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By John C. LaScola, David M. Hyman, William P. Diamond

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, has established a computer-implemented coalbed methane data base containing data representing over 2,000 coal samples from approximately 250 coalbeds located in 17 States and one Canadian Province. Space for approximately 130 sample characteristics is reserved for each sample record and is divided for access efficiency into three separate physical files. A software package was written to provide a user-friendly environment in which the three files can be manipulated simultaneously. These files can be used interactively in DATATRIEVE 11, a commercially available sorting, retrieval, and report-writing software package or in any FORTRAN-compatible system for statistical analysis. The data base has been established for coalbed methane research in response to the health and safety needs of the mining industry. Possible applications of the data base include mine planning related to the occurrence of gas, as well as delineating areas of resource recovery and utilization.

Jan 1, 1983

By Raymond Mancha

A test of any fan requires the determination of such data as fan pressure, air volume handled by the fan, and power input to the fen shaft. When testing operating mine fans of the centrifugal type, test methods have been employed, for the sake of convenience, that permit great latitude in detail of procedure resulting in wide variance in results by different investigators. Some controversial aspects of field fan testing are the result of past failure to define clearly the various forms of fan pressure and to a lack of understanding of the accurate procedure for the measurement thereof. Also, the anemometer for air-volume measurement, although convenient, if carelessly used and maintained is subject to a wide error range with variation in method of application and in instrument accuracy. The appearance of the axial-flow type of mine fan offers the possibility of refinements in field testing that were impractical with the centrifugal fan. First of all, the fan inlet and outlet are more sharply defined, giving closer agreement as to just where the fan begins and ends; thus there is less disagreement as to the proper location for measurements of fan pressure. The area of passage into the inlet of an axial-flow mine fan usually constricts, causing high air velocities with accompanying steadiness of flow. Thus the fan inlet offers an ideal location for accurate air-volume measurements with the pitot tube, the proper use of which is well established by code. Thereby the controversial aspects of such measurements are eliminated. Use of the Pitot tube also facilitates a more accurate measure of fan pressure, since the individual pressures measured can be properly weighted, as will be explained later. Determination of power input to the axial-flow mine fan operating in the field is subject to the same inaccuracies as with the centrifugal fan if the axial-flow fan is also belt driven. However, because of the higher rates of rotation usual with axial-flow fans, direct-driven units are more numerous and it is unnecessary to assume a drive efficiency, thus eliminating one possible source of error. It is the purpose of this paper to define and explain the various types of pressure measurements involved in a field test of an axial-flow mine fan, and to further explain the proper use of the Pitot tube when measuring pressures and volumes. DefinitioN of Fan Pressures The two fan pressures most commonly discussed are fan total and fan static pressure, each of which has the same meaning regardless of whether the fan is blowing, exhausting, or blowing and exhausting, as in the case of a fan with ducts connected to both outlet and inlet. Fan total presscre is the amount by which the total pressure of the air delivered by the fan exceeds the total pressure of the air received by the fan. This pressure is a measure of the maximum amount of the work done on the air by the fan that is available for external use.

Jan 1, 1942

By Raymond Mancha

A test of any fan requires the determination of such data as fan pressure, air volume handled by the fan, and power input to the fen shaft. When testing operating mine fans of the centrifugal type, test methods have been employed, for the sake of convenience, that permit great latitude in detail of procedure resulting in wide variance in results by different investigators. Some controversial aspects of field fan testing are the result of past failure to define clearly the various forms of fan pressure and to a lack of understanding of the accurate procedure for the measurement thereof. Also, the anemometer for air-volume measurement, although convenient, if carelessly used and maintained is subject to a wide error range with variation in method of application and in instrument accuracy. The appearance of the axial-flow type of mine fan offers the possibility of refinements in field testing that were impractical with the centrifugal fan. First of all, the fan inlet and outlet are more sharply defined, giving closer agreement as to just where the fan begins and ends; thus there is less disagreement as to the proper location for measurements of fan pressure. The area of passage into the inlet of an axial-flow mine fan usually constricts, causing high air velocities with accompanying steadiness of flow. Thus the fan inlet offers an ideal location for accurate air-volume measurements with the pitot tube, the proper use of which is well established by code. Thereby the controversial aspects of such measurements are eliminated. Use of the Pitot tube also facilitates a more accurate measure of fan pressure, since the individual pressures measured can be properly weighted, as will be explained later. Determination of power input to the axial-flow mine fan operating in the field is subject to the same inaccuracies as with the centrifugal fan if the axial-flow fan is also belt driven. However, because of the higher rates of rotation usual with axial-flow fans, direct-driven units are more numerous and it is unnecessary to assume a drive efficiency, thus eliminating one possible source of error. It is the purpose of this paper to define and explain the various types of pressure measurements involved in a field test of an axial-flow mine fan, and to further explain the proper use of the Pitot tube when measuring pressures and volumes. DefinitioN of Fan Pressures The two fan pressures most commonly discussed are fan total and fan static pressure, each of which has the same meaning regardless of whether the fan is blowing, exhausting, or blowing and exhausting, as in the case of a fan with ducts connected to both outlet and inlet. Fan total presscre is the amount by which the total pressure of the air delivered by the fan exceeds the total pressure of the air received by the fan. This pressure is a measure of the maximum amount of the work done on the air by the fan that is available for external use.

Jan 1, 1942

The Tuscarora mining district, which has been highly productive of gold and silver ores in past years, is situated about 50 miles north- west of Elko, Nevada. The town of Tuscarora lies at an altitude of about 6,000 ft on the west side of the Independence Valley. Precipitation, particularly the winter snowfall, is considerably greater than in many other parts of Nevada, and temperatures are lower. From Tuscarora can be seen-across Independence Valley in the mountains to the east, a distance of about 12 miles, the Freeport Minerals Jerritt Canyon mine, which seems to be-destined to become one of the great gold mines in the western hemisphere. Tuscarora, a gold and silver camp, was active from the early 1870s to 1903 and produced about $10 million in those 30 years. Ten major mines and several smaller ones were operated in an area of about 1.45 square kilometers (one-half squaremile). The deepest shafts were only 230 m (750 ft) but most of the ore came from about the 105 m (350 ft) levels. Mineralization above the water table, at about 30 m (100 ft), was mostly native silver and cerargerite with free gold. Below the water table the ore was rich in sulfides including argentite, stephanite, proustite, pyrargyrite, enargite, arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite and galena. A number of the properties contain sizeable dumps of what was con- sidered waste rock when it was mined. These dumps aggregate over 408,000 mt (450,000 st) with one dump, the Navajo, containing over one-third of the total. A few grab samples taken in the summer of 1978 from some of the dumps indicated interesting silver values with minor gold content. AgAu Exploration Ltd., was organized to explore and develop these dumps into a heap leaching operation. In the fall of 1978 a campaign was started to lease, with front money payments on a royalty basis, three groups of claims on which were located a few hundred thousand tons of dumps. In September and October of 1978, a systematic program of sampling was started on the Navajo dump which was most favorably situated in that it was near to an area which would furnish good sites for heap leaching pads. At the time it was fully recognized that sampling of dumps was a most difficult problem. Because of the topography on which they were situated and the manner in which they were formed, each dump required its own special sampling technique.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. G. Loomis

IT is only within the past 10 years that serious attempt appears to have been made to improve rotary drilling fluids by the application of the principles of colloid chemistry, although the use of chemicals to control the rheological properties of clay slips has long been known in the ceramic industry. The main difficulty apparently lay in the lack of a complete analysis of all of the functions of a drilling fluid in the drilling of the well, together with the lack of adequate consideration of how colloid science could be applied to secure these ends, and particularly how apparent antithetical properties of the fluid could be compromised. Thus one analysis1 of the many requirements of a drilling fluid proved conclusively that the viscosity should be low, in order that cuttings and entrained gas might be eliminated effi-ciently in the settling ditch, while the loss in carrying capacity accompanying low viscosity could be regained by increasing either the density of the mud or the upward velocity of the mud stream in the annular space of the well, and the danger of sticking of the drill stem due to rapid settling in case of enforced suspension of drilling operations could be eliminated by enhancing the thixotropic properties of the fluid. The desired properties of the drilling fluid having thus been established, it was a natural step to treat the fluid with vis-cosity-reducing chemicals, such as salts of weak organic acids1,2-for example, sodium tannate or gallate-and to adjust the pH to the alkaline side to such a degree of thixo-tropy as would give low viscosity and low yield point under the conditions of flow prevailing in the settling ditch, but rapid gelation and high yield point when quiescent in the annular space during shut-downs. In fact, flow in the settling ditch should be just short of turbulent while flow in the well, together with the flow of mud past the cuttings, is practically always turbulent. The use of chemicals other than those mentioned, such as Calgon (sodium hexametaphosphate) and certain other phosphates together with sodium tannate, has now become standard practice and it is the consensus that this method of treatment has proved to be an important step in the development of the art of drilling oil wells.

Jan 1, 1940

By N. M. Levine

WHETHER the United States and its allies can W meet the challenge of a war brought by the Communists will depend largely on who wins the battle of steel production. At the present stage of the world situation, the United States and the other members of the Western family of nations have the lead on iron curtain countries. But we have no sure way of knowing what is happening at Magnetogorsk and other Russian iron and steel producing centers. We must also face the possibility that we may have to meet the challenge alone. The fortunes of war and world politics can strip us of friends and co-fighters quickly. The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are indicative of what the world can expect if war-madness ever grasps the earth again. Our domestic supply of high grade open-pit and underground iron ore is dwindling because of the drain of three wars and higher than ever civilian consumption. The production of iron ore and its eventual use in blast furnaces are the critical problems of an armed democracy today. The world crisis has led to efforts towards beneficiation for increasing ore supplies. The huge reserves represented by the magnetic taconites at the eastern end of the Mesabi, once in production, should provide us with a substantial portion of our native ore for many years. The estimated 10 to 20 million tons of concentrates annually can be increased in an emergency. If we had a certainty of peace for the next 50 to 100 years, the situation would be a stable, hopeful one, aided by importations of high grade ore from sources such as Canada and Venezuela. The hard truth is that we have little surety of peace tomorrow morning. Let us assume 'the U. S. could build sufficient processing plants for increasing production of magnetic taconites under the pressure of national emergency. We must also recognize the power of atomic warfare to contaminate an area as large as the Eastern Mesabi. Thus, it becomes imperative to seek some means of protecting our ability to produce the steel we may one day need to survive. The nonmagnetic taconites, completely dwarfing the magnetic taconites areawise as well as tonnage-wise, might provide us with this insurance. Present indications are that they will be considerably more expensive to treat, but in a desperate situation we might be very grateful for ores yielding 40 to 50 pct Fe recoveries at grades of 53 to 58 pct Fe carrying low phosphorus. The University of Wisconsin, because of the difficult iron ore situation in the state, has been working on the nonmagnetic taconite problem for the past three years in the hope of making a contribution toward its eventual solution. In Wisconsin, the Western Gogebic Range has been the state's most effective iron producing area. Today however, only two mines are in operation, both underground and approaching depths of more than 3000 ft. The range, however, does have a large supply of nonmagnetic taconites and presents a promising field for study. While the Gogebic offers one large source of nonmagnetic taconites, Michigan and Minnesota have even greater supplies of such material. Alabama, the northeastern states and the West all have low grade iron ore sources which might be utilized under extreme conditions. The Gogebic Range located in northeastern Wisconsin and northwestern Michigan has a total length of about 70 miles, about 45 of which are in Wisconsin. The iron formation averages 500 to 600 ft in width, dips 70' to the north and strikes at approximately N 63° E. The formation is sedimentary and consists of six distinct members characterized by alternating divisions of ferruginous chert and ferruginous slate. The footwall is generally quartzitic and the hanging wall of a sideritic slatey character. The iron minerals are mainly hematites with some magnetites, goethites, limonites and small amounts of siderite. In the area studied, very small amounts of iron silicates were observed. The magnetites occurred mostly in the Anvil-Pabst and Pence members, mixed with hematites and representing roughly about 10 to 20 pct of the total iron in the formation, thereby characterizing it as nonmagnetic. The gangue is of various forms of silica such as chert, opal and flint. Complete liberation of iron and gangue minerals is rare. There is always some iron present in the chert ranging from jasper-like solutions to fairly coarse iron oxide specks. Likewise, one always finds finely dispersed silica within the iron minerals. In late 1943 the Bureau of Mines carried out a trenching and sampling program in the two mile stretch between Iron Belt and Pence in Iron County, Wis. Preliminary work was based on samples from one of the four trenches cut by the Bureau of Mines. More detailed work following the preliminary analysis was then undertaken on samples composited from all the trenches, thereby giving a wider and more representative coverage of the area. A study of the

Jan 1, 1952

No greater opportunity for public service has ever been presented to the engineers of the United States, as a class, than the campaign to make thrift a permanent American habit, conducted through the Savings Division off the Treasury Department. The engineer owes a duty to his community, to his country, by reason of the very fact that he is an engineer. By reason of his position and influence, his education and experience, he owes to his country the duty of public service. The public understands that the opportunities of the engineer have allowed him to equip himself to handle logically and properly questions affecting the public. He has been trained to maintain a constructive viewpoint. His work is constructive and he builds for the future. The qualities that the public deems necessary for public service have been bred in him. The time has gone by when the professional man can perform his whole duty to himself and his community by shrouding himself and his calling in mystery and locking himself away from the public in office or laboratory. The duty of public service is calling for every man whose training has fitted him to perform that service. The engineers of the country have demonstrated their capacity and their willingness for public service. Throughout the war period they, have been found in every branch of governmental and. civilian activity which could contribute to national success, doing their share to promote national efficiency. Their duties are not over.

Jan 7, 1919

By F. A. Hill

Coal mining in the State of Washington offers many interesting problems for the mining engineer, due to the varied physical conditions occurring in different fields, and often in the same mine. The different coal seams worked in the same mine commonly require different mining and transportation methods for economical operation. The coal measures have inclinations ranging from 5' to vertical, and in the same mine the dip of the coal may vary from 30' to 50 . In all fields, the seams are extensively faulted, folded, and sheared. The quality of the coal produced ranges from brown lignite to bituminous coking coal, the following being typical analyses: Very little of the coal contains as much as 0.75 per cent. sulfur. The brown lignites occur mostly in Lewis and Thurston Counties, and as a rule are very cheaply mined. This coal has been successfully used in locomotives of the Oregon & Washington Railroad, after equipping them with specially designed fireboxes. The sub-bituminous coals occur in all the coal-mining counties. Their cost of production varies widely, according to the character of the formations, the pitch, and the wall conditions. This makes a fairly good steam coal, but the lump is used mostly for domestic trade, after grading into lump, nut, and pea. The coking coal is used for making coke, and for locomotive and other boiler fuel. It yields a strong metallurgical coke, quite high in ash, though seldom exceeding 18 per cent. ash. Most of it is susceptible to

Jan 1, 1920

By N. K. Chen, R. Maddin, K. T. Aust

Lattice rotations occurring on the tension and compression sides during the bending of molybdenum single crystals at room temperature were followed in detail. Observations were also made concerning crystallite rotations and slip traces. &apos;The results indicated the participation of (110) as slip planes and the<111>as slip directions. Crystallite fragmentation during bending was also noted. EVERAL investigations have been conducted on pure bending of face-centered cubic metals.&apos;-" Structural changes as a result of "bend-gliding," and the importance of bending and constraints during conditions of axial stressing, have been noted.&apos;," It was evident that the mechanism by which the bending deformation occurs is more complex than the case of simple shear. Studies of the bending of body-centered cubic metals from the aspect of the crystallographic mechanism appear to be lacking. Molybdenum single crystals therefore were subjected to deformation by bending in order to determine the reaction of the body-centered cubic lattice to bending stresses. It might be expected for the bending of single crystals that lattice rotation as represented by the axis of compression would proceed toward the pole of the active slip plane and that rotation of the tensile stress axis should indicate the slip direction.&apos; It was believed therefore that a study of the tension and compression sides of bent molybdenum single crystals should give data concerning the operative slip system. Specific problems which are pertinent to the overall picture of plastic deformation were also investigated, e.g., whether the constraints offered by pure bending give rise to the deformation band, and also the nature of the asterism occurring on the tension and compression sides during the stages of deformation. Experimental Procedure Eight single crystal specimens were grown from sintered molybdenum rods 143 in. diameter using the method described previously.6 The purity of this material was reported as 99.9 pct as described elsewhere.&apos; The specimens were % to 1/10 in. in diameter x 7 in. long, with single crystals approximately 1 to 2 in. in length occupying the entire center sections of each specimen. The specimens were elec-trolytically polished using an electrolyte of 300 cc methyl alcohol, 60 cc H2SO4, 130 cc HCl, and a current density of 4 amp per sq in. Each specimen was then loaded in a bending apparatus similar to that used by Yen and Hibbard,&apos; as shown in Fig. 1. The load was applied by means of a spring and screw arrangement through four ball-bearing surfaces set 1.5 in. apart. Either the inner two bearings or the outer two (A, B, Fig. 1) were attached to a movable steel plate (D) through which the load was transmitted. Since the apparatus was mounted on a track of the X-ray apparatus, the tension or compression side of the specimen could

Jan 1, 1954

By A. J. Miles, A. D. Topping

in this paper, the theory of elasticity has been applied to the rock about a deep well, It is assumed that the rock has a modulus of . elasticity and a Poisson&apos;s ratio and that the theory of elasticity applies. It is necessary to know or assume the state of stress existing in the rock before it is penetrated by the well drill. The application of this theory indicates that stress concentration of shear, tensions, and compressions about the bore hole are of a high order. This is particularly true when a horizontal compressive stress exists in one direction only in the formation before drilling. If such an initial state of stress exists before drilling, then the rock will have stress concentrations of both tension and compression at the same elevation and of such magnitude that failure of the rock is likely. Accompanying these is a shearing stress of large proportion which is likely to produce spalling of the well walls. Internal pressure applied to the well bore will relieve the extreme compression but not the tension and has little effect upon the shear. Plastic deformation of the rock through a geological time tends to mitigate the stress concentrations. IntroductioN It has long been known that the stresses about holes and re-entrant corners of elastic solids under the influence of loads are different and generally more intense than those imposed upon the body else- where. Stress concentration at a re-entrant corner can be reduced by increasing the radius of the fillet at the corner. Stress concentration at the end of a crack in a plate undergoing either tension or compression Can be relieved appreciably by drilling a hole at the very end of the crack. Also, stresses can be increased in an elastic body in tension or compression by making a hole in it. The stress concentration is greatest at the edge of the hole. Considerable knowledge of the stresses which exist about the bore hole of a deep well may be had by applying our knowledge of engineering mechanics; or more particularly the theory of elasticity. It is, of course, necessary to make the assumption that the rock is elastic and behaves as an elastic solid, that is, that it obeys Hooke&apos;s law, has a modulus of elasticity, and a Poisson&apos;s ratio. It is also necessary to know, Or assume, the state of stress which exists in the rock prior to the penetration of the drill. With this knowledge it is possible to compute the stresses about the bore hole. The problem can be simplified by considering several simple cases separately and then by applying the principle of superposition to solve the more complex cases which are made up of the simpler ones. Case i—Rock Strata in Compression Penetrated by a Hole This case was first worked out by G. Kirsch* for structural material, but applies equally well to a horizontal rock strata in a state of in in one direction

Jan 1, 1949

By J. H. Wernick, E. E. Thomas

THE etch-pit technique for revealing dislocations in bulk samples allows one to determine dislocation densities and to study their behavior under various mechanical and thermal treatments. We have developed a chemical polish-etch for the development of etch pits on the (1100) plane of Cd which appear to

Jan 1, 1961

By O. N. Carlson, A. L. Eustice

The tensile properties of iodide vanadium were determined as a function of hydrogen concentration. It was shown that the presence of 10 ppm H is sufficient to cause embrittlement of vanadzum over a limited temperature range. The temperature of the observed ductility mininlum is approximately -l00°C, this being a function of strain rate and hydrogen concentration. The yield stress of hydrogenated vanadium is raised sharply in the brittle temperature range. THE present investigation was initiated to determine the effect of hydrogen on the tensile properties of high-purity vanadium as a function of temperature and the role of hydrogen in the brittle-ductile transition. Loomis and Carlson&apos; reported a change from ductile to brittle behavior in iodide vanadium at -110°C with a return of ductility at temperatures below -140°C. Vanadium wire containing 270 pprn of hydrogen was brittle at room temperature while wire containing 100 ppm was ductile under the same conditions. Roberts and Rogers&apos; reported a ductile-brittle-ductile fracture sequence in vanadium containing 400 to 600 ppm of hydrogen. Their data show that hydrogenated vanadium is ductile at 150"C, brittle at room temperature and ductile again at -196°C. Magnusson and Baldwin found a minimum in ductility in vanadium containing 80 ppm hydrogen from tensile tests performed at several strain rates. Information available on the vanadium-hydrogen equilibrium system4 is somewhat incomplete. The absorption of hydrogen is exothermic in accordance with the decline in solubility with rising temperature. The limit of solid solubility at temperatures below 400°C has not been determined due to the difficulties in obtaining equilibrium at these temperatures. Data on the hydrides of vanadium are rather limited. Roberts6 studied the structure of VD,., by neutron diffraction, and observed the ordering of the deuterium atoms below -65°C into a primitive cubic cell with a lattice constant about twice that of the disordered bcc vanadium solid solution. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Vanadium of 99.9 pct purity was prepared by the iodide refining process6 for use in this investigation. This vanadium contained the following analyzed impurities; <20 pprn calcium, 150 ppm carbon, 200 ppm chromium, 30 ppm copper, 10 ppm hydrogen, 200 ppm iron, <20 ppm magnesium, <20 ppm nickel, <5 ppm nitrogen, 150 ppm oxygen, <50 ppm silicon, and <20 ppm titanium. specimen Preparation—Tensile specimens were machined from swaged rods of iodide vanadium. The

Jan 1, 1962

By Richard L. Ash, Thomas E. Pearse

Most theories of blasting phenomena are based on the condition that explosive charges have a spherical shape. If a cylindrical charge is considered, the explosive is usually assumed to have an infinite velocity of detonation. Another limitation is also often imposed whereby only one free face is considered to exist. Unfortunately, these conditions all serve to limit the number of variables involved and tend to over-simplify analyses. The result is that explanations for actual effects from blasts are seldom realistic. In addition, no solution has yet been found to explain the actions of certain blasting agents that appear to stress materials in a different manner than do many of the high explosives. In order to determine causes for some of the unexplained phenomena, investigations were conducted by the writers on both actual field blasts and theoretical problems. Although many solutions have been proposed to explain the rock breakage processes, none relate the effects of hole depth, explosive and rock energy- propagation velocities with charge placement geometry. Evidence indicates there is a definite interdependence of those factors and that they are of vital importance in proper drill-pattern design. For simplicity most of the discussion in this paper applies to vertical blast-holes drilled in uniform massive rock for open pit blasting, although the basic principles presented apply to all forms of blasting with certain basic modifications being necessary for specific field conditions.

Jan 9, 1962

By Thomas M. Tharp

INTRODUCTION Attempts to analyze the stability of slopes, foundations and underground openings in discontinuously jointed rock have generally assumed full joint continuity or ignored the role of stress concentration at the tips of discontinuous joints. The most common approach in rock slopes is to consider a failure plane consisting of coplanar, but discontinuous joints separated by intact rock. The intact rock is assumed to fail in shear as a Mohr- Coulomb material and to contribute a strength component proportional to the fraction of the failure plane that is intact rock (Jennings, 1970). An alternative approach by Stimpson (1978) applies Lajtai&apos;s (1969) theory for shear strength of discontinuously jointed rock masses to slopes. Lajtai allows tensile failure in the intact rock of a composite surface. This theory yields lower shear strength than that of Jennings (1970) except in the presence of high normal compression, however it also fails to account for the stress concentration at the tip of a discontinuous joint. For a given slope geometry, stresses increase with slope height, but in both of these models rock mass strength is independent of size. A fracture mechanics analysis shows that particularly for small slopes, rock mass strength decreases with size. A continuous stepped failure surf ace produced by propagation of preexisting joints may develop at lower shear stress than predicted by the Jennings (1970) or Lajtai (1969) models. This fracture mechanics model applied to slopes in competent rock is more realistic in its assumed failure mechanism, and for large slopes more conservative than the Jennings (1970) or Lajtai models (1969).

Jan 1, 1984

At its meeting on February 21, 1933, the Board of Directors passed the following resolution defining and expressing the policy of the Institute with respect to official participation or action in controversial matters: WHEREAS, the Board of Directors at its last meeting passed the following resolution : "The Board of Directors, having been appealed to by several Local Sections for advice concerning the attitude and policy of the Institute relating to the endorsement of candidates for public office, the following statement of policy is formulated;

Jan 1, 1934

THE second award of the Saunders Gold Medal for "distinguished achievement in mining," of which the first was awarded last year to the late D. W. Brunton, has been made to Herbert Hoover. The main events of Mr. Hoover&apos;s life are so familiar to all through the numerous journal articles about him and his work, and the interesting biography written by Vernon Kellogg, that no attempt will be made here to touch on anything other than his achievements as a professional mining engineer, for which the award was made. He graduated in mining from Leland Stanford, Jr., University in 1895, but had served as an assistant to Dr. Branner on the Arkansas Geological Survey in 1893 and had also worked two sum-mers as an assistant to H. W. Turner and Waldemar Lind-gren on U. S. Geological Sur-vey work in the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe, and on the American River. Immediately after graduation he got "a job" underground at Grass Valley, and soon rose to be night shift-boss. He then secured employment with the late Louis Janin and made such a good record as office and field assistant that he was soon placed in charge of a small mine at Carlisle, N. M. In 1897, Mr. Janin recom-mended him to Bewick, More-ing & Co., who were looking for an examining engineer for their staff in Australia. Two years were spent in hard work there which was done so creditably that his princi-pals held him and his judg-ment in the highest regard, and he came to the head of their local organization. Among the properties which he acquired for them was the Sons of Gwalia.

Jan 2, 1928

By Tom W. Pfeifle, Paul E. Senseny

INTRODUCTION Engineered structures such as mines, shafts and tunnels, and storage caverns for hydrocarbons, chemical s and brine are being built in natural rock salt formations in increasing numbers. In addition, salt formations are being considered as potential hosts for mined, nuclear waste repositories. The popularity of these formations for engineering purposes stems from the many favorable commercial, physical, and thermal characteristics attributed to the material itself. Not only have the formations been stable and free of dissolution for hundreds of millions of years, but the salt is fairly easily mined and has very low permeability, low water content, and high thermal conductivity. Another characteristic of salt is its tendency to flow or creep when subjected to a shear stress. Although this behavior may be desirable in certain instances, it may be detrimental in other instances since the creep rate may be large enough to produce deformations that tend to reduce the volume of storage caverns or to restrict access to mining operations. In either case, the engineer is faced with the problem of accurately predicting the long-term structural deformations under various combinations of stress and temperature and is required to compare these deformations with long-term design criteria. In the laboratory, deformation-versus-time curves obtained at constant stress and temperature show that creep of salt is similar to creep of many other crystal line solids. Figure 1 shows a typical deformation-versus-time curve for salt. When a shear stress is first applied, the rate of deformation is high, but decreases monotonically. This initial behavior is called transient or primary creep. At some time, the deformation rate no longer decreases but continues at a constant rate. This behavior is called steady-state

Jan 1, 1982

By J. J. Forbes

&apos;"THE Federal Coal Mine Safety Act (public Law T. 552. 82nd Congress) was approved oil July 16, 1952. It incorporates, as Title I, the Coal Mine Inspectio1.1 and Investigation Act of May 7. 1941 (Public Law 49, 77th Congress), which gave Federal inspectors only the right to enter. coal mines for inspection and investigation purposes but no power to require compliance with their recommendations. Title 11 contains the enforcement provisions of the act; its purpose is to prevent major disasters in coal mines from explosions, fires. inundations. and man-trip 01. man-hoist accidents. At this point a brief account of events that preceded the enactment of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act seems appropriate. The hazardous nature of coal mining was recognized by the Federal Govermment as long ago as 1865, when a bill to create a Federal Mining Bureau was introduced in Congress. Little was done, however, until a series of appalling coalmine disasters during the first decade of this century provoked a demand for Federal action. As a result an act of Congress established a Bureau of Mines in the Department of the Interior on July 1, 1910. The act made it clear that one of the foremost activities of the Bureau should be to improve health and safety in the mineral industries. One of the first projects selected by the small folce of engineers and technicians then employed was to determine the causes of coal-mine explosions and the means to prevent them. By investigations aftel mine disasters the fundamental causes and means of prevention were soon discovered, and the coal mining industry was informed accordingly. However, despite this knowledge and the enactment of State laws and the Federal Coal Mine Inspection and Investigation Act of 1941, mine disasters continued to occur with disheartening frequency and staggering loss of life. The devastating explosion at the Orient No. 2 mine on December 21, 1951, resulted in the death of 119 men. The Orient disaster rekindled the memory of the Centralia. Ill., disaster of March 25. 1947, which caused the death of 111 coal miners. These two tragedies ultimately brought about enactment of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act. The act is a compromise measure. Senator Matthew M. Neely of West Virginia and Congressman Melvin Priec of Illinois introduced almost identical versions in the 82nd Congress, but they were considered too drastic. The final version was introduced by Congressman Samuel K. McConnel, Jr., of Pennsylvania, after considerable discussion and amendment in committee hearings. It was passed by the Congress and became effective when signed by the President on July 16, 1952. The act is somewhat limited in scope because it applies only to approximately 2000 coal mines in the United States and Alaska that employ regularly 15 or more individuals underground. It exempts approximately 5300 mines employing regularly fewer than 15 individuals underground and all strip mines, of which there are about 800. Moreover, it covers only conditions and practices that may lead to major disasters from explosion, fire, inundation, or man-trip or man-hoist accidents. According to Bureau records, such accidents have resulted in less than 10 pct of all the fatalities in coal mines. It is important to mention that the law is not designed to prevent the day-to-day type of accidents that have caused the remaining 90 pct or more of the fatalities, because it was the specific intention of the Congress to reserve the hazards which caused them to the jurisdiction of the coal-producing states. Many who opposed any Federal legislation that would give the Federal inspectors authority to require compliance with mine safety regulations claimed that such legislation would usurp or infringe upon States&apos; rights. To assure that the principle of States&apos; rights would be preserved, the act provides for joint Federal-State inspections when a state desires to cooperate in such activities. The Director of the Bureau of Mines is required by the act to cooperate with the official mine-inspection or safety agencies of the coal-producing states. The act provides further that any state desiring to cooperate in making joint inspections may submit a State plan for carrying out the purposes of this part of the act. Certain requirements are listed: these must be met by a state before the plan can be accepted. The Director of the Bureau of Mines, however, is required to approve any State plan which complies with the specified provisions. The Director may withdraw his approval and declare such a plan inoperative if he finds that the State agency is not complying with the spirit and intent of any provision of the State plan. When this paper was prepared, agreements for joint Federal-State inspections had been entered into with Wyoming and Washington. A few other states have indicated their desire to submit a State plan and negotiations toward that end are now under way. Reluctance to enter into such agreements may be due to the mine operators&apos; knowledge that in the states that adopt a cooperative plan they are prohibited from applying to the Director of the Bureau of Mines for annulment or revision of an order issued by a Federal inspector and must appeal directly to the Federal Coal Mine Safety Board of Review for such action. Experience has proved that review by the Director as provided in the act is a less expensive and time-consuming procedure to all concerned than applying to the Board. Reluctance also may stem from the fact that joint Federal-State inspections somewhat restrict the movements of the State mine inspectors and tend to reduce the number of inspections of mines. Where a State plan is not adopted, the Federal coal mine inspector is responsible under the law to take one of two courses of action if he finds certain hazardous conditions during his inspections. The first action involves imminent danger. If a Federal inspector finds danger that a mine explosion, mine fire, mine inundation, or man-trip or man-hoist accident will occur in a mine immediately or before the imminence of such danger can be elim-

Jan 1, 1955

By Reynold Q. Shotts

Nitric acid oxidation rate analyses of three coals, previously studied microscopically by the Bureau of Mines, revealed three components. Relative quantities agree with those found for the four components given by the Bureau and results are consistent with current ideas of coal constitution. Possible multi-component composition for bright coal and a reactivity-rank relation are suggested.

Jan 5, 1953

By Merrill Horine

IT has been stated and accepted for many years that the automotive industry was the instigator, the principal sponsor for and the largest user of alloy steel and nonferrous alloys. The only universally recognized standard specifications and heat-treatments for these materials are those adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers. It is this same auto-motive industry that has been the chief inspiration for and consumer of modern production machine tools. The production curve of steel ingots is more sensitive to fluctuations in automotive production than any other influence or group of influences. In every other important steel-con-suming industry, automotive materials and automotive processes are the outstanding features of modern progress. In this connection I need only mention the prefabrication of buildings, following the automotive system of straight-line, interchangeable mass production; the motorization of ships and railroads, employing automotive types of prime movers; the production of pressed-steel stoves, plumbing and furniture by methods originated in the automobile-body industry and the extensive use of rubber for the cushioning of all manner of machinery as pioneered by the automotive and tire industries. Dr. Jeffries has brought out this point in his address (p. 21), assuring us that the transportation industry is the largest user of these materials. In the transportation industry, or as we might more accurately express it, the transportation group of industries, the. automotive industry pre-dominates as a user of light alloys. One out of every four tons of aluminum produced is consumed by the automotive industry. Similarly, the automotive industry ranks first in the consumption of the following metallurgical materials: steel, 24.04 per cent; malleable iron, .57; alloy steels, 72.2; nickel, 30; lead, 39 per cent.

Jan 1, 1936