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By J. W. Thompson

ORES PROCESS OF ORE CONCENTRATION-PATENTABILITY. The patent issued to Sulman, Pickard, and Ballot, November 6, 1905, and assigned to Minerals Separation and Minerals Separation American Syndicate, for new and useful improvements in ore concen- tration, its object being to separate metalliferous matter from gangue by means of oils and fatty acids that have a preferential affinity for such metalliferous matter, the principal feature of which is "agitat- ing the mixture to cause the oil-coated mineral to form a froth," was clearly anticipated by other patents, and each step in the process described in the Sulman, Pickard, and Ballot patent is fully described in more than one of the prior patents, with the single exception of the reduced quantity of oil used; but the discovery that the small fraction of oil is sufficient to produce flotation of the metalliferous matter can not be made by itself or in combination, the subject of a patent. Hyde v. Minerals Separation, 214 Fed., 100, p. 109, May, 1914. ACTION FOR CONVERSION OF MINERALS. In an action by the grantor of a certain mine and mining property against his grantee to recover damages for the conversion of a quantity of ore that the grantor before the conveyance had mined and extracted from the mine and placed on the dump near the mine, the plaintiff is not entitled to recover where it appears that at the time the ore was placed on the dump the mine was owned and operated by a mining company and that at the time the ore was taken out of the mine the company had no intention of doing anything with it but simply deposited it on the dump as waste and to give an opportunity to develop the mine and get better ore to send to the smelter, and that

Jan 1, 1915

By M. J. Ankeny

Coal-mine haulage ranks second as a cause of coal-mine fatalities, and the prevention of such accidents will materially improve progress in safety in the coal-mining industry. Beginning March 1950, Federal coal-mine inspectors were made responsible for completely investigating all fatal accidents in and around coal mines. During these 10 months, Federal coal-mine inspectors investigated 447 fatal accidents. This is a study of 121 of the fatal haulage accidents investigated, which constituted 27 percent of fatalities from all causes. Haulage employees represent only 12 to 15 percent of mine personnel, but, on the basis of accident frequency, their work is the most hazardous in coal mines. Fatal haulage accidents occurred in 53 bituminous coal-producing counties representing 14 States and Alaska. The physical conditions represent a cross section of' producing coal beds. Mining and transportation methods vary, from those of small hand-loading mines to those of modern mechanized mines.

Jan 1, 1951

The 1967 Lignite Symposium was held at Grand Forks, N. Dak., on April 27-28, 1967. This was the fifth of these technical meetings and the fourth which was cosponsored by the University of North Dakota and the Bureau of Mines. These symposia have provided a meeting place where current developments concerning technology and utilization of solid fuels (lignite) are presented. There was a registration of 255 persons from 24 States, the District of Columbia, six Canadian Provinces, Germany, and India. Many segments of coal or energy oriented organizations at many levels were represented. During the meeting, 18 presentations were made covering developments in electrical power generation, mining, estimation of reserves, combustion, gasification, and chemical and speciality uses of low-rank coals; these are com-piled in this Information Circular to provide a record of the symposium and to permit wider dissemination of the information. Proceedings of the other meetings have also been published.3

Jan 1, 1968

By Stanley A. Feitler

This Bureau of Mines report deals principally with the resources and economic aspects of feldspar in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Although in a strict sense, all phases of the feldspar industry affect its economic structure, emphasis in this study is on supply, demand, and marketing. Although feldspar was originally mined for use in the manufacture of pottery and other ceramics, the glass industry, which began to use feldspar in the mid-1920's, now consumes more than half of the annual output. Most mining is open cut, and the methods used are similar to those used in mining crushed b stone. Excess plant capacity has been chronic, and production is usually about 30 percent of capacity fur the industry as a whole. Since 1947, feldspar consumption has grown more slowly than the average for all U.S. industry. This has fostered intense competition, especially for the glass market. Prices have not kept pace with inflation, and profits are small. The trend of consumption through 1970 for glass feldspar is expected to be upward; less rapid in consumption of ceramic feldspar is anticipated.

Jan 1, 1967

By Glenn C. Reed

This report is one of a series based upon investigations made and being made within the Missouri River Basin in Montana by engineers of the Bureau of Mines , Albany Branch , Mining Division . These investigations are made primarily to provide preliminary information to the Department of Interior agencies and to others concerned with planning the proposed Federal power development within the Missouri River Basin . The present report has been designed to permit public distribution of factual data obtained . The field investigations were made during the late fall of 1947 and the summer of 1948. Information on mineral occurrences in several areas in Sweet Grass County also are included in this report because of their close proximity to Park County . Practically all known metallic mineral deposits within Park County were investigated ; some nonmetallic mineral deposits also were investigated. The investigations of the metallic mineral deposits in Park County cannot be considered complete ; some long inactive mines and prospects on which little or no information is of record may have been missed . Many of the underground openings , especially at the long inactive properties , no longer are accessible ; consequently , much of the information regarding history their and development necessarily has been obtained from available Federal and State publications .

Feb 1, 1950

By Francis C. Lincoln

"INTRODUCTION As part of a general investigation of the zinc-producing area of southwestern Wisconsin, the Bureau of Mines undertook a limited amount of exploratory drilling in the immediate vicinity of the New Dale Rundell mine, in the Mifflin District of Iowa County, Wisc.The work was carried out during the early part of 1945, at a time when all effort was being directed toward increasing production of metals important to the Nation's war program. Bureau of Mines engineers decided to conduct exploration at the New Dale Rundell mine after a preliminary study of available data showed a reasonable possibility of indicating an important deposit. Before the Bureau of Mines investigation, 50 holes had been drilled in the vicinity. Of this number, 18 encountered ore of minable grade. Subsequently the mine was developed and operated for a brief period; however, work was stopped before all of the ore disclosed by drilling had been mined. There appeared to be a correlation between the ore shown by the drilling in the New Dale Rundell mine and another disclosure some 1,500 feet to the northwest. The Bureau of Mines exploration was pinned to explore this possible correlation. Of the 7 holes drilled by the Bureau of Mines, 3 disclosed minable ore beyond the limits of previous drilling."

Aug 1, 1946

LARGE-SCALE production of zirconium by the Northwest Electrodevelopment Laboratory of the Bureau of Mines at Albany, Oreg., is an anomaly that justifies some explanation. The reduction of titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in an inert atmosphere, as perfected by Dr. W. J. Kroll before 1940, aroused renewed interest in zirconium, and in 1945 development work on this metal was initiated at Albany under Dr. Kroll's technical direction. Preliminary results were promising, and in February 1947 a pilot plant with a weekly capacity of 60 pounds of zirconium-metal sponge was put in operation. Shortly thereafter the Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the Atomic Energy Commission requested production of 1 ton of zirconium-metal sheet, with the provision that it have a low hafnium content. The Bureau of Mines was furnished with a. supply of Brazilian baddeleyite ore, containing less than 1 percent hafnium with respect to zirconium, from which was made about. 2,700 pounds of relatively low hafnium zirconium sheet of 0.080-inch thickness for test purposes. This was accomplished by melting zirconium sponge in a graphite crucible, hot-rolling the ingot in an iron sheath, and finishing by cold rolling. Concomitantly the Oak Ridge Laboratory developed a method for separating hafnium from zirconium; and, in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission and the Bureau of Ships of the Department of the Navy, a, larger pilot plant was erected to produce zirconium from very low hafnium zirconium tetrachloride furnished by the Commission. Pilot-plant work on producing zirconium tetrachloride from zircon sand and baddeleyite was discontinued. Production of zirconium sponge in the larger pilot plant of 500 pounds per week capacity was begun in June 1949.

Jan 1, 1956

By Stanley A. Feitler

This Bureau of Mines report deals principally with the resources and economic aspects of feldspar in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Although in a strict sense, all phases of the feldspar industry affect its economic structure, emphasis in this study is on supply, demand, and marketing. Although feldspar was originally mined for use in the manufacture of pottery and other ceramics, the glass industry, which began to use feldspar in the mid-1920's, now consumes more than half of the annual output. Most mining is open cut, and the methods used are similar to those used in mining crushed stone. Excess plant capacity has been chronic, and production is usually about 50 percent of capacity fur the industry as a whole. Since 1947, feldspar consumption has grown more slowly than the average for all U.S. industry. This has fostered intense competition, especially for the glass market. Prices have not kept pace with inflation, and profits are small. The trend of consumption through 1.970 for glass feldspar is expected to be upward; less rapid growth in consumption of ceramic feldspar is anticipated.

Jan 1, 1967

By D. Harrington

The record of fatalities from mine explosions in the United States during the fiscal years 1934 to 1937 wars the best in the history of the mining industry; that for the fiscal year 1939, however, is not so favorable, since nearly as many men (170) were killed by explosions in 1938 as were killed during all of the previous 4 years (182). In spite of the large increase in fatalities from explosions during 1938, the average for the past 5 year period (70.4) is less than one-half the average (13) of the preceding 5 year period. The reasons for the large increase in the number of explosion fatalities during the 7 past year as compared with the previous 4 year are not entirely clear; it is: evident, however, that in some instances there has been laxity in the enforcement of State minim laws, and also that come of our coal-mining people, including workers and operating officials, have failed to carry out tine known precautionary measures to prevent explosions.

Jan 1, 1939

By John A. Ruppert

1. It has been proposed that the addition of enough limestone to an open -hearth s lag to give a CaO-3P2O5 ratio of approximately 2-followed by SiO2 firing in an oxidizing atmosphere under the proper conditions of time and temperature will result in a clinker having a magnetic phase containing a preponderance of Mn, Fe, Al, and Mg as oxides and a nonmagnetic phase consisting for the most part of a phosphorus-containing dicalcium silicate. It has been postulated further that the metal oxide phase can be recovered by fine grinding and magnetic separation. These broad principles have been substantiated by numerous clinkering operations made in an electrically fired studio-type kiln, a batch rotary kiln, and a continuous rotary kiln and by magnetic separations made in a Davis -tube separator and a laboratory-size Jeffrey-Steffensen three -roll continuous separator. 2. Quenching the clinker after firing seems to improve its grindability. Microscopic examination of the ground clinker indicates .that the oxide phase grinds down at a somewhat faster rate than the silicate phase. 3. Very fine grinding is necessary to approach liberation, of the oxide phase from the silicate phase. Grinding to ininus-325-mesh, followed by magnetic separation, gave only a rougher concentrate, which had to be reground before final separation. 4. Although the manganese content of the final concentrate was higher, there was some evidence that manganese recovery was lower from a clinker made from a flush s lag than one made from a mixture of tap and flush slags. A possible explanation is that a clinker made from a mixture of slags has a higher iron content and hence is more magnetic and more easily separated.

Jan 1, 1952

By D. Harrington

Approximately 6,000 coal mines are operated in the United States. All of them have in some degree the elements that are likely to contribute to an explosion, hence it is surprising that explosion disasters are not more frequent and that many mines have been operated for years and finally worked out and abandoned without experiencing an explosion. The absence of coal-mine explosions does not always indicate that effective efforts have been made to prevent them but rather that the nine has been fortunate in that the combination of circumstances necessary to cause an explosion has not existed. In view of present knowledge of the methods of preventing explosions, disasters are inexcusable and discredit the mining industry. The methods of preventing mine explosions are known to experienced, well-informed persons engaged in coal mining, yet despite this knowledge far to many coal-mine operators continue to use practices and methods that they should know have resulted in numerous explosions. Moreover, many mine workers persist in following past procedure irrespective of consequences and in breaking safety rules or indulging in practices almost certain eventually to result in disaster. Continued failure to apply known common-sense methods of accident and explosion prevention unquestionably will cell for ultimate enforcement of law.

Jan 1, 1940

By Fred D. DeVanery

"INTRODUCTION Although galena is the most common lead-bearing mineral, is easily concentrated by gravity methods, and is readily susceptible to flotation, nevertheless some galena-bearing orebodies have within them small deposits of lead ore that fail to give a high recovery when treated by the customary milling methods.The secondary minerals, cerussite and anglesite, which result from natural oxidation of galena, cause losses when the customary method of lead-ore concentration is practiced. The identification of oxidized lead-ore minerals and the efficient concentration of a lead ore taken from the oxidized portion of an orebody which has previously yielded poor recoveries mere the objects of a recent investigation. Thus the ore examined was selected from a large orebody. The work was undertaken at the Mississippi Valley Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, Rolla, Mo.DESCRIPTION OF OREThe ore was of a brownish color owing to oxidation of some of the iron minerals to limonite. The lead content was 6.80 percent, and a cursory examination showed that most of the lead was present as galena. Small amounts of sphalerite, siderite, and pyrite were readily identified. The chief gangue mineral was dolomite, accompanied by smaller amounts of calcite and glauconite."

Jun 1, 1933

By S. B. Levin

The Bureau of Mines has been investigating deposits of critical and essential minerals in the United States and Alaska since 1939. During the fall of 1942, the Bureau of Mines put down nine diamond-drill holes at the Cape Rosier zinc-copper-lead mine in Hancock County, Maine, that aggregated 2,883 feet of bore. These holes supplemented 13 holes, aggregating. 5,501 feet, put down on the property about 2 years earlier by the St. Joseph Lead Co. Veins of mixed sulfides were intersected in 15 of the holes drilled. Beneficiation tests were made on samples of ore obtained from old dumps. Zinc-copper-lead sulfides occur at the Cape Rosier mine as lenses in a zone of altered agglomerate beneath and between a series of diorite sills. The mineralized zone strikes F. 17° E. and dips southeast. Between July 1881 and September 1883 the mine produced about 10,000 tons of ore reported to have contained 20 percent zinc, 2.8 percent copper, and some lead. The crude ore was hand-sorted, and some. 3,000 tons were reported shipped.

Jan 1, 1948

By R. T. Johansen

A gradual decrease in injection rates commonly occurs as a water-flooding project becomes older. This decrease can be attributed to changes in reservoir conditions, such as swelling of clay minerals, fillup, or gradual plugging of the sand face. However, a rapid decrease in the rate of injection indicates abnormal behavior and is cause for alarm. Extreme plugging conditions can completely stop injections into a formation. Such behavior in wells was the main concern of the tests described in this report. An accepted method of alleviating this condition is by backflowing input wells - closing the supply lines to the wells and allowing the reservoir pressure to force water back into the wellbore and to the surface. If backflowing is not successful, a string of smaller diameter pipe sometimes is run inside the casing, and the sand face is flushed with a waterspray. More drastic treatment is to inject acid into the wellbore to dissolve extraneous matter, or even part of the reservoir material, in an attempt to restore the permeability of the sand immediately around the wellbore. Any of these procedures can he coordinated with bailing and swabbing of the well for cleanout purposes.

Jan 1, 1957

The Florida phosphate industry, which supplies about three-quarters of the domestic phosphate fertilizer, produces tremendous volumes of phosphatic clay wastes (slimes). These clays retain a high percentage of water for extended periods of time. The clays also pose an environmental hazard because the disposal technique involves aboveground storage behind earthen dams. Although much research has been undertaken by numerous organizations to dewater slime, no completely satisfactory solution has been developed. In June 1972, a cooperative effort by the Federal Bureau of Mines and the Florida phosphate mining industry was initiated to develop a solution for dewatering the Florida phosphatic slimes. This report discusses various aspects of the slimes problem, reviews past research, makes recommendations for future research, and includes a bibliography of references and patents dealing with the subject.

Jan 1, 1975

By G. A. Morrison

Iron ores associated with the Oriskany formation extend from the West Virginia border to the southwestern corner of Virginia. The deposits have been mined at many places, and the district is credited with the production of approximately 13,000,000 tons of ore to 1925, when mining operations ceased (fig. 1). The Oriskany iron-ore deposits occur in the Alleghany Mountains throughout their extent in the State. The name Oriskany was originally given to the limonite ore that was supposed to occur in the Oriskany sand-stone. At present, the name applies to all iron-ore deposits occurring in the lower part of the Devonian shale, Oriskany sandstone, and Helderberg limestone. The principal ore-bearing minerals are goethite and limonite. This report deals principally with the occurrences in Allegheny, Bath, Botetourt, and Craig Counties, Va. The Bureau of Mines, as part of the strategic-minerals program, began a project to develop the reserves of the area in November 1943; and continued until December 1944. Work started near Oriskany and extended northeast for nearly three-fourths of the area of the more important deposits. During the program 163 holes were drilled, totaling 11,651 feet; 256 feet of prospect tunnels were driven; 1,346 samples were collected; beneficiation tests were performed; and bulldozer trails and trenches wore excavated. The work served to delimit and appreciably extend the reserves of several areas. Analyses of channel samples are -given in appendix A, and diamond-drill and churn-drill hole logs and sample analyses are given in appendixes B and C, respectively.

Jan 1, 1950

By J. H. Jacobs

This report records a chapter in the history of the development of an electrolytic manganese industry in the United States. Nearly all the manganese requirements of the United States have been imported. Although there are large quantities of manganese ore in the United States, most of it is low-grade and cannot be used for the production of ferromanganese. Since the electrolytic production of manganese carried out by a process developed in the laboratories of the Bureau of Mines offers a method whereby the extensive low-grade deposits may be utilized and since commercial development had proceeded slowly, the Bureau constructed a new and larger pilot plant at Boulder City, Nev., where abundant electric power was available. An authorization in November 1940 covered a plant of only several hundred pounds daily capacity. Additions to some sections author¬ized by subsequent appropriations have enabled the plant to produce over 2,000 pounds a day for extended periods.

Jan 1, 1946

By J. W. Thompson

ESTATE IN MINERALS. Minerals beneath the surface may be made the subject of separate ownership either by a grant of the minerals by the owner of the land or by a grant of the land excepting the minerals, and thereby an estate in fee simple is created in the minerals, as corporeal things real. Colby, In re, Iowa, 169 Northwestern 443, p. 444. DEEDS EXCHANGING DIFFERENT MINERALS-RIGHTS OF PARTIES. The lands of two adjoining owners were underlaid with cement rock and clay at a depth of about 100 feet from the surface and with coal veins some 600 feet below the surface. By an exchange of deeds one of the land owners conveyed to the other the cement rock and clay with the right to mine and remove the same without entering upon the surface, but the deed contained no covenant not to injure the surface. The other deed conveyed the coal seam and so much of the rock and other minerals just above and below the coal as might be required in connection with the mining and removing of the coal, together with the right to mine and remove the same, and the adja- cent rock, clay, and other minerals, without entering upon or injuring the surface, with one immaterial exception. The deeds do not define the word "surface" and neither expressly nor by implication did they secure to the coal owner the right to subside the overlying cement rock; but the implication is to the contrary, as the deed gives the right to mine and remove coal without entering upon or injuring the surface. The provision that the coal owner should not enter upon or injure the surface amounts to a clause that the coal mine. shall not be worked so as to let down the surface and this does not create any inconsistency with the provision giving the right to mine and carry away the coal.

Jan 1, 1919

By J. W. Thompson

MEANING OF TERM, The term "minerals" when used in grants or in reservations or instruments of conveyance is not limited to metals or metalliferous deposits, whether contained in veins that have well-defined walls or in beds or deposits that are irregular and are found at or near the surface or otherwise. Byron v. Utah Copper Co., Utah, 178 Pacific 53, p. 58. The term "mineral" in its commercial sense has been defined as any organic substance found in nature having sufficient value sepa- rate from its situs as part of the earth to be mined, quarried, or dug for its own sake or its own specific use. Rockhouse Fork Land Co. v. Raleigh Brick & Tile Co., - W. Va., 97 South- eastern 684, p. 685. CONSTRUCTION AND MEANING. It can not be said that the term "minerals" includes only such substances as are procured by tunnelling and shafting, as much gold is procured by placer mining and rich deposits of manganese and other like ores are found upon the surface of the earth and are some- times obtained without either quarrying or mining. Rockhouse Fork Land Co. v. Raleigh Brick & Tile Co., W. Va. ——, 97 South- eastern 684, p. 685. GRANITE AS MINERAL. It has been determined that granite was included in a grant of minerals. Rockhouse Fork Land Co. v. Raleigh Brick & Tile Co., -W. Va., 97 South eastern 684, p. 685. See Armstrong v. Lake Champlain Granite Co., 147 N. Y. 495, 42 Northeastern 186.

Jan 1, 1919

By Alastair M. Lumsden

A study was initiated to examine the ways in which a number of foreign countries classify and regulate metal/non-metal mines which experience problems due to naturally-occurring flammable gases. Twenty countries were selected for study, and useful information was obtained from sixteen of these. Nine countries were visited (five of them twice) to hold meetings with representatives of government mine regulatory agencies and mine operators, and to visit mines encountering methane and other gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen). In the later stages of the study seven gassy metal/non-metal mines in the United States were visited so as to provide a basis for comparison, and hence the evaluation of both the U.S. and foreign gassy mine regulations. In addition to obtaining copies of the mining laws and regulations of a number of foreign countries, nine foreign gassy mines, and the seven in the United States were documented in as much detail as possible. All this information is presented, along with appropriate conclusions and appendices. The study took two years and three months to complete.

Jan 1, 1983