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By Wallace Ralston

The East Texas district includes the northeast 38 counties of the State of Texas. It still remains one of the most important oil-and-gas-producing areas of the United States, since it includes within its boundaries the large East Texas field. Other fields of importance are: Van, Rodessa, Talco, Cayuga, Long Lake and Sulphur Bluff. Production is from the Nacatoch, Blossom, and Woodbine of the upper Cretaceous and the Paluxy and Glen Rose of the lower Cretaceous. Of these, the Woodbine is the most important, since it is the producing horizon iri the East Texas field. Fields East Texas Field.—There were 2471 oil wells, 1 gas well and 84 failures completed during the year of 1936 in the East Texas field; that is, 1565 fewer than in the year of 1935. The total number of producing wells is now 22,031, of which 50 are temporarily shut down; 18,435 wells flowing their production; 3150 pumping; 293 on gas-lift, and 82 operated by other methods. This shows an increase of 1642 wells on artificial lift over Jan. 1, 1935. The average daily salt-water production is estimated at 42,700 bbl. from 2327 wells—an increase of 1201 wells over the year of 1935. The field is now drilled to an average density of one well to 5.85 acres. Average bottom-hole pressure has dropped from 1193 Ib. to 1168 lb., approximately 1 lb. drop for each 6,600,000 bbl. of oil produced. During the month of December 1936, the estimated daily average production of illegal oil had dropped from 20,500 bbl. in December 1935 to 7500 bbl. The commercial gas production is of minor importance in the East Texas field, and figures for the amount of gas taken from the field are not available at the present time. Talco Field, Titus and Franklin Counties.—The discovery well was drilled by Housh, Thompson et al. on the C. M. Carr tract and completed in March 1936, as a pumping well making 552 bbl. per day of 24' gravity oil. This well was first completed at a total depth of 4208 ft., the top of the sand being 4190 ft. Later it was deepened to 4260 ft., which increased the production from 552 to 725 bbl. per day. This field is producing

Jan 1, 1937

All the Technical PUBlications and Preprints published in 1932 are available at Institute headquarters. They are also on file in public, university and technical libraries and, when so indicated in the list, may be found in the Transactions. Copies of the Technical Publications have been mailed to those members of the Institute who are registered in the different classes: A-Metal Mining; B-Milling and Concentration; C-Iron and Steel Division; D-Nonferrous Metallurgy; E-Insti-tute of Metals Division; F-Coal Division; G-Petroleum Division; H-Nonmetallic Minerals; I-Mining Geology; K-Mining Administration; L-Geophysical Prospecting. Other members may obtain copies by writing to the Secretary. Copies of Preprints may also be obtained from the Secretary's office. Additional copies are sold at the rate of 1 cent per page; minimum charge, 25 cents. Nonmembers may purchase the papers at the prices mentioned. Metal Mining Technical Publi- Title Author Meeting Trans. cation Volume No. and Page* 484-A.45 Propeller Type Mine Fan at Moose A. S. Richardson New York 102, 88. 95 F.52 Shaft. Butte. Montana (13) Feb.. 1932 487-A.46 Progress in the Improvement of Max H. Barber New York. Methods and Equipment at Feb., 1932 Open-pit Iron Mines on the Lake Superior Iron Ranges (9) Pre. Sand Filling through Pipes and Lucien Eaton New York, 102, 33, 41 Boreholes (9) Feb., 1932 Milling And Concentration 445-B.37 Soap Flotation of the Nomulfides Will H. Coghill New York. H.19 (18) J. Bruce Clemmer Feb., 1932 461-B.38 Principles of Flotation—An Experi- I. W. Wark New York. mental Study of the Effect of A. B. Cox Feb.. 1932 Xanthates on Contact Angles at Mineral Surfaces (48) Iron and Steel Division 447-C.81 Electrochemical Potentials of Nitri- Shun-ichi Satoh New York, fied Steels (31) Feb.. 1932 450-C.82 Reaistanoe of Iron-aluminum Alloya N. 9. Ziegler New York. 100, 267. 670 E.143 to Oxidation at High Tempera- Feb., 1932 tures (8) 451-C.83 Pressure Welding of Low-carbon C. H. Austin New York. Steela with Theoretical Con- W. S. Jeffries Feb.. 1932 siderations on the Mechanism of Such Welding (42) 453-C.84 Inclusions—Tbeir Effect, Solubility C.E.Sims New York, 100, 154, 176 and Control in Cast Steel (24) 0. A. Lillieqvist Feb., 1932

Jan 1, 1932

By T. C. Craig

During the year, there were 570 oil wells completed for a total daily initial production of 365,352 bbl. The daily oil potential of the field, effective Jan. 1, 1935, as established by the Texas Railroad Commission, was 306,102 bbl. with a daily allowable of 58,800 bbl., whereas, on Dec. 31, 1935, the potential was 587,376 bbl. with a daily allowable of 57,800 bbl. Because of the limited market demand, the allowable decreased although the potential increased. In August, the five-day test for determining the potential production of a well was replaced by a 24-hr. test. The reason for this change was that some of the oil-pur-chasing companies contended that too much oil in excess of the limited market demand was produced during the five-day tests. Dry Gas.—During July, the Texas Railroad Commission supervised the first complete and accurate field-wide test of open flows that has been made in this area. The total open flow as determined at that time was 16,426,085,000 cu. ft, There were 79 gas wells drilled in '935, with a combined open flow of 2,408,000,000 cu. ft. and 50 depleted oil wells were plugged back for gas with a total open flow of 529,800,000 cu. ft. The total new gas production for the year was, therefore, 2,937,800,000 cu. ft. The 17 natural-gas pipe lines drawing on the Panhandle supply of fuel gas withdrew a daily average of 420,497,507 cu. ft., or a total of 153,481,-590,000 cu. ft. for the year. The 44th Texas Legislature passed a statute known as House Bill No. 266, which was designed to prohibit waste and protect correlative rights by compelling the ratable production of gas. The part of the law relative to withdrawal of sweet gas became effective Aug. 1, 1935, and the part referring to withdrawal of sour gas became effective Oct. 1, 1935. Three of the major pipe line companies attacked the validity of the ratable production feature of the new law and a preliminary injunction was granted by the Federal District Court. The final hearing on the incrits of the case is scheduled for the early part of January. Natural Gasoline.—Forty of the 42 natural-gasoline extraction plants in the Panhandle operated throughout the year. One plant discontinued

Jan 1, 1936

By E. L. Estabrook

THE production of crude oil in Wyoming rose to 44,290,010 bbl. in 1923 and declined, during 1924, to 39,295,030 bbl., a decrease of about 11 per cent. The Salt Creek field supplies 75 to 80 per cent. of the production. Pipeline runs from the Salt Creek field reached a maximum in November, 1923, at a daily average for the month of 116,437 barrels. During 1924, the gas pressure in Salt Creek has declined rapidly and the production dropped to about 60,000 bbl. per day. Part of 'the decline during the last few months was due to lack of power to pump the wells. The electric-power plant of the Midwest Refining Co. did not begin to deliver current until the middle of December, by which time several hundred wells were off production. The cold snap in December, which brought, the temperature down to 30° below zero on the 17th, tied up operations almost completely and the average production for the month was only 49,545 barrels. As more wells are being pumped and the number of dead wells reduced, the production is rising and was up to 61,000 bbl. during the last week of January. A further increase is expected as the weather becomes warmer. The production of Salt Creek, by months, during 1924 is given in Table 1. TABLE 1.-Total Monthly Production, Average Daily Production and Number of Producing Wells in Salt Creek during 1924 TOTAL PRODUCTION, DAILY AVERAGE, NUMBER OF MONTH BARRELS BARRELS WELLS January 3,523,647.40 113,666.05 919 February 3,074,916.67 106,031.61 929 March 2,977,095.14 96,035.32 950 April 2,811,110.22 93,703.67 987 May 2,858,842.04 92,220.71 1,024 June 2,649,752.57 88,325,09 1,092 July : 2,697,829.36 87,026.75 1,153 August 2,624,371.84 84,657.15 1,213 September 2,281,219.04 76,040.64 1,274 October 2,073,961.42 67,000.84 1,313 November 1,722,050.09 57,401.67 ~ 1,335 December 1,535,903.78 49,545.28 1,352 Total 30,831,699.57 84,239.61 1,352

Jan 3, 1925

By M. M. Fidlar, Ralph E. Esarey

A marked decrease in drilling during 1937 in Indiana seemed to have no undesirable effect upon the oil and gas industry. Instead, production figures for oil showed a small increase over those for the preceding year, although not so much gas was marketed as in 1936. Drilling activity was centered in proven areas, and the proportion of dry holes to the number of wells drilled decreased somewhat. During 1937, including old wells drilled to deeper horizons, 134 wells were completed in Indiana, of which 39 were oil wells, 39 gas wells, and 56 dry holes. Nearly 75 per cent of the holes were drilled in proven areas. Of the 36 wells drilled in wildcat areas, only four found commercial production. Wildcat wells were especially numerous in Vigo, Pike, Perry and Spencer Counties. Exploratory drilling activity in Vigo County resulted in part from the drilling of the discovery well in the new Prairie Creek field. In Pike County, wildcat wells were drilled in the search for new supplies of gas to meet the demand in the southwestern portion of Indiana. Drilling in both proven and wildcat areas in Perry and Spencer Counties continued to be heavy, because of the presence of shallow Missis-sippian sands and the resulting low cost of drilling and equipping. At the end of the year, 42 of the wells started in 1937 were not completed. Only a few locations were drilled in the old Trenton field, but the wells, many of them 40 years old, continued to furnish a small supply of gas for domestic consumption. Oil production in the Jay County portion of the Trenton area was nearly twice that of 1936, owing in part to a vacuum system installed on several leases. The Harrison County (Laconia) gas field is being developed northward to offset water encroaching from the south. This water in the black shale threatens to put an end to the steady production that this field has furnished for many years. During 1937, the Oaktown gas field again furnished more gas than any other field, but production in that area showed a marked decrease over the marketed gas for 1936. During the early months of the year, seven wells were completed in the Oaktown field to bring the total number of producing wells to over 40. At present, all the operators in the area are

Jan 1, 1938

Discussion of the paper of E. C. HARDER, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 94, October, 1914, pp. 2573 to 2586. I. C. WHITE, Morgantown, W. Va.-I have seen some of the great iron-ore deposits described in this paper. -One of these in the State of Minas Geraes appears to be an immense mountain of iron ore about 2,000 ft. in height. All over its surface from bottom to top may be seen large masses of rich iron ore, varying in weight from a few pounds to several tons, and from all that one can judge without exploitation, the quantity of available ore is certainly very large in this particular mountain. Whether it will prove a mere surface deposit or shell, like the famous Iron Mountain of Missouri, is for future exploration to determine. The question of transportation is the main factor in determining the availability for exportation of these Brazilian iron ores. There is no coal in Brazil that can be manufactured into coke without expensive previous treatment, since the best of the raw coal in the States of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catharina, and Parana, contains about 35 per cent. of ash, of which about 6 per cent. is sulphur, and coal of this composition cannot be utilized in iron smelting without purification. When I was chief of the Brazilian Coal Commission in 1904 to 1906, I had a cargo of this coal shipped to Balk, Germany, and treated in the great coal-testing plant of the Humboldt Engineering Works, located just across the Rhine from Cologne. It was found that by crushing and washing the Brazilian coal, it yielded 33 per cent. of briquetting coal, containing only 10 to 12 per cent. of ash (of which 1 per cent. was sulphur), and 42 per cent. of slack coal, with 25 per cent. of ash and low in sulphur, so that about 33 per cent. of the Brazilian coal could be converted into coke of fair quality, as shown by the following average of three analyses, using air-dried coal, of briquets made from the Barro Branco coal bed, State of Santa Catharina: Moisture 1.56 Volatile matter 31.66 Fixed carbon 56.73 Ash : 10.05 Total 100.00 Sulphur 1.34 Phosphorus 0.003 B.t.u 13,395

Jan 4, 1915

Discussion of the paper of S. E. Bretherton, presented at the Butte meeting, August, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 80, August, 1913, pp. 1481 to 1487. S. E., BRETHERTON, San Francisco, Cal.:-Since preparing my paper, our chemist, F. L. Wilson, has been experimenting with Leadville, Colo., oxidized zinc ore and Leadville zinc sulphides containing lead, operating upon 40-1b. lots at a time. His results on Leadville sulphides are as follows: The raw ore contained a trace of gold, 5.04 oz. of silver, 19.1 per cent of zinc, and 7.24 per cent of lead. After roasting the ore contained a trace of gold, 5.72 oz. of silver, 0.75 per cent of copper, 21.7 per cent of zinc, and 8.29 per cent of lead. The loss in weight by leaching was 38.8 per cent. The extraction was 42.8 per cent of the copper, 80.6 per cent of the zinc, 7.1 per cent of the lead, 0.64 per cent of the silver, and no gold. The little .silver that is extracted would be thrown down with the copper when precipitating it from the zinc and both thrown hack into the residue to be smelted. There would be no trouble in smelting the residue with nearly all the sulphur eliminated and containing less than 7 per cent. of zinc. On zinc carbonates containing silicates the results are not satisfactory. H. O. HOFMAN, Boston, Mass. (communication to the Secretary*) :¬The paper by Mr. Bretherton upon the application of ammonia and carbonic acid to the recovery of zinc as oxide from roasted sulphide ore is of interest to me, as the first installation of the Schnabel process for the extraction of zinc from a mixture of zinc oxide, lead oxide (with some cupric oxide), and pellets of enriched lead, produced in steaming liquated zinc-silver-lead crust of the Parkes process, was made at Lautenthal, Harz mountains, where I was chemist. In that capacity I carried out numerous experiments on the Schnabel process, was active in the erecting of the plant, and later had charge of it. After the Lautenthal plant had been in operation for some time a similar one was built at Hoboken-les-Anvers, but both have been abandoned, as the wet process could not compete with the distillation of the liquated zinc-silver-lead crust, now used universally in the Parkes process.

Jan 11, 1913

By Glenn Keep

THIS paper is not an announcement of the successful conclusion of the Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation's pacos-pyrite problems, but merely a description of the commercial-scale, intermittent-roasting operations conducted by the writer, J. H. Lucas and others of the staff. It was prepared by request, for presentation at the February meeting of the Institute. The results obtained in Peru confirm the 1-ton-a-day experiments completed about three years ago at Kearny, N. J. by C. C. Gordon and Mr. Lucas, where it was first demonstrated that a mixture of about 80 per cent. pacos ore with 10 per cent. pyrite ore and 10 per cent. salt could be roasted intermittently in a small 1-ton-a-day Holt-Dern furnace without extraneous fuel, producing porous calcine that could be leached rapidly. Mr. Keep and his staff, by successfully introducing improvements in the construction of the commercial furnace and in their handling of material, have established beyond doubt a low cost for roasting. The other steps in the process of treating pacos and pyrite ores have not as yet been demonstrated as sufficiently conclusive to warrant their acceptance for a permanent plant.

Jan 1, 1929

By H. M. Varner

Under sponsorship of the US Bureau of Mines and the Department of Energy, a new type of rotary rock drill was developed by The Bendix Corp. Originally developed for the production of holes for the installation of longer than seam height roof bolts, the flexible drill is a useful tool for many drilling applications. It allows hands-off or remote production of holes for increased drilling speed and greater operator safety in any strata suitable for rotary drilling. This paper discusses various applications and experience for the flexible drill system in coal, metal/nonmetal mining, and for civil engineering uses. Manual, remote control, and automatic roof bolter modules are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1984

By Kazutami Imai

Effects of heavy metal ions on the growth and the activities of iron and sulfur oxidation of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans were investigated. Mercuric, silver, and stannous ions inhibited both of the growth and the iron- oxidizing enzyme system of the bacterium. On the other hand, uranyl ion inhibited the growth, but it gave almost no effect on the iron-oxidizing enzyme system. The inhibitory effect of uranyl sulfate on the growth of the bacterium is intensified on lowering the cultivating ' temperature from 28 ºC to 7 ºC. In the concentration of 10-3M, cadmium and copper ions inhibited colloidal sulfur-oxidizing activity of the cells 69 and 52 %, respectively, though they did not inhibit the iron-oxidizing activity at all in the concentration. On the contrary, stannous chloride did not givr any effect on the sulfur-oxidizing activity of the cells, though it inhibited the iron-oxidizing activity 55 % in the concentration of 10-3M. Several differences were observed among the cytochrome systems of cell-free extracts of the cells grown on iron and on sulfur.

Jan 1, 1976

By J. P. Nielsen

When two grains in a polycrystalline specimen meet at a point in the course of grain-boundary movements, and the new boundary created at the point is one of relatively low specific free energy, a nonequilibrium boundary condition occurs. The nonequilibrium is enhanced if the other grain boundaries involved at the point of meeting are relatively high in specific free energy. The nonequilibrium results in a correction by growth of the complex grain (two subgrains) to a large size, sufficient in many cases for it to become a self-propagating unit, i.e., a recrystallization grain. This mechanism, herein called "geometrical coalescence," is proposed as a logical origin for recrystallization nuclei, particularly for secondary recrystallization. RECENT publications1-' indicate that considerable progress has been made toward a complete understanding of the three microstructural processes in metals: recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth. However, a major problem persists, namely, the origin of recrystallization nuclei. It is generally accepted that once a recrystallization nucleus, a secondary recrystallization nucleus particularly, has reached a certain size, it will continue to grow at the expense of its neighbors, simply as a consequence of grain-boundary free-energy considerations. What has remained obscure, however, is the mechanism whereby such a nucleus comes into being and grows to the self-propagating size. Recrystallization Nucleation in a Two-Dimensional Grain-Boundary System In the left portion of Fig. 1 is shown schematically the meeting of grains 1 and 4 on disappearance of boundary 2-3, i.e., the boundary that existed between grains 2 and 3, as might happen in the course of normal grain-boundary migration. If, by chance —and the probability is not necessarily small— grains 1 and 4 are close together in their mutual orientations, or in some other special way mutually oriented so that the new common boundary has relatively a very low specific free energy (hereinafter referred to by s), then the grain boundary arrangement as depicted in the figure is highly unstable. This is particularly so if boundaries 1-3, 3-4, 4-2, and 2-1 are high in their s values. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that boundary 1-4 has a s equal to zero, and the s's of all the other boundaries present are equal to each other and constant, then the boundary arrangement on the right in Fig. 1 will be

Jan 1, 1955

By R. E. H. Pomeroy

The statistical data given in this paper are taken from the actual performance of the No. 2 reverberatory furnace of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Co., Mc Gill, Nev., for a period of four months, from April to July, 1914. The principal furnace dimensions are: Length, 132 ft. % in. at the skim-line level; average width, 18 ft., 10 in. at the skim-line level. The roof is 7 ft. above the skim-line level at the firing end. The average area in the uptake flue is 36 sq. ft., and the area above the skim line under the vulcatory arch is 24.3 sq. ft. Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan and sectional elevation of this furnace. The furnace is equipped with two 400-b.h.p. Stirling waste-heat boilers set in parallel. California crude petroleum is used for fuel and has a specific gravity of 16.5" B., flashing in open test at 199" F. The oil is heated to about 200" F. in a steam heater before going to the burners, requiring about 9 b.h.p. per furnace day to heat it from the line temperature to the burning temperature. Measurement is made by oil meter, checked daily by reservoir readings. The oil is fed by gravity (34 Ib. static pressure) to seven low-pressure blast burners of the Steptoe type (Fig. 2). The blast for these burners is supplied at about 40-08. pressure by a motor-driven Connersville blower of 42 cu. ft. capacity per revolution. The air supplied by the blower through the burners for atomizing the oil amounts to about 10 per cent. of the theoretical air necessary for complete combustion of the oil. The remainder of the necessary air enters the furnace through the burner openings in the firing wall. No checker holes are provided, and the charge holes in the roof are equipped with slide gates and " dog houses" to minimize air leakages. The combustion of the fuel, as shown by gas analysis at the front of the furnace, is practically complete, the carbon monoxide in the gases being less than 0.5 per cent. The draft at the firing end of the furnace is 0.18 in. of water. At the throat or in the uptake above the "verb" the draft is about 1 in.

Jan 1, 1915

By Paul Giesecke

Since most modern metallurgical plants are operated continuously and on a large scale, successful operation at maximum efficiency demands that an accurate knowledge of the performance at each stage of the process be available at all times. Quantitative analyses provide the most practical process guides, and it is essential to have analytical procedures that combine accuracy and speed. In continuous plant operations, large losses may occur if the time interval between the development of trouble at any stage and its recognition and correction is great. Many metallurgical plants are using rapid colorimetric and spectrochemical methods of analyses for control purposes. So-called "color coppers" may be cited as an example of the colorimetric methods, in contrast with- the routine use of the ultraviolet spectrograph for the analysis of steels.42 By means of this more refined spectrochemical procedure, a complete quantitative analysis of the molten metal is obtained every few minutes. During the past two years the Physics Division and the Ore Dressing Laboratory of the American Cyanamid Company's Stamford Research Laboratories have collaborated in a study of the use of spectrochemical methods for the analysis of various metallurgical products. New methods have been developed, which have proved of practical value in plant operation. The following pages give a general review of the principles of spectrochemical methods and also the details of several specific analyses. Principles of Spectrochemical Analysis In general, it can be said that a visible light spectrochemical analysis can be performed for any ion or molecule that is naturally colored, or that can be made to react with another to produce a colored salt or complex. Whereas transmission measurements in the ultraviolet and infrared portions of the spectrum are most useful for the analysis of organic molecules, * visible light measurements are of particular value for metal salts. Such elements as copper, manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, molybdenum, vanadium, chromium, phosphorus, mercury, zinc, lead, and a great many others, can now be determined with a high degree of sensitivity, accuracy and dispatch. From the simplest of qualitative determinations, color analyses have been improved to such an extent that, at the present time, through the use of recording spectrophotometers, hundreds of accurate quantitative analyses can be performed by a single analyst during an 8-hr. day after the standardization curves have been established for the ions to be determined.

Jan 1, 1947

By B. B. Rath, Hsun Hu, R. S. Cline

FOLLOWING the techniques used by Beck and co-worker~ "~ the characteristics of selective growth in the recrystallization of a zone-refined aluminum single crystal, rolled 80 pct at -78°C in the (110)[112] orientation, have been studied. The material was 99.999+ pct pure. The as-grown crystal had a resistance ratio, R(298°K) /R(4,2°K), of approximately 5000. The method of preparation of the single crystals and the necessary precautions in handling them during rolling in order to avoid recrystallization in locally distorted regions were described in an earlier paper.3 The rolling texture of this zone-refined aluminum crystal is practically identical with that of less pure aluminum crystals rolle! in the same orientation, i.e., a very sharp (110)[112]. Random nuclei were provided by artificial nuclea-tion by abrading one face of the rolled crystal on 600-grit emery paper in a random fashion. The thin layer of disturbed metal recrystallized at room temperature into fine grains almost immediately. An X-ray diffraction pattern was taken from the abraded surface of the crystal, and the relative intensities of the various reflection peaks were compared with those obtained from a powder specimen. As shown in Fig. 1, the relative intensities of the various peaks from the recrystallized layer varied somewhat from experiment to experiment, depending presumably on the abrading technique. However, the texture of the recrystallized layer produced by this method is nearly as random as that of a powder specimen. Fig. 2 shows the texture determined from the "growth side" (face opposite the abraded surface) of the crystal after it was kept at room temperature for 100 hr. The specimen was only partially recrystallized, as shown by the remaining deformation texture. The new orientations are derived from the recrystallized grains grown through the thickness of the crystal from the "nucleation side" (the abraded surface). Fig. 3 shows the texture after complete recrystallization produced by annealing at 60°C for 1 hr. The arrows indicate 40-deg rotation around the (111) axes of the deformation texture. The microstructure of a completely recrystallized specimen is shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the texture of the re-crystallized grains grown from the nucleation side to the growth side is essentially the same as that observed in less pure aluminum' (99.994 pct) and dilute alloyz crystals rolled in the same orientation. How-

Jan 1, 1968

By Augustus J. Bowie

THE discovery of the auriferous cement gravel deposits in and near Deadwood Gulch, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory, in 1876, created a mining excitement, and rush to the Black Hills. Numerous ten and twenty-stamp mills were built on Deadwood Gulch ; Central City and the town of Deadwood sprang into existence, and became the centres of the mining industry of the Hills. Gold quartz deposits were subsequently discovered and located on a so-called mineral belt, extending from Whitewood Creek on the south, to Deadwood Gulch on the north. A northerly group of these quartz locations was purchased in December, 1877, by parties in San Francisco,, who formed a company, incorporated under the name of the Father de Smet Consolidated Gold Mining Company. This company immediately commenced the work of exploration. The deposits were proved to be extensive, and easily mined, but it was found that the ore, on an average, would not. yield more than $10.00 per ton* of 2000 pounds. At this time the cost of supplies and materials in the Hills was high. Miners' wages were $3.50 per diem, and custom mills charged $6:00. per ton. The successful working of mines on "the belt" necessitated cheap milling. The ores being of so low grade,† this could be accomplished only with large and economically running mills. To insure the greatest possible economy, the Father,& Smet mill * Up to December 31st, 1879; the de Smet mine had produced bullion of the value of $718,211.68 from 76,155 tons of ore, being an average value of $9.41 per ton. During the year ending December 31st, 1879, the mine produced 46,344 tons, which yielded $425,360.42, or $9.18 per ton. The total gross cost of working for the corresponding period, including deadwork, exchange, legal expenses, fete., wits $219,914.82. The yield of the mine for the year 1880 (Engineering and Mining Journal, February 5th, 1881), was $600,011, with total expenses of mining and milling, of $313,108. † The first 4083 tons extracted from the de Smet mine, were selected, yielding $62,783.97. The next 25,728 tons produced $230,067.24. The total 29,811 tons were weighed, and worked at custom mills. The yield of the first 409 tons from tine Golden Terra Mine was $11.44 per-ton.

Jan 1, 1882

By W. H. Hough, P. B. Leavenworth

Development in the upper Texas Gulf Coast during 1944 resulted in the discovery of 19 new fields as compared with 11 during 1943. These discoveries include 10 oil fields, one dry gas field, and eight gas-condensate fields. Drilling During the year 590 wells were drilled as compared with 418 drilled during 1943. Of these operations, 485 wells were drilled in proven fields, with the following results: 281 oil wells, 22 condensate wells, one dry gas well and 141 dry holes. The remaining 105 wells were wildcats, of which 19 were producers. The geological distribution of these discoveries was as follows: In 1944, production amounted to 178,-522,630 bbl., which was an increase of some 31,670,384 bbl. over the 1943 figure of 136,852,246 bbl. These figures include both condensate and oil production, as separate figures are not available. Wildcatting in the area was more successful during 1944 than in 1943 as the following comparison of number of wells drilled illustrates: Discoveries during 1944 Smith Point, Chambers County.—Standard Oil Company of Texas completed its No. I State, sec. 109, on Feb. 15, 1944, in a Frio sand at 8135 to 8146 ft. The well flowed 250 bbl. of 42º gravity oil through an 1/8-in, choke. Gas-oil ratio was 800 to I; tubing pressure, 1100 bbl. Four other oil wells and one gas well were completed during the year. This discovery does not appear to be of major importance. The producing area lies on the upthrown side of a large fault. North Winnie, Chambers County.—Sun Oil Co. completed No. I P. E. Dougherty on Apr. 27, 1944, from the Frio, through perforations at 8757 to 8759 ft. The initial production was 154 bbl. of 38.3º gravity oil through an 1/8-in. choke. Gas-oil ratio Was 2526 to 1; tubillg Pressure, 2280 1b.; casing Pressure, 1225 lb.; total depth, 9519 ft. Three other wells were drilled during the Year. This discovery is on the downthrown side of the major Winnie Stowell fault, and increases in magnitude the already large producing area along this fault. Mayes Field, Chambers County.—Humble Oil and Refining Company's No. I Mary Etta Mayes was completed on Dec. 24, 1944, in a Frio sand, at 8166 to 8169 ft. through 1/4-in. for 768 bbl. of 40.3º gravity

Jan 1, 1945

By A. R. Denison

The Permian Basin as it appears in the title of this article refers to three rather widely separated areas of production. It includes what are commonly known as the "Panhandle" fields of the northwest part of Texas; the West Texas fields, in the southwest part of Texas; and the New Mexico fields, in the southeast corner of New Mexico. These three areas are all included in a single province and produce the majority of their oil from limestones or dolomites of Permian age. The manner of accumulation of oil in the three areas is somewhat diverse. In the Panhandle, production is found on the flanks of an enormous structural ridge, the core of which is granite. In southwest Texas and New Mexico oil is produced from both gentle and steep folds and from lenticular areas of porosity. Production in Texas During 1927 Texas produced a total of 216,306,000 bbl. of oil of which the Permian Basin contributed 89,797,000 bbl., or 42 per cent. During 1928, Texas produced 255,021,000 bbl. of oil of which the Permian Basin contributed 145,955,000 bbl., or 57 per cent. The increase in total production is entirely due to the West Texas fields. All other districts in Texas declined during the year while the west Texas fields registered an increase of more than 71,000,000 bbl. West Texas daily average production increased from 260,752 bbl, at the beginning of 1928 to a maximum of 406,318 bbl. per day the first week in May. Due to prora-tion agreements, the production was held at a fairly constant level around 340,000 bbl. during the remainder of the year, having 345,660 bbl. the last week in December. Daily average production of the Panhandle fields decreased from 80,178 bbl. at the beginning of the year to 59,025 bbl. at the close of the year. The combined daily average production of the Panhandle and West Texas fields at the beginning of the year was 341,138 bbl. and at the close of the year was 405,408 barrels. Fig. 1 gives a comparison of the production in the Permian Basin in relation to the production of the entire state. It is clearly shown that

Jan 1, 1929

By Paul Giesecke

Since most modern metallurgical plants are operated continuously and on a large scale, successful operation at maximum efficiency demands that an accurate knowledge of the performance at each stage of the process be available at all times. Quantitative analyses provide the most practical process guides, and it is essential to have analytical procedures that combine accuracy and speed. In continuous plant operations, large losses may occur if the time interval between the development of trouble at any stage and its recognition and correction is great. Many metallurgical plants are using rapid colorimetric and spectrochemical methods of analyses for control purposes. So-called "color coppers" may be cited as an example of the colorimetric methods, in contrast with- the routine use of the ultraviolet spectrograph for the analysis of steels.42 By means of this more refined spectrochemical procedure, a complete quantitative analysis of the molten metal is obtained every few minutes. During the past two years the Physics Division and the Ore Dressing Laboratory of the American Cyanamid Company's Stamford Research Laboratories have collaborated in a study of the use of spectrochemical methods for the analysis of various metallurgical products. New methods have been developed, which have proved of practical value in plant operation. The following pages give a general review of the principles of spectrochemical methods and also the details of several specific analyses. Principles of Spectrochemical Analysis In general, it can be said that a visible light spectrochemical analysis can be performed for any ion or molecule that is naturally colored, or that can be made to react with another to produce a colored salt or complex. Whereas transmission measurements in the ultraviolet and infrared portions of the spectrum are most useful for the analysis of organic molecules, * visible light measurements are of particular value for metal salts. Such elements as copper, manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, molybdenum, vanadium, chromium, phosphorus, mercury, zinc, lead, and a great many others, can now be determined with a high degree of sensitivity, accuracy and dispatch. From the simplest of qualitative determinations, color analyses have been improved to such an extent that, at the present time, through the use of recording spectrophotometers, hundreds of accurate quantitative analyses can be performed by a single analyst during an 8-hr. day after the standardization curves have been established for the ions to be determined.

Jan 1, 1947

By V. N. Mackiw

IN the process employed by Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. for the production of metallic nickel, a sul-fide concentrate is leached with ammonia and air under pressure. Following the removal of iron, copper, and other impurities, there remains a purified solution having the following analysis: 40 to 50 g per liter Ni, 200 to 400 g per liter (NH4)2 SO 4, and 20 to 30 g per liter NH3. Metallic nickel is reduced from this solution by hydrogen under pressure at 300' to 350°F in mechanically agitated autoclaves. A catalyst, ferrous sulfate, is required to initiate the first reduction. After the reduction, the depleted solution is discharged, leaving the metallic nickel in the autoclave. The nickel produced, being in a finely divided form, is used as a catalyst for the reduction of the next batch of solution. Upon repeated use the metallic nickel particles increase in size and become more compact, resulting in the production of a powder with higher apparent density. For this reason, each reduction is termed densification. Finally, when the burden of metal powder in the autoclave becomes too great to obtain effective agitation, both powder and depleted solution are discharged. The autoclave is then filled with fresh solution, ferrous sulfate catalyst added as before, and a new cycle started. The operation is described in earlier publications.1-6 A comprehensive historical review of the reduction of metals from solutions in general was given in a paper by Schaufelberger.7 The experimental data presented in this paper were taken from the work done in the Research Laboratory of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. in Ottawa during the development of the process in 1951 and 1952. The results of the work were tested on a pilot plant scale in Ottawa in the period 1952 to 1953. Following laboratory and the pilot plant studies a commercial process has operated successfully since 1954 in the Nickel Refinery of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. General Experimental Technique The experiments were carried out in a stainless steel, 1-gallon, agitated autoclave designed and manufactured by Autoclave Engineers Inc. The inside dimensions of the vessel were 5 in. diam and 12 in. depth. The stirrer consisted of a 1/2 in. diam shaft 11 in. long fitted, with an axial flow type impeller (three blades bent to throw downwards) and a radial flow

Jan 1, 1958

By W. B. Triplett, H. I. Aaronson, G. M. Andes

A detailed morphological study has been made of the pro-eutectoid TiCr, and the eutectoid reactions in a Ti-17.42 pct Cr alloy isothermally transformed at temperatures from 775° through 5561°C. The morphologies of proeute,ctoid TiCr2 were found to be subject to description by the Dube morphological classification system. Grain boundary allotriomo.lphs are the dominant plpoeutectoid morphology throughout the temperature range investigated. lntragranular plates, and especially Widmanstatten sideplates, form only in small numbers. This morphological pattern differs markedly from that of the proeutectoid a reaction in hypoeutectoid Ti-Cr alloys (AIME Trans., 1957, vol. 209, p. 1227; 1958, vol. 212, p. 624), in which plates form prolifically throughout wide ranges of temperature. The eutectoid reaction is nonlamellar in character at 675°C. An increasingly prominent lamellar component develops at lower temperatures. The proeutectoid TiCr 2 and the eutectoid transformations have been studied metallographically in a hypereutectoid titanium-chromium alloy. This investigation was undertaken with the immediate objective of comparing these transformations with their counterparts in hypoeutectoid titanium-chromium alloys, studies of which have been recently completed.1,2 It was also intended, however, to contribute to the general literature on transformations of these types. Especially in the proeutectoid case, this literature is still sufficiently sparse to make difficult the testing of generalizations on the mechanisms of these transformations. TiCr, is the only intermetallic compound in the titanium-chromium system.3-5 The TiCr2 phase field extends to a maximum temperature of 1350°C) and encompasses the approximate composition range of 62 to 68 pct Cr at lower temperatures.3'4 At temperatures below 1000°C, TiCr2 has a MgCu,-type fcc structure, with 24 atoms comprising a unit cell.6,7 Only fragmentary observations on the morphology of proeutectoid TiCr2 have been previously reported. An observation which is of considerable importance with respect to the results obtained during the present investigation was made, however, on anisother-mally transformed alloys with high chromium (48 to 70 pct Cr) contents.3"8 Despite the occurrence of extensive impingement, it is apparent that a substantial proportion of the proeutectoid TiCr, which precipitated in these alloys grew in the form of Widmanstatten plates. Several observations have been made on the eutectoid reaction in hypereutectoid alloys during investigations of the titanium-chromium phase di-

Jan 1, 1961