In the handling of molten aluminum, it is fairly common to use filters as a part of the melting unit and in the gating and/or riser system. This article describes the methods of in-furnace and in-mold filtration, with an emphasis on the filtration of molten aluminum. It discusses the factors that influence the formation of inclusions. The article describes the three basic methods of mechanically removing or separating inclusions from molten metal. The methods include sedimentation, flotation, and positive filtration. The article provides a discussion on the types of molten-metal filters, including bonded-particle filters, cartridge filters, and ceramic foam filters. It lists the factors that are important in achieving optimum performance of any in-furnace filtering application. The article concludes with information on filtered metal quality and the methods of evaluation.

Natural and synthetic rubber linings are used extensively in many industries for their corrosion and/or abrasion resistance. These industries include transportation, chemical processing, water treatment, power, mineral processing, and mining. This article provides information on soft natural rubber, semihard natural rubber, hard natural rubber, neoprene or polychloroprene, chlorobutyl, three-ply linings, nitrile, and ethylene propylene with a diene monomer. Emphasis is placed on advantages, disadvantages, and common uses of each material discussed.

This article describes the methods of wear measurements and a model of corrosive wear in mill atmospheres. It explains the polarization curves of pyrrhotite and high-carbon low-alloy steel in a quartzite slurry with examples. The surfaces of pyrrhotite in contact with mild steel or stainless steel affected by galvanic interaction are discussed. The article contains a table that lists the results of laboratory marked ball wear tests for three types of steel balls in wet grinding of magnetic taconite. It also provides information on the mechanism of electrochemical interaction and relative significance of corrosion and abrasion in wear. Galvanic interactions in multielectrode systems are reviewed. The article presents a case history on the material selection for grinding balls to minimize corrosion loss and the adverse effect on flotation.

Ores, which consist of the primary valuable mineral, predominant gangue content, valuable by-products, and detrimental impurities, are extracted and directed to mineral processing. This article describes the mineral processing facilities, such as crushers, grinders, concentrators, separators, and flotation devices that are used for particle size reduction, separation of particles according to their settling rates in fluids and dewatering of concentrate particles. It explains the basic principles, flow diagrams, ore concentrate preparation methods, and equipment of major types of metallurgical processes, including pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and electrometallurgical processes.

Structural applications for advanced ceramics include mineral processing equipment, machine tools, wear components, heat exchangers, automotive products, aerospace components, and medical products. This article begins with an overview of the wear-resistant applications and the parameters affecting wear of ceramics, namely, hardness, thermal conductivity, fracture toughness, and corrosion resistance. The next part of the article addresses temperature-resistant applications of advanced ceramics. Specific applications of ceramic materials addressed include cutting tools, pump and valve components, rolling elements and bearings, paper and wire manufacturing, biomedical implants, heat exchangers, adiabatic diesel engines, advanced gas turbines, and aerospace applications.

The electronic microcircuit industry has placed severe demands on metal suppliers to provide metals of the highest reproducible purity attainable as a result of the constant quest for the true values of physical and chemical properties of metals. This article describes the commonly used methods for ultrapurification of metals produced by electrolytic processes, including fractional crystallization, zone refining, vacuum melting, distillation, chemical vapor deposition, and solid state refining techniques. In addition, it describes the trace element analysis and resistance-ratio test methods used to characterize purity. Tables list the values for resistance ratios of zone-refined metals and their corresponding chemical compositions, and provide an example of the detection of impurities to concentrations in the parts per billion range, utilizing a combination of the glow discharge mass spectroscopy method and Leco combustion methods.