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By Donald L. Katz

FIFTEEN years ago Dr. Manning published a paper in "Petroleum Development and Technology" on '.Fundamental Research Relating to Petroleum." He tabulated for several industries "the proportion of their present success which can be fairly attributed to the application of information and processes obtained by scientific research," giving petroleum a score of 7 compared to 100 for the electrical and coal-tar industries. Today the petroleum industry as a whole and the producing groups both have raised their score beyond the majority and are climbing toward the top. Present practices are being developed both by fundamental research and the application of the research method in field operation.

Jan 1, 1941

By Gerald F. G. Sherman

The ore deposits of the Warren district, in which the mines of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Co. are situated, have been described in a number of technical publications, and will not be discussed here in detail. Certain of their characteristics, however, control methods of underground transportation and hoisting of ore. In the Copper Queen mine, the majority of the ore has occurred in a zone encircling the west boundary of the porphyry intrusion of Sacramento Hill. It has a width varying from 800 to 1,200 ft., and a thickness of about 400 ft. It reaches the surface in the older part of the mine to the northwest, but dips to the southeast, where it is reached at 1,400 ft. below the Czar collar, in its farthest extension at present developed on Copper Queen ground. There is one major extension from the northwest end of the zone toward the west along the Czar fault, and others of minor importance. Individual orebodies are scattercd through the zone in an eccentric manner, only matched by their own irregularities of form and size. Their most gencral characteristics are the softness of the ore and their grcat horizontal rather than vertical extent. It has been estimated that the average vertical thickness of ore in the Czar and Lowell divisions is between 30 and 35 ft. It is calculated by assuming it to be uniformly distributed over its horizontally projected area. In this zone, and for some distance above it, the ground has been subjected to intense alteration and intense but irregular oxidation. It has resulted in an enormous quantity of earthy or clayey material, which may be either ore or waste, which when wet is both heavy and tenacious. Below alteration, the ground is fairly hard, and the limestones contain primary ores differing from those heretofore considered typical of the camp, and which have not yet been thoroughly exploited. The mine production has been drawn from many orebodies spread over a great area.l A diagram map (Fig. I), of haulage drifts and loading stations, illustrates the situation in 1914.

Jan 1, 1916

By J. J. Van Nouhuys

THE economics of aerial survey and the technical processes by the aid of which vertical and oblique aerial photographs are turned into line maps showing the most profuse topographical detail such as contours, rivers, roads, plantations, habitations and cultivated lands do not concern us here. They have been ably and exhaustively described in the publications of the British War Office, handbooks on surveying methods and on photogrammetry and in the South African mining, engineering and geological press. Suffice it to mention that for geological interpretation vertical photographs are used on such scales as 1/5000 to 1/10,000, overlapping each other by 55 to 60 per cent in the direction of flight and some 10 to 20 per cent sideways on to the next sequence or strip. Through this duplication in the overlap the stereoscopic examination becomes possible. The standards by which monochrome aerial photographs are interpreted can be grouped under the following headings: 1. Continuity.-The continuity of topographic relief not obtainable on the ground owing to the smallness of man relative to that relief. Here lies the greatest value of aerial survey with relation to geology. An immediate alignment can often be made of drainages running in different directions on each side of a hill; saddles and gorges in the mountainsides; abrupt termination of outcrop or indubitable signs of faulting. Most conclusive evidence is thus often obtained about faults which may be perfectly visible at one place on the ground but cannot elsewhere be identified because of decreased throw. Similarly, dikes can often be followed notwithstanding frequent interruption and disappearance under the soil. Scattered outcrop in scrub-covered or bush-covered country can be compared with field work. The same applies to geological contacts. Once these have been 3stablished at a few points on the ground, the intervening stretches can be drawn in.

Jan 1, 1937

By PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS

THE opening session of the Institute was held at Hazle Hall, Tuesday evening, October 27th, with a large attendance of members. President Raymond called the Institute to order, and after a few introductory remarks, introduced Mr. I. Lowthian Bell, President of the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain, and Honorary Member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. Mr. Bell was received with great applause, and made his acknowledgments in a brief speech, of which the following is the substance: He desired to thank the Institute personally for the honor conferred upon him in his election to membership, and also for the invitation extended last year to the body of which he was President. The difficulty felt by many members of the Iron and Steel Institute, of leaving for a long journey the works of which they had charge, aggravated by special industrial troubles at the time of the invitation, had obliged them to conclude that it could not then be accepted in a fitting manner. The iron manufacture of this country is a subject of great interest to Englishmen, who look with pride upon the achievements on this side the water of the descendants of a common ancestry. His own reception in this country had far surpassed in cordiality even the well-grounded anticipations he had formed from the assurances of the President and other friends. Notwithstanding the flattering manner in which his friend, in introducing him to the Institute, had spoken of his contributions to the science of iron metallurgy, he could not take to himself alone the significance of this welcome. He knew it was a recognition of the services rendered by the body which he had the honor to represent; and he was glad to see present a member of that body, Mr. Thomas Whitwell, who had fortunately been able to make the journey at this time, and whom he had had the pleasure of meeting on the shores of Lake Champlain. He had been requested to say something of his impressions of the American iron industry. It was not easy to digest so soon the vast

Jan 1, 1875

By K. A. ACKLEY

The petroleum industry experienced a year of satisfactory accomplishment in Oklahoma during 1945. Crude oil production was increased, a new record for recent years was established in well completions, and refinery operations were maintained at a maximum level. Daily average crude oil production increased to 382,000 bbl., reflecting a 13.5 per cent gain compared with production during the previous pear. Total wells drilled during 1945 amounted to 2556, a gain of 28.7 per cent over 1944 Refinery throughout averaged 187,500 bbl. daily, an increase of approximately 4 percent over the preceding year.

Jan 1, 1946

By C. R. Kuzell

IN COMPARISON with recent years 1932 has yielded much less tangible evidence of progress in copper reduction and refining. The industry has been extremely quiet, especially in the United States. Design and construction has been throttled by lack of new capital expenditures. The excess producing capacity of the whole industry and the extremely gloomy outlook for the future have made it unwise to tie up more capital except under special conditions. The plants built during the previous year have, however, been placed in operation. Older plants have been abandoned, temporarily shut down, placed on part time operating basis, or continue to operate at a low percentage of normal capacity. In the United States the Phelps Dodge Corporation at Douglas, Ariz., has completed the remodeling of the former Calumet & Arizona smelter. A new roaster and Cottrell plant chimney was completed this year. Though operations have been limited the new equipment has been found to justify all expectations. The reverberatory plant addition consists of two furnaces 26 by 107 ft. inside dimensions, with a high arch, and modern steel binding of excellent design. Natural gas fuel gives good results. One of these furnaces will treat 1000 tons of solid charge per day with a fuel consumption of approximately 3,000,000 B.t.u. per ton. The larger converters have not only yielded the expected lower costs, but have simplified operations in the converter department. One of the noticeable results is the greater cleanliness in the environment and the absence

Jan 1, 1933

By Sidney H. Haughton

WHEN the white pioneers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries advanced from the coastal settlements of southern Africa into the interior of the subcontinent, they found it inhabited, more or less sparsely, by brown or black peoples mainly of pastoral habits but equipped with a fighting spirit and certain fighting weapons. Some of the tribes were smiths, others were miners and metallurgists; all used fuel, either industrially or domestically. Some of that fuel was wood, some cattle dung, and in some places the natives mined outcrop coal. Coal was first discovered by Europeans in Natal about 1840. After proper deliberation and after allowing due time for a consideration of all the implications, the Natal Government decided in 1881 (40 years after) to import an English expert to investigate and report on the discovery. Things then moved rapidly, and in what to a geologist is the remarkably short space of eight years, Natal collieries were producing at the rate of nearly 30,000 long tons per annum or 100 long tons per working day!

Jan 1, 1945

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members who registered at Institute headquarters during July and August : R. H. Sweetser, Columbus, Ohio. C. R. Hill, New York, N. Y. Raymond Brooks, Goldfield, Nev. H. A. Morrison, Candor, N. C. Edward M. Shepard, Springfield, Mo. Frederick J. Patchell, Washington, D. C. Rudolf Gahl, Clifton, Ariz. Walter F. Pyne, New York, N. Y. Edmund von Maltitz, Pittsburg, Pa. Harvey B. Small, Mangangue, Colombia, S. A. M. K. Rodgers, Seattle, Wash. M. B. Cohen, Miami, Ariz. J. F. Erdlets, Jr., New York, N. Y. A. P. Watt, Newark, N. J. D. H. Ladd, Houghton, Mich. H. H. Stoek, Urbana, Ill. Roy F. Cornell, Santa Cruz, Cal. D. W. Brunton, Denver, Colo. W. B. Foote, Geneva, N. Y. C. S. Robinson, Youngstown, O. H. Sjogren, Stockholm, Sweden.

Jan 9, 1913

By J. M. Hassler

NOWHERE can there be found a more misleading statement than the old one that "Iron can be manufactured cheaper in the South." During the past decade ironmakers and users of iron have heard varied and sundry stories of the wonderful resources of the Birmingham district, including abundant ore and coal fields, cheap labor, a wonderful climate and similar industrial Utopian statements. Birmingham represents the major portion of the iron business in the South, acid as Birmingham fares so goes the iron business of the South. The intent of this paper is to shed some light on the actual conditions surrounding ironmaking in the South, especially in the Birmingham, or North Alabama, district. By a presentation of facts it is desired to point out that the "cheap iron" of the industrial South is a thing of the past, primarily because of increased labor cost and because labor is radically different in performance to what it was years ago. Also, because most of the raw materials needed in ironmaking that would be classed better than inferior are gone.

Jan 1, 1937

John Duer Irving, who left his post as Professor of Economic Geology at the Sheffield Scientific School, New Haven, Conn., to join the Eleventh Regiment of Engineers shortly after the declaration of war, died in France, July 26, 1918, from an attack of pneumonia. Through the initiative of Mr. Benjamin B. Lawrence, a memorial service to Captain Irving was held at St. Paul's Chapel, Columbia University, on Sunday afternoon, August 4, which was' attended by members of Captain Irving's family, and about four hundred of his friends from Columbia, Yale, the American Institute of Mining Engineers and the Association of the 11th Regiment of Engineers. Professor James F. Kemp delivered the memorial address, and has prepared for the Institute the following account of Captain Irving's life, Professor Kemp and Captain Irving having been associated on the most intimate terms for a number of years. , The war has brought home to friends and kin in the western shores of thc Atlantic many losses whose suddenness has the shock of a blow. Many more will follow, but none can leave a sharper sense of regret than the news that the keen and productive mind; the inspiring teacher; the successful and considerate editor, the fine, true man and friend had all passed away when John Duer Irving made the final great gift to the service of his country, in the cause of decency and right. In the closing days of July, the cable brought the tidings that toward midnight on the twentieth of the month pneumonia had proved too great a tax upon one already worn by excessive labors. John Duer Irving was born in Madison, Wis., August 18, 1874. His father, Roland Duer Irving, was at the time professor of geology, mineralogy and metallurgy in the State University of Wisconsin.' Roland . Irving, the father, had entered Columbia College in 1863, but trouble with his eyes compelled him to suspend his studies in the classical course in his sophomore year, and to replace study with some months of life and travel in England. Ultimately his eyes became stronger, and he entered the School of Mincs, completing the course for the degree of Engineer of Mines in 1869, with the third class graduated. The class of eleven contained other future geologists. It numbered on its roll Henry Newton and Walter P. Jenney of the early survey of the Black Hills, where John, future son of Roland, was in the course of years to make his doctor's dissertation, and with its publication his really serious entrance into the profession. Roland Irving was a favorite student of Professor J. S. Newberry, affectionately known to all of his students as "Uncle John," and after some experience in mining and smelting in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, joined the Ohio Survey under Dr. Newberry. The work in Ohio was largely performed during the vacations of the University of Wisconsin, to whose chair Roland Irving was called in 1870. Later, his residence in Wisconsin led to two events of prime importance in the history of American geology. He began the study of the Gogebic iron range and caught the clue to the origin and stratigraphy of the iron ores of all the Lake Superior ranges; and he later undertook the mapping and description of the copper-bearing rocks of the Lake Superior basin. The formative years of the son, John, were passed in a home where the father.

Jan 1, 1920

By Louis E. Reber

Jan 1, 1922

By H. M. Garrett

The basic cement making process is outlined relative to the fuel but chemically sensitive suspension preheater (SP) kiln which made its debut in the early 50s. The SP history is trailed through the process disasters of the late 50s; identification of chemical sensitivities in the 60s; and resurgence of the SP together with development of its stepchild process, the precalciner (PC) kiln, in the 70s. The current energy problem and related conversions to coal re-emphasize the process chemical sensitivity. Attention is focused on the basic problem of coal sulfur and ash variations and several solutions are presented.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. Perry Thompson

I. GENERAL DISTRIBUTIONS APPEARANCE, AND RELATIONS MINING in Butte has seldom encountered covellite in commercial quantities. The notable occurrences, extending vertically and laterally perhaps several hundred feet, presented scattered, bladed lenses of this mineral in a matrix of quartz, pyrite, enargite, bornite, and chalcocite. But under the microscope covellite is seen to be widespread in the Butte ores, though in such small quantity that megascopic examination will not discover it. In early mining operations covellite was found in the Gray Rock vein, a member of the Blue vein system. As described by Sales,1 it persisted as an occasional ore mineral, associated with quartz, pyrite, tetrahedrite, bornite, chalcocite, and minor amounts of sphalerite, from the 700-ft. to the 1,200-ft. level of the East Gray Rock and Diamond mines. Crushed quartz-monzonite and later quartz completed the vein filling between

Jan 4, 1915

South Dakota State Geological and Natural History Survey, State University, Vermillion, S D. A list of publications will be sent upon request Many of the publications are out of print A series of Biennial Reports of the State Geologist will be sent upon receipt of three cents for postage on each, and are available as follows: 1918-20, 1920-22, 1922-24, 1924-26, 1926-28, 1928-30 Available Bulletins of greatest interest are: Bulletin 4, Pre¬liminary report of the geology of the Rosebud Reservation (1909), 10 cents; 10, Possibilities of oil in South Dakota (1922), 10 cents A series of Circulars (5 cents each) deals with the possibilities of oil and gas in various parts of the state, as follows¬ Circular 8, Eastern Pennington County (1921), 9, Western Dewey County (1922); 10, Northern Dewey County (1922), 12, Eastern Harding County (1923), 13, Northern Ziebach County (1923); 20, Western Ziebach County (1925), 23, Northeastern Meade County (1925); 27, Western Corson County Other Circulars (5 cents each) are: Circular 16, The natural resources of South Dakota (1924), 22, Structures ,in northern Haakon County (1925); 24, The Ragged Butte structure (1925), 25, The structure of western South Dakota (1925), 28, Structures in western Haakon and eastern Pennington counties (1926)

Jan 1, 1933

By G. S. Hume

Production of petroleum and natural .gas increased in Canada in 1940 over the previous year. Alberta produced more than 97 per cent of the total Canadian production of 8,718,053 bbl. of oil, an increase for this province of nearly 12 per cent, whereas in Ontario and New Brunswick, where the production is relatively small, there was a slight decline. In Alberta the main producing field is Turner Valley, on the eastern edge of the foothills southwest of Calgary, and development continued in this field in 1940 with the completion of 36 wells, all of which obtained production. In the Red Coulce field, close to the International Boundary, near Coutts, no new wells were drilled and the seven producing wells showed a decline of 900 bbl. below the previous year. Also, in the Wainwright field of east central Alberta, four wells, yielding heavy crude oil, produced 4000 bbl. less oil than in 1939, owing possibly rather to discontinuous operation than to actual decline in potential yield. This decline was more than offset by production from a new field 40 miles northeast of Wainwright, at Borradaile, producing oil of 14" to I 5° A.P.1. There was a small increase in production during 1940 from the Del Bonita field, in southern Alberta, where the production is from two wells. The outstanding development of the year was the completion of Standard Oil Princess No. 2 well in the Steveville area, on the Plains 100 miles east of Calgary. This well was completed late in December with an initial flow1 of 520 bbl. of 26.3" A.P,I. oil, and 12,750 M cu. ft. of gas from the upper part of the Mississippian limestone. It has opened up a new field and given a further proof of the potentialities of the Southern Plains. The production of petroleum in Canada is shown in Table I. Since most of the yield comes from Alberta, the production is shown from the various fields in Table 2. The sale value of the petroleum produced in Canada in 1940 exceeded 11.1 million dollars, which is still somewhat less than the value of the natural gas production, shown in Table 3. Table i.—Production of Petroleum in Canada" Barrels Province 1939 1940 New Brunswick........ 20,101 21,161 Ontario............... 206,196 186,471 Alberta............... 7,595,000 8,493,237 Northwest Territories. . 17,013 8,493,23717.184 Total............... 7,838,310 8,718,053 Value............... $10,353,351 $11.113,000 0 Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa. Turner Valley, Alberta Turner Valley continues to be by far the largest producing field in Canada (details are given in Table 4), The limits of the Pr in- field are now Known. On the east the oil area is bounded by the gas cap, which in turn is cut off on its east side by a major overthrust fault; on the west, ii is defined by edge water at a level of 4roc

Jan 1, 1941

By G. S. Hume

Production of petroleum and natural .gas increased in Canada in 1940 over the previous year. Alberta produced more than 97 per cent of the total Canadian production of 8,718,053 bbl. of oil, an increase for this province of nearly 12 per cent, whereas in Ontario and New Brunswick, where the production is relatively small, there was a slight decline. In Alberta the main producing field is Turner Valley, on the eastern edge of the foothills southwest of Calgary, and development continued in this field in 1940 with the completion of 36 wells, all of which obtained production. In the Red Coulce field, close to the International Boundary, near Coutts, no new wells were drilled and the seven producing wells showed a decline of 900 bbl. below the previous year. Also, in the Wainwright field of east central Alberta, four wells, yielding heavy crude oil, produced 4000 bbl. less oil than in 1939, owing possibly rather to discontinuous operation than to actual decline in potential yield. This decline was more than offset by production from a new field 40 miles northeast of Wainwright, at Borradaile, producing oil of 14" to I 5° A.P.1. There was a small increase in production during 1940 from the Del Bonita field, in southern Alberta, where the production is from two wells. The outstanding development of the year was the completion of Standard Oil Princess No. 2 well in the Steveville area, on the Plains 100 miles east of Calgary. This well was completed late in December with an initial flow1 of 520 bbl. of 26.3" A.P,I. oil, and 12,750 M cu. ft. of gas from the upper part of the Mississippian limestone. It has opened up a new field and given a further proof of the potentialities of the Southern Plains. The production of petroleum in Canada is shown in Table I. Since most of the yield comes from Alberta, the production is shown from the various fields in Table 2. The sale value of the petroleum produced in Canada in 1940 exceeded 11.1 million dollars, which is still somewhat less than the value of the natural gas production, shown in Table 3. Table i.—Production of Petroleum in Canada" Barrels Province 1939 1940 New Brunswick........ 20,101 21,161 Ontario............... 206,196 186,471 Alberta............... 7,595,000 8,493,237 Northwest Territories. . 17,013 8,493,23717.184 Total............... 7,838,310 8,718,053 Value............... $10,353,351 $11.113,000 0 Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa. Turner Valley, Alberta Turner Valley continues to be by far the largest producing field in Canada (details are given in Table 4), The limits of the Pr in- field are now Known. On the east the oil area is bounded by the gas cap, which in turn is cut off on its east side by a major overthrust fault; on the west, ii is defined by edge water at a level of 4roc

Jan 1, 1941

(Members are urged to send in for this column any notes of interest concerning themselves or their fellow-members.) Members and guests who called at Institute headquarters during the period June 10, 1916 to July 10, 1916: Arthur Adams, Miami, Ariz. John M. Lovejoy, New Rochelle, N. Y. J. H. Batcheller, Mattapoisitt, Mass. J. F. Manning, Seoul, Korea. R. S. Bonsib, Low Moor, Va. E. P. Mathewson, Anaconda, Mont. E. L. Booth, New York, N. Y. Edwin W. Mills, Seoul, Korea. C. L. Bryden, Scranton, Pa. Arthur Notman, Bisbee, Ariz. F. Crabtree, Pittsburgh, Pa. L. B. Reifsneider, Daiquiri, Cuba. L. B. Eames, Pueblo, Colo. W. S. Schuyler, Berkeley, Cal. S. J. Gormly, Guayacan, Chile. 0. N. Scott, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Ernest A. Hersam, Berkeley, Cal. Arthur F. Taggart, New Haven, Conn. A. W. Hudson, Douglas, Aria. Warren D. Thompson, Boston, Mass. Chas. W. Johnston, West Norfolk, Va. Thor. Warner, IGngman, Ariz. Rodolphe L. Agassiz has been chosen president of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Co., an office which has been vacant for over a year. Percy E. Barbour, Managing Editor of the Engineering and Mining Journal, resigned his commission as 2d Lieutenant in the Main Coast.

Jan 8, 1916

A self-appointed, committee consisting of J. Waldo Smith, Chairman, Richard S. Buck, J. J. Carty, J. Parke Channing, E. L. Corthell, Alfred Craven, Thomas Crimmins, Gano Dunn, George Gibbs, Alex. C. Humphreys, F. L. Hutchinson, Charles Warren Hunt, D. S. Jacobus, John W. Lieb, William Barclay Parsons, George H. Pegram, Charles F. Rand, Calvin W. Rice, Robert Ridgway, William L. Saunders, Merritt H. Smith, Bradley Stoughton, and William H. Wiley, organized a course of seven free lectures on military engineering, which were given by Captains Thomas M. Robins, Richard T. Coiner, Edward D. Ardery, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, and which was under direction of Major General Leonard Wood. The United Engineering Society presented, without charge, the use of the auditorium for the purpose of these lectures, but the interest proved to be more than three times as much as had been expected, and it was therefore necessary to divide the courses into three parts, one of which was given in the afternoon in the auditorium of the United Engineering Societies Building, one in the evening in the same place, and another in the evening in the auditorium of, the American Society of Civil Engineers. These lectures occurred on Mondays, from Feb. 14 to Mar. 27, 1916. The subjects and speakers were as follows: Feb. 14, 1916: Organization and Duties of Engineers in War, and what Engineers in Civil Life will be called upon to do in the Defence Of the United States. Captain Thomas M. Robins, Corps of Engineers. Feb. 21, 1916: The Service of Reconnaissance Including Surveying, Mapping and Sketching, Photography and Map Reproduction. Captain Richard T. Coiner.

Jan 5, 1916

By Charles A. Ashburner

DURING the early part of August, 1880, I was directed by Prof. J. P. Lesley, State Geologist, to assume charge of the geology and mapping. of the Second Geological Survey of the anthracite codfields. I visited the region uninaumbered by any instructions other than this,—that I should submit a plan for making the sur-

Jan 1, 1881

By O. W. Simmons, L. W. Eastwood, C. M. Craighead

Binary alloys of titanium with silver, lead, tin, nickel, copper, beryllium, boron, silicon, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, vanadium, iron, and cobalt were studied. One-half-pound ingots of the alloys were prepared in an arc furnace, employing a water-cooled copper crucible, an argon atmosphere, and a water-cooled tungsten electrode. The half-pound ingots were fabricated by forging at 1700°F in air to 1/4-in. slab, followed by hot rolling at 1450°F to 0.060-in. sheet. Tensile properties, minimum bend radii, hardnesses, response to heat treatment and aging treatment, and phase relationships were determined for these alloys. EARLY in 1947, as one phase of the evaluation of materials for Air Force Project RAND, Battelle successfully arc melted Bureau of Mines titanium and obtained a few basic properties of unalloyed titanium and several titanium-base alloys. The low density, excellent resistance to corrosion, and high tensile properties of these materials stimulated a great deal of interest among metallurgists and designers seeking better materials of construction. As a result of this early work, Battelle, under contract with the Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, has continued extensive studies of titanium alloys. The result of the first year's work is described in three papers. The present one deals with binary alloys, the second with ternary alloys, and the third paper with quaternary alloys. Melting Method The arc furnace for melting titanium and other refractory metals was developed at Battelle Institute under Air Force Project RAND. During the present work, considerable improvement has been made in the design and operation of this furnace for making small ingots of titanium and titanium alloys. The improved furnace design is illustrated by fig. 1, which shows a cross-sectional view with the dimensions of various parts and their relationship to one another. The essential features of the furnace are the inert argon atmosphere, the water-cooled copper crucible, and the water-cooled tungsten elec- trode. The melting crucible is formed by spinning 0.064-in. annealed copper sheet. A groove for an O-ring seal is spun into the flange of the crucible. A fiber gasket between the crucible flange and the water-cooled brass cover provides electrical insulation. The brass cover is fitted with a sight glass, an opening for the water-cooled electrode, and a tube through which the material is charged. Direct current is used for melting, with the positive electrical terminal connected to the water jacket and the negative terminal to the electrode. A typical heat is made in the new furnace as follows: Approximately, 0.20 lb of titanium under 2 mesh per in. and the alloy addition, if any is to be used, are placed in the bottom of the crucible. The cover is clamped on the crucible so that the O-rings make a tight seal. The remainder of the charge is placed in a glass bottle, and this is connected by a rubber hose to the charging tube of the furnace. The crucible and the charge are evacuated with a mechanical pump to a pressure below 50 mm of mercury, or less if desired, and held at this reduced pressure for 5 min. Hot water is circulated through the jacket during the evacuation period to assist in outgassing the crucible. Following the evacuation, tank argon of 99.92+ pct purity is flushed through the crucible for 5 min and then adjusted to give a positive pressure of 1 to 2 psi. During subsequent operation, an argon pressure regulator introduces only enough argon to compensate for the small leakage which occurs through a mercury trap. Re-evacuation and reflushing the melting chamber with argon produced a negligible reduction in contamination. Two 550-amp generators, connected in parallel, constitute the power source. Normally, about 800 amp are used for melting alloys which are not extremely refractory. The generators are set for 90 v open circuit and 200 amp. The arc is struck and the electrode is withdrawn to produce an arc of 23 to 26 v. This voltage is maintained while the electrode tip is moved slowly around a circle 1 in. smaller than the diameter of the ingot. The current

Jan 1, 1951