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By Carle R. Hayward

SulphuR has long been one of the banes of the steel manufacturer and often no effort and expense have been spared in order to reduce it to a small per cent. in the finished product. This condition is due to a general conviction that in many cases where steels have failed in service, sulphur has been the cause. But there has been a growing feeling in recent years that the verdict against sulphur has been unnecessarily severe. In cases of segregation it was present in. augmented amounts along with other impurities, but it had not caused the segregation. High sulphur in pig iron is caused by poor furnace conditions and the sulphur is merely one indication of an iron that has not been properly reduced. No amount of subsequent treatment under oxidizing conditions in the open-hearth furnace can remedy the defects, although the per cent. of sulphur may be considerably reduced. In other words, the causes of bad steel can frequently be traced back to bad pig iron, and sulphur is merely one indication that the pig iron is bad. The writer recently visited a steel plant where a mass of evidence had been accumulated which substantiated this fact, and the superintendent was emphatic in stating that high sulphur was not harmful provided the steel was not otherwise poor due to insufficient reduction in the blast furnace. The presence of a moderate amount of sulphur is desirable from the standpoint of the man who machines the steel. The low-sulphur material drags and the production of a smooth surface is very difficult. A slight increase in sulphur enables the machinist to produce a smooth surface without difficulty. Since, therefore, such large quantities of steel are subjected to machining, it becomes highly important that the sulphur controversy should be settled, and if its presence is proved to be harmless the ban on it should be lifted. Among the recent papers on the effect of sulphur on steel is one by Dr. J. S. Unger, Manager of the Central Research Bureau, Carnegie Steel

Jan 1, 1917

Iron and Steel ALBERT SAUVEUR, Chairman. A. A. STEVENSON. Vice-Chairman. HERBERT M. BOYLSTON, Secretary, Abbot Bldg., Harvard Sq., Cambridge, Mass. GUILLIAEM AERTSEN, HENRY M. HOWE, E. GYBBON SPILSBURY, JOHN BIRKINBINE. ROBERT W. HUNT, J. 8. UNGER, WILLIAM H. BLAUVELT, J. E. JOHNSON, JR.. FELIX A. VOGEL, CHARLES A. BUCK, CHARLES KIRCHHOFF, LEONARD WALDO, ERNEST F. BURCHARD, RICHARD MOLDENKE. WILLIAM R. WALKER, FRANK D. CARNEY, CHARLES F. RAND, WILLIAM R. WEBSTER JAMES GAYLEY, JOSEPH W. RICHARD$, FREDERICK W. WOOD. HENRY D. HIBBARD, C. F. W. RYS,

Jan 1, 1917

By E. G. Dean

A method of top slicing has been devised at the Miami Copper Co.'s mine at Miami, Aria., which differs radically in some ways from the customary methods of top slicing. The area of that section of the orebody in which top slicing is used is about 800 ft. square. The ore, while for the most part soft, is, nevertheless, considerably harder than the capping. The latter is siliceous, seldom containing any clay or other binding material, and breaks into fine particles so that it runs like sand if given the opportunity. Because of these facts, and because the ore is above the average grade of the mine ore, it has been mined by top slicing. Haulage levels are opened up 150 ft. apart, vertically, with two sub-levels between at 50-ft. intervals, to facilitate the putting up of ore chutes. These sublevels are used during slicing for distributing air in the ventilation system. On the haulage level the drifts are spaced on 50-ft. centers, and raises along these drifts are also spaced on 50-ft. centers, except the incline raises as hereafter noted. The raises are cribbed where necessary. Where the wear will be excessive, 1/4-in. iron plates are spiked to the top of every third set of cribbing, for its protection. When top slicing was first used, an attempt was made to carry a slicing face from fifty to several hundred feet long. Timber and other supplies were brought in through long drifts from an auxiliary shaft. Great difficulty was experienced in keeping these drifts open, the side pressure breaking the posts and the top weight breaking both caps and posts. Furthermore, the men could not work efficiently while these drifts were being repaired. The slicing faces advanced irregularly, due to varying conditions, and in many ways the results were not all that could be desired. It was then decided to divide the slicing area into blocks 200 ft. square and this was later changed to 250 ft. square. At the center of each block a two-compartment raise is put up as a supply raise, the compartments being 2 ft. 6 in. and 4 ft. by 4 ft. 4 in., the smaller being used as a manway. Station sets of 12 by 12 timber with

Jan 1, 1917

By R. J. Wysor

Since the outbreak of the European war, few problems of raw-material supply have commanded more nation-wide attention than potash. It is well known that before the war the domestic production of potash was an insignificant percentage of the imports. The average annual importation of raw potash salts for several years prior to 1914 was slightly over 300,000 net tons, and of other potash manure salts about 700,000 tons. The sudden and almost total cessation of these imports created a unique and stringent situation. Methods of recovering potash from feldspar and other native mineral sources, and reclamation from hitherto waste products, have received a marked impetus. Soaring prices have been a keen incentive to research and industrial development. Although several brief articles concerning the possibilities of potash recovery have appeared in recent trade journals, it still may be a matter of some surprise to the average technical mind that potash might be reclaimed as a profitable byproduct in the manufacture of pig iron. At the present time it may be of special interest to present some data, largely of a technical nature, on this subject. A fairly thorough search of the literature reveals a number of articles concerning salts of the alkali metals in the blast furnace. Many of them deal with the theoretical rôle of alkali cyanides in the furnace. Several discuss the probable effect of the alkalies on the furnace brickwork. Two or three ambitious patents have been granted for reclaiming potash or other products from blast-furnace gas. However, we have heard nothing further as to the practical application of these patents. Little literature of importance has appeared during the last 10 years concerning alkalies in blast-furnace practice, and I have discovered no record whatsoever as to the actual sale or commercial disposal of flue dust for its potash content until this was inaugurated in our plant at Bethlehem. A bibliography of the most important articles discovered is appended. About 4 years ago, in the course of investigating blast-furnace stove efficiencies, I analyzed the fine, yellowish fume of which a considerable

Jan 1, 1917

For the year ending February, 1917 PRESIDENT L. D. RICKETTS,1. NEW YORK, N. Y. PAST PRESIDENTS BENJAMIN B. THAYER,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS,2 : NEW YORK, N.Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS,1 NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE,1 . NEW YORK, N.Y. SECRETARY EMERITUS ROSSITER W. RAYMOND, NEW YORK,. N. Y. SECRETARY BRADLEY STOUGHTON NEW YORK, N.Y.

Jan 1, 1917

Through the generosity of Sir Robert Hadfield, Honorary Member, the Directors of the American Institute of Mining Engineers are enabled to announce the Hadfield Research Prize of $1,000 for the best contribution to the publications of the Institute upon the general subject of The Different Forms and Combinations of Carbon with Iron, including those in Iron Alloys. The prize will be awarded at the Annual Meeting of the Institute in February, 1916, to the best paper upon this subject which is presented to the Institute before Nov. 1, 1915, provided such paper is deemed worthy by the Institute's Iron and Steel Committee. The following suggestions are also added for the guidance of those who may take part in this research. While it is not desired to define closely the exact lines or scope of the proposed research, as it is advisable to make these as broad as possible, the object in mind may be said to be generally as follows: To elaborate and find out the best methods of determining the forms of carbon in steel or iron, including those in iron alloys. A portion of the work would probably be a continuation of the researches which have in the past been carried out by Jullien, Abel, Muller, Ledebur, T. Sterry Hunt, Akerman, Arnold, Stead, E. D. Campbell, Hogg, Parry, Upton, and others.Through the generosity of Sir Robert Hadfield, Honorary Member, the Directors of the American Institute of Mining Engineers are enabled to announce the Hadfield Research Prize of $1,000 for the best contribu¬tion to the publications of the Institute upon the general subject of The Different Forms and Combinations of Carbon with Iron, including those in Iron Alloys. The prize will be awarded at the Annual Meeting of the Institute in February, 1916, to the best paper upon this subject which is presented to the Institute before Nov. 1, 1915, provided such paper is deemed worthy by the Institute's Iron and Steel Committee. The following suggestions are also added for the guidance of those who may take part in this research. While it is not desired to define closely the exact lines or scope of the proposed research, as it is advisable to make these as broad as possible, the object in mind may be said to be generally as follows: To elaborate and find out the best methods of determining the forms of carbon in steel or iron, including those in iron alloys. A portion of the work would probably be a continuation of the researches which have in the past been carried out by Jullien, Abel, Muller, Ledebur, T. Sterry Hunt, Akerman, Arnold, Stead, E. D. Campbell, Hogg, Parry, Upton, and others.

Jan 1, 1917

By Linn Bradley, W. W. Strong, H. D. Egbert

Marked differences of opinion have been expressed by engineers interested in cleaning iron blast-furnace gases for use in hot-blast stoves and under boilers, in reference to the advantages of a hot-dry method over a cold-wet method. One point at issue involves the sensible heat energy in the moisture contained in the gas. Some advocates of the cold-wet methods claim that the condensation and resultant removal of the greater portion of this contained moisture by wet scrubbing, spraying or similar methods, results in a saving of some of this sensible heat energy, by reason of the fact that water vapor has a high capacity for sensible heat energy and may carry from the exit of a hot-blast stove, for example, more heat units than are sacrificed or lost when the gas is cleaned by this cold-wet method. Other advantages claimed for the latter method are: That gas burns more readily when it is free from moisture in any form; that because gas is made denser by cooling and removing the moisture it has a higher calorific value than hot gas carrying moisture; and that higher flame temperatures are obtained when the gas is cleaned by the cold-wet method. A search through the available literature fails to disclose any extensive calculations or records of conditions obtained in practice, bearing upon these phases of gas cleaning. This paper deals with these problems from the standpoint of the economy of using a gas of higher flame temperatures, of improved stove design, and of economy in the gas-cleaning department. Calculations have been made which show that by cleaning the gases by a cold-wet method the sensible heat energy of the blast-furnace gases is greatly reduced; and, in general, this loss of heat energy is far greater than that lost from the stoves or boilers due to the sensible heat capacity of the water vapor if carried away by the exit gases. By making use of the

Jan 1, 1917

By T. M. Daulton, Chester F. Lee

The Atlin Mining District is in the northwest corner of the Province of British Columbia. Ruby Creek, where the operation to be described is situated, is 17 miles east of the town of Atlin and about 18 miles south of the south line of Yukon Territory (Fig. 1). Gold was discovered in the district in January, 1898, and the production to date from placer mines has been $4,518,000, according to the reports of the Minister of Mines for the province. Geology The essential points in the regional geology are given in the following paragraphs. Long erosion produced a plane-like surface slightly above sea level with a few peaks and ridges.' A gradual uplift followed and erosion increased, the streams cut deeper, the cuts so made being afterward increased by glaciation. The ice straightened and planed the slopes of the main valleys and widened and lowered their floors, in some cases flooring the valleys with silt, sand, gravel, and clay. As the glaciers rapidly retreated, lakes were formed. As to the origin of the gold, J. C. Gwillim says? "The Surprise granite has been carried northward toward Gladys Lake and Teslin, and the granite of the great plateau on the Taku trail was found in blocks on the opposite range across Hurricane River 10 miles north of its original position. Otherwise there is little evidence of far removed material, the boulders of the lake shore and creek beds being of local appearance. This appears to strengthen the opinion that the placer gold had its origin within the drainage basins where it is now found." In the gold-bearing creeks of the Atlin district there are two "runs"

Jan 1, 1917

By David B. Scott

When mining operations were first instituted in the mines of the Miami Copper Co., at Miami, Ariz., the relatively hard character of the ground in the western section of the property made it seem advisable to use a wide shrinkage stope and pillar system. The system as finally evolved was applied to the mining of 2,300,000 tons of ore by the use of stopes and pillars each 50 ft. in width. Development, mining and extraction of this reserve has been continuously in progress since 1910, and the final stages of extraction are now reached. A complete survey of all phases of this system can therefore be made. Modification in working methods was obviously necessary, and the system to be described is believed to be typical of the best features. Development The preliminary work had three main objectives: The opening of a haulage level, the construction of a drawing-off level, and the driving of sublevels for use in stoping. In addition to these, some extra sublevel drifting was necessary to determine exactly the boundaries of the orebody, the general outline having been determined by churn drilling. This development was based on the requirements of stopes 50 ft. wide, with pillars 50 ft. wide between each stope. The length of these units varied from 200 to 500 ft.. Haulage Level The tramming level was 50 ft. below the floor of the stopes, and the tramming lines were run parallel with the long axis of the stopes. These lines were also beneath the middle of the stopes and pillars. Each line therefore served one stope or one pillar, this arrangement making it possible to load along an entire stope without switching or uncoupling. This advantage is apparent principally during the process of stoping when rapid drawing of excess broken ore is desirable. Furthermore, the arrangement of the drawing-off level chutes at 25-ft. intervals, as shown

Jan 1, 1917

By E. D. Gardner

Apparently the widespread agitation for the codification of our mining laws has had its effect, and it is quite possible that Congress will take up the question during this present session. The greatest objection to our present statutes pertaining to metalliferous deposits seems to be directed against the law of the apex. Those who are not in favor of changing this law are very far in the minority and they apparently realize that it is useless to urge its retention. Next in importance to the repeal of the law of the apex, seems to be a widespread advocacy for the repeal of the law requiring discovery of mineral before a valid location of a mining claim can be made. To a lesser extent there appears to be a desire to have the law changed so as to allow patent for claims without mineral discoveries. The purpose of this article is to review the arguments in favor of the proposed change of the discovery requirement, to show some of the evils that may be expected to result therefrom, and to consider whether a system may be devised to correct the undesirable features of the present law in this respect and at the same time not expose the mining fraternity and the general public to the evils which would result from the repeal of this fundamental requirement. Under the law as at present framed, the validity of a mining location is dependent upon the fact of discovery of mineral within the boundaries of the land claimed. " * * * but no location of a mining claim shall be made until the discovery of the vein or lode within the limits of the claim located" (Sec. 2,320, U. S. Rev. Stat.). All authorities agree that discovery is the source of the miners' title. Lindley, in his valuable work on Mines (3d Ed., Sec. 335), lays down the rule in part as follows: "Discovery is the initial fact. Without that no right can be acquired. * * * Such discovery must precede the location, or be in advance of intervening rights. The proof of recording and marking a claim will not authorize the court to presume a discovery." As is well stated by the U. S. Supreme Court in Erhard v. Boaro (113 U.S. 536):

Jan 1, 1917

PRESIDENT PHILIP N. MOORE, ST. Louis, Mo. PAST PRESIDENTS WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS NEW YORK, N. Y. L. D. RICKETTS NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 1, 1917

Jan 1, 1917

PRESIDENT BENJAMIN B. THAYER, NEW YORK, N. Y. PAST PRESIDENTS JAMES F. KEMP, NEW YORK, N. Y. CHARLES F. RAND, NEW YORK, N. Y. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SIDNEY J. JENNINGS, NEW YORK, N. Y. TREASURER GEORGE C. STONE, NEW YORK, N. Y.

Jan 1, 1917

THOSE NOT MARKED ARE MEMBERS; MARKED THUS t ARE ASSOCIATES. HEAVY-FACED TYPE SIGNIFIES HONORARY MEMBERSHIP. JUNIOR MEMBERS ARE MARKED II. THE FIGURES AT THE END OF THE ADDRESS INDICATE THE YEAR OF ELECTION. AARONS, J. BOYD, Genl. Mgr., Chaffers G. M. Co., Boulder City, West. Australia. '05 ABADIE, EMILE R., Min. Engr Box 291, Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal. '76 ABBOTT, CLARENCE E., Genl. Supt., Iron Mines Div., 1405 Minnesota Ave., Bessemer, Ala. '04 ABBOTT, J. W., Min. Engr., "St. Omer," 123 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, Cal. '94 ABBOTT, Louis BENJAMIN, Chief Engr., Consolidation Coal Co., Elkhorn Div., Jenkins, Ky. '15 ABBOTT, ROBERT R., Met. Engr., Peerless Motor Car Co., Cleveland, Ohio. '12 ABE, ASAKA Yamagano G. M., Satsuma-Gori, Satsuma, Japan. '14 || ABRAHAMS, A. I., Student 1391 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. '14 tACKER, E. O'C., Met Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa. '86 ACKER, Louis K., JR., Min. Engr 565 Highland Place, Bellevue, Pa. '08 ADACHI, JINZOO 11 Shiba Park, Shiba-ku, Tokyo, Japan. '88 ADAMI, C. J., Min. Engr., St. Joseph and Doe Run Lead Companies, Bonne Terre, Mo. '12

Jan 1, 1917

By Robert E. Tally

Underground fires have been common in the mines of the United Verde Copper Co. for the past 22 years. The first fire started in the 300 Hampton stope in the fall of 1894, following a cave in that orebody. The soft and highly pyritic nature of the ores is responsible for most of these fires. Since ore characteristics, methods of mining and ventilation, have an important influence on mine fires, they will be described in this paper. Orebodies The ores are mostly chalcopyrite except on the upper levels where considerable chalcocite, black oxides and other secondary minerals occur. The orebodies are in the form of lenses and vary in size. Some are small, while others are several hundred feet in length by a hundred or more feet in width. These orebodies extend, in some cases, from the surface to the lowest levels of the mine and usually at a steep angle of inclination. There are three different classes of ores, classified in accordance with the gangue rock. The copper in all cases, except as above specified, is in the form of chalcopyrite. The largest and most important of these reserves are in a pyrite gangue. Next in order of importance are the schist ores and lastly the quartz porphyries. The pyrite, locally termed iron ores, average from 30 to 42 per cent. sulphur. The schist and quartz porphyries vary from 3 to 25 per cent. sulphur. Mining Methods All the orebodies were worked by the overhand square-set method of mining prior to 1908; since then the cut-and-fill, shrinkage and mill-hole systems have been largely employed. But 15 per cent. of the total tonnage now extracted is from timbered stopes. Most of this is from the upper levels where the ore is soft, heavy and more or less broken to the surface. Large reserves of these ores are being conserved for more efficient methods of mining.

Jan 1, 1917

By Guilliaem Aertsen

The derivation of the word tire (or tyre, as it is spelled in England) is obscure. Some dictionaries suggest that it is the aphetic form for "attire, covering," so called as being the outside covering or band of a wheel; also as a corruption of "tier," the band which holds, or "ties," the rest of the wheel together. One dictionary states: "The supposed derivation of the word is that bands were first used on wheels in the City of Tyre, Syria." In the infancy of railroads, the tracks consisted of flat bars of iron, spiked or bolted to the upper surfaces of longitudinal timbers, which, in turn, rested upon masonry foundations. Stone blocks installed for this purpose on the old Germantown & Norristown Railroad, now the Chestnut Hill branch of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway, were to be seen for many years on the right-of-way, north of what is now Wayne Junction, Philadelphia, Pa. The "cornerstone" of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was laid Apr. 4, 1828, and the fist locomotive in America was built by Peter Cooper at the St. Clair Works, Baltimore, Md., in 1829 "to demonstrate its adaptability to a curved road." It is believed that the first successful locomotive was built in Philadelphia by Tyler & Baldwin in 1832 for the Germantown & Norristown Railroad. Rufus Tyler and Matthias Baldwin were brothers-in-law; the latter's name will be identified with American locomotives until locomotives are forgotten. The wheels on these first locomotives, designed to run on this primitive rail, mere shod with plain iron bands, bent and welded. The flanges consisted of separate iron bands, bent sidewise,welded, and bolted to the sides of the wooden fellies, or rims. Before many years had elapsed the tires were fabricated of iron bands, rolled in one piece with the flange projection on the side. The tire for each wheel was bent and welded and subsequently attached to the wheel center by shrinkage, bolts, rivets and various mechanical devices. Germany is generally given the credit for first making such tires of

Jan 1, 1917

LIST OF THE MEETINGS OF THE INSTITUTE AND THEIR LOCALITIES FROM ITS ORGANIZATION Transactions Number Place Date Vol Page 1 Wilkes-Barre, Pa May, 1871 1 3 2 Bethlehem, Pa August, 1871 1 10 3 Troy, N Y November, 1871 1 13 4 Philadelphia, Pa February, 1872 1 17 5 New York, N Y May, 1872 1 20 6 Pittsburg, Pa October, 1872 1 25 7 Boston, Mass February, 1873 1 28 8 Philadelphia, Pa May, 1873 2 3 9 Easton, Pa October, 1873 2 7 10 New York, N Y February, 1874 211 11 St Louis, Mo May, 1874 3 3 12 Hazleton, Pa October, 1874 3 8 13 New Haven, Conn February, 1875 3 15 14 Dover, N J May, 1875 4 3 15 Cleveland, 0 October, 1875 4 9 16 Washington, D C February, 1876 4 18 17 Philadelphia, Pat June, 1876, 5 3 18 Philadelphia, Pa October, 1876 5 9 19 New York, N Y February, 1877 5 27 20 Wilkes-Barre, Pa May, 1877 6 3 21 Amenia, N Y October, 1877 6 10

Jan 1, 1917

Jan 1, 1917

The necessary funds have been provided for the award in 1915 of three prizes, respectively of $50, $30, and $20, for the best essays, or other papers, submitted in competition by Junior Members and Members of Affiliated Student Societies. The following rules for the competition are therefore established in accordance with the instructions of the Board of Directors May 22, 1914: (1) A competitor for the President's Prizes must be, at the time of submitting his essay, either a Junior Member or a Member of an Affiliated Student Society of this Institute.

Jan 1, 1917

By Henry Phelps Howland

During the last decade no topic has created more interest or received more thought among blast-furnace men than coke. One reason for this is, undoubtedly, the remarkable increase in the use of byproduct coke. Formerly our coke was made at a distance from the furnaces and by a distinct organization. There was little cooperation or development possible under these conditions. Today the situation is greatly changed. Much of our coke is made by the organization operating the furnaces and the coke oven is operated with the primary object of obtaining the best results in the blast furnace. The effect of changing the method of coke manufacture, even in some minor detail, is often felt almost immediately at the blast furnace. There naturally results one of the most valuable assets of the byproduct coke oven, i.e., the possibility of increased blast-furnace efficiency due to close observance and correct operation of the ovens. The results are evident, but often it is difficult correctly to account for them. In attacking the solution of a problem of as much importance as why one coke is better than another, there are facts which should be kept clearly in mind. The author hopes, in this paper, to bring out some points relative to the use of carbon in the blast furnace which will be of value in solving this question. GeÜner's Ideal Working Years ago GrÜner made a statement regarding the use of carbon in the blast furnace, which has been very generally accepted by metallurgical and blast-furnace men. I quote this theory as given by Prof. Richards on p. 248 of Metallurgical Calculations: "From the standpoint of the generation of the maximum quantity of heat in the furnace, GrÜner was right in formulating his dietum of the ideal working of a blast furnace, vie.: All the carbon burnt in the furnaee should be first oxidized at the tuyères to CO and all reduction of oxides above the tuyères should be caused by CO, which thus beeomes Co2."

Jan 1, 1917