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By Michael A. Anuta

This report describes the potential for utilization of satellite observations for remote sensing of mine waste disposal areas. Four study sites consisting of metal and nonmetal mining areas in different climatic and physiographic regions of contigous United States were used in this investigation. The mine waste disposal sites consisted of mining of phosphates in Florida, copper in Arizona, silver in Idaho, and coal in West Virginia. Landsat satellite multispectral scanner observations were used together with aerial photographs, ground surveys, U.S. Geological Survey maps, and other ancillary information. Landsat digital data were categorized using automated supervised classification algorithms and an image analysis system. Detailed description of automated classification techniques employed and the accuracy attained is provided together with the results of manual interpretations. The inventory of areas distrubed for phosphate mining and a change detection investigation for-Polk County Florida were also undertaken during this study.

Jan 1, 1982

By C. E. Wyndham

The occurrences of manganese In Alabama were reported to be widely scattered over the northeastern section of the State, and these were examined before a development project was started.2/ The most promising and available showings were chosen for further investigation, which include 1 deposit in Goshen Valley, 6 in the Rock Run area, and 2 in the northern section of Calhoun County. The work was performed by the Bureau of Mines from July 29, 1949, to February 17, 1950. The work consisted of power auger drilling 69 holes 3-1/2 inches in diameter and totaling 2,548.4 linear feet. The accuracy of samples from auger drill holes in this type of deposit was determined by sinking two shafts a total depth of 68.17 feet, from which channel samples were cut. Sixteen rotary core holes totaling 1,048.7 linear feet were drilled with a 3-inch, double-tube core barrel. Twenty-two diamond core holes were drilled with a 2-1/8-inch, double-tube core barrel and NX diamond bit. In addition to the above drilling 220.8 cubic yards of soil and rock was excavated by hand from 403.9 linear feet of trenches and 69.7 feet of test pita. A total of 206 samples were taken and analyzed for manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and insoluble.

Jan 1, 1953

By Heine Kenworthy

"INTRODUCTION In 1930 the Shenandoah-Dives Mining Co. near Silverton, Colo., put into operation a newly erected, 300-ton selective flotation plant to mill complex ores from its nearby mine. The operation was a steady producer and was enlarged to treat 600 to 800 tons a day. In 1942 the company opened and started milling an area in the mine containing semioxidized ore. The valuable mineral content of this ore was considerably higher than in, the straight sulfide ore previously handled alone. The mixture of clean sulfide and semi-oxidized ore was difficult to treat; consequently, tailing losses, especially with respect to lead, were high. A few years later, in order to study the possibilities of obtaining higher recoveries by a modification of the mill flow sheet, a 1,200-pound sample of mill, feed, taken over a period of several days by the company, was submitted to the Mississippi Valley Experiment Sta¬tion for testing-. Although this sample proved to contain more than twice as much lead as the average yearly mill feed, the same problem of recovering the oxidized values was present.A résumé of the ore-dressing treatment used in the Shenandoah-Dives mill follows. After crushing, the ore passes through a ball mill, the minus 5-mesh discharge of which is distributed to three tables. A finished lead concentrate is made on the tables, and the table tailing goes to the classifier which is in closed circuit with the ball mill. The classifier overflow is treated -by flotation to obtain a bulk sulfide concentrate at a relatively coarse size. The bulk concentrate is thickened and reground to about 95 percent minus 325-mesh before flotation treatment to separate a lead-copper and a zinc concentrate. A typical monthly average showed that the table concentrate contained about 45 percent lead, 1 percent copper, 4 percent zinc, 12 ounces of gold, and 40 ounces of silver; that the lead flotation concentrate contained '35 percent load, 6 percent copper, 7 percent zinc, 3.5 ounces of gold, and 50 ounces of silver; and that the zinc flotation concentrate contained 2 percent lead, 0.5 percent copper, 60 percent zinc, 0.15 ounces of gold, and 4 ounces of silver. Recoveries in salable products were roughly b5 percent of the lead, 70 percent of the copper, 45 percent of the zinc, 85 percent of the gold, and b5 percent of the silver."

May 1, 1948

By D. Harrington

The Bureau of Mines was created in 1910 largely to determine methods of preventing coal-mine explosions; the Bureau's studies have proved that coal dust, except possibly that of some grates of anthracite, can initiate an explosion in the absence of gas and that its ability to extend or propagate an explosion of either gas or dust has been responsible for nearly all of the widespread explosions that have taken place in bituminous and other nonanthracite mines in the United States in the present century. It is believed by many persons that all atmospheric dusts may be harmful if breathed in large enough quantities for long enough time; bituminous coal dust is generally considered to be essentially harmless physiologically, yet there is abundant evidence of definite damage from inhalation of bituminous dust mixed or unmixed with the dust of other materials. Attention un¬questionably should be given to allaying dust in bituminous mines, especially at principal dust-producing sources. This publication enumerates some of the sources of dust and describes practical methods of employing water as one of the most effective of the known methods to allay dust in bituminous mines.

Jan 1, 1938

By J. W. Walkiewicz

Studies were conducted by the Bureau of Mines to develop a method for fabricating Sm-Co permanent magnets. This method consisted of arc-melting, crushing and grinding the alloy, alining and pressing the powder, and sintering the green compacts. Results indicated that the optimum composition was 36.7±0.3 weight-percent Sm and 63.3±0.3 weight-percent Co. This composition was obtained by blending together Sm2C07 and SmCo5. The maximum values exper¬imentally obtained were MHC = 27.4 kOe, BHc = 7,510 Oe, Br = 7,810 G, and (BH)max = 15.1 MGOe. The optimum sintering temperatures and grinding times for maximum MHc and (BH)max were determined. Lowering the grinding temperature from 0° C to -60° C resulted in a significant increase of magnetic properties.

Jan 1, 1973

By Graham W. Marks

In broadening the utility of spectrochemical methods 9f analysis of ore samples 3,4/ a procedure employ in the total energy method, has been adapted to determination of silver in ores. Silver is the first element in group I of the periodic table to be studied in the Bureau of Mines program. Two silver lines in the spectrum, Ag X\ 3280.683 and 3382.89lR were used in the study, and the problems that had to be overcome were: (1) Influence of extraneous elements on line intensities, (2) preparation of standard curves, and (3) improvement in equipment and technique to increase accuracy. Sodium, potassium, sulfur, selenium, iron, cobalt, and nickel yielded low intensities and hence low results, particularly on the samples high in silver, but addition of 60 percent or more of lime counteracted these effects. One calibration curve must be used for samples low in silver and other for those high in silver. The chocks with fire assaying were close enough for preliminary or exploratory investigations, and the method is much more rapid.

Jan 1, 1948

By Xavier B. Starnes

"INTRODUCTION The Krausse Estate property was the site of the first lead silver mining in western Kentucky, which began with the sinking of the Andrew Jackson shaft in 1835 3/. The earliest miners considered fluorspar of no value and threw it upon the waste dump, but Crittenden County later became an important part of the western Kentucky and southern Illinois fluorspar district 4/, which has produced about 90 percent of the fluorspar mined in the United States. By 1945, approximately 35,000 tons of fluordpar ore had been produced from the Estate property.This property can be reached by traveling west from Marion on Highway 60 from 2.5 miles, than northward 3 miles. The road from the paved highway to the mines is very rough but not impassable even in bad weather. Ore is hauled 5 1/2 miles by truck to custom mills at Marion, a town of 2, 000 population, where the Illinois Central Railway was a freight station.Hurricane Creek runs through the eastern part of the property. The surface slopes steeply upward to west from the creek, and the topography is rough. The top of the hill is about 150 feet above the creek.The climate permits working throughout the year, but spring rains cause surface water to enter mine and water apparently drains southward along the fractured fault zones, so that when no water is being pumped at properties north of the Krausse Estate a heavy flow comes on the Krausse."

Sep 1, 1946

By Lloyd A. Morley

This annual report details progress under USBM Grant G0155003 during the project period of January 1, 1977 through December 31, 1977. The report contains four principal chapters covering accomplishments in the mine electrical safety research areas of continuous monitoring, battery and battery-charging safety, and computer modeling. Highlights of the work are summarized in the last report chapter.

Jan 1, 1978

By D. Harrington

Every few weeks United States newspapers of 25 or 30 years age ran scare-heads telling of some mine disaster, which was a first-page attraction for a day or two and then was forgotton until another disaster occurred a few weeks later. Interspersed with these disasters were the so-called sniping mine accidents, causing the death of one or two mine workers. The summation of all types of mine fatalities usually exceeded 3,000 a year. In the period 1906-10, inclusive, there wore 84 major explosion disasters (or about 17 per year) in united States coal mines; the fatalities resulting from those disasters numbered 2,388 for the 5-year period. These frightful catastrophies helped to cause the total number of fatalities in our coal mines for the 5 years (including the fatalities from major explosions) to reach the enormous total of 13,288, an average of 2,658 per year. In addition, some hundreds of other typos of mining accidents swelled the annual fatality list to upwards of 3,000. This admittedly deplorable condition created so much Nation-wide comment that Congress was impressed with the necessity of having something done by the Federal Government with a view to trying to halt at least sonic of the excessive loss of life in our mines; in consequence, the Bureau of Mines was created and began to function in July 1910.

Jan 1, 1935

The value of raw nonfuel mineral materials production totaled an estimated $19.7 billion in 1978. The record 1978 value exceeded by 13 percent the 1977 value of $17.5 billion. This raw mineral output was the basis for approximately $200 billion worth of processed materials of mineral origin. Output of both metals and nonmetals increased about $1 billion each, above comparable figures for 1977. Of the 22 metals produced quantitative output of 11 increased and the value of 13 increased. Among the 48 nonmetallic commodities produced, the quantities for 35 increased, and the values for 40 increased.

Jan 1, 1979

By A. H. Cronk

This paper is one of a series being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines on mining methods and costs in the different mining districts. The mining methods described in this paper are employed by one of the large mines in the Illinois fluorspar district. The mine is located at Rosiclare, Ill., and shipments are made over the Illinois Central Railroad: and by barge on the Ohio River.

Jan 1, 1930

By A. E. Petersen

To reduce U.S. dependence on imports of titanium, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has investigated the recovery of titanium from perovskite (CaTi03). Domestic perovskite deposits represent a significant, but untapped, titanium resource. An acid sulfation method was developed that will extract about 97 pct of the titanium and the columbium and 70 to 90 pct of the rare-earth byproducts from perovskite concentrates. A flow-sheet for recovering titanium as pigment-grade titanium dioxide (Ti02) is discussed. Test work performed in developing each unit operation is described. The first three unit operations have been demonstrated using laboratory-scale continuous methods of operation: acid sulfation of perovskite concentrates, leaching sulfation residue to dissolve metal values, and precipitation of titanium oxysulfate monohydrate (TiOS04?HP) from the resulting leach flltrate. Batch testing of other unit operations was performed: TiOS04?H20 redissolution and iron reduction, precipitation of Ti02 by hydrolysis, and regenerating recoverable acid with rare-earth byproduct recovery. Cost evaluation results are provided, indicating that processing perovskite concentrates by acid sulfation may be an economically viable means of producing Ti02.

Jan 1, 2010

By Worthen Bradley

This paper describing the metallurgical practice and costs at the reduction plant of the. Sulphur Bank Syndicate, Clearlake, Calif., is one of a series of papers on the treatment of ores being prepared by the Bureau f Mines. The reduction plant and mine of the Sulphur Bank Syndicate are on the eastern shore of Clear Lake, in Lake County, Calif., 4 miles from the town of Clearlake and 125 miles north of San Francisco.

Jan 1, 1931

By W. Ayvazoglou

A large number of organizations interested in the search for mineral deposits have adopted the magnetic method of geophysical prospecting, as it has proved to be the most simple, convenient, and rapid, and at the same time the least expensive in comparison with other methods. According to the last statistical data, about two millions square kilo¬ meters were explored in the United States by different geophysical methods. Ninety-six per cent of this area was prospected for oil and 4 per cent for minerals. Detailed exploration by means of the magnetometer has been carried out over about 85 per cent of this surface. The great advantages offered by this method resulted in the fact that the magnetometer was tried out in most places in which geophysical methods were applied. The main purpose of such e:rploration is to obtain the maximum knowledge valuable to the geologist; therefore good geological interpretation of the results of measurements is important. The possibility of drawing practical conclusions from a map representing the results of the study of the terrane depends greatly on the accuracy with which the measurements are made. The purpose of this article is to show the different sources of error by which the work of an operator may be affected and to discuss the means by which the carrying out of a magnetic survey may be improved.

Nov 1, 1931

During the period January 1, 1977 through July 31, 1977, 5 percent (264,000 tons) of U.S. capacity was closed due to power curtailments in the Pacific Northwest because of the shortage of water. During July, one plant in Tennessee cut production by 50,000 tons annually due to a power reduction by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Full capacity production was resumed at a West Virginia smelter during September. If demand for aluminum is strong it seems likely that aluminum supply during the remainder of 1977 and in 1978 will be tight. The price was increased 3¢ per pound to 51¢ per pound effective March 28, 1977, and by an additional 2¢ per pound to 53¢ per pound, effective July 5, 1977. New projects and expansion of existing facilities are planned by Australian aluminum companies over the next 2 to 3 years. The companies listed have committed themselves to spending approximately A$801 million: Alcoa of Australia Ltd. -New alumina plant at Wagerup, south of Perth. Darling Ranges bauxite is located near the proposed project. A$650 million. Coma 1 co Industries Pty. Ltd. -Increase bauxite mining capacity and upgrade or replace other facilities at its Weipa mines on Cape York Peninsula region of Northern Queensland. A$81 million. Alcan Australia Ltd. -Expansion program that will increase capacity of the Kurri Kurri aluminum smelter north of Sydney about 50 percent, and improvement of other facilities at the plant. A$70 million.

Jan 1, 1977

By James L. Elder, J. P. Capp, James J. Dowd

The Bureau of Mines and the Alabama Power Co., jointly, conducted the first experiment undertaken in the United States in underground gasification of coal in place, at Gorgas, Ala. Milton H. Fies, manager of coal operations, Alabama Power Co., proposed the cooperative investigation to Arno C. Fieldner, chief, Fuels and Explosives Branch, Bureau of Mines; and assisted in supervising the experiment. The objectives of the experiment were to determine whether coal in place could be burned successfully and whether the burning could be controlled; the effect of the fire on the coal bed and the overlying strata; and the yield and quality of gas that could be obtained.

Aug 1, 1947

By R. C. Adams

This report describes the feasibility of mining the oil-shale deposits of the Piceance Creek basin in Colorado by an integrated open pit system. The study is based upon a comprehensive analysis of pertinent environmental, economic, and engineering factors. Ten mining cases are investigated, and the mine design and cost estimates for each case are presented in this report. Nine of the cases represent three cutoff grades, defining oil shale ore as equal to and above 15 gallons per ton (gpt), 20 gpt, and 25 gpt, at three ore production levels of 500,000 tons per day (TPD), 1,250,000 TPD, and 2,500,000 TPD. The tenth case is an alternate design of the 500,000 TPD production rate at the above 15 gpt cutoff grade. The report consists of Volume I, a technical and cost comparison of the ten cases; Volume II-Part I, a detailed explanation of the estimating methods used; and Volume II-Part 2, a more detailed discussion of the technical and cost features of the ten cases than is presented in Volume I.

Jan 1, 1976

By Howard C. Pettibone

Mine safety personnel reported occurrences of excessive "glove-fingering" and other problems with resin-grouted roof bolt installa tions. To study these problems, the Bureau of Mines designed a test plan to (1) obtain baseline information on several resin cartridges and (2) investigate the variables involved in the installation of a resin bolt. Three brands of resin representative of the industry in January 1983 were selected for cartridge evaluation. The installation variables selected for study were the method of installation, the hole depth, and the hole annulus. These variables were studied by installing a series of bolts in concrete blocks using different values for each variable. Results of the research show overspinning the resin may cause problems, but they can be avoided by using the spin times recommended by manufac-turers. Excessive glove-fingering is not a problem if the manufacturer-recommended installation procedures are followed.

Jan 1, 1987

The United States is rapidly depleting many of its most important minerals and fuels. The first two Annual Reports by the Secretary of the Interior, under the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970, made us acutely aware that the natural resources that enabled this Nation to attain an unprecedented growth in terms of economic well-being, and to set an example of independent strength through the democratic process, are finite. Once they are depleted, large imports will be required. Simultaneously, competition for available supplies, especially of petroleum, is increasing in the expanding European and Japanese industrial communities and in the underdeveloped nations of the world. Even before the crisis of late 1973, the oil-producing nations of the world, principally in the Middle East, but including Canada and Latin America, were recognizing that the worldwide need for crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas could be translated into an unprecedented economic bargaining position. Thus, the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the price of their crude twice during the first 6 months of 1973. By yearend the energy situation had be-come acute, and it seemed probable that regardless of current political developments, the era of cheap energy was over.

Jan 1, 1973

By H. O. McDonald

The Bureau of Mines reviewed the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) literature of the group IVB, VB, and VIR elements. This review was utilized in the Bureau's research to provide erosion-, abrasion-, and corrosion-resistant coatings for valve components used in coal gasification units. This report attempts to bring together the many CVD references that have been published since 1966. Each of the group IVB, VB, and VLB metal coatings were reviewed, and some of their preparation methods, uses, and properties are given. A total of 160 references were found for the nine elements. Isotope separation, stronger steels, solar absorbers, alloys, superconductors, optical fibers, and coatings to increase the life of materials are some of the new uses for CVD.

Jan 1, 1979