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By S. H. Ash

THE INVESTIGATION of barrier pillars in the Western Middle field is part of the comprehensive study of the mine-water problem in the anthra¬cite region of Pennsylvania by the Federal Bureau of Mines (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8,9,10,11,1,2,15,16).8 The Western Middle field is in Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland Counties in eastern Pennsylvania. It has an area of 120 square miles, is 42 miles long from Delano on the east to Trevorton on the west, and is 2 to 5 miles wide. In the Western Middle field are 58 underground water pools containing 38 billion gallons of water (5). Some of the pools overflow to the surface, and the water from others seeps into adjacent mines through permeable barrier pillars separating them from abandoned mines. Several active mines are interconnected to workings in abandoned mines, which are partly filled with water. These mines are separated by barrier pillars that are considered effective only below the altitude of the connections. In some abandoned mines, pumping stations maintain the water at altitudes where the hydrostatic pressure against the barrier pillars is not excessive and does not endanger adjacent active mines. If water in these abandoned mines is allowed to rise to where it can overflow into the active mines, it must be pumped from the active mines at lower altitudes; this materially increases the cost of pumping. It is estimated that from 1944 to 1948 approximately 30 percent of the water pumped to the surface was from abandoned mines.

Jan 1, 1953

By H. E. Powell

A laboratory investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Mines to study the magnetic characteristics and to measure the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral siderite. All susceptibility measurements were made by the method of Gouy on powdered samples and at room temperature. Specific susceptibilities of samples from 15 different locations, domestic and foreign, were determined. Values ranged from 66 to 103 (10-6) cgs electromagnetic units. The relation of susceptibility to mineral composition is discussed in this report. The specific susceptibilities of 76 minerals are tabulated in an appendix.

Jan 1, 1963

Provide an unobstructive means of measuring small changes in distance from roof to floor or from rib to rib of a mine opening and the rate of closure in order to help operators of under-ground mines detect hazardous ground conditions. Approach A small ultrasonic measurement system was developed to detect g round movement and define closure rates. How the System Works The system contains two parts: a transducer and a readout device. The small ultrasonic transducer, similar to an audio speaker diaphram, is plucked with an ultrasonic frequency every six seconds. This frequency wave is sent through the air and reflected back to the transducer off any surface at which the transducer is pointed. The amount of time needed by the ultrasonic wave to make this round trip is accurately measured using a precise oscillator / timer and is converted into a measure of distance. The accurate 6-second time interval is used to convert any subsequent changes in the reading to a rate of change in feet per minute. Two readings are then displayed alternately on the readout instrument.

Jan 1, 1984

By F. G. Scott

This document is a proposed program plan for mining environmental research to be conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in support of industrial oil shale mining and processing. This program plan is one of three research alternatives being considered by the Bureau, each based on a different level of anticipated funding. This report documents the low funding level program plan.

Jan 1, 1980

By James Westfield

Bureau of Mines activities for safety and health in the mineral industries were reorganized during the fiscal year to provide direct supervision by the Assistant Director -Health and Safety. On December 19, 1954, the field offices conducting these activities were designated as district health and safety offices reporting to the Assistant Director. The functions of determining the causes of accidents and injuries in the mineral industries and recommending measures to eliminate them were continued, with satisfactory results in improved safety records. The inspection of coal mines and enforcement of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952 were conducted as directed by the Congress, and safety conditions in the mines were notably improved. One coal-mine explosion classed as a major disaster occurred during the year. The causes of that explosion and means for preventing a recurrence were still under investigation because of the extreme difficulty in recovering several portions of the mine. Basic research on the nature of certain hazards and ways of eliminating them is continued. Training of individual workmen and supervisors in this knowledge is a major part of the work.

Jan 1, 1956

By D. E. Traut

A fluidized countercurrent ion-exchange system was developed, operated, and evaluated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines. The system consisted of integrated multiple-compartment absorption and elution columns in which the solution flows were continuous except for short periods when resin increments were withdrawn. The exchange of uranyl carbonate between a simulated in situ uranium leach liquor and a strong-base ion-exchange resin together with the subsequent elution with an ammonium chloride solution was studied. The effects of the number of sections, section height, amount of resin withdrawal, solution flow rate, and column diameter were investigated. The kinetic and equilibrium relationships for the absorption and elution steps were also examined. The experimental data indicate a strong interdependence between variables. Solution retention time appears to be a major limiting variable in the absorption process, while resin residence time is the determining factor in the elution process. The column was efficient over a range of conditions, but close control was needed for optimum operation.

Jan 1, 1978

By Allen McComas, Frank Chase, Phyllip Worley

Longwall mining has gained the reputation as being the safest extraction method in underground coal mines. However, one of the most difficult tasks associated with longwall mining is moving the face once a panel is completed. Based on Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) fatality reports since 1996, longwall face recovery operations have claimed the lives of 5 U.S. miners and have resulted in numerous injuries. Recovery operations can be hazardous because they involve moving large pieces of equipment in very confined spaces. They are also conducted in highly stressed ground conditions due to front abutment loads generated by panel extraction. Shield removal is the most hazardous operation during face recovery because miners are constantly exposed to the unpredictable gob edge. To protect the miners, one or more walking shields, cribbing and/or other supplemental roof and standing supports are typically employed as breaker line supports as each shield is removed. At the Harris No. 1 Mine in southern WV, mobile roof supports (MRS’s) have been used in lieu of traditional walking shields on 17 face moves since 1997. MRS’s are shield-like support units mounted on crawler tracks and are commonly used during room-and-pillar retreat mining operations. For longwall recovery, the two biggest advantages that MRS’s have over traditional walking shields are that they are remotely controlled and are highly maneuverable. MRS’s have contributed to safer shield recovery and shorter move times at the Harris No. 1 Mine. This paper will address both the safety and the operational issues associated with MRS usage during shield recovery. It will also discuss new developments, including the use of the inherently safer battery powered MRS’s, which have been recently certified by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

By W. H. Goghill

Numerous investigators have studied grinding. Each has contributed his bit to a literature that is difficult to correlate. Too many of the results have been transformed into curves with so many "inflection points" and "counterflexures" that they obscure the issue. Some of the investigators have neglected the very essence of the problem, namely the power and the amount of material to which a known amount of work was applied. The purpose of this paper is to show the ease with which results can be interpreted when these quantities are duly recognized. Some grinding tests will be given for illustration. Grinding studies are of two kinds: (1) Study of the character of the ore and (2) study of the performance of the machines. Several ores may be crushed by a given machine, or several machines may be used on a given ore. The illustrations given in this report cover both objectives.

Jan 1, 1934

This is the seventh in a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels, made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R.) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior. The first report gave data on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1935-36.3/ The present report covering 1,875 samples represents the products of 83 companies plus those from the Pacific coast, which were averaged by the Pacific Coast Technical Group before being submitted and are published exactly as they were submitted. For the regular grade 985 samples consisting of 73 different brands are averaged. The premium grade consists of 489 samples of 40 different brands. The third grade has 401 samples averaged from 51 different brands. In this report the districts have been reduced to 21 by combining North and South Texas into one district. Fl Paso samples are reported with the South Rocky Mountain district, and Amarillo, Tex., has been included with the Middle Rocker Mountain district. In the present survey samples from Fort Smith, Ark., have been included in the Tulsa area, Indianapolis has been included in the St. Louis district. Cleveland represents the State of Ohio. Samples from Little Rock, Ark., and North Carolina have been included in the Memphis district. The Pittsburgh district includes samples only from this State and Wheeling, W. Va. The actual sampling points in each area are indicated an table 1.

Jan 1, 1939

This is the seventh in a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels, made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R.) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior. The first report gave data on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1.935-36.3/ The present report covering 1,87 samples represents the products of 83 companies plus those from the Pacific coast, which were averaged by the Pacific Coast Technical Group before being submitted and are published exactly as they were submitted. For the regular grade 985 samples consisting of 73 different brands are averaged. The premium grade consists of 489 samples of 40 different brands. The third grade has 401 samples averaged from 51 different brands. In this report the districts have been reduced to 21 by combining North and South Texas into one district. El Paso samples are reported with the South Rocky Mountain district, and. Amarillo, Tex., has teen included with the Middle Rocker Mountain district. In the present survey samples from Fort Smith, Ark., have been included in the Tulsa area, Indianapolis has been included in the St. Louis district. Cleveland represents the State of Ohio. Samples from Little Rock, Ark., and North Carolina have been included in the Memphis district. The Pittsburgh district includes samples only from this State and Wheeling, W. Va. The actual sampling points in each area are indicated on table 1.

Jan 1, 1939

By Shail J. Butani

In 1986 the Bureau of Mines conducted a probability sample survey, Mining Industry Population Survey, to measure such employee characteristics as occupation; principal equipment operated; work location at the mine; present job, present company, and total mining experience; job-related training during the last 2 years; age; sex; race; and education. The population estimates are necessary to properly analyze the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) injury (includes illness and fatality data) statistics; that is, to compare and contrast injury rates for various subpopulations in order to identify those groups that are exhibiting higher than average injury rates. This report uses the survey's results to characterize the U.S. nonmetallic mining workforce from March through September 1986. Similar reports have been prepared for the metallic, stone, and sand and gravel mining industries, as well as for the entire metal and nonmetal mining (includes metallic, stone, sand and gravel, and nonmetallic industries) sector and the cool mining sector.

Jan 1, 1988

By N. A. C. Smith

The Bureau of Mines motor gasoline surveys have been conducted in January and July, during 1920 and 1921. The Bureau has obtained and analyzed samples of gasoline representative of that marketed in the larger cities. These surveys have indicated that the gasoline on the market during the winter months is more volatile than that sold during the summer months. Naturally, the motorist desires a more volatile gasoline in the cold winter months, as it affords greater ease in starting. The fourth semi-annual motor gasoline survey, conducted during the month of July, shows an interesting relation between the market price and the quality of motor gasoline. This is particularly evident if figures obtained today are compared with those of a year ago. At the time the Bureau of Mines conducted its summer survey of motor gasoline last year, the average tank wagon price of gasoline was 28.2 cents per gallon. This year it was 21.2 cents, a drop of practically 25%.

Jan 1, 1921

By Max J. Spendlove

The secondary copper industry is comprised of numerous enterprises which collectively employ many of the recovery and refining processes now used in primary plants as well as many other processes that are unique to the industry. Effective methods are used for identifying and segregating all types of scrap according to widely accepted standard classifications. Segregated scrap and waste materials usually require some preliminary processing to remove both valuable and deleterious associated constituents. Smelting, melting, alloying, and pyrorefining are common methods used for producing secondary metal, but operating techniques usually differ from primary metal operations because of the difference in physical and chemical properties of the respective raw materials. Some copper scrap is converted to copper chemicals rather than to refined metals or alloys. Recovery efficiencies of all processes are reasonably high, and the quality of products meets rigid specifications.

Jan 1, 1961

By E. P. Ferrero

Crude oils from fields throughout the world are analyzed by the Bureau of Mines to determine the characteristics of the oils and their contribution to the petroleum resources of the world. Analyses are reported for 169 foreign crude oil samples from 122 oilfields in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America, and South America. Tables show the geographic and geo- logic origin of the samples, names of companies that supplied the samples, annual production for the fields, general characteristics and analytical and computed data, hydrocarbon-type data, cumulative production of the larger fields, and references to sources of geological and field development information. The analyses were made by the Bureau of Mines routine method and comparisons may be made with more than 8,000 other such analyses.

Jan 1, 1972

By D. Ng

A facility to evaluate the fire endurance of mine stoppings was constructed by the Bureau of Mines in the multiple entry section of the Bruceton (PA) Experimental Mine. Stoppings up to 6 by 18 ft can be tested in a manner simulating mine conditions. The stopping is subjected to a 70-min liquid fuel tray fire with an energy output of 75,000 Btu/min. The stopping and adjacent areas are instrumented with thermocouples and heat flux gauges. Data acquisition is by an automatic data logger capable of continuously recording over 100 channels of information. Two 8-in-thick concrete block stoppings and a galvanized steel stopping were tested. A crack developed on the fire side surface of the block stoppings where the flames were most intense. However, the temperatures of the unexposed surfaces of the stoppings never exceeded 800 C and the surfaces were undamaged. The steel stopping retained its structural integrity during the test. The temperature of the unexposed steel surface reached 5000 C, but combustible materials located 1 ft from the surface did not ignite. A 3/4-in-thick coating of construction plaster was applied to the fire side of the previously tested uncoated steel stopping. The quantity of heat energy transmitted across this coated metal stopping was reduced approximately 50%. All stoppings prevented the passage of flame and smoke.

Jan 1, 1988

By Nunna Malakondaiah

Plant samples collected from the mined sites of Beulah, Center and Zap and the test sites of North Beulah 1, North Beulah If, South Beulahh and Center were analyzed for their nutrient concentrations. The vegetation from the mined areas generally showed lower concentrations of Na, P and Cu and failed to meet the nutritional requirements for beef cattle as defined by National Research Council (minimum requirements are: Na, 600; Cu, 4; P, 1800 µg/g dry weight). Plants from Beulah showed generally higher concentrations than from Center or Tap. Tissue concentrations of K varied significantly between sites for 5 species due to the low tissue concentrations at Center. Deficiencies are difficult to isolate as the sampling was done in mid-summer and generally during that season the tissue concentrations tend to decrease in several species. All of the plant species at the unmined sites, with the exception of western wheatgrass at Zap, had lower concentrations of P than the minimum nutritional requirements for beef cattle. Sodium concentration was low but Cu was marginal to adequate in plant species at the unmined sites. Concentrations of K, Mn and Cu in western wheatgrass were greater at Center than at Zap while the opposite was true of the concentrations of Zn, Cu and P in blue grama and Cu in green needlegrass. Amending the spoil with slack at North Beulah I decreased the concentrations of Zn, Cu and P in wheatgrasses grown on spoil from 0-2, 5-10, and 20-25 foot depths, respectively. In general, the mean tissue K+/Na+ ratios were greater in plants on slack amended spoils, primarily due to the reduced Na concentrations in the tissue. At North Beulah II test site, only wheatgrasses grown on spoil amended with slack showed significant increase in K and decrease in Na and Mn concentrations. At South Beulah test site which received 12" topsoil over graded spoil, leonardite amendment decreased P concentrations in all of the grasses as compared to control, whereas fertilizer treatment increased the same. Nutrient concentrations were lower in both fescue and needlegrass with leonardite treatment and higher with fertilizer treatment although not significantly different from control. The concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu and N in grasses grown on topsoil at Center test site were significantly higher than on slack amended spoil. Legumes grown on topsoil at Center site contained higher concentrations of P than those grown on spoil; there were no significant effects due to slack on spoil or topsoil. The data presented in this report act only as an indication of between-treatment and between-species differences in tissue composition of plants harvested in mid-summer season. With respect to the nutrients analyzed, since none were found to be toxic, the cattle can safely feed on the vegetation of these mined areas.

Jan 1, 1982

By W. M. Deaton

[The formation of gas hydrates in natural-gas pipe lines depends on temperature and pressure conditions in the lines as well as on the presence of condensed water. The operating pressure in a pipe line may be determined easily and usually is available from the records of operation, but the temperature seldom is known. In cooperation with the American Gas Association, the Bureau of Mines, in its investigation of gas hydrates, conducted a pipe-line-temperature survey and studied underground temperatures at depths at which pipe lines ordinarily are buried and the relationship of these temperatures to prevailing atmospheric conditions. A similar but more limited study of this type was, conducted by engineers of the Bureau of Mines a number of years ago.4/A summary of the earlier findings was included in a general report by the Bureau on the flow of natural gas through high-pressure transmission lines.5/ In the present study, data on temperature variations were obtained at several places widely separated geographically. This information should assist pipe-line engineers in designing and operating natural-gas pipe lines. In the pipe-line-temperature survey here resorted, a study was made along a 22-inch natural-gas pipe line: originating near Amarillo, Tex., and extending northwestward through New Mexico into Colorado (fig. 1). Some data also were collected along a 16-inch line extending southward from Amarillo. In the study of underground temperatures and their variation with atmospheric temperature, recording; equipment was installed at the]

Jan 1, 1941

By Donald W. Baggs

This report describes economic mining feasibility studies conducted by the Bureau of Mines to estimate mining costs in the Porcupine mining area of the Juneau Mining District, southeastern Alaska. Investigations were conducted on the economics of three mineral deposit types: 1) massive sulfide deposits containing zinc, copper, and silver, 2) vein gold, and 3)disseminated gold. Cost estimates were developed using the Bureau of mines Cost Estimating S,-stem. Discounted cash flow rates of return were calculated using the Bureau of Mines MINSIM (mining simulation) computer program. Three sets of metal prices were used in the study based on recent historical price information. Underground longhole stope mining of a massive sulfide deposit containing 25 pct zinc. 1 pct copper, and 63.6 g/mt silver was found to be economic at high metal prices at a quantity of 13,200,000 mt ore. Cut-and-fill mining of a 26,400,000 mt massive sulfide deposit was found to be economic at medium metal prices. Open pit mining of a similar deposit was found to he economic at medium metal prices and 26,400,000 mt ore, or at high metal prices and 6,600,000 mt ore. Underground mining of a vein gold deposit was found to be economic at a grade of 17.1 g/mt medium metal prices and 1,320,000 mt ore. Open pit mining of a disseminated gold deposit was found to be economic at a grade of 1.71 g/mt medium metal prices and a quantity of 39,600,000 mt ore.

Jan 1, 1986

By Dong G. Chae

A model for the leaching of oxide ores is developed and II correlated with laboratory tests for percolation leaching of copper oxide are. Using the model, recovery of metal values and lixiviant concentration of the effluent solution at any time may be evaluated. For the copper oxide ore a simplified version of the model is examined for the leaching mechanism consisting of: 1) a surface flush reaction with the highest rate of lixiviant consumption; 2) penetration of lixiviant to react with copper minerals and gangue constituents; and, 3) slow lixiviant consumption, mostly by residual gangue materials. The simplified model is able to explain reasonably the leaching behavior of copper oxide ore by introducing a concept of effective initial size to correct for packing in a bed of fine particles.

Jan 1, 1979

By John C. Machisak

THIS PUBLICATION presents injury experience and employment data for the nonmetal mining industry in the United States for 1960. Data for the mines and mills are presented separately, as shown in the list of tables. The Bureau of Mines is authorized to send questionnaires to the nonmetal mining industry for their voluntary submission of injury and employment data. As the information submitted contributes largely to the promotion of safety in the industry, special effort has been made to ma e these questionnaires as complete as possible.

Jan 1, 1963