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By Samuel M. Bryant

The purpose of this study was to develop procedures to measure Bingham flow properties for mine tailings and to use these to predict the possible consequences of a hypothetical tailings flow failure at the Tenmile Tailings Pond at Climax, Colorado. The consequences of such a failure were found to be minimal, and the failure itself highly; unlikely. Values of Ty (Bingham yield shear strength) and np (plastic viscosity) were measured for 10 materials using results obtained from vaned coaxial viscometer tests and triaxial tests.

Jan 1, 1983

By Donald O. Capstick

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Jan 1, 1983

By H. C. Miller

The success of any project in which gas is injected into oil-producing sands to increase the current rate or the economic ultimate production of oil or in which surplus gas from oil producing operations is stored temporarily in reservoir sands that have been wholly or partly depleted of their producible oil depends mainly upon an understanding of the underground movements of oil, water, and injected gas and the ability to control their speed and direction of migration through the reservoir sands. Many operators believe that injected gas always travels up the structure and drives oil to wells structurally higher than the injection wells, because the specific gravity of the injected gas is less than that of the fluid substances in the formation. Consequently, many injection wells are located on the flanks of oil-bearing structures with the idea of utilizing the energy of the injected gas to drive the oil to producing wells higher on the structure. It is true, under certain conditions of pressure and fluid depletion of the reservoir sands, that injected gas will move in an up-structure direction, but the theory that injected gas always moves up the structure is based on an erroneous conception of the laws that pertain to the expansion of gases. By definition, "a gas is distinguished by its property of infinite expansion and is limited in volume only by the walls of the vessel which contains it."3 The expansion of gas that is injected into reservoir sands also is limited by "walls" that surround the space influenced by the injected gas. The walls of the majority of undrilled or virgin oil-bearing reservoirs in California are the impervious shales overlying and underlying the productive strata and the "dams" or effective barriers of edge water around the rims of the reservoirs. When gas is injected into the sands of a producing reservoir, regardless of the location of the injection well on the structure or the degree of depletion of oil from the sands, one of the walls which confine the gas in the structure about the injection well is fluid. This wall will be edge water in a nearly depleted reservoir, where the drainage cones or regions of reduced pressure about injection and producing wells intersect; and, where there is no interference of drainage cones and the injection well is structurally above the edge water, the wall will be oil. In some producing reservoirs bottom water may be the lower wall of the space that confines the gas about injection wells, but the effect of bottom water on limiting the expansion of gas is the same as if the water was not present and impervious formation separated the producing from the underlying nonproducing strata. Therefore, since compressed gas always seeks regions of reduced pressure and its final volume is limited only by formation and fluid barriers and since the force exerted by the gas under pressure is equal in all directions, the course of migration of injected gas in reservoir sands in California and the

Jan 1, 1932

By Charles Will Wright

The purpose of this paper is to present briefly certain preliminary results of the study of mining methods by the United States Bureau of Mines; to show the relative importance of each method in terms of tonnages mined and man-hours consumed; to give to the mining engineers and particularly to the young student of mining a better understanding of the principal mining methods; and to indicate changes now in progress and to present suggestions for improvements in the art of mining. Questions of mine development and details of underground practice such as drilling and blasting, loading, hauling, hoisting, ventilating, pay systems and mine management are omitted, as these have been or will be discussed in other bureau publications.

Jan 1, 1931

By S. J. Broderick

[The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of O. C. Ralston, chief engineer, Nonmetals Division, Bureau of Mines, Who suggested the problem and Gave valuable aid during the course of the work. Thanks axe due also to Will H. Coghill, supervising engineer of the Southern Experiment Station, Bureau of Mines. INTRODUCTION One phase of the general program for utilization of coal-mine waste led to the possibility of making a water softener from the material, as the waste matter contained both coal and clay and. it is known that both these substances can be so activated as to exhibit distinct base-exchange properties. The carbonaceous]

Jan 1, 1941

By George F. Dana

Oil yields, lithology, and stratigraphy have been evaluated for 15 cored wells and two sampled wells representing 10 square miles of the Tipton Member of the Green River Formation near Green River, Wyo. The area evaluated is being used by the Bureau of Mines for experimental production of oil from the oil shales in place. Lithology and oil yields were correlated to produce a stratigraphy diagram for the in situ study area, permitting precise designation of comparable sections. Because of lateral uniformity of oil shale, oil yields from eight cores and two sets of drill-cutting samples within a quarter section show the range of variation in average oil yield arising from experimental error. Variation in average oil yields from the seven cores representing the 10-square-mile study area lies within the expected experimental error. No difference in oil-shale richness across the study area is indicated. Average oil yields for three Tipton sections in the study area were deter-mined as follows: (1) The entire Tipton Member oil shale (about 145 feet thick), 13.3 gallons per ton; (2) the 40-foot upper rich zone, 21.0 gallons per ton; and (3) the 21-foot zone in which the Laramie Energy Research Center is conducting in situ experiments, 22.4 gallons per ton. One acre of the 21-foot experimental section represents 34,300 barrels of oil in place, and 1 acre of the Tipton's 40-foot rich upper layer represents 62,000 barrels.

Jan 1, 1972

By G. L. Gates

The waters used to waterflood the Wilmington oilfield were studied by the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the city of Long Beach, Calif. Increases in the pressure of the injection wells indicated that they were being plugged by materials suspended in the waters. This study was made to identify the suspended materials, determine their origin, and find methods of preventing their formation. The suspended oil-coated materials were iron sulfide, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, clay, and sand (or silica). Results indicated that the sulfide, which was as high as 90 milligrams per liter, was the product of sulfate-reducing bacteria. The injection of ocean water increased the sulfate content of the waters in the petroleum reservoirs from 3 to 250 milligrams per liter, thereby furnishing sulfate for growth of the bacteria. The waters were supersaturated with barium sulfate. Laboratory tests showed that sulfide could be removed from the waters by adding iron at a cost of 1 to 2 mills per barrel. The solubility of iron sulfide and calcium orthophosphate in the injection waters was also determined.

Jan 1, 1975

By P. J. Watson

The objective of this study was to prioritize the potential risks nuisance and biologically active dusts and fumes present in metal and nonmetal mines. This was accomplished by ranking numerical values derived from a matrix formula calculation that took into account dose, mine population, and sampling size. Data used in these calculations were obtained from the Mine Inspection Data Analysis System (MIDAS). The dusts determined to have the highest risk potential were quartz respirable particulates, mine dust, cristobalite respirable particulates, welding fume components, and nuisance respirable dust. Other dusts and fumes that were not ranked in this study, due to small sampling population, but which show a potential risk, include asbestos, talc, hydrogen cyanide, organic compound dusts, arsenic, metal dusts, and metal and nonmetal fumes.

Jan 1, 1987

By S. J. Broderick

[One phase of the general program for utilization of coal-mine waste led to the possibility of making a water softener from the material, as the waste matter contained both coal and clay and it is known that both these substances can be so activated as to exhibit distinct base-exchange properties. The carbonaceous]

Jan 1, 1941

By Charles T. Baroch

RESEARCH strengthened the position of cesium as the preferred material (commonly but erroneously called "fuel") for ionic propulsion engines. Its use as an element of the plasma thermocouple for generating electricity also seemed more likely. Domestic Production.-No domestic ore of cesium and rubidium was produced. San Antonio Chemicals, Inc., San Antonio, Tex., and Maywood Chemical Works, Maywood, N.J., continued to produce cesium and rubidium compounds including carbonate, chromate, hydroxide, nitrate, sulfate, and all four halides. Rocky Mountain Research, Inc., Denver, Colo., began producing various cesium and rubidium salts. American Potash & Chemical Corp., Los Angeles, Calif., offered cesium and rubidium for sale.

Jan 1, 1960

By W. E. Young, D. T. Delicate

This study was made to present the mining methods and costs of a uranium mine typical of other mines in the highly productive Westwater Canyon member of the Morrison formation in New Mexico. Four mining methods have been used at the Section 23 mine: the retreat- room-and-pillar method, a sublevel-slicing method (also called top-slicing), the horizontal-cut-and-fill method, and a modification of the ring-drill method. The application of the methods at this mine and at other mines in the area should be of benefit to operators with similar problems. Ore bodies in the Section 23 mine are irregularly shaped and vary in size, in rock strength, in moisture content, and in uranium concentrations; different mining methods are required and mining costs are not constant. A 6-month period of operation at the Section 23 mine was analyzed and mining costs, not including amortization, depreciation, or Federal taxes, averaged about $6.80 per ton.

Nov 1, 1963

By James R. Boyle

The value of Alabama's nonfuel mineral production in 1984 was $409.8 million, and established a new record high for value of nonfuel minerals in the State, at 13.4:% over the previous high of 1983. Output of nearly all nonfuel minerals increased; phosphate rock was one of the exceptions, with no recorded output in 1984. Cement, crushed stone, lime, sand and gravel, and clays were the major commodities produced in Alabama. Alabama led the Nation in the production of crushed marble; was second in bauxite; third in fire clay and kaolin; fourth in bentonite, ferroalloys, and dimension marble; fifth in masonry cement, lime, and recovered sulfur; and sixth in portland cement. Alabama ranked 22d in the Nation in value of nonfuel minerals produced.

Jan 1, 1986

By R. W. Lowe

1. Reserves are estimated in the Nemo, Sewanee, Wilder, and White Oak beds of Fentress County, Tenn. The Wilder is the only bed being mined commercially and contains the largest known reserves. Eleven lesser known beds are present in the county, but not enough information on them was available for estimating the reserves. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves, based on a minimum bed thickness of 14 inches and on 1,800 tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated at 102 million tons as of January 1, 1955. This total includes 66 million tons in beds 28 inches and more thick.

Jan 1, 1956

By Lloyd Williams, H. K. Gibbs, William L. Crentz, J. W. Miller

"Reserves This investigation shows that the Poplar Creek is the most important bed in Scott County from a production standpoint. Although the Poplar Creek bed contains the largest reserve, the Big Mary has a larger recoverable reserve. Estimates of reserves also have been made for the Pewee, Red Ash, Windrock, Upper Pioneer, Jellico, and White Oak beds.Known measured and indicated reserves of coal, based on a minimum bed thickness of 14 inches and on 1,800 short tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated to be 143 million tons as of January 1, 1954. Of this total, 74 million tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in each bed were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager for making an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.Recoverable reserves of coal are estimated in beds 28 inches and more thick. This thickness is about the minimum now being mined by hand loading onto conveyors in the Appalachian region. The weighted average recovery for all beds in Scott County, as determined by this investigation, is 52.4 percent. This percentage is based on the total thickness of coal in the bed (less partings three-eighths inch or more thick) rather than on the thickness of the coal mined. Based on the weighted average percentage of recovery for all beds in Scott County, the recoverable reserves of coal are estimated to be 39 million tons as of January 1, 1954.Coal Analyses Chemical analyses of coal samples taken for this study show that the coal in Scott County is of high-volatile a bituminous rank except the Upper Pioneer bed, which is shown to be high-volatile B bituminous. The Pewee bed shows typical low-sulfur characteristics. The high ash and sulfur in the Big Mary are characteristic of that bed. The Poplar Creek is moderately low in ash and sulfur in areas where there is no parting in the bed."

Jun 1, 1956

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 Bruce D. Sartwell

A program was written which utilizes a remote teletype input to a time- sharing computer to plot charged particle or X-ray energy spectra which are stored in the memory of multichannel analyzers. The program, written in FORTRAN V, accepts the data printed out by the pulse height analyzer on paper tape and then, after reading these data tapes into the computer, plots on the teletype the desired energy spectra on a scale automatically adjusted for the maximum number occurring in the data. The program is flexible enough so that the researcher can subsequently expand or contract the vertical (intensity) or horizontal (energy) scales. With a slight modification, the program will accept data printouts from scalers or analog to digital converters. The program also includes a feature for integrating the energy peaks obtained by pulse height analysis.

Jan 1, 1970

By Craig S. Compton

The failure of the immediate roof or "roof skin" between installed primary and secundary roof supports causes hundreds of injuries and, on average one or two fatalities each year in U.S. underground coal mines. Conventional roof supports cannot cover enough roof area to adequately control these relatively small, but very dangerous rock falls. The 2006 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) accident database lists a total of 542 ground fall injuries, including 10 fatalities. An analysis of the database suggests that 434 of the injuries and three of the fatali­ties can be attributed to roof skin falls (See Figure 2). The key to controlling falls of the immediate roof or roof skin is maximizing the area of roof coverage ilnd confining these relatively small loose rocks. Roof screen offers maximum coverage of the immediate roof. Depending on the size and configuration of the screen panels, coverage of up to 100% of the roof area is possi­ble. Screen also offers a first line of defense for machine operators working in the face area by confining or deflecting small rocks that can come loose during mining or roof bolt installation. Figure 1 shows an example of the protection screen provides dur­ing bolt installation. Although the benefits of screen are well-known, mining com­panies in some areas of the U.S., mainly Northern Appalachia and the Illinois basin, are not convinced that roof screen is the best tool for dealing with roof skin control issues. The logistics of material handling, possible ergonomic injuries to workers, and the costs associated with installation are delaying the acceptance of screen as an on-cycle roof support tool. Other mines however, have concluded that installing roof screen can be cost-effective when compared to the cost of lost time accidents, training of replacement workers, or returning to already developed entries for the cleaning and rebolting process.

Jan 1, 2009

By Jerry G. Craig

The Bureau of Mines has developed a computerized oil and gas well data retrieval system from studies of the waterflood potential of a producing reservoir. This system stores pertinent information about each well completed in a reservoir and facilitates selection and manipulation of large volumes of data. Use of the system enables reservoir information to be supplied rapidly, accurately, and at less expense.

Jan 1, 1971

By H. B. Hill

The discovery of the Oklahoma City field and its .rapid development into one of the major oil-producing districts is an outstanding epoch in the history of the petroleum industry not only of .Oklahoma but also of the United States. The relatively great depth to which the wells were drilled and the large initial production of high-gravity oil are of special significance. The field has boon under proration almost from the time that its development began, and many new production problems have developed out of the changed conditions of operation. The discovery well was first tested in December 1928 at a depth of 6,402 feet, with an initial production of 4,847 barrels of 38.5° A.P.I. gravity and several months later was completed at a depth of 6,624 feet. The large initial production, the high pressure, and the large gas volume in the different horizons of the discovery well suggested the potential possibilities of gas and oil, production in formations of Pennsylvanian and pre-Pennsylvanian age.

Jan 1, 1933

By J. W. Miller

Wyoming County had for many years supplied large quantities of coking coals to coke plants throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Up to the present most of the coal has been produced from relatively few beds, but in the future the coal will be produced from beds not previously mined in quantity. This trend is shown in the entire Winding Gulf field, of which Wyoming County is a part. This publication is one of a series of Bureau of mines reports appraising the Nation's coking coal, which y be used to determine the practicability of upgrading marginal deposits to metallurgical standards. This investigation of the preparation characteristics of Wyoming County coals is the third of the series undertaken in West Virginia.

Jan 1, 1955