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By R. J. Marek

The number of persons fatally injured in the California petroleum industry in 1931 was 30, a decrease of 20 fatalities or 40 per cent from the number killed in 1930. As a result of the decrease in the number of fatalities for 1931, the fatality curve of the California petroleum industry reached its lowest point in nine years. Although reductions in personnel--which permitted the retention of a select and experienced class of workmen, decreased active field-development work, and curtailed production--undoubtedly have had a marked effect on reducing the number of fatalities in 1931, the decrease also has resulted from continued accident-prevention efforts. Statistics show that a direct relationship exists between development activity and the number of men accidentally killed in the drilling and producing division of the California petroleum industry. For example, when the average number of drilling wells in 1930 was 29 per cent less than in 1929, the number of men accidentally killed at drilling wells dropped 48 per cent; and when the average number of drilling wells in 1931 decreased 52 per cent from 1930, the number of fatalities at drilling wells decreased 58 per cent. The relationship between field-development work and fatality frequency is significant because each year at least 50 per cent of all the fatalities in the California petroleum industry occur in the drilling and producing division. This relationship should serve to guide the accident-prevention efforts of the industry, especially in the drilling and producing division, toward checking an increase in fatal accidents when development activity again takes an upward trend.

Jan 1, 1932

By Steven R. Ruggieri

This report documents the work performed and the results obtained during the field demonstration of the Remote Sealing System at the USBM's Jenny Mine near Inez, KY in the Fall of 1978. Although various portions of the Remote Sealing System had been used on a number of prior occasions, the field demonstration at Jenny Mine marked the first use of the complete upgraded system including the use of the inert gas generating system for seal placement and the first application of the new froth foam system. The objective of the field demonstration at Jenny Mine was to demonstrate the complete system by emplacing and evaluating several complete underground seals under conditions representing those of a mine fire situation. Several critical sealing conditions were identified including: ? High entry airflow ? Standing water (1 to 2 ft) in the entry ? Flowing water (150 gal/min) ? Irregular roof ? Sealing a 4-way intersection. Four seals were successfully placed under the conditions mentioned above. The demonstration served to verify proposed techniques to handle these conditions as well as to dispel any doubts about the system's capabilities. As a result of the successful field demonstration, the Remote Sealing Equipment is now under the jurisdiction of MSHA's Mine Emergency Operation ready for a mine fire emergency.

Jan 1, 1980

By L. B. Pankratzt

The heat capacity of dimo1ybdenum carbide (Mo2C) was measured from 51° to 298° K, and the entropy at 298.15° K was evaluated. Heat content measurements above 298.15° It were conducted for dimolybdenum carbide (M0caY) and monotantalum carbide (TaC). The results were combined with known heats of formation and the 298.15° K entropy for TaC to obtain values of the heat and free energy of formation from 298.15° K to 1,400° K for MoaC and from 298.15°K to 1,800° K for TaC.

Jan 1, 1966

The Bureau of Mines has been active in promoting the purchase of coal for Government use under specifications that define the requirements in terms of heating value of the coal, expressed in British thermal units, and the composition as shown by proximate analyses. To these, when required, are added the ash-softening temperature, the free-swelling index, and the Hardgrove grindability index. Under most of these specification contracts the bidders guarantee the quality of the coal, and that guaranteed by the successful bidder becomes the standard of his contract. The deliveries are sampled in accordance with instructions2 issued by the Bureau of Mines; the samples are analyzed in the Bureau laboratory to determine whether the coal is of the quality guaranteed by the contractor; if it is not, a price adjustment is made, Analyses of the delivered coal and tipple samples (samples collected at mine tipples as coal is being loaded into railroad cars or trucks) provide valuable data for use in evaluating future bids. In addition, the continuous sampling of coal as delivered is a check on the practical results obtained in burning the coal.

Jan 1, 1971

By J. M. Mutmansky, C. Lee

"IntroductionRecognition of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) as a major occupational disease has affected various aspects of the coal mining industry in the United States as well as in almost all major coal producing countries, Regulations related to the control of coal mine dust forced mine operators to modify their mining and ventilation practices. As the coal production record of the last 15 years shows, this had both direct and indirect impacts on the productivity and production costs.To identify the causes of CWP, many research efforts have been made throughout the world. Most of these studies were epidemiological in nature, attempting to pinpoint exposure and seam variables that affected the incidence of the disease. Other studies have been oriented toward the elemental and mineralogical composition of the coal dust in the mine atmosphere and in the miners' lungs. These studies indicate that there may exist some relationships between the characteristics of the coal mine dust and the prevalence of the disease. Some of the variables that are thought to affect the occurrence of CWP are the mass of the dust in the working place, the rank of the coal, the existence of certain trace elements, the free silica content of the coal, and the existence of other minerals in the respirable dust. A more complete description of these previous research studies has appeared elsewhere (Mutmansky and Lee, 1984).The behavior of particles in the human lung is known to be governed by their aerodynamic diameter, which is defined as the diameter of a hypothetical spherical particle with unit density that exhibits the same settling velocity as the given particle. Because of this fact, the aerodynamic size distribution of coal mine dust is one of the parameters to be determined along with the other physical, elemental, and mineralogical characteristics. The objective of this paper is to establish a strategy for providing coal mine respirable dust samples for characterization purposes using instruments that classify according to the aerodynamic diameter. In addition, several findings concerning characterization methods will be presented"

Mar 1, 1989

This publication summarizes, for all interested parties, the research, development, and demonstration in-house projets programed by the Bureau of Mines for fiscal year 1980 (October 1, 1979 - September 30, 1980) under its Minerals Health and Safety Research program. The objective of these projects is to provide an ordered and sequenced series of advances toward the Bureau's overall goal of providing the system technology required to create a healthier and safer working environment for the Nation's mining and minerals processing workers.

Jan 1, 1980

By Alton B. Cook

The practice of using partly depleted oil reservoirs for gas-storage operations is proving successful. Moreover, this practice provides a method of secondary oil recovery when gas is cycled at full-storage reservoir pressure. Because of the relative newness of this operation, a study was undertaken to assist engineers in developing improved gas-injection and production procedures and in calculating the amount of gas needed for completely repressuring reservoirs. This paper is the third in a series reporting the progress of a study by the Federal Bureau of Mines of reservoir performance during complete gas repressuring and gas cycling. A procedure for estimating secondary oil recovery by this method is also under study. One report (7)3/ describes the laboratory equipment. The other report (8) gives (1) data on the New York City field, Clay County, Tex., which has been converted to gas-storage operations; (2) laboratory data from research with a model oil reservoir, in which primary production, complete gas repressuring, and gas cycling for the New York City field were simulated; and (3) theory to explain reservoir performance during gas repressuring.

Jan 1, 1961

By J. B. Gayle

Many investigators have reported studies of size distributions for particulate solids ; usually , these have involved the fitting of size distribution data to a particular mathematical function . Such studies are of unquestioned value and have contributed much worthwhile information regarding the breakage mechanisms for a variety of brittle materials . In connection with a Bureau of Mines study of the size distribution of coke , which has been subjected to the standard American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) tumbler test , attention was focused on the relation between the 1 -inch tumbler index (usually considered to be indicative of the ability of coke to resist degradation by impact ) and the 1 /4 - inch tumbler index ( indicative of the ability to resist degradation by abrasion ) . Specifically , it was noted that for certain sets of data the correlation coefficients denoting the relation between these indexes were positive ; for other sets of data , these coefficients were negative . Preliminary consideration of this problem indicated that the usual interpretation placed on correlation coefficients was erroneous in this particular instance because the variables being correlated were necessarily related . The work described in this report was undertaken to clarify the interpretation of results of correlation studies for variables of this type .

Jul 1, 1960

By C. J. Wilhelm, John M. Devine, Ludwig Schmidt

"Steel tanks often corrode rapidly in oil fields where the Gas produced with crude contains an appreciable quantity of hydrogen sulphide. In many instances working tanks have been discarded after only six months of service because of failure induced by corrosion.Aluminum has been used for some time in the fabrication of certain equipment incidental to the handling of oils containing hydrogen sulphide gas in solution, and has exhibited no carious corrosive action. These uses indicated that aluminum tanks,be equally effective in counter- acting hydrogen sulphide corrosion. Consequently, in the spring of 1920, an all-aluminum stock tank of 500 barrels capacity and a ""composite"" tank of equal capacity, having a steel bottom and bottom ring and an aluminum top and top ring, were placed in service on the State-Lassiter lease of the Gulf Production Co, in Crane County, Tex. These tanks were under observation for one year, the toot being sponsored by the Gulf Production Co., the Aluminum Co. of America, and the Parkersburg Rig and Reel Co. The results of this preliminary test sustained the belief that aluminum is highly resistance to hydrogen sulphide gas and likewise indicated the type or grade of aluminum which could be most economically used for lease tankage. However, in this preliminary test the tanks were not subjected to contact with the quantities o highly concentrated brines such as often are associated and produced with crude oil. Therefore, it was suggested by representatives of the aluminum Co. that additional tests be made to include production conditions in large quantities of brine would be handled, for pact experience had shown that aluminum often is susceptible to the corrosive action of brines."

Apr 1, 1931

By B. J. Scheiner

Oxidation procedures based on the chlorine-hypochlorite system were investigated for improving gold recovery from carbonaceous gold ores. The oxidation pretreatment prior to cyanidation was accomplished by (1) addition of sodium hypochlorite to ore pulp, (2) by addition of chlorine to ore pulp, and (3) by generation of hypochlorite in situ by electrolysis of a brine solution used to pulp the ore. Gold extraction of 90 pct was achieved by cyanidation of carbonaceous ore that had been pretreated with 20 Ib per ton sodium hypochlorite at 50° C for 4 hours. Similarly, pretreatment of the ore pulp with 35 1b chlorine per ton at 24° to 30° C and 15 hours reaction time resulted in 89-pct gold extraction by subsequent cyanidation. Concomitant studies showed that electrolyzing the pulp prepared with a brine solution was equally as effective as electrolyzing hypochlorite and chlorine for oxidizing carbonaceous ore constituents that are deleterious to cyanidation. Gold extraction of 90 pct was obtained by electrolysis when 275 lb of are was treated at 200 amp for 7 hours in an 8-to 10-pct salt solution. Power consumption was in the range of 60 kwhr per ton.

Jan 1, 1972

1. In 2002, a total of 256 metal mining operations reported employment to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Metal mines were the smallest mining sector,1 comprising 1.8% of all mining operations. • Gold mines comprised 44.1% (n = 113) of all metal mining operations. Other types of metal mines were copper ore (n = 31; 12.1%), iron ore (n = 25; 9.8%), and lead and/or zinc ore (n = 21; 8.2%). • Nevada is the state with the largest number of metal mines (n = 53; 20.7%).

Jan 1, 2004

By David P. Lindroth

The objective of this research by the Bureau of Mines was to determine the technical feasibility and associated pilot data for drying minus 1/4-in coal with microwave energy at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The drying data were obtained experimentally on three coal types: bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. The experiments were performed with a custom-designed conveyorized microwave oven having a continuous power capability of 12 kW. Drying efficiencies near the theoretical maximum of 1.54 kg of water per kilowatt hour of energy input were achieved for two coals and two sizes; overall drying efficiencies averaged 77 pct.

Jan 1, 1986

By J. C. Judd

The Bureau of Mines investigated the recovery of vanadium, uranium, and phosphorus from low-grade phosphorite ores and concentrate by leach-ing with H2S04. Samples containing 0.12 to 0.23 pct V20S, 0.009 to 0.012 pct U30S and 18 to 30 pct P20S were treated by batch-agitation leaching, roasting followed by acid leaching, salt-roasting followed by acid leaching, and leaching under pressure. Maximum recoveries using leaching alone ranged from 78 to 98 pct of the V20S and 74 to 88 pct of the U30S-Leaching under pressure resulted in extractions of 88 to 95 pct of the V20S and 84 to 89 pct of the U30S. Leaching following roasting--with or without NaCI--produced extractions of 97 to 99 pct of the V20S and 86 to 91 pct of the U30a. Depending on the technique(s) employed, phosphate extractions ranged from 89 to 99 pct. Solvent extraction laboratory tests were conducted to selectively re-cover vanadium and uranium values from acid leach solutions. An average of 95 pct -of the U30a was recovered using di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid, plus trioctylphosphinic oxide. Essentially all of the V20S was recovered with octylphenyl acid phosphate plus isodecanol. The phosphate remained in the raffinate.

Jan 1, 1986

By P. G. Clites

The Bureau of Mines developed techniques for induction melting of titanium in a split, water-cooled copper crucible. Calcium fluoride, which was used as an inert slag cover during melting, formed an insulating layer of solid slag between the ingot and the crucible wall. This thin layer of slag effectively insulated the ingot from the crucible and prevented the molten metal from shorting across the slits between adjacent segments of the crucible. The technique provides a means of melting loose titanium sponge and scrap and eliminates the need for fabricating a consumable electrode. This report describes the equipment developed and compares ingots produced from two varieties of titanium sponge, from titanium scrap, and from previously melted titanium with ingots prepared by vacuum-arc melting and electroslag melting. A melting scheme was also proposed and evaluated whereby loose titanium sponge was consolidated into a first-melt ingot for vacuum-arc remelting.

Jan 1, 1969

By F. S. Crawford

Companies which have been engaged in safety work for a number of years are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it is not enough to supply guards for various pieces of machinery and equipment and to supply safety inspection to see that rules are being carried out. Studies of many safety organizations have demonstrated that the accidents which could have been prevented by proper guards constitute only a small percentage of the total acci- dents, and amount to perhaps not more than 15 per cent. Evidently, if success is to be attained in preventing all accidents which it is humanly possible to prevent, a company must have the cooperation of every employee. Mining particularly presents probably the greatest hazards of any industry. Prevention of accidents. is made increasingly difficult because men often work alone, although generally in pairs, and only in the concentrated systems of mining do they usually work in groups of more than three or four. Supervision is difficult, therefore, and much reliance must be placed upon the individual workmen. In mining, as perhaps in no other occupation, it is of the greatest importance that individual workmen should receive continuous safety education. Within the last few years safety education has come to the front as one of the most important of accident-prevention measures, although it is true that its importance has been repeatedly stressed by the United States Bureau of Mines and other national safety organizations since the inception of the safety movement many years ago. A review of the safety educational methods of some companies in the Lake Superior district should be of interest. Perhaps better methods are in use in other parts of the country, but the methods shown have been instrumental in many cases in reducing the number of accidents. In one mine in the district whose methods are described the frequency of accidents has been reduced to zero within the last two years. A number of other mines in the district have recently gone into the class having no lost-time accidents for considerable periods of time. One company in the Lake Superior region, operating over 30 mines, succeeded during one month of 1930 in operating every mine without having a single accident which caused lost time beyond the day of the injury. Records like these are increasing in number, and while it is believed that they are the combined result of different means of safety activity, it is undoubtedly true that many of these results were obtained through safety educational methods.

Sep 1, 1931

This Bureau of Mines report is a compilation of information on computer models of mineral commodity markets in the Federal Government, The directory was compiled by the Analytic System Working Group of the Interagency Minerals Information Coordinating Committee to support the formulation of policies related to nonfuel minerals.

Jan 1, 1984

By David A. Monaghan, Kenneth R. Maser, Adi R. Gurdar, D. Randolph Berry

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Dougherty, John J. , "Control of Mine Fires", Publication of the Mining Extension Service, School of Mines, Appalachian Center, West Virginia University (1969). 2. Coal Age, "Fire, Explosions and Recovery, Federal No. 1 Mine", November, 1963. 3. Nagy, et al., "Sealing a Coal Mine Passage through a -Nor-ii-hole: A Progress Report", U.S. B. M. Publication No. 6453, (1964). 4. Murphy, et al., "Use of Fly Ash for Remote Filling of Underground Cavities and Passageways", U.S. B. M. Publication No. 7214, (1968). 5. Pennsylvania Drilling Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Personal Review of Equipment. 6. Industrial Hazards and Communication, Division of U. S. B. M. Personal Communication with John Murphy and Merle Bowser. 7. Instrument Technology, Inc., Borescopes and CCTV Systems for Inspections of Nuclear Reactors; Personal Communication. 8. "Public Works", July, 1972. 9. The Industrial Hazards and Communications Division of the U.S. B. M. , Personal Communication regarding Cohu Model No. 2006. 10. "Bibliography on Underwater Photography and Photogrammetry", Eastman Kodak Pamphlet No. P-124. 11. Optical Properties and Visual Effects of Smoke-Stack Plumes, U.S. Department of HEW, 1967. 12. Middleton, W. E. K. , "Vision Thru the Atmosphere", Univ. of Toronto Press, 1952. 13. Kodak "High Speed Infra Red" film and Singer Corporation Model TI Silicon Vidicon TV Camera. 14. Night Vision Laboratory, Fort Belvoir, Maryland; Barnes Engineering Company, Stamford, Connecticut, Model, T-101; AGA Inc. , Secaucus, New Jersey, Model, "Thermovision" 680.

Jan 1, 1973

By L. L. Oden

The Bureau of Mines is conducting research to develop methanation catalysts for converting synthesis gas derived from coal to synthetic natural gas. This report describes a method to prepare supported Raney nickel coatings by dipping screen-covered nickel sheet in molten aluminum-nickel alloy. Coatings were formed at 1,050° C that were comparable in thickness, composition, microstructure, and catalytic properties to flame-sprayed commercially pre-pared Raney nickel. A molten salt comprising cryolite-8 wt-pct LiF was employed over the molten metal bath to clean and preheat the substrates, to protect the metal bath from oxidation, and to heattreat the coated specimens. Immediately following heat treatment, specimens were quenched to 700° C in a molten salt bath containing CaC12-34.5 wt-pct NaCl, which also functioned to remove the insoluble occluded fluoride salt.

Jan 1, 1976

By R. V. Lundquist, H. Leitch

Two hydrated calcium aluminates , formed by side reactions in the leaching step and desilication step of the lime- soda sinter process , were investigated to better define their influence on alumina recovery . The two calcium aluminates , Caз [ Al ( OH) 6 ]₂ and зCa0.Al½ 03 · ( 8-12 ) H₂ ) , were prepared and identified by chemical and X- ray analysis . The relative proportions of each of these compounds formed in typical leach solutions at several temperatures were determined . The influence of free lime as a promoter of calcium aluminate formation was also investigated . The formation and precipitation from leach liquors of calcium aluminates contributes to the low alumina recoveries in the process . The presence of carbonate ion in the leach solution suppresses calcium aluminate formation and precipitation and results in higher alumina recovery . Hydrated calcium aluminates are formed in the aging of lime - soda sinters in the normal atmosphere .

Jan 1, 1963

By M. E. Tyrrell, J. Koster

This work was undertaken to determine the feasibility of making mixed diborides of two metals directly from the metal oxides , boron carbide and carbon . The diborides (Ti , V ) , B₂ , (Ti , Cb) B₂ , and ( Ti , Ta ) B₂ were prepared in a crucible resistance furnace at 2,100 ° C , and X- ray- diffraction analyses showed each was a homogeneous solid solution containing approximately equal molar contents of the given diborides . The diboride powders were cold - pressed ; sintered to 2,300 ° C , and evaluated for mechanical strength , rate of oxidation , and resistance to molten metals . The diboride ( Ti , Ta ) B₂ exhibited the best mechanical properties ; the diboride ( Ti , Cb ) B₂ , the lowest cumulative rate of oxidation . The mixtures were stable in the presence of molten aluminum and copper but were attacked by molten Ti , Zr , and Cr .

Jan 1, 1964