- Email: [email protected]
Introduction of R. W. Potter II for the F. W. Clarke medal 1980
The Geochemical Society Awards
1388
the educational matrix of classical scientists, that will teach them to distinguish between the precepts of their science and those of utilitarian science. and direct their interests to studies of the origins of H. s. scrpirns and developments of their engineering technologies and social institutions. In this manner a significant fraction of the best minds and greater energies in the lesser domain of classical science will become focused in the future on these avenues of research in fields of archaeology. anthropology. biochetnistry and history. as well as in quaternary geology and biogeochemistry. Apologists for utilitarian science and engineering claim, since developments in engineering technology have created situations in which classical science can function to greater advantage. that the relationship between classical science and engineering is both symbiotic and good for the welfare of humanity. History shows that engineering technology. operating as it has during the past 10.000 years in an amoral. pro-android. anti-human fashion, is the mortal enemy of classical science. The latter, being neither better nor worse than the artistry which gave us pre-
Introduction
of R. W. Potter
historic cave paintings. is truly linked m symbiotic relationship with that endeavor. where the one activity should provide a proper moral and cthlcal foundation upon which the other activity can operate to fulfill the proper function of human lift. Perhaps the classical scientific educational curriculum will become physically separated from that of utilitarian science among different universities on the basis of consciously recognized distinctions of differences between the moral precepts of these two different kinds of science. This will provide an opportunity for classical scientists to interact more strongly with creatlvc and productive people in the field\ of ;trt. music. literature. religion. and education. so ;L\ to ti~spel the hellish fog they despair in now. C‘lascical sctentistb c;tn revcal to these people the real world in which rhcir orlginz and worth as humans are clear. This will pro\Idc for them a secure emotional and ethical foundation upon which the! can stand and \\ork 10 \ta\e d1‘the threat from Il. 5. r&roirl and prolong the Immortalit) of the germ plasm of H. J. \tr/)ic~r~\for ;I white longer. Thank !OU.
II for the F. W. Clarke Medal 1980
DAL’IU B Mr President,
Members
of the Society and Guests:
Dr Robert Potter II was born m Hanover, New Hampshire. He received his B.S. and MS. in Geology from the University of Arkansas in 1969 and 1970. In 1973, he was awarded his Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University for a thesis dealing with polymorphism and polytypism in binary sulfides. During 1973 and 1974. while he was a National Research Council Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) he performed the experimental and theoretical study of the system CupS for which this award is made. I shall review that paper in a few moments. but let me first tell you of a fe\\ of his diverse scientific activities since 1974, when he joined the USGS staff to lead in a new project to investigate the thermochemical properties of brines. The goals of this project were to establish internally consistent sets of thermochemical data for application to geothermal energy development. The project was exceedingly successful, and in 1976, Dr Potter became a ‘co-opted expert’ for the International Association for the Properties of Steam (IAPS), Working Group on the Chemical Thermodynamics in Power Cycles (WG-IV). Potter argued that the one-component system H,O was an inadequate model for the real world of steam turbine generators. even those having extensive feed water clean up. because there were concen* U.S. Geological Survey. National 22092. U.S.A.
Centre.
Reston.
VA
tratlon rattos of millions to one in the tirst condensate to appear from the steam. He argued (and he can do so vigorously and loudI\, as welt a\ accurately) for additional study groups. He became chairman of the ir~rrrntrtiord subgroup on NaCl- HzO. and member of two of the other international subgroups on NaOH -H,O and SiO, H,O. He also assumed a heavy load of experimental research to support these ma.jor responsibilities. In 1978 he was: (I) converted from ‘co-opted expert’ to one of the three voting members representing the U.S.A. for WG-IV of IAPS: (2) appointed chairman of the subgroup for the Solubility of Silicates for the Solubihtk Project of the IIIternational Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry: (3) appointed secretary of WG-IV of IAPS: and (4) appointed to the U.S. National Committee for Research on the Properties of Steam of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Hc had indeed become an internationally recogni& expert on transport processes in steam and the partitioning of components like alkali. SiOz. H2S. CO,, and others between gas and liquid in condensing htcam. HIS research has obvious application 10 geothermal energy exploration. the understanding of ore transport process. as well as very practical matters such as the integrity and continued operability of expensive steam turbines. In 1977, Potter established a ne\\ USGS research endeavor in solution mining, the irz \irlr leaching of uranium. This endeavot- ted to a cooperative study
CLAIR
C. PATT~RSO?;
1389
-_ROHEKT W.
POTTER 11
1390
The Geochemical Society Awards with industry and the U.S. Bureau of Mines on the leaching of a Texas uranium roll ore body. Potter and his associates Thompson and Clynne developed new and precise field analytical methods that have enabled real-time description of solution breakthrough to recovery wells and have added much understanding of the dissolution process. In that same year. I asked Rob to respond to a national need by working with me on some of the fundamental problems of the disposal of high level radioactive waste in salt--a natural evolution of his interests in brines and uranium leaching. In 197& he was named project chief for the ‘Radioactive WasteRock Interactions’ project. While working on this project, he and his associates produced three papers that set forth the fundamental solubility relationships for dense brines in the five phase system NaCl~KCl--CaCl,~MgCl,--H,O, established the stabiiity fields for hydrated complex chlorides such as tachyhydrite CaI~gzC16~ 12H,O. and reevaluated the retrograde solubility of anhydrite. CaSO,, as a function of NaCl molality. These papers have attracted reanalysis of the emphasis given rock salt in the U.S. Department of Energy’s program for developing repositories for radioactive waste. Potter has led in the reinterpretation of the significance of the experrments in project ‘Salt Vault’ at Lyons, Kansas. and has helped design new series of experiments on salt from south-east New Mexico: Avery Island. LA; and Asse. West Germany. Potter also served 2 years on the program committee for the Materials Research Society symposia on ‘Science Underlying Radioactive Waste Management.’ and was Associate Editor of the resulting volumes. This extraordinary range of achievements over a broad spectrum of research topics took place in only 5 years. Only a person capable of thorough and penetrating understanding of physical chemistry and geology and one who had enormous personal energy and devotion to his work could achieve so much--more than 20 papers, as well as 13 open-file reports and 13 abstracts. In October 1979, Potter joined the Occidental Petroleum Company to lead their research programs in geothermal energy, oil shale, and heavy oil recovery. He IS actively leading groups seeking to understand transport processes in steam and the partitioning of components between gas and liquid in condensing geothermal steam: the goal of the whole effort is to deliver clean steam to turbines from geothermal fluids. He already has applied for several patents and has prepared several more technical papers for publi-
1391
cation. One identifies specific problem areas that need resolution before geothermal energy can attain its full potential. He also directs a study of mass transport in the fluid effluents from retorted oil shale and a field study of the Battle Mountain geothermal area in Nevada. His award-winning paper is on still another. cntirely different, type of research. The paper. “.An electrochemical investigation of the system copper sulfur,” published in Economic Geolocl~’ in 1977, presents the most exquisitely sensitive and detailed study of sulfide phase equilibria that has been published to date. The paper concentrates on low-temperature equilibria. It followed more than 30 experimental studies of the system Cu US during the past IS years by many highly talented scientists. but it is unique and definitive for the following reasons: (1) It is the first study of the Cu S (or any other sulfide) system in which quantitative distinction could be made between stable and metastable phase equilibria. It thus provides a phase diagram for both stable and metastable eq~~ilibria for this import~~nt system. (2) It provides the first complete set of thermochemical properties for many of the phases in the Cu& system, including the metastable phases. A heretofore unattained degree of precision and accuracy of the thermochemical parameters was obtained. lowering the uncertainties in standard free energies of formation for the few phases that had been measured previously by an order of magnitude to about -&100 cal. (3) The study extended the range of liquid eiectrochemical cells for determinations of the thermochemical properties of sulfides to temperatures greater than 200 C. well beyond the previous temperature limit of less than 90 ‘C. The performance of the cells was also improved to yield more precise values by inn(~vati~~c changes in electrode design. (4) These modified electrochemical cells allowed accurate delineation of solid-solution fields (low digenite-metastable covellite, high digenite and djurleitestable) at ten~peratures lower than had previousi) been possible. (5) The phases and their compositions were characterized definitely by using a variety of techniques, and criteria for distinguishing these phases were described. This paper is a tour de force by an extraordinary young man. Therefore President Broecker. it is an honor and great personal pleasure to present to you Robert W. Potter II for the 1980 F. W. Clarke Award of the Geochemical Society.
1388
the educational matrix of classical scientists, that will teach them to distinguish between the precepts of their science and those of utilitarian science. and direct their interests to studies of the origins of H. s. scrpirns and developments of their engineering technologies and social institutions. In this manner a significant fraction of the best minds and greater energies in the lesser domain of classical science will become focused in the future on these avenues of research in fields of archaeology. anthropology. biochetnistry and history. as well as in quaternary geology and biogeochemistry. Apologists for utilitarian science and engineering claim, since developments in engineering technology have created situations in which classical science can function to greater advantage. that the relationship between classical science and engineering is both symbiotic and good for the welfare of humanity. History shows that engineering technology. operating as it has during the past 10.000 years in an amoral. pro-android. anti-human fashion, is the mortal enemy of classical science. The latter, being neither better nor worse than the artistry which gave us pre-
Introduction
of R. W. Potter
historic cave paintings. is truly linked m symbiotic relationship with that endeavor. where the one activity should provide a proper moral and cthlcal foundation upon which the other activity can operate to fulfill the proper function of human lift. Perhaps the classical scientific educational curriculum will become physically separated from that of utilitarian science among different universities on the basis of consciously recognized distinctions of differences between the moral precepts of these two different kinds of science. This will provide an opportunity for classical scientists to interact more strongly with creatlvc and productive people in the field\ of ;trt. music. literature. religion. and education. so ;L\ to ti~spel the hellish fog they despair in now. C‘lascical sctentistb c;tn revcal to these people the real world in which rhcir orlginz and worth as humans are clear. This will pro\Idc for them a secure emotional and ethical foundation upon which the! can stand and \\ork 10 \ta\e d1‘the threat from Il. 5. r&roirl and prolong the Immortalit) of the germ plasm of H. J. \tr/)ic~r~\for ;I white longer. Thank !OU.
II for the F. W. Clarke Medal 1980
DAL’IU B Mr President,
Members
of the Society and Guests:
Dr Robert Potter II was born m Hanover, New Hampshire. He received his B.S. and MS. in Geology from the University of Arkansas in 1969 and 1970. In 1973, he was awarded his Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University for a thesis dealing with polymorphism and polytypism in binary sulfides. During 1973 and 1974. while he was a National Research Council Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) he performed the experimental and theoretical study of the system CupS for which this award is made. I shall review that paper in a few moments. but let me first tell you of a fe\\ of his diverse scientific activities since 1974, when he joined the USGS staff to lead in a new project to investigate the thermochemical properties of brines. The goals of this project were to establish internally consistent sets of thermochemical data for application to geothermal energy development. The project was exceedingly successful, and in 1976, Dr Potter became a ‘co-opted expert’ for the International Association for the Properties of Steam (IAPS), Working Group on the Chemical Thermodynamics in Power Cycles (WG-IV). Potter argued that the one-component system H,O was an inadequate model for the real world of steam turbine generators. even those having extensive feed water clean up. because there were concen* U.S. Geological Survey. National 22092. U.S.A.
Centre.
Reston.
VA
tratlon rattos of millions to one in the tirst condensate to appear from the steam. He argued (and he can do so vigorously and loudI\, as welt a\ accurately) for additional study groups. He became chairman of the ir~rrrntrtiord subgroup on NaCl- HzO. and member of two of the other international subgroups on NaOH -H,O and SiO, H,O. He also assumed a heavy load of experimental research to support these ma.jor responsibilities. In 1978 he was: (I) converted from ‘co-opted expert’ to one of the three voting members representing the U.S.A. for WG-IV of IAPS: (2) appointed chairman of the subgroup for the Solubility of Silicates for the Solubihtk Project of the IIIternational Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry: (3) appointed secretary of WG-IV of IAPS: and (4) appointed to the U.S. National Committee for Research on the Properties of Steam of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Hc had indeed become an internationally recogni& expert on transport processes in steam and the partitioning of components like alkali. SiOz. H2S. CO,, and others between gas and liquid in condensing htcam. HIS research has obvious application 10 geothermal energy exploration. the understanding of ore transport process. as well as very practical matters such as the integrity and continued operability of expensive steam turbines. In 1977, Potter established a ne\\ USGS research endeavor in solution mining, the irz \irlr leaching of uranium. This endeavot- ted to a cooperative study
CLAIR
C. PATT~RSO?;
1389
-_ROHEKT W.
POTTER 11
1390
The Geochemical Society Awards with industry and the U.S. Bureau of Mines on the leaching of a Texas uranium roll ore body. Potter and his associates Thompson and Clynne developed new and precise field analytical methods that have enabled real-time description of solution breakthrough to recovery wells and have added much understanding of the dissolution process. In that same year. I asked Rob to respond to a national need by working with me on some of the fundamental problems of the disposal of high level radioactive waste in salt--a natural evolution of his interests in brines and uranium leaching. In 197& he was named project chief for the ‘Radioactive WasteRock Interactions’ project. While working on this project, he and his associates produced three papers that set forth the fundamental solubility relationships for dense brines in the five phase system NaCl~KCl--CaCl,~MgCl,--H,O, established the stabiiity fields for hydrated complex chlorides such as tachyhydrite CaI~gzC16~ 12H,O. and reevaluated the retrograde solubility of anhydrite. CaSO,, as a function of NaCl molality. These papers have attracted reanalysis of the emphasis given rock salt in the U.S. Department of Energy’s program for developing repositories for radioactive waste. Potter has led in the reinterpretation of the significance of the experrments in project ‘Salt Vault’ at Lyons, Kansas. and has helped design new series of experiments on salt from south-east New Mexico: Avery Island. LA; and Asse. West Germany. Potter also served 2 years on the program committee for the Materials Research Society symposia on ‘Science Underlying Radioactive Waste Management.’ and was Associate Editor of the resulting volumes. This extraordinary range of achievements over a broad spectrum of research topics took place in only 5 years. Only a person capable of thorough and penetrating understanding of physical chemistry and geology and one who had enormous personal energy and devotion to his work could achieve so much--more than 20 papers, as well as 13 open-file reports and 13 abstracts. In October 1979, Potter joined the Occidental Petroleum Company to lead their research programs in geothermal energy, oil shale, and heavy oil recovery. He IS actively leading groups seeking to understand transport processes in steam and the partitioning of components between gas and liquid in condensing geothermal steam: the goal of the whole effort is to deliver clean steam to turbines from geothermal fluids. He already has applied for several patents and has prepared several more technical papers for publi-
1391
cation. One identifies specific problem areas that need resolution before geothermal energy can attain its full potential. He also directs a study of mass transport in the fluid effluents from retorted oil shale and a field study of the Battle Mountain geothermal area in Nevada. His award-winning paper is on still another. cntirely different, type of research. The paper. “.An electrochemical investigation of the system copper sulfur,” published in Economic Geolocl~’ in 1977, presents the most exquisitely sensitive and detailed study of sulfide phase equilibria that has been published to date. The paper concentrates on low-temperature equilibria. It followed more than 30 experimental studies of the system Cu US during the past IS years by many highly talented scientists. but it is unique and definitive for the following reasons: (1) It is the first study of the Cu S (or any other sulfide) system in which quantitative distinction could be made between stable and metastable phase equilibria. It thus provides a phase diagram for both stable and metastable eq~~ilibria for this import~~nt system. (2) It provides the first complete set of thermochemical properties for many of the phases in the Cu& system, including the metastable phases. A heretofore unattained degree of precision and accuracy of the thermochemical parameters was obtained. lowering the uncertainties in standard free energies of formation for the few phases that had been measured previously by an order of magnitude to about -&100 cal. (3) The study extended the range of liquid eiectrochemical cells for determinations of the thermochemical properties of sulfides to temperatures greater than 200 C. well beyond the previous temperature limit of less than 90 ‘C. The performance of the cells was also improved to yield more precise values by inn(~vati~~c changes in electrode design. (4) These modified electrochemical cells allowed accurate delineation of solid-solution fields (low digenite-metastable covellite, high digenite and djurleitestable) at ten~peratures lower than had previousi) been possible. (5) The phases and their compositions were characterized definitely by using a variety of techniques, and criteria for distinguishing these phases were described. This paper is a tour de force by an extraordinary young man. Therefore President Broecker. it is an honor and great personal pleasure to present to you Robert W. Potter II for the 1980 F. W. Clarke Award of the Geochemical Society.