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By K. E. Gray

The status of rock mechanics as applied to petroleum production might be termed, "Rock Mechanics-A New Name for Old Problems." The petroleum industry's efforts, from its earliest days, have been concerned with rocks, hopefully containing hydrocarbon accumulations in economic quantities. Geophysical and geological studies, wildcat and development drilling procedures, well bore mechanics and reservoir engineering operations, and certain aspects of production operations involve rock mechanics in various ways. Stress states and temperatures of interest range from low values in surface or near-surface activities, to very high values encountered at depths now exceeding 25,000 ft; deeper and deeper drilling will continue to increase this range. Time scales vary from a few microseconds in wave propagation measurements and some aspects of rock behavior during drilling, to seconds, minutes or hours for other drilling and well bore mechanics problems, to several years during which the efficient and economical depletion of reservoir systems is achieved. Subsurface sedimentary formations contain various fluids, of course, and reservoir fluid movement commonly involves three-dimensional, three-phase (oil, gas, and water) fluid flow. Many extremely difficult problems in rock mechanics arise for the Petroleum Engineer because of fluid movement (or lack of desired movement) in a well bore or reservoir. The discussion to follow illustrates just a few of the many topics in rock mechanics of significance to the petroleum industry. Time precludes anything other than a superficial treatment of the topics mentioned. A great deal of work has been carried out by various research groups in the petroleum field and significant efforts are continuing, as a review of the technical literature will reveal.

Jan 1, 1968

By R. C. Temps, G. E. Aiken

Compania de Acero del Pacifico, S.A., the sole Chilean steel producer, is adding to the expanding Chilean economy with development of the El Algarrobo mine. Expected to go on stream early in 1962, Algarrobo is a conventional open pit mine that will include facilities for ore extraction, crushing and screening, rail transport to the harbor at Huasco, modern ship-loading equipment and maintenance shops. CAP anticipates producing 1.38 mil- lion tons annually of high-grade ore for national and world market consumption. Chilean and North American management and engineering teams combined more than a decade ago in the financing and building of CAP'S Huachipato integrated steel plant. A similar performance is being achieved in northern Chile near the town of Vallenar with the opening of a 50-year supply of iron ore from the Algarrobo deposit. This successful intra-American undertaking deserves special mention in these times when some U.S. foreign assistance programs must be defended, particularly with respect to Latin America. North American financial participation in Algarrobo, through the Export-Import Bank of Washington, represents the greatest portion of the $24 million being invested.

Jan 3, 1962

Discussion of the paper of, RICHARD H. RICE, presented at the Pittsburgh meeting, October, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 89, May, 1914, pp. 721 to 743. S. G. VALENTINE, Oxford, N. J.-In a paper read at the New York meeting of the Institute last February I presented some notes taken from our experience with the turbo blower operating on a blast furnace. In connection with Mr. Rice's very interesting paper there are a few items that might be of further practical interest. The question of the reliability of this type of blower will naturally be presented. In this connection we would say that our turbo blower has been in practically continuous use during the present blast, which was begun June 7, 1912, with only three interruptions for repairs of any consequence. Soon after blowing in there was developed a tendency of the blower to surge or pulsate. This occurred on operating at a point considerably below the normal capacity of the machine, and was checked with comparatively little trouble by throttling the intake slightly and taking up a small lost motion on the governor connections, a legacy of the previous blast that had not been attended to. All this required only a few hours' time. In. March, 1914, the furnace being banked on account of a blizzard that cut off our freight deliveries for five days, the opportunity was used to replace the carbon packing on the steam-turbine shaft and to repack the steam inlet valves. In June, 1914, the blower was off 8 hr. to replace an oil ring and scrape a bearing. With these exceptions we have made continuous use of the machine and find we can depend upon it with entire safety as a piece of machinery.

Jan 4, 1915

By Clinton M. Young

The experiments herein described were carried on in 1908-9 by- the State Geological Survey of Kansas. Some months before taking up work on black powder the Survey had resumed work on an interrupted investigation of explosions in coalmines, a subject which is engaging the attention of numerous investigators. An unusual number of serious disasters has directed to the subject a study which discloses the disquieting fact that, in the United States, the ratio of lives lost per ton of coal mined has been 011 the increase. Methods of coal-mining have changed to some extent with the great increase of output, attained in comparatively recent years. These changes involve the working of very extensive mines, with increased difficulty of ventilation, increased accumulation of coal-dust, and a very great increase in the amount of explosive used. This last point assumes truly startling proportions when it is carefully observed. In the fields of the Middle West it is not now uncommon for a miner to use six kegs (150 lb.) of black powder in a " pay" of two weeks, while within the memory of men still active, one keg (25 Ib.) would last two men for a " pay." So great has the use of explosives become in some fields that the skilled coal-miner is hard to find, and the coal is not mined, but blasted. A preliminary study of the subject of explosions in coalmines has led to the belief that the use of large quantities of explosives, in some cases by slightly-trained men, had riot been

Jan 1, 1911

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

This paper describes results obtained on aluminum-beryllium alloys and aluminum-beryllium-copper alloys in the preparation of which aluminum of 99.95 per cent. purity was used. The constitution and structure of the high purity binary alloys are given. The aluminum-beryllium eutectic occurs at 0.87 per cent. beryllium and 645° C. The solid solubility of beryllium in aluminum at 631° C. is 0.05 per cent, beryllium, and at room temperature is less than 0.013 per cent. beryllium. The densities of the alloys are substantially the same as the values calculated on the assumption that the densities of the elements are not changed by alloying. All of the alloys age-harden at room temperature after a solution heat treatment, and the chill cast aluminum-beryllium-copper alloys age-harden at room temperature without a prior solution heat treatment. Hardness and tensile properties are given. Salt spray corrosion tests on sheet specimens are described. It is shown that beryllium docs not lower the corrosion resistance of aluminum to salt spray provided the alloy has received a solution heat treatment. Commercial Possibilities of Beryllium Alloys Beryllium has certain properties such as low density, high hardness, good corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion and fairly good electrical conductivity, which would indicate that it is worthy of consideration as an ingredient of light alloys. It was not until recently, however, that beryllium could be produced with sufficient ease to encourage research along this line. The production of beryllium by electrolysis from a fluoride bath has now developed to the stage where it could be used commercially if there were sufficient demand for the element. Claims made in certain newspapers and technical articles in regard to thc strength and corrosion resistance of thc aluminum-beryllium alloys are not justified by experimental results. Moreover, beryllium is an expensive metal ($200 a pound at the time this work was done) and, on account of the nature of its ore and the consequent difficulty of its extraction, it will in all probability continue to be a relatively expensive metal, although the cost would undoubtedly be a great deal less than $200 a

By E. J. Duggan

CLIMAX ore is an altered and highly silicified granite, about half of the gangue being quartz. Molybdenite is the only mineral recovered and most of it is intimately associated with the quartz in fine veinlets. Other minerals are molybdite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Although the molybdite may be readily extracted by hydrometallurgical methods, its content is too low to make this profitable. The pyrite ranges from 2 to 5 per cent and the chalcopyrite from 0.03 to 0.05 per cent. There is not enough copper to make its recovery attractive and one of the problems is its elimination, and that of pyrite iron, from the final product. On account of the high degree of dissemination of the molybdenite and the necessity of eliminating the iron and copper, fine-grinding followed by flotation is the only known feasible method of concentration. Two factors, peculiar to Climax ore, have a predominating influence on the metallurgical attack: (1) Molybdenite is one of the most easily floated minerals. High recoveries may be made with pine oil alone if the

Jan 1, 1946

By Bradley Stoughton

As a part of the systematic study of the alloys of iron under the auspices of the Engineering Foundation, and preliminary to the commencement of comprehensive work on this larger subject, the authors have undertaken an investigation of the available literature dealing: with the alloys of iron and silicon. The purpose is to collect all the data in English and foreign languages and present them in two mono-graphs, one of a more scientific and the second of a more industrially useful nature. Of course, a great deal of information upon the constitution of the iron-silicon alloys was found specificially upon the changes of phase in the equilibrium diagram and the different phases present, such as solid solution, chemical compounds (iron silicides), etc. While no extended research was contemplated in the particular study undertaken, nevertheless the data collected proved to be so contradictory in many respects that a simple study of some of the outstanding problems involved in the constitution and equilibrium diagram was undertaken Because research was not a primary object of the work, and also because of the extreme industrial importance of the silicon alloys between 0.80 and 14 per cent. silicon, and finally because of the unsatisfactory state of knowledge existing as to these alloys, the experimental investigation was limited entirely to alloys with less than 10 per cent. silicon.

Jan 1, 1930

By M. R. Geer, H. F. Yancey, P. S. Jacobsen

Two growing problems confront the preparation engineer—still further restrictions on stream pollution and a greater proportion of fine coal as more and more continuous miners come into use. The de-watering screens, centrifuges, and settling ponds that sufficed a few years ago must often be supplemented by more effective equipment, and in some instances the finest solids are now being recovered by vacuum filtration, once considered too costly in many coal washeries. Unfortunately not all slurries can be readily filtered. Some are virtually unfilter-able, and others do not permit the high cake rates needed to hold costs within reason. Often, however, these difficult slurries can be rendered filterable by flocculation. Starch and lime have long increased settling rate in thickeners and can also aid filtration. More recently there have been other flocculants, primarily synthetic polymers or gums. Reports of their great effectiveness prompted the U. S. Bureau of Mines to test their use in filtration as part of its program on recovering and cleaning fine coal. The object of the present work was to compare some of the newer flocculants with starch and lime and to test the reaction of different types of slurries to flocculation. Three natural slurries, three synthetic coal-clay mixtures, and five flocculants were tested, all with a laboratory filter leaf. Slurries and Flocculants Tested: First of the slurries was the thickener feed from the washed coal section of the Michel colliery of Crow's Nest Pass Co. Ltd., Michel, B.C. As shown by the screen and ash analyses in Table I, practically all this slurry was finer than 28 mesh, and about half the solids were finer than 200. Substantially all material coarser than 200 mesh was clean coal, but the ash content of 20.7 pct in the finest size indicates a moderate amount of impurity. This coal is medium-volatile bituminous in rank. Slurry was also obtained from the Black Diamond washery of Palmer Coking Coal Co., King County, Wash. This underflow of a 1/2-mm vibrating slurry screen is a waste product discharged to a settling pond. As shown by the data in Table I it contained about 20 pct material finer than 200 mesh, which analyzed 77.5 pct ash, indicating a high proportion of clay. The coarser sizes were also high in ash content because of the presence of bone and shale. Black Diamond coal is on the dividing line between bituminous and subbituminous rank. The third slurry, from the washery of Roslyn-Cascade Coal Co. in Kittitas County, Wash., was the underflow of a battery of 8-in. cyclones that is wasted with the coarser refuse from the plant. In both size and ash content this slurry was similar to the Black Diamond, but since it was a cyclone-underflow product, the fraction finer than 200 mesh undoubtedly contained a much smaller proportion of finely divided clay than was present in the Black Diamond slurry. The Roslyn-Cascade coal is high-volatile A bituminous in rank. Initially the slurry samples were stored in the laboratory at a concentration of 40 pct solids. A progressive change in filtration and flocculation characteristics during storage was noted, however, presumably because of progressive disintegration of the clay. After careful testing demonstrated that the slurry solids could be dried and then repulped without changing the original filtration characteristics, this procedure was adopted. The flocculants used were Separan 2610, Kylo 27, Jaguar MD-A, Idaho potato starch, and lime. The lime was used as a slurry, the Separan 2610 as a 0.10 pct aqueous solution, and the other flocculants as 0.50 pct aqueous solutions. The starch was causti-cized with sodium hydroxide before use. As some of the flocculants are reported to deteriorate on storage, new batches of flocculants were prepared every two days. Test Procedure: Fig. 1 diagrams the filter leaf apparatus employed. This consists of a test leaf having an effective area of 0.10 sq ft., a 60°, 8 1/2-in. diam cone to hold the slurry sample, a variable-speed electric stirrer, vacuum gage, bleed line for controlling vacuum, filtrate flask, moisture trap, and vacuum pump. Two filter cloths were selected—Saran SA 603, a monofilament, coarse-weave cloth, and polyethylene PO-801 HF, a monofilament, fine-weave cloth. The Saran was selected to provide maximum cake rate without regard to clarity of filtrate and the polyethylene to provide the best quality of filtrate without regard to cake rate. The test charge for the filtering vessel consisted of 800 g of solids (previously soaked for 24 hr) and

Jan 1, 1960

By H. F. Johnson, C. S. Harloff

The Nichols series system of electrolytic copper refining has successfully maintained its strong competitive position in the copper-refining industry of today; therefore the improvements made in accomplishing this result are of interest. While additional interest would lie in specific comparisons of results obtained in series operation with those in multiple, we have refrained from such a comparison because it can be fair to both only when they are operating under similar conditions on the same grade of materials. Historical The Nichols Copper Co. started a small refinery at Laurel Hill, using its present system, about 1892. The details of the process in its early stage of development were kept strictly secret, so that no information was published or interchange of ideas permitted with the staffs of other copper refineries, where the multiple system was being developed at the same time. However, the fundamentals of the process and type of cell used today differ very little from their earliest form. All operations including loading and unloading of tanks, and all transportation as well, were carried on by hand. The plant remained in this condition with a gradual expansion taking place until the World War forced such a rapid development that little time or thought could be devoted to modernization or mechanical improvement requiring careful design or detailed planning. Considerable progress was made, however. (1) Large refining furnaces were developed. (2) The old expensive air-lift type of circulation was abandoned in favor of the present system. (3) Operating technique was gradually developed to a high point of efficiency. (4) Tank construction and lining were greatly improved, the first concrete tank being installed in 1915. (This tank is still in operating condition.) (5) A new power plant was constructed. (6) Fuel oil was substituted for lump coal on the refining furnaces. (7) Mechanical casting of the finished product was accomplished. During this entire period the plant was particularly fortunate in receiving only high-grade, clean copper bullion coming principally from the Phelps Dodge mines in Arizona. This, together with the lack of

Jan 1, 1934

By Robert Mehl

THE importance of the Widmanstätten structure to structure theory in metallography has been recognized by many writers.1 It is a structure produced by the precipitation of a new phase from a solid solution upon cooling as a result of changing solid solubility, and displays a characteristic appearance indicating a crystallographic relationship between the new phase and the original solid solution (Fig. 1). First discovered in 1808 by Alois de Widmanstätten2, the structure has been traced by analogy through many alloy systems. Particularly is this true of the steels. Sorby's classic work3 on the microstructure of iron and steel was in essence an attempt to explain the origin of this characteristic structure in meteoric iron. He observed in a Bessemer steel and in a cast-steel ingot structures which we now recognize as typical Widmanstätten figures.4 Osmond5 observed structures in a steel ingot analogous to those found in meteorites. Arnold and McWilliams6 obtained (and recognized) a

Jan 1, 1930

By C. O. Swanson

In the iron ranges of northern Michigan, magnetic data have been used as an aid in geologic field work since the time of the earliest surveys. The presence of complex structures containing magnetic formations, and the general scarcity of exposures, guided the early work into this line of attack, and later field studies tended to place more and more emphasis upon this geophysical relationship, until, at present, the collection of magnetic data is a matter of routine in any areal survey. At first, horizontal deflections of the compass needle were the only data collected. In subsequent surveys, greater dependence was placed on dip-needle readings, which record variations in the intensity and inclination of the earth's magnetic field. Recently the trend has been toward adjusting the instrument so as to reduce the influence of changes in inclination, and using a more sensitive modification, called the Superdip,' in weakly magnetic areas. To a minor extent, the magnetometer has also been employed. The object of this paper is to present the writer's experience with magnetic data in this region. The conclusions are based on work covering a period of 10 years, and spread over nearly all of the iron ranges and a large part of the intervening areas. The viewpoints expressed are purely geological ones. In other words, any opinion as to the usefulness of a certain relationship is based upon the writer's experience with it as a guide in interpreting the structures of this region, and not upon its soundness theoretically, nor its usefulness under other conditions. A very brief summary of the conclusions is as follows. The most important step is that of collecting the magnetic data. This requires a suitable adjustment of the dip needle, and sufficient readings to accurately portray the variations in the magnetic field, which are apt to be irregular. Once the readings are taken and plotted in some clear fashion, the interpretation of them is usually merely a matter of observing their relation-

Jan 1, 1934

Boundary and general corrosio~z rates for higkpurity alutninum were ~rzeasured irz 16 pct HC1 at sJmllow penetrations (< 25 p). The rates for several high-angle random tilt boundaries, several [001] synzmetrical tilt boundaries, a 54-deg [010] twist, and a 15-deg randorn tw~st boundary were one-fourth to one-third higher than that of the (001) surface used as reference. Boundary attack was slower for 23 and 37-deg [001] tilt boundaries and a 16-deg [010] twist boundary. The corrosion rate for a (111) surface was roughly om-third higher than for (001) and was thus about as high as the corrosion rate of the fastest boundaries. The boundary attack did ?lot appear to parallel the variatiorz of boundavy energy. The signvicance of the anisotropy of corrosion was discussed.

Jan 1, 1966

By R. M. Brick, Arthur Phillips, A. J. Smith

A PREVIOUS publication1§ has described the effect of quenching stresses on the lattice parameter values of high-purity aluminum-copper alloys particularly with reference to the solution and precipitation of CuA12. A similar study has been made of the aluminum-rich aluminum-magnesium alloys. Attention has been directed in the present investigation. to the magnitude of the quenching stresses as affected by the specimen size and shape, the number of solute atoms and the quenching rate. The effect of cooling stresses in causing plastic deformation or cracking has been considered in relation to the physical properties of the alloy. On reheating alloys in the two-phase field, the time required for precipitation to occur has been observed in connection with the degree of supersaturation, the rate of diffusion of the solute atoms as a function of the comparative atomic radii, degree of strain, temperature of reheating and grain size. A few qualitative comparisons on the relative effect of these factors have been drawn between the aluminum-copper alloys and the aluminum-magnesium alloys. STRAIN IN SOLID-SOLUTION ALLOYS A 10 per cent magnesium alloy in the form of chill-cast bars was furnished by the Aluminum Company of America through the courtesy of L. W. Kempf. Additional alloys were prepared using aluminum (99.95 per cent Al) and high-grade magnesium. The alloys listed in Table 1 were melted in an Acheson graphite crucible under a flux of fused MgCl2, CaC12, NaCl. Chill-cast rods were sealed under vacuum

Jan 1, 1935

By E. L. Bruce

THE district of. Patricia, in the province of Ontario, lies northwest of the Albany River and extends northward to Hudson&apos;s Bay. Formerly this was the unorganized district of Keewatin, the southern part of which was divided in 1912 between the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. The interprovincial boundary now runs north from Lake of the Woods for 275 mi. and thence northeast 375 mi. to Hudson&apos;s Bay. This district is comparable in size to all the older part of Ontario south of the Canadian Pacific Railway east of Lake Huron-thus it is roughly one-third of the whole of the present provincial area. The central part of this great triangle is one of the least accessible parts of Canada. From it streams flow southward to the English River, southeastward to the Albany, northward to Hudson&apos;s Bay and the Hayes River, and westward to Lake Winnipeg. None of the streams is large and canoe travel is not easy. The only industry it has ever had is the trade in furs. Until the development of the airplane on a commercial basis, the only means of travel was by canoe or dog-train. There is not a mile of railway in the whole district. The two areas to be dealt with lie in the southwestern part of Patricia. Red Lake is 50 mi. east of the Manitoba boundary and 75 mi. north of the transcontinental railway from Cochrane to Winnipeg. Woman Lake is 50 mi. farther east and slightly farther north. The late Dr. D. B. Dowling, of the Geological Survey of Canada, visited Red Lake and spent some time there during his exploration survey from Lac Seul to Berens River in 1893. He also visited the Woman Lake basin during the same journey, but his examination of it was much less detailed, the great area covered by him during the one field season making it impossible to make more than a hurried reconnaissance. Some prospecting in the Red Lake district followed Dowling&apos;s exploration, but the distance from railway was too great for any systematic work to be done.

Jan 1, 1928

All the TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS and CONTRIBUTIONS published in 1939 are available at Institute headquarters, unless otherwise noted. They are also on file in many public, university and technical libraries and, when so indicated in the list, may be found in the TRANSACTIONS. TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS in Classes A-Metal Mining, B-Milling and Concen-tration, H-Industrial Minerals, and ;I-Mining Geology are distributed in MINING TECHNOLOGY, which is issued every other month. Technical Publications in Classes C-Iron. and Steel Division, D-Nonferrous Metallurgy and E-Institute of Metals Division are distributed in METALS TECHNOLOGY, which is issued twice quarterly. TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS in Class G-Petroleum Division are distributed in PETRO-LEUM TECHNOLOGY, which is issued quarterly. TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS in Classes F-Coal Division, J-Mineral Industry Education Division, K-Mining Administra-tion, and L-Geophysical Methods of Exploration are issued as separate pamphlets. An Institute member is entitled to one copy of any TECHNICAL PUBLICATION or CON-TRIBUTION. Copies of TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS listed have been mailed to members of the Institute according to their registration by classes. CONTRIBUTIONS and Other TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS will be sent upon request. A member relay purchase an additional copy of a TECHNICAL PUBLICATION Or a CONTRIBUTION at One cent a page; minimum charge, 25¢. Nonmembers may purchase any CONTRIBUTION or a TECHNICAL PUBLICATION Of the F, J, K, or L classes at the same rate, but the nonmember price per copy for METALS TECHNOLOGY, MINING TECHNOLOGY or PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY is $1. TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS (separate pamphlet form), $2 per annum; Canadian and foreign postage 50 cents extra. METALS TECHNOLOGY, $7 per annum; Canadian and foreign postage 50 cents extra (Iron and Steel Division and Institute of Metals Division ferrous and nonferrous papers). MINING TECHNOLOGY, $6 per annum; Canadian and foreign postage 50 cents extra (metal mining, milling and concentration, Industrial Minerals Division, and mining geology papers). PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY, $4 per annum; Canadian and foreign postage 50 cents extra. Bound volumes have been mailed to members that have requested them, and MINING AND METALLURGY is mailed each month. A member is entitled to one volume a year on his membership and lie may purchase for $2.50 one copy of a volume not already received; additional copies of &apos;the same volume, $5. Nonmembers may pur-chase the volumes listed, at $5 each, plus 60 cents for Canadian or foreign postage. Extra single copies of MINING AND METALLURGY, 25¢ current issue, back numbers 500 each to members; to nonmembers 50¢ current issue and $1 each, back issues. Subscription price to nonmembers and to members for extra copies, $3 per annum plus $1 for Canadian or foreign postage.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. Brian Eby

As is generally understood, the word geophysics means literally ?the physics of the Earth? and the science of geophysics is therefore that which treats of the study and measurements of the various physical properties of the Earth. The broad and general study of the elastic, the gravimetric. or the magnetic properties of the Earth as a whole belongs to the general science of geophysics. The detailed application of this science to rocks of shallow depth and in small areas for the purposes of ascertaining data on their character and structural attitude gave rise to the present well-known science of ?applied geophysics.? Since the discovery of enormous new quantities of oil, gas, and sulphur has been by far and wide the principal benefaction of geo-physics in the United States, this paper will refer only to geophysical methods employed in the search for these particular minerals. The application of methods and appliances originally used for geophysical research to the solution of the practical problems of finding new oil-fields, plus the counterflow or new and highly refined techniques and Instruments from the company and consulting geophysical research laboratories and into non-economic geophysical research, has provided another case of that gen-eral cycle of events which is familiar to all scientists. That this closed-circuit flow or scientific current has been tremendously important to the whole science of geophysics is probably well known to all members of this audience, but the gen-eral status of the exploratory geophysical arts as now used In the search for new oil-fields, the scales on which different methods are being used, the magnitude of the costs involved, and the far greater magnitude of the practical results achieved may not necessarily have come so directly to your attention. It is, I understand, for this reason that this paper has been sug-gested, and I shall seek to provide the information requested by using as case-illustrations those changes in the oil-reserve picture for the United States as a whole, and for the Gulf Coast, California, and Illinois Basin regions in particular, which have occurred in the period of the past 17 years, during which time oil-field discoveries have proceeded at a rate which served to build up known and readily-available (or proven) oil supplies to a reasonable figure, and have dispelled the fears of a serious oil shortage during any period for which valid fore-casts can be made. Not that geophysical-prospecting methods have alone been responsible for this transformation, but they have an indispensable and leading part in the picture of exploration and production-to which geophysics, geology, engineering, and general technical progress have jointly made contribution. So far as the United States as a whole is concerned, its total proven, probable, and possible oil reserves (discoverable and recoverable by then-known methods) were estimated at about nine billion barrels in 1920, whereas proven reserves alone are now com-puted at about 16 billion. In 1920 the driller in ?wild-cat? territory was faced with the knowledge that for every new oil-field opened by a successful well, from 20 to 100 unsuccessful wells would have to be drilled and, in some territories, that the chances for a discovery were really less than one in 100 for new drilling, in contrast to which may be cited the record for the past year in parts of Louisiana where the 67 wells drilled opened 16 new oil-fields, that is to say, where the score of hits to misses was increased to approximately one out of four.

Jan 1, 1940

By Walter R. Hibbard, Walter L. Finlay

INTRODUCTION THE key feature of the lattice coherency theory of precipitation hardening1-6 is the forced coherence between matrix and precipitate which elastically strains both lattices and is believed to be the major source of strengthening in precipitation hardening. In systems exhibiting age hardening, the atom movements leading to precipitation are not at all extensive and are such as to require the minimum amount of energy to produce the interface; that is, the new lattice forms in such a way as to be as nearly as possible a continuation of the old with a matched, coherent plane at the interface at least during the initiation of the precipitation. The crystallographic sequence whereby regions of the matrix change to the precipitate lattice usually can be resolved into a set of shearing operations.5,6 Conversely, the perhaps novel speculation is made that solution of a second phase is accompanied by shearing movements which are possibly the reverse of the precipitation shearing movements. A basic premise of the investigation reported in this paper is that precipitation and solution shearing movements constitute structural weaknesses which might cooperate with applied stresses to facilitate plastic deformation. Another basic premise of the investigation is that the application of hydrostatic pressure to a precipitation hardening system will significantly alter the degree of disregistry across the matrix-precipitate interface and thereby significantly affect the course of age hardening. Two binary precipitation hardening systems were investigated: 12 pct zinc in aluminum which undergoes transformations, both precipitation and solution, by a simple crystallographic mechanism; and 4 pct copper in aluminum which undergoes a complex transformation in precipitating and dissolving a second phase. The effects of the application of uniaxial tensile creep stress during elevated temperature aging of both systems and of hydrostatic pressure during the elevated temperature aging of 12 pct aluminum-zinc were then investigated. Previous Investigations Van Wert in 1935,7 studied the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the room temperature age hardening of a few precipitation hardening systems. The latter were rather unfortunately selected since none is known to exhibit any marked volume change on aging and the majority were complex commercial alloys the precipitation mechanisms of which are not known. Jenkins, Bucknall and Jenkinson,8 in 1944, applied tensile creep stresses to a complex coppernickel-silicon alloy at various temperatures. The complexity of the alloy and the industrial objective of the work did not permit an appreciable addition to the theoretical understanding of either deformation or precipitation hardening.

Jan 1, 1948

By Ingvar Janelid

13.7-1. General. Iron ore mining in western Europe is mostly carried out underground and only a minor part is mined by open pit methods. Actual open pits of importance in this connection are, among others, Svappavaara in Sweden, Mo i Rana and Sydvaranger in Norway, Corby Mines, Colsterworth, and Scunthorpe in Great Britain, and in western Africa, Nimba and Bong Range in Liberia, and Kedia d’Idjil in Mauritania. The open pit mines of western Africa are of great interest in this connection as they are designed according to European practice and have accepted the same techniques, methods, equipment, etc. as the European mines. In the surface mining of limestone, granite, shale, etc., the technical conditions generally are similar with those in the iron ore mines. Some information will therefore be submitted from typical quarries. The geological conditions at the various iron ore mines and limestone and other quarries vary extensively. In Scandinavia the iron ores occur exclusively in Precambrian rocks. The ore is hard, mostly magnetite or hematite, folded and steep dipping, and hence accessible to surface mining only in the shallow sections. In the mines referred to, open pit mining will last for another 10 to 30 years, whereupon mining has to be continued by underground methods. In France the Minette iron ore has previously been mined in open pits but, because of increased overburden, mining underground with room and pillar methods now dominates. The iron ores are Jurassic, flatlying strata of oolitic type, containing chamosite, siderite, and brown hematite. The British iron ores are mostly of the same origin and appearance as the French deposits, but despite heavy overburden they are preferably mined from the surface. In western Africa, the iron ores are of the same type as in Brazil, i.e., itabirites with high-grade portions resulting from silica-leaching and weathering. The ore contains mostly brown and blue hematite and magnetite. Nimba and Kedia d’Idjil are very similar regarding ore quality and geology. Bong Range is a deposit of low-grade ore which has to be concentrated.

Jan 1, 1968

US Tin Mission To Study Costs in Far East A move to obtain adequate supplies of tin at prices the United States is willing to pay was initiated when the interagency tin mission left for the Far East. The Mission, which includes representatives of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, State Department, Defense Minerals Procurement Agency and the Bureau of Mines will go to Indonesia and Malaya. The primary purpose of the mission, according to officials, will be to study tin production costs, not to negotiate for the purchase of tin. The mission will be prepared to enter into negotiations, if the Far Eastern producers are amenable. The United States withdrew as a large-scale buyer of tin some months ago in protest against what it considered exorbitant prices being charged in the Singapore market. Subsequent attempts to negotiate for a steady tin supply at what this country considers reasonable prices have been unavailing. The U. S. is prepared to enter into a two or three year contract with the price of tin somewhere between $1.00 to $1.12 per lb. The decision to abstain from the market has not yet put a squeeze on U. S. supplies. Substantial quantities of tin still are coming in from Malaya under an old contract.

Jan 12, 1951

The Garfield plant of the American Smelting & Refining Company is situated about seventeen miles west of Salt Lake City, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, and has freight service by the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Western Pacific and Bingham & Garfield Railways. The site lies between the picturesque Great Salt Lake, with its mountain islands and the northern point of the Oquirrh Range, which forms the western boundary of the Salt Lake Valley.

Jan 1, 1925