Search Documents

By W. R. Crank

[Rock bursts are phenomena associated with mining operations, particularly with deep mining, although they occur throughout a wide rump, of depth, from 600 feel downward. The intensity is usually in direct proportion to the depth, varying from a loosening and sloughing off to a violent rupture, giving rise to the term, "explosive rock." The more or less violent breaking of rock in mine working, tins been variously designated as " flaking," "pressure hoists," "strain bursts," "bumps," "quakes," and "air blasts," which indicate opinions as to cause and effect. The term "air blast" lots probably beat most widely used, and naturally so, as a more or less rapid movement of air often accompanying the more violent phenomena of rock failure. Furthermore, there is an implied if not definitely expressed degree of magnitude in the action designited by a given term and in the cause and character of the action. For example. flaking, pressure bursts, and quakes are terms ranged to indicate action of increasing magnitude; and pressure bursts, strain bursts. bumps, and quakes are ranged according to the cause and character of the action.]

Jan 1, 1929

By Raymond M. Stateham

Infrared and displacement studies were made of an unsupported roof in Kaiser Steel Corp.'s York Canyon coal mine, Raton, N. Mex. Monitoring of the roof continued until the roof over the area was caved. Loose slabs in the roof, about 6 inches thick, were detected by means of associated thermal anomalies, using remote-sensing infrared instruments. Displacement measurements taken during the study indicate that roof movement was cyclic in nature; the cycles appear to have been related to the mine work cycle (work days to idle days).

Jan 1, 1974

By Charles L. Kimbell

In overall aggregate, the world's mineral industry in 1987 experienced a more satisfactory year than in 1986, at least insofar as its performance could be assessed from traditional statistical indicators. Production, trade and consumption seemingly advanced in the case of the majority of commodities, and prices for a number of commodities advanced. It was by no means certain, however, whether 1987 investment in mineral industry ventures would top the levels of 1986, when, in the case of petroleum industry investment expenditures there had been a sharp decline, this in contrast to evidences of a slight upturn in steel industry investment. World crude mineral output value was estimated at more than $1,084 billion, and the value added by minerals industry processing of this material probably raised the total value of the industry's production from primary materials to more than $2,600 billion constant 1983 dollars. Less easy too assess was the value of mineral commodities moving in international trade, but with a resurgence in oil prices from the 1986 levels, an increase above the 1986 $500 billion mark seemed assured. There are no comprehensive aggregate statistics on mineral consumption comparable to those on production and trade, but quantitative growth recorded for most major commodities suggested a favorable trend, particularly when coupled with a general (though by no means universal) upturn in unit prices.

Jan 1, 1989

By Basil Dimitriades

The roles of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in smog formation were investigated by the Bureau of Mines. Samples of automobile exhaust with varying HC and NOx levels were irradiated in a smog chamber under conditions that resulted in smog levels similar to those observed in the atmosphere. Results were used to define the patterns that describe the dependence of a number of smog manifestations on HC and on NOx. Using these dependence data and some simplifying assumptions, estimates were made of the ranges within which HC and NOx must lie in order to obtain specified levels of air quality.

Jan 1, 1970

By L. A. Neumeier

The Bureau of Mines evaluated creep properties of Zn-Cu-Ti alloys that were annealed after finish-rolling either cold) or at 480° F (249° C). Compositions ranged up to 1.25 pct Cu and 0.36 pct Ti. Most data are for sheet annealed after finish-rolling to 92-pct total reduction. Annealing times were varied at temperatures between 320° and 560° F (160° and 293° C). For a number of the alloys, annealing after hot-rolling at 480° F affects creep properties very differently in longitudinal and transverse sheet directions. The detrimental result is that the anisotropy in creep properties between the two directions can be vastly increased. Conversely, specific annealing treatments of certain heavily cold-rolled alloys result in surprisingly low anisotropy in creep properties and the low anisotropy coincides with excellent creep resistance for both directions. Supplemental data are presented on tensile, hardness, and thermal expansion properties, and microstructures.

Jan 1, 1972

By R. A. Strehlow

This is the final report for U.S. Bureau of Mines contract HO-122122, which was in effect from June 30, 1972 through January 4, 1976. The work resulted in the design and construction of a large laboratory scale coal dust burner and the use of this burner to study gaseous and coal dust flammability. A new technique for determining gas phase flammability was developed and the effect of solid and gaseous suppressants on the propagation of coal dust flames was studied. In addition, a technique for measuring the C/H ratio in the flame was developed and the C/H ratio that was measured in a coal dust flame on this burner showed that the burning process was preceeded by pyroysis of the coal dust. Both experimental and theoretical studies showed that radiative trans-port is very important to the propagation of a coal dust flame.

Jan 1, 1977

By R. G. Gürtunca

Over the past century coal miner safety and health has seen tremendous improvements, the fatality and injury rates continue to decrease while productivity continues to increase. Many of the hazards that plagued miners in the past, such as coal bumps, methane and coal dust explosions, ground fall accidents and health issues have been significantly reduced. The contribution of NIOSH research includes products for prevention and survival of mine fires, methane control measures, design procedure for underground coal mines, methods for excavation surface controls, methods and procedures for blasting, laser usage in underground mines and prevention of electrocution from overhead power lines that have reduced accidents and injuries in underground coal mines. Health research has produced products such as the personal dust monitor, noise abating technologies and ergonomic solutions for equipment operators. Research priorities at NIOSH are set by considering surveillance statistics, stakeholder inputs and loss control principles. Future research in coal mining is directed towards respiratory diseases, noise induced hearing loss, repetitive musculoskeletal injuries, traumatic injuries, falls of ground and mine disasters. The recent spate of accidents in coal mines resulted in the Miner Act of 2006 which includes a specific role for NIOSH in future mine safety research and development. The mine safety achievements in the USA reflect the commitment of industry, labour, government and research organizations to improving the safety of the mine worker.

By Edward G. Cunney

[Track in underground bituminous coal mines was investigated and technology has taken from other industries in order to Main information on conditions that impair the safety and efficiency of the track and to develop guidelines ad useful information on the constriction, inspec¬tion and maintenance of mine track. Volume l contains information oil the investigations, observed track conditions, useful technology from railroads and other industries, derivations of track condition descriptors and limits, conclusions, and recommendations. Volume 2, Guidelines, contains recommended standards and practices for mine track. It includes the relation of track conditions to safe speeds; descriptions and limits for measurable track features such as gage, descriptions of conditions for track components that are normally not measurable, such as subbase soils; construction requirements and techniques; inspection requirements and methods; and methods for managing and performing track maintenance work. As a research product, it 0005 nut repeat the summary or derivations. Volume 5, Inspection Handbook, summarizes recommended standards and procedures from Volume 2 and provides related information for read: refer¬ence by inspectors in tin mines. As a research product to be used in mines, it does not repeat the summary, derivations or references.]

Jan 1, 1977

"IntroductionThe combined library facilities of the five universities in the Generic Technology Center for Respirable Dust, The Pennsylvania State University, West Virginia University, University of Minnesota, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Michigan Technological University, represent one of the most extensive and comprehensive collections of information on respirable dust research which is available in the United States. The Center encompasses two major medical schools, the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at The Pennsylvania State University and .West Virginia University Hospital at West Virginia University, and includes national and international experts from such diverse disciplines as geology, geomechanics, mining engineering, mineral processing, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, material science, physics and several areas of medicine. In order to maximize achievements in research and facilitate early results application in the private industry, university, government and public sectors, a geographically dispersed Reference Center on Respirable Dust has been established at each of the affiliated universities. This network serves to encourage unity between the universities in the Center and coordination and communication with other entities who benefit from their research.Description of the Reference CenterIn this light, the goal of the Reference Center network is to identify at what location Information is available and to provide a means for others to access this information. It is especially necessary to have both ease of input and maximum retrieval capabilities available to all the research personnel in the Reference Center. At the same time, the service provided to the inquiring public must be complete and cost-effective. The Center's approach to realizing this goal incorporates advances in computerized and electronic searching of individual library holdings and the networking of major library and commercial search systems.The Reference Center uses the following means to achieve this goal. At each participating university, a hard copy collection ls maintained of the current respirable dust research in progress by that institution's personnel. Also, available. at each university ls a review of their past and present research on respirable dust. At each participating university a hard copy collection of annual status reports and of all publications produced by Center personnel for symposiums, national and international conferences ls maintained. A key word computer search capability ls available to participating universities. This computer search, by title, author and location, allows researchers to determine at which facility information is available, thus avoiding the tremendous expense and effort of housing all the information on respirable dust research under one roof. The Reference Center has access, through The Pennsylvania State University Libraries system and the libraries of other institutions, to a large number of data bases such as MEDLINE at the National Library of Medicine,"

Aug 31, 1989

This publication summarizes, for potential contractors and other interested parties, the research, development, and demonstration contract projects programed by the Bureau of Mines for fiscal year 1982 (October 1, 1980 -September 30, 1981) under its Minerals Health and Safety Technology program. Contingencies may require that a significant port ion of the program be deferred into fiscal year 1983. The objective of these projects is to provide an ordered and sequenced series of advances toward the Bureau's overall goal of providing the systems technology required to create a healthier and safer working environment for the Nation's mining and minerals processing workers.

Jan 1, 1981

By N. H. Darton

This report presents the results of an investigation begun by the Government in the summer of 1907, the investigation being started under the immediate supervision of Dr. J. A. Holmes and continued under him as director after it was transferred to the Bureau of Mines in 1910, the field studies being completed in the spring of 1912. The purpose of the investigation was to obtain information on the origin of the inflammable gases in coal and the conditions under which they occur. It was especially intended to ascertain whether there was any relation between the occurrence of gas and the structural or other geologic features of the coal beds. To this end many months were spent in mines and much time was devoted to the examination of mine maps, bore-hole records, and other data made available by the kindness of various coal companies. Two fields of work were selected-one in the northern anthracite basin of Pennsylvania, where the beds are considerably flexed, and the other in the southern part of the bituminous coal field of Illinois, where the beds lie nearly horizontal. In order to take advantage of results of previous investigations of the same general subject, an extended examination was made of reports of various investigators in Europe and America. A digest of the information obtained from these publications is included in the first part of this report, which constitutes an introduction to the discussion of the conditions governing the occurrence of inflammable gas in coal beds.

Jan 1, 1915

By David A. Larson

Preliminary laboratory experiments have been conducted by the Bureau of Mines to define the influence of bit geometry on methane ignitions as a step toward establishing safer mining-machine operating parameters. The experimental system was designed to simulate the operation of a continuous mining machine, using a drum-type cutterhead of normal diameter with a narrow cross section, permitting full-diameter drum cutting tests to be run on material representative of sandstone lenses (or inclusions) in coal seams. Two conical bit types were tested at shallow depths of cut with three drum speeds. Bits that rotated in the mounting block during testing did not produce ignitions. The ignition frequency for used bits was three to four times greater than for new bits at the same kerf depth.

Jan 1, 1983

By R. E. Heithecker

The principle of determining volumes of liquid by alternately drawing in and discharging given quantities of the fluid from a confined space or compartment of known volume and mechanically counting the number of displacements is well established. This is true particularly in water measurement. For several years, oil meters employing the same basic principle have beer used for gaging oil production from individual wells, groups of wells, and in some areas for metering the entire production from a property. Especially in areas where there is town-lot drilling and space for tankage is at a premium, oil meters have been used successfully to gale the oil. This facility has obviated the necessity of installing gage tanks. Oil meters also have been used in pipe-line and refinery operations and in loading tankers. Present knowledge e of the subject shows that positive-displacement oil meters can be used for measuring crude oil in the field and elsewhere, provided the meter-counter mechanism is in proper adjustment and the oil has been studied sufficiently to determine the pro-per factor to be applied to the volume as registered by tae meter, possible the adjustment for the shrinkage of the oil caused by liberation of gas from solution.

Jan 1, 1938

According to industry representatives, U.S. producers were listing unalloyed 95.5 percent aluminum ingot in October at 53-57.5 cents per pound, but reportedly much is being priced at 53 cents. New York dealers raised their October positions by about 3 cents to 56-56.5 cents, mainly to cover spot supply shortages. London Metal Exchange 3-month forward contracts traded up in October from 52.3 to 57.3 cents per pound and closed at 56.4 cents. ASBESTOS The Jaquays Asbestos Corp. has announced the imminent closure of its mine and mill in Globe, Arizona. This is the last asbestos producer in the State having operated continuously, except during the early thirties, since 1914. Cost of compliance with environmental regulations was given as the reason for closure.

Jan 1, 1978

By Rimas Pakalnis, Tom Brady, Lewis Martin

A major focus of ground control research presently being conducted by the Spokane Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is to incorporate weak rock masses (such as are associated with operations in the Carlin Trend in Nevada) into existing design relationships. The original database that led to most of the empirical design relationships presently employed in hard-rock mining was derived from fair-to-good-quality rock. In this study, the relationship between weak rock quality and opening design (nonentry/entry methods) is being investigated. The common factor in all mines is a weak back or wall. This work attempts to provide tools that will enable a mine operator to make economic decisions that will also ensure a safe working environment.

By R. S. Dean

"Applied Mineral Physics, by R. S. Dean.- This is an introduction to the seven papers that follow. It discusses the practical aspects of mineral physics and outlines the theo¬retical viewpoint underlying the investigations reported herein.Explosive Shattering as a Possible Economical Method of Ore Presentation By John Gross and C. E. Wood. - It is shown that explosion shattering by impact is favored by large charges and by low ratio of water to charge. For 400-gram charges of dolomite crushed through 48 mesh the steam costs are less than 5 cents per ton of dolomite obtained. This is within the range of present steam costs for ball-milling dolomite.Electrical Properties of Minersl Aggergates I. Natural and Artificial Aggregates Crystallized Lead Sulphide By R.S. Dean and John Koster - This paper deals with the electrical properties of natural and synthetic galena. It is shown that massive crystalline galena has a normal positive temperature coefficient of resistance, whereas fine-grained steel galena has a negative temperature coefficient, the curve R v. T being exponential in form. That steel galena behaves somewhat like a leaky condenser is indicated by ballistic and alternating-current bridge measurements. In determining the cause of the erratic results of alternating-current resistance measurements it was observed that the measured re¬sistance was a function of the current through the specimen. The direct-current resistance was found to be proportional to the square of a superimposed radio-frequency current and independent of the frequency.The influence of grain size or the amount of metallic interface on the voltage-current characteristics at various temperatures on synthetic galena pastilles was studied. It is proved that the volts v. amperes curves are linear for all sizes and temperatures, that they have an intercept which is apparently a linear function of the temperature, and that their slopes are exponential functions of the temperature and give rise to a negative temperature coefficient of resistance.Apparatus for determing the Magnetic Constants of Mineral Powders by V,H, Gottschalk,and C. W. Davis.- A modified isthmus permeameter having a spark-suppressed primary and a multiplier in the secondary circuit to regulate the effect of capsules functioning as a twin isthmus is used to obtain quantitative data and normal induction and hystersis curves from small amounts of powdered material at fields surpassing 3.000 oersteds. Data and curves are given to demonstrate the calibration of the apparatus and the reproducibility of its results. Applications and limitations of the apparatus are noted.Magnetization Curves for Magnetite Poeders by V. H. Gottschalk and F. S. Wartman.- This paper gives measurements on four lots of purified and analyzed magnetites in mixed fractions with especial reference to the variation of permeability with grain size and with dilution by an inert material."

Feb 1, 1935

By D. R. Corson

The Bureau of Mines instrumented an operating stope in a deep vein mine to determine the amount of wall closure and the magnitude of loads imposed on a backfilled stope. Hydraulic pressure cells used to monitor pressures in the fill) with bolt closure points to measure vein-wall movement and the procedure for their installation) are described) and the results of the laboratory calibration analysis of the reliability of these cells are given. An attempt to monitor density and moisture changes in the backfill with a nuclear density-moisture device was only partly successful) owing to either deformation of access tubing or relative displacements of the vertical vein walls relative to the emplaced tubes. Data from the instrumentation indicate vein-wall closure in excess of 20 inches and pressures within the fill approaching 600 psi. Analysis) incorporating field data with results of laboratory tests of the compressibility of timber and tests defining the constrained moduli of the fill) points out the limited restraint to vein closure offered by timber sets. Ground movement induced by mining activity could be more effectively con-trolled by the use of densely compacted backfill.

Jan 1, 1967

By Larry A. Haas

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) was decomposed to sulfur and CO in a silent electrical discharge. A threshold of about 4 kv at 60 Hz was required to dissociate the gas in a laboratory ozonizer at 790 torr with electrode gaps between 1 and 5.5 mm. Above the threshold value, the reaction rate increased with increasing voltage with helium or nitrogen diluent. With the latter diluent, higher voltages had to be applied to obtain the same yield in the 4-to 12-kv range. The COS decomposition rate increased with COS concentration, but a saturation value was reached at about 10 pct COS. The reaction rate decreased at low linear gas velocities as obtained at lower gas flows, larger electrode gaps, or larger reactor volumes. Increasing gas temperature also decreased the decomposition rate. The presence of solid adsorbents such as quartz wool, bauxite, or charcoal had no significant effect on the reaction rate. The addition of S02 did not affect the COS decomposition rate, but small amounts of water decreased the reaction rate. Over 50 pct of the COS was decomposed at room temperature and atmospheric pressure in a l7-kv ozonizer using a gas containing 0.9 pct COS in helium flowing at a rate of 0.3 liter/min. The average current was less than 5 ma. This method has possible application in eliminating the toxic air pollutant, COS, which is generated in petroleum refineries and in processes involving reactions between sulfurous and carbonaceous materials. Carbon monoxide that is formed can be further oxidized to CO2 after the collection of elemental sulfur.

Jan 1, 1972

By Thomas A. Milne

As part of the broad program to improve the safety of underground coal mines, the Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center sponsored several detailed studies on the inhibition of coal dust-air explosions. The present study was one of these. The goal of the research was to advance the development of improved coal-dust explosion inhibiting agents by determining, on a laboratory scale, the basic chemical processes involved in the inhibition of coal-dust flames by dry-powder agents. B. Our Approach Neither the basic molecular processes involved in coal combustion, nor the molecular mode of action of dry-powder agents, are known with certainty. Our approach, therefore, involved the direct determination, by sampling techniques, of species behavior in small, aerodynamically simple flames. To further aid in separating behavior of coal and dry-powder inhibitors, the latter were studied in CH4-air flames.

Jan 1, 1976

By H. P. Greenwald

Cooperation between the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior and the Safety in Mines Research Board of Great Britain dates from 1924. It has been intimate and has involved exchange of personnel and. equipment as well as information. Correlation of divergent results obtained in large-scale tests of the explosibility3/ of coal dusts made in the respective countries was one of the first problems to be studied. The purpose of this paper is to show to what extent such correlation has been achieved. COMPARISON OF TEST METHODS The first research accomplished Jointly by the two organizations was a comparison of large-scale methods of determining the explosibility of coal dust. Large samples of coal were exchanged and subjected to test in the Bureau's Experimental coal mine and in the Board's steel gallery, 38 inches

Jan 1, 1939