Search Documents

By M. E. Nicholson

The solubility of carbon in Ni-Cu alloys was determined at 1000°C. The factors which limit solid solubility are discussed with particular reference to the influence of electronic factors. The results indicate the extent of solid solubility is a function of the density of states at the Fermi surface. THE solid solubility of an interstitial element is primarily limited according to Seybolt and Fullman1 and Speiser and Spretnak2 by (a) the strain energy produced when the solute atom takes its interstitial position, and (b) the partial molal free energies of the solid solution and the coexisting phases. In several binary systems of a transition and a noble metal, where there are no abrupt changes in strain energy or free energies of coexisting phases, the solid solubility of an interstitial third element drops abruptly to a negligible value at a composition corresponding to a complete filling of the "d-band." Such a decrease occurs in the case of hydrogen in the Pd-Ag system at 60 pct Ag.3,4 The solubility of carbon in Ni-Cu alloys seems to vary in a similar manner as indicated by the embrittling effect of carbon on these alloys. These al- loys are embrittled by slow cooling due to the precipitation of graphite. This embrittlement can be removed by heat treatment if the carbon content is less than the solid solubility limit at the heat-treating temperature. If the carbon content of the alloy exceeds the solid solubility at the heat-treating given temperxture, the embrittlement cannot be eliminated by solution heat treatment.' Since pure nickel has a carbon solubility of 0.25 wt pct6 at 1000°C, embrittlement is easily removed from commercial nickel and nickel-rich alloys, which may contain of the order of 0.10 wt pct C. Embrittlement due to carbon cannot be removed from Ni-Cu alloys containing 70 to 80 wt pct Cu by annealing unless: the carbon content is of the order of 0.04 wt pct CL or less."' Thus, it appears that the

Jan 1, 1962

By Clemens Jones

The peculiar property of the lode-stone has been known for many centuries. It was very early observed that, by contact with it, iron is magnetized; and it is needless to dwell here upon the history allied to this discovery, now constituting the wonderful science of magnetism. Deposits of magnetic ore are distributed all over the world. The ore is sometimes very rich and comparatively free from gangue, sometimes sparsely disseminated in the native rock. These bodies of lean ore often cover large areas. Modern ingenuity has utilized the principle of the magrtet, originally derived from the ore itself, and really belonging to the time of Plato and Theophrastus, to separate the magnetic ore-particles from the rock which has previously been crushed. This process recovers the ore in the state of a concentrate very rich in iron and, in some cases, desirable for Bessemer purposes. The magnetic separator is no longer a novelty. It was only at the last meeting of the Institute in New York, that Messrs. Birkinbine and Edison (Trans., xvii., 728) and Mr. Robert Cook (Ib., 599) described some of' the principal designs of apparatus in use. E. S. Dana classifies the natural magnetic minerals in the following order: magnetite, pyrrhotite, franklinite, almandite and minerals " containing considerable FeO." Of these, ferroso-ferric oxide, or magnetite, is the type. The proportionate amount of ferrous oxide essential to magnetize the compound, is not established. Ferrous oxide appears to be the only magnetic oxide of iron. Tissandier (Compt. Rend., lxxiv., 531) produced ferrous oxide in the anhydrous state, by the action of carbon dioxide on pure iron at a red heat, according to the equation : Fe + CO2 = FeO + CO. This is black, crystalline and magnetic. Heated to redness in the air, it is converted into Fe3O4. Sidot (Compt. Rend., lxvii., 175) has also produced an oxide exhibiting magnetic polarity, by heating ferric oxide to a temperature

Jan 1, 1891

By Charles L. Mantell, P. P. Napolitano

High-purity tellurium oJ semiconductor grade may be prepared by a combination of electrowinning from tellurium oxide, electrorefining and controlled atmosphere melting, as detailed in the paper. SEMICONDUCTOR devices such as transistors and rectifiers depend upon extremely pure forms of silicon, germanium, and selenium. Although tellurium is chemically related to these elements, it has not been studied as a semiconductor because commercial forms are too impure. Highly purified tellurium would be an interesting starting point for a study of its solid-state characteristics. Tellurium shows a greater electrical conductivity in the direction of the helices or chains forming the crystals than at right angles to the chains, and thus is a semiconductor. Unlike selenium, the conductivity is only slightly increased by exposure to light. Impurities such as Ag, Cu, Au, Fe, Sn, As, Sb, Bi, Br, and I provide accepters and make extrinsic tellurium of the P type. So far, however, no elements have been found which, when introduced, would act as donors. Small amounts of tellurium dioxide enormously increase the thermoelectric power. Many extremely pure metals have been made by electrolytic refining or electrowinning procedures. Tellurium forms compounds in a number of valences, as indicated in Table I. The physical properties given in Table II do not show any unusual conditions which would interfere with the formation of elec- trodes, or the deposition of the metal on a cathode. Tellurium dioxide could be obtained in relatively high purities of 98 pct TeO2 or better at reasonable prices. Tellurium dioxide is soluble in caustic to form tellurites, which are conductive, ionizable, and from which tellurium metal may be deposited at a cathode. Preliminary solubility tests to saturation of tellurium dioxide in approximately 10 pct sodium hydroxide gave the results of Table III. The temperature range is a practical one for electroplating. Electrochemical test facilities were set up and these met the operating conditions of Table IV. For a determination of purity of deposits, there was available a Jarrell Ash Co. quantitative emission

Jan 1, 1964

Gentlemen:-I herewith present a report on some of the more important activities of the Institute for the year 1921. The present incumbent took. over the active management of the Secretary's office on the first of July and his, work was facilitated, while becoming acquainted with the routine of the office, by the constant and., kindly assistance of the former, Secretary, Mr. Stoughton, during the following three months, and that no interruption occurred inn its regular and smooth operation is due to him and to the Assistant Secretary, who has always been ready to give the benefit of his experience and assistance. MINING AND METALLURGY Through the efforts of President Ludlow and the generous assistance of one of our members, coupled with the excellent work of Major Barbour, MINING AND METALLURGY has, during recent months, shown constant improvement, which could not have taken place, however, had it not been, for the support given by a number of our contributing members. We have every reason to feel encouraged with respect to the quality of the publication and its cost of production. For the year 1921, the net cost of MINING AND METALLURGY was about fifty cents per member, per annum. Occasional letters are received criticizing the Board for producing this publication, but they are more than offset by letters of approval. When the, full purpose of the publication is appreciated, criticism ceases. The elimination of MINING AND METALLURGY and reversion to free distribution of all papers to all members, whether desired or not, would mean such a heavy additional expense that the number of papers would have to be much curtailed. The generous cooperation of members in sending for only such papers as they particularly desired has saved, the Institute thousands of dollars. A plan is being worked out that will materially assist in securing a prompt distribution to members of all pamphlets dealing with subjects in which they are especially interested.

Jan 2, 1922

By Joseph E. Pogue

Price is a complicated concept, for price is both a cause and an effect. This reciprocal aspect is commonly overlooked and the oversight is the source of many economic maladjustments. Price is the resultant of the ratio between supply and demand, but it differs from a mathematical concept of a proportion, by itself constituting an economic force which continuously alters the elements that determine the relationship. Price, therefore, is not merely the outcome of other forces but is in its own right one of the most powerful of economic agents. Price accordingly does not play a passive role; nor can it be sterilized or rendered inactive. In consequence, price cannot be fixed or at least kept fixed, except by the elimination of all freedom of choice on the part of producers and consumers. A primary objective of all economic activity is equilibrium. The same is true of a unit of economic activity, the single industry. The plane upon which equilibrium centers may shift in the course of time, but equilibrium itself is the point of departure and the point of return. If an industry is in equilibrium, that industry is operating effectively. The motivating forces of an industry—profits or the common good—are not to be confused with the prerequisite of equilibrium, but this mistake is often made. The producer is dominated by the profit motive; the consumer, or his collective representative, by the general welfare motive. No one is the advocate for equilibrium; that status is supposed to be arrived at automatically. If the forces of competition are perfectly free, such is the tendency. Equilibrium For the purposes of this analysis, equilibrium needs to be broadly defined and is conceived to involve: (1) balance between supply and demand; (2) internal equipoise amongst the elements within an industry; and (3) symmetry in respect to the whole economy. This definition implies flexibility and case of adjustment; a ready accommodation to change. Equilibrium does not postulate profits or nonprofits, social objectives or the lack of them. A decadent industry may be in equilib-

Jan 1, 1937

By J. F. Wilkinson

A high degree of accuracy is often required in mine-surveying, in order that expensive mining work may not be misdirected. The making of underground connections by drifts or shafts located as the result of surveys presents a crucial test of correctness not usually involved in any other class of surveying. In view of these considerations, the present notes and description of a survey made in June, 1890, for the San Francisco shaft of the New Almaden quicksilver-mines, may be of interest to members of the Institute who are surveyors. The purpose of this survey was to locate on the surface a vertical 2-compartment shaft (3.5 by 7 ft.), to connect with another vertical shaft, of practically the same size, which had been sunk a number of years before from an adit-level about 240 ft. vertically below the surface, to a deeper, so-called 600-ft. level. It will be seen, of course, that the most important matter was to secure an exact coincidence in vertical line, so that the resulting continuous vertical shaft from the surface should have no offset or irregularity at the point of junction between its two parts. The levels were of less importance; but, as the hoisting-works were to be placed in position and the new shaft permanently timbered from the start, its correct alignment was an essential requirement. The important features of the work, therefore, were the methods used in determining with certainty : 1. That the shaft was located in the right place in a general way; 2. That the ordinary inaccuracies of linear and angular measurements were so reduced as to insure correctness of location within certain defined and allowable limits. Instruments.—Thc instruments used were: a Buff and Berger transit-theodolite, with a 6-in. horizontal plate, reading to 10 seconds; a Heller and Brightly Y-level; a Chestermán steel tape, graduated in tenths and hundredths of a foot; and New York leveling-rods, graduated to thousandths of a foot.

Jan 1, 1901

L. S. Austin, Denver, Colo. (communication to the Secretary) : Mr Hartman says (p. 4 of the pamphlet) that the penetration of air into the crucible of the blast-furnace " is, of course, a function of the diameter of the nozzle." To this I would emphatically take exception. Fig. 1 represents a vertical ideal section of tuyere, cruciblewalls and charge, immediately at the tuyere, in which the currents of air are represented, both in quantity and in direction, by the tortuous black-lines emanating from the nozzle-opening and passing through channels of the least resistance. As an electric current, flowing by various conductors to a common point, is carried in quantity inversely as the resistance of those conductors, so here the air ramifies through the most open cavities or channels, relatively little of it passing where the resistance due to fine materials is great. This figure represents the course of currents in the vertical plane only. As a matter of fact, they pass away in every plane, as opportunity offers. The effect of blocking or decreasing the area of the nozzleopening would certainly only decrease the quantity of air entering by that particular tuyere, without assisting penetration. The large channels (b, b, Fig. 1, for example) would still carry the larger part of the air, while again the smaller channels (a, a, a) would continue small and take no larger percentage of the air than before. These channels momentarily change, however, with the slow descent of the coke. Further on (p. 5), Mr. Hartman describes the dispersive effect of a single lump of fuel. He has only to conceive the entire spaces before the tuyere-nozzles as filled with such lumps, in order to parallel the condition of affairs I have just explained. It is where the large pieces of the charge come down, that the mass is the most open, and the blast passes most freely. On the other hand, wherever the fine ore collects combustion proceeds slowly, because of the smaller supply of air. The

Jan 1, 1899

By P. E. Demmler

Phosphorus combines with copper in various proportions, forming true alloys, some of which are of commercial importance. These materials find wide application as deoxidizers and as a means of introducing phosphorus into other alloys, as in phosphor-bronze. Phosphor-coppers containing 10 and 15 per cent. of phosphorus are the commercial grades that are most generally offered. Each has certain advantages when used in making other alloys. The 10 per cent, grade of phosphor-copper has an advantage over the 15 per cent. in that it has a much lower melting point and can be prepared by certain methods with a much lower loss in phosphorus. The 15 per cent. grade has the advantage of lower freight rates per unit of phosphorus and, by the method to be described, a uniform product can be prepared with practically no loss of phosphorus. Alloys of copper and phosphorus containing any desired percentage of phosphorus lower than 15 per cent. can be prepared by melting together the requisite amounts of copper and 15 per cent. phosphor-copper. Processes for making phosphor-copper may be divided into two classes as follows: (1) Those depending on the smelting of phosphate rock or superphosphate of calcium with copper or copper-bearing materials, and coal or other carbonaceous material; (2) those depending on the direct combination of metallic copper and elemental phosphorus. A number of formulas for preparing phosphor-copper according to the first method have been published. The Metal Industry' gives the following: Superphosphate of calcium, 60 lb.; granulated copper, 30 1b.; finely powdered coal, 10 1b. Similar formulas are given by Brannt2 and others, and detail variations are covered by patents, such as those of L. A. Jeffs3 and H. A. Webster.4 Among the objections to this method of producing phosphor-copper are the large amounts of raw material and resulting slag to be handled, and the difficulty of getting a satisfactory fusion. S. Skowronski5 found that at 1300' C. (2372' F.) it was impossible to get a good fusion

Jan 1, 1921

By Frank Antisell

CERTAIN physical and chemical properties of copper are so intimately related that a change in variation of the physical properties indicates a certain chemical change. The standard specifications of copper of the American Society for Testing Materials are based upon physical characteristics with one exception, namely, the copper contents. The physical standard includes electrical properties, defects in the "set or casting," variation in dimensions, weight, etc. Paragraph 4 of the specifications states, " Wire bars, cakes, slabs and billets shall be substantially free from ;shrink holes, cold sets, pits, sloppy edges, concave tops, and similar defects in set or casting." Shrink holes and concave tops indicate both physical and metallurgical defects; cold sets, sloppy edges, etc., indicate physical defects only; small pit holes may be indicative of either or both physical and metallurgical defects, depending on conditions under which they originated. To the refiner, a copper casting, no matter how made, is known as a "shape," irrespective of whether it is wire bar, ingot, cake, slab, billet, etc. As practically all shapes are cast in an open mold, that is a mold without cope, the surface of the shape cools in contact with the atmosphere and has a coating of oxide. Certain phenomena of the surface indicate the adaptability of the metal for forging or rolling. The writer believes that it is much simpler to produce shapes that are metallurgically correct than those that are mechanically satisfactory. When copper is to be rolled into thin sheets or drawn into very fine wire, the slightest physical defect becomes evident. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance to, consider every characteristic of the shape and ascertain the physical and chemical relationship. Pitch and Set.-The appearance of the surface of the copper when cooled is considered as to its "pitch," or the general contour of the surface of the shape (which may vary from a concave to a convex); and the "set," or the detail appearance of the surface of the shape (the wave-like struc-

Jan 1, 1920

By Frank Haas

Many articles on the physical properties of fire damp have appeared in the Transactions and elsewhere but practically nothing has been written in regard to its occurrence or fluctuation in quantity in an ordinary mine. After the Monongah explosion in 1907, with the loss of 361 lives, the Consolidation Coal Co. sought a method by which such catastrophes could be prevented. While the cause of this particular explosion was attributed to coal dust, some of those acquainted with the mine thought that fire damp was involved, if it was not the initial cause. So the literature on the subject was studied and mines where similar conditions prevailed in this country and Europe, were visited, with the view of establishing some system by which gas could be more easily detected and controlled. The results of this study were disappointing for no method was found other than the time-honored fire boss with his safety lamp, with some variations in the rules and regulations governing his inspections and reports. Duties of the Fire Boss Pending the development of a better method, it was decided to standardize and perfect the duties of the fire boss and the reports based on his observations. Those who were then in service were closely examined, various lamps were experimented with and the lamps and individuals tested under known conditions. It was found that a fire boss could tell whether gas was present but his estimate of quantity was not even an approximation; therefore, while the services of fire bosses were indispen-sible there was need of additional information by which the quantity of gas could be estimated with some precision in order to determine its variation from time to time. Chemical Process for Determination of Methane After considering all methods known at that time a chemical process was adopted. The principles involved in the process are that in an enclosed receptacle, in the presence of excess air, methane will be completely burned by means of a hot platinum wire to carbon dioxide and

Jan 1, 1927

By Walter Crafts

Tests carried out at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc., on the effects of grain-refining deoxidizers are in substantial agreement with the data presented by Mr. Comstock. Notable is the observation that, although boron and aluminum increased hardenability, the steel was of poor quality in comparison with the other boron-treated steels to which at least two grain refiners were added. The effect of zirconium in improving the ductility of the chromium-nickel steel is in agreement with our experience that zirconium is specifically beneficial to chromium steels. In order to amplify Mr. Comstock's results and to indicate some of the basic principles of special deoxidation, the primary observations of our study have been summarized. The effect of boron in increasing hardenability was described by R. Walther, U. S. Patent No. 1519388, Dec. 16, 1924, but effective amounts in incompletely deoxidized steel are sufficient to harm hot workability and room-temperature ductility. Work at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc., has shown that in order to obtain deep hardening without using such large amounts of boron as to result in impairment of ductility, the steel must be thoroughly deoxidized. This may be accomplished by a high silicon content or a grain-refining addition of strong deoxidizers. The degree of grain refinement and hardenability are inclined to be erratic when only one grain-refining element is used, although aluminum, zirconium, titanium, and vanadium have been used singly and resulted in increased. although somewhat erratic, hardenability. The ductility likewise was inclined to be inconsisterlt when only one grain-refining deoxidizer was added. By combinations of grain-refining elements, it was found possible to combine the specific virtues and counteract some of the defects of each clement. In addition, the complex deoxidizers gave more consistent grain refinement and hardenability. When used in combinations, each element adds its own specific influence as well as modifying the character of the other elements. The function of aluminum is primarily to give consistent results and to minimize abnormalities resulting from too

Jan 1, 1943

By Hubert O. DeBeck

The following descriptions and explanations apply specifically to the use of the Hotchkiss Superdip, but there are no apparent reasons why they should not apply to any magnetometer. This paper is a product of work in the practical field for several years with the Hotchkiss magnetometer, mostly on mineral deposits in the southeastern United States. The paper describes the result of an attempt to develop a practical and economical field method that approaches, as nearly as possible, the utmost accuracy of which the magnetometer is capable. As there are many published descriptions of various magnetometers and magnetic methods, it would be superfluous to describe such instruments here, but a limited bibliography on the Hotchkiss and Askania magnetometers is appended. The Hotchkiss and the vertical Askania magnetometers have, respectively, maximum sensitivities of approximately 5 and 30 gamma per instrument scale division. Purpose of New Method The purpose of the method described in the following paragraphs is to eliminate, as far as possible, all corrections of field data that cause complexities and inaccuracies in the results of magnetometer surveys. Magnetometer field observations must be corrected for periodic variations in the intensity of the earth's magnetic field, as well as for temperature variations, both of which take place during the course of a day. These variations do not seriously handicap magnetometer work on highly magnetic deposits, but it is impossible to obtain accurate results, by the conventional methods in use today, over weakly magnetic or diamagnetic deposits. This is due to the physical inability to obtain by such methods sufficiently accurate data in the field to make dependable corrections. The magnitude of the necessary corrections of field observations frequently exceeds the magnitude of local magnetic anomalies obtained over various types of mineral deposits. Therefore if these corrections are neglected or made on the basis of inaccurate data, the entire magnetic picture of the area concerned is at least distorted, and perhaps destroyed altogethcr.

Jan 1, 1934

By C. A. Pierce

Studies of roof and floor movement are of interest to those actively engaged in mining. This is especially true in the case of an entirely new area where there is no precedent for guidance. The potash deposit being mined is in the southeast corner of New Mexico, about 20 miles east of Carlsbad. The deposit was formed by the land-locked, shallow, Permian Sea that extended through parts of western Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, southeastern Colorado, and eastern New Mexico. The saline deposits vary from 500 to 4000 ft. thick. Neither of the companies operating in this area has delimited its commercial ore bodies. As all production so far has been from Federal and State leases, the Department of the Interior and the State of New Mexico have a direct interest in the development and extraction of these ore horizons. The ore is composed of an intimate mechanical mixture of sylvite (potassium chloride) and halite (sodium chloride). It lies generally in a horizontal bed varying from 5 to 12 ft, in thickness, and has a cover of approximately 1000 ft., consisting of about 500 ft. of salt beds and 500 ft. of sediments. The immediate mine roof for several feet is principally salt with some potash and clayey material. The next 500 ft. above, from the standpoint of structure, may be considered rock salt with a few inter-bedded potash members. The upper 500 ft. is of sedimentary (Permian and Triassic) origin and contains several water-bearing formations with flows varying from 10 to 500 gal. per minute. This water intensifies the interest in convergence problems as the ore and surrounding formations are water soluble. Potash salt (sylvite) and rock salt (halite) are plastic minerals. Plasticity is defined as a "property of solids by virtue of which they hold their shape permanently under the action of small shearing stresses but are readily deformed, worked, or molded under larger stresse."1

Jan 1, 1942

By C. A. Heberlein

C. A. HEBERLEIN,* New York, N. Y.-The results stated by Rey and Brevers are so startling that they are of great interest, as the concentration of a low percentage of cinnabar by differential flotation yields a high-grade concentrate in the presence of either arsenical or iron pyrite. The authors say: "Cyanide can thus be used to depress arsenopyrite and make a good cinnabar-arsenopyrite separation. A cinnabarpyrite separation could probably be effected in the same way." Corrosive sublimate at the present price of mercury would be a very expensive reagent but the expense would be justifiable if a high rate of concentration could be obtained with a high extraction. On my request, special tests were made in the Punitaqui mill in Chile along the line suggested by the authors, without any improvement of either grade or extraction. As the recovery of the cinnabar in a complex sulphide of chalcopyrite and pyrite gave unsatisfactory results, I had tests made at the testing laboratory of the American Cyanamid Co. at Stamford, Conn. As these tests turned out to be highly satisfactory, not only at Stamford but later at the mine, they are presented here. [AMERICAN CYANAMID TEST FEED PER CENT Si02 66.54 A12032.08 CaO0.70 MgO 0.00 Alkalis1.78 Fe15.63 Cu0.44 S9.42 Hg0.45 OZ. PER TON Ag0.95 Au0.151 Screen Analysis of Tailings, Per Cent Plus650.0 Plus 1001.32 Plus 15020.75 Plus 20019.85 Minus 20058.08] The pulp had a density of 22 and a pH of 7.8. Total time of conditioning was one minute. The reagent added was Texas fuel oil, 0.116lb. Of 33.7 Bé. gravity containing 0.9 per cent sulphur. Frother, 0.062 lb. of No. 5 pine oil. Rate of concentration of mercury was 25.7: 1 [ ]

Jan 1, 1941

By H. W. Camp

The past year has had no revolutionary change in the process of petroleum refining, although there have been improvements and developments in practically every phase of operation, due largely, perhaps, to economic pressure. A few years ago, a Mid-Continent skimming plant using 35 gravity crude obtained 28 per cent. gasoline and naphtha; 9 per cent. kerosene, and the remaining yield gave gas oil and fuel oil. Figuring manufacturing cost, but not including sales, transportation, overhead and depreciation, the realization was $1.45 per bbl. of crude. Today, a thoroughly modern and up-to-date skimming plant, having all latest equipment, shows a realization of $1.74 per bbl. on the same basis. Thus it is evident that progressive developments have taken place in the last 2 or 3 years when potential earnings have been increased about 20 per cent. The average refiner is compelled to exert his utmost ingenuity in order to operate with a profitable margin. He has two factors to consider—recovery of maximum yields of profitable oils and the reduction of operating expenses. For the past 8 years, the margin between price of gasoline and cost of crude has grown narrower, constantly. Both these prices are determined by external conditions and not by the refiner himself, but the refiner might have been able to increase that margin had he more carefully controlled his output, limiting his production of light oils to current consumption. Be that as it may, this same economic pressure has given impetus to progress in improvements of primary distillation equipment, including stills, towers and heat-saving devices. A pipe still and bubble cap fractionating equipment can now replace a battery of shell stills, giving better yields, better control, elimination of rerunning and lowering of operating costs. The most recent pipe stills are being equipped either with radiant-heat furnaces or air-preheating systems and improved heat exchange equipment. These can be operated on a fuel consumption as low as 1 per cent. of the charge as compared to a fuel consumption of

Jan 1, 1929

By E. P. Mathewson

The experiments described in this paper were made at the Washoe Reduction Works, Anaconda, Mont., for the purpose of determining the relative speed of elimination of the iron, sulphur and arsenic during the process of bessemerizing copper-mattes. The samples were taken from a horizontal a barrel" converter, 8 ft. in diameter and 12 ft. 6 in. long, having an average charge of 9 tons of matte, and blown with a 16-lb. air-pressure. All samples were taken with the blast on, turning the converter from its normal blowing-position to nearly vertical, so that a conical mold, with a long handle attached to a horizontal rod, could be introduced from a platform above the converter into the mouth of the converter and a sample taken. The difficulties of taking a sample with the blast on are apparent, and the irregularities of' the lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 can be readily accounted for by the amount of slag in the samples. On the whole, the plotting of the results gives comparatively uniform lines, considering the conditions. The samples were taken by the regular sampling-force of the works at 10-min. intervals, as shown in Tables I., 11. and III., which also give the chemical analysis of the samples so taken. The test shown in Table I. was made with a new converter; that of Table 11. with a converter that had made three charges and had been cleaned out; that of Table 111. with a converter that had blown one charge to white metal, and had then been " washed " out and used for the test. In plotting these results, it was necessary to take, as a basis, the percentage of copper in the samples. This basis does not exactly represent the true condition, since the volume is constantly decreasing and a certain quantity of copper passes into the slag, but it is as near as can be obtained in practice. Take, for instance, in Table I., the sample No. 5, which shows: Cu, 59.9;

Jan 1, 1908

By Clarence Carleton Semple

At a number of mines in eastern Nicaragua, 3.5- or 5-ft. Huntington mills are used for grinding gold-ore after a pre-liminary breaking in jaw-crushers. The smaller mills are made sectional to facilitate transportation to the more difficultly accessible mines. The capacity of the smaller mills is about 20 or 25 per cent. that of the larger, but in proportion to the quantity of ore ground they require more power and are subject to greater wear. The notes herein given are from records of the performance of the larger mills at one of the mines, but, in general, apply to the smaller mills also. The Nature of the Ore. The ore occurred as a series of flat veins in a' highly-decomposed rock, probably alaskite. The primary mineralizatioll comprised pyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, and quartz; the oxidation-products of which were chiefly hydrated iron oxide or limonite, chrysocolla, azurite, and malachite. The kaolinization of the feldspar of the country resulted in the admixture of a great quantity of clay with the oxidized ore. The quartz was sandy, imbedded in the clay; and probably the greater part represented the residue from the crushed rock in the fissures after leaching, and kaolinization of the feldspar. There was little vein-quartz in the unaltered primary sulphide ore. Only the oxidized ore was mined for the gold that it contained in amouiits that averaged $4 per ton. No specks of gold mere ever seen in the ore, and the gold obtained by panning was always exceedingly fine. The amalgamation-bullion was about 800 fine in gold and from 60 to 80 in silver. The ore delivered at the mill contained from 5 to 15 per cent. of moisture; during the rainy season the quantity was much greater. The moisture and clay made the ore so sticky that it had to be raked over steeply-inclined grizzlies; it hung in the ore-bins,

Jan 1, 1912

By K. M. Weigert

The position of the three-phase field between the alpha and the beta phases was established. The exact location differs from previous assumptions. The extremely high strength and hardness values were found near the phase boundaries of the ternary compositions. IN 1929, UenoL investigated vertical sections of the Ag-Cu-Zn diagram at constant silver and zinc values. From the evaluation of cooling curves and microscopic studies, he concluded that there was no evidence of a three-phase field in the solid state between the a and ,8 fields. The failure to find evidence for this field was due to the fact that it exists only in a very narrow range of compositions and requires special methods of heat treatment to establish phase equilibrium. In a later publication on the same subject Keinert2 rearranged Ueno's diagrams to conform with the basic phase rules. The existence of a three-phase field was postulated in the solid state between the a phases and the homogeneous ,9 phase between the Cu-Zn and the Ag-Zn binary border systems. The approximate location was based on a few microscopic observations of the structure and it was pointed out that the exact position could be determined only by a larger number of experiments. In the twenty years following these investigations alloys of Ag-Cu-Zn have become of general interest due to various technical applications, principally for brazing. In the course of an overall investigation of the physical properties of ternary Ag-Cu-Zn alloys the author found extremely high values of hardness and strength in alloys of compositions between the a and the yS fields. The exact location of the intermediate phase fields was established by the evaluation of more than a hundred cooling curves and microscopic mountings. Experimental Procedures Preparation of Test Samples: At the beginning of the investigation samples were chillcast into Vi in. diameter iron molds to determine hardness, strength, and the mechanism of primary crystallization. These

Jan 1, 1955

By C. E. Bailey

In this our fifth year of actual mining, a resume of our methods of mining may prove of interest. Our conditions are radically different from those of other districts; and we are just commencing to be able to draw conclusions regarding the systems in use. The ore-bodies of the range lie in a blanket-formation varying in width from 200 or 300 feet to over half a mile, and in length from 500 feet to more than 2 miles. It is practically horizontal in bedding, but in places has a dip of as much as 7 feet in 100 for a quarter of a mile. The top of the ore is in most cases nearly level, although local rolls make the back (or top of the ore) vary to the extent of 10, or in rare cases 20 feet, and very frequently there is a general slope of the top of the ore, as well as the bottom, which makes it impossible to mine it all from one level. Taking the average of long stretches, the side-walls may be described as quite regular; but local deflections make it necessary to prospect for the wall-rock, and in drifting underground it is common to drive along the sidewalls, uncovering them almost continuously, and thus making sure that no large pockets of ore are missed. The dip of the side-walls varies greatly, but an average is probably between 45' and 60°, sloping inward at the bottom, making the general shape of the ore-body not exactly a basin, but more nearly a trough, usually with a longitudinal trend and sloping sides, and ore much the deepest at the center. As to rock-occurrences inside the ore-body, the properties most largely worked may be said to be particularly free from rock, although much trouble is occasioned by bunches or small masses. In most cases these are not properly described as " horses" of rock, since they have neither continuity nor regularity of trend, but are offshoots connected with the side-walls or bottom.

Jan 1, 1898

By Eugene E. Ayres

The centrifuge has come into general use in the oil fields and in the establishments where lubricating and fuel oils are used. Probably centrifugal machinery will be found more useful in the refinery when the operators are more familiar with'the principles of modern centrifuga-tion and when centrifugal engineers better understand the refinery emulsion problems. It is not generally realized that centrifugal force and gravity have two distinct functions: First, subsidence wherein the suspended globules are brought into contact; second, coalescence (when this is possible) by rupturing the films around the globules. In the case of a water-in-oil emulsion, an exercise of the former function alone would yield: (1) oil, free, or as free as desired, from water; and (2) a concentrated water-in-oil emulsion—concentrated in the sense that it contains a relatively large percentage of the internal phase. An exercise of both functions will yield: (1) water-free oil and (2) oil-free water. Centrifugal force is much better than gravity for subsidence because, in the case of industrial emulsions where the suspended globules are visible under a microscope, subsidence is directly proportional to the force applied. Centrifugal force is only slightly better than gravity for coalescence. A minute trace of a proper reagent will immediately do more to nullify the interfacial surface tension opposing coalescence than an indefinite application of the highest attainable centrifugal force. No mathematical analysis has been made to explain the failure of high centrifugal force to induce a decidedly more rapid and more complete coalescence than is obtained by gravity. The adjustment of the centrifuge rotor depends more on the extent of coalescence that is desired or is possible than on any other factor. One reason for this dependence is to be found in the curious relation between the specific gravity and the hydrostatic pressure of emulsions. The continuous centrifuge works on the U-tube or Florentine flask prin-

Jan 1, 1924