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Jan 1, 1951

By William P. Blake

It is scarcely necessary to point out the important functions of water in the mining operations of man, especially in the State of California, where sluicing and hydraulic mining have been practiced on such a grand scale as to arouse the opposition of the agricultural interests. But the role which water and ice have played in mining or excavating on their own account is not so apparent. The alluvions of existing rivers, and the higher gravel-beds left by ancient streams, are doubtless the result of running water; but how far these gravelly materials owe their origin primarily as rocky debris and fragments of veins to glacial erosion, it is difficult .to determine. Yet we see on every side in our higher mountains unmistakable evidences of the cutting, crushing and eroding effects of glacial ice. We note that mountain-summits have been reduced in height and shaped into rounded and dome-like summits. We know that the general contour of the hills of New England, of the Highlands of the Hudson, and of the mountains of northern New Jersey, is due to glacial carving. The same is true of the Laurentian hills of Canada and of the mountains of all northern regions. And we recognize in the vast deposits of so-called " drift," which are spread out over the surface of the northern States, the chips and debris from the glacial workshops. Thus we cannot avoid the conclusion that there was an enormous amount of cutting and excavating in glacial times, and that vast quantities of veinmaterial and of ores and metals must have been liberated by ice-action.

Jan 1, 1900

By Joseph Hartshorne

This plant is situated in the borough of Pottstown, on the banks of the Schuylkill river, between the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the Schuylkill Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, on a plot of about 125 acres, most of which is reserved for future extensions. About 45 acres are to be used for houses, 40 of which have already been built. The accompanying plan will give a clear idea of the general arrangement of the works. Beginning at the lower or eastern end, the first building is the basic-cinder grinding-plant. At present, it consists of a 2000 mm. Jenisch ball-mill (Kugelfallmühle) similar to those used so extensively for grinding basic cinder in Europe. It was built by Herman LÖhnert, of Bromberg. The mill is very simple in design, and efficient in execution. About 13 horse-power is required to run it, and the average output is 20,000 pounds in 10 hours. The best work we have done is 29,000 pounds in 10 hours, with perfectly dry cinder. From 95 to 98 per cent. of the product will pass through a sieve with 100 meshes to the inch, while from 70 to 75 per cent. will pass through a 150-mesh sieve. The mill has been in service since last March, part of the time on double-turn, and the renewals and repairs have been very slight. The product of the plant is sold as a fertilizer. It runs from 18 to 24 per cent. in phosphoric acid, about 14 of which is reverted. The merits of this fertilizer were explained by Mr. W. H. Morris, at the Baltimore meeting of February, 1892 (Trans., xxi., 232), and by Mr. W. B. Phillips, at the Birmingham meeting of 1888 (Trans., xvii., 84). The results obtained by its use in Europe, where over 600,000 tons were used last year, are well known. Near the cinder-grinding plant will be situated the new machineshop, which is now being erected. The next buildings contain the brick-making plant and ovens.

Jan 1, 1893

By A. D. Zunkel, A. H. Larson

Equilibrium antimony contents of pb-sb alloys in contact with PbO-Sb2O3 slags containing less than 45 mole pct Sb203 uleve determined at 650', 700°, and 750°C in an inert atmosphere. In this ten~pevature range, the antimony contmzt of the alloy increased with increasing temperature at all slag compositions. The PbO-Sb203 phase diagram below 28 mole pct Sb2O3 was determined by thermal analysis and by application of a log sbZ4/y$b0 us plot determined from the equilibrium-activity data. The resulting phase diagram showed a eutectic at a temperature of 604°C and a comfiosition of 21.6 mole pct Sb2O, with a maximum terminal solid solubility of Sb203 in PbO of 5.6 mole pct. These results are compared with existing data in the literature. In the past three decades, only a small amount of experimental work has been done on the slag-metal equilibria in the Pb-PbO-SbaO3 or the analogous arsenic and tin systems. These systems are important in commercial lead-refining processes such as softening and dross fuming since it is impurities such as antimony, arsenic, and tin in lead bullion and Sb2O3, As2O3, and SnOz in lead drosses which must be re-

Jan 1, 1968

By R. G. O’Meara, M. M. Fine

ONE of the principal activities of the Bureau of Mines connected with the recent war was to help to increase the supply of strategic and critical minerals. Fluorite was one of the most critical of the nonmetallic minerals because of the increased demand for it as a flux in basic open-hearth and electric steel furnaces and as a raw material for the production of artificial cryolite used in the aluminum industry. Wartime developments in the technology of hydrofluoric acid, such as the use of the anhydrous acid as a catalyst in production of high-octane gasoline and the use of organic fluorides as carriers for insecticides, also increased the demand for acid-grade fluorite.[t] In 1943 the consumption of acid-grade fluorite was advancing at a more rapid rate than production, and was only slightly less than production during the latter half of the year.1 The outlook for the postwar market for fluorite is encouraging. Steel production is expected to remain high until the domestic demand for commodities not manufactured during the war is satisfied. The uses for hydrofluoric acid are expected to increase under the impetus of war-initiated research. In consideration of these and other factors some authorities predict a postwar demand for fluorite equal to about 60 to 75 per cent of the wartime production.1,2 Others believe that the postwar fluorite industry will be permanently expanded over its prewar status.3 ACKNOWLEDGMENT This paper is one of many reporting on various aspects of the Bureau of Mines program directed toward the more effective utilization of our mineral resources. The program has been under the general supervision of R. S. Dean, Assistant Director, since July 1942. The scope of the paper falls in the province of the Metallurgical Branch, whose activities embrace the separation of difficultly beneficiated ores, the production of pure metals from domestic deposits, the exploitation of marginal ore reserves, the recovery of secondary metals, and the improvement of present industrial metallurgical practice. The investigation was initiated at the request of Mr. J. H. Steinmesch, vice-president and general manager, Minerva Oil Co., Eldorado, Ill. His hearty cooperation and helpful suggestions, and those of Mr. O. E. Anderson, mill superintendent,

Jan 1, 1946

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 A. W. Cochardt

THERE are a number of effects that can cause material damping or internal friction. Some of these are frequency dependent, such as the thermo-elastic effect' and the stress-induced ordering.' Others depend on the amplitude of vibration, i.e., the damping related to the motion of dislocations3 and that due to magneto-mechanical hysteresis.' While many of these effects have been studied, only the magneto-mechanical effect has found extensive practical application. It is the principal source of damping in the current blade material in steam turbines.A magneto-mechanical hysteresis loop is seen in Fig. 1. If an unmagnetized, polycrystalline wire of a material exhibiting magneto-mechanical hysteresis, such as an Fe-14 pct A1 alloy, is twisted in torsion, a relation between shear stress and shear strain y is observed as indicated. The stress-strain curve does not follow Hooke's law -dashed line. Instead, the strain y increases nonlinearly and partly irreversibly, due to the motion of ferromagnetic domain walls,* until a critical stress is reached, which in this case is about 3,500 psi. If the applied stress is raised further, the strain appears to increase linearly and reversibly in accordance with Hooke's law, since all domains are now aligned in easy directions of magnetization nearest to the direction of the applied stress, and plastic flow has not yet started noticeably. On removing the applied stress, a remanent shear strain y, is observed, which is related to the irreversible magnetostriction of the material.' The energy dissipated in the material during a stress-strain cycle is proportional to the critical stress t, and the remanent magnetostrictive shear strain 7,. The purpose of this investigation was to make a survey of the magneto-mechanical damping of ferro-

Jan 1, 1957

By E. C. Babson

In order to explore the possibility of predicting reservoir performance from laboratory data, behavior of a hypothetical low-permeability reservoir has been estimated by applying data and methods currently available in the literature. A method of calculating decline in productivity index is discussed, and recoveries by internal gas drive, external gas drive and water drive are estimated. Introduction During the life of a producing oil property an operator is faced with many perplexing problems. Any attempt to determine proper well spacing, optimum rate of production, or the desirability of pressure maintenance requires the evaluation not only of a host of economic and practical operating factors but also of the future performance of the reservoir. Although in some cases economic or operating con-siderations may be of primary importance in planning a development or production program, the anticipated effect on ultimate recovery is more likely to be the decisive factor. The soundest basis for evaluating reservoir performance is past experience with oil fields, but pertinent data are difficult to obtain or apply under conditions normally encountered in California fields. Many of these fields are characterized by thick sections of alternating sands and shales complicated by faulting and rapidly changing lithologic conditions. Further compli- cations are introduced by haphazard development and production practices resulting from competitive conditions, changing demand for oil, and insufficient knowledge of structural conditions during early development. Even in the rare cases where development has been systematic and adequate, production policy has usually been controlled by economic and competitive factors rather than a desire to obtain information for use in future operations. In other words, comparable reservoirs in which development and production practices have been systematically varied are seldom found. In the light of these conditions, conclusions based on experiences usually lack the certainty required for decisions involving large sums of money. Some other method of attacking these problems is needed to supplement and orient field experience. Progress in laboratory investigations of the flow of oil, gas, and water through sands has been so rapid in recent years that these data may furnish such a supplementary approach in the near future. In order to explore this possibility the author has attempted to predict the behavior of one type of reservoir by applying published data and methods. Basic Data and Assumptions Calculations outlined in this paper are dependent upon a detailed knowledge of the properties of oil, gas, and water present in the reservoir and the portion of the total pore space originally filled by each. It is also necessary to know how the permeability of the sand to oil, gas, and water varies with the saturations of these fluids 20

Jan 1, 1944

By Edward Wisser

The environment of an ore body is taken to mean not only its physical surroundings but every factor, passive or active, that conditioned the ore shoot, saving only the original composition of the solutions that formed the shoot. Collection of data related to the shape and characteristics of veins should be followed by correlation of the data and the formulation of generalizations regarding ore formation. The nature of the criteria used in arriving at these generalizations is discussed. Certain of the criteria, when used with an understanding of their underlying causes, become "ore- guides." In the course of his study the geologist must not confine himself to the immediate surroundings of the veins, but should attempt to work out the geologic history of events culminating in the crucial epoch for any mining district, the period of mineralization. The work may involve study of features far removed from the veins and related to them only indirectly. It commonly means thorough study of the geology of the entire region surrounding the ore deposits. THE following question has been suggested for discussion: [t] "Are there any criteria by which one can determine when mining operations have reached the roots of an ore deposit?" The question deals less with the roots of a particular ore body than with the lower limit of the vertical range within which ore bodies may be expected. It concerns a critical line upon the longitudinal vertical projection of a vein.[t] Below this line it is useless to look for ore shoots; above the line exploration below the bottoms of individual ore shoots may be justified. Can we learn to determine the position of such a line? In some multivein districts the line for any given vein may be approximated by simple interpolation or extrapolation. Where this is possible the bottoms of the lowest ore shoots in the various veins are points on an imaginary, gently rolling surface. The trace of this surface upon the vein is our critical line for that vein. The imaginary surface rolls so gently that it may be projected from two or more known veins to an unexplored vein near by. Here is a criterion for the bottoming of ore that has nothing to do with changes in the appearance of the vein in question; it rests solely on the depth at which the ore bottomed in adjacent veins. The method is not applicable in districts only slightly explored in depth, nor where the lower limit of the ore-bearing horizons

Jan 1, 1939

By H. Rosenthal, A. L. Jamieson

Stress-corrosion cracking of copper-base alloys is of considerable importance and has been the subject of many investigations which employed various accelerated tests and long-time service tests. The outstand¬ing accelerated tests used are variations of either the mercury cracking test reported by Rogers in 1905( 1)2 or the ammonia test reported in 1910(2). The ease of applica¬tion of the mercury test is probably the reason industry adopted it. Subsequent investigation of this test(3,4) revealed that a minimum threshold stress was necessary before mercury cracking could develop. Since season cracking has been found in some instances in caliber 0.3o ammunition which has passed the mercury test, it is evident that the threshold stress value of the mercury test may be too high for dis¬tinguishing between acceptable and un¬acceptable caliber 0.30 cartridge cases. This condition has naturally led to the study of an ammonia test with its ability to cause cracks with almost any stress level. But the lack of a definite threshold value means that standards are necessary for evaluating the results of the ammonia test.

Jan 1, 1945

By E. M. Wise

The practice of adding moderate quantities of nickel to a variety of bronzes has been employed by foundrymen for many years with several objects in view. In some instances it was desired to harden the alloy; in others it was to increase the fluidity or to improve the solidity of the castings, or to refine their grain. These important matters have been considered in detail by Pilling and Kihlgrenl and by numerous other workers cited by them, and with the exception of the first will not be considered in the present communication. The possibility of reducing the cost of bronze by replacing a portion of the tin with nickel received attention some years ago by Burgess and Woodward12 and, as will be shown later, offers attractive savings in cost under present conditions. The age-hardening characteristics of the nickel bronzes of appropriate compositions have been known for some time and were mentioned by Price, Grant and Phillips3 and discussed by Wise4 in connection with their paper. These matters are further considered in recent patents15 and are becoming of commercial importance in the production of high-strength castings. The equilibrium relations existing in the high-copper region of the copper-nickel-tin system have been carefully studied by Eash and Upthegrove,6 and in somewhat less detail by Veszelka.7 The observa-

Jan 1, 1934

By Oswald J. Heinrich

The deposit of rock salt along the shores of Lake Huron, in Canada, has been brought before the public during the last six months, in consequence of the developments made by the diamond drill at Goderich. It is likely to be of more than common interest in the future, since now actual operations have been commenced to exploit the deposit and work it by regular mining. The methods of mining rock salt being but little known in this country, it may be of interest to make a few general remarks in regard to them before entering, upon the description of this new mining enterprise. According to the conditions under which salt is .found in nature, various methods have been resorted to, in course of time, to make it available for the human race. They consist in: A. Natural or solar evaporation. B. Artificial evaporation, either exclusively or in connection with the former. C. Mining the rock salt in its natural state, and converting it to a marketable product, if need be, by simply pulverizing it. Without going into the details of the various methods of making salt available in an economical point of view, dependent on its degree of pority, or on various local influences, we cannot refrain from alluding to the general principles which influence the mining and manufacturing of salt in countries where they have been carried on for hundreds of years. ECONOMICAL CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS. Salt being one of the articles of prime necessity, and one universally distributed throughout nature, it must always be sold at a comparatively low price. It would even be quoted in the market at prices far below those now ruling, if it were not for the high duties generally imposed upon it, for purposes of state revenues. But looking closer into the subject, it will be found that this duty is probably one of the least oppressive, although in some countries it exceeds sixfold the cost of profitable production. To produce the article at the lowest possible cost requires, therefore, a

Jan 1, 1879

By W. R. Hibbard

The term lineage was first introduced by Buergerl to denote dendritic branches, grown from a crystal nucleus during solidification from the liquid, with imper- fections in alignment of the order of 10 : to 10-4 cm. These imperfections are associated with distortions of the dendrites caused by the subsequent solidification of the inter-dendritic filling and are illustrated in Fig I. Buerger etched zinc single crystals made by the Bridgman3 method to develop this dendritic pattern and show lineage microscopically. Since maximum crystal growth in face-centered cubic metals occurs along the [IT] directions,2 lineage would appear in copper as small deviations of dendritic branches from these directions. Elam4 and others5"8 reported etching effects resulting from coring along the cube face traces of various copper alloy crystals. These traces were used by Samans8 to orient single crystals. Williamson9 noted a "lined structure (in alpha brass single crystals) consisting of an ordered arrangement of etch pits" which were probably traces of {IOO} planes but somewhat uncertain because they were never straight (that is, apparently lineage). Greningerl1 described the distortion and multiplicity of Laue spots in back reflection X ray photograms of copper single crystals showing lineage. The present investigation -includes metal-lographic, X ray, and property studies of lineage in large grain and single crystal specimens of copper. Preparation of Specimens specilnens 10 in. long 35 1/2 in. diam of oxygen-free copper (o.F.H.c.) (99.985 pet) were' melted vertically in graphite crucibles under an atmosphere of commercial nitrogen purified through a gas train including sulfuric acid, potassium chloride, magnesium chiorate, hot copper chips and phosphorus pentoxide. After a temperature of 1200°C had been maintained for 1/2 hr, the furnace was turned off and the specimens cooled at a rate of about 150°c an hour' This method of direct solidification was used by Greningerlo to produce single crystals with marked lineage and in this investigation produced a fair yield of single crystal specimens in

Jan 1, 1949

By John Sasadi, Karl Heinz Zepter, Leonard Sugin, Roger L. Hulette

Mt. Newman Mining Co. is now completing an expansion program, begun even before initial construction was complete, which will result in the ability to ship up to 35 million tpy of iron ore by early 1973. Located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the mine at Mt. Whaleback is about 700 road miles north of Perth and 265 railroad miles south of the port facilities at Port Hedland. Development of the tertiary crushing and screening facilities best illustrates the orderly, but rapid, sequence through which the capacity of the port loading terminal has been expanded. When the present program is completed, crushing and shiploading capability will reach - - 35 million tpy. Operations commenced in 1969 with 3 crusher lines in service; and despite the 5-million annual ton rating, 6.46 million tons of ore were shipped during the first full year of operation. With continuing increase in ore sales, expansion to an annual capacity of 12 million tons was authorized, and installation of two more crusher lines was begun. As a part of this program, provision for installation of a sixth crusher at some future date was included in the planning; but before construction was completed, new ore sales contracts demanded further expansion to an annual rate of 20 million tons, and the sixth crusher line was authorized. The distributing and collecting conveyors had been designed for extension in length and increase in capacity, therefore, conveyor service was provided for the additional crushers with additional belting and hardware only.

Jan 6, 1972

By W. Tovote

This paper is based upon 12 years' experience in the Southwest, including three years that were spent in constant traveling as examining engineer for the Phelps-Dodge Corporation. The material was gathered during rather extensive work in Bisbee, Clifton-Morenci, Globe, and Tombstone, and also on short and rapid trips into most of the mining camps and prospect fields of New Mexico, Arizona, the desert country of California, and as much of Sonora as was safe at the time. My methods of observation and my deductions are not put forward as new or scientific; they are simply rough field methods, based upon short notes, rough sketches, and largely upon memory, which I have found useful for coördinating geological data for the purpose of passing quick judgment on mining possibilities in certain districts exhibiting uniform characteristics. The opportunities for observation have been better these last few years than ever before, due to the unprecedented activity in mining, which has caused the reopening of hundreds of old mines and the starting of even more numerous prospects all over the mining states. Possible Systems of Classification By Geological Provinces There are a number of well defined geological provinces in the territory under discussion, and a study of their individual features is of interest. The following are a few of those that are most striking in their uniformity. 1. The "Desert province," extending roughly from Wickenburg, Ariz., to and beyond Barstow, Cal. In its north-south extent it reaches up to the Colorado River and down into Sonora, but overlaps other provinces. It is characterized by a worn-down basement of schistose and granitic rocks, on which rest remnants of Paleozoic and pre-Paleozoic sediments, including very old limestones. The sediments are disrupted and contorted. Alteration in the mineralized areas is very prominent, especially in the schists and limestones. Cenozoic volcanic rocks, principally of semi-basic composition, have been intruded into this complex and sometimes cover it as lava flows. 2. The "Yavapai schist" province, similar to the one first mentioned, consists of metamorphosed basic and semi-basic rocks. It lies in northern

Jan 1, 1920

By H. G. Doll, H. P. Schwede

This paper describes a method to provide identification of particular depths in a borehole through the use of radioactive markers. The correlation of a marker, placed in the wall of a borehole, with known points of the electrical log and with the casing collars in the cased hole permits accurate positioning of tools with respect to a formation, regardless of absolute depth. Such a process is particularly useful in gun perforation of a casing in a well. Technique and equipment are discussed and illustrated. Examples are given of practical application in the field. Introduction During the past decade the search for petroleum has increased the importance of testing zones at depths in wells which have become progressively deeper. The development of new techniques, such as electrical logging, has permitted the identification of producing formations which consist of comparatively thin strata. When thin beds are to be produced at great depths, the problem of positioning tools accurately to place the well in production becomes acute.l Continuous consideration is being given in the petroleum industry towards the improvement of depth measurements in a borehole. The accuracy in absolute depth measurements, whether made in an open or cased hole, whether determined by a cable or a drill pipe, depends upon a number of factors, such as tension, temperature, and calibration. For example, the effects of tension from the weight of 10,000 ft of drill pipe and the thermal expansion of this length . of pipe, where its average temperature has increased SO"', will Produce an elongation as much as 8 ft.2 The effects Of such factors can be minimized through the use of care in depth measurements, the application of corrections based on experience, and continuous calibration or checking. The fact that different methods and different tools are used to determine the depths of formations in wells will sometimes give rise to a difference between measurements. It is evident that an important requirement in a well is the ability to locate at will any subsurface point. While absolute depth measurements have ion in recent years, it is reassuring to have other means to verify, for example, that a casing is perforated at a particular place with reference to a zone within a formation. Such a check on measurements may be had by placing a reference marker at a point known with respect to the electrical log of the borehole. That point is usually chosen to be in proximity to the 'One to be perforated. Thus, only short in depth measurements are made and any inaccuracy becomes very small and of minor importance' The use of reference markers located at fixed points predetermined in each zone where future operations are contemplated enables the operator to position any tool

Jan 1, 1948

By Irving Lipkowitz

While the light metals are recognized generally as a distinct group in technical literature, economic classifications and data usually still treat them as part of the nonferrous group of metals. However, the economic characteristics of the light metals also differ markedly from those of other nonferrous metals. The distinctiveness of the light metals, as, a group and individually, becomes evident when their growth, since World War II is compared with that of other metals, as in Table 14.3.1. The growth of light-metals production has been much sharper than that of other metals. A weighted average for the light metals shows an increase of 112% during the 1958 to 1968 period. This compares with a 62% increase in the "All Primary Metals" component of the Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production. The contrast was even sharper during the next six years (1968-1974), with light metals production up another 50% as against a 21 % increase in the FRB Primary Metals production index. The most important reason, however, for considering light metals separately is the trend and pace of technological change and not their distinctive statistics. Technology both creates and demands increasingly sophisticated materials. As technology advances and as all the world makes more extensive use of advanced technology, the importance of the light metals is likely to accelerate rapidly. There may be a profound clue to the future in the fact that light metals were predominant among the materials used in the construction of the Apollo 11 spacecraft. In determining what materials to use for the spacecraft and its equipment, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has explained that it did not look to "some of the more exotic metals" and relied instead on "generally proven materials." Accordingly, it apparently used a wide variety of metals, including precious metals, rare earths, special steels, copper, and light metals. What seems particularly significant is that, in seeking performance, NASA relied as heavily as it did on the light metals. Materials breakdown estimates show that aluminum accounted for over 75% of the materials used, titanium for another 5%, and magnesium was also used. Thus, light metals accounted for over 80%' of the materials used for the Apollo 11 spacecraft. The light metals are also unique in their availability. They rank high in abundance among the elements in the earth's crust. Aluminum is the third most abundant element, after oxygen and silicon, with magnesium ranking eighth, and titanium ninth. Among the structural metals, aluminum is the most abundant in the earth's crust, iron is second, magnesium third, and titanium fourth. This potential availability of light metals provides strong incentives for continuing improvements in process technology, because of two major national problems: (1) there is

Jan 1, 1976

By Henry D. Hibbard, Edward L. Ford

The process of making washed metal now followed is in principle that described by Holley before this Institute in 1879, as the Krupp washing process. Sir Lowthian Bell also experimented extensively in England during 1877 and 1878 on refining iron and joined his interest with Krupp, the process being often referred to as the Bell-Krupp process. The only plant in this country now operating this process is that of the Brier Hill Steel Co., Youngstown, Ohio. This process may be considered as the sole survivor of the numerous methods conceived for refining crude iron, when the removal of phosphorus from steel-making material was the great desideratum affecting large districts. The east coast of England and all northern Germany, the homes of Bell and Krupp, respectively, could at that time make steel only from imported ores. These processes were in use or in various stages of development 40 years ago and all except the Bell-Krupp received their quietus from the development of the basic steel processes, both pneumatic and open hearth. The aim of the early refining processes was, first, the removal of the silicon, which could be done on a sand bottom, and later, the removal of the phosphorus, requiring a bottom which would give or permit a basic slag. The incidental advantages of increased yield and small fuel consumption were not generally recognized or considered; the aim of the later operations was the saving of the difference in value between low and high phosphorus irons, as well as hastening the removal of the metalloids. The chemistry of the washing process follows in part that of the puddling process, and indeed washing might be considered as the first half of puddling, since all the non-ferrous elements of the crude iron, except the carbon, are eliminated and the iron is maintained molten until cast. In puddling, the iron loses its carbon as well, and because of that, its fusion point rises above the hearth temperature; it freezes into a pasty malleable form, and is worked at once by squeezer, hammer, or rolls. Since Holley's paper, important improvements have been made from time to time in both plants and methods for washing iron, and the

Jan 1, 1916

By Carl H. Schmuck

The terms "cable bolting," "extended ground support," and "grouted cable" are synonymous, and they have been popping up with much more regularity in the mining engineer s vocabulary. In simplest terms, lengths of u itensioned cable up to 18.3 m (60 ft) are grouted in drill holes prior to mining. This permits radical departures from mining practices that rely on conventional rock reinforcement. For example, by placing a pattern of cable bolts in the back of an open stope, ore can be mined in successive slices. After each slice is taken the protruding cable; are simply cut off and mining proceeds. When about 4.6 m (15 ft) of reinforced back remains, a crew places a new par tern of cable bolts in the ore.

Jan 12, 1979

By Harvey Cline, Donald P. Ferriss

THE violent outgassing of commercial tungsten and other refractory metals when melted in an electron beam zone refining apparatus1"3 is dealt with experimentally by one or both of two approaches. One is to provide a suitable emission current control1,2 the other is to purify the metal in the solid state before melting.4 The first of these is usually sufficient, but the authors chose also to investigate the source of the troublesome gases and to devise means of solid-state purification. Some further insights into the use of tungsten as a structural material at temperatures near its melting point were also revealed in the course of the work. One may speculate on the causes of gas formation in tungsten at high temperature by inferences from the literature and an examination of the impurities in commercial wire. Davenport5 observed microporosity in both tungsten and molybdenum filaments heated to several hundred degrees below their melting points. Studying the function of oxygen in molybdenum welds, Perry, Spacil, and wulff8 attributed similar porosity to the disproportionation of Moo2 to molybdenum metal and Moo3. Tungsten dioxide also disproportionates7 above 2000oC to yield WO3 vapor at considerable pressure. Commercial tungsten contains some 5 to 20 wt ppm O and a similar concentration of carbon depending on the details and precautions of processing. Therefore, evolution of CO is also a strong possibility as a source of gas at high temperatures. Furthermore, even for activities in the order of 0.01, it may be calculated that the pressure of CO at 3000°C would be over 4000 psi, which is in excess of the tensile strength of tungsten at this temperature.9,10 Powder metallurgy tungsten contains some 0.02 pet Fe and 0.002 to 0.005 pet of the elements Ni, Si, Al, Ca, Mn, Mg, and Mo; at temperatures over 2800°c, therefore, these elements will exhibit appreciable vapor pressure, though small compared to that of WO3 and CO. Some of these impurities may react to form high-pressure monoxides such as SiO and A10. Finally, dissolved and occluded nitrogen is an ever-present source of high-pressure gas. Commercial Type 218, General Electric filament wires, 0.025 in. diam, were heated by resistance in 10 -4 mm of Hg and in argon or hydrogen at pressures from 50 µ to atmospheric. For temperature determinations in vacuo, the Jones - Langmuir8 current-temperature relationship was employed. For gaseous atmospheres, the burn-out temperature was assumed to be the same as in vacuo so that a small, constant correction could be made for temperatures below burn-out conditions (i.e., local heating to failure). Several dozen experiments may be summarized by pointing out some structural observations. At 3050oC in 1 atm of A, porosity is very evident after 30 min, as shown in Fig. 1. For the section in Fig. 2, failure occurred 200°C below the melting point and many voids have grown in the grain bound-

Jan 1, 1962