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By William M. Sheehan

TRANSPORTATION is one of the most important problems of the mine operator and the possibilities of cost reduction in this field should not be overlooked. In the railroad industry, cars and locomotives have been improved greatly, and the progress there made is well worthy of study by the mine operator looking for maximum efficiency in every branch of his activities. One of the outstanding developments in the construction of railroad equipment in recent years has been the wide-spread adoption of large one-piece steel castings for the framework of locomotives, passenger and freight cars. Some of the advantages and applications of this type of construction will be outlined in this paper, with particular thought of the needs of the mining industry. The inherent qualities of cast steel: homogeneity, unrestricted size and shape, high tensile strength, flexibility of metal distribution, resistance to corrosion, and gracefulness of outline, make it the most versatile member of the ferrous group. Not only is it a strength-giving element, but it is corrosion resistant, a combination that makes for large economies in equipment maintenance. Flexibility of metal distribution allows the integral foundation to be in the shape best suited for the purpose. These cast structures are really assembled in the mold in liquid form and the metal can be placed in the right pro¬portion exactly where it is needed, thus securing weight economy and uniformity of fibre stress. Such a process permits the incorporation, with ease, of necessary brackets, utilizing them to provide not only greater strength for the derail part itself, but often to add to the value of the entire unit. Laps, seams, and joints, which are necessary in all fabricated forms, are eliminated.

Jan 1, 1933

By J. V. W. REYNDERS

FIRST of all let me express my affectionate gratitude for the cordiality and good will of your reception. On the part of the men I venture to interpret the character of your greeting, not only as a recognition of the position to which you have been good enough to elect me, but also as an expression of your friendly attitude. However, I cannot pass over the tribute of the ladies so casually: Nor does it seem possible to do justice to my sentiments in addressing them collectively. I would feel more equal to the task if I could have the opportunity to talk to them singly, in doing which I know I may count upon their good sportsmanship not to compare notes. There has been some discussion between Mr. Kelly and myself as to our respective duties on this occasion: The precedents are not clear as to whether the retiring or the incoming president is expected to speak at length. Mr. Kelly's argument was that as the incoming president confines himself to promises for the future his field is a broad one and his opportunities for extending his remarks correspondingly unlimited.

Jan 1, 1925

By Martin F. Littmann

Inclusions of MnS and Fe3C have been introduced into single crystals of 3 pct Si-Fe to study their effects on recrystallization behavior and textures after cold rolling and annealing. The presence of MnS in (110) [001] and (111)[112] crystals inhibited primary grain growth and promoted secondary recrystallization but did not alter the texture significantly after annealing at 1200°C. The presence of Fe3C in (llO)[OOl] and (100)[001] crystals caused a refinement of the primary re crystallized grain size but did not promote secondary recrystallization. THE texture behavior of single crystals of 3 pct Si-Fe during deformation and recrystallization has been studied by numerous investigators. The early work of Dunn&apos; followed by Decker and Harker2 involved relatively small cold reductions. More detailed studies of Dunn3&apos;4 and of Dunn and Koh5&apos;6 involved a reduction of 70 pct and recrystallization at 980°C for several crystals. Walter and Hibbard7 studied a greater variety of initial orientations and sought to relate the textures to those of polycrystalline material. Attention was focused on the nucleation process during early stages of annealing and on surface energy effects in studies by Walter and Dunn8 and by HU.9&apos;10 One of the most extensive investigations has been reported by T. Taoka, E. Furubayashi, and S. Takeuchi.11 Most of this work has been conducted using relatively pure crystals with minimal amounts of precipi-tate-forming elements such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen. Recently, however, S. Taguchi and A. Sakakura have observed that AIN precipitates can alter the recrystallization textures of rolled (100)[001] crystals.12 The present studies were initiated to determine effects of MnS and Fe3C precipitates on recrystalli-zation and grain growth behavior of rolled single-crystals of 3 pct Si-Fe. Both of these types of inclusions play significant roles in the recrystallization behavior leading to the formation of the (110)[001] or cube-on-edge texture in commercial grain-oriented silicon iron. It is well known that (110)[001] primary grains are formed by recrystallization of (110)[001] or (11 l)[ 112] crystals after cold reduction of about 60 pct or more. Crystals of these orientations, therefore, were selected for study of the effect of MnS in-clusions on grain growth. On the other hand, a major component of the texture of cold-rolled, polycrystal-line 3 pct Si-Fe is the (100)[011] orientation. The function of Fe3,C inclusions is of interest for this orientation. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The single crystals used are listed in Table I and were obtained from commercial Si-Fe alloy processed to produce (110)[001] and (100)[001] texture by secondary growth. The cube-on-edge material was 0.59 mm thick. Suitably large (110)[001] crystals 25 mm wide were selected and their orientations were determined using an optical goniometer. Etch pits for texture determination were formed by a ferric sulfate solution. The other crystals used in the study with (100)[001], (100)[011], and (111)[112] orientations were obtained from sheet which contained large grains developed from secondary recrystallization by a surface-energy driving force.13 Most crystals had a (100) plane very nearly parallel to the sheet surface and the rolling direction could be selected readily. The same sheet also contained a few crystals with (111) planes parallel to the sheet surface, these also being a result of growth by surface energy. The crystals selected from the sheet were about 25 mm wide and 0.25 to 0.28 mm thick. As shown in Table 11, the crystals already contained about 0.070 to 0.10 pct Mn. Inclusions of MnS were incorporated into crystal 36 in the following manner. The crystals were first sulfurized by holding them Table I. Initial Orientations of Crystals Crystal No. Initial Orientation Thickness, mm Special Treatment 34 (I10) [00l]* 0.59 None 36s (110) [001] 0.59 Sulfide precipitates added 30,40 (111)[Ti21 0.28 None 43s (III) [Ti21 0.28 Sulfide precipitates added 37 (100) [Oll] 0.30 None 37C (100) [01I] 0.27 Carbon added 41 (100) (01I] 0.25 None 41C (100) [OI11 025 Carbide precipitates added 42 (100) [OOl] 0.25 None 42C (100) [001] 0.25 Carbide precipitates added *Tilted 4 deg to r~ght about R.D. Table II. Compositions of Crystals Special Treatments Base Analysis ~ ______________________£________________Crys- Crystals Pct Si Pct C Pct Mn Pct S Pct N Pct Al tal Pct C Pct S 34.36 2.93 • 0.099 <0.005 - 0.0014 36S 0.011 30.37 to 42 2.78 0.0057 0.070 0.001 0.0008 0.0011 43S 0.022 37C 0.029 -41C 0.028 -42C 0.026 *Estimate 0.004 pct. Oxygen estimated <0.003 pct on all samples

Jan 1, 1970

By Marie Kinzel

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, the birthplace f the atomic bomb, is one of the most famous-and mysterious-places in the world. It leaped into fame on Aug. 6, 1945, when the first atomic bomb burst over Hiroshima. Unheard of until that day, its present life is as hidden from most people as was its very existence in pre-Hiroshima days. Then, those who did know of it dared not breathe their knowledge. "What do you tell your wife when you go to Shangri La?" was the favorite quip of the few consultants who made regular trips from east or west to Los Alamos during the tense months when the bomb was in the making. Security regulations made it impossible even to hint at the rigid secrecy surrounding the project. The puzzled wives in question knew only that their husbands had top priority on airplane flights to Albuquerque. When they had verified the safe arrival of the flight, they undoubtedly breathed a sigh of relief. If they could have visualized the rest of the trip, the sigh of relief would have been replaced by a state of tizzy, until a telegram came saying "Arriving home on Flight X" (on a nice safe airplane).

Jan 1, 1946

By M. R. Lorenz

Efficient visible light emission from p-n junctions in semiconductors is currently achieved in the four materials, Sic, GaP, ]Ga1-xAs and GaAs1-x,. Recent advances in materials preparation and p-n junction formation are briefly reviewed. The radiative recombination processes in the different materials depend largely on the band structure and the impurity states of each material. The spectral distribution of the emission ranges from the blue in Sic, to green in Gap, yellow in Sic and red in Gap, Ga1-x AlxAs and GaAs1-x Px. The origin of the various processes are discussed. The conversion of the electrical power into optical power and the measurement of the conversion efficiency are reviewed. The currently maximum quantum efficiencies at 300°K are: 3 pct in GaP(red), 1 pct in SiC(yellow), 0.1 pct in GaP(green), 0.2 pct in Ga1-x AlxAs at 66001, and 0.1 pct in GaAs1-x Px at 6800. The brightness and the interplay of the quantum efficiency and the luminous efficiency are given detailed consideration. VISIBLE light generated by the application of a direct current to a semiconductor crystal was first observed by Lossev1 in 1923. Light emission came from naturally occurring junctions in Sic crystals but little was known then with regard to the mechanism of charge transport and light emission. Some nearly 30 years later and with a vastly increased understanding of semiconductors the phenomenon of electroluminescence was studied in more detail, for example in p-n junctions of germanium.2 In these early studies, the efficiency of converting the electron current into a photon current was very low and therefore aroused little interest toward practical application. More recently it became apparent that in certain materials, for instance GaAs, and under certain conditions, the conversion efficiency was not low at all.3 The subsequent discovery of the p-n junction laser4-6 provided the impetus for increased studies of electroluminescence. Light emitted from GaAs occurs in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and is not visible to the eye. At nearly the same time the use of GaAs1-xPx led to laser action at low temperatures which was visible to the eye.7 Later a red light emitting diode, made from Gap, was reportedS which emitted incoherent radiation at 300°K with an external quantum efficiency of about 1.5 pct. The fact that such efficient devices were obtainable led to a more concentrated effort in the search for highly efficient room-temperature semiconductor light sources. It is some of this later work on p-n junction luminescence with which we will be concerned here. Since our aim is centered on visible light, with hv =1.8 ev ( ?=7000?), only the wider band gap semiconductors are of interest, i.e., Eg 1 1.8 ev. Although many compounds meet this criterion, only a limited number of those are also good semiconductors, i.e. contain low resistance n and p regions. Some of the more promising candidates are listed in Table I. We will only be concerned with light generation from a p-n junction. This limitation excludes essentially the group II-VI binary compounds, although we will briefly review the case of ZnTe and the solid solution ZnTe1-xSex. As we will show they may contain a p-n junction but only of a special kind. Most of the discussion will deal with the four materials, Sic, Gap, Gal-xAlxAs, and GaAs1-xPx. These appear to be at the present time the best visible light emitting semiconductors. In the following sections we will briefly consider: 1) the electrical properties of p-n junctions; 2) some recent advances in materials preparation; 3) the formation of p-n junctions; and then in somewhat greater detail we will consider: 4) the various radiative recombination processes; 5) the measurement and observation of the external quantum efficiency; 6) the luminous efficiency; 7) the brightness of light emitting diodes (LED&apos;S). THE P-N JUNCTION The p-n junction in a semiconductor crystal is the interface between two differently doped regions. More specifically the p region is doped predominantly with acceptor impurities and the n region contains predominantly donor impurities. The energy band structure of a degenerate p-n junction at thermal equilibrium is shown in Fig. l(a). The excess electrons on the n side of the junction are confined to this region by the barrier potential Eg. Similarly the excess holes on the p-side of the junction are confined to the p-region by a similar potential barrier. If we now apply a dc voltage V such that the p region is made positive and the n region negative, the barrier potential EB is reduced by the applied voltage, V and the junction is said to be forward biased. With the barrier potential lowered, electrons and holes can drift toward the p region and n region, respectively, see Fig. l(b). The current voltage characteristics of p-n junctions in most wide band gap materials can be described by the relation: J = Joexp(eV/BkT) [1] where the functional form of Jo is determined by the recombination mechanism. Jo is generally a complicated parameter which depends on a number of different factors including temperature, junction width, bias voltage, and carrier lifetimes. The parameter B also depends on the recombination mechanism but

Jan 1, 1970

By Ellsworth Daggett

Jan 1, 1879

By Sidney H. Haughton

FOLLOWING the discovery of diamonds in 1870 and the Witwatersrand gold fields in 1886 South Africa changed from a predominantly pastoral country with a scattered white population into a land whose economy came rapidly to be based primarily on mining. The total value of the mineral output of the Union in 1944 was approximately $493,000,000, to which gold contributed 84 per cent. Gold furnished some 33 per cent of the Union Government&apos;s total revenue in that year, and approximately half the country&apos;s population obtained its livelihood directly or indirectly from the gold mining industry. In any review of the Union&apos;s mining activities and in any consideration of the country&apos;s future, gold mining must occupy a prominent place. It is generally conceded that the present structure is not properly balanced and that an economy based on a preponderance of a single nonpermanent factor possesses potentialities of serious instability.

Jan 1, 1946

By AIME

Lewis E. Young, who will formally assume his duties as President of the AIME at the Annual Meeting in San Francisco in February 1949, was born in Topeka, Kansas, Oct. 1, 1878. Dr. Young received his engineering education at the Pennsylvania State College, where he received the degree of B.S. in Mining Engineering in 1900. In 1904 he received his E.M. degree from Iowa State College, and in 1915 a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. In 1947, the University of Missouri conferred on Dr. Young honoris causa the degree of Doctor of Engineering. His active career began in the educational field as instructor at Iowa State College, and following that, as professor of mining at the Colorado School of Mines, 1903-1907. While he was at Golden he launched hi: career as consulting mining engineer for various Western companies. Leaving the Colorado School of Mines, Dr. Young returned to Missouri, serving the University of Missouri as director of the School of Mines and Metallurgy at Rolla, 1907-1914. Leaving Missouri he went to the University of Illinois as assistant professor of business organization, 1915-1918, during which period he wrote exhaustive treatises on mine subsidence and mine taxation, which won for him the degree of Ph.D. before mentioned.

Jan 1, 1949

By G. F. Fix

Oil and gas activity reached a higher peak in Indiana during 1940 than for any like period during the past decade. Major activity, as during 1939, was in the southwestern part of the state, the Indiana portion of the Eastern Interior Coal Basin, where most of the increase was due to field drilling in previously proven areas. The amount of wildcat drilling was about the same as for 1939. No new fields of any apparent consequence were discovered during the year, with the possible exception of the College pool, in southwest Posey County. Only one well had been completed in this area at the end of the year. About 10 ft. of saturated Aux Vases sandstone was drilled in this well and the initial production was I00 bbl. of oil a day. Other discoveries during the year 1940 include: St. Thomas, in southwestern Knox County, where four McClosky wells, ranging from I00 to 300 bbl. a day initially, were com-pleted; Buff kin, in central Posey County, with 11 oil wells and 5 gas wells completed; and new developments in two old areas —Randolph County (part of the old Trenton field) and Gentryville, northwestern Spencer County, where some oil was found many years ago. The St. Thomas field proved disappoint-ing, with very spotty production from the McClosky horizon of the St. Genevieve limestone at a depth of about 1875 ft. The discovery well flowed 362 bbl. a day ini-tially. At the end of the year the field was pretty well outlined by dry holes and some inside locations were dry. The Buffkin pool also proved spotty, with production from shallow Pennsylvanian sands and from the Basal Pennsylvanian Mansfield sandstone, the latter at a depth of approximately I175 ft., with small production from the Cypress sandstone of Chester age. Oil wells in this pool are small, ranging from 25 to 75 bbl. a day. The Randolph County area, on the east side of the Trenton gas field, showed some promise for a commercial gas field, with four completed gas wells having cumulative initial flows of about 1,200,ooo cu. ft. a day. The area appar-ently was not depleted during the Trenton boom at the turn of the century, since casing pressures are about as high as the virgin pressure in the old field. Elsewhere the pressure has dropped as low as 5 pounds. The Griffin field received most of the drilling during 1940, with 163 completed oil wells. This field now covers about 3200 acres on the Indiana side of the Wabash River and is not as yet completely delimited. It produced the major part of Indiana&apos;s oil during the year—a total of 3,594,000 bbl. At the end of 1940, there were 253 producing wells in Griffin. New Harmony had five completions for a total of 24. The Rockport field, in Spencer County, continued to be actively developed and had a total of 45 gas wells and 9 oil wells at the end of the year. Oil in commercial quantities had not been found in the field previous to 1940. Total gas production for the year was 394,470,000 cubic feet. In all, 521 wells were drilled in the state during 1940, as compared to 377 for 1939. Of this number 248 were oil wells, 77 were gas wells and 196 were dry. Divided into

Jan 1, 1941

By G. F. Fix

Oil and gas activity reached a higher peak in Indiana during 1940 than for any like period during the past decade. Major activity, as during 1939, was in the southwestern part of the state, the Indiana portion of the Eastern Interior Coal Basin, where most of the increase was due to field drilling in previously proven areas. The amount of wildcat drilling was about the same as for 1939. No new fields of any apparent consequence were discovered during the year, with the possible exception of the College pool, in southwest Posey County. Only one well had been completed in this area at the end of the year. About 10 ft. of saturated Aux Vases sandstone was drilled in this well and the initial production was I00 bbl. of oil a day. Other discoveries during the year 1940 include: St. Thomas, in southwestern Knox County, where four McClosky wells, ranging from I00 to 300 bbl. a day initially, were com-pleted; Buff kin, in central Posey County, with 11 oil wells and 5 gas wells completed; and new developments in two old areas —Randolph County (part of the old Trenton field) and Gentryville, northwestern Spencer County, where some oil was found many years ago. The St. Thomas field proved disappoint-ing, with very spotty production from the McClosky horizon of the St. Genevieve limestone at a depth of about 1875 ft. The discovery well flowed 362 bbl. a day ini-tially. At the end of the year the field was pretty well outlined by dry holes and some inside locations were dry. The Buffkin pool also proved spotty, with production from shallow Pennsylvanian sands and from the Basal Pennsylvanian Mansfield sandstone, the latter at a depth of approximately I175 ft., with small production from the Cypress sandstone of Chester age. Oil wells in this pool are small, ranging from 25 to 75 bbl. a day. The Randolph County area, on the east side of the Trenton gas field, showed some promise for a commercial gas field, with four completed gas wells having cumulative initial flows of about 1,200,ooo cu. ft. a day. The area appar-ently was not depleted during the Trenton boom at the turn of the century, since casing pressures are about as high as the virgin pressure in the old field. Elsewhere the pressure has dropped as low as 5 pounds. The Griffin field received most of the drilling during 1940, with 163 completed oil wells. This field now covers about 3200 acres on the Indiana side of the Wabash River and is not as yet completely delimited. It produced the major part of Indiana&apos;s oil during the year—a total of 3,594,000 bbl. At the end of 1940, there were 253 producing wells in Griffin. New Harmony had five completions for a total of 24. The Rockport field, in Spencer County, continued to be actively developed and had a total of 45 gas wells and 9 oil wells at the end of the year. Oil in commercial quantities had not been found in the field previous to 1940. Total gas production for the year was 394,470,000 cubic feet. In all, 521 wells were drilled in the state during 1940, as compared to 377 for 1939. Of this number 248 were oil wells, 77 were gas wells and 196 were dry. Divided into

Jan 1, 1941

By F. Keller, J. D. Edwards

The anodic treatment of aluminum presents problems of scientific as well as of commercial interest.l-3 Of particular interest is the fact that, during the anodic oxidation process, the oxide continues to form at the metal-oxide interface under any oxide previously formed. This has led to speculation as to the mechanism involved in the formation of the relatively thick oxide coatings that are used commercially for decorative or protective purposes. Furthermore, the ability of certain types of oxide coatings to adsorb dyes and other substances has stimulated research to determine the actual structure of these adsorptive coatings. It has been found that anodic oxide coatings on aluminum are composed essentially of aluminum oxide. They are formed by the action of oxygen ions penetrating to the metal surface during the electrolytic oxidation treatment. These coatings can be formed in a number of different electrolytes, as for example, those which contain sulphuric acid, chromic acid, oxalic acid, or boric acid. These are the commonest and most useful electrolytes employed commercially. Except for certain specific conditions of formation, the coatings in general have been found to be amorphous alumina, as far as can be determined by X-ray or electron-diffraction methods. Anodic oxidation processes can be arranged in three rather general classes if they are grouped in relation to the solvent action of the electrolyte on the coating.4 In the first class, the electrolyte has little or no solvent action on the coating that is formed. In general, coatings produced under such circumstances are nonporous and non-adsorptive. In the second class, the electrolyte exerts an appreciable solvent action on the coating. These coatings are porous and adsorptive. Finally, for the third class, the electrolyte tends to dissolve the coating about as rapidly as it is formed. This action produces electrolytic brightening or anodic polishing of the aluminum surface and at most leaves only a very thin film of oxide. The nonporous and nonadsorptive type of oxide film is represented by the coatings that are formed when solutions of boric acid are employed as the electrolyte. It is especially significant that these impervious films are formed in electrolytes that exert little or no solvent action on the coating. Where a boric acid electrolyte is used, the coating tends to form rapidly, with the result that the flow of current is soon reduced to substantially zero. This indicates that the growth of the coating has stopped. As a rule, the thickness of the coating is roughly proportional to the voltage employed for formation and the coatings of this type are exceedingly thin. In an electrolyte of this type, the coating has a high resistance when the aluminum is made anode; consequently, any current that may flow (leakage current) is very

Jan 1, 1944

By F. Keller, J. D. Edwards

The anodic treatment of aluminum presents problems of scientific as well as of commercial interest.l-3 Of particular interest is the fact that, during the anodic oxidation process, the oxide continues to form at the metal-oxide interface under any oxide previously formed. This has led to speculation as to the mechanism involved in the formation of the relatively thick oxide coatings that are used commercially for decorative or protective purposes. Furthermore, the ability of certain types of oxide coatings to adsorb dyes and other substances has stimulated research to determine the actual structure of these adsorptive coatings. It has been found that anodic oxide coatings on aluminum are composed essentially of aluminum oxide. They are formed by the action of oxygen ions penetrating to the metal surface during the electrolytic oxidation treatment. These coatings can be formed in a number of different electrolytes, as for example, those which contain sulphuric acid, chromic acid, oxalic acid, or boric acid. These are the commonest and most useful electrolytes employed commercially. Except for certain specific conditions of formation, the coatings in general have been found to be amorphous alumina, as far as can be determined by X-ray or electron-diffraction methods. Anodic oxidation processes can be arranged in three rather general classes if they are grouped in relation to the solvent action of the electrolyte on the coating.4 In the first class, the electrolyte has little or no solvent action on the coating that is formed. In general, coatings produced under such circumstances are nonporous and non-adsorptive. In the second class, the electrolyte exerts an appreciable solvent action on the coating. These coatings are porous and adsorptive. Finally, for the third class, the electrolyte tends to dissolve the coating about as rapidly as it is formed. This action produces electrolytic brightening or anodic polishing of the aluminum surface and at most leaves only a very thin film of oxide. The nonporous and nonadsorptive type of oxide film is represented by the coatings that are formed when solutions of boric acid are employed as the electrolyte. It is especially significant that these impervious films are formed in electrolytes that exert little or no solvent action on the coating. Where a boric acid electrolyte is used, the coating tends to form rapidly, with the result that the flow of current is soon reduced to substantially zero. This indicates that the growth of the coating has stopped. As a rule, the thickness of the coating is roughly proportional to the voltage employed for formation and the coatings of this type are exceedingly thin. In an electrolyte of this type, the coating has a high resistance when the aluminum is made anode; consequently, any current that may flow (leakage current) is very

Jan 1, 1944

By R. S. Busk, E. G. Bobalek

The relation between gases and metals has been a subject of increasingly active investigation during the past years, principally devoted to the study of metal-hydrogen systems. It has been found that hydrogen is soluble in most molten metals to an appreciable extent and somewhat soluble in most solid metals.l,2 In every known case there is a sudden decrease in solubility at the melting point. Thus a freezing mass of metal containing hydrogen in excess of the solid solubility must in some way expel that excess during the freezing process. This leads to internal blowholes, and such effects as pinhole porosity. Gas trapped in metal that is to be fabricated by a working process such as extrusion or rolling may be the cause of blisters. For some cases, notably in copper and iron alloys, the presence of hydrogen can lead to extreme embrittle-ment of the metal. The aluminum-casting industry has long recognized the importance of hydrogen in its techniques. Excess gas in molten aluminum alloys often leads to the formation of "pinhole porosity" in the solid casting.= To prevent this hydrogen pickup it is necessary to avoid overheating the melt and to protect it from such sources of hydrogen as water. In spite of all precautions, it is sometimes necessary to extract hydrogen from the melt just before pouring by bubbling with a gas such as chlorine or nitrogen. Reccntly it has been found that somewhat similar effects are possible with magnesium alloys, in that the presence of hydrogen can induce or aggravate micro-p~rosity.4-6 This paper is primarily concerned with a presentation of some facts concerning the solubility of hydrogen in magnesium and its alloys, with some discussion of the significance of these facts in a practical sense. In any study of gas-metal systems it is important to bear in mind a clear distinction between adsorption on surfaces and absorption within the lattice.&apos; Considerable attention has been directed toward determining whether hydrogen is truly soluble in any solid metal, or whether the gas extracted from a sample was present at surfaces (external and internal) only.7 Most present day evidence supports the idea of true solution in addition to adsorption. A second important factor when dealing with gas solubility is the dependence of such solubility on external pressure. For diatomic gases such as H², solubility in both liquid and solid metals apparently is proportional to the square root of the pressure, indicating a breakdown to a monatomic gas before diffusion into the lattice.= For true equilibrium values of solubility, therefore, the pressure at the the surface must be constant and, preferably, known. Very little has been published concerning the hydrogen-magnesium system. Winterhager has presented the most

Jan 1, 1947

By R. S. Busk, E. G. Bobalek

The relation between gases and metals has been a subject of increasingly active investigation during the past years, principally devoted to the study of metal-hydrogen systems. It has been found that hydrogen is soluble in most molten metals to an appreciable extent and somewhat soluble in most solid metals.l,2 In every known case there is a sudden decrease in solubility at the melting point. Thus a freezing mass of metal containing hydrogen in excess of the solid solubility must in some way expel that excess during the freezing process. This leads to internal blowholes, and such effects as pinhole porosity. Gas trapped in metal that is to be fabricated by a working process such as extrusion or rolling may be the cause of blisters. For some cases, notably in copper and iron alloys, the presence of hydrogen can lead to extreme embrittle-ment of the metal. The aluminum-casting industry has long recognized the importance of hydrogen in its techniques. Excess gas in molten aluminum alloys often leads to the formation of "pinhole porosity" in the solid casting.= To prevent this hydrogen pickup it is necessary to avoid overheating the melt and to protect it from such sources of hydrogen as water. In spite of all precautions, it is sometimes necessary to extract hydrogen from the melt just before pouring by bubbling with a gas such as chlorine or nitrogen. Reccntly it has been found that somewhat similar effects are possible with magnesium alloys, in that the presence of hydrogen can induce or aggravate micro-p~rosity.4-6 This paper is primarily concerned with a presentation of some facts concerning the solubility of hydrogen in magnesium and its alloys, with some discussion of the significance of these facts in a practical sense. In any study of gas-metal systems it is important to bear in mind a clear distinction between adsorption on surfaces and absorption within the lattice.&apos; Considerable attention has been directed toward determining whether hydrogen is truly soluble in any solid metal, or whether the gas extracted from a sample was present at surfaces (external and internal) only.7 Most present day evidence supports the idea of true solution in addition to adsorption. A second important factor when dealing with gas solubility is the dependence of such solubility on external pressure. For diatomic gases such as H², solubility in both liquid and solid metals apparently is proportional to the square root of the pressure, indicating a breakdown to a monatomic gas before diffusion into the lattice.= For true equilibrium values of solubility, therefore, the pressure at the the surface must be constant and, preferably, known. Very little has been published concerning the hydrogen-magnesium system. Winterhager has presented the most

Jan 1, 1947

By T. P. Meloy

The behavior of slime-sized particles in a flotation cell is neither well documented nor well understood. In general, slimes (or &apos;fines&apos; as they will be alternatively called in this chapter) have been either ignored, eliminated, or treated empirically. Recently, however, some good experimental and theoretical work has been done that leads qualitatively to a clearer understanding of the problems involved. Fines are small particles that, owing to their smallness, behave differently from larger particles of the same material. The smaller the particle, the larger is its surface-to-mass ratio. The difference in the surface-to-mass ratio for a micron-sized particle and a centimeter-sized particle is 10,000 to 1. For our purposes we shall arbitrarily define any particle less than 10 µ 10-3 cm) as being a fine. This is generally considered the upper limit of colloidal-sized particles. Recently, the field of colloidal chemistry has successfully used the concept of the double layer to explain dispersion and flocculation of fine particles in a static system. Flotation, however, is a dynamic system due both to the turbulence of the liquid and to the coursing of the bubbles through the cell. Further more, a flotation system is a heterogeneous system in which there are a number of different types of particles which interact with one another. A further difficulty is that no two flotation systems are the same for minute quantities of a variety of common chemicals will alter the behavior of the system. These reasons make reproducible experimental results that can ex- plain fine-particle behavior difficult to obtain. In spite of these experimental difficulties, millions of tons of ore containing a large amount of fines are successfully floated every year. For example, at the Morning mill of American Smelting and Refining Co., a galena concentrate that was 42% -6 µ and a sphalerite concentrate that was 33% -9 µ were floated leaving a tailing that was 27% - 9 µ.l Ores that contain fines can generally be divided into two classes. In the first are those in which the valuable mineral tends to slime, such as galena and hematite. In the other class, one or more of the gangue minerals forms the slime; a typical example is barite. Though the problems due to the presence of fines are often the same in handling the two classes of ore, the method of handling them is different because of economic considerations. Nonmetallic mineral flotation is particularly affected by slimes, by either slime-coating effects or excessive reagent consumption. Though a given gangue mineral may not float under the conditions prevailing in the flotation cell, it may still be able to adsorb the collector. I£ it also slimes, a significant

Jan 1, 1962

By G. L. Hassler, E. Bruner

An apparatus and method is described whereby the relation between saturation and capillary pressure under decreasing saturation can be quickly determined for small core samples. The initially saturated core is cen-trifuged at increasing rates and the average saturation is measured at each rate with the aid of a stroboscope device. A theory and calculation procedure is given whereby the accelerations and saturation values can be converted into a true curve of capillary pressure versus saturation. The present work differs from previously described use of the centrifuge to obtain capillary-pressure curves of core samples3 in that the core is centrifuged alone, so that the whole range of saturations required by the properties of the sample and the radially varying centrifugal force occurs within the sample. The calculation procedure nevertheless secures correct results from simply obtained values of the average saturation. The apparatus described was developed in connection with studies of capillary pressure and wetting of oil-field rocks, and the paper provides the apparatus background for a previous publication&apos; dealing more fully with the uses and implications of the data in petroleum engineering. The method is applicable, however, to general combinations of immiscible fluids and porous or comminuted solids, and may be useful in other fields. Introduction The importance of capillary phenomena in determining the behavior of liquids in porous media has long been recognized. The concept of capillary Pressure was early formulated, and in recent Years discussions of the application of the laws of capillarity to oil field problems have appeared.l-3 One reason why progress in the application of capillary phenomena to the solution of problems of reservoir mechanics has not been more rapid has been the lack of a, satisfactory technique for measuring the capillary pressures in reservoir rocks. It is the principal purpose of this paper to describe a method by which the relation between capillary pressure and saturation can be determined for small consolidated core samples which have been extracted and resaturated, Capillary Diaphragm Perhaps the most direct way to measure the capillary pressure in a rock is to make piezometric contact with the wetting liquid through a diaphragm of porous material with high displacement pressure saturated with the liquid in question.3-6 The liquid in the diaphragm assumes the pressure of the liquid in the core, which can then be measured with a manometer, while the atmospheric air is prevented by capillarity from entering the diaphragm and affecting the pressure measurements as long as the displacement pressure of the diaphragm is not exceeded. With an apparatus of the type illustrated schematically in Fig. I, the relation between capillary pressure and saturation can be measured for a small core sample by starting with the core saturated 100 per cent, applyillg successively greater suctions

Jan 1, 1945

By C. H. North, L. E. Lynd, W. W. Anderson, H. Sicurdson

D. R. Grantham (Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, London, England)—This paper is a very valuable contribution to our knowledge of ilmenite and its alteration products. Two aspects are not treated in the paper and further information would be valuable. How far are the alteration processes described influenced by the original composition of the ilmenite? The word gangue is used but it is not clear whether this refers to other chemical constituents in the ilmenite, e.g., magnesia, or to other minerals loose or in composite grains. Has the work described been related to specific gravities? Pure ilmenite is stated to have a specific gravity of 4.79. Some varieties range up to over 5.0, while high magnesic varieties have a specific gravity ranging to below 4.2. Alteration to hematite might lower the specific gravity and a porous texture due to the removal of iron and the formation of rutile might also lower it. As specific gravity is a quick method which often gives an approximate indication of composition, data on the above would be valuable. L. E. Lynd (authors&apos; reply)—Because of the way in which beach sand deposits were formed, it is impossible to tell exactly what the original composition of the parent ilmenites might have been. Information on the influence of original composition on the alteration processes must be derived from other sources, perhaps by comparing the alteration products formed from ilmenite in place in a variety of rock deposits, where parent ilmenite and its alteration product can be recognized. No information of this type has yet been brought to our attention. The material referred to as gangue includes all constituents other than oxides of titanium and iron. Nearly all of this was present as separate grains of garnet, augite, hornblende, quartz, feldspar, spinel, or other gangue minerals. Inclusions of gangue minerals within ore grains were rare, and we believe there is little MgO (1 pct or less) or other impurity actually held in the ilmenite structure in any of the concentrates studied. No specific gravity measurements were made on the samples studied. However, the suggestion that alteration involving loss of iron would lower the specific gravity is a very reasonable one, and is in accord with the findings of Creitz and McVay (Ref. 9 of our paper) who reported two magnetic opaque fractions from Trail Ridge, Fla., to have the following specific gravities and pompositions: The specific gravity of this porous, high TiO² alteration product of ilmenite is closer to that of rutile (4.25) than to that of ilmenite. Due to the porosity, it may even be less dense than rutile, although lower in TiO² and higher in iron.

Jan 1, 1955

By A. T. Sweet, C. E. Plummer, H. W. St. Clair, S. F. Ravitz

The ammonium sulphate process for recovering alumina from clays was proposed by Rinman, Buchner, and others many years ago, and more recently various modifications have been investigated both here arid abroad.l-Is The process, as it is being investigated by the Bureau of Mines, involves the following essential steps: (I) sulphating the alumina in the clay by baking with ammonium sulphate at approximately 4m°C., (2) leaching with water to extract aluminum sulphate and ammonium sulphate, (3) crystallization of ammonium alum, (4) conversion of the alum to aluminum hydroxide by the ammonia gases given off during the baking, and (5) calcining the aluminum hydroxide to alumina. The over-all reaction between kaolinite (the most important alumina mineral in most clays) and ammonium sulphate during the baking step may be expressed as follows: Al2O8.2SiO2.2H2O + 4(NH4)2SO4 = (NH4)2SO4.A12(SO4)3 + 6NH3(g) + SH2O(g) + 2SiO2 [i] There is definite evidence. as is shown later. that the aluminum occurs in the baked product as anhydrous ammonium alum rather than as aluminum sulphate, provided the baking temperature is not much above 4o0°C. It is probable that the reaction takes place in the following steps: (NH4)2SO4 = NH3 -(- NH4HSO4 [2] Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O + ;}NH4HSO4 = A12(SO4)3 + 3NH3 + 5H2O + 2SiO2 [3] A12(SO4)3 + (NH4)2SO4 = (NH4)2SO4.A12(SO4)3 [4] In onc modification of the process, the ammonium sulphate is first decomposed according to Eq. z, and the clay is treated with the resultant ammonium acid sulphate. Reaction I is highly endothermic. On the basis of the best available data, the following values have been estimated for the changes in heat content and free energy in calories per mol: -AH = 331,040 - 34T -AF = 331~040 - 78.3T log T - 671.8T The heat required&apos; at 25OC is 320,900 cal. per mol, or 5650 B.t.u. per pound of alumina. The theoretical equilibcium pressure of NHa, based on the free-energy equation given above, increases very rapidly as the temperature rises above 3o0°C., and reaches one atmosphere at 43s°C. Ammonium alum solutions are almost ideal for crystallization. A saturated solution of ammonium alum contains 126. grams of AlzOa per 1000 grams of water at 90°C. and only 16.5 at 20 C. Hence most of the alum crystallizes out when the

Jan 1, 1944

By C. Fairhurst, A. M. Starfield

As a practicing mining engineer, I face many rock mechanics&apos; problems daily and would like to mention one or two examples to illustrate the current gap between laboratory investigations and actual field problems. I would like to endorse Dr. Obert&apos;s suggestion that more field measurements and observations should be undertaken. There is an ever-increasing body of data beginning with Hast&apos;s results in Sweden,l then measurements at Elliot Lake, Canada, and so on, including our own measurements at White Pine, which clearly indicate that the horizontal stresses underground are often at least as large as the vertical stresses. Visual obsenation of the deformation of roof and pillars (including failure due to horizontal compression) also demonstrates that the horizontal stresses are often most important. Yet almost every laboratory investigation begins with the assumption that the only stresses acting are vertical. Roof spans in layered formations. for example, are calculated on the assumption that the rock behaves as a gravity loaded beam. This is all too often unrealistic. Roof bolts are also often considered to be simply means of suspending the gravity loaded beams. As Dr. Reed has mentioned they are probably, in fact, acting to restrain a beam which is attempting to buckle due to lateral pressure. The fact that moisture can reduce the strengths of some rocks as much as 50 percent has been known for many years. In the mine me are almost always faced with wet rock, yet no one has investigated ways in which this wakening effect can be overcome. as, for example, by waterproofing the rock. C. Fairhurst, University of Minnesota I would like to mention that we have found,2 from stress-relief determinations, that appreciable (over 1000 lb per sq in.) horizontal pressures occur also at the surface in granites quarried in central Minnesota. Whilst I agree that more field measurements are desirable, it is important to point out that most university research is undertaken by graduate students who must attend classes daily. Their research is therefore restricted to the laboratory. A.M. Starfield, University of Minnesota No one denies the importance of obtaining: data from field measurements. It is equally important, however, that field measurements be guided by theory. Much time and money can be wasted by indiscriminate measurement. An example of the value of theory in interpreting measurements is given in Dr. Obert&apos;s comments on the time dependent strain observed in a salt mine. He anticipated that the stress at the wall of the opening would change with time because salt is viscoelastic rather than elastic. It can be shown from theory that if an excavation in a viscoelastic medium is unsupported, then the stress at the wall does

Jan 1, 1967

By Richard M. Foose

FIVE miles southwest of Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Clay Co. has been mining and milling a white clay since 1896; for use in white cement, as a filler in rubber, pigment and paper, in the manufacture of insecticides, and for other minor purposes. Until late in 1942, when the mine was abandoned because of labor shortage, combined underground mining and surface stripping produced approximately 30,000 tons of clay a year, of which 10,000 tons were refined in the mill. GEOLOGY Lower Cambrian Antietam quartzite and the Montalto quartzite, stratigraphically older, trend N.55°E. and make a sharp 1600-ft. anticlinal ridge of the South Mountains. The Tomstown dolomite overlies the Antietam quartzite on the southeast flank of the anticline, which is displaced near its crest by a steeply dipping oblique fault. Erosion of the less resistant Tomstown formation has resulted in a narrow valley at an elevation of 700 ft. Directly on top of the Antietam quartzite and at the base of the Tomstown formation is a zone of sandy white clay, lenticular along the strike of the formations, ranging in thickness from 10 to 300 ft. within a mile. All of the formations dip steeply to the southeast, from 65° to vertical. The clay crops out at an elevation of about 1000 feet. ORIGIN AND CHARACTER The uppermost part of the Antietam formation is sericitic and schistose at many places, and at all these places weathering is in an advanced stage. The clay is the residual product of weathering of this sericitic quartzite or sandy schist. The crude clay has the physical aspect of a sandy kaolin, but there are large areas in the clay formation that are low in free silica, and commonly the 30 ft. adjacent to the Antietam quartzite is notably free of silica. The overlying Tomstown dolomite has been weathered almost completely to a mixed yellow and brown clay, which carries a zone of nodular and chunky limonite and manganese ore, 4 to 12 ft. thick, about l00 ft. from the contact with the white clay. In mining, this zone is an important "marker," indicating where the white clay may be expected in an advancing tunnel. The contact of the white clay formation with the yellow and brown clay of the Tomstown formation is relatively sharp, although the line of contact is irregular and therefore responsible for the lenticular character of the white clay formation. Following is an analysis of the refined clay containing less than one per cent of moisture when dried at 212°F.: Si02, 67.05 per cent; A1203, 22.27; Fe203, 0.40; CaO, 0.00; Ti02, 1.05; MgO, 0.52; Na20, 0.04; K20, 0.88; ignition loss, 7.65; total, 99.86.

Jan 1, 1944