The Idaho recorder., 1922-03-03
IL Evaporation
Causes Big Loss

board. was In operation during the year
at various times. and helium was pro-
duced for short periods. A study Of
the practicability of storing this rare
and noninflammable gas in mine work
ings was made at the bureaus expert
mental coal mine at Bruceton, Pa. At
the cryogenic or low-temperature lab
oratory In Washington, ID. c., liquid air
In quantity Is now being produced. The
primary object of this laboratory is to
investigate gases and liquids at low
temperatures, with special reference to
the separation of helium from natural
gas. Field investigations of possible
supplies of helium in natural gas were
completed during the year, every
known gas field in the United States
having been tested. Results were mark
edly successful, as they have shown
that this country contains the largest
supply of helium-bearing natural gas
in the world.
Scrap Losses Investigated.
An investigation of scrap losses In
aluminium alloy foundry practice
SiApHOh Aiidt AAtC tOSctS III tiic
United States amount TO S1,200,o00
and that universal adoption of meth.
DDS recommended by the bureau OF
mines would probably result In saw
ing of about S600.000 per annum. Melt
ing losses in this industry, which are
largely preventable. aggregate about
$3000,0O0 yearly. A new method was
devised to simplify the collection of
radium emanation from radIum salts.
Experiments are now In progress to
perfect the process and to develop ap-
paratus that can be recommended for
public use in laboratories and hospitals.
The bureau investigated the proper
ties and possibilities of molybdenum,
of which the United States possesses
| the largest known deposits. although
| the country Is relatively poor In high
| grade deposits of some other important
alloying elements used In alloy struc-
tural steels, such as automobile steels.
The bureau conducted studies directed
toward devising means for utilizing ex-
tensive deposits of low-grade iron ores
that cannot be smelted profitably by
present methods. These studies In.
cluded investigations of the lOw-grade
iron ores Of the Birmingham Gala. }
district. the manganiferous iron ores
Of the Lake Superior district, and the
iron and steel situation In the Pacific
Coast states.
The cost Of production of zinc. with
the standard retort process, Is now %
high that 1t endangers the position OF
zinc as cheap metal. Plans have been
formulated for an investigation Of pro-
posed methods for the eiectrOthermiC
metallurgy of zinc. with a view to In.
creasing the recovery Of metal and low.
ering production costs. The results OF
an investigation regarding the losses
Of mines In the tailings Of zinc metals
In the Wisconsin district indicate that
the use Of concentrating tables of Il
certain type will greatly increase re.
covery. 1t Is estimated that this prac.
tice would have added about S1.OOO,O ,OOC
annually to the value Of zinc output In
this district, had 1t been In operation
In 1917. Important results I'm the utiii
zation of the iow-grade and complex
ores OF copper. lead. silver and xInc
which Constitute great problem In the
mineral development of Utah, Colorado
and other Rocky mountain states. are
promised by the utilization of the
chloride volatiiization process. The sui
phur dioxide teaching Of porphyry cop.
per ores Of Arizona holds the promise
Of important developments for the
mineral industry Of the Southwest.
Recovery Of Coal From Refuse.
/ As about one-quarrer Of the bitum-
inous coal produced IN the United
States Is used In Industrial power
plants. the waste of unburned coal
and coke In the ashes from boiler
plants has been investigated by the
bureau. II has been possible TO re
cover the greater part of the unburned
fuel by washing the ashes on q con-
centrating table. As the result of a
study OF coal washing problems In the
state of Washington. one mine has
built table washing plant 10 treat
pile of refuse amounting to more
than one million tons. estimated 10
contain 10000 tons of recoverable
coal Of coking quality.
The bureau conducted studies re-
| gsrding the use Of liquid oxygen al