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By Warren C. Gerler

An overland belt conveyor system is installed for only one reason to save money. It must pay its way on a ton-mile basis over a stated period of time, and do so in competition with other forms of transportation. Such a system with its economies has recently been installed at Simco-Peabody's mine near Coshocton, Ohio by Link-Belt Company. Three miles in length, this system carries coal from open pit and underground mining facilities to the Conesville Power Plant of Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company. The coal was formerly trucked from the mine direct to the power plant; but over the years the mining operations have moved progressively farther and farther from the plant, making the over-the-road hauling distance correspondingly greater. Simco-Peabody has mining operations over a considerable area just east of the Conesville Station. The majority of the coal is recovered by conventional strip mining. Some underground mining` is performed by the high wall method.

Jan 1, 1963

By James P. Bennett

The Bureau of Mines investigated the role of imported natural flake graphite in dolomite-carbon refractories used in steelmaking processes. Fundamental engineering data were obtained to enable the evaluation of substitute materials. Changes in oxidation resistance (2,000° F), hot strength (2,750° F), and deformation under load (2,7500 F) caused by 10-wt-pct additions of five different kinds of natural flake graphite and increasing quantities (0 to 30 pct) of a 90-pct-carbon natural flake graphite were studied. Results indicated that carbon purity of 10-wt-pct-graphite additions did not influence hot strength or deformation under load. When the quantity of 90-pct-carbon graphite addition varied between 0 and 30 wt pct in a dolomite-carbon brick, hot strength was highest and de-formation under load lowest with 10-wt-pct additions. As hot strength test temperature was increased from 5000 to 2,750° F, the strength difference observed between 0-and 30-wt-pct additions of a 90-pct-carbon graphite became smaller. Additions of a boron-treated graphite caused significantly higher strength and lower deformation under load at high temperatures, while an addition of ball clay significantly reduced strength and increased deformation.

Jan 1, 1987

By N. H. Darton

This report presents the results of an investigation begun by the Government in the summer of 1907, the investigation being started under the immediate supervision of Dr. J. A. Holmes and continued under him as director after it was transferred to the Bureau of Mines in 1910, the field studies being completed in the spring of 1912. The purpose of the investigation was to obtain information on the origin of the inflammable gases in coal and the conditions under which they occur. It was especially intended to ascertain whether there was any relation between the occurrence of gas and the structural or other geologic features of the coal beds. To this end many months were spent in mines and much time was devoted to the examination of mine maps, bore-hole records, and other data made available by the kindness of various coal companies. Two fields of work were selected-one in the northern anthracite basin of Pennsylvania, where the beds are considerably flexed, and the other in the southern part of the bituminous coal field of Illinois, where the beds lie nearly horizontal. In order to take advantage of results of previous investigations of the same general subject, an extended examination was made of reports of various investigators in Europe and America. A digest of the information obtained from these publications is included in the first part of this report, which constitutes an introduction to the discussion of the conditions governing the occurrence of inflammable gas in coal beds.

Jan 1, 1915

In the pursuit of commercial solutions for environmental issues, individual problems are often identified, considered and resolved in isolation from other environmental matters and always at the end of the cycle û after the problem has been created. Inter-relationships are neglected if they are not seen to obviously impact on a specific problem and the issue at hand is plucked from the environmental landscape and dealt with in total isolation to all else. In a Zero Waste approach to environmental matters, all outputs are pursued as potential inputs. Industrial processes are viewed as a variation on natureÆs theme and opportunity pursued above all else. When viewed from this perspective, industry appears to have forgotten its origins. It has forgotten that it is principally about people. The juggernaut of global trade has forgotten that it is a small part of a big landscape and that its principal participants, people, cannot exist without healthy soil. Commercial activity in all parts of the world relies heavily on the ability of agriculture to produce the necessary inputs for industrial production. The care and nurturing of our soils is fundamental, not only to the survival of humanity, but also to the economic systems that support that humanity and to the industry which profits by it. Actual levels of domestic recycling in many countries around the world seldom reflect the 90 plus per cent desire to recycle recorded in surveys conducted by local authorities in almost every country. If the desire to recycle is far removed from the end result, why is it that the systems provided are so ineffective? It is obvious that what we do need is a recycling system that both engages and rewards the participant and stimulates the innate desire to support the environment. A recent trial in New South Wales, Australia, demonstrated that by giving individual households credits for recycling organic wastes, not only will contamination levels fall dramatically, but increased yields, improved soil structure, improved land values, reduced fertiliser costs and increased water use efficiency give the farmer good economic reasons for purchasing and applying quality composted product. By underpinning and securing the agricultural community, we secure the future of industry. The æCity to SoilÆ project linked the economic on-farm benefits of compost use with reduced contamination through the provision of rewards paid for by the purchase of product by the farmer.

Jan 1, 2006

By O. C. Blade

This report on the properties of motor fuels sold through service stations in the United states was made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the American Petroleum Institute and the Bureau of Mines of the United states Department of the Interiors This paper is a continuation of a series made in cooperation with the Coordinating Fuel Research (CFR) Committee of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC), Inc. The first of this series of reports presented data on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1935-36, and succeeding reports described motor gasolines sold during the summers and winters to and including the summer of 1941.£1 No reports were made on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1941-42 and during the summer of 1942. However, starting with the winter of 1942-43, the semiannual reports were resumed

Jan 1, 1949

By J. M. GLEDHILL

IT would doubtless have been felt by many but a few years back that there was little left to be said on the subject of crucible tool-steel, and that something akin to finality had been arrived at in its manufacture and general treatment. Probably such feeling was justifiable when it is remembered that the making of steel in crucibles is by far the oldest method known, dating back from time immemorial, it being indeed impossible to accurately trace its origin and earliest development; but it seems certain that carbon-steel was made and used thousands of years ago for cutting-tools. Proof of this may be seen by the marvelous carvings and workings on the intensely hard stone-work of the ancients, for it would be difficult to conceive by what means, other than with steel tools, such work could have been executed; and it is wonderful to contemplate that steel cutting-tools should have been used so long ago, whilst the principle of manufacturing them-that is, by fusion of iron and charcoal in crucibles-was then in a measure on the sane lines as we work on at the present day. Archaeologists have discovered that the Chinese made steel in crucibles long before the Christian era. " Wootz " steel fabricated in India centuries ago was crucible steel, as was also the celebrated Damascus steel, produced at the forges of Toledo, and, curiously, this latter steel furnishes' yet another proof that "There is nothing new under the Sun," for it is recorded that Damascus steel contained certain percentages of tungsten, nickel, manganese, etc., some of the very elements, in fact, contained in the present modern high-speed steel, so that a latent high-speed steel may be said to have existed

Mar 1, 1905

By J. Mrozowski, R. Kurowski, A. Chmielarz, Z. Szolomicki

PbSO4 is a commonly encountered component of the materials used in lead recycling (e.g. battery paste) and in by-products of metallurgical processes (e.g. residues from zinc hydrometallurgy, dust from copper smelting). Smelting of battery paste results in SO2 emission and in generation of significant amounts of hazardous ‘white slag’. Those adverse phenomena can be eliminated by removal of sulphur from the paste. Lead-bearing by-product materials are of polymetallic character with usually low Pb content, which makes lead recovery technologically difficult and uneconomic. However it can be successfully achieved by extraction of lead sulphate from solid phase with triethylenetetramine (TETA) water solutions. That compound has capability for selective solvation of a whole lead sulphate molecule. Virtually pure lead carbonate can be precipitated by means of saturation of lead-loaded aqueous TETA solution with carbon dioxide, and complete regeneration of the extractant is achieved by fixing of sulphate ion into gypsum through operation of calcium hydroxide suspension. The paper presents results of the lab and pilot scale studies into process of battery paste desulphurisation and recovery of lead from the residue of zinc calcine leaching.

Jan 1, 2014

By K. B. Higbie

The quantitative separation of tantalum from columbium has been obtained through several liquid-liquid extraction processes. The valuable metals are separated by selective extraction from organic feed solution using a mineral acid or by selective extraction from aqueous feed solutions employing an organic solvent. The greatest degree of separation was obtained when organic ketones, particularly methyl isobutyl ketone, were used. Approximately 200 combinations of various organic solvents and mineral acids were tested as possible separation systems in which the tantalum or columbium content was extracted from organic solutions of the anhydrous pentachlorides.

Jan 1, 1956

By P. E. Fitzgerald, J. C. Gindlesperger

1. The Acidizer (Trade Publication of Dowell Inc.): No. 1. Aspects of Acidizing. No. 2. Inhibited Acid. No. 3. The Value of Acidizing. No. 4. The Chemistry of Acidizing. No. 5. Jelly Seal in Acidizing. No. 6. Loosening Stuck Drill Pipe. No. 7. The Geology of Acidizing. 2. J. C. Albright: Acid Is Being Used for Cleaning Intake Wells in Water-flooded Areas. Oil Weekly (Sept. 23, 1935) 24. 3. D. H. Bancroft: Acid Tests Increase Production of Zwolle Wells, Miller County, Arkansas. Oil and Gas Jnl. (Dec. 22, 1932) 42. 4. A. H. Bell: Possible Areas for Acid Treatment in Illinois. Pub. of Illinois- Indiana Petr. Assn. and lllinois Geol. Survey (1934) 49. 5. N. A. Best: Treating Limestone Formations Consists of More than Pouring Hydrochloric Acid in the Well. Oil and Gas Jnl. (April 5, 1934) 54. 6. L. G. E. Bignell: Sealing Off Salt Water from Oil-bearing Formations. Oil and Gas Jnl. (Jan. 30, 1936) 59. 7. L. G. E, Bignell: Acidizing Upper Limestone Formation Facilitated by the Use of Jelly Seal. Oil and Gas Jnl. (March 5, 1936) 30. 8. L. G. E. Bignell: Bailing, Shooting, Tubing and Acidizing Have All Been Tried in Deep Test at Binger, Oklahoma. Oil and Gas Jnl. (May 10, 1934) 38. 9. L. G. E. Bignell: Dowel1 Incorporated Increasing Its Field Service for Acid Treatment of Wells. Oil and Gas Jnl. (June 7, 1934) 62. 10. L. C. Chamberlain, Jr. and P. E. Fitzgerald: Oil Well Acidizing in Michigan. Mich. Acad. Sci. Papers (March 1937). 11. M. E. Chapman: Some of the Theoretical and Practical Aspects of the Acid Treatment of Limestone Wells. Oil and Gas Jnl. (Oct. 12, 1933) 10. 12. C. E. Clason and J. G. Staudt: Limestone Reservoir Rocks of Kansas React Favorably to Acid Treatment. Oil and Gas Jnl. (April 25, 1935) 53. 13. W. F. Cloud: Cleaning and Reconditioning Oil Wells—Reconditioning by Use of Acid (Petroleum Production 1937), 389. University of Oklahoma Press, 1937,' 14. K. A. Covell: Developments in Eastern Production Practice. Acid Treatment of Michigan Wells. Amer. Petr. Inst. Prod. Bull. 213 (1934) 77; Oil and Gas Jnl. (May 31, 1934) 89; Oil Weekly (May 28, 1934) 17. 15. B. A. Cunningham: Acid Treatment of Lime Formations. Amer. Petr. Inst. Paper 901 (1933) 9D, 1-7. 16. 0. I. DeSchon: Pondera Production up 22,000 Barrels. Montana Oil & Min. Jnl. (Jan. 26, 1935) 1.

Jan 1, 1937

By F. E. Diebold

The methodology for describing the geochemistry of elements in a coal seam have been developed. This has been applied to the Rosebud Coal Seam, which is an economically important member of the subbituminous coals of the Fort Union Formation in Eastern Montana. The method development has involved a detailed study of two popular techniques for determining the metal geochemistry of coal, namely, whole coal analyses and coal physical fractionation. The mathematically contrived element associations (whole coal analyses technique) and the element concentration trends in the float and sink fractions (physical fractionation technique) are considered to lead to only qualitative conclusions concerning the chemical associations of the elements in coals. Additionally, the processes taking place with the coal during low temperature ashing in an oxygen plasma are experimentally investigated and shown to be of sufficeint extent that the use of such low temperature ash for deciphering element geochemistry is questionable. The method developed in this study is a chemical fractionation that involves the sequential leaching of coal with water, 0.5 N HC1, 3 N HC1, 2 N HNO3, and 48% HF. These leach solutions are shown to selectively dissolve the predominate inorganic phases, sulfates, Ca and Mg carbonates, Fe sulfides and K alumino-silicates and quartz, respectively. These phases were identified with the use of XRD, SEM, EM and leaches (water and 0.3 N HC1) of whole coal and low temperature ash. The incorporation of the anion-exchange step in the leaching scheme was investigated and was observed to warrant further study of such intensity to be, at the time, unuseable. The use of this sequential leaching technique on several coal samples from the same seam generates element concentration trends that can be quantitatively interpreted with respect to the chemical associations of the minor and trace metals in the coal seam. The properties of the various seams of economic importance in the Fort Union Formation in Eastern Montana are compiled and presented. The subsequent conclusion is that there is not a large variation in the properties of these coal seams and that the variations within the Rosebud are within one order of magnitude. The chemical fractionation technique, investigated in this study, was applied to composite tipple samples of the Rosebud seam. Each composite sample represented 76,800 tons of coal. A minimum of 32% of the Ca and Mg are present as separate water soluble sulfates. An excess of the sulfate ion in the water extracts shows the predominating influence of the ion exchange capacity of the organic compounds in the coal. Based upon the CO content of the coal and the HC1 leachate data, 25 to 30% of the alkaline earth elements exist as separate carbonates and the remainder are associated with the organic compounds. The small fraction of the illite that dissolves in the HC1 and HNO3 leachates accounts for the K and Al. Slight dissolution of the pyrite in the HCl solvent occurs, the small amounts of Li and As do not relate to any known phase and Mn is present as a separate carbonate phase. Fe and a significant amount of the As exist in the pyrite that is dissolved in the HNO. Se is equally partitioned between the pyrite and the organic compound~. Most of the trace elements are found in the HF solutions. Li, V, and Cr were interpreted to be associated with the clay minerals (kaolinite and illite). Ni and Pb appear to be present as separate phases and 50% of the Hg is HF soluble but is not chemically related to any known inorganic phase.

Jan 1, 1983

By C. W. Taylor, F. L. Martin

"THE DICTIONARY defines Metallurgy as the ""science or art of separating metals from their ores and refining them for use"". In these days, however, such a definition is not detailed enough.The modern science of metallurgy is based on two fundamental sciences, physics .and chemistry, and is sub-divided into two major fields: Process Metallurgy and Physical Metallurgy. These fields of metallurgy are now so comprehensive and involved that even the graduate metallurgist has to specialize in one or the other.In recent years, the relatively new science or technology of non• destructive testing has also entered the industrial scene, with tremendous impact and ramifications. So much so that, certainly, no .discussion on metallurgy can be complete without including some reference to it.Obviously, one paper cannot hope to cover in detail the relationship of the whole science of metallurgy to the mining industry. Consequently, only a very brief reference will be made to the field of Process Metallurgy, our major concern being with Physical Metallurgy and Non-Destructive Testing."

Jan 1, 1960

By A. L. Engel

This report is a compilation of results of brief preliminary tests on sulfide ores that contained gold and silver and, in some cases base metals. It is a companion paper to a recent similar report on oxide ores. Simple treatment methods employing the least possible equipment sometimes produce satisfactory results on marginal ores and in small-scale operations. Investigations of typical ores from newly discovered or recently explored mining districts have been made in continuation of a long-established part of the hydrometallurgical and ore-dressing program of the Reno station, Bureau of Mines. The purpose of such investigations is to encourage the search for and development of mineral resources and particularly to assist in the economical exploitation of low-grade and marginal ores as well as the conservation and recovery .of values in products that were discarded from former operations because of inability to treat them profitably. Several of these investigations have been limited to preliminary tests of samples from prospecting operations, whereas same involved samples of old dumps or tailings piles. The test work in these cases was not extensive enough to warrant publication as individual reports, but is of considerable interest inasmuch as it indicates the possibilities as well as the limitations of treating the respective materials. The samples were representative of the districts from which they wore obtained, so this information should be helpful in the future development of these districts.

Jan 1, 1951

By Alfred L. Ransome

The consumption of slab zinc in the United States increased sevenfold in less than a half century since 1900. Therein is reflected the innate characteristics of this versatile and nearly indispensable nonferrous metal whose use has grown at more than twice the rate of industrial production. The total metal consumption was substantially stimulated during the two World War periods, which were likewise marked by notable changes in use pattern accompanied by shifts in geographic distribution. This information circular summarizes basic data collected for many years by the Bureau of Mines, but in particular presents for the 1940-45 period details derived from the comprehensive slab zinc consumption survey inaugurated in 1940. The total consumption of slab zinc has been broken down into four major categories galvanizing, brass products, rolled zinc, and zinc-base alloys -- with minor applications grouped under a fifth heading, other uses. Ex- cept for the inclusion of zinc-base alloys with other uses before 1926, the above-named segregation has been shown for the entire period 1900-45. 11- though a substantial tonnage was taken by all groups in all years, there were large shifts in the use pattern in both World War periods. In both, the Allied Powers depended heavily on the United States for zinc-bearing products, especially those required by war industrius. The departures from usual uses were, however, much more marked during the second than in the first period, mainly because the United States could not have met the tro- mendously expanded war-materiel demands had the greater slab zinc needs of a period of high industrial activity been supplied. The geography of consumption is known in detail only for 1940-45. Even in that short period, substantial shifts are observable, largely the reaction from conversion to war production in 1940-41 and reconversion to peacetime consumption in 1945. However, there is so evidence of other shifts in consumption centers that appear to reflect longer-term develop- ments.

Feb 1, 1948

By Parissa Mirjafari, Ron Martel, Susan A. Baldwin, Luke Moger

Mine drainage contains metals and sulfate, which may be toxic to aquatic life at certain concentrations and should be removed to acceptable levels before release of any drainage to the environment. One method for treating mine drainage is passive treatment, which is increasing in popularity due to lower construction and operating costs. This method is based on the activity of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) respiring on sulfate while using fermentation products from decomposing complex organic materials. The product of this biological process is hydrogen sulfide, which reacts with metals in mine drainage and precipitates them as metal sulfides. However, in practice passive treatment systems are not always effective, reducing the reliability of this approach. In this study, a mixture of hay, cow manure and wood chips was tested in continuous flow experiments for efficacy at sustainable treatment of sulfate and selenium containing water from a mine tailings pond. Factors that contributed to a decline in performance included lowering of the pH due to acids leaching out of the organics, re-oxidation of sulfide back to sulfate and a reduction in dissolved organic compounds over time. In this paper methods are described to overcome these problems so that treatment is made more reliable.

Jan 1, 2011

By G. Ferrara

During several years of operation in Europe, South Africa and other countries, the Tri-Flo has demonstrated to represent a substantial improvement of the dense medium dynamic separation systems. The reasons are: (1) high sharpness separation due to the multistage system and the application of new concepts in designing the regeneration circuit and controlling the medium rheology; (2) the possibility of performing two cuts at different densities using a since separation device and a single regeneration circuit. The paper discusses in detail the above mentioned points, with particular reference to the multistage technology, based on the circuit analysis theory, and to the control of the medium rheology based on recent work in the modelling, and simulation of the rheological behavior of dense suspensions.

Jan 1, 1993

Any future developer of underground mining on the Bendigo goldfield will need to understand the unique geology and gold occurrence of this field. The development and sloping system employed will be primarily designed around these unique features. Modern techniques and equipment used in narrow vein mining will be applicable in this situation.The purpose of this paper is to examine the important geological features of the field as well as the known historical occurrences of the type of gold deposition in the ore bodies. This information will point to a system of development and extraction which will accommodate these features.

Jan 1, 1993

By K. C. Lahiri, H. P. Das, G. G. Sarkar

"The petrographic components of any particular rank of coal often show some distinct physical and chemical characteristics. Therefore, their pro-portionate distribution in a coal greatly influences the technological behaviour of the coal.In any size or gravity separation of a coal, the petrographic constituents become segregated to different degrees in some preferred size or specific gravity range. Therefore, a knowledge of the petrographic nature of the washed and/or screened fractions is often considered essential in selecting the most efficient method for coal preparation and in exploring the proper evenues for its utilization.A graphical method is described in this paper to indicate the mineral-matter content and the petrographic components of the washed fractions of a coal at different ash levels of separation in the form of a new washability diagram. This diagram can be conveniently used to assess or predict the petrographic composition of clean coal or sinks corresponding to any desired ash level in the cleans. With the help of this diagram, it is also possible to locate the yield level of cleans at which maximum enrichment of vitrinites and exinites occurs with the least amount of mineral-matter content."

Jan 1, 1971

By John C. Machisak

Employment and related injury experience of the coking industry in the United States for 1957 contained in this publication is summarized under three general sections: (A) General injury experience: Tables 1 to 9: Current and comparable statistics on operating data, number, frequency, and degree of severity of injuries and major accident agencies involved in the cause of Injuries. Data are presented for the industry as a whole, for each type of oven, and for the States in which coke was produced.

Jan 1, 1959

By E. J. KENNEDY

THE annual dinner-dance was held in the large ball room of the Commodore hotel Wednesday evening. A total of 577 were seated at the dinner, over which President Eavenson presided as chairman and toastmaster. In introducing George C. Stone, the James Douglas Medalist, W. R. Ingalls outlined the former's association with the zinc industry. He said, in part In designing and building Palmerton, Stone erected a metallurgical monument and won the title of chief engineer of the New Jersey Zinc Co., with transferal to its New York office in 1900. There lie held forth in dignity, efficiency, and with appreciation until his retirement from active service in 1929. After a few years lie was diverted from the position of chief engineer for his company to the superior one of chief metallurgist and that gave to Stone his next big chance.... This was the conception of a research department and the ability to persuade his directors to adopt it. I shall not pretend to summarize the great things that afterward developed. I shall mention only the institution of the manufacture of lithopone in this country, the charging of the Wetherill furnace with briquets, the mechanicalization of the Wetherills, the accomplishment of continuous distilling, and most recently the introduction of reflux-refining.

Jan 1, 1935

By A. Livingston

This paper on mining practice at the Fresnillo silver mines is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining practices, methods, and costs in the various mining districts of North America. Two classes of ore are produced at Fresnillo. A low-grade oxidized silver ore; end a complex-base sulphide are containing gold, silver, lead, zinc, and copper. This paper is confined to a discussion of operations relating to the production of oxidized silver ores. To date, more than 10 Million tons of this ore rave been mined. The present (June, 1931) daily production is 2,000 tons of ore, and approximately 600 men are employed in the mining operations.

Jan 1, 1932