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By Philip D. Wilson

FEAST and famine-or, chronologically, famine and feast-have characterized the aluminum supply program during 1943. Fortunately for the war effort the famine phase is over and aluminum production is now in the happy position of being abundantly able to supply all the requirements of the armed services plus a monthly surplus which is building up a substantial stock pile as a reserve against any contingencies. But the present condition of oversupply cannot be attributed to the super-efficiency of the aluminum production program which was designed to take care of the over-all requirements of the war with little or no margin of safety. The present more than comfortable situation is due primarily to the fact that the armed services generally have not consumed anything approaching the amount of aluminum which their requirement estimates indicated.

Jan 1, 1944

By Ralph H. Phelps

WHAT information do you have on precision investment casting? Please send me all available information on the removal of paraffin from oil wells and pipe lines. How can I find out how to remove magnesium oxide from lime? I want a good book on the pickling of steel. Can liquid oxygen be used as an explosive in a mine? Where can I get a bibliography on the plasticity of metals? These questions, selected from the scores of questions asked the Engineering Societies Library staff every day, indicate some of the diversity of the requests received. The samples chosen relate to interests of AIME members but the questions that come to the Library by mail, telephone, telegraph, and in person cover all fields of engineering, science, and technology. Some questions can be answered quickly; others require extensive searching. Those that can be answered in a few minutes or ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes are usually done without charge. For the more difficult questions a charge is made. In this way those requiring considerable service pay for it and the Library finds it possible to serve more persons.

Jan 1, 1948

By David R. Mitchell

Many of the difficult operating problems of the preparation of coal for market, of sampling coal shipments and in the utilization of coal are caused by segregation in the coal mass. Segregation may be of two kinds: i.e., "size segregation," in which particles of the same size in a mass of coal containing a range of sizes collect together and "density segregation," in which particles of the same density or specific gravity in a mass of particles of varying density gather together. Mechanics of Segregation Size segregation cannot take place with closely sized coal. As the size range increases, the tendency for size segregation increases. Similarly, cleaned coal with particles of approximately the same specific gravity have very little tendency for density segregation. The wider the density range of particles and the more particles of different density, the greater the chances are for density segregation. The following discussion deals primarily with coal of a wide size range as screenings and of wide density differences as uncleaned or run-of-mine screenings. If a mass of coal containing particles of a wide size range is subject to the stream action of a moving current of water, the small particles are transported farther than the coarser. Particles of different density in a stream of moving water are subject to the laws of classification, the heavier settling out first. The familiar sluice box of the gold miner and the action of rivers and other streams in classifying material according to

Jan 1, 1938

By David R. Mitchell

Many of the difficult operating problems of the preparation of coal for market, of sampling coal shipments and in the utilization of coal are caused by segregation in the coal mass. Segregation may be of two kinds: i.e., "size segregation," in which particles of the same size in a mass of coal containing a range of sizes collect together and "density segregation," in which particles of the same density or specific gravity in a mass of particles of varying density gather together. Mechanics of Segregation Size segregation cannot take place with closely sized coal. As the size range increases, the tendency for size segregation increases. Similarly, cleaned coal with particles of approximately the same specific gravity have very little tendency for density segregation. The wider the density range of particles and the more particles of different density, the greater the chances are for density segregation. The following discussion deals primarily with coal of a wide size range as screenings and of wide density differences as uncleaned or run-of-mine screenings. If a mass of coal containing particles of a wide size range is subject to the stream action of a moving current of water, the small particles are transported farther than the coarser. Particles of different density in a stream of moving water are subject to the laws of classification, the heavier settling out first. The familiar sluice box of the gold miner and the action of rivers and other streams in classifying material according to

Jan 1, 1938

By MAURICE ALTMAYER

M Y DUTIES, as a member of the Department of Franco-American War Cooperation of the French High Commission were to study the copper and brass industries of America from the mining of the various non-ferrous metals to the semi-finished, or finished materials. In the pursuit of these studies, it was my privilege to visit a number of industries and organizations in different parts of the country. I first visited most of the Eastern copper refineries that were supplying the Allies with vast amounts of metal. These works are producing their material by the multiple or the series process, although the first method predominates. But, regardless of the process employed all the plants attain an exceptionally high standard of quality in their production. One of the points that particularly attracted attention was the manner in which improvements could be traced from the older worlds to the more recent ones. The impression was that, thanks to a spirit of broad-minded cooperation between the principals of the companies and frequent exchanges of views between members of the staffs, all persons interested benefitted by the experience thus gained, to the advantage of the community at large.

Jan 1, 1920

By AIME AIME

MONDAY, Feb. 21, evokes memories of the Silver Corridor at the Waldorf to be recalled and reflected upon for time to come when thoughts drift to the Annual Meeting of 1944. Crowded though it was, on occasion there lurked in the mind's eye a vision of what might have been had the 2886 persons who put in an appearance at one time or another milled around in the lobby of 29 West 39th Street. Some confusion resulted from difficulty in locating meeting rooms, but for the most part everyone found what he wanted. The usual bulletin board of members registered was missing this year and rumor has it that tile Waldorf didn't approve. Registration broke all previous records with many a busy engineer realizing that the program had something to offer that would be of use in his particular job. It might be noted here that "Arpad" co-operated nicely, previewing spring days on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; Tuesday was a bit damp.

Jan 1, 1944

By Eli T. Conner

My connection, under a commission from the Councils and Board of School Control of the city of Scranton, Pa., with a recent investigation of mine-caves and the resultant damages to surface-improvements, has led to the preparation, at the invitation of our Secretary, of the present paper. It is notorious that there are, in the anthracite-fields, frequent subsidences of the surface, due to the removal of the coal beneath. No particular attention is paid to such occurrences, unless they happen to injure surface-improvements. Many caves have happened in Scranton and its viciuity, which hare excited but little remark, since they have generally caused no serious damage. In August, 1909, a cave occurred in the Hyde Park section of the city, generally known as the West Side, which nearly destroyed school-house No. 16 and considerable adjacent property. Fortunately, there were no pupils in the building at the time; but the thought of the possible result, had the usual number of pupils and teachers been present, aroused the public to the gravity of the situation; and the School Board employed engineers to investigate the case. Two reports were made by separate sets of engineers, which differed in some particulars. These differences were pointed out in the public press and magnified, and the consequent agitation of the subject was taken up and greatly exaggerated by some of the metropolitan newspapers, giving to uninformed people the very erroneous impression that the whole city of Scranton was in danger of sinking into the bowels of the earth. All this tended to affect the credit of the city and to depress real-estate values. The matter was considered at a joint meeting of the Board of Trade, the Councils, and the School Board. The Hon. J. Ben. Dimmick, a former Mayor, suggested that it

Jan 1, 1912

By R. M. Douthwaite, G. Birkbeck

The effect of grain size and specimen dimensions on the occurrence and magnitude of a yield point drop in pure iron has been examined. The tests were done at room temperature. The results indicate that gain size is the critical factor determining whether a yield drop occurs. The specimen diameter:gain size ratio does not influence the magnitude of the yield drop for the range of gain size and specimen diameters investigated. HUTCHINSON,' petchY2 and worthington3 have investigated the grain size dependence of the upper yield stress (uUYP) and the yield point drop, ouyp - aLYP, in Armco iron, mild steel, and Si-Fe, respectively. These authors used center-annealed wires to avoid stress concentration from specimen shoulders and to ensure uniformity of the applied stress. Coarsegrained specimens show no yield point drop; the yield point drop then increases as d-'I2 increases (where d is the grain diameter). These results can be understood in terms of Petch's analysis2 in which the magnitude of amp depends on the strain rate in the (limited) number of grains deforming plastically at the upper yield point. If N grains per unit volume are undergoing plastic deformation, the strain rate in the deforming grains is l/Nd3 times higher at the upper yield stress than when the whole specimen deforms homogeneously. If N is constant and independent of grain size at uUyp, then all the grains are deforming when ~d~ = 1, so there is no yield point drop. At finer grain sizes, the yield point drop is given by: where AU, is the friction stress increase corresponding to a tenfold strain rate increase. Christ, Smith, and Burton studied the upper yield point in 0.050-in.-diam wire specimens prepared from zone-refined iron. Each end of the 2; -in. specimens was soldered to a & -in. diam steel ball and the load applied through the two balls. There was a yield point drop in specimens with grain diameters less than 0.1 mm; no drop was observed in specimens of grain diameter greater than 0.1 mm that were free from veining substructure, but specimens of grain diameter 0.129 mm, annealed in the y range, showed an upper yield point. and this was associated with the presence of a veining substructure in these specimens. Christ et al. suggested the upper yield point occurs when more than a specific number of grains fill the specimen cross section so a multiplicity of slip is required to initiate plastic deformation. Table I summarizes the published data on the grain size at which the yield drop disappears. On the basis of this data the ratio of specimen diameter:grain diameter = 5 to 27 appears to be the critical value for the occurrence of a yield point drop. Thus, petch2 interprets the appearance and magnitude of the yield point drop in terms of the limited number of grains deforming plastically at uuyp, whereas Christ et a1. consider that the occurrence of the yield drop depends on the ratio specimen diame-ter:grain diameter. The published data cover a wide variety of materials so some variation between the results is to be expected, but the size range covered in the data of Table I is rather limited. In an attempt to discover whether the specimen diameter:grain size ratio or the grain diameter is critical in determining

Jan 1, 1969

By Michael Perch

The fact that coal is a complex organic material and heterogeneous in composition has made its study extremely difficult, particularly in regard to obtaining a fundamental concept of the processes involved in the formation of coke. It has been stated recently that coals are natural polymers and that in a complex reaction such as occurs during carbonization the differences between coals are quantitative and not qualitative. Such being the case, it would be expected, therefore, that a series of coals subjected to exactly the same conditions of coking would produce results that should be related quantitatively to the chemical analyses of the individual coals. In the past, however, this fact was not generally recognized and consequently many empirical test methods were devised for testing coals. The interpretation of the results obtained depended upon comparing a set of data with other data on coals of known characteristics. The testing procedure had to be con- ducted in precisely the same manner each time and not the least requirement in making the interpretation was experience. The test methods varied from those utilizing a gram of coal to the plant-scale tests in which one or more ovens were charged with the test coal. The aim had been principally to find some simple, inexpensive means by which the coke-making and other properties of coal could be predicted. It is not necessary to emphasize the importance of these endeavors, for anyone acquainted with the problems involved in the selection of coals for making coke is well aware of the time and expense involved in making a series of definitive tests.

Jan 1, 1949

REORGANIZING AMERICAN ENGINEERS There are in America approximately 500 engineers' organizations of various kinds, and yet it is estimated in many communities that 30 to 50. per cent. of the resident engineers are not members of any society of engineers. There is no enumeration of the engineers of the country, but estimates range from 100,000 to 300,000, the latter number probably including assistants, such as instrumentmen, draftsmen and inspectors, together with professional engineers. These local, state, regional and national organizations are for the most part independent and have no means for cooperation. Steps toward the improvement of these conditions are being taken in a number of localities and have already been taken in others. Many engineers are giving the matter serious attention. American Society of Civil-Engineers took an important action at the June meeting of its Board of Direction, by, authorizing the creation of a Committee on Development of Am. Soc. C. E. This action is now well known to all representatives on Engineering Council. Other Founder Societies axe reported to be considering similar action. Engineering Foundation, at its meeting on Sept. 12, adopted the following resolutions: Survey of Engineering Organizations BE IT RESOLVED: that the Engineering. Foundation is prepared, the four Founder Societies concurring, to devote its strength and its' income, so far as this may he required, to a study of existing engineering organizations, and from information thus developed to formulate a series of constructive recommendations which may he serviceable in guiding the further development of local and national engineering organizations in their relations to the profession of engineering, to the public and to each other, to the end that a foundation may he laid upon which to establish a broadly planned procedure, which, while recognizing and preserving all that has already been accomplished, shall increase the power of American engineers in upbuilding their profession and in the service they render to society; and RESOLVED: that in accepting the responsibility for such an undertaking, it will be the purpose of the Engineering Foundation to organize the proposed research along the broadest possible lines, to call to its aid highly qualified experts, and to avail itself of the help of agencies which may be willing to cooperate; and RESOLVED: that in proposing this research the Engineering Foundation has no desire or purpose to intrude upon the domain of individual organizations; that it does not propose to control the action of any individual or organization; nor to ask the acceptance of its conclusions; but that its purpose shall he to develop a possible procedure, or a series of such procedures, of such evident, merit that they will appeal to those who are likely to be most interested; it will do this in the belief that in so far as its work may justify the confidence of engineers and of engineering organizations, it will bear its own fruitage.

Jan 11, 1918

By M. W. Lightner

IN 1947 the steel industry rebounded from its wartime effort and produced a record-breaking peacetime tonnage of steel ingots. During the first six months of the year the industry produced 42,000,000 tons of ingots and expected to produce 85,000,000 tons for the year. With a rated capacity of some 91,000,000 tons, production was at a rate of about 93 per cent of capacity. Credit must be extended to the steel producers who have maintained this steady state of operations while faced with many problems, not the least of which was a continued shortage of satisfactory scrap. Furthermore, the steel industry started a record-breaking peacetime expansion program at a total cost of more than $1,000,000,000. This program will increase the ingot-making capacity of the country by 2,500,000 tons and should be completed in 1948.

Jan 1, 1948

By John W. Stevenson

At Jim Walter Resources Alabama coal property, the first of twelve projected longwall mining systems started to operate In March, 1979, at the No. 3 Mine. The second longwall started to mine adjacent to the original workings in June, 1980. At the end of 1980, 2 ½ panels had been extracted using the same basic ventilation plan. A single split of air ventilates each longwall panel with intake air traveling the headgate across the face to the tailgate where it is directed and controlled to a 1500 foot deep fan shaft specifically located to exhaust from the longwall area and the gobs associated with longwall extraction. The simplicity of the system makes it easy to understand, apply and control In a relatively gassy coal bed.

Jan 1, 1981

By AIME AIME

UNTIL recently, practically all geophysical prospecting in Australia was conducted by government departments, either by the Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia or the New South Wales Department of Mines. At present, in addition, the Shell company is carrying out an extensive geophysical campaign in South West Queensland. The Northern Australia Survey has now been in operation for over six years, its work being carried out principally in the northern and central parts of Australia over an area of about a million square miles. At present this Survey is being brought to a conclusion but it appears certain that the geophysical section will be transferred to a Commonwealth Government department on a permanent basis. At present the officers of the Geophysical Section are preparing or have issued some 150 reports on their field work and also a special technical report on the geophysical practice of the Survey.

Jan 1, 1942

By AIME AIME

A METALLURGICAL research building is to be erected for the Armour Research Foundation at the Illinois Institute of Technology. It will be located at the corner of Federal and 34th Sts., Chicago, and fully equipped will cost $250,000. It will provide the Middle West with the largest and most complete of facilities for the conduct of developmental and industrial research in this field. The new building will be constructed around an existing foundry and metallurgical research building which has become too small to carry on and service the many research projects contracted for by the Foundation, having to do with steel, alloys, and nonferrous metals. After two bays of the new unit have been completed, the old unit will be torn down and the new one completed.

Jan 1, 1942

DAVID COLE, El Paso, Tex. (communication to the Secretary*).-I notice that Mr. Callow takes issue with me on certain points I have previously contributed to the Transactions, to which I would reply," follows: Regarding Inspiration: Mr. Callow's refinements of gravity methods made just prior to the advent of flotation in the Southwest were intended to be "down to the minute," and the gravity flow sheet for Inspiration ores which he brought out at that time as the result of his long campaign of experimentation was regarded by many as the last word in wet gravity work. It was not my intention to discredit this good work when I said "he threw small light on slime treatment." "Minus 200 mesh," however, is not-synonymous with "real slime." Repeated treatments by gravity methods will result in the separation of a very large percentage of the fine granular sulphides in sizes much finer than 200 mesh, and I gave him due credit for that. The unavoidable losses were made in the "real" slime which I mentioned in the paragraph which Mr. Callow refers to as my "statements on page 1871," and his refinements were not a solution to the real slime problem. Mr. Callow has called attention to the fact that his best results at. Inspiration in gravity work were obtained on Joe Bush ore and he presents a table, viz., Tests Nos. 68, 71, and 72; and asks us to consider and compare these results, made by his refined gravity methods, with the results obtained by 'flotation methods in the new mill "during the second half of 1915 and in August, 1916." Of course, the ore treated in the mill was what happened to come. It was not Joe Bush ore, and therefore comparisons of detail figures are of no value. In regard to Mr. Callow's statements under the caption "Callow Cells Adopted by Arizona Copper Company," I would say that those who have been sufficiently interested to read my paper and' his remarks will notice what amounts to contradictory statements on several points which I cannot allow to go unchallenged. I was on the ground constantly and got my information at first hand. The tables published were the official ones. Mr. Callow was not present during the period and has been laboring under that disadvantage.

Jan 5, 1917

By O. F. Kammerer, W. E. Miller, D. H. Gurinsky, J. Sadofsky, J. R. Weeks

Zirconium and titanium inhibit solution mass transfer of steels by liquid bismuth, mercury, and lead. It is shown that in bismuth and mercury, these adsorb on the surface of the steels and subsequently react with nitrogen and possibly carbon from the steels to form inert, adherent surface layers of ZrN, TiN, or TiN + Tic. Data are presented which describe the condition under which thase deposits form. These inhibitors decrease the solution rate of iron into bismuth, and require a higher supersaturation for precipitation of iron from bismuth. USE of the low-melting heavy metals (bismuth, lead, mercury, and their alloys) as coolants has been limited because solution mass transfer of steels occurs in these liquids; i. e., iron dissolves in the hot sections of the heat transfer circuit and deposits in the colder sections. The rate of solution of iron and the temperature coefficient of solubility are sufficiently great to cause complete or partial stoppage by the deposition in the coldest section of a closed circuit in finite time, even though the actual solubilities are extremely low. In the development of the mercury vapor turbine by the General Electric Co., Nerad and his associates1 discovered that the addition of as little as 1 ppm Ti or Zr to magnesium-deoxidized mercury reduced the mass transfer of ferrous alloys by mercury to a negligible amount. Reid2 reported that titanium was detected chemically on the surface of steels contacted with this mercury alloy in amounts varying from 2.0 to 2.6 mg per sq in., the greatest amount being found in the hottest portion of the circuit. Reid stated that the titanium forms the intermetallic compound Fe2Ti by reaction with iron on the surface of the steels. This compound was presumed to be highly insoluble in mercury. More recently, El-gert and Egan3 have reported a greater than 100-fold reduction in the rate of mass transfer of a 5 pet Cr steel by liquid bismuth upon the addition of titanium (in excess of 50 ppm) and magnesium (350 ppm) in the liquid metal, during experiments performed in thermal convection loops* over the temperature differential 700° to 615° C. Also, Shep-ard and his associates' have reported that the addition of titanium to liquid bismuth and Pb-Bi eutec-tic produced a marked decrease in the rates of solution of both iron and chromium from type 410 steel capsules under static conditions. This inhibiting effect increased with repeated reuse of the capsules. Tests performed in this laboratory under carefully controlled conditions have shown that the addition of zirconium and magnesium, or titanium and magnesium, to liquid bismuth or lead greatly reduces the rate of mass transfer of chromium alloy steels and carbon steels in thermal convection loops with a maximum temperature of 550°C.5-9 The present paper will review the data obtained to date at this laboratory on the behavior of iron and steels in contact with liquid bismuth alloys containing titanium or zirconium, and will attempt to explain the role of the above additives in reducing solution mass transfer. Reaction between the Zirconium or Titanium Dissolved In Liquid Bismuth and an Iron or Steel Surface Reaction between Zirconium Dissolved in Bismuth and the Surface of Pure Iron-—A small pure iron crucible (analyzed by the supplier to contain 0.8 ppm N was contacted with bismuth containing approximately 0.1 pet Mg and varying amounts of a radioactive zirconium tracer. The crucible was then inverted at the temperature of contact. The thin residual layer of adherent bismuth was dissolved in cold, concentrated nitric acid. The crucible surface and the solidified bismuth were then analyzed for radioactive zirconium. An analysis of the activity loss on the crucible surface and the weight loss of the crucible during the nitric acid treatment showed that the acid treatment removed the zirconium that had originally been dissolved in the adherent bismuth, but not any zirconium that may have reacted with the crucible surface. The crucible was then pickled in warm aqua regia to remove all surface activity, hydrogen-fired at 600°C, and recontacted with a new liquid alloy. The results of the experiments contacted 1 hr at 450°C show, Fig. 1, a Langmuir-type adsorption with an adsorption free energy of approximately 17 keal per g atom Zr.5 This deposit was estimated to contain 1 atom of zirconium for each 7 to 8 iron atoms on the crucible surface, assuming a surface roughness factor of the pickled crucibles to be five. Increasing the temperature to 520°C caused consi-

Jan 1, 1959

By Leon Borgman, Michael P. Lipkewich

Orebodies at or near the surface are generally amenable to open pit mining. The development of a mining program involves designing an ultimate pit and a production schedule. This pit maximizes total profit while the production schedule maximize6 the present value of the property. Optimum pit limits can be approximated by two-and three-dimensional numerical techniques. These techniques presuppose that the mineralized area has been sufficiently sampled to allow a reasonably accurate prediction of grade at any spatial location.

Jan 1, 1969

By H. A. Guess

A Discussion of the Paper by Mr. H. A. Guess, read at the Atlantic City meeting, February, 1904. MR. JOSEPH P. GAZZAM, Germiston, Transvaal, So. Africa (communication to the Secretary*) :-About fourteen years ago, in southeastern Missouri, I used a method for the wet determination of lead which closely resembles the modified sulphate-chromate method described by Mr. Guess. The principal difference, however, is, that after dissolving the lead chromate in hydrochloric acid, the chromic acid is determined by means of a standard solution of ferrous sulphate. The method, which I believe is still in use in southeastern Missouri, was found to be convenient and accurate for the determination of lead in the ores and various products of the mills and furnaces in that district, but it was never used for complex ores. A number of determinations of lead in mill-tailings were made in the year 1891; a few of these results are given in Table I.

Mar 1, 1905

THE Nominating Committee appointed at the Division meeting in October and consisting of Frank A. Herald, A. W. Peake, C. R. McCollom, Joseph Jensen, H. W. Camp, C. P. Watson, F. Julius Fohs, George Otis Smith, J. B. Umpleby, J. M. Lovejoy and A. W. Ambrose, have presented the following ticket for the year 1929: Chairman, Joseph B. Umpleby; associate chairman, A. C. Rubel; secretary-treasurer, R. Van A. Mills; vice-chairman for Economics, Warren A.. Sinshein~er; vice-chairman for Engineering Education, H. C. George; vice-chairman for Engineering Research, Harry H. Hill; vice-chairman for Production, C. P. Watson;vice-chairman for Refinery Engineering, A. D. David. For Production Engineering Charles V. Millikan. is named vicechairman, with ,Charles E. Beecher, Glenn D. Robertson and W. W. Scott as associate vice-chairmen. The Executive Committee named is to consist of Joseph B. Umpleby, chairman with A. W. Ambrose, Charles E. Beecher, A. D. David, Glenn D. Robertson, H. C. George, Harry H. Hill, John M. Lovejoy, Charles V. Millikan, R. Van A. Mills, Earl Oliver, A. W. Peake, A. C. Rubel, W. W. Scott, Warren A. Sinsheimer and .C. P. Watson, members. Ballots will be mailed to members of the Division.

Jan 1, 1928

By AIME

A GEOLOGIST --one versed in geology, the science which treats of the history of the earth and its life, especially as recorded in the rocks; that is Webster's definition. William Embry Wrather-one of the country's foremost geologists who heads the U. S. Geological Survey; this is the 1948 President of the Institute. He has studied the geology of areas on the face of the earth as far-flung as Texas and the Balkans, and now heads the world's largest staff of geologists. Vital statistics on Dr. Wrather would show his place of birth as Brandenburg, Ky., the year 1883. He will celebrate his threescore and five years of full living the twentieth of this month. As is usual in biographical sketches of this nature, the formative years of youth, and in many ways the most important years of one's life (since professional tendencies as well as many important personal decisions are evidenced before the teens are left behind) are passed over with the mere fact noted that a degree was earned at such and such educational institution. And so we note that Dr. Wrather received his Ph.B. degree at the University of Chicago in 1907, and followed up that degree with two years of graduate study.

Jan 1, 1948