Search Documents

By R. H. Wightman, G. H. ADAM

In order to secure good results in the prevention of accidents, it is generally recognized that the desire for such accomplishment, as well as the aggressive and constructive action to achieve it, must emanate from the Top Management and permeate successively down through the "Chart of Authority" to the workmen. Several years ago, with the above as a basis and with full support of the Top Management, the Mining Department started a program of selling the foremen and bosses the idea that safety could be achieved and that it was desired and required. Using psychology, persistence and numerous other methods, the foremen and bosses were finally impressed with the idea that "It can be done" and "It will be done." With this in mind, new ideas were brought forth by the foremen and bosses regarding the caving operation and the specific jobs in the operation. These new ideas were taken up in round-table discussions and resulted in certain changes in the undercutting method and the actual drawing of the blocks. These changes resulted in increasing fragmentation of the blocks which prevented the usual hang-up areas in the blocks. With the rock smaller in size and within reasonable reach from the tapping drifts, accidents were prevented in the tapping section. At the same time, an enforced campaign of housekeeping throughout the mine was undertaken with very beneficial results. The foremen and bosses then, in turn, educated and trained the workers themselves to become safely conscious. In so doing, a constant re- minder was given on all jobs assigned that the job was to be done safely as well as efficiently. No man is assigned a job who is not qualified for the type of work required. Efficiency and safety go hand in hand.

Jan 1, 1949

By O. C. Wheeler

Peru, if it is judged on a basis of its annual production rate, can be ranked seventh among the oil-producing countries of the Western Hemisphere. In 1945, as in each of the three previous years, the country again produced about 14 million barrels of crude petroleum.

Jan 1, 1946

By Frank T. Sisco

The discovery of phosphorous is usually credited to the German alchemist Brand, in 1669, and the element was rediscovered the next year by Boyle in England. IT was more than 100 years later, however, before its presence was detected in high-carbon iron produced in early blast furnaces. In 1781 the German chemist Meyer published the results of his investigation on the ?white earth? that he had found in cast iron made from bog ores. This white earth was metallic in appearance, it was extremely brittle, it was readily fusible, and it was not attracted by magnet. Meyer noted that cast iron containing this white earth was more fusible than other cast iron, and he was sure that he had discovered a new metal ? for which he proposed the name Wassereisen, or the Latin term Hydrosiderum. Two years later the distinguished Swedish Chemist Bergmann made the same discovery, finding a ?white calx? in cast iron, which he also mistakenly considered to be a new metal, and for which he proposed the Siderum.

Jan 1, 1944

The papers discussed in the following pages were presented during two sessions of the Geophysics Education Committee of the Mineral Industry Education Division on Feb. 17 and 18, 1941. At the first meeting, to consider the "Influence of Geophysics upon Geology Curricula," this Committee was joined by the Geophysics and Mining Geology Committees of the A.I.M.E., the Society of Economic Geologists, representatives of the American Geophysical Union, and delegates from the Committees on College Curricula and on Applications of Geology of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Quentin D. Singewald and Sherwin F. Kelly presided. At the ensuing session, especially emphasizing the integration of geology, physics and chemistry for the solution of earth problems, the joint participants with the Geophysics Education Committee were the Geophysics Committee, and representatives of the American Geophysical Union and of the Committee on College Curricula of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Richard M. Field and W. R. Chedsey presided. In the following summary of the discussion at the two meetings, written discussion submitted subsequently is not differentiated from that offered orally at the session. A provisional report of the Geophysics Education Committee was presented at the second session, and some of the following discussion refers to it. This report has not been printed (it is anticipated that a more comprehensive, final one will be rendered at the 1942 annual meeting). A few mimeographed copies of this provisional report were made. Dr. W. P. Haynes presented some notes prepared by Dr. F. H. Lahee, Chairman of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists' Committee on College Curricula. This Com- mittee's inquiries reveal the general opinion that a four-year academic preparation is inadequate, five or six being advisable. The fundamentals, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English composition, should be stressed in the first three years, with specialization in the last two or three years. Some companies provide an apprenticeship period, and themselves give additional training. During academic years more attention needs to be given to engineering training, to field mapping, and in geology to stratigraphy and sedimentation. The amount of mere memory work should be cut, and men trained to observe and reason. Dr. Lahee emphasized the need of more adequate preparation in English composition, because of the inability of many graduates to compose acceptable reports. Sherwin F. Kelly pointed out that much time in university training, which ought to be devoted to technical subjects, was taken .up with English courses. He emphasized that it is the part of the universities to demand of the high schools that the students they send to the university be properly trained to speak and write English. Prof. W. T. Thom protested against the crowding of high-school material into already overcrowded college curricula. C. E. Dobbin, chairman of the Committee on Applications of Geology of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, described briefly the work of his committee in publicizing geology, and said that it found a widespread popular interest in the subject but a lack of appreciation of its importance. He recommended that attempts to coordinate the works of geologists and geophysicists be expanded somewhat toward the further developing and encouraging of a "species of geopolitician" capable of assisting the progress of geology and geophysics by more vigorous advertising of

Jan 1, 1946

By K. L. Young

The general energy equation, including change in kinetic energy, was solved by numerical integration and used to evaluate simplifying assumptions and application practices over a wide range of conditions. When extreme conditions were encountered, sizable errors were caused by large integration intervals, application of Simpson's rule and neglecting change in kinetic energy. A maximum error of only 1.31 percent was caused by assuming temperature and compressibility constants at their average value. It was discovered that a discontinuity can develop in the integral for the injection case. This discontinuity indicates a point of zero pressure change and is an inflection point in the pressure traverse. INTRODUCTION When a pressure in a gas well is to be calculated, one of the first decisions is to select a method of calculation. In many instances, this selection becomes a problem because the literature, at best, provides an evaluation of any method for only a limited range of conditions. Once a method has been selected, a question often arises as to the size of the calculation interval which should be used. The question regarding calculation interval arises because an analytic solution is not obtainable and approximate solutions must be used. This paper presents an evaluation of major assumptions and application practices of probably the two most widely used methods for calculating steady-state single-phase gas well pressures. The two methods are Cullender and Smith1-" (numerical integration), and average temperature and com-pressibility. The Cullender-Smith method assumes that change in kinetic energy is negligible and is normally applied in two steps with a Simpson's rule correcton. The average temperature and compressibility method, in addition to neglecting kinetic energy change, asumes that temperature and compressibility are constant at their average values. This method is normally applied for wellhead shut-in pressures of less than 2,000 psi, and in one step. Computer programs were written to compute bottom-hole pressure with and without the assumptions, using various approaches. Values of input parameters investigated are shown in Table 1. Flow rate was limited to a maximum of 5,000 and 10,000 Mcf/D for tubing sizes of 1.610 and 1.995 in. ID, respectively. Flow rate was also limited to 10,000 Mcf/D for a tubing size of 2.441 in. ID when wellhead flowing pressure was 100 psia. These limitations were imposed on flow rate so as not to exceed sonic velocity. The z factor routine available necessitated limiting bottom-hole temperature to 240F and wellhead pressure to 3,000 psia. Pressures were compared on the basis of percent deviation from the trapezoidal integration of Eq. l or 2 at 100-ft intervals. A preliminary investigation indicated that a 1,000-ft interval solution would differ from a 50-ft interval solution by less than 0.25 percent; therefore, the 100-ft interval was chosen for a base. For the purpose of comparison, deviations less than 1 percent were considered insignificant. where 111.1 qeC2/d p = kinetic energy term. Eqs. 1 and 2 can be evaluated numerically at specific depths using the trapezoidal rule as shown by Cullender and Smith. If change in kinetic energy is neglected and temperature and compressibility are assumed constant at their average values, Eq. 1 can be integrated to give the average temperature and compressibility equation,

The papers discussed in the following pages were presented during two sessions of the Geophysics Education Committee of the Mineral Industry Education Division on Feb. 17 and 18, 1941. At the first meeting, to consider the "Influence of Geophysics upon Geology Curricula," this Committee was joined by the Geophysics and Mining Geology Committees of the A.I.M.E., the Society of Economic Geologists, representatives of the American Geophysical Union, and delegates from the Committees on College Curricula and on Applications of Geology of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Quentin D. Singewald and Sherwin F. Kelly presided. At the ensuing session, especially emphasizing the integration of geology, physics and chemistry for the solution of earth problems, the joint participants with the Geophysics Education Committee were the Geophysics Committee, and representatives of the American Geophysical Union and of the Committee on College Curricula of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Richard M. Field and W. R. Chedsey presided. In the following summary of the discussion at the two meetings, written discussion submitted subsequently is not differentiated from that offered orally at the session. A provisional report of the Geophysics Education Committee was presented at the second session, and some of the following discussion refers to it. This report has not been printed (it is anticipated that a more comprehensive, final one will be rendered at the 1942 annual meeting). A few mimeographed copies of this provisional report were made. Dr. W. P. Haynes presented some notes prepared by Dr. F. H. Lahee, Chairman of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists' Committee on College Curricula. This Com- mittee's inquiries reveal the general opinion that a four-year academic preparation is inadequate, five or six being advisable. The fundamentals, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English composition, should be stressed in the first three years, with specialization in the last two or three years. Some companies provide an apprenticeship period, and themselves give additional training. During academic years more attention needs to be given to engineering training, to field mapping, and in geology to stratigraphy and sedimentation. The amount of mere memory work should be cut, and men trained to observe and reason. Dr. Lahee emphasized the need of more adequate preparation in English composition, because of the inability of many graduates to compose acceptable reports. Sherwin F. Kelly pointed out that much time in university training, which ought to be devoted to technical subjects, was taken .up with English courses. He emphasized that it is the part of the universities to demand of the high schools that the students they send to the university be properly trained to speak and write English. Prof. W. T. Thom protested against the crowding of high-school material into already overcrowded college curricula. C. E. Dobbin, chairman of the Committee on Applications of Geology of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, described briefly the work of his committee in publicizing geology, and said that it found a widespread popular interest in the subject but a lack of appreciation of its importance. He recommended that attempts to coordinate the works of geologists and geophysicists be expanded somewhat toward the further developing and encouraging of a "species of geopolitician" capable of assisting the progress of geology and geophysics by more vigorous advertising of

Jan 1, 1946

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'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 J. F. Smith

ELASTIC constants of yttrium and eleven of the rare earth elements have been measured. This has been accomplished by measuring the propagation velocities of ultrasonic pulses. The velocity measurements were made by noting the elapsed time between an applied pulse and the appearance of successive echoes. The pulse-echo technique has become relatively common, and the basis of the measurement is outlined in several standard tests, e.g., Heuter and Bolt.1 Two important assumptions are made when using this method for the determination of elastic moduli. First, the pulse is assumed to propagate as a plane wave. To justify this assumption, the cross section of the test specimen should be large compared to the wave length of the transmitted pulse. For these measurements on the rare earth elements the minimum cross section wave length ratio was about 20. A second assumption which must be made when using polycrystalline specimens is that the grains are sufficiently numerous and randomly oriented so that the specimen may be approximated as elasti-cally isotopic. The grain size in the as-cast specimens which were used is believed to be sufficiently fine for this approximation, and the degree of preferred orientation is believed to be small. Supporting this viewpoint is the fact that elasticity measurements by the pulse-echo technique on as-cast specimens of other metals give results which are in satisfactory agreement with values obtained by other techniques. Hence, it is believed that the measured elasticity values for the rare earth elements are not apt to be seriously in error due to the assumption of elastic isotopy. The apparatus used in this determination was a modified Sperry Reflectoscope with a precisely calibrated time base circuit. Piezoelectric transducers were used both to generate the pulse and to detect the echoes. X-cut quartz crystals were used for the longitudinal modes, and Y-cut quartz crystals were used for the shear modes. Frequencies of 2.25 and 5 megacycles per sec were employed. Most of the specimens were 2.5 to 5.0 cm in length. Results Table I is a tabulation of the measured propagation velocities of longitudinal waves and of shear waves, together with densities obtained by Sped- ding, Daane, and Herrmann2 from lattice parameter measurements. The shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, and Young's modulus were calculated from the data in Table I through use of the following relationships: µ = pv32 [1] s=2-(vb/vs)2/2[1-(vb/vs)2] [2] and Y= 2µ(l+s) [3] where s is the shear modulus, Y is the Young's modulus, s is Poisson's ratio, p is the density, V0 is the longitudinal wave velocity, and v, is the shear wave velocity. The calculated quantities are shown in Table 11. Compressibility values can be computed from the relationship and the computed values may be compared with measured values obtained by Bridgman.8 Table III lists the data for such a comparison. The agreement is satisfactory, being particularly good for neodymi- um and gadolinium, poor for samarium, and intermediate for the other elements. Some variation is expected since Bridgman's measurements are isothermal, whereas the present measurements are adiabatic. In addition there may be some effect due to small variations in purity. Though most of the rare earth metals measured by Bridgman and all of the metals used in the present measurements were prepared at this laboratory, minor purity variations might exist since the samples came from different lots. Also, any imperfections such as dislocations, vacancies, voids, grain boundaries, microcracks, etc., should contribute to the volume change of a com-

Jan 1, 1958

By R. J. Hopkins, L. B. Haney

On the basis of limited experimental work conducted at the Port Pirie smelter, it would appear that, by increasing the specific surface of sinter, and possibly that of coke as well, a marked increase in the rate and degree of sinter reduction in the furnace shaft can be achieved. Fusion-point tests have shown that this increased reduction means a much higher sinter fusion point and narrower plastic zone, while the more efficient utilization of coke in the furnace is inherent in the intensification of reduction by the provision of a more reactive sinter surface. Investigations aimed at increasing the ability to operate the blast furnace with a higher lead tenor of sinter reducing fuel cost proportionately, and at eliminating the loss in reduction potential in coke entering the furnace, as shown by the presence of appreciable proportions of CO in the top gases, are reported. Several lines for future investigations that could result in improved smelting methods are proposed. A SOMEWHAT informal presentation of ideas on lead blast-furnace smelting will be given in this paper. These ideas have been developed during observations of furnace behavior at Port Pirie and earlier at Mt. Isa, and have been guided by the results of laboratory experiments at Port Pirie. The authors do not intend to propound any particularly new theories, but present their ideas as a basis for discussion which may help toward a better understanding and improved control of blast-furnace operation. Performance variations of considerable magnitude occur from time to time at most lead blast-furnace plants. While Port Pirie is fortunate in having a very regular supply of high grade concentrates, it is no exception in this respect. Such irregularities are of considerable economic importance and they constitute a challenge to present-day metallurgists in their efforts to obtain an ever greater degree of control over furnace operation. In operating as Port Pirie does with a relatively high lead charge, it has been recognized for a long time that shaft conditions are ,of the greatest importance. A practical, or engineering, attack on the problem of accretions consisted of changes in furnace design, e.g., by widening the shaft to 10 ft above the bottom row of tuyeres, and by the provision of curved ends and vertical walls.' That this attack has had a great measure of success is shown by the fact that barring down of these wide furnaces is rarely necessary, shaft conditions have greatly improved, and sensitivity to charge variations has been markedly reduced. These modifications, followed by some metallurgical changes (chiefly the incorporation of pig iron into the furnace charge in 1948), have brought furnace operation to a point where some variables which were previously masked can now be studied. Accordingly, over different periods of time during the last five years, such variables as could be given numerical values have been recorded and subjected to statistical examination. The objectives of this work were: 1—to reveal the true importance of the different variables and 2—to show the proportion of total furnace variation which is unexplained and therefore referable to causes not measured at present? e.g., shaft accretions, sinter structure, coke structure, and others. Statistical Study of Variables In this work factors relating to furnace speed and lead reduction have been examined: 1—slag com-

Jan 1, 1955

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'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. H. Tausch, T. A. Huber

Very encouraging progress has been made ill the develop-ment of the permanent-type well completion which decreases considerable the cost of completions and workovers and aid-in the acquisition of reliable reservoir information at low cost. Completion and remedial operations are performed with tool,; which pass through the well tubing. Perforating and plug-hack operations can be done with the tubing in place and do not require pipe-handling equipment. Because of the many advantages afforded by this method, development work is going forward in anticipation of ultimately being able 10 use it to perform all usual well completion and workover operations. Effort is also being directed to the development of a more permanent type of lift equipment suitable for use with the permanent-type well completion. INTRODUCTION The permanent-type well completion in one in which the tubing and well-head are set in place only once in the life of the well and the completion or remedial work is performed through the tubing with a tubing-type perforator. a retrievable tubing extension. and other wire-line tools. This new type completion has made possible the saving of one to two days' rig time in the completion of each of several hundred wells During the last two years, and use of equipment developed for this type of completion has resulted in a 75 per cent reduction in cost. of certain types of workovers. In addition. the more reliable indication of the commercial value of a reservoir and the more accurate general reservoir information made Possible promise to be of even greater value in oil recovery than the reduction of costs for completions and workovers Recently. several well.. were worked over by using the retrievable tubing extension suspended on a swab line to plug back with cement and then perforating a higher producing interval with the tubing-type perforator, thus opening the way for complete through-the-tubing workovers which may be performed without pipe-handling equipment or mud. Those items attendant to the use of pipe-handling equipment and mud. such as hoard matting rig substructure. and pits. were also eliminated. There are indications that the elimination of drilling mud during completion and workover operations will frequently give increased well productivity, as plugging of the perforation. will not occur. It ii now possible to perforate selectively small sections of the producing interval and to test a well through these sections prior to perforating more interval. The perforating of additional interval will not entail the costly operations of killing the well and pulling tubing, nor will the old or the new perforations be plugged. The productivity of .mall sections of a reservoir and the actual gas-oil or oil-water contacts may now be determined economically under flowing condition.. Selective completions can be made in this manner to delay gas and water problems and bring about maximum oil recovery. At the present time, gas lift appears to offer the greatest potentialities for artificial lift in the permanent-type well com"letion since it can provide full-open tubing to accommodate the through-the-tubing tools and it may be ultimately developed into a fairly permanent type of lift. With precent-day pas-lift equipment. valve or mandrel failure necessitates occacio11al removal of the tubing. thereby reducing to some extent the permanence of the completion. New gas-lift valves are now

Jan 1, 1953

By Lane Mitchell

A ceramic product or processed material is a solid composed of materials which have been subjected to heat above 875°F. The raw materials, which are blended together (or in some cases used singly), are selected and utilized for various reasons such as ease of fabrication, aid to processing, to yield desired properties after processing, lack or controllable degree of toxicity or hazard, availability, cost, and perhaps other considerations. Almost all solid inorganic, some organic, and some liquid and gaseous materials have the potential to be used individually in some ceramic product. There are several fundamental functions to be fulfilled in every ceramic product and a number of secondary functions are desirable in specified products. These functions are generally met by the most widely occurring minerals and rocks of the earth and their debris. This fact characterizes ceramics as a field utilizing the raw materials most available to man. Of course, specified products utilize synthetics, organics, and rare inorganics to produce desired results. Any solid nonmetallic product processed by subjection to temperature above a red heat may be called a ceramic product. Widely used construction materials and units, domestic utensils and units, industrial parts to facilitate manufacture, technical components, and aesthetic creations are very often of a ceramic nature because of the durability, inertness, hardness, ease of fabrication, cost, and availability of the ingredients. Often, organics or metals cannot meet desired specifications for some of these products. The rocks and minerals and mineral debris of the earth are largely siliceous. Oxygen and silicon comprise roughly 75% of the earth's crust with aluminum, iron, calcium, and the alkalies following in abundance. Silica ( SiO, ) and silicates can be melted to form glasses. Alumina (A1,0,), present in a mineral com- pound, gives greater durability, hardness, and strength, but lessens the glass-forming property. Iron, calcium, and the other alkalies flux silica and reduce melting points. Thus, sand, which is generally almost pure SiO,, and clay, which is generally hydrated alumina silicate, are the most widely used of all ceramic raw materials-principally because of the glass-forming propensities of silicates. In ceramic formulations, clay is generally a refractory filler or skeletal material, having in the raw state a plasticity derived from its colloidal grain size and its water-loving nature. On the other hand, silica sand is a glass former or nonplastic filler. Clay and silica sand in pure forms are quite refractory, i.e., not easily melted. Clay, although siliceous, is less of a glass former than pure silica and is more refractory. Natural contaminants, such as iron oxide or limestone, adulterate many clays and some sands. These contaminants act as fluxes and reduce the fusion points of the mineral or blends. Glass is made from silica sand by fluxing the sand with strong bases, usually soda ash and limestone. Red building bricks are hard and durable because the sand and clay have been partially fused with help of natural iron oxide serving as a flux. The iron oxide per- forms a dual function, serving as a pigment as well as a flux. In a blend of clay and sand and iron oxide, the sand is more susceptible to fusion than is the clay. Although silica sand and clay are the most widely used raw materials in most ceramic products, many other minerals, and some non- minerals are utilized in products where these materials can produce or aid in achieving desired results. Limestone and dolomite, feldspars, pigmentary minerals, refractory oxides or carbides, and special property producers can

Jan 1, 1975

By Randolph C. Specht

A two year study was made of the waste disposal of the pebble rock phosphate industry. Solid slimes are impounded in large settling areas and the process water is re-used. Clear effluent was not found to be toxic to fish or animal life in field tests or in controlled experiments. Survey: The pebble rock phosphate mining and washing operations in Florida (fig. 1) are along the river basins of the Alafia to the west and the Peace to the east. The elevation of the area varies between 40 and 170 ft above sea level. Effluents from the operations find their way into one of the two river systems (fig. 2), the Peace River which flows into Charlotte Harbor and the Alafia into Tampa Bay, both along the Gulf of Mexico. There are no major industries along these rivers below the phosphate operations. On the Peace River, the town of Arcadia, approximately 50 miles below the phosphate operations, obtains its water from the river. No other communities along the rivers use them as a source of water supply. Small communities, farms, and ranches are located along the rivers and both rivers drain vast swamp areas. Complaints had been received at the office of the Chief Sanitary Engineer, of the Florida State Board of Health,' that both rivers were turbid at various times and that fishing in the Alafia River was "not as good as it used to be." Tests made by another agency on the dissolved oxygen content of the Alafia River revealed that the oxygen content, at times, was comparatively low.= However, it was not shown that the phosphate wastes had any effect upon the oxygen content of the stream. The river waters are normally brown in color due to drainage from vast swamp areas and are very shallow, from 2 to 6 ft in depth. Turbid waters have been noted in streams coming from the present phosphate operations and also from streams along which there are no operations at the present time. It was learned from "old timers" that, when many more companies than at present were operating along both the Alafia and Peace Rivers forty or fifty years ago, no attention was paid to prohibiting the disposal of slimes along the river basins. During dry periods now in some of the river swamps where drainage ditches have been dug, it is indicated clearly that phosphate slimes were disposed of directly into the river swamps for many years past. Places have been observed where there were alternating strata of phosphate mud, leaf mold, and quartz sand. The former practice of indiscriminate disposal of wastes accounts for some turbidity, particularly after heavy rains and washouts and during clearing of land and digging of drainage ditches. During a six months' period in which a large tract of land was being cleared and drainage ditches dug, a small stream (Six Mile Creek), which previously had been clear, showed a turbidity of 600 ppm and remained turbid until the clearing was completed; after which the stream again flowed clear. An interview with the operator of the municipal water plant, which is about 50 miles below the phosphate operations on the Peace River and which used this river as a source of supply, revealed that there had been no taste in the water for the past ten years, other than that occasionally encountered from increased growth of algae. The operations of each of the cooperating com-

Jan 1, 1951

By Thomas C. Patton, Eric S. Cheney

L-D gold mine is 3 miles south of Wenatchee, central Washington. Recognition of locally mappable conglomerates, sandstones, and shales within the Paleocene (?) Swauk formation led to the discovery that the known epithermal gold mineraliza¬tion is limited to a previously unknown imbricate thrust zone of unknown displace¬ment cutting the open folds o f the area. Hypabyssal intrusions also are most nu¬merous along the trace of the thrust faults. Yakima basalt of Miocene age uncon¬formably overlies the Swauk formation, thrust faults, and the intrusions. The L-D mine is in a northwesterly trending imbricate fault block of nearly vertical strata. Microscopic native gold, electrum, and naumannite occur in quartz veins and as low¬grade disseminations in the well-silicified portions of arkosic sandstones. Fault gouge on the "footwall fissure" limits ore to the hanging-wall block of the fault. Epithermal mineralization and alteration are spatially related to the nearby intrusions. Right lateral north-south faults offset the ore a maximum of 300-400 ft along any one fault. From 1949 until January 1967, when the L-D mine closed, 1,036,572 dry tons of ore valued at $14,962,305 and averaging 0.396 oz Au per ton and 0.607 oz Ag per ton were mined. Recognition of the structural control of the mineralization and altera¬tion within the Swauk formation suggests several areas within and outside of the mine that warrant further exploration. For example, the high-angle faults, imbricate thrusts, and the intrusions of this area are on strike with similar features along the major Entiat fault zone 10 miles to the northwest. The L-D gold mine (previously called Squilchuck, Wenatchee, Golden King, Gold King, and Lovitt) is located in Squilchuck Canyon about three miles south of Wenatchee, Chelan County, Wash. (Fig. 1) on the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains. The major stratigraphic unit in the area is the nonmarine early Tertiary Swauk formation, which is predominantly com¬posed of arkosic sandstone. The lack of laterally per¬sistent units and the paucity of outcrops heretofore have precluded all but the grossest subdivision of the Swauk.' As a result, the true significance of the open folds in the Wenatchee area was not recognized, and although the geology within the mine was known, the structural setting of the mine was virtually unknown. During the present investigation, several locally map¬pable units were discovered within the Swauk which, in conjunction with mine maps, indicate an imbricate thrust zone. The epithermal gold mineralization, most of the hypabyssal intrusions, and the zones of hydrother¬mal alteration are located within or near this thrust zone. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) to describe this structural setting, rather than the detailed mine geology already presented by Lovitt and Skerl,2 and (2) to sug¬gest that from an exploration standpoint, this struc¬tural setting may be repeated in areas inside and outside of the mine area. Stratigraphy and Structure of the Swauk Formation General: The Swauk formation contains three distinct lithologies. Typical Swauk sandstone is gray on fresh surfaces, poorly sorted, weathers tan, and is cross¬bedded; it consists of 40-60% quartz, 20-40% feldspar, and up to 10% muscovite and biotite 9 The typical shale is gray to dark brown, very soft, and interbedded with silty sandstones; sharp contacts exist between the

Jan 1, 1972

By Randolph C. Specht

A two year study was made of the waste disposal of the pebble rock phosphate industry. Solid slimes are impounded in large settling areas and the process water is re-used. Clear effluent was not found to be toxic to fish or animal life in field tests or in controlled experiments. Survey: The pebble rock phosphate mining and washing operations in Florida (fig. 1) are along the river basins of the Alafia to the west and the Peace to the east. The elevation of the area varies between 40 and 170 ft above sea level. Effluents from the operations find their way into one of the two river systems (fig. 2), the Peace River which flows into Charlotte Harbor and the Alafia into Tampa Bay, both along the Gulf of Mexico. There are no major industries along these rivers below the phosphate operations. On the Peace River, the town of Arcadia, approximately 50 miles below the phosphate operations, obtains its water from the river. No other communities along the rivers use them as a source of water supply. Small communities, farms, and ranches are located along the rivers and both rivers drain vast swamp areas. Complaints had been received at the office of the Chief Sanitary Engineer, of the Florida State Board of Health,' that both rivers were turbid at various times and that fishing in the Alafia River was "not as good as it used to be." Tests made by another agency on the dissolved oxygen content of the Alafia River revealed that the oxygen content, at times, was comparatively low.= However, it was not shown that the phosphate wastes had any effect upon the oxygen content of the stream. The river waters are normally brown in color due to drainage from vast swamp areas and are very shallow, from 2 to 6 ft in depth. Turbid waters have been noted in streams coming from the present phosphate operations and also from streams along which there are no operations at the present time. It was learned from "old timers" that, when many more companies than at present were operating along both the Alafia and Peace Rivers forty or fifty years ago, no attention was paid to prohibiting the disposal of slimes along the river basins. During dry periods now in some of the river swamps where drainage ditches have been dug, it is indicated clearly that phosphate slimes were disposed of directly into the river swamps for many years past. Places have been observed where there were alternating strata of phosphate mud, leaf mold, and quartz sand. The former practice of indiscriminate disposal of wastes accounts for some turbidity, particularly after heavy rains and washouts and during clearing of land and digging of drainage ditches. During a six months' period in which a large tract of land was being cleared and drainage ditches dug, a small stream (Six Mile Creek), which previously had been clear, showed a turbidity of 600 ppm and remained turbid until the clearing was completed; after which the stream again flowed clear. An interview with the operator of the municipal water plant, which is about 50 miles below the phosphate operations on the Peace River and which used this river as a source of supply, revealed that there had been no taste in the water for the past ten years, other than that occasionally encountered from increased growth of algae. The operations of each of the cooperating com-

Jan 1, 1951

By P. G. Sprang, S. Rosen

The Y-Al- C ternary phase diagram for the com -position range from 55 to 100 at. pct Y and for a temperature of 950°C has been constructed from metallographic and X-ray diffraction data. The significant features of the isothermal section which is presented are the small solubility of aluminum in the binary Y3C phase and the presence of a ternary carbide phase with a small homogeneity range around the composition Y3AlC. The similarity in structure and composition between these two carbide phases is discussed in the light of the misci-bility gap which exists between room temperature and 1300°C, which was the temperature range studied. THE occurrence and stability criteria of ternary T3BC, carbide phases having the L'12 structure and the general formula T3BCx have been discussed in detail by stadelmaier1 and more recently by the present authors., Stadelmaier found many representatives of these phases formed between the T metals Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni and the B metals Mg, Al, Zn, Ca, Ge, Cd, In, Sn, Hg, T1, and Pb. The present authors reported on a new series of iso-structural carbide phases formed between the T metals of the Sc group and the B metal, aluminum. These new phases are unique in that many of the Sc group elements form stable binary carbide phases which occur about the composition T3C and which crystallize with a structure similar to that of the T9BCx ternary carbide phases. Furthermore, these binary and ternary phases are found to coexist in equilibrium with each other. The similarity in structure and composition between, for example, Y3C and Y3AlC in the light of the mis-cibility gap which had been found to exist between these two phases indicated a need for a more thorough knowledge of the phase relations which occur in alloys based upon these compositions. Consequently, an investigation of the phase equilibria in the yttrium-rich portion of the Y-A1-C phase diagram was undertaken. The limiting Y-A1 binary diagram determined by Lundin and Klodt3 and the results of Spedding et al.4 governing the Y3C phase were used as guides in , constructing the diagram. EXPERIMENTAL Alloys weighing about 10 g were prepared by arc-melting powder compacts made from the various components on a water-cooled copper hearth using a tungsten electrode in a gettered argon atmosphere. Good homogeneity was obtained by melting the alloys three times. The purity of the yttrium used was 99.9 pct (0.07 pct rare earths). The purity of the aluminum and the carbon was 99.99 pct. The results of chemical analysis on five representative alloys showed that losses during the alloying process were predominantly carbon losses and that in no instance did the measured concentration of this component differ by more than 3 at. pct from the intended composition. For this reason the alloy compositions which are reported are those of the charges prepared for melting. Three alloys which were analyzed for copper, tungsten, nitrogen, and oxygen compositions showed that no contamination had occurred either during casting or during the subsequent annealing treatments. For the major part annealing treatments were carried out on specimens which were placed in

Jan 1, 1965

By T. Rosenqvist

From the chemical, metallurgical, and mineralogical points of view, the importance of thermodynamic data for metal-sulphides and sulphur dissolved in molten metal has long been realized. Such data will give a basis for thermo-dynamic calculations of processes such as roasting and the distribution of sulphur between molten metal and slags. Furthermore, it will help us understand the chemical forces which tie sulphur to the metal and to the melt. Thermodynamic studies of solid sulphides and the equilibria between solid sulphides and metals have been carried out in a rather large number of cases by several investigators. An excellent review of this work is given by Kelley.1 On the other hand, very little is known about the thermodynamic properties of molten sulphides and of sulphur dissolved in molten metal. The only system which previously has been investigated in this respect is the iron/sulphur system. The purpose of the present investigation was primarily to obtain further data for metalisulphur melts and the system silver/sulphur was chosen, not because this system was expected to be of special interest in itself, but because the silver/sulphur system is a typical example of a metal/sulphur system. Because of the low melting temperatures, the work could be carried out without appreciable furnace and refractory difficulties. The sulphur in this system possesses a rather high escaping tendency compared to most other metal/sulphur systems. By the method employed (reaction with hydrogen to form hydrogen sulphide) this gives ratios Ph2s/Ph2 up to 0.30, which may be determined accurately. 'rhermodynamic investigations of the heterogeneous reaction Ag2S +H2 —+ 2Ag + H2S have previously been carried out by Pelabon,2 Keyes and Felsing,3 Jellineb and Zakowski,4 Wat-anabe,6 and Britzke and Kapustinsky.6 Their results are in rather poor agreement. Experimental Part PRINCIPLE In the present invehgation the escaping tendency of sulphur from the condensed phase was determined by the reaction: S + H2 = H2S The ratio Ph2s/Ph2 is at constant temperature, directly proportional to the escaping tendency of sulphur and to its chemical activity in the condensed phase. (This ratio will subsequently be denoted by H2S/H2.) From this ratio and its variation with temperature and with change in the com- position of the condensed phase, thermodyrlamic quantities such as free energy and heat of reaction can be derived. The apparatus used is shown in Fig 1. The silver/sulphur alloy was placed in a crucible inside a refractory tube and mounted inside the furnace to the left. The tube was a part of a closed, gas-tight system in which the gas mixture could circulate until equilibrium was established. Circulation was maintained by the glass propeller to the right, driven by an external magnet, and promoted by the chimney action of the furnace. The gas passed up through the furnace, down into the crucible where it came in contact with the alloy, passed rapidly up through a narrow tube and out of the hot zone. After equilibrium was established between the gas and the condensed phase, the composition of the gas mixture was determined from its density. In its circulation, the gas mixture passed through a chamber (lower right on Fig 1) containing a buoyancy-balance, where the density of the gas was determined by magnetic balancing. From the measured density,

Jan 1, 1950

By R. H. Jacoby, M. J. Rzasa

Experimental equilibrium vaporization ratios (K values) were obtained for nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, ethane and hydrogen sulfide in two natural gas-absorber oil mixtures and in two natural gas-Elk Basin crude oil mixtures. For each mixture of constant over-all composition, data were obtained at 100°, 150° and 200°F and at various pressures in the range 200 to 5,000 psia. Some effects of composition on the K values were obtained to serve as a guide in choosing K's for engineering calculations on other mixtures. The pressure cell used to obtain the data is a new type and is described here for the first time. INTRODUCTION The phase equilibria of complex hydrocarbon mixtures such as natural gases, crude oils and their mixtures have been studied previously for the purpose of finding equilibrium vaporization ratios for the hydrocarbon constitutents. In a few cases, such non-hydrocarbon.: as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide were included in the mixture. studied because they occur. in the fluids obtained from petroleum reservoirs. The increasing occurrerce. of these non-liydrocarbon.; antl their growing economic importance. make it necessary to account for them more accurately in engineering calculation.: than is now possible using the meager published data. The available data for non-hydrocarbons may he classified into two groups: namely, binary mixtures of a hydrocarbon and a non-hydrocarbon. and mixtures containing three or more components, only one of which is a non-hydrocarbon. Amon: the former. phase analyses are available for two nitrogen-HC mixtures, tve carbon dioxide-HC mixtures and three hydrogen sulfide-HC mixtures. Data for more complex mixtures are available as follows: Nitrogen-Methane-Pentane'; Nitrogen-Methane-Hexane,'; Nitrogen-Methane-Heptane'; Carbon dioxide-Natural Gas-Natural Gasorline": Carbon dioxide-Natural Gas-Crude Oil". These data have been used generally lor engineering calculations, often with little regard for their precise applicability because data for the non-hydrocarbons in the complex mixtures being dealt with were not available. The use of K values from binary data for calculation:; involving complex mixtures is open to criticism because such K's are not a function of composition and very often show large differences from the K's for the same components in a complex mixture. Thus the effects of composition must be evaluated when obtaining K's for components in complex mixtures. Poettmann and Katz " varied the carbon dioxide content of their mixture.; from about five to ten mol per cent and found substantially no effect on the K values due to this change. This was not surprising since one might expect that changing a minor com-ponent by * three mol per cent would have little effect. It is more important to find the composition change which have the largest effect on the K values. For example. varying the methane or heptanes — plus compositions over a wide rangr may have a large effect on the K'. of all components in the mixture. Interesting data to this effect were obtained by Eilerts and Smith." It was toward these problems that the experimental data presented here were directed. EQUIPMENT The pressure cell used to obtain the data i:. somewhat dif-ferent from those which have been described in the past. Photographs of the equipment are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 Shows. the front panel: from a .rated position at the right the

Jan 1, 1952

By W. R. McMillan, E. A. Gulbransen, K. F. Andrew

Annealed and electrolytically polished pure iron was oxidized between 650° and 850°C at oxygen pressures of 0.1 to 2 microns Hg. Electron optical studies showed that oxidation occurs discontinuously over the surface and orients crystallographically with the substructure of the metal grains. IN previous papers', " the authors described the formation of oxide films on high purity iron at norrnal pressures and at temperatures below 300°C. Electron optical studies showed that the oxide film consisted of many individual oxide crystallites having nearly random orientation on each metal grain. The size of the oxide crystallites depended upon the temperature and upon the extent of oxidation. In these studies the crystallite size varied from 250 to 1800Å. Recently, Bardolle and Benard3 studied the crystal habit of the oxide crystallites formed on Armco iron between 650" and 850°C in what might be defined as a "poor vacuum" atmosphere in which the pressure could be varied between 10-1 to 10-3 mm of Hg. Their results showed that, at 850°C and a vacuum of l0-2 to 10-3 mm of Hg, a few well oriented nuclei of oxide were formed on the metal grains. At pressures between l0-1 to 10-2 mm of Hg, many oriented nuclei of oxide were formed. At 750°C the metal surface was bright although an oxide was present. Unfortunately, the extent of oxidation, the oxygen pressure, and the influence of carbon in the metal were not determined, and it was, therefore, impossible to give a theoretical interpretation to the very beautiful light micrographs. Bardolle and Benard used the light microscope to determine the crystal habit of the oxide and X-ray diffraction to determine the orientation relationships. It was believed that the use of controlled amounts of oxidation at high temperature is an important method for the study of the initial stages of oxidation of metals at high temperatures. This paper presents the first results of an electron optical study of this problem for iron. Since the electron microscope and electron-diffraction methods using stripped oxide films and surface replicas yielded finer details of the crystal habit and structure of oxide film, these methods were used in this study. Two types of iron having different carbon contents were used: Puron and Armco* iron. A com- parison of the results for these materials made possible a study of the influence of the surface oxide-carbon reaction on the initial stages of oxidation. Before discussing the experimental results, the thermodynamic equilibria of 1—the oxidation reaction, 2—the surface oxide-carbon reaction, and 3—the solubility of oxygen in iron, will be considered. In addition, it is important to consider the kinetic-theory predictions on the rate of collision of oxygen with the iron surface. Thermodynamic and Kinetic-Theory Calculations Only one type of reaction is usually considered in the oxidation of iron at normal pressures at high temperatures: Fe(a) + 1/2O2(g) = FeO(s) 3Fe(a) + 2O2(g) = Fe3O4(s) 2Fe(a) +3/2O2(g) = a-Fe2O3(s). [11 However, two other reactions may occur: FeO(s) + C (solid solution in Fe) + Fe(a) + CO(g) [2] and Fe(a) + O2(g) e Fe(a) (solid solution of 0,). [ 3 ] In addition, iron will react with the higher oxide at certain temperatures to form FeO. For a complete interpretation of the oxidation of iron at low pres-

Jan 1, 1955

By Castle. J. E., J. L. Gillson

In this chapter there is a wide difference in the meaning of some words used for rock and mineral names as defined by scientists and tabulated in the "Glossary of Geology and Related Sciences," published in 1957 by the American Geological Institute, and the meaning as used by the commercial producers of feldspar. It is necessary, therefore, to define these terms giving both the "scientific" and the "practical" definitions. There is no ambiguity about the name feldspar itself. This is a general term for a group of related minerals which are silicates of aluminum, combined with sodium, potassium and calcium. The feldspars are the most abundant minerals of the igneous rocks, and since these rocks make up the largest proportion of the earth's crust by volume (although not of the actual surface area of the continental land masses) the feldspars are the most abundant minerals of all. The igneous rocks themselves are classified on the basis of the variety of the feldspar present. The potash feldspars, which are called orthoclase and microcline, are the dominant minerals of the granites and syenites, and of their fine grained equivalents, the rhyolites and trachites. The plagioclase feldspars form an isomorphic series, of which the sodic endmember is called albite, and the lime endmember, anorthite. The members near the sodic end, albite, oligoclase and andesine are the characteristic feldspars of the granodiorites and diorites, and of their fine grained equivalents, the dacites, and andesites. These feldspars-orthoclase, microcline, albite oligoclase and andesine-are the feldspars used commercially. Labradorite, a member of the plagioclase group, in which the lime exceeds the soda in the chemical composition, is the common feldspar of the gabbros, anorthosites, norites, basalts and other so-called "basic" rocks. Although some attempts have been made to use labradorite as a commercial feldspar, none is now used except as an ornamental stone. The mineral anorthite is very rare. Since the feldspar in most of the common igneous rocks is relatively fine grained, and mixed intimately with other minerals, from which it can be separated cleanly only with difficulty, most masses of the common rocks cannot be used as sources for the feldspar contained in them. It is only the rarer types of rocks in which the feldspar is very coarse-grained, or ones containing very little of the iron-bearing minerals which are objectionable impurities in commercial feldspar, that are quarried to yield an acceptable product. The most widespread type of such a rock from which commercial feldspar can be produced, is that called "pegmatite." These rocks are dikes and bodies of irregular shape and of a size measured in feet or yards in most cases, rather than in miles. They are more commonly associated with granites, rather than with other coarse-grained igneous rocks. Many of them contain crystals of various minerals, including the feldspars, that are much larger than are found in the host rock, the granite, and in many there are large masses of feldspar that are sufficiently free from iron-bearing silicates so that products acceptable to the ceramic industry can be produced, in some cases simply by hand sorting. Most of this feldspar in pegmatites, however, does contain intergrown quartz up to 25 pct. Pegmatites are so important, not only as commercial sources of feldspar, but also of other minerals which are produced com-

Jan 1, 1960