Search Documents

By Robert :H. . Lesemann

I recently gave a talk at a seminar on mine development in the Eighties. I had to present CRU' s long-range market outlook for copper, lead, zinc, nickel, molybdenum and silver. In reviewing the recent history of each metal, and our projections, I tried to find some common pattern of behavior that could prove a guide in projecting future market behavior. When you sweep aside your input-output models and econometric equations, what you seem to be left with is this: "When a market goes through a prolonged period of price weakness, you can usually look forward to a period of considerable improvement. " "When a market goes through a prolonged period of price strength, you can always anticipate a prolonged period of price weakness." Stated another way, "The better things are, the worse they will get."

Jan 1, 1982

By D. S. G. Hanson

The Flin Flon Mine has been in production for over fifty years, and current mining is dependent on pillar and remnant recovery. One of the last major blocks of ore, and an important economic entity to the Mine, is the North Main Shaft Pillar. A rock mechanics program was initiated through under' ground instrumentation and other subsequent analyses, to establish the degree of instability as min¬ing progressed. Several studies have been and will be undertaken to evaluate the general stability, and possibly improve the chances of stability during pillar recovery. The North Main Shaft Pillar is immediately bounded by cemented cut and fill supporting rib stopes which inturn are bounded by slag and waste filled stopes. The min¬ing method involves a modified longhole open stoping and slag fil¬ling sequence for each mining block in a general mining upwards scheme.

Jan 1, 1983

By E. A. Anderson, P. W. Ramsey, E. J. Boyle

Only a few zinc-rich alloys are in commercial use today, and these depend largely upon solid solution effects for their desirable properties. Typical examples are rolled alloys containing about 1 Per cent of copper, with Or without additions of elements such as magnesium, and die-casting alloys containing about 4 Per cent of aluminum with small amounts of magnesium and sometimes copper." A number of elements are capable of forming alloys with zinc, Which do not enter into solid solution except in limited degree. The Present Paper considers One such system, zinc-titanium, in which alloys having potentially useful properties in the rolled form were found. Zinc-titanium System The zinc-rich portion of the zinc-titanium diagram, as determined by standard methods in this laboratory,3 is shown in Fig. I. The portion of the diagram of significance in the present work extends from 0 to about 0.5 per cent titanium. Gebhardt4 places the eutectic at 0.45 per cent, but the evidence in favor 01 the composition given in Fig. I is considerable. The solid solubility of titanium in zinc is very low indeed and possibly places these alloys in a somewhat different category from the commercial alloys previously mentioned. Alloy Preparation All of the alloys used in this work were prepared with titanium metal of 98.9 per cent purity. In most cases high-purity zinc (99.99 per cent) was used but sufficient work was done later to show that zinc of about high-grade composition would yield approximately equal results. Best practice in alloy manufacture seemed to be to prepare a zinc-titanium hardener by adding about 4 per cent of titanium metal to molten zinc and holding under a boric acid cover, with frequent stirrings, at 750°C, until the titanium had dissolved. The desired titanium content could readily be obtained in the final alloy by adding the calculated amount 01 this hardener. The alloys proved to be quite stable in composition, unless overheated, and, with reasonable temperature control, required no cover or flux to prevent loss of titanium content by oxidatioll, Hot-rollig Tests Three alloys containing, by analysis, 0.05, 0.12, and 0.23 per cent titanium were selected for preliminary study. Slab cross sections a a marked grain refinement* (Fig. 2) in the two alloys of highest titanium content. Cast unalloyed zinc has a columnar grain structure similar to that shown for the alloy of lowest titanium content but without the scatter of small equiaxed grains at the center.

Jan 1, 1944

By P. W. Ramsey, E. J. Boyle, E. A. Anderson

Only a few zinc-rich alloys are in commercial use today, and these depend largely upon solid solution effects for their desirable properties. Typical examples are rolled alloys containing about 1 Per cent of copper, with Or without additions of elements such as magnesium, and die-casting alloys containing about 4 Per cent of aluminum with small amounts of magnesium and sometimes copper." A number of elements are capable of forming alloys with zinc, Which do not enter into solid solution except in limited degree. The Present Paper considers One such system, zinc-titanium, in which alloys having potentially useful properties in the rolled form were found. Zinc-titanium System The zinc-rich portion of the zinc-titanium diagram, as determined by standard methods in this laboratory,3 is shown in Fig. I. The portion of the diagram of significance in the present work extends from 0 to about 0.5 per cent titanium. Gebhardt4 places the eutectic at 0.45 per cent, but the evidence in favor 01 the composition given in Fig. I is considerable. The solid solubility of titanium in zinc is very low indeed and possibly places these alloys in a somewhat different category from the commercial alloys previously mentioned. Alloy Preparation All of the alloys used in this work were prepared with titanium metal of 98.9 per cent purity. In most cases high-purity zinc (99.99 per cent) was used but sufficient work was done later to show that zinc of about high-grade composition would yield approximately equal results. Best practice in alloy manufacture seemed to be to prepare a zinc-titanium hardener by adding about 4 per cent of titanium metal to molten zinc and holding under a boric acid cover, with frequent stirrings, at 750°C, until the titanium had dissolved. The desired titanium content could readily be obtained in the final alloy by adding the calculated amount 01 this hardener. The alloys proved to be quite stable in composition, unless overheated, and, with reasonable temperature control, required no cover or flux to prevent loss of titanium content by oxidatioll, Hot-rollig Tests Three alloys containing, by analysis, 0.05, 0.12, and 0.23 per cent titanium were selected for preliminary study. Slab cross sections a a marked grain refinement* (Fig. 2) in the two alloys of highest titanium content. Cast unalloyed zinc has a columnar grain structure similar to that shown for the alloy of lowest titanium content but without the scatter of small equiaxed grains at the center.

Jan 1, 1944

By James A. McGurty, Walter J. Koshuba, Samuel G. Gordon, Gilbert E. Klein

ONE of the problems encountered in working with metals at elevated temperatures is the instability resulting from solid-solid diffusion at a -common interface. A determination of the nature and magnitude of this phenomenon is important as related to structural properties of materials potentially useful in high temperature applications. This paper is concerned with the solid state reaction between metallic molybdenum and beryllium at elevated temperatures. In the older literature,' there were no known inter-metallic compounds in the system Be-Mo, and the list of beryllium intermetallics was rather small. New compilations have been made by Smithells' and by Taylor," listing all the then known beryllium binary intermetallic compounds. In addition to these, some new phases have just been reported' in the system Zr-Be and some further compounds of the type MBe,3 have been currently described. The new compound MoBe,, which is reported upon in this paper differs considerably from the above mentioned MBe13 group, and will be discussed in detail. Diffusion Study The nature of the solid diffusion at a Mo-Be interface was determined by sealing a beryllium rod inside a molybdenum capsule and heating at a temperature of 2000°F' (1100°C) for 100 hr. The molybdenum capsule was fabricated from % in. swaged molybdenum rod obtained from the Fansteel Metallurgical Corp. The beryllium metal was obtained from Brush Beryllium Corp. as % in. cold-drawn rod. This material assayed 99.05 pct Be and contained as impurities 0.84 pct Be0 and 0.19 pct Be2C. The molybdenum capsule was % in. in OD x 2 in. long. To prepare it, a concentric hole 0.250 in. + 0.001 in. — 0.000 in. in diam was drilled and reamed in one end of a rod to a depth of 1 '/2 in. A 1 in. long beryllium rod 0.250 in. + 0.000 in. — 0.001 in. in diam was pressed into the molybdenum capsule. A molybdenum plug 0.250 in. & 0.001 in. in diam x 9/16 in. long was then used to seal the beryllium in place. The capsules were placed in a molybdenum resistance furnace and heated at 2000°F (1100°C) for 100 hr. On cooling, the specimens were cut and examined metallographically. Fig. 1 is a micrograph at X250 of a portion of the interface from a transverse section. Four phases are clearly visible, with sharp boundaries between them. Phase A is a section of the molybdenum capsule; phase B is the molybdenum-rich intermetallic composition MoBe,; phase C is the beryllium-rich compound MoBe13; phase D is a section of the beryllium rod. All phases were readily polished to a high metallic luster. The molybdenum-rich phase has a pronounced purple tinge. The beryllium-rich phase (C) is only slightly darker than the pure beryllium. In polarized reflected light, however, it shows striking birefringence between crossed Nicols. The black areas represent flaws or pores in the material. A small representative amount of powdered material from each of the phases was carefully removed under the microscope with a diamond tool. With this material, powder X-ray diffraction patterns were made for the identification of each phase. Table I lists the X-ray diffraction spacings and corresponding indexes characteristic of these intermetallic compounds. Synthesis To establish the formula of the new intermetallic compound, X-ray diffraction patterns were made from powders obtained from solidified melts of known composition. The syntheses were made by

Jan 1, 1952

By E. A. Gulbransen, J. W. Hickman

IN a previous paper1 the authors have investigated the structure of the oxide films formed on most of the metals that make up the alloys of this study. The metals were studied in order to provide basic information on the structures, both physical and chemical, of the oxide films and to determine how these structures are effected by the temperature, time of oxidation, and surface preparation. It was felt that an understanding of the physical and chemical structure as well as the stability of the oxide film might furnish clues as to the nature of the reaction process and the protective quality of the film. The oxidation of the metals was studied over the temperature range 300° to 700°C. except for copper, where the range selected was 100° to 500°C. The results of these studies were presented in graphical form as existence diagram, of the oxides on a time-temperature scale. For some of the metals the existence diagrams were simple and showed few chemical transitions, but there were numerous cases where the physical state of the oxide surface was a function of time and temperature. In general the physical state of the oxide surface changed with increasing temperature so as to increase the sharpness of the diffraction patterns and to cause orientation effects to be more pronounced. Deviations in lattice parameters from X-ray values were noted. In general these deviations were of positive nature and may be due to solid solution of the metal in the oxide lattice. This effect might be expected in thin oxide films. In a study of the oxidation of alloys containing two or more metals, there may arise the complicating factor of identification of the oxides formed. A thorough understanding of the oxides formed on the pure metals, therefore, was, essential before investigation of the oxidation of alloys. In this paper it is our purpose to present a study of the following problems: I The existence diagrams of various alloys. [2.] The effect of the structure of the [ying] metal on the existence diagram of Iron. 3. The effect of the percentage of chromium on the oxides formed on Fe-Cr alloys. 4. The relationships, if any, between the oxides formed and the protective quality of the oxides. The following alloys are included in this study: alloys of iron with body- centered cubic, face-centered cubic and other metals, 13 Cr-Fe, 18-8 stainless steel, K42B1 Nichrome V, Hipernik, Inconel, Stellite " 21," Refractaloy, Kovar, mild steel, a series of Cr-Fe alloys and a series of Co-Fe alloys. Since many of the commercial alloys in this list contain more than two metals, various complicating factors in the identification of the oxides formed may arise.

Jan 1, 1946

By Theodore B. Comstock

The existing topographical features of the United States present many points of interest to the student of dynamical geology, but there is, perhaps, no subject which offers a more promising field for investigation than the relations between the geological structure and the mineralogical characteristics of the principal mining districts. There are seven prominent culminating points in the relief of North America, each one of which can be used as a type of the physical features of all the others. Again, if we divide these seven elevated districts into two sets, we shall discover a still more striking parallelism between the individual members of each group. But the most remarkable revelation is the fact that each one of these points is more or less closely the centre of an area of economically important mineral resources. It is interesting to note in this connection that six of these mineral tracts lie mainly within the borders of the United States, three of them being almost wholly in our territory. For

Jan 1, 1883

By Arthur F. L. Bell

Prior to 1908 the oil production in the State of California had been almost entirely a heavy fuel oil, with a high flash point, but changed within a short period to a large percentage of refining oil with a low flash, by reason of the heavy production of light oil coming in from the Santa Maria field, the Midway field, and the increased production of the Fullerton field. This is clearly shown in the following tabulation of California's pro- The bringing in of these high percentages of light oil with their dangerous low flash and the increasing demand for the refined products necessitated the devising of some cheap and efficient means of quickly separating the lighter elements either in the field or at the main distributing points; also it became necessary to remove the excessive percentage of water which many of the light oils carried in emulsion. Union Oil Co. Port Harford Plant Probably the first important attempt to top light oil in California by other means than the ordinary stills was tried about 1908 by the Union Oil Co., at its plant at Port Harford, San Luis Obispo County, with Santa Maria oils. The process was the invention of Hubert G. Burroughs who afterward obtained a patent for the process, No. 998,837, dated July 25, 1911. The apparatus used consisted of a series of 12-in. pipes mounted in units of three pipes, one above the other, the crude oil being admitted to the upper pipe and filling it about two-thirds of its

Jan 1, 1916

By Eugene R. Rice

(Canal Zone Meeting, November, 1910.) THERE are many methods for determining the meridian, but all of those in common use involve at least two separate observations, one for latitude and one for azimuth. Such observations made upon a south star at any hour are open to the objection of possible inaccuracy due to ignorance of the absolute refraction, and also to slow change in the altitude of the star when near the meridian. The method of observing a circumpolar star at elongation, besides requiring a separate observation for latitude, is open to the serious objection that clouds may obscure the star at the critical moment. Moreover, a tedious wait for the star to come to elongation is sometimes necessary. Many of us can recall long, cold, weary vigils, waiting for Polaris to reach elongation. For observing a circumpolar star at any hour, not only the latitude, but also the true time, must be known. This it is practically impossible to obtain, except in regions reached by the telegraph, and usually then one has to know the longitude also, in order to reduce "standard time" to "local time." The results obtained by this method, when the star is at culmination, are not very good, unless the true local time is absolutely known. The methods of obtaining the meridian from the sun, by means of a solar attachment, or by direct observation, while good, are not absolute, by reason of refraction, change in declination of the sun, and small change in vertical angle, when the sun is near the meridian. For these two methods, latitude, time, and approximate longitude have to be known. In the method here described, only one observation is needed, and from it azimuth, latitude, and sidereal time are computed. In other words, one can observe a circumpolar star-Polaris

Nov 1, 1910

By W. A. Backofen, G. Y. Chin, W. F. Hosford

The ductile fracturing process was studied in single-crystal and poly cvystalline aluminum deformed in tension over a temperature range from 295° to 4.2°K. At temperatures as low as 77°K, the fracture of "inclusion-free" material, including zone-refined aluminum, was by rupture (-100 pct RA). At 4.2 OK, fracture was brought on by adia-batic shear. Metallographic examination did not disclose any voids or slip-band microcracks, thus negating for inherently ductile metals any mechanism of void nucleation by vacancy condensation or of cracking due to dislocation pile-ups. In Izigh-purity aluminum not treated to be inclusion-free, fracture at temperatures as low as 45°K was of the double-cup type and a result of void formation. The reduction-of-area decreased as temperature was lowered, corresponding to the earlier appearance of voids. Such behavior was rationalized in terms of a larger increase, with decreasing temperature, in the .flow stress relative to the strength of the inclusion-matrix interface. Evidence for low-temperature adiabatic shear was found in discontinuous flow at 4.2"K, in the transition to a localized shear fracture at low temperatures, and in the suppression of shear fracture with an elastically hard pulling device. A simple analysis for the initiation of adiabatic shew permitted a general correlation of the various contributing factors. It has been pointed out that the duration of shear depends upon effective mass and elastic stiffness of the deformation system. IT has long been recognized that fracture* may Throughout this paper, the term "fracture" is taken to mean any process that results in the separation of a material into two (or more) parts. Thus rupture as it may be encountered in a tension test leading to 100 pct reduction-of-area is included in this category. occur in a ductile mode, and that the process can be of great practical as well as general interest. Much information about ductile fracture has also been accumulated over this period, but only recently has an understanding of mechanism begun to appear. Ludwik,' in 1926, first reported fracture in a tensile specimen starting with a central crack in the necked section. Since then, other studies have disclosed that such cracks may form by the coalescence of voids nucleated in this region where hydrostatic tension is highest.2-4 Rogers and Crussard et al.' have emphasized void formation and reori-entation along localized shear bands as a mode of crack propagation. pines6 has considered the tensile rod as a bundle of fibers joined by weak interfaces, which subsequently separate to allow individual fiber contraction. The notion of cavity growth and coalescence by purely plastic processes was discussed by Cottrell: who added that the tensile reduction-of-area ought not to be sensitive to temperature. On the other hand, it has been observed that the reduction-of-area is greatly increased if tests are carried out at high temperaturesa or under high hydrostatic pressure.' Fracturing anisotropy in wrought products lends support to the idea of void formation from preexisting flaws strongly aligned by earlier processing.''-l2 There is evidence that many voids result from the fracturing of inclusions or separation at the inclusion-matrix interface Another possibility is that voids grow out of pore volume produced in the initial solidification and never fully removed in later working. In general, a structure 3f particles, pores, and weak interfaces can be expected, at least in materials of engineering interest. Vacancy condensation has been suggested as an alternative mechanism of void formation for materials considered to be inclusion-free.13 Yet experience has shown that tensile reduction-of-area increases with purity, to the extreme of rupture as so often observed in single crystals. Adiabatic shear has an important bearing on ductile fracture. It occurs when the decrease of flow stress, as a result of local temperature rise from heat generated during straining, becomes larger than the increase due to strain and strain-rate hardening. As demonstrated by experiments on punching of plates,14 a large temperature rise may be brought about by rapid straining. Adiabatic flow as a result of the high strain rate reached in an ordinary tensile specimen just prior to separation may account for the cone formation in cup-and-cone fracture;14 evidence of such local heating has been presented.15 For geometrical reasons, however, pure sliding along the conical surfaces is unlikely, and separation under tensile forces is probably an important accompanying feature of the shear.7 In deformation processing operations, a high shear-strain rate may exist at boundaries between plas-

Jan 1, 1964

By Heribert Wiedemeier, Ali Khan

The tetnperature-conposition phase diagram of the syste,n MnS-CdS has been investigated over a range fro)n 600° to 1000° C. The small degree of solid solution on the MnS rich slde cornpared to the large CdS rich single-plzase region could be esplained by the difference in strzrctures of the cotnponents and the relative sizes of the metal ions. The change in lattice parameter as a function of cot)zposition is linear atzd jollous Vegavd's rule within experittzental limits of error. Mns and CdS have gained considerable attention in recent years because of their interesting solid state properties. In order to investigate such properties and thermodynamic quantities of mixed compositions of transition metal chalcogenides, it is necessary to establish their phase diagrams. Two earlier publications are concerned with the MnS-CdS system. Schnaase' found complete miscibility when MnS and CdS were co-precipitated in aqueous solutions at room temperature. However, there is evidence that the mixed crystals were not stable over the entire range of composition. roger's' investigation of the ternary system ZnS-CdS-MnS at 900" C indicates a solution of 48 mole pct MnS in CdS. During the course of this work which covers a temperature range from 600" to 100O° C, emphasis has been placed on the use of high-purity materials and well-defined modifications of starting products. EXPERIMENTAL Starting Materials. The stable green modification of MnS with NaCl structure was prepared by direct fusion of the elements and by chemical transport reaction. Stoichiometric amounts of manganese of 99.99+ pct purity and of sulfur of 99.999 pct purity from Gallard-Schlesinger Corp. were sealed in an evacuated quartz tube at a pressure of 10"5 mm Hg and annealed for 48 to 60 hr at 800°C. The quartz tubes used throughout this work were outgassed under high vacuum at a temperature of 90OU to 1000° C for 12 to 18 hr. For the synthesis of MnS by chemical transport3 stoichiometric ratios of elemental manganese and sulfur and small amounts of iodine were sealed under vacuum in a quartz tube, which was placed in the temperature gradient, 900/800-C, of a two zone furnace. Single crystals of MnS in form of platelets and octahedra were deposited at the cooler end of the tube. The manganese content was determined by EDTA titratin. A typical result of several analyses was 63.05 pct Mn which agreed well with the computed value, 63.14 pct. Commercially available CdS of 99.9+ pct purity, a mixture of the cubic and hexagonal forms, was converted into the hexagonal high-temperature modification by annealing CdS under vacuum in quartz tubes at 700° C for about 36 hr. As a second method, cadmium sulfide was transported in a temperature gradient, 70O° /650" C, with in vacuo sublimed iodine from the hot to the cooler zone of the tube. Large sized crystals in form of hexagonal columns and some platelets were obtained. An average result of the cadmium analysis by EDTA titration4 was 77.93 pct in good agreement with the computed value, 77.81 pct. Only the NaCl modification of MnS and the wurtzite modification of CdS were used for the solid solutions. Preparation of Solid Solutions. Finely powdered MnS and CdS samples were thoroughly mixed in molar ratios and compressed into pellets of about 6 mm diam and 2 mm in height at a pressure of approximately 13,500 atm.

Jan 1, 1969

By Hugh S. Spence

IN the winter of 1941-42, muscovite mica was discovered by a young prospector, Justin Purdy, in the township of Mattawan, Nipissing District, Ontario, a few miles north of the small settlement of Eau Claire, which lies on the main Transcontinental Highway (No. 17) between Mattawa and North Bay. Muscovite had been known for many years to occur in the general Mattawa region, and various small efforts at production had previously been made by individuals working scattered deposits in the area. These minor activities, however, had never led to production of any consequence or the discovery of any important mica bodies. The Purdy finds were made in a heavily timbered, mountainous area lying about three miles north of the low-lying settled land along the highway, and in a section not hitherto prospected. The mica taken by Purdy and two partners from surface outcrops proved so remarkable in point of size of trimmed sheets that the find attracted considerable attention, and the area surrounding the three claims taken up by the prospectors was quickly blanket-staked by various interests. Though a number of other mica-bearing pegmatite dikes were 'found later on these stakings, none proved as rich as those on the original Purdy ground; very little commercial mica was obtained from them and attempts to develop them were short-lived. Purdy and his partners sold their initial production to dealers in Ottawa and Hull, where the Canadian mica industry long has centered. Young Purdy, unfortunately was killed in a motor accident in the early summer of 1942. His father continued mining operations for a few months and produced and sold a considerable amount of mica. In October 1942 the Purdy holdings were acquired by Inspiration Mining and Development Co. of Amos, Quebec, which had been active in staking in the area. This company formed a subsidiary, Purdy Mica Mines, Limited, to develop the property. Under the energetic management of Joseph R. Norrie, rapid progress was made, and production soon attained important proportions. Realizing from the outset the unusual character and potential value in the war effort of the Purdy discovery, the Metals Controller, Department of Munitions and Supply, at once arranged with the Department of Mines and Resources for an official geological report on the area, and also drew the attention of the War Production Board in Washington to what seemed likely to prove a highly important source of strategic-quality mica. Officials of WPB were sent up in the summer of 1942 to inspect the property,

Jan 1, 1947

By A. F. Colombo, R. T. Sorensen, D. W. Frommer

An analytical method has been developed and used in batch and continuous tests to provide initial insights into the effect of soluble calcium ion in anionic flotation of silica from iron ores. A deficiency or excess of calcium ion in pulps subjected to this type of flotation produces an impairment in flotation efficiency. Data developed in the investigation are from a single ore, but show that total calcium requirement is met from water, ore and reagent sources. In batch studies, starch additions were shown to exert no influence on the calcium level, but fatty acid and sodium hydroxide had subtractive effects. The investigation was next extended to continuous flotation testing where the general observations from batch testing were confirmed. Factorially designed experiments were performed showing that the relationship of calcium additions to flotation response was not a simple one, but tended to shift to higher additions with increased fatty acid. Nevertheless, the range of soluble calcium levels measured remained fairly constant in areas of good flotation response. It is concluded that techniques developed should be useful in removing empiricism from flotation operations in this and other systems requiring activation for success. Further development should aid in process control both through methods outlined and through investigations aimed at studying the effects of other soluble reagents. Of the major mineral commodities, iron ore was one of the last to succumb to flotation processing. Commenting on this fact, one of the speakers 1 at the convention celebrating the 50th Anniversary of flotation in the U.S.A., said ". . . in 1951 froth flotation as a means of beneficiating nonferrous minerals was a might giant and could be characterized by 'you name it, we float' - but not iron ore". This tardiness in applying flotation to iron ores was the result of a number of factors, including economics and ready availability of direct shipping ores. Even now, when the need for beneficiation can no longer be denied, proposals for flotation of iron ores are apt to be viewed with some misgivings. This disquiet results from knowledge that wide variability, which would necessitate corresponding adjustments in reagents, often exist within even a single ore deposit. Coupled with ore variability is the fact that, at present, there is no way of quickly and precisely anticipating the direction and magnitude of reagent changes required for uninterrupted production of acceptable concentrates. Despite the long delay, iron ore flotation is now practiced commercially, although the chief applications2-4 are to specular hematites having relatively coarse liberation and low slime content. In addition, the application of flotation in upgrading magnetic concentrates seems assured. However, these flotation methods do not appear applicable to substantial tonnages of fine grained, earthy, and frequently more complex semitaconites and nonmagnetic taconites. The U.S. Bureau of Mines, in devoting its attention to the semitaconite and nonmagnetic taconite class of materials, has demonstrated that anionic flotation of calcium-activated silica can be utilized with an expected high frequency of success.' Even so, it has been recognized that the flotation method is a complex one, and that the reagent suite must be carefully tailored to the feed. These conditions would be expected to offer difficulties in treating ores with the wide range of variability previously discussed. Accordingly, research was initiated to develop methods to remove much of the empiricism from the flotation operation by measuring the reagent variables within the pulp for a correlation with flotation response. A simple illustration of the technique sought would be in the well established use of pH meters to provide feedback control to reagent feeders and thereby limit acidity or alkalinity to a range producing optimum results. The first efforts in this area have been concerned with measurements of soluble calcium ion. Bureau experience in both laboratory and pilot plant over the past five years has proved that the amount of calcium

Jan 1, 1965

By AIME AIME

MOTHER example of the broad field that is covered by the mining industry is the recent erection by the Phelps Dodge Corp. of a modern hospital building at Douglas, Ariz., and an identical one at the rejuvenated mining town of Morenci. Managers of even small mining properties are often called upon to build schools, houses, stores, maybe a jail, and provide sanitary arrangements, possibly the while acting as mayor of the town. Those who direct larger properties may have to build hospitals, as in the present instance, construct sewage disposal plants, and sometimes even build and manage railroads. A mining camp achieves its reputation among mining men not entirely by the grade or amount of its ore, or the skill of the operating staff in mining and milling it at a profit-the operation soon acquires a reputation as either a desirable or an undesirable place to live, regardless of its remoteness from what is euphemistically termed civilization. Such a community is indeed fortunate if it can boast of a good hospital.

Jan 1, 1940

WHEN Magma Copper Company in 1952 set about finding $100,000,000 to finance the project of developing and equipping the property of its lusty progeny, the San Manuel Copper Corporation, A. J. McNab, president and guiding genius for both companies (and incidentally a mining engineer by profession), determined that he would avoid the mistake frequently made in such circumstances, of underestimating the cost, and thereby running short of funds before the job was completed. The fear that this might happen was one of the reasons why insurance companies, one potent source of "big" money, were reluctant to finance the enterprise. How, they asked themselves, would Magma, a relatively small company, get additional money in such a contingency? Insurance officials' thumbs were turned down. Conditions Imposed by R.F.C. The upshot was the negotiation by Mr. McNab for San Manuel of a contract with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, dated July 10, 1952, whereby needed monies in amount up to $94,000,000 would be advanced as a loan, bearing 5 per cent interest. Arrangements were made for the separate financing of the new $10,000,000 town, needed for the project, through the Del E. Webb Construction Company of Phoenix, Arizona, and M.O.W. Homes, Incorporated, of Los Angeles. Thus the $94,000,000 drawing account was believed ample to provide for building the railroad, the mine plant, the concentrator, and the smelter, as well as for the underground development of the mine needed to start production. As a matter of fact, only

Jan 1, 1957

By G. R. Gohn, S. M. Arnold

The results of stress-corrosion tests upon several non-ferrous sheet metals are presented in this paper. The metals include tough pitch copper, five binary brasses, two leaded brasses, one copper-silicon alloy, two tin bronzes, and two nickel-silver alloys. The tests indicate that for most of these sheet metals, externally applied bending stresses below the yield point (0.01 per cent offset) do not result in stress-corrosion cracking as determined by the A.S.T.M. Tentative Method of Mercurous Nitrate Test for Copper and Copper Alloys (B 154-41T).~ Only in the cases of low brass, high brass and medium leaded brass, all cold-worked 4 B & S numbers hard, was any corrosion cracking observed below the yield strength, and in all cases such failures occurred at stresses above the proportional limit for these materials. However, when some of the same materials which showed no evidence of stress-corrosion cracking at stresses below the yield strength, are stressed beyond the yield point, stress- corrosion cracking is quite apt to occur. Since experience has shown that some of these materials, particularly the brasses, are susceptible to stress-corrosion cracking under service conditions, these tests would indicate that, besides externally applied stress and corrosion, plastic deformation in addition to that resulting from the original cold working of the material is also required to produce conditions conducive to stress- corrosion cracking.

Jan 1, 1945

By Roland D. Parks

Corundum, little publicized as an industrial abrasive, has, in its small way, contributed greatly to the production of many specialized items vital to our war program and to Our allies. Optical elements Of the highest quality for range finders, bombsights, and scientific instruments; precision metal parts for torpedoes and airplane engines; quartz crystal plates for military radios; armorplate and malleable castings for tanks and guns; and eyeglasses for everyone; these are some Of the products that corundum has helped to produce in the quantities needed and on time. Unlike metals and many other raw materials, corundum is not incorporated into any Of these finished products. It is simply a grinding medium used to produce the desired finish or precision; an operating supply or tool, so to speak. With a Mobs' scale index of 9, corundum ranks next to the diamond in hardness among the natural minerals and is superior to emery and garnet. The gem varieties of corundum, including the Oriental ruby and sapphire, are frequently more highly prized as jewels than the diamond. It is the intent Of this paper to deal Only with a description of the corundum industry, the administration of wartime control, and certain economic aspects as seen by the author. Several references are listed to assist anyone who wishes further information on the geological occurrence of the mineral. Ore Production and Consumption For the past two decades, south Africa has been the world's sole producer of corundum ore. A possible exception is Russia, where, it is understood, there was considerable production during the thirties for domestic consumption but for which statistics are lacking. The United States is the world's principal consumer of corundum ore; imports lor the period 1934 through 1940 averaging 3000 Short tons per year, The years 1935 and 1936 were close to the 5000-ton mark, and imports during 1941, the last prewar year for which statistics have been released, were approximately 6000 Short tons. Again lacking statistics on Russia, the United Kingdom ranks second, but far below the United States in consumption of ore. Historically, corundum has been found in some 35 countries throughout the world, but the principal deposits are in South Africa, Canada, Madagascar, Russia and the united States. Deposits are generally small and subject to rapid exhaustion. Thus, the United States was the principal world producer for the period 1870 to 1900, when operations ceased except for two years during World War I. India was a producer of ore from 1898 through 1921, with peak output in 1916 through 1918 Canada came into production in 1901 with substantial output of ore and finished grain until 1914; the production thereafter was smaller until 1921. Madagascar has produced ore since 1910 but has had important output in only a few scattered years. South African production started in 1912

Jan 1, 1948

By Roland D. Parks

Corundum, little publicized as an industrial abrasive, has, in its small way, contributed greatly to the production of many specialized items vital to our war program and to Our allies. Optical elements Of the highest quality for range finders, bombsights, and scientific instruments; precision metal parts for torpedoes and airplane engines; quartz crystal plates for military radios; armorplate and malleable castings for tanks and guns; and eyeglasses for everyone; these are some Of the products that corundum has helped to produce in the quantities needed and on time. Unlike metals and many other raw materials, corundum is not incorporated into any Of these finished products. It is simply a grinding medium used to produce the desired finish or precision; an operating supply or tool, so to speak. With a Mobs' scale index of 9, corundum ranks next to the diamond in hardness among the natural minerals and is superior to emery and garnet. The gem varieties of corundum, including the Oriental ruby and sapphire, are frequently more highly prized as jewels than the diamond. It is the intent Of this paper to deal Only with a description of the corundum industry, the administration of wartime control, and certain economic aspects as seen by the author. Several references are listed to assist anyone who wishes further information on the geological occurrence of the mineral. Ore Production and Consumption For the past two decades, south Africa has been the world's sole producer of corundum ore. A possible exception is Russia, where, it is understood, there was considerable production during the thirties for domestic consumption but for which statistics are lacking. The United States is the world's principal consumer of corundum ore; imports lor the period 1934 through 1940 averaging 3000 Short tons per year, The years 1935 and 1936 were close to the 5000-ton mark, and imports during 1941, the last prewar year for which statistics have been released, were approximately 6000 Short tons. Again lacking statistics on Russia, the United Kingdom ranks second, but far below the United States in consumption of ore. Historically, corundum has been found in some 35 countries throughout the world, but the principal deposits are in South Africa, Canada, Madagascar, Russia and the united States. Deposits are generally small and subject to rapid exhaustion. Thus, the United States was the principal world producer for the period 1870 to 1900, when operations ceased except for two years during World War I. India was a producer of ore from 1898 through 1921, with peak output in 1916 through 1918 Canada came into production in 1901 with substantial output of ore and finished grain until 1914; the production thereafter was smaller until 1921. Madagascar has produced ore since 1910 but has had important output in only a few scattered years. South African production started in 1912

Jan 1, 1948

By William Campbell

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, a 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-pro-ducts—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-

Jan 1, 1913

By S. R. Seagle, R. Schuhmann, N. A. Parlee

Rates of CO evolution and CO absorption were measured for liquid-iron alloys containing from 0.15 to 4.4 pet C, using a modified Sieverts apparatus. The alloys were held in alumina crucibles, so that both crucible-metal and gas-metal reactions occurred simultaneously. The data are interpreted on the hypothesis that the C-O reaction rate is controlled by oxygen diffusion across the boundary layers at the gas-metal and crucible-metal surfaces. CARBON-monoxide evolution from liquid Fe-C-0 alloys is a key reaction in steelmaking processes, both in the steelmaking furnace and in the ingot mold. Also, this reaction probably is an essential step in the desulfurization of iron under blast-furnace conditions, for which carbon is the principal reducing agent or deoxidizer present in the iron. The thermodynamic properties of the solutions of C and 0 in Fe and the equilibria of these solutions with gaseous CO and CO, have been investigated in some detail and are reasonably well understood. However, while these equilibrium data have accumulated in the laboratory, other data have accumulated to show that equilibrium conditions are often not achieved under plant operating conditions. Thus, an understanding of the rate and mechanism of the carbon-oxygen reaction not only has theoretical interest, but ultimately may assume considerable practical importance. Reaction Mechanisms and Rate Equations The over-all reaction under consideration is C (in liquid Fe) + 0 (in liquid Fe) + CO (gas) [I] Although this appears to be a straightforward heterogeneous reaction, involving just two phases (liquid metal and gas), a wide variety of reaction mechanisms has been proposed. Different authors have expressed divergent views as to the nature of the rate-controlling steps. Accordingly, a brief discussion of the possible reaction steps will be given. 1) Homogeneous Reaction Within Liquid Iron— Feild' and Jette2 have applied chemical reaction-rate theory as if the C-0 reaction were a homogeneous, second-order reaction occurring within the liquid-metal phase. This mechanism necessarily produces CO "molecules" dissolved in liquid iron. In order to yield CO gas, the dissolved CO must nucleate CO gas bubbles, and the dissolved CO also must be transported to the bubble surface where it enters the gas phase. However, this mechanism is inconsistent with present concepts of the structure of liquid-metal solutions. 2) Reaction at Gas-Metal Interface—At the surface of contact between gas and metal, a second-order reaction between dissolved C and 0 may occur to produce a CO molecule which enters the gas phase. This reaction presumably involves an "activated complex" structure in the interface. Some such surface mechanism appears essential because the carbon and oxygen do not occur in the same species in the two phases and therefore must react in some way at the surface. At liquid-iron temperatures, calculations based on reaction-rate theory indicate that the surface reaction must proceed extremely rapidly and thus cannot be a rate-determining step in the C-O reaction under ordinary conditions.3 ccordingly when the over-all reaction is measurably slow, the surface reaction may be considered at equilibrium; that is Cc* Co* = m'Pco [2] in which Co* and Co* are the concentrations of carbon and oxygen (weight per unit volume of metal), respectively, in the liquid-metal phase at the interface, Poo* is partial pressure of CO in the gas phase at the surface (atmospheres), and m' is the mass-action constant for Reaction [I]. Since activities of C and 0 are not strictly proportional to concentrations, m' is not a true thermodynamic equilibrium constant but varies with carbon content.' 3) Mass Transport—If the reaction is to proceed at the gas-metal surface, as described above, dissolved carbon and oxygen in the liquid iron must come to the surface and gaseous carbon monoxide must move away from the surface. Details of the mass-transport mechanisms depend on the kind of system under consideration. For a stirred metal bath in contact with a CO gas phase, the transport of C and 0 to the surface can be described by 1 Do Mols CO evolved per sec = — 1/16— Do/do Agm (CO-Co*) = 1/12 Do/do Agm *(Co-Co*) [3] In this equation, Do and D, are the diffusion constants for oxygen and carbon in liquid iron, 6, and 6,. are the boundary-layer thicknesses, A,,,, is the

Jan 1, 1959