Search Documents

By H. M. Howe

I WISH to present to you a few thoughts on some of the phenomena and laws of iron smelting. Owing to the great complexity of the subject, to the great variety of points to be taken into consideration, many of which are very poorly understood, and to the meagreness and even conflictoriness of our information with regard to some of the most important laws which govern the subject, the fruits of such thoughts as I venture to offer you must be received as speculations, not as facts. Nevertheless, in discussing old phenomena from new standpoints, thus furnishing a metallurgical parallax, if I may say so, these theoretical speculations may have their value in helping to a clearer comprehension of the phenomena and laws we now know, and in suggesting new lines of inquiry. While an increase of height in blast furnaces is not always followed by increase in their power of production, experience proves that it tends to increase it; for while we have many cases of short furnaces producing more iron than longer ones, yet enormous productions, such as those of the Lucy and Isabella furnaces of Pittsburgh, and of the furnaces of Esch sur l'Alzette, in Luxembourg, have never been reached in short furnaces. We may safely infer that height is an element essential to great production, though of course not the only essential element, and that, in the case of high furnaces which are not capable of great production, some other essential element is wanting. Moreover, experience teaches that within limits increase of height tends to increase the producing power in a still higher ratio. Thus, in the Esch furnace, which is 19.8 meters (65 feet) high, 393 tonnes (or 387 gross tons) of 312 per cent. Ore

Jan 1, 1877

By R. A. Meussner, R. J. Goode

Six intermediate phases occur in the Nb-Zn sysThese phases form by peritectic reactions at 1120°, spectively. The Nb Zn 15 phase appears as the minor phase in the eutectic structure, and the terminal phases remain nearly pure niobium and zinc even at high temperature. Vapor -pressure measurements on the four high-temperature phases (Nb Zn to Nb Zn 3) permitted estimates of the composition limits of these phases and the calculation of approximate values of AFO, AH°, and AS°. 1 HE present study of the constitution of the binary Nb-Zn system was a part of an analysis of the mechanism by which coatings of the Nb-Zn intermediate phases protect niobium against oxidation at high temperature.' Since the primary interest in these phases was in coating service, attention in this study was given principally to the four phases stable at high temperature with only cursory attention to the two low-temperature phases. The solubility studies of niobium in zinc by Martin, Knighton, and Feder2 and the reports from the present study of the Nb-Zn coating represent the only published data pertaining to this system. Previously Hodge, Evans, and Hoskins, in an experimental survey, had noted that niobium was not resistant to attack by molten zinc, but no further observations were reported. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES a) General. The nature of the binary Nb-Zn system precluded the use of more conventional methods of determining the phase equilibria such as thermal analyses of a series of cast alloys. An extrapolation of the liquidus data of Martin, Knighton, and Feder2 to higher temperatures suggested that the solubility of niobium in zinc would remain low in the entire temperature range of interest. The preliminary results of the present studies showed that all of the high-temperature intermediate phases form by peritectic reactions. Thus the sluggish nature of this type of reaction and the steepness of the liquidus indicated that thermal analyses would not yield reliable data. The peritectic reactions, of course, precluded the direct formation of samples of the individual phases from the melt. b) Materials. The niobium and zinc used in the present studies were of high purity. The niobium, in the form of 0.1-in.-diameter rods, contained 30 ppm 0, 30 ppm N, and 15 ppm C. Aside from 0.05 pct Ta, the metallic impurities (iron, titanium,

Jan 1, 1965

By T. M. Morris, F. M. Lewis, W. C. Lay, Gordon M. Bell

Part I of this chapter is concerned with the description of and metallurgical data pertaining to the flotation circuits used in the London mill of the Tennessee Copper Co., at Copperhill, Tenn. The ores treated at the London mill are massive complex sulfides, in which pyrrhotite and pyrite are the predominant minerals. Other sulfides are chalcopyrite and sphalerite; magnetite is also of economic value. The approximate mineralogical analysis of the ore is shown in Table 1. [ ] The chalcopyrite and sphalerite are closely associated with pyrrhotite as shown by the tracings of micrographs (Fig. I), which are representative of the mill feed. Fig. la illustrates the type of locking between pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite; Fig. lb illustrates the way in which sphalerite is attached. Thesephotographs indicate that it is not practical to break all of these attachments. Hence, in order to produce concentrates with satisfactory grades and recoveries, most of the locked chalcopyrite particles must be recovered into the copper concentrate, and the locked sphalerite-pyrrhotite particles must be separated from the iron concentrate. A copper concentrate, a zinc concentrate, and an iron concentrate are made. Typical metallurgical results are tabulated in Table 2. HISTORICAL In 1922 the London mill started as a copper concentrator, with a capacity of 300 tpd, and in 1926 an additional flotation circuit was added to recover the iron sulfide remaining in the copper tailing. In 1927 a zinc flotation circuit was installed between the copper and the iron flotation circuits. This procedure was not satisfactory because the iron recovery was low, due to the

Jan 1, 1962

By Clyde Wyman

THERE has always been a question as to the extent to which oxidizable alloys might he recovered from charged scrap in the, acid electric furnace. While qualitative information was not lacking, the quantities that might be recovered and the conditions best suited for such recovery were not clearly defined. The present investigation was carried out to determine the efficiency of alloy recovery from residuals contained in the bath, especially in regard to the recovery of vanadium. A series of 24 heats was produced at the Burnside Steel Foundry Co., including medium manganese-molybdenum-vanadium, manganese-chromium, and grade B steels, in which vanadium recoveries from the residual vanadium were investigated. Recoveries of other alloys were also studied from the accumulated data. These heats were produced in a 5-ton acid-lined electric furnace. The analysis of metal and slag samples and the micrographs were prepared by the Research Laboratories of the Vanadium Corporation of America. In addition to the vanadium contained in the scrap charge, ferrovanadium was added to the charge and to the molten bath to bring the residuals up to the desired level. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) in one series of heats was added to the bath after meltdown, for the same reason. In addition to the general furnace practice, the slags of these various heats were treated with coke breeze, Ferrocarbo-S (silicon carbide), and aluminum dross to determine the effects of different reducing agents upon the alloy recoveries and upon the final product.

Jan 1, 1947

By D. L. Wood, J. H. Westbrook

The tensile behaviors of the CsCl structure compound AgMg are extensively documented in terms of strain, strain rate, temperature, composition, and metallurgical processing treatment. The observations lend themselves to presentation in terns of three regimes of deformation behavior; 1) low temperatures where deformation is primarily by slip; 2) intermediate temperatures where the deformation mode is also slip but with the detailed behavior dominated by dislocation interactions with solute atoms; 3) high temperatures where defomation is primarily by diffusion controlled processes. Of all the material groups of potential interest as high-temperature structural materials, the inter-metallics have been the least studied, particularly with respect to their mechanical behavior. Moreover, the application and processing of intermetallics for uses which exploit their often unique physical properties have been impeded by a lack of understanding of their mechanical properties. Previous work in this area* has been largely *For a recent review, see Westbrook.' exploratory, aimed on the one hand at the direct empirical development of materials of engineering utility and ,on the other at identification of the important parameters affecting the mechanical behavior of inter metallics. As a consequence, there has not been available, heretofore—for any inter-metallic—data, sufficient in extent or precision to provide an adequate phenomenological description of the effects of metallurgical variables on deformation behavior. Such documentation is prerequisite to intelligent application or processing design and is also necessary for testing present and future theoretical analyses of mechanical behavior. It was therefore an objective of the present investigation to document the deformation behavior of a simple ordered intermetallic over as wide a range as possible of all the usual metallurgical variables. The compound AgMg was chosen as the subject of this investigation because it met all of a group of desired criteria, namely: 1) congruent but moderate melting point; 2) simple crystal structure; 3) ordered structure persisting to the melting point; 4) broad solubilities for the component elements. The first and last criteria were expected to aid in the preparation of homogeneous single-phase specimens: the second and third to help simplify the

Jan 1, 1962

By P. R. Bradley

The property of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Co., covering the Juneau gold belt for over a mile in length, consists of 136 claims and 24 mill sites; these are near Juneau, Alaska, in what is known as the Harris mining district. Gold was discovered in the district in 1880, by Richard T. Harris and Joseph Juneau, who had been prompted to explore the section by rumors they had heard among the Indians. Gold was first found on the beach at the mouth of Gold Creek and further search revealed the lode deposits in the Silver Bow basin, about two miles inland. The lode locations made immediately thereafter constitute the principal area of the Alaska Juneau group of claims. Gradually news of the strike spread and, during the late eighties, Silver Bow basin became a substantial producer of gold, both from placer work and from quartz milling. Numerous small mills of various types were erected to crush high-grade float and stringers gouged to shallow depths. Placer mining gradually ceased and the pioneer milling operations gave way to larger and better mills, which in time were the predecessors of the two large mills built by the Alaska Gastineau Co. and the Alaska Juneau Co. on the shores of Gastineau Channel. This evolution from arrastres to small mechanical mills, thence to the two large-capacity mills on Gastineau Channel, although a natural sequence of events, had a most important bearing on the development of the district. Knowledge of the character, extent, and value of the ore deposits gained by these early operations could not have been acquired otherwise. Spencer shows1 that the early mills were: Arrastres in 1881-82-83-84-85-86-88; a 5-stamp mill in 1882; a "newly devised grinding mill" in 1884; two Huntington mills in 1886; a 10-stamp mill in 1889; a revolving Dodge mill in 1890; a 5-stamp mill in 1891; and a 20-stamp mill in 1893. He also estimates the gold production to the end of 1893 as $1,000,000 from lode mining and $1,250,000 from placer mining. No estimate can

Jan 1, 1925

By Richard D. Hagni

Mississippi Valley-type ore deposits contain significant quantities of minor elements, which are present partly in the form of separate mineral phases and partly in solid solution in the major sulfide phases for which these deposits are exploited. These elements, as separate phases, are: copper, mainly in chalcopyrite and enargite; cobalt and nickel, chiefly in thiospinels and bravoite; rare earth elements associated with certain fluorites; and native gold. Many economically important minor elements occur in solid solution in sphalerite, including silver, cadmium, iron, germanium, gallium, indium, thallium, cobalt, nickel, and mercury. Significant amounts of silver and antimony, and perhaps very small amounts of gold, are present in solid solution in galena. Chalcopyrite may contain small amounts of silver, molybdenum, bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, and nickel. Marcasite and pyrite may contain silver, thallium, cobalt, and nickel. Although some of the minor elements contained in the Mississippi Valley-type deposits are currently recovered at the smelters and refineries, many are lost in tailings, sludges, and slags; consequently, important quantities of these elements are potentially recoverable as non-conventional resources.

Jan 1, 1983

By Walter B. M. Davidson

Phosphorus is one of the elements having the widest distribu tion, and phosphoric acid plays an important part in the composition of the crust of the earth. It is allied in various chemical combina- tions with many bases, of which lime, alumina and iron are the most common. It is difficult to state in what chemical combination phosphoric acid predominates in the crust of the earth, for while phosphate of lime, as the mineral which is sought for and found in deposits of economic value is the most familiar, it is probable that the phosphates of alumina and iron are the most usual forms in which phosphoric acid exists in all soils not essentially calcareous. It has been shown by thousands of analyses that all fertile soils contain from a trace to 0.5 per cent. of phosphoric acid. All limestones, dolomites and chalks contain it in proportions which, though usually small, are large enough to make careful analysis necessary in the selection of limestone as flux for iron-smelting. It is generally Trenton limestones that are found best for this purpose, the more recent strata being more phosphatic. In some places phosphoric acid replaces carbonic acid, and the limestone or chalk becomes phos phatic to a large degree, or sometimes pure phosphate of lime. The waters of the ocean, from very early periods, have contained phosphoric acid. Different analyses show varying contents; it is asserted that some portions of the Gulf Stream are more phos phatic than the surrounding waters of the Atlantic. Many springs, usually from limestone regions, contain soluble phosphates in vary ing quantities. I think it safe to assert that phosphorus is nearly the most widely and evenly distributed element on the surface of the earth, and probably the most subdivided. This can be readily understood when the important part which phosphoric acid plays and has played in the vital cosmos is taken into consideration. Phosphorus was on the earth in gaseous, liquid or solid form before the dawn of life, and since then all animal and vegetable creation have combined with the

Jan 1, 1893

By Malcolm Wilson

THE year 1923 was one of great importance in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, so far as the' development and expansion of previously discovered oil and gas fields were concerned. However, the search for new fields failed to produce a single discovery that led to important development during the period; in this respect, the year was one of discouragement to the prospector. During the winter and spring months, an especially active "wildcat" campaign was in. progress in southern Arkansas, and a large number of tests were drilled in northern. Louisiana but this activity subsided during the summer and fall. By the close of the year, only routine drilling was in effect in the fields; and only two new areas-Cotton Valley, in Webster Parish, and an area in Union Parish, La.-were showing any important activity because of favorable oil showings. Further drilling is contemplated in both of these areas, and the present feeling is that one or the other may produce the next oilfield in this territory. Briefly, the development of the Smackover field was the overshadowing event of the year. In. southern Arkansas, important development also took place in the East El Dorado, Stephens, and Irma fields; but all of these were relatively small. In northern Louisiana, many new oil wells were drilled in the Bellevue field, and many new gas wells in the Monroe field. In the old Caddo field, a large number of the deep Woodbine wells were plugged back to the "chalk rock," where a high gravity oil is obtained. In the other fields, only a few small wells were drilled. Therefore, Arkansas, furnished the real development of the year in this area. The production for the year showed a material increase over that of 1922, due, chiefly, to Smackover, and practically altogether to the Arkansas fields. In Louisiana, every field, except Caddo, Bellevue, and Elm Grove, showed slight to marked declines; while in Arkansas, El Dorado was the only field that declined throughout the year.

Jan 3, 1924

By Jerome Alexander

THE object of this paper is to show that many of the important phenomena of metals and alloys are due to the facts that, at some stage, metals and alloys, or some of their constituents, are in a colloidal state and that a portion of the metal or alloy tends to remain in this state. The so-called amorphous phase in pure metals is an isocolloid, consisting of colloidal groups of metal molecules that may be dispersed in still more finely subdivided metal; these colloidal particles are not truly amorphous, but may consist, in part, if not entirely, of ultramicroscopic crystals; as a result the expressions amorphous phase and amorphous theory might be replaced by the expressions colloidal phase and colloidal theory. Any substance is in the colloidal state when the constituent particles consist of molecular or atomic groups, whose size varies approximately from about 100µµ down to about 5µµ, that is from just below the limit of microscopic resolvability to the dimensions commonly ascribed to the larger molecules. Colloidality involves no assumption as to the shape, internal structure, or orientation of the colloidal particles; size alone is the critical factor. A colloidal system may therefore contain crystalline groups, or amorphous groups (non-crystalline, random or haphazard clusters), or a mixture of the two. All colloids consist of at least two phases, the subdivided substance, or dispersed phase, and the substance into which this is subdivided, the dispersion medium. It is not necessary that there be any chemical difference between the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium. As molecular forces are extremely powerful, their application may produce marked changes in the physical properties of metals. It is doubtful whether metal in the interior, especially of large masses, possesses the same properties as that on or near the surface, which alone is open to, inspection.

Jan 10, 1920

By H. A. Bedworth, W. H. Bassett

The amount of oxygen present in refined copper bears an important relation to the effects of various impurities on physical properties of copper, as well as the effects of reducing gases at higher temperatures. It seems fitting at this time, when the effects of reducing gases on copper are being discussed, to describe methods that have proved satisfactory for the determination of oxygen and sulfur, and to present some results obtained by investigation of these methods in the authors' laboratory. The procedure for the determination of sulfur is closely interrelated with that for oxygen and has, therefore, been included. It was first proposed by Hampe1 that oxides in copper could be accurately determined by the loss in weight sustained by finely divided copper when reduced at red heat in pure hydrogen, or by the weight of water produced. Hampe's method was later modified by Archbutt,2 who established the accuracy of the method and demonstrated that equally accurate results were obtained by noting the loss in weight or by weighing the water formed. The determination of oxygen by heating in carbon monoxide has been proposed by West.3 In our hands this method has given slightly lower results than obtained by heating in hydrogen. Heath4 found that the loss in weight after heating in hydrogen did not represent the true oxygen as cuprous oxide but included also gases derived by the metal from the fuel and refining in the furnace, and any trace of mechanically held moisture. He found, further, that the copper after ignition retained hydrogen equivalent to about 0.01 per cent. Heath proposed to determine the amount of occluded gases by preliminary ignition for 20 min. in pure carbon dioxide—and to correct the error caused by absorbed hydrogen by subsequent ignition and cooling in carbon dioxide, finally replacing this gas with air.

Jan 1, 1926

By M. T. Martinson, I. W. Nicholson, C. J. Chindgren, F. P. Williams, L. C. Bauerle, S. F. Ravitz

The vanadiferous shales of southeastern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming constitute the largest known reserve of vanadium in the United States.' These deposits have never been exploited except for the relatively small amounts of vanadium recovered by the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. in the treatment of phosphate rock from southeastern Idaho. The maior domestic source of vanadium has been the sandstone ores of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado. Early in World War 11, it appeared that these ores could not meet the greatly increased demand for vanadium, so the investigation described in this report was undertaken to develop processes for the recovery of vanadium from the Idaho-Wyoming deposits. The utilization of these deposits became unnecessary, however, because of greatly expanded production from the Utah-Colorado sandstone ores and the continued availability of vanadium from other sources, chiefly Peru. The major use of vanadium is as an alloying agent in the manufacture of high-quality steels. Vanadium constructional steels usually contain 0.05 to 0.20 pct vanadium, which refines the grain and increases the strength, elastic limit, and resistance to shock and fatigue. Vanadium tool steels not used in high-speed work contain 0.10 to 0.60 pct whereas high-speed tool steels contain 1.0 to 4.0 pct. Vanadium compounds are used as catalysts (principally for the oxidation of SO2 to sulphuric acid and of naphthalene to phthalic acid) and in the paint, chemical, ceramic, dye, and printing industries. The selection of the particular ore deposit to be exploited would involve consideration of many factors besides the metallurgical results that might be obtained. Chief among these would be the reserves of ore available, the grade of the ore, and the mining costs. As very little was known about any of these factors, it was necessary to investigate methods of treatment of all the ores under consideration, working with samples obtained in the course of the exploration work, even though they were not positively representative of the whole deposit from which they were taken. Because of wartime conditions prevailing when this investigation was started, first consideration was given to processes that could be put into operation most quickly and would involve minimum use of strategic materials, even though these processes might not be the most economical.

Jan 1, 1949

By Thomas S. Blair

I FEEL a certain sense of responsibility in bringing before you the subject of the direct process in iron manufacture. I am aware that, in such a body as I have now the honor of addressing, there are few who are not already so well informed upon its past history that it would be a weariness to them to listen to anything else than an account of practical success. Yet, to claim that success involves so much that, if I do not make good my claim, I deservedly expose myself to severe criticism. The whole literature of the art, so far as it relates to the direct process, is, up to this time, but a history of failure. It is safe to say that more money, time, and talent have been fruitlessly spent in the pursuit of this object than in all the other unsuccessful efforts in the whole line of iron metallurgy. A distinguished authority in patent law has remarked that " the invention records of the United States and of foreign countries are filled with the waifs and abandoned relics of these abortive struggles." Dr. Percy, whose great work may be taken as an epitome of all that was worth mention, whether useful or curious, in pig-iron metallurgy, up to the date of its publication (1864), after giving elaborate accounts of various attempts at the direct process, condenses his own opinion of all that had been then effected, into a brief but summary comment upon a pamphlet of one of the sanguine inventors who had said: "It is evident that the present mode of working iron

Jan 1, 1874

By Ralph C. Holmer

IN the field of mineral exploration, 1956 can be looked upon as the International Geochemical Year. This is not because of unusual developments in geochemical prospecting but rather because of the world-wide effort in geochemistry and the realization that geochemistry is now an established exploration method. Use of mining geophysics has continued to increase. Those extensively employing exploration techniques indicate that developments of the past few years have permitted better programming of methods, from reconnaissance to location of drill- holes. There is greater diversification of methods- reliance is not placed on results of one. However, it is realized that often it is more economical to drill an anomaly than to conduct additional expensive geophysical surveys

Jan 2, 1957

By H. Shaw

In the author's previous paper an attempt was made to analyze in detail the gravitational effects arising from certain subterranean anomalies of simple form, and extending to infinity in three directions. As a result of this critical examination, certain features—which were considered to be characteristic of the anomalies under investigation—were disclosed, a close observance of which enables a complete interpretation to be reached. The most simple case was first considered; viz., that of a heavy horizontal plate, bounded above and below by horizontal planes, and extending to infinity on one side of a vertical plane containing the y axis, in the three directions + y, —y, and +x. After this, the investigation was extended to the case of a similar infinite horizontal block having an inclined face. In each case the form and behavior of the gradient curve and the curve of differential curvature were analyzed, and entirely distinct interpretations were put forward, based upon (1) the gradient, (2) the differential curvature and (3) a comparison of these two quantities. In continuation of the previous work, and as a preliminary to further analysis of more complex structures, certain factors will now be examined which characterize (1) the simple infinite vertical block and (2) an infinite block which is inclined to the vertical, formations which are of considerable practical interest, being typical of important. geological structures—intru-sive dikes, lodes, veins, etc.—and because, even though in nature these may be irregular, valuable guides to a more complete interpretation are obtained by assuming, as a first approximation, that they have the simple characteristics to be studied hereafter. In the previous paper certain preliminary assumptions were made in order to render the resulting deductions universally applicable and entirely independent of the particular scale employed. Consideration was limited to homogeneous deposits of unit positive effective density (and this condition is retained in the present investigation), so that in the case of

Jan 1, 1932

Prospecting methods used in Tennessee have gradually improved with the years, as required by depletion of the easily accessible and shallow deposits and the universal trend toward mechanization, and as necessitated by exploring deeper beds, often occurring under limestone and flinty overburden. In the early days it was a very simple matter to dig pits by hand, using a plentiful supply of local farm labor to expose relatively shallow deposits of "brown rock" under shallow clayey overburden that would stand up without timbering. Visual inspection of the exposed phosphate and expert judgment of the "grade" analysis, aided by a "biting" test to reveal presence of unwanted silica, furnished most of the information required. All this might be helped by a few samples sent to the local chemist† who supplemented his income by judicious trading or tanning a few bear skins. The extra curricula activities did not affect the accuracy of the analysis which hold up even under present day standards. Some shot and core drilling was done in Hickman County, mostly for the limestone-like blue Phosphate deposits. The next step was the use of a 4-in. posthole auger, hand operated as described by Guenther, followed by a completely mechanized rig, as described by Pickard. Both these methods are practically adapted to the prospecting of the relatively soft brown rock deposits at moderate depths of clay overburden. For prospecting in areas of deeper overburden, such as are often found in Hickman County, up to 150 or even 200-ft depths, a modified core-drilling method is described by Guenther. Johnston describes a special diamond-drilling technique, developed by TVA, to penetrate flint horizons, which was adopted by the International Minerals in chemical corporation to prospect in Hickman County where deposits had previously been prospected at considerable expense and with difficulty, by small, temporary, hand-dug shafts.

Jan 1, 1948

By J. Fred Johnson

COROMANT is the trade name of the alloy-steel drill rod tipped with a chisel-type tungsten-carbide bit manufactured by Sandvik Steel Works Co., Ltd. Other names, such as Swedish or air-leg method of drilling, are used in various localities. Coromant drilling in Sweden was the natural sequence of the adaptation of tungsten-carbide inserts to the already established routine of drilling. By the middle thirties the percussion drill had reached practically its highest attainable efficiency as a drilling machine. Since then improvement has been in metallurgy of component parts to increase life or lessen weight, in the development of pneumatic and automatic feeds, in the use of jumbos to more quickly and easily handle machines, and in changes in drill rods and bits. By 1937, drilling in the United States and Canada was done by relatively heavy mounted drifters with positive hand or automatic feeds. In Sweden, on the other hand, emphasis had been placed on light equipment and drifting was done with pneumatic bars and reverse-feed stopers. In 1938, one of the most prominent American drill manufacturers developed an air-leg for successfully drilling the extremely variable but relatively soft iron ores of some of the northern Michigan mines. Also in 1938, a comparative Swedish test, also in soft iron ore, of a 50-lb jackhammer mounted on an air-leg, against a 100-lb reverse-feed drifter on a pneumatic bar, showed the net drilling time was increased by the air-leg set-up from 51 to 71 pct, in drilling 6-ft rounds in a 6 1/2x6 1/2 ft drift. Miners were becoming scarce in Sweden even at that time and, since the lighter equipment made the work easier and more attractive, the airleg was then made use of in some types of soft rock. In 1940, for instance, a large tunnel for a hydroelectric plant was driven with this equipment. By 1943, when tungsten-carbide inserts came into the picture in Sweden, a great many of the kinks in percussion drilling with this hard-metal had been worked out in Germany under the stress of war conditions. However, only 10 pct of the drilling machines manufactured in Sweden were jackhammers for use on air-legs and only the one manufacturer made air-legs in the United States. American practice had largely supplanted integral forging of drill bits by the detachable steel bit. Canada and South Africa were using the one-pass throwaway bit but Sweden was still using the same old integral forged bit. After a long study of the trend toward simplicity

Jan 1, 1952

By Robert S. Archer, Zay Jeffries

It is about fifteen years since the development in Germany, largely by Alfred Wilm, of the aluminum alloy called duralumin. In this alloy, combining as it does the tensile strength of mild steel with the lightness and corrosion resistance of aluminum, a distinctly new material was presented to the engineering world. Despite the evident usefulness of this material, however, its commercial development has been slow, due in part to the difficulties involved in its fabrication. In view of the potentially great utility of strong aluminum alloys, it seemed desirable to find means of producing such alloys with better fabricating properties, and work was undertaken with this object in the laboratories of the Aluminum Company of America several years ago. This work has resulted in the production of two new types of aluminum alloy of the "strong alloy" class, having distinctly improved fabricating qualities. The knowledge gained has also made it possible to produce alloys of the duralumin type with greater strength and hardness than previously obtained. There have thus been made available some new engineering materials which it is the object of this paper to describe. These alloys, induding duralumin, are fundamentally wrought alloys. Castings of the same compositions heat treated in the same manner give inferior physical properties, particularly as to ductility. The statements made subsequently concerning properties and heat treatment apply to material that has received sufficient working to thoroughly break down the cast structure. The material referred to has, in general, undergone a reduction in section of at least 80 per cent, by mechanical working. It may be mentioned in passing that other compositions have been found that are suitable for the production of the maximum physical properties in heat-treated castings.

Jan 1, 1925

AS IS evident from the discussion in previous chapters, the methods by which an open-hearth heat may be made are numerous, but any heat, in the ingot form, may be classified as one of three types, depending upon the degree of deoxidation to which the metal is subjected. These are rimmed, semikilled, and killed, and desirable ingot structures, from the standpoint of distribution of porosity, are illustrated in Fig. 63. These are the most useful types of ingot structure [ ] and represent three stages in the continuous series from "wild" to "dead killed" (see Fig. 23, page 46) ; some of the variations of each type are discussed later in the chapter. The choice of ingot structure and of finishing practice used to produce the desired metal action in the molds is determined by consideration of: 1. Specified final analysis. As an example, the production of rimmed steels is mostly limited to carbon contents below 0.30 per cent and manganese contents below 0.60 per cent; on the other hand the production of low-carbon killed steel requires greater care.

Jan 1, 1944

By Gustav S. Preller, A. M. Gaudin

For the past 20 years it has been generally accepted that the flotation process is made possible as a result of the action of certain chemical substances on the surface of the mineral particles. In fact, it has been suspected, but never demonstrated, that this action produces on the mineral particles a layer of chemosorbed ions that is of the order of magnitude of a monolayer; that is, of a layer one ion deep. It is the purpose of this paper to present certain initial results on the relationship of mineral surface area and collecting-agent requirements. Up to about eight years ago, all considerations involving the surface area of finely divided solids were limited by the fact that there was not in existence any general method for determining the extent of such surfaces, especially on mixed materials. However, the method invented by Brunauer, Emmett and Teller1 has changed the situation by providing a general procedure (BET method). This procedure has already been applied to mineral dressing problems2-4 and has now received confirmation as to accuracy by an entirely independent method.' This confirmatory or "absolute" method uses a very tedious calorimetric procedure and is not suitable for routine determinations; but still another method6 now is available to relate the results obtained by the BET method to those obtained calorimetrically. This Harkins-Jura method has the advantage that it does not require an assumption concerning the parking area per molecule of adsorbate (nitrogen). In the original work by Brunauer, Emmett and Teller the parking area per nitrogen molecule was calculated to be either 13.8?2 or 16.2?2. according as the nitrogen was assumed to be closely packed as in crystalline nitrogen or loosely packed as in liquid nitrogen. The initial experimental work from this laboratory2 supported the 13.8?2. figure; that work was done on glass spheres of measurable geometric area and it was based on the assumption that the glass spheres were truly smooth; any deviation from this assumption would, of course, have made the calculated parking area higher. Harkins and Jura's results suggest that the parking area is not the same for all substrata; furthermore, the average of the 87 measurements cited indicates a "preferred" parking area for the nitrogen molecule of about 15.2?2., with extreme values at 13.7 and 16.9?2. The average of 21 determinations made in connection with this study7 gave a parking area of 14.3 ± 0.27?². In view of this result and of the Harkins and Jura

Jan 1, 1947