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By George M. Fowler

DURING 1937 the subject of mining geology was probably given more attention and more mining geologists were usefully employed than at any previous time. Of the many contributing factors the most important were: (1) a higher degree of prosperity in many countries, (2) a. better understanding of geologic phenomena, and (3) the apparently diminishing reserves of several important minerals. Mining companies have come to look upon geology with a growing appreciation of its aid in the more effective exploration and exploitation of mineral deposits. Most of the larger and more active companies have one or more geologists permanently attached to their staffs and some have well organized and efficiently managed geological departments. Even the smaller companies, who feel they cannot afford to employ a geologist on a permanent basis, are seeking the advice of competent men in this field with increasing frequency. One of the most significant trends has been the growing tendency to base exploratory work on more thorough geologic studies instead of empirical "hunches,"on which so much off the work in the past has relied. Likewise, mining companies are apparently more willing to expend larger sums on the basis of geologic possibilities in a district.

Jan 1, 1938

By Anthony William Deller

MAJOR battles in the present war have been fought in American research laboratories. Without the outstanding contributions made by our scientists, engineers, and technologists in mining and metallurgy, many of our achievements in the present war would have been impossible. All recognize the fact that modern research has found the answer to problems which seemed insuperable. For the duration, many of these inventions must be maintained as war secrets. But aside from these, the record of accomplishment in peace and war, especially in the past few decades, known to all, demonstrates what scientific and industrial research can accomplish. It may be regarded as axiomatic that the development of modern industry is based principally upon research devoted to making inventions and discoveries. We have come a long way from the sixteenth century, when Agricola published his classical "De Re Metallica:" With our vastly increased knowledge we are now commercially producing dozens of metals entirely unknown at that time. Further, with our modern methods of research and development, a large number of invaluable alloy compositions have been produced. These include numerous age-hardenable alloys, cupronickels, "Everbrite", "Everdur", "Duralumin", "Elinvar", "Hastelloy", "Inconel", "Invar", "Monel", "Ni-chrome", "Ni-Hard", "Ni-Resist", "Permaloy", "Silcrome", stainless steels and irons and other alloy steels, "Stellite", and zinc die-casting alloys.

Jan 1, 1945

By Guy N. Bjorge

HOMESTAKE'S mining methods today are of necessity controlled to a considerable extent by that which has been done in the past. This may be shown by the fact that our two main operating shafts now, the B. & M. and Ellison, were begun in 1878 and 1896 respectively, so that-the loca-tions of shafts, locations of all the drifts on the upper levels, and a great deal of sloping was done before any of us now connected with the mine had anything to do- with it. Anything that I may say is not to be construed as criticism of those who have gone before for it would be a sad commentary indeed on us if we had not learned something from their experience. The levels down to the 1100 in the Homestake mine are spaced at 100-ft. intervals, and below that at 150-ft. intervals. The general plan of develop-

Jan 1, 1934

By H. L. Hazen

THIS is the story of the recent operations of the Standard Cyaniding Co., which owns the Standard mine, a low-grade gold property in sight of Highway 40 about thirty miles from Lovelock toward Winnemucca, Nev. The ore is mined by power shovel and cyanided after grinding to only 3/S in. A total direct cost of $1.24 was attained in 1941 on 600 tons a day. Mining operations ceased, under Government edict, in 1942, and only in recent months have been resumed. The operating difficulties of today are: (1) the high cost of supplies; (2) labor problems; and (3) Federal laws as interpreted and enforced by executive bureaus of the Government. Of these, the increased cost of supplies is the least important.

Jan 1, 1947

By E. N. Harshman

The Wind River Formation of Eocene age is the host rock for large high-grade uranium deposits in the Shirley Basin. The major deposits are in a northwest-trending belt of sandstones that were deposited in stream channels and that were lithologically favorable for uranium accumulation. Paleotopography influenced the character and position of the belt. The major deposits within the belt are at, or near, the margins of large tongues of altered sandstone formed in the most transmissive parts of thick sandstone beds. At least two tongues of altered sandstone are present in the belt, one of which is 5 miles long, 3 miles wide, and 70 feet thick; the other tongue is somewhat smaller. Ore bodies consist of a few hundred tons to several hundred thousand tons of material containing from 0.10 to about 2.00 per cent U3O8. The ore mineral is uraninite associated with pyrite, marcasite, hematite, and calcite. Deposition is believed to have taken place when neutral to slightly alkaline, oxidizing, uranium-bearing ground water, on entering the basin, encountered a reducing environment. The reductant may have been H2S of biogenic origin. Geology played an important role in discovery, exploration, and development of ore in the Shirley Basin.

Jan 1, 1968

By SIDNEY ROLLE

ACURSORY glance through the literature on the subject reveals that the ablest minds in the land are devoting themselves to the great question of labor, of which employment is one of the fundamentals. Volumes have been written and the end is not in sight. Employment management is today about in the position that efficiency was 15 years ago. During the early days of the war, and perhaps for a year or so before, labor was plentiful. As the war progressed and Europe drew on us for munitions, employers began to compete with one another for', all, classes of labor. Labor was difficult to obtain, wages rose, the labor turnover increased, and employers began to install employment departments, welfare plans, and all sorts of schemes, but the labor efficiency dropped. As the war progressed, greater and greater production was demanded. New factors were introduced each day. The government, labor unions, industrial councils, all tended, it seemed, to make the situation almost intolerable. Wages rose to fantastic heights, the cost of living rose higher and higher, and the efficiency dropped still further.

Jan 1, 1921

By W. C. Ellis, M. E. Fine

WHEN certain binary Fe-Ni alloys are worked cold and then stabilized by a stress-relief anneal, their Young's moduli are nearly invariant over a substantial temperature range determined by composition and work-anneal history.' In the present investigation addition of molybdenum to such alloys (besides increasing the yield strength) was found to diminish the sensitivity of the thermal coefficient of Young's modulus to composition changes. Such alloys are of interest for applications requiring 1 a metal with controlled, low temperature coefficient of Young's modulus and substantial magnetic permeability.' Young's modulus ordinarily decreases with rising temperature. In ferromagnetic alloys a change in modulus on heating due to loss of ferromagnetism modifies the .temperature dependence. Far below the Curie temperature ferromagnetism alters the modulus in two ways: a—Addition of the energy of magnetization, a function of interatomic distance, changes the relation between interatomic energy and distance.' This lowers the modulus in the Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-Mo alloys of this investigation. b—An applied stress changes the ferromagnetic domain arrangement so that linear magnetostriction contributes to the strain and further lowers the modulUs.~ Since in the alloys of this investigation both effects lower the modulus, loss of ferromagnetism on heating changes the slope of the modulus-temperature curve in a positive direction. With increasing temperature the slope of the modulus-temperature curve, due to progressive loss of ferromagnetism, becomes less negative, goes through zero (the modulus is minimum), becomes positive, and resumes its normal negative value above the Curie temperature.' The increase in modulus and decrease in curvature in the modulus-temperature curve occurring on work hardening have been attributed to a reduction in effect (b).'. Vn the absence of ferromagnetism work hardening through introduction of residual strains would be expected to decrease the modulus.' Alloy Preparation—Test Methods Four series of alloys having nominal molybdenum contents of 5, 7, 9, and 10 pct and containing 47 to 58 pct Fe (the analyzed compositions are given in Table I) were melted in air and cast as bars weighing from 2 to 6 lb. The charge consisted of electrolytic nickel, Armco iron, molybdenum (99+ pct) or ferromolybdenum (62 pct Mo), manganese, and aluminum as a deoxidizer. The bars were swaged cold to the desired diameters with intermediate anneals. Alloys in this composition range are reported" to be face-centered cubic and ferromagnetic at room temperature. The Curie temperatures" decrease with molybdenum. For example, keeping the Ni/Fe ratio at unity and increasing the molybdenum from 0 to 17 pct decreases the Curie tempera- ture from approximately 500°C to room temperature. (The 17 pct Mo alloy requires quenching to retain a single phase.~) Young's modulus at a series of temperatures from —50" to 100°C was determined by a dynamic method previously described.', " In this method Young's modulus is calculated from the resonant frequency (in this case approximately 50,000 cycles per second) of a rod sample (approximately 2 in. long) vibrating longitudinally in the first mode. The densities of the samples at room temperature, Table I, were determined by the standard method of weighing in air and reweighing in redistilled bromobenzene. The linear coefficients of expansion, Table I, needed to calculate the sample length and density at the temperature of measurement, were obtained by observing the change in length (22" to 100°C) of an 8 in. gage distance with a two microscope cathetometer. The values of density and coefficient of expansion in the few samples checked are independent of treatment to the accuracy reported. This was assumed to be general for all the samples. The modulus values are accurate to &0.05x101' dynes per sq cm. However, values of thermal change in modulus are accurate to 20.005~ 10" dynes per sq cm. Young's Modulus Values at 25°C: The modulus values of O', 5, and 10 pct Mo alloys at 25 °C are plotted in Fig. 1 as functions of nickel. After working cold, the samples were either recrystallized at 950" to 1000°C or given a low temperature stabilizing anneal at 400° C. The 400°C anneal does not reduce the hardness nor cause recrystallization. Annealing at 400 °C does

Jan 1, 1952

By Donald C. Myntti

INTRODUCTION A major segment in a successful heavy equipment maintenance and repair program is the provision of well-laid out and well-equipped shop and service facilities The facilities described here will be those required for a large, high tonnage hard rock open pit mine utilizing rotary drills, shovels, haulage trucks, support equipment, and service trucks. The term support equipment covers the equipment required to support the drill, shovel, and truck operations, these are crawler tractors, road graders, front-end loaders, water trucks, rollers, rubber-tired tractors, etc. Service trucks are the automotive type consisting of rubber-tired over-the- road equipment. The primary structures generally involved in the total maintenance effort are as follows. (1) the main shop with an attached warehouse (the structure could also house the tire and lube shops plus the equipment cleaning stalls), (2) a service station with bulk petroleum product storage tanks, (3) a heating plant, (4) a security station (lf this is a corporate requirement), (5) operating department and employee assembly buildings, and (6) an electrical substation. Under certain conditions, many of these facilities with the exception of the substation could be combined In one or several structures. This arrangement could have a great advantage especially in areas where the heating of the structures is extremely critical.

Jan 1, 1979

By John H. Hollomon

A REVIEW of the steps which have been made to increase knowledge in the field of ferrous physical metallurgy during the closing period of World War II brings both pleasure and disappointment. Contributions of great value have been made, to be sure. However, due partly to the stress of the times, researchers in this field have been in the main directing their attention toward the short-range problems involved in the development and production of materiel for war. Furthermore, publication of the results of a great number of studies has had to be delayed. Much of the German work may, indeed, be lost entirely, owing to the efficiency of our bombers, which managed to account for most of the famous Kaiser Wilhelm Institut of Dusseldorf, not to mention the other large laboratories and manufacturing plants throughout that country. It would seem safe to assume, however, that fundamental research in Germany had been forced to give way to the shallow, but more pressing, engineering problems of a country trying to avoid defeat. In Russia the picture has been clouded by the limitations imposed upon comunication; but this much does seem clear: Russia alone among the great nations of the world has maintained her long-range view and has continued to foster research of the most fundamental type. English workers; on the other hand, appear to have been able only to meet the demands of the pressing problems of war, and their studies have been of the short-range variety. That metallurgical research of any sort should have continued in France during this chaotic period in her history would seem impossible, but, amazingly, a small handful of scientists did manage to carry on their work, and it is to be hoped that more will be heard from them in the future.

Jan 1, 1946

By AIME AIME

HEREWITH is presented a preliminary report of a special committee, consisting of Erle V. Daveler, Paul D. Merica, and C. H. Mathewson (chairman), dealing with sundry matters of which many are of vital interest to all members of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. As the report states, the initial purpose of the investigation was to determine ways and means to stimulate "the welfare and growth" of the Institute of Metals and Iron and Steel Divisions. However, it soon became apparent to the committee that most of the problems and possible correctives were of no less vital concern 1o members of the other Divisions and to the "unattached" group of members. Consequently, the Committee has authorized publication of the report and invites written comment from any member on the specific recommendations or on any other phase of the broad subject.

Jan 1, 1943

By Michael Tenenbaum

A REVIEW of process metallurgy of iron and steel during 1944 in many ways reflects the political and military developments of the year. Early in 1944 the tremendous wartime emergency expansion program was virtually completed and the industry directed its efforts to maintaining maximum production wherever needed. The vigorous production programs inaugurated to support the Normandy invasions did not persist as Allied armies approached Germany. General public apathy which developed with the prospect of an early ending of the European fighting was reflected in a general relaxation in armament programs. Toward the end of the year, as the prospect of a prolonged war became real, the entire program revived considerably and the need for steel became acute. Between January 1940 and October 1944 more than 12,400,000 tons had been added to the nation's steelmaking capacities, and over 12,700,000 tons added to the blast-furnace facilities. The total cost of this enormous program was more than two billion dollars. By July 1, 1944, total steelmaking capacity had exceeded 94,000,000 tons, with blast-furnace capacity rated at 68,400,000. Annual steel production, which was 88,900,000 tons in 1943, increased slightly during the past year and was estimated at 89,500,000. Production of pig iron also increased somewhat from 61,800,000 tons in 1943 to an estimated output of 62,500,000 in 1944. This review deals with a few of the numerous factors involved in maintaining the wartime iron and steel program at the level necessary to accomplish this enormous output.

Jan 1, 1945

By Casper A. Nelson, Wendell M. Whitecotton

A WIDE variety of lead ore is treated by the Midvale Smelter, for it is a custom plant not only treating Company lead concentrate and direct-smelting ores but also custom ores and concentrates, principally from Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, with lesser amounts from Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The principal operating departments of the plant are weighing and sampling, Wedge roaster, D&L sintering, blast furnace and drossing, and baghouse. The lead bullion produced is shipped to a subsidiary, the U.S.S. Lead Refinery, Inc., at East Chicago, while the by-products, such as matte and speiss, are shipped to other smelters or re-treated at the plant.

Jan 1, 1948

IN comparing the living conditions of the worker or peasant of the past with those existing today, his-torians might point out many strange contrasts. From the Doomsday Book we learn that at the time of Wil-liam the Conqueror the 1,375,000 inhabitants of Eng-land and Wales owned less than 1000 horses and 5000 oxen. Even as recently as 1871 when England and Wales had a population of 31,845.000, the total number of horses in the country was estimated at 1,110,000. Compare the necessary drudgery of labor in those days with conditions in Canada today where a population of less than ten million people own 3,500,000 horses. Re-member that there is also a turbine installation in` this country of more than four million horse-power, besides steam boilers and locomotive and automobile engines which reduce the traction and hand labor of the farm and factory. Frequently, poetic license has glossed over the poverty and hardship of the common people in the "good old days," and the imagination has created an idyllic world, far from being justified by the condi-tions which actually prevailed. Simon Patten's de-scription of the Middle Ages as "A Thousand Years Without an Ice Box" came nearer portraying the true situation. No one is likely to forget that the discovery of America was an incident in Europe's attempt to find a short route to the Indies, but the fact is usually for-gotten that the summer diet in Europe in 1400-an ice-less age-was such that spices were more precious than gold. Though the glamor of the Indies may never sur-round the modern refrigerator, certainly the modern housewife is likely 'to feel that the applied art called "cookery? may attain to higher levels with the assist-ance-6f such an adjunct. Those who have spoken slightingly of the uniformity of the modern apartment and have eulogized some of the exceptional hand-made furniture which has been bequeathed by former generations, have failed to com-pare modern house furnishings with those in the typical peasant's hovel. Machine-made furniture, though with-out particularly good lines, contrasts quite favorably with the pile of rags in the corner, and the poorest gas or oil stove is better than an open fire on a dirt floor. The scientist's application of the theories of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics .to practical prob-lems has brought about a series of kaleidoscopic trans-formations in agriculture, industry and commerce. Large scale production, improved means of communica-tion and the prevailing higher standard of living are terms which imply a very human meaning when in-terpreted as actual changes in individual living. Though the student and the teacher may deprecate the influence of commercialism upon science, humanity as a whole has received great benefits from the close relationship which has developed between science and industry, and industry in turn has done much for science through the building and endowment of laboratories and by supply-ing funds to maintain research workers.

Jan 11, 1927

By W. H. Echols

An oil-emulsion mud, consisting of a mixture of oil-base mud and bentonitic water-base mud, has been used experimentally in drilling 8 of the 35 wells in the Sivells Bend field, Cooke County, Texas. Experience indicates the oil-emulsion mud can be controlled in much the same manner as a water-base mud, and the "drilling" functions of the two types of mud are comparable. The average water-loss for the oil-emulsion mud was 3.8 cu cm per well. When using oil-emulsion mud to drill the last 2000 ft of 7000 ft wells, the mud costs were approximately 2½ times that of water-base mud. There is nothing to indicate well productivities have been affected through the use of oil-emulsion mud. However, drilling time and bit footages were increased and the holes were maintained more closely to bit guage. The apparent advantages gained through the use of oil-emulsion mud in the Sivells Bend field do not appear to justify the increase in mud costs. Introduction until a comparatively few years ago most of the development of drilling mud was directed toward improving the functions of the mud as related to actual drilling operations. The industry has long recognized that one disadvantage of rotary drilling over cable-tool drilling is the possibility of injury to producing zones through the blocking effect resulting from the infiltration of water or mud into the sands. Recognizing this disadvantage, considerable attention has been diverted toward the development of muds that will improve the quality of well com-pletions through the reduction or elimination of water into the sands, but without sacrificing too many of their "drilling" functions and at a cost commensurate with the benefits derived from their use. This phase of mud research has already found practical application, for example, in the development of the Rangely field, Colorado, it appears the use of oil-base mud during drilling-in operations will contribute appreciably toward making this exploitation more profitable. Much of the discussion to follow will be better understood if a brief sketch of the Sivells Bend field is given. The Sivells Bend field, discovered by The Texas Co. in 1944 and still in the process of development, is in a large bend on the Texas side of the Red River about 85 miles north of Dallas. Geologically, the structure is an unsymmetrical anticline, with faulting having contributed to its development. The productive sands are of the Strawn series of Pennsylvanian age, the sands being lenticular in character and varying considerably in development from well to well. At Present there are 35 producing wells in the field, producing from seven different sand lenses. The productive sand lenses vary from 15 to 50 ft in thickness and the individual sands have average permeabilities of from 75 to 375 md. The presently productive sands are encountered at depths of from 6300 to 7300 ft, but testing has indicated that commercial production might be obtained from other sands as high as 5200 ft. Histories of older Strawn

Jan 1, 1948

By W. H. Echols

An oil-emulsion mud, consisting of a mixture of oil-base mud and bentonitic water-base mud, has been used experimentally in drilling 8 of the 35 wells in the Sivells Bend field, Cooke County, Texas. Experience indicates the oil-emulsion mud can be controlled in much the same manner as a water-base mud, and the "drilling" functions of the two types of mud are comparable. The average water-loss for the oil-emulsion mud was 3.8 cu cm per well. When using oil-emulsion mud to drill the last 2000 ft of 7000 ft wells, the mud costs were approximately 2½ times that of water-base mud. There is nothing to indicate well productivities have been affected through the use of oil-emulsion mud. However, drilling time and bit footages were increased and the holes were maintained more closely to bit guage. The apparent advantages gained through the use of oil-emulsion mud in the Sivells Bend field do not appear to justify the increase in mud costs. Introduction until a comparatively few years ago most of the development of drilling mud was directed toward improving the functions of the mud as related to actual drilling operations. The industry has long recognized that one disadvantage of rotary drilling over cable-tool drilling is the possibility of injury to producing zones through the blocking effect resulting from the infiltration of water or mud into the sands. Recognizing this disadvantage, considerable attention has been diverted toward the development of muds that will improve the quality of well com-pletions through the reduction or elimination of water into the sands, but without sacrificing too many of their "drilling" functions and at a cost commensurate with the benefits derived from their use. This phase of mud research has already found practical application, for example, in the development of the Rangely field, Colorado, it appears the use of oil-base mud during drilling-in operations will contribute appreciably toward making this exploitation more profitable. Much of the discussion to follow will be better understood if a brief sketch of the Sivells Bend field is given. The Sivells Bend field, discovered by The Texas Co. in 1944 and still in the process of development, is in a large bend on the Texas side of the Red River about 85 miles north of Dallas. Geologically, the structure is an unsymmetrical anticline, with faulting having contributed to its development. The productive sands are of the Strawn series of Pennsylvanian age, the sands being lenticular in character and varying considerably in development from well to well. At Present there are 35 producing wells in the field, producing from seven different sand lenses. The productive sand lenses vary from 15 to 50 ft in thickness and the individual sands have average permeabilities of from 75 to 375 md. The presently productive sands are encountered at depths of from 6300 to 7300 ft, but testing has indicated that commercial production might be obtained from other sands as high as 5200 ft. Histories of older Strawn

Jan 1, 1948

By Hiroshi Oikawa, A. G. Guy

Recent experimental evidence has shown that it is often incorrect to neglect the reactions occurring at an interface with respect to the diffusion reactions. By introducing reaction-rate constants and k for the transfer of components 1 and 2 between the a and b phases, a phenomenological description has been devised for the coupled processes of diffusion and in-terfacial reaction. An illustrative example has been analyzed with the aid of a suitable computer program. The results indicate that for kab values on the order of 10'1 cm per sec and Ð values of about 10¯10 sq cm per sec, the interfacial reactions are significant during the first 10 2 to l0 6 sec of a diffusion experiment. Among the observable effects of the interfacial reactions in this case appear to be the burying Kirkendall markers and an anomaly in the initial shifting of these markers. THE study of diffusion between two phases is especially important because of its direct connection to phase transformations. For example, the transformation of austenite to ferrite involves diffusion in the a and ý phases and also an interfacial reaction (trans formation) at the a/? interface. If ferrite and aus-tenite are the two members in a diffusion couple, the same two reactions occur during the diffusion process. The numerical values obtained for the diffusion coefficients and interfacial-reaction constants from diffusion experiments can then be employed to predict phase-transformation behavior. Refinement of the calculations of phase transformation is also suggested by the present method for treating two-phase diffusion. In the recent paper by Nolfi et al.' only the solute com ponent is considered in the interfacial reaction accompanying a phase transformation. The present analysis demonstrates that both components must be considered. It is generally recognized that reactions of some kind must occur at the interface in a two-phase diffusion couple, but usually it is assumed that the interface reaction occurs so rapidly that its effect on the overall process is unobservable because the slower diffusion process determines the kinetics of the process. However, Seith and Heumann 2 pointed out that effects of the interfacial reaction should always occur in the early stages of diffusion, and recently Eifert et al. 3 have shown that interfacial reactions influence the composition and motion of the interface in a/ß Al-Cu diffusion couples during the entire course of prolonged, high-temperature treatments. A general procedure for handling the combined processes of interfacial reaction and diffusion in a binary, two-phase system is to introduce kinetic coefficients for the interface reactions and to develop the system of equations governing the interlinked processes of diffusion and interface reaction. The resulting equations, although not amenable to solution in closed form, can be usefully manipulated by a digital computer. INTERFACIAL REACTIONS IN TWO-PHASE DIFFUSION Consider the general case of diffusion between two solid solutions, a and ß, which are adjacent phases in a binary system, Fig. 1. Two semiinfinite bars having compositions c1 and c0ß are jointed at x = 0. If concentrations are expressed in volume fraction,4

Jan 1, 1970

By Thomas Brownfield

Development and production activity in Oklahoma during the year 1940 was of routine nature. Production, according to the Corporation Commission's figures, averaged 409,100 bbl. daily as compared with 421,000 bbl. for the year 1939. Discoveries were of minor importance except for the Cumberland pool in Marshall and Bryan Counties, in the southern part of the state. Maintenance of a relatively stable producing rate is attributable to the drilling of new wells and the recompletion of many old wells in the previously established producing areas. During the year 1785 new wells were drilled, a decline of approximately 10 per cent as compared with the previous year. Of the wells drilled, 962 were oil wells with a combined initial production of 241,000 bbl. daily, 172 were gas wells having aggregate capacities of 1205 million cu. ft., and 651 were dry holes. Wildcat activity increased 20 per cent over 1939 and 227 such wells were completed during the year; that isl 43 oil wells, 16 gas wells, and 168 dry holes. In addition to the new work completed, 603 wells were recorded as having been drilled deeper or plugged back to test new horizons; included were 334 producing wells with total initial production of 65,000 bbl. daily, 37 gas wells with initial aggregating 305 million cu. ft., and 232 abandonments. Footage drilled amounted to 4,730,000 ft., an average of 2650 ft. per well as com-pared with an average depth of 2600 ft. recorded the previous year. The principal new pools discovered as a result of the exploratory drilling were Cumberland; East Cromwell, in Okfuskee County, and Prague, in Lincoln County. At the end of the year Cumberland had 13 completed wells, which averaged 700 bbl. initial through tubing from the Simpson Bromide formation (Ordovician) at 4750 ft. East Cromwell had 10 wells with average initial of 435 bbl. in the Cromwell sand (Pennsylvanian) at 3460 ft. Prague had II wells with an initial average of 220 bbl. from the Senora sand (Pennsylvanian) at 3260 ft. There were notable extensions to the Dill pool, Okfuskee County, and to the Hewitt pool, Carter County. At the end of the year, 19 producing wells had been drilled in the former, with initials averaging 1000 bbl., and 63 wells averaging 150 bbl. daily in the latter. There were no notable changes in the policy of State conservation authorities with respect to proration. The Bureau of Mines recommendations for the year averaged 413,000 bbl. daily; the State author-ities fixed allowables at an average of 406,000 bbl. daily, while, as noted above, production averaged 409,100 barrels. The most important development in the older areas occurred in the following pools: Billings.—Seven oil wells with an average initial production of 2500 bbl. and two dry holes were completed during the year. Production from the Simpson horizon averaged 6025 bbl. daily as compared with 5950 the previous year. Production from this field has been almost steady since reaching its peak early in 1937. The major portion of the pool is efficiently operated as

Jan 1, 1941

By Thomas Brownfield

Development and production activity in Oklahoma during the year 1940 was of routine nature. Production, according to the Corporation Commission's figures, averaged 409,100 bbl. daily as compared with 421,000 bbl. for the year 1939. Discoveries were of minor importance except for the Cumberland pool in Marshall and Bryan Counties, in the southern part of the state. Maintenance of a relatively stable producing rate is attributable to the drilling of new wells and the recompletion of many old wells in the previously established producing areas. During the year 1785 new wells were drilled, a decline of approximately 10 per cent as compared with the previous year. Of the wells drilled, 962 were oil wells with a combined initial production of 241,000 bbl. daily, 172 were gas wells having aggregate capacities of 1205 million cu. ft., and 651 were dry holes. Wildcat activity increased 20 per cent over 1939 and 227 such wells were completed during the year; that isl 43 oil wells, 16 gas wells, and 168 dry holes. In addition to the new work completed, 603 wells were recorded as having been drilled deeper or plugged back to test new horizons; included were 334 producing wells with total initial production of 65,000 bbl. daily, 37 gas wells with initial aggregating 305 million cu. ft., and 232 abandonments. Footage drilled amounted to 4,730,000 ft., an average of 2650 ft. per well as com-pared with an average depth of 2600 ft. recorded the previous year. The principal new pools discovered as a result of the exploratory drilling were Cumberland; East Cromwell, in Okfuskee County, and Prague, in Lincoln County. At the end of the year Cumberland had 13 completed wells, which averaged 700 bbl. initial through tubing from the Simpson Bromide formation (Ordovician) at 4750 ft. East Cromwell had 10 wells with average initial of 435 bbl. in the Cromwell sand (Pennsylvanian) at 3460 ft. Prague had II wells with an initial average of 220 bbl. from the Senora sand (Pennsylvanian) at 3260 ft. There were notable extensions to the Dill pool, Okfuskee County, and to the Hewitt pool, Carter County. At the end of the year, 19 producing wells had been drilled in the former, with initials averaging 1000 bbl., and 63 wells averaging 150 bbl. daily in the latter. There were no notable changes in the policy of State conservation authorities with respect to proration. The Bureau of Mines recommendations for the year averaged 413,000 bbl. daily; the State author-ities fixed allowables at an average of 406,000 bbl. daily, while, as noted above, production averaged 409,100 barrels. The most important development in the older areas occurred in the following pools: Billings.—Seven oil wells with an average initial production of 2500 bbl. and two dry holes were completed during the year. Production from the Simpson horizon averaged 6025 bbl. daily as compared with 5950 the previous year. Production from this field has been almost steady since reaching its peak early in 1937. The major portion of the pool is efficiently operated as

Jan 1, 1941

By J. R. Stone, G. D. Storm

Design features and operating methods of ASARCO's new unit for the continuous melting and casting of tough pitch copper at Perth Amboy are described. Preliminary studies made for determinitzg economic feasibility and design details are also presented. Cathodes are preheated with oil and melted in an electric furnace at 40-ton per hr rate, from whence the molten copper is fed simultaneously to the wire bar casting wheel and the continuous casting of cakes and billets. In the early 1950's the copper refining furnaces at ASARCO's Perth Amboy plant reached a point where major expenditures would have to be made for replacement of the furnaces and the auxiliary equipment. The problem was whether to continue with the standard reverberatory furnaces or to consider continuous melting in electric furnaces. Reverberatory furnaces have been used for years in the copper industry and for some 50 years at the Perth Amboy plant. Reverberatory melting practice, however, imposes certain restrictions. First, labor costs are high, usually requiring three shifts per day. Secondly, they operate on a batch basis, the conventional operation being a 24-hr cycle including

Jan 1, 1961

By K. D. Jacob

IN the decreasing order of the tonnages involved, the uses of phosphates can be grouped conveniently into three general classes, namely, fertilizer; chemicals for military, industrial, and technical purposes; and mineral feed for livestock. The quantity of phosphate used as fertilizer, principally in the form of superphosphate, has always exceeded by far that used for all other purposes, though in recent years a marked increase has occurred in its consumption for the other two general classes of uses. Prior to the present century large quantities of superphosphate, as well as a considerable portion of the production of phosphorus chemicals, score made from bone materials which were plentiful and cheap in some areas and which could be more easily processed than phosphate rock for the manufacture of chemicals. Today, however phosphate rock has almost completely displaced bone as a raw material for the manufacture of chemically processed phosphates in nearly all countries of the world.

Jan 1, 1944