Abstract: Process and apparatus for underwater geophysical exploration to prepare surveys of undersea floor areas having solid minerals, such as manganese nodules, dispersed at sea floor surfaces transmits and perceives special acoustic vibrations providing information useful for identifying and delineating sea floor areas where desirably large amounts of solid minerals are present.

Abstract: A process for the precipitation of metallic sulfides, e.g., nickel, cobalt or zinc sulfides, from aqueous metal-ion-containing solution comprising passing hydrogen sulfide through the metal-containing solution while the solution is at a temperature of about 75.degree. C. and at a pH of about 2 to about 3 and maintaining said pH during the time of hydrogen sulfide addition by continuous addition of alkali to the solution. The precipitated metal sulfide is characterized by a relatively large particle size by a high settling rate and by ease of filterability.

Abstract: Prealloyed powders, particularly of compositions which are difficult to work by conventional means, are subjected to forces such that strain energy is imparted thereto by virtue of which the prealloyed powders manifest low flow stress and a high degree of thermoplasticity.

Abstract: A method of providing a hard film on stainless steel comprising treating the stainless steel in an aqueous solution of chromic and sulfuric acids to provide a film and then treating the metal containing the film in an aqueous solution of a water-soluble silicate for a period of time sufficient to harden the film.

Abstract: High-chromium nickel alloys containing special amounts of cobalt and other ingredients are found to afford a good combination of both hot and cold workability, together with corrosion resistance, stability and high temperature stress rupture characteristics.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a high density spray cast metal body from a highly energetic atomized metal stream by directing said atomized stream into the interior of a mold and causing said stream to scan and fill said mold interior by effecting relative movement between said atomized metal stream and said mold, thereby producing a fine grained spray cast metal body of high density.

Abstract: A method for compressing and sintering metal powder into solid form for use as metal coatings and structures. Metal powder is enclosed in a pressure-resistant container in contact with a metal bladder. The bladder contains a heat-decomposable substance which upon heating provides gaseous pressure to expand the bladder and compress and sinter the metal powder. The compressed and sintered metal powder can be used as a metal coating upon a metal surface or as a solid metal article by removal of the surface on which the metal powder was formed.

Abstract: A process which enables cumulative recovery of nonferrous metal values from manganiferous sea nodules and a limonitic ore comprises treating the limonitic ore in an aqueous acidic medium under reducing conditions to extract nonferrous metals and iron from the ore and form a solution containing ferrous iron and then leaching the sea nodules with such solution to extract nonferrous metals from the sea nodules and precipitate a predominant amount of the iron as hydrated ferric oxide.

Abstract: A process is provided for extracting iron values as soluble ferrous salts from a limonitic ore which comprises leaching the ore in an acidic medium in the presence of a reducing agent, the reducing agent being a sulfide. Non-ferrous metal values are also extracted from the ore and they may be selectively separated from the solubilized iron salts.

Abstract: The resistance to general corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of manganese-nickel alloys are improved through the incorporation of special amounts of chromium and iron.

Abstract: Cast alloys containing correlated percentages of chromium, cobalt, niobium, titanium, aluminum, carbon, zirconium, boron, hafnium, etc., offer a good combination of stress-rupture life and impact strength at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A process for activation of foil or sheet substrate to render it suitable for electrochemical use comprising first anodically treating the impervious substrate in an aqueous ammonical solution of nickel nitrate and thereafter cathodically treating the thus anodically treated substrate in an aqueous acid electrolyte containing nickel ions and reducible ions, the redox potential of which is more positive than the discharge potential of nickel ions.

Abstract: A process for producing nickel oxide and other products in which percentages of metal powder, particularly nickel powder, and water are blended, the blend being subjected to a heat treatment to form the desired product. In the case of nickel oxide, the blend is exposed to air and temperature sufficient to form an oxide shell substantially about the powder particles, this treatment being followed by a final firing heat treatment.

Abstract: A low reactivity nickel-iron-magnesium-silicon addition alloy is provided which is particularly amenable to controlled crushing and especially useful for continuous treatment methods for producing ductile cast iron.

Abstract: Iron-based alloy composition containing special proportions of nickel, chromium, aluminum, copper and carbon provides good corrosion-resistance characteristics for service in caustic media, e.g., sodium hydroxide, chloride media, e.g., magnesium chloride, caustic-chloride media, e.g., sodium hydroxide-sodium chloride mixtures, and also when exposed to some acid media, e.g., nitric acid. Special utility particularly includes resistance to stress-corrosion-cracking in hot caustic and chloride media. Alloy has good workability for production of wrought products such as plate, bar and sheet and is also suitable for making corrosion-resistant castings and welded structures, e.g., chemical plant equipment.

Abstract: A non-contaminating electrode is provided suitable as an insoluble anode for the electrowinning of metals from an electrolyte solution, said electrode comprising a metal substrate formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, tantalum and alloys thereof, said metal substrate having a flash metal coating of a platinum-group metal thereon, which coating in turn is covered by an intermediate adherent layer of lead dioxide, said lead dioxide layer in turn having an adherent overlayer of manganese dioxide.

Abstract: Manganiferous deep sea nodules containing non-ferrous metal values are selectively reduced to reduce manganic oxides to manganous oxide (MnO) and the non-ferrous metal values to the metallic state, and the selectively reduced nodules are then smelted to produce a molten metallic alloy containing the non-ferrous metal values and a slag containing most of the manganese. The molten alloy is blown with a free-oxygen-containing gas to eliminate most of the manganese, and the substantially manganese-free metal is then sulfided to produce a matte suitable for separation and recovery of the non-ferrous metal values. After sulfiding the matte can be blown with a free-oxygen-containing gas to lower the iron content thereof. Not all the iron is removed if it is advantageous to keep a high proportion of cobalt in the matte.

Abstract: Ferritic age-hardenable alloy steels containing correlated percentages of nickel, copper, molybdenum, carbon, etc. in powder form are characterized by low flow stress, thus rendering them particularly suitable for P/M hot forging.

Abstract: Recovery, by thermal upgrading, of nickel values from nickeliferous lateritic ores containing a silicate fraction is improved by forming agglomerates of the ore, a reagent containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkali or alkaline earth metal compounds in a small but effective amount to increase nickel recovery from the silicate fraction and a liquid hydrocarbon in an amount between about 1 and 12%, based on the weight of the ore and heating a static, shallow bed of the agglomerates established on a moving bed to partially melt the agglomerates to reduce and coalesce the nickel values into easily recoverable ferronickel concentrate. The grade of the ferronickel concentrate can be increased by incorporating a sulfur-bearing material in the agglomerates.

Abstract: Thermally induced porosity, which can lead to cracking in metal powders after consolidation, is believed to be caused by the entrapment of the inert gas used for atomization within the metal powders. The addition of an activating agent to the molten alloy prior to atomization with an inert gas, such as argon, serves to substantially reduce the porosity of metal powders. Suitable activating agents are characterized by an ability to rapidly diffuse to the surface of a molten metal particle and an affinity for oxygen. Activating agents that are useful for high nickel alloys and highly alloyed steels include magnesium, calcium, lithium, silicon, and rare earths.