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By F. H. Gilpin

SINCE Noah pitched his ark within and without with pitch, the use of asphalt in human endeavor has been increasing-for Noah's pitch was asphalt. Asphalt is a bituminous material found in nature, either pure or admixed with smaller or greater quanti-ties of mineral and non-mineral materials, or obtained by the refining of crude asphaltic-base petroleum under proper methods of control. Native or "natural" asphalts are scattered through-out the world, though the commercial value of the various deposits varies greatly, depending upon both their accessibility and magnitude and the quality of the material found. It is an acknowledged fact that such asphalts have been produced through natural causes by practically the same application of tempera-ture and pressure as are used in the modern refining of crude asphaltic-base petroleum. The best known of all the native asphalt deposits are those of Trinidad Lake in the Island of Trinidad, British West Indies, and of Bermudez Lake in Vene-zuela. Asphalt from Trinidad Lake, after refining to remove organic and some inorganic diluents, contains approximately 35 per cent, of inorganic residue, and the asphalt thus produced must be fluxed with lighter asphaltic or semi-asphaltic base oil to make it com-mercially utilizable. The refined asphalt obtained from the Bermudez Lake deposit contains from 4 to 6 per cent. of inorganic material which cannot be removed. This asphalt, also, must be fluxed to produce com-mercial products. Small quantities of similar materials are available in other locations. The best pure native asphalt' is known as. gilsonite and is mined in com-mercial quantities in the State of Utah. In numerous places in the United States, particularly Oklahoma and Kentucky, there are deposits of sand¬stone and limestone impregnated with bitumen, which are known as rock asphalts. These rock asphalts may be used, particularly in the paving industry, either as found or by slight fluxing; from some deposits the asphalt is extracted and marketed commercially.

Jan 2, 1923

By Hon. Tasker Oddie

DURING the closing days of the last Congress a resolution was passed, creating the Senate Com-mission of Gold and Silver Inquiry. The resolu-tion charges the Commission with the responsibility to investigate and report to the Congress on Jan. 1, 1924, upon the following subjects: 1. The causes of the continuing decrease in the production of gold and silver. 2. The causes of the depressed condition of the gold and silver industry in the United States. 3. The production, reduction, refining, transportation, mar-keting, sale, and uses of gold and silver in the United States and elsewhere. 4. The effect of the decreased production of gold and silver upon commerce, industry, exchange, and prices. The personnel of the Commission is as follows: Senators Pittman, Sterling, Goodling, Walsh and Oddie. At a meeting on May 8, H. N. Lawrie, a mining engi-neer and economist, was appointed as Assistant to the Commission. The present situation with respect to the gold and silver mining industries is well illustrated by the follow-ing data: The total world production of gold (in dollars) for 1915 was $468,724,918, and for 1921, $329,915,101; as shown by the reports of the U. S. Mint; and for the year 1922, $306,793,000, which is based oh a prelimi-nary estimate; this indicates a decrease of 34.5 per cent. between 1915 and 1922. The total world production of silver (in fine ounces) for 1915 was 178,850,000 oz.; for 1921, 175,268,234 oz., a decrease of 2 per cent.

Jan 6, 1923

By Cyril Smith

IN the study of the structure or the properties of a series of alloys or nonmetallic compounds, it is often advantageous to express the com-position not as percentage by weight, according to which the material is always made up and analyzed, but as the atomic percentage of the two constituents. The conversion from the one to the other is repre-sented by the formulas: 100A 100x Y x 100 ? x/A A [1] A+ B x + A/B(100-x) X _ 100yA 100y [2] yA+(100-y)B or y+A(100-y) where x and y are the weight and atomic percentages respectively of the element of atomic weight A, and (100 - x) and (100 - y) are the per-centages by weight and by atoms respectively of the element of atomic weight B. While calculations according to these formulas are simple, they are' time consuming if several conversions have to be made. In 1931 Water-man' constructed a nomograph for performing the conversion, but this did not permit an accuracy greater than about 1 per cent to be obtained in the neighborhood of 50 per cent. Olander2 has proposed a graphic method simpler than Waterman's and one that gives a uniform precision throughout the entire scale. The possible accuracy is about 0.5 per cent of the whole, depending on the size and accuracy of the coordinate paper used. Recently, Hermann3 has described a slide rule for making the calculations. These devices make use of the simple rearranged equation:

Jan 1, 1933

By Cyril Smith

IN the study of the structure or the properties of a series of alloys or nonmetallic compounds, it is often advantageous to express the com-position not as percentage by weight, according to which the material is always made up and analyzed, but as the atomic percentage of the two constituents. The conversion from the one to the other is repre-sented by the formulas: 100A 100x or 1 x/A+100-x/B B(100-x) _ 100yA 100y [2] X. yA + (100 - y)B or y (100 - y) where x and y are the weight and atomic percentages respectively of the element of atomic weight A, and (100 - x) and (100 - y) are the per-centages by weight and by atoms respectively of the element of atomic weight B. While calculations according to these formulas are simple, they are time consuming if several conversions have to be made. In 1931 Water-man1 constructed a nomograph for performing the conversion, but this did not permit an accuracy greater than about 1 per cent to be obtained in the neighborhood of 50 per cent. Ölander2 has proposed a graphic method simpler than Waterman's and one that gives a uniform precision throughout the entire scale. The possible accuracy is about 0.5 per cent of the whole, depending on the size and accuracy of the coordinate paper used. Recently, Hermann3 has described a slide rule for making the calculations. These devices make use of the simple rearranged equation

Jan 1, 1933

By W. W. Anderson

A formula for quantitative efficiency is proposed, in which the efficiency value is a function of the improperly distributed material at the, gravity of separation effected by the cleaning equipment. The misplaced material is expressed as a percentage of the total material discharged from the equipment. Numerous examples are given, demonstrating application of the formula to various types of separation, including multiple-product separations.

Jan 1, 1950

By I. E. Rosenzweig

GEOPHYSICAL prospecting by earth-resistivity methods is frequently applied to investigation of structural problems in geology. Fig. 1 indicates a scheme of the general arrangement used in these methods of measurements. The battery (or generator) E is connected with two "current electrodes" II and 12. The current of intensity J, supplied by this battery, passes through the earth between these elec- FIG. 1.-GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS. trodes. A potential difference U will be measured between two other electrodes V1 and V2, called "potential electrodes." According to the configuration of electrodes (Fig. 1), the resistivity of a homogeneous soil results from the formula p = 2pcaU/J [1] where c=1/a/b11 - a/b12 ? (a/b21-a/b22) [2]

Jan 1, 1938

By J. B. STEWART

T HE position of each hole of any series of holes was carefully located by the surveyor, plotted in plan and elevation, and numbers assigned to them. The second series was staggered halfway between the first and so on for each succeeding series. Two and a, half to three months was frequently required to grout a series of holes calculated to insure safety for sinking a distance of 10 meters or say 33 ft. Naturally the initial operation called for drilling and grouting two series of holes but thereafter each sinking campaign required only one series of holes as shown in Fig. 8. The pump handling about 75 gal. per minute corresponds to 46 tons of grout or 6 tons cement delivered as a fair over-all average for the 24 hours. Thus 600 to 800 tons of cement was used for a single section of 33 ft. depth of shaft. One campaign used nearly 1100 tons of cement. Some holes were effectually sealed with as low as 30 tons, while many required 60, and some 80 to 90 tons.

Jan 1, 1926

By E. R. Morgan, J. C. Shyne, V. F. Zackay

NITROGEN used as an alloying element in steel has received increased attention in recent years. Its merit as an austenite stabilizer and hot strengthener has long been recojinized, particularly by European investigators.' Recent work' indicates that nitrogen contents of 1/2 pet or more allow the addition of several percent of ferrite-forming hot strengtheners, such as molybdenum, without subsequent austenite decomposition at elevated temperatures. The room temperature properties of such alloys are characterized by high yield and tensile strengths with excellent ductility, even after cold working, as shown in Tables I and 11. The 1350°F creep-rupture properties of Cr-Mn-Mo-N steels are comparable to those of commercial alloys such as Timken's 16-25-6, containing 16 pct Cr, 25 pct Ni, and 6 pct Mo, as shown in Table 111. Cr-Mn steel containing 1/2 pet N must be made under pressure if ingot gassing is to be avoided. However, there are difficulties attendant to this practice. Pressure melting restricts the ingot size, and the equipment required is costlier and more complicated than comparable air melting facilities. An effort was made, therefore, to determine more economical methods of adding nitrogen. The pressures generated in centrifugal casting usually range from 5 to 10 atm and are sufficient to prevent the gassing of high nitrogen Cr-Mn steels. A centrifugal casting was made of an alloy containing 16 pct Cr, 18 pct Mn, 2 pct Mo, and 0.73 pct N. A risk, 8 in. diam and 11/2 in. thick, was cast at 1000 rpm. It has been calculated that a pressure of 9 atm was developed at the periphery of the disk at this speed. Metallographic inspection of specimens taken from the disk revealed no gas holes or other defects. The elevated temperature properties of radial and circumferential specimens taken from this casting are given in Table IV. The creep-rupture life of this cast nickel-free austenitic steel was equivalent to that of the wrought Cr-Mn-Mo-N steels. Although centrifugal casting appears to lend itself to the manufacture of high nitrogen austenitic steels, its applicability is limited to relatively small sizes. A process applicable to the production of large ingots of high nitrogen steels is suggested by low carbon rimming steel practice. Gas holes formed during ingot solidification are not detrimental so long as they weld shut during hot rolling. An economic advantage of gassing ingots is the increased ingot-to-slab yield, especially if the ingots are mechanically capped. Also, it is probable that higher nitrogen levels can be achieved with mechanically capped ingots than with hot-topped ingots. A series of gassy heats was made under both atmospheric and higher pressures, as indicated in Table V. Several of the air melted ingots were mechanically capped by chilling the molten ingot tops with a steel plate. The ingots were allowed to freeze in steel molds without hot-tops unless otherwise indicated. A comparison of Table 111 with Table V shows no significant difference in the creep-rupture properties of the gassy and the nongassy ingots after hot work- ing nor between the gassy ingots produced under different conditions. References 1 F. Rapatz: Application of Stainless and Heat Resisting Steels Alloyed with Nitrogen. Sinhl and Eisen ( 1941) 61, pp. 1073-1078. 'V. I?. Zackay, J. F. Carlson, and P. L. Jackson: High Nitrogen Austenltlc Cr-Mn Steels. Trans. ASM 119551 48, PP. 509-523.

Jan 1, 1957

By Laurance Reid

HIGH compression ratios, resulting from high injection pressures and relatively low recovery process pressures, constitute a major problem, which has confronted those engaged in gas recycling for condensate production since the beginning of that practice. Despite the numerous process developments and improvements, no entirely satisfactory solution for this prob-lem has been presented to date. Often, where the residue gas from the recovery process must be recompressed for subsurface injection, there is a substantial difference between the required injection pressure and the plant-operating pressure required to produce maximum recovery of condensate. These limitations result in high compression ratios, which, in turn, neces-sitate excessive compressor investment and operating cost. As an alternative, the operating pressure may be increased in order to lessen the compressor requirements but such a saving often is purchased at the expense of decreased condensate recovery, caused by operation at the higher pressure. Regardless of the choice, the net result is a diminished return on the capital invested in the project. The goal of future development in this field must be the complete recovery of all valuable hydrocarbon components in the reservoir fluid at pressures that, regarded as compressor suction pressure, will require minimum compressor horsepower to inject the residue gas into the formation. A com-pression ratio of 1.5 has been established as an optimum for modern compressor equipment." Therefore, in order to con-form to this optimum condition, a 3000-lb. injection pressure would require that the condensate recovery process be operated at 2000 lb. per sq. inch.

Jan 1, 1940

By George Mixter

MINING, in contrast to manufacturing, deals with a wasting asset. That which is taken out of the ground is gone, the property is depleted to that extent, and will eventually become exhausted of profitable ore. So the life of a mining company is dependent upon the ability of its management to develop improved methods to permit extraction at a profit of the lower-grade ores which remain, to extend by intelligent exploration the limits of its known ore bodies, and to find and acquire new properties to take the place of those that, for one reason or another, are no longer operated. Its history is a story of constant change, of the working out of properties here and the acquisition and development of properties there, to maintain the vitality of the whole. It is a story of estimating with the tools and the knowledge available the location and extent of hidden ore bodies and of devising the means of extracting

Jan 1, 1948

By Leroy U. Gardner

EVERY reader of this paper is well aware of the fact that the prolonged inhalation of large amounts of free silica dust results in fibrosis of the lungs, and that other inorganic dusts, except those of asbestos and the mineral poisons, are thought to be relatively harmless. But probably few have had opportunity to visualize the effects of silica, asbestos and other minerals upon living tissues. The ideal demonstration would be based upon sections of lungs from human beings that had inhaled com- parable concentrations of different dusts for a unit period of time. Such material is generally difficult to obtain and in some instances is of questionable value because the subject has been exposed to more than one kind of dust. A demonstration could be prepared from the lungs of animals. However, so many months or even years are required to complete the exposure to each kind of dust that enough material has not been accumulated. For a general survey of the action of different types of dust, I am therefore compelled to use the tissues of animals that have been injected with suspensions of dust particles. The injection method offers certain advantages. The quantity, the particle size and the state of dispersion can be controlled with sufficient accuracy so that the tissue responses to different minerals can be accurately compared. The method insures contact between the tissues and the mineral particles; protective mechanisms, which may prevent the inhalation of certain types of foreign body, never come into play. If the pathway of injection be one that minimizes nonspecific injury, the tissue responses may simulate those produced by inhalation but they develop somewhat more rapidly. It should always be remembered that injection methods merely demonstrate the capacity of various kinds of minerals to provoke reaction in the tissues; whether the same substances are inhaled from atmospheric suspension and accumulate in the lungs in dangerous quantities can be demonstrated only by inhalation. The reactions that I shall discuss first took place not in the lungs but in the liver. For the purpose in hand this is quite immaterial for we are merely seeking to discover whether these minerals are capable of produc-

Jan 1, 1938

By W. S. CAYPLESS, H. O. Hofman, E. E. HARRINGTON

I. INTRODUCTION. LIME-ROASTING is a term proposed by Ingalls 1 for the operation of forcing air under pressure through a mixture of galena and lime at the kindling-temperature with the object of oxidizing lead and sulphur and of fritting or fusing the charge. If, finely-divided galena were treated in this manner without the addition of lime, the heat set free by the oxidation of part of the lead and the sulphur would be sufficiently great to fuse undecomposed sulphide, and thus stop desulphurization. Besides the chemical action that the addition of lime, limestone or gypsum to the charge may have, the admixture has the physical effect that it keeps the particles of galena separated from one another and accessible to the oxidizing effect of the air. At present, three methods of lime-roasting are carried out on a working-scale, the Huntington-Heberlein, the Carmichael-Bradford and the Savelsberg2 processes. In the last, which interests us here, an 8-ton charge is made up of galena, limestone and perhaps some siliceous or ferruginous flux; the whole is crushed to pass a screen with 3-mm. holes and moistened with 5 per cent of water. It is fed gradually into a bowl-shaped converter, 6.56 ft. in diameter, supported by trunnions attached to a truck. On the .bottom the converter has a grate with blast-inlet beneath. In starting, the truck with the converter

Jan 1, 1907

Mining Methods J. MURRAY RIDDELL, Chairman Guy N. BJORGE, Vice -chairman Alluvial Mining CLINTON BERNARD BENERE H. GRANT H. R. NORSWORTHY

Jan 1, 1937

ASIDE from the John Fritz Medal, in which the Institute participates through its representation on the John Fritz Medal Board, the Institute itself has five major awards to make annually for excellence in technical papers, as follows: The Robert W. Hunt Medal, The Hadfield Prize, The J. E. Johnson Jr., Award, The Lewisohn Platinum Prize to senior members, and the President's Prize to junior members. ROBERT W. HUNT MEDAL The partners of Robert W. Hunt established a fund which was presented to the Institute at a fitting ceremony on May 27, 1920, to establish an annual medal and a sum of money to be awarded under the following rules: 1. The award shall consist of two prizes; first of a gold medal, second of a sum of money; a certificate to accompany each prize. The money prize shall not be awarded to. a member over 40 years of age, but under unusual circumstances, both prizes may be allotted to one person provided that he is not over 40 years of age. In general it will be understood that the Committee shall award the money prize to the younger men, rather than the medal. 2. The awards shall be made not oftener than once a year to that person or persons contributing to the Institute the best original paper or papers on iron and steel. The scope of the term "iron and steel" shall be determined by the sub-committee considering the awards. In general, papers dealing with the practical side of the subject have preference over those dealing with the theoretical side in recognition of the fact that Captain Hunt's main contributions to the industry have been in the improvement of production and quality of material. 3. A sub-committee of three to five including the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Committee, shall be appointed by the iron and Steel Committee annually to adjudge the award subject to approval. 4. The awarding committee shall submit its report to the Iron and Steel Committee at its October Meeting, and the. award be certified to the Secretary of the Institute in time to permit the presentation to be made at the Annual Meeting of the Institute. 5. The recipient of the award shall be designated "The Hunt Medallist." SIR ROBERT HADFIELD PRIZE Sir Robert Hadfield has offered an Institute prize of $1000 for researches with regard to the different forms of combination of carbon in iron and steel. Until within a few weeks no paper has been submitted which could compete for this prize. If the paper in hand should not meet the requirements, the donor has suggested that the prize be transferred and offered for: (a) the determination of the hardness in metals in connection. with super-hardness, (b) in consideration of questions of fuel economy, (c) in consideration of questions of industrial development and labor. J. E. JOHNSON, JR. AWARD This award is made from the income of a fund of $3000 donated by Mrs. Margaret Hilles Johnson in memory of her husband, J. E. Johnson, Jr., who was a prominent engineer, author of two valuable volumes on iron blast-furnace construction and practise, vice-chairman of the Institute's Iron and Steel Committee, and a frequent contributor of papers to the Institute's TRANSACTIONS.

Jan 1, 1925

By H. Kahata, I. Iwasaki, Y. Takahasi

A combined process of segregation roasting-flota-tion or magnetic separation was developed to recover nickel from lateritic iron ores and oxidized nickel ores. An ore was mixed with a halide, such as sodium or calcium chloride, and a solid reductant, and roasted, whereby the nickel content was segregated out as discrete metallic particles. Either by magnetic separation, or by flotation using a sulfhydryl collector together with a heavy metal salt as an activator, the metallic nickel could be concentrated, Effects of such variables as the types and amounts of the halide and solid reductant addition and of the roasting conditions were extensively investigated. The concentration results on several types of ores from Japan, the Philippines, and New Caledonia are presented. Laterite is a residual product of rock decay in tropical and subtropical regions, and consists mainly of hydrated oxides of iron and alumina. Those derived from serpentine sometimes become enriched in nickel, cobalt, and chromium contents. Oxidized nickel ores are of the similar origin, but their nickel as well as silica contents are higher due to gamierite-type silicates. Apparently, nickel enrichment is more pronounced in the transition region between the surface layer of iron laterite and the underlying serpentine. Iron laterites often contain over 50% iron, and their reserve is reported to exceed 22 billion tons, corresponding approximately to 20% of the world iron ore reserve.1 It is readily apparent, therefore, why the iron laterites have attracted much attention of the steel industry as a potential source of iron ores. Numerous attempts to remove nickel and chromium as byproducts, have been reported in literature.' Worldwide discoveries of high-grade iron ore deposits in recent years have inevitably lessened the interests in iron laterites. However, in view of the tremendous potential for their gross value and supplies of nickel, cobalt, chromium, and alumina along with iron, the problem remains as a challenge. Much of the chromium in laterites is present in the form of relatively coarse particles of chromite, and various classification methods have successfully been applied for its removal.2,3 The nickel, however, is intimately associated with limonite, and ordinary concentration techniques are totally ineffective. Much attention has, therefore, been given to hydro-metallurgical or pyrometallurgical means. Yet, all the known processes appear to have limitations either economically or for the use of products as iron raw materials due to a high residual content of nickel. Some attempts have been made to pre-roast laterites or oxidized nickel ores, particularly with sulfidizing agents, and to remove nickel either by magnetic separation,' or by flotation.4 It is apparent that any such concentration process would require grain growth of nickel during roasting for effective separation. Oxidized copper ores are reported to be concentrated by the segregation roasting-flotation process,5 in which the ores are roasted with a chloridizing agent and a carbonaceous reductant in order to promote the growth of metallic copper through repeated cycles of copper chloride volatilization and its reduction on the solid reductant surfaces. Examination of a vapor pressure-temperature diagram of various metal chlorides indicates that a separation of nickel from iron may be effected by a similar process. In fact, the segregation roasting of laterites was reported to increase the extraction of nickel by the ammonia leach process, as compared to the ordinary reduction roasting.6 In the present article some of the preliminary experimental results of the segregation roasting, followed by either flotation or magnetic separation, on laterites and oxidized nickel ores are reported. The effects of various parameters in the roasting as well as in the concentration steps are discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS An oxidized nickel ore from Thio, New Caledonia, and three laterites from Homonhon, the Philippines, Wakasa and Miyagawa, Japan, were selected for the

Jan 1, 1967

By Raymond B. Ladoo

NONMETALLIC minerals (excluding fuels) arid their primary products produced annual in the United States have a value in excess of one billion dollars, or more than that of the metals, yet the lack of expert knowledge of some of the fundamental technical and economic aspects of this most important and complicated business is astonishing. This paper will deal with the economics of this non- metallic mineral field-the business of making money from producing these minerals. The incentive behind all business activity in a capitalistic economy is to make money-to plan so that each dollar invested in property, plant, equipment, services, and so on will return more than a dollar plus simple interest. Of course, business has social, civic, and national duties and responsibilities, but the fulfillment of these is largely dependent upon financial success.

Jan 1, 1939

Jan 1, 1879

By A. E. J. Engel

INDUSTRIAL talcs and ground soapstones both include earth materials of different chemical and mineral compositions. In general, the industrial talcs are composed of silicates that contain appreciable amounts of magnesia. Generally talc, the mineral, is a predominant or at least common constituent. Talc, the mineral, is a hydrous magnesium silicate, with a suggested theoretical formula H2Mg3 (SiO3)4 or H2O.3MgO.4SiO2, which postulates 63.5 pct SiO2, 31.7 pct MgO, and 4.8 pct H20.11 Actually different single grains or leaves of pure talc have variations in water content ranging from 3.5 pct to more than 7 pct, as well as slight differences in the proportions of MgO and Si02.16 Only a very small percentage of the ground industrial talcs produced in the United States approaches the composition given above (see Table 1). The purer talcs invariably occur as alteration products of magnesium carbonate rocks. Some of these relatively pure talcs include compact, massive types largely mined in California, which are designated as steatite.38,58 In general, steatites cannot contain in excess of 1.5 pct CaO, 1.5 pct combined FeO and Fe203, and 4 pct A1203. The less pure varieties of massive talc and mixtures of magnesian silicates are commonly called soapstones, or merely talc. Many industrial earth products classified as talc or as soapstone contain a variety of minerals, especially serpentine (H4Mg,Si2O9), chlorites (hydrous magnesium, iron, aluminum silicates), tremolite (Ca2Mg5H2[SiO3]8), anthophyllite ([MgCa]SiO3), diopside (CaMg[SiO3]2), and quartz (SiO2). The carbonates calcite (CaC03), dolomite (CaMg[CO3]2), and magnesite (MgCO3) are also present in some industrial talcs and soapstones. Some of these minerals, as well as sulphides, sulphates, and iron and manganese oxides, if present at all or in excess of minute amounts, may alter the composition of the industrial talc sufficiently to restrict materially its use or to lower or destroy its value. These factors are discussed in a subsequent section of this chapter.

Jan 1, 1949

By Eugene Holman

UINQUESTIONABLY the petroleum industry not only can supply the world's present oil requirements but even can meet a considerable increase in demand if it should come. The United States produced last year 1 1/3 billion barrels of crude oil, or more than 60 per cent of the world's total. It could have provided more, if needed, because we has a large shut-in crude producing capacity. Our refining capacity of 4,500,000 0 barrels per day is more than 2 per cent above our average refinery run for 1940. Adequate crude supplies and manufacturing facilities also exist outside of the United States. Large crude reserves exist in South America, in Iran and Iraq, in Russia and Romania, in Sumatra and adjacent islands. The refineries of the Dutch West Indies, of Iran, and of the Netherland East Indies are well located in relation to crude reserves and world trade lanes. Furthermore, flexibility in the manufacturing facilities permits adjustment of yields to meet a considerable range in variations between demands for products. Only with regard to 100-octane aviation gasoline is there any apparent refinery problem. Even here so far as this country is concerned, additional refining facilities can be installed well within the time that would be required to turn out the airplane engines which will use this super fuel.

Jan 1, 1941

By Donald B. Gillies

PROBABLY the most critical and difficult period in an engineer's career is that between the completion of his college work and his attainment of professional recognition and accepted status in the industrial world. Upon leaving school the young graduate breaks his immediate ties with his educational institution and in a sense finds himself adrift. At this time in his life a society like our Institute has both the responsibility and the privilege of meeting a vitally important need in his professional life. Some of these young men are Student Associates, in the year after graduation, and some are Junior Members, but all need advice and assistance. In some respects this situation will be accentuated by the war. Not only will thousands of young engineers be mustered out of military service but the process we describe generally as industrial reconversion will make necessary many readjustments in personnel. About two years ago the Institute recognized the opportunity of helping the younger member to help himself by appointing a new standing committee to be known as the Committee on Professional Development of Junior Engineers. Herbert Hoover is Honorary Chairman and it is my privilege to serve as Chairman. The name of the Committee is not entirely satisfactory but it expresses the general objective. The present article is in the nature of a progress report of the work of this Committee.

Jan 1, 1945