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By Robert M. Funk, James E. Lawver

The development of a laboratory and pilot-scale high-tension electrostatic flowsheet for the production of iron-ore super concentrates having silica contents in the range of 0.1% is presented, A variety of hematite and magnetite ores were tested with this flowsheet, and the pertinent metallurgical data are given. The applications and limitations of this process are brought out in terms of both practical and theoretical considerations. There have been many new developments in the past few years that have required mineral beneficiation engineers to consider new techniques for iron-ore concentration. Developments in iron powder metallurgy, and particularly the making of sheet metal directly from high-purity iron-ore concentrates, and the concept of using metallized pellets as a substitute for scrap in electric-furnace steelmaking have created demands for what is commonly referred to as iron-ore superconcen-trates. In most cases, specifications for superconcentrates are that they contain less than 0.1% total gangue, with some applications requiring less than 0.05% gangue. To produce these concentrates, new and modified processes are being developed, and the three methods receiving attention as the primary concentrating methods are: 1) Magnetic separation in which dry rotor-type equipment is used for magnetite and the high-intensity magnets are used for hematite. 2) Amine flotation. 3) "High-tension" electrostatic separation (or, elec-trodynamic concentration). This paper examines the high-tension electrostatic process in terms of its limitations and abilities for the production of iron-ore superconcentrates. A technically effective and simple flowsheet was developed through laboratory and 5 and 100-ton pilot-plant studies for the production of concentrates containing from 0.02 to 0.20% SiO, with iron recoveries between 85 and 90%. The process is also shown to be economically feasible. Laboratory Test Program Separation Characteristics: The suitability of the electrostatic high-tension method for iron-ore supercon-centration stems from the fundamental mechanism governing the process, i.e., particles are separated on the basis of differences in electrical conductivities. This conductivity is a characteristic property of minerals, and if the difference between the conductivities of two min- erals is great enough, then their separation can be performed by a high-tension machine. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the critical factor is the time necessary for the particle charge density, which is established by a corona discharge field, to decay to a level such that the centrifugal force acting on the particle exceeds its electrostatic, or image, force. At this point, the particle can leave the rotor at some trajectory and fall into an appropriate product receptacle. This decay time is directly proportional to electrical conductivity, and the process variables, such as feed rate, rotor speed, electrode configuration, and rotor composition, are selected to optimize the ability of the separator to resolve different conductivities. Table 1 lists the measured conductivities for some of the iron and gangue minerals used in developing the flowsheet. These results were obtained by using the conductivity cell described by Lawver and Wright.' The discharge curve of most minerals that lend themselves to super concentration by high-tension is so fast that the

Jan 1, 1971

By Richard Akerman, Frederick Prime Jr

[THE attention now being paid both in this country and Europe the greatest economy in the working of the blast furnace, and the eagerness with which all thoughtful men in the iron business look for any new information which will tend to throw light on this subject, is a quite sufficient excuse for presenting this paper to the American Institute of Mining Engineers.] I. It must be borne in mind that when two bodies unite to form a chemical compound, heat is almost always evolved. In order to

By D. S. Flett, D. W. West

The solvent extraction of chromium 111 has been studied for the system Cr 111, H,SO., H,O/RNH/RNH., xylene, where the primary amine used was Primene JMT. Rate studies have shown that extremely long equilibrium times are required, ranging from 1 hr at 80°C to 20 days at room temperature. Heating the solution prior to extraction increases the rate of extraction. The variation in the amount of Cr 111 extracted is an inverse function of the acidity of the aqueous phase. Thus, the slow rates of extraction appear to be connected with the hydrolysis of the Cr I11 species. Extraction isotherms for the extraction of Cr 111 have been obtained for two sets of experimental conditions, namely at 60°C and for a heat-treated solution cooled to room temperature. The separation of Fe 111 from Cr 111 and Cr 111 from Cu 11 in sulfate solution by extraction with Primene JMT has been studied and shown to be feasible. A survey of the literature relating to the solvent extraction of chromium showed that, although many systems exist for extraction of Cr VI, only a very few reagents have been found to extract Cr 111. The extraction of Cr III by di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid has been reported by Kimura.' A straight-line dependence of slope —2 was observed between log D,, and the log mineral acid concentration at constant extractant concentration. Since the slope of this plot reflects the charge on the ion extracted, it must be concluded that a hydrolyzed species of Cr III is being extracted. Carboxylic acids generally do not form extractable complexes with Cr III but di-isopropyl salicylic acie does extract Cr 111. Simple acid backwashing of the organic phase, however, failed to remove the chromium. Similar difficulty in backwashing was found by Hellwege and Schweitzer8 in the extraction of Cr I11 with acetyl-acetone in chloroform. The extraction of Cr 111 from chloride solutions by alkyl amines has been reported4-' but the maximum amount of extraction achieved in these studies did not exceed 10%: From sulfate solutions, however, Ishimori" has shown that appreciable amounts of Cr I11 were extracted by amines. The amines used were tri-iso-octyl amine, Amberlite LA-1 (a secondary amine, Rohm & Haas) and Primene JMT (primary amine, Rohm & Haas). The efficiency of extraction with regard to amine type was primary>secondary> tertiary. Appreciable extraction of Cr I11 was recorded for Primene JMT as the aqueous phase acidity tended to zero. The major difficulty with Cr I11 in solvent extraction systems stems from the nonlabile nature of the ion in complex formation. This accounts for the slow rate of extraction generally experienced and the difficulty encountered in backwashing the Cr I11 from the organic phase in the case of liquid cation exchangers. Consequently, the possibility of extraction of Cr I11 as a complex anion is attractive since the backwashing problems should be minimized in this way. From published data, it appeared that the extraction of chromium from sulfate solutions of low acidity by primary amines afforded the best chance of success for a useful solvent extraction system for Cr iii This paper presents the results of a study of the extraction of Cr I11 from sulfate solution by Primene JMT and examines the application of such an extraction procedure for the recovery of chromium from liquors containing iron and copper. Experimental Chromium solutions were prepared from chrome alum in sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate so as to maintain a constant concentration of sulfate ion of 1.5 molar. Solutions of Primene JMT were prepared in xylene and the amine equilibrated with sulfuric acid/sodium sul-fate solutions, of the same acidity as the chromium solution, until there was no change in acidity between the initial and final aqueous phases. The solutions of Primene JMT conditioned in this way were then used for the equilibration experiments. Equilibrations at 25°C were carried out in stoppered conical flasks shaken in a thermostat; equilibrations at all other temperatures were carried out in stirred flasks in a thermostat. After equilibration, the phases were separated and analyzed for chromium. In the tests on the rate of extraction, small samples of equal volume of both phases were withdrawn from time to time and the chromium distribution determined. The chromium analyses were carried out either coloi-imetrically using diphenyl carbazide, or volu-metrically using addition of excess standard ferrous ammonium sulfate and back titration of the excess iron with potassium dichromate. The oxidation of Cr 111 to Cr VI in the case of the raffinate solution was effected by boiling with potassium persulfate in the presence of silver nitrate and, for the backwash solution, by boiling with sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Results Preliminary experiments indicated that extraction results were effected by the age of the chromium solution, higher distribution coefficients being obtained with solutions which had been allowed to stand for some time. Consequently a stock solution of chrome alum, 10 m moles per 1 Cr I11 in 1.4 M Na,SO,/O.l M &SO,,

Jan 1, 1971

By P. Greenfield, C. C. Smith, A. M. Taylor

The Mg-Zr alloy ZA and Mg-Mn alloy AM503(S) are shown to have a markedly improved resistance to creep deformation after suitable heat treatments. This improvement makes them suitable for certain stress-bearing fuel element components in nuclear reactors. The extent of strengthening is described and an explanation of the behavior of both materials is given, based on a combination of strain-aging and grain growth. The increase in operating temperatures of fuel element components in Calder Hall type nuclear reactors has necessitated the development of magnesium base alloys with a very high resistance to creep at temperatures up to 500°C. Such alloys are not required for fuel element cans, which require high-creep ductility rather than strength, but for can supporting and stabilizing components, which are needed to support the imposed loads without deforming more than about 1 pct in times of up to 40,000 hr. The amount and type of alloying addition made to magnesium for these parts is limited by the necessity of keeping the cross-section to thermal neutrons as low as possible. The alloys must also possess a high resistance to oxidation in CO2. Alloys which have been developed for this application include ZA, an alloy of magnesium with 0.5 to 0.7 pct Zr and AM503(S), an alloy of magnesium with 0.5 to 0.75 pct Mn. In the as-extruded condition these alloys are very weak and ductile in creep but it has been found that they can be strengthened to a significant extent by heat treatment. This paper describes the method of developing a high-creep resistance in ZA and AM503(S), the extent of the strengthening produced and discusses the probable mechanisms of strengthening. TEST MATERIALS Specimens were taken from typical casts of ZA and AM503(S) alloys extruded into 2 1/4-in.-diam bars, supplied by Magnesium Elektron Ltd. Typical analyses of the bars were as follows: The as-extruded mean grain diameter was 0.001 to 0.002 in. for the ZA alloy and 0.003 in. for the AM503(S) alloy. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Extruded bars of ZA alloy, 2 1/4 in. in diameter and 9 in. long, were heat treated in electrical resistance furnaces in an atmosphere of flowing CO2 containing 50 to 300 ppm water, thereby reducing the extent of oxidation compared with that which would have occurred in air. Heat treatments were carried out at 600oc for times of 8, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr and material was subsequently both furnace cooled and water quenched. In order to measure the effect of time of heat treatment, specimens were creep tested at 400°C and 336 psi for about 1000 hr. Subsequently, the behavior of material heat treated for 96 hr at 600°C and furnace cooled was tested at a variety of stresses from 200° to 500°C. Tests were also conducted at 200o and 400°C on material in the as-extruded condition for comparative purposes. With the AM503(S) alloy, only the effect of heat treatment at 565°C for 4 hr was examined. It has been shown1 that such a heat treatment produces marked strengthening in this alloy. Tests on this material were conducted at a variety of stresses at 200°, 300°, and 400oc with comparative tests on as-extruded material at 200o and 400°C. The creep tests were carried out on machines using dead-weight loading and direct micrometer strain measurements on specimens 5 in. long and 0.357 in. diameter. At temperatures of 400° C and below, the creep tests were conducted in air, but at higher temperatures an atmosphere of CO2 was used. Grain size measurements were made on ZA in the extruded and heat treated states and on each specimen after creep testing. This was done by a line count of a minimum of 20 grains in two or three random fields in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The same method was used for measuring the grain size of as-extruded AM503(S), but the grain size of the heat treated material was so large that this method could not be employed. For heat-treated AM503(S) the large grained characteristics (between 0.1 and 1 in.) were confirmed by the measurement of individual grains. In the case of the ZA alloy, specimens taken from various stages in the program were analysed for hydrogen by a combustion method. Material in various states was also analysed for the soluble and insoluble zirconium content by dissolving in dilute hydrochloric acid. This technique has been useda for the determination of amounts of zirconium present

Jan 1, 1962

By B. W. Dyer

IN 1924, the Crescent Eagle Oil Co., while drilling the salt section of the Paradox formation in Grand County, Utah, encountered a salt that did not appear to be sodium chloride. This salt was analyzed and showed the presence of potash minerals, both sylvite (KC1) and carnallite (KMgC12.6H20). Because of the high potash content of the sample, there was considerable speculation: (I) as to whether the hole had been salted, and (2), if not, the extent, richness, and the depth at which the deposit occurred. The discovery caused a large amount of activity in the area. During the next few years, 68 potash prospecting permits were issued by the Government, 24 under the Act of 1917 and 44 under the Act of Feb. 7, 1927, each including about four sections of land. Several holes, all shallow, were drilled for potash. A number of holes were drilled for oil into the salt horizon and the cuttings collected at the oil wells were examined petrographically and chemically. The shallow test holes were not sufficiently deep to reach the potash horizon and revealed nothing of value, but several of the oil test holes gave some indication of where potash might be found. LOCATION AND GEOLOGY OF DEPOSITS The potassium and magnesium salts have been found in various places from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad tracks about seven miles west of Thompsons, in eastern Utah, to Cane Creek, a tributary of the Colorado Rivera distance north and south of about 35 miles. In this locality, there appear to be five separate deposits: the Crescent Eagle area, which is in T. 22 S., R. 19 E.; the Salt Valley area, in the vicinity of the north-south line of T. 23 S., between R. 20 E. and R. 21 E.; the Seven Mile area, in the eastern part of T. 25 S., R. 2o E.; the Cane Creek area, on the Colorado River, in T. 26 S. and T. 27 S., R. 2o E. and R. 21 E.; and the Salt Wash area, in T. 22 S. and T. 23 S., R. 16 E. and R. 17 E. (Fig. I.) The Crescent Eagle and Salt Valley areas are in the Salt Valley anticline, some of the wells being in the fault graben and others outside. Structurally, the Salt Valley anticline is very complex, and can be described in general terms as a northwesterly plunging collapsed anticline about 15 miles long. In the Crescent Eagle area, the valley graben is about 1 mile wide and the salt probably forms a plug, the apex of which is in the vicinity of the Crescent Eagle well. Owing to the complex structure, there has been every opportunity for flowage in the salt to cause local thinning or thickening of beds. The regular succession of formations in the general area* is: [Cretaceous Mancos Dakota Jurassic Morrison Summerville Entrada Carmel]

Jan 1, 1945

By A. W. H. Morris, G. H. Laurie, J. N. Pratt

Using- galvanic cells of the form Sn(liq)/Sn" (LiCl-KC1-SnCl,)/Sn-Ag (alloy), measurements have been made of relative thermodynamic properties of the a, C, E, and liquid phases of the Ag-Sn alloy system. Partial heats of solution of the components in the liquid alloys lzave also been observed by direct cal-orimetric measurement in an isoperibol calorimeter. The thermodynanzic quantities are disczlssed in relation to structural and other properties and the existence of anomalous minor fluctuations in the partial heats and entropies of solution in liquid alloys is tentatively suggested. In the course of a recent electro motive-force study of the thermodynamic properties of Sn-Ag-Pd liquids,' some measurements were also performed on the Ag-Sn binary system. Most previous thermodynamic studies of this system have been concerned with the liquid state. Measurements confined to the limiting heat of solution of silver in liquid tin have been made by many calorimetric workers2 while high-temperature calorimetric measurements of the heats of formation of the full range of liquid alloys are reported in the early work of Kawakami~ (1323°K) and more recently by Wittig and Gehrin~(1248°K). Electromotive-force studies on liquid alloys have been made by Yanko, Drake, and Hovorka' (606" to 686°K; 86 to 99.4 at. pct Sn) and by Frantik and Mc Donald' (900°K; 30 to 90 at. pct Sn). The only known measurements on the solid state are of heats of formation of the a, £, and c phases; these values were obtained using tin-solution calorimetry, at 723"K, by Kleppa,~ whose investigation also yielded heats of formation of liquid alloys containing more than 64 at. pct Sn. The present experiments on the Ag-Sn alloys include a re-examination of the liquid phase and, because of the dearth of free-energy data for the solid state, attempted measurements on the a, c, and E phases. The principal new feature of electromotive-force results obtained for the liquid phase was an indication of anomalous fluctuations in the partial heats and entropies of solution of tin at certain compositions. However, since the values for these thermodynamic quantities were determined from the temperature coefficients of cell potentials, which are commonly subject to considerable error, confirmation by calorimetric measurements was considered desirable. A detailed investigation of the partial heats of solution of the components in the binary liquids was made using a liquid metal solution calorimeter. I) GALVANIC CELL STUDIES a) Experimental Details. Measurements were made, as a function of alloy composition and temperature, of the potentials of reversible galvanic cells of the form: ~n(liq)/~n++/~n-Ag (solid or liquid alloy) Details of the apparatus and experimental techniques have been given elsewhere.' so that a brief account will suffice here. Molten salt, 58 mole pct LiC1-42 mole pct KC1, containing small amounts (1 to 2 mole pct) of stannous chloride was used as the electrolyte. The salts were dehydrated by pre-electrolysis and vacuum -drying techniques. Cells were established under an argon atmosphere by immersing tin and alloy electrodes in the molten salt contained in a large silica tube, heated in a vertical resistance furnace. The tube was sealed at the top by a head plate provided with openings permitting the simultaneous insertion of six electrodes, a central thermocouple sheath, and connections to vacuum and argon lines. Temperatures were controlled to *0.2"C over prolonged periods, with maximum variation over the electrodes at any time of 0.l°C. Temperatures were measured with a standardized Pt/13 pct Rh-Pt couple. The electromotive force of this and the cell potentials were measured on a Cambridge Vernier potentiometer and short-period galvanometer. Alloys were prepared from Pass "S" tin (99.999 pct) and Johnson-Matthey high-purity silver (99.999 pct) by melting in evacuated silica capsules and quenching in cold water. For liquid phase experiments, pieces of the resulting alloys were remelted into prepared silica electrode units, while solid electrodes were prepared by remelting into 3-mm bore tubing, inserting a cleaned molybdenum lead wire, and quenching to produce uniform rods about 3 cm in length, with soundly attached leads. In all cases remelting was done under an argon atmosphere. The solid electrodes were subsequently annealed in evacu ated silica tubes for 14 days at about 20°C below the solidus and quenched. Analyses showed that these techniques produced uniform electrodes with no significant change from weighed out compositions. b) Results and Discussion. Measurements were made on about forty alloys in the solid and liquid states, over varying ranges of temperature between 550" and 1050°K. Stable, mutually consistent, and reproducible electromotive-force data were obtained with most liquid alloys and these are shown in Fig. 1. Investigations were extended below the liquidus tem-

Jan 1, 1967

By G. D. Monk, W. C. Krumbein

THE relation between permeability and the size parameters of unconsolidated sand is approached by considering sands as logarithmic frequency distributions having the basic parameters mean size and standard deviation. Sieve separates were mixed in accordance with the normal logarithmic probability law, so that the mean and standard deviation could be varied at will. Experiments were conducted in which one parameter was kept fixed and the other varied; in this manner the dependence of permeability on the individual parameters was evaluated. It was found that permeability can be expressed as the product of a power function of the mean size and an exponential function of the standard deviation.

Jan 1, 1942

Jan 1, 1969

By Charles P. Williams

The successful production of zinc white or oxide on a commercial scale in this country dates from the issue of the patent of Samuel Wetherill, for the preparation of the material (November, 1855), and

By F. R. Van Horn

WALLACE MCKEEHAN, Douglas, Ariz. (communication to the Secretary*).-In going over this report, which I have done very carefully, I find that the summary as composed deals with the various problems almost entirely from the employer's standpoint and that practically no consideration is given to the employee's point of view. An experience of 3 ½ years as safety inspector, and almost 30 years as workman-and official, has convinced me that any plan for the betterment of working conditions which will achieve any degree of success must give the workmen their share of responsibility and allow them full participation. The company may finance and direct the movement, but its ultimate success depends upon the support given by the workmen. The cooperation of the men doing the actual work is so essential that all writers insist that this must be secured, but they do not agree as to how this can best be done.

Jan 4, 1917

By Vard H. Johnson

IN 1943 the U. S. Bureau of Mines undertook drilling in an effort to develop new reserves of coking coal in an area near Paonia, Colo., as a part of an attempt to alleviate the shortage of known coking coal of good quality in the western United States. Geologic mapping of the area was undertaken by the U. S. Geological Survey with the purpose of first furnishing guidance in location of drillholes and later aiding in interpreting the results of the drilling. The drilling program was under the general supervision of A. L. Toenges of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. J. J. Dowd and R. G. Travis were in charge of the work in the field. Geologic mapping was started by D. A. Andrews of the Geological Survey in the summer of 1943 and was continued from the spring of 1944 to 1949 by the writer. The first few holes drilled failed to locate coking coal, but in the summer of 1944 coking coal was discovered by drilling 6 miles east of Somerset, Colo., the site of present mining. In the succeeding years, 1945 to 1948, 100 to 150 million tons of coal suitable for coking were blocked out by drilling. The ensuing discussion of the geologic controls on the distribution of coking coal in the area is based on the geologic mapping as well as the drilling done in the Paonia area, more complete descriptions of which have appeared or are in process of publication."' In order that the possible geologic controls affecting the present distribution of coking coal may be considered, it is necessary to discuss briefly the indicators of coking quality coals. Coking Coal Coal that cokes has the property of softening to form a pastelike mass at high temperatures under reducing conditions in the coke oven. This softening is accompanied by the release of the volatile constituents as bubbles of gas. After release of the contained gases and upon cooling, a hard gray coherent but spongelike mass remains that is referred to as coke. This substance varies greatly in physical properties and, to be suitable for industrial use, must be sufficiently dense and strong to withstand the crushing pressure of heavy furnace loads. Western coals have a generally high volatile content and therefore form a satisfactory coke only when they attain a rather high fluidity during the process of heating arid distillation in the coke oven. When this high degree of fluidity is developed, the volatile constituents escape and leave a finely porous coke. On the other hand, when the degree of fluidity is low the product is an excessively porous and therefore physically weak mass that is called char." Small quantities of oxygen present in coal are believed to decrease the fluidity of the material during the coking process and to favor the development of char rather than coke. In consequence, coal chemists have for some time considered the possibility of developing an index to coking qualities by inspection of chemical analyses of coals.' A formula has now been developed that does permit a rough preliminary estimate of the cokability of coal on the basis of the analysis on an ash and moisture-free basis. Coals may be eliminated as possible coking fuels if the oxygen content is greater than 11 pct. Similarly the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen must be greater than 0.5 and the ratio of fixed carbon to volatile constituents must be greater than 1.3. If the coal, on the basis of these limiting factors, appears to have possible coking qualities, the following formula permits determination of the coking index: a+b+c+d Coking index = -------- 5 a equals 22/oxygen content on ash and moisture-free basis, b equals two times the hydrogen content divided by oxygen content on moisture and ash-free basis, c equals fixed carbon/l.3 x volatile matter, and d equals the heating value on moist, ash-free basis/13,600. Coking indices higher than 1.0 suggest that the coal will coke, and indices above' 1.1 indicate good coking tendencies. Although generally usable, this formula 'is not completely satisfactory because the percentage of oxygen shown in ultimate analyses is derived only by difference; i.e., by subtracting the sum of the percentages of the constituents determined analytically from 100 pct. Although the coking index indicates the coking tendencies of coal, it is necessary to make physical tests of coke before its industrial value can be determined. The U. S. Bureau of Mines has developed a standard procedure for determining the approximate strength of coke that would be formed from a given coal. In this test one part of ground coal, mixed with 15 parts of carborundum, is baked to form a standard briquette. The weight, in kilograms, necessary to crush the briquette is termed the agglutinating index. This test determines the relative fluidity attained in the coking process by measuring the cementing strength of the coal in the briquette. A

Jan 1, 1953

By Joseph Daniels

The Fritz Engineering Laboratory was built under the direction of John Fritz, and presented by him to the University. A view of the building, looking east, is shown in Fig. 1. The building was started in 1909, and completed in 1910, although all of the equipment was not placed until later. Mr. Fritz gave his personal attention to the details of construction and equipment, and it was his custom to drive over every day to the University from his home in Bethlehem and spend some hours watching the work, offering suggestions, making changes, and planning new work. The result is a building and an equipment which embody his practical ideas. The laboratory structure is of the steel mill-building type, of light-colored brick, 91 by 114 ft., of which a section is shown in Fig. 2 and the floor-plan in Fig. 3. The steel frame carries the roof and traveling crane-way. Ample light has been provided by numerous windows in the side and end walls, in the clerestory, and by a skylight 84 ft. long and 9 ft. wide in the north roof. The main aisle of the building is 49 ft. 2 in. between centers of crane-columns, and has a clear height of 40 ft. The remainder of the width is taken up by two side aisles, 18 ft. high. The laboratory consists of four sections: (1) A general testing-section containing the testing-machinery, a small machine shop, and an office; (2) a cement-testing room; (3) a room for making and storing concrete test-specimens; (4) a hydraulic section.

Jan 1, 1912

By D. P. Kedzie, R. A. Dodd

The fatigue strength, fatigue hardening, and effect of fatigue deformation on subsequent age hardening of supersaturated Al(Cu) solid solutions have been determined as functions of alloy composition and temperature. The fatigue strength/tensile strength ratios, determined at 150°, 25°, and -195°C, decreased with increase in alloy content for all temperatures, but the F.S./U.T.S. ratios at -195°C decreased much more rapidly than did the ratios for 150" and 25°C. This suggested that strain aging and/or age hardening occurred during tests at higher temperatures. Additionally, the F.S./U.T.S. ratios at 150°C exceeded those at 25°C for all compositions, indicating greater strengthening during fatigue at 150°C. The effect of fatigue or tensile deformation at 150°, 25°, and -195°C on subsequent age hardening showed that the deformatzon increased the rate of precipitation and indicated that mechanically produced vacancies were probably formed during deformation. Fatigue hardening was studied at 150°, 25°, and -195°C, and the effect of room-temperature rests after 10 and 100 cycles was examined. The results confirmed that strain aging occurred at the higher temperatures . DURING the last 15 years various mechanisms of fatigue crack nucleation and growth based on dislocation and vacancy interactions, operating singly or collectively, have been proposed. The probable consensus of present opinion is that the fatigue process in pure metals essentially involves dislocation interactions, and that vacancies formed by such interactions play a minor or inconsequential role. However, there is some evidence that age-hardened alloys tend to overage during fatigue, probably by local vacancy-enhanced diffusion, and strain aging also might be important in selected cases. Furthermore, it has been established that the behavior of quenched-in vacancies in Al(Cu) and other solid solutions is composition-sensitive. Therefore, it seemed worthwhile to investigate various aspects of the fatigue behavior of supersaturated Al(Cu) alloys and to examine the results in terms of vacancy-enhanced effects. EXPERIMENTAL The alloys used in this investigation were prepared from 99.994 wt pet A1 and OFHC copper, the latter containing 0.04 pet 0 as the principal impurity. Six alloys were made, containing, by actual analysis, 0.58, 0.96, 1.96, 2.85, 4.45, and 5.51 wt pet Cu. They were induction-melted in air in graphite crucibles, cast as 7-in. by 7/8-in.-diam rods in graphite molds, and hot-rolled to 5/8 in. diam. The experimental work was a three-part program involving the determination of a) 10' cycle fatigue stresses as a function of alloy composition and temperature; b) the effect of fatigue deformation on subsequent aging of the supersaturated alloys; and c) fatigue hardening as a function of alloy composition and temperature. For determining the 105 cycle fatigue stresses, a portion of the 5/8-in. stock was machined into Krouse rotating cantilever beam fatigue specimens, 2 in. in length by 1/4 in. minimum diameter. These were tested at +150°, 25°, and -195°C (liquid nitrogen) on a Krouse high-speed machine, with special weights to provide lower -than-normal loading ranges, this being necessitated by the small load requirements of those alloys of lower copper content. For the high-temperature tests a small resistance heater was designed to clear the collets and fit in between the chucks, while for the low-temperature tests a hollow nylon cylinder was used, having closed ends drilled to pass a fatigue specimen, and positioned similarly to the heater. A plexiglass container completely enclosed the fatigue machine; rubber gloves fixed to ports in the walls enabled the machine to be operated from outside the box. A tray of magnesium perchlorate dried the air in the container and prevented both atmospheric corrosion fatigue at room and elevated temperatures and troublesome ice build-up at low temperatures. A total of ten to fifteen specimens was used for each combination of alloy composition and temperature. The result of each test was plotted on a standard S-N diagram, and the next stress was selected on the basis of the trends indicated by previous specimens. In this manner a small portion of the S-N diagram was constructed, and the 105 cycle fatigue stress obtained. Small Krouse fatigue specimens were also used to study the effect of cyclic prestrain on subsequent

Jan 1, 1964

By John Gross

The study of the energy used in crushing operations has advanced from a period of perplexing confusion to one of greater clarity. Only within the last few years has any true conception of the work in crushing been possible, owing to the chaotic state of theoretical knowledge. For some 20 years a controversy existed between those advocating the Rittinger law and those advocating the Kick law. The Kick law now appears to be definitely out of the picture, and crushing efficiency may be based confidently on the Rittinger theory. There also seems to be a generally crystallized conception as to the meaning and nature of sub-sieve material. There is needed a simple, direct method for determining surface on a crushed ore product, and also a simple and accepted method for size determination on minus 400-mesh material. The Crushing Law The Rittinger(l)‡ theory of crushing was advanced in 1867 and the Kick(3) theory in 1885. While the Rittinger theory might have been accepted without much question and actually had been accepted by many investigators, a serious doubt as to its validity was raised by Stadler(10) who upon purely theoretical grounds proclaimed the Kick "law" as the true law of crushing. According to Rittinger the energy required in successive steps in reduction increases geometrically, while according to Kick the energy increases arithmetically. These "laws" therefore are at variance, and the establishment of the true law was recognized as of first importance. Many simple experiments have been made to demonstrate the application of the Rittinger theory to crushing, and it would seem that its simplicity should favor its acceptance. Experimental evidence, however, was not convincing, as no reliable data could be obtained on the finer material from a crushing or grinding operation. Gates,(13) Bell,(19)

Jan 1, 1935

By C Gunther

Ore deposits of commercial grade are local concentrations of great rarity when considered in relation to the area of unmineral¬ized land surfaces, and they must therefore be considered as the products of exceptional and complex conditions. The data collected from a great number of individual deposits are sufficient to permit certain broad generalizations in regard to the conditions favorable to ore deposition which even numerous exceptions do not invalidate. The broadest general relation of ore deposits is with intrusive rocks, and while there are notable exceptions, the great majority of ore deposits have a visible or closely inferred connection with intrusive rock masses. Conditions that permit the dissipation of the ore-bearing vehicles do not permit the concentration of metals in deposits; the prime factor to consider in this connection is that structural conditions must be such as tend to concentrate and not to dissi¬pate the ore-bearing solutions. The disadvantage of extrusive rocks is at once apparent; any metals the magma may have contained are dissipated at the surface and are lost; with the exception of tiny vugs and cracks in quickly cooled flows, no concentrations of metals are known in extrusive rocks, and the lack of confinement and quick cooling apparently do not permit extrusives to exert mineralizing effect upon the rocks with which they come in contact. The close mineralogical similarity between extrusives and intrusives, and the great difference in mineralizing power is a proof of the ease with which magmas part with their metallic content, and of the mobility of the ore-bearing vehicles in comparison with the parent magma.

Jan 1, 1932

By W. M. Weigel

Salt production in Louisiana and Texas at the present time is entirely from salt domes of the interior and coastal groups. Before and during the Civil War salt was recovered from numerous salines and salt springs by evaporation in open kettles. The location of these in nearly every instance was near what is now known to be a salt dome, and the source of the salt in the salines and spring waters was that in the salt core. The tops of many of the shallower domes have been subjected to erosion1. The discovery that the salt occurred as large masses of rock salt in the form of domes was made in May, 1802, at Avery Island, La., by John Marsh Avery, grandson of the original owner, John C. Marsh, who built the old salt works in 18122. The first shaft for mining was sunk on the Avery dome in 1867 by Chouteau and Price. It was 90 ft. deep, about 58 ft. being in solid salt. It was abandoned in 1870. There are three general groups or fields of salt domes; interior Louisiana in northern Louisiana, interior Texas in northeastern Texas, and the coastal domes nearer the Gulf Coast and extending from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande. This last group contains by far the greatest number of domes. As many of the coastal domes especially are prolific producers of petroleum and a few of sulfur, their geology has been intensively studied and fully covered in the literature. The depth to the top of the salt varies from near the surface, where shallow ground waters have dissolved the salt to just below recent deposits, to several thousand feet, where the depth has been cstimated only by geophysical methods. The diameter of the salt core varies from less than 1/2 mile to over 2 miles. Only domes where the salt is comparatively near the surface have been developed for commercial salt. Three deeper domes, which will be described later, have recently been developed or are in process of development, as a source of brine for chemical use. Fig. 1 shows the location of the domes so far developed for commercial salt and brine. Nos. 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are in the Gulf Coastal field,

Jan 1, 1938

By Richard R. Zupp, David A. Stevenson

An experimental method to determine the carbon activity in various solid solutions was developed. Samples of the solid solutions and an Fe-C reference sample were equilibrated with respect to carbon content by annealing them in a Hz-CHI gas mixture in a closed cell. The carbon content of each sample was determined, and the carbon activity was obtained from the carbon content of' the reference sample and well-established data for the dependence of the carbon activity on the carbon content in Fe-C alloys. The influence of vanadium on the activity of carbon in austenitic Fe-C-V alloys at 1000°C was determined by this technique. A general semiempirical correlation was developed to describe the dependence of the activity coefficient of- carbon on the composition of ternary austenitic iron-base alloys containing interstitial carbon and a substitutional solute. The correlation is particularly useful in predicting the partitioning of- carbon between various alloys. THE influence of substitutional solutes on the activity of interstitial solutes in metallic solid solutions is important in the theory of alloy phases. Solid solutions of particular interest are the fcc austenite phases of ternary Fe-C-Z systems, in which carbon is the interstitial solute and Z represents any substitutional solute. Carbon-activity data are also needed in these solid solutions to solve practical problems; the quantitative treatment of diffusion-controlled transformations' is an examvle. Experimental information is available for ternary austenitic solid solutions containing Mn,2 Si,2 and A16 as the substitutional solute. Because qualitative preliminary studies indicated that vanadium appreciably decreases the carbon activity,14 the present investigation was undertaken to determine the influence of vanadium on the activity of carbon in austenite. Although Flender and ever" measured carbon activity over a range of compositions in the Fe-C-V system, they were primarily interested in determining phase boundaries in the ternary system, so most of their measurements were outside the composition range for stability of single-phase austenite. Petrova and Shvartsman' also made limited measurements of the carbon activity in Fe-C-V alloys. The dependence of the carbon activity on the carbon content of an alloy may be determined by passing COCOz or H2-CH4 gas mixtures of carefully measured composition over the alloys, determining their equilibrium carbon content, and utilizing the relevant equilibrium relationships. smith16 used this technique with both CO-COZ and HZ-CH4 gas mixtures to determine the dependence of carbon activity on carbon content in pure Fe-C alloys. His data, which are in good agreement with those of some previous and subsequent investigators,6'17 but not with those of others,lfl'ao are usually considered to be the most reliable. Although the same method can be applied to Fe-C-Z alloys, it is difficult experimentally, because the appropriate gas mixtures are almost pure CO or Hz. A simpler technique is to simultaneously equilibrate the Fe-C-Z alloys and pure Fe-C alloys with the gas mixtures, and then use Smith's data to determine the carbon activity in the pure Fe-C alloy. A number of investigators have employed this technique. others Have used the partitioning of carbon at the interface of a diffusion couple prepared from an Fe-C alloy and a Fe-C-Z alloy. In the present study, a closed-cell method was developed by which carbon was selectively transferred via a gas medium between pure Fe-C alloys and Fe-C-V alloys which were not in physical contact. A similar method was developed independently by Heckler and winchel14 and used to study the Fe-C-Ni system. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD A schematic diagram of the experimental arrangement is shown in Fig. 1. In a typical experiment, a 5-g Fe-C sample was placed in one compartment of a quartz cell, and a 5-g Fe-V sample was placed in each of the other compartments. The cell was evacuated, outgassed, backfilled with approximately 125 Torr of hydrogen, and sealed. After being placed in a fur-

Jan 1, 1967

By R. W. Hertzberg, F. D. Lemkey, J. A. Ford

The technique of unidirectional solidification has been applied to the A1-AI3Ni and A1-CuAl2 ezltectic alloy systems; the controlled microstructure of A1-A3Ni consists of parallel A13Ni whiskers emhedded in an aluminum matrix while the Al-CuAl2, system solidifies as parallel alternate lamellae of aluminm and CuAl2. Mechanical tests (tension and flexure) have shown that the particle-matrix interface bond formed during unidirectional solidification allowes for efficient load transfer from the matrix to the reinforcing phase. Strength and fracture characterstics of the alloys were studied as a function of phase orientation; the tensile strength of controlled Al-Al3Ni samples was 43,000 psi (three times greater than that of as-cast specime~s). The strength of the Al-CIA2, cutectic was studied as a function of lamellae-flexure stress-axis orientation using a microbend apparatus. A twofold increase in outer fiber stress was observed as the lamellae were rotated from a position of no reinforcing (perpendicular to the stress axis) to one of maximum reinforcing (parallel to the stress axis), The brittle reinforcing constituent in each alloy (A13Ni and CuAl2) was observed to he the nucleating phase for fracture. It is to be concluded from this investigation that unidirectionally solidified eutectic alloys have a potential use as reinforcing coniposite) materials. In a recent review article, Chadwick1 has described the work of many investigators in the area of controlled solidification of binary eutectic alloys. Thus far, more than twenty eutectic alloys have been unidirectionally solidified to produce structures consisting of two phases in the form of alternating lamellae or as whiskers embedded within a continuous matrix; in either case, the phases are aligned parallel to the growth direction. In particular, Kraft and Albright2 have shown that the Al-CuA1, eutectic alloy exhibits a lamellar microstruc- ture as a result of unidirectional solidification while Lemkey, Hertzberg, and Ford3 have studied the A13Ni whisker-aluminum matrix morphology in the A1-A13Ni system. Whether these alloys could exhibit reinforcing behavior would have to depend upon the strength and volume fraction of the reinforcing phase (AI3Ni and CuA12) and the nature of the bond between the reinforcing phase and the matrix. Hertzberg and Kraft4 have shown that the interface bond between chromium whiskers and a copper matrix in unidirectionally solidified Cu-Cr is particularly good while Lemkey and Kraft5 have reported chromium-whisker tensile strengths in excess of 1,000,000 psi. However, with the chromium volume fraction being less than 2 pct, no reinforcing behavior was displayed by the Cu-Cr alloy.6 In view of the encouraging results concerning the good interfacial bond and high strength of the reinforcing phase in the Cu-Cr system and preliminary mechanical test data reported by Lemkey et al.3 for the A1-A13Ni system, the A1-CuA1, and A1-A13Ni eutectic alloys containing 50 and 10 vol pct, respectively, of the reinforcing phase give promise of possessing mechanical reinforcing behavior. Based on this premise, the objective of the investigation was to study the strength and fracture behavior exhibited by these anisotropic microstructures. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Controlled Solidification Procedure. An extensive description of the technique of unidirectional solidification has been presented elsewhere.' However, the pertinent details for each eutectic system studied are discussed below. Al-A13Ni System. Several master heats of this alloy were prepared by vacuum-induction melting in an A12O3crucible and casting in SiO2 mold or by induction melting in alumina crucibles under argon. The initial heats were prepared from 99.99 pct A1 and 99.99+ pct Ni, while later heats used 99.999+ pct A1 and 99.99+ pct Ni. Specimens of these master heats were unidirectionally solidified using induction and resistance heating sources and argon atmospheres at growth rates from 1.1 to 28.7 cm per hr. The thermal gradients in the liquid were controlled in the range of 26" to 36°C per cm for these runs. Al-CuA12 System. The master heat and controlled

Jan 1, 1965

By A. M. Gaudin, J. G. Morrow

FLOTATION requires the existence of a definite contact angle. This contact angle, the surface tension of the solution, and adsorption at the solid- fluid interface are quantitatively related. Adsorption of dodecylammonium acetate on hematite was measured for a wide range of concentrations of reagent in solution. Similar measurements for quartz have already been made.1 Contact angle measurements were then made on polished surfaces of hematite and of quartz immersed in aqueous dodecylammonium acetate solutions, and a functional relationship was sought between adsorption density at the mineral-solution interface and the contact angle. Finally, the surface tension of the aqueous amine acetate solutions was measured. These data were combined to give an evaluation of the work of adhesion for the three-phase system.

Jan 12, 1954

By Thomas M. Drown

THE means relied on to attain uniformity in Bessemer steel may be enumerated as follows I. The appearance of the flame. II. The appearance of the slag. III. The spectrum of the flame. IV. Examination of the steel itself. At present, I wish briefly to bring forward a few considerations with reference to the last two mentioned, namely, the conditions favoring the employment of the spectroscope and examination of the steel. From the amount of careful investigation which has been devoted to the examination of the Bessemer flame by the spectroscope, both on the part of scientists and practical metallurgists, one might reasonably expect some results definite and satisfactory in their nature, first, as regards the nature of the flame, and second, as to the practical value of the spectroscope as a guide in conducting the process. We find, in fact, however, that uncertainty and confusion still exist. In Germany, where this subject has received the greatest attention, it is now very generally conceded that manganese is the cause of the well-known groups of dark bands that characterize the Bessemer spectrum. Nor is it easy to see how we can avoid accepting this conclusion, when Wedding and Von Lichtenfels have produced the manganese spectrum and found it to correspond closely with that shown by the Bessemer flame. But it is evident, on a moment's reflection, as Roscoe has recently brought forward, that manganese cannot be the only cause of the Bessemer spectrum, for we notice the characteristic bands quite as

Jan 1, 1873