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By Edward Keller

THE ASSAY FOR COPPER. SOMEONE some time ago remarked that some chemists still insist on telling us how to determine copper by the electrolytic method. The. writer must confess that he believes that everything is not known definitely as yet as to how the exact amount of copper is determined in such material as purest commercial electrolytic copper. Some of us are not yet convinced that the pure copper atom is at all times deposited from an acid solution and that no oxygen or hydrogen will, under certain conditions, accompany it. Difficulties with impurer material are frequent, but erroneous results are not always apparent, since these do not speak so readily for themselves as those in the first case. By this is meant that if a chemist finds 100 per cent. of copper in electrolytic copper it is pretty certain that he perceives the result to be wrong, while if he finds 0.1 per cent. of copper too much in a very impure material he is far more likely to be unconscious of his error. These, in a wide experience, are frequent happenings and the writer has always looked with interest to publications on this subject. In turn, he :feels justified in giving to others a few of his own observations. Up to a few years ago there were two methods of electrolytic copper assay in technical use, which had in common, that the amount of copper deposited on the cathode did not exceed 2 g., and they differed in that, for the one a large sample 1 (20 to 80 g.) was taken from the general sample by a splitting device, dissolved, and from the solution a small portion (to contain 1 or 2, g. of copper) measured out for the electrolytic deposition; in the other Method the copper was determined, generally in 1-g. portions of the separated coarse and fine portions of the sample, all of which passed -a 16 or 20-mesh screen, being accomplished by a 40-mesh screen,

Jan 8, 1913

By C. E. Arnold

IN attacking the problems of mining and treating large disseminated copper orebodies such as those occurring in the Miami or the Ray district of Arizona, one of the vital questions to be decided is, "What is the value of the orebody per ton in place?", The importance of this question lies in the fact that its answer helps to reach a decision concerning the method of mining to be employed. Let it be assumed for the moment that milling and smelting practice, especially the latter, is more or less standardized; and has a cost incapable of much variation, while the cost of mining has a considerable range owing to the large number of mining methods by which a mine may be exploited. For instance, a method may be adopted whereby all the available ore can be extracted perfectly clean (i.e., unmixed with barren material) at a relatively high cost; or a method may be used involving the necessary dilution of a portion of the ore with waste, in order to recover that portion, thus giving a relatively poorer extraction but nevertheless a lower working cost than the former method. Naturally, between these two extremes there lie intermediate methods. In order to arrive at a solution of a mining method problem that is of any value, it is necessary that accurate and complete estimates of mining, milling, and smelting performances and costs shall be established. By way of illustration is given a, case of mining, by the system of undercutting and caving, a large orebody with an average content of 1.50 per cent. copper supposedly all in sulphide form, to which case has been applied those results in mining operations which one may fairly assume are to be expected when viewed in the light of G. R. Lehman's ore-drawing experiments, which form the subject of a paper to be presented at this meeting. It is assumed that the total. costs will be as shown in the following table:

Jan 9, 1916

By Frank A. Wilder

The most important process in a gypsum mill is calcining the crude mineral. There seems, however, to be little progress or change in calcining methods. This would not be surprising if the industry was not, in other ways, developing. The demand for gypsum in its various forms, however, is growing rapidly. The output has more than doubled in six years, while the value of gypsum products, through the introduction of higher priced. specialties like wall board, has nearly trebled in the same period. In other industries, under somewhat similar conditions, calcining in rotating cylinders, either by direct or indirect heat, has replaced the method that still prevails in gypsum mills. Efforts were made to use rotary calciners in manufacturing plaster of Paris in the early days of the industry in America; 25 years ago rotary calciners were in use in Germany. At that time there was great diversity of opinion in regard to their merit. In 1923, the output of calcined gypsum in the United States was 3,101,378 tons. About nine-tenths of this material was calcined in kettles, the remainder in rotary calciners. The ratio was about the same 10 years ago. During these 10 years, rotary calcining made relatively no gains, and there were no important changes in the construction of kettles. In their manipulation, the only change of consequence was in connection with the length of time that the gypsum is left in the kettle. For wall-plaster purposes, all producers who had not previously done so changed from second-settled to first-settled calcined gypsum, thereby reducing production costs and improving the plasticity and sand-carrying capacity of their plaster. Nevertheless, in the few mills in which they were installed, rotary calciners continue to operate, with possibly one or two exceptions, and to be highly successful. In these 10 years, the Cummer type of rotary calciner has disappeared. All rotaries now used are of the cement-mill type with a diameter of 6 or 7 ft. and length of 80 to 120 feet.

Jan 1, 1925

By P. W. Bridgman

During the war, the Navy undertook the construction, under my direction, of an experimental gun embodying features designed to lessen the cost and time of production. These experiments were initiated after representations as to their desirability had been offered by myself, by the Naval Consulting Board, and by the National Research Council. The first drawings were made in June, 1917, and the experiment was completed in November, 1918. For the sake of clearness it will pay to recapitulate briefly the fundamental idea of gun construction. It is well known that if a hollow cylinder is subjected to internal fluid pressure, the maximum stress occurs in the inside layers, the outer parts carrying much less than their due share of the stress. This inequality of stress is more pronounced the thicker the walls of the cylinder. If such a cylinder is pushed to the elastic limit, failure in elasticity will take place long before the outer lagers have reached the limit of their capacity. Economical use of the material would demand, however, that all parts of the cylinder reach the limits of their capacity simultaneously. This may be brought about, at least in cylinders of not too great thickness, by producing in the inner layers an initial compression, and in the outer layers an initial tension. The effect of internal pressure is at first to relieve the compression of the inside layers, while increasing the tension of the outside layers. If the initial stresses are properly distributed, all parts of the cylinder will reach their elastic limits simultaneously, thus giving a cylinder of maximum strength for its weight. In gun construction as hitherto practiced, this initial distribution of stress is produced either by winding the inner tube with wire, a common English practice, or by shrinking hoops over the inner tube, which has been the standard American practice. Either process is long and expensive, particularly with the larger guns, 12- or 14-in., which require

Jan 1, 1922

By P. W. Bridgman

During the war, the Navy undertook the construction, under my direction, of an experimental gun embodying features designed to lessen the cost and time of production. These experiments were initiated after representations as to their desirability had been offered by myself, by the Naval Consulting Board, and by the National Research Council. The first drawings were made in June, 1917, and the experiment was completed in November, 1918. For the sake of clearness it will pay to recapitulate briefly the fundamental idea of gun construction. It is well known that if a hollow cylinder is subjected to internal fluid pressure, the maximum stress occurs in the inside layers, the outer parts carrying much less than their due share of the stress. This inequality of stress is more pronounced the thicker the walls of the cylinder. If such a cylinder is pushed to the elastic limit, failure in elasticity will take place long before the outer lagers have reached the limit of their capacity. Economical use of the material would demand, however, that all parts of the cylinder reach the limits of their capacity simultaneously. This may be brought about, at least in cylinders of not too great thickness, by producing in the inner layers an initial compression, and in the outer layers an initial tension. The effect of internal pressure is at first to relieve the compression of the inside layers, while increasing the tension of the outside layers. If the initial stresses are properly distributed, all parts of the cylinder will reach their elastic limits simultaneously, thus giving a cylinder of maximum strength for its weight. In gun construction as hitherto practiced, this initial distribution of stress is produced either by winding the inner tube with wire, a common English practice, or by shrinking hoops over the inner tube, which has been the standard American practice. Either process is long and expensive, particularly with the larger guns, 12- or 14-in., which require

Jan 1, 1922

By Alfred G. Heggem

It is the purpose of this article to describe methods recently introduced into the oil and natural gas industry to safeguard the lives of the workmen and to protect property from destruction. Only such drilling methods are described as pertain directly to the operations necessary to maintain the well under complete control at all times. Wells Formerly Drilled Without Controlling Equipment It may seem incredible that practically all wells, until rkcently, were drilled without the provision of any means for control. To drill a hole into a boiler carrying high-pressure steam without first providing means to control the escape of steam would be unthinkable, yet in oil fields wells are drilled into a gas or oil formation with a possible pressure of 300 to 1,800 lb. per square inch and a daily flow of 20,000,000 to 80,000,000 cu. ft. of gas or 1,000 to 15,000 bbl. of oil per day. Some wells have produced in excess of 100,000 bbl. of oil per day, but these are exceptional cases. In addition to the loss of product, one must consider the great danger attendant upon the promiscuous liberation of such an amount of explosive and inflammable substance. Introduction of Metal Casing for Deep Drilling The introduction of metal casing to secure a permanent and impervious wall in a well made the drilling of deep wells possible and removed many of the original problems encountered in well drilling, but it did not insure the control of the well. To obtain the full value of the casing it was essential that a pressure-tight joint be made between the wall of the well and the lower end of the casing. Many materials in various forms were used, including cotton, hemp, stable refuse, oats, rice, cloth, leather, cork, rubber, lead, clay and cement, resulting, after a slow process of evolution, in the general adoption of two types of bottom fittings for

Jan 1, 1916

By Norman D. Fitz Gerald

The lack of a continuous operating balance in petroleum refining, which is analyzed in this paper, is by no means a feature solely of this division of the oil industry. Serious disequilibria of a capital as well as an operating nature exist both in the producing and marketing departments, while problems in the former and to some degree the latter are complicated by political involvements. Attention has previously been directed to the unstabilizing influence of present proration formulas in stimulating unnecessary drilling.' While equilibrium in petroleum refining operations has been fairly well maintained in the past decade, examination of departures may prove fruitful. Economic analysis is the application of time and motion study to the functioning of management, rather than labor. Properly applied it may reveal changes in policies that would increase the utility of the properties and facilities of the industry for stockholders, employees and the public, while contributing a stabilizing influence to the general economy. The study of economic equilibrium is essentially one of measurement and interpretation, requiring adequate data and the development of a technique of analysis that employs statistical and mathematical methods as a supplement to the broad descriptive phase of economics. Economic equilibrium in petroleum refining is a dual concept. It embraces both the over-all balance between total storage and total demand for major products and the internal balance between the demands and inventories of the various products. The latter is the more complex of the two for it is concerned with proportionating the supplies of the several products stemming from the joint source to the demands for the individual products which are subject to wide variations. All the products are essentially nondurable goods, and they are used both by producers and consumers but in varying proportions. Motor fuel is very largely a consumer's good, while residual fuel oil is almost entirely a producer's good, the other products falling between these extremes. The peculiar-

Jan 1, 1939

By Norman D. Fitz Gerald

The lack of a continuous operating balance in petroleum refining, which is analyzed in this paper, is by no means a feature solely of this division of the oil industry. Serious disequilibria of a capital as well as an operating nature exist both in the producing and marketing departments, while problems in the former and to some degree the latter are complicated by political involvements. Attention has previously been directed to the unstabilizing influence of present proration formulas in stimulating unnecessary drilling.' While equilibrium in petroleum refining operations has been fairly well maintained in the past decade, examination of departures may prove fruitful. Economic analysis is the application of time and motion study to the functioning of management, rather than labor. Properly applied it may reveal changes in policies that would increase the utility of the properties and facilities of the industry for stockholders, employees and the public, while contributing a stabilizing influence to the general economy. The study of economic equilibrium is essentially one of measurement and interpretation, requiring adequate data and the development of a technique of analysis that employs statistical and mathematical methods as a supplement to the broad descriptive phase of economics. Economic equilibrium in petroleum refining is a dual concept. It embraces both the over-all balance between total storage and total demand for major products and the internal balance between the demands and inventories of the various products. The latter is the more complex of the two for it is concerned with proportionating the supplies of the several products stemming from the joint source to the demands for the individual products which are subject to wide variations. All the products are essentially nondurable goods, and they are used both by producers and consumers but in varying proportions. Motor fuel is very largely a consumer's good, while residual fuel oil is almost entirely a producer's good, the other products falling between these extremes. The peculiar-

Jan 1, 1939

By N. V. Hansell

The last few years have shown an increasing interest in the subject of beneficiating iron-ores in all iron-producing countries. In the United States, this movement has been slower than in certain parts of Europe, for the obvious reason that the abundance and relative cheapness of the Lake Superior irou-ores has hindered the development of enterprises for the preparation of low-grade ores. Gradually, however, conditions have changed. The world's consumption of iron is increasing enormously. Being in 1900 about 40,000,000 tons, in 1910 it was already 60,000,000; and there is no reason to doubt that for the near future the increase in iron-cousumption mill continue at the same rapid rate, especially with the development of China, certain parts of Africa, and other regions which have hardly been touched as yet by modern industrialism. It is, therefore, not surprising that apprehension is felt that the known available iron-ore resources of the world are gradually being depleted. Signs of this feeling are the recent iuvestigation, under the direction of the U. S. Geological Survey, of the iron-ore resources of the United States, and the estimate presented to the last International Geological Congress, at Stockholm, Sweden, of the iron-ore resources of the world. These investigations have emphasized the fact that the known high-grade ore-deposits are limited in extent, and will, at a not distant future, be exhausted, compelling the iron industry to depend for raw material on the enormous deposits of low-gratle ores which are distributed over almost all the world. The discovery of new deposits of high-grade ore, in countries not yet thoroughly explored, will not materially change this prospect. Of course, the part which such new deposits will play in the future cannot be forecast. The difficulty and cost of transportation will probably exclude many of them from use at the present centers of the iron industry.

Jan 1, 1913

By J. D. Kalasky

Continuous mining has revolutionized the coal industry but intensified the problems of earlier mechanization. From the installation of the first miner, it was recognized that face ventilation would be one of these problems. To establish an efficient work cycle for the equipment being used, conventional mechanized mining provides four or more development faces. Continuous mining, relying on a single machine, requires only one face, although more than one can be driven alternately by the same machine. In gaseous areas mined by the older methods, the intermittent rate of exposure allows time for the face to bleed off or be cleared, and the width obtained with conventional units makes it possible to hang a brattice line almost to the face. Continuous mining increases the ventilation hazards; there is no margin of time, and very limited space. For all practical purposes, continuous miners available today can be grouped into two major types, rippers and borers. The two can be further classified, respectively, as flexible and rigid. Both types have been in operation in U. S. coal mines for the past five to ten years in a number of seams, under various conditions ranging from slightly gaseous to very gaseous. Common methods of face ventilation utilizing jute or plastic brattice material for line curtains, stoppings, and checks have so far met with success. Air volumes to operating sections are greater than for conventional mining, and specific instructions have been given to section crews stressing the precautions needed in dealing with a steady rate of gas emission and the importance of maintaining reasonably air-tight brattice to direct a good steady flow toward the face at all times. Operators of continuous miners, as well as the foreman on each section, are equipped with an approved safety lamp for gas testing. When the miner is in steady operation, tests for gas at the face are made at 15 to 30-min intervals, depending on the

Jan 1, 1960

By Robert Tally

UNDERGROUND fires have been common in the mines of the United Verde Copper Co. for the past 22 years. The first fire started in the 300 Hampton stope in the fall of 1894, following a cave in that orebody. The soft and highly pyritic nature of the ores is responsible for most of these fires. Since ore characteristics, methods of mining and ventilation, have an important influence on mine fires, they will be described in this paper. Orebodies The ores are mostly chalcopyrite except on the upper levels where considerable chalcocite, black oxides and other secondary minerals occur. The orebodies are in the form of lenses and vary in size. Some are small, while others are several hundred feet in length by a hundred or more feet in width. These orebodies extend, in some cases, from the surface to the lowest levels of the mine and usually at a steep angle of inclination. There are three different classes of ores, classified in accordance with the gangue rock. The copper in all cases, except as above specified, is in the form of chalcopyrite. The largest and most important of these reserves are in a pyrite gangue. Next in order of importance are the schist ores and lastly the quartz porphyries. The pyrite, locally termed iron ores, average from 30 to 42 per cent. sulphur. The schist and quartz, porphyries vary from 3 to 25 per cent. sulphur. Mining Methods All the orebodies were worked by the overhand square-set method of mining prior to 1908; since then the cut-and-fill, shrinkage and mill-hole systems have been largely employed. But 15 per cent. of the total tonnage now extracted is from timbered stopes. Most off this is from the upper levels where the ore is soft, heavy and more or less broken to the surface. Large reserves of these ores are being conserved for more efficient methods of mining.

Jan 9, 1916

By John C. McDonald

The amount of published literature in the field of mechanical properties of magnesium alloys is not great; particularly with respect to rolled alloys. Haughton and Prytherchl have summarized most of the articles to 1937, including their own work on sheet. Although many papers can be found dealing with the technology of magnesium and the alloys now in commercial use, there does not seem to be any work dealing exclusively with the variation in properties of rolled alloys as caused by changes in alloy composition. Comparison of published data reveals considerable discrepancies in properties of alloys of the same composition, probably due to differences in the details of working and heat-treating followed by different workers. The purpose of this paper is to study the properties of alloys in conditions where the effects of such differences have been eliminated. It is well known that the strength and ductility of metals are functions of the working and heat-treating they have received, as well as of their chemical composition. In comparing alloys with respect to these properties, therefore, all possible combinations of the variables of the fabrication procedure ought to be carried out on each alloy. One or more of these treatments mill produce the highest ductility, or strength, or both. These highest properties would then be selected as characteristic of each alloy, and alloys would be compared on the basis of those properties. Thus a separation of the effect of composition and that of workiiig and heat-treating would be achieved. In this paper, however, a compromise with completeness has been made by carrying out a restricted number of treatments. As a consequence, the properties obtained are not necessarily the best that the alloy is capable of exhibiting; but since all alloy3 have been treated by the same method, the results ought to be comparable. The elements selected for the study comprise a class that will alloy easily with magnesium, and that are reblatively cheap. Each was added in different amounts, up to a limit that varied with the element.

Jan 1, 1940

By John C. McDonald

The amount of published literature in the field of mechanical properties of magnesium alloys is not great; particularly with respect to rolled alloys. Haughton and Prytherchl have summarized most of the articles to 1937, including their own work on sheet. Although many papers can be found dealing with the technology of magnesium and the alloys now in commercial use, there does not seem to be any work dealing exclusively with the variation in properties of rolled alloys as caused by changes in alloy composition. Comparison of published data reveals considerable discrepancies in properties of alloys of the same composition, probably due to differences in the details of working and heat-treating followed by different workers. The purpose of this paper is to study the properties of alloys in conditions where the effects of such differences have been eliminated. It is well known that the strength and ductility of metals are functions of the working and heat-treating they have received, as well as of their chemical composition. In comparing alloys with respect to these properties, therefore, all possible combinations of the variables of the fabrication procedure ought to be carried out on each alloy. One or more of these treatments mill produce the highest ductility, or strength, or both. These highest properties would then be selected as characteristic of each alloy, and alloys would be compared on the basis of those properties. Thus a separation of the effect of composition and that of workiiig and heat-treating would be achieved. In this paper, however, a compromise with completeness has been made by carrying out a restricted number of treatments. As a consequence, the properties obtained are not necessarily the best that the alloy is capable of exhibiting; but since all alloy3 have been treated by the same method, the results ought to be comparable. The elements selected for the study comprise a class that will alloy easily with magnesium, and that are reblatively cheap. Each was added in different amounts, up to a limit that varied with the element.

Jan 1, 1940

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 H. C. George

At the annual meeting of the Institute in February, 1927, we had a comprehensive discussion of Petroleum Engineering Education. This discussion covered basic training and prerequisites, laboratories and equipment, graduate courses, availability of lecturers, geological engineering, petroleum production engineering, refinery engineering, transportation engineering and economics and management. However, there are several phases of petroleum engineering education, which many members of the Institute felt should be further discussed at this year's meeting. The first was expressed by me in a letter to those participating in the written discussion, from which I quote as follows: "We fell that the question of handling engineering graduates who enter the petroleum industry should be thoroughly discussed. "During the first five years after graduntion from college, how can these young men be best trained to be of the greatest service to the industry and at the same time do work which will be interesting and of a character which will make them feel that they are accomplishing something and making progress leading toward personal advancement?" Both the written and oral discussion would indicate three groups of opinion; first, those who advocate letting the young engineers go into the industry and take care of themselves without any supervision, direction, or guidance; second, those who advocate the taking of young engineers into the industry and letting them go through all the steps that any laborer or any other mian without a technical education would take, but with some supervision, and third, those who advocate that young cngineers should be given special training for several years after entering the industry. Of course all of these different groups are found in rnost of our industries. The Doherty training school of the Empire Gas & Fuel Co., finds its counterpart in the practice of the Gcneral Electric and Westing-house companies in the electrical industry and the Baldwin and Brooks Locomotive works in mechanical engineering.

Jan 1, 1928

IN international affairs, the great event of June was the meeting of representative bankers at Paris -for consideration of the arrangement of a large loan to Germany. The conference dissolved in futility. Following this abortive conference, the delegates to the parley at the Hague assembled there on June 15. America is not represented at the Hague, any more than at Genoa. The British view the conference seriously and have Leslie Urquhart, the highest authority on Russia, attending in an official capacity. The Irish had their election and voted by strong majority in favor of the treaty with Great Britain, which was happy, but the general situation in Ireland is miserable. In China there were spectacular military and political events. Economically, Japan was in trouble. Conditions are becoming better in India, although no yet settled. Egypt has troubles still. Australia has a better chance for welfare, following the overthrow of its labor govern-ment early in April last. In Europe it is hard to discern any improvement except in Great Britain. Business in Great Britain has been slowly widening. The future of Great Britain, which is chiefly an in-dustrial country, depends on finding employment for its, 1,750,000 idle men. Personalities figured largely in June. Lenin's health was represented as having failed so that the govern-ment of Russia has had to be-turned over to a trium-virate. All of this has been denied. It is clear that some. mighty events are transpiring there. The assassination of Doctor Rathenau in Germany is probably also an occurrence of portent. The murder of Field Marshal Wilson, in London, tended to in-crease anger in England against the Irish. In the United. States the attention of Congress was concentrated on the soldier bonus, the tariff bill and the subsidy for shipping. All of these projects are economically bad and are of the same nature, viz., the allotment of a bounty to some classes of people, without consideration to the general national interest and welfare.

Jan 7, 1922

By Reuben B. Ellestad, Fremont F. Clarke

In the early days of the lithium industry most of the production was from lepidolite, zinnwaldite, and amblygonite. Nearly all the early extraction processes described in the literature involve heating the finely ground mineral with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid. On subsequent water leaching most of the bases present in the mineral (especially aluminum) are dissolved as sulphates. As a result, the leach solution required extensive chemical purification before the lithium could be precipitated as carbonate. Following the remarkable growth of the lithium industry to its present size, zinnwaldite and amblygonite ores must be considered of minor importance only. Attention is now focused on spodumene, abundant enough in North America to be a major source of supply, and there are important supplies of lepidolite and petalite in Africa. The extraction processes described below all apply to spodumene, although several will also operate on other lithium minerals, such as petalite. Base Exchange with Alkali Sulphates: A distinct advance was made with the disclosures of Wadman and von Girsewalt. In these methods the finely ground silicate ore (spodumene or lepidolite) is intimately mixed with an excess of alkali sulphate (usually K2S04) in at least a 1 to 1 proportion, and the mixture was heated to a relatively high temperature. Base exchange results, with the formation of lithium sulphate. A water leach dissolves the lithium sulphate, together with the excess potassium sulphate. Successful operation of this type of process requires very thorough grinding and mixing, as well as careful temperature control. The use of K,SO, is objectionable from cost considerations since purification of lithium carbonate re- quires the use of potassium carbonate, if the K2S04 is to be recovered and recycled. The lower solubility of K,SO, as compared with Na,SO, is also objectionable, since it limits the concentration of the Li,SO, solution to be precipitated by K,CO,. Early laboratory-scale investigation of this process by Lithium Corp. was not encouraging

Nov 1, 1955

By Harrison Schmitt

IN the practice of ore finding the geologist is continually confronted with the question of oreshoot extension, so that the general problem seems worthy of systematic investigation. This problem appears when the reserves are estimated and when the advisability of deepening the shaft comes up. Moreover, there is need for lower development cost to keep pace with cost reductions in other departments, or even to offset a rising cost of ore finding or ore following. This can be gained by close geologic control of the development; and much of the geology involved is that bearing on the downward, upward, and horizontal extensions of shoots. Furthermore, the purchase of a mine or prospect often depends directly on the question of shoot extension; because it is seldom that the ore is fully developed and the purchase price is almost invariably based largely on "possible" and geologically prospective ore. Most current methods for estimating '(possible" and the more nebulous classes of ore are crude and indecisive. In the following pages the extension of oreshoots is the major theme, although the more basic subject, the general art of ore finding, is given some space. (A) Direct Methods of Extension Prediction (I) Extrapolation and Interpolation of Shoots by Use of Conventional Geologic and Assay Plans, Projections and Cross-sections There is little need for stressing the desirability of detailed geologic plans, assay plans, projections, and cross-sections as a basis for the study and extension prediction of shoots. Underground and surface mapping, in most cases, ought to be done in exhaustive detail. All features of obvious bearing should be mapped and it is good practice to record all possible details, some of which may become significant when studied in the ensemble. It should be emphasized that the mapping should be done with an impartial mind, with interpretation reduced to the minimum. The symbols of the map can be made to distinguish observed facts from interpretation.

Jan 1, 1929

By F. A. Linforth, W. B. Daly

The sampling and estimating of the orebodies in the mines of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., at Butte, have been made a part of the work of the geological department. The wisdom of this assignment is apparent, considering the organization of that department, the nature of its records, and the scope of its regular work. In the first place, the district is divided into units of two or three mines each and a geologist is assigned to each group. His trips to all the working places are frequent and he follows the mining operations closely. His notes are graphic and detailed. In the office, he posts his notes on the standard maps and sections and on special maps for correlation purposes. With the approval of the chief or assistant chief geologist, he recommends development work underground and watches its progress. This gives the geological department a precise knowledge of the character of each orebody. Sampling is done by one or two samplers at each mine working under a chief sampler stationed in the geological office. The chief sampler has access to all the office maps and is in frequent consultation with the geologists; his instructions to the samplers are issued with the approval of the chief or assistant chief geologist. Not only is it important that the geologic information be used to direct the sampling but the reports of the samplers and the records kept by their chief are useful to the geologist, who needs them in his work of estimating ore reserves and deciding on recommendations for development work. The sampler, moreover, is at the mine every day and makes a daily report, which keeps the geologist in close touch with the progress of development work. The sampler is attached to the mine office and thus comes under the jurisdiction of the operating department. In fact, any special orders prepared by the chief sampler are submitted to the general superintendent, after approval by the geological department. The mine foreman may

Jan 1, 1923

By F. A. Linforth, W. B. Daly

The sampling and estimating of the orebodies in the mines of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., at Butte, have been made a part of the work of the geological department. The wisdom of this assignment is apparent, considering the organization of that department, the nature of its records, and the scope of its regular work. In the first place, the district is divided into units of two or three mines each and a geologist is assigned to each group. His trips to all the working places are frequent and he follows the mining operations closely. His notes are graphic and detailed. In the office, he posts his notes on the standard maps and sections and on special maps for correlation purposes. With the approval of the chief or assistant chief geologist, he recommends development work underground and watches its progress. This gives the geological department a precise knowledge of the character of each orebody. Sampling is done by one or two samplers at each mine working under a chief sampler stationed in the geological office. The chief sampler has access to all the office maps and is in frequent consultation with the geologists; his instructions to the samplers are issued with the approval of the chief or assistant chief geologist. Not only is it important that the geologic information be used to direct the sampling but the reports of the samplers and the records kept by their chief are useful to the geologist, who needs them in his work of estimating ore reserves and deciding on recommendations for development work. The sampler, moreover, is at the mine every day and makes a daily report, which keeps the geologist in close touch with the progress of development work. The sampler is attached to the mine office and thus comes under the jurisdiction of the operating department. In fact, any special orders prepared by the chief sampler are submitted to the general superintendent, after approval by the geological department. The mine foreman may

Jan 1, 1923