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By E. W. Pehrson, J. W. Furness

NONMETALLIC MINERALS, exclusive of fuels, may be divided into three groups: Building materials, fertilizer minerals, and miscellaneous minerals. Building materials, such as sand, gravel, slone, lime, and the ingredients of cement and clay products, occur widely in nature and are thus available near consuming centers at relatively low prices. Cost of transportation over great distances deters any' substantial movement in world trade. On the other hand, fertilizer minerals, such as phosphate rock, potash, nitrates, sulfur, and pyrite, and the miscellaneous nonmetallic minerals, such as long-fiber asbestos, mica, graphite, fluorspar, and china clay, do not have such widespread occurrence and consequently contribute the major part of the world's commerce in such minerals. The U. S. Bureau of Mines has prepared charts showing the inter-

Jan 1, 1936

By A. O. Dady

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

Jan 1, 1941

By R. S. Archer

THE binary aluminum-silicon alloys have certain characteristic advantages which are now well known, and these alloys have come into considerable use during the past several years.1 Their field of application has been limited to a certain extent, however, by their low yield point and hardness, low endurance limit, and relatively poor machining characteristics. These properties are improved by the addition of copper, and the ternary aluminum-silicon-copper alloys constitute an important class. The addition of copper decreases the corrosion resistance of the aluminum-silicon alloys and increases specific gravity. Magnesium is a hardening addition which seems to have relatively little effect on corrosion resistance, and which, of course, reduces specific gravity. The object of the work described in this paper was the development of alloys and heat treatments for the production of sand castings and permanent-mold castings having substantially all the advantages of the binary aluminum-silicon alloys together with mechanical properties improved to a degree permitting wider application.

Jan 1, 1930

By A. S. Hewitt

After an interval of fourteen years, saddened for all of us by the death of David Thomas, the father of the anthracite iron-trade, first president of the Institute, and by the untimely loss of his successor, Alexander L. Holley, whose memory we are about to honor by loving services, the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers have conferred upon me for the second time the office of president, under circumstances similar to those which led to the choice in 1876. Then the whole world was represented at the great exposition of industry which was held in Philadelphia to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of our declaration of political independence. In 1890 it is our privilege to receive as guests the members of the British Iron and Steel Institute, who, with singular and graceful felicity, have appointed a meeting in the United States in the year when we pass from the second to the first place in the international column of the production of iron, and thus celebrate our industrial independence. For the honor of being chosen to extend to our distinguished guests the right hand of fellowship and a hearty welcome I return to my associates the grateful acknowledgment of one whose chief claim to your favor is to be found in his love for the professional occupation in which we are all engaged, and in his efforts, public and private, to promote its advancement into new fields of usefulness. In order to indicate the full significance of the visit of our foreign guests at this time, it will be proper to explain briefly the origin, aims and work of the Iron and Steel Institute. It unquestionably owes its birth to the International Expositions held in London in 1851 and 1862, and in Paris in 1867. These expositions served to break down the jealousies of nationality and to diffuse a better knowledge of industrial processes. Trade-secrets, which had been carefully guarded, became common property; manufacturers who had previously regarded themselves as rivals formed bonds of union and ties of friendship, as the results of an intercourse which

Jan 1, 1891

By H. M. Hobart

This paper deals principally with investigations undertaken by the Welding Research Sub-committee of the Welding Committee of the Emergency Fleet Corporation. The general object of the investigations has been to extend the use of welding in the construction of merchant ships and, specifically, to provide a definite basis for obtaining the greatest economy and efficiency in employing welding in place of riveting in the construction of the hulls of such ships. Composition of_ Ship-plate Steel The chemical composition of the steel employed in such hull construction varies with the thickness of the plates. Through the courtesy of Mr. H. Jasper Cox, of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the following information may be given concerning the kind of steel plate employed in American shipyards in 1918 for the hull construction of merchant ships. Lloyd's requirements do not relate to the chemical composition. They require a tensile strength of 58,000 lb. per sq. in. (40.75 kg. per sq. mm.) for their lower limit and 72,000 lb. per sq. in. (50.59 kg. per sq. mm.) for their upper limit. For the information of the Committee, Lloyd's obtained from their surveyors at various works data of the carbon content, which is as follows: Works Carbon Content for Plates 1/4 In. Thick 1 In. Thick A..................... 0.14 0.23 B..................... 0.14 0.25 C2.................. 0.19 0.25 D................. 0.20 0.30 E Upper limit..... 0.35 Lower limit..... 0 24 0.29 Upper limit,.... 0.25 0.30 Lower limit..... 0.21 0.27 Upper limit..... 0.25 0.35 Lower limit..... 0.22 0.28

Jan 1, 1920

1. How Does One Determine Whether an Ore Body Will Block-cave? Page Mark A. Smith......... 122 Harry A. Leidich........ 122 McHenry Mosier ...,.. 22 R. W. Hughes ........ 122 Sherman R. Burdick ....... 123 R. T. Gallagher........I 23 Benjamin F. Tillson...... 123 Lucien Eaton...........123 C. F. Jackson..... . .. 123 Philip B. Bucky........... 126 2. How Does One Determine the Block Dimensions and the Development Work Necessary to Make an Ore Body Cave? Mark A. Smith... 125, 127, 129 Harry A. Leidich..........126 McHenry Mosier......126, 127, 132 R. W. Hughes...........126 Sherman R. Burdick.........127 R. T. Gallagher...........127 Benjamin F. Tillson......127,131 L. E. Young............127 Robert D. Hoffman.......128, 132 Gerald Sherman..........128 Philip B. Bucky......130, 131, 132 K. S. McClellan..........132 Tell Ertl.............132 3. How Do the Forces Act and What Are the Stresses Developed in a Block That Cause It to Block-cave? Mark A. Smith.........132, 135 Harry A. Leidich........133 McHenry Mosier . .. 133 R. W. Hughes ....... 133 Sherman R. Burdick..... . 133 R. T. Gallagher..........134 C. F. . Price, Jr. ........134 Benjamin F. Tillson.........134 C. F. Jackson......134, 135,137 R. Taborelli...........135 Frank A. Ayer ... .....136 Philip B. Bucky . .........136 Rollin Farmin . . .......136 . . . Weysser.....135, 136, 137 George S. Rice...........137 4. What Determines the Procedure in Removing Caved Ore? Harry A Leidich...........137 McHenry Mosier........137,141 R. W. Hughes...........137 Sherman R. Burdick........138 R. T. Gallagher...........138 Mark . Smith...........138 Philip B. Bucky......140,141,143 C. F. B. Price, Jr..........140 R. H. Bennett...........141 C. F. Jackson..........141, 143 Gerald Sherman..........141 Tell Ertl.............141 .. .. ..................143 C. H. Shoemaker..........143 5. What Are the Criteria for Determining the Efficiency of a Block-caving Operation? Harry A. Leidich.......... 143 McHenry Mosier......... 144 R. W. Hughes........... 144 Sherman R. Burdick.......144 R. T. Gallagher . ......... 144

Jan 1, 1946

By Y. A. Chang

Phase relationships in the system Cr-Si have been established based on the melting point, X-ray, metallo-graphic, and DTA studies. The three intermediate phases, Cr3Si, Cr5Si,, and CrSi,, melt congruently at 177V ± I@,Cr3Si, 1680"i 20°, and 1490" *20°C, respectively, while the fourth intermediate phase CrSi, melts peritectically at 1413" i 5°C to Cr5Si3 and a melt containing 51 at. pct Si. The temperatures and compositions of the four eutectic isotherms occurring in this system are given below: DTA and metallographic evidences indicate that Cr5Si, undergoes a phase transformation at 1505" i20°C. The high-temperature form of this phase could not be retained by the quenching techniques used in this study. TECHNOLOGICAL interest in the developing of composite systems, consisting of Sic on the one hand as a fiber-reinforced material and metallic substances such as chromium, nickel, or Cr-Ni alloys as a binding agent on the other hand, stimulated the present investigation of phase relationships in the binary system Cr-Si. Earlier works concerning this system have been evaluated and summarized by ansen and Anderko.' Their phase diagram was based mainly on the works of Kieffer, Benesovsky, and schroth2 and Kurnakov.~ According to these authors, the three intermediate phases Cr3Si, CrSi, and CrSi, all melt congruently at approximately 1730°, 1600°, and 1550°C. However, they did not agree on the compositional stability of the fourth intermediate phase between Cr3Si and CrSi. Later Parthe, Nowotny, and schmid4 determined the structure of this phase to be tetragonal T-1 type using the single-crystal method, and concluded that this phase had a formula of Cr5Si3. Since the compilation of Hansen and Anderko,' a new phase diagram for the system Cr-Si has been proposed by Elliott5 based on the works of Goldschmidt and rand,' Guseva and ~vechkin,~ and Trusova, Kuzev, and Ormont8 and the earlier works quoted by Hansen and Anderko.' According to this proposed phase diagram, all four intermediate phases have large ranges of homogeneity and all melt congruently. More recently, Svechnikov, Kocherzhinskii, and yupkog studied the system Cr-Si by the DTA-method. According to their findings, the three intermediate phases, Cr3Si, Cr5Si3, and CrSi,, melt congruently at 1700°, 1720°, and 1475"C, respectively, while the fourth intermediate phase, CrSi, melts peritectically at 1475°C to Cr5Si3 and a melt containing 50 at. pct Si. The temperatures and compositions of the four eutectic isotherms were found to be: In view of the discrepancies existing in the literature concerning the system Cr-Si, it was decided to rein-vestigate the phase relationships in this system. EXPERIMENTAL a) Starting Materials. Chromium disilicide and chromium or silicon powders were used in the present study to prepare the melting point and DTA samples. CrSi, was obtained by directly reacting cold-pressed elemental powders in an atmosphere of Hz at a temperature of about 1250°C. Chromium powder, purchased from Stark Chemical Co., had the following impurities in ppm: Fe, 200; Mg, 1000; and 0, 250; while silicon powder, purchased from the Welded Carbide Co., had the following impurities in ppm: Ca, 700; and Fe, 3500. b) Melting-Point Determination and Differential Thermal Analysis. Cylindrical melting-point samples of approximately 13 mm in diam and 30 mm in length with a rectangular groove in the center were prepared by hot-pressing of well-mixed powder mixtures in graphite dies. Before the melting-point determination, the hot-pressed samples were ground on a sand paper to remove any minute surface contamination of graphite. A small hole of 1 mm in diam, drilled on the center portion of the samples, served as a blackbody cavity for the temperature measurements. DTA samples approximately 13 mm in diam and 15 mm in length were prepared in a manner similar to the melting-point samples. Melting points were determined using the Pirani technique under a helium atmosphere of 40 psi. The design, performance, and operation of this apparatus have been described in detail by Rudy and ~ro~ulski.'~ The temperature measurements were carried out with a calibrated disappearing-filament-type micro-pyrometer. The measured temperature was corrected for losses from the quartz window of the melting-point furnace and for deviations from blackbody conditions of the observation hole. The procedure for temperature correction has also been previously described." The DTA method of Heetderks, Rudy and Eckertl' was also used to check any phase transformations of selected alloys in the system Cr-Si. It was not possible to make remated runs on the same sample once melt-

Jan 1, 1969

By O. George Specht, Carl A. Zapffe

In recent print, some remarkably contradictory statements have appeared regarding the importance to be attached to sponge Iron,1-6 a metallurgical commodity whose history goes back at least to the time of Diodorus Siculus in the fourth century B.C. This disagreement, however, expresses the lack of a satisfactory method for producing sponge iron rather than defection in the commodity. The blast furnace is admitted to have certain inherent disadvantages, such as a general unsuitability for magnetite and the heating and blowing of vast quantities of undesirable nitrogen, so that a workable sponge-iron process remains attractive. In this respect, low-temperature gaseous reduction shows especial promise; but confusion persists regarding the factors involved. The present paper, therefore, has three principal divisions: (I) an exhaustive examination of all previous work on low-temperature gaseous reduction, (2) experi- mentation on the reduction of a magnetite with hydrogen, and (3) development of certain thermodynamic relationships in reduction, with a summarized depiction of the factors in the general process. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS Gaseous media used in the reduction processes under discussion can be classified in three types: (I) H2, (2) CO, and (3) other gases. In the second, the CO is often admixed with H2. The third principally comprises hydrogeniferous gases, such as natural gas and producer gas, and in addition includes chlorine. Because hydrogen therefore features in all three, a study of hydrogen reduction based on investigations using pure hydrogen alone may be incomplete. The present paper reviews the three groups of investigations in the listed order, paying particular attention to hydrogen reduction. For the benefit of future workers, an exhaustive bibliography has been prepared and similarly classified. Group I: Reduction with Hydrogen Equilibria Although the present problem is specifically one of kinetics, a first consideration is the equilibrium of the system, since the reactions to be studied comprise that equilibrium, and their direction and end points are defined by it. The historic development of these researches is interesting and informative.

Jan 1, 1947

By O. George Specht, Carl A. Zapffe

In recent print, some remarkably contradictory statements have appeared regarding the importance to be attached to sponge Iron,1-6 a metallurgical commodity whose history goes back at least to the time of Diodorus Siculus in the fourth century B.C. This disagreement, however, expresses the lack of a satisfactory method for producing sponge iron rather than defection in the commodity. The blast furnace is admitted to have certain inherent disadvantages, such as a general unsuitability for magnetite and the heating and blowing of vast quantities of undesirable nitrogen, so that a workable sponge-iron process remains attractive. In this respect, low-temperature gaseous reduction shows especial promise; but confusion persists regarding the factors involved. The present paper, therefore, has three principal divisions: (I) an exhaustive examination of all previous work on low-temperature gaseous reduction, (2) experi- mentation on the reduction of a magnetite with hydrogen, and (3) development of certain thermodynamic relationships in reduction, with a summarized depiction of the factors in the general process. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS Gaseous media used in the reduction processes under discussion can be classified in three types: (I) H2, (2) CO, and (3) other gases. In the second, the CO is often admixed with H2. The third principally comprises hydrogeniferous gases, such as natural gas and producer gas, and in addition includes chlorine. Because hydrogen therefore features in all three, a study of hydrogen reduction based on investigations using pure hydrogen alone may be incomplete. The present paper reviews the three groups of investigations in the listed order, paying particular attention to hydrogen reduction. For the benefit of future workers, an exhaustive bibliography has been prepared and similarly classified. Group I: Reduction with Hydrogen Equilibria Although the present problem is specifically one of kinetics, a first consideration is the equilibrium of the system, since the reactions to be studied comprise that equilibrium, and their direction and end points are defined by it. The historic development of these researches is interesting and informative.

Jan 1, 1947

By Wm. Reuben Webster

BRASS is an alloy of copper and zinc. The brasses (using this term to denote all useful proportions of the two constituents) are the most valuable and widely employed of all [ ] nonferrous alloys, because of their high resistance to ordinary corrosive agencies and the very wide range of properties that may be imparted to them by variations in the proportions of the constituents and by variations in mechanical treatment and heat-treatment. Fig. I shows the normal physical properties, as determined by standard tensile tests, of the series when in the annealed condition. Fig. 2 shows the effect of varying amounts of cold-working on an almost pure brass containing 70 per cent copper and 30 per cent zinc. Fig. 3 shows the effect of annealing at various temperatures on the same alloy. This effect is somewhat modi- [ ] fied by the degree of cold-working to which a brass has been subjected, as shown by Fig. 4. A fourth test, which is empirical, has been found useful because of its simplicity the hot hammer test. Samples 1/2 in. in diameter and 3/4 in. long are placed in a suitable furnace. These are withdrawn one at a time at successively higher temperatures and are subjected to the blow of a drop hammer weighing 50 lb. with a drop of 4 ft. The percentages of reduction in length of the cylinders are plotted against temperatures and give a comparative measure of plasticity at different temperatures. The results of this test on several

Jan 1, 1942

By D. J. Carney, E. Richard Randolph, E. Van Meter, J. J. Oravec, Stanley H. Ward, Gerald J. Anderson, Rolland L. 203-000-000-005 Blake

DURING the last 30 years the inductive electromagnetic method has been used chiefly in the search for massive sulphide mineralization. This application has met with varying degrees of success and in recent years has resulted in discovery of several large orebodies. Little has been written concerning its use in exploration for soft iron ores, but one of the present authors has reported on experiments with massive magnetic deposits.' To augment the exploration tools available to geologists in delineating iron orebodies, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. and McPhar Geophysics Ltd. undertook in 1953 to apply the inductive electromagnetic method to Cleveland-Cliffs properties in the Lake Superior region. As a result of this project, equipment has been developed that enables simultaneous transmission of two audio frequency waves, and the field technique and interpretative procedure involved have furthered exploration in the district significantly. Thus far, inductive electromagnetic application in the Lake Superior region has been only a development tool, that is, it is used to locate obscured contacts and faults as a part of property expansion and development. However, its application to primary reconnaissance of unexplored areas may be feasible in the future. The method has assisted in placing drillholes efficiently, and the elimination of excess drilling foot-ages and/or actual elimination of unnecessary holes has amply justified the expense of the geophysical survey. Cost of the field work involved is comparable on a per station basis to the cost of a magnetometer or superdip survey. Since observations require no reduction, i.e., are directly interpretable, overall expenditure is low, and the scope and detail of the survey can be adjusted in the field as geological- geophysical correlation becomes evident. To a great extent, this eliminates the second-guessing so commonly arising after office calculations are completed on data obtained with other types of geophysical surveys. This unique feature of field interpretation and its associated intimate feel of the project area, is, perhaps, one of the most valuable aspects of the inductive electromagnetic method as applied to iron ore exploration. Basis of Method Fundamentally, the method involves transmission of an alternating electromagnetic wave, of a chosen audio frequency, which permeates the ground materials in the vicinity of a transmitting, or primary, coil, see Fig. 1. This wave, or field, induces an electric current in any conductor on which it is incident. The flow of an alternating current in a conductor sets up its own, or secondary, radiating electromagnetic field. These two fields form a resultant whose configuration depends on the following characteristics of the subsurface conductors: 1) size, 2) shape, 3) electrical conductivity, 4) magnetic permeability, and 5) frequency of the transmitted wave. To a lesser extent the resultant is also dependent on material adjacent to the conductor, topography, and surface conductivity. For illustrative purposes, the primary, secondary, and resultant fields may be represented by vectors. In operation, the direction of the resultant vector is measured by a small receiving coil tuned to the frequency of the transmitted wave. Generally speaking, the method can be compared to the transmission and reception of the familiar radio broadcast, with special variations permitting measurement of the effect on reception of intervening materials. Field Technique Mechanics of field operation are simple. The mast is set up in a vertical position and is then guyed in place. The transmitting loop then is raised by means of a sheave at the top of the mast and the coil connected to the motor-generator. A special plane table is clamped into position on the mast and the loop is plumbed. The plane table is oriented according to a grid system established over the project area. By means of this plane table it is possible

Jan 1, 1956

By H. H. Uhlig

Soon after general use of stainless steels began, it was observed in practice that certain combinations of factors tended to induce corrosion by pitting. For most applications this was a serious drawback, not so much because the structural properties of the metal were impaired but because of the rapidity with which heavy sections of the alloys were penetrated by small elongated pits. These pits seemed to initiate readily in oxidizing metal salt solutions like ferric chloride and in chloride solu-tions like sea water. It was observed that in sea water pitting was more frequent in stagnant or polluted waters than in highly aerated, moving waters. The steels in these chloride solutions were observed to be sensi-tive to long contact with material such as sand grains or attached bar-nacles. At points of attachment or contact it was not uncommon to discover initiation of corrosion. Pits once begun at contact faces were observed to grow rapidly, usually elongating phenomenally in the direc-tion of gravity until the metal was perforated. Hydrochloric acid and other nonoxidizing acids, on the other hand, were observed to corrode stainless steels generally; the weight losses often were higher, but the penetration less than for the pitting type of corrosion. The causes of pitting, a type of corrosion recognized as character-istic not only of stainless steels but of many additional metals and alloys, are important in corrosion studies. A possible explanation bears prac-tical significance, for once it is known why pits begin where they do and continue to grow after initiation, intelligent direction can be given to diminishing corrosion. This can be done either by some alteration in the composition and treatment of the alloy or by some alteration in the environment. It appears foremost in importance to discover the nature of pit foci, for if initiation of pits can be discouraged their growth will be no longer a factor to be considered. In a multi-component alloy containing many impurities normal to production of such an alloy, each of which may play a part in pitting, and whose corrosion resistance is sensitive to heat-

Jan 1, 1940

By W. C. Knopf, G. Samsel

For several years International Minerals & Chem-ical Corp. has used a radiation method to assay potassium content of products from potash and feldspar beneficiation. The procedure is rapid, accurate, and inexpensive and is easily handled, if necessary, by nontechnical personnel. Data are presented to show the accuracies that may be expected if the technique is used for control of pilot plants or large-scale plants. Natural potassium is composed of three isotopes —K, K and K. Five other isotopes, artificially produced, have been detected. In natural potassium only the K isotope, with a half life of 1.4x10 years, is radioactive. Its modes of decay are beta and gamma rays, positrons, and x-rays. Only the more abundant beta rays, however, are important in radiation measurements using geiger tubes. Barnes and Salley' measured radiation of potassium salts in solution in 1943. Gaudin and Parnell2 first reported the use of solid salts arranged in a vessel surrounding the ß counter in 1948. Later, Scheel used the method to assay potassium content of various crude and finished potash salts. Experimental: Dip-type Geiger-Muller tubes (TGC-5) supplied by Tracerlab Co. were used in all radiation counting measurements. The tube was encompassed by a glass container about M in. larger in diameter than the tube. This container, which served as a sample holder, was closed at the bottom with a rubber stopper to facilitate removing the samples. Samples were not weighed, but about 40 g of sample were needed for each test. Electrical impulses from the tube were counted on either a Tracerlab scaler or a rate meter. To obviate the need for constant attendance, preset features were incorporated into the scalers, so that at a predetermined time or count the units were automatically deactivated. When rate meters were used, counting rates were read directly from instrument or from a recorder used in conjunction with the rate meter. Each tube was calibrated, according to the manufacturer's instructions, to determine the correct operating voltage to insure reproducible results. A linear calibration plot of percent K2O vs counting rate was also obtained for each tube by recording the counting rate plus background count of several standards of different K2O content chemically analyzed by the chloroplatinate method.' These standards were of approximately the same particle size distribution as samples to be assayed. Specific background count caused by cosmic rays and other surrounding radiation was checked periodically by counting a sample of pure NaCl. Fig. 1 is a representative calibration plot. Assays were determined directly from the standard plot or calculated by subtracting the background count from the counting rate, then multiplying by the slope of the line. Chemical assays of the test samples were made by the Sherril method," a flame photometric technique, or the chloroplatinate method. Data: The radiation assay method has been used for three years by International Minerals & Chemical Corp. in the laboratory and in pilot plants processing ores containing potassium. These dry concentration plants process sylvinite and langbeinite ores at Carlsbad, N. M., and feldspar ores at Top-sham, Maine. Sylvinite ore is predominantly a mixture of syl-vite (impure KCl) and halite (impure NaCl). Contaminants include sulfates, such as langbeinite (2MgSO - K2SO4), kieserite (MgSO H2O), poly-halite (MgSO4.K2SO, 2CaSO, . 2H2O), and slimes. Langbeinite ore is predominantly langbeinite and halite with small amounts of sylvite, sulfates other than langbeinite, and slimes. Several variables, in addition to correct calibration and standardization of tubes, were found to be important in obtaining reproducible results. Particle size distribution of standard samples should be

Jan 1, 1959

By T. M. Broderick

InveStIgations into the possibilities of economically mining and concentrating low-grade iron ores of the Lake Superior region are attracting increasing attention. Among the organizations that are carrying on the work are the United States Bureau of Mines, the State of Minnesota (which spends about $80,000 annually on problems of the iron and ferroalloy ores of Minnesota), and the State of Michigan (which spends about $10,000 annually of its iron-ore research). Several of the mining companies are also financing research. Of the states in the Lake Superior district, Minnesota has done most in iron-ore concentration. In 1930, thirty-seven concentrating plants were in operation on the Mesabi Range, beneficiating about one-third of the total ore shipped. About one-half of these plants reduced silica; the others reduced moisture or improved the structure of the ore.' Research into the possibilities of magnetic concentration of the Eastern Mesabi magnetite ores indicates that vast tonnages of that ore may be utilized at a profit in the not distant future. Magnetic concentration has also been tried at Sellwood, Ontario, on the Moose Mountain deposit, and at the Berkshire mine in Wisconsin on the magnetic ores of the Western Gogebic Range. There have been few attempts to concentrate Michigan iron ores. In order to determine the possibilities of such concentration, iron-ore research has been carried on at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology for the past few years. After a general survey of the iron ores of the state, a program of more detailed experimentation was outlined, starting with work on the Ironwood formation of the Gogebic Range. The results of this research led to the belief that gravity methods will produce fairly satisfactory concentrates from the parts of the iron formation that are made up of comparatively thick alternating beds of rather high-grade ore and lean chert. About 85 per cent of the iron and steel produced in the United States comes from ores of the Lake Superior district. The reserves of direct

Jan 1, 1935

By E. A. Holbrook

The art of ore dressing is as old as civilization itself. Jason's search for the golden fleece was perhaps only the use of sheepskins for catching gold from gold-bearing sands washed over them. From Hoover's translation of Agricola we gather that in the middle ages ore dressing had advanced through the stage of hand sorting to water concentration by jigging. German methods and apparatus continued in the lead until the closing years of the past century; indeed, it is little more than a generation ago that many ore-dressing plants in this country were designed and operated by German-trained ore-dressing specialists. Meanwhile the development of the ore deposits in this country during the nineteenth century brought forth new inventions and methods. Blake's invention of the rock breaker in 1858 and the coming of the Wilfley table about 1896 are random examples of the improvements caused by our expanding needs. Yet ore dressing remained an art developed and practiced more or less by cut and try methods. The publication of the volumes on Ore Dressing by Dr. Robert H. Richards in 1903 marks the beginning of American ore-dressing practice as a science. Previously we had as guides only a few incomplete books based on foreign practice, or scattered references and articles in our own Transactions. Dr. Richards set down all the developments that had gone before, and outlined the ways for a scientific approach to the subject. He gave us a starting point. Since then ore-dressing practice and technique in this country have set the pace for the world. Coal preparation has been called "ore dressing upside down,'' because in ore dressing we generally save a small percentage of the heavy valuable mineral and discard the lighter gangue, whereas in coal preparation we save the larger quantity of light mineral and discard the smaller percentage of heavy waste. By comparison with ore dressing the history of coal preparation is brief, extending backwards hardly 100 years, for although coal had been dug and used locally for centuries it became an important article of commerce only with the coming of the industrial revolution 150 years ago. In new mines it was to he expected that the thickest and purest seams should be worked first. So long as these lasted there was little thought of coal preparation other than hand picking of the larger impurities and simple sizing to supply the real or fancied need

Jan 1, 1934

By T. M. Broderick

InveStIgations into the possibilities of economically mining and concentrating low-grade iron ores of the Lake Superior region are attracting increasing attention. Among the organizations that are carrying on the work are the United States Bureau of Mines, the State of Minnesota (which spends about $80,000 annually on problems of the iron and ferroalloy ores of Minnesota), and the State of Michigan (which spends about $10,000 annually of its iron-ore research). Several of the mining companies are also financing research. Of the states in the Lake Superior district, Minnesota has done most in iron-ore concentration. In 1930, thirty-seven concentrating plants were in operation on the Mesabi Range, beneficiating about one-third of the total ore shipped. About one-half of these plants reduced silica; the others reduced moisture or improved the structure of the ore.' Research into the possibilities of magnetic concentration of the Eastern Mesabi magnetite ores indicates that vast tonnages of that ore may be utilized at a profit in the not distant future. Magnetic concentration has also been tried at Sellwood, Ontario, on the Moose Mountain deposit, and at the Berkshire mine in Wisconsin on the magnetic ores of the Western Gogebic Range. There have been few attempts to concentrate Michigan iron ores. In order to determine the possibilities of such concentration, iron-ore research has been carried on at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology for the past few years. After a general survey of the iron ores of the state, a program of more detailed experimentation was outlined, starting with work on the Ironwood formation of the Gogebic Range. The results of this research led to the belief that gravity methods will produce fairly satisfactory concentrates from the parts of the iron formation that are made up of comparatively thick alternating beds of rather high-grade ore and lean chert. About 85 per cent of the iron and steel produced in the United States comes from ores of the Lake Superior district. The reserves of direct

Jan 1, 1935

By William E. Harris

Time and experience have demonstrated that by means of the Waelz process zinc, lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, bismuth and tin can be volatilized satisfactorily. In this way difficult gold ores are being treated to allow for the recovery of the precious metal. Iron ore containing zinc is being treated to remove the zinc and recover the iron. In Germany, thallium is being recovered in commercial quantities from the zinc oxide fume; indium, germanium and gallium are also concentrated to a degree warranting recovery, even though these rare metals are only recognizable in the ore by means of the spectroscope. The physical, chemical or mineralogical condition of the raw material affects very little the applicability of the process. The name Waelz is derived from the German word Waelzen, meaning a "trundling motion," which very aptly describes the movement of the charge through the slowly rotating kiln. The recovery of zinc and lead by volatilization in a rotary kiln has its origin in a process patented in 1910 by Edward Dedolph, of British Columbia. The Dedolph patent was taken over by the Metallgesell-schaft of Frankfurt-on-Main, Germany, which in cooperation with the Griesheim-Elektron, now a part of a large industrial combine, introduced certain improvements (Ohlmer, Specketer patents), but without bringing the process to a state suitable for large-scale operations. The war temporarily stopped all work on the process, and it was not until after the war that the Krupp Grusonwerk, of Magdeburg-Buckau, Germany, quite independently of the Metallgesellschaft, instituted research work in this field of metallurgy, which in 1923 led to the Waelz process proper. The Krupp Grusonwerk and the Metallgesellschaft A.G. later on collaborated, and by their joint efforts further developed and perfected the Waelz process, which they are marketing together as "Waelz-Gemeinschaft." The process is capable of treating a varied type of material; for instance, oxidized and sulphide zinc ores, calamine (zinc carbonate ore) waste dumps, jig tailings, jig slimes, table concentrate slimes, brass ashes, zinc-bearing iron ores (where the iron sinter is the real objective and the zinc oxide a by-product), electrolytic-zinc leach residues, zinc muffle residues and works sweepings, lead-furnace slags, tin ores and slags, anti-

Jan 1, 1937

By A. M. Gow

The trend in ball milling has been toward mills of larger diameter, but without fundamental laws as a guide. The speeds at which mills are run have been a matter of cut-and-try. This paper deals with both diameter and speed and proposes to show the laws which apply to some laboratory ball mills, ranging in diameter from 18 to 42 in., run at various speeds. The correlation of power, speed and grinding rate of the respective mills will be shown by curves of markedly significant similarity. Before presenting the results some consideration will be given to the mechanics of ball milling. Mechanics and Theory of Ball Milling As early as 1904, Herman Fischerl reported observations on specially constructed ball mills which allowed the paths of balls to be studied. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. Balls do not grind the ore, but crush it by impact. 2. At slow speeds the balls roll down the inclined heap, but at higher speeds the balls close to the wall adhere to it until they reach a certain height, whence they are thrown through an arc to the bottom. 3. The falling balls do not come down in clusters, but in series, the balls of each row keeping to their own line of flight according to their distances from the wall while ascending. 4. A further increase in speed results in the balls adhering during the whole of the circuit to the side of the drum. (This centrifuging speed may be called the "critical" speed and may be taken as a reference basis, since it is a constant function of the diameter.)2

Jan 1, 1930

By L. G. Sprague

The fact that this latest and most modern of the Universal Atlas Cement Company's plants at Northampton, Pa., is the fifth to be built on these same properties, and their development has been coincidental with the development of the portland cement industry in the United States, makes it appropriate to sketch briefly the history of the successive steps. In 1889 the original Atlas Portland Cement Co. started its first plant at Coplay, Pa., which is just across the Lehigh River from the present operation. Here the first successful rotary kiln was operated. These kilns were 6 ft. in diameter and 60 ft. long; they used oil for fuel until 1895, when the company developed the first burner for pulverized coal. Shortly thereafter the Atlas company acquired property on the Northampton side of the river and built its plants Nos. 2, 3 and 4 within the following 10 years. During the same period the production of portland cement in the country was increasing rapidly; owing largely to the development of the rotary kiln and improved grinding machinery, which lowered the cost and improved the quality of cement. The general tendency has been to increase the length of the kiln and grind both raw material and finished product Liner. In 1930 the Atlas Portland Cement Co. and the Universal Portland Cement Co. united to form the Universal Atlas Cement Co., and the same policy of improving the product has been continued. Because of the large amount of research carried on by manufacturers and consumers, including government agencies, there is a demand for cement of different chemical and physical characteristics for different kinds of structures. Hence many engineers in recent years have been asking for cements of certain definite chemical analyses, which they think are best for their particular jobs. This has compelled the manufacturer to make several different types of cement by variations of chemical composition. These are generally made by adding silica, iron and lime to the standard mixture, which necessarily increases the cost of the product. Therefore the Universal Atlas Cement Co., in planning the modernization of its Northampton plant, gave this particular phase of the problem considerable study. Research and experimentation have developed the practicability of making a wide variety of differently proportioned raw materials for cement by a process of subtraction rather than by addition. With such process, it is possible to discard the undesirable aluminates and silicates from the ample supply of impure limestone available from the company's property rather than by adding high-grade limestone obtained from distant sources. This procedure requires mineral separation by centrifugal sedimentation and froth flotation. Since the chemical and mineral constituents of Lehigh Valley "cement rock," together with the methods of separating them, have been thoroughly described in published

Jan 1, 1948

By L. G. Sprague

The fact that this latest and most modern of the Universal Atlas Cement Company's plants at Northampton, Pa., is the fifth to be built on these same properties, and their development has been coincidental with the development of the portland cement industry in the United States, makes it appropriate to sketch briefly the history of the successive steps. In 1889 the original Atlas Portland Cement Co. started its first plant at Coplay, Pa., which is just across the Lehigh River from the present operation. Here the first successful rotary kiln was operated. These kilns were 6 ft. in diameter and 60 ft. long; they used oil for fuel until 1895, when the company developed the first burner for pulverized coal. Shortly thereafter the Atlas company acquired property on the Northampton side of the river and built its plants Nos. 2, 3 and 4 within the following 10 years. During the same period the production of portland cement in the country was increasing rapidly; owing largely to the development of the rotary kiln and improved grinding machinery, which lowered the cost and improved the quality of cement. The general tendency has been to increase the length of the kiln and grind both raw material and finished product Liner. In 1930 the Atlas Portland Cement Co. and the Universal Portland Cement Co. united to form the Universal Atlas Cement Co., and the same policy of improving the product has been continued. Because of the large amount of research carried on by manufacturers and consumers, including government agencies, there is a demand for cement of different chemical and physical characteristics for different kinds of structures. Hence many engineers in recent years have been asking for cements of certain definite chemical analyses, which they think are best for their particular jobs. This has compelled the manufacturer to make several different types of cement by variations of chemical composition. These are generally made by adding silica, iron and lime to the standard mixture, which necessarily increases the cost of the product. Therefore the Universal Atlas Cement Co., in planning the modernization of its Northampton plant, gave this particular phase of the problem considerable study. Research and experimentation have developed the practicability of making a wide variety of differently proportioned raw materials for cement by a process of subtraction rather than by addition. With such process, it is possible to discard the undesirable aluminates and silicates from the ample supply of impure limestone available from the company's property rather than by adding high-grade limestone obtained from distant sources. This procedure requires mineral separation by centrifugal sedimentation and froth flotation. Since the chemical and mineral constituents of Lehigh Valley "cement rock," together with the methods of separating them, have been thoroughly described in published

Jan 1, 1948