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Occasionally it is interesting, and sometimes useful, to review the past for early references to our industry, and to learn of the trials and travail passed through before it arrived where it now is- and the results of such a review follow. Some time ago one of our modern playwrights and poets, Arthur Guiterman, turned to coal, with the following result: Afar in the Carboniferous time I grew in Paleozoical slime, A lepidodendron with boughs on my stem And lepidostrobuses grew out of them. My roots in the mud of the ages I spread And up to the heavens I vaunted my head, I throve in the heat of tropical sun, And now I am coal at two dollars a ton

Jan 1, 1939

By G. K. Burgess

THE question of the allotropy of iron, in spite of a vast amount of experimental work and perhaps an even greater amount of theorizing, is not yet settled. That there is a definite transformation in iron near 900,° the A3 point, is generally recognized, as well as the fact that the temperature of this transformation is lowered by the addition of carbon and metallic elements. On heating, the transformation Ac3 is always found at a higher temperature than the transformation on cooling, Ar3. Whether the A3 transformation is sharp like the melting point of a pure substance, or extends over a considerable range of temperatures, embracing perhaps as a lower limit the A2 change, appears to be still an open question for pure iron. The nature and identity of the A2 transformation, it would appear from recent publications, has not yet been satisfactorily settled. In the present paper a critical, historical summary is given of the experimental investigations of the location of A2 and A.3 in pure iron, together with brief mention of some of the theoretical aspects of the subject, and an account is given of a series ?of experiments carried out with several samples of very pure iron which were studied by two methods of thermal analysis in the range from 5000 C. to 1,000° C., and which it is believed furnish a contribution of considerable interest as to the location and nature of the A3 and A2 transformations. Great attention has been given to the details of experimental manipulation and to the preparation of the samples, as it was soon found that some of the discrepancies noted in the work of many experimenters may be traced largely to lack of precautions which we have found essential. For example, to anticipate somewhat, it is necessary to provide a suitable practically gas-free furnace, the heating and cooling of which may be regulated to a nicety. To render a minimum the deforming effects on the cooling and heating curves of the poor conduction of the sample, it must be of a form and mass to pass on its heat rapidly and completely to the thermocouple; and finally the sample itself must be freed from gases which, if present, further mask the definiteness of the heating and cooling curves. We, have also varied within wide limits the several factors which may influence the determination of the exact location and shape of the transformation ranges, especially the mass and preparation of sample, rate of heating and cooling, design of furnace; and finally, as nearly as it is experimentally possible, we have worked with a substance approaching pure iron, free from occluded gases and other impurities, and contained within a vacuum.

Jan 10, 1913

By Nicholas J. Grant, Irmgard Rump, Bill C. Giessen

The system W-Hf was determined by use of metal -lographic and X-ray methods. The only interrnetal-lie phase W2Hf melts peritectically at 2650° ± 50°C. A eutectic between W2Hf and ß-Hf solid solution exists at 78 at. pct Hf arul 1930º ± 10°C. The addition of tungsten loulers the hafnium transfornzation; there is a eutectoid at 93 at. pct Hf and 1560°C. The solubility limits of the terminal solid solutions were determined. At the beginning of this investigation, the system had not been elaborated; only crystallographic work had been done to determine the structure of the occurring intermetallic compound W2Hf, and a certain analogy to the system W-Zr was to be expected. Special emphasis was placed in this program on the Hf-rich part of the diagram. Following the completion of our experiments, a phase diagram was suggested by Braun and RUdY.1 EXPERIMENTAL METHODS The investigation utilized tungsten powder supplied by the General Electric Co. with a purity of about 99.9 pct and hafnium crystal bar of about 97.7 pct purity, 2.3 pct Zr, supplied by Foote Mineral Co. Typical analyses are given in Table I. The procedures followed were identical with the ones described for the Re-Nb diagram.' Tungsten powder was compacted at 16,000 psi and the necessary amount of hafnium was added in the form of small pieces cut from the crystal bar, with a reasonable excess of tungsten powder to make up for powder losses on melting. High hafnium or tungsten melts were prepared from premelted tungsten and hafnium or by employing master alloys. The melting was done in a Heraeus arc-furnace under argon. Melting and remelting up to 8 times resulted in fairly homogeneous alloys. No weight

Jan 1, 1962

By A. C. Heath, E. H. Dix

THE importance of aluminum-silicon alloys in the light alloy field is now generally recognized. Where silicon was once considered detrimental to the properties of aluminum, useful alloys now contain as much as 13 per cent. Furthermore, silicon is present as an impurity in aluminum of even the purest grades. Iron is another important impurity in aluminum and like silicon is found in small quantities in the purest aluminum available today. The manner of occurrence of iron and silicon in commercially pure aluminum and many of its alloys exerts a very pronounced influence upon their properties. The effect of large quantities of iron in aluminum-silicon alloys is so detrimental that it has been found necessary to limit the allowable maximum percentage to as low a figure as is consistent with quantity production and satisfactory physical properties. The intimate relation existing between iron and silicon in aluminum and aluminum alloys makes necessary a more complete knowledge of this ternary system. This paper is divided into two principal parts, dealing respectively with aluminum-silicon solubility equilibria and the constitution of aluminum-iron-silicon alloys. PART I.-ALUMINUM-SILICON ALLOYS The early work on this system was largely confined to determining the general form of the diagram and in this respect the results are in good agreement. Briefly, aluminum and silicon form a simple eutectiferous series without compounds. Until recently the solid solubility of silicon in aluminum had not been accurately determined. Fraenkel1 (1908) stated that aluminum will retain 0.5 per cent. silicon in solid solution. Rosenhain, Archbutt and Hanson2 gave the maximum solubility as about 1.50 per cent. and added that "this solubility does not appear

Jan 1, 1928

By J. H. Henderson, L. A. Wilson, R. L. Gergins, R. J. Wygal, D. W. Reed

This paper presents a method of predicting the production history of an underground combustion recovery process. A rigorous solution of the thermodynamics and hydrodynamics involved is beyond the scope of this report. However, a practical scheme to appraise combustion recovery performance has been Worked out. By prudent assumptions, regarding the attainment of steady-state conditions, a trial-and-error solution, which satisfies both material balance and three-phase relative permeability requirements has been evolved and tested. As a combustion zone moves through a formation the interstitial water, the water of combustion and a portion of the oil wil1 be vaporized. These vapors will move downstream to a cooler region of the formation where they will condense. Part of the remaining oil will be displaced by the imposed gas drive and what remains behind will be consumed as fuel. The fluids will distribute themselves downstrean? in a manner which will satisfy the three-phase relative permeability characteristics of the formation. Three distinct zones will exist ahead of the combustion zone: (I) a zone termed a water bank which contains three mobile phases, oil, water and gas; (2) a region containing two mobile phases, oil and gas, called the oil bank; and (3) a zone having the fluid saturution distribution which existed prior to combustion. The mobile water will impose a water flood on the oil in the region containing three flowing phases. The process can be visualized as a simultaneous water .flood and combustion-supported gas drive. It is possible to estimate the saturation distributions in the water bank and oil bank as well as the production history for any combustion temperuture if the porosity, three-phase relative permeability characteristics, oil viscosity and initial saturations are known. This has been done for injection pressures ranging from I to 100 atm, oil viscosities of 10 to 1,000 cp and porosities from 20 to 40 per cent. Several of these calculations have been checked in the laboratory, with the result indicating rather good agreement between the predicted and observed production histories. The analytical and experimental techniques are described and the comparison of predicted and observed performance presented. INTRODUCTION Considerable research by the oil industry during the past 10 years has been directed toward the thermal recovery of crude oil. Of all schemes considered, the one receiving the most attention is in situ combustion. This is a process in which part of the oil is actually burned within the reservoir rock. The uniqueness of the process lies in its potential. Theoretically, this potential generates from the following: (1) it may open the door to vast reserves previously not economically producible, (2) it may induce increased production rates where low rates are now realized and (3) it may give high over-all recovery efficiency. The general idea of the process has received considerable attention in the literature '-' and the following brief description is intended for orientation only. In situ combustion can be visualized by considering a linear system, one end of which represents the injection well and the other the producing well. The formation at the inlet end is raised to ignition temperature by placing a gas or electric heater at the face of the formation or by the ignition of thermite, charcoal or similar material. While heating, the water and part of the oil in the heated region is vaporized and moved out into the reservoir by the injection of gas containing oxygen. In addition, part of the oil is displaced as liquid by the imposed gas drive. The oil not displaced is modified to an immobile, coke-like material (hereafter referred to as coke) by the high temperatures existing immediately ahead of the combustion zone. This coke is used as fuel, and the combustion front advances through the formation at a temperature which is probably in excess of 800°F. As the combustion front advancek it will drive ahead all interstitial oil not rendered immobile and all interstitial water plus the water formed by the combustion of hydrogen. As a result the sand behind the combustion zone is freed of all oil and water. Although the general description of the process has been outlined in the literature, there has been no consideration of the behavior of the fluids moving downstream from the combustion front. It is the purpose of this paper to present a technique

By A. T. Churchman

The deformation modes of rhenium have been identified as those typical of the hexagonal metals, titanium, zirconium, and beryllium whose c/a ratios, in common with rhenium, are less than ideal for close packing. Slip is observed on (1010), (1011), and (0001) planes and twinning on (1121), (1122), and (1012) planes. The very high rate of work hardening is believed to be associated with intersecting partial dislocations on two (1010) systems which can combine to form sessile barriers. If the stacking fault energy is low, as postulated by Seeger, these barriers should be strong and not easily bypassed by cross slipping. Such an explanation could also account for the very small temperature dependence of the yield stress which was observed. RHENIUM is interesting scientifically as a member of the group of high melting point hexagonal metals: titanium, beryllium, and zirconium with a c/a ratio less than that for ideal close packing. Unlike them, however, it work hardens at a very high rate. This rate is greater and continues to a much higher degree of deformation than for nickel, normally considered to have a high rate of work hardening. This paper presents experimental observations on the modes of deformation of rhenium and, by comparison with other hexagonal metals, some speculation on the cause of the high work hardening. MATERIALS Johnson, Matthey rhenium powder of both 99.9 pct and 99.5 pct purity, see Table I, was compacted at 10 tons per sq in., part sintered at 1350°C in vacuo, and finally arc melted in a "gettered" argon atmosphere arc furnace to produce small buttons. Little difference was observed in the as-cast hardness or working down behavior of the two purities suggesting that either silicon and potassium do not have a significant effect on the working properties of rhenium or they were lost during arc melting. SPECIMEN PREPARATION The cast structure was broken up by cold-rolling with inter-stage annealing at 1600o or 1800°C in a vacuum high-frequency furnace using a tungsten susceptor. Strip for tensile testing was taken from two thicknesses of material 0.011 and 0.064 in. The former with intermediate anneals at 1800°C had a grain size of 900 grains per sq mm, while the latter with inter-stage annealing at 1600°C had a grain size of 3600 grains per sq mm. A coarse grain size was obtained by secondary recrystallization in a half button cold-worked by 30 pct reduction. Annealing times of from half an hour to several hours at 2200° to 2600°C in a "gettered" argon atmosphere arc furnace1 resulted in grains of up to 2 mm diam.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. L. Bleifuss

Most pellets swell only slightly during reduction, but some swell so enormusly that their increase in size is termed catastrophic. Since catastrophic swelling produces irregularities in blast furnace operation, an understanding of the phenomenon is of practical as well as theoretical interest. Observations have shown that catastrophic swelling is characterized by the growth of a network of fine iron filaments. Evidence is presented to show that the growth of these filaments is promoted by the presence of calcium in the magnetite lattice of the original ore. During reduction, the limited mutual solubility of CaO and FeO produces an unstable condition that inhibits the uniform nucleation of metallic iron. Other elements in the magnetite lattice whose oxides are continuously soluble in FeO in the critical temperature range have no effect. Magmatic segregation or pyrometasomatic replacements are the most likely deposits to contain calciferous magnetite. Over the past few years there has been an increasing concern throughout the iron and steel industry over the tendency of pellets to swell during reduction. Although the tendency for swelling is only one of several attributes that determine the behavior of pellets in the blast furnace, swelling-reduction tests are now part of the normal evaluation procedure of many pellet consumers. During a swelling-reduction test, pellets display either the moderate increase in size known as normal swelling, or the enormous expansion known as catastrophic swelling. This paper is concerned with the origin and control of catastrophic swelling and how it is enhanced or inhibited by the presence of minor elements. Swelling Behavior The swelling behavior of pellets during reduction is indicated in Fig. 1. The lower curve represents normal swelling and the upper curve catastrophic swelling.' During the initial stages of reduction, that is, up to about 20-25% reduction, the two curves are considered to be equivalent. Beyond this point normal pellets undergo a gradual decrease in size with increased reduction. By contrast, pellets which exhibit catastrophic swelling show a second dramatic expansion between 25 and 70% reduction. The initial normal swelling develops as the hematite of the pellet is successively reduced to magnetite, and then to wustite. Work by Edstrom' and others has shown that the reduction of hematite to magnetite is accompanied by a 25% volume increase, whereas the magnetite to wustite stage shows a volume decrease. The volume increase overlaps the wustite field because magnetite is formed simultaneously with the wustite during topochemical reduction of the pellet. The catastrophic expansion is clearly related to the wustite, to

Jan 1, 1971

By L. W. Kempf, R. S. Archer

The binary aluminum-silicon alloys have certain characteristic advantages which are now well known, and these alloys have come into considerable use during the past several years.' Their field of application has been limited to a certain extent, however, by their low yield point and hardness, low endurance limit, and relatively poor machining characteristics. These properties are improved by the addition of copper, and the ternary aluminum-silicon-copper alloys constitute an important class. The addition of copper decreases the corrosion resistance of the aluminum-silicon alloys and increases specific gravity. Magnesium is a hardening addition which seems to have relatively little effect on corrosion resistance, and which, of course, reduces specific gravity. The object of the work described in this paper was the development of alloys and heat treatments for the production of sand castings and permanent-mold castings having substantially all the advantages of the binary aluminum-silicon alloys together with mechanical properties improved to a degree permitting wider application. Constitution of Alloys Magnesium and silicon combine in aluminum alloys as the compound Mg2Si, which forms a binary system with aluminum. In alloys containing an excess of silicon over that required to form the compound, solidification ends with the freezing at 1022' F. (550' C.) of a ternary eutectic of aluminum, Mg²Si, and silicon. Judging from the horizontal projection of the liquidus surface as given by Hanson and Gayler,² this ternary eut,ectic contains about 13 per cent. silicon and 6 per cent. magnesium. All of the alloys discussed here contain excess silicon, so it

Jan 1, 1931

By Thomas MacFarlane

I. INTRODUCTION. AMONG the industrial enterprises which have, from time to time, been undertaken in our Dominion, few have been more uniformly unsuccessful than those which have had for their object the development of our mineral resources. These resources have not been regarded as insignificant. On the contrary, it is supposed that we possess in our ore deposits something more than mere points of mineralogical interest. Some people are enthusiastic enough to believe that our mineral wealth will yet occasion the establishment in our backwoods of happy and industrious communities, causing, in fact, our wilderness to blossom as the rose. These enthusiasts do not shut their eyes to the serious obstacles which at every stage interfere with the carrying out of mining enterprises in this country, and which tempt one to believe that no such enterprise can ever be conducted to a desirable end, but they entertain the conviction that as our capitalists, miners, and technologists reach the years of discretion, and handle our mines in an economical, vigorous, and judicious manner, and as our statesmen become alive to the necessity of fostering, without extremely protecting, our metallurgical industries, mines and furnaces will gradually prosper, and so develop as to become a tower of strength to our agricultural, manufacturing, and mercantile interests. The fact that our past experience does not generally justify such glowing anticipations makes one all the more anxious to put on record the history of a successful mine, such as the Silver Islet has, on the whole, been. My connection with its discovery and early development was a very intimate one, and I propose in this paper to sketch its history and character, and sum up the amount of silver it has so far yielded. An additional reason for the appearance of this paper is that the Transactions of the Institute contain only a few references to the Silver Islet Mine. Although this mine is reported successful, we have, of course, no guarantee that it will not fall a victim to the same influences which have

Jan 1, 1880

By Clarence S. Ross

INTRODUCTION THIS chapter on the rô1e of physical-chemical processes in ore deposition presents unusual difficulties because it attempts to discuss the theory of processes that are very imperfectly under- stood, but which are among the most fundamental problems now before the student of ore formation. It is generally believed that a great variety of ore deposits are in some way derived from igneous rocks; but we desire to know the mechanism of their splitting off from the parent magma, the physical and chemical character of the material that acts as a medium for transfer from magma to the point of deposition, the manner of deposition, and the methods of replacement and removal of the invaded rocks. This problem is difficult for the field geologist because it concerns forces that for the most part have long since ceased to act. It involves a complex system of which the time for completion extends from the first development of the parent magma through its intrusion, its slow cooling and crystallization, and the final escape of its last residuum, a time probably represented by millions of years. In space the processes extend from profound depths of the abyssal magma which can never be directly observed, through the horizons characterizing deep-seated igneous rocks and ore deposits; those formed at moderate depths; and ends with surficial ones and surface thermal springs. The geologist usually can study the effect at but one of these horizons: he must attempt to fit his puzzle together while seeing but a few parts at a time. Thus he must deal with many isolated phenomena, as if they were the result of many physical and chemical systems; when in fact his problem involves a single exceedingly complex system, and will only be understood when that entire complex system is understood. The geophysicist is handicapped because he must attempt to interpret an extraordinary complex system, involving physical and chemical conditions which he can never hope to duplicate fully, through the study of many exceedingly simple systems.

Jan 1, 1933

By Douglas W. Fuerstenau, Kalanadh V. S. Sastry

A mathematical model is developed for flotation in a countercur-rent column where continuously generated air bubbles rise through a downward flowing pulp. The model is based on the assumption of axially dispressed plug flow of both the liquid and air-bubble phases. An appropriate flotation-rate expression, which takes into account the changing concentration of solid particles on the bubble surface, is formulated and applied to the column flotation process. Although a complete solution of the resulting equations is not possible for the general case, solutions for specific limiting cases have been obtained. From these, it is possible to predict theoretically the dependence of the column performance on certain variables. Specifically, concentration profiles as a function of height in the column have been calculated for various values of the characteristic dimensionless parameters. The effect of axial dispersion on the perforance of the equipment is pointed out. In recent years, there has been considerable progress in delineating the fundamental physicochemical principles underlying the unit operation of flotation and in advancing methods for kinetic analysis and process modeling of flotation.' In general, nearly all such process research has been concerned with the analysis of conventional flotation equipment and circuits. From these investigations, the possibility of developing and designing flotation apparatus for more efficient separation appears limited with conventional equipment. How- ever, recently there has been an attempt to apply coun-tercurrent flow techniques to flotation in the context of a flotation column.- some of the results from pilot-plant studies2 indicate possibilities for success of this process at least in obtaining higher-grade concentrates though not higher recoveries. A flotation column operates on countercurrent principle in which bubbles continuously generated at the bottom of the column rise through the downward flowing slurry. A schematic diagram of the flotation column is shown in Fig. 1. The physicochemical principles of bubble-mineral attachment, using this flotation column, are essentially the same as those which prevail in conventional equipment, the only differences being in the flow patterns of the various phases. The salient operating feature of the column as compared to those of a conventional cell is that neither mechanical nor turbulent pneumatic agitation is employed. The column is

Jan 1, 1971

By D. S. Tannhauser, I. Bransky

Measurements of the electrical conductivity, the thermal electromotive force, and the deviation from stoichiometry by thermogravimetry were made on ferrous oxide (wüstite) single crystals as well as on poly-crystalline samples in the temperature range of -900" to 1330°C. In the region defined by T 2 1000°C and 1.05 5 O/Fe 5 1.10 the electrical conductivity was shown to be proportional to the sixth root of- the oxygen partial pressure and to be linearly dependent on the deviation from stoichiometry. The absolute Seebeck coefficient of single and polycrystalline wüstite was shown to be independent of temperature in the above region and a p to n transition of the Seebeck coefficient was observed at O/Fe = 1.09 in polycrystalline wüstite. Analysis of the results showed that the predominant defects in wüstite in the above region were doubly ionized cation vacancies. The analysis also ruled out the existence of complexes of the type postulated by Roth, except that below 1000°C there is some evidence of 'association of defects. Of the three oxides of iron (FeO, Fe3O4, Fe2O3) only FeO (wüstite) can exist within a wide range of the ratio O/Fe. This has been shown by several investigations of the phase diagram using for instance chemical analysis of quenched samples'-4 or thermogravimetric measurements. 5,8 Darken and Gurry's1 data for example in the temper- ature range 1100o to 1400°C show that the lowest O/Fe ratio obtainable for FeOl +. is about 1.045 and that the existence range extends to O/Fe = 1.20 at 1400oC. On the basis of detailed analysis of thermogravimetric measurements made by Vallet and Raccah6 the existence of three varieties of wüstite at elevated temperatures was suggested by these authors and by Kleman. It is well-established that wüstite has a NaCl structure with vacant cation sites.3, 8 From a neutron-diffraction study of wüstite samples quenched to room temperature Roth9 concluded that defects in wüstite are mostly complexes composed of two cation vacancies and one interstitial cation in a tetrahedral site. The atomic arrangement in the vicinity of such a defect is similar to that in magnetite, where each occupied tetrahedral site is surrounded by four vacant octahedral positions disposed at the corners of a tetrahedron, so arranged that each vacancy is shared by two tetrahedral cations. Thus there is an average of two vacancies per interstitial. Recent X-ray diffraction measurements made by Smuts10 on quenched wüstite samples confirmed the results of Roth's neutron-diffraction experiments. Roth's model of defects in FeO can be regarded as a solid solution of Fe3O4 in FeO; salmon1' used this defect model to calculate the activity of Fe3O1 in FeO at high temperature and claimed good agreement with the results obtained experimentally by Darken and Gurry.' Each missing cation in wüstite is accompanied by two trivalent cations, thus preserving charge neutrality. The "holes" which differentiate between the Fe 2+ and Fe3' states of the ions in octahedral positions can overcome the attractive field of the cation vacancies, and are then free to move through the crystal as charge carriers. A similar picture holds for COO, NiO, andMnO.l2, 13 Localization of the charge carriers in transition

Jan 1, 1968

By P. A. Beck

ACCORDING to the traditional definition,1 re-x crystallization is a process taking place upon annealing of cold worked metals, characterized by the appearance of new strain-free grains, growing at the expense of the cold worked grains until ultimately the new crystals completely replace the cold worked structure. In metals like brass this process was observed long ago to take place simultaneously with the return of the mechanical properties to those characteristic of well annealed material. The above definition implicitly assumes that the matrix in which the new grains are growing is essentially still in the cold worked condition at the time it is absorbed by the new grains, i.e., that the energy stored in the metal during cold working is not greatly decreased by recovery, prior to recrystallization. Accordingly, the bulk of this energy is assumed to serve as the driving force for the process of recrystallization. Recently, a great deal of evidence accumulated, indicating that the traditional concept may be considerably in error. Suzuki' found that by far the largest portion of the stored energy of cold work in compressed polycrystalline copper is released in the early stages of annealing, well in advance of recrystallization. Thus, the new recrystallized grains are undoubtedly growing in a matrix which is, at least energetically, no longer in the cold worked condition, but has nearly returned to the annealed state. It is true that in Suzuki's experiments the major hardness changes due to annealing were observed to take place concurrently with the formation and growth of the new grains, but this process apparently involved the release of only a minor residual fraction of the stored energy of cold work. Confirming in this respect the views of Wood," several recent investigations by various techniques lead to the conclusion that the grains of many, if not all, metals in the cold worked condition consist of small, slightly disoriented "crystallites" or "sub-grains".* (After appreciable deformation at room temperature, the subgrain size in copper appears to be about 7.104 cm and in high purity aluminum about 2.10-4 cm.) Recent investigations which demonstrated this phenomenon most convincingly are those of Heidenreich8 with hammered high purity aluminum, of P. B. Hirsch and collaborators7,8 with cold worked polycrystalline aluminum, copper, nickel, iron, gold, etc., and of Warren and Averbach9 with a rolled copper plus 2 pct Si single crystal. In addition to the existence of slightly disoriented sub-grains, the cumulative evidence from these investigations also shows that in the cold worked condition the subgrains themselves are severely strained. With regard to the early stages of annealing, Heiden-reich's results indicate that within the subarains of hammered high purity aluminum the strain gradually disappears, without discernible migration of the subboundaries. This recovery process presumably accounts for the major portion of the energy release

Jan 1, 1953

By John E. Greenawalt

IN view of the increasing importance of sintering in the beneficiation of iron ores preparatory to their reduction in the blast furnace, the writer believes the time is opportune for an up-to-date, though brief, discussion of the general principles of sintering, as well as a discussion of some of the recent improvements and mechanical developments that have been achieved in this industry, its present trend and future possibilities. Sintering may be defined as the agglomeration of fine mineral particles into a porous mass by incipient fusion caused by heat produced by combustion within the mass itself. Its first successful application, in connection with the treatment of lead sulphide ores, was known as blast roasting. In this process the lead ore was given a preliminary roasting in a reverberatory furnace, then the incandescent mass was placed in a pot with a grate and an updraft was applied. It was soon discovered that much better results were obtained by cooling the ore, moistening it, and placing it upon an incandescent layer of fuel previously placed upon a grate, and then applying the updraft blast of air until the charge was converted into a more or less agglomerated mass. The fuel was sulphur and the process one of desulphurization, which was the principal result desired. The application of downdraft to blast roasting brought about tremendous results; the principal one of which was that an air blast of high pressure could be passed through a layer of ore deposited on a grate, or on a grate covered by a layer of coarse porous material, without disturbing the particles of which the layer is composed. The air current is compelled to filter through the pores of the charge, whereas if the same pressure applied to the top surface of the charge with downdraft were applied to the bottom of the charge with updraft, the charge would be completely blown off the grate. Another result of reversing the draft was that a flame could readily be applied to the top surface of the charge for igniting purposes. Broadly speaking, sintering is an oxidizing or burning process, therefore the volume of air passing through the charge is the all-important factor. The air must pass through with sufficient rapidity to produce the necessary heat, and if sufficiently rapid the combustion will take place

Jan 1, 1938

By Ross Blake

THE St. Joseph Lead Co. became interested in the Tri-State district in 1921 through acquisition of prospecting and development rights on approximately 20,000 acres of land extending northeastward from the Picher mining field, mostly in Kansas. Prospecting with churn drills was begun the same year and the first commercial ore body was found on the Jarrett tract at the then northern limit of the main Picher field. Operations at this mine began in 1923. Kansas Explorations, Inc., was organized in 1923 by the St. Joseph Lead Co. as a wholly-owned subsidiary to carry on its operations in the Tri-State District from an office at Joplin, Mo. As prospecting of the original acreage proved largely negative, attention was subsequently turned to other sections of the district. Numerous additional leases were acquired and prospected. The Company was successful in developing into operating properties the Jarrett, Isherwood, Robinson, Sullivan and Lotson tracts and, in more recent years, the Ritz, Snapp, Buckingham, Gibson and Jasper mines.

Jan 1, 1947

By Charles F. Brush

THE compression of gases to a very high degree, for purposes of scientific research, has long presented serious difficulties to the physicist. Great advances have been made of late years in the construction of ordinary air or exhaust pumps, while very little has been done towards the improvement of compression pumps. The principal difficulties encountered in the construction of such apparatus are the existence of the so-called "dead space" in the pump barrels, leakage of the piston packings under high pressure, and the trouble arising from the unequal expansion of parts caused by the development of the latent heat of the gas during compression. Of these obstacles to success, the "dead space" is far the most serious, as it fixes a limit to the performance of the pump beyond which it is impossible to carry the compression. The writer having occasion, some time since, to make a series of investigations on gases very highly compressed, and finding no apparatus, or description of apparatus, adequate to produce the required

Jan 1, 1876

By Charles F. Brush

The compression of gases to a very high degree, for purposes of scientific research, has long presented serious difficulties to the physicist. Great advances have been made of late years in the construction of ordinary air or exhaust pumps, while very little has been done towards the improvement of compression pumps. The principal difficulties encountered in the construction of such apparatus are the existence of the so-called "dead space" in the pump barrels, leakage of the piston packings under high pressure, and the trouble arising from the unequal expansion of parts caused by the development of the latent heat of the gas during compression. Of these obstacles to success, the "dead space" is far the most serious, as it fixes a limit to the performance of the pump beyond which it is impossible to carry the compression. The writer having occasion, some time since, to make a series of investigations on gases very highly compressed, and finding no apparatus, or description of apparatus, adequate to produce the required

By James Aston

A proper consideration of this subject is not confined to the technical channels of production and metallurgy. It concerns an industry, and should cover economic aspects which are of material importance in any program of development. The discussion may logically be treated under three subdivisions, as follows: (1) manufacture, (2) characteristics related to quality of material; (3) adaptability and exploitation of product. Manufacture of Wrought Iron The manufacture of wrought iron is the most ancient art of the ferrous metal industry. The eighty years or less of existence of processes identified with our modern "Age of Steel" is a relatively brief interval compared with the several thousand years associated with the production of wrought iron by man. From the primitive early methods of production, manufacture for many centuries followed the line of direct reduction. There were developments as experience was gained through the years; but man's needs for a strong, ductile, forgeable product were met by reducing the ore to metallic iron in a single-stage operation. Following the development several centuries ago of what has become our modern blast-furnace operation, manufacture of wrought iron was gradually transformed into a two-stage method of first producing cast iron and then refining this to the desired degree of forgeability; the forerunner in principle of today's scheme of manufacture of steel. The product retained the essential characteristics of highly refined base metal with iron-silicate slag incorporation, which were associated with the material resulting from direct reduction methods. Cort's invention of the puddling process in 1784 is a landmark in wrought-iron manufacture. It consisted essentially in adapting a coal-fired reverberatory furnace to the refining operation; thus lifting the industry out of the slough of

Jan 1, 1935

By J. C. Bradbury

The year of the Centennial is upon us. Not only is AIME marking its 100th birthday, but the cement industry is also celebrating 100 years of activity (see article by Roy Grancher, page 48). Fort Dodge, Iowa, and gypsum also tried to get into the act but missed by one year. Frank Apple-yard's gypsum article (page 53) informs us that the Fort Dodge area has been producing gypsum continuously for 99 years. That would seem to make AIME and the industrial minerals doddering oldsters. Not so-our Institute shows more energy than ever, and the word for industrial minerals is growth. These are the mineral resources of the future, the raw materials for the abundant life to come

Jan 1, 1971

By A. Hultgren, B. Herrlander

The original aim of the present investigation was to study the mechanism of cracking on hot-deforming red-short steels. During the microscopical examination of hot-deformed soft steels attention was directed to various patterns of so-called veining in the ferrite, as related to variations in the deformation procedure and the heat-treatment of the steels. Later, a hot-short steel of higher carbon content was also studied. Historical Storey1 suggested in 1914 that veining developed during the gamma-alpha transformation from the growing together of several alpha nuclei within the same gamma grain. Rawdon and Berglund2 found that in soft steel, forged somewhat below A3, the ferrite showed profuse veining, while usually there was very little veining after forging at very high temperatures. They emphasized the similarity between the pattern of veining formed by deformation about 600°C and that of slip lines formed by deformation at room temperature. They also suggested a relation between the gamma-alpha transformation and veining. They became convinced from etching and from the slip-line pattern in cold-deformed material, that the orientation within any ferrite grain showing veining was uniform. In recrystallized alpha grains veining was absent. Veining did not appear materially to affect the properties of ferrite. Independent of veining, continuous networks, attributed to preexisting delta and gamma grain boundaries were sometimes found, the former only in cast steel. Those networks were usually connected with small inclusions. Ammermann and Kornfeld3 confirmed that recrystallized ferrite grains showed no veining. In soft steel annealed between A1 and A3 there was veining only in the ferrite grains formed during cooling. Electrolytic iron deformed at 880' was free from veining. Bannister and Jones' considered veining in ferrite to be a manifestation of microscopical and sub-microscopica~ inclusions. NorthCOtt,5,6 in studies on veining in steel and other metals and alloys, attributed veining to oxide inclusions. It could generally be removed by annealing in hydrogen, a suggestion earlier made by Rawdon and Berg1und. TrittOn (discussion in ref. 5) emphasized the importance of perfect polishing for bringing out veining by etching, and thought the veins or subboundaries were produced during the gamma-alpha transformation, when it was rapid, as a result of the volume change and contraction during cooling. Slight distortion would not allow projecting parts of a growing crystal to join up with atomic symmetry. Hanemann and co-workers showed that veining in ferrite consisted of ridges

Jan 1, 1948