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By Walter R. Storms

This paper, which describes the mining methods of the Potash Co. of America in Eddy County, N. Mex., is one of a series being prepared by the Mining Branch, of the Bureau of Mines on mining practices and methods in various mining districts of the United States. 4, T. The mine and plant of Potash Co. of America are situated in sec. 20 S., R.. 30, E.,. N. M. P. M., about 22 miles by paved road northeast of Carlsbad (fig. 1). A spur line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad also connects the mine with Carlsbad.

Apr 1, 1948

By Michael S. Miller

In 1984, at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied the 34,050-acre Cow Creek Wilderness Study Area (WSA) in order to evaluate its mineral resources. The WSA, located about 60 miles southeast of Havre, MT, contains sandstones, shales, clays, and coal of Cretaceous age. The Cretaceous rocks have been intruded by ultramafic diatremes. Quaternary glacial, stream, and landslide deposits overlie the older rocks. Claims are staked at five of seven sites favorable for diamonds within the WSA and at additional sites nearby. Although the ultramafic diatremes within and near the WSA contain minerals that are indicators for diamonds, no positive evidence of diamonds was found during this study. An abandoned coal mine, the Shellenberger, is inside the southwest boundary of the WSA. Possible petroleum and natural gas at depth are currently of interest; land within the WSA is leased or under lease application for oil and gas. The WSA contains subeconomic clays, zeolites, gold, silver, platinum group metals, and coal.

Jan 1, 1986

By Bernadette Michalski

Although hydrocarbons accounted for more than 60% of Bahrain's income and more than 80% of export earnings, this island nation sustained one of the more diversified economies in the Gulf Region. The availability of low-cost natural gas for electric power has fostered the development of a significant aluminum refining and manufacturing industry with emphasis on vertical integration. The Bahraini iron pelletization plant, closed since 1986 due to financial problems, was scheduled to reopen by early 1989. Commodity Review Metals.-Aluminum.-Aluminium Bah-rain Bsc (Alba) attained record high production levels in 1988 taking advantage of favorable aluminum prices, which averaged over $2,000 per ton as compared with less than $1,500 per ton in 1987. Net aluminum production was nearly 13,000 tons over design capacity. Fewer standard ingots (52,081 tons as compared with 79,685 in 1987) were produced as Alba concentrated on higher value added products such as rolling ingots (42,324 tons as compared with 32,125 tons) and extrusion billets (60,934 tons as compared with 46,618 tons).

Jan 1, 1990

By Oliver Bowles

This paper is the fourth of the current series issued by the Bureau of Mines on lime- plant problems . It is hoped that the information presented in these reports will develop sufficient interest among lime- plant operators to prompt them to discuss with the Bureau their own experiences , for it is believed by such an interchange of ideas conclusions will be reached that will be of practical benefit to the entire industry . Much valuable information has been obtained from replies to the papers already issued , but a more general response is greatly desired . It is hoped that many operators will contribute additions to the information on transportation systems now at hand by answering the questions on the final page .

Mar 1, 1923

By Russell R. Trengove

In order to extend or delimit the known ore reserves adjacent to the Comet Coalition property on the western slope of the Highland Peak Range about 8 airline miles west of Pioche, Nev., the Bureau of Mines undertook an exploration project of diamond drilling. Production figures from this property, formerly known as the Schodde, are not available, but it has been reported that small amounts of rich silver and gold ore were Shipped by wagon to a smelter in the Salt Lake valley during 1900-1910. Small shipments were reported for the period 1915-1927, also. A study of the Pioche District by the Federal Geological Survey in 1942 and 1943 was the basis for the exploration program of the Bureau of Mines in 1947 This program consisted of diamond-drilling three holes. The total footage was 2,967 feet. No. 1 hole was drilled 1,260 feet, a record depth for diamond drilling in the Pioche District. Silver-bearing lead-zinc sulfide ores are found in the Combined Metals limestone, known locally as the C.M. bed, These deposits have been formed by replacement of the limestone that is inclosed in the Pioche shale.

Jan 1, 1949

Researchers with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed a training module to educate both new, inexperienced miners as well as veterans on important issues related to self-rescue and escape procedures. These include: (1) physical and environmental conditions that can be encountered in a mine after a major explosion, (2) knowledge of emergency meeting locations and escape routes, (3) the importance of using self-rescuers, even in seemingly clear air, to keep the lungs isolated from contaminants, and (4) why miners should not go off to look for others who are missing. In addition, the module may stimulate miners to think about and discuss mine explosions and the devastating effects of such an event.

May 1, 2009

By Andrew B. Cecala

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has designed and tested a system called the Bag and Belt Cleaner Device (B&BCD) to reduce dust levels in and around the bag conveying and stacking process. The device physically cleans either 22.7 kg (50 lb) or 45.4 kg (100 lb) paper bags by using a combination of brushes and air jets. It is completely self-contained and is kept under negative pressure by a baghouse to ensure that dust and product removed from the bags during cleaning does not flow into the work environment and contaminate workers. The bags travel through the device on a chain conveyor, which permits any product or dust cleaned from the bags to fall into a hopper at the bottom of the device and be recycled back into the process via a screw conveyor. Once exiting the B&BCD, the outside of the bags and the conveyor are essentially product and dust free. The B&BCD was evaluated at two mineral processing plants to determine reductions with the device in use. The results of both field evaluations showed that the amount of product removed from the outside of the bags varied from 77 to 93 pet.

Jan 1, 2010

By Eugene Frey

"INTRODUCTION The ti taniferous-iron deposits in the Iron Mountain area of the Laramie Range, and particularly the Shanton deposit, were examined by several engineers. 3/ of the Bureau of Mines during 1942, 1943, and 1944. A dip-needle survey also was made early in 1945. 4/ Interest in this property has increased as a result of the exploratory work completed by the Bureau in 1944 on the Iron Mountain deposit, 6 miles northeast of the Shanton property.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIn its program of exploration of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the end that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each exploratory project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual exploratory work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, R. G. Knickerbocker, chief analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director.Special acknowledgment is due to Paul T. Allsman, chief, Salt Lake City Division, Mining Branch; James A. Marsh, district engineer; Paul E. Pesonen, Frank L. Wideman, and Frank H. Gunnell, Bureau of Mines engineers; and to S. R. Zimmerley, chief, Salt Lake City Division, Metallurgical Branch, for analyses of samples."

Aug 1, 1946

By E. D. Gardner, Edmund Stein

"IntroductionMassive sulphides occurring in metal mines are inflammable and furnish the fuel for many mine fires. Actual sampling has shown that dangerous amounts of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide may occur in mine atmospheres after blasting in massive sulphides. Probably some .of the finer sulphide in the material being blasted burns while it is in contact with the flame from the explosion. It’s also possible that oxygen of the explosive enters into the reaction.That sulphide dusts are explosive under some conditions has long been suspected, but the theory has not been generally accepted as having been proved. Evidence now at hand appears to be conclusive that such explosions do occasionally occur in mine workings in massive sulphides. Information from several mines working in heavy sulphides shows that occasionally, sulphur dioxide in larger amounts than could be expected from the blasting alone are occasionally thrown out into the mine atmosphere during blasting. Accidents have occurred and lives have been lost by men being caught in such gases. Also it appears in a few cases that damage done to timber in stopes by concussions has been greater than could 112.ve been expected from the regular blasts. In most of these cases the unusually large amounts of Sulphur dioxide could only be accounted for by an explosion or by an ignition of sulphide dusts. When this occurs it is probable that the settled dust is stirred up by the first shot of a round, then the dust cloud is ignited by this or a succeeding shot.In one instance, the senior author, while wearing breathing apparatus, returned to a station to take a gas sample immediately after a raise round had been blasted, and encountered a heavy white fume or smoke that was corrosive to the skin and which forced a retreat. The sample, which was taken farther back in a greatly diluted atmosphere, showed a high percentage (0.18) of sulphur dioxide. The station and the raise which was just being started were very dry and the walls and floor of the station contained settled sulphide dust which apparently was ignited by the blast."

Mar 1, 1928

By A. C. Rice

Investigation of a variety of mines to determine efficiency for rare- earth extraction has resulted in a solvent extraction technique wherein Primene 81-R,4 N-benzylheptadeeylamine (BHDA), and Primene JM-T give favorable extraction from sulfate solutions. Extraction from chloride, nitrate, and perchlorate solutions is negligible. Distribution coefficients for 10 rare-earth elements with Primene 81-R establish an extraction sequence beginning with lanthanum and proceeding through lutetium according to atomic number. Yttrium and ytterbium are exceptions in the extract ion sequence.

Jan 1, 1962

By J. W. Griflith, P. A. Mack, C. M. Lang, S. Riling

"N-acetyl-beta(B)-D-glucosaminidase is a N-acetyl-beta((B)-D-glucosaminidase enzyme se¬creted by alveolar macrophages in response to phagocytosis of particulate material. Alveolar macrophages participate in the degradation and fibrosis of pulmonary tissue that results in pneumoconiosis. Known quantities of four characterized respirable dusts were bronchoscopically placed into the right caudal lung lobe of macaque monkeys. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were collected from dust-exposed right lung and unexposed left lung of the same individuals at 2-week intervals for 12 weeks after dust instillation. The samples were tested for N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity to determine if the enzyme levels could serve as an indicator of pulmonary injury induced by generic coal dusts when compared to known fibrogenic and nuisance dusts. Installation of generic quartz, anthracite, or TiO2 dusts produced significant elevations of enzyme activity and increased numbers of macrophages in the dust-exposed lobes. Elevations in enzymatic activity and macrophage numbers were greatest in response to generic quartz dust. These results suggest that quantitative levels of N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity may be a useful indicator of acute and chronic lung injury following exposure to fibrogenic and nonfibrogenic dusts.IntroductionCoal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) is an occupational pulmonary disease associated with the inhalation of coal mine dust. An important external factor in the development of CWP is the composition of the respirable coal mine dust. A cause-and-effect relationship exists between coal mine dust and CWP, but it has not been shown that exposure to generic coal dusts will cause CWP [12]. Numerous immunological, biochemical, and cellular changes occur in CWP; however, in this study, only N-acetyl-beta(B)-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase), protein, and alveolar macrophages (AM) will be examined [7, 32, 33]."

Dec 1, 1996

By D. Harrington, F. E. Cash

For a number of years the efforts of the coal -mining industry , as well as of the Bureau of Mines , have been directed largely towards the limitation and prevention of explosions in coal mines . The origin of most explosions is ignition of methane or marsh gas , but the extent and violence of these explosions depend chiefly on the combustible dust present . The Bureau of Mines has conducted a large number of tests on the use of incombustible materials in limiting or preventing widespread explosions . The result of these tests , published in Bulletins 167 and 268 and Technical Paper 386 , proves that incombustible dust can be so applied and maintained in coal mines that the ignition of the mixture of incombustible and combustible dusts , or the propagation of flame by the dust mixture , is impossible ; on the other hand , experience and experiment indicate that watering methods are not reliable as a preventive of general or widespread coal-mine explosions . This report describes the use of " mudite , " a mixture of water and finely divided incombustible soil or dirt applied in some coal mines as a means of attempting to limit or prevent widespread explosions .

Jan 1, 1929

By John E. Pahlman

The Bureau of Mines conducted column-leaching tests on 25 domestic Mn ores to determine the feasibility of extracting Mn by in situ or heap leaching with dissolved sulfur dioxide (S02) solutions. The ores tested were obtained from deposits in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado. Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, and South Dakota. Dissolved S02 was found to be effective for leaching Mn; extractions greater than 90 pct were obtained with solution application rates of 1 mL/min from uncalcined, minus 2.5-plus 1.3-cm ore pieces. Leaching these ores with solutions containing only 5-wt-pct S02 and no added H2S04 resulted in Mn being selectively extracted over Fe except when Fe was present as goethite or siderite. Ca solubilization was inhibited by controlling the solution application rate (1 mL/min). The rate of leaching was found to be principally dependent upon the rate at which the leaching solution can penetrate the ore, since the solubilization of Mn upon contact with S02 was observed to be rapid. Despite low water permeabilities of the ores (as low as 10-2 to 10-4 darcy). greater than 90 pct of the Mn was extracted from even the largest ore pieces tested (approximately 10 cm in diameter). It appears, therefore. that leaching Mn opens up the pores, allowing penetration of the leach solution into the ore pieces.

Jan 1, 1988

By Charles E. Whieldon, C. I. Pierce

Data on the oilfields in Mahoning , Columbiana , Carroll , Jefferson , and Harrison Counties , Ohio , were collected from scattered sources and compiled to make the information readily available to operators who may be interested in conducting secondary - recovery operations in the area . General geology , oil production , oil - productive acreage , core data , reservoir calculations by townships , and miscellaneous data and reference material are presented .

Jan 1, 1965

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

By Steven A. Fechner

The U.S, Bureau of Mines is conducting a four-year (1987-1990) study to assess the mineral resources and mineral development potential of the Valdez Creek Mining District in southcentral Alaska. This study is part of the Bureau's ongoing statewide mining district evaluation program. This report summarizes the Bureau's site specific evaluations of two areas (Tyone and Peters Creek) of the district that were investigated to determine the bedrock sources of gold and PCM in the alluvial gravel of both areas. In the Tyone Creek area, grains of gold (up to 0.0212 oz/yd3) and platinum group minerals (PCM) were recovered from alluvium and weathered conglomerate of the Jurassic Naknek Formation and Tertiary age using placer sampling techniques, Platinum and palladium were detected in the heavy mineral concentrates recovered from placer sampling the alluvium, and Naknek Formation and Tertiary conglomerates. In the Peters Creek area, grains of gold (up to 0.014 oz/yd3) were recovered from the alluvium and Tertiary Sterling Formation conglomerate. The Bureau's evaluations indicated that drainage basins containing conglomerate are the most favorable targets for placer gold and PGM exploration; and Tertiary conglomerate represents a high volume, low grade gold resource.

Jan 1, 2011

By G. E. McClelland

The Bureau of Mines investigated chemical methods for producing high- purity gold from precious-metal-bearing zinc precipitates and steel wool cathodes. Precious-metal-bearing zinc precipitates and steel wool cathodes are unrefined products from conventional cyanidation and heap leaching-cyanidation operations. The zinc precipitates contained 14,40 pct Au and 0.35 pct Ag. The precious-metal-bearing steel wool cathodes contained 20.65 pct Au and 4.84 pct Ag. The precipitates and cathodes were treated with dilute acid to solubilize the silver and/or base metals. The gold-bearing residue was leached in dilute aqua reqia to solubilize the gold. High-purity gold was precipitated from the aqua regia solution with oxalic acid, sulfurous acid, sodium bisulfite, and gaseous sulfur dioxide. The leaching-precipitation experiments recovered 99.9 pct of the gold. The gold precipitates ranged in fineness from 997 to 999 fine. The chemical refining method provides a viable technique for the smaller operator to produce high-purity gold without using pyrometallurgical refining methods.

Jan 1, 1985

By G. B. Shea

In the search for possible future sources of petroleum products, the recovery and utilization of bitumens from the large outcropping deposits of bituminous sandstones in the United States have been under study by the Bureau of Mines for the past several years. The results of laboratory research in the adaptation of the hot-water separation process to recovery of bitumen from bituminous sandstones were reported in an earlier publication, on the Edna deposits near San Luis Obispo, Calif. This publication included analytical data on the cracked products and asphalts obtained from the extracted bitumen and on the cracking and distillation of the bitumen. Comparable hot-water separation tests have been run in the San Francisco, Calif., laboratory of the Bureau of Mines on quarry samples from the large deposits of bituminous sandstones near Vernal and Sunnyside, Utah. The bitumens were isolated from the extracts of the separation plant and analyzed at the Petroleum and Oil-Shale Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines, Laramie, Wyo. Part I of this report summarizes the general characteristics of the Vernal and Sunnyside deposits and discusses the hot-water separation process as applied to those bituminous sandstones and the results obtained. The separation tests showed that these bituminous sandstones also respond to treatment by the hotwater method of separation. The bitumen in the Vernal sandstone was extracted more readily by the action of hot water than was the Edna bitumen, which greatly simplified plant operation. The Vernal sandstone contains no water-soluble iron compounds, such as were found in the Edna sandstone, and, therefore, required no preliminary water washing. Recovery of bitumen from the Vernal sandstone was about 96 percent.

Jan 1, 1952

By A. Adams

The quality of hafnium metal produced by the Kroll process depends upon the purity of the hafnium tetrachloride. This investigation of methods for purification of hafnium tetrachloride was undertaken to aid in producing a higher purity hafnium metal than is currently produced by the Kroll process, The quantities of metallic impurities in hafnium metal were decreased by contact with molten alkali-metal chloride salt. Contact was achieved by a semicontinuous process of bubbling gaseous hafnium tetrachloride through a molten salt bath or by a batch process, first fusing the tetrachloride with a combination of alkali chlorides and then heating the mixture to sublime the hafnium tetrachloride. Low-melting mixtures of sodium, potassium, and lithium chlorides were used to purify hafnium tetrachloride. About 30 percent of the initial hafnium tetrachloride was trapped during purification with alkali- metal chloride salts. The 95-percent confidence limits (6)4 for the amount of oxygen decrease 60 and 34.3 parts per million when the batch purification is combined with a reduction so that both take place in the same equipment,

Jan 1, 1961

By L. Mark Irwin, R. A. Marsyla

The objective of this laboratory investigation was to develop a mattesmelting process for the recovery of copper from industrial smelter dusts . Experimentation was conducted on three samples of Cottrell precipitator dust from a northern Michigan smelter with variations in the following conditions : Temperature , charge composition , pelletization , and moisture content . Based on chemical analyses of the furnace slags , poorest recovery of copper was effected in smelting dry charges regardless of composition . Some improvement was noted with uniformly moistened charges and still more with pelletized (but dry) mixes , but best results were obtained from smelting moist , self - fluxing pellets . Under favorable conditions , experiments yielded furnace slags with an average copper content of only 0.15 percent , which is well below that of industrial copper reverberatory slags .

Jan 1, 1963