government publications - ACS Publications

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T H E JOC’RNAL O F I S D C S T R I d L A S D E.VGINEERIJG C H E M I S T R Y

t o interfere with their performance would be altogether ruinous t o the company. The plants and other assets, the complaint states, are of such nature that their value depends largely upon the continuance of the defendant company as a going concern, and further adds that if the business were to be interrupted their value would be greatly impaired. Such derangement, the complaint asserts, would also be very detrimental to the public welfare by preventing the delivery of explosives called for by contract with the Allied Powers, and by removing a most important source of supply for explosives necessary to the United States. The complaint explains that, while the company’s property, a t a fair valuation, aggregates more than enough to pay all debts, by reason of pending litigation, its credit is so impaired that it is unable to obtain sufficient money to conduct its business in an efficient manner. Upon the filing of the suit, Stanchfield & Levy, counsel for the Aetna Explosives Company, Inc., submitted the company’s answer, in which it admitted all allegations of the complainant. The company will be continued and later authority probably will be given by the court for certificates so that money may be speedily raised. Quick funds are needed for the payment of employees and purchase of materials. The lawyers representing interests involved are Sullivan & Cromwell, Paul D. Cravath, George Gordon Battle, ex-Senator James A. O’Gorman, exJustice George L. Ingraham. and John B. Stanchfield. DU PONTS ACQUIRE NITRATE FIELDS

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Du Pont de Nemours & Co. announced to-day they had acquired from the government of Chile two large nitrate fields in the northern part of t h a t country and would begin a t once to develop them. Shipments, it is expected, will begin in a year. A railroad runs from the new du Pont fields, in the Tarapaca district, forty miles t o the port of Iquique, whence vessels will come north through the Panama Canal. It was stated a t the du Pont offices that the purchase would increase the annual supply of nitrate of soda for use in the

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United States more than one hundred million pounds. Although that is only one-sixtieth of the Chilean output last year and onetenth of the quantity used by t h e du Ponts, i t is said in the announcement it is deemed ample to meet commercial demands for several years.

A joint stock company with a capital of $joo,ooo has been formed to manufacture soda ash in Nagoya, Japan, and land has been acquired a t Nagoya Harbor to erect factories. An electrochemical company with a capital of $ j O O , o ~ o will build factories up the River Arakawa for the manufacture bf bleaching powder, etc. The Braemer Air Conditioning Corporation of Philadelphia, announces the opening of a New York office a t go West Street, with G. P. Uppington as district manager. Mr. Uppington is a graduate engineer with eleven years’ practical experience in heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and sales work. Detailed plans are now completed and in course of execution for rebuilding the burned portion of the plant of The Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company, in Mount Gilead, Ohio. The plans give the Company facilities for dpubling their manufacturing capacity and cover the erection of four new buildings, planned to be in operation by July 1st. The First Industrial Exposition and Export Conference will be held a t Springfield, Mass., June 23 to 30, 1917. F. H. Page, president of the National Equipment Company, has been made chairman of the General Committee to have charge of the Exposition. John C. Simpson is general manager : address, Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, Mass. The Rollin Chemical Company, Inc., manufacturers of barium chemicals, with works a t Charleston, W. Va., have increased their capital stock from $1,600,000to $z,ooo,oooand have begun a proposed expansion of their plant. The National Aniline & Chemical Company are their general sales agents. The German-American Stoneware Works, Jersey City, N. J., has been changed to the General Ceramics Company and its capital increased from $450,000 to ~ ~ , o ~ ~ , ~ ~

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

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By R. S. MCBRIDR. Bureau of Standards, Washington

NOTICE-publications for which price is indicated can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Other publications can usually be supplied from the Bureau or Department from which they originate. Commerce Reports are received by all large libraries and may be consulted there, or single numbers can be secured by application to the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce, Washington. The regusubscription rate for these Commerce Reports mailed daily is $2.50 per year, payable in advance, t o the Superintendent of Documents. BUREAU OF STANDARDS Manufacture and Properties of Sand-Lime Brick. WARREP: E. EMLEY. Technologic Paper 85. 39 pp. Paper, 10 cents. Processes of manufacture, raw materials, influence of methods of manufacture on properties, properties of brick and tests of product are discussed. Standard Substances for the Calibration of Viscometers, EUGENEC. BINGHAMAND RICHARDF. JACKSON, Scientific Paper 298, 28 pp. Paper, 5 cents. “The existing data on the viscosity of water has been reviewed in order to correct it so far as possible according to our present knowledge. The viscosity and fluidity of water for every degree Centigrade from o to 100

has been calculated. Several liquids suitable for calibration of viscometers are recommended, particularly sucrose SOlUtiOnS Of 20, 40, and 60 per cent by weight have been investigated. “The advantages and disadvantages of expressing viscosity in absolute or specific units have been compared. The suggestion has been made that by expressing all data in terms of the centipoise (the one-hundredth part of the cgs. unit), the absolute viscosity Of substances would be practically also the Specific viscosity, provided that we take water a t 20’ as the standard. We find the most probable value for the viscosity of water a t 20’ C. to be 1.005cp.” QEOLOGICAL SUBVEY Bismuth in 1915. FRANK I,. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the Unitedstates, 1915,Part I, pp. 847-848. Published March 13, 1917. “The only bismuth known to have been produced in the United States during 1915 was that isolated as a by-product by the American Smelting & Refining Co., a t Omaha, and by the United States Metals Refining Co., a t Grasselli, Ind. Both companies refine lead bullion electrolytically and save the bismuth from the anode muds. “The American Smelting & Refining Co. obtains a considerable quantity of bismuth in flue dusts saved by the Cottrell process

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T H E J O r R S A L O F I S D C S T R I A L - 4 Y D ESGIAYEERIiVG C H E M I S T R Y

h f a y , 1917

a t its Garfield (Utah) plant and from lead bullion from Leadville, Colo. It is said that a t Leadville a special furnace is run a t times upon ores carrying bismuth, in order that the bismuth may be collected in comparatively concentrated form. . Both flue dusts and bullion are shipped to Omaha for treatment. “The United States Metals Refining Co.’s bismuth-bearing lead comes largely from Tintic, Utah. “Only one lot of bismuth ore is known to have been sold as such during 191j. “The imports of bismuth have dwindled almost steadily since 1910, but the reduction in 1915 was undoubtedly much more than normal and was caused by the European war. “As quoted by the Engineering and Mining Joztrizal (h-ew York), the price of bismuth during the year was from $2.75 to $3.00 a pound.” Selenium and Tellurium. FRASK L. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915, Part I, pp. 84(,-8jo. Published March 13, 1917. ‘‘NO new uses and no new developments in the selenium industry came to light during 1915. The quantity produced was smaller than in the two preceding years and was made by only two companies, so that the figures may not he given. 4 s usual, the selenium was obtained as a by-product in the electrolytic refining of copper. No tellurium is known to hare been produced. ’’ Cobalt in 1915. FKASK L. HESS. From Llineral Resources of the United States, 1915, Part I, p. 805. Published March 22, 1917. “h-o cobalt or cobalt minerals are known to have been produced in the United States in 1915, but a certain quantity of cobalt was used by manufacturers of tool steel and in the making of stellite, all of which is thought to have been imported, although no imports of the metal are recorded separately. The price of the metal during the year seemed to range between $1.25 and $2.00 a pound.” Molybdenum in 1915. FRAXKI,. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915, Part I, pp. 807-811. Published March 2 2 , 1917. “The output of molybdenum ore in 1915 was the largest yet recorded in the United States, but it was still small compared with that of other metals, and only one company, the ilrizona Rare Metals Co., seems to have operated steadily through the remainder of the year after having started operations. The production is estimated a t 3,498 tons of raw ore. The concentrates and the unconcentrated portion of this ore contained 181,769 pounds of molybdenum and were valued a t $114,866. These figures show a total of nearly 91 tons of metal in ores and concentrates, but the loss in smelting is said to be considerable. “The world’s production in 1915 may be recapitulated thus:

COUNTRY ORE MINERAL Canada. . . . . . . , , Molybdenite New South Wales..Molybdenite Norway.. . . . . . . , Molybdenite Peru... . . . . . . . . Molybdenite Queensland . . . . . Molybdenite Spain.. . . . . . . , . . ,Wulfenite United States.. . . .Molybdenite and wulfenite

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.. . ..

Estimated Quan- percenttity age of (short molyb tons) denum 14.3 50.0 54.0 35.5 87.0 45.0 3.0 49.0 109.0 54.0 20.0 29.0 3.498.0 2.6

W t . of molybdenum (short tons) 7.2 19.2 39.1 1.5 58.8 5.8 91 .O 222.6

“The molybdenum situation is always very hard to define because the demand is small, most buyers are very secretive about the disposition of their purchases or manufactured products, and inquirers for the ore usually surround their dealings with an air of mystery. “The actual uses as now developed for the metal are small. In this country the use of molybdenum in tool steels, according to reports received by the Geological Survey from various sources, has decreased. A small quantity is used in electric work, for

539

supports for tungsten filaments in incandescent lamps, in Roentgen ray apparatus, and in small resistance furnaces; a number of tons of ore is consumed in making ammonium molybdate for use in chemical work, and a little is used in some stellite; but outside of these practically no uses are known. Efforts have been made to use the blue oxide in dyes, but the process is not known to have been adopted on a commercial scale, although stated in certain papers as a prominent use. Statements that molybdenum is used in smokeless powder, gun steels, and armor plate are constantly reiterated and as positively denied. “Abroad molybdenum is apparently used in steel much more than in this country, and it is commonly accepted that the decided rise in prices was caused by German buyers taking available supplies a few months before the beginning of the war. French and English steel makers are apparently now using the metal to some extent.” Tin in 1915. FRANK L. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915, Part I, pp. 813-818. PublishedMarch 22, 1917. “The only tin mined and sold in the United States in 1915 was that produced in Alaska and consisted of 1 0 2 tons of metallic tin having a value, a t the average price of tin for the year, of $78,846. “The L:nited States is the greatest user of tin among the nations, using about 40 per cent of the world’s production in 1915, and as it is almost a nonproducer, its imports of tin are, of course, large. Hitherto the imports have been almost wholly of smelted tin, but in the next few years ores may be expected to cut a considerable figure in the imports.” The average monthly price of Straits tin in X e w York during 1915 was 38.66 cents per pound as compared with 35.70 cents in 1914 and 44.225 cents in 1913. Titanium in 1915. FRASKL. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the Vnited States, 1915, Part I, p. 821. Published March 2 2 , 1917. “In 191j the American Rutile Co. produced 2 5 0 short tons of rutile (titanium dioxide) a t its plant a t Roseland, Va. In the concentration of the rutile, a considerable .quantity of ilmenite (titanium iron oxide) was produced as a by-product. The value of both was about $27,500. For many years the company has been the sole producer of rutile in this country. attempts have been made by others to develop deposits in Hanover and Goochland counties, \*a,, and near Magnet, Ark., hut no commercial production has yet been made a t these places. “Rutile and ilmenite are both used in making ferrotitanium, which is employed in making steel and cast iron and both are used in making electrodes for arc lamps, but for some reason ilmenite from other sources than the Roseland deposits does not seem to give the same satisfaction. Rutile is the source of titanium for making cuprotitanium for use in brass and other copper-bearing alloys and for making potassium titanium oxalate and titanium sulfate for use in dyeing leather and textiles. A little rutile is also used in ceramics.” Tungsten in 1915. FRANK L. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915, Part I, pp. 823-830. Published March 22, 1917. “The production of tungsten ores in the United States in 191j was larger than in any previous year and, according to the figures collected by the United States Geological Survey, was equivalent to 2,332 tons of concentrates carrying 60 per cent WOa and valued a t about .$4,1oo,ooo. This production was more than joo tons larger than the largest previous output, that of 1910, when 1,821 tons were produced, and was nearly two and a half times as much as the production of 1914, which was 990 tons, valued a t $435,000, only a little more than one-tenth the value of the output in 191j. “The tungsten production of the United States by ore minerals is unique. Scheelite formed 1,000 tons of the total; ferberite, 960 tons; wolframite, 186 tons; and hiibnerite, 178 tons.

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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

It is probable that a t least 40 tons of the wolframite should be classed as hubnerite, but as no analyses are a t hand and as the application of the term hiibnerite to the ore mineral has been resented, it will be called wolframite until more definite knowledge is a t hand. It seems probable, therefore, that wolframite, the commonest tungsten mineral in most countries, is the least common of the commercially valuable tungsten minerals in this country. “In 191’4the tungsten industry had been temporarily nearly paralyzed by the beginning of the European war, but before the end of t h e year $9 or more a unit was paid for ores carrying 60 per cent WOs. The demand was not steady, however, and early in 1915ores were sold as low as $5.80 a unit, so that many properties were idle. As already stated, large orders from Europe for munitions caused a sudden inflation of prices until $40 a unit was a common price and more than $50 a unit was reported. Some producers were tied up with contracts a t low prices, and had it not been for this fact values would have shown a still greater total. “The price of tungsten as metal or ferrotungsten rose from $ I a pound in January t o $8 a pound in December. I n the same period tungsten steels increased in price from 60 or 75 cents to $3 a pound.” Radium, Uranium and Vanadium. FRANKL. HESS. From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915,Part I , pp. 831836. Published March 22, 1917. “Radium, uranium and vanadium are closely connected in occurrence in the principal fields, Colorado and Utah. I n 1915 the European war caused a great decline in the production of ores of radium and uranium, but it caused a considerable increase in the production of ores of vanadium. “According t o reports received by the United States Geological Survey, the output was 47,000 tons of ore containing 19.9tons of uranium and 6.1g. of radium contained in the carnotite ores produced and 627 tons of vanadium contained in the carnotite ores shipped and in the chemical concentrates from the roscoelite ores. The vanadium is arbitrarily valued a t $600,000,though the vanadium in the carnotite ores was practically without value in the ore and the roscoelite was all mined and reduced by the owner, the Primos Chemical Co., so that it would probably be difficult for the company itself to assign a value to the ore. The uranium ores were valued a t $93,750, which covered the value of the uranium and radium contained. In 1914 the ores produced contained 87.2 tons uranium oxide (U308) containing 74 tons of uranium, 22.3 g. radium, and 435 tons vanadium. Nearly all of the ores were from Colorado.”

Vol. 9, No. 5

days. The factors upon which successful storage depends are also discussed. Separation and Identification of Food-Coloring Substances. W. E. MATHEWSON.Bulletin 448. Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry. 56 pp. Paper, IO cents. Published February 15. This reports methods for chemical detection of about 130 coal-tar colors which are commonly used in dyeing food. Production of Sugar in the United States and Foreign CounELLIOTT.Bulletin 465. Contribution from the tries. PERRY Bureau of Biological Survey. 40 pp. Paper, IO cents. Published February 23. Digestibility of Some Vegetable Fats. C. F. LANCWORTHY AND A. D. HOLMES. Bulletin 505. Contribution from the States Relations Service, 20 pp. Paper, 5 cents. Published February 13. This bulletin records studies of the digestibility of olive oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, and cocoa butter, and is primarily of interest to students and investigators of food problems. Some American Vegetable Food Oils, Their Sources and Methods of Production. H. S. BAILEY. Separate 691,Yearbook, 1916. 18 pp. Paper, 5 cents. COMMEBCE BEPOBTS-MABCB,

1917

The prospects for petroleum in Bolivia are very promising, (p. 840) Efforts are being made to develop a paper industry in Australia and New Zealand, using straw as the raw material. (P. 841) A cement plant in Ontario is now adding feldspar to the raw material, and producing 15 tons per day of 80 per cent potash, besides considerable dust and gases containing 5 per cent potash, and suitable as fertilizer. (P. 903) A great shortage of ammonium sulfate is reported in Japan. (p, 921) A process has been devised in Sweden for making textiles for wearing apparel from peat fiber. (P.97 I) A large natural deposit of soda in East Africa is estimated to contain from 50 to 200 million tons of sesquicarbonate of soda. Efforts are being made to market this product. (P. 1 0 1 1 ) Efforts are being made in Canada to develop the smelting of low-grade iron ores. (P. 1047) Large deposits of clay in New Brunswick have proven suitable for brick, tile and other structural clay products. (P. 1062) Six large British firms have combined for the manufacture of chemical glass and porcelain ware, each plant concentrating Artificial Gas and By-products in 1915. C. E. LESHER. on certain lines. (P. 1080) From Mineral Resources of the United States, 1915,Part 11, A plant is to be erected in Chile for smelting Bolivian tin pp. 1031-1060. Published March 20, 1917. This report gives ores. (P. 1092) a large number of statistics by tables and diagrams, covering The annual output of tungsten ore from Siam has increased the production of various kinds of gas, fuels used, number and to nearly I,OOO,OOOlbs. (P. I I 18) kinds of plants operating, and by-products, including coke, The mineral resources and metal industries of the Far East tar, ammonia, etc. are to be studied thoroughly by a representative of the Bureau EMMOXS. of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. (P. 1128) The Enrichment of Ore Deposits. \\’ILLIAM HARVEY The seeds of “Sim-sim,” an annual plant growing in East Bulletin 625, 493 pp. Paper, 45 cents. “This paper is an amplification of an earlier Survey bulletin on the enrichment of sul- Africa, contain a high percentage of an edible oil, used as a subfide ores (Bulletin 529). It is a discussion of representative stitute for olive Oil. (p. 1155) deposits, especially of the paragenesis of their ores and of the I n the ceramic industry pf Japan, various substitutes for kaolin principles that underlie the processes of enrichment.” are used, which are essentially aluminum silicates, containing some alkali and iron. (P. 1203) DEPABTMENT OF AGBICULTUBE STATISTICS OF EXPORTS THE UNITED STATES _ . . ~ ~ ~ TO _ ~ ~ ~ ~ Changes in Fresh Beef during Cold Storage Above Freezing. MOSCOW-I 114 SINGAPORB-978 Casein RALPH HOAGLAND, CHARLES N. MCBRYDEAND WILMER c . Gambier Santonin Gum copal POWICK.Bulletin 433. Contribution from the Bureau of Hides Gum damar Suear - beet seed Animal Industry. 100 pp. Paper, IO cents. Published FebGutta jelutong CEYLON-1160 Gutta percha ruary 15. This reports an investigation of commercial practices Coma Mangrove bark CiGonut oil in the cold storage of beef and the chemical changes in the Graphite Rubber Rubber Tin muscular tissues of the meat while in storage from 14 to 177