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By T. B. Massalski, Horace Pops

Martensitic transformations were observed by optical metallography and electrical-resistivity measurements during cooling at cryogenic temperatures of the bcc pr-phase Au-Zn alloys. The com-position dependence of the MS, MF, AS , and AF temperatures have been determined. It is concluded that the martensitic platelets which grow mainly in the lengthwise direction and which are associated with a very small temperature hysteresis are "thermoelastic" martensite. In some cases the observed structure seems to have no definite crys-tallographic habit or consists of a mixture of- plates and broad transformed areas. THE majority of the bcc /3-phase alloys in systems of copper, silver, and gold with zinc and cadmium are unstable at low temperatures and undergo a transformation upon further cooling into another structure. A large number of such transformations are martensitic. The composition dependence of the Ms temperatures has been determined and reported for CU-~n,' Ag-Cd,' and AU-C~~ alloys. The 50 at. pct ordered Au-Zn p' alloy has been reported by Jan and pearson4 to transform martensitically at 58°K in connection with their study of the de Haas-van Alphen effect The p' phase in the Au-Zn system has the ordered CsC1-type structure. The phase field is shown in Fig. 1: it has the typical V shape which is characteristic of all copper-, silver-, and gold-based binary /3-phase alloys. There appears to be no a priori reason why the transformation should be limited to the equiatomic composition and the availability of a cryogenic stage for optical metallography5 has permitted studies down to the liquid-helium temperature of a series of alloys in this system. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Predetermined weights of 99.999 pct pure gold and zinc were melted and cast under a partial atmosphere of helium in sealed quartz capsules. Thorough mixing of the molten metals was achieved by vigorous shaking, followed by a rapid quench into a brine solution. All ingots were homogenized at 640°C for 4 days. The loss in weight was usually less than 0.04 wt pct and was assumed to be due to

Jan 1, 1965

By R. C. Amero

FULLERS earth is a general name applied to claylike minerals that have high natural ad-sorptive powers. They are usually distinguished from ordinary clays by a higher content of combined moisture and a lower apparent density. The definition is based on the ancient use of the material for fulling, or cleansing woolen cloth of oil and grease; a more modern definition should mention the ability to decolorize oil and should differentiate between fullers earth, which is naturally active, and certain bentonites which only develop decolorizing power after being leached with strong mineral acids. The distinction between fullers earth and activable bentonite is not a sharp one, since all types of intermediate clays can be found that are more or less naturally active, yet more or less responsive to acid treatment. The differences seem to depend somewhat on the amount of leaching that has been effected by natural ground waters. Physical Properties The principal mineral constituent of activable bentonite is montmorillonite, a hydrous aluminum silicate to which the following formula is generally assigned: Al,Si,O,, (OH), • 12H,O Fullers earth, as well as bentonite, is usually composed of some variety of montmorillonite, but in the United States the largest tonnage of fullers earth is mined from deposits of attapulgite. Attapul- gite is a clay mineral composed of monoclinic crystals of colloidal size, having a fibrous shape similar to that of asbestos. A sectional model of the attapulgite "molecule" is shown in Fig. 1. A single unit is about 18.0 A wide and 12.9 A high. The length of the molecule is variable, but this same molecular pattern is repeated to form needlework crystals, rather than flakes, as is characteristic of the montmorillonite crystals. Attapulgite has been assigned the following formula,' although actually, the magnesia has been largely replaced by alumina: (0%) . (OH), • Mg, . Si, • Olp . 4H20. The fibrous nature of the mineral is clearly shown in the electron micrograph, Fig. 2. Although the deposits contain 5 to 30 pct quartz and carbonate minerals, impurities in the commercial products are held at a low level, principally by selective mining on the basis of oil decolorizing efficiency. The particle size distribution of this fullers earth has been estimated from settling rates, using sodium citrate as a dispersing agent.' Since Stokes' law only applies to spherical particles, the equivalent particle diameter calculated below is probably more nearly an index of diameter rather than length of the needlelike crystals: Eqnivalent Arbitrary Particle Distribution, Size Diameter Pci Classil3catian 0.05 mm 0.80 0.80 pct sand 0.05-0.02 mm 10.96 0.02-0.01 mm 9.65 42.10 pct silt 0.01-0.005 mm 11.40 0.005-0.002 mm 10.09 2-0.5 micron 10.61 0.5-0.2 micron 29.09 56.58 pct clay 0.2-0.05 micron 14.86 0.05 micron 1.96 The differential thermal analysis shown in Fig. 3 is unique and supports the theory that this is a distinct mineral species.' ~ Other general properties of the mineral as shown in Table I.

Jan 1, 1952

By W. J. Taylor

The discussion on my paper entitled "Experiments with a Straight or No-bosh Furnace," read at the Philadelphia Meeting, September, 1884 (Transactions, vol. xiii., p. 489), suggests the propriety of slipplementing it with another, giving my views as to the cause of the failure, which was so decided as to create surprise among furnace men. As then stated, the Chester (8. J.) furnace, which had been 60 feet high, and 13 feet in diameter at the bosh, was altered to an 8-foot bosh, with a 7-foot hearth, 7-foot stock-line, and 4-foot bell,

Jan 1, 1886

By J. R. Stone, J. T. Roy

ASARC09s continuous tapper for lead blast furnace is described. Its use throughout the company's plants has resulted in higher production rates, lower labor costs, and better working conditions. It has also permitted wide latitude in blast pressures, as well as in charge and slag compositions. The practice of tapping a lead blast furnace has remained essentially unchanged for many years. In principle, it is a batch operation discharging the products from the continuous smelting of lead-bearing materials. As such, it imposes certain restrictions on the proper functioning of the smelting operation. First, it calls for a highly developed sense of timing, and a considerable amount of physical effort on the part of the operator. Dirty and hot working conditions, as well as the hazards of flying metal and slag, usually prevail. These conditions have resulted in higher labor costs, both in rate and in amount. Labor turnover has also been high. Secondly, rigid control of mechanical and metallurgical factors must be maintained. Frequent oxygen lancing of the tap hole is needed to permit tapping, thereby increasing operating costs. Rapid increases in smelting rate, plugged tap holes, or forgetfulness on the part of the operator may permit the molten material to rise above the tuyeies and freeze the furnace. Also, the operator will often blow out the tap hole after draining, filling the area with fume. Composition of charge also vitally affects the tapping. The type of lead-bearing material being smelted will naturally affect the smelting rate, and thus the frequency of tapping. The amounts and types of fluxing materials, which determine the ultimate fluidity of the slag, must be regidly controlled. Finally, the batch tapping of a continuous smelting operation of this type appears to be wrong in principle. The molten material drains into the crucible at the bottom of the furnace where it starts cooling immediately and continues to cool until tapped out. While keeping the lead molten is no particular problem, maintaining a fluid slag at all times is often difficult, and sometimes impossible. These factors all point to the desirability of a method for the continuous tapping of a lead blast furnace. The expected advantages would be more desirable working conditions, lower labor costs, increased production, and a much wider latitude in both blast pressure and charge composition. CONTINUOUS TAPPING Historical. A number of devices, e.g., mechanical tappers, siphons, and lead wells, have been tried in the past in attempting to effect continuous tapping. None proved to be entirely satisfactory for tapping lead and slag simultaneously. It was not until 1955, however, that ASARCO designed and put into operation a successful tapping unit at its East Helena, Mont. lead smelter. This unit is described in detail in U.S. Patent NO. 2,890,951. Continuous Tapping Unit—See Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of the unit in place, showing front and side views. The component parts are identified in the caption. Fig. 2 is an actual photograph, front view, of the tapping unit attached to the base of the blast furnace. Operation. The operation of the tapping unit is quite simple. Essentially it consists of a narrow tapping bay surrounding the furnace tap hole, with a deep notch in the front wall. When the blast furnace is started this notch is open down to the level of the tap hole. Starting the furnace may be accomplished in several ways but the most satisfactory method is to plug the tap hole with clay, permitting metal and slag to build up inside the furnace. Before the liquid reaches the tuyeres, the plug is removed and the furnace is drained to the settler. The blast is then stopped momentarily while the notch in the front wall of the tapping bay is dammed with chrome brick and plastic chrome ore. The blast is again started, and the height of the dam is adjusted so that the liquid in the bay will counterbalance the internal pressure of the furnace. When the desired level is reached the slag and metal will overflow to the settler. It should be noted that the molten material ,is not siphoned from the furnace and that the metal 'acts as a liquid valve controlling the flow of slag through the tap hole. During normal operations the tapping bay is filled primarily with lead, covered with a thin layer of slag. Thus, the heavier lead plays the major role in compensating for variations in furnace pressures. Due to the high specific gravity of lead, changes in the liquid level in the tapping bay will never exceed a few inches. For this reason it is seldom necessary to change the height of the dam due to minor variations in operating conditions. Some turbulence of the liquid in the bay is essential at all times. This indicates that the level of the

Jan 1, 1963

By David A. Thomas, Eugene S. Meieran

MECHAMCAL, electrical, and other property measurements are often more easily made on wires than on sheets. In order to carry out transmission electron microscopy on the same material used for property determinations, we have developed a method for preparing thin foil specimens of wires. The technique was developed for 0.030 in. diam tungsten wires, and is a modification of the thinning techniques used by Wilsdorf, et al 1 A length of wire is first ground to about 0.010 in. thick by mounting the wire in low melting temperature wax, hand grinding a longitudinal flat, removing and reversing the wire in the mount, and then grinding a second parallel flat. The 0.030 in. wide and 0.010 in. thick strip is cut into 1/8 in. lengths to fit in the specimen holder of the electron microscope. Next the specimen is gripped in platinum-tipped tweezers (the anode) and placed 2 mm below a hol- low copper cathode with a 0.010 in. ID nozzle. Electrolyte, 10 pct NaOH, flows by gravity feed through the nozzle onto the specimen, as shown in Fig. l(a). Polishing is carried out until a shallow impression is made on one surface, and then the specimen is turned over and the opposite surface indented. The metal between the two impressions should be about half the specimen thickness, as is shown by the heavy line in the cross section in Fig. l(b). The entire specimen is then electropolishedin 2 pct NaOH until a hole appears at the location of the indentations. The apparatus is shown in Fig. 2, and is essentially the same as that used by Wilsdorf et al. at The Franklin Institute. Light is reflected by a mirror onto the bottom surface of the specimen! which is viewed by a stereoscopic microscope placed above it. Polishing is carried out until light is seen, indicating that a hole has formed, and then immediately stopped. The specimen is washed in water. alcohol, and ether, and is then ready for examination. The specimen should be reversed in its platinum clip during electropolishing to insure equal polishing on both sides of the impression. For tungsten, indenting at 120 v and 0.04 amp takes less than 1 min, and final polishing, at 10 v and 1 amp, less than 5 min. The portion of the specimen available for transmission microscopy surrounds the hole, as is seen by the dashed lines in Fig. l(b). Slight electroetch-ing accompanying electropolishing reveals the mi-crostructure, as seen in Fig. 3(a) by light microscopy. Low-magnification electron microscopy, as in Fig. 3(b), enables the same areas and grains to be viewed and identified when subsequently examined at high magnification. Fig. 4 is a typical structure of

Jan 1, 1963

By Donald A. Dahlstrom

The selection and sizing of filters depends on the characteristics of the type of filter and the feed slurry. In addition, the rate functions of cake formation, cake washing and cake dewatering must be determined in order to design the filter station on the basis of desired performance. This chapter discusses the applied theory used to determine the rate functions and illustrates how to incorporate these into the filter cycle to obtain the required objectives. This also permits the sizing of the filter and auxiliaries as well as the selection of the proper type of filter.

Jan 1, 1978

By Henry Howe

W. E. RUDER, Schenectady, N. Y.-In 1913 I presented a paper before this society on Grain Growth, and at that time it seemed to me that the only explanation for grain growth was that of critical strain. I do not think I published the photographs at the time, but I made some experiments on the effect of stretching sheets of metal. This allowed for fairly accurate determinations of the amount of cold deformation, At the time I worked-with silicon steel because one could see the change in grain growth with the naked eye. I stretched about 10-samples from 0.5 per cent. to 10 per cent., and, after heating to 1,050° C., I found that the maximum grain growth occurred at about 2 ½ per cent. cold deformation. This I designated "the critical strain" for maximum grain growth. About a year ago I talked with Prof. Jeffries, who explained to me his ideas of grain growth. It occurred to me that it would be a very easy thing to check the strain hypothesis against the strain and temperature hypothesis, if we took a certain number of these strips, strained exactly alike and heated to different temperatures; in that case the maximum grain growth ought to appear at a different percentage of deformation for each temperature. These experiments showed that there was, as Mr. Jeffries shows in his present paper, a decrease in germinative temperature with increased cold deformation. The samples were stretched from ½ to 8 per cent. and heated for 10 hr. in hydrogen. Samples were introduced into a furnace previously heated to temperature. A maximum grain growth was obtained at 5 per cent. deformation, when heated to 750° C.; at 2 ½ per cent. when heated to 800' C.; at 1 1/4 per cent., if heated at 950°C.; and at 5/8 per cent.. when heated at 1,100° C. This shows very clearly that the germinative temperature decreases with the increase in cold deformation. The growth was very much more marked, however, at the high temperature, i.e., the grain grew more rapidly and attained a much larger size than at lower temperature. In considering the photographs (Fig. A) those along the lateral edges should be ignored because.

Jan 4, 1917

By Fred C. Bond

JUST four years ago, in March, 1930, Gilbert LaBine discovered the rich deposit of pitchblende and silver ore on the east shore of Great Bear Lake, 30 -miles south of the Arctic Circle, which brought a new mining district into being. His original discovery is now the property of Eldorado Gold Mines, Ltd., but other groups have been active. Vigorous prospecting has outlined a mineralized zone that extends at least 100 miles from north to south. In this area silver discoveries have been relatively common; pitchblende, as might be expected, has been harder to find, though a deposit has been located this spring nearly 100 miles south of Eldorado that may be of great importance.

Jan 1, 1934

By AIME AIME

THE No. 9 mine of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Coal Mining Co., a subsidiary of M. A. Hanna & Co., at Fairpoint, Ohio, has normally produced about 1000 tons of coal daily for several years, but recently it was converted into an experimental mine to afford means of studying new methods and equipment under consideration for development and mining. Among other projects, the possibility of using a duck-bill, self- loading conveyor in driving entries, with a view of in- creasing the rate of progress where quick development is of importance was studied. Actual operation soon revealed that even though break-throughs are made ,every 60 ft., as required by the state mining laws, the :amount of natural Ventilation reaching the working face was not sufficient to supply the men and that in ,order to obtain a plentiful supply of pure. air and maximum efficiency and to avoid costly interruptions after shots, it was necessary to supply auxiliary ventilation by using Ventube and a Vano fan.

Jan 1, 1929

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 been 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 Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers, which have equal and undivided interests in the property. The land and building cost two million dollars. The interest of the Founders societies, aside from especial trust funds, is now valued at $1,987,793. The A. I. M. E. trustees are William H. Bassett, H. G. Moulton and R. M. Roosevelt. The President of the Board is Harold V. Coes and the Secretary, Alfred D. Flinn.

Jan 1, 1934

By Michael R. Cartwright

The Gold Acres outcrop was located by Lee Lakin in 1922, according to Mr. H. W. Treweek. There was no activity, however, until 1935, when prospect drifts and pits penetrated the deposit. It was then drilled by the Willow Creek Mining Company. Beginning in the late 1930s and continuing to the late 1940s more than 150 churn drill holes were drilled in the Gold Acres area. From this drilling came what is now known as the London Extension pit. Only oxidized ore amenable to cyanide vat leaching was mined during this time. Our records indicated that this period of mining removed some 1.4 Mt (1.5 million st) of ore at an average grade of 0.006 kg/ t (0.2 oz per st). Union Pacific and Newmont Mining Company worked in the area prior to acquisition by the Cortez Joint Venture. Union Pacific drilled a number of core holes in the area. The unoxidized nature of the ore, small tonnage, and low grade undoubtedly prevented mining at this time. From these indications of mineralization shown by previous companies, the Cortez Joint Venture developed and mined 2 Mt (2.4 million st) at 0.005 kg/t (0.15 oz per st) in the Gold Acres pit. This pit is located immediately southwest of the older London Extension pit. Cortez Gold Mines has continued to drill to the west and south of these pits along the downdip continuation of the former ore bodies. The downdip extension is unoxidized and more metallurgically difficult than the normal Carlin type ores, but, more than 2.4 Mt (2.7 million st) have been outlined. It depends now upon the gold price and milling costs to turn this mineralized area into an ore body. A possible lesson to be learned from this deposit is that continued mining success depends upon an ongoing adequately funded exploration-development-metallurgical research program. These three disciplines must always be present to locate the mineralization and to turn this mineralization into ore. [ ]

Jan 1, 1985

By O. T. Marzke, Robert F. Mehl

A study of the structures arising from the decomposition of the ß solid solutions in the Cu-Zn and the Cu-A1 systems is of peculiar interest in the study of the mechanism of precipitation from solid solutions. It is possible in these alloys, by varying the composition within the ß field, to precipitate from the same basic lattice phases having different lattice structures. It has been rather generally assumed heretofore that the type of structure originating from the decomposition of a solid solution— the Widmanstätten structure—-is determined by the lattice structure of the parent solid solution alone. In the first paper of this series1 evidence was advanced which threw doubt upon this hypothesis; but definite proof of the correctness or incorrectness of the hypothesis should be forthcoming from a study of these alloys, for if the structures originating, for example, from the precipitation of the a phase from ß and of the ? phase from the ß in the Cu-Zn system should be shown to be crystallographically different, the hypothesis would necessarily be held as definitely disproved. Furthermore, the newer proposal enunciated in the first paper of this series—that the origin of the Widmanstätten structure lies in a cooperation between the lattice of the parent solid solution and that of the precipitate-—which at present seems the only a1ternative hypothesis, would in such an event be given added weight. The work here reported shows that the Widmanstätten structures originating in the precipitation of the a phase from the ß and in the precipit'at.ion of the y phase from the y in the Cu-Zn system are indeed crystallographically different; and incidentally presents some new descriptive information on the Widmanstätten structure from a more general point, of view.

Jan 1, 1931

By Van Dyne Howbert, Fred E. Gray

The Presidio mine of The American Metal Co. of Texas is situated 45 miles south of Marfa, Texas, a town on the Southern Pacific R. R., and lies approximately 20 miles north of the Mexican border. Communication with the railroad is maintained over a state highway. All supplies for mine and mill are hauled in by truck from Marfa and precipitates and concentrates are freighted to the railroad by the same means and shipped to Selby and El Paso, respectively. The mill is at the town of Shafter, 1 mile from the mine and at approximately 350 ft. lower elevation. The ore is conveyed to it by an aerial tramway which requires practically no power on account of the difference in elevation. The mill is a countercurrent decantation cyanide and gravity concentrating plant of 200 tons daily capacity. Coarse and fine crushing are done at the mill. Two neal-by shallow wells in the bed of Cibolo Creek furnish an abundance of water. Power is generated for the mill and town by a Diesel engine plant. Ore Treated The ore is oxidized and siliceous. The greater part contains approximately 16 oz. of silver per ton, but mixed with this are many particles of ore of much higher grade, assaying in many instances 100 oz. or more. In the 16-oz. material there is an almost constant amount of silver which is difficult to recover by cyanidation. The high-grade material contains a much greater proportion of silver which is easily amenable to cyanide treatment. Thus, as the grade of ore becomes higher, the percentage of recovery of silver increases rapidly, under equal milling conditions. The silver minerals contained in the ore are principally argentite and cerargyrite, the former predominating The lead minerals, all of which are argentiferous, are chiefly cerussite and galena, with occasionally a little anglesite. The gold is free; most of the ore contains merely a trace

Jan 1, 1935

By Wolfgang Pitsch

INVESTIGATIONS on the above topic have recently been published by Shapiro and Kraussl and Jana and wayman in this journal and by Kessler and Pitsch.- Parts of the results in these papers are in good agreement with each other but there are also some results which are substantially different. The main points of these differences shall be briefly discussed in this communication. Shapiro and Krauss' measured single-surface traces of the habit planes of reversed austenite plates formed within the martensite crystals and deduced from these measurements two distinct habit planes A = (0.174; 0.309; 0.935) and B = (0.375; 0.545; 0.749) within 3 deg. Kessler and pitsch4 found instead by two-surface analysis7 one habit plane n = {0.23; 0.62: 0.75) with a real scatter of 6 deg. The latter observation of a single habit plane apart from a certain scatter is in agreement with most of the investigations of martensite transformations. The differences between these two results are so great that they cannot be explained by experimental error. The purpose of this communication is to show that the A- and B-poles of Shapiro and Krauss are due to an erroneous interpretation of a single-surface trace analysis. The difficulties in the interpretation of such single-surface trace analyses are due to the high symmetry of cubic lattices, from which it follows that there are in general twenty-four equivalent possibilities of plotting a single-surface trace in a pole figure. All these possibilities must be taken into account, when putting different traces from different plates together in order to construct the habit plane. Alternatively the poles of all the traces may be plotted in a unit triangle. This is done in Fig. 1 with twenty-nine traces of different reversed austenite plates, all of this were measured by Shapiro and Krauss in the same plane of a single martensite ther traces taken from Fig. 13 in the Shapiro and Krauss paper' which were determined by electron diffraction. The traces in Figs. 1 and 2 have to be compared with the habits A, B, and n which are under discussion. Therefore the great circles of the poles A, B, and n are plotted in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 together with a 3-deg scatter region for poles A, B and a 6-deg scatter region for pole n. Comparing Figs. 1 and 2 with Figs. 3, 4, and 5 one finds the statements which

Jan 1, 1969

By C. H. Mathewson

THIS paper was prepared upon request as a contribution to a symposium covering the manufacture, properties, and uses of the important non-ferrous metals. In approaching a subject as broad as this, there is a natural desire to build up a comprehensive and finished production which shall constitute a dependable source of information on all questions properly belonging to this branch of metal technology. There are, however, a number of circumstances, apart from the mere routine of labor and thought involved, which operate rather effectively against the possibility of completing such an ambitious program at the present time. First of all, as far as any public record of results is concerned, the commercial rolling, drawing, and forming of zinc with relation to changes of structure and properties-and this we consider to constitute the elements of metal technology-might as well be an unpractised art. We have never seen a published photomicrograph showing the structural characteristics of either hard or soft sheet or strip, although the structure of castings has been frequently described, and other coarse-grained structures resulting from hard-hammering and annealing have been reproduced. Thus, an author in this field must proceed to his task without much assistance from the literature, and the outcome can represent only a personal estimate of principles, facts, or findings, and not a summary

Jan 9, 1919

By Robert S. Lewis

Park City, Utah, elevation 7200 ft., is on the eastern slope of the Wasatch Mountains about 25 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, elevation 4200 ft. The town and surrounding mining district are served by two railroads: one, 28 miles long, is a branch of the Union Pacific R. R. and joins the main line at Echo; the other, 35 miles long, connects with the main line of the Denver & Rio Grande R. R. at Salt Lake City. The main shaft and important mine buildings, elevation about 8200 ft., of the Silver King Coalition Mines Co. are 11/2 miles by road to the southwest of Park City, and are near the head of Woodside Gulch. The property of this company is a consolidation of several groups of mining claims, and comprises an area that is roughly 4 miles long by 1 mile wide, the long axis of which has a N. 55" E. bearing. Geology A general geologic section through the property shows a basal formation of gray quartzite, called the Weber quartzite, above which seems to lie conformably the Park City formation. Both beds are of Carboniferous age. The Park City strata consist of a number of beds of limestone, with intercalated beds of quartzite, sandstone, and shale. The exact thickness is difficult to determine, but is apparently between 650 and 850 ft. Above the Park City beds and conformable with them lie the Woodside Shales. These thinly bedded fine-grained shales, about 1000 ft. in the thickness, are of no economic importance. They are overlain conformably by the Thaynes formation, which has about the same thickness and is composed of beds of limestone, sandstone, and shale. A thin bed of shale divides the formation into an upper and a lower part; the upper part contains more lime than the lower part. The Woodside shales and the Thaynes formation are of Triassic age. All the beds dip northwest, the dip is usually from 20" to 30°, but may be as great as 40°. In places, intrusions of diorite porphyry have deformed the beds. Marked faulting in zones of a northeast-southwest trend occurred after the intrusion of the porphyry. Later faulting in a

Jan 1, 1925

By W. T. Hicks

The oxidation of CbO was studied by a gravimetric technique from 400° to 1200°C in oxygen. In this temperature range the oxidatiotz is characterized by an irlductive period of low oxidation rate, which becomes shorter as the temperature increases, followed by a rapid parabolic oxidation. The oxidation of CbO cannot be rate controlling in the oxidation of Cb metal in the temperature range, 800° to 1200°C. A thin optically inactive layer has been observed between the metal and Cb2O5 layer of Cb oxidized at 700°C or higher temperatures. Figs. 1(a) and 1(b) show the edge of a sample of Cb reacted to 50 pct of complete oxidation at 800°C. Fig. l(a) taken under bright field illumination shows a layer of oxide adhering to the unoxidized metal core. Fig l(b) taken under polarized light shows that this oxide layer is

Jan 1, 1962

By Arthur F. Taggart

TO all Mineral Dressers, but particularly to those in the Coal and Industrial Minerals Divisions: Ted Counselman, retiring after two years at the helm of the Milling Committee, pointed with pride to the continued growth of that committee, and sang the swan song "Why ain't we a Division of Mineral Dressing?" Our genial Secretary pointed out, handily, that, you see, the way the Institute is divided there are several blocks running across this way here, and one running all the way down here, and another running part way down here, and they all cut across each other like this, and anyway the miners want to be a Division now, so why not you Mineral Dressers be good and not upset the big Institute organizational chart? And anyway again, Divisions have vested interests, and a Division of Mineral Dressing would take something away from Coal and something from Industrial Minerals, and any good institutional man can see that a Division would never give anything up. It was all quite confusing, and apparently not too convincing, because then the Milling Committee went ahead and voted unanimously it is a good idea, let's see what the other fellows think about it as well.

Jan 1, 1944

By Phillip Crowson

INTRODUCTION This discusses some of the economic risks and uncertainties which face any company investing in new mineral ventures. These differ mainly in degree rather than kind from other large capital intensive projects, except that economic risks are compounded with technical risks. Mines face a wide variety of physical risks, and in addition the ore reserves may not prove as ample, nor as amenable to treatment as the feasibility studies indicate. On the economic front, mineral projects are subject to risks of fluctuating prices and sales volumes, no matter where they are located, or how they are financed. Typically, they are heavy users of capital compared with their owners' internally generated funds. Long term debt of various types is still the favoured form of finance. A project's currencies and cost often differ from each other and from those of the parent company. Facing up to the various risks associated with fluctuating and uncertain revenues, interest rates and exchange rates are amongst the hardest tasks for natural resource companies. ATTITUDES TO THE MINING INDUSTRY Some have questioned whether the game itself is now worth playing. They have argued that the mining industry's mediocre rewards in the past decade have been insufficient, compared with the risks involved. They can see no prospect of dramatic improvement in the next decade. Demand is highly cyclical and tends to grow less rapidly than economic activity, as a whole. Barriers to entry are low in most mineral markets, but impediments to exit can be substantial. Exit is especially problematic in those minerals where there are large state shareholdings and/or where less developed countries are major producers. The consequence is claimed to be an endemic tendency to excess capacity, and prices barely adequate to cover marginal cash costs. Many of the petroleum companies that moved into mining with such high expectations in the late 1970s have retreated, often bearing the scars of heavy losses. Individual shareholders, taken collectively, place low valuations on their investments in mining companies. The price/earnings ratios of the major mineral producing companies are low compared with their historical averages and with those of other industries. PRICE: EARNINGS RATIOS (October 1988) [UK Industrials 12.0 RTZ 8.4 Cons Gold 12.2 US Industrials 13 - 13.4 Alcan Alcoa Amax Asarco Cyprus Minerals Freeport Copper Inco Inspiration Magma Copper Newmont Mining Nord Resources Phelps Dodge Reynolds Metal Canada TSE 300 10.6 Cominco 8.7 Falconbridge 5.3 Noranda 7.0 Rio Algom 7.2 Teck Corporation 17.] NOTE: Mining companies' p/e based on prospective 1988 earnings, from Kleinwort Benson Securities' weekly Mining World, October 1988. Until 1987, it was argued that share prices correctly reflected the companies' poor earnings potential. Subsequently, the argument has been that earnings have been unnaturally boosted by cyclically high metal prices. The stock market valuations, therefore, correctly reflect future earnings, or at least expected earnings. This seems to be a case of Heads, I win; Tails, you lose. The underlying analysis of metal markets appears

Jan 1, 1990

By John P. Harmon

This paper was written with two objects in view: (1) To describe in detail what has been done toward the ventilation of the main unit of the Portovelo mines and the results; (2) to give information that may be useful to anyone who may have to make a preliminary mine ventilation survey, with recommendations for the improvement of the existing system and finally the maintenance of the improved system. General Description The mining operations of the South American Development Co. at Portovelo, Province of El oro, Ecuador, are described here only briefly, as a full discussion does not fall within the scope of this paper. The orebodies are of the steeply dipping, gold quartz vein type, averaging about 2.0 meters wide. As shown in Fig. 1, the ore chutes are relatively far apart, making considerable development work necessary before connecting raises can be driven between the levels. Faulting' on a large scale and a parallel vein system have made long dead-end drifts and many crosscuts necessary in the exploration of veins. The ventilation of these dead ends is described under Auxiliary Ventilation. The method of mining2 is the filled rill stope method, similar to the method that is largely employed at the Butte mines. The main shaft of the mine is in the Amarillo Valley, on either side of which mountains rise abruptly to a height of several hundred feet above the collar of the shaft. Entrance is made to the mine: (1) Through the American shaft, which extends vertically from the surface to a depth of 1100 ft., of which only the first 700 ft. are in active use at the present time; (2) levels are driven from the American shaft at intervals of 30 m. (100 ft.), of which only the third, fifth and seventh levels need be considered in the ventilation problem; (3) adits at intervals of 30 m. (100 ft.), with a few exceptions, above the collar of the American shaft.

Jan 1, 1931