Basic Minerals - Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (ACS Publications)

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igh But Reserves Cause Concern -

Metallic Minerals and Mefals C. W. MERRILL, Chief, Metal Economics Branch, U. S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, 0. C.

ALTHOUGH air, water, and coal are the raw materials

upon which so much of the chemical industry thrives, metals in one form or another are also essential to the industry. A readily available supply and ample reserves of these indispensable commodities are therefore important to the industry’s future welfare, continued growth, and progress. The United States supplies of air, water, and coal are so vast as to give little concern except for seasonal and local shortages. Over-all national self-sufficiency with respect to metals, however, is not reassuring. Moreover, a comparison of 1939 production and consumption figures with the same data for the postwar years 1947 through 1949 reveals a serious decline in the ability of domestic producers of some important metals t o meet industrial requirements, with a resulting increase in reliance upon foreign sources of supply. Declining self-sufficiency has resulted both from rapidly expanding demand and from progressive depletion of domestic mines, Discovery and development of ore bodies have failed to provide new raw material reserves at a rate commensurate with the exhaustion of known deposits and growing consumer demand for metals. There is, of course, a wide variation in the degree of national self-sufficiency among the metals. Dependence on foreign mines has always been virtually complete for some like tin.

TOTAL VALUE, U. S. MINERAL PRODUCTION

4 7

METALS N O N M E ~ I MINERALS C MINERALFUELS

1939 1947 1948 1949

(millions of dollars)

June 1950

I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G CHEMISTRY

The total output of domestic tin mines since the first production was reported would not supply United States industry for a fortnight a t the current rate of consumption. On the other hand, the United States continues to be the world’s principal supplier of molybdenum, despite the tremendous drafts made on its reserves during World War 11. It is among some of the common metals that a prewar export position has been superseded by a postwar import situation. In 1939 the net copper exports amounted to 8% of the domestic mine production, whereas in the 3-year period 1947 to 1949 about 30% of primary copper consumption in the United States was imported metal. A similar change from a prewar export basis to postwar import conditions has been recorded in both the lead and zinc industries. Although the results of exploration programs now under way, after being largely recessed during World War 11, may arrest or even reverse the trend toward greater dependence on imports, nevertheless the ever-expanding demands of American industry require an accelerated discovery rate if domestic sources are to hold their own in the supply situation. It can hardly be expected that the 6% of the earth’s land surface represented by the United States has been so richly endowed with minerals as to be able to supply indefinitely an industrial demand calling for more than one third of the world’s production on the average. The bulk of metal consumption is as pure metals or alloys, but a part of each metal finds its way into the chemical industry. For some metals the chemical industry is a very important market; and for many segments of the chemical industry, metals are indispensable raw materials. The following paragraphs prcsent highlights of metals used in chemical industry, with salient statistical data.

PIG IRON millions of short tons

NTITY e of

50

les

25

0

SOUR& U. I. Bureau of Miner

600

600

400

400

200

200

0

0

I

I

I

I

150

600

500

400

250

200

0

0

1939

1941 1948

MAGNESIUM

thoumdr of short ton,

Lead

Domestic mine output of lead dropped from 413,979 short tons in 1939 to an annual average of nearly 393,000 tons in the period 1947 to 1949, a decline of 5%, Despite the diminishing production from domestic mines, lead consumption within the United States has advanced from 667,000 tons in 1939 to an average of about 1,074,000 tons in 1947-49, a gain of 61%. Industry requirements for lead in excess of domestic mine output have been met by expanded imports and increased recovery from secondary sources. Because of the remarkably high corrosion resistance of lead it has many important applications in the chemical industry, the most commonplace of which are lead or lead-lined pipes, pumps, valves, tanks, drums, table tops, sinks, and miscellaneous equipment. A number of lead compounds are used by the chemical industry in the manufacture of a wide variety of products including insecticides, textile dyes, printing inks, paints and varnishes, oilcloth, floor coverings, and tetraethyllead.

blllionr of dollon

Production

Copper

Copper sulfate, copper oxide, and other copper compounds have many uses in industrial chemistry. By far the chief chemical is copper sulfate, which is employed largely as an insecticide, germicide, and fungicide in grape culture and for other agricultural purposes. It is added to water in reservoirs to prevent the growth of algae. Anhydrous copper sulfate has a strong affinity for water and is thus used to test for water in alcohol and ether. Mine output of copper was 728,320 short tons in 1939 and averaged 807,925 tons in 194749. In 1939, 43,266 short tons of copper sulfate were produced, and in 1947-48 the output averaged 92,900 tons.

979

1949

:wfi 1939

1941

1948

1949

MANGANESE

mlllionr of dollars

Ihosands of rhorl tons

100

1005

50

2

30 20

IO

Bauxite

Approximately one tenth of the bauxite consumed in the United States is used by the chemical industries, either in the

1939

1941 1948

1949

I

980

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

form of alumina or dircctly as bauxite. In addition, a large quantity of alun~inum-also derived from bauxite-is consumed by the chemical industries. In 1939, 58% of the United States bauxite supply was from foreign sources; the average for the past 3 years has been 64% foreign. Furthermore, the proportion of foreign bauxite has increased through each of the postwar years, and, because of the depletion of domestic reserves during World War 11, this trend seems certain to continue. Foremost in the consumption of bauxite in the chemical field is its use for the manufacture of alumina and aluminum salts such as aluminum sulfate, aluminum chloride, sodium aluminate, aluminum hydroxide, and alum, which in turn find their way into many other chemical industries. Aluminum metal and alloys also have desirable qualities which render them important in their use as containers for most alcohols and many other liquids. Mercury Most of the mercury used in the United States is in the form of chemical compounds. Some of the important uses are as pharmaceuticals, fungicides, and insecticides. In 1939, 18,633 flasks (76 pounds each) of mercury were produced and in 1947-49 the output averaged 15,837 flasks annually. Chromite In the case of chromite, sodium bichromate is the primary chemical from which various compounds are made. The largest consumption of chrome chemicals is in pigments; tanning and electroplating also require important quantities. The minor uses include dyeing, bleaching, alloys, and prevention of corrosion. Approximately 1.5 tons of chemical grade

-METALS

Production and Value of Selected Items

Value

Quanfity Value Gold, 1000 fine OZ.

1939 1947 1948 1949

3 93 5,316 6,489 1,630

97 3,556 4,759

1939 1947 1948 1949

22,341 18,755 19,367 12,675

67 113 116 73

n.a.

Cadmium

163,556 73,821 70,499 68,215

6,282 63,199 67,487 54,062

n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

16,872 336,061 381,508 388,560

137 5,029 5,794 5,800

1939 1947 1948 1949

Ilmenite 2,206 4,004 3,792 4,000

2,828 12,571 12,588 16,000

4,048 948 3,619 300

46

Chromite

1939 1947 1948 1949

Platinum Metals, Tray n.a. n.a.

n.a.

Cobalt

1939 1947 1948 1949

n.a.

n.8.

339 291 337

n.a. n.a.

182,771 329,484 331,749 237,704

3,705 10,955 11,227 8,267

n.8.

Fluorspar

1939 1947 1948 1949

n.a. n.8. n.8.

n.a. 64,373 35,824 38,096 34,090

01.

n.a.

32,460 13,836 13,741

Silver, 1000 fine

1939 1947 1948 1949

1939 1947 1948 1949

4,673 2,109 2,014 1,949

Helium, 1000 cu. ft.

Arsenic

1939 1947 1948 1949

Zinc Although both the domestic mine output of zinc and zinc consumption were larger in the period 1947 to 1949 than in 1939, the gain in zinc consumption far exceeded the advance in mine output, thus placing a greater reliance on foreign zinc to meet the needs of United States industry. Domestic mine production rose from 583,807 tons in 1939 to an annual average of over 617,000 tons in the period 1947-49. Domestic consumption for this same period increased from 718,500 tons to over 887,000 tons. Zinc has many and varied applications in the chemical industry. Zinc oxide, lithopone, zinc sulfide, and zinc dust are consumed in the manufacture of a number of products, including analytical reagents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soap, agricultural sprays, paints, plastics, paper and industrial cardboard, shoe polish, rubber products, waxes, aniline dyes, sugar, and textiles. An aqueous solution of zinc chloride is used to impregnate wood to prevent decay. Other Metals A number of other metals and metallic minerals find many applications in the chemical industry. Aside from their typical uses as metals and alloys they find their way into many chemicals, catalysts, pigments, and chemical specialties. In most instances the quantities consumed are small compared to those mentioned above, but they are essential to the economic functioning of the chemical industry.

NONMETALLIC MINERALS

Quantity Antimony

1939 1947 1948 1949

chromite are consumed per ton of chemicals produced. High temperature alloys are of special interest for jet engines and other applications. Chromium, one of the major constituents of these alloys, is introduced as pure metal.

AND MINERALS

Quantity in short tons except as noted. Value in thousands of dollars. Source; U. S. Bureau of Mines

1939 1947 1948 1949

Vol. 42, No. 6

01.

43,645 32,420 34,477 30,851

Tungsten, 60% WOa 1939 1947 1948 1949

4,287 3,094 4,005 3,000

4,402 2,945 3,812

n.a.

0. W. JOSEPHSON, Chief, Nonmefal Economics Branch, U. S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, D. C.

AS INDICATED in the accompanying tables and charts, the domestic demand for nonmetallic minerals used in the chemical industry has increased substantially since 1939, and in some cases the increase has been spectacular. This has been due principally to the general industrial expansion of the country, but in part it also reflects conditions that are peculiar to the specific commodity. Most important, of course, are the three pillars of the chemical industry-sulfur, salt, and lime. Before the war the native sulfur industry, producing at the then very high rate of between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 tons per year, was serving the domestic demand and exports commonly were of the order of 700,000 tons. Native sulfur, mined by the Frasch process, is so low in price and high in quality that it is the preferred sulfur raw material throughout most of the world. During the war there was a very large expansion in sulfuric acid production capacity and, to the general surprise of the industry, construction continued into the postwar period. The increased domestic demand for sulfur was supplemented by growth in postwar export requirements (nearly 1,500,000 long tons in 1949), and consequently the producers of native sulfur in the United States have been operating at capacity and drawing steadily upon stocks for many years. Production in 1949 totaled 4,745,014 long tons. Pyrite is our other major source of sulfur. It is used principally in areas where it has local advantages, such as unusually low production and transportation costs, that enable it to compete with native sulfur. During the past 10 years

PHOSPHATE ROCK

IRON ORE

BAUXITE millions of dollors

millions of Ions tons

1.5

981

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

lune 1950

millionr of dollors

millions of Ion@tons

millions of dollos

millions of long tons

600

I

100

400

50

200

....*..............*...... 1941

1948

1949

D

1939

1941

1948

POTASH (K,O)

millions of dollors

millions of dollnrs

15

~~

1941

1949

1949

millions of dollars

81 -

60

w

100

75

10

40

4

50

5

20

2

25

0

0

0

~~~~

1948

1948

millions of long tons

6

1939

i94r

SULFUR

SALT (Sodium Chloride)

millions of short tons

............*.......*...*. 0

1939

1949

a

millions of short tons

f avallnblt

I

1939

10

1939

1947

1948

1949

0

1939

1941

1948 SOURCE:

domestic production of pyrite has increased considerably percentagewise, but total consumption, including imports, has shown little change. Historically the United States has imported major tonnages of pyrites from Spain, but during and since the war our dependence on imports has declined and Canada has become our principal foreign source. An interesting development is the increasing recovery of sulfur from industrial gases. The total quantity of sulfur obtained is fiubstantial and is growing because treatment of gases has multiple advantages. In many instances gas treatment eliminates an atmospheric nuisance in metropolitan areas and also provides a marketable sulfur product. In recent years sour natural gas has become an important source of elemental sulfur, the removal of which improves the quality of the gas as a fuel. 4 1 t production has gone up,, principally to provide the tremendous quantities of chlorine and soda ash that the industry now requires and to serve the many other industrial uses of this mineral. The United States is fortunate in having virtually inexhaustible salt reserves and wide distribution of these reserves. Similarly, the United States has immense deposits of limestone and lime production has been increasing according to the requirements of industry. Production of open market lime grew from 4,254,000tons in 1939 to a record of 7,264,000 tons in 1948 and in addition much “captive” tonnage is produced by the consuming companies. Output in 1949 was slightly lower than in 1948. Another class of minerals that has burgeoned outstandingly in recent years has been the fertilizer materials. There was a

1949

U. S. Bursou of Mines

time not so many years ago when the United States was dependent upon Europe for the bulk of its supply of potash, but the discovery and development of the potash deposits in the Carlsbad, N. Mex., area have changed this situation and we are now approximately self-sufficient, even though the demand has increased greatly as compared with what it was before the war. The increase in demand for fertilizers can be attributed to a combination of soil depletion, educational programs, and high farm incomes which make the purchase of fertilizers possible and profitable. In contrast with potash, the phosphate resources of the United States have been well known and well developed for a long time. However, phosphate also went through a spectacular growth during and since the war. The major part of the development has taken place in the Florida area, but noteworthy progress has also been made in western phosphate production. This industry has been particularly active in the development of new methods of processing and new forms of end products. A number of other raw materials are also worthy of attention here. Magnesium compounds may be produced from a variety of raw materials. The historical source is the mineral magnesite and, on a more limited scale, brucite. For certain refractory and chemical uses dolomite also provides the needed magnesia. The outstanding feature of this industry during the past decade, however, has been the development of “synthetic magnesite” which opens up an inexhaustible source of supply, as it is recovered from brines, bitterns, and sea water. Magnesium compounds produced from each of these sources, in certain localities or uses, have advantages

982

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

of quality or cost \\ hich cnablc them to compete successfully with the others. Of primary importance to the growth of this industry has been increasing we of basic refractories, particularly in the steel industry. Barite is another mineral that has shown a remarkable increase in output since before the war. This growth can be attributed largely to its use in drilling muds. There have been increases in other uses, such as paint and glass, but oil well drilling provides the bulk of the demand. There are indications that the market for barite in lithopone is declining as titanium pigments become more easily available. Finally, a word about lithium. This industry went through a rapid growth stage during the war when there was a very high demand for lithium hydride, but it collapsed when this market was withdrawn. Since then there has been a gradual recovery as home effects of a wide variety of research programs have made themselves felt. At present there is considerable activity in the industry, owing to optimism regarding the new uses that may develop, and steps are being taken toward the expansion of production capacity.

MINERAL FUELS T. W. HUNTER, Chief, Coal Economics Branch, U. S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, D. C. T H E supremacy of coal as the primary source of energy in the economy of the United States now is being challenged seriously by its chief competitors-oil and natural gas. The circumstances of this challenge hold great significance for chemistry. Despite the relatively limited United States reserves of petroleum and natural gas as compared to the abundant resources of coal, the trend toward the use of liquid and gaseous fuels gained new impetus in 1948. By now, with the stimulus of heavily increased oil imports from foreign sources and approvals for extensive new gas pipe lines, has achieved such an accelerated pace as to cause grave concern in many quarters regarding the economic and social dislocations that are resulting from the changing pattern of our national fuel consumption. The problem also involves serious considerations from the point of view of future national security. Although petroleum has many vital and strategic uses, especially for motor fuels and lubricants, for which there are no ready substitutes, increasing quantities of oil are being used for space heating and for steam power generation-purposes that could be served by our more abundant coal supplies. Whereas in 1947, on a B.t.u. basis, coal provided 50.4% of the total energy used in the United States, in 1949 its contribution had dropped to 39.3% as compared to 55.8% for petroleum and natural gas combined. Petroleum alone, both domestic and imported, contributed 36.4% in 1949. Bituminous coal production dropped from a peak of 631,000,000 tons in 1947 to 600,000,000tons in 1948, and to 435,000,000 tons in 1949. The latter is the lowest since 1939. Fired by the declining demand for coal and the increasing use of oil for purposes formerly supplied by coal, there is growing controversy as to what should be done about the problems developing around our native fuel supplies. These problems are many and complex, and both the immediate and future interests of our nation require that serious thought be given to them. If we must depend upon our indigenous fuel resources as our economy and high standards of living continue to advance, and if the demand for liquid and gaseous fuels continues to expand proportionately, as a nation we shall be faced

Vol. 42, No. 6

with problems that will have great bearing on our economir, social, and political systems, and on our national security. To the extent that natural supplies of fuels are concerned, necessity will force a wiser utilization and consequent conservation of our respective fuel energy sources, in keeping with the purposes for which they are best suited. The effect of this will be a more or less natural balance in the consumption of these fuels. The biggest problem will be to meet the demands of our expanded industrial economy for the great volume of liquid fuels and lubricants that will be required, and yet maintain a reasonable reserve of our natural petroleum resources. This is a big problem, but not insurmountable-not insurmountable, that is, if our chemists and engineers accept the challenge. Great strides have been made already in the synthesis of oil from shales and from coal; but if we must become selfsufficient in oil, tremendous volumes of it must be produced by synthesis to supplement our natural supplies, and as economically as possible. The ever-increasing demand for fuel energy in liquid or gaseous forms, and the continuing pressure for new processes and techniques, open wide vistas of o p p r tunity for the chemist. Experiments are going forward on the underground gasification of coal by setting fire to the coal in its natural deposit. The possibilities for power production a t the mine through the successful development of these experiments are great. Chemistry holds out enormous promise to the coal industry in many other respects, also. The phenomenal advancements that already have been made in the use of coal in the production of chemical products is only a m a l l start, compared to the vast potentials in this field. N e w Uses for Coal

Whenever the economics and future prospects of the coal industry are under discussion, the statement always is made that “new uses for coal must be found.” Much has yet to be

percent

1939 SOURQ U. S. Burow of Mines

1947

1948

1949

June 1950

INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

done in this respect, however. Perhaps one of the bzrs to advancement in this direction is that much of the thinking is in terms of coal in its bulky, solid form. With that concept in mind, it is difficult to visualize new uses for coal as distinguished from new developments in coal-burning devices or in new methods of treatment or preparation of coal to increzse its burning efficiency and thus lower its cost to the consumer. These advances deserve great praise and must be continuel. So far as new “uses” for coal are concerned, however, the greatest promise lies in the conversion of coal into different mediums, such as liquids, gases, or electric current. In other words, evolving new processes and techniques for converting coal into other “products” at or near its natural deposit would open wide new horizons for coal usage, would contribute materially to economic progress and stability, and would eliminate or substantially reduce one of coal’s competitive disadvantages-the high cost of transporting and handling it in bulk form as compared to the cost of transmitting oil and gas by pipe line and tanker. Many laymen of advanced intelligence are amazed to learn of the spectacular chemical achievements made during recent years in the use of coal in the manufacture of dyes, explosives, paints, perfumes, medicinals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, rubber processing chemicals, benzene, phenol,

Production

SOUR[& U I Bureau of Minis

‘”:,“:,PF

ANTHRACITE

VOLUME OF

1939 413

I1 461

365

3

diem

hoflhn$

*******************

millions of dollars

*e*

00

**e **e

00

0 0 OO*.OO

-0

e 00

0

#

0.

BITUMINOUS COAL AND LIONWE

difficult toluene, for andthem a wide to variety realize that of other coal by-products chemical products. have beenItdeis veloped into a multimillion dollar “industry” since the first

1939

World The War. opportunity for greater advancement in this field is not limited to private laboratories and chemical companies, however. More coal producers should look into the possibilities of employing chemists and engineers to develop new and improved products from coal. There is no reason to believe that chemical research cannot develop new techniques for converting coal into other highly remunerative products at or near the mines, or even in the mines. By-product type ovens, for instance, need not be confined strictly to the steel industry. Having the raw materials and transportation immediately at hand and with little or no rail transportation of a bulk commodity involved, coal companies have an economic head start toward explorations in this new field. Additional economic advantages would accrue from the fact that scientific skill would minimize waste and get the maximum of worth from the lower grades of coal. Some coal producers may say that their job is to mine coal and let the consumer carry on from there. Such producers must resign themselves to producing only such coal as cannot be displaced by other sources of energy. Similarly, some coal producers may be deterred by thinking in terms of relatively smaller volumes of coal for chemical processing than are used for other purposes, rather than thinking in terms of the relatively higher values of new chemical products. Even on a relatively short-term basis, much can be done toward the development of new economic opportunities for coal, through chemistry, if there are concerted thinking and action by coal producers and by the established chemical industries, as well as by progressive chemists and chemical

1947

engineers. The long-term prospects are even brighter, for the demand of future generations, by profiting or suffering from our present handling of affairs, will dictate an assurance of selfsufficiency in all our mineral fuels and the development of spectacular new products from the processing of coal. The development of important new techniques and products in this field, and in others, emphasizes the fact that chemists and chemical engineers already are an integral part of our economic system, and that they must, and will, assume greater responsibilities in the future management of American industry.

983

**

395 2,623

#

631

2,993

1,110

35

* * 0

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e

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..

millions of dollars

millions of short tons e0

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NATURAL GAS 120

1939

1,411 17s

333

401

1949

so bllllons of tublc tiel

e

** * ** * ** *** *

*a*

m l h s of dollars

*

ee e e

e e e ee

PmRoLauMt Crude

1939

m @ e @ B O ws o 3,118

1947

dlha

~UNII millions of dollorr

a