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By F. W. Lee

A GREAT CURTAILMENT of field activities among the geophysicists occurred last year, especially in prospecting for the common metals. In gold, however, an "outstanding achievement . . . was made by the engineers of Consolidated Goldfields. Here the suboutcrop of the Main Reef Series was traced from Middelvlei through properties of the westward area, a distance of from 30 to 40 miles. Here Drs. Reineche and Krahman prospected with the aid of a sensitive magnetometer and established the singularities of the various beds which heretofore had not been sufficiently appreciated. Several underlying shale beds were used to determine this suboutcrop under the dolomite. This area promises to be the equivalent of one-half the size of the present gold fields and to rank in value with the Far East Rand." The present temperature compensated magnetometers permit accurate field observations to less than 5 gammas. Since magnetic anomalies may have their origin due to a change of elevation as well as to the outcropping of a bed of another magnetically different material, intimate geological knowledge is of great assistance in the interpretation of these measurements. To what extent magnetic measurements reflect the basement when the material is homogeneous, consisting primarily of red granite, was determined by members of the Bureau of Mines and described by Dr. J. H. Swartz. Because of the diverse causes of magnetic anomalies, some of which were discussed and correlated by Stratton and Joyce upon known conditions, magnetometer measurements are often difficult to interpret.

Jan 1, 1933

THE CHAIRMAN (F. K. COPELAND,* Chicago, Ill.).-At this particular time conditions existing in this, country, and elsewhere, make all questions of milling or smelting or mining, or anything else, absolutely secondary to the one question of labor. We have always devoted our attention largely to the efficiency of machinery, and to reductions in costs, etc., and have let this tremendous problem of our relation to labor more or less take its own chances. There has never been a time when those who are responsible for the operation of business of different kinds were as com-pletely at a loss as they are now, so that anything that can be brought out that relates to labor is, to my mind, of utmost importance. T. T. READ, Washington, D. C.-This formulation of a method of curtailing forces at the Copper Queen is a notable step in advance of our treatment of personnel in the mining industry. So far as I know, it is the

Jan 12, 1919

By B. E. Field

COBALT is a silvery white metal with a slight bluish cast, strongly resembling nickel in its appearance and properties, notably its resistance to corrosion, although its alloys with other metals differ quite decidedly in their properties from those of nickel. The name cobalt was derived from the German "Kobold" meaning goblin and this came to be applied to the cobalt minerals which, although they resembled ores, did not readily yield metal when smelted by the primitive processes available in the Middle Ages. Cobalt minerals were used as pigments by potters and glass workers before the Christian era. Cobalt blue glass was found in the tombs of the Egyptians and in the ruins of Troy, and many colors used by the ancient Greeks and Romans contained cobalt. The ancients were entirely unaware that the colors they used were caused by cobalt and the metal itself was only isolated about the middle of the eighteenth century by Brandt although the preparation of cobalt compounds had been carried on in a small way ever since the opening of the silver-cobalt deposits at Schneeberg, Germany, in 1470. The metal is fairly hard, with a density when pure of 8.81 in the cast state and 8.92 after working. The com¬mercial grade of cobalt has a density of about 8.75 in the cast state. The atomic weight is 58.97. The Brinell hardness of the pure metal is 124; that of the commercial grade varies from as low as 100 to as high as 138, depending upon the impurities present. Pure cobalt has a sharp melting point at 1478°C. The tensile strength of the pure metal in the cast condition is said to be higher than that of any other pure metal. Kalmus gives it as 34,400 lb. per sq. in. for cast unannealed metal; the effect of annealing at 850 to 900°C. is to raise the strength slightly. The yield point is close to the ultimate strength and the reduction in area and elongation are both low. Mechanical working raises the tensile strength of pure cobalt rapidly and in the form of wire it will be over 100,000 lb. per sq. in. The presence of small quantities of carbon in the commercial metal raises the tensile strength to as high as 61,000 lb. per sq. in., the reduction in area and elongation being raised at the same time to approximately 20 per cent.

Jan 1, 1933

By O. W. Ellis

THE writer has dealt with the effect of various methods of melting copper upon the gas content of the metal.1 The copper referred to in his in his earlier paper was melted in the foundry both in the oil furnace and the electric furnace. As the metal, did not measure up to conductivity FIG. L -INGOT OF OVERPOLEP COPPER. standard, the term "casting copper" was applied to the material in the title of the paper. It was thought that some information in regard to the gases in a sample of overpoled copper might also be of interest, and through the courtesy of C. R. Stevens, superintendent of the copper mill of the Westinghouse Elec. & Mfg. Co., such a sample was obtained. The metal was chill-cast in the form of an ingot about 7 in. long, 2 ½ in. deep (from the base to the raised surface of the ingot) and from 1 3/8 to 1 7/8 in. wide. A photograph of part of the ingot is shown in Fig. 1. The effect of overpoling on the surface of the metal is here quite clearly shown.

Jan 1, 1929

DISCUSSION, M. Cohen presiding A. H. Geisler and D. L. Martin (GeneTal Electric Research Laboratory, Schenectady, N. Y.)—We were rather interested to note the author's conclusion that the cubic to tetragonal transformation may be of the second order, for we have been able to show that the order-disorder transformation in an analogous alloy system is a first-order transformation with a discon-

Jan 1, 1952

By Paul A. Beck, John Towers, W. D. Manly

Recent work on grain growth in high purity aluminum and in a solid solution type alloy of aluminum and magnesium1 showed that the isothermal increase of the average grain diameter D with time follows the equation D = K(tg + A)2 Eq 1 Here tg is that portion of the total annealing time 1, which is available for grain growth, that is the annealing time less the time necessary for complete recrystallization. The parameters A and n depend only on the temperature. A has the dimension of time, and is usually of the same order of magnitude as the time for recrystallization: R. In some instances R may be substituted for A in Eq I. This is the case for example at long periods of annealing or at high temperatures, where both A and R become small in comparison with t. In such instances Eq I is simplified to D = K, tn Eq 2 For high purity aluminum the exponent n increases in the ratio of about I to 5 in. the temperature range of 350' to 6w°C. 70-30 brass has been long known to exhibit grain growth of the continuous type, such as occurs in pure metals. For this reason, it was of interest to determine whether grain growth in brass also follows Eq I and 2 as it does in aluminum. Isotherma1 grain growth data for 70-30 brass were published in recent years by R. S. French2 and by H. L. Walker.' Fig I shows a log D vs. log t plot of French's data, together with the 500, 600 and 700°C data by Walker for 42.8 pct reduction by rolling. In such a log D vs. log t plot Eq 2 corresponds to a straight line with a slope of n. As seen in Fig I, the data of French and the 600°C data of Walker can be represented by straight lines. However, the 500 and 7c0°C data of Walker give curved lines and the average slope of his 500°C line is very different from the slope of the line representing French's data for the same temperature. Furthermore the curvature of the 700°C line suggests a tendency for grain growth to stop after 8 hr. If confirmed, this would constitute a definite deviation from Eq 2, not explainable on the basis of the specimen thickness effect found in high purity aluminum.' Walker's specimens were 0.125 in., or 3.18 mm thick, while the deviation occurs at a grain size of approximately 0.4 mm. A further point of divergence arose recently, when J. E. Burke suggested4 on the basis of Walker's data, that, instead of Eq 2, grain growth in 70-30 brass follows the equation D - D, = K . tgn Eq 3 Here D, is the grain size as recrystallized at the temperature in question. Although it was possible to show5 that, for pure aluminum, for which isothermal grain growth has been carefully investigated, Eq 3 is incompatible with the experimental facts, the situation remained somewhat obscure with respect to 70-30 brass. In view of the discrepancies between the published data on brass from different

Jan 1, 1949

By John Towers, Paul A. Beck, W. D. Manly

Recent work on grain growth in high purity aluminum and in a solid solution type alloy of aluminum and magnesium1 showed that the isothermal increase of the average grain diameter D with time follows the equation D = K(tg + A)2 Eq 1 Here tg is that portion of the total annealing time 1, which is available for grain growth, that is the annealing time less the time necessary for complete recrystallization. The parameters A and n depend only on the temperature. A has the dimension of time, and is usually of the same order of magnitude as the time for recrystallization: R. In some instances R may be substituted for A in Eq I. This is the case for example at long periods of annealing or at high temperatures, where both A and R become small in comparison with t. In such instances Eq I is simplified to D = K, tn Eq 2 For high purity aluminum the exponent n increases in the ratio of about I to 5 in. the temperature range of 350' to 6w°C. 70-30 brass has been long known to exhibit grain growth of the continuous type, such as occurs in pure metals. For this reason, it was of interest to determine whether grain growth in brass also follows Eq I and 2 as it does in aluminum. Isotherma1 grain growth data for 70-30 brass were published in recent years by R. S. French2 and by H. L. Walker.' Fig I shows a log D vs. log t plot of French's data, together with the 500, 600 and 700°C data by Walker for 42.8 pct reduction by rolling. In such a log D vs. log t plot Eq 2 corresponds to a straight line with a slope of n. As seen in Fig I, the data of French and the 600°C data of Walker can be represented by straight lines. However, the 500 and 7c0°C data of Walker give curved lines and the average slope of his 500°C line is very different from the slope of the line representing French's data for the same temperature. Furthermore the curvature of the 700°C line suggests a tendency for grain growth to stop after 8 hr. If confirmed, this would constitute a definite deviation from Eq 2, not explainable on the basis of the specimen thickness effect found in high purity aluminum.' Walker's specimens were 0.125 in., or 3.18 mm thick, while the deviation occurs at a grain size of approximately 0.4 mm. A further point of divergence arose recently, when J. E. Burke suggested4 on the basis of Walker's data, that, instead of Eq 2, grain growth in 70-30 brass follows the equation D - D, = K . tgn Eq 3 Here D, is the grain size as recrystallized at the temperature in question. Although it was possible to show5 that, for pure aluminum, for which isothermal grain growth has been carefully investigated, Eq 3 is incompatible with the experimental facts, the situation remained somewhat obscure with respect to 70-30 brass. In view of the discrepancies between the published data on brass from different

Jan 1, 1949

By P. E. Demmler

Phosphorus combines with copper in various proportions, forming true alloys, some of which are of commercial importance. These materials find wide application as deoxidizers and as a means of introducing phosphorus into other alloys, as in phosphor-bronze. Phosphor-coppers containing 10 and 15 per cent. of phosphorus are the commercial grades that are most generally offered. Each has certain advantages when used in making other alloys. The 10 per cent, grade of phosphor-copper has an advantage over the 15 per cent. in that it has a much lower melting point and can be prepared by certain methods with a much lower loss in phosphorus. The 15 per cent. grade has the advantage of lower freight rates per unit of phosphorus and, by the method to be described, a uniform product can be prepared with practically no loss of phosphorus. Alloys of copper and phosphorus containing any desired percentage of phosphorus lower than 15 per cent. can be prepared by melting together the requisite amounts of copper and 15 per cent. phosphor-copper. Processes for making phosphor-copper may be divided into two classes as follows: (1) Those depending on the smelting of phosphate rock or superphosphate of calcium with copper or copper-bearing materials, and coal or other carbonaceous material; (2) those depending on the direct combination of metallic copper and elemental phosphorus. A number of formulas for preparing phosphor-copper according to the first method have been published. The Metal Industry' gives the following: Superphosphate of calcium, 60 lb.; granulated copper, 30 1b.; finely powdered coal, 10 1b. Similar formulas are given by Brannt2 and others, and detail variations are covered by patents, such as those of L. A. Jeffs3 and H. A. Webster.4 Among the objections to this method of producing phosphor-copper are the large amounts of raw material and resulting slag to be handled, and the difficulty of getting a satisfactory fusion. S. Skowronski5 found that at 1300' C. (2372' F.) it was impossible to get a good fusion

Jan 1, 1921

By B. R. Hollebone

The chemical action of molten anhydrous pyridinium chloride (pyridine hydrochloride) on oxy salts and ores of some Group IV and V metals are discussed-in particular zirconium, hafnium, niobium (columbium) , and tantalum. Laboratory-scale experiments are described whose results suggest that this reaction might provide a practicable means of converting ores of these metals to the anhydrous metal chlorides. Experimental results are given which provide some insight into the nature of the reactions and some of the compounds which could be present at intermediate stages. The treatment of ores of the more refractory metals is difficult and expensive and often demands the use of gaseous chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, or other reagents which are, if nothing else, expensive and dangerous to use. This situation is, of course, due to the strong metal-oxygen affinity resulting from the high charge and the small size of the metal ion which combine to produce such high lattice energy in the metal oxide as to defeat standard reduction methods. Thus, the characteristic of these metals which leads to one of their most important properties—corrosion resistance—is the main hurdle in obtaining the metal. Many common methods' for treating ores of zirconium and niobium (columbium), for example, proceed as directly as possible to the preparation of anhydrous halides. These halides are purified by now standard processes of solvent extraction, fractional distillation, and so on. This paper reports on preliminary stages in the development of a method of treating these ores—particularly of niobium—so as to prepare the anhydrous, volatile halides by the use of chemical reagents which are much more easily handled than those used at present. CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES The solvent action of aminium halides has been referred to periodically in the literature over several decades. The chemistry of pyridinium chloride has been discussed particularly by Audreith2 and Starke.3 However, since this is not familiar chemistry in its nonaqueous setting, it is perhaps well to point out some general metallurgical principles and applications. One can use, as point of departure, the fact that HC1 dissolved in pyridine is an acid very much the same as aqueous HC1. It thus gives essentially all the reactions of the HC1 with which we are familiar. However, when the ratio of HC1:pyridine reaches 1:l (a ratio far higher than is possible with H2O) the solution becomes solid C5F5NHC1, pyridinium chloride.* Inter- estingly, the acidic properties of HC1 persist in this medium, although they are manifest only in the molten state of the compound. Some typical reactions of divalent metal compounds which we have carried out in our laboratories are the following: 2PyHCl + Zn — (ZnCl2) + H2 + 2Py 2PyHCl + MnO — (MnCl2) + H2O + 2Py 2PyHCl + CuS — (CuCl2) + H2S + 2Py 2PyHCl + CaCO3 — (CaCl2) + H2O + CO2 + 2Py In these equations, the parentheses indicate a solvated compound which in water would be predominantly a hydra ted cation but which in molten PyHCl will more likely be a complex chloro-anion of the type MC14-. Some important physical properties of pyridinium chloride (PyHCl) are given in Table I. One sees from the data in Table I that at the temperature of molten pyridinium chloride both water and pyridine will boil away. Thus the system will be kept anhydrous. For this reason the reaction 2NbCl5 + 5H2O— Nb2O5 + 10HC1 has no counterpart in molten PyHCl. Instead, the chloride is made even more stable by the formation of a hexachloro complex: Nb2O5 + 12PyHC1 — 2PyHNbC16 + 5H2O + 10Py One interesting property of these complexes is their thermal instability which for the case of niobium can be illustrated as PyHNbCl6 — PyHCl + NbCl5 With a view to possible use of this chemistry in ore treatment, we have attempted to dissolve Pyrochlore (essentially FeO - Nb2O5) and recover the NbC15 from it.

Jan 1, 1968

Oct. 8 to 13, inclusive, 1917 COMMITTEES Committee on Arrangements H. A. BUEHLER, Chairman W. E. MCCOURT, Secretary C. J. ADAM L. L. HUTCHISON VICTOR RAKOWSKY J. A. CASELTON EUGENE MCAULIFFE J. D. ROBERTSON .F. W. DEWOLF P. N. MOORE ARTHUR THACHER E. F. GOLTRA MRS. P. N. MOORE H. A. WHEELER Committee on Ladies', Entertainment MRS. PHILIP N. MOORE, Chairman MRS.. W. E. MCCOURT, Vice-Chairman MRS. D. M. ARMISTEAD MRS. R. G. HALL MRS. A. A. BONSACK . MRS. J. W. HEGELER MRS. B. F. BUSH MRS. J. N. HOUSER MRS. G. 0. CARPENTER MRS. EUGENE MCAULIFFE MRS. F. V. DESLOGE MRS. RUDOLPH PORTER MRS. F. W. DEWOLF MRS. N. P. ROOD MRS. A. W. DICKINSON MRS. ARTHUR THACHER

Jan 12, 1917

By Frank J. Tolonen

BENEFICIATION of iron-bearing formations is one of the major problems of research at the Michigan College of Mining arid Technology. Funds for this purpose hate been supplied by the State of Michigan supplemented by contributions of labor and some supplies from the Federal Government during the depression. The iron-mining companies have cooperated in securing samples and have also furnished much valuable information relative to the various formations.

Jan 1, 1937

By Edwin Ludlow

THE responses to the request of the Finance Committee have been coming in with gratifying results, .but there have also been about a dozen letters received objecting in various ways to the voluntary subscription. These can be summarized as: First.-That the dues should have been increased, and thus impose the same burden on everyone. This would not have met the present situation, as under the constitution no increase could be effective until 1922. Second.-The Institute should 'live within its means, and reduce its expenses to correspond with its income. As far -as possible this was done by deferring the publication of Volume LXIV until 1921, although the papers published in that volume, were presented at the meeting in February, 1920. It is to avoid being obliged to do this again that the subscription is asked, as we feel that it is, a duty we owe to our membership_ to give them the papers presented at as early a date as possible.. Our financial situation is due to the very large increase in the cost of publication; owing to the high price of paper and printing. The cost of paper is now decreasing, and we hope that there will be' wage adjustments that will permit a lower cost for printing. Under present conditions each volume of our TRANSACTIONS costs three times as much as it did in 1917 and we would be able to publish only one' volume per year. Third.-That there are too many papers published that are 'of no interest to the writer of them .complaint.-This is undoubtedly true, but it must be remembered that the membership of the Institute includes all branches of mining and metallurgy and that all these branches are entitled to be' represented in our TRANSACTIONS by papers.

Jan 1, 1921

By R. A. Wagstaff

Many changes in equipment have had to be made to handle the flotation products at the blast furnace, and these changes have meant an expenditure of considerable money, which has not been compensated by an increase in smelting tonnage. To date, very few new lead mines have been developed, so that the help derived by the innovation of flotation has been directed to old producing properties, where the ratio of concentration is greater now than when gravity concentration was in effect. In some smelting plants there has been an abandonment of complete units due to the introduction of flotation. Flotation Products Difficult to Handle The physical characteristics of the flotation product do not make for economic handling for lead blast-furnace work, either mechanically or metallurgically. The millman or miner do not know what trials and tribulations they have passed on to the smelterman. To the smelterman it is "the everchanging flotation," for little does he know what new reagent will be perfected tomorrow that may completely change the grade and physical characteristics of the product. Even the mining companies who have complete units of mining, milling and smelting have had a hard time to reconcile themselves to the fact that the unit cost per ton of ore smelted must go up with the increase of flotation product on the blast-furnace charge. The "smelterman's burden," for that is what flotation has been for the last few years, has not caused the smelter operator to lag or fall down, but has spurred him on with new zeal. The physical properties of the flotation products are as follows: (1) High moisture content; (2) mucky nature of product; (3) fineness of product, and (4) high metal content. New Mechanical Devices for Handling Furnace Product These characteristics have caused the use of many new mechanical devices in smelting practice, for example: New transportation equipment, such as solid-bottom cars, is required; unloading equipment and sampling

Jan 1, 1928

By R. A. Wagstaff

MANY changes in equipment have had to be made to handle the flotation products at the blast furnace, and these changes have meant an expenditure of considerable money, which has not been compensated by an increase in smelting tonnage. To date, very few new lead mines have been developed, so that the help derived by the innovation of flotation has been directed to old producing properties, where the ratio of concentration is greater now than when gravity concentration was in effect. In some smelting plants there has been an abandonment of complete units due to the introduction of flotation. FLOTATION PRODUCTS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE The physical characteristics of the flotation product do not make for economic handling for lead blast-furnace work, either mechanically or metallurgically. The millman or miner do not know what trials and tribulations they have passed on to the smelterman. To the smelterman it is "the everchanging flotation," for little does he know what new reagent will be perfected tomorrow that may completely change the grade and physical characteristics of the product. Even the mining companies who have complete units of mining, milling and smelting have had a hard time to reconcile themselves to the fact that the unit cost per ton of ore smelted must go up with the increase of flotation product on the blast-furnace charge. The "smelterman's burden," for that is what flotation has been for the last few years, has not caused the smelter operator to lag or fall down, but has spurred him on with new zeal. The physical properties of the flotation products are as follows: (1) High moisture content; (2) mucky nature of product; (3) fineness of product, and (4) high metal content. NEW MECHANICAL DEVICES FOR HANDLING FURNACE PRODUCT These characteristics have caused the use of many new mechanical devices in smelting practice, for example: New transportation equipment, such as solid-bottom cars, is required; unloading equipment and sampling

Jan 1, 1928

By AIME AIME

A REGULAR meeting of the Executive Board 'of American Engineering Council was held in the Onondaga Hotel, Syracuse, N.. Y., Feb. 14, 1921, with the president, Herbert Hoover, presiding. Reports of committees were presented and acted upon as follows: ENGINEER ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION The second meeting of the Committee was. called because it was represented to the Committee' on Pro¬cedure that the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Association of Engineers, and the Ameri¬can Institute of Consulting Engineers were anxious to have President-elect Harding appoint an engineer to fill one of the vacancies on the Interstate Commerce Commission. The representative of The American Society of Civil Engineers agreed to endorse the recom¬mendations- of American Engineering Council, and the Committee on Procedure prepared and sent a letter to the President-elect, a - copy of this letter being sent to each member of the Board. No names were suggested. . The appointment of an engineer on the Interstate Commerce Commission was approved and the Board, after approving the action of the Committee 'on Procedure in writing the President-elect, voted that, if requested, the Committee on Procedure submit a list of not less than six names for the appointment of an engineer on the Interstate. Commerce Commission.

Jan 1, 1921

[Appalachian Petroleum Section: Walter H. Chapman, chairman; Jean Freeland, first vice-chairman; John Galpin, second vice-chairman; Jack L. Trittipo, secretary-treasurer. Meets 4th Tues., Humphreys Restaurant, Charleston. Balcones Section: William E. Richards, chairman; William C. Miller, Jr., first vice-chairman; Brantley G. Myers, second vice-chairman; Harold Vagtborg, Jr., secretary-treasurer. Meets 4th Wed., Petroleum Center Club, San Antonio. Big Horn Basin Subsection: Donald G. Davis, chairman; B. E. Yester, vice-chairman; J. F. Keleher, vice-chairman; Samuel N. Conley, third vice-chairman; William O. Snyder, secretary; M. J. England, treasurer. Billings Petroleum Section: N. J. Matthews, chairman; Guy J. Lookabaugh, first vice-chairman; George O. Ellis, second vice-chairman; Robert L. Spottswood, secretary-treasurer. Meets 3rd Tues., Turf Penthouse.]

Jan 1, 1961

By Ernest R. Dickie

IN 1945 the Bagdad Copper Corp. decided to change from block caving to open-pit mining. By early 1948 the conversion was completed and production was increased from 1500 tons per day to 4000 tons per day. Open-pit mining costs decreased approximately 40 pet from the cost of producing ore by the underground method. At present one P & H model 1400 all-electric 4 1/2-yd shovel and one P & H model 1055 Diesel 3-yd shovel are used continuously for stripping. One 21/2yd North- west shovel handles the ore. Delivery of a new P & H 1055 electric shovel for stripping is expected this month. Blasthole drilling is performed with two Bucyrus model 22 and two Bucyrus model 27 churn drills.

Jan 9, 1951

By William Campbell

(Cleveland Meeting, October, 1912.) THE structure of iron and steel, though the object of so much study and research for the past 25 years, is by no means thoroughly understood. In the first place, we have three or more distinct iron-carbon thermal diagrams, each with its own supporters, and each representing a theory of the structure and constitution of cast-iron. In the second place, by reason of the fact that austenite, the solid solution of carbon in iron, decomposes in the solid state into ferrite, or pure iron, and cementite (Fe3C), and that quenching from above this transition-range, no matter how rapid, cannot entirely prevent the change and thus preserve the austenite by itself at ordinary temperatures, it happens that under the microscope we find, in addition to the ferrite, Fe3C, and austenite, which the thermal diagram of steel requires, it series of transition-products with distinctive structures, to which have ,been given the names martensite, troostite, sorbite, etc. Now these transition-products, in addition to the solid solution, austenite, have been the source of much controversy, at times very bitter. One side would insist that, say, troostite was an entity, which the other side would deny, pointing out that it must be a transition-mixture, with a particular structure. That austenite was a solid solution of carbon in iron has been denied by one school ; we have been told that Fe24C dissolved both Fe3C and Fe, and thus gave rise to a whole series of quenching-products-all this in spite of the fact that no matter how the thermal diagrams differ in regard to cast-iron, they all agree in regard to the solid solution, austenite, for Fe24C finds no place on the diagram. Thus it happens that while the authorities fight both in regard to the iron-carbon diagram and the structures met with in hard- * Associate Professor of Metallurgy, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Dec 1, 1912

By J. M. Uys, T. B. King

The solubility of water in silicate melts of various compositions was measured. The basicity of the silicate did not appreciably affect the water solu-bulity at low-base content (acid compositions). Near the orthosilicate composition the solubility increased with basicity for silicates in which the cation displayed a weak ion-oxygen attraction and apparently decreased for those in which the cation showed a strong ion-oxygen attraction; metasilicates of the former class dissolved more water than those of the latter. Temperature had little effect on water solubility. The experimental results are interpreted on the basis of two modes of solution, the contribution of one decreasing, and that of the other increas -ing, with increased melt basicity. In the former, solution occurs through interaction with doubly-bonded oxygen atoms and in the latter, through interaction with singly-bonded oxygen atoms, or, in very basic melts, through reaction with free oxygen ions. THE hydrogen content of a steel melt is in a large measure determined by water dissolved in the slag. In some glasses water may be a major cause of "seeds". Water vapor in the furnace atmosphere is the primary source in both instances. A knowledge of the mechanism of water solution in silicate melts should help in assessment of practical methods for its control in steelmaking and glass refining. Walsh et a1.l measured the water content, expressed as hydrogen, of 40 pct lime-20 pct alumina-40 pct silica and 62 pct manganese oxide-38 pct silica melts as a function of the steam partial pressure, in equilibrium with the melt. Tomlinson 2 and, also, Russell3 investigated this relationship for a molten 30 pct soda-70 pct silica glass. In all three investigations, the solubility of water was found to be proportional to the square root of the partial pressure of steam. Moulson and Roberts 4 confirmed this relationship for a silica glass. On the basis of the square root relationship, Tomlinson2 and Russell3 interpreted the solution reaction as "network-breaking", similar to that expected on the addition of metal oxides to silica. Walsh et al.' postulated two possible modes of solution, one the mechanism suggested by Tomlinson and Russell and the other the reaction of the water molecule with an oxygen ion to form hydroxyl ions. These two modes of solution suggest opposite effects of melt basicity on water solubility. However, little appears to be known about the effect of melt basicity on water solubility. Walsh et a1.l found, in the lime-silica system, that the water content increased slightly with increased basicity. As these authors pointed out, this does not appear to be in accord with their further observation that slags containing little or no silica dissolve very little water. Kurkjian and Russell5 measured the effect of basicity on water solubility in alkali silicates in the composition range 15 to 45 mole pct alkali oxide. They found a minimum in the water content at about 25 mole pct alkali. This was interpreted on the basis of two concurrent solution reacZions; one in which solubility was proportional to the activity of doubly-bonded oxygen and, in the other, proportional to the activity of singly-bonded oxygen. The present work was aimed at establishing the effect of basicity on water solubility in silicate melts over as wide a range of compositions as practical. APPARATUS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The silicate melt was equilibrated with a "carrier-gas" of accurately known water content, quenched, and analyzed for water by a vacuum fusion technique. Some pertinent details of the equilibration procedure, analysis technique, preparation, and handling of the silicates are given below. Gas-Silicate Equilibration. The apparatus used to equilibrate the melt with the gas mixture was similar to that used by Walsh et al.' but with some important modifications.6 Purification trains were provided for nitrogen and hydrogen; whenever air or oxygen was used as carrier gas the nitrogen purifiCation train was used with the copper furnace at room temperature. Gas flow rates were measured with capillary flow meters; bleeders filled with a mixture of dibromo and tribromo ethyl benzene (density about 2 g per cc) were used for convenience in controlling flow rates.

Jan 1, 1963

By E. J. KENNEDY

THE annual dinner-dance was held in the large ball room of the Commodore hotel Wednesday evening. A total of 577 were seated at the dinner, over which President Eavenson presided as chairman and toastmaster. In introducing George C. Stone, the James Douglas Medalist, W. R. Ingalls outlined the former's association with the zinc industry. He said, in part In designing and building Palmerton, Stone erected a metallurgical monument and won the title of chief engineer of the New Jersey Zinc Co., with transferal to its New York office in 1900. There lie held forth in dignity, efficiency, and with appreciation until his retirement from active service in 1929. After a few years lie was diverted from the position of chief engineer for his company to the superior one of chief metallurgist and that gave to Stone his next big chance.... This was the conception of a research department and the ability to persuade his directors to adopt it. I shall not pretend to summarize the great things that afterward developed. I shall mention only the institution of the manufacture of lithopone in this country, the charging of the Wetherill furnace with briquets, the mechanicalization of the Wetherills, the accomplishment of continuous distilling, and most recently the introduction of reflux-refining.

Jan 1, 1935