Blogs

Rare Earth Oxide Bastnasite

Table of ContentsSource of Bastnasite ConcentrateChemical Processing of Bastnasite ConcentrateChemical Separation of Rare-Earth Elements from BastnasiteIon-Exchange SeparationsSolvent-Extraction Separations A bastnasite concentrate, containing about 60 percent rare earth oxides, was sulfated with concentrated sulfuric acid to eliminate the carbon dioxide, fluorine, and silica. Calcination at 1,200° F. made the gangue matter insoluble, thus permitting the separation of the soluble rare-earth sulfates.

Read More »

How to Convert Nickel Oxide to Nickel Metal

Table of ContentsLaboratory and Pilot-Plant InvestigationsLaboratory Tests on Production of Nickel Metal from Nickel OxidePreliminary Reduction TestsSagger EvaluationOperating ConditionsPreliminary Melting TestsPilot-Plant Production of Sponge NickelEquipment and FacilitiesSuppliesPreparation of MaterialsProcedureOperationsPilot-Plant Production of Nickel Ingots From Sponge NickelMelting and RefiningCosts Sponge nickel can be produced by gaseous or solid-fuel reduction or a combination of both. Although pelletized nickel oxide was reduced in

Read More »

High Speed Camera in Rock Blasting

Table of ContentsDescription of EquipmentHigh-Speed Photographic EquipmentProjection EquipmentTheory of MeasurementsCorrection for Camera OrientationGravity EffectsScale FactorTime of Initial MovementField Operating ProcedureAnalysis Procedure The breaking of rock by explosives occurs so rapidly that the details of the phenomenon cannot be observed by the unaided eye. High- (frame-) speed motion pictures offer a means of slowing down the blasting action so that the

Read More »

Boron Crystallography

Table of ContentsChemical and Spectrographic AnalysesX-ray TechniqueEquipmentDataAnalysis of DataIndexingConversion of Rhombohedral IndicesVerification of Results In connection with its continuing studies of the characteristics of alloys and alloying elements, we investigated the crystal structure of fused boron. This Boron Crystallography report describes how the structure of fused boron was found to be rhombohedral by the powder method for crystal-structure determinations by

Read More »

Euxenite Metallurgy

Table of ContentsExperimental Procedures and ResultsExtraction by ChlorinationEquipmentProcedure and ResultsSeparation of Tantalum and ColumbiumEquipmentProcedure and ResultsPurification of Rare-Earth ProductProcedure and Results for Small-Scale TestsEquipmentProcedure and ResultsPurification of Uranium ProductEquipmentProcedure and Results Results of this study demonstrate that multiple-oxide minerals can be processed to usable compounds by the techniques described in this paper. The chlorination procedure offers an efficient method for

Read More »

Electrowinning Molybdenum & Tungsten

Table of ContentsIntroduction to Electrowinning MolybdenumElectrowinning Molybdenum Experimental ProcedureCharacter of Metal DepositedElectrolyte CompositionAlkali Phosphate ElectrolyteAlkali Phosphate Borate ElectrolyteSodium Tetraborate ElectrolyteEffect of Temperature on Current Efficiency and YieldBorate Electrolyte and ScheeliteAlkali Phosphate Electrolyte and ScheeliteEffect of Current Density on Current Efficiency and YieldAlkali Phosphate Electrolyte and Tungsten TrioxideAlkali Phosphate Electrolyte and Synthetic ScheeliteAlkali Phosphate Electrolyte High- and Low-Molybdenum-Content ScheeliteEffect of Current

Read More »

Tungsten Mining Method & Cost

Table of ContentsThe OreMethods of ExplorationDevelopment and MiningGeneral DevelopmentDevelopment DetailsStopingUnderground TransportationAuxiliary OperationsProductionVentilationMine DrainageFire PreventionSafety Methods And First-Aid OrganizationSummary of Costs The principal ore deposits occur in the bands and isolated pods of tactite adjacent to the granite on the west side of the south stock. The tactite bodies exposed around the north stock are narrow and discontinuous, although one series

Read More »

How to Improve & Aid Slurry Filtration by Flocculation

Table of ContentsDescription of FlocculantsFiltration with Test-Leaf ApparatusDescription of Apparatus and Test ProcedureTests With Crow’s Nest Pass SlurryTests With Roslyn-Cascade SlurryTests With Black Diamond SlurryExperiments With Synthetic SlurriesFiltration With Disk FilterDescription of Apparatus and Test ProcedureDisk-Filter Test Results The experimental results appear to support two principal conclusions: First, the three natural and three synthetic slurries tested all exhibited individual filtration

Read More »

Gypsum Mining Method & Cost

Table of ContentsDescription of DepositsMining MethodsQuarrying – GeneralOperations of Individual PropertiesUnited States Gypsum Co.GeneralExplorationDevelopment and MiningBestwall Gypsum Co.GeneralExplorationDevelopment and MiningNational Gypsum Co.GeneralExplorationDevelopment and Mining Gypsum and its products are economical materials in their respective fields. Lime and hydraulic cement plasters compete to a limited extent with gypsum in the plaster field. Lime is used today in construction, chiefly as an

Read More »

Fluorescent Spectrographs Analysis

Table of ContentsTheoretical CalculationsEvaluation of TermsSample CalculationExperimental InvestigationsK Spectral Lines for Lower Atomic Number ElementsK and L Intensities From the Same ElementL and M Intensities From the Same Element Until several years ago the fluorescent X-ray spectrographer was limited to the K series for elements of atomic numbers 22-60 and to the L series for higher atomic number elements. Upon

Read More »

How to Make Rare Earth Chloride

Table of ContentsDescription of ProcessExperimental Procedure and ResultsCerium SeparationPreparation of Rare-Earth HydroxidesOxidation of Cerium to TetravalencyAcid Leaching of Trivalent Rare-Earth Elements From Hydrous Ceric OxideRefining Acid-Leach Residue to Pure Cerium Dioxide A major overall objective of the Bureau’s research program on rare-earth elements is to make ultrapure individual rare-earth metals and compounds and to determine some of their properties—properties that

Read More »

Rare Earth Spectrometer

Table of ContentsAnalytical ApparatusSelection of Analytical Line PairsChoice of Internal Standard and Stabilization BufferAnalytical ProcedureExcitation ParametersEmulsion Development and CalibrationStandard and Sample PreparationPreparation of Working Curves and AnalysisResults and Discussion Interest in the separation, purification, reduction, and metallurgy of the various lanthanide rare-earth elements has necessitated developing sensitive and flexible instrument-analysis techniques . The widely accepted analytical application of the spectrograph

Read More »

Separating Rare Earth Elements

Table of ContentsExperimental ProcedureResults and DiscussionResin Crosslinkage and Eluant Flow RateResin-Bed ShapeSeparating IonsConclusions Bastnasite rare earths are now being utilized to a limited extent as a source of rare-earth materials used in the steel industry; but advances in the technology of separating the rare-earth elements from each other will make the individual elements available in adequate supply for engineering evaluation

Read More »

Mine Shaft Sinking

Table of ContentsPurpose of  Mine ShaftGeology and Physical Characteristics of RocksShaft SiteShaft SinkingPreparationShaft-Sinking PeriodDrillingBlastingMuckingTimberingPumping1050-Level StationSupervision and LaborSafetyCosts and Performance DataShaft Sinking EQUIPMENTHistoryGeologyMining MethodsUndercuttingDrillingBlastingMuckingShuttle-Car TransportationConveyor TransportationTransportation of Men and MaterialsRoof BoltingPowerServicesMine ProductionVentilationSinking No. 3 ShaftSurface Plant and EquipmentOffice, Warehouse, Etc.CompressorsHoist and HeadframeCraneConcrete-Mixing PlantCarriageMiscellaneous Surface InstallationsPowerDrilling and BlastingLoadingConcretingDrainageManpowerEquipment MaintenanceConsumption of MaterialsRate of AdvanceAccident Prevention This paper is one of a series prepared

Read More »

Recover Magnesium and Cadmium by Vacuum Distillation

Table of ContentsComposition of Condensate as Determined by Molal Composition of Charge and Vapor Pressures of Charge ConstituentsSimple Distillation ExperimentsSegregation of Constituents in CondensatesFractional Distillation ExperimentsExperiments With Vapor BaffleDescription of Vapor BaffleDistillation into a Temperature-Controlled Condenser Vacuum distillation tests on a magnesium alloy containing 20 percent cadmium indicated that it would not be practicable to separate the two metals by

Read More »

Bauxitic Kaolins Properties

Table of ContentsPreparation of SamplesDescription and Identification of SamplesScreen AnalysesChemical AnalysesMineral CompositionDry-Press RefractoriesPreparation and FiringPhysical TestingPyrometric Cone EquivalentCompressive StrengthModulus of Rupture and Fired ShrinkageReheat ChangeRefractoriness Under LoadThermal ShockThermal ExpansionResults of Physical TestingClay BlendsPreparation and TestingResults of Blending TestsRefractory SpecialtiesAir-Set MortarRefractory CastablePlastic Refractories Although there are many potential ceramic uses for kaolinitic materials of the type occurring in the Eufaula district,

Read More »

Cathodic Protection

Table of ContentsSoil ResistivityGround-Resistance MeasurementsCathodic ProtectionGalvanic AnodesElectrolytic AnodesFacets of a Cathodic Protective SystemStray Currents, Bonding, and Protective Grounding Loss of metal and damage to buried metal structures because of corrosive action is, to a large extent, determined by the soil resistivity in the immediate vicinity of the structure. The intensity of corrosive action is inversely proportional to the soil resistivity;

Read More »

Titanium Electrorefining

Table of ContentsElectrolyte Preparation and Cell AdditionsStandard Operating ProcedureExperimental DataConclusion The development of a fused-salt Titanium Electrorefining technique to recover hyperpurity titanium from offgrade sponge and mill scrap, under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Mines Electrometallurgical Experimental Station at Boulder City, Nev., for several years has been described in many publications. This report describes the investigations to obtain greater

Read More »

Volumetric Assay Determination of Uranium

Table of ContentsUranium SolutionCeric Sulfate SolutionPreparation and Use of ReductorsLead ReductorJones ReductorApplication of Fisher TitrimeterSeparation By Hf PrecipitationDouble HF PrecipitationDissolution and Final ReductionTitration ProcedureApplication of MethodDecomposition of SampleSeparations and Titration According to Katz and Rabinowitch, workers do not agree as to the solubility of uranium tetrafluoride. However, the conditions under which solubility data were obtained were not always the same.

Read More »

Electrorefining Titanium Electrowinning

Table of ContentsBinary-Alloy PreparationElectrorefining ProcedureElements in the First GroupElements in the Second GroupElements in the Third Group This series of investigations was exploratory in nature, as all variables that might influence alloy-element transfer were not examined. The test show, that, under the conditions described, titanium can be refined almost completely from molybdenum, tin, and zirconium; that refining from aluminum and

Read More »

Nickel and Cobalt Electrolytic Separation

Table of ContentsExperimental Procedure and Discussion of ResultsOriginal and Synthetic Nicaro MaterialsNickel Sulfate-Cobalt Sulfate ElectrolytesNickel Sulfate-Cobalt Sulfate-Ammonium Persulfate-Ammonium Fluoride ElectrolytesNickel Carbonate-Cobalt Carbonate Solubility TestsNickel Sulfate-Ammonium Fluoride ElectrolytesAmmonium Fluoride ElectrolytesNickel Chloride-Cobalt Chloride ElectrolytesElectrolysisElectrodialysisSynthetic Nicaro Liquor ElectrolytesDetermination of Decomposition Potentials for Nickel and Cobalt ElectrolytesCyanide and Phosphate ElectrolytesNickel Sulfate-Cobalt Sulfate-Potassium Sulfate-Potassium Dichromate ElectrolytesAmmonium Sulfate ElectrolytesNickel Sulfate – Boric Acid ElectrolytesSelective Precipitation of

Read More »

Phosphate Rock Fluorine Removal

Table of ContentsPhosphate-Rock Beneficiation ResearchLaboratory ScaleFlotation TestsDesliming TestsPilot-Plant ScaleDefluorination TestsLaboratory ScaleSan Francisco Phosphate RockSimplot Phosphate RockPilot-Plant ScaleShaft-Furnace TestsRotary Kiln TestsFluorine-Recovery TestsLaboratory ScalePreliminary ExperimentsProduction of Synthetic CryolitePilot-Plant ScaleUse Tests of Defluorinated Phosphate RockUse As a FertilizerUse as a Mineral Supplement in Animal RationsDiscussion of Test Results and ConclusionsBeneficiation TestsDefluorination TestsFluorine-Recovery TestsUse Tests Numerous patents and references may be found that relate

Read More »

Copper Gold Sulfide Ore – Flotation & Cyanidation Tests

Table of ContentsPreliminary Cyanidation TestsFlotation of CopperFlotation of Gold with Copper“Scavenger” Flotation of ColdCyanidation of Fl0tation ProductsCyanidation of Copper Flotation TailingCyanidation of ”Scavenger” Concentrates Grinding the ore to minus 100-mesh gave satisfactory liberation of the minerals. Standard flotation procedure with potassium ethyl xanthate, cresylic acid, and lime produced good-grade copper concentrates with over 85 percent recovery of copper and about 60

Read More »

Cornstarch Explosibility

Table of ContentsDescription of TestsTest SamplesResults of InvestigationEffect of Dust ConcentrationEffect of MoistureEffect of Particle SizeExplosibllity of Oil-Treated CornstarchEffect of Addition of Calcium CarbonateRelease of Explosion Pressures Laboratory experiments were conducted with cornstarch to study the effects of duet concentration, moisture, particle size, treatment with oil, and admixture of calcium carbonate on the dust-explosion hazard. One series of tests were

Read More »