TECHNOLOGY
Minerais Technology — Strength Stockpiling of technical knowledge more urgent than amassing minerals themselves, says Lilienthal Problems bearing on development of atomic e n ergy pervade all mining a n d metallurgical activity Π Γ Η Ε United States will never b e a weak and vulnerable "have-not" mineral nation, so long as it is a "ha^e" nation of mining, metallurgical, a n d chemical leadership. This is t h e view of David E. Lilienthal of Minerals & Chemicals Corp. of America, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Com mission. Speaking in Chicago at: a luncheon during the annual meeting of the American Institute of Mining & Metallurgical Engineers, Lilienthal de clared that the position of world leader ship held by the U. S. today is d u e to the skills, insights, and scientific attain ments of the mining and metallurgical professions, and of the closely relatted sciences of chemistry and physics. T h e brains and imagination of trained m e n in these fields have maintained a n d strengthened one of t h e pillars of America's place in the world, her min erals, Lilienthal said. Urging greater emphasis o n bssic research in industrial minerals, Lilien thal predicted that the resulting in crease in knowledge of the proper-ties of source materials would bring wiithin our grasp basic improvements in tlieir industrial uses. It should also bxing into being, he continued, radically mew uses for these minerals in "a thousand purposes not now existent." More complete understanding of the fundamental behavior of minerals would go far toward enabling this con tinent to stand up under the possibility of a virtual state of siege, which the U. S. and Canada may have to face over a considerable period of t i m e , Lilienthal predicted. Even thougti no real shooting war comes, he said, we may find our imported sources of min eral supply frequently interrupted, un certain, and costly. While stockpiling of actual minerals is wise a n d neces sary for the short run, he said, stock piling of new technical knowledge and new processes is more important for the long pull. W e need to work: for fundamental advances in methods of using many of our plentiful materials, and of cheapening presently expensive processes, to assure our being prepared in times of trouble to rely on our own minerals or substitute materials. At a time when w e are spending billions for research and development aimed at winning energy from uranium, although 858
we are already blessed with low-cost fossil sources of energy, said Lilienthal, a substantial program of fundamental research in minerals, with government encouragement a n d support, seems en tirely justified. Posing a question as to whether t h e time is not overdue also for a crash program to develop an economically feasible way of making sea water use ful for agricultural, industrial, a n d domestic uses, Lilienthal declared suc cess of such a program would help to meet one of the gravest problems p r e sented by rising population and indus trialization. A program might be con ducted, he observed, at a fraction of t h e cost in dollars a n d technical talent b e ing expended in our drive for economi cal electricity from atomic fission, a n d with greater prospect for success. The Atom's Influence. LilienthaFs frequent references to atomic energy were perhaps typical of the entire A I M E meeting, throughout which an emphasis on topics related to atomic energy mirrored its growing influence on all mining a n d metallurgical activity. In the geology subdivision of the insti tute for example, an entire technical session was given over to uranium—its discovery, processing, and ultimate dis posal. T h e search for uranium w a s covered in part by Thomas N. Walthier of the AEC who reported that prospect ing results in N e w York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have been quite en couraging. While the Colorado plateau normally comes to mind in connection with U. S. uranium deposits, said Walthier, some two dozen occurrences of significance are known in t h e eastern section of t h e country—not counting the Monazite placers in the southeast, and the ura nium-bearing phosphates of Florida. Commercial production of uranium was begun last July by Lehigh Coal a n d Navigation at its Mauch Chunk, Penn sylvania property, Walthier stated, a n d the grade of ore shipped compares favorably with that mined on the Colorado plateau. In general, h e noted, prospecting in the east is h a m pered by lack of bedrock exposures, because of extensive overburden a n d residual soils. To counteract this diffi culty, he reported, two geochemical prospecting techniques based on t h e
solubility and diffusion of radon gas are u n d e r development for detection of uranium beneath the surface cover. Lithium, another metal of growing interest in atomic energy development, is in considerably better supply in North America than is uranium, if r e ported reserves only are taken into account. According t o James J. Nor ton and Dorothy McKL. Schlegel of t h e U. S. Geological Survey, t h e U. S. a n d Canada have more than ample lithium resources to support the expanding lithium mining industry. Largest reserves a r e i n t h e tinspodumene belt of t h e Carolinas, al though large deposits are known also in South Dakota, in t h e Searles L a k e brines of California, and in C a n a d a . Indicated lithium reserves in t h e p e g matite deposits of the U. S. are some 5 million units of Li 2 0, by far t h e great est portion of which are i n the Caro linas. Lithium reserves in Searles Lake may account for another 9 million units. Inferred reserves in the U. S. a n d Canada combined are about 125 mil lion units of L i 2 0 , it w a s estimated, as compared with domestic consumption in 1953 of about 250,000 units. A growing problem in disposal of radioactive wastes from atomic energy installations was described by John M. Warde of Oak Ridge National Labora tory. Wastes are being buried under ground for lack of a better disposal method, Warde stated, but there is still much to be learned a b o u t w h a t h a p pens t o the wastes after burial. In addition to safety considerations, based on the danger that long-lived radioac tive wastes may eventually seep into underground pumping wells, t h e r e is another problem of cost, W a r d e said. Current costs for underground disposal are placed at about $1 per pound. Discussions of approaching atomic power often fail to take these costs into account, W a r d e noted, but costs of this magnitude will make a substantial dif ference when comparing the cost of atomic power with that of energy from coal. Research on t h e disposal p r o b lem is under way a t several installa tions, W a r d e reported, a n d adsorption studies with clays a n d other minerals have shown some promise of a partial solution.
Air Pollution Foundation C o n t r a d i c t s Blewett T h e o r y Cause of smog is m a n - m a d e , accord ing to the Air Pollution Foundation. This view contradicts the Blewett theory that smog is natural and not man-made (C&EN, Jan. 3, 1 9 5 5 ) . Blewett believes that smog is caused by ozone and nitrogen dioxide from
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Acetylene Available l ï Pipe Line est Niagara Falls Acetylene for chemical synthesis is " o n t a p " in t h e Niagara Falls area. This important chemical raw material can be supplied in any volume by pipe line. You do not need any acetylene generation equipment at your plant. A c e t y l e n e Experience. For many years acetylene made from UNION CARBIDE has been piped to nearby users at Niagara Falls. Acetylene can now be piped safely and economically for many miles. S i n c e UNION CARBIDE has been produced at Niagara Falls since 1898, a wealth of experience in acetylene generation and handling is available to you. C o n v e n i e n t Plant Sites. Niagara Falls is an excel lent location for new plants, with a number of de sirable industrial plant sites within piping distance for LINDE'S volume acetylene service. I t is an estab lished chemical center. Your plant will be close to industries producing other chemicals, which include hydrogen, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, sodium metal, caustic soda, lime slurry, and dry lime hydrate. Many
of these chemicals can also be supplied by pipe line. Excellent T r a n s p o r t a t i o n . Plants in Niagara Falls have other advantages. Dependable electric power is available. T r a n s p o r t a t i o n facilities are excellent. Consider t h e s e facts: (1) served by t h r e e trunk line railroads; (2) accessible to the Great Lakes, the New York State Barge Canal, and the projected St. Law rence Seaway; (3) located on the planned extension of the New York State Thruway; and (4) the natural gateway t o nearby industrial areas of Canada. UNION CARBIDE is also produced at Ashtabula, Ohio; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; and Portland, Oregon. Bulk shipments to chemical users can be made from any of these plants, including Niagara Falls. D r u m stocks for industrial users are maintained at 111 warehouses t h r o u g h o u t t h e United States. Telephone or write y o u r requirements to LINDE'S
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TECHNOLOGY the stratosphere and that large-scale sinking of the air moving around the Pacific high pressure area affects the •entire central and southern California coast in like fashion. However, Air Pollution Foundation believes that if smog was of natural ori.gin and affected equally all points along the coast as predicted by Blewett, eye irritation suffered by residents of Los Angeles would also be suffered by resi dents of nonindustrialized Santa Bar bara, San. Maria, and Carmel. How ever, the only complaints have come from communities to the leeward of central Los Angeles, says the Air Pollu tion Foundation. Similarly, the geographical pattern with respect to plant damage contra dicts the Blewett theory, according to beliefs of the Air Pollution Founda tion. Crops grown in the Los Angeles area up to the early 1940's can no longer b e grown in the vicinity of Teadily available metropolitan markets, says the foundation. Furthermore, it says that while some plant damage has been reported elsewhere along the California coast, both the frequency a n d intensity decrease sharply with t h e distance from Los Angeles. This suggests to the Air Pollution Founda tion that plant damage outside the Los Angeles Basin is caused b y pollutants carried from the heavily populated and industrialized area by the wind and is not due to a natural process. Meteorological and topographical factors were the same previously as now but until the growth and indus trialization of Los Angeles exceeded some limit which was attained in the early 1940's the obnoxious effects of smog were not present, according to Air Pollution Foundation. Furthermore, the foundation believes that the solution to the smog problem lies in minimizing the effects of human activities rather than continuing to add pollutants to the air as expressed in the Blewett theory. Other views' stated by the founda tion were that the toxic effect of ozone is lessened by the addition of nitrogen oxides. This view is based on tests by Herbert E . Stokinger, toxicologist, U. S. Department of Health, Educa tion, and Welfare. Also, the founda tion believes that variation of ozone concentration during the day is such that it could not be explained by a transport process but fits the variation to be expected if it is formed by a photochemical reaction dependent on the intensity of the sun. The founda tion also believes that there is n o mete orological evidence for the existence of large concentrations of nitrogen di oxide over the Pacific Ocean, either at the surface or aloft. Nor is there any VOLUME
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evidence, according to the foundation, that the increase in smog during the past 10 years may be due to t h e opera tion of a weather cycle. Accelerator Installed a t Columbia University Hospitals The Atomic Energy Commission will install a Van de Graaff generator and auxiliary equipment at Columbia Uni versity and will contribute approxi mately $295,000 toward a laboratory to house the machine which will be used in research of interest to AEC. The Van de Graaff, capable of accel erating particles to energies of six mil lion electron volts, is being made by High Voltage Engineering. Cost of the machine plus auxiliary equipment and installation will total about $450,000. Another Van d e Graaff accelerator of two-million volts is also going to be delivered to the University Hospitals in Cleveland. T h e radiation machine is nearing completion of factory tests at High Voltage Engineering where it was built. W h e n installed Hymer L. Friedell, director of radiology, will use the accelerator for rotational cancer treatment. Metals Testing Chamber a t —452° A pint-size metals stress and strain testing chamber in -which liquid helium
is used to attain temperatures a s low as —452° F . has b e e n developed b y Westinghouse Electric. Results of tests will provide engineers with infor mation regarding types of metals that are best suited for use under extreme temperature ranges. The newly developed cold test cham ber works like this: A sample of t h e metal to be tested is placed inside t h e vacuum insulated chamber; gripping it at either end are two special Discaloy rods. Liquid nitrogen is forced into the chamber first to cool it from room temperature to —320°. At this point liquid helium takes over and t h e tem perature may then b e dropped to —452°. Nitrogen is used in the room temperature to —320° range, says Ε. Τ . Wessel, research engineer of Westinghouse, because it is more economical and efficient than is use of helium at these temperatures. When the inside of t h e chamber and the test sample have cooled t o t h e desired temperature, trie test is started by applying a load t o t h e Discaloy grips so as to pull t h e sample apart. The load is applied until the piece of metal being tested breaks. During t h e test the temperature of the test piece and also the stress-strain readings from the sample are recorded electrically. In current experiments, the maximum stress which can be applied t o a x / 4 inch diameter sample is 260,000 pounds per square inch.
N e w Method f o r Determining Fluorides Aids Air Pollution Problem John P. Nielsen, Stanford Research Institute chemist with apparatus using ion-exchange resins for determining fluorides in the atmosphere. The technique, developed b y Niel sen, uses ion exchange to remove microgram quantities of fluorides from large volumes of solutions with much greater quantitative accuracy and more quickly than by previous methods, according to SRI. As fluorides are a major factor in air pollution, methods for their detection and analysis can contribute greatly to the elimination of the problem. Other methods of fluoride determination require long, expensive sampling periods, making it impossible to obtain information on short-term variations, continued SRI
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