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By V. A. James

The new electrolytic copper refinery situated at Copper Cliff, Ontario, has been in operation for over a year and a half. This plant is operated by the Ontario Refining Company, Limited. The associated companies behind the enterprise are the International Nickel ?company of Canada, Limited, the American Metals Company, Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited, and Ventures, Limited. The plant was an outgrowth of the rapid development of copper resources in the nickel-copper ores of the Frood and other great mines in the Sudbury district, and of the desire to have all primary production units grouped together as compactly as possible. Starting anode furnace operations in June, 1930, and electrolytic refining on July 1st of that year, after a record-breaking construction programme completed in only fifteen months, the plant soon settled into its stride and the usual starting-up difficulties were .rapidly overcome. The rated capacity of the plant, namely, twenty million pounds of refined copper per month, has, of course, never been reached, due to depressed business conditions and latterly to the world copper agreement limiting production. It may be said, however, that the present installation has proved its ability to produce in excess of its rated capacity, and with relatively minor additions to plant and equipment that capacity can be doubled. Owing to the severity of the winters, when temperatures of from 20 to 40 degrees below zero are to be expected, the building of this refinery involved a number of problems in insulation, layout, ventilation, etc., which were rather unusual in copper-refinery construction.

Jan 1, 1932

At its meeting on February 21, 1933, the Board of Directors passed the following resolution defining and expressing the policy of the Institute with respect to official participation or action in controversial matters: WHEREAS, the Board of Directors at its last meeting passed the following resolution: "The Board of Directors, having been appealed to by several Local Sections for advice concerning the attitude and policy of the Institute relating to the endorsement of candidates for public office, the following statement of policy is formulated;

Jan 1, 1932

By William Fink

ZINC is one of the effective elements introduced to enhance the strength of aluminum. This strengthening is principally attributable to the high solid solubility of zinc in aluminum and the pronounced variation of solubility with temperature. Consequently an accurate determination of the solid solubility curve is desirable. The solid solubility relations have been studied by numerous investigators. Shepherd' first established the existence of a solid solution region at the aluminum end of the diagram (y phase) by specific volume and microscopic determinations. Bauer and Vogel2 published a constitutional diagram which showed the limits of solid solubility as determined by thermal and microscopic methods. Hanson and Gayler3 presented the aluminum-zinc diagram which is now most generally accepted (Fig. 1). Chill-cast samples were given thermal treatments designed to obtain equilibrium conditions, quenched, and microscopically examined.. The solubility was placed between 15 to 20 per cent at 600 C., 20 to 22 per cent at 140° C. and 36 to 38 per cent at 270° C. Sander and Meissner4 decidedly modified the limits of they phase field of Hanson and Gayler's diagram by using similar methods on chill-cast specimens annealed for a shorter period of time. Tanabe,5 utilizing dynamic hardness, electrical conductivity and dilatometric measurements of specimens at temperature, obtained values comparable to Hanson and Gayler's at room temperature, but appreciably lower at higher temperatures. Nishimura6 concluded from age-hardening results of aluminum-zinc alloy chill castings, which had been quenched from 400° to 500° C., that the solubility of zinc in aluminum at room temperature is less than 5

Jan 1, 1932

By N. A. Ziegler

A certain amount of interest has been indicated recently in the resistance to oxidation at high temperatures of iron-aluminum alloys (rich in iron). Hautmanl published a paper in which some interesting results are given. According to his paper, only alloys containing at least 8 per cent aluminum indicate a marked improvement in their resistance to oxidation. At about this aluminum content, however, alloys become brittle, which considerably reduces their commercial value. About two years ago the author performed a series of experiments, the results of which are presented here. A series of iron-aluminum-carbon alloys was prepared by melting electrolytic iron, aluminum and high-carbon iron alloy in an induction vacuum furnace.2 The list of these alloys is given in Table I. Each alloy was forged in the ordinary way to All carbon determinations were performed by " Yensen " method. [N. A. Ziegler: Recent Developments in Analysis of Carbon in Iron and Iron Alloys. Trans. Amer. Electrochem. Soc. (1929) 56, 231.1

Jan 1, 1932

The Mount Lyell Company's concentrating mill is situated about a quarter of a mile westward of the portal of the North Lyell tunnel, which serves the North Lyell, Royal Tharsis and Crown Lyell mines, being on the 1100-ft. level of the first named. The Comstock mine is connected with the tram system at this level by five and a half miles of steam tramway, two-foot gauge being standard throughout.The plant is well placed with regard to all essential services and has an excellent water-supply from a series of three dams on the West Queen river.MILLING ORESThe mill feed is a mixture of the outputs from the foUr mines mentioned, each of which has its characteristic ore, but, generally speaking, about half of the ore consists of siliceous schists and the other half of hard grey quartzite. The schisty ores are easy to crush, but, on grinding, while the schist slimes readily, the quartz granules are hard, resulting in the handling of heavy loads on the secondary classifiers. The quartzite ores are both hard to crush and difficultto grind.The principal sulphide materials are bornite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite, chalcopyrite being the main copper-bearing mineral.The crystallization is coarse in the schisty ores, but it has been shown that even the 200 mesh (Tyler) material contains included sulphide particles. At the present time the sizing of the final tailing averages 80% through 200 mesh.

Jan 1, 1932

By D. W. Smith

THE beta solid solution phases of the systems copper-zinc, copper-aluminum, copper-tin and silver-zinc are structurally analogous.1 R. F. Mehl and 0. T. Marzke2 have shown that the a phase upon segregating from the 0 phase in the system copper-zinc takes the form of needles lying parallel to a [111.] direction or some similar direction, such as [556], of the parent solid solution, and that the a phase upon segregating from the ß phase in the system copper-aluminum also takes the form of needles. By analogy they assume that in this case also the segregate needles lie parallel to the [111] or [556] direction in the ß lattice. The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether the structures resulting from segregation of the a phases from the respective 0 phases of the systems copper-tin and silver-zinc are analogous to those obtained by Mehl and Marzke in the systems copper-zinc and copper-aluminum.

Jan 1, 1932

Albin, B. R. Billings, Mont. 28 Amster, Nathan L 25 Broad St., New York, N. Y. '28 Bache, Jules S. 42 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 28 Barrett, C. P. 5338 Harper Ave., Chicago, 111. '28 Baum, Frank G., Cons. Hydro-Electric Engr Cassel, Shasta Co., Cal. '28 Bayless, William S. Russ Bldg., San Francisco, Cal. '28 Bean, Louis H.60 E. 42nd St., New York, N. Y. '28 Beatty, Roes J. 1105 First National Bank Bldg., Chicago, Ill. '28 Benwell, Oswald F. Hold Mags. '28 Beymer, Albert S., V.P., Keystone National Bank Pittsburgh, Pa. '28 Blumenthal, Hugo 44 Pine St., New York, N. Y. '28 Boettcher, Charles Ideal Cement Bldg., Denver, Colo. '28 Bowlus, Thomas H. Iola, Kan. '28 Brown, Colvin B. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D. C. '28 Bart, Maxwell Struthers Southern Pines, N. C. '28

Jan 1, 1932

By Amos L. Beaty

The oil industry can prosper only if crude production is not excessive. This is true for several reasons. In the first place, the marketing branch of the business is so highly competitive that there is little room for profits in it. There are too many service stations, too many middle men or jobbers, too many refiners eager to press their products upon the market. And the battle is between the strong. If any money is being made in oil today it is by small marketers who buy products from the refining companies and sell on guaranteed margins. In the second place, refineries are overbuilt. There is a large surplus refining capacity. If refined stocks were drawn down they could and would be replenished in short time on short notice. This excessive refining capacity is not serious, however, if the supply of crude is limited to trade requirements. True, it may reflect upon the intelligence of the industry, but if there were a shortage of crude for a few years refining capacities would be readjusted. In the meantime no great harm could result from some idle capacity. It requires no computation to see that refiners could not produce surplus stocks of products from a short supply of crude. I have in mind, of course, the increased yields from cracking. Allowance must be made for that. Still, the picture is the same; less crude is required. I think we can have prosperity in the oil business if too much crude is not produced. A proper limit at this point would be felt all the way down the line. It would slow the refiner and slow the marketer inevitably. Once this constant pressure to make more and sell more is off, operations will be normal and there will be some return on investments. Peices in Relation to Production Potential production at this time is very large, and this condition has existed for many months. As a result the price of crude is low. It is below the average cost of production. Nevertheless, if restraints were withdrawn actual production would immediately increase and the situation would become even worse than it is now. Eventually, of course, the

Jan 1, 1932

By C. Schlumberger

SINCE the, beginning of the year 1928 the senior authors and their associates have applied a series of procedures which makes possible the detailed study in situ of the formations traversed by a drill hole before the casing has been landed. They have given the name "electrical coring" to the ensemble of these processes, which now replace in a large measure the mechanical coring performed by the drillers, and permit the gathering of bottom-hole data hitherto unobtainable. Three years have elapsed since the technique and interpretation of these measurements emerged from the experimental stage and entered the field of industrial application on a large scale. The total length of drill holes so far surveyed by the authors and their associates, all over the world, amounts to several millions of feet. Practical and strongly built equipment has been evolved, which permits the examination in a short time of an open hole several thousand feet long. No comprehensive paper has yet been published discussing the essential principles of the processes applied and bringing into evidence their economic interest. This is the object of the present paper.1 Numerous examples of field work performed under varied geological conditions are given, constituting a concrete illustration of the services rendered by the new methods.

Jan 1, 1932

By Albert E. Keller

This paper describing the timekeeping and pay-roll methods of the Britannia raining and Smelting Co. (Ltd.) is one of a series being prepared for and published by the United States Bureau of nines regarding office procedures in connection with mining operations. The general office of the Britannia Mining and Smelting Co. (Ltd.) is located at Britannia Beach, B. C., a town of about 600 inhabitants at tidewater on the east side of Howe Sound and about 30 miles from Vancouver, B. C. The Beach, as it is locally termed, is a company town consisting largely of about 250 employees of the company and their families. Here is the milling and concentrating plant of over 6,000 tons daily capacity- the main service units comprising the electrical, mechanical, blacksmith and woodworking shops and the local electric-furnace foundry; the central-heating steam plant; the air and electric generating units; the ball-manufacturing plant; the warehouses; and the general store, which serves this community and also acts as distributor for the general stores located elsewhere on the property.

Jan 1, 1932

By Robert S. Baker

It has been demonstrated in the laboratory by A. J. Phillips1 that a transformation or conversion from beta directly to alpha may take place in a brass of 61 to 62.5 per cent copper content. The completion of the transformiation is dependent on a rapid rate of cooling from the all-beta field through the alpha + beta range to the alpha field. Phillips states that in a slowly cooled alloy containing 62 per cent copper and 38 per cent zinc the copper content of the beta is progressively decreased from 62 to 56 per cent by precipitation of alpha. Rapid cooling tends to prevent the separation of alpha with a copper content of more than 62 per cent by reducing to a minimum the time required for passing through the alpha + beta range. Upon crossing beyond the (alpha + beta) (alpha) boundary to the all-alpha region below, the material is transformed from beta to alpha. It, is essential that there be no change in composition. Phillips obtained his results by quenching a 62:38 copper-zinc alloy from 850" C. in iced brine at -8" C. No reference to the occurrence of this transformation in a manufacturing process has been found in the literature. An investigation of the microstructures of a number of hot forgings made from leaded brass rods yielded one forging in which this striking conversion from beta to alpha had occurred. The purpose of this paper is to describe the transformation and certain conditions under which it may occur during the hot pressing of brass. The conversion was noted in a shape forged from a leaded brass rod, the composition of which was: Cu, 60.26 per cent; Zn, 37.86; Pb, 1.88. In this study the lead content was disregarded and the alloy was considered to be equivalent to an alloy of 61.40 per cent copper and 35.60 per cent zinc (9812 parts = 100 parts). The possibility that the lead might obstruct or accelerate the precipitation of alpha was not studied. The lead appears as black globules in the photomicrographs and has a negligible solubility in the alloy.

Jan 1, 1932

By Linn M. Farish

The estimated production of petroleum in the Dominion of Canada for 1931 was 1,582,000 bbl., an increase of 60,000 bbl. over 1930. Nearly all of the production came from Alberta, with a small quantity from Ontario, and a very minor amount reported from New Brunswick. At the beginning of 1931 it was hoped, and predicted, that a substantial increase in production would be shown for that year, but such was not the case, since Alberta did not show the anticipated gain. The production from Ontario and New Brunswick has not varied more than a few thousand barrels during the past 10 years and aggregated 124,000 bbl. in 1930, with 126,600 bbl. estimated for 1931. Unless new fields are discovered, production in 1932 will decline, with Ontario and New Brunswick showing little change and Alberta declining appreciably. Canadian production by provinces during the past 10 years is given in Table 1. Furnished by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. a Barrels of 35 Imperial gallons or 42 U. S. gallons. c Figures for Ontario and New Brunswick are estimated. The production of natural gas in Canada reached the record figure of 29,377,000,000 cu. ft. in 1930 and it is estimated at 26,874,600,000

Jan 1, 1932

Jan 1, 1932

By William O. Vanderburg

Some mines after passing through the prospecting stage and becoming sizable enterprises still adhere to the development program of the prospect, extending their workings without definite plans. In mining operations where definite structural conditions do not exist, a prearranged layout of mine development is not feasible; but where exploration and preliminary development have indicated the extent and probable limits within which the ore is expected, careful planning of development will result in a lowering of mining costs and a consequent increase is profits. A lack of definite plane for laying out mine workings is one of the contributory factors to unnecessarily high costs. Although this paper deals primarily with the influence of level spacing on mining costs, still other phases of mine development, such as the proper spacing of ore chutes and raises, can be analyzed on a cost basis in a similar manner, as shown herein. LEVEL SPACING The problem of establishing a new level or levels in order to exploit steeply dioping ore deposits and prospect the ground at depth recurs at intervals during the active life of mines. Driving levels is largely "dead work" and therefore costly. By the judicious selection of the proper level interval after balancing the opposing factors involved in the problem, a considerable saving in mining costs can be effected. Although much has been written in regard to the various methods employed in ore extraction, mining literature is still incomplete in regard to the factors-influencing level spacing at various mines. Level spacing involves procedures not lending themselves readily to description, and, moreover, it is a phase of mining operations that is apt to escape criticism, because only those in close contact with the operations are equipped with the necessary familiarity with the conditions to pass judgment.

Jan 1, 1932

By G. F. Loughlin

The subject of this lecture might well have been assigned to an economist or banker rather than to a geologist, but, as it was deliberately assigned to me, it is to be treated from a geologist's viewpoint. The term precious metals ordinarily includes the platinum group as well as gold and silver. Platinum, like silver, has had a great decline in price during the last few years, but has not been a medium of exchange and therefore has aroused comparatively little comment. Its relation to price level is like that of commodities in general, and will be dismissed without further comment. Of the two precious metals used as mediums of exchange gold, because of its adoption as the basis of most monetary systems and because of its threatened shortage in the near future; has been a subject of general concern to governments, financiers, and economists; silver, on the other hand, which has flooded the market of late has brought forth cries for help, direct or indirect, from producers and to a less extent from the largest users, especially China, whose purchasing power has been greatly curtailed, but it fails to arouse the interest that gold does. Many predictions have been made by economists, bankers, and others regarding future supply of gold and its effect on prices but the differences among these predictions are about as many as the number of prophets. Since gold is the standard by which the value of commodities as a whole is to be measured, it would seem that the greater the ratio of gold supply to commodities the higher the price level and vice

Jan 1, 1932

The income of the Institute is derived from dues, subscriptions to MINING AND METALLURGY and sale of publications. These sources are fortunately supplemented by the interest from invested funds now amounting to over $500,000, a considerable portion constituting endowments for especial purposes. Aside from the medal funds the principal endowments are the James Douglas Fund for support of the Library, the Rocky Mountain Fund and the Seeley W. Mudd Memorial Fund. The income from the two last named is available for the support of research and a variety of other purposes. It is allocated by the Board of Directors upon recommendation of standing committees in each case. An active effort is being made to increase the endowments of the Institute, it being felt that unusual opportunities exist for research and public and professional service through the organization and at a minimum of expense.

Jan 1, 1932

By Edwin C. Reeder

This paper, describing milling methods and costs at the Hillside Fluorspar Mines at Rosiclare, Ill., is one of a series being prepared for and published by the United States Bureau of Mines on non-metallic milling methods. The milling practice described is that of one of the large mines in the Kentucky-Illinois fluorspar field in southern Illinois and western Kentucky, on the Ohio River. Milling methods throughout the district are similar in their general principles, although details vary considerably in different plants.

Jan 1, 1932

By Will H. Coghill

FLOTATION has been so closely allied with the sulfide minerals and their early and associated oily reagents that the term "oil flotation" has erroneously been applied to the entire flotation process. Today, the term "chemical flotation" might be used to advantage. Flotation literature has dealt primarily with the removal of sulfides. from non-sulfide gangues, and the separation of one sulfide from another.. Now, the application of the process to the separation of nonsulfide minerals is coming to the fore; and from the standpoint of the number of commercial minerals involved, the flotation of nonsulfides offers the larger field. Here, soap or soap-forming substances, such as the fatty acids and their derivatives, are used; hence there may well be a subdivision of the chemical flotation process called "soap flotation." Early experimenters learned that it was easy to form a froth or foam that would carry a part or all of the ore charge over the lip of the flotation machine; but this could not be regarded as flotation because of the lack of selectivity. Doubtless soap was one of the first reagents tried, and doubtless it was rejected on account of its gangue-carrying properties. Now this same gangue-carrying ability makes soap an acceptable reagent, for we are dealing with that, which among sulfides, is considered "gangue." As in the flotation of sulfides, so in the flotation of nonsulfides, the selective flocculation of the mineral and the dispersion of the gangue are the first objectives. In fact, these two phenomena epitomize flotation. They depend upon the unlike surface properties of the respective minerals; and, as long as the components of an ore have unlike surface properties, a separation is possible, at least in theory. Often in nonsulfide flotation it makes little difference which mineral floats and which is depressed; generally only a separation is sought.

Jan 1, 1932

By C. E. Sims, G. A. Lillieqvist

The following presentation is more a summation of observations made and conclusions drawn over a period of three to four years than a report of experiments made with a definite objective. Tests were made, of course, to verify hypotheses, but the large mass of data was collected incidental to other work. Lack of space forbids the presentation of more than a few of those data. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that some of the most illustrative examples are not available. The work is admittedly incomplete but is presented in the hope that it will stimulate further work along a similar line. The answers to many of the questions left unanswered by this paper will be found only after long and painstaking study, such as is scarcely possible in a commercial laboratory where problems of immediate importance consume most of the time. It is also hoped that this study will in some measure throw light on some of the dark spots of steelmaking, and help to clarify some of the annoyingly vague references to "good practice." Only cast steel was studied and the conclusions apply to cast steel, but it is the authors' opinion that the quality of rolled or forged steel is largely dependent on the quality of the ingot, which is a casting. Although this discussion deals almost entirely with inclusions, it is important that the reader understand that only those natural inclusions which owe their origin to the solubility of certain materials in steel and to the chemical reactions of steelmaking are considered. Accidental inclusions, such as entrapped particles of slag, nozzle, runner, or mold arc outside its province and are not considered. Such accidental inclusions are always dangerous and should be carefully avoided. Relation between Ductility and Nonmetallic Inclusions In September, 1928, an acid electric furnace was put into operation at the Indiana Harbor plant of the American Steel Foundries. Following the usual practice, aluminum additions were made in order to obtain sound castings. Immediately the problem of low ductility arose. Previous to that time, only open-hearth steel was produced, and, aluminum being used rarely in that steel, there had been practically no trouble with low ductility in the lower carbon range.

Jan 1, 1932

The Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties. United Engineering Trustees, Inc. When Mr. Carnegie made his gift which made possible a home for the engineering societies, a separate corporation was organized to act as a holding company and to manage the common property. This was long known as the United Engineering Society, but the name has now hen changed to one which more nearly reflects the real function of the corporation. It holds title to the Engineering Societies Building and to various funds placed in its charge and is managed by a Board of Trustees, of which three are chosen by each of the four societies, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical

Jan 1, 1932