Report issued by the Bureau of Mines over investigations conducted on manganese deposits in Maine. Details of the history, physical features, and geology are presented. This report includes tables, maps, illustrations, and photographs.

Report issued by the Bureau of Mines over determining the properties of oil reserves. Details about the methods developed to determine these properties are presented. This report includes tables, maps, photographs, and illustrations.

Report issued by the Bureau of Mines over investigations of coking-coal reserves of Washington County, Pennsylvania. Methods used, and measurements of coal reserves are listed. This report includes tables, and maps.

An instrument was developed to measure nondestructively the lithium content of target slugs for the SRP reactors. The slugs consist of cylindrical pieces of Li-Al alloy, approximately 0.8 inches in diameter and 12 inches in length, clad with aluminum. The instrument utilizes neutron transmission to determine the Li content in the range 3% to 7% Li.

From abstract: "Various physical and mechanical properties have been determined for high- and low-carbon base uranium, uranium-chromium, and uranium-zirconium alloys. These data complement those obtained at ANL on the same materials."

From abstract: Coal and carbonaceous shale of the Dakota formation of Cretaceous age were examined for radioactivity in the Colorado Plateau of southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico during the summer of 1953.

From abstract: "The composition of vapors from aqueous nitric acid solutions boiling at 200 mm mercury total pressure is established for solutions containing between - and 67.5 w/o nitric acid. The volatility characteristics of low concentrations of chloride in the same concentration range of nitric acid have been measured in solutions boiling at 200 mm mercury. The effects of chloride concentration and pressure of boiling are evaluated. A spectrophotometric method of the determination of chloride in nitric acid solutions is described."

Report discussing reaction of hydrogen with uranium in a range of temperatures and pressures. Experimental materials, methods and results are included.

This is the thirty-sixth progress report of the Laboratory for Nuclear Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Progress during the period of November 30, 1954 through February 28, 1955 is reported.

This report summarizes work completed during the Redox Plant shutdown in January 1955. An analysis of major difficulties encountered, improvements made during the shutdown, and building design deficiencies brought to light by the shutdown are discussed. (JL)

None

In the light of Redox Plant performance since the start-up on 2-3-55, coupled with a review of the technological factors involved in the current flowsheet, a departure from the process program outlined in HW-34882 is herewith presented as an addendum to that document which will also serve to detail the corresponding items in the latest Redox Test Program, HW-35069. The purposes of this document are to: (1) Discuss the need for modifications of the program given in HW-34882, and (2) Present the details of the proposed revisions.

The new KW reactor was placed in operation on January 4, 1955, and had been running at relatively low power levels for only 17 hours when it was shut down because of a process tube water leak which appeared to be associated with a slug rupture. After several days of unrewarding effort to remove the slugs and tube by customary methods, it developed that considerable melting of the tube and slugs had taken place. It was then evident that removal of the stuck mass and repairs to the damaged tube channel would require unusual measures that were certain to extend the reactor outage for several weeks. This report documents the work and findings of the Committee which investigated the KW reactor incident. Its content represents unanimous agreement among the three Committee members.

Abstract: "The reflections of microwaves from the walls of a plasma-containing vessel are studied. The probable cause of the reflections is discussed, and several suggestions are made for eliminating the reflections from the waveguide in the vessel and particularly from the pyrex vessel wall and copper tubing surrounding the pyrex. Quarter-wave-thick carbon-filled plastics or glasses having a very low vapor pressure room most promising when placed inside the pyrex cylinder. BaTiO3 appears to be an excellent material when placed outside the vacuum."

Abstract: "A theoretical criterion is given for the conditions under which the ions from an ion source may be decelerated by a decelerating grid, following the accelerating grid which extracts ions from the emitter, without causing a reduction in the current supplied by the source."

Abstract: "The self-consistent equations have been found for a plasma which lies in a mainly unidirectional magnetic field, which has a circular symmetry and which has a harmonic variation in the direction of the magnetic field. The equations have been solved in two cases, 1) where the harmonic variation of the field is finite and the plasma is weak, and 2) where the plasma is strong but the harmonic variation of the field is weak. The configurations thus found can form an important starting point for calculations of the stability of plasmas."

This report covers the examination of nine process tubes, five tubes from B Pile and four from H Pile. Four of the tubes from B File were removed because they were leaking and the fifth was removed because it contained a stuck ruptured slug. Tube 2681-H was removed for graphite mining, tube 2852-H was removed under PT 313-105-14M ``In-Pile Evaluation of 63-S Aluminum Process Tubes,`` and two tubes were removed from channel 0961-H under PT 105-506-E, ``Recirculation of Pile Cooling Water.`` Visual inspection was made of the inside and outside surfaces of the tubes before and after cleaning with cold 10 per cent nitric acid. Samples varying from one to four inches in length were taken from each section and transferred to the 108-B Metallurgical Laboratory for close examination to determine depth of pitting, 72-S cladding thickness, and wall thickness. These determinations were made at specific points in each section on what appeared to be the area of severest attack. It is indicated on six of the tubes where the sample was taken on the circumference of the tube.

None

Purpose of this report is to determine optimum tank size from evaluating the quantities of principal construction materials with prevailing unit costs for various tank sizes. The materials were concrete in-place, reinforcing steel in-place, wood framework, 3/8 in. C steel plate liner in-place, earthwork excavation and backfill (engineering, overhead, piping, condenser, vapor manifold costs not included). Costs of optimum tank are distributed as follows: dome 25%, walls 28%, foundation 6%, floor 2%, steel liner 20%, earthwork 19%. For a given tank capacity, there is a definite optimum tank size; as the capacity increases, the diameter increases, and the height increases but at a lesser rate. Each diameter has an optimum height, which is that height at which unit cost of storage space is minimum for a given tank diameter. Optimum unit cost is $0.136/gallons for diameters 75--130 ft; for diameters<75 ft, the optimum unit increases. Tank forms 241-S, 241-SX, and 241-A were used in this study; storage cost of the analyzed tank was $0.121 compared to $0.136/gallon for 241-SX and 241-A, and $0.152/gallon for 241-S. Assumed unit costs for concrete and steel plate tank liner were 10% less than those of 241-SX and 241-A, causing the lower unit costs. Tanks …

Abstract: Several radioactive deposits were found as a result of reconnaissance in the Gold Hill mining area, Boulder County, Colo. The ore deposits of the area have been worked chiefly for gold. All ore shipped has come from fissure veins, most of which are gold telluride veins. There are, however, some important sulfide veins which show a vague zonal distribution of pyritic gold ores and silverlead ores. The results of this reconnaissance suggest a possible relationship of the radioactive deposits to this indistinct sulfide zoning; however, the zoning is so obscure that its practical application to prospecting for uranium is of doubtful value at the present time. Pitchblende, torbernite, metatorbernite, and schroeckingerite have been identified in specimens from the area; however, no uranium minerals have yet been identified from most of the radioactive deposits, and the uraniferous material present is probably in disseminated small particles. Although selected samples from several localities assay 0.10 percent uranium or more, the known deposits are small and probably are not of immediate economic importance

Introduction: Rabon Creek in Laurens County, South Carolina and Big Generostee Creek in Anderson County, have large established flood plains. Preliminary investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey showed the presence of monazite in these streams, and the areas were recommended for detailed investigation.

From objectives: This report is a comprehensive review of the American Machine & Foundry Company's Industrial Participation activities for the fiscal year of 1954 and includes a detailed description of technical findings, results of economic analysis and an orientation of the project plans for continued studies.

This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for January 1955. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The Manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and Separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summarizes work for the Technical Design, and Project Sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

The magnetic susceptibility of artificial graphite was determined as a function of exposure in the MTR. Specimens were studied with exposures ranging from 0.07 to 82 {times} 10{sup18} nvt. Fluxes were determined by means of x-ray measurements and resistivity measurements. The dependence of the magnetic susceptibility on exposure in the MTR and also in a Hanford reactor are graphed, and an equivalence factor is calculated.