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By Roy A. White

The development of a fire and rot-resistant coating treatment for mine timbers, along with the associated processing technology, is described. Included are a literature search, laboratory studies of polyimide-fungicide coatings, and leaching and fungus growth studies on coated wood blocks. Finally, an economic analysis is performed tor various levels of production.

Jan 1, 1977

By C. H. Gorski

Evaluation of raw materials for mineral wool is one phase of the Bureau of Mines broad program for the more effective utilization: of our mineral resources. The experimental work and test-evaluation results on several raw materials as useful components for the production of mineral wool are presented in this report. Samples from all sections of the United States, including copper slag from Tacoma, Wash., pebble phosphate slime from Florida, and granites from Massachusetts and Minnesota, have been blown into mineral wool successfully in the laboratory tests. Maximum conservation of the Nation's mineral and manpower resources requires maximum utility of those resources. Al though the domestic reserves of oil, gas, and coal are tremendous, judicious use of these fuels through the use of proper insulation will insure the highest thermal efficiency. The effectiveness of mineral wool as a heat-insulating material has assumed an increasingly important role in the national economy, and it has become a fuel saver in countless applications. The most immediate concern to many is the use of mineral wool in the home, which promotes uniform temperature and minimizes drafts by reducing heat transfer through the walls, ceiling, and floors. There are, however, many industrial and commercial uses that require large volumes of mineral wool each year.

Jan 1, 1951

By B. P. Martinez

A process for regenerating spent pickle liquor is proposed in which some of the water is evaporated at atmospheric pressure and ferrous sulfate is precipitated as monohydrate crystals..Equilibrium conditions are set for a slurry of crystals in a mother liquor containing 5 percent FeS04 and 45 percent E2S04, by weight, and boiling at about 235° F. The slurry is pumped continuously to a filter, and the mother liquor from the filter is pumped back for reuse in the pickling tanks. The net result of the process is to remove ferrous sulfate in the regeneration plant at the same rate ac it is produced in the pickling tanks. This process is integrated with the steel-pickling operation and controlled by the pickling requirements for particular steels. Spent pickle liquor is removed for regeneration continuously from both batch and continuous picklers at higher acid concentrations than would be dumped to waste because no acid is neutralized or discarded. However, the process is not designed to keep a sulfuric acid concentration stronger than 25 percent in any pickling tank. To retain flexibility in the pickling operation, all acid makeup is added to the pickling tanks. Rinse waters are used as water makeup for the pickling tanks. To further minimize waste of acid in the rinse waters, improvements of rinsing practices are outlined.

Jan 1, 1953

By A. G. Starliper

The report covers studies by the Bureau of Mines on the removal of metallic values in two waste products from the Longhorn tin smelter at Texas City, Tex. One product was a slag that contained tin, tungsten, iron, tantalum, and columbium. The other product was a spent acid solution that contained tin, tungsten, iron, lead, copper, zinc, and silver and that came from presmelting treatment of impure tin concentrates. Molten slag was treated with sulfur or sulfur compounds and with coke, calcium carbide, or gaseous reductants to form tin sulfide that volatilized from the charge and to reduce tungsten along with iron and silicon to form a carbon-bearing metallic layer. The metallic layer was treated by an oxidizing alkali roast and then was water-leached to extract the tungsten. The waste acid was used in other experiments to dissolve an iron-tin- tungsten alloy (hardhead) obtained by direct reduction of the slag. An insoluble fraction containing tungsten, silver, silicon, columbium, and tantalum was removed, and copper was cemented on metallic iron, Tin was recovered by cementation on zinc plates, and lead was precipitated by adding sulfate ion. Iron was precipitated by increasing the pH which left a solution containing principally zinc. Slabs of hardhead were electrolyzed in an electrolyte consisting of waste acid to plate out groups of metals at different pH?s. The time did not permit thorough exploration of this method of treatment.

Jan 1, 1962

By Robert M. Becker

Particle mixtures were sampled in the laboratory, using ordinary sampling procedures, to determine whether or not the compound-multinomial probability distribution and other developments of part 2 agreed with experimental results. The objective was accomplished by the Bureau of Mines by comparing the moments and moment relationships of the appropriate probability models with their corresponding experimental values over a fairly wide range. The overall agreement between the corresponding theoretical and experimental values is both good and complete. The results demonstrate that sampling to a constant amount, such as weight, of items per sample is not the same, in general, as sampling to some constant number of items per sample. The results seem to confirm all the developments of part 2 and the application of the compound-multinomial function to bulk sampling.

Jan 1, 1965

By R. Vernon Helm

Four tables listing values for the various physical properties of those sulfur compounds most likely to occur in petroleum and petroleum products are given herein. The data necessary to bring the first compilation2/ in this subject up to date are given in table I -Revised and Additional Data, which includes boiling points, refractive indices, densities, and freezing points. Tables 11-, III, and IV are published for the first time and include refractive indices for the F, C, and G' lines of hydrogen and the helium D:3 line; surface tensions and viscosities, and refractivity intercepts, specific dispersions, specific refractions, and parachors. The need for information concerning the sulfur compounds in petroleum is becoming-more urgent because of the necessity of refining larger quantities of high-sulfur crude oil to meet the rising demand for petroleum products. For a number of years the Bureau of Mines has been engaged in research to make available more information concerning the properties of the sulfur compounds in petroleum. The petroleum industry has recognized the value of such studies, and as a result the American Petroleum Institute has established Research Project 48A to study sulfur compounds. The investigations under this Project are to be done in Bureau of Mines laboratories as a cooperative project in connection with the work already started.

Jan 1, 1949

By Robert C. Johnson

Water-swelling fluormicas and fluormontmorillonoids were synthesized and described. They were found predominantly in the system Mg0 - MgF2 - Si02, with varying amounts of Li+ or Na+, Some water-swelling synthetic minerals were prepared with only strontium or lead in the twelvefold position, Water- swelling compounds containing either K+ or Ba+ were not found. The synthesized water-swelling products were shown by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and chemical analysis to be typically two-silica-layer, platy compounds, Except for the complete substitution of fluoride for hydroxyl, the compounds were similar to the natural micas or montmorillonites. The stability and properties of the compounds were further established by electrodialysis, by differential thermal analysis, and by anion and cation exchange methods. Fluoride in the interlayer positions was nonexchangeable except through decomposition of the product. Exchanging the sodium or the lithium of the synthetic fluormicas or fluormontmorillonoids with potassium ion, particularly those derived from KOH provided a product from which a completely inorganic paper of extraordinary flexibility was fabricated. This paper had excellent mechanical and electrical properties except for water adsorption and a high power factor. Neither of these problems was solved during this investigation. However, papers with dielectric strength from 1,500 to 5,000 volts per mil were readily fabricated, particularly from the lithium containing fluormicas or fluormontmorill onoids.

Jan 1, 1963

By Robert C. Gabler

Evaluation of incinerated sewage sludge as a secondary resource for aluminum, phosphorus, and minor constituents such as copper and zinc was initiated as part of the Bureau of Mines secondary resource program. The elemental composition of sludge ash for 14 plants in 11 U.S. cities was determined. Comparing industrialized cities with cities where most of the sewage is domestic, significant differences in heavy metal content were noted. Various parameters were investigated affecting the extraction of metals and phosphorus from a typical industrial city sludge ash and from a Palo Alto, Calif., sludge ash with a high precious metal content. Three extraction-recovery procedures for metals and phosphorus using sulfuric acid leaching, ion exchange, and various precipitation techniques were investigated. The last procedure developed was a combination approach using a three-stage countercurrent sulfuric acid leach that recovered most of the economic values from the sludge ash and also removed the leachable fraction of elements of environmental concern.

Jan 1, 1979

By E. A. Barrett

The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) conducted experiments to determine if training using a latent-image, three-dimensional (3-D) slide simulation exercise improved miners' ability to recognize roof and rib hazards. The effectiveness of this innovative type of classroom training was investigated by measuring workers' performance on a hazard recognition task. The study was unique in that hazard recognition skills were assessed in the workplace using actual coal mine roof and rib hazards. Results showed that training with a latent-image, 3-D slide simulation exercise significantly improved each subject's performance on the in-mine hazard recognition task. Further, the USBM researchers concluded that transfer of learning from the classroom to the workplace occurred.

Jan 1, 2010

By D. Bienstock

Using a nitrided fused-iron catalyst, the Bureau of Mines investigated the Fischer-Tropsch reaction in the oil-circulation process. The nitrided iron was quite stable and permitted the longest run obtained thus far in the oil-circulation process without the need for reactivating the catalyst--3,700 hours of operation. The effects of several operating variables--temperature, pressure, gas-recycle ratio, space velocity, synthesis-gas composition, and synthesis with and without reflux of oil to the reactor--on the production of oxygenates were studied. The importance of removing reflux oil and of high gas recycle in increasing the oxygenate content was shown. A finished gasoline containing 28 percent by weight alcohols was produced. The research octane number (RON) was 92.9 clear, increasing to 98.5 with the addition of one milliliter of tetraethyl lead (TEL). INTRODUCTION The Federal Bureau of Mines has been engaged since 1944 in a research and development program on the synthesis of gasoline from coal. Gasification of coal with steam and oxygen to yield a "synthesis gas"--a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen--is being investigated at Morgantown, W. Va., and the synthesis of gasoline by catalytically reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen over iron by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is being investigated at Bruceton, Pa.

Jan 1, 1960

By C. W. Owings

"Coal may be and has been hauled safely at approximately the same cost with permissible2 storage-battery locomotives as with trolley, cable-reel, crab-reel, or nonpermissible storage-battery locomotives. While in general, thinking mining men readily admit the relative safety of the permissible storage-battery locomotive there are some persons who question the safety of this type; however, the greatest opposition to the widespread use of storage-battery locomotives is from those who believe them to be more expensive to operate and to be more expensive in first cost than the trolley or cable-reel locomotive. Data collected during a comprehensive study- of storage-battery and wired transmission of power in some Pennsylvania and West Virginia coal mines indicate that there is but little difference between the cost of hauling with cable-reel or with storage-battery locomotives. It would appear that if this fact were mere generally known mine operators of the more progressive type would install such equipment and avail themselves of greater safety in hauling coal.The need for greater safety in haulage in coal mines is readily understood when it is considered that during the 12 month period, July 1, 1929 to June 30, 1930, trolley or cable reel gathering locomotives caused four explosions in which 407 lives were endangered, 11 persons were injured, and 30 lives were lost. Still another disaster was averted by the vigilance of a fire boss, who discovered a stratum of gas 3 feet thick at the top of an entry into which a gathering locomotive was about to enter. Other explosions not resulting in any fatality probably have not been reported. In addition numerous fires have been caused by trolley or cable-reel locomotives, and these fires probably would have been avoided had permissible storage-battery locomotives been used."

Nov 1, 1930

By D. E. Shanks

This U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) research simplified an earlier hydrogen chloride (HCI) leach-sparge process developed by the USBM to recover reduction-grade alumina from domestic kaolin clay. Improvements were made by decreasing the initial leaching acid concentration from 25 to 20 pet, decreasing the leaching time from 1 to 2 h to 15 to 30 min, eliminating the solvent extraction step for Fe removal, and eliminating the step to recover the AI content of the bleedstream circuit. A 10-cycle bench-scale experiment of the simplified process showed that the ferric chloride (FeC13) concentration built up to 9.3 g/L in the recycle stream. This did not interfere with any of the unit operations or final alumina product purity because Fe forms stable soluble chloride complexes when sparged with HCI and is easily washed from the large aluminum chloride hexahydrate (ACH) crystals. The reduced leaching time and acid concentration did not decrease Al extraction.

Jan 1, 2010

By Walter Wood, J. T. H. Cannarella, H. F. Yancey, R. E. Zane

More than 50,000,000 tons of bituminous coal and probably about the same quantity of anthracite are cleaned annually in the United States by wet methods. The water, fine coal, and impurities from the water used for washing ordinarily are recovered by moans of various forms of settling tanks. Settling and clarification may be hastened markedly, thereby greatly increasing the capacity of clarification equipment already installed, by the addition of substances to the washery water that cause the fine particles in suspension to agglomerate and thus settle more rapidly. This phenomenon, although well known and applied in other fields, has been used at only a few coal washeries in the United States. It is widely employed, however, as an aid in the recovery or disposal of fine coal or impurities, as a means of preventing, stream pollution, and to enable reuse of washery water at many plants in Europe. Pioneering work in the United States has been done principally by two companies -- the Pittsburgh Coal Co., in Pennsylvania, 6/ and the Pacific Coast Coal Co., in Washington.

Feb 1, 1940

By J. S. Dunning

Recent developments in energy conversion, mining and minerals processing, pollution control, and chemical equipment have placed in-creased demands on heat-resistant alloys. Higher corrosion rates from oxidation, hot corrosion, and sulfidation have increased consumption of materials that contain critical and strategic minerals and in many cases have limited productivity. The Bureau of Mines is conducting re-search on substitute materials having greater resistance to high-temperature corrosive atmospheres above 6000 C compared to austenitic stainless steels such as AISI 304, 316, and 310, with the goal of conserving critical metals such as Cr and Ni. The substitute materials are based on Fe-Cr-Ni-Al compositions. Aluminum additions to Fe-Cr-Ni alloys significantly improve high-temperature corrosion resistance, particularly sulfidation resistance. In the alloy, devised by Bureau researchers, aluminum additions are held in the form of a second-phase precipitate, 8NiAl. Minor additions of Ti, Mn, and Si improve workability.

Jan 1, 1984

By A. H. WHITE, PERRY BARKER

In a consideration of the various means whereby more economical and more efficient use may be made of the fuels in the United States, the possibility of obtaining for the production of illuminating gas other and cheaper fuels than the Pennsylvania coals demands attention. For the Government, as well as for private corporations and the householder, there can be no more economical and efficient way of using some coals than through the medium of illuminating gas. In the stove, gas reduces the labor cost of heat production and lessens the drudgery of the kitchen; burned in the Welsbach mantle, it is an excellent and cheap illuminant. In addition, the coke that remains after the gas has been recovered furnishes a smokeless fuel that has about the same heating value as anthracite. Hence any investigations that will indicate how local coals through proper treatment may be substituted for the higher priced and rapidly vanishing Pennsylvania gas coals will bring about lower prices for both gas and coke and will also aid to conserve for use in metallurgical processes the coking coals of Pennsylvania and of ot,her States. The annual drain on the gas-coal resources of this country and the importance of the gas and coke industries are indicated by the fact that 8,390,129 tons of coal were carbonized in retorts in the United States in 1909. The resulting salable products from by-product ovens were 15,791,220,000 cubic feet of coal gas, 6,254,644 tons of coke, and 60,126,000 gallons of tar. The total value of all by-products was about $28,508,637.

Jan 1, 1911

By James Paone

The Bureau of Mines made drillability studies with impregnated diamond bits in the laboratory on 7 rock types and in the field on 21 different rock types. Results indicate that drill parameters of rotational speed, thrust, and torque must produce sufficient applied forces to induce stress levels that cause continuous failure in rock to achieve efficient penetration rates. Higher rotational speeds appear to be more effective in drilling relatively harder rocks, although the increased speed causes more bit wear; increases in thrust result in higher drilling rates but not linearly; and up to a critical value a linear relation exists between torque and penetration rate for a specific rock type. Penetration rates with impregnated bits show a trend similar to that obtained with surface-set bits for rock under 25,000 psi compressive strength.

Jan 1, 1966

By S. J. Hussey

Since the discovery in 1935 by Adams and Holmes that certain synthetic resins exhibit ion-exchange properties, many applications of the ion-exchange process have been made. There are two general types of ion-exchange resins. Cation exchange resins adsorb cations from solution, and these in turn may be replaced by other cations adsorbed under certain conditions. 'Anion exchange resins adsorb acids from solution, and the anion of the acid may then be replaced by other anions. It is reported, however, that certain anion exchange resins have a low capacity for anions of weak acids without the necessity of acid adsorption either directly or as an intermediate step. The adsorbed ions may then be removed from the resins by elution with an appropriate solution, and the resin is prepared for the next adsorption cycle by regeneration with another solution. Sometimes one solution, is used to simultaneously perform the functions of elution and regeneration. The first and probably the largest application is in the field of water purification. Other applications have been made in the production of high-quality foods for human consumption, in the recovery of valuable substances from solutions, in the separation or fractionation of electrolytes, and in several other fields, each of which has its specific applications, variations, and possibilities. Ion exchange resins also have been highly useful in perfecting techniques of laboratory analysis and research.4/, 5/, 6/

Jan 1, 1948

By F. D. Everett

The Burgin shaft of Bear Creek Mining Co. near Eureka, Utah, was sunk during 1956 and 1957 as part of an exploratory program, searching for lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold ore bodies hidden from the surface by several hundred feet of volcanic rocks. This paper describes the sinking methods and operating practices of Centennial Development Co., contracting firm for Bear Creek Mining Co., in sinking a 3-compartment vertical shaft 1,100 feet. The operation featured the Cryderman positive-action, clam-type shaft mucker. The shaft was completed in 142 days by a shaft crew of 10 men and a top force of 10 men, including supervision.

Jan 1, 1959

By Thomas C. Atchison

The purpose of this Bureau of Mines investigation was to measure the amplitude and shape of the strain pulse and the size of the crushed zone produced in a granite by different explosives and to determine how these quantities are related to the detonation properties of the explosives. The reflection theory of rock breakage has shown that the amplitude and shape of the strain pulse incident at a free surface determine the fragmentation and volume of rock broken. Determination of the properties of an explosive that control the characteristics of the strain pulse produced in the rock will help in evaluating explosives for use in blasting. The investigation showed the different explosives produced a twofold variation in the amplitude of the strain pulse but little variation in the shape of the pulse. The explosives also produced a twofold variation in the volume of the crushed zone, but differences among the explosives were more accurately determined by strain-amplitude measurements than by crushed-zone measurements. The peak amplitude of the strain pulse and the volume of the crushed zone correlated with the calculated detonation pressure of the explosive.

Jan 1, 1959

By B. J. Moore

This publication contains routine analyses and related source data for 374 natural gas samples from 24 States and 5 foreign countries. These samples were collected during calendar year 1966 as a part of a continuous survey of the free world for occurrences of helium in natural gas. This survey has been conducted in the United States by the Bureau of Mines since 1917. In late 1965, the survey was expanded to include foreign gasfields. The analyses of foreign samples contained in this publication represent the first samples received as a result of this expanded program. The analyses published herein were made by mass spectrometer and a special helium analysis apparatus, which are described in Bureau of Mines Bulletins 4863 and 576.4 Eight previous publications have been made to present the results of 7,244 gas analyses made? by the Bureau of Mines Helium Activity prior to 1966. The first three, Bulletins 486,5 576,6 and 617,7 contain analyses and related

Jan 1, 1967