212 REPORTS Olf INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS. 



The five tanks for electrolytic refining of iron have been in practically 

 continuous operation since submitting the report a year ago, and about 430 

 pounds of single-refined iron have been produced. On May 2 five additional 

 and larger tanks were added, and these have been run continually, employ- 

 ing special precaution for the production of pure product and using electro- 

 lytic iron for the anodes. In this manner a double-refined iron is being 

 produced, and up to the present time over 300 pounds have been obtained. 

 The iron thus produced has been used in most part for the production of 

 alloys in electric furnaces, which have previously been described. 



Judging from the numerous inquiries which have come to me, it appears 

 that electrolytic iron has commercial possibilities, although it is not known 

 to be in any way a commercial product at present. The principal prospective 

 commercial use appears to be as a substitute for the high-grade Swedish 

 iron, used for the manufacture of iron alloys, tool steels, and the like. In 

 the investigation no extensive study has been given to the cheap production 

 of the material, and a line of work which it is proposed to take up is to 

 determine how good a grade of iron can be produced from the cheapest 

 form of the impure iron and steel on the market. Thus far high-grade iron 

 has been used as the anodes for the refining tanks. 



Some interesting results have been observed in the study of the slimes or 

 residues left in the refining tanks, though this investigation is not complete. 



As shown in previous reports, much trouble has been experienced and 

 many losses of charges have occurred in the operation of electric furnaces 

 for the production of alloys. Marked improvements have been made, how- 

 ever, in the method of making magnesia crucibles, and a somewhat extensive 

 study has been taken up concerning the properties of magnesia. 



The behavior of magnesia at high temperatures has been studied by Dr. 

 Watts, and among the interesting facts pointed out by him is the apparent 

 reduction of magnesia by carbon at temperatures below 2,000°. This was 

 discussed at length in a paper by Dr. Watts, "The Action of Carbon on 

 Magnesia at High Temperatures," read at a meeting of the American Elec- 

 trochemical Society, in May, 1907. 



Thirty-one electric-furnace runs have been made during the year; 11 of 

 these for making crucibles and 20 for the production of iron-alloy ingots; 

 313 charges have been weighed out; 294 satisfactory ingots have been pro- 

 duced on the first melt; 12 ingots required remelting, and only 7 were lost 

 by the failure of linings or otherwise. This is a marked improvement over 

 previous practice, when nearly half of the charges were lost. The ingots 

 thus produced were forged, and 262 satisfactory forged bars resulted. From 

 these bars test specimens have been machined, and tests for mechanical, 

 magnetic, and electrical properties have been and are now being made. 



Having found the methods for making ingots without losses, the object 

 sought was to prepare various series of iron alloys as free as possible from 



