Investigations, U. S. Bureau of Mines. Shortly thereafter the A.I.M.E. published "Use of Oxygenated Air in Metallurgical Operations," based on a symposium at the New York meeting, February 1, 924. Quoting from the Bureau of Mines report In view of the many recent developments in oxygen manufacture, and considering the increasing cost and decreasing quality of our raw materials, the Bureau of Mines has taken the matter of the application of oxygen or oxygenated air to the metallurgical centers for consideration and has appointed an advisory committee to study the problem.

Jan 1, 1935

By George S. Rice

ARIAL maps of prospective mineral-bearing territory have become almost indispensable in all the branches of exploration, and have proved particularly useful in the great oil area of the Southwest. About nine years ago aerial photographic mapping in this area was begun. The early product was lacking in scale accuracy and other control features, which limited its effective use. Since then, the evolution of the technique of such mapping has been steady, with several mapping companies collaborating with five of the leading oil companies, and aerial maps have been prepared covering practically the entire area.Improvements in cameras, film, and developing equipment and practice have resulted in more uniform and clearer photographs, but the outstanding development has been the accuracy obtained with respect to scale and all other control features. Maps are no

Jan 1, 1936

By Hermsdorf, Richard P. E.

AMONG the newer lead smelting and refining plants of the country is that of the United States Metals Refining Co., at Carteret, N. J. Not only is the technical practice here modern and efficient, but exceptional care is taken to assure healthful operating conditions for the employees. One large building houses the entire department, which includes, as its chief units, one reverberatory smelting furnace, one blast furnace, two softening furnaces, one utility reverberatory furnace, two Faber du Faur retorts, five 120-ton kettles, three 60-ton antimouial lead kettles, and one 5-ton kettle for experimental purposes. There is a 10-ton overhead crane in the kettle aisle, which is also used for shipping lead. Other auxiliary equipment is referred to in the outline of operations. A general plan of the plant is shown in Fig. 2, and a general view in Fig. 1. Primary smelting operations are conducted in a 30 by 11-ft. reverberatory furnace with bottom, roof, and upper walls of clay brick, magnesite

Jan 1, 1934

By W. E. C. Coxe

Many of you who are interested in the manufacture of iron and steel, have no doubt heard of the "Wheeler process for combining iron and steel." Mr. Wheeler has formed a company, styled the "Combination Trust Company," whose business is to grant licenses for the use of this patent process in producing what he calls "iron-clad steel." It has been proposed to apply it in the manufacture of car or wagon axles, also to shafting, having steel cores or centres covered with iron; to tubes of steel with an inner and outer skin of iron ; to structural purposes, such as girders and beams; bridge and tie-bolts, where the strength of the iron and the rigidity of the steel would be desirable. In answer to a request from Mr. Wheeler, permission mas accorded him to make some experiments at the rolling mill of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, at Reading, Pennsylvania, with a view to manufacturing some steel-headed rails. In making this kind of a rail two difficulties are encountered. If the iron is brought to the requisite heat to weld properly, the steel is likely to be burned; if the steel is cared for, to prevent burning, the several layers of iron are not brought up to the proper welding heat. Mr. Wheeler claimed that the steel slab covered with iron which he furnished for the head of the rail could net be injured by any heat to which it might be subjected in the ordinary course of heating the rail-pile. He claimed, also, that by this method the porosity, which he thought was characteristic of all solid rails of Bessemer steel, would be overcome. Four steel slabs were furnished for this experiment, being Bessemer steel of .61 carbon, made at the Edgar Thomson Steel Works, and covered with iron in one of the Pittsburgh mills. The slabs were in section seven inches wide by three inches thick, and the iron covering was one-eighth to three-sixteenths inch thick. Each slab was placed on a pile of iron made up in the ordinary way for a rail fifty-six pounds per yard and thirty feet long. The heating was under the personal direction of Mr. Wheeler, and

Jan 1, 1879

By G. C. Wallick

Since the appearance of the paper, "Solution of the Equations of Un-steady State Two-Phase Flow in Oil Reservoirs," by W. J. West, W. W. Garvin, and J. W. Sheldon,' a two-fold investigation of this subject has been carried out. One objective of the investigation has been to deter-mine the feasibility of solving such problems 7on a medium-size com-puter such as the Datatron*, and the other objective has been to in-vestigate the application of such cal-culations to experimental and theo-retical petroleum reservoir research. In the first Datatron calculations, the fluid and rock properties published by West, et al, were used, together with the published equations describ-ing the system. Details of the formu-lation not given in the original paper are discussed in the Appendix to this note. Reference should be made to the subject paper for the complete equations and defintion of symbols. An unexpected result of this in-vestigation was the discovery that the linear solution published by West was in error. Thus, in addition to describing the Datatron solutions and to discussing certain numerical diffi-culties which will be encountered if one uses the published method of solution, the purpose of this note is to indicate the nature of this error. LINEAR FLOW Since the linear case requires a minimum amount of scaling, a fixed-decimal point Datatron program was written for the one-dimensional flow problem and an attempt was made to duplicate the solution described by West. In the case described, fluid was produced at a constant rate, Q, until such time as well pressure reached 0.04. Production was then continued at constant pressure. From the constants and curves given by West it was determined that the ini-tial constant production rate could be approximated by Q = 0.007. An ini-tial dimensionless time step ?t = 0.434 X 10 - "as used, and each suc-cessive time step was doubled until a value of = 0.444 was reached. This constant interval was then used for the remainder of the solution. In subsequent solutions, several varia-tions in the time schedule were em-ployed, including smaller time steps and slower rates of increase in the time steps. In all cases, almost identical results were obtained regardless of the time schedule employed. However, as described below, it was noted that the time schedule had some influence on the rate of convergence of the solutions. As a check on the accuracy of the solution, the cumulative production at each time step was calculated using the two methods described in the Appendix. Satisfactory agreement was observed with the differences in these two values of the order of two parts in 50,000. It should be noted that the mass balance check as described is of questionable value, particularly with regard to the well pressure and saturation. This is especially true in the radial solution where pressure and saturation values near the wellbore would make only a negligible contribution to the numer-ical integration. It is believed, how-ever, that such a comparison is ot value in determining the over-all accuracy of a solution. In comparing the Datatron solu-tion with that published by West it was discovered that in the later stages of depletion, the pressures near the well declined more rapidly in our solution than in the West solution, and that the limiting well pressure of 0.04 was reached at an earlier time than that originally reported. It thus became evident that it would be impossible to duplicate the production schedule described by West and a constant rate of production was maintained until the well pressure was equal to 0.0. A representative comparison of the results published by West with those obtained in this investigation is shown in Fig. 1, which is a plot of GOR as a function of cumulative recovery. These two curves should be in agreement until a cumulative recovery is reached which corresponds to a well pressure of 0.04 — for the Datatron solution, a recovery of approximately 5.6 per cent. Actually, a major disagreement is evident. Subsequent correspondence

Jan 1, 1958

By J. D. Wood, J. T. Smith

ALLOYS with a dispersed second phase in a metallic matrix are generally much stronger than the matrix itself. Plastic deformation in dispersion-strengthened alloys is usually confined to the matrix phase when recovery processes are active, while in the absence of recovery both phases may yield.' The alloy system studied in the present research was WC-12 wt pct Co and consisted of noncoherent WC particles dispersed in the cobalt matrix. Some particle-to-particle contact existed but not enough to produce a continuous WC skeleton. The microstruc-ture of the WC particles was characterized by very straight edges, forming a trapezoidal shape in any plane of polish. Previous investigations with WC-Co alloys at room temperature have shown that fracture of the WC particles occurs in transverse rupture testing.' Room-temperature slip was reported for WC particles after indentation for hardness measurements.3 Elevated-temperature deformation of WC particles in a WC-12 pct Co alloy was suggested by recent electron microscope studies of specimens deformed at 900' to 1000°C.4 In highly deformed alloys, the WC edges were serrated in contrast to the usual straight or smooth appearance. WC-12 pct Co and WC-15 pct Co alloys have been previously studied under elevated-temperature com-pressive-creep conditions by the present authors. Electron microscope studies of two-stage replicas from deformed specimens showed no evidence of slip or fracture of the WC particles. These specimens were brought to temperature and allowed to equilibrate prior to the application of the creep load. It was believed that the load-application rate, a crosshead speed of 0.005 in. per min on an Instron universal testing machine, was sufficiently low that recovery within the cobalt matrix was sufficient to limit the deformation to this matrix. A series of experiments was performed to evaluate the influence of loading rate on the deformation of WC-Co alloys. A WC-12 pct Co alloy was selected for these determinations. The average WC particle size was 4.45 p with an average linear separation between particles of 0.59 p. The selected temperature was 800°C and was monitored with a Chromel-Alumel thermocouple attached to the specimen. Testing was conducted in an argon-atmosphere chamber to prevent oxidation of the WC-Co specimens. This chamber was mounted on an Instron universal testing machine equipped to apply the load at a fixed rate. Each specimen was loaded to 110,000 psi compression stress at 0.05 and 0.5 in. per min. The loading rate was monitored prior to insertion of the test chamber and was found to be almost precisely the nominal rate selected. The specimens were raised to temperature and held to equilibrate with the surroundings, and then the load was applied and held for 4 hr to duplicate the exposure time utilized for the creep specimens. The time to reach full load at a crosshead speed of 0.005 in. per min was some 500 sec and was reduced to 50 and 5 sec as the loading rate was increased to 0.05 and 0.5 in, per min, respectively. The model developed by Ansell,' when recovery processes do not occur, considers that fracture or deformation of the dispersed particles is necessary to relieve back stresses on dislocation sources and allow dislocations piled up against particles to sweep out in the matrix to cause plastic deformation; he further states that, even at elevated temperatures, the dispersed-particle deformation is necessary for yielding in the absence of recovery. For the case of straight dislocation segments piled up against a straight barrier, such as the straight-sided WC particles, the shear stress, 7 exerted on a particle is: where h is the spacing between particles (0.59 p), a is the applied stress (110,000 psi), p, is the shear modulus of the matrix (6.7 X lo6 psi at 80O°C), and b is the Burgers vector of the matrix dislocation. From Eq. [I], the shear stress, 7, exerted on the WC particles when no recovery occurs is of the order of 6 X lo6 psi at 800°C. The limiting stress, F, that will

Jan 1, 1969

By George W. Powel

IN the nation's effort to raise its magnesium metal supply to meet the ever increasing demand, the Government is relying not only on standard established practice but has extended its support to developments not so well proved-at least, not commercially proved. Within the past few months considerable progress has been made, not only in the definite output of metal but in the exploitation of new processes, the successful adaptation of which should, in a reasonably short time, assure an adequate supply of magnesium. Recent months have also witnessed a reshuffling of the favored methods as well as of the likely raw materials, with the mineral dolomite gaining in interest over its richer but less abundant competitor, magnesite, while the lowly sea water appears to be losing ground to the higher magnesian brines of Michigan and western Texas. Every month sees a new alignment and there are signs that still newer methods or raw materials will be in use before the industry finally stabilizes itself.

Jan 1, 1942

By E. A. Holbrook

MINING Metallurgy, and Petroleum Engineering department in our colleges are facing a crisis; indeed, conditions that threaten their very existence. Unless the Army, Navy, and War Manpower Commission change their present policy, within two years mineral industries education as now carried on will die, because no ablebodied students will be left in the course. If this is the decision of our responsible governmental agencies we of the mining schools must perhaps accept it as a war measure. It might be well however, for the executive of our mining metallurgical, and oil companies to look ahead a, to where they are to recruit a supply of young technically trained engineers. You can no more operate a mine, a steel plant or an oil company without trained engineers than you can operate a battleship without mechanical and electrical engineers.

Jan 1, 1943

By Schneider, W. G.

IT is not my purpose to burden you with many statistics. The charts herewith should be considered merely as indicating the trend. I believe' that is what is really of interest to us. It is difficult, if not impossible to forecast with any assurance future developments, because of possible new mines, competitive materials, curtailment' or increase in the use of the metal in certain markets, and many other factors that have a vital bearing on any industry. Fig. 1 shows United States smeltet output of copper, starting with 1845. It is estimated that in 1928 the smelter output of copper will be about 1,010,000 tons. Between 1895 and 1905 it increased about 200,000 tons, and between 1905 and 1915 about 240,000 tons. Between 1915 and 1925 the increase was about 140,000 tons. This is an average increase over 30 years of about 190,00Q tons per ten-year period. At the present time the indications are that this demand for increased production will continue. As to whether or not we have the supplies or facilities to maintain this increase or a greater one, remains to be seen. Provided it is possible for United States smelters to increase their production, they should be producing at the rate of about 1,210,000 tons or more per year by 1935.

Jan 1, 1928