metal-powder.net January/February 2014 MPR 13

Carpenter Q1 resultsBlackheath acquires option for tungsten/tin project

Blackheath Resources Inc, a mining exploration and development company, has agreed an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Adoria tungsten/tin project in Northern Portugal.

The acquisition completes the company’s goal of hold-ing tungsten mines with the potential to develop addi-tional tungsten resources in northern Portugal. Blackheath now holds the rights to five licences includ-ing the Covas, Borralha, Bejanca, Vale das Gatos and Adoria historic mines.

The Adoria mines sur-rounding the village of Cerva were important producers of tungsten from 1906 until their closure in 1972 as a result of depressed tungsten prices.

“We are pleased to com-plete our current portfolio with this historic tungsten producer under favourable terms,” said Blackheath’s president & CEO, James Robertson. “Work will com-mence in early 2014 and will initially include mapping and sampling over prospective areas of the permit.”

Blackheath Resources Inc has acquired a 100% interest

in a Portugese tungsten/tin project.

Standard for PM now covers new testing instrumentationASTM’s standard ASTM B330, used to measure the particle size of metal powders, now covers recent changes in PM testing technology.

Test Methods for Estimating Average Particle Size of Metal Powders and Related Compounds Using Air Permeability is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee B09.03 on Refractory Metal Powders, part of ASTM International Committee B09 on Metal Powders and Metal Powder Products.

The metal powders tested by ASTM B330 are used extensively in both large and small precision parts

in the automotive industry, as well as in various types of machinery and lighting products. According to Frank Venskytis, an independent consultant and a past chair-man of B09, the instrument that was referred to in the earlier editions of ASTM B330 is no longer available, nor is it supported with parts and service.

“Preliminary data indicates that the new instrument is more precise, using sensi-tive pressure transducers instead of an eyeball-esti-mated water column height to measure the pressure, which is the critical param-

eter that the particle size calculation depends upon,” said Venskytis. “Use of the new instrument, notice of its availability and the method for using it, are now included as part of ASTM B330.”

Venskytis also notes that the new instrument has become especially important in the refractory metals indus-try to assess the quality and efficacy of powders used in powder metallurgy practices.

“Many ceramics and light-ing phosphor producers will also use B330 to estimate the particle size of their pow-ders,” says Venskytis. “Many of these users have in-house

testing and quality control laboratories in which B330 is used to control manufactur-ing processes and to certify powder products.”

The ASTM invites inter-ested parties to take part in an interlaboratory study using the new instrument per the instructions in the revised standard. The committee is interested in both donations of metal and related powders, as well as participation in testing.

According to the organi-sation, information on the older equipment has been retained in the standard, as numerous instruments of that type are still in use.

Carpenter has reported net income of US$34.6 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2013 compared to US$39.2 million in Q1 2012.

“Our first quarter earn-ings were in-line with our expectations,” said William A Wulfsohn, Carpenter presi-dent and CEO. “The team executed at a high level within the context of gener-ally soft market conditions. Our core markets remained relatively weak as continued supply chain destocking in the aerospace and energy markets reduced demand for our premium and ultra-premium products.

“At the same time, the commercial team executed well by bringing in more ‘value’ sales to meet growing demand from the transporta-tion and industrial & con-sumer markets.

“Our strong manufactur-ing performance contributed significantly to our earnings. The team executed on multi-ple fronts to reduce produc-tion and overhead costs.

We achieved these results while successfully perform-ing a significant planned maintenance overhaul on our Reading forge, position-ing this critical piece of hot working equipment to sup-port future growth.

“Our second quarter now looks weaker than we ini-tially anticipated at the start of the year,” he added. “Even as volumes stabilise, our mix will remain weak. We could see a similar change in earn-ings from Q1 to Q2 as we saw last year. The timing and duration of seasonal cus-tomer closures can impact, positively or negatively, ship-ments near the end of the calendar year.

“That said, we are just now beginning to see some very early indications that demand is stabilising.

“If this continues, we could see a recovery in the second half of the fiscal year. We remain confident that market fundamentals will significantly improve in cal-endar 2014.”

MPR0114_News Sec1:13 29-01-2014 10:18:15