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By C.H. Lorig, M.C. Udy

Through the years much interest has been centered in attempting to develop a direct method of iron-ore reduction, to replace or supplement the present indirect blast-furnace process. It would not be difficult to produce a list of more than 500 patents dealing with the direct production of iron and steel, but the few of this type of process that have proved successful do not produce in competition with the blast furnace; they produce special products. A survey of the literature reveals that the equilibrium conditions for the reduction reactions (iron oxides with carbon monoxide and with hydrogen) have been fairly well established but that data on the rate of reaction are discordant, although the genera1 effects of the variables are known. This dissertation deals with the rate of reduction of a magnetite concentrate with hydrogen. The following variables have been studied: bed depth, gas velocity, particle size and temperature. The behavior of a single particle was also studied. Literature Two general factors should be considered in a study of reduction of iron oxide: (I) equilibrium relations, and (2) rate of reaction. The first factor, equilibrium, has received the attention of many investigators and the equilibria Fe304-FeO-H2-H2O, Fe3O4-FeO-CO-CO2, FeO-Fe-H2-H2O, FeO-Fe-CO-CO2 are fairly well established. Of the second factor, the rate of reaction, much less is known. Data are comparatively scarce and there is very little concordance. The discordance probably results from the large number of variables influencing the reactions. However, the general effect of the variables is known. Among these variables are temperature, gas velocity, particle size, porosity, gas composition (distance from equilibrium), presence of impurities, greater or less prevalence of side reactions, and even design of the apparatus itself. Wetherill and Furnasl published an excellent paper in 1934. They point out that any one or more of five processes (the chemical reaction, diffusion of the reactant through the gas film, diffusion of the reactant through the solid phase, diffusion of the reaction product through the solid phase, or diffusion of the reaction product through the gas film) may be the slow process, and thus the rate-controlling process. It is regretted that the work of these authors was limited to experiments at One temperature, and that the range of gas compositions was limited. Langmuir2 has shown that heterogeneous reactions take place at phase boundaries.

Jan 1, 1943

By M. C. Udy, C. H. Lorig

Through the years much interest has been centered in attempting to develop a direct method of iron-ore reduction, to replace or supplement the present indirect blast-furnace process. It would not be difficult to produce a list of more than 500 patents dealing with the direct production of iron and steel, but the few of this type of process that have proved successful do not produce in competition with the blast furnace; they produce special products. A survey of the literature reveals that the equilibrium conditions for the reduction reactions (iron oxides with carbon monoxide and with hydrogen) have been fairly well established but that data on the rate of reaction are discordant, although the genera1 effects of the variables are known. This dissertation deals with the rate of reduction of a magnetite concentrate with hydrogen. The following variables have been studied: bed depth, gas velocity, particle size and temperature. The behavior of a single particle was also studied. Literature Two general factors should be considered in a study of reduction of iron oxide: (I) equilibrium relations, and (2) rate of reaction. The first factor, equilibrium, has received the attention of many investigators and the equilibria Fe304-FeO-H2-H2O, Fe3O4-FeO-CO-CO2, FeO-Fe-H2-H2O, FeO-Fe-CO-CO2 are fairly well established. Of the second factor, the rate of reaction, much less is known. Data are comparatively scarce and there is very little concordance. The discordance probably results from the large number of variables influencing the reactions. However, the general effect of the variables is known. Among these variables are temperature, gas velocity, particle size, porosity, gas composition (distance from equilibrium), presence of impurities, greater or less prevalence of side reactions, and even design of the apparatus itself. Wetherill and Furnasl published an excellent paper in 1934. They point out that any one or more of five processes (the chemical reaction, diffusion of the reactant through the gas film, diffusion of the reactant through the solid phase, diffusion of the reaction product through the solid phase, or diffusion of the reaction product through the gas film) may be the slow process, and thus the rate-controlling process. It is regretted that the work of these authors was limited to experiments at One temperature, and that the range of gas compositions was limited. Langmuir2 has shown that heterogeneous reactions take place at phase boundaries.

Jan 1, 1943

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By R. D. Carter

Methods are presented for calculating the performance of multiwell gas reservoirs. These methods account for two-dimensional, unsteady-state flow of a non-ideal gas through a heterogeneous formation. The performance can be obtained for gas reservoirs with known physical properties and configuration subjected to specified development and production schedules. These methods may prove helpful in optimizing the exploitation of gas reservoirs. The numerical solrrtion procedures given for this non-linear problem are extensions of known techniques for the linear diffusion equation. Two of these procedures are based on a new difference equation given by Saul'ev. Limitations and advantages of these procedures are discussed. An example solution is presented and is used to compare the calculation methods. INTRODUCTION Li planning the operation of a multiwell gas reservoir, it is desirable to predict its performance for each alternate development and producing schedule under consideration. This paper presents three numerical procedures that can be used to calculate such gas reservoir performance using a digital computer. These methods account for two-dimensional transient flow of a non-ideal gas within the reservoir. Extension of these methods to three-dimensional flow is possible. The paper is divided into three parts. The first describes the problem for which a solution is wanted and three numerical procedures that can be used to obtain solutions. The second discusses the information necessary to set up a problem. This part will be of greatest interest to the field engineer. The third gives data and results for an example problem. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION METHODS In the following development, a gas reservoir is regarded as a sealed, porous, permeable, heterogeneous body in which a single, non-ideal gas phase is flowing. Flow is permitted in the x- and y-horizontal directions, but is considered to be negligible in the vertical or z-direction. The reservoir can be tapped by one or more wells. Methods to be described provide a basis for calculating the complete performance of the reservoir, including rates and cumulative production from the wells, and pressure distribution and decline in the reservoir. If the isothermal flow of a non-ideal gas obeying Darcy's Law occurs in two dimensions in a region R, the governing equation in this region is:

Jan 1, 1967

By Burnham E. Field

TAE chemical industry is constantly looking for new materials which either are more resistant to corrosion than those now available or have improved physical properties to meet the requirements of higher temperatures and greater pressures. Attack by acids is-one of the more important forms of corrosion-and in the last few years the development of acid-resistant alloys has been quite rapid. Perhaps the most notable example is that of nitric acid, 'the problem of which has largely been solved by the chromium-iron and chromium-iron-nickel alloys. Sulfuric acid may be handled in lead, iron, or the iron-silicon alloys, depending on conditions. As to hydrochloric acid, no metal or alloy can be called entirely satisfactory for handling. this acid under plant conditions.1 The results of our investigations on the resistance of the nickel-molybdenum alloys to hydrochloric acid have been confirmed by those of Guertler, Rohn, Schulz, Jenge, and others,' but thus far only one such alloy has approached commercial production in Germany; this contains approximately 15 per cent. chromium and 7 per cent. molybdenum with the remainder chiefly nickel. Dr. S. W. Parr, as far back as 1914, developed a complex alloy known as "illium," with a nickel base and containing some molybdenum.3 Dr. Parr was primarily interested in an alloy for lining bomb calorimeters, and while illium does show good resistance to acid it is too expensive for general use. Two United States

Jan 1, 1929

By William J. Priestley

In the manufacture of gun forgings and other steel parts that, in service, are subject to sudden high stresses and shocks, it is most desirable to use steel possessing the greatest toughness and ductility possible without sacrifice of strength. In order to obtain this condition, it is necessary to procure steel that shows the highest possible elongation and reduction of area without lowering the tensile strength and clastic limit. Proper heat treatment of the steel can control this condition within certain limits. When heat treatment has failed to produce the desired results, metallurgists have used steels containing molybdenum, zirconium, vanadium, chromium, tungston, etc. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method by which these desired physical properties may be procured—by the elimination of certain impurities that inherently exist in steel made by the open-hearth process, and without the use of expensive alloys. Design of Gun Forgings In the manufacture of gun forgings, a certain elastic limit is fixed by the designer, and the walls of the gun arc made of the proper thickness, allowing a suitable factor of safety for the high stresses and sudden shocks that occur during gun firing. The clastic strength of the gun is about 1.4 times the stress set up at any point along the bore of the gun during firing with the maximum powder charge. As the stresses set up in the walls of the gun during firing are mostly "tangential," all physical tests are taken in this direction. Due to the length of the forgings, these tangential test bars are always taken at right angles and transverse to the direction of flow of the metal in forging. Furthermore, test bars taken across the grain of the metal will more frequently expose defects and foreign inclusions in the steel than will bars

Jan 1, 1922

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By Ernst A. Hauser

A few years ago an Indian native of British Columbia drew the attention of white men,' to a deposit of a claylike material on King Island, at the mouth of Dean River just opposite Hunter Island in the Pacific Ocean (Fig 1 ) . The native claimed that this natural product, which is found not in solid form but either as a paste or as a thick, viscous liquid, exhibited exceptional healing properties not only for various types of skin irritation but also for internal ailments. He pointed out that the natives had been using this material very successfully for generations. Since then, systematic surveys have revealed that the deposit, covered by a humus layer of varying thickness, is far more extensive than had originally been assumed. The product as mined today is of puttylike consistency and of greenish color. If exposed to air it dries rapidly, forming a slightly gray, rather brittle product, which does not permit redispersion to its original consistency. When the natural product is rubbed on the skin, however, the presence of coarse, sandy material is revealed.

Jan 1, 1952

By G. F. Jenkins

The word asbestos is a broad term that has been accepted and applied to a number of fibrous mineral silicates found in nature. They are incombustible and can be separated by mechanical means into fibers of various lengths and thicknesses, but differ in chemical composition and other properties. It is generally recognized that there are six varieties of asbestos; the finely fibrous form of serpentine known as chrysotile, and five minerals of the amphibole group, i.e., amosite (not fully recognized as a mineral species name but accepted in asbestos terminology), anthophyllite, crocidolite, tremolite and actinolite. (Figs 1-4.) Physical and Other Properties The structures of asbestos fibers have been studied intensely in recent years. X-ray diffraction patterns 1 to 15 have been used as a means of identification and classification. The amphibole group structures have been fairly well established while the serpentine group has been the subject of many investigations during the past six years. Low-angle X-ray scattering techniques5 have shown that the chrysotile fibrils are "hexagonally close packed" and parallel to each other, having cross-sectional diameters varying from 180Å* units to 300Å units, while the amphibole fibers are many times larger in cross section. The electron micrographs of chrysotile asbestos (Figs 1-4) have also indicated that the fibrils might be in the form of a hollow tube. This point has been the subject of considerable controversy by a number of investigators.7 to 16 Density measurements17 made on a sample of high quality Arizona fiber did not indicate that the fiber had a hollow tube structure; however, the so-called "sheet structure" of the fibril could be distorted in such a way that it gives the appearance of a hollow tube in the electron microscope. It is of interest to quote one investigator, F. L. Pundsack,17 in this connection: Although the empirical composition of chrysotile is 3MgO.2SiO2.2H20, the true unit cell[#] composition is best represented as Mg12(OH)16Si8O20. This cell has dimensions of a= 5.3Å, b = 9.2 Å, and c = 14.6 Å where the "a" direction is the fiber axis. The calculated density of this unit is 2.56 g/cc, a value in close agreement with experimentally determined density values for chrysotile. The exact manner in which the unit cells of asbestos are stacked together to build up a single fiber of chrysotile is not known, but from various

Jan 1, 1960

By Y. A. Chang

Heat content values of tantalum monocarbide and tungsten monocarbide have been determined from 325" to 985°K by means of a drop-type diphenyl ether calorinzeter. Based on the values obtained in the present study and those available in the literature, best values lected and computed from 298. 15°K to temperatures close to their respectiue melting points. At temperatures higher than 1700°Kfor TaC and 27000 K for WC, values of Cp and related thermodynamic quantities were extrapolated based on the two Debye parameters: one corresponds to the metal sublattice and the other to the carbon sublattice. The contrzbutzon In the total specific heat due to lattice dilation was evaluated using the Nernst-Lindemann relalionship. The calculated values of Cp were in good agreement with the In view of their refractoriness, tantalum monocar-bide (TaC) and tungsten monocarbide (WC) are of con- experimentally determined ualues. Furthermore, the calculated values of the absolute entropies at 298.15"K were 5.03 and 4.15 in comparison to the experimental values of 5.05 and 4.15, all expressed in the unit of cal per degg-atom. Using the same Debye parameters, values of the linear coefficients of ther mal expansion for TaC and WC were calculated from absolute zero to their respective melting points using the Grüneisen equation. The calculated values are in excellent agreement with the experimental values available in the literature. Finally, the values of the bulk modulus of TaC from room tenzperature to temperature near its melting Point were also calculated using the equation recently derived by Anderson. No cot~ipari-son between the calculated and experimental values can be made due to lack of experimental data. siderable practical interest. In order to completely define these materials, it is necessary to know their thermal properties as a function of temperature. Tantalum rnonocarbide having a NaCl structure (B-1 type) melts congruently at 4250PK,1 while tungsten monoearbide with a simple hexagonal structure (Bh type) melts per itectically at 3049°K into melt and graphite.2 In the present study, the heat content values (from which

Jan 1, 1968

By E. M. Tory, P. T. Shannon

An analysis of batch and continuous thickening in terms of the movement of planes of constant concentration (i.e. continuity waves) is presented. Use of solids flux as a primary variable greatly facilitates the analysis and clarifies the relationship between batch and continuous thickening. An "ideal" slurry is defined as one whose settling rate is a function only of the local solids concentration. An analysis of continuous thickening of this ideal slurry in an ideal thickener explains many aspects of the steady — and unsteady — state behavior of real slurries, such as the main features of a thickener's "solids profile" (including the break attributed to rake action), the sudden appearance at abnormally high feed rates of a zone of constant concentration and the velocity with which it rises, and the effect of detention time at constant weight of sludge per unit area. Where deviations exist, they are explained in terms of the batch settling behavior of real slurries. The purpose of this paper is to interpret continuous thickening phenomena in terms of batch settling behavior. Both types of thickening may be considered as the process of propagating concentration changes, due to the downward movement of the solids, from the bottom of the settling vessel upward through the slurry.' These concentration changes may be either finite or infinitesimal as in the case of the propagation of a continuous concentration gradient. The slurry itself may be moving downward as in the case of continuous thickening. The downward velocity of the slurry may be such that the concentration changes being propagated up from below remain stationary relative to the thickener walls. This is the case for steady-state thickening. It seems appropriate to analyze continuous thickening in terms of the movement of planes of constant concentration. This has already been done for batch settling."3 Although our main interest is in real slurries, there are certain aspects of both types of settling which can be deduced from a theoretical analysis of highly idealized systems. To this end, an "ideal slurry" is defined as one for which the dimensionless settling rate at any point is a function only of the local solids concentration.1,2 An "ideal thickener" is one in which there is no radial variation in either the solids concentration or in the downward component of slurry velocity. The underflow outlet is a point sink. It is to be expected that the behavior of non-ideal systems will deviate in some measure from theoretical results. However, the same characteristics which cause deviations in continuous thickening should be evident in batch settling, permitting a rational explanation of the former in terms of the latter. PREDICTED RESULTS FOR AN IDEAL SLURRY IN AN IDEAL CONTINUOUS THICKENER General Theory: In continuous thickening, the downward solids flux (mass/area-time) relative to the thickener, G, results from two different

Jan 1, 1967

By G. F. Comstock

These notes should be considered as a further discussion of Mr. S. W. Miller's paper on "Some Structures in Steel Fusion Welds."l In that paper and the resulting discussion, several conflicting opinions were expressed as to the identity of the needles or small crystals present in oxyacetylene and electric welds. An interesting specimen of an electric weld examined by the writer seems to afford new evidence regarding the needles, that may be worth presenting at this time. The specimen consisted of a piece of 3/8-in. (9.5-mm.) steel plate, about 21/4 by 13/4 in. (5.7 by 4.5 cm.) in size, on which some iron had been deposited by arc-welding to a depth of about 3/16 in. (4.7 mm.). The weld appeared to be a very good one, with no noticeable break or boundary between the plate and the deposited iron. Sections for microscopic examination were cut in three planes at right angles to each other through the deposited metal, two of these sections also extended through the steel base. After polishing in the usual way, the microscope showed that the deposited metal was full of very small, round, gray, oxide spots, while the steel plate contained quite a number of alumina inclusions and a little slag. The sections were etched with nitric acid in ordinary alcohol, and structures similar to those described by Mr. Miller were then displayed. Fig. 1 shows the typical appearance of the deposited metal, which was quite uniform in all three of the planes examined. The round dark-gray spots are oxides, and the pale angular crystals are evidently what Mr. Miller called cem-entite and Mr. Jeffries martensite, while Mr. Ruder and Professor Boyls-ton think that they might be nitride. The boundary between this structure and the steel base was sharply defined under the microscope. Fig. 2 shows the structure of the plate just under the weld; this is almost martensitic and resembles a coarse-grained casting. This coarse cast structure soon became finer as the distance from the weld increased, finally becoming very fine, with numerous small particles of sorbite. This very fine structure, shown in Pig. 3, became coarser in turn and finally merged into the original normal structure of the steel plate, shown

Jan 1, 1920

By L. L. Swift

.It the present time there are four base metals being used for automo-tive bearing alloys. Of course there are numerous variations in the amounts of alloying elements added to each base metal and nearly all of these alloys have the conventional, if not classical, duplex structure; that is, they are composed of a hard constituent embedded in a soft matrix. The well-known theory is that the former will wear well, while the latter will be plastic enough to allow the bearing to be broken in and conform to the contours of the shaft. The requirements of the modern bearing have been most aptly described by W. M. Corse: In order to meet the engineering demands of today a good bearing metal must be able to carry the weight of the shaft and stand up under steady or suddenly applied loads, or even blows ill sorne types of service. A certain amount of plasticity is desired to compensate for minute irregularities in the shaft or bearing surface, and to permit yielding, thereby avoiding dangerous stresses in bearing and shaft and pre-venting overheating and rapid wear of parts. Less plasticity is required in a bearing tuetal if the surfaces of bearings and journals are machined accurately, aligned, and kept in alignment. It is desirable, of course, that a bearing metal have a low coeffi-cicnt of friction. Under most operating conditions the friction depends on the unit, pressure of the bcaring, the speed, the temperature, and the properties of the lubricant. A good bearing metal must have a low rate of wear to reduce the necessity for frequent replacements, and adjustment of the bearings. It must wear more rapidly, however, than the journal or shaft running on it, because replacement of the journal or shaft is more difficult and costly than replacement of the bearing.' The hardness of the bearing alloy is a property closely related to several of the foregoing. With a duplex microstructure, the measurement of hardness with any of the usual commercial devices means little. The Bierbaum method of measuring the hardness of the individual canstituents was developed to fill this need. MICROCHARACTER The Bierbaum MicroCharacter~,~ measures the scratch-hardness of a solid by pulling a weighted diamond point over the surface. The diamond point is ground so that it is the corner of a cube, and Mounted

Jan 1, 1939

By Reno H. Sales, Charles Meyer

AT Butte, successive zones of sericitized and argillized quartz monzonite occur around every ore-bearing fracture regardless of its size, attitude, or relative age. The two types of alteration always occupy the same relative positions; sericite adjacent to the ore-bearing vein, clay minerals always between the scricitized rock and fresh quartz monzonite, except where overlap of alteration effects between adjacent fissures has eliminated the lower grade mineralogical products, as is the case in much of Butte's Central zone of pervasive sericitization. As long as active circulation continued in the channel, each zone migrated away from the fissure, that is, it grew at its outer edge and simultaneously receded at its veinward edge because of encroachment by the next innermost zone. The different mineralogical and chemical responses within the wall rocks to the attack by the ore fluid are dependent not on a drastic about-face change of composition of the fluid in the channel relative to its ability to alter the quartz monzonite but on continuously varying conditions of physico-chemical environment within the wall rock outwardly from the vein.' Introduction From the economic viewpoint it is highly desirable that much effort be expended for the purpose of increasing our knowledge of ores and their origin. It has been the observation of the senior writer, many times expressed, that the mining companies have spent too little money in research on the geology of nature's deposits of copper, lead, and zinc, which we know to be of limited extent and which, when exhausted, must be replaced by new discoveries. Experience at Butte and elsewhere has forced the conclusion that observation and mapping in the field must be supplemented by laboratory work if we are to arrive at a reasonably correct understanding of the geology of ore bodies and their environments. It is only through the medium of such correct understanding of geology that we shall be able to accomplish the maximum toward aiding mine operations and at the same time provide a proper background for field examination work whether it be geological or geophysical. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company's answer to the need above expressed has been to equip a geological laboratory at Butte. The reason why Butte was selected is obvious, for situated there is one of the world's largest and geologically most interesting concentrations of copper and zinc. Furthermore, because of the great extent of underground workings both laterally and vertically, the opportunities for observation and study of ore occurrences probably are unequaled anywhere. The laboratory was established with five principal objectives in view. These were: 1. As an aid to Anaconda Company mine operations at Butte and elsewhere, this work to supplement that of the mine geologists. 2. To aid in acquiring as complete an understanding as possible of the behavior of Butte veins and ore bodies laterally and in depth.

Jan 1, 1949

By Charles Meyer, Reno H. Sales

AT Butte, successive zones of sericitized and argillized quartz monzonite occur around every ore-bearing fracture regardless of its size, attitude, or relative age. The two types of alteration always occupy the same relative positions; sericite adjacent to the ore-bearing vein, clay minerals always between the scricitized rock and fresh quartz monzonite, except where overlap of alteration effects between adjacent fissures has eliminated the lower grade mineralogical products, as is the case in much of Butte's Central zone of pervasive sericitization. As long as active circulation continued in the channel, each zone migrated away from the fissure, that is, it grew at its outer edge and simultaneously receded at its veinward edge because of encroachment by the next innermost zone. The different mineralogical and chemical responses within the wall rocks to the attack by the ore fluid are dependent not on a drastic about-face change of composition of the fluid in the channel relative to its ability to alter the quartz monzonite but on continuously varying conditions of physico-chemical environment within the wall rock outwardly from the vein.' Introduction From the economic viewpoint it is highly desirable that much effort be expended for the purpose of increasing our knowledge of ores and their origin. It has been the observation of the senior writer, many times expressed, that the mining companies have spent too little money in research on the geology of nature's deposits of copper, lead, and zinc, which we know to be of limited extent and which, when exhausted, must be replaced by new discoveries. Experience at Butte and elsewhere has forced the conclusion that observation and mapping in the field must be supplemented by laboratory work if we are to arrive at a reasonably correct understanding of the geology of ore bodies and their environments. It is only through the medium of such correct understanding of geology that we shall be able to accomplish the maximum toward aiding mine operations and at the same time provide a proper background for field examination work whether it be geological or geophysical. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company's answer to the need above expressed has been to equip a geological laboratory at Butte. The reason why Butte was selected is obvious, for situated there is one of the world's largest and geologically most interesting concentrations of copper and zinc. Furthermore, because of the great extent of underground workings both laterally and vertically, the opportunities for observation and study of ore occurrences probably are unequaled anywhere. The laboratory was established with five principal objectives in view. These were: 1. As an aid to Anaconda Company mine operations at Butte and elsewhere, this work to supplement that of the mine geologists. 2. To aid in acquiring as complete an understanding as possible of the behavior of Butte veins and ore bodies laterally and in depth.

Jan 1, 1949

By L. L. Swift

.It the present time there are four base metals being used for automo-tive bearing alloys. Of course there are numerous variations in the amounts of alloying elements added to each base metal and nearly all of these alloys have the conventional, if not classical, duplex structure; that is, they are composed of a hard constituent embedded in a soft matrix. The well-known theory is that the former will wear well, while the latter will be plastic enough to allow the bearing to be broken in and conform to the contours of the shaft. The requirements of the modern bearing have been most aptly described by W. M. Corse: In order to meet the engineering demands of today a good bearing metal must be able to carry the weight of the shaft and stand up under steady or suddenly applied loads, or even blows ill sorne types of service. A certain amount of plasticity is desired to compensate for minute irregularities in the shaft or bearing surface, and to permit yielding, thereby avoiding dangerous stresses in bearing and shaft and pre-venting overheating and rapid wear of parts. Less plasticity is required in a bearing tuetal if the surfaces of bearings and journals are machined accurately, aligned, and kept in alignment. It is desirable, of course, that a bearing metal have a low coeffi-cicnt of friction. Under most operating conditions the friction depends on the unit, pressure of the bcaring, the speed, the temperature, and the properties of the lubricant. A good bearing metal must have a low rate of wear to reduce the necessity for frequent replacements, and adjustment of the bearings. It must wear more rapidly, however, than the journal or shaft running on it, because replacement of the journal or shaft is more difficult and costly than replacement of the bearing.' The hardness of the bearing alloy is a property closely related to several of the foregoing. With a duplex microstructure, the measurement of hardness with any of the usual commercial devices means little. The Bierbaum method of measuring the hardness of the individual canstituents was developed to fill this need. MICROCHARACTER The Bierbaum MicroCharacter~,~ measures the scratch-hardness of a solid by pulling a weighted diamond point over the surface. The diamond point is ground so that it is the corner of a cube, and Mounted

Jan 1, 1939

By E. M. Elkin, J. H. Schloen

All known methods of treating and recovering the various components of copper refinery slimes are discussed. The slimes treatment processes presently used by five copper refineries are described and flowsheets are given. A bibliography is appended. THE recent increase in anode copper production at the Noranda smelter placed an additional load on the Montreal East plant of Canadian Copper Refiners Limited. The consequent increase in the amount of anode slimes led to a careful consideration of the various methods of slimes treatment. A critical review of these methods is presented here in the belief that it would be of interest to copper refiners. No such review has yet been published, although a number of individual flowsheets have been described. To make the information of greater value, a questionnaire was sent to all copper refineries. While the overall response to the questionnaire was not entirely satisfactory, the foreign refiners gave much detail in their answers and expressed willingness to cooperate further if needed. Although the data below do not cover all refineries, it is thought that examples of all flowsheets currently in use are included. A comparison of these flowsheets should prove of interest. The paper is divided into two parts. One part deals with a discussion of all known methods of treating and recovering the various components of the slimes. The second describes the processes now in use at various copper refineries for the treatment of raw slimes up to the production of Doré bullion. A brief description of the two main electrolytic methods of parting Doré bullion is appended. Since the first commercial application of electrolytic refining of copper by J. B. Elkington in 1865, the treatment of anode mud or slimes has undergone many changes. The object of treating slimes has always been the recovery and separation of precious metals. With the passage of time, increasing attention has been paid to improvement in recovery and quality of byproducts, mainly selenium and tellurium. The original methods of treatment were crude, although relatively direct. For example," the slimes were fused on a dolomitic clay bed in a reverbera-tory furnace; the slag was removed and the resulting metal cupelled to silver and gold. In another process, the dried slimes were oxidized and scorified on the lead bath of a cupelling furnace. Later, these pyrometallurgical methods were modified by sulphuric acid leaching, followed by fusion with niter in a reverb eratory furnace. A preliminary oxidizing roast improved the leaching step. Straight hydro-metallurgy has not found practical application. No matter what method is employed, the result is Dorb metal—a silver-gold alloy, with or without the metals of the platinum group. Characteristics of the Slimes Anode slimes are made up of those components of the anodes which are not soluble in the electrolyte. They contain varying quantities of copper, silver, gold, sulphur, selenium, tellurium, lead, arsenic, antimony, nickel, iron, silica, etc. The color of raw slimes is grayish black and the particle size is —200 mesh. However, Baraboshkin and Gaev (Ref. 1, p. 37), describe light gray colored slimes from the electrolysis of secondary copper which are composed predominantly of sulphates and of basic salts. In anode furnace practice primary and secondary metals are not usually segregated and such slimes do not commonly occur. Copper in the slimes originates to a large extent in the cuprous oxide of the anodes and is therefore dependent on the oxygen content of the latter: Cu2O + H2SO4 + CuSO4 + H2O + Cu [I] Opinions have been expressed that some of the copper is formed by decomposition of cuprous to cupric sulphate Cu2SO4 ? CuSO4 + Cu PI The product of either reaction is very finely divided. Depending on the slimes composition, much of the copper is combined with sulphur, selenium, tellurium, etc. The balance of the copper is in the free metallic state.

Jan 1, 1951

By Charles Fettke

IN THE present day manufacture of glass nearly pure quartz sands are used almost exclusively as the source of the silica, which is the major constituent of all common varieties of glass. Ordinary soda-lime, such as bottle, common tableware, plate, and window glasses, contain from 65 to 75 per cent. of silica. OCCURRENCE Glass sands occur in nature either in the form of loose, unconsolidated sediments or in deposits in which the individual grains have been more or less thoroughly bound together by some cementing agent so as to form sandstones. While deposits of sand and sandstones occur both widely and abundantly distributed, deposits that are sufficiently free from other constituents than quartz grains, so that they can be employed in the manufacture of the better grades of glass, are, comparatively speaking, of rare occurrence. The major portion of the glass sand produced in the United States comes from sandstones. In order to be suitable for glass sand, they should be rather friable. The rock should break down readily along the cementing material between the grains and should not break across the grains rather than along the bond. Some of the sandstones used are so friable that only light shots of slow-burning dynamite are necessary to disintegrate them sufficiently for hydraulic mining, while others have to be passed through crushers in order to disintegrate the rock into its individual grains.

Jan 2, 1926

By C. S. Matthews, G. L. Stegemeier

In one field in South Texas, approximately 72 per cent of the pressure build-up results show a characteris-i.rtic "hump" (i.e., the pressure builds up and then falls off) which makes interpretation by. standard methods impossible Correlation of size and time of hump with formation permeability. well productivitv index, and method of completion led to the tentativc, conclusion that the humps were caused by segregation of gas and oil in the wellbore after closing-in"'. This conclusion was confirmed by performance of simple laboratory bubble-rise experiments, by theoretical bubble-rise time calculations, and by a detailed calculation of PVT behavior in the well of a particular well Oil which accurate Surface and bottom-hole pressure measure-ments were untile. The hump behavior has since been found to occur in many other fields. The cause, however, is not the mine in all cases. In some of these the hump is trace-ahie to leaks in the tnbing which allow influx from the annulus after closing-in. In other cases the hump is traceable to leaks in the device separating pay horizons in dually completed wells. It is concluded that the recording of both surface and bottom-hole pressures is desirable in wells which show an anomalous build-up behavior. A number of field examples is discussed where use of both sets of measurements enables the cause for anomalous behavior to he found, (and a reasonable interpreation of bottom-hole pressure to be made. INTRODUCTION Theoretically the pressure build-up in an infinite reser-voir should be a linear function of In [(t + at)/nere t is the production time and At a the closed-in time. Some of the variations from this behavior arc well known, such as the curved portion immediately after shut-in which results from after-production and skin effect, and the flattened end portion which results from boundary effects in a limited reservoir. The effect of stratified producing zones and irregular geometrical drainage patterns may also contribute unusual characteristics to build-ups. However, the effect of still another phenomenon—that of movement of fluids within the wellbore—has been neglected in most build-up studies to date. Fluid movements within the wellbore after shut-in occur as a result of after-production, packer failures, leaks in the casing or tubing, or buoyancy of the gas phase when both gas and liquid are present in the well. Each of these movements can influence the pressure build-up, sometimes sufficiently to negate use of the data for computing permeability or stabilized build-up pressure. Examples of each of these phenomena are discussed below. FIELD OBSERVATIONS ON HUMP BUILD-UPS In approximately 75 per cent of the wells in a medium-sized field in South Texas the pressure build-up curves rise to 3 maximum and then decline to what appears to be a stabilized reservoir pressure as shown in Fig. I. Similar behavior has also been observed in wells in other fields in Texas and Louisian:,. Because of the possibility of such behavior being a mechanical failure of the pressure bomb. the bombs were run in tanden into one well which had been known to exhibit this behavior. When both bombs recorded identical curves with the characteristic hump, it was inferred that the unusual build-up is a result of well or forma-

By F. D. Rosenthal, F. J. Dunkerley, G. J. Mills

Activities, free energies, and heats and entropies of mixing of liquid Pb-Zn alloys have been obtained by the electrode-potential method between 400° and 650°C. The large positive deviations observed from Raoult's law are in agreement with the phase diagram, which indicates a wide immiscibility field. A vapor-pressure method was used to extend the activity measurements to 900°C, allowing the maximum of the immiscibility gap to be estimated by thermodynamic calculation. Data on the mono-tectic and eutectic points compare favorably with previously existing work. SEVERAL long-standing methods have been in use for the study of phase diagrams from measurement of the activities of the component metals.' The use of thermodynamic analysis for interpreting equilibria data is comparatively recent, however. Such analysis is usually undertaken by first evaluating the principal thermodynamic functions as, for example, the enthalpy, entropy, and free energy of the alloy constituents. These, in turn, quite often can be correlated with the interatomic potential energies and atomistics of the system, from which a clearer understanding of the causes leading to deviations from ideal behavior is gained. The present study of liquid Pb-Zn alloys is concerned with a determination of these quantities by electrode-potential and vapor-pressure measurements, using these values in calculations involving phase equilibria and to obtain a theoretical insight into an alloy system exhibiting strong positive deviations from ideal metallic solution. A considerable portion of the previously reported work is based on thermal analysis. Supplemented by optical studies of solid alloys, these techniques have revealed the essential nature of the immiscible mixtures that are formed. It is difficult, however, using the phase-

Jan 1, 1959